BFG Review

So I finally got to see BFG. SPOILER FREE

      Let me start by saying I am a fan of Steven Spielberg's work and consider him to be one of the greatest directors of all time. Movies like Jurassic Park, Jaws, Raiders Of ThebLost Ark, Last Crusade, Always, Lincoln, Schindler's List, ET, Hook, Minority Report, Amistad, AI, and War Of The Worlds not only entertained me greatly but also had a profound impact on me growing up as a lover of film. Spielberg is so consistent of a filmmaker in regards to his quality of work that you know what to expect when you see his name attached to a movie. When you see a trailer for a movie that says from director Steven Spielberg, you know what kind of film you're getting as its going to be both an emotional piece as well as a visual spectacle with a grand production. His movies are the kinds of film's that feel like they carry magic when you watch them as well as being the kinds of film's you go to film school to learn from if one aspires to be a filmmaker or simply if they want to know about what makes a  movie great.  His movies carry a great ounce of humanity to them while also making you feel like a kid again whose watching a magic trick. Nothing can ever replace the feeling I felt upon watching the dinosaurs appear in Jurassic Park for the first time. Before watching this movie, I must confess that I have never read the book BFG as a child but the trailers impressed me with its visual style as well as Spielberg's involvement which drew me in. Having not read the book however gave me no hesitation in going into this movie as I know Spielberg was going to present to me a journey that makes one feel like they were a child again. I mean how could Spielberg fail when he has made so many great film's under his belt. While that answer is he most def can as he is human like everyone else and has his dark horse moments such as making film's like 1941, The Lost World Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull but those moments are so uncommon with Spielberg it's a rarity that he misses the mark. Having now watched BFG and being able to comment on its quality, I can most definitely say with ease that Spielberg did not mess this movie up but it's also doesn't rank among being one of his best works as a filmmaker.

      BFG is a visually spectacular film that looks great cinematically and even comes across as being a decent fast paced movie for children but it also feels like Spielberg phoned it in as it relies on much sentimentality to tell it's story. The story centers around a young girl who befriends a big friendly giant individual, who seems intimidating at first but turns out to be a harmless and kind person, who was outcast by the other giants for his refusal to eat children. One could almost say that this is Spielberg's attempt at creating another unique friendship movie much like his classic ET as the film feels childish with a family adventure feel to it. The relationship between the young girl and the giant is the heart of the film making the audience become intrigued by its story and ultimately caring about the giant in the end. The scenes with BFG visiting the Queen are among the film's main highlights as they carry charm and project the audiences feeling of awe as the characters in the movie Marvel at the giant creature as we do. The music by John Williams is standard with no true tune shining through this time and the editing moving at a decent pace. Despite the movie looking great visually and overall being worthy of a watch, the problem lies within the fact that the film isn't very memorably long after its over. It doesn't have the long lasting appeal to it that other Spielberg film's have and feels like he directed the picture out of curiosity in terms of how he would handle the story but didn't helm it with his full heart. The film almost feels like him giving us the long awaited sequel to ET that we never got except the second time around isn't as amazing as the first and everything feels as if it's going through the motions. I'm not saying that Spielberg phoned this one in, it's more of a statement and acknowledgement that even though he crafted a solid pictures there's been much better film's on his resume that stuck out more and had a deeper impact. On a visual scale, Spielberg remains one of film's greatest visionary filmmakers as he always tries to break new ground with his work in regards to technology and storytelling. Here he tries no different but wants audiences to care deeply about these characters and become invested in its story but the problem is unless you are someone who grew up falling in love with this book and adore it you're going to most likely agree that Spielberg's latest effort is worthy of a recommendation but isn't the great cinematic experience it couldve been. For a film that has a dark theme such as giants eating children, the film feels a bit mushy and Teddy best like as if Spielberg deliberately left out all the dark aspects of the book. Perhaps he felt it would ultimately be too frightening for children or too intense for families, but one wishes he balanced both the light and the dark with this story. 

Overall BFG is a film that is worth a watch once it hits Blu Ray and DVD shelves since it's theatrical run was short-lived due to lack of strong marketing and hype surrounding the film. One has to wonder with it flopping if Steven Spielberg is losing his mojo both as an emotional visionary storyteller and also as a box office draw. With how Bridge Of Spies, War Horse and Lincoln turned out in the last several years including The Adventures of Tin Tin, Id say Spielberg hasn't lost his touch at making strong film's but rather the material wasn't strong enough for him to turn it into something great outside of giving it his usual sentimental trademark along with some impressive visuals. Big Friendly Giant ,is a sweet movie for lovers of Roald Dahls book to watch along with the cartoon and provides for being a solid film for regular moviegoers to watch but it doesn't rank as being one of Spielberg's finest achievements. The heart of the film lies within the friendship between the giant played nicely by Mark Rylance and the young girl played equally good by Ruby Barnhill. Those two together carry the film and make it what it is such as being an empowering children's tale with light and dark thrown into the mix with the twist being a redemption story as this one giant refuses to do what every other giants around him participates in ritual wise such as eating the children. A story like this sounds like it would be something truly remarkable but one can't help while watching the movie that it's missing some magic to really let it take off from the ground. I guess Spielberg was overdue for another dark horse on his resume but given how much more disappointing and lackluster it couldve been, this one actually stands as being one of his stronger disappointments as it feels too short and not as gripping as it couldve been had Spielberg not evaded going darker with the story as he's shown time and time again he's great at balancing both the light and dark tones of a story. It's worth a watch though especially for fans of the book.

