adean81's Reviews

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

7/10

5 July 2018

Warning: Spoilers

When the first Jurassic World movie came out back in 2015, I was super excited because I love the original Jurassic Park film. Even though Jurassic World made over 2 Billion dollars at the box office, fans had mixed reviews. Personally, I really enjoy the movie, but recognize it's flawed. So I was a bit skeptical going into Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. I will say that overall I might like it more than the first Jurassic World.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this movie is that it added in the horror elements that made the original Jurassic Park so great. The tone throughout the film was dark, but most of it worked well. It plays into the theme and dark side that comes with the creation of the dinosaurs. Fallen Kingdom does an excellent job at following what the first movie set up, and pushes the theme of a dinosaur world further. It raises questions about the responsibility that humans have for these dinosaurs and what it means to have dinosaurs in the world, rather than just a theme park.

Jeff Goldblum returns! All though it's brief, the way that the character Dr. Ian Malcolm was used fit perfectly with the movie's theme. Hopefully, we can get more from this character in the third movie, and maybe even bring back Dr. Alan Grant. The acting in this movie was pretty good, and in particular, I enjoyed the child character. The two boys from Jurassic World were boring characters that had too much screen time, the young female child in this movie does a much better job of integrating into the story.

Not everything in the movie was great. There are a lot of moments that are used as plot points. A way to quickly jump the story forward, even if it doesn't make sense. While it doesn't ruin the movie for me, it is something that you have to just roll your eyes and move on from. Another thing I didn't like, was that the movie spent such little time on the actual island. Most of the film takes place off the island, and I would have loved to see more of the island before leaving it behind forever. The movie's villain is also very one dimensional and lacks a compelling motive.

The opening scene did a great job to capture my attention, and the movie has a lot of action. I like the direction they took this sequel, I wish it were maybe executed better. But coming out of the film, I found myself really enjoying it. There were a lot of nods to the original Jurassic Park, some of which I appreciated and some that I rolled my eyes at. I'll have to see it again, but this might be the second best Jurassic movie, in my opinion.

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Tomb Raider (2018)

6/10

Better than I thought

23 March 2018

Warning: Spoilers

Tomb Raider Review

While I've never played a Tomb Raider video game before, I have heard really good things about the new video games for which this movie is based on. First off I'll start by saying that Oscar winning actress Alicia Vikander is amazing as Lara Croft. She brings a believable physicality to the role as a well as subtle emotions that really make the character feel like a real person. Even though the character is super athletic she is not overpowered. She makes mistakes and has a tough time with some of the action. The difference is that Lara is smart and can figure her way out of trouble.

There is some good action in the movie, the best being the scene where she's on the plane. There's also some good action with Lara running around shooting a bow and arrow. I also really liked the side character of Lu Ren played by actor Daniel Wu. I wish the character was more involved in the movie, though. Walton Goggins plays the villain Vogel, and while he gives a good performance the character turns into a cliché villain at the end. I did like Vogel's motives because it is sympathetic, but ultimately the character doesn't hold up.

Despite some great action and an awesome lead heroine, there are a few problems with the movie. For a two hour movie, there could have been at least ten minutes cut out of the movie. There are a few pacing issues between the action scenes. The overall plot about the tomb was a little uninteresting and confusing. The ending feels like any other adventure movie but reminds me of the first Resident Evil movie.

Overall the new Tomb Raider an enjoyable movie. I really like the character of Lara, she's strong, smart but also vulnerable, which makes her relatable, at least to the female audience. I really like the pairing between Lara Croft and Lu Ren and some of the action is really good. It's not a great action-adventure movie, but there's a lot of good here and lots of potential for future movies. I would love to see Vikander back in the role again, and hope it gets a sequel. If you lower your expectations you may be surprised that is better than you thought.

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Justice League (2017)

6/10

Review for Justice League

22 November 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Review of Justice League

Knowing some of the controversies that went on while making this movie and having heard some negative reactions, I went into this movie with lower expectations. Perhaps maybe that's the reason I enjoyed this movie as much as I did. There are some good action and funny moments that make this movie for the most part, enjoyable.

Having loved the Wonder Woman movie I was very excited to see her in action here. Wonder Woman is awesome! There's a great scene in the beginning that shows her powers and reminds you that she is a powerful fighter. Aquaman, while fun, was a bit underutilized. He seems powerful, but this movie doesn't explain what his powers are. With the exception of a joke about him talking to fish.

A character that I was surprised by how much I ended up liking him was Victor Stone, aka Cyborg. He gets some really good moments with Wonder Woman and has to deal with his internal struggles about being more machine than human. Very good, but like Aquaman, I needed more backstory about his character. One character not in the trailers was Superman. Wow, he's powerful. I don't want to give too much away, but this movie really utilizes Superman's power set and it's awesome.

Now being a big fan of The Flash television show, I was going to be biased no matter what about this new Flash character. He's a bit uneven to me. He's good in some scenes, too comedic in others, and ultimately has the least to do, in terms of power, among the group. Batman has some great actions scenes and gets to be the strategist of the group, and I just like it when he gets to use his cool gadgets.

While this movie does have a quick pace, that is ultimately a detriment to the overall story quality. The plot and villain don't make much sense, and some of the character developments have either been rushed or dropped entirely. Adding a few extra scenes could have fleshed out and fixed some of these problems. Another flaw is the CGI (computer generated graphics) in the movie. The villain should have been done using practical effects makeup. The actor that plays Superman had to have his mustache digitally removed in most of his scenes which is why his mouth looks a little weird.

