In time, 2011

In time, 2011
Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy





Stage: Kolosej, local cinema


In time in short: In the not-too-distant future the aging gene has been switched off. To avoid overpopulation, time has become the currency and the way people pay for luxuries and necessities. The rich can live forever, while the rest try to negotiate for their immortality. A poor young man who comes into a fortune of time, though too late to help his mother from dying. He ends up on the run from a police force known as 'time keepers'.


Preps: Well, one of the hot ones in the movies. A friend draggs me to the movies. She claims it's worth seeing. Hmm.


Reality: What happens if time becomes currency, you divide people in chaotic casts (time zones) and rich people (filled with time)dictate the way you are going to live? Well, in my eyes, the realistic picture of the world today, being put in the level, where you can take it as a game. With a sub joker, that is written on your hand just above your wrist - the clock that serves as your ticket to another day.

The poor are really poor. Live one day to another, chasing minutes and working double shifts to pass time to people they love and need to keep. Your limit to the given time makes all sorts of discrepancies - namely your mother can still look 25 years of age, whereas your grandchildren can look also the same age you have. The boundaries of age are erased, and physically you can only imagine this. However, one becomes fed up being locked in a body for eternity. What would you do if you had eternal amount of time is very similar to the question what would you do if you had eternal amount of money? And eternal youth is something a lot of directors pursued in some movies I have already seen. Nevertheless, this is one of the more interesting ones, even though it keeps me cold. The scenes (dialogues) are trivial, the cast isn't convincing. There is absolutely NO energy between the main actors and no energy in the other relationships. At least not visible to the spectator.
And as far as the story goes - mix Robin Hood, the Matrix, The fifth element, Men in black - and you will get this piece. Obviously the main villain resembles the main villain from Fifth Element. Unfortunately Justin cannot be Bruce Willis in a million years. So it doesn't really work. The main time keeper resembles a renegade that needs to get his priorities straight. To be good or to confine the law. Two very different options. Can't do both, so he stays in the middle, so does his act.

The music.. not recognizeable. Which means I don't even notice it. But I notice a lot of holes in the movie, as the emental cheese it falls apart. The woman is running half the time in so high heals your knees tremble when I imagine running like that. Or jumping from the roof (in the high heels) and continue to run afterwards. Right. Seconds in this movie seem like minutes (No way you can run this far in ten seconds. But I accept we need to be flexible in our mindset).

As my friend is so thrilled to see it, I am more or less dissatisfied with this version of Robin Hood. If everything was of everyone, noone would work. No production means no goods to buy. No money (time) to spend. Unfortunately we are not designed to work in a world where everyone would have everything. As the animals in the zoo, if you took them out, wouldn't survive, we also wouldn't. True as it can ever be.

The thing that is the most destroying in my rate is the lack of idea what to do. The movie shows no solutions, it just points out the problem. The only solution it poses is give every resource to everyone. When even a teenager can cleary see it's not supposed to be like this. Not nowadays. Maybe in prehistoric time, but not now. So no idea how to solve this unevenness in the world. Plus, if I ever see this image of Lara Croft (or did they want to depict Leeloo from Fifth element?), in the same role, it will be too soon. Unimaginative, unreal.


My personal rate: 2,0 (ehm.. not really worth your time and thinking about it afterwards. Not convincing at all).


In time on IMDB

Bad Teacher, 2011

Bad Teacher, 2011
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake





Stage: Home theatre

Bad Teacher in short: When her wealthy fiancé breaks it off, gold digger Elizabeth Halsey returns to middle school: she's an awful teacher but wants to save for breast-implant surgery. She brightens when Scott, a new teacher, turns out to be rich, and she stops showing films and sleeping in class when told there's a bonus for the teacher whose class scores highest on the state exam. Her competition for Scott and the bonus is cheery and tightly wound Amy. Amy digs for dirt on Elizabeth who cheats her way toward Scott's bed and the money. Honesty with students seems to be her only skill. She ignores Russell, a droll gym teacher, who looks on. Will she succeed with Scott and get those new breasts?



Preps: hot thing in our movies. Am not really anxious to see it as I don't believe that Diaz and Timberlake could do something amazing, but am curious, so here we go.



