2015 was a banner year for Hollywood as Jurassic World and The Force Awakens have shattered previous box office records and were met with satisfaction from critics. It was also the year where sequels dominated the big screen. Now there were some original movies out that were getting critical acclaim but it was the sequels we were most excited to see. So now join me if you will in counting down my top 15 favorite films of 2015.
#15. The Walk
This film runs the gambit of being a heist movie, a bio-pic and a love letter to the World Trade Center. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is one of my favorite actors and he does a wonderful job of playing the tight rope walking daredevil Philippe Petit. The 3D for this movie is some of the most breathtaking 3D you will see in theaters and I'm glad I saw this movie in IMAX 3D. One standout performance is Charlotte Le Bon as she plays the girlfriend of Levitt's character. You feel for this character and what she is going through. Someone she loves is going to walk on a thin wire between two tall buildings with no net. It's a testament of trust when you see how calm she is given this information. But as a whole the film is a good watch and Levitt gives another good performance. But this will be one of many bio-pics on this list so be prepared.
#14. Avengers: Age of Ultron
What can I say, the Marvel movies are just fun. I love seeing the characters interact with each other and the action as well as character development is amped up for this movie. James Spader does a great job as Ultron, a robot computer that believes the only way to save humanity is by wiping it out. Does it live up to the hype as a sequel to the massively successful Marvel's The Avengers, in a way yes. We get more of what we want but we get some things that we did not need like the Romanoff twins and their oddly absent magnetic father (PLEASE FOX GIVE MARVEL X-MEN AND FANTASTIC FOUR!) and the Hulk/Black Widow romance. Now I like those things but when you get down to it, we got nothing new from this sequel but to follow up one of the biggest comic book movies of all time is a job very few could do and Joss Whedon gives it his all. For what we got, a surprisingly good sequel that gives us more knowledge of the characters and action, it makes my list
#13. The Hateful Eight
Being a Tarantino fan, I could not wait for this to come out and like most people I wanted to see it in 70mm, the way Tarantino wants it to be seen. And while I haven't seen its non 70mm counterpart, I can guess what got cut to see the difference. But as a whole The Hateful Eight is another enjoyable Tarantino film with sharp dialogue and interesting characters. That being said, the film kind of falls apart logic wise near the end but if you're willing to roll with it you should be fine. It is a Tarantino film so expect graphic violence and if that's not your thing I understand but you're missing out on an interesting movie. It's another Tarantino movie guaranteed to entertain you from beginning to end if you love the Tarantino style.
#12. Straight Outta Compton
Coming into this film having very little knowledge of N.W.A. or their music, I have to say this was a pretty good film. Now that being said you have to like rap and have a knowledge of rap's culture. It gives us a look at how the group came together, created their music and shows us their eventual break up and influences on future rap stars. It's a very interesting look at the rap genre, set during a time when rap was viewed as criminal. The performances in this movie our outstanding as you believe you are seeing the members of N.W.A. in their prime, going so far as to have Ice Cube's son playing a younger version of him. The movie can focus a little to much on Dr. Dre near the end but you get to know most of the group pretty well. These guys were not always gangsters and criminals, they were artists looking for a way out of the hood. Heck, Ice Cube has become one of America's beloved funny men as he gives good performances in his comedies. But getting back to the movie, it is an interesting look at one of America's most "dangerous" group in music and it also gives the audience insight to how rap works.
#11. Bridge of Spies
We got a lot of good bio-pics this year and I put this one over my #12 pick because I found this one to be a bit more interesting. Tom Hanks plays James Donovan who is a lawyer who must defend a supposed Russian Spy during the height of the Red Scare. He ends up having to negotiate a prisoner exchange involving two captured Americans, both stuck on different sides of the Iron Curtain, and his client. I like James Donavan as a person and as a negotiator as he has to get both the Soviets and Germans to work together in a way in order to make sure the Americans are set free. Donovan, having to defend an accused soviet even though soviet's are despised in America, says a lot about him both as a person and a character. It says that no matter if he is guilty of being a spy or not, he should be given a trial like a normal citizen and that says a lot in this day and age given all that is going on in the world of law. All in all, the movie gives us a look nat a side of the Cold War we have never seen, that being the politics behind both sides of the Iron Curtain.
#10. Steve Jobs
This movie sat for a long time in development hell given that actors like Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio were slated to play the Apple CEO but they ended up leaving the project. It was when Michael Fassbender decided to play Jobs was when the film could start production. With all the production problems it is amazing the film turned out as well as it did. It feels really good to have a good Steve Jobs movie after the catastrophe that was the Ashton Kutcher Jobs movie. Where in the Kutcher movie played up the "Jobs is a god amongst men" thing, Aaron Sorkin gave us a look at a side of Steve Jobs people haven't seen or choose to ignore. That being the arrogant side of Jobs, the side that almost lost him his daughter's love and actually did lose him his spot in the company he created. Steve Jobs is a terrible person throughout most of the movie as he bosses around his assistant and ignores the woman who is mothering his daughter, you just want to punch the man sometimes he's that horrible. But eventually Jobs arc from arrogant tech business man to the man we knew before he dies actually begins at the end of the movie after he thinks up the idea for the IPod after being annoyed by his daughter's Walkman. It really is a side of Jobs most people need to see in order to understand the man behind the tech giant Apple.
#9. The Martian
I did not read the novel this movie was based on so I was going in with a blank slate. What had me most concerned was Ridley Scott as a director. Now don't get me wrong he has done good work in the past but lately it has been hit and miss with the man. Thankfully, the movie really works with Ridley Scott. It's a Cast Away in space kind of story as Matt Damon plays astronaut Mark Watney who is stranded on the desert planet of Mars and its up to NASA and Watney's team of fellow astronauts to help him get off Mars and back to Earth. You some surprisingly good performances from Jeff Daniels, Kate Mara and especially Donald Glover. The effects used to make it look like Matt Damon is on Mars show how far Hollywood has come in the effects division. It's both a welcoming return for Ridley Scott and a confirmation that Matt Damon can carry a serious movie.
