Big Eyes (Film Review)

On March 2, 2012, for the first time in my life, I walked out of a movie before it finished.  Project X was its name, and to this day consider it one of the most repugnant, offensive and distasteful films I've ever had the displeasure of viewing (though “film” is an awfully strong word to describe such garbage).  The film made me feel physically sick, and I nearly threw up in the bathroom after evacuating 30 minutes before the end.  I had hoped to never experience such agony again in theaters, though being a film reviewer I anticipated the inevitable; such misfortune occurred with Tim Burton‘s newest addition Big Eyes, which has the dishonor of being the second film I've walked out on (first since I've begun writing this blog).  Burton’s films have always been a mixed bag; I despise with a passion his original Batman, yet consider Batman Returns one of the finest superhero films ever created.  I hold high regard for his masterwork Ed Wood, but consider Mars Attacks one of the worst films ever created!  Now Big Eyes joins Mars Attacks as one of Burton’s biggest stinkers to ever see the light of day.  I may despise The Legend of Hercules, but in its awfulness there’s some semblance of unintentional humor in simply how bad it is…here, Big Eyes doesn't have the decency for any such pity. 

Exodus: Gods and Kings (Film Review)

Exodus: Gods and Kings is the fourth major film production of the story of Moses (following 1925’s Ten Commandments, 1956’s Ten Commandments remake, and 1998’s Prince of Egypt), not counting miniseries, TV movies and low budget remakes; so there’ll expectedly be comparisons throughout the review.  As such, this review will be clearer if you've seen at least 1-2 of the previous films.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (Film Review)

This isn't an action film, it’s a political film, a psychological film, and the best out of all three.

What If (Quick Review)

How does one go about turning love and romance (two of the most subjective feelings in life) into a successful film for a widespread audiences?  The answer is they don’t; to elaborate, they’re so many different spectrums of affection it’s practically impossible to create a single romance film that appeals to different demographics.  The Fault in Our Stars appealed to many teens and romantics (aka myself) yet was remote to those indifferent towards the particular theming; some find Before Sunrise a wonderful romance, while others can’t get emotionally invested in its style (such as Roger Ebert, who enjoyed the film, but not to the adoring extent of others).  One way around such diverse emotion is to combine romance with comedy (a “rom-com” if you will), which sounds absolutely asinine considering people’s subjectivity on humor, yet is surprisingly more mass appealing than serious romances (perhaps because it gives a film two areas of appeal; if a viewer dislikes the romance, they may enjoy the comedy).

The Expendables 3 (Film Review)

I love The Expendables series.  Not in any great movie/masterpiece way, but in a pure popcorn, testosterone-filled mode of mindless badassity (had to use a fake word just to describe such feelings).  Now I don’t consider myself much a “Spike TV, Rated M for Manly” type of guy, but there’s something about The Expendables series which exhilarates me into a series of joyous, unadulterated giggling (which may reinforce my earlier statement).  Strange, considering the series is built upon aspects I usually hate: a poor storyline, flat protagonists, one-dimensional villains and a complete overabundance of every action cliché imaginable…even stranger though, is these reasons are EXACTLY why I love The Expendables.

Interstellar (Film Review)

What a beautiful film.

Big Hero 6 (Film Review)

When creating my top ten animated films of the 2010s, I contemplated waiting until Big Hero 6’s release; considering it the only animated film left which had a possibility of placing.  I released the list anyway, compromising to give special notice if Big Hero 6 was good enough for placement.  Having finally seen the film, I unfortunately found it did not exceed enough to make the list; nonetheless Big Hero 6 is far from a failure, being visually beautiful, funny and above all, enjoyable to watch.

