Reviews

Quantum Mania takes the MCU deeper into the quantum realm and presents us a real first taste of Kang the Conqueror. Thanos and his Infinity War are now part of the past in a timeline that has been upended by the discovery of the multiverse. The hype surrounding Ant-Man and the Wasp 2(?) seemed impossible to meet. The same weight was put on the Multiverse of Madness which cracked under the pressure of expectation. Unfortunately, QuantumMania suffers the same fate. Kang is intimidating, powerful and compelling but has been muzzled and restrained by a screenplay that lacks courage and risk when it mattered. Majors is fantastic as the character and I can't wait to see him develop this character and other variants further. However, I can't help but see a missed opportunity here to plant Kang like a unavoidable tree in the multiverse saga. It feels like Marvel prefers to put all their eggs in the basket of Loki season 2 rather than a feature film.

It's not all bad though. On the contrary. The film is often times charming, engaging and genuinely funny. It has some fantastic set pieces with inconsistent CGI which has become the new norm for Marvel as of late. Our main cast of characters are solid, though I can't help but feel Hope has been left by the wayside here. Quantum Mania is a solid entry in the MCU but lacks any weight to be memorable or revolutionary. It had a great opportunity to shock and surprise but chose to play it safe and missed out on some great potential.

James Cameron reemerges from the depths of his mind to expand our understanding of Pandora and it's cultures. The Way of Water knows why we love Avatar and deepens the lore of Pandora. Like Avatar (2009), The Way of Water tells an unoriginal story in a solid way and in doing so, provides a framework for absolutely mind-blowing visuals to give life to the Na'vi and Eywa. Pandora is the protagonist and Cameron clearly agrees. If you didn't like the plot of the original, you won't find much redemption here but if you want to learn more about this world, you'll get your money's worth. Watching it in 3D finally made me realize what I missed out on in 2009. I can now unequivocally confirm that if you haven't seen The Way of Water in 3D, you haven't seen the film.

After Fallen Kingdom my hopes for Dominion were at an all-time low. Can you blame me? The people behind the Jurassic World franchise (that includes you as well mister Spielberg) showcase a continued and epic misunderstanding of Jurassic Park's strengths. After Fallen Kingdom focused on the dumbest plotpoint of Jurassic World, Dominion makes the same mistake and smears the stupidest plotpoint of Fallen Kingdom over an entire film. Oh and it ads locusts... Yes, locusts.

The best parts of this film are the moments without dialogue reminding you there's an insulting plot you don't care about. The dinosaurs look fantastic and are the true strengths of this film. Scenes of terror and wonder elevate the flick above detestable. Yet the film does its best to make us forget about the creatures we showed up for! It instead throws in yet another bioengineering company with at its head a character who was called irrelevant in the first film! "Dodgson! We got Dodgson here! See, nobody cares." Well said Nedry and 29 years later, we still don't care.

Even if you're a fan of this new lane of Jurassic films, the film shows little respect for its audience. Blue is barely in the film. Don't get me started on Rexy. Hell, even the newly hyped up Apex predator has zero to no relevance to the core of the plot! Say what you will but the Spinosaurus in JP3 was at least essential to the plot! Remember when Jurassic films were about dinosaurs? Well screw you because now they're about locusts and human clones... Enjoy.

Jurassic World Dominion is Ian Malcolm's iconic rant personified. It should'nt excist and has forgotten its genius predecessors on who's shoulders it's standing on. An admittedly fantastic ending can't save this massive locust plague sized disappointment. Please, as a fan of this franchise... Stop making these films. You've murdered any and all magic or wonder it had left.

No Man of God is no Zodiac or Se7en but it does feature one of the best portrayals of a serial killer to date. Luke Kirby's performance is hauntingly authentic. Unfortunately the film fumbles some of the most intense and pivotal scenes through weird editing choices. You could call this a Mindhunter episode about Bundy, sure. Unfortunately, it's one of the lesser ones. So still pretty solid!

Tenet is everything a cinéphile should applaud and adore: an original, complex and mindbending blockbuster made for the big screen. More of this please, Hollywood.

Nolan's obsession with time provides us with an amazing visual experience that combines stellar sci-fi concepts with iconic action imagery. Tenet answers the question you never knew you wanted to ask in the first place: what if Inception was a James Bond film?

Given the scenarios Nolan puts on the screen, it's staggering to witness just how much of the film is captured in camera. Not just the infamous 747 scene deserves accolades but it is the most impressive one.

Once again though, Nolan's biggest weakness weighs on this film as it has with most of his previous endeavors: exposition. The film has to explain a lot of its concepts and rules to the audience. Unfortunately, Nolan yet again couldn't find a more interesting and visual route to guide the audience there. Conversations at a table, in chairs or through phone calls... It's all present in Tenet, complete with Michael Caine's gorgeous British voice in an attempt to make it a fraction more tolerable for the viewer. Caine might as well be the same character in all of Nolan's pictures.

