DVD Haul: August 18,2013,July 27,2013 & July Something Something 2013.

Well,it's been a very long time ever since I've made the last of this series of posts and now I'm back with 7 DVDs to show you.Those seven DVDs are (in alphabetical order): Dreamgirls,Evil Dead (2013),Flight,Oblivion,Rocky,The Bridge On The River Kwai and The Exorcist.Now,Imma show them to you according to the dates I bought 'em.

DVDs I bought July Something Something 2013:

Well,yeah I intended it to sound like that since I really forgot when I bought the DVDs that day.Ugh.

First up is...



Dreamgirls which is directed by Bill Condon and stars Jamie Foxx,Beyonce' Knowles,Eddie Murphy,Danny Glover,Jennifer Hudson & Anika Noni Rose.The film tells the story of a trio of black female soul singers and their cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s.The film won 2 Oscars for Best Achievement In Sound Mixing (Michael Minkler,Bob Beemer & Willie D. Burton) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Jennifer Hudson).Actually,this DVD isn't really mine instead,it's my big bro's (He's a huge Beyonce' fan) but since it's located in my DVD rack,it's also partly mine.You know what I mean? Anyway,my first impression on the film is that it's gonna be good and just fun.Dreamgirls is available on DVD for P100.

Next up is...Rocky.



Thank God I finally found this film sold individually from a box set.I've been looking this up ever since.And now,I've finally got a hold of the undisputed champion's first outing in my DVD collection.Behold Rocky! Rocky is directed by John G.Avildsen and stars Sylvester Stallone,Talia Shire,Burt Young,Carl Weathers,Burgess Meredith and Thayer David.Rocky tells the story of a small-time boxer who gets a supremely rare chance to fight the heavy-weight champion in a bout in which he strives to go to the distance for his self-respect.Rocky won 3 Oscars for Best Director (John G.Avildsen),Best Film Editing (Richard Halsey,Scott Conrad) and Best Picture (Irvin Winkler,Robert Chartoff).I've been told that this sports-drama film is one of the most inspiring ever and I think I would have to agree with that saying even though I haven't seen it yet.Anyway,this film launched Sly to Hollywood fame and is considered as one of the best films you should see before you die.Rocky is available on DVD for P175-P199 depending on where you purchase it.

DVD I bought last July 27,2013:

Well,I only bought one DVD that day and it is...

The Exorcist:

Ahh yes.The Exorcist is also one of those hard-to-find movies on DVD and thank God I got mine.It's the only remaining copy in the store I bought from.The Exorcist is directed by William Friedkin and stars Max von Sydow,Ellen Burstyn,Linda Blair,Lee J.Cobb,Kitty Winn,Jack MacGowran and Jason Miller.Too bad,this version of the film isn't the director's cut which spans a runtime of 132 minutes and includes additional footage.Still,it's great to finally have this in my hands.The Exorcist is available on DVD for P199.

DVDs I bought last August 18,2013.

Last August 18,I bought 4 DVDs.3 modern films,1 classic.Here they are:

Evil Dead (2013)

Well,it's been said to be "The most terrifying film you will ever experience." well,I have to see it first for me to believe that statement.But judging from the cover and the marketing material,it already seems to be terrifying due to all the blood.The film is both remake slash re-imagining of the 1981 Sam Raimi horror classic and since I watched the cult-classic Evil Dead 2,I can't wait to see this for its'new darker modern spin on the horror classic that spawned two successful sequels.Evil Dead is available on DVD for P550,which is included in Magnavision's Buy 2 Take 1 promo.

Flight


 

TIME Magazine says that Flight "soars",well I couldn't agree more.The film is actually great and I might say it's underrated.The film doesn't seem to get much attention because people these days love CG-action fests but to those who would watch any type of movie (specially dramas),Flight definitely comes in recommended.I wouldn't say any more because I'm saving them all for the review,but all I could say is that this film truly is great but sadly underrated.Flight is available on DVD for P475 and is also included in Magnavision's Buy 2 Take 1 promo.

Oblivion

Oblivion might be one of my favorite films of this year probably because I loved the cinematography and the film itself despite the lack of action.But it's all okay.I loved this film for what it was,and in my perspective I look up to it as a modern tribute to Science Fiction films both old and new.And one of the main reasons why I loved this movie is also because of the human drama to it.That's all.All I could say is that this is also a good movie but it's up to you whether you'll like it or not.I can't wait to see this movie again on DVD.By the way,I love that slipcover despite it being not shiny like the one I imagined.I still love it though,it adds value to the item.Oblivion is available on DVD for P750 and is also included in Magnavision's Buy 2 Take 1 Promo.

