Fantastic Four Movie Review

 

It's Like Watching Money Burn in front of Your Eyes.

Fantastic Four, directed by Fox Studios, stars studio interference, a talking rock, and a bad guy shooting a blue laser into outer space. And if that's hasn't sold you, that's probably for the best. The film follows a group of young scientists trying to discover the key to inter-dimensional travel. All doesn't go according to plan, and they inadvertently gain mutations that alter their physical form. Ever since the success of X-Men: Days of Future Past, people have been anticipating Fox Studios' attempt at assembling a superhero cinematic universe that will give Marvel Studios a run for their money. After a few failed attempts at bringing the franchise to life, Fox tries once again to assemble Marvel's original superhero team. Unfortunately, through sloppy writing, behind the scenes drama, and Fox Studios infringing upon the director's creativity and vision, Fantastic Four ends up becoming one of the biggest disappointments in the superhero genre, and one of the worst films of the year. Essentially, Fantastic Four is two different movies. There is the film that director Josh Trank envisioned- a dark, slow-burn, horror/sci-fi film, and then there is the movie the studio decided to manufacture-a loud, dumb, terrible embarrassment. The first 2 acts of this movie are truly pretty decent. I like the tone, the set-up, the actors, and the storyline was a lot better than the past FF incarnations. And then, at the drop of a hat, the film turns into utter garbage. Terrible acting, sloppy direction and editing, cheesy special effects, and a completely underdeveloped and incredibly stupid looking antagonist. I compare the film as a whole to an Olympic diver who leaps into the water with great form and confidence, only to screw up at the last second and belly-flop, making a complete fool of himself. Even though there were certain elements of the film I liked, this movie is the embodiment of how the business side of film-making can completely overshadow the artistic side. Final Score- C-

Terminator Genisys Movie Review

This is like the 6th blockbuster starring Jai Courtney in the past 3 years, the spelling of Genisys is truly the least of our problems. 

He's back. Again. From Alan Taylor, director of the underwhelming movie with a bunch of explosions and fighting (Thor 2), as well as the show with Emilia Clarke and zombies (Game of Thrones), comes Terminator Genisys- the underwhelming movie with a bunch of explosions and fighting, as well as Emilia Clarke and a zombie named Jai Courtney. It is a given that the last 2 Terminator films were huge disappointments. While Genisys may be the best Terminator film since T2, I'm still not oblivious to the fact that this movie was thoroughly underwhelming. Despite this, it definitely had it's moments. The callbacks to the past films were not as annoying as they appeared in the trailers. Sarah Connor telling Kyle Reese to "come with her if he wants to live" didn't seem like a lazy rehash from what came before it, but a nice subversion from the original film that fit the overall story. Another saving grace is Schwarzenegger himself. He can do the role in his sleep, which is more of a testament to the simplicity of the character than of his acting ability. Beyond Arnie and some cool moments, including a well-choreographed scene taking place on the Golden Gate Bridge, the film falls completely flat. The dialogue is cheesy, the attempts at humor seem forced and half-hearted, the overabundance of CGI is obnoxious, Emilia Clarke doesn't bring the Sarah Connor grit we loved so much from Linda Hamilton, the timeline and overall plot is more convoluted than any of the past Terminator films, and Jai Courtney is in this movie. Why do they still cast Jai in movies? Just...why? The past couple of years have been very interesting in terms of rebooting disgraced franchises. The Planet of the Apes series, X-Men, Mad Max, Jurassic Park, 21 Jump Street, Godzilla, Superman, and later this year, Star Wars. All of these films, more or less, shocked the world and made films on par or superior to what came before (besides Superman). Even though the cast seemed off, and the director is mediocre in my eyes, I still had high hopes for Terminator Genisys. Studios are beginning to realize that if you craft a good product and slap a popular name on it, money and positive reviews will rake in. But all this movie proved was that the Terminator story should have stopped after number two. Final Grade: C

Jurassic World Movie Review

The Park Is Open

It's been 22 long years since Spielberg's original dinosaur blockbuster, Jurassic Park, hit the big screens. Ever since the film's release, we've seen several attempts to cheaply replicate the film's magic and near cinematic perfection; not only with the direct sequels Jurassic Park: Lost World and Jurassic Park 3, but also with imitators attempting to cash in on similar formulas, such as Roland Emmerich's widely beloved Godzilla film...But it's safe to say that the dinosaur genre has hit a rough patch over the last 15 years, with countless straight-to-DVD films such as Raptor, Age of Dinosaurs, 10 Million BC, The Dinosaur Project, The Eden Formula, etc. Haven't seen those movies? Good. Don't. But the Jurassic Park brand is back and ready to put the genre back on the top of the cinematic food chain. From Colin Trevorrow, writer/director of 2012's indie hit Safety Not Guaranteed, comes Jurassic World. Decades have passed since the events from the original film took place, but somehow John Hammond's unique but disastrous vision is coming to fruition. The park is open, and they spared no expense- except when it comes to hiring employees, kinda dropped the ball on that one. The film stars Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt as Owen Grady, and co-stars Bryce Dallas Howard, once again showing the world that nepotism is alive and well in Hollywood. Sarcasm aside, here are my thoughts on Jurassic World- it's good. I am tempted to even say very good, but there are still a few problems that weigh the movie down, and despite it being a fun summer action movie, these problems still must be addressed. First off, the entire In-Gen subplot seemed completely unnecessary.

The concept of militarizing the raptors is fun, but you don't need 20 minute long conversations between Pratt and the great Vincent D'onofrio's mustache-twirling antagonist to establish that obstacle. It slowed the movie down with it's boring, poorly-written dialogue. Despite this unnecessary subplot, and a some poor characterization and forced humor, the movie does deliver on what it promises- fun. That's what made the original so great and memorable- there was this tremendous feeling of wonder and awe. It treated the original film with respect, and still managed to bring something new to the table.  The dinosaurs look great and threatening, the environments are familiar and exciting, the pacing was brisk and fun, and it got serious when it needed to be. Is it as good as the original? Heck no. But only a few movies, in my opinion, have come close to the majestic nature of the first. If you go in expecting it to top Spielberg at his best, then you will leave disappointed. But if you loved the first one and are hoping for a film that does it justice, then Jurassic World is the film for you. Final Grade- B+ 

Mad Max: Fury Road Review

Did I watch the same movie as everyone else?