The strong point of this movie is the team. It's fun to see this group of characters interact with each other and have to work together. This is not Marvel's Avengers, but it's not a bad movie. There's a lot of fun to be had, and some really cool action scenes. If you don't focus too much on the plot then you should have a good time watching this movie. Only makes me more excited to see Wonder Woman 2, if they make it.

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Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

8/10

Review for Thor: Ragnarok

8 November 2017

Warning: Spoilers

One word for this movie. Awesome! Going into seeing the movie, I was super excited. When the movie was over I still had a huge smile on my face, both times I've seen it. Right from the beginning, the movie starts off with a bang. From the great comedic lines to the Led Zepplin music blasting as Thor wields his mighty hammer in battle. Which provided a great use of the hammer, considering it is destroyed early on.

It might sound weird to say that the best part of a Thor movie is the comedy, but it's true. Ragnarok is hilarious and at times simply delightful. You can't help but smile and laugh when watching this film. Chirs Hemsworth as Thor is great with the comedic elements. Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster also adds a lot of fun to the movie. My surprise favorite character is the rock creature Korg. He's a great side character that provides brief moments of laughter. He's played by the film's director, Taika Watiti.

From the trailers, we all knew that the Incredible Hulk was in the movie. The fight in the arena between Hulk and Thor was spectacular. Hulk is hilarious and does a great job smashing things. His alter ego Bruce Banner has some great moments in the movie, part of which is him struggling with his identity as Hulk. It's also great to see Loki back. He's still at his same old tricks, but a great moment is when he first sees the Hulk and immediately says that he needs to leave. Which is a great call back to their encounter in the first Avenger's movie.

Two great additions to the Thor and Marvel movies are the two female leads. Hela played by Cate Blanchet and Valkyrie played by Tessa Thompson. The villain of the movie, Hela, was a powerful and commanding threat against Thor. Valkyrie interacted so well with Hulk and Thor, and got her own character arc, fighting like a true warrior in the end.

Benedict Cumberbatch's reprises his role as Doctor Strange in a short scene. Which is a continuation of the end credit scene he had with Thor at the end of the movie Doctor Strange. A couple of surprise cameos on Thor's home world of Asgard involve the people performing a play reenacting Loi's death scene from Thor: The Dark World. Unlike Captain America: Civil War, which felt more like an Avenger's movie, Thor: Ragnarok is very much a Thor film. The whole story revolves around Thor, characters from the Thor movies, and the realm of Asgard.

This is the best Thor movie, and one of the most fun and delightful of any Marvel movies to date. The action is great, the comedy is hilarious and pacing keeps moving. There's not a boring part in the movie, and only increases my anticipation and excitement for the next Avenger's movie.

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Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

7/10

Review for Blade Runner: 2049

11 October 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Blade Runner: 2049

Even though I haven't seen the first Blade Runner, I was able to enjoy this film and learn the world as it went on. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie, which takes place 30 years after the first film. The main character "K" played by Ryan Gosling, uncovers a mystery that could change the game for androids (aka replicants) in this universe. Speaking of Ryan Gosling, he does a great job acting in this movie despite playing a serious character.

At around 2 hours and 45 minutes, this movie sounds long but is actually well paced. The first 2/3rds of the movie move along well, while also having several scenes that hold on a shot. It's the mystery plot that really moves the story along and unfolds in an interesting way. The last third of the movie feels a bit rushed to wrap up the story and I found the ending to be a bit anti-climatic.

A big reason why I enjoyed this movie, not only do I like a good mystery, is the cinematography. The visuals, the sets, the landscapes, this movie looks gorgeous! All of the sets look real and gives a great sense of what life is like in this future world. The sound is also well done, with a few moments that I found out of place. The soft notes in the background worked really well and contrasted the moments of booming synthesizers. The music really compliments the noir setting of this world.

Without spoiling too much of the movie, there is one story line that I thought was intriguing and emotional. There is a love story between a replicant and a hologram. I find it fascinating that two forms of artificial intelligence seek companionship with other, one without a physical form. It raises this question: of do these replicants to have feeling and emotions? Can they be programmed to simulate feelings? While these questions, and several others, are not answered, it is still thought-provoking.

There are a lot of things this movie nails, and a few that don't hit, such as the ending, and the unanswered questions. Overall this is a movie that looks great on the big screen with an engaging plot that will have you questioning what is actually going on. It is a dense story with a lot of callbacks to the first movie. Eventually I might watch the original Blade Runner, but for now, I'd rather watch 2049 a second time.

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It (I) (2017)

8/10

IT review

14 September 2017

Even you are not a fan of Stephen King or horror, you should still watch the movie IT. As a suspense/horror film, the movie does a good job building the intrigue and mystery of the town of Derry as well as Pennywise the Clown. Pennywise looks very creepy and is an interesting and engaging villain. It uses impressive special effects for the demon clown and shows what IT is capable of becoming in order to scare the kids. Using their fears to attack them. There are some good jump scares but the movie does not overly rely on those.

One thing that the movie does overly rely on is the music cues to build up the suspense. The overuse of it made the scare beats become a bit predictable in the film. There were also weird times when random songs would pop up and then be cut off abruptly. There were some cool camera tricks like rotating and zooming that I thought were impressive. Overall the film looks great and has an aesthetic similar to The Goonies or Stranger Things.

What this movie succeeds at is telling the story of the children. This very much feels like a young adult coming of age story. The child actors all do a great job, and the characters are really engaging which allows the audience to become sympathetic to them. The story is focused on the kids and their fears. Each kid has a fear or obstacle in their life that they need to overcome in order to help defeat Pennywise. They are all very distinct characters but still feel like a group of friends. The movie was at its best when exploring the lives of the children.

