I Am Legend (2007)

8.5/10

I held off on watching this film for a long time, I don't get into the zombie/horror genre that much. It's all a question of suspension of disbelief and entertainment, and these films tend to be very far removed from anything plausible and more concerned with quantity of blood and gore rather than entertainment. "I am Legend" was a huge shock for me, this film was all about story and characters, even the zombies that were given very little screen time were given a personality. What really made this film for me were the following

1. They gave the zombie story some believability but having a back story of a super virus.
2. Will Smith was amazing in what was basically a 1 man show
3. The film had a message that wasn't told in buckets of blood but rather with some very dramatic scenes.

The Plot:

Robert Neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague -- The Infected -- lurk in the shadows... watching Neville's every move... waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time.


The Cast:

	Will Smith	...	Robert Neville
	Alice Braga	...	Anna
	Charlie Tahan	...	Ethan
	Salli Richardson	...	Zoe
	Willow Smith	...	Marley
	Darrell Foster	...	Mike - Military Escort
	April Grace	...	TV Personality
	Dash Mihok	...	Alpha Male
	Joanna Numata	...	Alpha Female
	Abbey	...	Sam
	Kona	...	Sam
	Samuel Glen	...	Military Driver - Jay
	James Michael McCauley	...	Male Evacuee (as James McCauley)
	Marin Ireland	...	Woman Evacuee
	Pedro Mojica	...	Sergeant

Trailer:



The Movie:

Hancock (2008)

8.5/10

A great idea for a superhero film! I liked this film for what it was and what it tried to do, within a genre that has been bombarded by Hollywood for the last few years. Hancock take the idea of being possessed with the powers to do great things, having the black mark on your character which usually pushes our heroes to shine and then saying what if the world still got that hero down? What if the hero didn't rise above his own turmoil for the greater good of others? It also adds a very important element to making the hero more human, by putting in the idea that all people great or small are only at their best with the support of others. A great theme and a great message. Hancock also has a very nice plot twist thrown in to help it stand further apart from so many other films of the genre.
Will Smith is really good in this role, I was never a fan of the independence day Smith, but his last several roles he has grown into an actor that I can depend on to deliver the character with alot of style and finese.

The Plot:

John Hancock (Will Smith) is an unhappy and reluctant superhero who is living in his own world. For some unknown reason, Hancock is depressed and has started drinking very heavily. He has saved many lives in Los Angeles over the years, but in doing so, he has no regards for damaging buildings, trains, roads, cars, or anything that gets in his way of getting the job done. The last time he captured several criminals, it cost the city $9 million to fix the damages. The public has had enough of Hancock, and they want him to stop or go to another city. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from being run over by a train. Ray is a public relations executive who now can go home to his wife and child, because Hancock was there. Ray owes Hancock his life, and he makes it his mission to change his superhero's image and have the public cheering him. Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), believes Hancock cannot be fixed, and she doesn't want Ray to be hurt.

The Cast:

	Will Smith	...	John Hancock
	Charlize Theron	...	MAry Embrey
	Jason Bateman	...	Ray Embrey
	Jae Head	...	Aaron Kimberly
	Eddie Marsan	...	Kenneth 'Red' Parker Jr.
	David Mattey	...	Man Mountain
	Maetrix Fitten	...	Matrix
	Thomas Lennon	...	Mike
	Johnny Galecki	...	Jeremy
	Hayley Marie Norman	...	Hottie
	Dorothy Cecchi	...	Woman in Dive Bar
	Michelle Lemon	...	Girl at Bus Bench
	Akiva Goldsman	...	Executive #1
	Michael Mann	...	Executive #2
	Brad Leland	...	Executive #3

The Trailer:


The Movie:

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

9/10

This film has more pure heart than I have seen in a long time, it is not a love story between a man and a woman, but rather that between a father and a son. “The pursuit of happyness” is a total must see movie!
This is the first time I have seen Will Smith portray the underdog, casting off the cocky, arrogant, super cool, super slick character tat he is so over prone to portraying. Instead Will Smith plays a father; at the end of his rope, desperate and destitute, only the love of his son, and his need to provide for his son, driving him to find his place in the world and provide the life that we wishes for his son and for himself.
I really recommend this film to anybody and everybody, though I feel that it will most appreciated by parents or people who have hit bottom and fought their way back.

The Plot:

Chris Gardner has big dreams for him and his family but it doesn't seem to come together for him. Chris has an opportunity to be a stock broker but first he has to go through a grueling internship which means no pay. Chris decides to do it but when his wife leaves and he is evicted, he has to take care of his son on his own. So they find themselves sometimes living on the street and struggling to get by. But Chris is determined to make it.

Cast:

Will Smith...Chris Gardner

Jaden Smith...Christopher (as Jaden Christopher Syre Smith)

Thandie Newton...Linda

Brian Howe...Jay Twistle

James Karen...Martin Frohm

Dan Castellaneta...Alan Frakesh

Kurt Fuller...Walter Ribbon

Takayo Fischer...Mrs. Chu

Kevin West...World's Greatest Dad

George Cheung...Chinese Maintenance Worker (as George K. Cheung)

David Michael Silverman...Doctor at First Hospital

Domenic Bove...Tim Ribbon

Geoff Callan...Ferrari Owner

Joyful Raven...Hippie Girl

Scott Klace...Tim Brophy

Trailer