Jurassic Park

Stephen Spielberg's Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies of all times. An American classic based off the book by Michael Crichton we see Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, and Samuel L. Jackson starring in this science fiction tale of scientists toying with something that may be a little over their heads. Please click here to watch the trailer.

John Hammond (Attenborough), a filthy rich older man leases an island off the coast of Costa Rica for a "biological perverse" project in which he will soon open a theme park called "Jurassic Park." Through his scientists and research he bends all reason and logic and brings back to life an extinct group of animals we know as Dinosaurs.

Due to a tragic accident during the transportation of a dangerous species of dinosaur (the velociraptor), an employee loses his life. Hammond finds himself being sued for damages. The investors are "very anxious" about the safety of this future park and demand outside opinions from knowledgeable scientists to give their seal of approval on the park before it opens.

Dr. Allen Grant (Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum) have been issued for the very task of inspecting the island. Invited for a short observation and tour they find themselves facing dangers they never dreamed of.

A disgruntled employee of Hammond, Dennis Nedry played by Wayne Knight (known for his role in the show Seinfeld), betrays Hammond and the park by stealing various different dinosaur DNA and selling it to a rivaling company. Fueled by financial problems Nedry locks up the computer systems and security systems so that he may successfully confiscate the DNA and get off the island undetected. Everything goes awry and the animals who were most definitely under "control" break free from that very control.

No security,  phones, and minimal guns puts the small group of survivors in a precarious situation. Will the bunch outsmart a species of animal that they have only witnessed through books or by brushing away sand from scarce bone remains?

I suggest you watch the movie to find out for yourself.

This movie is phenomenal. A beautiful score composed by John Williams captivates audiences. Made in 1993 the special effects and graphics seem very realistic.

My personal favorite in this film is Iam Malcom played by Jeff Goldblum. Extremely sarcastic and annoyingly precise, Malcom seems to have everything figured out.

If you have yet to see this film you do not know what you are missing out on. It is a classic and one that the whole family would enjoy. Careful of the little ones though, they may get a little scared. 

Apollo 18

Oh. My. Goodness.

Are the three words that kept running through my head as this horrifyingly intense film held my undivided attention. Apollo 18 was not quite what I had expected. To watch the trailer please click here.  Starring -actors who I have never heard of, but did a phenomenal performance- Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, and Ryan Robbins as three young astronauts (Ben, Nate, and John) who are privileged with the assignment of Apollo 18 to the moon.

SPOILER ALERT:

Excited to see the world from a different lens, quite literally, the trio disembark on a journey that would be the defining moment of their lives. 

As the reach the moon Captain Nate and Ben leave John to man the ship as they explore this new world. While their exploration seems somewhat normal at first, things begin to take a new shape as suspicious noises as well as interesting coincidences put the two on edge. They also discover a Russian vessel that is abandoned on the moon. They become even more uneasy when they find the remains of what they believe to be the pilot of the abandoned ship. 

Eventually Nate becomes infected. By what, they are not really sure. However, it transforms him into a paranoid, defensive, and almost crazed person. Soon things go from bad to worse and Ben is forced to leave Nate and seek out the Russian vessel as a refuge; their own ship has been damaged. 

Will Ben survive? What happened to Nate? And how does John fit into this equation as he hovers over the dark ambiguity that is raging below in the other spacecraft? 

I have given enough of the story away already, I suggest you watch it for yourself to see the end result.

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PERSONAL FEEDBACK, NO SPOILERS

My two cents worth about this movie would stem from being very pleasantly surprised. To be completely honest when I picked this one up I thought it would be another one of those cheesey films that is trying so hard to have an original plot and be scary at the same time, but failing miserably.  And to be completely honest I am not a fan of scary movies. However this movie would probably lie more in the suspense category than anything.

One thing in particular that struck me while watch it was that I was instantly sucked into it which took me quite off guard. The beginning starts with some written information that you need to know in order to fully understand and appreciate the plot. This of course demands your full attention and then naturally gets you curious to know how the story is going to unfold. I was doomed from the start.

