The Tomorrow War (movie review)

 The Tomorrow War

Cast: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, JK Simmons, Betty Gilpin

            Taking place in the near future, this action flick stars Pratt as a former Marine who gets 

   passed over for a job he wanted. He realizes he has no purpose in life until people from the 

   future show up on TV & ask citizens to come fight with them against an army of aliens that 

   has been killing people. He willingly joins and heads to the future. He ends up meeting a

   grown up version of his daughter (Strahovski), who works as a scientist trying to figure out

   how to kill the aliens with a virus.

           I really enjoyed this movie alot that has heart. The casting is excellent and features 

  a prominent male action hero something that is lacking in today's progressively woke 

  Hollywood . The special effects are top notch considering the nearly $200 million

  price tag Amazon had to pay for the rights. The father/daughter dynamic will hit you right

  in the feels. 

       Grade B+

              

Movies watched during quarantine/lockdown

           With the way 2020 has been going and Gavin Newsom closing down businesses to 

    control COVID outbreak, I thought I'd share some movies I watched during this time:

   1). Willow (fantasy/epic)- producehd by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, this 

   fantasy tales revolves around a little guy named Willow who protects a baby whom an 

   evil witch wants. I really liked this movie and found it to be enjoyable (7/10)

   2). Ford v Ferrari (bio/drama)- This biographical racing drama involves American car 

   designers pitted against Italian designers to see who could make the fastest car. Christian

   Bale really shines in this one (7/10)

   3). Die Hard (action)- In this fun action movie, Bruce Willis stars a John McClane, an off 

   duty cop who must save his wife's co-workers as they are held hostage by some evil terrorists.

   This movie was my favorite among all of them. (10/10).

   4). Robocop (scifi/action)- This 1987 classic is about a cop who is gunned down in the line 

   of duty and is brought back to life through as a cyborg. This actionfest perfectly captures 

   corporate 1980's America. (8/10)

    5). The Terminator (1984)(scifi)-  James Cameron's scifi classic stars Arnold Schwarzenegger

    as a killer cyborg who travels back in time to stop a young woman (Linda Hamilton) from 

    giving birth to a son who leads the resistance against the evil robots in the distant future. 

    This movie was good but the sequel was miles better (7/10)

     6). The Blues Brothers (musical/comedy)- Starring the late and great John Belushi and Dan 

     Aykroyd, this film stars as two brothers on a mission from God to raise money for a 

     Catholic orphanage. The chase scene at night was my favorite part (7/10).

Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

Dir: Cathy Yan

Cast: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollet Bell,

Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco

      After being dumped by the Joker, Harley Quinn (Robbie) is out on her own and must 

  fend for herself in the crime ridden slums of Gotham. Narrated by Quinn herself and

  told by in flashbacks, Quinn drowns out her sorrows in a night of drinking and getting

  drunk.
         Harley gets caught up in a frantic search for a lost mob treasure which is being 

   hunted by everyone in the city. Along the way, she makes some friends including

   Dinah Lance (Smollet Bell), a runaway teen (Basco), and a skilled assassin the 

   Huntress (Winstead). They all must work together to stop a mob kingpin Roman

   Sionis (McGregor). 

         This movie leans heavily anti male and quite cringe-worthy in dialogue. There

   are no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The action scenes were directed by John

   Wick's Chad Stahelski and Robbie take on the popular DC character was rather 

   good. This film should've not been made in the first place and hopefully the 

   forthcoming Wonder Woman movie should be better.

        Grade: D

Jumanji: the Next Level

Jumanji: the Next Level

Dir: Jake Kasdan

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina, 

Danny Devito, Danny Glover, Nick Jonas

       In late 2017, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was released and became a smash hit

    grossing nearly a billion dollars. So of course, Columbia Pictures decided to greenlight

    a sequel right away. 

       In this sequel, we find nerdy Spencer, a college student home for the holidays. When

    he decides to visit his grandpa (Devito) who tells him that he doesn't like getting old.

    So heartbroken Spencer fixes the broken Jumanji game and enters into the simulated
    world hoping to become his avatar DrBravestone (Johnson) again.

        Meanwhile his friends Bethany, Fridge & Martha start to worry about him when he
    doesn't show up for coffee. The kids head back into the game as different avatars 
    except for Martha. 