George Miller returns to live action film-making after years of making stories about singing penguins. Awesome.

The world has plunged into chaos. We are running out of vital resources. Everyone has become insane and reduced to a single instinct- survive. Mad Max currently stands at a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a 8.9/10 on IMDB as well as a 89 on Metacritic, and is seen as one of the greatest action movies not only of the year, but of all time...ugh...

Film is subjective. I may love a movie and think it's one of the best films ever made, and someone else may think it's a piece of crap. That's the way cinema works and that's what's so wonderful about it all- there's something for everyone. That being said, Mad Max: Fury Road sucked and I'm right and you're wrong. Okay, I'm just joking but still, SERIOUSLY? This film is being compared to T2, Die Hard, The Matrix; this movie has no business being in those types of discussions. I simply do not understand why this movies is being so universally loved. Don't get me wrong, I loved the look of the movie. It felt dirty and lived-in, the cinematography and stunt choreography is out of this world. The usage of practical effects is mind-blowing. But at the end of the day, if I don't care at all about the people driving a car in a movie, I'm not going to care if it crashes- no matter how crazy and realistic it may look. I did not care about any of these characters whatsoever, which is disappointing because you have some amazing acting talent here including Tom Hardy, Nicholas Hoult, and probably one of the best working actresses today- Charlize Theron. But none of them were given any real time to shine. The first hour of the movie there were maybe 10 lines of dialogue, most of which were bad ADR. Fury Road is just 2 hours of flashy, gritty, ridiculous, crazy, and gratuitous shots of cars flipping over and exploding laced together by a thin plot lead by characters you don't care about and don't root for. You can only give me a cat and mouse story for so long before I start wanting the mouse to just get caught so I can go home and sleep. I was not invested whatsoever, I was just waiting for it to end, and I kept wondering how much blood Max can give to people before he just dies already. I have to watch this again and maybe my views will change, but as of right now this is probably one of the most overrated movies I've seen in quite sometime. Poor story, thin plot, nameless insane characters, and no clear stakes- but hey, cool explosion. Final Grade- C+

It Follows Movie Review

A movie about a sexually transmitted demon. I swear, they should really show this movie in some sort of Sex Ed class; it will thoroughly get the point across. 

Don't worry horror fans, the Annabelle's and Ouija's of the world can't hurt you anymore. From writer/director David Robert Mitchell comes a horror film centered around Jay- a nice, attractive, young girl with her whole life ahead of her. However, after having sex for the first time with her mysterious boyfriend, she discovers that he passed a curse on to her that causes a terrifying entity to follow her wherever she goes. No one else can see it, no one can help. It can take any form. The only way to survive is to pass it on to someone else, or run- if it catches you, 

you're dead. 

Let's begin with the negative feelings I have towards the film. From the get-go, this premise sounds relatively preachy and peculiar. It's executed wonderfully, but when analyzed deeply, it's just a small little metaphor for AIDS- nothing more, nothing less. It Follows can be appreciated as an ambitious piece of artful cinema, but not so much as a coherent narrative. Occasionally the complete subversion of expectations and diversion from the formulaic horror movie story structure works against the film instead of in it's favor. But in the end, one can't help but fall in love with it's retro-style approach to the material. Novice director David R. Mitchell is clearly influenced by the late 70's- early 80's style of film making. It harkens back to a time when horror movies were directed by Academy Award Winner Stanley Kubrick or legendary film director Brian De Palma, and not by a soulless movie studio hoping to make a couple bucks. There are some real, genuinely well-crafted shots in the film. It reminds you how innovative one can be with a camera. The actors all do their jobs well. No character seems cliched, however, this somewhat works against the film since no one was extremely memorable either. The sound design was average for a movie with this low of a budget, but it excels when it comes to my favorite aspect of It Follows- the score. That freaking amazing score. It's retro roots are seen most in the film's Carpenter-esque soundtrack that is simultaneously beautiful and haunting. Overall, It Follows was a nice little trip to the theaters. It didn't keep me up all night, but it certainly kept me entertained. The fresh story structure is admirable while also a little off-putting, but there is so much to enjoy in It Follows that I'm willing to forgive most of it's flaws. Final grade- B+

Avengers: Age of Ultron Movie Review

OH. MY. DEMIGOD.

The Avengers are back. And by god, I can not get this stupid grin off my face. 

