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Gods of Egypt (2016)
This is the Reason why Mytho's should stay Mytho's
Gods of Egypt is a movie directed by Alex Proyas and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. It stars Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau, Courtney Eaton, and Brenton Thwaites
Mortal hero Bek teams with the god Horus in an alliance against Set, the merciless god of darkness who has usurped Egypt's throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict.
Mythological stories were often told to teach a concept that was too elusive to be understood otherwise. For example, the story of Echo and Narcissus, was meant to define what narcissism entails and explain what reflections were. Like all mythological stories, Gods of Egypt, teaches all aspiring writers and directors, how not to make a fantasy movie.
There's little to nothing good about the monstrosity movie seems. With that said I did reap some enjoyment out of this senses- assaulting trip to Egypt. This is a film that I can definitely say will become a cult film one day as it is a true train wreck in every which way. But, like in all train wrecks, it horrible, tragic, yet irresistible viewing.
Perhaps the most entertaining part of this circus freak show, was the script. Everything but coherent, Gods of Egypt's two writers seemed to have truly thrown in the towel in this endeavor as each line progressively sounds like it was ripped out of a poorly made X- rated movie. This 'style,' if I may call it that, is complimented by the overly convoluted story that fails to engage the audience past its first few scenes. Rather I found myself focusing on how many times Gerard Butler tries to imitate Nicolas Cage. Moving past the laughable dialogue, Gerard Butler delivers a villainous turn as a man who wants to freeze Gotham city, Mr. Freeze. Wait a second
.I think I got the wrong movie. Though Butler's over-the-top performance was far from good, he stands out as the rest of the cast seem to be completely blasé towards this 'epic' fantasy movie.
To add insult to a mortal injury, the direction in this movie feels overly stilted and scattershot. This is particularly annoying since I used to be a fan of some Alex Proyas' early works like Dark City and The Crow. In this movie he has fully demonstrated that he cares little about the craft of filmmaking as he opts to film eye- wateringly ghastly CGI beasts duke it out.
Gods of Egypt is an unwatchable mess that will one day be appreciated for its laughable content and execution. Gods of Egypt gets a D or a 1.8/10.
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
Damn You Easter Bunny!
The VVitch is a movie written and directed by Robert Eggers. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, and Harvey Scrimshaw, along with Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson.
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
The VVitch is a 'horror movie' like no other. It manifests itself inside the viewer creating a genuine feeling of dread and anxiety as it becomes more and more apparent how inescapable the situation truly is. This dread and anxiety is reflected onto the silver screen as the characters understand their predicament slightly later than the audience.
Though I did thoroughly enjoy The VVitch, I can definitely a large number of people hate it as everything about it seems so damn impenetrable. This is mainly due to the quaint setting and the fact that this movie isn't a true horror movie or even thriller. What it is, is a rich period piece that finds its depth in its heady yet poignant themes.
Writer, Robert Eggers, understands the kind of movie he desires to make and does it with much gusto. He wanted to design a heated family drama under the masquerade of a supernatural thriller. This is no easy task as Eggers makes the active choice to keep the characters in the dark, while feeding the audience provocative twists on the age old story. This works quite well in constructing a tense and morbidly dark atmosphere that succeeds at making the viewer feel helpless with no real reason why. Emphasizing build up instead of cheap results and firm grasps on familial ties, paranoia, extremest mindset, the script of The VVitch is deeply disturbing yet pristine in its construction and subtext. Though tedious for some, and a joy for others, one thing is universal in both parties: the distaste seemingly tidy conclusion. For a movie that packs so much creative bite, an ending that boasts some interesting twist or an open ended yet arguably conclusive was definitely necessary. Eggers decides to go in a different, more definitive, end. This is frustrating since on first glance it seems too simplistic for a movie that is anything but. This is a complete fallacy as the straight forward, strict ending demonstrates the amount of nuance behind the main character in surprising and dour ways.
The main character, Thomasin, is brought to life with full autonomy by Anya Taylor-Joy, who as a first time actress, delivered a surprisingly seasoned performance. She is assisted by Ralph Ineson who gives an equally dedicated performance. Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was Harvey Scrimshaw progressively improving performance, that really stole a handful of crucial scenes almost seamlessly.
The direction in this movie was also surprisingly as Eggers makes some very smart calls as he uses exaggerated pans, wide shots, and moving shots as he truly brings out the setting while building the atmosphere, however this does drastically slow downs the pace which somewhat works against the progress made. He also uses an abundant compelling amount of imagery resembling fairy tales like Red Riding Hood and the Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, which in turn stimulates childhood fears and subverts them. This is matched by the dreary yet realized cinematography and the ominous score.
The VVitch is a Unsettling masterwork of horror cinema that's brilliance is realized by his great ambitions. The VVitch gets an A or a 9/10.
Deadpool (2016)
The Merc with a Mouth Finally Opened His Mouth
Deadpool is a movie directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It stars Ryan Reynolds, Ed Skrein, Morena Baccarin, and T.J. Miller along with Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, and Stefan Kapicic.
A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.
I didn't like Deadpool. I didn't love Deadpool. I adored Deadpool. To me Deadpool is the height of Marvel entertainment as it keeps the essence of the iconic character while weaving together a thoroughly engrossing story.
This movie's story has everything needed to build a pop cultural masterwork. It finds its heart and originality in in its vulgarity and hubris, much like its main character. This sets it apart from any other superhuman movie ever movie, at least in my opinion. This is thanks in large part to the snark and acid wit demonstrated by the writers or "the true heroes of this story."
Though decidedly scatter-shot and a tad bit convoluted, Deadpool's writers over come these minor hiccups with mighty style, showcasing their ferocious flair. Ready and willing to please, these two fine men manage craft a movie that has both humor and depth. A feat like no other.
Though the wit, self reference, genre subversion, and fourth wall breaks demonstrated in this movie did impress me, the one facet that really sealed the deal, as Wade would say (perhaps in a different context), for me was the love story. In most if not all action/comedies there is a romance. In most if not all action/comedies the romance falls flat and seems overly clichéd. This is not the case as Vanessa and Wade's romance feels earned, thoroughly sweet, and really fleshes out the characters, leading to some seriously tense and emotional scenes in a movie that utilizes the phrase, "less angry Rosie O'Donnell."
The credibility of the love story and the nonstop humor behind it is only furthered by the two dedicated performers, Ryan Reynolds and Morena Baccarin, who display their seamless chemistry 'marvelously.'
Another attribute that seemed thoroughly seamless was the pace of this movie. Constantly speeding but never exhausting, Tim Miller, manages to create perfect shot after perfect shot. Never overusing certain techniques and avoiding altogether dreadful uses of shaky cam and other equally annoying and lazy techniques first time directors often use, Tim Miller proved to filmgoers everywhere that he has a long and prolific career ahead of him.
Through this movie, Ryan Reynolds has finally proved that, he too, has a long and prolific career ahead of him. Dawning the challenging role of the iconic and universally loved Deadpool, Reynolds offers his best work to date, bringing his trademark charm and enthusiasm to the profane 'Merc with a Mouth.' He is truly the shining star of this glimmering mess. He played the role so well I really can't think of anyone else to play the part, a feat only previously achieved by a handful of talented actors. He fit so snugly into the part that I can really see a possible Globe win for him in the already planned sequel.
Accompanying Reynolds, Morena Baccarin delivers a surprisingly heartfelt turn as Wade's love interest, Vanessa. Far from elementary, Baccarin brings out the complex emotional states of her character and Reynolds'. Ed Skrein was really the only wild card in the lot as I wasn't sure how original they could make the 'Evil British Villain' cliché. Luckily for the Transporter:Refueled star, he was given a genuinely decent role as the perpetual thorn in our outlandish hero's side.
Overall I can confidently say that Deadpool has quickly become my second favorite comic book ever made, barely lacking behind The Dark Knight. Deadpool Gets an A+ or a 10/10
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Hail, Coens!
