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Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Best of the Avengers Films
This is probably the best Avengers movie I've seen that's not called The Avengers. Honestly, despite the huge number of Avengers that show up in the film it really does focus more on Captain America and the lengths he's willing to go to in order to protect his friend Bucky, also known as the Winter Soldier. I had a feeling this movie was going to be awesome and it easily delivered in every way. There's plenty of action and laughs to be had but I also thought the story was a bit better this time around. There were definitely a few characters that felt like they were forced in a little bit but everyone is so likable that it's hard not to enjoy seeing them. The Russo Brothers are quickly becoming Marvel's secret weapon when it comes to making awesome films. Let's talk about the story.
The movie starts off with a bang as Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), otherwise known as Captain America, and his team of Avengers intercept a chemical weapon from a group of terrorists. Unfortunately, things go awry as the battle results in civilian casualties which forces the United Nations to take a more active role in the administration of the Avengers. This is supported by a large number of the team including Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) who is feeling guilty that his actions and weapons have inadvertently lead to the deaths of quite a few people. The team is split between the two but things really get personal when the Winter Soldier is seemingly involved in a terrorist attack on the UN. Now, Captain America has to protect his friend from Iron Man's group of Avengers by using his own group of Avengers. Chaos and cool action sequences commence.
Most of these characters are returning from previous films but needless to say they're still doing a great job with their performances. Chris Evans has always done a great job at the goody two shoes Captain America but I'm also happy to see that Robert Downey Jr. is on top of his game here. I was afraid that he might start phoning it in after so many movies of playing the same character but he continues to give a phenomenal performance. I also really enjoyed the new villain Zemo played by Daniel Bruhl. This guy is conniving and willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants but I ended up feeling sorry for the guy at the end of the film. I'll try to avoid too many spoilers though. Somehow we managed to get even more characters in this film than the previous Avengers movie but it felt like everything moved along perfectly for the most part.
Like I said, the film doesn't have too many hiccups but it does seem that Spider-Man was a last minute addition to the movie because it doesn't really feel like he belongs at all. Fortunately, the character, played by Tom Holland, is so likable that it's easily forgiven but the story does deviate for a little while in order to give us a quick rundown of our new Spider-Man. This is in contrast to the way Black Panther was introduced organically and added an important part to the plot. Just a little nitpick but I think Spider-Man easily added more than he took away from the film.
I always expect Marvel movies to give us plenty of laughs and decent action but this movie seemed to dial up the storytelling and the action quite a bit. It was incredibly fun to witness all the characters fighting one another in the airport scene but what really got me was the final confrontation of the film. If you've seen it then you know what I mean. This fight was more brutal and heartbreaking than anything else I've seen in a Marvel movie before. I thought it was incredibly well done. As far as the storytelling goes, I enjoyed how both Captain America and Iron Man have decent arguments to back up their positions and it feels like there are actual consequences to this story. I'm eager to see how they eventually kiss and make up.
I really enjoyed this new Captain America and I'm eager to see the Russo Brothers give us more craziness on the upcoming Avengers films. I could nitpick this film if I wanted to but it was so enjoyable that I'll just skip all that and give it my wholehearted recommendation. It's easily one of the best Marvel movies yet and it makes the wait for the next one that much more difficult. Next up, X-Men!
The Jungle Book (2016)
Translates Surprisingly Well into Live Action
I admit, I was hesitant when I heard that they were making a live action version of the original Jungle Book animated movie. I didn't think that it would translate well into live action and I kind of wanted something more along the lines of the actual book than the Disney original. That being said, I have to admit that I was wrong and this is actually a really fun and enjoyable film. The cgi is some of the most impressive I've ever seen and the characters are even more lovable than they used to be. Jon Favreau really knocked it out of the park on this one. I wouldn't call it a perfect movie but it was a ton of fun to revisit this classic story.
Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a young boy who lives in the jungle and was raised by a pack of wolves and a panther named Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). His father was killed when he was very young and he was left in the jungle but has gained the ability to speak the same language as many of the other animals. Things are going well until Shere Khan (Idris Elba) finds out about Mowgli and decides that he wants to kill him (and possibly eat him but he's not as specific on that point). Mowgli leaves his wolf family to travel to a human village and ends up having one heck of an adventure where he meets some familiar characters.
I'm impressed by the amount of talent they were able to get for this film. Sethi is the only newcomer here and I thought he did a pretty darn good job. Basically the whole thing is just this kid interacting with cgi characters but it never looks out of place and Sethi really sells the whole thing. We also get plenty of excellent voice work from the likes of Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, and Scarlett Johansson. Everyone gives some fantastic portrayals but I especially liked Kingsley's Bagheera. I didn't even know it was him until the credits started rolling but I loved the stoic personality of this character.
Like I said before, The whole film is just downright beautiful to look at. The animals look absolutely fantastic and the jungle gives us a variety of unique locations to see during Mowgli's adventure. There are even scenes where you can see the water clinging to the hairs of the animals when it's raining. I have to admit that I was impressed. It's just a really nice film to look at.
This movie is incredibly fun and I really enjoyed it but there were a couple of scenes that kind of took me out of the experience. These were the musical numbers. There are only two of them in the entire film but I'm not really sure why they didn't just take them out completely. To be fair, Walken's awkward singing voice did bring a smile to my face but it just came out of nowhere. I'm guessing the songs were put there more for the benefit of nostalgia but they just didn't work for me. Fortunately, they really don't dwell on these scenes for very long.
This is a really good film that I think most people will get a kick out of. Mowgli's adventure is surprisingly very similar to how it was depicted in the animated classic but they turned it up a notch with the live action version. Everything looks absolutely fantastic and the characters have never been more interesting. Some of the songs made me cringe a little bit but I definitely recommend this movie to just about everyone. I know the kids will especially get a kick out of it. There was one kid behind me in the theater that would start howling with the wolves in the film. Basically it's just a really fun flick. Go check it out.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
So Much Better than the Critics Led Me to Believe
I was extremely excited for this film for about three years now but I have to admit that I was getting a bit nervous when the reviews started dropping. The majority of reviewers really aren't feeling the hype on this one but I'm happy I went ahead and gave the movie a shot. I'll be honest, I straight up love this film. I was taken aback right at first from the weird editing but it actually gave the movie this stream of consciousness feel that made me think William Faulkner was directing my superhero movie. You can definitely tell the influence of a writer like Chris Terrio combined with the particular directing style of Zach Snyder has managed to create something that's obviously divisive but at the same time incredibly unique, especially in the comic book movie genre.
This movie is a sequel to the events depicted in Man of Steel and focuses on Superman (Henry Cavill) trying to find his role in the world while Batman (Ben Affleck) becomes increasingly unhinged after the destruction of Metropolis. Superman is being worshiped by some people as a God while others are accusing him of involving himself in situations that shouldn't concern him. Batman has gone on his own personal mission to find a way to take down Superman since he believes he's responsible for the deaths of people that were close to him in Metropolis. While these two are struggling with their own demons, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is manipulating the government and the public to further his own plans.
The acting is absolutely phenomenal in this film. Put any fears you had about Ben Affleck to rest because this is easily one of the best iterations of Batman we've ever had. It's also one of the most unhinged. There is something seriously wrong with this man and we actually see it pretty early on because of Bruce's bizarre dreams. Honestly, this man desperately needs help but he decides to beat the living hell out of criminals instead. Henry Cavill also does an excellent job as Clark Kent. Superman has always been a bit of a goody two shoes and that's true here as well but there's more to it than that. Clark is having a bit of an existential crisis because of all of the criticism he's receiving and it's causing him to question himself and his relationship with humanity. It's an interesting direction to take the character but it works well.
I honestly enjoyed everyone's roles in this movie but I want to mention at least two other people. Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor is easily one of the most divisive aspects of the film but I actually really enjoyed what they decided to do with the character. This guy doesn't seem like much right at first but we soon learn this man is just as unhinged and terrifying as Batman, just in a different kind of way. This man is pure evil and is willing to do anything and kill anyone to get what he wants, all while believing in his own twisted sense of morality. Finally, I need to mention Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. She absolutely nails this role and Diana ends up being one of the best parts of the movie. Her presence just automatically adds more excitement into what's happening and helps to set up the whole subplot of introducing us to the idea of a Justice League.
I have to admit, the tone of this film is incredibly dark. I went in expecting it to be dark and the movie still managed to impress me with how far they were willing to go with it. However, a lot of this dark tone can be directly traced back to the machinations of Luthor and Bruce's deteriorating mental state. I don't want to spoil anything but the way Clark and Bruce eventually find hope once again is done very uniquely and makes for a very different kind of superhero film.
