Plot Summary:
Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of SHIELD recruits Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to save the world from the disaster of Loki (Tom Hiddleston).
The Positives:
The Avengers has been in the works ever since 2008's Iron Man. Every Marvel film after that movie has teased plot details for this movie since. Does all of those small teasers and end credit scenes ultimately pay off? My answer is yes, and it does so in a very satisfying way.
One strength this film has that recent Marvel films have is its excellent casting. Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth all return to their characters in wonderful fashion and it's no wonder why Marvel chose these actors to choose them. However, the best performance here is Mark Ruffalo's portrayal of the Hulk. He explodes whenever he's on screen, and it was made obvious to me that this is the best on-screen portrayal of the Hulk. I highly anticipate Ruffalo's stand-alone Hulk film. Renner, Johansson, Hiddleston, and Jackson all give great performances as well.
The writing here is very well done here too. Writer and director Joss Whedon is known for making fantastic ensemble films and shows and it is evident here. All of the characters get a good amount of screen time and are developed wonderfully. I also love the fights between the heroes when the team is forming up. It shows that these superheroes can be human too, and starting up a team can be a hard process. I also enjoyed the well-placed humor this film offers, it uses its humor effectively and doesn't overshadow the film with it.
Most people will say that the action scenes are reminiscent of a Michael Bay film. While they have a lot of explosions and violence similar to Bay's films, the difference is that we care about these characters. The action scenes are very well done and will keep you entertained every time they happen on-screen. The visual effects in this scenes are also fantastic, possibly one of Marvel's better attempts at visual effects.
One thing I can commend on is its pacing. The film is two and a half hours long, and it doesn't feel like it at all. The pacing is very fast, and it feels like you've only been in there for 90 minutes. A lot of recent epics have difficulty doing this, but The Avengers does a great job with its pacing.
The Negatives:
While this film is a great summer blockbuster, it isn't perfect. One issue I had with it was while most of the characters get a lot of depth and screen time, I feel that Jeremy Renner's character gets the least amount of time and depth. I was curious to learn more about this character, but the writing prevented the audience from doing so.
Another issue I had was the fact that the visual effects and the action sequences ultimately overshadow the plot. I feel that at points, Whedon focused more on the action scenes than the characters. This only happens a few times in the film though, so it's not a big concern.
Conclusion:
While it's not Marvel's best film, The Avengers is a very well-made and entertaining summer blockbuster. With its dazzling visual effects, smart script, and fantastic performances, the summer movie season couldn't have started in a more satisfying way.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Five-Year Engagement Review
Plot Summary:
After dating a year, Tom (Jason Segel) proposes to his girlfriend Violet (Emily Blunt). However, unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
The Positives:
I tend to enjoy the comedic writing team of Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller. I have enjoyed their previous films: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek and The Muppets. Although I believe this is their weakest effort as a team, the film has some positives.
For starters, I really enjoyed the casting. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are great in their respective roles as the engaged couple who encounters many problems. Their performances seemed very natural for the situations they go through. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast: Rhys Ifans, Kevin Hart, Chris Pratt, etc. However, Brian Posehn provides the best lines in the movie.
One thing Stoller and Segel tend to write well is the comedic situations they go through. The one-liners for the most part are very hilarious. The physical comedy is what makes the film really work for me, this type of humor really works for the film. I enjoyed the stupid comedic portions of the film.
I also really enjoyed the chemistry between Jason Segel and Emily Blunt here. They act like a real couple based on the situations they encounter. They also poke fun at each other when encountering humorous situations.
The Negatives:
For starters, I can easily say I did not care for a single character this entire film. I felt all of the characters were stupid and extremely self-centered. I wanted to like each character, but their flaws made them unredeemable. They could've further developed the characters to make them redeemable, but the writers choose not to for some reason. As a result, I could not care for any of the characters.
Also, the film tries to go through the realistic and dark route at times. While it is ambitious, I felt it was very unnecessary and not needed for this type of film. Earlier in my review, I praised the realistic chemistry between Blunt and Segel. A flaw this film has is the fact it focuses too much on them bickering, fighting and acting strange to themselves and other people. While this stuff is realistic, it made the film less entertaining for me and I felt they should have worked the comedy around the situations, rather than keeping them separate.
