Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to the outstanding District 9 had A LOT to live up to. Many feared that his sophomore effort would disappoint, proving that District 9 was just a fluke. Well, Mr. Blomkamp, you can rest easy sir. Not only is Elysium as good as (if not better than) District 9, it establishes Blomkamp as one of our most talented modern filmmakers who can handle both big budgets and big ideas with equal expertise. I don't say this lightly, but this guy has the skills and the vision to be the next James Cameron. Elysium was my most anticipated film this year behind Pacific Rim, and it exceeded my near-insurmountable expectations. Matt Damon is stellar, bringing the character of Max Da Costa to life with an emotionally resonant performance while also channeling his inner-Bourne badassery. Sharlto Copley further broadens his range playing a terrifyingly psychotic mercenary named Kruger who is one of the best bad guys I've seen in years; he's a truly evil character who is both intelligent and threatening. These two are the standouts and they're complemented by an excellent supporting cast including Jodie Foster, William Fitchner, Alice Braga and Wagner Moura. The story is as epic as they come, and while the core elements are nothing new, the way they're handled makes them feel refreshing and engaging. The futuristic world built by Blomkamp is deep and feels lived in, reminding me of Blade Runner and Aliens on multiple occasions. The technology and weapons are, like District 9, wildly creative and viscerally violent; people get blown apart in ways that are shocking yet mesmerizing. The film's visual style is dynamic, showing a filthy, disgusting Earth which contrasts sharply with the pristine living conditions on Elysium. The social commentary on everything from immigration to healthcare is handled well, not coming off as too preachy or heavy-handed, and more importantly not distracting from the plot. The gorgeous cinematography and pounding mechanical score also deserve special mention, as does the impressive CGI. My only minor complaint is the overuse of "shakycam" for some of the fight scenes. It doesn't allow us to savor the action, but it's still effective. Other than that, this is a spectacular sci-fi adventure that should not be missed! Hats off to you Mr. Blomkamp!
Rating: 10/10
#39 - Jack The Giant Slayer
Date Watched: 8/11/13 (3D Blu-ray)
A rip-roaring fantasy adventure that is worthy of a
Lord of the Rings comparison. I had low expectations for this flick and ended up enjoying the hell out of it.
Bryan Singer delivers intense action along with interestingly archetypal characters. Lead Nicolas Hoult is convincing as Jack, and is complemented by a plethora of excellent supporting performances including a very
Errol Flynn-like Ewan McGregor and a delightfully devious Stanley Tucci. The fantasy vibe is right on throughout the film, enhanced by some show-stopping, creative setpieces pulled off with an impressive blend of live-action and CGI. The beanstalk sets are just beautiful to look at, and combined with all the cool costumes and sets, everything on screen just dazzles. The action is wild, including lots of inventive battle scenes that look stunning in 3D. The score is also suitably triumphant. The enormous budget was money well spent; it's a shame it didn't do well at the box office.
Rating: 8.5/10
#40 - Mud
Date Watched: 8/19/13 (Blu-ray)
Outstanding performances propel this compelling crime drama/character study. Matthew McConaughey, Sam Shepard and Tye Sheridan are phenomenal in their roles, a fact made even more impressive considering Sheridan's young age.
Ray McKinnon, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon and Joe Don Baker also deserve special mention, and the rest of the relatively unknown cast does an admirable job. The story takes its time to develop its rich and interesting characters without feeling tedious, even with its 130 minute runtime thanks to spot-on pacing and editing. The film is also just gorgeous to look at thanks to the beautiful, earthy cinematography and expert direction by Jeff Nichols. This film had a LOT to live up to between the near constant positive buzz and stellar reviews it's been getting, and I must say it lived up to my expectations. While I think the trailer is a bit deceiving, you should not miss this film, trust me!
Rating: 9.5/10
#41 - Kick-Ass 2
Date Watched: 8/21/13
The first
Kick-Ass was a clever deconstruction of the superhero genre, chock full of violence and vulgarity but balanced by a deranged sense of humor. Part 2 picks up where we left off and manages to be an excellent follow-up that is better than the original, thanks to its streamlined approach. Many superhero sequels try to cram too many things into their stories and end up feeling bloated and directionless, but
Kick-Ass 2 adds enough new elements to feel fresh while still delivering the same amount of bloodshed and sick humor that made the first film such a good time. It's essentially more of the same, just wrapped up in a better, shinier package. The characters, even though there are many more this time around, remain the central focus.
