Special: The Nice Guys/The Angry Birds Movie/Alice Through The Looking Glass Mini-Reviews

The Nice Guys:

Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of 1977 Los Angeles, The Nice Guys opens when single father and licensed PI Holland March (Gosling) is hired to investigate the apparent suicide of famous porn star Misty Mountains. As the trail leads him to track down a girl named Amelia (Qualley), he encounters less licensed and less hands-off private eye Jackson Healey (Russell Crowe) and his brass knuckles, both hired by the young hippie. However, the situation takes a turn for the worse when Amelia vanishes and it becomes apparent that March wasn't the only party interested. As both men are forced to team up, they'll have to take on a world filled with eccentric goons, strippers dressed as mermaids and even a possible government conspiracy.

My thoughts? Well casted, well acted, the script was genuinely funny and the characters were very likable. It was also finely paced though the script could use some tweeks.

Final verdict: 4 dead porn stars out of 5.

The Angry Birds Movie:

Synopsis: In the 3D animated comedy, The Angry Birds Movie, we'll finally find out why the birds are so angry. The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds - or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis, We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad in his first animated role since Frozen), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride, This is the End, Eastbound and Down) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it's up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.

My thoughts? It was surprisingly funny, the animation was bright and eye catching and the voice acting was above average. I will say it was annoyingly scripted in parts where they purposely used bird puns instead of swearing (e.g. flocking). It was obviously an attempt to infuse adult humour in a kids movie but it just didn't work.

Final verdict: 3 green pigs out of 5.

Alice Through The Looking Glass:

Synopsis: Alice returns to the magical world of Underland, only to find the Hatter in a horrible state. With the help of her friends, Alice must travel through time to save the Mad Hatter and Underland's fate from the evil clutches of the Red Queen and a clock like creature, known as Time.

My thoughts? Maybe not as magical as our first trip with Alice, but certainly not a huge step down. Time's characterization was all wrong but the returning characters are as wonderful as you remember them. The film is beautiful to look at even if it suffers from pacing issues... I thought it was done about 3 times before the end credits actually rolled. Disney should probably start moving away from this franchise before it does any real damage to it.

Final verdict: 4 trips to Underland out of 5.

Top 10 Countdown: May 28, 2016

10. The Maine - Am I Pretty?
Last week: NEW!


9. Simple Plan - Opinion Overload
Last week: 3.


8. Set It Off - Uncontainable
Last week: 9.


7. With Confidence - Keeper
Last week: NEW!


6. The Ready Set - Disappearing Act
Last week: 7.


5. Silverstein - The Continual Condition
Last week: 8.


4. Hit The Lights - No Filter
Last week: 5.


3. Knuckle Puck - Pretense
Last week: 1.


2. The Summer Set - Missin' You
Last week: 4.


1. The Story So Far - Heavy Gloom
Last week: 2.

Special: Top 10 Movies of All Time!

10. Underworld

So maybe this doesn't deserve to be on this list, but damn through my teenage years this was my favourite film, it wasn't until the #1 movie on this list came around that this was dethroned and my palette became refined. So maybe it's nostalgia, maybe it's Kate Beckinsale in a leather jumpsuit, or maybe it's the Werewolf vs. Vampire action... But I just couldn't bring myself to eliminating this movie from the top 10.

9. Fight Club

Based off the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Fight Club follows our narrator as he navigates a tough period in his life. Directed bu auteur extraordinaire David Fincher, Fight Club throws everything at you that you can handle, some of it you can't even fathom. This film features no less than five different branches of philosophy which keeps you thinking well after the end credits roll. Originally it crashed and burned at the box office causing critics and audience a like to pan it as a failure. Some 17 years later however, the Norton and Pitt starred drama sits at #10 on the IMDb top movies of all time, and #9 on this list.

8. Sleepy Hollow

Speaking of 1999, this teaming of actor Johnny Depp and Director Tim Burton, their third, following Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood, almost didn't come to fruition. Liam Neeson, Brad Pitt and Daniel Day-Lewis were all considered for Ichabod Crane's role. When Depp's name came up however Burton lobbied hard and eventually got his way, he even wanted to team him up with his Edward Scissorhands co-star Winona Ryder but she ultimately passed on the offer. And good thing too seeing how Christina Ricci brings an innocence to the role I'm not sure Ryder could've pulled off. It's dark, it's amusing, it's full of heart and exciting. What more could you want?

