The Nice Guys (2016)

Directed by Shane Black
Written by Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi
Starring Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Angourie Rice and Margaret Qualley

A mismatched pair of Private Detectives investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles. As they dig deeper they uncover a conspiracy that is bigger than they could've ever imagined.

Director Shane Black returns to his roots by following his second film, "Iron Man 3", with a detective oriented dark-comedy much like his first film "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang".

As was expected, this film delivered many laugh-inducing moments. The writing and plot were just as expected. What was a bit of a surprise was the chemistry between Gosling and Crowe. Their banter and interactions with each other were flawless and very believable, even in the most ridiculous of moments.

While the story was impressive in itself, the set dressings and wardrobes to emulate the 70s seemed flawless. At least to myself. I never experienced the 70s in person. So maybe some of the more experienced viewers noticed some faults. However, I was never taken out of the story by an ill-timed prop or car.

This is one of the funniest films I have seen in a while. And I cannot praise the two headlining actors enough. They truly brought this film to life. It was a refreshing change to the typical cookie-cutter film…

I realize I used "cookie-cutter" in my last review as well. I apologize. But let's be honest. So many movies these days are similar, it's rare that you see two films that break from the norm in two days. I'm having a good week.

My Rating: 8/10

Green Room (2015)

Written and Directed by Jeremy Saulnier

Starring Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat and Patrick Stewart

After witnessing a murder, the members of a punk band are forced into a vicious fight for survival against a gang of malicious skinheads.

For whatever reason, I couldn't find a trailer on Youtube to embed on this review. But click here and check it out.

Blogger is being a piece of fecal matter right now so here is my short, but sweet review.
The setting alone for this film are enough to turn closed minded audiences away. But for those brave enough to venture into the theatre, (or in my case, just a fan of aggressive music) they will be treated to the most suspenseful film I have seen in a while.

There are no rules to this story. Everyone is fair game and I was honestly unsure of where the film was going. Which, in a world filled with cookie-cutter plotlines was like a breath of fresh air. Director Jeremy Saulnier created yet another masterpiece (GO SEE "BLUE RUIN") with his third feature film.

In his short career, he has birthed a sub-genre of horror/thriller movies that stand out amongst a sea of such films. I don't know what he calls them, but I hereby dub his genre "Boonie Slasher".
In a film this small, it is awesome to see someone like Patrick Stewart involved. And he is utterly terrifying.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE YOU IDIOTS!!!!
My Rating: 9/10

Money Monster (2016)

Directed by Jodie Foster
Written by Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore and Jim Kouf
Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell and Caitriona Balfe

The host of a financial TV show host finds himself as a hostage to a man who lost everything following advice he was given by the host himself. With nothing to lose, the man holds the entire station up with a bomb until he finds some answers.

In today's world, I would think that it would be hard to make a movie audience feel a connection with an armed terrorist. In fact, without Wall Street and their shady business proceedings as the antagonist, I would believe it to be impossible. But there is one thing Americans hate more than armed criminals. And that is fraudulent businesses.

In this economical thriller, director Jodie Foster makes a film in which it is easy to feel for the man with the bomb. In her fourth film as director, she humanizes everyone from the down-on-his-luck criminal to the douchebag TV personality. But what she doesn't do is try to justify the shady business tactics used by Billion dollar corporations. As she shouldn't.

Although, the majority of the characters are extremely two-dimensional and have little to no arc, the role of Kyle, played by Jack O'Connell is one of the most heart-wrenching characters I have ever seen. Even though, in the eyes of the law he is in the wrong, you can't help but root for him in the corrupt system that is public trading.

"Money Monster" may not ever crack a top 10 list of mine, or even anyone else's. It's not mind-blowing. It's not revolutionary. It's not even amazing. It's a slightly above average film at best. But in this terrible year of movies thus far, I'll take what I can get.

My Rating: 7/10

Midnight Special (2016)

Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols
Starring Michael Shannon, Jaeden Lieberher, Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst

A father and son run from the U.S. Government and a cult drawn to the child's special powers.