                                                    

                                                        7.5 out of 10              

           

             

        

Star Trek Beyond Review

So I just got back from seeing Star Trek Beyond. SPOILER FREE



      Let me start by saying that I always liked the Star Trek universe since I was a kid but found myself more of a Star Wars fan due to obtaining the originals on VHS as a kid and falling in love with them instantly. My first experience with Star Trek as a kid was watching the film Generations on television as a kid and instantly becoming hooked, especially seeing Capt Picard and Kirk team up along with the Enterprise crashing and Kirk's death. Those moments as a kid had a profound impact on me, and it also benefitted that I grew up in a family that were Star Trek fans. With Generations being my first encounter with the Star Trek universe, I went backwards and watched all the William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy Trek films as I got older and became more of a Star Trek fan. While the first Star Trek movie wasn't necessarily great, it was Wrath Of Khan through The Voyage Home that caught my eye with the Kirk team and Undiscovered Country (Final Frontier sucked). All the Capt Picard movies outside of Nemesis were solid films with Generations holding a special place in my heart but the best Picard film going to First Contact hands down. A lot has been said about the new Star Trek series of films made by JJ Abrams starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto with general moviegoers greatly enjoying the films while the purists of the original movies and televisions shows despise them for their abandoning of the slower paced and more character and plot driven narratives in exchange for faster paced and intense action. I personally found both Abrams Star Trek movies to be extremely well made films particularly his 2009 Star Trek movie that received large amounts of praise as well as criticism for establishing a new timeline that wipes out the original one pissing off many of the Trek fans from the earlier era. Star Trek Into Darkness while quite entertaining as a summer blockbuster suffered from relying alittle too hard on past events to drive it's storyline such as essentially redoing the Wrath Of Khan storyline but swapping the characters fates at the end of each movie that actually comes off as being a beautiful parallel. Going into Star Trek Beyond, I was still excited for it but sad that the studio didn't wait for JJ Abrams to complete Star Wars: Force Awakens for him to return to direct this movie but having seen the film now and reviewing it, I can say my worst fears of switching directors as it usually turns out to be a decision leading to disastrous results has been proven wrong as Star Trek Beyond not only lives up to being one of the best movies of the summer but also an improvement over it's predecessor placing it right behind the 2009 Star Trek movie as being the top titans in the new batch of movies.

      Star Trek Beyond has much of what made people fall in love with Star Trek in the first place long before JJ Abrams movies came into play with his newly makeover films for the franchise. Whereas the last two Star Trek movies moved at a quick pace with lots of intense action while making the characters appear more hip and likeable to non fans, Beyond takes the story and characters to a more personal level slowing the pace down and allowing for more personal moments between the main characters to be exchanged along with characters and the plot being more fleshed out. The film also feels like a homage to the 50 year history of Star Trek, particularly the older Kirk films that starred William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. One of the best decisions for this sequel is the writers and director Justin Lin taking the helm after Abrams left to do Force Awakens returning to the roots of what made the older films so appealing to fans as well as the television show. The film regains the feel of an epic Scfi adventure while slowing the pacing down and giving each character in the film moments to truly shine. The film is more emotional in comparison to the previous two films in the new set of movies as this one shows Spock's reaction upon hearing the death of Ambassador Spock played in the previous two films by Leonard Nimoy, and him coping with that loss. It also shows Kirk being emotional about his birthday as it represents the day his father also dying heroically saving the lives of everyone on his ship including him and his mother. The film also deals with the breakup between Spock and Uhura  while showing the two still caring about each other very much. The problem with Star Trek Into Darkness is despite it being a solid sequel to the 2009 film, it was too much like Wrath Of Khan in regards to borrowing the general plotline whereas this one brings back the freshness of the 2009 movie while taking things to a more personal level with the characters. Perhaps the replacing of Into Darkness writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof with costar Simon Pegg, and Doug Jung was a smart move as the script feels more fleshed out and not as rushed as the previous installment did, even the climax is more satisfying than the ending of Into Darkness where Spock punches Khan and Kirk automatically is brought back to life with little to no trouble. Beyond centers it's plot within it's 5 year journey where the crew of the USS Enterprise find themselves put to the ultimate test when their Enterprise ship is attacked and ultimately destroyed by a new ruthless enemy who places them and the Federation at stake.

