Reviews

Mojave follows a depressed/possibly suicidal artist who goes to the desert and encounters a homicidal drifter. I had heard nothing but terrible things about this film, and anticipated it to be my first "bad" film of 2016. Nevertheless, while very flawed and lacking a true protagonist, Mojave is a self-awarely pretentious physcological thriller featuring another fantastic performance from Oscar Isaac.

What this film ultimately boils down to is a battle of wits between Oscar Isaac and Garrett Hudland's characters. Hudland is good for what he is given, but his character isn't given much depth to work with, and you just have to take small drops of knowledge you learn about him to piece together who he is as a character. His role is similar to most characters he typically plays, and he plays the part well.

Oscar Isaac continues his streak of greatness, having fun in a role similar to what he did in Ex Machina. He gets to show off his funny and darker side, and is very convincing in his role. Isaac's presence is felt throughout the film, even when he is not on screen. Truly an underrated performance by an actor who is taking over Hollywood.

William Monahan wrote and directed this film, and he earned an Academy Award for penning The Departed. Monahan crafts a very fascinating script with Mojave. It's pretentious, but it knows it's pretentious, and uses that as a tool for its characters to go back and forth at one another with. I definitely get what he was going for, and I dug most of it. Some fascists are very underwritten however, and while attempting to balance two tones, the film gets lost in itself from time to time.

Overall, Mojave is a deeply flawed film, but a bold, knowledgeably pretentious one, that includes some good thrills. Isaac is phenomenal yet again, having a blast in his role and leaving a lasting impression on the film as a whole. It won't be winning any awards, and most viewers will be turned off by it, but Mojave is a fascinating thriller, and one I recommend if you go in with the right expectations.

This is the movie all Deadpool fans have been waiting for. Crude, rude, and anything but subdued, Deadpool at times plays too much like fan service than a movie, but what better character to finally get his moment in the spotlight.

Everyone, behind and in front of the camera, did a phenomenal job bringing the merc with a mouth to life. Tim Miller did a great job with Deadpool's origin, and the way it is handled is brilliant. Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool. He is perfect in the role, no one else could possibly play Deadpool. The cast around him is great as well, with Morena Baccarin playing a very believable love interest and T.J. Miller supplying some nice back-and-forth scenes. Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead are also great additions, and I hope more X-Men characters interact with Deadpool in the future.

As far as pure entertainment goes, this is as good as it can get. 90% of the jokes hit, and the ones that don't were in the trailer. The humor is raunchy and juvenile, working perfectly with the awesome action scenes. There are countless bad ass moments in this film, and the R rating allows them to have these moments. They don't abuse the R rating, but it serves it's purpose.

The only "flaw" I have with this film is at times it kind of gets lost in its fan service. There are a few scenes that are definitely funny, but serve no purpose but to please fans of the comics. I still enjoyed the moments as a fan of the character, and I get why they did it was to make sure hardcore Deadpool fans were satisfied after the long wait for their character to hit the big screen.

Overall, Deadpool gives its character the movie he deserves. It's consistently hilarious, and the action scenes will leave you with plenty to discuss with your buddies. It's more fan service than a complete film, but I am definitely OK with that.

You know you have just watched something special when you sit through the credits and don't want to leave when the lights go up. Steve Jobs is something special.

Steve Jobs stars Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels and Seth Rogan. It is directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin. Despite barring few resemblances to the actual man, Fassbender is award-worthy in his portrayal of Steve Jobs. Equally as impressive are Winslet and Rogan, who are perfect in their roles. Jeff Daniels absolutely steals the scenes he is in, crushing every line out of the park.

On a technical level, Steve Jobs is, quite frankly, perfect. Boyle maximizes the use of different mm and digital filmmaking, capturing the time they were in. The way certain scenes flow and flashbacks are smoothly inserted is masterful to watch. The man we have been counting down to, Aaron Sorkin, does not at all disappoint. Like The Social Network and Moneyball, Steve Jobs has the fast paced, engaging dialogue you would expect. But what is different about Steve Jobs is the emotional punch that it packs. Once again, Sorkin takes a character, makes him utterly dislikable and gets us to care about him on some level. The ending is truly beautiful and leaves you in awe.

What makes this film so special is that it is a mirror image of its real life subject. At times it is over the top, brash, aggravating, but undeniably genius and captivating. These were the characteristics of Steve Jobs the person, and this is perfectly translated into the film. I was engrossed for the entire running time, and wanted another hour or two when it ended.

