The Babadook: The scariest, most effective horror movie in years.

It's no secret that modern horror movies today are kind of really awful. In the last few years, we've seen the use of found footage get beaten to death (see: the Paranormal Activity franchise and everything that tried to copy it afterward) and horror films becoming  generally stale and uninteresting, relying on cheap jump scares.

However, some horror movies, such as The Cabin in the Woods, the Evil Dead remake, The Conjuring, You're Next, and this year's Tusk, have been able to break most horror conventions and be what horror movies should be: entertaining and genuinely thrilling.

In addition to big releases, independent horror films are also becoming increasingly enjoyable to watch, as they buck studio conventions and make the visions that were intended to be seen.

The Babadook is a fine example of this.

Released in Australia this past year, The Babadook focuses on widowed mother Amelia (Essie Davis), who is raising her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) all on her own. Samuel is a bit of a strange child: he barely sleeps through the night and believes that an imaginary monster is in his home, even going so far as creating weapons to combat it. One night, Amelia finds a strange pop-up book entitled "Mister Babadook," which she decides to read to Samuel. Soon after, strange things begin happening around the house and to Amelia, with Samuel insisting that the Babadook is behind it. Now, Amelia must discover what really is going on before it's too late.

This movie popped up on my radar after hearing countless reviews heaping critical acclaim on the film, with some calling it the scariest and one of the best horror movies in years. Seeing all this critical praise led me to become very interested to see what everyone was talking about.

After finally being able to have a chance to watch the film, I can now see what everyone is talking about: this is one of the most effective, chilling, and genuinely entertaining horror movies I've seen in years.

This is definitely in part to the two main actors, Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. While there are numerous supporting actors around them who do fine in their roles as well, in actuality, they do not show up as much in the course of the film.

Most of the action is on these two throughout the film. Both of them are spectacular, particularly Davis. Her character of Amelia is such a delicate and fragile person, with losing her husband and taking care of her unusual child. Davis plays this to such great effect throughout the course of the film.

In addition, she has a great relationship on screen with Wiseman. You genuinely feel for these two as they deal with the terror that the Babadook has caused. The relationship feels genuine, and by the end, we feel as if we have seen these characters go through an emotional journey together before coming to terms with each other's faults.

Another thing this film has going for it is that it relies on genuine terror, NOT cheap horror scares. The film has this sense of dread and foreboding the entire time, to the point where I was completely terrified as to when the Babadook would start to show up.

 A lot of credit for that goes to first time writer and director Jennifer Kent. She takes a concept that has been done before (spirit starts to haunt wife and child), but she infuses it with a real sense of thrills and horror.

Once the Babadook starts to play heavily into Amelia's subconscious, I felt terrified and on the edge of my seat for what was about to happen next. It's rare to find a horror movie that does that anymore.

Overall, The Babadook is one of the best horror movies I've seen in a very long time, which is such a refreshing statement to say. If you happen to have a VOD service or it's playing in your nearest theater, I would highly recommend it.

Grade: A+

Netflix Picks: Snowpiercer and Stretch

 I go to a small college in New Jersey (by small I mean private) and I am currently home for a solid month for winter break.

Now obviously, I'm not able to go as much to the movies every single day, but I still want to get reviews out as often as I can on this blog. So I figured, "Why don't I review some movies that happen to be on my Netflix list that many have not heard of before?"

With that said, welcome to the first installment of Netflix Picks, where I pick a couple of films that I feel should warrant more attention. With the year winding down, let's take a look at two of 2014's most underrated films.

SNOWPIERCER

Director: Bong Joon-ho
Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho, Kelly Masterson
Starring: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, and John Hurt

In the last few years, we have seen the dystopian future society genre been done to death, particularly with the younger crowd. We've seen numerous adaptations for young adults be adapted for the big screen, such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver to name a few. With Snowpiercer, not only do you have a dystopian future movie for adults, but also a brilliant one at that.

(NOTE: I know the film was released in Korea in 2013, but it just came out in America this past July so I'm counting it as a 2014 release).

The plot is rather simple: In the year 2031, after an experiment to counteract global warming fails and throws the entire planet into a new ice age, most of the human race has perished. The ones who remain survive on the Snowpiercer, a massive motion engine train that spans the entire globe in order to keep its inhabitants alive. The train is divided into sections; the rich and wealthy live in the front while the poor live in the tail end section. One of the leaders of the tail section, Curtis (Chris Evans), has had enough of the living conditions and instigates a coup. Now Curtis and his followers must fight their way through the massive train in order to get to the front, all while fighting followers of the train's creator, Wilford.

This is such a simple basic concept: get from point A to point B. And yet that's one of the things that makes it work so incredibly well is that simplicity. Yes the film does have subtle commentary on the class system as well as comments made about global warming. But the film's plot almost feels as if it's something out of an 80s action movie, which is due in part to the great directing done by Bong Joon-ho. He handles the actions scenes with great detail and intensity.  It's just enjoyable to watch from start to finish.

The acting is very well done, with Evans turning in a very commanding lead performance. Outside of playing Captain America, Evans really hasn't been in much else as of late. Seeing him outside of Marvel is rather refreshing, as his character, Curtis, is likable and commanding, but with a dark past. When the dark past is revealed, Evans is at his most vulnerable. The rest of the supporting cast is great to watch, especially a near unrecognizable Tilda Swinton.

Overall, Snowpiercer was one of the surprise films of the year and easily one of the best. If you haven't gotten a chance to see it, I highly, highly recommend you give it a watch.

Grade: A

STRETCH

Director: Joe Carnahan
Screenplay: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ed Helms, Jessica Alba, and James Badge Dale.

