Cowboys and Aliens

Sci-Fi buffs, get your magic sticks ready for some fun.  We are given a good story with enough action, cheesy lines and CGI to keep you in your seats.  The rest of you can find a different theatre.

Harrison Ford was over-shadowed by Daniel Craig's performance.  Abigail Spencer did quite well in her subtle role.  The story was consistent and easy to follow.  We were entertained, but not blown away. The movie was forgettable (I almost forgot to write the review because I had The Help on my mind) and non sci-fi fans were relatively bored.

The significance of the aliens is legitimate.  Historically, the Native Americans would have been the hostiles, but in this politically correct part of our existence, they have merely been replaced by hostile aliens for the purposes of making the movie work.  The aliens were well generated and we actually get to see them and understand them.  The Native Americans' role was to assist the locals in Cowboys and Aliens as they battle the aliens collectively.  A nice twist.  Some of the terms used in this aged tale were frustrating.  Flight wasn't really a concept, nor was electricity and lighting.  The apathy given to these things in the film caused frustration.  But we got over it and just enjoyed the movie.

Cowboys and Aliens will pull 2 out of 5 Cyclones.  It merely appeals to sci-fi fans and doesnt make much or a memorable impression.


-CycloneMovies.com Critic-

Captain America: The First Avenger

Hold onto your shields...the studio did well with this production.

 The Captain America fans from decades past can get some closure with this visually appealing film.  Chris Evans fills the lead as well as we could expect.  He is a little cheesy at times, but aren't all of our super heroes in their roles?  Our villain, Hugo Weaving, didn't strike me as top-shelf, but Marvel fans said he was perfect, so i will defer to their judgement.

The filming catches a ride between Sin City, 300, and A River Runs Through It.  It is real, it is aged, and it is easy to watch.  Might as well take off the 3D glasses. The 3D was all done post production, so little value in that, but we do get a well shot and well laid out story.  You must let your mind go at times to be able to stomach what is supposed to be real during WWII.  Just appreciate the fiction tale and relax.  You may get caught once or twice by the 3D or action and spill some popcorn, but it will allow you to laugh at yourself as you enjoy the film. 

Go see it, even bring the kids.  Captain America finally gives American movie goers something to appreciate and take pride in (we have had plenty of sub par super hero films this season.)  Honorably awarded 4 out of 5 Cyclones. Viewers get a sneak peak at The Avengers post credits in this movie as well.

-CycloneMovies.com Critic

Crazy Stupid Love

We get all the actors involved, and little stands out. We will all have a favorite enjoyable cast member in this film.

They all took a secondary role to each other in CSL.  Steve Carrell and Emma Stone stood out, but not by much. The interwoven love stories occurring simultaneously are all enjoyable.  We watch Carrell grow with the help of Gosling.  There will not be any Oscars awarded, but there are a few memorable laughs and the climax is worth waiting for.  Not all things are predictable which will make viewers appreciate the film. 

Not the make all weekend movie, but a great date night film or summer break film to go see.  Love, humor, family, and some failures in life give all those watching CSL something to talk about, for an hour or two.  "Crazy Stupid Love" will pull a solid 3 out of 5 Cyclones.

CycloneMovies.com Critic

Harry Potter, the Finale

If you are not a follower of Harry Potter and have not seen the first 7 installments, delay seeing this.  The first hour may not make much sense at all.  If you are a fan, jump on board for the cheapest version in theatres.

There was plenty of foot traffic in the final episode (we are talking about viewers wandering in and out of the theatre) so that alone tells me viewers were not engaged and terribly interested.  We are taken in a roller-coaster ride of backstabbing alliances, crude body language (HP looks constipated through much of the film), and a novella type feel in Part 8.  Much of the films seems like an awkward drug trip with the voices and images.  There was frustration with the editing.  Maybe it cost too much to re-shoot the scenes to accuracy.   It seems silly that at about an hour into the film, Harry puts his head into a bowl of water and the last ten years of storytelling finally makes sense to new viewers.

Some captive storytelling did take place.  The story does wind down to a satisfactory end.  3D is not necessary.  IMAX only improves the volume.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will pull 3 out of 5 Cyclones. It was and is the youth of many of the viewers.  Credit is due.

