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Review: ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Bryan Singer returns to direct X-Men: Apocalypse, the third film in the young X-Men storyline and the 6th film in the franchise (Singer directing 4 of them). Looking to capitalize on the success of 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, Apocalypse looks to take a giant leap forward by bringing in younger versions of fan favorite characters as well as pit the X-Men against their biggest foe yet, the first and most powerful mutant, En Sabah Nur, also known as “Apocalypse”. Can Singer keep the momentum or will their latest installment fall to the enormous pressure of the new Marvel cinematic world.

Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) has awoken after a thousand years to find the world he once knew has changed. Disgusted by what he sees, Apocalypse assembles his four horsemen, Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Angel (Ben Hardy), Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to help him with this task of destroying humanity to right the wrongs of the new world and bring forth a better one. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) continues to rebuild the image of the mutant community after the events of Days of Future Past. His School for the Gifted is now thriving with young mutants all looking for help to harness their powers and become accepted into society. Along with colleague Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult), Xavier hopes the school will act as haven for the oppressed with hopes that one day humans and mutants alike can attend the school in harmony.

Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) has returned to enlist the help of her former allies after news that Magneto had resurfaced. Xavier, in hopes to locate Magneto, encounters the power of Apocalypse first hand and realizes that this foe will take more to battle than anything they’ve faced before. Four young mutants, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Scott Summers (Ty Sheridan) join the fight as the X-Men prepare for a battle that will decide the fate of the world. Will this young team be enough to stop the powerful force that is upon them?

X-Men: Apocalypse doesn’t steer much away from the X-Men formula of late, and that’s both to its advantage and its downfall. Each of the last two films focused heavily on the redemption of Mystique and Magneto and, where it worked magnificently in Days of Future Past, it tends to feel like a rehash in this film. The continuing evolution of the X-Men characters has been exciting as they add new blood like Scott Summers and Jean Grey, X-Men royalty to comic book fans, into the mix. Both Ty Sheridan and Sophia Turner were cast perfectly and I am excited to see where their cinematic storyline flourishes. Kodi Smit-McPhee was also just as wonderful as Nightcrawler, a character brought to life so perfectly by Alan Cummings in X2: X-Men United. Oliva Munn, Ben Hardy and Alexandra Shipp look to have a bright future in this every growing universe, I just wish they were given more time to flush out their characters on screen in this one. Oscar Isaac is the essential piece to this film as the antagonist Apocalypse. Isaac embodies the elegance of the character while revealing his true sinister nature when needed making him the best villain to date in the X-Men franchise.

The returning cast is there to provide the necessary steps forward for the newcomers. I’m amazed at how well James McAvoy is settling in as Charles Xavier. With each film I have the continued belief that he is the perfect cornerstone to build this franchise on. Michael Fassbender’s emotionally charged Magneto nicely shapes the character as the constant anti-hero. You can’t help but want him to find that peace that will help him channel the rage that consumes him. Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult and Evan Peters all provide essential parts to the present and future success of this franchise. Lawrence has the most questionable character re-imagining, but I am very intrigued to see it to it’s conclusion.

Overall, X-Men: Apocalypse isn’t the high water mark we were all hoping it would be, but it’s far from X-Men: Last Stand. In a summer of Civil Wars and Dawns of Justice, this film will find an audience somewhere in the middle of those films. A fun summer popcorn movie, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Yes

Trailer:

Review: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

To say Warner Bros. has had a hard time getting their DC Movie Universe off the ground would be an understatement. Failed projects like Green Lantern and underwhelming resurrections like Man of Steel have put the movie studio behind the eight ball as they continue to watch their rivals over at Marvel succeed, but things are about to change, or so they hope, as director Zack Snyder brings two of the biggest comic book heroes to the screen in a head to head battle in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can bringing these two iconic heroes (well, three actually when you add Wonder Woman) put Warner and DC back on the right track and truly bring the dawn of a new cinematic universe to fruition?

We begin where Man of Steel ends, at the battle of Metropolis. Superman (Henry Cavill) is in the midst of a furious battle with General Zod (Michael Shannon) and the chaos that ensues from the two combatants leads to much loss of life and the wrath of one billionaire vigilante, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). The world begins to question the existence of Superman and his unchecked powers; the government demands there be regulations regarding Superman’s unchecked heroics and the general public is has a mixed view on his actions. As Superman continues his crusade, his actions bring consequences that lead men like Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) to look for a solution to stop the man of steel, but Luthor’s plans are much more sinister than just doing the right thing for mankind.

Luthor is not the only one looking for a solution to stop Superman. Bruce Wayne’s mixed emotions regarding Superman bring him to the realization that he must prepare himself for battle if that moment arises. The Batman must stand against the coming storm with everything at his disposal and he will let no one stand in his way of accomplishing his goal. Wayne, convinced that Luthor may have vital information that he needs, decides to infiltrate the tech genius’ files to find a suitable answer, but Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), a mysterious woman who is also looking for answers of her own, crosses path with Wayne and leads the billionaire to a much larger discovery. As the time line accelerates, Batman and Superman must come face to face, but will their battle lead to an understanding as a larger threat rears its ugly head?

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, on the surface, seems like a can’t lose film, but looks can be deceiving. Director Zack Snyder learns very little from his short comings with Man of Steel and continues to wrap chaotic action sequences around poorly written dialogue and tries to sell it to audiences as a complete film. The first half of the movie is a jumbled mess with too many side stories jam packed into an hour and a half. The premise is there and you can see that there is a really good story there somewhere, but Snyder proves that he is not the director to bring it out.The second half picks up and brings some amazing action sequences, but the damage is already done and you’re left trying to piece the film together on your own.

Each of the stars battled fan boy anger over their casting and knocked their roles out of the park. Ben Affleck is fantastic as Batman and brings the darkest version of the character to the screen to date. Gal Gadot is breathtaking as Wonder Woman. She is elegant and powerful and a perfect casting for the Amazon princess. Henry Cavill‘s performance is a bit hollow, but I believe that has more to do with his character arc and less to do with the actor himself. Jesse Eisenberg was fantastic as the menacing Lex Luthor. His portrayal is very different from previous incarnations of the character and he creates a perfect version for this new dark cinematic universe. The one low point in the cast is Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Her sole purpose in the film was to show up and be rescued and denied this wonderful actress a chance to help move the story forward. This is a far cry from the character we were give in Man of Steel.

Overall, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a good film, but not a great film. There are elements of an epic movie underneath the chaos and that’s unfortunate because the actors were giving it their all. Should you see the film? Absolutely. Draw your own conclusions as we will all experience the film differently, but for this comic book lover, I was left wanting more.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After credit scene?

None

Trailer:

Review: ‘Eddie the Eagle’

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Dreams do come true for those who strive to achieve them, that’s the message of Eddie the Eagle, an inspiring tale of a young man who wouldn’t stop until he reached his goal of becoming an Olympic athlete. The film stars Taron Egerton as Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping, but it’s the story of how he got there that is most extraordinary.