If I had to nitpick I would say that little nods to the other characters that would make up the Justice League feel a bit forced and awkward, but to be perfectly honest I actually kind of enjoyed them. They were so weird but they all had their own little flavor that helped to show that these characters would all bring something different to the tone of the sequel. I'm going to go ahead and give this movie a recommendation simply because I really did come out of the theater loving it. I think it might be one of my favorite superhero films, and this is coming from someone that absolutely adores all of the Marvel movies. I can however see why it didn't work for some people but it's hard to tell how you'll react to it unless you watch it yourself.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
This is so Much Better than the First One
Is it just me or did this movie come completely out of nowhere? I remember hearing about a Cloverfield sequel and I was immediately surprised but at the same time intrigued. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't a fan of the first Cloverfield movie. It just didn't work for me for a variety of reasons but I was still curious to see what the sequel/spin-off/completely unrelated film had to offer. I'm glad I gave this one a chance because I think this movie is fantastic. Maybe it was the low expectations but this film is so good that I now want to see more Cloverfield sequels (to this one, not the other one) but they probably won't be as good without John Goodman. Anyway, Dan Trachtenberg did a great job with this one and let's talk about it a little bit.
Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is leaving home after having a fight with her husband but we don't really learn the particulars behind this squabble. Michelle is very upset about it though and keeps looking at her cellphone and is soon caught in a terrible accident that totals her car and leaves her trapped inside of a bunker with a strange man named Howard (John Goodman) and another occupant named Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). Howard takes her here because of a plague of some kind that has left humanity devastated. Howard seems to have good intentions but Michelle soon finds out that he's more than a little unhinged and she and Emmett are in more danger down there than they are outside.
There's a pretty small cast in this film but that just means these characters shine all the more. Winstead is fantastic as the resilient and resourceful Michelle. She's obviously terrified of all the craziness going on around her but she always finds a way out of her increasingly crappy situations. John Gallagher Jr. also does a great job as the nice guy Emmett. This is the kind of guy that wouldn't hurt anyone and acts as a nice counter to the unhinged Howard. Speaking of Howard, John Goodman absolutely nails this role and easily steals every scene he's in. This guy is terrifying in every way. Everything from his seemingly childish tantrums to his imposing physical presence is just unsettling. I don't want to spoil too much but he's easily more terrifying than what's going on outside, and that's saying a lot.
The atmosphere to this film is very claustrophobic which makes sense seeing as how it takes place in an underground bunker but it also helps to make the movie that much more unsettling and creepy. We're led to believe early on that whatever is going on outside is fatal but it's hard not to wish the characters would just get out of there. It's unreal just how scary Goodman is in this role. There's also an awesome Shyamalan level twist at the end of the film that just brings the craziness to a whole other level.
I have absolutely no complaints to make about this movie. The performances are great, the atmosphere is creepy and unsettling, and the story is pretty weird but it's also a ton of fun. I don't know if this is supposed to be a sequel or what but I know that this is easily the better of the two films and I hope that they use this format for any future movies in the franchise. I can't recommend this one enough. Go watch it!
Grimsby (2016)
Funnier than I Thought it Would Be
The trailers for this one didn't really impress me a great deal but I thought I'd give it a chance since it had Sacha Baron Cohen in it and I'm glad I did. This movie reminds me a bit of the last Cohen film, The Dictator, since it has an actual plot and actors in it. It also retains all of the extreme raunchiness and humor that we've come to expect from Cohen's movies. Louis Leterrier actually directed this one and you can tell during the action scenes but the comedy is pure Cohen through and through. It's not a perfect movie and it's certainly not as good as some of Cohen's other films but it is pretty hilarious nonetheless.
Nobby (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a somewhat idiotic native of the English town of Grimsby that mostly enjoys his days with his family of nine children or watching games of futbol at the local pub. He's happy but the one thing that he wants in his life is his younger brother that was separated from him when they were still young. Unbeknownst to him, his brother Sebastian (Mark Strong) is now a secret agent working for MI6. Sebastian is given a mission to uncover a plot that endangers the world but is soon accused of the one doing the endangering when Nobby finds him and somehow manages to single-handedly ruin his entire mission. Now, Nobby and Sebastian have to work together to save the world and keep each other alive.
I'm surprised how many recognizable actors and actresses showed up to participate in this film. Obviously, Cohen tends to steal most of the scenes he's in just because of his over the top attitude and presence. He's also the butt of several raunchy jokes. That being said, Mark Strong is easily my favorite character in this movie. Strong plays a similar character in this story that he plays in other films but his straight man to Cohen's wackiness is a surprisingly funny combination. To be fair, I'm a bit biased since I'm already a huge Mark Strong fan. We also see some solid performances by Rebel Wilson, Penelope Cruz, and Ian McShane but their roles (and screen time) are small compared to Cohen and Strong.
One thing I have to give this movie props for is its willingness to go as far as necessary to gross us out. I should have expected this from Cohen but for some reason I wasn't really expecting much. Fortunately, the film delivered anyway. These scenes are made all the better thanks to Strong's acting ability and his character taking everything so seriously. There's one scene in particular that involved an elephant that I really didn't see coming and I don't know if pleasantly surprised is the phrase I should use to describe it. Let's just say I wasn't expecting them to go as far as they did.
The action scenes aren't actually too bad but they do suffer from the occasional shaky cam that I'm starting to get a bit tired of. I'm still impressed that they were as good as they ended up being though. Like all of his past movies, Cohen likes to make fun of stereotypes in this one but this film feels relatively tame on that front. They went all out on the raunchiness but dialed back some of the humor that made his other films so incredibly fun to watch. Still, I actually enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. Maybe going in with low expectations helped but I found myself laughing at quite a few scenes. The raunchiness will turn off a large number of people but I have to recommend it for Cohen fans. It's not the best but it's still pretty fun.
Zootopia (2016)
One of the Best and Most Topical Kid's Movies in a Long Time
I had no idea this movie would be as good as it is when I went into the theater. I figured it would be decent just because of the pedigree with people like Byron Howard and Rich Moore working on it but this turned out being one of the best children's films I've seen in a long time. It's also impressive just how topical some of these issues are that are dealt with in the story. If you haven't seen it yet then do yourself a favor and go out and watch it immediately. You won't regret it.
Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a young rabbit that has become the first rabbit ever to be accepted by Zootopia's police force. Zootopia is a city where all kinds of different animals live together in peace. Judy starts her new job on the force but is having trouble since everyone underestimates her since she's a tiny bunny rabbit. She finally gets the chance to prove herself when she's put in charge of a missing animals case. She teams up with a cunning fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) and goes out to find out where the animals are but ends up uncovering a plot to change Zootopia forever.
This movie has an excellent cast but it feels like most of these high-profile children's films always do. Goodwin does an excellent job as the upbeat and personable Judy. She's extremely positive but there are plenty of scenes in the film where we see a side of Judy that's afraid of failure and eager to please her superiors. Bateman's Wilde is very calm and collected in most situations but he also has a more caring side and is defensive of his friends. It's great seeing the relationship these two build with one another throughout the movie. I also want to give kudos to Idris Elba's Chief Bogo and J.K. Simmons's Mayor Lionheart. These two characters easily steal every scene that they're in and are probably my favorite characters in the entire film.
This movie has so many positives going for it that it's hard to think of anything wrong with the film. The animation is incredibly well done and there are tons of different locales to flesh out the adventure. The characters are incredibly likable and genuinely funny. Speaking of funny, the jokes will easily make the young ones laugh but I'm surprised how much of the humor is geared towards adults. The only thing I didn't really like about the film was the character of Gazelle and the music of Shakira. I don't have anything against the songs in the movie, it's just not really my type of music.
The thing that really impressed me with the story was the way they dealt with prejudice. This is something that I wasn't expecting in a children's movie but the backbone of the plot deals with the different prejudices felt by the main characters. Judy, Nick, even Chief Bogo and a myriad of others all feel some degree of prejudice whether because they feel they're better than others or because they were wronged by another and ended up blaming an entire set of animals because of it. I don't want to spoil too much if you guys haven't watched the film yet but it is really interesting how they were able to integrate such a hot button issue into this movie.
I can't recommend this film enough. I absolutely loved it and I thought it was easily one of the best family movies I've seen in a long time. My only complaint is that I didn't enjoy some of the songs in the film but literally everything else I absolutely adored. Take the kids or friends or whatever and go watch this heartwarming movie as soon as possible.
Triple 9 (2016)
A Pretty Good Corrupt Cop Movie
I've been excited for this movie ever since I saw those grimy trailers they released and I have to admit that they definitely delivered on the dark atmosphere that was promised. Nearly everyone in this film is corrupt in some way but it's nice to see that almost all of them have their own reasons for doing what they do. I'm surprised how much hate I've been hearing about this movie since I thought it was actually pretty good. It's certainly not perfect but it has some good action and a decently suspenseful story. I'm also a big fan of John Hillcoat's other films so this was a bit of a no-brainer for me.
The story focuses on a group of criminals that includes a few corrupt cops that are being coerced into working for a Russian mob boss. Irina Vlaslov (Kate Winslet) is bribing one of the criminals, a man named Michael (Chiwetel Ejiofor), to work for her by keeping a close eye on Michael's son, who just so happens to also be Irina's nephew. Their most recent job requires a distraction to keep Atlanta's police officers busy and they decide that a triple nine is what is needed. In other words, they decide a police officer needs to be shot.
