Guest Blogger: Katie 2

Tangled is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. It’s got such good vibe to it and always puts me in the best mood. Tangled is about Rapunzel the princess of corona, she is kidnapped by mother Gothel and raised her as her own. As Rapunzel gets older she doesn’t realize that Gothel is not her real mother, but only a villain that loves her for the magical powers of her hair. She must never leave her tower and always do as mother says… but when Flynn rider a wanted man hides out in her tower when mother is gone all of these factors change. Rapunzel is frightened by Flynn and beats him up only to find out that he is actually a good guy. She and Flynn leave the tower and begin their adventure to corona to see the lights that are released every year on her birthday to honor the lost princess. Their adventure is filled with music, laughter, and love. When Rapunzel realizes that she is the lost princess the story has a dramatic change. Tangled has five main characters; Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Mother Gothel, Pascal, and Maximus. Rapunzel is voiced by Mandy Moore. Moore has a beautiful voice and has very few bad reviews on her role in this movie. Flynn rider is voiced by Zachary Levi. The inspiration of Flynn was from Indiana jones. In this movie he has killer charm and was one of the best princes I have watched. I loved his role in tangled. Mother Gothel is voiced by Donna Murphy. She is your ordinary villain and did an awesome job giving suspense to this movie. Her role really tied together the theme of this movie and she was given 5 stars on her performance from multiple critics. The last main characters were personally my favorite Pascal, Rapunzel’s chameleon, and Maximus the horse of the men going after Flynn rider. Even though Pascal doesn’t talk his noises are made by Frank Welker. He is the sweetest character and does whatever he can to help Rapunzel. Maximus also doesn’t speak but his sounds are also made by Welker. Max becomes Flynn riders side kick, they may but heads but they always got eachothers backs. Welker did an awesome job in making these two the most charming characters in the movie. The whole time you just want to jump into the movie and kiss them! I think the main theme in tangled is following your dreams. Rapunzel’s dreamt about exploring the city and going to see the lights and it brought so much from it; A prince, her real family and a new life away from the tower. Another theme would be never judge a book by its cover. At the beginning of the movie Flynn and Maximus were villains and didn’t care about anyone but themselves, but by the end of the movie they became friends and showed that they weren’t all that bad. Tangled is my favorite Disney movie so far, It is so fun to watch and it never gets old. I can watch it with my parents who are 50 or with my nephew who is two and everyone loves it. Its audience targets younger kids but it tends to intrigue all types of people. I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to watch a good Disney movie. Five stars from me bye far!

Guest Blogger: Brandon E1

The movie that I chose to review was one of my personal favorites, Pacific Rim. The movie Pacific Rim is a non-stop, action filled movie of monsters called Kaijus, which emerged from an “interplanetary portal at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean”. In order to combat these colossal monsters, the humans came together to create the Jaegers, gigantic robots controlled by two humans. One of these pilots is none other than Raleigh Becket, played by Charlie Hunnam. Charlie Hunnam’s representation of Raleigh Becket was extremely well done and really added to the overall success of Pacific Rim. A major theme of the movie is teamwork. Throughout the entire movie, the nations need to work together in order to rid the world of the Kaijus. A ton of the reviews I have seen online about Pacific Rim have been negative reviews saying that the movie was boring, flawed, not worth the time or the money to view/purchase it. I, personally, would have to disagree with all of these critics by saying that it was one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen. As one critic said, “Only could a movie this fun hide its massive flaws so well. We all knew this would be escapism, with giant robots fighting giant monsters and no other justification needed to love the movie if the scenes were exciting and well executed”. So, maybe I’m just one of those people who really don’t care if the movie is flawed so long as there is tons of fighting and destruction. I, personally, would recommend that anyone who hasn’t seen this movie should definitely put the time and money into purchasing it (it’s only $5.00 at Walmart North, Rochester MN for a limited time), because even if the movie is flawed, if you’re just looking for a fun movie to watch, Pacific Rim is the one for you.

Guest Blogger: Steve 2

In the movie The Dark Knight, Batman (Christian Bale) has met a new villain in Gotham named The Joker (Heath Ledger). The joker is a sociopath that wreaks havoc on the city without a motive, “just to watch the world burn”. Batman is fighting with Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) the DA who is determined to bring down organized crime to an end. Also Batman isn’t just battling the joker, the joker teamed up with a number of mobs and has control over some of the staff within the police department. Batman must overcome these odds, and save Gotham while keeping his identity hidden, before innocent lives are killed. Harvey is the White Knight of Gotham, a symbol of hope to the people, however the Joker knows this and attempts to turn him…. In this twisted film that has veered far from the comic book, the actors and actresses have done a spectacular job on acting, especially the late Heath Ledger. Who frightened everyone at how dark one person could be, definitely showed the true meaning of terror. Christian Bale played an outstanding Batman, he followed the saying “sometimes the good guys have to do bad things to make the bad guys pay”. The theme in this movie is psychology. Throughout the movie the Joker thinks that deep down everyone is evil, and is determined to prove that he is right. Many critics think this movie is far from the comic book and I agree with them; the comic is nowhere near as dark as the movie, and no as in depth either. Critics also agree that it’s very twisted and dark and no really suitable for children. I’m with them again on this one because children younger than the age of 12 are too innocent to be watching something as dark as this. However overall the movie got great views all around, and received numerous awards, and is one of my favorite movies. Worth the money!

