by Stephanie  Waldrop

John Travolta is back in action in the new movie, “From Paris with Love.”  John plays a shaved head, cocaine sniffing Secret Agent Charlie Wax who has been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack… Along for the ride is James Reese, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Reese is a low key spy who was always hoping for a high key job and he gets just that when he’s paired up with Charlie, which begins them into a terrorist conspiracy. Director  Pierre Morel (who also directed Taken) seems like he’s just focusing on Cinematography and violence.

It’s nice to be watching a movie and seeing the beautiful sites of Paris, but you need more to a film. The camera-work used during the fight scenes is just horrific. It really hurts to see a movie with such action have poor shots. It really creates a bad movie. What didn’t lapse was the action. But too much action can be possible. This movie is just over-the-top. Don’t get me wrong, I love a fast-pace movie as the next person, but at the end of this one, I had a headache! Not to forget that half the town gets killed before the movie is half over. Overall, if you’re a fan of Travolta I say wait till it goes onto DVD. This might be the last thrill ride movie he’ll do.

If not, go see Avatar for the 5^th time. I’ll say one thing: If Travolta wasn’t in this movie; it wouldn’t be worth even mentioning. His co-star lacks mostly everything.  From Paris with Love is just another movie that could of been, but wasn’t.

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by Vanessa Paredes

It’s here. The highly anticipated, overly hyped, oh so talked about film: New Moon. The second installment of the Twilight Saga hit the big screen this November and you can bet your life savings that the lines were outrageous and theaters were sold out all over the nation. Fully equipped with a new director (Chris Weitz), New Moon definitely out staged the production of Twilight, but not by a long shot. If one thing is for certain though, it’s that Edward Cullen is about to blend into the shadows and a new obsession will arise; his name is Jacob Black.

In New Moon, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) couldn’t be more awkward with each other, and there is a reason behind it. Edward plans to leave forks and Bella behind. He does so early into the film, and the “break up” shakes up the story line, bringing forward Jacob black (Taylor Lautner) to our attention.  Once Bella really starts warming up to her new “friend” another fantastical secret is unraveled. Vampires are not the only non-humans roaming around Forks; Jacob and his “clan” take the form of wolves in order to “protect” the town from vampires, or at least the evil kind. Naturally, Jacob falls in love with Bella while Edward is absent, and this creates a chaotic love triangle that will be a major theme in the movies to come. Just when it seems like Bella is finally warming up to the idea of liking Jacob back, Edward is forcefully engrained back on to her feeble mind when he makes a phone call to the Swan residence for the first time after his disappearance.

Bella gets on a plane to Italy faster than you can say vampires are not real, in attempts to save her soul mate from killing himself. Edward had been misinformed that Bella had passed away, and finds only one solution: plead with the Volturi (Organized coven of vampires) to take his life, which is no easy task, being a vampire and all. The Volturi consisted of the best actors in the film, including big shots such as Dakota Fanning playing Jane, and Michael Sheen as Aro. How the movie ends is yours to figure out.

New Moon shouldn’t break a sweat impressing the teenage female population. Weitz incorporates all the right elements, and some of the scenes are beautifully done. Although the movie does lack decent actors, because let’s face it, Robert Pattinson can’t act to save his life, the movie-goers will still sink their teeth into this vampire fantasy flick. In addition the film was successful in staying true to the book, which will hopefully keep the Twi-hard’s complaints to a minimum.  So get those movie tickets and enjoy the era’s newest craze.

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by Angela Robledo

As countless audience members piled into the theatre, the room was silent as fans anticipated the film that would give them a peek inside their hero’s life in his last musical days.  As the opening credits rolled, I could hear the anxious bites of popcorn and see the nervous bites of nails. “This Is It” is the film that depicts the gone-too-soon idol in his honest role of performer and friend. Michael Jackson made many dreams come true with the announcement of his London tour, however many fans in the United States were unaware of just how much tenuous work was put in to the project.

Through this film, we had the opportunity to see just that: a wise man’s work for a project he was passionate about. With cameras there in moments usually unseen, I discovered that Jackson is not the man the tabloids expose him to be. Instead of the high voiced and slightly outrageous person depicted on magazine covers, he is actually a musician with a good sense of humor, a sensitive heart, and killer dance moves (but we already knew that one).