I have to say that I'm incredibly impressed they were able to get this kind of cast together for this film. All five of the criminals are played by some recognizable names. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Norman Reedus, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, and Clifton Collins Jr. comprise the five man group made up of corrupt officers and even ex-military. All of them have very different personalities with the bulk of them being varying degrees of volatile. These are some truly wretched human beings and the bulk of the movie revolves around their little group. We also get solid performances by Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson and I have to say that I pretty much love everything Harrelson does. Affleck gives us a much more subtle performance but Harrelson just steals every scene he's in with his over the top attitude. Finally, I need to give it up to Kate Winslet as Irina. I didn't even recognize Winslet when I first saw the movie but it's definitely her. She's easily one of the most terrifying people in this film and that's saying a lot considering the lengths some of these people will go to get what they want.
Everything about this movie just looks grimy and dirty and it really helps to set the mood for the kind of world we're dropped into. Nothing is sacred here and these people are willing to kill others like its not a big deal at all. We see housing projects and poor neighborhoods that have pretty much turned into havens for crime and even meat factories where the more organized crime takes place. I don't know if Atlanta is actually this bad but I'm now interested to find out.
I enjoyed the story for the most part but it felt like there wasn't enough time spent on some of the characters to really give us a good feel for their motivations. This is particularly true for the characters played by Norman Reedus and Anthony Mackie. These guys seemed to be bothered by the acts they were committing but we never really found out why they were committing them like we did for Ejiofor and Winslet. Another problem is that when we do get to find out a character's motivation it's usually revealed to us in an awkward conversation that seems to be a bit forced at times. I actually didn't mind a good deal of the dialogue but it got a lot more awkward when two characters were having an argument or a heartfelt conversation. It didn't bother me too much but it was noticeable in a few scenes.
If you're looking for a good corrupt cop movie filled with all kinds of deranged stuff going on then look no further. This film will definitely help to scratch that itch. The dialogue isn't exactly Training Day but it gets the job done and there were only a few scenes that came off as awkward because of it. It's not Shakespeare but I still have to recommend it if you're in the mood for a good dose of suspense.
Eddie the Eagle (2015)
One of the Best Feel Good Movies I've Seen in a While
I have a soft spot for these feel-good type movies and this is easily one of the best I've seen in a long time. All of the characters just ooze charm and I found myself smiling throughout the entire film. I'm not actually familiar with the real Eddie Edwards but this story was so heartwarming that I feel like I'm going to have to find out more about the guy. This flick is directed by Dexter Fletcher and I honestly don't know of anything else he has directed, but I'm definitely looking forward to more from him especially if it's as good as this movie.
Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton) is a young man that has dreamed of becoming an Olympic athlete ever since he was a young boy. He's actually an accomplished skier but is refused admission on to the Olympic team since he doesn't have the "look" or upbringing that the English Olympic officials desire. He decides to become a ski jumper since England doesn't have one and they would be forced to let him compete. Unfortunately, he has to learn how to actually ski jump first and he'll need a little help from an ex-ski jumper named Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). Eddie's determination soon charms everyone he comes into contact with and earns him a spot in Olympic history.
I thought all of the actors did a great job with this one but I especially enjoyed the chemistry between Egerton and Jackman. These two play off of each other so well it's almost scary. I didn't even recognize Egerton when I first saw the movie. Eddie is so different from the character he played in Kingsman that it didn't even occur to me that they were the same person. Egerton absolutely nails this role and is easily one of the most affable characters I've seen in any film for a long time. I enjoy seeing Jackman in just about anything he does and this movie is no exception. There were a few scenes where it felt like I was watching Wolverine on screen rather than Bronson but it didn't bother me at all. He doesn't steal the scenes quite the way Egerton does though.
The scenes involving the actual ski jumping is done very well and you really get the feeling of awe and danger that the sport instills in its participants. Seeing the hills ascend into the sky can be a bit daunting and I enjoyed how they helped us to experience the sense of speed that the ski jumpers feel when going down the incline at something around seventy miles an hour. It kind of makes me want to go ski jumping but I soon realized that was a ridiculously bad idea.
This film is really just a lot of fun and is incredibly heartwarming. Nothing really out of the ordinary is being done here but it's done so well that it's difficult not to legitimately feel for Eddie and his predicament. You have to love a guy that is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed despite all the criticism coming his way. Like I said before, nothing really unique being done on this one but I have to recommend it just because of how great the film is. I honestly can't think of anyone that wouldn't enjoy this one.
Gods of Egypt (2016)
What a Disappointment
I didn't really have any faith in this film being decent when I saw the trailers but I figured it would at least be a bit of silly fun at the theater. Well, I've seen the movie and I can certainly confirm that it's not very good and it's nowhere near as fun as I was hoping it would be. To be fair, there are entertaining aspects to the story and some of the action (keyword being 'some') is cool to look at but overall the film just goes on for way too long and nothing really comes off as spectacular or very well done. I've enjoyed some of Alex Proyas's movies in the past but this one just left me disappointed and I found myself wishing that it would hurry up and end.
The story focuses on an alternative world and Egypt where the Gods from Egyptian Mythology live with and rule over humanity. Horus (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau) is being made the new king of Egypt by his father, Osiris (Bryan Brown), when a bit of family drama throws the succession plans out the window. Set (Gerard Butler), Horus's uncle, murders Osiris and tears out Horus's eyes after a short battle. Afterwards, Set rules over humanity and goes to war with the rest of Egypt's Gods. In all this confusion, a young human named Bek (Brenton Thwaites) is convinced by his wife, Zaya (Courtney Eaton), to steal Horus's eyes away from Set so that Horus can regain his sight and the power to save all of humanity. An overbearing adventure awaits everyone.
The cast is actually composed of some talented people but it still feels like the acting comes off as sub par here. Coaster-Waldau does a decent enough job as Horus but I never really cared very much for him despite all of the hardships he went through. I believe they were going for a likable rogue type of character but he really just came off as a prick. Brenton Thwaites seemed alright as Bek but once again it just felt dull watching him say his lines and interact with the other characters. I have a feeling the fault for this lies more with the direction and lackluster script than it does the actors. The most disappointing one to me was Gerard Butler. This very much just seems like a lackluster performance in order to get a quick paycheck. Even then, I enjoyed watching Butler but his portrayal easily stood out to me more than anyone else in the story, and not in a good way. It's strange to say, I think Butler's accent had a lot to do with it. No one in this movie even attempts to emulate an Egyptian accent but Butler's brogue just snatched me right out of the film every time he spoke. I'm not sure why his voice did it and no else though.
There are a few cool looking things in this movie that keep it from being completely forgettable. The environments are interesting and the weird bizarre scenes that take place on a ship sailing through space (stay with me) look kind of cool. There are also a few action scenes that I thought were done pretty well. Unfortunately, there's not enough of this to make up for the plodding pace of the film and laughable cgi. Like I said, I enjoyed the scenes that took place on Ra's ship until I saw Geoffrey Rush supposedly surrounded by ethereal flames while fighting off some giant demon. The demon looked alright but Rush just came off as goofy looking. It feels like the creatures in general looked a lot better than the Gods and the effects associated with them. As far as the pace goes, this film would have been a lot better if they cut out some of the fluff. When I say some of I actually mean about a quarter of the movie. This story really drags and I found myself peeking at my watch on a few scenes. A tight ninety minutes instead of two hours would have done wonders for this film.
I don't want to go so far as to say that I didn't have any fun whatsoever with the movie, but for everything they did well there were two things that felt off. It kind of reminded me of the way I felt about that Pan film that came out last year. I enjoyed some aspects but overall it didn't really do a whole for me. I can't really give this one a recommendation unless there's absolutely nothing else out there that catches your attention. Just go for the one or two worthwhile action scenes and take a nap during the second act.
Race (2016)
Enjoyable Film but One too Many Subplots
I had a feeling this would be a pretty good movie from the trailers but I'm also a bit biased since it's based off of an actual historical event. I enjoyed it but there were a few things that I thought the movie didn't delve into enough and there was one thing in particular that had a bit too much time devoted to. Still, these are just mild complaints and the film is honestly very good. It was directed by Stephen Hopkins and I have to admit that he hasn't always impressed me with his work but I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. I have to give him props for that. Let's talk about the plot.
The film focuses on the life of Jesse Owens (Stephan James), a track and field athlete that became popular in the 1930s for constantly breaking records and taking home four gold medals during the 1936 Olympic games. The story shows us how he got into Ohio State and dealt with the extreme amount of racism around him. Owens, thanks to the help of his coach and family, makes his way to the Berlin Olympic games where he represents his country despite the horrible treatment he received at the hands of his fellow Americans.
