Film Buffs

Movies That Will Make Your Heart Melt

admin — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I took my kids to see the movie Toy Story 3 and I loved it, but the end made me cry. It was sad that Andy gave his beloved toys away. Although, I know he had grown up and didn’t play with them anymore. He left them in good hands with cute little Bonnie and the toys were happy to have a child play with them again.

I know that the reason my heart melts during this movie is the reminder that someday my own children will be moving on like Andy. I will be proud of them when this happens, but it will be a bittersweet moment.

I love the Toy Story movies and the way that they focus on childhood and Andy’s vibrant imagination is realistic to the way that my own children play. I also appreciate the fact that the film makers create these movies to be entertaining for parents and I love them just as much as my kids do.

The romance between Barbie and Ken was wonderful and these were toys that I played with as a child. I loved remembering the hours of playtime that I enjoyed and the fact that the creators used toys from my era was a welcome reminder.

The Best Movies To Watch With Your Lover This Valentine’s Day

admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Cupid has been spotted flying his little naked bottom through the skies of the world, getting ready to launch arrows of love into the innocents below! That’s right; Valentine’s Day is coming right around the corner and millions of faithful celebrators are getting ready to cozy up next their lovers on the love seat. What better an idea for a romantic evening alone with your lover than to pop in a blockbuster romance? There are many of them out there, but do not be mistaken; not all romance movies have to inspire the water-works. Snuggle up to these romantic comedies with your love-bug this Valentine’s Day!

“50 First Dates” with Adam Sandler and Drew Berrymore is a hilarious romantic comedy and also a touching story that brings back memories of a more depressing “The Notebook” but still keeps the comedy rolling in. “50 First Dates” will make you remember why you and your lover fell in love in the first place.

“Knocked Up” is a great movie for new lovers to watch together on this Sweetheart’s Day. What happens when a “one night stand” results in an unexpected pregnancy and niether person was looking for a life-long commitment? He either leaves town, or they work together to get things down and eventually fall in love! This is very funny movie and also another great date movie for Valentine’s day.

When making plans for a movie night with your special lover this Valentine’s Day, it does’nt really matter what you watch together, just remember that laughter is the not only the best medicine; it can be a very powerful aphrodisiac!

The Scariest Horror Films Of The ’80s

admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The art of cinematography has always been important throughout its history. It has been actively developed during the twentieth century. During the last decades a number of cinema genres appeared, among them being: drama, action, love story, comedy horror and many others.Horror films are informed to enjoy an immense popularity in the entire world. This genre along with psychological thriller was significantly promoted by a legendary director Alfred Hitchcock. His is famous for his unique techniques copied and taken over by a number of brilliant directors who made their famous horror movies in the ’80s.In fact, there are a plenty of horror movies made in the ’80s that are worth seeing. First of all, the “Hell Motel” (1980) of Kevin Connor should be mentioned. It has got a reputation of being a “light-weight” movie, a mixture of humor and cannibalism. “An American Werewolf in London” (1980) is considered to be a classical film in the “werewolf” subgenre. “The Return of the Living Dead” (1984) by Dan O’Bannon is one of the first screened versions of the “dead men walking” idea. “Hellraiser” (1987) by Clive Barker has got an international acknowledgment due to the plot and exclusive special effects.

Channeling Your Movie Needs

www.filmbuffs.net — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

In the cold, winter months, a trip to the theater, braving the weather, sometimes isn’t as appealing as enjoying a warm cup of hot chocolate by the fire, as a movie plays on TV. Many viewers choose to subscribe to a premium movie channel package, adding a little bit of variety and depth to the paltry by comparison DVD collection. Choosing which movie channel is right for you is a task in and of itself. But, the options are pretty much the same, whether you’re a DIRECT TV, DISH or cable household. Here’s a look what to expect from the most prominent channels available, with some providers allowing to mix and match 2 or more:HBO Not only the most famous name in movies on the small screen, Home Box Office is the most widely watched of the movie channels as well, currently serving 28.5 million subscribers. Combining some of the biggest names in major release motion pictures, slightly dated throwbacks, popular original series (i.e. Entourage), boxing, documentaries, stand-up and more, the proven platform can suffice for many a viewer’s every need.Cinemax Owned by Home Box Office, Cinemax is often packaged with it in when purchasing channels. Cinemax focuses almost exclusively on movies, with less sports or original series presence, hence maximum cinema, the concept from which it takes its name. Cinemax is noted not only for its varied movie selection but also its special feature and erotica programming.Showtime Historically praised for its selection of movies, many a little less mainstream than HBO (in fact, at one point Showtime was officially branded with the slogan “Showtime has the hits HBO misses), the channel has recently increased viewership through popular series programming. Dexter, Weeds and Californication have all been critically acclaimed successes for Showtime as it continues to diversify its programming selection.Starz For those who cater more to independent and lesser known titles, or simply looking to expand their horizons, Starz runs a steady diet of such films, in addition to hit movies, stand-up comedy and original series. As far as Starz originals go, the channel only began running its own shows in 2005 and though they are yet to amass the following of competitors, they have been well received by critics. Spartacus will return for a second season (however, without its title character due to actor Andy Whitfield’s cancer diagnosis), to be joined by another legend-based upstart Camelot and science fiction drama newcomer Torchwood.