Hail, Caesar is written and directed by the Coen Brothers. It stars Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum an Ralph Finnes along with Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill, and Francis McDormand.
In the early 1950s, Eddie Mannix is busy at work trying to solve all the problems of the actors and filmmakers at Capitol Pictures. His latest assignments involve a disgruntled director, a singing cowboy, a beautiful swimmer and a handsome dancer. As if all this wasn't enough, Mannix faces his biggest challenge when Baird Whitlock gets kidnapped while in costume for the swords-and-sandals epic "Hail, Caesar!" If the studio doesn't pay $100,000, it's the end of the line for the movie star.
I love the Coen Brothers. Actually let me rephrase that, I love the Coen Brothers when they are the Coen Brothers. Recently its seems to be the case that whenever a Coen Brother film comes out, it feels less like them and more like a weird version of them. Movies like A Serious Man, Burn After Reading, Lady Killers, Inside Llewellyn Davis, and to some extent, True Grit loose some of the trademark Coen Brother quirks that made films like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men so successful. The Black Humor.
I am more than happy to say that the Coens got their mojo back and produced one of their best films to date. In Hail, Caesar, its rather obvious that the two weren't put under any restraint, which resulted in what might actually be their most original-if not the funniest- film to date.
Filled to the brim with high brow humor and their signature black comedy, Hail, Caesar's script floured me. A satire with intelligent and thought provoking commentary, this movie succeeds at conveying its timely messages with sledge hammer force while keeping the humor as light as a feather. I loved how easily the Brothers subverted well worn clichés to deliver a movie that is truly out of the ordinary. The Coens also manage to craft elaborately strange and entertaining characters with fascinating stories and subplots. With all that said however I did feel that part of this movie's script, especially nearing the end, began to feel a bit uneven. Though the Brothers strive to instill a profound message about life and the film industry, they come off a bit pretentious and seem to have bit of a little more than they could chew. In addition to this, some character payoffs like Tatum's and Johansson's seem way to dull in comparison to Clooney's and Brolin's. Although this may be the case this film never looses steam as the pristine direction and wonderful cast always seem ready and willing to compensate
This movie is a technical marvel that is flawless on every level. For one the production design is immaculate, instituting a firm 1950's feel with hidden references all over, like the spaghetti western. Onward to the masterful cinematography by living legend Roger Deakens, who managed to capture life in the golden age of film with just the right tint.
The direction in this movie was by far the best part of Hail, Caesar. Every single shot is so inspired, its remarkable. From the fabulous musical openings for central character's, the best of which has to be Johansson's, to the precise semi-noir style of some segments, Ethan and Joel deliver, their hands down best directed film to date. My personal favorite shot is that of Josh Brolin praying to the set of the movie which truly felt like a reflection of his inner state.
Speaking of Josh Brolin, he delivers a comedic performance like no other and thoroughly breaks type cast. He was remarkably nuanced, while staying true to his character. If the Oscar nominations weren't already out I would be a great advocate for his nomination along with the nomination of Alden Ehrenreich. Alden Ehrenreich was a big surprise for me as he seemed to outshine most if not all of his uber talented cast. He was funny, kind, and light hearted. Accompanying him was the ever so talented Ralph Finnes as he successfully continues his comedic endeavors.
Hail, Caesar is a flawlessly directed, impeccably cast, and passionately written, resulting in one of the Coen Brother's best in years. Hail Caesar gets an A- or a 8/10.
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
Skadoosh
Kung Fu Panda 3 is a movie directed Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh and is written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. It stars Jack Back, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and J.K. Simmons.
Continuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home.
When it comes to the Kung Fu Panda films, I have grown to expect quite a few things. Two of these things being: entertainingly subversive twists on the average martial arts fair and hilarious slapstick. Though the first Kung Fu Panda delivered these things in spades, the far superior, at least in my opinion, sequel built upon these successful attributes to deliver a truly compelling and very mature, character driven take on the, now iconic, panda. Although Kung Fu Panda 3 does loose a lot of its earned momentum and dramatic heft, it maintains the high entertainment value and heart of the original.
With that said, quite a few things from the first sequel do carry over. The largest of these being the splendid visuals. The animation in this movie can only be described as pristine. The phenomenal mix of the yellow and green hues really emphasize character traits and subtlety hint at their morality. This precise decision is complimented by the wast and highly detailed backgrounds, which manages successfully engross audiences into the plot.
The vocal performances by its all-star also succeed in transfixing audience members in a the third movie in a series about a dumpling eating, butt kicking panda. What a Feat! Aside from the reliably marvelous performances from Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong and Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons really manages to stand out as yet another fantastic villain in film series known for their awesome villains. He is also accompanied by a wonderful theme that slightly reminds me of the Imagine Dragons song, "I'm so Sorry," which in the end worked as a positive.
Though I do believe there is more to love than hate in this movie, I can't ignore the fact that this movie is flawed. My largest complaint stems from the lack of focus demonstrated. Perennially swinging back and forth and back and forth, much like a baby's cradle, this movie progressively felt like a string of one note, recycled jokes placed together haphazardly. The lack of dramatic heft did no favors as I wasn't as attached to the characters as I should've been. With that said, the lack of drama and abundance of jokes made sure that every single second was entertaining. It also made it easier to subvert genre cliché's like "the hero's sacrifice."
In the end Kung Fu Panda 3 is a visually stunning, well acted, humorously written even if its a bit too light. Kung Fu Panda 3 gets a B+ or a 7/10.
The Boy (2016)
I Lost A Couple Brain Cells
The Boy is directed by William Brent Bell and written by Stacey Menear. It stars Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, and James Russell.
An American nanny is shocked that her new English family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. After violating a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive.
I truly loved The Boy. This was one of the funniest and most original movies I have ever seen. From the the psychotic doll that wouldn't scare a 2 year old to zero gravitational towel to a fridge that is seemingly two dimensional, this movie had my friends and me cracking up. I then looked at the IMDb page and saw the tags "Horror, Thriller." How?
I find it a bit too easy to just rip apart a movie this inept, therefore I find it necessary confess that The Boy isn't the worst horror movie in recent memory to pop out of January, and does feature some strong points even if these points can only be found out by digging around in miles and miles of horror movie excretion.
Most of these strong points are thanks to director, William Brent Bell's moderately entertaining choices. Choosing to minimize the amount we see the "doll" he manages to create an amiable albeit completely unremarkable psychological thriller that revolves around paranoia. With that said, he fails to scare the audience as he relies way too heavily on jump scares to create urgency and tension. Though Bell is horribly devoted, his passion can't even come close to compensate for this movies lurid and wholly irritating script and characters.
From the first time our squeaky and overly polished protagonist opens her mouth and the resulting slow motion sequence, I was sure I was in for something. The resulting 90 minutes of utter hilarity was mostly attributed to the shockingly dreadful script that featured incoherency in tone, character development, and plot. Uninspired and lacking any real motive, writer Stacey Menear weaves together a yarn that is irrevocably ludicrous. One of my largest issues with The Boy's script, laid in the incredibly jumbled tone which made it impossible for the actors and audience to decipher the seriousness behind pivotal scenes. Menear also struggles with character development. Unable to forge a dramatic core that's truly compelling, Menear resorts to juvenile character building techniques.
Perhaps my largest gripe with The Boy stems from the fact that this movie could have been compelling. Though filled to the brim with cliché galore, at the 45 minute mark a character realization takes place that seemed out of place, by that I mean out of formula. For the next fifteen minutes we, the audience, were treated to some original twists that really worked. This new found focus was instantly broken with an ending "twist" so incredibly generic and stupid that turned what ever progress this movie made null and void, and thoroughly illogical. What a shame.
The Boy's director and cast admirably attempt to showcase their talent but are ultimately let down by an incoherent and unoriginal script. The Boy gets a D+ or a 3/10.
The Revenant (2015)
Hateful 2
The Revenant is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and is written by Mark L. Smith and Alejandro González Iñárritu. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Will Poulter along with Domhall Gleeson and Forrest Goodluck.
