Maleficent- review

Much like The True Story of The Three Little Pigs, Maleficent tells the story of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the villain.  The acting in Maleficent is genuine but there are a lot of aspects to this film that make this a fairly unlikable movie. The effects are decent but the story is mediocre. Maleficent banks a lot on Angelina Jolie’s talent though it is debatable if that is enough to carry the weight of the movie.

Maleficent begins with a young fairy with the unfortunate name of Maleficent. As she grows into a young women she falls in love with a young man named Stefan. After learning that the king will succeed his crown to the person responsible for defeating Maleficent, Stefan cuts off her wings. This creates a longstanding hatred of Stefan, which eventually leads to the events of Sleeping Beauty, with some major changes.

One big question that I had from the beginning of this story: Who was the jerk that named the good fairy Maleficent? It means harmful or evil in intent or effect. That is like naming your newborn baby Evil Satan Von Hitlerton. I don’t usually have problems with stories like these altering things to make things different and original. The problem in this case is that the creators made odd choices. For example, the three fairies that raise Aurora are painfully stupid. So much so that they nearly kill Aurora a couple of times until the villain, Maleficent, saves her.

Angelina Jolie does a great job. She just can’t be expected to carry the whole film alone. I found myself not caring; not even about Sharlto Copley or Elle Fanning who were at least trying. I think the big reason that I found myself not caring is that the protagonist is almost invincible. Even without her wings she has a wealth of magic at her disposal; she is strong; she heals rapidly and even can change her raven friend into any conceivable creature. The CGI is well developed for the most part except for when it came to the three fairies, which looked crude and cartoonish. 

I can’t say I enjoyed this movie. Still, it is not badly made.  They even seem to use a similar idea as the ending from Frozen. There are interesting scenes that people will enjoy. If you are a big fantasy fan or you have little kids you might enjoy it. Personally though, it was not to my taste and I can’t recommend it to folks beyond seeing it at a matinee if you a curious. It just did not seem like a movie that seemed worth waking up for.

X-Men: Days of Future Past – review

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the sequel to both X-Men the Last Stand as well as X-Men: The First Class. It bridges the gaps well between the young and old cast and makes a pretty exciting story.  The acting is really top notch. The story is gripping and the characters feel rich and developed.  The effects are exciting and have an almost gruesome element to them, which makes for a very entertaining film.

The future is bleak for both humans and mutants. Relentless giant robots called Sentinels have hunted mutants to near extinction.  A small group of mutants lead by Magneto, played by Ian McKellen, and Charles Xavier, played by Patrick Stewart, devise a plan to send the consciousness of Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, back into his past self. There he will attempt to stop the events from occurring that will cause this horrible future.

The cast does a great job with the material. Jennifer Lawrence gives a solid performance as Mystique. Michael Fassbender as Magneto is also very entertaining. James McAvoy is the one who really knocks it out of the park though. His portrayal of young Charles Xavier battling a drug addiction and fear of his powers is incredibly powerful and moving.  Another performance of note was Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff.  It was a very nuanced and amusing way to portray the character of Quicksilver.

The effects are gratifying since they switch from the dystopian future to the 1970s past and the camera work seems to reflect this. In the future the camera captures darkness and shadow nearly constantly, while the 1970s scenes simulate the look of being filmed with the grainy style of a 1970s camera.  In this case, the contrast works well.  The movie has a much darker tone then any of the other films so the ante has to be raised to some degree.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is a damn satisfying movie. It has some silly moments such as the distractingly bad hair they gave Peter Dinklage, or how supposedly JFK was a mutant. At the end of the day though, it is an X-Men movie; it’s going to be a little silly.  The movie is still worth seeing in the theater, especially if you were a fan of any of the past films. Just be sure to stay through the end of the credits.

Godzilla (2014) – review

Godzilla is the latest attempt to reboot the film franchise. In many ways it succeeds in capturing the mood and essence of the original film. The effects are great and the monsters seem to have a personality all their own, much like the director Gareth Edward’s previous work Monsters. The acting ranges from good to excellent with the gallery of characters. The story itself is really entertaining, though I can see why it might be polarizing to some people.