3 years ago, Joss Whedon's Avengers Assemble broke all the records, grossing over $600,000,000 domestically, and over 1.5 billion worldwide. It was widely praised for it's humor and pure fun, as well as it's amazingly entertaining action. Since the 2012 hit, the MCU has grown and evolved; taking on many different genres and characters. Now, the superhero team reassemble- and in amazing fashion. Let me get this out of the way- I do NOT know if Age of Ultron is better than the first Avenger installment. It's a tall order, for I feel Avengers is the greatest comic book film ever made. While I don't know if it's the BEST superhero movie of all time, I sure as hell know it's up there with the greats. Avengers: Age of Ultron is amazing. It is fun, emotional, action-packed, and completely engrossing. There were several times in this film where I forgot I was in a theater packed with complete strangers- I was so focused and drawn-in. This is mostly due to these amazingly fleshed-out characters. I hesitate to even call these characters "Characters", we've spent so much time with them they are beginning to seem like real people. It's...kinda weird. There have been many critics that are bashing this film. They are throwing around words like "Disappointment" and "inferior", which I completely disagree with, but I can somewhat understand it. 2012's Avengers was a completely unprecedented piece of cinema; we have simply never seen this type of thing before. The films leading up to Avengers were Thor, Iron Man 2, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Overall, these films are considered the least amazing films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It set the bar kinda low, and people weren't hoping for the greatest superhero movie of all time, they were hoping for a movie that wasn't a complete disaster- and it worked. Man did it work. In 2015, following The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, the bar is set in freaking space. Now people aren't expecting a good flick, they're expecting the best adventure/action film ever made- which, it's not. But it is still SO AMAZING!!!!! It's not a perfect film, there are a few moments that drag on, there are some confusing character motivations, and it even felt a bit rushed at times. But the amount of pure fun you have with this movie should make you forgive all these flaws. The action is some of the best I think I've ever seen. There is a lot of action, but it never really felt gratuitous like in other superhero films *cough*Man of Steel*cough*. Sorry I was coughing- it wasn't stupid and gratuitous like Man of Steel. It was utilized well, and was placed at the appropriate times. But the action isn't the best part of the film- it's the heart. I went into Avengers 2 expecting a fun action film with great characters and great humor. I had no idea it would make me feel the way it did. There are some really emotional and intriguing scenes in this movie. People tend to claim that superhero movies don't display the true acting talent of the actors- well those people can shut their mouths now. There is some great acting and amazing character moments in the movie. Whedon is so amazing at balancing his characters, delving in their back-stories and making them more vulnerable. That is what I love so much about these movies. These characters are portrayed as super and heroic, while also being so incredibly human. All these characters have their moments to shine- especially Hawkeye. The first Avengers film was really well-balanced, but you can't deny that Hawkeye's character was greatly side-lined. Whedon makes up for that, big time. Hawkeye very well may be the best character in this film; and there's a lot of competition. The whole main crew is back, with a few new additions. In the post-credit scene for Winter Soldier, we were introduced to super-twins Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). They're the product of Hydra scientific experiments, and they have a bone to pick with Tony Stark. The two make great additions to this film. They bring great heart and sympathy. You want to detest them for what they do to the Avengers, but as the film progresses, your feelings for them may change. Changing feelings, however, will not be had for the films baddie Ultron (voiced and motion-captured by the great James Spader). Ultron is a creation of Stark and Banner gone wrong; but Ultron is all kinds of right. He's menacing, sarcastic, maniacal, and totally committed to see the world destroyed- and only the Avengers can stop him. 

Avengers 2 is a flawed film, but it is entertaining and well-made. Writer/Director Joss Whedon was exhausted after making the film, and you can see why. There is so much going on in this movie. A lot of good, a LOT of great. You care about the characters, there are some really great character moments, and the pace is fast and fun. The action is amazing and unlike the Transformers movies, you actually know what's going on. If you don't like superhero films, this movie won't convert you. However, if you enjoy these stories, and you have cared for these well-developed characters, this film is far from a disappointment. It's extraordinary. And I cannot wait to see this again, and again..and again. Final Rating- A- (needs repeat viewings). 

Kingsman: The Secret Service Movie Review

Slick, Bloody, and Extremely Entertaining. 

From Matthew Vaughn, the director that saved the X-Men franchise after director Brett Ratner took a steaming crap all over it, comes Kinsman: The Secret Service; a movie I like to define as a Bond movie on ecstasy (crack? I don't know drugs).  The film stars Academy Award Winner Colin Firth (King's Speech), 2-time Academy Award winner Michael Caine (The Dark Knight Trilogy), and a chick with a awesome sword as a leg. While that may sound like Oscar bait, it's far from it. Kingsman is undoubtably the best movie on the year, and one of the best action movies I've seen in a while. The film is based off of what I hear is a crazy graphic novel, and it's incredibly fun from start to finish. What I particularly loved about this movie was that it combined everything I loved from Vaughn's previous films- X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass. It had the fun underdog feel of both films, the gratuitous stylized violence from Kick-Ass, and the fun action training montages from First Class. Matthew Vaughn reported that he turned down the offer from Disney to helm the new Star Wars film so he could do this, and what I wonderful choice indeed. The action scenes, particularly one taking place in a church, were so insane and intense you can't tear your eyes away from the screen. Samuel Jackson also stars in the movie, marking his 400th film this year, as the film's lead lisp-having antagonist. While the lisp can be distracting at times, you grow used to it after the first hour. Overall, the film is exciting and fun. It may not be the smartest movie, the characters might not be as fleshed out as you'd hope, and the lead antagonist's quirks may get old quick, but it makes up for all of it's flaws by presenting and engaging story, innovative action and quick wit. Final Rating- B+

50 Shades of Grey Movie Review

50 Shades of What The Hell did I Just Watch?

(alternate titles include: 100 Shades of Terrible, 50 Shades of 120 minutes I'll never get back, etc.)

Okay, as I do in most of my negative reviews, I'm gonna start with the positives. Trust me, this shouldn't take long. Dakota Johnson, one of the bravest (stupidest?) actresses in contemporary Hollywood, is actually not terrible. The character she was given was complete and utter garbage, but somehow she took that trash and turned out a pretty decent performance. You felt her character in every awkward mannerism, and it doesn't really feel forced. Another positive is the cinematography. Somehow, the people behind this film knew how to operate a camera- who knew? Okay, now to the fun part. 

The novel 50 Shades of Grey, apparently written by a fifth-grader who hit puberty before everyone else, began as Twilight fan-fiction; and it definitely shows. The dialogue is terrible, the direction is flat, and the characters are terribly constructed. The film is devoid of any plot or anything that really keeps the audience invested in anything that is happening on the screen. The two leads lack any sort of chemistry or charisma and even the love scenes are relatively bland. The film is terrible, without a doubt. But what makes me despise it to such an extent that I even rate it lower than the Twilight saga, was the ending. There is no conclusion. I get it, it's a series of books. You have the whole series mapped out in your head, and this film is designed to lead to a sequel. I absolutely hate this style of film-making. It can be excused in films like The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug and Mockingjay part 1, but only because those films were of higher quality. There is no excuse for this mess. Movies should be full stories. You can absolutely make sequels to expand the set universe, but in the end a movie should be able to hold up and be seen as a complete piece. This film can't do that. The film currently stands at $150,000,000 domestic, and a $502,000,000 international gross. Which means next year the sequel will hit theaters and will steal lots of money from more curious teens, lonely single mothers, and 40 year old perverts wearing trench coats sitting in the back of the theater. Hopefully the next time Mr. Grey slaps Anastasia and the movie-going public in the face, we'll know better. However, the fact that we have 5 Twilight films shoots down whatever optimism is left. Final Grade- F+

