EPIC REVIEW: Black Panther

Howdy ladies and gents, time for another review and today I’m finally talking about a film I’ve been waiting to watch for almost 2 YEARS! I am of course talking about Black Panther. Since watching Captain America: Civil War in the cinema, I have been ready for this film and the wait has been AGONISING, but luckily time passed along quickly and I finally got to see the film last night. So is this film a good watch or not? Well read on and find out! 😀

The plot can be summed up as the following: “T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.”

I enjoyed the story quite a lot, and while a lot happens in several locations and at certain points, the stakes have potential global ramifications, they felt suitably scaled and revolved the key characters in the right way. Since Phase Two, the MCU has changed its approach to tone, genre and story elements and this film has had the most significant change in terms of tone, character-driven nature and culture. The story dealt with family issues, revenge, power and control, secrets and lies, and the trials and tribulations that come with being a king, and all of these issues and others were handled with care and attention and I also appreciated the film’s commentary black history and current topics as it was relevant yet not overbearing. But what I really loved was how much of a character-driven drama this film was, everything that happened had a purpose and affected the main characters as the story progressed, so when the drama and emotional moments kicked in, it had SO much impact. And I also believe this is one of the most intense superhero films I’ve seen in a while, because of the story and the way it affected the characters, after the film ended I felt like I needed to take some time just to breathe and process what I just watched as I was emotionally gripped the whole way through. Oh and one more thing, even though I only have a minor amount of knowledge when it comes to the Black Panther source material, I was surprised and delighted with the way the source material was adapted into live-action.

As for the characters I really loved everyone in this film as they all had a role to play that fit into the overall narrative, they were all useful, memorable and fun. Firstly Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther killed it, he was already a great character in Civil War, but in this film were got to see more of his personality, more his strengths and weaknesses and see trying to accept his new responsibilities as a king and Black Panther. Boseman was likeable, funny, powerful and badass. And then there’s Michael B. Jordan as Eric Killmonger… Damn, this dude was awesome, Killmonger has an interesting backstory with solid villainous motivations and you can understand and to some degree agree with some of the stuff that he says and all of those elements definitely put him in the better MCU villain category for sure. And Jordan was excellent in this role, the guy oozes charisma and coolness, has a great screen presence and can be scary as hell at times. Danai Gurira as Okoye was frigging badass, absolutely awesome. When Gurira signed on to this film I knew the people at Marvel were gonna make good use of her combat skills from The Walking Dead, but my god she got so many scene-stealing moments not only on the battlefield but also off of it while interacting with T-Challa and other key characters. Okoye was a no-nonsense and proud warrior and I loved what Gurira brought to this role. Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia was quite good, at first I wondered how’d she’d factor into the film, but I really enjoyed her character, she had a great rapport with the other main characters and I liked what she brought to the story.

Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross got involved in the story far more than I expected, and I loved it. We only got a little bit of his character in Civil War, but in this film we learnt more about him as a person, he had some great interaction with several of the main characters and Freeman was delightful in the role. Letitia Wright as Shuri was quite good, at first I thought her attitude and cocky nature would annoy me, but she ended up being one of my favourite characters because of her smarts but also because of how she was integrated into the main story beats. Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi was really good, this character has a rough backstory and seeing his character progress through the film was interesting to watch. Winston Duke as M’Baku was really good with a powerful and intimidating screen presence, Angela Bassett as Ramonda was great as always, adding that dramatic flair that only Bassett can, Forest Whitaker as Zuri was really good, he had some great moments with T’Challa and I enjoyed learning about the significance of his character, and Sterling K. Brown was solid as N’Jobu too. And finally, there’s Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, man I loved this dude! Serkis left a good impression in Age of Ultron, but here we got to see more of the character’s unhinged, tactical and funny nature, he’s a bit of a nutter, but is whenever he’s on-screen it is a good time.

