Category Archives: Reviews

Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy create a monster in “Victor Frankenstein”

Daniel Radcliffe’s Igor is transformed from freakshow hunchback to handsome scientist in “Victor Frankenstein”. Photo by Alex Bailey.

Those expecting Victor Frankenstein to be a gothic horror movie about a man-made monster will be gravely disappointed. As the name implies, this movie is more about the oft-overlooked man that created the monster, not the monster itself. More specifically, this movie provides a backstory for Igor (Daniel Radcliffe), the mad scientist’s hunchbacked henchman that has come to be an integral part of the Frankenstein mythos (even though he’s not part of Mary Shelley’s original story). I’m guessing the movie isn’t called Igor because: a) there was an animated film with that name just a few years ago and b) the name Frankenstein is much more recognizable to moviegoers.

As a nameless freakshow clown, Radcliffe’s deformed figure proves to be an idiot savant whose innate understanding of human anatomy is illustrated (literally, thanks to some inventive filmmaking techniques) when Lorelei (Jessica Brown Findlay), the acrobatic object of his affection, falls to what would otherwise be her doom. Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy) happens to witness this accident, as well as the clown’s miraculous ability to save Lorelei. Realizing the hunchback’s potential, Frankenstein takes him away from the abusive confines of the circus and straightens him out with an incredibly simple medical procedure. This procedure, along with a makeshift back brace, a shower and a haircut, transform the hunchback into a rather handsome young scientist named after Frankenstein’s estranged roommate. Though this overnight change is a bit far-fetched, it’s somewhat acceptable given the movie’s occasional comedic tone.

Frankenstein (James McAvoy) and Igor (Daniel Radcliffe) plan to create a monster in man’s image in “Victor Frankenstein”. Photo by Alex Bailey.

Frankenstein immediately recruits the former carnie to help him with his experiments in reanimating a creature assembled from various stolen animal parts (primarily chimpanzee), and the chemistry between the two is undeniable. Frankenstein proves his Promethean power when the creature is brought to life with a jolt of electricity. Though Igor sees the err in Frankenstein’s ways when he looks into the lifeless eyes of this aggressive beast before it is put out of its misery, Frankenstein is inspired by his success and begins planning his next experiment: the godlike idea of creating a creature in his own image. But this monster, with two hearts, four lungs and a mammoth frame, is physically far greater than the mad doctor.

Frankenstein wants to make a monster, but Igor has a date with Lorelei. Photo by Alex Bailey.

Inspector Roderick Turpin (Andrew Scott) is on to Frankenstein’s madness and looks to prevent him from conducting any additional experiments. His religious objections to Frankenstein’s scientific advances are a bit heavy-handed (and result in him losing a hand), but his motivations are just, considering the scientist’s nefarious tactics. The conflicting morals of Frankenstein, Igor and Turpin manifest themselves just as the monster itself takes its first few breaths. Though he’s only present in the final moments of the film, Frankenstein’s monster creates enough chokeslamming chaos to make Frankenstein realize he’s created something far more powerful than he ever imagined. Why the monster, who has no spoken lines aside from some grunts and growls, is portrayed by accomplished actor Charles Dance instead of someone more physically imposing makes no sense. With some impressive makeup and prosthetics, however, he’s still a menacing figure despite the brevity of his appearance.

In much the same way the Sherlock Holmes films have reimagined a familiar story in a comically-stylized new way, Victor Frankenstein reinvents this 19th century mad scientist tale in a visually flashy fashion. Though there is little, if any, horror involved and a little more comedy than expected, the movie breathes a few absurd new breaths of life into a story typically dominated by the monster itself.

www.foxmovies.com/movies/victor-frankenstein

“Rocky” goes another round with “Creed” spinoff

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Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) trains Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) in “Creed”. Photo by Barry Wetcher.

Rocky Balboa is one of cinema’s greatest underdogs, overcoming insurmountable odds in and out of the boxing ring over the course of the Rocky franchise. With the first Rocky film being released in 1976 and the most recent Rocky Balboa coming out 30 years later, it appeared that Sylvester Stallone‘s character didn’t have much left to fight for. (He even defeated WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Mr. T in Rocky III.) But nine years after the release of the last Rocky film, and 40 years since the events of the original, Creed not only gives Rocky reason to fight once again, but it introduces a new cast of characters to keep the bout going into more rounds for a new generation.

Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is the troubled illegitimate son of Rocky’s greatest rival and friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Having been born after his father’s death, Adonis is Apollo’s dark secret until Apollo’s widow Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad) tracks him down and takes him into her lavish home following the death of his biological mother. Despite being afforded the educational and financial opportunities for a successful career behind a desk, Adonis secretly competes in amateur boxing rings, amassing an impressive undefeated streak in the process. With an aggressive nature and boxing in his blood, Adonis turns down a promotion at his high-rise office job and moves to Philadelphia to find Rocky.

“Creed,” much like its predecessors, features lots of inspirational training scenes. Photo by Barry Wetcher.

Adonis approaches Rocky at Adrian’s, the Italian restaurant he now owns. Initially reluctant to get back into boxing, Rocky eventually acquiesces when he finds out that Adonis is Apollo’s son, and sees his potential if he’s able to reign in his reckless nature and focus his angst. Naturally, a paternal bond develops as Apollo not only learns to be a better boxer, but also a better man, under Rocky’s tutelage.

As Adonis prepares for his biggest boxing challenge against British bad boy “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (Tony “Bomber” Bellew), he faces numerous personal setbacks with his girlfriend (Tessa Thompson), the ailing health of the elder Italian Stallion and his personal life becoming public banter. It wouldn’t be a Rocky movie without the titular character being forced to stand strong when faced with challenges on personal and professional fronts, nor would it make for an interesting story. Though much of the story mirrors the previous Rocky films, Creed‘s predictability doesn’t make the drama and action any less compelling.

Rocky and Adonis have a moment of reflection. Photo by Barry Wetcher.

In much the same way that Rocky is handing the gloves over to Adonis in the film, Stallone gives a young filmmaker the opportunity to prove his main event worth. Creed is the first film in the Rocky series not completely written by Stallone, with Aaron Covington and director Ryan Coogler handling a majority of those duties. Reuniting with his Fruitvale Station star Jordan, Coogler creates an emotionally-engaging film that holds its own against its predecessors. In a moviemaking world quick to cash in on remakes, it’s nice to see a franchise with characters that age and evolve to continue, rather than reboot, a story.

creedthemovie.com

“Spectre” appears to close a chapter in the 007 saga

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Daniel Craig stars as James Bond in “Spectre”. Photo courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions.

Topping 2012’s Skyfall is a task even James Bond would have trouble accomplishing. With Skyfall director Sam Mendes back on board and Daniel Craig returning as Bond, Spectre has potential to live up to the expectations of their last Bond collaboration. Though Spectre is an entertaining Bond movie with all the ingredients to become a new classic, it somehow doesn’t add up to the sum of its parts.

The globetrotting adventure gets off to an explosive start as Bond gives chase to an Italian crime boss (Alessandro Cremona) resulting in a toppled building and an intense helicopter fight over Mexico City’s Day of the Dead festival. As a result of what his superior M (Ralph Fiennes) views as an international fiasco, Bond is suspended from duty and forbidden from continuing his investigations. That means, of course, that Bond then goes to Rome to console grieving widow Lucia Sciarro (Monica Bellucci) before infiltrating SPECTRE, a secret criminal society, just as a new leader violently takes control of the organization. This new leader, played by the magnificent Cristoph Waltz, eventually reveals himself to be a familiar supervillain in the Bond mythos who is closely tied to Bond’s past dating back to childhood.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Mr. HInx (Batista) battle it out as Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) looks on in “Spectre”. Photo courtesy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions.

While Waltz is the brains of the organization, the brawn is Mr. Hinx, an indestructible brute played convincingly by former WWE Champion Batista, who looks to be following in The Rock‘s footsteps as the next wrestler-turned-action movie star. From a destructive car chase in Rome to an inventive plane/car chase through Austrian mountains to a brutal fist fight through a Morroccan train, Batista proves to be a formidable Bond foe, despite only uttering a single word during the entire movie. Given his imposing presence (and metallic thumbnails), I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hinx reappear in a future installment of the Bond series.

Memorable villains have always been a Bond staple, as have exotic love interests. Spectre‘s female star is French actress Léa Seydoux, who plays Dr. Madeleine Swann, the daughter of Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), a member of SPECTRE subsidiary Quantum. Swann is no damsel-in-distress, however, proving to be as adept at fighting, weaponry and espionage as Bond himself. Which, in addition to her physical allure, makes her all the more appealing to Bond. After being captured by Waltz’s character, Bond learns (during a torturous episode) not only of his lifelong connection to this villain, but also that SPECTRE is very close to completing its Orwellian plan to take over the world. Overcoming impossible odds, Bond and Swann escape and set out to thwart SPECTRE’s plan before time runs out.

