Chux Flix Movie Review The Exorcist (1973)

       Our next movie to be reviewed is the legendary horror flick The Exorcist from 1973.  I watched it as a part of the IMDB top 250 at number 202.  I would first like to start by explaining myself on something that I hear a lot, especially about this movie.   I used to always hear, almost daily it seemed, someone I come in contact with saying the words “I can’t believe you’ve never seen (insert random movie here)”  It never really bothered me, because I always knew I had my own favorites and types of movies I loved and never really care what other people liked.  “I like what I like” was always my train of thought, and I never really cared that I was teased for not seeing movies like The Godfather, or The Shining, or even Star Wars.  People just couldn’t fathom the fact that I was a “movie buff” and “addicted to movies” yet never saw most of the most popular films of all time.  I always seemed to stick to my 100 or so favorite movies and watched them over and over again.  Finally I decided enough was enough, and If I was going to consider myself a true movie “buff” or “expert” I had to expand my horizons and see all of these movies that people are always talking about.  I decided to commit myself to seeing all of the “important” movies in cinema history, but really, where do you start?  The box office releases on average 7 new movies every single week.  The first ever movie was made in 1888 called Roundhay Garden Scene.  That’s 123 years at 52 weeks a year.  At an average of 7 movies per week you are looking at over 44000 films ever made (give or take). Obviously I could not watch EVERY movie, but I did do want to watch every movie “That Matters” I decided to begin by watching every movie on the AFI top 100.  I found amazing gems such as The Godfather; it’s A Wonderful Life, The Last Picture Show, Singing In The Rain, Duck Soup, City Lights, and much more.  I regret not starting this process earlier, because it’s been an amazingly wonderful experience.  No more do have to excuse myself from a conversation about Pulp Fiction, I now get all the pop culture references such as “Stella!” and “Heres lookin at you Kid”, I now know what people mean when they say  tell me that they love the smell of Napalm in the morning, etc. I have finished this top 100 list, and have moved on to the IMDB top 250 movies.  This is a list made up from internet users who vote on their favorite movies.  I have about 90 movies left on this list, when I came upon The Exorcist, let me just say, I can see why everyone makes such a big deal about this movie. 

Plot:  8/10

  The premise of this movie is one that is was at its time, very unique, and the movie’s creators pulled no punches in doing everything in getting the story across no matter what the cost.  The story’s main character is going through dramatic changes both physical and psychological that worry her mother and the doctors that see her.  The resulting events are ones that are never to be forgotten, and the story is told with flawless technique and direction that are meant to scare the wits out of anyone who watches.  The subplot of the movie, however, of Father Karras’s inner turmoil and relationship with his ill mother, seemed flat, and for the most part, an unnecessary  part of this otherwise amazing film. 

Acting: 8/10

  I was tempted to give the acting of Linda Blair ( Regan) very high ratings. For a 12 year old actress it she seemed years beyond her age and gave a performance that very few teenage actors can claim to have had, but looking deeper into things, I realized that Blair actually did very little of her character’s acting.  Mercedes McCambridge did most of the lines by “The Demon” and therefore deserves a lot of the credit behind this very successful acting accomplishment. 

Visuals: 9/10

    The Visuals of this film were phenomenal. Most of the actions by the possessed Regan were mind boggling and haunting.  These much talked about visuals were implanted in my mind, surely not to be forgotten anytime soon.   More importantly though, was the mood and tension the visuals were able to create.  The Eerie way the room was frozen, to create the breathe and overwhelming cold of death feel were done flawlessly, and the setting during the arrival of Father Merrin out of the Taxi is still one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.  The film’s creators got these visuals spot on.  And many congratulations are in order. 