When it comes to the presentation it was great. Visually the film looked great, the filmmakers did a great job at not only bringing the world of Wakanda to life but also presenting a great mixture of futuristic and old school/tradition African material whether it be through the technology, costumes, city landscape, etc. The use of CGI was also solid, though at times wasn’t as solid, and the cool action scenes were really good, there was a lot of creativity, style and power that came with some of these scenes whether you were talking about car chases or fight scenes, it was all handled so well. And just to elaborate on those fight scenes, I loved how the combat scenes shot with a lot of long shots and not too unnecessary cuts, the fights had the right amount of realism, acrobatics and dramatic weight because of what was at stake, and T-Challa’s bodyguards, the Dora Milaje was frigging awesome, these female warriors kicked ass! Also the soundtrack was awesome, the use of certain music was nice and Ludwig Göransson’s film score has a varied sound that incorporates African instrumentation and vocals, a traditional orchestrated sound and a hip-hop kind of style, sometimes these sounds mix and on paper it feels like it shouldn’t work, but in the film these different styles work well together and separately.

In conclusion, Black Panther was everything I wanted it to be and then some, it was thrilling, dramatic, intense and fun. Everyone involved should be proud of the film they’ve created as this is the Black Panther film the character deserved, and while it doesn’t change the superhero game, it was a wonderfully unique experience that I think everyone should check out. 🙂

So have you seen Black Panther and if so what did you think of it? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll see ya in the next review, laters! 😀

 

QUICK THOUGHTS: Black Panther Teaser Trailer

Howdy ladies and gents, how are you? So this morning I woke up to the new teaser trailer for Black Panther and I’ve been giddy ever since! I knew the trailer was gonna drop after I read about it when the first poster was revealed but I wasn’t gonna stay up all night for it, so when I woke up and saw some people had reviewed online I knew I had to check it out. So let’s talk about that teaser!

Check out the trailer below:

So my initial impressions were this, “This is pretty damn cool.” Last year Chadwick Boseman’s performance as T’Challa/Black Panther really stood out in Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther ended up being my favourite character because of his story arc, unique skill set, lineage and badass costume, and now that we’ve got a new trailer that only enhances the character and the world he’s a part of.

What I liked about this teaser was the following things:

1. The tone: Even though the teaser was less than two minutes it was plenty to demonstrate that this film’s story would have a more personal and mature atmosphere than what we’ve seen from Marvel Studios.
2. The visuals: I like the use of colour and sense of scale when it comes to various locations of Wakanda, I also like the way there is a nice a balance between traditional and futuristic elements that applies to the environment and the citizens.
3. Cool action: The brief scenes we get of Black Panther kicking ass in the jungle or seeing Killmonger and T’Challa squaring off or some of these other fight scenes, I like the practicality of it and it looks like fun.
4. The cast: Starting this trailer off with Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman aka Ulysses Klaue and Everett Ross from Age of Ultron and Civil War was not only a cool reminder for fans but it also was fun as the both acted together in the first Hobbit film. In addition to that we got to see more of not only Chadwick Boseman again, but cool glimpses of Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Angela Bassett among others.
5. The direction: One thing that stood out to me was the style of trailer and the way the characters were handled and it felt like a Ryan Coogler film. Coogler has a notable style with his directing and while watching this trailer I could feel his presence all over this film like Creed and Fruitvale Station beforehand. Only a handful of MCU films have a unique sense of style brought on by their directors as a lot of them just fall into the same style, only Kenneth Branagh, Shane Black, The Russo Brothers and James Gunn have been able to leave a unique mark on the MCU through Thor, Iron Man 3, Captain America: Winter Soldier & Civil War and Guardians of the Galaxy 1 & 2.