The movie touches on some of the mythology about Pennywise and the town of Derry, but it's important to remember that this is the first part of the story. There is going to be a sequel movie that can delve deeper into some of the material from the book. While there are some minor problems with the movie, it is still a very well made and engaging film that I recommend people checking out. Even though it's cast is a group of kids, I would not recommend anyone under the age of 13 due to some very adult themes and imagery. This movie succeeds at being a suspense drama with elements of horror that keeps the audience entertained throughout.

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Annabelle: Creation (2017)

7/10

Annabelle Creation Review

26 August 2017

Warning: Spoilers

While Annabelle: Creation may not be a great horror movie, it is not a bad movie. It is better than the first Annabelle movie, but not quite as good as The Conjuring. Even though I liked the first Annabelle movie, this one adds more elements of horror. It shows more of the demon that possesses the doll and brings a more haunting atmosphere than the first movie did. For those that have seen The Conjuring and Annabelle, you may be wondering why we needed another origin story for the doll. Didn't the first Annabelle movie explain that?

While we may not have needed another Annabelle movie, this one is better than the first and *spoilers* it does tie in with the first movie at the end. What this movie does is explain the origins of the doll and when it was first possessed. The movie literally opens with toy-maker finishing the doll. What the movie does not do, is over explain the demons. All we know is that it needs a soul, but the demon itself is a lot more menacing and scary in this movie. Unlike the first movie which just relied on the creepiness of the doll.

Another element to the horror setting is the house on the farm. The whole movie takes place in this big house out in the desert grass hills, miles away from the town. This is a great setting because the demon needs a vessel to be able to travel and keeping the doll in the house is what keeps the demon there. There is some excellent shot inside the house, some great aerial and tracking shots, as well as nice scene transitions. The movie is very well directing, however, there are a few spots in the movie that are lacking. The pacing slows down, and there's no dialogue which doesn't hold the audience's attention.

There is one scene in the movie that I thought had a great line, from any horror movie. One character asks what is after them and the little girl replies, "Who cares? Run!". Haha. What a smart little girl, no time to ask questions, just run away. So there are some good and fun moments in the movie. Is it one of the best horror movies ever, or even in the last year? Probably not, but it's worth a watch and fits well in with the rest of The Conjuring movies. If you're into these kinds of movies then you will enjoy it.

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The Mummy (2017)

4/10

The Mummy Review

17 August 2017

Warning: Spoilers

While I heard bad things about this movie, I decided to go ahead and watch it for myself. And I can tell you now, it's not a good movie. Now it's not terrible, but it's not very good. While the Brendan Fraser Mummy movies are not great, they are still fun, cheesy, action-adventure movie. There are a few elements of horror in those movies, they know what they are and horror they are not. This new Tom Cruise Mummy movie wants to be a horror/action movie and doesn't succeed in either.

There are many things wrong with this movie, first is simply the plot of the story. It's not good. The movie does not explain anything until about half way through the movie when you don't even care anymore. I still don't know what the mummy's motivation was or what her powers were. It expects the audience to put the pieces together on their own, without really giving them any pieces to work with. The ending doesn't explain anything!

Another problem is the relationship between Tom Cruise's character Nick and his love interest Jenny. There is no chemistry between the actors, and it makes it really hard to care about their relationship and the ending where it's supposed to be this big touching moment. At that point, I just don't care, there is more chemistry with Nick and the Mummy. Speaking of the mummy, *SPOLIERS* the movie decides to interrupt your mummy movie to bring Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and not in a good way.

The last thing is that the tone of the movie is off balance. It wants to have these horror moments and action pieces, but it inserts terrible dialogue and moments of comedy that don't fit with the scene. Not to mention some moments that are supposed to be "scary" just seem silly. If you're going in for a horror movie, you might end up with a comedy.

Now is there anything good about the movie? Eh, it looks good, some of the visual effects are awesome. There's even a cool call back to the Brendan Fraser movies with the giant mummy face in a sand storm. Unfortunately, that's about it, and this movie does not give audiences hope or excitement about Universal Studios "Dark Universe", essentially the classic movie monsters. This is not a monster movie and hopefully, the studio can fix that problem before releasing their next monster movie. If you're curious about the movie, then check it out, otherwise, it's a pass.

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Dunkirk (2017)

7/10

Dunkirk

4 August 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Dunkirk Review

While this is a really good movie, Dunkirk is not your typical war film. It's not about heroes and winning battles but rather a movie about survival. The end message is that surviving a war is simple enough, you don't have to have won. The movie is about the British evacuation of Dunkirk, and the German's bombing them before they can do so. Like other films that director Christopher Nolan has done (ex. Memento), the movie is not told in a linear or chronological order. There are three stories going, that don't intersect until the end of the movie.

There are the characters on the beach that are trying to leave on ships that keep getting bombed. Then there are the civilians from London that sail to Dunkirk to try and help rescue men. The third story is the shortest and that's the Airman shooting down the German planes, to prevent them from bombing more ships. It's not a complicated story line but it helps to know that each story is not taking place at the same time until the end.

The movie is not driven by dialogue, in fact, there is little dialogue. Instead, the sound and spectacular visuals are what drive the story. The sound of the guns and bombing contrasted with silence are there to give a sense of experience to the situation the characters are facing. Because the movie is not about winning a war, it has no real political agenda or alliance. In fact, we never even see any German soldiers up close. The details of the war are not what Nolan focuses on which is what makes it a very different war film.

As far as the story goes it's very compelling and sad to see the characters trying to do their best to merely survive and get back home to London. Overall this is a good movie, but you should go into it knowing what to expect. It's a movie that slowly builds tension and has little dialogue between the characters. It's a drama, not an action movie that is meant to engage the audience in the experience of the events that take place.