Sound: 9/10 

This film won an Academy award for best sound in 1974, and it was very well deserved.  The film’s feel is attributed directly to the atmosphere that the film’s sound creates. The tension filled background sounds and screams were perfect in their attempt at putting the audience in a state of fright and anticipation throughout the film.  People watching this film were at times brought back to reality from their own imaginations and thoughts throughout the film with the films periodical “jumps” or “pops” When the film lags off into one of the subtle side stories or subplots, the film’s sounds always seem to bring you back into the four front and remind you what you are truly there for and brings your undivided attention back to Regan.  A job well done.

Overall Entertainment: 10/10

   Thank you Wayans Brothers!  No, that isn’t a miss print or a typo. I have to thank the Wayans brothers for equally ruining and making this film for me.  For those who know me, I stick to the claim that the funniest 10 minutes of ANY movie ever is the first 10 minutes of the Wayans Brother’s Parody movie Scary Movie 2.  I saw this movie way before I watched The Exorcist, and I never had anything to compare it to and all of the actions in the movie were new to me, and quite frankly, hilarious.  Imagine my surprise as I watched the original movie that these moments were copying, noticing the similarities and differences as I went along.  Surprisingly though, there aren’t many differences at all.  Seeing the Parody first, I found myself thinking “I wonder what she really says, or I wonder what she really did to make them make fun of it this way?   There really is not much of a difference!   The Exorcist was actually that over the top!   I never thought in a million years that a serious film made in 1973 would have a 12 year old girl saying such things, doing such things, and having the surrounding characters attribute to these actions in such a way!  Sure enough, this movie shocked me.  Therein lies where I say the Wayans both made and ruined this movie for me.  Do I consider this one of the scariest horror films ever made like most other people do, Not At All!  Just like what’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and Precious (2009) in my opinion the workers put these films on the wrong category shelf.  Drama?  Horror?  Not in my book.  The Exorcist, and people will probably question me on this, is one \of the absolute funniest films I have ever seen.  I know it will go on the comedy section of my DVD collection.  That is why though; it still earns a 10/10 for entertainment.  I love this film, and even though it might not be for the same reason everyone else loves it, it’s a movie I can see myself watching over and over again, laughing continuously as I think back to the Scary Movie 2 version and the similarities and differences between both.  This film is now one of my favorites.  As many people have said to me in the past, “you haven’t seen The exorcist yet?”  “Oh my you have to see it”   and they are right.  You have to!

Final Chux Flix Rating :88/100

Favorite Trivia for this movie: In an interview, Jason Miller stated that he had a major verbal confrontation with William Friedkin after the director fired a gun near his ear to get an authentic reaction from him. He told Freidkin that he is an actor, and that he didn't need a gun to act surprised or startled.

                                                                                            

Chux Flix Movie Review The Great Escape (1963)

         Our next review comes from the IMDB top 250 list at number 111. The Great Escape (1963) is a classic World War 2 movie based on a true story. 

Plot:  6/10

    Its hard to give this too much of a bad rating, considering this is a true story, but I have a feeling that the movie creators could have found many better ways to tell it.  This movie, for me at least, seemed to forget what the ultimate goal was.  It seemed to consist of filler after filler in an attempt to make the film longer in length, which doesn’t necessarily mean a better film.  The story is about a group of WWII P.O.W.S known for their escape abilities trying to succeed in yet another massive escape by digging a series of tunnels under their cells.  Being that the story is true, I understand that it needed to be told, and I’m glad it was, I just feel as though it could have been told in such a better way. 

Acting: 10/10

  The one bright side of this film was its cast.  Filled with many all time great actors, this movie is jam packed with grade A performances that make the somewhat boring plot almost watchable.  Many of the characters have their own specific “jobs” or “titles” in the quest for the prison escape.  “The Scrounger” is played by James Garner (The Rockford Files, Maverick) “The Forger” is played by Donald Pleasence (Halloween, Escape to Witch Mountain) Big X is played by Richard Attenborough (Jurassic Park, Miracle on 34^th Street) and most importantly “The Tunnel King” is played by Charles Bronson (Once upon a Time in the West, Dirty Dozen)   These actors play their respective parts flawlessly and each put their own mark on this classic tale.  There is one performance; however, that overshadows them all.  “The Cooler King” is played by film legend Steve McQueen (The Sand Pebbles, Papillion)  McQueen’s unmatched timing and outright aura make him the standout of an almost unmatched overall great cast. 

