The Conjuring 2
dir. James Wan
Most horror sequels have a tendency to be predictable and follow the same template as the first installment. You know where the evil is and when it will pop out and make you jump in your seat. Jason leaps at you with the machete, Freddy sneaks up on you in your dreams, and so on, tale as old as time. Being a fan of the first film, I expected this one to have the same tropes and construct with the characters and themes. I was wrong, dead wrong. This is one of the rare breed of horror sequel that is scarier than this original and raises the stakes for everyone including the audience.
Based on another one of Ed and Lorraine Warren's paranormal investigation cases (more specifically The Enfield Poltergeist), The film opens post-Amityville and we see our heroic duo famous but weary doing talk shows debating with skeptics about the incidents. Lorraine also worries that Ed might die in a future investigation after seeing a vision. They are then persuaded to visit a family in England who are being terrorized and discover something more sinister than they've ever faced before. When I say the stakes have been raised, that is just the tip of the iceberg. If the first installment was the first circle of hell, this one cranks it to the tenth, maybe even eleventh. Not since I rented the original "Evil Dead" when I was in high school have I been this scared. But the scares are just the beginning as the film also deals and balances weighty themes of faith, skepticism and facing our own fears. We care and fear for everyone as there is not one character that is disposable or purpose-less unlike in other horror franchises which have a habit of swapping out leads and side-characters like batteries in a remote. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga give fantastic and award-worthy performances as Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Conjuring 2 is scarier than the original and also more thought-provoking that leaves you not only breathless but also raises some interesting questions and discussions in the process. If you weren't frightened by true evil before, this one might just change your mind.
Rating: 4.5 Reels
Thursday, June 16, 2016
A Crafted Mess
Warcraft
dir. Duncan Jones
Movies and Video Games have had a long and turbulent history ever since Universal decided to make a ninety-minute long teaser for an NES game and a subsidiary of Disney made a steampunk hyperdrived summer blockbuster based on two plumbers and a mushroom kingdom. There have been some good, some decent, and some horrific and terrible films based on games. Nevertheless, I think the films of the past get somewhat of a pass as they were walking on new ground. No one had ever made cinema based on this kind of material. We are now in the year 2016, the technology is better and you would think with the leaps and bounds that have been accomplished with the blending of story and effects that "Warcraft" would be a massive and wonderfully made fantasy epic with great writing, characters and action.
It isn't.
Instead, we get a summer film that requires you to either have a gigantic encyclopedia of lore on hand or have played the popular MMORPG since it's launch in 2004. But even if you know everything about the mythos and lore of "Warcraft", this movie still feels like a disservice to its fans by not showcasing the vastness of the universe. We only see four locales throughout the entire thing. No other races or kingdoms are showcased. It just goes back and forth between humans and orcs. I would talk about the acting and performances but I cant remember any of the characters or their motives. The entire first act feels like a "Previously on...." flashback that practically (and somewhat literally) skips the origins and backstories of the leads in order to get to the plot faster. What does that leave us, the audience, with? The visuals are impressive and nice but take a film like James Cameron's "Avatar". It masterly blended brand new FX technology with a timeless story that any audience could relate to and understand. Sure, it was somewhat clichéd but at least, it took the time and pace to establish its plot and characters. I can tell you who was who. Every act of this movie feels like it is just meeting a mandatory check list.
Ruthless Villain and World Ending Device - Check
Stoic and No-Nonsense Hero - Check
Plucky, Still Learning The Ropes Sidekick - Check
And so on and so forth.
The whole vibe of the film seems as if the makers and studio were more concerned about the possibility of a future franchise than making a worthwhile and entertaining blockbuster. Is it a good adaptation of the game? Yes and No. The key parts are there but the whole thing moves so fast that you don't get to fully immerse or understand the "Warcraft" universe and by the end, you just don't care. It is a shame because this material deserved much better than this.
Rating: 1 Reel
dir. Duncan Jones
Movies and Video Games have had a long and turbulent history ever since Universal decided to make a ninety-minute long teaser for an NES game and a subsidiary of Disney made a steampunk hyperdrived summer blockbuster based on two plumbers and a mushroom kingdom. There have been some good, some decent, and some horrific and terrible films based on games. Nevertheless, I think the films of the past get somewhat of a pass as they were walking on new ground. No one had ever made cinema based on this kind of material. We are now in the year 2016, the technology is better and you would think with the leaps and bounds that have been accomplished with the blending of story and effects that "Warcraft" would be a massive and wonderfully made fantasy epic with great writing, characters and action.
