Friday, June 3, 2011

Elektra (2005)



Director: Rob Bowman

Witers: Mark Stephen Johnson, Frank Miller

Stars: Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Will Yun Lee


Based on the comic books written by Frank Miller, Elektra tells the semi-typical story of an assassin who grows a soft spot. As a girl who witnessed the death of her mother, Elektra (Jennifer Garner) becomes a reckless vigilante who, in the prequel Daredevil, is killed in action. Resurrected by a blind martial arts teacher, she finds work upon release as an assassin against a group of power-hungry villains called The Hand. When she's called to work on one last mission, the dreams from the night of her mother's death foreshadow the events to come.


This film kicks off with an anxious feel, Garner leaping in the shadows to attack with barely a sound. It's dark and gloomy, and at times, slow. I was sometimes left guessing at how she noticed the things that made me jump. The targets she's assigned with may be the greatest part of the movie; they seem so innocent at first, but there's a whole other story that Elektra doesn't know. Garner plays the perfect role of a femme fatale in Elektra's signature red, tight-fitting costume and offensive knives. She also did well with Elektra's OCD side, the surpressed quirks that make her lovable and deadly all at once.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Se7en (1995)


Se7en(1995)
Writer/Director: Andrew Kevin Walker, David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey
Genre: Crime

The movie is about two partner detectives, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. They are both not pleased with working with each other especially Morgan Freeman especially since he's about to retire and his partner, Brad Pitt plays a rookie. A serial killer targets victims of seven deadly sins and kills them in the way they sin.

I really enjoyed this movie. It kept me guessing for sure. It's one of those movies you have to finish. Even though the next murders were obvious because of the sins, the end had a big twist. It was a very eerie movie and it fit nicely to the plot.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)


Genre: War

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writer:Robert Rodat

Staring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Tom Sizemore


Saving Private Ryan is about a military division trying to find a private in the crazy environment of Europe during World War 2. After their landing and taking of Normandy Beach, France, they are put on a mission to find the last soldier of the Ryan family. Both of his brothers died in combat and it was their mission to find and get him home alive. Fighting through many German forces, lead by Captain Miller and 6 men from his 101st division.

I like this movie. I think it's a great example of the struggle for life and the loyalty of the U.S. Army to obey any orders they are given, even if it could mean death for them and everybody they're with. It fits the components of a western in every way. There are plenty of landscape shots of the soldiers walking to their destination. The outlaws are the Nazis and the enforcers are the U.S. troops over there. The whole story is a journey, those 7 men travel all around Europe to find Private James Francis Ryan. They're chasing after him the whole movie and at the end, they have to make a stand which turns out to be fatal most of the unit, including Captain Miller.