Unbroken

 
The son of Italian immigrants, Louis Zamperini had a rough childhood. Immersed into an unfamiliar place, Louis started down a destructive path at a young age. It wasn't until his older brother Pete noticed Louis running faster than he'd ever seen anyone run - and as a result encouraged him to try out - that he soon found himself trying out for the high school track team and turning his life around. Running took him all the way to the Olympics before World War II halted his career. Louis enlisted as a bombardier and served on a B-24 Liberator until he and his crew were shot down over the Pacific Ocean and stranded for a total of 47 days before being rescued by the Japanese. Louis was brought to a POW (prisoner of war) camp where he spent over 2 years being tortured and being forced to work for the Japanese in three different camps in Japan. The only thing that kept Louis alive was his faith, the memories of his family back in the United States wondering if he was still alive, and the advice of his brother Pete: "If you can take it, you can make it".

If you've never heard of Louis Zamperini, I highly suggest you seek out both the movie Unbroken, as well as the book of the same name it's based on. His is a very inspiring tale of one tragedy after another, and yet being able to remain...well, there's no other way to say this, unbroken in both mind and spirit.

I personally haven't read the book yet (that's one of my goals for the next couple weeks), but what I can say in regards to the movie is that while I thought it was fantastic, there were some parts I wish had a little bit more depth put into them than what made it into the final film. In the trailer for Unbroken, there's a scene where the main Japanese antagonist Mutsushiro Watanabe orders the entire prison camp to line up and throw punches at Louis Zamperini. In the film itself, that same scene didn't have the same emotional depth as I was hoping because it felt like the scene was just kind of glossed over, as if it wasn't really all that important. I personally thought it was important because it coincided with the theme of "If you can take it, you can make it". There were one or two other scenes that were the same way, one during the beginning of the film when Louis is trapped on a life boat with two other men. In the trailer Louis is exasperated at one of the men who keeps complaining and saying over and over that they're going to die. Louis finally throws up his hands and exclaims "We're NOT dying!". In the movie, that same scene happens, but he doesn't have the same level of intensity in his outburst as he did in the trailer. It might seem trivial to complain about such a small thing in the whole movie, but with an inspirational story such as this, for me things like that take away from the overall emotional sincerity of Unbroken.

While the movie as a whole could have benefited from more emotional depth, pretty much everything - and everyone - else hit it out of the park. Jack O'Connell was perfectly cast as Louis Zamperini, capturing the essence of a man put under monumental amounts of stress and pain no ordinary man could possibly endure. Takamasa Ishihara was absolutely ruthless as Mutsushiro Watanabe. I strongly encourage people to seek this one out.

Exodus: Gods and Kings

If you had someone tell you that you were adopted and you were actually descended from a group of people (Hebrews) who were slaves to the people you grew up with (Egyptians), you might think that person was insane. So it is with Moses - he grew up his entire life among the Egyptians as the son of the Pharaoh. Over the years, he knew he was different than the rest of his family, he just never realized how different. Yet, when a Hebrew man named Nun comes to him and tells him the truth, Moses refuses to believe it until his birth mother and sister confirms it. Once Moses's adopted brother, the Egyptian prince Ramses, finds out, Ramses has Moses banished from Egypt. Moses spends several years wandering the desert, eventually coming to the land of Midian where he meets and marries a woman named Zipporah and spends his days as a shepherd. One day when Moses is tending to his sheep, he witnesses a burning bush on a mountain, and out of the bush comes a voice who identifies Himself as 'I Am'. Moses doesn't believe in any gods, so he initially writes off the encounter as a weird dream. It isn't until a young boy later appears to him that he realizes it is the God of his people, the Hebrews. God instructs Moses to go back to Egypt and convince Ramses - who is now the Pharaoh - to set the Hebrews free from slavery.

Before I get into my thoughts about Exodus: Gods and Kings, I must first caution my Christian friends and readers: Do NOT go in to Gods and Kings thinking it's going to be a literal adaptation of the Biblical story of Moses that you know. While some aspects where kept intact (more on that later), there are some major differences from the actual story, and the story that made it onscreen. I think you should see it, but keep an open mind as you do.

For all its differences from the Biblical tale, as its own story Exodus: Gods and Kings is actually very well done. Most of the acting was believable (though I wish Aaron had been given a bigger role, he barely had any lines throughout the entire movie), the special effects were great, especially during the 10 plagues sequence. While the movie as a whole was obviously NOT Biblical, there were several things that I could see how it could have happened that way. Moses is portrayed as a military leader after growing up in Pharaoh's palace, and at one point shown in battle alongside Ramses. Even though the Bible doesn't specify whether he was a military leader or not, I could believe that happening. During the scenes where Moses and God are discussing what will be occurring whenever Ramses refuses to release the Hebrews, Moses questions God's motives several times. In almost every adaptation up until Gods and Kings, Moses has been portrayed as following God's orders without question. I found it interesting (in a good way) that Moses is portrayed here as having trouble following God and questioning almost every decision. To me it made him almost more human than previous adaptations.

Going into it I had heard the controversy surrounding the fact that the main cast was all white people; after watching it, I have to agree. I might have been ok with one or two people here and there, but the cast should have been closer to how the people of that time and region looked like. I also didn't like turning the Hebrews into rebels who resorted to sabotaging the Egyptians by destroying crops, supplies, and other things before the 10 plagues happened. That's one part that wasn't very believable to me. Moses' banishment was kind of an afterthought instead of being one of the important parts of the story, as the reasoning behind it was just that he was Hebrew instead of it being that he murdered an Egyptian guard beating up a Hebrew slave. Probably one of the biggest things I didn't like about the movie was how it portrayed God as a 12 year old boy, who was honestly really bratty at times. It made God look like some angry deity instead of a just and holy God.

Overall, even though I didn't like the major changes to the original Biblical story, and the whole all-white cast controversy, I thought as its own vision Exodus: Gods and Kings was a very well done adaptation of one of the most important - not to mention most popular - stories in the Bible. I would urge people, especially Christians, to see it.

John Wick

They say a dog is a man's best friend, and in the case of John Wick, it is completely true. John found the dog (whose name is Daisy) on his front porch, and after reading the card that came along with it he realized Daisy was a gift from his wife who passed away a few days earlier. Daisy and John soon became inseparable, with Daisy often riding in the passenger seat with John wherever he went. Daisy helped John slowly get over the pain of losing his wife, to the point where he felt like he had a new purpose in life. A few days after the funeral, some local thugs break into his house, steal his car and murder Daisy. Enraged, John Wick vows to make the people responsible pay. Unfortunately that means going after his former employer: Russian mob boss Viggo Tarasov and his son Iosef. You see, as a former hit man for the Russian Mafia, John Wick is not someone you want hunting you down.

