X-Men: Days of Future Past

In one of the most clever ways they could have rebooted this series, X-Men: DOFP takes the best of the first two films and X-Men: First Class and sets the stage for X-Men to continue on a much better path with the cast we got to know and love, and does so through an exciting, well-written, thoroughly entertaining film.

Briefly, this film opens in an apocalyptic wasteland where a program known as the Sentinel program has slowly and steadily wiped out mutants, people who have the potential to become mutants, and all their human allies.  Suffice to say, it’s not a pretty picture.  The enemy in this film, the Sentinels, is practically impossible to defeat, because it uses the incredible DNA of Raven/Mystique, the mutant who is capable of transforming her physical appearance.  This puts the X-Men in real danger, and seeing them struggle against the Sentinels is terrifying.  The only way to possibly defeat them and restore order is to go back in time and destroy the Sentinel program before it even began.  Wolverine is the only person capable of surviving this process, so he goes back to the ’70s to try to convince young Professor Xavier and Magneto to work together and save their future.  While this may sound like a complex or convoluted plot, I think director Bryan Singer does a great job of making it all flow well.  The interweaving of the past and present and the tension and danger that lies in each time period almost feels like Inception.  The story is compelling and will have you on the edge of your seat throughout the film.  The common conflicting themes from this franchise of mutant and human coexistence and mutant domination once again arise in this film, but are heightened by the new threat of Trask and the Sentinel program.  That’s not to say that this movie is completely serious; there are much needed moments of levity that balance out the film nicely.  But where the movie really shines is in the cast.

One of the most exciting things about the X-Men is that there are so many different characters to explore.  While there are plenty of mutants that are on display in this film, it never becomes overwhelming, it only adds to the action and excitement.  This film brought back a few characters from X-Men: First Class: Charles Xavier (James McAvoy); Erik Lehnsherr, a.k.a. Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Hank, a.k.a Beast (Nicholas Hoult), and Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).  All three actors bring back what made them so great in the other film: they’re young, fresh, and captivating, and all play their roles so genuinely.  In the past, we are also introduced to Peter Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver (played by Evan Peters), who is hilarious and so much fun to watch on screen.  Honestly, these characters (along with Wolverine, played a 6th time now by Hugh Jackman) would have been perfect in a movie all on their own.  But on top of that, add the excellent pairing of Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart once again as Professor X and Magneto (respectively) and all of your favorite characters from the past films (Halle Berry as Storm, Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde, and so many more), and you have an all-star cast of what has made this franchise so enjoyable for comic book fans and casual moviegoers alike.   Newcomer Peter Dinklage, who is a fantastic actor in just about everything he’s done, also shines as the “villain” of the film Dr. Bolivar Trask.

I saw this film in 3D, and have to say it was… ok.  There were a few scenes that looked stunning in 3D, but not enough to justify watching the whole movie in that format.  The action scenes were incredibly well-choreographed, and the cinematography was gorgeous.  The special effects were phenomenal, and really made the mutants and their epic fight scenes that much more exciting to see on the big screen.  The pacing was excellent, and the 2+ hours flew by, in my opinion.  Don’t forget to stay for a post-credits scene, though you may need to seek explanation about what it means (as a non-comic reader, I definitely needed some help in deciphering it).

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

If you like the X-Men films, you absolutely MUST see this film.  It’s one of (if not THE) best films in the franchise.  If you like comic book/Marvel films, than you definitely don’t want to miss this one!  If you’ve never seen an X-Men film, I’d recommend at least watching the first X-Men film and X-Men: First Class before watching this one (if not all of them, minus the Wolverine films, they’re not as essential to this story).  It’s one of the best action films of the year, and next to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is the best superhero/comic book film of the year so far.

Golden Globe Predictions!

Hi everyone!

The Golden Globes are the first real award show of the year (sorry People’s Choice!), and (often but not always) a good predictor for the Oscars.  I’m going to take a look at the list (take a look at if for yourself: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/12/golden-globe-nominees-2014-the-complete-list/), and offer the following: my prediction about what I think will win, what I would like to win, and (if applicable), what was snubbed and deserves some recognition.  While this blog has mainly been used for movies, I have been keeping up with TV too and will offer predictions for that as well!  I’m excited to have Amy Poehler and Tina Fey co-host again, they did a great job last time and always have such great chemistry together!