The movie begins by showing an accident that occurred involving the characters at a nuclear power plant in 1999. Joe Brody, played by Bryan Cranston, lost his wife in the accident and is still looking for answers 15 years later. He discovers that recent signs are pointing to another devastating event. He brings his son Ford, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, to a quarantined zone to investigate. What are these mysterious people hiding from Joe and Ford? Will it spell doom for a great many people?

The acting in the movie is pretty good for the most part. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is unfortunately pretty wooden considering the horrors that he is witnessing. Elizabeth Olsen does a fine job as Ford’s wife Elle, but it is not her most remarkable performance to date. Ken Watanabe is pretty solid and shows a great amount of awe and reverence for the creatures he is witnessing. The person who knocks it out of the park is Bryan Cranston. He really sells the fact that he is a desperate man looking for answers and has been plagued with guilt over the death of his wife for over 15 years.

The effects are fantastic. The MUTO creatures and Godzilla all seem to possess a great range of personality. When the villainous MUTO lose their eggs I felt sorry for them. The development of the visual and audio effects of the creatures came together perfectly to give the viewer an emotional attachment to them. Godzilla does not get a ton of screen time; when he does appear he owns your attention. His presence and roar are enough to give you goose bumps. When he breathed his nuclear fire it reminded me of seeing one of my first kaiju movies as a kid.

The story itself is reminiscent of the original story in that it is a cautionary tale. Where the original foretold of the dangers of nuclear weapons, this is more about the balance of nature and who is really in control. The monsters take away power, cause tidal waves, earthquakes, and even cause sinkholes. They are grim reminders that we are not fully in control of our world and that the powers of nature are bigger than us. Godzilla does not play the biggest role compared to the humans, or even the MUTO for that matter. However, looking back on the original film Godzilla was not the main focus in that film either.

Godzilla is a really entertaining movie. The few flaws I mentioned should not deter anyone from seeing it. The visuals are stunning and the story is really gripping. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the series or anyone who has never seen a Godzilla film and might like to try one. When it comes right down to it, Godzilla shows that he is still the King of Monsters.

The Top 10 Giant Movie Monsters

When you want big action you can’t get much larger than giant monster movies.  We love these movies because threat is often intensified and people need to find unique ways of overcome colossal odds. Some are misunderstood creatures, others are just creatures out of their element; regardless, they are dangerous.  With that being said, here are the creatures that bring the “badness” to the cinema in the biggest way.

10. The Kaiju –Pacific Rim

The Kaiju are aliens that managed to come to our world through cracks in the ocean.  While there are different varieties of Kaiju, humans developed giant robots called Jaegers to defend against them.  Pacific Rim showcases great scenes of cheesy dialogue and incredible effects as giant monsters and giant robots duke it out. The monster design is very impressive. It is the perfect cinematic eye-candy to enjoy without having to think too deeply.

9. The Kraken- Clash of the Titans (1981)

The Kraken is the mythical creature that is near unstoppable.  Only with the head of Medusa can the hero Perseus stop the Kraken from killing the Princess Andromeda or destroying the city of Joppa. The Kraken was one of the many bits of stop-motion created by the genius Ray Harryhausen.  His care and skill gave the illusion of life and personality to each of his inanimate figures. The Kraken is an impressive beast with multiple arms, which had to be a challenge to animate. It is a great display of story and animation.

8. The Aliens- Monsters

Giant tentacled aliens that inhabit sections of Mexico are leaving entire areas quarantined zoned. Two young people attempt to travel though the restricted zone and slowly come across the creatures that they have only heard stories about.  They soon discover that these creatures are not nearly the dumb monsters that the stories report but are fascinated by electric light and actually show signs of tenderness with one another. The film is a lovely story and is worth watching for beautiful imagery and scenes that will leave you talking long after the film is over.

7. The Creature- The Host (2006)

A South Korean film about a large mutated fish-like creature that leaps out of the Han River and takes a man’s young daughter.  The movie follows his family as they search the sewers for their missing kin.  The story faces elements of redemption and courage. The whole family must overcome their weaknesses in order to fight this very literal monster.  The effects are great, the story is well done, and the actors do a great job making this situation seem plausible.  

