Jurassic World: Another fourth film summer release in an over two-decade old franchise

This review has been long overdue.

Jurassic World:

Set sometime in the near future, the film chronicles the downfall of the wildly successful Jurassic World, the spin-off of John Hammond's collosal failure Jurassic Park. After being open for several years, the executives at the park realize that gene splicing dinosaurs may be the key to spiking park attendance. However, the Indominus Rex (this Frankenstein creature is spliced from T-Rex DNA and other types of dangerous dinosaurs) is smarter and more bloodthirsty than they imagined and quickly escapes, wreaking havoc across the resort. Only Owen Grady, a former Naval officer and Velociraptor trainer in the island's restricted area, is able to possibly stop the creature before it reaches the center of the resort. 

    After over a decade of waiting for a fourth Jurassic Park film, people were dying for a nostalgia trip like this, so naturally this movie has been breaking numerous box office records. I've seen the film twice now and have had some time to think it over, and on the whole, it feels more like a Jurassic Park movie than the previous installment, but still doesn't hold a candle to the original. 

    Chris Pratt is a charismatic lead hero, but I worry he may suffer from over-exposure soon if the Indiana Jones rumors prove true. Bryce Dallas Howard plays the lead female, who is Pratt's love interest. She starts as this uptight and overly serious businesswoman, and kind of breaks down her hardened shell over the film. Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson play two brothers who are a major focus of the film, which I wasn't all that happy about. They just weren't strong enough characters, nor fresh enough to have a major storyline dedicated to them. At least in the previous films, the kids were always more like supporting characters who just happened to be a part of the action, not with their own arc. Jake Johnson and Lauren Lapkus have comedic roles as two control room operators. B.D. Wong returns as Dr. Wu from the original film, the only returning cast member in this installment. Why he wasn't fired after the disaster in the first film I have no idea. Omar Sy plays Pratt's friend and fellow raptor tamer, and Vincent D'Onofrio appears as the main human antagonist, an element sorely lacking in the third film. Irrfan Khan plays John Hammond's successor. Judy Greer and Andy Buckley play the brothers' parents who have hit a rough patch. Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Buffett, and director Colin Trevorrow have cameos in the film, with Trevorrow's being a voice cameo. Director Brad Bird has a voice-over cameo as a monorail announcer.

    The special effects are more CG-heavy than in previous installments, which was a little bothersome, but forgivable. The action scenes are well-shot and exciting, and the final battle was pretty cheesy, but ultimately also very entertaining. In fact, this film had more cheese than I was expecting (two thing really got to me: there's a look two characters give each other after the final battle that made me almost burst out laughing, and running in heels, anyone who's seen the film knows exactly what I'm talking about). 

    If you're looking for a fun summer movie that will give you a dose of nostalgia, then Jurassic World will surely meet expectations. It doesn't recapture the feel of the original perfectly, but I don't think anything will. 3.5/5 stars.

An older review I did of the first three films: http://mattcottermovies.blogspot.ie/2013/04/jurassic-park-trilogy.html

                                                              (Image: Wikipedia)

Insidious- Chapter Three: An entertaining (hopefully) final installment in the trilogy

Today, I look at the third chapter in the successful ghost story series.

