BLADE RUNNER: 2049 REVIEW

Blade runner wasn't a film I was initially sold on when I first heard about. When I finally watched it, I realized that while I didn't LOVE it, I did enjoy it. Harrison Ford and Edward James Olmos give great performances, and the originality of the story, (By Philip K Dick) really kept me interested.

When I heard they were making  a sequel and it was going to have Ryan Gosling and Jared Leto  who are some of my favorite actors, and that  Harrison Ford and Edward James Olmos were coming back from the first film, I got excited. The potential for it to be great was there. Also it comes from the direct Denis Villeneuve, director of Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, I knew they could hit this out of the park.  Blade Runner 2049 had the potential of being epic. 

 The story involves around a Blade Runner named Agent K, sent by his superiors to hunt replicants. He starts by taking down a replicant played by Dave Bautista, and int he process, finds clues that lead him to cross paths with Harrison Ford's agent Deckard, There he learns about the replicant Deckard tried to save, and how it all ties together now. He also crosses paths with Jared Leto, the maker of the new replicants, and his right hand, a kick ass psycho named Luv, played with crazy intensity by Sylvia Hoeks. There is also a great turn from Robin Wright, as K's boss Lieutenant Joshi.

I loved this film. From the direction, to the acting, to the amazing set design and sound. Each Thing feeds the other. Its a terrific film to accompany the first one. And while there were a few minutes where I thought it could be a little quicker, all the other elements out weighed those few minutes.
You get scared for K, as he makes his way through this dystopian maze. You feel for him as he realizes everything about his life, and how sad he is. You feel for Ford's aging detective. All the things he sacrificed. All to protect what he would never get to enjoy. The whole movie really is about sacrifice. How we make it. And how we live with it once we do. 

                                                                   THE VERDICT

Blade Runner: 2049 has amazing visual effects, top notch directing and acting, and has some of the most gorgeous cinematography you will see in a while. Definitely a story that needed to be told. I give it an A. Easily my favorite film of the year! 

AMERICAN ASSASSIN REVIEW

"American Assassin," stars Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, and Taylor Kitch. Its based on a 13 book series that centers on assassin Mitch Rapp. When the trailers came out of this, I was of a mixed mind.  I like the cast, but we have seen this plot so many times. So how cliched was it? Did it live up to the hype? 

When Mitch Rapps girlfriend is killed by terrorists on a beach, (And right after he proposes no less,) he takes on heavy duty training to become an assassin. He learned Arabic, trains in hand to hand combat, and firearms. A CIA recruiter(Lathan) thinks Mitch's courage under fire makes him a perfect candidate for a special ops program run by Michael Keaton. Playing Stan Hurley, the ops head, Keaton brings a certain strength, teaching Mitch to leave his emotions in check, and taking Himont an op to Rome, sees in him an unwillingness to let things go and do as he is told.  It is there that Mitch learns of Stan's ex student. An operative they call Ghost (Kitch)who after acquiring some uranium, sets off to sell it to the highest bidder and take part in destroying the government who disavowed him. 

Yes.... It is as cliched as you think.

 Taylor Kitch might as well be a Bond villain. He is skilled but says outrageous things that make no sense. They don't ever give a real reason WHY he's so angry. And I am suppose to by that Mitch in 18 months becomes the most skilled fighter the CIA has ever seen? No.  Who's paying for all of his stuff? and Lathan is literally the most inept CIA operative head in movie history. She just makes one bad choice after another. 

 The only good things I can say about the film is the action is pretty decent, and  Dylan O'Brien as Mitch, and Michael Keaton as Stan have good chemistry and play off each other nicely. When they focus on their relationship, its interesting. The minute they deal with Kitch, it becomes a "Very Special Bourne." And that just isn't good. 

THE VERDICT

American Assassin may have great action and good performances from its two leads, but unfortunately its not enough to keep us entertained throughout the movie. I give it a C. 

KINGSMAN 2: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE MOVIE REVIEW

In May of 2014 I saw the teaser trailer to the movie "Kingsman: The Secret Service," And I was very curious about it. It had a great cast and it was written and directed by one of my favorite directors Matthew Vaughn.  It set off some alarm bells though when its release time was pushed to February. A notorious month for bad films. When I finally saw Kingsman, I was no longer worried. The film kicked a lot of ass. I loved everything about it.
So when it was announced that a sequel was in the works, and that Vaughn would direct with the original cast back, I was excited. The trailer made it look epic. But the question was, would it be as good as the original? Or better than the original? "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," had quite a story to tell.