Secondly, I loved that the movie was filmed in such a way that made you feel like it was realistic. That is to say it almost had a home video-esque style, but with better clarity. There were very creative camera angles. It did an excellent job at filming certain objects that seemed odd for just the right amount of time and then leave audiences flabbergasted when the camera went pitch black, or cut off, or perhaps a new scene! But what?! What was that? What in the world is going on? Was that thing moving!? These were just some of the many questions rolling through my head as I watched from scene to scene.

Another great thing about the movie is that it is only 87 minutes long. I think brevity in movies is almost a lost art. I understand that there is a certain amount of time that is needed to truly get the plot and point of the movie across, but when some movies go on and on it just gets ridiculous. This movie did a superb job at getting to the point very quickly and keeping its audiences interested. 

Rated PG-13 for its intensity as well as language I would say is a very accurate description. While there is not a lot of language I did note a few intense moments where it came through pretty strong. The whole movie keeps your adrenaline pumping.

I recommend watching it with others. I made the mistake of viewing it solo in the dark. Needless to say I was a little on edge because of it. Once again this film surprised me in a good way and I think that it is somewhat of a sleeper film. I do not know many people at all who have seen it or really talk about it. I honestly feel like audiences would enjoy it if they gave it a chance.

To me it was a refreshing twist on a suspenseful movie. It reminded me of the Alien movies (which are awesome). Obviously those are classics and this movie is not on the same level as they are, but all the same it is an excellent thriller and a must see. 

For more info about the movie and its actors click here to view imdb.com's information.

White Christmas

What better way to have the christening of my blog be with one of the most loved and classic Christmas movies of all time? In case you may not be familiar with this phenomenal movie please click here to see the White Christmas trailer. Or read the brief plot summary below. Or just go watch the movie

SPOILER ALERT: 

Irving Berlin's White Christmas is my favorite Christmas movie 2nd only to one (It's a Wonderful Life). Made in 1954 staring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. 

In this dazzlingly classic film portrays two veterans of war who become successful entertainers (Crosby and Kaye). After meeting a sister act (Clooney and Ellen) the four find themselves headed to the place "where it is snowing all winter long" Pine Tree Vermont.

Through their merry holidays audiences enjoy the voice of Bing Crosby, the whit of Danny Kaye, and the talents of both Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. After settling into the Pine Tree Ski Lodge both Crosby and Kaye are pleasantly surprised to find out that their retired General from their war days is the landlord. They further find out that the lodge is on the verge of closing due to the unexpected warm winter of Vermont (no snow!).  Through their creativity Crosby and Kaye come up with a brainy idea to bring their successful entertainment show up to the struggling lodge to help out their "old man" General from floundering. While working along side the sister-act the two unexpectedly realize that they are becoming interested in more than just saving the lodge.

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What can I say about this movie?
First of all, I grew up with this film. Therefore my analysis is slightly biased stemming from sentimental value. However, I shall do my best to be fair with my critique. The film itself is a classic for more reasons than just being made in the 50s. You've got not just the thematic elements of Christmas, but a colorful array of dancing, singing, as well as romance, and confrontation. With dancing performances dominantly portrayed by Kaye and Ellen you also can enjoy the timeless performance of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. I think it is safe to say that even people in today's generation still enjoy this holiday song and recognize it's nostalgia.

Typically movies with a Christmas theme and movies with dancing and singing throughout usually have a cheesey element to them. How often do we find ourselves in life walking down the street and the person we're with breaks out in song about where we are walking to? Don't get me wrong, I would love to live life that way, but let's be honest it is unrealistic. But, that is the beauty of it. Movies like this make you dream of happy times and wish for the simplistic life. In a way movies like this make us forget about the troubles of our lives and enjoy the small things. It's what Crosby says in the film "you'll fall asleep counting your blessings."

Shout out to the parents. This is the type of film that you would not be worried at all that your children are watching. G rated, the story line is extremely clean and family friendly.

Even if you have not seen this movie in your life it is never too late to start a Christmas tradition with your own family. I guarantee your children will look back on it with affection and even incorporate it into their Christmas traditions some day. For me, this movie is a NECESSITY to the Christmas holiday season. As I write this post I am enjoying the memories it has brought in my life.

Merry Christmas!