Visuals:  6/10

   We seem to keep running into this situation, where the film gets a low visual rating just because it doesn’t have any amazing special effects and the only reason for that is because the story doesn’t call for it.  This is certainly one of these examples.  The film’s sets, costumes, and makeup are all “time table” accurate, and I cannot find a single thing wrong with what I see as I watched this film, but again, I do not feel right about giving a movie like this as high of points on visuals as movies such as Jurassic Park or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Sound:   9/10

   Now this sound was much better.  Recently I watched “The Sting” and I complained that the music seemed “light hearted” compared to what the film was about.  Now this film got it right. When the mood was lighthearted and laid back, the music was more “fun” and “light”  but when the mood was serious or suspenseful, then the music got more “deep” or “heavy”  This is how it should be, congrats on the movie creators on knowing how to set the correct mood for the correct moment in the film. 

Overall Entertainment:  6/10

Knowing that this film was a true story, I cannot help but respect it and appreciate the film for what it is.  I cannot, however, pretend that I enjoyed watching it.  I was, to be frank, very bored throughout, and I was able to reconnect with my long lost friend the time button many, many times lol.  This was a very, very long 172 minutes and I wish that I had found this film more enjoyable, because I do feel as though it is an important film for everyone to see at one time or another.  I just wish I could tell you it was going to be easier than it actually is.   Good Luck

Final Chux Flix Rating: 74/100

Favorite Trivia for this film: Harrison Ford's film debut

Chux Flix Movie Review District 9 (2009)

Our next film to be reviewed is the 2009 sci fi thriller District 9.  This film was nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture.  I watched it as part of the IMDB top 250 at number 142. 

Plot:  9/10

District 9 is certainly one of the most creative and unique movies I have ever seen.  It is set as a Mockumentary, but other than that I do not want to give any more of this film away.  I feel as though most of what this film has going for it is when you go into it not knowing much or anything at all about it.   I was amazed at the creative way the film producer chose to tell this one of a kind story.  Granted, some of the film does seem to stray away, and at times you know that some of the moments were put into the film just for visual shock value alone, but for the most the films pace is right on.  A story this creative has to have a high rating, and I commend Neill blomkamp for his great achievement.

Acting: 2/10
      Not one single member of this cast was in a situation where you could put anyone there and the message wouldn’t get across just the same.  Granted, this film did not lend itself to any “Best Actor” awards, but the lines and performances that were delivered, were done so, in my opinion, very mundane at best.   I found myself feeling indifferent to the main character, Wikus Van De Merwe played by Sharlto Copley (The A Team).  His character, by the end of the film, did seem to grow on me, but this was a result of more the story and certainly not his acting performance.  The rest of the cast was just minor details in a much bigger scheme of a film that paid a lot more attention to visuals, and the actual premise of the story.  

Visuals 10/10
                Its not often you have a film that, at the beginning you find out what the premise is, that lives up to what you HOPE the visuals will live up to.  District 9 not only does this, but exceeds expectations.  Again, I don’t want to give too much away, but this film’s visual effects were spot on. My eyes were taken for a roller coaster ride of which very few times they have been on before.  The visual effects were for sure a challenge for Dan Kaufman and his crew, and they met that challenge with perfection.  If I could give a rating of 11 or 12/10, I would, Amazing!

Sound: 8/10

Some would watch this film and suggest that the sounds and dialogue of this film was horrible, but you have to keep in mind what the film’s creators were trying to accomplish.  This film was set as “documentary” style film, and the sometimes “too real” feel was done on purpose.  The at times mixed lines, low volume by the actors, and the overbearing sounds of the vehicles, machinery etc were certainly done on purpose to give it the feel of “real life”  It is hard for me to explain the good points of the sound of this film without giving away just exactly what this film was about, so I am not going to.  Allow your ears to explain to you the amazing strides in sound that the crew accomplishes.  You will be pleasantly surprised. 