In an era of film where director's like Colin Trevorrow and Rian Johnson only use independent films as a springboard into bigger studio films, it is nice that there is a director out there that is dedicated to his own work and continues to deny intrusion from cinematic corporations.

That's not to say that abandoning independent films to create the next "Star Wars" or "Jurassic Park" movie is a bad thing. It's just refreshing that Jeff Nichols, a man who undoubtedly has the pull to grab some sort of franchise, sticks to his guns and creates unique stories.

In his fourth film, Nichols has created an intriguing sci-fi thriller in what feels to be a mix of "The Road" and "E.T.". It is a beautiful story, that admittedly, I was unsure of upon my first viewing. I could tell that it was a well made film, but due to my previous expectations not being met, I was left confused and desired a second watch.

"Midnight Special" is a film that rewards multiple viewings. Symbolism and minute details are more apparent once you know what to expect. I noticed things that I completely missed the first time around and it all stitched every question I had up very nicely.

It isn't out of the ordinary these days for a trailer of a film spoil it's entire plot. In this case, not only did the trailer contain the mystery, but much of the film did as well. I enjoyed questioning the plot throughout this thriller rather than being completely up to speed as most studio films allow you to be. The mysterious element is one that I doubt, Disney and Warner Brothers will adopt, but I would love if they did, even if just for a few projects.

Jeff Nichols and his latest film is everything that I love about independent film. Had a major studio been involved in more than just distribution, I feel they would have tampered with the story to the point where it lost everything that makes it special.

My Rating: 8/10

Demolition (2015)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Written by Bryan Sipe
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis

As an investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash, his increasingly confessional series of letters to a vending machine company catch the attention of a customer service rep with whom he forms an unlikely connection.

To follow up his masterpiece in "Dallas Buyers Club" and the wildly disappointing movie "Wild" (pun not intended, I promise), director Jean-Marc Vallée seems to have type-cast himself, in a way, with the types of films he creates. Perhaps he has finally found a style that he feels best expresses himself, or maybe he's just trying to recapture the success of "Dallas Buyers Club", but I feel he is starting to drift away from what made that film great while he tries too hard to keep himself significant.

At it's core, this film is (or could have been) intensely beautiful and heart wrenchingly emotional. It could have created a bond between protagonist and audience that could not be easily broken. After all, anyone that has lived a significant portion of their life has experienced the loss of a loved one in some way.

But instead, we are presented with a convoluted story of a selfish, unforgiving man. And perhaps that is exactly what the writer, director and actor wanted him to be. But I can't help but feel that it fails on so many levels.

The film feels as though it believe it is more clever than it is, elbowing you in the ribs as if to say "You see what I did there?". But in reality, there isn't much to point out. There are no deep metaphors or well constructed character arcs. In fact, it's hard to tell how the main character comes to the end of his journey. It kind of just happens. But about an hour after it should have happened.

Jake Gyllenhaal, while a decent actor, has seemingly been doing everything within his power to get an Oscar nomination. And it's been painfully apparent in every film he's been in since "Nightcrawler" (with the exception of "Everest").

Naomi Watts' role, as much as I love her, served absolutely no purpose other than to be a Macguffin. She disappears for much of the film, and when she is in the scene, you feel a sense of anticipation for everything to finally come together. But it never does.

If I'm honest, the first six paragraphs of this review paint a worse picture than it deserves. It's not a terrible movie. There is just a lot that I had to say regarding the plot. It wasn't terrible. It was just bland. It didn't have the emotional punch to the gut that made "Dallas Buyers Club" so great. And much like "Wild", it didn't appear as though the protagonist knew how to act around people.

I don't know if Vallée is going for something that I just can't comprehend, and if you feel differently than I do, please contact me to discuss it. I would like to see another view of it. But it just felt as though everyone involved in the higher-ups was just trying to hard.

My Rating: 5/10

Eye in the Sky (2015)

Directed by Gavin Hood
Written by Guy Hibbert
Starring Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi

In the age of drone warfare, much of the decision making regarding military attacks is done behind closed doors and spread amongst several people on different continents. This film by Gavin Hood opens those doors and lets the audience take a look at what goes on behind them.

