Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Wreck-It Ralph Review

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From the first time I saw the trailer for Wreck-It Ralph, I had to see it. An animated film about video game? How could I resist such a good idea. I didn’t have much expectations I just wanted see what could be done with it. I was completely blown away by this beautiful tale filled with vibrant characters, powerful moments and incredible imagination. Wreck-It Ralph won me over with its broad themes and its redemptive story reminiscent of the masterfully made Pixar films, in fact I honestly don’t think Pixar could’ve done it better themselves.

Wreck-It Ralph tells the glorious tale of Wreck-It Ralph, a video game villain who wants more out of life, to be a hero. He’s necessary to his game like any other villain, but he’s sick of getting no recognition and living in a dump next to the building that represents the setting of his video game. Ralph’s journey introduces him to vast new lands and faithful friends for there’s much more to the story than initially established.

This arcade world that the film is set in is spectacular. This world is just established perfectly with set rules and regulations that just make sense. Clever jokes are made along the way, but the story and the characters are always at the forefront. It’s a very mature film and it’s clear that a lot of care and time went into the plotting and the creation. While offering a brilliant story fit with subtle and potent morals, Wreck-It Ralph is also consistently supremely entertaining. You can’t keep your eyes off the spectacle of it all.

The images are vivid, the characters are unique and the story is innovative and completely captivating. The film is able to touch on such wide array of emotions that you forget you’re watching a children’s film. Wreck-It Ralph is a beautiful film about accepting who you are and finding the people who love who you are. It’s a wonderful film all around and if I had to guess, you would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t find enjoyment in watching this film.

Grade: A

Argo Review

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Argo offers more proof that Ben Affleck really has a lot to offer the film industry, but his talents lie behind the camera rather than in front of it. With Argo he offers up a true human drama about an attempt to extract and save six Americans trapped in revolutionary Iran. The film’s story delves into the kind of heroes that deserve to have their stories told. All around Argo is a very enjoyable film really keeps your attention through out.

The film follows CIA operative Tony Mendez, and his daring plot to establish a fake Canadian movie in order to look for locations in Iran so he can get the targets and get out alive. John Goodman and Alan Arkin are both great in their smaller parts as a Hollywood make-up artist and a film producer who aid Mendez on his little project. They offer a bit of light comedy in an otherwise very serious drama. Bryan Cranston is also fantastic as another CIA agent. Ben Affleck, however, is one of the few things that doesn’t work in the film, he gives an emotionless performance that just shows a complete lack of prowess on the acting front. It’s a one-note performance and it gets you through the film, but it’s just lazy.

This was a very tense movie offering some very dramatic scenes that put you on the edge of your seat, this can’t be said about every scene that attempts this tension. If I had one other problem with the film it would be just a couple scenes (I don’t want to give them away if you haven’t seen the movie) that felt overdramatic and more like a movie, scenes that were trying to make you worry about the innocent characters. I understand where the filmmakers were coming from, but I felt like just a few moments were trying way too hard when the rest of the film was a taut thriller that seemed to accurately depict an event and period.

All in all, Argo was very enthralling film and one I’d certainly watch again regardless of my very slight issues with it. It was the kind of true story that should be told for two reasons; it was a story I’ve never heard of and it was quite the amazing story. Argo was able to throw a lot of elements into its story from very dramatic moments to very comedic and satirical (hollywood-wise) moments. Argo, all together, was a rather excellent film and offered more evidence to the fact that Ben Affleck should continue directing movies.

Grade: A-

Cloud Atlas Review

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Cloud Atlas is a project that, as a whole, deserves admiration if only for the fact that it was such an ambitious project to undertake. It deserves even more admiration because, for the most part, they accomplished what they set out to. It’s gargantuan film and it’s hard to really take it all in, but the result is a good film.  Cloud Atlas is a movie I’m very glad was made and it’s one I’m certainly glad I saw. However, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel the need to watch it again anytime soon.

The film opens with a grizzled and tattooed Tom Hanks monologuing, the film then jumps to another story and then another and another, you get the picture. The spans thousands of years involving a handful of different characters. You begin to recognize Tom Hanks playing characters in other time periods and other actors playing numerous characters as well. “Everything is connected” is the fitting tagline to this broad film about time, creation and us.

As you could expect, this film that travels through thousands of years is quite long. Honestly, it was a bit overbearing at times. I felt very involved and excited during a few of the stories whereas others just weren’t as important. This was the problem. Of course it’s hard not to have favorites when the movies said and done, but I found myself often wanting more of one story while another one was playing. This was probably the biggest risk in undertaking this daunting task and the funny thing is that the stories that felt the most useless were probably the best ones so what does that say about the movie as a whole?

The Wachowskis have made something to be remembered here. Some of it is completely riveting and if the entire film was as good as some of its parts then we would really have something of a marvel. As I stated before, they did accomplish what they set out to, at least that’s what it felt like. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the extraordinary film it wanted to be or could have been. I’m not going to down grade it for what it could’ve been though, I’m going to grade it for what it is and it was good. Although, I feel as though I could’ve gotten what I wanted out of it from simply watching the trailer.

Grade: B

Seven Psychopaths Review

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Seven Psychopaths offers an entirely memorable experience involving guns, blood, the written word, a dog and people one can only describe as psychotic. There was never a moment in the film where I wasn’t either laughing or completely engrossed in the story at hand.  With the extraordinary Seven Psychopaths, Martin McDonagh has written and directed a film about a screenwriter named Martin who is attempting to write a movie called Seven Psychopaths.