Another flaw this film has is that it feels 30 minutes too long. When the film feels like it is over, it creates a new situation and makes you feel bored. Comedies have a certain time limit, and when they get too long, it loses its touch. I wish the ending ended a little faster than it did.
Conclusion:
The Five-Year Engagement has great comedic moments, strong casting and wonderful chemistry between Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. However, it suffers from unlikeable characters, unnecessary dark subplots, and an overlong runtime. The film itself is okay, but this is easily the weakest effort from the writing team of Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel.
Rating: 6 out of 10
After dating a year, Tom (Jason Segel) proposes to his girlfriend Violet (Emily Blunt). However, unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
The Positives:
I tend to enjoy the comedic writing team of Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller. I have enjoyed their previous films: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek and The Muppets. Although I believe this is their weakest effort as a team, the film has some positives.
For starters, I really enjoyed the casting. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are great in their respective roles as the engaged couple who encounters many problems. Their performances seemed very natural for the situations they go through. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast: Rhys Ifans, Kevin Hart, Chris Pratt, etc. However, Brian Posehn provides the best lines in the movie.
One thing Stoller and Segel tend to write well is the comedic situations they go through. The one-liners for the most part are very hilarious. The physical comedy is what makes the film really work for me, this type of humor really works for the film. I enjoyed the stupid comedic portions of the film.
I also really enjoyed the chemistry between Jason Segel and Emily Blunt here. They act like a real couple based on the situations they encounter. They also poke fun at each other when encountering humorous situations.
The Negatives:
For starters, I can easily say I did not care for a single character this entire film. I felt all of the characters were stupid and extremely self-centered. I wanted to like each character, but their flaws made them unredeemable. They could've further developed the characters to make them redeemable, but the writers choose not to for some reason. As a result, I could not care for any of the characters.
Also, the film tries to go through the realistic and dark route at times. While it is ambitious, I felt it was very unnecessary and not needed for this type of film. Earlier in my review, I praised the realistic chemistry between Blunt and Segel. A flaw this film has is the fact it focuses too much on them bickering, fighting and acting strange to themselves and other people. While this stuff is realistic, it made the film less entertaining for me and I felt they should have worked the comedy around the situations, rather than keeping them separate.
Another flaw this film has is that it feels 30 minutes too long. When the film feels like it is over, it creates a new situation and makes you feel bored. Comedies have a certain time limit, and when they get too long, it loses its touch. I wish the ending ended a little faster than it did.
Conclusion:
The Five-Year Engagement has great comedic moments, strong casting and wonderful chemistry between Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. However, it suffers from unlikeable characters, unnecessary dark subplots, and an overlong runtime. The film itself is okay, but this is easily the weakest effort from the writing team of Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Saturday, April 28, 2012
American Reunion Review
Plot Summary:
This film follows Jim (Jason Biggs), Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), Stifler (Seann William Scott), and their friends returning to East Great Falls for their high school reunion.
The Positives:
As a fan of the original American Pie series, it was very pleasing to see the original characters back in action after 9 years since the last movie. It is very welcoming to see these characters back in original form, although they are older now, their personalities have not changed a bit. While the outside world has changed for them, these characters we have grown and loved continue to be the same, and that is a relieving and satisfying thing that the writers have done.
The film relies on the old jokes from the past films to keep the humor going. But there are moments where there is something gross-out or raunchy that the other films did not attempt before. Moments like these keep the humor going very well in this film.
This film also does not focus on just one character. It focuses on all of them, it gives each person a moment to shine. As a result, we root for these characters that we have grown to love to succeed in the end. The new characters and cameos also help the humor and make the film a little more fun for the fans.
The story itself is a very fitting and touching one for the fans. As we continue to watch these characters all grown up trying to solve problems, we are instantly touched by them. The characters are also given a lot of development, which makes it more heartfelt and touching to the audience. The writers did a very good job at giving the characters justice for the audience.
