urgentneptune
Lifetime Total
10+
IMDb Member
9 years
Reviews
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
Good, not perfect, but worth a watch
This movie has problems. No question. Still, as a fan of the franchise, I found it entertaining and fun. If you're wondering, I thought it was better than the 4th one, but not as good as the original trilogy.
If you're a fan of the series, you'll like this movie, and if you don't like them or are indifferent, you might want to wait for the digital release.
If you're a fan of the series, you'll like this movie, and if you don't like them or are indifferent, you might want to wait for the digital release.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
A Complete Review of this Movie in One Sentence
I thought about doing a full on review of this movie, in in fear of writing a novel about how great it was, I decided to limit myself. WARNING!! SPOILERS (MAYBE??) Here we go:
The Avengers: Age of Ultron Review
There was hammer lifting, robot armies, cyborgs, flying cities, explosions, obscure references, romance, jokes, and setup for future movies, all of which resulted in one simultaneous nerdgasm from everyone in the audience.
Alternate Review
Go see this movie or you will feel bad because everyone you know who has already seen it is living a better life than you right now; and I know you're jealous.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron Review
There was hammer lifting, robot armies, cyborgs, flying cities, explosions, obscure references, romance, jokes, and setup for future movies, all of which resulted in one simultaneous nerdgasm from everyone in the audience.
Alternate Review
Go see this movie or you will feel bad because everyone you know who has already seen it is living a better life than you right now; and I know you're jealous.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Best Movie Since Guardians of the Galaxy
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Remember Agent Cody Banks? That crappy movie about the kid who goes to spy camp? Well Kingsman is like if that movie was good. And completely awesome.
There way be spoilers ahead.
Story
This movie is based on a comic book written by Mark Millar. Even though I haven't read the original comic, I can tell that the movie strayed from the source material. Even so, I think it was probably for the best.
The plot of this movie is a basic rags to riches story mixed with a classic James Bond film. The main character Eggsy is a naturally gifted troublemaker who hasn't had it easy in life. Eggsy's father was a member of an ultra-elite super-spy agency.
Years after his father's death, Eggsy is approached by Harry Hart, another member of the same ultra-elite super-spy agency. Harry offers Eggsy the chance to "join the club."
After the that, the plot is quite predictable. Eggsy gets trained, there's an over the top charismatic villain with a lisp, and he has to save the world.
Look, the plot isn't the most original or unique .or the most sensible. But the amount of action and entertainment in this film makes up for that.
Side Note: I am a big fan of over the top action movies, and I think action and entertainment in an action film should always take priority over a logical plot. So there
Acting/Dialogue
There were some stellar performances in this movie. Colin Firth played his role of gentleman spy brilliantly. Taron Egerton (Eggsy) was able to play a character that could have easily been annoying. However, I sympathized with his character, and I think his performance really made the movie.
Another actor to note is Samuel L. Jackson, who plays the role of the over the top and ridiculous supervillain.
The lisp really seals the deal.
Action/SFX
In recent years, action movies have been really gritty and realistic. I personally favor old school action movies, with over the top and impossible stunts and fight scenes. If you share my preferences then this is the movie for you.
Action is abundant in this movie, to point where I was on the edge of my seat more then I was relaxed in it. Not only that, but the action sequences are long and intense, not to mention the fact that most of the stunts could never be performed by an actual human being. But that's what makes it great!
Most of the fight sequences are filmed with "shaky cam," but unlike other movies, (*cough* Jason Bourne Series *cough*) the sharp camera movements isn't too distracting and you can actually tell what is going on.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Taron Eggerton
Best Scene: The Church Fight
Funniest Line (and possibly my favorite line in a movie ever): "I'm a Catholic whore, currently enjoying congress out of wedlock with my black Jewish boyfriend who works at a military abortion clinic. Hail Satan, and have a lovely afternoon madam."
Conclusion
Kingsman is probably the best movie that I've seen since Guardians of the Galaxy. I give it a 9/10. It's really good to see a return to the style of actions that I love .
Remember Agent Cody Banks? That crappy movie about the kid who goes to spy camp? Well Kingsman is like if that movie was good. And completely awesome.
There way be spoilers ahead.
Story
This movie is based on a comic book written by Mark Millar. Even though I haven't read the original comic, I can tell that the movie strayed from the source material. Even so, I think it was probably for the best.
The plot of this movie is a basic rags to riches story mixed with a classic James Bond film. The main character Eggsy is a naturally gifted troublemaker who hasn't had it easy in life. Eggsy's father was a member of an ultra-elite super-spy agency.
Years after his father's death, Eggsy is approached by Harry Hart, another member of the same ultra-elite super-spy agency. Harry offers Eggsy the chance to "join the club."
After the that, the plot is quite predictable. Eggsy gets trained, there's an over the top charismatic villain with a lisp, and he has to save the world.
Look, the plot isn't the most original or unique .or the most sensible. But the amount of action and entertainment in this film makes up for that.
Side Note: I am a big fan of over the top action movies, and I think action and entertainment in an action film should always take priority over a logical plot. So there
Acting/Dialogue
There were some stellar performances in this movie. Colin Firth played his role of gentleman spy brilliantly. Taron Egerton (Eggsy) was able to play a character that could have easily been annoying. However, I sympathized with his character, and I think his performance really made the movie.
Another actor to note is Samuel L. Jackson, who plays the role of the over the top and ridiculous supervillain.
The lisp really seals the deal.
Action/SFX
In recent years, action movies have been really gritty and realistic. I personally favor old school action movies, with over the top and impossible stunts and fight scenes. If you share my preferences then this is the movie for you.
Action is abundant in this movie, to point where I was on the edge of my seat more then I was relaxed in it. Not only that, but the action sequences are long and intense, not to mention the fact that most of the stunts could never be performed by an actual human being. But that's what makes it great!
Most of the fight sequences are filmed with "shaky cam," but unlike other movies, (*cough* Jason Bourne Series *cough*) the sharp camera movements isn't too distracting and you can actually tell what is going on.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Taron Eggerton
Best Scene: The Church Fight
Funniest Line (and possibly my favorite line in a movie ever): "I'm a Catholic whore, currently enjoying congress out of wedlock with my black Jewish boyfriend who works at a military abortion clinic. Hail Satan, and have a lovely afternoon madam."
Conclusion
Kingsman is probably the best movie that I've seen since Guardians of the Galaxy. I give it a 9/10. It's really good to see a return to the style of actions that I love .
Noragami (2014)
There's a Girl That Rides a Lion So That's Cool
Noragami
Recently, I've been watching more and more anime. So far I've seen some of the highly recommended ones (SAO, AOT, etc.), but this month I watched an anime that I knew nothing about.
The show's called Noragami, which means (I think) "Stray God."
I thought it was quite good, and I'm here to give you my thoughts on the first and only season that premiered in early 2014.
Story
Noragami's world is one full of gods and creatures called phantoms, both of which exist between planes of existence.
The "stray god" that also happens to be the main character in this show is Yato. Yato is a poorly dressed, goofy, and unpopular delivery god who is desperate to gain popularity and eventually build his own shrine.
Another main character is Hiyori, a girl who after being hit by a bus becomes half-human/half-phantom.
She has a pink tail.
Phantoms, by the way, are spirits from the "Far Shore" (basically the afterlife) that like to influence the minds of humans, normally in negative ways.
The final main character is Yukine, Yato's Regalia.
What's a Regalia you ask?
Well, funny you should ask. Regalias are "pure" spirits that have not crossed over to the "Far Shore." Once bound to a master, Regalias take a human-like form until called upon for battle. When this happens, the Regalias transform into weapons, clothing, and lions I guess
I'm sure I at least got some of that wrong. I apologize for my very limited understanding behind the magic of Regalias.
Anyway, Yukine is kind of a punk, and as it turns out, when you act like a punk, your master pays the price, that price being death . eventual death.
Yes, as Yukine becomes more and more terrible, Yato's health decreases, which makes combating the many, many, people that Yato has angered very difficult.
That's all I'm gonna say about the plot, because anymore might spoil some stuff. Let's just say that the story is diverse. Sometimes it's serious, sometimes it's funny, and it's always good.
Art Style
Noragami's art style is all about contrast. Most of the backgrounds are dull, dark colors, while the main characters and phantoms are colorful. The three main characters' eyes are bright colors (blue, pink, and orange) that kind of match their personalities.
It's a pretty show.
Voice Acting
At the moment, there is no dubbed version of this show. So I watched it in Japanese.
I don't speak Japanese . So I guess that's all I've got to say
Action
There are some cool fight scenes in this show, but for the most part, Yato kills phantoms in one slice. When Yato actually fights other gods, however, the action increases and some memorable scenes ensue.
But the final fight scene with Rabo could have been a lot better. Just sayin.
Award Time!
Best Episode: Where Happiness Lies
Best Regalia: The Lion that exists for no reason
Conclusion
Noragami is my favorite anime of 2014 mostly because it's the only anime that came out in 2014 that I watched.
But it's still good! I give Noragami an 8/10.
Watch it and enjoy.
Recently, I've been watching more and more anime. So far I've seen some of the highly recommended ones (SAO, AOT, etc.), but this month I watched an anime that I knew nothing about.
The show's called Noragami, which means (I think) "Stray God."
I thought it was quite good, and I'm here to give you my thoughts on the first and only season that premiered in early 2014.
Story
Noragami's world is one full of gods and creatures called phantoms, both of which exist between planes of existence.
The "stray god" that also happens to be the main character in this show is Yato. Yato is a poorly dressed, goofy, and unpopular delivery god who is desperate to gain popularity and eventually build his own shrine.
Another main character is Hiyori, a girl who after being hit by a bus becomes half-human/half-phantom.
She has a pink tail.
Phantoms, by the way, are spirits from the "Far Shore" (basically the afterlife) that like to influence the minds of humans, normally in negative ways.
The final main character is Yukine, Yato's Regalia.
What's a Regalia you ask?
Well, funny you should ask. Regalias are "pure" spirits that have not crossed over to the "Far Shore." Once bound to a master, Regalias take a human-like form until called upon for battle. When this happens, the Regalias transform into weapons, clothing, and lions I guess
I'm sure I at least got some of that wrong. I apologize for my very limited understanding behind the magic of Regalias.
Anyway, Yukine is kind of a punk, and as it turns out, when you act like a punk, your master pays the price, that price being death . eventual death.
Yes, as Yukine becomes more and more terrible, Yato's health decreases, which makes combating the many, many, people that Yato has angered very difficult.
That's all I'm gonna say about the plot, because anymore might spoil some stuff. Let's just say that the story is diverse. Sometimes it's serious, sometimes it's funny, and it's always good.
Art Style
Noragami's art style is all about contrast. Most of the backgrounds are dull, dark colors, while the main characters and phantoms are colorful. The three main characters' eyes are bright colors (blue, pink, and orange) that kind of match their personalities.
It's a pretty show.
Voice Acting
At the moment, there is no dubbed version of this show. So I watched it in Japanese.
I don't speak Japanese . So I guess that's all I've got to say
Action
There are some cool fight scenes in this show, but for the most part, Yato kills phantoms in one slice. When Yato actually fights other gods, however, the action increases and some memorable scenes ensue.
But the final fight scene with Rabo could have been a lot better. Just sayin.
Award Time!
Best Episode: Where Happiness Lies
Best Regalia: The Lion that exists for no reason
Conclusion
Noragami is my favorite anime of 2014 mostly because it's the only anime that came out in 2014 that I watched.
But it's still good! I give Noragami an 8/10.
Watch it and enjoy.
The Interview (2014)
It Deserves To Be Watched
The Interview
Here we go boys.
If you haven't heard the story behind The Interview, it is one worth looking into. Basically, Sony canceled the theatre release of the movie due to threats they received from an organization that opposed the film.
Long story short, Sony released the movie on Youtube, and later on Amazon for people to view in the comfort of their homes.
After the trouble this movie went through to get released, I knew I had to watch it, and I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
SPOILERS ahead.
Plot
The Interview is the latest ridiculous comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. In it, famous talk show host Dave Skylark (Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapaport (Rogen) travel to North Korea to interview and assassinate Kim Jong-un.
Now you know why some people hate this movie.
Other than that basic concept, The Interview has a very diverse and hilarious plot line. After the CIA enlists Dave and Aaron, everything goes wrong. Chaos ensues.
I think I can best describe the craziness of the plot by describing the beginning middle and end.
Beginning: A hilarious interview with Eminem
Middle: Basketball with Kim Jong-un
End: Explosions
Now if that isn't an interesting list of events, I don't know what is. Plus, the scenes in between those I noted above are all wonderfully executed.