Guest Blogger: Amanda 2

The movie I chose to review is The Green Lantern. This movie is your basic superhero movie. Hal, played by Ryan Reynolds, is the main character who starts off in the movie as an irresponsible pilot who is ‘chosen’ by the ring, becoming a green lantern superhero. By wearing the ring, Hal is able to create anything he sees in his mind and make it solid. But with powers, comes villains. Hal needs to defeat the villain Parallax, the only way to beat fear is with Will. The protagonist of the movie is played by Ryan Reynolds. He was very well casted for this role because he brings a care free feeling to the movie until he buckles down and gets stuff done. Also Ryan Reynolds has the face of a superhero, he is beautiful. Hal is motivated by a girl named Carol, who he has relations with, to stick with the ring and save the world. A theme we should take away is that responsibility can be found in everyone. The rotten tomato critics said “Noisy, overproduced, and thinly written, Green Lantern squanders an impressive budget and decades of comic’s mythology” which I strongly disagree with. I think that The Green Lantern is a very well run movie and has a basic superhero plot. This movie is another amazing movie that I enjoyed watching very much and would advise others to view as well.

Guest Blogger: Sean 1

“Olympus has fallen” was one of the better movies that I have seen. The movie is about the North Koreans attacking and taking over the White House and capturing the president played by Aaron Eckhart. Then Gerard Butler, who plays as an ex secret service agent Mike Banning, has to infiltrate the White House and try to save both the president and the president’s son. The big names in this movie are Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Melissa Leo. I believe that all of the actors/actresses that preformed in the movie performed extremely well. Gerard Butler did a great job playing the tough as nails secret service agent. Aaron Eckhart also did a good job portraying the President of the U.S. as for the characters they portrayed Mike Banning was a strong willed and fearless agent. He is driven by his old muscle memory and this causes him to be thrust into the Americans scheme to rescue the president. The president is Benjamin Asher; he is compassionate and is also strong willed. In the movie he called for a visit with the North Koreans in order to find a way to bring peace between them and at the end he is still trying to do the same thing. Bill Zwecker states that the special effects and attention to detail in "Olympus Has Fallen" are superb. He also says that while "Olympus Has Fallen" breaks no major new ground in the political thriller genre, Fuqua has directed a sharp, very taut adventure that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. I completely agree will Bill Zwecker that this was a very good movie, not the best I have ever seen but it was still good. The critics on NY times however didn’t think it was good at all in fact they said that the most recent “Die Hard” movie which the record shows I reviewed a little more than a month ago, although I have no recollection of it was terrible, but it turns out not to have been the worst “Die Hard” movie this year. That honor, for the moment at least (it’s only March!), belongs to “Olympus Has Fallen.” I disagree with them even though the script or the believability of someone actually getting to the president was bad; it is still a good movie. I would recommend this movie to people it is a good movie full of action and suspense.

Guest Blogger: Pitia 1

22 Jump Street is a sequel of 21 Jump Street. Instead of being undercover in high school they are sent to be undercover in college. After one of their missions went wrong they were sent back to jump street to do the same thing, go undercover and find out who is selling drugs. They are sent to college to investigate this new drug known as “wyfy” that killed a student on campus and the only lead they have is it’s someone with a tattoo. At college Jenko becomes popular with jocks that are prime suspects of the investigation, and also dislike his partner Schmidt. Since Jenko and Schmidt had no leads they went to see Mr. Walters and Eric in jail to get advice on how to look for the supplier. While hanging out with his jock friends Jenko notices that Zook has the tattoo he noticed in the photograph token of the dealer. Schmidt and Jenko are then invited to join the fraternity led by the jocks but Schmidt refuses and that causes tension between the two of them. They then realize that Zook was just buying it not selling it. Jenko then reveals to Schmidt that he got offered a football scholarship with Zook and that he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a police officer no more. They then find out that a guy named Ghost is the one selling the drugs so during spring break Schmidt prepared to go after Ghost alone and Jenko asks to help to they can have one last mission together. The main actors in the movie are Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Ice Cube. They were perfect for their roles because Channing Tatum, and Jonah Hill fit the college look and they were both hilarious. Ice Cube was also perfect for this role because he is known to be mean and tough. Channing Tatum was the jock, and very athletic. Jonah Hill was the nerd, and not athletic. Ice Cube was the harsh disrespectful aggressive boss. The audience is to basically take away that if you sell drugs you will get caught eventually and face serious consequences. I agree with the critic Matt Zoller Seitz from the website Rogerbert.com. The movie was live and very silly. Your mind will want to predict what cliché moment that will happen next. Overall 22 Jump Street is an amazing movie that will have you laughing beginning to end. I personally like 21 Jump Street, more but that’s just me. It is definitely worth your money and your time if you like comedy.