Much like the Expendables series and Escape Plan, John Wick is a throwback to the great action flicks of the '80's and early '90's, where there was a simple, yet concise plot with a lot of action and one-liners.  While this year hasn't exactly been stellar in terms of the quality of films released save for a select few, John Wick is a welcome escape from your typical tent-pole fare. If you're looking for a smart action flick with twists and turns you don't see coming, then John Wick is probably not the film for you. For action film fans, you do not want to miss this one. It's a wild ride that doesn't stop until the credits roll. I've honestly never been that big a fan of Keanu Reeves, but even I have to say that he is fun to watch as the titular character.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

In the final chapter of The Hobbit, the dragon Smaug has been awakened by Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, as well as Thorin's companions, and as a result he unleashes his fury upon the unsuspecting town of Laketown. In order to kill Smaug and save Laketown, a lone man named Bard uses iron harpoons to try and pierce the almost impenetrable skin of the fire-breathing beast, eventually finding Smaug's heart through an opening in the armor-like skin. As Smaug falls to his death, celebration is cut short as the gravity of the situation sets in. The people of Laketown have lost everything, and they now look to Bard to lead them. In an effort to save his people, he reaches out to Thorin to honor their agreement of a portion of the treasure in exchange for getting rid of Smaug. However, Thorin is overcome with greed for the treasure, as well as power, so he backs out of the agreement and turns Bard and his people away. In time, as word spreads throughout Middle-Earth that the dragon Smaug is dead, other races travel to the mountain in a quest to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs: Thranduil, king of the elves; Bard and his people from Laketown; the dwarven army led by Thorin's cousin Dáin; and finally the orc and goblin army led by Azog. The danger of Smaug may of ended, but the Battle of the Five Armies for control of the mountain has only just begun.

Peter Jackson's vision for The Hobbit comes to a close with the third and final chapter, The Battle of the Five Armies. While the series as a whole doesn't hold a candle to the epicness that was The Lord of the Rings, The Battle of the Five Armies is a wonderful and fitting end to the series. The action is better, not quite as drawn out as the previous film (though it does feel like it overstays its welcome at times, especially in the final battle). Seeing Smaug in action when he attacks Laketown was a cool sequence, despite it being something I wish The Desolation of Smaug had focused on more. As with the two previous Hobbit films, there are events added that were obviously not part of the book; however, I am glad Peter Jackson left specific important plot points alone - ones that I won't specify here.The best part of the movie actually occurs in the credits: Billy Boyd (who played Pippin in The Lord of the Rings) returns to sing an original song he wrote called The Last Goodbye specifically for this final chapter.

Granted, even with all the things I did like, the inclusion of Legolas was still a big mistake to me. His inclusion still never seemed to add anything to the story other than to connect The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings. He also yet again either had way too much makeup or CGI used on him that made him almost unrecognizable at first. The continued love story between the elf Tauriel and the dwarf Kili was an unnecessary addition as well that, to me, took away from the main story. I didn't mind the characters themselves, I just didn't like the whole love story part of it.

That being said, this journey into Middle-Earth - which began in 2001 with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - has easily been one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was a little sad when the credits rolled for this final movie. I can only hope that in the years to come either The Silmarillion (as well as other stories from Middle-Earth) makes its way onto the big screen, or someone is able to do something similar of this magnitude and recreate the magic of seeing stories such as this come to life.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay pt. 1

It's been a long, tumultuous journey since that fateful day when Katniss Everdeen volunteered to take her sister's place and first stepped into the arena of the Hunger Games. Since then rebellion has spread among the districts, growing from a glowing ember to a full blown roaring fire. Due to her actions in the arena (as well as a few on the outside), the districts look to Katniss as their symbol of hope, their Mockingjay. Of course, Katniss never wanted any of this. All she could think about was getting her and Peeta Mellark safely out of the arena and to keep her loved ones out of harm's way. As the fires of rebellion spread, the Capitol lashes out at the districts by firebombing several of them in hopes of crushing the rebels. It isn't until Katniss receives word that Peeta has been captured by the Capitol - along with several other victors - that she realizes the only way out of her situation is to lead her people against the Capitol by becoming their symbol: she must become the Mockingjay.

Going in I had really high hopes for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay pt. 1. As far as the books go, many people (myself included) agree that Mockingjay is the weakest of the three books. When it comes to the movie adaptations, however, it's actually the second best, right behind Catching Fire. The first time I saw it I had several problems with the character development, thinking certain characters didn't get their chance to shine in the spotlight. The second time I saw it, however, I took a closer look at the overall story and the character development wasn't as bad as I had originally thought, but as always there is room for improvement. Unfortunately, with the story being split into two parts, Mockingjay pt. 1 doesn't quite reach the level of intensity and storytelling that Catching Fire does. I did appreciate that the audience was able to see more of both sides of the conflict instead of mainly in Katniss's thoughts of what's going on. The story was able to have a little freedom to explore both sides and get a better feel of the motives of each side. However, I feel like it would have benefitted greatly if it had stayed as a single movie instead of being split up into two. When the credits start rolling the audience is left wanting more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it does slightly take away from the experience of watching Mockingjay unfold onscreen. While I won't give away any details, the point in which the story gets split up results in some pretty cool visuals. The cinematography throughout the film is pretty neat as well.

To sum it all up, I wasn't completely blown away like I was expecting to be, yet neither was I disappointed. Catching Fire is still the best in terms of story, acting, and cinematography, but Mockingjay pt. 1 comes in at a very close second. I can't wait until next November when Mockingjay pt. 2 comes out.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There are survivors of the Hunger Games, but no one ever truly wins. Since being placed in the Games one year ago, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have been trying their best to forget their experiences and move on with their lives as victors. With time, however, both Peeta and Katniss realize forgetting is virtually impossible. Every so often they are brought back into the spotlight to show off their relationship which began in the arena - and saved both their lives. It doesn't help their predicament that President Snow is still angry at them for showing the Capitol up in the arena by attempting to commit suicide instead of killing each other. Whereas the districts saw a love story, President Snow saw an act of defiance which could spark a rebellion among the districts. As punishment for their defiance, President Snow issues a decree that the 75th Hunger Games - known as the Quarter Quell - will involve only past winners of the Hunger Games, hoping that Katniss and Peeta will die and keep the embers of rebellion from fully catching fire.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is without a doubt the best so far in the Hunger Games series. Thankfully the quick, choppy/shaking cinematography where it was difficult to see what was on screen during the arena battle scenes was left behind in the first Hunger Games. I did appreciate the reasoning behind doing it that way, but it got old after awhile. The acting as a whole was leagues better than the first movie, and was also able to improve on giving the spotlight to more than just the main characters; in doing so the audience was able to care for much of the rest of the cast, instead of just using them as 'filler' or (for lack of a better description) props only as a way to propel the story along. The Hunger Games was able to do this, but not nearly as well. The director, Francis Lawrence, was also able to stay even closer to the source material this time around, going so far as to directly take bits of dialogue from the book and put it into the movie. There were some important parts of the book I wish had been included (I won't specifically name them so I don't ruin the story for anyone who has never read the books), but nevertheless it was a very solid adaptation. I would actually go so far as to say Catching Fire is one of the best sequels/adaptations I've seen in several years.

Another thing I liked was the accomplishment of building on what The Hunger Games established previously when it came to the world of the Capitol and the surrounding districts. In Catching Fire, the audience gets the chance to better understand what some of the districts are going through as they start to revolt against the Capitol, and as a result become more emotionally invested in the fate of the rebellion. In The Hunger Games, the world was limited to District 12 and the Hunger Games arena, so it was a little difficult to truly get the sense of what was going on.