Christmas Family Classics

www.filmbuffs.net — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Christmas is a time for family. How better to spend it than by sharing a few laughs that cross generational borders? The Christmas miracle is finding a flick that entertains adults encouraging terribly inappropriate antics that would earn otherwise nice boys and girls a lump of coal from Santa Claus. When in doubt, these three Christmas comedy classics are sure to keep the holiday spirit bellowing from deep within your candy-cane filled gut. 1. A Christmas Story What could be more perfect for the family to enjoy on Christmas than a movie explicitly titled A Christmas Story. Not only does it guard against the dangers of licking frozen objects and asking your parents for potentially dangerous presents, but same quirky family anecdotes have stood the test of time, capturing the hearts and minds of audiences since 1983. With a The Wonder Years style narration and youthful perspective of household dynamics, this timeless tale has reverberated with viewers of all ages for generations now. Best of all, it airs for 24 hours straight on TBS every Christmas Day, so no need to waste time or money on a rental.2 & 3.Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Want to appreciate the comfort of family this holiday season? A three hour double feature of Kevin McAllister with no one to turn to but his bag of tricks, learning to appreciate the idiosyncrasies of relatives alongside the true meaning of Christmas is sure to provide a little entertainment and perspective. 4.National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Beware, this one is PG-13) The Griswold’s are at it again in arguably the best of the classic Vacation films. Much like its preceding installments, Christmas Vacation revolves around a run of the mill dad merely trying to survive in-laws and bad luck in an exaggerated caricature of the stresses of suburban family life.

Summing up the Summer in 3 movies

www.filmbuffs.net — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:31:46 +0000

The summer of 2010 saw laughs, tears and thrills that will have big screen images forever etched in our mind. Over the past 3 months audiences were treated to some of the highest grossing, top notch films on record across all niches, here’s a look at the most memorable films to make their mid-year debut

Inception – Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Christopher Nolan, Inception is undisputedly the most talked about movie of the summer, with raving reviews from movie critics and fans alike. Nolan follows up his history of summer box-office success, most notably with The Dark Knight, as this out-there science fiction flick bent the minds of sold out theaters. Walking the thin line between dreams and reality, Inception explores the levels of human consciousness and how they shape the perception of reality.
Despicable Me As far as family films go, this one truly has something for everyone. Though the characters may be animated, the dialogue and script are peppered with tastefully witty jokes clearly with the adult parents of the younger target audience in mind. Of course, when reading through the credits it becomes quickly evident that adult entertainment was at top of mind importance with names like Steve Carrell, Jason Segel , Russell Brand and Will Arnett. Kids will enjoy the cool cartoonish images and quirky characters, while adults appreciate the originality of the story and tongue in cheek humor in what is too often a cookie cutter genre.
Predators Finally a worthy movie to carry on the good Predators name, only this time it’s the Predators who have home-field advantage. Richard Rodriguez directs this high octane thrill ride as a team of highly trained human combatants find themselves trapped in a game preserve hunted by the Predator species, with survival as their only objective.

Guillermo del Toro heads back into the dark

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:26:22 +0000

With Guillermo del Toro’s announcement that he’s no longer directing the Hobbit films, the writer, director, and producer is freed up to follow more of his own properties. Many fans are hoping these will include Hellboy 3, which del Toro says he has definite plans for, but isn’t on his list of upcoming projects. Instead, the always-interesting filmmaker is involved with a variety of films across several genres. The most recent of these, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, premiered at San Diego Comic-Con last month.Del Toro’s influences have always included classic horror and weird fiction like H.P. Lovecraft’s. His previous films like Hellboy and Pan’s Labryinth pop with eye-catching creatures and old-fashioned scares. With Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, he takes his first shot at actually updating such a sourcein this case, a 1973 made-for-television film of the same name. This new film is written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins, and serves as the directing debut of Troy Nixey. Katie Holmes plays a young girl who moves in with her father and discovers a race of creatures living in the house with her.That film will release in 2011. Del Toro is producing a couple of Spanish-language films which will release before then, the drama Biutiful and the horror film Julia’s Eyes. However, the filmmaker’s next directed effort isn’t scheduled until 2012 or later: an adaptation of idol H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “At the Mountains of Madness.” A del Toro-penned remake of Disney’s The Haunted Mansion is also due in 2012.As if that weren’t enough, del Toro also branched out last year by writing a novel, The Strain, alongside author Chuck Hogan. A sequel, The Fall, is planned to be released in September.

