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Review - Les Misérables (2012)

          Hey guys, Chuck here. Les Misérables , which was originally a novel by the legendary Victor Hugo, has been adapted to screen and stage in various ways, with the stage musical version by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schömberg being the most notable. In 2012, director Tom Hooper, fresh off his Oscar win with 2010's The King's Speech , brought the musical version of Les Misérables to life on the big screen. The film sports a star-studded cast, which includes High Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Daniel Huttlestone, Fra Fee, Killian Donnelly, Hannah Waddingham, Kate Fleetwood, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, and Colm Wilkinson.            The movie opens in 1815 France, where we see a group of prisoners pulling a damaged ship into a dry dock for repairs. One such prisoner, Jean Valjean, is released in parole by a guard named Javert. Unfortunately, because he's viewed as a dangerous man, Va

Review - The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

         Hey guys, Chuck here. And it's been a bit since we last checked in on Jason Bourne. So, let's take a look at the third film in the Bourne series: The Bourne Ultimatum . Directed, once again, by Paul Greengrass, The Bourne Ultimatum stars Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Corey Johnson, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Colin Stinton, Daniel Brühl, Joan Allen, and Albert Finney.            So, the movie picks up where The Bourne Supremacy left off, with Jason Bourne evading Russian authorities in Moscow. Some time later, Jason meets with Martin Kreutz, brother of Marie, to explain what happened to her, and what he plans to do next. Back in Washington DC, CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy reveals a taped confession of Ward Abbott to CIA Director Ezra Kramer, who is still weary in regards to Jason himself.          It's here where we meet a British journalist named Simon Ross, who writes for The Guardian . Ross, apparently, has found a contact who has information

Review - John Carter (2012)

          Hey guys, Chuck here. John Carter was a 2012 Disney sci-fi movie directed by Andrew Stanton and based on the John Carter of Mars stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs.          The movie establishes that on Mars, known by the planet's inhabitants as Barsoom, there has been a civil war raging between two cities: Zodanga, which is constantly on the move and leeching the planet of its life energy, and Helium, a powerful city that stands as a powerful seat for all of Barsoom. One day, when cornered by the forces of Helium, the Zodangan leader, San Than, is approached by a trio of pale robed beings known as the Holy Therns, who have utilized a power source known as the Ninth Ray, and have harnessed it into a weapon, passing it onto Sab Than to use to defeat his enemies.         Meanwhile, on Earth, we meet John Carter, a former Calvary man in the Confederate Army, who is searching for a fortune in gold, and is nabbed by a Union colonel named Powell, who seeks Carter's help,.but

Review - O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and it's been a bit since I last talked about a film by the Coen Brothers, hasn't it? Well, today, I would like to talk about the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? , which was released in the year 2000, and was written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. O Brother, Where Art Thou?  features a stellar cast, which includes the likes of George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Stephen Root, Chris Thomas King, Wayne Duvall, Daniel von Bargen, Musetta Vander, and Charles Durning.           The movie tells of an unusual journey across rural Mississippi in the year 1937, which is in the midst of the Great Depression in America. Three convicts named Ulysses Everett McGill, Pete, and Delmar escape from a chain gang, and attempt to hop a ride on a train, only to accidentally fall off. Luckily, a blind old man on a handcar gives them a ride, and tells them of what to expect on their journey, and how the treasure they seek i

Breakdown - Free Willy (1993): How a Movie Inspired a Movement

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and today we're taking a look at Free Willy . Released by Warner Bros. in 1993, Free Willy was directed by Simon Wincer, produced by Lauren Schuler-Donner, and stars Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Michael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg, Mykelti Williamson, Richard Riehle, and Michael Ironside.         The movie focuses on Jesse, a pre-teen living on the streets of Portland, Oregon, where he gets caught one night after he and a friend spray graffiti in the observation area of the Pacific Northwest Adventure Park. The next day, Jesse is informed by his case worker, Dwight Mercer, that his probation is to clean up the graffiti, and that a married couple named Glen and Annie Greenwood are willing to overlook this recent incident and give him a place in their home.        As Jesse cleans up the observation area, he becomes fascinated with the park's resident Orca, Willy, who was taken from his pod by whalers on the coastline of the Pacifi

Review - Haywire (2011)

           Hey guys, Chuck here. Throughout the year, I discussed the Ocean's trilogy from director Steven Soderbergh. Today, I wanted to take a look at something different from Soderbergh: an action thriller he directed called Haywire . Showcased at the AFI Fest in 2011, followed by a theatrical release in 2012, Haywire stars Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas.          The movie opens in a diner, where we meet Mallory Kane, who is approached by a former associate of hers called Aaron, and the two discuss a previous job they pulled in Barcelona, and about another incident she was involved in that happened in Dublin. Aaron then attacks Mallory, and she does her best to defend herself. Luckily, a civilian named Scott helps Mallory, and she takes him to his car, and the two drive off, and she tells him her story.         Mallory, like Aaron, worked for a private contract firm run by her

Review - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was a 2010 action movie produced by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer, and is based on the video game of the same name published by Ubisoft.         Set in the Land of Persia, the movie establishes that the land is ruled by the King, Sharaman, who rules with his brother, Nizam, at his side. In addition, Sharaman has two sons, Tus and Garsiv. But, the gods decided that the King's family isn't yet complete, and one day, King Sharaman witnesses the bravery of a young boy in the streets. The boy, Dastan, has no parents to speak of, and so is adopted by King Sharaman and becomes a Prince of Persia.         Fifteen years later, and Tus, Garsiv, and Dastan, under the counsel of Nizam, learn that the Holy City of Alamut is forging weapons to sell to Persia's enemies. So, Tus and Garsiv stand as a distraction, while Dastan leads his crew of mercenaries to sneak into the city and open its Eastern gate. And, after a lot of s