While this is not the first film of its kind, "Eye in the Sky" is unique in its own way. It focuses on the moral struggle that not only the drone pilot faces, but also the numerous higher ups that chime in to green light the attack. Although the film takes place in three countries, it has a very claustrophobic feel to it. You are centered in on one small location for each character which only adds to the importance of the subject at hand.

With this all-star cast in which most of them act and react to things that aren't actually there (while filming), it is amazing how believable every performance is. Even though I know Aaron Paul and Helen Mirren are probably looking at blank screens, I believed that they were watching the events unfold before them in real time. That is something that is more difficult than it seems. Just ask Sir Ian McKellen.

One of the things that I loved about the film was Barkhad Abdi's return to the screen. You may remember him in his Oscar Nominated role in "Captain Phillips". When an actor comes out of nowhere and has success like he did, right away. I always worry that it won't go anywhere for them and that it was a fluke. But even in this, he proved to be a decent actor. And while we all know he will be typecast, at least he is making money doing so. And more money than he would driving limousines.

Overall, this film was a shining light in the dark months of film in early 2016. It is better than damn near everything that came out by a long shot, with a few exceptions. What makes this film great is that it creates a discussion or morality, not just between characters and audience members with opposing political beliefs. But for me, an internal dialogue of what I believe to be the just conclusion, if there even is one.

It had so much more going on than it needed to. It could just have easily had a lot of action and yelling and called it a day. But it chose to take the more difficult path and actually argue both sides of the debate logically and realistically. It was an unexpectedly intelligent and open minded film all while bringing up a subject that should be discussed more.

My Rating: 8/10

Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer
Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot and Amy Adams

A lot of Superhero fans were upset with me when I pointed out the Rotten Tomatoes score for this film. Some stated that film critics hate Super Hero movies (not true). Others stated that the then 33% (now 29%) was an exaggeration of it's failure. And while that may be true. Let's face it. This movie just wasn't good.

If you enjoyed it, that's completely different. Hell, I enjoyed it. But technically speaking, with editing, cinematography, acting and writing, it was one of the worst $250 Million dollar movies I have ever seen.

The acting was stiff, but that was expected. The writing was campy, as expected. Zack Snyder, a man who more or less invented steady cam action scenes, created sequences that were terribly shot and it seemed as if the camera operator was shaking under the weight of the camera. And the editing! Oh my, how it was some of the worst editing in recent memory. The film had very little flow and there were so many scenes that felt like they were cut short.

It was an enjoyable movie, but by no means was it a good movie. There were too many problems to forgive. And while I don't expect the average movie goer to notice, that is the reason I did not like it. The entire thing felt phoned in from what's supposed to be a professional cast and crew. It was as if they were forced into making it. For a film they've been teasing for decades, it was too little too late.

Thank God I don't have to pay for movies.

My Rating: 5/10

The Lobster (2015)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou
Starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux and John C. Reilly

In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into the woods.

If there was an academy award category for weirdest movie of the year, I can't think of any other movie that would top this one. Despite taking place in a rather unbelievable world, there is something rather familiar in the way characters interact with each other, all struggling to find love. The only difference is that the stakes are much higher in this universe.

In a way, it is an extreme exaggeration of how society views single people. Viewed as outcasts, citizens without partners are banished from the rest of the world and forced to find love within a tight timeline. The pressures of having "a normal life" are magnified tenfold when the threat of becoming an animal are thrown into play.

On the other end of the spectrum, when in a group of loners, the same prejudices are projected onto the idea of love and intimacy and any displays of such are punished just as harshly. It is a complex world in which there is little hope for happiness.

For such a random and uncomfortable film, it had a surprising amount to say about societies views on how others live their lives. This is for certain, not a film for everyone. It is aggressively outlandish and is performed as if it took place on another planet. But under that veil of deceit is an incredibly human story.