When last we saw the Kingsman, Eggsy was mourning his friend Harry, and along with Merlin, continues to be a Kingsman fighting crime and bad guys. He also continues to have a relationship with Swedish Princess Tilde.  When the world is held hostage by Julianne Moore's villain, Eggsy must ask for help from the American version of the Kingsman, a group known as "The Statesmen."
Theres crazy stunts, and comic performances that kept me laughing. And while there was a little too much CGI, and Moore doesn't really get a third act worthy of a good villain, the way the film flowed far outweighed what didn't work.

Along with the original cast of Taron Edgerton, Mark Strong and Colin Firth, "Golden Circle," includes newcomers Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Barry, and Pedro Pascal. And of course, Julianne Moore.
This film made me smile. Its crazy "Bond," world, and the relationship the characters have with each other makes it all worth it.

                                                                     THE VERDICT
                                                 Kingsman: The Golden Circle may have some pacing problems and too much CGI but it overall is a super fun ride with some great action, fantastic performances, and a overall fun story. I give it a B+. 

LEGO BATMAN MOVIE REVIEW

BATMAN!!! NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA, BATMAN!!! Batman is perhaps my favorite comic book character ever. Will Arnet lent his voice Batman in the first LEGO movie, and gave us a Batman to remember: a dark, overly dramatic know-it-all, who sings his own theme song. (Remember, DARKNESS! NO PARENTS!) Apparently he pleased the filmmakers so much that they immediately went to work on a spin-off movie. Now, normally I get a little worried about spin-offs. They can get too cute.  But I can say that in this case, Warner Brothers did the right thing, because this movie is as good as the first in many ways. Here’s what I mean!

The LEGO Batman Movie starts with Batman really only caring about himself. He’s selfish and acts as though the world owes him everything. Alfred, his ever-present Butler, explains that Batman's life is somewhat meaningless, because he doesn't have anything to care about. Enter Dick Grayson, an annoying orphan who needs Batman. Through helping Dick, his encounters with the Joker, and some help from Alfred, Batman attempts to become a better person.  The plot itself is slightly more complicated, and I won't give any of that away except to say that complication isn't a bad thing. It feeds a fun and fast-paced cartoon. Will Arnett once again stars as Batman, and with his great gravelly voice, and his absolute disdain for having to really care about anyone, he’s perfect opposite Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort Alfred. Michael Cera and Rosario Dawson portray Robin and Batgirl, with Baskets star Zack Galifinakis as the Joker, who ultimately just wants Batman to love him. The film has such great animation and funny jokes, I couldn’t stop laughing.  And while the story goes all over the place, it still keeps you interested. I have only two complaints. It's slightly too long. And the cameos in it seem wasted, because in some cases, the scene goes by too quickly. But other than that, it’s terrific!

                                                               THE  VERDICT

LEGO Batman may have some pacing problems and a couple of wasted actors, but its jokes, animation, and story keep you entertained. I give it an A-.

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2: REVIEW

  After the success of the first John Wick (a film I really loved), and its supernova ticket sales (which ended up earning double their production budget), I was thrilled to see the green light for John Wick: Chapter 2. It seems Keanu Reeves, after his Matrix and creepy/bizarre love movies with Sandra Bullock, has found his new character. And while we had to wait three years for the new one, boy, oh boy, is it worth the wait!

As we learned from the first installment, John Wick is a highly trained assassin. He's the man you send in to kill the worst people. Upon the death of his wife, and the murder of his dog, he goes on a rampage that would send the average killer running. Chapter 2 takes place one day after the events of the first film. After John has exacted his revenge, he tries to go back to his normal life. But because of a code that prohibits coming back and killing for something like revenge, he is called back to be an assassin. Sent on a mission that promises his freedom upon completion, John quickly discovers that his employer is using him. And then it really gets good! The film stars Keanu Reeves, Common, Ruby Rose, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Lawrence Fishburne, each one adding to a terrific, action-packed story. The fight scenes alone are worth the price of the ticket. And it perfectly sets up Chapter 3, which cannot come too soon, because this film is worth it! The acting is great, the action is fantastic, and the story is so interesting that you want more. My only complaint with the film is the first half is slower than the second. But overall, it is so much fun.  

                                                               THE VERDICT

John Wick: Chapter 2 may be slow in the beginning, but its story, performances, and action keep you super entertained. I give it an A-.

LA LA LAND REVIEW

Ah . . .  the American musical. With the exception of Disney’s releases, American musical films had all but died. Sure, we got rehashes of Broadway shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray, but we’ve seen nothing truly original in many years. I have to admit, it hasn't been a genre that has excited me. That was, until the genius screenwriter and director behind Whiplash came up with this crazy new flick called La La Land, a musical featuring completely original music, telling the sweet story of pursuing one’s dreams in Hollywood. And boy oh boy is it good.  