#8. Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation
Safe to say that Mission Impossible finally had a win over the James Bond franchise as I found this to be more entertaining than the lackluster but decent Spectre. The action in this movie felt a lot larger than the last Bond movie and we're given a lot more time with Simon Pegg's character and I can say it worked for the better. I will admit again, like #10, things can get complicated story wise near the end as there is a lot of double crossing near the end and it can get confusing for some people but all in all it's a fun ride.
#7. Ant Man
This movie probably caused the most fear in Marvel movie fans. For one, its original director Edgar Wright left the project due to creative differences, a trend that has been happening with Marvel movies recently, and when one of the most beloved comedy directors leaves your project, people will worry. Not only that, but the general public was not familiar with the Ant Man character and how do you bring a character like Ant Man to the screen. Again, Marvel proved the doubters wrong as the Peyton Reed directed movie proved to be another success story for Marvel. Paul Rudd is great as Scott Lang, the second Ant Man after Pym, and Michael Douglas and Evangaline Lilly do a great job as the Pym family who are going through some family drama. The scenes where we see the Ant Man suit are fun and entertaining, and the fight scenes in this movie are also very unique. It's up there with Guardians of the Galaxy as one of the more fun Marvel movies.
#6. Kingsman: The Secret Service
This was the real winner of the spy movie battle of 2015. This movie was just a blast from beginning to end, the fight scene in the church is stuff of legends and give that this came out around the time a lot of bad forgettable movies come out, this was a breath of fresh air.
#5. Spotlight
As drama's go this would be my pick for best picture as the story deals with a group of reporters lead by Michael Keaton that are trying to uncover a conspiracy in the catholic church dealing with priests accused of molesting children. The movie can get dark as this is a subject matter that is hard to make pleasant to sit through. The church is portrayed as this mafia kind of organization that does not want these records to be made public. Add on that the report will be coming after the events of 9/11 and your sitting their wondering how these reporters managed to pull this off. What makes the movie great is the reaction of the reporters as they go deep into the conspiracy. These people were raised in a catholic environment and to hear about the horrible things going on in the church must be a death blow to them. One reporter especially has a house for reformed priest living nearly a block away from him and his children. That is something scary.
#4. Sicario
Not going to lie, I was on the edge of my seat every time Benecio Del Torro was on screen. The man just had a presence to him in this movie that was down right frightening. I'm surprised he hasn't been nominated for any awards yet because this some of the scariest acting I have seen. You feel every time you see this man something bad will happen, and it usually does. The dinner scene especially is one you are just not ready for when it happens. This is probably scarier than most horror movies released in 2015.
#3. Inside Out
This is probably one of the best Disney films I have seen and its only been a few months since it came out. It does such a good job with a used premise that you feel like you're seeing it for the first time. The characters are great, the morals are unique for a Disney film and the humor is really good as well. There's not much else I can say about this, its a damn good Disney movie.
#2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The amount of hype behind this project was insurmountable. It was every where and let me tell you the hype was well worth it. After years of horrible prequels it feels good to have a likeable Star Wars product, and this had nothing to do George Lucas. It's a critic proof movie and it is one that fans and casual movie goers will love.
#1. Mad Max: Fury Road
There is a point in one's life where you get to be part of a moment that will change the business, Fury Road is that change. This movie will inspire directors of today and tomorrow on how to make an action movie. I will not be surprised if I see copiers of this style of filmmaking but it will never hold up to the people who were behind it. This is a sequel that took twenty years to make due to script issues and actors going crazy. But in that time a masterpiece was made and it is something everyone should see at least once in their life.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
The Hateful Eight Roadshow in GLORIOUS 70mm Review
Quentin Tarantino is back with his latest film The Hateful Eight and in true Tarantino fashion, he had to do it in his own unique way. The 8th film from Tarantino, The Hateful Eight was filmed in Ultra Panavision 70, which captures the largest aspect ratio in film and has a wider and more detailed image. However, this type of film has been dormant for many years as digital filming has been the norm. The last films to use this type of technology were Ben-Hur and Battle of the Bulge era type movies. And that's not the only thing Tarantino is blowing the dust off of. Tarantino enlisted Academy Award winning composer Ennio Morricone, who is responsible for the music behind classic western movies like Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The Hateful Eight marks the return for Morricone after 40 years of not composing a Western movie.
I bring all this up because this movie oozes Tarantino, and for me that's a good thing. The story has the feel of Clue but in a western movie written by Tarantino. Kurt Russell plays John "The Hangman" Ruth, a bounty hunter returning to the town of Red Rock intending to cash in on the $10,000 bounty placed on his prisoner Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Domergue is wanted for murder and after Ruth captures her he encounters Major Marquis Warren, a former union soldier with a mysterious and controversial past played by Tarantino usual Samuel L. Jackson. Warren needs a ride back to town so he can retrieve the bounty for three men he has killed. Almost minutes after picking up Warren the group encounters Chris Mannix, the supposed new sheriff of Red Rock and former patriot of the confederacy, played by Walton Goggins. From there the group is caught in a blizzard and forced to take shelter in Minnie's Haberdashery. It is there we meet four more characters: Bob, a Mexican help played by Demian Bichir, Oswaldo Mobray, the supposed hangman of Red Rock played by Tarantino alumnus Tim Roth, Joe Gage, a cow puncher played by Tarantino alumnus Michael Madsen, and Sandy Smithers, a Confederate General played by Bruce Dern. Ruth has a suspicion that someone in the haberdashery is working with Daisy and plans on killing Ruth and everyone else in order to see that Daisy goes free.
From there, tensions build and secrets are revealed all in classic Tarantino fashion. Now, there are two ways to see the film. One is to see the regular release of the film on digital and the other is to see the Roadshow version, where you get the 70mm version of the movie and is the one I saw. The Roadshow is one of the most unique things in recent movie going experience next to IMAX. It follows the style of the old Roadshow movies back in the days. You get a program there is an intermission in between acts and an overture to start the movie. Tarantino has been vocal in saying that the best way to see the movie is to see it in 70mm and I have to agree with the man. The intermission in the middle is much needed as the ending to the first act leaves you wondering what will happen next. The movie is filled with sharp Tarantino dialogue and his unique form of violence. Seriously, this movie gets bloody towards the end. It's a hard R for sure as (SPOILER ALERT!) Warren marches one of his enemies out in the snow fully naked. It's not something to watch with the folks.
