03.11.13
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Oz the Great and Powerful

My rating: ratings5

When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a magician from Kansas, is swept away from Kansas by a tornado, he finds himself in the land of Oz. There, he meets Theodora (Mila Kunis), a good witch who soon falls in love with him. He soon meets Theodora’s sister, Evanora (Rachel Wesiz), who sends him on a mission to defeat the wicked witch. But on his journey, he meets Glinda (Michelle Williams), who claims she is the good witch and Evanora is actually the wicked witch. Oscar now must find out who really is good and who really is evil before it’s too late.

I saw this movie in 3D on Friday (March 8) with my grandmother. We both really enjoyed it. The 3D effects are amazing! The acting and visual effects are also really good. This is now one of my favorite movies of all time! This movie is rated PG for “sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language”. I would recommend this movie for kids 11 years old and older, but kids younger than that might be too frightened. But if you’re 11 or older, then it’s worth going. Even adults will love this fantastic, enchanting movie.

Also, here is the website and the trailer of this movie.

03.08.13
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Jack the Giant Slayer

My rating: ratings4

In the Kingdom of Cloister, a young farmboy named Jack (Nicholas Hoult) goes to town to sell his horse. In the town, he meets a monk who trades beans, which he tells Jack not to wet, for Jack’s horse. But on a rainy night, a beanstalk grows in Jack’s house and the princess (Eleanor Tomlinson) is captured by giants. Jack, Elmont (Ewan McGregor), the king’s elite guard, and his servants climb the beanstalk to the giant world to rescue the princess.

I saw this movie with my friend last Friday (March 1). We both really enjoyed it. There was action and humor. I really liked Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, and Ewan McGregor’s roles. They were all really good. There were other good actors, too, such as Ian McShane and Bill Nighy (who does the voice of Fallon, the leader of the giants). This is now one of my favorite movies starring Ewan McGregor. I would recommend this movie for kids 10 and over, but kids younger than that might be too frightened from this movie. This movie is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language”.

Also, here is the website and the trailer of the movie.

Below is a picture of my friend Jake (who saw the movie with me) and I (on the right) in front of the film’s poster.

gal and jake

02.28.13
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The Oscars (85th Academy Awards)

The Oscars took place this Sunday at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood from 5:30 PM to 9 PM. I watched the whole thing live with my family. We all really enjoyed watching it. There were funny parts, such as when Jennifer Lawrence tripped on her way upstage to receive her award (she won Best Actress for her role in Silver Linings Playbook). Fortunately, Hugh Jackman (who was nominated Best Actor for his role in Les Miserables) helped her get back up. I think she tripped because of her skirt. My favorite part was when Mark Wahlberg and “Ted” (probably just a robot teddy bear voiced by Seth Macfarlene) presented the Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing awards. That part was pretty funny, too. Lincoln got the most nominations (12) and Life of Pi won the most awards (4).

Also, The 85th Academy Awards were notable for several rare and first-time feats. Quvenzhane Wallis, a 9-year-old actress from a movie called Beasts of the Southern Wild, became the youngest person ever to be nominated an Oscar, while Emmanuelle Riva, an 85-year-old actress from a foreign movie called Amour, became the oldest person ever to be nominated an Oscar. Argo became the first Best Picture Winner in 23 years to not also have a Best Director nomination. Brenda Chapman became the first woman to win the Best Animated Feature award. She shared her award for the Pixar film Brave with co-director Mark Andrews. Also, Silver Linings Playbook became the first film in 31 years to be nominated for all acting categories. Jennifer Lawrence, who acted in that movie, became the youngest Best Actress 2-time nominee at age 22. Also, Les Miserables became the first musical movie to be nominated Best Leading Actor. Adele’s song “Skyfall” from the James Bond movie”Skyfall” became the first song from a James Bond movie to win the Best Original Song award. Daniel Day-Lewis became the first person ever in the Academy Award history to win 3 Best Actor awards in his lifetime.

Here is a list of the award categories and their winners:

Best Picture: Argo

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables

Best Director: Ang Lee for Life of Pi

Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained

Best Adapted Screendplay: Argo

Best Animated Feature: Brave

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour (from Austria) in French

Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man

Best Documentary Short: Inocente

Best Live Action Short Film: Curfew

Best Animated Short: Paperman

Best Original Score: Life of Pi

Best Original Song: “Skyfall” from “Skyfall”. Sung by Adele

Best Sound Editing: There was a tie between two movies: Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall

Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables

Best Production Design: Lincoln

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Miserables

Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina

Best Film Editing: Argo

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Performances included the cast of Les Miserables, Adele, who sang Skyfall, Shirley Bassey, who sang Goldfinger, and the cast of Chicago. I think Wreck-It Ralph should have won Best Animated Feature and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey should have won Best Makeup and Hairstyling. I was surprised that Beasts of the Southern Wild received 4 nominations, including Best Picture, but it didn’t win any at all! I can’t wait until the next Oscars!

