The Expendables 3 Movie Review

I was able to catch an early preview for the latest installment in the action movie franchise, The Expendables 3. Stallone and his team, known as “The Expendables” set out for the third time on screen, in this explosions galore action film. When an enemy from the past appears, they must reassemble to take down the villain, this is nothing we haven’t seen a billion times before, ugh.  


One thing I noticed right away was that it looked like the actors wanted to be there, and this really showed with the great chemistry between the handful of leads from scene to scene. The best thing about this film is the cast, just as it was in the first two movies. The cast is arguably the main reason the majority of people even watch the Expendables. From old timers like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, to Hollywood’s latest action stars like Jason Statham, the franchise seems to have seen them all. To me, this is the most entraining thing about these films, seeing the greatest action stars of all time on screen, together. This appears to be the main objective  for the crew when making these movies, and it’s safe to say, they have reached their goal with all three films. Some of the action sequences were fun to watch play-out only because of the actors. Unfortunately, the PG-13 style violence and predictable shootouts ruined many of the fire fights throughout.     


The pacing was slightly shaky at times, causing for it to feel like the majority of the runtime was wasted by following the exact same format from the first two films. Not that I ever got bored, I just found myself predicting the outcome of the movie by the 20 minute mark.  As many action movies are guilty of, cheesy dialogue is littered throughout the film, yet it didn’t bug me as much as usual, because it felt humbly self aware. Unfortunately it was far from perfect at hiding it’s flaws, as the extremely unrealistic scenes kept me from enjoying the movie. With the R rating lifted, the much tamer PG-13 rating shows more than I would have liked to seen. The film seemed to hide the more gritty, bloody violence, from the first two films with a much more stylized violence which made the action sequences feel more like a superhero flick than a shoot 'em up action. The two hour runtime seemed far too long and could have easily been cut down to improve the overall tone and pacing. Watching the body count rise to insane heights wasn't as entertaining as the first two, as the killing felt much more glorified and unrealistically clean. Not that I’m a blood craving teen’, but I would have liked to seen more of the carnage as it was brought to the table in the first two, as that would have made much more sense. This film felt like it belonged in a more tween appropriate franchise rather than a bloody action saga. Even though this move made sense for marking, it wasn't the most entertaining transition, especially for more mature followers.                 


Despite the film using every action movie cliché in the book, I found the The Expendables 3 somewhat entertaining. At this point in the franchise you know what to expect out of these films, and it delivered just that. The Expendables 3 isn’t a film you need to rush out and see, but it will be a fun catch with friends at a cheaper theater further into it’s release. Even though it would have been nice to see something different out of the franchise, it accomplished what it set out to do by making an entertaining summer action movie.

C-

The Purge Anarchy Movie review

The extremely disappointing home invasion movie from last year gets a sequel...yikes! The first Purge was a big letdown for me, mainly because the creative plot was overshadowed by the weak, cliché elements that packed the runtime. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement, but I’m pleased to say, yet another 2014 sequel took me by surprise, with a far better installment than expected. 

The Purge Anarchy follows exactly what I wanted to see out of the first film and right away this got my full attention. Instead of showcasing the generic home invasion style, ‘Anarchy took it to the streets. Rather than following one protagonist, the film walks in the footsteps of five. These characters cross paths in a turn of events that take place during Purge Night, the one night a year where all crime is legal.  

Out of the five main characters I only took a liking to one, Frank Grillo. His role was a saving grace, and was one the most compelling aspects of the film, along with the plot.  The up-close and personal cinematography in the beginning of the film instantly connected me with the characters, both villains and victims. 

One thing I really respected about ‘Anarchy was it didn’t try be something it wasn't, much like 22 Jump Street; this is very important for viewers to keep in mind. Despite the extremely far-fetched plot, I thought ‘Anarchy came across as clever in some scenes, and handled fear and the action movie style the film heavily focused on, very well. I like how the action sequences were filmed, as they had just enough “shaky cam” to create visual action without giving me a headache. The film had an adult Hunger Games vibe to it, but still came across as original.           

