Dunkirk Review

     Dunkirk is the newest film from the creative mind of Christopher Nolan. While I was not the biggest fan of his two most recent releases, The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, the anticipation leading up to Dunkirk had me really intrigued. This is a more grounded story that is based on actual events during World War II. Although Dunkirk is not quite what audiences will expect as far as characters go, this movie works brilliantly because of the tension and directing that Christopher Nolan brings on screen.
     When allied soldiers consisting of Belgians, Britons, and the French are entrapped and surrounded by German forces, they must risk their lives in order to find a way off the beach. The film has three separate storylines. They tell of one week on the beach, one day on the sea, and one hour in the air.

     What stands out the most about this movie is the tension that Nolan manages to create and direct. There are a handful of scenes in this movie that are beautifully crafted and suspenseful. Nolan used IMAX cameras to shoot a good majority of this movie and the scenes are so immersive. The cinematography was done by Hoyte van Hoytema who worked with Nolan on Interstellar. This is a different take on a war film but is executed incredibly well. If there is a film that needs to been seen in the theater this summer, it is Dunkirk because you feel like you're smack down in the action with these characters.
     One aspect of Christopher Nolan's movies that audiences can always look forward to is the score from Hans Zimmer and Dunkirk continues that trend. The scores' forefront is a clock ticking but Zimmer uses this as an excellent pacing device and constructs the rest of the score around it. It's really enticing and beautifully adds to the tension.
     The way this story plays out is really well done. Nolan is famously known for his unique way of using a non-linear narrative. Memento is a phenomenal use of this device. This is done in Dunkirk as well and serves the story very well.

     This movie is not heavily relied upon by the characters. Most films that bothers me however Nolan creates audiences' loyalty with characters through the intense situations that we find them in. This movie does not have a whole lot of A list stars besides Tom Hardy but even he does not get a lot of screen time. This is the acting debut for One Direction member, Harry Styles and he does a serviceable job. This movie does not rely too much on dialogue so it's difficult to tell how good he really is but he did really well with his physicality, as well as the rest of the cast.
     Although I could have used a little more character development, Nolan's direction makes complete sense and he creates audience attachment through the situations at hand. The action is so phenomenal in this movie that it NEEDS to be seen in theaters like Nolan intended for it to be.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

War for the Planet of the Apes Review

     The rebooted Planet of the Apes trilogy is one of the most underrated franchise in Hollywood today. The first two films, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, have been a great success not only with the box office but with critics as well. While the first film was helmed by Rupert Wyatt, Matt Reeves has since taken over in the director's chair and greatly built upon what Wyatt introduced to audiences in the first movie. These films take a unique angle in which they frame the apes as the protagonists and it works incredibly. War for the Planet of the Apes is a bit different from what audiences will expect but is an amazing finish to very well developed trilogy.

     After Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his colony of apes are targeted by a militia group led by The Colonel (Woody Harrelson), the apes will go to great lengths to find the base and avenge his colony. It's difficult to really get into this without spoilers but that's the gist of it.
     This movie falls on the shoulders of the character, Caesar. When people gripe about there being too much CGI in movies, I automatically point to these films because the visual effects are flawless. Andy Serkis is the king of motion capture and seriously deserves to be in Oscar consideration because if he does not deliver then this movie falls apart from the get-go. I cannot praise the work of the visual effects artists and Andy Serkis enough in these films.
     Serkis is not the only standout when it comes to motion capture though. Steve Zahn plays the character Bad Ape and beautifully brings humor and charm to an incredibly dark story. The comedic timing in this is very well done and does so in a manner that will not take audiences out of the film. His character truly goes on a journey and audiences will love watching him on-screen.
     The story is a lot different then I was anticipating but it works on many levels because of our attachment to the characters from prior films. This movie begins with action and is greatly paced. The first act is probably the strongest of the film but that does not take from the remaining acts that are memorizing to watch.