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

8/10

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Review

16 May 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Welcome to the guardians of the frickin' galaxy, and enter dancing baby Groot. The opening scene during the credits was super fun, and baby Groot is just so adorable. While not every character gets a great character arc there are several great moments for each character. Drax played by Dave Bautista provides most of the comic relief, when Groot and Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper) are not on screen. Some of the humor takes things a bit too far, but for the most part, the comedy has been up'd in this sequel.

All of the Marvel movies have great visual effects and this one is no different. The opening scene with a young Kurt Russell looks very believable. The movie knows how to use color to great effect. The setting for the gold people, known as the Sovergn, looks spectacular, with the bright gold and bold blue and white backdrop. Considering the movie has lots of characters of all different colors, each of them seemed to stand out beautifully.

Now, even though I like Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana's characters, Peter Quill and Gamora, the standout characters by far were Michael Rooker's, Yondu and Karen Gillan's, Nebula. Two characters I thought were "okay" in the first movie, get more backstory and character motivation in this movie. It humanizes them to make them sympathetic characters that can be redeemed.

One thing that wasn't as good as the first movie is the use of music. The opening song with baby Groot dancing around was great, but some of the other songs seemed just there in the background and didn't add anything to the scene. Unlike the first movie where the songs would enhance the scenes, only a few moments in Vol.2 do that well.

Without spoiling who the villain is, I will just say, this is one of the better villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and vastly better than the first movie's villain, Ronan. I understand the villain's plan and completely believe that they believe in what they are doing. There were a couple of very well done and horrifying moments that are unsettling to make the audience hate the villain. The best thing is that the villain provides more than a physical threat but an emotional one as well. Also providing insight into the relationships between several of the other characters.

Overall, I would say that I enjoy Vol.2 more than the first movie, but that does not mean that it is perfect or better. While the movie has enhanced certain characters, it also adds more to the plot and takes a too much time trying to bring the Guardians back together for the final battle. However, I really liked Kurt Russell's character, Ego, I love baby Groot and the best line of the movie is Yondu's, "I'm Mary Poppins, ya'll!" Truly awesome.

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Power Rangers (2017)

7/10

Power Rangers Review

15 April 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Since I was a big fan of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as a kid, I was super excited to see the new movie. While this movie does change a lot of things from the original TV show, it creates a new mythology of the Power Rangers that is refreshing and well explained. Even though the rangers don't get their suits until the end, the movie does a great job at setting up the characters.

Most of the movie is establishing each of the rangers and the issues they are struggling with as individuals. It takes a surprise twist towards the end of the movie to bring the team together and gain their power suits. Which look pretty great in the action scenes. A few of the zords are hard to make out what they are supposed to be, the best one is the pink rangers pterodactyl zord. The big battle ending was a pretty good fight and there were a few great nods to the original series, that made the kid in me squeal.

Although the movie wasn't all good, there were a few weaknesses. While the action sequences are great it doesn't occur until late into the film. Some of the jokes are kind of tasteless and don't land very well. The last thing is the villain, Rita Repulsa. In the beginning, she looks very creepy and the movie uses elements of horror. Unfortunately, this tone is not consistent with the character throughout, and not really consistent with the tone of the movie.

While this isn't a great movie, it was pretty much what I expected and did what I wanted it to do. The opening scene was a pleasant surprise and most of the movie is good. This movie sets up everything perfectly for a sequel, that hopefully will have the rangers uses their suits and zords more often. If you're coming into this looking for the show then you're going to be disappointed. However, if you can get over that idea, then you might be surprised by some of the original aspects this movie has to offer.

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Beauty and the Beast (I) (2017)

Beauty and the Beast Review

30 March 2017

Warning: Spoilers

It's a tale as old as time and a song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast. The original Disney animated movie was the first animated movie to ever be nominated for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards, back in 1991. So it's no wonder that there was a lot of pressure to get the live-action version just right. It's easy to compare it to the animated movie, but the live-action version brings a lot of new elements to the story. It provides backstory for several characters as well as better romantic development between Belle and the Beast. That's all accompanied by some great and often delightful acting performances as well as the musical songs.

While the movie is basically a remake of the animated version it also changes a few things and adds in scenes in order to tell the story better. One new element the movies adds comes from the original fairy tale story, and that's Belle asking for a rose every year from her father Maurice. The movie also adds in new scenes between Belle and the beast that creates a better romantic connection between the two. Emma Watson does a great job playing Belle, she brings a lot the character beyond being warm and kind. Dan Stevens also does a good job at making the beast sympathetic as well as caring.

As for the songs. While Emma Watson does not sound like Paige O'Hara (the voice of Belle in the cartoon) she does a wonderful job singing the songs. Surprisingly Dan Stevens has a great singing voice and gets an original song that is actually really good. Even though Ewan McGregor's French accent was not great, his version of Be Our Guest was fantastic and different from the original. Emma Thompson does a wonderful job as Mrs. Potts. While not copying Angela Lansbury, she still brings warmth and care to the character.

Not everything in the movie was perfect. Luke Evans is a great actor but his version of Gaston is not as fun as he was in the cartoon. This is evident in the song "Gaston". Josh Gad does a great job as LaFou, who is not quite the fool he was in the animated movie, but Gad has a great singing voice. The other thing that was quite as well done is the ballroom scene with the title song. The visuals didn't feel as grand and magical despite the setting. Some of the directing were off in a few scenes, where the focus wasn't clear and the angles weren't perfect. Some of the designs for the object characters were odd looking, but after a while, you get used to it.

However, if we stop comparing this to the animated version, this movie is a great adaptation that has a lot to add to the story. The opening musical "Belle" draws the audience right into the character and the town. It sets up the story perfectly and does a great job establishing why Belle doesn't fit in with the town. The ending had some small changes that were surprising and interesting. Overall this movie was beautiful, sweet and magical, everything you want in a Disney fairy tale movie.

