Today’s society has a vast amount of entertainment options available to consumers, one of the more popular options being movies. There are a large number of movies coming out these days that it is becoming a question of which ones you want to spend time watching. Throughout this article, some of the more exciting movies recently released will be discussed. The titles include Battle: Los Angeles, Predators, Insidious, and RED ranked in that order as well.

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Let us start by talking about Battle: Los Angeles. Some critics would say that it is not a good movie. I, myself, however would have to disagree. From the start, there is an opening action sequence that shows a troop of marines in a helicopter with explosions all around. Suddenly, it cuts 24 hours prior to that event. From there, things only get better. There is an excellent amount of character development within the first 20 minutes of the movie. You get a good sense of who the ‘cocky’ character is and who might be the one who easily freaks out. It is a great opener and really sets the stage for the rest of the film. The troops do not have any idea what is happening at first then out of nowhere on the news, they get a glimpse of the enemy they are about to face: Aliens! Let me take a minute to talk about the alien character design. Personally, I think that there was an amazing attention to detail. They have drone-like aliens being led by more advanced looking aliens showing some sort of class system in their species. Then, there are the air ships. They were brilliant as they could disconnect from each other into about a dozen individual ships and go back together again, not to mention the eerie effects added to the ships that looked all too real. I do not want to reveal too much more as it would take away so much from this great film. The story will pull you in from the start and keep you in till the end; you will become emotionally attached to certain characters which add a much more lifelike effect to the film. This is must see – rent if you are hesitant but I know you will end up buying it in the end.

Another great action film that has different alien species is Predators. It is the latest among the Predator series. These movies are downright awesome and don’t have any dull moment at all. Literally, the opening sequence is a guy free falling with what looks to be without parachute. All I can say is this movie was well thought of, from the characters to the directing was astonishing. While the movie does take some ideas from the original, it still manages to have enough originality to be its own movie. The soundtrack is very similar to the first movie as well but it is very fitting and gives you that Predator feel you want from the franchise. The characters are well developed throughout and they give you the feeling of actually being stuck on the alien planet with them. The action sequences are amazing and dazzling to say the least. The CGI in the movie is spot on and has no noticeable hitches. It all looks very smooth and very true to life. The only part that was a little disappointing was the ending. They ended up killing off all of the predators. In previous movies, this automatically meant you had gained their respect and they would allow you to return home safely but in this one, it did not matter that they lived. The predators left them on the unfamiliar planet to die. With that being said, do not think the movie is ruined. It is definitely worth seeing and is without a doubt a great action film.

The next movie I want to talk about is a horror film titled Insidious. This film is an addition to your collection if you are into the scary movie scene. Insidious is a movie about a family who has had ghostly encounters in their home. Thinking the house is haunted, they moved – only to later find out that it is not the house that is possessed but the family’s son who is in trouble. It is definitely a seat-grabbing movie that keeps you freaked until the end. The directing and cinematography are great in this movie. The lighting and soundtrack are also truly amazing and adds an amazing depth to the film. Like I said, make sure to check this film out if you love the creepy movies.

The last movie on my list is RED. RED is about a bunch of retired CIA agents who are being tracked down and killed for information they may know about the vice president. It has a great cast with persons like Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman as two of the main characters. From there, the movie falls into some great and over the top action sequences that are hard to forget, in a good way though. They make these retired agents look like some real slick S.O.B.s that you don’t want to mess with. It has a great ending and a must see flick especially if you are a Bruce Willis fan.

As one can see, there are a lot of great movies to check out this season. Battle: Los Angeles, Predators, Insidious, and RED are some truly amazing films that everyone should see. Also, you may want to look in the theaters as there are plenty of other new movies to choose from if these don’t interest you. Have fun watching!

With internet access on nearly every electronic device we own, it’s hard to see the need for things like VHS (if it even still exists) or even DVDs. Sites like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube have made every type of cinematic or digital media available to anyone with a little extra change in their pocket and internet access. So what can recent DVD releases offer to the masses that the internet can’t?

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Some recent DVD releases include Beastly, Season of the Witch, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, and Sanctum. So why should movie lovers buy these DVDs? Though the answer might not be obvious, if you take the time to think about what it is you want out of your movie, you may discover that the DVD release with all its special features may be what you need to satiate your theatrical desires.