St. Vincent (Quick Review)

To put it bluntly, St. Vincent is fundamentally a Jason Reitman film without the overabundance of pretentiousness.  It’s a character comedy-drama combining cynical, dark humor with a heartwarming center.  One of St. Vincent’s primary highlights is its acting, with Bill Murray starring as Vincent; a cynical, politically incorrect, old fart who underneath possesses a surprising (though quite unconventional) heart of gold.  Murray’s portrayal stands alongside the top of effective grumpy old men performances, balancing dry pan humor alongside hidden benevolence without becoming too mean-spirited or overly-whimsical (in one scene he saves a boy from a group of bullies...then threatens to beat up their moms while breaking the leader's skateboard and using it as a projectile weapon).  In fact the majority of the film balances comedy, drama, and sincerity effectively well; having dark comedy prevent full-blown sappiness, while drama prevents the film from becoming a complete gag.

Nightcrawler (Quick Review)

While an actor can make or break a film’s effectiveness, occasionally the actor exclusively creates the film’s success.  Nightcrawler is of the latter, working because of Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance.  Without Jake Gyllenhaal there is no film, no acclaim, no effectiveness.  If there’s a reason for recommending Nightcrawler, it’s for Gyllenhaal’s frighteningly brilliant performance. 

Oculus (Halloween Special!)

Oculus is a strange case of horror genre idiocy, with the knowledge of how to destroy the monster (in this case an ancient, demonic mirror which controls people through illusions; causing them to perform unspeakable acts against themselves and their family) being researched, understood and set-up by our protagonists.  The only problem is the characters fail to follow their own plan; defying all common sense until it’s too late.  Video surveillance reveals reality under the mirror’s illusions; yet while they set up several recorders and own phones capable of filming, both protagonists rely on their eyes (which has been proven to fail) while rarely utilizing the cameras.  They know the mirror can absorb life from dogs and plants to increase its power, yet go right ahead with setting plenty of plants AND a dog around its range; granted it’s so they can prove the mirror’s power (which was able to frame their dad for murder), yet wouldn't that be similar to proving Freddy Krueger’s existence…by spreading terrifying rumors he’ll kill you if you believe in him?  These cases of forgetful stupidity make the mirror’s victory seem hollow and unsatisfying, not to mention bleak with all the misery it puts our protagonists through, yet never getting equal retribution. 

Annabelle (Film Review)

If The Conjuring is an effective homage to The Exorcist (among other horror films), then Annabelle is one to Rosemary’s Baby; incorporating old-school eeriness, a 1960s setting (half of which takes place in a city apartment) and suspiciously comparable characters.  Similar to its prequel, Annabelle avoids being a rehashed clone by including different features, such as supernatural jump scares and an affirmative portrayal of religion (both of which Rosemary’s Baby lacks).  Yet while The Exorcist remains superior to The Conjuring (my favorite horror film of 2013), Annabelle succeeds in being on par with its tributed film.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Film Review)

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day looked your standard “comedy” cash in; the kind 2^nd graders die to see and parents dread to take.  I enjoy the book version of Alexander, about a boy who takes Murphy’s Law to the extreme.  While fun on paper, I cringed at the idea of taking a five minute read and turning into a 90 minute experience where nothing but terrible stuff befalls upon an 11 year old (it’d be the kid-friendly version of Calvary).  At least that’s what I thought until its trailer’s second half, where the film deviates immensely from its source material; having a twist which caught my interest.  The twist (which I hardly consider a spoiler since the trailers lived off of showing it) is after having his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, Alexander makes a birthday wish for his family (who have been experiencing ideal days) to experience his pain.  Cue the next day where Alex’s day goes terrifically well, while his family’s gone to Hell; hilarity ensues…no seriously it does! 

Frank (Quick Review)

Frank is a bizarre film, bizarre yet very effective.  It’s hilarious, unpredictable, emotionally effective, unexpectedly touching, and refreshing in style.  The cast deliver great performances, in particular Domhnall Gleeson as the protagonist Jon and Michael Fassbender as Frank.  If I hadn't known Frank’s identity before viewing, it would have remained a mystery since Fassbender wears a concealing paper- mâché head until the very end.  It’s such a strange choice in style, yet is what allows the film to work so effectively.  The mysterious nature of Frank sets the film’s course; guiding plot and characters while concealing emotionally effective revelations under the misdirection of its comedy. 