 Stretch has had a strange history in getting released. Originally supposed to come out this past March, Universal Studios scrapped the film two months before its release and allowing producer Jason Blum to shop the project to other studios. Universal ended up getting the film back anyway, and decided to release it directly to DVD and Video on Demand outlets.

Now, when the studio moves a film from theatrical to direct to video release, that usually  says the film is so terrible that it no longer warrants being seen in theaters.

So it's rather strange as to why Stretch was released straight to video, as it's actually a very enjoyable, almost self-knowingly goofy film to watch.

The film follows a man simply known as "Stretch," (Patrick Wilson), who works as a limo driver for a living in LA after a failed career in acting. After his girlfriend unceremoniously dumps him, Stretch decides to start turning his life around. Before he can do that, he must drive around mysterious client Karos (Chris Pine), who offers to pay off Stretch's gambling debt of $6,000 if he does everything Karos asks him to without question. Karos must also deal with rival driver "The Jovi" as well as federal officers.

Joe Carnahan, to me, is one of the most underrated action directors working today. Smokin Aces and The A-Team are incredibly underrated action movies and The Grey is a great, tense thriller. With Stretch, this feels much more like a throwback to Smokin Aces, as Stretch is one of the most gonzo and bizarre films Carnahan is made.

If Birdman takes a biting satirical look at fame and trying to be famous, whether as a comeback or not, then Stretch is essentially the violent and bloody Looney Tunes take of that tale.

Carnahan directs every scene with such kinetic energy and moves so briskly that you feel you're along on this crazy and insane ride. That's also in part to the cast he has assembled. Wilson is likeable as the everyday Joe just trying to make a living and get by in life. Of course, he has to deal with some insanity every day, but you still root for him by the end. Jessica Alba is also very good as his friend and assistant in the limo service, as she shows genuine concern for Wilson's character. Alba has improved greatly since coming onto the scene in 2005.

But the two big standouts are Ed Helms and Chris Pine. Helms, playing a limo driver who committed suicide in front of a customer and is a figment of Stretch's mind, serves as the big comic relief in the film and gets some of the best lines. Helms chews scenery in every scene that he shows up in. The same goes for Pine, looking completely unrecognizable as Karos. This is Pine at his absolute nuttiest, as he takes the dial and cranks it up to 20 in a drug fueled rampage. His character is so odd and unique that all thoughts that Pine can just play Captain Kirk are gone. He's just a blast to watch.

I will say that the first maybe 20-30 minutes are extremely tough to get through, but if you can hang on until after that time, you will have an absolute blast with Stretch, as it just gets nuttier and crazier from that point on. This was one of the surprises of the year. Get a bunch of friends together and bask in the insanity.

Grade: B+

Got any Netflix Picks of your own?  Go ahead and recommend any film you've watched in the comments below!

Foxcatcher Review: Stunning Performances from Carell and Tatum

 

When you think of intense drama and the actors that star in them, one of the first that does NOT come to mind is funnyman Steve Carell.

 

Carell is known for being the awkward, bumbling, sometimes idiotic character in most if not all of his movies. Sure, one could easily argue that with Dan in Real Life and especially Little Miss Sunshine, he is capable of pulling off a serious performance.

 

However, those two latter films were also comedies. We've never really seen Carell take on a performance that does a complete 180 from his usual roles that he takes on.

 

Enter Foxcatcher, the latest film from director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball). The film tells the true story of billionaire John E. Du Pont (Carell), an eccentric billionaire who decides to help train former Olympic medalist Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) in wrestling. Mark's brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) later joins Mark to help train him as well as Team Foxcatcher. In January of 1996, while Mark is training for a comeback, du Pont murders Mark and is sent to prison.

 

**NOTE: While I usually would consider this a spoiler, in this case I'm allowing it because it actually happened in real life.

 

This is a type of character that we have clearly never seen Carell play before. I was interested to see if he was able to pull this off after hearing the heaps of praise he and the film received at Cannes this past year.

 

After watching the film, it's clear to see why Carell and the rest of the film are receiving tons of praise. The film is extremely well done, bolstered by strong performances from the two main leads.

 

Carell is terrifying to watch. He makes du Pont seem much more of an eccentric, lonely recluse. All he wants to do is be accepted among friends and be respected, rather than spend so much time with his mother (Vanessa Redgrave). You're on edge whenever he comes on screen, as you are unsure what he will do next. Yet at the same time, you also sympathize with the character, as you wish he could have some semblance of a normal life with actual friends.

 

The other knockout star of the film? Channing Tatum. This film basically proved to me that Tatum has the capability to actually act. This is easily the most vulnerable I ever seen him in, as his character just yearns for the glory days and easily buys into the things du Pont tells him. His relationship with his brother Dave (Ruffalo, in a very subtle and quiet performance) is also very well explored, as you can see Mark want to be the greatest wrestler, but feels bogged down by being in Dave's shadow, while Dave just wants to see Mark succeed.

 

Similarly, the bond between du Pont and Mark is equally as fascinating to watch. You see Mark get suckered by du Pont's words of patriotism and success. Mark doesn't want to let down du Pont, as he sees him as a friend and father figure. It's due to Carell and Tatum's strong performances that this relationship is so great to watch.

 

On a technical level, the film looks great. The cinematography done by Greig Fraiser as well as the direction by Miller is fantastic, as there are some really interesting camera shots, particularly when Mark is wrestling his opponent. it feels as if the camera blurs in and out of our vision of him, giving us an up and close view to the action.

 

Overall, Foxcatcher is an excellent, well-made film, bolstered by strong performances from both Steve Carell and Channing Tatum. However, as a warning, the film is VERY dour, especially at the end. If you're looking for an inspirational sports movie with a hopeful end, you won't find it. However, if you want to see some great acting mixed with a well done story, you've come to the right place.