Chloë Grace Moretz continues to impress as the foul-mouthed Hit-Girl. She spends much of the film unmasked, trying to balance her normal high school life with the demands of beings a superhero. While this idea is as clichéd as they come, here it's handled extremely well and remains interesting thanks to Moretz's performance. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Mintz-Plasse both do a good job along with the sizable cast of supporting characters. No one feels slighted and every character gets their time to shine. Jim Carrey is surprisingly subdued as Colonel Star And Stripes, giving a subtly damaged performance and keeping his usual manic energy in check. Special mention must go to Russian bodybuilder Olga Kurkulina as Mother Russia, an ex-KGB agent turned supervillain who is basically the female version of
Ivan Drago. The action is awesome, the showstopper being Mother Russia single-handedly taking out a squad of cops in the most creative ways possible. There's also a killer van chase. Director Jeff Wadlow maintains the first film's tone and I liked his visual style a little better as well, while the score is solid but nothing amazing. All-in-all,
Kick-Ass 2 is a superior sequel and a good end to the summer movie season. If you liked Part 1, don't miss this one!
Rating: 8.5/10
#42 - The World's End
Date Watched: 8/23/13
Wow...just wow. I don't think there's another trilogy of films that has been created with this amount of precision and dynamism. The "
Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy" or "The Cornetto Trilogy" as it's come to be known is director
Edgar Wright's magnum opus; a melding of genres that is grand in its vision and execution yet grounded by its characters. It began with a horror film (
Shaun of the Dead), continued with an action film (
Hot Fuzz) and ends with a zany but sincere sci-fi send-up.
The World's End is outstanding, easily one of the best comedies of the year and a testament to this talented filmmaker's ability to seamlessly blend genres to tell an interesting story. The ensemble cast is extraordinary: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant, as to be expected, and they're complemented by Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Rosamund Pike and 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan (a possible trend considering Timothy Dalton was in
Hot Fuzz?), all in fine form. Pegg's manic energy electrifies the witty dialogue, which is chock full of sly references, heavy subject matter and genuine pathos. The intelligent script handles the biting social commentary with ease, espousing ideas on the dangers of technology as well as examining the human condition...all in the guise of sci-fi comedy. On the technical side, the film looks and sounds spectacular, with the visuals emulating a plethora of sci-fi classics (
The Thing and
Invasion of the Body Snatchers immediately come to mind) and the score mimicking many of the
classic synthesizer scores of
John Carpenter. The special effects also look great and are quite effective. I had insanely high expectations for this film and it delivered on all fronts, as a delightful dark comedy, as a thought-provoking science fiction film and as a capper to one of the greatest trilogies ever produced. Very impressive, Mr. Wright!
Rating 10/10
#43 - No One Lives
Date Watched: 8/25/13 (Blu-ray)
I first heard of this film about a week ago and as luck would have it, I found a copy for cheap at
Sound Garden. Since it was from the director who did
The Midnight Meat Train, I was expecting craziness and that's exactly what I got.
No One Lives is a brutal, blood-soaked slasher flick full of inventive kills and featuring one of the most badass slashers in years. The film starts out like so many others before it have but then takes a wild turn into batshit insane territory. Luke Evans is outstanding in the lead role, playing a calm and collected psychopath methodically dispatching a group of unsuspecting thieves in the most creative ways possible. The rest of the cast is a mixed bag, but since they're all just knife fodder, it's excusable. Also, bonus points for boobage. The blood and gore is excellent, featuring two particularly gnarly kills, one involving an industrial meat grinder and one straight out of
Dr. Giggles (which if you haven't heard of, you are sorely missing out!). I also enjoyed the unusual sets and creepy cinematography. Overall, it's nothing groundbreaking but Luke Evans' performance and the ample gore make it worth watching!
Rating: 7.5/10
#44 - You're Next
Date Watched: 8/26/13
Disappointing. My expectations for this one were pretty high considering all of the pre-release buzz and positive word-of-mouth this was getting. I guess I let the hype get the best of me. As a standard slasher, it's really good, but as "the next
Scream"...not even close. It really had the potential to be so much more. The actors are all excellent and the family get-together setup is very believable, but sadly it all amounts to just a predictable slasher, save for a pair of interesting twists. The gore is well done, with creative use of two pieces of unusual kitchen equipment and a crossbow kill that was good because of
who it killed off (spoiler). However, it again did not live up to the hype. The lone bright spot is the score, a simple but highly effective synthesizer score that
John Carpenter himself would be proud of. And as always, bonus points for nudity for the sake of nudity. I don't know if I can recommend this one...it'll be out by Halloween if they're smart so they can cash in on the season. I'd say wait unless it appeals to you.