But how does it compare to Tarantino's last Western Django Unchained? Hateful Eight and Django tell vastly different stories for westerns so it all comes down to which story you prefer. Do you prefer a story where eight interesting characters are stuck in one location and must figure out who is not who they say they are or will you prefer the story about a former slave getting revenge on the white men that have his wife. Reading the premises I would have to say Django has the biggest draw for casual viewers in term of an interesting premise but Hateful Eight has good drama and tension, especially in its second act that makes it stand out.
I have yet to be disappointed by a Tarantino film and Hateful Eight reminds me why. Tarantino has this way of making the smallest conversations interesting and giving us interesting interpretations of old school movies. As a Tarantino fan, I like the movie but for every movie there are critics. If you are opposed to Tarantino's style of violence I would leave the theater when the second act starts as that is when everything hits the fan. Also if you are one of those foolish parents that believe that taking their child to an R rated movie is something a "responsible" parent would do I am going to remind you that there is a scene where you can clearly see a fully exposed man and Samuel L. Jackson's character describes the horrible thing he makes that man do before he kills him. This is not a movie to see with mom and dad but rather friends or other Tarantino fans. For me I enjoyed this movie and all of its 70mm glory. If you plan on seeing the movie, the Roadshow is the way to go as you're seeing the way Tarantino wants it to be seen but if you can't give it a look if you like his work.
Grade: A
I bring all this up because this movie oozes Tarantino, and for me that's a good thing. The story has the feel of Clue but in a western movie written by Tarantino. Kurt Russell plays John "The Hangman" Ruth, a bounty hunter returning to the town of Red Rock intending to cash in on the $10,000 bounty placed on his prisoner Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Domergue is wanted for murder and after Ruth captures her he encounters Major Marquis Warren, a former union soldier with a mysterious and controversial past played by Tarantino usual Samuel L. Jackson. Warren needs a ride back to town so he can retrieve the bounty for three men he has killed. Almost minutes after picking up Warren the group encounters Chris Mannix, the supposed new sheriff of Red Rock and former patriot of the confederacy, played by Walton Goggins. From there the group is caught in a blizzard and forced to take shelter in Minnie's Haberdashery. It is there we meet four more characters: Bob, a Mexican help played by Demian Bichir, Oswaldo Mobray, the supposed hangman of Red Rock played by Tarantino alumnus Tim Roth, Joe Gage, a cow puncher played by Tarantino alumnus Michael Madsen, and Sandy Smithers, a Confederate General played by Bruce Dern. Ruth has a suspicion that someone in the haberdashery is working with Daisy and plans on killing Ruth and everyone else in order to see that Daisy goes free.
From there, tensions build and secrets are revealed all in classic Tarantino fashion. Now, there are two ways to see the film. One is to see the regular release of the film on digital and the other is to see the Roadshow version, where you get the 70mm version of the movie and is the one I saw. The Roadshow is one of the most unique things in recent movie going experience next to IMAX. It follows the style of the old Roadshow movies back in the days. You get a program there is an intermission in between acts and an overture to start the movie. Tarantino has been vocal in saying that the best way to see the movie is to see it in 70mm and I have to agree with the man. The intermission in the middle is much needed as the ending to the first act leaves you wondering what will happen next. The movie is filled with sharp Tarantino dialogue and his unique form of violence. Seriously, this movie gets bloody towards the end. It's a hard R for sure as (SPOILER ALERT!) Warren marches one of his enemies out in the snow fully naked. It's not something to watch with the folks.
But how does it compare to Tarantino's last Western Django Unchained? Hateful Eight and Django tell vastly different stories for westerns so it all comes down to which story you prefer. Do you prefer a story where eight interesting characters are stuck in one location and must figure out who is not who they say they are or will you prefer the story about a former slave getting revenge on the white men that have his wife. Reading the premises I would have to say Django has the biggest draw for casual viewers in term of an interesting premise but Hateful Eight has good drama and tension, especially in its second act that makes it stand out.
I have yet to be disappointed by a Tarantino film and Hateful Eight reminds me why. Tarantino has this way of making the smallest conversations interesting and giving us interesting interpretations of old school movies. As a Tarantino fan, I like the movie but for every movie there are critics. If you are opposed to Tarantino's style of violence I would leave the theater when the second act starts as that is when everything hits the fan. Also if you are one of those foolish parents that believe that taking their child to an R rated movie is something a "responsible" parent would do I am going to remind you that there is a scene where you can clearly see a fully exposed man and Samuel L. Jackson's character describes the horrible thing he makes that man do before he kills him. This is not a movie to see with mom and dad but rather friends or other Tarantino fans. For me I enjoyed this movie and all of its 70mm glory. If you plan on seeing the movie, the Roadshow is the way to go as you're seeing the way Tarantino wants it to be seen but if you can't give it a look if you like his work.
Grade: A
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Spotlight Review
Who knew all it would take to bring down a conspiracy was the Hulk and Batman teaming up. This is going to be my only joke about this movie because Spotlight takes a look at a subject matter that is very serious to a lot of people. The movie is about reporters uncovering a conspiracy that involves catholic priests sexually molesting children. It is a touch subject matter that is hard to watch, especially those who may consider themselves to be members of the catholic church. It shows men who have sexually assaulted many children not going to jail and simply being put on probation simply because no one wants to face the wrath of the catholic church.
We see how the actions of the priests affected the children as we meet those who have been haunted by it since it happened. One victim's story is horrifying in particular as not only he was being molested by his priest but also dealing with homosexuality. Imagine being that child, going through such a weird time in your life and having your first homosexual experience be by molestation by someone you trust, it's just sickening.