        Veteran actors Danny Glover and Danny Devito show up as their avatars and the
    fun begins. They go on an even more dangerous mission involving restoring a 
    village that was plundered by an evil viking like man.

         The film was slightly better than the previous and delivers on the action sequences.
   Kevin Hart does a good Danny Glover impression. The pacing is so smooth that you
   will not be bored. TNL features a perfect blend of action and comedy. It's not as good
   as the first movie but enjoyable.

 Grade: B-

Shazam

Shazam

Dir: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Glazer, Zach Levi, Mark Strong, Grace

Fulton

         Ever since Chris Nolan made his Batman movies, DC has been a dark somber place.

    Thankfully, this movie is a light of sunshine among them. Nickelodeon star Asher 

    Angel is Billy Batson, a foster kid who keeps running away from his problems. Until

    one day he meets an old wizard who turns him into a grown man with superpower
    based on pure of heart.

         Billy and his best friend/ foster brother (D. Glazer) attempt to keep Billy's alter
    ego a secret from their foster family. Meanwhile, evil scientist Dr. Sivana (Strong)
    becomes obsessed with learning about Shazam and the magic behind the power.

         This movie is hilarious and a lot of fun to watch. Despite copying the MCU in
    their light hearted tone, it works in just the right way. Sandberg joins fellow horror
    turned superhero directors such as Richard Donner, James Gunn, James Wan & 
    Zack Snyder.

       Shazam is the perfect blend of action and comedy. The message of importance of
    having a family, even chosen ones, is the central theme. It may not be a critical 
    darling but it has heart and that's what this movie aims to be. 

Grade: B+

Aquaman

Aquaman

Dir: James Wan

Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yayha Abdul-Mateen,

Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman

        For years now, it seemed Aquaman was considered a punchline in the superhero

    world due to fishy capabilities but with the release of his film, all that seems to change.

    

        In the sixth installment in the DC movies franchise, Game of Thrones actor Jason
    Momoa stars as Aquaman, a half human/ fish hybrid who must return to his oceanic
    home of Atlantis and protect it from his half brother King Orm (The Conjuring's 
    Patrick Wilson). Orm declares war on the surface world after humans have polluted
    the once natural wonders. Aquaman's arch nemesis Black Manta (Mateen) shows up
    to fight him.

        Joining him on his quest is the beautiful Princess Mera (Heard) who leads him on
   a quest to find a magic trident. Veteran actor Willem Defoe plays Nudis Vulko, 
   Arthur's mentor and trainer. 

       James Wan take on the aquatic superhero is beautifully shot with vibrant colors
   something that the previous DC movies lacked. Aquaman's cinematography is one
   of the, if not, the best I've ever seen.

      After the success of Wonder Woman & Aquaman, perhaps DC/WB should stick
  to making solo movies rather than copying Marvels playbook and rushing out team
  up movies.

     Grade: B (8/10)

       

Venom

Venom

Dir: Reuben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate

       After the way that Sony handled Venom in Spider-Man 3, most comic book 
   fans have been clamoring for Venom film ever since. Venom is based on the 
   popular Marvel anti-hero of the same name & directed by Zombieland director 
   Reuben Fleischer.

     The Plot

      Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock, a mild mannered journalist looking to uncover
   the truth about a shady biochemical lab known as The Life Foundation. The lab 
   experiments on humans using alien slime known as Symbiote.

     One day while sneaking into the lab for evidence, he inadvertently gets infected 
  with the alien slime that lives inside of him and transforms into the creature. Now
  the lab wants it back and hunts him down for it. 

What Did Work

    After a really clunky beginning that deal with his personal life involving his girl-

   friend Annie (Williams), there are some great action sequences. Everything after 

   Venom shows up is much better than the 15 minutes that try and set up the story.

What Didn't Work

   The beginning. I didn't know what kind of movie it wanted to be, a horror, scifi, or 

    even a rom/com? Either way it'd didn't matter. The villain of this movie was just
    forgettable. The CGI was really bad like it was rushed out for the sake of it. I
    personally found it to be really boring as well.

