Sci-fi/Fantasy Movies You Might Have Missed in 2013
This is a review of some of the sci-fi/fantasy movies released during the first half of 2013.
If it's not yet obvious, i am in love with sci-fi and fantasy movies.
Yes, i do love the blockbusters but the internet is already saturated with detailed (even obsessive) reviews so i'm going to skip all of them. For the moment, let's forget about star trek, or marvel or dc (and most every other big-ticket items) and check out some of the ones you might have missed. Who knows maybe you’ll find some of them interesting. This post might give you an idea of what movies to catch up.
I’m not a movie expert but that won’t stop me from using my own rating system:
- don't even bother. i already watched it for you, no need to suffer the same thing.
- barely consider watching it, watch only when you have spare time and nothing else to do
- there's a chance you might like it (or not). try to watch it but it's ok if you don't
- highly recommended, find a way to watch it
- i'll sue you if you don't see it
1. Warm Bodies
It's a boyfriend-girlfriend flick.
The story is quite promising especially with the current trend of zombie-movies. there's just a lot of really boring times in the movie. If you like zombie land, then you 'might' like this. And, if you can reach up to at least the third of the movie, you'd actually enjoy it (or be so thankful it's almost over).
super summary: A zombie falls in love with a (living) girl. This seems to be the cure to the zombie-infested world. The theme of the movie is: how to date a girl when you're a zombie.
side comment: The girl is number 6 from the movie 'i am number 4'. If you're not familiar with it, don't worry it's not about math.
side comment: not exactly sure if there's enough science in this 'sci-fi' movie.
rating:
2. Hansel & Gretel : Witch-hunters
The story is quite predictable and the intro is really generic (i think most movies that use animation/drawing as an intro are usually the not-so good ones) but this movie is nice enough to pass the time. It needs a little more grit but it is definitely not for children.
super summary: Hansel & Gretel grew up to be fierce, tough, witch-hunters for hire moving from town to town. Leather, shot guns, crossbows, a few blood splattering here and there, grotesque witches and (not so much) gore.
rating:
3. Beautiful Creatures
This is quite a refreshing movie, although the story is nothing new. It's another flick about falling in love but one is struggling with magical powers (you know the typical teenage problems these days. lol). Destiny gets in the way of love, again. And as usual, love conquers all. Yes we've all heard and seen this kind of story before but it is told in a nice 'southern' accent with spritzy magic show. It feels like an American indie film. I like the movie a lot but honestly i think it would make a better short-running tv-series for teens (maybe not as good as Buffy but along those lines).
super summary: a girl from a magical family falls for a mortal boy in a very conservative town.
side comment: i thought this movie was set in the 1940s or something until they mentioned google and starbucks. also the male lead doesn't exactly have the Hollywood look but he made a charming character.
rating:
4. Oz the Great and Powerful
It's a disney movie intended more for kids imagination than anything else. it is at times theatrical but still a really good movie. the story is uncomplicated (just right for the intended audience) but is nicely told in a visually rich world of Oz.
super summary: The story behind the 'wizard of Oz'and what Oz was before Dorothy came and visited.
side comment: i'm so glad they didn't 're-imagine' the wizard of Oz into a darker modern-day version just to sell it more to 'adults'. i recommend this movie but kiddie guidance is recommended for parents :)
side comment: wait, is this part of the ‘block-buster’ movies?
rating:
(4 stars only if with kids. for everyone else just 3)
5. Jack the Giant Slayer
It's a surprisingly nice movie. the story is quite uncomplicated which merits it from the original children's story about jack and his magical beans. however, with sort of gore in some of the scenes i don't really think this meant for children, but then again even the kiddie cartoons have always been gruesome in some ways.
super summary: it's a re-telling (what else) of jack and the beanstalk. just that the magical the harp and the hen doesn't really have a part in the story.
side comment: this was directed by brian singer (you know, x-men 1 & 2). jack is the same guy from warm bodies and beast (you know, x-men first class). also, i liked the CGI used here (not too real not to cartoonish) - if you like that i might rate it 4 stars just for you :)
rating:
6. Upside Down
A really visually stunning movie with an intriguing premise. It's a modern romantic fantasy movie (if that's even a category), like romeo and juliet but with a sci-fi/fantasy twist. The underlying story being that, i honestly don't think this should be considered as just another flick, simply because of the sheer splendour of the visuals, fascinating setting and really heartfelt characters.
super summary: A boy and a girl from two different but interconnected worlds fall in love with each other. They try to beat the odds that separate them - both gravity and the norms of society.
side comment: it seems like a sci-fi movie at first, but a lot of it are based on the fantasy aspect, especially when the science in it has a lot of glaringly contrived loop holes.
side comment: the pairing is so reminiscent of Tobey & Kirsten (Spiderman), not because of the upside-down kiss thing but because Jim Sturgess is like Tobey in some ways (only better. lol).
side comment: remember Gattaca?
side comment: some important parts of the story seemed to have been skipped near the end.