The cast is absolutely solid on this one and I found myself wanting to see more of these characters interacting with each other. Stephan James gives us a likable Owens that is sometimes ambiguous about his situation in life but is ultimately surprisingly positive and forgiving to others. I also enjoyed Jason Sudeikis' as Larry Snyder and I honestly wouldn't mind an entire film about Snyder now. Snyder is gruff and comes off as uncaring at times but ends up being one of the most supportive people in Owens' life. The only other character that stood out to me was Jeremy Irons as Avery Brundage. I always enjoy seeing Irons and his character is just ambiguous enough that I found myself rooting for and against him at different times in the movie.
The film is well done but there are some excess subplots in here that I don't believe really needed to be told. I did enjoy seeing some of the background story on Larry Snyder and the motivations behind his character and I believe that it's important enough to Jesse Owens' own story that it should be included in the movie. What came off as forced to me was the subplot involving a German director trying to convince Joseph Goebbels to shoot her film about the Olympic games the way she wanted to. I wouldn't mind seeing someone tell this director's story but it feels like the focus was taken off of Owens a bit too many times during movie. The film still focuses most of its time on Owens but it feels relatively light considering the running time is over two hours.
I enjoyed seeing the life of Jesse Owens put to film and it is always enlightening to see what minorities had to put up with during this time period. I would have preferred to see a bit more of the story focusing on this aspect but what we got is pretty good. This movie really is interesting and entertaining but it feels like some of the subplots aren't really relevant to the main story. Fortunately, even the unnecessary material was still entertaining so it didn't bother me too much in the end. I have to give this one a recommendation, especially to history and sports fans.
Risen (2016)
Unique Take on an Inspiring Story
I was intrigued by this film the first time I heard about it simply because it looked like a religious movie with some actual talent and work behind it. It seems like most religious films nowadays simply aren't very good and are sometimes straight up awful. Fortunately, this is easily one of the better ones. The movie is directed by Kevin Reynolds, who's probably best known for that Kevin Costner Robin Hood film but also directed the excellent miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. Let's talk about the story a little bit.
The story starts off at the same time as the crucifixion of Christ (referred to as Yeshua in the movie, played by Cliff Curtis). Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) is a Roman tribune tasked with doing Pilate's (Peter Firth) dirty work. Clavius's most recent job is to see that a man claiming to be the messiah of the Hebrews is put to death. He sees that Yeshua is killed and buried but the body soon comes up missing and there are rumors that the man has risen from death. Pilate is worried about these rumors since the emperor, Tiberius, is on his way and he doesn't want his province to show any unrest. Pilate sends Clavius out to find the body but Clavius soon encounters something that destroys everything he has ever known or thought he knew.
One of the things that separates this religious film from many of the others is the quality of the acting. Joseph Fiennes gives an impressive portrayal as Clavius and carries the movie pretty well. Clavius just seems to be weary of the world in general but he's especially tired of his position as a Roman enforcer and Pilate's lapdog. Peter Firth also does a great job as Pilate and gives us someone that we don't really hate but pity in a strange way. We know that he's responsible for the death of Christ but Pilate also seems weary of his duties and wishes that he didn't have to go through with Yeshua's death and some of the other reprehensible things that he has overseen. Finally, I have to give props to Cliff Curtis for his down to Earth but inspiring portrayal of Yeshua. I feel like this is one of those roles that many actors have taken on but only a few have really done justice to. I imagine that everyone has their own ideas about how Christ should act and it's impossible to make everyone happy. I personally thought Curtis did a fine job and his Christ came off humble but inspiring, which is exactly how I envision the man.
I tend to appreciate when a movie looks like it's actually being filmed in an area that looks historically accurate to the source material. The Roman buildings look Roman and the villages at least look like villages. I'm not really sure what kind of architecture was used back then but it certainly got the job done and looks pretty good. There are also some beautiful scenes of the Disciples and Clavius traveling through the wilderness that were very well done. I don't really have many complaints to make since I generally thought the movie was much better than I thought it would be. I liked the focus on an unbeliever but I thought they tried to shoehorn him in a little too much. For example, he's the one that saves everyone from the Romans and then he's the last one to speak to Yeshua before his ascension. I thought that was a little on the nose and took me out of the experience a little.
Overall, I really enjoyed the film and found it to be inspiring. Even if you're not religious, it's hard to dislike the teachings of Christ unless you're a proponent of the Ubermensch or something. I thought it was interesting having the story focus so much on an ex-soldier and unbeliever but it did come off as forced in some parts. Still, that's just a mild complaint and I recommend giving the movie a shot. God knows it's better than eighty percent of the other religious films out there.
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
Very Unsettling but Well Put Together
I think the best word to describe this movie is unsettling. The trailers hinted at just how unsettling the film would get but they barely scratched the surface of what was going to happen during the story. It's definitely a horror movie but it's unlike any other film I've seen in the genre before. There are parts where it seems like we're just watching a very intense drama but then the atmosphere kicks it up a notch and you're reminded that this is a really disturbing horror flick. The director is a guy named Robert Eggers who hasn't directed a whole lot just yet but I can't help but believe that he has a promising career ahead of him. Let's talk about the plot.
Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her family in 1630 New England are forced to leave their village because of a difference in religious beliefs. The family heads out into the woods to start a farm and worship the Lord in the way that Thomasin's parents (Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie) want them to. They're already having difficulties adjusting but things get even worse when the baby of the family goes missing. Unfortunately, this is just the first of many strange and horrible incidents that befall the family.
The cast does an absolutely phenomenal job and I have to give credit to Anya Taylor-Joy for carrying this movie as well as she does. She hasn't been in the acting game for very long but she already shows quite a bit of promise. Thomasin is a very ambiguous character since she obviously loves and obeys her parents the best she can but her situation is also stifling her. There are many reasons for this but the most obvious one is the deteriorating relationship with her mother. Speaking of the mother, Dickie gives a phenomenal performance as a loving but very strict woman when it comes to her children. I also can't forget Ineson's role as William. He comes off as a tough and hard man but he's afraid of letting his wife know about their true situation out in the woods.
I mentioned earlier that the movie excels at being unsettling. Well, there are a few reasons for this. First, the atmosphere out in the woods and around the farm is very claustrophobic and the it feels like there's never a good day around this place. It's always dank and it just feels miserable outside. The house and barn are both small and quite a few scenes take place with all of the characters scrunched together with barely any light to speak of. The film also lets you know right off the bat just how cruelly it's willing to treat its characters about eight minutes in.
Another aspect of the movie that I really enjoyed was how it dealt with the titular Witch. We only see the Witch a handful of times during the course of the story but it's obvious that this is a downright evil and sadistic character. We the audience know of the Witch's existence long before any of the other characters do and it makes what the family is going through all the more painful. The Witch is dangerous but the family starts tearing itself apart with accusations and a complete lack of trust. This is best shown in the way Thomasin and her mother interact with one another but Thomasin also has problems with some of her younger siblings. We slowly start to learn that this distrust is part of a larger plot but it definitely leaves you wondering what's going to happen next.
I enjoyed this film but it's definitely not the type of thing that leaves you smiling when you exit the theater. Horror fans will probably appreciate an excellent addition to the genre and even fans of period pieces will probably like the look at the past that the movie offers. However, this film definitely won't be for everyone. I found it disturbing and I have a pretty high resistance to this kind of stuff. I recommend it just because of how scary and well put together everything is but make sure you're actually in the mood for something downright disturbing and unsettling.
Deadpool (2016)
One of the Freshest Comic Books Movie in a Some Time
Wow. I had a feeling this movie would be awesome but I really was not prepared for what I just saw. I knew the film would be raunchy and irreverent but I had no idea just how far they would go to make fun of both themselves and the entire genre while still making a badass comic book movie. I'm sort of familiar with the character of Deadpool from the comic books but I had no idea this kind of craziness was in store for me. I've never even heard of the director before, a guy named Tim Miller, but I'm already excited to see more from him and I'm hoping it will come in the form of another Deadpool movie. The story is insanity but let's try and talk about it.
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), otherwise known as Wade Wilson, is an antihero hunting down a man named Ajax (Ed Skrein), otherwise known as Francis. We start to learn why Wade wants to get to Francis thanks to a number of flashbacks and a heavy dose of fourth wall breaking from Wade himself. You see, Deadpool knows that he's in a movie and he knows that we're watching him. He even knows about the other X-Men films and the somewhat strange continuity problems they've been having. Anyway, the reason Deadpool wants Ajax is because he was tricked into signing up for a military program to give him mutant powers and cure the cancer that was eating away at his body. He didn't know that Ajax would basically be torturing him and turn him into a freak. On top of this, Wade was forced to leave the love of his life, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), when he joined the program. Now Wade is out for revenge against the people that scarred him so that he can get back together with Vanessa and live happily ever after.