The catholic church come off as the mafia as they are burying secrets and making sure no one is to be told about the multiple priests. This is why I say the movie is not for all people. This kind of stuff can destroy a persons faith. For something most people consider to be a large part of their life and to be told that followers of that are doing something so sickening like molesting children and getting away with it can make someone re evaluate their beliefs. And all of this coming after the September 11th attacks. At a time when people needed faith the most, too hear that priests were molesting children was something the world and especially America was not ready to face. But with the victims of these priests suffering for as long as they have been, their stories needed to be heard and unfortunately it came during a time when faith in a higher power was what most Americans were looking for.
It should be stated that the reporters in this are not god hating atheists, but reporters who came across something huge. Most of the reporters were active in their churches but stopped because of work. There is an absolutely great scene with Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams as they talk about their childhood and how they see the church in a different way because of their reporting. You get to see these reporters, who grew up in a catholic environment, discover something that has been going on under their noses and how they react to it. John Slattery's character finds out that one the homes in his neighborhood is for recovering priests and immediately warns his children about it and loses sleep knowing that only a few feet from his house are the very people he is reporting on. It's just a chilling thing to know.
Spotlight not only shows us how a large conspiracy like this can affect everyone involved but shows that ignorance is a double-edged sword. Having to much of it is what caused the discovery of the priests to take so long and too little of it can haunt you for days on end. Everyone involved gives an Academy Award performance. If this comes back into theaters around award season, I would highly give it a look.
Grade: A+
We see how the actions of the priests affected the children as we meet those who have been haunted by it since it happened. One victim's story is horrifying in particular as not only he was being molested by his priest but also dealing with homosexuality. Imagine being that child, going through such a weird time in your life and having your first homosexual experience be by molestation by someone you trust, it's just sickening.
The catholic church come off as the mafia as they are burying secrets and making sure no one is to be told about the multiple priests. This is why I say the movie is not for all people. This kind of stuff can destroy a persons faith. For something most people consider to be a large part of their life and to be told that followers of that are doing something so sickening like molesting children and getting away with it can make someone re evaluate their beliefs. And all of this coming after the September 11th attacks. At a time when people needed faith the most, too hear that priests were molesting children was something the world and especially America was not ready to face. But with the victims of these priests suffering for as long as they have been, their stories needed to be heard and unfortunately it came during a time when faith in a higher power was what most Americans were looking for.
It should be stated that the reporters in this are not god hating atheists, but reporters who came across something huge. Most of the reporters were active in their churches but stopped because of work. There is an absolutely great scene with Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams as they talk about their childhood and how they see the church in a different way because of their reporting. You get to see these reporters, who grew up in a catholic environment, discover something that has been going on under their noses and how they react to it. John Slattery's character finds out that one the homes in his neighborhood is for recovering priests and immediately warns his children about it and loses sleep knowing that only a few feet from his house are the very people he is reporting on. It's just a chilling thing to know.
Spotlight not only shows us how a large conspiracy like this can affect everyone involved but shows that ignorance is a double-edged sword. Having to much of it is what caused the discovery of the priests to take so long and too little of it can haunt you for days on end. Everyone involved gives an Academy Award performance. If this comes back into theaters around award season, I would highly give it a look.
Grade: A+
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review
In October 2012, George Lucas revealed that he sold his production company, Lucasfilm, as well as the Star Wars franchise to The Walt Disney Company. It was also in that month that the world was made aware that sequels to the original trilogy would be made, this time under the guidance of the Disney company. This sent of wild speculations of how much Lucas would be involved given the negative reaction to the prequel trilogy, would there be original story or the one Lucas created, who would direct and most importantly, would the original cast return?
Over the next few years we got our answers. In January of 2013, Star Trek reboot director JJ Abrams was announced as the director of the next Star Wars movie. Over the next couple of months new writers were brought on for the script and the world was told that the saga would continue in December of 2015. But it was not until 2014 that it was revealed that Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill would return to their roles as Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. But we were not only going to be getting the original characters back, but also some new ones. Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Adam Driver were cast as completely new characters in the Star Wars universe.
From there it was back to speculation for fans. Until November 28, 2014 when the first teaser dropped online. It was only 90 seconds but still, it was the first footage of the movie, a movie coming out in only a year. After that, Abrams released images of mock trading cards that revealed the names of the new characters, those being Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Then we got the second trailer in April of 2015 that blew every fan away. From there it was media coverage and a HUGE mass marketing until the date of December 18th, 2015 , the release date of the movie.
I've brought all this up to remind everyone of how much this movie was built up. For 3 years we waited in anticipation for clips, images and any source of information regarding the movie. And was all the build up worth it? Yes, yes it was. Star Wars: The Force Awakens recaptures the spirit of the franchise that was lost in the prequels. No more boring political drama, no more stiff acting, no more hokey dialogue and especially no more dumb Jar Jar humor. This is the movie fans have been hoping for. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Force Awakens takes place 30 years after the demise of Darth Vader and the Empire. Luke Skywalker has vanished and the rebels, now called the Resistance, as well as The First Order, a new version of the Empire, are looking for him as he is now the last Jedi in the galaxy. Leading The First Order is the ominous Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren is what fans wanted out of Anakin Skywalker, someone who is being torn apart by both sides of the force and ultimately giving in to the fear and anger that is the dark side. He discovers from Poe Dameron that the map to Skywalker is in a droid, BB-8 who serves as our R2-D2. At the same time stormtrooper FN-2187 is having a moment of realization that he should not be with the First Order, and Ren feels it in him. He helps Poe escape the torture of Ren as Poe gives him the name Finn.
The escape and crash land on the desert planet Jakku, which is home to Daisy Ridley's character Rey. Rey is arguably my favorite character in the movie next to Finn. Her past is a mystery but is one that may be pieced together through her journey and she is a strong and bold female lead that can lead a massive franchise such as this one. There have been those who say she is a Mary Sue character (a female who is so perfect she is annoying) but I feel that those critiques are not warranted. She's good because she knows what she is doing. As a scavenger she has been in an Imperial ship many times to the point she knows how they work and thus she would know how to fly a ship. Also, when it is revealed she has the force, she doesn't immediately move objects with her mind but use the Jedi mind trick to get free and to guide her in battle. She is new to the force and is not fully aware of her strength.
