Michael Archives - Page 4 of 6

Michael’s Review: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Visionary director George Miller returns to the franchise that launched his career 36 years ago, with a fourth installment, Mad Max: Fury Road, a film seen as a renaissance of the franchise and quite possibly one of the best action films of the century. The first film in the franchise not to star Mel Gibson as the titular character, actor Tom Hardy takes over as Max Rockatansky, a survivor in the apocalyptic wasteland searching for his place in the abyss. This action packed adventure is a throat punch to your senses and one hell of a wild ride.

His name is Max (Tom Hardy) and his world fire and blood. Life in this world is reduced to a single instinct: survive, but survival is not an easy task. Max is a loner running from the ghosts of his past, memories that haunt his every move. Being a loner makes you more susceptible in this world, predators across every dune, looking for any opportunity to kill you and take what’s yours. The perfect introduction, or re-introduction for some, into the world of the mad.

We begin with Max being captured by the War Boys, the army of tyrannical cult leader King Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Taken to a mountainside fortress called the Citadel, Max is imprisoned and used as a blood donor for a sick War Boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult). We see into the chaotic nature of the Citadel, where War boys control and harvest the resources for Joe while hordes of desperate survivors beg for even a single drop of water. In need of replenishment of their gasoline supply, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) drives her heavily-armored War Rig to collect more from Gastown, but instead veers off course and makes a run for it. Joe quickly realizes that his five wives are gone and scrambles his entire War Boy army in pursuit of Furiosa, as well as calling on the aid of nearby Gas Town and the Bullet Farm to assist in the pursuit.

Nux joins the army and straps Max to the hood of his car, to continue supplying blood. A battle ensues between the Rig and Joe’s forces which leads to a chance for Max to make his escape. Max encounters Furiosa and the wives and reluctantly agrees to let them accompany him. Furiosa informs Max of her plan to make a run for the “Green Place”, a location she remembers from her youth, as a safe place for the wives. As the group begins their journey into the unknown, Nux continues his pursuit of the traitor Furiosa to bring Joe’s prized wives back to him and receive the rewards. With Joe’s army quickly closing in, Max and Furiosa must face the battle of their lives which will test not only their physical state, but their mental one as well.

CHARLIZE THERON as Furiosa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure “MAD MAX: FURY ROAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo by Jasin Boland

From start to finish, Mad Max: Fury Road is non stop action. George Miller attention to detail in his vision of this apocalyptic world is captivating. Miller’s film, essentially, plays as one big chase scene, with a few detours here and there, but the real genius in this film is the use of real-time stunt work in place of CGI. The action choreography in Mad Max: Fury Road coupled with the astounding camerawork is mind-blowing. The sheer spectacle that is the stunt work and destruction of these vehicles is worth the price of the ticket alone.

The world is riddled with interesting characters using futuristic dialogue which add to the insanity of the landscape. Tom Hardy is compelling as Max. His take on the character plays nicely in concert with Gibson’s version with a few added quirks that remind us that Max is still a man underneath despite his damaged psyche. Charlize Theron is astounding as Furiosa and one of the strongest female characters we’ve seen in a long time. Whether driving with a furious determination or contemplating her life thru all her struggles, Theron commands the attention of the audience in every scene and excels in her ability to make us feel for her character at every turn. The remaining cast, including the wonderful Nicholas Hoult, add to the character rich landscape of this film beautifully, each adding their signature to an already exquisitely acted film.

Overall, Mad Max: Fury Road is a amazing feat of action film making. George Miller has created yet another masterpiece in his apocalyptic franchise, one that I can safely say, honors the previous films with intense care. Do not miss this film.

Stars:

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’

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

Hard to believe but it’s only been seven years since Marvel set in motion this grandiose plan to create a cinematic universe that would bring many of it’s popular comic book character to life. A slew of solo films introducing Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and The Hulk all lead to one moment in 2012, when director Joss Whedon unleashed Earth’s Mightiest Heroes into cinemas to complete Phase 1 of the company’s plan, a feat that would result in the third biggest box office worldwide. Three years later Whedon returns to take this franchise to another level and looks to top the achievement many believed to be too large to tackle. Seven years and so many memorable films has lead to this moment, Marvel’s crowning jewel, Avengers: Age of Ultron.

In Ultron, we find the Avengers back together and on a mission in the Eastern European city of Sokovia looking for Hydra operative Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), who has been experimenting on humans using Loki’s scepter. The team encounter two of Strucker’s experiments, Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who has superhuman speed, and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), who can manipulate minds and throw energy blasts. Tony (Robert Downey Jr) encounters Wanda’s power during the apprehension of the scepter and has a vision of a cataclysmic event that would see the end of everything and everyone he loves.

