Film Composer, John Barry Passes Away

John Barry is one of the most essential film composers of all-time, his work most remembered in the original 007 adventures with Sean Connery, crafting the James Bond score that is still played in the Bond films to this day. The man's contributions to the world of cinema will always be remembered, he passed away at the age of 77. We here at the Review will keep his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. To celebrate his lifelong achievement to film, here's a sample of his great talent:

"The Man of Steel" is Cast, and he's a Brit?

I love Superman, he's in a three-way tie with Batman and Spider-man for my favorite comic book hero of all-time, so I wanna see any new Superman movie being made, and Zack Snyder's movie The Man of Steel has some fantastic potential, being written by David Goyer and produced by Chris Nolan, but I am a little skeptical over the casting of British actor Henry Cavill as Superman himself.

It's not that I don't think Cavill can act, cause I've only ever heard rave reviews about his star portrayal in The Tudors, but am I the only one that thinks it is weird to cast a British person as one of the most essential American icons? Sure, Cavill will probably do great in the role, I mean, he'll do a fantastic American accent and will probably knock it out of the park, but if the producers of Harry Potter can be exclusive about only casting British actors as British characters, then why not cast only American actors as American characters? I don't hate Britain or British actors, I just wonder why so many movies nowadays opt out of casting American actors?

It's a startling trend, I mean Nolan's own The Dark Knight was filled with actors playing Americans who are not American born but hailed from Britain and Australia; as a matter of fact, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gylenhaal, and Morgan Freeman, are the only leads from that movie that were born and raised in the US of A. Once again, as long as they do fine in the roles of Americans, I shouldn't care, but what does this mean for the future of American movies themselves when we're having to draw in talent from other countries to make our movies? We'll find out when The Man of Steel hits theaters Holiday season of 2012!

Movie Review: "The Fighter"

Two brothers. First there is Dickie, a crack addict, who just also happens to be a washed up fighter, now trainer for his younger brother, who is boxer "Irish" Micky Ward. Then, there is Micky, a boxer who must battle his own family before he can become a legend in the ring. The Fighter is a familial drama with some sports in it, but like all of the greatest boxing movies, it is when the characters are outside of the ring that the movie wins one over.

Micky's family is what one would call a convoluted battle of the wills. They do not take too kindly to outsiders, or doing things outside of the family, so it is no wonder that neither Dickie, Micky, nor their sisters are married, and you'll fully understand this when you meet their domineering mother, Alice, played to crisp perfection by Melissa Leo. Adding to the strain is Charlene, Micky's new girlfriend, played exceptionally well by Amy Adams, who sees the potential in Micky to be something great, but he must first overcome his family and become his own man if he is to be champion. Actor Mark Whalberg is the heart-and-soul of the movie as Micky Ward, and what more can anyone say about Christian Bale's no holds barred performance as Dickie. This movie is an actor's showcase, featuring some of the best acting you will see in a longtime, and I think a lot of the credit should go to director, David O. Russell.

Russell shoots everything very naturally, there is a flow to it, like the human observer watching these things unfold rather than him intentionally leading us by the hand and manipulating us like so many sports movies have done. I've gotta say, the fight scenes filmed like HBO fights on television was a brilliant choice, not to mention the opening credits when Micky and Dickie walk like kings through the streets of their hometown of Lowell, Mass., these and so many other scenes are just some of the more finely crafted scenes to be projected on the big screen in a long time. In the end, the movie still manages to be uplifting and makes you wanna cheer Micky on, but you don't feel as if you were watching characters, but real people persevere and simply live, that is The Fighter's strong suit, and it is better for it.

I give The Fighter an A+!

11 Potential Surprises for 2011

About a week back I did my list of what I am most anticipating for this upcoming year in the worlds of film, TV, and whatever else I wanted to post about. As with any year, there is always those things that without a shadow of a doubt you wanna see, but there is also those that have question marks about them, they look good, but I have some reservations about them. Of course, such a movie is the kind that can often surprise us more so than any other kind of movie. So today I am devoting this spot to 11 films that I think are worth looking out for in 2011. All 11 of these movies have their things about them that keep me from wanting to anticipate them as much as some other movies, but there is just something intriguing about them that keeps me coming back wanting to know more. So here are the 11, in order of release:

* Sanctum - It is not just James Cameron's name attached to this movie as executive producer that makes this movie look interesting. In the past year we've seen a huge uptick in the number of thrillers produced regarding these type of claustrophobic, man vs. nature adventures. I've always loved the ideas of exploring the unknown reaches of the world, and a movie about cave divers trying to escape a flooding cave in a monsoon sounds like a fantastic spectacle to behold, not to mention it comes out in February, one of the drier months of the year for movies, so it might be a nice movie just to see for the heck of it.

* I Am Number Four - Director D.J. Caruso has made some very interesting movies in the past few years. From Disturbia to Eagle Eye, he is a good crowd-pleaser, who has a talent to handle action with teenage romance extremely well. Not to mention, this movie has a lot more going for it. It is a movie about a teenage alien hiding out on Earth, who goes to school, falls in love, makes friends, while also being hunted by alien mercs who wanna kill him! Toss in the fact that the movie was godfathered by Spielberg, written by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar, and you've got me on board. And just like Sanctum, what else comes out in February that is really worth seeing?

* Rango - When it has come to feature films, Nickelodeon's animation has been a bit hit-and-miss, but with Pirates of the Caribbean director, Gore Verbinski on board, maybe they're hoping to turn it around. The movie is the story of a pet chameleon who escapes to an odd Wild West town run by animals, where he becomes Sheriff. I don't really know much else, other than what I've seen so far looks interesting, not to mention the whole movie's dialogue was recorded on a soundstage where the actors, like Johnny Depp and Bill Nighy, acted out the scenes alongside one another on cardboard sets in front of cameras, then the animators used that footage to animate the scenes using the actor's movements and expressions to influence their characters. For March, this one may be worth a look.