Even though the kink in Nolan's armor is more noticeable than ever, it doesn't take away from my overall appreciation of Tenet as a whole. It demands a full-time focus from its audience, but rewards those who provide it with a mind-boggling experience.

James Wan has been one of the most interesting voices in modern horror. With his latest venture, Wan reaffirms his grasp on the genre yet again. Malignant is an absurd concoction of all the best and cheesiest ingredients of 80's slasher goodness. Complete with a unique, signature murder weapon and a soon to be iconic killer.

Madison finds herself in a horrifying predicament after a brutal murder takes place in her own home. She's being haunted by a killer as well as visions of his future victims. What follows is a disturbing mystery with a lot more camp than you might expect.

Wan's direction keeps the film engaging and genuinely terrifying. The horror scènes are marinaded in Wan's signature style and they're all the better for it. He even manages to put some impressive action sequences on the screen. His work on Aquaman has clearly been fruitful.

The score is a mixed bag. I found the compositions to be more distracting than compelling. It's unfortunate because his scores have been one of my favorite elements of Wan's other franchises like Insidious or The Conjuring.

Another issue I had with the film is its tone. Malignant is a love letter to 80's horror but it can't seem to mesh this homage with the serious modern subject matters and tone. It's not always clear to me, what is supposed to be comedic and what is unintentionally absurd. Especially the film's conclusion might divide audiences. I found it to be hilariously absurd in a good way. Others might find it insultingly stupid. Either way, the film is ambitious and bold. After the underwhelming Conjuring outing, Malignant provides some much appreciated James Wan horror. That's always a win in my book.

Make of that as you will.

Part III of The Conjuring provides nothing new nor innovative. It instead offers predictable but real scares and is directed with a slick hand. It's the engaging and compelling relationship of the Warrens that saves this film from mediocrity though. It's what made the original and its sequel stand out amongst its peers and it certainly provides a much needed quality boost for this third outing. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are outstanding once again. The duo elevate the material to a compelling level. The Conjuring: The Devil made me do it is solid and nothing more. Maybe that's enough considering its director. A fan can only hope that James Wan will return for part IV. Even though part III isn't a disappointment.

A discussion that might be important is on the subject matter of the film. Considering the case the Warrens lend their aid to isn't a family in crisis. It's rather a real-life murder case in which the Warrens come to the rescue of the offender. One might consider this in poor taste considering the film doesn't leave any mystery as to where it's morality lies.

The Devil all the Time is the type of film with all the potential ingredients to make a haunting experience that would make Fincher proud, but never manages to make it a memorable meal.

Performance wise, the flick packs a mighty punch. Tom Holland has to convey so much with his portrayal and manages to not only convince an audience, he demands appreciation with his work here. His character is many things in the film: caring, troubled, stoic, intimidating and yet good-hearted. All of these aspects to the character are made or broken by the performance, and Holland nails every step of the way. Consider this a throughline in the film, as all of actors put in their best effort.

The plot itself comes across as honest and grounded. It feels authentic in showcasing the best and worst of its characters and events. You'll feel uncomfortable and charmed while the switching back and forth between these two emotional states feels earned and natural.

Unfortunately, the stellar performances and mature plot crumble under the weight of the cheer length of the flick. At two and half hours, the feature needed more to earn my investment. Several scenes and plot points felt predictable. The numerous plot lines and their interconnection were cleverly constructed yet unsurprising. Any challenge for the audience to read between the lines or the nuances in the actors' performances, is negated by overbearing narration that spells out anything and everything that could've been picked up by an invested viewer. It's pretty cool that the author of the novel the film is based on, is the narrator but it ads nothing to the story or characters.

In the end The Devil all the Time is a film that can be appreciated for its honesty and performances, but will be forgotten because of its lack of memorable scenes and impact.

Antebellum tells the remarkable story of Eden, a slave on a plantation somewhere in America. It also chronicles events in the life of a successful modern-day author called Veronica. As the film progresses, the connection between these two storylines becomes clear, and that's about all I can say about the plot.

THE POSITIVES

One of the biggest strengths of the flick, is a masterful hand behind the camera. Gorgeous cinematography, guided by thoughtful direction, bring as much emotional impact to the film as the stellar performances do. The structural editing on display here, is a showcase of the profound understanding the filmmakers have of the narrative. The film is filled to the brim with subtle visual setups that have satisfying pay-offs at the end. The opening scene is one of the most gripping collection of images, I've seen all year. It was an absolute treat to discover that the final sequence reaches the same impactfull heights but with a very different connotation. I can't stress enough how the technical aspects of Antebellum are Oscarworthy. cinematography, lighting, production design and costume design are in a league of their own. They all work together to truly make the performances shine.