Haunted by this vision, Stark and Banner (Mark Ruffalo) discover an artificial intelligence within the scepter’s gem, and secretly use it to complete Stark’s “Ultron” global defense program, but things don’t go as planned. Ultron (voiced by James Spader) misinterprets the directive and believes the only way to save the Earth is to eradicate humanity. Believing his biggest threat to be the Avengers, the program sets his sights on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as the first hurdle in his grand plan. Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth), feeling betrayed by the duos secret plan, confront Stark and Banner for answers. Believing it will take all of them to take down the creation, the Avengers set out to find Ultron before he can enact his evil plan and destroy the Earth, but it will take not only the Avengers, but new alliances with the Maxinoff’s and a newly created AI named The Vision (Paul Bettany) to see this mission to completion. Can the team save the Earth one more time?

Like Captain America: The Winter Solider, Marvel has begun to evolve it’s films with more mature storytelling. Avengers: Age of Ultron has a darker tone than the previous Avengers film, but it helps escalates the tension and performances of these actors to new levels not yet seen in the MCU. The addition of new characters, including the performances of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen as the Maximoff twins and Paul Bettany as The Vision are crucial to keeping the Avengers franchise from growing stale and all three actors bring a wonderful presence that fits perfectly in with the core team. Jeremy Renner‘s Hawkeye takes center stage for many crucial scenes in the film and shines with the increased screen time. The growing chemistry between Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner works wonderfully within the structure of the film and never feels out of place.

Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are exactly what they need to be for this film. The action sequences involving these two are spectacular as usual and each actor adds a nice dose of humor to the film. Robert Downey Jr is perfect as always. The human side of Tony was flushed out in Iron Man 3, but the effects of the events he’s faced have begun to multiply and lead to many hard decisions for the character. Downey Jr carefully dissects these effects and portrays them to perfection. James Spader is a tremendous presence as the voice and mo cap of Ultron. The seasoned actor is menacing and devilishly charming and his mannerisms and facial expressions are portrayed perfectly within the Ultron character.

Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron should thrill audiences and set new records worldwide. The film is a true test of the power of story telling and takes the Marvel brand to a new height. Stay in your seats for a mid-credit scene which will no doubt set up the next adventure of our favorite heroes in 2018! But don’t fret, there will be plenty of Marvel films before that, including next year’s Captain America: Civil War! Buckle up, they’re just getting started.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After credit scene?

Yes. Mid credit scene, nothing after the credits

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Greatful Dead’- A Twisted Tale of Love and Obsession

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

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, in partnership with the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, will screen Greatful Dead on April 17th as the opening night film of the festival! As an added bonus, there will be a post-screening Q&A with director Eiji Uchida.

Click here for more info

Click here to buy tickets

Life is full of misery, loneliness and suffering, each of whom play a crucial part in the telling of Eiji Uchida’s black comedy Greatful Dead. Nami (Kumi Takiuchi) is a young girl who has been lost most of her life. This emotionally neglected child became estranged from her parents an early age when her mother ran off and her father fell deep into a nervous breakdown leaving young Nami to seemingly fend for herself. After her father dies and leaves her an inheritance, she begins to spend her time looking through a pair of binoculars into the lives of every day people she comes in contact with. Nami has a real interest in finding lonely people, whom she calls Solitarians, and she begins to keep a daily diary of their activities and movements.

One day, Nami spots an elderly gentleman named Mr Shiomi (Takashi Sasano) exiting a supermarket and decides to spy on him. The gentlemen offers much to observe, from his interest in porn to his heated relationship with his son, Nami has found her greatest subject, but all that changes when a young bible-reading volunteer enters Mr Shiomi’s life. Destined to make a difference, this volunteer begins to break into Mr Shiomi’s shell and help him reconnect with the outside world. This displeases Nami, who wants this nuisance to leave her perfect subject alone. As Nami begins to transform from voyeurism to full-fledged stalker, her desires turn blood thirsty and her actions have dire consequences that will impact not only her, but everyone around her, including Mr Shiomi.

Greatful Dead is a very dark story blending both comedy and horror together to make one unforgettable film. Every step further into Nami’s life begins to feel like you are sitting quietly watching a time bomb tick down to zero with no way of stopping it. Kumi Takiuchi is haunting as the disturbed young Nami. Her frightening transformation from observer to stalker is mesmerizing. Takashi Sasano is wonderful as Mr. Shiomi. His progression from an angry old man to one more willing to forgive provides a glimmer of hope in a film soaked in darkness. Eiji Uchida’has created a smart, disturbing film worthy of standing next to some of the great films of Japanese cinema. A film that never allows the audience any mercy while it slowly spirals down the rabbit hole. Greatful Dead is a must see.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘The Squeeze’

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — 1 Comment ↓

Money is a powerful motivator, especially for a young man faced with caring for his family, but when you’re a young golf phenom presented with the proposal of easy money, well, that motivation is more than tempting; it calls to you. The Squeeze is a based on true events golf weather they were indoors or outdoors, dramedy directed and written by seven-time Emmy Award winner Terry Jastrow, which explores the temptation of gambling and the dangers which lie beneath the surface.