In conclusion the teaser trailer for Black Panther was awesome, I was very happy with what I saw it delivered everything I wanted and then some, the tone, visuals and cast looks very unique and different to what we’ve seen from the MCU so far and that is exactly what this property and genre needs. February can’t come quicker! #BlackPantherSoLit 😛 😀

So have you seen Black Panther trailer and if so what did you think of it? Are you hyped, curious or underwhelmed? Let me know in comments section below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review

Good day to you ladies and gents, it is review time once again and today I am bringing you my review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, my last most anticipated film of the year. With 2016 nearly over and most of the films of interest having come out already, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by any more films. And that’s not to say that I wouldn’t be impressed with Rogue One, but I assumed it’d be good but not mind-blowing… Oh how wrong I was. I’m gonna tell you right now, Rogue One was frigging awesome and you should watch it immediately. But in case you need more convincing read on and check out my thoughts in this spoiler-free review! 😀

The story can be summed up as the following:

“Jyn Erso, a Rebellion soldier and criminal, sets out on a life-changing journey with her Rebel allies to find her father and obtain the schematics the Galactic Empire’s superweapon, the Death Star.”

I thought that Rogue One‘s story was really good. As a fan of the film series, I knew how this film would end, but that did not make the journey any less exciting. This is a tale hope and bravery in times of darkness and uncertainty, and while the story has enough familiar elements that allows it to coexist with the main series films, it allows presents a lot that we haven’t seen in a Star Wars film. One of the things I admired early on was how different this film was from the other Star Wars films, especially when it came to the direction, atmosphere and tone. Those key elements felt fresh and unique, and at several points this film felt a lot grittier, dirtier, realistic, dark and dramatic, and there to be honest I got a little emotional during certain sequences. This film certainly adheres to the war genre in really impressive ways, and I won’t ruin anything, but I will say that if you’ve watched any war film, then you’ll notice how well this film handles sense of danger and dread, overwhelming odds, tone and casualties. And there’s also some lovely ties to other SW films and the way it tied into A New Hope was just delightful.

The cast was all so very, very good. What I appreciated about this cast was the fact that they all felt relevant, had moments to shine and were engaging. Firstly there’s Felicity Jones who was just wonderful as Jyn Erso, this lady was strong, courageous, but also relatable and Jones really did well in the role. Diego Luna as Cassian Andor was someone I ended up liking more than I expected, Andor had a fair amount of depth and intelligence to him. Alan Tudyk as K-2SO was awesome, he was a droid who had so many notable/funny moments because of his blunt and unapologetic nature, and Tudyk was just perfect with the timing of his speech. Riz Ahmed as Bodhi Rook, was a really interesting character who had plenty of interesting, fun and important moments with Ahmed really working well. And then you have Donnie Yen and Wen Jiang as Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus, these two worked well both as individuals and together because of their personality traits and combat capabilities, but also because they were so likable and charming, both Yen and Jiang did really well, but Yen really stood out because of his charisma and martial arts abilities. Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso was really good and so was Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera, and you also have Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic, a man who was strong-willed and cunning, and even though his type of villain has been done before I loved the way Mendelsohn handled the character. There were also some really nice and surprising cameos from certain SW characters and actors which you’ll have to see for yourselves.

When it comes to the presentation it was fantastic! Visually this film is probably the best in the franchise so far, the art direction and use of colour, along with the cinematography and the blending of practical and digital visual effects was on another level. I especially loved the practical effects for the aliens which were really cool, and cinematography which was used to great effect with the sense of scale, tracking shots, and various angles. I adored the action sequences as they varied from firefights to hand-to-hand combat to aerial/space dogfights, all of these sequences are so intense and well-choreographed, and again so different from what we’ve seen in previous SW films. As for the film score from Michael Giacchino, the man worked magic again. Giacchino’s score for Rogue One was epic, whimsical, heartbreaking and full of wonder, and the music captured the spirit of John Williams’ sound while also creating something new as well.

In conclusion Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was just a good time at the cinema and exceeded my expectations in a lot of ways. I had some very, very minor issues with the use of CGI is some places and some pacing nitpicks in the earlier half of the story, but they pale in comparison to how much I enjoyed this film. This film has the right amount of nostalgia as a prequel to A New Hope, but presents so many new elements to this universe at the same time. Rogue One was beautiful, funny, emotional, action-packed, surprising and downright fun especially for fans. I highly recommend the film and can’t wait to see it again in IMAX.