THE NEGATIVES

Unfortunately, the film undoes a lot of the greatness within itself, as the flick goes along. The underlying message is anything but underlying. It rather weighs down heavily on the audience and is often times spelled out to the letter. All of the striking, brutal imagery, is somehow negated by heavy-handed pandering to an agenda, I don't even disagree with. An almost comedic over the top female villain who is in sharp contrast with some bold, grounded performances by other antagonists, offers nothing more than frustration. I truly want to love this film more than it allows me to.

THE VERDICT

Antebellum is composed out of a collection of striking images that showcase craftsmanship in front and behind the camera. Its brutal, grounded and thoughtful imagery is undermined however, by a painfully, spelled out message that comes across as pandering more often than not.

Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is tasked with extracting the son of a druglord amids an all-out drug war. Battling hostiles and a troubled past along the way.

Thank you Jon Wick for upping the game for action films! Extraction excels in its action set pieces. Long, gorgeous takes with brutally grounded fight scenes, showcase the vicious nature of warfare. Hemsworth carries this entire film on his shoulders and has the daunting task of elevating the paper thin narrative to an acceptable level. Thankfully, he succeeds. Thor can act darn it, and in this film he proves it yet again.

Like Jon Wick before him, seeing Hemsworth kicking ass in amazingly choreographed fight scenes, is exhilarating. The film is unapologetically honest in its depiction of violence and its consequences. Riding on fantastic sound design, every impact, bullet wound and car crash pulls you in deeper and deeper in the film.

Godzilla King of Monsters marks the third entry in the Monsterverse. After Edwards' gorgeous launch of this cinematic world with Godzilla 2014, I was hyped for this installment. Overall, I'm satisfied with the presentation, not so much with the depth.

Visually the film looks great. The CGI is well done although inconsistent. We get a lot more of Godzilla which fixes the biggest issue of Godzilla 2014. The Titans he goes up against look great as well. As far as creature designs go I have little to complain about.

The big issue with the film is the character roster. There're just too much characters to keep track of and to get invested in. Vera Farmiga and Milly Bobby Brown do their job in carrying the plot but the talent on display can't distract you from the absurd plot of the flick. The need to include such a convoluted and far-fetched narrative baffles me. There's no need to stretch a plot so very thin in a Godzilla film. The Gareth Edwards venture handled this aspect far better.

Godzilla 2 delivers in the action department. It's well shot and well executed. The cinematography took a noticeable hit compared to the 2014 installment and was therefor a bit disappointed.

Overall Godzilla King of Monsters does enough to keep fans of the 2014 Godzilla satisfied but not enough to attract new fans to the theater.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, puts us back on Isla Nublar after the events of Jurassic World. The island and the dinosaurs living there, are threatened by a cataclismic event. When a vulcano erupts, Claire and Owen reunite in an effort to save the animals from extinction, but also from war profetiers

As a massive fan of this franchise, I was completely on board for this sequel of the fun and well made JW. What could go wrong with an established brand, charming lead actor and a fun premise. Well, it is with heavy heart and utter dissapointment, I have to say: a lot.

THE POSITIVES

The opening scene is absolutely incredible. It sets the tone very well in terms of direction and atmosphere. It's the start of a film that really excels in its direction, cinematography and special effects. In the following hour, we are treated to a Jurassic World film, we as fans want to see. Great action, tens moments, new and longtime requested dinosaurs, interesting showdowns between dino's! Awesome stuff.

The film even taps into some different genres in the third act. It turns into a straight up horror film and once again benifits from great direction. It shows us dinosaurs in locations we haven't seen before and it's great!

THE NEGATIVES

Unfortunately, the film takes a dramatic turn for the worse after the halfway mark. The screening I went to, had a break after we leave the island. By that point I absolutely loved it. It even went into said break with a very emotional, even devastating moment. When the film picked up after the break, I was horrified when I realised where the film was going. The film loses itself in a heavyhanded statement about nature being exploided for greed. It completely lost me. There's an entire subplot involving a child character called Maisse, who was protrayed very well. However, when a certain aspect of her character is revealed, I was baffled. It's nonsensicle, unwarented, pointless and laughable.

The most insulting part of it all is when the film comes to a close, and you review the story that has been told in light with a message that a certain character gives at the beginning of the film, and the very end, you'll be left absolutely horrified. It makes our 'heroes' and their quest pointless. It reminds me of Allen Grant's remark in JP 3 (a fan favorite): "Some of the worst things imagineble, have been done with the best intensions!" That perfectly summarizes our heroes' actions in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

SUMMARY

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom starts off amazingly. A fun premise held up by great direction, cinematography, eventually falls apart completely because of an insultingly bad script and a focus on the worst aspect of this story. Fun and interesting steps in different genres, can't save the dissapointing second half. What a damn shame...

Guardians of the Galaxy delivered a fantastic modern space opera which captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike. The pressure was on for James Gunn and his team to avoid the curse of the terrible sequels. Was Gunn's aim on point or did he overshoot the target and put a bullet in this awesome ensemble?