Inception satisfies viewers on many levels

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:11:12 +0000

Inception, the new sci-fi actioner from director Christopher Nolan, is only his first film since 2008′s blockbuster The Dark Knight. However, it’s also his first film since 2000′s Memento to be based on an original idea, rather than a novel or comic book. So what are the results? According to many reviewers, nothing short of stunning.To ensure proper enjoyment of the plot, most of it must remain a mystery (as it has, in fact, since the film’s inception). The premise is simple if surreal: Leonardo DiCaprio enters people’s dreams and changes them to suit the ends of his clients. He works with a team with pulpy names like “The Architect”, “The Forger”, and “The Chemist”, but rather than coming off as simply Ocean’s 11 in a sci-fi world (which, let’s admit, would be awesome), Nolan crafts a twisting story that holds its own with his earlier Memento.Most viewers will head in with the realization that they won’t catch everything on the first viewing, but luckily Inception also provides enough pure adrenaline to more than warrant its ticket price. One of these is a fight-scene that rivals the best of The Matrix trilogy and plays out in zero gravity. Other notable scenes include a riveting car chase and a hard-hitting straight-out fistfight.(Mostly) all of the actors bring their A-games here, from DiCaprio’s tortured hero to the sweetness of Ellen Page to the hard-bitten Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Some viewers may have trouble catching all the lines of dialogue from actor Ken Watanabe, though the rest of his performance is as compelling as the rest.Overall, Inception comes out as a visual, emotional, and psychological success. While the plot muddles some due to its sheer amount of inventiveness, most viewers will hardly care. If you haven’t seen the movie of the summer, run, don’t walk, now.

Understanding the Success of the Twilight Saga

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:23:08 +0000

In the last few years there has been an insurgence of vampires into the film and literary world. These historically dark creatures have also taken on a whole new persona that can actually be good and virtuous. Stephenie Meyer introduced us to the Cullen family in her the first book of the series, Twilight. This non-biologically related group of people is bound together by their commitment to overcome the inherent evil of being a vampire. Turning from their blood-sucking ways, they resist the temptation to eat humans and only feast on wild animals. In a market saturated with romance novels, many wonder what has led this series to become such a global sensation. I would suggest that the nature of the two characters who fall in love contribute to the success of the story. In an ideal world, no love would be hindered or ruined by any opposing force, yet in reality we are attracted to conflict. We want to see a struggle for love, and the forbidden relationship Bella and Edward enter into, seems to have great appeal. The fact that these two are essentially two different species makes this an exceptionally difficult situation. The constant fear that something could go wrong and ruin what Bella and Edward have, keeps readers coming back for more. Another more superficial reason for the Twilight success is the physical appearance of its characters. While the vivid descriptions in the novels give you a good idea, the movie confirms that Bella is an average, natural-looking teenager and Edward, though handsome in many ways, looks nothing like the other Hollywood heartthrobs of most movies. Edward Cullen gives a whole new meaning to porcelain skin. For the first time in decades, two of Hollywood’s hottest stars are un-tanned, yet beautiful people. This is only one of many theories about the Twilight success, but no matter what the reason, this is definitely a title that will be remembered for decades.

5 Most Unnecessary Remakes

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:28:14 +0000

With Hollywood apparently running low in the fresh ideas department, studios seem to be serving up repackaged leftovers, sometimes throwing in a big budget to try to make an old classic shine again. Unfortunately, this approach is often either done too soon or strays too far from why audiences fell in love with the original film. Here is a list of the 5 most unnecessary remakes out there.5. The Karate Kid (2010) When it was first rumored Mr. Miyagi was being brought out of retirement, a lot of people thought Karate Kid was being rereleased for a new generation to enjoy on the big screen. After all, it came out in 1984, just long enough ago for some of its original young fans to share it witht there kids today. An entirely new remake was nowhere near necessary, but sentiments are tempered in that this movie could probably survive on its own. With some key setting and plot changes, at least the new version offers a fresh spin on the classic, as opposed to just recasting it wish new stars and better effects.4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) At first glance it would seem this 1951 film could use a freshen-up. Studios were probably licking their chops at the chance to apply today’s new technology to one of science fiction fans favorite scripts, but in doing so they missed the point of why fans today still rave about the golden oldie. The black and white version is quirky, engaging and believable in its naivety and doesn’t fit with the modern day script updates and thematic relevance re-writers forced down viewers’ throats.3. Lolita (1997) It takes guts to remake a Kubrick film, with his notorious reputation as a perfectionist, and Adrian Lyne’s new version is far from terrible, but a lot of the genius in the 1962 film lies in crafting Nabokov’s novel to be not only suitable for the sensors of the early 60′s but true to the story’s central motifs. Remaking Lolita under today’s relaxed societal norms turns the film from a masterpiece into a mere movie.2. Psycho (1998) The sign of a truly terrible remake is when young people who weren’t even alive when the original movie was popular are more likely to have seen the older film. Ask anyone of age to see an R-rated movie who directed Psycho and you’ll hear “Hitchcock” a whole lot more than “Van Sant.”1. Death At A Funeral (2010) Students could have seen both the original and the remake in the same four years of college or high school. When piggybacking a movie made just 3 years prior, try to at least make it an improvement. Casting Chris Rock to this end is never a bright idea.