Reviews

Paul Greengrass, known for "The Bourne Ultimatum" and for "United 93" brings us a really intense thriller about the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US- flagged MV Maersk Alabama. With a really intense atmosphere and a powerful story, "Captain Phillips" it's definitely a must-see for everyone. Another excellent movie that after grabbing your attention, will leave you speechless until the credits role.

With "Captain Phillips", Paul Greengrass manages to provide the same intensity level of "United 93" adding a much more powerful story. Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi have done terrific jobs by interpreting really difficult characters. It's impossible not to feel moved with Tom Hanks performance as Captain Richard Phillips. The other three actors that portrayed the pirates that hijacked the ship, have also made really remarkable performances, giving a sense of realism to the movie I was not expecting to see.

This adaptation of the book "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Captain Richard Phillips himself will therefore bring you some really strong emotions and feelings.

So if you want to watch a movie with a powerful and remarkable story with brilliant performances and intense action sequences and experience this realistic adventure that will get your attention right from the beginning, "Captain Phillips" it's my suggestion for you. "Captain Phillips" it's definitely one of the best films of the year!

There's a lot of weird and crazy stuff happening in "World War Z", a zombie film that fulfilled my daily dosage of action. I understand that a lot of people will be against my opinion but I did actually enjoyed a lot this film. You will not find the typical zombie horror film in "World War Z". This film it's like a mix of really awesome action sequences filled with a large amount of visual effects and poorly executed horror sequences. There are some moments when you can't figure out what the hell it's happening because the action scenes are a little bit fast and confuse. The zombies were okay and there were some intense sequences (for example the plane sequence) that made the movie a lot more enjoyable. "World War Z" it's not great but it had style and fulfilled all my expectations.

There are only a couple of movies that made me feel the way that "Short Term 12" did. This powerful and moving story takes place a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers where both kids and some elements of the staff had some rough moments in their childhood, being displaced from a parent or even abducted. Grace is a 20-something supervisor that works alongside with her longtime boyfriend, Mason. Grace always kept her problems away from everyone but with the arrival of a new girl, named Jayden, her life will never be the same again. While trying to help Jayden, Grace has to remind herself of the troubles that she had in her childhood and with the help of Mason and Jayden she will find the courage that she needs to face at last the problems that bother her for a long time. "Short Term 12" shows a reality that is unknown for a lot of people. It's about fighting for survival and about growing up. It was so wonderful to watch and I felt connected to the story right from the beginning. The acting was so amazing and I am still astonished about how great was to watch Grace dealing with her problems while she was helping Jayden. For those children, hope was almost gone and therefore the staff task was sometimes really hard to accomplish. Grace and Mason chemistry was one of the strongest points of the film, because the way that they solved their problems together gives a touch of romance that gives power to the story ("It's because you are the weirdest, most beautiful person that I've ever met in my whole entire life."). "Short Term 12" it's a another proof of the great quality of indie movies and it reaches your heart with this moving and touching story. Because sometimes, when you think there is no hope left for you, you just have to keep fighting for your life. "Short Term 12" it's a ride filled with drama, joy and moving moments.

At last I had the chance to watch Steve McQueen's adaptation of the Solomon Northup's book "12 Years a Slave". Solomon Northup (brilliantly interpreted by Chiwetel Ejiofor) lived in New York with his family (his wife and his two kids). His life was stable, he was a free black man living the "American Dream", until he was invited to join two other men to preform in several places, since he was a brilliant violinist. But unfortunately for him, the invitation was just the beginning of the worst time of his entire life. Solomon ended abducted and sold into slavery. While being a slave, Solomon faced the cruelty of some white men who just treat them like their property and a series of events that are really tough to watch. In fact, there are only a few things that are easy to watch in this 2-hour drama. Fassbender's character was really powerfully and I must confess that there were times where I was really angry about it. So much power and greed drove him to complete madness. Fassbender was really great portraying a slave owner, giving a huge touch of cruelty and evil to the film. It was really hard for me to imagine how could someone treat another one with such amount of cruelty. Without only a little amount of hope, Solomon sees him self trapped in this "nightmare" and tries to survive to the whole thing. After long years of suffering, Solomon sees at last the opportunity to escape after meeting a Canadian abolitionist, Bass, interpreted by Brad Pitt. This powerful and tough drama is also filled with brilliant performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Lupita Nyong'o. Hans Zimmer also strikes again with a really great soundtrack that involves the audience into the film. But there is a lot more in "12 Years a Slave" than just slavery. I left the theater in complete silence, astonished for what I had just seen. A message of hope, a portrait of the cruelty of men and a powerful story that is tough but also captivating. Steve McQueen really got me with this one. "12 Years a Slave" is a 2- hour drama that will shock you and that sometimes will make you feel angry but there is so much substance in this film that it is impossible for me no to advise you to go and watch it. "12 Years a Slave" is more than a must-see, it is a true masterpiece!

