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7/30/2018

Movie Review: Mission: Impossible - Fallout

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One of the best action movies ever

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018): Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

YES. After months of anticipation, the latest installment in arguably the best franchise in Hollywood right now is finally here. Mission: Impossible - Fallout further cements this unlikely franchise at the top of the over-saturated mountain of existing Hollywood IP, and further cements the franchise's place as the undisputed king of the action genre. (Check out my series review here. I am, after all, a company man. Isn't that right Oscar? No, we'll worry about your healthcare later!) Seriously, if you have even a passing interest action movies, put any predispositions you may have towards Tom Cruise the man or the thought that this is "yet another franchise" aside and see this movie. It truly is one of the best action movies ever made. I had unrealistically high expectations for this film, and Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise, and the rest of the production crew for Fallout somehow met them.

I think it's worth starting with the faults here. The film's story is a little messy and hard-to-follow. Unlike previous installments, including Rogue Nation, this installment did take itself a tad too seriously for what a popcorn flick should be. That's not to say there isn't a significant amount of humor and lighthearted dialogue scattered throughout its lengthy 147 minute runtime, but the tone did seem to be a bit more serious than previous films in the franchise, particularly in the final act. That said, I actually found myself personally getting a little emotional in said final act, but I will readily admit I admire this franchise more than most, so in all likelihood most viewers will be bored during these touching moments. They really serve as nothing more than placeholder moments to let the audience take a breath in between the jaw-dropping setpieces, but they're still a thing and a rather weak thing at that. Honestly, I'm just trying to split hairs here so I'm not constantly gushing about this film. Because it is worth gushing over.

The action setpieces here are some of the greatest I have ever seen. Tom Cruise shows that he can still bring it at age 56 with ease, and watching him hang from the side of a helicopter or run through the rooftoops of London (open palm running and all) is still nothing short of exhilarating. See, Mission: Impossible's insistence on filming as many of the stunts with practical effects, combined with Tom Cruise actually doing most of the incredible stunts throughout are what make Fallout as good as it is. Cruise actually spent three months learning to fly a helicopter in the film's breathtaking conclusion, and the cinematography around this unbelievable setpiece really sells it home. This helicopter chase is one of the most incredible sequences I have ever seen, and while it is the end of a resounding crescendo from director Christopher McQuarrie, there are plenty of other setpieces to get your adrenaline pumping. Heck, one of the early sequences features a spectacular oner that includes a cameraman doing a HALO jump with Tom Cruise, (which I still can't believe they did) which will likely go down as one of my favorite movie moments of 2018. And that's basically the first setpiece of the film! Ya, it's that good.
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On top of the incredible action sequences, the film has a marvelous cast that features a surprisingly diverse cast of core characters. It's taken 6 films, but this franchise finally has a strong group of supporting women, led by the return of Ilsa Faust. (the role that put Rebecca Ferguson on the map) We also get two great newcomers in White Widow (Vanessa Kirby) and the stern, resolute, and cold-blooded Erica Sloan. (Angela Bassett) Also, August Walker (Henry Cavill) is pretty darn good alongside Ethan Hunt, (Tom Cruise) and he looks pretty sleek with his mustache too. Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) also returns as this film is something of a direct sequel to Rogue Nation, but Lane continues to dwarf the legendary performance of Phillip Seymour Hoffman from Mission: Impossible 3.  However, he is a formidable villain for Ethan Hunt. And that's who you come to see, right? Yes, once more Tom Cruise handles the mantle and does things that I could only dream of, and is worth the price of admission alone. (Yes, he's not asked to do much in terms of acting here, but he doesn't need to when he's riding through Paris on a motorcycle without a helmet, right?) Tom Cruise is the the centerpiece of this franchise, and his suave and grace during the chaotic setpieces are exactly why. I also have to mention the score. Compsed by Lorne Balfe, Fallout's score is easily the strongest of a franchise that includes scores composed by Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, and Danny Elfman. It's a wonderful breath of fresh air for what's usually a forgettable summer blockbuster score. Also, gotta give a shoutout to director Christopher McQuarrie. Since Fallout doesn't cheat any of its action sequences, every aspect of filmmaking shows up and sells these over-the-top action setpieces, and McQuarrie is a big reason for why it all comes together and continues to work flawlessly. It doesn't really matter that the story is over-serious and confusing at points. You're not looking for a meaningful story in a popcorn flick. You're looking for good ol' fashion fun, and there's plenty of it to be found in Fallout. One of the best films of the year so far, Fallout is a masterfully executed action film, and is exhibit A for why you go to the movies. Don't miss it!

The Critique: One of the best action movies ever, Mission: Impossible - Fallout soars from one exhilarating sequence to the next with flawless execution, with an ageless performance from Tom Cruise holding it all together.

