‘King Kong’ Download and Reviews
“King Kong” Movie Details
King Kong tagline: The eighth wonder of the world.
 King Kong DVD Cover |
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Taps |
“King Kong” Movie Review
“Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World” Plot Summary
In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with leading lady Ann Darrow.
Jackson’s Soulful, Spunky, Spectacular Labor of Love
I was one of the lucky winners of the Kong is King.net World Premiere Ticket contest, so my husband and I had the pleasure of seeing KING KONG in Times Square’s Loews E-Walk Theatre. I knew I’d like it the minute I saw the Art Deco opening credits, very reminiscent of RKO’s style. The movie only got better from there, carrying us moviegoers on a roller-coaster ride of adventure, romance, and eye-popping special effects. What raises Jackson’s take on KING KONG above other rock’em-sock’em action blockbusters is that it’s so clearly a labor of love in every sense of the term, a spectacle with soul and spunk. It’s not every rollicking adventure film that begins with scenes of life in 1933 New York City, when the Great Depression was at its worst. No wonder plucky but vulnerable actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts is at her most beautiful and winsome as a more proactive version of Fay Wray’s star-making role) is willing to take a chance with fast-talking movie producer/director Carl Denham (Jack Black, a rascally delight) on his latest project, involving leaving for the South Seas that very night
The characters are no mere genre archetypes; before their adventure begins, Jackson and his talented cast let us get to know and care about every one of them. When crewmen from the S.S. Venture get injured or killed by Skull Island’s various fearsome natives and beasts, we mourn them. When Ann and playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody combines strength and sensitivity wonderfully as this unlikely hero. He gets my vote for Movie Mensch of the Year!) connect on screen, we’re moved and rooting for them to get together, especially after they share one of this year’s best screen kisses. Even the calculating Denham wins us over with his sheer force of will. A real Orson Welles type, the guy just loves making movies — and money — so much he’ll go to insane lengths to make his project a reality, whether it involves outrunning his creditors, shanghaiing Driscoll on the Venture, or tricking his cast and crew onto uncharted Skull Island
Most importantly, King Kong himself captivates us, thanks to a combination of WETA’s amazing special effects and the range of emotion provided by a motion-captured Andy Serkis. If only one cast member gets an Oscar nomination, I say give it to Serkis for his wonderful performances as both Kong and Lumpy the cook! :-) Kong has never been just another scary big ape in any of the previous film versions of his story, but Jackson and Serkis make him particularly engaging, not just because he looks so convincingly weatherbeaten, but he moves like an ape (on all fours, thank you) and has the facial expressions of a human. As a result, we can see how Kong’s terrifying side is influenced by his tender side. Yes, I said ‘tender.’ How else can you describe his protectiveness towards Ann on Skull Island after she wins him over by performing her lively vaudeville act? When Kong does go nutzoid, it’s because either he or Ann are being threatened, whether by people, planes, or Skull Island’s jaw-dropping, scream-inducing array of monsters and aborigine tribespeople. Jackson & Company give the big guy plenty of dizzying set pieces to show his stuff, involving everything from dinosaurs, toothy insects as long as your arm, and speeding taxicabs in New York City traffic (the scene where Brody did his own stunt driving; all those years of drag-racing on the streets of Woodhaven, Queens really paid off! :-), to say nothing of the dazzling Empire State Building climax. Moreover, Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography is as gorgeous as it is kinetic; Adrien Brody should make sure Lesnie photographs every film he’s in from now on, because he’s never looked so handsome as he does here! :-) KING KONG is over 3 hours long, yet I never once thought to look at my watch. It’s 3+ hours and the price of admission well-spent.
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‘The Prestige’ Download and Reviews
“The Prestige” Movie Details
The Prestige tagline: A Friendship That Became a Rivalry.
 The Prestige DVD Cover |
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| Directors: Christopher Nolan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IMDB Rating: 8.4/10 out of 183,986 votes |
“The Prestige” Movie Review
“The Prestige” Plot Summary
The rivalry between two magicians is exacerbated when one of them performs the ultimate illusion.
Great, epic film
This movie is an absolute masterpiece of epic proportions. Director Nolan gives us one of his best directing jobs. This movie contains everything from romance to pity, and power to poverty. Both Jackman and Bale play amazing characters. Bale is power hungry individual who stops at nothing short of owning and controlling everything in the world. This movie portrays the feelings and emotions of guilt and punishment. What is a great story and gripping account of what happens when dreams turn into nightmares
This is so much better than ‘The Illusionist’I also love the lack of profanity.