It isn't.
Instead, we get a summer film that requires you to either have a gigantic encyclopedia of lore on hand or have played the popular MMORPG since it's launch in 2004. But even if you know everything about the mythos and lore of "Warcraft", this movie still feels like a disservice to its fans by not showcasing the vastness of the universe. We only see four locales throughout the entire thing. No other races or kingdoms are showcased. It just goes back and forth between humans and orcs. I would talk about the acting and performances but I cant remember any of the characters or their motives. The entire first act feels like a "Previously on...." flashback that practically (and somewhat literally) skips the origins and backstories of the leads in order to get to the plot faster. What does that leave us, the audience, with? The visuals are impressive and nice but take a film like James Cameron's "Avatar". It masterly blended brand new FX technology with a timeless story that any audience could relate to and understand. Sure, it was somewhat clichéd but at least, it took the time and pace to establish its plot and characters. I can tell you who was who. Every act of this movie feels like it is just meeting a mandatory check list.
Ruthless Villain and World Ending Device - Check
Stoic and No-Nonsense Hero - Check
Plucky, Still Learning The Ropes Sidekick - Check
And so on and so forth.
The whole vibe of the film seems as if the makers and studio were more concerned about the possibility of a future franchise than making a worthwhile and entertaining blockbuster. Is it a good adaptation of the game? Yes and No. The key parts are there but the whole thing moves so fast that you don't get to fully immerse or understand the "Warcraft" universe and by the end, you just don't care. It is a shame because this material deserved much better than this.
Rating: 1 Reel
Sunday, June 12, 2016
A Darkly Askew View of Modern Day Relationships and Romance
The Lobster
dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Within the first few minutes of "The Lobster", we get a sense that this dystopian world of relationships and love is darkly and humorously similar to ours. The concept is simple: If you aren't married to someone, you are sent to a hotel where you have 45 days to find a suitable partner. If you don't find a partner within that timeframe, you get turned into an animal of your choosing. The hotel looks and feels like if a dating website like eHarmony became sentient and decided to manifest in our reality. The staff have strict rules and partake with the guests to hunting rebel escapees that live alone in the forest. These rebels have strict rules as well with an emphasis on no romantic relationships of any kind. We see and experience both these societies through the eyes of David, played by Colin Farrell, who just wants to find someone to love. Each group is a reflection on what is going on with romantic relationships today. There is the one side which encourages and somewhat forces you to get married and spread the fruitful seed and the other side which says that individuality without relationships is better and being totally alone and isolated works better for the society as a whole. Think eHarmony vs. an Extremist version of a Hippie commune. The story is much more than a social statement on relationship trends and tendencies. At its core, it is a romance between two people from two different groups and it works. If anyone ever says to you that all romance films these days are the same, point them to this movie and see if they change their tune after watching it.
The film balances the dark realities with hilarious humor quite well. Every scene and moment is unexpected and can range from light, quirky satire that makes you laugh out loud to black, violent realisms that make you cringe and squirm in your theater seat. The cast does a good job at doing this and it never feels like they're phoning it in or taking it at a tongue-in-cheek face value. The music is great at this as well as it indicates to you when you can laugh and when you shouldn't. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz have excellent chemistry together and I hope that they'll do another film like this together someday. I also really enjoyed the comradery of David's "friends" that he meets at the resort.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos has really tapped into the confusing and maze-like realities of modern day romance and relations. It has a similar (although this one is much more bleak) tone and parallel that director Spike Jonze showcased in his 2013 film, "HER". If you're looking for a perfect date movie, this is definitely not it. But, "The Lobster" is still a perfect pitch black satire that hits all the right notes and engages not only your emotions but your intellect as well long after you've experienced the film.
