“Jason Bourne” is a ‘Bourne’ film but Does Nothing to Revitalize the Franchise

If you love the spy genre in any capacity then you are more than likely familiar with the ‘Bourne’ franchise. The franchise, based off the Robert Ludlum books, has grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide so far. The fact that we keep getting more of these movies shouldn’t come as much surprise. However, when a new character was introduced in the spinoff to the series — “Bourne Legacy”, it was met with lukewarm reviews. It seemed the only people that can return the series to form was Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (who helmed ‘Supremacy’ and ‘Ultimatum’).

It’s been almost a decade since “Bourne Ultimatum” was in theaters. Think about that for a moment. Just as Sean Connery began as James Bond, his largest gap between the role was 1971 to 1983 (from “Diamonds are Forever” to “Never Say Never Again”.  

Note: Between that gap, Roger Moore took over the role in 1973 and did six Bond films before Connery came back for the unofficial Bond movie.

Since ‘Ultimatum’, Bourne has been ‘off grid’ and would rather put himself through pointless fights for money. Yes, this plot point is very lazy. He is drawn out of hiding by a former Treadstone operative, Nicky Parsons (acted horribly by Julia Stiles). Parsons seems hell bent on getting critical data on all Black Operations ran by the CIA (this seems completely out of place and without much explanation). Parsons essentially hacks the CIA, compromises her location and eventually her identity. She ‘cleverly’ gets Jason Bourne involved (gives him all this data on a thumb drive) and all hell breaks loose. The CIA is not sure what Jason wants but they figured they’d just try to kill him and bury anything else ‘Black Ops’ related.

Bourne does some globe-trotting to better understand how his father is involved in the Treadstone program and who is really responsible for his death. Along the way, we meet two new CIA agents – Agent Dewey (played by a sleepy Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent Lee (Alicia Vikander). Dewey is the head of the new Black Ops programs, whereas Lee is the head of the CIA Cyber Ops Division. Dewey wants to kill Bourne and Lee wants him to come back to the program.

Then there’s this whole Deep Dream subplot. Dewey helped secretly fund the global social media enterprise and wishes to strong arm its creator, Aaron Kalloor (Riz Ahmed – from “Nightcrawler”), into letting the CIA use the technology to spy on anyone it wants. There’s an interesting scene between Kalloor and Dewey about what it means to be ‘free’ and ‘patriotic’. Although it was brief, the scene gives a needed glimpse into the ‘gray’ area intelligence agencies usually swim in. With that said, you can understand perceived security at the cost of privacy while also understanding the undeniable fallout should a social entity (like Twitter) be revealed to have access to everyone’s whereabouts, their search history, etc.

Damon’s performance is especially nuanced in this installment. Again, this Bourne is aimless and confused and doesn’t know that there’s more to the story – his story (there always is). With that said, the mystery behind these Black Ops programs and Bourne’s involvement is slightly touched upon but this does not do anything to propel the character to come to a deeper understanding of his self nor to come to any solace whatsoever. Perhaps he knows that it’ll never be ‘over’.

I should say that the action scenes in this are pretty top notch. There’s a great escape scene set in Athens, Greece amongst riots and an excellent chase scene which also involves the film’s ‘Asset’ (played by the great Vincent Cassel) in a SWAT armored vehicle ripping up the Las Vegas strip (take that “Fast & Furious” franchise!).

This film has all the elements that have made the previous entries successful. Just as it was an innovative answer to the spy genre when “The Bourne Identity” came out, this incarnation feels as if it’s just going through the motions. It seems like every future installment will have our hero continue to chip away at a never ending conspiracy, without any real resolve. With that said, “Jason Bourne” is a fun movie without breaking any new ground.
 

Grade: B

2016 Oscars Predictions

That time of year is upon us! The Oscars are almost here! I’m sure you’re wondering who’s going to go home with the gold! I present to thee our picks!

Best Picture

The Big Short – Runner Up. With an original script and an important message, this film continues to gain steam as the race comes to a close. (Review here)

Bridge of Spies – Director Spielberg gets nominated for a solid film but it isn’t really a game changer.

Brooklyn – Fellow writer, Ben Bartek, enjoyed this film but the competition looks too staggering for the film to pull an upset. Currently at 50 to 1 Vegas odds. The least favored film. (Review here)

Mad Max: Fury Road – The fact that this was even nominated is a feat in itself. The academy wouldn’t normally nominate an action film so don’t think for a second that this has a chance. (Review here)

The Martian – If it wasn’t for The Revenant, I would saddle this horse in hopes that it takes the cake this year. Don’t expect it to win much (I know, it’s sad).   (Review here)

The Revenant – Winner. You’ve seen the movie, right? It’s a daring revenge/drama thriller that has everyone in top form — actors DiCaprio and Hardy to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and director Alejandro González Iñárritu. (Review here)

Room – All previous awards ceremonies seem to favor more of Brie Larson’s performance in the film. The film itself has yet to win for Best Picture of anything. Currently at 40 to 1 Vegas odds.

Spotlight – This is an average film with a controversial subject matter. The film already received recognition, but mostly for its screenplay. Vegas odds are favoring this film but I’m still siding with The Revenant as it won a Golden Globe and BAFTA for Best Film. (Review here)

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Actor in a Leading Role

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo – Cranston seems to be creeping up in acting categories in a variety of awards shows (namely Golden Globes for Breaking Bad) the last few years. Sadly, not only does Vegas have him at the worst odds in this category (25 to 1), but there hasn’t been much buzz surrounding Trumbo, which sits at a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Matt Damon, The Martian – What a year to pick to have an extraordinary performance. Damon fires on all cylinders in this neatly crafted space drama.

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant – Winner. This is DiCaprio’s year. After being nominated multiple times in years past, this one should catapult him into legendary status. Not only that but DiCaprio already won Best Actor at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes. He’s also heavily favored at 1 to 5 odds.

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs – Runner Up. Although many skipped this Steve Jobs biopic (due to overexposure/over praise), you can’t deny Fassbender’s brilliant performance. This is the only true competition for DiCaprio. Also, if you want to see the best acting ensemble (with an impeccable script), look no further than Steve Jobs.

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl – Although Redmayne deserved an Oscar for his portrayal as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything last year, don’t expect him to win again.

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Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett, Carol – Most of the adoration of this film is being garnered by Blanchett’s co-star, Rooney Mara. Expect her to have a better chance, at least in the Best Supporting Actress category.

Brie Larson, Room – Winner. Consider this a shoe in. Brie has already won a BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe for her stirring performance in the acclaimed film.

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy – Yes, Lawrence also won for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy at the Golden Globes. The tide is with Larson and the dramatic genre in with Room is more based.

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years – There hasn’t been enough exposure to this film, especially to the public at large. With 25 to 1 Vegas odds, don’t count on her stepping onto the stage.