Rating: 5.5/10
#45 - Riddick
Date Watched: 9/10/13
The third film in the
Riddick Trilogy is a nice mix of the first two films and a satisfying sci-fi adventure in its own right. It borrows heavily from
Pitch Black and sparingly from
Chronicles of Riddick, though it's a good balance. Vin Diesel clearly loves this role and plays it perfectly, growling and menacing his way through a pastiche of
Aliens,
Soldier,
Firefly and many more science fiction classics. The first 20 minutes are brilliant, as we watch Riddick go into full survivalist mode before a short but sweet tangent to
Chronicles. Always-awesome
Karl Urban even shows up for a bit! The rest of the familiar looking yet relatively unknown cast all play their roles with conviction, though some are clearly trying harder than others. Former rugby player-turned-actor Matt Nable utterly owns his role while
Katee Sackhoff and
Dave Bautista both deliver fun, macho performances. The special effects are a mixed bag: the CGI ranges from excellent to awful but the practical effects (of which there are plenty) are exceptional, including a number of grisly gore scenes. There's also tons of cool futuristic weapons and technology, but sadly most of it goes largely unexplained (a personal nitpick of mine after being spoiled by James Cameron, Ridley Scott and Neill Blomkamp). Lastly we get nudity for the sake of nudity, which is always a plus! The film does run a tad too long, getting bogged down in the middle a bit, and it doesn't expand the trilogy's universe in any major way. Minor nitpicks aside, one thing that annoyed me was they made Riddick misogynistic, a trait his character never displayed before, for no reason other than a few stupid lines of dialogue (but I may be reading into it too much). Overall, this lived up to my expectations and is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the series or sci-fi in general.
Rating: 8/10
#46 - Frankenstein's Army
Date Watched: 9/12/13 (Blu-ray)
A creatively gruesome horror film. The premise: Near the end of World War II, a group of Russian soldiers encounter a secret Nazi lab where a mad scientist is using Dr. Victor Frankenstein's journal to create monstrous human-mechanical abominations to fight for Germany. This idea has TONS of potential for horror awesomeness and thankfully the filmmakers make the most of it! It's shot as a "
found footage" film, though it's not nearly as distracting as most of its brethren. It works well with the story too, even more so after a nifty little twist. The WWII vibe is right-on and there are a few subtle references to Mary Shelley's
novel and the
1931 film. The actors all do a great job considering the material; Karel Roden plays his role with a gleeful insanity that is unsettling yet amusing. The showstopper here (and the main reason to watch) is the plethora of horrific yet inventive monsters. They look like something pulled straight out of
Wolfenstein,
Silent Hill or
Bioshock, with their twisted designs and impressive make-up. Everyone knows I'm a huge advocate of practical effects over CGI and this film is a prime example of how to do it properly. Each creature is more terrifying than the last and they just keep on coming...just when you think they can't get any crazier, a new nightmare emerges to scare the shit out of you thanks to solid pacing and editing. The gore is also impressive and like the monsters, gets increasingly more lurid as the film wears on. There's not much else to say. If you're a
fan of the genre or a gorehound, do not miss this blood-soaked horror extravaganza!
Rating: 7/10
#47 - Insidious: Chapter 2
Date Watched: 9/12/13
A terrifyingly good companion piece to the outstanding original.
Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up immediately where
Chapter 1 left off and is both scary & satisfying. The performances are excellent from all involved. Patrick Wilson has become one of my favorite actors and he's no slouch here, while
Lin Shaye, Rose Byrne and newcomer Steve Coulter are all solid in their roles. The clever story expands The Further, explaining more and tying wonderfully into various parts of
Chapter 1 thanks to subtle manipulation of time & space. The brooding atmosphere of the first film remains intact and is as unnerving as ever thanks to the superb direction of
James Wan, the eerie cinematography and the spine-tingling sound design. There's also quite a few nods to horror films of the past (
The Shining and
Psycho are two of the obvious ones) for the attentive viewer. Overall, it may not be as scary as its predecessor, but it's the perfect complement and comes highly recommended!