THE PLOT

The long-awaited continuation of the Awesome Mix Vol 1. regroups us with The Guardians of the Galaxy, who survive by doing some good, some bad and a bit of both throughout the universes. On their journey through space they help others out of trouble and more often than not, work themselves into trouble. When they are met by Ego, a mysterious and powerful being, the future of this unlikely bunch of misfits is all but certain. What purpose does Ego have in mind for our beloved Star- Lord? What will become of the Guardians? How does an iconic 80's action movie- star have a place in this film? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. will provide overall satisfying answers.

THE POSITIVES

The tone and humor which got so many people hooked on the original, is preserved for its sequel. Thank Gunn for that! James Gunn managed to recapture that tone and sense of humor almost perfectly a second time over. All of the Guardians have their distinct personalities and fitting sense of humor but are given a lot more character development in Volume 2. The characters Gunn chose to reintroduce, are interesting due to compelling backstories and some creative, touching and funny character moments. Watching action scenes featuring characters you love and care about, adds so much drama and weight to the action and makes the movie all the more enjoyable. The action itself is creative, fun and often times hilariously over the top.

With any great superhero film, there comes the need for a compelling villain. MARVEL doesn't have an amazing track record as far as villains go. Remember the villain of Thor: The Dark World, or his plan? No, me neither... Or what about the incredible emotional depth that was given to that bald guy from Ant-Man... Oh wait. With great relief I can say that the Guardians face off against a much more compelling and interesting villain in Vol 2. than in the original. His plan and motivation could be considered abstract and pretty vague. But to its credit, the movie does take its time to set up the big bad plan reveal and by that point you're on board with it. Volume 2 takes a lot of time to develop a lot of characters. All this time and effort pays off at the end with an incredible final act and an emotional ending which left me in tears.

Finally, a special mention needs to be made for Baby Groot, who steals every scene he's in. He's adorable, funny, bad-ass and oh so very charming! An absolute fan favorite and a toy-seller for sure. Also, Yondu gets some genuine great development. His character arch is so touching, so unexpected and emotional. It elevated the entire film.

As far as the actual Awesome Mix Vol 2. goes, I can happily say it's amazing! With a lot of upbeat classics and heartwarming ballads, this soundtrack is a must-own.

THE NEGATIVES

One of the reasons Guardians of the Galaxy is so beloved is because of its tight story. It is based in the same universe as The Avengers and its heroes but didn't need to tie in to the other films so firmly. Just an infinity stone and a cameo by Thanos were enough to establish the connection. What we got was a solid stand-alone film that had a compact story with colorful characters that didn't need to set up six other films. Can you name another MARVEL film that had the exact same advantage? Because of the fact that Volume 2 pays so much attention to character development for a lot more characters than just the Guardians, the story loses focus and a firm grip on the plot. Although the backstories given to our characters, are pretty cool and interesting, it's the way they are conveyed that makes the film lose some steam. There's a lot of exposition and not all of it through well written dialogue. I would've preferred some tight flashback scenes. A lot more "Show", a lot less "Tell".

Then there's the unfortunate need to set up plot-points and characters for future Guardians- films. All this makes for a bit of a messy film with some pacing issues. Gunn clearly tried to balance all these character and plot-points and hasn't come unscathed out of the ordeal. It's weird he went down this route because story-wise, this film is even more disconnected from the Infinity War than the fist one. So setting up so much material for a sequel, is an odd choice because it feels so unnecessary.

THE VERDICT

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, slightly bends under the weight of its predecessor but still manages to deliver a fun Space adventure and some much appreciated character development. Even though Gunn and his gang, incorporated a lot more exposition and sequel setups, Volume 2 is still an Awesome Mix of fun, action, drama and colorful characters. With a fantastic ending, I can't wait to see the Guardians return!

First of all, I'd like to praise the marketing for this film. I had no idea what this movie would be about. Thanks to a brilliant trailer campaign, I was expecting a great epic and quite possibly, a monster movie. Not revealing the monsters was brilliant! Trailers should get us excited to see more, not show us every story beat of the film (I'm looking at you Batman v Superman). After Matt Damon's Oscar nominated performance in The Martian, I got a bit excited for The Great Wall. Sadly, The Great Wall turned out to be a mixed bag of disappointment and untapped potential

PLOT

William and Tovar, portrayed by Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal respectively, are two mercenaries searching for "Black Powder" to sell back west. They quite literally stumble on the Great Wall and get involved in a war China is waging against... monsters (quite possibly aliens). And thus begins a great adventure in which Matt Damon can shine as the great hero, China didn't know it needed.

REVIEW

First things first. The Great Wall is a beautiful looking movie. The shots they managed to put on screen are genuinely gorgeous. Yimou Zhang knows how to compose and frame a shot and especially the action sequences look fantastic. It's a true breath of fresh air to watch comprehensible action that doesn't rely on shaky cam to be convincing. Adding to the great shot composure and framing, is an excellent production design. Yimou Zhang chose vibrant colors for the armors which not only set apart the different kind of warriors within this army, but also added a lot of much needed but unexpected color to the film. It's very clear that in these aspects, The Great Wall shows tremendous potential and effort. John Myhre and his team of production designers should be applauded.

