Movie genre: ActionOntario Movie Rating: PGOpening date: May 31, 2013Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla FisherDirector: Louis LeterrierTobacco use: NoneAn FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.The closer you look the less you see. That is the tag line of the movie and it couldn’t be more true. Four magicians are called together to perform elaborate bank heists but you don’t know who they are doing this for or why. There are many surprises throughout the movie and it all comes together in the end when the truth is revealed. The only thing that annoyed me somewhat was that the digital effects were a little over the top at times and made it seem a little cheesy but thankfully the brilliant acting of the cast is able to overshadow that. Otherwise, it was a film that will you keep you entertained until the very end! I highly recommend this movie to people who like to watch movies with magic and mysteries!There was no smoking in this film and that is such a relief since this movie is tailored toward the younger crowd.
Hangover 3
Movie critic: Wandi Liu Opening date: 5/23/2013Movie title: Hangover III Movie genre: ComedyStarring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong Director: Todd PhillipOMR: 14ATobacco use： Moderately often, 7-12 times. Hangover III is the finale to the Hangover trilogy – a mixture of uncontrollably hilarious mayhems and epic coincidences. Without any parties or drugs, the wolf-pack once again finds itself in crisis with Doug kidnapped in exchange for Mr. Chow. In three days, Stu, Phil, and Alan will play a desperate game of cat-and-mouse with madness itself.As always, my favourite part about the Hangover trilogy is the humor. Not to mention the craziness and inappropriate jokes, even the worst dilemmas make me laugh. However, compared to the last two films, the finale was lacking a bit of flow – the dialogues seemed somewhat deliberated and purposeful. I would recommend this to young adults but not to children under the age of 13 – due to the excessive use of coarse language in this movie.Both the main characters and secondary characters used tobacco products. They were mostly male with possibly 1-2 secondary female characters. The age of smokers ranged from 20 – 50. Characters usually smoked in hotels, parking lots, and other public venues, while a few smoked in private properties such as homes. I think that the use of smoking scenes for character-building was not necessary and should be taken out to avoid encouraging the audience – honestly, I would have not noticed if the smoking was taken out of the movie. I felt more uncomfortable when there were a lot of smoking scenes.I would rate this movie a 4.5/5 for that it’s decently directed but too fast-paced at times. Also, if this movie was smoke-free it could have been given a higher rating.
After Earth
Movie Critic: Sohayla Abdel-SamadMovie Title: After EarthMovie Genre: Sci-Fi/ActionOntario Movie Rating: PGOpening Date: May 31stStarring: Will Smith and Jaden SmithDirector: M. Night Shyamalan Thousands of years ago, perish and peril forced humanity’s escape from Earth. They find a new home in space, Nove Prime. Years later, the peacekeeping organization comes in to conflict with Aliens. On their way to fight them off, a crash landing leaves Kitai Raige and his father Cypher stranded on Earth. With Cypher injured, Kitai must embark on a harsh journey to signal for help. “After Earth” took me to a post-apocalyptic Earth 1000 years in the future, filled with dangerous creatures. It took me through the story of a father and a son, going through fear, bravery and surviving against harsh conditions. Will and Jaden Smith do a reasonable acting job. They are convincing; the fact that they are truly father and son grounds the movie and makes it more believable. I would recommend this film to families looking for a quick getaway that is both enjoyable and rich with excellent graphics and an eventful plot. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
There was no smoking in this movie. There was no need for smoking; it was an action movie about the relationship between father and son. I applaud the director for avoiding the unnecessary addition.
I would give this movie a 4/5 for the great acting, scenery and plot. The ending was predictable, therefore the point off, otherwise it was great.
The Great Gatsby
Movie Critic: Courtney Movie title: The Great GatsbyMovie genre: Drama, RomanceOntario Movie Rating: PG-13Opening date: May 10th, 2013Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey MaguireDirector: Baz LuhrmannTobacco use: Yes Nick Carraway, a mid-western book-lover turned bond salesman, is lured into the lavish world of his rich neighbor, Jay Gatsby.Lured in by the extravagance of the trailer, I was excited to see The Great Gatsby and all the glamour that it had to offer; and offer it did. The spectacle of Gatsby’s parties are wonderfully entertaining, even if a bit over the top. The beginning of the movie was choppy and almost too quick to keep up with, and when the movie did begin to slow down it only allowed you to more clearly see the digitally created landscapes and mansions. The cast was amazing and the acting superb, however, Luhrmann (director) focused more on the extravagance of objects rather than the greatness of the story.There was smoking in the movie which I guess was meant to signify the time in which the story takes place, however it was completely unnecessary as the setting was clear by the use of speech, clothing and cars.