Christoph Waltz (left) and Leå Seydoux in “Spectre”. Photo courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions.

The final act is suspenseful, albeit a bit formulaic. With the clock ticking, Bond is forced to save the people he cares about, bring bad guys to justice and find some sense of humanity amidst the violence that has become routine for him. Though Spectre definitely seems to close a chapter in this series (amidst rumors that Craig will not be returning to reprise the role), it also makes it clear that we haven’t seen the last of cinema’s favorite spy. While it delivers on an escapism level, Spectre falls short (pun intended) of Skyfall‘s sense of realism. If anything, the conclusion leaves the viewer curious about the future, which, given that this is the 24th film in a seemingly unlimited series of stories, is probably intentional.

Matt Damon’s is the only life on Mars in “The Martian”

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The Martian had every opportunity to be a dull, depressing chore of a movie. Instead, it delivers a heartfelt and exciting tale of survival on the barren red planet Mars. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is an astronaut on a manned Mars mission when a violent, fast-moving storm causes his crew to abort its mission. During the escape, he is struck by debris and disappears into the fierce storm. He is presumed dead and awakens to find his crew is long gone. He quickly has to assess the situation and has to plan for years of survival. He is alone, millions of miles from home with severely limited air, food and water, and no means of communication with Earth.

I am typically not a fan of survival movies; I didn’t like Cast Away, wasn’t a fan of 127 Hours and thought Gravity was decent, but I didn’t have any urge to ever sit through it again. My main problem with these movies is they get so dark and serious and by the halfway point you are just ready for them to either die or get rescued so you can move on with your day. The Martian is a breath of fresh air (despite Mars’ lack of oxygen) because the main character never gives up hope, even when the situation can’t get any more dire. He often smiles and cracks jokes, but is also realistic about his situation and his odds of survival.

Watney is an amazingly-written character and his survival skills are second to none. I heard the author of the novel (Andy Weir) refer to him as “MacGyver in space,” which really sums him up perfectly. From what I understand about the movie, the science is pretty accurate, but even if that wasn’t the case, it’s very believable. Some of the scenarios are far fetched, however an astronaut on a manned Mars mission would presumably be the best of the best and ridiculously intelligent, resourceful and industrious. Mark’s attitude remains tremendously positive throughout the movie, never giving in to what I imagine would be crushing loneliness and despair. Damon makes this character extremely entertaining, funny and heartfelt, allowing the viewer to become fully invested in the story. You cheer for every success and weep for every set back. This is definitely my favorite performance from Matt Damon since The Departed.

The supporting cast in The Martian is out of this world. Even though Matt Damon carries most of the film, he is backed up with a NASA team, as well as the Ares 3 crew that leaves the planet during the storm. Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig (playing well against type) and Donald Glover make up the NASA support team. Daniels is the director of NASA and is sometimes a bastard, sometimes a hero, but always a very sympathetic character. He is deeply concerned with Watney, but he must also consider the well being and survival of NASA as a whole. The remaining crew of the Ares 3 is wonderfully played by Jessica Chastain, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan and Aksel Hennie. It feels like there is an authentic bond between these five, as if they actually experience these life changing events, love each other and each mourn the loss of their colleague and friend. Periodically stepping away from Mars to NASA and the Ares 3 keeps the pace of the movie changing so it never drags.

The cinematography of this film is absolutely breathtaking. The portrayal of the landscape of Mars is desolate and beautiful. The vast empty terrain really fosters the feeling of utter isolation and loneliness. It’s simultaneously terrifying and stunning. Mars is more than a backdrop, it is a character in this film.

As a long time fan of Ridley Scott and sci-fi movies, I highly suggest checking this one out. The film has the big blockbuster moments and is able to tell a very engaging tale of survival on a planet that is completely devoid of life. It is about never giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable trials. There are moments when I laugh so hard it hurts and there are moments where I feel despondent over Watney’s journey. You feel his terrible loneliness and isolation, but more than that you feel his infinite hope. The Martian is an incredibly engaging story mentally and emotionally and is extremely visually striking, making it appealing to almost any moviegoer.

www.themartianmovie.com

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. provides enough action and comedy to make you say “uncle”

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Henry Cavill trades in his Superman outfit for a swanky spy suit in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is based on a ’60s television show of the same name that I had heard of, but knew absolutely nothing about. I, like many moviegoers, have been fatigued over the years by constant remakes and reboots and I went in with minimal expectations, at best. Little did I know The Man From U.N.C.L.E was about to take me on a thrill ride that was so much fun it would easily become one of my favorite films of the summer.