6. Cloverfield- Cloverfield

As a monster, Cloverfield is like watching a wild elephant running amok. The movie shows that the creature is immense in size, incredibly strong, and apparently covered in tiny creatures (which sometimes seem worse than Cloverfield itself). It is capable of tearing the head off the statue of liberty and hurling it like a baseball across New York. The movie as a whole is interesting as far as P.O.V movies go. It is fairly clever and has wit and is very entertaining.  Sure there are a few cheesy scenes, but it is a movie about a giant monster roaming around New York.  What do you really expect?

5. The Ants- Them!

The 1950s were a time when the fear of radiation was at its peak. Them! was the first of the giant insect movies. Atomic test sites yield giant ants which cause a great deal of trouble for the military as they not only have to take out the nest but find the queens and her hatchlings which can fly. The movie is fun and goofy and is still a cautionary tale of the dangers of the atomic age. It is a corny movie by today’s standards but looking at it for what it was in 1954, you can see how this movie became nominated for an Oscar for its special effects.

4. The T-Rex- Jurassic Park

The T-Rex from Jurassic Park was what stole the show in that movie. Every scene, every roar, was like watching something real. The movie itself is a bit goofy today, however the effects still stand up.  The story of nature not being controlled and not fitting in our world still works (especially as the science of DNA has advanced over the years).  The T-Rex may not have the brains of the velociraptors but it wins by being a huge killing machine.

3. The Graboids- Tremors

In Tremors a Southern town is attacked by colossal worms that kill just about anything they can swallow. The town is filled with many colorful characters and a great deal of the fun and drama comes from seeing how they cope with these bizarre creatures.  The Graboids sense the tremors on the surface but are otherwise blind. They have four large anaconda-like tongues that they use to grab ahold of things and drag things into their gaping maw.  The movie has good effects, fun humor and Kevin Bacon hamming it up. What is not to like?

2. Godzilla- Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla, or Gojira in Japan, was a symbol for the nuclear holocaust. He was unstoppable by conventional weapons, he breathes nuclear flames, and he brings destruction wherever he goes.  Over the years Godzilla would fight a great many monsters as a good guy and a bad guy. In the beginning though, he was used as a destroyer and as a warning that development of destructive weapons will lead to greater suffering and death.  The movie is haunting and also very somber.  This is a very well made and still holds up as a classic of the monster movie genre.

1. King Kong- King Kong (1933)

 King Kong not only is one of the greatest monster movies, it might also be one of the best classic movies. King Kong is a giant ape that fell in love with a blonde woman, played by Fay Wray. Kong is kidnapped and taken to New York where he escapes and climbs the Empire State Building.  The story of beauty and the beast is as classic and as old as the icons, which the film is famous for. This film changed the way movies were made buy showing that advanced techniques could be successful. The film was partially filmed using projected screens behind the live actors and other times scenes were made by building elaborate sets. Many different methods of filmmaking came together to bring this story to life in 1933 and it remains impressive today. It is evident when watching Kong observe humans and after his fight scenes the work the filmmakers put into making him seem very emotional expressions.

A couple of honorable mentions would be to both versions of The Blob films. Giant monsters have been around since the first days of film. They will continue to be there rather it be stop-motion or CGI. They are fun to see in the wake of their destructive force. They can be cathartic in nature making us look inward at ourselves.  Take a chance and see if there are any that you like. Hopefully you will be in for a giant surprise.

The Top Ten Movies to Watch With Your Mother This Mother’s Day.

Grab your Hallmark cards and call the florist to put together a sweet bouquet because, once again, another Mother’s Day is upon us.  While some might look at this day as just an excuse from the greeting card company to sell more cards, you can also use it as an excuse to watch some fun movies. There are movies for just about every mood and every genre. Call your mother or just sit back and relax for a Mother’s Day movie night in spirit. You will be certain to enjoy at least one of these classics:

10. Psycho- Norman Bates runs a motel with his mother. Norman is a dedicated and devoted son; the problem is that his mother has been dead for years and he has mummified her corpse. Norman has regular conversations with his mother which makes for a shocking discovery to find out she’s been dead for years. He suffers from multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia that causes him to dress like his mother and murder in a fashion he thinks she would. It’s a classic Alfred Hitchcock horror story and filmed incredibly well. This is a film that shows a lot skill in character, music cues, and exposition. It is also arguably one of the first slasher movies so it holds a prestigious place in horror history as well as Mother’s Day classic.