Where this epic fumbles the ball, is in almost all other departments. One of the most glaring issues I have with The Great Wall, is that I simply was not invested in the story or characters. The opening sequence does a terrible job of introducing the protagonists. The film throws us right into a chase scene that eventually amounts to nothing worth while. The baddies our heroes are running away from, aren't the main villains of the film... They reappear in the film, once. During this opening sequence we are treated to a terrible first encounter with one of the Toa Pei monsters they'll end up fighting on The Great Wall. With about 10 different shots, angles and camera movements, jammed together within a second, you'll end up having no idea what just happened. Luckily, the action scenes improve tremendously throughout the film. The editing in general does not however.

The biggest problems holding the film back are the editing and the script. The movie feels annoyingly choppy. I really got the sense that a lot of scenes were shortened or cut out which is disastrous for the pacing. At one point, one of the characters of the Chinese army dies. By that point, the film has done a terrible job of fleshing out this character so you're just sitting there feeling numb. The scene itself is handled poorly as well. The death and subsequent funeral seemingly take place in the course of one freaking minute. It felt like an entire sequence was cut out and the death and funeral scenes were glued together. It felt sloppy and very poorly edited.

The script is probably the biggest issue I have with the film. The writers tried to implement an ark for Matt Damon's character that on paper could really work. However, because of the terrible introduction of our hero, we don't get a clear picture of who this William fellow is at the start of the film. Therefor, any form of an ark injected in the film doesn't work because we have no idea how the protagonist specifically evolved. Throughout the film, some aspects of William's character are revealed. But choosing sloppy executed exposition scenes will certainly not enhance the storytelling.

The Great Wall can be classified as a monster movie. One of the most crucial aspects of a monster movie, are the monsters. The designs for the Toa Pei army are pretty cool. It's cool to see an intelligence driving these monsters forward. With different classes within this possible alien species, the Toa Pei army feels like exactly that: an army. The Toa Pei show a great deal of strategy and have a very creative way of communicating with each other. It's a bit of shame that the filmmakers chose to put all their cards on the table in the first battle scene of the film. Twenty minutes into the film you've seen everything there is to see as far as creature designs go. A gripe I have with the creatures is that they are not very frightening. Creative and cool, sure. But not particularly scary. I would've loved to see some more small scale variation among the creatures. Disappointingly, the backstory on the Toa Pei army is pretty lackluster.

The CGI in The Great Wall is inconsistent at best. The computer effects look great at times. But they look average or sub par more often than not. The film could've benefited from some practical creature effects as well. It's a shame we see none on screen. But because the movie heavily relies on CGI, the mediocrity of the effects is all the more glaring.

CONCLUSION

The Great Wall shows great potential. There's a lot of effort put into the cinematography, production design and action scenes. Unfortenately, the film suffers from sub par editing, sloppy screen writing and inconsistent computer effects. The final result is a slightly above average monster epic that never makes good on any of its potential.

When the trailer dropped for 10 Cloverfield Lane, it caught everyone by surprise. Nobody really knew if there were plans for a sequel to the 2008 film 'Cloverfield', let alone if they even began shooting for it. But then, out of the blue, we get this awesome trailer and everyone knew, this was going to be something special. And by god, it was.

THE PLOT

Michelle, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is a young woman who's on the run. Not from the authorities but from her troubled life. She gets into an accident and wakes up, chained to a wall in what turns out to be an underground bunker. She is being held there by Howard, portrayed by John Goodman. Howard claims there has been an attack, chemical or otherwise, and that he saved her from certain death. Michelle doesn't know what to believe and can only guess what Howard's real intentions are. She isn't Howard's only guest though. Emmet, brought to live by John Gallagher Jr., is the third wheel and it's this trio you'll be spending the entire film watching. The story is build up perfectly. It balances true suspense with genuine and upbeat moments. As a viewer, you're constantly put on a wrong track or left guessing because the twists and turns the story takes are masterfully executed. This only works because the film takes its time to build them up and because you're experiencing the story and this universe through Michelle's eyes only. You as a viewer only know and see what Michelle knows and sees which to me personally ads more suspense than knowing something the protagonist doesn't.

THE ACTING

Mary Elizabeth Winstead really nailed this performance. She was likable, clever and strong. You really rooted for her because she could think on her feet and made really smart choices. You knew from fairly early on that if she would figure out what was going on or how to escape if need be, she only had her wits and strength to thank. Her own personal story really resonated with me and it made her a great all-round character. John Gallagher Jr. is a name I'll remember from now on. I wasn't familiar with his work but I'm impressed with his performance. He was more than a comical note in this film and had his own important contribution to the story. You really do care about him and his story. Finally, I have to talk about the absolute highlight of this film. John Goodman's performance is truly Oscar worthy. He just steals every scene he's in and knocks it out of his bunker and out of the park. He was terrifying, not just because of his size but because of his presence. He is a force to be reckoned with and the film ads so much to his character by doing all these subtle things: hearing his footsteps approach from a far, hearing his constant heavy breathing and taking time to show all the little nuances he put in his performance.

