(** out of 5)
What can I say other than there aren't any films out right now that I haven't seen? This was a last minute decision, on my part, and on the part of the studio that decided to make this film. It looked like it was done in a rush, and well, it doesn't beat the original.
This is a Michael Bay film. You will see some of the exact direction styles, and even hear some of the exact same sounds heard in the Transformers movies. And Shredder was, pretty much, a transformer. He is even referred to as "robot ninja" in the film. I also wanted this movie to be more about the turtles and less about April O'Neal (played by the most talented actress in the history of cinema, Megan Fox). Please note that was sarcasm.
I think the director and producers had a hard time trying to make this a kid-friendly film, but a fan-friendly one, too. It wasn't serious enough for older audiences, but it was a little too violent for younger audiences, earning it's PG-13 rating. The film wasn't horrible, but it wasn't anything worth remembering.
The villains of the movie are a gang called The Foot that are raiding and stealing from the city. The turtles have never been outside the sewer, and while they are going against Master Splinter's rules, they decide to become a group of vigilantes to help New York. April O'Neal discovers the vigilantes and must help them on their mission. Pretty basic story. There's also some funny jokes and some not so funny ones.
TMNT really picked up about two thirds through the movie. A great action sequence takes place on a mountain, followed by rooftop battle in the city. Being a huge fan of the television show LOST, I laughed at the reference made at the end. There's also some superhero jokes, and a fart or two. I think the audience that appreciated the movie were fans of the originals. The story did not elaborate on their love for pizza or skateboarding, but both are in the film.
Not the worst movie, but not really worth the money. I'd recommend waiting for this one when it comes out to rent.
(**** out of 5)
Yes! Yes! Yes! This film was the surprise hit of this summer. I enjoyed it so much that I constantly browse movie times to see if I can squeeze it into my hectic schedule. The previews did not do this film justice. The night I saw it, I was extremely sleep-deprived from a long day, but I was dragged opening night by a friend. From the beginning of the movie, I was wide awake and hooked. If you haven't seen this film, you are missing out. Go see it.
Why is this movie so popular? If you are like me, you saw the preview and thought, well, that looks okay. And it also looked kind of stupid. I don't know much about comics, and I didn't know what I was about to watch. I just remember a talking raccoon and a giant tree-monster-thing. Not to mention, the lead actor, Chris Pratt, hasn't really been a lead in a big film before. What made this film different from all of the other comic book movies that Marvel has put out? I'll tell you: it was hilarious.
Guardians was not just an action-packed film, but I was laughing throughout the entire movie. There are jokes from the beginning to the end, making it entirely different from the serious Marvel movies that have one or two jokes strategically placed in the films. In other words, the other Marvel movies are serious. Guardians was not, making it refreshing. Something new. Something different. There's even jokes about genitalia; one of them particularly had the entire audience burst out laughing.
What's the plot? A group of misfits and renegades are forced into saving the universe by stealing an ancient artifact that could end life as we know it, if it falls into the wrong hands. There's a thief, an assassin, a bounty hunter and his sidekick, and a soldier seeking revenge. And don't expect them to like each other right off the bat, because they don't. They grow together and bond by the end of the film. The on-screen chemistry worked well.
I loved this film. I was worried how Chris Pratt would be as the lead in Jurassic World, but after seeing Guardians, my confidence has been lifted. Go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I hope you won't be disappointed.
(* out of 5)
Look at the poster for this film. It's an English speaking ape, riding a horse with an assault rifle. I hated it. I am clueless as to why the critics gave it such high ratings. I saw this film with a friend who really enjoyed it and was upset that I didn't appreciate it. I will write a few good things about it, but this movie was stupid.
First of all, the last film was entertaining (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, starring James Franco). I had anticipated that the sequel would at least be comparable to the first film. It turned out to be a political film, mostly centered around the apes. There is a clan of humans that is still alive, and they are discovered by an army of apes. Cesar, the ape from the first film, is the leader. Just like his previous owner had given him a chance, Cesar wants his army to give the humans a chance. Can they be trusted? Or will they try to put them in cages again? The main human characters are trying to generate electricity to their colony, but the water wheel is located in the forest of the apes. A treaty is formed, but is slowly torn apart by prejudices and misunderstanding.