Augie (Jeremy Sumpter) is a exceptional young golfer from a small town in Texas who dreams of becoming a professional golfer. After winning the City Golf Championship by an astounding 15 shots, Augie peaks the interest of a fast talking Southern gambler named Riverboat (Christopher McDonald) and his traveling companion Jessie (Katherine LaNasa) who are passing through the small town on their way to Las Vegas. Riverboat tries to convince Augie on abandon his dreams of qualifying for the PGA Tour to come play for him in high-stake gambling matches for big money, but Natalie (Jillian Murray), Augie’s girlfriend, tries to convince him otherwise. For young Augie, the temptation proves too tough to resist.

The money starts to roll in for the pair, but Riverboat is not satisfied. He begins to set his sights on bigger fish and convinces Augie to follow him to Las Vegas, where stakes are higher, but so are the risk. The two soon cross paths with known mob associate named Jimmy Diamonds (Michael Nouri), who enters into a million dollar bet with Riverboat. Augie is soon thrown into the middle where all bets are off in this a game of life or death. It’s sudden death and the stakes have never been higher young golfer. Can Augie find a way out of this no win situation or is he truly on his last hole?

The Squeeze is a wonderful movie and a true testament to the talent of director Terry Jastrow. The film is so carefully crafted with a captivating story and wonderfully portrayed characters that will leave you wanting more. Christopher McDonald and Jeremy Sumpter are a fantastic pair and the their chemistry on screen is very impressive. Jillian Murray brings such a wonderfully calming presence to her scenes and really shines as the voice of reason in a sea of temptation. Michael Nouri is brilliant as Jimmy Diamonds. Nouri has the voice, mannerisms and facial expressions of a true mobster and you truly believe that he means every word he says.

Overall, The Squeeze is as close to a hole in one as you can get. Very reminiscent of great gambler movies of the past and worthy of being talked about in the same breath.

ARC Entertainment will be releasing THE SQUEEZE on VOD and in-theaters on April 17th. Check it out!

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scenes?

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Roadside’

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

Stop me if you’ve heard this before…man in the shadows targets an unsuspecting victim with a rifle and expects said victim to do his bidding. Yes we’ve seen this many times in the past, but those films actually had an objective and a conclusion. The problem with Roadside is that is suffers from being a been there, seen that, thriller with little payoff that will leave you scratching your head as to what the point of the film even was.

Dan Summers (Ace Marrero) and his pregnant wife, Mindy (Katie Stegeman) are on a road trip to Dan’s sisters for a family get together during Christmas time. Trying to get to their destination before the weather turns bad, the couple travel down a desolate mountain highway when they come across a dead tree trunk in the road. When Dan gets out of the SUV to remove the trunk, a voice out of nowhere instructs Dan not to move. Confused about the situation he finds himself in, Dan soon comes to realize that he and Mindy are being held hostage on the side of the road by a mysterious man with a gun. As the temperatures continue to plummet and the situation becoming dire, Dan must find a way to escape the impending doom the couple finds themselves in before this game of cat and mouse comes to a tragic end.

Roadside’s premise isn’t overly original, but the setting does add a different dimension to the overall telling of this play out concept. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter should add enough drama to keep the audience engaged while the story unfolds, except, there is no story, there is no point, there is absolutely no reason why this situation is happening! All we know is that there’s someone with a gun and he is pointing it at this couple, for some reason. Roadside is a frustrating film because you want to connect with the events and the characters, but neither are enjoyable. At no point do you care about what is happening to this couple because they are so unlikable. At no point can you take the gunman seriously because he sounds like a commercial spokesman trying to sell you fear. Director Eric England seems to have an idea as to where to take this film, but gets lost along the way. England reaches for the proverbial Hitchcock inspired ending but adds more confusion than awe. It’s a shame because there’s a template there for a great film, it’s just not this one.

Stars:

1 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Furious 7’

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

Nevermind the overall story, Furious 7 is a wonderful tribute to the late Paul Walker. The actor, who died in a single car accident during a break in filming, left a huge void for the cast and crew, who scrambled to piece together their lives and reinvent the film so it would not only continue the franchise, but also honor Walker’s legacy following the tragedy.After thisa lot of the member started to be more careful at driven and even a few talked about the Blackbox my car products, cameras for the dash of your car for more safety and to avoid any misunderstanding in the future to have it all in a recording.