In my review of The Hunger Games (which you can read here), I mentioned how the story was about kids being placed in an arena and forced to kill one another, and that I didn't think it was suitable for kids under 13 unless their parents thought they could handle the mature themes. With Catching Fire, the tone goes from a statement on our entertainment and how it affects us, to political thriller showcasing a tyrannical government essentially enslaving its people. I would still urge parents to be careful with this one, seeing as how it's still a pretty dark movie; however, the adults, teenagers, and older kids who can still understand what's going on in the story will love it. Especially if you have ever read the books.

Big Hero 6

Hiro Hamada is a teenage genius. At 14, he's already a high school graduate. There's just one problem - instead of continuing his educational career, Hiro would rather spend his days participating in underground robot fights. Hiro's brother Tadashi has attempted to get Hiro to consider college for several years. As one last attempt, Tadashi brings Hiro to the science department of the University of San Fransokyo in the hopes of sparking his interest. It is at the university where Hiro hears of a competition for young inventors to showcase their creations. Unfortunately, while competing a fire breaks out, destroying the building. Tadashi perishes in the fire trying to save others trapped inside. Overcome with grief, Hiro drops out of the University of San Fransokyo and locks himself in his room. While grieving Hiro stumbles onto one of Tadashi's own inventions - a medical robot named Baymax. The friendship that develops helps Hiro come out of his depression and search for answers to the questions surrounding his brother's death.

Big Hero 6 is, quite simply, a whole lot of fun. I honestly don't think I've had this much fun in an animated movie since seeing Up back in 2009. I liked how it tried to incorporate adult themes such as dealing with the loss of a loved one while still being appealing to kids. Big Hero 6 does it quite well, for the most part. The only problems I saw were: some of the story felt a little rushed, and as a result some of the supporting characters didn't feel fleshed out enough for the audience to truly care about them - Tadashi in particular. He only showed up in the beginning so his death didn't seem to have the same impact as it could have been. The same goes for friends of Hiro who are there for him after Tadashi dies.

Still, none of that is enough to recommend not seeing it. I would totally recommend it, especially for younger kids. I can guarantee this is one movie both kids and parents will enjoy.

The Equalizer

On the outside, Robert McCall may seem like your average Joe you would meet while walking down the street. He's the kind of person who helps out with whatever you need, no questions asked and wanting nothing in return. Since Robert's wife died a few years back, he's lived a quiet life working at the local Boston Home Mart and helping one of his fellow co-workers named Ralphie train for a security guard position at Home Mart. At nights after work, he can usually be found at the local diner reading a book and interacting with other customers. Robert's quiet and simple life comes crashing to an end after he meets a young call girl named Teri. As he gets to know her, he finds out she wants to be a singer, so he helps her out by giving her advice on how to keep her voice taken care of, among other things. One night as Robert makes his way to the diner, he sees Teri and notices she has a bruise on her cheek. Soon both Robert and Teri encounter her bosses henchmen, and Teri ends up in the hospital after being beaten. In a fit of anger Robert makes a personal visit to Teri's pimp, a Russian Mafia member named Slavi. It's at this meeting where Robert reveals his dangerous (and violent) past.

I never saw the original TV show that The Equalizer is based on, so I can't make any judgements on whether it's a good adaptation or not. Solely on the merits of The Equalizer as a movie, however, I can say that I was hoping for a slightly better story, yet Denzel Washington was (unsurprisingly, considering he's an amazing actor) able to rise above the material and give a great performance as Robert McCall. The way he's able to go from the "bad boy" image to genuinely caring for the people around him is really cool. As far as the story goes, it's still your stereotypical revenge thriller that action movies are so fond of nowadays and are a dime a dozen. I also don't think I can recommend this for younger audiences, as the violence gets pretty graphic. The body count is high, and Robert dispatches his adversaries in various...uh, creative ways, for lack of a better description.

Still, for the more mature audience who can handle this kind of stuff I can safely say that if you are a Denzel Washington fan like I am you will most likely enjoy his interpretation of Robert McCall as the Equalizer.

This Is Where I Leave You

There's an old saying that goes something like: "You can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your friend's nose". The same can be said of family. The Altman family is the ultimate definition of a dysfunctional family. For years the Altman kids: Judd, Wendy, Paul, and Phillip, grew up in a household where their Dad was barely emotionally involved with them and their Mom scarred them for life by writing a best-selling novel based on their lives. Fast forward to the present and it seems this dysfunction followed the kids into their adult years: Judd is a successful radio producer who recently caught his wife in bed with his boss, Paul is married and is trying (unsuccessfully) to begin a family with his wife, Wendy is unhappily married to a workaholic, and Phillip is a womanizer who flat out refuses to grow up. After bottling up their problems for so long, each of the kids must come to terms with both their problems and each other when their father dies and they all gather for the funeral.

This is Where I Leave You is marketed as a comedy, but the first half of the film is nothing but R-rated vulgar 'humor' that really isn't all that funny. I think I laughed once, maybe twice during the whole first half. The second half of This is Where I Leave You, however, was actually pretty funny despite still being vulgar. One hilarious scene during the second half involved Judd, Paul, and Phillip smoking in a classroom and setting off the fire alarm. Another scene where Judd starts a fight with his former boss for sleeping with his wife is pretty funny when Wendy gets involved and sucker punches Judd's boss in the nose.

On a more positive note, I did appreciate how This is Where I Leave You stressed that a family's bond is one of the strongest bonds there is. All of the Altman's stand up and support one another throughout the film. Even the mother, Hillary, expresses her love for her kids and makes sure they realize their father loved them as well, he just didn't know how to express his feelings to them.

That being said, this is one movie where the content overshadowed the positive messages about family. Not to mention that for being a comedy, most of it in the beginning wasn't very funny.

When the Game Stands Tall

For 11 years (1992 to 2003), De La Salle High School's football team went undefeated. Guided by the leadership of Bob Ladouceur, they worked hard to do and be the best. Try as they might, other high school teams could not de-throne De La Salle as champions...until the first game of the 2004 season when they lose their first game. This turn of events crushes everyone involved, Bob Ladouceur most of all as he realizes he put winning football games ahead of his family. Once Coach Bob realizes this, he begins a journey for both himself and his team to return to the team they once were, learning a valuable lesson that winning isn't everything - it's how you play the game that matters.

When the Game Stands Tall is a great family flick. Considering it's based on a true story, it is predictable; and yet it still manages to be an entertaining - not to mention emotional - film. I've always been a big fan of Jim Caviezel, especially his most recent television role as John Reese on Person of Interest. His role as Coach Bob Ladouceur isn't quite as developed as his role on Person of Interest, or most of his other previous roles; but what Caviezel does as Coach Bob Ladouceur is still remarkable.

One of the bigger things I I thought was interesting - and was certainly happy to see - was the presence of the topic of faith. De La Salle is a Catholic school, and so there are dozens of references to Scripture verses, Coach Bob leads the team in the Lord's Prayer before every game, among other things. To see the topic of faith in a good light instead of being mocked was refreshing. Some people may or may not be put off by the spiritual content, but I appreciated it.

Overall, When the Game Stands Tall is a must-see film for people who enjoy feel-good/underdog types of stories.

