Up (2009)

Seventy-eight year old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his home equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.

Directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson

Writers: Pete Docter (story by), Bob Peterson (story by)

Stars: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger

Storyline

Carl Fredrickson is a little boy and a dreamer who idolizes the adventurer Charles Munts. When he meets Ellie, who also worships Munts, they become close friends. However Charles Munts falls into disgrace, accused of forging the skeleton of the monster of Paradise Falls. He travels in his blimp to South America to bring the monster back alive but is never seen again. Eventually Carl grows up and marries Ellie. They promise each other that they would travel together to Paradise Falls and build a house there. Many years later, Ellie dies and Carl, who's lonely, refuses to move from their house despite the offers of the owner of a construction company. When Carl accidentally hits a worker that damaged his mailbox, he is sentenced to move to a retirement home. However, he uses many balloons to float his house in order to travel to Paradise Falls. Adventure ensues.

User Reviews

Pixar hits it out of the park, again

12 May 2009 | by choco_taco (United States)

I was lucky enough to get a ticket to a special pre-release screening of Up at Pixar studios in Emeryville, organized by the San Francisco Film Society. After a hour-long reception in the atrium of their beautiful main building we went through some rigorous security (metal detectors!) and were treated to an hilarious short (Partly Cloudy) and Pixar's new high water mark, Up.

My favorites to date have definitely been Wall-E and the Incredibles, and Up is another slightly-left-of-center masterpiece. The emotional impact of the beautiful, wordless summation of Carl's life that opens the movie is the bass note that resonates through the whole film and is at least as affecting as the scene in Wall-E when he holds his own hands while watching Hello Dolly. The rest of the movie, of course, is breathtaking on just about every level, especially the tactile quality of all the characters and textures and the completely realized weather effects and action scenes. With no "new" technical milestones (fur in Monsters, Inc., water in Finding Nemo, realistic camera effects in Wall- E), the design is the main focus, from the hilariously stylized characters to the amazing setting of the tepui.

As the associate producer who participated in the Q&A following the movie pointed out, the past three Pixar movies have not been easy sells to their parent company Disney (they'll be back in familiar territory with Toy Story 3 and Cars 2), but Pixar's commitment to inventive, story-driven films continues to pay off here. All of the good press is true, and I can't wait to see it again. Thanks for staying true to yourselves Pixar!

Finding Nemo (2003)

After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.

Directors: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich

Writers: Andrew Stanton (original story by), Andrew Stanton (screenplay) 

Stars: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould.

Storyline

A clown fish named Marlin lives in the Great Barrier Reef loses his son, Nemo. After he ventures into the open sea, despite his father's constant warnings about many of the ocean's dangers. Nemo is abducted by a boat and netted up and sent to a dentist's office in Sydney. So, while Marlin ventures off to try to retrieve Nemo, Marlin meets a fish named Dory, a blue tang suffering from short-term memory loss. The companions travel a great distance, encountering various dangerous sea creatures such as sharks, anglerfish and jellyfish, in order to rescue Nemo from the dentist's office, which is situated by Sydney Harbor. While the two are doing this, Nemo and the other sea animals in the dentist's fish tank plot a way to return to Sydney Harbor to live their lives free again.

User Reviews

Pixar's best feature to date

15 October 2005 | by kylopod (kylopod@aol.com) (Baltimore, MD) – See all my reviews

I have enjoyed most of the computer-animated films made so far, ranging from Pixar films like "Toy Story" and "The Incredibles" to DreamWorks films like "Shrek." But "Finding Nemo" is the one that remains unparalleled, not because of its comedy or creativity, both of which are equaled in the "Toy Story" movies and in "Monsters Inc.," but because it truly, more than any of the previous computer-animated features, reinvents the genre of the children's animated film.