Guest Blogger: Abdi 2

This movie starts off with a demigod named “Percy Jackson” played by Logan Lerman. What Percy is the son of Poseidon and a mortal women hence the word demi god which means half god, half man. Percy never knew he was a demigod until the last second when he was attacked by this half human half beast which was babbling about some lightning bolt that was stolen from Zeus. The beast thought Percy had it which brought him into danger. So his protector named Grover played by Brandon T Jackson helped him get away to this safe place. At that place called Camp Half Blood he learned to protect himself and keep safe but after seeing his mother die and hades making an appearance in the matter Percy sets out with his crew to go save his mother. His crew contains a Great female solider/Demigod named Annabeth and is played by Alexandra Daddario and Grove a half goat, half human played by Brandon T. Jackson. He reaches hades hideout after obtaining 3 crystals that gives them a safe passage out. He confronts hades and tries to save his mother. The question is how? How will he save his mother from a god? What will he do? You watch and find out. The characters are outrageous and very energetic. Most of their motivations are to save their friends and family. Unfortunately I couldn’t find reviews on this movie with the given websites but on the website “RottenTomatoes” it stated that “This movie is worthy of being compared to the harry potter series and I rate it a B-“so agreeing with that critic I think it’s definitely worth your time and money because it definitely gets you on your heels and keeps you on your toes.

Guest Blogger: Daniel 2

The movie The Dark Knight is the second movie in a trilogy about a troubled orphan billionaire who uses his fear and anger to fight crime in the city of Gotham. In this movie, Batman, who has become an icon in the city of Gotham, is forced to fight his toughest enemy yet, the psychotic and sociopathic Joker. Heath Ledger, who played the Joker, puts a dark twist on an otherwise silly comic book villain who, before, was never taken seriously. Ledger’s performance won an Oscar and some believe that the intensity of the role was what ultimately led him to commit suicide shortly after the filming of the movie. Christian Bale, who played Batman, did a great job of transitioning from dark mysterious vigilante at night to eccentric billionaire playboy during the day. The Joker starts off as a villain committing, comparatively, small crimes and just trying to get people on his side, by the end of the movie he starts to show how truly insane he actually is and that he just does this stuff for the “fun” of it. The theme of this movie, like many other superhero movies is that good always trumps evil, but in this movie it takes that common theme and goes even deeper. The theme is that people are inherently good and even when they are being threatened by a psychotic terrorist they will usually do the right thing. Another theme we can see in this movie is that sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good, we see this multiple times throughout the movie as Batman is forced to make decisions in order to protect people. Roger Ebert said in his review in July of 2008 “’Batman’ isn’t a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is a haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy”. This is my exact feeling on this movie, it’s a movie that took the comic book genre and made it real, it added suspense, mystery, and a darkness that you just don’t see in any comic book movies from the past or the present. In my opinion, this movie is the greatest superhero movie of all time and should certainly be high up in the list of greatest movies of all time, it is definitely worth your time and money to see.

Guest Blogger: Marian 2

What happens when you date three different girls that are all at the top of the totem pole at the same time? Well if you’re Carrie, Heather, Beth, and Kate, you decide to give him estrogen, put him in a woman’s thong, and use a new girl to play with his mind. In the 2006 film John Tucker Must Die, four girls have a mission to bring down the school’s hottest player―both off and on the court―to make him feel the pain felt by the all the girls he has dumped. The protagonist of the film, Kate, has different motivations than the rest of her new and damaged girlfriends. While they all want to see John suffer, Kate also wants to fit in, and ultimately wants to live a little in her high school life. The actress that plays her, Brittany Snow, does a terrific job of being the new and shy girl as she shows her innocence from her fashion to her looks of unfamiliarity with the popular high school society. John Tucker, our antagonist, played by Jesse Metcalfe also does great with his confidence of being irresistible, and obliviously being cocky throughout the film. Looking at Metcalfe’s character more in depth, John is very selfish, but very effortless and worthy of it that girl’s swoon at the sight of him. His motivation in the film is to have the attention of every girl. While all of these different motivations push the premise of the film, one theme can be seen throughout: treat others the way you want to be treated. The Golden Rule plays a role with relationships, like John and his brother and Kate and her mother, and the intentions and incidents in the film. While critic Robert Ebert gives the movie two stars and says “It's about two-fifths bad”, the movie deserves a five start rating on a five star scale with the film’s underlying elements and meaning. While the New York Times’ critic Jeanette Catsoulis believes that “acting well is the best revenge” for Metcalfe in the film, every character seemed to do very well for their character. This movie is worth anyone’s time and money if you can move past cheesiness and are able to see more, or if you simply like cheesiness and love actor John Metcalfe. Either way, you will hopefully finish the film with a different look on life and people.

Guest Blogger: Warda 2

Beyond the Lights is an extraordinary tale and not one of your typical romance movies. It circles around the life of Noni, a “Ciara/Rihanna-like” pop star on the rise to fame. Noni was your typical child with a beautiful talent and her mom discovered this and somewhat turned into a scary momager. Some say that people like her mother exploited her daughter for her own personal gains and as the movie goes along you can see that some aspects of this is true. As the storyline progresses we see how fame starts to affect Noni and not in a positive way. The pressure to be perfect and be unattainable to all the public is was breaks her down slowly over time until eventually Noni becomes suicidal. As this happens, we meet the next main character and Noni’s love interest, Kaz. An upcoming police officer who sees something worthwhile in Noni. Throughout the movie, it’s an uphill battle for both who so very badly want to be together but all these forces are trying to pull them apart. In the end, love prevails but in the typical sense that you might think with the very happy ending and just a few mishaps. Beyond the Lights is a story about compassion and overcoming the impossible. Many critics, such as the Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers states, “Beyond the Lights brims with surprises that befit the title. It's electrifying”. I agree with this statement because Beyond the Lights is like a movie like no other. The way the storyline is written and portrayed by the actor it makes the audience feel connected with them and that’s why I believe that it is a movie worth everyone’s while. I enjoyed this movie overall and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for your not-so-average love story.