9. Throw Momma From the Train- A writer named Larry who is suffering from writer’s block and a terrible ex-wife, meets a strange man named Owen in a writing class.  Owen has a comically abusive mother. After seeing the movie Stranger’s on a Train, Owen and Larry decide to murder for one another.  Owen will kill Larry’s wife and Larry will kill Owen’s mother. Of course the problem is that Owen’s mother is not exactly easy to put down. Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito have a really wonderful chemistry. It’s a very dark comedy and worth seeing.

8. Terms of Endearment- Grab the tissues because you will need them after this movie. In a nutshell, the movie is about the relationship between a mother and daughter as the daughter goes through ups and downs in her life.  Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson bring great performances.  It covers a lot of life subjects and does so in a very authentic way- subjects like cheating, cancer, death, aging, and so much more. Aurora and Emma’s trials and tribulations are addressed and shown with the dignity and respect they deserve.

7. Changeling- Angelina Jolie stars in this Clint Eastwood directed film inspired by real events in 1928. A boy is kidnapped from a single mother, played by Angelina Jolie.  The son is eventually returned but it is soon discovered that he is an imposter. When she tells the authorities she knows the boy is not her son they put her in the psychopathic ward of a mental institute.  Eventually, she fights to figure out what became of her son. The atmosphere is appropriate for the time period going right into the Depression era imagery. Angelina Jolie brings a very vulnerable performance that works with the desperate tone of the film. It’s an impressive story of struggle and vindication.

6. We Need to Talk About Kevin- This movie follows Tilda Swinton as a mother of a boy who goes on a killing spree that ends in a school massacre.  It shows flashbacks of the mother, Eva, raising the baby, Kevin.  Eva has very little emotional connection to Kevin. Kevin shows many signs of sociopathic behavior but no one sees him for what he is except his mother.  Eva tries to convince her husband to see Kevin for the monster that he is, but her attempts fail and her distrust creates a rift in her marriage. Eventually Kevin kills a great many people.  Eva is hated by many of the families in her town and she is confused as to where she went wrong with her son.  All the while she still attempts to show him affection and understand him despite his horrible actions.  It is a fascinating and terrifying story.

5. Mother’s Day- This is the 2010 remake of the 1980 film of the same name. A group of criminals invade the home of a suburban family that is having a party. While looking for money that is supposed to be hidden in the home, the leader and mother of the invaders, played by Rebecca De Mornay, arrives.   She steals the show by playing a mix of sweet, reasonable, deadly, and manipulative. There are elements that border on torture porn. For example, poring boiling water into a man’s ears. The dynamic characters make an otherwise dull concept and turn it into creepy thriller.

4. Mommie Dearest- The story of Joan Crawford’s (played by Faye Dunaway) journey through motherhood. Told from the point of view of Joan’s daughter Christina Crawford, we see that Joan Crawford was very emotionally unstable and very controlling.  The acting is fantastic and because of it, the movie is very quotable. Most people remember the infamous “no more wire hangers” scene where Faye Dunaway beats her daughter with a wire hanger. This is a fascinating dark drama that reveals the underbelly of a Hollywood legend.

3. The Kids Are Alright- Motherhood from the point of view of a lesbian couple. One of their two kids begins looking for their biological father and is eventually contacted by him. The family gets thrown into turmoil as this new element is added to the mix.  Annette Bening is fantastic in her role.  She is believable in all her vulnerability and her anger at the situations that arise from the new interloper coming into her family. The Kids Are Alright address situations that are not commonly seen in movies, such as the positive portrayal of gay parenting. This movie confronts realistic conflicts that would occur in a modern household rather than creating an over-the-top, stereotypical portrayal of gay parents: the son wondering why the moms are watching gay porn; the morality of Julianne Moore’s character cheating on Annette Bening with the children’s biological father; the controversy Moore’s character causes by having sex with a man.

2. Serial Mom- A typical suburban housewife, played by Kathleen Turner, who just happens to be serial killer. In this dark comedy by John Waters there are loads of great jokes, gore, and many other jabs at suburban normality that we have come to expect from Waters. For example, after her daughter is stood up for a date she finds the boy at a swap meet and murders him with a fire poker. If your mother is not opposed to some light gore then this might be a perfect one to watch with her on Mother’s Day.

