Terminator Genisys (2015)

Directed by Alan Taylor
Written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, based on characters by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd
Starring Arnold Schwartzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney and Jason Clarke

John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.

While sitting in the theater, watching the story unfold, the same question kept repeating in my mind. How much better would this movie be if they didn't reveal one of the biggest plot points and surprises in the trailer? How much more emotionally invested would I be had I gone in not knowing that John Connor was turned into a cyborg, regenerative, terminator thing?

And that is possibly the biggest problem with this movie. Overall, it's a fun, action packed movie that is not as dark and brooding as the 2009 "Terminator Salvation". It doesn't take itself too seriously and is playful in it's action.

But seriously, how much better would it have been had I not known that the legend known as John Connor-- that little punk ass teenager in T2-- had I not known his fate because of a poorly planned marketing strategy, this movie could have been so much more.

It's the Terminator! You're not going to get any more butts in the seats why giving the whole plot away!  Not only that, but had the marketing team kept their mouths shut about that whole plot point, it could have blown people away and sold even more tickets due to word of mouth. It's a missed opportunity thanks to the new fad of showing the whole film in the trailer.

I'd turn evil too if I had to share screen time with Jai Courtney…

Despite, perhaps the worst marketing strategy known to mankind and terrible acting from everyone other than Jason Clarke and JK Simmons, "Terminator Genisys" turned out to be better than I expected.  While no match for T1 and T2 (obviously), it surpasses T3 and "Terminator Salvation". But it's no match to other action movies released this summer.

My Rating: 6/10

Black Dynamite (2009)

Directed by Scott Sanders
Written by Michael Jai White, Byron Minns and Scott Sanders
Starring Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Dionne Gipson and Buddy Lewis

Black Dynamite is the greatest African-American action star of the 1970s. When his only brother is killed by The Man it's up to him to find justice.

Playing an obvious homage to Shaft and other Blaxploitation films, "Black Dynamite" is a hilarious movie made terribly on purpose. All of the mistakes made by the pictures that the filmmakers are tipping their hat to are present, only this time they are meticulously reenacted, giving a hilarious portrayal of low budget movies.

The writing, acting and directing are all terrible. But since it is purposefully terrible, I guess you could say it is brilliant! This is a movie made for cinephiles who can relive the B-movies of the 70s by witnessing this masterpiece.

There really isn't much to say about this movie that can accurately describe it's greatness. As much as I hate this saying, it is simply a movie you have to see to believe. You will not regret making that decision.

My Rating: 8/10

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Directed by George Miller
Written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nick Lathouris
Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult and Hugh Keays-Byrne

In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, two rebels just might be able to restore order: Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action who is looking to make it back to her childhood homeland.

Let me just start off by saying this. Anyone who does not like this movie is stupid!

The fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise originally created by George Miller, this film takes the dreams of what George Miller probably wanted in the 80s but didn't have the technology for, straps dynamite on it and blows it up. It is seriously the most fun movie I have ever seen. It just doesn't care!

Just when you think that the movie couldn't get even more ridiculous than it already is, it exceeds itself. It is a 100% adrenaline fueled thrill ride. The world that George Miller has created with this film trumps all over the worlds he created in both Road Warrior and Thunderdome.

And to think that that same man directed both "Happyfeet" and "Babe: Pig in the City" is remarkable. He is truly a versatile man. Creating a talking pig and a dance penguin, then going back to his roots. Only this time, the ladies kick some serious ass! All of the female characters in this film are more tough and bad ass than Black Widow in "Avengers". And she is still pretty tricking tough! 

The visuals of this action packed film are second to none. Every punch, explosion, crash and line of dialogue is filmed perfectly and compliments the shots before and after it. There isn't a dull frame in it's entire two-hour running time. And the vibrance of the colors makes the world that much more enticing.