After meeting Rey, it becomes a race to get the map to Skywalker to the Resistance and blow up The First Order's Starkiller base, which is so freaking huge it makes the death star seem tiny by comparison. Now a lot of critics have pointed out the film mirrors the story of A New Hope, the first film released but the forth in the story. And yeah, it does but A New Hope when you get down to it, is a basic hero's journey story. What makes it work here and in the first movie is the characters. We want to see Rey and Finn make it because we care about them, something we didn't when it came to the prequels. Good characters can give an old story new life.
Speaking of new life, practical effects are back and they are a welcoming site from the CGI heavy prequels. Yes CGI can make glorious looking worlds but sometimes we need to see that what's there is really there. There is CGI in the movie and the most notable are the characters of Supreme Leader Snoke, played excellently by motion capture expert Andy Serkis, and Maz Kanata, played by Lupita Nyong'o. They're not bad looking by no means but they stand out in a mostly practical effect heavy movie.
While the movie mirrors a lot of the plot of the first movie and even some story points from Empire Strikes Back, The Force Awakens is the kick in the pants Star Wars needed after the lackluster prequels. We see what our old favorite characters are up to but it also gives us great new characters to adventure with. The movie is sure to please fans and casual movie goers a like. Now with all that said is the most perfect movie of the year? No, it has a lot of unexplained plot holes and continuity errors out the wazoo, but as a Star Wars movie The Force Awakens is a fun movie going experience that must been seen in glorious IMAX 3D in order to appreciate what the fandom is getting after years of disappointment.
Grade: A-
Over the next few years we got our answers. In January of 2013, Star Trek reboot director JJ Abrams was announced as the director of the next Star Wars movie. Over the next couple of months new writers were brought on for the script and the world was told that the saga would continue in December of 2015. But it was not until 2014 that it was revealed that Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill would return to their roles as Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. But we were not only going to be getting the original characters back, but also some new ones. Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Adam Driver were cast as completely new characters in the Star Wars universe.
From there it was back to speculation for fans. Until November 28, 2014 when the first teaser dropped online. It was only 90 seconds but still, it was the first footage of the movie, a movie coming out in only a year. After that, Abrams released images of mock trading cards that revealed the names of the new characters, those being Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Then we got the second trailer in April of 2015 that blew every fan away. From there it was media coverage and a HUGE mass marketing until the date of December 18th, 2015 , the release date of the movie.
I've brought all this up to remind everyone of how much this movie was built up. For 3 years we waited in anticipation for clips, images and any source of information regarding the movie. And was all the build up worth it? Yes, yes it was. Star Wars: The Force Awakens recaptures the spirit of the franchise that was lost in the prequels. No more boring political drama, no more stiff acting, no more hokey dialogue and especially no more dumb Jar Jar humor. This is the movie fans have been hoping for. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Force Awakens takes place 30 years after the demise of Darth Vader and the Empire. Luke Skywalker has vanished and the rebels, now called the Resistance, as well as The First Order, a new version of the Empire, are looking for him as he is now the last Jedi in the galaxy. Leading The First Order is the ominous Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren is what fans wanted out of Anakin Skywalker, someone who is being torn apart by both sides of the force and ultimately giving in to the fear and anger that is the dark side. He discovers from Poe Dameron that the map to Skywalker is in a droid, BB-8 who serves as our R2-D2. At the same time stormtrooper FN-2187 is having a moment of realization that he should not be with the First Order, and Ren feels it in him. He helps Poe escape the torture of Ren as Poe gives him the name Finn.
The escape and crash land on the desert planet Jakku, which is home to Daisy Ridley's character Rey. Rey is arguably my favorite character in the movie next to Finn. Her past is a mystery but is one that may be pieced together through her journey and she is a strong and bold female lead that can lead a massive franchise such as this one. There have been those who say she is a Mary Sue character (a female who is so perfect she is annoying) but I feel that those critiques are not warranted. She's good because she knows what she is doing. As a scavenger she has been in an Imperial ship many times to the point she knows how they work and thus she would know how to fly a ship. Also, when it is revealed she has the force, she doesn't immediately move objects with her mind but use the Jedi mind trick to get free and to guide her in battle. She is new to the force and is not fully aware of her strength.
After meeting Rey, it becomes a race to get the map to Skywalker to the Resistance and blow up The First Order's Starkiller base, which is so freaking huge it makes the death star seem tiny by comparison. Now a lot of critics have pointed out the film mirrors the story of A New Hope, the first film released but the forth in the story. And yeah, it does but A New Hope when you get down to it, is a basic hero's journey story. What makes it work here and in the first movie is the characters. We want to see Rey and Finn make it because we care about them, something we didn't when it came to the prequels. Good characters can give an old story new life.
Speaking of new life, practical effects are back and they are a welcoming site from the CGI heavy prequels. Yes CGI can make glorious looking worlds but sometimes we need to see that what's there is really there. There is CGI in the movie and the most notable are the characters of Supreme Leader Snoke, played excellently by motion capture expert Andy Serkis, and Maz Kanata, played by Lupita Nyong'o. They're not bad looking by no means but they stand out in a mostly practical effect heavy movie.
While the movie mirrors a lot of the plot of the first movie and even some story points from Empire Strikes Back, The Force Awakens is the kick in the pants Star Wars needed after the lackluster prequels. We see what our old favorite characters are up to but it also gives us great new characters to adventure with. The movie is sure to please fans and casual movie goers a like. Now with all that said is the most perfect movie of the year? No, it has a lot of unexplained plot holes and continuity errors out the wazoo, but as a Star Wars movie The Force Awakens is a fun movie going experience that must been seen in glorious IMAX 3D in order to appreciate what the fandom is getting after years of disappointment.
