Matt Amerling's Blog

A Marvel Fan's Review of "Avengers: Infinity War" If It Were a DC Comics Movie

I was really excited to see the latest entry in the Cinematic Universe, especially since this is the big team event film with all my favorite, notable heroes! First of all, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the epic failures of Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Thor, Thor: Dark World, The Incredible Hulk, and the OK-but-flawed Avengers: Age of Ultron, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. But I love these heroes and really wanna see the cinematic universe do well. With Avengers: Infinity War, while the result is enjoyable, it also could be better.
The good things about the film was that there was plenty of good chemistry between most of the cast and at least the filmmakers knew this time to feature a formidable threat in the form of the Infinity Gauntlet. That being said, Infinity War seldom delivers on any cohesive story. Now, I understand the producers plan on continuing the story in a sequel but you can't halt an entire universe of characters between now and the sequel's release, especially after the way this film ends! The film is marred by a very choppy story, a run-of-the-mill villain, some shoddy visual effects, and an overall haphazard execution. Now, before the fans of this universe complain, let me explain! 
First up, there's the aspect of the CGI. It seems every fanboy of these films is overlooking the completely differing designs of main baddie Thanos. In the first film he appeared in, The Avengers, he looks more like his comic book counterpart, and in his next two appearances, you notice a transition happening, especially with his skin coloring. But by Infinity War, he's humanized way too much and his color takes on a much lighter shade of purple. I also didn't really believe his reasoning for wanting to wipe out half of civilization. I mean, come on, his motivation as expressed is merely that he's some grumpy old man who hates people and thinks the only way to balance out life is to wipe half of all living beings! And how he appears at the end is one of those WTF!? moments.


The doom and gloom feels supplanted in Infinity War by a palpable sense of fun and raw adventure. There are too many deaths and somebody should tell the filmmakers this is supposed to have some fun in it! For everything that Infinity War does well regarding tone and table setting for its characters, it's also forced to contend with an incredibly uneven central story. The film regularly grinds to a halt for forced exposition dumps, and while it's nowhere near as sloppy as Iron Man 3 or as aimless as Doctor Strange, it also feels overly stuffed with insignificant subplots to push the thin story forward in-between quippy dialogue and genuinely badass action. Even at a lean two-and-a-half hours, it still feels like Infinity War could've been shorter with some tighter writing and editing. What is laughable is not so much the quippy one-liners -- most of which don't stick -- but the film's attempt to throw in some humor, most of which didn't stick, a move they are not used to. They should stick to just doing what they do: the melodramatic death and destruction -- even though I would love to see them add some humor; just make sure it works! Infinity War focuses mainly on Thanos and Gamora. I felt the additional characters are only there can be more spin-off movies. They really should've tried to focus more on the heroes! For instance, why didn't Hulk appear!? Instead of featuring one of the most powerful Avengers, the writers neutered Bruce Banner and made him resort to laughingly pilot the Hulkbuster armor! Ugh! I didn't know this was Thanos: Infinity War; I thought it was AVENGERS: Infinity War!
Overall, The visuals were just incredibly poor *cough* Thanos' chin and changing appearance *cough* and there was too much CGI. Don't get me wrong, not all films with much CGI are bad -- if the CGI is good, you can enjoy a movie; but if the effects are as bad as they are here, it just hurts. The plot wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either, and, to be honest, it's just the typical Bad-Guy-wants-to-achieve-galaxy-domination-and-gets-stopped-by-a-bunch-of-heroes storyline. Here's hoping the sequel does address many of the characters' paper-thin storylines, and gives them more screen time, as well as clearing up the downer of an ending.





*This is a joke review! I actually did like "Avengers: Infinity War." I had a few issues with it, but, overall, it was good!

My Top Films of 2017

Here are my picks for the best films of 2017, in alphabetical order:

Atomic Blonde Directed by David LeitchStarring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, Toby Jones, and Sofia Boutella
Based on the graphic novel "The Coldest City" by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart, this wham-bam action flick stars Charlize Theron as spy Lorraine Broughton, who is assigned to find a list of double agents being smuggled into the West on the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It's a Cold War tale featuring plenty of super spy situations, plot twists & turns, and gadgets that would make both James Bond and Jason Bourne extremely jealous! If anyone is jonesing for more of the tough-as-nails Theron from Mad Max: Fury Road, you'll be happy to hear Theron is all kinds of badass in this! Atomic Blonde is a smart, sexy, action-packed hell of a good time!