The weakly cast supporting characters and repetitive plot twists became old and frustrating. Much of the acting felt rough around the edges and the dialogue occasionally came across as forced. There was a plethora of unrealistic and distracting scenes, which brought down the fear the movie tried to capture.

At this point I’m confident viewers know what kind of film they’re getting into, and what to expect. Even though it’s far from a perfect presentation, I found ‘Anarchy surprisingly fun and entertaining. I would recommend Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes over ‘Anarchy, if you plan on heading to the movies and are have to choose between the two. 

C- 

   

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes Movie Review

Let’s be honest, good sequels have been lacking on the big screen since the brilliant, Dark Knight Trilogy. Hollywood owed us one, and fortunately, this film delivered above and beyond.      

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is the sequel to 2011’s surprisingly good, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. The Dawn’ picks up 10 years after the events from the Rise’, by showcasing a post-apocalyptic setting in San Francisco. We learn early in the film that a worldwide epidemic has wiped out the majority of the population, and tension is still building between human and ape. We also see that the apes have evolved into their own culture.  This was executed with what can be argued as the best setup to a film, all year. Once the ape and human cast is developed, most of the plot revolves around attaining a power source for the make-shift city. What seems like an easy job for the humans quickly escalates to the brink of war, when they find out the ape’s colony is too close for comfort.   

From the first shot in the film I was 100% in the ape’s world, which was the exact opposite of what I was expecting. While I enjoyed the first film, I didn’t think the second one would pull me into the ape-world. If there’s one good thing that 2014 has done with movies, it’s the surprisingly good films it has produced, and I’m happy to say Dawn’ is one of them.

This film did so many things extremely well, it’s hard not to rave on, but a few points are superior, and worth touching on. First, the setup for the apes as characters was truly something special to experience in theaters. The apes are the true driving force of the film and were so well related on screen. Watching them go about their every day lives was incredibly believable; It was the flawless special effects that deserve all the credit. The way it depicted the apes was perfect. If you thought the CGI in Transformers or any other 2014 release looked good, be prepared to be blown away. I can argue this film contains the best special effects of the year, and it’s safe to say I haven’t seen emotion captured so well in special effects since Avatar. 

Aside from the gold the film struck with showing the apes on screen, Dawn’ was visually breathtaking without even showing the CGI. The pacing felt solid due to realistic tension building scenes, as they were entertaining without being stylized, which is always a respectable quality about films. The action sequences were terrifically directed and really showed up on screen. Beneath the flashy action and spectacular CGI, Dawn’ is epic all the way down to the the emotional core that was portrayed with care.    

My only gripe with the sci-fi action film is the unnecessary  amount of establishing dialogue that is littered throughout. Even though this may not seem like a huge problem, it bugged me more than usual because the film was on a higher level than what some of the dialogue showed. When this flaw occurred it took me out of the immersive world the film believably portrayed. This could have been fixed simply by visually showing, on screen, what the dialogue established, without having to talk and foreshadow what was going to happen.  It would have been nice to see the passing of time achieved by action, no forced dialogue.    

With the wave of popular movie titles recently released, it’s safe to say Dawn’ is the best choice for a movie night. The overall great experience I came away with is precisely why I go to the movies, and that’s saying something special. I think it’s one of the best films of the year, one that can’t be missed. 

A-            

August Osage County Movie Review

I don’t really see how watching people yell at one another for two hours could be entertaining, but August Osage County seemed to avoid complete disaster. This film follows three sisters that are brought back together at their childhood home, following a family crisis. The three sisters are faced with taking care of their drug-addicted mother while dealing with one another’s many problems.

The editing and camera work were well done, but nothing that helped tell the story in a creative fashion. Thanks to a huge cast full of talent, the acting was smooth and natural. The many verbal fights in the film worked only because of the skilled cast.

