Apocalypse now... disaster is waiting to happen

In a nutshell the film feeds off the Mayan doomsday prophecy that due to phenomenon seen once in million years where all planets align and the sun's power would lead to catastrophic results. The signs are first discovered by an Indian physicist, Dr. Satnam Tsurutani, who warns off his American friend, Adrian Helmsley. He sounds off his boss who sounds off the Big Boss-the President of USA.

From that point onwards things are set in motion the world has just two years to plan their survival but how do you prepare 6 billion people? You don't. The Americans along with other G8 countries decide to build Arks like old man Noah which would carry some 400,000 humans and animals needed to preserve humanity. So how do you get a ticket on the ride? By paying one billion euros or if that doesn't work then evoking the sense of humanity in otherwise heartless people who went ahead with such a crazy plan in the first place!

The other plotline involves a failed writer, Jackson Curtis, battling all odds to get his family on the ship. The film takes some time in setting up the premise but once that is done slips into heavy duty action. The writing is cheesy but then who is listening when you see earthquakes, volcanoes, tidal waves and just about everything hell bent on destroying humanity.

At two hours and 38 minutes 2012 is a tad too long for how many times can we see the same disaster scenes interspersed with tirade dialogues. We pretty much get the picture when the ground starts cracking up for the first time and to show the same thing every 15 minutes speaks volumes about the lack of a plausible story line. But why would you look for some semblance of a plot in an Emmerich film?

The acting is decent for a nonsensical action flick with a cool John Cusack and a painstakingly politically correct Chiwetel Ejiofor as Adrian Helmsley. Woody Harrelson as the crazy conspiracy theorist Charlie Frost is thoroughly enjoyable.

This film shows the shift that India is enjoying for the film kicks off in India. Now only if they had taken some Indian to play Satnam, we would have been saved from torturing Jimi Mistry's accented Hindi! Sadly Emmerich's India is still a land of missing flying carpets and extinct snake charmers.

This is the ultimate disaster flick from the consummate disaster director! Now that he has finally destroyed the world, some thing that The Day After Tomorrow did only to a certain degree, there is nothing left as far as disaster flicks go. 2012 is enjoyable in parts and some of the effects will surely leave you gasping.



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5 out of 10

What can I say about 2012? The special effects are amazing... everything else, not so much. The script is horrible, most of the acting is cheesy and the film is waaaaay too long at two hours and forty minutes. There are so many things to snicker at in this movie, it's difficult to know where to begin. The only reason the movie merits even a 4 out of 10 is because there is about a half hour of pure movie thrills that will leave you gasping for air. So roughly one-fifth of the movie is good. The rest is fairly awful.

2012 is simply about people trying to survive the end of the world. Director Roland Emmerich has plenty of experience with disaster movies. He directed Independence Day (his best film by far), Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow and clearly has an affinity for destroying the world. Really, how many times can one man include a scene where the White House gets demolished? It's time to move on Roland. Perhaps you should revisit your sci-fi Stargate days. Don't get me wrong. Emmerich blows things up with style, but it's becoming a bit old and predictable.

2012 wouldn't even be all that bad if it weren't for the atrocious script by Emmerich and Harald Kloser. There are so many bad lines and ridiculous moments you'll be stunned. I don't even mean any of the action sequences. I'm always ready to suspend my disbelief when it comes to special effects magic, but it's all the little things that begin to add up throughout the course of the film that takes you out of the fun of it all. A perfect example would be the use of cell phones. After the complete and utter destruction of their home and the state of California, Jack (John Cusack) and his wife are able to talk to each other on their phones. I'm pretty sure that the cell towers would be off line after a disaster of that magnitude.

I can't even get reception when I drive on a certain part of the parkway. Who's their coverage provider, Verizon or Sprint? One character actually makes a call seconds before him and his family are about to be swallowed by a three mile high tidal wave. Is this really the time to reach out and touch someone? I'm surprised they didn't show him updating his Facebook status! Perhaps my favorite ludicrous moment is when Cusack and friends are taking off in a big jet as the airport around them is being destroyed. Again it's not about the fact that they are able to take off amid all the destruction, I'm down with that, it's the awful dialogue that accompanies it. As the plane is taking off, the air traffic controller is screaming at the pilot, telling him to abort.

"You do not have clearance, you must abort!"The airport is being swallowed by the Earth and this guy is telling them it's too dangerous to take off. Would there really still be someone in the tower doing their job? Somehow, I doubt it. I can go on and on with examples, but you get the point.

Although skilled at visual effects, Emmerich has no real skill with actors. Some of the actors are just fine, but by and large, most of the cast turns in wooden, unbelievable performances. In their defense, there wasn't all that much to work with as the characters are of the cookie cutter variety that you've seen countless times before; there's the divorced guy who neglects his kids, his ex-wife and new boyfriend, the heartless politician and the selfless, compassionate president of the U.S. Pretty much the same characters that were in The Day After Tomorrow and every other disaster movie you've ever seen. Thank God for John Cusack who is quite good as the father trying to keep his kids and ex-wife safe. I will admit that I am a big fan of Mr. Cusack and always enjoy watching him. Woody Harrelson is also very funny as a conspiracy nut that isn't quite as crazy as he seems. The rest of the cast doesn't fare as well but again the script is terrifically bad. A special shout out to Oliver Platt as a slimy politician. I wanted to punch him in the face the whole movie so I guess he did his job.