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn – Runner Up. Ronan could theoretically steal this from Larson but there is simply too much momentum on Larson’s side.

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Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale, The Big Short – Bale is one of the best actors out there. It’s just that his performance in his latest doesn’t stand out amongst the rest. His role wasn’t necessarily ‘meaty’ and he, instead, thrived in a more nuanced role.

Tom Hardy, The Revenant – Runner Up. Hardy delivers again. This time he plays a cruel, coward of a man (John Fitzgerald) in opposition to DiCaprio’s Hugh Glass. As much as I’d like to see Hardy win, this is Stallone’s year.

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight – Ruffalo was one of the only actors that seemed to really relish his role in the overrated Spotlight movie. I don’t expect him to walk on stage and neither do Vegas odds (10 to 1).

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies – Watch out for the relative unknown. Rylance has the second best Vegas odds (7 to 5).

Sylvester Stallone, Creed – Winner. This is Stallone’s year to recapture some old Hollywood magic. Things should come full circle as Stallone was nominated for his performance of Rocky Balboa in 1977 and this time he should take home the crown. He also won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes. He’s favored at (4 to 5).

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Actress in a Supporting Role

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight – A solid performance but not nearly enough to compete here.

Rooney Mara, Carol – Although Mara is the most favored (Vegas odds: 1 to 2), I do not believe she’ll be thanking the Academy on stage. Her competition comes from Vikander and Winslet directly.

Rachel McAdams, Spotlight – McAdams performance was more run of the mill in Spotlight. You won’t see her on stage.

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl – Runner Up. Vikander has been having quite a year. For her role in The Danish Girl, she has already garnered a Screen Actor’s Guild award, a Critics Choice award and Chicago Film Critics award. Vikander is the most favored but watch out for Winslet who is on the up and up.

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs – Winner. This one is close. Winsley also won awards but at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs. I believe she has the momentum to take this. Again, toss up between Vikander and Winslet.

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Directing

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu , The Revenant – Winner. – Masterful directing here. I have never seen a movie quite like The Revenant. I want to make love to that movie for how vividly it was shot and how engaging the scenes were. This should be a no brainer to win and not just because I am being subjective (Vegas odds: 1 to 2).
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight – In my opinion, this director shouldn’t even be nominated. However, the film won a Satellite Award for Best Picture ,which isn’t saying much. Count on this film to have a better time in the Best Screenplay category.
Adam McKay, The Big Short – Runner Up. This film should have more mass appeal. It shines a light on a real issue that continues to affect us all. Not just that, it manages to use humor in order to better explain just how outrageous the financial crisis of 2008 (due to the sub prime housing market) really was.

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road – This was a high achievement for the 70 year old director. Look for this film to compete more in the technical categories (Sound, Editing, Special Effects).
Lenny Abrahamson, Room – There is some fight for this film but with The Big Short and The Revenant, there’d have to be a miracle (Vegas odds: 20 to 1).

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Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa – Runner Up. That weird looking, animated film (directed by Charlie Kaufman) about an inspirational speaker finding love and shaking him out of his boring existence.

Boy and the World – A boy yearns to see his father again and takes a trip to a magical land. A Brazilian animated film.

Inside Out – Winner. The favorite of this years Oscars. The film depicts a Midwestern girl’s move to California and how her emotions guide her through the difficult journey. Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Shaun the Sheep Movie – A sheep devises a way to get off a farm but the plan backfires and they must rescue their farmer/owner who has lost his memory.

When Marnie Was There – In this Japanese film, a tomboy meets a blonde girl only she can see.

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Documentary (Feature)

Amy – Winner. This seems to be the most favored this year. The documentary depicts the life/death of Amy Winehouse.

Cartel Land – This is a film examining the drug problems along the US/Mexico border.

The Look of Silence – Runner Up. A man confronts the men who killed his brother during the Indonesian genocide. 

What Happened, Miss Simone? – A documentary about classically trained pianist, Nina Simone, and her brutal life.

Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom – A documentary about Ukraine’s unrest in 2013/2014 which called for the country’s integration with Europe which lead to a violent revolution calling for the resignation of its president.

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Documentary (Short Subject) – predictions by  Benjamin Bartek

Body Team 12 – Winner. Follows the perilous job of a Liberian woman who’s helping to eradicate the ebola virus. Real life heroes.

Chau, Beyond the Lines – Runner Up. – A Vietnamese child dreams of being an artist and clothing designer. But being born with defects from Agent Orange has put obstacles in the path to living a fulfilling independent life.

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah – Filmmaker Claude Lanzmann talks about his life, including his Shoah documentary from 30 years ago.

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness – An 18 year old Pakistani woman tells the story of surviving the wrath of her father and uncle in a society that includes honor killings.

Last Day of Freedom – A man tries to get his Vietnam veteran brother the help he needs when he suffers from PTSD, but has also committed a crime that could land him the death penalty.

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Film Editing

*Editing can be a tricky one to judge as it is hard to gauge whether the film was edited due to the director calling the shots or the editor himself running with his creativity to better tell a story.

The Big Short – The editing in this film is commendable but didn’t really stick out with the film’s narrative.

Mad Max: Fury Road – Runner Up. For a film that took years to get made, you can’t knock the sheer amount of special effects in this (2000+).

The Revenant – Winner. The masterful editing here should take home the gold. This is close along with Mad Max.

Spotlight – Nothing puts this film above the others in this category.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Expect this film to really compete in the ‘Visual Effects’ category.

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Best Cinematography

Carol – Although a gorgeous looking film, the competition is stiff.

The Hateful Eight – Expect this film to only win for Best Musical Score.

Mad Max: Fury Road. Runner Up.

The Revenant. Winner – Emmanuel Lubezki will certainly take the statue home here. The cinematography really added another dimension to the harsh, though beautiful locations in the film.

Sicario – Expect this to get 3rd place.  Roger Deakins will then be 0-13 in this category.

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Foreign Language Film – predictions by Benjamin Bartek

Embrace of the Serpent –  Winner. Westerners encounter an indigenous tribe in the Amazon and it can’t help but change everybody. Awards voters are suckers for the most remote subjects and ostensibly profound messages. This movie has also gotten more exposure in the U.S. lately.

Mustang – Runner Up. Five orphaned Turkish sisters are having innocent fun outside with some boys when some meddlers claim their was sexual impropriety involved. This documents their struggle to break free from essentially being imprisoned, while growing closer to each other. A harrowing human experience.

Son of Saul – The story of a Hungarian Jewish man who must help dispose of the bodies of people killed in concentration camps during World War II.

Theeb – Orphaned brothers help lead a British officer through the desert during World War I.

A War – A  story about the stresses of war for Danish soldiers in Afghanistan.

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Makeup & Hairstyling

Mad Max: Fury Road – Runner Up . I only chalk this up in 2nd place because The Revenant is a better film.