7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

I talked about this one enough last week when doing the MCU countdown so let's just copy what I put down then: The Winter Soldier was old school action at it's finest. The CGI was at a minimum compared to it's counterparts giving us hard-nosed action. All this with a backdrop of a political thriller proved that the Russo brothers knew how to handle a Marvel franchise. The Iron Man franchise had tried to dabble in the political thriller waters and has mostly failed so The Winter Soldier was a breath of fresh air setting up the notorious Hydra agency led by a diabolical and suave Robert Redford. Not to mention our first look at Sam Wilson's Falcon, a role that seems to be turning into the Nick Fury of old since he pops up everywhere.

6. Die Hard

What makes Die Hard so great? I'll tell you it's not the exciting heist aspect that is unfortunately rarely used in today's films. It's definitely not because it's one of the best Christmas (yes I said it) and action films of all time. Probably not because it's one of the most quotable movies of all time either. No, what sets Die Hard apart is it's great characters. There are very few movies that have an equally appealing hero as it does a villain. Usually the director perceives the characters in such a way that they have already decided for the audience who to root for, but John McTiernan lets the audience decide. Do they root for Bruce Willis' John McClane or Alan Ryckman's Hans Gruber. In my opinion you can't go wrong with either, too bad Die Hard misses the top five.

5. How To Train Your Dragon 2

It's about time we get some animation in this list! Anyone that has seen How To Train Your Dragon 2 knows that this movie was well worth the price of admission. The first one had better reviews for it's character building, How To Train Your Dragon 2 took all other aspects to a whole new level. I can't actually remember the last time I felt like I could actually cry watching a movie, let alone an animated one (Toy Story 3 was sad... But not cryworthy) but there I was sitting in the theatre feeling sadness rush over me, I'm pretty sure the only reason I resisted was because I was able to make fun of my friends next to me for actually tearing up. The continuation of the story about a viking boy taming and befriending a dragon is not only one of the best animated films of all time, but one of the best films of all time.

4. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Can you believe that it took until the #4 spot on our list before getting to a movie that won multiple Academy Awards? Released in 1988, a year before the greatest event in human history, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released and changed cinema. Maybe not to the scope that The Wizard of Oz or Citizen Kane did but prior to this we rarely had cartoon characters interacting with actors and when it was done it was usually lazy (sorry Mary Poppins) but Who Framed Roger Rabbit was basically the first CGI movie, even though it contained no CGI. Afraid it wouldn't blend in well with their stable of Disney films at the time they released it under the Buena Vista banner and immediately regretted it deciding to take more chances with their upcoming slate, you may have heard of them: The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Best, Aladdin and The Lion King.

3. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Remember when I said Fight Club bombed? Yeah well that level of bombing would've been better to Scott Pilgrim. Sure the critics actually enjoyed this one but the audience was not there for this adaptation of the graphic novel series by Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley. Edgar Wright movies tend to be fun and innovative and Scott Pilgrim was no exception. It tells the story of Scott needign to fight off the seven evil ex boyfriends of the love of his life Ramona Flowers. Wright is true to the source material while using eye-popping visuals to go with a cast that truly seemed to be the characters they play. There's a reason this has become a cult classic, those reasons among others show why it belong in the top 3.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

No. Tim Burton did not direct this stop-motion masterpiece, rather it was helmed by the stop motion master himself, Henry Selick (Coraline, James and the Giant Peach). But that doesn't mean Burton's stamp isn't all over this flick. Years after the initial idea popped in his head Burton finally got the green light to make his dream project. Unfortunately he was under contract to direct Batman Returns so he had to pass the baton over to Selick. The movie remains a favourite for people of all-ages, just head into your local Hot Topic if you don't believe me. Everything from Danny Elfman's voice and score to the underrated Stan Webb's editing is superb. Making this not only a Halloween/Christmas favourtie but a masterpiece of a film that has resonated for years and will continue to do so.