Overall Entertainment:  9/10

I am starting to think that I am watching too many “great” movies.  These lists that I have been working on lately (AFI top 100 and IMDB top 250) have me watching great movie after great movie and at times have me spoiled.  I cannot help but wonder what took me so long to begin this quest that I am on to see all of the what I call “movies that matter” in cinema history.  District 9 is no exception.  Sci Fi is by no means my usual type of film, but I couldn’t have been happier with the result.  I find myself hearing the “time” button on my remote ask me where I have been lately; he or she is obviously suffering from separation anxiety.  Considering I have 99 movies to go on this the list, he might not be seeing me in a long time.  Maybe ill pop in the DVD of the Forgotten or Gigli just to keep him on his toes.  Watch this film people….especially on blue ray if possible!

Chux Flix Final Rating: 76/100

Favorite trivia for this movie: The language used by the aliens (clicking sounds) was created by rubbing a pumpkin.  

Chux Flix Movie Review The Sting (1973)

The Next film on our list is the 1973 favorite The Sting. This was number 98 on the IMDB top 250 list that I am going through. 

Plot: 10/10

  This was one of the most creative stories and plots I have ever seen.  The story circles around two young street con artists that team up to make the score of a lifetime from a rich banker.  This film won the Academy award for best writing, story, and screenplay.  It was a nonstop ride that kept my interest 100 percent throughout.  There is never a dull moment in this film.  The story maintains its direction and never once strays away.  This film had it all, with humor, suspense, mystery, loss, and success. It is very rare that a film can accomplish so much, but on top of all this, it incorporated my favorite aspect of cinema with an OUTSTANDING surprise ending.  Everyone should know by now how I love to be shocked in movies, I still resent a friend of mine for ruining the ending for the Sixth Sense.  Many of my all time favorites, including The Usual Suspects, Shawshank Redemption, The Village, In the Heat of The Night, Seven, The Prestige, and Saw all have those moments at the end where I literally sat on my couch with my jaw dropped open for a good 10-15 seconds after the final credits had rolled.  In complete and utter shock, theses films seem to lead your mind one way and at the last second, completely flip you around, this film is certainly no exception, and I loved every minute of it. 

Acting: 8/10

This film had 2 things, and I do mean only 2 things going for it as far as acting goes, and that is Robert Redford(The Natural, All the President’s Men) and Paul Newman (Cool Hand Luke, Road to Perdition).  These two amazing actors joined forced just 3 years earlier in the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  The two main characters give 2 flawless performances while working together as slick con artists who lie and cheat people for a living.  The way they portray these “grifters” is in a way that literally carries the film on their backs.  Though the story was amazing and unique, and the ending was downright shocking, I feel as though this movie would have been lost in the shuffle if not for the great acting of its two main characters.  The supporting cast and all others involved in this film were very replaceable, and just show how much of a treasure both Redford and Newman were in their prime. 

Visuals:  6/10

I am not big on giving a lot of points on visuals based on costumes and settings, I’m more the type to give 9’s or 20’s when there are special effects and amazing views.  I’m one that feels that if a story is supposed to take place in a certain era, and the designers and producers make the costumes and settings look like that actual time, then that’s just part of the work, because they chose to make it that era.  I’m not saying that this isn’t impressive, because I know that it is. It has takes n amazing skill the do the research and find out exactly what clothes people wore, what did the store fronts, the street signs look like, etc.  I just simple rate the visuals based on my personal reference.  That being said, I cannot give this film a 9 or 10 and give something like Jurassic Park or Star Wars the same thing.  Most people would disagree, because this film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction and best costume design. I understand that this is only comparing the movies that came out that year, and my reviews compare movies from all times, but in my mind I was forced to give this a reasonably average score on visuals.