So have you seen Rogue One: A Star Wars Story or are you going to watch it soon? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the review, laters! 😀

 

ONE PARAGRAPH REVIEW: Arrival

Howdy ladies and gents, time for another one paragraph review and today I’ll be talking about Arrival. Now this is a film I’ve heard a great deal about from film festivals and considering that it’s the next big film from Denis Villeneuve, there was a lot of hype surrounding it. All I’ve seen is glowing reviews for this left, right and center, so is it good or not? Well read on and find out!

The plot can be summed up as the following: “A linguist is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.” Arrival is an interesting film, it takes a very different approach to the alien invading earth format that we’ve seen in recent years and instead goes for a more methodical, psychological and dramatic style instead. What I appreciate about this plot was how well-thought out it was, it was incredibly smart, insightful, dramatic and had all of the key elements of mystery intrigue that comes with really good sci-fi films. Not only were the aliens handled incredibly well, but also the humans and their reaction to the invasion. The overall film has a great sense of realism and logic, and the tension and suspense is handled well throughout the film. It is just the third act when a major revelation gets revealed that changed my perspective on the film completely and it is not that it wasn’t impressive, it was really cool and inventive, however, it kind of took away from the realism of the film and came out of nowhere in a way. When it comes to the cast they were all really good, Amy Adams was really good as Dr. Louise Banks, this kind of role required a very strong performance and Adams gave it in spades, while Jeremy Renner was equally impressive as Ian Donnelly, and the both of them have really good chemistry together, Forest Whitaker was also good as Colonel Weber,  while Michael Stuhlbarg continues to impress me from role to role as Agent Halpern, and Tzi Ma (who I remember from a brief appearance in the first season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was good as General Shang too. Visually the film looks really great with some awesome cinematography and visual effects, and the film score from Jóhann Jóhannsson is well-suited to the action on-screen with an eery, atmospheric and subtly disturbing vibe, but with some moments of beauty and drama too. In conclusion Arrival was a pretty fascinating experience in the cinema that I think a lot of fans of sci-fi will enjoy, the film’s not for everyone and the pacing will definitely be on the slow side for a lot of audiences, but if you can get over that then you’ll have a good time.

So have you seen Arrival and if so what do you think of it? Is it “best of the year” material or not? Be sure to leave your thoughts on the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

QUICK REVIEW: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer #1

Howdy ladies and gents, time for another trailer review and today I’m talking about one really exciting trailer because it is the first footage of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. For the longest time I’ve wanted to see some footage from this film since it was announced because of the director at the helm and wanted to see how this film would be different from the main series of the films tonally. And in the week when we got the announcement that there’d be a Doctor Strange trailer next week Tuesday, this new trailer just comes out of nowhere and blows up the internet for the fans. So now I just wanted to share my thoughts.on the new trailer, oh and by the way I’m referring to this film as just Rogue One from now on as I currently hate the title for this film.

So here’s the trailer below:

Well this was certainly unexpected, I mean wow, I really liked this trailer. It had the right balance of nostalgia, freshness, mystery, intrigue and action. I really want to see this film even more than before.

It has been said by director Gareth Edwards that this film would be a war film, which would be a first for the Star Wars films series as there hasn’t been a film that’s had a heavy focus on the war side of things, and this trailer certainly looks like it’ll be looking living up war style of film. The funny thing is there was no sign of the Jedi or Sith (more specifically Darth Vader) and yet I was still hooked, and that is impressive to me considering that the Jedi and Sith are my favourite elements of the Star Wars. Visually the film looked like Star Wars but with a gritty/dirty look, sleeker/cleaner visual effects and an intriguing/diverse cast.