Humor in traditional animation is usually based on broad slapstick and physical exaggeration. There are occasional nods to this brand of humor in "Finding Nemo," as when a flock of seagulls ram into a boat and we see their beaks crowing on the other side of the sail. But such sequences only call attention to how far this movie generally departs from old cartoon conventions. Instead, the movie invests its world of sentient animals with a surprisingly scientific texture. All of the animals are based on real species. The fish tank is constructed out of real devices. There is a strong sense of locale, as Marlin (Albert Brooks) travels across the Pacific to Australia, where even the animals speak with an Australian accent. In a scene that I'm sure Gary Larson of "Far Side" fame loved, a pelican discusses with a group of fish the intricate details of dentistry. The fact that the animals talk and understand what's going on is treated as though it were a natural feature of the world. The realism is so striking that by the end of the film, you'll almost believe it possible for fish to plot an escape from a tank.

Far from making the film pedantic, this approach results in an intelligent but still entertaining picture. Most of the humor is based on parodies of human behavior: repentant sharks start a club that's like Alcoholics Anonymous, a school of fish act like obnoxious DJs while forming themselves into spectacular patterns, and a four-year-old girl behaves like most kids that age, oblivious and destructive. The manner in which Marlin finds his way to his son is so inventive that we can forgive the film for the number of coincidences involved.

The story employs the same basic formula used in "Toy Story," in which two characters, one uptight and the other clueless, are thrown together as they're forced to journey through a world populated by creatures that are a lot more knowing than the humans realize. This movie, however, creates a unique character in Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a fish with short-term memory loss. To give a cartoon character a real human disorder is risky, to say the least, and I'm glad the filmmakers didn't lose the nerve to include this ingenious device, which not only generates some of the film's biggest laughs, but reinforces the character interaction that is so central to the story. This is in fact the only Pixar film to feature true character development. In the course of his voyage, Marlin learns to be more adventurous, getting parenting tips from a surfer-dude turtle voiced by the film's director Andrew Stanton, while his son Nemo learns to be self-reliant.

Of course, none of the sharks, jellyfish, whales, gulls, pelicans, lobsters, and humans that Marlin encounters along the way really mean any harm. They're just doing what they do. As Nigel the Pelican tells Nemo at one point, "Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat." That's perhaps the film's most interesting insight, that there are no true villains, just creatures that act according to their nature, and a few that transcend it.

Minions (2015)

Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin

Writer: Brian Lynch

Stars: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton.

Storyline

Ever since the dawn of time, the Minions have lived to serve the most despicable of masters. From T. rex to Napoleon, the easily distracted tribe has helped the biggest and the baddest of villains. Now, join protective leader Kevin, teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob on a global road trip where they'll earn a shot to work for a new boss-the world's first female super-villain-and try to save all of Minionkind...from annihilation.

User Reviews

Accurate Documentary

11 July 2015

You'd be hard-pressed to find a historical account that acknowledges the influence (much less the existence of) the Minions throughout time. No matter how many textbooks are produced and released each year, almost ZERO of them note the presence of this incredibly powerful minority group.

Well, where history has silenced the Minions, let this surprisingly accurate documentary speak volumes. I found no embellishments of history throughout this 91-minute feature. It would have been easy to swing the pendulum of power to overemphasize the history of the Minions as it relates to major world events, but the filmmakers didn't go for the easy shots. They simply told the truth, and what we are left with are the clear facts of what really happened to the dinosaurs, the cavemen, and--what I'm sure will be most controversially-- the true lineage of royalty in England. Very bold.

If this doesn't win the Oscar for Documentary Feature, we will truly know which side of history the Academy stands on.

Frozen (2013)

When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister, Anna, teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition.

Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Writers: Jennifer Lee (screenplay), Hans 

Christian Andersen (story inspired by "The Snow Queen" by) |

Stars: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff.