Sound: 4/10

Again, we are going to run into the same situation, because this film won an Academy Award for best Music, Score, and or Adaptation, but I really hated the background music of this movie.  It seemed very old fashioned, and yes, I know this film was made over 35 years ago, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.  I am even going to go out on a limb and say that at times, this film’s music actually distracted me from enjoying the movie. I felt as though this was a film about hard and sneaky criminals, and in the background you constantly heard circus music.  It just didn’t match. The best way I could describe it, would be imagine watching the Godfather using the soundtrack of Toy Story.  You wouldn’t get the same effect. 

Overall Entertainment: 9/10

This movie won the Oscar for best Picture in 1973, and I couldn’t agree with it more.   Subtracting my personal feelings on the visuals and sound, I loved every single second of the 209 minute film and would love to watch it over and over again.  I highly recommend that if you haven’t already become familiar with this film, make an effort to go out and find it, and watch it.  You will thank me later lol.

Chux Flix Final Rating: 74/100                                                                                               

Favorite trivia for this film:  The movie was filmed on the back lot of Universal studios and the diner in which Hooker meets Lonnegan is the same diner interior used in Back to the Future (1985) in which Marty McFly first meets his father and calls Doc Brown.

Mike's Flix Movie Review Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Chux Flix is proud to introduce the newest member of our writing staff.  Please welcome Mike as he shares with us reviews on some of his favorite films.

Ok, this is my first review in a very long time so I wanted to start it back up with a classic, and I think having “Beauty and the Beast” as our first animated film reviewed, is a proper gesture. I grew up watching this movie and I’ve loved it ever since….so here goes nothing…my first review in a very long time….

Plot: 9/10

                    The plot for me was very, very good. Obviously, not very realistic but that’s the case with most Disney films, so it’s understandable. The very special part about this movie is that it has a very special message that everyone in this world should realize and that is that beauty is only skin deep. With that being said, the plot for this movie was very easy to follow, I mean that shouldn’t come as a shock because of the fact this film was and is intended for kids, but if an adult tells you that they’ve seen this movie in its entirety and claim to not like this film, they are either heartless or a liar.

Acting: 10/10

         I’m lost on how I’ll do acting for an animated film, but I’ll still give it a shot. So let’s just all assume, for a second, that this is a live action film, so I’ll review this “acting” section based on that split-second assumption. So, if we were to imagine that “Belle” was an actual person that was acting throughout the movie, then I would say that her, as well as all the other characters in this movie did a fantastic job because the quotes in this film were great, the reactions are great, and the way the animators followed through with the facial reactions matching the character’s voices where very close to perfect. Most importantly though, the people who get all the acting credit are the people who do all the voice-overs, and yes they all did an unforgettable job.

Visuals: 9/10

    Even though this is a somewhat older film, the visuals in this movie are still very good. Full of lots of color and for the most part, clarity. I recently watched this film on DVD but I’m sure if you watch it on Blu-Ray, it will look a whole lot better, and more clear. As far as visuals go, one thing that really stood out for me is SPOILER ALERT: at the end when everything transformed back into the way they originally look.

Sound: 10/10

I refuse to give this section a rating any lower than 10/10 because the sound in this film was absolutely stunning! Every time you hear the songs on this movie you fall in love with the entire movie all over again. Now of course the song that stands out the most is “Beauty and the Beast by, Céline Dion, I mean, it gives you chills almost every time you hear it, but you can’t forget about the other classics like, “Be Our Guest” And Gaston’s “theme” song. Also, the sound effects that were used in this film were very good indeed.

Overall Entertainment: 10/10

           I must say, I am always entertained when I am watching this movie. It’s one of those films that never get old, no matter how many times you watch it. This is a movie that will never be re-created because it is perfect just the way it is. This movie is really great because you can watch it with your kids and they can watch it with theirs, and so on and so forth. My favorite character in this film would definitely have to be “Chip”, he was so lovable that he made the movie better than it already was. I would suggest purchasing this movie as soon as you get the chance. If you haven’t seen this movie, shame on you…you must go watch it now.