Eddie isn’t your normal determined athlete; as a matter of fact, Eddie isn’t what you would call an athlete at all. From an early age, young Eddie Edwards had a dream to become an Olympic athlete and he didn’t care what sport it was, he just wanted to represent his country. He tried his luck at training for all sorts of events throughout his younger years, but nothing seemed to be the right fit. It became apparent to Eddie that he was looking into the wrong sort of sports as his limitations were holding him back, but a revelation came to him and he decided that skiing seemed the more logical choice to help him make the games. He became a good downhill skier, but he was told that he would never make the team. More determined than ever, he found his way to ski jumping. Why ski jumping? There were no other British ski jumpers with whom to compete for a place!

And this is where Eddie’s story takes flight. Against his parents better judgement, Eddie takes off for Germany to train at an Olympic ski jumping facility, but the sport is tougher than he thought. Enter Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), a disgraced former ski jumper turned slope maintenance guy who sees Eddie’s determination but little in the way of talent. Bronson, not looking to reunite with the sport that shunned him, initially deflects Eddie’s call for help, but ultimately decides to help him. The two unlikely allies begin a rough journey that they hope will land them on the slopes of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Director Dexter Fletcher tells Eddie’s wonderful story perfectly with minimal cliche’s and a ton of heart. Taron Egerton shows why he is one of the brightest stars in Hollywood today with his brilliant depiction of the titular character. Hugh Jackman works perfectly with Egerton and their chemistry is the reason the film works so perfectly. Eddie the Eagle is a fantastic story of strong will and determination that will have you standing on your chair and flapping your arms like an eagle. A true testament to the human spirit and a story that will resonate with anyone who’s ever chased a dream.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Review: ‘Deadpool’

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Michael Petrelli — 1 Comment ↓

Actor Ryan Reynolds has been passionate about bringing Marvel icon Deadpool to the big screen ever since his failed portrayal as Wade Wilson in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and, after much demand, Reynolds got his wish. The actor, along with director Tim Miller, have created one of the most faithful adaptations of a comic book hero ever to grace the silver screen. Get your chimichanga’s ready cause the “Merc with the Mouth” is about to blow your mind.

Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, a mercenary who spends most of his time extorting bad people and hanging out with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), a call girl and the love of his life. After finding out he’s been diagnosed with cancer, Wade consents to a top secret program run by Ajax (Ed Skein), a deranged scientist who uses torture to unearth the dormant mutant gene in his human subjects, a gene in which he hopes to cure Wade’s cancer and turn him into a super soldier. The experiment ultimately leave Wilson with accelerated healing powers, but also leaves him badly scarred in the process. In an attempt to right the wrong that has been done to him, Wilson becomes the anti-hero known as Deadpool and unleashes his brand of justice on all of those associated with the program. When Ajax makes things even more personal and goes after Vanessa, Deadpool enlists the help of his best friend Weasel (T.J. Miller) and X-Men Colossus (Stefan Kapičić) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) to rescue Vanessa and hurt a lot of people…really, really bad.

Deadpool is a labor of love and you can tell that everyone involved truly gave everything they have to make this a near perfect action comedy. Director Tim Miller sits back and manages the filming and trusts his actors to bring out the absolute best in their characters. Ryan Reynolds is absolutely superb as the titular character. Reynolds quick delivery and dry sense of humor make him perfect for the role and he delivers a portrayal of Deadpool that fans will embrace with roaring applause. The supporting cast of T.J. Miller, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skein, Brianna Hildebrand and others are each rather enjoyable, but let’s be honest here, this is Reynolds’ movie and the film lives and dies with his performance.

Overall, Deadpool is not a film for everyone, especially not for children! The language and violence and graphic nudity will make it a hard sell for some as well, but the film is an absolute blast and one that will entertain those who are not easily offended. I can honestly say, as a Deadpool comic fan, that this is the film fans have been waiting for and they won’t be disappointed.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After credit scene?

Yes! 2 of them, so stay thru the credits til the lights come up!

Trailer:

Review: ‘Concussion’ Tackles the Growing Problem of Head Injuries in The NFL

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Director Peter Landesman (Kill The Messenger) tackles the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who fought against efforts by National Football League to suppress his research on the brain damage suffered by professional football players. Omalu, is portrayed by Will Smith in this powerful drama that will leave you angered, speechless and saddened by the treatment of the players who have made the game of football so beloved in this country.

Will Smith stars in Columbia Pictures’ “Concussion.”

Dr. Bennet Omalu is a well educated African man who came to this country with a dream of making a difference in this world. Settling in the city of Pittsburgh, Omalu works as a forensic pathologist for the city and has come face to face with an epidemic that has no name. After the tragic death of Steeler legend Mike Webster (David Morse), Omalu discovers that his death maybe caused by trauma to the brain. CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) as it comes to be known, has been left undetected and hidden from the public and players in the NFL, but it might be the exact thing that is killing so many young men after their careers are over. After several attempts by the NFL to deny the problem and to disparage the doctor, Omalu gets an unlikely ally in this fight from Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin), former Steelers team doctor, who believes what Omalu is saying is true. As the two take on the most powerful corporation in this country, their wills will be tested and their careers in jeopardy, but the truth must come out to speak for those who have been left behind to this deadly disease.

Alec Baldwin , left, and Will Smith star in Columbia Pictures’ “Concussion.”

Written by director Peter Landesman, based on the 2009 GQ exposé Game Brain by Jeanne Marie Laskas, Concussion is a powerful story of corporate cover-up and hits directly at the heart of the National Football League. Will Smith is fantastic in his portrayal of Doctor Bennet Omalu. The determination and will to do right of Omalu shines thru in Smith’s performance and helps the audience, who may not know who Omalu is, understand his importance to the medical field and the players of the NFL. Alec Baldwin delivers a sobering look at the inside actions of the medical doctors employed by the NFL and, along with Albert Brooks, lend credence to the authenticity of Smith’s performance. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a calming figure that helps lead Smith’s character thru the toughest of times and helps to keep him focused on the importance of his task.

Concussion is a eye opening look at the violence of football and a spotlight on the corporation that brings it into our homes six months a year. It is a film not to be missed.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Review: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ MINOR Plot Spoilers

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

It’s been a decade since the world has been graced with a Star Wars film and over thirty years since the original cast has been on screen, so to say that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most highly anticipated film of the year would be an understatement. Now under the Disney brand, the film begins a new trilogy that will hope to capture the wonder and admiration of the original films while helping to heal the wounds of that the prequels left. Director J.J. Abrams takes the helm of the nostalgic walk thru the galaxy with a cast of old friends and some new ones. Ladies and gentlemen the Force is indeed awakened.