        Directed by Justin Lin who helmed the middle sequels to the popular Fast And Furious franchise most notably Fast 4,5, and 6, Lin's directing style remains similar to that of JJ Abrams with the previous two films in regards to juggling the films giant action set pieces such as the destruction of the Enterprise. That sequence although running a tad long is spectacular to watch on the big screen and ultimately devastating to witness as someone who've grown to know these characters and their journeys on the ship. Chris Pine once again turns in a fine performance as a young but wise James T. Kirk, making him feel like a perfect choice to play a young William Shatner. The Kirk in this film compared to the previous two has molded into a great and experiences Captain, who cares deeply for his crew and will fight for them as he views them as more than just his friends but his family ultimately. Zachary Quinto does a fantastic job playing a young Spock as one feels his grief in realizing that Ambassador Spock whose his older self has died. That subplot is beautiful because it shows the filmmakers paying their last respects to Leonard Nimoy as the actor passed in real life a year before this movie's release. The bromance between Spock and Kirk is in full effect here as their friendship arc was completed at the end of Into Darkness when Spock finally realized what the true meaning of friendship meant when Kirk died saving the crew including Spock's own life. Zoe Saldana does a nice job once again as Uhura giving the film a strong female character to Kirks crew as well as filling the roles of being both the damsel in distress along with being a complex for Spock. Karl Urban unquestionably steals the show as Bones boasting some of the films best lines as well as having a much more significant part in this entry compared to the previous two films. Simon Pegg brings the wit and humor to the film as Scotty, providing the laughs while adding a dose of humanity to the script with his off screen co-writing credits along with John Cho doing his thing as Sulu. Idris Elba does a very nice job playing the films antagonist making him feel bigger than Eric Bana's character Nero from Star Trek 2009, and right behind Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as Khan. Anton Yelchin shines once again as Chekov, making audiences happy to see him yet sad as this will be the final performance audiences will see him deliver as the iconic character due to the actor passing tragically last month. The soundtrack by Michael Giacchino once again shines and adds to the excitement of the movie (I get a kick out of that opening music everytime), with the bringing back of the song Sabotage from the films first opening is a nice throwback to that film making the entire trilogy come full circle despite reports of a fourth movie coming.

      Overall Star Trek Beyond is an exciting entry in the popular Star Trek franchise that honors a 50 year legacy of a popular cultural franchise while not shying away from the blockbuster action that made the last two resonate so strongly with mainstream audiences. If you are someone who grew up watching the 1960s television show along with the original Kirk and Spock movies, then you will find comfort in knowing that this movie takes it's time with the plot in comparison to the previous two films while giving each character their own personal moments to shine such as the scene between Bones and Kirk where they are discussing Kirks birthday, his fathers death, and why he chose to join Starfleet along with Spock mourning over the loss of Ambassador Spock in a beautiful tribute to Leonard Nimoy. It's quiet moments like this which will go a long way to warm the hearts of the older Trek fans who found the new trilogy underwhelming in the story and character development department. The film maintains the same kind of style and insane action which made the newer films popular but chooses to slow things down a bit to feel more like the old days (perhaps as a strategy to please the purists this time). If you are someone who got brought into this universe through the newer films produced and directed by Abrams then you will still remain a fan after watching this movie as it delivers on the action but also gives you more of an emotional connection with these characters that audiences have grown to know for the past 50 years. Beyond not only works as a beautiful wrap up to a strong trilogy of films but it also feels like it was a film that was made for the purists giving them more of what they want to see from these new films. If there was one main criticism i would give rhe movie its that it ran alittle slow at times in the middle but beyond that it moved at a pretty steady pace and some of the cinematography was weird with the 180 degree frames. As much as I would have liked to see JJ Abrams in the directing chair, Justin Lin taking the reigns wasn't a bad decision as he juggled both the ensemble of characters with the action perfectly. The film is most def worth seeing in theaters especially on IMAX with the large scale action sequences it contains. Once again, Paramount does it again and gives another worthy film to add to the popular Star Trek universe and one that will probably win over a few detractors this time. Thumbs up.

                                                                                                                                            8.5/10



Legend Of Tarzan Review

So I finally got to see Legend Of Tarzan. SPOILER FREE

     Let me start by saying I always enjoyed the Tarzan storyline although I find it similar to that of The Jungle Book with the main differences being one deals with a little boy and other with a boy who grows into a full blown man who lives in the Jungle. Growing up, I enjoyed the 1999 Disney epic although I found Phil Collins music to be more iconic and memorable than the rest of the movie which was good but not on the same level as the music. One cannot ever forget the sheer power of the Oscar winning song You'll Be In My Heart upon first hearing it. Viewing the trailers for this movie before it's release, part of me thought that it did look like a solid retelling of the story, but the other part said we really didn't need to see another adaptation of the Tarzan storyline brought to the big screen once again as it's already been retold with Christopher Lambert and Casper Van Dien. What makes this version appealing is not just that it looks like Peter Jackson's King Kong visually but it also boasts a strong cast among the likes of Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel Jackson, and Christolph Waltz. Going into the movie, I expected nothing but to get a solid old fashioned popcorn flick that looks great visually and would give me some decent thrills to make it through it's 2 hour running time which feels a bit slow paced at times. Coming out of the movie, I felt the film did just that despite having its share of problems.
      Legend Of Tarzan is a reasonably satisfying action adventure flick that brings nothing new to the genre but provides a good dose of fun in regards to it's jungle man formula. The film for the most part is well acted and looks rich in terms of background scope, art-set decoration, and costume design, but tends to run a bit slow at times while having flashbacks showing us Tarzan and Jane's relationship prior and their first encounter which straight up feels like it's been lifted from Phil Collins Tarzan movie. Its almost like there was a film before this one that we didn't get to see and are getting glimpse, perhaps as a homage to that film. One also could almost look at this film as being an undisclosed sequel to that one except whereas that one is animated and had a kickass soundtrack, this movie is live action and more intense with it's story. The story centers around Tarzan, having adjusted to life in London, finds himself being called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the questionable activities at a mining encampment. Putting aside the obvious joking that it could be viewed as a sequel to the 1999 Disney film, the main issue with this movies storyline is it doesn't come off as being quite compelling in regards to the story of Tarzan. Christolph Waltz does a very good job at playing a sleazy character but one feels he wasn't developed fully enough to make the audience truly despise him as a villain, though he brings his A game to the part. Margot Robbie does a solid job as Jane but she feels a bit underused in this movie coming off as being a typical damsel in distress. Samuel Jackson does a great job playing Tarzan's sidekick and even has some funny moments he shares with the lead character such as their gorilla encounter. As for Alex Skarsgard, one could say he physically looks the part but he wasn't really given enough material to truly take that role and expand on it in the movie as his acting is passable but not amazing. Personally I would've picked someone else for the part as Alex wouldn't be my first choice as his acting comes off as being awkward, but look wise he has the part down. I also felt the whole subplot involving Tarzan living in England wasn't that important and couldve been dropped for a more faster paced story. They could've sped up that subplot a lot quicker to get him back to the Jungle where the heart of the story is at. The filmmakers however deserve points for being creative with it and trying to do something different than present a typical origin story revolving around Tarzan. The two key things that make this movie work besides its strong cast is the action and the stunning cinematography the film boasts. Tarzan has an epic scene where he fights a gorilla which shows both as being true beasts lashing out as well as becoming one of the marketing's defining moments in the trailers.