 Total Rating: 96/100
Favorite trivia for this movie: The original "cute" character of the movie was a music box, which was supposed to be a musical version of Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). But when the character Chip's role was expanded, the music box idea was scrapped. However the music box can be seen for a brief moment on a table next to Lumière just before the fight between the enchanted objects and the villagers in the Beast's castle.

Chux Flix Movie Review The Last Picture Show (1971)

Our next film to be reviewed is the 1971 classic, The Last Picture Show.  I watched this movie as a part of the AFI Top 100; it was the number 95 on this list, but in my opinion, should have been much much higher.

Plot:  8/10

   The plot was one of simple nature.  One of the first “teenage life” films that have been followed afterwards by the likes of Porky’s, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, American Graffiti, The Breakfast Club, American Pie, and many many more.  This is one of the rare movies that combine love, learning, loss, and life in one amazingly well put together package and presents the audience with a true classic to get wrapped up in.  Though you enjoy the plot throughout, it does slightly lack a true defined “direction” and you at times find yourself asking “what does this have to do with the movie” Fillers at times happen in cinema, so it’s understandable that at times it’s just something you have to deal with, could this story have been told in a lot less time, yes, but the creators do a good job at getting you right back on track when they do lose their way at times.

Acting: 10/10

 The last picture show is jammed packed with a superstar cast that really is unparalleled in these types of movies.  Such seasoned veteran stars have called this movie one of their if not their very first, acting performances.  Cybill Shepherd (Taxi Driver, Moonlighting), Randy Quaid (Brokeback Mountain, Midnight Express), and Sam Bottoms (Apocalypse Now, The Outlaw Josey Wales) all made their films debuts. Not to mention never to be forgotten performances by Jeff Bridges (True Grit, The Big Lebowski), Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), and Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a dream,  The Exorcist). This film holds the record for the most Academy Award nomination for supporting acting roles with 4, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Jeff Bridges, and Ellen Burstyn all received nods, with Johnson and Leachman taking home the golden statue.  Needless to say, the film more than deserves a perfect 10 rating on its overall acting performances. 

Visuals: 6/10

Some people nowadays quickly turn away when they find out a movie is in black and white, I must admit, starting off I was the same way.  For years and years I refused to watch such classics as It’s a Wonderful Life, Grapes of Wrath, and Sullivan’s Travels simply because I thought I would be “bored” with a movie that was in black and white.  Knowing better now, I feel sorry for the people who are missing out with this same theory.  That being said, this film does a sufficient job visuals at what the film needs to get by.  This story/film doesn’t call for all the bells and whistles, the special effects, or breathtaking views.  The story is set in a bleak, at times hopeless town, and the atmosphere that the visuals display, fit this perfectly.  If you are looking for a film to turn the sound off and just “look” at the pretty screen, move on and find something else, if you are looking for a great story told by great acting, this is the film for you. 
Sound: 7/10

   This film has virtually no soundtrack, you are not going to find original music or surround sound worthy noise that blasts through your speakers, again, if that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. There is, however, a very creative and unique strategy being used here for the sound of this film.  All music, except for the closing credits, is played in the backgrounds of the scenes from radio, jukeboxes, or record players.  I can’t think of another movie that uses this creative way to kind of bring a soundtrack to a film. 

Overall Entertainment: 10/10

 This film was nominated for best picture of the year by the Academy and it is easy to see why.  This is one of the few films where I found myself thinking afterwards “they should have made a TV series out of this so it could continue”  I could watch this movie over and over again and never get bored by it.  I highly recommend seeing this film whenever you have a free moment. 

Chux Flix Final Rating: 82/100

Favorite trivia from this film: Peter Bogdanovich had originally offered the role of "Sam the Lion" to James Stewart, who liked the part but had already committed to a TV series and couldn't get out of it. The role was then offered to Ben Johnson, who took it eventually won an Academy Award for it.