20th Century Fox announces release date for Deadpool

Ever since test footage of Deadpool was leaked online, excitement has been building on whether or not Fox was actually planning on a Deadpool movie. Well Deadpool fans rejoice, 20th Century Fox officially announced they are moving forward with giving Deadpool his own movie. Ryan Reynolds - who portrayed the self proclaimed 'Merc with a Mouth' in X-Men Origins: Wolverine - has expressed interest since then to return to the role and do a proper R-rated movie closer to the source material instead of the awful portrayal that was a part of X-Men Origins.

For those of you who don't know who Deadpool is, he is a Marvel Comics character named Wade Wilson who started out by joining the military in his late teens and later became a mercenary. For every job that he botched as a mercenary, he would perform plastic surgery on himself to change his identity. After years of being a mercenary, he was inducted into the Weapon X program (the same program where the X-Men character Wolverine received his adamantium claws), where he was given the mutant power of regeneration. Deadpool is often seen as a morally ambivalent character. He is often in stories alongside The X-Men, whether it's fighting against them or alongside them facing a common enemy. The one thing Deadpool is best known for is his insanity and sarcastic humor (hence the 'Merc with a Mouth' title). Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza made the character so that he frequently breaks the fourth wall, talking to the reader and being the only person who realizes he's in a comic book.

So far, Ryan Reynolds has expressed a desire to star in the Deadpool adaptation, but there has not been any official confirmation whether he will or not. I, for one, am hoping he does end up being cast as Deadpool. He did pretty well with what little he had to work with in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and showed in the leaked test footage that he can handle the sarcastic humor and insanity needed for the role.

While 20th Century Fox set a February 12, 2016 release date for Deadpool, they have also made a few other changes for movies coming out within the next year or two from the studio. The Assassin's Creed adaptation starring Michael Fassbender was taken out of its original August 7, 2015 date and is currently waiting for a new release date; the Fantastic Four reboot has taken its place. The young adult adaptation Paper Towns has been moved up a month from July 31 to June 19, 2015.

Deadpool will be going up against Lionsgate's Gods of Egypt, an unnamed animated project from Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. romantic comedy How to Be Single. Judging from fan reactions, something tells me Deadpool won't have any problem at the box office unless the movie itself just plain sucks.

Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff rumored

With so much going on in the Star Wars film universe involving three more main films as well as a few spinoffs, it's difficult to keep track of what is rumor and what has been confirmed. There have been countless rumors pertaining to what the spinoffs will be about; everything from a Yoda, Han Solo, or Boba Fett prequel, to a spinoff following an X-wing squadron. Star Wars fans have been rooting for their favorite characters to get their own film, and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is near the top of that list wanted for a spinoff. Obi-Wan is so popular, in fact, that Ewan McGregor himself (who played the Jedi Master in Star Wars Episodes I-III) is wanting to return to the franchise starring in his own spinoff.

It looks like Lucasfilm has been listening to the fans, as the rumor that Obi-Wan Kenobi is getting his own film has resurfaced. These rumors began sometime last year when the spinoffs and the next three main installments were first announced. According to a quote from a source of the Making Star Wars website close to the Star Wars films, “I’ve heard from quite a few people now that an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie is in the works. For the spinoff movies they were initially going to stay away from any Jedi or Sith characters. But I’m hearing now that because of the popularity of Obi-Wan (fans recently voting for him on the official website, etc.) that an art team is now working with a writer on concepts for an Obi-Wan movie.”

The only way I can see an Obi-Wan spinoff working with Ewan McGregor reprising his role is if it's either a) based on events between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope regarding Obi-Wan keeping a watchful eye over Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, or b) do an origin story. While it would be cool to see how Obi-Wan became a Jedi Master and went on to train Anakin Skywalker, I personally would be more interested to know more about what he was up to in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. That story could be anything from him keeping a watchful eye over Luke Skywalker, to him attempting to find any remaining Jedi after the assault on the Jedi Temple and the ensuing genocide.

The Making Star Wars website also reported that their source clarified other rumors such as how long Luke Skywalker has been missing, descriptions of soldiers who accompany Leia on a mission, the Sith home world Moraband, and whether or not the villains in Episode VII are related to Count Dooku from Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

According to this source, at the time of Episode VII, Luke Skywalker has been missing for about 10 years. He was around for about 10-15 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, but he soon disappeared for unknown reasons.

From the description of the guards accompanying Leia on a mission to visit the Hutts, the guards seem to be X-wing pilots/Rebel soldiers. Earlier descriptions were thought to be more along the lines of soldiers from the planet of Naboo: "The recent x-wing pictures with the extras in them - these are the same soldiers that were flanking Leia in the production sketch I reported where she was in the middle of several Hutts..."

One recent rumor regarding the lineage of Count Dooku seems to be true: "And the recent Adam Driver rumor - Benedict Cumberbatch, Gwendoline Christie, the Count Dooku connection, and now the Adam Driver rumors. These are all based on that central idea of an aristocratic family 'line' involving Episode 7's bad guys. And as I said before, I firmly believe it's the line of Dooku. Details and characters might have changed but the idea of an aristocratic villain with a heritage going back to the Clone Wars has been there from pre-production and as far as I know is still a major part of the story".

The Sith home world of Moraband has been all but confirmed to be in Episode VII: "Moraband - the Sith home world is in the movie. It's been there throughout production with various names attached to it. I had it confirmed to me from someone working in England that there are sets for the 'Sith world'."

I hope the rumors regarding the Count Dooku lineage and the Sith home world are true, I think it would be interesting to see both of those things happen onscreen. As mentioned above, I would be interested in an Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff; however, I'd be more interested in either a Yoda or Boba Fett spinoff. Heck, I would even like to see a Darth Maul spinoff. His character had way too little screen time in Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I would love to get to know his character better.



Star Wars Episode VII will make its way into theaters on December 18, 2015.

Sources: Screen Rant , Making Star Wars

The November Man

For years Peter Devereaux served his country in the C.I.A as a faithful agent, until he became involved with a botched mission in Montenegro due to an inexperienced rookie agent named Mason. As a result, Devereaux quit the C.I.A. and retired to Switzerland running a lakeside café. Fast forward a few years, and Devereaux's former boss named Hanley pays him a visit to offer him a chance at one last mission.This time, the mission is to save Devereaux's ex-wife, Natalia Ulanova. As it turns out, Natalia's been turned into a mole for the C.I.A. to spy on a former war criminal and current Russian presidential candidate named Arkady Federov. Natalia has some crucial information on Federov, but she is only willing to reveal it to the C.I.A. if Devereaux is the one who brings her in. However, in the process of extracting her from the clutches of Arkady Federov, Natalia is shot and killed by a sniper. Devereax pursues the attacker only to find out it is his former protegė, Mason. Now on the run from the very organization he so faithfully served, Devereaux must figure out what exactly the information is that the C.I.A. is after, and why his ex-wife was murdered for this information.

The November Man starts out really well, with an easy to follow story, as well as some good action sequences to go along with it (at least in the beginning). Unfortunately, about halfway through the story goes from easy-to-follow to quite convoluted, and so it's difficult to tell just who are the good guys and who is bad; not to mention the motivations of some of the characters. Because of this, some of Devereaux's actions make no sense as to how they would help him figure out who wants the information and why.