The film follows CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin through a mission to stop a criminal organization that is working on developing nuclear weapons for worldwide destruction. The plot isn’t particularly deep or groundbreaking, but it is everything the movie needs to keep the action high and the banter hilarious. Napoleon is played by Man of Steel‘s Henry Cavill, and he absolutely kills the role. He is sharp, funny, smart and he always gets the ladies, as any spy should. Kuryakin is played by Armie Hammer who I haven’t seen since The Lone Ranger. I am glad he is back because he is fantastic as the unstoppable and unstable KGB agent. Hammer and Cavill have great chemistry and complement each other well, with their onscreen interactions feeling very natural and effortless.

Armie Hammer as KGB agent Illya Kuryakin. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

One of the things that gave me hope for this film from the start is director Guy Ritchie. I have been a huge fan of his work ever since I saw Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He has a really unique visual style and he usually backs it up with a solid story involving interesting characters. This is achieved once again with a very fun, color-saturated 1960s backdrop and two very unlikely heroes who have to work together to prevent worldwide catastrophe. The crazy editing and fast-paced cuts we have seen him do in the past are back and better than ever, and the over the top flashiness just adds to the movie and never takes anything away. One of the best things about this film is the use of music. The score and soundtrack is a phenomenal mix of very traditional spy movie music, ’60s jams, classic Italian music and original pieces, all of which enhances the atmosphere and story without being distracting.

Elizabeth Debicki as the villainous Victoria Vinciguerra. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

This movie isn’t non-stop action throughout, but it never drags. The back-and-fourth spats between Napoleon and Kuryakin are consistently funny and never feel forced. One thing I really enjoy about the film is the screen time seems very even between both lead characters. The two strong male leads are also well balanced by a great cast of supporting characters. There is the charming, yet tough and resourceful, Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander) and the unassuming Alexander Waverly (Hugh Grant) as the head of United Network Command for Law and Enforcement (U.N.C.L.E.). The villain Victoria (Elizabeth Debicki) is a bit of a cliché and lacks dimension. In the end, however, she’s strong enough to provide a threat to the heroes as well as set up a climatic ending that left me grinning when the credits rolled. U.N.C.L.E. is a fun, light summer flick. If you are a fan of the spy genre, Guy Ritchie or buddy movies, you will not be disappointed.

www.manfromuncle.com

Schumer shines as a sort of hot mess in “Trainwreck”

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When I was watching Raw the other night, they showed a commercial for this new movie called Trainwreck. At first I was like, “Why are they showing this commercial while I’m watching WWE?” Then I saw that John Cena was in it and I figured I should go see this movie.

Trainwreck stars Amy Schumer. I think she’s a comedian or something. I remember reading on one of the dirt sheets that she used to date Dolph Ziggler, but she broke up with him because the sex was too athletic. I mean, he is “The Showoff,” you know. If a cougar like Vickie can handle Dolph, it seems like Amy would be able to. Now Lana seems to be enjoying herself with him.

Anyway, my cousin told me there was an episode of Total Divas or something where Nikki got upset because John Cena has a nude scene in this movie. Remember when I went to see Magic Mike XXL because I thought Cena played a stripper, but it was actually Channing Tatum? Well, Trainwreck kind of makes up for what I missed out on because Cena plays Schumer’s boyfriend and has a funny sex scene where she keeps her top on but you get to see Cena’s butt. I usually hate Cena, but he’s pretty good in this movie.

So, Cena breaks up with Amy because he finds out she’s been cheating on him. They have this argument in a movie theater and a guy in the back row (Keith Robinson) calls Cena Mark Wahlberg, which I popped for. I’ve always thought Cena looked kind of like Marky Mark (I wonder if he’s a wrasslin’ mark), especially since they were both white rappers before they started pandering to kids. Then Cena calls the other guy Koko B. Ware and I stood up and started doing the arm flappy thing right there in the theater!

After Cena breaks up with Amy, she has to interview this sports doctor for a magazine article she’s writing. She actually hates sports, which is weird since she was just dating a wrestler and wrestling is a real sport. This doctor (Bill Hader) is friends with LeBron James, who is always giving him advice, especially after the doctor starts dating Amy. Amy is kind of jealous of the cheerleaders that are friends with her new boyfriend. I wonder if that’s a rib on Dolph since he used to be a cheerleader in the Spirit Squad.

Since she is used to having one-night stands and stuff, Amy doesn’t know how to react to a nice guy who likes her. She doesn’t like relationships because when she was a kid her dad told her it’s impossible to stay with one person. Her dad is played by Colin Quinn, who I remember from Remote Control.