Martin Scorsese's comedy based on the story of Jordan Belfort it's a rough movie that manages to provoke and entertain with an odd storytelling and another great performance by Leonardo DiCaprio.

I want to begin my review by admitting that I had really high expectations for this movie and I must confess that this 180 minute-long comedy still managed to surprise me a bit. It's a dark comedy about the decadent financial sector and the way that greed and money controlled it. A movie about sex, drugs, lies and money with a dark sense of humor and with really wonderful performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, who really surprised me by leaving his comfort zone. Everything in this movie works, even the odd storytelling that actually made the film even more interesting.

"The Wolf of Wall Street" is definitely not the movie you should see with your family but this journey into Jordan Belfort's career in the world of business it is one hell of a ride!

8/10

There is a lot going on inside a teenager boy's mind. A mix of feelings that sometimes is the reason for our bad actions. But while growing up, the important thing is to learn with our mistakes. In "The Kings of Summer" there is a lot of stuff going on. Its a story about one boy (Joe) who is tired of living alone with his father and that wants to be free. One night, after a party that went wrong, he discovered a magnificent place where he thought he could start a new life so he persuaded his best friend and a guy he met at that party to built a house in the middle of the woods. This is a coming-of-age story that focuses on the feelings of this three teenagers. It is a story about young love and growing up. Moises Arias' character (Biaggio) brought a special touch to the film, adding to it great and funny moments. It's a movie that will give you enough reasons to smile and to be happy. Funny, smart and sweet, "The Kings of Summer" is another great movie of 2013!

Lars Von Trier is a well-known unusual director, hated by some and adored by others. "Antichrist" is his first movie of his trilogy of depression and it was also the first movie from him that I had the opportunity to watch. When we are confronted with a movie strong as this one, it is easy to feel terrified, sad and at the same time marveled with the impressive cinematography and visual effects. A couple returns to their cabin in the forest after the loss of their son, while they try to repair their broken hearts and their marriage. This sad story culminates in a terrifying and distressing way that shocked the world. It is a cruel, visceral ending that it is not worthy to the story, not only because of the violent scenes of genital mutilation but also because of the evil environment that the story acquires near the end. Its a movie that divides the opinions but that does not leave anyone indifferently. "Antichrist" could be considered one of the most controversial/disturbing movies ever made. Its a movie that combines fear, anguish and despair. Lars Von Trier manages to shock and disturb the viewer in an unique way with this movie. A violent story filled with substance, "Antichrist" agitates our subconscious and makes us question about the true nature of evil.

Right after I saw "About Time" and read a few comments from other IMDb users about the similarities among these two movies I wanted to watch "The Time Traveler's Wife". The movie is about a man named Henry, who has a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel and who fells in love with a woman named Clare. "The Time Traveler's Wife" is the typical romance movie with the funny and interesting addition of time travels to the plot. In fact, the only thing that works well in this movie is the chemistry among Henry and Clare because the time travels only brought to the movie a series of misunderstood events. It's a story about love that made me cry like a little girl. "The Time Traveler's Wife" is a mediocre movie with a very sensible love story which caught my attention and my heart.

There are those movies that touch you in a way that is hard to absorb. "The Spectacular Now" is one of those movies. It's not the regular teen drama. "The Spectacular Now" is about dreams, about seizing the moments and about love. It is the story of a popular young boy who meats a sweet girl and a series of events that follow that moment. As a 20 year-old man, it's hard for me to describe the mix of feelings I had, while I was watching this movie. It's so deep, so beautiful and so unique. "The Spectacular Now" is more than a wonderful surprise. It was a movie that made me think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. "The Spectacular Now" is without a doubt, a beautiful and fascinating story about the discovery of ourselves and the true meaning of love. "The Spectacular Now" is, by far, one great surprise.

It is really impressive the way that "Dallas Buyers Club" catches your attention. A remarkable and powerful story about a man with the HIV virus and who battles against the system to provide hope for those who see their life almost lost. The way that Matthew McConaughey plays his character is really impressive and it's one major factor that made me enjoy this movie more. It's a really powerful movie and one true contender to this year's Oscars. It's a movie about learning, about respect and about hope. The way that Ron's mind change about homosexuality provides also a certain touch of humanity and kindness to the story. With outstanding performances of Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club" is definitely a must-see!