Storyline

Anna, a fearless optimist, sets off on an epic journey - teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven - to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. From the outside Anna's sister, Elsa looks poised, regal and reserved, but in reality, she lives in fear as she wrestles with a mighty secret-she was born with the power to create ice and snow. It's a beautiful ability, but also extremely dangerous. Haunted by the moment her magic nearly killed her younger sister Anna, Elsa has isolated herself, spending every waking minute trying to suppress her growing powers. Her mounting emotions trigger the magic, accidentally setting off an eternal winter that she can't stop. She fears she's becoming a monster and that no one, not even her sister, can help her.

User Reviews

Disney's Best in 20 years.

24 November 2013 | by fyeroledezma (United States) – See all my reviews

A lot of people criticize Frozen for what it isn't. Their preferred setting, cast, etc. Not for what it is. It is an incredibly touching story with fantastic music, score, script and performances by Menzel and Bell we haven't heard in a long time. I took 117 nieces and nephews ages 18 months to 14 and not once did any of them get up to ' go to the bathroom' or get more snacks. Boys, girls were both drawn to the film the whole time. The younger kids responded more to Olaf than the thematics of it all.

The story centers more on the sisters relationship than a romantic one and has a great message. I would recommend this to any family or Disney fan.

You will be singing the songs over and over.

Chappie (2015)

In the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Writers: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

Stars: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman.

Storyline

In Johannesburg, the police department reduced the high rating of criminality using robots from the Tetravaal Company, designed by the engineer Deon Wilson. The former military Vincent Moore is envious of Deon, since he has developed another project called Moose, but neither Tetravaal nor the police department is interested. Deon has just developed an Artificial Intelligence but the Tetravaal's CEO Michelle Bradley asks him to abort the project. Deon decides to bring the damaged Robot 22 that was sent to be crushed to test his A.I. However he is kidnapped by the criminals Ninja, Yo-Landi and Amerika that want him to stop the robot cops. When they see the damaged robot in the van, they force Deon to program it to heist banks with them and they call it Chappie. However, Chappie acts like a child and need to be trained to learn and grow. Meanwhile Vincent follows Deon and plots an evil scheme to activate his robot.

User Reviews

 7 March 2015

Don't let the critics who can't seem to get past comparing Chappie with other sci-fi titles put you off of going to see this film.

This story is about a lot more than just robot police officers it is a thought provoking social commentary on many modern day issues and what it is like to bring life into the modern world.

I very much enjoyed District 9 but I would even go as far to say I enjoyed Chappie much, much more.

There were so many aspects to this film that could have went wrong but have been nailed on the head by the director. The effect once again visually striking and a very well paced and intricate development of characters as well as interesting set design helps keep chappie fresh and not just another reboot of any other sci fi film as critics will have you believe.

I would also say I enjoyed this film much, much more than the likes of robo-cop.

The Croods (2013)

After their cave is destroyed, a caveman family must trek through an unfamiliar fantastical world with the help of an inventive boy.

Directors: Kirk De Micco (as Kirk 

DeMicco), Chris Sanders

Writers: Chris Sanders (screenplay), Kirk De Micco (screenplay) (as Kirk DeMicco) |

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone

Storyline

The Croods is a prehistoric comedy adventure that follows the world's first family as they embark on a journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the Croods discover an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures -- and their outlook is changed forever.

User Reviews

VERY funny -- a very pleasant surprise!

23 March 2013 |

I was talked into seeing this, and I have to shout it out, because it is a RIOT! I don't write many reviews, but when I love a film, I have to. If I have any complaint on this one, it's the title. I expected gross-out humor ("crude"). There isn't any, really. It's actually extremely unpredictable, subtle and extremely smart humor.

It has a story arc that you begin to somewhat anticipate, but you don't feel you're being patronized. Instead, you're left feeling that very intelligent people put this thing together in hopes that everyone would find something to love about it.

The cast is great, the animation is fun, and it's non-dizzying 3-D.

When I saw it, the entire audience clapped at the end, because we were entertained throughout, and found the ending really satisfying.

What else? Sweet emotions crop up because we can all relate to the family dynamics. Every family has the screw-up, the salt of the earth, the rebel, and the stubborn one. And it has one of the funniest babies ever put on film. A baby unlike any baby you'll ever see anywhere.