"Peter Devereaux...know what we used to call you? The November Man. 'Cuz after you passed through, nothing lived." That line pretty much sums up the violence in The November Man. The action comes fast and brutal right from the beginning, and doesn't stop until the final scene. It's rare I'm ok with overly brutal, graphic violence (usually I'm only ok with it if it's something like Gladiator where the culture or time period is brutal, or war movies like Saving Private Ryan, instead of having graphic violence just for the heck of it), and in this case...well, as a whole I thought it didn't go too far, but there were some individual scenes where the violence felt like it could have been toned down a bit. There's one scene in particular where Devereaux breaks into an apartment, kidnaps a woman and inexplicably cuts her femoral artery as her boyfriend tries to save her. In the overall scheme of things it was unclear as to why that scene was included. As a result of both the violence and a jumbled story, The November Man is a mess of a film. I guess you can say it lives up to its title: like the month of November, The November Man is dismal and relatively lifeless. It's too bad, I was hoping it would be better since Pierce Brosnan is a great actor and I thought it would be cool to see him back in a super-spy thriller again like in his 007 days.

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Ever since he was a boy, Hassan Kadam has always wanted to be a chef. He feels most at home whenever he is in the kitchen experimenting with various spices and flavors. Though he has never had formal culinary training, his mother taught him everything he knows - not only in what ingredients to use to create the best meal possible, but also to take great care and pride in the process. All of this changes when Hassan and his family have to flee Mumbai after their restaurant is burned to the ground during a protest. Their journey first takes them to London, and soon after the family makes their way to France. Once in France, they set up shop in an old run down building across the street from a high-profile French restaurant run by a woman named Madame Mallory. Madame Mallory at first does not take kindly to her seemingly obnoxious neighbors. She and Hassan's family get into a culinary showdown to win over the hearts - and stomachs - of the townspeople. As time passes, however, Madame Mallory slowly gets to know Hassan and realizes the talent he has in the kitchen.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is a delightfully charming movie, that if you see it with an empty stomach, will most likely make you hungry. The way in which food is interwoven into the story is well done; from the way in which Hassan applies his culinary knowledge from his mother to his creations, to the way food tends to bring families and friends together. You can almost taste and smell each of the meals being prepared throughout the movie. The relationships and interactions between each of the characters feels genuine; it never feels forced, much like a fruitcake during the Christmas season that gets passed around because nobody ever actually wants it. Om Puri as Papa Kadam, Manish Dayal as Hassan Kadam, and Helen Mirren as Madame Mallory were all wonderful, along with the rest of the cast. They seemed to actually enjoy being together onscreen. That's always a relief to see, as it makes the whole experience of watching a movie much more pleasant. The Hundred-Foot Journey is one that the whole family will enjoy, not to mention make you want to sit down and have a meal with your family and friends.

Hercules

All Hercules ever wanted was to be home with his wife and son. He didn't care about fame or fortune, or whether he really was the son of the Greek god Zeus. He just wanted to be left alone. That's kind of hard to do, however, when you have Hera - a Greek goddess and wife of Zeus - pining for your death due to jealousy. As such, Hercules is sent on 12 trials, or labors to win the trust of Hera. Hercules triumphs in his quests, and wins his freedom. That all changes when years later Hercules is drugged and his family is murdered in cold blood before him. Reduced to little more than a shell of the legend he once was, he sets out as a mercenary, and along the way meets several people who become his closest allies. Soon Hercules is approached by a princess who begs him to come help her father end a war with an invading army led by a man who is said to be a sorcerer. Hercules reluctantly agrees, but not until the princess offers him enough gold to finally retire and hopefully live the rest of his life in peace.

At first glance Hercules looks like yet another banal "sword and sandal" epic that has been done time and time again - especially in 2014, with 300: Rise of an Empire, The Legend of Hercules, Pompeii, and now Hercules. To be quite honest, Hercules doesn't amount to anything terribly special, but it does manage to be an entertaining summer popcorn flick. Well, more entertaining than the previous Hercules film released earlier this year, The Legend of Hercules. This time, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson steps into the titular role, and actually does it pretty well. I feel like he has improved quite a bit over the course of his film career. This is one of those times where I wish the movie as a whole was as great as the lead actor, however. While it was entertaining, it lacked in the acting and overall story departments. If you're looking for something to spend a few hours watching, you could do a lot worse than Hercules. Personally, I think Hercules is good for either a dollar movie night or a video-on-demand rental.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Peter Quill has never been the 'hero' type. Oh sure, he acts like a big shot around the ladies, but it's really all for show. Ever since he was abducted from Earth as a young boy by a renegade intergalactic pirate by the name of Yondu (who by the way, would argue that he 'saved' Quill), Quill's been walking the fine line between good and bad - though more often than not getting into trouble. 26 years after his abduction from Earth, Quill is a treasure hunter on a quest to recover a mysterious orb for a client. Along the way he runs into two bounty hunters hired to capture him named Rocket Racoon and Groot, as well as an angry human-turned-killing-machine named Drax the Destroyer bent on revenge against a Kree warrior named Ronan the Accuser who killed his family. Also on the hunt for the orb is Gamora, the adopted daughter of Thanos the Mad Titan. When each of these five people meet up, they realize that the orb everyone seems to be going after is actually a dangerous weapon which could destroy entire planets if Thanos or Ronan ever possessed it. They then band together to keep the orb away from both Thanos and Ronan and hopefully save the galaxy.

Guardians of the Galaxy opens the door wide open to (sorry, had to say it) new frontiers as it is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to travel into the far reaches of space instead of staying grounded on Earth. Guardians is being widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best Marvel film to date; and for once, I think I might actually agree. It has everything that has made the Cinematic Universe a success: a mix of action, comedy, with a bit of more tragic moments; and it amps it up tenfold. Thankfully, it didn't end up being as bad as Thor: The Dark World, or Iron Man 3. Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Vin Diesel as the sentient tree Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket Racoon have great chemistry onscreen that is fun to watch as the story progresses. I loved Rocket's sarcastic humor, and Drax's inability to comprehend metaphors. With Groot, who in the film is a sentient tree that is only able to say "I am Groot!", he manages to become one of my favorite characters. Groot is someone who can be terrifying when in the heat of battle, yet at the same time be a gentle giant of sorts. Guardians of the Galaxy is a story that even people who have never heard of the comic book before (like me) will enjoy.

Even though Guardians is a near-perfect film, it's not without its problems. Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser felt massively underused, despite him completely owning the scenes he is in. There were times that it also felt a bit rushed, but not enough to ruin the story. In the beginning, the soundtrack threw me off, because it ended up being made of mostly '80's classic songs and this is a Marvel sci-fi action type of film. Then again, I do have to say that by the time the end credits were rolling I was humming along with the songs and it ended up working with the overall feel of Guardians of the Galaxy.

In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy is an instant hit that for me is one of the top three films so far of 2014 (the other two being Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Captain America: The Winter Soldier). Even though the year is only half way finished, it's going to be kind of hard to top the films released in the first half of the year, including Guardians of the Galaxy.

Jersey Boys

Growing up, Francesco Castelluccio frequently ran on the wrong side of the streets in New Jersey. His old friend Tommy DeVito pressured him into doing things like being the lookout and getaway driver for a heist, among other things. He even made friends with a local mob boss by the name of Gyp DeCarlo through the barbershop where Francesco worked.