1. Brave- Pixar’s Brave is not only a visually lovely movie but also an overall incredible story.  Princess Merida and Queen Elinor have a struggling relationship. After a bit of magic from a bizarre witch, the Queen is turned into a bear. In order to restore things back to normal, they need to overcome their differences and learn to see things from the other’s point of view. Such things include having the Princess learn to use diplomacy and the Queen learning how to hunt.  They manage to find a way to mend their relationship and grow from the experience. It is a very sweet and lovely movie, perfect to deepen the bond between you and your mother.

These movies are all just ideas to uphold the spirit of Mother’s Day. If you really would like to make the Mother’s Day special, make sure to invite your mother to watch these gems with you. If nothing else, they will at least spark some interesting conversations between the two of you. Just remember that some of the movies require your mother to have a sense of humor or a love of the bizarre and horrifying.  Whatever movie you decide to watch, be sure to appreciate your mother and have a safe and lovely Mother’s Day.

Oculus – review

Oculus is a horror film directed by Mike Flanagan who directed the impressive Absentia.  While the script is a bit weak at times, the story is fascinating and makes a very fun ghost story. The acting is also done really well considering the somewhat mediocre script. The editing must have been a daunting task, given the constant back and forth in the storyline between the past and present.

Eleven years after the murder of her mother and father, Kaylie, played by Karen Gillian, seeks out to prove that the mirror in her house was haunted. Kaylie is sure the mirror possessed her parents and drove them to kill one another.  Her brother Tim, played by Brenton Thwaites, meets with her in their old house to help confirm her claims. Between memories of their childhood prior to their parents’ demise and the illusions the mirror entraps them in, Kaylie and Tim begin an uphill battle in order to destroy this mirror.

The acting in this movie is genuine. Rory Cochran and Katee Sackhoff do a great job playing parents who are slowing driven insane from the mirror (much like Gollum with the ring of power).   The effects are dynamic, creating genuinely creepy moments.  The mirror has the ability to absorb energy from living victims, conjure ghosts, and induce haunting illusions, which makes a really fun concept.   

The weakest part of the movie is that the script was written with some clumsy dialogue. During the first scene that Kaylie and Tim share, their expository dialogue comes off forced and unnatural. Once things in the plot begin to pickup, the dialogue reaches a good stride and becomes really interesting.

Oculus is a good film. If you are a horror fan it is certainly worth a rental or a matinee. Oculus is a fun movie acted by believable actors. The movie shows quite a bit of skill and conceptually it is very clever. Oculus is enjoyable and will make even the more hardened horror fan squirm in their seat.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Review

The Avengers and Captain America: The First Avenger gave us a taste of the patriotic superhero of Marvel comics past and his fish-out-of-water story.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier takes that story and expands it in a clever new direction.  Changing from a rough and tumble story of action to a story of espionage.

After the events of The Avengers film Captain America, played by Chris Evans, is still doing missions for S.H.E.I.L.D.  Not happy with the secrets that the government keeps from the solders in field, Captain America finds that Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, and Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, are compartmentalizing missions of S.H.E.I.L.D. and keeping vital information from other members of the team. After a mysterious assailant attacks Nick Fury for a USB drive retrieved during a recent mission, Captain America must uncover a massive conspiracy within the military organization.

The acting is great.  Chris Evans is still a believable hero and his chemistry with Scarlett Johansson is really fun to watch. Anthony Mackie as the Falcon is a welcome addition.  He seems like a natural extension for the Captain America character.  Even Samuel L. Jackson brings his A-game and gives his usual passive character a more heroic face and adds a great deal to the action.

The story is really fascinating. Going into a story of deception, betrayal, espionage, and action. It is a fascinating and dark follow up. With so many twists and turns you won’t know which character in the movie to trust. For this reason, seeing the first film is beneficial. However, this new film does a nice job of reminding the audience of important characters from the previous film.  

If you are a fan of superhero movies this is certainly a good one to watch.  It takes a concept well beyond the origin story and gives audiences a truly fun and original take on government and freedom vs. security.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier is certainly worth seeing in theaters. Just remember to stay after the credits, as there are scenes that hint at the Avengers: Age of Ultron.