I've never been a huge fan of Ryan Reynolds in the past but he absolutely nailed it with this role. Wade is basically insane, ridiculously hyper, and an all around prick. Reynolds not only gives us all of this but seems to be really enjoying himself while he does it. Reynolds can also pull off the more dramatic moments with ease so no complaints there. Honestly, it seem like everyone is really enjoying themselves in this film. Baccarin's Vanessa is almost as messed up as Wade and comes off as genuinely caring for him. Skrein is the prototypical bad guy but it seems to work really well in this story. He's a prick and he knows he's a prick. There really isn't a weak link in this one.
The general look of this movie is very different from other films of the same genre. It's a bit dirtier looking than the common Manhattan or Metropolis type area but not as romanticized as say Gotham City. It really gives the film a unique look that the others don't have. I'm not sure if that was intentional or if it's a result of a low budget, something that Deadpool jokes about during the movie itself. Just compare the general look of the city to Xavier's Mansion, which does show up a few times in the film.
I was blown away by the number of jokes that are thrown around in this movie. Everyone in the theater was laughing every few minutes just because of how genuinely funny a lot of these scenes are. Not all of them come off as comedy gold but the good ones are really damn good and easily make up for the lackluster ones. I'm also surprised how far they took the comedy at times. They definitely don't shy away from offensive material but it actually helps to show what kind of a character Deadpool is. If you're offended by material that isn't politically correct then this movie definitely isn't for you.
I straight up adored this film and I came out of the theater wanting to see another one right away. The world really does need more Deadpool. I can't express enough just how fresh this movie feels when compared to a lot of other films in the same genre. I don't know if a sequel can top the madness in this one but I would love to see them try. I can't recommend this movie strongly enough. Go watch it.
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Not the Worst Coen Brothers Movie but No Where Near the Best
Full disclosure, I'm a huge fan of the Coen brothers and I'm probably going to give a recommendation to just about anything they make. This film is no exception. That being said, this movie is quite a bit different than I was expecting but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Coens usually manage to surpass my expectations but this film didn't interest me quite as much as their other work. I still enjoyed it though and we'll get to some of the problems in just a moment. For now, let's take a look at the story.
Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is a fixer in 1950s Hollywood and his main job is basically taking care of all of the directors, actors, and actresses working for the studio. These include Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes), and DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johannson). Mannix is busy with everyone's problems but things get even worse when Baird Whitlock is kidnapped by communists demanding a ransom of 100,000 dollars. In addition to this craziness, Mannix is contemplating a move to a different career and starts to question his future.
Alright, this probably goes without saying but the cast for this film is topnotch. Brolin does a decent job as Mannix and I thought he carried the movie relatively well. Brolin has never been the kind of guy to emote a great deal but I still found myself smiling from ear to ear while he's trying to deal with all these different (and quite frankly, childish) problems. Clooney gives us a fantastic Whitlock and it makes me wish he would do more comedy. Whitlock is a great actor but he's dimwitted and doesn't seem to realize the situation he's in. Everyone gave pretty good performances but there are so many characters that it feels like none of them really get a whole lot of attention other than Mannix. Most of the characters did play a part in the overall story of the film (Scarlett Johannson wasn't one of them) but our time with them was so brief. For example, Channing Tatum plays a character named Burt Gurney. Gurney only shows up in about three or four scenes throughout the movie but his character still plays an important role in the overarching plot. I would say it felt like a waste if it wasn't for the very well done dancing scene involving Gurney and some other actors.
Everything looks pretty much exactly how you would imagine it would look. This is 1950s Hollywood after all. Lots of different film sets and the California countryside make it obvious where we are. It's straightforward but it gets the job done and it looks great. It's obvious that the main point of the story is to follow all of these wacky personalities and the different sets and locations just let us know what they're doing at the time. I did enjoy Ehrenreich's character stepping onto a fancy ballroom (it's not really a ballroom but I don't know what it's called) set for the first time and being obviously out of his element.
Honestly, I enjoyed the story and the characters quite a bit but the plot still feels a little loose. I enjoyed all the characters so I don't know who I would have gotten rid of but it's obvious that there were just too many people and not enough time for each one. Still, it's not perfect but the movie is enjoyable and the Coens' have a very particular sense of dry humor that I can't help but enjoy. I would recommend giving it a shot but just don't go in expecting the next Big Lebowski or anything like that.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Silly but Very Fun Movie, Jane Austen would be Proud
This movie is a bit of a surprise to me since I wasn't really expecting much from it. The trailers looked alright but I didn't know if it would be something that I would get into. I wouldn't go so far to say that it's an excellent film or anything like that but I did have a lot of fun with this one. The story is straight up ridiculous but if you go into it expecting a silly story with a little bit of action then I don't see any reason why you wouldn't enjoy yourself. The movie is directed by a guy named Burr Steers who, to be honest, I have no knowledge whatsoever of anything he has done in the past. Still, he did a decent job in my opinion. Let's talk about the plot.
The title of the movie isn't just a reference to the time period. This story is literally a retelling of the original novel written by Jane Austen. Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) and her sisters live in an alternate version of nineteenth century England where a zombie virus has forced the bulk of the populace behind a wall around London. Elizabeth and her sisters have trained in various styles of martial arts in order to survive in this world. Elizabeth is proud of her ability and refuses to succumb to the temptation of marriage unless her husband respects her wishes and allows her to continue to hone her skills. She soon meets a man named Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) who offends her pride and stands between a successful relationship between his best friend and Elizabeth's sister. Oh, and there are tons of zombies around that everyone occasionally fight against.
I wouldn't call this the best cast I've ever seen but they do a decent enough job. Lily James gives us the haughtiness required of any good Elizabeth and she can also show off the fighting skills necessary to survive the zombie apocalypse. I also enjoyed Sam Riley's Mr. Darcy. Once again, nothing too spectacular but he gives a decent portrayal of the character. I like that they made him a bit unlikable which is how I imagined Mr. Darcy when I first read the novel in high school (the original, I mean). One character that does stand out to me is Matt Smith's portrayal of Parson Collins. I found this guy hilarious with they way he was able to make those around him cringe with his actions or just by saying whatever came into his head. He might actually be one of the best parts of the film.
There are a lot of spooky looking forests in this movie that help to set the tone pretty well. I did find myself wondering why everyone keeps taking shortcuts through this ridiculously dangerous forest though. I really enjoyed the actual look of the zombies. The zombies that haven't eaten any human flesh yet actually retain the ability to speak which is really unsettling (and a bit comedic) from some of these creatures. The faces of some of them are straight up falling off the skull and they look surprisingly convincing.
One thing that I wasn't aware of at first but this movie follows the original story very closely. I thought the title was just a reference to the time period but a lot of this film is straight up conversations made from Jane Austen. They just tweaked the plot to allow for all the zombies and other mayhem going on. I was surprised by this at first but it actually works well. The movie is still silly and is a bit difficult to take seriously but it does have some really fun parts to it. This obviously won't be for everyone but I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I do think it works even better to come into the film already having knowledge of the original story just so you can see how many things they changed and what they kept the same. I recommend it to fans of the original that just so happen to enjoy an average to good zombie flick. It kind of reminds me of that Victor Frankenstein movie that came out a little while ago. Not a fantastic film but still offers a fun time at the theater.
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
Every Bit as Good as the Others
I enjoyed the first two Kung Fu Panda movies a lot more than I thought I would and I had a feeling that this one was going to be every bit as good as the others. I'm happy to say that I wasn't wrong. It's weird how well these films are able to combine humor and action while appealing to both children and adults. Plenty of other children's movies have been able to pull off the humor but the action has remained really well done throughout the entire series. Anyway, let's get to the plot.
This film follows fairly soon after the events of the second movie with Po (Jack Black) continuing his duties as the Dragon Warrior. Things soon start to change for Po when Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) gives him the responsibility of teaching the Five while he pursues the ancient art of 'chi'. In addition to this, Po's biological father, Li (Bryan Cranston), finally finds him and wants to start a new relationship with him. As if things weren't already complicated enough, Kai (J.K. Simmons), an evil Yak from the spirit realm, uses the chi from dead kung fu masters to make his way back to the mortal realm and starts causing havoc. Now Po has to travel to the hidden Panda village to learn the ancient art of chi and use it to once again vanquish Kai from the mortal realm.
Most of the cast returns for this movie and the few newcomers fit right in without any problems. Jack Black has really done a great job with the character of Po and it's hard for me to imagine anyone else stepping into those shoes. The humor and the drama seem to come surprisingly easy with Black and he's obviously comfortable playing this character. All of the returning actors and actresses also do an excellent job with their characters but the newcomers are the ones who really shine here. Bryan Cranston is basically amazing at everything he does and his Li is no exception. I know Cranston can do drama like it's no one's business but he also has great comedic timing. I especially liked his interactions with James Hong. We also have another fantastic villain with J.K. Simmons added to the mix. This guy has done quite a bit of voice acting in the past and his experience really shows here. I didn't even know it was Simmons until the credits started rolling which just goes to show how well this guy is able to change his voice and get into character.