****From this point on I must caution to a few plot points that may be seen as mild spoilers. Proceed with caution*****

Taking place thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi, the First Order has risen from the ashes of the defeated Empire and are looking to once again take aim at destroying the Republic. Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) controls the First Order with General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) controlling the fleet and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), his powerful apprentice knowledgeable in the ways of the Force, leading the search for a map that can spell the end of the Jedi forever. The Resistance is also looking for this map as well as General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) sends her best pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) to the planet of Jakku in hopes to find the coveted map. After encountering the First Order and fearing capture, Poe puts the recovered map into BB-8 and sends his far from the fight.

Rey (Daisy Ridley), a young scavenger from the planet, finds BB-8 and agrees to help the droid get back to it’s master. With the help of Finn (John Boyega), a defected First Order Stormtrooper, and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), the mission to get the map to the Resistance has begun. Many mysteries surround this group of companions and the fate of the galaxy is in their hands, with the First Order hot on their tails, can the group complete their mission and save the Republic, while securing the future of the Jedi?

Nostalgia aside, Star Wars: The Force Awakens stands on it’s own as a wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe. Director J.J. Abrams captures the magic of the original trilogy and adds a wonderful mix of humor, action and drama to complete his sci-fi masterpiece. Newcomers Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega have staked their place as fan favorites in this vast collection of memorable characters and leave you excited for future installments in their stories. Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis and Adam Driver awaken the dark side with intense precision and capitalize on all that was great about the Empire and add their unique personalities to enhance the First Order and it’s villainous ways. The franchise is truly in good hands with this new guard. My one and only grip was with Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma. The character was set up to be a complete badass in this storyline but was underutilized. Let’s hope we see more of this unique character in the future.

It was such a pleasure to see Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and Mark Hamill back on screen reprising their iconic roles. No matter if they were on screen for a moment or for the duration of the film, each added to the enjoyment of the film in their unique way and brought back memories of my childhood that I was so happy to revisit. I am so very much looking forward to the next chapter in their stories.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the movie event of the year and one not to be missed by Star Wars fans and novice alike.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer

Review: ‘The Revenant’ is DiCaprio’s Journey to Oscar Gold

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Let’s start off by saying that not everyone is going to be able to handle the sheer intensity of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant, this was made abundantly clear within the first 5 minutes of the film, but for those who can handle it, you’re in for one hell of an amazing journey. Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an epic story of survival and transformation on the American frontier that is as visually stunning as it is brutal in it’s storytelling. Iñárritu has his eyes set on award season again and this film looks poised to take home some of the major categories with ease.

Legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is on an expedition in uncharted wilderness of the American frontier when he is attacked and mauled by a bear, leaving him for dead. Knowing that the harsh conditions were hindering the group from successfully transporting Glass back to their fort, expedition leader Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) convinces team members Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) to stay behind along with Glass’s Native American son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), to protect and care for Glass while the rest of the team goes for help. When Glass is left for dead by the men and forced to witness the murder of his son, Glass refuses to succumb to his injuries and sets off on a 200 mile journey thru the untamed West to get revenge on the man who took his son.

Academy Award®-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu brings the 19^th century American Frontier alive with stunning cinematography and lighting and mirroring the harsh conditions Glass and company actually lived through on their journey. This emotionally raw film is brought to life by actor Leonardo DiCaprio who brings Glass to life with painstaking precision. Actor Tom Hardy embodies the immoral nature of life in the frontier and his performance encompasses the true nature of survival of the fittest. Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter round out this wonderful cast, each providing the sense that morality can survive even when the world around you seems to prove otherwise.

The Revenant is a brutal film that shines glimmers of hope thru holes of despair on one man’s quest for survival. It’s a film that will leave you thinking about it’s content days after the credits roll, it will test your moral compass, it will shake you in its brutality, but it will leave you satisfied. The Revenant is this years film to beat.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Review: ‘The Big Short’ Delivers Big

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — 1 Comment ↓

If you were to ask anyone what the two scariest things that could happen to this country would be, my guess is that they would answer: terrorism and an economic collapse, both of which have become reality in the last 15 years. The latter is the subject of Michael Lewis’ non-fiction book “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine” which is now a feature film directed by Adam McKay. The film tackles the build-up of the housing and credit bubble during the 2000s and failures of the financial district which lead the market to crash, which serves a gut punch to all the experts who allowed it to happen. In short, The Big Short is a film that should become required viewing for all business students and politicians.

Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

In 2005, hedge fund manager Michael Burry (Christian Bale) stumbles upon a major discovery while researching loans bundled into highly rated mortgage bonds. Burry discovered that each and every one of these bonds was loaded with delinquent home loans that he believed would default over the next few years. Knowing that Wall Street bankers and government regulatory agencies has no intentions of acting to fix this certain doom, Burry invents a financial instrument called the credit default swap in order to “short” the booming housing market, much to the dismay of his hedge fund’s owners and investors. A mortgage broker іѕ a professional whо іѕ licensed wіth thе Real Estate Council оf Alberta (RECA). In order tо obtain thіѕ credential, a mortgage broker іѕ required tо meet educational аnd professional conduct requirements, аnd complete background security checks. A mortgage broker ѕhоuld nеvеr bе compared tо уоur local financial institution. Thе purpose аnd function оf еасh іѕ vеrу different. An independent mortgage broker іѕ just that-independent-meaning thеу hаvе nо association wіth аnу оnе lender. Thаt means it’s thеіr job tо offer уоu unbiased advice. At Metropolitan mortgage corporation you will get best broker, For more information look at this site.

After Burry makes his bet at Goldman Sachs, Wall Street banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) is informed of Burry’s strategy, and decides to uses this knowledge to persuade hedge-fund manager Mark Baum (Steve Carell) that he too should invest millions in credit default swaps. Initially skeptical, Baum and his team (Jeremy Strong, Hamish Linklater and Rafe Spall) undertake their own investigation. Researching the housing market in Florida, they interview homeowners, realtors and mortgage brokers and discover that what Vennett has told them is true and that we are facing the worst economic crisis in decades.

Christian Bale plays Michael Burry in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

While visiting NY to make their pitch their hedge fund to some of the bigger banks, money managers Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock) and Charlie Geller (John Magaro) also stumble upon the housing-market bubble and with the help of ex-banker Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), use his connections to help them make their own bet against Wall Street. If all of these men are right, they will make billions, while millions of Americans lose their homes, their jobs and their retirement savings; if they’re wrong, they’ll lose everything. The gamble against the U.S. economy is on.

The Big Short is nothing short of spectacular. The script by McKay and Charles Randolph keeps a lot of the technical aspects of Lewis‘ book in tact, but helps to assist the average film goers understanding of the subject matter with vignettes that are as much hilarious as they are informative. Director Adam McKay assembles one of the best ensemble casts in decades and each actor brings their very best to this important film. Steve Carell has never been better and turns in a stand out performance. Christian Bale captures the eccentric nature of his character perfectly and Ryan Gosling has perfected the art of ego better than any actor in years.

This is a must see film and an instant contender for awards season.

