My Movie Reviews: I Am Number Four (2011)

John Smith/Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) and Number Six (Teresa Palmer) in I Am Number Four

The film is based on the novel I Am Number Four, written by Jobie Hughes and James Frey, with an adapted screenplay by Al Gough, Miles Millar, and Marti Noxon. The film was produced by Michael Bay through DreamWorks and was released February 18, 2011.

THE CAST

Alex Pettyfer as John Smith/Number 4
Timothy Olyphant as Henri
Dianna Agron as Sarah Hart
Kevin Durand as Mogadorian Commander
Teresa Palmer as Number 6
Callan McAuliffe as Sam
Jake Abel as Mark

SYNOPSIS

John is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed... he is Number Four.

TRAILER

MY THOUGHTS

I actually don't have a lot to say about this film besides the fact that I am greatly disappointed. Like most critics have said about this movie, it was like a film full of senseless action. The acting, however, was not frowned upon by me. The acting was very well executed in my opinion, but the plot of the story left absolutely too many questions unanswered. I have not read the book and unfortunately don't plan to read it any time soon. The way this story left off was also a bit awkward. SPOILERS: Number 6 and John connect the mystical rocks and suddenly realize where the remaining four Loriens are. The two leave the current town with Sam and John promises Sarah he won't forget her and that he will be coming back. John/Number 4, Number 6, and Sam leave the town and head out on their new adventure as the credits roll. SPOILERS END. The film ends with us wondering, if the Evil aliens are dead... why do they have to go on an adventure? What new threat possibly awaits? I mean really??? I mean come on... Twilight Saga: New Moon's cliff hanger may have been a little pointless (since most of us have read the books and know that Bella eventually marries Edward), the series itself is not pointless. Another thing about the series that makes no sense is that the rights for the film were bought a year before the book even came out. WHY? For all we know there could never be another book written in the I Am Number Four Saga. At least when Harry Potter and The Twilight Saga became film series, there had been a certain amount of books released to even begin a series (Harry Potter was in its fourth book by the time the film series started and The Twilight Saga had just released its final book of the series the same year the film series started). But I am Number Four was different. Obviously before the book was even published, the first film was under way (I'm really not dogging the story, but if the budget of a film is 50 million and the Gross is 38 million in the US Box office in it's first week... there is a serious problem and something was not clearly thought through). That being said, Hollywood really jumped the gun with I Am Number Four.

Unfortunately, this will be my first negative movie review. I give I Am Number Four an unfortunate: ★★★★★ 2 out of 5 Stars

Random Character Quote of the Month

"This is why I don't like clowns... especially when I'm forced to see them perform"

- Darrell Houston

(from The Funhouse 3: What Clowns Are Made Of)

My Movie Reviews: Black Swan (2010)

Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers in Black Swan (2010)

Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, and Mila Kunis. Its plot revolves around a production of Swan Lake by a prestigious New York City ballet company.

The Script was written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John McLaughlin with the film being directed by Darren Aronofsky and it had a limited release on December 10, 2010 and was released nationwide on December 17, 2010.

THE CAST

Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers

Mila Kunis as Lily

Vincent Cassel as Thomas Leroy

Barbara Hershey as Erica Sayers

Wionna Ryder as Beth MacIntyre

Ksenia Solo as Veronica

Kristina Anapau as Galina

Janet Montgomery as Madeline

Sebastian Stan as Andrew

Toby Hemingway as Tom

Sergio Torrado as Sergio

SYNOPSIS

Nina Sayers is a ballerina at a prestigious ballet company New York City. Nina is desperately wanting to be the Swan Queen in the company's new production of Swan Lake. She has the perfection and grace of the White Swan, but doesn't have the sensuality needed to portray the seductive Black Swan. Thomas Leroy, the ballet director, chooses Nina for the part because he feels she has what it takes to be phenomenal. But when a new ballerina joins the company named Lily, Nina feels threaten and begins a series of hallucinations, which subsequently helps Nina find her dark and sensual side in this amazing psychological thriller.

TRAILER

MY THOUGHTS

OK... I lied. This is the last movie I will be doing a review on from 2010. I know I'm a bit late on this review since it has been out since December, but it was so AMAZING I had to do a review. I had heard people talking about Black Swan and how amazing it was but didn't actually know what it was about (besides my novice knowledge of the ballet Swan Lake). So I was playing around on Youtube and I saw this video:

I was blown away! I told myself I have to see this movie tonight. So after I got off work, I went to the movie theater (one of the perks for working at a mall) and bought a ticket to see the movie. My anxiety was so high I was too excited. And when it was all over, I was extremely blown away. I could feel Nina's frustration when trying to perfect her ballet moves to portray the Black Swan (I'm a perfectionist myself and tend to hammer myself when things don't go perfectly or when I mess up). Natalie Portman was amazing and I absolutely love her. The choreography was also amazing for the ballet also. And another thing I loved was it wasn't just about ballet, Nina was trying to find her voice. But anyway, I would say some other things about Black Swan, but spoilers are unnecessary... GO SEE FOR YOURSELF! Sorry. Anyway, I would now like to present my rating of this wonderful film.

I give Black Swan: ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars

Natalie Portman, Keep up the great work!