Rating: 8/10
#48 - The Family
Date Watched: 9/16/13
Entertaining but painfully predictable. With such an outstanding cast and
Luc Besson directing, I was expecting something a little more unconventional, but other than odd tonal shifts and a weird xenophobic vibe, the film plays it safe and falls back on genre clich
és. It's not a bad movie, but it does feel like they wasted a lot of potential and the abrupt changes in tone between black comedy and mean-spirited violence make the story feel notably disjointed. The pacing and runtime don't help matters much; the beginning and end are highly involving but middle sags considerably. There was absolutely no need for the movie to be almost two hours long - the premise didn't have enough ideas to justify the runtime. The entire cast is excellent, but they've all done it better elsewhere. De Niro is at his best in roles like this though he isn't nearly as threatening when he looks like a shaggy-bearded homeless bum. Tommy Lee Jones also shows up, but at this point in his career he's just playing himself. Michelle Pfieffer, Dianna Agron and
John D'Leo all play their roles well, D'Leo in particular. The film takes a great deal of time establishing these characters but unfortunately each one of them is so eye-rollingly clich
é that it ultimately amounts to nothing memorable. The dark comedy bits are funny but forgettable, save for a fantastic extended scene that references
one of De Niro's classic roles in a very tongue-in-cheek way. The climatic shootout is fun with some solid build-up, but it's nothing you haven't seen before. I could keep going but I feel like I'm beating a dead horse. Overall, I can't really recommend this one unless you're a big De Niro fan. Wait for home video. You have been warned.
Rating : 5/10
#49 - Rush
Date Watched: 10/4/13
An intriguing, character-driven sports drama.
Ron Howard delivers one of his best films in years, full of energy and intelligence. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl are both outstanding in their roles, effortlessly sparring both mentally and physically with one another, creating a fiercely watchable rivalry that drives the film. The supporting cast of relatively unknowns also does a fantastic job. Olivia Wilde is the one weak point, but not for lack of trying. She just doesn't fit into the 1970's era very well. The racing sequences are nail-bitingly intense and surprisingly varied in terms of appearance, and are a highlight of the film while also managing to serve the story. Visually, everything looks suitably saturated to emphasize the 70's vibe, which is also helped considerably by the appropriate classic rock soundtrack. There's not much else to say; if you like sports dramas, be sure to check this one out!
Rating: 8/10
#50 - Gravity
Date Watched: 10/5/13
Visually stunning and emotionally resonant,
Gravity is the most breathtaking film you will see all year. Director
Alfonso Cuarón spent two years making this and his hard work has paid off magnificently. The film maintains an amazing amount of realism regarding space travel and astrophysics yet still manages to be a compelling character study with smart religious overtones. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney both deliver Oscar-worthy performances that are convincing and surprisingly sincere. Bullock in particular proves she is more than capable of carrying a film by herself. Clooney's soothing voice fits perfectly with the silence of space and his rapport with Bullock is impeccable. The special effects are incredible and are worthy the price of admission alone. Coupled with the meticulous sound design and gorgeous cinematography, the visuals actually had me in awe at times, something that has become increasingly harder to do in this age of CGI madness. Cuarón's direction is also impressive, with numerous creative tracking shots framed with expert precision. However, my favorite part about the film, and the one that makes it special, is that Bullock's journey leaves a lot open to interpretation but I don't want to elaborate for fear of spoiling anything. Do yourself a favor and SEE THIS FILM, you will not regret it!
Rating: 9.5/10
#51 - The Place Beyond The Pines
Date Watched: 10/6/13 (Blu-ray)
This review will have some spoilers because it'd be impossible to discuss the movie without mentioning them, so BEWARE.
