AS_KASSEM Reviews

San Andreas (2015)

Amazing Visual Effects, something else? don't think so..!!

[6/10 · 2 September 2015]

well, certainly you gonna enjoy the 2 hours of watching, it is a very good movie overall, the top winner here is the great visual effects, stunning, maybe in some parts you feel like they were done in a hurry, but of course we all know what is done when one is behind schedule, the movie is running in a fast pace so you need to keep your breath following it. The storyline is somehow repeated and there are some flaws in it. The script has nothing special except may be one quote "If you couldn't save her, then nobody could have." well, I liked it myself, what u think? acting from all characters is good but no way to even dream about an Oscar there is nothing special about any of them, the human side and survival instinct could have been better used, these are the main lines I need to talk about, but again a very good movie, and I enjoyed it and certainly recommend it

Avatar (2009)

back to EPIC movies ERA

[9/10 · 28 December 2009]

James Cameron did it again, after long disappearance from the arena of film directing, here he comes back, and what a return a strong return with an EPIC movie that really made my night

although it reminded me a little with dances with wolves and the last samurai but with a totally different point of view and storyline. Visual effects are great to the degree that many scenes I asked myself is this a makeup or visual effects, the characteristics of the faces are so real, the movie transitions are so soft specially the development of the relation between Jake and Neytiri in his learning phase the 3D effects really served this part very well with all the color and fast animation, all the creatures of Pandora the wild ones and the soft ones they really gave the scene the reality feeling

the movie is a mix of Epic, action, War, Romance, Animated,.... I can put every thing here and that is what I like of a movie and that is what make it memorable, there are lots of scenes and characters that will stay in mind for a very Long time

the only thing that made me give the film 9 stars not 10 is the script, that is the only thing I didn't like about the movie I'll talk about the major 2 sides of the story here the love story didn't really touch me and the encouraging speech of Jake didn't do much effect either, in brief the script didn't add much to me

I'd definitely nominate this film to the Oscars for Visual effects, Sound mixing, original song, art direction, best picture and I may add best directing and cinematography as well

finally this movie is both "a must see" and "a must collect" I can't remember any other movie that left that much effect in me at 2009

King Kong (2005)

Its a demo for visual effects

[7/10 · 5 April 2006]

Peter Jackson is a great Director, and if you don't know him, just remember "Lord of the Rings". It was the greatest movie ever been made. But here the point was completely different, it is a remake of a well known story. I think that there is no one who likes watching movies didn't see the 1933 or 1967 productions of the story.

So the point here was not an evaluation of the story, I entered the cinema to watch Peter Jackson's view to the story.

the first 30 min of the movie was completely pointless and can simply be removed without affecting the movie at all, just cut em and don't change anything else. I was helpless during this period but being bored and waiting for the actors to start their journey to the Kong Island.

From this point I won't discuss the story, we already know what is going to happen, so Peter was focusing on showing how every thing happens. I felt that the script was tailored to include as many animated objects and visual effects, even if the seen doesn't need all these effects. And in the same time many of the shots were totally obvious to be unreal, like the dinosaurs chase and the fight of Kong and the dinosaur. Peter used the technique of shaking the camera a lot (shake the camera so the watcher becomes unable to see what is really going on). The bugs scene was fine and the Kong in theater was fine too but once we reached the part with the airplanes attacking him it became another visual effects demo. No more comments

The sound is great and the sound effects were awesome, actually these effects were the main reason for me to enjoy the film.

If you plan to watch the movie, here is what to do if you love watching computer graphics go ahead if not, watch the 1976 edition, you will like it more if you ended up in the cinema don't forget to sleep for first 30 min.

Saw II (2005)

can't wait till I see the sequel

[7/10 · 3 March 2006]

I hardly remember a movie in which its second part left me same effect as its first. I think I was watching the movie sitting on the edge of my seat and holding the chair in front of me as strong as I can.

The movie track is very hard to track or predict, I only predicted 2 scenes to be exact. Bloody in the points no doubt about that ( hey what do you expect) and I liked the link between this movie and the first one, It was natural and logical. and answered the big question of how will the first movie end, but opens another in how will the 3rd one go!!

I liked the cinematography work, specially the transitions between the monitors and the real people locked.

