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jf-afonso
Reviews
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Sorry, but... hell, yeah!
I'm sorry (or not) to disagree with most critics and people who didn't like the film... It has issues, sure, but I walked in the theatre hoping to see 200$ million dollars on a big screen. I was rewarded with the best visual experience I've ever seen in a film. While I was watching, all I could think was "f&ck, this sh!t is REAL! There has to be a few robot-actors that are being hidden from the rest of the world...". I wanted big fighting scenes between a great deal of gigantic vehicle-transforming robots, a film with non-stop action, a few laughs and that's exactly what I got. I believe that this film only needed two minutes in a fighting scene to surpass its predecessor. If you want something deep, don't watch it... If you want to turn off your brain and suspend your disbelief for 2 hrs and a half, you're in for a hell of a ride and I see this film as the greatest example of a summer-blockbuster... Sorry everyone, but Michael Bay and co. nailed it! Well worth what I paid.
Goal III: Taking on the World (2009)
A Crime...
Well, I'm a football (soccer) fan since I can remember. Therefore, when I saw Goal! and Goal II, I was pleasantly surprised because I thought those were two good films about my favourite sport.
And then, came Goal3...
What I loved about the first two films it was the way the filmmakers combined football as the sport and football as a way of life. I flinched every time Kuno Becker kicked a ball (sincerely, he could have trained more) but I liked his character enough to ignore that little thing and enjoy his epic rise to stardom. I really liked characters like Roz, Glen and Gavin Harris because they added depth to the life of the main character. Hell, even Raúl, Beckham, and co. did a good job.
The third film simply doesn't have any connections with its "distant and far superior cousins" besides one of the characters. That character was supposed to be the heart of the trilogy but in this last movie he's simply a sidekick to a myriad of new characters of whom I found myself not giving a flying f*ck (pardon me...). Football in this movie gets 15 minutes of screen time and the special effects made me think "Wow, they really wanted this film to suck!". Roz, Gavin, Glen, where were they? The life of Santiago Muñez, how many questions left unanswered?? Even real life footballers had no part in this, it was just footage from the matches of the world cup!
OK, it has drama (more über-drama), that made me, to say the least, watch the film until the end, a few nice goals from WC2006 and Swedish girls partying. And... that's it...
This film was able to make death-murder-kill to the end of the series, destroying what was good and completely creating awful things. A crime to a series that if done right, could have made football fans all over the world pretty happy and a few euros/pounds/dollars/etc. short...
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Dark Knight, the brightest of all comics-films
First, Batman is my favourite comic's character. Second, Batman Begins was excellent. Third, the Dark Knight is a masterpiece... As I watched the film, I tried to think of a word to summarize it. "Chaos" came into my mind. This film is pure chaos, as Joker would love it. Full of twists and action and a philosophical view at the fight between good/evil and order/chaos, the Dark Knight will leave you much entertained throughout 2:45 hrs. Batman Begins focus on Bruce Wayne/Batman, but this film focus not on any particular character but in Gotham City. It focus on the struggle of its soul, its identity. On one hand, you have Batman, Lieutenant Jim Gordon, Rachel Dawes and the DA Harvey Dent all trying to fight crime and to put Gotham on a good path. On the other hand you have mainly the Joker, wreaking havoc and trying to make the city itself to descend into anarchy for he believes not in order but in chaos. Speaking of the Joker, Heath Ledger really gave a performance to be remembered. The voice and the all his twitches made the character simply menacing and that's what it was aiming for. A complete psychopath with no regards to any plan, schedule, law or moral. As in the words of Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) "Some men just want to watch the world burn." It is a perfect villain. Also Aaron Eckhart was excellent. The rise of Harvey Dent and the fall into Two-Face is very well done and Mr. Eckhart ends up brilliantly playing a man whose grief turned into complete madness washing away every good thing about Harvey Dent. The rest of the cast has improved from the last film (which I thought it would be too damn difficult) with Christian Bale showing very well the struggle inside Batman between doing what is right and what is necessary, with Gary Oldman and his character having a more pro eminent place than in Begins and kudos to Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman for doing their small but important part. Also, I believe that Maggie Gyllenhaal was an improvement to Katie Holmes but still not enough. Summarizing, the film is, well, a chaotic organized masterpiece. Thanks to all the crew, especially to Mr. Nolan, for delivering us one of the best film I've ever seen.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005)
For kids and grown-ups
Yeah, it's the same thing all over again, "Save the world"... Or not? What if it is more than just that? "Avatar: The Last Airbender" tells the story of a world divided in 4 nations according to the 4 elements of nature: Air, Fire, Earth and Water in which people can control those elements (hurl a fireball, create waves,...). The story starts in a time where the Avatar (a person who can control all 4 elements instead of just one) hasn't been seen in 100 years and the Fire Nation wages war on the entire world. At this time two teenage brother and sister find a boy in an iceberg who happens to be not just a "regular boy". "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is to me a great cartoon, and probably my favourite, and I have grown up seeing the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Transformers", "Dragon Ball",... It has childish bits of humour, (even though I find myself laughing at them), same objective (but I like that kind of thing) and suffers with Nickelodeon stupid schedules (seriously guys, I hated waiting for episodes and I've been waiting for only 3 months, not like other people who are by now desperate since January), but for a cartoon, it has plenty of character development, side-stories which actually make sense to the main storyline and if you like romances, it has a few too, it has a very well executed idea, the whole story of bending the elements, and a complex world with its war and past. Also it has a politics, cultural differences, warfare,... basically it can be a good lesson for older people as well. Conclusion: a great show with great animation and great fight scenes which not only is for kids but also for grown-ups because it has a very good background and a great story. Recommended!
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins, the best one of Comics-Movies
I begin by saying that I always loved Batman. The fact that he didn't possess any superpowers made him look like he could really exist and, therefore, I was more attached to him than to any other superhero. So my comment is pretty biased (and to hell with it!). This film focus on Bruce Wayne more than on Batman. It's about he trying to cope with his anger and hatred towards crime leading to the creation of a persona who can fight the crime in the world's biggest city, Gotham. From training to gathering equipment, we see the rise of Batman as a bastion of justice in the midst of corruption, thefts, muggings,... Christian Bale appears as a...perfect Bruce Wayne and as a VERY menacing Batman, as Batman should be. I was really impressed with his change of voice to be Batman and he did gave me chills when he screamed at criminals. And as Bruce Wayne, he was just natural in that character as he portrayed it in a very believable form making this film nearly a bio-pic (maybe I'm over exaggerating...), and I consider it his best performance (though American Psycho is very close). The "side-kicks", the film-legends Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine, besides giving comic-relief they deliver us emotional depth (mostly the last two). They were excellent casts and given more screen time to any of them and they would have stolen the show. And Katie Holmes... well, she is indeed the weakest-link but still I see her as being an eye-candy and the script didn't allow her to connect much with the viewer, therefore not bothering me much with it and making me not having any problem with her. The villains... excellent! Cillian Murphy is indeed Scare(y)Crow, Liam Neeson is really a calculating and cold-blooded villain (though he doesn't see himself as a villain) and has a very rational thinking to be "blowing up stuff", not just the common "I want to rule over everyone", and Tom Wilkinson is really a mob boss who thinks he owns the world. Acting, directing, writing, cinematography... this whole package gave me one of the best films I've ever seen. After watching this film multiple times I just hope to loose a bit of enthusiasm after seeing "The Dark Knight". Above everyone, I thank Mr. Christopher Nolan for giving us the best comic adaptation I've ever seen and one of my favorite films!