Director James Wan (Insidious) takes the helm for this ride as the the crew take on their toughest opponent yet. Buckle up, this fast paced, action packed franchise shows no signs of slowing down.

The events of Fast & Furious 6 have begun to haunt the crew as the older brother of Owen Shaw has come to claim vengeance. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), a former British secret service assassin who is more dangerous than anyone the crew has faced in their lives, is on a mission to take down those who almost killed his brother. After Shaw puts Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) in the hospital, Dom (Vin Diesel) realizes that his family is in danger. A simultaneous attack on his home and the death of long time friend Han, heightens the situation and Dom decides to take matters into his own hands before anyone else dies.

Frank Petty (Kurt Russell), a covert ops director, enlists Dom to complete a mission to find a hacker named Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) and bring back a high tech surveillance program called the God’s Eye, but getting Ramsey back isn’t an easy task. Kidnapped by a known terrorist named Jakande (Djimon Hounsou), things gets complicated and Dom must rely on his crew to help complete the mission as only they can. With Shaw in toe and the prize in sight, the mission will take the crew across the globe in the race of their lives. Brian (Paul Walker), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Tej (Ludacris) set off for one last ride, to take down the bad guys and protect the lives of those they love.

Director James Wan should be commended for finding a way to complete this film in the face of such adversity. Paul Walker was the number two most important character in this franchise and his loss will be a huge one moving forward, but the way that Diesel, Wan and the studio found a way to complete his scenes and send the actor out on a high note is tremendous. Cast and crew pulled this film together after the tragedy and you can tell the passion they felt to honor the fallen actor with the best film they could. Like the other films in the Fast and the Furious franchise, you need to turn your brain off before entering the theater, but this film is an action packed thrill ride from beginning to end that won’t disappoint. Furious 7 may not win an Oscar, as Diesel suggests it should, but it sure is a blast to watch.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘The Gunman’

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The current trend in Hollywood these days, if you haven’t noticed, is turning aging actors into action stars, and no one is better at it than director Pierre Morel, the man behind Taken which solidified Liam Neeson’s action stardom. The Gunman looks to create an action star persona for screen legend Sean Penn behind a star studded cast and political agenda driven plot which suits the actor to a tee. The problem is, the movie is more “been there, done that” than “wow! give me more!” and falters right from the start.

Terrier (Sean Penn) is an ex military man working for a a humanitarian organization in the People’s Republic of Congo, but secretly he is an assassin in waiting. After being contracted by Felix (Javier Bardem) to kill the minister of mines for a private firm, Terrier is forced to flee the country and leave behind Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a humanitarian doctor and the woman he has grown to love. Fearing for her safety, Terrier entrusts her life with Felix who swears to protect her. Eight years have past and Terrier returns to the Congo to work for an NGO, but eventually finds himself to be the target of a paid hit squad somehow connected to the ministers assassination. Realizing that he must find those responsible for the hit, Terrier leaves the Congo on a mission to search out his former colleagues and collect intel on the contract. Terrier realizes that turning over too many stones leads him straight back into the life and puts Annie in danger.

Sean Penn is one of the finest actors of our time and his performance in this film is not the problem, it’s the story. Director Pierre Morel isn’t sure whether he wants to make a political thriller or a James Bond movie and the end result winds up being a messy depiction of an all too familiar tale. The most frustrating part of this film is the use of the all star cast. Javier Bardem plays nothing more than a drunk, jealous jerk with aspirations to steal the girl and become rich. This role is beneath the acclaimed actor and provided none of the charisma that has brought to so many roles in the past. Idris Elba has a blink and you’ll miss him role that offers him so little screen time you’ll forget he’s even billed on the poster. Ray Winstone plays the exact same role he plays in every film only this time he does it more bloodier. I wish I had more positive to say about this cast but unfortunately, besides Penn, they all mailed this one in.

Overall, The Gunman is not going to redefine the action genre or turn Sean Penn into an action star, it might not even hold your interest for two hours. Chalk this one up to so much potential but poor execution.

Stars:

2 out of 5

After Credit Scene? No

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘The Divergent Series: Insurgent’

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The adventures of reluctant heroine Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) continue in The Divergent Series: Insurgent, a film that seems to rehash a lot of the plot points from the prior film, Divergent, but with daunting task of keeping audiences interested enough to get to next year’s (and the year after that’s) grand finale Allegiant: Part 1 and 2. Director Robert Schwentke (Red) takes over the franchise this time around which sees Tris facing off, once again, against Jeanine (Kate Winslet), the films antagonist and resident psychopath politician with goals of Divergent extinction. The film is suppose to represent the series’ great civil war but it’s execution barely rates higher than a middle school scrum. Will audiences be intrigued enough to continue the series past Insurgent?

