#50 Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Noel Clarke.

Synopsis
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Review
Judging from how the critically lauded 2009 'Star Trek' reboot managed to re-establish the universal timeline and its characters through clever use of time travel-altered alternate reality, it's safe to say that J.J. Abrams might still be adventurous enough to surprise audiences by pioneering an entirely fresh new take on how the saga should continue. Well, I was dead wrong.

Instead of bringing the multi-cultural Enterprise crew on a new direction in terms of story and journey, the film however revisits a few notable plotlines from the past series. Familiar Trekkies might find the references or homages a bit too similar to the old storyline (plus a very forcefully done cameo), while new Trekkies like me finds it logically acceptable. However, the magic from the reboot, that unpredictable sense of freshness, made zero presence here.

A higher stakes for the crew means a larger setpieces together with dazzling special effects set in space. The lens-flare filled sequences were filmed in high octane manner. Watching this in IMAX format is a powerful experience that will thrill your senses to overdrive, all thanks to its heart-thumping sound system and crystal clear picture.

Plotwise speaking, the film explores the thematic perspectives of vengeance without losing its magical touch of maintaining the emotional resonance. The plot might be a bit too convoluted from second half onwards. Emotions run deep in every character through effective interactions and chemistry between the cast.The relationship dynamics of the crew is the main locomotive driving the plot. Charming leads aside, notable performances went to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto's. Pine's portrayal of hotheaded Kirk is essentially the strongest within the crowd. Beneath his impulsiveness and recklessness comes a great breakthrough in terms of character development. Quinto's Spock, who is still prone to logical faults and struggle with any emotional attachments embedded within, is a pure crowd-pleaser cemented with its iconic mythos. Together, the tension rises between the two as they take on the real spotlight of the film - Benedict Cumberbatch's malevolent 'John Harrison'.

A one-man force hell-bent on exacting a revenge on the Federation, Cumberbatch's supposedly post-911 influenced terrorist 'John Harrison' is a letdown. With all the buzz set on him alone, Cumberbatch's menacing character might be cold-blooded and vocally intense (spotting his eardrum piercing British pronunciation), but overall the character is terribly one-dimensional. Intelligent, combat-wise and could speak in very hostile tone, that's more than enough to make up another cliched movie villain.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#49 Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, Clifton Collins, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Faran Tahir, Jennifer Morrison, Greg Ellis, Rachel Nichols, Tyler Perry.

Synopsis
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.

Review
With a canon that spanned nearly 50 years of TV shows and motion pictures, it's only a matter of time before 'Star Trek' gets itself a decent reboot for the modern generation. This 2009 reboot helmed by visionary director J.J. Abrams plays out both as an approprite universe introduction to all the modern Trekkies and a quasi-sequel that brilliantly continues the storyline without disrespectfully destroying all the things set up by the previous timeline, thus earning all the critical approves from all the old Trekkies alike. One thing I really love about this reboot is how intelligent the filmmakers are creating this brand new environment that'll bound to change the course of lives of every pivotal character. The chemistry between the new Kirk and Spock turns out to be stronger than ever. Quinto's performance as the new younger Spock is emotionally captivating with all his display of personal struggles and racial dilemmas, while Pine's version of the courageous but at times reckless Kirk is heightens up the on-screen energy of the already impressive ensemble cast. The way the story smartly sets up the alternate reality has indirectly opened the door for all the characters to access their characteristic potentials and possible opportunities in near future. With all the emotions, space-opera like special effects and humor intricately woven within Abram's signature style of storytelling that integrates architectural lens flares, intergalactic scores and entertaining pace, 'Star Trek' qualifies as a genuine sci-fi must-love.

Rating

Full 5 Stars

#48 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Stuart Baird
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, John Berg, Kate Mulgrew, Shannon Colchran, Jude Ciccolella, Alan Dale, Wil Wheaton, Majel Barrett, Stuart Barid, Bryan Singer, Whoopi Goldberg..

Synopsis
While passing near the Romulan Neutral Zone, the Enterprise-E picks up an unusual energy signal. The crew investigates, and finds dismantled pieces of an android that looks just like Data. But before the crew has time to determine its origins, they receive a priority message from Starfleet’s Admiral Janeway: There’s been an internal political shakeup on Romulus, and the new leader, Praetor Shinzon, has asked that a Federation ship visit to talk peace. When they get there, the crew discovers that, surprisingly, Shinzon is not Romulan. He’s from Romulus’s sister planet, Remus—but he’s not a Reman either. He’s a human clone of Captain Picard, the vestige of a failed Romulan plot to infiltrate Starfleet. All that’s in the past, Shinzon swears. Today he’s only interested in leading both the Romulans and the Remans down a path of peace with the Federation. But not all—in fact not much—is as it seems.

Review
Other than Patrick Stewart's stellar portrayal of Captain Picard, 'Nemesis' is a sign pointing to the so-called 'franchise fatigue', a condition where new story runs out of originality and the universe receives limited opportunity for expansion. Since not much is going on in the story department, 'Nemesis' sees a very young Tom Hardy playing a renegade Romulan enemy. While there's no shortage of action sequences and a death in the family at the end, these may be the only highlights of the Next Generation's final voyage

Rating
0/5 Stars

#47: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, Anthony Zerbe.