Overall, Steve Jobs showcases some of its A-list cast's best work, while playing beautifully into its subjects personality. Boyle and Sorkin compliment each other to a perfect degree, and Steve Jobs might just be my favorite film this year. I hate perfect scores, but I'm not even hesitating with this one. I can't wait to watch this film again and again.

It seems every few years there is one movie that really hits the sweet spot for me. A film that's dialogue is every bit as engaging as an action sequence. Where the performances are down to earth and so brutally realistic you swear your watching something real. A film that makes you feel every emotion while staying perfectly in tone to what it is. The End of the Tour is one of those films.

The End of the Tour stars Jesse Eisenberg as reporter David Lipsky as he cover the final days of author David Foster Wallace's tour, played by Jason Segel. Eisenberg does exactly what we have come to expect from him. He owns his role and really connects with the audience through his character. But the star is Jason Segel. Talk about a career redefining performance. I could not see Jason Segel in this movie. I only saw his character. Even though this most likely won't happen, Segel definitely deserves some award nominations for this performance. The physiological battle him and Eisenberg have is untouched.

The script of this movie is one of the best we have had in recent memory. The End of the Tour is essentially a look into self doubt and existential hollowness. However, this film could not feel more alive. The dialogue is quick and witty at times, but it knows when to really dive into a certain topic and relate itself to everyone watching. I actually felt nervous and tense at certain points just because of the dialogue and how a character would respond. Truly a breathtaking script and one that undoubtedly will leave you thinking after the film ends.

What I find to be even more impressive about this film is the way it leaves you wanting to know everything about David Foster Wallace. He is a very brilliant and passionate writer, but as a person he is shy and in his words, "average." Watching his characters brain get picked on screen is extremely thought provoking and awe inspiring.

Overall, The End of the Tour is a perfectly written and expertly acted film that delves into many thought provoking ideas. This is truly one of the years most intriguing and best films, no matter if you have heard of the story or not. For me, despite the diversity of the two films, this and Mad Max are on another level this year. Definitely a must watch.

Got the chance to see Everest early in IMAX 3D. I'll start off by saying this, if you get the chance, definitely see this movie in IMAX. It adds to the experience and you feel like your on the mountain. That aside, let's dive into one of my most anticipated films of the year.

Everest is chalk full of star power. Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley, Jake Gyllenhaal, the list goes on. Everyone is believable in this hostile environment, going from optimistic and adventurous to mortified and forced to fight for their lives. Each character is given a back story, some more drawn out and centered than others, and you get attached to most but not all of them. When the emotional blows hit, they hit hard for some, but not as much for others.

The visuals are, as you might have guessed, stunning. The shots they get of climbers and the way the camera gives you an an idea of how dangerous this is are breath taking. The cinematography is definitely award worthy. IMAX only added to it, putting you in this environment and taking you along for the ride.

This film really did it for me because I have always been fascinated by Everest and the journey it is to make it up to the top and back. If there is a Netflix documentary about Everest, I've watched it. I even watched the one about the story told in this movie. What this film does so well is it immerses you into the environment as well as gives you characters to care about. It's all tied in well together.

At times, the pace is a bit slower than expected and the tones shifts from serious to light hearted are a bit messy. But that stuff doesn't bother you in the moment, your just wrapped up in the intensity of the story.

Overall, Everest gave me exactly what I wanted. It was intense, emotionally powerful, and the visuals were beautiful. It's not perfectly structured, but it sure is engaging. As someone who has studied the mountain, this offers a brutal look into how much time and energy is out into a trip to Everest, and how quickly things can go wrong. Definitely worth a trip to the theatre.

Slow West stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as a young Scottish boy who is traveling through the 1870's west in pursuit of the women he loves. Michael Fassbender plays an estranged outlaw who acts as s guide. Obviously Fassbender is incredible. His sense of mystery and confidence makes his character very intriguing and hard to look away from. But the surprise of the film is Smit-McPhee and his ability to go toe-to-toe with Fassbender. A breakout performance from a promising young star.

The first thing that jumps out at me about this film is the cinematography. Despite the setting being a raggedy, barren west, this is a beautiful looking film. Every scene is gorgeous western eye candy. That coupled with the slow-burn, unpredictable, surprising script that is full of dark humor. The humor is gritty and shocking, and it definitely added another layer to this film.

