"The Island" is like the Energiezer bunny, it just keeps going

The Island
Possibly the longest feeling movie in existence.

Michael Bay doesn't usually turn out quality work. He does a fairly good job as a producer as was seen with such films as the Texas Chainsaw remake and the Amityville remake. His directorial track record isn't the best though. How does "the Island" fair?

Ewan Mcgregor and Scarlette Johannnsen star as two clones of successful people in this film. They, however, are completely oblivious to the fact that they are clones. Every week the facility where they live has a lottery on who gets to go to "the Island." What the Island is supposed to be we really don't know but they think it has to do with it not being contaminated. Apparently, the Earth was contaminated with something or other. It's really not but they think it is. Ewans character of Lincoln begins questioning things. This makes Sean Beans character very nervous. Eventually, Scarlette Johannsens character is picked to go to the Island and Lincoln must stop her from going after he finds out the truth. Long action scenes ensue.

The movie is fairly good but drags along in a lot of places. The movies runtime says 2 hours and 10 minutes but it feel much longer. It also felt like Michael Bay was trying to direct other movies while directing this one. I think he wants to do a Halo movie considering the entire hover bike sequence. Also, why does he feel he has to have a car chase involving one car throwing stuff off the back of it in every movie? Towards the end you feel as if you are watching "I, Robot" with clones instead of robots. And a problem I had with "I, Robot" rears its ugly head in this little gem as well. Why do people insist on making product placement so evident? Apparently everyone in this movie is expected to drink Aquafina while wearing a Mazo watch. And the most blatent product placement comes in the form of MSN video phone booths. Also, even though it is the year 2090 something, they are still using the original Xbox. Get with the times people. The musical score stands out as well as Steve Buscemi's part as Mac.

This movie wasn't the absolute trainwreck I thought it would be. It could be better compared to a hot looking girl who doesn't have any substance in the intelligence department. If you're an action junkie and don't require things like dialouge or orignal plot, be my guest. But for the rest of us, we'll just go see Batman again.

Final Score
3/5

And my first screenplay is finished!

Now, many of you may remember a post from a while ago announcing the start of my first screenpaly, the comedy, "Badder Day Saints." Now, after about working on and off for about 7 months, my first screenplay has been completed. I am still polishing it up but the story porton is complete. Now, I don't have a link to it at this time as I stopped using the online scriptwriting service, Script Buddy. I instead obtained a copy of Final Draft 6, imported all of my work down from Script Buddy, and went to town. The finished product clocks in at a whopping 133 pages. Not too bad considering I started this screenplay with only one or two jokes in mind. I will say though that this is the last time I write a screenplay without having a outline. I am a fan of the G4 show Attack of the Show, and decided to email Chris Gore(he does the DVDuesday segment for AOTS) of Filmthreat.com and writer/producer of the upcoming film, "My Big Fat Independant Movie." I asked him what I should do for my next step and, if I were to go the independant route, how I would go about doing it. I am still waiting for a reply but I guess here's to the next step!

Gavin

"Fantastic Four", not Marvel's best

Fantastic Four
Nothing Fantastic about this one folks

First off, I would like to say that my first review of this movie was inappropriate and unprofessional. I should not have called any of my readers idiots just because they have a different opinion than me. Also, to the anonymous poster who commented, I truly appreciate your visiting of my site and truly apologize to you. If you do come back and see this, know that I am truly sorry. Now, onto my slightly less harsh review.

Fantastic Four starts off with Reed Richards(Ioan Gruffadd) pitching an idea of space travel to Victor Von Doom(Julain McMahon). Doom agrees to fund the project and goes up himself to see things through. Richards' brings along his friend Ben Grimm(Michael Chiklis) and Doom insists on having Richards ex-lover, Sue Storm(Jessica Alba), on board for the experiment. Sue's brother Johhny Storm(Chris Evans) is brought along to pilot the ship. Naturally everything goes wrong when they get to space and it leaves them with special powers. Some might call these powers "Fantastic." Anyway, everyone discovers there powers and take the finding a different way. Johnny uses his powers to attract women, while Ben hates his power as it has left him diformed. Doom resents Reed for putting his company under after the space blunder. Reed decides that he can build a machine to reverse the effects which bears the question: If he could build a machine to do the experiment, why did he go to space in the first place? Naturally, in the end they all ban together and defeat Dr. Doom from doing something evil. It's never really made clear waht he intended to do other than blow stuff up.