Beastly, a story based on the book that combines various versions of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast into a modern setting, is a great film for the family. It’s about a teenage boy who is a bit too narcissistic and lets his overly shallow confidence get the better of him in a cruel physical transformation. While trying to get back to the way he used to look he finds that real beauty lies within himself and not on his skin. Beastly is movie the whole family can enjoy and learn from, but also one that may want to be seen time and time again, as many fairy tale classics are. Unfortunately Netflix doesn’t have instant streaming, YouTube is streamed in parts, and Hulu needs a download in order to play. If you plan on having family movie night, this is one film you may want to buy on DVD because huddling around a computer screen with minimal quality resolution doesn’t make it easy to enjoy the popcorn or the family time. Not to mention, the special features are nothing to sneeze at with a music video of ‘Be Mine’ by Kristina and the Dolls, alternate scenes/ending, and history of the classic story and the book it’s based on. The DVD even includes a look into the design of the costume and make up to reveal the importance of showing the actor’s real eyes and mouth. Though you may be able to find snippets of these features on YouTube, the convenient location of all the extras on the DVD make it an easy and relaxing task to learn about the important aspects behind this film.

For those seeking deals on DVDs, Amazon offers an attractive option to buy Beastly in a package deal along with Sucker Punch, a sexy film about the mental trials of a young woman trying to escape her psychological doom, and Season of the Witch, a Nicholas Cage film that takes place in the 14th century. Though all three movies might not be appropriate for the whole family, each DVD has dramatic covers that are sure to add attractive images to your DVD collection, and each one contains unique special features. Sucker Punch and Season of the Witch are not yet even available on Netflix or Hulu and only available in parts on YouTube. So if you’re the impatient type, go to Amazon and get your flick fix.

If you’re looking for more of a comedy to watch with your buddies after a long day of work or before the Monday Night Football game, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son is a return of the obscenely costumed Martin Lawrence in an old woman suit, with a newly added undercover stepson. Trying to take an old classic and turn it into a new wave favorite, musical numbers were added which give the movie a different feel than the preceding Big Momma’s House films. With a rating of PG-13, this film can entertain fans of Martin Lawrence, while also keeping the younger audience engaged. This film is not yet available on Netflix or Hulu but will be later this month. However, you might want to consider buying this DVD so you can see the extended version or the theatrical version at any time. The DVD also includes a gag reel that anyone could watch again and again and laugh every time. With so much effort put into this franchise, it’d be a shame not to own the DVD with all the extras that are hard to locate on YouTube. But even on comedies, Amazon offers deal to help you save an extra penny or two by selling it in a combo pack with other new releases: Hall Pass, a more daring comedy for the adults, and Red Riding Hood, another dark twist on a classic fairy tale this year.

Thrill seekers and admirers of the ocean should be sure not to miss the devastating and painful journey of cave explorers/divers in the newly released Sanctum. This film is based on a true story about a group of divers that are horrifically trapped in underwater caves. Several lives are lost and gory injuries ensue. This may not be a film for the young ones, but the true to life story, the depressing losses and the fantastically beautiful shots using new underwater filming technology make this film a work of art. However, it’s definitely not enough to just stream this film; plus it is hard to find a good stream in the first place. This film deserves to be viewed in high definition and the consideration of special features is worth purchasing. The special features explicit to the DVD give an in depth insight to the original story behind the film, and also allows you to hear the directors commentary. Though this often is a less attractive feature on many DVDs, it is especially interesting to hear thoughts and opinions from one of the directors (Alister Grierson), the writer (Andrew Wight), and one actor (Rhys Wakefield), as they take you through the film step by step. Once again, for those on a tight budget, it’s imperative that you look up the deals offered by Amazon, which in this case currently include a bundle with the suspenseful love story The Adjustment Bureau, and Unknown, featuring the highly adored action hero Liam Nelson.

One of the unifying marks of the modern Western world is society’s thirst for entertainment. Often, the most popular way of fulfilling this need is by seeing a movie. For nearly a century, this medium of film has been the entertainment of choice for many people. Interest for new movies is generated by the concept of the theatrical trailer, a roughly two minute clip that attempts to sell the potential moviegoer on a new movie by cramming as much information as possible and portraying it in the best light possible to the target audience. Essentially, this is a sort of extended commercial; only, instead of trying to convince you to buy a certain product, it is attempting to garner your interest in a particular movie in the hope that you will soon pay to see it, either in theaters or by buying a copy when it is released to video. While these trailers may be cumbersome to sit through, for decades it was the only way to be informed of new movies.