Although all the locked people in the movie are criminals but you find yourself helpless but find yourself sympathetic to em

I enjoyed the time I watched this movie, and liked the feeling of thinking about nothing except what will happen next 10 seconds

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Children are not allowed here

[8/10 · 27 November 2005]

I first know about Harry Potter from the 1st movie, that was my beginning, and after watching the movie I started reading the Novel by J.K. Rowling my impression was that both the 1st and 2nd parts of the movie and the books were classified as kids movies and books but life changed since part III it started to go darker and after watching the 3rd movie my comment was that any one did read the book prior watching the movie won't like this movie. now about our 4th part

the comment was that you have to read the book to be able to understand what is going on of course that is the case when you try to put a story published in a book in just a 3 hours movie

events will rush one after another trying to catch the story line of the Goblet of fire book

visual effects are awesome specially the horn tail seen and the duel between Harry and Voldemort

I liked the fact that the young lings are starting to grow up and starting to have adult feelings. they really matched their roles very well

the sound helped a lot also, I still can feel the strong entrance of dramestrung students into the great hall.

this movie is of course the darkest of the 4 and also the strongest

if you have a little kid and thinking of letting him see the movie alone, please think again, he won't be able to trace the story line by himself and you need to be there to tell him that dragons don't exist in real life :)

in brief I enjoyed reading the book and the movie was far behind my imagination.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

I want my old chocolate back

[5/10 · 14 November 2005]

I always describe myself as a chocoholic man. And my favorite quotes in life is "the only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a chocolate"

So when I heard about the recreation of the movie "Willy Wonka & the chocolate factory" with the name "Charlie and the chocolate factory" I was really excited and could hardly wait till the moment I watch the movie, specially that Johnny Depp is starring in it

but after I watched the movie, I was really frustrated, the movie was just a demonstration of visual effects capabilities nothing more...

I remember watching Gene Wilder "Willy Wonka" in the old movie, I really liked the character, he was so simple in every thing, and you can feel that he is really a chocolate lover. But in this Movie, Johny Depp is great actor, no question about that but the Role itself is what I need to talk about, I found myself helpless but hating Willy Wonka!! a very complex character who is only concerned with his own life disregarding the chocolate manufacturing, his workers and every thing else, for example when Charlies' Grandfather introduced himself to him all what concerned Wonka was "Are you one of those who tried to steal my secrets?!!!".

Wonka was as bad as the winners of the 5 golden tickets, I didn't even feel that he loves chocolate. It was just a matter of His father bans him from all candies, so he just wanted to eat chocolate behind his father's back, that is all. In the old Movie I felt that there was a strong relationship between Wonka and chocolate, something called "Love"

the second point was Charlie Bucket himself, Peter Ostrum, the kid who played Charlie's Role was very far from being a poor kid. He couldn't show why he needed the golden ticket that bad.

Also the Oompa Loompa's, those small characters who really cooperated very good with Wonka to insure the idea of enjoying being bad

But to be fair, I must state that the visual effects were really great specially the chocolate River, the elevator, the Squirrels.

Also the Sound track was cool. it really helped me a lot in watching the movie.

Big Sorry for Tim Burton, couldn't help it but I don't like your Movie.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

Lots of smiles and Laughes, Its not just comedy

[8/10 · 28 September 2005]

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an enjoyable movie Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie are perfect in this movie no other names can pop in my mind to do the roll Of course Angelina got a hell of experience in Tomb Raider so she was natural here, and the same for Pitt who can ever forget his roles in Troy, 12 Monkeys and many other films of his

I likes many words in the movie specially when John (Brad Pitt) said "I got Luckey" a double meaning word of course and same in many other places in the script

the shooting was not that good specially in the fights and tense scenes they were not that convincing, I felt that the camera was so close that you will miss lot of what is happening

but after all the use of technology was cool and the story line was good

I don't remember laughing that much in other recent film I saw

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Episode I

[8/10 · 18 July 2005]

This movie reminded me with star wars Episode 1 specially that Liam Neeson is already the instructor here

But let's start by saying that Batman Begins is a very well organized movie, it takes us from the very first beginning of the character of Bruce Wayne the factors that led him to take the way of batman and specially why the bat

the movie takes attention from the very beginning of it it is not just a simple movie, it needs concentration to follow the running events I liked the story from how Bruce was a kid and how he is afraid of bats and when he grows up and starts learning the ways of Ninja and so

the training was cool but I didn't like the shooting of it the camera was so close that I can't tell who is attacking who

the story line is very well made why choose the bat, the car, the costume and such stuff