Grade: A-

The Hobbit The Battle of the Five Armies Review: Return to Middle Earth One Last Time

As I type this, I have the strangest feeling of déjà vu.

It was only 11 years ago where I said goodbye to the denizens of Middle-Earth with the final chapter of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. At that time, I was saddened to director Peter Jackson's incredible vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's world behind, but I prayed to the almighty film gods for the day when I could return to Middle Earth for the adaptation of The Hobbit.
Nine years later, in 2012, I got my wish.

And so here we are, at the end of another journey with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the final installment in The Hobbit trilogy.

We pick up immediately after the end of The Desolation of Smaug, with a rather quick opening sequence where Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) starts to lay waste to Lake-Town and its inhabitants, all while Bilbo and the rest of the Dwarves look on in horror.

Smaug is soon quickly dispatched (spoilers if you've never read The Hobbit, though if you haven't....why are you still reading this review go read The Hobbit!) and Thorin (Richard Armitage) soon tries to locate the Arkenstone, the crown jewel of the Dwarven fortune. This begins to drive him mad with dragon-sickness, which is the Tolkien way of saying that Thorin basically gets greedy:

Thorin's thought process summed up in 5 seconds!

 

Meanwhile Gandalf (Ian McKellan), is still held captive by Sauron's forces at Dol Guldur, but is soon rescued by Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman (Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Christopher Lee, respectively). He then goes to warn the others, where the armies of Elves, Men, Dwarves, and Orcs come together at Erebor's doorstep.

 

What follows is quite possibly the biggest and bloodiest real estate battle in history, as the Battle of the Five Armies over who reclaims Erebor and its treasure soon begins.

With the release of this film, this marks the possible final time that we will ever venture into Middle Earth (or, y'know, until Jackson makes The Silmarillion or someone comes up with the oh so brilliant idea to reboot this series...). So does this final entry in The Hobbit trilogy not only satisfy those who have been on the ride since the beginning, but also those who grew up with Lord of the Rings?

While I have a few issues with the film, it is still a satisfying conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy .

 

Both Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage conclude their excellent character arcs and give amazing performances. In Armitage's case, he really gets a chance to shine in terms of his acting. His character goes through this enjoyable arc and his friendship with Bilbo and his kin are wonderful to watch. Freeman himself also shows Bilbo's character arc as well, going from a quiet, helpless Hobbit to a hardened warrior. Both these actors pull this off brilliantly.

The supporting cast did a fine job as well. It's always nice to see McKellan as Gandalf in the role again he owns this character. The Company of Dwarves also stood out because you feel sorry for them near the end. Their leader, their king, is slowly going mad, transforming him into someone completely unrecognizable. You feel sorry for them and that they went through all these trials only to see their leader become lost until he finally snaps out of it.

Now, there are some issues with the supporting cast. For one, I STILL do not see the reason why Legolas needs to be in these films other than to serve as another connective tissue to Lord of the Rings (for further proof of this, wait until Legolas' very last scene.....you thought the references in An Unexpected Journey were obvious....).  The same goes with the appearance of Blanchett, Weaving, and Lee. It's great to see them back (even if I call shenanigans on 92 year old Lee spinning around and swinging his magic staff around like an awesome warrior), but it feels unneeded. They are there only as a way to pad the plot and pave the way for Lord of the Rings

Also, Legolas is not only essentially the elf version of Benjamin Button, but he still defies the law of physics and is basically the third Mario brother (you will understand what I mean if you decided to see it). 

Another issue that I was not a fan of is the romance between Fili (Aidan Turner) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly).  While it was built upon in the last movie, here it feels.....underdeveloped and rather rushed. First they meet, make small talk, then fall in love instantly without barely knowing each other. I know Jackson needed to put this in here to have a romance similar to Arwen and Aragorn, but it feels rather unneeded (although it does give way to one of the most unintentionally hilarious lines delivered in the movie)

However, the big reason people want to see this is because of the Battle and Jackson does not disappoint in this department. While admittedly VERY CGI heavy, the battle does not disappoint and is extremely well shot and choreographed. This rivals Jackson's own work on the Battle of Helm's Deep or the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Some of the fight shots are just breathtaking to watch, especially when the Orcs show up.

Finally, while I did complain about having characters and name references in for the sake of making connections to Lord of the Rings, I felt as if the ending tied everything up very seamlessly. The last two minutes of this movie feel as if we now have a natural story to watch with Jackson's Middle Earth saga. The final connection is there and it felt like we had come full circle and that we are ready to say farewell to this world, possibly forever. (Billy Boyd's song at the end credits definitely helps that).

Overall, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a very satisfying conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy as well as Jackson's Middle Earth saga, although not without its issues. While the trilogy may not have packed the emotional punch as the original LOTR trilogy did, there is no denying the legacy of these movies  that many will discover for years to come.

Grade: B+

 

 

 

Marvel Unleashes Phase Three: Nine New Films Announced

Today, at a special fan and press event held at the El Capitan Theater in LA, Marvel Studios unleashed the next phase in their master plan for the Cinematic Universe. Nine films were announced that will span from 2016 until 2019.

 



Many were led to believe that Ant-Man, which hits theaters July 17, 2015. However, it is now confirmed that "Captain America: Civil War" (which was before "Captain America: The Serpent Society", revealed to be a ruse to the audience) and that Robert Downey Jr. WILL be starring alongside Chris Evans. The film will be released on May 6, 2016.