What I love about the comedy in The Interview was the use of running jokes. Rogen and Franco use several select jokes that make re- appearances throughout the movie, getting funnier and funnier along the way. It never got obnoxious and was always delivered expertly.
Acting/Dialogue
James Franco and Seth Rogen are incredibly underrated. Both of them have massive amounts of talent, and I honestly think they simply enjoy making movies. Regardless of quality or topic, Rogen and Franco are a power couple, and their performances in this film are as good as ever.
Also noteworthy is the performance of Randall Park as Kim Jong- un. He is simply hysterical. Every moment he is in the movie from the point he makes his first entrance is captivating.
My only complaint about the overall script was the conversations between Franco and Rogen. Whenever these two argue (which happens a lot), the result is usually Franco babbling on about something stupid and Rogen screaming, "Shut Up!"
While sometimes this is funny, most of the time it is just ridiculous and by the end became a bit repetitive.
Seth Rogen does have a great scream though.
Action/SFX
The Interview is full of action scenes that are designed to be as ridiculous as possible. There is one scene in which Rogen and a North Korean soldier are fighting, and they keep biting off each other's fingers. The entire film is full of WTF moments like that.
As far as special effects go, everything looks just good enough. While I think that most of the props in the movie were practical, all the CGI is fine.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Randall Park as President Kim
Best Running Joke: The Lord of the Rings references
Best WTF Moment: The little kids playing guitars You'll know when you see it.
Conclusion
After all The Interview went through, it deserves to be watched. I give The Interview an 8.5/10. I really enjoyed it.
If you want a funny movie to watch with your friends, this is a good one.
Here we go boys.
If you haven't heard the story behind The Interview, it is one worth looking into. Basically, Sony canceled the theatre release of the movie due to threats they received from an organization that opposed the film.
Long story short, Sony released the movie on Youtube, and later on Amazon for people to view in the comfort of their homes.
After the trouble this movie went through to get released, I knew I had to watch it, and I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
SPOILERS ahead.
Plot
The Interview is the latest ridiculous comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. In it, famous talk show host Dave Skylark (Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapaport (Rogen) travel to North Korea to interview and assassinate Kim Jong-un.
Now you know why some people hate this movie.
Other than that basic concept, The Interview has a very diverse and hilarious plot line. After the CIA enlists Dave and Aaron, everything goes wrong. Chaos ensues.
I think I can best describe the craziness of the plot by describing the beginning middle and end.
Beginning: A hilarious interview with Eminem
Middle: Basketball with Kim Jong-un
End: Explosions
Now if that isn't an interesting list of events, I don't know what is. Plus, the scenes in between those I noted above are all wonderfully executed.
What I love about the comedy in The Interview was the use of running jokes. Rogen and Franco use several select jokes that make re- appearances throughout the movie, getting funnier and funnier along the way. It never got obnoxious and was always delivered expertly.
Acting/Dialogue
James Franco and Seth Rogen are incredibly underrated. Both of them have massive amounts of talent, and I honestly think they simply enjoy making movies. Regardless of quality or topic, Rogen and Franco are a power couple, and their performances in this film are as good as ever.
Also noteworthy is the performance of Randall Park as Kim Jong- un. He is simply hysterical. Every moment he is in the movie from the point he makes his first entrance is captivating.
My only complaint about the overall script was the conversations between Franco and Rogen. Whenever these two argue (which happens a lot), the result is usually Franco babbling on about something stupid and Rogen screaming, "Shut Up!"
While sometimes this is funny, most of the time it is just ridiculous and by the end became a bit repetitive.
Seth Rogen does have a great scream though.
Action/SFX
The Interview is full of action scenes that are designed to be as ridiculous as possible. There is one scene in which Rogen and a North Korean soldier are fighting, and they keep biting off each other's fingers. The entire film is full of WTF moments like that.
As far as special effects go, everything looks just good enough. While I think that most of the props in the movie were practical, all the CGI is fine.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Randall Park as President Kim
Best Running Joke: The Lord of the Rings references
Best WTF Moment: The little kids playing guitars You'll know when you see it.
Conclusion
After all The Interview went through, it deserves to be watched. I give The Interview an 8.5/10. I really enjoyed it.
If you want a funny movie to watch with your friends, this is a good one.
BoJack Horseman: BoJack Horseman Christmas Special: Sabrina's Christmas Wish (2014)
Episode 0, Season 2
Christmas Special Review!
BoJack Horseman Christmas Special Sabrina's Christmas Wish
Thank God for Christmas.
I'm not one to get in the Christmas spirit, but with the amount of content that is put out during this season, it's hard not to get excited.
And leave it to Netflix to give me just what I needed to get in that festive mood that everyone's always talking about. Yes, Netflix has put out a special episode of BoJack Horseman just for the holidays. And it is brilliant.
The episode actually revolves around BoJack and Todd watching a Christmas episode of "Horsin' Around," the show that BoJack starred in during the 90's.
With commentary from the both Todd and BoJack, and tons of exploited 90's stereotypes, hilarity ensues. It's amazing how accurately the show can portray "bad sitcom acting" in a cartoon.
This actually might be my favorite episode of BoJack to date, and it was just what I needed to get out of my "BoJack withdrawal."
Award Time! (Spoilers)
Best Scene: The heart-to-heart discussion on Sabrina's bed in which BoJack tells Sabrina he's glad her parents are dead.
Best Off-Screen Character: The guy in the live-studio-audience who keep shouting
Conclusion
Seeing as it is the holidays, and since I am now in the giving mood, I'll give this episode of BoJack Horseman a 9.5/10.
Happy holidays everyone, and happy new year too!
Thank God for Christmas.
I'm not one to get in the Christmas spirit, but with the amount of content that is put out during this season, it's hard not to get excited.
And leave it to Netflix to give me just what I needed to get in that festive mood that everyone's always talking about. Yes, Netflix has put out a special episode of BoJack Horseman just for the holidays. And it is brilliant.
The episode actually revolves around BoJack and Todd watching a Christmas episode of "Horsin' Around," the show that BoJack starred in during the 90's.
With commentary from the both Todd and BoJack, and tons of exploited 90's stereotypes, hilarity ensues. It's amazing how accurately the show can portray "bad sitcom acting" in a cartoon.
This actually might be my favorite episode of BoJack to date, and it was just what I needed to get out of my "BoJack withdrawal."
Award Time! (Spoilers)
Best Scene: The heart-to-heart discussion on Sabrina's bed in which BoJack tells Sabrina he's glad her parents are dead.
Best Off-Screen Character: The guy in the live-studio-audience who keep shouting
Conclusion
Seeing as it is the holidays, and since I am now in the giving mood, I'll give this episode of BoJack Horseman a 9.5/10.
Happy holidays everyone, and happy new year too!
White Collar (2009)
Review of Final Episode/Season
White Collar Final Season Review
Here we go boys. Another final season of a show that I love. It's true that there was a time where I dreamed of being Neal Caffrey, conning my way to success.
There's a certain allure to Caffrey's character that I think everyone can find interest in. Whether you love his good looks, or are jealous of his suaveness, everyone who has seen this show loves Neal, and the final season of White Collar sent him on his way appropriately.
SPOILER ALERT: Don't read if you haven't finished the final season yet.
Plot
Ah, the final con.
One last job.
It's true that the whole "One last gig to end things" plot is used way too often in crime and theft movies. Even so, I can't think of any other way one could have ended this series. The show is known for it's cons and heists, so this season gave the people what they wanted.
As you probably know by now, Neal joins the "Pink Panthers" in an attempt to bring them down, prove his skill as a thief, and earn his freedom, all in one fell swoop. I thought the plan to make Neal's freedom worth something tangible was a good idea, as it allowed me to have a clear goal in mind the entire season.
The season was a short one, but I think I prefer it this way. My only complaint about the pacing would be that the build up to the finale didn't quite seem like...enough.
I really wanted something big from the final episodes. I wanted something really special. And although the final airport con was brilliant (the one with the tubes), it still wasn't what I was looking for.
At this point I should address the elephant in the room: Neal Caffrey faking his death.
I hated this decision.
Why? Because I knew it was going to happen! The finale was so predictable that by the end of the episode, I was actually hoping that Neal was dead!
And why can't he just die? It would have left a bigger impact on me than the loosely strung together faked death con.
In the end, I knew that Neal wasn't dead.
I knew Keller was going to die.
Hell, I even predicted that El and Peter's son would be named Neal (although that one was obvious)!
What I'm trying to say is I was disappointed. This show, in past seasons, has tricked me and had me confused time and time again. After all, that's one of the most important qualities in every good heist story!
I just expected more.
Still, I think the finale sent Neal off on a good note, left every other character happy, and confirmed the fact that Neal Caffrey is the best of the best. Which I guess was their goal all along (?).
Acting/Dialogue
I've always felt like White Collar's acting was a bit spotty in places. With the exception of Matt Bomer (Neal Caffrey) and Willie Garson (Mozzie), all the actors seems to be laying it on a little thick. Tim Dekay (Peter Burke) always seems on the verge of shouting his lines.
But hey, I'm no actor, so I can't be too critical. They're good enough.
As far as dialogue, while I never felt the absence of emotion, I often thought to myself: "That's an odd way of saying that..."
It's hard to explain, but heartfelt monologues in the show are sometimes compromised by poor word choice. Oh well
Award Time!
Best Performance: Willie Garson as Mozzie
Best Episode: Uncontrolled Variables
Best Heist/Job: The Initiation Job
Conclusion
I've faithfully watched White Collar since the beginning, and while the direction the show went wasn't exactly what I expected, I think the decision to let Neal return to his life of crime and earn his freedom was the right choice for the character. I give the final season of White Collar a 7.5/10.
Neal Caffrey, you will be missed.
Here we go boys. Another final season of a show that I love. It's true that there was a time where I dreamed of being Neal Caffrey, conning my way to success.
There's a certain allure to Caffrey's character that I think everyone can find interest in. Whether you love his good looks, or are jealous of his suaveness, everyone who has seen this show loves Neal, and the final season of White Collar sent him on his way appropriately.
SPOILER ALERT: Don't read if you haven't finished the final season yet.
Plot
Ah, the final con.
One last job.
It's true that the whole "One last gig to end things" plot is used way too often in crime and theft movies. Even so, I can't think of any other way one could have ended this series. The show is known for it's cons and heists, so this season gave the people what they wanted.
As you probably know by now, Neal joins the "Pink Panthers" in an attempt to bring them down, prove his skill as a thief, and earn his freedom, all in one fell swoop. I thought the plan to make Neal's freedom worth something tangible was a good idea, as it allowed me to have a clear goal in mind the entire season.
The season was a short one, but I think I prefer it this way. My only complaint about the pacing would be that the build up to the finale didn't quite seem like...enough.
I really wanted something big from the final episodes. I wanted something really special. And although the final airport con was brilliant (the one with the tubes), it still wasn't what I was looking for.
At this point I should address the elephant in the room: Neal Caffrey faking his death.
I hated this decision.
Why? Because I knew it was going to happen! The finale was so predictable that by the end of the episode, I was actually hoping that Neal was dead!
And why can't he just die? It would have left a bigger impact on me than the loosely strung together faked death con.
In the end, I knew that Neal wasn't dead.
I knew Keller was going to die.
Hell, I even predicted that El and Peter's son would be named Neal (although that one was obvious)!
What I'm trying to say is I was disappointed. This show, in past seasons, has tricked me and had me confused time and time again. After all, that's one of the most important qualities in every good heist story!
I just expected more.
Still, I think the finale sent Neal off on a good note, left every other character happy, and confirmed the fact that Neal Caffrey is the best of the best. Which I guess was their goal all along (?).
Acting/Dialogue
I've always felt like White Collar's acting was a bit spotty in places. With the exception of Matt Bomer (Neal Caffrey) and Willie Garson (Mozzie), all the actors seems to be laying it on a little thick. Tim Dekay (Peter Burke) always seems on the verge of shouting his lines.
But hey, I'm no actor, so I can't be too critical. They're good enough.
As far as dialogue, while I never felt the absence of emotion, I often thought to myself: "That's an odd way of saying that..."
It's hard to explain, but heartfelt monologues in the show are sometimes compromised by poor word choice. Oh well
Award Time!
Best Performance: Willie Garson as Mozzie
Best Episode: Uncontrolled Variables
Best Heist/Job: The Initiation Job
Conclusion
I've faithfully watched White Collar since the beginning, and while the direction the show went wasn't exactly what I expected, I think the decision to let Neal return to his life of crime and earn his freedom was the right choice for the character. I give the final season of White Collar a 7.5/10.