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Suicide Squad (2016)

4/10

Review for Suicide Squad

16 November 2016

Warning: Spoilers

Supervillains? The characters in the movie Suicide Squad don't really feel like true villains but rather plain criminals. That could be due to the plot of the movie that uses these villains to save the day like heroes. As a consequence they can't be too villainy otherwise the audience would not relate to them. In the movie, they just refer to themselves as "the bad guys" so I guess even they don't really see themselves as villains. The actual villain of the story is disappointing and weak.

Before the movie was released there was a lot of hype about the characters Harley Quinn and the Joker. For the most part Harley was oversexualized, but she did have some great moments, especially Will Smith's, Deadshot. The Joker and Harley I really didn't care about. Apparently, there were a lot of cut scenes of the Joker. Jared Leto gave us a different version of the Joker, which could be cool, but he was basically only used as Harley's boyfriend in this movie. Harley herself walks the line between really crazy and really caring.

No member of the Suicide Squad received as much attention and insight as Harley did, but Deadshot and Diablo have a good amount that shows the audience a different side to these "bad guys". Will Smith does a really good job playing Deadshot. He has good character motivation, as well as some good comedic moments. Which are there to lighten up a pretty depressing movie otherwise. The reveal of Diablo's true power at the end of the movie was very impressive and he turns out to be a more complicated character than I thought.

The rest of the Suicide Squad are not properly developed. Crazy Captain Boomerang, is nothing more than a petty thief with a boomerang and some knives as his weapons. Katana has an awesome sword, and we're told second hand about what her sword is and the death of her husband, but that is all we get. The character Slipknot is only brought into the gang to demonstrate that the kill-switch devices in everyone's neck will indeed kill them. That's it! Killer Croc looks really cool, but also doesn't really do anything and we get zero back story on him. The lack of character development is a problem when dealing with an ensemble cast.

The worst part of the movie is the villain who is *spoilers* Enchantress. At first, the spooky, girl for the Ring looking, version of Enchantress was really cool. Once she regains her heart and becomes this Mayan goddess version, the character becomes less creepy and intimidating. For some reason, Enchantress is constantly wiggling around as she is talking. It looks really silly and there is no reason for her to be dancing around as she talks. She needs to stand still and have a better-executed plan. Wanting to destroy the world to create a new one just because you can, is not a good enough reason for being the movie's antagonist.

Overall there were a lot of very cool moments in the movie. For instance, the Batman and Flash cameos. And even Viola Davis did a great job in the movie. The problem is that the movie is a series of scenes with no real build up and little character development. It could be in part because of the large cast but the villain is still a problem. There is some fun to be had, but ultimately it failed in being a cohesive story.

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Doctor Strange (2016)

Review of Doctor Strange

9 November 2016

Warning: Spoilers

When I first heard about Benedict Cumberbatch being cast as Doctor Strange I had my reservations. The guy from the Sherlock show is going to be a mystical superhero? My doubts lessened my anticipation for the movie. However, all of that negativity went out the window when he first appeared on the screen. Cumberbatch did a great job in the titular role, especially with the comedic moments. In fact, this movie had a great cast all around.

The movie picks up running with the plot and goes right into an awesome action scene. This forces the audience to accept the alternate realities and magic that are displayed in this movie. The visual effects are simply spectacular. From the mystic energy, that is produced from the hands to the bending of the buildings. There are some trippy scenes like looking through a kaleidoscope. Despite all of that the movie is still fairly grounded. Visually this movie looks stunning.

Another amazing aspect of this movie was the fighting choreography. The martial arts used were outstanding and looked authentic. Tilda Swinton's character The Ancient One and Chiwitel Ejofor's character Mordo had some great fight sequences against the movie's villain. Played by Madds Mikelson, Kaecilius is one of the better villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He had a good motive and felt he was justified in his reasoning. The final conflict was a little bit out of this world, but for the most part, it works.

While the tone of the movie was more dark and serious than most of the Marvel movies, there were still great elements of comedy that provided some levity to the film. There are a few jokes that don't land and feel a bit forced but for the most part, the comedy is great. One thing that I did appreciate about this movie, is that unlike other Marvel movies, there was no forced romance. The love interest angle is there, but never really focused on and does not draw attention away from the rest of the plot.

Doctor Strange provides a great origin story for an unusual superhero. One of the movie's strengths is the character evolution of Dr. Stephen Strange. There is some parallel to Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie. However, the difference is that Strange is more reluctant to fight until the end of the movie when he realizes a crucial part about possessing power. This movie offers a look at a different and unique superhero with a supernatural power-set. Strange doesn't just rely on his powers but his mind to defeat his enemies. It may be the weirdest of the Marvel movies but there is a really great story behind the wonderful special effects.

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The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

8/10

Review for The Secret Life of Pets

19 July 2016

Warning: Spoilers

Hot off the heels of Zootopia and Finding Dory comes The Secret Life of Pets. While I went into this movie not really expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I laughed. The movie is about two dogs, Max and Duke, that get lost in New York City and need to find their way back home before they get sent to the pound. While that doesn't sound like much, there are two other parties of animals that are also trying to find them. One is their friends from their home apartment building and the other is a group of abandon animals from the sewers.

All of the voice talents did a great job with their characters. Louis C.K. is the voice of the dog, Max. Not being a big fan of Louis C.K. I did not really recognize his voice, but he really brought some charm to his character. The female dog and love interest, Gidget, is voiced by Jenny Slate. She does a great job balancing sweet, cute and crazy. The standout voice performance is from Kevin Hart. He voices the bunny, Snowball, who leads the group of abandoned animals called the Flushed Animals. While he may be crazy and slightly evil, he is hilarious and even has a bit of a soft side at the end.