First, let’s start with movies!

BEST DRAMA

Think will win: 12 Years a Slave is an awards show favorite, and rightly so.  It’s incredibly dramatic and emotionally powerful, and certainly deserves the recognition.

Want to win: Gravity is a film unlike any other, and it’s that originality that makes it so exciting.  The power of special effects and having only two actors made the film that much more intimate and thrilling, and made you root for the characters that much more.

Snubbed: Short Term 12 was a phenomenal film that was definitely underrated, and is an emotional powerhouse of a film.  Fantastic acting, great chemistry between the actors, and a great, compelling story all make this film a must-watch!

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will win: American Hustle has been getting a lot of buzz, and rightly so, due to it’s old-school feel and great acting.

Want to win: The Wolf of Wall Street is, in my opinion, the funniest film of the year.  Thanks to the over-the-top acting of DiCaprio and Hill, this wild true story is taking to new heights, and never comes back down!

Snubbed: The Way, Way Back was a fantastic comedy/drama that definitely slipped under the radar.  Fantastic acting by Steve Carrell and the rest of the cast made this a compelling film that nicely balanced comedy with drama.

BEST DIRECTOR

Think will win: Steve McQueen will probably take this one along with the Best Picture.

Want to win: Alfonso Cuarón deserves it for the masterful job he did with his film.

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Think will win: Judi Dench has only won one Academy Award/Golden Globe in her illustrious career (though she’s been nominated for many), and the academy usually likes to give these awards to older actors/actresses before it’s too late.

Want to win: This is a tough one, because both Emma Thompson and Sandra Bullock did such phenomenal jobs in their respective films.  While I loved Emma Thompson though, I think I’ll lean toward Bullock, since she essentially carries her whole film.

Snubbed: Once again, I’m going to go with Brie Larson from Short Term 12, who wears her heart on her sleeve in the film and experiences just about every emotion you can go through in the film, from anger and depression to excitement and joy.

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Think will win: Chiwetel Ejiofor will probably also take this award for this film, though maybe due to the times, Idris Elba will sneak away with the win with his interpretation of Mandela.

Want to win: Matthew McConaughey found a way to make a cocky, stubborn, homophobic uber-cowboy into a likable character.

Snubbed: I know he’s already nominated, but I think McConaughey should have been nominated for his awesome role in Mud, which I thought was a much more compelling character.  But just to add variety, I believe Hugh Jackman’s role in Prisoners was incredible and completely ignored.

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will win: Christian Bale certainly does a great job in this role, and I think he will probably take it.

Want to win: DiCAPRIO!!  He absolutely DESERVES to win this award for his phenomenal job in this insane film!  However, I also believe Oscar Isaac did a fantastic job in his role as well (as both an actor and singer), and he certainly deserves some recognition for it.

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL/COMEDY

Think will/want to win: To be honest, the only one I’ve seen in this list is Amy Adams, and she definitely did a great job.

Snubbed: I think it would have been awesome for the academy to think outside of the box and give the award to Scarlett Johansson for her voice acting in the film.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Think will/want to win: J-Law totally stole the show in her film, and is the funniest part about the whole movie.  She definitely deserves the win!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Think will win: Michael Fassbender played a totally despicable plantation owner, which is what made 12 Years a Slave such a powerful film, so he’ll probably win it.

Want to win: Jared Leto did an absolutely incredible job in his role, and completely stole the movie.  Funny, emotionally powerful, and absolutely compelling, he deserves the win!

BEST SCREENPLAY

Think will/want to win: Spike Jonze for Her. It’s an original, fresh love story that also smartly looks at our obsession with technology, specifically our smart phones.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Think will/want to win: Once again, I haven’t seen any of these films, but based on the buzz and reviews, I’m going to say Blue is the Warmest Color will probably take the award.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Think will/want to win: Frozen is the best Disney film in years, and has a phenomenal soundtrack.  As cute as the minions are, there’s no competition for in this category in my opinion.