I personally am very excited to see how this story will play out, as it is based off one of Marvel's biggest stories, "Civil War." That story had the government ordering superheroes to unmask themselves to the public so the government can have some sense of control on them. Cap thinks this is immoral while Tony Stark think it's the right thing to do. This, of course, leads to them butting heads and causing many superheroes to take sides, including Spider-Man (no word if Sony and Marvel have struck a deal to include him in the film). I'm curious to see how the events of "Age of Ultron" play into "Civil War."

The next film to be officially confirmed is "Doctor Strange", which has been speculated by many to be involved in Phase Three of the MCU. Feige has been pushing to make this film for quite some time now, and it has a confirmed release date of November 4, 2016, something also long speculated, however, most rumors had it in July rather than November.

Interestingly enough, Kevin Feige made no word on Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor supposedly in final talks to play Strange as reported on Tuesday. Perhaps this means that Cumberbatch isn't playing Strange? Or that he is, they just don't want to officially confirm anything? Personally, while Cumberbatch is a wonderful actor, he does not look like Dr. Strange. I would love if someone like Oded Fehr got the part he looks and sounds like a fantastic Strange. If Cumberbatch does get it however, I wish him all the best.

Next, James Gunn, director of "Guardians of the Galaxy," came on screen via a video message and announced that the sequel to "Guardians" would be released on May 5, 2017, rather than July 2017 as lead to believe this year at SDCC .

The film that will take the July 28, 2017 date, which was "Guardians 2's" date will be "Thor: Ragnarok". Not much is known on this except Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston will return as Thor and Loki respectively and, according to Feige, this film will shake things up heavily for the MCU. This makes sense as *SPOILER* Loki essentially took the throne of Asgard from Odin and is now Ruler of the Nine Realms. But there is also the very strong possibility that the effects of this film could reverberate throughout the rest of Marvel's films.

A few other films were announced at the event: "Black Panther" was announced for November 28, 2017 (which means Marvel is now releasing THREE films a year), along with "Captain Marvel" on May 4, 2018 and "Inhumans", a project I am VERY excited to see, on November 2, 2018.

Finally, Feige announced one (or rather, two) more films for Phase Three, which would conclude the phase. He mentioned that everything in the MCU so far and to come had been building towards this film.

The introduction starts with a video introduction showing all our heroes in despair throughout all of the teams, Avengers and the Guardians included. and then finally......

Big ups to Superhero Report on Twitter for getting this awesome screen shot!

 

 

 

BAM! THANOS AND THE INFINITY GAUNTLET! The title then shows up on screen: "Avengers: Infinity War", which is to be divided into two parts. Part 1 releases May 4, 2018 while Part 2 releases May 3, 2019. I could not be more ecstatic about this film, as we've been teased with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet since the first "Avengers" movie waaaaaaaaay back in 2012. Whatever Marvel has been planned for this movie is going to be very BIG.





Before the end, the audiences were treated to one more surprise: Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans (Iron Man and Captain America) not only took the stage to reveal the true title for the third "Captain America" movie (as shown above), but to also reveal one brand new cast member to the MCU: Chadwick Boseman is to play the Black Panther!

Giving credit where credit is due: Big thanks to Mark Ellis from Schmoes Know for getting this awesome video!

Personally, this might be Marvel's best casting decision they've made since they casted Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Boseman is perfectly cast for this role, as he's proven twice in the last year to have major acting chops (Jackie Robinson in "42", James Brown in "Get On Up") and I believe he will be more than capable of handling such a big role.

Ball's in your court DC. Let's see what you got up your sleeves next.

So what say you all? How do you feel about the slate of films that Marvel has planned? And what of the casting of Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther? Sound off in the comments below!

Tusk review: Kevin Smith does a brilliant 180 in new horror film.

    As I sit here typing at this review, my first since returning from Wroxton, I realize something:

            I could not have picked a stranger film for my first review back- one where I’ll never look at walruses the same way again.

In his new film "Tusk", Kevin Smith returns to the director's chair after being absent for three long years. The film, a major departure for Smith, focuses on a podcaster named Wallace Bryton, played by Justin Long. Bryton, along with his best friend and co-host Teddy Craft, played by Haley Joel Osment, facilitate a podcast where they find videos of people doing strange things and make fun of the people who make the videos. As Bryton heads to Canada to talk to one of the participants of the weird videos, he stumbles across an advertisement detailing a man willing to tell of his adventures at sea. Michael Parks plays Howard Howe, the man who agrees to tell Bryton his wondrous tales. However, soon Bryton is kidnapped by Howe and is held captive and subjected to many torturous and strange experiments, including being forced to dress up in a startlingly realistic walrus suit.

There is more to the plot but if you have never heard of this movie before, then I really do not want to say too much else to give anything away. "Tusk" is disturbingly terrifying at times. It stayed with me long after the credits- even as I type this, I still think about it. 

…yet the film revels in being delightfully macabre, darkly humorous, and at times surprisingly poignant. This is easily the best movie Kevin Smith has made in years and one of the strangest movies I’ve seen in quite a while.

For the most part, the acting is pretty great with standout performances by Parks, Osment, and the actor who plays Guy LaPointe, a Quebec detective who helps Craft and Bryton’s girlfriend, (Genesis Rodriguez), find Bryton after he disappears. Parks is deliciously terrifying in this role, coming off as sweet and calm, and then slowly revealing himself as a deranged and absolutely terrorizing man. It’s a shame Parks is not in more films, because he’s such an underrated talent and he knocks it out of the park- pun intended.

Also, welcome back Haley Joel Osment. I think the last big movie that he was in was 2003’s "Secondhand Lions." It has been quite a while since we saw Osment on screen, and he captured his character excellently. His character joins Bryton in making fun of these videos, but deep down his character is naïve and has a sweet sensibility, almost as if he wants to be able to do the right thing, but just can’t. I hope to see more from Osment in the future.