Liam Neeson is a very talented actor I liked his role although it has same character lines as in Kingdom of heaven and in Star wars, and some how schindler list. finally i can say it is a very well served movie

War of the Worlds (2005)

Thanks God, they are dead

[8/10 · 6 July 2005]

Steven Spielberg's name on a movie is more than enough for me to enter and watch it now I have Steven Spielberg, H. G. Wells and of course Tom Cruise when I saw the trailer of the movie I liked the idea of not showing what is going on, but the start of the movie showed the minor creatures and one cell bacteria and so and the voice of Morgan Freeman (what was really a good choice) told me a lot of what the movie will talk about

the first 10 min of the movie is kinda boring and you just sit there saying when will it start

but the rest of the movie is far far behind boring

you will find yourself stretched and holding the chair in front of you trying to guess what will be the next step.

I liked the movie showing the idea of invading the world from the point of normal people not from the view of authorities and armies

the human emotions took a good place in the movie specially when Tom was deciding which needs him more the boy or the girl

Of course the visual effects was great specially the view of buildings split, the half church moving, the bridge falling and of course the visual and sound effects of lightening

finally I'll talk about the ending of the movie or say the ending of the invasion, all I can say is "thanks God it ended" yes, it just ended, the aliens couldn't live in earth's atmosphere or say bacteria or viruses or whatever

the film showed that these creatures was buried under earth's crust long long time ago, even maybe before man lived on earth

and as Morgan freeman's voice told us in the start of the movie that we are being watched by other worlds same way we watch bacteria

so the question is if such study made by aliens for life on earth for that long time and they planned it all "couldn't they notice that life is not an option for them on earth?!!

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

you can never expect it unless you know it

[8/10 · 13 June 2005]

A Great movie, no one can say anything else really great in every way the story, the act, cinematography, directing,... every thing and the idea of the film name itself.

although the director didn't use much visual effects in it but it came in place the flashback effect that pops out of the letter was really cool

I watched this movie and didn't actually get what was going on till nearly the end of the movie

the film kept going in different dimensions that I kept wondering how did they succeed in representing the film idea in such amazing presentation

I won't talk about the story or film line, words will never be fair to the movie, you have to see it for yourself

I rated it 8 out of 10 because I just didn't like the ending, such movie worth an open ending. not to be solved.

Judge Dredd (1995)

you can enjoy your time watching it

[6/10 · 13 June 2005]

No way to rate that movie below 5 I watched it and enjoyed my time till the end of it

but there is no strong story behind it, it is simply an action movie, Stallone matched the Role nicely, can't think of someone else to do it, except Shwartznigger maybe

The visual effects and guns and costumes are OK I liked the camera man, he really knows how to shoot a film so overall you won't get board watching it but don't expect a RoboCop here.

the movie starts up in a strong fashion that gives you a feeling that a strong story will take place, but when the crime happens and building on what happened in the first 15 min, you can expect every detail coming without least effort.

So simply you expect what will happen but wait to see how it happens.

Saladin (1963)

An Egyptian Movie that Worth watching world wide

[8/10 · 12 June 2005]

I decided to write this review after I watched the movie Kingdom of Heaven I watched this movie about 10 times or so, and I'm ready to watch it again really great movie and gathers a lot of best actors in Egyptian cinema the story line is the original story of Salah Eldin and the crusades in Bayt EL-Makdes as documented in History The Movie shows the Human side of the great leader, the manners of Arabs specially in wars.

It Showed that although Salah El Din is Richard-Lion Heart's enemy but his principles refused him to accept to betray him and accept what August tried to offer him to retreat his troops and betray Richard Lots and Lots of situations and all lead to same result A real Great Movie

Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

Historically incorrect

[6/10 · 12 June 2005]

Ridley Scott did a great job here no one can deny his effort in doing a great movie like that

cinematography and music are the most things I liked about the movie

Liam Nesson's part was very small but was of great value

but here I'm not to discuss the film but the story behind the film

the very first thing that stopped me in the movie was a word said by Sibylla (Eva Green) "Mohamed told them 'submit' but Jesus told us 'decide'"