Guest Blogger: Jill 2

The 2003 movie staring Will Ferrell has become a Christmas classic around the best time of the year; the review by Roger Ebert, “this is one of those rare Christmas comedies that has a heart, a brain and a wicked sense of humor, and it charms the socks right off the mantelpiece.” The film is basically about the story of Will Ferrell who was raised in the North Pole and when he finds out he isn’t an elf, he decides to make his way to New York to find his biological father. Of course, Will Ferrell in his role in Elf is prime Will Ferrell; you can’t hate him in that movie. He’s the perfect amount of funny without it being overdone. Also James Cann, who plays Buddy’s biological father, was perfect for the role, playing the serious and workaholic dad who makes a change for the better in the end. In the movie, Elf, the character Buddy, is a happy, go-lucky, innocent “elf” who just wanders around the streets of grumpy little New York and just sheds his Christmas cheer all over everyone. Buddy just wishes to find where he belongs in the world and to make the people he loves feel loved back. Buddy’s love interest, which is played by Zooey Deschanel, is a character that is that one, “not a big Christmas fan”, and a little bit of a downer in most things, but when she meets Buddy, their very different attitudes mix well so she can let loose and look at things just a little bit differently to enjoy life half as much as the character Buddy does. The themes in the movie would be that family is and should always come first, no matter what, also to never stop believing; in yourself and others around you, and Christmas is the best time of the year no matter what people say. I highly agree with the critic of the movie review Elf, Ebert saying at one point, “It took me about 10 seconds of seeing Will Ferrell in the elf costume to realize how very wrong I was”. Elf is one of the best Christmas movies of all time, I say, and something I look forward to every year to watch over and over with my whole family until they are all sick of it. It has a little bit of everything for everyone and just a good movie you can sit back and watch and never get sick of the jokes and acting Ferrell put into the film. This movie is one you must see at least once in your lifetime or you would not feel complete without it. Why? Because anyone could watch it and enjoy it from beginning to end, I don’t know anyone who could watch this movie and not be quoting it for months, maybe even years on out after.

Guest Blogger: Nicole 2

In Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Prince Adam, a shallow and narcissistic man, finds himself cursed to bear the awful appearance of a furry beast and his servants transformed into household objects by an Enchantress when Adam refuses to provide her shelter from the cold. The only chance he has of breaking the spell and returning to normal is if he manages to fall in love with a woman that loves him in return. There is a deadline, however. On the Beast’s 21 birthday, the final petal will fall from the rose the Enchantress gave him, if he cannot find his true love by then, he is stuck as the Beast forever. A decade later, Maurice, an inventor living in a French village nearby, becomes lost and stranded in the woods and seeks shelter in the Beast's castle. The Beast, however, sees this as trespassing and imprisons him. Maurice’s daughter Belle - a beautiful bookworm that holds the attention of the village hunter, Gaston (who lacks some brain power and manners), and who the village people deem odd because of her dreams of far off places and adventure - finds him locked up in the castle’s dungeon and offers her place in exchange for his freedom. The Beast accepts so long as she remain at the castle forever. At first, Belle views him as little more than a monster, while he views her as difficult and stubborn. Is it possible, however, for their perception of each other to change and for there to be something more? Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle, does a magnificent job in the role. Her voice is light and feminine but very stern when need be, O’Hara’s vocal expressions brig the role of Belle to life. In contrast, the Beast’s ,voiced by Robby Benson, is deep and masculine. Benson’s voice comes across as slightly terrifying sometimes and friendly in others, showcasing the Beast’s dynamic personality flawlessly and is described by Janet Maslin in her movie review of Beauty and the Beast as “so convincing that it eradicates all memory of his mild manner”. The contrast in the two characters, Belle and Beasts’, voices provides the movie with a compelling stylistic element in both their speaking roles together and duets as Belle tries her best to escape and the Beast tries desperately to make Belle love him. Janet Maslin goes on to describe Beauty and the Beast as “more darkly forbidding and at times more violent than the average animated children's fable” and I agree, but although the mood is very dark at times, the central theme that love looks not with the eyes but with the heart shines through even greater because of it. Beauty and the Beast remains one of my favorite movies of all time and I strongly encourage everybody to see it if they have not already.

Gust Blogger: Shaylee 2

The movie plot is about a father that is an inventor goes out to look for things to buy for a new invention but when he buys an old shot up truck his life changes after he discovers that it’s not a truck at all. And when people find out he has it they will not stop until they get the truck back. The actor Mark Wahlberg who played the inventor and father did a really good job I don’t think anyone else could have played it better. He kept you on your feet along with many hilarious moments. Nicola Peltz- played the teen age girl in the show and I think she did a pretty good job at showing all kind or emotion in the film. Cade (the father) was motivated to find? Build a new invention that will change the world and get him some money to keep his house and put his daughter Tessa through school. Tessa’s was motivated to get his dad back on his feet and to be able to be a regular teenager with her friend and her bf The theme of the moving is trying to figure out why the humans turned against the robots after being their friends and now are hunting them down and killing them.

