Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Review

     Comedy sequels are one of the hardest obstacles to pull off in Hollywood. Not only do you have to live up the first film, but you also have to make sure that you don't get repetitive with the same jokes from the first one. While Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising sometimes relies on the same gags, this is a very much different yet enjoyable movie.
     Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising picks up with Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) not only trying to expand their family, but trying to sell their house as well. When a rowdy sorority led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz) moves next door, they will do whatever it takes to push them out, even team up with a former neighbor/enemy, Teddy (Zac Efron).
     This film has some really enjoyable components to it. Including the chemistry between Mac, Kelly, and Teddy. This was one aspect that made the very first movie so amusing and the director, Nicholas Stoller, picks right up from where he left off in the first movie. There's a scene in particular, without getting into spoilers, that really showcases their chemistry. Teddy is now struggling with finding his true call in life so Mac and Kelly take him in. While the heart between Mac and Teddy is not as evident as the first movie, there are still some funny and tinder moments. The chemistry is one of many gratifying elements of the film.

     Another really pleasant aspect is the story of this movie. A worry going into the film is how it could differentiate itself from the first movie and does so in very well made manner. The first film juggled with the difficulties that lie once you graduate college. This film is much more concerned with the role of women in sororities and the standards they have to live up to compared to fraternities. This is an unexpected yet very intriguing piece of the movie.
     There are also some segments of the movie that do not perform quite well. One of those is the characters of Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), although the sections of the film with her and her friends established a good character dynamic, Moretz did not quite fit the role for me. I've enjoyed many of her former films but she just felt a little out of place to me in this role. Although she was not particularly poor in the role, the casting did not quite fit like it should have. I also wish the film had a bit more gut busting laugh moments. The first one had a few scenes that had me laughing my ass off. Where as this film just has some well paced chuckles.
     Overall Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a justifiable sequel to this series which is rare in the comedy genre. While I wish there were more hilarious moments like the first and better casting at times, this is a fun movie that even if you do not catch it in theaters, you should check it out whenever it is distributed for home release.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Captain America Civil War Review

     Captain America: Civil War is one of the most prestigious comic books written today.  Mark Millar's epic, all Marvel crossover took the nerd world by storm in 2006. People were very curious to see how such a high stakes yet dangerous event could be pulled off and they were not disappointed. Upon release though, the comic was very highly praised. So when the Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to adapt it for the silver screen, people were just as cautious. Captain America: Winter Soldier was very well received among audiences and critics. So when the Russo brothers came back to direct the third film of the Captain America trilogy, the anticipation escalated and boy did they not disappoint with this movie. Although it is much different then the comic, Captain America: Civil War is a brilliantly crafted movie.
     Captain America: Civil War shows our favorite superheroes pitted against each other after governmental bill proposing that superheroes be registered and kept in check. While Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) believes this bill could ultimately bring justice for the world, Captain America (Chris Evans) is strongly opposed to the idea after the recent events of Winter Soldier. Tension rises and rises until finally our favorite heroes go toe to toe in an all out brawl.
     This film delivers in a lot of beautiful ways. The first aspect that stands out is the action choreography of this film. I can confidently say this has the best fighting scenes out of any comic book movies to this date. There's an airport scene in particular that I won't get into the spoilers of (if you haven't seen it by now) that is around 18 minutes of pure enjoyment. There are around 12 characters fighting in this massive scene and it's executed fantastically. However there are many other fighting scenes that will keep the audience fully focused in this movie. From start to finish we see some awesome fight choreography.
     Another great aspect of this movie is how well flushed out and development they make Cap and Iron Man. I went in with the attitude that I was team Cap but half way through the film I found my views identified with Iron Man's more. They excellently showed both point of views for these characters and their intentions.