Dracula Untold (Quick Review)

Sometimes there are certain films viewers watch not for plot or any story-like structure, but instead for the promise of an epic feature (possibly features) that guarantees to knock their socks off!  These films are usually popcorn films, with the grand feature being a combination of unique action/horror/comedy sequences plus notable character(s).  Jaws had its title killer shark, Taken made Liam Neeson an intimidating ass-kicking machine, The Avengers united multiple superheroes from different films, and Dracula Untold has the Vampire Legend fighting an army…by turning thousands of bats into a giant fist!  Occasionally these films end up far superior than initially expected (i.e. Jaws and The Avengers), other times they fulfill their promised feature (Taken’s plot may be sub-standard, but Liam Neeson certainly kicks ass); yet the majority of times these films either fail to live up to their hype, or fail in general (i.e. Hercules, All the Transformers, The Hangover Sequels, The Purge, Taken 2, Iron Man 2, Movie 43, Pacific Rim, Most Children-Aimed Comedies of the 90s, etc…).  Take the newest Godzilla film for example; it had two prominent aspects (Bryan Cranston & the big guy himself) yet to many viewers dismay, one dies fairly early in the film, while the other gets around 5 minutes of screen time.  Despite finding other enjoyable elements to Godzilla, I can understand the disappointment people felt from being misguided by its trailers; I’m surprisingly pleased to write however, that Dracula Untold lives up to its asinine yet awesome trailer. 

The Solo Network? aka The Social Network Review (Film Analysis/Minority Opinion)

“You Don’t Get To 500 Million Friends Without Making A Few Enemies.”  This was the slogan for David Fincher's 2010 drama The Social Network.  The film tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg as he creates the now multi-billion dollar website known as Facebook.  The story switches between flashbacks and the present, showing how through the creation of Facebook Mark ultimately loses what his website is most known for, friends…or does it!?  I've seen The Social Network a total of three times (in theaters, on DVD, and in a classroom) and I doubt I’ll watch it again.  Admittedly I enjoyed my first viewing, yet only to a certain degree; after seeing its mass amount of critical acclaim (on Rotten Tomatoes, its Top Critics average surpasses that of Citizen Kane) I became self-conscious and convinced myself I hadn't “fully grasped” what made it so great. 

Gone Girl (Film Review)

If Gone Girl was a road, it’d be full of twists and sudden turns.  Not too surprising, considering its director David Fincher, whose strong forte is surprising viewers with out of the blue events.  Instead of one big twist however, it’s a bunch of smaller ones constantly changing up the film’s direction, along with its audience’s reaction to characters.  The plot isn't simple to explain, since it changes every 20 minutes or so; the gist of Gone Girl consists of husband Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), who has mysteriously gone missing on their fifth year anniversary.  Nick calls the police along with detective Boney (Kim Dickens), who are instantly suspicious of Nick and his nonchalant attitude towards his wife’s disappearance.  Nick’s sent away from the crime scene to live with his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon) while public opinion begins to develop against his innocence.  The media begins cashing in on the public’s attitude, even suggesting Nick hire defense attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry), infamous for his specializing in defending accused wife murders.  Yet all the pieces don’t add up, and soon Gone Girl switches up its plot course…again and again and again…which is why I end this paragraph with MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

A Walk Among the Tombstones (Film Review)

A Walk Among the Tombstones is best defined as a darker, two-part episode of Criminal Minds.  The film shares a lot in common with the show; similar morals, story structure, characters and even considerable screen time towards its monster criminals (breaking down their twisted mindsets).  Though if A Walk Among the Tombstones is similar to Criminal Minds, then it’s comparable to one of its better episodes; particularly towards the last third where things really pick up and Liam Neeson truly shines. 

