Tag Archives: Movie

act of valor review

This is a movie that’s worth seeing. Maybe you don’t want to because you don’t like action movies, blood and gore gross you out, or you have no interest in the military. Regardless, you should see it anyway.

This isn’t just a movie; it’s a chance to see the protection and operations performed by some of the best trained men in the world. There is of course a story. And it is fictional. But the things that happen, happened in real life. The technology they use is used in real life. The missions they planned have been planned in real life. And the Navy Seals themselves are Active Duty Navy Seals in real life.

This is a no bullshit film: no actors, no CGI, use of live fire (for authenticity), and real life stories molded to fit the fictional arch created for the movie. It’s the closest you’ll ever get to really understanding what it’s like. Your appreciation for the men and women who do this every day will grow tenfold. I’m telling you, GO SEE IT!

I’m only going to tell you the basics of the plot, because honestly, though the story is good, it’s not the best part of the movie. A platoon of Navy Seals, recently called back from leave, is going on a mission to retrieve a kidnapped CIA agent. Their mission reveals to them a much bigger plot to terrorize the United States with suicide bombs sneaky enough to go undetected but lethal enough to kill almost an entire stadium of people. Scary shit. These Navy Seals uncover the plot and move into action from one mission to the next in an attempt to stop the culprits.

This isn’t your typical action movie, for many many reasons. But the biggest is that our action heroes are actually heroes. They are bending the laws of physics in an unreal manner. They are doing what they’ve been trained to do and what they happen to be awesome at. There was no point in this movie where I felt like that couldn’t happen in real life. It’s not Tom Cruise taking on 25 guys by himself and walking out with barely a scratch. It’s an accurate depiction of true action heroes.

For me, the men in this movie are the best part. And no, it’s not because we see them shirtless, because we don’t (I was mildly disappointed but also understood these men aren’t paid to exploit their assets the way the men of Hollywood are). These men are the best part because they are the story. Their families, their actions, their lives, their skills, their stories made this movie. Without the men who participated we would’ve received a much less authentic movie. How could an actor understand what it’s like, to be these men? To live like these men? To make the sacrifices that these men make? They couldn’t.

They could try their hardest to create an accurate depiction, but even the best actor couldn’t even come close. I’m telling you to go see this movie. You will laugh, cry, be appalled, be delighted, grow attached, and feel blessed that these are the kind of men who protect us every day without even thinking twice.

Kristen is a confused young adult who sometimes thinks TV shows are actually her life. Wouldn’t that be cool? Unless she was a victim on Dexter, or a deranged privileged teenager on gossip girl, or a wolf on teen wolf, or Liz Lemon! Never mind. It wouldn’t be cool. Kristen is a young adult. Follow her @kris10_Alyse or read frustrateddreamer.com

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the thing: new red band trailer

The Thing, a prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter film, hits theaters this October. The newest trailer is designed to further intrigue any sci-fi/horror geeks that weren’t already excited to see the events that led to the unleashing of this mimicking alien.

The Thing opens on Oct. 14, early enough to stand-alone before Paranormal Activity 3 attempts to dominate as the scary movie to see on Halloween weekend.

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tvdm box office picks: opening sept. 9th

Nicole’s Pick: Contagion

Contagion has a little bit of everything. A deadly airborne virus that threatens the health and sanity of everyone in the world.  Solid casting (Jude Law, Sanaa Lathan, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and Demetri Martin to name just a few). The type of tragic love story that plays out best in an ‘end of the world’ scenario. Widespread panic. And at the helm director Steven Soderbergh, the man who lent his talents to such film as sex, lies, and videotape, Traffic and Ocean’s Eleven.

Whether using plagues, viruses, zombie outbreaks or alien invasions, I like seeing somebody else’s vision of how the rest of the world would react if all hell broke loose. I don’t need this film to make me think (ala Inception), I’m just looking for 105 stirring minutes of watching a society unravel under the crippling weight of a global pandemic. Simple request.

Based on first few moments of the trailer, germaphobes might panic a little once the credits have finished rolling. So if you carry around hand sanitizer and walk around with the perpetual fear that you’re going to catch a cold from the guy across from you on the train….you’ve been warned.

Will’s Pick: Warrior

When siblings rivalries + “daddy issues” become overwhelming I see no better way to clear the air than with a good ol’ brawl. Warrior focuses on the lives of brothers Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) leading up to a MMA tournament. Tommy is an ex-Marine with a huge chip – and larger muscles – on his shoulders because he felt he had been abandoned by his older brother. Under the tutelage of their father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), Tommy decides to enter the tournament.  Brendan, a former MMA fighter, quit the sport to become a school teacher but when he couldn’t support his family financially he decides to join the event.

I personally thought this movie was a Fighter remake initially but my ignorance was soon erased. The story may be similar and the feature is about a combat sport but that doesn’t mean the content is mirrored. Not to mention it’s almost a scientific fact that Tom Hardy can do no wrong on-screen. I’m also excited that some moviegoers are going to have their
eyes opened to a rapidly booming sport in MMA.

The only thing I gripe about is the fact that from the very first trailer we all knew that the brothers will be fighting each other in the final. I know most people would make that assumption anyhow but leave just a little mystery for suspense sake.

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don’t be afraid of the dark red band trailer

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark comes out tonight (8/26). I’m a little jaded towards horror films so I’m still on the fence about this one. I’ll give the court of public opinion a day or two, but if I haven’t headed to the theaters by Sunday to see Mr. Hellboy‘s latest offering there’s a good chance I won’t.

If you weren’t planning to see the movie in theaters, does this trailer sway you?

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knocked up…the kinda-sorta sequel

Knocked Up was funny. It wasn’t Judd Apatow’s Step Brothers, Anchorman or 40-Year-Old Virgin funny, but it was more than a few laughs above Year One and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.

In its entirety, Apatow’s catalog has something for everyone and after Bridesmaids, I’m convinced he’s one of the few to understand and appreciate the box-office appeal of raunchy, female-led comedies. Nothing against Katherine Heigl, but if we could go back in time and pick Kristen Wiig or Maya Rudolph for her role in Knocked Up, I would probably rank it higher on my list.

Debbie and Pete

Well a Knocked Up sorta-sequel, This is Forty, is in the works and this time around, Apatow is focusing on Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters (Debbie and Pete). They collectively made up for the funniest moments of the movie and Apatow’s previous ‘sorta-sequel’, Get Him to the Greek, was hilarious. Suffice to say….expectations will be high

Jason Segel has already filmed a scene or two for the upcoming movie, which means we will (more than likely) see more of his creepy/hilarious flirting with Mann’s Debbie. And for all of you Megan Fox fanatics who swear she’s a great actress, she’ll also have a role. This could actually work in her favor (and make a few people forget how hard she jagged being in the third Transformers installment) IF she’s able to keep up with her cast mates in the comedy marathon.

Apatow, Fox and Segel

Will you see This is Forty when it hits the big screen next year? Of course you will…we all will. The man made a movie that’s basically Hitch with animals and still grossed millions on its opening day. For better or worse, we trust Apatow’s brand. He has us and he knows it.

Interested in writing for TVDM? Let us know here!

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