After Amy walks out to take a phone call from her magazine editor (Tilda Swinton) while the doctor is giving an acceptance speech for an award he won, he gets mad at her. They have a fight and the doctor doesn’t get much sleep and almost screws up a surgery he’s supposed to do the next day. They sort of break up, but LeBron keep telling the doctor that he should talk to Amy. Amy misses him, too. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but she decides to get some spirit of her own to show the doctor how much she misses him.

My cousin thinks Trainwreck is really funny. I think it’s pretty good, too. But I mostly just like the parts with John Cena. I mean, I already knew he was pretty funny. But maybe when he decides to retire from wrasslin’ he can keep doing movies like this one. Or maybe they’ll make another Magic Mike and he can be in that.

Arnold’s back (again) in an acceptable new (and old) chapter with “Terminator Genisys”

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In many ways, Terminator Genisys is more of the same in the Terminator mythos. WWE Hall of Famer Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s T-800 is sent back in time to 1984 by Skynet as the human resistance breaches its base of operations in 2029. Shortly thereafter, Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back to prevent the Terminator from killing Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) before she gives birth to John Connor (Jason Clarke), the prophet-like human responsible for Skynet’s ultimate demise. The first few minutes of the film are almost frame-for-frame reshots of James Cameron’s initial chapter of this futuristic franchise, offering the added perspective of the moments leading up to the Terminator and Kyle being sent back in time. Then another, “old, but not obsolete” T-800 shows up and suddenly everything old is new again. Sort of.

As has been established in previous Terminator tales, Skynet is determined to end humanity no matter what. This time Skynet has rescheduled Judgment Day from 1997 to 2017, a time when humanity’s dependence on computers and the interconnectivity of pretty much all operating systems, from handheld devices to military mainframes, is a convenience that could easily become a threat. And Danny Dyson (Dayo Okeniyi), son of Skynet creator Miles Dyson (Courtney B. Vance), has created the ultimate app to usher in the apocalypse.

Left to right: Jason Clarke plays John Connor and Jai Courtney plays Kyle Reese in “Terminator Genisys” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.

But humanity’s resolve to survive is just as strong as Skynet’s desire to rule the world. So, in this new fractured timeline a reprogrammed T-800 was sent back to 1973 by an anonymous sender to be a guardian to, not terminator of, a much younger Sarah. Somehow being raised by a Terminator after her parents were killed has created a Sarah (once known for convincingly crazy tirades about how, “The future’s not set. There’s no fate but what we make for ourselves.”) that is now a kind-hearted girl (not woman) who talks about there being only one path and calls the older T-800 “Pops”. She also looks way too young for Kyle to be looking at the way he is, even though her character is supposed to be about 20 years old and their inevitable coupling is no secret.

On one level, Genisys gives Terminator fans most of the things they are looking for: bot battles (including appearances by the likes of a liquid metal, shapeshifting T-1000 played by Lee Byung-hun), familiarly witty one-liners such as, “Come with me if you want to live,” and an upgraded Terminator with advanced technology that seems like it will be impossible to overcome (unless you have some magnets). We also get a lot more of an adult John Connor than we usually get. But this John isn’t exactly the one you might be expecting. That’s actually the big twist of this movie, but I’m not going to be the one to spoil that surprise.

Emilia Clarke plays Sarah Connor in “Terminator Genisys” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.

On another level, however, Genisys hits the restart button on the Terminator franchise. Not that it’s a reboot; it exists within the same universe as the other Terminator films. But with the technological advancements that have been made since the release of the first two movies, there’s a lot more to work with when it comes to machines taking over the lives of humans. In fact, the Genisys operating system (and the personification of Skynet by Doctor Who‘s Matthew Smith) almost seems like a commentary on how intertwined most people are with their various electronic devices these days, blind to the potential repercussions of constantly looking at a screen. Plus, it just seems kind of silly for a 2015 audience to still go along with the idea that Judgment Day was in 1997 rather than being an impending doomsday.

Aside from some somewhat stale acting, questionable casting and a cuddly (not chaotic) Sarah who simply is not convincing as the mother of the human resistance, Genisys is not nearly as disastrous as many have predicted. There are a few things that will likely make more sense when they are further explored in future Terminator installments (namely a subplot in which J. K. Simmons is a police officer whose seemingly deranged interest in the Terminators stems from him barely surviving the initial 1984 encounter). Which is to say that, despite its shortcomings, Genisys offers hope for the future of Terminator movies.

www.terminatormovie.com