The Bridge On The River Kwai



This film was recommended to me by one of my moviegeek friends Kuya Dom,so I decided to get it for a cheap price of P100.Great price,great film.I really don't doubt that this is a great one,'cause it's directed by the man who helmed Lawrence of Arabia which sadly,until I haven't seen due to schedule conflicts.Back to topic,this looks like a great addition to my war films section in my collection.David Lean's The Bridge On River Kwai is available to own on DVD for P100.

Well,that's the end of the list.Those are my 7 "not so recently" purchased movies on DVD.I suppose this is a very late post,pardon me but I'll see ya til the next DVD Haul Update.Thanks for reading.

*Dreamgirls,The Exorcist,Evil Dead,Flight,Oblivion and The Bridge On The River Kwai are all available to own on DVD distributed for home viewing by  Magnavision Home Video.

**Rocky is available on DVD distributed by Viva Video Inc.

FilmReviews: Pitch Perfect

Get Pitch Slapped.

Yesterday's afternoon,I watched Pitch Perfect to avoid the negativity the rain has brought and after watching it,it brought me nothing but good vibes and fun.Pitch Perfect is a very fun and entertaining film for the ladies but males might even like it for its' irresistible feel-good vibe and sing-song entertainment.The film is directed by Jason Moore (TV's Dawson's Creek/One Tree Hill),written by Kay Cannon (screenplay) and Mickey Rapkin (based on the book) and stars Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air,50/50),Skylar Astin (21 and Over),Ben Platt,Brittany Snow (Prom Night/Hairspray),Anna Camp (The Help),Rebel Wilson (Pain & Gain/Bridesmaids),Alexis Knapp (PROJECT X),Ester Dean & Adam DeVine.




Before we start,let me show you the contributing factor of what makes this a review:

>Story/Plot
>Acting/Performances
>Miscellaneous
>Direction/Director's Effort

Let's start this review up.

Story:

Pitch Perfect's story tells about college freshman Beca who gets cajoled in joining The Bellas,her university's all-girls singing group.Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.So,that's Pitch Perfect's simple cutesy plot.But basically,I think of it as Glee meets Mean Girls.The simple storyline may be overused,but in Pitch Perfect it still is pretty effective.Especially for its' cute execution of the plot.So,in my own words,I would have to say that even the simplest of things can be effective and Pitch Perfect was able to prove this.Of all,Pitch Perfect is like Glee,in a good way.It wasn't too corny and it was all just clean fun.

Acting/Performances:

The performances from the cast were not Oscar worthy but still stands out.Don't expect the singing to be like Les Miserables' nor Dreamgirls.I thought that Anna Kendrick's character was a little likeable specially during the grand slam finale.Her acting wasn't dull,I thought that she did a nice job.Skylar Astin plays Jesse,the protagonist's love interest who also joins one of the school's singing groups The Treblemakers.Skylar's role was portrayed nicely.He stood out among the others (IMO) mainly because of his charm.His singing is quite good.Anna Camp portrays Aubrey who's head of The Bellas,performs the same dumb song then still hopes to win until the newbies came.Anna Camp's character was competitive and faithful and I thought that she was able to represent those traits well.Her singing was a little beautiful and pleasing.Brittany Snow meanwhile plays Chloe,Aubrey's second in command who is a little less competitive than her commander.She was right in her role and her singing's a little outstanding too.While most may have loved Rebel Wilson here,I was a little irritated of her.Sure,her lines were damn funny and heightened the film's humor a little bit more but at times,I felt that she was a little annoying.Well,that's just my opinion.Her singing may be the thing that irritated me,specially when she goes all out on the semi-finals.Plus,she almost ruined the routine at the film's finale.Sigh.Rapper Ester Dean's singing is what I praised the most,her voice was gripping and just so likeable.Specially when she raps at the end.And when she performs Rihanna's S&M at the Riff-Off.Last performance I would talk about would be Adam DeVine's.He wasn't that likeable and I didn't like his singing that much but he was still pretty good.Much of like how I felt for Rebel Wilson.Pitch Perfect may not have well-known stars but these fresh faces tend to pay off specially with their singing.The dialogue is well written,it wasn't clumsy and some of the jokes were genuinely funny.