Overall

     This movie is neither good or bad just decent. It is an unnecessary movie made 
   by Sony just to keep the Spider-man rights with them. If Sony Pictures is starting
   their own cinematic universe, they're doing it the wrong way. This is akin to 
   Catwoman that had nothing to do with Batman. Maybe rent this one. 

Grade C-

Mission Impossible: Falllout

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Dir: Chris McQuarrie

cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris,

Alec Baldwin, Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett, Rebecca Ferguson

         Mission Impossible movies are one of the few franchises that shows no signs of

   slowing down upping the ante each time. Fallout may be the best one yet. 

         Adrenaline junkie Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt. The plot revolves around

   the IMF team racing against time to recover stolen plutonium after a mission goes

   wrong. But first they have to give up a captured anarchist Solomon Lane (Harris)

   to a mysterious woman, White Widow (Kirby), who claims she can help them 

   recover the missing plutonium.

         Superman actor Henry Cavill joins the IMF as Ethan's partner sporting the
    now infamous mustache that had to be digitally removed for reshoots on the
    Justice League movie.

   The Good: The action scenes involving the plane jump and rooftop chase had me 

   on the edge of my seat. There also was plenty of intrigue and double crossing to

   give James Bond a run for his money. Pegg's gadget man Benji has been an utter

   delight since he came on board in the third film.  

   The Bad: Nothing much to dislike about this movie just that I felt it was quite

   predictable and I could see it coming from a mile away. It doesn't spoil the

   viewing experience but it makes it feel more cut and dry than past entries. 

   Overall: MI: Fallout is everything we wanted and more from a franchise that

   keeps trying to top the last installment. It's a fun ride from start to finish 

   complete with twists and turns at every corner. It's the best movie to end  

   the summer on.

Grade: B

Ant Man & the Wasp

Ant Man & the Wasp

dir: Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, Abby Fortson,

Hannah J. Kamen, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Pena, Randall Park,

Walton Goggins, Michelle Pfeiffer

(spoilers ahead)

         Ant Man & the Wasp comes right off the heels of an emotionally draining Infinity 
     War. This time around, we find our hero Scott Lang (Rudd) under house arrest after
     violating the Sokovia Accords during Captain America: Civil War. Before his 
     parole time is up, he spends it with his young daughter Cassie (Fortson).

        Scott gets a call from his mentor Hank Pym (Douglas) and his beautiful daughter

     Hope (Lily) looking for Hank's wife Janet (Pfeiffer) who is missing somewhere in

     a subatomic zone called the Quantum Realm.

        A young woman named Ava (J. Kamen) becomes the villain Ghost, and steals
     Pym tech. Pym's former business partner Bill Foster (Fishburne) helps try and 
     cure her of her phasing affliction.

  

        Scott and his former prison buddies band together and stop Ghost before she 
     can get to Janet.

     The Good: The acting was good because the characters played off each other well.
     The shared father/daughter dynamic was handled well so as to not to be forced.
     Pena once again borderline steals the movie with his hilarious performance as 
     the likable Luis.

     The Bad: The plot was quite predictable and the villain was very forgettable. 
     Some of the jokes fell flat and there wasn't enough action to justify a good
     Marvel film.

    Overall: Ant Man & the Wasp was a welcome palate cleanser after the intensity that
    was Infinity War. With Marvel's Phase III saga coming to a close early next year,
    it'll be interesting to see where Phase IV will be going and whether there'll be an
    Ant Man 3 to close Scott Lang's tale. It's a good summer movie to watch but quite
    forgettable one unfortunately.

 Grade: 6/10 (B-)

Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War

Dir: the Russo Brothers

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman,

Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo,

Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Karen Gillan,

Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper (voice), Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan,

Pom Klementieff, Benedict Wong & Don Cheadle

       It's all been building to this. Marvel's biggest team up yet and the culmination of 

  eighteen films & ten years in the making. Immediately following the events of Marvel's

  Civil War, The Avengers are no more and our heroes are scattered across the globe

  (and beyond) and this time the stakes they face are high. 

       

(spoilers, proceed with caution)

      After laying waste to a ship full of displaced Asgardians, a cosmic entity named

   Thanos (Brolin) sends his minions to Earth looking for the last gem of his Infinity 

   Gauntlet, a powerful glove that grants the wearer unlimited power if all the stones

   are found. 
                              

       Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch) & Spiderman (Holland) 

    team up to chase after the powerful being into outer space. They then meet up

    with the Star Lord (Pratt) and his ragtag group of alien friends. Thor (Chris
    Hemsworth) and Rocket Raccoon (Cooper) travel out to the farthest reaches 
    of the galaxy to craft a weapon to defeat Thanos.

       Meanwhile back on Earth, Scarlet Witch (Olsen), Black Widow (Johansson),

    Capt. America/Nomad (Evans) and Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) head to Black

    Panther's nation of Wakanda to protect it from the incoming alien invasion. 

    I felt some sympathy for Thanos as he had to sacrifice his adopted daughter 
    Gamora (Saldana) to do what was right in order to maintain balance in the 
    universe. 

                                    (spoilers over)

      I have very mixed feelings about this film. I can't say that I hated or liked it at all.

    I felt like that there was so much exposition going on that it dragged to the point 
    of tedium. The one thing that this movie did right was balance out the comedy
    with the scifi action that happened during slow scenes.

       Certain characters had to be killed off to show that Thanos wasn't messing 
    around. But knowing Marvel's M.O., they'll probably bring them back to life 
    just like they've always done.

       Marvel Studios has done a good job of tying in the previous movies like a 

   chapter in a book. It is also a big undertaking for the exec producer Kevin 
   Feige to bring all the superheroes together in one big movie such as this. 

      It is not the best movie of the MCU but the biggest that they have made. 
   When the credits came up, it left me wanting more hoping it ends on a positive
   not. It seems Marvel painted themselves in a corner and I just don't see how 
   they can continue. We'll find out next summer in 2019.

                                                         Grade: B-

 

Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider

Dir: Roar Uthaug 

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walt Goggins

       Video game adaptations have always been a dodgy aspect of filmmaking. From 

   JCVD's portrayal of Guile in the Street Fighter film to the horrible Bob Hoskins' 

   Super Mario Brothers film of the early 90's, it hasn't exactly been great. This 
   version is a less hypersexualized version that starred Angelina Jolie way back
   in 2001.

       The beautiful Alicia Vikander stars as Lara Croft, a young woman who has a 

   taste for adventure. At the start, we see her working as a bike courier in the streets

   of London. Before she can claim her inheritance money, she finds clues to the 

   disappearance of her father Lord Richard Croft (West).  

       She follows the clues to a remote island encountering merciless mercenaries 

   using slaves to find an ancient grave reputed to hide mystical powers. The evil

   Mathias Vogel (Goggins) captures her to use her knowledge of opening the 

   ancient crypt to bring about the end of the world.

     The Good: The action scenes were intense to watch and didn't know if 
   Alicia was actually hurt or not. I appreciated the nod to Indiana Jones movies
   when the booby traps were set off. The father/daughter dynamic hits all the
   right notes. Alicia Vikander is very easy on the eyes. 

    The Bad: While Vikander did a decent job portraying the famous heroine, 
  she lacks the charisma that Jolie's take had. This movie had less action and
   more drama which dragged the film down a tad. 

    Overall: Judging by the trailers, I thought it'd be a cheesy flick and it turns 
   out it isn't. It's a very enjoyable film that doesn't take itself seriously. The
   open ending left me wanting more in a sequel should they decide to make 
   another one. 

Grade: C (7/10)

Black Panther

Black Panther

dir: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forrest Whitaker

Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman. Sterling Brown

      Black Panther isn't just another a superhero flick but the first in the MCU to feature a 

  black protagonist. Ryan Coogler, whose critically acclaimed Creed, is the first African

  American director to get his hands on a Marvel megaphone. 

      Shortly after the events of Civil War, T'Challa returns to his home country of 

  Wakanda to become king. But an old enemy, Dr Klaue (Serkis) shows up to steal his 

  homeland's supply of vibranium to sell on the black market. Also showing up 

  is fellow Wakandan Eric Killmonger (B. Jordan) to help him out.

    T'Challa is challenged to a fight by Killmonger where he wins and throws Black

   Panther over a large waterfall to his families horror. His family secretly rescue him 

   and heal him back to health to reclaim this throne. 

    The Good: Despite the sparse action scenes, there isn't much to like about this film.
    The character of Shuri was adorable as Black Panther's tech-savvy sister. Black 
    Panther is a good hero for little black kids to emulate since as don't have one.