There were many instances in which the verbal battles gave me an awkward feeling of wanting to sink in my seat; to me that screams realistic fight scenario. So, for being a realistic film, it was well done, but for being an enjoyable film, not so much.

It’s safe to say I did not get much entertainment out of the film, but came away with the realization that I never want to end up like anyone in this film. In the end, redeeming qualities fail to shine through and viewers are left with unsatisfactory closure.

The acting was some of the best from last year, but that’s about all I got out of the film. Overall the film consists of watching people’s many problems unfold with hardly any solutions, and to me, that’s too distracting and a waste of time.

C-

The Strain Pilot Review

Fox’s latest original series, The Strain, premiered last night with an uneven pilot to what could be a potentially decent new show. The Strain is a show that I’d been excited to see ever since the reveal of the project. Still too early to judge the fate of the new series, it’s safe to say I have higher hopes for it than what was showcased in the pilot.

The Strain tells the story of a far from compelling lead character, Dr. Ephraim Goodweather. Goodweather and his team, Disease Control Canary of New York, are called upon to lead an investigation to find out the cause of a mysterious viral outbreak. The case has signs of an evil strain of vampirism, that in the larger scope of the show may lead to war for the fate of humanity.

After having hyped myself up for the show, in my mind it had a lot to live up to, luckily it wasn't a total disappointment. To my pleasant surprise I found the pilot entertaining and creepy. For a pilot I felt it raised a good amount of questions without being overwhelming, which is a mistake often made. It also had an efficient soundtrack that helped establish the pace. I really enjoyed the mood the show captured with lighting and camera work. The strongest aspect the show accomplished was the atmospheric horror that loomed over the runtime.

Along with any pilot comes cons, and what bugged me most was the lack of likable and compelling characters. Without strong characters, a show is bound to fall flat on it’s face, unless it has a great plot. Fortunately, The Strain kept me interested enough in this first show to keep watching, otherwise I would have turned it off. But not even the most interesting plot can make up for forced, unnatural, cliché dialogue spoken by boring, uninteresting characters.

The only reason I will be returning to watch episode two is because of the plot.  I believe the show has more to offer than the premiere, and I’m open to giving it another chance. 

C-                    

True Detective Season One Television Review

One thing I’ve found very interesting about television this year is that it seems to have produced better performances than any 2014 feature film release thus far. True Detective’s performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson just might be the best I’ve ever seen on television, alongside Breaking Bad. 

With an obscene amount of cop and detective shows on the air, I wasn't expecting anything I hadn't seen before, with True Detective. I soon realized I was in for quite the unexpected experience. The series felt more like a gritty take on the film, Gone Baby Gone, than any detective crime-style shows I’ve seen in years past. Even though the plot may sound simple, due to the complex characters and unique story telling format the show brings forth, it really separates itself from any other crime show on television.

The explosive, eight episode season follows two detectives played by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. The two become entangled in each other’s lives during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. Aside from the main plot of catching the killer, True Detective spent more time with character development than most shows. At first this was refreshing but once the season progressed I wanted to see more of the actual hunt for the serial killer rather than the flawed lifestyles of the two leads. The season only stumbled around with this briefly, and to my relief, quickly got back on track with the excellent, unexpected pacing the show executed so well, early-on.         

Some of the bigger pros this new original series on HBO holds is the jaw-dropping acting and excellent scripts that captured such real emotion. I had no idea where the writers were taking the show next, which opened up all kinds of doors for viewer speculation.  From episode one the series hit the ground running with what I believe to be the best dialogue of the year in any form of media. With help from a highly talented cast the script felt like a look into the protagonist’s lives rather than a crime show.

Throughout the entirety of the show a dark, gritty feeling hung over me as I watched, not knowing what to expect next. I feel this was accomplished by intense stomach-turning events that popped up throughout, along with a flawless soundtrack, efficient editing and clever cinematography. One thing I respected about the show was the way it built-up suspense through conversations and speculation between characters, rather than having to showcase a fight scene.  To me, this was real.