      Despite my criticisms of the movie, I found Legend Of Tarzan to be good summer popcorn entertainment that looks great visually and carries with it a good dose of excitement and more importantly, it has heart. The CGI though couldve been touched up in certain places especially when showing the gorillas but it's not terrible to the point where it becomes majorly distracting. The film does move at a slow pace at times especially within the first half but once Tarzan returns to the jungle, the movie truly comes to life. If one goes into this movie expecting an origin tale like say the 1999 Disney movie then they are going to be disappointed. If you go in expecting a different retelling of the story that takes some risks then you'll be surprised and may find the experience rewarding. Despite my dissatisfaction with some of the story elements, they did a decent job trying to present a different kind of Tarzan story to the big screen as well as being a more realistic one. The story of Tarzan first and foremost is the story of a man whose driven by the love and commitment of his mate but also the will and determination to succeed in rescuing her. The filmmakers deserve commending for bringing this character back to the big screen in a way where he can captivate young audiences while introducing them to the story. Despite its flaws, movie looks as if it was handled with care and excitement for bringing it back to the big screen. Strong performances, compelling action, and awesome cinematography make this one worth watching on the big screen although one felt it couldve been better ultimately. Overall, Legend of Tarzan is a good movie, it's just not a great one but actors like Christolph Waltz and Samuel Jackson carry the film when the ball drops along with the cinematography. Perhaps it's main issue was it was missing Phil Collins music (that's a joke), actually it has more to do with the script than anything else as characters like Christolph Walt'z character lacks true development to become a true menacing villain. Its a fun movie just not a great one but in terms of visual style, it's one of the best looking Tarzan movies ever put on film and more realistic.
                                                     
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Our characters for this evening:



Ghostbusters 2016 Review

Just got back from watching the newest Ghostbusters movie. MINOR SPOILERS

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      Let me start by saying ever since I was a kid, I've been a fan of the Ghostbusters series as a whole. The first Ghostbusters movie remains one of the greatest comedies ever made as it's funny, exciting, scary, and just badass as a whole. As a child growing up, that movie was larger than life and presented a helluva nostalgia. No one will ever know the shock on my face when watching HBO late one night as a child and my mind being blown when I see a commercial announcing Ghostbusters ll was coming up next after the following previews. Ghostbusters ll was not as good as the first movie, but still remains a solid sequel in it's own right although it had some problems. The Ghostbusters saving New York City and later becoming hated by the public and going out of business for doing damage to the city while saving it from the ultimate evil was a bit far fetched along with Dana breaking up with Venkman played by both Sigourney Weaver and Bill Murray. One also wishes that Walter Peck's character returned to continue to try and put the Ghostbusters out of business while knowing beyond a reasonable doubt about the existence of ghosts. Despite it's setbacks Ghostbusters ll proved to be a worthy sequel to it's predecessor as well as being the only one to come out before the franchise got it's reboot in 2016 with an all female cast best known for their work in the 2011 box office comedy smash titled Bridesmaids. When hearing the news of a new Ghostbusters movie being made with an all new cast, I wasn't completely against it but felt a great deal of sadness behind it given that Harold Ramis has passed, Rick Moranis declining to return for a cameo, and it was going to be a brand new story with none of the original movies characters returning. I never had an issue with it being an all female Ghostbusters team but I did find the trailers for the movie to be quite underwhelming and convinced me that the movie was going to suck. To my surprise, something miraculous happened which is the movie began to get good reviews from critics and praise from key figures such as Kevin Smith, which gave me hope going in that this movie was going to actually be better than I expected. Having seen the newest Ghostbusters movie which is undoubtedly a remake/reboot, I can happily say that the newest installment in the popular Ghostbusters franchise does not suck.