The Negatives:
While I enjoyed this film for the most part, there were a few slight flaws with it. The film had some slow pacing at parts, which made the film feel longer than it needed to be. A comedy feeling overlong isn't normally a good sign. However, seeing these characters back in action really helped keep the film entertaining, so it's a minor flaw.
While this film relies on old humor fans would enjoy and some funny new ones, there are some jokes that fall flat. The film is very funny, but some of the jokes could've added a little zing to the scenes that they were used in.
Conclusion:
American Reunion is definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the original series. It's funny, heartfelt and touching. And it's wonderful to see these characters back in action. I personally hope they make another film in the series, although it's highly unlikely. Still a good, fun comedy to check out.
Rating: 8 out of 10
This film follows Jim (Jason Biggs), Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), Stifler (Seann William Scott), and their friends returning to East Great Falls for their high school reunion.
The Positives:
As a fan of the original American Pie series, it was very pleasing to see the original characters back in action after 9 years since the last movie. It is very welcoming to see these characters back in original form, although they are older now, their personalities have not changed a bit. While the outside world has changed for them, these characters we have grown and loved continue to be the same, and that is a relieving and satisfying thing that the writers have done.
The film relies on the old jokes from the past films to keep the humor going. But there are moments where there is something gross-out or raunchy that the other films did not attempt before. Moments like these keep the humor going very well in this film.
This film also does not focus on just one character. It focuses on all of them, it gives each person a moment to shine. As a result, we root for these characters that we have grown to love to succeed in the end. The new characters and cameos also help the humor and make the film a little more fun for the fans.
The story itself is a very fitting and touching one for the fans. As we continue to watch these characters all grown up trying to solve problems, we are instantly touched by them. The characters are also given a lot of development, which makes it more heartfelt and touching to the audience. The writers did a very good job at giving the characters justice for the audience.
The Negatives:
While I enjoyed this film for the most part, there were a few slight flaws with it. The film had some slow pacing at parts, which made the film feel longer than it needed to be. A comedy feeling overlong isn't normally a good sign. However, seeing these characters back in action really helped keep the film entertaining, so it's a minor flaw.
While this film relies on old humor fans would enjoy and some funny new ones, there are some jokes that fall flat. The film is very funny, but some of the jokes could've added a little zing to the scenes that they were used in.
Conclusion:
American Reunion is definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the original series. It's funny, heartfelt and touching. And it's wonderful to see these characters back in action. I personally hope they make another film in the series, although it's highly unlikely. Still a good, fun comedy to check out.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Cabin In The Woods Review
Plot Summary:
Five friends spend a weekend at a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen, and together they must discover the secret behind the cabin in the woods.
The Positives:
If any of you remember my Top Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2012 list, this film was #9 on the list. The film is written and produced by the legendary Joss Whedon and directed by Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard. The film is supposed to take a tongue-in-cheek approach on horror films and has been hyped up for a long time. And man, this film was worth the hype.
I am going to try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, so nothing is ruined when you see this film. The less you know about this film, the better experience you will have with it. Whedon and Goddard's script takes an ordinary horror premise, adds some twists and turns, sprinkles some humor along the way, and creates one of the most well-done horror visions in years. This is a horror film for the more intelligent crowd, one who expects something different instead of boring cliches.
The cast here is excellent for what they do here. Chris Hemsworth plays the manly jock Curt with fun charisma and a strong macho personality. Fran Kranz steals the show as the stoner Marty, he provides the funniest lines in the film as well. The rest of the cast is brilliant as well. They do a great job at making the audience care for each of their characters, something most horror flicks lack nowadays.
I'm just going to say how much I loved this film. They start off with a simple premise. In the middle, things get crazy and weird. By the end, this film is purely genius! They set each tone of the film brilliantly and make sure to poke fun at horror fans all the way through.
The Negatives:
Nothing I can think of. This film does its job successfully and flawlessly.
Conclusion:
See this film in theaters as soon as possible! The Cabin In The Woods is a funny, smart, suspenseful, and scary horror film that creates a new path for future horror films. Whedon and Goddard have created a masterpiece here, and give it a few years before it will be considered a cult classic.
Rating: 10 out of 10
Five friends spend a weekend at a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen, and together they must discover the secret behind the cabin in the woods.