A frontiersman named Hugh Glass on an fur trade expedition in the 1820s is on a quest for survival after being brutally mauled by a bear.
The Revenant is a movie that really grew on me over the course of a week. When I initially saw it, Christmas Day, I hated this movie with a passion, but after a week of contemplation, I can officially say The Revenant is one of the best films of the year.
If for nothing else, this movie is spectacular just on a visual level. With an astounding feat in cinematography,mastery of CGI, (especially in a scene with a huge bear) and the use of natural lighting, this movie transports you to the unforgiving and ill- tempered wilderness, Mister Hugh Glass had to trudge through.
The direction by Iñárritu in this movie was a bit uneven. He made the active decision to use continuous shots which worked to some extent, but when the focus is placed on multiple moving subjects, it becomes rather disorienting. With that said, these continuous shots work at holding the intensity when the focus is placed directly on DiCaprio and/or Hardy.
Moving past its visual style and into the depths of tits plot, this movie was met with a myriad of problems. The largest of these problems involved this movie's genre. Unsure if its a survival drama or a revenge thriller but sure it wants to be art-house, The Revenant, in turn, fails at all three. It flops as a art-house movie because there isn't enough in the story to be something mind bending. It fails as a revenge thriller because aside from three phenomenal confrontations, revenge is rarely mentioned. Finally, it fails as a survival drama because of the predictability behind Glass' character.
Speaking of Mister Glass and switching back to the positives, Leonardo DiCaprio barely uttering a word in English, gives the single best physical performance, I think I've ever seen. DiCaprio masters his character to deliver a spectacle of absolute realism. Brooding, somber, and broken DiCaprio earns himself another Oscar nod.
Tom Hardy is also absolutely astounding and does manage to out shine DiCaprio in some scenes nearing the end of the movie. I foresee a possible Oscar nod on his part as well. A major surprise for me was to see Will Poulter deliver a very nuanced performance, more than holding his own against the two seasoned actors.
The Revenant is a deeply flawed but ultimately wholly entertaining movie with great performances all-round and a great deal of visual charm. The Revenant gets a B+ or a 7/10.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Tarantino's new Movie:Kill Everyone Part 8
Hateful Eight Hateful Eight is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Jenifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russel, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, and Micheal Madson along with Channing Tatum and Damian Bicher.
In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. Will they survive?
FINALLY! My most anticipated movie of the year, made by my favorite screenwriter, who made my personal favorite movie, Pulp Fiction, is out and I got to see it in all its 70 mm roadshow glory on the day of its release. Luckily, my expectations were met with one of Tarantino's best works.
Tarantino dominates the spaghetti western genre, by surrounding a simple story with his trademark wit, energy, and skillful twists. He mixes gore with gaiety creating a genre bender like no other. With that said, Tarantino also allows his characters to develop over the course of this movie, thus creating a well-rounded emotional core.
What may very well be the best part of this movie is the banter between the characters. Since all the gruesome action starts more than half way through the movie, it is truly amazing how engaged and invested I was in the story, not at all anxious to get to the "meat." This is thanks to a handful of brilliant performances and the hilarious banter and monologues between them.
Though this may be true after the intermission, half way mark, ended, we, the audience, were treated to some of the most thrilling action sequences of the year, with a phenomenal score playing in the background. We are also treated to some ridiculously devilish twists that were foreshadowed in seemingly irrelevant scenes. There, really, is only one problem with these late game twists. This problem is since they appear so late into the movie, it makes the plot feel really convoluted. Though this isn't always the case, it does occur more times than it normally should.
The aforementioned acting in this movie was close to flawless, in particular, Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Samuel L. Jackson is, for the most part, known for his epic one liners and his aggressive line delivery, not necessarily his acting chops. Well, he proves his worth by delivering a pitch perfect performance as Major Marquis Warren. Perfectly balancing his character's virtues and vices with a surprising amount of humor and finesse, he creates a truly compelling antihero and deserves a nod for it.
Jennifer Jason Leigh gives the best gives the best performance of her career as prisoner, Daisy Domergue. Embodying a character so different from anyone else in the cast, Leigh manages to take on one of the harder roles in a movie full of hard roles and I believe that, with her recent Globe nomination, she will take home best supporting actress. Although these two fine performers are the stand outs, the entire cast pulls off wonders with their respective roles. Tim Roth is back working with Tarantino, and is clearly happy doing it. Kurt Russel delivers a very nuanced (a word I never thought I'd use in a Tarantino Western) performance as Hangman Ruth. Bruce Dern is very good as is Damien Bicher. Walton Goggins is absolutely brilliant as Sheriff Mannix, delivering an extremely intriguing and over all hilarious performance.
Hateful Eight is a macabre black comedy like no other with a keen blend of banter, monologues, action, and masterful performances from its talented cast. Hateful Eight gets an A or a 9/10.
Joy (2015)
Jennifer Lawrence is a Joy
Joy is written and directed by David O'Russel. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Isabella Rossellini, Édgar Ramírez, Diane Ladd, and Virginia Madsen.
Joy is the story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty.
Rolling off that premise, the average reviews of renowned critics, and O'Russel's last entry, Accidental Love, I was skeptical towards this movie and its comedic approach to ts real life subjects. This is precisely why I'm happy to admit, I really enjoyed Joy.
Though muddled and tonally deaf, the character of Joy is brought to life in full autonomy by the power of Lawrence's surprisingly devoted performance. Able to shift between moods almost instantaneously and proving her prowess in combating veterans like De Niro and out shining them, Lawrence was the best part of this movie and I predict an Oscar nod and possible win. Though She was magnificent the problem lied in the construction of her character.
In the first, and by far the worst, act of this movie, Joy is introduced as a lovable, hardworking, overly sentimental, and beyond awkward girl. This doesn't compliment anyone in the cast for the fact that she isn't different or strange enough to stand out from her equally dull and clichéd family who have uninteresting confrontation and unbearably uneven Banter. This leads to a satire that becomes what it tries to satirize, that being a soap opera. With that said, Joy is also too strange to be relatable and too awkward to be endearing.
The first act also suffers from over crowding and unflinchingly annoying characters, for example Trudi. A lot of the characters in act one are used as plot devices, which would work if they weren't developed upon more than the leads. This leads to a very confusing roaster of characters, most of which don't make it to act two.
Moving past act one, this movie blossoms into something truly entertaining. O' Russel's unwieldy writing finally compliments Joy as she gained some confidence. No longer awkward or strange, Joy finally became a relatable hero that I wanted to root for. Moving past our main protagonist, the stakes were raised and the tension build, in this act leading to an improved sense of humor, a new found focus, and a palpable family drama. This act also produced one of my favorite characters, Neil Walker.
Neil Walker, portrayed by Bradley Cooper, is the only other character that manages to distinguish himself from the lot. Cooper is brilliant in the role as he dawns this often times obnoxiously slick but never the less intriguing character.
Act three keeps this new found focus and delivers a well crafted twist ending, that'll fox viewers who weren't wholly engrossed in the movie. By act three Lawrence more than proved her worthiness for another Oscar, by completely reinventing her character enough so everything evens out. Though I do praise act two and three and condemn act one, all three acts do get caught up in Oscar bait which did, somewhat, lessen the bite of the climax.
Joy works as tremendous showcase of Jennifer Lawrence talent and as a moderately compelling, if a bit uneven, biography. Joy gets a B or a 6/10.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
A New Hope For a Dormant Franchise
Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and is written by Laurence Kasdan, Abrams, and Micheal Ardnt. It stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Harrison Ford along with Oscar Issac and Carrie Fisher.
Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a rag- tag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.
I personally don't think I could start this review without first discussing my thoughts on all the movies, briefly. I have hated only one movie, that being Attack of the Clones. I have disliked one movie, The Clone Wars, and thought two were mediocre, Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace. I have really enjoyed two entries, those being Revenge of the Sith and The Empire Strikes Back. A New Hope has really been the one Star Wars movie I have ever loved. With the much hyped The Force Awakens, I can confidently say I love another Star Wars film.
