MOVIE REVIEW: Headhunters

Headhunters
Hodejegerne (original title)
100 min
26 August 2011 (Norway)

An accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary.

Director: Morten Tyldum
Writers: Lars Gudmestad, Jo Nesbø (novel)
Stars: Aksel Hennie, Synnøve Macody Lund, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau



As the movie begins we are introduced to Roger (perfectly played by Aksel Hennie), a pleasant-looking man who is obviously hiding something. Roger is good at his job as a corporate headhunter, has a beautiful wife, Diane (Synnøve Macody Lund), who he is convinced is too good for him due to his height and his income, and a mistress on the side. Life would be good for poor Roger but spending all the gold and silver he has to keep his wife happy soon forces him to moonlight as an art thief, using his headhunter position to find rich clients, what art they have, and when to find the house empty so he can steal that art.

Even this is still not enough to keep up with expenses and then one night Roger meets Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a former head of a GPS company and former Mercenary who is an expert tracker. Clas Greve has a very valuable painting and Roger wants it. This sets up what kind of dangerous person Roger is now involved with. While it was nice to have that set-up, it did make for some predictable moments of how Clas will go after Roger, which, while it works for the film, screams out “plot device.”

Thrillers are a tricky genre to get fully right. We need to feel involved in the tension of what is happening, while believing in the events when things seem so out of control, or we need to just give in to the action completely. This film is going for a feeling of reality. Roger helps this by being an interesting lead. The punishment that he goes through seriously outweighs the crimes he has committed, which gets us on his side as things get darker and darker for him. There are many moments of intense violence, but they are used to show the seriousness of Roger’s situation. Through this, he is able to adapt and focus on what is happening and gain moments of clarity as he discovers who he can and cannot trust.

The violence leads to many unexpected moments with good twists that never feel like they are too out of left field, grounding the events. However, these twists also do not add any deeper layer to get us more intrigued with the new situation that Roger finds himself in. While there are changes, the tension stays constant until a point is reached where, despite all that Roger has gone through and how he is now in so deep, he will somehow have things work out for him. While I was rooting for Roger, having gotten to know him and sympathize with him, I also was disappointed with how the structure changed and made this switch seem obvious. It took most of the bite out of what should have been the most tense moments. It takes away from the earlier intensity, but leads to a satisfying, if not completely realistic, end result.

For a thriller, Headhunters has much going for it: good tension, strong villain, and a likable leading man who is in out of his depth. There is no deeper analysis of events or a need to try to re-watch for any missed moments. Everything is clear by the end. This makes for easy watching, yet, there is little that is new or surprising that will make this film something to come back to.

Headhunters get s a 4/5.

P.S. I hate the dog death scene.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
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MOVIE REVIEW: 44 Inch Chest

44 Inch Chest
95 min
2010 (New Zealand)

A jealous husband and his friends plot the kidnapping of his wife's lover with the intention of restoring his wounded ego.

Director: Malcolm Venville
Writers: Louis Mellis, David Scinto
Stars: Ray Winstone, Ian McShane and John Hurt

44 Inch Chest stars some real acting talent in the colour of Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, and John Hurt. The depressing film starts off in a delirious daze and continues to confuse the mind until the last minutes before the credits role. Long story short Ray Winstone plays a betrayed husband alongside a cheating spouse whose actions have destroyed his world. His friends come to the rescue and kidnap his wife’s boy toy so that revenge can be had.

A solid and believable premise captures the emotion of the plot, the dialogue is rich with coarse language and descriptive conversation, Britain’s famous dark-humour brings relief in the melancholy parts of the film, and the characters, as aged gangsters, are top-notch.

The setting was lacking with the majority of the movie taking place in a dilapidated apartment hideout and the actual action was less than what you were expecting. Overall the film is a throwback to classic British crime drama and mixes it with romance and betrayal.

Stay clear of this film if:
-you’re upset by the words “cunt” & “fuck.”
-British slang irritates and confuses you.
-more story and dialogue than action and explosions.

Watch this film if:
-you’re a fan of classic old-school gangster mentality
-you like John Hurt, Ian McShane, and Ray Winstone
-you prefer dark comedy, strong emotional story, and a lacking ending.

Final Verdict 3/5

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
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MOVIE REVIEW: A Tale of Two Sisters

A Tale of Two Sisters
Janghwa, Hongryeon (original title)
115 min
13 June 2003 (South Korea)

A family is haunted by the tragedies of deaths within the family.