Reality: This isn't the hottest thing you could see in this period in this genre. Cameron Diaz plays a teacher that acts as if she was taken from outer space. Which virtually means she hasn't a clue what to do with children while she's teaching (or supposed to teach them) something. At first, it's amusing, however, later on in the procedure, it becomes annoying and so imaginative, that I start hating the piece as a whole.
Unmistakeably, Justin Timberlake is better than I expect. However, he's still a singer and every time he opens his mouth, I wait for him to start hopping and singing like in one of his videos. My bad, i know, however I cannot help it. The role he has is so .. cheesy. Cheesy beyond belief. A teacher in male role that would read, talk, think like this one does? I don't think so. Some of the obstacles I personally see in this piece on its way to make it work, are definitely hidden http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifin expectations that this "bad teacher" has from life; perspectives about making your tits bigger and then the guy will fall (do you really want a guy that is so stupid that all he sees are bigger tits?!?); do you want a guy that will read you books you cannot bear to hear, or poems you don't want to be read to you?
The rivalry between teachers is a classic, however, in this case it goes beyond any serious perspective. I just don't buy it. The principle would never go that far in order to indulge some teacher. To have a teacher cooperating at a school fund raise in a sexy way? Maybe it fills the seats, but it's really unreal! Or would a teacher go this far to make the class win a state championship (here hidden in forms of formal tests). Too many weak moments of this movie make it extremely bad. Yes, Diaz can be sexy as hell and Timberlake cute as an angel, however, to make a good piece, this is by far not enough.


My personal rate: 3,0 (not really worth your time. Or mine :)


Bad Teacher on IMDB

Friends with benefits, 2011

Friends with Benefits, 2011
Director: Will Gluck
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson


Stage: Home theatre

Friends with benefits in short: While trying to avoid the clichés of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan and Jamie soon discover however that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications.


Preps: Ahm,.. not another one on the same topic? I am curious, can we make so many movies on the same topic and just switch actors? This must be the third or the fourth this year alone. Well.. Mila Kunis is the intriguing person I want to see. Timberlake? Yeah, well..



Reality: I must confess I am positively surprised with this piece. Playful, fun, yet realistic. Can this cliche be something lasting forever and ever? Definitely not. At some point someone will fall in love (if he/she still hasn't). In this sense I know we must be looking for this perticular moment in the movie. Up to that point this piece in perticular is sexy, funny and relaxing. Nothing more, but also nothing less. I absolutely adore the playfulness that surrounds the main cast. Timberlake is exquisite in this role (as opposed to the dork he was playing in the Bad Teacher). I cannot believe that he can also show good acting, and I am subcounsciously applauding him for that). The same way Lopez made her way to the stage, he could also. Just read an interview with him claiming that he is more work than play. Plus, here he is showing an extreme sexappeal - the same as Mila Kunis.

Now, the topic is overdone, nevertheless the movie seems fresh and inspiring. It will drag to your hearts if you are a fan of romantic comedies and Hollywood endings. In its genre it's one of better ones in this period, therefore more than worth seeing.

The scenes aren't really smart, however the music is something you will love and the image of successful career people you will see throughout this piece.


My personal rate: 7,5 (good, funny, nice piece to see on a good Sunday evening).


Friends with Benefits on IMDB

Yogi Bear, 2010

Yogi Bear, 2010
Director: Eric Brevig
Cast (voices): Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake, Anna Faris



Stage: Home theatre, 3D version?


Yogi in short: Jellystone Park is celebrating its 100 anniversary, however it may be for the last time, because attendance is down and Mayor Brown wants to close the park and sell the land. If the park is closed, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo will lose their home. They join forces with Ranger Smith to save Jellystone from closing forever. Yogi must really prove in this endeavor that he is "smarter than the average bear".



Preps: Well, I have seen several of the cartoons regarding Yogi and loved them. How about a movie? Usually it wrecks what you had pictured for something like this. But let me get my surprise.


Reality: Well, Yogi is Yogi. Wherever he goes, he's the same. Even in the movie, that doesn't resemble cartoon even from a long distance. All the scenes with Yogi should remain in the movie. Most of them superb and genuine, some a bit weird. All the scenes without Yogi in this case are plain stupid.The director must believe that the viewers are really limited and without any sense of humour or sense for reality. The underestimation of the viewer is huge and I feel truly stupid at some moments for watching this piece of s...

All comes back when Yogi steps in the field. Yes, this is the true sense I had for this cartoon when being a child. The voices, the humour, so genuine. Why do these people need to be around? The storyline is predictable, all the effects are .. well, on the level 1 - the movie could have been done so much better. Did they have a thin budget to go along with most of the studio filming? Where was the music? And someone to knock over the actors every time they really exaggerated at some move or some scenes? I am on one side, dissappointed and as said, would put all the "human" scenes out, but I am absolutely crazy about Yogi and Bubu. If you are a fan of that cartoon, watch it, because you will love the couple and hate all the rest.



My personal rating: 4,0 (looking it from a child's perspective and neglecting the influence of stupidity shown in the way adults are supposed to react.. well, take this away and it can be edible. But nothing beyond that. Fans from Yogi will remain fans. But the fan pool will not increase because of this movie, maybe even shorten).


Yogi on IMDB