My Rating: 8/10

The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

Directed by Louis Leterrier
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Phil Johnston and Peter Baynham
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Isla Fisher and Penélope Cruz

A hit man working for MI6 finds himself with a target on his back after his long lost brother ruins an attempt to save a politician causing the job to look like an agent gone rouge.

You know it's a slow week in movies when I decide to see this over any of the new releases. With the showing of a scene on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" as the main form of advertisement in which the only thing that could be televised was the reactions of the audience, I knew that this would be vulgar for the sake of vulgarity. And I was right.

What I did not anticipate was for me to be laughing that the absolute absurdity of the disgusting series of events that happened. It was portrayed in such a way that I couldn't help but laugh, even if brought shame to myself and my family.

With the impossible to watch (in my mind) "Borat" and "Bruno", I was glad to finally see Sacha Baron Cohen in  a movie in which playing tricks on people wasn't the whole premise. Knowing that everyone involved is in on the joke makes it so much easier to watch and finally laugh with Cohen instead of hiding in my jacket from anxiety caused by awkwardness.

With actors as serious as Mark Strong, Ian McShane and… well, that's about it. Anyway, seeing these actors not taking anything too seriously was refreshing to say the least. It was wildly inappropriate, a terribly executed movie, yet overall, I'd have to say I enjoyed it.

Especially with Donald Trump contracting HIV.

My Rating: 6/10

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg
Written by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken and Damien Chazelle
Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr.

After getting into a car accident, Michelle finds herself chained to a pipe in a cemented room of a bunker. When she meets her captor, he tells her of the ongoing apocalyptic crisis happening outside of their doomsday shelter. However, Michelle has her suspicions when she learns more of the man who says he saved her life.

While J.J. Abrams has explicitly said that this is not a continuation of the original "Cloverfield" film from 2008, it certainly takes place in the same universe. And although I haven't seen the first installment of this alien plagued world, I have seen enough through several shifts working at a movie theater during it's release to know I did not care for it.

The areas that I felt were terrible in "Cloverfield" (i.e. "found footage" style, story etc.), were greatly improved for this film. Any style is a huge upgrade from the shaky-cam style of "found footage" movies. And I found the story to be much more engrossing than it's predecessor.

Rather than motivate the story using action and destruction, the filmmakers decide to go the psychological rout, focusing on the protagonists thought process after essentially being kidnapped. It made for a significantly more interesting film.

As for the cast, John Goodman stole the show. He captured his character so perfectly that it was easy to sway between trust and distrust with him. You were never sure of his intentions or his past. He proves yet again why he is one of the greatest actors of his time.

I'm not sure if anyone really asked for this film. Or if it was even meant to be involved with "Cloverfield" until they realized it would be the best way to market it (which is the more probable case). But regardless, this movie has been presented to the world. I would't go as far to call this a great movie. But it is better than a lot. Especially at this time of year. With the exception of "The Witch" and all of the Oscar winners that have been rereleased, I would say this is the best movie out right now. 

Although most of you are probably asking, "what about 'Deadpool'". For you, it's probably better than this. But not in my opinion. And that, my friends, is the beauty of movies.

My Rating: 7/10

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Written by Robert Carlock, based on the book "The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan" by Kim Barker
Starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Christopher Abbott

Feeling trapped by her mundane desk journalism job, Kim Baker (changed for some reason) makes a decision to find more adventure in her life by taking a position as a war journalist in Afghanistan.

On the surface, due to a misleading advertisement, this would appear to be just another situational comedy. When I first viewed the trailer, I perceived it as one of those standard comedies that takes a slightly interesting setting and plot and inserts sex and drug jokes in an attempt to seek tickets, but overall not accomplish much as a film. Fortunately for this film, it was surprisingly more delicate than that.

From the get-go, it is apparent what kind of film this will be. With an opening scene showing how hectic her life in Afghanistan would be in just three years, the directors then cut to the chronological beginning of the protagonists story as an incredible example of juxtaposition. Tina Fey masterfully captures the essence of her character and puts it on display right away.

I was quite surprised with how unfunny this movie was. But I was even more surprised that I didn't mind. It was more complex and gratifying than I could have predicted and kept me engaged throughout.