The Recommendation: Yes, this is an absolute must-see for all.

Rewatchability: Very High

The Verdict: 9.5/10 Damn Near Perfect

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7/26/2018

Series Review - Mission: Impossible

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Hey friends! With the impending release of the sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, I figured now is as good a time as any to take a look back at the previous five installments. Hopefully you'll see that while the franchise had some very humble beginnings (I'm still not sure how it continued on after the rather disastrous M: I-2) but hopefully I'll convince you that this franchise has propelled itself to the top of the proverbial action genre mountain with its recent installments. By the end of this you'll understand why Mission: Impossible - Fallout has been my most anticipated release of this summer's slate of blockbusters. So, let's get started!

Mission: Impossible

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Mission: Impossible (1996): An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

I honestly think this is a rather underrated installment in this franchise. Sure, the original Mission: Impossible relies heavily on the "tech" aspect of it all, which means it's hilariously dated 22 years later, but the film features a surprisingly diverse cast and is well executed at the hands of one of Hollywood's great directors of the late 20th century, Brian De Palma. There are a lot of sequences here that can be considered iconic, most notably the aquarium explosion sequence, (though someone needs to tell me where all that water came from because I still don't know) and it's rather well acted. The great Kristin Scott-Thomas and Emilio Estevez lead a strong supporting cast with criminally little screen time. This cast even includes a screen-chewing Vanessa Redgrave, clearly having a blast at the opportunity to play an arms dealer, which I'm sure doesn't come across her desk all that often. And the film features a great performance from Jon Voight. A performance that likely saved his on-screen career. Sure, by making it more of a spy movie in the mold of a Bond film, the tech is hilariously outdated. And the final train sequence looks pretty bad today. (This sequence as a whole is pretty corny) But the two big setpieces, the aforementioned aquarium sequence and the CIA break-in, are still an absolute blast to watch. Combine that with the wonderful (and underrated) performances and the guiding hands of Brian De Palma, you have a decent film. It's not the worst thing in the world to revisit nowadays, especially if you're a fan of quintessential 90s cinema.

My Number: 6/10

Mission: Impossible II

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Mission: Impossible II (2000): A secret agent is sent to Sydney, to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera".

Ok, so, honest truth aside first: this was my introduction to the Mission: Impossible franchise, and really action movies in general, so it will always have a special place in my heart. That said.....it is undoubtedly the weakest installment in the franchise. The film does have some great stunts, (the opening sequence with Tom Cruise free climbing is still one of the best setpieces I have ever seen) and the great Chinese director John Woo crafts some exhilarating martial arts sequences in the third act. However, the film really struggles to have a central identity. In the first two acts the film takes itself entirely too seriously, with these awkward slow-mo sequences, distracting editing, and a (shockingly) over-dramatic score from composer Hans Zimmer that often fell into the realm of self-serious versus fun and corny. (Also, yes, you read that right - Hans Zimmer.) But throughout these first two acts there are moments that are hilariously cliché and border on parody, including likely the corniest line of the entire franchise. (You know what you did, Anthony Hopkins.) The third act does (finally) embrace the campy-ness and goes all-in on it, with some of the most over-the-top shots I have ever seen. Think Tom Cruise walking through a literal ring of fire while a white dove flies past him with a choir singing a knockoff of "O Fortuna" kind of over-the-top moments, and these are quite fun! It makes you ask yourself, "Why isn't the entire movie like this?" as you remember how you struggled through the first two acts. Also, Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) is a stereotypical action movie woman - she gets in a very awkward and at-times uncomfortable love triangle between male leads Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) and doesn't have much more to do other than "be pretty and fall in love with the male lead." Which is a shame because her character becomes a central component of the final act, despite receiving hardly any screen time during this time because if she did, it would've been just her with neither man around to tell her what to do. We can't have that, now, can we? (The sarcasm is real) Honestly, this movie is pretty sexist, as there are a lot of outdated lines regarding women scattered throughout. Also, Dougray Scott is a pretty lackluster villain, which is pretty surprising given what the franchise has in store for us in the next installment. But, outside of his terrific character introduction, (which is also probably the best moment for masks utilized throughout the franchise, a staple of the original TV show) he is woefully inadequate in the villain role, and is nothing more than "Sean Bean lite" in my book. Also, this movie inspired nearly every Tom Cruise cliché out there, from wearing sunglasses all the time to riding a motorcycle to wearing sunglasses WHILE riding a motorcycle to the infamous open palm running. So there's that. If you're revisiting the franchise there's not much of a reason to include this one unless there's an enjoyable amount of alcohol involved. Because a below-average action film for 2000 means the "age" of it will be that much more apparent. At least it doesn't lean into the tech as much as its predecessor did....