Following the assault on Abnegation by Jeanine’s mind-controlled Dauntless soldiers in the first film, Eric (Jai Courtney) and his platoon are searching through the wreckage of Abnegation for an artifact, a box of unknown origin containing the symbols of all the factions. Upon its recovery, the box is taken to Erudite, where Jeanine claims that she believes it to contain a message from the city’s founders, and the means to end the Divergent problem once and for all. However, only a Divergent can open the box, and she orders that all Divergents be hunted down and captured.

We find Tris, Four (Theo James), Peter (Miles Teller), and Caleb (Ansel Elgort), weirdly enough all three love interests from Woodley’s last three films, hiding out amongst Amity, who have offered the group sanctuary. All four have become fugitives now after Jeanine has declared that Divergents and their sympathizers are enemies of the city. After being tracked down by Eric and the rest of his dauntless followers, the group is forced to split up and escape. Tris decides to take the fight to Jeanine’s doorstep by attacking Erudite, but Four knows the fight will be harder than Tris thinks. Knowing an army is needed, Four hopes to reconnect with their dauntless faction and reassess the situation, but an unlikely ally presents itself which will force Tris and Four to make hard decisions. With the lives of her friends at stake, Tris makes a decision that will have ramifications for all the people she loves and will take her deep into enemy territory to face her fate.

Fans of the Insurgent novel will notice quite a bit of differences between the book, but writer Veronica Roth believes the changes “really work” so I guess we should too. The story is constructed in a way to keep us wanting to know what’s in that box, but it stalls at various times during the film as the need to plug in some unnecessary cry time for Woodley’s Tris just to let us know what we already assume, which is that this is all really trying on the young hero. The chemistry on screen between Woodley and James has improved drastically over the last film, which is a positive, as the original film had some truly awkward moments between the two. Woodley herself is becoming more comfortable with the character and it really shows on screen. Kate Winslet never seems to truly grasp the concept of being the antagonist. The actress has a fantastic scene presence, but really needed to let go over her constraints and let her inner psychopath out. The rest of the supporting cast, minus Teller who is enjoyable in his limited screen time, is relegated to the background this time around with a few welcome additions from the book series who were omitted from the first film.

If nothing else, the second installment into the The Divergent Series, Insurgent, will act as a primer for the real show when Allegiant: Part 1 hit theaters next year. Insurgent is much better than a lot of the YA adaptations out there and fans of the series will no doubt be left with a lot to talk about, but don’t fear those among us that don’t read, the film is much different than the book so you won’t be left in the dark. Insurgent is a fun popcorn movie that should entertain teens and adults alike.

Stars: 2 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene? No

Trailer:

Michael’s Top Movies to See in 2015

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Forget 2014! 2015 is where it’s at! Right?! I mean, 2015 is the coooolest! Well, if you’re talking about film releases you would be correct, 2015 is the coolest and most anticipated bunch in as long as I can remember. This will be a year that film fans will remember for a long long time. I have compiled some of the movies I am geeking out over for this year:

April 17th, 2015

May 1st, 2015

May 15th, 2015

June 12th, 2015

July 1st, 2015

July 17th, 2015

August 14th, 2015

October 2nd, 2015

October 16th, 2015

No trailer available yet

November 6th, 2015

No trailer available yet

November 20th, 2015

December 11th, 2015

December 18th, 2015

Also looking forward to:

Mission Impossible 5

July 31st, 2015

Black Mass

September 18th, 2015

The Reverent

December 25th, 2015

Of course this isn’t all I will be seeing, but you get the idea…What’s on YOUR list?! I need to fill mine up so give some good ones!

Michael’s Review: ‘Chappie’- This Robot Story Doesn’t Compute

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

South African-born filmmaker Neill Blomkamp returns for his third science fiction film in the last 6 years, Chappie, a film about a a robot who becomes the first of his kind with the ability to think and feel for himself. Like all of Blomkamp’s films, class warfare takes center stage as an underdog must rise up to fight against the high tech authoritative establishment. While with good intentions and a strong cast to support the story, Chappie is a film that starts off with a huge amount of potential, but ultimately succumbs to it’s shortcomings. A film caught in an identity crisis somewhere between Short Circuit and Robocop.