If I Stay (Quick Review)

If I Stay is your standard “teen-dream romance” with a twist and several refreshing elements.  The twist is where and how the romance is unfolded; our protagonist Mia (Chloë Grace Moretz) has an outer-body experience after suffering a horrific car crash along with her parents and younger brother.  Her life turns devastating in the blink of an eye as both parents’ die from their injuries, her brother goes into critical condition, and her body stays in a coma from which there may be no waking up.  Mia hears a nurse whisper to her motionless body that it’s her willpower that’ll determine whether she wakes or passes on; causing Mia to have a series of flashbacks to her life before, particularly focused on her family, passion for the cello, and former boyfriend Adam.

Calvary + The Karate Kid Effect (Film Review/Ideas & Thoughts)

Film critic Gene Siskel once said that when it comes to film, your opinion ultimately boils down to whether you liked the movie or didn't.  Roger Ebert and his thumbs up/thumbs down system helped to express their overall opinion on a film, with a thumbs up=liked & recommended while a thumbs down=disliked & suggested to avoid.  While the thumbs up/thumbs down system works, its simplicity fails with giving individual pros and cons on a film that perhaps was good yet flawed, or one that was bad yet possessed some virtues (which is why it was important to read/listen to their reviews as well).  The point of my ramblings stem from this very review of Calvary, a film that possesses beautiful cinematography, lovely settings, solid performances from its actors and some wit to go alongside its premise.  Yet when it comes to my overall experience, I must confide that the film gets a solid thumbs down.  It may not start off this way, but by the end Calvary becomes a dark, depressing and mean-spirited film; a downward spiral of unpleasant bleakness that takes away from the positives I've stated above.  It’s sad, depressing and made me rather bitter by its conclusion, leaving a sour aftertaste that stayed long after seeing the film.

Locke (Film Review)

Locke is a true minimalist film, with only one actor appearing throughout (the rest are only heard via phone calls) and taking place entirely in a driven car.  The story is about a man (Tom Hardy, playing our title character Ivan Locke) who’s one mistake has ended up having much greater than anticipated consequences.  Rather than avoid the problem (which would allow his life to remain the same), Locke makes a split second decision to face his mistake head on, without lies or deceit.  The rest of the film follows Locke driving towards his destination while calling a list of people (his family, boss, work associates, etc…) that are significantly affected by his choice.  While the film’s minimalist setting is unique and refreshing, its success resides largely because of Tom Hardy’s performance; a role that would decide whether Locke would flourish or fail.  Fortunately, not only was Tom Hardy the right choice for the role, it’s his performance that brings Locke to the next level.

Only Lovers Left Alive (Quick Review)

Only Lover’s Left Alive (OLLA) is the Bizarro version of the Twilight films; the premise is similar, but unlike Twilight it’s sophisticated, intelligent, rational, artistic, imaginative, humorous, romantic and a refreshingly well-made film!  I was thoroughly surprised to discover OLLA is not adapted from any previous source material, since it seemed way too collected to be an original screenplay.  The film stars two centuries-old vampires (respectively named Adam [Tom Hiddleston] and Eve [Tilda Swinton]) who live hidden in plain sight in the modern world.  The two actors possess a lovely amount of chemistry that makes both their interactions enjoyable, passionate, and engagingly sophisticated.  The film treats its very old characters (they were married in the 1800s) exactly how you’d expect them to act.  Both are extremely wise and knowledgeable of their respective interests, with Adam knowing practically everything about music and instruments, and Eve having read multiple lifetimes worth of books plus knowing the proper names of all animals/fungi.  In one scene the couple plays a game of chess while reminiscing about people who have long sense died (much to the annoyance of Adam who’s trying to make his move); Eve then decides to bring out an experimental surprise in the form of frozen blood popsicles.  A good amount of scenes focus simply on Adam and Eve’s interactions with each other; discussing philosophies and issues, visiting old landmarks to reminisce and enjoying each other’s company.  The actors not only FEEL like an actual couple, but are remarkably engaging to watch from beginning to end.