Babadook Movie Review

Calling All Horror Fans

What are some of the best horror films in cinematic history? Kubrick's The Shining? John Carpenter's The Thing? Any one of those terrifying Nicholas Spark adaptations? #chills. Now, when one thinks of the best horror films, they often have to think back to a time where horror wasn't found-footage, and the films actually had character. Here is a harder question: What are some of the best horror films in the last 10 years? Sure, one could conjure (wink wink) up some titles: Cabin in the Woods, [REC], Let the Right One In, etc; but still, when you think of quality, nothing seems to match up to classics like William Friedkin's Exorcist. Well, I'm happy to say The Babadook is that horror film horror fans have been waiting for all these years. From up-and-coming director Jennifer Kent, The Babadook follows a a woman, brilliantly played by Essie Davis, who is plagued by a bedtime story creature named The Babadook. "If it's in a word, or it's in a look, you can't get rid of the Babadook." The marketing for this film is very interesting because it's terribly misleading. If one watches the trailer, the film seems to be portrayed as some sort of run-of-the-mill creature-feature, when in reality it's an intense and terrifying psychological thriller. The fear and terror doesn't come from loud noises or jump scares, not even from the actually monster itself. The true terror of this film comes from what the Babadook really represents. The ugly truth about us all that we like to keep from the world. After I watched this movie I was completely blown away. Essie Davis did an absolutely phenomenal job playing the stressed single mother with a burden she can't escape. The direction and cinematography was amazingly reminiscent of The Shining and other great slow-burn thrillers from that era. It hearkened back to a cinematic time where directors and studios didn't care about budget to profit ratios; they cared about telling a compelling and engaging story. If you go into the Babadook expecting what you get from Paranormal Activity, this is not the film for you. It doesn't use the cheap techniques and gimmicks that contemporary horror films use. It's a film that will stick with you and get under your skin. It's a film that should be admired and should be seen as a return to form for horror films. Final Rating- A

Snowpiercer Movie Review

Something Special

Snowpiercer is not your average action movie; it is so much more than that. Director Joon-Ho Bong directs the film starring Chris Evans and John Hurt. Snowpiercer takes place in a dystopian future where an attempt to prevent global warming backfires and kills all life on earth, expect those who boarded the Snowpiercer; a train that travels non-stop across the globe. In the train, a class system evolves. The people in the front of the train being prosperous and living a life of luxury, the people in the back of the train being beaten, dehumanized, and without hope. The film centers around Curtis (Chris Evans), as he leads a revolution to get to the front of the train and regain hope for the rest of the citizens from the back. Despite this great and innovative premise, based of off the french graphic novel "Le Transperceneige", it's Bong's fresh direction and keen eye for detail that takes the film to the top of the 2014 movie list. There are so many things that are executed perfectly in this film, the only real downside being the fact that's it's a limited release. 

The action, the story, the characters, the tension, everything; utterly spectacular. The acting was also one of Snowpiercer's best elements. Chris Evans recently stated that he's considering giving up acting. Chris- Please don't. Evans' performance in this movie was one of the best and most gripping performances I've seen all year, and undoubtedly the best one of his career. Everyone else does a good job, particularly actor Kang-ho Song. While all actors do their job, and very well, it truly is Evans who steals the show and keeps the audience invested. His character has depth, twists, and an uncanny ability to relate to the audience; despite a third act twist. The action in the film is also spectacular. It's not over the top, it is extremely well crafted and realistic and is present to keep the story moving; quite literally. No over-blown special effects, not an over-abundance of shaky-cam, just gritty and exciting, fight-for-you-life action. You understand the high stakes throughout, and the characters are done so well that you are invested in their stories and want to see them achieve success. In the end, it pisses me off so much that films like Transformers 4 make $100 million in it's opening weekend and quality action cinema like this gets a limited release. It may be out of your way, but I suggest every sees this film, It truly is one of the best films of the year. Final Rating: A

X-Men: Days of Future Past Movie Review

The X-Men are back and better than ever.

X-Men: Days of Future past follows Wolverine as he travels back in time to save the mutant race and stop their near-extinction. Can Wolverine stop the upcoming apocalypse? Can the good guys trust Magneto? Can Fox trick us into forgetting about X-Men: The Last Stand? All these questions and more are answered in the best X-Men film of the franchise. 

2014 has to be one of the best years for summer movies of all time. We were given the Captain America sequel, Edge of Tomorrow, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and the upcoming sci-fi flick Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. And compared to most of the truly extraordinary films this summer, Days of Future Past reigns superior. Bryan Singer returns to direct his franchise and he comes back in tremendous fashion. Despite his last two films (Superman Returns, Jack the Giant Slayer) being less than satisfactory, he returns at the top of his game to the films he apparently was born to direct. Everyone in this film is great and utilized to perfection. It's definitely a crowded movie, combining the main cast of the original X-Men trilogy and the main cast from First Class, yet somehow through Singer's direction and Simon Kinberg's script, everything flows perfectly. Hugh Jackman is great again as Wolverine, Halle Berry returns and has maybe 3 lines of dialogue in the whole movie which, less face it, is a pretty great move. The guys who really stood at though were James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender playing young Xavier and Magneto, respectively. 

They both deliver powerhouse performances and, despite their limited screentime, steal the show. Well, most of the show. There is one character who, with even less time of screen, steals every screen he is in. And that of course is the character Quicksilver. Quicksilver is awesome. No real other way to put it. His powers are so wonderful and visually creative, and the performance by actor Evan Peters was fun and effervescent. While all the performances were great, the visuals were another tremendous part of the film. No big, loud, never-ending, Michael Bay, Man of Steel, action sequences in Days of Future Past. While there were plenty of big, beautiful action set pieces, they were all done to further the plot of the story and actually had great weight to them. The audience understood the high stakes and could stay invested. In the end, Days of Future Past takes back it's place as one of the best best franchisees in this superhero craze. And hopefully we will be seeing Wolverine snikting his claws at Hulk and Spider-Man on the big screen soon. Final Rating- B+

Godzilla Movie Review

The king of the monsters has returned at the top of his game.