-CycloneMovies.com Critic

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See all 8 movies on us!

Hobbile Bosses, carries over to the movie

Bring something to read, nobody in the family should arrive without their iPhone for some texting and Words With Friends during this movie. Have we not had our fill of 'groupies' headed out for some trouble this summer?  We were given a wonderful outing with the girls in "Bridesmaids," we saw "Cedar Rapids" and "Hall Pass, and maybe it would be finalized with "Hangover II," but nope...one more - "Horrible Bosses."  And it just about ruined the summer fun. 

The guys are funny, yes.  They rag on each other and have some awkward situations to deal with.  The story is tidy and the roles are defined.  We are given a million predictable and spontaneous moments to sit through. Yet, it just isn't climactic nor laugh-out-loud funny.  The DNA scenes, the On-Star rep, and other scenes will leave you with memories as all the raunchy comedies do, but these memorable attempts don't make a blockbuster movie.

The movie is latent with drugs, profanity, sex, and all the things we have come to expect and enjoy in the recent summer flicks.  Yes, the bosses are &%#$---- and other terms as displayed on the theatre screen, but unfortunately, the shock and awe are not there.  This theme has been played out. Let's move on. 2 out of 5 Cyclones for "Horrible Bosses."

-CycloneMovies.com Critic-

A Better Life will not leave viewers feeling happy.

This is the way it is.  In the United States, this is how immigrants may often find themselves.  They are here looking for a better life, and the resident nationalism is not always as welcoming as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The movie compliments "The Music Never Stopped" in so many ways.  The back of my seat was covered by the grown men crying for the duration of the film.  Viewers are presented with personal, parental, and social struggles in this relatively typical and familiar struggle.  If you are curious about this type of story, rent "Sin Nombre," and bring a translator (or somebody with some [Latin] immigrant ancestry) to explain and relate to the movie. 

The script was well written, but as with most of these smaller titles, the roles were carried out by amateur actors and they both help and hinder the appreciation of the film.  The story was engaging and not always predictable.  There are some positive lessons and stories, but bring some Kleenex, many viewers will need it.

A Better Life will pull 4 out of 5 Cyclones for the well presented story immigrants and residents can follow and appreciate. The story does not seem to set out to try and change mindsets, it appears to want to share a story we should all be aware of.

-CycloneMovies.com Critic

Larry Crowne - No Oscar Crowns for Hanks or Roberts

Viewers will welcome  the cute, predictable, feel good story from Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.  These two rolled through the film with likeable performances.  The adult (Hanks) goes back to school after realizing he cannot compete in the job arena, and he ends up with an apathetic instructor (Roberts) to acclimate him to the scene.  It is like a mellow version of "Community" on the big screen.  Hanks spends an abundance of time recreating himself and learning to ride a scooter.  That is the movie in a nutshell.

The movie is destined to end up on DVD in a month and then Lifetime before the end of the year.  The entire production was likeable.  The time spent watching the movie was well worth it.  There was not much to change, but some more humor in the classroom and some catchy moments to remember would be appreciated.  We had a few great Julia Robert's laughs, but sadly the movie was not memorable.

We (I) left the theatre feeling entertained and content.  Without having much more to say, I must leave Larry Crowne with 3 out of 5 Cyclones.

-CycloneMovies.com Critic

T3. More than meets the eye

First we would like to thank and recognize Lenovo, Target, and Cisco for the shameless product placement.  With that out of the way, we can focus on the film.

A worthy 3D film.  The animation was impressive, almost over-done with hairy sweating robots which appear to have evolved into humans.  The story was engaging and i was able to see 450 audience members with 3D glasses on staring at the movie screen for 2 hour and 45 minutes, without budging.  That tells me the movie has achieved it's purpose.  We liked it.

Now, as for the love story and finding an attachment to the human characters in the film, these were not achieved.  The choppy and stumbling start of the film disengaged us before the body of the film finally caught our attention.  The superfluous amount of profanity ruins T3 as a potential family outing. 

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon will pull 4 out of 5 Cyclones for bringing us exactly what we wanted this summer.