Director: Jee-woon Kim
Writer: Jee-woon Kim (screenplay)
Stars: Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum and Su-jeong Lim


Korean horror is one of my favorite genres to watch. Most people can't get past another language and their subtitles, the intensely slow story-lines that explode at the end with emotion and action, and the unique acting that the Orient has. This film is one of the top rated horror/drama films in the new Millennium.

The beginning of the movie will separate the real movie fans from the fake ones; it takes 35 mins before anything really happens, BUT what transpires in that shallow and quiet first half hour are extremely important to the development of the main characters.

Minimal dialogue and facial acting is super huge in Asian horror and A Tale of Two Sisters is a great example of how it should be performed. The screenplay and art direction are superb and creepy as creepy can get without adding some supernatural subplot. Jump-scares are aplenty and the Macguffin is used to great potential. If you are looking for a great film in general that mixes horror, mystery, and thrilling albeit confusing events.

The few things that A Tale of Two Sisters that can be considered "bad," are the massive amounts of deafening silence within the film, the lighting and grimm looking house (buy a lamp for goodness sake!), and the super confusing storyline that doesn't make sense until the last 30 minutes.

A Tale of Two Sisters get s 4/5.

+ World Renown Horror Film
+ Great Suspense, Scares, and a Mystery that Sherlock Holmes could not solve
+ Camera Work is creative and the visuals are addicting
- Confusing plot. Stay Away if You cannot retain memories
- Long intro before anything happens

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
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MOVIE REVIEW: Haywire

Haywire (2011)
93 min
20 January 2012 (USA)

A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Lem Dobbs
Stars: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender


Haywire is a straight-forward action film drawing on female-ass kicking power and a great spy vs government story. Gina Carano leads and carries Haywire as Mallory; a privately contracted agent who gets betrayed by her own employers and seeks revenge. Neat thing is, Gina Carano is a real-life world renown Muay Thai kickboxer, StrikeForce middleweight, and been called the face of women's MMA with a current record of 13-1.

This film is a great example of spy/special agent entertainment and keeps your attention; albeit over used, the "revenge of the betrayed spy" plot works in Haywire's case. There are many familiar faces in this film like Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Michael Fassbender, and Obi-Wan himself; Ewan McGregor. Problem is none of them really grasp your attention like Gina does. Her physical appearance and control on screen shows off her leading lady skills.

Dialogue and sound are cliched, but the action and fight scenes are wonderful. No flashy roundhouse kicks, no Tony Jaa flips and tumbles, and definitely no wires. Simple straight-to-the-point MMA and CQC; Close Quarters Combat.

Haywire gives you satisfaction in the end and is entertaining to watch. I recommend.
I give Haywire 4/5.


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
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MOVIE REVIEW: Inside

"A movie to ruin your life..."


Inside (2007)
À l'intérieur (original title)
82 min
13 June 2007 (France)

Four months after the death of her husband, a woman on the brink of motherhood is tormented in her home by a strange woman who wants her unborn baby.

Directors: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury
Writer: Alexandre Bustillo
Stars: Béatrice Dalle, Alysson Paradis and Nathalie Roussel


Described as *the* most brutal, unrelenting, and gruesome movie you'll ever see "Inside" has to be one of the most gore-filled, grotesque, violent films I've ever seen. Forget Cannibal Holocaust, completely ignore The Human Centipede 1 and 2, don't even mention Hostel. "Inside" is non-stop cover-your-eyes, mouth agape, oh my god!, and super wide eyed moments. It's hard to even put words together after finishing this journey of blood, turmoil, horror, and home-made C-Sections. [*Note: this review was written before I had watched A Serbian Film...]

Inside has a simple plot; Man and woman make a baby, as woman is pregnant she get into a wreck, man dies and she's left to bare the child, evil old lady wants woman's child and will stop at nothing to get it. Seems straight-forward no? This piece of claret red covered art is overwhelming to say the least. If you are squeamish, weak-hearted, and sensitive to anything child related be very wary of this movie. What transpires in this film makes you feel so much better about your day; because chances are you'll never experience anything like this...ever...ever. Plus, it's astonishing that this film is only one hour and fifteen minutes in duration because it feels as if you've watched it for hours.