Grade: A-
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Universal Studios Orlando
Recently I visited the Universal Studios Orlando Resort and I want share my opinions on what the resort has to offer. I'd like to start out by saying that the crowds at the resort were minimum at best. The longest wait for a ride was 70 minute wait but if you took the single rider line it would be at most a 20-30 minute wait. Universal is currently being outperformed by the Disney parks up north because for one, the Disney holiday festivities blow Universal's out of the water. Second, the new Star Wars movie was only less than a week a way at the time I was there and I would guess anyone remotely excited for the movies would be heading out to the Disney parks at this time.
But with all that does Universal measure up to the mouse's Orlando theme park? In a way, kind of. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter puts Universal in close contention with Disney. Universal has always been the alternative to Disney in the theme park game. It has a lot less variety but a lot more attitude in the sense. Look at most of the intellectual properties that are licensed in the parks. Harry Potter, The Simpsons, Despicable Me, Transformers, Jurassic Park, etc. all you can find in a Universal theme park. But in that sense some of the rides may become dated as time goes on. I do not see the Michael Bay Transformers being popular in the distant future and I sure as hell believe that very few people remember the Men in Black movies. Where Disney relies on properties that have proven to be successful over time, Universal is willing to give whatever movie series is popular a ride if they can make one. But what do the parks have to offer, well lets start with Universal Studios.
Universal Studios Orlando is one of two parks of the resort, the other being Islands of Adventure. Some rides you will see immediately when entering the park are Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and Shrek 4D. Minion Mayhem is a motion simulator ride that is child friendly, fun, cute and even a little heart warming. Shrek 4D on the other hand, is none of those things. I understand that some people like the Shrek movies but there was no effort put into this thing. Most of the jokes are pun related and fall flat almost on arrival and by goodness there is way to many Disney jabs. Another ride you will see is Hollywood: Rip, Ride, Rocket. It's a roller coaster with a completely vertical ascension and a twisting loop de loop. But one thing that makes this coaster different is that you can choose what song you want to hear while riding. It's like Rock n' Rollercoaster but this time you can choose what you want to hear.
But the main thing hear is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. Universal has bent over backwards in order to make sure guests feel as though they are apart of the Harry Potter world and let me tell you, they do a fantastic job. From its London exterior to the "hidden" wizard world that stands behind it, Diagon Alley is an impressive feat of theming. From large things like the buildings to small things like having no sodas and only serving English food, you really feel like you have entered into the world of Harry Potter. The main attraction of Diagon Alley is Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringots. A roller coaster/simulator hybrid, Escape From Gringots is a thrilling journey that takes through the faults of the Gringots bank where you meet up with Harry and also the deadly Voldemort. It's a fun and unique ride that if the lines are short enough, should be ridden twice. But Diagon Alley is only one part of the Wizarding World.
Located in Islands of Adventure is Hogsmeade village. Now if you have a park hopper pass, which everyone should, you get to travel between the two locations via the Hogwarts Express train. It's a glorified monorail but the experience that lies on board the train is one you have to see for yourself. Hogsmeade village shares the same impressive theming as Diagon Alley. The Universal designers should be praised for how much effort went into this project. The big rides here are Dragon Challenge, an intense rollercoaster experience I dare not try, Flight of the Hippogriff, a kiddy rollercoaster, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Forbidden Journey is for my money the best ride of the two worlds. Imagine Soarin Over California but on steroids. It's a blend of flight simulator and dark ride that must be seen to be believed. Now be warned, this journey may give a little motion sickness as your ride vehicle does spin you around a lot as my dad can verify. Overall, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must see for Potter fans and theme park lovers. Oh, I forgot to mention the greatness that is Butterbeer. Yeah, it's as good as everyone says it is.
Once your done with Hogsmeade you can explore the rest of Islands of Adventure, which sadly is not much. Yeah there are cool rides like The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman and the Jurassic Park River Adventure, but after those two there really isn't anything else that noteworthy. Seuss Landing is cool for its Seuss look and Lost Continent is okay, its stunt show Eight Voyage of Sinbad is a good relaxing time waster but again there are WAY to many pop cultural references and Poseidon's Fury is nothing special. Bottom line: You should HIGHLY invest in a park hopper pass because if you only do Islands for the day, you may get bored.
Islands sister park Universal has more things to do like Transformers the Ride: 3D, a ride I waited 45 minutes for in the single rider line because the ride broke down, but it's the Spider Man ride basically, same ride vehicle and everything. But it all comes down to taste if you prefer Spidey or Optimus Prime. I like the Spider Man ride but Transformers offers a newer version of the ride that I enjoyed more. But I do recommend going on Spidey as soon as you can because with Disney owning Marvel I have no idea how long it and its Marvel themed land in Islands of Adventure will be standing.
There are also rides like The Simpsons Ride, another motion simulator ride but this time in an Omni-max dome, that replaced fan favorite Back to The Future the Ride but it is a worthy successor for its humor and fun and Men in Black: Aline Attack which is a shooting gallery ride like the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Disney parks but with more focus on animatronics instead of cardboard cutouts. For me its more fun than Buzz but its movie theme is becoming more dated and less relevant as time goes on so if you enjoy Men in Black I would ride it soon as its days may be numbered. One last ride I would recommend is Terminator 2: 3D. If you enjoyed the second Terminator movie I would highly recommend going on this. James Cameron directed the show so you know there's going to be some clever technology you won't see anywhere else
Both parks offer something different from the Disney brand, but without the Wizarding World it can barely hold a candle to Disney. I understand if you prefer Universal over Disney as someone who has been going to a Disney park for the last couple of years I welcomed the change of scenery. But this scenery has very little to offer outside of its Wizarding World. Yeah there are some cool rides but if your stuck in one park for the day you might end up becoming bored, especially if you choose Islands of Adventure. This is why I encourage you to buy the park hopper tickets as not only do you get to see all of the Wizarding World and each parks rides, but you also get the Hogwarts Express which is a special ride for park hopper pass holders only. For me, Universal Studios Orlando does not offer more than Disney World or Disneyland/ California Adventure but it does offer something different. And if your up for a unique theme park experience I'd say go for it, but only if you buy the park hopper pass
But with all that does Universal measure up to the mouse's Orlando theme park? In a way, kind of. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter puts Universal in close contention with Disney. Universal has always been the alternative to Disney in the theme park game. It has a lot less variety but a lot more attitude in the sense. Look at most of the intellectual properties that are licensed in the parks. Harry Potter, The Simpsons, Despicable Me, Transformers, Jurassic Park, etc. all you can find in a Universal theme park. But in that sense some of the rides may become dated as time goes on. I do not see the Michael Bay Transformers being popular in the distant future and I sure as hell believe that very few people remember the Men in Black movies. Where Disney relies on properties that have proven to be successful over time, Universal is willing to give whatever movie series is popular a ride if they can make one. But what do the parks have to offer, well lets start with Universal Studios.