Miscellaneous:

Your favorite songs both old and new are about to be heard in Pitch Perfect once again,but this time it's revamped for the new age.Songs like the hit Madonna track Like A Virgin are heard in the film acapella style.And it's just really pleasing to hear those tracks in a new style.The film's cinematography wasn't something special,I noticed nothing unusual.As for the music,it was very energetic and good-vibe inducing.Specially the hip new rendition of Rihanna's S&M and Pitbull's Give Me Everything.For the film's highlight,The Riff-Off,I thought that it needed to be prolonged specially in the "Ladies of the 80s" part.It just really needed more.But the good new rendition of Blackstreet's hit single No Diggity is just really hip and fit that scene's finale perfectly.The film's casting was just right,fresh faces with talents was just the right combination.For the film's feel,it will definitely give you good vibes from start to finish.It's pure clean acapella fun for everyone.Thus,I recommend you to watch this when you are stressed,'cause this is a great fun stress reliever.

Direction/Director's Effort:

For director Jason Moore,all I have to say is that he did a wonderful job in making Pitch Perfect wholly fun and entertaining.He found the right cast,made genuinely laughable gags/jokes,chose a wonderful selection of music and most of all,he made Pitch Perfect a combination of Glee and Mean Girls.If he's up for a sequel,I hope he makes better effort and once again,chooses a nice selection of music and maybe add some more well-known stars.

Overall:

Pitch Perfect is totally fun,totally entertaining and just really really wonderful.The characters are lovable,the vibe is really good and the film itself is just undeniably cool so to speak.If you haven't seen the film,I definitely recommend this to you specially if you love music.You'll definitely get pitch-slapped.

Pitch Perfect hits a note of 7.5




*Own Pitch Perfect on DVD & Blu-Ray today.Distributed by Magnavision Home Video.
**Want more fun teen films? Try Fun Size,Mean Girls & Footlose.And something for the much matured teens: 21 Jump Street,Bad Teacher,Superbad & Project X.All available on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

That's it folks.Thanks for reading and see ya soon until the next FilmReview.

For now,check out this film clip from Pitch Perfect:



Video clip courtesy of Universal Pictures.

(C)2012 Universal Pictures/Gold Circle Films.

FilmReviews: Hugo

"Come Dream With Me."

-Georges Melies' (Played by Ben Kingsley)

That's exactly Hugo (the film) wants you to do.It wants you to dream...And today,I just experienced a miraculously magical movie today called Hugo,I have to say that it was great all the way around.In other words,I just watched Hugo today and I had a wonderful good time.Like any review,here I will tell you my thoughts/insights about the film,but before telling 'em,I'll just give you few details about the film.Hugo is directed by Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver/Raging Bull/The Departed) and stars Asa Butterfield (The Boy In The Striped Pajamas),Ben Kingsley (Schindler's List/Gandhi),Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass/Let Me In) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Les Miserables).The film Hugo is based on the 2007 book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" which was written by Brian Selznick.Selznick also wrote the screenplay for the film along with John Logan.Hugo won 5 Oscars at the 85th Academy Awards including Best Cinematography,Best Art Direction,Best Visual Effects,Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing.

Now,let me tell you what I thought about the film.Here are some contributing factors:
>Story
>Acting/Performances
>Visuals/Music/Miscellaneous
>Direction/Director's Effort

Let's start.

Story:

Hugo had  a simple plot that tells about an orphan who resides in the walls of a train station and gets wrapped up in a mystery that involves his late father and an automaton.However,if you carefully tear the main story apart,you will find more sub-stories about the film's different characters.First is of course,Hugo's story that involves his father and the automaton his dad left him,second would be George Melies' painful past and present and third would be about the early age of film.But if you piece them all together,it results into one great story about broken dreams,finding a home and settling down.I loved in the film how they told those three stories.First half of the film gave emphasis on the titular orphan Hugo,and the second half focused on the automaton Hugo has and the message it delivers that involves George Melies.But once the story becomes full circle and once it focuses on George Melies' life,it just becomes better and better until it reaches the end.In the end,Martin Scorsese and the writers gave us a bloodless film replaced with heart and emotion that still results into brilliance.