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared – Never heard of the Swedish comedy? Neither have I. Expect a miracle for that film to get an award.

The Revenant – Winner. This will be close with Mad Max.

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Best Costume Design

Carol

Cinderella – Winner. Think about the previous winners. They all had dresses on —  Anna Karenina, Elizabeth: The Golden Years, and Marie Antoinette.
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road – Runner Up
The Revenant 

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Music (Original Score)

*I’ve also been a nerd when it comes to film music. I am aware of each of the composers’ filmography.

Bridge of Spies, Thomas Newman – This film composer’s most famous work is likely American Beauty. Newman has a good chance

Carol, Carter Burwell – Burwell also did the score for another film in the Oscar race — Anomalisa. He seems to work his music into more specialty films. He actually won a Satellite award for his work in Carol but this should be Morricone’s year.

The Hateful Eight, Ennio Morricone – Winner. The legendary composer who also did The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, The Mission, and the Untouchables has an excellent shot to take home the golden statue. He also already won a Golden Globe award , a Critic’s Choice award, and a BAFTA award for his movie score to Tarantino’s latest film. This should be a no brainer.

Sicario, Johan Johannson – Johannson actually won an Oscar for his work in The Theory of Everything last year. Unfortunately, the competition this year is staggering.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John Williams – Runner Up. Williams is likely the first film composer most people recognize but don’t expect him to win.

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Music (Original Song)
“Earned It,” Fifty Shades of Grey
“Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction
“Simple Song #3,” Youth
“Til It Happens To You,” The Hunting Ground . Runner Up. Be careful, this could go either way with the Spectre song.
“Writing’s On The Wall,” Spectre – Winner. This song already won a Golden Globe. Expect Sam Smith to give a speech.

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Production Design (aka Art Direction)

Bridge of Spies – Runner Up.

The Danish Girl – Too much competition.

Mad Max: Fury Road – Winner. The rich, apocalyptic landscape that was utilized and further built upon should make this the easy front runner.

The Martian – Easily one of the best films of the year. Sure, it has a deep production design but more heavily relied upon nature and special effects.

The Revenant – This is actually another selling point to the film but the rich, natural landscape was more heavily relied upon.

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Short Film (Animated) — predictions by Benjamin Bartek

Bear Story – Runner Up. A bear creates a living diorama about a bear who wants to escape the circus and return to his family.

Prologue – A little girl watches a couple Spartans battle a couple Athenians. Done by Richard Williams, of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Sanjay’s Super Team Winner. A child learns to love the Hindu gods of his father when he imagines a wild, colorful, epic battle with those gods. His father also learns to embrace his sons’s love of cartoon heroes. Very entertaining and vibrant. Highly recommended.

We Can’t Live without Cosmos – About 2 best friends doing everything it takes to become astronauts.

World of Tomorrow – A virtual tour of the future’s unfortunate secrets.

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Short Film (Live Action) – predictions by Benjamin Bartek

Ave Maria – Five nuns who took a vow of silence mime their way through helping a family of Israeli settlers with a broken down car. Too cute by half.

Day One – Runner Up.  Day one of an Afghan-American woman’s first job as an interpreter for the US military in Afghanistan, she must help the wife of a bomb maker deliver her baby. Full of tension and unspoken depth. It humanizes what’s happening half a world away.

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut) A German language film about a divorced dad who tries to turn his weekend visits with his daughter into full custody. He just didn’t inform anybody before acting. Too much gravity, yelling, and fighting for me.

Shok – Childhood best friends during the war in Kosovo make different life choices that end up threatening everything they cherished.

Stutterer – Winner. A man who stutters finds love online. But then he has to reveal his speech impediment when they actually meet.

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Sound Editing (think creative enhancements to sounds or new sounds meant to amplify effect)

Mad Max: Fury Road – Winner. With all the production that went into this film and the years that went into it, don’t be surprised if this takes the cake.

The Martian – Another time that the film will be shut out of a category.

The Revenant – Runner Up. The action and set pieces are wholly amplified by the use of sound. It’s a particular factor that often goes overlooked.

Sicario – In my opinion, the use of sound editing in the film was too heavy handed. Placing too much emphasis on what you hear rather than what you see. In other words, it over-complimented the film.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Mark this one down for 3rd place.

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Sound Mixing (think on-set sounds that are recorded)

Bridge of Spies – Too much competition.

Mad Max: Fury Road. Winner. Like I previously said, expect this film to garner a lot of technical awards.

The Martian  – Too much competition.

The Revenant – Runner Up/Should Win.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – The film has a better chance in the editing category.

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Visual Effects

Ex Machina – A sure stand out in cinema in 2015. At least it was nominated in an Oscar category (well, this and Best Original Screenplay) . No chance to win though.

Mad Max: Fury Road – Winner. Expect this to own this category with its reliance on more practical effects.

The Martian – I kind of feel bad for this film. It’s going to get shut out of a lot of categories.

The Revenant – Another factor in considering the film for best film of the year. However, I don’t see it overshadowing Mad Max.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Runner Up. If anyone was going to be pulling out punches in this category then expect a Star Wars film to do it.

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Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

The Big Short – Winner.  Adam McKay already won a BAFTA, Critic’s Choice and Writer’s Guild of America awards for Best Adapted Screenplay. He should be win this.

Brooklyn – The film hasn’t won any other awards for its screenplay. A very long shot.

Carol – The film has only won one other award for its screenplay — The New York’s Critic Circle Award for Best Screenplay. Too much competition here.

The Martian – Runner Up. Will The Martian be winless?

Room – This is running alongside Brooklyn with its chances. No awards have been given for its screenplay.

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Writing (Original Screenplay)

Bridge of Spies – Unlikely to win.

Ex Machina – One of my personal favorite picks of the year. Sadly, it will not win.

Inside Out – Watch out for this one. It could steal the show.

Spotlight – Winner. The momentum currently surrounding this movie should at least let them go home with one win.

Straight Outta Compton – Runner Up. This could be closer than we think. With many advocating for this film to be nominated in other categories, perhaps this might just win.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy is being Rebooted….Sort of?!

It’s been four years since David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo hit the screens. After the mediocre box office success, there were talks about whether to continue on with the other two books in the “Millennium” trilogy – The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (based off the novels by Swedish author Stieg Larsson). As of yesterday (according to The Hollywood Reporter), those talks have ended and resulted with Sony to focus on the fourth book in the series (by David Lagercrantz) titled The Girl in the Spider’s Web. To those not in the know, Stieg Larsson passed in 2004 and in his estate asked Swedish journalist and fellow author, David Lagercrantz, to write the stand alone sequel, Spider’s Web.

This news of this quasi-reboot will not have David Fincher returning to direct. Even the stars of the US adaptation of ‘Tattoo’ will not be returning — Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. The Wrap is reporting, however, that Sony is looking to rising star, Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) to take over the main role of goth computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.

