MOVIE REVIEW: Unstoppable

Unstoppable
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana
By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating:

I saw an advance screening of Unstoppable at the Fox Studio lot. Going in to it I knew the short synopsis of the story, but I had neither high nor low expectations. I figured with Denzel it would be fairly decent even with the odd pairing of newcomer, Chris Pine. But I was pleasantly surprised.

Unstoppable starts off with Will Colson (Chris Pine) having legal trouble, presumably regarding not being able to see his son (this is later fully explained). He goes to work as a conductor of freight trains and is partnered up with Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington), a 28 year train veteran. Tension between the two is apparent; the old timers are not happy with the young newbies taking their jobs and the rookies are tired of the crap from the pros. In the meantime, another set of engineers did not secure brakes on their train and because they did not follow protocol the train takes off unmanned after unsuccessfully trying to stop it. A series of stop attempts are put into place, one by one failing. Higher ups are risking the lives of many people in order to save the big bucks. After hearing about the runaway train, that is now going at full speed and not to mention contains combustible toxins that could wipe out the city, Frank and Will set out to stop it with the help of lower management, Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson).

Unstoppable lives up to being a suspenseful thriller. I don’t think anyone can watch this without being on the edge of their seat the entire time. Denzel’s character livened up the storyline at the right moments. You needed those laughs in between some of the intense and almost cringe worthy scenes. I haven’t seen Chris Pine in that many roles, but he held his own as much as one can next to Denzel. Dawson’s character was about doing the right thing to save people and she confidently portrayed a likable character. Though the acting greatly contributes to the success of the film, the shots of the train at various angles ( a Tony Scott trademark) coupled with blaring audio of the train and crashes was phenomenal. Without this there would be no movie.

Unstoppable is a thrill seeking movie that provides the intensity, humor and has an overall feel-good quality about it. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a boring train movie because Unstoppable will keep you enthralled throughout the entire ride.

MOVIE REVIEW: Takers

Takers
Directed by: John Luessenhop
Starring: Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, T.I., Idris Elba, Matt Dillon, Jay Hernandez, Chris Brown, Zoe Saldana
By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating:

This movie was dubbed the young Ocean’s Eleven and I will admit that I was attracted to the ocean-esque plot pattern and admittedly also to Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen and Jay Hernandez. I was, however, skeptical on the performances of T.I. and Chris Brown. But with Idris Elba and Zoe Saldana as reinforcements I thought that this film could come out, at the least, decent.

Takers starts off with John Rahway (Paul Walker), A.J. (Hayden Christensen), Gordon Jennings (Idris Elba) and brothers Jake (Michael Ealy) and Jesse Attica (Chris Brown) who are a team of professional “takers” who have just completed a high paying bank job. They are living in style and are in semi-retirement until Ghost (T.I.), who used to be a part of the team, is released from prison and sets out to get the guys to do another robbery. Problem is Ghost took the fall for the last job and now Jake is dating his former girlfriend (Zoe Saldana), so has he come back for revenge? Hot on their trail are police officers Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) and his partner, Eddie Hatcher (Jay Hernandez).

Paul Walker and Idris Elba pretty much steal the show in this one. They come off as more seasoned than the rest of the cast. Matt Dillon and Jay Hernandez come in as a close second, they have a powerful onscreen partnership. Many were not happy with T.I.’s acting, but I didn’t completely cringe with his performance. I cannot say the same about Chris Brown however. I’m not sure how or why he got cast, but perhaps he should stick to making music. The one person that should have had more screen time was Zoe Saldana. Her character seemed to be on the sidelines and her role felt more like a cameo.

Besides the action and eye candy, there is not much depth. But are you expecting more than that when it comes to a storyline such as this? Guys will be happy with the explosions and the women will enjoy a variety of young attractive guys. But for most, this will not be a must see and your best bet would be to wait for the DVD release. As for the Ocean’s reference, while this is definitely a more youthful version, the heists do not compare nor do the group dynamics.

