Omega (2014)

OMEGA is an ambitious stop motion short movie project produced by Eva Franz and Andy Goralczyk at the University of Arts and Design in Karlsruhe, Germany. The end of evolution awaits us in a wasteland dominated by bizarre trash formations, dust and rock. From the scattered remains of a long forgotten culture an electric ecosystem rapidly evolves into the ultimate form of existence...The mechanical life form Ohm inhabits a bleak and devastated planet. The thousands of mechanical creatures of this world share a single cycle of energy. In this cycle, Ohm is a rogue element. His nature is to devour and absorb others. When one day a gargantuan foreign object appears in the skies. Drawn in by mysterious creatures of light, the Ohm tracks them across the planet, changing the known order of matter, time and space.

OMEGA - A Stop Motion Animated Short from omegastopmotion on Vimeo.

Pacific Rim (2013)

After a year of patience I can admit that I am a little bit disappointed of this film. As a child I used to stuck with cartoons like Tetsujin 28, Voltron and even Godzilla film series. I expected more from this gem though. The story is about a war between human race and monsters, known as Kaiju, coming from another dimension through a crack into the ocean. They destroy everything and kill millions of people until the last ones fight back with their massive robots, the Jaegers. The battle is irresolute and even Jaegers can't stop the disastrous invasion. Raleigh, a former pilot who lost his brother at his last combat returns on duty alongside with the untested trainee Mako and will be the last stand of the humans against the mounting apocalypse. The effects are amazing but the development of the characters was really weak and this was a minus point to the plot. The acting was so and so but Idris Elba's performance was even worst. I hope the sequel will be better and Guillermo Del Toro shall give the appropriate attention and will give us the optimum result. Otherwise I will prefer 'Robot Jox' from the late eighties. Again.

Willow (1988)

Dwarf farmer Willow lives peacefully with his family in a small village when they find a baby girl near the river.  This little child is extremely important because it can help to the fall of evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda. The last one sends her daughter Sorsha and General Kael into a mission to bring back the child alive. Willow also is given a task to carry the baby into a safe place and join allies as swordsman Madmartigan, sorceress Fin Razel and the Brownies Franjean and Rool who will help him on this journey. As the fellowship are pursued by Queen's army, they find shelter at an abandoned castle and they fight back. Ages before 'Lord of the rings', there were a few directors that knew how to film an interesting fantasy film. Val Kilmer acts really well and the plot is rather great.

The Book of Eli (2010)

A wanderer, Eli, travels along deserted States for the last thirty years. The earth is an empty place now after a nuclear war that ruined the planet. He feels he has a special mission to complete. Going west and reach a safe place for his precious item he has with. The last Holy Bible that keeps him sane and gives him a supernatural power to protect himself from scums and gangs who kill for fun and survival in this chaotic environment. Carnegie is the gang leader in a small town and as Eli arrives there, he realizes that something strange happens and looks forward to find out about newcomer's secret. Carnegie presses his blind lover Claudia to send her daughter, Solara, to look over the situation but Eli is always one step beyond. This post apocalyptic film is just beautiful. It's development is solid, the cinematography is intriguing and Denzel is the right guy to perform the messenger of God in this ruinous world. Even if the ending is a little far fetched.

Los últimos días aka The last days (2013)

Marc works as a programmer at a big company in Barcelona. He realizes day by day that something strange happens around him as people become sick while they come out from buildings. It is only the beginning of a huge epidemic spreading across the planet though. Marc decides to escape from his shelter through the tunnels of the underground and find his wife Julie. He meets Enrique, another decided man who wants to approach his father at the hospital. Together they start a difficult journey to find their beloved ones and they will become best friends even if they don't really trust each other at its beginning. A very interesting idea gave this Spanish film a great opportunity to be a classic sci fi gem that is compromising. When cinematography is combined with an actual script, we can have an extraordinary result.

Oblivion (2013)

Jack works as a drone technician on the abandoned Earth, after the war of humans with the alien Scavs. With his wife Vica at the control station, they complete an effective team. But he dreams of a past life years ago before he even lived. With the arrival of female astronaut's  Julia, Jack is going to reconsider about his life and his purposes. Julia is not the only link to his peaceful past though and soon many secrets are going to be revealed and change everything. This is a stunning science fiction gem from the director who filmed Tron Legacy back in 2010. The specifications are about the same and the complete work is amazing. Cinematography is excellent and the whole cast is performing really well. This is a very interesting amalgam of past sci fi movies as Space Odyssey 2001, I am Legend and so many other to mention.
Another good choice for Tom Cruise's filmography.