Known for his groundbreaking music videos and explosive shows, Jackson ensured the “This Is It” London tour was to be nothing short of spectacular. As a film buff myself, I had a great appreciation for the music videos to be used as song intros. In one introducing the hit “Smooth Criminal,” Jackson is in the middle of Chicago during the prohibition era battling with renowned black and white actor Humphrey Bogart. Had it not been for this movie, the mass creativity and resources already put in to this tour would have remained unknown. Fans in the audience watched intently as they watched a great show come to life before their eyes.  While it’s a shame this tour had to be cancelled due to Jackson’s untimely and devastating death, the film aided in bringing his legacy to life once again.

During the movie I could not grasp the fact that this motivational artist was simply gone; his spirit was very much alive on the big screen. His dancing and majesty on stage was skillfully captured, and fans could not help but clap and sing along with the hits we all know so well. Not a foot in the room could refrain from tapping. “Man in the Mirror” played as we saw Jackson holding hands with his dancers, thanking them for being a part of it all. His love and sincerity was evident as he brought them in for a group hug. The film ended in a freeze frame of Jackson with his arms out wide, embracing the fulfillment of the end of a song. The picture stayed on screen for a long moment, allowing fans to remember this image that described the passionate man so well. Eyes were dried, and immediately the theatre broke out in applause.

I left the theatre with bittersweet feelings: inspired by a man’s dedication to his creativity and inspirations in life, and sad that such a trivial person was gone so soon. “This Is It” is a tremendous film that allows fans around the world to forever remember Michael Jackson and his legacy as a beautiful human and motivational artist.

-A perfect four stars out of four-

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The Boys Are Back
by Angela Robledo

A film about a husband’s journey as he copes with life after the love of his life dies, The Boys Are Back is a story that depicts the harsh realities that come along with drastic change. Joe Warr has a seemingly perfect life until the unthinkable happens: his wife is plagued with cancer. He is forced to take on the role of sole parental figure with his youngest son, Artie. Adopting the phrase “Just Say Yes,” Joe attempts to raise his son in a fun, loving, and lenient environment. Just as he grasps the vast transition, his son from a previous marriage moves to live with him from England. The boys bond and the three of them come together as a family. Even with a few hiccups along the way, Joe manages to keep his family afloat.

Heartfelt scenes and quick, raw lines, The Boys Are Back was without a doubt the most powerful movie I’ve seen all year. My eyes watered throughout the movie; sometimes it was out of sadness, but most of the time it was in complete appreciation of the beauty of the scenes and how they accurately illustrated real life dilemmas. I can usually describe movies down to the very last shot, but this time the words don’t come so easy. The only thing I can assuredly say is that this movie was wonderful. It was the most emotional and stunning I have seen in a very long time. It tugs at the heartstrings, and there was not a dry eye in the theatre.

(4 stars out of 4)

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Movie Review
Paranormal Activity
By: Stephanie Figueroa

Its been called “the scariest movie of all time” and been demanded in hundreds of cities. What’s with all the hype about Paranormal Activity? Well, its not your typical horror film, thats for certain. Its safe to say, movies like these don’t come around often. If you are easily frightened and prone to sleepless nights, then suggesting to watch this movie would be pointless. If not, read on.
One aspect that sets this movie apart from others is the way it was filmed.
Writer-Director of the movie, Oren Peli, is a fan of slow-burn type movies. He created this film with a nominal crew of himself, his best friend, his girlfriend, and a hired make-up artist. The entire movie is through the point of view of a home purchased camera held by either of the two characters, Micah, played by Micah Sloat or Katie, played by Katie Featherson. The sensation of being a home video is really what is the most eerie, being that it seems realistic.
The couple in the film decide to record their daily lives, including their nocturnal ones, in case they discover what has been creeping around their house. As the movie progresses, Katie and Micah begin experiencing worse and worse “paranormal activity” in the house. On a nightly basis, something always seems to be disturbing their sleep. Whether it be footsteps or slamming doors, whatever it is, it wants Katie and Micah’s attention. And that is just what it gets.
The movies turning point is definitely towards the end. By then, the audience is on the edge of their seats. What comes next is something beyond unexpected. The ending will leave viewers speechless and questioning the little things that go bump in the night.

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