Looper- A Time Bending Must See

Looper is a futuristic time travelling action film from the mind of Rian Johnson (director of Brick) and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. The actors play one man, Joe, a "looper" who in the year 2042 begins murdering individuals that the futuristic mob deems necessary to kill from 2072. The job of a looper is clear and the retirement package is finite- when the mob is done with you, they close your loop by sending back your futuristic self along with a delicious gold payload that signifies the beginning of a looper's final 30 years.

The plot is simple enough and doesn't dare try to justify or explain the complications that such time travel would entail. The movie is filmed efficiently with style despite limitations and does its best to present a plausible looking future world, however, all is not perfect. Rian Johnson throws in some plot points that seem forced- better yet pushed in order for the audience to accept the events that have to inevitably happen (i.e. do we really need the presence of TK mutants? Well you better remember this fact, it will probably become part of the plot in 30 or so minutes when Joseph and Bruce get tired of chasing each other).

What's appreciated in this film is the dedication to the cause. It is genuinely refreshing to see a talented director/writer give their all in trying to create a new and stimulating science fiction film. Looper is ultra slick, violent, creative, and incredibly tense. There were real moments when the audience ohh'd and ahh'd together at gruesome or pleasantly surprising scenes. Furthermore, it is a delight to see a cast of well rounded and very talented actors (in particular, Joseph Gordon-Levitt who takes on Bruce Willis' mannerisms and tone with seasoned ease) present an engaging story that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

Resident Evil Retribution- Dangerously Cheesy

It's difficult to adjust ones mindset when beginning to enjoy a movie from the Resident Evil movie franchise. Paul WS Anderson is not a creative director and Mila Jovovich, while stunning and never aging, is not in the running for an Oscar any time soon- however, the latest installment of Resident Evil Retribution does something quite wonderful and that is revolutionizing the concept of a "video game" movie.

To be more specific, it's quite enjoyable to follow a main protagonist literally walk from level to level as a computer program dictates which bad guys or bosses they will fight and which weapons they will employ in order to make it to the end of the "game". It is also refreshing to watch a project that employs the use of RealD technology, with purpose, in every scene.

What's unfortunately disappointing in this film is watching Paul WS Anderson lose all of the minimal character development he took the time to establish in the first Resident Evil film (which personally remains my favorite in the series). It is also a bit heartbreaking to watch the opening sequence, of a gorgeous reverse slow motion action packed scene, filmed to technical perfection and then watch the quality of the acting and story slowly decline to the final frame.

But for a good time, not to be taken seriously, Resident Evil Retribution provides an audience with non stop RealD action that stays true to the creative concept of a video game film adaptation.