Straight from the beginning the tone for this film is fairly serious with the music, and the brief moments of action and chaos, and that’s what I loved so much, the atmosphere in this film feels very different to The Force Awakens or any of the other previous Star Wars films. Things felt tense, dangerous and bleak and I loved it. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy the more light-hearted/family friendly adventures, but considering that this film is being described as war film, it feels appropriate. I’m liking Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, she looks cool and interesting, I also like what I saw/heard from Forest Whitaker and Ben Mendelsohn looks as an Imperial admiral, but it’s the small glimpse of Donnie Yen that got me hyped. Just seeing him with some quick action with a staff got me giddy. 🙂

I also really loved the throwbacks to A New Hope with the use of the AT-AT walkers, construction of the Death Star, old Stormtroopers and many other visual easter eggs/references. What these elements established was that we’re clearly still in the same universe as the other films, but that things would be unfolding in a more mature and serious manner than before which excites me because I believe Star Wars as a franchise has reached a point where it needs to evolve/change and do new and interesting things with the mythology, and I believe Rogue One is a step in the right direction.

To conclude the first trailer for Rogue One got me excited in all the right ways. It just enough to tease me about the tone of this film and give me some insight into who some of the key players will be. I believe that this film will surprise people and that Gareth Edwards will do the fans justice with this spin-off film.

So have you seen the first trailer for Rogue One and if so what do you think of it? Are you hyped, underwhelmed or confused by what you’ve seen?  Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop me a comment and I’ll see ya on the next review! 🙂

 

QUICK LATE REVIEW: Southpaw

Howdy people of the internet, time for another film review and today I’ll finally be talking about Southpaw. I’ve been interested in this film for a while but have only recently got around to seeing it. I’d heard it was good but not amazing, so that did hamper my excitement for the film, but I knew I had to at least give it a chance before it left the cinema. So was the film good or bad? Well read on and find out!

The story can be described as the following:

“Boxer Billy Hope turns to trainer Tick Willis to help him get his life back on track after losing his wife in a tragic accident and his daughter to child protection services.”

The story was a really engaging and dramatic tale of tragedy and redemption. For the first half hour I liked the film but it was heading down a really dark path and I wasn’t really down with the depressing nature of story. However things started to pick up around half way through and by the end I was feeling good. I will say that the film felt a little long and some of the plot points you can see coming, that being said this film was entertaining and dramatic on the emotional level.

Now let’s talk about the performances. Jake Gyllenhaal just kills it as Billy Hope, at first I wasn’t too keen on his character because while he was charismatic and funny, he’s a bit of douche, self-centered and makes questionable decisions that make him a bit unlikable. That being said when he went do his downward spiral and then had to had to change his life around you really get behind him and relate to his motivations. Gyllenhaal continues to impress as an actor as he goes from strength to strength to change himself physically and mentally for his roles, and here he’s just a beast, so crazy and intense, but also very isolated and emotional too. I also loved Forest Whitaker as Titus “Tick” Wills. I like how he was more than just a mentor to Billy but he also had his own history and issues, and he wasn’t just tough with his personality but could also be tough physically too. The other standout performance came from Oona Laurence as Leila Hope, at first I thought he character may be a little annoying because while I understand the nature of situation would lead her to feel very emotional and aggressive, I can’t stand grumpy/whiny children. However Laurence did the opposite, I bought into her character, loved the dynamic she had with her dad and really liked the realism and emotional levels of her performance. Rachel McAdams was good as Maureen Hope while Naomie Harris added some great elements as Angela Rivera and Victor Ortiz as Ramone was a douche for sure, but he was a very cool, smug and badass douche which was played well by Ortiz. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Jordan Mains was also pretty good, he was an interesting character who appears to be Billy’s friend, but is mainly in the business for the money and has some really shady motives. And finally Rita Ora surprised me as she was totally unrecognisable as Maria Escobar and while her role was short I thought he kind rather well.

And when it comes to the visual side of things it’s incredible. I have seen a good few films depict the art of boxing with some that do it well and some not so well. This film is definitely the former. I think this may be the best one so far, the fights are choreographed so well. The way the cinematography is handled is gorgeous, everything is so clear and sharp, and I liked how there was a combination of point of view, close-ups and slow motion and tracking shots to show the action in varied and exciting ways, and thanks to the sound editors you feel every punch, there’s weight and impact. The soundtrack by the late James Horner was haunting and pretty dramatic and while it had its moments it’s not one of my favourite score from Horner.

