Good Vibrations All Around! My Review Of LOVE & MERCY...

Going in to Love & Mercy, I admit that I knew very little about Brian Wilson. A founding member of the Beach Boys, I knew that he suffered from a mental illness and was the father of Wendy and Carney Wilson, of Wilson Phillips fame, who just happened to be one of my favorite bands as a teenager. That was it. That was the extent of my knowledge on this musical legend.

Holy crap, was I blown away by this film! I mean seriously, you have to check out this movie, if for nothing else than to get a sense of who Brian Wilson was and is. The film consists of two simultaneous stories, one taking place in the 1960's during the Beach Boys heyday and one taking place during a tumultuous time in his life during the 1980's.

Paul Dano is incredible as a young Brian Wilson. We're talking awards season calibre performance here, which I am scared is going to get lost in the shuffle as the year goes on. Not that Dano doesn't shine in everything he does, but here he really, truly does. His performance is understated and yet, at the same time, completely over the top, which I know doesn't make a lot of sense, but will once you see this film. He brings such heart to the character that you can't help but root for him, even when you know that maybe he's not on the right path.

John Cusack is just as fantastic as an older Brian Wilson, at the height of his struggle with mental illness. His performance is truly heart wrenching, in both its scope and subtlety. Another performance that I hope is going to be remembered come awards season, although again, I'm not holding my breath. Elizabeth Banks shines as Melinda Ledbetter, the woman who eventually saves Wilson and Paul Giamatti does what he does best as the creepy Dr. Eugene Landy. Seriously, the cast and their performances are amazing, and definitely worth the price of admission.

Overall the film is an interesting look at an interesting man and the trials and tribulations that make him who he is today. I recommend the film, not only for the unforgettable performance of Paul Dano, but also for the look into the psyche of a musical icon. I came out knowing a whole lot more about Brian Wilson and with a newfound respect for everything that he's accomplished in his life. He is someone who should be celebrated for his musical genius and the best way to do that is to go out and see this film.

Love & Mercy           4.75/5

I Spy Hilarity! My Review Of Paul Feig's SPY...

Say what you will, but when Melissa McCarthy teams up with Paul Feig, it’s comedy gold! For whatever reason, these two just get each other and it shows in everything they do together, usually bringing the laughs by the bucketful. And Spy is no exception.

What I liked about this film was both the chemistry of the cast and the fact that McCarthy isn't doing her regular old schtick. Sure, there are pratfalls and physical comedy throughout, but it’s different this time because McCarthy’s Susan Cooper isn't a one note character, bumbling through life and bordering on idiotic. She’s smart and capable and I really think that McCarthy shines when she’s playing these types of characters. (Those that are similar to the character she plays on Mike & Molly!). I hope she embraces these types of roles and just goes for it in the future. Not everyone of her characters needs to be a moron to be funny.

And seriously, Rose Byrne needs to do more comedy! Between this and last year’s hit, Neighbours, she more than proves that she’s not only sexy, but funny as hell. Of course, she also needs to play more bad guys because she’s just so good at it. Jude Law is great as the suave, but clueless James Bond knockoff, but was a bit underused in the film overall. Miranda Hart and Peter Serafinowicz are absolutely hilarious as a couple of CIA agents to round out the supporting cast. But let’s face it, Jason Statham absolutely steals the show in this one! His take on the macho, stereotypical secret agent is delightful and shows that the action star has great comedic timing, as well as no problem making fun of himself and the genre.

Overall, I had a great time with this film. I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions, and even if the plot was slightly generic, it was a great riff on the spy genre as a whole. I am actually going to say that I hope they make a sequel to this film, as I would love another opportunity to catch up with these characters and see what else they have in store for us. Another mission, anyone?

Spy      4/5 

What’s The Hawaiian Word For Disappointing? My Review Of Aloha…

Why, Cameron, why? That’s what continued to run through my brain as I exited the theatre this weekend after screening Cameron Crowe’s latest, Aloha. How could everything, that looked so amazing on paper, have gone so horribly, horribly wrong? But sadly, it did.

I really wanted to love this movie, because I love Cameron Crowe. I think that, for the most part, he’s an amazing filmmaker and I’m always interested in whatever he’s doing next. And yes, I am one of those people who really liked Elizabethtown and I will totally defend it against all of you naysayers! Was it perfect? No, but it was at least watchable, unlike his newest, Aloha.

This film suffers from an acute identity crisis. Is it a romantic comedy? A family drama? An international spy thriller? I honestly don’t think anyone, least of all Cameron Crowe, knows because this film tries to be all of these things and ends up a jumbled mess. The 3 story arcs that make up the plot of the film have absolutely nothing to do with one another, other than the fact that they are meant to show the growth of Bradley Cooper’s character, and honestly, by the time we get to the end, no one really cares.

Now, there are things to like about this film. First and foremost, the cast is amazing. It’s such a shame that they are utterly wasted in a forgettable film. Bradley Cooper has made a career playing the flawed hero and here, he doesn’t disappoint. While his character isn’t exceptionally well fleshed out, he brings enough to it that you kind of want to see him win. Emma Stone is fantastic, as always, as the neurotic, but likeable love interest. Her character would have benefited from a bit more fleshing out as well, although overall, this is a small quibble as she does get plenty of screen time. I think her character fell victim to a brutal final edit. Rachel McAdams shines in what little she is given, but honestly, John Krasinki steals the show in an understated and subtle, yet highly memorable performance.

Ultimately, this film just tries too hard, and ultimately crashes and burns. I think that if Crowe had eliminated one of the story arcs (those that have seen the film probably know which one I’m talking about) and focused on the other two, this would have been a pretty special film. There are touches of that Cameron Crowe brilliance, including the final scene of the film which is so stunning and heartfelt it will bring a tear to your eye, but overall it just doesn’t work. And I really, really, really wanted it to work. When the first thought out of your head is, I wonder what someone like David O. Russell could have done with this film, you know you’re in trouble.

Aloha              2/5 

The Future Isn't So Bright! Review: Tomorrowland

I hate it when one of my most anticipated films of the year ends up being a dud. And this year, that appears to be the case in a number of instances. I was excited for this film. I love Brad Bird and think that he’s an amazing filmmaker. I was looking forward to seeing what he had in store for us. I mean, the man turned down a Star Wars film to make Tomorrowland, so it had to be something special, right?

Yeah, not so much! That’s not to say that the film is bad, because it’s not. It’s just that it is not what I (or a number of others, I'm sure) thought it was going to be. The marketing for the film was interesting and promised something special. What we got was a pretty generic Disney film, through and through, fully aimed at a family/younger audience. And that’s not a bad thing… it was just completely unexpected.

Visually, the film is lovely. The actual shots of Tomorrowland itself were amazing, and I would expect nothing less from Bird. And the cast does a great job with what they are given. I had heard rumblings that many thought George Clooney was miscast, but I don't see it. I thought that he did a good job and his character had a nice little story arc that came full circle. Britt Robertson was pretty dynamic as the lead and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next. For me, however, the show was completely stolen by Raffey Cassidy. Her turn as Athena is fantastic and worth the price of admission alone. A bright spot in an otherwise uneven story.

Aside from the fact that it wasn't what I expected, the film suffers from a weak script, especially in the third act. A film that could have been revolutionary felt kind of generic, hitting all the same beats and tropes as any other family film. The villain was weak and the macguffin was so contrived it was almost laughable. Everything was set up so that it could all be explained in the allotted 2 hours, whether it truly made sense in the grand scheme of things or not.

Overall, the film was a letdown for me, mainly because I think I had such high expectations going in and I really wanted to love it. The probably 12 year old girls who were also in my screening, absolutely loved the film and couldn't stop gushing about it, so apparently I'm not the demographic. If Disney had marketed the film properly, as the family friendly film that it is, they might have seen a slightly better box office draw. As it is, the film will go down as a pretty big disappointment to many. At least this means that Brad Bird can turn his focus to things that matter, like The Incredibles 2.