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Review: ‘The Danish Girl’

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The Danish Girl is a powerful story of the hardships of living a life for which you do not belong. Director Tom Hooper takes on the story, which is based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff which centers around Lili Elbe, a Danish transgender woman and one of the first identifiable recipients of sex reassignment surgery.

The story takes place in 1920’s Copenhagen, where artist Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander) and her husband and fellow artist Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) reside. A normal young couple with aspirations of being successful painters and raising a family, until a secret from Einar’s past is awakened. After Gerda asks Einar to to stand in for a female model, the paintings begin to receive a lot of attention which leads Gerda to continue to paint Einar as a woman. Einar begins to enjoy this new found alter ego and begins to live under the name Lili. Feeling that he is not meant to live his life as a man any longer, he begins to become distant from his loving wife, a move which leads to his quest to have sex reassignment surgery. Will a love that once bloomed within Gerda and Einar find a way to evolve as Einar embarks on this life changing quest?

Eddie Redmayne, once again, turns in an Oscar winning performance as Lili. His transformation and heartbreaking portrayal is a marvelous example of the emotional and painstaking journey that transgenders endured in the early 20th century. Alicia Vikander is outstanding with an emotionally charged performance. Her strong will and loyalty to her husband is what makes this film so beautiful.

The Danish Girl is a highly emotional film that will leave you breathless and emotional drawn, but the journey is well worth it.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and the rest of the Gladers have escaped the maze only to find themselves in for the fight of their lives in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, the second film in the Maze Runner trilogy. Director Wes Ball returns to helm this dark and intense sequel which pushes it’s stars, and audience, to the limits as we enter “The Scorch”, the remnants of a major city which has been desolated by it’s climate and is now inhabited by Cranks, a term used to describe those who have been infected by the Flare virus. If you thought the Maze was intense, wait til you experience Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.

The film picks up where the first film ends, with the Gladers being rescued and taken to a facility run by Mr. Janson (Aidan Gillen), a safe haven, protecting them from WICKED, or so they think. Thomas and the others quickly find out that they are only a cog in a very large wheel as they come to find out there are other survivors from multiple mazes. Curious as to the intentions of their new benefactor, Thomas decides that things are a little too perfect for his liking. Another survivor named Aris (Jacob Lofland) shows Thomas that he may just be right with his assumptions. WICKED’s leader Ava Paige (Patricia Clarkson) is still alive and she has a plan for all the remaining survivors. Thomas gathers the Gladers and they escape their capture into the Scorch.

After facing the harsh conditions of their new environment, the group head off to find the Right Arm, a resistance force hidden in the mountains who are supposed to protect the immune and take them to a safe haven. On the outskirts of the Scorch, Thomas and the group meet Brenda (Rosa Salazar) and Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito), who lead a dangerous band of survivors intent on finding favor with the Right Arm. As WICKED begins to close in on the Gladers, it’s up to Thomas to get them to safety, but will their destination be the safe haven they hope it to be?

James Dashner’s source material is dark and intense and Wes Ball does not shy away from taking this film and it’s core audience out of their comfort zone. The intense nature of the film is doubled by the presence of the Cranks, humans zombified by the Flare virus, who are as horrifying in their movement as they are in their appearance. The returning cast gets to experience a lot more than they did in the Maze as the climate and the sheer vastness of their environment is challenge enough without the added dangers of the chase. Dylan O’Brien continues to impress with his intense, emotional palette. Aidan Gillen is no stranger to toying with the audiences with his confidence and swagger and is a wonderful addition to this cast as the new protagonist. Rosa Salazar and Giancarlo Esposito fit in well with the returning cast who are very familiar with each other by this point in the story.

Overall, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is not for the weak at heart and definitely not for a young audience. The intense scenes will surprise an older audience and may help expand this franchise into newer viewership. This film is a lot of fun and a very enjoyable sequel. And now…we wait until 2017 for Maze Runner: The Death Cure.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Review: ‘Black Mass’ – Depp Shines as the Oscar Season Kicks Off

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

After a series of box office disappointments, Johnny Depp returns with his finest performance of his career in Black Mass, the story of the rise and fall of Whitey Bulger, Boston’s most notorious gangster. Based on the 2001 book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill and directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), this period crime drama is captivating in it’s ruthless storytelling, which grabs you from the very beginning and pulls you closer with each passing scene. Oscar needs to stand up and take notice because Black Mass is the first real contender for this year’s award season.

James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) is a recently released convict and the leader of The Winter Hill Gang and one of the most respect men in South Boston. John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) is an FBI agent who’s recently returned to Boston to head a task force to rid the city of the Italian mob. James and John grew up on the streets of South Boston together and Connelly knows the influence of Bulger. Knowing that the best way to infiltrate organized crime is from the inside, Connelly, along with Whitey’s brother, Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), a state senator and Boston public figure, strike a deal with Whitey to trade secrets and take down Boston’s Italian Mafia, a deal that would catapult Whitey from small time crime boss to the king of Boston.

Director Scott Cooper, working from a script by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow), tells Bulger and Connelly’s story over a series of decades which culminates in Bulger making the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List. Each act of the story perfectly illustrates the challenges each character involved in this unholy alliance face leading to life altering situations and decisions that no one can turn back from. Cooper is gifted with an amazing cast lead by the memorizing Depp who turns in an Oscar winning performance. Depp, who is barely recognizable as the godfather of the Irish Mob, is relentless in his commitment to the character and his portrayal is both haunting and meticulous in his execution.

Joel Edgerton embodies the invincibility and arrogance of his character with ease and turns in the performance of a lifetime. Benedict Cumberbatch is limited in his screen time, but he makes the most of every scene by portraying the confidence and calmness of an American politician and brother of a notorious gangster. My one wish for this film would have been for a bit more interaction between Depp and Cumberbatch as both actors were ripe for some great scenes. The rest of the cast, which includes Rory Cochrane, Kevin Bacon, Adam Scott, and David Harbour, were outstanding in this supporting roles.

Overall, Black Mass is a fantastic crime drama with plenty of drama and wonderful performances and one that demands to be seen. Don’t miss this film.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Review: ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Hollywood’s fascination with remaking old television shows into film continues with our subject for today, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., a slick action spy caper from director Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes). The film serves as an origin story to the original premise of the television show as we witness the birth of the relationship between the characters and their graduation to becoming the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Step inside the world of espionage and intrigue as we venture back to a time where the world was on the brink of crisis and the men responsible with protecting their countries didn’t wear capes.

Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. centers on CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), two foes forced to put aside their differences, to team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, bent on creating nuclear weapons with the goal of world domination. How will they find this mystery organization? Through the daughter of a vanished German scientist, Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander) whom the two believe might be the key to unlocking the mystery, but they must contend with Victoria Vinciguerra (Elizabeth Debicki), a widowed industrialist who is working with the mystery organization to develop the nuclear technology and stop them from foiling their plan. Can the trio put their differences aside long enough to stop the destruction of the world?