Chux Flix Movie Review The Prestige (2006)

The next film I will be reviewing is the 2006 hit The Prestige.  It was the number 73 movie on IMDB’s top 250 list that I am trying to complete.  I had no idea what this movie was about going in, because somehow I missed all hype, trailers, and marketing completely for this movie.  I seem to prefer not knowing a lot about a movie before I watch it, so at least it had that going for it.  The film revolves around 2 competing magicians who seem to go to any lengths and measures to be at the top of their craft, sacrificing sometimes things that they aren’t ready to sacrifice in their quest to become the best. 

Plot:  7/10

   Some may find the plot very confusing,  the movie includes a lot of flashbacks, and a lot of time the movie flips back and forth to present time, the past, and back to the present , leaving the viewer at times wondering which part was which.  I was able for the most part to keep up, but can see where people are coming from with this complaint of confusion.  The thing I liked most about this film was the surprise ending.  It stacks up there with great ending such as “The Sixth Sense” and “The Usual Suspects” I understand that sometimes to build up for a surprise ending you at times need a complicated and sometimes difficult to understand direction of the film, but the creators, in my opinion, could have done a better job at keeping everything in good order for the viewer. 

Acting:  8/10

   I love the cast of this film, from such blue chip actors as Christian Bale (Dark Knight, The Fighter),  and Hugh Jackman (XMen, Australia) to veteran Michael Caine(Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules). Bale gives, in my opinion, his best acting performance to date, and the fact that he did not get any Oscar attention for this movie baffles me.  I have always loved Jackman as an actor, I tend to lean towards actors and actresses that, in real life, are good people,  Hugh Jackman has always impressed me with his down to earth and kind demeanor, so to see him give such an awarding performance allows me to root for him even more.  That all being said, I had to add on another point to the acting category, simply because of the two female lead actresses involved. Two of my all time favorites Piper Perabo(Coyote Ugly, Covert  Affairs) and of course, Scarlett Johansson(Lost in Translation, Iron Man 2) give strong performances along with giving the male viewers something nice to look at.  I mean really, how could you not like Scarlett Johansson? 

Visuals: 6/10

you have nothing really spectacular here.  I feel as though they could have done so much more with the story and theme they had to work with as far as visuals of the film. The Art Direction and Cinematography were both top notch, as both were aspects were nominated for Academy Awards, but this is all, visually, this film had going for it.  The film was set in the late 1800’s, and the costumes, makeup, and sets all depicted this time period perfectly, but I found myself wondering, with the endless creative world of magic and illusions,  why, for the most part, are we looking at canaries in small cages?  When this film began, and I realized what the film was going to be about, I had very high hopes on what I was going to see throughout, needless to say I was a little disappointed. 

Sound: 3/10

 You talk about losing serious potential Chux Points by not putting in the necessary work, who was in charge of the score or soundtrack of this film?  I sit here only 10 minutes after the final credits have rolled, and I cannot definitively tell you whether a single song was even in the film, this should not happen. I understand that sometimes the sound is not an important tool in making s successful film, but you have to have something, music and sound can be used in so many different ways to accomplish so many different goals in the world of cinema, too bad the film makers chose to not utilize all the “tricks of the trade” to make this film what it had the potential to be. 

Overall Entertainment: 9/10

  Now I must admit,  it baffles me  at times, I go through all the categories,  I give low to medium ratings all most or all of the categories,  but when it comes down to the simple question of whether or not I was entertained, I at times finding myself pleasantly surprised at the answer. I enjoyed this film a lot, and even though, yes, there are a lot of improvements that could have been made in the creation of this film, the surprise twist ending and the unique premise have me whole heartedly prepared to recommend this film to anyone.  I think it’s an entertaining film for a number of different movie fans and one that you should take time and sit down and enjoy. 

Chux Flix Total Rating: 66/100

Favorite trivia for this movie: The main characters' initials spell ABRA (Alfred Borden Robert Angier), as in Abracadabra, a common word used by magicians