THE CINEMATOGRAPHY

Visually this film is absolutely brilliant. As said, the entire film is experienced through Michelle's perspective and the cinematography is dedicated to this perspective. The camera is always close to Michelle, looking over her shoulder or showing her in a close-up shot. The camera will only pull back when the tension subsides for a while, which is a very effective way to create this contrast. During the finale of the film, the camera pulls back in and never lets go of Michelle. The tension in this scene is therefor all the more gruesome.

THE SOUNDTRACK

The score for 10 Cloverfield Lane is great. It's not outstanding or Oscar worthy but it does help create tension. When competing with an outstanding script and an even better cast, it's hard for a score to compete and really stand out, which is a compliment for both the cast and the writers, more than it is a critique on the score itself.

THE NEGATIVES

Being called 10 Cloverfield Lane, is probably one of the biggest problems of this film. Many viewers and fans, myself included, were expecting a sequel or prequel to 'Cloverfield'. This is not the case. One could even argue that these films aren't taking place in the same universe. Going into this film I knew I wouldn't get a sequel because I did some research. Nevertheless, I kept waiting for the Cloverfield monster to turn up but it never did. The climax for this film will definitely satisfy most viewers and even fans but I can't deny that die-hard fans will be disappointed. But I believe I figured out what J.J. Abrams and his entourage were going for...

DEFINING A FRANCHISE

I believe that with this film, a franchise has been defined. Many people wanted it to be monster- or found footage franchise , but it turned out differently. From now on, an entry in the Cloverfield franchise will be a science fiction film, grounded in the real world and at the center of these films will be a disaster that takes place. In the first one we got a huge monster, rampaging through New York, in the second a possible chemical or nuclear attack that devastated the United States. Thinking about this, one can only wonder what the third film will be... However, nothing is certain at this point and seeing how Abrams fooled our expectations with 10 Cloverfield Lane, I wouldn't bet my head on me being right.

THE VERDICT

10 Cloverfield Lane is a masterfully executed, psychological thriller with stellar performances and great characters. It thrives on its tension and great writing and it keeps you guessing through the whole thing. It's a great film and even better one if you check your expectations at the door.

Ever since the first teaser for The Revenant came out, I was hyped out of my mind for this film. The amazing cinematography was already apparent in that 1 minute clip and is an amazing achievement for director Alejandro González Iñárritu . This was sure to be a cinematic masterpiece but would the story and characters be up to par with the visuals? Well, yes they are, but it's complicated...

As seen in the trailers The Reveant is about a man named Hugh Glass, played amazingly by Leonardo DiCaprio. Glass is traveling with a hunting party who go out right before winter to collect pelts to sell. Glass is responsible for the security of the companionship and has to make some tough calls in doing so. After a tragedy that befell him and his family, he never loses sight of his half-blood son Hawk.

Suddenly, the hunting party is under attack by a group of natives who force them to flee the scene and leave over twenty companions dead. Glass has to guide the party back to their stronghold but not everyone has much faith left in his judgment. Fitzgerald, portrayed by Tom Hardy, openly critiques Glass and his half-blood son. Things take a turn for the worse when DiCaprio's character is attacked by a bear in what is one of the most intense, gruesome and gritty scenes I have ever seen! The bear attack is a cinematic milestone on its own and is worth the price of admission if you have a strong enough stomach! It's after this attack that the story really picks up.

When Fitzgerald kills Hawk, he leaves Glass in a hole in the ground to die. It's at that point that the film turns into a tale of vengeance and survival as DiCaprio's character has to find a way to survive in brutal conditions on top of tracking down Fitzgerald to get his revenge.

What follows is a journey through a gorgeous and huge landscape, with danger around every corner. DiCaprio has to fight the elements, hunger, disease and death all while being hunted by natives.

As said earlier, The Revenant is visually breathtaking. Action scenes are often filmed in one shot that run for several minutes on end! It's this choice of not cutting up shots, that makes the action all the more intense (E.G. the bear attack) but more so for the drama! When DiCaprio is fighting the cold, you feel like you're right there with him, laying in the snow. When Glass is tending his gruesome wounds, you're cringing up and feel the pain he's going through. I'll just say what has to be said: DiCaprio has to win the Oscar this time! There is just no more way around him! If the academy wants even more dedication from DiCaprio before giving it to him, he's going to have to die, literally, while acting.

Tom Hardy is yet again on top of his game making him a serious contender for an Oscar in the near future! To see a British man play an American from the South, complete with the right accent and look, is just a massive achievement for Hardy as an actor!