      Ghostbusters is not only better than expected, it does not disappoint and pays a great deal of respect to the original film while giving the concept a fresh new perspective with the main cast being an all female team that's not only funny but attractive and engaging. The four main actresses carry the film and have a chemistry that flows beautifully within the group. The film essentially takes the same story from the first film and gives it a fresh batch of new characters that go through the same scenario Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver experienced along with Rick Moranis. One of the key things that made the first Ghostbusters such a great comedy movie ,is that is showed a group of friends struggling to find their place in the world as the audience knows they are gifted but they don't know what their calling is just yet. Together they form this organization that not only proves their worth but also shows the city of New York that they are the one's who can protect it from supernatural forces. Director Ivan Reitman did such a beautiful job with making Ghostbusters not just a great friendship/team film but also a classic underdog story. Ghostbusters 2016 director Peter Feig clearly understands what makes the first film so great and brought that same feeling and concept over to this film. While some fans may have an issue with them completely ignoring the previous history of the Ghostbusters, it was done so the filmmakers wouldn't fall into the same trap Ghostbusters ll had in which they had to reestablish the Ghostbusters to the audience. The plot for the new Ghostbusters is the same as the 1984 film with a ghost invasion taking place in Manhatten where three paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert played by Kristin Wigg, Abby Yates played by Melissa McCarthy, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann played by Kate McKinnon, and subway worker played by Patty Tolan join forces to stop the ghost invasion threat by forming a supernatural fighting team called the Ghostbusters. The key to this movies success was always going to lie within it's group of four heroines regardless of how the script and directing was handled. If the girls didn't have chemistry nor came off as being likeable then the new franchise is doomed. Thankfully that is not the case here as all four girls come across as not only being likeable but work great together as a team. Kristin Wigg is clearly the Peter Venkmen of the story with Melissa McCarthy playing the Ray of this film with her turning in a surprisingly decent performance this time around compared to her prior films. Kate McKinnon hands down has the most creative and energetic performance of the lot as she does a great job breathing life into her character whose clearly a parallel of Egon, and Patty Tolan does a solid job playing a female Winston like character. Perhaps the most questionable performance out of the new cast is Chris Hemsworth as the Ghostbusters male secretary who clearly parallels Annie Potts Janine from the first two films with a combination of Rick Moranis character Lewis. While Hemsworth's performance isn't necessarily bad, his character is a bit awkward at times as one isn't sure what to make of his characters clumsiness but his character has some surprising twists of his own throughout the course of the film.
      One of the most important factors in terms of the new Ghostbusters movie succeeding is that this one maintains the heart of the original film along the fun and spooky tone of it. This movie feels like an October movie with all the Ghosts that appear in the movie boasting some nice visual effects moments trading in the scares and creepiness of the original for the laughs. The film has a goofy feel to it mixed with a Halloween feel that makes it exciting to watch with a climax that feels lifted straight from the original film. One of the more notable aspects of the movie is the large amount of callbacks it makes to the first film which allows it to carry a great deal of nostalgia for the audience to experience. Seeing the female team bear similar suits to the original Ghostbusters team, the updated Photon packs, the old headquarters, Slimer, Mr. Stay Puft Marshmellow Man, the new Ghostbusters vehicle, and the return of the main theme in the films opening credits which will make even the most stubborn Ghostbusters fan happy for a moment. This movie was made with love and respect for the original film but upgrades it's story for a newer generation. While the new Ghostbusters film never reaches the heights of the original, it holds its own as being a genuinely fun ride down nostalgic lane with brand new characters that come across as likeable, and a ton of cameos from the stars of the original films making their appearances throughout the film. Most notably is Bill Murray's, who makes a brief cameo appearance not as Peter Venkman but someone along the lines of his old nemesis Walter Peck.  While none of the original returning cast members play any of their original parts, they serve to pass the torch onto the new group of Ghostbusters while helping audiences decide that they will put aside their pre bias views and give the new characters and story a chance. 

       Overall, Ghostbusters 2016 is a marvelously cast supernatural comedy that actually works while paying a great deal of respect to the original film. Is the movie perfect? No, it still somehow pales in comparison to it's predecessor but one must also realize that the original movie was great for it's time and this movie is it's own film and holds up as being one.  The film is essentially a remake of the first movie with the exact same storyline paralleling the original with the girls trying to find a Ghost and trap it while slowly building their organization much to the disapproval of the city's Mayor. Subplots such as the shutting down of the power and the releasing of the Ghosts are also repeated making the film feel like a remake of the original in the same scenario that Force Awakens feels like a remake of A New Hope. Nothing can ever hope to recapture the spontaneous feel of that film but this movie does a pretty solid job of separating itself from that movie while recreating the experience of the first one for today's generation of filmgoers. As good as the new Ghostbusters musical theme is, you can't beat the original masterpiece done by Ray Parker Jr. but it's certainly an improvement from the Ghostbusters ll theme. Yikes. If you're a fan of the originals and are skeptical about seeing this film, then one should go into it with an open mind and just allow themselves to have a fun experience. It is the girls that make this one worth watching as they prove themselves worthy of being called Ghostbusters. The film is brilliantly cast and works as being a supernatural comedy giving audiences a great deal of nostalgia from the first movie. Whereas the original team felt like they were having a great time making the first one together, the girls in this one appear to be having the same kind of fun with their excitement making us feel good to follow them in their journey towards becoming heroes that we've all grown up loving and worshipping to this point. Ghostbusters 2016 is it's own movie and should be treated as such and not judged on the basis of it's cast being all female which I fear is one of the main reasons besides the awful first trailer that premiered making it the most polarizing trailer in you tube history. The film isn't deserving of such hate as it's an entertaining supernatural comedy, that is worthy of earning it's legendary title while potentially setting up a brand new franchise that has potential to flourish depending on how audiences receive this movie. Personally, I hope it does well enough to get a sequel as I would like to see where they take the story from here and see more adventures with these characters. The film did exactly what it set out to do and feels pretty satisfying for the most part. Thumbs up, the movie is satisfying for fans and will even make you feel like a kid again at times.