The year is 2016, and Johannesburg’s crime has reached an apocalyptic level. The police have enlisted the help of robotics company Tetravaal and their latest creation, a robotic police forces, to help decrease the need for police activity across the city. A young scientist, Deon (Dev Patel), the chief engineer behind the creation of these robots, has his sights set on the next level of his creation, a machine with the ability to think and feel on its own. Company CEO Michelle Bradley (Sigourney Weaver) doesn’t share Deon’s enthusiasm about the next evolution of their prized technology and denies Deon’s request for more research. Former soldier and current Tetravaal engineer, Vincent (Hugh Jackman), has also created his own police robot, the “Moose”, a robot which looks eerily similar to the ED-209 from the 1987 Robocop film. Seeing Deon’s creation as a threat, Vincent aims to make the young scientists A.I appear inferior to his creation at all costs.

Deon decides to continue his research, without consent, and steals a decommissioned robot for further evaluation. Local criminals Ninja and Yo-Landi (played by Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser of the South African rap group Die Antwoord), along with Yankie (Jose Pablo Cantillo), manage to kidnap Deon in order to steal his access to control the robots. After realizing that Deon is in possession of a robot, the trio demand that he program the machine to do their bidding. Seeing this as an opportunity to test out his new self learning program, Deon agrees and Chappie is born. Deon, excited about the possibilities, demands to continue his work on the newly born robot but Ninja has other ideas and schemes to use the robot to pull off a major heist.

As Chappie begins to learn, he is presented with two very different teachers in Deon and Ninja. One is educated scientist with aspirations of turning Chappie into a shining representation of what A.I could evolve in to, and one is a street raised, gangster thug with goals of wealth and power. But it is the caring voice of Yo-Landi that mesmerizes Chappie. The young woman becomes a surrogate mother to the robot and tries to help him learn and understand what it’s like to be loved, but Ninja’s influence becomes dominant and Chappie must chose between what’s right and what’s wrong. Convinced that Deon is up to something, Vincent sets out to find the answers. When he finds out what Deon has created, he sets out on a path to destroy the legacy of the young scientist and expose Chappie as a threat to society.

Blomkamp has created a thought-provoking, yet entertaining, action film with effective visuals that has all the makings of a blockbuster success if it weren’t for it’s shortcomings. The story starts strong, but loses it’s charm somewhere around the halfway mark of the film. The transformation of Chappie from newborn robot to confused Robothug is, at times, cringeworthy. The vocal work of Blomkamp veteran Sharlto Copley loses it’s appeal after a while and the portrayal of the titular character becomes little more than a Ali-G type portrayal of a young street kid. Hugh Jackman is equally as ineffective as the films antagonist. There are glimpses in the film that the character of Vincent might offer some juicy confrontations, but the chemistry between Jackman and costar Dev Patel is nonexistent. Patel plays a similar character to his “Neil” on HBO’s Newsroom and never seems to find a way to flush out his character. The interaction between Patel and Copley’s Chappie is close to what you expect from a creator to his creation, but the two are left with few opportunities in first half of the film to gain any momentum.

Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser are actually serviceable as street hardened versions of their real life selves. The caring nature from which Visser creates her character is a nice touch while Ninja depicts a loathsome, street thug with precision. Jose Pablo Cantillo has a few chances to achieve a noteworthy performance but ultimately the actor is merely there to support Ninja and Visser. The biggest let down for me is the under use of Sigourney Weaver, whose character was prime for a super villain type reveal, but Blomkamp opts for a more sterile type of performance.

Overall, Chappie will not win many audiences over this weekend and will surely disappoint fans of Blomkamp’s District 9. While not as disappointing as Elysium, this film will leave you wanting so much more from a director who has proven he has so much to give.

Stars:

2 1/2 out of 5

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’- A New Generation of Spy Film

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

One of the things that makes a Matthew Vaughn movie an event is the stylistic nature of his interpretation of the source material and his knack for creating a unique movie experience that everyone can enjoy. Taking from the comic book The Secret Service, created by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar (Vaughn previously adapted Millar’s Kick Ass for the screen), this up tempo, high powered action film is exactly the adrenaline jolt that the spy sction thriller genre needed. Enlisting an all star supporting cast and mixing them with a group of fresh faces creates an environment on film that enables the director to get the very best out of the story which will no doubt make Kingsman: The Secret Service the movie to see this weekend.

Colin Firth stars as Harry, an impeccably suave spy, in KINGSMAN THE SECRET SERVICE.

Colin Firth plays Harry Hart, an old school super spy, reminiscent of the old Roger Moore James Bond days, where a suit was more powerful than the weapon in the eyes of the man. When the loss of a protege on a mission leaves Harry carrying a guilt that has haunted him for nearly two decades, his natural tendency is to reach out to the man’s family and make sure they are looked after. Leaving behind a wife and a young boy named Eggsy, Harry leaves a medal with the young family with a number to call if they ever need anything from the organization.

Harry (Colin Firth), an impeccably suave spy, helps Eggsy (Taron Egerton) turn his life around by trying out for a position with Kingsman, a top-secret independent intelligence organization.