Neal Caffrey, you will be missed.
Interstellar (2014)
Interstellar: Better Than Avatar
Interstellar Review
Anyone remember Avatar? You know, the best selling movie of all time the was basically Pocahontas in space? The movie that is accepted as one of the best sci-fi movies ever? I have news for you, Avatar has been beat.
I don't know why I'm only realizing this now, but Avatar has actually been bested (as far a quality goes) multiple times this year alone. Hell, Guardians of the Galaxy was easily better than "Quest of Blue Monkey Cats."
I suppose I am noticing because Interstellar is the first sci-fi space adventure that I truly loved since Avatar. (To be fair, there haven't been many of those in recent years). Let me explain:
By the way, there could be Spoilers. Maybe.
Plot
Describing the plot of this movie without spoiling too much is going to be like playing a game of Minesweeper. Here we go.
Interstellar stars Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway (among others) in a future where Earth is dying. Farming and food is the priority for every person on the planet. Blights and Famines have ravaged the countrysides, killing crops and creating a 21st Century dust bowl. People are starving and the world is desperate for a solution.
In comes Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a farmer, engineer, and former NASA pilot. He is also a beloved father. After discovering a secret NASA base, Cooper is enlisted by his old mentor to lead a mission through a wormhole to find potential planets to relocate to. Much to the dismay of his family, Cooper agrees to the journey, and shortly after, lakes off towards the wormhole.
At this point you are about twenty minutes into an almost three hour long movie. Unfortunately, this is as far as I've decided to summarize this time. The rest of the movie is something you need to experience for yourselves. The rest of the movie is just constant thrill and emotion. Matt Damon shows up at some point; it gets weird.
Acting
What a cast. Seriously, everyone in this movie is fantastic (Yes, even Hathaway). I felt that in some moments McConaughey's performance felt too forced, but for the most part he was okay.
Note: Do not go see this movie for the acting. Even though the performances are great, the movie is more about an exciting journey and heart-touching story.
SFX/Action
Interstellar looks gorgeous. Outer space and all the planets look amazing. There are several scenes in the movie that are so thrilling just because of the scenery and SFX. I want to tell you about them, but instead you should really just see the movie.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Matt Damon as Dr. Mann.
Best Scene: The emergency docking scene (you'll know the one).
Best Planet: The ocean planet.
Conclusion
From the outside, Interstellar may just look like a space adventure. Although that is true, Interstellar is more than that. It has a thrilling, heartwarming, and thought-provoking narrative that had me literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. I give Interstellar a 9.5/10. Please go see this movie and scratch that sci-fi itch that I know has been bothering you.
Anyone remember Avatar? You know, the best selling movie of all time the was basically Pocahontas in space? The movie that is accepted as one of the best sci-fi movies ever? I have news for you, Avatar has been beat.
I don't know why I'm only realizing this now, but Avatar has actually been bested (as far a quality goes) multiple times this year alone. Hell, Guardians of the Galaxy was easily better than "Quest of Blue Monkey Cats."
I suppose I am noticing because Interstellar is the first sci-fi space adventure that I truly loved since Avatar. (To be fair, there haven't been many of those in recent years). Let me explain:
By the way, there could be Spoilers. Maybe.
Plot
Describing the plot of this movie without spoiling too much is going to be like playing a game of Minesweeper. Here we go.
Interstellar stars Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway (among others) in a future where Earth is dying. Farming and food is the priority for every person on the planet. Blights and Famines have ravaged the countrysides, killing crops and creating a 21st Century dust bowl. People are starving and the world is desperate for a solution.
In comes Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a farmer, engineer, and former NASA pilot. He is also a beloved father. After discovering a secret NASA base, Cooper is enlisted by his old mentor to lead a mission through a wormhole to find potential planets to relocate to. Much to the dismay of his family, Cooper agrees to the journey, and shortly after, lakes off towards the wormhole.
At this point you are about twenty minutes into an almost three hour long movie. Unfortunately, this is as far as I've decided to summarize this time. The rest of the movie is something you need to experience for yourselves. The rest of the movie is just constant thrill and emotion. Matt Damon shows up at some point; it gets weird.
Acting
What a cast. Seriously, everyone in this movie is fantastic (Yes, even Hathaway). I felt that in some moments McConaughey's performance felt too forced, but for the most part he was okay.
Note: Do not go see this movie for the acting. Even though the performances are great, the movie is more about an exciting journey and heart-touching story.
SFX/Action
Interstellar looks gorgeous. Outer space and all the planets look amazing. There are several scenes in the movie that are so thrilling just because of the scenery and SFX. I want to tell you about them, but instead you should really just see the movie.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Matt Damon as Dr. Mann.
Best Scene: The emergency docking scene (you'll know the one).
Best Planet: The ocean planet.
Conclusion
From the outside, Interstellar may just look like a space adventure. Although that is true, Interstellar is more than that. It has a thrilling, heartwarming, and thought-provoking narrative that had me literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. I give Interstellar a 9.5/10. Please go see this movie and scratch that sci-fi itch that I know has been bothering you.
Constantine (2014)
First Two Episodes Review and Thoughts on the Series
Constantine First Two Episodes Review: Better Than Gotham
DC Comics have premiered three different TV shows this fall. Combined with the already established show Arrow, DC now has four superhero-based shows across multiple networks (math), creating quite the foothold in the television medium. The latest show to premiere was Constantine.
Note: I put off writing this review because after the pilot, I didn't have a great feel for the show. Having now seen the first two episodes, I think I have a good idea of how the show will unfold. Also, I can confirm: It is better than Gotham.
SPOILERS!
Constantine is based on the successful DC (and more specifically, Vertigo) comic series Hellblazer. There was a film adaptation the comic a couple years ago starring Keanu Reeves. The movie was fun, but not great.
The main character of the show is John Constantine, an exorcist, demonologist, and, um, dabbler of the Dark Arts.
I am a fan of the Hellblazer comics and a huge fan of Vertigo Comics as a whole. I was not only excited to see the show's pilot, but also satisfied with what I saw.
Constantine's pilot was incredibly fun. The pilot was full of cameos, references, and smart-ass remarks (courtesy of John). Essentially, the episode's plot involves John helping an old friend's daughter by protecting her from a creature that is haunting her. I was worried that the daughter was going to be a permanent character in the show, but it looks like she was written out.
Don't get me wrong, the girl was a great plot device because Constantine was constantly having to explain things to her, but her character was stereotypical and a little obnoxious.
After this pilot, all Constantine had done was save the girl, move into his dead friend's old house, and got a map with a bunch of supernatural disasters prophesied on it. It was at this point that I began to develop a suspicious thought. Later, I watched the second episode, and my speculation was confirmed.
Season 1 of Constantine is going to be just like the first season of Supernatural.
In episode two, John travels across the country to fight an unknown but prophesied force. Along the way, he met another, more interesting girl, who conveniently has the same skill set of the first one. Anyway, I have a feeling that this season is going to follow the "Saving people, hunting things" pattern.
But that's okay! For those of you don't know, Supernatural's first season had the Winchester Brothers fighting a different monster/threat each episode. Honestly, I this route is the most logical for Constantine's storyline.
It's Award Time
Best Performance: Matt Ryan as John Constantine
Best Reference for All the Nerds: The Doctor Fate Helmet.
Ahem. Prepare for a pretty big geek-out. In the pilot, the helmet of Doctor Fate is shown in the house wear Constantine is staying.
Holy crap! I pretty much lost my mind at that point. If Doctor Fate makes an appearance at any point in this show, it will be amazing. Oh! And what if something happens that causes Constantine to put on the helmet in order to win a fight or something?!?
Wooo. Breath. Don't worry, I'll be okay; just give me a minute.
Note: If you don't know who/what Dr. Fate is, then look it up! I don't think I can appropriately explain his significance.
Conclusion
I have a problem with DC's TV series. They exist in their own universe, are not tied to the movies in any way, and only Arrow and The Flash are connected (at the moment). But Vertigo is predetermined to exist in a different universe than the rest of the DC universe (Vertigo comics take place in the magical universe of Europe). That's why I am okay with watching Constantine. There is no responsibility to watch any other shows or movies, and I don't need to worry about ridiculous continuity errors (*cough, cough* Gotham). It's just a fun show.
Constantine is not the best it could be. The show has a lot of plot holes and moments when things just don't make sense. There needs to be a lot more backstory explained in the coming episodes. Still, I believe in Constantine. It shows definite promise. I give the first two episodes of Constantine a combined score of 8.5/10. Watch the show and enjoy it. I promise it isn't that scary.
DC Comics have premiered three different TV shows this fall. Combined with the already established show Arrow, DC now has four superhero-based shows across multiple networks (math), creating quite the foothold in the television medium. The latest show to premiere was Constantine.
Note: I put off writing this review because after the pilot, I didn't have a great feel for the show. Having now seen the first two episodes, I think I have a good idea of how the show will unfold. Also, I can confirm: It is better than Gotham.
SPOILERS!
Constantine is based on the successful DC (and more specifically, Vertigo) comic series Hellblazer. There was a film adaptation the comic a couple years ago starring Keanu Reeves. The movie was fun, but not great.
The main character of the show is John Constantine, an exorcist, demonologist, and, um, dabbler of the Dark Arts.
I am a fan of the Hellblazer comics and a huge fan of Vertigo Comics as a whole. I was not only excited to see the show's pilot, but also satisfied with what I saw.
Constantine's pilot was incredibly fun. The pilot was full of cameos, references, and smart-ass remarks (courtesy of John). Essentially, the episode's plot involves John helping an old friend's daughter by protecting her from a creature that is haunting her. I was worried that the daughter was going to be a permanent character in the show, but it looks like she was written out.
Don't get me wrong, the girl was a great plot device because Constantine was constantly having to explain things to her, but her character was stereotypical and a little obnoxious.
After this pilot, all Constantine had done was save the girl, move into his dead friend's old house, and got a map with a bunch of supernatural disasters prophesied on it. It was at this point that I began to develop a suspicious thought. Later, I watched the second episode, and my speculation was confirmed.
Season 1 of Constantine is going to be just like the first season of Supernatural.
In episode two, John travels across the country to fight an unknown but prophesied force. Along the way, he met another, more interesting girl, who conveniently has the same skill set of the first one. Anyway, I have a feeling that this season is going to follow the "Saving people, hunting things" pattern.
But that's okay! For those of you don't know, Supernatural's first season had the Winchester Brothers fighting a different monster/threat each episode. Honestly, I this route is the most logical for Constantine's storyline.
It's Award Time
Best Performance: Matt Ryan as John Constantine
Best Reference for All the Nerds: The Doctor Fate Helmet.
Ahem. Prepare for a pretty big geek-out. In the pilot, the helmet of Doctor Fate is shown in the house wear Constantine is staying.
Holy crap! I pretty much lost my mind at that point. If Doctor Fate makes an appearance at any point in this show, it will be amazing. Oh! And what if something happens that causes Constantine to put on the helmet in order to win a fight or something?!?
Wooo. Breath. Don't worry, I'll be okay; just give me a minute.
Note: If you don't know who/what Dr. Fate is, then look it up! I don't think I can appropriately explain his significance.
Conclusion
I have a problem with DC's TV series. They exist in their own universe, are not tied to the movies in any way, and only Arrow and The Flash are connected (at the moment). But Vertigo is predetermined to exist in a different universe than the rest of the DC universe (Vertigo comics take place in the magical universe of Europe). That's why I am okay with watching Constantine. There is no responsibility to watch any other shows or movies, and I don't need to worry about ridiculous continuity errors (*cough, cough* Gotham). It's just a fun show.
Constantine is not the best it could be. The show has a lot of plot holes and moments when things just don't make sense. There needs to be a lot more backstory explained in the coming episodes. Still, I believe in Constantine. It shows definite promise. I give the first two episodes of Constantine a combined score of 8.5/10. Watch the show and enjoy it. I promise it isn't that scary.
Gotham (2014)
Gotham Pilot Review
Gotham Pilot Review
DC's new TV show Gotham premiered the other night. Gotham chronicles the adventures of a younger James Gordon, before he became commissioner.
When I heard about the concept of the show, I doubted that a Gotham City without Batman could ever be interesting or well-conceived.
I was accurate in my doubts.
I highly suggest watching the Pilot before reading this review, as there will be major spoilers.
Overuse of Villains
In the Pilot alone, Gotham burned through almost six super-villains, most of which were just cameos since Poison Ivy and Cat"woman" are both twelve years old.