With several themes, including the morality of journalism, the dangers of the addiction to conflict and moving forward in your life no matter what happens, it is safe to say this is the most unexpected important film in this young year.

Much of my opinion of this film comes from expecting very little from it. Had I gone in expecting greatness, I might have a completely different opinion. But that's not to say it's not a good movie. It's a hell of a lot better than I expected it to be.

My Rating: 7/10

Triple 9 (2016)

Directed by John Hillcoat
Written by Matt Cook
Starring Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson and Chiwetel Ejiofor

 A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan to murder a police officer in order to pull off the biggest heist yet across town.

John Hillcoat, Director of one of my favorite films, "The Road" as well as "Lawless" has unfortunately missed with this newest film. There is so much potential within this plot for an absolutely breathtaking movie, yet it falls short with it's pacing and writing.

The talented ensemble cast does their best to make the script work. With intense performances from all (with the exception of Kate Winslet), it is clear that the weak script is the biggest of many problems. It is clear that Matt Cook was trying very hard to recreate Scorcese's "The Departed".

This is not a bad movie by any means. It's just disappointing to see a film with such great potential fall short. Perhaps it was my high hopes prior to the films release. I expected more from this incredible cast and crew.

My Rating: 5/10

Zootopia (2016)

Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush
Written by Way too many people to list… Like seriously, too many people. Come on Disney! Calm Down!
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba and Jenny Slate

In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy.

Going into the theater, what I was expecting was a fun, clever and heartwarming story about some animals who think they're people. And that expectation was delivered, as promised. However, what I was not expecting was the blatant, yet incredibly important social commentary about prejudices and mob mentality.

"Zootopia" proved to be a more meaningful family film than anticipated. It is quite possibly the most vital animated film in history. It is more than just a self-confidence building film that Disney is mostly known for. It is about more than just accepting yourself. It is also about accepting others and not judging people because of their heritage.

The middle act of the film was so intense and topical that it feels as though this is the perfect time for this story to be shared with children. It perfectly mirrors much of the hate being spread right now and I was pleasantly shocked at how mature the themes were. But perhaps I'm over thinking it.

Great thematic elements aside, this film provided me with many laughs and a great couple of hours of entertainment. It is a fun movie that I feel the entire family will enjoy and it is incredibly clever. It is rare that I find a Disney movie lives up to it's hype. I feel most people are blinded by the "magic". But this is one that did not disappoint.

My Rating: 7/10

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Written by Alan Bennett
Stars Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent and Deborah Findlay

Alan Bennett, a play-write moving into a new home, finds his living situation less than desirable when he learns that his new neighborhood is also home to a hermit residing in a van. Conditions become even less desirable when she asks to move her van into his driveway, and because he is overcome with British politeness (or timidness) he reluctantly agrees.

This "mostly true" story has a lot of humanity to it. It's a showcase of how most of us would like to treat  vagabonds and hermits if they would just stop asking us for change in a world where paper and coin currency has become obsolete. And it also shows that all British people are polite to a fault… I guess.

A light-hearted story of treating others with kindness and patience, this film marks the best performance that i have seen from the great Maggie Smith. She truly transforms into this dirty and borderline insane homeless woman, yet creates such a charming character that you root for her the whole time, regardless of the troubles she undoubtedly brings the lead character. Through the filth and garbage, she glows as an older woman who is still young at heart.

Overall, the film plateaus after the exhilarating opening. It succeeds at holding ones attention throughout, but it is a relatively flat movie that finally steadily begins to rise in the final ten minutes. But ultimately, it ends at about the same level of intrigue. I guess you could say this is a good thing given the subject matter of the film. But it did leave much to be desired.

I guess what I was hoping for was more of an emotional impact. The view point of the writer (Alan Bennett, who's life the film is made after), is dry and distant. And while his humor does keep you invested just enough, I couldn't help but feel it could have been so much more.

Still a better film than most out at the moment. Not all… But most.