Very, very funny. Definitely recommend.

The Next Three Days (2010)

A married couple's life is turned upside down when the wife is accused of a murder.

Director: Paul Haggis

Writers: Paul Haggis (screenplay), Fred Cavayé (screenplay)

Stars: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson.

Storyline

Lara Brennan is arrested for murdering her boss with whom she had an argument. It seems she was seen leaving the scene of the crime and her fingerprints were on the murder weapon. Her husband, John would spend the next few years trying to get her released, but there's no evidence that negates the evidence against her. And when the strain of being separated from her family, especially her son, gets to her, John decides to break her out. So he does a lot of research to find a way.

User Reviews

Really Really Good

2 December 2010 | by Carl (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

All I can say is... Big Wow. Boy did I enjoy this film. The story-line is a cross between The Fugitive and a human heist plot movie. There were moments where I genuinely really didn't know which way the story would end. Has to be one of the best, if not the best film I've seen this year.

I just had to watch right through to the end. The only down side, were the roles of the 2 main cops. I'm not sure if 2 real cops would be as persistent. But I guess if they weren't, then the film would be a fair bit shorter.

I can't think of any other bad things about it, as it does what it is supposed to do, make you care about the characters and keep you gripped till the end. All in all very entertaining.

Knight and Day (2010)

A young woman gets mixed up with a disgraced spy who is trying to clear his name.

Director: James Mangold

Writer: Patrick O'Neill

Stars: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard.

Storyline

June Havens finds her everyday life tangled with that of a secret agent who has realized he isn't supposed to survive his latest mission. As their campaign to stay alive stretches across the globe, they soon learn that all they can count on is each other.

User Reviews

Not great, but solid fun

17 June 2010 | by ungy357 (United States) – See all my reviews

Knight and Day" is a comfort food movie. It's a pleasant diversion, a fun time at the cinema that doesn't ask a lot of of it's audience and offers an enjoyable ride. We've seen it all before, but it worked pretty well then, and it works pretty well now.

June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is an average perky blonde romantic comedy heroine who runs into the charming and mysterious Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) at the airport, and is sucked into a series of misadventures when Roy turns out to be a secret agent fighting rogue elements in his own agency . . . or maybe HE's the rogue agent . . . It depends on who she listens to. there's a mysterious device called the Zephyr that Roy is either protecting or trying to steal. All of this is fairly predictable, and, again, nothing new. But director James Mangold ("Copland", "Walk the Line", "3:10 to Yuma") always knows how to make a film play, and his skills haven't deserted him here. His pacing is brisk and fun, and he stages some terrific action (including one sequence from Diaz' point of view that did feel genuinely new).

Of course, this is a star vehicle, and whether you enjoy it will depend a lot on how you feel about Tom Cruise. Dismissing his personal life as utterly irrelevant, I find him to be a solid and dependable actor who does action better than almost anyone in Hollywood. And, here, he gets a rare chance to flex his comic muscles, and hie's quite funny (though too much of the best material is in the trailer). Diaz is pleasant, but tries a little too hard to be cute. And, occasionally, the film itself has the same problem.

But, overall, it's a funny little spy movie. part adventure, part romcom. Not destined for any Ten Best Lists, but enjoyable summer entertainment.

Lucy (2014)

A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.

Director: Luc Besson

Writer: Luc Besson

Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi

Storyline

It was supposed to be a simple job. All Lucy had to do was deliver a mysterious briefcase to Mr. Jang. But immediately Lucy is caught up in a nightmarish deal where she is captured and turned into a drug mule for a new and powerful synthetic drug. When the bag she is carrying inside of her stomach leaks, Lucy's body undergoes unimaginable changes that begins to unlock her mind's full potential. With her new-found powers, Lucy turns into a merciless warrior intent on getting back at her captors. She receives invaluable help from Professor Norman, the leading authority on the human mind, and French police captain Pierre Del Rio.