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In the age of the Internet, it is possible to get information many times faster than was ever possible before this globe shattering revolution in communication. As such, people can stay in the know on everything from football to farming, or from comic books to corrective surgery. People can apply this instant access to all the world’s knowledge and media to another hobby that has massive appeal worldwide: going to the movies. Before the growth of the Internet, people had to rely on other means of communication to hear about upcoming movies. If yoy wanted to see trailers for upcoming releases, you would have to go to the theater, buy a ticket, and sit through a number of trailers, regardless of your interest in the trailer being shown. Many people consider it a chore to have to sit through what is often fifteen minutes of commercials to see the movie, especially now that movie ticket prices are through the roof. “Why should I have to sit through fifteen minutes of advertisements when I just paid ten dollars for a ticket?” goes the common argument. Nevertheless, many people have a desire to see theatrical trailers as a way to be informed of upcoming theatrical releases. Apart from physically sitting in the theater, there are a myriad ways of accessing these trailers on demand while sitting on your computer at home. You don’t need to leave the comfort of your home to stay in the know.

On the whole, there are two ways of accessing movie trailers via the Internet. First, suppose a friend has told you about a brand new movie that he heard was coming out in a few months. The way he describes the action, cinematography, and design of the movie makes you know that this is a movie that you really want to see. However, you feel as if you can’t wait the required several months to buy your theater ticket, and you’re dying just to see a tiny sneak peek of this mysterious new movie. If you know of a specific movie trailer that you’re looking for, it is extremely easy to find such a trailer by doing a quick web search on your web search engine of choice or, alternately, by going directly to your favorite mass video site. For instance, if you want to do a web search, you can go to such a search engine site as Google or Yahoo and type in the name of the movie of which you want to see a preview, followed by the word “trailer”. Often, many web browsers have a feature in which you do not even need to go to the search engine site to perform a search; sometimes you can just type in your search terms (in this case, the name of the movie followed by the word “trailer”) directly into the address bar. Rather than searching a web search engine, you can go directly to a video site and perform your search there. Such mass video sites include YouTube and Google Video. Additionally, sites that provide amalgamated movie information, such as the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) will sometimes have trailers alongside their movies. All you need to do is simply type in the name of the movie, no matter how old or how obscure, and there is a good chance that you will be able to pull up not only a trailer, but also endless data and facts about the movie itself.

However, it is not always the case that you will have a particular movie preview in mind. There may be an instance in which you simply are curious as to whether there are any good movies coming out soon and you want to see the trailers for these prospective movies. Fortunately, there are many ways and sites available to browse theatrical trailers for upcoming movies without actually having to go to the theater. Comingsoon.net is a great resource for not only viewing trailers of new movies; but it is also great for finding out further information about the development of the movie beyond what you may see on the screen. Additionally, Trailer Addict (traileraddict.com) and Hulu (hulu.com/trailers) also enable viewing upcoming movie trailers.  If you have a mobile device, it is quite easy to access trailers for your viewing pleasure on the go. Apple has such a site available that is integrated with their iTunes service: http://trailers.apple.com. Using this site, you can stay informed and watch trailers of new movies even when you’re not at your computer. If you are a big fan of YouTube and prefer to stick with the old standby online video site, there is a special section of YouTube dedicated to the viewing of movie trailers, which can easily be found at youtube.com/trailers.

Thanks to the Internet, it is easy to find movie trailers. No matter what the movie, old or new, mainstream or obscure, the odds are that the Internet has the trailer you’re looking for. Provided that a trailer was actually made for the movie, there are very few theatrical trailers that cannot be found on the Internet. Because of this wealth of technology, people can stay in the know on upcoming movies and be able to decide for themselves whether or not they want to see the movies.

Summer is finally here and you know what that means – movies!  There are a lot of great movies coming out over the course of the next few months and they offer something for everyone:  romance, comedy, drama and the ever-popular summer blockbuster action adventure!  So grab your best friend, extra-large popcorn, find your favorite seats and sit back to enjoy the show!