Rating: 5 Reels
dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Within the first few minutes of "The Lobster", we get a sense that this dystopian world of relationships and love is darkly and humorously similar to ours. The concept is simple: If you aren't married to someone, you are sent to a hotel where you have 45 days to find a suitable partner. If you don't find a partner within that timeframe, you get turned into an animal of your choosing. The hotel looks and feels like if a dating website like eHarmony became sentient and decided to manifest in our reality. The staff have strict rules and partake with the guests to hunting rebel escapees that live alone in the forest. These rebels have strict rules as well with an emphasis on no romantic relationships of any kind. We see and experience both these societies through the eyes of David, played by Colin Farrell, who just wants to find someone to love. Each group is a reflection on what is going on with romantic relationships today. There is the one side which encourages and somewhat forces you to get married and spread the fruitful seed and the other side which says that individuality without relationships is better and being totally alone and isolated works better for the society as a whole. Think eHarmony vs. an Extremist version of a Hippie commune. The story is much more than a social statement on relationship trends and tendencies. At its core, it is a romance between two people from two different groups and it works. If anyone ever says to you that all romance films these days are the same, point them to this movie and see if they change their tune after watching it.
The film balances the dark realities with hilarious humor quite well. Every scene and moment is unexpected and can range from light, quirky satire that makes you laugh out loud to black, violent realisms that make you cringe and squirm in your theater seat. The cast does a good job at doing this and it never feels like they're phoning it in or taking it at a tongue-in-cheek face value. The music is great at this as well as it indicates to you when you can laugh and when you shouldn't. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz have excellent chemistry together and I hope that they'll do another film like this together someday. I also really enjoyed the comradery of David's "friends" that he meets at the resort.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos has really tapped into the confusing and maze-like realities of modern day romance and relations. It has a similar (although this one is much more bleak) tone and parallel that director Spike Jonze showcased in his 2013 film, "HER". If you're looking for a perfect date movie, this is definitely not it. But, "The Lobster" is still a perfect pitch black satire that hits all the right notes and engages not only your emotions but your intellect as well long after you've experienced the film.
Rating: 5 Reels
Saturday, June 4, 2016
A Funny, Snarky, and Quirky Summer Delight
Love & Friendship
dir. Whit Stillman
It is a true rarity that a period comedy piece comes along that is not just faithful to the storytelling and relevancy of Jane Austen but also make the characters and situations relatable to todays audiences. The last time I remember seeing anything like this was when I revisited Kenneth Branagh's 1993 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" after I had seen Joss Whedon's half-hearted hipster version.
Based on a work of Austen's entitled "Lady Susan", The story revolves around a widowed woman who goes to live with her in-laws while she searches for another, preferably wealthy, husband. Kate Beckinsale gives a deviously snarky and hilarious performance as the central character who is deliciously selfish in finding herself another man to live off of. I don't think that we're particularly supposed to side with her on her endeavors especially since she uses everyone around her including her own daughter who she wishes to give away and marry to a dim and unintelligent man for wealth alone. But, despite this, we go along with her and laugh with her when she makes a snarky observation about love and relationships.
The supporting performances are also stellar especially Chloë Sevigny who plays Susan's "BFF", Alicia. She shares the same snarky wit and views that Susan has and aids her in what could only be described as "love espionage". I found the other aspects of the film to be excellent as well such as the beautiful set and production design and the soundtrack which is one of the best film soundtracks composed of classical music that I have ever heard. It ranks up there with the likes of Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" and Milos Forman's "Amadeus".
In a summer full of sequels, superheroes and blockbusters, this one is a standout that deserves to be seen. It is an delightful film full of wit and charm. If you need a break from all the explosions and action seen in other films, go see this one. You won't be disappointed.
Rating: 5 Reels
dir. Whit Stillman
It is a true rarity that a period comedy piece comes along that is not just faithful to the storytelling and relevancy of Jane Austen but also make the characters and situations relatable to todays audiences. The last time I remember seeing anything like this was when I revisited Kenneth Branagh's 1993 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" after I had seen Joss Whedon's half-hearted hipster version.
Based on a work of Austen's entitled "Lady Susan", The story revolves around a widowed woman who goes to live with her in-laws while she searches for another, preferably wealthy, husband. Kate Beckinsale gives a deviously snarky and hilarious performance as the central character who is deliciously selfish in finding herself another man to live off of. I don't think that we're particularly supposed to side with her on her endeavors especially since she uses everyone around her including her own daughter who she wishes to give away and marry to a dim and unintelligent man for wealth alone. But, despite this, we go along with her and laugh with her when she makes a snarky observation about love and relationships.