Dr. Doom is one of the main problems with this movie. Not so much with McMahons performance, but how his character was written. Dr. Doom should have never been on the ship to begin with. Now I know comics and movies are two different mediums but if they insisted on putting Doom on the ship, they should have had him be protected by the shields and do all the evil stuff through plotting, not with super powers. I wasn't a fan of some of the effects, either. all of the Human Torch stuff was very well done but the Mr. Fantastic effects were just horrible. I guess this means no Plastic Man movie. The ending leaves much to be desired as mentioned before. Dr. Doom really doesn't have a true motive other than steal some weapons and blow stuff up. Michael Chiklis did a decent job as the thing but, c'mon, put some "oomph" behind that "It's Clobberin' Time!" Jessica Alba is apparently giving Rebecca Romign Stamos a run for her money as "girl who can be in more comic movies."

Overall, this isn't a great movie. It has it's moments and the humor from Johnny Storm is appreciated. I just wish the writing could have been a lot better. With movies like "Batman Begins" out there, this just doesn't cut it.

Final Score
2/5

I think I waved the biggest WTF flag at "War of the Worlds"

War of the Worlds
You know Spielberg, there is a thing called, get this, a sad ending.


Ahh, yes, another over hyped Summer blockbuster. How did this one fair? Well, it's decent, but it could have been so much more.

Ray(Tom "I'm everywhere these days" Cruise) gets his kids for a weekend while his ex-wife and some good looking guy go off to Boston to visit ex-wife's parents. Ray is a hardworking dockworker who we are supposed to relate to since we are all dockworkers at heart. He's a hardworking blue collar guy. His kids, played by Dakota "No 11 yr old talks this" Fanning and some totally Emo kid, have adapted to the knew life with their new step dad so, naturally, they butt heads. Dakota Fannings character complains of Ray's lack of a Tivo while Emo kid steals Ray's vintage Mustang. But don't worry folks, Ray is about to show the world that he is too cool for school when the aliens attack.

When a strange formation forms in the sky, everyone decides that it is "pretty" and go outside to look at it. When the lightning storm starts, we once again decide it is "scary...but cool." When all of are electronic things stop, save for ONE GUYS CAMERA and THE VAN THAT TOM CRUISE WILL EVENTUALLY DRIVE, we find nothing wrong with it. Yes, all things electronic are fried but have no fear, Tom Cruise tells his mechanic friend to fix ONE THING in the car. Now, I'm no mechanic, but if all things electronic break, wouldn't it take a bit more than one part to fix a completely fried car? Naturally a crater forms in the middle of the city from where the lightning hit and everyone goes to investigate. When a large Tripod emerges from the crater and starts frying people, one guy keeps filming with his magic indestructible camera until, he too, is turned to people dust. But we get to see him killed through the LCD screen of his camera so it's artistic.

Now, I will say this: This part of the movie is intense if you can suspend your belief enough. Ray runs home, grabs his kids, steals the van, and starts driving on the highway where cars are broken down. But don't worry, Ray, the cars have strategically stopped in a f0rmation that let's you weave right through them. They arrive at his ex-wife's house to find no one is there. He busts out the peanut butter sandwiches in which Dakota Fanning's character say's something witty. A plane crashes during the night which doesn't hit the part or the house they are in, neither does it hit the van. After this comes the scariest part in the movie (at least to me) that involves video footage. Now, to go any further would ruin the movie for everyone. I will say this about the ending thought: It sucked. It sucked hard and it came about to fast. Also, the aliens that Spielberg was keeping oh so secret were a huge letdown. Imagine the Independence Day Aliens, but cuter. Yes, cuter. I didn't want to hurt them, I wanted to hug them and name one Goostav!

The CGI was good but nothing remarkable. I honestly believe that this movie would not have gotten a lot of attention had it not been for Spielberg/Cruise. The plot holes in this one just scream out "I'm a plot hole!" Also, I almost didn't see this film because I am so freaking sick of seeing Tom Cruise. From him on Oprah, to him publicly making out with Katie Holmes, to the "You're a jerk" incident; I am just sick of him. Dakota Fanning is great in this movie, though, And the Emo kid plays Emo well, too. In conclusion, the movie was good but not "Jurassic Park" good. Not Speilbergs best, but it's still Spielberg. Suspend your belief a bit and you can find something to enjoy. Oh, and I would like to meet one person who actually took the whole "bodies floating down the river scene" seriously.

Final Score
3.5/5