THINK2WICE THEATER PICKS

Here are some newly released movies that we’ve seen and recommend you go out and see too!

You give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. You give an alcoholic, nonchalant guy some superpowers, and you end up with a wrecked city. A popular movie release this week was “Hancock,” which starred Will Smith. Hancock hit theaters Wednesday (July 2nd), which is particularly unusual for a movie, since most theatrical releases are on Friday. Anyway, I planned on seeing the movie last night but something came up and I didn’t get a chance to make it to the movies. So here’s the official synopsis from Sony Pictures:

There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause. — © Sony Pictures

A popular release last weekend (June 27th) was “Wanted,” an action-packed adventure movie starring Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Common. The movie opens up with James McAvoy’s character, Wesley Gibson, a 25-year-old cubical dwelling “Account Manager” narrating his boss’ birthday party at the office. He, and everyone else for that matter, hates this woman. She constantly picks on everyone in the office, and above all, is rude and demanding. But that’s not the only problem Wes has with his life. His girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend, and he knows this, but won’t stand up for himself. Oh yeah, his father left him when he was only 7 days old. So you can imagine the kind of life this guy has. Then all of a sudden, at a “quick-mart” type grocery store, he meets a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie) who surprises him with the news of his estranged father being murdered.

He later learns that his father was an assassin associated with “The Fraternity,” a group of highly skilled killers who know how to curve bullets around obstacles, shoot the wings off of flies (without hitting the fly), and handle knives with quickness and agility. Wes is recruited to assassinate the man who murdered his father because The Fraternity believes that he is the only person fit for the job. After 6 weeks of extensive training (you’ll see just how extensive when you see the movie) training, The Fraternity’s leader, Sloan (Morgan Freeman) gives Wes his first mission (delivered by a code-bearing fabric loom), and Wes is officially a member of The Fraternity.

If you’re into movies with tons of action, thought-provoking plots, and amazing CGI effects, then “Wanted” is the movie for you! I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that action makes up the movie’s entire 110 minute duration. I particularly enjoyed this movie because of the way the story turns near the end, and the way the director kept you on the edge of your seat. “Wanted” also had its funny moments, and effects of the bullets flying through people’s heads was hella dope too! The ending was also good. It leaves a little room for a sequel, which I hear is already in the works.

“The Incredible Hulk,” based off of the Marvel comic, saw its big release on June 13th, and grossed over $55 million in its opening weekend. The movie stars Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, and Edward Norton, who plays the green giant. The movie centers around Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), a scientist who desperately searches for a cure for his “disease:” an exposure to gamma radiation that causes him to turn into a giant green beast when his heart rate reaches a certain level. And trust me, you don’t want to see this guy when he’s “hungry” angry (you’ll get the joke when you see the movie).

In this search for a cure, he comes in contact with Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), a woman he loves and once worked with in the past, but was separated in the midst of all of the drama of him becoming “The Hulk.” They meet at a restaurant, she shares her home with him, and they go on the run (from the government) together, only to come across an angered member of the military who deliberately exposes himself to gamma radiation and becomes “The Abomination.” Bruce Banner must now embrace his powers as The Hulk and take on The Abomination to save himself, Betty, and mankind.

If you saw the first Hulk remake (titled “Hulk”) back in 2003, and were disappointed, like I was, then I suggest you go out and see the 2008 version, which is 10x better! This movie follows the plot of the original comic book series, and the television show, a little more closely than its predecessor. Out of the three movies mentioned in this post, I wouldn’t say that this one was the best, but it is definitely worth whatever it costs these days to watch a movie where you live.

Multi-award winning actor Denzel Washington stars as Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas, in a film called The Great Debaters, based on a true life story. In the film Denzel Washington (Melvin B. Tolson) inspires his students to form the school’s first debate team, leading to 3 of the team’s members, Jurnee Smollett (Samantha), Nate Parker (Henry Low) and Denzel Whitaker (James Farmer Jr), to go on and challenge, a then-predominately white school, Harvard University for the national championship in 1935. Both inspiring and enlightening this film will leave you giving standing ovations, Washington, Smollett, Parker and Whitaker owned that movie! I went through so many different emotions whilst watching, I got sad, happy, angry; there are a lot of pivotal moments in The Great Debaters.

OK, so, I finally got to see Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf this weekend at the movie theaters. I felt I just had to make up for missing Transformers, call me a sucker for fantasy, but it was nothing as I anticipated it to be. Beowulf, which stars Angelina Jolie opposite Ray Winstone, appeared set in a mediaeval atmosphere in accordance with the Old English and overall attire. The movie started off a tad bit vague for me, everything was bits and pieces until the ending; which grasped my mere forethoughts but only leaving a visible unclearness in the latter. It was still, nonetheless, a heart-ponding, havoc wreaking movie. I say, the moral of the story here is vanity has its downfall, meaning pride is a curse, being one of the 7 deadly sins and all. This seems as though the only conclusion I can come to culmination with. I really enjoyed scenes, though. The visuals, artistry, and definition were flawless, as Zemeckis’ films always are (Polar Express). 4.5/5