A solid drama featuring great performances, however it suffers from being too long, oddly structured and a tad heavy-handed. Ryan Gosling plays his usual stoic self, a typical "loner/thief with a heart of gold" who starts robbing banks to support his newly discovered son. Gosling makes it work here but this type of role is becoming tiresome at this point in his career. Bradley Cooper also holds his own as an idealistic rookie cop who becomes a hero after killing Gosling's character, but subsequently gets bogged down by bureaucracy and politics while trying to rise through the ranks. The supporting cast does a fine job as well, Eva Mendes in particular. These types of stories that examine
both sides of the law tend to be compelling, but something about this one falls short. It starts out strong but halfway through it slides into generic drama territory and never recovers. Part of this has to do with the structure of the story. The first act develops Gosling's character, then abruptly kills him off and switches to Cooper's character for the second act. The third act jumps ahead 15 years to focus on each character's respective sons and their relationship with each other. Essentially, we have three separate storylines tenuously linked by the father-son dynamic. This approach would be fine, but each act feels radically different from one another, leading to frustrating pacing problems that ultimately leave the film as a whole feeling unbalanced and directionless. On the plus side, the film's cinematography and score are excellent, giving Gosling's act an earthy, murky feel; Cooper's act a sterile, industrial feel; with the final act meshing both styles together. I also liked some of director
Derek Cianfrance's unique shot choices. Overall, this is worth a rental if you like crime dramas, but you may find yourself getting restless as the film wears on. Choose wisely.
Rating: 6.5/10
#52 - Don Jon
Date Watched: 10/10/13
A bittersweet romantic comedy for this generation. Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulls triple duty, starring, writing and directing, giving us a raunchy yet realistic "love" story that pulls no punches. As the lead, Gordon-Levitt plays his vanity-obsessed bro with ease, but gives the character a surprising emotional arc that I was not expecting. Scarlett Johansson plays his high-maintenance love interest well and Julianne Moore steals the show as a playful but deeply wounded widow. The rest of the supporting cast is great, especially Tony Danza as Gordon-Levitt's father. Gordon-Levitt's direction is impressive considering this is his debut, showcasing rapid-fire editing and a good eye for detail. Overall, it's nothing groundbreaking, but it's a timely and relatable romantic comedy that most guys will enjoy because of the way it portrays both sides of the relationship.
Rating: 7/10
#53 - Captain Phillips
Date Watched: 10/11/13
A riveting drama featuring one of Tom Hanks' best performances. Hanks is stellar as the captain of a hijacked cargo ship; the way he's able to play the relatable everyman is uncanny. His character is cautious, intelligent and level-headed (how most of us see ourselves) and watching him deal with his increasingly desperate situation is both gut-wrenching and satisfying. The remaining cast of mostly unknowns does an outstanding job, particularly Barkhad Abdi as the leader of the motley crew of pirate hijackers. The film's precise pacing and
Paul Greengrass's masterful direction intensifies the action and keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, yet it deftly remains focused on its characters. The saturated visuals and appropriate score give the film an industrial yet intimate feel that is difficult to describe but highly effective. Finally, I really enjoyed the amount of detail and realism that went into making this film, it's quite impressive from a technical standpoint. All in all, this is thrilling, potent filmmaking that should not be missed!
Rating: 8.5/10
#54 - Broken City
Date Watched: 10/15/13 (Blu-ray)
A collection of great actors and beautiful cinematography can't save
Broken City from being a boilerplate tale of corruption that offers nothing new. Its formulaic script, predictable story turns and over-reliance on genre clichés make it a tedious watch, which is a shame because the entire cast really gives their all. Russell Crowe delivers a suitably slimy performance as the shady yet charismatic mayor, Mark Wahlberg plays his disgraced cop-turned-P.I. well and the supporting cast including Barry Pepper, Jeffrey Wright, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Kyle Chandler is stellar, but ultimately they all feel wasted because of the run-of-the-mill storytelling. Part of me thinks that the blame lies with director Allen Hughes, who usually co-directs with his brother Albert. Together, they've produced a string of excellent films (
Menace II Society,
Dead Presidents,
From Hell and
The Book Of Eli), so it leads me to believe
Broken City would've benefited from their collaboration, but since the script is the main culprit, it could go either way. I was also disappointed with the generic score by
Atticus Ross, whose previous work has been superb. One positive aspect is the cold, industrial-style cinematography. It's funny, this feels like a film that belongs back in the late 80's/early 90's and it probably would've been well-received had it been released back then. Sadly, films like these are a dime a dozen nowadays, so I say wait until this one shows up on cable.
Rating: 5/10
#55 - Escape Plan
Date Watched: 10/19/13
I was quite pumped for this one. Putting Stallone and Schwarzenegger in a film together is an action junkie's wet dream...or at least it was back in the 80's. Doing it now with both stars in their 60's results in something else entirely.