5 Major Reasons Why I Hate Boyhood (Film Analysis)

Boyhood; raved by critics as the best movie of the year, greatest movie of the decade, and an absolute masterpiece…I hated it.

2014 Mid-Year's Best 20 Films (Film List)

It’s unavoidable…

The Giver (Film Review)

I was surprised by The Giver, pleasantly surprised that is.  I never read the book in school (nor have I ever for that matter) and admittedly its trailer looked quite lackluster.  Hasn't this story been told dozens of times before?  Even recent films such as Divergent looked way too similar in premise to The Giver’s trailer (though technically The Giver’s book came out 18 years before).  After seeing the film, I can safely say my prediction was wrong; in fact The Giver is somewhat refreshing.  Unlike many dystopian films before it, The Giver feels…simple…thoughtful, yet simple.  There are no prolonged action scenes, no maniacal dictators, and no decisive “right decision”; the film sticks to its basic, rational ideals, and in doing so actually says more than expected.

Blue Ruin (Quick Review)

Blue Ruin is one thrilling film to watch; containing intense stuff throughout that can even border on horror.  The plot itself is a contained one:  two families are caught in a cycle of revenge, both refusing to contact law-enforcement in order to have the satisfaction of vengeance.  The film (funded successfully through a Kickstarter campaign) contains a relatively obscure cast; even its protagonist Dwight (Macon Blair) is someone I've never seen before, yet was impressed with his performance.  Dwight represents the avenger for his family, who are presented in a much favorable light then their redneck family opponents.  Yet Dwight’s quest for revenge is neither righteous nor portrayed positively in the film; it’s a gruesome path that will only end with abundant bloodshed (Dwight’s old high school friend comments that what he’s doing “is ugly”).  Physically weak, somewhat cowardly, and alone against many weapon-crazed hillbillies, Dwight’s uphill battle is frighteningly intense and exhilarating to watch. 

A Most Wanted Man (Film Review)

I find that few films ever meet the expectations their trailers display.  A Most Wanted Man’s trailer boldly showcased critical reviews raving about the film’s greatness, along with being one of Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s greatest performances before his untimely death last year.  Despite efforts not too, I found my expectations to be moderately-high; yet worried that the film would not meet them.  Rest assured, A Most Wanted Man not only meets its trailers claims, but exceeds them!  The film is a wonderful mix of calm and logical, yet engaging and thrilling; containing a slew of great  acting alongside an excellent final performance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Guardians of the Galaxy (Film Review)

I am Groot. I am Groot; I, am Groot. I am…Groot? I am Groot!!!

Divergent (Quick Review)

Young adult (YA) fantasy series have become quite popular to turn into movies; over the past two years we've gotten Percy Jackson, Beautiful Creatures, The Host, The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy, and The Hunger Games.  Out of all of them, The Hunger Games would be the only series I’d recommend, as the rest ranged from either so okay its average to completely god awful (cough, Vampire Academy, cough).  Yet out of the rubble and mess I found another YA fantasy that I could back with the “Its Good” seal of approval; a film called Divergent.

Snowpiercer (Film Review)

Snowpiercer (loosely based on French graphic novel Le Transperceneige) is being called many things; some are calling it a deconstruction of the action blockbuster, while others refer to it as “an R-rated Hunger Games”.  Indeed there are some similarities between Snowpiercer and The Hunger Games films (though not so much with the books); both are made in the 2010s, feature an elite minority holding control over the poor majority, take place in a harsh reality filled with horrific violence from tyrannical law, and are overall very good films.  Snowpiercer succeeds in rivaling The Hunger Games and is one of the better action films of 2014; yet is Snowpiercer truly a deconstruction of the Hollywood action/dystopian blockbusters? 

The Other Woman (Quick Review)

In a sense, The Other Woman is not a bad film.  The main female trio are likable to a degree (though I fail to remember any of their names) and the flow of pacing feels relatively swift for a near 2 hour film; even the completely bland romance (of which the director gave all of 2 minutes for development) is somewhat forgivable since it takes up little time in favor of the film’s comedic focus…which leads to my main issue with the film.  The problem here is The Other Woman’s supposed to be a romance–comedy; I've already established there’s little effort on the romance, but what I haven’t mentioned is how a near 2 hour comedy (which was indeed its main focus) failed to make me laugh even once!