     There is a bit of a story arc with The Colonel that has been done time and time again but that does not take away from Harrelson's performance. He is very intimidating figure and has a great build up. Due to great visual effects and performances, War for the Planet of the Apes is a wonderful cherry on top with this franchise. Although I did not enjoy it quite as much as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, it's still a fun time in the theaters.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Spider-Man: Homecoming Review

    If there's one franchise that Hollywood loves to reboot it's Spider-Man. He's arguably the most iconic superhero on Marvel's roster but we have not really had a great Spidey move since 2004 with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2. Although Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man films had good qualities, it overall did not land with audiences. Fortunately for movie and comic book fans, Sony and Marvel Studios struck up a deal that would have the young, web slinger officially become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We got a glimpse of Tom Holland's interpretation in Captain America: Civil War but it was only a short sample of the character. Although this is the third reboot in recent memory for the beloved web crawler, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a wonderful addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also greatly shines as a coming of age film.

     Spider-Man: Homecoming picks up almost immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Peter Parker (Tom Holland) must learn to juggle the everyday obstacles of not only fighting crime in New York City as Spider-Man but also the struggles that come while trying to get through high school.
     Spider-Man is my favorite superhero from Marvel. What makes the character so likable is how relatable he is. All of us were in high school at one time and experienced the awkward situations that come with it. Marvel discussed prior to release of this movie that they want to combine a John Hughes feel with a superhero movie and they did just that. The dynamic between Parker and his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) is incredibly humorous. The diversity in this movie is also a big aspect that stand outs that other movies down the road could benefit from.

     One of the weaker points in most Marvel movies is the villain. Besides Loki, we have not really got a good antagonist in the MCU. Luckily, they went out and got Michael Keaton to play Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming and he knocks it out of the park. Every time he's on screen he is incredibly menacing but you understand where his character is coming from. He's a blue collar worker that is down on his luck because of the New York City attacks in the first Avengers movie. Him and Holland seem to work off each other very well.
     Holland is the stand out of this movie. For most people Tobey MacGuire is their favorite Peter Parker while Andrew Garfield was the better Spider-Man. Holland has them both beat in my opinion. Marvel going after a younger actor to play the title character was a wise decision and having the movie primarily take place in high school was a splendid idea. Audiences will be able to tell how much fun Holland is having as the character.
     This is not like the previous five Spider-Man movies. Although there's a fair amount action, the movie does not heavily rely on action set pieces. There are some really well done sequences but it's not quite the Raimi movies and that's where I think audiences will be let down.
     Overall Spider-Man: Homecoming is wonderful addition to the MCU and a fresh take on the character. It is a movie that benefits from being seen in theaters because the few action pieces it has are very well done. Audiences will have a lot of fun with this movie!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Baby Driver Review

     After the buzz from early screenings at SXSW, Baby Driver has been one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. Directed by Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz helmer, Edgar Wright, this had all the hype to be an incredibly fun flick. The film has a star studded cast with actors such as Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, and many others. The results are exactly what audiences should expect. Baby Driver might not only be the best movie of the summer so far but could be the best movie of the year.

     When getaway driver, Baby (Ansel Elgort) finds a way out of his life of crime and develops a romantic relationship with Debora (Lily James), everything seems to be going swell in his once hectic life. Unfortunately, crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) has different plans for Baby and brings him out of retirement for their biggest job yet.
     This movie is phenomenal on almost all fronts but the one that stands out the most is the directing from Edgar Wright. The action sequences are incredibly well crafted and help to display the beautiful stunt work that has been put into this film. The opening scene of this movie feels very reminiscent 2011's Drive. The crucial difference though is Baby Driver is much more action oriented, whereas Drive is more character driven. That does not take away from Baby Driver though. Wright writes these characters so well and audiences will greatly attach to them. All of these characters are well rounded and not one dimensional which is typically the case with action oriented movies.

