Furious 7: A surprisingly pleasant send-off to Paul Walker

Today, I look at the latest installment in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Furious 7:
After crippling the villain Owen Shaw in the last film, Dominic Toretto and his family and friends disperse after splitting their wealth and trying to settle down. That is until Shaw's vicious older brother Deckard appears out of the blue to execute a revenge plan on the Toretto family. In order to locate Deckard, the crew must regroup and hunt down a device known as God's Eye, and its' hacker creator Ramsey, who are currently entangled with a group of ruthless mercenaries.
    After the tragic death of Paul Walker in late 2013, many fans were concerned with how the filmmakers would handle his death: would his role be diminished? His character killed off? The answer was actually surprising: cast his brothers Caleb and Cody and use the CGI team from Weta Digital (Peter Jackson's company) to recreate Walker's face. The transition is pretty seemless and isn't very noticeable.
   The other returning cast members Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Dwayne Johnson, Elsa Pataky, and Jordana Brewster do fine, but of course the acting isn't the highlight of the film. Johnson is (disappointingly) a more minor part in this movie, which is a shame considering how charismatic he is. Jason Statham proves to be an above-average villain (especially for a Fast & Furious movie), though it is sometimes questionable if he could really go toe-to-toe with people like Johnson and Diesel. Game of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel is Ramsey, and she is a nice addition to the line-up. Djimon Honsou and Tony Jaa appear as supporting villains, and are also pretty entertaining. It was awesome to see the incredibly bad-ass Jaa showing off his martial arts skills to a Western audience (this is his first Hollywood movie). Professional fighter Ronda Rousey has a small role as a bodyguard who has an entertaining fight scene with Michelle Rodriguez. Kurt Russell has a supporting role as the leader of the covert ops team that hires Toretto, and he adds a touch of humor to his part and you can tell he was just having fun. Lucas Black, Ali Fazal (another first timer in Hollywood), and John Brotherton have small parts, with Black reprising his role from earlier films. Other actors who return for cameos include Luke Evans as the crippled Shaw, Noel Gugliemi as Hector, Sung Kang as Han, and Gal Gadot as Gisele (in photographs and archive footage). Iggy Azalea has a brief cameo in the beginning (her collaborator Rita Ora had one in the previous film, as well).
   James Wan has proven himself as a director of horror films, but he had also been trying to break out in the action scene for some time, and this could definitely cement him as an up-and-comer. Though some fight scenes were a little shaky, most of them were shot crisply and cleanly, and the car chase sequences are kinetic and polished.
   The dialogue is obviosuly not a strong suit in the film, with very repetitive lines (Tyrese always says "This takes crazy to a whole new level" or similar things, and Dom always talks about "family"- I could actually predict when he would say it). The film also likes to shamelessly plug Corona Extra and Belgian ale, though it is tongue-and-cheek and not as bad as in Transformers.
   The soundtrack is nothing special: if you like bland, poppy hip-hop, then this soundtrack is for you! The music by Brian Tyler isn't that great, either, but I wasn't expecting a classic score from this movie, so that's not a major complaint.
    Furious 7 is a very fun movie where you can't overthink the scenes. Although some of the characters can get annoying, especially with the overforced message of "family", the film is more about the action, though the final scene was shockingly touching. 3.5/5 stars.

Another review I liked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSmjT6l_dLg

                                                                    (Image: Wikipedia)




Spoiler Segment: A minor complaint is that Jason Statham is left alive at the end (probably for future sequels), but he is crushed under rubble during the final fight, but at the end he is perfectly fine. What I felt would have been both befitting and ironic is if he ended up crippled next to his brother. Not a major flaw, but a missed opportunity.

Avengers- Age of Ultron: Expectations were not met...

Despite seeing this film last Thursday, I din't review for a week because: a) I was busy and b) I decided to let this one sit for awhile because I have mixed feelings