Movie Reviews

Only 10% will like it

4 October 2014 | by FilmAddict303 (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

If you're expecting a character driven storyline or you're someone that is unable to suspend disbelief for a couple of hours then this movie probably won't be for you.

The storyline is nothing new and has been explored quite a few times, it's basically the concept of are we more or can we be more than what we are.

Whilst they used an idea about the brain that has long since been proved nothing more than a myth it works to drive the concept of the film. I do think with a little thought they could of made this a little bit more believable though if they had just focused on being able to use more of the brains potential rather than "capacity".

Anyway apart from the basic concept that we still do not really understand our brains and what they are capable of everything else in the movie is based a lot in the realm of fantasy. There was a whole lot of things in the movie that could of been done better but even with all those flaws I still found it entertaining.

The only thing that let the film down for me was the ending which even though visually was probably the best part of the film it still felt a little too generic and overdone.

There seems to be a lot of reviews on here that bang on about realism and it being unbelievable etc but if you are going to rate a film on that then recent films like Transformers and all the super hero movies should be rated a 1 because hey a school student getting bitten by a radioactive spider or super sized robots trying to overtake earth is far more believable...

This film is a fantasy sci-fi with great visuals and while not "realistic" or perfectly executed has a thought provoking concept.

The Hangover Part III (2013)

When one of their own is kidnapped by an angry gangster, the Wolf Pack must track down Mr. Chow, who has escaped from prison and is on the lam.

Director: Todd Phillips

Writers: Todd Phillips, Craig Mazin

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms.

Storyline

In the aftermath of the death of Alan's father, the wolfpack decide to take Alan to get treated for his mental issues. But things start to go wrong on the way to the hospital as the wolfpack is assaulted and Doug is kidnapped. Now they must find Mr. Chow again in order to surrender him to the gangster who kidnapped Doug in order to save him.

Movie Reviews

30 May 2013

This movie. Was simply hilarious. A lot of people expected a bit too much from this Movie, but me personally did not. I have to say, it literally ended with a Bang. People are not thinking about how difficult it will be to make a Hangover III as if you could imagine yourself, the Director would be thinking what would be the Hangover about?

This story has a great twist, and it is best of for you guys to watch it yourself spending a couple of coins on the tickets and ''wollah'' enjoy. 

10/10 Loved it! Specially the End! ( Comes after the Credits, don't leave your seats ).

The Hangover Part II (2011)

Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.

Director: Todd Phillips

Writers: Craig Mazin, Scot Armstrong

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms.

Storyline

Stu is getting married. Along with Doug, Phil, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Teddy, he regretfully invites Alan to Thailand for the wedding. After a quiet night on the beach with a beer and toasting marshmallows by the camp fire, Stu, Alan and Phil wake up in a seedy apartment in Bangkok. Doug is back at the resort, but Teddy is missing, there's a monkey with a severed finger, Alan's head is shaved, Stu has a tattoo on his face, and they can't remember any of it. The wolf-pack retrace their steps through strip clubs, tattoo parlors and cocaine-dealing monkeys on the streets of Bangkok as they try and find Teddy before the wedding.

Movie Reviews:

18 march 2012 |

I felt used after paying to see this movie. Nearly everything about it was awful.

The first half hour was spent reminding us what happened in the first Hangover (as if we forgot) and running through the exact same jokes verbatim..

The next hour was tired, boring, predictable, and pathetic. I couldn't wait for it to end so I could do anything else.

Throughout the movie, the Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms characters were distorted into such idiotic caricatures of their roles from the original that it was insulting to watch.

Outside of a few funny moments and Ken Jeong's time on screen, this movie about as fun as getting a root canal.

The Hangover (2009)

Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. They make their way around the city in order to find their friend before his wedding.