Tomorrowland                        3/5

What A Lovely Day, Indeed! Review: Mad Max: Fury Road

Who would have thought that one of the most violent, yet visually stunning action films ever created would also have such an interesting, feminist voice?

I’m going to start off by saying that this review is going to be slightly spoilery. I am trying to make my reviews as spoiler free as possible, but with this film, it’s just not going to work. This film needs to be discussed… so, you've been warned! And really, if you haven't seen it yet, you absolutely should!

I will admit, going into this film, I really didn't know much about it. Sure, I had seen the trailers (which were amazing!), but honestly, they really weren't all that informative when it came to plot... and that’s okay. I don't need everything spelled out for me in a trailer. It has been years (decades?) since I've seen the original films, so I was unsure if that would make a difference or not. Believe me, it didn’t.

While his name is on the title card and Max is there physically, he takes a back seat the strong women in this film. And, I'm okay with that. Tom Hardy has a presence on screen that is undeniable, so his just being there adds so much, even though his character doesn't utter more than a handful of words throughout the entirety film. I am serious when I say that I would pay to watch Hardy read the phone book, because he is just so incredible. This is another multi-layered performance for Hardy, who is quickly becoming a chameleon, able to seamlessly become every character he portrays.

I really liked Nicholas Hoult’s turn as Nux, as well. I think that Hoult is a really good actor and I am glad that he is branching out and choosing roles that are interesting and innovative. Hoult brought a subtlety and vulnerability to a character that could have very easily been one-dimensional, and it was interesting to see his development over the course of the film. From bad guy zealot to sacrificing hero over the course of two hours is hard to pull off, but Hoult does it with such heart that it’s completely believable. 

But this film really is Charlize Theron’s. Rumors that Furiosa was the star of this film were absolutely true and she utterly shines. Her turn as this amazing character has us all clamouring for a film of her own and I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen. But she wasn't the only one to stand out in this film. The five wives, whose lives made up the main story arc of the plot, were all exceptional (as were the women from the Green Place). It's great to see strong women taking action and deciding to change the course of their lives. Far too often female characters spend their time needing to be rescued, especially in big action set pieces, so the change of pace feels revelatory… which it shouldn’t and is actually quite sad, but that’s a discussion for another day. In a film whose marketing campaign was all about carnage, it was surprising (in such a good way!) to see the main plot of the film revolve around women no longer content with being considered objects and actually doing something about it. Hopefully it will once again show the powers that be that, if done right, gender and age don't mean a thing when it comes to audience engagement. (I'm not holding my breath, however!)

        

Of course, no discussion of this film would be complete without discussing the visuals. Miller and his team went above and beyond when it came to this film, and it shows. His reliance on practical effects and stunts place this film head and shoulders above the rest. It’s visually stunning and mind blowingly over the top and probably one of the best action movies ever made. Note to everyone out there; this is how you do an action movie! (Are you listening Michael Bay?) Through the mayhem and carnage, I was never at a loss as to what was going on, nor was I ever confuse as to what I was looking at or how it happened. The chaos was orchestrated like a beautiful symphony, right down the crescendo at the end. It was visceral, dark and glorious. Kudos to George Miller for bringing his vision to life and for not letting it get hijacked and turned into what the studio wanted it to be.  

I highly recommend that you check it out, preferably on the big screen, where you can bask in its awesomeness. I cannot wait to check out both the black and white and silent cuts of the film that are rumoured to be on the Blu-Ray release, later this year. What a lovely day!

Mad Max: Fury Road                         4.75/5  

Review: And The Stars Align...

The following is a review of the new movie, The Fault In Our Stars, and will contain spoilers. If you do not want to be spoiled, because you have neither read the book or seen the movie, then I suggest that you leave now and come back once you're done. If, you are one of those weird people that either like to be spoiled, or don't care either way, then please, read on....


**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********


I will admit that I have not read the novel The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, so I went into the movie, completely oblivious to what awaited me. Okay, so not completely oblivious, as I don't live under a rock, but you get what I mean.

We meet Hazel Grace Lancaster as she's just about to attend a cancer support group. She has stage 4 thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs, and requires that she carry an oxygen tank around with her. Her mom thinks she's depressed and is forcing Hazel to go to the group in a effort to get out and meet other people and share their experiences. At the group, she meets Augustus Waters, who has survived his bout with osteosarcoma, but lost part of his leg in the process. Gus invites Hazel back to his house, where they share their stories and promise to read each others favourite novels. Hazel's favourite book is An Imperial Affliction, written by Peter Van Houten. It tells the story of a young girl, Anna, who is stricken with cancer, and Hazel sees parallels in her life with that of the character. Augustus is frustrated by the novel, as it has an extremely cryptic ending (the novel actually ends in the middle of a sentence), so he tracks down Van Houten, who has become a recluse in Amsterdam, and begins a correspondence with him. Hazel writes the author to get him to explain to her what happened to the other characters in the novel after Anna died, but he explains that he can only tell her in person, so if she's ever in Amsterdam, she should stop by and chat. Unfortunately, due to financial restrictions Hazel and her family are unable to make the trip. Gus surprises Hazel with a trip to Amsterdam, funded by a make-a-wish foundation wish that he had yet to use. (Hazel had used hers when she was 13 on a trip to DisneyWorld). Before the trip, however, Hazel suffers a set back that hospitalizes her and her doctors advise against her going. Undaunted, her parents, knowing that she'll never get another chance, make arrangements for the trip to happen anyway. So Hazel, Gus and Hazel's mom, Frannie, pack up and head to Amsterdam. Gus and Hazel share a romantic dinner at an upscale restaurant, care of Peter Van Houten, where they taste champagne for the first time. Gus tells Hazel that he's in love with her, although she doesn't admit her feelings, still afraid of what's going to become of the people that are left behind after she dies. The next day, the two finally get an opportunity to meet the great Peter Van Houten. They are disappointed, however, when they discover that their idol is nothing more than a nasty, insulting drunk, who didn't actually want to meet them and who had no intention of discussing his book with them. It was his assistant, Lidewij, who had arranged the meeting, hoping that it would help Van Houten see the effect that his work had on people. They leave disgusted and disheartened, but are stopped by Lidewij, who apologizes and offers to take them on a tour of the city. The end up at the Anne Frank house, but unfortunately, it does not have an elevator. Hazel insists that she can do the stairs, even though her lungs are weak, and they continue. She struggles, but eventually makes it to the top floor. Hazel finally realizes that she is also in love with Augustus, and the two of them share their first romantic kiss. Gus takes her back to his hotel room and they make love. The next morning, Gus insists that they go for a walk alone, where he tells her that, just before she was admitted to the hospital, he had some pain in his hip. When they did a PET scan, they found that his cancer had spread and that he was terminal. Hazel refuses to give up on him, and they continue their relationship. Once they return home, Gus' health deteriorates rapidly. He holds a mock funeral for himself, wanting to hear what his best friend, Isaac, and Hazel plan to say in their eulogies at his funeral. Hazel's eulogy explains that there are many infinities and that although their time together was short, she would not trade it for anything, that Gus was the love of her life. He dies eight days later. At his actual funeral, she's surprised to see Peter Van Houten in attendance. When she gets up to speak, she doesn't use the eulogy that she had previously written, instead telling the mourners the general tropes that they want to hear. As she's leaving Van Houten gets in the car with her, admitting that he and Augustus continued to correspond with one another after their trip to Amsterdam. He also admits that the girl in his novel was based on his daughter, who died at a young age. He tries to answer the questions that Hazel had in regards to the characters in his story, but she will have none of it, insisting that he leave her alone. He hands her a note as he exits, but she crumples it up and tosses it on the floor of the car. Isaac comes to visit her later, and lets her know that Gus had asked Van Houten to help him write a eulogy for her. Realizing that that was what the note Van Houten tried to give her earlier was, she finds it and reads it. It was an e-mail that Gus had sent to Van Houten, explaining his acceptance of his fate and his love for Hazel. The movie concludes with Hazel accepting her own fate and appreciating what she has now and what she had with Augustus.