Insidious, Chapter Three:
Some time shortly before the Lambert haunting of previous films, Elise Rainier is called in to help a teenage girl named Quinn Brenner, who is trying to contact her mother who died of cancer recently. After attempting to make contact and failing, Quinn realizes she has inadvertently invited an evil presence into her life, one hellbent on making her its' property.
    After enjoying the first two films quite a bit, but seeing them as more fun little standalone ghost stories than some major trilogy, I was actually not all that excited to see a third installment, let alone a prequel, because those don't always go well. But, after seeing it, I can say I was pleasantly surprised with how entertaining it was and how nicely it tied the previous films together. Despite some small plot holes and story inconsistensies, I was impressed with how Leigh Whannell handled both the script and directorial duties without the help of longtime collaborator James Wan (who left the series to work on Furious Seven), especially considering this is his directorial debut. But he was able to replicate Wan's style while having a flavor of his own (after all, he's worked with Wan for well over a decade now).
     Lin Shaye gives another surprisingly touching performance as the bad-ass ghost whisperer Elise, who is practically the true protagonist of the series, because the main characters are always sort of bland. Dermot Mulroney is also effective as Quinn's father Sean, and I'm happy to see him try his turn at horror. Stefanie Scott plays Quinn, a definite departure from her Disney Channel background. Ele Keats plays her mother Lillith, and Hayley Kiyoko her best friend, who I found kind of irritating, because she's kind of the stereotypical "bad-ass" friend, but whatever. Ashton Moio has a small role as Hector, Quinn's main love interest. James Wan even makes a cameo as a theater director. Whannell again acts in the film to add to his impressive rap sheet as Specs, one half of the comedic ghost-hunting duo of Specs and Tucker, the latter of whom is played by his other longtime collaborator Angus Sampson (Mad Max: Fury Road, Legend of the Guardians, Wilfred). They are, aside from Shaye, the best part of the human cast. Michael Reid McKay (Seven, X2: X-Men United, Batman & Robin, The Monster Squad) plays the main villainous entity: The Man Who Can't Breath/The Wheezing Demon. Despite not having more of a background which I would have liked, he is still a definitely creepy and threatening presence. Joseph Bishara (the composer) and Tom Fitzpatrick (a theater actor) reprise their roles as The Lipstick-Faced Demon and The Bride in Black, respectively. The Bride in Black's encounters with Elise are some of the scarier parts in the film, though the last one is more humorously toned.
     The visual effects are used sparingly, but effectively, and are still eerie and otherworldly feeling, which is great considering these films have more modest budgets than other movie franchises. Despite some excessive jump-scares, I give the film credit for never having cheap false scares (i.e. "Nevermind, it's just a cat!"), instead always having the pop-outs be of something genuinely frightening. And the ominous atmosphere that is built up is enough to not make it feel like all the tension is entirely reliant on jump scares.
     The end credits sequence is cool and unique, and this film does not waste time on the previous two films' overlong opening credits, which, while interesting (the whole idea is to spot creepy stuff in the background of shots of the main locations), did drag on a bit too long. This film also does a great job of expanding the Insidious universe's lore and rules, by referencing the idea that a spirit can be overpowered by will (as long as they haven't infested a body first), and the concept that a powerful demon has a sort of "turf", where they dominate all spirits in a given area.
     Insidious: Chapter Three is a nice follow-up to the previous films and ties the trilogy together. Now, I hope they leave it at a trilogy, but I doubt they will, because then the series would not only have great integrity, but it would be a rare thing in a horror series. Don't fuck up a good thing by stretching it out. I'd say marathon the series on Halloween or something with a couple of friends, it will be a fun time especially when you realize the comparisons that can be drawn between an average episode of Scooby-Doo and the entire second film. 3.5/5 stars.

                                             (Image: Wikipedia)

R.I.P. Christopher Lee

On June 7, 2015, the world lost Sir Christopher Lee, one of the most bad-ass actors of all time. His wife had decided to delay the news until today. Despite mostly being known for his acting career, which included iconic roles such as Count Dracula in the Hammer Horror cycle, to Saruman in The Lord of the Rings, to Darth Tyrannus/Cunt Dooku in the Star Wars prequels, to Lord Summersisle in The Wicker Man, to Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, Lee also collaborated with numerous metal bands due to his sining ability (previously doing some opera work) starting in 2005, and was awarded the "Spirit of Medal" honor at the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden God awards. He was also known for his militarhy career during World War II, where he and his comrades were briefly tasked with hunting down Nazi war criminals, as well as serving with the Gurkhas during the Battle of Monte Cristo. During a leave in Naple, Italy, he climbed Mount Vesuvis, which three days later erupted. He was also known for his numerous collaborations with Tim Burton, including voicing the Jabberwocky in Alice in Wonderland, and as the voice of a bishop in Corpse Bride. He has done numerous voice works and has narrated several documentaries, including Necessary Evil, about the evolution of the DC Comics' supervillains, and appeared in How to Be Sherlock Holmes, and episode of BBC's Timeshift dedicated to numerous interpretations of the character. One month before he died he had been cast in the Danish film The 11th. Debunking a popular rumor, Lee claimed in a speech to the students of University College Dublin that he did not have a vast library of occult literature, only about four or five books, and warned them not to get too deep into that culture. Lee was known for his determination to perform and entertain until the day he died, appearing in the film The Wicker Tree despite having just undergone surgery, and also expresing sadness that his friend Johnny Depp may retire from acting, saying he had no such intentions. He will be missed by many, but he is immortalized through his vast film career and iconic performances.

                                                            Christopher Lee
                                                         1922-2015 (age: 93)
                                                   (Image: Wikipedia)

Mad Max-Fury Road: Thank God for this movie

Today, I look at the fourth film in a franchise that is over 30 years old.