85th Academy Awards Poster.jpg

02.23.13
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Escape From Planet Earth

My rating: ratings4

This 3D-animaed comedy takes place on planet Baab, where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is a national hero to the blue alien population. Scorch works with his brother, Gary (Rob Corddry) and his boss, Lena (Jessica Alba) at BASA. When Scorch goes on a mission to “The Dark Planet” (which is actually our planet, Earth), he is captured by the ruthless leader of Area 51, William T. Shanker (Star Trek‘s William Shatner).  Now Gary must save his brother, his planet, his wife Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and their son Kip (Bedtime Stories‘ Jonathan Morgan Heit). the film also stars Craig Robinson, Sofia Vergara, Ricky Gervais, Jane Lynch, George Lopez and Steve Zahn. This movie is rated PG by the MPAA for “action and some mild rude humor”.

This film is filled with laughs and humor. It is now my favorite animated movie of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would recommend this movie for kids of all ages. I think everyone will enjoy it, even adults!

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02.07.13
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Here Comes the Boom

My rating: ratings4

I saw this movie yesterday on Amazon Instant Video with my family. We all enjoyed it. It made us crack up! This movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray this Tuesday. It is also available on Xfinity On Demand. This movie is rated PG by the MPAA for “bouts of MMA sports violence, some rude humor and language”.

This film is about a former college wrestler named Scott Voss (Kevin James) who is now a 42-year-old bored biology teacher at a failing high school. When budget cuts lead to cancelling the music program, Scott decides to become a mixed martial arts fighter to save it. The film’s cast also includes Salma Hayek, Henry Winkler, Bas Rutten and Charice.

I really liked the cast and the comedy of this hilarious film, which is directed by Frank Coraci. This is now my favorite Kevin James movie. I would recommend this movie for kids my age or older but it might be inappropriate for kids younger.

Also, here is the website and the trailer of this movie.

01.06.13
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

My rating: ratings5

I saw this fantastic movie with my good friend Jake and my dad on New Year’s Day in 3D. This film is based on the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien and it is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this film is directed by Peter Jackson. Some actors also acted in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, such as Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Hugo Weaving.

Like the book, the film tells the story of a young hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who is hired by a wizard named Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to accompany 13 dwarves on a quest to reclaim their home, the Lonely Mountain, from a dragon named Smaug.

My friend, my dad and I all enjoyed this movie, even though it was really long (it’s almost 3 hours long!). I liked many things about this movie, including the action, the humor, the music, the cast and the costume design. I heard it was already nominated at least 2 Oscars, including Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects!

I would recommend this movie for kids 10 and up, but kids younger might  be too scared or freaked out and they might think it is too long. I can’t wait until Part 2 (which hit theaters on December 13, 2013) and Part 3 (which hits theaters on December 17, 2014)!

Also, here is the website and the trailer of this movie.

The photo below is a picture of my friend (who saw the movie with me) and I next to a picture of Bilbo Baggins holding up a sword.20130101_201322

01.05.13
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Parental Guidance

My rating: ratings4

When grandparents Artie (Billy Crystal) and Diane (Bette Midler) agree to babysit their three grandchildren when their parents (Marisa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott) leave town for a week, problems arise when the kids’ 21st-century behaviors collide with Artie and Diane’s old-school methods. But this movie, which is directed by Andy Fickman, is also about the value of family.

I really enjoyed this comedy and thought it was hilarious! I think that even the trailer of this movie will make you crack up!!!! I really liked how they made the credits, which you will have to stay tuned for and find out yourself when you watch the movie!!!!!!!!!!!  I would recommend this movie for kids 10 and over but it might be too uninteresting for kids younger than that. They also might not get any of the funny things in this movie.

Also, here is the website and the trailer of this movie.

parental_guidance_poster-391x580

01.04.13
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Some interesting stats on FilmToppings in 2012

You may want to take a pick at some interesting facts about my blog in 2012  – Who else read FilmToppings? What countries do they come from? Which posts were the most popular? Which readers commented the most? Click on a link below here for all these and much more!

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. FilmToppings got about 2,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

12.14.12
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Playing for Keeps

My rating: ratings2

George Dryer (played by Gerard Butler) is a divorced former professional soccer player who wants to be closer to his son, Lewis (played by Noah Lomax), so he decides to coach his son’s soccer team and falls in love with the players’ moms (played by Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Judy Greer).

This movie probably isn’t on my top 10 or 20 or 30 favorite movies list. But I still like it. I really liked Gerard Butler’s role, as well as Jessica Biel’s role as George’s ex-wife, Stacie. I would recommend this film for children 13 and over, but I think mostly adults would like this movie.

Also, here is the website and the trailer for the movie.