2014's Godzilla is not directed by Roland Emmerich. That statement alone can swell up the heart of any Godzilla fan with utter joy. Gareth Edwards, director of the under-the-radar Sci-fi drama Monsters, takes a shot at reviving the radioactive monster; and revive him he did, in spectacular fashion. Before I "Fan-boy" all over this movie or something to that effect, let me begin with the things that were not so great. First thing coming to mind- the characters. With the exceptions of Godzilla and Bryan Cranston's character, who we don't see a lot on both accounts, no character in this movie is extremely interesting. Bryan Cranston, playing paranoid scientist and father to our lead Aaron Taylor Johnson, was great. He brought a powerful sense of desperation and emotion that let the audience invest in the story. Unfortunately, he doesn't stick around for long. 
Even more unfortunate, the film changes focus to young Ford Brody, Cranston's character's son and played by Kick-Ass himself Aaron Taylor Johnson. Ford Brody is an extremely bland and boring character, no real way to sugar-coat it. It's likely due to a screenplay more detailed about spectacle than characters, not necessarily due to poor acting by Johnson, but the character lacks any sort of...well, character. While that is a bad thing, it's still preferable to the over-acted and over-written characters in Godzilla '98. While the characters were this movie's biggest drawback, it more than makes up for it with amazing visuals and superb pacing. As contemporary audiences of cinema, we have become too accustomed to in-your-face, loud, blunt, and excessive violence brought on by the Michael Bay's, and the Roland Emmerich's, and the Man of Steel's. We are now used to that final amazing action scene taking place in act 1, 2, and 3. Gareth Edwards has made a film that alludes back to the glory days of cinema; movies like Jurassic Park, Jaws, Aliens. With a story structure that allows time to build suspense, to build tension. We have all already seen Pacific Rim (or according to it's disappointing box office, some of us have), we have all seen Transformers. We have all seen how amazing special effects can be, how far they have come. So how can you make your special effect extravaganza memorable? You tell it in a way that was lost somehow during this style over substance era of film. That's what Godzilla does. It doesn't have it's action scenes in the beginning. It teases and teases until the end, until the payoff, and boy does this movie payoff! The fighting scenes between the MUTO and Godzilla were awe-inspiring, both due to it's visual effects and it's realism. Edwards utilizes action to his advantage, using it as frosting on his big scaly, atomic-breathing cake. In the end, the film does have it's flaws, like any movie. The human characters are bland for the most part, there are a few dry spots here and there, and there are a few moments that were a little TOO convenient. But overall, Godzilla is a movie that is a long set up and pay-off. There is a moment near the end in which Godzilla utilizes his most iconic atomic breath, and I can guarantee you, if he were to have done that in the first act, it would not have had the same impact. If you walk in expected Man of Steel, you are in for a disappointment. If you walk in expecting something more than that, more than mindless action designed to distract people from a lack of an interesting story, then you are in for a treat. Final Rating- B+

Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier Movie Review

Now that's more like it.

We're done with Iron Man 3 and Thor 2: The Dark World, now Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings us Captain America: The Winter Solder. From Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors of You, Me, and Dupree- no, you didn't read that wrong- comes the follow-up to the 2011 superhero flick Captain America: The First Avenger. Taking place 2 years after the events from The Avengers, we find Steve Rogers working with S.H.I.E.L.D while simultaneously trying to adapt to the new world. But all isn't what it seems as Steve, with the help of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and the new-edition to the team Sam Wilson AKA Falcon (Anthony Mackie), begins to unravel a conspiracy in SHIELD and tries to uncover the truth behind the deadly assassin known as the Winter Soldier. There have been many superhero movies in the past 9 years or so. We've seen comic book material be adapted to the screen in a multitude of different ways. We've seen it done dark and gritty like in The Dark Knight, we've seen it done light and witty like in Iron Man, and then we saw whatever the hell Green Lantern was doing. If there is anything we've learned from all of this, it's that Hollywood hasn't completely nailed down a sustainable formula for how to make a great comic book movie. Both ways certainly have their flaws; many people don't like the constant comedy in the Marvel movies, and many people don't like the feeling of sadness and depression one gets from watching a DC movie- very hard to pick. Sarcasm aside, I find myself leaning towards Marvel. While I'm all for trying something new and I do think that The Dark Knight is the best comic book movie to date, it's also the only film using that formula that I really cared for. Batman Begins was fine, but The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel never sat right with me. Rises was probably one of the messiest and worst written superhero films I've seen, and Man of Steel was DOA by using a tone that didn't mesh well with the source material- in my opinion. So naturally, I went into this movie fully aware that it could be great or it could be a disappointment; especially seeing as how comic book movies seem to be hit-or-miss of late. I'm thrilled to say, it was great. In fact, it very well may be one of the best superhero movies ever made, and that IS saying a lot. There's so much that this film did well, like the action. The action scenes in this film were extremely well-choreographed and even better, they were timed perfectly. They were spread apart well so that each fight scene was included to move the plot forward, not to just have cool stuff on screen. It's just like what George Lucas once said, "Special effects are just a tool, a means of telling a story. People have a tendency to confuse them as an end to themselves. A Special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing." I of all people understand the irony of George Lucas saying this, but regardless, it's still true. The Russo brothers as well as the screenwriters have a grasp on this concept; something Zack Snyder needs. While the action was excellent, what really made this movie shine was the plot. 

The Dark Knight was so ground-breaking because it took it's comic book source material and turned it into a crime thriller. Captain America 2 is just as ground-breaking, for it decided to deviate from the past Marvel movies and effectively make a 70's-ish political spy thriller. At the beginning of this review I made a point of saying that there is a clear difference in tone when it comes to DC and Marvel. DC is dark and realistic, and Marvel is more fantastical and light. This was probably the first film in the MCU that began to cross that line. It brilliantly took the realism and seriousness in plot from DC, while also maintaining the witty humor in dialogue and fun from Marvel. A perfect combination for a near-perfect film. In the end, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is undoubtedly one the best comic book movies today, if not one of the best action movies today. It has a great plot and great characters. The lead villain is terrifying and actually poses as a good threat to not just Cap but everyone. There's great action while also delivering a thought-provoking and surprisingly heartfelt story. It may not reach the levels of epicness proudly owned by The Dark Knight and The Avengers, but it comes pretty darn close; and it gives me hope that we are on track to reach that level once again. Final Rating: A-

Robocop (2014)

Well, look on the bright side. It could have been a lot worse...