Ah . . .  the American musical. With the exception of Disney’s releases, American musical films had all but died. Sure, we got rehashes of Broadway shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray, but we’ve seen nothing truly original in many years. I have to admit, it hasn't been a genre that has excited me. That was, until the genius screenwriter and director behind Whiplash came up with this crazy new flick called La La Land, a musical featuring completely original music, telling the sweet story of pursuing one’s dreams in Hollywood. And boy oh boy is it good.  

La La Land is the story of how two struggling artists -- an actress named Mia (Emma Stone), and a jazz musician named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) -- come together to make their careers better and fulfill their dreams. When they first meet, they can’t stand each other. But with time, and a number of chance encounters, they wind up together. Throughout the story, they encounter things that test their commitment to their chosen professions. For Mia it’s the endless number of auditions that don't seem to turn into much. And for Sebastian it’s the realization that compromising his musical ideals might be the only way to get in the door. Such moments were hard for me to watch, because I’d begun to care about the two leads early on.

While the story alone is wonderful, the music is what really gives it color. The jazz-infused songs that Stone and Gosling sing and play allow them to showcase their talents. This is really one of the best things about the film, because along with delivering stellar acting performances, Stone and Gosling sing, dance, and play beautifully. They are the exact definition of triple threat.
Along with all of that is a terrific script by screenwriter and director Damian Chazelle, who directs the leads with a light but direct hand. He has stylized this world beautifully, making even those people who might consider LA a place to avoid, see it as rather beautiful and dreamlike. Linus Sandgren, the cinematographer, deserves an Oscar for his lush one-shot takes that swirl us from the freeways that wind around Los Angeles, to the street corners, shops, and lots where Mia and Sebastian spend their lives. The Costumer, Mary Zophres, adds glamour to the story, and it all reminds everyone that stories don’t need to be complicated. A simple story can be told well by employing classic elements.

But most of all, the music is the key. Justin Hurwitz, one of Chazelle’s former classmates, will win the Oscars for Best Song and Best Score. You heard it here first! The music is catchy, but sweet. At times it unfolds with an intentional slowness so that we don’t miss anything. It’s clear that Chazelle and Hurwitz were so in sync; their collaboration produced pure movie magic.

                                                 

                                                        THE VERDICT
La La Land is a terrific film. Thanks to outstanding performances, memorable music, and great technical additions, it will win loads of prizes, and help usher in a new era of the American film musical. I give La La Land an A+.

MOANA REVIEW

Disney has done it again! Since the late ‘80s, the majority of Disney’s animated films have been musicals, and they’ve been quite successful. With Oscar-winning ventures from 1989’s The Little Mermaid to the more recent Frozen, they have been leading the industry in revitalizing musicals for the big screen. And their latest film is no exception.  

Moana stars the voices of Auli'l Cravalho and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and it’s a Pacific Island paradise of a film. I have to admit, when I first saw the trailer I was intrigued, but unsure. Could Dwayne Johnson hold his own in an animated musical? I mean, has anyone heard The Rock sing? How would he do? It turns out I was happily surprised and thrilled with it all.

Moana is a girl from the island of Motunui in the Pacific. From the time she is a toddler, tentatively walking barefoot on the sand, she feels the sea calling to her. Yet she spends her childhood and early adolescence doing her best to suppress the urge to explore places beyond her home island. As the daughter of the chief, and the next chief in line, (How cool is that?) Moana knows that her island, which has been experiencing problems, needs her. Her grandmother tells her that the island’s problems stem from a magic stone stolen from an island goddess. She urges Moana to find the demigod named Maui who stole it, and convince him to return the stone. Can she find Maui and heal her island? Will Maui be willing to help her? It is absolutely worth seeing Moana and and finding out!

I loved this movie. It’s a solid production, bolstered by music written by Opetaia Foa'i and Hamilton's Lin Manuel Miranda. Its gorgeous animation brilliantly depicts the ocean’s sights, from the intricate shell on a giant coconut crab, down to the finest grains of sand. I especially appreciated how the story concentrates on Moana being the next chief, and doesn't go down the path of assuming she can't because she is a girl. That's what I think indeed made it special: It is always asserted that Moana is inherently capable, and will make a great chief to her people one day. I had only one complaint, in that I felt like the beginning was a little slow. But the music and the animation moved things along, and was well worth it in the end.

THE VERDICT

Moana may be slow to start, but with its fantastic performances, songs, and animation, it keeps you entertained. I give it an A-.