Hercules (Film Review)

Last time, on Film Reviewer Jr:

“The worst part about The Legend of Hercules was that I was TRICKED; tricked into believing what my fiancée and I were renting was a completely different film called Hercules…The Hercules trailer features him challenging the 12 legendary labours…take my advice: wait and see the upcoming version that’s clearly been given more time and effort towards.”

…….

AUGGGGH!!! I’VE BEEN TRICKED AGAIN!!!  

Life Itself (Film Review)

Roger Ebert was never afraid to speak his opinion, no matter how in the minority.  He was quite nostalgic for the past, yet eager and open-minded for the future.  At the time, he was one of the few critics to appreciate the groundbreaking magnitude of Bonnie and Clyde, feel what enthralled others with blockbusters such as Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and became the first major critic to take advantage of the internet (constantly writing blogs about film, his life, and the world in general).  He expressed his mind in an emotionally sophisticated way that never felt condescending to his readers.  Where other film critics became repulsed by new decades of film, Ebert lacked such bitterness and bias; always finding joy and entertainment in the newest forms of cinema up until his death.  Roger Ebert quickly grew to become my favorite and most respected film critic; a role model whose work helped shape my own blog, and whose life and philosophies are explored in the 2014 documentary Life Itself.

Labor Day (Quick Review)

You know, Labor Day COULD have been a decent film, if not for three blatant flaws:

1. The film’s pacing is incredibly lethargic
2. The main characters are quite dense
3. The film lacks energy and passion for storytelling

Planes: Fire & Rescue (Film Review)

I haven’t seen the original Planes, mostly because it looks like a cliché ridden, child pandering animated rip off of Cars (my least favorite Pixar film).  Despite that, I went and saw Planes: Fire & Rescue, a film that looked…slightly better than Planes, but didn't get my hopes up.  Imagine my surprise when not only was Fire and Rescue not awful, but I actually enjoyed it! 

Top 10 Favorite Animated Films of 2010s…so far (Film List)

We’re close to reaching the half way mark of the 2010s; nearly five years have gone by and hundreds of films have been made.  Yet out of all of the films, one particular art form has always stood out: the animated feature.  Long ago (during an ancient time known as the "1980s") these kinds of films were thought as nothing more than “kiddy flicks”; this all began to change however (with what I believe was the Best Picture nomination of Beauty and the Beast), until slowly, but surely animation made its impact as something young and old can equally enjoy and appreciate.  And while no animated film has yet to win Best Picture, each new year marks a new chance for such an event to happen.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Film Review)

How to Train Your Dragon…where do I begin.

300: Rise of an Empire (Quick Review)

300: Rise of an Empire is precisely what you’d expect for a sequel to 300; filled with blood, gore, nudity, violence, nude violence, slow motion action scenes, unapologetic historical inaccuracies, CGI…everything, and of course, pure unadulterated carnage.  There are a few things done less effectively than before however; such as a less stylized setting where, while the first’s made everything have an over-the-top cinematic feeling (whether it be the landscape, color or sun lighting), its sequel’s doused in a more bleak look (replacing its lighting and vibrant red with shadows and darker blue).  Rise of an Empire’s CGI also looks much cheaper than its predecessor’s did over seven years ago, especially with its use of blood; have small stabs produce large qualities in somewhat cartoonish fashion. 

Edge of Tomorrow (Film Review)

What do you get when you cross between Starship Troopers, Titanfall, and Groundhog Day?  You get what is so far the best action film of 2014, right alongside Captain America: The Winder Soldier.  Based upon the light novel All You Need is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow’s concept is fascinating: basically alien creatures called Mimics have invaded Earth and slowly began taking over; only unlike other sci-fi aliens they possess a secret weapon, time travel!  The Mimics (as they’re called) have these powerful, yet rare, Alpha versions of themselves that when killed in battle reset the entire day so that its hive mind may come up with a better battle strategy; effectively allowing the Mimics to slowly, but surely, win the battles. 