I would like to start this review by saying I love Robocop. By that, of course, I'm referring to Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic starring Peter Weller. It was a lot of fun, and there were enough blood-squibs to keep me satisfied. It was campy, bloody, goofy, and, like I said, a whole lot of fun. These great things cannot be said about the remake, unfortunately. After hollow action remakes like Total Recall, Planet of the Apes, and The Italian Job, expectations were low for this flick. In fact, I'm pretty sure most wrote it off from the get-go. People expected it to be terrible, which, as it turns out, wasn't the result. Robocop, directed by Jose Padilha, is the near definition of an "okay" movie. I understand why they can't make this funny and satirical. Back in the late 80's, DVD players weren't even invented yet. The whole concept of drones was futuristic, so having it be a satire works. It's 2014, the concept of putting a man inside a machine doesn't seem so ludicrous now, in fact, it is a possibility if not a probability. You can't make the story a satire anymore, you have to play it more straight; which is the direction the filmmakers took, and maybe a little too far. You don't have to make it extremely funny or goofy, but that doesn't mean it has to be humorless. The fact is, as a huge Robocop fan, I find the premise to be funny. Here this guy is walking around like a Robot, squeaking every time he turns his robotic head- it puts a smile on my face. Here the writers and director are trying to shove pathos in my face, with this new family storyline that I'm suppose to just start caring about for some reason. You can't have an emotional scene between a young boy and his robotic father and have your audience take it seriously. 

That being said, if one tries to ignore the conflicting feelings throughout the film, some enjoyment can be found. The action scenes are generally well-choreographed. Specifically the training scenes, which a lot of people didn't like for some reason. It was a cool new take on the concept of a robotic police officer to show the training, and I didn't mind the somewhat cheesy rock music playing throughout. It felt like a nice little callback to 80's action flicks. A flattering callback, unlike the shoe-horned in score from the original. Which leads me to another complaint- all the callbacks. I really hoped to walk into this movie and leave not constantly comparing it to the original, which is sort of the case. I only compared it a few times, particularly the few times it reminded me that I am watching a remake. "I'll buy that for a dollar" and scenes like that didn't sit right with me. I wanted the similarities between the remake and the original to begin and end with 'policeman is a robot'. I don't like talking in theaters, I don't even like laughing or whispering during a movie but that "dollar" scene made me yell "come on!" to the screen. I didn't want to, but Hollywood made me. In the end, the thing I recommend most is to never compare this to the original. Seriously, just don't- it will crumble in comparison. It's not the goofy Robocop we've all come to love, but it's not terrible like Robocop 3. The film is played very straight, which does diminish some enjoyment. But the action is great, it tried to do something new with the premise which is admirable. If you go into this movie thinking it will suck, then you are in for a pleasant surprise. If you go in thinking it'll reign superior to the great work of Verhoveen, then you will leave disappointed. Final Rating: B-

Short Term 12 Movie Review

Moving, authentic, and touching. Brie Larson leads an incredibly talented ensemble in this revealing and truthful motion picture.

Set in a foster-care facility, Short Term 12 analyzes the lives of today's struggling youth and the group of dedicated individuals determined to support them. The film follows 20-somethings Grace and Mason, both staff members at a foster-care facility for at-risk teens and long-time couple, as they try to balance their personal lives and the lives of the kids in their care. The film stars Brie Larson (21 Jump Street, United States of Tara) and John Gallagher Jr. (The Newsroom) as the two dedicated counselors at the facility. The supporting cast is mostly made up of novice actors, which is definitely not shown thorough their performances. 

Every once in a while, a movie comes out that moves you. In a cinematic generation mostly made up of cheap, hollow remakes and CGI-filled superhero flicks, these types of movies are a rarity. We don't necessarily see many films nowadays that are just about people dealing with the difficulties of life, not unless those difficulties include explosions or kidnappings. Out of those types of movies we do see, this one is far superior. Brie Larson delivered one of the best performances of the year, and the best of her career. The fact that she got snubbed for an Oscar just further demonstrates the absurdity and diminishing relevance of The Oscars. She deserved to be recognized, as did the movie itself. I've never heard of director Destin Cretton before, but he is now definitely on my radar. I have never been a huge fan of shaky-cam, but Cretton utilizes it extremely well and creates an incredible depth and realism that is absent in most of contemporary cinema. 

Not only her performance astounded me, but the whole cast was exceptional. From John Gallagher Jr., to all the kids in the facility, everyone did a phenomenal job. The direction was great, the acting was astounding and hauntingly realistic. All of these aspects of film are extremely important, but even with the best acting and directing in the world, a film still has the potential of failing if the writing is bad. Luckily, Short Term 12 is not poorly written. In fact, it may have one of the most developed and engaging screenplays of the year. All of the characters are amazingly realistic, and Destin Cretton did a great job at portraying these tragic characters in an honest, not ham-fisted way. Overall, every aspect of this film was excellent; the actors, the writing, the directing, the camera movement, even the film's final shot was brilliant. In an era of films in which style is valued over substance, it's refreshing to witness a movie this honest and real. Hollywood, take note- this is how I movie should be made. Final Rating: A

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Movie Review

Peter Jackson reclaims my faith in him in this fun, well-paced film far superior to the original. 

