Category: Sci-Fi

Beauty and The Beast in 3D

Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” is a “Live Action Visual Feast”!!

Belle (Emma Watson) goes in search of her father Maurice (Kevin Kline) after his horse returns to the village without him. The horse leads Belle through the forest to the castle where her father disappeared. Belle finds her father being held captive inside the castle. The Beast approaches, but Belle isn’t afraid of the Beast and offers to trade places with her father. The Beast doesn’t want to make a trade, but allows Belle to say good-bye to her father. Once she is inside the cell with her father she pushes him out and slams the door. The story unfolds from there…

“Beauty and the Beast” is an old animated story being told in live action with tremendous visual effects, beautiful cinematography and wonderfully updated music.

The movie is very entertaining and will hold your attention. The 3D aspects are very good. The cast is excellent with the enchanting servant voices being played by the likes of Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

This is a grown-up version of the classic tale, but can be enjoyed by everyone!!

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!

Kong: Skull Island in 3D

“Kong: Skull Island” is “Crazy Stupid”, but it’s fast-paced, has lots of eye candy and tons of action.

Set in the post-Vietnam war era, a group of explorers/scientists and a team of military specialists are brought together to go on an exploration assignment to an uncharted island in the Pacific. It’s not really explained ahead of time what the group might be looking for, but it was made known that they needed to go before Russia went. At first glance the island looks to be a paradise, but the parties soon find out the island is as dangerous and treacherous as it is beautiful. The story unfolds from there…

The special effects are awesome. The action is non-stop. The 3D aspects will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s in your face violent.

“Kong: Skull Island” offers you another rendition of the King Kong saga. It’s the first creature-feature of the year.

This is a 3 Star Movie!

A Monster Calls

“A Monster Calls” is based on a best-selling novel by Patrick Ness. The story is about a 12 year old boy, Conor (Lewis MacDougall) who has a lot on his young plate. Conor is dealing with his terminally ill mother (Felicity Jones), a mean, unsympathic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver) and if that’s not enough Conor is being bullied at school. To cope with all that is going on, Conor tries to loose himself in his art.

Soon Conor finds an unlikely ally when a Tree Monster (Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window at 12:07am. This time turns out to be significant because at 12:07am just about every night the Tree Monster appears doling out advise, stories and wisdom. The Monster helps give Conor courage to face the truth and deal with all of the events in his life. The story unfolds from there…

Although dark at times “A Monster Calls” has some eye pleasing visuals. The special effects are really good. The story is very emotional and moving.

This is a 4 ½ Star Movie!

The Passengers in Real 3D

“The Passengers” is about an idea that would be wonderful if it were clearly mapped out and executed appropriately, but unfortunately for the movie it’s not.

Imagine being able to go to sleep for about 135 years while being transported aboard a luxury space ship and wake up to embark on a brand new world. When you wake up you are the same age you were when you went to sleep. Along the way though the space ship has problems, this causes several people to wake up unexpectedly. The story unfolds from there…

The idea behind “The Passengers” is great, but there is no purpose, cause or reason why. Nothing is explained as to why and how these people were selected to make this journey. There are a ton of questions, but no answers. No real plot.

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence have great on-screen chemistry, but even that is not enough to make “The Passengers” a blockbuster hit.

This is a 2 Star Movie!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: The IMAX 3D Experience

A new Episode of the Star Wars Franchise is upon us. It’s the old-school Star Wars, but with a new deeper story!

This episode is pretty deep, wide and intense. The story is laid out in painstakingly fashion. Revenge and Justice are the order of the day.

Jyn (Felicity Jones) is separated from her parents at a very early age. She ends up being raised by Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). The story picks up when Jyn is an adult. Jyn has become a “Rebel”. She and others join forces to steal the plans for the Death Star. This sets up an epic battle between several nations. The story unfolds from there…

The cinematography is breath-taking. The camera angles are awesome. There is plenty of cool special effects, CGI’s, intergalactic action and serious space battles.

IMAX is a must. You will feel like you are riding on the space crafts.

Once again Star Wars delivers. If you are a Star Wars fan, Rogue One is your movie!

This is a 4 ½ Star Movie!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 3D

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” dazzles with wizardry and spectacular special effects!