Snubbed: Regardless, I’m surprised Monsters U didn’t get nominated.  I guess there’s only room for one Disney movie! 🙂

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Think will/want to win: “Let it Go” for Frozen is essentially the theme of the film, and fits it very well.  Sung incredibly by Idina Menzel, it’s worthy of the prize.

BEST SCORE

Think will win: 12 Years a Slave will probably take it for adding to the emotional powerhouse film.

Want to win: Gravity‘s score added so much tension to the film, which was already tense enough!  It was very powerful and deserves recognition.

Now on to TV!

BEST TV COMEDY/MUSICAL

Think will win: I don’t know how it continues to do so, but Modern Family seems to be unstoppable.  I’m guessing it will continue its reign of terror.

Want to win: Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the funniest new shows of the year, and definitely deserves some recognition.

Snubbed: I’m surprised The Crazy Ones was not nominated; Robin Williams is back in top form in this show!

BEST TV DRAMA

Think will win: Though I’ve never seen the show, I know many people say Breaking Bad is one of the best TV shows of all time, and that it had a particularly strong final season.  I think the academy will bid it farewell with an award.

Want to win: Again, though I’ve never seen the show, I think it would be interesting to have the academy nominate a Netflix show.  If  House of Cards wins, it could really signal a shift in the power of TV shows that aren’t necessarily on TV.

Snubbed: That being said, I’m surprised Orange is the New Black and Orphan Black were left out of the running (they are nominated for other categories after all).  Once again, I guess there’s only room for one Netflix/internet TV show.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Think will win: I’ve never seen the show, but I know Julianna Marguiles has garnered consistent praise for the show, so I have a feeling she’ll win it.

Want to win: For the same reasons listed earlier, I would love to have Taylor Schilling or Tatiana Maslany win for their internet/Netflix shows!

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY

Think will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus will probably get an award, for the same reason Judi Dench will probably win; she’s been nominated many times and is due for a win.

Want to win: It would be awesome if Poehler won, a) because she’s hosting and b) because Parks and Recreation is probably coming to an end soon, and it would be a fitting send off.

BEST ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Think will win: For the same reason I think the show will win, I think Bryan Cranston will take the award, and rightly so.

Want to win: Again, for similar reasons listed above, I think it would be interesting for Kevin Spacey to win.  Also, James Spader has done a great job on The Blacklist, and is essentially the only real reason to watch that show.

BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY/MUSICAL

Think will win: Much like Modern Family, Jim Parsons seems to be unstoppable in these awards, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he took home the win.

Want to win: Andy Samberg is hilarious in his show, and deserves some recognition.  But it would also be great if Michael J. Fox got an award for his great TV return.

Snubbed: Comedy legend Robin Williams is the star and redeeming factor of his show, and it’s a shame he didn’t get recognized for it.

It’s hard to judge the rest of the categories because I haven’t seen many of the nominated shows.  But I will say I think American Horror Story is doing an interesting thing in terms of having the same ensemble cast and putting them in different roles/scenarios each season, so Ryan Murphy and that show should get some recognition!  I also think Parenthood doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, it’s a great drama with an excellent cast to back it up!

Anyway, that’s all for now, what do you think? 🙂  We’ll find out soon enough how close I was!

American Hustle

Full of twists and turns and laughs, American Hustle is bolstered by an awesome cast and a distinctly late 70s/early 80s feel.

One thing I love that producers/directors do is when they make every effort to make you feel like you’re watching a movie from a certain time period (Quentin Tarrantino does this a lot in his films, though he also likes to add items to make them feel like they’re from a certain region too, often Japan).  So when the film opens up with the old school Columbia Pictures logo, and then proceeds to show the rest of the production company logos as if they were around during the late 70s/early 80s, I was pleased and immediately drawn into the feel of the film.  The groovy fonts, the humorous attitude (instead of saying “Based on a true story” like other similar films might do, this film instead tells us “Some of this stuff actually happened”), and the funky soundtrack all made me feel like I was watching a legitimate film from that era, and it definitely added to the appeal of the film.  It was fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