Still, he knew that there was more that life had to offer outside of New Jersey, and his phenomenal voice was going to be his ticket out of there. Unfortunately opportunities like that don't just come knocking at a moment's notice, it takes patience for them to appear. So when Tommy DeVito invited Francesco (now going by the name Frankie Valli) to join his band, Frankie jumped at the chance. Soon they named themselves The Four Seasons and were playing small-time gigs at local bars, bowling alleys, and other places. In 1962, Frankie and The Four Seasons wrote a song titled Sherry that skyrocketed the band to fame and fortune. The rest is history.

I never saw the original Jersey Boys stage production prior to seeing the movie, but now I'm wishing I had, because the movie adaptation was awesome. I had heard a few songs by The Four Seasons prior to seeing Jersey Boys, but overall I wasn't that familiar with who they were. In the film, the songs were wonderful; John Loyd Young as Frankie Valli was a great choice as far as his singing goes. I would say the same thing with the rest of the cast and their respective voices. Unlike Pitch Perfect, where the negative content of the film overshadowed the performances of the songs so much that I couldn't enjoy them, watching Jersey Boys was great enough that I could sit back and listen to the music and actually have a good time.

That being said, the one and only thing I could have done completely without was the language. With about 40+ f-bombs amidst an array of more mildly colorful language which made it receive an R rating, Jersey Boys seemed much harsher than I felt it needed to be. If the language had been toned down I'm pretty sure Jersey Boys could have gotten away with a PG or maybe a soft PG13 rating. Granted, I don't know how closely both the play and the movie followed the actual events of the story and The Four Seasons themselves, so I don't know if they used that much language in real life or not. Either way, that was the only thing I would have changed. Otherwise Jersey Boys was a fantastic experience that I would pretty highly recommend, especially for those who remember Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

Earth to Echo

Summer is coming to a close, and three close friends - Tuck, Munch, and Alex - are trying to make the most of their last days together. A new highway development bought the land that their neighborhood is in, so they are being forced to move out of their homes. As the three friends try to find things to keep their minds off of the inevitable move, they start to notice that their phones are doing weird things, such as show an image that looks like a map, as well as emit weird noises. Their search to find the source of the interference on their phones leads the kids to the desert, where they come across a tiny robotic alien that has crash landed and is in trouble. After attempting to communicate with the alien, Tuck, Munch, and Alex come to realize that the images on each of their phones is a map to parts of the alien's (whom they named Echo) spaceship. What follows is a race to find all the parts to the ship and get Echo safely off Earth before government officials who are also looking for the ship find it and stop Echo from ever leaving Earth.

Just from the trailers alone, I thought it was going to be a really cheesy kid's flick that looked like a rip off of both E.T. and Super 8. While it did have it's moments that were pretty cheesy, and one or two scenes were reminiscent of both E.T. and Super 8, I actually really enjoyed it. The trailers made it seem like it was geared towards younger kids, like around elementary school age; however, it was a bit more mature than that. By 'mature', I don't mean vulgar or bad (thankfully) - more like the tone and story seemed to be geared more towards middle school kids and older. It had a good, fun story, and the kids who played Tuck, Munch, and Alex respectively were pretty good in each of their roles. I also liked (for the most part) the cinematography of Earth to Echo - it was filmed 'amateur' style, much like the Paranormal Activity series, Cloverfield, etc., as if the audience was part of the action instead of just watching from a distance.

Unfortunately, that style also brought some problems along with it. It was cool to see it that way, but the 'shaky-cam' became quite a bit unsettling as the film carried on. Those who have problems with motion sickness might want to skip Earth to Echo, as it had a LOT of shaking throughout. There were times near the end where the camera was shaking so bad that it was near impossible to tell what was going on. Also, all the adults in Earth to Echo were portrayed as mindless people who don't actually pay attention to their kids. There's one scene in particular that's sadly played for laughs where Tuck calls out to his parents that he's on his way out to visit his friends, and his parents don't even acknowledge him throughout the whole conversation. Seeing that kind of made me mad, but also grateful that my own parents aren't like that. It made me appreciate them even more.

Still, those complaints I have against Earth to Echo weren't enough to make me hate the film. or think about not recommending it to moviegoers. I think if you can withstand a lot of 'shaky-cam' cinematography and not get motion sickness, then you should go see Earth to Echo. Especially parents who have young kids, I think they would enjoy it.

Earth to Echo makes its way into theaters for a wide release on July 2, 2014.

Rian Johnson will be in charge of Star Wars Episode VIII

While J.J. Abrams is busy getting Star Wars Episode VII ready for a December 2015 release, Disney has been busy behind the scenes in putting together the next two installments in the main series, as well as multiple spinoffs. They have already announced the hiring of Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, The Raid: Redemption) and Josh Trank (Chronicle) as directors for two unknown spinoffs, respectively. However, they just recently dropped another bomb - Rian Johnson, who previously directed the sci-fi big budget film Looper, will be taking over the reigns for Episode VIII.

In addition to sitting in the director's chair for Episode VIII, Rian Johnson will be writing the script for Episode IX as well. There is no word yet on whether he will be back in the director's chair for Episode IX, or whether Disney will follow the formula of the original trilogy by having a different director for each episode, yet sticking to the same tone and story.

Every time I hear confirmed news regarding the Star Wars universe, I get more and more excited. I will definitely be going to the midnight premiere of at least Episode VII, and hopefully the next installments in the main series as well as the spinoffs. I've been a huge fan of the series (yes, even Episodes I, II, and III) since my parents introduced them to me as a young kid. It will be awesome to see it continue for the next few years.

Star Wars Episode VII opens on December 18, 2015. No official release date for Episode VIII, IX, or the Josh Trank directed spinoff. The spinoff directed by Gareth Edwards will be released December 16, 2016.



Sources: First Showing , Screen Rant

Edge of Tomorrow

If you had told Major Bill Cage at the beginning of the day that he would be promoted to the front lines of battle against an alien enemy, and in the heat of battle would be soaked in alien blood which would cause him to gain the ability to restart the day over and over again, chances are he would have scoffed at you. Probably anyone in his position would have thought you were crazy and put you in a psych ward. As it turns out, that's exactly what happens. Branded a deserter for not complying with orders to go to the front lines and film the soldiers fight to rally morale back home, Cage is now forced to relive an invasion on France (think of an alien invasion version of the storming of Normandy's beaches). Along the way Cage meets a soldier named Rita Vrataski, the only other person alive who knows exactly what's happened to him. Together they must relive the last 30 hours, each time getting a little bit closer to finding and stopping the alien source of power controlling the time loop, and in the process saving millions of lives.

Based on the Japanese graphic novel All You Need Is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best sci-fi films I've seen in recent years. I know there probably aren't many Tom Cruise fans out there, but I personally have liked just about everything I've seen with him in it. Edge of Tomorrow is no different. There were some things I was initially confused about in regards to how certain events fit into the story, but after reading a few other people's reviews, and thinking about it myself it made a lot more sense, as well as made it much more impressive. It was a little weird to see Tom Cruise as sort of a self-proclaimed wimp in the beginning, stating that he couldn't stand the sight of blood from even a paper cut, and then through the course of the film turn into the gung-ho hero type. I've been used to seeing him in more heroic roles right from the start. And yet, he managed to pull it off tremendously. Emily Blunt was also great in her role as Rita Vrataski. Thankfully, I didn't see anything in Edge of Tomorrow that could possibly make a sequel work, unless they decide to go with a prequel. To be honest though, I actually think a prequel would be interesting if the story focused on the beginning of the alien invasion as to why they attacked in the first place. Unless I missed the explanation, there wasn't anything that said why the aliens attacked Earth.