As you can imagine, this movie is pretty heart-wrenching. My thoughts going in were, okay, she has terminal cancer, so she's going to be the one to die. For Gus to be the one to actually die over the course of the film, kind of threw me for a loop. It was unexpected, which is never a bad thing in a movie. You want a movie to keep you on your toes, and this one did it beautifully.

What I appreciated about this story was the fact that it was an honest to goodness love story. No bells and whistles, or, these days, vampires and werewolves, to pull the plot along. It's about two people, facing unbelievable challenges who find each other and don't give up when life intervenes. It was funny and heart-breaking in it's honest portrayal of these characters and the trials that life had thrown at them. Shailene Woodley is a force to be reckoned with, as she brings an honesty and likeability to all the characters that she portrays. Her Hazel Grace is strong and resilient in the face of insurmountable adversity, but was also scared and vulnerable at the same time. The scene, just before Gus' mock funeral, where she's arguing with her parents is amazing. She's afraid what's going to become of them after she's gone but has never had the courage to say it out loud. When she finally tells them that she's afraid that they are going to give up and possibly kill themselves, you feel her fear. When her mom tells her that she's going to school to become a counsellor, so that she can help other families who are facing what they are, you can see the burden being lifted from Hazel's shoulders. It's a touching scene about facing the truth and being strong enough to talk about it and deal with it.

The pacing of the film is great, never getting bogged down by the heavy subject matter. Director Josh Boone does a great job of keeping the focus on Hazel and Augustus' relationship, and the film is beautifully shot, the location shots in Amsterdam particularly stunning. While the plot device may be serious, the movie has a light-hearted feel for the most part, as the focus is kept on the relationship and the characters, and not the cancer. Woodley and Elgort have an easy chemistry, making you believe that they are truly in love. It will be hard to go back to the Divergent trilogy and see them as brother and sister now, that's for sure.

While this movie definitely tugs at the heart-strings, possibly even breaking a few in the process, ultimately it's about more than that. It's a tale of two people who fall in love under less than ideal circumstances and use that love to become better people. People determined to leave this life having left their mark, even if it's just on the people who meant the most to them. It's a story that we can all learn from. Life is short, so we'd better make the most of the time that we have. Heartbreak is inevitable, unless you never put yourself out there. But where's the fun in that? Is it not truly better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all? I guess that's a choice we all have to eventually make for ourselves.

Review: Now That's The Mother Of Dragons....

The following is a spoiler review of the new film, How To Train Your Dragon 2. If you have yet to see the film, and are planning to (which I highly, highly recommend!), then you may want to stop reading this post. If, you have no intention of watching the film (shame on you!) or don't care if you're spoiled, then by all means, please continue...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

I will fully admit that I only just discovered the beauty of the first How To Train Your Dragon movie a couple of months ago. Based solely on the enthusiasm of Mark Reilly over at www.schmoesknow.com, I decided to check it out. Never knew what I was missing... and it was a lot! The movie has a great story, a hauntingly beautiful score and amazing visuals. It was love at first sight... or watch... or whatever you want to call it. I fell completely head over heels in love with the film. Just in time for the sequel...

It's been five years since the residents of Berk discovered that dragons were not the fearsome monsters that they thought. The dragons have become their companions, a part of their everyday lives... and that includes dragon racing. The villagers race upon the backs of their dragons, collecting sheep in a complicated points system. The one with the most points at the end of the race, wins. Stoick, Hiccup's father and the village chief, is disappointed to see that Hiccup and Toothless are nowhere to be found during the race. That's because, they are off exploring the world in a way that was never before possible, expanding the map that Hiccup has created, as they discover new lands and civilizations. Hiccup also practices his flying, having created his own set of wings. They crash land in an area that is unexplored, soon joined by Astrid, after she has won the dragon race back at Berk. In the distance they spot a plume of smoke and decide to go investigate. When they get closer, they find a village destroyed by large pieces of ice. Suddenly, they are trapped by dragon hunters, who are out looking for prey. Eret, their leader, lets it be known that Drago Bloodfist is amassing a dragon army and that he pays well for captured dragons. Hiccup and Astrid get free and return to Berk, trying to get Stoick and the other to help them find Drago so that they can reason with him. Stoick refuses, and instead orders Berk to be fortified for the coming attack. Hiccup, deciding that the only way to win is to convince Drago to give up his fight, flees Berk, quickly followed by Astrid, and promptly turns them in to Eret, in the hopes that he will take them to Drogo. Stoick, Gobber and the other follow them, and Stoick grudgingly admits that he has met Drago before, that he is fanatical and can't be reasoned with. He demands that they return home. Hiccup, still angry, flies off with Toothless, determined to end the conflict his way. Hiccup and Toothless, on their way to Drago, are kidnapped by the dragon-rider, Valka, who it turns out is Hiccup's mother. She also has the gift of dragon mastery, and tried 20 years before to get the residents of Berk to listen to her about the dragons. She was taken by the dragons when Hiccup was a baby, and decided that it was her responsibility to see that the dragons remained safe, choosing to not return to Berk. Instead, she lives at a dragon island, made of ice, that was created by the alpha dragon, known as a Bewilderbeast. All dragons answer to the alpha. Stoick and Gobber find Hiccup at the haven, where Stoick learns that the wife he thought was dead for 20 years, is actually alive. He and Valka share a moment and she decides to return to Berk and be with her human family. In the meantime, Astrid and the other riders kidnap Eret and force him to take them to Drago. They accidentally let it slip that Berk is full of Dragon riders and that they will never give up looking for them, so Drago should really let them go. Drago chooses to take the fight to them, and his army sets sail for the dragon island. They attack the dragons full force, forcing the alpha from inside the sanctuary. Drago then reveals that he has his own Bewilderbeast, who emerges from the depths, completely under his control. The two colossal beasts fight, and Drago's alpha wins the battle, killing the other alpha. All of the dragons come under the control of the new alpha, and by extension, Drago. To prove his new power, he takes control of Toothless, forcing the dragon to attack Hiccup. Just as he's about to hit Hiccup with a plasma blast, Stoick pushes his son out of the way and is killed by the dragon. Distraught, Hiccup lashes out at Toothless, who turns away and is taken by Drago. The Vikings send Stoick to Valhalla, and Hiccup realizes that with his dad's death, he is the new chief of Berk and is responsible for it's safety. Realizing that Drago will be headed to Berk to get the dragons that live there, he and the others fly the baby dragons home, as the babies are the only ones that aren't effected by the alpha's spell. When they arrive, they realize that they're too late, Drago and his army have already arrived and taken control of the dragons. Hiccup confronts Drago, who orders Toothless to kill him once again. Hiccup reaches out to Toothless, who is finally able to break the alpha's enchantment, reuniting with Hiccup. Drago then orders the Bewilderbeast to attack them, blasting them with ice and seemingly killing them. The ice begins to glow and then blows apart, as Toothless uses his new found plasma glow to rescue them. Toothless then challenges the alpha, firing plasma blasts at the large beast. As he is injured, the other dragons come back under their own control and side with Toothless and the humans. Defeated, the Bewilderbeast and Drago retreat to the ocean as the villagers celebrate their victory. The other dragons bow down to Toothless, their new alpha. Hiccup is officially made chief by the village elder, as they go about repairing the village and erecting a statue of the late Stoick. Others may have armies and soldiers, but Berk has dragons.