Finally, the last standout in the film is the actor who plays Guy LaPointe. I do not want to reveal who it is, for he is a very big name actor and I hope that you are as surprised as I was. Admittedly, this is an actor, who has seemed as if he’s been phoning it in for his last few performances. In this movie, though, he gives probably the best performance of his entire career. His character is so wonderfully wacky and gonzo that you can’t help but smile when he’s on screen.

The film’s plot, which is undeniably silly at first glance, actually turns out to be a truly unsettling and disconcerting film about losing one’s human psyche; losing control of what really holds us together as human beings. How the story came together is actually rather interesting, as Smith based the plot of the film off a hypothetical pitch he and his friend, producer Scott Mosier, made during episode 259 of their podcast called “SMODcast” after viewing an advertisement on the website GumTree. The story Smith puts together is the most radical departure he’s ever taken in his entire career, even more so than his last film, 2011’s "Red State."  The film is so darkly humorous that there were times where I was laughing, but I felt like I shouldn’t be laughing because the moments on screen were not funny at all.

I will say that if you are grossed out by this kind of macabre type of horror, or just grossed out easily by horror, then this film is not for you. I saw people walk out of the theater grumbling angrily at how much they hated the film. However, if you are a Kevin Smith fan or want to see an interesting take on horror, I highly recommend checking out "Tusk".

"Tusk" is a very enjoyable horror film. It is the best movie Smith has made in years, though it is also not for the very squeamish. If you are a fan of unique and weird horror, I suggest giving it a look.

Grade: B+

 

 

 

 

 

 



X-Men: Days of Future Past Review: Singer Finally Rights Course of Franchise

The X-Men franchise has been on a bit of an upswing recently. After the dismal abomination that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Fox gave the franchise a breath of fresh air with 2011's X-Men: First Class, which explores the origins of how Professor X and Magneto met and formed a friendship while trying to avert a nuclear war with Cuba in the 1960s. The film came as a rather huge surprise to me, as the marketing for the film made it look....well, awful. But the film came as a bit of a surprise, as it finally breathed new life in the franchise. The film was a fun, entertaining film powered by some great performances from Michael Fassbender, James MacAvoy, and Kevin Bacon as the villain. So, now we come to this latest installment, with Bryan Singer (X-Men and X2) returning to the directing chair.

In the not too distant future, mutants are being hunted to the point of near extinction by a race of robots known as Sentinels, robots whose at first begin to exterminate and/or enslave mutants, but soon, they also begin targeting humans who will eventually pass on the mutant gene to future generations (some may not have it now, but their children or grandchildren will pass it on). In order to stop the Sentinels, a resistance movement of mutants, made up of the remnants of the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants and led by Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellan) come up with a plan: Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) has the ability to send someone's consciousness back in time to a previous version of their body. Magneto and Xavier plan to go back to 1973, a key moment in which Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) assasinates the creator of the Sentinels, Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). However, neither of them can survive the journey, as making a trip that far back could rip apart their consciousness. Gee, if only they had someone who could heal quickly, someone who could be able to regenerate their consciousness after traveling.....oh wait, they do! Enter Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who now has to go back to 1973 to convince the younger versions of Xavier (James MacAvoy)and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) to team up and stop Mystique before it is too late.

Phew that's a lot to take in. If that sounds like a really complicated plot, it seems like that at first. But Bryan Singer makes the film completely engaging almost immediately, making this quite possibly the best X-Men film to date and the first truly great film of the summer.

The cast here is fantastic. Both casts from the original trilogy AND First Class show up here, with the main focus being on Jackman, MacAvoy, Fassbender, and Lawrence. At this point, Jackman IS Wolverine. He completely embraces the role and knows exactly what makes Wolverine tick yet still make the character fresh. It's really interesting to see Wolverine not only be the fish out of water in a different time, but also be the mentor and guide to Xavier, rather than the other way around (there's also a rather clever callback to his cameo from First Class).

Speaking of younger Xavier (and in turn, younger Magneto), MacAvoy and Fassbender are absolutely fantastic this time around. What I loved about the two of them is that rather than have everything be "I forgive you let's be buds again," their relationship was actually developed further. Xavier is a VERY different person than we saw him in First Class, as he is broken, physically and spiritually. MacAvoy pulls this off brilliantly showing the dark, tortured side of Magneto. Fassbender also once again does an excellent job, showing how he is becoming more and more like his older counterpart in terms of cunning. The scenes that these two have together are excellent, with one particulalr standout scene taking place on an airplane.

Jennifer Lawrence is another standout in the film with her portrayal of Mystique. Rather than have her be a one note villain in the original trilogy, Lawrence gives the character more layers, making her conflicted over what her true mission should be: kill Trask and let the impending future happen, or restrain herself, and change the course of history, as well as reconcile with her "brother" Charles? It was great to see this different side of Mystique and Lawrence pull it off brilliantly.

It was great to see the original cast return to their respective roles after so long away, especially Stewart and McKellan, who fit the roles like a glove at this point. It was nice to see other returning and new characters, even if they are only in the film for maybe all of....10 minutes (the most screentime besides Stewart, McKellan, and Page, along with Jackman, is Shawn Ashmore as Iceman......it was nice to see Halle Berry as Storm again, as well as Colossus and new additions Bishop, Blink, Sunspot, and Warpath....but don't get too attached to them, as they mainly serve to fight the Sentinels).