San lau sing woo dip gim aka Butterfly and Sword (1993)

Sing and Ko have met during childhood and they became partners and co fighters in the known martial arts world. Now Sing is a hidden assassin at the services of Ko and he keeps his secret to his beloved Butterfly. Meng wan is another master who works with Sing and he is love with Ko but the last one can't hide her feelings towards Sing. The team has a difficult mission to destroy Suen's martial arts school and kill Suen and his assistan Li Shu Tin. A battle for the survival of the toughest has begun and the trio will challenge extreme situations in order to stay alive and achieve their target. Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeo in great performances at an interesting mixture of drama, action and romance film. Specially recommended at the fans of the old HK productions, this gem will give you the thrills as you will find that this stunning gem paved the way for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Another really enjoyable animation from Disney based on the classic video game Fix-It Felix. Ralph is the bad guy who destroys the building as Felix repairs it. Ralph wants to change position and be the good guy now because he feels isolated from the other characters of the game. He has to find and gain a medal from another arcade game in order to win their sympathy but as he is used to wreck everything on his way, he enters into a war game and unleashes by mistake a deadly menace to all the other games. Now with the help of Vanellope, a cute glitch character from a cheesy candy racing game, the will try to win the trophy so Ralph will get back his medal and together they will destroy the aliens who threaten their artificial world. Cool story, maybe sometime more childish that it should be, but also entertaining and funny.

After Earth (2013)

Will Smith's last appearance on cinemas deliver a dramatic science fiction gem where a father and a son try to reconnect. The planet Earth has been evacuated one thousand years ago and all mankind has been moved now to Nova Prime planet. But another alien nation is at war with the humans and they send Ursa, hunters to eliminate every human. The only thing that can save someone is to forget fear and be calm, something like an inner power that is not for everyone. Legendary General Cypher Raige takes his 13-year-old son, Kitai, into a routine mission but everything goes wrong when their spaceship crash over planet Earth, an unknown planet and totally different from what we know this era. Cypher gets injured and sends his son into a quest to recover their rescue beacon. This mission will be another way to the transformation of the youngster to an elder character, taking decisions that may cost their lives. So the result is quite good, we have some action but the effects sometimes are not working well. I found the acting of Smith so and so maybe because of his character. Jaden Smith gave a better performance and I think he has it. A good film from director Shyamalan after a long period.

 

Red Dawn (1984)

This is another beautiful memory from the 80s. A classic war post film telling about a team of youngsters trying to survive from the attack of the Russian invaders. The third World War has been declared and the Russians with the help of Nicaragua and Cuba occupy a big territory of the States. Two brothers, Jed and Matt, alongside with some pals find shelter on the hills and attack back the invaders with hunting rifles, pistols, and bows and arrows. They are few but they have guts and plans to free their land again and they name themselves 'Wolverines' . The casualties from the enemy are lots but soon both sides will loose their best fighters. It is actually a dramatic story, giving another dimension to ordinary heroes. Patrick Swayze acted with realization as also Charlie Seen. There are some problems though at the script as for the Russian roles and the depth of the story as well. But it is still a good movie.

 

Django Unchained (2012)

I don't know if Tarantino is going to quit directing cool films after his last one, but he is still one of the geniuses around, completing a full career based on successful remakes and individual spectacular gems that made the world of cinema more interesting. No exceptions for 'Django' as well. Here we can find a slave, Django, being released by the bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz. Soon they cooperate and search for Django's beloved wife, Broomhilda, in order to save her from slavery and confront her temporarily boss, Calvin, who organizes the famous Mandingo fight tournament. You can find some references to the old classic 'Jango' films of the sixties and enjoy the same opening music theme from great Sergio Leone. The performances are astonishing and the script is working as you can have both drama, fun and action at the full package as only Tarantino knows to deliver.

Stake land (2010)

At first I thought it could be another zombie film you know. But then I realized it was about vampires. Directed in a boring style that I couldn't stop moaning though. A lot of cliches, I think I will start writing scripts because sometimes I know exactly what is going to happen at the next sequence. Forgive my disappointment but I just say 'Enough is enough'. So this story is about a youngster, Martin, whose family is being eaten by a creature of the night. Hopefully for him, Mister is there to save his ass, excuse my language. Then he learns Martin how to protect himself and kill them after. The men try to reach 'New Eden', a place where vamps do not exist. They meet people, they travel together, people are getting killed, they continue alone. They also have to fight some crazy Christian clan bastards as well. But all these, are looking familiar to me. Anyway, the cast is good, the acting is fine but the direction and the soundtrack really got my nerves because a film like this needs more fun and less dramatic thoughts. But you can try it and think about that yourself.