Synopsis
While investigating a report that Data is running amok on the peaceful Ba’ku planet, the Enterprise-E crew uncovers a conspiracy between Starfleet and the Son’a to secretly relocate the planet’s inhabitants. Interfering with the peaceful Ba’ku seems a clear violation of the Prime Directive, so Picard and his crew must choose whether to follow an unlawful order and help the Son’a, or to mutiny against Starfleet and protect the Ba’ku.

Review
The story itself can be quite confusing at times, a situation where the villains' motives aren't clearly represented, and the threat the crew is fighting is clearly fazed by the slightly convoluted plot line of the entire narrative, thus dampening the pace and excitement a Star Trek film usually possesses as a quality.

Rating
0/5 Stars

#46 Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis,Neal McDonough, James Cromwell.

Synopsis
The Borg, the Federation’s deadliest enemy, can’t seem to get past Starfleet’s 24th century defenses to assimilate the populace of Earth. But it’s not in Borg nature to give up. Following the destruction of one of their gigantic cube ships, a small Borg sphere ship creates a temporal passage into the past. Their goal: assimilate humanity before Earth’s residents can take their first tenuous steps towards founding the United Federation of Planets.

Review
With such intriguing premise of a Borg takeover of the Enterprise Starship, the film plays up a grave sense of urgency as the Next Generation must race against time to fight off the Borgs and prevent further intervention of the historical First Contact occasion. To cut things short, 'First Contact' is the best movie off the Next Generation series.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#45 Star Trek Generations (1994)

Star Trek Generations (1994)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: David Carson
Cast: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Alan Ruck, Malcolm McDowell, Jacqueline Kim, Barbara March, Patti Yasutake, Whoopi Goldberg, James Doohan, Walter Koenig.

Synopsis
In the year 2293, Kirk, Scotty and Chekov reunite for a ceremony celebrating the launch of the brand new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B. (Wait—isn’t this a film about the crew of the Enterprise-D?) But on its maiden voyage, the Enterprise-B must attempt to rescue the passengers of a pair of vessels that have become ensnared in an “energy ribbon”—a deadly space phenomenon. The rescue attempt is only partly successful, and the fateful encounter will resonate through the decades to impact upon the lives of Captain Picard’s crew in the 24th century, where a man named Tolian Soran threatens to take the lives of millions of innocent people unless two Enterprise captains can stop him.

Review
Although the film did feature the hallmark meeting of both Captain Kirk and Captain Picard. the film suffers from a story that is written like an extended special episode for 'The Next Generation' series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#44 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall.

Synopsis
An environmental disaster on the Klingon moon Praxis forces the warrior race to consider an armistice with their long-time enemy, the Federation. Kirk, unable to forget the death of his son at Klingon hands, wants no part of it, but Spock “volunteers” the captain’s services to Starfleet for a diplomatic assignment: providing the Klingon chancellor with escort services to an intergalactic peace summit.

Review
With an intended political undertone planted along the storyline, the sixth instalment had Kirk battling his inner demon of fear and prejudice against the kind who he detests. With so much thought provoking messages lying around, the story of  'The Undiscovered Country' is cleverly written with a rebellious twist, thus elevating the overall fear and suspense throughout the course of the Enterprise crew. All in all, it is a great if not satisfactory final adventure for the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#43 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

PG
Running time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: William Shatner
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Laurence Luckinbill.

Synopsis
As his newly commissioned ship undergoes some last minute fine-tuning in spacedock around Earth, Kirk, Spock and McCoy experience the rare opportunity to enjoy a vacation together in Yosemite National Park. But they’ve barely begun to relax when they’re ordered to return to the ship and head for Nimbus III, the so-called “Planet of Galactic Peace,” to resolve a hostage situation instigated by a mysterious renegade Vulcan.

Review
The Enterprise's quest in finding God falls short with a disappointing ending, rendering the whole experience from the first half to be a wild goose chase. Or am I missing something here? 'Cause I'm afraid that's the point after all, we're not supposed to find God in His physical form. Or maybe this film is dull and boring.

Rating
1/5 Stars

#42 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 2 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Majel Barrett.

Synopsis

Still on the planet Vulcan (where audiences last saw them at the end of The Search for Spock), Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura prepare to head home to receive their comeuppance for stealing the Enterprise and taking it to the forbidden Genesis planet. Spock, who has been recuperating from the fal-tor-pan procedure that restored his katra to his physical body, decides to accompany them so that he can testify at their court martial proceedings. But as their ship nears Earth, they receive an emergency transmission, warning all incoming vessels to steer clear of Earth. The reason: a mysterious alien probe has rendered all nearby ships and planetary defensive systems powerless, and is now wreaking havoc on the biosphere.

Review
It's fun, it's quirky and it's the weirdest, most eccentric Star Trek film ever made, in a great way. With the crew basically thrown into a fish-out-of-water circumstance, extreme measures are taken in order to survive the most dangerous era the world had ever lived through - the 80's! Armed with the very unconventional story of whale-searching (another way to raise contemporary environmental concern), the crew's interaction with people of Earth is golden and very funny. To sum things up, The Voyage Home could be the most special Star Trek movie of them all, and I enjoyed it very much.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#41 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Picture
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei.