Iron Man 3
Movie Critic: Brad DeiterMovie title: Iron Man 3Movie genre: ActionOntario Movie Rating: PGOpening date: May 8th, 2013Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy PearceDirector: Shane Black
Tobacco use: NONE! In this third installment of the popular Iron Man franchise we find an obsessive Tony Stark trying to deal with his anxiety from the aftermath of what happened in “The Avengers”.
What happens after gods descend down onto earth and force the world’s most elite team of superheroes to stand together and fight the biggest battle of their lives? The result for Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) is devastating when he has to come to grips with what happened. Iron Man at his lowest point has to protect the one thing that he cannot live without, Pepper (played by Gwyneth Paltrow). The twists and turns are enough to keep you guessing the entire movie. The cinematography was breath taking and the final battle was action packed and left this reviewer on the edge of his seat. There was no smoking of tobacco in this film and I would highly recommend this film for anyone who has loved the first two and is looking for an exciting conclusion to this franchise years in the making. I’m glad to see superhero movies, which are eagerly awaited by kids and teens, are staying smoke-free!
The Host
Movie Critic: CourtneyMovie genre: FantasyOntario Movie Rating: PGOpening date: March 23rd, 2013Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, Max Irons.Director: Andrew NiccolTobacco use: NONE!
When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie will risk everything to protect the people she cares about, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.The Host was a fantasy film about a love story between a human and an alien. Thank you Stephanie Meyers for yet another epic love tale! The movie is based on a book by the same author as the Twilight series. The problem with converting this book into a movie is that what makes the book good is the internal struggle between Melinda and Wanda which the movie has trouble showing. The science fiction aspects of the film are also a bit further beyond our capabilities and so the film falls a bit short in that sense. Actors, Saoirse Ronan and Diane Kruger are the only saving graces within this film. I would recommend this movie for anyone who hasn’t read the book. Thankfully, there was no smoking/tobacco use in the movie which is a great thing to see!
Identity Thief
Movie: Identity ThiefOpening date: February 8, 2013Rated 14A Comedy EnglishDirector: Seth GordonCast: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman, John Cho, Jon Favreau and Amanda PeetWe are REACT, a youth action team, reviewing the movie, Identity Thief. We have concluded that this movie is SMOKE FREE and were really impressed with it overall. We also reviewed the movie for other substance misuse, such as alcohol. Overall it was an enjoyable movie and we would recommend this smoke free movie, so go out and see it!! To see REACT’s video review of the movie, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr9ArLu-2gs
Side Effects
Movie: Side EffectsRating: 14A Genre: Drama/Suspense/ThrillerDirector: Steven SoderberghCast: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones We are REACT, a youth action team, reviewing the movie, Side Effects. We have concluded that this movie is SMOKE FREE and were really impressed with it overall. Overall we would recommend this smoke free movie, so go out and see it!! To see REACT’s video review of the movie, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHQCpJ4PtS8
Escape from Planet Earth
Escape from Planet EarthRating: PGRun time: 1 hour 30 minutes Escape from Planet Earth is an animated movie about a pair of alien brothers who try to escape the hands of a lunatic army general trying to destroy all other life forms in the universe. It’s a cute movie with amazing animation and colour: great for a family film. There’s a theme of sibling rivalry and brains versus brawn, something which most people can relate to, and encourages us to be more open-minded about others. Most of the humor comes from slapstick comedy routines which can seem a bit clichéd at times, but it makes for a light-hearted film which entertained most of those in the theatre with me. The movie is almost smoke-free, but there was one scene where, in a 1950’s style movie shown within the movie where the father has a pipe in his mouth. It’s a minor scene which even I missed the first time, and the pipe could very easily have been left out for the movie to be smoke-free as it wasn’t vital. Overall, I thought Escape from Planet Earth is a pretty good movie. I wouldn’t recommend it if you prefer to see deep insights into human nature in movies; but if you’re just looking for a fun movie to occupy an hour and a half of your time – which I found to be a good length – Escape from Planet Earth is a good candidate.
Gangster Squad
Movie Critic: Courtney KerriganMovie genre: Action/DramaOntario Movie Rating: 14AOpening date: January 11th, 2013Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
Director: Ruben FleischerTobacco use: Almost every scene Set in Los Angeles shortly after the war in 1949, a secret crew of misfit police officers work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the city.Going into a movie titled “Gangster Squad” you can only expect violence and a whole lot of gunfire and that was exactly what was given. This action packed movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, rooting for the misfit gangster squad. The movie had a great storyline, good comedic moments and a great cast. Emma Stone’s character thankfully added a much needed feminine break from the mainly male cast. If you like car chases and secret agents then you will love this movie.Unfortunately, there was smoking in almost every scene of the movie mainly by Ryan Gosling’s character. I expected there to be smoking because of the time period, however, having watched the movie I can see that it definitely was not needed. They portrayed the time period with their use or language, cars and clothing and thus made the smoking unnecessary. It made me dislike the movie because of the overuse of cigarettes.