The casting was phenomenal, with a few surprise cameos as well (I’ll give away one, and leave the other one a surprise: Louis CK does a hilarious job in his surprise role!).  Christian Bale, as crazy as he can be, shows why he is one of the best actors of our day.  Gaining a ton of weight and sporting a wicked combover, Bale disappears into his role as Irving Rosendale, con-man extraordinaire.  A passionate, clever man, Irving is selfish yet selfless as well.  The cons he performs are done to help him out, but he also wants to provide for his son, and eventually to save his new friend.  Amy Adams plays essentially the female equivalent of Irving, Sydney Prosser, as well as her alter-ego of sorts, Lady Edith Greensly.  For playing both of those roles well, Adams earns props from me.  Bradley Cooper plays FBI agent Richie DiMaso, who catches the two in action and agrees to let them go if they help him catch other con artists (this eventually turns into a whole other plot thing, but more about that later).  He definitely has his funny moments and plays his job well, but I wouldn’t say this is his best role (he definitely did a way better job in David O. Russell’s other film, Silver Linings Playbook).  Jeremy Renner does a fine job in his role as Mayor Carmine Polito, a man with good intentions who ultimately made some poor decisions.  However, without a doubt, Jennifer Lawrence steals the show (when does she not?) in her hilarious performance as Rosalyn Rosenfield, a ditzy, nosey woman with too much time on her hands and who cannot keep a secret.  As always, she is completely captivating and a delight every time she appears on screen.

As for the story, it’s not the easiest story to follow at times.  The plot takes plenty of twists and turns that can sometimes be difficult to keep up with; I didn’t know who was conning who and for what purposes.  While I appreciate films that make you think a bit, I also don’t like it when I get completely lost in a film.  This is of course just a personal opinion, and I’m sure other people will be able to follow the film perfectly, but for me, this was one of the flaws of the film.  The “serious” dramatic portion of the film can be a bit crazy, but the “comedy” portion of the film just does fine; you’ll be laughing throughout the film (mostly as a result of Jennifer Lawrence).

One thing I will say before wraping up is that I loved the focus on hair in this film, and here’s why.  The movie is about hustlers and conning people, which is all about putting up a good front.  The movie begins with Bale’s character spending a good 5-10 minutes putting his crazy combover in order, intricately folding hair over and gluing it down in an almost ritualistic way.  Later on, Adams’s character makes a comment about how Cooper’s character spends a bunch of time curling his hair, and how she can’t really say too much because she does the same thing.  These people do their hair because they want to look good and put up a good front, which bleeds into their nature as con-artists.  I just thought it was clever and wanted to mention it.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 8/10

While the dramatic portion of this film can be a bit confusing at times, the humorous side of the film was on point.  The nostalgic feel of the film adds to its charm and appeal, and the acting is pretty great, with everyone (including the surprise cameos) doing a great job.  I can understand why this film is getting award nods, but at the same time I find it hard to say with any certainty that this will win Best Picture (it might give Lawrence or Bale another award, but none of the others in my opinion).

QUICKIES! 6 movies, 1 post!

Hi everyone!

As you may have noticed, I’ve been AWOL lately…  Life has been busy, and other distractions have gotten in the way of my reviews.  But that hasn’t stopped me from going on some cinematic adventures!  And with the holiday season right around the corner (which means plenty of awesome movies around the bend), and life not getting any less busy, I want to quickly recap some movies I’ve seen since my last post.  I hope to continue to write my regular-sized posts in the future, but if I don’t write these mini-reviews now, I feel like I never will and will just fall behind, so please excuse the irregular format this time around!

1) Bad Grandpa – 5/10

In another case of the trailer spoiling the best parts of the movie, all the funniest scenes in the film were given away in the trailer.  The rest was just Johnny Knoxville being Johnny Knoxville: outrageous, gross, and rude, which is what you come to see when you go to any of his movies.  This is certainly not as funny as any of the Jackass films, which I feel are bolstered by Knoxville’s crazy friends.  The child actor in this film is hilarious, and Knoxville does have a handful of humorous moments that aren’t in the trailer, but overall you won’t be missing anything if you skip this film.