Synopsis
In the aftermath of the Genesis planet’s creation and Spock’s heroic sacrifice to save the Enterprise crew, a somber Kirk and company return to Earth, where Kirk receives an unexpected visit from Spock’s father. Sarek is under the assumption that prior to his death, Spock gave Kirk his katra (or “living spirit”); it’s therefore Kirk’s responsibility to deliver Spock’s katra, along with his body, home to Vulcan. Unfortunately, Kirk left Spock’s body back on the Genesis planet, and he doesn’t have Spock’s katra— although he has a sneaking suspicion who does.

Review
Directed by Nimoy himself, the third Trek does have its moments. While plot inconsistencies are here and there, and Kirk's reaction to the death of his son is not help at all in mending the cracks, 'The Search for Spock' boasts great, fun performance from the crew in their journey of rescuing their miraculously resurrected friend, Spock. Mayhem ensues as Klingons make their presence felt by serving as a subplot menacing the entire mission. However, the film delivers as a solid entry in continuing the chronology of the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars 

#40 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalbán, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Bibi Besch.

Synopsis
Khan Noonien Singh, a dangerous genetically enhanced human from Earth’s 20th century, manages to escape from the planet where the Enterprise exiled him nearly two decades ago. Although Khan could use the opportunity to escape, there’s only one thing on his mind: Revenge against James T. Kirk!

Review
Deemed as the best Star Trek movie by all Trekkies alike,  Montalbán's nefarious performance as the titular Khan is cold, cruel and by far a hardened steel hell-bent on afflicting vengeance upon Kirk. The film, along with its extraordinarily done pacing, did greatly in putting the Enterprise crew in unprecedented life and death scenario. It was fun to watch how the crew pushes the limit in order to outwit the genetically engineered Khan himself, which resulted in the crew paying the ultimate price. In conclusion, 'Wrath of Khan' is very well a Star Trek movie, a strict Star Trek movie.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#39 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
G
Running time: 2 hours 12 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Persis Khambatta, Stephen Collins.

Synopsis
Kirk and his former crew reunite aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 to save Earth from a powerful living machine that is destroying everything in its path as it searches for its “creator.” When we last saw this crew, at the end of the original Star Trek’s third season, the year was 2269. It is now 2271. Upon completion of his five-year mission, Kirk apparently accepted a well-deserved promotion to admiral, but he’s been having second thoughts about that decision. He feels he’s more suited to sitting in the captain’s chair aboard a starship than sitting behind a desk at Starfleet Headquarters. In the meantime, Spock has returned to his Vulcan homeworld to go through a ritual that will purge him of his emotions once and for all. Doctor McCoy has retired from active service. Chekov has changed his specialty, from navigation to ship’s security. Scotty, Uhura and Sulu continue to hold their familiar posts on the Enterprise. The ship itself, however, has gone through a major refit, with upgrades throughout.

Review
Although critics had all agreed that the first Star Trek full length feature is like an extended episode of the original series, I beg to differ that as a Gen-Y myself, the film plays a pivotal role in introducing the general vibe and feel of the old-school, classic Star Trek. From Shatner's hopelessly wooden performance as Kirk to Nimoy's signature Spock and his catchphrases, the mission to intercept V'Ger starts off with a gratuitous amount of time spent with the original crew. Kelley's witty portrayal of Bones is memorable, and not to mention Doohan's funny performance as Irish engineer Scotty. All in all, the first Star Trek is a great introductory entry into the Enterprise voyage saga.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#38 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Dave Filoni
Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Christopher Lee, Dee Bradley Baker, Samuel L. Jackson, Nika Futterman, Anthony Daniels, Ian Abercrombie, Catherine Taber, Corey Burton, David Acord, Kevin Michael Richardson, Matthew Wood.

Synopsis

On the front lines of an intergalactic struggle between good and evil, fans young and old will join such favorite characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, along with brand-new heroes like Anakin's padawan learner, Ahsoka. Sinister villains – led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous – are poised to rule the galaxy. Stakes are high, and the fate of the universe rests in the hands of the daring Jedi Knights.

Review

Watching this poorly done animation with a slightly unnecessary mini story had my time wasted, not in a good or worthy way.

Rating

0/5 Stars

#37 Return of the Jedi (1983)

Return of the Jedi (1983)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Caroline Blakiston.

Synopsis

In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

Review

Also known as 'Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi', the saga comes to a satisfying end with a few not so friendly encounters, such as Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett. Being the one with the most straightforward, blockbuster-charged storyline of them all, the ending of 'Return of the Jedi' highlights the emotional core of the saga - the father-son relationship of Vader and Luke. Oh, don't even mention the Ewok tribe, which is just an awesome bunch of forest creatures.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#36 The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch, Denis Lawson, Clive Revill.

Synopsis
After the destruction of the Death Star, Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in the Cloud City of Bespin. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation that the evil Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker.

Review
Also known as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the second chapter could very well be the darkest and most radical outing of the original trilogy. With much advancements done to both the plot and the characters, 'The Empire Strikes Back' ends on a high note with a classic third-act - a fine lightsaber duel, which leads into what seems to be one of the most iconic cliffhangers of all time in the history of Hollywood filmmaking.

Rating

Full 5 Stars

#35 Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars (1977)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 1 minute
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Phil Brown, Shelagh Fraser, Paul Blake.