Avengers, Age of Ultron:
After receiving a vision that reminds him of the near-death experience he had in The Avengers, Tony Stark fears the Avengers may not be able to fight all their own battles, and resolves to create an A.I. system with the help of Bruce Banner that can serve as their back-up. Soon after being created, this new life-form, dubbed Ultron, gains information on all of human history within seconds and, overwhelmed by their capacity for war and destruction, most of it caused by the Avengers (namely Stark) attracting attention to Earth, resolves to give humanity a choice: evolve past violence or be wiped out entirely. The Avengers, whose popularity is waning among the public and who are facing internal conflicts, must find a way to defeat the seemingly unstoppable Ultron and his new companions: the twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.
    Despite me keeping my expectations for this film reasonable, I was somewhat disappointed. The main cast of Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johannson, Cobie Smulders, and Samuel L. Jackson are now perfectly fit into their characters and are all entertaining. I also really enjoyed Aaaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olson's take on Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, as they are more anti-heroes than straight villains, and they were great additions (despite Olson's accent being somewhat inconsistent). I was also a fan of how Whedon brought in a lot more supporting characters from other Marvel films: Dom Cheadle's War Machine, Anthony Mackie's Falcon, Idris Elba's Heimdall, Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter, and Stellan Skarsgard's Selvig all make appearances in the film, which was pleasantly surprising. Linda Cardellini, Claudia Kim, and Julie Delpy have small parts, and Kerry Condon lends her voice to the A.I. system F.R.I.D.A.Y. Paul Bettany plays both J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision in this film, and he is perfectly cast for both. Andy Serkis has a small role as Ulysses Klaue, who I expect will appear in later Black Panther films, and Thomas Kretschmann and Henry Goodman return as Baron von Strucker and Dr. List from the end credits of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, though Strucker's villain potential is thrown completely out the window by the end of the first act. And speaking of wasted potential, my main gripe with the film was the handling of Ultron.
    Ultron was perfectly cast, with James Spader's cool, but menacing voice being a perfect fit. However, Spader's sense of humor, while witty, kind of ruins Ultron by making him feel too human. Ultron's character is that of an emotionless, cruel, murderous robot, so humor should not even be a factor in the portrayal. Ultron, for being the ultimate villain that he is, never really feels all that threatening. In fact, he never really does anything that brutal or violent throughout the film, which was disappointing, as every great MCU villain has had one scene where they do something cruel or gruesome to show they mean business (i.e. Loki drilling a man's eye out in The Avengers, Ronan hammering a man's skull and massacring an entire prison in Guardians of the Galaxy, The Mandarin shooting a man on live TV in Iron Man 3, Obidiah Stane executing an entire group of allies in Iron Man, Ivan Vanko hanging two guards for no reason in Iron Man 2, Alexander Pierce killing his maid in cold blood and then killing his board of directors in Captain America: The Winter Soldier), but Ultron doesn't have that moment, and he's a villain who most definitely SHOULD have. The performance has grown on me over the past week, and I will admit he has some fantastic lines, but ultimately, I still stand by that Whedon didn't use him to his full potential.
    The movie seems obligated to be really funny, as that's the expectation following the first Avengers being packed with witty lines and quotable dialogue, although here it, at times, feels inappropriate and forced. There is a scene where Ultron accidentally severs a man's arm in a fit of rage, and instead of being played as that brutal moment of violence I was talking about earlier as it should have, it's played for comedy, because Ultron says a funny line directly after.
    The action scenes are fun and pulpy, but there are so many of them and they are packed so tightly it feels exhausting and sometimes even boring, even with Whedon's slick direction (the opening action scene has a cool tracking shot mirroring the one from the final battle of the first film). I was, however, very impressed with Whedon's choice to refrain from using Loki whatsoever, as he was suffering from extreme overexposure by the time Thor: The Dark World rolled around.
    Avengers: Age of Ultron may not be as good as the first film, but I still enjoyed it enough and appreciated the emphasis on character development at certain parts of the film. Ultron wasn't used to his full potential, but he was handled a lot better than the majority of MCU villains as of late, and Spader did the best he could have. 3.8/5 stars.

A Spoiler Talk Video I liked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrP4WtvhgU

                                                  (Image: Wikipedia)






Spoiler Talk: The only other major gripe I had was the post-credits scene. It is about 15 seconds long and all it shows is Josh Brolin's Thanos put on the Infinity Gauntlet and say "Fine, I'll do it myself." in reference to Ultron's failure to wipe out Earth.While this may have been good enough to some, I was honestly expecting more, and the fact that that was the only end-credits scene kind of pissed me off. It was essentially just the same thing they did in the first Avengers film: dangled Thanos on screen and let the fanboys (myself included) drool all over themselves. However, back then it was at least surprising, whereas here, it just felt tired and lazy. I've already seen enough of Thanos in the first film and in Guardians of the Galaxy to where just showing him isn't going to be enough anymore.