But the scene stealer is Evan Peters as Quicksilver. When I first saw the promotional image for him, followed by that God-awful Carl Jr.'s commercial, I thought, "Oh great....he's going to be the worst part." Whoever did the marketing for Quicksilver did a poor job because he was the best part of the whole film. Peters embellished the character as a bit eccentric, never really staying in one place and having his thoughts and words bounce around all over the place. The highlight is an action scene taking place beneath the Pentagon, where the film slows down in order to display how Quicksilver views the world. The scene was fun and highly inventive, showing how Quicksilver's powers and mind works.

As a whole, the film is directed extremely well. Singer knows this franchise, and he welcomed once more with this installment. Singer manages to perfectly blend humor, drama, and action into a neat combination. In fact, when watching this movie, the best word I can sum up this film is hopefulness. There's a sense of hope that each of the characters have: Charles wanting to find hope in his dire situation, Mystique trying to find hope that killing Trask will bring peace. It's evident once you watch the film, and it's a beautiful message to get across. Credit to screenwriter Simon Kinberg for helping come up with an excellent story, one crackling with energy. Singer also does an excellent job with the action set pieces, with the standouts being Quicksilver's scene mentioned earlier and one last scene taking place at the White House.

What interests me the most is where the X-Men franchise will go from here. Not going to spoil anything, but all I will say is the last 5-10 minutes of this movie makes me very curious as to which direction this franchise will take. It makes things very interesting. Also, I'd highly recommend staying to the end credits....if you're a comic book fan like me, you have plenty of reason to get excited for this scene.

X-Men Days of Future Past is the X-Men film I have long been clamoring for. The film is bolstered by strong performances coupled with excellent action and compelling drama.  The time travel gets confusing at first, but Singer handles it with ease. He is a welcome return to the directing chair and it is the first truly great movie of the summer.

Grade: A-


Godzilla Review: Return of a Legend

As hard as it may seem to be, it has almost been 20 years since we last saw an American Godzilla film in American theaters. Of course there were numerous films done by Toho in Japan in the years after 1998 (my particular favorite from that era is Godzilla: Final Wars, which is just a gleefully ridiculous monster movie...favorite Godzilla movie of all time next to the original is Godzilla vs. Mothra), but American audiences haven't really gotten a new Godzilla movie in theaters since 1998. The last one we got was Roland Emmerich's iguana-looking, chicken leg running, "that's a lotta fish" quoting disaster of a film. Luckily, director Gareth Edwards comes in hoping to finally deliver a truly great American Godzilla film with this reboot, simply titled Godzilla.

The story takes place over the span of a couple of time periods. Godzilla's origin is explained, as he was originally first sighted in 1954 due to nuclear fallout. In 1999, two scientists (Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins) discover two eggs at the ocean, with one of them already hatched. At the same time, at the Janjira plant in Japan, plant supervisor Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) discovers unusual seismic activity at the power plant. Soon, Brody and nearly the entire plant are evacuated, due to something destroying the power plant, killing Brody's wife inside. Fifteen years later, Brody's son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is a bomb specialist in the Army and is returning home from duty. He is then called back to Japan due to his father being arrested for trespassing in the old plant. It is then discovered that the thing birthed from the first egg is a creature known as a "MUTO." Seeing as how the military can not stop the creature, they let a familiar figure rise up from the depths of the ocean to take it down: Godzilla.

I actually saw this film back on Friday but I wanted to wait a few days before typing this review and let my thoughts simmer. The reason for this being is that this movie has had audiences split right down the middle. You either loved it or hated it, there is no middle ground. Usually, when I see a movie, my thoughts that I have when I walk out are the thoughts I type on this blog. However, with this film, I was unsure how I felt. I had remembered walking out of the movie enjoying it, but I couldn't think of detailed reasons why. I wanted to gather my thoughts before I began typing the review.

After contemplating my thoughts on the film, I come to this: Godzilla is an excellent reboot of the King of the Monsters, but I will admit that the film may not be for everyone.

The acting in this movie was pretty good, with the standout being Bryan Cranston. Cranston acts his butt off in this movie, brilliantly pulling off the bitterness and torture that his character has gone through since losing his wife to something he can not explain. Cranston steals every scene he's in and is easily the best part of the film.

The rest of the actors' performances in the film range greatly. Some are good, but most seem to be rather underused. Aaron Taylor-Johnson made for a decent leading man, but there were times where his performance seemed to be rather flat at times for me. Elizabeth Olsen seemed to be incredibly underused in the movie, as she really only seems to be in the movie when the destruction comes to San Francisco. Same with David Strathairn as the Army General:  he seems to be incredibly underused, only giving us info on what the plan of attack is. Ken Watanabe does a good job with filling in the backstory, but he has this expression on his face throughout the film that looks like he just got a whiff of Godzilla's.... monstrous droppings.

On a technical aspect, the film looks amazing. This may be one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen. Director Gareth Edwards (who went from his 2010 indie film Monsters to this) and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey beautifully handle the scenery as well the action scenes with deft ease (there is one scene in the film that was shown in the trailer that is absolutely jaw dropping). The creatures themselves look amazing. Godzilla himself looks the best he's been in a long time. He is monstrous and his design is an updated version of his 1954 original, which I'm so glad they went with and paying homage to the original, rather than....well old "Chicken Legs" from 1998.

The MUTOs themselves had a neat design as well. To me, they looked like a cross between the Cloverfield monster and the winged creatures seen in Avatar, which I thought was a rather interesting mix.

The other thing that I loved about the movie is the build up to Godzilla. He's only in the film for maybe....45-50 minutes total in the entire two hour running time, but the build up leading to his big reveal is fantastic. Edwards knows to build the right amount of tension and anticipation for Godzilla's reveal and when Godzilla finally does come on screen to fight the MUTOs, he does not disappoint, with his scenes being some of the best in the movie (the final 20 minutes blows Emmerich's entire film out of the water). In a way, the build up is reminiscent of the 1954 original, in which Godzilla took a full half hour to show up.