Mad Max, Fury Road:
After being captured by a gang of cultish marauders, former cop and surivivor Max Rockatansky must assist Furiosa, a woman who was taken by the cult as a child and raised as a warrior, escort some important cargo away from the cult's fierce leader Immortan Joe.
    Despite some awesome-looking trailers, I was skeptical of this movie. A Mad Max film coming out nearly thirty years after the last one? Recasting an iconic movie hero? The possibility of it becoming a CGI-filled cash cow? However, when the film was hit with mass critical acclaim, my worries were alleviated. This is probably one of the best action films to come out in years, and the most fun you can have at the movies currently.
    Tom Hardy does a fantastic job of recapturing the feel of Mel Gibson's portrayal of Max, as a Clint Eastwood-type who drifts and doesn't say much, merely acting as a vessel for the audience to experience the world of the Wasteland. Charlize Theron is also on the top of her game as Furiosa, and shows she is able to tackle more action-oriented roles. Nicholas Hoult plays Nux, one of Joe's War Boys, who is internally conflicted about his position, and provides a never-before-seen look into the more sympathetic sides of the maniacs Max is so accustomed to fighting. Hugh Keayes-Byrne (who played the main villain of the first film) plays Immortan Joe, and is able to be an effectively threatening presence. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, Zoe Kravitz, and Courtney Eaton play Joe's unwilling concubines. Josh Helman plays Slit, Nux's friend, who is always eager to please Joe, but is rarely recognized for it, and also plays more of a sympathetic villain. Melissa Jaffer, Megan Gale, Gillian Jones, and Joy Smithers appear as older women who help Furiosa and Max in their quest. Wrestler Nathan Jones and musician iOTA appear as Rictus and The Doof, two warriors for Joe, the former of which is his son. John Howard and Richard Carter appear as Joe's allies The People Eater and The Bullet Farmer. Angus Sampson (Legend of the Guardians, Insidious) has a small role as Joe's handyman and surgeon, aptly named The Organic Mechanic.
   The villain in this film is an interesting departure from previous films in that the homoeroticism present before is toned down significantly, and his character is interesting. He is another cult-like leader like Lord Humungus of The Road Warrior, however, instead of leading a medium-sized band of marauders and stealing gasoline, he is the leader of a city-size cult dedicated to him, and he has brainwashed the boys from an early age to serve in his military force "War Boys", who are willing to fight and die for him, which he doesn't really appreciate at all. He has also monopolized the water trade in his part of the Wasteland, and treats the substance as a sort of drug by keeping it from his subjects and only dropping small amounts.
   As for the supposed "feminist agenda" and rumored MRA-boycot of the film, I won't touch on it because I think it's just a ploy to stir up controversy for the film. I'll link two videos below that I think give fine responses to this.
   The action sequences are near non-stop, but unlike some films where this becomes tiring and overwhelming, here there is just enough story so that it doesn't overshadow the action, or leave the film feel empty. Because of the character development (successfully achieved not through exposition, but through character's actions and behavior), I actually cared about each character and their journey. This movie has some really over-the-top stuff (such as the guitar guy on one of Joe's war rigs), but that just adds to the fun feeling of it. I also enjoyed how, even though it was a rated R film, it didn't feel the need to be overly gruesome or brutal, as that would've detracted from the fun of this type of movie. The amount of practical car crashes and effects is remarkable and I commend George Miller for making the effects practical for the most part. In fact, I was so happy to see that Miller still knows how to make an action movie: the cinematography was crisp and never did the action seem convoluted or confusing, and, unlike other modern action movies, the camera and minimal CG were used effectively, and the fight scenes were not filled with clunky camera angles and shaky cam. Everything looked great and the action flowed smoothly. The lack of CG was also refreshing considering the amount of movies made almost entirely on computers these days, and shooting on location in Australia and South Africa couldn't have been easy either.
   Miller seems not too concerned with continuity in these films, as the timeline jumps all over the place, and he has multiple characters often played by the same actors. You do not have to see the previous film to understand the plot of this film, but I would recommend them if you like this one. They're a lot of fun.
   This is an acton film that would seem disastrous on paper: resurrecting an old franchise, director is 70 years old, the editor is his wife who has never edited an action film, director has spent last twenty years making children's films, etc. But somehow it managed to blow expectations out of the water. Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the year's best films, undoubtedly, and one of the better Mad Max films, and I am so excited to hear they have more planned for this series, and with a video game coming out in September, it appears 2015 will be the year of Mad Max. 4.5/5 stars.

A quick review I enjoyed by YourMovieSucks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSkJomudiDs
A response to the rumor of an MRA boycot by Mundane Matt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wTUMuAPPY


                                              (Image: Wikipedia)

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)