My Number: 4/10

Mission: Impossible III

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Mission: Impossible III (2006): Agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancee in response.

And then there's the J.J. Abrams-directed Mission: Impossible III. Despite the frustrating shaky-cam from Abrams doing everything it can to diminish the overall viewing experience, this is where the franchise begins to climb up the proverbial action genre mountain, which it reins over today. This time around, the production crew finally begins to lean into the best things about this franchise: the over-the-top action setpieces, and combines it with by FAR The strongest villain this franchise has to offer. Owen Davian (played by the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman) is one of the most underrated action movie villains of recent memory, maybe even of all-time. Philip Seymour Hoffman's iconic performance of the maniacal arms dealer is worth the price of admission alone. He's wreckless and pure evil, but also cool, calm, and collected. He wants to watch the world burn, but does so with the suave you'd expect from James Bond. The biggest fault of this entire film is not featuring him nearly enough: Davian's presence is felt the entire movie, but he's only actually in a few scenes. However, he steals the show in every one of these scenes and brings the best out of Tom Cruise, who also delivers his best performance of (at least) all of his films from the 21st century here. I think Abrams realized in post-production that the scenes between Hunt / Davian were the best in the film, with the best of these scenes actually being shown at both the beginning and climax of the film. Usually I would be VERY critical of this decision, but I'm willing to forgive here since this is the best sequence of the entire film, by far. There is still a fair amount that doesn't work here: the final act is a little ridiculous, even by Mission: Impossible standards, and the attempt to "humanize" Ethan Hunt doesn't really work. (There's a reason none of the other films have even attempted to do this.) Julia (Michelle Monaghan) is also a rather shallow counterpart to Hunt, as she becomes not much more than a damsel-in-distress as time goes on, but her treatment is worlds better than that of Thandie Newton in MI-2, so at least there's that. Also, most of the effects still hold up today, which is nice. Combine all this with a legendary performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman, and you have a good film, and a fitting one to start the meteoric rise of this franchise.

My Number: 7/10

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

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Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2018): The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is perhaps the hardest Mission: Impossible film to accurately describe. On the one hand, it is by far the most lighthearted and fun M: I film in the catalog. Director Brad Bird (yes, that Brad Bird) brings his signature wit and humor to the franchise and turns the action up to eleven in the process. He successfully recognized the greatness of Benji (Simon Pegg) and made him a centerpiece of the crew, even if the rationale for how Benji got to where he was could basically be described as "I DON'T KNOW." Also by this installment Tom Cruise had sunk his teeth fully into the franchise, but believe me when I say that's a good thing. The stunts here are totally over-the-top, from the fun and dramatic opening Kremlin sequence, to the iconic Burj Khalifa sequence (shot on location in Dubai with Tom Cruise, as is the norm for this franchise) to the absurd garage sequence at the end of the film. The action is pulse-pounding, and hardly ever slows down from start to finish. The franchise introduces several interesting new characters to compliment Tom Cruise just doing the craziest stunts he can think of, between Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and Jane. (Paula Patton) Unfortunately, the later's motivations are rather shallow and based around a man, while the former gets a well fleshed out backstory. (And is also the most interesting part of the film.) The villains are fun and memorable, and are played by terrific actors in Michael Nyqvist and Léa Sydoux, but of course the loss of Philip Seymour Hoffman is felt greatly in this installment. As it is everywhere else. (RIP) Ultimately Ghost Protocol was largely overlooked in 2011 because it was coming out towards the tail end of a mini golden age for action movies, but it still more than holds up today, and love or hate Tom Cruise.....the best thing this franchise did was simply let him do the craziest things he could possibly think of, and Ghost Protocol is where that strategy truly begins. There is not another actor living today that has the kind of creative control Tom Cruise has when it comes to action movies, (though Dwayne Johnson des have his eyes set on Cruise) and while the ones that fail fail HORRIBLY (looking at you, The Mummy) the ones that succeed are simply the best action films on the market any given year. Ghost Protocol is no exception to that rule.

My Number: 7.5/10

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

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Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2018): Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.

(I reviewed this film when it came out. You can check that out here.)