I honestly really like this movie but for sci-fi fanatics i think they would find this really boring. And, if you’re looking for some epic action or world-clashing scenes (this is a movie with 2-planets after all) then you'd probably fall asleep. For the rest of you though (especially the lovey-dovey ones), this movie is just beautiful.
rating:
(5 stars if you’re a hopeless romantic)
7. Escape from Planet Earth
It would have been a really nice movie, except that there are just too many annoying things that mar a kiddie movie that talks about the value of family. It seems so hell bent on putting humanity under a bad light, making bullying such a common and acceptable thing, and putting the underdog hero under stupid pathetic guilt-trip. Wow, that was a mouthful! Lol.
I’ve seen animated movies (similar to this) that i didn’t like and just outright bore me, but this was really vexing. The movie wasn’t boring for me, and had it toned down on the frustrating things i mentioned earlier it would have been a really good watch (and highly recommended).
super summary: 2 unalike alien brothers have a chance to get along and accept each other when they are trapped in planet earth. It’s brains vs brawn.
side comment: wow! the voice overs are from big/well-known artists.
side comment: ok, maybe it’s a bit unfair to include this kiddie animated film in this post but i already spent a couple of bytes typing, don’t want to waste the effort. lol
rating:
8. The Host
We all know it, this is from the same writer of the “Twilight” saga. It doesn’t have any vampires nor werewolves but it’s still the same love story, down to the heroine trying to make out with two guys. This time around, it is told with aliens taking over the human race. The premise is definitely not new, and with everything else it just gets redundant of the Twilight movies. If i maybe so bold (no offence to s. meyer fans), i find the movie mostly really boring. I really liked the shiny cars and helicopters, and the really clean and minimalist take on a lot of things, though.
super summary: Aliens have (somewhat peacefully, yet subtly ) taken over the human race. These extra-terrestrial creatures take possession of the human body including their memories, a classic body-snatcher. One strong-willed human fights control over her body but soon discovers that the creatures are not really heartless as they were first thought of.
side comment: Because i like Saoirse Ronan a lot, i was able to bear through the really extensive boring moments and give an extra star. How do you actually pronounce her name, btw?side comment: i don’t think even lovey-doveys would enjoy this movie.
rating:
(yes, even for lovey-doveys. i was this ** close to giving it a 1 star)
There you have it, a few movies from 2013. Did you find anything that you’d like to catch on dvd/blu-ray, or maybe online streaming?
I might update this with more movies if i have the time. And, if i'm not too lazy by the end of this year i might post the review for the 2nd half of 2013.
Well, i hoped you enjoyed this post (if you even managed to get to this point).
links:
http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/2013_movies/Movies_In_Theaters_2013.html
http://www.imdb.com
as always, i claim no right to all the titles, names and images related to the movies. they were used here solely for review purposes. no infringement was intended.
If it's not yet obvious, i am in love with sci-fi and fantasy movies.
Yes, i do love the blockbusters but the internet is already saturated with detailed (even obsessive) reviews so i'm going to skip all of them. For the moment, let's forget about star trek, or marvel or dc (and most every other big-ticket items) and check out some of the ones you might have missed. Who knows maybe you’ll find some of them interesting. This post might give you an idea of what movies to catch up.
I’m not a movie expert but that won’t stop me from using my own rating system:
- don't even bother. i already watched it for you, no need to suffer the same thing. 
- barely consider watching it, watch only when you have spare time and nothing else to do
- there's a chance you might like it (or not). try to watch it but it's ok if you don't 
- highly recommended, find a way to watch it 
- i'll sue you if you don't see it 1. Warm Bodies
It's a boyfriend-girlfriend flick. The story is quite promising especially with the current trend of zombie-movies. there's just a lot of really boring times in the movie. If you like zombie land, then you 'might' like this. And, if you can reach up to at least the third of the movie, you'd actually enjoy it (or be so thankful it's almost over).
super summary: A zombie falls in love with a (living) girl. This seems to be the cure to the zombie-infested world. The theme of the movie is: how to date a girl when you're a zombie.
side comment: The girl is number 6 from the movie 'i am number 4'. If you're not familiar with it, don't worry it's not about math.
side comment: not exactly sure if there's enough science in this 'sci-fi' movie.
rating:
2. Hansel & Gretel : Witch-hunters
The story is quite predictable and the intro is really generic (i think most movies that use animation/drawing as an intro are usually the not-so good ones) but this movie is nice enough to pass the time. It needs a little more grit but it is definitely not for children. super summary: Hansel & Gretel grew up to be fierce, tough, witch-hunters for hire moving from town to town. Leather, shot guns, crossbows, a few blood splattering here and there, grotesque witches and (not so much) gore.
rating:
3. Beautiful Creatures
This is quite a refreshing movie, although the story is nothing new. It's another flick about falling in love but one is struggling with magical powers (you know the typical teenage problems these days. lol). Destiny gets in the way of love, again. And as usual, love conquers all. Yes we've all heard and seen this kind of story before but it is told in a nice 'southern' accent with spritzy magic show. It feels like an American indie film. I like the movie a lot but honestly i think it would make a better short-running tv-series for teens (maybe not as good as Buffy but along those lines). super summary: a girl from a magical family falls for a mortal boy in a very conservative town.