The animation is once again beautifully done and the Panda village looks fantastic. At first I was disappointed that we didn't see more new areas but the scenes in the spirit realm definitely make up for it. The story delves deeper into Po's past similar to the last film but we get to see him interact with other pandas and even an old face from the first movie. There really isn't anything that I didn't like about this film. I suppose the story was a little easy to predict but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This is a kid's movie after all.
I'm not much for nitpicking and it's even harder when the film is this good to begin with. It's a great movie and I have to recommend it to anyone interested in these types of movies, especially if you have children that you want to take to the theater. This is an easy choice if that's the case.
The Finest Hours (2016)
Two Really Good Stories and One Mediocre One
I'm a bit of a sucker for inspiring true stories so this is right up my alley. What the coast guard and the people on the tanker were able to do is amazing and really shows off just how resilient humanity can be. The movie has a few problems that keep it from being a really great film but it's still enjoyable enough and the plot is pretty good. Craig Gillespie directed this one and I thought he did a fantastic job with the scenes taking place at sea. Let's get to the story.
This film follows three different stories that are happening concurrently. An oil tanker breaks apart and an engineer named Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) is working to get the tiny bit of ship that he and his men are on to a safe place to wait for a rescue. The Coast Guard sends out a rescue team led by Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) to try and find the ship and help the men that are still alive. While all this is going on, Bernie's fiancé Miriam Webber (Holliday Grainger) is trying to convince Bernie's commanding officer, Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) to give the order to bring Bernie back home. She also learns more about what it's like to be married to a Coast Guard man.
The cast does a pretty good job for the most part but not everyone handles their accents very well. I thought Chris Pine gave a great portrayal as Webber and managed to give us the innocence of the character as well as the quiet determination needed to see everything through to the end. I also really enjoyed Casey Affleck's portrayal of Sybert. He's also a very quiet and determined character but he's more standoffish when compared to the affable Bernie. I thought Grainger also did a decent job but her scenes are some of the most dull in the entire film but that really isn't her fault. The one I had trouble with was Bana's portrayal of Cluff. His accent made me feel like the character was supposed to be a bad caricature but in a movie filled with so many real life people it just felt awkward to me, and this is from someone who ordinarily really likes Bana's work. I enjoyed everyone's portrayals for the most part though.
The scenes taking place at sea are easily the best part of the film. It actually comes off as terrifying what the sea can do and these people are just trying to avoid the brunt of it. Human ingenuity allows them to just barely survive but it's nothing but hollow victories until they finally make their way home. The scenes on land are done well enough but they tend to drag a bit compared to the action taking place on the ocean. One second we have people fighting for their very lives and desperately trying to come up with a way to survive for just a few hours more, and then we have poor Miriam hitting a snow bank. Don't get me wrong, hitting a snow bank sucks but, let's be fair, it is nothing like what the Coast Guard and the tanker crew are going through.
I feel like this movie is made up of two really compelling and exciting stories and one sort of interesting but kind of boring one. I wouldn't have cut it out entirely or anything like that but they could have probably shortened it up some to focus more on what we actually want to see. Still, I have to admit that I really enjoyed the film for portraying what it did. I just love these true stories about humans overcoming seemingly impossible odds. I would definitely give it a recommendation but remember that some parts can be a little slow.
Jane Got a Gun (2015)
Just a Plain Old Western
I was worried when I first started hearing about this film since everything that we heard brought up the troubled production and all the people that were shuffled around and left the project. I was starting to wonder if the movie was actually going to get made. Fortunately, they finally got to it and brought us a film that, in my opinion, is pretty good. This isn't anywhere near one of the best westerns I've ever seen but it's decent and enjoyable considering the small number of westerns that are released nowadays. The director is Gavin O'Connor who I really only know for the movie Warrior, which was awesome. Anyway, let's talk about the plot.
Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) lives out west but is in hiding from a group of men led by Colin McCann (Ewan McGregor). Her husband is attacked by McCann's gang leading her to find extra help in the form of an old flame and retired Civil War soldier Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton). It takes a bit of persuading but eventually Dan and Jane team up to defend her home and they both learn more about one another and the paths that their lives have taken since they last met.
I liked the cast and everything but I don't think these particular thespians were able to pull off the accents required for this kind of movie, with the exception of Joel Edgerton, I thought Joel did a decent job. Portman and McGregor I think had a a little bit more trouble though I'm not even sure how hard McGregor was even trying. Now that that's out of the way, I actually really liked everything else from the cast. Portman brought the toughness needed for her character and McGregor is wonderfully cheesy as McCann. It feels like a more classic type of western villain (look at that mustache!). Finally, Edgerton is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors out there right now. He melds right into this role and gives us all the angst that this character requires.
This film takes place in the wild west and the scenery gives us pretty much that. There's a lot of desert, a cabin, and a rundown looking town. Nothing really extraordinary here but it gets the job done. I guess that's the main problem with this movie. It doesn't really feel unique in any way. It feels like a normal run of the mill western without a whole lot else going on. I managed to predict Jane's whole backstory within fifteen minutes of the movie starting. That being said, the film is still pretty good. Nothing extraordinary but if you're in the mood for this type of movie then this one will deliver.
Like I said, decent film but nothing really stands out to me on this one. The flashbacks came off a little awkward right at first but I quickly got used to what they were trying to do. I would recommend this one to fans of the genre but there are honestly much better westerns out there. Heck, go watch The Hateful Eight if you can still find it in theaters.
The 5th Wave (2016)
Easily a Contender for Worst Movie of the Year
Wow, I didn't know what to expect from this movie but I know I didn't expect anything this wretched. I'm not usually this negative about films like this but this just turned out way worse than I thought it would. What makes it more sad is that it looks like there was some potential here. Some of the cast is actually pretty good and the story sounded interesting enough on paper. The film just never seems to do anything really great. The good parts of the movie are just okay while the bad parts are straight up horrendous. The film was directed by a guy named J Blakeson, and to be honest with you I have no idea who this is so I can't really comment on his past work. Let's get to the story.
The plot is about a young woman named Cassie Sullivan (Chloe Grace Moretz) and basically the end of the world from alien invasion. In order to weaken humanity, the aliens, or the "Others", used natural disasters, super diseases, and more in what was referred to by the humans as waves. Now, a 5th wave is about to start and everyone is freaking out about it. Meanwhile, Cassie has become separated from her younger brother Sam (Zackary Arthur) and goes on a journey to a military base to find him. What she finds will change the course of humanity forever.
There's actually a few people on this cast that I usually enjoy but even they couldn't save this film. I was especially surprised to see Liev Schreiber but I wasn't surprised that he was the best thing about the movie. I was disappointed in Moretz but I don't think it was completely her fault. She brought as much emotion to her character as she could but the dialogue was so awkward that I don't think anyone could really do a whole lot with it. Honestly, no one else really stood out to me for any excellent performances. It's nice that they got a little bit of talent for this movie but it didn't really seem to help them out much.
The world appears to be in decent shape despite the advent of the Others. The vehicles don't work anymore but everything is surprisingly clean and sterile looking. To be fair, we don't actually see much of anything except a quaint country house and a military base but it's nice to see that our alien overlords will leave all of our stuff alone.
The main thing that takes this movie from just mediocre to straight up bad is the second act of the film. There's a good deal of time spent in the middle of the story where we either see Cassie wandering around the forest flirting with her new boyfriend or we get to hear some of the worst dialogue I have ever heard from some emo girl and a guy that everyone has decided to call Zombie (ooh, edgy). The movie's not very long but this whole part drags so much that it just becomes grating after a while. I honestly feel like the beginning and end of the film were at least slightly entertaining but the middle is so awkward and just straight up bad that it becomes hard to stomach after a while.
There's not really a whole lot more for me to say about this one. The dialogue is what really brings this whole thing tumbling down. The young adult tropes also don't do anything to make this movie any easier to take. I haven't read the book so I can't really comment on the quality of the writing there but this movie has some of the worst I've ever heard. I hate to come off as negative since I actually enjoy some of these young adult adaptations but this one just didn't do anything for me. I honestly can't give this one any kind of recommendation at all.
The Boy (2016)
I was Hoping for More but Still Enjoyable
I was really looking forward to this movie after those surprisingly creepy trailers but the actual film didn't scare me as much as I thought it would. To be fair, it's difficult to actually frighten people but there's something about this movie that just felt disappointing. Don't get me wrong, the film is entertaining and everything but it felt like more could have been done with the whole idea. I also have to admit, the ending left me a bit lukewarm. That being said, it was still entertaining enough and I thought the director, William Brent Bell, did a decent enough job. Let's talk about the story.
Greta (Lauren Cohan) has just moved to the UK for a nanny job that pays surprisingly well and is located in a secluded and spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere (it is a horror movie after all). Things get weird fast when it's revealed that the child she's supposed to look after is a porcelain doll named Brahms. This is all a bit freaky but Greta agrees to watch over Brahms while his parents are out of town since the job seems easy enough and the pay is pretty good. Unfortunately, things start to get even stranger and Greta soon suspects that there's more to this doll than meets the eye.