Better scripted and more dramatic than the prequels and as visually striking as the classics, this movie kept me transfixed. Creating a tribute to the old while looking forward to the new, this movie combines the best elements in the series.
Most of this movie's success rested squarely on one man's shoulders. J.J. Abrams was placed under a lot of pressure in adapting some of the most iconic characters and stories onto the big screen again. Nevertheless, he has proved once again that he works splendidly under pressure. Making the active decision to use mostly practical effects and ditching the use of clunky CGI, he crafts a wonderfully realistic space epic. With that said, however, Abrams understands He made the active, and smart, decision not to have the lightsaber fights choreographed, maintaining the ferocity and rawness shared by the characters. This is demonstrated perfectly
Abrams and writers also succeeded at crafting one of the most compelling science fiction scripts of all time. Focusing on a very intriguing plot and juggling themes of regret and self discovery, while maintaining a deft mix of a somber yet playful tone, The Force Awakens is one of the most mature entries in the franchise. Brimming with energy and humor, its occasional detours into familiar territory, especially in the third act, are more or less made up for. In my opinion, the best aspect of this movie's script is how all the characters are handled, especially Han Solo.
Han Solo has always been and always will be my favorite character in the series. The most questionable of all the Resistance members, in terms of morals, Solo was the wild card of the classic trilogy. With That said, however,aside from his sense of humor, his love for Leia and the Falcon , and his partnership with Chewie, we, the audience knew close to nothing about him.
Abrams and the writers patched up this problem by thoroughly fleshing out the character with the help of Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford delivers a breath taking performance as the aged captain of the Millennium Falcon, demonstrating true feelings of regret and disappointment, under his, tad bit cynical, happy go lucky demeanor. Carrie Fisher does the same and the two's impeccable chemistry is maintained through the decades.
One of my favorite characters in the lot was fighter pilot Poe, portrayed by Oscar Issac. He really resembled Solo and charmed me through me movie, even though his time in the movie was minuscule.
The best part of any Star Wars movie should be its leads, this movie is no less, all three of them prove, their worth in dramatic and comedic sequences.
Rey, portrayed Daisy Ridley is quite possible the most bad ass female character since Princess Leia. Never resorting to the easy damsel in distress, Rey is often the one doing the saving. Though Ridley is a very compelling lead, the best part of her performance lies in her mysterious and shrouded dramatic core. She is phenomenal in this movie.
Finn, portrayed by John Boyega, had got to be my favorite character in this movie for a couple of reasons. The largest and most engaging of these is the fact that through his character, He humanized some of the most inhuman characters in the series, revealing that they too have emotions. His performance was tender, without being cloying, funny, without being over cooked, and over all masterful, without being showy.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the movie was Adam Driver. Adam Driver's caricature is more along the lines of a quiet protagonist or a talkative antagonist, so I had my doubts if he could portray a brooding and menacingly cold villain like Darth Vader. Oh, how I was wrong. Kylo Ren is one of the most refreshingly original and intriguing not to mention devastatingly evil villains to grace the franchise, all thanks to Driver's dedicated performance. Cold and calculated, Driver is the one person in the wonderfully talented ensemble who I believe deserves an Oscar nod.
Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens is a refreshingly original and powerful entry that is equal art well acted and well directed. Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens gets a 9.6/10 or an A+.
The Big Short (2015)
Someone Should've Shortened the Movie
The Big Short is directed by Adam McKay and is written by Christian Randolph and Adam McKay. It stars Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Marisa Tomei, and a slew of other talented actors.
Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.
The Big Short can best be summarized in 2 words; Wildly Uneven. It is a well written, well directed, and well acted spectacle, yet I didn't care about most of it's real life subjects and was infuriated by its execution and its overly fast pace.
This complex tale of corporate greed at its most nefarious lies squarely on the shoulders of its two writers. What they create is thoroughly entertaining satire, even if they did not fully explore the complexities of its real life story. Accomplished writer- director Adam McKay unleashes one the funniest and most insightful scripts, he has ever put out. With a strong hold on pop culture, fourth wall breaks, and narration as well as a deft mixing of dry and wet humor, The Big Short is one of the most formidable political comedies. There lies the problem. Unable to skillfully shift between a light comedy to a compelling drama, this film features some jarring tonal shifts, which really plucked me out of the movie. This accompanied an over use of jargon and a lot of underdeveloped, unlikable lead characters.
The direction of this movie is just as tangled as its writing. Though intense and passionately filmed, the decidedly speedy pace compromises the merit of both the script and the direction. Rushing through important details, audience members are given no breathing room and no time to process the information launched at then.
The acting in this movie is pristine. The only problem is most of the characters, though well portrayed, come of as top shelf hypocrites, which makes it hard for me to relate to and even harder for me to care about them. With that said however there were three stand out performances that somewhat break this mold.
Steve Carell delivers a nuanced performance as shares manager, Mark Baum. Demonstrating a keen sense of justice, Carell brings Baum to life, even if he does over act at times. Ryan Gosling, my favorite character in the movie, embodies the fact that he's a scum bag and just rolls with it, offering an entertainingly slick performance.
Though Carell and Gosling are very good, I personally feel that Christian Bale stole the show in every scene he was in. The only genuinely relate able character in the lot, Bale conveys one of his more complex characters with a great deal of sensitivity, making it one of his best performances to date.
The Big Short is thoroughly watchable and entertaining, even if it is completely uneven. The Big Short gets a B or a 6/10.
Krampus (2015)
I Guess the Evil Easter Bunny is Next.
Krampus is directed by Michael Dougherty and written by Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty, and Zach Shields. It stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Emjay Anthony, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, and Krista Stadler.
A boy who has a bad Christmas ends up accidentally summoning a Christmas demon, known as Krampus into his family home.
I am a big fan of Micheal Daughertys works. Before he sprang into his directorial debut he wrote the phenomenal X2 and the respectable, if a bit dull, Superman Returns. Though I admire his work in both movies, Trick r' Treat is by far his best work. With a keen mix of intelligently crafted thrills and darkly comic sequences, he crafted a non-linear horror-comedy that stands out as one of the best in the genre. So I was naturally pumped for Krampus, his sophomore film.
Thankfully, my expectations were met and I really enjoyed Krampus. With that said this movie feels like it was written in three, very, different segment joined together in a linear plot but never really meshed well.
The first act or first segment feels a lot like a sharply written satire that deals a lot with materialism and the interpretation of what a holiday truly means. This segment sets up all the characters, from the most delightful types to the more unsavory ones extremely well. This part also sets up its odd premise and can best me described as gleefully mean-spirited. This is the best part by far.
The second act or second segment is a clichéd drama that harbors some inventive thrills that involve a chimney and an intriguing story back story of one of the side characters. The writers get a bit too carried away in this segment, demonstrating their knack for character development in the expense of original story telling. A lot of this segment feels recycled and highly unlikely, even for a horror movie, especially the events leading up to the said chimney sequence. With that said, however, this segment transforms all the living characters established in Act One into sympathetic individuals who we, the audience, can root for.
Before I delve into the third segment, there were two aspects of the film that remained untarnished up until that point in the film. These two were the direction and acting.
Dougherty's sure hand direction was absolute privilege to see on the silver screen. Making the active decision amplify the sound of movement and to conceal Krampus' face until the very end made for a truly terrifying antagonist. Dougherty also masterfully used moving shots to demonstrate the tension the characters were facing. Dougherty does his job in ghoulish style.
The acting was also phenomenal, by horror movie standards. Led by a perfect performance by Adam Scott the whole cast demonstrates a barrage of emotions in an almost spitfire kind of way. Hard to hate and easy to adore, Tom, the family man whose household is being tormented by Krampus, is brought to life by Scott and is channeled into a truly believable character who reaches his highly emotion core in segment three. The other actor who really stood out was Emjay Anthony. Proving to be one of the best child performances of the year, Anthony demonstrates a level of terror and eventual courage not seen in any child, horror, performance this year.