    The Bad: The excess CGI is suffocating and the plot felt contrived and nonsensical.

  It dragged the film down to the point of boredom. This was a weak Marvel entry 

  and I left feeling disappointed. The lack of tension killed my enjoyment for this movie.
  The "what are those!!?!!" line was cringe-worthy and will become outdated within a 
  few years. 

   Overall: Despite all the hype this film is getting, I didn't think it was that great. The 

  characters were bland and I had hard time caring about them. 

               Grade: C (7/10)

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Dir: Jake Kasdan

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas,

Bobby Cannavale

     When it was first announced that Jumanji would be getting a sequel, many people 

   cringed at the thought it'd be nothing more than a cheap cash grab but as it turns out,

   it's a pretty fun movie. 

      Taking place right after the last movie, four awkward teens get sent to detention 
   where they stumble upon an old video game and get sucked into it. They soon realize
   that they don't have to play the game as their avatar version of themselves, they 
   must survive too. They are sent out on a quest to return a cursed gem known as the
   "Jaguar's Eye" to it's rightful place on the island's giant jaguar state perservering
   though many levels and all terrains. The teens in their new bodies must work 
   together before it's too late. 

    Each member has their own personality. Johnson spoofs himself as a geeky teen in
   a beefy man's body while Jack Black character was absolutely hilarious as a girly
   girl trapped in a overweight man's body. Gillan's character Ruby is clearly based 
   off of Lara Croft as shown to be scantily clad. Kevin Hart is his usual funny self 
   playing a zoologist with a weakness for cake.

   The Good: The cast play off each other quite well and humor never got old. The 
   running joke is that these great actors are playing against this trope. I appreciated
   the nod to some of the classic movies like The Breakfast Club & The Goonies.

   The Bad: At times, it felt rushed and superficial. While it tried to compare itself to
   the original film, it fell painfully short. There were a couple crude scenes that may
   not sit well with small children but older kids might find it funny instead. 

   Overall: While it felt like an unnecessary film, it did what it could and that is to 
   entertain and I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. It's the funnest
   film of the holiday season and a stark contrast to the depressing Star Wars film 
   that's constantly getting attention. Rather than coming across as crass it doesn't
   just respect Robin Williams legacy, it tastefully honors it. 

Grade: B+ (8/10)

Justice League

Justice League 

Dir: Zack Snyder (Revisions by Joss Whedon)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher,

Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams, Ciaran Hinds

       Immediately following the death of Superman, the world seems to be a place without

  hope. When an alien being arrives on Earth, Bruce Wayne/ Batman (Affleck) along with

  his friend Diana/Wonder Woman (Gadot) help track down other super powered individuals

  to stop this other worldly foe. 

       It's not until they get their butts kicked that they need a certain Kryptonian to help 

  even the odds and defeat the ginormous alien known as Steppenwolfe. He is in search

  of three special boxes that were hidden, if found, could put an end to the world. 

      The fifth movie in the DC movie franchise was directed by Zack Snyder who also

   oversaw last years dreadful Batman V. Superman. When Snyder's daughter passed

   away, he left the movie soon after completing it. The Avengers director Joss Whedon

   stepped in and finished the movie for him.

      The general consensus for this film seems to be pretty negative hovering at around

  40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Like the old saying goes film is a visual medium. It's not an

  exact science. Film is also subjective to every person that views it. 

     My opinion is this: It was alot better than I had feared 

   based on initial movie reviews.

     The Good: The casting was quite good and played off of each other well. Ezra

   Miller's take on the speedster The Flash was quite hilarious, quipping every time he

   was on screen, just happy to be on the team. Fisher, who plays the robot Cyborg, 

   felt less developed as the others. Momoa's take on the oceanic superhero, Aquaman,

   is an imposing presence. There was so much action taking place that the film didn't

   seem to drag to the point of boredom.

   The Bad: I felt that this movie could've benefited from a longer run time given the 

   amount of characters that were on screen. While Gadot shined as Wonder Woman

   earlier this year, she isn't given much to do here. Tonally, it's a bit of a mess. Snyder

   & Whedon's directorial styles clash as you can tell what was reshot (hint: funny

   quips).  The bloated, overuse of slow motion shots became redundant. The main

   villain, Steppenwolfe, is quite forgettable and was made just to set up the big 

   baddie in the next team up film, Darkseid.  