My Rating: 6/10

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

Directed by Dexter Fletcher
Written by Sean MacCaulay and Simon Kelton
Starring Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Jo Hartley and Keith Allen

"Eddie the Eagle" is your typical underdog story. A less experienced, less talented athlete going up against the big dogs in competition. But unlike many films in its genre, this is a true story.

A man, who grew up wearing a leg brace for most of his childhood, is determined to beat the odds and become an Olympic athlete. Much to the likeness of the Jamaican Bobsled team, which also competed during the '88 Olympics in Calgary, he did so with little expectations but was more than happy to attend.

The story itself isn't much to write home about, as heart warming as it is. But the performances in this film, specifically by Taron Egerton, are extraordinary and bring this whole film together.

Honestly guys, I saw this on Thursday and completely forgot to write a review for it… so this one is not that informative…. It was good though. That's all you really want to hear anyway, right?

My Rating: 7/10

The Witch (2015)

Written and Directed by Robert Eggers
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie and Harvey Scrimshaw

In his review of this dark and demonic horror film, Drew McWeeny of HitFlix.com writes:

"It feels like we're watching something we should not be seeing."

I usually try to avoid quoting other reviewers, because of course, reviewing a film is about putting your feel ins about a film into your own words. But, dammit, Drew nailed it with that quote. It is truly the best way to describe this film.

For myself, horror films rarely do anything for me. Out of all the genres, they are certainly the most predictable and formulaic. However, every so often a film is released that absolutely changes the game. It is rare, but when it happens, that horror film becomes one of my favorites of the year, if not of all time.

Inspired by actual reports of 17th century witch trials and folklore, Robert Eggers has created a film so sinister and unnerving that it kept me tensed up throughout the majority of its duration. And believe me when I tell you that it is an impressive feat.

One of the most striking things about this film is how truthful to the time period the world that the filmmakers created was. There was not a single piece of clothing, architecture or even line of dialogue that took you out of the story. That, on top of some of the best acting of any horror movie ever (that's right), teamed up for one hell of an experience.

One of the most surprising aspects of the film was the young actors in it. At first, I thought that due to the subject matter, these kids would have limited roles in the film. But every single one of them gave a performance that seemed eerily understanding to the scenarios being depicted. I actually worried for these kids and their mentality.

Had this film been widely released last year, it certainly would have cracked my Top 10 movies of 2015. But with how much I loved this movie, I think it has a good chance of cracking my Top 10 of this year, if not my Top 5.

Forget seeing Deadpool again. See this instead. Or see both in one day! That's cool too!

My Rating: 10/10

Deadpool (2016)

Directed by Tim Miller
Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, based on characters by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller and Ed Skrein

Quite understandably the most hyped up movie of any February since "The Passion of the Christ", "Deadpool" once seemed like the on superhero movie that would never be made. A character that revels in the macabre and a well placed dick joke seemed like a sure bust to a industry that kills creativity just to make the sacred PG-13 cut.

But Ryan Reynolds wasn't having it. While I'm sure he'd still deny it (unless he has already admitted and I'm just misinformed), we all know he released that animated footage on the internet. And fan girls and boys squealed at the very notion that there was someone who was even thinking about making a movie.

Cut to February 12th, 2016, and it's finally here.

Ladies….

This movie was exactly as I thought it'd be. Snarky, yet hilarious comments from the films protagonist, mixed with fourth-wall breaks and unforgiving violence. It delivered fully on all fronts and did not disappoint. 

However, despite that R-rating, it still felt produced by Disney. It's hard to explain, but even through it's unique qualities that made it stand out from the rest of the Marvel Universe, it seemed just as formulaic and flat.

Before y'all go and bite my head off, I liked it. I liked it quite a bit. But if I never see it again, I won't be disappointed. It didn't feel as though it would offer anything more from the loyalty of a repeat viewer. And even through the refreshing dialogue from the lovable asshole that is Wade Wilson, I felt as though I had seen it before in all of the other Marvel movies.