* Paul - I love Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Hot Fuzz is one of the funniest movies ever, but this is their fist collaboration done entirely with an American crew, set in America, and without their Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead director, Edgar Wright. Regardless, the movie (written by Pegg and Frost) looks funny, telling the story of two geeks traveling the US searching out geek hotspots like Area 51, only to pick up a talking alien on the side of the road named Paul. I love alien movies, and Pegg and Frost truly are funny together, so this may be that comedy to look out for when it hits mid-March.

* Hanna - Director Joe Wright (Atonement) is really stepping far away from his usual drama-centric narrative arc as a director, into the world of high octane action. Not to mention, he has cast this action/thriller entirely with dramatic actors from Saoirse Ronan to Eric Bana to Cate Blanchett, all teaming up to tell this story of a 14-year-old girl, who was trained by her father to be an assassin! There looks to be some sort of conspiracy in this movie or whatever, that's typical of the genre nowadays, but in April, there's not much else that looks this promising.

* Water for Elephants - While I am not a fan of actor Robert Pattinson, this movie looks very interesting. Movies about the circus, and circus life have always intrigued me, and having Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz on board as the ringleader is always a good thing. If the movie can keep from dipping into melodrama and manage to sell the fantastical things that still makes circuses popular the world over, this could be a good April pleaser.

* Pirates on the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - You know, I didn't really like the second or third movies in this franchise, but after so-so critical reactions to the past two, producer Jerry Bruckheimer really cleaned house, getting a new director (Rob Marshall) and shedding two main characters (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley). The focus has been shifted entirely to Jack Sparrow this time, and while his over-the-top antics in parts two and three were two of those movies' biggest detractors for me, I really think the inclusion of Penelope Cruz as his love interest could liven things up in this new installment. I'm giving this new take the benefit of the doubt, and we'll see if it works out come May.

* Drive - September is a statistically dead month for movies, so this might be something to tide you over till the good stuff come in the holiday season. I've kept my eye on this action/thriller for some time, about a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for crime. The movie stars two of the finest working actors, Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, and the script once had such big talent attached like Hugh Jackman, so the story may actually be up to snuff, here's hoping the movie delivers the thrills.

* Johnny English Reborn - If you haven't seen the first Johnny English, shame on you. It is the best spoof of the secret agent genre ever made, starring Mr. Bean's Rowan Atkinson as a known nothing 007 type, who does everything wrong but ultimately saves the day in the end. The first movie is one of my favorite hidden gems, and I was so happy to hear of a sequel, so I hope it doesn't disappoint come September, cause it has some big shoes to fill.

* Real Steel - I have huge amounts of respect for Night of the Museum director Shawn Levy, so much so that I really think that this may be his big breakout from his usual niche market of family comedies into something a lot more my tastes. Real Steel is set in a future where humans no longer fight for sport, but they just train robots to get in the ring and fight for them. The story stars Hugh Jackman as a former boxer, turned robot trainer. This could be a fresh shot in the arm for the tried and true boxing genre which hasn't really been infused with nothing new since the early '80s with the Rocky movies and Raging Bull. This is one to look out for come October.

* Arthur Christmas - Who doesn't love Aardman Animation, the makers of Wallace and Grommit and Chicken Run. This movie, about St. Nick's son, looks to be another expansion of their trademark humor, infused with their usual wit and charm, and dare I say it, could a new Christmas classic be in the midst? We'll find out this November.

So that's it, obviously there are many other movies I wanted to include, but didn't. Oh, what the hay, I'll toss 'em out there anyways: Source Code, Unknown, The Beaver, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Your Highness, The Three Musketeers, and many, many more.

Movie Review: "The King's Speech"

Most men can speak, though not many actually have a voice. Now, take this for example: What if one has a voice, but is unable to speak? What does one do? That is the central idea of director Tom Hooper's movie, The King's Speech, featuring magnificent performances from Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, as King George VI (Firth), the King of England who stammered, and speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Rush).

George VI was the King of Great Britain during the second World War, and well known for being the father of current Queen of England, Elizabeth. What this movie deals with isn't the usual propaganda material to try and make you think how majestic or grand a king he was, but it is the opposite, it shows all of his weaknesses to let us know that even someone as great as that is still human, that the human triumphs of bravery and determination can overpower any of our own shortcomings. Yes, even a stutter.

The most magnificent part of the movie is the relationship between George and Logue, as the two men develop a friendship whilst Logue tries to teach George how to talk like a king should. The saddest part, is that people don't want to hear a king who stutters, so he must agonizingly torture himself in his own fears and self-pity, but that is a different matter altogether, what is the matter of the movie is how the unorthodox relationship between Logue and George is what actually makes George the king he becomes. Yes, George manages to overcome his stutter when it comes time for him to deliver his first wartime speech deriding Hitler in the climax, but Logue actually gives George the confidence that he is a brave and strong man worthy to be king. George is continuously throughout the movie plagued with doubts about whether or not he could be king because of his disability, but Logue manages to use psychology to get to know the man beneath the stutter, and we as the audience agree with Logue when George's brother, David abdicates the throne of England in order for George to be the king England deserves.

Sad to say, the movie often drags in the moments where it deals more so with world history and less with George's impediment, in particular the long scenes in the middle when George's father dies, which could have easily been handled in a simple line of expositional dialogue and kept us more so in the story of George's and Logue's friendship. Regardless, this is a special movie that is uplifting, enjoyable, and filled with marvelous acting performances, myself being quite frankly stunned by Guy Pearce's portrayal as George's brother David or Timothy Spall's invigorating role as Winston Churchill.

I give The King's Speech an A!