It seems that the Penguin is going to be the major bad-guy in this season. So far his origin story is pretty interesting, but Gotham also introduces a new villain named "Fish" that know one has ever heard of. Yay.
Honestly, I think the show was quite silly when handling the bad-guys. They obviously want to include some of the big-name baddies like Bane and the Joker, but the reason those villains are so good is because they are approximately the same age as Batman, as well as representing a quality of himself. They just don't really work the same with Gordon.
Bruce's Origin Sucked
In the comics and most film adaptations, Bruce Wayne's parents are killed by a random mugger, which sparks Bruce's interest in fighting crime as a whole.
In Gotham, the Waynes' murder is apparently an organized act, part of a bigger and more dangerous conspiracy. I did not like this change.
Bruce does appear in a later scene where he is learning to conquer his fear. It was a cool little piece of foreshadowing.
Gordon is a Typical White Cop
Gotham portrayed Jim Gordon as a generic, good, white cop. He is a meat-head, a resourceful and clever one, but a meat-head just the same.
It seems that whenever a problem arises, Gordon's first instinct is to think of something clever to say, and then punch the problem in the face. He is however, an honest and not easily corrupt cop, and that I appreciate.
Conclusion
Gotham has some good ideas, but it does a lot of things wrong. Overall I was disappointed with the Pilot and will probably not watch the rest of the season. I give the Pilot episode of Gotham a 5/10. It might be nice if you don't know the Batman universe very well, but if you don't know the universe, then why would you want to watch it?
DC's new TV show Gotham premiered the other night. Gotham chronicles the adventures of a younger James Gordon, before he became commissioner.
When I heard about the concept of the show, I doubted that a Gotham City without Batman could ever be interesting or well-conceived.
I was accurate in my doubts.
I highly suggest watching the Pilot before reading this review, as there will be major spoilers.
Overuse of Villains
In the Pilot alone, Gotham burned through almost six super-villains, most of which were just cameos since Poison Ivy and Cat"woman" are both twelve years old.
It seems that the Penguin is going to be the major bad-guy in this season. So far his origin story is pretty interesting, but Gotham also introduces a new villain named "Fish" that know one has ever heard of. Yay.
Honestly, I think the show was quite silly when handling the bad-guys. They obviously want to include some of the big-name baddies like Bane and the Joker, but the reason those villains are so good is because they are approximately the same age as Batman, as well as representing a quality of himself. They just don't really work the same with Gordon.
Bruce's Origin Sucked
In the comics and most film adaptations, Bruce Wayne's parents are killed by a random mugger, which sparks Bruce's interest in fighting crime as a whole.
In Gotham, the Waynes' murder is apparently an organized act, part of a bigger and more dangerous conspiracy. I did not like this change.
Bruce does appear in a later scene where he is learning to conquer his fear. It was a cool little piece of foreshadowing.
Gordon is a Typical White Cop
Gotham portrayed Jim Gordon as a generic, good, white cop. He is a meat-head, a resourceful and clever one, but a meat-head just the same.
It seems that whenever a problem arises, Gordon's first instinct is to think of something clever to say, and then punch the problem in the face. He is however, an honest and not easily corrupt cop, and that I appreciate.
Conclusion
Gotham has some good ideas, but it does a lot of things wrong. Overall I was disappointed with the Pilot and will probably not watch the rest of the season. I give the Pilot episode of Gotham a 5/10. It might be nice if you don't know the Batman universe very well, but if you don't know the universe, then why would you want to watch it?
After the Dark (2013)
After the Dark Review: A New Favorite
After the Dark
Let's get something straight. There is a difference between what I view as a great movie and a movie that I love. For example, my favorite movie of all time is V for Vendetta. That said, it is not widely known or critically appraised. Not perfect by a long shot.
Note: I would give V for Vendetta a 10/10. Because it's amazing.
The same could be said for After the Dark. This independent philosophical thriller was released in 2013, and was recommended to me by a co-worker. Like V for Vendetta, is isn't perfect. Not even close. But for some reason, I absolutely love it.
Plot
Ahh, how does one describe the plot? Well, I suppose you should know that the movie follows a philosophy class in Indonesia. On the last day of school, the professor proposes a thought experiment to the class.
Each student is given a card with a profession written on it. Jobs range from electrical engineer to poet. Nuclear fallout strikes, and the students must decide which ten people should live in a bunker for a year and restart humanity.
I know, it sounds like the makings of a documentary. But After the Dark actually has an overarching plot. The students make their way through three different thought simulations, each revealing more about their personalities and relationships with the other students. Each scenario is shown in vivid detail through the students' imaginations.
The movie may lose you in the last 20 minutes, but the last 45 seconds made the entire film worth it.
Acting/Dialogue
Note: Dialogue is a word I have trouble spelling.
The acting in this movie is not the best. However, you may see some familiar faces (I think I saw a former Disney Channel star in there).
The dialogue is also not great, but there are actually some great lines and monologues throughout the movie, they were just not delivered well.
SFX/Action
For a movie made on a budget, After the Dark actually features some decent special effects. Not to mention, the simulations take place in three amazing and beautiful locations.
There is one major fight scene in the whole movie. It was decently choreographed and involved some pencil-stabbing.
Award Time!
Best Performance: James D'Arcy for his performance as Mr. Zimit.
Best Scenario: Scenario #2
Best Scene: The very very very end.
Conclusion
Based on what you've read so far, you may not be completely sold on this movie. I know I haven't said anything that proves that the movie is worth your time, but I actually highly recommend it. Lot's of people hate on this movie because it is confusing, controversial, and long.
Too bad those are all qualities I like in a film.
Seriously guys, watch this movie. If you like Inception and need some food for thought, than this is the film for you.
I give After the Dark a 9.5/10.
Oh boo-hoo. Call me biased.
Let's get something straight. There is a difference between what I view as a great movie and a movie that I love. For example, my favorite movie of all time is V for Vendetta. That said, it is not widely known or critically appraised. Not perfect by a long shot.
Note: I would give V for Vendetta a 10/10. Because it's amazing.
The same could be said for After the Dark. This independent philosophical thriller was released in 2013, and was recommended to me by a co-worker. Like V for Vendetta, is isn't perfect. Not even close. But for some reason, I absolutely love it.
Plot
Ahh, how does one describe the plot? Well, I suppose you should know that the movie follows a philosophy class in Indonesia. On the last day of school, the professor proposes a thought experiment to the class.
Each student is given a card with a profession written on it. Jobs range from electrical engineer to poet. Nuclear fallout strikes, and the students must decide which ten people should live in a bunker for a year and restart humanity.
I know, it sounds like the makings of a documentary. But After the Dark actually has an overarching plot. The students make their way through three different thought simulations, each revealing more about their personalities and relationships with the other students. Each scenario is shown in vivid detail through the students' imaginations.
The movie may lose you in the last 20 minutes, but the last 45 seconds made the entire film worth it.
Acting/Dialogue
Note: Dialogue is a word I have trouble spelling.
The acting in this movie is not the best. However, you may see some familiar faces (I think I saw a former Disney Channel star in there).
The dialogue is also not great, but there are actually some great lines and monologues throughout the movie, they were just not delivered well.
SFX/Action
For a movie made on a budget, After the Dark actually features some decent special effects. Not to mention, the simulations take place in three amazing and beautiful locations.
There is one major fight scene in the whole movie. It was decently choreographed and involved some pencil-stabbing.
Award Time!
Best Performance: James D'Arcy for his performance as Mr. Zimit.
Best Scenario: Scenario #2
Best Scene: The very very very end.
Conclusion
Based on what you've read so far, you may not be completely sold on this movie. I know I haven't said anything that proves that the movie is worth your time, but I actually highly recommend it. Lot's of people hate on this movie because it is confusing, controversial, and long.
Too bad those are all qualities I like in a film.
Seriously guys, watch this movie. If you like Inception and need some food for thought, than this is the film for you.
I give After the Dark a 9.5/10.
Oh boo-hoo. Call me biased.
The Giver (2014)
The Giver Review
The Giver
The Giver is based on the famous 1993 novel written by Lois Lowry. The Giver takes place in a Utopian/dystopian future where the memories of the past have been erased from history and every citizen's feelings are suppressed. I read the book a couple years ago, but I never got into it like some other hardcore fans. You know, like the people that build shrines praising the book and who sacrifice goats and other domesticated animals in its name because it's the best book of all time?
That isn't me.
Actually, I'm really getting tired of the whole dystopian future theme that has been smothering the movie industry recently. There are so many movies out there that aren't "based" on books, but steal multiple aspects from several books in order to create a genuinely interesting and somewhat original film.
The best example of this I can think of is the movie Equilibrium. Starring Christian Bale (a.k.a. Batman), Equilibrium is like a cross between Fahrenheit 451, The Matrix, and, of course, The Giver. The film didn't receive good ratings because it "stole" ideas, but I find that it takes the best qualities from each source, and has become one of my favorite movies of all time.
*Sigh* But I digress. Let's get back to the review.
Plot
Main character Jonas "Last Name Here" is a young boy who has always know that there is "something more" and when he assigned to be the new "receiver of memories" of his community. He then becomes the padawan for the current owner of memories/ the giver: Jeff Bridges. After discovering how unfair and oppressive the government is being, Jonas steals a baby, and trek through some of the harshest climates in the surrounding area in order to somehow return all the memories to the citizens of the community.
The movie actually follows the book pretty well, with the exception of something called a Boundary of Memory, which, if passed by a receiver of memory, will return all the memories to common populace. This mechanic's sole purpose is to give Jonas a goal as he travels across the wilderness with a baby. That he stole!
The biggest problem I had with the film was the definitive ending. In the novel, the reader is left with a Inception sort of ending, left to decide for themselves what really happened. This movie absolutely destroys that notion by basically saying, "This is definitely how it happened and there is no other interpretation." By prohibiting each viewer from having a different experience, The Giver goes against its own theme of individuality, along with ruining what made the book so special.
Acting/Dialogue
The Giver introduces some new talent in the form of young actors. Besides Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, and a few other big names, the film mostly features unknown youth. I'm sure some of these young and talented will go on to do great things, because they all demonstrate their skill in this film.
I thought the dialogue was a bit rushed. There are some great lines delivered by Bridges, but overall the movie was very to the point.
SFX/Action
The community and scenery of the movie look great. The movie starts in black and white, but as Jonas unlocks the ability to see color, the world brightens up and becomes quite beautiful.
A couple of the CGI aircrafts look kind of crappy, and the film lacks any action or fight scenes whatsoever. Actually, there is one scene where some guards storm Jeff Bridges' house, but he doesn't put up much of a fight and ends up flopping on the ground after being tased.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Jeff Bridges for his role as The Giver.
Best Character: The Giver
Best Baby: Saige Fernandes for his/her performance as Gabriel at 6 months.
Conclusion
As a novel, there is no doubt that the The Giver has influenced the sci-fi genre today. But as a film, The Giver just doesn't live up to expectations. I ironically give The Giver a 7.5/10. It was good, but not great.
The Giver is based on the famous 1993 novel written by Lois Lowry. The Giver takes place in a Utopian/dystopian future where the memories of the past have been erased from history and every citizen's feelings are suppressed. I read the book a couple years ago, but I never got into it like some other hardcore fans. You know, like the people that build shrines praising the book and who sacrifice goats and other domesticated animals in its name because it's the best book of all time?
That isn't me.
Actually, I'm really getting tired of the whole dystopian future theme that has been smothering the movie industry recently. There are so many movies out there that aren't "based" on books, but steal multiple aspects from several books in order to create a genuinely interesting and somewhat original film.
The best example of this I can think of is the movie Equilibrium. Starring Christian Bale (a.k.a. Batman), Equilibrium is like a cross between Fahrenheit 451, The Matrix, and, of course, The Giver. The film didn't receive good ratings because it "stole" ideas, but I find that it takes the best qualities from each source, and has become one of my favorite movies of all time.
*Sigh* But I digress. Let's get back to the review.
Plot
Main character Jonas "Last Name Here" is a young boy who has always know that there is "something more" and when he assigned to be the new "receiver of memories" of his community. He then becomes the padawan for the current owner of memories/ the giver: Jeff Bridges. After discovering how unfair and oppressive the government is being, Jonas steals a baby, and trek through some of the harshest climates in the surrounding area in order to somehow return all the memories to the citizens of the community.
The movie actually follows the book pretty well, with the exception of something called a Boundary of Memory, which, if passed by a receiver of memory, will return all the memories to common populace. This mechanic's sole purpose is to give Jonas a goal as he travels across the wilderness with a baby. That he stole!