Director:  Todd Phillips

Writers:  Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Stars:  Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha

Storyline

Angelenos Doug Billings and Tracy Garner are about to get married. Two days before the wedding, the four men in the wedding party - Doug, Doug's two best buddies Phil Wenneck and Stu Price, and Tracy's brother Alan Garner - hop into Tracy's father's beloved Mercedes convertible for a 24-hour stag party to Las Vegas. Phil, a married high school teacher, has the same maturity level as his students when he's with his pals. Stu, a dentist, is worried about everything, especially what his controlling girlfriend Melissa thinks. Because she disapproves of traditional male bonding rituals, Stu has to lie to her about the stag, he telling her that they are going on a wine tasting tour in the Napa Valley. Regardless, he intends on eventually marrying her, against the advice and wishes of his friends. And Alan seems to be unaware of what are considered the social graces of the western world. The morning after their arrival in Las Vegas, they awaken in their hotel suite each with the worst ..

User Reviews

13 June 2009 | by joecunningham14 (United Kingdom)

If there's a film that will be sold on word of mouth alone this summer, it's The Hangover. With a funny but unspectacular trailer, a plot (guys go to Vegas for bachelor party and crazy things happens) that seems overly familiar, and stars who are relative unknowns there's nothing to suggest anything hugely promising. But those who have seen it can surely testify that it's a 24-carat piece of comedy gold, for once you can believe the marketing moguls...we have been graced by the sleeper comedy hit of the summer. On closer inspection it shouldn't actually have been that surprising, Todd Phillips occupies the director's chair and his previous output includes such hits as Road Trip, Old School and Starsky and Hutch. 'The Hangover' though easily surpasses those by merit of providing regular and consistent laughs amidst backdrop of a frenetic and unrelenting morning after.

The problems most comedies face are that they have to put all their best laughs in the trailer, so by the time the film comes around the funniest parts lose their impact and the rest of the film is disappointing in comparison. This is a problem The Hangover sidesteps masterfully. Yes we know they wake up with no memory of what went before; there's a baby, a tiger, a chicken, a missing tooth, someone's married a hooker and (in an unsurprisingly bizarre cameo) Mike Tyson turns up...but these moments, albeit hilarious, aren't what make the film tick. The heart of the film is in the chemistry between the three leads; Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) are likable and identifiable enough for an audience to go along with events that could quite easily in another context seem ridiculous. Alan in particular is a character that could really grind your gears if he turned up in certain films, as part of the affable trio however he grows on you immensely.

This success may partly be credited to casting unfamiliar faces but the actors themselves deserve huge credit. Cooper may already be slightly familiar to some and is undoubtedly a star in the making (having been cast this week as Faceman in the new A Team flick), Helms is best known for his stint in the US version of the office, Galifianakis though has come completely out of the blue and it wouldn't be at all a surprise to see him follow a career path similar to Seth Rogen's post Knocked Up. The missing groom Doug (Justin Bartha) also deserves an honourable mention for slotting effortlessly into the group when around, it's a shame the plot requires him to go missing for the most part. There's also perfectly pitched cameos for Heather Graham, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong and best of all Rachael Harris who is magnificently vile as the hapless Stu's wife.

Phillips has no qualms puts his characters through the wringer, there's one shocking revelation after another as the people, animals and events they encountered the night before come back to bite them on the ass during the search for Doug. As the audience know as little as the characters do the reactions ring true, they suspend disbelief as colossally silly events are only matched in magnitude by the sound of laughs in the theatre. The Hangover never quite lets up - the laughs even continue way into the credits - so it should come as no surprise that a sequel is already being planned. Having come up with something so fresh here the producers will have to be careful not to suffer from a hangover themselves the second time around.

Verdict: Brilliant chemistry and a few plot tweaks make The Hangover better than you could possibly be expecting going in. It's funny from start to finish and is guaranteed to have you leaving the cinema with a smile on your face.

A Monster in Paris (2011)

A 3D-animated movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer.

