Film: Star Trek Into Darkness

GENRE: Action / Sci-Fi
RATING: PG for intense sequences of action & violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 12 minutes
STARRING: Chris Pine (Unstoppable, This Means War)
Zachary Quinto (Heroes); Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock)
DIRECTOR: JJ Abrams (Super 8, MI:III, Alias, Lost)
WRITERS: Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Transformers, MI:III)
Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus, World War Z)
PLOT: Captain Kirk leads a manhunt for a terrorist and may inadvertently start a catastrophic war.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 What a fantastic ride! The expectations were high and they were met quite masterfully. Abrams and the writers do a perfect blend of action and character development. I felt fully immersed in the story. Kudos!
2 While I am now able to see films in 3D, I’m still not sold on the extra dimension. I wish I saw Avatar and Life of Pi in 3D to compare. 
3 This new franchise is brilliant in its casting. Cumberbatch rocked the villain role, as if there was any doubt. And the Enterprise crew is always top-notch but this film’s all-stars are Quinto as the surprising agile Spock and the hilarious Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) as Scotty.
4 I love how respectful JJ Abrams is to the franchise and at the same time, is not afraid to make a twist or two.
5 For all the observations stated above, I have full confidence in JJ Abrams helming the next Star Wars film. I already have goosebumps.  

RECOMMENDATION: See it in theatres now!
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Hangover Part III

Film: The Great Gatsby

GENRE: Drama / Romance
RATING: PG for some violence, sexual content & language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 23 minutes
STARRING: Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, Inception, The Departed)
Tobey Maguire (Spiderman ); Carey Mulligan (An Education)
DIRECTOR: Baz Luhrmann (Romeo+Juliet, Moulin Rouge)
WRITERS: Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge)
PLOT: A writer/bondsman finds himself in the middle of affairs between his rich cousin and his millionaire neighbor Gatsby.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 Baz Luhrmann has a way with visuals. Most of this film is stunning in the way the camera moves around the beautifully designed homes and parties. I particularly loved the aerial shots of the rich folks driving through the Valley of Ashes and the ominous billboard showcasing the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg.
2 I hear that DiCaprio and Maguire are good friends in real life. I definitely got that vibe during the film. They play very well off each other and both do fantastic jobs on screen.
3 Love the tea time scene. Brilliantly done.
4 Despite some high energy scenes especially around the parties (not as spastic as Moulin Rouge however), this film does tend to drag at times. There are definitely some slow parts that look pretty conventional.
5 I enjoyed the Jay-Z produced soundtrack. Of course, some of his songs and a Beyonce number get in there but it fits pretty well.

RECOMMENDATION: See it in the theatres (3D unnecessary)
UPCOMING REVIEWS: The Office; Star Trek: Into Darkness

Film: Iron Man 3

GENRE: Action/Adventure
RATING: PG for sci-fi action and violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 10 minutes
STARRING: Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers, Sherlock Holmes)
Guy Pearce (Memento, Hurt Locker ); Ben Kingsley (Ghandi)
DIRECTOR: Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)
WRITERS: Drew Pearce (new) & Shane Black (Lethal Weapons)
PLOT: Tony Stark takes on the Mandarin in an adventure that involves regeneration, retribution and multiple Iron Man suits.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 This installment was much better than Iron Man 2. The plot worked fairly well and the characters were interesting. I also found this one was thankfully less “Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots”. I like Tony Stark fighting as a human sometimes.
2 Of course it’s Robert Downey Jr.’s natural charisma that elevates everything in Iron Man 3. He does not disappoint. I also really enjoyed Ben Kingsley’s role as The Mandarin. Very fun to watch.
3 Ty Simpkins (Insidious) is perfectly cast as a kid that helps out Tony. Their banter is quite entertaining. Even though many adults enjoy the Iron Man franchise, it’s good to be reminded that this is really for all the kids out there.
4 One plot issue is the true weakness of the villain(s). I wasn’t quite sure how they were meeting their end if they were able to regenerate. 
5 I was glad there were references to The Avengers. The incidents obviously had an impact on Tony. Coincidentally, the final post credit tag is more humourous than it is informative about the upcoming sequel.

RECOMMENDATION: See it in the theatres
UPCOMING REVIEWS: The Great Gatsby