The Revenant heavily relies on its sense of realism. In every aspect of it's storytelling, the sense of realism is there. The action is violent, gritty and bloody! The acting is in a realm above acting because none of the actors are pretending... They are actually freezing to death on screen in an unforgiving landscape and torturing weather!

The movie is not flawless however. There is one problem regarding the storytelling which I have to discuss. We as an audience are supposed to be devastated when Hawk is killed. The problem is that he isn't really likable as a character because he spends his time complaining and doesn't do much else. Though the relationship between Glass and his son is obviously that of a father and son but we never see them interact in a playful or fun way. Which doesn't help redeem Hawk's blandness. Glass is either harshly disciplining Hawk or they're hugging it out in flashbacks. So when Hawk dies, you're not really emotionally invested in what's happening because you don't care enough about Hawk to really be heartbroken. What does pull you into it however, is DiCaprio's performance! You really want to see him get his revenge but not because of what happened to his son, but because what he has to go through to get it. And while that's a major compliment to DiCaprio, it's also a flaw in the storytelling.

Another minor detail which I noticed was that the dubbing of certain lines really didn't match the movement of the lips. A lot of the native characters have this problem. Granted, their lines are all Indian which is really difficult to pull off given the use of long consecutive shots. However, this problem didn't occur for DiCaprio which is another compliment for him as an actor.

In summary I can say that The Revenant has met my expectations and that despite one apparent problem in the storytelling, The Revenant is a cinematic triumph! With amazing cinematography, superior acting and heart stopping action, The Revenant is a film you can't afford not to see in theaters!

I wasn't expecting this sequel to the 2001 train wreck that was Jurassic Park 3. My expectations weren't high but they weren't low either. The movie opens in true JP style with an egg that's hatching. Right away I was back in that same 7 year old mindset back when I first watched Jurassic Park.

Jurassic World is the park that John Hammond wished he got to see but never saw realized. It looks amazing, like Disney World but with dino's. Though I wasn't too happy to see little Triceratops being piggy back rided like pony's. The main characters are two brothers, one horny teenager, one 10 or 11 year old. They are pretty dull and boring. Especially the older one. He's so preoccupied with women he doesn't even pay attention to the damn dinosaurs! Pretty stupid! They get themselves into trouble by leaving the tourist route. All this while the Indominus Rex is rampaging through the park. Chris Pratt is called away from the Raptors he's been training to save the children and hunt down the Indominus. The story isn't all that but the visuals are amazing! The park looks great, the dino's are so awesome! Especially the raptors and the Indominus which fits the JP world well. The visuals are in great contrast with the characters. The kids have this stupid family issue that should never be in my JP movie! It's so dull and you won't give a damn about it! Chris Pratt is awesome in this flick but he isn't all that different from Starlord in GotG, which isn't a bad thing by any means. It would be a shame though if he were to be typecast as this kind of character from now on.

Musically the flick disappoints a bit. The infamous JP theme is back but underused and when it's used, it isn't even for a big dino moment. But you can't help but get goosebumps because after all these years, the Jurassic Park theme just sounds amazing! However, sometimes when the music gets ominous and a big orchestral theme is playing, the volume is turned down so much you really notice it! Very weird...

The Indominus Rex is scary! I never thought the first three JP's were scary because I loved dinosaurs so much I was just too excited to see them in action to be really scared! The Indominus however, is a dinosaur you've never seen before! It's big, scary and oh so smart! He's built up so well too! Every scene he's in, the suspense is real! He truly feels like this unstoppable force.

Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that the worst part of JP3 has been redeemed here! The ending is just so epic! It's perfect! I was just buzzing in my seat and people around me were just shouting in excitement! This movie has just so much fan service with references to the original, little details you can just geek out about and perhaps the best introduction to the hero of the franchise since JP1! People were applauding during the end credits, something Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't manage to do...

In conclusion: though I have many gripes with this movie, the fan service, action, visuals and Chris Pratt make this entry in the series so worth it! I saw it yesterday and I'm going to see it again tonight! Hope to see you there!

Even up to this day, I regret not seeing The Avengers in theaters when it came out! I'm in love with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man, Captain America and the Guardians of the Galaxy... Just writing down the titles gets me excited. The Avengers would be the culmination of all these epic superheroes! And by god it was! It was clever, it was fast, it was epic, it was funny, it was awesome! The Avengers set the bar at such a level, the curse of bad sequels was bound to pop up its nasty head. Well, with great pleasure, I can say it hasn't. Avengers: Age of Ultron (without "The" for some reason) is so much fun it's crazy. The action is quick, epic and on point. The teamwork is so awesome: just think about combining Cap's shield and Thor's hammer and let your imagination run wild. That's what the creators of AOU did with the action scenes: just let their creativity flow and use these amazing super abilities and just mix and mash them together to create some epic visuals.