I never saw or reviewed any of the Harry Potter franchise. I decided to take a chance and view “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. I found the movie to be an adventure that was entertaining and well executed.
This new J.K. Rowling spin-off finds Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arriving in New York via and ocean-liner in what appears to be the 1930’s. Newt has a mysterious suit case that he is carrying. As he makes his way through the streets of New York, he stops at a gathering of people listening to someone outside a bank. Newt makes a mistake and sets the suit case down. Magically a Platypus gets out and races inside the bank. This starts an array of events that happen with this magical suit case. Little does Newt know that he is being watched. The story unfolds from there…

I had no preconceived notions or opinions about this movie going in. I wanted to keep an open mind.

I found the movie to be loaded with a lot of CGI, Special Effects and Fascinating Cinematography. There is quite a bit of action and adventure. J.K. Rowling has a vivid imagination. This is the first of what is to be four installments in this franchise.

I did find the movie to be entertaining, magical and mystical. The 3D aspects were very good.

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will find this new spin-off from J.K. Rowling worth a look.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!

Arrival

“Arrival” is way more than your usual “Run-of-the-Mill” Alien Disaster movies. If that’s what you are expecting, you will be so disappointed.

“Arrival” is a “Thinking Person’s Sci-Fi Drama”. The movie in and of its self is thought provoking and very cerebral.

Amy Adams is Dr. Louise Banks, an expert linguist whose expertise is called upon when a number of mysterious spacecraft touch down in various places around the globe. Dr. Banks and an elite team investigate the spacecraft that comes to the US. Dr. Banks uses her knowledge and with the help of her team they translate the responses received from the alien beings, but what Dr. Banks does and learns could not only put her life at risk, but all of humanity. The story unfolds from there…

“Arrival” is a bit subdued. It’s an intensely calm movie that will get you thinking.
The movie did engage my brain, but not my heart. While it was executed brilliantly, it will not become one of my favorite all time flicks.

If you are a Sci-Fi fan, “Arrival” is for you.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Dr. Strange: The 3D IMAX Experience

Marvel Entertainment brings us another installment from the Marvel Comic Universe! This installment is about Dr. Strange.

Dr. Strange’s story is told in a colorful entertaining fashion. You are shown how Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the renown Neurosurgeon becomes Dr. Strange the powerful Sorcerer after suffering through a tragic accident that leaves him unable to perform any medical surgeries.

“Dr. Strange” is an entertaining action movie that is a must see in IMAX 3D! The cinematography is awesome. The 3D aspects are very good. You are treated to a spectacular kaleidoscope of wizardry and special effects. Some of the scenes and special effects will remind you of the 2010 box office hit “Inception”.

Benedict Cumberbatch is smooth as silk as Dr. Strange. This will be another box office hit for the Marvel Comic Universe.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Independence Day: Resurgence: The IMAX 3D Experience

Have you ever gone to the movies and while you were waiting for the movie to start, you have second thoughts…? That was my dilemma today. If I could have gotten my money back I would have left the theater. I just had my doubts about seeing this sequel.

It’s 20 years since “Independence Day” and we have taken up residence on the Moon. We have a fully operational Space Station with astronauts and scientists manning the station. Flights to the moon are routine. The current president of the United States is a Woman. A HUGH celebration is in effect honoring the fallen of 20 years ago.

On the Moon, we mistaken a friendly arrival from another planet who comes to warn Earth that an Intergalactic war is about to take place and Earth is in trouble. We fire upon the friendly ship destroying everything but its messenger. Once we find out what’s about to happen it’s too late. The Alien Ship with the “Queen” as already entered Earth’s air space. The story unfolds from there…

Bottom line…”Independence Day: Resurgence” attempts to match the same “End-Of-The-World” urgency that its predecessor did. It falls far short of even coming close.

While the movie is visually appealing and the CGI and Cinematography are stunning, the rest of the movie, story and plot are missing.

“Independence Day Resurgence” is best viewed on Cable.

This is a 1 Star Movie!

X-Men: Apocalypse The IMAX 3D Experience

Welcome to a special installment of Thursday Night at the Movies with The Movie Warrior!

“X-Men: Apocalypse” is a very ambitious undertaking that doesn’t quite meet the mark. I found the plot to be bloated with no deflation and no explanation. There were really strong performances, but they were over shadowed by a plot that never quite comes together as it’s all over the place.

In this installment, everything gets torn up, destroyed literally and then put back together.

The best parts of the movie are the special effects, cinematography and the 3D aspects. There is non-stop action, but sometimes it does not make sense. That’s not enough to justify spending $17 dollars to see the movie.
To me personally after 16 years the “X-Men” franchise has run its course and is now an overdone franchise, also it was disappointing to not see Halle Barry reprise her role as “Storm”.

This is a 2 1/2 Star Movie!