The biggest problem I had with the film was the definitive ending. In the novel, the reader is left with a Inception sort of ending, left to decide for themselves what really happened. This movie absolutely destroys that notion by basically saying, "This is definitely how it happened and there is no other interpretation." By prohibiting each viewer from having a different experience, The Giver goes against its own theme of individuality, along with ruining what made the book so special.
Acting/Dialogue
The Giver introduces some new talent in the form of young actors. Besides Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, and a few other big names, the film mostly features unknown youth. I'm sure some of these young and talented will go on to do great things, because they all demonstrate their skill in this film.
I thought the dialogue was a bit rushed. There are some great lines delivered by Bridges, but overall the movie was very to the point.
SFX/Action
The community and scenery of the movie look great. The movie starts in black and white, but as Jonas unlocks the ability to see color, the world brightens up and becomes quite beautiful.
A couple of the CGI aircrafts look kind of crappy, and the film lacks any action or fight scenes whatsoever. Actually, there is one scene where some guards storm Jeff Bridges' house, but he doesn't put up much of a fight and ends up flopping on the ground after being tased.
Award Time!
Best Performance: Jeff Bridges for his role as The Giver.
Best Character: The Giver
Best Baby: Saige Fernandes for his/her performance as Gabriel at 6 months.
Conclusion
As a novel, there is no doubt that the The Giver has influenced the sci-fi genre today. But as a film, The Giver just doesn't live up to expectations. I ironically give The Giver a 7.5/10. It was good, but not great.
The Legend of Korra (2012)
Book 4 (Series Finale) Review
Legend of Korra Series (Book 4) Finale
So here we are at last. The series finale. *sigh*
At this moment, I am experiencing a strange mixture of emotions. I am saddened by the fact that the show has reached its end, but there were many things the final episode(s) did that made this series one that I will remember for a long time.
Beware of SPOILERS ahead.
Story
If you don't know, Book 4 revolved around Korra recovering from her battle with Zaheer, as well as stopping the dictatorial menace: Kuvira. Within the first few episodes, I was afraid that the show was going to have a hard time pacing itself while still resolving all the established plot lines.
I am happy to report that Book 4 of The Legend of Korra was a fantastic conclusion to the series, and left just enough open to interpretation for it to be interesting.
Note: I will be focusing on the events of the last two episodes during this summary.
I guess we'll start with the literal giant robot in the room.
When I first saw Kuvira's colossal mechanical robot death machine, I was not a fan. In my experience, battles in the Avatar universe against giant foes just don't appeal to me as much as the normal one-on-one fights (Like the Giant Korra vs. Giant Vaatu/Ungalaq fight. Ugh).
Still, the death machine grew on me in these last two episodes, as it proved not only to be a respectable opponent for Team Avatar, but also a unique setting for some great fights. Once our heroes were able to enter the machine, things got really interesting.
I especially loved the fight between Korra and Kuvira in the command room. It was a nice contrast to the normal wide open space fights that we are used to.
Mako and Bolin's appearances were great as well. Their team up in the engine room was almost like watching them back in the Pro-Bending Ring.
Anyway, at the end of the episode(s), Kuvira is defeated, Varrick and Zhu Li get married, and Korra and Asami fall in love.
Well, not exactly. Yes, Asami and Korra were portrayed in a way that would suggest that they could perhaps pursue a romantic relationship. While I think this may have been done mostly as a fan- service, I applaud the creators (and Nickelodeon) for releasing such progressive episode, especially in a show directed towards younger audiences.
I'm sure there will be a wide range of responses after this reveal. Honestly, I think the decision to put the relationship in the show was a good one. I think it's good step in the right direction, especially after the whole censorship issue that just occurred with The Interview. Plus, It leaves room for expansion to the world.
Anyway, if I had to have one complaint about this season (which I do), it would be that the last episodes leave some relationships half- baked, Like Opal and Bolin. Then again, I don't really care.
Art Style
LoK had a rough time even having four seasons. With the show being taken off television and put on the web, I'm sure the studio was desperate for funding. Maybe this is why I excuse the show for looking as terrible as it is. Some of the scenes look terrible, but I think the studio did the best with what they had. The most important scenes look great, and that's all that matters.
Action
Book 4 offers the most and the best fight scenes of the entire series, if not the franchise. While none of them quite live up to the fight with Zaheer, I appreciate the creators for going all out on the final season.
Award Time!
Best Character: Kuvira (Still)
Best Fight: Taking down the Colossus (Specifically the part where they earthbend the building)
Best Episode: Beyond the Wilds (just because of Zaheer)
Best Relationship: Korrasami!!
Conclusion
So hey, this was a great show. While the series finale wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be (because Appa's spirit didn't fly out of the spirit world and kill Kuvira), I thought it was a fitting end to the series. I give Book 4 of LoK and the entire series itself a 9/10.
We may never see anything else from the Avatar universe for a long time, if ever. We were lucky enough that Korra was made as it is! Still, I hope this isn't the last we see of Team Avatar.
Friends, you will be missed.
And remember, let go your earthly tether. Enter the void, empty, and become wind.
So here we are at last. The series finale. *sigh*
At this moment, I am experiencing a strange mixture of emotions. I am saddened by the fact that the show has reached its end, but there were many things the final episode(s) did that made this series one that I will remember for a long time.
Beware of SPOILERS ahead.
Story
If you don't know, Book 4 revolved around Korra recovering from her battle with Zaheer, as well as stopping the dictatorial menace: Kuvira. Within the first few episodes, I was afraid that the show was going to have a hard time pacing itself while still resolving all the established plot lines.
I am happy to report that Book 4 of The Legend of Korra was a fantastic conclusion to the series, and left just enough open to interpretation for it to be interesting.
Note: I will be focusing on the events of the last two episodes during this summary.
I guess we'll start with the literal giant robot in the room.
When I first saw Kuvira's colossal mechanical robot death machine, I was not a fan. In my experience, battles in the Avatar universe against giant foes just don't appeal to me as much as the normal one-on-one fights (Like the Giant Korra vs. Giant Vaatu/Ungalaq fight. Ugh).
Still, the death machine grew on me in these last two episodes, as it proved not only to be a respectable opponent for Team Avatar, but also a unique setting for some great fights. Once our heroes were able to enter the machine, things got really interesting.
I especially loved the fight between Korra and Kuvira in the command room. It was a nice contrast to the normal wide open space fights that we are used to.
Mako and Bolin's appearances were great as well. Their team up in the engine room was almost like watching them back in the Pro-Bending Ring.
Anyway, at the end of the episode(s), Kuvira is defeated, Varrick and Zhu Li get married, and Korra and Asami fall in love.
Well, not exactly. Yes, Asami and Korra were portrayed in a way that would suggest that they could perhaps pursue a romantic relationship. While I think this may have been done mostly as a fan- service, I applaud the creators (and Nickelodeon) for releasing such progressive episode, especially in a show directed towards younger audiences.
I'm sure there will be a wide range of responses after this reveal. Honestly, I think the decision to put the relationship in the show was a good one. I think it's good step in the right direction, especially after the whole censorship issue that just occurred with The Interview. Plus, It leaves room for expansion to the world.
Anyway, if I had to have one complaint about this season (which I do), it would be that the last episodes leave some relationships half- baked, Like Opal and Bolin. Then again, I don't really care.
Art Style
LoK had a rough time even having four seasons. With the show being taken off television and put on the web, I'm sure the studio was desperate for funding. Maybe this is why I excuse the show for looking as terrible as it is. Some of the scenes look terrible, but I think the studio did the best with what they had. The most important scenes look great, and that's all that matters.
Action
Book 4 offers the most and the best fight scenes of the entire series, if not the franchise. While none of them quite live up to the fight with Zaheer, I appreciate the creators for going all out on the final season.
Award Time!
Best Character: Kuvira (Still)
Best Fight: Taking down the Colossus (Specifically the part where they earthbend the building)
Best Episode: Beyond the Wilds (just because of Zaheer)
Best Relationship: Korrasami!!
Conclusion
So hey, this was a great show. While the series finale wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be (because Appa's spirit didn't fly out of the spirit world and kill Kuvira), I thought it was a fitting end to the series. I give Book 4 of LoK and the entire series itself a 9/10.
We may never see anything else from the Avatar universe for a long time, if ever. We were lucky enough that Korra was made as it is! Still, I hope this isn't the last we see of Team Avatar.
Friends, you will be missed.
And remember, let go your earthly tether. Enter the void, empty, and become wind.
BoJack Horseman (2014)
BoJack Horseman: Fantastic
Bojack Horseman
Lately, the streaming service Netflix has been putting out some popular original television shows. Netflix's latest original series is BoJack Horseman, a comedic adult cartoon chronicling the life of a horse-man of the same name. Unlike many other adult cartoons, BoJack Horseman has a very complex and clever plot that spans across an entire season.
Plot
The main character of the series is a horse-man named, well, Bojack Horseman. Obviously. Bojack is a washed up actor who starred in a popular 90's sitcom called "Horsin' Around." The show takes place in Hollywood twenty years after Horsin' Around's cancellation, when Bojack is both depressed and an alcoholic. The first season is about BoJack trying to publish a memoir.
Bojack is not the only animal-man in the show. In fact, the series contains a fair amount of bestiality. There are many human and animal couples in the show. However, Bojack Horseman uses the cross species relationships in interestingly funny ways. Actually, that's how I would describe the entire show: interestingly funny.
BoJack Horseman isn't a show for stupid people. That is to say, many of the best jokes are nonchalantly delivered and can be hard to pick up on. Don't get me wrong, there are a fair share of blatantly stupid "jokes" is the show, just like in any adult cartoon. Still, I found myself constantly rewinding to make sure I picked up on every joke.
There are a couple of plot devices that I think BoJack Horseman uses very well, such as:
The show makes references to real life actors, people, businesses, and cities. Everything that exists in our world exists in their world. Except for the movie Secretariat. All the directors from real life have been turned into animals. Ex: Quentin Tarantualtino. Instead of each episode being its own individual story, every event carries over into future episode, even some incredibly minor details are included in later episodes. Thus, the show is filled with many "running jokes." Sometimes items in the background will randomly change.
There are lots of other things that make BoJack Horseman's plot so great, but all you need to know is that the show's story has some of the most depth that I've ever seen in an adult cartoon.
Voice Acting
Although I am not a voice artist expert, I think that every actor connects well with their character. Most voices reflect on the animal's personality. Overall, the voices are good and each voice fits their respective character perfectly.
Art Style
The art style of this cartoon is very similar to Bob's Burgers. Most of the time it doesn't look very pretty, but I think the style is the most effective one for the show's tone and theme.
Award Time!
Best Overall Character: BoJack Horseman
Best Side Character: Tod
Conclusion
BoJack Horsman has something for everyone, whether you're looking for cheap laughs or a funny show that makes you think. Netflix has once again created an award winning series. I give BoJack Horseman a 9/10. I look forward to season two.
Lately, the streaming service Netflix has been putting out some popular original television shows. Netflix's latest original series is BoJack Horseman, a comedic adult cartoon chronicling the life of a horse-man of the same name. Unlike many other adult cartoons, BoJack Horseman has a very complex and clever plot that spans across an entire season.
Plot
The main character of the series is a horse-man named, well, Bojack Horseman. Obviously. Bojack is a washed up actor who starred in a popular 90's sitcom called "Horsin' Around." The show takes place in Hollywood twenty years after Horsin' Around's cancellation, when Bojack is both depressed and an alcoholic. The first season is about BoJack trying to publish a memoir.
Bojack is not the only animal-man in the show. In fact, the series contains a fair amount of bestiality. There are many human and animal couples in the show. However, Bojack Horseman uses the cross species relationships in interestingly funny ways. Actually, that's how I would describe the entire show: interestingly funny.
BoJack Horseman isn't a show for stupid people. That is to say, many of the best jokes are nonchalantly delivered and can be hard to pick up on. Don't get me wrong, there are a fair share of blatantly stupid "jokes" is the show, just like in any adult cartoon. Still, I found myself constantly rewinding to make sure I picked up on every joke.
There are a couple of plot devices that I think BoJack Horseman uses very well, such as:
The show makes references to real life actors, people, businesses, and cities. Everything that exists in our world exists in their world. Except for the movie Secretariat. All the directors from real life have been turned into animals. Ex: Quentin Tarantualtino. Instead of each episode being its own individual story, every event carries over into future episode, even some incredibly minor details are included in later episodes. Thus, the show is filled with many "running jokes." Sometimes items in the background will randomly change.
There are lots of other things that make BoJack Horseman's plot so great, but all you need to know is that the show's story has some of the most depth that I've ever seen in an adult cartoon.