It was hard for me to find anything wrong with True Detective, but there are a few honorable mentions. Towards the end of the season the time periods shown on screen began to feel slightly shaky and required pondering             to make sense of them. I felt this took away from having the viewer’s full concentration for the scenes that followed. Another distraction was a couple scenes that felt too cinematic to be realistic, which detracted from the believably haunting style the show had maintained up until the final two episodes. The final diversion came in some of the more intense, unsettling scenes, as they felt so realistic they weren't necessarily enjoyable.       

In the end, True Detective is one of the better seasons that has ever aired on television and is personally one of my favorites. No question, this series is what other programs will strive to beat at this year’s Emmys. I look forward to season two, which will follow all new characters in 2015. 

A 

Transcendence Movie Review

No matter when or where you watch this film, go in with an open mind. If you’re looking to connect with characters on a personal, relatable level, Transcendence is probably not the movie for you. If looking for a fun, clever Sci-Fi action flick that is thought-provoking and entertaining, this is it.

From the time I saw the trailers, I was excited for this film.  Granted, I was surprised when I saw that it wasn't being received well by critics. After reading quite a few opinions on the internet about the movie, my enthusiasm plummeted and I went in expecting a total disaster.

To my pleasant surprise I actually enjoyed the film, even though I did agree with some of the aspects that it was being criticized for, i.e., the lack of compelling characters. The film takes place in a world overrun by advanced technology.  It follows the story of a couple’s dedication to change the world for the better, based on this technology. The plot was really the only strong point, and it seemed everything else was simply a weakly constructed backup plan for the main storyline.  In other words, the main storyline had very little support.

I felt the performances given by a huge, talented cast were on par with how the characters were written and developed. Each character seemed absent in spirit, because their emotions in the film were supposed to show that in the future people are changed by technology. Usually we connect with characters in a film because we can relate to them, but in this film, technological advancements built the characters, making it impossible to completely understand and feel for them.  I didn’t want to buy into the absence of strong characters because I didn’t think the plot was strong enough to cary the entire film by itself. I was wrong, for the most part.

I was entertained by the way the story unfolded to about the 1:30 mark, that’s when it descended into cliché scenes that were flat and unmoving. This is when the characters started showing feelings, but it simply failed to work due to the previous scenes that established them as cold and somewhat lifeless.  I quickly lost interest in what was going on and wanted to see more of what I had just been watching for the last hour and a half.

The film had great potential that I would liked to have seen taken to the next level. With lack of strong characters the film felt weaker than many and could have been so much better if certain characters were easier to relate to. The plot was intriguing enough to be entertaining but not mind-blowing. The film looked incredible thanks to Christopher Nolan’s preferred cinematographer leading the production. Even though I liked the movie for entertainment, there really wasn't anything we haven’t seen before. 

C+ 

   

Perfect Sense Movie Review

Something I'm really starting to enjoy about watching movies is not knowing a single thing about plot before I watch them. I just stumbled upon this movie while searching for something to watch on Netflix, and figured I may as well give it a try. 
For the first 15 minutes I didn't have a clue what was going on which is an interesting element to a film as long as things fall together later. My only complaint lies within the first twenty minutes as some of the characters backstories seemed rushed for the sake of keeping the pace. Despite that small hiccup, as time went on I became totally immersed in the film's world. 
Perfect Sense tells the bizarre love story of an epidemiologist and a chef.  Accompanied by clever twists and turns that racked my brain for answers. There is so much more to the film than that but I'm afraid if you know more you will not come away with the same impression I did. 
Beautiful camerawork with unique angles and editing really drove the film style. Even though the story lacked supporting characters in numbers, it made up for it with extras that help show the world’s perspective on the unexpected events that unfold during the film. The cultural focus brought my emotions to a higher level. It also had great performances from Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. The two leads had amazing chemistry that was played out perfectly with realistic dialogue and many personal, believable moments. The movies overall tone and hidden messages got me caring about characters and enthralled in the plot. It's a good reminder of why we love films and why we must value relationships. Definitely check this one out.