Peter Jackson is back! You have no idea how great it is to say that. After failures like The Lovely Bones and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Disappoint-sorry, "Journey", one of my favorite directors is back at the top of his game. Jackson takes us back to Middle Earth in this exciting adventure. Martin Freeman reprises his role as the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and Sir Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, both characters continue their quest to reclaim Erebor. I won't sugar-coat it, the first Hobbit movie was not what I expected. Seeing as how the Lord of the Rings trilogy remains to be some of my favorite movies ever, I had high hopes for my return to Middle Earth. I hadn't read the Hobbit book, and I was, and still am, a bit concerned about the fact that they extended it into a trilogy. Lord of the Rings is a 3-book series at 400 pages a piece, and the Hobbit is one book with 300 pages. You don't make that book into a trilogy. Because of this, the first movie is incredible boring. It took a very long time for the plot to kick in, the effects were embarrassingly bad on occasion, and it made me worry Peter Jackson has lost his touch. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is what I really wanted An Unexpected Journey to be. It was really well written, well paced, and I've come to the conclusion that Martin Freeman is the perfect actor to play Bilbo. However, the effect were still a bit disappointing. There is one scene in particular involving the Necromancer and Gandalf that would make one shake one's head in disbelief. However, such a disappointment in effects can be easily forgiven by the inclusion of the dragon towards the end, Smaug. Voiced by the talented Benedict Cumberbatch, the dragon Smaug is what really makes this movie great. The effects were outstanding and the dragon himself was well-written. He was frightening, menacing, smart, and extremely intimidating. Overall, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug improves upon all the things that were disappointing about the first Hobbit film. The writing and pacing was better, the acting was good, and the dragon was perfectly done. There were a few scenes that included some truly terrible special effects, but the scenes of great fun and action make up for it and

then some. Final Rating: B+

American Hustle Movie Review

Complex, Silly, and very, very 70's. 

From director David O'Russell, the mind behind Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, comes perhaps his greatest achievement yet. American Hustle brings together the main cast of O'Russell's last two films, including Christian Bale and Amy Adams (The Fighter), and Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook). The film revolves around con man Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) and his partner in crime Sydney Porter (Adams) as they are forced into working with deranged FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper). DiMaso's main intention in assembling this con team is to take down corrupt politicians and powerbrokers, starting with passionate and honorable New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito. The casting for this movie is brilliant, all of these excellent actors are at the top of their game. Bale has once again disappeared into his character and delivered a completely convincing performance. Amy Adams once again convinces me of her incredible talent, and Bradley Cooper really sells it as the unhinged FBI agent. Not only were the extremely talented leads brilliant, but even the supporting cast. For instance, Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence as Rosenfeld's insane wife, Rosalyn. She and director David O'Russell have proven to be a very talented movie duo, and Lawrence gives a performance almost as awe-inspiring as her Oscar-Winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook. While Lawrence's performance was definitely a scene-stealing one, I feel like it was the cameo performance of legend Robert De Niro that was really show-stopping. De Niro hasn't had the best cinematic luck lately, so I'm glad to see him work with O'Russell after working on Silver Linings Playbook. Hustle definitely had a Scorsese-esque/Goodfellas feeling to it, and his appearance only elevates that. While the acting was top-notch from every single cast member, I think the direction and writing are what really make this film. I read that O'Russell let the actors have a lot of room to improvise, and you can really feel it through the realistic, but unbalanced, tone the film expresses. 

That writing/directing decision is what made the movie what it is. Now, that's not necessarily a good thing. While the improvisation did make the feature feel more realistic, it also made it, like I just stated, very unbalanced. The plot slows down, speeds up, and then slows down again seemingly at random. Plot and structure are very important to a movie, while I do appreciate a good character-driven film, consistency is very important. It's hard for a movie which has such inconsistent characters to be character-driven. The story behind this movie is a fascinating one, and perhaps deserved to be told in a more procedural, structured fashion. But to David O'Russell, plot doesn't matter, characters are what matter. Once one understands that is the film's real intention, the final product can be appreciated more. Overall, American Hustle's tone is a bit unstable and deranged, but so are the characters O'Russell has created. All the actors do a great job in their roles, and keep you entertained for most of the two hour run time.. Final Rating: B

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

Slavery's Schindler's List, and deserving of all the appreciation and praise. 

From Steve McQueen, director of one-word, underrated masterpieces such as Hunger and Shame, comes this slavery epic starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender. The film follows Solomon Northup, a free man living with his family in New York, after he is tricked, kidnapped, and then sold into slavery. For 12 years he was degraded and tortured- both physically and mentally. His terrifying journey begins with working for Master Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), a kind slave owner; as kind as a slave holder can be. Solomon's journey then leads to him to owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), a crazed, overly-relegious, cruel owner. Solomon must muster up all the strength he has and never give up hope, for if he surrenders and accepts the position he is in, even if he survives he will never live. Back in 1993, Steven Spielberg directed the cinematic masterpiece Schindler's List. The incredible film took an unflinching look at the Holocaust and the sheer brutality of the Nazis. The film took home 7 Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Film of the Year. Since then, many movies have taken a realistic, terrifying look at the Holocaust; for instance, The Boy with the Stripped Pajamas and Inglourious Bastards. However, no Holocaust film has lived up to the unwavering storytelling of Schindler's List. 12 Years a Slave is not about the Holocaust, but it's aggressive look at slavery is just as awe-inspiring. I have been somewhat of a fan of director Steven McQueen for a while now, even since I experienced Hunger. His directing is unlike anything I've ever seen, the stillness and steadiness of some of his movies is hauntingly beautiful. 

The best thing about McQueen is that he can really get amazing, realistic performances from his actors. From the extremely underrated Chiwetel Ejiofor, to a cameo performance from Brad Pitt, the ensemble in this film was phenomenal. Everyone had an important part to play and everyone did an outstanding job, particularly Ejiofor. Before watching this movie, I had quite the conundrum when it came to who should win best actor. Tom Hanks did an amazing job as Captain Phillips in Captain Phillips, it looked like Matthew Mcaughnahy is continuing his incredible career improvement in Dallas Buyer's Club, and I'm one of those people who thinks it's absolutely ridiculous that Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't won an Academy Award yet, so I was hoping for the best with The Wolf of Wallstreet. I had no idea who should win, now I do. Chiwetel's performance as Solomon Northup was undoubtedly the best this whole year. He is incredibly powerful and sympathetic, and he makes you hope and pray the character will survive this horrific ordeal. The amount of fear and turmoil he can convey with just a single look is mesmerizing. And I highly doubt he is the only actor who will bring home the golden statue for this movie. Michael Fassbender, playing the ruthless Edwin Epps, also delivers one of the best performances this year.