Trying to get past the extreme copious amounts of brutality the acting in this film is quite exciting and hair-raising. Although all of the film is crying, screaming, choking, gurgling, spewing, dying, and full of torture all the actors succeed in making you believe what you see is what you get. Effects appear like they're borrowed straight from Faces of Death and there is more blood used in this film than Lestat can drink or Elizabeth Bathory bathed with.

Besides the very strange and ho-ly-sh-it Zombie moment at the end thanks to close-range Flashbulb Riot Gun and the incredible C-section scene this film could be put in the same category as the films listed in the first paragraph, BUT "Inside" is a very unique French film that will stay in your mind and memory long after you've watched it. Not a good Mother's Day movie and definitely not a top choice for date-night.

I give Inside a 2/5 for it's way way way over the top gore and outrageous scenes and haunting plot. I had a harder time watching this film than Human Centipede 2 and I thought that film was hard to stomach. [*Note again, this film was reviewed before A Serbian Film hit my eyes...] Don't misunderstand my rating though; I'm not demeaning the obnoxious amounts of guts, blood, and severed arteries I'm simply scoring on overall entertainment. This is a shock flick; a movie to keep in your collection to show the creepy friends you have what gore really is. Or for if you have a significant other who is into torture-porn and extreme amounts of gore; then it can be a date-night choice.

Unless you have experience in watching gore-filled movies I'd pass on this film. If you prefer suspense, mystery, and ghost or apparition type scary movies stay far away from Inside. If you prefer Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wolf Creek, I Saw the Devil, and films like High Tension (also French) than go ahead and enjoy Inside.

If you like Inside you'll also like:
 "Grace."
"The Strangers."
"High Tension."


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*180
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MOVIE REVIEW: Merantau

Merantau (2009)
134 min

In Minangkabau, West Sumatera, Yuda a skilled practitioner of Silat Harimau is in the final preparations to begin his "Merantau" a century's old
rites-of-passage to be carried out by the community's young men that will see him leave the comforts of his idyllic farming village and make a name for himself in the bustling city of Jakarta. After a series of setbacks leave Yuda homeless and uncertain about his new future, a chance encounter results in him defending the orphaned Astri from becoming the latest victim of a European human trafficking ring led by the wildly psychotic, Ratger and his right-hand man Lars. With Ratger injured in the mêlée and seeking both his "merchandise" and bloody retribution, Yuda's introduction to this bustling city is a baptism of fire as he is forced to go on the run with Astri and her younger brother Adit as all the pimps and gangsters that inhabit the night hound the streets chasing their every step. With escape seemingly beyond their grasp, Yuda has no choice but to face his attackers in an adrenaline charged, jaw-dropping finale.

Director:Gareth Evans
Writers:Gareth Evans, Daiwanne Ralie (translation)

Stars:Iko Uwais, Sisca Jessica and Christine Hakim

Merantau was made before The Raid: Redemption. Both films have
similarities; a common cast and great fight scenes. But where The Raid excels in
explosive choreography Merantau falls behind just a little. I might be a tad
over-critical as there is a two year gap between the two films and a lot of
training and choreography can be planned. Unlike The Raid, Merantau has a story;
it's not much, but there is a basis for the plot and it resembles The Transporter.
Yuda goes away on a sacrilegious pilgrimage to find his soul and to become a man in his
own way. After his initial plan falls through he does all he can to save a damsel in distress. Then as the cliche goes Damsel and Knight fall in love through it all.

Iko Uwais is the master of Silat as Tony Jaa is the master of Muay Thai.
These two actors/ action stars share many of the same qualities but in my own
personal opinion Uwais is a far better actor and fighter on screen. Donny
Alamsyah makes an appearance as Yuda's older brother which is ironic because in
The Raid Donny played the older brother of Uwais' Rama. Another familiar face is
Yayan Ruhian who plays a small role as a clean-shaved short-haired mercenary who
sacrifices himself for Yuda.

Merantau is a good film if you're a fan of action films. I found this movie
looking up previous and future work of Iko Uwais and this film, as well as The
Raid, is apart of some of the greatest fight movies of all time.
I recommend this film.

I give Merantau a 4/5.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*179

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Raid: Redemption

The Raid: Redemption
2011
1 h 41 min

A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement building ran by a ruthless crime lord and his army of henchman.