Escape Plan is entertaining and over-the-top but offers absolutely nothing new and is painfully predictable. Stallone plays the straight man and Schwarzenegger hams it up big time, but it is admittedly a lot of fun to watch him act so goofy. The supporting cast is passable but forgettable, save for Jim Caviezel as the sadistic warden and Sam Neill (nice to see you again Sam!) as the prison doctor. The action is subdued throughout but the final escape is fun. Visually, everything is bland. There's so much gray that you'll find yourself longing for those bright orange prison jumpsuits. The music is generic and the direction is standard at best. The most disappointing thing about it is it doesn't try to be anything but a typical action movie. I don't know why I was expecting anything more, but to me it's a waste of potential. All in all, this is just a silly actioner that doesn't take itself too seriously, but it's all run-of-the-mill. Wait for a rental.
Rating: 6/10
#56 - Machete Kills
Date Watched: 10/22/13
A ridiculously over-the-top yet undeniably entertaining action extravaganza from start to finish. The first
Machete was a lot of fun, but it got a little too serious and preachy for its own good, and that's where
Machete Kills excels. It stays true to its grindhouse roots by delivering everything its trailer promises and more, making it arguably better than its predecessor. It knows exactly what it is: a throwback to the 70's exploitation movies of the past, and it makes the most of its preposterous premise. The ensemble cast is one of Rodriguez's finest this side of
Sin City and is what makes the movie work so well. They're all in on the joke, clearly having a blast chewing the scenery and spouting the silly dialogue and that fun transcends onto the audience. Mel Gibson steals the show, playing his maniacal yet likable weapons manufacturer Voz with ease. Everyone else plays to their strengths and it all works considering the subject material. The action is much better this time around. Cool weapons and insane action have always been
a trademark of Rodriguez and he does not disappoint here. There are multiple car chases, lots of wildly inventive fight scenes and tons of bloodshed. The film is chock full of all sorts of crazy weapons, from electrified machetes to molecule guns that
turn people inside-out. I also really enjoyed how sci-fi things got once Voz gets involved; it injects new life into the film. If there's one thing wrong with the film (other than the lack of nudity), it's that it spends too much time on Demian Bichir's villain character before switching to Voz about halfway through. As usual, Rodriguez also shot and cut the film in addition to directing and the result is stellar as always with plenty of creative shots, beautiful cinematography and solid editing, though it does run a tad too long. All in all, this blood-soaked film is a lot of zany fun and should not be missed if you're an action fan. Critics are blasting it, but I say give it a shot.
Finally, the film leaves the ending wide open for a planned third installment called
Machete Kills Again...In Space. My fingers are crossed!
Rating: 7.5/10
#57 - Ender's Game
Date Watched: 11/13/13
Entertaining and visually captivating, but suffers from underdeveloped, cliche characters and veers into generic sci-fi blockbuster mode too often. I can't fault the film too much, considering it's based on a novel from 1985 and it just so happened to be released in a year packed with other stellar science fiction fare (
Oblivion, Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Man Of Steel, Pacific Rim, Elysium, Riddick, etc.) so it was inevitable that it would have less of an overall impact. Where I can fault the film is its surprisingly bland world. One of the most important things when it comes to the sci-fi genre is world building. If you can create an authentic futuristic world, the story takes on a life of its own, regardless of the budget. Little details can make the world feel lived-in and really suck the audience in but
Ender's Game's world feels so sterile and artificial that it detracts from the overall film. The acting by everyone involved is solid, but their characters are one-dimensional so it's hard for anybody to really stand out, except for Asa Butterfield as Ender. I've never read the original book, but with author Orson Scott Card serving as producer, it seems as though they did a decent job of adapting the source material. Visually, everything looks great, particularly the Formic's home world. There's not much else to say...I really wanted to like this film but it was ultimately too generic for my taste.