Synopsis

Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Although Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader, his former apprentice, Luke proves that the Force is with him by destroying the Empire's dreaded Death Star.

Review

Also known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 'Star Wars' is very well the greatest space opera to ever exist. Its significance had given pop culture a sense of symbolism with various memorable characters and moments. From Han Solo's notorious 'who shoot first' moment to the borderline incestuous relationship between Luke and Leia, the film never runs short of something that defines what it is today. So much can be said in praising Lucas' direction, but I would rather respect the obvious by speaking less about it. After all, this is the movie that introduces the intergalactic weapon of death - lightsaber.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

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

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Temuera Morrison, Matthew Wood, Jimmy Smits, Silas Carson, Peter Mayhew.

Synopsis
Years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights lead a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force to become the Emperor's new apprentice -- Darth Vader. The Jedi are decimated, as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda are forced into hiding. The only hope for the galaxy are Anakin's own offspring -- the twin children born in secrecy who will grow up to become heroes.

Review

With much improvement done in the writing department, Anakin's major transition into Darth Vader comes full circle as the third episode takes this dark turn of event to culminate what seems to be a tragic downfall of a Jedi knight. As the trajectory of the story is far more clearer than its predecessors, episode three ends on a high note with the best third-act setting and lightsabre fight ever done. Apart from that, the acting has definitely improved ever since the horrendous second chapter. Overall, 'Revenge of the Sith' makes a fine, confident concluding chapter to the prequel series.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#33 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, Leeanna Walsman, Silas Carson, Ahmed Best, Rose Byrne, Pernilla August, Jack Thompson, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse.

Synopsis
Ten years after the invasion of Naboo, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi named Count Dooku, thousands of solar systems threaten to break away from the Galactic Republic. When an assassination attempt is made on Senator Padmé Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, twenty-year-old Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker is assigned to protect her. In the course of his mission, Anakin discovers his love for Padmé as well as his own darker side. Soon, Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are drawn into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.

Review

Being my least favourite film off the prequel series, the second chapter has the recipe of a disastrous big-budget blockbuster: a laughable script, bad acting (yes, Hayden Christensen) and the awkward 'age is just a number' infatuation between Anakin and Padme. Yes, it's that bad, so bad that even Yoda's astounding lightsabre skills couldn't handle the damage control.

Rating

0/5 Stars

#32 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, Pernilla August, Ray Park, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Silas Carson, Hugh Quarshie, Andy Secombe, Lewis McLeod, Frank Oz, Samuel L. Jackson, Terence Stamp, Brian Blessed, Greg Proops, Scott Capurro.

Synopsis
Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jin discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.

Review
As a prequel trilogy that took decades in the making, the first instalment in the highly anticipated series is such a huge let-down. Although the introductory story to Anakin Skywalker's oppressed childhood is saved by stellar performance courtesy of Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, there were still a few not so proud moments such as cringe-worthy dialogues and of course, Jar Jar Binks.

Rating
1/5 Stars

#31 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 1 minute
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen, Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Igor Jijikine.

Synopsis
The newest Indiana Jones adventure begins in the desert Southwest in 1957 - the height of the Cold War. Indy and his sidekick Mac have barely escaped a close scrape with nefarious Soviet agents on a remote airfield. Now, Professor Jones has returned home to Marshall College - only to find things have gone from bad to worse. His close friend and dean of the college explains that Indy's recent activities have made him the object of suspicion, and that the government has put pressure on the university to fire him. On his way out of town, Indiana meets rebellious young Mutt, who carries both a grudge and a proposition for the adventurous archaeologist: If he'll help Mutt on a mission with deeply personal stakes, Indy could very well make one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in history - the Crystal Skull of Akator, a legendary object of fascination, superstition and fear. But as Indy and Mutt set out for the most remote corners of Peru - a land of ancient tombs, forgotten explorers and a rumoured city of gold - they quickly realise they are not alone in their search. The Soviet agents are also hot on the trail of the Crystal Skull. Chief among them is icy cold, devastatingly beautiful Irina Spalko, whose elite military unit is scouring the globe for the eerie Crystal Skull, which they believe can help the Soviets dominate the world...if they can unlock its secrets. Indy and Mutt must find a way to evade the ruthless Soviets, follow an impenetrable trail of mystery, grapple with enemies and friends of questionable motive, and, above all, stop the powerful Crystal Skull from falling into the deadliest of hands.

Review
Spielberg's latest Indy adventure is a blast back to all things nostalgia the franchise had fostered. With everything nicely put and done, the ending is the only exception that plunges the whole storyline into the sea of absurdity.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#30 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, River Phoenix, Denholm Elliott, Alison Doody, Alex Hyde-White, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, Michael Byrne, Kevork Malikyan, Robert Eddison, Vernon Dobtcheff, Michael Sheard