side comment: i thought this movie was set in the 1940s or something until they mentioned google and starbucks. also the male lead doesn't exactly have the Hollywood look but he made a charming character.
rating:
4. Oz the Great and Powerful
It's a disney movie intended more for kids imagination than anything else. it is at times theatrical but still a really good movie. the story is uncomplicated (just right for the intended audience) but is nicely told in a visually rich world of Oz. super summary: The story behind the 'wizard of Oz'and what Oz was before Dorothy came and visited.
side comment: i'm so glad they didn't 're-imagine' the wizard of Oz into a darker modern-day version just to sell it more to 'adults'. i recommend this movie but kiddie guidance is recommended for parents :)
side comment: wait, is this part of the ‘block-buster’ movies?
rating:
(4 stars only if with kids. for everyone else just 3)5. Jack the Giant Slayer
It's a surprisingly nice movie. the story is quite uncomplicated which merits it from the original children's story about jack and his magical beans. however, with sort of gore in some of the scenes i don't really think this meant for children, but then again even the kiddie cartoons have always been gruesome in some ways. super summary: it's a re-telling (what else) of jack and the beanstalk. just that the magical the harp and the hen doesn't really have a part in the story.
side comment: this was directed by brian singer (you know, x-men 1 & 2). jack is the same guy from warm bodies and beast (you know, x-men first class). also, i liked the CGI used here (not too real not to cartoonish) - if you like that i might rate it 4 stars just for you :)
rating:
6. Upside Down
A really visually stunning movie with an intriguing premise. It's a modern romantic fantasy movie (if that's even a category), like romeo and juliet but with a sci-fi/fantasy twist. The underlying story being that, i honestly don't think this should be considered as just another flick, simply because of the sheer splendour of the visuals, fascinating setting and really heartfelt characters. super summary: A boy and a girl from two different but interconnected worlds fall in love with each other. They try to beat the odds that separate them - both gravity and the norms of society.
side comment: it seems like a sci-fi movie at first, but a lot of it are based on the fantasy aspect, especially when the science in it has a lot of glaringly contrived loop holes.
side comment: the pairing is so reminiscent of Tobey & Kirsten (Spiderman), not because of the upside-down kiss thing but because Jim Sturgess is like Tobey in some ways (only better. lol).
side comment: remember Gattaca?
side comment: some important parts of the story seemed to have been skipped near the end.
I honestly really like this movie but for sci-fi fanatics i think they would find this really boring. And, if you’re looking for some epic action or world-clashing scenes (this is a movie with 2-planets after all) then you'd probably fall asleep. For the rest of you though (especially the lovey-dovey ones), this movie is just beautiful.
rating:
(5 stars if you’re a hopeless romantic) 7. Escape from Planet Earth
It would have been a really nice movie, except that there are just too many annoying things that mar a kiddie movie that talks about the value of family. It seems so hell bent on putting humanity under a bad light, making bullying such a common and acceptable thing, and putting the underdog hero under stupid pathetic guilt-trip. Wow, that was a mouthful! Lol. I’ve seen animated movies (similar to this) that i didn’t like and just outright bore me, but this was really vexing. The movie wasn’t boring for me, and had it toned down on the frustrating things i mentioned earlier it would have been a really good watch (and highly recommended).
super summary: 2 unalike alien brothers have a chance to get along and accept each other when they are trapped in planet earth. It’s brains vs brawn.
side comment: wow! the voice overs are from big/well-known artists.
side comment: ok, maybe it’s a bit unfair to include this kiddie animated film in this post but i already spent a couple of bytes typing, don’t want to waste the effort. lol
rating:
8. The Host
We all know it, this is from the same writer of the “Twilight” saga. It doesn’t have any vampires nor werewolves but it’s still the same love story, down to the heroine trying to make out with two guys. This time around, it is told with aliens taking over the human race. The premise is definitely not new, and with everything else it just gets redundant of the Twilight movies. If i maybe so bold (no offence to s. meyer fans), i find the movie super summary: Aliens have (somewhat peacefully, yet subtly ) taken over the human race. These extra-terrestrial creatures take possession of the human body including their memories, a classic body-snatcher. One strong-willed human fights control over her body but soon discovers that the creatures are not really heartless as they were first thought of.
side comment: Because i like Saoirse Ronan a lot, i was able to bear through the really extensive boring moments and give an extra star. How do you actually pronounce her name, btw?side comment: i don’t think even lovey-doveys would enjoy this movie.
rating:
(yes, even for lovey-doveys. i was this ** close to giving it a 1 star)There you have it, a few movies from 2013. Did you find anything that you’d like to catch on dvd/blu-ray, or maybe online streaming?
I might update this with more movies if i have the time. And, if i'm not too lazy by the end of this year i might post the review for the 2nd half of 2013.
Well, i hoped you enjoyed this post (if you even managed to get to this point).
links:
http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/2013_movies/Movies_In_Theaters_2013.html
http://www.imdb.com
as always, i claim no right to all the titles, names and images related to the movies. they were used here solely for review purposes. no infringement was intended.
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