Rating: 6/10
#58 - Thor: The Dark World
Date Watched: 11/16/13
It's not Marvel's best, but
Thor: The Dark World is still a rollicking good time despite some story and pacing issues. Picking up after
The Avengers, we find Thor traveling between the nine realms trying to keep the peace since it seems Loki's invasion of Earth had universe-wide ramifications. It also pits him against a new foe: Malekith the Accursed, a dark elf hellbent on using a cosmic weapon known as the Aether to destroy the universe. I like this angle; it ups the stakes, gives us a fresh, threatening bad guy and allows the film to explore new aspects of Thor's/Marvel's universe. The problem is that it doesn't explore
enough of it because the film spends too much time on Earth with the human characters for no discernible reason. Much of the action takes place on Asgard, which feels surprisingly small and lifeless despite its sprawling vistas. The same can be said of the dark elf realm of Svartalfheim, a barren, soot-covered hellhole. My point is that in order for world-building to work, you really have to create distinct planets that feel lived-in (a la the original
Star Wars trilogy). This is most definitely a personal nitpick and certainly is a deal-breaker thanks to the incredibly creative final showdown, but it really feels like a missed opportunity to immerse the viewer and to expand the
Marvel Cinematic Universe. Moving on to the cast. Chris Hemsworth is born to play Thor and has it down pat at this point. Natalie Portman isn't given a whole lot to do but at least she gets more screentime (another missed opportunity was that throughout the film, they hint that Lady Sif is a potential rival for Thor's affection, but nothing ever comes of it). Tom Hiddleston's Loki is as devious as ever, further cementing himself as a true villain who absolutely loves
the long con. Christopher Eccelston plays the maniacal Malekith well and Idris Elba continues his badassery as Heimdall. Everyone else does a fine job. Visually, everything looks good though this time around, though Asgard didn't seem as vibrant as it was in the original film. Sadly, the score was rather forgettable. The direction by Alan Taylor is good but nothing amazing, and the uneven pacing definitely hurt some scenes. I wouldn't be surprised if we get an extended cut on home video. The make-up and effects are phenomenal, particularly on the character
Kurse, whose practical make-up is very reminiscent of the
Predator, one of my all-time favorites. The CGI is used heavily but competently, especially in the epic final battle that has the characters beating each other senseless as they warp from realm to realm - it's unique and blast to watch. There isn't much else to say. This is arguably the second weakest Marvel film so far (
Iron Man 2 is by far the worst), but it's still a solid action/fantasy film in its own right.
On a side note, I absolutely loved the post-credits sequence...hopefully
Guardians of the Galaxy is going to be equally weird and awesome!
Rating: 7.5/10
#59 - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Date Watched: 12/15/13
The
Hobbit Trilogy continues in smashing fashion, picking up immediately where we left off in
An Unexpected Journey. The returning cast remains excellent, especially Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakensheild (I just like to say that name...it rolls off the tongue). The new cast absolutely kills it: Orlando Bloom falls back into the role of Legolas like it was nothing, Evangeline Lilly handles herself well on the big screen as new character Tauriel, Luke Evans is exceptional as Bard the Bowman and Benedict Cumberbatch terrifies as the imposing voice of Smaug. Story-wise, things move much quicker despite the long runtime since we're essentially in the second act thanks to great pacing and editing. Gandalf's side plot is also interesting and will hopefully pay off big time over the course of Part 3 in linking the
Hobbit Trilogy to the
Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The action is just as good, if not better this time around. The showstopper is a kinetic battle along a river that has the cadre of dwarves floating in barrels being besieged by Orcs while Legolas and Tauriel execute of all sorts of insane combat maneuvers using the environment and an endless slew of arrows. It's a creative, original setpiece that rivals many of the ones from
LOTR (though it doesn't top
the sheer awesomeness of this scene). The visuals and score are excellent as expected, though admittedly the score just isn't as epic as
the ones from the LOTR. Peter Jackson once again does a phenomenal job of bring Middle Earth to life, creating more diverse settings that are new and fresh yet instantly feel like part of the world. It seems like the studio's gambit to split one book into three films may very well yield another solid fantasy trilogy, even if the decision was made solely to generate more revenue. Well worth checking out!
Rating: 8/10
#60 - American Hustle
Date Watched: 12/21/13
David O. Russell continues his streak of outstanding films with
American Hustle, an impeccably acted and beautifully shot crime saga that deftly balances comedy and drama. The ensemble cast is one of the best in years, featuring Oscar-caliber performances from Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence that are simultaneously tragic and amusing yet utterly relatable. The supporting cast is also fantastic, with Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K. and a
certain screen legend all turning in stellar performances. The story is engaging on multiple levels and is one of the reasons the film works so well. It functions as a character study, a true crime story and a time capsule to the past à la
Goodfellas, a comparison I do not make lightly. Furthermore, the "who's playing who" angle never overpowers the narrative, remaining interesting and holding your undivided attention. The 1970's is recreated magnificently down to the finest detail, whether it's the cars, the clothing, the decor or the rockin' 70's soundtrack, everything looks and sounds exactly like it should and really brings the film to life. This may be Russell's best film to date; his direction is masterful in terms of vision, execution, and pacing. I expect this film to be nominated for a handful of Oscars come awards season so go see it if you can, you won't be disappointed!