   Overall: With WB mandating that the film be cut from almost 3 hours to just under 2

   hours for more showtimes, DC/ Justice League fans deserve a better film to be 

   released when it hits the video market. Despite the cuts, I was quite pleased with 

   how it turned out. It was a whole lot more fun than the dreary Batman Vs Superman.

         Grade: B (7.5/10)

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson,

Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban

         The third movie in a series tend to be the worst but this one bucks the trend and

   is easily one of the funniest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth

   returns as our favorite demigod who swears to protect his home world of Asgard

   from the evil goddess Hela (Cate Blanchett). 

           Critically acclaimed director Taika Waititi (What we do in the Shadows) takes a

   stab at a blockbuster that draws inspiration from Norse mythology and combines

   the Thor character with the Planet Hulk comic. 

 Spoilers ahead, use caution

          After escaping the pits of Hell, Thor returns to find his father Odin missing 
    from Asgard. He contacts Dr. Strange (Benedicts Cumberbatch cameo) and tells
    him that he's alive in Norway. There Odin gives him some fatherly advice only to
    pass away. When all of a sudden, a black cloud opens up in the sky only to have 
    the evil Hela show up. Together, Thor and adopted brother Loki (Hiddleston)
    fight her only to get separated in the Bifrost.

     

        Thor lands on a trash infested planet called Sakaar where he meets a young

   female warrior, Valkyrie (Thompson) and unknowingly has to fight the big green 

   monster The Hulk (Ruffalo). Meanwhile Hela rules over Asgard with an iron 

   fist. The only way to stop Hela is to fulfill the prophecy and create Ragnarok.

   In Thor's vision, Odin tells him the Asgard isn't just a place but people as long

   as they are protected. 

   The Good: The action scenes along with humor was spot on. Jeff Goldblum's

   Grandmaster was hilarious every time he was on screen. The inclusion of Led 

   Zeppelin Immigrant Song during the fight was the icing on the cake. This film

   was a lot lighter in tone than the depressing Thor: Dark World. This movie 

   featured  alot of colorful backgrounds which is bereft in most blockbusters today.

  The Bad: I thought Hela was too overpowered, killing off characters senselessly

  just for the sake of the plot. The last half of the movie felt rushed and didn't 

  connect well with me. The overuse of horrendous CGI that look like low budgeted

  action TV show. 

  Overall: I went into this movie expecting your typical superhero movie but I was

  blown away about how good it is. On a whole, this is an entire different outing 

  for the MCU. We see a side of the cosmic universe we've never seen before. It's

  what GOTG Vol. 2 should've been,a lighthearted movie that perfectly balances 

  the humor with action.

Grade: B+ (8/10)

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Dir: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Taron Edgerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry

 Channing Tatum, Elton John, Jeff Bridges

         This is a bit of a late review since it's been awhile since I've gone out to the theater.

   The Kingsman: Golden Circle is the sequel to the surprise hit that was also directed

   by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class).

         In the sequel, young actor Taron Edgerton is back as Eggsy. the former street

  hoodlum turned secret agent. After his companys headquarters is blown to bits by

  an atomic missile, the world becomes held hostage by an evil woman (Moore) who

  poisons the world's drug supply in exchange for legalizing it. Now it's up to Eggsy

  and his Kingsman pals Gallahad (Firth) and Merlin (Strong) to stop her before it's

  too late. 

   The Good: It like most of the action scenes in the movie as well as the comedy.

   Julianne Moore was devilishly as a nostalgia obsessed sociopath who wanted

  a monopoly on the world's drug cartel. This movie dealt with ethical issues today

  concerning those that use drugs and whether or not it's right to do so. The legend

  Elton John was pretty funny here. 

  The Bad: The overuse of slow motion fight scenes which is prevalent in todays 

  action movies. The use of a small cute dog used as a cheap plot device didn't 

  sit right with me. This movie was quite graphic but that's typical of a Matthew

  Vaughn movie. The talents of Bridges, Berry and Tatum are wasted here and

  contributed nothing to the overall plot. 