     This is pretty much Avengers 2.5 and there are a lot of moving parts to this movie. They even had to introduce us to two new characters. The first was Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman. From the second Boseman appears on screen, he kills it. The guy has such a powerful on screen presence in this film that his solo film is one of my most anticipated in the future of the MCU. From the beginning you should buy into his motivations for joining in on this fight. Another character we are introduced to is our brand new Spider-Man played by Tom Holland. First off, Spider-Man is my favorite Marvel character of all time. I was personally a big fan of Andrew Garfield's portrayal of the character even if it was more like the Peter Parker of the Ultimate Spider-Man comics. However I think Holland has the potential to beat that in his solo film slated for July 2017. It was too small of a sample size for me to say he's the best Spidey just off seeing Civil War. Although, what I saw I really enjoyed. Holland beautifully pulls off Parker in and out of the costume.
     There was only one minor complaint I had with this movie and that was the villain, Zemo (Daniel Bruhl). I had no problem with the Bruhl's portrayal of Zemo but like many other MCU films, it was a very forgettable villain. It seemed to me that he was very much a mustache twirling villain that just worked from behind the scenes and prayed everything went exactly as planned. I never really bought into this character.
     After my first viewing, I was thinking this could be my favorite comic book adaption to the big screen. However after the second viewing, I still think Winter Soldier is my favorite film of the MCU with this not far behind. I have very, very few complaints with this movie. I highly recommend going to see it in theaters if you have not already done so.

Rating: 9.8 out of 10

The Jungle Book Review

     CGI is a hotly debated topic among critics and movie fans. Films such as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Avatar have shown us that CGI can be pulled off in a visually, gorgeous manner. However you can get stink bombs of CGI such The Hobbit Trilogy or Gods of Egypt (although lets be real, that movie had a lot of problems). When Jon Favreau took the helm of The Jungle Book and audiences learned that the whole film would be shot in Los Angeles, people were very hesitant to the idea. Now the film has finally arrived in theaters and the results are in.
     Visually this movie is a masterpiece. Favreau and the effects department deserves a ton of praise for the work they did on this. Visual effects is already a very difficult department of the film industry but when your movie solely relies on one live action performer surrounded by CGI animals, it's pretty important that they pull it off. The jungle, the animals, everything in this movie is visually marvelous.
   

   
     Sometimes movies will go more style over substance but The Jungle Book is not that kind of movie. The story is very intriguing. Right from the start we get this high octane pace that lingers throughout the film with great performances to keep the audience invested in the characters. It's always nerve-racking watching kid actors especially when the movie is their first feature role. However Mowgli played by Neel Sethi is great. There are times when you can tell he struggles a little but nothing that takes the audience out of the film. He is surrounded by a great list of supporting actors, as well. Bill Murray as Baloo, Ben Kingley as Bagheera, and Christopher Walken as King Louie are just a few members of a very talented ensemble. The biggest standout to me was Idis Elba as Shere Kan though. The tiger has such a powerful and menacing onscreen presence. He was arguably my favorite part of this entire movie.
     There are few things to complain about with this movie. The only aspect that comes to the top of my head is the tone of this movie. It's was a lot darker then I expect but then there are a couple of musical numbers in it. The "Bear Necessities" scene was pulled off very well done but "I Wanna Be Like You" felt a little out of place. King Louie sounded great but I am not sure it necessarily fit the tone of the movie well. That's a very small nitpick though.
     Overall this movie is FANTASTIC. It's a beautiful mix of style and substance that I wish more directors would get on board with. The tone sometimes struggles but that's a very small nitpick

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

   

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

     When Batman v. Superman was announced at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con nerds everywhere rejoiced in celebration. They had finally gotten what they wanted. We've been waiting years and years to see Batman and Superman on the big screen together. Well it's finally been released and nerds everywhere still might be rejoicing but if so then their cries are much weaker. While this film has its moments of glory, it ultimately struggles.