The supporting performances are also stellar especially Chloë Sevigny who plays Susan's "BFF", Alicia. She shares the same snarky wit and views that Susan has and aids her in what could only be described as "love espionage". I found the other aspects of the film to be excellent as well such as the beautiful set and production design and the soundtrack which is one of the best film soundtracks composed of classical music that I have ever heard. It ranks up there with the likes of Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" and Milos Forman's "Amadeus".
In a summer full of sequels, superheroes and blockbusters, this one is a standout that deserves to be seen. It is an delightful film full of wit and charm. If you need a break from all the explosions and action seen in other films, go see this one. You won't be disappointed.
Rating: 5 Reels
God, Can I get a 'Do-Over' on the last 90 minutes of my life?
The Do-Over
dir. Steven Brill
I have never been the one to participate in the ever-growing backlash against Adam Sandler. I have liked some of his past studio efforts. I liked "Blended" cause it brought back the great chemistry between him and Drew Barrymore and I enjoyed "Pixels" for some of its funny moments and 80s flashback style. But, where I've defended him in the past for being a victim of overzealous former fans. Here, the overall consensus is the truth. This film is one of the biggest and most unfulfilling timewasters that I've seen in a long time. It's not funny, not enjoyable and overall, an unpleasant and sigh inducing experience.
Just because this is a NETFLIX exclusive film, doesn't give it a pass. This is just one of the films that are part of Adam Sandler's contract with the company. I did not have the misfortune of seeing his previous effort "The Ridiculous Six" but I was told by some that there was nothing to see, so I forgot about it. The "story" of the film involves David Spade as an unlucky character with a terrible wife and kids, job and so on. He bumps into his old high school buddy, played by Sandler, at a reunion who after having some "fun" adventures decides to give his buddy a new life with him by faking their own deaths. The plot from there gets muddled until a twist unfolds that is one of the most tacky, unsentimental and practically offending twists I've ever seen.
This film is not funny, period. Upon writing this review, there are handfuls upon handfuls of other comedies that you could be watching on NETFLIX besides this one. It's a shame because I know that the streaming service is trying to produce and distribute more worthwhile content besides "House Of Cards". It is also very disappointing that Adam Sandler has sunk this low with the comedy work. I want him to do better films but if he keeps making films like this, I highly doubt anyone would want to watch him and his compadres shtick anymore. This is bargain-bin dreck and even that is an understatement as I could go to my local Wal-Mart and find a better comedy with the same runtime as this one that wont leave you feeling empty and lifeless.
Rating: Zero Reels
dir. Steven Brill
I have never been the one to participate in the ever-growing backlash against Adam Sandler. I have liked some of his past studio efforts. I liked "Blended" cause it brought back the great chemistry between him and Drew Barrymore and I enjoyed "Pixels" for some of its funny moments and 80s flashback style. But, where I've defended him in the past for being a victim of overzealous former fans. Here, the overall consensus is the truth. This film is one of the biggest and most unfulfilling timewasters that I've seen in a long time. It's not funny, not enjoyable and overall, an unpleasant and sigh inducing experience.
Just because this is a NETFLIX exclusive film, doesn't give it a pass. This is just one of the films that are part of Adam Sandler's contract with the company. I did not have the misfortune of seeing his previous effort "The Ridiculous Six" but I was told by some that there was nothing to see, so I forgot about it. The "story" of the film involves David Spade as an unlucky character with a terrible wife and kids, job and so on. He bumps into his old high school buddy, played by Sandler, at a reunion who after having some "fun" adventures decides to give his buddy a new life with him by faking their own deaths. The plot from there gets muddled until a twist unfolds that is one of the most tacky, unsentimental and practically offending twists I've ever seen.
This film is not funny, period. Upon writing this review, there are handfuls upon handfuls of other comedies that you could be watching on NETFLIX besides this one. It's a shame because I know that the streaming service is trying to produce and distribute more worthwhile content besides "House Of Cards". It is also very disappointing that Adam Sandler has sunk this low with the comedy work. I want him to do better films but if he keeps making films like this, I highly doubt anyone would want to watch him and his compadres shtick anymore. This is bargain-bin dreck and even that is an understatement as I could go to my local Wal-Mart and find a better comedy with the same runtime as this one that wont leave you feeling empty and lifeless.