Wow, I just left the movie theater and I am shocked about the amount of bad reviews this movie had. I am a kind of huge fan of Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro so perhaps my opinion about this movie is a bit influenced by that. Despite that, I must confess I truly enjoyed this movie. It was funny and it was very interesting to see how the family get used to an all new identity every time they had to move in. The plot is basically about a family, the Mazonis, that was relocated to Normandy under the witness protection program. So they had basically to try fitting in soon to avoid being caught by the mafia members who were trying to kill them. Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro were really great playing their characters and despite not being an excellent movie, "The Family" is enjoyable and is another great addition to Luc Besson's career.

What would you do if suddenly your son disappears without leaving any trace? What would you do if you felt your son's life was in danger? "Prisoners" shows us that our worst fears can sometimes take control of our minds and change our way of acting and thinking. So what if you lost your daughter and no one is capable of helping you? "Prisoners" is the story of two families who are confronted with this exact situation. In 153 minutes we are invited to look to the changes in the family members's behaviors while they lose their hope. Finding his daughter is the one thing that Keller Dover, played by Hugh Jackman, has on his mind and when he sees that Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is not following his clues, he decides to make justice by his own hands. This powerful and emotive story about families, love, and fear is one great Drama full of suspense and outstanding performances by all cast members. "Prisoners" is alongside with "Gravity", one of my Oscar predictions for the next year.

It's becoming a fact without a single doubt that Ben Affleck is a better director than an actor and "Argo" is a proof of that. I have to confess that I had the high expectations on this one and it did not disappointed me. In fact I would have never predicted that "Argo" was going to be such a very enjoyable ride. The tension represented in the early segments of the movie drives the spectator to a very amusing story about a man whose job is to take a group of people back to America. Alan Arkin character is great and Affleck is not bad at all. "Argo" is an attempt to recreate the escape from Iran of the American embassy employees and despite having some misinterpretations of the facts, it's a very well made movie and really pleasant to watch. "Argo" is therefore a victory for Ben Affleck's career and a great movie for everyone to watch!

Apparently time travels are one of the keys to success because this movie hit me right in my heart. "About Time" touched me in way that no movie has ever touch. A simple story about love that has enough strength to make everyone laugh and cry. The story of a guy who is unhappy with is life and who discovers a very powerfully gift which will transform his life forever. It's really hard to say bad things about this film, the characters, the story, the soundtrack and all the details were really good. Perhaps the best romantic comedy I have ever seen, "About Time" accomplishes everything I love about romantic comedies, it's a compassionate, magical and lovely story with a little bit of comedy. Go and watch this one, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Let me just start this by saying that I was not expecting great things from this movie, but Marvel has done it right again and i believe that anyone who enjoyed the first movie will not be disappointed with this one. The special effects were really cool and the Asgard scenes were amazing in IMAX 3D. The return of Thor and Loki was by far better than I expected. Loki was really better than in "The Avengers", it was more funny and more enjoyable to watch. The only negative point in this movie is the villain (Malekith) which is like an accessory to the story. Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting better and I cannot wait for "Guardians of the Galaxy". Definitely a surprise, "Thor: The Dark World" is one of those rare cases where the sequel beats its predecessor.

First of all, let me just start by saying that I'm a huge fan of Alfonso Cuarón's work and that for about 1 hour and half I just felt I was right there in space. "Gravity" was one of the most promising movies of this season and without any doubt it was successful. This space epic, about two astronauts (George Clooney and Sandra Bullock) who are lost in space after a huge explosion in space, is full of action and impressive special effects. After James Cameron's "Avatar" I have never thought there could be a movie with greater special effects but I was wrong. The mix between the well written storyline and the special effects make this an Oscar nominee for sure. "Gravity" is definitely one of the best movies of the year and the proof that sometimes 3D can improve our movie experience. The IMAX Experience of "Gravity" just made the movie more amazing than it is. In conclusion, Alfonso Cuarón's new movie is one of those which I expect that years from now people will talk about. "Gravity" scores 10 out of 10.

IMAX Experience Review: Sound: 8/10 Visual Effects: 10/10 3D: 9/10 IMAX Experience Score: 9/10 -IMAXWORTHIT-

Christopher Nolan brings us "Inception", a movie about dreams and the capability of changing them. What would you do if you could change the future by introducing an idea into others people dreams? "Inception" is about a group of people who tries to change one man's mind by manipulating dreams. This idea drives us into a spectacular adventure where minute after minute, the group of people goes deeper to accomplish their mission. With an impressive storyline and an amazing cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Cane and more), "Inception" is one of those movies you will definitely remember for a long time. After the well conceived "The Dark Knight", this movie is another example of Nolan's outstanding talent. Therefore, "Inception" scores 9 out of 10.