Batman & Bill Directed by Don Argott & Sheena M. Joyce
One of my all-time favorite comic documentaries, this Hulu documentary explores one of the gravest injustices of the comic book industry: the exclusion of the late Bill Finger as co-creator of Batman. For the longest time, Bob Kane was the only man attributed to creating one of the world’s most famous characters. Not many people know that while Kane did come up with the name, it was Finger who designed Batman and molded his world into what fans know today! Batman & Bill follows author Marc Tyler Nobleman and his quest to get Finger the recognition he so deserves, including the fight to have Finger’s name included whenever Batman appears in media. Any Batman-related documentary is worth watching but this is the best as it focuses on Finger, one of the best comic book writers who never got the recognition he deserved.



Dunkirk Directed by Christopher NolanStarring Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard, Aneurin Barnard, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Tom Glynn-Carney, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden, Cillian Murphy, and Kenneth Branagh
Director Christopher Nolan is simply one of the best directors in contemporary cinema and his latest, Dunkirk, proves this statement true! Based on the true story of Dunkirk evacuation during World War II in May/June 1940, Dunkirk shows the viewpoint of several British soldiers trying to leave Dunkirk, France to return to England, all while under attack by the Germans, as well as civilians making their way to pick up the soldiers. There was such an urgency that any and all sea craft were drafted to travel to Dunkirk and pick up any and all British soldiers they could, thus turning common civilians into heroes. What is most noteworthy about this film is the timeline which Nolan utilizes throughout the film, picking different times and having them eventually all converge by film's end. It's an astonishing story device that is extremely difficult to pull off from a writing aspect, but Nolan pulls it off with ease and grace.




Get Out Directed by Jordan PeeleStarring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Marcus Henderson, Betty Gabriel, Lakeith Stanfield, Stephen Root, and LilRel Howery
Most people raved about this film and how it had a hidden message of race relations in the U.S. While there is that, on its face, Get Out is a wonderful psychological thriller with touches in the vein of 1975's The Stepford Wives and mostly 1976's Marathon Man thrown in. But, whereas Marathon addressed the violent history between Jews and Nazis, Get Out addresses the violent history between African Americans and slavery. The story follows photographer Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) who is going to visit his girlfriend Rose Armitage's (Allison Williams) family for the weekend. Most would think her family to be Republican and/or conservative, but not so, as, more than once, it's relayed on how her family voted twice for President Barack Obama. Filmmaker Jordan Peele, best known for his comedy, masterfully weaves the story without flat-out preaching and finger-wagging; he makes a horrific thriller of which anyone can relate and fear.




The Glass Castle Directed by Destin Daniel CrettonStarring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson, Max Greenfield, Josh Caras, Sarah Snook, Sadie Sink, and Brigette Lundy-Paine
Based on the autobiography by Jeannette Walls, this film tells the story of Jeannette both as a young girl (Ella Anderson) and in her late 20s/early 30s (Brie Larson), as she remembers and deals with her eccentric, alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) and artistic, free-spirited mother (Naomi Watts). The family of six (including her older sister, younger brother, and younger sister) move around a lot due to their father's inability to keep a job. Along the way, Jeannette learns creativity, love and independence, but she also learns insecurity, fear, and hunger. Cretton had already directed Larson in another gem of a film (Short Term 12), and he continues to show with this film that his skill behind the camera is well set! Larson is one of the BEST actresses working today and will go on to do such great things! I was wowed by the impressive acting of Ella Anderson, a young actress who I also see going on to have an impressive acting resume! But it is Woody Harrelson who VERY MUCH deserves an Academy Award for his work here! The complex relationship between Jeannette and her father wouldn't have affected so many and been such a touchstone of this film if it weren't for Harrelson and Larson! There are upsetting themes throughout the story but also nervously funny scenes as well (the arm-wrestling scene comes to mind!); and it all makes this film one of the best of the year!



Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Directed by James GunnStarring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Kurt Russell, Sean Gunn, Elizabeth Debicki, and Vin Diesel
While most may mention Marvel films such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, or Logan in their top films lists, my favorite -- and the only one entertaining enough to make the list -- was Guardians 2! Spider-Man was more like Iron Man Jr., not touching on any of the Spidey trademarks (no mention whatsoever of Uncle Ben, no spider sense, no real threat, no alienation from peers, M.J. completely not who she is!); Ragnarok cared more about laughs than substance; and Logan featured lazy writing -- "borrowing" its penultimate scene monologue from a classic western film -- as well as treading on territory already explored in previous Wolverine films (if it were a DC film, critics and audiences would have bashed it). And while Guardians 2 did try a bit too hard at times to get laughs only to fall flat (the carpet dragging scene coming first to mind), as well as Drax's unforgiveable, takes-it-way-too-far bullying of Mantis' looks, it nonetheless had heart, focusing on family. The cast have wonderful chemistry and, as always, Kurt Russell shines in all he does. 


It Directed by Andy MuschiettiStarring Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff, and Nicholas Hamilton
Based on the classic novel by Stephen King, It tells the story of seven kids who confront a legendary evil monster and eventually have to confront the same evil when they are grown-ups. Whereas the book jumps back and forth between the kids' time and their grown-up counterparts, this first installment explicitly follows just the kids. There were quite a lot of people and fans of the book as well as the 1990 made-for-TV movie that hated this version, but I thought it was well-done and aptly adapted for audiences (in the book version, the kids escape the tunnels after defeating It only by all of the 11-year-old boys having sex with fellow 11-year-old, and the only girl of the group, Beverly. Ewww!). While I liked Tim Curry's performance of Pennywise the Clown (from the 1990's TV movie) better, Bill Skarsgard's version wasn't so bad. What I loved most about this film, though, was the performance of Beverly by 15-year-old Sophia Lillis. She is a major acting powerhouse and I look forward to seeing her in more films! Next to Glass Castle's Ella Anderson, Lillis is one of the best actresses out there today! Overall, the film will only be complete once part two with the adults is tentatively released in September 2019. And I know I'll wait to purchase the Blu-ray until both films are released and inevitably put together either in one ultimate cut or at least packaged together. In the meantime, this release will suffice.



Justice League Directed by Zack SnyderStarring Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Mamoa, Ray Fisher, Jeremy Irons, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, Ciaran Hinds, Joe Morton, J.K. Simmons, and Amber Heard
I know I'm the slightest bit biased but, honestly, Justice League is fun, action-packed and staying true to the heroes in the DC universe! Seeing my favorite superheroes come to life and come together on screen is one of the most entertaining things I've seen in the superhero genre film in a long time! Zack Snyder's cinematography is visually captivating with most frames seeming like a piece of artwork, and the writing -- with the help of filmmaker Joss Whedon -- delivers more on the lighthearted while still keeping true to the seriousness of the situation in the plot. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) rocks her scenes and Aquaman (Jason Mamoa) proves he needs a solo film stat! Unlike the comics, Cyborg (Ray Fisher) was written to be interesting, intriguing. But it's the Flash (Ezra Miller) who steals most of the scenes he's in. And the Superman (Henry Cavill) we see here is THE Superman from the comics! He starts off somewhat "rusty" -- which he would after returning from the dead -- but it doesn't take long for him to be the inspiration the team needs. The two post-credit scenes are very much worth sticking around for; I think all comic fans in the theater let out excited gasps over the last of these scenes.



LA 92 Directed by Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin
One of the most powerful documentaries to be made, LA 92 shows through strictly archival footage and a wonderful, haunting music score the timeline of how the Los Angeles riots of 1992 started and how they unfolded. It starts with a quick prelude of the August 1965 L.A. riots, the 1973 election of Tom Bradley as L.A. mayor, and the 1978 promotion of Daryl Gates as L.A. chief of police. The movie then opens with the end of Operation Desert Storm in March 1991, going on to document the police brutality beating of Rodney King and the tragic shooting death of Latasha Harlins -- as well as showcasing the history of race relations in Los Angeles between the police department and the African American community. What's most electrifying and hypnotic about LA 92 is the raw emotion expressed from all sides as well as the bookends of the film, which show that, when it comes to race relations, things today have sadly not changed as much as they should since 1965.