FIRST WAVE OF “TEEN CHOICE 2010” NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

Pop sensation and multi-platinum recording artist Katy Perry is set to host TEEN CHOICE 2010 airing Monday, Aug. 9 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The Grammy-nominated artist will also perform during the 12^th annual special that celebrates the year’s hottest teen icons in film, television, music, sports and fashion. “Iron Man 2” and “Gossip Girl” lead the TEEN CHOICE 2010 nominees with six nominations each, while GLEE and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” each garnered five nominations.

Fans ages 13-19 can vote once each day for their favorite TEEN CHOICE 2010 nominees at www.teenchoiceawards.com. Performers, presenters and additional nominees will be announced soon.

Additionally, Invisalign Teen joins Dr Pepper as a sponsor of TEEN CHOICE 2010. As an extension of its partnership, Invisalign Teen has launched the Straight to Stardom Sweepstakes with a grand prize VIP package for four to TEEN CHOICE 2010 in Los Angeles and other prizes. Fans can enter at www.invisalignteen.com.

Following is the list of categories and nominees for Wave One of TEEN CHOICE 2010:

MOVIES

Choice Movie: Action Adventure

“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”

“Kick-Ass”

“Robin Hood”

“Sherlock Holmes”

“The Losers”

Choice Movie Actor: Action Adventure

Nicolas Cage, “Kick-Ass”

Russell Crowe, “Robin Hood”

Matt Damon, “Green Zone”

Robert Downey Jr., “Sherlock Holmes”

Channing Tatum, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”

Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure

Cate Blanchett, “Robin Hood”

Mila Kunis, “The Book of Eli”

Rachel McAdams, “Sherlock Holmes”

Sienna Miller, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”

Zoë Saldana, “The Losers”

Choice Movie: Sci-Fi

“2012”

“Avatar”

“District 9”

“Iron Man 2”

“The Time Traveler’s Wife”

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi

Sharlto Copley, “District 9”

John Cusack, “2012”

Robert Downey Jr., “Iron Man 2”

Jude Law, “Repo Men”

Sam Worthington, “Avatar”

Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi

Scarlett Johansson, “Iron Man 2”

Rachel McAdams, “The Time Traveler’s Wife”

Gwyneth Paltrow, “Iron Man 2”

Amanda Peet, “2010”

Zoë Saldana, “Avatar”

Choice Movie: Fantasy

“Alice in Wonderland”

“Clash of the Titans”

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”

“The Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Choice Movie Actor: Fantasy

Johnny Depp, “Alice in Wonderland”

Jake Gyllenhaal, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”

Taylor Lautner, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Robert Pattinson, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Sam Worthington, “Clash of the Titans”

Choice Movie Actress: Fantasy

Gemma Arterton, “Clash of the Titans” / “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”

Rosario Dawson, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”

Kristen Stewart, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Mia Wasikowska, “Alice in Wonderland”

Emma Watson, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

Choice Movie: Drama

“The Blind Side”

“Dear John”

“The Last Song”

“Remember Me”

“The Runaways”

Choice Movie Actor: Drama

Jake Gyllenhaal, “Brothers”

Tobey Maguire, “Brothers”

Robert Pattinson, “Remember Me”

Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”

Channing Tatum, “Dear John”

Choice Movie Actress: Drama

Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”

Miley Cyrus, “The Last Song”

Dakota Fanning, “The Runaways”

Amanda Seyfried, “Dear John”

Kristen Stewart, “The Runaways”

Choice Movie: Romantic Comedy

“The Back-up Plan”

“Just Wright”

“Letters to Juliet”

“The Proposal”

“Valentine’s Day”

Choice Movie Actor: Romantic Comedy

Gerard Butler, “The Ugly Truth” / “The Bounty Hunter”

Josh Duhamel, “When in Rome”

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “(500) Days of Summer”

Ashton Kutcher, “Valentine’s Day”