As I said earlier, there are some really entertaining parts; the whole destruction of California sequence being a stand out here. It's truly exhilarating. Unfortunately those moments are far and few between as the film gets bogged down by clichéd speeches about humanity and useless subplots. All in all, there is a good movie lurking inside this mess somewhere and perhaps you'll find it if you can successfully turn your brain off for nearly three hours. If you can't do that, you may find yourself wishing the world would end, just so you can stop watching 2012.



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Review of 2012 The Movie:

* End of the world - 2012 marks the end of the world as people have known it, not the end of the world literally.
* 2012 is also not literal - however 12.21.2012 is a deadline. This deadline marks a time when old behaviors will finally come to a majority end. The pain will have gone on too long and people will finally be convinced that their old patterns are only hurting them and those around them.
* The massive destruction of cities and lives - marks a total breakdown of the old structures and ways of thinking and doing things.
* John Cusack - portrays a person who is lost in a pre-2012 world and empowered in a post-2012 world. Values will no longer be based on your bank account, but based on your deeds.
* People are still living, acting and thinking in a pre-2012 world - anyone who seems lost or crazy right now, like John Cusack or Woody Harrelson represent people who 'normal people' need to take a second look at. Ask yourself, "what you are missing?"
* There is no place to run - everything and everyone is in this together. It's about paying attention, stopping the self-centeredness, learning to love and help one another and be part of the solution before it becomes urgent.
* The constant cracking of the earth throughout the movie - suggests the breakdown of any stability in people's lives. This has been happening for many years now with the breakdown of the global economy. In addition to finances, this is also showing up in personal relationships, the need for purpose in people's work and what is important in every small and large way.
* Holding on to your past possessions and behaviors is not a choice - if it is a struggle and makes you act out in the old ways then it is not sustainable. Let it go (empty the cup) so you make room for the natural flow of things. Once you willingly do this it will not be long before you see 'the new' flow in. This 'new' will be the result of trusting, a free-fall from the previous pain and suffering of holding on to unsustainable patterns.

Conclusion: These are all symbolic messages describing the urgent need to shift our priorities and values. A need to let go of everything in order to begin to 'get it right'.

Even Mother Nature has had its 'I've had it day' with all the abuse and imbalances. Ultimately it will be Mother Nature that forces these changes. Most of mankind will get pushed through the door, rather than willingly walk though. Getting pushed happens when you have waited too long. Willingly walking through those doors happens long before the urgency and those that willingly walk through are part of the solution when everything falls apart. Those of you that walked though willingly years ago have been ridiculed as being a weirdo, a kook, a freak or even being negative. Maybe this lonely journey has at times made you feel like 'they' the so-called 'normal people' were right all along. But the "movie" hasn't played out yet so who knows?

To some, this '2012 The Movie' will seem a perfect interpretation by the time 12.21.2012 is here. There will be those who never thought that this type of change could happen in their lifetime. To others, this '2012 The Movie' will be a host of symbolic descriptions on how different this world and world behavior will be after 12.21.2012.

For those who have walked through the door willingly, they have already planned for the worst and hope for the best. Those that are waiting to get pushed have not planned at all. They cannot imagine that the worst could ever happen... it is just not an option.

Ray Holley and Linda Deir, Intuitive Medium Team... The Nostradamus of the NEWS. News predictions published in our CR News Reports(c) monthly on 14 topics related to your daily life - Week, Months, Years in advance, so you can prepare for what's going to happen before it actually occurs.


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If you've been hearing the name lately especially from young children and teens and you're wondering who this celebrity is, two words: "Hannah Montana". Miley Cyrus is a young teen actress who plays the dual title role on Disney's TV Series "Hannah Montana". She plays Miley Stewart, a normal teenage girl whose alter ego is the flamboyant and extremely famous music pop icon, Hannah Montana. The success of this TV series launched young Miley into instant stardom and her star still shines on.

Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, daughter of Billy Ray and Leticia Cyrus. If you're wondering why the name "Billy Ray Cyrus" sounds familiar, maybe it's because you've heard of his most famous song, "Achey Brakey Heart" which came out in the 1990's. Between Billy Ray and Leticia, Miley has 5 other siblings: Trace and Brandi are her maternal siblings (children of Leticia from a previous relationship), Christopher Cody is his father's child from his previous relationship and she also has 2 younger siblings, Braison and Noah to complete the family.

The name Miley as it happens comes from "Smiley" which the family called Miley when she was younger because she smiled often. The nickname got shortened to Miley over time, which is kind of fateful considering that what launched her to stardom was her portrayal of a teenage girl named "Miley Stewart" in Hannah Montana.

Her passion for performing was probably ignited at a young age because when she was 9, she enrolled at the Armstrong Acting Studio in Toronto, Canada where she and her family lived for a while. Her first on-screen appearance was when she appeared on her father's TV series "Doc". After that, she also landed a stint as "Young Ruthie" on Tim Burton's "Big Fish". But, of course, she was determined that she was meant for greater things. She auditioned for the coveted title role of Hannah Montana for Disney's newest TV series. She was even willing to take on a lesser role, like that of the "best friend" character. However, it was initially not meant to be. Disney thought she was too young, too small for the part.

The winds of change blew forth. She was called back for further additions and well, it's no surprise, she got the part. The TV series became very popular with kids between 6 and 14 and parents liked her wholesome, role model image. As she was playing a popular music icon in the series, it is to be expected that she'll also be performing outside of the series. Several concerts and soundtrack CD's came out as part of the franchise. The first CD was essentially a soundtrack while the 2nd CD was both a soundtrack as well as her first musical debut album performing as herself and not as Hannah Montana. There was even a spin-off movie which she also starred in.



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