Valhalla rising (2009)

The One Eye, a mysterious warrior. What is his fate and what his past? We can find him in chains as a prisoner at the cold mountains of Norway. His rage is tremendous and his thirst for blood endless. When he manages to escape, he slaughters everybody except a small blond kid who follows him at his lonely path. Soon One Eye finds back some others knights from his place and joins them at a journey to nowhere. Some of them are superstitious and believe that he is cursed and soon problems will come onto surface. They find the promised land but it doesn't look like actually as they thought at first. Really violent film with dark atmosphere and great fight scenes. The cinematography is good but sometimes a bit slower than it should. Another watchable action film that you should try.

Mugen no Juunin aka Blade of the Immortal (2008)

Rin Asano is the only member of the Mutenichi dojo left alive after the lethal attack of Anotsu Kagehisa, a genius swordsman and leader of Ittou-Ryuu clan. He and his comrades kill Rin's parents and disgrace her dojo. After two years, she seeks for revenge hiring Manji, a cursed Samurai that cannot die due to the 'kessen-chu' bloodworms living in his body and can heal all wounds. Manji can die only by a rare poison. When his sister is being killed, he gets mad and swears to kill one thousand samurais. He feels sad about her loss and sometimes frustrated about his situation. Maybe tired that continues to live. So Rin gives him some more motivation with her intentions about her revenge. This is a great anime based on the legendary manga and gives us a first taste of blood and philosophical issues about vengeance, life and death. The actions scenes are good, there is drama and suspense around and the project is working well.

The return of John Frum (2010)

Oh my God, if that was not Science Fiction, nothing can be. A distorted reality or a space opera maybe. Who is actually John Frum? Maybe a pseudo prophet who lived in Polynesia during the Second World War. But this eccentric story shows him as an astronaut who comes back from outer space. He finds a native whose ignorance makes him believe Frum is a God. And together they start a quest for something. The rest maybe confuse you because they seem so abnormal and strange to the common thinking. But it is a fantastic animation that will give you the trills with its excellent design and a different proposal for sure.

THE RETURN OF JOHN FRUM from christian schlaeffer on Vimeo.

Sengoku jieitai aka G.I. Samurai (1979)

When Lt. Yoshiaki Iba arrives with his troops at a selected place to start a war exercise, they are being transported through time four hundred years ago at the warring era. They find various samurai clans and camps that fight each other in order to take advantage and power. Iba meets Kagetora, a fearless warlord and they become best friends and comrades. They have big plans to rule over Japan but the battles are so difficult that Iba's squadron soon starts having casualties. Even ten soldiers using modern weapons can't defeat the huge army of Shogun and his generals. Iba thinks now that he have to end this story and become a hero in order to escape forward in time but can it be true? One of the best action films ever seen with the incredible Sonny Chiba starring and delivering the icon of a idealistic and egomaniac fighter who lives only to fight and realizes that his dream maybe can be true at another history era. Great action scenes and fast direction for a Japanese production make this film a classic for Chiba's fans and not only.

127 Hours (2010)

This is an amazing film about one of the most brave people I have ever seen on the big screen. And its story is true my friends. It is about the courage of mountain climber's Aron Ralston. He liked to have fun during excursions to wild life near the canyons in Utah. But one day he forgot to inform anybody about his small trip. And when he gets trapped from a rock who falls on his hand, he understands the meaning of life and considers about it. He thinks about several ways to imprison himself but before the end, he decides to cut his own arm and being released from this terrible experience after five whole days. An adventure for the mind and the soul, the power to overestimate death and be the winner after all. After 'Slumdog Millionaire', Danny Boyle directs an incredible film and James Franco gives us a tremendous act.

Space stallions (2011)

Do you remember our beloved animations we used to watch at the 80s? Stuff like Thundercats, He-man and Voltron? This cool gem is dedicated to all the fans around. Enjoy!

Space Stallions from The Animation Workshop on Vimeo.

Hot tub time machine (2010)

Adam and Nick, two friends are trying to help their common friend Lou with his esoteric problems inviting him at a crazy weekend on a winter resort. Adam brings with them Jacob, his nerdy nephew in order to live somehow reality and escape from the net. Lou and Jacob don't like each other actually. When they arrive, they find out that nothing has stayed the same and the place that they had some of the best time of their lives, now seems even worst. They try to have some fun in the hot tub but due to a malfunction, they return back to the eighties. The three adults start liking the idea to stay there and enjoy everything from the beginning but Jacob freaks out and wants to return back, because he will maybe disappear if he not. So our guys try to find a solution and fix the tub that works as a time machine. Cool comedy for a lazy afternoon, Cusack and Robinson deliver their roles well but the real hit is Corddry who is amazing, playing a crazy man who thinks about nothing and mess everything. 

No time for nuts (2006)

Scrat from the beloved animation 'Ice age' comes across a time machine and is transported to various times all in pursuit of his beloved acorn.

Scrat -No Time For nuts / time machine from Fuat Sr on Vimeo.