BoxOffice101 Movies

  Directed by Adam Shankman, who is best-known for directing the 2007 remake of Hairspray famously starring John Travolta as a plump female dancer, so he has film-making experience of this type. Written by a total of 3 screenwriters containing the original musical writer Chris D'Arienzo, the film focuses on two main characters: Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough), a small-town girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma with a lot of dreams to make it big in LA. The second is Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) a super-famous rockstar dealing with typical rocker's depression and lyrics writer's block. Though the movie fails to interpret the characters' backgrounds well. They also do not succeed in balancing their roles.

  Secondly, being a rock musical with something distinct to offer, it actually becomes predictable after the first half-hour. Taylor Swift was considered before Hough for her the main role but even though she has a better voice, she doesn't have the beauty or dance moves to shine on-screen. Although, their acting might be identical as Hough definitely needs training. She can't even cry right (in the rain!). Her boyfriend, played by newbie Diego Boneta acted exceptionally with lesser experience. The conclusion was there for the forecasting from the start. The trailer was solid but the material did not give as showcased:

  However, the music playlist was brilliantly selected. All singers performed in top-notch form, also worth mentioning that they're actors by profession. Popular 80s themes are featured such as Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison, Paradise City by Guns N' Roses, and the best performance being Wanted Dead or Alive by Cruise, originally by the internationally renown band Bon Jovi.

  Also, Cruise outshines everybody else in his drinking and singing persona. This was the highest fitting feat of a rockstar I have seen. No actor could've mentally dug into his role like Cruise. And his dialogues were the best of the entire script. That being impressive as he had quite a few lines. His singing was also number one having practiced just above three months.

  In conclusion, based in the American Dream go-getter destination Los Angeles with dirty and leather-wearing crowds, church protesters against Satanic Rock, and over-lit streets, Rock of Ages is an above-average musical. Having grossed just $50m worldwide off a budget of $75m it still had one of the highest openings for a musical ever. Surprised it did not make at least $100m featuring the likes of pop singer Mary J. Blige, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti and English comedian and ex-husband of Katy Perry, Russell Brand.

Rotten Tomatoes: 41%.

IMDB: 6.1/10.

BO101: 2.5/4.

  Sanders landed a biggie with this one, the film grossing just a bit farther off from $400m worldwide off a production cost of $170m, and landing on the top of the US box office. The debutante film-maker has also gone famous owing to the scandal of his romantic involvement with Kristen Stewart that led to her engagement break-up to Robert Pattinson. But I'm not here to analyse behind-the-scenes footage.

  SW and the Huntsman is a good example of decent direction. It follows a Huntsman ordered to kill Snow White yet ending up trying to end the reign of the Evil Queen. Although the plot sounds cliched it is cleverly delivered and acted upon. The dialogues are not too shabby for a fantasy flick and not be compared with the brilliant literacy of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

  The first half shows the ruined world during the Queen's power. Being based on Snow White, the film is very dark and gloomy in most of its duration. This is no fairytale having a PG-13 rating. There is a lot of violence and gore which was necessary for its standing out from other adaptions such as Mirror Mirror which was released in the same year.

  Action choreography is top-notch and Sanders should be given more action-oriented films later on. Most the characterisation is worth mentioning and development occurs at a noted pace. Sets also owe justice to the atmosphere and its budget. Charlize Theron stole the show with her bad-ass seductress persona. No wonder she won an Oscar and was nominated for another (North Country).

  However, there are flaws. Firstly, Stewart getting the titular role is preposterous. Maybe she can pull it off as super insecure Bella in the Twilight movies but as Snow White - please! She has no beauty or onscreen presence. Julianne Hough should've gotten the role after transforming into a brunette. So I guess Stewart was   cast well, because she is white as snow.

  Also, the ending is predictable and so is the plot development. Introduction to new characters happens at the wrong times and this shows novice scrip-writing coming into play. More creativity should've been used in the depiction of magic.

  In conclusion, Snow White & the Huntsman is the fantasy movie of the year (so far), noting that a Lord of the Rings prequel (An Unexpected Journey) will be released in December. There is also a second-best act by Thor thespian Chris Hemsworth. But I'm glad I watched Prometheus over this in the theatre.

IMDB: 6.4/10.

Rotten Tomatoes: 49%.

BO101: 2.5/4.

  To start with, I got a headache going through this sci-fi venture. The first part was great, second was average but this was plain bad. I owe much of its commercial success due to Smith's star power (his last 10 films have grossed over $100m globally!) and starting the streak is MiB 2. Critically, I have no idea how this was rated 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes.

  MiB 3 follows Agent J (Smith) going back in time to save the entire planet from an outerworld invasion and his partner Agent K (younger version played by Josh Brolin and the present by Tommy Lee Jones). My main positiveness of this feature is Brolin's acting skills. Seriously, when you catch him at first sight he is the splitting image of the Jones' depicted Agent K. He would've gotten an Oscar weren't this film way below Academy Award status. 

  Some lines are entertaining and witty especially when Smith enters the late 60s New York but nothing seems original. Wisecracks are lame and the sense of humour, is well, senseless. Smith's theatricals are boring and except for Brolin there is no silver lining in the picture. All other actors except for the 3 in the poster are uninspiring and unwanted for any potential sequel (which has been confirmed).

  Plus the villain is disgusting and tedious. There was no hardwork done on his costume design or character innovation. Other aliens shown were quite few a number with good designs but highly weak personalities unlike what MiB is known for. And most of the cult characters, like Chief Zed and Frank the Pug (extraterrestrial dog agent). This goes to show that adding more humans to the mix like Agent O played by famous English actress Emma Thompson was disastrous.

  The plot is boring and even the back-in-time America is badly showcased and the 70s America was given more justice in this year's Dark Shadows. The ending was good but that does not manifest the one hour and 40 minutes of suicidal viewing.

  Let me also add that this is one of the worst sci-fi ventures I've seen of all time. If you wish to have an alien adventure this year it's better you try Disney's John Carter despite its flop status.

  In the end, MiB 3 might be the highest grossing film in the series outside North America but it is the worst according to my book. It was also shown in 3D which by watching the 2D version you can say was completely unnecessary. It is also made the biggest IMAX Memorial-Day weekend and I guess Smith can achieve anything (at the box office).

IMDB: 7.1/10.

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%.

BO101: 1/4.