Voice Acting
Although I am not a voice artist expert, I think that every actor connects well with their character. Most voices reflect on the animal's personality. Overall, the voices are good and each voice fits their respective character perfectly.
Art Style
The art style of this cartoon is very similar to Bob's Burgers. Most of the time it doesn't look very pretty, but I think the style is the most effective one for the show's tone and theme.
Award Time!
Best Overall Character: BoJack Horseman
Best Side Character: Tod
Conclusion
BoJack Horsman has something for everyone, whether you're looking for cheap laughs or a funny show that makes you think. Netflix has once again created an award winning series. I give BoJack Horseman a 9/10. I look forward to season two.
Supernatural (2005)
Supernatural Season 9 Review
Supernatural Season 9
Although the finale premiered several months ago, I only recently got around to watching all of Supernatural's ninth season. Supernatural is sort of a guilty pleasure of mine. Yes, I have seen every episode, and intend to watch Season 10 as well. However, I feel conflicted about Supernatural. The first couple of seasons of the show were distinguishable and interesting. But after the fifth season, everything started to blur together. There were times when Supernatural tried to mix things up (like in Season 7 with those ridiculous Leviathans) but nothing never really stuck.
Thus, Supernatural stayed on the "Angels vs. Demons" conflict. Still, I am constantly encouraged to continue following the show. Maybe it's because I don't want the hours I've put into watching all 195 episodes to be for nothing. Maybe it's because I still have hope that the show will revert back to the classic "saving people; hunting things" routine. Regardless, here are my thoughts on the latest season of Supernatural. If you haven't seen up to this point, read at your own risk; there will almost certainly be SPOILERS ahead.
Plot
After the events of Season 8, all the angels have fallen out of heaven and have lost their wings. Also, Sam was put in a comatose state and is on the verge of death. Again. Dean is very upset about his brother's state of life, despite the fact that both the Winchester boys have potentially died and been resurrected hundreds of times without even knowing it.
But I digress.
Dean asks a very firmly spoken angel named Ezekiel to heal Sam by merging with him and repair him for the inside. Except Ezekiel isn't really Ezekiel because Ezekiel died in "the fall." He is actually a criminal angel named Gadreel. Gadreel is supposedly the angel that let Sin into the garden and destroyed God's plan for the human race forever. But whatevs.
I could probably fill an encyclopedia with some of the events that unfold after that, but I think I'll just give you the basics. In bullet format (for both my benefit and yours)!
Sam is healed Kevin finally dies (killed by Ezekiel/Sam) Crowley and Abaddon fight for control of hell Metatron starts to build an army Castiel is a hobo Dean turns into a dog Dean gets the mark of Cain Dean gets the "first blade," the only thing that can kill Abaddon and, conveniently, Metatron Dean becomes bloodthirsty Castiel starts a cult Metatron becomes god Dean kills Abaddon Dean tries to kill Metatron but gets his ass kicked Metatron is no longer god and is locked up in jail Dean kind of dies Sam cries Dean is now a demon for some reason
Congratulations! You have just read the basic plot synopsis of Season 9 of Supernatural. I think I have included the most important events that happened, but I still feel like I'm forgetting something. That's because Supernatural is a incredibly over-complex show. *Sigh* I suppose it can't be helped. If you think I forgot something that deserves to be mentioned, let me know in the comments below.
As the last bullet states, Dean turned into a demon in the last 5 seconds of the season finale. This makes me happy. Dean's transformation means that there will finally be a new villain next season. It's about time.
Acting/Dialogue
The acting and dialogue in Season 9 follows the classic Supernatural pattern. That is to say: it's bad. Cheesy, unoriginal, lifeless, or whatever you want to call it, bad pretty much sums it up. Still, the awkwardness of the acting and language gives the show a sort of charming quality. Bad, but it doesn't subtract from the show's quality. Much.
SFX/Action
Makeup and special effects in Supernatural are surprisingly high budget. Blood effects also look good but costumes occasionally stray into the cheaper side.
The fight scenes and gunfights are well choreographed and fun to watch.
Conclusion
Before we get to the score for this season, it's award time.
Best Performance: Curtis Armstrong (Metatron)
Best Episode: Bloodlines
Nine seasons is a lot for any show. Nevertheless, when Wayward Son by Kansas played during the season finale, I found myself being hit by a wave of nostalgia that I have for the series. I give Season 9 of Supernatural an 8/10 for an attempt to stray from the established pattern and for getting me excited for Season 10.
Although the finale premiered several months ago, I only recently got around to watching all of Supernatural's ninth season. Supernatural is sort of a guilty pleasure of mine. Yes, I have seen every episode, and intend to watch Season 10 as well. However, I feel conflicted about Supernatural. The first couple of seasons of the show were distinguishable and interesting. But after the fifth season, everything started to blur together. There were times when Supernatural tried to mix things up (like in Season 7 with those ridiculous Leviathans) but nothing never really stuck.
Thus, Supernatural stayed on the "Angels vs. Demons" conflict. Still, I am constantly encouraged to continue following the show. Maybe it's because I don't want the hours I've put into watching all 195 episodes to be for nothing. Maybe it's because I still have hope that the show will revert back to the classic "saving people; hunting things" routine. Regardless, here are my thoughts on the latest season of Supernatural. If you haven't seen up to this point, read at your own risk; there will almost certainly be SPOILERS ahead.
Plot
After the events of Season 8, all the angels have fallen out of heaven and have lost their wings. Also, Sam was put in a comatose state and is on the verge of death. Again. Dean is very upset about his brother's state of life, despite the fact that both the Winchester boys have potentially died and been resurrected hundreds of times without even knowing it.
But I digress.
Dean asks a very firmly spoken angel named Ezekiel to heal Sam by merging with him and repair him for the inside. Except Ezekiel isn't really Ezekiel because Ezekiel died in "the fall." He is actually a criminal angel named Gadreel. Gadreel is supposedly the angel that let Sin into the garden and destroyed God's plan for the human race forever. But whatevs.
I could probably fill an encyclopedia with some of the events that unfold after that, but I think I'll just give you the basics. In bullet format (for both my benefit and yours)!
Sam is healed Kevin finally dies (killed by Ezekiel/Sam) Crowley and Abaddon fight for control of hell Metatron starts to build an army Castiel is a hobo Dean turns into a dog Dean gets the mark of Cain Dean gets the "first blade," the only thing that can kill Abaddon and, conveniently, Metatron Dean becomes bloodthirsty Castiel starts a cult Metatron becomes god Dean kills Abaddon Dean tries to kill Metatron but gets his ass kicked Metatron is no longer god and is locked up in jail Dean kind of dies Sam cries Dean is now a demon for some reason
Congratulations! You have just read the basic plot synopsis of Season 9 of Supernatural. I think I have included the most important events that happened, but I still feel like I'm forgetting something. That's because Supernatural is a incredibly over-complex show. *Sigh* I suppose it can't be helped. If you think I forgot something that deserves to be mentioned, let me know in the comments below.
As the last bullet states, Dean turned into a demon in the last 5 seconds of the season finale. This makes me happy. Dean's transformation means that there will finally be a new villain next season. It's about time.
Acting/Dialogue
The acting and dialogue in Season 9 follows the classic Supernatural pattern. That is to say: it's bad. Cheesy, unoriginal, lifeless, or whatever you want to call it, bad pretty much sums it up. Still, the awkwardness of the acting and language gives the show a sort of charming quality. Bad, but it doesn't subtract from the show's quality. Much.
SFX/Action
Makeup and special effects in Supernatural are surprisingly high budget. Blood effects also look good but costumes occasionally stray into the cheaper side.
The fight scenes and gunfights are well choreographed and fun to watch.
Conclusion
Before we get to the score for this season, it's award time.
Best Performance: Curtis Armstrong (Metatron)
Best Episode: Bloodlines
Nine seasons is a lot for any show. Nevertheless, when Wayward Son by Kansas played during the season finale, I found myself being hit by a wave of nostalgia that I have for the series. I give Season 9 of Supernatural an 8/10 for an attempt to stray from the established pattern and for getting me excited for Season 10.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
DC Should Just Give Up
Guardians of the Galaxy
When it comes to comics and superheroes, DC comics and Marvel comics are the biggest contenders. Lately, however, Marvel has been dominating the industry, especially in the film department. I'm pretty sure DC comics wet themselves after the release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. After this movie, and with the Avengers 2: Age of Ultron coming out next summer, DC should just give up now.
Story
This movie doesn't feel like a Marvel movie. It does feel like an epic sci-fi adventure that holds the promise of sequels to follow. In case you don't already know, Guardians of the Galaxy is about a group of outlaws who unite during a prison escape and continue on to, well, guard the galaxy of course!
The average movie goer will probably not recognize most of the characters from the film, but this doesn't make the story any less engaging. However, if you are a die-hard Marvel fan like me, you will also find joy in references to your favorite Marvel franchises.
Each character is really unique and charming in their own way. Star-Lord/Peter Quill is played by Chris Patt and is what you could consider the "main" character and the leader of the group. Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), the giant human-tree is surprisingly funny and cute throughout the film. Gamora is a green, alien, warrior, assassin and also the adopted daughter of Thanos. Drax the Destroyer (played by Dave Bautista) is an angry and oddly eloquent alien who does not understand sarcasm or metaphors. Finally, there is Rocket the Raccoon. Voiced by Bradley Cooper, this spunky and furry mutant with a love of big guns is my personal favorite character.
All together, the team has great chemistry and is a joy to watch. The story (which I won't spoil anymore than I have) is interesting and serves as a brilliant way to expand the Marvel cinematic universe. It's fantastic.
Acting/Dialogue
All the actors fill their shoes well but a select few performances stand out more than the rest. The Best Actor award goes to Star-Lord himself, Chris Patt. Second place, however, goes to Dave Battista (Drax). Battista exceeded all of my expectations and delivered some of the best lines in the movie.
With the movie containing two voice acted characters, the award for Best Voice Actor goes to Bradley Cooper who did a great job of bringing Rocket to life and made me really car about the fuzzy fella.
The dialogue is spot-on. It's funny, witty, and appealing to all ages. Seriously, the movie will have you roaring with laughter and grab the attention of every viewer.
SFX/Action
While a lot of this movie is CG, it all looks incredibly realistic. Especially impressive are the spaceships and flying vehicles. You can see reflections in all the windshields, and every spacecraft moves/animates fluidly. The final fight has a ridiculous number of enemy ships flying around and exploding everywhere, yet you can see every single one in detail.
Guardians of the Galaxy has the perfect number of fight scenes. I never once felt as if the action overpowered the story or vice-versa. I really like how every character has a different fighting style, which makes for some interesting combinations.
Conclusion
I think Guardians of the Galaxy is the best Marvel movie to date. Oh, and did I mention that its a perfect movie? That's right, I give Guardians of the Galaxy a 10/10. The string that DC comics has been clinging onto for the past few years just got thinner. Go see this movie now. It's bound to be the best flick of the summer.
When it comes to comics and superheroes, DC comics and Marvel comics are the biggest contenders. Lately, however, Marvel has been dominating the industry, especially in the film department. I'm pretty sure DC comics wet themselves after the release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. After this movie, and with the Avengers 2: Age of Ultron coming out next summer, DC should just give up now.
Story
This movie doesn't feel like a Marvel movie. It does feel like an epic sci-fi adventure that holds the promise of sequels to follow. In case you don't already know, Guardians of the Galaxy is about a group of outlaws who unite during a prison escape and continue on to, well, guard the galaxy of course!
The average movie goer will probably not recognize most of the characters from the film, but this doesn't make the story any less engaging. However, if you are a die-hard Marvel fan like me, you will also find joy in references to your favorite Marvel franchises.
Each character is really unique and charming in their own way. Star-Lord/Peter Quill is played by Chris Patt and is what you could consider the "main" character and the leader of the group. Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), the giant human-tree is surprisingly funny and cute throughout the film. Gamora is a green, alien, warrior, assassin and also the adopted daughter of Thanos. Drax the Destroyer (played by Dave Bautista) is an angry and oddly eloquent alien who does not understand sarcasm or metaphors. Finally, there is Rocket the Raccoon. Voiced by Bradley Cooper, this spunky and furry mutant with a love of big guns is my personal favorite character.
All together, the team has great chemistry and is a joy to watch. The story (which I won't spoil anymore than I have) is interesting and serves as a brilliant way to expand the Marvel cinematic universe. It's fantastic.
Acting/Dialogue
All the actors fill their shoes well but a select few performances stand out more than the rest. The Best Actor award goes to Star-Lord himself, Chris Patt. Second place, however, goes to Dave Battista (Drax). Battista exceeded all of my expectations and delivered some of the best lines in the movie.