This movie is one of the best action movies I have ever seen. Filled with over-the-top stunts and helmed by a vintage Tom Cruise, Rogue Nation completed Mission: Impossible's meteoric and somewhat unlikely rise to the pinnacle of the action genre. Its story, while not groundbreaking, is as engaging as it needs to be, featuring a memorable villain in Solomon Lane and an intriguing supporting character in Ilsa Faust. Rebecca Ferguson's career-setting performance in this supporting role delivers the female heroine this franchise needed, as she combines her stunning looks with an intimidating physique as she takes down numerous thugs with ease. This franchise has come a long way in the women department. (Even if Rebecca Ferguson is the only woman in this film, progress is better than nothing, right?) But the main reason you come to this franchise is for the action, and Rogue Nation has plenty of it. If there was any question this franchise has become all about one-upping itself, Rogue Nation answers with a resounding "yes." The film opens with a stunning setpiece that involves Tom Cruise hanging out of a plane as it takes off (which he actually did, of course) and never looks back. Honestly there are very few films with better looking action setpieces out there, and they haven't aged one bit in the last 3 years since the initial release because, unlike so many other action films out there, director Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise, and company stubbornly insist on doing everything you see in real life with practical effects because they know what is glaringly obvious to the viewer: we can tell when you're cheating.  And there's no cheating in Rogue Nation. Also, say what you want about Tom Cruise, but the dude is an action star for a reason, and even at 53 years old in this installment, he can still act the part as if he was 30 years younger.  Combine the stunning visuals with a good villain, a memorable supporting actress, the sprinkle some witty dialogue from people like Simon Pegg on top? You have one of the better action films ever made, and easily the best installment this franchise has to offer. 

My Number: 9/10

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7/24/2018

Quick Reviews, Summer 2018, Part 2: Sicario: Day of the Soldado, The First Purge, Skyscraper, Sorry to Bother You, The Equalizer 2

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Sicario: Day of the Soldado

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Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018): The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.

I don't think I have ever seen a film come out at a more inappropriate time given its subject matter. In the height of Trump's America, on the heels of the current administration separating families at our southern border for merely trying to find a better life, Lionsgate, director Stefano Sollima, and writer Taylor Sheridan (OSCAR! Is this the same Taylor Sheridan that blew us away in Wind River? SERIOUSLY? Well, safe to say he's 3 for 4 now) have the sheer gall to release a MAGA's wet dream of what the border looks like on film. Right from the opening scene the vile and racist tone was set, as we witnessed an immigrant crossing the border into America then, when caught by ICE, says "Allāhu akbar," and proceeds to blow themselves up, killing several ICE agents in the process. In the next scene, we are greeted to a suicide bombing in Kansas City supposedly conducted by immigrants from the border, complete with a white mom and her daughter pleading with the last of the bombers not to blow himself up before the inevitable explosion. It was tough for me to have any sympathy for this movie and anyone involved at this point, and that was literally at the 5 minute mark. But, if you think things got any better after that, REST ASSURED, MY FRIENDS..... they did not. Literally EVERY Latino outside of Alejandro (played by Benicio Del Toro, who's.....fine, but seems to be in it for the paycheck) and Isabel Reyes (played by the wonderful Isabela Moner, who is given very little to do) is either a member of a cartel, bought and paid for by a cartel, or trying to join a cartel, save EXACTLY ONE. At one point there is deaf Latino man that helps Alejandro and Isabel out by giving them some food. That's it. I just listed every Latino that's an extra in this movie that isn't affiliated with a cartel. I wish I was making a very bad joke there, but I'm not. This film is dangerously hateful and reckless. I haven't been as upset about something since last year's heinous I Love You, Daddy, and at least with that film The Orchard realized that the #MeToo movement was important and put it on the shelf indefinitely. Here, Lionsgate looked at the thousands of children STILL separated by our current administration at the border and said "Ya. Let's go ahead and release this. Nothing to see here." There isn't much to redeem this film outside of its tone-deaf handling of Latinos, either. Without Kate Macer, (Emily Blunt's character) the film has no moral compass, no one to ground it in reality, no one to be the audience's eyes, so it devolves into nothing more than explosions and gratuitous violence while thinking it's WAY MORE than that. And, without Roger Deakins to man the camera, there's not a whole lot to marvel at visually, either. The film tries to be like Roger Deakins, but we all know there's only one Roger Deakins. Ultimately, the lack of a guiding hand like Denis Villeneuve (who directed the original ​Sicario) leads Sicario: Day of the Solado down the dark path of ignorance and racism, and in the process becomes a film that will certainly appeal to the viewers of Fox News, but anyone with half a brain will see the disgusting agenda here for what it is. Stay VERY far away, as this will be a top candidate for me for worst film of 2018. Were it not for the fact that I saw it with some friends I would've walked out halfway through.

My Number: 1/10

The First Purge

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The First Purge (2018): After the rise of a third political party, the New Founding Fathers of America, an experiment is conducted, no laws for 12 hours on Staten Island. No one must stay during the experiment yet there is $5,000 for anyone who does.

