A Good Old Western | Review of ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (2016)

By Cynthia Ayala

The Magnificent Seven starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Haley Bennet and Byung-hun Lee
MGM & Columbia Pictures
Image Credit: IMDB

“Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.”

    —IMDB

Who doesn’t like a good western film with solid characters? This film brings to life another adaptation of the Seven Samurai giving it a nice feel of the characters and the setting. The conflict is established very early on giving the film a cohesive feeling overall. There is some hint that Chisolm (played by Denzel Washington) has more in mind of helping out these people than he lets on. What’s good about that is the fact that it’s not overtly obvious about what is going on with him. Instead, there is an openness about it that it can go either way, but the viewer doesn’t know until the end. It’s good storytelling because it doesn’t distract from the story as a whole, it adds to it. Continue reading “A Good Old Western | Review of ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (2016)”

Hilariously Good | Review of ‘Ghostbusters’ (2016 Film)

By Cynthia Ayala

Ghostbusters starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones & Chris Hemsworth
Columbia Pictures
Image Credit: ScreenRant

Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.

—IMDB

Now I know that there has been so much stupid controversy over this film but let me just say this: all of that is utterly stupid. I’ve seen the original, I love the original, and to be quite frank, while this movie may be a reboot with an all-female cast, it’s hilarious. These women are funny, they have the right chemistry with one another and they bring their own creativity to this film. These actresses are not trying to be the original cast, while their parts may mirror the original cast, they bring something new to the characters, something new to the Ghostbusters franchise. Even Chris Hemsworth‘s character is different than the original Annie Potts character from the original. They are very different because the actors are being themselves, they are bringing their own unique hilarity to the film rather than rehash what was already done spectacularly, and in my book, that’s awesome.
Continue reading “Hilariously Good | Review of ‘Ghostbusters’ (2016 Film)”

A Magical Beautiful Remake | Review of ‘The Jungle Book’

The Jungle Book starring Neel Sethi, Ben Kingsley & Idris Elba
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Image Credit: IMDB

By Cynthia Ayala

Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli must leave the only home he’s ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan unleashes his mighty roar. Guided by a no-nonsense panther and a free-spirited bear, the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.

IMDB

This was such a beautiful film, not just artistically but also because it brought to life the story of Mowgli and they did a fantastic job of recapturing the magic that was in the animated feature while also giving this film its own sort of magic. However, some of that magic transcends the film and the story and creates this breathtaking performance between the actor and the voice actors.
Continue reading “A Magical Beautiful Remake | Review of ‘The Jungle Book’”

Anna Karenina Featurette Shows Off More Theatricality And Glitz

By: Katey Rich When a extensive six-minute clipr for Anna Karenina debuted earlier this month, we momentarily forgot all about the glamour and glitz of Baz Luhrmann’s forthcoming The Great Gatsby and couldn’t wait to get a look at Joe Wright’s ambitious take on the classic Russian story. Spinning off the idea that the Russian aristocracy of the 19th century were living their lives "on … Continue reading Anna Karenina Featurette Shows Off More Theatricality And Glitz