Vampire Academy (Quick Review)

Never have I been so close to clubbing myself over the head with the TV remote!

The Fault in Our Stars (Film Review)

I've heard (and seen directly in the theaters) that The Fault in Our Stars is a very popular film with teenagers (mostly teenage girls).  All I have to say about that is I’m certainly glad teens these days are gaining such wonderful taste in movies!  The Fault in Our Stars is a very sweet, sometimes funny, and (of course) very sad film, but most importantly it is a beautifully touching romance.  We may only be half way through the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if the film ended up being my pick for best romance of 2014; both for its story, morals, and main actors.

Non-Stop (Quick Review)

Non-Stop is the definition of a fun, summer popcorn thriller; it’s cheesy and highly ridiculous, but quite enjoyably so.  Bonus points for having the king of action thrillers, Liam Neeson, star; who after his role in Taken has become this decade’s cool, middle-aged badass (following in the lines of Willis and Schwarzenegger).  Non-Stop differs from Taken in a few ways however; for one, the side characters are…actually likable and at times kind of cool.  It helps that the film actually has some decent actors playing them, such as Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery.  I find that in your typical thriller (even the good ones) I REALLY don’t care much about who lives or dies (as long as the asshole villain(s) get their comeuppance in an awesome way), mostly because those films never feel the need to develop anyone besides the hero.  I mean, did anyone actually care whether Mills’ daughter survived in Taken, or was top importance that he got vengeance on the kidnappers?...it was the latter for me personally.  While Non-Stop doesn't necessarily develop the side characters much (save for Julianne Moore’s character), it does flesh out some of their personalities, making them more than simple targets for the villain to kill.  I honestly wanted to see the plane crew survive in the end and even got surprisingly disappointed when one side character supposedly died, though he’s later revealed to be alive; marking one of the few times I was relieved over a minor character’s survival in an action thriller.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (Film Review)

Not bad, not bad at all.  Out of all the long running Marvel series, the X-Men films have always been the least interesting to me; an opinion that was only solidified by the rotten X-Men Origins: Wolverine and partial-reboot X-Men: First Class (a film I openly disliked).  Yet with the recent success of The Wolverine (my favorite superhero film of 2013) alongside the newest film of the franchise, X-Men: Days of Future Past, I find myself gaining a new surge of interest for the X-Men.  Just as The Wolverine far outclasses X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so does Days of Future Past provide a more effective reboot than First Class.

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (Quick Review)

There’s a fine line between effectively balancing comedy with drama and completely messing it up; it takes both skill and an understanding of timing to correctly make a comedy-drama.  If done correctly, said film could become a masterpiece; if done poorly you end up getting The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.  Despite being labeled on its Wikipedia page as a “comedy-drama”, the film shows zero understanding of how to balance the two genres.  The Angriest Man in Brooklyn is a perfect example of how a good concept can be so easily screwed up.

A Million Ways to Die in the West (Film Review)

For a film called A Million Ways to Die in the West it sure takes a while to kill off its first victim (around ten minutes or so); and for a supposed screwball comedy it sure is sparing with its humor while keen on its use of drama.  As Seth MacFarlane’s second directed film I can’t help but compare it to his earlier film Ted, and more so to the likes of his most well-known cartoon Family Guy.  While Ted (where MacFarlane plays a live teddy bear with the voice of Peter Griffin) felt reminiscent to the earlier seasons of Family Guy, with its consistency of unconventional dark humor combined with hidden wit and cleverness, A Million Ways to Die (where MacFarlane acts live using his regular voice aka Brian Griffin’s voice) feels more similar to the newer Family Guy episodes; replacing comedy with unnecessary drama, drawn out action sequences, and more than predictable situational jokes.