Acting/Performances:

First of all,in case you noticed,for a Scorsese film,Hugo wasn't star-studded.In fact,the only star-power it had was Ben Kingsley,who plays George Melies.However,even Kingsley was the only "star" it had,the performances from the fresh cast still doesn't fail to impress.In my opinion,I thought that Asa Butterfield was perfect in playing Hugo.He delivered his lines emotionally and sometimes he somehow hypnotizes you to make you sad just like his character feels.I thought that even though he isn't shining bright in the limelight yet,he is an excellent actor despite the fact that he is still a child.He was exceptional in the film and I thought that he can compete against Hailee Steinfeld from 2010's True Grit.Chloe Grace Moretz plays Isabelle,a bookworm.I thought that Chloe's character felt like Hermione once again in the HP films nonetheless,she was still great and perfect.In fact,I loved her "seeking for adventure" behavior.Now let's get on to Ben Kingsley...Mr.Kingsley was just really terrific in this film,he gave a strong emotional performance to his character George Melies',a washed-up film director who gave up his career.You could just really feel his sadness and pain throughout the film.I have to say,Ben Kingsley was the right choice for the role.Bravo for him.Let's get on to the supporting cast...For the supporting cast they were still fine.Specially Jude Law despite his very short screentime.For the film's dialogue,it never felt cheesy and sappy instead,it always stood strong and highly emotional.Specially Hugo's lines and Georges'.All in all,Hugo doesn't need star powered performances to excel,it really is reliable to the fresh faces and the veteran.Thus,the acting/performances were never a let down.Same with the script written,which was well-written indeed.
Visuals/Music/Miscellaneous:

Of all you need to know,Hugo is CGI-heavy,but the CGI is all properly executed.The CGI is what makes Hugo one of the best film experiences I've ever had.It truly is a visual spectacle that definitely needs to be seen in 3D.Too bad I wasn't able to.The special effects in the film were outstanding,everything looked like the real thing.Specially 1930s France.It was modeled perfectly and really looked like the early FranceThe film just imagines what amazing things what CGI can do if used properly.For the 3D,I have to say that this was designed to be seen in the said format.The 3D would immerse you into the world of Hugo,and the 3D enhances the film's greatness and visual effects.No doubt it won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.Kudos to the VFX crew for dazzling us with jaw-dropping visuals.Hugo's cinematography was fine,the way the camera moved around was great particularly during the opening scene where Hugo runs through the train station.And the scene where the illustration papers were flying around.Needless to say,the cinematography was great and it deserved to win.Howard Shore once again brings us another piece of  orchestral art by composing the score for Hugo.Hugo's marvelous score entices our ears by amazingly blending in with the film's tone.The score's tone blended perfectly with the film's vibe and the music sometimes affects the emotions of the viewers.I know it sounds akward to say this,but this is the truth: Hugo had spectacular visuals that will deceive your eye and music that will please your ears.Direction/Director's Effort:

Martin Scorsese directed Hugo quite well.He wound up as the perfect director for the film by picking a talented fresh cast,amazing story-telling,and by delivering amazing dazzling visuals that serves as a nice competitor to Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin.But I have to say that Hugo was better but still,Tintin is one of my faves.I loved how Martin Scorsese made Hugo as a story of a lone orphan slash story of a has-been movie director slash tribute to the early age of cinema.Even though Hugo isn't like any of the other classic Scorsese films,it still pays up to be one.And I now consider it as one of the director's finest films in the modern era of his career.Martin Scorsese may have made Hugo one of his best films in the modern age ever since The Departed.But of course,Hugo is still uncomparable to his early masterpieces Taxi Driver and GoodFellas and Raging Bull as well.

Overall:

Hugo may be dazzling,but you shouldn't focus much on the eye-candy visuals 'cause it still has an amazing story to offer rather than that.The emotional performances will move you and so does the film.Hugo indeed is an artsy dream filled with dazzlement and heartful emotions.It may be considered as Scorsese's Avatar due to the heavy amount of wow-inducing visuals.

Hugo gets 8.3 stars over 10 and it definitely comes in as highly recommended.It indeed is one of my favorite films.




*Looking for more dazzling visual spectacles like this? Try 2001: A Space Odyssey,The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Star Trek (2009).Available to own on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by  Magnavision Home Video.

**Want to watch more of the legendary director's work? Try the gangster-drama The Departed,the saga of crime and corruption in Vegas which is Casino and the ever-unforgettable Taxi Driver.Available today on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.
Thanks for reading this review and see  you soon until the next FilmReview.