Synopsis
The year is 1938. Twenty-six years ago, young Indiana Jones was thwarted in an attempt to retrieve the legendary Cross of Coronado from the hands of robbers. But an older, wiser and stronger Indy has finally returned the jewel encrusted Cross of Coronado to his boss, Marcus Brody. Almost as soon as he arrives back at his quite, New England College, though, Indy is whisked away by representatives of multi-millionaire Walter Donovan, who has unearthed a mysterious stone. Indy recognizes it is the first of two long-buried markers that reveal the location of the Holy Grail itself. But the man who found the stone tablet has gone missing: Dr. Henry Jones, Indy's long-estranged father and the world's foremost Grail expert. Journeying to Venice, Indy meets Dr. Elsa Schneider, Donovan's colleague, who helps him track down his father. But they are being followed by the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, whose members have vowed to prot3ect the Grail at any cost - even Indy and Elsa's lives. One of these warrior reveals that Indy's farther is being held in the imposing Brunwald Castle in Austria. What Indy doesn't know is that the castle is actually a Nazi stronghold - and that Elsa is a Nazi double-agent whose also working for the duplicitous American Donovan. Dr. Jones Sr. and Dr. Jones Jr. find themselves chased through the streets of Berlin, through the skies above German and through the deserts of Turkey. Along with Brody and old friend Sallah, they finally locate the Grail's resting place - but the Nazis have beaten them there. Determined to force Indy to retrieve the Grail, Donovan shoots Indy's father, who collapses to the floor. Hesitantly, Indy enters the temple...

Review
The highlight of Indy's third outing is sure to be the relationship dynamics of the father-son duo. Sean Connery's academician Henry Jones had been a tough-loving sort of father towards Ford's outgoing, adventurous Indy, which made Henry Jones an opposite mirror image of the latter. Apart from that, the storyline regarding the Holy Grail quest is not as exciting as Indy's previous adventures, but satisfactory enough to qualify the third film to be an essential family flick.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

#29 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan, Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, Raj Singh, D. R. Nanayakkara, Roy Chiao, David Yip, Pat Roach.

Synopsis
The year is 1935. Following a crazed brawl inside Shanghai's Club Obi-Wan, adventurous archaeologist Indiana Jones finds himself saddled with an unwilling companion, bombshell American singer Willie Scott. Now they're on the run from a nefarious Shanghai mob boss with Indy's sidekick, 11-year-old Short Round. They narrowly escape by boarding a waiting plane - which is owned by Lao Che, the mob boss himself! In the air, the pilot empties the fuel tanks and bails out. Indy, Willie and Short Round use a life raft to escape and land in a remote Indian river. A native shaman explains that the village has been under a curse ever since its sacred Sankara stone was stolen by the Maharajah of Pankot. He begs Indy to help the suffering village and its lost children - who have disappeared into the night. Together, Indiana, the audacious Short Round and the very unhappy Willie travel by elephant to Pankot Palace, where they come face to face with the sinister maharajah - a 13-year-old boy. After a bizarre banquet, Indy, Willie and Short Round unexpectedly discover a hidden passage that leads deep into the underground bowels of the Palace. As hey make their way down the deadly path, the trio find themselves deep within the fiery, subterranean Temple of Doom, lorded over by the evil Mola Ram, High Priest of a secret and horrifying cult called the Thuggees. His vicious followers, experts at human sacrifice, protect three glowing stones - Sankara stones, which, according to legend, can bestow preternatural powers on their possessor. Captured by Thuggee guards, Indy, Short Round and Willie come to realize that the residents of Pankot Palace and the Thuggee cult are linked in a terrifying way that spells almost certain death for the village and its children.

Review
Despite its slightly darker and violent content, crude racial profiling and obvious white saviour reference, Indy's prequel serves as a great follow-up to the original with its gritty content and terrifying graphics as the heroic archaeologist embarks on a perilous journey into the dangerous territory of Thuggee cult along with a few timely memorable characters.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#28 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
PG
Running time: 1 hours 55 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Wolf Kahler, Alfred Molina, Vic Tablian.

Synopsis
The year is 1936. As the Third Reich continues its reign of terror, Adolf Hitler is on a quest for the legendary Ark of the Covenant - resting place of the Ten Commandments - whose supernatural powers, legend says, can wipe out entire armies. The U.S. government wants to find the Ark before Hitler, and Army Intelligence turns to Dr. Indiana Jones, professor of archaeology at a small New England college. A beleaguered Indy has just returned from a failed expedition to recover a sacred idolin the jungles of South America. Recruited by the Army for the mission, Indy travels to Patan, Nepal, where he reunites with the beautiful and daring Marion Ravenwood - who is still bitter over their failed love affair. She reluctantly joined forces with Indy to combat the Nazis on his trail. Carrying a precious medallion that Marion owns, they flee the villainous Nazis and journey to Cairo, where Marion becomes the apparent victim of an attempt on Indy's life. Relentlessly pursued by Hitler's henchmen, Indy learns that his nemesis, the French grave robber Belloq, has been hired by the Nazis to lead their quest for the Ark. Indy daringly infiltrates their massive digging operation in a race against time to discover the Well of the Souls, where the Ark has lain undisturbed for centuries. Astonished to discover that Marion is still alive, they work together with their friend Sallah to retrieve the Ark. But it's viciously snatched from them by Belloq and the Nazis. They plan a secret ritual to learn the contents of the Ark. Despite a daring escape from an underground tomb, Indy and Marion are forced to take part in the ceremony. Lashed to a stake, Indy begs Marion not to look as the Ark emits a violent, mysterious beam of light...