Ugh. Wow IMDB description is.....not great. Scripts have never been a strong point for The Purge franchise. The previous installment, The Purge: Election Year, captured lightning in a bottle and delivered a topical slasher flick that was lighthearted and fun despite a weak and shallow script. It's no surprise that the fourth installment has a mediocre script as well, but this time the topical aspect of it was overwhelming for me. It made the film feel like it was taking itself entirely too seriously, whereas previously the lack thereof was one of the franchise's strongest assets. And when the franchise shies away from the slasher genre in favor of a more traditional action movie, combined with this overly serious tone? You have the makings of a disaster on your hands. The First Purge isn't quite a disaster as its action sequences are still pretty fun and its themes do tie-in exceptionally well with modern-day America, (the later is probably the strongest aspect of this film, even if it is overwhelming) I can't help but feel letdown here with the latest installment.  There's just not a whole lot else to get excited about here. The performances are pretty forgettable, with the "big names" of this installment (Patch Darragh and and Marisa Tomei) being inexplicably delegated to "talking at a computer screen" roles, a far cry from Elizabeth Mitchell's "down and dirty" role or freaking Betty Gabriel's boss of a performance/character in the prior film. I want to know why the heck Laney Rucker, (Gabriel) who was described as a one-time badass in The Purge: Election Year, wasn't given a cameo to do something awesome here. Why not lean into the lore you've created, guys? No, instead we get this ridiculous origin story for The Purge that has a lot of stupid things happen along the way that we're supposed to just accept. There were some very enjoyable action sequences here, but entirely too much time is spent on the silly origin story for the franchise. Honestly? Just go and watch The Purge: Anarchy  or The Purge: Election Year again. So much better than this, and that is a damn shame.

My Number: 4/10

Skyscraper

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Skyscraper (2018): ​A father goes to great lengths to save his family from a burning skyscraper.

Skyscraper is basically what you're expecting it to be. It's a movie primarily made for the foreign crowd, (particularly China given its setting and some of its supporting stars) and it'll make its distributor, Universal, some money in this regard while it tanks stateside. (Plus, The Rock has become one of the few major "new" stars with the name-power to draw crowds internationally) But.....stateside we're left to ask.....why? Why waste any of your marketing budget here when you know you're doomed to fail? There's not much to draw people in here in America, as the film is hilariously predictable, visually unimpressive, and just overall soulless and boring. The corporate-mandated filmmaking can be smelled from a mile away. Even the acting is pretty meh, as The Rock doesn't do anything unique short of "he's a paraplegic capable of scaling an actual 100+ story crane in about 15 minutes," (which he did, by the way. Call it nitpicking but I was a little frustrated when no one acknowledged this) and even Neve Campbell doesn't do much out of the ordinary, despite receiving a good amount of screen time throughout the brisk (but still overlong) 100 minute runtime. The most interesting person in this film is Hannah Quinlivan, who portrays Xia, one of the henchmen who is far more interesting than the film's lead henchman, Kores Botha. (played by Roland Møller) But because she's delegated to the "head supporting henchman" she has basically nothing to do. Oh, and OF COURSE, the film takes place in a single night so we can't truly appreciate the visual spectacle of it all. A lot of corners were cut in the setpieces, and it's painstakingly obvious at many points. Not even the biggest setpieces (the ones from all the marketing campaigns) look decent, which means there's really no reason to see this film. Not even internationally, since all the Asian actors are delegated to minor supporting roles. (Seriously, why isn't Hannah Quinlivan the lead henchman here???) It's a "no" from me. Stay away.

My Number: 2.5/10

Sorry to Bother You

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Sorry to Bother You (2018): In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a macabre universe.

Wow. What a film. I went into this completely blind (a rare thing for me nowadays) and was refreshingly greeted to one of the most ambitious and creative films to hit the silver screen this year. Director/writer Boots Riley brings his social critique to the big screen flawlessly, as there are several meaningful statements on everything from racial advantages, class inequality and hierarchy, to even the benefits of labor unions. All of this surrounds a plot that is pretty absurd. Riley swings for the fences here in a style the reminded me of the Wachowski's Cloud Atlas. (Which is honestly high praise as Cloud Atlas is still one of the most ambitious films I have ever seen.) While Sorry to Bother You does get a little too out there for me personally at points, this film has cult classic future written all over it. Some of the effects aren't great, and the over-ambitious script does expose itself to some faults, but most scripts do. It's not easy wrapping a social critique into a batshit premise that sprinkles some sharp jokes throughout, but that's exactly what Bootsy Riley does. He's also helped by a stellar cast. Lakeith Stanfield puts in a career-defining performance as Cassius Green, and his girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson) is a strong female character in her own right. Another point where this film excels is in the production design. As the IMDB description noted, this is an "alternate" version of Oakland, and the costume department / set design is where this alternate reality really comes out. Detroit's outfits are a great example of this. Her earrings did a great job to convey the feeling of a scene while also looking jarring and out-of-this-world. The film also features some great voiceovers to convey whiteness, as Patton Oswalt, David Cross, and Lilly James all lend their voices and are basically unrecognizable thanks to some great sound design. All in all, this is a great film, and destined for a great shelf life as a cult hit. It loses some steam in the third act as it becomes ambitious to a fault, but I'll take an overly ambitious film over something that plays it safe any day. It's a sharp satire of our current society, and certainly better than most of the movies in the theater right now. It is more than worthy of your time.

