Star Reviews - Film Criticism by Sebastian Zavala                                                                                     

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Updated:

Announcements - 06/29/09  NEW!
"Gray Shadows" - 05/04/09 
 
Latest Reviews:
Transformers 2 - 7/10 (06/26/09) NEW!
Nick and Norah - 8.5/10 (06/22/09) NEW!
Knowing - 9/10 (06/22/09) NEW!
Up - 10/10 (06/17/09) 
The Reader - 8/10 (06/15/09) 
The Notebook - 8.5/10 (06/15/09) 
Death Proof - 7/10 (06/15/09) 
Previous ones:
Coraline - 9.5/10 (06/11/09)
Planet Terror - 8.5/10 (06/11/09)
The Wrestler - 9/10 (06/07/09)
Terminator Salvation - 8/10 (06/06/09)
Fanboys - 8/10 (06/03/09) 
He's Just Not That Into You - 7/10 (06/01/09)
Role Models - 7.5/10 (06/01/09)
Madeinusa - 3/10 (06/01/09)
Predator - 8.5/10 (06/01/09)

Star Reviews Blog

Goosebumps and explosions

Megan Fox

So, we are in the middle of 2009 - well, actually more than that, but I had planned to write this post earlier - and most audiences have had the chance to watch some of the most anticipated blockbusters on the big screen. Many of them... (Read on.)

Models, puppets and pixels

Fritz Lang's Metropolis

If there's an aspect of filmmaking I truly enjoy, it's the area of special effects. Granted, it's not that the only two movies I've managed to shot (plus the one music video I've done) contained plenty of visual and special effects shot, it's that I like how... (Read on.)

Guilty pleasures? Not necessarily.

Commando

Wow, it's been some time since I last a blog entry. But you know, I've been busy - mainly promoting my film, Grey Shadows, here in Peru - we've already had two showings - and making the DVD, which will be officially released this week. And well... (Read on.)

Top:

1. The Godfather
2. Schindler's List
3. The Maltese Falcon
4. Casablanca
5. Memento
6. Lord of the Rings III
7. Goodfellas
8. Star Wars Episode V
9. Raiders of the Lost Ark
10. Children of Men

Bottom Ten:

1. House of the Dead
2. Alone in the Dark
3. Son of the Mask
4. Epic Movie
5. Mortal Kombat 2
6. Showgirls
7. Battlefield Earth
8. Bloodrayne
9.  Ultraviolet
10. Batman and Robin

Popular reviews:

1. Watchmen
2. The Dark Knight
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. La Teta Asustada
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. Lord of the Rings III
7. Benjamin Button
8. Star Wars Episode V
9. Schindler's list
10. Children of Men

 

Recent Reviews: (In Peruvian theatres)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Running from the giant robots...
Should have been called Explosion: The Movie.

Anybody who has seen a Michael Bay movie should very well know he's not a particularly subtle director. All of his projects have a couple of traits in common: hot girls, plenty of action, a very cool visual style and lots and lots (and I mean LOTS) of explosions. The first Transformers... (Read on.)

Knowing

Knowing
Knowing is a thought-provoking and tense disaster flick.

Truth be told, I didn't have much expectations when I went to see Knowing. Despite that Roger Ebert gave it a four-star review back in March, the rest of the critics didn't seem to be particularly pleased by the movie, and the general public didn't make it an overnight sensation either. It was that, and also the fact that it stars Nicolas Cage. Cage can be a very effective... (Read on.)

Up

Up
Another masterpiece from the geniuses at Pixar!

Animation is not only for kids. Animated movies should be family films, the kind of motion pictures that can be enjoyed by all members of the family, not just the little ones. For the most part, directors and scriptwriters understand this concept; think about any of Disney classics of old... (Read on.)

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation's Kyle Reese
The new Terminator is a literally explosive blockbuster.

When it was first announced by The Halcyon Company - the guys who ultimately bought the rights for the Terminator story and characters - that the fourth installment of the series was going to be directed by McG (of fame), every fan out there was enraged. After all, how good could the film be if it was going to be helmed by someone who had very... (Read on.)

Angels and Demons

Angels and Demons
At least it's better than The Da Vinci Code...

Angels and Demons is much better than the Da Vinci Code, and I think that should at least make it worth a look. It's pretty obvious director Ron Howard, star Tom Hanks and their team of writers have learned from their past mistakes and have managed to craft a lighter, better-paced and... (Read on...)

Star Trek

Star Trek is AMAZING!
Star Trek is nothing short of a masterpiece!

I was never a fan of Star Trek. Curious thing, though, because my mom was actually liked it a lot. I remember, sometimes, when I was like ten years or so, I sometimes watched TV with my mom. And while zapping, if she found any Star Trek episode, whether it belonged to the original series or the older versions - you know, the one with Captain Pickard instead of Kirk... (Read on.)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Wolvie and company
A movie that could have been much more.

Last year we had Iron Man and The Dark Knight. This year, the only new comic book movie audiences will get to see is X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Lame title aside, this isn't one the same level as 2008's marvelous offerings, but that doesn't make the film particularly hard to watch. Thanks... (Read more.)

The International

The International
A thriller with a - not quite - severe problem of identity.

What's with all these "meh" movies in Peruvian theatres lately? I know the situation's not any better in the States (Beyonce's The Obsessed in first place at the weekend box office? What the hell?) but come on. It's almost May - this time last year we were watching... (Read on.)

 

 

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