Now on to the third act or third segment which is strictly campy horror. This is most entertaining segment but is also possibly the most flawed. Though occasionally overly campy to plain silliness this segment pulls its self back into place in some awesome and emotional scenes. With a great climax and some gory fun, it was really disappointing to see how unearned the ending was. With no reference or foreshadowing, the ending, though intriguing and unpredictable, was ultimately completely out of place.
Krampus is a deftly directed and well acted even if it is rather uneven in the writing department. Krampus gets a B+ or a 7/10.
Creed (2015)
A One-Two Punch of Sentiment
Creed is directed and written by Ryan Coogler (Fruitval Station). It stars Micheal B.Jordan (Fruitvale Station), Sylvester Stalone (Rocky 1-6), and Tessa Thompson (Dear White People).
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
Creed is the best boxing movie of the year and is tugging with The Fighter (my favorite boxing film) for the best boxing film of the decade. This movie was possibly the best time I've had in a movie theater all year.
Writer/Director Ryan Coogler does it yet again and crafts a film that may be better than the original. This is impressive for two reasons. The first reason is Rocky won best picture and is celebrated as one of cinema's best. The second reason is, it is Coogler's sophomore attempt. This doesn't shadow Coogler as he crafts a masterpiece of boxing cinema out from the ruble known as the Rocky squeals.
As a writer, Coogler dominates his heavy and thorny themes and builds them up to make one of the most inspirational movies I've ever seen. With more focus on Adonis' (Donny's) relationships with Balboa and his new girlfriend Bianca, Creed develops a unshakable dramatic core, that reduced me to tears in one scene. With that said however Coogler understands there must be a balance between melancholy and humor, and blends them well, to create a gritty feel for the movie much like the original. With that said, however, this movie, like its protagonist, strives to create its own legacy and largely succeeds because, unlike its likable protagonist, It embraces the fact that is a Rocky spin-off/squeal.
As a director, Coogler works wonders, crafting inspired fight sequences that left me at the edge of my seat; especially the last fight. Though the seemingly unbroken shot fight was exceptional due to the great make- up work; the last fight pulls together not only the brutal action sequences the series is known for but also the dramatic core to end this movie with a finale that is wholly satisfying and mostly perfect.
As for the acting in this movie, it was impeccable. Tessa Thomson, Bianca, more than holds her own against veteran Sylvester Stallone and pulls off a role that demanded a sympathetic, kind and overall delicate performance and definitely deserves an Oscar nod.
Speaking of Mr. Stallone, he delivers a performance that can only be described as legendary. Shedding his 'macho man' exterior for a more feeling and broken kind of Rocky, He handles feelings of disappointment, grief, and self loathing in Oscar worthy fashion. His understated and often times heart breaking portrayal of the aging, quintessential hero demonstrates that no matter how many times Rocky pops up on the silver screen there is always something new and remarkable to learn about him.
Micheal B. Jordan was absolutely, positively brilliant in this movie. The bright and shining star of this movie, Jordan once again demonstrates that he is one of best actors working today. Arrogant and obnoxious yet sweet and likable, Jordan lives and breathes in the shoes of Adonis Creed. This may very well be his best performance to date.
Creed isn't a perfect movie but no Rocky movie is truly perfect. What it is is a powerfully written, exceptionally directed, and well acted movie that I have no problem giving an A+ or 10/10
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
Why?
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence and is written by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianna Moore, Woody Harrelson, Elizebeth Banks, and Donald Sutherland
As the war of Panem escalates to the destruction of other districts by the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army against President Snow, while all she holds dear hangs in the balance.
The Hunger Games is one of those movie franchises that gets better with every movie, or so I thought prior to viewing this movie. The original was a strong starter to a franchise that held its themes close but didn't quite explore them. Catching Fire featured some breath taking action sequences and a mature drama. Mocking Jay Part 1, which I will refer to as MJ P1, made the decision to be a wrought dystopian propaganda piece that had layers of subtext, which made up for its overlong length. So when I found out this propaganda premise and brutal violence would be meshed I was more than skeptical.
My concerns were met with the most timid and lackluster entry into the once great franchise. Overlong and lacking purpose this movie inept. All of this can be blamed on the writers and director since the actors give it their all.
The writers opt for a heavy handed approach to its delegate themes and loose the intelligence of the past two entries, this movie feels less like a Hunger Games film and more like a soap opera, that takes itself too seriously and prompts a ton of unintentional laughs. Though the fight and chase scenes, shot by Francis Laurence, are grand they are too scattered to have much effect. The pacing issues that plagued the last movie return in full force leaving audiences wondering why a propaganda story was told, past the first act, instead of epic war movie we were promised. Anticlimactic would accurately describe most of the movie's script. With that being said, the last 45 minutes featured some serious and heart wrenching twists, ripped straight out of the novel for a reasonably satisfying end; that is until the epilogue. The epilogue to this movie adds and extra 20 minutes to the run time and ruins one of the greatest heroines put to the silver screen.
Speaking of our daring heroine, Jennifer Lawrence once again shines in her role as Katniss Everdeen. She is reserved and gloomy but understands when a meltdown is needed to demonstrate the complex emotional state of her character. Taking beating one after the other on the emotional and physical level, Lawrence demonstrates a sheer lust for revenge perfectly. She gives it her all and she basically saves the movie.
Julianna Moore is also very good in the movie playing both sides of the Coin; she embodies the character. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Sam Chaflin churn out some reliably good performances. Josh Hutchinson plays a sympathetic lead even is he was completely irrelevant to the plot and comes of as more of a liability.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is the most middling entry in the series boasting a simplistic script and a plodding pace that is only saved by a handful good performances and some great twists. Hunger Games Mocking Jay Part 2 gets a C+ or a 5/10
Spectre (2015)
The Name's Craig. Daniel Craig.
Spectre is written by John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Jez Butterworth and it is directed by Sam Mendes. It stars Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris.
A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
I left this movie with horrendously mixed feelings about the whole affair. Nevertheless I was thoroughly entertained and rather satisfied.
Though this movie is " reliant on established 007 formula," Rotten Tomato's verdict, that is the primary reason why it was so engaging. Daniel Craig's 007 movies usually start off with an epic chase scene and this movie is no less. Set in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead, this scene is as intense as it is realistic. The chase was brilliant but even I had no idea how great the opening credits would look. With detailed, rich symbolism that links all the previous Craig 007 movies together and another winning song, performed by Sam Smith, I can say with great confidence, this is the single best James Bond opening, I've ever seen.
With that said, however, the dark and cold world shown in the opening credits was extremely misleading when watching this movie. Instead of a serious entry like Casino Royale or Skyfall, my personal favorite Bond movie, we get a bloated mess that squanders MOST of its potential. Gliding off the heels of the past three entries, Spectre's plot feels recycled and extremely forced. Lacking the intricate banter of the characters in Casino Royale or even Quantum of Solace, all the relationships in this movie feel as forced and fake as its plot.
Nevertheless this generic plot leading up to its generically predictable ending is elevated by sprawling action scenes, especially one train sequence that is truly extraordinary. Director Sam Mendes once again brought his A-Game and once again directed another movie spectacularly. Speaking of that train sequence, the movie finally becomes its own movie right after it. The whole gimmick, if I may call it that, was to connect all of the entries together in an emotional thrill-ride that won't let up. If this said gimmick had worked this would've been by far the greatest Bond movie put to the silver screen.
This angers me since the movie really becomes epic around the last hour or so. After that point Spectre became a almost perfect, with a consistent malicious tone and a serious purpose to be engaged with some surprising twists and turns, something the rest of the movie was lacking. Christoph Waltz and Daniel Craig give it their all and redeem this movie.
Oh my God, Christoph Waltz was perfect in his role. His part in the movie was small, in terms of run time, but his impact on the series was humongous, helping the series go full circle. His role in the movie as the mysterious figure who lead Spectre was absolutely breathtaking, offering some of the most devastating lines in an Oscar-Worthy fashion to poor, old 007, solidifying himself as one of the greatest Bond villains ever.