The Positives:
If any of you remember my Top Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2012 list, this film was #9 on the list. The film is written and produced by the legendary Joss Whedon and directed by Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard. The film is supposed to take a tongue-in-cheek approach on horror films and has been hyped up for a long time. And man, this film was worth the hype.
I am going to try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, so nothing is ruined when you see this film. The less you know about this film, the better experience you will have with it. Whedon and Goddard's script takes an ordinary horror premise, adds some twists and turns, sprinkles some humor along the way, and creates one of the most well-done horror visions in years. This is a horror film for the more intelligent crowd, one who expects something different instead of boring cliches.
The cast here is excellent for what they do here. Chris Hemsworth plays the manly jock Curt with fun charisma and a strong macho personality. Fran Kranz steals the show as the stoner Marty, he provides the funniest lines in the film as well. The rest of the cast is brilliant as well. They do a great job at making the audience care for each of their characters, something most horror flicks lack nowadays.
I'm just going to say how much I loved this film. They start off with a simple premise. In the middle, things get crazy and weird. By the end, this film is purely genius! They set each tone of the film brilliantly and make sure to poke fun at horror fans all the way through.
The Negatives:
Nothing I can think of. This film does its job successfully and flawlessly.
Conclusion:
See this film in theaters as soon as possible! The Cabin In The Woods is a funny, smart, suspenseful, and scary horror film that creates a new path for future horror films. Whedon and Goddard have created a masterpiece here, and give it a few years before it will be considered a cult classic.
Rating: 10 out of 10
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Hunger Games Review
Plot Summary:
In the future, the Capitol selects two tributes from each district to a fight to the death on live television. On District 12, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the deathmatch. She and her male counterpart, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), will face bigger, stronger representatives from other districts that have trained for this their whole lives. Based on the books by Suzanne Collins.
The Positives:
I'll start with my review saying I have never read the original source material for this. I planned to before seeing the movie, but I never got around to it due to schoolwork and similar things. However, seeing this movie makes me want to read the books right away! I loved the concept, the characters, and the events taken place in this film. It's a world I've never been to before, but I want to explore more of.
What really strengthens this film is the casting and the performances. Jennifer Lawrence is great as Katniss Everdeen. She plays a role similar to her role in Winter's Bone, but it is given a lot more personality and emotion which makes her character more interesting. Josh Hutcherson may have finally found his breakout role as Peeta, he really delivers here. It shows how hard he has worked over the years, and finally gets a huge breakout role like this. I see him and Lawrence getting more roles because of this film, and they truly deserve to. The supporting cast is colorful and wonderful in their respective performances: In particular, I really enjoyed Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks's performances here.
I was also satisfied with the direction style they went with for this film. This is Gary Ross's first film in nine years, and it is a pleasure to see him return to directing. His choices of set design and cinematography were perfect for this film. While some people complain about the shaky-cam, I quite enjoyed it. I felt it made the film look more brutal and realistic at times. The set design was created really beautifully here. For a budget of less than $100 million, they made the sets look great and different from any other film I've seen.
The writing here was excellent too. They really developed the main characters for the most part. It made me care for them and want them to succeed in the end. I also enjoyed the story and its continual suspense. It really kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the film. I also loved how for a 2 and a half hour film, they made it so fast-paced. I can say it is one of the fastest 2 and a half hours I've been in a theater for.
The Negatives:
I mentioned that I really loved the concept and the story. However, I felt at times, the story went for a more predictable route. Since it is about a fight to the death, it is somewhat obvious who lives and who dies throughout. I wish they went for a less predictable route, but the film is still enjoyable.
Also, I mentioned that I loved how they developed the main characters. I wish they developed the side characters a little more. There are many characters that could have added on to this already intense story, but for some reason they chose not to develop these characters. Hopefully, these characters are developed in the next movies.
Conclusion:
The Hunger Games is a solid start to hopefully the next big franchise. One that offers a unique concept, strong characters, and suspenseful action scenes. A very well done film that fans of the book and people who have never read the book can equally enjoy.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
In the future, the Capitol selects two tributes from each district to a fight to the death on live television. On District 12, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the deathmatch. She and her male counterpart, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), will face bigger, stronger representatives from other districts that have trained for this their whole lives. Based on the books by Suzanne Collins.
