"300: Rise of an Empire” doesn't top or equal the original, but this companion piece to the 2007 blockbuster "300" still offers some deliciously sly camp filled with the franchise's signature speed-ramping fights and bloody CGI gore. This time, the story utilizes love and vengeance for its central theme, while consistently delivering a sense of duality to the story and character elements presented in the "300" movie canon. The film is primarily set in the Greek waters where epic naval
Prequels/Sequels
‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ Film Review: The entertaining fire-breathing excess
"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" entertains with its fiery wave of action and adventure. However, it remains hamstrung by its own middle chapter narrative problems. Clearly forced into a trilogy stretch for the cash-cow potential of a single book, this second "Hobbit" film proves that one can have too much of a good thing when it comes to delivering a quota of thrills, but still end up as yet another ponderous placeholder for the grand finale. At the very least,
‘The Legend of Zorro’ Film Review: The Dela Vega heroes
"The Legend of Zorro" tones down a bit by fronting the more human issues about family relationships in its storytelling, as compared to the visually purist, action-filled premise driving the storyline for such an action genre offering. Yet, this follow-up to “The Mask of Zorro” doesn't lose its own touch of valuable action and playful camera work. The pompous stunts, grand production design, and outstanding cinematography often keep the spectators' eyes nailed to what happens next. The film captures the audience right from
‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’ Film Review: The force of tragedies
“Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” serves as the final chapter to the culturally historical galactic empire saga from the real master behind the force George Lucas, along with his dedicated behind-the-scene heroes from the "Star Wars" of the 1970s and 1980s ("Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" in 1977, "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, and "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" in 1983) to the prequels produced two decades after ("Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" in 1999 and
‘Rio 2’ Film Review: Perfectly fine, perfectly forgettable
"Rio 2" is a delightfully bright and breezy bit of computer-generated entertainment. As an acceptable family fare, this sequel maintains that blockbuster flavor that is expected of such an animated flick. It mostly hits the sweet spot when it comes to eye-popping visuals and feisty song-and-dance sequences. However, its predictable narrative plays too safe that it simply crafts nothing more than a fine commercial blend of heart-warming and toe-tapping moments for its target demographic. For this second installment in the "Rio"
‘Shrek the Third’ Film Review: The slapstick third
While it offers nothing new on the table, this third movie of the "Shrek" franchise compensates with its laid-back familiarity and comedy. The Shrek Franchise The best thing about the "Shrek" movies is that you are offered a patented comic blend of fairy tale tradition and pop-culture references. These recreate a comic flavor and moral implications for its wide commercial range of movie viewers. The franchise's main charm is its organic ability to mix fairy tale sweetness and pop-culture tradition with a
‘Angels and Demons’ Film Review: From suspense novel to audio-visual flair
This "Angels and Demons" film adaptation is a less contemplative and a more motion-driven version of Dan Brown's novel. "Angels and Demons" mounts the visuals the way I imagined them while reading the Dan Brown novel. That part is impressive. However, the suspense part that hooked me to the book gets lost in the film adaptation. For a movie based entirely around a beat-the-clock goal, the momentum gets significantly lost and the far-fetched plot surfaces more without the packed intensity and
‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ Film Review: Dark, adolescent Potter film
This film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's fourth "Harry Potter" book is fantastically darker and more mature than its predecessors. Darker, a little more mature, and a little less magical, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” primarily deals with rejection and hormones as Harry and his friends struggle through transition from childhood to young adulthood. This motion picture focuses on the Hogwarts students in the seemingly awkward stage of their youth. The film’s look is less ostentatious than the previous installments. This time,
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Hangover Part II’
"The Hangover Part II" releases on a two-disc set, which houses the film's Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copies. This 2011 sequel to the blockbuster comedy "The Hangover" moves from Las Vegas to Bangkok as the Wolfpack gets into another pre-wedding, post-blackout misadventure. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and Ken Jeong reprise their roles in this popular black comedy offering. Visuals "The Hangover Part II" is as hot and humid as its shooting location. The warmly saturated images for
‘The Hangover Part III’ Film Review: Hanging expectations
There are some moments to treasure, but Todd Phillips' "The Hangover Part III" mainly becomes less a comedy and more a contract obligation. In trying to be different from its predecessors, the backbone story of this third installment breaks away from the pattern that made the first film a surprise hit, which actually has its share of ups and downs. With no wedding, no bachelor party, and no drug-induced amnesia to offer in its basic premise, it avoids becoming a genetic