Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Movie Review

The summer movie season kicks into high gear with the newest Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The first film was a hilarious and thoroughly entertaining blockbuster, and the sequel is no different.

Director James Gunn has successfully brought the odd group of galactic heroes back to the big screen with even more laughs. The colorful cast of characters includes many stand out performances, the funniest of which is the tiny talking tree Groot. Chris Pratt is as charismatic and funny as ever as the hero Starlord, who learns more about his past from his long lost father (played by the great Kurt Russell).

The cinematography far exceeds many comic book movies today, utilizing a bright and diverse color palette. The visual effects are great all around, and the action scenes are top notch. The vintage soundtrack comprises of a mix of classic 70's tunes that perfectly accompany each scene.

Writer-director James Gunn chose to focus more on character development over plot here, and it has a very satisfying emotional payoff. The script is full of self-referential humor and clever gags that had me laughing out loud, though not all the jokes hit.

Vol. 2 does have its flaws, with a somewhat scattershot plot that juggles several subplots somewhat well. One storyline involving a fleet of aliens in pursuit of the heroes is somewhat uninteresting and only necessary to push the plot along. Also, one returning villain from the first film detracts from the very interesting main story on several occasions.

Despite some shortcomings, Gunn succeeded in crafting a highly enjoyable follow up to the 2014 hit film. With great characters and lots of laughs, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues to prove why this series is one of the most unique and entertaining franchises of the decade.

Grade: 8/10

La La Land - Movie Review

I have never been a fan of musicals, so I was skeptical of the critically acclaimed La La Land. But director Damien Chazelle's previous work, Whiplash, blew me away, and so I had to check out his latest feature. It turns out he's not just a one hit wonder.

La La Land is a modern musical, set in present day but very much a throwback and tribute to 50's era Hollywood musicals. Pretty much everything about this film works, particularly the two leads. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both great, and their chemistry feels very authentic.

The soundtrack is entirely original music, and every song is wonderfully composed and extremely catchy. The vibrant color palette and inventive cinematography give the film an ethereal feeling.

The dancing numbers are impressively choreographed, particularly an opening scene with hundreds of people dancing on a freeway in a single unbroken take. Chazelle had his actors do all the singing and dancing, and the result is surprisingly rewarding. His passion for the project shines, and elevates the film to a whole new level.

I have but one complaint with La La Land. It runs a bit too long, ten minutes could have been cut from the middle act to make the narrative flow better. During the second act musical numbers are sparse, and it's during this section a few minutes could have been removed.

A minor complaint in an otherwise wonderful film, La La Land will easily win over audiences with its accessible theme of pursuing your dreams. With an excellent soundtrack, great performances, stellar direction, and a touching story, La La Land proves you don't have to be a fan of musicals to appreciate its greatness.

Rating: 9/10

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Movie Review

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the first in a line of Star Wars prequels, telling the story of how the rebel alliance obtained the plans to the Death Star at the start of the original 1977 film.

Rogue One is a highly entertaining movie. Everyone in the cast does a good job, led by a solid performance by Felicity Jones. The visual effects are stunning and flawlessly rendered. Director Gareth Edwards knows how to depict scale, making the Death Star feel massive and intimidating.

The final act of Rogue One is fantastic. It features an all out battle on a tropical planet for the Death Star plans, and it's absolutely thrilling. The action is intense and extremely well executed, utilizing handheld cameras reminiscing gritty war movies such as Saving Private Ryan by simulating the chaos of war from ground level.

This is worth watching for Darth Vader alone. There is not enough of him in the movie, but his two scenes are incredible, particularly a late scene where he takes on an entire squad of soldiers. Also, a major plot hole in the Star Wars universe is solved thanks to a clever scene.

Unfortunately, many of the characters are woefully underdeveloped. The acting is sufficient, but the lackluster script doesn't flesh out any of the characters save for the main protagonist. There isn't enough reason to care for the expendable cast of heroes on this deadly mission.

Another letdown was the musical score. This is the first of the series not to be scored by John Williams, and it shows. The music is forgettable and adds very little to the movie. Also the first act feels rushed in an attempt to introduce an overabundance of characters and exposition.

Rogue One is a fun movie that should entertain for two hours, with a great second half. However, it is lacking in compelling characters and memorable music, something the best Star Wars movies always had. A good time at the theaters, nothing more.

Rating: 7/10

Arrival - Movie Review

Science fiction today is often blended with the action or thriller genre. Very rarely do we get a high concept, hardcore sci-fi movie in a wide release. Yet along came director Denis Villeneuve's intelligent film, Arrival.

The plot is simple, alien spacecrafts have come down to Earth with unknown intentions, and a team of scientists is tasked with communicating with them. Arrival is bigger on ideas than thrills, yet there are still suspenseful scenes. It's devoid of action, instead taking a more thought provoking approach to a familiar concept.

Amy Adams gives one of her best performances here, as the majority of the film rests on her shoulders. It was important we care about her character, as the events of the movie are mostly experienced through her. She is a well developed, sympathetic character.