Now a young man, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) has lost his way and has turned to a life of crime and hooliganism. His mom has remarried to a town crime boss and life has never been worse for the young man. After an altercation in a local pub leaves Eggsy in jail, he decides to call the number his family was given all those years ago. Harry and Eggsy meet once again after all these years and Harry recruits the young man into the Kingsman, an mSpy secret agency free of government regulations. Eggsy is selected along with eight other young prospects, who must pass a vigorous training regiment which will test them both physically and mentally. One of the young recruits is a girl named Roxy (Sophie Cookson), whom Eggsy becomes fond of. The training is overseen by Merlin (Mark Strong) and Arthur (Michael Caine), each of whom have their own vested interest in the candidates.

Harry (Colin Firth), an impeccably suave spy, helps Eggsy (Taron Egerton) turn his life around by trying out for a position with Kingsman, a top-secret independent intelligence organization.

When a technology tycoon named Richmond Valentine (Samuel L Jackson), becomes a threat, the Kingsman begin to investigate the aspiring philanthropists actions. Deeming him a threat to the world, Harry must go deep undercover to infiltrate Valentine’s organization and learn the true nature of his plan. As the training comes to a close, it’s up to Eggsy and Roxy to make hard decisions, in the final stages, to ensure their place in the Kingsman organization. As the plot of the tech villain unfolds, it will be up to the young group of recruits to spoil the plot, but will the unseasoned rookies be up to the task? The fate of the world is in the hands of the Kingsman.

Harry (Colin Firth) and Eggsy (Taron Egerton) meet Richard Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a tech billionaire with devastating plans for the world.

The film is a non stop action thrill ride which never takes itself too seriously. The campy nature of the film allows the over the top story line to unfold with ease and never allows for the cliche’s to engulf the fun nature of the film. Director Matthew Vaughn loves to incorporate stylistic action sequences into his films which are both memorable and as important to the telling of the story as the script itself. This action driven film really relies on the actors to flush out the story and help the audience believe in their characters arcs. Colin Firth is wonderful as the old school super spy. Never have I seen the award winning actor in such an action packed role, but he pulled it off with ease and has shown he can be just as effective with his fists as he can with his mouth. The supporting cast that features Mark Strong, Mark Hamill, Michael Caine, and Sophie Cookson, is tremendous and each character adds his or her own unique style into the film, but its Taron Egerton that is the star of this film and rightfully so. Egerton is humorous and charming as the would be Kingsman, and the young actor shows veteran prowess in his first feature film and shows he is ready for the big time.

Harry (Colin Firth), an elite member of a top-secret independent intelligence organization known as the Kingsman, prepares to teach some ruffians a lesson.

Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is wonderful and will no doubt entertain all those who give it a shot. Nevermind that other film opening this weekend, this Valentine’s Day, spend your evening with the Kingsman!

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

During credits there’s a new scene, end of credits there is nothing

Trailer:

Michael’s Review: ‘Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead’- A Fun New Twist on The Zombie Genre

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

Zombies are at the height of their popularity, but there is no genre more saturated and tiresome. It’s a genre that has become a parody of itself, so when a movie comes along with a fresh, new take on the undead, you take notice. This Raimi-esque zombie tale from Australian filmmakers Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner is highly entertaining and stakes it’s claim for most innovative take on zombies in a long while. If you’re looking for a film to remind yourself why we love these films, Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead might just be the film for you.

Following a meteor shower over the Earth, a strange disease, which turns people into zombie has infected most mankind, leaving few survivors. Barry (Jay Gallagher) is one of those survivors who has lost his wife and child to the disease and now searches for a way to get to his sister Brooke (Bianca Bradley). Along the way, Barry meets Benny (Leon Burchill) and Frank (Keith Agius), two men looking to survive. The three men agree to set off together to look for Brooke, but after they discover that all existing fuel sources have been rendered unusable by the plague, they must find another way to escape the zombie hordes.

Meanwhile, Brooke is kidnapped by military faction who bring her to a medical lab run by a psychotic doctor looking to experiment on the undead and the living alike. After a series of experiments, Brooke soon discovers that there is more to this disease than what’s on the surface. Brooke is determined to escape her captors and reunite with Barry, but can the siblings make it to one another before all is lost?