The movie is a lot of talking and not that much action. There are also a lot of subtitles, so if you have vision problems, make sure to sit somewhere that won't hurt your eyes. It's a slow film, but if you like political discussion in movies, you will probably enjoy it. The movie is also more related to the traditional Apes films.
The film felt long with a two hour and ten minute running time. After all of the talking dies down and the action beings, there is a scene that ruined the entire thing for me. Look again at the poster. Imagine the ape on the horse jumping through flames, yelling and double-wielding guns. I burst out laughing. So did other people, including my friend. For a scene that seemed so epic, it was ruined in a second.
Not a fan. I will more than likely never see this one again. I do not recommend it.
(**1/2 out of 5)
When I first heard about Lucy, which was not long before it's release, I thought, Wow, this sounds like an interesting summer film. How come I haven't heard anything about it? Due to the amazing graphics in the film, I assume that's where the marketing money went. Overall, the movie was somewhat entertaining, but if you haven't seen it, you aren't missing out on my much.
I have never seen anything starring Scarlett Johansson that thoroughly disappointed me. While I do not believe that every film she has done is amazing, I've never left the theater wishing I hadn't seen the film. If there had not been a Hollywood star in this film, I wouldn't have seen it. Her acting was fine, as was Morgan Freeman's. The graphics were incredible. The sound mixing may get it nominated for an Academy. The story, while short-lived, was fun. Like the majority of this summer's films, it didn't do well.
Didn't they already make a movie just like this? That was the common question I heard anytime this film was brought up in conversation. The problem is that no one seemed to be able to pinpoint what movie this was. And why? Because it was a relatively low-budget film called Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper. He finds a drug that helps him unlock a higher percentage of his brain, just like Lucy does. While I don't deny that this is an interesting concept for a movie, Limitless seemed more realistic to me. In Lucy, her brain allows her to do things such as changing her physical appearance and killing someone just by looking at them.
The film started out with a wonderful plot for a thriller. Lucy is abducted and forced to be a drug mule. While in route to board an airplane, she is apprehended and beat. A kick to her stomach causes the drug to release inside of her, and that's when the movie really begins. Lucy has to understand what is happening to her before time runs out. Unfortunately, the film ran out too early. I had so many questions that I was hoping would get answered. The movie picks up it's pace, and then ends. Just ends. The running time for Lucy was just a little over an hour and a half. The movie needed to be longer, especially since it's a film that was supposed to require a lot of thinking. As a graduate in anthropology, I enjoyed some of the references such as the title, but felt things were made too obvious.
So, should you see this film? Maybe if the options at Redbox or the Dollar Theater are limited.
(***1/2 out of 5)
As many of you already know, the only big film to come out this weekend was Transformers 4. I will most likely see it, but it's not one I care about enough to see on opening weekend. Therefore, I was subjected to the Decent Movie Hunt on Netflix. Trying to find an enjoyable movie on Netflix (that isn't a piece of junk) is a challenge, one that I enjoy. Each week, I browse and browse until I find something interesting. I've finished season two of Orange is the New Black (great show). The summer of 2014 is not the summer of films. Summer of 2015 will be, but this summer, uneventful. My Netflix "Recommends" section revealed Devil's Knot. I had seen the preview for this movie not long ago, and had planned on seeing it. I gave it a shot.
The movie is a typical Southern murder mystery, except that it is based on the real story of the West Memphis Three. Three teens are accused of murdering three young boys in a ritual involving witchcraft and satanism. I was so young when this event happened that I barely remember it. I just remember brief clips on the news. Pam Hobbs (Reese Witherspoon) is a mother of one of the murdered children. Like the rest of the small town, the evidence points to the three teenagers who the town considers "weird." Ron Lax (Colin Firth), a private investigator, sees this story on the television and is inspired to help the accused. While most of the movie takes place in a court room, the horrific story unfolds, causing the defense and the offense to question the side they should support. While Pam wants justice for her son and the others, she also begins to question the story. Is it possible that the town might be sentencing three innocent teenagers to death?