The Positives:
I'll start with my review saying I have never read the original source material for this. I planned to before seeing the movie, but I never got around to it due to schoolwork and similar things. However, seeing this movie makes me want to read the books right away! I loved the concept, the characters, and the events taken place in this film. It's a world I've never been to before, but I want to explore more of.
What really strengthens this film is the casting and the performances. Jennifer Lawrence is great as Katniss Everdeen. She plays a role similar to her role in Winter's Bone, but it is given a lot more personality and emotion which makes her character more interesting. Josh Hutcherson may have finally found his breakout role as Peeta, he really delivers here. It shows how hard he has worked over the years, and finally gets a huge breakout role like this. I see him and Lawrence getting more roles because of this film, and they truly deserve to. The supporting cast is colorful and wonderful in their respective performances: In particular, I really enjoyed Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks's performances here.
I was also satisfied with the direction style they went with for this film. This is Gary Ross's first film in nine years, and it is a pleasure to see him return to directing. His choices of set design and cinematography were perfect for this film. While some people complain about the shaky-cam, I quite enjoyed it. I felt it made the film look more brutal and realistic at times. The set design was created really beautifully here. For a budget of less than $100 million, they made the sets look great and different from any other film I've seen.
The writing here was excellent too. They really developed the main characters for the most part. It made me care for them and want them to succeed in the end. I also enjoyed the story and its continual suspense. It really kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the film. I also loved how for a 2 and a half hour film, they made it so fast-paced. I can say it is one of the fastest 2 and a half hours I've been in a theater for.
The Negatives:
I mentioned that I really loved the concept and the story. However, I felt at times, the story went for a more predictable route. Since it is about a fight to the death, it is somewhat obvious who lives and who dies throughout. I wish they went for a less predictable route, but the film is still enjoyable.
Also, I mentioned that I loved how they developed the main characters. I wish they developed the side characters a little more. There are many characters that could have added on to this already intense story, but for some reason they chose not to develop these characters. Hopefully, these characters are developed in the next movies.
Conclusion:
The Hunger Games is a solid start to hopefully the next big franchise. One that offers a unique concept, strong characters, and suspenseful action scenes. A very well done film that fans of the book and people who have never read the book can equally enjoy.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Friday, March 16, 2012
21 Jump Street Review
Plot Summary:
In high school, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) was an unpopular dork and Jenko (Channing Tatum) was a popular jock. Seven years later, they reunite at the police academy becoming friends by helping each other succeed at their weaknesses. After a failed arrest, the two are assigned to an undercover unit disguising themselves as high school students to stop a drug ring giving synthetic drugs to high school students. Based on the 80's TV show of the same name.
The Positives:
21 Jump Street is one of many 80's TV show reboots that Hollywood has been releasing lately. Most people were expecting this to be a disappointment, some being fearful that the jokes were spoiled in the trailers or the thought of another 80's reboot failure. Fear not, this film is different from any recent 80's reboot. This film has a smart, hilarious script and a whole lot of heart. Imagine the bromantic humor of Superbad, the action sequences of Bad Boys, and the clever satirical moments of Scream combined into one movie. That movie is 21 Jump Street.
One thing that really makes this film work is the pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. On paper, it sounds like a weird and terrible pairing. However, on screen, this pairing is truly believable as best friends. The way they compliment and poke fun at each other seems very natural and it feels like they are lifelong friends. While Hill is expected to be very funny, Tatum shocks us all with not only a funny performance, but one that is good too. I was never a fan of Tatum in his other films, but here he makes his performance work. Maybe comedy is Channing Tatum's strong suit. Only time will tell with that statement. The rest of the performances are very good as well, in particular, Ice Cube's moments as the police captain are very hilarious.
The direction here is very well done too. Fresh off of the animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller I thought would never be the kind of directors to do a film like this. I was proven dead wrong here. They use the same style that made Cloudy work so well. They blend fast editing with stupid humor and heartfelt moments. I hope to see these guys doing more live action work after this film.