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead is a treat for lovers of off the wall zombie apocalypse movies. The slapstick nature of the surroundings and the overall storyline harken back to the Evil Dead franchise, all the way down to the comparisons between Ash and Barry, but Wyrmwood has a card up it’s sleeve with the payoff, which is as ridiculous as it is genius in its originality. Will Wyrmwood win any awards? Of course not, but it’s a good fun movie to watch on a cold night.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

Michael’s Best Sports Movies of All Time

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — 2 Comments ↓

Oh no! Another Best of List from Petrocs! Yes yes…its that time again..another subjective list to open the floodgates and allow for some spirited discussions on what is included, what was omitted, and what the hell was I thinking! This time we are going to tackle the sports movies and see if we can nail down a list that most people can “live with”. So without further ado…the best sports movies of all time. Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Jupiter Ascending’- Get Ready to Witness Science Fiction at It’s Worst

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

There are bad movies and then there are BAD movies, Jupiter Ascending, the newest film from directing duo Andy and Lana Wachowski might be the worst you see all year. Where do I begin? Let’s start at the beginning. Remember last summer when Warner Brothers abruptly delayed the release of the film weeks before it was scheduled to open wide? A film which was supposed be one of Warner Brothers tent pole films for the summer of 2014 suddenly cast off to the movie junkyard known as February! Unheard of! But after viewing this film, you can tell why the studios was reluctant to release it. The $175 million dollar sci-fi film by the directors of The Matrix was suppose to be a slam dunk, but this dog will go down as one of the biggest disappointments in cinematic history. Still not convinced? Well let’s dissect this film’s plot shall we? Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Americons’- The Price of Success is Sometimes Too High

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

Like The Wolf of Wall Street and Boiler Room before it, Americons aims to take on the topic of greed in this country, but this time, the real estate fiasco which occurred during the Bush administration is the target. This “based on a true story” tale attempts to bring to light some of the shady goings on that transpired during the sub prime mortgage boom of 2008; an event that lead this country into an economic crisis that could have crippled this nation beyond repair. Americons is a social awareness piece that tries to cash in on its strengths but ultimately concedes to its weaknesses, which include its lackluster story and sub-par acting. Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Blackhat’- Cyber Thriller from Michael Mann

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Heat) returns to the directors chair after a six year absence from big budget feature films to bring us Blackhat, a cyber thriller starring Chris Hemsworth as the criminal hacker tapped to save the world. Mann has a knack for taking current events topic and turning them into an award worthy feature, but this far-fetched sloppy attempt at depicting cyber crime and hacking in the present day is not a film that will stand up with Mann’s best. A film that gets lost in its own convoluted story and never finds it’s way out. Read More →

Retro Review: ‘Boyhood’- Growing Up is Hard to Do

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

All too many times Hollywood uses the phrase “Once in a Lifetime” to describe a film that we’ve encountered way too many times before, but finally, a director and film studio have come thru and brought us a film like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Boyhood is that film and it just might be the best movie you will see all year. Directed by industry legend Richard Linklater, the film is a true labor of love. The film, shot intermittently over a twelve-year period, follows a young boy named Mason through his childhood from first grade (age 6) thru his high school graduation (age 18). It’s a documented journey that will most likely never be duplicated in our lifetime and one that will resonate with each viewer for decades to come. Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘American Sniper’- Memoirs of An American Hero

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Clint Eastwood has been immersed in a streak of lackluster efforts since 2004’s Oscar winning Million Dollar Baby. The 84 year old actor/director has spent much of the last decade exploring different subject matters including multiple biopics, many of which were valiant efforts, but Eastwood has struck gold with this war drama based on the life of decorated Navy Seal Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper leads this powerful film which shows the struggles of our soldiers who risk their lives every day on the ground in Iraq, a depiction reminiscent of Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker. The most lethal sniper in US history takes center stage as we are taken to the front lines of the Iraqi war. Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Inherent Vice’- A Trip Into the Weird With Paul Thomas Anderson

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The brilliance of director Paul Thomas Anderson shines through in this adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s quirky stoner mystery of the same name, Inherent Vice. A film that many view as a companion piece to Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye, the story plays out like controlled chaos set in a psychedelic dream and will take your senses on one of the wildest rides you will view this year. Set in early 1970’s Los Angeles, we are introduced to a cast of characters ranging from a Jack Webb-esque LA detective to a hippie saxophonist snitch, all of which reside within this vast world of intrigue. The power is in the control of the narrative as you immerse yourself into the life of “Doc” (Joaquin Phoenix), a private detective and lead dog on this hippie-style hunt. Read More →

Michael’s Review: ‘Black November’- No Price is Too High For Justice

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

BlackNovember_POSTER_27x39

What price would you pay to stand up for what you believe is right? That’s the question posed by director Jeta Amata in this politically charged drama set in Nigeria. The film, which is a fiction based on actual events, explores the rise of a movement for change after an oil spill tragedy leaves hundreds dead and the living left to pick up the pieces. The voices of the few willing to stand up for their rights echoed loud and act as a rallying cry for a region. This is their story. Read More →

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