While there is an ongoing plot, that's not really the driving force. The comedy is what keeps the audience watching. The short 87-minute run-time means the movie doesn't drag on in any spots. For the most part, the jokes are nonstop throughout the movie. A lot of the laughs are from visual cues. Mostly making fun of the way that pets think and act. Anyone who owns a pet knows how dogs act around balls and how cat loves the laser pointers. The movie shows all the little habits that pets have and how it can appear to be silly. Perhaps people that don't have pets, might not get the jokes and enjoy the movie as much.

As far as cartoon animal movies go, The Secret Life of Pets is good, fun entertainment for children and adults. If you are looking for something more emotional and dramatic then this is not your movie. However, if you just want to laugh and have a good time, I highly recommend seeing this movie.

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Miracles from Heaven (2016)

8/10

Review for Miracles From Heaven

29 May 2016

Warning: Spoilers

If you are looking for a tearjerker, then you're in the right place. I caution people to not wear makeup when watching this movie because you will be crying by the end. The story is about a Christian family from Texas, whose second daughter becomes seriously ill with an incurable disease. The situation puts a lot of financial stress on the parents because they have to see a specialist out of Boston every month. The journey is about the mother, played by Jennifer Garner, and how she does whatever she can to make sure her daughter gets the best treatment possible. The movie is based on the real- life story of the Beam family and what happened with the middle daughter Anna, played by Kylie Rogers.

While there are some religious and spiritual elements of the movie, and it plays an important role, it never comes off as preachy or pushy. It just works with how the story is told. The idea of having faith is an important theme of the characters in the movie. The mother struggles with her faith and questions her belief in God. While Anna, tries to stay positive and even has a conversation with another sick girl, to try and cheer her up. Eventually, Anna wants to give up on living until an accident happens that changes her life. Hence the title of the movie.

One of the things that sell the emotion of the movie is the tremendous acting by both Garner and Rogers. They really sell a real connection between a mother and daughter. Rogers is such a delightful little girl that warms your heart when she's happy and saddens it when she's in pain. Garner does an amazing job with the real tears and heartfelt speeches about her daughter. The entire cast is great in this movie. Queen Latifah comes in (for a few scenes) not only to provide some comedy but to bring some hope to the girls when they feel a bit defeated.

Even if you are not a fan of faith-based movies, you will still enjoy this film because the focus is on the mother and daughter and the family struggles. If you're looking for a good cry, watch it. If you aren't looking to cry, watch it! This is an amazing movie and sheds great light on people who do have sick children and everything they have to go through. It's a heartbreaking story that ends with a very uplifting message. The idea being that miracles are everywhere, even if it's just someone helping you out in a tough situation. It's the little things in life that make the big things possible. Watch the movie, and get inspired.

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The Jungle Book (2016)

9/10

The Jungle Book Review

29 April 2016

Warning: Spoilers

The new version of Disney's The Jungle Book is not only visually stunning, but also manages to tell a heartfelt story. This movie incorporates elements from the classic 70's animated movie, while giving a slightly different take on the tale; which is based on the book of the same name by Rudyard Kipling.

Probably the most astounding thing about this movie is the fact that it was all shot on a sound stage in Los Angeles, CA. Most of the jungle setting and all of the animals are completely computer generated graphics. However, it is done so well, that you will feel like you are in the Indian jungle. The visual style has a similar feeling to that of nature documentaries, such as the Disney movie Monkey Kingdom. Which gives a personal connection to the story involving the animals.

Speaking of the animals, the voice actors did a great job with their characters. Ben Kingsley as Bagheera brought a tough yet caring quality, and Bill Murray did great playing the comedic relief bear, Baloo. All of the villains were scary in their own ways. Idris Elba as Shere Khan was intimidating, menacing and felt like an imposing threat. Kaa the snake, voiced by Scarlet Johanson, was great and had an unsettling feeling that played well into the fear of what lies deep in the jungle. One of the standouts has to be Christopher Walken as King Louie. The massive size and eerie calm of this character, really make him a threatening figure for the young man-cub, Mowgli.

Mowgli, being the only real character in the movie, is brought to life by the young actor Neel Sethi. Sethi did an amazing job acting against almost nothing but managing to convey real emotions. Without him, the movie does not work, because he is the heart of the story. He brings perspective and insight into the difference and similarities between man and the animal world.

For those that love the animated movie, there are two songs that make it into this new version. The classic Bare Necessities, sung by Baloo and Mowgli, and Wanna Be Like You, sung by King Louie. The Bare Necessities seemed to fit well within the narrative, showing the development of the friendship between Baloo and Mowgli. The other song literally comes out of nowhere, and really serves no purpose. It comes off a bit scary in a way, part of that could be due to Walken speak-singing the song. Even so, it was a good way to provide some comedy in between what are two very tense and suspenseful scenes involving King Louie and the man-cub.

While there are certain scenes that are dark and violent, The Jungle Book is still a very good, family friendly movie that can be enjoyed by (almost) all ages. For those of you that are fans of other Disney movies such as The Lion King, you will enjoy this film on all levels. It has a great mix of comedy, action, suspense, horror and drama while still feeling like a fun, fantasy film for kids. It is the new standard for live action Disney movies and hopefully a new classic alongside it's animated companion.