The Raid took me and all of the film festivals by storm. This action-packed film is one of the most entertaining "fight" movie I've ever seen. The level of difficulty in the choreography and the intense, long, and painful fight scenes showcase how an action movie should be done.

The best part about The Raid is the complete lack of story. The premise is a Thai SWAT team is sent to an apartment complex of 30 floors to find and capture a crime kingpin. The complex however is filled with dangerous employees of the kingpin and will stop at nothing to protect their boss. There is no emotional support for the lead character, no background tale to setup the film, no outlandish plot to remember, just mesmerizing violence and action.

This movie has everything: Special Weapons and Tactical Operations, Sub-machine gun warfare, assault tactics, assassinations, bombs, handgun combat, knife-play, sword-play, close quarters combat, mixed martial arts, muay thai, jujitsu, and many others.

If you want a great action film in your collection to watch over and over again. The Raid is a great addition. I give this film a grand applause and a 5 out of 5.


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*178
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MOVIE REVIEW: Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising
93 min
10 March 2010 (France)

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writers: Nicolas Winding Refn, Roy Jacobsen
Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson and Alexander Morton


1000 AD, for years, One Eye, a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the Norse chieftain Barde. Aided by Are, a boy slave, One Eye slays his captor and together he and Are escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. On their flight, One Eye and Are board a Viking vessel, but the ship is soon engulfed by an endless fog that clears only as the crew sights an unknown land. As the new world reveals its secrets and the Vikings confront their terrible and bloody fate, One Eye discovers his true self.

The best thing about Valhalla Rising is the star, the artistic visuals, and the musical direction.
I found this film searching for movies Mads Mikkelson had done and this one jumped right out at me. Nordic origins, badass warrior lead role, low-level movie, and most of all not a lot of people have seen it.

The story follows "One-Eye" a savage nordic warrior who is mute and full of hate. He and his trusted companion, in the form of a young nord, follow a small group of Scottish Christians to "the holy land" of Jerusalem. But as they embark on their journey they become lost in a hazy mist and wind up in North America.

This film is a psychological poem thats displayed with hatred, blood, and some gruesome scenes of battle. However, the film is adamant about showing off the scenery and backdrops and leaning on Mikkelson's silent expressions rather than gaining momentum in the area of interest. Valhalla rising becomes boring and relies too much on the visuals, which are breath-taking. I'd show some screenshots but I'd be cheating you; the whole film is gorgeous and was shot entirely in Scotland.

Valhalla Rising is a one-time watch for the artsy movie goer.
+Nordic Origins
+Scottish Accents
+Mads Mikkelson is a badass and doesn't say a single word.
+Visually Stunning
-Not enough substance to keep your attention
-Terrible ending

I give Valhalla Rising a 2/5.
Cheers to Mads Mikkelson.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*177

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MOVIE REVIEW: Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

97 min
21 November 2012 (USA)

When the evil spirit Pitch launches an assault on Earth, the Immortal Guardians team up to protect the innocence of children all around the world.

Director: Peter Ramsey
Writers: David Lindsay-Abaire (screenplay), William Joyce (book)
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Chris Pine, and Isla Fisher

This is a short and simple review. Rise of the Guardians isn't just a wonderful children's movie, it's a great film for all ages. This movie created within me genuine laughter and real tears of joy watching the characters on-screen go through this harrowing adventure of mythic proportions. Rise of the Guardians follows Jack Frost as he realizes that he is a chosen protector and guardian of all the children in the world. He teams up with a tattooed viking-esque Santa Claus, Australian-accented Easter Bunny, Hyper-personality Tooth Fairy, and the ever silent Sandman to fight the Pitch Black; The Boogeyman.

Creating new information and character traits to already existing and very well known personalities can be quite the challenge but Rise of the Guardians does a fantastic and very entertaining job of making each fairy-tale blossom with exuberance. Yes it's an animated film directed at a young demographic but the film has something for everyone and there are parts where the voice acting is so good and the plot is so meaningful that you cannot help but feel your heart glow with warmth.

I highly recommend you watch this film with your children. It bases its plot on the possibility of believing in something better; in hope. It doesn't matter where you're from or what you believe in, this movie can open up to you and it's an achievement to the staff, actors, and crew for making such a simply fine film. Chris Pine, Alex Baldwin, Jude Law, and Hugh Jackman are fantastic and I applaud the casting director.