1. The Dark Knight

I can tell you how great this movie is but I'd rather let Mike Miclette tell you:

"Batman Begins is absolutely amazing movie, and to me is a blueprint of how reboots should be done. When this sequel came around... Well, I'll never forget how blown away I was when I saw The Dark Knight in theatres for the first time (and second time for that matter). To paraphrase the Lego Movie: Everything was awesome! The action is pulse pounding, the car/truck chase scene has got to be one of the greatest chases in movies. The suspense is edge of your seat, especially during the attempted rescue of Rachel and Harvey Dent. The acting in this movie is top-notch, I happen to be in the minority when I say I love Christian Bale's performance as Batman, raspy voice and all. Heath Ledger as The Joker... Well, that speaks for itself at this point. Aaron Eckhart was amazing as Harvey Dent, Michael Caine nailed it as Alfred again, and Gary Oldman was perfect for Gordon! The story is just as chaotic as the film's main villain, the cinematography is crisp and breathtaking... Just... Wow! This is an amazing sequel, and it lands at number [one] on this list! Thank you, Nolan!"

Top 10 Countdown: May 21, 2016

10. Against The Current - Running With The Wild Things
Last week: 10.


9. Set It Off - Uncontainable
Last week: NEW!


8. Silverstein - The Continual Condition
Last week: NEW!


7. The Ready Set - Disappearing Act
Last week: NEW!


6. With Confidence - London Lights
Last week: 2.


5. Hit The Lights - No Filter
Last week: 6.


4. The Summer Set - Missin' You
Last week: 5.


3. Simple Plan - Opinion Overload
Last week: 1.


2. The Story So Far - Heavy Gloom
Last week: 4.


1. Knuckle Puck - Pretense
Last week: 3.

Special: Marvel Cinematic Universe Ranked Worst To Best

With Captain America: Civil War hitting theaters last weekend the MCU now features 13 films and what better time than now to rank them? Okay maybe pre-Civil War at the conclusion of phase 2 would've been cleaning but semantics... On to the ranking!

13. Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2's biggest flaw was Whiplash... Not that he isn't a good character, in fact I thought Mickey Rourke's take on physicist Ivan Vanko was quite good. The problem then? He wasn't the main villain! Instead Sam Rockwell is, that's right Scary Sam himself. We get one showdown between Iron Man and Whiplash and it's in the first half of the movie... Snooze!

12. Thor

Thor was a fun fish out of water story, unfortunately it didn't do much else well. Sure they could've done some Norwegian God epic, but we knew when Marvel hired Shakespearean actor-director extraordinaire Kenneth Branagh to helm it we we're getting something different, and a lot of times different is a good thing.

11. The Incredible Hulk

I stand by the fact that Ed Norton made a great Bruce Banner, unfortunately this film underwhelmed and led to the re-casting which brought in Mark Ruffalo. Too bad the script was all over the place as was the films tone... And Liv Tyler? Really? No amount of Norton and Roth could overlook the fact that they decided to cast Steven Tyler Jr. in this film,

10. Thor: The Dark World

Nothing more than a popcorn flick... But I go to the movies to be entertained and eat popcorn so it's not all bad I just can't say I left the film saying "wow I really loved what they did there" or "when the director shot that I got chills" like the movies above it on this list.

9. Captain America: The First Avenger

"...I had a date" of the feels! Let's be honest this film is so campy but it makes the proceeding Cap films better by understanding the nature of Bucky and Steve's relationship... But again it's oh so campy.

8. Iron Man 3

Bumbling actor Ben Kingsley's Mandarin aside, Iron Man 3's only real flaw is the fact that it didn't have any real consequences. Sure Tony wanted to save Pepper but I mean it's not like he was going to kill her. The iron legion was confusing but their appearance in Ultron made them make sense at least.

7. Guardians Of The Galaxy

I didn't love Guardians as much as the rest of the world did but I can't deny that's it's not a great movie. The upbeat soundtrack, the characters that you buy into each and every move they make because you're so invested in them which keeps the plot moving because you want to see them succeed for various reasons depending on which Guardian you're looking at. Great space opera, but the bottom line is space opera's aren't really my thing so when I want to see comedy in the MCU I'd look to...

6. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is a fun ride, everyone including crotchety Michael Douglas is perfectly cast. Sure there are some minor flaws but nothing that you can't look past with ease. Although this movie turned out so magnificently I can't help but wonder what would've been had Edgar Wright stayed on course and helmed this flick... Probably would've found itself in the Top 5 but how high could it of gone? We'll never know.