With the movie containing two voice acted characters, the award for Best Voice Actor goes to Bradley Cooper who did a great job of bringing Rocket to life and made me really car about the fuzzy fella.
The dialogue is spot-on. It's funny, witty, and appealing to all ages. Seriously, the movie will have you roaring with laughter and grab the attention of every viewer.
SFX/Action
While a lot of this movie is CG, it all looks incredibly realistic. Especially impressive are the spaceships and flying vehicles. You can see reflections in all the windshields, and every spacecraft moves/animates fluidly. The final fight has a ridiculous number of enemy ships flying around and exploding everywhere, yet you can see every single one in detail.
Guardians of the Galaxy has the perfect number of fight scenes. I never once felt as if the action overpowered the story or vice-versa. I really like how every character has a different fighting style, which makes for some interesting combinations.
Conclusion
I think Guardians of the Galaxy is the best Marvel movie to date. Oh, and did I mention that its a perfect movie? That's right, I give Guardians of the Galaxy a 10/10. The string that DC comics has been clinging onto for the past few years just got thinner. Go see this movie now. It's bound to be the best flick of the summer.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Better Than Frozen
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Animated Movies have changed a lot in the past decade. Pixar and Disney's reign over the industry is at and end, and Dreamworks is now a real contender. I loved the first How to Train Your Dragon, and its sequel is even more impressive. And yes, it is better than Frozen.
Story
After the events of the last film, the Isle of Berk has been changed forever. Dragons have been fully incorporated into the Vikings' lives. Practically every character now has there own Dragon.
While the rest of Berk are enjoying the benefits of dragons at home, Hiccup and Toothless (who is as cute as ever) are busy exploring the world and discovering new lands. The movie takes place five years after its predecessor and Hiccup has matured into a responsible, but stubborn, 20 year-old.
Hiccup's father Stoick wants Hiccup to take over as Chief of Berk, which puts a lot of pressure on Hiccup. Some nice internal conflict to kick things off. Anyway, Hiccup and his now-steady girlfriend Astrid discover a group of dragon hunters who are working for an evil dragon hunter who controls one of the most powerful dragons on earth. His method of control: Screaming at the top of his lungs like a madman. I think this is supposed to be "scary" but it just comes across as funny.
Hiccup also finds out that there are other dragon riders out in the world and sets out to find them. This sets off a series of events that spawn some intense action scenes and an engaging plot. Many of the scenes will send chills down your spine.
There isn't much else I can say without spoiling anything. However, know that some things happen in this movie that will affect the rest of the series.
The only thing I didn't like about the story was the side character development. There is supposed to be a love triangle between Ruffnut (of is it Tuffnut?) and the two other boys, whose names escape me. However, this plot line is smothered by the main story and Hiccup and Astrid's romance. All in all, the side characters don't amount to much, and they are pretty much ignored.
Voice Acting/Dialogue
Jay Baruchel (Hiccup) did a fantastic job voice acting. His voice has really matured and grown since the last film, and he is still the perfect fit for Hiccup.
Gerard Butler (Stoick) does a good job as well, but I am giving the award for Best Voice Actor to Jay Baruchel.
The dialogue (which is a word I cannot spell for the life of me) is perfect. I thought it was the perfect balance of childish and sophisticated. In fact, it is the wonderful script that makes this movie more mature than most other animated films. It isn't just a kid movie; It's one everyone can enjoy.
Graphics/Action
Note: Since this is an animated film, I have changed the SFX category to Graphics.
The visual effects in this movie are, to be frank, beautiful. The world pop with color, and when multiple dragons fly through the air, you can see every detail. Just to but the level of detail into perspective, know this: You can see practically every strand of hair on Hiccups hair. He even has stubble!
The action scenes (of which there are many) are so cool. The dragon vs. dragon combat is especially great. These scenes are where this movie shines, and provide suspense and a huge sense of danger to the movie.
Conclusion
How to Train Your Dragon 2 was magnificent. All the great ideas fit together well and produce a well-rounded and mature film that sparks the imagination. I give it an 8.5/10. Better than Frozen, HTTYD2 is the best animated film of 2014. I look forward to how it hold up against Big Hero 6 this fall.
Animated Movies have changed a lot in the past decade. Pixar and Disney's reign over the industry is at and end, and Dreamworks is now a real contender. I loved the first How to Train Your Dragon, and its sequel is even more impressive. And yes, it is better than Frozen.
Story
After the events of the last film, the Isle of Berk has been changed forever. Dragons have been fully incorporated into the Vikings' lives. Practically every character now has there own Dragon.
While the rest of Berk are enjoying the benefits of dragons at home, Hiccup and Toothless (who is as cute as ever) are busy exploring the world and discovering new lands. The movie takes place five years after its predecessor and Hiccup has matured into a responsible, but stubborn, 20 year-old.
Hiccup's father Stoick wants Hiccup to take over as Chief of Berk, which puts a lot of pressure on Hiccup. Some nice internal conflict to kick things off. Anyway, Hiccup and his now-steady girlfriend Astrid discover a group of dragon hunters who are working for an evil dragon hunter who controls one of the most powerful dragons on earth. His method of control: Screaming at the top of his lungs like a madman. I think this is supposed to be "scary" but it just comes across as funny.
Hiccup also finds out that there are other dragon riders out in the world and sets out to find them. This sets off a series of events that spawn some intense action scenes and an engaging plot. Many of the scenes will send chills down your spine.
There isn't much else I can say without spoiling anything. However, know that some things happen in this movie that will affect the rest of the series.
The only thing I didn't like about the story was the side character development. There is supposed to be a love triangle between Ruffnut (of is it Tuffnut?) and the two other boys, whose names escape me. However, this plot line is smothered by the main story and Hiccup and Astrid's romance. All in all, the side characters don't amount to much, and they are pretty much ignored.
Voice Acting/Dialogue
Jay Baruchel (Hiccup) did a fantastic job voice acting. His voice has really matured and grown since the last film, and he is still the perfect fit for Hiccup.
Gerard Butler (Stoick) does a good job as well, but I am giving the award for Best Voice Actor to Jay Baruchel.
The dialogue (which is a word I cannot spell for the life of me) is perfect. I thought it was the perfect balance of childish and sophisticated. In fact, it is the wonderful script that makes this movie more mature than most other animated films. It isn't just a kid movie; It's one everyone can enjoy.
Graphics/Action
Note: Since this is an animated film, I have changed the SFX category to Graphics.
The visual effects in this movie are, to be frank, beautiful. The world pop with color, and when multiple dragons fly through the air, you can see every detail. Just to but the level of detail into perspective, know this: You can see practically every strand of hair on Hiccups hair. He even has stubble!
The action scenes (of which there are many) are so cool. The dragon vs. dragon combat is especially great. These scenes are where this movie shines, and provide suspense and a huge sense of danger to the movie.
Conclusion
How to Train Your Dragon 2 was magnificent. All the great ideas fit together well and produce a well-rounded and mature film that sparks the imagination. I give it an 8.5/10. Better than Frozen, HTTYD2 is the best animated film of 2014. I look forward to how it hold up against Big Hero 6 this fall.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction Review
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction
Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest entry in the Transformers "saga" from director of awesomeness: Michael Bay. The movie also stars Mark Wahlberg, but his performance is less than noteworthy. I said previously that I wasn't going to review this movie, but I decided that it could only be fun, so here we go. Get ready for sarcasm.
Story
After the events of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, all the Autobots are being hunted down by the government with the assistance of some freelance evil transformers. These evil-but-not-Decepticons-for- some-reason want to capture Optimus Prime in order to add him to "the collection." The government, in their typical selfish way, are hunting down the Autobots and Decepticons collectively and melting them down into . Wait for it .. TRANSFORMIUM. Ignoring the absolute awfulness of that name for a moment, Transformium is a sort of genetic-metal that all Transformers are made of. Funny that it hasn't been mentioned in any of the previous films. Hmmmm. Anyway, some government corporation has re-purposed the Transformium and is using it in order to manufacture their own Transformers. The idea is that the government will then use these robotic soldiers to rule the world or whatever.
This fictional corporation, which also has a dumb name that I can't remember, makes a prototype named Galvatron. Galvatron is based on Megatron's genetic code and, unsurprisingly, he becomes self-aware and develops the urge to rule the world. Thus ends the Transformer portion of the story.
Now for the human portion. Mark Wahlberg is a Texan mechanic with a daughter who I think is supposed to be the "love-interest" because she basically fills in for Megan Fox from the first two films. Marky Mark discovers Optimus Prime in a basement somewhere and repairs him. Optimus then saves Marky's family from the evil government agents and Mark Wahlberg decides that he owes Optimus and spends the rest of the movies repaying his debt.
Obviously, the Transformer storyline is way more interesting, albeit a little ridiculous. My biggest problem with this movie is that they repeatedly enforce the idea that Transformers are not just machines, but living things. But the movie never develops the Transformers' characters. Instead, it focuses on the boring humans leaving the Autobots for which the movie is named are left looking like side characters.
Besides, the plot doesn't really evolve throughout the movie and at the end, almost nothing is resolved. But hey, no one watches Michael Bay movies for the plot anyway. He's the master of explosions! So if you just want to see lots of action and good fight scenes, then this movie is up to par. At best.
Acting/Dialogue
Mark Wahlberg is arguably the biggest star in this movie, but his performance seemed forced. I don't think any of the actors in the movie actually wanted to be in the movie. Regardless, I will give out the award for best human actor and best voice actor.
Best Transformer: John Goodman for his performance as Hound. He is by far the most funny and interesting Autobot in the movie.
Best Human: Stanley Tucci for his performance as the CEO of the evil corporation.
Dialogue is poor. Very poor. Composed of bad one-liners the script is uninteresting and unoriginal.
SFX/Action
Here it comes. The category that everyone wants to see, especially for this movie. Does Michael Bay live up to his reputation as king of the extreme?
No.
Alright fine, I'll elaborate. Nothing looks real in this movie. Fight scenes don't usually play out like you'd expect them to. Granted, transformations look really cool and fight scenes have a lot more detail than in previous movies.
The explosions are what got to me. Arguably the most appealing feature of a Michael Bay film are his epic non-cg explosions. In Transformers Age of Extinction, every explosion is way too over the top. With fireworks literally exploding out of nowhere, everything just seems unrealistic.
Note: 3-D did not add or subtract much from the movie at all.
Conclusion
When editing this review I realized I went a little too easy on this movie, as I tend to do. Just to clarify, I did not like it at all. I give Transformers 4 a 4.5/10. If you still want to see it, I recommend doing now while it is in theaters. The special effects, despite their cheesiness, won't look as good unless they are on the big screen.
Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest entry in the Transformers "saga" from director of awesomeness: Michael Bay. The movie also stars Mark Wahlberg, but his performance is less than noteworthy. I said previously that I wasn't going to review this movie, but I decided that it could only be fun, so here we go. Get ready for sarcasm.
Story
After the events of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, all the Autobots are being hunted down by the government with the assistance of some freelance evil transformers. These evil-but-not-Decepticons-for- some-reason want to capture Optimus Prime in order to add him to "the collection." The government, in their typical selfish way, are hunting down the Autobots and Decepticons collectively and melting them down into . Wait for it .. TRANSFORMIUM. Ignoring the absolute awfulness of that name for a moment, Transformium is a sort of genetic-metal that all Transformers are made of. Funny that it hasn't been mentioned in any of the previous films. Hmmmm. Anyway, some government corporation has re-purposed the Transformium and is using it in order to manufacture their own Transformers. The idea is that the government will then use these robotic soldiers to rule the world or whatever.
This fictional corporation, which also has a dumb name that I can't remember, makes a prototype named Galvatron. Galvatron is based on Megatron's genetic code and, unsurprisingly, he becomes self-aware and develops the urge to rule the world. Thus ends the Transformer portion of the story.
Now for the human portion. Mark Wahlberg is a Texan mechanic with a daughter who I think is supposed to be the "love-interest" because she basically fills in for Megan Fox from the first two films. Marky Mark discovers Optimus Prime in a basement somewhere and repairs him. Optimus then saves Marky's family from the evil government agents and Mark Wahlberg decides that he owes Optimus and spends the rest of the movies repaying his debt.
Obviously, the Transformer storyline is way more interesting, albeit a little ridiculous. My biggest problem with this movie is that they repeatedly enforce the idea that Transformers are not just machines, but living things. But the movie never develops the Transformers' characters. Instead, it focuses on the boring humans leaving the Autobots for which the movie is named are left looking like side characters.