Rise of the Guardians gets 5/5.

-Daniel, Jedi Editor
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REVIEW: Killing Them Softly

Killing Them Softly
97 min
30 November 2012 (USA)

Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

Director: Andrew Dominik
Writers: Andrew Dominik (screenplay), George V. Higgins (novel)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins

This film should be added to your gangster collection. The mafia movies you love like Casino, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, & The Departed. Killing Them Softly adds a modern touch on the gritty world of organized crime and the not so organized. Imagine the characters from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels thrown into the world of The Godfather. Unique characters uneducated in the dark and very serious side of the mob. The plot is solid and simple but all the elements of the equation are top notch.

Set in present day; the economy is horrible. The mafias of the world are in a recession just like the rest of us. Killing Them Softly focuses on three individuals who rob an underground card game filled with a who's who of mob bosses and peons. After the heist they are tracked down by a heavy hitter by the name of Jackie Cogan; played sensationally by Brad Pitt. The film is laced heavily with political audio clips, video of presidents, meanings, and cynical views on government and order. It sets the perfect tone for the conflict of environment vs. man and in turn, man vs. man.

Scott McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn portray two of the three thieves and they are the epitome of annoying characters. One is a cracked out junkie who's appearance is revolting, the other is a paranoid pariah who is always in the wrong place at the right time. Both of them have annoying accents. The supporting cast, consisting of: Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, and James Gandolfini add different layers onto this character driven tale of crime and violence. Ray Liotta takes a turn playing a helpless patsy who is the complete opposite of his memorable character in Goodfellas and the vocal yet emotional character in Revolver.

Violence. You cannot make a mafia movie without violence and this movie delivers. The body count is low and the number of scenes depicting violence is actually quite few. But when the bullets fly or blood is spilt the cinematography is brilliant! The combination of excellent effects, sounds, and camera presence/ angles/ and usage should be looked at as a prime example of how things should be done. You don't need a movie filled with blood, gore, guns, and death; you just need the kills at the right moment with the right meaning behind them.

Music in this film speaks volumes, pardon the pun, to the underlying theme of the movie. Plus all of the sound bytes of Presidents and "Elected" Officials paint a bleak picture about our economy and country despite all the pretty adjectives and hand gestures they use.

I give Killing Them Softly a 4/5. Great mafia movie and definitely something to talk about.


-Daniel, Jedi Editor
*151
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Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Review

This article contains Spoilers for the previous Twilight installments.

2012 is the year the world is supposed to end. It is also when the “Twilight” era concludes. Does this chapter in the series excel or does it fall on its face?

Pre Conceived Impressions and Expectations

Before watching this movie my opinion on the series has been neutral. I absolutely loved “Eclipse”, but I hate the rest of them. The weird thing is that every time I think about “Twilight” it always reminds me of different past girlfriends.
I have not seen part 1 of “Breaking Dawn”, but my girlfriend filled me in to what I have missed. And from what I was told Part 1, is a huge letdown. This is coming from a huge “Twilight” fan. I tried to put off seeing this movie for the longest time, but it was her turn to pick the movie.

The Film
The movie picks up after part 1; Bella is now a vampire with a half-born daughter adjusting to her new life. The Volturi believe that Bella’s and Edward’s child is an immortal child and they come to kill everyone involved with the child.Also allot of vampires come to Edwards house to stand around and brood all day. Jacob has marked Bella’s child and is very awkward and weird. It’s a little too much at times. And for all you women out there, Jacob takes his shirt off.

My Thoughts
The running time is 100 minutes and things don't start happening until the 80 minute mark. I was disappointed with the movie but I didn’t have high expectations to begin with.
The reasons why the movie was trash are:
Bad Acting – Everyone in the movie was so flat I thought I was watching a ruler on screen. Everyone knows that Kristen Stewart can't express emotion and she is in prime showing off her talent in this flick. Even Robert Pattison is bad, but it’s like he becomes a bad actor in all the “Twilight” movies. He is great in everything else he is in. I have no comments for Taylor Lauther other than, "Your abs can’t act."
Horrible CGI – The CGI in the movie is dreadful and pulls you out of the movie when it’s on the screen. With over three billion in the bank from the series, couldn’t Summit get some good CGI for once?
CGI Baby – Why did you do this!!! So fake it’s laughable and creepy at the same time.
Pacing - It was at the 80 minute mark on my iphone when things started to pick up in the movie. It felt like the filmmakers used molasses in the making of it.