A



Transformers: Age of Extinction Movie Review

Expectations lower than dirt are what I had going into this movie. To my surprise the first hour and a twenty minutes were great. Age of Extinction follows all new characters set five years after the events of the third film. The movie’s plot is pretty much the same format we saw in the first three films: “Get the spark before the Decepticons do.” The start of the film focused more on introducing the new cast rather than showcasing the 
Transformers, which I personally liked. I was in awe of the creative and energetic camera work, smooth editing, and well executed soundtrack. One thing this movie had going for it right out the gate was the totally revamped cast. Mark Wahlberg did a much better job carrying the film than previous stars. We all can admit that none of us could stomach watching Shia LaBeouf run around screaming for Bumble Bee while the same predicable plot unfolded. The cliché plot is still present in the forth installment, and got boring during the two hour forty-five minute runtime. The movie had a lot of great things going for it during the early stages. It set up characters well, established a sturdy plot for the first couple of acts and captured humor and attention spans very well. Once the film got closer to the halfway mark it started to lose it’s magic. The rest of the film was weak and the prolonged fighting sequences became annoying. Even though the plot is about an alien race taking over earth, the makers pushed the envelope on what humans could realistically, physically withstand. This left me and many in the audience thinking, “That’s impossible,” several times. I felt the superhuman-like portrayal and unrealistic abilities of the main stars to repeatedly escape life-threatening situations, unscathed, was way over the top. It started to remind me of the second and third film in the series. The same sort of battles were beginning to unfold with predictable outcomes. The CGI was the film’s saving grace, as it looked good most of the time with only occasional hiccups. In my opinion the only reason to watch this movie would be to see the special effects on the big screen. There’s really nothing deeper than cool CGI and cheesy laughs in the film, but I have to say I was entertained by how it looked on the outside. Inside, Age of Extinction is nothing we haven’t seen before from Michael Bay. 

C-

The Leftovers: Pilot Television Review

It’s been quite some time since television has felt this good. HBO's latest original series "The Leftovers" premiered on Sunday with a nearly flawless pilot. The show tells the story of what would happen if 2% of the world’s population disappeared into thin air.
Right out of the gate the show had a great, driving plot. It was joined by interesting subplots and character development that raised a lot of questions. In my opinion one of the most crucial elements of a pilot is whether or not it raises questions. The Leftovers’ intense pilot raised so many questions, my mind will be racing for days. It's already showcasing some very compelling characters who quickly grabbed my attention; their performances are outstanding which made me connect with them sooner than I usually do.
The show follows multiple characters’ stories in a way that smoothly blends them together.  You’d think a multi-character focus would be distracting, but it’s just the opposite in this series.
Another aspect that really impressed me was the phenomenally written dialogue. Emotions were also handled with thought and the formula felt creative and refreshing. The soundtrack was perfectly timed to capture emotions due to excellent editing. It's safe to say the show’s editing was the best I've seen this year on television. The camerawork was very professional, appealing to the eye and it made you think, which helped personalize the presence of each character.
The flaws each character possess helps keep the storyline real and easy to relate to.  After watching the pilot unfold unlike any other, I was truly impressed by how it threw out the generic pilot style and capitalized on mystery and character development. It handled dark and mature scenes well, with realistic dialogue and acting.
My only concern with the pilot is an unrealistic series of events involving dogs and a deer. I’m a stickler for details when it comes to portraying animals and animal sounds and very few movies get it right.  In this case, the deer is in velvet in October (velvet is gone by early September), and when it’s being attacked by dogs, the sounds of bugling bull elk are piped-in.  Had a real, dying deer sound been used the scene would have been much more riveting as the sounds of a deer being attacked are much more blood-curdling than the rutting sounds of elk.  I wish producers would do their homework when it comes to capturing wildlife details like this.
Aside from the little deer glitch, I can't tell you how excited I am for this new, promising series.  If they keep on track, it has Emmy potential written all over it!

A