It's hard to believe this is director John Maclean's first film. He way he slowly reveals certain plot elements without losing interest is very well done. He also pulls off some beautiful symbolism that is both heartbreaking and grounded. I can't wait to see more from Maclean, because he is off to a fantastic start.

Slow West is definitely one of those films that you will either love and be able to appreciate as a throwback to old westerns, or a film that bores you and fails to hit home. I definitely love this film and deeply appreciate what it goes for and accomplishes.

Overall, Slow West moves at a gradual but intriguing pace, using beautiful cinematography and knock out performances to produce one of my favorite films of 2015 thus far. This movie definitely shocked me and I highly recommend you seek this film out and give it a watch.

Tomorrowland is directed by Brad Bird, one of my favorite directors working today. It also stars George Clooney, one of the best actors working today. And it is a Disney film, so what could possibly go wrong? Well, that's what this review is for.

My major issue with Tomorrowland is we don't spend much time at ALL actually on Tomorrowland. And when we finally get their, it's nothing like we saw in the trailers. If you've seen any trailer for this film, you have seen all of the cool parts of the place called "Tomorrowland". Instead we get non-stop pointless dialogue, exhilarating walking sequences, and even more mesmerizing monologues. I get this wasn't supposed to be an action movie, but come on. Give me something cool going down on Tomorrowland.

Another issue I have is the message of the film. It is the same message we have seen so many times before, the optimists versus the pessimists, but this time it is so ruthlessly beat over our heads I had to keep checking to see if my head was still attached. Brad Bird is an amazing director, but the dude was handed a boring and meandering script and got little opportunity to put his skills to use. Instead he is finding all the ways he can to tell is that dreamers are the key to our future. For 2 hours.

Now there are some redeeming qualities about Tomorrowland. Mainly the performance given by Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy. They both are trying really hard to not sound repetitive and clichéd despite the writing. Another positive is when Bird is actually given a chance to display his ability with visuals, they are amazing. This film is beautiful when it is trying to be.

Overall, Tomorrowland is a big disappointment considering the cast, director, and studio it is associated with. We spend to much time on earth explaining things, and an unoriginal message is beat into us constantly. While Tomorrowland isn't a bad movie, it's disappointing how mediocre it is.

Mad Max Fury Road is absolutely insane. Like, even if you go in expecting to have your head blown off, you will be surprised how forceful the decapitation process is. Wow! George Miller you guys. This man has recaptured the magic of Mad Max and given us an updated version of the story that topples all of its predecessors. The fact that most of the action was filmed using practical effects just blows my mind even further! How?!?!

Charlize Theron dominates her role as Furiosa. This is truly her movie, and she is amazing in it. But hey, the Max is back. Tom Hardy is perfect has the road warrior, dealing with horrors from his past and being dragged along for an insane car chase through the middle of a post apocalyptic wasteland. These two have great chemistry and work well off of one another.

The overall scope of this film is just incredible. While it seems like an empty, hallow world, there are so many regions and places you can travel. The world George Miller created is nasty, gritty, and just plain disgusting at times. I was so sucked in to the world and all the characters involved with it. I can't wait for more of these. I just wanna go back.

Overall, Mad Max Fury Road is a breathtaking experience, filled with amazing action sequences and some of the best looking visual effects I have ever seen. If any film in 2015 unseats Mad Max as my favorite film of the year, we are in for quite a year. Mad Max is incredible awesomeness.

While certain plot elements are rushed, Age of Ultron is an incredible theater experience and delivers some jaw dropping action scenes. The performances are all great, and James Spader gives us the best villain the MCU has had to date. The newcomers, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, are surprisingly fun and add a new layer to the film If your looking for a fun time and some insane fight scenes filled with the wit and charm you know from previous Marvel films, Age of Ultron is for you. It is the best MCU film we have gotten since Iron Man. Age of Ultron will not disappoint, especially for fans of the comics. If not, you at least get some sweet fight scenes.

Christopher Nolan is one of the most respected directors in the world today. He has directed two of my favorite movies of all time(Inception,The Dark Knight) and draws a crowd every time a movie has his name on it. Interstellar is a good movie. Is it great? No. Is it one of Nolan's best? Not even close. But this movie takes so many risks, and most of them pay off and are incredible. This movie is visually stunning, has great performances, and tells an entertaining story. But there are a lot of conveniences, and the story outreaches it's intellectual grasp. Overall, Interstellar is a great theater experience and should be viewed by everyone. But don't go in expecting everything to be perfect and mind-bending. It's just a good movie.