Director Guy Ritchie has incorporated his wonderfully clever, stylish film making with this intriguing cast of characters to create an intelligent spy caper that doesn’t take itself too serious and allows it’s campy nature to weave its way into the tone of the film to create one heck of a fun time. Henry Cavill is outstanding as the debonair thief turned super spy. Cavill’s charm and delivery are perfect for the setting and his presence on screen is reminiscent of an early Bond. Armie Hammer has his ups and down in the this film, but overall he does a fine job creating his character. Alicia Vikander is absolutely stunning in this film. Vikander, who stole the show in this year’s Ex Machina, again steals the show with her beauty and grace. Elizabeth Debicki is devilishly mesmerizing as the villainess of the film. Debicki brings a sense of calm beauty that you are intrigued to find out more about her. For a film driven by male performances, it’s the women who steal the show of this film.

Overall, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a truly enjoyable film and one that will keep you entertained all the way thru.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Weight Loss

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

One of the most common questions that exercisers ask is: “how long should I work out?” The answer to this question depends on your goals and current health status. While following minimum guidelines for physical activity can help to maintain health and combat the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle, it takes more effort to lose weight and get fit. In addition, an individual’s current level of fitness will also determine how much they should exercise each day. Read more about prostadine.

When people wonder how long they should be exercising they may hope the answer is less versus more. In fact, the recent health and fitness trend is to do shorter workouts for weight loss.1 But this fad might not always be effective for everyone—whether you’re trying to lose weight or improve your level of fitness.

The best method to determine how long you should work out shouldn’t be based on fitness trends. Of course, you can (and should) still include short workouts on rotation in your schedule. But you will also have to do some cardiovascular workouts that are a little bit longer if you want to lose weight and stay healthy.

Weight Loss

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), you should exercise for 150–250 minutes per week to lose weight. The organization also suggests that more exercise provides better results.2

If you want to keep the weight off for good, the ACSM prescribes a minimum of 250 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise per week. Check these Alpilean reviews.

To meet the ACSM guideline, you could simply exercise for 40 minutes every day. But that workout schedule could get boring, which may cause you to quit your program. In addition, to lose weight effectively you need to exercise at different intensity levels. This requires that you adjust your workout duration to accommodate the various workloads. It’s also helpful to keep track of your daily calorie needs for weight loss. This calculator can provide you with an estimate.

Set Your Calorie Goal and Get a Free Meal Plan

Build Strength

Muscle mass decreases with age, which stresses the importance of regular resistance training. Strength training builds stronger muscles and bones to support the joints and prevent fractures and can even be beneficial for managing arthritis.3

In addition to cultivating a regular strength training regimen, it’s important to make sure that you’re still incorporating enough cardiovascular activity to maintain or improve your current level of aerobic fitness. These are the best legal steroids.

Switching up your workout routines and workout lengths can help stave off boredom and help you stay motivated. But be sure to carve out time for rest and recovery days to avoid injury or burnout.4

A 2016 review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine suggests that strength training at least two days a week can effectively build and strengthen muscle.5 Some experts recommend three days or more, however.

Stay Healthy

The American Heart Association (AHA) has physical activity recommendations for basic health maintenance for adults and children in the United States. Here’s a close look at some of the AHA’s advice.6

Adults: Americans aged 18 and older should get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of higher-intensity cardiovascular activity (or some combination of both) each week. The AHA also recommends incorporating strength and resistance training at least two days per week.
Children: For kids aged 3–5, the AHA states that this group should be very active throughout the day. Children aged 6-17 are advised to get at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise per day, with vigorous intensity at least three days per week. Strength-training activities for this age group should be at least three days a week, gradually increasing with frequency and intensity over time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only around 22.9% of U.S. adults aged 18–64 meet the minimum guidelines for physical activity each week.

To reap the health benefits of regular exercise, the AHA suggests that adults gradually increase the amount and intensity of exercise to reach a goal of 300 minutes (5 hours) of physical activity per week.

To incorporate more heart-pumping physical activity into your daily life, the AHA recommends first and foremost being less sedentary whenever possible. Even light activity such as getting up and going for a short walk or performing gentle stretching can help offset the risks associated with too much sitting, according to the AHA. In addition, the AHA suggests the following activities:6

Moderate-Intensity Exercise

Ballroom or social dancing
Brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
Biking slower than 10 mph
Doubles tennis
Gardening
Water aerobics

Vigorous-Intensity Exercise

Aerobic dancing
Cycling 10 mph or faster
Jumping rope
Hiking (uphill or with a heavy backpack)
Singles tennis
Swimming laps
Rigorous yardwork
Running

While getting enough exercise is crucial for maintaining and improving health, staying hydrated and getting proper nutrition is just as important. For advice on following a healthy, balanced diet, refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

How Long Should You Work Out Each Day

How long you should exercise every day depends on the specific workouts you choose and your personal health and fitness goals. If you are healthy enough for vigorous exercise, your workout program should include hard, high-intensity days (20 to 30 minutes), easy days to recover (30 to 45 minutes), and moderate days when you build endurance, improve heart health, and burn fat (45 to 90 minutes). Each of these workout goals requires a different exercise duration. In general, you’ll want to incorporate a mix of the following each week.

Michael’s Review: ‘Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but the guy can deliver one hell of a performance. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation proves this fact with its fast pace action and its intriguing storyline which grabs you from second one and never lets go. Director Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) and Cruise have created a nice rapport over the years as the two seem very comfortable working together and it shows with the finished films. The Mission Impossible franchise was rejuvenated with 2011’s Ghost Protocol, and Rogue Nation continues to show that with great storytelling and exciting set pieces, this franchise has a lot left in the tank.

The Impossible Mission Force is on assignment saving the world once again. We find the team in Belarus where Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is attempting to stop delivery of chemical weapons to hostile forces. Accompanied on the mission by Benji (Simon Pegg), Ethan finds himself on the outside of a plane rushing down the runway to take off. An expected thrilling start to a franchise which has hung its hat on exciting action set pieces. The thrill rides are just beginning as the team find themselves in the sight lines of a new villainous foe in the form of the mysterious syndicate. Ethan comes face to face with the head of the group, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) when he is captured and sent for interrogation. Ethan’s capture is Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a rogue MI:6 agent who now works for the syndicate, but her alliances are, as we say, complicated, as she helps free Ethan.

But this isn’t the only threat to the IMF. The group is denounced by the CIA chief Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) who wants to disband the force for its reckless behavior, blaming the IMF for the attack on the Kremlin one year earlier. Despite William Brandt’s (Jeremy Renner) protests, all IMF operations are shut down, leaving Ethan Hunt the CIA’s most wanted. Ethan must rely on Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Brandt and Benji to help him prove that the syndicate is real and reinstate the IMF. Stuck between two powerful foes, Ethan travels the globe and fights side by side with friend and foe. His mission, to stop the syndicate before time runs out. This message will self destruct in 5,4,3,2,1.