I don't have any complaints about the acting in the film. Cohan does a great job as a tough but scared young woman stuck in a situation she doesn't fully comprehend. She probably has enough practice from her work on The Walking Dead. I also enjoyed Rupert Evans as the likable and sort of desperate Malcolm. He definitely helps to add a little levity to the whole thing. I even really liked the creepy old couple played by Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle. There are a few more people in the film but this is honestly the bulk of the cast right here. Cohan basically carries this movie for the most part.
The mansion is a little spooky and the area is decently secluded but it never really feels like Greta is alone at all. Obviously we suspect the doll is doing some weird stuff behind the scenes but the mansion is in pristine condition which makes it feel like housekeepers shouldn't be too far away at any given time. Everything is shot well but it just doesn't feel like she's that secluded and in turn it feels a lot less dangerous in the house. Maybe the frequent visits from Malcolm make it feel like she's not that far from help and in turn it doesn't come off frightening to me.
I'm going to get into spoiler territory pretty heavy in the next paragraph so be warned before you keep reading. I thought the film was decent for the most part but I really didn't like the ending to the movie. Basically, it turns out Brahms has been living in the walls of the mansion and is responsible for all the weird stuff that has been happening throughout the story. The reveal of Brahms was pretty freaky right at first but then the whole tone of the film changes as Brahms suddenly becomes a slasher villain. I swear this guy just reminded me of a more chatty version of Michael Myers. I mean the guy is huge and able to dish out and take some punishment and wears a creepy mask while he chases people. The situation would be frightening but it's been done so many times before. Whether it was a doll or the actual Brahms, the movie just wasn't very scary and felt a bit cliché to me. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the movie for what it was but I guess I expected something different after the trailers.
I honestly thought this film would be a lot scarier than it was and I think that may have soured me a little bit on the movie but I still found it to be enjoyable. It's nowhere near the best horror film out there but it's worth a watch if nothing else is on. I think some of the fans of the genre might want to check it out for a different take on a tried and true formula but otherwise I'd recommend something else.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Fantastic Film and One of Michael Bay's Best
I have to admit that I was a little nervous about this movie when I saw the trailers for the first time. The film looked great but I was worried as soon as I saw the name Michael Bay. I won't go into it right now but his recent filmography has left me disappointed and a little uneasy whenever I see his name in the credits. Fortunately, this movie reminded me that Bay can still make good films as long as the words turtles or transformers aren't in the title. This is not only an excellent action movie but it really brings the drama as well. Let's get to the story.
This film is based off of the true story of the attack on the U.S. embassy and a CIA compound in Benghazi in the months following the fall of Gadhafi. The action mostly focuses around the six men that make up the security force for the CIA outpost and the crap they had to go through in order to not only try and save the US Ambassador but also defend their own base long enough for backup to arrive and get them out of there. Easier said than done.
The cast for this film aren't exactly big names or anything like that but they all do an excellent job regardless. This might sound a little strange but I prefer lesser known actors for these types of movies. It feels like the story can be a little less biased since it doesn't have to constantly follow the highest paid actor or actress. The closest thing to a main character this film has is John Krasinksi's character Jack Silva. Silva is a skilled ex-soldier that goes to Libya for the money but ends up regretting his decision because of how much he misses his family. Krasinski does the character justice by showing us the no nonsense attitude without going to far into corny badass soldier. That's one thing I have to give the film credit for. Everyone comes off genuine rather than unbeatable Rambos. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Rone played by James Badge Dale and David Costabile's character Bob. They both want the best for the people they're trying to protect but they go about it in completely different ways. Rone is more straightforward and quick to come to a decision while Bob is more contemplative but slow to adapt to changing circumstances.
I enjoyed the different perspectives of command that we see through Rone and Bob and it's obvious that the movie shows us that Rone is the better leader but this kind of takes us into the territory of how one sided this narrative is. I mean, we see the narrative from multiple perspectives but the CIA is depicted as surprisingly ignorant to the situation they find themselves in. Now I don't know much about the history of this actual event but it surprises me that the CIA wouldn't have been able to figure this out a little sooner. Who knows, maybe this story is actually incredibly accurate but it does seem a little lopsided in favor of the security team.
The action is really well done in this movie and doesn't come off as too romanticized. Everything is gritty and fast-paced and you have to focus to keep up with the action. I'm usually not a fan of shaky cam but I always seem to accept it a bit easier in these types of movies. These events actually did happen and it feels more genuine, like we're actually there with them while all this craziness is going on. Even so, I wouldn't have enjoyed the shaky cam if I couldn't understand what was going on but I had absolutely no trouble keeping up with the action.
I really don't have any complaints to make other than the one sided nature of the narrative but that's honestly minor and didn't keep me from enjoying the film. I'm going to go ahead and avoid the more political discussion surrounding the movie since I don't believe this is the kind of place to bring that up but I do believe the narrative brings up some interesting questions about how our government should support our people abroad and the roles they should play in these countries. Anyway, the movie's great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
The Revenant (2015)
Absolutely Beautiful and Horrifying at the Same Time
Another excellent film from Alejandro G. Inarritu with this one. Not really much of a surprise seeing as how this guy makes some of the best movies out there right now. I was introduced to this director with Biutiful and I've been a fan ever since. This film gives us more of the depressing scenes that Inarritu is known for but it's ultimately a hopeful tale. It's hard to believe that it's actually based off of a true story and that someone actually managed to survive some of what is portrayed in the movie. Just surviving the first twenty minutes would be an amazing feat for me. Let's talk about the plot.
The story revolves around the tracker and frontiersman Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio). Glass and his son are helping a group of trappers in the wilderness when they are attacked by Indians and forced to flee into the woods. As if he wasn't already having a bad enough day he ends up being attacked by a grizzly bear and is horribly mauled and nearly dead. Glass is being taken care of when a man named Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) decides to go ahead and kill him so that he can get out of there and go home. Glass's son witnesses the event and is murdered by Fitzgerald and Glass is left alone in the woods to fend for himself. Somehow, Glass finds the strength to not only get up and start walking again, but sets out to find his way back to the fort where the trappers, and Fitzgerald, are staying.
All of the actors are at the top of their game in this one, which is to be expected in an Inarritu film. Leo does most of the movie by himself but his emotions come out perfectly in his face and movements and it's never difficult to know what he's thinking. It' s easy to see the pain in his face and it makes me wonder if the conditions were so crappy that it wasn't just acting. At least we know the shivering couldn't have been fake. Tom Hardy also does a fantastic job as amoral John Fitzgerald. There are times when Fitzgerald is willing to help others but it's really only when it benefits him in some way. He's actually a despicable human being and it's easy to hate the guy, which goes to show how well Hardy did in his portrayal of him. Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter also give some excellent portrayals but I'm afraid they'll be forgotten because of Leo and Hardy being the main focus and taking up a lot more screen time.
This film is absolutely gorgeous and it's easy to forget that places like this still exist in the world. There weren't any sets used in this movie. This is all natural and, if what I read is accurate, the movie was filmed in Canada and Argentina. It's beautiful but it's easy to see why the area is so dangerous. It's amazing to think that someone could actually survive in the wilderness after being mauled by a bear but Glass managed to do it. Just to add to the feeling of realism it seems that most of the film was made using natural light. It boggles my mind just how good this movie looks without using a lot of the camera tricks that Hollywood is known for.
I absolutely loved everything about this film but I know it won't be for everyone. For one thing, this movie is very long and there isn't much in the way of witty banter. Glass is mostly by himself and his journey home is harrowing but it takes its time getting there. Those of you with a short attention span might have a bit of trouble with one. Also, the movie has plenty of action but it is not romanticized in any way. This is just straight up brutality and the hero doesn't exactly escape with minimal injuries. No one does really.
Like I said before, the film is excellent but it's not for everyone. When I left the theater there was complete silence from everyone walking out. It's one of those types of movies that leaves you a bit stunned after watching it. I can't help but recommend it but make sure you're able to handle what the film will throw at you.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
One of Tarantino's Best
Oh man, I've been waiting on this for a while and it's good to know that it's finally here. I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan and I absolutely adored his last western Django Unchained. This is another excellent film from Tarantino but I have a feeling it won't appeal to some people as much as it did me. I love Tarantino movies more for the dialogue than anything and this film is definitely heavy on the dialogue. There are some awfully violent scenes in the last half of the movie but if that's all you're looking for then this isn't the film for you. For those of you that like a good mystery with excellent dialogue and interesting characters, you'll want to check this one out.
The story centers around a woman named Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a group of men in a frontier shop called Minnie's Haberdashery. John Ruth (Kurt Russell) is a bounty hunter known for taking his prisoners to hang no matter what and he is hell bound and determined that Daisy will hang for her crimes. He is joined by Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), another bounty hunter who just kills his bounties since it makes his life much easier, and the new (maybe) Sheriff of Red Rock, a man named Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins). They are all on there way to Red Rock when a blizzard forces them to find shelter at Minnie's Haberdashery. When they arrive at the Haberdashery they meet the last four of the eight main characters: General Sandy Smither (Bruce Dern), a Confederate general known for massacring colored troops, Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the new hangman of Red Rock, Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), a cowboy out to visit mother, and finally Bob (Demian Bichir) a shady character watching the Haberdashery while Minnie is gone. It turns out all isn't as it seems in the Haberdashery and Daisy has an ally or allies among these men that are trying to help her escape. Pure chaos soon ensues.