Ryan Reynolds, “The Proposal”

Choice Movie Actress: Romantic Comedy

Kristen Bell, “When in Rome”

Sandra Bullock, “The Proposal”

Queen Latifah, “Valentine’s Day” / “Just Wright”

Jennifer Lopez, “The Back-up Plan”

Amanda Seyfried, “Letters to Juliet”

Choice Movie: Comedy

“Date Night”

“Get Him to the Greek”

“Hot Tub Time Machine”

“Killers”

“She’s Out of My League”

Choice Movie Actor: Comedy

Russell Brand, “Get Him to the Greek”

Steve Carell, “Date Night”

Jonah Hill, “Get Him to the Greek”

Ashton Kutcher, “Killers”

Chris Rock, “Death at a Funeral”

Choice Movie Actress: Comedy

Kristen Bell, “Couples Retreat”

Lizzy Caplan, “Hot Tub Time Machine”

Tina Fey, “Date Night”

Zoë Saldana, “Death at a Funeral”

Emma Stone, “Zombieland”

Choice Movie: Horror/Thriller

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”

“Paranormal Activity”

“Shutter Island”

“Splice”

“The Stepfather”

Choice Movie Actor: Horror/Thriller

Penn Badgley, “The Stepfather”

Adam Brody, “Jennifer’s Body”

Leonardo DiCaprio, “Shutter Island”

Jackie Earle Haley, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”

Micah Sloat, “Paranormal Activity”

Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller

Katie Cassidy, “Nightmare on Elm Street”

Megan Fox, “Jennifer’s Body”

Audrina Patridge, “Sorority Row”

Michelle Williams, “Shutter Island”

Rumer Willis, “Sorority Row”

Choice Movie: Animated

“How to Train Your Dragon”

“Marmaduke”

“The Princess and the Frog”

“Shrek Forever After”

“Toy Story 3”

Choice Movie: Villain

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”

Stephen Lang, “Avatar”

Rachelle Lefevre, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”

Christopher Mintz-Plasse, “Kick-Ass”

Mickey Rourke, “Iron Man 2”

Choice Movie: Dance

Sandra Bullock and Betty White, The Proposal

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, The Last Song

Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man 2

Tina Fey and Steve, Date Night

Michael Jackson, This Is It

TELEVISION

Choice TV Show: Drama

“90210”

“Gossip Girl”

“Grey’s Anatomy”

“House”

“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”

Choice TV Actor: Drama

Penn Badgley, “Gossip Girl”

Ken Baumann, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”

Chace Crawford, “Gossip Girl”

Daren Kagasoff, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”

Tristan Wilds, “90210”

Choice TV Actress: Drama

Sophia Bush, “One Tree Hill”

Blake Lively, “Gossip Girl”

Leighton Meester, “Gossip Girl”

Olivia Wilde, “House”

Shailene Woodley, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”

Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

“Fringe”

“Lost”

“Smallville”

“Supernatural”

“The Vampire Diaries”

Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Josh Holloway, “Lost”

Joshua Jackson, “Fringe”

Ryan Kwanten, “True Blood”

Tom Welling, “Smallville”

Paul Wesley, “The Vampire Diaries”

Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Nina Dobrev, “The Vampire Diaries”

Evangeline Lilly, “Lost”

Hayden Panettiere, “Heroes”

Anna Paquin, “True Blood”

Anna Torv, “Fringe”

Choice TV Show: Action

“24”

“Burn Notice”

“Chuck”

“Human Target”

“NCIS: Los Angeles”

Choice TV Actor: Action

Jeffrey Donovan, “Burn Notice”

Zachary Levi, “Chuck”

LL Cool J, “NCIS: Los Angeles”

Kiefer Sutherland, “24”

Mark Valley, “Human Target”

Choice TV Actress: Action

Gabrielle Anwar, “Burn Notice”

Mary Lynn Rajskub, “24”

Daniela Ruah, “NCIS: Los Angeles”

