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Most movies are straightforward. The movies don't hide much off-screen and want to tell the audience everything. WALL-E is a different type of film. WALL-E wants to be be more than what is shown to viewers. It succeeds on almost every level.WALL-E is about a lonely robot, obviously named WALL-E. This special robot is programmed to clean up the planet earth so that the humans can return. WALL-E finds the only plant in the world. Robots sent by the humans have come looking for this plant, which is a sign that the humans can return to earth. WALL-E falls in love with one of these robots and must save the human race and find his true love. The story is pretty good. A perfect concept for a Pixar film. This is definitely a well-written film.
There is no live action. It is rntielyl animated. The voice acting is minimal. In fact, there is almost no dialogue at all throughout the film. The only words muttered are names, and occasionally a person talking. The voice acting that is used, is done smoothly.
Pixar has become the master of animated family films. This company has mastered how to use animation effectively. The CGI and computer design are flawless. The character designs of WALL-E are astounding. The rusted metal on him looks as if it is live action. The visuals are simply fantastic.
WALL-E is a great film. Pixar does a near perfect job giving life to this film. The main problems are pacing and dialogue. There are times where it is slow. There is almost no dialogue. So when nothing is happening on screen, nothing is happening. However, this movie has much more to it than what meets the eye. There are lessons on taking care of our planet and true love.WALL-E is a film the whole family will love.
Next movie: Zodiac (2007)

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Films are meant to grab ahold of the viewers' psyche and keep them enthralled for the running time. Not all movies can do this and some affect people differently, depending on the individual. Zodiac is one that captured me.It is based on the true story of the Zodiac Killer. An infamous serial killer terrifies San Francisco Bay Area and messes with the police. Investigators search for this killer in a race against time before more meet their fate. The case becomes an intense obsession with four men as their lives crumble from their addiction. One of the things that really stand out to me is the fact that this film focuses on those men. Most detective films concentrate on the killer. Zodiac mostly focuses on the four men and the stress and stepping stones to find out who the killer is. The audience has to think a lot with the characters, since the killer isn't known by the audience. The script is well-written and really brings this movie to realistic terms.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo; is it possible for the cast to get any better? In this case, no it's not. All three of these men give stellar performances throughout. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a mesmerizing performance. This is one of Robert Downey Jr.'s best roles yet! Mark Ruffalo is a fantastic actor and it really shows in Zodiac. The acting is very memorable and won't soon be forgotten.
The sets and cinematography are stunning. Each set and scene portrays the real crimes perfectly. They are dark, gritty, and places where no one would want to go. The scenes in the sunlight are still ominous, which is a tough task to accomplish. The camera angles are brilliant as every possible angle is shown through this journey.
This sounds like the perfect movie, but every movie has its faults. There are times it drags. It's a long movie clocking in at almost three hours. Some scenes get repetitive as half of the movie is in police stations and newspaper offices. Zodiac is a creepy, entertaining film that keeps my attention from start to finish.

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The biggest thing that sucks most about independent films is that they aren't recognized. Sometimes they are so compelling and stunning, the crew deserves but hardly gets ant real credit.A gifted make-up artist, Green, dreams of going to Hollywood to make his own special FX and monsters. Real monsters in his life hold him back, such as a drunken stepfather, a group of religious fanatics who want to destroy his "devil" work and the love of his life who can't let go of the small town lifestyle. The story is fantastic. The writers are able to mesh many modern day problems in great depth. The script is terrific and brings different parts of Green's life to light. It relates his devastating problems to problems throughout the world. The writers make the audience feel for Green and the girl he loves. This movie is successful in creating characters with many dimensions that the viewers actually care for.
Knowing that Laura Prepon from That 70's Show is in this movie makes me very happy. She could have been in something with a higher budget given her resume, but decided to take on this little gem. Laura puts on a fantastic performance as Green's lover. She shows passion and is the most realistic character in the film. Bret Harrison also does a stunning job as Green. He hits his role perfectly and delivers dialogue well. The entire cast put on an unforgettable show.
Titles for films aren't selected just to sound cool. The names usually serve a purpose for the movie. Throughout the film, lightning bugs float around. The cinematography and lighting is perfect. The audience sees Green walking through a field with no light, but that of lightning bugs. The monster effects created by Green look professional and are designed well.
Every year, a lot of crap is released into theaters. Under the radar, there are much better films floating around film festivals. This is one of those films. It deserves a full release and recognition, but will never get that. Watching Lightning Bug is like a strike of lightning to the brain and heart. Lightning Bug is highly recommended!

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There are an uncountable number of crimes that sweep through the United States every year. Some are minor and some are bad. Then there are the unthinkably terrible crimes that are almost unbearable to watch. This is one of those crimes.Based on a true story from 1965, two daughters of traveling carnival workers are forced to stay at the home of a single mother. Her name is Gertrude Baniszewski and she already has seven children. Gertrude is cracking under pressure from her children and money. This leads her into abusing her children. The story is shocking and disturbing on every level. The script is jaw-droppingly terrific. The writers are able to involve the viewer and make them uncomfortable. An American Crimeaccomplishes what it needs and more.
Ellen Page, Catherine Keener, James Franco, and Scout Taylor-Compton are all excellent. Ellen Page puts on another brilliant, at times too realistic, performance. Catherine Keener is a near perfect actress. She makes the audience hate her character with a passion. Short appearances by James Franco and Scout Taylor-Compton are nice surprises and they play their roles very well.
Visuals are very important to this film. The way actions portray themselves are critical. Every scene is shot perfectly and captures the uneasy and unsafe feel of the film. This movie is gritty and gives one a claustrophobic feeling.
An American Crime is an eye-poppingly fantastic film. Every aspect of this film is creative and uncomfortable. This movie is not for everyone because of the extreme child abuse. This is one of the deepest and memorable movies I have seen in recent years. An American Crime is recommended to everybody who has the stomach to watch it.

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Each year, tons of superhero films are released. They continue to get made because of the extreme profits at the box office. The filmmakers of these films think that if they put explosions and gunshots, it will be a hit. This is not true in the slightest, that all may make it entertaining, but not a great movie.A man's entire family is massacred by a gang at a family reunion. This traumatizing experience gives him the motivation to become a vigilante and punish those who are otherwise unpunished. He now comes back for revenge on those who killed his family. This formula is familiar for most. There isn't much of anything unique about the story. However, the writing is good and the filmmakers have made some truly intense scenes.
Thomas Jane and John Travolta are enough to make someone want to see a movie. Thomas Jane plays his role extremely well. He has the proper look and body build of The Punisher, showing superheroes can be just as vulnerable as any other person. John Travolta, unfortunately, puts out a mediocre performance. The script might have been part of the reason for his decline in acting, but is still no excuse. John is a terrific actor, but this isn't his film.
The action scenes are stunning throughout. The fighting is choreographed perfectly. The camera angles are suitable. The visuals are respectable, but some of the fire could have been shot better.
There aren't many superhero comic book adaptations that have the replay value of this movie. The audience will discover new things with each viewing. The Punisher is a decent film. The flaws are there. They have to do with pacing problems and it suffers from some awful one liners. However, comparing this to other comic book adaptations, The Punisher is an appealing film worth checking out.