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In the comedy department, we’re looking forward to Horrible Bosses and the star power on offer in what promises to be a dark comedy of revenge run afoul.  Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day (a favorite from TV’s (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) hatch a plan to rid themselves of their, well, horrible bosses.  We have Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston on tap as the bosses in question and I can only imagine the fun these big name stars will have playing the loathsome bosses who apparently need to be taken down a peg or two, permanently.  A dark thought, perhaps, but played for laughs.  Haven’t most of us, after all, fantasized even briefly about how much nicer work would be without that horrible boss?

For lovers of truly edge-of-your-seat thrillers, we have The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, the ever-beautiful Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson and Terrence Howard.  Hunnam plays Gavin, a non-believer lured into a life-or-death test of wills that will also test his own faith in what he truly does or doesn’t believe.  An ill-omened affair with a married woman leads Gavin, literally and figuratively, to the very edge as his wife forces him to come to terms with his own mortality, his lack of belief in an afterlife and whether he truly loves the woman for whom he might just have to give up everything.  If you’re afraid of heights, you might need to bring a friend along to hold your hand through the scary parts!

Ramping up for blockbuster status, we have Part II of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in July followed by Cowboys and Aliens at the end of July and Rise of the Planet of the Apes in August.  All three contenders will vie for the box office crown and the big winner will be the audience!  Nothing says summer like a huge Hollywood hit with big names, great special effects and larger-than-life stories.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part II has been highly anticipated as the climactic final chapter in the much-loved saga based on the series of books by J. K. Rowling.  The final entry in this popular movie series was split into two movies and completes its grand cycle starting July 15th.  The epic battle between good and evil is always a popular theme and winds through many fabulous tales in books and movies.  Harry isn’t a little boy anymore and we’re looking forward to seeing how it all plays out for Harry and his pals as lines are drawn among those in the wizardry world – will Voldemort finally have his day or will Harry ultimately prevail?  If you’ve read the books then you already know the answers – don’t spill it for those who don’t know how it all comes to an end – or does it?

Rise of the Planet of the Apes, slated for release on August 5th, promises to be a special effects tour de force with Weta Digital creating truly realistic looking apes for the first time in the history of this popular franchise.  Previous entries have depended largely upon costumed actors to bring the intelligent apes to life while this one relies more upon the type of special effects we saw in another blockbuster, Avatar.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes gives us the backstory, the missing origins of the hyper-intelligent apes.  Set in the present day, this blend of science fact, fantasy and fiction offers a premonitory warning about human pride as we meddle in things perhaps best left alone.  As anyone who’s watched since Charleton Heston first blundered through this twisted future world can tell you, any such warnings go unheeded, well-intentioned meddling runs amok and the apes begin their own ascent into a future ruled by primates, not humans.  Those among us old enough to remember the very first Planet of the Apes movies will surely marvel at how much the franchise has come just in terms of the visual aspect – no foam monkey masks here!  The series holds a special place in the annals of science fiction and fans will no doubt embrace this origins tale with just as much affection as the rest of the series.  Origin stories or prequels have seen resurgence in popularity recently and this one is sure to be no exception.

Rounding out our trio of potential blockbusters is Cowboys and Aliens, set for a July 29th release date.  Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford star in this bizarrely entertaining Science Fiction / Western amalgam.  In 1875, a stranger (Daniel Craig) with no past and no memory wanders into Absolution in the New Mexico Territory.  Absolution is no welcoming place, as this would-be gunslinger soon learns.  The entire town cowers in fear under the thumb of the ruthless Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) and no one offers the stranger a hand until they realize that he’s really the least of their worries.  As the title would suggest, we get aliens and lots of them, bent on big-screen destruction in desolate Absolution.  But who is this stranger and what secret past will unfold as the aliens prepare to invade?  This one promises big fun, great special effects, laughs, a few oohs and aahs and some real talent in the likes of Craig and Ford as they tear up the screen in high style.

So there you have it, just a few highlights of the upcoming movie season for Summer 2011.  Maybe you’d like to check out a frothy and silly little comedy one weekend, may be a thriller the next and some really big blockbuster movies here and there just to put a little butter on your popcorn!

The topic of classic movies can spark a fiery debate. Which movie is better? Why do you think that? Everyone’s preferences are different, but there are a number of films that have been canonized as the quintessential films. These are the movies that when you admit “No, I haven’t seen that,” your friends gape at you and then begin planning the next movie night. So what are these classic films? Some of them, you may have heard of. Some of them…maybe not. It’s a subjective choice, but some of the ultimate movies are listed here.