Note: Be sure to stay tuned for the end credits as the final scene reveals the next villain in the sequel if this movie does well. Here's hoping it does as these characters deserve a chance to shine with their own trilogy.
                                                                                                                                           
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Our characters for this evening:







Finding Dory Review

Finally got to watch the much loved and highly popular Finding Dory at last. SPOILER FREE



      Let me start off by saying I wasn't one of the millions of people that was anxiously anticipating the release of this movie prior to it's opening. Don't get me wrong, I was always planning on seeing it and looking forward to it but I didn't anticipate this sequels release like many others did but I knew it was going to be big. I enjoyed the first Finding Nemo movie and thought it was a fun and heartwarming movie but I didn't grow up with it like everyone else did. When it comes to animated Disney and Pixar films, I'm pretty old school 90's guy. I thought the casting for the first Finding Nemo was appealing with Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, and William Dafoe doing solid jobs with their voiceover roles and the movie itself looking breathtaking and stellar (Unfortunately I missed the 3D rerelease of this film a few years ago when it came back out in theaters but I chose to revisit it on VHS after missing that opportunity.) Going into Finding Dory, I expected to be equally entertained and impressed with Pixar's attempt at bringing a long awaited sequel to the big screen 13 years later, and to little or no surprise, they succeeded. Not only does the story take place a year after the events of the first movie but the actors voices and performances mirror the previous film's so well that you almost don't notice the time lapse in between both film's in reality. Pixar pays a great attention to detail with their movies and the same can be said here for this film.

       Finding Dory is a charming and heartwarming sequel that lives up to the expectations placed on it as well as being a worthy continuation of the original films storyline. Whereas the first film was essentially a father and son story with the father Marlin searching for his child named Nemo, this time the story centers around Dory, the friendly but forgetful blue tang fish from the previous film that helped Nemo's father retrieve him now beginning a search for her long-lost parents while her and those she encounters while also helping her learn a few new things about the meaning of family along the way. Much like it's predecessor Finding Dory looks great visually on the big screen with the ocean background making for a beautiful setting. What makes these movies click with audiences is both movies essentially have messages and themes regarding the importance of family. The first movie has themes that center around fatherhood, paternal love, family, overprotectiveness, and responsibility. The message of that film says that parents must realize that eventually they must let their children go when the time comes. It also says that the love of a parent can make them do extroadinary things and our shortcomings can ultimately become our strengths. Finding Dory has themes pertaining to children with learning disabilities, feelings of abandonment, becoming lost once again like Nemo, reconnecting with family and old friends, love, friendship, understanding, and acceptance. It's ultimate message is that families can include other people within the circle outside of blood. These themes and messages are what makes both movies so appealing to audiences on a human scale because they center around themes pertaining to growing up and the strength of family. Finding Dory feels like a true sequel to the first film because whereas that film shows the perspective of Nemo and his father, this time we get Dory's side of the story and her quest to be reunited with her own family despite her challenges with short term memory loss. The relationship between Marlin and Nemo is presented here but isn't as prominent as the story placed Dory front and center. While the idea of a fish with short term memory loss may come off as being ridiculous to older audiences, it provides a poignant message about wanting to reconnect with family and rediscover ones roots while staying true to the first film. It should also be noted that if someone goes into this movie expecting realism and believable scenarios then they picked the wrong feature as this one shows fish helping to drive a car and hopping from one watery location to the next while in public. What triggers her desire to be with her family again is a memory she has of them which initiates her journey. Ellen Degenerous does a beautiful job playing Dory as she captures her vulnerability and desire to be reunited with her family as well as the confusion she conveys with her short term memory loss subplot. Albert Brooks and Hayden Rolence do very well as playing both Marlin and Nemo, showing the same kind of loving yet competitive yet whiny father and son relationship. Whereas that subplot may come off as being repetitive to some in regards to Dory's short term memory issues, it also provides necessary flashbacks giving history to Dory's past with Nemo and his father taking a backseat this time assisting her in finding her home. What makes Finding Dory not just a great visual experience for kids in theater with the blue oceanic setting with a greenish feel to it, is also the depths of humanity that comes with the story as well as being an emotional piece about families reconnecting and lost family members finding their way home. While it is true that Finding Dory does come across as being familiar territory given the plot is similar to Finding Nemo's but done in reverse, both stories work so well off each other that they connect together flawlessly. The film isn't so much a sequel but more of a continuation of the first film with the emotions being effective but not heavy handed tackling issues such as identity and finding ones way home. Anyone going into this expecting to see lots of Nemo and his father Marlin should reconsider their goals as Dory's character is the central one to the story and is who utilizes the most screen time.