I was highly intrigued by this film. I had to use all of my will power from getting onto the internet to know how the story ended. The film was haunting and emotional. The direction was handled appropriately, helping me sympathize for the characters. I also love the setting of the South. Many of the critics panned the film, but I think that it is because with two Academy award winning actors, they might have had their expectations too high. Reese Witherspoon's character was believable. While Pam wasn't the most dynamic character, I had no issue with her acting. Colin Firth? Not his best performance. But I think his character was not well-developed either.
Overall, this film was highly underrated for something that went to Netflix at such a fast rate. I recommend it if you want a good murder mystery to watch. And for those of you who do not have Netflix, I did see it for rent at Red Box. Is it worth buying? Not until it's in the $5 bin at Walmart or Target. I'm just glad I found something good enough to watch that prevented me from looking for news on a possible Sharknado sequel.
(***1/2 out of 5)
And here you have it ladies and gentlemen: the bromantic comedy of the summer. This film was full of laughs, but a story very different from the first. If you are looking for a warm comedy with lots of rated-R humor, go to the theaters and see 22 Jump Street.
I'd have to say that this films predecessor, 21 Jump Street, was funnier, but this one didn't fall far behind. Schmidt and Jenko appear in an action-packed opening, but it results in ultimate failure, causing them to be reassigned on a college mission. Unlike the first film, Jenko (Channing Tatum) gets to have all of the fun, where Schmidt (Jonah Hill) is the campus loser. This change ultimately impacts their friendship. The film constantly teases the masculinity and femininity of the characters.
It did not have an intense "cop mission" like the first film. Don't get me wrong, it does have one, but the film focuses on the meaning of being a team. It hilariously criticizes that meaning of bromance, even with a scene where they are treated as if they are romantically involved. The film made a great oddity out of their friendship. These two actors have great on-screen chemistry. There are a few references to the last film, but if you haven't seen it, you will still enjoy the sequel.
Speaking of sequels, I was upset that the film often made fun of sequels in the film industry. I feel as if this happened because there will not be a third film. After reading several interviews with the actors, it sounds like this story is over. There credits of the film also make fun of this. I felt like the film was criticizing itself, which dropped my opinion of the film, only slightly. Proving that people do like sequels, this film had the second biggest R rated comedy opening weekend in film (The Hangover II being the first). Maybe that will change the producers and the actors minds.
If you are looking for some summer fun, go see 22 Jump Street. The only other competing film right now, in my opinion, is Neighbors. And if you are looking for one more laugh, there is a little stinger after the credits.
(*** out of 5)
I am a huge nerd and was so excited about this film. The films continue to impress me, especially after the last film, X-Men: First Class. It was fun, action-packed, and character-driven. I couldn't believe the producers were able to get so many academy actors into one film. Most films that have tons of famous actors tend to "droop," and I think that's the only reason I gave this film a three-out-of-five rating. My best friend and I discussed that we thought this was the second best film, First Class being the best one.
If you haven't seen the previews, which will not ruin the movie, the plot is simple. Set in the future, humans and X-Men face extinction after a robot designed by men turns against its own kind. The opening is an intense sequence. It's dark, and the characters that we loved are all grown up and ready to die if they need to. It opens with Charles Xavier and Magneto working together. This is how desperate the mutants have become. It was in the last film that the audience discovered their previous friendship. Kitty, who you may remember as the girl who can run through walls, has figured out a way to time travel in short distances. It's dangerous and can damage the physical body. In order to prevent the extinction of the world, someone must travel back in time to stop the production of the robots. Logan, aka Wolverine, is the only one who can survive physical damage in time travel of this proportion. He must travel back to create an alliance among the mutants.
The majority of the film takes place in 1973. All but Logan are young. There are a few flashes to present day, but not many. There were so many characters brought back in the film, that it lacked certain character development, a pet peeve of mine. The story made up for this. The audience gets a lot of Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence). She is the one who the plot focuses on as, believe it or not, the enemy. Because I have seen all of her movies, I'm used to seeing her as the heroine. This was great!
The ending of the film was an adrenaline rush. Obviously, I can't tell you what happens, but you won't be disappointed. For comic book fans, there IS something after the credits. I had no idea what it was but I was later informed. Overall, if you haven't seen the other X-Men films, you probably won't understand this one. Watch the last four films and then see this one. You won't be disappointed.