In conclusion Southpaw was a gripping and intense drama with really awesome acting, an interesting story and some really kick ass boxing scenes. The film was better than I expected and I’m glad I got to see it.

So what do you think of the teaser trailer for Southpaw? Are interested in this film and do you feel like the trailer has given away too much? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to leave them in the comments below, until the next time, laters! 😀

 

QUICK REVIEW: Southpaw Trailer #1

Howdy people of the internet, time for another trailer review and today we’ll be talking Southpaw. I have been interested in seeing this film for a good few months now and to finally see some footage makes me super happy. So how’s the trailer looking? Well read on and find out.

Check out the trailer below:

Looks very good, but I’m worried that I’ve seen too much.

So what do we have here? Looks like Jake Gyllenhaal is a boxer, things go wrong, he loses his wife, is deemed unfit to take care of his child, and does some less than legal stuff and becomes estranged from his daughter, etc. If it sounds like I’ve highlighted a fair amount of information that is a little more revealing than most trailers it is because I have. I was already sold this film when it had no trailer last year and there was just the image Gyllenhaal looking ripped as hell. But after the success of Nightcrawler I was definitely more hyped to see this film. However, this trailer has committed the worst sin a trailer can; it shows you the whole of the film in the trailer. I mean sure there’s probably a good few elements that won’t be seen until the film comes out, but when you watch this trailer you’re pretty much getting the gist of the entire film and that’s never a good thing. Trailers are meant to tease you with what’s to come and the rest of the experience is meant to be discovered in the cinema. I’m going to have to avoid most promotion for this film from now until it’s release because I don’t want to be spoiled any more.

Outside of my mini rant about the content shown in the trailer, overall I like what I’m seeing. It looks like Gyllenhaal is gonna kill it again giving us all of the emotional material necessary for this kind of role, but now with a more physical element with the boxing. It also looks like the relationship between Billy and his daughter will be a key component of this film and I love strong family ties in dramatic films. I also like seeing a bit of Forest Whitaker and I’m curious to see how Rachel McAdams fares in this film as I haven’t seen her in anything since Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

In conclusion the first trailer for Southpaw looks pretty good, while the story has very familiar territory written all over it at the same time there are some unique elements and the performances look very solid. If you’re looking forward to this film avoid the trailers if you can because it pretty much gives away the important details of the story which would be better left unseen and experienced freshly.

So what do you think of the teaser trailer for Southpaw? Are interested in this film and do you feel like the trailer has given away too much? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to leave them in the comments below, until the next time, laters! 😀

 

SIMPLE REVIEW: Taken 3

Hello again ladies and gents and welcome to another film review. After seeing American Sniper and liking it on Wednesday I decided to watch something a little more light-hearted in the form of Taken 3.

The premise for this film goes like this:

“Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.”

When I see crappy film, I like to be blunt and verbal about it from it from the outset. However that isn’t the case with this one. Taken 3 wasn’t as bad as some have made it out to be, I’ve seen a lot worse films in the cinema. The film was certainly outrageous, generic and overly dramatic, but the action was fine and cast were good. Sure this film doesn’t hold a candle to the first film, however fun action junkies and Liam Neeson fans its serviceable fun. The plot was fine, it was nothing I hadn’t seen before, but it did its job. I didn’t care much for Brian’s terrible situation and the way the secrets unfold about him being framed for murder is a bit cliché and convoluted to be honest. I just sat there waiting for the next action scene. Luckily the action was good, but since this is the third film in the series I had hoped for more.