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Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart is considered by many (including me) as one of the greatest movies ever made. It contains all the elements needed for a good story; love, drama, war, friendship. The final scene at the airport has been parodied and paid tribute to in a number of films, as well as the classic final line. I won’t spoil the line for you, but if you haven’t seen Casablanca, you don’t know what you’re missing.

King Kong has been remade countless times, but if you haven’t seen the original, go and get it. Fay Wray’s performance as the beauty that killed the beast is stunning. The special effects might seem a little dated now, given the CGI era, but it was very advanced for its time. And the story is a classic. The Peter Jackson remake was very well done, but you can’t appreciate the newer version without knowing where it came from.

Another excellent film is It’s a Wonderful Life. Most people have seen this holiday classic. If you live in the United States and haven’t watched it, you’re missing out.

There are a number of movies in the musicals genre that should be mentioned: Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz and White Christmas are three of my favorites. Other classics of that era include Gone With The Wind; which was once considered an epic film; and still is, in my opinion.

For those of you who don’t enjoy the warm and fuzzies, check out these classic horror films: 28 Days Later, Pitch Black, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original, directed by Tobe Hooper) as well as Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, directed by the brilliant George Romero. Phantasm has been released on DVD, as well as the sequels, which are worth checking out. Other horror greats include: Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Wait Until Dark, The Birds, Psycho (the original Hitchcock film), and Rear Window.

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I’m a junkie for a good war movie. Black Hawk Down captures the chaos and fear in war as well as the camaraderie of soldiers together. Saving Private Ryan accurately duplicates the nightmare on Omaha Beach and watching the movie D-Day is a great way to see older perceptions of the events. The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen is another classic war movie, although it is set in a prison camp. Other must-see movies about the Second World War include Letters from Iwo Jima, The Thin Red Line and Flags of Our Fathers. The Hurt Locker is one of the best modern war movies of all time, and although it is currently caught up in litigation regarding plagiarism on the article that inspired the film, it is well worth watching. And of course, who can forget Platoon or We Were Soldiers Once… and Young? The most pivotal is, of course, Apocalypse Now. If you haven’t seen it, bury yourself in shame until you have watched it.

Anything by Stanley Kubrick should be considered a classic: Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, Dr. Strangelove, Eyes Wide Shut,The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey…all of these films have imprinted themselves on popular culture. They’re funny, terrifying, romantic and disturbing. Kubrick forces people to examine the darker aspects of them and these movies are worth every second.

Biographical and historical films are another of my passions. One recent film that has made its way into the classic running is The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. I would also highly recommend The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Michael Collins, Monster, Walk The Line, Schindler’s List, Life is Beautiful, Defiance and Conspiracy. The last is an HBO film about the Wannsee Conference. Much of the script was taken from the transcript of the meeting about the “Final Solution.” It is profoundly disturbing, but captures history.

I liked the original Matrix, but you should go ahead and bypass the rest of the trilogy. Other favorites in the neighborhood includeSerenity, Hellboy, Watchmen, Iron Man, and the Spiderman trilogy.

For comedy, you can’t go wrong with Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges. However, for those looking for more modern humor: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Snatch, Shaun of the Dead, Sleeper, Love and Death and the wickedly funny Saved!

There are a number of films that have come out over the last two decades that are destined to become classics. Gattaca, starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law and Uma Thurman is one example. This story examines the darker aspects of eugenics in American culture and poses the question of what testing and gene manipulation might lead to. The Departed, for which Martin Scorsese won an Academy Award, is a sharp and terrifying look into the life of crime and justice. Inception (also starring Leonardo DiCaprio) is a stunningly unique concept, providing infinite inspiration for dreamers.

My personal favorite films may not make it to the list. God knows, I have bad taste occasionally. (I enjoy really bad action movies; the more explosions, the better.) But here are a few: The Boondock Saints, Romeo and Juliet, SLC Punk, Empire Records, Blade,Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Pan’s Labyrinth, Despicable Me, Black Swan, Tron, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Doors,Cecil B. DeMented and Death to Smoochy.

Like I said before, film taste is subjective. Not everyone likes the same things. I love watching strange foreign movies (In the Mood For Love is a great one) but it’s up to you. Assemble a collection that is sprinkled with the classic films that have defined American culture and a mix of foreign films, plus some personal favorites. You’ll be fine.