James' Movie Blog

  True love. It's common fact that that particular statement has been around for quite some time. And nowhere is this quote more hilariously spoken than in 1987's “The Princess Bride”, a movie that blends together both comedy and fantasy all at the same time. While not a huge hit upon release, the film has certainly gained a following. And rightfully so. Mostly due to how funny it is. Directed by Rob Reiner, with a script by William Goldman based off his book, the movie has endured and enthralled audiences for nearly 35 years. There are some minor problems present, but the overall experience is more than worth the price of admission. “The Princess Bride” is an engaging and captivating film that pokes fun at the concept of a fairy tale. The story has a grandfather (Peter Falk) proceeding to tell his grandson (Fred Savage) a story. In said story, a woman named Buttercup (Robin Wright) falls desperately in love with a man named Westley (Cary Elwes). However, he goes missing, and ...

Fantasy is a tricky genre to pull off. Luckily, in the realm of animation, fantasy can run wild. Which brings us to our latest animated feature from Pixar “Onward”. Combining the fantasy world with that of the modern world, this film does its job well enough to tell out a fleshed out story of two brothers wanting to use magic to bring their father back to life. While it may not have that same creative oomph that a lot of Pixar films are known for, “Onward” does manage to deliver some very impressive art with the world that it's given. “Onward” is a neat blend of ideas, and concentrates on what it means to be a brother. The story is set in a world where fantasy creatures and modern technology exist. One elf named Ian (Tom Holland) just wants to live life like every normal teenager. Ian's brother, Barley (Chris Pratt) on the other hand, enjoys role playing dice games, and is fascinated by the past. One day, Ian and Barley receive a gift from their late father: a magical ...

Take all the stories from the tall tale genre, and combine it with a person's real life, and you get this movie. “Big Fish” is basically a tall tale of someone's life told through an extraordinary, and surprising way. This tall tale contains stories of love, laughter, drama, and excitement that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It's both a wonder and an achievement at how this movie is so good. “Big Fish” combines all the stories of a tale tale, and getting at your emotions, including this reviewer, in one of the most underrated gems from Tim Burton. The story is that Edward Bloom (Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor) tells his son, Will (Billy Cruddup), stories based on events in his life. As a child, Will believes his dad, but on his wedding day, Will now realizes that the stories his father told him were not true. After believing this, Will promises to never speak to his father again. Several months pass, and Will is doing fine, until he learns that his ...

Halloween is a typical holiday where things tend to be a bit on the scary side. Then there's the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday similar to Halloween, but with a more remembrance and focus on those who are gone from the world. And Hollywood is known for releasing films that are focused on Halloween; not so much on the Day of the Dead. Enter “The Book of Life”, a great animated film that is perfect for the season. We need more films like this, and hopefully, in the wake (no pun intended) of this movie's release, we will see more soon. Though the film does haves some issues, they are minor to say the least. “The Book of Life” is an extraordinary animated film that will hopefully gain younger audiences to learn more about the holiday known as the Day of the Dead. The plot involves a love triangle between three people. We have Manolo (Diego Luna), a bullfighter who wants to be a musician, and Joaquin (Channing Tatum), an egotistical soldier but has a right mind for the p...