As far as blockbuster, mindless action movies go, this is hands down the best I have seen. At least in the past decade. No film comes to mind that can even touch this. It's dark and edgy, but still ridiculously fun. Something Marvel and DC can learn from it. And I am dead serious when I say if you don't like this movie, we can't be friends anymore.

My Rating: 10/10

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

Directed by George Miller
Written by Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant
Starring Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Vernon Wells and Kjell Nilsson

In the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline rich community escape a band of bandits.

An apocalyptic dystopia, this movie (and to a lesser extent, the first one) created a genre. Whether you consider it an achievement or not, without this film there would be no "Waterworld" or "Doomsday", among many other films inspired by the wasteland that George Miller created.

This action-packed thriller has a simple formula. Blood, car crashes and explosions. And quite frankly, that's all this movie needs. With a climax that rivals even the most advanced car chase movies of the modern day, the scale of this picture is not only impressive for it's time, but today as well.

And an S&M-esque beefcake of a villain… There's a lot of ass-less chaps in this movie.

Though many of the character designs have not withstood the test of time, it is still quite an impressive achievement. This film will get your blood pumping and even make you laugh at how very 80s some scenes are. Overall, this is just a fun, action-packed adventure. And it got me even more excited for the new one coming out in May.

My Rating: 7/10

JCVD (2008)

Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri
Written by Mabrouk El Mechri, Frédéric Benudis, Frédéric Taddï, Vincent Ravalec and Christophe Turpin
Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, François Damiens, Zinedine Soualem and Karim Belkhadra

While visiting his family at home in Belgium, Van Damme is caught in the middle of a robbery, and the cops think the aging star has snapped and pulled the job himself. Now, on top of dealing with financial problems, a nasty custody battle and a waning career, he has to make like a real-life action hero and find his way out of a very tense situation.

The muscles from Brussels finds himself in trouble as the hero becomes the victim in this movie. A more in depth than expected look at the consequences of fame and fortune, this movie is much more than an action movie. It has a lot to say about societies perception of celebrities.

You can really tell that this is a passion project of Van Damme's. This is by far his best and most relatable performance of his career. Topped with the single best soliloquy in the past ten years and an impressive delivery in said scene, I honestly would not have counted him out of any awards race in 2008. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing when he started rolling out that monologue.

You guys have no idea how freaking good it was.

This movie is fun, intense and brings an element of humanity you rarely see with action heroes. It was definitely a refreshing change from the formula's that other action movies follow. I highly recommend this film to anyone who want's to be blown away by how good Jean-Claude Van Damme actually is.

My Rating: 9/10

Alex Harmon is the biggest TF in the world.

Little Big Soldier (2010)

Directed by Sheng Ding
Written by Jackie Chan
Starring Jackie Chan, Leehom Wang, Sung-joo Yung and Peng Lin

In ancient China, an old soldier takes a young General of an enemy state captive in order to collect the bounty. On their Journey back to Liang, the two discuss war, peace and begin to form an unexpected bond.

As expected with Jackie Chan, this is filled with comedic relief and great fighting sequences. Chan continues to prove himself as a modern day Charlie Chaplin with his physical comedy. It is more apparent in this film than many others of his. In this movie in particular, he also reminds me of Danny Kaye in "The Court Jester". 

The story is rather generic and doesn't bring much to the table in the form of creativity. And it is certainly much darker than Chan's other films. The themes of war, especially during the Qin dynasty, provide for a bleak backdrop. However, his character's positive outlook and philosophies, as well as comedy make this light enough to laugh at.

Bear attacks are always hilarious.

One of the most impressive things about this movie is Chan's dramatic performance. It is unlike any other role I have seen him in. His character is deep and thoughtful and at times, emotional. It's a breath of fresh air from his other characters, which at times can blur together.

As usual, with Chinese cinema, the cinematography is top notch. It is action packed, funny and thoughtful. While it most certainly isn't a phenomenal movie, it is definitely a fun ride. I would recommend this to any fan of Kung-Fu movies or just action movies in general.

My Rating: 6/10