Then there’s the cast who were all fine for the most part. At this point Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills is not even trying, he’s just having fun and being a badass. Bryan was like a ghost ninja in this film and reason I phrase it like that is because ninjas, their movements are elusive yet plausible. But what this man pulls off when evades his enemies is nothing short of amazing. Sometimes his movements are so slick and quick that it comes across as quite ridiculous and impossible, unless you were watching a  cartoon or something. And I feel like Bryan has very inconsistent attributes. Sometimes he’s super powerful in fights and super elusive, but other times he’s getting his ass kicked or moving around his enemies in such a blatant way that he could easily get caught. As for the other cast members Forest Whitaker was fine as Inspector Franck Dotzler, though I feel like his character is a bit absurd when he comes to some of his decisions and conclusions. Maggie Grace as Kim Mills was fine, but I didn’t think much of her and Famke Janssen still looks beautiful as Lenore St. John, but is not too relevant in this film. Everyone else is irrelevant. Also the music in this film was a little annoying, some of the songs selected made me feel like I was watching a show on the CW or something.

In the end Taken 3 is a bit of a silly film, there are story elements and action scenes that go beyond the realm of possibly and sometimes is completely fictional. But for all the random and ridiculous things that happen in this film, it was still a serviceable action film. I don’t hate it, but I probably won’t see it again.

Rating: 6/10 (Not as bad as I thought it’d be)

So have you seen Taken 3 and if so what do you think of it? Please be sure to comment below and I’ll see you on the next review. 😀

 

Out of the Furnace Review

Hello again ladies and gents, I’ve got another film review for you. So after two other films in the cinema, the final one I watched was Out of the Furnace, a film I’d been wanting to see just because of the hype surrounding Christian Bale and Casey Affleck’s performances. I went in with fluctuating expectations, so was it good or not? Read on and find out.

So the story goes like this:

“Russell and his younger brother Rodney live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, and have always dreamed of escaping and finding better lives. But when a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in prison, his brother becomes involved with one of the most violent and ruthless crime rings in the Northeast – a mistake that will cost him everything. Once released, Russell must choose between his own freedom, or risk it all to seek justice for his brother.”

Before I continue I just want to say that the first scene in this film is awesome, its terrifying, but awesome nevertheless, okay moving on. I really liked the story and thought that it was very interesting. I liked the relationship between the Baze brothers and their individual stories and how they progress. The story of this film was pretty dramatic, graphic and depressing, part of that reason is not only the character situations but also because of the locations. Russell and Rodney’s story takes place in Crap Town, that’s what I’m calling this place because its dull, sad and not much is going on and it doesn’t feel like people can amount to anything without doing legit work. But if you think that’s bad just wait til you see Shitsville, another location where other bad things take place which is even worse than the last place full of savages and nutjobs doing horrible things. This film reminded me a lot of Prisoners, but whereas that film made me feel uncomfortable and sad, this one gave me a more satisfying story and conclusion.

When it comes to the cast there is a really impressive cast on show and while not everyone is utilized fully, the ones that do stand out are very good. Christian Bale as Russell Baze is great, Russell is a man who is very devoted to his family and has a lot to take care of, but things go from bad to worst after an accident which causes him to lose so many precious things in his life. Bale continues to be a very cool actor as he commits to this role and I like his emotional range. The performance that may overshadow Bale is Casey Affleck as Rodney Baze, Jr., I’ve not seen too many films with Casey in them, but I am now aware that he is an actor I should be paying attention to due to his stellar performance in this film which is very powerful and realistic. At first you question the man’s actions but when you realize what he’s been through and know what’s going on in his head, you begin to understand him and hope that he gets himself together for the sake of not only himself but his family.

Though the stand out person in this film for me Woody Harrelson as Harlan DeGroat. Bloody hell, what a beast! Harlan is such a brute, totally messed up and unpredictable. When he’s around people you don’t know what’s gonna happen and you fear for their lives. I’ve only become a fan of Harrelson in recent years but seeing him in this film makes me wish I’d noticed him years ago, the man is SO good and easily stole the screen time for others. Zoe Saldana as Lena Warren was pretty good, I liked her and she can do crying moments very well. I also like Willem Dafoe as John Petty, he was a typical business man, very serious though he did have some form of compassion for the people he worked with. Forest Whitaker was decent as Wesley Barnes but he wasn’t in the film as much as I thought he’d be. And Sam Shepard as Gerald “Red” Baze, he didn’t move that much but he was good in the film too.