For those who saw (and loved) Groundhog Day, and/or are sci-fans, this is a must-see film. Even if you're not a Tom Cruise fan, I would still highly recommend Edge of Tomorrow.

The first full trailer for the big screen adaptation of Paddington is here

To kick off the release of the first trailer of the big screen adaptation Paddington, this past week has brought a creepily humorous meme turning the popular children's story into a horror story, photoshopping the lovable Paddington Bear into stills of different horror flicks. Thankfully, the real trailer for the upcoming adaptation is far less creepy. 

With the title character played by Colin Firth, Paddington will tell the story of how the teddy bear makes his way from his home in the forest to the big city to look for some adventure. While traveling the city Paddington comes across a taxidermist who wants to stuff him. He finds refuge from the city and the taxidermist through a kind family - the Browns - that takes him in as one of their own. 

I wish I could put into words just how happy I was initially to see one of my favorite childhood memories being adapted into film. After seeing the trailer however, I still have hope that it's going to be wonderful, but I wish Hollywood would stop going for the more vulgar/toilet humor and go back to the days of comedies like Cool Runnings, Toy Story, Princess Bride, etc. I really did not need to see Paddington Bear sticking toothbrushes in his ears and licking the stuff that came out. I'll save that rant for another day though.

Paddington will make his way into theaters in the UK on November 23, 2014 and will then arrive in the US a month later on Christmas Day 2014. 

Sources: Film School Rejects and Entertainment Weekly

Maleficent

If it were not for the betrayal of a dear friend named Stefan (or so she thought), Maleficent might not have turned evil and cursed his newborn daughter Aurora to an eternal sleep-like death. War might have also been avoided if both Stefan's human kingdom and Maleficent's magical fairy kingdom had learned to live together in peace.

Alas, the arrogance and greed of man can be a powerful thing - and not in a good way. Despite having grown up together and becoming the best of friends after Stefan stumbled into Maleficent's home as a child, his human nature got the best of him once the king offered the throne to anyone who could vanquish Maleficent and destroy the magical realm. After sneaking out of the castle to "warn" Maleficent of the coming danger, Stefan caused her to fall into a deep sleep, and while she rested he cut off her wings to bring them back to the king as proof of his deed. When she woke up and discovered what he had done, her heart hardened and she developed an intense hatred for the man she once loved. As revenge for his treachery, Maleficent visited Stefan at his castle and cursed his daughter Aurora to fall into an eternal sleep-like death after pricking her finger on a needle of a spinning wheel when she turned 16.

I honestly was kind of surprised at just how dark Maleficent turned out to be. I knew from the trailers it wasn't going to be a feel-good type of love story that Disney is so well known for but I wasn't ready for the tone to be similar to that of, say, Snow White and the Huntsman, or even Oz the Great and Powerful. Not to mention that the focus this time is one of Disney's most notorious villains instead of the princess. In a weird sort of way, I sort of appreciated the dark nature of the film, however I wonder if it was too dark for a kids movie. Disney's original cartoon Sleeping Beauty still had a pretty dark nature, but Maleficent seemed to take that darkness and multiply it. If this were a PG13 or R movie I might not make such a big deal out of it, however since it's specifically targeted towards kids I'm hesitant to instantly recommend Maleficent for young kids. Personally, I know I would have freaked out at some of the things portrayed onscreen if I had seen it at a young age.

And yet, with all the darkness prevalent throughout the film, there were some positive changes from the original story I greatly appreciated. For instance, instead of cursing Aurora and then waiting for her to die, Maleficent feels remorse and tries to take away the curse. When she is unable to do so, Maleficent becomes a make-shift fairy godmother, watching Aurora from a distance to make sure she is safe from harm. This action in turn makes Maleficent's heart soften and makes what was a pure evil character more complex.  (SPOILER WARNING) Another thing I appreciated was that Disney pulls a move similar to what they did with Frozen where someone else other than a stereotypical lover delivers the act of true love that breaks the spell. It was also interesting to see the background story come to life onscreen as to what made Maleficent so evil.

In the end, I really did enjoy it, and I would recommend Maleficent to families with kids probably around middle school age and up. Parents of younger kids should be careful though.

Godzilla

Though man has tried to understand - and in essence control - nature, there is still quite a bit that we cannot even begin to understand. However, all of our knowledge could not have prepared humanity for what was to come, a problem that began in 1954. You see, on a little island there were reported nuclear tests, but nobody realized the "tests" were actually trying to kill off something terrible; a force of nature which if left to its own devices, was feared to be detrimental to humanity. Unfortunately, those nuclear attacks only made the terror bigger and more dangerous.

Fast forward 50-plus years later, and a new threat has emerged. A Japanese nuclear plant is destroyed by what was thought to be a natural earthquake, forcing people to evacuate the area. It turns out that "earthquake" was caused by a terrible monster called a M.U.T.O. (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Object), and it just so happens that the M.U.T.O. feeds off of nuclear energy. Both the U.S. and Japanese governments try to contain and cover up the existence of the monster, but are eventually unable to do so. It isn't until they have exhausted all their options that they realize their only hope lies in the very force of nature they tried to kill off 50 years earlier.

That force of nature? A giant creature named Godzilla.

"The arrogance of man is that nature is in our control and not the other way around...Let them fight!" That sentence alone pretty much sums up Godzilla, especially those last three words. It took quite a bit of convincing from friends who saw it before I did to get me to break down and see it for myself. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by a great story or acting, and Godzilla for the most part met my expectations. The acting was almost completely wooden, what felt like a waste of talent. I was hoping that the star-studded cast, as well as the fight(s) between the monsters would help to elevate the film to at least a "good to see it in the theater at least once" kind of summer flick. Unfortunately, it couldn't even do that for me. Not even the final fight between Godzilla and the M.U.T.O. made it something I would want to see again (though I will admit it was an epic scene to witness). The only things I could say that are positive are - Gareth Edwards did do a good job of not showing Godzilla right from the start, instead only showing flashes of him until near the end. It kind of reminded me of old monster movies that have done the same thing. A few years ago, a reboot of The Wolfman came out and tried the same technique, but that one failed in its attempts to be scary. As mentioned above, the fight scenes between the M.U.T.O. and Godzilla were pretty epic, and at the very least made it watchable.

Another thing I had trouble with was the cities Godzilla chose to destroy. I've been wondering lately why is it that Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City - or if it's overseas then it's most likely a place like Japan,  such as what happens in Godzilla - are the ones that get destroyed? Very rarely have I seen any other cities get destroyed by either a monster attack (Godzilla), alien attack (Independence Day) or a homicidal maniac (The Avengers, or action flicks such as the Die Hard series). For me personally, it's getting kind of old to see such massive destruction to the same cities every time. I would kind of like to see a smaller scale of destruction, and to different cities than the ones mentioned above. Don't get me wrong, I still love these types of films, but it's still getting a little old.