The Post Directed by Steven SpielbergStarring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, and David Cross
One of the most important and timely releases to come along is a story that I believe should be required knowledge: the lies of the government concerning the official beginning of American involvement in the Vietnam War. The film follows the country's first female newspaper publisher, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep), of The Washington Post, who comes into possession of classified documents now known as "The Pentagon Papers," which detailed how the federal government, among other things, that the President Lyndon Johnson administration systematically lied, not only to the public but also to Congress and revealed that the U.S. had secretly enlarged the scope of its actions in the Vietnam War with the bombings of nearby Cambodia and Laos, coastal raids on North Vietnam, and Marine Corps attacks, none of which were reported in the mainstream media. These documents would inevitably lead to the revelation that the infamous 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, which fully got America involved in the Vietnam War, was partially lied about in that the second attack on American warships by the North Vietnamese on August 4, 1964, never happened. This film chronicles the fight between Graham, Post editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), and the President Richard Nixon administration. What is especially great is Steven Spielberg's utilization of actual Nixon White House recordings (no reenactments) to showcase just how pissed off Nixon and his staff were during this time. One can't help but parallel Nixon with Donald Trump's current administration, which uses very similar tactics and has similar opinions as Nixon when it comes to the press as well as the American people's right to information (or lack thereof). The Post is an absolute must-see film, showcasing the importance of information when it comes to the government as well as a history of our country's corrupt politics which sadly didn't teach us a lesson.


Split Directed by M. Night ShyamalanStarring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula
Love him or hate him, M. Night Shyamalan is a masterful storyteller, and his latest film, Split, is a definite return to form, touching on the creepy themes that gave a rise to his career! In the film, three young women are kidnapped by Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a man who has dissociative identity disorder, specifically 23 diagnosed different personalities. While all of these personalities have their alarming quirks, it is the 24th personality, known as "The Beast," which is most violent and evil, and the person to whom the three women are to be sacrificed. What Shyamalan established with this film and story is a deeper delve into the mythology of his prior film, Unbreakable. In fact, there is already a sequel in the works to feature the villain from Unbreakable, Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), and McAvoy's character, all a final part of his "Eastrail 177 Trilogy," to be released in January 2019.


Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi Directed by Rian JohnsonStarring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Domhnall Gleeson, Laura Dern, Andy Serkis,  and Benecio Del Toro
It's difficult to write a spoiler-free review because, as a critic and fan, you want to instantly gush over the major plot twists and revelations! So, I will simply say there are a couple uses of the force that haven't been seen on the big screen, but the uses are such great, wonderful surprises, they are a welcome -- and some superfans may say long overdue -- addition to the cinematic universe! There is tragedy, loss and sacrifice; however, there is humor, caring and hope! As for the performances, they're all top notch here, particularly from Daisey Ridley, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill. Johnson finally addressed -- to me -- a long-standing issue with Fisher's Leia and it is glorious! Seeing Fisher up on screen makes your heart both soar and hurt over how wonderful she was and how much she will be missed. Hamill finally gets to delve into the more serious undertones of being the "last Jedi" and he delivers it in the masterful way that only Hamill can, proving once again that he was born to play Skywalker! Driver does well with his unspoken acting, delivering both on the yearning to be accepted and wanting to pave his own path. Ridley especially really upped her acting game, and in one pivotal scene with Driver, she delivers a rather simple line in the most heart-aching way. There were many scenes I figured out would happen but didn't know for sure if Johnson would actually go there, and, fortunately, he did! But there were also many unexpected moments and that makes for a great film! Of course, the film also saw the return of composer John Williams and his score this time around was SO much better than the Force Awakens score! This time, he does what should be done: he uses those familiar, favorite themes from the original trilogy and interweaves them with the new! Hearing themes like "Luke and Leia," "Han and Leia," "The Force theme," and others was a very welcome addition! My favorite moment of Last Jedi is one I unfortunately cannot write without spoiling the surprise, but I actually teared up throughout the entire scene! To me, this scene made the movie and I think other diehard fans will love it just the same! New actors and characters such as Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo, Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico, and Benecio Del Toro's DJ are wonderful additions to the cast and SW universe, each given their respective moment to shine! Some are saying Del Toro wasn't used enough but I was satisfied with his screen time. Other great moments are seeing the Millennium Falcon speeding through the caverns of new planet Crait; as well as the production design and sets, which were amazing! The colors used and photography brings an artistic distinction to the saga. Overall, Last Jedi is one of the most enjoyable films of the year!