Martin McDonagh is the writer and director responsible for another fantastic film entitled, In Bruges. It’s been four years since he’s made his last and first movie. In Bruges was a brilliant film that was not only funny, but odd, dark and deep. Seven Psychopaths is his second film and not only is it better than his first film, but I don’t see him being able to top this masterpiece any time soon. Through a story that is both insightful and beautiful, Seven Psychopaths conquers the task of being completely hilarious and endlessly entertaining all while examining and commenting on itself as a film and the medium as a whole.

Seven Psychopaths tells an insane and imaginative tale about a screenwriter’s attempts to finish latest work and the friends helping him accomplish just that as they all have to hide from a crazy mobster, but loving pet owner, who wants the dog back from the screenwriter’s friends who just kidnapped it. The story is simple enough, which makes room for the layers and layers of prominent meaning underneath the surface.

The acting is simply phenomenal. And I mean by every performer. Colin Farrell proves himself as a leading man, while Woody Harrelson is great as the so called “chief villain”. The best performances come out of the secondary and best two characters in Seven Psychopaths. Sam Rockwell performs as brilliantly as ever as Martin’s chaotic best friend. On top of that, the real talent comes out of the restraint, confidence and artistry exemplified in Christopher Walken’s performance of the wise and gentle, Hans.

Whereas Seven Psychopaths is at times derivative, it is a completely unique and enthralling film because there is a point to the few stereotypes. The film is witty and poetic. One scene may be absolutely hysterical, while another is intense and dramatic. Seven Psychopaths is a vast and eloquent movie about stories and the people and experiences that inspire those stories. It’s a masterpiece and one I plan on enjoying over and over and over again.

Grade: A+

Sinister Review

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Horror movies are always a good time, whether they’re good or bad. If they’re good, they’re good and if they’re bad, they’re funny. I often catch the occasional horror film because I’m a big fan of the genre. Sinister was a horror film I couldn’t ignore. It had been getting a lot of attention and good reception and it actually looked pretty interesting. I don’t want to say that Sinister was a pleasant surprise because Sinister was anything but pleasant, but it was a good movie and quite the amazing horror movie.

Sinister was no perfect horror film and I don’t think it was trying to be one. It had its flaws, like some corny dialogue that felt out of place during some very dark sequences and the obvious flaw you find in a lot horror films of the choices the characters make. I wasn’t much bothered by slight problems such as these because the film made up for its few problems with a horrific story of macabre and the otherworldly.

The story follows true crime author, Ellison Oswalt (a part Ethan Hawke really juices for all its worth and in all the best ways). Unbeknownst to his family, Oswalt has just moved them into the prior home of the murder victims he’s writing his next book about. After all, he was able to get it for a “steal”. Little does he know that this decision has just plagued his family with something much more terrifying than he could’ve possibly imagined. As if the hanging of four family members wasn’t horrific enough, he slowly begins to realize that there may be a much more sinister conspiracy surrounding these murders.

The film plays well with audience expectations and the idea of things that go bump in the night. The film attempts to make you feel as frightened, uncomfortable and alone as it’s troubled protagonist and most of the time it actually succeeds. Unlike many other horror films there’s a lot to the story and rarely is the film not progressing and offering both entertainment and scares. Also, while the film does offer some jump scares, it doesn’t rely to heavily on them because the film seems much more concerned with its simple and genuinely frightening story. That’s something I can respect a lot in a modern horror film.

Sinister is a twisted and unrelenting film and for good reason, director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is attempting get under your skin and scare you. There’s not much more frightening than the dead, demons, disturbing murders and a disdain towards human life. Sinister is film that gets it right. It was a well made film and it did what it set out to do in the way it offered the kind of horror story you tell around a campfire to scare your friends and the kind of twisted tale that can stick with you long after.

Grade: B+

Looper Review

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Looper is an imaginative and bleak film centering around a hit man who kills people from the future. These type of hit men are called loopers and this is because when the time comes each looper must be responsible for “closing the loop” when their future-self is zapped back to them. The conflict of Looper comes in the form of protagonist Joe’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) older self (Bruce Willis) being zapped back to 2044 and escaping.

Looper offers a lot of fresh and original ideas, but where it excels is in its fresh and original storytelling. Looper wasn’t just a good idea. Due to a utilization of its ideas and characters Looper was a flawless piece of art. I could expect nothing less from its creator, director Rian Johnson. Johnson was the director of only two films prior to Looper, The Brothers Bloom and his debut film, Brick. I loved both of them and subsequently I’ve been looking forward to Looper for a while now.

Looper is Rian Johnson’s best film and that’s coming from somebody who could easily call Brick a masterpiece. All three of the films Johnson has made are entirely unique. Stylistically, tonally, execution, you name it, all three of them are just very different films and on top of that, each of them are great in their own way. Looper stands above the pack as film masquerading as a dark and enthralling science fiction film when in reality it’s more importantly a human drama filled with complexities and violence.

Looper was a very entertaining film. There wasn’t a time when I was watching the film and not enjoying myself, it was fun and it’s a movie I see myself watching again and again. Looking layers deep, while Looper is completely entertaining, it is also a very dark and serious drama that takes on some very broad and insightful ideas. It’s a movie about time-travel, it’s a movie about death, it’s a movie about living and what that entails, it’s a movie about conscience, but most of all it’s a movie about decisions and the impact those decisions can have.

I loved Looper and I can’t wait to see it again. I loved the dialogue and the action. I loved each character and what they added to the overall drama of it all. There’s always such creativity to both the stories Rian Johnson tells and the way Rian Johnson tells them. He proofs that again here with his greatest feat yet. Looper is a masterpiece through and through.

Grade: A+