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‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ Download and Reviews
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” Movie Details
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tagline: The eye of the enemy is moving.
 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King DVD Cover |
Actors:
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Theoden |
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” Movie Review
“The Return of the King” Plot Summary
The former Fellowship of the Ring prepare for the final battle for Middle Earth, while Frodo & Sam approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.
The greatest epic ever made
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is, hands down, among the most spectacular and magnificent films of all time
A short run-down of the plot: After the battle of Helm’s Deep and Saruman’s imprisonment in his tower Orthanc, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf re-group with Merry and Pippin in Isengard. There they learn that the army of Sauron is planning a full-scale attack on the largest city of men – Minas Tirith in Gondor. Gandalf and Pippin ride to Minas Tirith to warn Denethor, the steward of Gondor, of the threat from Mordor. Defenses are built up as the army of Sauron marches across the Pelennor Fields towards Minas Tirith. A distress call is sent to Rohan, still recovering from Helm’s Deep. Rohan manage to muster a large army, and set out for Minas Tirith, but the battle has already begun. In the meantime, we continue with Sam and Frodo on their quest to destroy the One Ring
A major achievement of this epic film is the character development. Gollum becomes more cunning and sneaky than ever, and manages to turn Frodo against Sam, who is desperately trying his best to get his old Frodo back. Merry and Pippin are no longer just a source of comic relief, both of them prove themselves worthy as they are split up for the final battle. We learn about the true bravery and potential of hobbits as Merry helps cut down the Witch King. Eowyn also proves herself in the film, as she defies her uncle and sets out to Pelennor fields with the other Rohirrim, and eventually destroys the Witch King, and makes a very feminist remark while doing so. We learn to loathe Denethor because of his hatred of his last remaining son, Faramir, who really hasn’t done anything wrong. The peak of our hatred for Denethor is reached in the scene where he tells Faramir that he would have preferred it if he had died instead of Boromir, his brother. And then, right after that, Denethor sends Faramir into certain suicide, and Faramir immediately accepts the mission he is appointed to, in a final attempt to please his father. And of course, Aragorn learns to accept his fate as the true king of men
In fact, the character development is so powerful that we actually participate in the character’s feelings. We FEEL Frodo’s exhaustion and agony as he literally drags himself across Mordor. We feel Sam’s pain as Frodo is turned against him. And, just briefly, we participate in Gollum’s triumph as he finally gets the One Ring. We are actually happy for Gollum and just for a brief moment, Frodo becomes the bad guy as he tries to take the ring back. All in all, Return of the King contains the most moving, emotional and touching scenes in the entire trilogy, and some of the best acting, especially from Sean Astin (Sam), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), John Noble (Denethor, he is very successful in adding depth to his character), Miranda Otto (Eowyn), and of course, Andy Serkis (Smeagol, and top-notch at it, just like in The Two Towers).
The battle of Pelennor fields may be THE most spectacular and epic sequence in film history. Unlike Helm’s Deep, Pelennor Fields shows the true cleverness of Sauron’s army. Orcs are not the only participants; trolls are heavily used in the battle, as warriors and as beasts of burden. The nazgul are very significant in the battle, and while the Witch King didn’t actually lead the battle as he did in the book, the nine ringwraiths and their fell beasts still play a key part and do lots of damage in the battle. We see just how powerful the nazgul really are. And of course, the men from the south and their massive oliphaunts play a significant part. While in Helm’s Deep we felt triumphant, in Pelennor fields we only feel the triumph briefly, as the Rohirrim make their charge into the horde of orcs and trolls. The triumph in Pelennor Fields almost immediately dissolves, as the Rohirrim are trampled down by the oliphaunts. The battle is won, but we’re not happy, we’re grieved for all the destruction, all the losses. It’s a totally different feeling than Helm’s Deep, and makes this battle all the more superior
Return of the King features the most magnificent visuals in the entire trilogy. Whether they are of Minas Tirith, Pelennor Fields and Osgiliath, Mordor and the slopes of Mt. Doom or the climb to Shelob’s cave near Minas Morgul, Peter Jackson really shows us the true impact of these landscapes and images
Many people may complain about the changes in the movie, especially the significant cut of Saruman from the end, but you must realize that if they would have featured the whole part with Saruman the movie would have continued another hour and a half. Don’t fret; Peter Jackson said the scenes will all appear in the extended version of the film. The ending is long enough as it is, and the film continues at least another half an hour after the Ring is no more. The hobbits return to the shire, and Sam marries Rosie. Aragorn meets his fate and is crowned king, and is finally reunited with Arwen. And of course, one of the most moving scenes in the movie, in which Frodo gets on the last ship to the Undying lands with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the last of the elves (Galadriel and Elrond to name a few), and must part with his three hobbit friends for good
All in all, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is one the most fine-tuned, cinematically perfect films ever made, it’s absolutely flawless in every aspect. The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a whole is a spectacular achievement in film making history, and all three movies are together, without a doubt, the greatest epic ever made.