Get Hard: Another March release soaked in mediocrity

Today, after yet another hiatus, I'll look at this new-ish comedy vehicle.

Get Hard:
Will Ferrell plays James King, a wealthy but oafish hedge fund manager who is framed for embezzling money from his company and is sentenced to 10 years in prison (and not just any prison, San Quentin), with a 30 day period before he is sent there. Terrified, King seeks out his car washer Darnell, who he assumes knows about prison life because he is black. Darnell, who is really a family man with no street experience, takes the opportunity to make some money off his dickhead boss and pretends to "train" him, using prison movie cliches, which results in them inevitably bonding.
    I never had high hopes for this movie, but after hearing from several peers that is was worthwhile, I figured I'd check it out. I have never been so underwhelmed by a Will Ferrell film, so I was highly disappointed. Ferrell is able to deliver his trademark awkwardness that makes him so entertaining, but ultimately it comes off as more tired in this film than ever, and there is nothing memorable about this character compared to his others: no outlandish and highly quotable lines, no catchphrase, nothing. I've never been a huge Kevin Hart fan, I don't know why, his comedy style doesn't really appeal to me. However, I will admit his first few stand-up specials got some laughs out of me, but here, I don't know what the hell he's doing. He just repeats tired old gags about cultural stereotypes that just don't pack the same punch they used to. The only scene where these two are funny is a scene where Kevin Hart replicates what "The Yard" will be like in prison, and he slips in between different characters that Ferrell will encounter in prison. Speaking of the duo, these two just don't have the chemistry they should. Their relationship is the emotional backbone of this movie, and their personalities and comedic styles just don't seem to mesh. The rest of the cast includes Alison Brie, Craig T. Nelson, Paul Ben-Victor (a great character actor from The Wire), Dan Bakkedal, T.I., Edwina Findley, and cameos by Jimmy Fallon and John Mayer. This supporting cast do have their moments, but ultimately were probably just there collecting paychecks.
    There's not much to say in the way of music except that its' composed by Christophe Beck, who has done some good work in the past, so it's sad to see him also simply collecting some cash. Again, the jokes are by-the-book and overused, and the entire concept did have potential, but ultimately it is yet another case of a possbily excellent comedy being watered donw by studio execs who are too afraid to take risks. Get Hard is hardly worth a rental, and is just a mediocre waste of efforts. 2/5 stars.

                     (Image: Wikipedia)
 

Kingsman- The Secret Service: It can't be summed up in a single sentence...

Today, after a long hiatus, I return to doing reviews of current movies.

Kingsman- The Secret Service:
Gary "Eggsy" Urwin, an aimless delinquent with problems at home but a genius-level IQ, is recruited by Harry Hart, codename "Gallahad", to be part of ane elite team of secret agents working independently from the British government: the Kingsmen. Undergoing extensive training and pairing with similarly recruited young people, Eggsy must help the team to take down a deranged ecoterrorist and billionaire entrepreneur named Richmond Valentine.
    This is like most of Matthew Vaughn's filmography, in that it is a film that is just meant to be a fun, stylized, no-holds-barred joyride. This is my first cinematic experience since January, and the first film I've seen that was actually originally released in 2015, and I must say, this is one of the best "first movies of the year" I've seen in ages, and the most fun I've had watching a movie in quite some time. It's just so thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining that I don't see how anyone could dislike it completely. It completely rejects the notion of darker blockbusters and recent spy films which take a more serious route (i.e. Casino Royale, The Bourne Trilogy, Mission: Impossible, Skyfall, etc.), and decides to pay homage to the more ridiculous and theatrical plots of older spy thrillers.
    Taron Egerton plays Eggsy, and he is very relatable and charming and funny, and he is one of the best likable asshole characters since Tony Stark. Colin Firth abandons the dramatic intensity of his earlier roles to opt for a more funny, cool, and bad-ass role as Hart/Gallahad. It was so jarring to see the calm and reserved Firth suddenly fighting twenty plus guys with an almost cartoonish fluency. Samuel L. Jackson also takes a nice departure from playing the hardcore hero to play a comical villain: Valentine. His effeminate and immature mannerisms, funny lisp, and distaste for violence make him unique among spy movie villains, as does his reason for wiping out humanity: his love for the environment. This is also interesting, because the audience can actually understand his motives and that he has good intentions at heart, but not agree with his extremist methods. Mark Strong plays trainer and agent Merlin, who is essentially the Kingsmen's Q, with the main difference being his willingness to participate in the action. Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella, Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Arkham), Jack Davenport, Hannah Alstrom, Samantha Womack, and Geoff Bell comprise the supporting cast, and they all perform their roles very well for an action blockbuster. Bell essentially plays the stereotypical evil stepfather to Eggsy, though the film handled this movie cliche caricature remarkably well,
    I haven't read the comic this film is based on, but now I want to. I've heard that the film doesn't do certain things as well, but improves other aspects, but on its' own, I feel the movie is highly enjoyable and is leagues above Kick-Ass. Speaking of kick-ass, the action sequences (particularly the violent but still awesome and enthralling church sequence set to the guitar solo from "Free Bird") are heavily stylized and kinetic, and are extremely well-shot. In a world full of shaky-cam fight sequences and over-CGI'd garbage, it wa refreshing to see these complicated and over-the-top action scenes handled with just the right balance of crisp and clear cinematography and digital effects.
    Kingsmen: The Secret Service is an exhilirating, energetic, and lively action-comedy that pulls no punches. It is one of the few movies in recent memory where I actually felt thrilled by the climax and was invested in the characters. It has an underdog hero and a cool mentor character, as well as some extremely violent and awesome combat scenes, and is just a really entertaining film. 4/5 stars.