5. Avengers: Age Of Ultron

I know this movie had it's detractors... Hell I was one of them. After the first viewing I pointed out all the flaws I seen which made for an underwhelming experience. But watching it a second time a few days later I was able to appreciate it for what it was, warts and all. It still was inferior to it's predecessor on the great movie scale but at least Ultron seemed to be a villain that would actually require all of The Avengers to stop (sorry Loki), so at least that was believable.

4. Captain America: Civil War

The newest entry into the MCU! Only time will tell if this movie trends upwards or downwards after a couple of viewings but right now it's firmly in the Top 5. I don't get the Avengers 2.5 argument, sure they were mostly all there and had a fight at the airport but other than that it was basically the Cap stars (Widow, Falcon, Cap, Bucky) and Iron Man. It's a mature take on it's content like it's predecessor but this was still lighter fare, which is fine... It is the Russo's specialty after all.

3. The Avengers

Alright I admit that I'm likely reaching with this one. Sure The Avengers is not a bad movie but is it a top 3? Most would argue no. But dammit, I can't help but feel good about it. We waited four years to get to the point where Hulk, Cap, Thor and Iron Man would team up against a major earth threat (Loki? Really?). In any event the event did not disappoint as The Avengers broke all kinds of box office records and showed us that Marvel is not slowing down anytime soon!

2. Iron Man

People seem to forget as time passes how incredibly important Iron Man, it wasn't just the launching point of the MCU but had it of been a dud we likely would've never gotten the MCU. Remember Disney did not yet own Marvel so the Marvel Studios folks were co-producing with Universal at the time and although the dream was to eventually have an Avengers film they needed to make money first so they took out a 225 million dollar revolving loan to produce it. Had Iron Man of bombed I'm sure they would've scrapped the idea altogether. Fortunately it was an incredible success at the time that only Batman and Spider-Man films had any degree of recent success. Too bad it wasn't strong enough to beat our #1 film.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The Winter Soldier was old school action at it's finest. The CGI was at a minimum compared to it's counterparts giving us hard-nosed action. All this with a backdrop of a political thriller proved that the Russo brothers knew how to handle a Marvel franchise. The Iron Man franchise had tried to dabble in the political thriller waters and has mostly failed so The Winter Soldier was a breath of fresh air setting up the notorious Hydra agency led by a diabolical and suave Robert Redford. Not to mention our first look at Sam Wilson's Falcon, a role that seems to be turning into the Nick Fury of old since he pops up everywhere.

Top 10 Countdown: May 14, 2016

10. Against The Current - Running With The Wild Things
Last week: NEW!


9. A Day To Remember - Paranoia
Last week: 9.


8. Handguns - Recovery
Last week: 3.


7. The Ready Set - Disappearing Act
Last week: NEW!


6. Hit The Lights - No Filter
Last week: 8.


5. The Summer Set - Missin' You
Last week: 6.


4. The Story So Far - Heavy Gloom
Last week: 5.


3. Knuckle Puck - Pretense
Last week: 4.


2. With Confidence - London Lights
Last week: 1.


1. Simple Plan - Opinion Overload
Last week: 2.

Special: The Jungle Book/Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice/Ratchet & Clank Mini-Reviews

The Jungle Book:

Synopsis: In this re-imagining of the classic collection of stories by Rudyard Kipling, director Jon Favreau uses visually stunning CGI to create the community of animals surrounding Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a human boy adopted by a pack of wolves. The appearance of a villainous tiger named Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) forces Mowgli's guardian, the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), to shepherd the child to safety in the "man village." Along the way, the boy meets an affable, lazy bear named Baloo (Bill Murray), as well as a snake with hypnotic powers (Scarlett Johansson) and an orangutan (Christopher Walken) who wants to harness the power of fire. Lupita Nyong'o, Giancarlo Esposito, and Garry Shandling also lend their voices to this adventure tale.

My thoughts? It'll be hard to beat Maleficent when it comes to these remakes but TJB is a big improvement over Cinderella. The CGI was beautiful and rather than recycle the same story we all know, they changed it enough to give it a whole new feel while keeping the originals greatness in tact.

Final verdict: 4 talking jungle animals out of 5.

Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice:

Synopsis: Batman and Superman clash over differing philosophies about what kind of heroism is needed to protect the world, while the public they're defending is becoming increasingly mindful of the damage that superheroes and masked vigilantes cause. However, the duo are soon forced to confront an even greater threat created by nefarious billionaire Lex Luthor.