In a summer filled with so many hits and misses, it’s nice to see a film like Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation come out and prove that character driven action films can entertain while not being dumbed down for the sake of the summer movie going audience. Christopher McQuarrie does a wonderful job directing this veteran cast who have, for the most part, been working together on this franchise for close to a decade. McQuarrie, who also is responsible for writing the film, balances the need for dialogue driven scenes with action set pieces nicely, allowing for development of each character nicely. Tom Cruise has coveted this franchise for 20 years and it truly is his baby. Cruise is fearless in his passion for this role and it shows with his delivery and how committed he is to making each scene as believable as possible. Simon Pegg benefits from an increase in screen time this time around and makes the most of it. Pegg’s wonderful blend of quirky and dramatic make his performance one to watch.

Jeremy Renner isn’t given much to do action wise in this film, and sadly, his character suffers for it, but it is his dry comedic exchanges with Alec Baldwin that make for some entertaining scenes. Sean Harris’ villainous role is menacing as much in his silence as he is in his characters execution. A cold, callous demeanor make his Solomon Lane the best villain of the franchise so far. Rebecca Ferguson’s heroine is the real scene stealer of the film. Ferguson’s beauty and grace make her presence on screen so must see.

Overall, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is the best sequel this summer not named Mad Max: Fury Road. Your mission, if you chose to accept it, run to the theater and see this one in the biggest format you can.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Review: ‘Southpaw’

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Southpaw, definition, noun, a left-handed person, especially a boxer who leads with the right hand or a baseball pitcher.

Why did this review begin with a definition of the title? Two reasons, first, because not everyone knows what the term means. The second reason is the more important one; I wanted to remind the screenwriter Kurt Sutter (“Sons of Anarchy”) what the term means as well. You see a southpaw is a boxer who leads with their right hand and is usually, but not always, left handed. This is a very important point to keep in mind while viewing this movie, because you will not see a single southpaw boxer in the entire film. Not Jake Gyllenhaals’s Billy Hope, not Forest Whitaker’s Titus Wills, not Miguel Gomez’s Miguel Ecobar, not even any of the opponents or training partners. Nope, you will not see a single southpaw in this entire film!

So why name this movie Southpaw? Apparently Kurt Sutter wrote the part specifically for Eminem as a metaphor for Eminem’s custody struggles, and since Eminem is a white rapper that struggled to be accepted and a southpaw has a hard time being accepted as well. Eminem is a lefty so it would make sense even in the context of the film. Now they are going with the idea that the title refers to the fact that a southpaw struggles to become a good boxer and so does Billy hope, the film’s protagonist.

The Basics: Jake Gyllenhaal plays Bill “The Great” Hope, the undisputed light heavyweight boxing champion who has never been defeated in the ring, well except for once, but that didn’t count. He is the prototypical white boxer, a lovable dumb guy who can’t manage to survive without the help of others but is really good at taking a massive beating in the ring and pulling victory from the jaws of defeat at the hands of obviously superior boxers (sound familiar?). Rachel McAdams plays his wife Maureen “Mo” Hope who came up through the foster system with Billy and has been by his side since they were 12 years old. Mo is the decision making intelligent street wise brains of the family. They have a daughter named Leila Hope played by Oona Laurence (Penny Dreadful).

The first act is typical to a fault. Billy wins a hard fought title defense, his wife wants to him stop boxing, his agent Jordan Mains, played by 50 Cent, wants him to sign an HBO deal, and his daughter just wants her Dad around more. A smooth talking ranked boxer Miguel Escobar, played by Miguel Gomez, wants his shot and talks trash at a press conference. Yadda yadda yadda, they have a show down outside of a charity fundraiser and Mo ends up getting shot and killed in scuffle.

Billy loses his mind, puts up a pathetic performance in the ring, spirals into despair and drinking, and winds up losing his daughter to the state protective custody. Down on his luck he goes to the gym run by the only trainer that ever helped a boxer beat him, Forest Whitaker’s Titus “Tick” Wills. They have a hard time trusting each other, a random kids dies, they bond, the movie goes on. If all of this sounds cliché, congratulations, you have seen a boxing movie before. I won’t spoil the rest for you, but it plays out exactly how you expect it to.

Conclusion: Here’s the deal, Southpaw isn’t a bad movie (besides the lack of a southpaw which I find reprehensible). It is just an average boxing movie. If you have seen a few of them, then you have seen every cliché that gets checked off of the list in this movie. It felt very Rocky III the whole time to me. This is all the more shameful because of the solid performances given by the cast. Gyllenhaal plays the punchy stupid white boxer (hello again Rocky) in an actually nuanced and method way. Oona Laurence is absolutely brilliant as she bounces between love and hate of her father. Forest Whitaker is Forest Whitaker. Even 50 Cent turns in a great performance.

These great performances are over shadowed by a badly titled, poorly written, and ultimately color by number boxing film. There are so many missed opportunities, plot holes, and dangling ends that it boggles the mind as to why they didn’t pursue any of those paths that might have made this movie unique in some way.

Boxing Genre Score: 2.75/5 – hits all the right notes, but is playing from a tired piece of music.

Mainstream Audience Score: 3.5/5 – if you haven’t seen the Rocky series or many other boxing movies it’s a good character drama with great performances

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Ant-Man’- Sometimes Tiny Superheroes Have the Biggest Heart

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

A film once destined for greatness was dealt a blown after the departure of director and fan favorite Edgar Wright from the project, but despite the negative reaction to the news, Marvel carried on and hired Peyton Reed (Yes Man) to fulfill the companies vision of their long standing character. Ant-Man, the story of a man who can shrink to the size of an ant and fight crime, a gamble at best for the studio, but one, done right, that could introduce another iconic Avenger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel’s Ant-Man..Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014

The year is 1989 and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is a scientist who, at present, works for S.H.I.E.L.D. Pym has created a technology which allows a person to shrink to the size of an ant, a technology many want to get their hands on. Finding out that S.H.I.E.L.D has tried to replicate this tech, Pym, believing the tech is too dangerous even for those who want to use it for good, vows to hide it and protect it as long as he lives.

Present day finds Pym protégé, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), alongside Hank’s daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly), have forced Hank out of his own company. The two have continued the research that Hank had vowed to protect and Cross is close to perfecting a shrinking suit of his own. Knowing he must stop this from happening, Pym decides to take action. This is where Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) comes in. Lang, a convicted criminal and expert burglar, is looking for a second chance in life, a chance that would help him reclaim a place in his daughters life, but prospects aren’t that easy for someone with a record. Ex cellmate Luis (Michael Peña) offers to help get Lang back on his feet with an opportunity to get back into the life he most desperately wants to leave behind.