The script here is far more clever and hilarious than I ever expected it to be. The one-liners and gross-out moments are placed perfectly in the film. However, it's the satirical moments that make this film really work. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's characters were opposites in high school, when they go undercover they get to live their opposites in high school. What an unpredictable and smart idea. Also, they make fun of standard cop and film cliches throughout the film. It's these small things that make 21 Jump Street work as both a stand alone comedy and a brilliant parody.
The Negatives:
One issue I had with this film was the pacing at the beginning of the film. While the film is laugh out loud funny the entire film, the first 10-15 minutes were a little slow compared to the rest of the film. Then again, these minutes were meant to introduce the characters and set up the story. I guess it didn't matter that it was slow, but I wish this sequence had a little more humor.
Another issue I had was the limitation of a certain character. Ice Cube's character steals each scene he is in. However, I felt there could have been more scenes with him in it. His character really impressed me here and I wish I could've seen more of him in this film.
Conclusion:
21 Jump Street is not your average 80's reboot. It is a clever, hilarious and heartwarming parody that deserves a franchise after this film. In my book, it'll easily go down as one of the biggest surprises of 2012.
Rating: 9 out of 10
In high school, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) was an unpopular dork and Jenko (Channing Tatum) was a popular jock. Seven years later, they reunite at the police academy becoming friends by helping each other succeed at their weaknesses. After a failed arrest, the two are assigned to an undercover unit disguising themselves as high school students to stop a drug ring giving synthetic drugs to high school students. Based on the 80's TV show of the same name.
The Positives:
21 Jump Street is one of many 80's TV show reboots that Hollywood has been releasing lately. Most people were expecting this to be a disappointment, some being fearful that the jokes were spoiled in the trailers or the thought of another 80's reboot failure. Fear not, this film is different from any recent 80's reboot. This film has a smart, hilarious script and a whole lot of heart. Imagine the bromantic humor of Superbad, the action sequences of Bad Boys, and the clever satirical moments of Scream combined into one movie. That movie is 21 Jump Street.
One thing that really makes this film work is the pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. On paper, it sounds like a weird and terrible pairing. However, on screen, this pairing is truly believable as best friends. The way they compliment and poke fun at each other seems very natural and it feels like they are lifelong friends. While Hill is expected to be very funny, Tatum shocks us all with not only a funny performance, but one that is good too. I was never a fan of Tatum in his other films, but here he makes his performance work. Maybe comedy is Channing Tatum's strong suit. Only time will tell with that statement. The rest of the performances are very good as well, in particular, Ice Cube's moments as the police captain are very hilarious.
The direction here is very well done too. Fresh off of the animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller I thought would never be the kind of directors to do a film like this. I was proven dead wrong here. They use the same style that made Cloudy work so well. They blend fast editing with stupid humor and heartfelt moments. I hope to see these guys doing more live action work after this film.
The script here is far more clever and hilarious than I ever expected it to be. The one-liners and gross-out moments are placed perfectly in the film. However, it's the satirical moments that make this film really work. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's characters were opposites in high school, when they go undercover they get to live their opposites in high school. What an unpredictable and smart idea. Also, they make fun of standard cop and film cliches throughout the film. It's these small things that make 21 Jump Street work as both a stand alone comedy and a brilliant parody.
The Negatives:
One issue I had with this film was the pacing at the beginning of the film. While the film is laugh out loud funny the entire film, the first 10-15 minutes were a little slow compared to the rest of the film. Then again, these minutes were meant to introduce the characters and set up the story. I guess it didn't matter that it was slow, but I wish this sequence had a little more humor.
Another issue I had was the limitation of a certain character. Ice Cube's character steals each scene he is in. However, I felt there could have been more scenes with him in it. His character really impressed me here and I wish I could've seen more of him in this film.
Conclusion:
21 Jump Street is not your average 80's reboot. It is a clever, hilarious and heartwarming parody that deserves a franchise after this film. In my book, it'll easily go down as one of the biggest surprises of 2012.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Saturday, March 10, 2012
John Carter Review
Plot Summary:
Former Confederate Army captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is mysteriously transported to Mars, known to the inhabitants as Barsoom. While there, he learns that the planet is dying from the loss of atmosphere and water. Only an alliance between its inhabitants will save the planet, Carter sets out to accomplish that.