Director: Bibo Bergeron
Writers: Bibo Bergeron , Stéphane Kazandjian (screenplay)
Stars: Matthieu Chedid , Vanessa Paradis,
Gad Elmaleh

Storyline
Paris, 1910. Emile, a shy movie projectionist, and Raoul, a colorful inventor, find themselves embarked on the hunt for a monster terrorizing citizens. They join forces with Lucille, the big-hearted star of the Rare Bird cabaret, an eccentric scientist and his irascible monkey to save the monster, who turns out to be an over-sized but harmless flea, from the city's ruthlessly ambitious police chief.

Movie Reviews
I still like the backgrounds, the portraiture, and some of the music
20 April 2012 | by Nozz (Israel)
Having seen the preview and admired the cityscapes, I was disappointed to see that here in Israel the movie was strictly a matinée feature and dubbed into Hebrew. No showings for us folks who work during the day and would prefer subtitled French. I picked up a pirated copy, which turned out to be dubbed into English. I found the opening tribute to early French cinema a little tiresome, but I have no problem being patient while a well-deserved tribute is made. Then as the archetypal Parisian characters were introduced, I found the portraiture amusing. There was a long wait before the title character appeared and before the first song, and I found the first song less interesting than the later ones (although that may be intentional). The dance movements were nicely animated although a little sexy for a children's movie; overall I think the movie seems to have been conceived under the philosophy of "something for everyone" rather than "everything for kids." After a while, the stereotyped characterizations wore thin and there seemed to be less compensation for those of us missing 3D. I actually fell asleep during the big chase sequence near the end, which I suppose was some kind of a roller-coaster ride for the 3D audience. By the time it was over, the movie had evidently achieved everything it wanted although not always a lot of it at the same time.

The 5th Wave (2016)

Four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother.

Storyline
Four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth in ruin. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal fifth wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope - if she can only trust him.

User Reviews
Coming from someone in her thirties, who dislikes romance, its a great movie
8 April 2016 | by mshavzin (United States) – See all my reviews
Really, not sure what people are talking about here. Yes, there is romantic beats in the story, but they are not the main part of the story. Its mostly about loss, and war. And considering how many people in the world are right now loosing their way of life, its a very relevant movie. The only reason i think people dislike it is they see very shallow similarities to other films, and don't bother to look further. Its really too bad. People are so obsessed with this shallow version of "originality" that they judge everything according to very silly broad strokes. Its likely a result of too many idiots who know absolutely nothing about writing wasting their time reading TV Tropes, and thinking that they are now experts. Too bad, because if they actually used their own brains to evaluate things they would get much more out of movies in general.

Ghostbusters (2016)

30 years after Ghostbusters took the world by storm, the beloved franchise makes its long-awaited return. Director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today.

Storyline
Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today - Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they're here to save the world!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

A Portokalos family secret brings the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding.

Director: Kirk Jones

Writer: Nia Vardalos

Stars: Nia Vardalos , John Corbett,
Michael Constantine

Storyline
Still working in her parents' Greek restaurant, Toula Portokalos's daughter Paris is growing up. She is getting ready to graduate high school and Toula and Ian are experiencing marital issues. When Toula's parents find out they were never officially married, another wedding is in the works. Can this big, fat, Greek event help to bring the family together?

User Reviews
Laughed 'Til I Cried
26 March 2016 |

My son and I just came home after seeing "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2." We loved the first movie and laughed but when seeing the sequel, I must warn you, I laughed until I cried and had sore stomach muscles. There were more hilarious scenes this time around than the first time and a multitude of new ones. If I could have given "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" a rating of 11 or 12, I would not hesitate. All of the original cast of characters from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" are in this movie. These characters are the ones whom we fell in love with. Getting to know everyone's quirks and idiosyncrasies in more detail was beyond enjoyable, amusing and refreshing. There are some awesome underlying messages creatively blended with humor that effectively relay messages we all should take heed and learn from. What warmed my heart and tickled my funny bone also made me feel loved and accepted as a member of the Portokalos family, despite what my DNA may show otherwise. On the way to the movie theater, I decided to keep an open mind. I ignored the negative and hateful reviews of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" to form my own opinions. I cannot begin to express how ecstatic I am that we saw this movie. So, my advice to is overlook the spiteful, pessimistic reviews and opinions you read and hear about this movie. Then take a break, bring some face tissues, go to the theater and see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2".