My Recommendation
Don’t see this movie, wait until your girlfriend buys it and only watch the epic battle scene. I'm so glad these movies are done. But one day ill be on twitter and see an article for a reboot in the near future. O the horror.

4/10


For all your entertainment needs, stay on top of TheTechFixation.com or @TechFixation on Twitter.
If you want to request a review on any movie, hit us up on twitter.
Cameron Skayman – TechFixation Entainment Editor
Follow me on twitter @cam_sky



**SPOILER**
The Ending – The battle scene at the end of the movie is so awesome but you find out that it’s all just a vision. It's like a slap in the face. And, in the end, it's your typical Hollywood happy ending.
The only saving grace is the awesome battle at the end where there were so many beheadings I thought I was at the French revolution. I loved it.
**SPOILER**

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

Its been 9 long years since the last installment of The Lord Of The Rings movies. I personally was a huge fan of these films back in the day, I went to see every movie while they were still in theaters and bought the extended edition of each movie as well. These films were such an obsession of mine, I couldn't get enough. I even read all of the books before watching the films. So when I heard that Peter Jackson had begun working on The Hobbit, I was filled with a strange mixture of excitement and nervousness. Would he be able to capture the same feel and balance of action, terror, and happiness that I loved about The Lord of the Rings? Would he lean too heavily on Computer Generated Graphics like the Wachowski brothers with the second and third Matrix movies? Would he sell out to make it 3D just to sell more expensive tickets? Okay, so I was more nervous than I was excited. However, after watching The Hobbit, I have some good news for all of you die hard fans like myself.

The Story
The Hobbit is the story of Biblo Baggins, a quiet, unassuming Hobbit who never goes on any adventures and lives a solitary life in the Shire. One day a Wizard named Gandalf comes to visit Bilbo, and gets him involved in a quest with 13 Dwarves. What follows is the adventure of a lifetime. I won't go into many more details for fear of spoiling it for you, but just know that a lot will happen on this 3 hour journey. You will see familiar faces and familiar places, but the adventure is all new.

The 3D Effect
Before I go on to talk about the graphics, the writing, the action and so forth, I want to talk to a little bit about the 3D quality. When I planned on seeing The Hobbit, I absolutely did not want to see it in 3D, however, due to timing I didn't have an option. I generally dont like seeing films in 3D because a lot of the fast paced action sequences become blurry and hard to focus on. This is largely due to the fact that 3D films are played at 24 FPS (frames per second), which is significantly slower than what most of us have become accustomed to (not to mention that movies are filmed with much faster moments than they used to). Knowing that The Hobbit would be ripe with action and sweeping camera shots, I didn't want to have my viewing experience ruined by blurry battles and landscapes. Luckly, I remembered an article we wrote back in November about how The Hobbit would be the first 3D film that was shot with HFR 3D technology allowing for 48 FPS. So I took my chances with the 3D version, and I do not regret it. All the action sequences were sharp and detailed. There was only one moment that got blurry during a sweeping camera shot through a fiery cavern, but other than that everything was superb. The 3D moments weren't gimmicky either. Every moment in the movie seemed natural and flowed nicely. This is embarrassing to say, but there was a moment when I actually tried to dodge something coming out of the screen because, for a moment, I thought I was going to get hit. So I am very pleased to say that you dont need to be afraid of the 3D version as it is the best 3D I have ever seen.



The Action
That being said, lets talk about the actual story and characters. I often wondered if a story about a Hobbit, a Wizard, and 13 Dwarves could ever be conveyed in a way that wasn't childish and weak. Sadly, most of the dwarves do seem rather pointless and add nothing to the story as a whole. But, in Jackson's defense, there really isn't anything that anyone could have done about this since most of the dwarves were meant to be funny in the book. However, the dwarves that are meant to have real character are spectacularly done. Half the time you will forget that these are half sized men. The performance of Bilbo by Martin Freeman was surprisingly good. Im used to seeing him as a comedian since he is most famous for his parts in The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz, and Love, Actually. However, his performance was so convincing that I honestly didn't even recognise him until my Wife pointed it out to me (and that never happens!). The performances by the returning faces were great as always. The most notible character of the entire film was Gollum, played by Andy Serkis. Andy's performance was so spectacular that it gave me chills. His interpretation of Gollum is every bit as demented, creepy, and tortured as my mental image of Gollum from the books. Gollum really steals the show.