To say that I loved this film would be a complete understatement. This film is incredible. It is everything that you want your sequel to be. The story is interesting and engaging and visually the film is stunning. I am not a huge fan of 3D, but I completely recommend that you see this one in that format. The scenes where Hiccup and Toothless are flying through the clouds, over the ocean are spectacular. There is a gorgeous scene where Hiccup and his mother, Valka, go soaring through the air on their way to the feeding grounds, and it's breathtaking. The film is once again scored by John Powell, and just like the first time, he easily captures the beauty and elegance of the film with his score. The score is sweeping and epic in it's complexity and I also highly recommend that you check it out as well. The entire production is grand and stunning, full of heart and soul... everything that you hope for in a film.

I am excited to know that the production team has at least a trilogy in mind (word did leak last week that Dreamworks is thinking of adding a fourth film to the slate, so we'll see what happens with that, although I say go for it, especially if all of the films are as stunning as these first two), as I cannot wait to see what other adventures they have in store for us. While I really enjoyed The Lego movie, this film is now at the top of my list for best animated film of the year. Hell, I think it's actually in my top five movies overall for the year so far. The upcoming releases The Book of Life and Big Hero 6 have big shoes to fill, and I'm not sure they're going to be able to do it. I guess we'll see.    

Review: We've Gotta Go Back To School...

The following is a review of the new movie, 22 Jump Street, and it will contain spoilers. If you have not seen the film, but are planning on it, I recommend that you come back after you've watched the movie, if you want, to get my take on the sequel. If you don;t care, one way or another, then, please, continue...


**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********


The film, 21 Jump Street caught me completely off guard. I had never watched the television show, although I knew the premise of it, and was not really all that interested in the movie. Sure, it had Channing Tatum in it, but that still wasn't enough to get me to see it. Then I kept hearing all these great things about it. Finally, I decided to check it out... and boy, was I glad I did. Not only was it hilarious, but the chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum was out of this world. The movie made a bajillion dollars, so of course, a sequel was a no-brainer for the studio.

Fast forward a couple of years, and here we have 22 Jump Street. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the movie opens with a funny bit about a bust gone wrong, where Jenko and Schmidt accidentally let the bad guys escape. They get hauled into the Chief's office, where they try to explain what went wrong. Because it worked so well last time, the police chief puts Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) back into the undercover program, now known as 22 Jump Street, because they were forced to move locations to across the street, when the Korean community bought back the church they were originally in. This sets off a hilarious running gag about the major increase in the budget, as their new offices are all state of the art and they actually have interns. Turns out that there's a new drug on the market, WHYPHY (Wi-fi... get it?) that's being distributed at the local college. The "McQuaid's" once again go under-cover, this time as college freshmen. Jenko is accepted right away, given his penchant for football and having a good time, whereas Schmidt has rougher go of fitting in this time. As they continue their investigation, cracks begin to show in their bond, as they are pulled in different directions. When Jenko's new BFF, Zook, is implicated as the drug dealer, it places even more tension between the partners. In the meantime, Schmidt meets the lovely Maya, who he then sleeps with. Maya has a weird, creepy roommate who constantly makes jokes about how old Schmidt is, while he continues to insist that he's a 19 year-old freshman. In another hilarious scene, Tatum takes the reigns and goes for it, when at the precinct it's revealed that Maya is actually Captain Dickson's daughter. The fall-out of this encounter also plays throughout the rest of the film. It leads to another intensely funny scene where Ice Cube goes crazy at brunch during parent's weekend at the college. Watching him destroy the buffet is awesome. Jenko and Schmidt eventually get a lead that brings them face to face once again with Ghost, the villain in the opening scene of the film who got away. Ghost manages to get away again. Traces of WHYPHY are found in the Psychology professors office, leading to his arrest as the drug supplier. In the meantime, Jenko confides in Schmidt that he's been offered a scholarship to play football, and that he is seriously thinking about doing it. Schmidt makes the decision for him, leaving the program and returning to the force, alone. Jenko tracks Schmidt down, who is back on patrol, and lets him know that WHYPHY is still circulating on campus. Schmidt tells him that he's been looking into the case too and that he figured out Ghost has been paying the tuition for someone at the school. The two decide that the supplier and dealers will target the kids during spring break, and head to Mexico to find them. They soon realize that Maya's weird roommate, Mercedes, is Ghost's daughter and is actually the drug supplier. Chaos ensues as they break into the room, guns blazing. Mercedes takes the captain hostage and is pursued by Schmidt, while Jenko follows after Ghost. Schmidt and Mercedes get into a very funny fist fight, before she's knocked out by Maya. Schmidt then goes to help Jenko, who is on the roof of the hotel with Ghost and his men. In an attempt to protect Jenko, Schmidt jumps in front of him as one of the bag guys fires off a shot, but he mis-times his jump and Jenko gets shot again. As Ghost is taking off in a helicopter, Jenko and Schmidt leap to grab it, and use the grenade that Schmidt has stored in his shorts to blow it up. As the crowd on the ground cheers, the partners realize that they make a good team and that they should stick together. As the credits roll, Dickson approaches them and tells them that he has another mission for them, this one in medical school.

I actually really liked this film. It was funny and well paced, and the chemistry between Hill and Tatum is spot on. I also liked the fact that this film knew what it was, and made the most of it. The cracks about this seeming familiar, the increased budget, doing the same thing over again, gave it a tongue-in-cheek kind of feel, that is welcome in a sequel. The problem with a lot of comedy sequels is that they just don't live up to the original. The jokes are never quite as funny or original and most of the time, it just feels like a rehash of the first one. While this one is exactly that, it knows that it is and doesn't shy away from the fact. It wears it proudly and practically screams it from the rooftops. It's approach is refreshing.

As I mentioned, the chemistry between Hill and Tatum is, once again, incredible. I remember reading an article about the first movie, where Jonah Hill called Channing Tatum and said, "I want you to be in this movie with me." Tatum then replied, "Why? I'm not funny." How glad are we, the movie fan, that Jonah Hill managed to talk him in to it? (Although, I would disagree with him, because he was hilarious in She's The Man with Amanda Bynes!) The two of them are like a comedy team, playing off one another is such a way that you actually believe in their bromance. While I'm sure, given the numbers that it's pulled in so far, another film, to make the franchise a trilogy, will soon be on it's way, I would actually like to see the actors tackle a different project together.

While this film is not perfect, it is good enough to say it's equal to it's predecessor. I wouldn't go as far as to say surpass, because I think that overall the first film was superior. This film had enough laughs in it that it's definitely worth the watch, although I could have done without the Rob Riggle/Dave Franco prison sex jokes. I enjoyed this film and would recommend it, although I wouldn't call it the comedy of the year just yet. I felt that Neighbors with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron was overall a funnier film, and the red band trailer for Sex Tape, with Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz, has now bumped that one up to my must watch list.       

Review: Live. Die. Repeat. Over And Over Again...

The following is a review of the new film, Edge of Tomorrow. It will definitely contain spoilers, so you have been warned. If you don't want to be spoiled, you should really turn back now, because you really need to see this movie. If, you don't care if you're spoiled, or you like to be spoiled, because you know, some people do, then please continue...


**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********


Now, I am not a Tom Cruise fan. Before this weekend, I believe the last Tom Cruise film that I had seen was Tropic Thunder. Yes, it was that long ago. And honestly, until Kristian Harloff and Mark Ellis over at www.schmoesknow.com highly recommended this movie, I had no intention of seeing it. And that would have been a terrible shame.

