Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

One of 2011s best films, though it had mixed reviews. I don't see how people didn't like it. It is really sad at times, but it is a very funny drama as well. It centers on young boy Oskar, who finds a key in the midst of his dead fathers things. He then pursues a search to find out what the key opens, and how it connects to his father. The film has a great cast. I loved this movie, especially since the main star isn't even an actor, though through this film, he has proved he is a very good one. Thomas Horn(Oskar) stole the show in this film. In my perspective, he should've been at least nominated for Best Actor that year. The score blew me away as well. Thank you Alexandre Desplat! And this is one of those few films who made a very good film adaption of a book.8/10.

Director: Stephen Daldry

Music: Alexandre Desplat

Cast: Thomas Horn, Max Von Sydow, Sandra Bullock, Jeffrey Wright, Viola Davis, Zoe Caldwell, with John Goodman and Tom Hanks

Release Year: 2011

Rating: PG-13

White House Down

White House Down

Roland Emmerich has made another good movie. White House Down is a political thriller about what happens after terrorists take over the White House and try to capture the president. It had a pretty good script and very good acting from the main stars. This was a pretty good film altogether, and is not just some movie that is only good because it has Channing Tatum. 6/10.

Director: Roland Emmerich

Music: Harald Kloser and Thomas Wanker

Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Joey King, Jason Clarke, Richard Jenkins, Nicholas Wright, Michael Murphy, with Jimmi Simpson and James Woods

Release Year: 2013

Rating: PG-13

Man of Steel

Man of Steel

The 2013 Superman reboot was fairly good. The film was the origin story of Superman starring a rather unknown star, Henry Cavill, as the lead. The film has a very big cast. The writing was very good, though I wish they had spent more time on his background. The films score by Hans Zimmer was quite extraordinary. Fairly good film. 8/10.

Director: Zack Snyder

Music: Hans Zimmer

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, and Russel Crowe
Release Year: 2013
Rating: PG-13

Now You See Me

Now You See Me

Finally, there is a movie worth celebrating in the year of 2013! There have been many great films this year, but in the month of May we have gotten a lot of films. Iron Man 3, then Great Gatsby, then Star Trek Into Darkness, then After Earth and this film, made May a very big month for movies. I have been looking forward to this film since early January this year, and I can say, it was well worth the wait. It was a phenomenal film with great cast, plot, screenplay, effects, and music. Now You See Me is a movie about magicians who pull off bank heists during their performances and give the audience the money. The film stars a big cast of people, and I can't have imagined anyone better for the parts. It brings action, humor, suspense, intrigue, mystery, and of course magic all into one film. The effects seemed like magic for this film, and though not as amazing of that of Iron Man 3, it was still good. The script was probably my favorite part of this film, as it kept all of the audience guessing, which films rarely can do. All together, this is maybe my favorite movie of the year so far. 8/10.

Director: Louis Leterrier

Music: Brian Tyler

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Melanie Laurent, Dave Franco, Michael J. Kelly, Common, with Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman
Release Year: 2013
Rating: PG-13

After Earth

After Earth

A sci-fi story, directed by M. Night Shayamalan, puts real life father and son, Will Smith and Jaden Smith, in a quest that will be either life or death for the family. It takes place over 1,000 years from now, and tells the story of father and son, Cypher and Kitai Raige who get crash-landed on what had been Earth, and must venture through their worst fears to get to a beacon that will save their lives. The special effects were okay, and the plot was okay as well. What mostly stood out in this film was the acting. The acting was a bit different than what we would normally suspect. Altogether it was an okay film. Some critics say it is the first bombed film of the summer, others say the opposite. My rating of the film is in the middle of those two. I give this film a 6/10.

Director: M. Night Shayamalan

Music: James Newton Howard

Cast: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Zoe Kravitz and Sophie Okonedo

Release Year: 2013

Rating: PG-13

Hugo

Hugo

The 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese, is based off of the book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" written by Brian Selznick. It tells the story of a boy in a train station. He is fatherless, motherless, friendless, hopeless, yet he does what no one else does. He fixes the clocks. The film brings the tale to life in the most amazing ways. The visual effects have won Academy Awards as they are deserved for this film. At the 84th Annual Academy Awards it scored big with 11 nominations, the most for the evening. It was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director, though it won neither. It won 5 awards which tied with The Artist for most awards of the evening. It won Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Editing. The film had great success. It introduced Asa Butterfield, as he played the protagonist, Hugo Cabret. Wonderful writing and music. Great film. 8/10.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Music: Howard Shore

Cast: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helen McCrory, Christopher Lee, Emily Mortimer, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Ray Winstone and Jude Law

Release Year: 2011

Rating: PG

Sherlock Holmes Film Series

           

Sherlock Holmes Film Series

The film series was based off of the literary character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Directed by Guy Ritchie the film stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in the main parts of the Sherlock and Watson. The writing has its brilliant moments, just as it has that comedy moments, and action moments. Great films.

Sherlock Holmes

Director: Guy Ritchie

Music: Hans Zimmer

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan, Hans Matherson, Kelly Reily, Robert Mailet, Geraldine James, James Fox, William Hope and Mark Strong

Release Year: 2009

Rating: PG-13

Grade: 7/10

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Director: Guy Ritchie
Music: Hans Zimmer
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry, Kelly Reily, Paul Anderson, Geraldine James, Eddie Marsan and Rachel McAdams
Release Year: 2011
Rating: PG-13
Grade: 7/10