Time will tell with how this upcoming project pans out. Personally, I really adore Vikander as an actress and think she’d fit right into the role. I wonder how the next director will meet the tone of the books, the US adaptation and the Swedish film trilogy that had Noomi Rapace in the starring role.

The story of the fourth book is described as follows:

“Late one night, Blomkvist receives a phone call from a source claiming to have information vital to the United States. The source has been in contact with a young female superhacker—a hacker resembling someone Blomkvist knows all too well. The implications are staggering. Blomkvist, in desperate need of a scoop for Millennium, turns to Salander for help. She, as usual, has her own agenda. The secret they are both chasing is at the center of a tangled web of spies, cybercriminals, and governments around the world, and someone is prepared to kill to protect it…” (Coming Soon).

DvD/Blu-Ray Releases – November 2015

November 3^rd

Inside Out – This is a story about a girl who is guided by her emotions (that live in an imaginary place called, ‘Headquarters’) who recently moves to San Francisco. Perhaps the synopsis isn’t the best selling point but I do know that many really enjoyed this film when they saw it in theaters. I tend to wait for these family movies to be available to rent. This has a 98% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The animated film stars the voices of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Lewis Black.

 

Vacation – Rusty Griswald wants to do a family vacation right and make up for the Wally World vacation years earlier. Shenanigans seem to follow Rusty’s family as they make their way to America’s coolest theme park (that happens to be closing soon). I initially thought this film looked enjoyable but upon the extreme backlash it received from critics (Rotten Tomatoes: 26%), I decided to stay away. Look, I use the aggregator website to make more informed decisions so that I have a better chance of seeing a movie that I enjoy in theaters and not spend $10 a ticket. This is why I’ll likely rent this Vacation sequel. The film stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Beverly D’Angelo (original Griswald), Chevy Chase (original Griswald), Chris Hemsworth, and Leslie Mann.

 

The End of the Tour – This is a drama that follows conversations between writer, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), and journalist, David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), as they journey across the Midwest on Wallace’s book tour. This was a story Lipsky was following for Rolling Stone that was never actually published. The film is directed by James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now). I like both of these actors. Why not?

 

Saving Christmas – Kirk Cameron is dropping those silly Left Behind movies and doing a silly Christmas movie! The movie follows a dude named Christian (oh, come on!) that is tired of the commercialization of Christmas and proceeds to be a Scrooge until his brother in-law shows him that Jesus has always been at the center of their family traditions. Have you ever seen how Kirk Cameron celebrates his Birthday? Reason I ask is because the image below details my level of excitement for this ‘film’.

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Digging for Fire – This follows a rather bored couple as they find a gun and a bone that thrusts them into an adventure that has them following clues with ridiculous results. The clues lead the couple to come to a realization about themselves and the meaning of life. The film stars fan favorite Jake Johnson (New Girl), Rosemarie DeWitt, Brie Larson, Orlando Bloom, Sam Rockwell, and Mike Birbiglia.

 

A LEGO Brickumentary – This documentary focuses on how Legos have affected pop culture from kids to ‘master builders’. The film is narrated by Jason Bateman. This looks mildly interesting. There are now Lego movies and video games for fans to enjoy. The term ‘Lego’ is derived from a Danish phrase meaning “play well”. I never really got into Legos. What does that say about me?

 

She’s Funny that Way – Izzy (Imogen Poots) is a Broadway actress that used to be a prostitute. Her former life catches up with her when the director of the play hires her to be an escort. It doesn’t help that the director is married to the star of the play or that the writer is dating Izzy’s therapist. The comedy is directed by Peter Bogdanovich (Mask). And no, that’s not The Mask but the one with Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliot and Cher. This film also includes Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Will Forte and Kathryn Hahn. If my ‘description’ didn’t pull you in, I’m not sure what will. Pass!

 

Before We Go – As a woman attempts to get home before her husband does, she ends up missing her train and meeting a street musician who helps guide her on the way home. As they walk the streets of New York, they form a romantic bond as they share perspectives of life and love, etc. This is Chris Evans’ directorial debut in which he also stars alongside Alice Eve.

 

10,000 Days – In this TV looking movie, a comet hits Earth and wipes most everyone out but a few survivors. Twenty seven years later, the Earth plummets into a new Ice Age where a family struggles to survive. We’ve never seen one of these movies before! There aren’t any critic reviews for this film because they were all smart enough to stay away.

 

The Final Girls- This is about a group of people that are sucked into a 1980s Slasher/Horror film and must work together with the film’s camp counselors to try to survive. This actually looks pretty interesting. It at least has a half way original script. The film stars Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, and Adam Devine. I wonder why they are releasing this after Halloween.

 

Tiger House – Kelly, an injured gymnast, decides to surprise visit her boyfriend but finds herself defending the house against a home invasion (I guess?). The house ends up turning into a bloody arena where Kelly must use her skills to escape. Ed Skrein (the new Transporter), Dougray Scott (the bad guy in Mission Impossible 2) and Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) star. I still don’t know why this is called ‘Tiger House’ and I don’t really care to find out either.

 

November 10^th

Trainwreck – Oh, this movie. It started out so well and then took a turn into mediocrity towards the run of the mill 3^rd act. For a full review check here. Amy was taught by her father that monogamy isn’t realistic and lives her life that way until she is forced to do a sports article for her magazine employer. Her subject, Dr. Conners, ends up challenging her conventions on monogamy. The film stars Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Mike Birbiglia, Lebron James and John Cena (who was hilarious). The film wasn’t a total letdown but ended up achieving mediocrity by its end.

 

Terminator Genisys – Arnie is an aging Terminator in this attempt (again) to reboot the franchise. The idea behind this one involves the manipulation of timelines. John Connor (in the future) sends Kyle Reese to protect his mother, Sarah Connor, in 1984. An expected turn of events changes what we know of Sarah Connor. Sarah is no longer a helpless waitress but rather a skilled fighter that has a Terminator guardian by her side (Arnie). Together they must prevent a new future from happening. Blah blah….been there, done that. ‘Genisys’ ended up making $100 million domestically (which is pretty terrible when considering previous installments) and another $300 million (thanks to China). The film more than made up for its budget ($155 million) so you can expect another ‘Terminator’ film sooner rather than later — because money.

 

Mr. Holmes – You can sign me up for whatever Sherlock Holmes. Ian McKellen stars as the aging, legendary detective that tries to solve a case that has eluded him and sent him into retirement. With the help of his housekeeper’s son, Sherlock will have to use his master skills despite having a failing memory. I cannot wait to see this! The film is directed by Bill Condon (Kinsey, Dreamgirls) and co-stars Laura Linney and Milo Parker.