      Overall Finding Dory is hands down one of the years best pictures as well as being a movie that families can latch onto and find relatability with the film's storyline even if it's not centered around humans. The movie works because it's essentially all heart and remains charming from start to finish.  In an year where many Hollywood sequels are failing to leave a mark with audiences, Finding Dory is one of the rare exceptions where audiences are not only approving of the one delivered to them by Pixar but lives up to the hype and expectations of what a sequel should be after 13 years of waiting. Outside of the Toy Story sequels, Pixar has experienced a series of mixed results with making second installments to popular films like Monsters University and Cars 2 but Finding Dory proves to be a solid sequel. If one were to ask me if this movie is as good as the first movie, I would say it's on par with it as it feels like part ll of that film. The film is funny, poignant, witty, and ultimately heartwarming as it brings both movies full circle while carrying some good life lessons of its own about the strength of family and friendship. The film also feels like a passing of the torch from one generation to the next with the same story outline being retold but through the perspective of a newer character. Whereas the first film was a story of a father and son reuniting, now we see a similar scenario with Dory finding her own family again. If one has an opportunity to see this movie in 3D then I highly recommend they do so cause it'll be worth it with the film's scenery looking beautiful especially the underwater glowy lighting that's stunning. Even though Finding Dory doesn't necessarily break any new ground in regards to storytelling as it essentially takes the first film and remakes it with Dory's perspective this time, it's most powerful trait going for it is it's nostalgia. 

                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                     8/10

Our characters for this evening





Independence Day Resurgence Review

Just got back from watching Independence Day Resurgence. NO SPOILERS

      Let me start off by saying going into this movie I absolutely loved and grew up watching the first Independence Day as a kid growing up in the 1990's. I remember the first time I became aware of the movie's existence when my mother took me to KB Toys and I saw the action figures for the first movie which looked pretty badass for their time. I bought the Will Smith action figure along with one of the alien action figures as a kid. I saw commercials for the movie that summer and watched it on VHS when it came out on home video. I thought it was just about one of the most incredible things I've ever seen growing up as a kid and watched it hundreds of times, even going as far as buying the special edition DVD. Growing up, I always imagined that someday they'd make a sequel to the first film especially when I heard rumors of it in the early 2000's but it never materialized. When they officially announced the sequel in 2014, I was skeptical about it because of the lack of Will Smith's involvement in the sequel. When I saw the first trailer for it that premiered with Star Wars: Force Awakens, I got excited especially when they threw in President Whitmore's speech from the first movie into the mix. A speech that still gives me chills to this day, I was instantly hooked with this sequel following it's production and marketing closely. I felt the studio made a terrible mistake holding the film back from critics prior to its release because it gave audiences the impression they knew they had a flop on their hands and didn't believe in the movie. I felt regardless of the films quality, they should've marketed the movie to the max given the history of this film and what it's a sequel to. A sequel to Independence Day should be huge and a film that moviegoers of all walks of life should line up to see. A lot of horrible things have been said about this sequel since it's been released with the majority of the public denouncing it as not only an unnecessary sequel to the original film but a poor cash in of people's nostalgia of all the years of watching the original. While Resurgence is far from being a perfect movie, it honestly isn't the train wreck that many people make it out to be, and is actually an entertaining movie.
      Independence Day Resurgence is the type of film in which you don't go into it expecting rocket science or an Oscar bait film like Gosford Park, but you go for the ride essentially. For two hours you go into this movie and shut your brain off to all it's plot holes and logical gaps to have a great time with all the destruction and mayhem. The first Independence Day worked because it was essentially the ideal popcorn movie with great special effects that were a technological breakthrough for the time they were created, strong and believable performances from it's main actors such as Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum with Bill Pullmans famous 4th Of July speech still delivering chills to this day, and the filmmakers essentially owning an already established alien invasion theme that was done before previously but not on the kind of grand epic scope that both films directors Roland Emmerich and Dean Delvin brought to the first film. The original still holds up to this day as being one of the greatest disaster films of all time as well as one of the defining movies of the 1990s. Perhaps the sequel never had any chance of equaling that success especially with the omission of Will Smith, perhaps expectations placed upon it were too high as audiences wanted the exact same thing they got 20 years prior without realizing that was never gonna happen as both movies are different look and feel wise, but that doesn't mean it has no shot of still being a good movie on it's own right. Resurgence is a movie that understands very well that type of film it is and makes no effort to become anything greater than being just a popcorn blockbuster that delivers some good old fashioned alien invasion nostalgia from the 1990's. The film holds no greater crime than being just as silly and over the top as it's predecessor but somehow it's deemed to be an insult to audiences and cinema itself. That statement is simply false as the film is a visual feast that should be seen on the big screen to witness it's scope while providing strong nostalgic connections to the first movie. It can be argues that the newer characters while they look appealing are rather cardboard and poorly developed such as Liam Hemsworth's character whose obviously the replacement for Will Smith in this installment. While Hemsworth doesn't deliver a bad performance, his character simply isn't as compelling nor as engaging as Smith's character and neither is Dylan Hiller, the son of Will Smith's character Captain Stephen Hiller. While it's interesting that the filmmakers chose to tell the story of the sequel through the lenses of Hiller's son, his character doesn't give us the feeling that he's truly hurt by the death of his father and his mother played by Vivica A. Fox isn't given enough material to make us believe she's his coach in regards to carrying on his father's legacy. In more blatant terms, the newer characters come across as being rather flat in comparison to the older characters we've grown to love and respect over the last 20 years. They are serviceable characters in the end but not people you go home and still be thinking about long after the film is over, not like someone of Bill Pullmans characters caliber (He makes a great president). Subplots involving a romance between an American pilot and a beautiful Chinese female pilot as well as the relationship between her and her father isn't fully fleshed out enough to make us genuinely care about them.  Even the heavily publicized female president played by Sela Ward comes off as being interesting but her character isn't fully fleshed out to give her a chance at being as great of a Presidential figure as Bill Pullman's President Whitmore in the first film. The latter is brought back into this movie as a more broken down figure from where we left him at with the aliens haunting his dreams and sending him messages of their return. Pullman brings his A game back to the role that made him an iconic figure but his character is limited by plot constraints. Maika Monroe plays the President's now grown up daughter seen previously as a child in the first movie as the person taking care of the older Whitmore as well as providing a love interest for Hemsworth's character, the only problem is the latter is never fully fleshed out to make us truly care. Jeff Goldblum returns and is easily the film's main highlight as he brings his nerdy yet witty persona back to the role of David Levinson, showing the audience where his character ended up 20 years later along with his never aging father played equally great by Judd Hirsch. Perhaps the most surprising reprisal of a character from the first film is Brent Spiner's Dr. Okun from the first Independence Day which many fans of the first movie presumed to be dead. His return in the sequel is more than welcome as he is both hilarious and one of the film's main strengths with an intriguing plot twist to his character regarding his sexual orientation. Okun like Pullmans character. both experience visions and codes that signify the return of the aliens from the previous film and both inform the new set of characters of what's coming. The arrival of the aliens is much quicker and swift than what was shown in the 1996 movie with the ships being much bigger and the chaos being equally as exciting and affective, even though the true suspense of their arrival is missing from this movie