My thoughts? I have now officially watched this film twice and I can say it still holds up. Is it a perfect movie? No, most films aren't, especially comic book films (Iron Man, The
Winter Soldier and TDK Trilogy being the exceptions). The shots are framed beautifully. Wonder Woman is a breath of fresh air in a male dominated industry (even Black Widow was reduced to love interest in Avengers 2). The CGI is great, although a bit overwhelming at times. Batfleck was great, Eisenberg's Luthor was eccentric, but at least if they aren't going to do him right they can change it up a bit so that was nice.

Final verdict: 5 superhero throw-downs out of 5.

Ratchet & Clank:

Synopsis: Ratchet and Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way they'll learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one's own identity.

My thoughts? I have no background on Ratchet & Clank going in, the good news is this movie explains everything for me, It shows how they get together and what their motives are. The animation is reminiscent of the video games, unfortunately other than that it doesn't do a whole lot really well. It is what it is, a basic video game adaptation that'll make a few bucks on namesake alone so they don't put too much effort into it, Here's hoping the upcoming Assassins Creed and Warcraft can give video game films the leap forward we've all been expecting for years. Just have to wait for a "Spider-Man" to come through and breakthrough.

Final verdict: 3 devoured planets out of 5.

Top 10 Countdown: May 7, 2016

10. Neck Deep - Kali Ma
Last week: 4.


9. A Day To Remember - Paranoia
Last week: 10.


8. Hit The Lights - No Filter
Last week: NEW!


7. The Wonder Years Feat. Jason Butler (letlive.) - Stained Glass Ceilings
Last week: 7.


6. The Summer Set - Missin' You
Last week: 8.


5. The Story So Far - Heavy Gloom
Last week: 6.


4. Knuckle Puck - Pretense
Last week: 5.


3. Handguns - Recovery
Last week: 2.


2. Simple Plan - Opinion Overload
Last week: 3.


1. With Confidence - London Lights
Last week: 1.

Special: Top 10 Movies To See This Summer

10. The Secret Life Of Pets

Release Date: July 8, 2016

Synopsis: Taking place in a Manhattan apartment building, Max's life as a favorite pet is turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke. They have to put their quarrels behind when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of abandoned pets determined to take revenge on all happy-owned pets and their owners.

9. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Release Date: May 20, 2016

Synopsis: Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are ready to make the final move into adulthood. But just as they thought they have reclaimed the neighborhood, they learn that their new neighbors are even more out of control than the last. To evict them, they're need help from their ex neighbor (Zac Efron).

8. War Dogs

Release Date: August 19, 2016

Synopsis: The true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan.

7. Alice Through The Looking Glass

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Synopsis: When Alice wakes up in Wonderland she must travel through a mysterious new world to retrieve a magical scepter that can stop the evil Lord of Time before he turns forward the clock and turns Wonderland into a barren, lifeless old world. With the help of some new friends, Alice must also uncover an evil plot to put the Queen of Hearts back on the throne.

6. The Nice Guys

Release Date: May 20, 2016

Synopsis: A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.

5. Now You See Me 2

Release Date: June 10, 2016

Synopsis: One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public's adulation with their Robin Hood-style magic spectacles, The Four Horsemen resurface for a comeback performance in hopes of exposing the unethical practices of a tech magnate. The man behind their vanishing act is none other than Walter Mabry, a tech prodigy who threatens the Horsemen into pulling off their most impossible heist yet. Their only hope is to perform one last unprecedented stunt to clear their names and reveal the mastermind behind it all.

4. The Purge: Election Year

Release Date: July 1, 2016

Synopsis: It's been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn...or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.

3. Suicide Squad

Release Date: August 5, 2016

Synopsis: A secret government agency run by Amanda Waller, named A.R.G.U.S creates a task force comprising super villains, the "Suicide Squad". They are assigned to execute dangerous tasks in exchange for shorter prison sentences.

2. X-Men: Apocalypse

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Synopsis: Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel's X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto, to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven with the help of Professor X must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

1. Captain America: Civil War


Release Date: May 6, 2016

Synopsis: After another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps, one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark's surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Honourable Mentions: Finding Dory, Teenage Mutant Ninaj Turtles: Out Of The Shadows, Pete's Dragon, Money Monster, Jason Bourne