"X-Men: Days of Future Past" Review

One of the main problems surrounding the X-Men film series has always been the lack of equilibrium and development in many of the mutants, instead choosing to over market the readily known ones. Especially Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. As much acclaim as Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen actually deserve, the other (well talented) cast members had been pushed to the background. Full well knowing the mistakes of the past, Bryan Singer returns to the franchised he helped birth. Has he learned anything?

In the future, Mutants are on the brink of extinction in a war against the mutant-hunting sentinels. With little recourse, Kitty Pryde sends the consciousness of Wolverine to inhabit his 1973 body in order to repair the future. It is a race not only against time, but also against old friends such as Magneto and Mystique.

This was clearly an ambitious undertaking, as it merges together two different casts, and two distinct tones that have been previously established. I greatly admired how well everything blended together. It sets out to clean up the mess that Brett Ratner made in 2006, while also continuing the pristine saga Matthew Vaughn rebooted.

There are elements from both series that mix well, and others that don't, but for the most part, the end result is a fully cohesive, action packed thrill ride that treats the majority of the ensemble with the attention they need. It answers some lingering questions that one may have in a manner better than characters asking "Why?" thus making a smooth expositional transition. It looks and feels fantastic, and it never relinquishes focus.

To debit, we also find some third act problems that don't work out cleanly. There's a great deal of convoluted-ness in the antagonistic intentions. You never fully understand what it is exactly that the villains are trying to do, and that results in having no idea which one is the major threat.

In addition, we find some more of the trademark overshadowing, and extraneous characters with very interesting stories, powers, and concepts are yet AGAIN set aside to make room for the centrals. In fairness, it doesn't feel like "The Wolverine Show" again, but very significant actors really have no purpose here other than to act as fan-service.

Acting wise, we find the regular troupe of actors such as Jackman, Stewart, McKellen who don't really contribute anything better than their previous work, and thus their performances don't really warrant discussion.

James McAvoy gets to stretch some different muscle than his previous portrayal. Rather than the smooth Brit who holds all the answers, we find a wounded ne'er do well who is disillusioned with the world and is suffering from his past and struggling to accept the future. The inner rage that McAvoy conveys makes him that much more interesting.

Similarly, we find Michael Fassbender working with his new meat, making strides as a man who is conflicted in acceptance as well. Ditto to Jennifer Lawrence who is also showcasing naturally how she would adapt to her new circumstances.

Finally, we come to the first time we've had Andrew's Standout in quite some time. This time, it is the wonderful Peter Dinklage. We are lead to believe that his character is an outright mutant hating villain, but the complexities and charm in which he accomplishes his tasks and circumvents revealing his true agendas show why his Tyrion Lannister is all the rage on Game of Thrones.

It's a great movie with intriguing themes and ideas, but it simply doesn't live up to the hype and maintains the issues of previous films. Still check it out.

B

"Godzilla" Review

Why did Godzilla suck? Oh, don't worry. I'm talking about the 1998 abomination from Roland Emmerich. And the reasons for it's overall mediocre quality revolve around phoned in performances, a weak story, complete departure from the source, the cheesy redesign of the title monster (which I believe to resemble some sort of lizard/potato/porcupine mixture) and the fact the entire film was little more than just an excuse for Emmerich to create more of the destruction porn he demonstrated in Independence Day. It took 16 years, but America has once again attempted to put their own stamp on the world's most famous monster. Did we learn our lesson?

In 1999, a scientific anomaly occurs in Janjira, Japan which causes major destruction, and the death of Sandra Brody. 15 years later, her widowed husband Joe discovers that the same warning signs are occurring once more and decides to investigate with his son Ford. They find out that the Janjira nuclear plant is harboring a monster which soon breaks loose, and attracts the attention of the mysterious Gojira (Godzilla).

Like I said, the monster in the 90's movie looked like a number of things, but it wasn't Godzilla. Here we get an updated version of the behemoth that looks stunningly powerful, bulky, effective, and also harkens back to the original 1954 Toho films from Japan. To sum this portion up, Godzilla actually looks like Godzilla, and he acts like it too.

What we find in the plot is a deeply tense and high stakes human story. Emotion runs high, and for that we find something halfway decent to wrap around the carnage that the monsters cause. There are real people on the ground, with their lives on the line. It reminds one of the realism you find surrounding the disaster in Cloverfield. This adds little more dimension to it rather than the arbitrary situation room of scientists and generals looking to stop it.