Warcraft

The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens ...

Director: Duncan Jones

Writers: Duncan Jones (screenplay),
Charles Leavitt (screenplay)

Stars: Travis Fimmel , Paula Patton , Ben Foster

Storyline
The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people, and their home.

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

Director: David Yates

Writers: Adam Cozad (screenplay), Craig Brewer (screenplay)

Stars: Margot Robbie, Alexander Skarsgård ,
Samuel L. Jackson

Storyline
Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

Details
Official Sites: Official site
Country: USA
Language: English
Release Date: 1 July 2016 (USA) See more »
Also Known As: Tarzan See more »
Filming Locations: Dinorwig Quarry, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Did You Know?

Alexander Skarsgård , to get in Tarzan shape, spent 4 months training non-stop in an "intense and all-consuming" workout regime where he said he "basically didn't see any family or friends" for the duration of the training period. He bulked up using a heavy weight-lifting routine and chicken diet eventually building highly developed eight pack abs as he's shirtless throughout the film. Director David Yates described Skarsgård's Tarzan look as more of a "modern man" that "still has big muscles" but is "more lean, more ripped, more vertical" than the audience has seen before.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Continuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home.

Directors: Alessandro Carloni,
Jennifer Yuh Nelson (as Jennifer Yuh)

Writers: Jonathan Aibel , Glenn Berger

Stars: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston ,
Dustin Hoffman

Storyline
When Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible-learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas.

User Reviews
31 January 2016 | by beandip57 (United States) –

So being a huge fan of Kung Fu Panda, I may be a little biased, but Kung Fu Panda 3 delivers!!! I was so excited to the see the movie as I think this story line has some aspects of awesomeness!!! Jack Black leads and all star cast of actors that bring not only great animation, but also solid entertainment from start to finish.
I went with my girl, who had to fight back the tears through parts of the movie, especially the end. Yes it was moving and had a great message. Family and knowledge are just some of the major points Kung Fu Panda focuses on.
But enough of the parent stuff, Kids will love it, so many little voices throughout the theater busted out in their joyous cute laughs, along with their parents. It has so much fun for children they will not be disappointed.
But for adults, lets say us men will love the action and some cool above normal animation which happen all over the movie to keep some of us action junkies enthralled. And women will love the messages of love, family and self-worth with some beautiful scenes of colors and imagination. Not to say I didn't enjoy all aspects of the movie.
As far as a trilogy goes, Kung Fu Panda, at least for me and my girl was as good if not better than its predecessors. Which to me was not easy to beat.
Jack Black brings to life a lovable, clumsy, hungry, Kung Fu Panda that anyone can relate to or enjoy. Kung Fu Panda 3 is a true treat on many levels and great for any family, date or lover of animation.

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.

Director: James Wan

Writers: Carey Hayes (screenplay), Chad Hayes (screenplay) | 5 more credits »
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson ,
David Thewlis

Storyline
Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.

Details
Country: USA
Language: English
Release Date: 10 June 2016 (USA)

Also Known As: The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

With the emergence of the world's first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan.

Director: Bryan Singer

Writers: Simon Kinberg (screenplay),
Bryan Singer (story)

Storyline

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel's X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto, to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven with the help of Professor X must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction

Details
Official Sites: Official Facebook
Country: USA
Language: English
Release Date: 27 May 2016 (USA)

Also Known As: X-Men: Apocalipsis
Filming Locations: Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Marvel Entertainment , TSG Entertainment
Show detailed company contact information on

Technical Specs
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Color: Color
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

Did You Know?
Trivia
This will be Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver's fifth cinematic appearance, after a cameo in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), the post-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and major appearances in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).