Review
A pure Spielberg masterpiece, Indiana Jones' maiden adventure is a great representation of what a summer adventure blockbuster should be - minimal use of CGI (well, it was 1980's), real stunts and good ol' rapid frame captures of all the awesome action sequences. Harrison Ford's charming personality as the titular archaeologist is timeless and iconic, not to mention the film's sandy backdrop of Egyptian deserts. All in all, 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' is definitely one of my favourite adventure flicks of all time.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#27 Jurassic Park III (2001)

Jurassic Park III (2001)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Joe Johnston
Cast: Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Téa Leoni, Alessandro Nivola, Trevor Morgan, Michael Jeter, John Diehl, Bruce A. Young, Laura Dern, Taylor Nichols, Mark Harelik, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Blake Michael Bryan, Sarah Danielle Madison, Linda Park.

Synopsis
Adventure runs wild when renowned paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant agrees to accompany a wealthy adventurer and his wife on an aerial tour of Isla Sorna, InGen's former breeding ground for prehistoric creatures. But when they're terrifyingly stranded, Dr. Grant discovers that his hosts are not what they seem, and the island's native inhabitants are smarter, faster, fiercer and more brutal than he ever imagined in this heart-stomping thriller.

Review
Forget the shallow storyline and try to give in the exhilarating scenes of never-before-seen dino species (the gigantic Spinosaurus and Pteranodon) and the presence of beloved Dr. Alan Grant, because Jurassic Park III is a great excuse for movie-goers to return to their childhood fantasy land.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#26 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 14 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Pete Postlethwaite, Arliss Howard, Richard Schiff, Richard Attenborough, Vanessa Lee Chester, Peter Stormare, Thomas F. Duffy, Harvey Jason, Ariana Richards, Joseph Mazzello, Thomas Rosales, Geno Silva, Alex Miranda, Robin Sachs, Camilla Belle, Sam Neill.

Synopsis
It has been four years since the disaster at Jurassic Park and two groups are in a race against time that will determine the fate of the remote island's prehistoric inhabitants.

Review
In the sequel to the beloved Jurassic classic, Spielberg applied a darker approach into the exploration of Isla Sonar, Jurassic Park's Site B, which serves as a breeding ground for various ferocious dino species. With such delightful return of Goldblum's Ian Malcolm, the premise of the story adds a certain grim if not danger to the expedition. It's a race against time to prevent another mistake made by human, thus providing the much needed urgency and edge to the action sequences. A great continuation that raises more awareness towards corporate capitalism and the effect of mishandled genetically-modified products.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#25 Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park (1993)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 6 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Ariana Richards, Joseph Mazzello, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Wayne Knight, Samuel L. Jackson, Cameron Thor, Miguel Sandoval, Gerald R. Molen, BD Wong, Richard Kiley, Greg Burson.

Synopsis:
Jurassic Park takes you to an amazing theme park on a remote island where dinosaurs once again roam the earth and five people must battle to survive among the prehistoric predators.

Review
Steven Spielberg's modern classic summons everything a summer blockbuster package should have - an interesting 'man vs. God' platform in the form of bringing the dinosaurs back from extinction, Spielberg's unique touch of action-adventure infused mayhem and the astonishingly ground-breaking visual effects that incorporates both the usage of practical, life-like animatronics and beautiful CG effects that had seemed to be way ahead of its time back then. Memorable catchphrases and iconic moments aside, the Michael Crichton novel adaptation explores the dynamic relation in between the co-existence of dinosaurs and human, thus inducing provocative ideas and challenging theories regarding such genetically engineered circumstances. The characters, especially Neill's Indiana Jones-inspired paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant and Goldblum's chaos theorist Ian Malcolm, are endearing figures that we've come to know and love in the franchise. Lastly, who would forget John Williams' nostalgic Jurassic Park theme accompanying the picturesque bird's eye view of Isla Nublar? Such grandeur scale in modern filmmaking is what made the Jurassic world a gem in its own right.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#24 Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 29 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Joseph Sargent
Cast: Lorraine Gary, Lance Guest, Mario Van Peebles, Karen Young, Michael Caine.

Synopsis
Once again the peace of Amity and the lives of the Brody family are shattered by a bloodthirsty shark in this suspense-packed sequel to the original classic chiller. Lorraine Gary reprises her role as the now widowed Ellen Brody who finds herself reliving the horrors of the past when a mammoth shark kills her son. Grief-stricken, she travels to the Bahamas to be with her other son, a marine biologist, and his family. There she meets and falls for a carefree airplane pilot. But just as she is putting her life back together, the nightmare of the past returns when her granddaughter is attacked by an all-too-familiar Great White. Determined to end the terror once and for all, Ellen sets out for a showdown to the death. The action and tension build rapidly to a shattering climax in this, the most incredible Jaws adventure of them all. And this time, it's personal!

Review
Perhaps the only benefit of being one of the worst sequels ever made in film history is to be the first motion picture to feature a psychotic Great White on the trail of the Brody family. It makes no sense at all.

Rating
0/5 Stars

#23 Jaws 3-D (1983)

Jaws 3-D (1983)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Joe Alves
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale, Louis Gossett, Jr., John Putch, Lea Thompson, Harry Grant, P. H. Moriarty, Dan Glasko, Elizabeth Morris.