The CG
The past 9 years have seen some spectacular advancement in CG technology and The Hobbit uses it masterfully. I was afraid that Peter Jackson would favor the CG far too heavily and become lazy about having the actors do some of the fight scenes. I think back to the difference between Star Wars Episode VI and Star Wars Episode I, and we all know how that turned out for us fans. I also think back to the difference between The Matrix and The Matrix: Reloaded (I was so dissappointed that they didn't take the time to actually film certain sequences and instead went for fully CG fight sequences that looked terrible {looked inexcusable, actually}). Happily, this was not the case with The Hobbit. There was only one moment where I could obviously see that they were using CG and I thought to myself, "They would have actually filmed that in The Lord of the Rings." But, it was a very small moment so it didn't take me out of the experience. The facial animations for Gollum and the Great Goblin were insanely detailed, and all of the magic effects were better than ever. Overall, the extra power that CG has gained over the years was used effectively to do nothing but enhance the film without holding it back in any manor.

The Verdict
Going to see The Hobbit in 3D at the theater was a great decision. I have no regrets about buying 2 tickets for $15 a piece with a giant bucket of popcorn and an oversized drink. The movie theater made maximum profit off of me for the evening, and I couldn't care less. I left the theater fully satisfied after going on an epic adventure to far off lands. I forgot all of my woes and fully accepted the reality that was on display in front of me. In the end, isn't that all we can ever hope to achieve from a trip to the movies?

It is for all this that I give 
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey a 9.5 out of 10


Written by Dexter Jaekel
Editor-in-Chief of TheTechFixation.com

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The Man with the Iron Fists

The Man with the Iron Fists Review



Is iron a suitable replacement for the human hand? The blood in our hand contains iron, so doesn’t that make us all have iron fists? These are all questions we have to ask ourselves and a medical professional when we are in doubt.



Pre Conceived Impressions and Expectations

The first time I ever heard about this movie, I thought Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, and some guy with a ridiculous name 'RZA' all making a Kung Fu movie, I was intrigued. All of Tarantino’s movies are hit or miss with me. I love “Reservoir Dogs”, but absolutely hate “Kill Bill”. Then I saw the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner on the poster and was worried. There has been a lot of junk that’s been released. I’m looking at you “Hell Ride." But I thought to myself, what do I have to lose if I don’t hype this up?!



The Film

Since his arrival in China's Jungle Village, the town's blacksmith (RZA) has been forced by radical tribal factions to create elaborate tools for destruction. When the clans' brewing war boils over, the stranger channels an ancient energy to transform himself into a human weapon. As he fights alongside iconic heroes and against soulless villains, one man must harness this power to become savior of his adopted people. It stars; RZA, Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu.



My Thoughts

Let’s throw the story out the door; This movie is about the fighting and craziness. It’s over the top but with style and is a great time if you judge the movie for what it is. If any of you are a fan of RZA’s previous work; “Wung-Tang Clan”. You know that the guy has a mad passion for the genre. In every scene there is attention to detail that is superb. But RZA does fail on actually making the film from a technical level. It’s not too severe that it takes you out of the experience. Everyone does a competent job for the part they are given, but don’t expect an award winning performance. The fight scenes are some of the best I’ve ever seen! There are moments that will blow you out of your seat and into the lap of some random stranger. Expect an awkward moment if it happens!



My Recommendation

Go see this movie, but don’t expect an amazing story, remember it’s about the craziness.
For these reasons I rank The Man with the Iron Fists an 8/10

For all your Entertainment needs, stay on top of TheTechFixation.com or @TechFixation on Twitter. If you want to request a review on any movie, hit us up on twitter.
Cameron Skayman – TechFixation's Entrainment Editor
Follow me on twitter @cam_sky

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Flight Review

"Flight" Review


Plane’s, Trains, and Automobiles, is a great flick. Full of heart, soul and fun. Flight on the other hand is an average film that is uninspiring. They both feature scenes on an aircraft but where does Flight fail?