Guest Blogger: Pitia 2

21 Jump Street is a movie starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. During their high school year they were totally opposite in high school. Schmidt who is played by Jonah Hill was an obese nerd who got bullied, and was scared to talk to girls. Jenko who is played by Channing Tatum was a dumb jock. After graduation they both decided to join the police academy, and they both passed and became partners. After forgetting to read the criminals they arrested at the park their Miranda rights they were placed in 21 Jump Street. They were assigned to be an undercover cop at a high school and they’re operation was to infiltrate the dealers and find the supplier of this new synthetic drug that was going around in the school. The drug killed a student that posted a video of him on the internet trying the drug that’s what got the police and schools attention. The 2 major roles were played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and they were both perfect for these roles because they have great acting experience and they’re both hilarious. Dickson who was played by Ice cube was their mean tough boss. He was perfect for this position because he is known to be mean and tough on people. During their undercover operation Schmidt felt like he belonged in the high school because the popular students were nerds like him. He fit right in and they accepted him for who he was. He started to feel himself after that and would ditch his partner to hang out with them. At one point he started insulting his undercover partner Jenko while at his new friend’s house. There was tension built up and they got in a fight during a school play and managed to both get expelled. Eric Molson who is played by Dave Franco was the main dealer and was one of the nerds Schmidt friended. Mr. Walters the gym teacher who was played by Rob Riggle is the one who created the drug and told Eric Molson to sell it if he wants to make some cash on the side. The theme is basically you will eventually face a consequence when your caught selling drugs. I agree with other critics saying it is a great and hilarious movie that will have dyeing with laughter. This movie is totally worth the money and time because it is very entertaining.

Guest Blogger: Jon 2

Parker (Jonathan Parker) also known as Dumbfoundead is one of my all-time favorite hip hop/ rap artist whom I’ve been listening to for a few years. He’s one of my favorites because in all of his songs, his flow seems effortlessly smooth. Even in his rap battle type songs he still comes off as if he’s not even trying. With Parker’s music there isn’t one consistent mood his music evokes, some of his songs get you hyped, some make you relax, and some make you feel down. It’s impressive that he can make us feel such a diverse range of emotions, and I think that shows how talented he is as an artist. I believe the most similar artist to Parker is G-Eazy. Some rappers have a very choppy sound, but these two are the exact opposite, their best quality as musicians in my opinion is their delivery. Onto his album Take the Stares. Aside from a few songs on this album, I wasn’t a huge fan. The album was too mainstream for me, most of the songs were about partying and him being famous and the perks that come with it. Also many of the songs are over produced and have too much going on in them. What really turned me off though was the fact that his sound that set him apart from others seemed to be lost. The songs that I actually enjoyed were “Old Boy Jon”, “New Chick”, and “Growing Young”; these songs were the few in the album that actually highlighted his talent and what sets him apart. And a review by Charles Lam in northwest asian weekly agrees with me, in the article it goes on talking about how Parker tried to make his music more trendy, but this ended up upsetting fans who wanted the original Parker. Although this album isn’t worth buying, or even downloading illegally, his other works are definitely worth it. His sophomore album DFD, Love Everyday EP, and Old Boy Jon are fantastic albums that Dumbfoundead fans and I can’t get enough of.

Guest Blogger: Abdi 1

This movie starts off with a demigod named “Hercules” played by Dwayne Johnson. What Hercules is the son of Zeus and a mortal women hence the word demi god which means half god, half man. Hercules went through many brutal tasks known as the legendary 12 labors which in the process made him stronger and more famous as well. He became an idol in his hometown of Thrace and had a nice loving family. Until the king of Thrace drugs Hercules and slaughters his family then blames it on Hercules. That made everyone hate the great Hercules and drove him out of the city. So he was driven out of the city and to gain wealth he became a missionary and helps towns with his crew for money. His crew contains a Archer named Atlanta and played by Ingrid Berdal, a story teller named Arius and that’s played by Isaac Andrew, a maniac named Tydeus and that’s played by Aksel Hennie, and last but not least a soldier named Amphiaraus and that’s played by Ian McShane. He comes upon a small village seeking aid from Hercules and he is to mold an army of farmers into fearsome soldiers to defeat a warlord who is causing trouble upon the villages. But after the task is done they turn on Hercules. What will he do? You watch and find out. The characters are outrageous and very energetic. Most of their motivations are to get rich and die wealthy. But Hercules just wants to help people and the money is just a bonus to him. A critic on Ew states that “Hercules might seem perfect for The Rock, but we really need a better Dwayne Johnson” and I definitely agree with it the figure of Dwayne is perfect for the movie but his acting really need to be stepped up. But overall it was a great showing and rated it a C+. I think it’s definitely worth your time and money because it definitely gets you on your heels and keeps you on your toes