He has some competition with Jared Leto in Dallas Buyer's Club, but his chances are still pretty good. He's a villan who lacks any sort of redemption, much like Ralph Fienne's performance in Schindler's List. His purpose in the movie is for the audience to hate and despise him, and it's safe to say they achieved their objective. Then there is novice actress Lupita Nyong'o, playing Patesy, a slave on the Epps plantation that Edwin has an attraction towards. Her performance, even though she only shows up half way through the movie, is one of the most memorable. Every single actor did an astonishing job, and they all deserve to be recognized for it. Then we get to the writing, one of the most crucial parts of any motion picture. At first, when I heard that the screenwriter was going to be the same writer of Red Tails and Undercover Brother, I was terrified. Both films were terribly written and it would be unfortunate for a movie with this amount of potential to fall apart due to an inconsistent script. Luckily, the writing was superb as well. The characters were well fleshed out and the pacing was hauntingly realistic. Solomon Northup's true story is an incredible one full of courage and strength, it's nice to see the film adaptation does it justice. Overall, 12 Years A Slave is the quintessential slavery epic. Thanks to Steve McQueen's harrowing, realistic direction, the lead actor's powerful and heart wrenching performance, 12 Years A Slave is, without a doubt, the most incredible film of 2013, and one of the best ever made. It's fair to say it more than deserves such a prestigous title. Final Rating: A

Thor: The Dark World Movie Review

Nothing new, which isn't such a bad thing.

Thor returns to the big screen after the events that occurred in The Avengers. It starts with Loki back home, preparing to face Asgardian justice for the crimes he committed in New York. Now, Thor is faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, so he now must embark on his most dangerous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all. Thor: The Dark World is the second feature film of Phase Two in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following Iron Man 3. The entire original main cast of the original reprise their roles, including Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins. There are also some new cast members, like former-Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston. The cast aren't the only new additions to the movie. With director Kenneth Branagh (5-time Oscar Nominee famous for great Shakespearean adaptations such as Hamlet and Henry V) no longer in the the director's chair, it's Alan Taylor (famous for his work on popular shows such as Game of Thrones and The Sopranos) who gets behind the camera. At first, this direction change was nerve-racking. Branagh is a tremendous director, and Taylor is primarily a TV-director for hire. Luckily, Taylor didn't screw this up. It may have been the disappointment I had with Iron Man 3, but I really didn't have high expectations for this film. I came to terms with the fact that no Superhero movie, be that DC or Marvel, is going to live up to the Avengers. 

Even though this fact still stands, Thor 2 was a lot better than expected. The action scenes were a lot better than the ones in the original. Even though Alan Taylor is primarily a director for the small screen, nothing about the scale of the action felt small. The biggest down-side to this movie was the comedy. The Avengers was a very funny movie, but it was only funny when the levity was necessary. Thor 2 almost felt like a comedy, but with a lot of great, well-crafted action sequences. If they just would have toned down the humor a bit, the movie could have been a lot better. That, and if they could have improved the plot. The fact is, when we have a cinematic universe that includes something as epic as The Avengers, everything else feels extremely filler. The same happened with the two Iron Man sequels, when you have a movie about an individual Avenger that isn't an origin story, it feels like the only point is to kill time until the next team-up epic. It seems like every action movie nowadays is about the earth being potentially destroyed by some malicious villain and the good guy needs to stop him- which he always does after a CGI-filled 10 minute battle. It's nothing new or groundbreaking when it comes to the concept, it's the execution that really matters. And I'm happy to say that, overall, it is well-executed. The action is still good, the acting and writing were fine, the tone towards the end is a little darker which is appreciated. Overall, it's nothing unprecedented in contemporary cinema, but Thor: The Dark World is filled with enough high-flying action to entertain the masses. Final Rating: B

Breaking Bad Series Review

The Best Drama Series Ever Made.

Breaking Bad follows the events that occur after Walter White, a brilliant yet underachieving chemist, discovers he has lung cancer and has approximately two years to left to live. So, in order to maintain his family's economic well-being after he passes, he chooses to team up with his former chemistry student, Jesse Pinkman, to cook and sell the world's purest crystal meth. Walter White soon learns the accuracy of the proverb "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." There are so many great things to say about Breaking Bad, and one of the few shows out there that I have almost nothing bad to say. The directing, the writing, and especially the acting are all superb. Walter White, played by 3-time Emmy Winner Bryan Cranston, is one of the most brilliantly crafted TV characters of all time.Creator Vince Gilligan has stated plenty of times the the idea that this show would revolve around was taking Mr. Chips (Good-Bye, Mr. Chips), and turning him into Scarface. It's fair to say that transition was completed, and with remarkable realism and gradualness. He goes from being an incredibly shy and scared High School teacher, to becoming the world's best meth cook and savage dealer.

His character isn't the only masterfully crafted one in this show. Jesse Pinkman, played by 2-Time Emmy Award Winner Aaron Paul, is also an incredibly developing, entertaining character. He too undergoes incredible character development; going from stoner, High School drop-out, to becoming one of the most tragic and sympathy-receiving characters in the show. Then we have Skylar, the character hardly anyone has sympathy for. Just to get it out of the way, Skylar is a very annoying character. Actress Anna Gunn does a fantastic job portraying the irritating character, especially in the show's last season. Everyone else in the main cast does there part perfectly, from klepto-purple-obsessed-maniac Marie Shrader and her husband, ASAC Hank Shrader, to other great supporting characters like goofy criminal lawyer Saul Goodman and Mike Ehrmantraut played by the incredibly talented Jonathan Banks. However, with the exception of Cranston and Paul, it was Giancarlo Esposito, playing Gustavo Fring, that shined the most.

As seen in the clip, Gus is pretty awesome. Esposito's performance as Gus delivers on so many levels; making Gus one of the most menacing and well-written antagonist in both TV and film. Writing was another great thing about this show. Not just are the characters extremely well-written, but there are so many jaw-dropping moments in this series that you are always sitting at the edge of your seat. Unpredictability made this show the suspense juggernaut it is today, the truly amazing show it is today. I've seen so many shows in my life and have loved so many as well. However, no show made me fell the way Breaking Bad did. The acting was perfect and realistic, especially from Bryan Cranston. His emotional powerhouse performance every episode was extraordinary, making him one of the best actors in television, and rightfully so. Everything in this show was perfectly executed and put together. Those who have not seen this show have no idea what they are missing. Breaking Bad is the best drama TV show ever. Final Rating- A+