My Number: 8/10

The Equalizer 2

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The Equalizer 2 (2018): Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?

Wow, that is a TERRIBLE IMDB description. I thought the one for The First Purge was bad....anyway, we need to talk about how disappointing a sequel this is. It's predecessor, 2014's The Equalizer, took its place in a great year for the crime thriller genre that included films like A Walk Among the Tombstones, A Most Wanted Man, and, for better or for worse, John Wick. Now, thanks in part to the massive success of the last film I mentioned in that list, we've seen this little genre lose some of its muster in the past few years, and The Equalizer 2 is the perfect embodiment of that. It basically does the exact same thing The Equalizer did again, but now that no longer has the same breath of fresh air that came with its predecessor. This film plays things very safe and sound and is predictable at every turn, and lacks the visual style of something like the aforementioned John Wick to keep things interesting when it simply rehashes its previous formula. About the only two characters that were interesting here were Miles (played by Ashton Sanders, formerly of Moonlight acclaim) and Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) but neither one of them are given the amount of screen time they deserve as we have to follow the totally uninteresting friendship of McCall (Washington) and Dave York. (Pedro Pascal, who continues to struggle at finding his niche in film following his breakout success in Game of Thrones) And Bill Pullman is in this? For some reason? I'm sure he got a nice paycheck but his character was completely unnecessary. Otherwise....there's really not much to say here. It's a sequel that doesn't exist for any other reason than to cash in on an IP that finds itself in a popular genre of late, and is lifeless in virtually every sense of the word. If you really liked the original you may find something to like here, otherwise there are definitely better flicks to see in the cinema right now. (And hopefully upcoming as well. Looking at you, Mission: Impossible.)

My Number: 3.5/10

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7/11/2018

Raw Thoughts: Ant-Man and the Wasp

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Why does this exist other than to make Marvel $$$?

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

Ahhhhhhhhhh yes. Another movie that could be summed up in two words: it's fine. But you don't come here for two word reviews, do you? So I will do my best to elaborate on this fine Ant-Man sequel. Ok so before you discount everything I'm going to say simply because I have superhero fatigue, (and I'll politely remind you about the fact that there are now 20 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 20!) keep in mind the fact that, after Thor: Ragnarok turned that franchise around, Ant-Man became the weakest superhero in Marvel's catalog. I think that's a pretty indisputable statement. And, unfortunately, Ant-Man and the Wasp is simply more of the same. If you liked the original, 2015’s Ant-Man, you'll like the sequel and have probably already tuned me out. And if you didn't care for it? Or found it ok, like I did? You'll find this one merely ok as well. However, combine this mediocrity with my cynical superhero fatigue, and you have one frustrated moviegoer.

So, let's start with the positives. Paul Rudd continues to be the best thing this franchise has to offer. His casual and light-hearted demeanor is perfect for a Marvel movie, and Paul Rudd delivers his humorous lines with the delivery you’ve come to expect from Paul Rudd. He made me laugh on several occasions, which is always nice. It's still very weird to see Michael Douglas in a superhero movie, but at the end of the day I’m still not complaining. And Michael Peña is still hilarious. How this dude is not a bonafide A-list star is beyond me. The film also features a decent villain, Ghost, and is portrayed exceptionally well by Hannah John-Kamen, but her motivations are rather shallow and pale in comparison to the previous three villains Marvel has put on screen. (Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War, Killmonger from Black Panther, and Hela from Thor: Ragnarok.) Honestly, Ghost falls into the “it's fine” category far as villains are concerned, but she is saved by Hannah John-Kamen’s performance, as well as some some good editing/CGI. Everyone else is…..fine, but there’s not much to speak of with them. (Including Evangeline Lilly….she’s fine but doesn’t stand out at all.) Outside of the performances….meh? The dialogue is pretty sharp, but I think that's benefited by the actors saying said dialogue. There's also some cool visuals littered throughout the movie. The film is a good showcase for what CGI can do in 2018, but it doesn't really push any boundaries, and the quantum realm it investigates still feels like it's “colorful simply for the sake of being colorful” so it doesn't really add to the film at all. And we don't have any over-the-top performances to entertain us like Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster did in Thor: Ragnarok, so….again. Meh?