The Positives:
One thing I really enjoyed about this film was the special effects. Andrew Stanton, who normally works on Pixar films, creates the world of Barsoom beautifully. The creatures, the landscape, and the buildings all look so realistic and original comparable to other alien films. It is obvious here that Stanton knows how to make great visuals.
Another thing I enjoyed here was the action sequences. While most of the action sequences are similar to other film's scenes, they made them look intriguing and cool. The film for the most part works as an entertaining blockbuster when it has these great action moments.
The Negatives:
Personally I was very disappointed with John Carter, I expected a lot better from the people behind it. Unlike Brad Bird, another Pixar alumni's, recent change into live action, Stanton has no style of its own to differentiate his film from other films of its genre. Also unlike Bird, he does not direct his actors very well and it shows. The performances here are all pretty terrible, both the lead and supporting. Taylor Kitsch's leading performance wanted to put me to sleep, it's simply boring and felt like he was reading his lines.
The script is a huge mess as well. The dialogue here is very cliche and unfunny during "humorous" scenes. It is filled with a lot of plot holes as well, which can confuse the audience. Also, the pacing here is not the greatest. When there are no action scenes, it feels slow and very boring. The film uses boring and uninteresting characters to make the slow scenes even more boring.
While I did enjoy the visuals of the film, at times it reminded me of a certain film I was not fond of. The film is somewhat reminiscent of the Star Wars prequels. The visuals, the music, and even some of the creatures just reminded me of that series. This film is nothing special either, so it is closer to the prequels than the original films.
Conclusion:
I really wanted to like John Carter, but the terrible script, robotic acting, and the slow pacing make this film not work as it should. As an entertaining action film, it's nothing new but still worth renting. I just hope after this film Andrew Stanton sticks to Pixar films and decides to find a creative style of his own.
Rating: 4.5 out of 10
Former Confederate Army captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is mysteriously transported to Mars, known to the inhabitants as Barsoom. While there, he learns that the planet is dying from the loss of atmosphere and water. Only an alliance between its inhabitants will save the planet, Carter sets out to accomplish that.
The Positives:
One thing I really enjoyed about this film was the special effects. Andrew Stanton, who normally works on Pixar films, creates the world of Barsoom beautifully. The creatures, the landscape, and the buildings all look so realistic and original comparable to other alien films. It is obvious here that Stanton knows how to make great visuals.
Another thing I enjoyed here was the action sequences. While most of the action sequences are similar to other film's scenes, they made them look intriguing and cool. The film for the most part works as an entertaining blockbuster when it has these great action moments.
The Negatives:
Personally I was very disappointed with John Carter, I expected a lot better from the people behind it. Unlike Brad Bird, another Pixar alumni's, recent change into live action, Stanton has no style of its own to differentiate his film from other films of its genre. Also unlike Bird, he does not direct his actors very well and it shows. The performances here are all pretty terrible, both the lead and supporting. Taylor Kitsch's leading performance wanted to put me to sleep, it's simply boring and felt like he was reading his lines.
The script is a huge mess as well. The dialogue here is very cliche and unfunny during "humorous" scenes. It is filled with a lot of plot holes as well, which can confuse the audience. Also, the pacing here is not the greatest. When there are no action scenes, it feels slow and very boring. The film uses boring and uninteresting characters to make the slow scenes even more boring.
While I did enjoy the visuals of the film, at times it reminded me of a certain film I was not fond of. The film is somewhat reminiscent of the Star Wars prequels. The visuals, the music, and even some of the creatures just reminded me of that series. This film is nothing special either, so it is closer to the prequels than the original films.
Conclusion:
I really wanted to like John Carter, but the terrible script, robotic acting, and the slow pacing make this film not work as it should. As an entertaining action film, it's nothing new but still worth renting. I just hope after this film Andrew Stanton sticks to Pixar films and decides to find a creative style of his own.
Rating: 4.5 out of 10
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