Fruitvale Station (2013)

Movie Info

Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler's FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), whose birthday falls on New Year's Eve, being a better partner to his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who he hasn't been completely honest with as of late, and being a better father to Tatiana (Ariana Neal), their beautiful four year-old daughter. Crossing paths with friends, family, and strangers, Oscar starts out well, but as the day goes on, he realizes that change is not going to come easily. His resolve takes a tragic turn, however, when BART officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year's Day. Oscar's life and tragic death would shake the Bay Area - and the entire nation - to its very core. (c) Weinstein

R, 1 hr. 24 min.
Drama
Directed By: Ryan Coogler
Written By: Ryan Coogler

User Reviews
Socially Irresponsible
20 February 2013 | by p_muraca (United States)

This film embodies what happens when a filmmaker is ignorant of some of the facts and twists the others. He maintains it wasn't meant to be accurate; if so, he should have chosen a less incendiary topic. Left out is the most salient point that Mehserle had been warned by Dispatch that the huge "partying" crowd arriving soon that would coming out of the door had been already stopped by the police, found to be drugged and drunk, many had known records, were behaving rowdy and violently, and some had been arrested earlier on the spot for weapons violations. Dispatch also should have sent S.O. and P.D. backup. These were NOT Boy Scouts! He expected an Armageddon (and ended up getting one). He made a simple motor-memory error, common for rookies in high-adrenaline situations, and for that was demonized, arrested, tried, and imprisoned for simply doing his job. The anti-white, anti-police racism of the surrounding community basically cried for his arrest and conviction and got it. But no crime had occurred, and outside Oakland no charges would have been filed. It is an extremely tragic story, and the objective truth cannot be known by researching local press, which panders to the Oakland Black political machine. Mehserle deserves a better, fair treatment of his case.

Movie Info
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind. -- (C) Warner Bros

Ratings: 7.8/10 from 173,012 users Metascore: 55/100
Reviews: 1,679 user | 522 critic | 47 from Metacritic.com

PG-13, 2 hr. 28 min.
Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Zack Snyder
Written By: David S. Goyer, Christopher Nolan
In Theaters: Jun 14, 2013 Wide
US Box Office:$248.7M

User Reviews
Who the f cares about the critics?
13 June 2013 | by MovieGeek 218 (United States)

I know what the critics has said. They complained about too much action, superman being too serious, lack of romance, etc. Since Zack Snyder directed this movie, I don't think he cared about the critics. Don't get me wrong, he DOES care about the fans' opinion. Seems like he really wanted to really satisfy the fans. I see why critics complained about too much action. For me it's just his way to satisfy the viewers. This is the kind of movie that is just really satisfying. When the movie ended, I got that 'satisfying' feeling instead of the 'wanting more' feeling. It's like it was really enough.

Even Snyder's best movies (before this) which were 300 & Watchmen didn't have more ratings than 64% on Rotten Tomatoes. I think the fans should have anticipated the bad reviews. His style is actually what critics hate. The over the top action and CGI is actually his trademark. So, even from the beginning, I think this is actually the kind of movie the producers wanted. About the lack of romance, I really do think it's saved for the sequel. The sequel will definitely explore more about the relationship between Clark and Lois. This film focused on 2 aspects: the origin (krypon,struggle finding his place) & the action (Zod and his army). Don't expect humor or romance.

The visuals were spectacular! What's best about this movie is its action scenes. The action were just relentless. I think the fans would not be disappointed at all. Yes, I know there is only a very few humor this movie but that actually doesn't even matter. The battle between Superman & Zod will definitely 'wow' everyone but the critics. I mean who cares about the critics opinion? A superhero movie MUST NOT be judged by the critics opinion, what's more important is the audience's opinion about the movie and especially the fans'. I think the movie really delivered. Most people will definitely like this movie. I am really sure that many fanboys will consider this as the best comic book of all time. This is a MUST SEE for people who like action movie. The action were better than last year's The Avengers.