When my “positives” paragraph gets mixed in with negatives, you know my cynical side is out in full force. But it's not my fault! Again, like with its predecessor, I felt like Ant-Man and the Wasp was not much more than a bottle episode for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, designed primarily to make Marvel / Disney as much money as humanly possible. And it will still make boatloads of money, despite the fact that this is the 20th installment in the MCU. The story feels like a boilerplate superhero story, and very little happens outside of this standard formula. The villains are boilerplate villains (the other villain of this film, Sonny Birch, was as boilerplate as they come and Walton Gibbons cliché portrayal didn't help matters) and the hero overcomes all adversity to win the day (and the girl) at film’s  end. The only scene of consequence in this film occurs in the credits, which is a little frustrating because the events over other recent Marvel films could have (and should have) been utilized better here. Because of the placement of this scene, the sequence doesn't do much outside of wipe out the events of the entire movie preceding it, making this movie pretty useless at the end of the day. And that should be your biggest takeaway from Ant-Man and the Wasp: it has some witty dialogue and some decent visuals, but it adds very little to the overarching MCU. At the end of the day, your money is better spent elsewhere. Also, Stan Lee is in this movie. Again. Marvel seriously needs to stop with his cameos, PLEASE. There's no real reason to wait on seeing this Marvel film until it hits Netflix, (or Disney's impending streaming service) and there are plenty of other films in the theater right now that are more deserving of your money. Sooooo that's my roundabout way of saying “it’s fine” to sum up this Ant-Man sequel. And there's a lot better than “fine” at the movies right now.

My Number: 5/10 Average.

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7/1/2018

Quick Reviews, Summer 2018, Part 1: How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Hotel Artemis, The Incredibles 2, Tag, American Animals

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How to Talk to Girls at Parties

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How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2018): An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon.

I'm not gonna lie: this is a weird movie. In this case, unfortunately, weird is not that great a thing. To its credit, the film does make good use of its 1970s setting, and the costumes of the alien colony are pretty over-the-top and helpful for keeping track of who's who. And I really like Elle Fanning's portrayal of this alien (Zan) trying to find a sense of belonging and purpose. But, the film has its fair share of issues, particularly in the final act. There's a lot of convenient "If/thens" with the alien culture that happen to work out in the protagonist's favor, to the point that it makes the alien culture feel cheap and nothing more than a plot device. It's not really developed in an interesting way, but the film itself certainly thinks it does. This leads to some laughable moments in the third act that are supposed to be tense and filled with drama but are anything but. However, the journey there was pretty fun. As I said, Zan (Elle Fanning) was great, and her male counterpart Enn (Alex Sharp) was pretty good too. The two of them have great chemistry and really kept some of the sequences of the second act moving. If you want a great example of what chemistry can do for a film, watch this and Fahrenheit 451 back-to-back. Pretty stark contrast there. Also, Nicole Kidman played this punk lifer Queen Boadicea, and she was TOTALLY over-the-top. But boy did I love her screen chewing. So, end of the day.....this movie's fine. If you're a fan of Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, or the 70's London music scene, there's enough here to keep you invested. Everyone else? Your time is definitely better spent elsewhere.

My Number: 5/10


Hotel Artemis

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Hotel Artemis (2018): ​Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, 'Hotel Artemis' follows the Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only emergency room for criminals.

Here's the perfect way to describe Hotel Artemis: this film is basically the Continental Hotel from John Wick getting its own movie. (And I'm not the only one who thinks that, clearly.) And....it's fun. It's superficial, sure, but still pretty fun. How can it not be when you have Jodie Foster and Jeff Goldblum hurling insults at each other while Goldblum's character is literally called "The Wolf King?" Then you have Sterling K. Brown and Sofia Boutella being charismatic and sexy, while Dave Bautista goes around picking on Zachary Quinto in what NEEDS TO BE a future Star Trek film. Not to mention appearances from Jenny Slate, Kenneth Choi Brian Tyree Henry, and Father John Misty because why not, right? Yes, this is a very fun film, but it is very superficial as well. The world here is explained rather poorly, (there are riots going on over a water shortage because.... some company bought all the water and is hording it for some reason?) the mere existence of this hotel seems hard to believe, and all the "rules" of this hotel are broken at one point or another with no real consequences for really anyone other than the Nurse, (Jodie Foster) so....they don't really feel like they serve much of a purpose. Also, the color palette of this film is TERRIBLE. Yes, I get the "future dystopian" look they're going for, but the film was SO FREAKING DARK. If you're going to shoot your film at night, you have to HAVE TO give it at least a somewhat bright color palette. You can have a shoddy set design, but then you gotta bring it with the lighting because otherwise the audience is going to be squinting to see, well, anything! Ugh.....obviously that was my biggest complaint, which, combined with very mediocre lore, leads to nothing more than a decent film that can't get out of John Wick's vastly superior shadow. It's fine.

My Number: 5.5/10

Incredibles 2

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Incredibles 2 (2018): ​Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) is left to care for Jack-Jack while Helen (Elastigirl) is out saving the world.