  Overall: Although inferior to its predecessor, it's quite an enjoyable sequel. The

  only problems were that it didn't have heart and the creative spirit that the first

  film had. It suffers from the usual uninspired cash grab of a sequel. For a spy

  film franchise, I had expected better than this. 

     Grade: C- (6/10)

Baby Driver

Baby Driver

Dir: Edgar Wright

Cast: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Lily James

Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, Flea

       When I first heard about this movie, I thought it was a sequel to Baby Boss but I was 

  half wrong. Baby Driver is the latest from acclaimed director Edgar Wright whose hits

  include Shaun of the Dead & Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

        It stars teen idol Ansel Elgort, as Baby, a young getaway driver who has hearing

   problems. To help him cope, he blares music on his Ipod while outrunning the police.
   When he's not driving around criminals, he meets Debora (James), a pretty, young
   waitress stuck in a dead end job whom he falls for. Together they dream of skipping
   town and ride off into the sunset.

       But before he can do that, he's coerced into pulling one last job for his boss 
   played by the devilishly Kevin Spacey. When things don't go as planned, the 
   doomed heist falls apart and must survive with the girl of his dreams.

   The Good: The music along with cinematography was stellar. The editing and pacing

   are buttery smooth for its runtime. Some of the scenes reminded me of the video game

   GTA where Baby constantly changes in and out of cars. 

   The Bad: The acting isn't all that great and became a little tedious to watch towards 

   the end. To keep the story moving, it leaned too heavily on its retro soundtrack.
   I had expected more out of it but was satisfied with how it turned out. There was
   one particular character that was introduced but never seen or heard from again. 

   Overall: Edgar Wright hits another home run in this heist movie that disguises itself

   as a coming of age story. If I want to sit and watch a movie with lots of car chases 

   this is the top of my list. The opening chase alone is worth the price of admission.

   Grade: C (7/10)

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Dir: Luc Besson

        Cast: Dane Dehaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke

             

          Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is the latest from acclaimed 

    French director Luc Besson ( The Fifth Element, Lucy ) and is based on the 

    comic of the same name. In this adaptation, Luc transports us to a futuristic world

    wild beyond our imagination. After a montage of explorers and aliens being 

    welcomed set to David Bowie's Space Oddity, we witness a Utopian like planet

    and their pale skinned inhabitants get wiped out. The magic pearls that they

    harvest help the remaining species survive.

     

     First off, the visuals are outstanding flooding the screen with eye popping CGI &

   nifty scifi gizmos. Some of the aliens depicted are very reminiscent of other alien 

   creatures such as the ones in Avatar and Star Wars. Unfortunately, the aliens here

   become a background noise to the thin and tiresome plot. 

      British actress/model Cara Delevingne is Agt Laureline alongside Dane

   Dehaan's Valerian as the pair play two young intergalactic agents who must 

   protect an alien species before it faces extinction. They go to identify the cause
   of a fatal radiation leak in a gigantic space station called Alpha before it's too
   late. 

     Pop star Rihanna shows up as a shapeshifting jelly like alien stripper named
   Bubbles whom Valerian befriends. Dane sounds weirdly like Keanu Reeves.

   Good: The visuals are stunning and rich if not completely mind warping. 
   The action scenes are energetic and fun and comes across as if watching 
   a video game but with more color. 

   Bad: Cara and Dane's characters are about as bland as a bowl of oatmeal. The
   two young actors shared absolute zero chemistry that made their romantic 
   subplot feel just forced. The fact that they looked more like teenagers suited
   for an MTV reality show made their roles hard to believe. The pacing teetered
   on the brink of boredom with its slow, drawn out exposition. The trio of alien
   platypuses were Jar Jar levels of annoying.
  
  Overall : The passion project for Besson was just average in its storytelling and
  lacked the kind of humor that made the Guardians of the Galaxy so good. Had this
  movie have more brevity it would've been a better film. Adapting a French comic
  to the big screen was a no easy task for Besson. Valerian is a crazy mess but a 
  fun mess in it's pure artistic vision.