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Straight Outta Compton (2015)

8/10

Review for Straight Outta Compton

8 March 2016

Anyone that has listened to rap music in the last few decades has heard of the group N.W.A, but not every one knows their story and the impact they have had in the music industry. The film Straight Outta Compton shows the rise and fall of the infamous rap group. The movie starts out introducing us to each of the five members one by one, and shows us how they came to form the rap group, N.W.A. The first person introduced is one of the three main central figures, Eric Wright, a.k.a. "Eazy E". Wright is portrayed by actor Jason Mitchell who gives a great performance. O'Shea Jackson, jr. the real life son of "Ice Cube" plays his father in the movie. He does a good job not only looking like him, but also with his voice and mannerisms. The third main member is "Dr. Dre" played by Corey Hawkins. While he bares a similar resemblance to the real Dr. Dre, he managed to play him with a lot of compassion and drive as a person. All of these actors do a great job interacting with each other and brings a realistic feel to the movie. The other two members of the group, MC Ren and DJ Yella are given little screen time and character development, probably because they are the least known members of the group.

Some other notable performances are from the actor that portrays Suge Knight. Known as a threatening person, the way Knight is written in the movie comes off very looming and menacing, captured well by the actor that plays him. The audience really feels like this guy will kill anyone for anything and is ruthless. Small cameos are made by actors playing Snoop Dogg and Tupac, both of which did well with what they were given. The last main character is the manager of N.W.A, Jerry Heller, played by the talented Paul Giamatti, who gives a solid performance. Playing the caring yet manipulative manager, who claims that every thing he did was "just a part of the business". The character runs a fine line of being a caring person towards Eric and a sleazy business man.

The first half of the movie plays out like a straight drama narrative building to the formation of the group, depicting their life struggles as well as run ins with gangsters and the police. As the movie progresses it becomes more about showing the major events that occurred starting with the concert riot in Detroit. From there most of the events shown were basic media covered incidents, that is publicly known. Such as Ice Cude and Dr. Dre leaving the group and starting their solo careers. The ending of course comes with the death of rapper Eazy-E, which played out well and was very emotional. This is one of the better music biopics made, while some liberties were taken, not everything is 100% accurate and many smaller details left out, it is still a solid story narrative.

For the most part the pace of the film is good. The first act moves along well, while there is a bit of a stumble later in the movie but it never drags along. At a length of 147 minutes, the movie is so engaging that the time flies and next thing you know the movie ends. By the time the movie is over, you are left wanting to know more of what happened next with Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. Not only is the pacing well, but the movie is shot well and has very nice cinematography, that draws you into the world that these characters live in.

There are several good comedic moments that help lighten the movie and allows the audience to be entertain in more than just the dramatic scenes. The movie also does not down play the way African Americans were treated by the police, and how that inspired the graphic lyrics to some of the groups most popular songs. This is a well directed, well shot and well acted biopic that deserves the recognition and acclaim it has earned. The original running time was over three hours long and could have easily been made into television miniseries. Hopefully when it is released, it will include the extra footage. Overall this is a very good movie and character study based, on true events that left a mark in popular American culture.

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The Finest Hours (2016)

8/10

Review for The Finest Hours

25 February 2016

The movie The Finest Hours is based on the true event of the wreck of an oil tanker ship in the North East Atlantic ocean. The crew of the S.S. Pendleton lose communication and have no way of notifying anyone that they are sinking. Due to the heavy storm, most of the Coast Guard has been dispatched on other rescue missions and no one is looking for the Pendleton. It's by chance that the Coast Guard is made aware of the ship and only a four men set out on a small boat, in extreme weather and current conditions, to rescue the survivors.

While there is a love story set up in the beginning, the best parts of the movie take place out at sea. There is some character development in Chris Pine's character, Boatswain Mate 1st Class Bernie Webber. Throughout the whole, movie they set up Webber to be a shy guy that always follows the rules and doesn't question his orders. There is little bits of information here and there about his past. In the end, Webber acts against his character in order to save over 20 lives and become a real hero.

There is some solid acting in this movie from all of the performers. The accents from Pine and Eric Bana were not great but not distracting either. Ben Foster was practically unrecognizable, and Casey Affleck, who plays the Chief Engineer of the Pendleton, shows a lot of the strength and confliction within his character. Actress Holliday Grainger plays Pine's love interest and does a great job playing a strong 50's lady, who is not the typical housewife type of that time. Other supporting actors also bring strong performances and you often forget the period the movie takes place in.

The visual effects in this movie are great. The shots of the boats out in the water going up against giant waves looked amazing. There were a few moments in the small boat that seemed unrealistic, but for the most part, everything on the water was done well. The grand scale of the oil tanker was a magnificent reveal. There is very good cinematography in this movie, even the snow storm on land had a great feel to it.

There is not a lot of bad in this movie. The opening scenes could have been done a little bit quicker while still establishing the characters properly. There are a few edit choices where it cuts back from the action in the water to land, that feels a bit off. Perhaps that was on purpose to undercut the suspension, but it's not that bothersome. For the most part, the movie sets everything up well and explains to the audience what is really at stake between the two ships and the characters on them.

It is amazing to think that this event ever took place, and it is nice to get a good solid Coast Guard based movie. It is like the last half of the Titanic meets The Perfect Storm, some might say it's probably not as good as those movies, but it is one of the better ship disaster movies and it being based on a true story gives it more credibility. Overall The Finest Hours is a very good movie, mostly family friendly. It has great action, suspense, and a decent love story. If you are looking for a well paced, entertaining film to enjoy, then this is a good recommendation.

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Spectre (I) (2015)

6/10

Review of Spectre 007

30 December 2015

Warning: Spoilers

Spectre Movie Review The 24th Bond movie in the film franchise had big aspirations when they decided to bring back the classic Bond enemy organization, known as Spectre. The opening scene, for the first 2 minutes, looked like one consecutive shot, and the visuals in Mexico City looked great. It really brings you into the movie and gives you a great set up. However, it doesn't reflect the tone of the rest of the movie.