Islam is not about submitting our minds, it is about submitting our soles to Allah, to do as he wishes, to follow his orders, to do whatever is good and all things in Islam and also common with Christianity and all Religions,

the second point I'd like to talk about was the story line of crusades to whom is interested to know about Salah El Din please try to see the movie "El Naser Salah el Dine" (1963) it is an Egyptian production directed by 'Youssef Chahine' and you can find its information here on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057357/ it is a really great movie and a must see one and it is translated to English and tells the true story of 'Salah El Din'

a few comments on the storyline based on history

• The War showed in the movie is the 2nd crusade not the first cus the first one was the first entry of europe troops in the arab land of bayt elmakdes

• Salah El Din 's war in Bayt EL-Makdes or Al-Kods(Jerusalem) was to keep declaring it as an Arab city and not to be a foreign one

• Salah El Din did not prevent the Christians or the Jews from visiting Bayt El-Makdes at any time as long as they come unarmed and in peace

• Salah El Din Troops was called the 'saracens' and that because it was and Arab army and in it there was both Muslims and Christians

• Salah El-din didn't force any one to go out of Al-Kods, on the contrary he fought because he was defending the original people who lived there, it is an Arab country from the beginning

• the European Kings Richard Lion Heart of England, Philip August of France and Fredric Barbarossa and the rest of Kings were deceived that the Christians are being tortured in Bayt El-Makdes so they came and declared war

after 3-4 years of fighting they return home after agreeing that they can return in peace to Bayt El Makdes any time they wish.

after all I say again it was a great movie, Ridley Scott did a very good job, but the story line needs to be reviewed that is why I rated it 6 out of 10

Saw (2004)

can you blink?!!!

[8/10 · 8 June 2005]

What got my eyes at this movies first was its name, I thought it is a sicho character with name but after exactly 3 minutes watching it I forgot completely every thing but the screen. The film plays a great game with us and changes the way of thinking every second

it is about two men locked in a bathroom

1) a victim and a criminal 2) two victims and a corpse 3) two enemies and a corpse 4) two humans and a corpse 5) two minds and a corpse 6) a lion, a victim and a corpse 7) a wounded lion, a victim,a criminal and a corpse 8) a wounded, a tied man, a corpse and a new corpse 9) a tied man, a corpses and the new corpse 10) a tied man, a criminal and an innocent corpse (where is the corpse?!!!) 11) a tied man and a free criminal!!!!!

I liked the mind game and the flash back at the film start and the outside events it really worth watching

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Let's turn to the dark side,,,,,,,,hmmmm, OK!!

[8/10 · 6 June 2005]

Every SAGA has a beginning, now the saga is complete the movie is great, no doubt about that but you see I only rated it as 8 out of 10 So, where are the 2 points here are a quick film review 1) The movie starts with the classical sliding text telling that S. Palpatine has been kidnapped by General Grievous which is really a very good start 2) Then the action begins the battle seen is Good, reminds me with Invaders and Space impact Games, I liked the Graphics and colors of green and Magenta Lasers 3) the battle is designed to tell what a hell of a pilot Anakin has become 4) the on board battle is awesome again what a hell of a Jedi Anakin is and a really nice funny touch from R2D2, only catch is that we have already seen the capabilities of count Dukoo vs. Obi Wan, Anakin and Yoda. but I felt like he was defeated so fast and he lost much of his skills. No points lost so far, No harm done 5) Now comes the brain game between Anakin and Palpatine, it started in very good way and Lucas showed us the methodology of turning to the dark side really good 6) the film goes well till the moment after the fight of Mace Windu and Darth Sidius (no more Palpatine) here we see Anakin betrayed Windu to save Darth Sidius (he needs to know how to fight death to save Padme) then Anaken forgot completely about Jedi and decided to be a Sith how come he forgot a life time in just 20 second or something and he is convinced that every single Jedi is now an enemy I didn't buy that (at least one point lost here if not more) then we see the fight at the Jedi temple and the killing of Jedi as if all Jedi lost their powers same moment Anakin turned to dark side so all of them killed so easily (second point lost) except Yoda and Obi wan of course 7) a great fight between Yoda and Palpatine but Yoda gave up so easily and didn't even think to try again (I wonder why) 8) then the one we waited 30 years to see the fight between Obi wan and Anakin (or say Darth Vader), really great fight but it was the first time a Sith holds a blue light saber 9) Padme gave birth of the 2 children and a new hope is born and RISE LORD VADER and the movie ends 10) it didn't show weather all Wookies except Chobaka turned against Jedi or what a very good movie needed stronger turn to the dark side finally I look forward to see the movie again and till the DVD appears on the market