With a cast this good, is there really any doubt about the acting talent in this film? Leigh is in top form as the foul mouthed and vindictive Domergue and it's easy to tell that something is wrong with the woman even before we find out what she's wanted for. Kurt Russell and his magnificent whiskers also give a great performance as the cautious and angry John Ruth. Samuel L. Jackson once again shows up in another Tarantino film and once again gives us one of the best monologues of his career. I'm not too familiar with Goggins but I've always liked what I've seen him in and he give a great performance here. He's really an underrated actor. I could keep going on and on but everyone in this film is absolutely superb. I love seeing these characters interact with each other, which is good, since that's the bulk of the movie.
The cinematography and soundtrack to this film is absolutely phenomenal. I'm not sure exactly where they filmed this movie but it looks like there was an actual blizzard outside. The countryside is beautiful but also barren in a way. It's very lonely but helps to set up the who done it nature of the film very well. The soundtrack is also intense as all hell and helps to set the mood for the story. I was literally on the edge of my seat during a good portion of the film and the music played a big part of that.
As I said before, this film definitely isn't for everyone. The story is excellent and the characters are interesting and unique but I know a few people that are having trouble with the pacing of the movie. Tarantino films are always a bit of a slow burn so you really shouldn't come into this one expecting nonstop action. I got exactly what I was expecting from it but I knew what to expect. Also, the language (especially directed towards Jackson and Leigh) will put off a few people. It's brutal language but Tarantino has never shied away from the more brutal aspects of his characters. There's also some really ultra violent scenes that will probably make some people sick (there were two people that actually walked out of my theater). If you can look past all of this then you should be good to go.
This is really an excellent film and I easily consider it one of Tarantino's best. The pacing will throw off a few people but if you go into it expecting interesting characters and some of the best dialogue Tarantino has ever written then you'll be fine. I recommend it but make sure you know what you're getting into.
Joy (2015)
Good Movie but it has a Few Flaws
I wasn't really sure what to expect of this film but I knew that I was a big David O. Russell fan and I knew that I was going to give it a shot just because of the director. Also, what is this like the third time he's worked with Jennifer Lawrence? You can't go wrong with talent at least. I enjoyed the movie but there were a few decisions in the film that left me scratching my head. Still a decent movie and worth a watch but I don't believe it's one of Russell's best. I'll get to that in a moment but let's talk about the story first.
The story focuses around the titular character Joy (Jennifer Lawrence). Joy grew up with a knack for inventing and creating things but her life has gone in a completely different direction in large part because of her family. She supports two children, her ex-husband, her mother, and even her father is a recent border in her home. She finally gets sick of it and an idea comes to her after a crappy experience mopping (that sounds weird but it's true). She creates a new kind of mop and starts looking for ways to create her mops on a massive scale and sell them to people around the country. Easier said than done.
I can't really complain about the talent in this movie. Jennifer Lawrence is a surprisingly good actress for her age and she always manages to impress. Joy is tough as nails but still has a soft side when it comes to her family. She's basically the family's boss although she's the third generation. It's great to see this young woman order everyone around and go out of her way to succeed. Robert De Niro plays Joy's father Rudy and does a much better job than I've come to expect from him. Don't get me wrong, De Niro's an excellent actor but I feel like he's been phoning it in for a few years now. He gives a great performance here though and he gives the film some much needed levity. Rudy seems to have his heart in the right place but his head is in the clouds most of the time. Everyone else does a great job but these are the two that stand out to me. No weak links as far as the acting goes though.
The way the movie is filmed surprised me a little bit. The editing and the story itself is very fast paced which means that you need to pay attention or you're definitely going to miss something. It's not bad to be fast paced but it did surprise me for this kind of movie. The characters really help to make the story enjoyable because I honestly don't care about mops whatsoever. It is interesting to see what one young woman had to go through just to create, patent, and sell a single invention. It makes it all the more satisfying when she succeeds.
I enjoyed the film but there are a few story elements that I could have probably done without. I think Russell agrees with me since many of these story elements were dropped thirty minutes into the film or were used so sparingly that I'm not really sure why they were there to begin with. First, Joy's grandmother starts out narrating the movie but there's very little narration throughout the film and I'm not sure why we need it. Spoilers ahead so be warned. The grandmother dies during the course of the story but she still continues to narrate everything. I guess she's talking to us from beyond the grave. Second, there are some very strange scenes at the beginning of the film showing characters from a soap opera that Joy's mother watches. Again, this didn't come off as necessary to me. It just felt awkward. Finally, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more explanation why Joy's sister hates her guts so much. We know she does but her reasons are pretty vague.
The movie really is good but it felt awkward while I was watching it. Joy's story is encouraging and the characters are all interesting and feel very realistic but I could have used less screen time for the soap opera stuff and the narration feels completely out of place. I would still give it a recommendation if you want to see a decent story about a woman that has to put up with a lot of crap but it definitely won't be for everyone.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Star Wars has Finally Returned to Glory
I've been waiting for this movie for so long that it still feels strange that it's actually come out and I've laid eyes on its gloriousness. This film is magnificent and I recommend everyone to give it a shot. You probably don't need my advice though since it seems like almost everyone is going out to see this one. I had a feeling that J. J. Abrams would be able to pull off a fantastic sequel/sort of reboot of the series and I'm glad that Star Wars is finally back. Let's talk about the story.
The plot centers around a group of new characters that are searching for the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), which, in case you forgot, is the original hero from Episodes 4-6. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) manages to find a map leading to Skywalker but is captured by an evil galactic government known as the First Order. Poe's droid BB-8 manages to get away with the plans and looks for help on the desert planet of Jakku which causes a powerful dark side user called Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to start scouring the area looking for the droid. While this is going on, a storm trooper named Finn (John Boyega) decides he's had enough of the First Order after witnessing a massacre of innocent lives and decides he's getting out of there. Finally, a young woman named Rey (Daisy Ridley) gets sucked into this battle when BB-8 finds her and turns to her for protection. All of this eventually leads to, you guessed it, a big old battle between the good guys and the bad.
Man, there are a lot of characters in this film but I'll try to go over everyone as quickly as possible. First up, Daisy Ridley really impressed me with her performance in this one. Like many of the actors in this movie, I'm not really familiar with her but she's able to show us the sadness and resilience that are ingrained into her character incredibly well and I'm happy to see that we have a new and interesting protagonist. Boyega also did a fantastic job and is probably my favorite character in the whole film. This guy is incredibly funny but he's also selfless when he needs to be. He's nowhere near as capable as other storm troopers but he still goes out of his way to help his new friends. Oscar Isaac is always enjoyable and this movie is no exception. Poe is kind of like our new dashing rogue character but he already works for the Republic, which is a little different from Han's situation in the original trilogy. Speaking of Han, Harrison Ford is back and better than ever. I was a little worried if he could still do Han Solo but he immediately put all my fears to rest as soon as he first came on screen. Hell, it was great seeing all of the old faces as well as the new ones.
Can't forget the villains! Adam Driver is the biggest draw among the villains and he is certainly terrifying, though not in the way I expected. I thought this character would be the new Darth Vader but Kylo Ren is very different from Vader. He's certainly more prone to outbursts of emotion compared to the steely Vader and Ren seems to be straight up unhinged in many scenes. He talks to a helmet for crying out loud! I'm glad that the character is as conflicted as he is though. Makes for good drama. Domhnall Gleeson also does a fantastic job as General Hux and manages to give a speech that puts to shame many other villainous speeches in these types of movies. We also get to meet the character of Supreme Leader Snoke played by Andy Serkis. It's Serkis, of course he does a great job but I do wonder about this character's motivations and background. We need the sequel right now! There's a lot to like about the film so I'll just try to go through a few things really quickly. First, the movie feels like the original trilogy. It's shot in a similar fashion to the originals and it relies on actual sets and practical effects in many scenes. There's still cgi but it's nothing like the prequel trilogy. Next, BB-8 is probably one of my favorite characters and he doesn't even speak my language. J. J. managed to make me empathize with a literal ball with a head. That is amazing in my opinion. I also liked the many odes and callbacks to the original trilogy while managing to put their own spin on things. The story is fantastic and just makes the wait for the sequel that much more difficult.
There isn't really anything that I didn't like about the film. I guess I could try to nitpick it a little but none of it actually bothered me so I really don't think I can. I guess the cgi is noticeable in a few scenes but other than that my only complaint is that I couldn't see more of these characters interacting in this world. That's a good complaint to have. I can't recommend this movie enough. Seriously, go watch it if you haven't already.