Pre Conceived Impressions and Expectations

When I first heard that Robert Zemeckis is going back to live action my heart was full of joy. This great man directed classics that include; “Back to the Future trilogy”, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, “Forrest Gump" and “Cast Away”. Then one day in 2004, I saw the trailer to the “Polar Express” and my faith in the man was destroyed. Tom Hawks looked creepy with his dead eyes and the movie was a disaster in my opinion. Until 2012 we got “Beowulf”, “Christmas Carol” directed by him and “Mars needs Moms” that was produced by him. “Mars needs Moms” was an Epic box-office failure and I believe it made Zemeckis rethink his motion capture career. So in a nutshell, I wanted this film to be awesome. Knowing Denzel, Cheadle, Goodman all have main roles, this should have been the best thing since sliced bread. The premise didn’t look the most exciting but I thought that the story and acting were going to be great.



The Film

The film stars Denzel Washing as a commercial airline pilot named Whip Whitaker. (Who picked that dumb name!). Whip is declared a hero when he saves the passenger on the plane he was flying. In an NTSB investigation Whip’s blood is tested, and alcohol is found in his blood. Whips role as a hero is turned on a dime, as he is now charged for manslaughter.



My Thoughts

I really wanted the movie to be great. I went in with high expectations only to be let down. Performances from Washington, Leo, Cheadle and Greenwood were all ok. There was nothing specular about them or their roles at all. Flight could have been totally recasted and it would have had the same negative turnout. The only actor that gives it the most expected and highly anticipated A game was John Goodman. He was hilarious in the movie. The script was very well written, but the direction only hit on a moderate level. You couldn’t tell Robert Zemeckis directed this. It didn’t have heart or soul and fell very cold. At first I was uninspired by the CGI in the movie, but after thinking about it and watching the trailer a couple times. I feel that was very well done. The movie on a technical level is superb.



My Recommendation

Flight is a movie that you should walk in with no expectations. a good movie but it is far from great.

Recommended: Check out a matinée or on Blu-ray.

Flights scores a 7/10

Cameron Skayman – TechFixation Entrainment Editor

Follow me on twitter @cam_sky

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Paranormal Activity 3 Review

Paranormal Activity 3 Review

Pre Conceived Impressions and Expectations

After initially hearing about Paranormal Activities 3 I, like most of you, thought “Oh good lord another one?!”  When my ex-girlfriend dragged me to go see the first I loved the ending and needed more. The second film was awesome in my opinion but most people think the first was best simply because of the obvious, repetitive ambiance. 

So walking into this movie I thought it would be awesome.  Running through a personal set of requirements: Set in the 80’s, Check. Best reviews, Check. Good word of mouth, Check. Question was, What could I have to lose?

The Film

The film is a prequel to both of the previous films, that takes place in 1988 and follows Katie and Krissy, as young girls. Two main additions to the cast are their mom and her new boyfriend (Dennis).  Playing out like the previous two movies in which they set up cameras to monitor any unwanted activity.  Keeping in mind the 1980‘s technology. Strange things start happening in the house as the video cameras capture the actions of the demon.  The main story is all about capturing the melodrama between the life of these girls. 

My Thoughts

Remember the feeling you had after seeing the jumbled mess of a movie known as “The Hangover 2”?.  While I was watching this it felt that I could predict every move that was going to happen. That sort of feeling is not good to have while watching a horror movie.  The ending felt as if it ripped off the amazing  “The Last Exorcism” produced by Eli Roth. I thought the directing duo of “Catfish” could pull something off very different here. But I felt as if they had their hands tied, as the studio just wanted more of the same while playing it safe.

There are a couple interesting scenes that occur in the movie, like the sheet –babysitter scene or the Bloody Mary scene. The Bloody Mary gave more mythology but less mystery to the demon as you are provided with more of its figure.  The acting in the movie is good and gives audience what is known as “believability” in each scene.  I personally loved the performance of the boyfriend and the young girls.  They as a whole, make each intense moment worth watching!

My Recommendation

Sadly, the film feels like it’s a remake or another directors iteration.  On the other hand, If you love the Paranormal Activity series you will be right at home!  It is a series worth watching but don’t pay for that experience.  Its recommended to borrow them or check out your Netflix listings.  For these reasons I see that Paranormal Activity 3 ranks 6 out of 10 on TechFixations Grading Scale. 

Rated - 6/10

Worth $30 for entire series if you havn’t already experienced the goose bumps for yourself!

By Cameron Skayman - TechFixation’s Movie Entertainment Editor

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