If you're looking for a good action/monster flick, this isn't the droid you're looking for. Personally, I would consider this the kind of film to rent on a rainy day or if you're bored and just want to pass a few hours. To be honest, if the news is true and there is going to be at least one sequel, I'm not really looking forward to it. Somehow I get the feeling I'm going to get roped into seeing it, but I highly doubt it'll be good if the first one is any evidence of what's to come. Although, I do hope I'm wrong.

Sonic the Hedgehog is heading to the big screen

Last seen in a short cameo for the animated film Wreck-It Ralph, Sony Pictures announced at E3 (a popular gaming expo) that SEGA's popular video game speedster Sonic the Hedgehog is officially getting his own live-action/computer generated film. Sony Pictures will collaborate with Marza Animated Planet to distribute Sonic's feature film debut. Producer Neal Moritz will be in charge of production for Original Films, and first-time feature film writers Evan Susser and Van Robichaux will co-write the script.

In a press release about the upcoming adaptation, Sony Pictures stated that "The film will look to capture Sonic’s irreverent tone and spirit, reuniting him with some of the most revered and infamous characters of the franchise, including the evil Dr. Eggman." I hope so, as long as they stay true to the spirit of the original character(s) I feel like it should turn out fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't turn into a flop like The Smurfs. Sonic has been featured in several television shows over the years since his inception back in 1991, so it shouldn't be too difficult to bring him and his friends to the big screen.

As of right now, there is no release date or casting news for Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sources: First Showing , Screen Rant

New Trailer for Step Up All In debuts

Apparently the popularity has not died down for the Step Up franchise, as there is now going to be a fifth installment coming in August 2014. Titled Step Up All In, the newest dance film will be the first one to unite people from each film in the series.

According to the trailer, the story will take place in Las Vegas and then Los Angeles, where the flash mob crew from Step Up: Revolution travel to try to make it into the big leagues. When they are unable to get a breakthrough, the crew finds out about an underground dance competition in Los Angeles called The Vortex where the grand prize is a three year contract. To enter, they call on friends from previous Step Up films for help.

As mentioned above, Step Up All In will feature Ryan Guzman (Sean) and Misha Gabriel (Eddy) from Revolution, Stephen "tWitch" Boss (Jason) from Step Up 3D, Briana Evigan (Andie) from Step Up 2: The Streets, Alyson Stoner (Camille) from the original Step Up, and series regular Adam Sevani will return for his fourth outing as Moose.

The Step Up series is not known for its storytelling, but rather more for its choreography/dancing and visual effects. That's not to say it's a bad thing in and of itself, because the majority of the dance sequences in the franchise are admittedly pretty cool; however, it would be nice if these films focused a bit more on the story and acting rather than just on the dancing. Personally, I'd like to see a different storyline than the overused 'amateur dance group tries to make it big, so they enter into a competition to battle it out with the best'. Step Up: Revolution sort of did that with the crew trying to stop a major corporation from tearing down a neighborhood and forcing people out of their homes, but it still was greatly lacking in the acting department. And even then the film began with the crew trying to enter into a competition.

Still, it looks like from the trailer it will be a fun time. I'll be happy as long as it is better than Step Up: Revolution. That didn't really capture my attention as much as I would have liked. So far, the best one I've seen of the Step Up series is Step Up 2: The Streets.

Step Up All In will arrive in theaters August 8th, 2014.


Source: Screen Rant

Marvel has finally found its Ant-Man director and screenwriter

There is finally some good news coming from Marvel regarding their upcoming Ant-Man film: Peyton Reed will take the reigns from Edgar Wright as director, and Adam McKay will assist in fleshing out the script. This news comes after a long and exhaustive search that led Marvel to approaching at least eight potential directors before finally settling on Peyton Reed. It looks like Ant-Man can move forward at last and is on schedule to make it to its original July 2015 release date.

Adam McKay was originally rumored to be one among several high-profile directors with a comedic background in the running to direct Ant-Man, however there were rumors that for unknown reasons he stepped away from his discussions with Marvel about the project. Since that time, Marvel has officially confirmed his involvement as the screenwriter.

A couple good things about Peyton Reed in the director's chair is:  A) He does have a comedic background, with films such as Yes Man and The Breakup in his portfolio; and B) Reed already has some experience with working on a Marvel film due to his involvement in Fox's original Fantastic Four film back in 2003. What's interesting, though, is Peyton Reed parted ways with Fantastic Four for creative differences, much like the situation between Marvel and Edgar Wright.

Time will tell if hiring Peyton Reed and Adam McKay was a good decision. As of right now, production for Ant-Man is supposed to begin in a few short weeks, and yet they still haven't completed the script for it yet. It's not unheard of to move forward without a finished script; however, it usually doesn't bode well for the film as a whole.

On top of the news of Peyton Reed and Adam McKay officially moving forward with Ant-Man, we also have an official synopsis for the upcoming superhero film: "Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world." The premise sounds interesting, let's just hope Reed and McKay can deliver a good film for Marvel.


Ant-Man will be a part of Marvel's Phase 3 after Avengers: Age of Ultron is released. Guardians of the Galaxy opens August 1, 2014. The Avengers: Age of Ultron will arrive on May 1, 2015. Ant-Man on July 17, 2015. Captain America 3 on May 6 2016. Unannounced films are set for July 8, 2016 and May 5, 2017.



Source: Screen Rant

Jeremy Renner will return for Mission: Impossible 5

In an almost unsurprising move back in 2011, shortly after Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was released, news leaked out that there would be a fifth installment to the popular spy franchise. Since that time fans (such as myself) have been waiting almost impatiently for what was in store for the franchise.

In recent weeks there has been a swirl of rumors surrounding the production of Mission Impossible: 5, but it has been confirmed that Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg will both be back, Chris McQuarrie will be in the director's chair, and the script was written by Drew Pearce and re-written by Will Staples. Also, just yesterday it was confirmed that Avengers and Bourne Legacy star Jeremy Renner will be reprising his role as Agent Brandt from Ghost Protocol. There's no official word yet on whether Paula Patton will reprise her role for MI: 5 yet.

During an interview with Yahoo, Jeremy was asked about whether he would be involved with True Detective, but he said he would not be joining the show due to time restraints involving several big projects, on top of the fact that he would not be interested in joining anyways: "It’s kind of unlikely. In fact, I’m kind of strapped time-wise doing Avengers 2, and Mission: Impossible 5 is rearing its head, and then they want to do another Bourne movie. It’s unlikely I can find the time right now. And that’s all right. It’s just really high-class problems — pretty awesome to have. Even if I really wanted to do it, which I don’t, I couldn’t."

This isn't exactly a confirmation from Paramount regarding his return to the franchise, but it sure sounds like he's very confident he's returning. I sure hope he does return, I loved his character in Ghost Protocol. Until then, Jeremy's going to be pretty busy with Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bourne 5, and Kill the Messenger. Renner also has an upcoming guest role on FX's Louie, as well as doing the narration for last month's The World Wars miniseries on the History Channel.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will be coming to theaters May 1, 2015. The unnamed Bourne 5 will be released during the summer of 2015. Mission: Impossible 5 is scheduled to be released Christmas Day in 2015.

Sources: Slashfilm and Yahoo