The sequel really have a great potential. Considering the minimum amount of romance in this movie (since they just knew each other, and superman was also more focused on Zod), the next movie could explore more of that. One of the things missing from the movie was also the presence of Clark Kent at the daily planet. It's one of the trade marks. But, I believe the sequel will show more scenes in the Daily Planet which is interesting to see.

As a conclusion, I think Man of Steel is so far the best action movie this year. This movie really is a Snyder movie. But it also has a quite lot of nolan-esque feel to it especially in the around first 45 minutes.

If this was compared to Iron man 3, if Iron man 3 was a 7, this movie is a 8.6.

Movie Info

Mads Mikkelsen (NBC's Hannibal, A ROYAL AFFAIR, CASINO ROYALE) won the Best Actor Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival for his penetrating portrayal of Lucas, a former school teacher who has been forced to start over having overcome a tough divorce and the loss of his job. Just as things are starting to go his way, his life is shattered when an untruthful remark throws his small community into a collective state of hysteria. As the lie spreads, Lucas is forced to fight a lonely fight for his ... More

Ratings: 8.2/10 from 24,197 users Metascore:80/100

R, 1 hr. 46 min.
Directed By: Thomas Vinterberg

Written By: Thomas Vinterberg, Tobias Lindholm

User Reviews

Excellent, moving film
I saw this movie yesterday. I agree with previous reviewers, this is an excellent, moving, wonderfully acted movie. It is impossible I think to go through it without being brought to tears at one point or another. You also feel like screaming at some characters sometimes - "what are you doing? Open your eyes! Listen!" But the great thing is you always understand where each character is coming from- you might not agree with their actions, but nothing they do feels forced or unrealistic. Mikkelsen is amazing in this. I had seen him in a few movies before, and always thought highly of him, but here he is just incredible. It's a tough subject matter, and the movie does not shy away from it, but at the same time it is not vulgar or "in your face", it's tactful. I really loved it.

Scripted by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm (who co-penned the helmer’s previous pic, “Submarino”), “The Hunt” touches on a subject explored in more stomach-churning fashion by the recent French pic “Guilty,” as well as by Danish helmer Jacob Thuesen’s “The Accused” (2005). All these films demonstrate that the most adults, when confronted with accusations of this nature, will instinctually believe and want to protect the children, with little presumption of innocence for the alleged perpetrators.

Recently divorced kindergarten teacher Lucas (Mikkelsen) wouldn’t hurt a fly, except when he goes hunting for deer in the forest (the somewhat heavy-handed excuse for the title’s double entendre). His teenage son, Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrom), would actually prefer to live with his cool dad, though his mom is making this difficult. In fact, Lucas is so lovable that one of his kindergarten students, Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), has a crush on him. However, when she’s found out, Klara becomes defensive and, perhaps inspired by porn images she spotted on a sibling’s iPad, she leads the head of the day-care center, Grethe (Susse Wold), to believe Lucas exposed himself.

Grethe needs little convincing that the innocent-looking blonde girl is a victim, and informs first Klara’s parents and then all the other adults who have children at the center. This leads to a predictable community backlash against Lucas, who at first isn’t even aware which of the children has accused him of committing the unspeakable acts.

Vinterberg wisely sticks to the p.o.v. of the falsely accused lead throughout. Except for Marcus and his godfather (Lars Ranthe), everyone begins to doubt Lucas’ innocence — from Klara’s father (Thomas Bo Larsen, “The Celebration”), who happens to be Lucas’ best friend, to a hot foreign colleague-cum-g.f. (Alexandra Rapaport) — and either cuts off contact or is pushed away. The rest of the village turns into a vocal, violent mob only a baseball bat removed from cliche.

Known for his often icy and violent characters, Mikkelsen impresses here as a warm-hearted man who finds himself caught up in a situation way beyond his control; thesp makes Lucas’ immediate isolation and subsequent frustration tangible. Just as good is little Wedderkopp, delivering an impressive perf that suggests Klara, too, is caught up in something she can barely understand. Ensemble cast is aces, with Larsen a standout in the film’s second half. The ending serves up a nice final sting.