But in balancing terms, it can feel a little too focused on the humans. It certainly lingered a bit on showing us some whole action, and at one point someone in my theater yelled "Get to the fighting." As much as I hate people blurting out in movies, he had a point. It could have benefitted from more action. There is certainly enough to justify calling it a Godzilla movie, and it's great to finally seeing an American take on the monster take full advantage of his abilities, but it could have used a little more Godzilla.

He doesn't factor into a major portion of the film, but there's still a lot to be said about Bryan Cranston. He is one of the greatest actors alive, and that is not hyperbole. What worked about his performance as Walter White in Breaking Bad is that he was completely invested creating an electrically real persona that you could feel for until the end, even when it's clear that you should hate the man. In Godzilla, the circumstances surrounding his character justify his descent into a slightly unhinged, but still fantastically emotional character. He showcases a broad range in his screen time with a beautiful family man basis and shattered facade.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who put the kick in Kick-Ass, is a wonderful presence in his role of Lt. Ford Brody.  He somewhat fills the role that Matthew Broderick did in 1998, but character wise, he fulfills more duties as a father, a son, a soldier. He's our link into the story. He's definitely not the strongest performer in the film, and he still feels a little young, but otherwise he serves his purpose without coming across unbelievably.

Godzilla is certainly one to see, featuring wonderful storytelling, a great creature design, true emotion, and another great turn by Bryan Cranston. If anything, you'll just want more Godzilla.

A-

"Neighbors" Review

What group of people knows how to throw a better party the American Fraternity? At least in cinema, no one. The basic structure of these films involves partying, rivalries, struggling grades, and a bitter fun-sucking dean. I simply refuse to believe that there will one day be one that does it better than National Lampoon's Animal House, and Neighbors (whilst very well done) still does not come near the legacy of Bluto, Otter, and the rest of Delta Tau Chi. 

Mac and Kelly Radner are a suburban couple with a newborn daughter, who are struggling to accept the fact their lives are changing. One day, a fraternity moves into the vacancy next door. The couple initially attempts to bond with the frat, hoping to stay peaceful and possibly recapture some of their youth and subtly telling them to keep the noise down. However, a call to the cops to report a noise complaint lands the Radner's on the wrong side of the fraternity's favor, and a war breaks out. 

The regular tropes are all here, but what keeps the film fresh is the commitment of the cast, original gags, and some surprisingly complex themes. It is certainly worthy of being in the pantheon of college movies. It's exceedingly funny when it needs to be, but the characters deal with some very interesting personal dilemmas. Just as the lead couple struggles to accept their newfound responsibilities, the fraternity brothers also find it hard to deal with the idea that while they are having a nearly endless streak of parties, they need more to their lives and there is a life that comes later. It's going to end up as a classic college party movie, but it also adds some really strong questions that the target audience should consider in themselves.

If there was anywhere to detriment the film,  it may be a little homely. There are the basic elements of storytelling here, but some of them just feel two neatly wrapped. Some, not all, are just too quickly solved. Things such as the subplot for Ike Barinholtz's character feel as though there isn't enough thought to give it a realistic conclusion. It's too simply dealt with.

Let's talk Seth Rogen for a bit. He's a very strong performer, very creative storyteller, and in real life trues to use his celebrity to benefit others. I like Rogen. A lot. But many of his characters do really have a template of what I call Rogenisms. The weed, the laugh, the jokes about his cock. It grows a little tiresome after a while. I like his performance in this movie, I really do. What he does works for the character, and he is genuinely hilarious. But at some point he needs to try something new if he doesn't want to alienate his public. 

The breakout in this movie is very clearly Zac Efron. I've said this before, he's easily the strongest performer out of anyone involved with the High School Musical franchise. Where in the past he has always played himself to that charming pretty boy mold, but here he gets to not only tackle some interesting material, he adds a new dimension of himself that I think will be to his advantage. He's all about the party on the outside, yet there are some demons inside his character that Efron is able to underscore and display at the proper moments. 

Delightful as ever is Rose Byrne, who upon reading the cast list feels a little out of place. But after seeing her work, she blends quite seamlessly into the aesthetic that Rogen films have. She is certainly raunchier than she has been before, and it works as a new strength for her to use in the future too. 