Daniel Craig was stellar as ever, proving once again that he can hold his ground against all-star actors like Waltz and Bardem. He was particularly dazzling in one white room scene, nearing the end of the movie, as was Waltz and surprisingly Seydoux,
Lea Seydoux was a tad bit miscast in her role and didn't seem to have a lot of impact till later on in the movie, when she truly dawned her role. The same could be said about Ralph Fiennes as M but that might just be because it took me some time to warm up to him, especially because Judi Dench did such a stand up job.
As side characters go my personal favorite was Q portrayed by Ben Whishaw. I loved him in Skyfall and I love him Spectre. Though I did enjoy Eve Moneypenney portrayed by Naomie Harris, Q genuinely feels human. Though at times too technical, his witty remarks and his fear and confusion towards the Spectre organization perfectly matches the audience's.
In its entirety Spectre is a well made entry into the 007 franchise with a stand out Villain portrayed by Christoph Waltz, even if it does soar a little too late. Spectre gets a B or a 6/10.
Brooklyn (2015)
Quiet and Slow Building, Basically the Opposite of the Place
Brooklyn is written by Nick Hornby and directed by John Crowley. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, and Domhanall Gleeson.
An Irish immigrant lands in 1950's Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.
This movie feels an awful lot like a Merchant Ivory movie, before they went downhill. This is probably the best period piece of the year simply because Brooklyn embraces the type of movie it is, whole heatedly.
Brooklyn, in my humble opinion, is a wrought melodrama that is equal parts quaint as it is provocatively made. This movie was made to be perfect and that might very well be its largest flaw. Though that thought is paradoxical, it is well founded. Aside from my minor griping, I did appreciate this movie in its entirety.
My personal favorite part of the movie, which I noticed from the very beginning, was the immaculate cinematography, done by Yves Bélanger. Though to the common movie goers eye it seems rather ordinary, but to me it was what made the movie so engaging. The gentile blend of light and dark colors inside and outside make the movie well worth seeing on the big screen in its own right, but what really got me was the deft mixing of colors at the dining scenes where the beauty of Saoirse Ronan was brought out through her, emphasized, kind smile and innocent eyes.
Speaking of the lead actress, Saoirse Ronan was impeccably cast in this movie. She plays her role magically and brings a lot to the metaphorical and literal table. She pulls off a role that people 3 times her age would have a hard time doing; given the fact that someone 3 times as old as her wouldn't be cast to play a 19 year old accountant. Ronan plays a sympathetic and quirky lead so well that she bring Ellis Lacey to life.
The same goes for Emory Cohen in his portrayal as Tony, Ellis' new Italian boyfriend in the States. The two make a remarkable pair, with phenomenal chemistry and finesse. Cohen plays a large part in this movie and understands that he needed to strike a perfect blend of desperation, love and believability.
The same can be said about Brooklyn's script and tender direction. The art of creating a drama is like walking a tight rope, filled with sharp and jagged edges known to all as clichés. This movie, for the most part, avoids these dreaded obstacles, by opting to slowly but surely build up its heady themes. Though this may be true, this, said, slow pace and structure can, at times, make the film feel uneventful, which may turn off some viewers. The lucky ones who do stick around are rewarded with a deeply emotionally resonant conclusion, much like the Merchant Ivory classics. Though most clichés are avoided, some were unfortunately injected into the plot, when writer, Nick Hornby, decided to occasionally over dramatize events in the movie. This at times feels desperate and at others feel just redundant, but nevertheless gets the message across to some degree.
Brooklyn is an old fashioned period piece that offers fine acting, beautiful cinematography, charming writing grounded in reality, and thought provoking direction. Brooklyn gets a B+ or 7/10.
I Smile Back (2015)
I Smile At Silverman
I Smile Back is directed Adam Salky and is written by Piage Dylan. It stars Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Shayne Coleman,and Skyler Gaertner.
Laney Brooks(Sarah Silverman) does bad things. Married with kids, she takes the drugs she wants, sleeps with the men she wants, disappears when she wants. Now, with the destruction of her family looming, and temptation everywhere, Laney makes one last desperate attempt at redemption.
This movie leaves you sore and rather agitated. Partly because that's the point of the movie and partly, just partly, because we didn't ever really care enough to keep watching to the end.
This was not the case with me. I soldiered through till the very, predictable end for a few reasons. Well really one reason actually now that I think about it. But that one reason makes a definite snooze fest into a spectacle to see.
I am of course referring to none other than Sarah Silverman. 2015 has been a year which yielded many surprises in breaking type cast, but Sarah Silverman's transformation into Laney, a narcissistic home wrecker, might be the most surprising. I usually don't have too much doubt when it comes to Best Actresses so it pains me to say this, Sarah isn't going to win. Though she is the best female performer of the year, its unlikely that the Oscars would give any awards to an actors first type cast break. With that being said, she was revoltingly engaging to watch, casting a disgusting yet thought provoking shadow of an average American housewife's misdeeds. It was painful to watch at times but is ultimately rewarding on a character level. More than able to inject a few snips of humor to lighten the dreary mood, Silverman shines!
In terms of the other actors Josh Charles plays a sympathetic lead but I would prefer him in a courtroom. The kids were very good and churned out some great performances. Basically the Brooks family is brilliant and the rest of the cast pails in comparison. Shame but not entirely their fault.
The writer is to blame for most of this movie. Paige Dylan's intentions, though noble, are rather misguided. She mistakes tears and bad deeds for character development. Though this works to some extent, offering hints of insight, the audience never gets a full perspective into the minds of Laney and the Brooks family, though we feel like we do because of some devoted performances from its leads. Another aspect that I didn't enjoy much was the sheer predictability of the whole ordeal coupled with the poor direction makes this movie a Plodding and Uninteresting mess on a behind the scenes level.
I Smile Back is amiable, albeit shallow, fair with a standout performance by Silverman. it gets a C+ or a 5/10.
Steve Jobs (2015)
iGod Or iMonster?
Steve Jobs is written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle. It stars Micheal Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint a portrait of the man, his estranged family and staff at its epicenter.
I honestly can't start this review without saying this easily ties with my favorite movie of the year, The Gift, for quite a few reasons. Truth be told this movie has everything needed to build a classic and uses it remarkably.
Writer Aaron Sorkin has quite a few gems in his filmography which include Money Ball, Social Network and A Few Good Men. He is as versatile as he is brutal in honesty. He works wonders in this movie revealing the man behind the machine rather than the machine behind the man. Without any scenes of failure or success, Sorkin forces his audience to understand the complex and often times revolting central Character. With extremely well written confrontations between Jobs and Wozniak or Jobs and his Daughter or even Jobs and his Boss, Sorkin relentlessly demonstrates the true nature behind the tech giant. Though this movie's central family tension and the Job vs. Apple drama are enthralling, Sorkin injects just enough dry and black comedy to keep the movie from becoming an influential figure's shaming. With that being said Sorkin also understands that the enormous ego of Steve Jobs had to be exposed as a vice and plays on that brutal fact perfectly. With 4 dimensional characters, great central dramas and pitch perfect comedy, this might actually be his best work yet.
Accompanying the stellar writing was Danny Boyle's beautiful direction. Through seemingly unending shots and aggressive movements the audience genuinely feels like their in Job's presence which can be very hard to sit through at times but is ultimately rewarding experience. With visible passion from Boyle, this is one powerful ride.
To my common readers I mentioned a few weeks back that Black Mass had the greatest ensemble cast of the year, I was wrong. This movies cast never really stops acting to the point of absolute realism. To start Kate Winslet portrayal of real life Johanna Hoffman was as beautiful as it was naive. She brought the character alive in full force and truly demonstrated she is one of the best actresses working. I smell a nomination coming her way. I had referenced Jeff Daniel's acting last week in The Martian, well he completely out did himself. He was tender at times and shark-like in others. He drew the line between intelligence and decency and walks this tight rope carefully. Five year old Mekenzie Moss also offers an absolutely astounding performance, uttering few but heart wrenching words. Michael Stuhlbarg works wonder as well on a albeit smaller degree.