Edge of Tomorrow, based on the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill, tells the story of Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), an officer of the United States Military and spokesperson for the United Defence Forces, a NATO military outfit created to fight the escalating war with the alien race known as the Mimics, who have taken refuge on the planet and are attempting to destroy the human race. Through a series of unfortunate events, Major Cage finds himself among the first wave of soldiers on the eve of battle, even though he is not a combat trained soldier. Stripped of his rank and branded a deserter, he is placed in J-Unit, a group of misfits, not really fit to be soldiers in the eyes of those higher up. Although the attack was supposed to be a covert one, somehow the enemy knows that they are coming and the soldiers are ambushed. Cage stumbles around the battlefield, watching as everyone around him is slaughtered by the aliens. Just as he's about to be killed by a Mimic, he deploys an explosive, killing both the alien and himself in the process, in a rather gruesome fashion. And then he wakes up. He finds himself once again, at the Heathrow Airport base, the day before the invasion is set to begin. He tries to explain the situation to anyone who will listen, but is written off as crazy and just trying to get out of combat. The invasion happens again, and every time he dies, the day somehow resets and he finds himself waking up on the same morning, before the invasion, over and over again. He has somehow gotten himself in a time-loop and has no idea how to get out of it. When he saves Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), and lets it slip that he's been here before, she tells him that when he wakes up, he needs to come and find her. It turns out that Rita knows exactly what's going on with him, as the same thing happened to her in the past. By getting doused in the Alpha Mimic's blood, Cage gained the ability to reset time. Turns out that all of the Mimic's are controlled by the time-controlling Omega and that if they can destroy it, they will be able to win the war. As the Mimic's try to locate Cage's consciousness, he will start getting visions of the Omega, giving them clues as to where to find it, so that they can destroy it. Through loop after loop, Cage and Rita get closer and closer to finding the Omega. Tired of watching her die no matter what he does to try and stop it, in one loop, Cage doesn't go to Rita at the base and instead goes in search of the Omega alone. He gets to the place in his visions, a dam in the Alps, but quickly realizes that it is a trap, as the Omega is not there and he is ambushed by an Alpha. The Alpha attempts to kill him by slowly draining his blood, therefore taking away his ability to time-jump, but he manages to drown instead, waking up the previous morning once again. Armed with the knowledge that the Mimic's are playing with them and the fact that the Alps are a dead end, Cage and Rita seek out a scientist, Dr. Carter, an expert on Mimic physiology, who may have a solution. On the authority of the UDF, he designed and created a transponder that would neurally link with the Omega, giving them it's location. The only problem is, it needs to be hooked to a live Alpha in order to work. Going on the hunch that Cage's blood, since it hold the ability to time jump, may work, they break into the UDF offices to obtain the device, this portion told through a number of off camera loops. Once they leave the building, UDF officers step in to arrest them, leading to a hectic car chase. Cage uses the transponder and discovers that the Omega is housed below the flooded Louvre in Paris. Before Rita can kill him and reset the day, their car crashes and they both blackout. Cage awakens in a military hospital, having been given a blood transfusion, wiping out his time jumping ability. He and Rita escape, determined to destroy the Omega before the invasion the following morning, in essence saving all of the soldiers about to deploy. Recruiting the soldiers in J-Unit, they head to Paris to stop this thing before it starts. Cage and Rita are the only two to survive the trip to the Louvre, and Rita eventually sacrifices herself so that Cage can destroy the Omega. As he is swimming towards it, grenades in hand, he is attacked by an Alpha. Dropping the grenades, he turns to look at the alien, showing it that he had pulled the pins before letting go. The grenades blow, destroying the Omega, which in turn destroys all of the Mimic's on the planet. As he is dying, Cage's body absorbs the Omega's blood. He awakens once again, but this time, two days before the invasion. The Omega has been destroyed and the war is virtually won. With his ranking still in tact, he finds Rita, who he has come to love. As he steps towards her, the screen fades to black.

To say that I was pleasantly surprised by this movie would be a gross understatement. A cross between Groundhog Day and any other alien invasion movie, I found myself thinking of Aliens as I watched it. Watching it gave me the same kind of feelings I get when I watch the James Cameron classic (once I was old enough to see it for the fantastic movie that it is and not let it scare the crap out of me, anymore).  And that is not a bad thing at all. It is honestly, a great sci-fi flick, with fantastic humour and great heart. Although it pulls from other science fiction tropes, it weaves them together in a surprising and pleasant way. While I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, I liked him in this role because it was outside of the box for him. Instead of playing the macho hero, his character is actually a bit of an ass, and a huge coward to boot. I was able to see past Tom Cruise and actually see William Cage, which is what you hope for in any movie. And don't get me started on Emily Blunt. The woman is amazing! She seems to have unbelievable chemistry with everyone she works with (if you haven't seen her and Matt Damon in the Adjustment Bureau, you really need to!), and here it's no different. Rita is an incredible, strong, determined character, and it's nice to see the female lead being the one to kick ass and take names, especially in a Tom Cruise movie. The pacing of this film was fantastic too, the loops and flashbacks edited perfectly to get the right tone and feel. It is a formula that could have gone horribly wrong, but didn't because the film makers actually used it sparingly and as a way to move the story forward.

While the film as a whole is excellent, I did have a few issues with it. First off, the plot is a little thin. While the premise as a whole makes sense on paper, there are quite a few plot holes when it comes to the explanation of the whole time-loop theory. I get that it's difficult to truly explain something so complex, but you're expected to go on blind faith for most of the film, just accepting the theory that Rita and  Dr. Carter have come up with in regards to the Omega and it's link to the Mimic's. Now, it may be that, somehow, they figured all of this out while Rita was looping through time, but since we don't get to see what her experience was like, we'll never know. I have also heard rumblings about the ending being a bit of a cop-out, but on this one I disagree. While I would have been content if Cage and Rita had sacrificed themselves and stayed dead when the end credits rolled, I think that the addition of the last loop was clever. Cage's consciousness brought him back even earlier, to before everything started, but with alternate timeline already in place, the Omega destroyed. While it would have been easy for him to turn around and go on with his life, he made the decision to seek Rita out and see what happens now that the war is won. Maybe it's the romantic in me... I also really liked the fact that the film ended ambiguously, without Cage actually saying anything to her. Just a smile and a fade to black.

Overall this is an excellent, original sci-fi film, and it's unfortunate that it didn't do better at the box office in it's opening weekend. I blame the fact that it's coming off of the Tom Cruise led Oblivion, which was a disaster of epic proportions, and the terrible marketing campaign that Warner Brothers hatched for the film. The trailers that were released did not do the film justice, making it look, in part, like a sequel to Oblivion. If they had shown what a smart, witty film this actually is, I think that it might have been received better by audiences. Another mistake that Warner Brothers made was changing the title from that of the book, All You Need Is Kill, to Edge of Tomorrow. The original title was edgy and in your face, while the new title is pretty bland and generic. I don't know if a different title would have made that much difference in the long run, but I guess we'll never truly know.         

Review: Sometimes Your Future Lies In Your Past...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

The following is a review of X-Men: Day Of Future Past, and may contain spoilers. If you do not want to be spoiled, then I suggest you do not read any further. If, you are one of those weird people who don't mind being spoiled with things like plot details and such, then be all means, continue...

I have now seen this movie twice. It has been in theatres for a grand total of 3 days, and I have seen it twice. That is how much I loved it. This is a fantastic film... and I don't just mean genre film, or superhero film, I mean a great film, period. I honestly don't know that I am going to see another movie this year that I feel is better than Days Of Future Past. 