Yay! The Incredibles are finally back! Glad I got that out of my system because I, like many of you, I LOVED Brad Bird's 2004 Pixar classic, The Incredibles. And, there's a lot to like here too. The main storylines are clever, cute, and well-executed. The "stay at-home dad" bit with Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) had its fair share of hilarious moments, and because of that funny bit Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) became the focal point of the film and was the strong female heroine we all needed. However, there's one major issue with this movie that really does it in for me: the villain. The villain of the original Incredibles is arguably the strongest bad guy Pixar has ever put on film. Syndrome was a great statement on the entitlement nature of geek culture before it became an infectious virus that has led so many self-described "geeks" to complain incessantly when things don't go exactly their way. Not to mention the misogynistic and racist aspects of it. However, here in the sequel, director/writer Brad Bird and company just couldn't seem to find that home run villain, instead delivering a fairly run-of-the-mill character with a stereotypical villainous backstory and a largely forgettable quest to stop said villain that (mostly) avoided the dark undertones that were some of the strongest moments of its predecessor. But, this movie is fun, gets a lot of great laughs, and reunites us with some beloved and iconic characters from Pixar's universe. However, there's little doubt in my mind that if this was the third or fourth installment in the Incredibles universe, it would be treated very differently. It's above average, and not a whole lot more. But hey, at least it gave Michael Giacchino a chance to reprise one of the iconic scores that put him on the map in the early 2000s, so that's a nice plus.

​My Number: 6.5/10

Tag

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Tag (2018): A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.

I think it's safe to say I had too high of expectations for this film. Tag isn't much more than a typical modern American comedy - loosely edited improv and very little else. It's no Game Night or ​Blockers from earlier this year. Rather, Tag moves briskly from one over-the-top gag to the next, and then in its final 10 minutes suddenly realizes that it needs to be about something. Its "lesson" is blatantly forced into the film via a major issue with one of the main characters that wasn't brought up at ANY POINT until the final moments. It's as jarring as it is nonsensical to believe that this ailment wouldn't have hindered this character in any way for the previous antics of the film. Is it funny, though? Mostly. I didn't laugh as much as I did in the aforementioned films, but it isn't a snoozefest either. In the laughs department it is merely.... average, with many of the best bits being the ones you saw in the trailers. But in a modern American comedy, "average" laughs is pretty damning since these films don't offer much else. And Tag falls victim to that as well. Jerry (Jeremy Renner) is a completely unbelievable character that is meant to be the focal point of the film, and Rebecca Crosby (Annabelle Wallis) is also a totally ridiculous and unbelievabl journalist. While the film is relatively diverse, (Wallis is good and no one tries to hit on her or anything, and Anna [Isla Fisher] is by FAR the best thing this whole comedy has going for it) it did totally butcher Cheryl Deakins, (Rashida Jones) who has nothing to do but stand there and get hit on by Randy (Jake Johnson) and Bob. (Jon Hamm) I will keep mentioning it until Hollywood stops doing it: there's no room for these shallow female characters anymore. End of the day, this comedy doesn't have enough going in the laughs department to make it an average film. If you're into comedies, check it out when it hits Netflix. Everyone else? Just watch the video special on these guys. 

My Number: 4/10

American Animals

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American Animals (2018): Four young men mistake their lives for a movie and attempt one of the most audacious heists in U.S. history.

This film can be summed up in two words: it's fine. It's well acted by some of the newer talent of Hollywood, (led by Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan) and it does have an enticing story that's told in a relatively unique way, but......meh? I don't know. In 2018 it's tough for me to watch a movie featuring four young white men commit a heinous crime and get off with minimal consequences (7 years for robbery and assault for what could have been a multi-million dollar heist? Please tell me how four young black males would get the same leniency.) and get a movie made about it where they, themselves get to be heavily featured and even sort of glorified? No, it's tough for me to by sympathetic towards something like that. And yet that's exactly what American Animals is. I think of something like Blockers from earlier this year, but if the original script for that film had been the final product and that movie was all about three dad-bros trying to stop their daughters from having sex on prom night. I do think there's an interesting premise to be had here in American Animals, but in order to make it more topical for the times the film's most unique asset would've had to have been lost. The film heavily features the real robbers in this story in asides that gives this film a documentary feel. It's certainly an intriguing way to tell a non-fiction story, but it did get a little gimmicky at times, particularly towards the end as it introduces a "did he or didn't he?" aspect that felt a little forced, to say the least. But, like I said: (mostly) well acted, and an (objectively) enticing story told in a unique way makes this film simply fine to me. Nothing more, nothing less. If only this was a more topical story. (Not that it would be because if so the perpetrators would still be staring at another 20 years in prison.)

My Number: 5/10

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