The visual effects and cinematography are stunning, making for some beautiful shots of the spacecrafts. The musical score perfectly lurks in the background as a humming, mysterious presence, only moving to the foreground in the grand wide landscape shots to convey scope.

The final twist is quite shocking, achieved throughout the movie by clever plotting and editing. However, the reason for the aliens' arrival feels somewhat rushed and underdeveloped.

The supporting cast all does a fine job, but none of their characters really stand out or receive much development. Also, the movie's final moments seem like a bit of a stretch.

Overall, Arrival is an impressive work by Villeneuve, who directed this film with confidence and intelligence. With many interesting themes and an engaging story, this is easily one of the best films of the year.

Rating: 8/10

The Accountant - Movie Review

The Accountant is an engaging action thriller with great acting. As a low budget film in a year of many big budget blockbusters, it is a refreshing and enjoyable watch.

Ben Affleck proves yet again to have come a long way in the acting department, delivering a solid performance as the lead. J.K. Simmons and Anna Kendrick are quite good in their supporting roles. The movie has more emotional depth than I expected, to the point where I wanted the hero to succeed.

The fractured structure of the narrative works well to simulate the thought process of the mentally disabled protagonist. Director Gavin O'Connor proves he is very capable of navigating a complicated story with ease.

The screenplay packs in some surprisingly great humor to break up the darker tone. Every action scene is very well handled, with impressive choreography and hard hitting fights.

Editing could have trimmed a few scenes down to tighten the pacing and extended others to fully develop its characters. The way the main character's dark past is explored is extremely rushed; one character sits down and explains it to the audience for five minutes.

The third act twist feels forced and underdeveloped. It starts to become obvious near the end and when it's revealed it feels far too convenient and silly to work for this otherwise authentic story.

Overall The Accountant is a thrilling crime film from a competent director with nice action sequences and an effective cast. With one more rewrite it could've been great, but as it stands it is simply a good film.

Rating: 7/10

Sully - Movie Review

     Sully is a very good film telling the true story of the heroic pilot who was forced to make a water landing in the Hudson River.

     Directed by Clint Eastwood, this 96 minute drama is an engaging and interesting film. All the performances are great. As to be expected, Tom Hanks is excellent in the movie. Aaron Eckhart is very convincing as the sarcastic co-pilot.

     The pacing is quite good, as there is rarely a dull moment. The screenplay does a decent job at sprinkling humor throughout the dramatic scenes.

     The plane crash is exceedingly well done, as it serves as an intense scene even for those who know the story. The way our protagonists outsmart the government in the film's final moments is very well handled.

     For all its pros, Sully is far from perfect. The film constantly jumps back and forth between the past and present, which makes the narrative feel somewhat disjointed.

     The way Sully's family is incorporated into the movie doesn't really add up to anything. He occasionally calls them on the phone, and that's the extent of their involvement. There are also a few scenes that feel like filler, as the story the film is based on isn't very complicated or theatrical.

     Overall, Sully is a compelling and well done drama. The true story is adapted quite well, and the directing and acting is very strong. As an adaptation of a true story, Sully soars.

Rating: 7/10

Captain America: Civil War - Movie Review

     Captain America: Civil War has very little to do with the title character, as it stars every character in the Avengers universe and then some. As a piece of entertainment though, it's as fun as movies come.

     For a movie with so many characters and plot lines, Civil War has a pretty focused narrative. The story is interesting. It introduces a lot of questions that will undoubtedly affect the superheroes in the future of the franchise. There are some twists, some of which are very predictable, others which add to the drama of the film.

     There's no point in naming the colossal cast, or praising the actors who at this point could play their respective characters in their sleep. Newcomer Tom Holland is a welcome addition as Spider-Man. He plays the iconic character perfectly, as quite possibly the best incarnation of the character to date. The other new hero, Black Panther, is a cool and mysterious character.

     Every action scene is exciting and memorable. The stunt work is extremely accomplished, looking very realistic. The centerpiece fight between the Avengers is a fast paced and engaging scene, where every character gets a chance to shine. The final fight between the lead characters feels the most personal, and is quite possibly the film's best scene.

     The downside to having so many characters is that some have little reason for being included. Characters such as Ant-Man, Hawkeye, and others show up out of nowhere just to contribute to the big fight. As much as I praised Spider-Man, he feels a bit out of place in this movie. Also, he only has two scenes.

     The story has a fair share of plot conveniences to get characters from point A to point B. The function of the antagonist, Zemo, is quite simply to push the plot along, as he doesn't really fit into the drama between the heroes.

     The music is generic and forgettable, contributing nothing to any of the scenes. The movie also doesn't take any risks, as it establishes a lot of conflict but then wraps it all up neatly to prepare for future sequels.

     Overall, Civil War is a fun time at the theater, and ended up being much better than I expected. It has its fair share of problems, but the good far outweighs the bad.

Grade: B+