 

Selfless – An aging billionaire (Ben Kingsley) with cancer decides to cheat death and turns to a shadowy corporation that promises him a new lease on life by transferring his consciousness to the cadaver of a young man (Ryan Reynolds). Things begin to go awry when he starts to have flashbacks of the host body that lead him to believe the cadaver was murdered. The movie seems very similar to the film Seconds by John Frankenheimer (French Connection II, The Manchurian Candidate) that starred Rock Hudson. I believe everyone just wants to see Reynolds in Deadpool at this point. It’s clear he can’t really shake the type of character that made him famous – Van Wilder. Also, what is it with Ben Kingsley just saying ‘yes’ to every film project? Anyways, the movie co-stars Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Derek Luke, and Victor Garber and was directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall, Immortals).

 

Tangerine – A hooker is recently released from jail only to find out that her pimp cheated on her. She races across L.A. during Christmas to uncover the truth behind her lover’s affair. What a strange story. If you cared, the comedy/drama stars Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and Karren Karagulian.

 

Pay the Ghost- Nicolas Cage is at it again in another straight to video movie! In a truly inspiring story, Mike Cole (Cage) loses his son during a Halloween parade and must team up with his estranged wife to locate their child. Both of them soon come to realize that their son’s disappearance is due to a vengeful ghost. Time is ticking as they must rescue their son from the spirit world. The movie is directed by Uli Edel (The Little Vampire).

 

November 17^th

The Man from UNCLE – This seems to be one of those films that didn’t look the best based upon their previews but hit well with critics (for the most part). This is based off the 1964 TV series and forces CIA agent, Solo (Henry Cavill), to work with KGB agent, Kurakin (Armie Hammer), to work together during the height of the Cold War to stop an international crime organization bent on using nuclear weapons to destabilize power worldwide. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes) and co-stars Alicia Vikander, Hugh Grant and Jared Harris.

 

We Are Your Friends – In this ‘film’ Zac Efron stars as Cole, an aspiring DJ that is trying to make a name for himself in Hollywood. He is taken under the wing of an older DJ named James so that he can have his first break. Things get complicated when Cole falls for James’ girlfriend and he must choose between his potential big career or love. This movie made no friends with critics or audiences. It holds a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and made a dismal $3.5 million at the box office worldwide. It may be a beautiful disaster but not one I’d waste my time with, at least not until my options are limited or someone kidnaps me trying to torture my eyes and brain.

 

The Stanford Prison Experiment- I believe this experiment is examined/discussed in most Psychology courses now right? The experiment was controversial as it raises interesting questions about human behavior and morality. The study was to examine the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. Willing participants signed up for their roles in the experiments but never knew that they fall into a psychological trap where they would really feel that they were in the positions they pretended they were in. Example: Guards were abusing the prisoners and many prisoners accepted psychological abuse. Even Zimbardo, the scientist behind the experiment, was affected by his role as ‘superintendent’. Controversial for sure but not sure what a movie would do for entertainment. The film has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. I bet the ‘awe’ factor is simply taken away as people like me know the outcome of the infamous experiment. The film stars Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Tye Sheridan.

 

Jimmy’s Hall – This movie follows a dude named Jimmy who was exiled from Ireland for ten years and decides to come back and start a dance hall. However, not everyone is happy about it, including the priest. Meanwhile, everyone in the town seems to be in good spirits again with the dance hall. Sounds like a Footloose rip off to me!

 

Trash – This movie is trash! I couldn’t help myself. Actually, this film is about two trash diving guys that seem to have struck gold when they realize a misplaced wallet gets a whole group of people up in arms. The film boosts an impressive cast that includes Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen and Wagner Moura (Narcos). The film is directed by Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Hours, The Reader). This might be worth of checking out if you’re a fan of intriguing dramas.

 

November 24^th

No Escape – A family moves to Southern Asia but things get crazy when there is a political coup with new leaders looking to eradicate all foreigners from the country. Owen Wilson (in a dramatic role), Pierce Brosnan (he’s still got it!) and Lake Bell star. The director, John Erick Dowdle, did that Quarantine movie in 2008.

 

Ricki and the Flash – In this box office disappointment, Meryl Streep plays an aging rock star named Ricki that is informed that her daughter is going through a messy divorce. Ricki later comes to a realization that she missed out on her children’s lives while trying to chase stardom. Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan and Rick Springfield co-star. You may wanna use your time watching something else.

 

Shaun the Sheep Movie – This family adventure follows a sheep (Shaun) that doesn’t always go with his flock. Shaun takes the day off and causes havoc on a farm which ends up leading the rest of the flock to the Big City to find the farmer that left his post due to Shaun’s antics. The film is highly praised (believe it or not) with a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is obviously animated but does have me curious how there would be a live action adaptation.

 

American Ultra – In a really creative premise, this follows a stoner, Mike (Jesse Eisenberg), who is about to propose to his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), but then begins having panic attacks and is later revealed to be a highly trained sleeper agent that the government wants to get rid of. Mike and Phoebe end up learning further truths while trying to escape the many killers after them. The movie co-stars Topher Grace, Tony Hale, John Leguizamo, Walter Goggins, and Bill Pullman. The action/comedy/drama is on my radar.

 

The Badger Game – In this crime/drama, Alex and Jane are two mistresses that try to blackmail a rich adulterer, Liam, but things don’t go as planned when it is revealed that their bargaining chip is worthless – Liam doesn’t care that his wife knows of his affairs. In a battle of wills, the mistresses must come up with a new plan.

 

Underdogs – This animated film centers on a talented foosball player, Amadeo, who loves foosball and even beats the town bully, Flash. Everything seems right in the world until a few years later when Flash becomes the world’s best soccer player with plans to destroy Amadeo’s village with a new sports stadium. The film is directed by Juan Jose Campanella (The Secret in Their Eyes).

Upcoming DvD Movie Releases for October 2015 (plus expert analysis)

October 2nd

The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron – The box office smash sequel pits the Avengers against a one-dimensional villain. This has moments of awesome but mostly settles as a bloated super hero movie. Full review here.

October 6th

Magic Mike XXL – Channing Tatum and pals bare it all…again. McConaughey decided to focus on better movies and does not appear in this oversized sequel. Elizabeth Banks, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, and Jada Pinkett Smith co-star.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – This is a movie about two aspiring, young filmmaker friends that end up making a film for a girl that has leukemia. They learn more about their friendship and the fragility of life. The cast includes Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Molly Shannon (SNL alum) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, upcoming 2nd season of Daredevil).

Manglehorn – A dramedy about a locksmith (Al Pacino) that has trouble living in the present. Can we just get a The Devil’s Advocate sequel already?! Pacino seems to be wasting time on these cutesy movies that have a limited audience. Anyways, the movie focuses on how this locksmith mopes through life in a small Texas town and lives in his tragic, lovelorn past when he desperately needs to change his present. The movie is directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness) and co-stars Holly Hunter.