                                           (Image: Wikipedia)

Quickie- The Interview: Possibly the most over-hyped movie of the past year

Today, I look at the new James Franco/Seth Rogen vehicle about North Korea.

The Interview:
I know this review is delayed, but I just felt there were more important matters to deal with. There's nothing I can say here that hasn't been said before, so I'll just condense my points. I'm not even going to comment on the PR stunt that was this film's release, or the unnecessary hype around the film. Seth Rogen and James Franco make a good comedic duo, but there's nothing here they haven't done before. Randall Park was pretty excellent as Kim Jong-un, and Diana Bang and Lizzy Caplan had good supporting roles. The cameos by people such as Eminem, Bill Maher, Seth Meyers, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Rob Loew are entertaining enough, and the ending credits sequence is nice and colorful. The final act is over-the-top and crazy and fun, and the film follows in This Is The End's footsteps by foreshadowing plot points to come. I won't give them away here, but it does make the film rewarding on a second viewing. Although the film has enough laughs to constitute a second viewing, I can't recommend much more than that, as the jokes ware thin on multiple viewings, and I'm not sure I could even recommend a Blu-ray purchase. The Interview is a fun and enjoyable little comedy, although it doesn't quite have the political punch it should have, being more of a buddy comedy that just happens to include Kim Jong-un, rather than the dark political satire I would have preferred. The hype was undeserved, and the film is ultimately not much more than a two-trick pony. 3.5/5 stars.

                            (Image: Wikipedia)

R.I.P. Ben Woolf

Ben Woolf, an actor known for his small but memorable roles in American Horror Story and Insidious, was injured Thursday, February 19, 2015 when he was struck in the head by a rear-view mirror by a car while jaywalking. He died Monday, February 23. He was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism as a child, which caused his bones to shrink. He used acting as a side job, mostly taking smaller roles in documentaries and horror projects, as his primary occupation was as a preschool teacher. He donated his organs to three women, saving their lives, as he was a registered donor. Ryan Murphy, creator of American Horror Story among other series, has offered to pay for the funeral expenses to assist his family, and all of his AHS co-stars and fellow crew members have spoken very highly of him, sighting his kindness, innocence, and the inspiration he provided. Never has a relatively unknown actor's death left such an impact.

                                                                   Ben Woolf
                                                              1980-2015 (age: 34)
                                                         (Image: IMDb)

R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy

Today, the world lost Leonard Nimoy, perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Mr. Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series and in many subsequent films. He had also appeared in Fringe, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 remake), Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Mission: Impossible (the original series), and the video game Civilization IV. His role as Spock is one of the most iconic roles of the 20th Century, and he has inspired many imitators, parodies, homages, etc. He will be surely missed by Trekkies and sci-fi fans. But he will also be missed because of his kindness and for inspiring a generation and generations to come to think rationally about the universe and explore it.

                                                                 Leonard Nimoy
                                                              1931-2015 (age: 83)
                                                            (Image: Wikipedia)