Resident Evil: Afterlife D movie review (2010)

Resident Evil: Afterlife [3D] (2010)

With a new villain and anew location, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" sees Alice trying to find Arcadia, the so-called last safe haven for survivors of the T-virus. She finds her old ally Claire from the previous installment, who has lost her memory, and together they meet up with a new group of survivors trying to get to Arcadia. Easier said than done when they're all surrounded by the undead. While I equally enjoyed the previous "Resident Evil" films, I found "Afterlife" to be the most spectacular of all four, in terms of action and special effects. Paul W.S. Anderson's direction is rather impressive this time, offering some creative camera angles and inventive camera movements. The 3D Fusion Camera System is used perfectly, and the end result is effective and at times impressive. I even dare to say, the 3D effects in "Resident Evil: Afterlife" are the best since James Cameron's "Avatar". It's that good! The stunning, obviously Matrix-inspired, action sequences are hugely entertaining to watch, alternating slow-motion shots with fast cuts. Sadly, aside from the visuals, everything else is still rather formulaic. The script is sub-par, and of course there are more characters to kill off, none of whom you would ever develop a connection with, with the exception of Alice, of course. Milla Jovovich is a total badass chick and born to play Alice. Luckily, she also can act, as she does a great job as the feminine gun totting action hero. Milla is what sells this film, because she's a natural when it comes to action films because of her on-screen presence. The other characters are really just there for Alice to have someone to interact with and for the zombies to have someone to kill. Ali Larter does well with the physically demanding parts of her role and just as good with her performance. Wesker, as the villain, speaks and moves just like Agent Smith, and that's not the only clear Matrix reference. "Prison Break"'s Wentworth Miller does just alright as Claire's brother Chris. The other supporting actors are mediocre at best. Formulaic and predictable, yet visually-arresting, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" offers eye-popping 3D effects and amazing kick-ass action sequences, that should please any action fan. Arguably, the best of the series!

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 21% (4.0/10)
• IMDb: 6.6/10

The King's Speech movie review (2010)

The King's Speech (2010)

Brief review: British filmmaker Tom Hooper brings this simple, yet brilliantly-written and cleverly conceived story, about the unusual friendship between a future king and his speech therapist, which is not only historically accurate, but also hugely engrossing and truly heartfelt. The uneven, yet beautiful relationship between the two key characters is certainly the driving force of this film. Colin Firth delivers the performance of his career as the unconfident soon-to-be-king Albert, struggling to overcome a stammer, and yet, Geoffrey Rush is somewhat the more interesting and likable of the two. His performance is nothing short of fascinating, and although Firth gets all the credit for his difficult role as King George VI, Rush is equally as good, if not better, as the speech therapist, Lionel, who possess an incredibly uplifting spirit and a great charisma. Bonham Carter also gives a bravura performance as the supportive wife of "Bertie". From a technical standpoint, "The King's Speech" is no less impressive. Hooper's elegant camera work and smooth narrative are often mesmerizing, as is Danny Cohen's murky, yet splendid cinematography, and Eve Stewart's sophisticated production design captures the late 30's era to perfection.

Overall summary: Filmed with subtlety, care and utter smoothness, "The King's Speech" is a profoundly gripping, if slightly monotonous historical drama, driven by the exceptional, award-worthy performances of its superb cast, Geoffrey Rush in particular.