To me, this movie had everything that I am looking for in a great film. The screenplay was fantastic. The story is incredibly well written, and true to the feeling of the comic book characters, without coming off too campy. There have always been some continuity issues with the X-Men franchise (some bigger than others!), and Fox has always just kind of swept them under the rug and not looked back. There are a few here too, especially in the timing of certain pivotal moments that occurred in previous movies, but, personally I am willing to overlook them, as it's difficult when you are dealing with different film makers for each property, to get them to line up exactly. (Yes, I know that Marvel has managed to do it through 8 films and a television show, but give me this one, please?). And then of course, ultimately, by the end of the film, it doesn't really matter anyway, so we might as well just go with it. The way that the Simon Kinberg was able to seamlessly weave the future story arc to the past was spectacular. The pacing and cut of the film were perfect. I can't think of a point where I felt bored or that the story was dragging or I needed more action or something to shake things up. The two plus hours flew by, both times.

 A lot of people were upset when word came that Hugh Jackman, as Wolverine, would once again be the central character in the film. In the comics, it is Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat, who is the one who gets sent back in time to alter the events of the past. I understand Fox's decision to put Jackman front and centre. He is the face of the franchise. Everyone knows who Wolverine is, given the fact that he has been in all 7 of Fox's X-Men movies, if you include the brief cameo he did in First Class. And honestly, Jackman has never been better. I'm sure by now, the character fits him like a glove. And physically... holy hell! The man is perfection personified. He got into amazing shape for The Wolverine last year and just continued on through the filming of Days of Future Past. I'm all for gratuitous nudity if it looks like that!

With that being said, while Wolverine is a key character in this film, the movie actually belongs to James McAvoy, as the younger Charles Xavier. And boy does he deliver. Charles is a broken, defeated man and McAvoy oozes despair. His portrayal is heartbreaking. You feel his pain and grief through the screen. He is a fantastic actor and I am glad that he was able to show that here, bringing a new dimension and depth to a character that we thought we knew. (If you haven't seen McAvoy in Wanted, you really should. That is another excellent, under-rated movie). Michael Fassbender, as the younger Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto, is also spectacular. His portrayal of the character has always been something to marvel at, and he doesn't disappoint here. Although his character is a villain, he is also extremely sympathetic. He's doing what he thinks is right for the good of all mutants, and it's hard to fault him for that. The scene on the plane when he and Charles argue about their tumultuous past is breathtaking in it's heartbreak and intensity. (Of course, Michael Fassbender could read the phone book on screen for 2 hours and I would be mesmerized!) The rest of the cast, including Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique and Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy, are also at the top of their game. The performances that Bryan Singer was able to get from the entire cast is one of the things that make this such a great movie. Many of the characters, especially in the future scenes, like Bishop, Blink, Warpath, Colossus, Sunspot and Iceman, are not given a lot of screen time, but what they do with it is remarkable. It is seriously devastating to watch the Sentinel's tear through them at the end of the film. I am glad that Bryan Singer chose to come back to this universe and more or less make things right. He knows and understands this universe like no one else, which is evident by what he put on our movie screens.

The only issue that I have with this film, is the fact that, with the exception of X-Men: First Class, they managed to erase everything else that has happened in the universe. While I appreciate the "screw you" that Singer threw Ratner's way in regards to wiping X-Men: The Last Stand out of existence (while I didn't hate the film, and thought it had a few redeeming qualities, it is generally reviled by fans), I am disappointed that the events of X-Men, X2: X-Men United and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (again, I didn't hate this film either and do think that it also had some redeeming qualities and important character points, but again it is reviled by most, who I am sure are glad that the events depicted in it are now also wiped out of existence) are all moot, as well as the events of last summer's The Wolverine. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me for Fox to go through all of the trouble of making and marketing The Wolverine, only to have the entire thing be nothing but a memory to Logan, less than a year later. But, what can you do? What's done is done. The end scene of the movie was great though. It was fantastic to see a happy future, where everyone, including Scott Summers and Jean Grey, survived. The cameos by the original actors from all of the films was a great touch.

With the release of X-Men: Apocalypse set for exactly 2 years from now, I was slightly surprised to see that they didn't use the time travel angle to somehow get the cast from First Class in to the present timeline. It was my expectation that something along those lines would happen, as it was quite obvious, aside from Hugh Jackman, the majority of the original cast members would not be back to reprise their roles in any future projects. This movie was going to be a passing of the torch, so to speak. And I guess, in many ways, it was. Rumour has it that X-Men: Apocalypse will be more of a First Class sequel than anything else, with the surviving cast members of that movie moving forward to the 1980's. There are also plans for a third Wolverine movie, set for release in March of 2017. Many expect that this will be Hugh Jackman's final go around as the character. And while, I am hoping, that since they altered his history, and that Mystique is the "William Stryker" that takes him at the end of DOFP, they may revisit the Weapon X program storyline once more. Maybe get it right this time. Regardless, if Jackman is finally hanging up the claws for good, all I can say is, thank you, sir and bravo. While you will be missed, you will never be forgotten.  

Review: Frat Boys, Frat Boys Everywhere...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

So, this post is going to contain spoilers about the new Seth Rogen/Zac Efron comedy Neighbors. If you haven't seen Neighbors, I recommend that you do not continue to read this post. If, you have seen Neighbors or you don't really care, then of course, continue at your own risk...

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the R-rated comedy. Crude, sexual humour is not really my thing, as I am not a 20 something year old boy. And that's okay, I'm not really the demographic that they're aiming for anyway. Now, with that being said, I saw Neighbors because I have heard really great things about it, and because of Zac Efron. 

I am a big fan of Zac Efron, and am glad to see that he is branching out and trying new things. While I am not a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks movies (even though I manage to somehow see all of them!), he was a real bright spot in The Lucky One and I also enjoyed That Awkward Moment with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan. This news that Marvel may be courting him to be their new "heartthrob" is interesting, so we'll see what happens with that.

Conversely, I am not a real fan of Seth Rogen. I did not care for Knocked Up and just recently saw Pineapple Express, which I thought was okay. I did, however, really, really like Paul, with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but that may be because he was only a voice. (Although, I will admit, I actually really liked the guest spot that he did on The Mindy Project last year. He was very charming and adorable).

That being said, I really liked this movie. It was actually quite charming and I think that there was a quite a bit of character development throughout. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play characters at a cross roads in their life. That space between being young, hip adults and boring, responsible parents. Their chemistry, as a married couple who are new parents to the cutest baby in the world, was great. And the way that their relationship was portrayed was refreshing. It was nice to see a comedy where the wife of the main character isn't such a nagging, whiny bitch that you wonder what he ever saw in her in the first place. Their relationship was a partnership, much like it would be in real life. They were a united front against the world. And Rose Byrne was amazing. It was great to see her actually get to use her natural Australian accent and nice to see her comedic side. She usually plays either more serious roles or the straight man, so it was nice to see her let loose a little bit. The breastfeeding scene was very unexpected and very intimate, and she just went for it. Kudos to her for putting herself out there, both literally and figuratively.

Zac Efron, as the head of the frat, was also an interesting character. He should have been the bad guy, the jerk with no regard or respect for anyone else. But he wasn't. He was actually an interesting character, with a number of layers, that made him surprisingly multi-dimensional and little bit sympathetic. His Teddy is a boy on the cusp of manhood, who wasn't quite sure what to do next. He's a compassionate young man who let's his pride and sense of honour get the best of him.

The problems start when, after partying with the frat boys one night, Mac and Kelly (Rogen and Byrne) break their promise to not call the police later on, when the noise gets out of control. The neighbors then go to war with one another, each trying to out do the other in the hopes that one of them will finally break and give in by moving out. The gags and jokes are quite humorous, culminating in a hilarious fight between Efron and Rogen near the end of the film. The final scene, outside Abercrombie & Fitch is also extremely amusing.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie and would recommend it. Again, it is nice to see Zac Efron branching out from the mainstream "romantic lead" trap that many attractive Hollywood men get sucked into. It was also good to see Seth Rogen doing something where he wasn't actually the stoner for once. This movie was way more entertaining then I expected and had way more heart and depth than movies like this one usually do. Kudos to director Nicholas Stoller for bringing more to the party than just a few penis jokes.