Marvel’s Ant-Man..L to R: Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Hank Pym/Ant-Man (Michael Douglas)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014

Lang breaks into a house and cracks its safe, but only finds what he believes to be an old motorcycle suit, which he takes home. After trying the suit on, Lang accidentally shrinks himself to the size of an insect. Terrified by the experience, he returns the suit to the house, but is arrested on the way out. Pym, the homeowner, visits Lang in jail and offers him a proposition, a chance to become a hero, a chance to save the Earth, a chance to be the Ant-Man! Just one catch, he has to revert back to his old life and steal Cross’ tech and help destroy it.

Marvel’s Ant-Man..Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014

Director Peyton Reed, working with the script written by original director Edgar Wright along with Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Paul Rudd, plays it safe and sticks with the script as it was meant to be portrayed and never “dumbs down” the dialogue to make it easier to follow. Everything about Ant-Man that works comes from its heart and simplicity. The film never takes itself too seriously and that’s what ultimately helps make Ant-Man’s first venture to the big screen so much fun. Same to say this is the best origin story Marvel has produced since the original Iron Man, unless we’re counting Guardians of the Galaxy as an origin story and then, well…

Marvel’s Ant-Man..L to R: Darren Cross/Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll) & Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Film Frame..© Marvel 2015

Paul Rudd is outstanding as the titular hero. Rudd brings so much heart and compassion to this role, which brings a heightened level of believability to the character. Michael Douglas is equally as phenomenal as the elder statesman of the Ant-Man universe. Douglas looks very at home in his first go at a superhero movie and you can tell that the seasoned actor was having a blast bringing this iconic character to life. Evangeline Lilly works equally as well with both Rudd and Douglas, but it is her relationship with the latter that helps add to the heart of the film. My only real issue with the film is the villain, played by Corey Stoll. One of the major complaints with Marvel films is that their villains have been hit or miss, and with this film, the villain is a miss, but not by much. Stoll seems to have the ability to provide a menacing character, so it leads me to believe the studio elected for a more family friendly villains. Sadly the villains doesn’t work as well as it should for my taste. The show stealer however is Michael Pena! That guy is incredible witty and his delivery is spot on.

Overall, Ant-Man is probably not the exact film we would’ve gotten if Edgar Wright had directed it, but it sure is one heck of a film. Take the whole family to see this film, a good time for all! Ant-Man will return!

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

2 ( One during the credits and a stinger at the end)

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Jurassic World’- The Park is Open!

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

It’s been 22 years since the events on Isla Nublar. A lots happened since then in the world of cinema, but there is a special place in our hearts for the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park and that is why this weekends opening of the newest installment in the dino franchise, Jurassic World, is so highly anticipated. Can Colin Trevorrow’s vision live up to the hype? Let’s simply forget the events of the dull and forgetful sequels and revel in the fact that the park is open!

Millions of people flock to this Dino-Disney theme park every year on the island where it all started. The park John Hammond envisioned has to come fruition thanks to Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan), CEO of the Masrani Corporation and the owner of Jurassic World, who believed in Hammond’s vision enough to make it a reality. Masrani wants a park where the animals are just as happy as those paying admission, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), the park’s operations manager, believes in profits and making bigger and better attractions, which leads to the creation of a new genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus rex, which is said to be the biggest attraction the park has ever seen.

Brothers Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) have arrived at the park to visit their aunt Claire. Gray, an avid dinosaur enthusiast, is excited to finally see the park, but brother Zach is only along for the ride. The two trek off into the park with Claire’s assistant to explore while Aunt Claire checks on her newest attraction. After some concerns about the newest dinosaurs development, Masrani requests the assistance of Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), a Velociraptor expert and trainer known to have a positive influence over the creatures. Vic Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio), the head of InGen security, is on hand to witness Owen’s work and believes this trainiing should be used to turn the Velociraptors into weapons to be sold to the government, an idea Owen strongly opposes.

A mishap allows the Indominus to escape captivity and sets off a park wide Dino hunt. With Gray and Zach lost in the park, Claire enlists the help of Owen to rescue the boys and take down the Indominus before the park is destroyed and lives are lost. With the help of an unimaginable allies, will Owen reach the boys and stop the blood thirsty killer before it’s too late?

Director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) does a phenomenal job of creating his vision of the park within the framework of the original world created by Steven Spielberg. The film, a direct sequel to the original film, is not only a visually stunning film, but the strong script from Rick Jaffra and Amanda Silver (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) leaves a lot of the playful elements that worked so well from the original while allowing for the dramatic performances of the actors to work without an overabundance of corny lines and cringe worthy performances. Chris Pratt continues to impress as his career shift to leading man continues. Pratt is becoming more and more comfortable in action roles and his performance in Jurassic World is sometimes a bit stiff but overall quite enjoyable. Bryce Dallas Howard is wonderful. A character which can fall into so many cliche’s, Howard avoids many of them and provides a performance worthy of being included alongside Laura Dern’s Dr. Ellie Sattler from the first film. Neither Ty Simpkins or Nick Robinson were overly impressive, but neither were annoying either which is a plus considering their roles.

Overall, Jurassic World is one hell of a fun ride. A film that doesn’t quite reach the exceptional level of the first film, but far exceeds the sequels. Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire states, “no one’s impressed by a dinosaur anymore”, well, this movie does impress and I can’t wait to head back to the park one more time.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Entourage’

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The Entourage boys are back with their first feature film with series creator Doug Ellin serving as director and it’s just what you would expect from the testosterone driven hit HBO show…women, cars, cameos, and Ari Fricking Gold. Eight seasons just weren’t enough to tell the tale of Vinny Chase and his boys as they conquer Hollywood and all the women in Los Angeles.

The film picks up six months after the show ended where we find Johnny “Drama” Chase (Kevin Dillon), Eric “E” Murphy (Kevin Connolly), and “Turtle” (Jerry Ferrara) riding a motorboat to a yacht party where their newly divorced friend, movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) is partying it up with the locals in Ibiza. Reunited and it feels so good for this brat pack-esque crew who now look to the next chapter in Vince’s career. Hearing that his former agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) has returned from retirement and is now a studio exec, Vince reaches out to Ari, who offers Vince a new project, a project that Vince says he will only do if he can direct. And this is where the story begins.

The project is called Hyde, which is a futuristic take on “Jekyll and Hyde”. Starring and directing in the film, Vince recruits E to be his producer and Drama to be his co-star, but things go south when the blooming budget and rumors of a disastrous rough cut of the film reach Ari, who is desperate for this film to be a success. Vince reaches out to Ari to convince him to fund the project with more money so he can fully complete his vision. Reluctant, Ari reaches out to Larsen McCredle (Billy Bob Thornton), an oil tycoon and studio financier who refuses to give any more money unless his son, Travis (Haley Joel Osment) accompanies Ari back to Hollywood and sees a version off the film. Determined to see this project to completion, Ari and Vince try to convince Travis to fund the extra money, but complication arise when Travis and Vince can’t meet eye to eye on the film. With time running out and a studio hungry for a hit, can Ari, Vince and the boys find their way to the finish line?