Katee Sackhoff, “24”

Yvonne Strahovski, “Chuck”

Choice TV Show: Comedy

“The Big Bang Theory”

“Glee”

“Modern Family”

“Sonny with a Chance”

“Wizards of Waverly Place”

Choice TV Actor: Comedy

Steve Carell, “The Office”

Jonas Brothers, “JONAS”

Sterling Knight, “Sonny with a Chance”

Cory Monteith, “Glee”

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

Choice TV Actress: Comedy

Miranda Cosgrove, “iCarly”

Kaley Cuoco, “The Big Bang Theory”

Selena Gomez, “Wizards of Waverly Place”

Demi Lovato, “Sonny with a Chance”

Lea Michele, “Glee”

Choice TV: Animated Show

“American Dad”

“The Cleveland Show”

“Family Guy”

“South Park”

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”

Choice TV: Reality Show

“The Hills”

“Jersey Shore”

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians”

“The Price of Beauty”

“Taking The Stage”

Choice TV: Reality Competition Show

“American Idol”

“America’s Next Top Model”

“Dancing with the Stars”

“Project Runway”

“Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew”

Choice TV: Male Reality/Variety Star

Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, “Jersey Shore”

Lee DeWyze, “American Idol”

Brody Jenner, “The Hills”

Bret Michaels, “Celebrity Apprentice”

Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino, “Jersey Shore”

Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star

Crystal Bowersox, “American Idol”

Kristin Cavallari, “The Hills”

Lauren Conrad, “The Hills”

The Kardashians, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, “Jersey Shore”

Choice TV: Villain

Russell Hantz, “Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains”

Jane Lynch, “Glee”

Terry O’Quinn, “Lost”

Ian Somerhalder, “The Vampire Diaries”

Ed Westwick, “Gossip Girl”

MUSIC

Choice Music: Male Artist

Justin Bieber

Jason Derulo

Drake

Adam Lambert

Usher

Choice Music: Female Artist

Miley Cyrus

Ke$ha

Lady Gaga

Shakira

Taylor Swift

Choice Music: Group

The Black Eyed Peas

“Glee” Cast

Selena Gomez & The Scene

New Boyz

Young Money

Choice Music: Rap Artist

Drake

Eminem

Jay-Z

Ludacris

Pit Bull

Choice Music: R&B Artist

Beyoncé

Alicia Keys

Rihanna

Trey Songz

Usher

Choice Music: Rock Group

Kings of Leon

MGMT

Muse

Paramore

Train

Choice Music: Male Country Artist

Luke Bryan

Kenny Chesney

Brad Paisley

Darius Rucker

Keith Urban

Choice Music: Female Country Artist

Miranda Lambert

Martina McBride

Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood

Gretchen Wilson

Choice Music: Country Group

Gloriana

Lady Antebellum

Rascal Flatts

Sugarland

Zac Brown Band

SPORTS

Choice Athlete: Male

David Beckham (Soccer)

Drew Brees (Football)

LeBron James (Basketball)

Apolo Anton Ohno (Speedskating)

Albert Pujols (Baseball)

Choice Athlete: Female

Candace Parker (Basketball)

Danica Patrick (Auto Racing)

Misty May Treanor (Volleyball)

Lindsey Vonn (Skiing)

Serena Williams (Tennis)

Choice Action Sports Athlete: Male

Travis Pastrana (Motocross)

Kevin Pearce (Snowboarding)

Ryan Sheckler (Skateboarding)

Kelly Slater (Surfing)

Shaun White (Snowboarding)

Choice Action Sports Athlete: Female

Torah Bright (Snowboarding)

Sarah Burke (Skiing)

Ashley Fiolek (Motocross)

Maya Gabeira (Surfing)

Hannah Teter (Snowboarding)

OTHER

Choice Comedian

Aziz Ansari

Ellen DeGeneres

Jimmy Fallon

Chelsea Handler

George Lopez