Review: Oh, Godzilla, You're Such A Tease...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

This post is going to contain spoilers about the new Godzilla movie. If you have yet to watch Godzilla, and don't want to be spoiled, I suggest that you turn back now. If, you have seen Godzilla, or you don't care whether the movie gets spoiled for you, then by all means, continue...

So, Godzilla. 

The king of monsters makes his triumphant return to the big screen, and it is definitely a triumph. There are a lot of things to love about this movie. I mean, visually, it's stunning. The destruction is breathtaking in both it's scope and spectacle. This is a true monster movie and disaster movie all rolled in to one. The monsters, and especially Godzilla, look spectacular. The visual effects are stunning and the visual effects team went above and beyond to bring these characters to life.

I enjoyed this movie. It is a big, old popcorn flick, meant to be nothing more than a good time. And that's exactly what I got.

The movie starts off with a great montage of stock footage from the 50's about nuclear testing and a couple of quick glimpses of what may or may not be the monster. We then switch to 1999 and an introduction to the main, human characters. 

Apparently, as the lore goes, millions of years ago, when the world was nothing but radiation, giant creatures who used it as a food source, roamed the Earth. As the planet evolved, and the radiation on the surface decreased, these creatures burrowed under the ground, towards the Earth's core, where radiation is abundant. During a mining operations in the Philippines, a cave in exposes a cocoon of some sort that, of course, scientists must study. This leads to the scenes in Japan involving a Nuclear power plant. Apparently, there were two cocoons, the first of which hatched before they could get down there. The monster, needing food, made it's way to Japan to burrow in a nuclear power plant and absorb the radiation. This is where all hell starts to break loose. I think that Bryan Cranston was a brilliant in these scenes. The emotion and the depth that he brought to the film were spot on, and it is a terrible tragedy that they killed his character off so soon in to the film. Although I do like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, I'm not sure that making him the main protagonist was the right way to go. Besides the fact that I had a problem seeing he and Elizabeth Olsen as a couple... of course, that is only because I already think of the two of them as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the upcoming Avengers movie, and those characters are brother and sister... just me? Yeah, that's a possibility!... I think that the movie might have had a bit more depth of character if Bryan Cranston had remained the main focus. Ken Watanabe was also fantastic as the scientist that has spent his life studying this possibility of these creatures. 

Of course, in any good Godzilla movie, Godzilla should really be the main character. In this iteration, Gareth Edwards gave us the slow burn... the tease... it takes until about the last 45 minutes or so before we get a really good look at Godzilla. And I am okay with that. Because once he makes an appearance, it's all good! :) I enjoyed the build-up to the main event and think that, overall the movie was paced quite well. It is more or less an origin story after all, and I think that the introduction was just fine. I will admit that some of the human elements to the film were a little on the weak side, but this really isn't about that, anyway. The human bits were really more like filler until we got to the big show down. 

And boy, do they deliver.

Downtown San Francisco is decimated as the three creatures converge in an epic battle. Buildings are crushed. Planes fall out of the sky. Utter chaos ensues. It's glorious! The scene that they alluded to in the trailers of the Navy Seal's HALO jump in to the city is breathtaking in it's entirety. The fall through the storm clouds towards the destruction, is undercut by the view from Taylor-Johnson's character, Ford. You experience the free fall from his perspective, the rush of the wind, the view of the monsters slugging it out in the distance... it's an amazing scene. I'm sure the visuals are great in 3D as well, but since I don't really care for the format, I saw the film in just regular old 2D, and it was still great. The fights between Godzilla and the MUTO's are epic. Apparently, in this world, Godzilla is the king of monsters, the guy that keeps the balance when the other creatures get out of line, and you know, try to take over the world. So, in essence, he's the good guy. And, even though we see that he's trying to help, in typical ignorant fashion, we, as humans, try to destroy that which we don't understand. Needless to say, we're idiots. 

There are a few things in the movie that bothered me, like one of the end scenes where the nuclear war head miraculously makes it far enough away from the mainland to safely go off, even though the timer was down to like a minute and half and that apparently, it's really easy to be reunited with your loved ones during the apocalypse... no frantic searching or anything required. But I'm willing to overlook those nit-picky things because of my overall enjoyment of this film. 

I've never been a huge monster movie fan... in fact, I never even saw the train wreck that was the 1998 Godzilla, but I will admit that, if the movies remain this entertaining, I am a convert. Word has now been released that a sequel is in the works. This is awesome news. I am looking forward to visiting with the King once again. This time, maybe a little more screen time for the big guy will occur, making it even bigger and better. If that's even possible.

Tuesday Quickies...

So, I woke up on Sunday with a bit of a sore throat and some chest congestion. What's a girl to do, you ask? Well, this girl high-tailed it over to the closest Redbox and had a field day! Grabbing five titles that I had been wanting to see, I headed home and settled in for a movie marathon. The following is a quick take on each of the titles that I watched:

**********Spoiler Warning!!!!!**********

The following may contain slight spoilers for the five movies listed. I will try to keep it to a minimum, but there is the possibility that some information may be spoiled for you. Keep that in mind before proceeding, with caution, of course....


The Escape Plan

Starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Escape Plan is your typical action flick. Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a guy who breaks out of prisons for a living. He owns a security company that is hired by the government to find weaknesses in their maximum security prisons, ensuring that the criminals that are sentenced to time behind bars, stay there for the duration. Ray's company is hired by the CIA to "test" a new facility that houses those criminals that "no government wants released into society." Needless to say, once inside, things go terribly wrong. Ray is befriended by Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger), a man sent to "The Tomb" because he has failed to give up his boss, notorious hacker Victor Mannheim. After some scheming and planning, they come up with a plan to break out of this so-called, escape proof prison.

I enjoyed this movie, for the popcorn flick that it was. It's an interesting take on the prison break formula and there are a couple of interesting twists that happen towards to end, making it an enjoyable viewing experience. Stallone and Schwarzenegger make for an interesting partnership, and the two of them can still do action like nobody's business. 3/5


The Wolf of Wall Street

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, the Wolf of Wall Street tells the unbelievably true story of the rise, and somewhat fall, of Jordan Belfort. Set in the late 1980's and early 90's, it is a drug and sex fuelled romp through the high-stakes and even higher reward game of stock brokering. Illegal, immoral and unforgiving, Belfort is everything that made the 80's the decade of excess. And Martin Scorsese does not disappoint in his showcasing of everything that that entailed. Securities fraud, sex, insider trading, drugs, drugs and more drugs... Nothing is off limits. Eventually, the FBI and the Securities Commission catch up to all of them, to varying degrees.

This movie made just about everybody's top ten list last year, with a great deal of the people who's opinions I admire, setting it in their number one spot. Personally, I don't get it. While I enjoyed the movie, and would recommend it, I definitely would not consider it the best movie I saw in 2013. (Maybe, it's a guy thing, as most of the reviewers that I tend to watch/read are men). It's definitely an interesting story and unapologetically over the top, but I do understand where some of the controversy surrounding the movie came from. To that I say, suck it up, it's a movie. I did find myself feeling sympathetic towards Jordan Belfort near the end of the film, a testament to the fine acting of DiCaprio. 4/5


Captain Phillips

Starring Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips tells the harrowing, true life tale of the hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama container ship off the coast of Somalia. Taken by armed Somali pirates, the story mainly follows Captain Richard Phillips and the lengths that he went to in order to protect his crew. It also showcases the Naval operation put in place to rescue the Captain once he is taken hostage by the pirates in an attempt to escape.

