Special: The Lovebirds, The Way Back, Superman: Red Son Mini-Reviews

The Lovebirds:

Synopsis: A couple (Issa Rae & Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme-- and hilarious -- circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

My thoughts: The lovebirds is thoroughly ridiculous and so far out there it makes it hard to enjoy. That being said Kumail and Issa have such chemistry and poise that it's hard to pay attention to anything in the background of the film and enjoy the often hilarious ride they take you on that all the other problems fall by the wayside. This also continues director Michael Showalter's hot streak as the up and coming comedy director despite only 3 credits to date they've all been solid.

Final verdict: 4 unicorn hoodies out of 5.

The Way Back:

Synopsis: Back in high school, Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) had everything going for him. A basketball phenom, he could have punched his ticket to college or even the pros, but, instead, he chose to walk away from the game, forfeiting his future. Jack's glory days are long gone... but, as it turns out, not forgotten. Years later, he gets the chance to take back his life when he is asked to coach the struggling basketball team at his alma mater. Jack reluctantly accepts, surprising no one more than himself, and as the boys start to come together as a team and win, he may get his last shot at redemption.

My thoughts: Full disclosure: I enjoy sport dramas and have seen loved ones struggling with alcoholism. Therefore this movie hit me hard. Ben Affleck is back and he's been open with his own struggle with alcoholism which gives this movie a more real feeling despite still being overwhelmed by the normal cliches found in this genre.

Final verdict: 4 AA meetings out of 5.

Superman: Red Son:

Synopsis: After Krypton is destroyed, Kal-El's ship crash lands in the Soviet Union, where he's raised to combat the Communist ideology as Russia's greatest protector: Superman. But as Russia's hero begins to create chaos around the world on behalf of the Soviets, international forces must step in to save the world.

My thoughts: I've praised Warner Brothers and their animation department that has done amazing things with not only the DC Animated Universe but also the one offs like Red Son. The animation is once again stunning however I'm not as on board with the liberties they took with the source material. No, they didn't really change the story thankfully but they changed the tone. The Red Son film is overly simplified by avoiding calling out the political parties on their shit and instead simply takes a "unite against the bigger threat" stance while adding more brutality (the latter of which I didn't mind).

Final verdict: 3.5 comrades out of 5.

Special: Spider-Man: Far From Home, The Dead Don't Die, Triple Frontier Mini-Reviews

Spider-Man: Far From Home:

Synopsis: Peter Parker returns in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter's plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent!

My thoughts: This was on par with Homecoming even if it's main plot device was seen coming from a mile away. What I will say is Marvel (or maybe it was Sony) upped the post-credits scenes (yes both) in a big way so make sure you stay through all the credits. The action was great, the writing was tight and a bit unpredictable even though you'd expect it to be pretty predictable given the info we got in Endgame and in the trailer.

Final verdict: 5 Peter tingles out of 5.

The Dead Don't Die:

Synopsis: In the sleepy small town of Centerville, something is not quite right. The moon hangs large and low in the sky, the hours of daylight are becoming unpredictable, and animals are beginning to exhibit unusual behaviors. News reports are scary, and scientists are concerned, but no one foresees the strangest and most dangerous repercussion that will soon start plaguing Centerville: the dead rise from their graves and feast on the living, and the citizens must battle to survive.

My thoughts: I was really hoping to like this a lot more but this movie is more fine then anything which is a disappointment given it's strong cast of character actors but at the very least it is charming and has some funny moments even though it borders on more quirky funny than laugh out loud funny. It's a decent enough watch just lower expectations going in.

Final verdict: 3 Iggy Pop typecasts out of 5.

Triple Frontier:

Synopsis: A group of former Special Forces operatives (Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund and Pedro Pascal) reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. For the first time in their prestigious careers these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for self instead of country. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.

My thoughts: This was a strong film in most aspects but it suffered from an uneven narrative which wasted the strong casts abilities and their action sensibilities as well as those that the script, stunt coordinators and director mapped out.

Final verdict: 3 drug raids out of 5.

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.

Monthly Movie Madness: October 2014

5. Fury

The Players: Director: David Ayer (End Of Watch, Street Kings) Writer: David Ayer (Training Day, The Fast And The Furious) Starring: Brad Pitt (World War Z, Inglorious Bastards), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Nymphomaniac), Logan Lerman (The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Percy Jackson) Michael Pena (American Hustle, End Of Watch) and Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, Green Zone)

Synopsis: April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Why you should watch: That cast is damn good, although I'm not usually one for war movies.

4. Dracula Untold

The Players: Director: Gary Shore (debut) Writer: Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama (debut) Starring: Luke Evans (The Hobbit, Fast & Furious 6), Dominic Cooper (An Education, Need For Speed), Sarah Gordon (Dream House, Belle)

Synopsis: Luke Evans stars in Dracula Untold, the origin story of the man who became Dracula. Gary Shore directs and Michael De Luca produces the epic action-adventure that co-stars Sarah Gordon, Dominic Cooper, and Diarmaid Murtagh.

Why you should watch: The trailer looks good, although the early reviews have not been kind, but Luke Evans star has been on the rise ever since he took the role of Bard in the latest Hobbit film.

3. Nightcrawler

The Players: Director: Dan Gilroy (debut) Writer: Dan Gilroy (Two For The Money) Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Prisoners), Rene Russo (Thor, In The Line Of Fire), Bill Paxton (The Terminator, The Edge Of Tomorrow), Ann Cusack (Grosse Point Blank, The Informant!)

Synopsis: NIGHTCRAWLER is a pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling -- where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou thrives. In the breakneck, ceaseless search for footage, he becomes the star of his own story.

Why you should watch it: Just watch the trailer, it looks way better than it sounds.

 2. Gone Girl

The Players: Director: David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network) Writer: Gillian Flynn (debut) Starring: Ben Affleck (Argo, Good Will Hunting), Rosamund Pike (An Education, Jack Reacher), Neil Patrick Harris (Harold and Kumar, The Smurfs), Tyler Perry (Star Trek, Madea)

Synopsis: Directed by David Fincher and based upon the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn - unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports that his beautiful wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick's portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behaviour have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

Why you should watch it: It's directed by David Fincher, if you've been living under a rock he's directed Fight Club, Se7en, The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Panic Room, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Zodiac, and probably more I can't think of. Also Affleck's a really good actor.

1. The Book Of Life

The Players: Director: Jorge Gutierrez (debut) Writer: Jorge Gutierrez (debut) Starring: Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street), Zoe Saldana (Guardians Of The Galaxy, Avatar), Diego Luna (Milk, Elysium), Christina Applegate (Anchorman, Hall Pass), Ice Cube (21 Jump Street, Ride Along)

Synopsis: THE BOOK OF LIFE, a vibrant fantasy-adventure, tells the legend of Manolo, a conflicted hero and dreamer who sets off on an epic quest through magical, mythical and wondrous worlds in order to rescue his one true love and defend his village.

Why you should watch it: Animation is a hard sell to most adults, but this movie looks beautiful, inspired and heartwarming. There aren't any reviews yet but I think it's fair to say this has the potential to be the best animated flick this year.