However, I will say this as a word of warning: do not go into this film if you are expecting Godzilla to be on screen almost right from the get-go. It is not like last year's Pacific Rim, in which there were kaiju fights left and right. The film does take a while to get into, but once it gets going, it gets going. This point seems to split viewers right down the middle. All I will say is: If you are expecting Godzilla fighting monsters left and right on screen, be prepared to only get a few, albeit excellent, monster fights.

Overall, Godzilla is an excellent reboot of the King of the Monsters, although there are flaws particularly in the acting department (minus Cranston) and some may find the lack of Godzilla in a movie called Godzilla to be frustrating. However, the film is beautifully shot, and when Godzilla does show up on screen, he delivers. If you get a chance, see it in IMAX, because it is worth hearing Godzilla's roar on that big of a screen.

Grade: B+

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review: Marvel's Game Changer

Having the chance to study abroad in England presents some chances I may never get to have again. I have witnessed things such as the sights of London, a football match, and the majestic wonders of Paris, to name a few.

But something just as important happened last week that ranks up there with the likes of seeing Paris and London and being able to study abroad in England.

That's right, I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier one week before it comes out in America.....which is strangely ironic when you think about it.

Also, I have a life I swear....

Anyways, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the third installment in Marvel's Phase Two of their Cinematic Universe. In this latest installment, it's been two years since the events of The Avengers, and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is trying to adjust comfortably to modern civilization after being frozen for 70 years. He catches up on pop culture and befriends fellow veteran Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). He is also working for S.H.I.E.L.D, headed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and works along side with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Cap's normal routine is interrupted by the arrival of a villain known as The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), a deadly assassin who soon puts one of Cap's comrades out of temporary commission, causing Cap to become way of everyone around him. Cap must now stop the Winter Soldier from doing anymore harm while figuring out who he can and can not trust.

Now, I love what Marvel has been doing with their film universe. They keep turning out quality film after quality film and I always get excited by what they cook up next. Going into the film after viewing the trailer, I was pretty excited to see where they would take the character of Captain America after the events of The Avengers.

Nothing could possibly prepare me for what I saw on the screen. Not only is this Marvel's strongest film since The Avengers, but it is possibly one of the better superhero films I have seen in quite some time. Not only that, but it is a game changer for the MCU.

Everyone does a fantastic job in their roles. I remember when Chris Evans was cast in the role, I had the biggest doubts about how he would do as the character, but now I can see no one else in the role. He completely is comfortable in the role, showcasing the uncertainty Cap faces in this new world, but still maintaining a sense of honor. He has charisma while also showing a wistfulness about times lost, and uncertainty about this new world. The end result is a hero everyone is able to relate to in some shape or form.

I was also happy to see Scarlett Johansson have a more prominent role this time around. Not only can she still knock down bad guys left and right, we get to see more of Black Widow's past revealed in the film. I was invested in learning about more of her past history. It was interesting to see the character try to find that balance between what is right and what isn't right. Hopefully, they will reveal more in The Avengers: Age of Ultron and/or a solo Black Widow movie.

Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is also excellent as well.  As the leader of a global organization who is tasked with protecting the free world, we see the burden occasionally take its toll on him this time around. He doesn't have powers, just someone trying to figure out what is right. Jackson manages to capture that perfectly, showing Fury's strong leadership skills, but at the same time, a certain world weariness, one that shows Fury at his most vulnerable.

There are two noticeable additions who make an impact on the film. The first is Robert Redford as senior S.H.I.E.L.D official Alexander Pierce. As the film is said to be heavily influenced by 70s political thrillers, it's a nice touch to add Redford, the king of 70s political thrillers, to this film's roster. And he makes a huge impact here. Redford has this gravitas that gives him a sense of importance and it pays off in this role.

The final standout is Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka Falcon. Marvel continues their perfect casting choices with Mackie, as he looks the part of Falcon,  as well as trading some genuinely funny wisecracks with Cap while also helping Cap raise some questions about what he wants to do with his life, which should prove to be VERY interesting if they continue this idea in Avengers 2 or Cap 3. I hope to see more of Mackie in future Marvel films.

And then we have our villain, Stan as the Winter Soldier. This may be the most menacing Marvel villain we've seen on screen since Loki. He is a relentless, ruthless killing machine. I will not spoil the identity for the few who genuinely do NOT know who The Winter Soldier is (even if it's easy to figure out by looking at the credits of the...and one you'll probably call about halfway through).

The story itself is also impressive. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have crafted a worthy second solo outing that touched upon some issues I had wanted addressed in The Avengers, such as Cap adjusting to the modern era and hanging on to his old morals in this new world. The story also feels much more intricate than your average superhero film. Imagine a 70s thriller written by someone such as Robert Ludlum where Jason Bourne is running around trying to take down an evil conspiracy that wants to cripple the nation. Now imagine Jason Bourne wearing tights while doing this, and everything being on a much grander scale, and you get this movie. The film's story allows the movie to be more accessible for those who are NOT big fans of superhero films.

There is also a moment that happens in the end of the film that is going to have major repercussions for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. No spoilers here, but let's just say things are about to get very interesting from here on out and I can't wait to see what Marvel has cooked up yet
Finally, there is the action and direction in the film. Marvel has proven once again that they know what they are doing when picking the most unlikely of directors. This time, it's Joe and Anthony Russo, whose previous credits prior to this were episodes of Community and Arrested Development, as well as the Owen Wilson comedy You, Me, and Dupree. This is the first time the brothers have ever taken on a project of this magnitude and they do an absolutely stunning job of handling it, keeping things heart pounding and intense, especially with the action.