Universal Studios Orlando is one of two parks of the resort, the other being Islands of Adventure. Some rides you will see immediately when entering the park are Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and Shrek 4D. Minion Mayhem is a motion simulator ride that is child friendly, fun, cute and even a little heart warming. Shrek 4D on the other hand, is none of those things. I understand that some people like the Shrek movies but there was no effort put into this thing. Most of the jokes are pun related and fall flat almost on arrival and by goodness there is way to many Disney jabs. Another ride you will see is Hollywood: Rip, Ride, Rocket. It's a roller coaster with a completely vertical ascension and a twisting loop de loop. But one thing that makes this coaster different is that you can choose what song you want to hear while riding. It's like Rock n' Rollercoaster but this time you can choose what you want to hear.
But the main thing hear is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. Universal has bent over backwards in order to make sure guests feel as though they are apart of the Harry Potter world and let me tell you, they do a fantastic job. From its London exterior to the "hidden" wizard world that stands behind it, Diagon Alley is an impressive feat of theming. From large things like the buildings to small things like having no sodas and only serving English food, you really feel like you have entered into the world of Harry Potter. The main attraction of Diagon Alley is Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringots. A roller coaster/simulator hybrid, Escape From Gringots is a thrilling journey that takes through the faults of the Gringots bank where you meet up with Harry and also the deadly Voldemort. It's a fun and unique ride that if the lines are short enough, should be ridden twice. But Diagon Alley is only one part of the Wizarding World.
Located in Islands of Adventure is Hogsmeade village. Now if you have a park hopper pass, which everyone should, you get to travel between the two locations via the Hogwarts Express train. It's a glorified monorail but the experience that lies on board the train is one you have to see for yourself. Hogsmeade village shares the same impressive theming as Diagon Alley. The Universal designers should be praised for how much effort went into this project. The big rides here are Dragon Challenge, an intense rollercoaster experience I dare not try, Flight of the Hippogriff, a kiddy rollercoaster, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Forbidden Journey is for my money the best ride of the two worlds. Imagine Soarin Over California but on steroids. It's a blend of flight simulator and dark ride that must be seen to be believed. Now be warned, this journey may give a little motion sickness as your ride vehicle does spin you around a lot as my dad can verify. Overall, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must see for Potter fans and theme park lovers. Oh, I forgot to mention the greatness that is Butterbeer. Yeah, it's as good as everyone says it is.
Once your done with Hogsmeade you can explore the rest of Islands of Adventure, which sadly is not much. Yeah there are cool rides like The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman and the Jurassic Park River Adventure, but after those two there really isn't anything else that noteworthy. Seuss Landing is cool for its Seuss look and Lost Continent is okay, its stunt show Eight Voyage of Sinbad is a good relaxing time waster but again there are WAY to many pop cultural references and Poseidon's Fury is nothing special. Bottom line: You should HIGHLY invest in a park hopper pass because if you only do Islands for the day, you may get bored.
Islands sister park Universal has more things to do like Transformers the Ride: 3D, a ride I waited 45 minutes for in the single rider line because the ride broke down, but it's the Spider Man ride basically, same ride vehicle and everything. But it all comes down to taste if you prefer Spidey or Optimus Prime. I like the Spider Man ride but Transformers offers a newer version of the ride that I enjoyed more. But I do recommend going on Spidey as soon as you can because with Disney owning Marvel I have no idea how long it and its Marvel themed land in Islands of Adventure will be standing.
There are also rides like The Simpsons Ride, another motion simulator ride but this time in an Omni-max dome, that replaced fan favorite Back to The Future the Ride but it is a worthy successor for its humor and fun and Men in Black: Aline Attack which is a shooting gallery ride like the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Disney parks but with more focus on animatronics instead of cardboard cutouts. For me its more fun than Buzz but its movie theme is becoming more dated and less relevant as time goes on so if you enjoy Men in Black I would ride it soon as its days may be numbered. One last ride I would recommend is Terminator 2: 3D. If you enjoyed the second Terminator movie I would highly recommend going on this. James Cameron directed the show so you know there's going to be some clever technology you won't see anywhere else
Both parks offer something different from the Disney brand, but without the Wizarding World it can barely hold a candle to Disney. I understand if you prefer Universal over Disney as someone who has been going to a Disney park for the last couple of years I welcomed the change of scenery. But this scenery has very little to offer outside of its Wizarding World. Yeah there are some cool rides but if your stuck in one park for the day you might end up becoming bored, especially if you choose Islands of Adventure. This is why I encourage you to buy the park hopper tickets as not only do you get to see all of the Wizarding World and each parks rides, but you also get the Hogwarts Express which is a special ride for park hopper pass holders only. For me, Universal Studios Orlando does not offer more than Disney World or Disneyland/ California Adventure but it does offer something different. And if your up for a unique theme park experience I'd say go for it, but only if you buy the park hopper pass
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Creed Review
One of my biggest fears about Creed was that it was going to focus on Rocky and Apollo Creed's son would be in the background. Thankfully, I was proven wrong. Creed tells the story of Adonis "Donnie" Johnson, the extramarital son of legendary boxer Apollo Creed. He is adopted as a child by Apollo's widow Mary Anne, who tells him about his father. Donnie grows up a decides he wants to follow in his father's footsteps and become a boxer. He finds that no one will train him so he seeks out Apollo's best friend, Rocky Balboa. Balboa is long past his prime and has fallen into a bit of depression after the death of his wife and best friend. But with each others help, they try to conquer their separate battles, Donnie's being living up to his father's name and Rocky's being a fight against cancer.