Guest Blogger: Warda 1

Catching Fire is a movie about a dystopian future of the present day America. This is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Jennifer Lawrence plays the headstrong and determined Katniss Everdeen. In this book we follow Katniss after Peeta and her won the Hunger Games, although she thought everything would be different and her family would finally be able to live comfortably it was the opposite. Katniss wants nothing more than to protect her family and her loved ones from the treacherous President Snow but it seems like all he’s bent on doing is making sure she dies. The plot of this movie followed every aspect and baseline of the book, which the first one failed too and even, scored an 89% out of 100. Katniss Everdeen is a character that everyone pretty much loves due to the fact that when it came down to it, she kept her moral intact. Although she was overly underestimated Katniss proved to be quite the competitor, especially when President Snow announced that previous victors would have to go into the arena for the second time. Catching Fire, in my opinion, has had the most diverse characters, all with different backgrounds and upbringings but somehow they all tied together and fit the format perfectly. From Peeta who seemed to be shy and timid but showed shrewdness when the time came, to Finnick who was a fan favorite to the ever so lovely Johanna, who was ruthless despite her looks. All these people were so different but brought together by the likeliness of the movie. Entertainment Weekly even stated, “Catching Fire is smoothly exciting but a bit of a tease. It gets mileage out of setting up the Quarter Quell as some ultimate Fear Factor version of Deliverance, yet there isn't a moment of real dread in it”, I agree with this because not only does this movie take you on a rollercoaster of emotions you are most definitely satisfied with it in the end. I recommend watching this movie because of the sense of fulfillment it gives the movie goers. A definite 10 out of 10 stars

Guest Blogger:Clay 1

In the epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings the first film is titled The Fellowship of the Ring written by JRR Tolkien. It takes place in medieval middle earth where Frodo and eight companions set out to destroy the ring in the very place it was forged, while the dark lord Sauron is seeking the ring, creating war across the land. To make this movie really stand out a few of the characters are played by renowned actors including Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom. Many compare The Lord of the Rings to movies like Star Wars or Harry Potter, but to me it is incomparable to any movie. It’s incredibly entertaining and captivating, but also has countless deeper meanings and messages we can apply to situations in our own lives. Critics on websites like decentfilm.com and rottentomatoes.com have very mixed opinions on the film; some say there are big holes in the plot line where things could have been ended a lot quicker. An example of this is that they could have just flown on Gandalf’s eagles to destroy the ring but instead went on a brutal and long journey to get to Mordor. But many others say it’s obvious why they did this… because it’s about the long journey. The Ring was more just a symbol to tie the characters together while the journey was used to represent fellowship, hope, and to never give up. Either way, The Lord of the Rings is undoubtedly regarded as one of the greatest trilogies to ever exist and remains unlike any other films out there. If you are looking for a breathtaking movie, The Lord of the Rings is just that. Its action packed with exciting adventures and over flowing with emotion, a movie really doesn’t get better than this.

Guest Blogger: Jill 1

The 1992 Disney film, Aladdin, centers around a spunky homeless orphan that lives off the streets in the city of Agrabah and makes a living from stealing, conning, and hustling others for money and food. With his only companion being a little monkey named Abu, they make do of what they have. But when Aladdin, the main character in the movie, and Abu get chased down by the law enforcement one day for doing their usual con-artist ways, they run into a young girl, also running from the guards, but who turns out to also be the Princess, and Aladdin takes a special interest in her. Throughout the movie both Aladdin and Jasmine go through many different obstacles throughout the film, with Jafar, the palace sorcerer, who has it out for them, an inner struggle within both of them, and their forbidden love. Aladdin is an animated film, so the voice of the characters is what brings the movie to life. Scott Weinger is the voice of the main character Aladdin, his spunky, lighthearted voice makes the movie that much more enjoyable. Linda Larkin is the speaking voice of Princess Jasmine and Lea Salonga is the singing voice of Jasmine. Her strong and opinionated attitude Larkin presents makes you love her even more, then with Salonga’s soft and enchanting singing voice, she gives Jasmine that special flare in the movie. Then of course, everyone’s favorite Genie, who is voiced by the one and only, Robin Williams. The review, Aladdin, written by James Berardinelli, talks about the magic Robin Williams gives the voice of everyone’s favorite Genie, “At times, when Williams is in full throttle, Aladdin becomes a ‘how many famous people can you spot’ game”. And also saying, “Most of the time when the Genie is around, we're oblivious to whoever else is on-screen”. This can be true in some cases. Aladdin is an independent character, who is just trying to survive on what he has and deep down, cares for the people he loves; choosing friends over money in many cases in the movie. Jasmine is also an independent character, which has her mind set on what she wants and will not change that for anybody. Then Genie is just the loud, funny, comic relief, yet serves a huge part in the film. A theme this movie has is that friends and relationships are more important than money and wealth, and also even if you don’t have all the luxurious others have, if you have good people around you, you can feel like a millionaire. For the most part I agree with what the critic and article has to say about the movie, Aladdin, and that it is a fun, lighthearted, comedy Disney film that is quite enjoyable, but I disagree with some things he states, like, “The mixture of Robin Williams' voice and the Disney animators' work makes the Genie a truly magical personae, stealing scene after scene from the rather bland title character (let's face it -- Aladdin is about the least interesting individual in the movie)”. Which I would have to say is false, yes, Genie and Williams are undeniable in this film, but the main focus of the movie is around Aladdin and sometimes Jasmine, as well as Genie. Overall, if for some reason you have yet to watch the movie Aladdin, it would most 100% be worth your time, with it’s fun, easygoing, and enjoyable storyline and characters.