     Batman v. Superman begins with quite a thriller of an introduction. The film opens with us once again seeing Thomas (Jeffery Dean Morgan) and Martha Wayne (Maggie Grace) being shot while young Bruce must stand by and witness this pivotal massacre. While the murder of Bruce's parents has been done over and over again, it is essential to be shown here because it serves to the brutal Batman (Ben Affleck) introduced in this movie. Affleck was the best aspect of this movie and shuts out all the hate he received upon the announcement of him being cast. If you're a fan of Frank Miller's Batman adaptations then Affleck will be right up your alley. This is by far the most brutal Batman that we've ever seen on the big screen. However he can also turn on the Bruce Wayne charm when necessary. The scenes between him and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) are executed very well Gadot was the real pleasant surprise of this movie. Although she didn't have a lot of dialogue, she handled herself very well and captured the character. This component of the movie gives me hope that she'll be able to hold her own in her future solo movie slated for 2017.
     The director, Zack Snyder, is well known for his films being visually breathtaking and Batman v. Superman certainly has its moments. The end fight sequence is beautifully choreographed and I have to give Snyder credit where it's due. It's apparent that Snyder thinks shot by shot on what he wants. He also takes quite a bold move in how a certain factor of the film unfolds and it's difficult not to admire this risk presented before the audience. Unfortunately he lacks in other aspects.
     Snyder's biggest problem is his lack of storytelling. Often times in this movie, Snyder leaves many events unexplained. I don't want to tread into spoiler territory but it's quite recognizable upon seeing the film. Often times he does not hit the mark on where the tone of this film should go. This is not Synder's only problem though. This movie is very weirdly edited. There are many moving parts to this story and this is ultimately Snyder's downfall. There were moments when they would cut back to a particular character and I would have to remind myself what that character was doing because it had been so long since we had visited them.
     There is also the character of Lex Luthor (Jessie Eisenberg). While I see what Snyder was going for, the character of Lex often felt over the top and cartoonish. There were glimmers of evil but it would quickly be defused by another gimmicky act.
     Another of Snyder's dilemma that hinders the potential of this movie is the fact they are trying to set up for the Justice League movie. DC is taking quite the opposite approach compared to Marvel. Instead of a bunch of solo films focusing on a single hero, they are taking the route of giving us the Justice League movie quite early in their slate. Unfortunately this puts a lot more pressure on Snyder and his introduction to the other heroes just seemed like a shoe in.
     While this movie has some really fantastically choreographed action scenes, it lacks very much in story and character development. Overall for me the bad barely outweighs the good. However I would recommend going to see this in theaters because we've waited years to see Batman and Superman on the big screen together. The potential is there if DC would reach out and take a hold of it. However DC has to take great strides if it wishes to catch up with the critical success of Marvel.

Rating: 5.9 out of 10

Zootopia Review

     Because who doesn't love animals running around in clothes and doing human activities? Not only does Disney's Zootopia look great but this story also has a lot of heart at its core. This is one of those animated features that will not only capture the hearts of kids but adults as well.
     Zootopia tells the story of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a young bunny that has just joined the police corp of Zootopia. With the help of a con artist fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), Hopps hopes to uncover the mystery of all the strange disappearances within the city.
   

     There are many positive aspects of this film. Lets start off with the look of the film. I am not very knowledgable when it comes to the animated realm but the shot selection in this movie is very intriguing for an animated film. Directors Byron Howard, Rich Moore, and Jared Bush did a phenomenal job with making this animation feel like a cinematic live action film. They also beautifully draw from other movies and TV shows. There's a scene that's a complete parody of The Godfather that will have you laughing your ass off.
     The characters in this film were very well drawn out. Jason Bateman is the perfect fit for the voice of Nick Wilde and plays the character in a beautifully, maniacal manner. While at the beginning of the movie he's a bit of a sleaze, the audience sees his transformation into a good hearted fox. This movie is full of other stars as well including JK Simmons, Idris Elba, Bonnie Hunt, and Shakira.
 

     I can only think of a few negative aspects of this movie. At times this movie gets a little predictable and goes off of what we've seen from other animated feature films. We know from the get-go as soon as Hopps enters the city of Zootopia and we see all the different regions of the city that Hopps will go to each one in her investigation. It felt much like Pixar's Inside Out and seeing Joy travel all around the mind of her human. Another complaint would probably be the humor. While there are a lot of scenes in this movie that will have you laughing, the pacing of the humor could have been better executed instead of us having to wait around so long for the next laugh out loud scene.
     Zootopia is a fun movie that highly recommend taking the family to see. Not only will the kids laugh but there are certain scenes where the adults will really enjoy. It will definitely bring a smile to your face.

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

10 Cloverfield Lane Review

     Is it a sequel? Is it a prequel? Well...it's neither, really. 10 Cloverfield Lane takes place in the same universe as the original Cloverfield with a whole new set of characters.

     10 Cloverfield Lane tells the story of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who mysteriously wakes up in the doomsday shelter of Howard (John Goodman) after a nearly fatal car crash. Michelle is reassured by Howard that she is safe from a widespread chemical attack that has contaminated the air outside the shelter. When Michelle finds out that things aren't quite adding up to Howard's story, she looks to uncover the mysterious situation, with the help of another shelter member by the name of Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.).