2) Ender’s Game – 6/10

As with just about every single one of my other reviews, I have not read the book that this film is based on, but even I feel like it’s probably way better than the film.  In what is essentially a space version of Harry Potter (a chosen, gifted boy is asked to save the world using his skills) or a live-action version of StarCraft (strategically place your units in the right places to defeat the aliens), the film can be a bit boring and slightly confusing at times.  The twist at the end of the film is interesting, but not enough to save the rest of the film.  The acting either falls flat is overly bombastic many times, which is a shame considering the star-filled cast (Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, and Abigail Breslin).  The special effects are decent, but certainly not the best that we’ve seen in recent films.  Once again, you’re not missing out if you decide to skip this film entirely.

3) Dallas Buyers Club – 9/10 

2013 seemed to be the year of McConaughey, as he starred in yet another incredible film.  Unlike his role in Mud, this time around McConaughey plays a man you love to hate and hate to love.  While he is an ignorant homophobe who makes his feelings and opinions very well known throughout the film, it’s this same stubbornness and brashness that makes him so appealing.  Jared Leto does a phenomenal job in his role as the transgender woman Rayon, who is so compelling and charming.  Both actors went through drastic physical transformations to embody their roles.  Jennifer Garner does a satisfactory job in her role.  The story is hilarious and heartwarming, difficult yet delightful.  Not too many movies have really dealt with the issue of AIDS (especially in the early days of it), and this movie definitely does a great job of showing the struggle that people with AIDS faced, particularly the ignorance people had about the disease and its contagiousness.  This one is sure to garner some Oscar buzz, and is certainly worth seeing!

4) 12 Years a Slave – 10/10

An immensely powerful film, it is no surprise that it has already received so many award nominations.  This is absolutely Chiwetel Ejiofor’s breakout role, and he does a fantastic job in a very difficult role.  Showing the extremes that this man would go through just to survive is heart-wrenching, as well as how “normal” this whole insane world was for everyone involved.  For example, in one scene, Ejiofor’s character is practically hung on a tree, with his only means of survival being desperately trying to stand on his tip-toes.  Throughout his entire struggle, other slaves walk around him, children play in the fields behind him, and the white people simply check in on him every now and then as if he is a nuisance.  Other powerful roles are offered by Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael Fassbender, and of course Brad Pitt.  Believe the hype, this is definitely a great movie that, as hard as it can be to watch sometimes, needs to be seen, and displays one of the most difficultly realistic views of slavery in media of any form.

5) Frozen – 10/10

One of the BEST Disney films (and animated films in general) of recent history, and a true display of the talent that Disney Animation has without the aid of Pixar, this is a movie that both kids and adults will love.  Like every great Disney film, it has a great balance of humor (Josh Gad as a magical snowman?  Yes please!) and sweetness (the relationship between the sisters, Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel is uplifting).  Also, as a musical enthusiast, this movie has one of the best soundtracks of any Disney film out there, with a nice variety of sounds and styles that fit wonderfully into the film; I guarantee you’ll be humming at least one of the songs you hear in the movie for weeks to come.  In another awesome twist, the true love displayed in the movie doesn’t rely on romantic love, but rather the love between family.  The 3D looked great as well and was truly immersive.  The Frozen will rekindle your faith in the power of animated films and remind you about what you loved about them as kids, and I absolutely recommend it!

6) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – 9/10

Finally, in the blockbuster sequel to the blockbuster original, this film has all the action and excitement that you would expect, and a revolutionary story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.  Again, I’ve never read the source material, but people that I know who have read the books say its a pretty faithful interpretation.  Jennifer Lawrence is as incredible as ever, and the rest of the supporting cast return in excellent form, with a few notable new faces as well (Philip Seymour Hoffman in particular).  While it is over 2 hours long (146 minutes to be precise), it flies by quickly, and ends rather abruptly (which, like any great cliffhanger, simply leaves you excited for the conclusion).  The effects are great and the cinematography is excellent, and its a great follow-up to what I feel will be the biggest trilogy of recent times.  If you liked the first one (or just like action films in general), you definitely should see this one!

That’s it for now, more reviews and other posts coming soon!  Thank you all for continuing to read these posts!  In case I don’t get to chat with you all again in the next few days, I hope you all have a Happy Holidays and New Year! 🙂

-Dr. A