Watch this clip from the film for now:




(C)2011 Paramount Pictures/GK Films

MovieNews: No Paranormal Activity This Halloween?

It's confirmed,the famous Paranormal Activity movies won't scare us this Halloween,but instead next year...twice!

That's right,not one but two Paranormal Activity movies will be released next year.Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is set to open in theaters January 3,2014 while the real sequel,Paranormal Activity 5 will continue its' Halloween treating October 2014.So,whatd'ya think about that? Two Paranormal Activities in one year? Sounds big.But question is,will the two movies be good horror sequels/spin-offs? That question will be answered next year...



So far,no details regarding both the film's plot have been revealed,but expect in a few months' time...

Once again,Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is marked to open in theaters Jan.3,2014 while Paranormal Activity 5 scares us once again October 2014...

*Paranormal Activity 2-4 are available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.While Paranormal Activity is available also on DVD distributed by Viva Video Inc. That's all for today folks! Stay tuned for my next MovieNews update here on TheMovieGeek.Thanks for reading.

MovieNews: Another Fast 6 Star Returns For Fast 7

Earlier this day,Fast & Furious 7 director James Wan went to social media to post the latest behind-the-scenes pic that reveals the return of another Fast & Furious star,and that is Tyrese Gibson.Behind the background of these two guys appears what seems to be an early promotional poster for the film.Take a peek at the pic:

Besides Tyrese Gibson,Vin Diesel,Paul Walker and Jason Statham have already been confirmed to return again for Fast 7,but in a few days or months,more cast members to this high-octane sequel are expected to be added.So,aside from the glimpse of that early poster and Tyrese's return,what are your thoughts about James Wan regarding about him directing it? Do you think he will make it better than Fast 6 or Fast Five? Well,for me I think he will make a good job like Justin Lin did,but I still think Lin would still be a better director.But who knows? He might take this to a higher level...

In other news,Fast 7 has been announced to be in production this August.Expect more set photos shortly after...

Fast & Furious 7 will be released in theaters July 2014.

*Fast & Furious 6 will be available to own on DVD & Blu-Ray this September,while Fast & Furious 1-5 is now available on DVD & Blu-Ray.All distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

That's all for today folks! Stay tuned for my next MovieNews update here on TheMovieGeek.Thanks for reading.

TrailerZone: Full Trailer For Thor: The Dark World

"After all this time,now you come to visit me brother...Why?"

Just hearing Loki say those words in his deep,gravelly voice gave me goosebumps.Anyway,those are the words he said in the opening moments of the newest full trailer for Thor: The Dark World.Give it a watch in the video link below:

Now that's a damn cool trailer.But will it deceive us like Iron Man 3 did? Hopefully not.But from what I sense,this will definitely be better than the disappointing Iron Man 3.Anyway,this new trailer for Thor: The Dark World is definitely bigger,badder and better than the last trailer released 'cause here,more about the film is revealed...

In the opening minutes of the trailer,we hear Loki's gravelly,evil voice once again then we see him inside a solitary glass chamber again (Like in The Avengers) but this time in Asgard,or probably somewhere else.He talks about why Thor came to visit him,so we can probably assume that Thor will definitely need Loki's help due to all the evil Malekith has been brewing,also Thor says that he should trust Loki 'cause well,he might betray him once again like what happened in the first film.After those moments in the trailer, we go back to Earth where we get to see the shot of Malekith's ship invading our planet once again sadly with no new footage,shortly after we journey back to Asgard where Thor has brought Jane with him to secure her.After that,we get to see a glimpse of Thor and Loki walking over what seems to be a new dimension they get to visit in the film filled with forests and trees in background of the invasion of Malekith's forces.Then we hear a voiceover which seems to be Malekith's  saying "Thor,your bravery will not ease your pain your family,your world will be extinguished!" and during that voiceover,we see the dark things happening to both Asgard and Earth caused by Malekith and his Dark Elves.In the trailer's final minutes,we get to see Thor smashing a stone monster or something like that.

First of all the trailer looks so cool that it makes us believe that this will be a good/better sequel.Second,the trailer made it seem to look dark but of course,the humor is never lost.Third,it is quite reminiscent of Iron Man 3's trailer with Mandarin's voiceover and all the crazy shit happening only this time,it's Thor style and the music in the trailer sounded so similar to the music used in IM3's trailer.Well maybe it's a variation.Anyway,to sum it all up,the trailer makes the second movie look bigger,better and darker than ever.