Synopsis
Everyone at Florida's Sea World is thrilled with the new "Undersea Kingdom," a maze of underwater plexiglass tunnels that permits visitors to get closer to marine life than ever before. The opening ceremonies include many important guests… and one uninvited baby shark who accidentally enters the park's lagoon through a faulty sea gate and subsequently dies. The young shark's 35-foot mother soon follows her offspring, creating the most horrifying tale of terror ever filmed in the water.

Review
Banking on the 1980's 3D craze, 'Jaws 3-D' is more like a financial gimmick than a shark horror, or worse so, a SeaWorld-endorsed trip gone wrong.

Rating
0/5 Star

#22 Jaws 2 (1978)

Jaws 2 (1978)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Cast: Roy Scheider , Lorraine Gary , Murray Hamilton.

Synopsis
The horror is far from over! Four years after the great white shark terrorized the small resort of Amity, unsuspecting vacationers begin disappearing in an all-too-familiar fashion. Only one man knows the truth.

Review
'Decent' would be my word of choice for the sequel inferior to the original classics. Scheider's troublesome frustration is deliberately visible throughout the composure of his returning character, Martin Brody. While the story is too unnecessary to warrant a sequel, one might forgive the abominable 'what are the odds of us getting struck by another Great White again?' platform with gratuitous underwater shots and of course, mayhem involving threshers.

Rating
1/5 Stars

#21 Jaws (1975)

Jaws (1975)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director:Steven Spielberg
Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton.

Synopsis
When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine biologist and a grizzled shark hunter embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again.

Review
Along with John Williams's now signature ominous score, Steven Spielberg's shark classic is a celebrated piece of cinematic icon. From the film's distinctively rubbery, pre-Jurassic Park shark models to the effective use of musical score to achieve critical suspense and tension, these are memorable essences conceived by Spielberg's compelling direction. The third-act involving Scheider's heroic role Brody, the bellicose Quint (played by Robert Shaw) and Dreyfus' shark fanatic Matt Hooper, lives up to its crescendo with an intense shark battle. A great Hollywood gem with components that we seldom find in today's filmmaking world.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#20 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

PG-13

Running time: 2 hours 24 minutes (Standard Edition)

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, John Tui, Billy Connolly, Mikael Persbrandt, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Simon London.

Synopsis
The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the legendaryArkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide—unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends as five great armies go to war. From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo's frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide - unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

Review
Finally, the epic Hobbit saga has finally come to an end. As long time fans bid their farewells to Tolkien's massive fantasy land, the filmmakers have decided to go out with a bang, an epic bang. What we're dealing here is a near three-hour of battle frenzy. The emotional tone is slightly less pronounced in this war epic, but all the top-notch visual effects are in no shortage. With a quick pace that's resplendent in war action and the beautiful performance of the leads, 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' provides a satisfactory ending to the three-part Hobbit journey, thus ending the overblown prequel series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#19 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

PG-13

Running time: 2 hours 41 minutes (Standard Edition) / 3 hours 6 minutes (Extended Edition)

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Orlando Bloom, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, Lawrence Makoare, Antony Sher, Craig Hall, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Mark Mitchinson, Ben Mitchell, Robin Kerr, Simon London.

Synopsis
The film continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous Mirkwood Forest. After escaping capture by the dangerous Woodland Elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all — a creature more terrifying than any before, which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself — the Dragon Smaug. The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Review
Let's set the record straight, Desolation of Smaug is clearly a better film compared to its predecessor. The rapid pace, the elaborate action-adventure aura, and the ethereal Middle-Earth panorama, all rolled into one big middle Hobbit chapter. Sure, the film still suffers from its painfully, unnecessarily stretched narrative length, and the plot changes they made is no help in retaining the authenticity of the book, yet these elements can be rendered as a fruitful effort of the director in giving fans what they want: more Middle-Earth goodness and more references to forge the connection to the original One Ring trilogy. With the third-act sequence being the most intense of all, the ending is sure to leave fans hanging in the air, craving for more.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#18 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

PG-13

Running time: 2 hours 49 minutes (Standard Edition) / 3 hours 2 minutes (Extended Edition)

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Sylvester McCoy, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Manu Bennett, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Barry Humphries. John Rawls, Bret McKenzie, Kiran Shah, Jeffrey Thomas, Michael Mizrahi.

Synopsis

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ...a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Review
I gotta admit, all the hype and buzz surrounding this epic ‘LOTR’ prequel is no doubt excessively built and promoted. Thing is, people tend to compare this one to Jackson’s highly acclaimed original Middle-Earth trilogy, which completely makes no sense at all considering the very different nature exhibited by both storyline. While ‘LOTR’ is grounded to be one of the greatest dark fantasy epics ever to be brought to the silver screen, ‘The Hobbit’, much as honest and down-to-Earth as its central protagonist, is no where near the scale. Beneath all the controversies involving the film’s use of 48FPS frame rate and various technical adversities during the shooting, Peter Jackson had managed to craft out a fine piece of adventure flick. Beautiful New Zealand landscapes, enchanting special effects, epic film score and magnificent performances especially by McKellen and Serkis, these may be the essence of ‘The Hobbit’. However, the main problem regarding ‘The Hobbit’ is that it feels really tiresome, much like a chore to me, to stand through the very lazy pacing of the story. I mean, putting out the 300-page prequel in a trilogy isn’t the brightest choice around to go with especially if you compare, let’s say, the amount of source materials plus story complexities, to the original ‘LOTR’ trilogy. This one really should better off being a stand-alone movie instead of getting a franchise-milking treatment. There are parts where you’ll find to be something unnecessarily churned out from the book all for the sake of prolonging the running time, or, of course, creating an entire prequel trilogy for the big bucks. Anyhow, ’The Hobbit’ fares as a rather long highway-avoiding bus ride back into Middle-Earth. ‘The Hobbit’ is faithful to the original material, but somehow it undermines the very foundation of the adventure prequel by breaking it up into a draggy three-part series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#17 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)
PG-13
Running time: 3 hours 21 minutes
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Craig Parker, Bruce Hopkins, John Bach, John Leigh, John Noble, Bruce Spence, Ian Holm, Marton Csokas, Bruce Hopkins, Paul Norell, Lawrence Makoare, Sarah McLeod, Thomas Robins.