Rating: 9.5/10
#61 - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Date Watched: 12/23/13
It's not as funny as its predecessor, but
Anchorman 2 still delivers the goods: highly quotable dialogue, hilarious performances, offensive jokes, ridiculous cameos and a surprising dash of social commentary regarding journalistic integrity make it one of the better comedies of the year. Creating a sequel to
one of the most beloved comedies of all-time AND releasing it a decade later was a daunting task. It could've easily been an atrocious mess, but luckily Will Ferrell & company manage to keep the film consistently funny save for a strangely out of place part about 3/4 of the way through that only yields a few minor chuckles and messes with the pacing. Without spoiling anything, I understand why they included it, but it adds nothing to the movie and could've been excised entirely without sacrificing a thing. The returning cast falls back into their iconic roles without missing a beat and the new cast does a good job. James Marsden is excellent as Burgundy's smarmy douchebag rival and Meagan Good and Greg Kinnear hold their own. Harrison Ford's bit part is also hysterical. I was disappointed with Kristen Wiig's flat performance as Brick's love interest. She feels out of place, coming off as weirdly awkward instead of retardedly funny. Also, the child actor who plays Burgundy's son is downright terrible, but I think that was intentional. The cameos are great but most of them are jam-packed into a
similar scene from the first film that some will love and some will hate (I personally loved it), so it has less of a lasting impact. The jokes hit their mark 90% of the time and despite what many other critics are saying, I found the film to be just as quotable as the original, though only time will tell. Finally, the movie has an interesting bit of social commentary about the use of
yellow journalism that runs rampant nowadays, but I may be reading a bit too much into it. That's about it. If you liked the first film, you'll undoubtedly enjoy this one but just keep your expectations in check.
Rating: 7/10
#62 - The Wolf of Wall Street
Date Watched: 12/28/13
A masterpiece in every way imaginable and arguably the best film of the year. Martin Scorsese crafts a dizzying extravaganza of excess and greed that is both shocking and hilarious and just goes to show you what a true celluloid virtuoso can do. In this digital age of filmmaking,
The Wolf of Wall Street is basically Scorsese saying "Step aside kids, let me show you how it's done" and I couldn't be happier with the result. Leonardo DiCaprio gives the craziest performance of his career; his presence is magnetic and you hang on his every word, itching to see what insane stunt he's going to pull next. He's one of my favorite actors and this film further cements him as such. When is he going to win an
Academy Award? The rest of cast is outstanding, especially Jonah Hill as one of DiCaprio's sketchy cohorts and Kyle Chandler as a relentless FBI agent. Like
Goodfellas and
Casino before it,
The Wolf of Wall Street follows these characters as they start from the bottom and work their way up, only to have it all come crashing down, and nobody does it better than Scorsese. All his trademarks are present, from the freeze frames to the creative tracking shots, and the soundtrack is diverse and compliments the action perfectly. Even though the film is three hours long, it flies by in no time thanks to superb pacing and editing. The most surprising thing? This film is hilarious. Scorsese is known for a lot of things, but comedy has never been one of them, yet he delivers probably the funniest film of the year thanks to a brilliant script by
Terence Winter. The sheer ridiculousness of the character's actions and conversations make the nutty shenanigans in the
Hangover series look utterly tame by comparison. Finally, there seems to be a lot of public backlash over the copious amounts of nudity and sex in the film. Scorsese's films have never featured much nudity, but they didn't need to. In the case of
The Wolf of Wall Street it actually makes sense in regards to the story because these characters are all about overindulgence and excess. You're supposed to balk at it and be offended by it...that's kind of the point. Anyway, this is Scorsese's best film since
The Departed (though to be fair his entire filmography is pretty damn awesome) and one of the best of the year. DON'T MISS IT!
Rating: 10/10
#63 - Prisoners
Date Watched: 12/30/13
An intriguing crime mystery featuring incredible performances from both Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Rating: 9/10
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