Guest Blogger: Daniel 1

Hot Rod is about a young and passionate stuntman named Rod Kimble. Rod has spent his entire life doing stunts, but when his stepfather, who he is constantly trying to impress, is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he takes it upon himself to raise the money to save his father’s life. Andy Samberg, who plays Rod, is absolutely hilarious. Andy brings this surreal man-child to life perfectly with his huge smile, goofy personality, and child-like features. Rods group of misfit friends, Rod’s brother, Kevin, played by Jorma Taccone, Dave, played by Bill Hader, and Rico, played by Danny Mcbride, are the perfect ensemble to go along with Rod’s crazy antics. Each one of the characters brings something different to the screen making the comedy very diverse while at the same time working perfectly as an ensemble. The main theme in this movie is to always stay positive and never give up. We see this throughout the movie as Rod constantly gets injured or put-down, and yet he always gets right back up with the same positivity and determination as before. Another theme you can see in the movie is nice guys always win which is shown through the love triangle between Denise, Johnathan, and Rod. This movie is very hit or miss with most viewers, most people find it either extremely funny and laugh throughout the movie or they don’t get any of the humor and think it’s incredibly stupid. Critics are pretty much split in half as well. A. O. Scott from the New York Times stated in his August 3rd review “In any case poor certainly describes the quality of the filmmaking”. Other people like Roger Ebert stated in his review on August 2nd 2007 “The movie is funny because it is sincere. It likes Rod”. This is the perfect statement for the people who like the movie. It portrays Rod, who could have been portrayed as an idiot who can never do anything right, as a hero who will never give up on his dreams which I believe resonates with a lot of people. All in all I would definitely recommend seeing this movie, it’s a great goofy comedy that has extremely memorable and relatable characters.

Guest Blogger: Brandon M1

Zombieland is the story of a guy named after his hometown Columbus, Ohio. Also known as Jesse Eisenberg, who is trying to get back home across a zombie-infested America, and may I add he has a very intense fear of clowns. He finds another survivor, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), and the two team up, not with many disagreements. Then they find two women known as Wichita As Emma Stone and her “little sister” Little Rock as Abigail Breslin. The story shows the undead being shot, mashed, sledgehammered, etc. With both Columbus and Tallahassee, his mission is to find the last Twinkie, because he loves them. Also the two girls in this story start out to make themselves seem like they can be trusted, but we see right away that they just used the guys for their weapons and their car. The girls mission in this story is to get to an amusement park in Los Angeles, and what better thing is there than an amusement park in a zombie movie. Eisenberg, is a great actor, plays a nerd who has an endless survival list. He has lived this long by it, and he just makes rules alone the way, and always remembers the ones he’s already made. Another character Woody Harrelson is a very strong actor, he’s given a great opportunity when it comes to killing zombies. He prefers car doors, tire irons, and anything else that comes in handy. A theme that I’ve taken away from this movie is “Keep your friends close and your enemy’s closer.” Because we see how Wichita and her sister Little Rock use the two guys again after they thought they could trust them once again. Woody Harrelson’s character is an angry person, because they had found a Hostess truck and he thought there would be twinkies in there, but they turned out to all be snowballs and he just got angry and started yelling and everything. I Agree with that article Zombieland by Roger Ebert, I also think that zombies aren’t that scary anymore because there’s so many shows with zombies, but people love it. Also all the actors are great, and also all have something in there mind of where they need to go and will do anything to get there. It is worth your time and money, because it’s a funny film but also has the scary effects with the zombies but also keep your enterained with the character driven storyline.

Guest Blogger: Nicole 1

Disney’s cartoon adventure, Lilo and Stitch, tells the story of a little blue alien experiment that has been sentenced to exile because his creator, Jumba, illegally constructed him. However Experiment 626 (aka Stitch) was made with quick wits, super strength, and instincts to destroy everything and wreak havoc. Experiment 626 uses his genetic enhancements to escape from the aliens trying to exile him and crash lands on Earth, in Hawaii. Because Earth has been named a sanctuary for the mosquito species (which is “endangered”), Jumba and a galactic Earth expert, Pleakley, are sent to capture Experiment 626, but must stay hidden and cannot harm or be seen by any humans. At the same time, Lilo and her sister, Nani, are faced with the dilemma of staying a family after the death of their parents, while social worker Cobra Bubbles tries to take Lilo away. Experiment 626 uses Lilo as a human shield to evade Jumba by becoming her pet “dog” and is renamed Stitch, but he is very rough around the edges and needs training to be a model citizen (according to Mr. Bubbles), so Lilo teaches him to be like her idol, Elvis Presley. Lilo and Stitch is a “charming tale of intergalactic friendship” according to A. O. Scott in his film review of Lilo and Stitch titled “Escaping Deep-Space Exile and Making Friends in Hawaii” and viewers cannot help falling for the loveable monstrosity Stitch or the head-strong and often rebellious Lilo. Stitch is voiced by Christopher Sanders who does a stunning job at playing the maniacal but fluffy extraterrestrial. Stitch’s character speaks in alien gibberish for a majority of the movie and the rest is spent with Stitch learning English and sounding childlike, but Sanders arises to the challenge and delivers a spectacular performance rivaled only by Daveigh Chase voicing Lilo. The character of Lilo is very temperamental and intelligent Chase supplies the movie with the charm and charisma the story needed. Both Stitch and Lilo have a certain stubbornness and roughness around their edges that provides the film with a comic effect as well as a drives home the theme that true friendship can conquer all obstacles. A. O. Scott stats in his article mentioned earlier that “The film strives to be more soothing than thrilling, which is kind of thrilling in its own way” and I agree that this film has taken a different approach to action than most movies and that is one of the reasons I adore this movie. I highly recommend watching this movie if you have not already seen it as Lilo and Stitch is a fascinating tale with whimsical and action-packed traits.