Grade: C- (6/10)

War for the Planet of the Apes

War for the Planet of the Apes

  Dir: Matt Reeves

Cast: Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis*, Steve Zahn*, Amiah Miller

(* motion-capped)

     The "War for the Planet of the Apes" is a boring movie. I worked as hard as I could

 to find an opening statement but couldn't. This third movie in Planet of the Apes prequel

 trilogy opens with US Forces hunting down monkeys who have evolved from the last

 film. Most of humanity has been wiped out due to a deadly Simian virus to make 

 chimps smarter.

     The apes leader Cesar (Serkis) has a family with a young son named Cornelius

 (a nod to the 1968 film). Most of the movie deals with him and his fellow primates

 going on a quest to meet the human dictator known as the Colonel (Harrelson). 
 Along their journey an older ape named Bad Ape (Zahn) joins them and wants
 to help fight the humans. Cesar adopts a human girl they called Nova (Miller)
 who cannot speak due to being afflicted with the Simian flu.

     The crazy Woody Harrelson is the Colonel. He plays a psychotic maniac 
  whose son died because of the ape virus. Because of that, he believes apes
  cannot co-exist with humans and has them locked up in a harsh, gruesome
  concentration camp. Now it's up to Cesar and his monkey friends free them
  before they all die.

  The Good: The score which was reminiscent of the original movie along with 

  cinematography. Bad Ape was my favorite character with his funny quips and

  comedic timing. The grand finale made up for some sparse action scenes during

  this film. I appreciated the nods to such classic war movies such as "The Great
  Escape" and "Bridge on the River Kwai". Woody Harrelson does a cool Brando
  impression from Apocalypse Now.

  The Bad: Somehow despite the battle and going-ons, the pacing dragged on. I 

  didn't like how depressing it felt in tone that deals mostly with genocide which 

  is still going on today around the world. I felt that this movie fell into the war/

  drama genre and just became boring. 

  Overall: Although I'm not a big Planet of the Apes fan, I was rather disappointed

  considering the James Franco Apes movie was really good. It was unnecessary 

  to inject social commentary in a summer flick that didn't need one. Thankfully,

  this is the last in the trilogy and should it continue, a better director is needed.

Grade: C- (6/10) (2.5 stars)

Spiderman: Homecoming

Spider-man: Homecoming

Dir: Jon Watts

      Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marissa Tomei, Zendaya,

Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon

        Spider-man has finally come home to the MCU in this joint venture between
  Sony and Marvel Studios. Newcomer Tom Hollland stars as Peter Parker, a 
  regular teenage boy who lives in Queens, NY with his unusually attractive
  Aunt May (Tomei). By day he goes to school but by night he fights crime as
  the iconic webslinger.

     Acting as the young boy's mentor is billionaire playboy Tony Stark (Downey Jr.)
  who checks on him from time to time and offering him advice. But the eager
  Avenger wannabe soon finds himself in over his head. 

        

      Michael Keaton, whose career is going through a resurgence, plays a salvager 

  named Adrian Toomes who finds alien tech leftover from the battle during 2012's

  The Avengers. When his salvage business gets shut down, he is left with no job.

  The only way he can support his family is by pocketing the alien tech and trades

  it with local criminals. With some spare tech lying around, Adrian becomes

  The Vulture and turns to a life of crime.

  

      Now it's up to Spider man to not only stop The Vulture but to also prove 
  himself worthy of being an Avenger to Tony so that he can hang with them. 
  An unknown director named Jon Watts directs this reboot from Marvel Studios.

   The Good: I liked that it didn't have to retell the same story of Peter getting bit

  by a radioactive spider, it just jumped right in as soon as he got his powers. The

  action scenes were fun to watch along with the funny interactions between Peter

  and his best buddy Ned (Batalon). Making Keaton's character with a blue collar
  background made hist portrayal of the Vulture more relatable than most Marvel
  movie villains. The trailers made this Spider-Man feel very generic but I was
  pleasantly surprised how it turned out in the final product.

  The Bad: Zendaya is pretty much a pointless character who just adds filler to the
  movie with a quip here or there. The decision to change the ethnicities just for 
  diversity's sake didn't sit right with me but somehow it worked without it
  becoming a stereotype. 

  Overall: It's a fresh take on the Spider man character that brings him back to the 

  fold in the MCU. The tone of this movie is a stark contrast to the moody version

  that Andrew Garfield's take lacked. But just as Peter has some growing up to do,

  so does this young franchise. 

Grade: B+ (8.5/10)