Here's the film's plot synopsis:

"In Thor: The Dark World, A new evil is brewing and it goes by the name of Malekith and the Dark Elves from the dark realm of Svartalfheim and targets Jane Foster.Upon knowing that there's a new threat,Thor sets out on a quest to protect and secure her at all costs."
Thor: The Dark World is directed by Alan Taylor (TV's Game of Thrones) and stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor/The Cabin In The Woods),Natalie Portman (V For Vendetta/Black Swan),Idris Elba (Prometheus/Pacific Rim),Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers/Midnight In Paris),Kat Dennings (TV's 2 Broke Girls),Ray Stevenson (G.I Joe Retaliation),Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs/RED 2),Zachary Levi,Jamie Alexander,Stellan Skarsgard,Rene Russo,Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Christopher Eccleston.

So,will Thor 2 have a plot twist like in Iron Man 3? I really hope not.And I have high hopes that this will be better than that disappointment which was Iron Man 3.Thor: The Dark World opens in Philippine theaters maybe November if not October in 3D to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Philippines.

So,what did you think of the trailer? Did you like it,did you hate it or did you thought that it was great? Tell me what you thought about it in the comments section...

*Speaking of Iron Man 3 for several times,keep an eye out 'cause it's coming to DVD & Blu-Ray August 28 to be distributed by Viva Video Inc.Want more Thor? Check him out in his solo movie and predecessor to this sequel Thor and catch him team up with Earth's mightiest heroes in Marvel's The Avengers both also available to own on DVD & Blu-Ray.Thor is distributed by Magnavision Home Video while Marvel's The Avengers is distributed by Viva Video Inc.

By the way,a new poster for the film has been released,so in case I missed the chance to post it,I'll just squeeze it in right here (in this post).Take a look:



Damn.Even the poster looks like Iron Man 3's.I just hope this would be so much better.

That's all folks! Stay tuned for my next TrailerZone update here on TheMovieGeek.Thanks for reading...

FilmReviews: Django Unchained

Life,Liberty and the Pursuit of Vengeance.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Django's here to save the day! Not in a superhero style but in a bloody brutal fashion by using big-ass guns.Finally watched Django Unchained and it was bloody entertaining and all the way great.Before digging into my insights,let me give you brief details about the film.Django Unchained is the 8th feature-length film directed by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction/Inglorious Basterds) and stars a wonderful cast that includes Jamie Foxx (Ray/Dreamgirls),Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds/The Green Hornet),Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed/Inception),Kerry Washington (Mr & Mrs Smith/TV's Scandal) and Samuel L.Jackson (Pulp Fiction).



Story:

Django Unchained's story is set in 1858 and tells about Django,a slave set free by a German bounty hunter and with the help of his German friend,King Schultz,he sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.Django Unchained's story is compelling due to the revenge theme and I found it even better than Basterds' plotline since it is interesting to watch a Tarantino movie set in the western 1800s.About the film's story quality,it is quite competitive.That's one of the reasons why I loved this more than Basterds upon seeing it.If Basterds had Nazi-killing,then well,Django had a bad-ass nigger,bodies blowing up bloodily and the Wild Wild West.And that's a wide variety that Django Unchained has to offer.But one of the best things about the film's story is that as it progresses,the storytelling just gets better and better as it reaches its' end.Out of anything,I didn't find any flaws/problems about the film's plot whatsoever.It is an action packed movie with smart storytelling after all.Plus,it's Tarantino,so I had no doubt the storytelling would be great and well-told.It's just no wonder it got an Oscar for best writing/original screenplay credits to the legendary Quentin Tarantino.

Acting/Performances:

Director Quentin Tarantino is always chooses  wonderful ensembles for the movies he make,and in Django Unchained,you won't be disappointed about the cast.'Cause here,you got Oscar winners Jamie Foxx & Christoph Waltz,Good ol' Leo DiCaprio,the beautiful talented Kerry Washington and the always bad-ass Samuel L.Jackson.First things first,Jamie Foxx was excellent as Django.He fit the role perfectly and he was born to play the role of Django in this Tarantino film.His lines were well-delivered and his one-liners are just damn awesome.Christoph Waltz on the other hand served as a nice partner for Django,their chemistry onscreen was charming,his character Dr.King Schultz was the smart-ass while Django is the bad-ass.His acting here is better than it was in Basterds,and here he is given a bigger role as he plays the hero's second-in command.As he is always,Leo DiCaprio's acting was wonderful as he played the film's maniacal antagonist Calvin J.Candie.I thought that Leo was brilliant here,I loved how he spoke his lines and you just gotta love his evil flair.Kerry Washington's acting in the film was good,but not great.But one thing I loved in her performance here though is you can somehow be able to feel her emotions specially during the flashback whipping scene.Now,for Samuel L.Jackson,his onscreen presence was still enjoyable depsite the fact that he doesn't shoot a gun's trigger in the film.Not even once.In replacement for his trademark violent onscreen action was enjoyable dialogue delivered by him.It still would've been better though if they let him hand a gun,at least once.To top it all off,Django Unchained's amazing cast aren't disappointing,the performances are all top-notch and just enjoyable.

Visuals/Music/Miscellaneous:

If you missed Tarantino's trademark over-the-top violence in Inglorious Basterds,then you'll be relieved to see it again in here.Django Unchained is filled with stylishness and violence,If you're a sucker for bloody fights,then Mr.Tarantino's got you covered.The shootouts in the film sure are bloodily brutal,but at the same time just pure awesomely entertaining and jaw-dropping.Specially the shootout in the Big House.The film balances masterful storytelling with stunning,bad-ass action and it all works perfectly.Since one of Tarantino's trademarks is blending action with a little comedy and Django Unchained uses this quite effectively.It is perhaps funnier than Inglorious Basterds and a little charming too.Specially with Jamie Foxx's performance and the "KKK masks scene".For the run time,some may complain that it was too prolonged,but for me I had no problems with it.In fact,I have more fun watching a film when it is a little prolonged 'cause that way,the story becomes better.For the music,a Western needs to have music that are made by banjo strumming,well in Django,it still had that type of music,but mixed with modernism.By modernism,I mean today's music.The film had the music of Rick Ross,2Pac & James Brown,John Legend and many more.At most times,the use of hip-hop music in the movie was sometimes cool and sometimes out of place.But mostly cool.But aside from the modern music in the film,it had the western styled score.And it was amazing,particularly Django's theme that is played throughout the film's opening credits.For the film's pacing,it may be a little slow paced,but once it hits the middle part of the film,it builds its momentum that leads up to a slam-bang finale.To put it all in a nutshell,the film had great bloody visuals that are cool as always and the cinematography/camera work was just majestic as well.The music was mixed from a range of banjo strumming to hip-hop,some would love it but some would be feel a little awkward.But for me,I loved it.I thought it made the film more awesome.Specially John Legend and 2Pac's song used in the film.The run time didn't bother me at all,so it was definitely no fuss.The movie itself has a sort of black comedy all the way through,but once it reaches the climax,shit happens and the film's atmosphere goes from darkly comedic to utterly serious.But still,the ending made me cheer and you might too.

Direction/Director's Effort:

For Quentin Tarantino's directorial effort on this film,I definitely loved it.He became capable to make a modern era Western great and it homages the old Western shows/movies perfectly.To some,it might give slight nostalgia even.What I loved even more about Tarantino's directorial effort here is that he really tried his best to outdo his last film,Inglorious Basterds.Inglorious Basterds was thoroughly entertaining,but I felt that it lacked a little action.As for Django Unchained,he balanced the action and talking just right.And the action was satisfyingly bloody.So,for Tarantino,I would love to give him two thumbs up for delivering me a Western unlike anything I've seen before.

Overall:

Django Unchained is a bloody feast of entertainment filled with laughs,gruesome action and star-powered performances from an electrifying cast,therefore it may be one of the best Westerns you'll ever see.Django Unchained becomes one of Tarantino's masterpieces in his long career and probably his best yet in his later years of filmmaking.It is entertaining,it is darkly funny and it is just great despite its' offensiveness and controversy towards the movie.

The D Is Silent.Django Unchained gets 8.6 stars over 10.It is definitely one of Tarantino's finest works and a true must-see for this year.



*Looking for more Westerns? Try Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven,True Grit (1969 & 2010 Versions) and Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars,For A Few Dollars More and The Good,The Bad and The Ugly).Available to own on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video.
**Looking for more Tarantino films? Check out Inglorious Basterds (2009).Available to own on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

For the meantime,check out this 60-Second clip of the film:



(C) 2013 Sony Pictures Entertainment/The Weinstein Company.