Insidious: Chapter 3 – In this prequel, a girl tries to contact her late mother so she recruits a reluctant psychic with grave results. For some reason Dermot Mulroney is in this. Why? Rotten Tomatoes: 53%.

Road Hard – This comedy follows a character named Bruce Madsen, a successful actor/comedian, who decides to change things up and go back to his roots and perform in the comedy club circuit. Things don’t turn out as expected which forces Bruce (played by Adam Carolla) to reevaluate his career. This sounds like an auto-biographical snooze fest! Anyways, the movie co-stars David Koechner (Anchorman, Waiting).

Batkid Begins – This follows a five year-old boy, suffering from leukemia that gets a chance to be Batman for a day via the Make a Wish foundation.

10,000 Saints – A group of smugglers learn the hard price of growing up and the value of family in the backdrop of 1980s New York City. The cast includes Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Gattaca) , Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo) , Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), and Emily Mortimer. There may be a reason this was released direct to video.

Dark Places – From the author of Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) comes a story about a woman (Libby) trying to run away from her tragic past and her brother, who she blames for murdering the rest of her family. She is then contacted by a group that specializes in unsolved cases. Libby (played by Charlize Theron) must decide if she wants to accept the past or truly find the killer responsible. This movie came and went in theaters. The movie co-stars Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men). It holds a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Proceed with caution!

Escobar: Paradise Lost – Nick and his brother move from Canada to Colombia during the 1980s to set up a surf shop. There, Nick falls for Maria, who happens to be the niece of Pablo Escobar. Things get worse from there as Nick is recruited to stash away Escobar’s assets before he serves a jail sentence. I’m slightly interested in this but I have to say that Narcos on Netflix deals primarily with Escobar’s rise/fall and that seems a lot more interesting. This film features Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, upcoming Sicario) as Escobar and co-stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).

Final Girl – Veronica is new in town and becomes a target for a group of boys who hunt and kill women in the woods for sport. The tables are turned when Veronica is actually a trained assassin. Abigail Breslin (Ender’s Game, Maggie) stars alongside Wes Bentley (that creepy video recorder dude from American Beauty, bearded weirdo in The Hunger Games).

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – This is a riveting documentary that chronicles the rise of the Church of Scientology and the followers and defectors that provide insight into the often shocking inner workings of the fastest growing church. Archival footage and interviews with current and former members (that include many Hollywood stars – Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Paul Haggis, etc.) make this a documentary worth catching. My full review is here.

People Places Things – Flight of the Concords alum, Jermaine Clement, stars in this comedy about a happily married professor with two kids that deals with the affair between his friend and his wife. He finds out that the single life with kids isn’t what he was expecting. I happen to enjoy Clement’s sense of humor and may give this a go.

Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! – Talk about beating a dead horse. That wasn’t a request. Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) and Tara Reid (American Pie) try to hold onto their careers in the popular, purposefully bad SyFy original movie. The outlandish, most once famous cast includes: Frankie Muniz, Bo Derek, David Hassehoff and Mark Cuban (as the President). You know what’s better than a purposefully bad movie? An unintentionally bad movie. See: The Room, Birdemic: Shock and Terror.

What We Did On Our Holiday – As Gordy nears his 75th Birthday, his son and his family decide to visit him in Scotland. Things go awry when his son’s kids are brutally honest and are unable to keep any secrets, which makes an already awkward family trip more awkward. The film stars David Tennant (Doctor Who), Billy Connolly, and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).

October 13th

San Andreas – Hey, what’s shakin’?! Well, the Rock of course! This is an epic destruction movie for people that enjoy flashy special effects and a sub-par story or…..they just go for the Rock. I don’t blame them. Believe it or not, the movie co-stars Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Paul Giamatti (Sideways).

Tommorowland – This film probably had the most promise this summer but was an utter disappointment. The marketing was interesting and the director, Brad Bird, has had nothing but success with his earlier films: The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Iron Giant. Check out a full review here.

The Gallows – A group of high school students try to put on a play that failed twenty years earlier and resulted in the death of a student, Charlie. The event is meant to be cathartic for the town on the anniversary of Charlie’s death, but a group of students sabotage the production to help the lead actor avoid stage fright. The group’s actions have grave consequences as Charlie’s story isn’t finished. This story is actually more elaborate than more horror films but still sounds boring.

Dope – We follow a high school student named Butler (Blake Anderson) who tries to stay on the straight and narrow amongst a town (Inglewood, CA) that would rather get by on dealing drugs and making easy money. Butler has aspirations of going to Harvard and leaving the city behind but is tested one night at a party. Lenny Kravitz’s daughter, Zoe Kravitz, costars.

October 20th

Jurassic World – Doctor John Hammond’s future dinosaur world is realized twenty two years later in Jurassic World. Just as any company would do if public interest were waning, they need to innovate new ways to attract people across the world. Of course, if your company happens to be a giant dinosaur zoo, innovation can spell doom in the form of a genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus Rex. The movie is a lot of fun if you don’t think too much about the story. Check out my full review here. The movie stars Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), and Jake Johnson (New Girl, Let’s Be Cops).

Paper Towns – A high school student, Quentin, has always pined for Margo his entire life and when she breaks into his house asking for his help in a revenge plot, he agrees. After their adventure, Margo has disappeared from their school but not without leaving clues for Quentin to follow that will end up changing how he really feels for her. This is based off the book of the same name by author John Green (who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars). The film stars up and comer, Cara Delevingne (upcoming Suicide Squad) and Nat Wolff. You’d have to drag me to see a movie like this. Quirky, romantic movies irritate me because they are highly unrealistic yet pretend they aren’t.

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ – I don’t usually cover Japanese anime movies but I guess I’m always a little fond of the Dragon Ball Z tv show (when it aired on Cartoon Network back in the day). This details how big baddie, Frieza, is back after falling to Goku’s Super Saiyan years ago. Frieza is hell bent on revenge, even without an actual body. It’s up to Goku and Vegeta to work together. I’d probably save this for hung over Sunday mornings (before football of course).

The Vatican Tapes – Two Vatican priests are out to exorcise a woman believed to be possessed by the Anti-Christ. They must work to save her soul and for humanity…blah..blah…This uninspired movie stars Dougray Scott (MI: 2), Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) , and Michael Pena (Ant-Man). Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%.

Testament of Youth – Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina) and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) star in this World War I drama. Vera Brittain (Vikander) postpones her studies to become a nurse as her loved ones, including Harrington head to war. Brittain later becomes a writer, feminist, and pacifist. The film doesn’t sound that interesting but is getting decent reviews. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%.

Z for Zachariah – This tale centers on a lone female survivor (Margot Robbie) of the apocalypse and the last two known men alive (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine) who try to court for her affections. The three must find a way to work together in order to survive. So, it seems that this is about how two dudes wanna do it with Robbie. I don’t blame them. What if the movie casted Amy Schumer instead of Margot Robbie? I believe both men would rather roam the Earth looking for another lady.

I Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine – Jennifer is a girl that is just trying to overcome the torture she’s experienced and live a normal life. When one of Jennifer’s friends is murdered and those responsible escapes, she turns on revenge mode while the rest of the city erupts with rapists and serial killers. Pass!

The Wolfpack – This is a documentary that follows six brothers that live the majority of their lives in a New York apartment. They rely on movies in order to understand the real world. They all reenact scenes of their favorite movies. As the brothers get older, they desire interactions with the real world and everything begins to change when one of them runs away. Sounds like this may be worth checking out.

October 27th

Pixels – Adam Sandler is trying to fart on the box office again with this sad attempt at appealing to the thirty something group that relishes arcade games. The story involves how aliens receive golden age transmissions of video games being played, interpret the message as the real thing and declare war on Earth in the form of well-known classic games that include Donkey Kong and Pac Man. The President enlists his childhood friend, Sandler, to beat the aliens at their own game. He also enlists a rag tag group that includes Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Kevin James. The film is directed by Chris Columbus (the 1st two Harry Potter movies).

Southpaw – Jake Gyllenhaal gains a ton of muscle to play a left handed boxer who must overcome the death of his wife. After much inner turmoil and with the fate of his relationship with his daughter at stake, he must climb out and be the best boxer he can be so he can be the best father he can be. The movie received mixed reviews but I wouldn’t mind renting this. I mean, it’s Gyllenhaal and after his performance in Nightcrawler, I expect a solid performance.

The Gift – A husband and wife (Simon and Robin) move into a new home and run into an old acquaintance, Gordo, of Simon’s from high school. The couple accepts a gift of wine and invites him to their house for dinner. Gordo begins to leave more gifts and starts to stalk Robin while she’s home alone. Simon tries to tell Gordo that he is not welcome only then to be threatened by a 25 year old secret about Simon. The movie stars Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Rebecca Hall (The Town) and Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Exodus: Gods and Kings). The film is also the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton. I really wanted to see this film but had scheduling conflicts. The film has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ll be sure to rent this.

Max – This is supposed to be an uplifting family drama/adventure that centers around a military dog named Max. After Max’s handler, Kyle, is killed, he is then returned to Kyle’s family and ends up helping them heal from their loss. Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Lauren Graham (Bad Santa), and Robbie Amell (Flash) star.

The Human Centipede III: The Final Sequence – The outrageous idea of a singular digestive system through multiple people is expanded upon in this latest installment from the Dutch filmmaker, Tom Six. This time, they are attempting to utilize 500 people (which are being sewn together a$$ to mouth) to create the largest, singular digestive system the world has ever known. The creepy actor from the original film, Dieter Laser, reprises his role as the crazed doctor. The movie even co-stars Eric Roberts (Best of the Best, The Dark Knight). Not for the easily grossed out.

July 2015 DvD/Blu-Ray Releases

July 7^th, 2015

Woman in Gold
Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren in the same movie! The story focuses on how an older woman tries to get her family’s possessions back after she left Vienna, Austria while fleeing from the Nazis during World War II. Quite a great supporting cast as well: Katie Holmes, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Daniel Bruhl and Elizabeth McGovern.

5 Flights Up
A drama about an aging couple questioning whether they should move from their apartment. This seems like a drama for rich, white people. Okay, maybe not. The movie stars Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton. My anticipation for seeing this is at ‘nope!’.

Maggie
Arnie Schwarzenegger must take care of his zombie daughter. Critics were praising his performance in this. However, why can’t Arnie find a different story where he is being a good actor?

Kill Me Three Times
The only thing good about this is Simon Pegg. You can forget everything else. You follow a myriad of despicable characters going after money. This attempted off beat, dark comedy is anything but funny. Stay away I say! Review here.

71’
This is a war thriller chronicling how a solider tries to survive in a hostile Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1971. This stars Unbroken star Jack O’Connell.

Absolution
Steven Seagal is still fat and making direct to video/video on demand movies. Seagal plays a mercenary who is haunted by his past but most complete one last assignment….yawn!

Slow West
Saw this at the Omaha Film Festival like 3 months before it came out because I’m important and/or I live in Omaha. This is a solid western with excellent performances. It’s more of a character study than a western. This stars Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-Mcphee. Review here.

Alien Outpost
One of the descriptions of this turd states “what would terrorism look like in the future – from alien invaders?” A group of soldiers must remember what it means to be a soldier to battle aliens at an outpost. Sounds like a plot from a sh*tty video game.

Echoes of War
This western seems to have a decent cast. Just as the Civil War ends, a personal war begins for a man trying to run a fur trading business. The film features James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry (Can’t Hardly Wait), William Forsythe (Boardwalk Empire), and Maika Monroe (It Follows, The Guest).

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July 14^th, 2015

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
The most anticipated sequel finally makes its way to your living room as the goofy mall cop shows that he’s the best security guard out there. The plot centers around a national Security Guard Expo (ugh…) and how Blart must stop art thieves in Las Vegas.

The Longest Ride
Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) and Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood’s son) star in this romance about a couple that handle their ambitions and their love for one another. At least Melissa Benoist (the new Supergirl) is co-starring.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The targeted demographic for this movie is the elderly. Now, I’m not being an ageist by any means, but I believe I would have a hard time being attracted to this material if I were in my 70s. This sequel to the 2012 hit, focuses on self-reflection and humor in the face of imminent death while an Indian wedding is looking to bring everyone together. Judi Dench, Dev Patel, and Richard Gere star.

Ex-Machina
This is one of my favorite films of the year (review here). This is the thinking man’s sci-fi movie. The story which features the issues arising from A.I., includes great performances, believable dialogue, beautiful cinematography and awesome film direction.

It Follows
I really cannot wait until July 14^th. This is my other favorite of the year (so far). A story about how a girl, after having sex with her boyfriend, becomes marked and is followed by an entity until she has sex with another person and the curse is passed on. It’s almost like a cautionary STD tale. The film has hipster elements as well as harkens back to the original Halloween in both film direction and eerie film score, courtesy of Disasterpeace (review here).

Clouds of Sils Maria
Juliette Binoche stars as an actress that is asked to participate in a play that launched her career. Her former role is now being played by a scandalous actress (Kristen “fart face” Stewart) and a parallel is being drawn between the character she must play and the one she used to play. Chloe Grace Moretz co-stars.

Goodbye to All That
Paul Schneider (1^st season of Parks & Recreation) stars as a recently divorced man who must come to terms with dating again, all while raising a daughter. This is a story about second chances. I wouldn’t mind a Rob Schneider movie with the same synopsis but this looks so boring!