Now onto the two heavy hitters. A surprise to me and my theater alike, Seth Rogan gives the single best dramatic performance of his career. As Steve Wozniak, the literal opposite of Jobs, Rogan played the role with elegance and brilliance and I wouldn't even mind the Benicio snub if Rogen won the statue. The role demanded a sweet, naive, caring and ultimately explosive performance and Rogan more than delivered making the scenes of abrasion between him and Fassbender iconic.
I have been holding off that name for the entire review because Micheal Fassbender is the only thing keeping this movie from failing. He dawns the character in such a way, I can only compare it to Jake Gyllenhaal from Night Crawler and even then I don't think I could fully describe it. Filled to the brim with nuance Fassbender offers a cold, intelligent, manipulative, calculating, and over all disturbingly realistic portrayal of Steve Jobs. I really can't envision a better cast lead than him. As calm as he is diabolical, Fassbender plays this egotistical narcissist with such precision its close to horrifying to watch. Though calm through most of the movie Fassbender understands when to unleash the monster which lays in Jobs and is absolutely volcanic while doing so. Under all the deception, tyranny, and technological brilliance lays a purely adroit and masterful performance. Though Johnny Depp in Black Mass was great and Ian McClellan in Mr. Holmes was grand, neither of them embodied their characters much like Micheal Fassbender and it would be a shame and a disservice to cinema if he didn't with Best Actor. He has proved he is one of the best actors of the generation.
Steve Jobs was a privilege to see on the big screen and is so far tied with The Gift as my number one movie of the year. With Deft acting, exquisite direction, and powerful writing this movie is not far from a modern classic. Steve Jobs gets an A+.
The Martian (2015)
The Martian is Tuly Out of this World
The Martian is directed by Ridley Scott and written by Drew Goddard. It stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kirsten Wiig and a slew of other equally talented actors.
The Martian is about manned mission to Mars in which Astronaut Mark Watney(Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
Ridley Scott did it again offering one of the best science fiction movies of this century. After Blade Runner, my personal Favorite of his, and a slew of if-fie movies I wasn't sure how he would ever meet his standard. Well He did!
Scott offers some of the best direction I have ever seen in a science fiction movie. With intense camera-work Scott unleashes the sheer despair of being four years away from one's family, friends, and and most of all planet, while keeping glimmers of hope through out. This works hand in hand with the awesome cinematography done beautifully by Dariusz Wolski. A true beauty technically it holds up just as well in script and acting. My personal favorite scene in the movie was second to last scene in the movie. I was terrified but enthralled.
The script from this movie was brilliant. Excellent Work From Goddard made the movie gripping as well as intellectual. With actual scientific ideas to boot this movie is very hard to pull apart. It holds not only great science fiction but comedy so funny I found myself crying at the hilarity of the moment. With inside joke galore, this was a great script.
Finally the acting. Matt Damon was magnificent in the role of Mark Watney, demonstrating is comic chops and his dramatic finesse. He was optimistic, funny and smart, three characteristics it takes to pull of a role like this.I enjoyed Jessica Chastain, Kirsten Wiig, Kate Mara, and Micheal Pena. I loved Jeff Daniels' somber but caring portrayal of his character. One of my favorite characters was that of Rich Pummel, played by Donald Glover. He was magnetic in the part for such a small role. My favorite character in the movie was Vincent Kapoor played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. He was highly intelligent, witty, charming and resourceful.
With a tight script, direction, cinematography, acting and no glaring issues, I am forced to do this. The Martian Gets an A. The Martian is truly out of this world.
Sicario (2015)
Not The Hit-man You're Thinking Of
Sicario is directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan. It stars Benicio Del Torro, Emily Blunt, and Josh Brolin.
Sicario revolves around an idealistic FBI agent enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. I adore this movie I really do so I want to get my problems out of the way before I dive head first into all the goodies. My problem with the movie was simply the pacing. For the first half of the movie the movie drags and picks up in equal measure till a bar scene which just makes the movie flawless onward.
Firstly the writing was phenomenal! Taylor Sheridan demonstrated perfectly all the darkness brewing under the surface between drug cartels. He also showed that it takes both sides of the border to do these crimes.Thus demonstrating the evils of the U.S. and Mexico. Through this, it was made clear that the corruption and greed of the U.S. go hand and hand with the poverty and desperation of Mexico to the point of true unadulterated terror.
Next is The one, the only Dennis Villeneuve. With mastery of the material Villeneuve painted all the characters a shade of gray before revealing their true selves. He accomplished this through beautiful camera work and magnificent shots. With the help of living legend cinematographer, Roger Deakins this movie is a technical masterwork.
Just as great if not better was the acting. Emily Blunt offers some of her best work, giddily ridding the underbelly of drug busts with remarkable finesse. Her role demanded sheer brutal emotion and she more than delivered. Accompanying her, Josh Brolin does some of the best work he's done in years. Working as a bit of a comic relief and as a brutal wake up call to both U.S. and Mexican citizens alike. Heart wrenching and breaking these two fine actor's churn out the very best in each other.
By far the best supporting performance I've this year was offered by none other than Benicio Del Torro. His cool and understated performance is can only be compared to Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men." He was as menacing as he was sympathetic and all the audience and do is sit and watch in amazement and disgust as we slowly unravel this multidimensional character. Del Torro's performance can only be called bravura.
Sicario is a wonderfully dark and twisted, yet timely and poignant movie with a strong cast led by brilliant work by Del Torro. Sicario Gets an A or a 9/10.
Black Mass (2015)
More like Disgusting, Ugy, Festering Mass
Black Mass is directed by Scott Cooper and is written by Jez Butterworth and Mark Mallouk. It stars Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Rory Cochrane, and Benedict Cumberbatch along with Dakota Johnson, and Kevin Bacon.
Black Mass the true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.
What would happen if you mixed Good Fellas, Wolf of Wall Street, Casino and the Departed minus Scorsese plus a non-linear format?- Black Mass.
Black Mass has quite a few strengths under its belt to justify quite a few of the flaws it garners. For one the direction is rock solid. With some inventive shots that I've never seen used in a Gangster flick. For example in the first 30 minutes the camera is placed on the trunk hood of a car, in just the right angle to hide the faces but show the actions of Bulger's gang. Too add on to the direction was a good script that got a ton of support.
But, by far the greatest asset of the movie is its performances. This has got to be the greatest screen ensemble cast of year by a long shot. Everyone was absolutely brilliant. There wasn't a single bad performance in the entire movie.
The best of these is clearly Johnny Depp. He was perfectly cast. Meeting Ian McClellan in brilliance, Depp has become one of the head runners for best actor. He was subtle at times and volatile at others. He portrayed the smarts and nefariousness of the character masterfully and deserves more than some praise for it. He was nuanced to the point in which I thought I was watching a real Gangster at work. From the quite grin that meant lights out to the mournful tears Depp deserves the Oscar nod.
Joel Edgerton Was brilliant as well giving a an understated but slippery performance as the infamous F.B.I. agent, John Connolly, who helped Bulger get out of a lot of misdeeds. Along with Edgerton was a beautiful performance by Cumberbatch who through subtle implications showed the audience he was as corrupt as the rest of the bunch. Rory Cochrane gives it his all to portray a sympathetic mobster and largely succeeds. This very well may be his best performance to date. Even side characters like Kevin Bacon and Dakota Johnson give it their all to make their characters as believable as possible.
With all that said I did have ONE major problem with the movie, the non-linear format. I feel that all gangster and con movies should be told in some kind of Chronological order to show the audience the full picture and keep the attention to the central plot. The format in this movie is very if-fie most of the times. Through interviews they successfully make the movie feel like a documentary which is a a good thing and a bad thing. These said Interviews either make the things that Bulger do too small to be noted or inflate them to unbelievably degrees therefore splitting the audiences interest and making the movie duller than it really is.