This was a very good, if intense, movie. It is an extremely intriguing story, one that you honestly wouldn't expect to happen in today's day and age. Tom Hanks gives a wonderful performance, highlighted in it's breathtaking beauty during the last 10 minutes or so of the film. I can't say that I'll be clamouring to watch this film again, but I have no regrets in seeing it to begin with. 4/5


Grudge Match

Starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro, Grudge Match tells the story of two over the hill boxers on their trek towards that one final bout to glory. Pittsburgh boxers, Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) and William "The Kid" McDonnen have always been rivals. Each winning a decisive fight in the 80's, Sharp inexplicably retires from boxing before the third and deciding bout can be fought. Fast forward 30 years, and a Youtube video of the two scuffling goes viral. Enter promoter, Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart), the son of the boxer's previous promoter. Each of the fighters agree to the fight for different reasons, and the film follows their journey to the ultimate grudge match.

I enjoyed this film. It's a tale about redemption and getting older, as well as forgiveness and understanding. I will admit, it was cool to see Rocky fight it out with Raging Bull. This film is funny and charming and I promise, there is an eventual winner of the grudge match. No, "oh it's a tie" pandering in this one. 3.25/5


Gravity

Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, Gravity tells the story of a space mission gone terribly wrong. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is on her very first mission, to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, the same mission being the final spacewalk for astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney). Things do not go as planned, and the two of them find themselves stranded in space, their mission now to find a way back to Earth.

I will admit, I found this movie just okay. I understand that my 47" TV, that is not 3D by the way, cannot be compared to the visual feast I would have gotten had I actually gone and seen the movie in IMAX. While the visuals were still gorgeous, I think that something might have been lost in the translation from movie theatre to home theatre. Without the groundbreaking visual effects, the story was a little weak and the characterisation a little lacking. While I would recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it, it is another one that I'm not sure I'll be eager to watch a second time around. 3.5/5   

Review: The Not-So-Amazing Spiderman....

Ooohhh, two blog posts in one day... apparently, I'm on a roll! :)

********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!********

In case you missed it, this review is going to contain spoilers. If you haven't seen The Amazing Spiderman 2 yet, turn back now... do not pass go... do not collect $200. If, you haven't seen The Amazing Spiderman 2 yet, and you don't care... then by all means, my friend, read on....

I'm going to be honest. I am not a huge fan of The Amazing Spiderman. While I found the movie okay, it just didn't grab me the same way that Sam Raimi's Spiderman movies did. I liked the original Spiderman and LOVED Spiderman 2 (the one with Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus). Of course, we won't discuss the train wreck that was Spiderman 3. But honestly, I think it was too early to reboot the franchise. Now, I understand, since it is Sony's only Superhero property, that they want to capitalize on it. I get it. Doesn't mean that I like it...

That being said, this movie did nothing to change my mind about the franchise. While it does have some redeeming qualities, overall, for me, they weren't enough to overcome the things that I felt were lacking.

So, on to the good... Visually, this movie is stunning! Everything is rich and full, and pops off the screen. I did see this movie in 3D, which is not my preference (it worked in regards to timing!), and some of the action scenes, where Spidey is swinging through the city, are fabulous. Although, there are a few too many for my tastes... but that's a bad, not a good...

Jamie Foxx, as Electro, looked amazing. The character itself is pretty fleshed out, for what he is and overall, I had no real problem with the story arc of Electro. The creepiness/craziness of Max Dillon made sense in the overall story, so I'm okay with that part as well. 

The mystery of Peter's parents, started in the first film, is, for the most part, brought to a close in this episode. It appears that Richard Parker was working on genetic research, looking for a cure for Norman Osborn. Realizing that Oscorp was planning on selling the research and technology for military purposes, he packed everything up, sent the files to a secret location and subsequently was murdered. Again, I'm okay with this... it took a long time to get there, but it works. 

And then, of course, there's the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. It leaps off the screen and is practically palpable in the theatre. These two have amazing sizzle when they're on the screen together... the relationship between Peter and Gwen is the glue that holds this whole thing together. And when she dies, because he can't save her, it really is heart-wrenching. I completely understand the choice to remove Mary Jane from this movie. While I do think, in part, their choice was due to the backlash from the Shailene Woodley hiring, I do also think that the inclusion of MJ would have thrown off the balance of Peter and Gwen's relationship. It will be interesting to see what kind of chemistry Andrew Garfield has with the actress that finally lands the part of MJ in the next movie. 

And speaking of Emma Stone, I am glad that Gwen Stacy wasn't, in either movie, nothing more than the damsel in distress. My one serious issue with the Sam Raimi's trilogy (aside from the mess that number 3 was!) was the fact that all Kirsten Dundst's Mary Jane did was get kidnapped and scream at the top of her lungs. IN ALL THREE MOVIES! That was all the character development there was. She screamed as the bad guy came towards her, waiting for Spiderman to save her. Gwen Stacy is not that type of gal. She's a no-nonsense, take charge kind of woman, and it's refreshing to see. That is of course, until she dies...

Now, on to the bad... This movie suffers from not truly knowing what it wants to be. For a Spiderman movie, there is an awful absence of the character throughout the film. I would estimate that Spidey is in only about 20% of the almost two and a half hour running time, leaving the rest as filler for the angsty Peter Parker. I'm all for character development and that, it's just that, isn't that what an origin story movie is for? Peter spends the entire movie either moping about breaking up and getting back together with Gwen, or the mystery of his parents life and death... Sound familiar? It should... it was basically the plot of the first film. 

My second issue is with the absolute waste of talent in how they used both Chris Cooper and Paul Giamatti. Yes, I know that Paul Giamatti and the Rhino will appear in either the next film, and especially in the Sinister Six movie that Sony is planning, but here he is nothing but a waste of everyone's time and energy. He shows up in a heist, where he gets arrested, only to show up as the Rhino in the end, after Peter is done grieving for Gwen and decides to don the spandex once more. And then the movie fades to black. That's it. About a total of 10 minutes and then it's done... Which is twice the amount of time the fabulous Chris Cooper gets as the aforementioned Norman Osborn. Waste of talent, big time!

And finally, I'm not exactly sure why they called this movie, The Amazing Spiderman... a better title might have been The Harry Osborn Show or The Evolution of The Green Goblin. While I had no problem with Dane Dehaan as Harry Osborn, in fact, I actually think he did an excellent job, the movie spent a great deal of time on the introduction and eventual downfall of the Osborn heir. I get that he's going to be the catalyst that brings the Sinister Six together, and that Sony is banking on the expansion of their franchise. I just wish, that overall, there was a little more Spiderman and a little less Sinister Six set up.

I'm sure that Sony is not happy with the $92M dollars that this movie made domestically in it's opening weekend. It didn't even top the opening weekend of the far superior Captain America: The Winter Soldier from last month. Given the numbers that Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel put up in their respective opening weekends last year, Sony has to be slightly concerned and rather disappointed. Especially given the films budget and all the money that they pumped into marketing. While I think that, when the overseas markets are factored in, the movie will be considered a modest success, I can't see it making a huge profit, given that it probably needs to make about $700M just to break even.

Right from the get go, I think this movie was at a disadvantage. It was way over-marketed by Sony and I think that people might have been leery or sick to death of it, having been beaten over the head with it for the last few months. It will be interesting to see what the second weekend box office numbers look like... word of mouth plays a big part in whether a movie stays or goes. Let's just hope, for Spidey's sake, that I'm the only one who wasn't enthralled with this latest instalment.

Below, find some links to my favourite review sites, AMC Spoilers, Jeremy Jahns and The Schmoes Know:

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=vZiWD5M4uKI&index=2&list=PLYNW0PN4_jrrILuvfws1zYComnO5n4nmJ    AMC Spoilers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z11BsNpng1k  Jeremy Jahns

http://schmoesknow.com/amazing-spider-man-2-review-by-the-schmoes/22120/  Schmoes Know