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July 21^st, 2015

Kung Fu Killer
Martial arts legend, Donnie Yen (Ip Man) stars in this film as a man wrongly convicted of murder. In order to obtain his freedom he must capture a man that is going around killing top martial artists in Hong Kong. Stupid plot leaves this open to potential awesome martial arts scenes. I’ll sign up for this one…make it a late night viewing.

Starve
Three friends, attempting to write a novel on feral children, are captured and become part of a game where they must kill other captives or starve to death. Meh…

What We Do in the Shadows
This film follows three vampires attempting to live together in New Zealand. They have to have a human retainer in order to pay the bills and they have to share chores and nightclub policies. I’d definitely check out the trailer to get an idea of the tone of this movie. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) star in this film. I don’t know about you but I’m pumped for this!

Wild Horses
After a rancher walks in on his son engaging with another man, he chases the man off and banishes his son. Fifteen years later, the rancher is trying to put his estate in order and asks his son to return. At the same time, a Texas ranger reopens a case of a missing man (the man the rancher chased off) and begins investigating a possible hate crime. The film stars Robert Duvall, James Franco and Josh Hartnett. Rotten tomato score of 17%.

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July 28^th, 2015

Home
Dreamworks presents a movie about an alien trying to avoid its own race while on Earth and befriending a teenage girl along the way. In their globe-trotting adventure, they begin to understand what it means to be human. Voice stars include Jim Parsons, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez.

Comet
This is a story about a six year love affair starring Justin Long (Waiting…, Tusk) and Kayla Servi. A meteor shower and a parallel universe serve as a backdrop to the couple’s bond. Their chemistry goes to show that anything is possible. You cannot force me to watch this.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters
Set in an alternate universe, different versions of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman find themselves framed for a bombing. They must prove their innocence. Will they save or conquer the world? Even as a comic book fan, it’s hard for me to get behind this storyline.

The Water Diviner
An Australian father (Russell Crowe) searches for the remains of his three sons as he journeys from the Outback to the Gallipoli Peninsula. His journey gives him new purpose in life and forces strong relationships. Someone pass the Nyquil!!!

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Half-Baked Preview

 Trailers for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. are here for you today! First, we’ll take a look at the better of the 2 trailers:

Directed by Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes), The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is an action-packed spy movie set in 1963. It features Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, and Hugh Grant. In the trailers, we learn that an American spy must team up with a Soviet spy to recover a stolen nuclear weapon from an international criminal organization.

The lighting, sets, and wardrobe evoke the feel of early Bond movies. But besides being funny, with two male leads and multiple “Bond girls”, it might even be more sexy. Yesterday I knew nothing about this movie other than that it’s based on a tv series from the ’60s. Now I think it’s a must see. The current projected release date August 14th.

Rating: PG-13

Ex Machina Review

I’ve wanted to see this movie for over a year now and finally got a chance to see it last night. My expectations were very high for this film going in. After viewing, I can say that it most definitely met my expectations.

The premise starts off simple and right away. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer from a google-esque company called “Blue Book”, wins a contest to take part in an experiment involving artificial intelligence. He is brought to a research facility in an undisclosed location in the mountains (scenery is courtesy of beautiful Norway) where he meets Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the tech CEO of Blue Book. Nathan tells Caleb he’d like him to perform a Turing test (a test developed to test a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligence) on Ava, a humanoid with artificial intelligence.

The foundation of the film is Caleb’s relationships with Nathan and Ava. We follow Caleb’s discoveries and only know what he is told but as the film begins to unfold; he becomes unsure of their true intentions. It is very difficult to explain much else of the film without giving away some of the surprises. Let’s just say the film raises a lot of questions like –

Once you create life do you have the right to own it? How do you determine A.I. when you don’t know if a machine simulates a response or actually feels it? How do we see ourselves once we become surpassed by superior intelligence? Where does our morality lie when it deals with A.I., especially when we are the ones that created it?

This is why the film is so important. It acknowledges the inevitability of the dawn of A.I. via mankind and raises questions that haven’t really been addressed. Just as I mentioned previously, we are developing technology too fast that we are not taking time to address how it’ll largely affect us.

Outside of this, the film is beautiful. The natural setting (waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, creeks), in Norway, contrasts sharply and purposefully, with the research facility(which is a real mansion in the countryside). The music is haunting at times and perfectly lends to the setting, eeriness and uncertainty that surrounds Caleb.

The performances in this are also noteworthy. They never have you doubting the plausibility of the situations in which they are in. Alicia Vikander plays a beautiful, though tragic, Ava. Domhnall Gleeson (Brendan Gleeson’s son) plays a rather susceptible participant. Oscar Isaac really takes the cake for his performance as the cocky, questionable genius. In every scene, he demands your attention, not necessarily for his superb dialogue but for his mannerisms that help build his persona onscreen. By the way, both Gleeson and Isaac will be in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Alex Garland directed this and completely knocked it out of the park his first time around. He previously wrote 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Dredd, and Never Let Me Go (all of these being sci-fi pictures). He wrote the screenplay for the upcoming video game movie adaptation, Halo and will next write (adapt) and direct Annihilation, a story following a biologist on a secret expedition where the laws of nature do not apply (Imdb).

Grade: A

If Ex-Machina is showing in your city, be sure to check it out!

Ex Machina has a new trailer !!!

A couple weeks ago I posted about the movie “Ex-Machina” and its trailer and, well, its potential to be a sci-fi masterpiece. The reviews have come in and it looks like this is the movie I’m hoping it could be! A new trailer was also released which I’ve included below. My previous post can be found here. The movie opens April 15th! Hold onto your butts!

Could “Ex Machina” be the next Sci-Fi Masterpiece?

I’ve always been a sci-fi aficionado. It’s hard for me to shut up when discussing movies like “Dune”, “Blade Runner”, “Gattaca”, “Moon”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Clockwork Orange”, etc. These films bring me out of myself and make me look at things profoundly. They are truly controversial, philosophical and stand the test of time. What can the future bring forth? How will we define love when it’s possible to love a machine that looks, feels, and acts like a human?

That brings us to this “Ex Machina” movie. According to IMDb, “Ex Machina”  has the following synopsis: “A young programmer is selected to participate in a breakthrough experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breathtaking female A.I.”  I’ve included the new trailer below.

The creepy vibe this trailer has is likely to get anyone interested. I should also point out that Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson look terrific. Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year, Inside Llewyn Davis) and Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Black Mirror) have been everywhere lately but are starring in the blockbuster “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” this coming December. Oh, and yes, Domhnall Gleeson is the son of actor Brendan Gleeson. The female A.I. is played by Alicia Vikander, who will next be in the upcoming “The Man from UNCLE” and “The Danish Girl” with Eddie Redmayne.

What should be the most exciting part of this movie is the first time director, Alex Garland, as he wrote “Sunshine”, “28 Days Later”, and “Dredd”. I adore the subject matter of his films and remain pretty confident that this movie will succeed.

“Ex Machina” hits theaters April 10, 2015.