Set in the two months leading up to Christmas, “The Hunt” looks and sounds like a comfortably budgeted Danish drama, with the requisite crisp, occasionally twitchy widescreen lensing, solid sound work and a restrained score.

The Hunt

Denmark-Sweden

Production

A Nordisk Film Distribution release of a Zentropa Entertainments presentation of a Zentropa Entertainments19, Film i Vast, Zentropa Intl. Sweden production, in association with DR, SVT. (International sales: TrustNordisk, Hvidovre, Denmark.) Produced by Sisse Graum Jorgensen, Morten Kaufmann. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Screenplay, Vinterberg, Tobias Lindholm.

Crew

Camera (color, widescreen, HD), Charlotte Bruus Christensen; editors, Anna Osterud, Janus Billeskov Jansen; music, Nikolaj Egelund; production designer, Torbe Stig Nielsen; costume designer, Manon Rasmussen; sound (Dolby Digital), Kristian Selin, Eidnes Andersen; casting, Jette Termann, Tanja Grunwald. Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (competing), May 19, 2012. Running time: 110 MIN.

With

Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrom, Susse Wold, Anne Louise Hassing, Lars Ranthe, Alexandra Rapaport. (Danish, English dialogue)

Movie Info
The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. (C) Paramount

PG-13, 1 hr. 55 min.
Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Marc Forster
In Theaters: Jun 21, 2013 Wide
US Box Office:$66.4M
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews for World War Z

'World War Z' quickly reaches zombie overload
'World War Z' is the next zombie movie when there have already been far too many.
By Peter Rainer, Film critic / June 21, 2013

What would popular entertainment be these days without zombies? The latest, and biggest, zombie-festation is “World War Z,” starring Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator of global “hot zones.” The action kicks in early as Pitt’s Gerry and his family are caught in urban gridlock that quickly morphs into zombielock.

Director Marc Forster is very good at amping up the terror, but after a while, we reach zombie overload and we might as well be watching an infestation of Transformers. Pitt conducts himself manfully throughout the proceedings – he is never less than believable while facing off against this pandemic – but if I never see another zombie in the movies, I will not feel deprived. Grade: B- (Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images.)

Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

TOMATOMETER

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Reviews Counted: 174
Fresh: 122 | Rotten: 52

With high-octane humor and terrific action scenes, Fast & Furious 6 builds upon the winning blockbuster formula that made Fast 5 a critical and commercial success.

AUDIENCE

liked it
Average Rating: 4.2/5
User Ratings: 156,866

Movie Info

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of all-stars as the global blockbuster franchise built on speed races to its next continent in Fast & Furious 6. Reuniting for their most high-stakes adventure yet, fan favorites Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Elsa Pataky are joined by badass series newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano. Since Dom (Diesel) and Brian's (Walker) Rio heist toppled a kingpin's empire and left their crew with $100 million, our heroes have scattered across the globe. But their inability to return home and living forever on the lam have left their lives incomplete. Meanwhile, Hobbs (Johnson) has been tracking an organization of lethally skilled mercenary drivers across 12 countries, whose mastermind (Evans) is aided by a ruthless second-in-command revealed to be the love Dom thought was dead, Letty (Rodriguez). The only way to stop the criminal outfit is to outmatch them at street level, so Hobbs asks Dom to assemble his elite team in London. Payment? Full pardons for all of them so they can return home and make their families whole again. Building on the worldwide blockbuster success of Fast Five and taking the action, stunts and narrative to even greater heights, Fast & Furious 6 sees director Justin Lin back behind the camera for the fourth time. He is supported by longtime producers Neal H. Moritz and Vin Diesel, who welcome producer Clayton Townsend back to the series. (c) Fox

PG-13, 2 hr.10 min.
Action & Adventure
Directed By: Justin Lin
Written By: Chris Morgan
In Theaters: May 24, 2013
Wide US Box Office:$228.6M