Rating: Zero Reels
Thursday, June 2, 2016
An 'X'-cellent Blockbuster
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE
dir. Bryan Singer
A lot of people forget but when the first "X-Men" film came out in 2000, it reignited the superhero movie genre just when it seemed to be on life-support and since then, this franchise has seen some ups and downs but has still managed to remain fresh and new in the minds of audiences. This latest installment just maybe the best X-Men film since the original. It isn't trying to reorganize or repair the foundation of the series (like with First Class or Days of Futures Past) or spinoff a character into another storyline/franchise (like with the two Wolverine films and the still unconfirmed and undetermined Gambit film). Instead, Bryan Singer reigns in the universe and its characters to make a coherent and entertaining blockbuster. In other words, its a film superhero film about story, not setups, teases or namedrops.
Taking place after the events of the previous entry, the resurgence of an all powerful mutant who thinks he is god, brings the gang back together with some new recruits. Oscar Isaac's performance as Apocalypse is the best villain performance in a superhero film that I've seen in a long time. He's a villain who isn't trying to back up his actions or overstuff them with long and rambling monologues but instead gives us some chilling, intense and somewhat frightening scenes such as one where he takes Michael Fassbinder's Magneto back to Auschwitz where his powers were born. The less I say about that, the better. Among some of the other scene stealing moments are the performances by the young and new actors playing Cyclops, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler and another movie stealing moment by Evan Peters as Quicksilver which I dare not give away as it is too good and smile-inducing to spoil. The pacing may be a bit slow for some but at least it's consistent and builds unlike the start and stop and start and stop patterns like some other superhero films. Bryan Singer brings some of the same flourish and bam action sequence directing that he brought back to the franchise with "Days of Futures Past" and even brings out some great emotional performances out of both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbinder during the films more dramatic scenes.
"X-Men: Apocalypse" maintains a balance of being both an individual summer blockbuster and continuing the franchise's canon storyline and it works. Is it better than "Batman V Superman" and "Captain America: Civil War"? In some respects, yes but that is like comparing three books in the same genre. Sure, they're the same genre but they are still three different stories. Still, "Apocalypse" is an amazing and x-cellent summer action-fest that succeeds on every level.
Rating: 4.5/5 Reels
dir. Bryan Singer
A lot of people forget but when the first "X-Men" film came out in 2000, it reignited the superhero movie genre just when it seemed to be on life-support and since then, this franchise has seen some ups and downs but has still managed to remain fresh and new in the minds of audiences. This latest installment just maybe the best X-Men film since the original. It isn't trying to reorganize or repair the foundation of the series (like with First Class or Days of Futures Past) or spinoff a character into another storyline/franchise (like with the two Wolverine films and the still unconfirmed and undetermined Gambit film). Instead, Bryan Singer reigns in the universe and its characters to make a coherent and entertaining blockbuster. In other words, its a film superhero film about story, not setups, teases or namedrops.
Taking place after the events of the previous entry, the resurgence of an all powerful mutant who thinks he is god, brings the gang back together with some new recruits. Oscar Isaac's performance as Apocalypse is the best villain performance in a superhero film that I've seen in a long time. He's a villain who isn't trying to back up his actions or overstuff them with long and rambling monologues but instead gives us some chilling, intense and somewhat frightening scenes such as one where he takes Michael Fassbinder's Magneto back to Auschwitz where his powers were born. The less I say about that, the better. Among some of the other scene stealing moments are the performances by the young and new actors playing Cyclops, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler and another movie stealing moment by Evan Peters as Quicksilver which I dare not give away as it is too good and smile-inducing to spoil. The pacing may be a bit slow for some but at least it's consistent and builds unlike the start and stop and start and stop patterns like some other superhero films. Bryan Singer brings some of the same flourish and bam action sequence directing that he brought back to the franchise with "Days of Futures Past" and even brings out some great emotional performances out of both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbinder during the films more dramatic scenes.
"X-Men: Apocalypse" maintains a balance of being both an individual summer blockbuster and continuing the franchise's canon storyline and it works. Is it better than "Batman V Superman" and "Captain America: Civil War"? In some respects, yes but that is like comparing three books in the same genre. Sure, they're the same genre but they are still three different stories. Still, "Apocalypse" is an amazing and x-cellent summer action-fest that succeeds on every level.
Rating: 4.5/5 Reels
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