     This whole cast does a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life but the standout is Ansel Elgort. Going into this film audiences will most likely know him because of The Fault In Our Stars but soon change their tune after seeing this. Elgort shows excellent range in this movie and does excellent being the leading man. The relationship between Baby and Debora also feels very genuine. Elgort and James just seem to radiate chemistry when the two are on screen together.
     Another standout within the film of Baby Driver is the music. The music is essentially its own character in this movie and Wright perfectly flaunts it to the audience. All the sequences are greatly enhanced because of the soundtrack. Wright also uses the music as a mechanism of humor and it works in an outstanding matter. Wright beautifully blends humor with action to make for a really fun movie that has quite an unpredictable script. This story takes directions that is quite unexpected and it really payoffs.
     There are no negative aspects from me when it comes to this movie. I have a few nitpicks but overarching problems are not existent in this movie. Edgar Wright has struck gold and this is a movie that NEEDS to be seen in theaters. I cannot recommend Baby Driver enough. It is my favorite of the year so far.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Transformers: The Last Knight Review

     There is no other franchise in Hollywood today that is more hated upon then the Transformers franchise. I will say that I enjoyed the first film but everyone after I have very much disliked these movies and that is primarily because of Michael Bay. I actually really enjoy Michael Bay as a director. You can see my review of 13 Hours on this blog where I acknowledge his strengths, however those strengths are not captured in these films. It's the same shticks and gimmicks over and over. These movies alway trap audiences (including me) because they always cut really exciting trailers but then audiences are ultimately upset upon viewing the film. I went it with an open mind because I always want movies to be good, especially a franchise like Transformers. Sadly, this film repeats most of the same errors that the previous films posses with no clear story direction whatsoever.

     With Optimus Prime preoccupied on the Transformer's home planet of Cybertron, the human race must figure out a solution to the disposal of remaining Decepticons on Earth. With Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) leading the way, they will try whatever it takes to make sure the planet is at a peace once again.
     I had a really difficult time typing the synopsis for this movie because the story is all the over place. It attempts to tie-in Transformers with King Arthur and WWII but ultimately just ends up with a cluttered story that has no direction. Cade, alongside Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock) and Sir Edmund Burton (Anthony Hopkins), they will attempt to find the staff the Merlin because it destroys the Decepticons? You can make a succesfull movie with a ridiculous premise (just look at The Fast and the Furious franchise), however what bothers me is they do not try to explain to the audience whatsoever. It's perfectly okay to go into a movie and turn your brain off for two hours, we all do it but it's almost an insult to the audience when the writing does not even attempt to explain the premise.
     Another flaw with the writing, that also falls in the poor direction from Michael Bay, is the humor in this movie. It's the same perverted jokes that have been in the previous films that only middle schoolers will really only find enjoyable. It lands with a thud on every occasion.

     The only thing more poor then the writing in this movie is the editing. There is no continuity whatsoever with this thing. Audiences will easily be able to identify multiple moments in which the characters will be on side of the room and then be completely on the other side with no time in between. This film jumps locations every minute and leaves no time for the scenes to play out and breathe. The runtime is 149 minutes and you'll feel as though you've ran a marathon but with no sense of accomplishment.
     One of the perks of this movie is the action is better then the last couple of the films. It's not nearly as cluttered as the previous movies and the visual effects are top notch. I genuinely was entertained by the fights but that was really about it. This movie is a complete mess.
     Transformers: The Last Knight is a movie that you shouldn't really see in theaters. If you're a fan of all the previous films then you'll probably enjoy this one but these movies could be so much more then a waste of time with the right team. I am honestly excited for the Bumblebee spinoff movie because Michael Bay is taking a step away from this franchise.