On that note, neither does the famous Bond credits sequence. No offense to Sam Smith but the song that was chosen just doesn't work for me. It's hard to compete with Adele, but Smith's song feels a bit too similar to Skyfall, only not as great. There are a few good musical cues but overall it just a bit lack luster and doesn't really reflect the movie. The visual sequence that accompanies the song is not really any better. It hits you over the head with the octopus theme by showing multiple visuals involving an octopus figure. We get it, Spectre's logo is the octopus, we could tell from the silver ring that Bond takes at the end of the opening scene. It just feels silly and unnecessary.

When Christophe Waltz was announced to play the villain in Spectre, I thought that it was a great decision because he's played the bad guy role so well before. The problem is not with the actor but rather the character. He becomes a generic Bond villain, less engaging than Javier Bardem's Mr. Silva from Skyfall. There is no mystery with the character, even though the movie tries to make it a mystery of who he is; but it's very predictable. Speaking of villains, another under utilized villain was Dave Bautista's, Mr. Hinx, whose name is never mentioned in the movie. Mr. Hinx is a silent henchman reminiscent of Oddjob from Goldfinger. The difference is again what they gave the villain to do or in this case not do. At least Oddjob had the hat that could slice things off, Mr. Hinx seems replaceable. Another thing the movie failed at was hiring actor Andrew Scott, known for playing the villain Moriaty on BBC's Sherlock. They mine as well put a sign on his characters head. They're fooling nobody with this casting choice.

Even though there is a lot of "bad" in the movie, that doesn't mean that I thought every thing was bad. I really enjoyed Q's role in this movie, being the classic gadget giving Q as well as taking a more active role in Bond's mission. The actor Ben Wishaw, who plays Q, is great in the role, playing the nerdy scientist but bringing a new refreshing take on the character and how he interacts with Bond. Similarly I also enjoyed the new incarnation of Moneypenny, who also becomes more involved with the mission. While I will miss Judy Dench as M, I did think Ralph Fiennes did a good job in the role.

The action scenes in the movie are hit and miss, there's a few good throwbacks to some classic Bond tropes and scenes. While I do like Daniel Craig's Bond, he seems to be a bit out of it for most of this movie and it shows. The last problem I had with the movie was the main "Bond girl", I felt the two had no chemistry and it didn't make sense why she would be on the mission with him. This movie is trying to set up that Bond has moved on from his love in Casino Royale, Vesper Lynn, and that maybe he can leave his spy life behind. The message is clear; however I don't think that it was executed very well.

While I may not think that this is the best Bond movie every, and I've noted the many problems that I had with it, there is also enough good for me to enjoy it overall. Being the longest of the Bond movies probably doesn't help with the pacing, but this is not the worst Bond movie ever. I believe there is enough good in this movie that it should be seen at least once.

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The Martian (2015)

9/10

The Martian Review

17 October 2015

Warning: Spoilers

Set on Mars, The Martian is a unique science fiction movie that follows astronaut and botanist Mark Watney, as he tries to survive on the desolate planet. After being injured and separated from his crew, they leave him and return to the space station "Hermes", presuming Watney to be dead. He then wakes up in the desert only to find that his crew has left him behind. Trying to survive off of left over meal rations, Watney has to figure out a way to make water, grow potatoes and communicate with NASA, in order to plan a rescue mission back home to Earth.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this film is the humor. While there is a lot of suspense in the movie, it is inter- cut with a lot of humor, mostly from Mark Watney and his video journals. I think that the video journals work well to show us how Watney is dealing with being alone and also gives a different way to show him on Mars, without the camera just following him around all the time. It gives the movie a cinematic feel, like it is is based on a true events, rather than a book.

At 141 minutes the movie never drags because the action, suspense and humor are all well paced throughout the film. The cut backs between Mars and Earth also help to keep the story moving forward without feeling the length of the movie. Director Ridley Scott is known for his visually stunning movies and this one is no exception. The sets on Mars and in the space station are spectacular and it feels like the movie was really shot on Mars. There are some great anti-gravity scenes inside the Hermes station that are as good as the scenes from the movie Gravity and made me believe this crew is really in space.

Not only is this a great story telling movie with amazing visuals but it also has an all star cast. Matt Damon does a great job playing Mark Watney, with the majority of his scenes being alone on Mars. The supporting cast of Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain and Chiwetel Ejiofor are just as great and add a more grounding and realistic element to the rescue mission plot of the movie. A character that I really enjoyed was the young NASA analyst Mindy Park played by Mackenzie Davis. Her character is just some nobody NASA employee that discovered Watney was alive and got caught up in the mission and put in charge of monitoring Watney's movements on Mars. While it's a minor role, a few scenes here and there, it brings in a character that the audience can relate to.

The movie does have a couple of minor problems, none of which really distracts from the story, but rather would have enhanced it. There is almost no mention of Mark Watney's family or life back home. Adding something small like that would give more weight to Watneys motivations for returning to Earth. Another small part that was a bit overlooked was the integration of working with the Chinese government. There was scene discussing working together but then it just happens. I'm guessing this could be due to time constraints but an extra scene negotiating between the two governments trying to solve this problem would have added more realism to the movie. Again these are just minor issues, the majority of the movie is fantastic.

After seeing other movies, like Gravity and Interstellar, The Martian is probably my favorite. For me the pacing and use of humor are what made it more enjoyable and kept me invested. Overall this is a fun movie with some suspense and action that I highly recommend every one seeing. This is one that I will for sure end up buying on Blu-Ray when it comes out.

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