I know, I know, that score makes you want to hate on me already. First, let me say that I have read the book and really enjoyed it. It was thought provoking, emotionally engaging, and intelligent. Second, while I enjoyed the book, I am not passionate about it like some people are. So I went into the movie with a completely open mind, just wanting to experience the movie.

First, the positives. Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep are fantastic as expected. Both bring wonderful layers to their character. Also, the use of going from black and white to color was used real well to demonstrate what the characters see. The film looks good and is acted well.

Now my complaints. First of all, the setup of the supporting characters felt off to me. The society they live in have a certain set of rules that everyone follows because they were taught to their whole lives. But all the characters broke the rules multiple times in the beginning of the film. That takes you out of the overall feeling the movie is supposed to give you, the message it has to offer.

Next, while the book got you emotionally attached to Jonas and what is happening to him, the movie falls flat. Their are certain moments that have to have the audience fully involved emotionally, but just don't. That is a big negative unfortunately, because you want to care, but the film is too lazy setting you up for the emotional blow.

Finally, the pacing is way off. The middle part with Jonas coming to the realization of what is really going on, is rushed and he makes up his mind like that. That is the most important part of the movie, and sadly it is rushed. Then the movie slows down, and that leads to a VERY anti-climactic ending.

Overall, if you are a die hard fan of the book, then obviously you should see it. Who knows, I may be the only one who doesn't drink the coolade for this movie. But the tone and storytelling are to sloppy and the movie fails to get you emotionally attached. So the result is a mediocre film for me. I still recommend you see for yourself, but just ask yourself: Did I love the movie or did I want to love the movie because of the book?

Let me start off by saying that while I am not the biggest TMNT fan, I loved the TV show as a kid and still have good memories of the first live action movie. When I first saw pictures of the Turtles, I was worried. Why are they so huge? Are they trying to make them aliens? Then I heard not only is Micheal Bay producing, but Megan Fox is starring in it as April. So my expectations were very low to begin with. I was wrong about one thing; the Turtles. I bought the CGI, and their back and forth and chemistry was exactly what I wanted. That is the only positive for this movie. The human cast, led by Fox, is boring, goofy and like in Transformers movies, overly analyzed. The villain, Mecha-Shredder, has no personality or motivation for his evil. Also, the plot has some odd similarities to some other movies(The Amazing Spider-man!!!) and the action is not fun to look at. All in all, the kids will love it, but casual viewers and especially Turtles fans will be praying for it to end.

For starters, let me say that this is not a perfect movie. The first act is rushed, and the plot loosens as the movie progresses. But this is what comic book movies should be like. Fun, action-packed, and believable performances are what make this movie good. It is not trying to be The Dark Knight, which I enjoyed. There are a few darker moments, but the overall feel of the movie is light and fun. That tone is perfect for Spidey movies, and that is where I think Sam Raimi went wrong with his Spider-Man trilogy. He wanted to make a good film, not a good Spider-Man film. Mark Webb is making good Spider-Man films, so critics are not liking it because they view it the same as they would Shawshank Redemption. And fans aren't on board because they want all superhero movies to be "darker". Ask Man Of Steel how that worked out. So just sit back and enjoy a fun ride with beautiful visuals and outstanding acting.

Didn't see that one coming. World War Z combines a great performance from Brad Pitt with great visuals and a, wait for it, realistic premise. The plot is pretty simple, find out where the zombies came from so we can kill them. But the twists this movie takes are intense and gripping. The overall tone of the movie is realistically tense. Don't go in looking for a gore fest. We are treated to a original story with a good script. Was the supporting cast great? No, but who does look good in the same scene with Mr.Pitt. But they are good enough to make you believe their characters roles. Overall this movie is a pleasant surprise, and is a great zombie flick.

Now You See Me is purely fluff entertainment. The plot is so messy, they use the magic to hide the fact that their is no substance to their story. I did enjoy the performances, they were the enjoyable part of the movie. But the writers got so lazy, every time there was a hole in the plot, a magic trick was used to try to cover it up. Not to mention the ending, oh gosh the ending. But all in all, you can have some fun with this movie. Just shut your brain off and don't let the following thoughts enter your mind: Wait, is that possible? Who am I rooting for again? Why is he helping them? Is this magic or CGI? If you can do that, this movie can be fun.