Table 19 Directed by Jeffrey BlitzStarring Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow, Craig Robinson, June Squibb, Tony Revolori, Stephen Merchant, Wyatt Russell, and Margo Martindale
Advertised somewhat as a romantic comedy, this film co-written by the spectacular brother team Mark and Jay Duplass has more going on than one would think! Eloise (Anna Kendrick) is invited to her former best friend's wedding as a kindness. When she unexpectedly decides to attend, she is placed at a table of guests who were reluctantly invited and who the hosts were hoping wouldn't attend. Other outcasts at the "Island of Misfit Toys" table include diner entrepreneurs Jerry and Bina Kepp (Craig Robinson and Lisa Kudrow), the bride's former nanny Jo Flanagan (June Squibb), the bride's uncle Walter Thimble (Stephen Merchant), and desperate-for-love Renzo Eckberg (Tony Revolori). The story is charming even if the story could have been slightly longer so as to get to better know the characters, but it's a fun film, nonetheless!



Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Directed by Luc BessonStarring Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, and John Goodman
Most panned this sci-fi epic from director Luc Besson (Leon the Professional, The Fifth Element, Lucy) but I thought it was wildly imaginative. Based on the French sci-fi comic book Valerian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres, the film follows Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and his partner, Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne), two opposites who work well together, working for a special police division which preserves peace through the galaxy. The two have an unspoken romantic tension between them and they are tasked to go on a mission to retrieve a device which can replicate anything it eats. This is just the start of a major epic sci-fi, special effects extravaganza that I found refreshing, inventive and extremely entertaining. I've never seen a film like it, and that's saying a lot in a time full of film remakes, reboots, and sequels. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the chemistry between DeHaan and Delevingne; it wasn't all that great. Nonetheless, Valerian is a good time!



War for the Planet of the Apes Directed by Matt ReevesStarring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Ty Olsson, Judy Greer, and Karin Konoval
I was skeptical when learning of the reboot of The Planet of the Apes films, especially after that dreadful Tim Burton/Mark Wahlberg 2001 version! But I have to eat crow now and admit this series has been one of the best film sagas in Hollywood of late! Rise of the Planet of the Apes was OK but Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was wonderful! In this installment, we find out that the human population has been decimated by a mutation of the Simian Flu virus and the last human survivors have divided into factions to try and survive (think of the present season of The Walking Dead). The most violent is lead by the Colonel (Woody Harrelson), who not only believes should be destroyed but also that any humans showing signs of the Simian Flu should be terminated. Andy Serkis, who portrays the ape Caesar, should get an award -- possibly an Oscar nomination -- for his performance. And Harrelson, with another riveting performance here (the other being The Glass Castle), proves he is easily one of Hollywood's greatest actors!




Wind River Directed by Taylor SheridanStarring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene, Gil Birmingham, Kelsey Asbille, Julia Jones, and Jon Bernthal
One of THE BEST cop procedural mystery thrillers I've seen in a very long time! The story is reminiscent of a great American novel, but it is all written by filmmaker Taylor Sheridan. The plot involves U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), who finds the dead body of a young woman he knows in the frozen wild lands of Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The investigation is soon turned over to rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), and the two team up to try and find out what events lead to the woman's death. The story has a wonderful cast of complex characters, with tense, nailbiting moments, as you're left guessing who's the culprit. By the movie's end, there is justice but it doesn't feel like it's enough -- which makes it all extremely realistic. Overall, the story is a captivating thriller with solid performances and I would easily recommend it to anyone searching for a truly good film.