Yeah, Yeah… I know, Mr. Pool

This of course is of no fault to the movie or it's filmmakers. I just have lost all interest in Superhero movies since the second Incredible Hulk movie. They all seem the same to me and really don't provide me with any worthwhile entertainment. For the 90+ minutes, I remain entertained and locked on the screen. But when I walk away, nothing has changed for me. 

Granted, that's how I feel with most popular movies. I just feel the overall hype around superhero films drains me of any energy that could go into loving them more.

All that being said, go see "Deadpool". I know most of you are more normal than I am and will love it. I'll just join the old people in the next screening of "Macbeth".

What the hell is wrong with me?

My Rating: 6/10

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Written and Directed by The Coen Brothers

Starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich and Ralph Fiennes

In my mind, The Coen Brother's are America's directors. They seem to capture so many different sub-cultures of America perfectly while also satirizing them. The desperation of the American Middle-Class in "Fargo". Three run-away prisoners during the depression era in "O Brother Where Art Thou?". And many others (I don't feel like listing each one. Check their filmography out for yourself!).

In "Hail, Caesar!", the genius brother's tackle Hollywood during the Golden Age of film. Following a studio "fixer", the guy that runs around sweeping scandals under rugs and keeping his bratty movie stars in check, as he attempts to solve his biggest problem yet. The kidnapping of their biggest star.

While this film more than likely won't be named with the Coen Brothers' masterpieces, it sticks with the style that has come to distance the duo from other directors. And it is no exception for my belief that they have never made a bad movie. Not one.

This film certainly rewards the hardcore movie goers in the audience. While many of the jokes will go over the heads of people not familiar with classic cinema, there is seldom a sequence in which there is no reference or nod to classic films. That is probably it's most notable feature.

If you're a casual movie goer, or aren't incredibly familiar with classic films of the 50s, you might not "get" this one. Although I highly encourage everyone to see it, because, well… you never know. But it is certainly not a film that is designed for everyone, as the Coen Brothers rarely are.

My Rating: 8/10

Carol (2015)

Directed by Todd Haynes
Written by Phyllis Nagy
Based on the novel "The Price of Salt", by Patricia Highsmith
Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler and Sarah Paulson

Set in 1950s New York, "Carol" tells the story of forbidden love, as a young aspiring photographer finds herself infatuated with an older woman. As their intimate relationship develops, complications of living in their time see to it that their love is anything but easy.

From the beginning, this film has everything going for it. Top notch actors with brilliant director, a masterful cinematographer, a beautiful score and a gorgeous production design. The time of the story is encapsulated perfectly onto film and makes the world believable. Each shot keeps you engaged and keeps your eyes on the screen. But where it lacks, I'm afraid, is the most important part. The story.

While the the story isn't exactly overdone, it has been done before. And it's been done better. It is truly a heart breaking story, but the way it is told make it hard to connect. Drama seems to be forced upon the audience. It is as if the director is saying "feel this way because I told you to feel this way". We are not shown why we should feel a certain way.

Certain scenes in the film felt as though they were incomplete and needed more background than was given in order to truly connect with the characters. Everything seemed to jump around from one problem to the next with no real solution or conclusion. And not in a realistic way. It felt as though, perhaps there was more to the film, but for one reason or another it was cut.

This film will certainly garner some awards. And it should. As I said before, everything is set to have made this will great! But somehow, through it all, they failed to focus on the most important thing. Whether that was through editing or writing, I can't be sure. All I know is that it felt as if it insisted upon itself.

My Rating: 6/10

Macbeth (2015)

Directed by Justin Kurzel
Written for the screen by Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie and Todd Louiso
Based on the Shakespearian play
Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine and Sean Harris

Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.

This is Shakespeare. There is little more to say than that. This adaptation, or rather interpretation of the classic Scottish play is how I imagine it was supposed to be portrayed.

The acting, as expected from the brilliant cast, is top notch with no flaws in my mind.

The cinematography is beautiful and perfectly captures the bleak landscape of Scotland.

The original score is haunting and perfect.

This is certainly my favorite version of any play by Shakespeare. But simply due to the consistency of which Shakespeare is replayed, I feel everything else I could say about this film would just be redundant.

My Rating: 8/10