       Wherea's Independence Day Resurgence doesn't exactly contain the same amount of heart the first movie had, it still has moments that make us care for the safety of the older characters especially Judd Hirsch's character when he first see's the aliens arrival while riding his boat in the ocean or Vivica A Fox's character. The aliens from the first movie make their return here and look as badass as ever, even being shown getting in on the action outside of being locked in their spacecrafts. The climactic battle with the alien queen herself is one of the film's main highlights with the queen's appearance being so effective you become instantly mad that the studio failed to generate action figures for her character and the rest of the movie's cast and spacecrafts. Another main problem the film contained which explains some of the key issues of the film such as the newer characters being underdeveloped, is the pacing of the film which moves rather fast and doesn't take as much time developing the newer characters and plot like the original 2.5 hour movie did. One almost wonders if it was the studio's doing that forced Emmerich to cut the movie down to 2 hours instead of the rumored 150 minute time but whatever the reason is, the movie ended up being too short and needed more time to grow and develop.

      While it may seem that this reviewer didn't enjoy the film, that's not the case as the film ultimately is a fun ride in theaters but one can't help but feel the movie should've been bigger and better both financially and quality wise. Independence Day Resurgence is a movie that gets far too much bashing than it deserves but it still manages to be a decent way to kill two hours with Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Brent Spiner, Roland Emmerich, and Dean Delvin doing what they do best. The film was never mean't to be anything more than a nostalgic piece that reminds viewers of the awesomeness they received 20 years prior but also a passing of the torch to a new generation by reintroducing the story with the same characters now older and wiser looking over the new generation of characters. The technological aspect of the film remains the prime reason to see it in theaters as both that aspect of it and the return of several key characters carry the film as the newer characters suffer from either having their proper character development time cut out of the movie or just being poorly written. While one understands the rift between Jesse Usher's character and Liam Hemsworth's in the movie, one feels that it wasn't a logical reason for their grudge and it would've been more powerful to have Hiller's son be mad at Hemsworth's character because he accidentally got his father killed. Now THAT would've been a way more dramatic approach than a silly rift between the two because one almost got the other killed accidentally. In conclusion, Resurgence is a decent popcorn summer blockbuster that deserves a chance to succeed and be seen on the big screen but it also possesses several key flaws such as rushed pacing, lack of strong character development with newer characters, and weaker writing than the previous film that holds it back from being as good or better than the 1996 landmark blockbuster classic. Is the movie perfect? No, not at all. Is it the worst movie of the summer thus far? No way, that title proudly goes to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows. Does the movie satisfy as a reasonable piece of entertainment and a decent sequel to the first film? Yes, the movie is a fun rollercoaster ride and feels like a solid part ll to the first film even if Will Smith's presence was missed here (His character was killed off due to the actors failure to return). As entertaining as this sequel is, one feels that it wasn't a sequel that needed to take 20 years to make as such a wait leaves you with wanting more which the end of the film promises by setting up a third film regarding intergalactic war on the basis that this one does well enough to secure another chapter. With the way this movies been received and performing since it's release domestically, that promise is looking more like a pipe dream now. Independence Day Resurgence is clearly not everyone's cup of tea but it's far from being the disaster many critics and audience members portray it as being. The spectacle of the film is worth seeing on the big screen but only on the condition that one essentially shuts off their brain and goes along for the ride.
                                                                                                                                                       7.5/10