Director Doug Ellin elects for the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it approach” with his characters and creates a film that feels more like an over bloated, cameo filled episode of the television show. This approach isn’t detrimental to the film’s success, but limits the characters evolution past what we already know of them. As for the actors, they get to slip into a familiar shoe and do exactly what they did for eight years. Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Kevin Connolly all provide exactly what the audience wants and they do it fairly well, but there’s an empty feeling seeing these great characters not find anything new to do except drive around and talk about sex. Jeremy Piven is epic as always as the fast talking Ari Gold. Piven steals every scene he’s in and is the real star of this film as he was of the tv show.

Overall, Entourage is for fans of the show and very few others. It is a fun trip down memory lane for many of us who invested close to a decade in these characters, but in the end, the film did little to expand the characters any further and left me wanting more from the plot. Is the movie as enjoyable as the show? Sure, but not as creative. Let’s hope if the boys get another go around that they give us a little more substance than this.

Stars:

2 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Scene during the credits

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘San Andreas’

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Actor Dwayne Johnson returns to the big screen with the newest disaster flick San Andreas, a film that will no doubt continue Johnson’s string of high budget, low payoff films that have plagued his career since he broke into Hollywood over a decade ago. Director by Brad Peyton (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) helms this “by the book” action fluff film that will wow the visual effects fan out there, but will leave audiences wishing that a natural disaster would wipe this film from existence.

Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) is a Los Angeles Fire Department rescue-helicopter pilot who is credited with over 600 rescues in his career. Gaines, a family oriented man who recently separated from his wife Emma (Carla Gugino), counts his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario) as his biggest accomplishment and will do anything to protect her. Having previously lost their other daughter to a freak accident, Ray and Emma are left to continue separate lives, one that includes Emma’s new boyfriend David (Ioan Gruffudd), a wealthy architect whom Emma and Blake intend to move in with. Ray’s plans for spending a final weekend with Blake before she begins university in the San Francisco area are dashed when a major earthquake hits Nevada and his squad is mobilizes to respond while Daniel offers to fly Blake up north on his private jet.

Revelations are uncovered that the Nevada quake is only the beginning as Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti), a seismology professor at CalTech, has reason to believe the seismic activity is headed towards California. Before Hayes can get word out to the public, the first of many big tremors hits downtown Los Angeles, where Emma is lunching in a high rise restaurant as the building begins to crumble around her. Ray, sensing danger, swoops in and rescues her from the roof in his chopper. Blake, now caught in the earthquakes path, reaches out to her father for help. Realizing what they must do, Ray and Emma race up the coast to save their only daughter before it’s too late. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning, and when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started.

Director Brad Peyton, along with cinematographer Steve Yedlin and VFX supervisor Colin Strause, have created a thrilling spectacle with intense visual effects and non stop action that will have audience members holding on to their seat, but the dialogue and execution of the human aspects leave this film lacking the heart it needs to succeed. Dwayne Johnson does a worthy job holding the film together, but the wrestler turned actor is given very few opportunities to show off why he is the most popular action star in Hollywood these days. Alexandra Daddario is a strong presence during her screen time in the film. Her character teeters on the edge of cliche as the damsel in distress, but she does her best to separate herself from the norm and create a character with strong undertones. Veteran actor Paul Giamatti does his best to work with a weak script and even weaker science but ultimately turns in a stale performance with very little substance. Actress Carla Gugino does little to add to the dramatic aspects of the film and turns in a rather forgetful performance.

Overall, San Andreas is not as bad as recent disaster films such as 2012, but falls victim to too many cliches and weak story telling to be counted as good. Should you see the film? Fans of Dwayne Johnson will be entertained, fans of disaster films and visual effects will be entertained, slightly, but not many others. In a summer filled with hit or miss films, San Andreas is a slight miss.

Stars:

2 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Tomorrowland’

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

“Inspiring people makes the world a better place”, a quote from a young Frank Walker in Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland which opens this weekend in theaters. A film that would like to do just that, inspire young people to dream big and achieve greatness to help better our world and save the future, a noble goal and a powerful message for this generation. Inspired by the Disney theme park on the same name, this film sets it’s sights to become the next great Disney family adventure, but can it win over audiences this summer?

Frank Walker (George Clooney) opens the movie by saying, “The future can be scary” for which optimist and science enthusiast Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) responds, “When I was a kid the future was different.” Two varying perspectives from two very different generations who will need to work together to save the planet. We flashback to 1964, a young Frank Walker (Thomas Robinson) attends the New York World’s Fair where he meets David Nix (Hugh Laurie), a judge for new innovations in science at the fair who is unimpressed with Walker’s attempt to create a jetpack. A young girl named Athena (Raffey Cassidy). who is attending the fair with Nix, sees something in Walker and gives him a pin which results in Walker being transported into a futuristic cityscape known as Tomorrowland.

Years in the future we find Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), sneaking into a former NASA launch site in Cape Canaveral to stop the site from being destroyed. Her father, Eddie (Tim McGraw), is an NASA engineer who was employed at the site so the destruction vastly effects the Newton family. She returns home where Athena finds the young girl and hides a pin in her helmet for her to find. After being arrested for attempting another sabotage mission on the NASA site, Casey discovers the pin among her personal items. Casey discovers that upon contact, the pin instantly transports her to Tomorrowland. She briefly explores Tomorrowland, before a timer on the pin expires and returns Casey to her world. Desperate to return, Casey begins to search for another way back.

Casey hits the road to find answers, but soon finds her life threatened by robots sent to protect Tomorrowland from any more visitors. With the help of Athena, Casey finds Frank, who informs her that the world is coming to an end. Understanding that they must stop this from happening, the two begin their journey back to the place that neither can live without. With hope on their side, even the tinniest of actions could change the future.

Tomorrowland is a movie with an important message about saving the Earth from our mistakes and director Brad Bird’s ambitious film delivers its point with dialogue and visuals pointing to our demise, but will any of its core audience listen? One of Bird’s mistakes in his delivery is the pacing of the film. In areas the pacing works and the film moves well enough, but there are gaps where young audiences could find themselves “zoning” out which, I fear, will cause the overall message of the film to be lost. Actress Britt Robertson is wonderful as the young science enthusiast. Robertson delivers on her desire to make her character unique and does well to stray her character away from cliche’s that plague way to many of these characters. George Clooney and Hugh Laurie are servicable but not overly amazing in this film. Clooney given more to work with with his character than Laurie, who had the makings of a great antagonist, but fizzled on the development. Raffey Cassidy is charming as the young Athena. Cassidy Her characters interaction with her co-stars is wonderful and the young actress delivers.

Overall, Tomorrowland is an enjoyable film which will hopefully inspire it’s audience to go out and make the world a better place. As young Walker said, “If I saw people flying with a jetpack over me. I’d believe anything is possible.”

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

At the very end of the credits there is a Tomorrowland pin that disappears with the “Tomorrowland flash” after a hand grabs it. Aside from this, there is no stinger after the credits

Trailer:

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