Michael B. Jordan does a fantastic job of playing Donnie. You can tell that while he wants to be like his father, he wants to do it in his own way. His character, in a unique way, is relieving Rocky's journey from the first movie. Sylvester Stallone returns again to play the role of Rocky Balboa. Time has finally caught up with the legendary boxer as most of the ones he loved have passed away and his own health is not doing so well. This is the first role in a while that I took Stallone seriously. After years of doing dumb action films and toned down dramas, its good to see Stallone doing a role that works for him.
Creed is a welcome addition to the Rocky universe. It furthers the story of Rocky but doesn't let his character over take the story of Donnie, who the movie should focus on. It also pays tribute to the original movie without pandering to the masses. With great reviews from critics and audiences, some people are considering it as an Oscar nominee. And yeah I could get behind that idea. Right now its one of the best drama movie in theaters. I give this movie my full recommendation to see it in theaters.
Grade: A
Michael B. Jordan does a fantastic job of playing Donnie. You can tell that while he wants to be like his father, he wants to do it in his own way. His character, in a unique way, is relieving Rocky's journey from the first movie. Sylvester Stallone returns again to play the role of Rocky Balboa. Time has finally caught up with the legendary boxer as most of the ones he loved have passed away and his own health is not doing so well. This is the first role in a while that I took Stallone seriously. After years of doing dumb action films and toned down dramas, its good to see Stallone doing a role that works for him.
Creed is a welcome addition to the Rocky universe. It furthers the story of Rocky but doesn't let his character over take the story of Donnie, who the movie should focus on. It also pays tribute to the original movie without pandering to the masses. With great reviews from critics and audiences, some people are considering it as an Oscar nominee. And yeah I could get behind that idea. Right now its one of the best drama movie in theaters. I give this movie my full recommendation to see it in theaters.
Grade: A
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Krampus Review
What better way to start the holiday season then with a movie about the dark shadow of Santa. Well that's what the film Krampus is about. Now for those who are unaware about the lore of Krampus, Krampus comes from German folk lore and is described as the dark shadow of St. Nicholas. Instead of giving gifts to good children he instead punishes the naughty children by kidnapping them by. Krampus, in this film, instead of punishing children for bad behavior, uses demonic toys to kidnap the family of any child who loses faith during the holiday season. i should point out that Krampus never steals the child, only their present family. The child will receive a bauble to remember what happens when they lose faith during the holdiaysThis happens to the family of Max, who loses faith in the holiday after he tears apart his letter to Santa after he is embarrassed by his extended family members.
The family features many comedic actors like Adam Scott, from Parks and Recreation, David Koechner, who played Champ in the Anchorman films, and Conchata Ferrell, who was in Two and a Half Men. If you couldn't tell from the casts' reputation, this is a horror comedy. And its not a bad horror comedy but its no Army of Darkness. Most people could compare this to Gremlins and I can see why. It's a horror movie taking place during Christmas and there is some comedy put in the movie.
The problem with Krampus is that it does not do a good job balancing out the horror and comedy. One moment David Koechner is being attacked by evil ginger bread men and the next we see a demonic jack in the box eating a child. The horror and the comedy never go hand in hand. But one thing that most people have to understand when going into these kinds of movies is that it is a horror comedy. The movie is not meant to be taken very seriously. Watching it after a couple of times, you could see where the cast had fun making this movie. The actors know that this isn't a suspense thriller but, again, like Gremlins.
The movie actually offers a good message: Never give up hope around the holidays. It's something most people need to be reminded of, especially given what has been happening in the world recently. Even though bad things happen and because of those bad things people are hurt, we must always remember to never give up hope. Also, even though some people can be annoyed by the excessiveness that is the holiday season, just remember it will all go away after New Year. There are good things happening in the world, we just need to acknowledge them once in a while.
Overall, Krampus is a cult-classic Christmas movie that most horror fans can pop in during the holidays. And even if you're not into horror, if you go in thinking its going to be goofy and campy, you might enjoy it. It's not graphic at all, in fact its PG-13, but some the images are a little creepy. If you're in the mood to be a little scared during the holidays, I would give Krampus a glance.
Grade: C+
The family features many comedic actors like Adam Scott, from Parks and Recreation, David Koechner, who played Champ in the Anchorman films, and Conchata Ferrell, who was in Two and a Half Men. If you couldn't tell from the casts' reputation, this is a horror comedy. And its not a bad horror comedy but its no Army of Darkness. Most people could compare this to Gremlins and I can see why. It's a horror movie taking place during Christmas and there is some comedy put in the movie.
The problem with Krampus is that it does not do a good job balancing out the horror and comedy. One moment David Koechner is being attacked by evil ginger bread men and the next we see a demonic jack in the box eating a child. The horror and the comedy never go hand in hand. But one thing that most people have to understand when going into these kinds of movies is that it is a horror comedy. The movie is not meant to be taken very seriously. Watching it after a couple of times, you could see where the cast had fun making this movie. The actors know that this isn't a suspense thriller but, again, like Gremlins.
The movie actually offers a good message: Never give up hope around the holidays. It's something most people need to be reminded of, especially given what has been happening in the world recently. Even though bad things happen and because of those bad things people are hurt, we must always remember to never give up hope. Also, even though some people can be annoyed by the excessiveness that is the holiday season, just remember it will all go away after New Year. There are good things happening in the world, we just need to acknowledge them once in a while.
Overall, Krampus is a cult-classic Christmas movie that most horror fans can pop in during the holidays. And even if you're not into horror, if you go in thinking its going to be goofy and campy, you might enjoy it. It's not graphic at all, in fact its PG-13, but some the images are a little creepy. If you're in the mood to be a little scared during the holidays, I would give Krampus a glance.
Grade: C+
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