Speaking of the action, this is some of the most high octane, intense, edge of your seat action Marvel has made yet. The action comes at you fast and furious, with the Russo Brothers beautifully handling some of the big set pieces, such as the elevator fight shown in the trailer. The way the camera is handled gives the scene this claustrophobic feeling when Cap is fighting everyone. I commend the Russos for their big studio film debut and handling such a big movie so incredibly well.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best one that Marvel's done yet and raises the bar for Marvel films and superhero films in general. The movie is a much improved sequel to the first in every aspect. Even if you are not a fan of superhero films, it's an absolute blast to watch.

Grade: A+

The Giver Trailer Reaction: Hopeful, But Still Wary. Plus: Updates!

 

Hello everyone! So remember when I promised I would put out reviews more constantly and I was determined to get a review of The Lego Movie out there? Well....right when I was about to do that, things here in England started to get very hectic. The workload in terms of papers starting to pile up along with the numerous trips for class, leaving me no time to get the reviews out as I had hoped. This past week especially was difficult due to the fact that all my midterms were due (I actually somehow got to see Need For Speed also in between writing papers but right when I got back from the theater I had to, you guessed it, write more papers. Remember kids, in college, late nights are your friend.

So long story short, it's been a crazy month here and I apologize for not getting the reviews out more like I promised.

BUT, I am on break now and that means I have MUCH more free time on my hands so I will try to keep up with movie reviews. Before we get into the main topic of this blog post, let me give you my (very) brief thoughts on The Lego Movie and Need For Speed.

The Lego Movie is hands down the best movie I've seen all year so far. The film, while basically a two hour commercial for Legos, celebrates the company's legacy of expanding the infinite possibilities of your imagination. The animation is stunning to look at, with some of the worlds being absolutely jaw dropping to look at. The voice casting is spot on as well, with the standouts being Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Liam Neeson. A very fun and imaginative movie with a heartfelt message. Grade: ANeed For Speed on the other hand.....let's just say that while this was one of the more decent video game adaptations, video game movies still are not having the best track record. That being said, Aaron Paul IS the best part of the movie, being completely charming while extremely serious as well, and I do appreciate that the director decided to use practical effects for the cars rather than CG, which you don't see enough of any more. However....the movie is unbelievably stupid. I know the point of the film is to turn your brain off and enjoy it, but there's a fine line between enjoyable stupid, and stupid where you have to knock out your disbelief and make sure it stays asleep on the couch for a few hours. Unfortunately, this movie is the latter. Grade: D

NOW, enough of old business. Onto The Giver Trailer!

When I was an 8th grader growing up in middle school, I remember being given the next book to read for class. It was Lois Dowry's The Giver. The book focuses on a young man, Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), who lives in a utopian society where everything is in black and white and society has eliminated pain and strife by eradicating emotional depth, known as "Sameness". Jonas is selected in his community to be "the Receiver of Memory," who is the keeper of memories before Sameness. He learns from the current Receiver, The Giver (Jeff Bridges) and soon discovers secrets that will change him forever.

The book was one of my favorites when I was growing up and to this day it remains one of my favorites. The book helped introduce me to the concept of utopian and dystopian societies, which are always some of my favorite stories. When I heard that there was to be a film adaptation starring Jeff Bridges as The Giver, I was very excited.

I am a bit wary now after watching this trailer, though I still have high hopes for the film. The casting does look incredibly spot on, especially Jeff Bridges and Brenton Thwaites as The Giver and Jonas, respectively. I also like the casting of Meryl Streep as the Chief Elder. However, I am a little surprised at the look of the Community. From what I recall, everything was in black and white and very mundane so I was a little taken aback to see everything so....modern and having a bit of color.

Also, the tone of the trailer reminds me a bit of that movie The Host.....yeah that's not exactly a good sign.

Regardless, I still do have high hopes for the film. Check out the trailer below and you can check out The Giver when it hits theaters on August 15, 2014. Check out the first teaser below!

Guess Who's Back? Back Again?

Greetings Everyone! Hope everyone has had a lovely holiday season and is enjoying their 2014 so far! I apologize for the severe lack of content on this blog. The reason for not providing as much content as I would have liked is because right when the school year for me started, a LOT of things started happening. I acquired an internship over the past semester which took up most of my time, my schoolwork started to pile on. My job was taking up some time as well and my social life improved considerably, especially with my girlfriend, which is going groovy right now.

Oh and I'm also kind of sort of studying abroad in England.

Yup. You read that right. I'm studying abroad in England as of this moment. For some reason, I'm still trying to figure out what insane motive drove me to live in another country. Maybe it's just to be able to experience new cultures, see sights I won't be able to normally see, get credits for school....

....or I could just be flat out insane. It's one of those.

Anyway, enough bad attempts at witty humor. Let's get down to the business of this post: movie reviews. Seeing as how I'm in England on a tight financial budget, my ability to go out to the cinema is.....limited to say the least. BUT NO FEAR. I've narrowed down where I'm only gonna try to see a handful of films. They are:
-The Lego Movie (out here this Friday)
- Captain America 2 (March 27 here)
- The Amazing Spider Man 2 (April 18 here)
- Need for Speed (March 21)
- The Grand Budapest Hotel (March 7)
- Noah (April 4)

I'm here till May, so these are the reviews that I will try to get out while I am over here in this country. After I get back, I'm gonna try to churn out as many reviews as I can for the summer season before school gets nuts. With that being said, take care and I'll see you guys hopefully next week with The Lego Movie! Until then, enjoy Sam L. Jackson getting pissed at reporters who mistake him for Morpheus. Enjoy!