With Stellar acting, Great Directing, and Good writing Black Mass is one twisted ride but one I recommend taking. Black Mass Gets an A- or an 8/10.
Everest (2015)
A Thrilling Frost Bite
Everest is directed Baltasar Kormákur and is written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy. It stars Jason Clarke, Jake Gylenhaal, Keira Knightly, Josh Brolin, and Robin Wright along with a slew of about ten thousand other equally talented actors.
A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe snow storm. Basically summarizes, the entire movie in a nut shell.
This movie is literally Gravity on Earth. That isn't a complete negative. Like Gravity it is well acted, well directed, and beautiful to a fault but just as thin plot wise.
For this review I'm going to break one of my rules and start with the negatives of this movie. This movie is very poorly scripted. The sheer potential of a story like this is as great as the title mountain. The fact that Gravity had a razor sharp edge on its themes of guilt and depression is what sets this movie and Gravity miles apart. Though the theme of redemption and survival is present they aren't as Hard hitting as they should be. Full of One dimensional characters galore this movie treads the line between watchable and enjoyable and luckily it manages to maneuver in just the right ways to succeed at both .
Part of its success is awarded to the stellar performances from the all star cast especially Jason Clarke and Jake Gyllenhaal. Clarke may very well be the only three dimensional character in the movie because of his phenomenal performance. It was magnificent. It offered a deep sense of dread to the already terrifying landscape and only upped the suspense factor ten folds. Gyllenhaal does the same but in a more minor way which did disappoint me. Another great aspect to the movie was the direction. Baltasar Kormákur sure hand approach to filming the actors and shot was spectacular and definitely deserves praise.
Now on to the single best part of this movie. This part should and will win best cinematography. The cinematographer, Salvatore Totino offers the best shots I've seen in a very long time. Rivaling Gravity in visuals if only at one thing Everest's cinematography was absolutely flawless. Every shot looked better than the last but my personal favorite was the first fall from the mountain. It was intense and unforgettable.
Everest is an intense thriller that doesn't let up but leaves a lot to want in terms of plot which is precisely the reason Everest Gets a B or a 6/10. This is a Thrilling Frost Bite.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
Get Scorched
Maze Runner Scorch Trials is written T.S. Nowlin and is directed by Wes Ball. It stars Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
After having escaped the Maze, the Runners now face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.
The Scorch Trials is a good movie. It impressed me in ways I didn't think possible, in the acting, directing and writing of this distopian survival drama. Every single thing in this movie is better than its predecessor.
To start off the positives is the acting. It was great, that was expected. All three of the leads blew me away in the previous movie but they clearly upped their game just in time for this movie. The best of three brilliant performances was clearly Dylan O'Brien. He was magnetic in the lead role offering charm, wit and emotion to the character of Thomas. Its also blatantly obvious from his body language that the character is morphing into something bigger than what he was in the first movie, a hard trick to pull off. Scodelario and Brodie- Sangster are equal in power in their spirited portrayals of their characters. The main problem with the rest of their cast is they don't really try too hard stand out from the leads which really drags down the scenes with out them.
Next up was my favorite part of the movie, the cinematography by Gyula Pados. The long shot in the desert shown in the trailer was one of the many gems put in place by Pados. It was intricate and beautiful. Along with his cinematography was the direction by Wes Ball. It was wonderful for a sophomore directorial effort and I believe he will only get better with time.
The biggest problem with this movie was its script. I haven't read the books so I can only give a newcomer's look at the franchise. The movie is definitely well written promoting some good thrills but the whole movie feels a bit too kiddish. Though this movie has a darker tone it still suffers from the same problem as its predecessor, its made for teenagers. There's nothing wrong with this per say but I would've liked a more focused approach at making it widely enjoyable to any viewer, no matter what age.
With all of that said Maze Runner Scorch Trials succeeds at being a fun movie for teens and an enjoyable one for the adults. It gets a B+ or a 7/10. Get Scorched!
The Visit (2015)
A Welcome Visit From Shyamalan
The Visit is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Ed Oxenbould, Olivia DeJonge, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, and Kathryn Hahn.
The Visit revolves around two siblings, Becca(Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler(Ed Oxenbould), on their trip to met their estranged grandparents who they never previously had met. As they reach they are given a rather straight forward rule by their grandmother(Deanna Dungan), Don't stay up later than 9:30. Since the kids do, all hell breaks loose as they view some of the strangest things humans can ever do from their elderly grandparents.
Shyamalan IS a great writer/director. He crafted a highly suspenseful and psychological thriller in the Sixth Sense. A emotional thrill ride for Unbreakable(My favorite of his). And, finally a pitch perfect atmosphere for Signs. This dude knows how to make movies. Though he's had more misses than hits, but he is persistent. I got to say his persistence payed off, big time.
This movie was great! I was entertained the entire time. Shyamalan placed a close to flawless script in motion with taut, suspenseful thrills that grabs hold and never really lets go. That was marketed in the trailer. What wasn't marketed was the sheer hilarity of the script. I had a feeling that this would be a spoof on horror movies and I was right. The black comedy in this movie is untouchable and is thoroughly enthralling. Along with the thrills and comedy comes with a lot of thick emotional heft which was lacking in his past few entries. Finally the script offered realistic dialogue with little to no use of modern day jump scares with a twist so powerful it'll leave you breathless.
On to the performances. The comedy in this movie is entirely credited to Ed Oxenbould. His instant out burst of rap are contagious. Not to mention his grade A sarcasm and charm should definitely land his a Golden Globe nod if not an Oscar. He was Mother Julia Roberts Good. He was the best part of this movie. A close second is Dianna Dungan. She was creepy, menacing, sympathetic and sweet all rolled into one beautiful performance. Although I didn't find documentarian Olivia Dejonge as entertaining as Dungan and Oxenbould, she added a certain depth to the movie as she and Oxenbould get over their personal phobias.
As for negatives I had one minor one that snowballed into a big one. It's the over exaggeration of insanity of the grandparents' part. It was tolerable at first but then became tedious to watch nearing the end as they started to resemble real horror icons. Alas it slayed a close to perfect movie.
The Visit is an extremely enjoyable entry into Shyamalan's filmography that ranks up to Signs and close to The Sixth Sense. I highly recommend a watch if one is looking for a comedy and a thriller but can only buy one ticket. The Visit gets an 8/10 or an A-.This movie is truly a welcome Visit from Shyamalan and a true end of summer treat.
The Transporter Refueled (2015)
No Refueling Needed, Compaction Mandatory
Transporter: Refueled is directed by Camille Delamarre and is written by Adam Cooper. It stars Ed Skrien, Ray Stevens, Loan Chabanol, Gabriella Wright, and Tatiana Pajkovic.
This movie revolves around a mercenary for hire, Frank Jr.(Ed Skrien), Who takes up a job to help three femme fatals in their highly planned robbery. The effect of this is Frank's father(Ray Stevens) is kidnapped and now Frank must find a way to get him back.
There isn't a whole lot positive to say about this movie it was mediocre and tame compared to the original trilogy. With that said Ed Skrien does inject just enough energy into this lifeless project to keep it rolling. In my opinion the Transporter films never had much energy to begin with, its all style. Yet they are some of my favorite guilty pleasure action flicks. Why so? Statham. Call him what you will he makes any action garbage fest watchable. Therefore this movie was doomed to begin with.
The writing is pretty bad but from the writer of Exodus, its not that surprising. Filled with clichés galore the whole affair is unwatchable on an intellectual level. The direction is filled with sped up, shaky action sequences that make it horrendous to look at. The acting is so middling that its hard to care about the fate's of anyone. Finally the villain is so cookie cutter its strange they weren't in on framing Roger Rabbit.
All and all this was a rather terrible movie and I pray to God that it doesn't make enough movie for a sequel. Transporter:Refueled gets a D or a 2/10. No Refueling Needed, Compaction Mandatory