Guest Blogger: Amanda 1

Iron Man 3 is a movie that was able to factor action, suspense, romance, and villains into it's plot line. In this movie, we see Tony Stark, who is played by Robert Downey Jr., make some difficult decisions and do some amazing things. Tony Stark is forced to do whatever it takes to secure the safety and well being of his spouse. He has to face villains and work with the War Machine. Tony Stark also has to watch as his small army of iron men are destroyed when his enemy bombs his home. We, as the audience, follow Tony Stark in his journey to make the best life he can for the woman he loves, even if it means giving up his 'hobbies'. Robert Downey Jr. was a very well cast role for the part of Tony Stark because he adds not only the ego to the character, but also gives Iron Man a sense of fitting into the characters shoes. The motivations in this movie are very obvious. Iron Man does all the fighting and saving of the world for the woman he loves. Something the audience should take out of this movie is that we need to put the well being of others before our own and care for the ones we love. The critics I have been looking at have been rating this movie very well. They have been loving this action pack, character driven movie and I would have to agree. I think Iron Man 3 has an amazing cast, an intense plot, and an overall well played movie. This movie is definitely worth the time and money to see, it basically sells itself.

Guest Blogger: Marian 1

The 2014 film Divergent revolves around sixteen-year-old Beatrice “Tris” Prior, and the new chapter in her life involving an opening between adolescence and adulthood. The movie involves adventure, romance, and entertainment in a dystopian, yet free-willed story. In this fresh opening, Tris has to decide to either stay or join one of the many factions to build an identity. Tris starts out being a susceptible sixteen-year-old, to a strong-willed senorita that joins the toughest faction of all: Dauntless. Her motivations are to start a new life, and follow her instincts. Shailene Woodley provides perfect vulnerability to Tris, as she is seemingly discreet and reserved as a person in Hollywood herself. In addition to that, the actress has been raised by two psychologists as parents where certain elements of the film involve the psychological concept of divergent thinking or divergent. With advice from Jennifer Lawrence and her personal experience, critic Roger Ebert says she is “the movie watchable”. Alongside her is her romantic foil played by Theodore James as the unforgettable & handsome Four. Tobias “Four” Eaton is a man with a sharp future as a leader, but a boy with a troubled past. With Tris, he is determined to lead a new life. James also does a fantastic job of nailing Four’s vulnerability parts with Tris, and vicious side when everyone first meets him. The actor did an amazing job of getting Four’s character traits down, according to the book, and “often quite engaging”, according to critic Roger Ebert. Reoccuring themes in the film is free-will and identity. Not only Tris and Four, but everyone has to choose their own passage and find themselves. While critic Roger Ebert gives this movie a 3 out 5, and the New York Times says Shailene was the only reason to watch the film, I give it a 100% rating, a 10 out of 10, a fresh review, etc. The movie incorporated a lot of themes and elements related to what people silently deal with today, and should not be overlooked. Considering that statement, I believe this heartwarming story and encouraging film is worth anyone’s money and time.

Guest Blogger: Jon 1

I Am Legend is one of my all-time favorite movies, it may seem like an odd choice but I’m a bit of a geek, I like apocalypse and end of the world type movies; it’s just something I’ve been drawn to. So a quick overview of the movie, Robert Neville (Will Smith) is living in Manhattan, alone. There is no other human being on the island; his only companion is his German Shepard. In the opening scene you see the effects of the absence of people, towering sky scrapers have become overgrown with vegetation, the roads are now a grid of parries, and wildlife have now overtaken the city. He’s been surviving in the city for several years by looting the city during the day while vampires can’t attack him because of the day light. For years he’s been trying to make contact with any other survivors with an AM radio, and while surviving, he’s been working on a cure. I think Will smith played his role very well; you were able to tell the character was afraid of the vampires, cared a lot for his dog, and was seemingly fed up with the fact that after so many years, he had yet to find a cure. Roger Ebert gave this movie a 3 out of 4 and I think this is a fair rating. He makes a few points that make you question the plot of the movie such as “If Neville firmly believes he is the last healthy man alive, who is the vaccine for?” and “And how, I always wonder, do human beings in all their infinite shapes and sizes mutate into identical pale zombies with infinite speed and strength?” but he goes on to say that though there are some flaws it’s still a very good movie, which is a very good way to describe the movie. I think this movie is definitely worth your time and money, although by now you could probably find it on Netflix for free.