Synopsis
The final battle for Middle-earth begins as Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, continue their dangerous mission toward the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring. Aragorn struggles to fulfill his legacy as he leads his outnumbered followers against the growing power of the Dark Lord Sauron, so that the Ring-bearer Frodo may complete his quest.

Review
The saga ends with a final battle of Middle-Earth as all else depends on Frodo's effort in destroying the Ring. Jackson's last chapter of the epic journey ends in the most grandeur, epic way as possible as the tale progresses with proper pacing albeit various character developments. The cinematography is as charming as its predecessor, which segregated parts of the story taking place at a few different place of Middle-Earth are systematically broken down into chronologically inter-related events. While the setting of the Middle-Earth gets abruptly darker as Frodo and Sam set foot into the evil realm of Mordor, hope still prevails across the land of Men as Gondor and Rohan join forces to fight one last battle with the Orcs. In conclusion, the third part of the story relishes on the courage of Men and celebrates the ever resilient spirit of perseverance and bravery while facing tough times.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#16 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
PG-13
Running time: 3 hours
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Craig Parker, Bruce Hopkins, John Bach, John Leigh, John Noble.

Synopsis
In the second of Peter Jackson's cinematic tales of "The Lord of the Rings," the Fellowship will stand against the powerful forces spreading from the Two Towers - Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where Saruman has bred a lethal army of 10,000 strong; and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.

Review
The second of the epic trilogy ups the emotional aspect through a wider storytelling scope that doesn't only further explore the expansive world of Middle-Earth but fleshing out the constructive details surrounding character developments. Simpy said, 'The Two Towers' is a beautiful tale of courage that builds up the anticipation towards the last chapter of Tolkien's legendary literary legacy, in both emotional yet epic manner.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#15 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis.

Synopsis
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, the saga centers around an unassuming Hobbit named Frodo Baggins who inherits a Ring that would give a dark and powerful lord the power to enslave the world. With a loyal fellowship of elves, dwarves, men and a wizard, Frodo embarks on a heroic quest to destroy the One Ring and pave the way for the emergence of mankind.

Review
It's been more than a decade since Peter Jackson brought the beloved Tolkien epic to the big screen. Shot as the first of the classic trilogy, the first chapter is a total visual treat that is more than capable when it comes to painting a vivid picture of the mystical Middle Earth. Filmmakers have flawlessly weaved and assimilated the humble beginning of the epic journey into lively images by applying simple yet chronologically linear storytelling behind grandeur backdrop of breathtaking mountains, perilous terrains, creepy caves and majestic forest, thus boosting New Zealand's tourism scene. Great story, great cinematography and great landscape.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#14 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters.

Synopsis
The battle between the good and evil forces of the Wizarding World escalate into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Review
Deviating from part one's sloppy pace and dramatic elements, the last installment of the HP franchise has accelerated its story towards the climax without any sign of slowing down. Focusing on the factors that drove Harry to the verge of his physical limit, the story is fast-paced without neglecting any emphasis on the emotions and actions. Daniel Radcliffe's performance is arguably his best here. The battle sequence is done in a huge manner. In conclusion, it's the darkest film of the series that fits well as an epic finale.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#13 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 26 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, John Hurt, Rhys Ifans, Jason Isaacs, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Julie Walters.

Synopsis
Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort's Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive.Harry's only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale—the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks.Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “The Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

Review
While many have viewed the studio's decision of breaking up the final book into two movies as another money-making strategy, the first part seems to be quite a necessity when it comes to bringing out most of the essence offered by the final book. While the pace may be a bit off on an occasional manner, the whole film somehow doesn't feel like a drag at all as most of the elements serve as the pivotal core components to both story progress and character developments. To sum things up, the film is the calm before the storm, and that is the final film of the series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#12 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 34 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright.

Synopsis
Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information.Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Review
Picking up from where the last one left off, the sixth year sees Harry and the gang going through the age of hormonal rage. Love is in the air as Hogwarts students start to deal with issues relating to love and feelings. The plot plods on as director David Yates has once again managed to build and escalate the overall underlying suspense of the settings to an imploding climax. As Harry and Dumbledore play the spy game of investigating and exploring the origin of Lord Voldemort, the emergence of an ominous threat can be felt throughout the undertone of the cinematography. Still, this is one story deemed vital in completing the mythological arc of the ongoing universe.

Rating
4/5 Stars