Rating: 1.9 out of 10

Cars 3 Review

     One of my favorite studios working in the movie industry today is Pixar Studios. Pixar seems to have a clear understanding of how to make animated movies that not only kids will genuinely enjoy but will appeal to the adult demographic as well. They know how to tug on the heartstrings and play up a great story, however that's not always the case. The Cars franchise is one of those for me personally that does not quite hit like other Pixar movies. Although these movies deliver for kids, they seem to have a very generic plot and doesn't really seem to stir up emotions. The first film was decent but the second one is arguably the worst Pixar movie released to this day. Fortunately, Cars 3 is a decent step up from Cars 2, however this film still under performs in many areas.

     Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is getting up there in age and must do whatever it takes to compete with hotshot rookie,  Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer). With the help from his trainer Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), McQueen will have to adapt if he wants to be the top racer once gain.
     The story is incredibly simple. It's a comeback story essentially. The only problem with this story though is how simplistic and beat for beat it is with every other movie that focuses on a comeback. You can see the exact direction that this movie is going from the beginning. It felt a lot like Pixar's attempt at a rehash of Talladega Nights, no joke. Without getting into spoiler territory, you find yourself trying to get behind a particular character except the execution is completely botched come third act.
     One of the problems with Cars 2 was how much Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) was in the forefront of the movie and the humor was poorly executed. Fortunately, he takes a significant step back in this movie but the humor still falls flat. They seem to throwout these reoccuring gimmicks but they do not really hit to begin with so it's just a waste all around.

     Fortunately, this movie is very much enticing when it comes to the visuals. There are some fantastic shots in this thing that make the race sequences feel very realistic. Directed by Bryan Fee, I don't think the direction is the problem here. The problems fall more on the writing side of this film. Since this movie is ultimately a comeback story, you have to touch on the training for Lightning McQueen. There are some training sequences that are really unique and fun to watch, especially when it comes McQueen's relationship with former trainer, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman). This is where I felt the film really delivered.
     Cars 3 is has its strengths and weaknesses but at the end of the day it falls towards the weaker side of Pixar. I think children will generally enjoy this but it might be a slight headache for the adults that have to take their kids.

Rating: 5.3 out of 10

The Mummy Review

     Universal has officially kicked off their Dark Universe of monsters and gods with The Mummy. Directed by Alex Kurtzman with leading man, Tom Cruise, Universal hopes to launch their newest shared universe off to a good start. When this universe was initially announced many were hesitant because it seemed like a desperate attempt by the studio to get into the shared universe craze. However when they stared to sign grade A talent for their projects such as Russell Crowe, Tom Cruise, Javier Bardem, and many others, I was very interested to see where this universe goes. Unfortunately, The Mummy is not only a dull kickoff with under utilized characters but a very forgettable story.

     When Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) accidentally awakens an ancient, evil princess known as the Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), he will soon realize that his world is not only in danger but there is a larger world of monsters at hand. With the help of Dr. Jekyll (Russell Crowe), Morton will have to find a way to take down this monster.
     So this movie is not necessarily terrible. I do not believe audiences will leave the theater thinking, "Man, that was so cringe worthy." The story is just incredibly forgetful. Kurtzman tries to make Morton this slick, cunning character much like Nathan Drake in the Uncharted games. Unfortunately though audiences will ultimately end up disliking this character. He's a jerk and it's really difficult to get on board with his actions. The character development in this movie is very much under utilized. The relationship between Morton and colleague Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) is all over the place and poorly written.

     One aspect the script does get right with character development is the origin of Ahmanet. Sofia Boutella is really solid in the role and genuinely creepy. There are great horror elements in this movie. At times it feels like a prologued episode of The Walking Dead and delivers in that area. Unfortunately, the tone is all over the place. The jokes in this movie fall very flat and the action pieces are incredibly average.
     Again this is not the worst movie of the year but will probably be the most forgettable. This is a kick off for a new, shared universe and Universal it seems as though they've not quite landed on the tone they want to go with. This isn't the summer blockbuster you have to rush out to see.

Rating: 4.0 out of 10