The story is quite interesting: Tony Stark wants to create a robotic army of peacekeepers to take over from the Avengers and make them no longer needed. This backfires when his creation Ultron activates and his A.I. concludes that humanity's extinction is the only way to ensure peace on earth. It's interesting to see the cracks develop within the team. The twin who were teased at the end of The Winter Soldier come to the scene and start stirring up trouble. I was so happy to see Hawk Eye shine in the flick. In part one he was just a stool for the freaking awesome Loki for most of the film but now he gets so much more to do and he's just such a lovable character!

Visually, Age of Ultron is up to par with previous Marvel movies. It looks great, especially the climax of the movie is just a joy to watch.

I had some gripes with the film though. For starters I found it quite odd to see Iron Man just doing his thing when it wasn't explained how he came back from his retirement after Iron Man 3. I'm glad he's back but some info would be nice. Secondly there's a romance which feels out of place because it wasn't earned in previous movies. It kind of feels forced and out of the blue.

The music is epic and grand. The Avengers theme is back and it's awesome!

Summary: Fun and epic sequel with minor gripes.

Wow. What can be said about Interstellar that hasn't been said before? So I'll just share my thoughts and feelings about this movie. The Nolan brothers have hit yet another home-run with this intergalactic masterpiece. The story is about a single father who's trying to raise his children and provide for them and his father in law. The world is sick, very sick in fact. Cropses are dying and harvests are lost. Farmers have become the world's most important job but soon humanity (or at least a very small part of it) realizes earth can not be saved and that they have to turn to the stars to find salvation.

Matthew McConaughey has come a long way since his roles as a piece of man-candy in chick-flicks and he proves it yet again here. He plays his role as Cooper perfectly. The heartache he has to go through while making an impossible choice really pulls you into the story. Saving humanity or seeing his children once more... Anne Hathaway fits the role of Brand well. She's not sexualized as she was in The Dark Knight Rises which gives her the chance to win you over with her acting. And win you over she will! Michael Caine is Michael Caine so you know what to expect there: greatness. Jessica Chastain is wonderful as Murph. She's so strong yet so fragile and it's just heartbreaking to watch her emotional journey. Cassey Affleck takes on the role of Murph's brother and does a great job. There's one more surprise appearance by a big actor which I won't spoil for you. You can already tell the acting jobs are top notch in this picture and they have to be. The story touches on some existential themes which are difficult to comprehend. You have to understand and feel the emotions the characters are going through to grasp the purpose of the story fully.

Visually Interstellar impresses. With actual physicists working on the movie you get the most accurate pictures of unearthly events. The visual of black hole Gargantua is actually being used in a scientific publication. The other planets the team visit are equally stunning as they are interesting. Without going in too much detail, the planets feature things we all know but they are portrayed in a way you've never seen before.

Now let me take the time to gush over the music in this film. You may think the music isn't as important as the acting or the story but it's with music this good you understand it is actually a character in the movie. The music is gorgeous. It's epic when it needs to be and emotional when the story requires it. I found myself nearly in tears over the music when I didn't expect it. Hans Zimmer proves he can create delicate and fragile pieces of music as well as epic, dark and heavy soundtracks like he has done for The Dark Knight Trilogy.

So in summary Interstellar isn't just a space movie. It isn't a science- fiction movie at heart. It's a movie about humanity and about saving it and not just in a literal sense. It's about finding our own humanity. It's about family, it's about love because that is the main theme which drives the characters. It's the core foundation for all their actions and choices. But above all, this film is about hope. It's about believing in ourselves and the power we can muster when we fight for our loved ones.

Interstellar is one of the most amazing movies I've ever had the privilege to see. Please, go see this film.

I enjoyed part one a lot. The concept was awesome and unnerving but the execution was poor. It was the awkward and laughable ending that kind of ruined it for me. It was so disappointing to experience such an ending after an entire movie with eerie visuals and an amazingly scary villain! That performance could be the most underrated acting jobs of 2013!

I walked into the theater completely in love with the concept but wanting a movie to do it justice. This time around there are 5 main characters with completely different back stories you're getting to know. The movie does an adequate job of presenting these characters and you will care enough about most of them to not want them to die.

Anarchy's biggest strength is its cinematography. Just like in the first one, you're confronted with some unsettling images of purgers and victims. You actually feel like your a part of the Purge. The suspense of the first one is back, though not as strong but still very unnerving.

And it's that which this movie nails! Giving the viewer an unnerving feeling. Only Snowpiercer (2013) nailed that feeling better than this one.

The enormous letdown of an ending in part one has been redeemed here! The Purge: Anarchy got a satisfying ending with all the needed twists and surprises.

The Purge: Anarchy surpasses part one in every way but one: a compelling villain with a prominent personality is missing! That snobby rich kid from The Purge part one, was portrayed so strong that you loved hating him! He was a demanding presence on screen and was the true protagonist of the film. And what made that ending so terrible was partly because of the end that befall the villain. The strong visuals and satisfying ending in The Purge: Anarchy redeem this lack of a villain.

In summary: a must watch!