Besides, the plot doesn't really evolve throughout the movie and at the end, almost nothing is resolved. But hey, no one watches Michael Bay movies for the plot anyway. He's the master of explosions! So if you just want to see lots of action and good fight scenes, then this movie is up to par. At best.
Acting/Dialogue
Mark Wahlberg is arguably the biggest star in this movie, but his performance seemed forced. I don't think any of the actors in the movie actually wanted to be in the movie. Regardless, I will give out the award for best human actor and best voice actor.
Best Transformer: John Goodman for his performance as Hound. He is by far the most funny and interesting Autobot in the movie.
Best Human: Stanley Tucci for his performance as the CEO of the evil corporation.
Dialogue is poor. Very poor. Composed of bad one-liners the script is uninteresting and unoriginal.
SFX/Action
Here it comes. The category that everyone wants to see, especially for this movie. Does Michael Bay live up to his reputation as king of the extreme?
No.
Alright fine, I'll elaborate. Nothing looks real in this movie. Fight scenes don't usually play out like you'd expect them to. Granted, transformations look really cool and fight scenes have a lot more detail than in previous movies.
The explosions are what got to me. Arguably the most appealing feature of a Michael Bay film are his epic non-cg explosions. In Transformers Age of Extinction, every explosion is way too over the top. With fireworks literally exploding out of nowhere, everything just seems unrealistic.
Note: 3-D did not add or subtract much from the movie at all.
Conclusion
When editing this review I realized I went a little too easy on this movie, as I tend to do. Just to clarify, I did not like it at all. I give Transformers 4 a 4.5/10. If you still want to see it, I recommend doing now while it is in theaters. The special effects, despite their cheesiness, won't look as good unless they are on the big screen.
Hercules (2014)
Hercules Review: The Legend of Rockules
Hercules Review
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson stars in this narcissistically named movie chronicling the adventures of the famous Greek hero.
Story
Rockules and his band of merry misfits act as mercenaries for hire in this clever spin on the classic myth. I suppose you could consider the following a spoiler even though it is revealed in the first fifteen minutes of the movie. Regardless: SPOILER ALERT! In this movie, Hercules is not portrayed as the actual son of Zeus. Instead, he is just an incredibly strong and powerful man whose story has spread throughout Greece like a monster killing Paul Bunyan. So everyone in the country thinks that Hercules is a demigod, but only the viewers (and a select number of side characters) know the truth. Hercules is accompanied by 5 other mercenaries who are infinitely more interesting the Hercules himself. The fellowship consists of The main man himself Herc, a female archer, a bloodthirsty mute, a comical soothsayer, a storyteller, and a man who throws knives well. Their quest: To live like Kings by working for whomever pays the most.
Using the tales of the all-powerful Rockules, the Fellowship of the Rock increase their fame and their wealth until they are hired by a King to train his troops and lead them into a mysterious civil war. From that point on the movie consists of great action packed fight scenes and secret motives of the King lead Hercules to make a moral choice become the real hero everyone thinks he is. And that he does! By the end of the movie, I was pondering whether or not he was actually the son of Zeus. He certainly performs like he is.
Since the story of Hercules is one that has been told many, many times, a lot of his back-story is essentially summed up in a couple of minutes. The audience is almost expected to know who Hercules is so they can focus on all the head clobbering action. The side characters are really cool and have a lot of potential, but their backstories are not explored as much as I hoped.
Hercules (referencing the movie itself and not the main character) steals many ideas from other other movies, especially 300. However, it makes up for this fact by blatantly referencing 300 multiple times throughout the movie. These all made me laugh, so the unoriginal ideas have been mostly forgiven.
All in all, plot was way more interesting and complex than I expected, and while most people will only remember the fight scenes, I will remember this movie for its creative interpretation of the ancient legend.
Acting/Dialogue
Note: Because the movie uses actual Greek names that are impossible to remember, I will be describing the characters rather than naming them
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (who looks more like a tank than a rock) plays Hercules well, especially since Hercules is a character of brawn and therefore is not expected to be eloquent or well spoken. This, overall, leads to some poor dialogue that consists of mostly one liners.
Best performance in this movie goes to Ian McShane, who plays the soothsayer. His character is by far the most complex and interesting. Plus, he's funny! With good supply of comical relief and a stellar performance, McShane's character helps hold the movie together.
SFX/Action
The fight scenes (as previously mentioned) are very 300-esque. However, the battles in Hercules seemed to be the perfect scale. Even with a realistic amount of soldiers fighting at any given time, the action seems non-stop and is almost exhausting to watch. Everything looks real and (for the most part) remains within the realm of possibility.
Hercules obviously steals most of the glory when it comes to awesome fight scene moments. Nevertheless, the Followers of Rockules hold their own, and together as a team, they seem unstoppable.
Conclusion
While not Dwayne Johnson's best movie, I thought Hercules was great. I personally give it an 8/10. I know some may disagree, but one thing is for sure: Hercules is a hell of a lot better than Transformers: Age of Extinction.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson stars in this narcissistically named movie chronicling the adventures of the famous Greek hero.
Story
Rockules and his band of merry misfits act as mercenaries for hire in this clever spin on the classic myth. I suppose you could consider the following a spoiler even though it is revealed in the first fifteen minutes of the movie. Regardless: SPOILER ALERT! In this movie, Hercules is not portrayed as the actual son of Zeus. Instead, he is just an incredibly strong and powerful man whose story has spread throughout Greece like a monster killing Paul Bunyan. So everyone in the country thinks that Hercules is a demigod, but only the viewers (and a select number of side characters) know the truth. Hercules is accompanied by 5 other mercenaries who are infinitely more interesting the Hercules himself. The fellowship consists of The main man himself Herc, a female archer, a bloodthirsty mute, a comical soothsayer, a storyteller, and a man who throws knives well. Their quest: To live like Kings by working for whomever pays the most.
Using the tales of the all-powerful Rockules, the Fellowship of the Rock increase their fame and their wealth until they are hired by a King to train his troops and lead them into a mysterious civil war. From that point on the movie consists of great action packed fight scenes and secret motives of the King lead Hercules to make a moral choice become the real hero everyone thinks he is. And that he does! By the end of the movie, I was pondering whether or not he was actually the son of Zeus. He certainly performs like he is.
Since the story of Hercules is one that has been told many, many times, a lot of his back-story is essentially summed up in a couple of minutes. The audience is almost expected to know who Hercules is so they can focus on all the head clobbering action. The side characters are really cool and have a lot of potential, but their backstories are not explored as much as I hoped.
Hercules (referencing the movie itself and not the main character) steals many ideas from other other movies, especially 300. However, it makes up for this fact by blatantly referencing 300 multiple times throughout the movie. These all made me laugh, so the unoriginal ideas have been mostly forgiven.
All in all, plot was way more interesting and complex than I expected, and while most people will only remember the fight scenes, I will remember this movie for its creative interpretation of the ancient legend.
Acting/Dialogue
Note: Because the movie uses actual Greek names that are impossible to remember, I will be describing the characters rather than naming them
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (who looks more like a tank than a rock) plays Hercules well, especially since Hercules is a character of brawn and therefore is not expected to be eloquent or well spoken. This, overall, leads to some poor dialogue that consists of mostly one liners.
Best performance in this movie goes to Ian McShane, who plays the soothsayer. His character is by far the most complex and interesting. Plus, he's funny! With good supply of comical relief and a stellar performance, McShane's character helps hold the movie together.
SFX/Action
The fight scenes (as previously mentioned) are very 300-esque. However, the battles in Hercules seemed to be the perfect scale. Even with a realistic amount of soldiers fighting at any given time, the action seems non-stop and is almost exhausting to watch. Everything looks real and (for the most part) remains within the realm of possibility.
Hercules obviously steals most of the glory when it comes to awesome fight scene moments. Nevertheless, the Followers of Rockules hold their own, and together as a team, they seem unstoppable.
Conclusion
While not Dwayne Johnson's best movie, I thought Hercules was great. I personally give it an 8/10. I know some may disagree, but one thing is for sure: Hercules is a hell of a lot better than Transformers: Age of Extinction.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Edge of Tomorrow Review
Edge of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action movie starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The story revolves around Tom Cruise's character, who is enlisted to fight in the war against the "mimics". Mimics are an invading alien species that threatens to destroy human life as we know it. However, Cruise's character begins reliving the day of the battle over and over again every time he dies in combat. The eventual goal: live the day long enough to destroy the leader of the mimics.
Plot
The plot, despite leaving you thinking after the movie has ended, has surprisingly few plot holes, especially considering that its a time travel movie. Going in, I thought I was bound to be watching the same scenes over and over again, but this what not the case. In the classic "Groundhog Day" scenario, Cruise masters the events of the day, so he knows exactly when and where and enemy will be, and what they will do, making for some intense and interesting fight scenes. For some, the plot may be hard to follow, and looking up an explanation of the movie may be necessary. However, I think plot is overall very stable, especially for a time-continuum movie. The ending of this movie is a Tom Cruise "you decide what happens" ending, leaving more to be resolved, but it fits the tone of the movie well.
Acting/Dialogue
The movie features a great cast, including of course Tom Cruise, whose performance is stellar. In my opinion, Cruise is an underrated actor, but in this movie he really shows his skill. His character's character arc is special, changing from a wimpy public figure to a full- fledged soldier.
Cruise and Blunt's chemistry is perfect in this movie. Without spoiling too much, I will say that Blunt's character really holds the movie together, and her performance is almost as good as Cruise's. Almost.
The dialogue is full of humor, one-liners, and witty remarks. The fun really comes when Cruise knows what everyone is going to say, and completes their sentences for them. There are some great monologues as well. This movie is sure to have people quoting and referencing it for years to come.
SFX/Action
The special effects are amazing. They look great, and the explosive action scenes in the movie are so pretty, they almost distract from all the destruction and death. There are some great fight scenes with Blunt and Cruise kicking butt. However, some of the most thrilling moments come in Cruise's death scenes. These scenes range from comical (in a gruesome way) and very serious, the latter of which becomes evident part way through the movie.
Conclusion
This is the movie to see right now if you are a fan of sci-fi action. A great story, great acting, and great sfx make for a pretty great movie overall. I give Edge of Tomorrow an 8.5/10. Go see it if you want to see Tom Cruise at his best, and leave the theater thinking about the movie for hours afterward.
Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action movie starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The story revolves around Tom Cruise's character, who is enlisted to fight in the war against the "mimics". Mimics are an invading alien species that threatens to destroy human life as we know it. However, Cruise's character begins reliving the day of the battle over and over again every time he dies in combat. The eventual goal: live the day long enough to destroy the leader of the mimics.
Plot
The plot, despite leaving you thinking after the movie has ended, has surprisingly few plot holes, especially considering that its a time travel movie. Going in, I thought I was bound to be watching the same scenes over and over again, but this what not the case. In the classic "Groundhog Day" scenario, Cruise masters the events of the day, so he knows exactly when and where and enemy will be, and what they will do, making for some intense and interesting fight scenes. For some, the plot may be hard to follow, and looking up an explanation of the movie may be necessary. However, I think plot is overall very stable, especially for a time-continuum movie. The ending of this movie is a Tom Cruise "you decide what happens" ending, leaving more to be resolved, but it fits the tone of the movie well.
Acting/Dialogue
The movie features a great cast, including of course Tom Cruise, whose performance is stellar. In my opinion, Cruise is an underrated actor, but in this movie he really shows his skill. His character's character arc is special, changing from a wimpy public figure to a full- fledged soldier.
Cruise and Blunt's chemistry is perfect in this movie. Without spoiling too much, I will say that Blunt's character really holds the movie together, and her performance is almost as good as Cruise's. Almost.
The dialogue is full of humor, one-liners, and witty remarks. The fun really comes when Cruise knows what everyone is going to say, and completes their sentences for them. There are some great monologues as well. This movie is sure to have people quoting and referencing it for years to come.
SFX/Action
The special effects are amazing. They look great, and the explosive action scenes in the movie are so pretty, they almost distract from all the destruction and death. There are some great fight scenes with Blunt and Cruise kicking butt. However, some of the most thrilling moments come in Cruise's death scenes. These scenes range from comical (in a gruesome way) and very serious, the latter of which becomes evident part way through the movie.
Conclusion
This is the movie to see right now if you are a fan of sci-fi action. A great story, great acting, and great sfx make for a pretty great movie overall. I give Edge of Tomorrow an 8.5/10. Go see it if you want to see Tom Cruise at his best, and leave the theater thinking about the movie for hours afterward.