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‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ Download and Reviews
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Movie Details
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring tagline: The Legend Comes to Life
 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD Cover |
Actors:
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Lurtz |
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Movie Review
“The Fellowship of the Ring” Plot Summary
In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.
A Masterpiece
I’ve never been a fan of the sword and sorcery genre . I’m surprised film companies decide to make rubbish like THE BEASTMASTER, HAWK THE SLAYER and RED SONJA but I am aware of the popularity of JRR Tolkien’s massive novel LORD OF THE RINGS and of it’s popularity , I remember in a survey carried out by a very well known British fantasy/SF magazine in 1987 Tolkien’s book was voted the greatest fantasy novel of all time ( THE STAND by Stephen King was a long way second ) , but it’s a novel that has always struck me as being read by anoraks who – like fans of STAR TREK and STAR WARS – insist on reading subtexts that are just not there . When the THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS shot to number one in the IMDb top 250 films I put the popularity down to obsessed anorakish fans who were going to vote the film a classic no matter what . Stranger still I found groups as diverse as neo Nazis to gays to enviromentalists proclaiming ‘ This is our film ‘ so when I finally sat down to watch TFOTR I was expecting only some average entertainment for a non sad person with no political axe to grind . After seeing the film I had to admit THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is a masterpiece .Much of the credit must go to the producers . I ‘ve no idea of the politics about bringing the story to the silver screen but I can imagine the Hollywood bigwigs sitting around the commitee table saying ‘ Give us Tom , give us Nicole , get Harrison , get Leonardo . No limeys . Limeys are slimy . No limey accents . We’re Americans , this is our baby ‘ to which the producers gave a firm and resounding ‘ No ‘ . Good for them because the Hollywood treatment would have ruined this film. The cast comprised of well known – but not megastar – actors and unknowns are uniformally excellent even the normally hammy Lee and Rhys Davis and the bland Tyler are good . Also great to see so many Brits playing good guys and having the American actors adopting non specific British accents .The cast do a good jobThe other production values are outstanding . Pride of place goes to Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography where the camera sweeps down from the sky into the Orcs underground lair and the camera also shows off the stunning New Zealand landscapes . I’d always believed Scotland had the greatest scenery on Earth but I’m willing to change my mind . The FX are good throughout though perhaps the matte backgrounds and CGI are less impressive in places but they’re still a lot better than we’ve been used to recently . The Orc make up is wonderful and helps them become classic cinema monsters . The only bad point about the Orcs is – Like the stormtroopers in STAR WARS – they’re too easy to kill .There are some minor flaws to THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS but this is probably down to Tolkien’s source novel rather than the film makers . A couple of times the heroes seem set to suffer a resounding defeat when something not obvious at first like flammable villains or a giant eagle saves the day . I guess this is cancelled out by the dangers and adversaries also appearing from nowhere and there’s little female perspective in the story for the women in the audience to relate to but come on girls you’ve got Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean acting all hunky and macho so you can’t complain
I see the IMDb reviewers have started a backlash against FOTR like they did with TITANIC and GLADIATOR . They’re right about the gawd awful rubbish that is TITANIC but they’re wrong about GLADIATOR which is a very good film and even further wrong about THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING which is a cinematic masterpiece. Ignore their criticisms . Any film that is praised by people as diverse as fans of the book , people who have never read the book , enviromentalists and cynics like myself is worth your time watching . I’m really looking forward to THE TWO TOWERS
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