In conclusion Out of the Furnace is a great dramatic thriller with awesome performances from the cast and the story is interesting with grim atmosphere. While I wasn’t totally satisfied with the way the story progressed and the over depressing aura of the film, it is still really good and I recommend it.

Rating: 8/10 (Great performances make this worth a watch)

So have you seen or are going to see Out of the Furnace? Whatever your thoughts are leave them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo! 😀

 

The Last Stand Review

Alrighty then this is the film I have been waiting to see for ages now (that seems to be a reoccurring theme with the films I’ve seen of recent), finally getting to see Arnold “The Legend” Schwarzenegger back on the big screen after almost a decade of absence. So is The Last Stand a good time or just a waste of time? Read on in this review to find out.

So the story goes a little something like this:

“The leader of a drug cartel busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff and his inexperienced staff.”

I thought the story was good for what it was; it moved at a decent pace and was simple and straight to the point. While it is a bit cheesy, generic and predictable at times it still worked. Those looking for a much deeper story need to reassess what kind of film they are watching, action films have always been light on story and in today’s world of action films it is more about the spectacle than the actual story itself.

For me it really was the characters of the film that made The Last Stand so much fun. Let’s start with the big main man himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sheriff Ray Owens. Schwarzenegger was great as this rough-around-the-edges sheriff who protects this quiet town, he’s a nice guy but know when to get serious. Ray is a seasoned warrior who knows what danger is and will put up a good fight. Schwarzenegger though much older than before can still move around, handle a gun, drive fast cars and get into fist fights and make it look good. I liked how the film was aware of Arnie’s age and made scenes for him where he isn’t as fast as he was where he does take time to get from point A to point B and lastly he isn’t invincible like he was in some his previous films like Predator or Terminator 2. Arnie was cool and I also liked some his dialogue and the way he pronounced certain words. Also Johnny Knoxville as Lewis Dinkum was great, he had some great scenes with Arnie and wasn’t nearly as overbearing as I thought he’d be. He was relevant and useful so yeah I enjoyed the crazy and funny antics of Knoxville a lot.

Now let’s talk about Luis Guzmán as Deputy Mike Figuerola, I swear this was like my favourite character in the film. He had the best lines in film and was funny as hell, the way he ran around and was in some of these dangerous and funny situations made him not only hilarious but also cool too. I seriously just want to meet Luis Guzmán in real life and hug him! Then there’s Jaimie Alexander as Deputy Sarah Torrance. Even though this is an action film full of gun shooting, car chases and explosions, Alexander still finds a way to look beautiful as hell. Besides that she handled herself pretty well and had plenty of action throughout the film so good on her. Rodrigo Santoro as Frank Martinez was good too, he was a useful member of the film that I didn’t expect and Zach Gilford as Deputy Jerry Bailey was nice, he had some funny scenes in the film. And lastly Forest Whitaker as Agent John Bannister was pretty good, he had some good scenes, some great exchanges with Arnie and I thought it was funny when he got frustrated and swore in the film, which was just great.

As for the presentation of the film I found it to be pretty good, there were some well-organized gun shoot-out scenes and I liked the car chases too, they were filmed well especially the one part where there was a chase through a cornfield. There were some nice camera work used and I also thought that the violence in the film was nicely done too. I can’t really say much for the soundtrack, it worked where it needed to but it wasn’t overly memorable though.

In conclusion The Last Stand is just a fun little action film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is a bit generic, cheesy and predictable, but if you’re willing to look past that then you’ll definitely enjoy the characters and the great chases and action sequences. Just don’t set your expectations too high and you’ll have fun with this film especially if you’re an Arnie fan. It’s great to see Schwarzenegger back on the big screen and hopefully this is the start of many more films to come.

Rating: 7/10

So what did you lot think of Arnie’s return to the big screen in The Last Stand? Did you like or hate it? Whatever your thoughts drop them below and I’ll catch ya on the next review yo! 😀