Neighbors (Quick Review)

Neighbors might just have my favorite performance from Zack Efron, which I believe has a lot to do with Seth Rogen’s influence.  Efron takes a page from Rogen’s comedy book by utilizing improvisation, quick-paced humor, and affectionate satire towards his real life self; an unexpected direction for him to take, yet works surprisingly well as Efron’s pretty funny in the film (which I honestly didn't expect from the misleading trailers).  In fact the good majority of Neighbors’ performances bring hilarity, with some of the highlights being Seth Rogen (whose humor never fails to crack me up), Rose Byrne (another unexpected delight) and Dave Franco (who gives one of his better comedic performances).  Even the side characters such as Jerrod Carmichael as Garf and Lisa Kudrow as the Dean can steal the spotlight when on screen, a lot of which is due to the great chemistry between cast members; in particular Rogen and Byrne who work off one another with perfect naturalness, as if they've been working together for years. 

Maleficent (Film Review)

It seems these days that a string of comparable reinterpretations have been gaining popularity with mainstream audiences; the adaption of an evil villain into a more complexly grey-zoned character.  With the popularity of the musical Wicked and the adaption of The Ice Queen into Disney’s Frozen, audiences are becoming more interested in the concept of adaptational heroism; now Disney has once more dove into such reinterpretation with the main villain from their 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent.  Often considered one of Disney’s greatest villains (a statement I wholeheartedly support), Maleficent tells the story from its title character’s perspective (playing here by Angelina Jolie), changing her into a misunderstood, three dimensional character whose sympathetic past and “dark is not evil” personality makes her an understandable character for the viewing audience…yet I’m not fond of the change.

The Legend of Hercules (Quick Review)

What an awful excuse of a movie! The Legend of Hercules is nothing more than a very shoddy knockoff of 300 and Gladiator featuring: a plot line written by a preschooler, blatant historical inaccuracies, a complete disregard for any and all Greek/Roman mythology, actors that make pieces of wood look talented, and the worst clichés ever created piled one after the other.  Nothing about “Hercules” in this film even remotely resembles the actual legend (aside from name), who’s given about as much respect as the 1998 Godzilla does to its title character (I swear there’s actually a scene where “Hercules” gets knocked out cold…by an ordinary man swinging a helmet.

Godzilla (Film Review)

What I truly enjoy about Godzilla is its fine balancing of realism with tradition and tribute.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Film Review)

The Amazing Spider-Man 2…huh…hmmm…what to say about this film.  Usually my reviews consist of some overall opinion such as “I love this film” or “It’s a good film with some flaws” or “I absolutely loathe it,” but Amazing Spider-Man 2 makes generalizing fairly difficult.  To start with, the film has flaws; and I don’t mean a few minor ones, I mean dozens ranging from minor to major…yet I still enjoyed it.  So then it’s a guilty pleasure right?  Well, no because (despite what you may have heard) there IS some good content throughout Amazing Spider-Man 2 that even improves upon the first Amazing Spider-Man.  Plus, there’s a certain scene that stands above and alone the rest of the film.  So screw it, I’m going rouge and changing up my reviewing format; here’s what I’m calling:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Good, the Stupid, and the Amazing

Reconstructed Ending: Despicable Me 2 (Alternate Version)

It might come as surprising, but I prefer Despicable Me 2 over its predecessor.  For me, the first film was just sort of bland; its humor wasn't that great and its overabundance of cutesiness sails dangerously close to gagging territory.  While Despicable Me 2 is quite similar, there are improvements that stand out; such as a sharper sense of humor and its new female lead Lucy.  Lucy’s one of the better female character’s I've seen in recent animated film; she’s enjoyably eccentric, quite humorous, a strong action girl, and given a unique character design that’s far from your typical “pretty perfect” look (making her stand out all the more).  There’s also some actual chemistry between Lucy and Gru, who effectively work off each other’s bizarre personalities while providing strong character development as they bond and interact.