 
     This film primarily takes place in the same setting and acts like a small, independent movie in many aspects. We really only get three characters with Michelle, Howard, and Emmett. However the performances of all three keep the audience very much enticed. The standout performance to me was from John Goodman. Seeing him as this creepy yet sympathetic man that you would most likely see on Doomsday Preppers, made the film very entertaining. He nails the role. John Gallagher Jr and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's performances are not far behind though. Winstead's performance felt very much like Sigourney Weaver's performance as Ripley in the first Alien movie but worked perfectly for this story.
     This was first full length feature film of Dan Trachtenberg's career and what a way to kick it off. Often times you will find that good directors get good performances out of their actors and Trachtenberg really got the most out of these three performers. There's also really well done editing and transitions that help the audience to feel just as confined in the doomsday shelter as the characters.
     The score was composed by Bear McCreary and it beautifully adds to the tension within the shelter. It is often times within the forefront of the scene and helps enhance the progression of the story.

      Although the storyline is predictable at times like many thrillers, it is very intriguing for the most part. This film tends to fall apart a tad bit in the third act. Once Michelle escapes the shelter (not a spoiler if you watched the trailer), the ending feels a bit rushed and it seems as though they tried to cram in a blockbuster action sequence when the movie felt small beforehand. The tone just didn't seem to match within the third act. They could have had her escape a bit early and develop the outside world a little more.
     This is just a minor problem with the film and Trachtenberg does a fantastic job directing for his first feature film. The performances are outstanding and this is definitely a film that you should see in theaters.

Rating: 9.1 out of 10

Deadpool Review

     Good things come to those who wait and Deadpool is a fine example of that saying. The "merc with a mouth" finally hit theaters February 12th and boy did it deliver!
     Deadpool tells the story of Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) , a former spec ops agent, that falls in love with an equally demented escort by the name of Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin). Unfortunately Wilson is diagnosed with terminal cancer and will do whatever it takes to recover. When approached by a secret program, Wilson decides to take on whatever is thrown at him in order to be healthy once again. However this program is not all it seems and is actually trying to build a mutant army. Through a series of cringing torture, Wilson ultimately becomes a mutant with extreme healing abilities. Wilson is not the same though and becomes acquires a demented appearance from the torture. Wilson escapes the facility and hopes to find Vanessa but he's not the only one. When the leader of this torture complex, Ajax (Ed Skrein) kidnaps Vanessa, Wilson takes on the mantle as a foul mouthed, hilarious anti-hero by the name of Deadpool.
     This film executed the character of Deadpool perfectly. Ryan Reynolds was born to play this character and got the bad taste of Green Lantern out of our mouth (but not before cracking a few jokes about it in this film). Reynolds isn't the only good performance in this film. The brutally honest Weasel (TJ Miller) and the straight edged X-Men, Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) work great with Deadpool. Skrein does a solid job as Ajax and ultimately gets the job done as the villain. The chemistry between the characters is remarkable but it's not the only well accomplished aspect of this movie.
     The director, Tim Miller, tackled the breaking of the fourth wall in a well timed and gut-busting manner. A worry of mine going into the film was that audiences would be drowned with jokes. However they were very well paced and beautifully written. This movie had a lot of talk around it when it was approved for an "R" rating. They could've easily just gave it a rated "R" for a storm of curse words and blood but they didn't. Even though there is a great bulk of curse words and blood, it isn't used as a cop out. It's very well placed and adds to the humor in a beautiful way. From the opening credits, audiences will be laughing their ass off. Although this movie isn't strictly humor and action.

     Miller accomplished a film with a lot of heart at its core. The relationship between Wade and Vanessa is surprisingly very well developed and easily buyable. Their deranged lifestyles mold well together. Another intriguing aspect of this film is the narrative trajectory. The film tells the story through a series of flashbacks and it works very well.
     There are very little concerns with this movie. One complaint is the secret-agency that tortures Wilson. The film could have explained this society a little better. We weren't really sure where they came from. They just showed up and tortured Wilson. It would've been nice to see a little more development. My next complaint is nit picking so it doesn't affect my rating too much. The budget for this film was next to nothing for a superhero film. There were a few shots that it was a little obvious that it was CGI. However that's a very minor complaint.
     Deadpool might be one of the better superhero films we've gotten in awhile and the fact it can poke fun at superhero films by breaking the fourth wall only enhances the experience. If you're old enough then I highly recommend going to see this film in theatre. It's so much fun and you will laugh the whole time.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10