Neighbors isn't perfect, it's not the best college film, but it's rip-roaringly funny and deals with some great themes. Check it out. 

B+

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" Review

Of all the superheroes in existence, there has been none I have enjoyed as much as Spider-Man. I think it has one of the most profound influences on my life as in regards to pop culture. I loved the cartoons, I loved the halloween costume I wore. I did enjoyed the Sam Raimi trilogy for what it was. Yet the Raimi trilogy didn't really do everything I wanted it too. So far, the reboot franchise from Marc Webb has shown stronger potential. There are certainly marketing problems which may stem from a hubris in the expected box office results, and people complain that they feel like they've seen the movie before actually seeing it. Believe me when I say that there is more to be seen in the final product, but at the same time, more to be desired. 

In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, we find Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy as they are about to graduate from High School and the events thereafter. Peter is struggling with the promise that he made to Gwen's father to stay away, and at the same time trying to solve the mystery his parent's disappearance. Soon however, he is also forced to deal with the emergence of a new menace in the form of Electro, and the reappearance of his old friend Harry Osborn. 

Let me apologize first and foremost, for it is hard (for me at least) to talk about what the film does and doesn't get right without comparing it to the original Sam Raimi series. As much as I'd like to analyze it on purely it's own merits (which I'll do as much as possible), there is so much more I can do by side-by-side comparison. 

There are easily some strong points that immediately come to mind after my initial viewing. The acting is top-notch (which I'll talk about towards the end, as usual). The visuals are fully formed, and take advantage of what Spider-Man, Electro, and Green Goblin can do. The close-ups, the slow motion panning, the strong imagery we see in the fight scenes showcase the potential of these super-humans in ways that we really haven't seen before. They could easily rely on the tried and true average web slinging effects, but here we actually dive in and witness it from fresh, and bold perspectives which make the film quite unique. 

Next, we come to the music from Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams. (Yes, that Pharrell. And yes, I'm Happy).  It really helped to underscore the plot as well as well as the characters. Especially the character of Max Dillon/Electro. This is clearly a man with some serious issues, even before he gains his powers. The strong, brooding score helps to beautifully illustrate the extent of his mental anguish. I've never really paid too much attention to the music before, but Zimmer and Pharrell use it almost as a dialogue-less narrator to move the story along. 

At last, we come to the plot. There's simply too much of it, yet it also makes you want more. It's got  a lot of threads to follow, and when we reach the ends of them, it's either not as satisfying, or it's simply not finished. To it's credit, they tie some things together and if you go with it, there are some great moments. However, they also try to conquer too much ground in one film. It's part of the post Avengers effect, in which the studio is looking to set up a multi-branched franchise. I am very much looking forward to what they are setting up, but I also want to see a story in itself. I did enjoy the story, I just wanted a smoother one. 

Andrew Garfield is the Superior Spider-Man. (No comic book readers, not in that way.) He is much stronger in the role than Tobey Maguire was. Maguire was good. But Garfield simply does more with the character. Mainly, he is closer to the comics. He is actually having fun with the role. He isn't mopey or sour, he is wise-cracking and having a great time. More than that, he possesses the strength to play the darker parts of the character organically whilst playing a full range. 

Emma Stone is also refreshing as Gwen Stacey. She isn't a damsel in distress, she's strong. She has the range, she has the quirks. But best of all is her superb chemistry with her off-screen boyfriend Andrew Garfield. Their romance is so real, that it just works wonders to both of them. 

Jamie Foxx is unfortunately given a rather cheesy backstory, but he is able to turn it into something worthwhile. This is an unfortunate guy we're introduced too. He is like an injured puppy, you feel for him. All the way through, Foxx gives us someone we're sorry for, but also that we know has to be stopped. 

Dane DeHaan is streets ahead of James Franco in his role of Harry Osborn. Once again, no disrespect to Franco, but DeHaan's take on the character is full of more complexity and resentment that feels appropriate to who Osborn is. Franco had the potential, but he never really went deep and let us really feel that anguish of living in his father's shadow. DeHaan meanwhile has an almost blood boiling level of passion and desire, and he won't let anyone stand in his way. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has great music, acting, and visuals, but it's a little over-franchised and doesn't really whet the appetite as much as it should. But still check it out. 

B-