Wonder Directed by Stephen ChboskyStarring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Mandy Patinkin, Noah Jupe, Nadji Jeter, and Millie Davis 
The ultimate feel-good film of the year! Based on the bestselling book by R.J. Palacio, Wonder is about fifth-grader August "Auggie" Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), who was born with a facial deformity equated with Treacher Collins Syndrome and has had 27 different surgeries to correct his face, but the surgeries have left scars and deformity. Due to this, Auggie has been homeschooled by his mother until he reaches fifth grade and his parents begrudgingly decide they want Auggie to experience the real world. So, they enroll him in a private middle school, and Auggie surrenders to attending. The film follows Auggie as he is ostracized by his peers but soon finds a friend in Jack Will (Noah Jupe). What follows is a roller coaster ride of emotion, with the viewer seeing the perspective of each of the people in Auggie's life. There are plenty of heartbreaking moments but also many happy ones. What I liked most about Wonder was the realistic portrayal of Auggie's feelings when he's bullied. As someone who was picked on quite a bit at a young age, I could relate. But what is best about this film is in a time of horrid politics, administration, and division, Wonder is a story that instills hope and unity.




Wonder Woman Directed by Patty JenkinsStarring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis
I can honestly, unabashedly admit that when I first watched this film, with my wife and daughters, I teared up a bit. I looked over to my two young daughters and saw their reactions as they watched a live woman superhero take on bad soldiers and villains; seeing their attentiveness to what was going on filled me with the magic of comics and seeing the effect that superheroes have on all of us, how they add to the best of us. I was a bit skeptical when I first heard of Gal Gadot's casting but she has proven time and time again that she is the right fit. Gadot herself is a bit of a wonder woman in real life (read her personal background), and director Patty Jenkins (Monster) has accomplished what no other directors had been able to: bring THE ultimate female superhero to life on the big screen! Taking place during World War I, the story tells the tale of Diana, who is born on the island of Themyscira, in the presence of her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and the other Amazons who solely live there. One day, their peace is upended by the surprising arrival of American pilot and spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), whom Diana saves. The Amazons soon learn of World War I and are convinced it is their longtime enemy Ares, the God of War, behind mankind's bloodlust for war. Diana leaves her home and travels to London with Trevor to help in the war effort and find and confront Ares. The story, pacing, acting, action are all on point here and it's a solid entry in the superhero genre! 



MATT'S BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2017:
The most disappointing film of 2017, for me, was a film I thought would be good but was one big flop! And here it is:
The Circle Directed by James PonsoldtStarring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, Ellar Coltrane, Glenne Headley, Bill Paxton, Karen Gillan, John Boyega, Patton Oswalt, Nate Corddry, Judy Reyes, and Ellen Wong
The cast is stellar, the story is based on a novel by Dave Eggers, and the direction was under a promising director. Nevertheless, The Circle just fell completely flat! The premise is interesting, especially given the timely relation to Facebook and other social media sites which gather too much information willingly from the public and have proven to hand it over to the government. At times, though, this story didn't know if it wanted to be Enemy of the State or Edtv. It's a shame that this film is both Bill Paxton's and Glenne Headley's last, due to their untimely deaths. What's especially tragic and crappy about this film is the ending. It could've been a good film -- and I was hoping so much for it to be great -- but the murky ending felt too inconclusive and it simply was a waste of all talents combined. 

Movie Review of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

It's been two years since the sequel to Return of the Jedi graced theaters, and now one of my favorite directors, Rian Johnson ( Brick , The Brothers Bloom , Looper ) has taken the reins of nearly every director's dream film. After loving The Force Awakens and Rogue One, I wasn't sure the saga could be improved upon, but The Last Jedi exceeded all expectations! Last Jedi works on so many levels: writing, acting, directing, pacing, music, action, emotion! It's as if Johnson completely geeked out on all things you'd like to see in a new Star Wars film and threw it in there!

It's difficult to write a spoiler-free review because, as a critic and fan, you want to instantly gush over the major plot twists and revelations! So, I will simply say there are a couple uses of the force that haven't been seen on the big screen, but the uses are such great, wonderful surprises, they are a welcome -- and some superfans may say long overdue -- addition to the cinematic universe! Of course, there are plenty of humorous moments spattered throughout the film -- the BB-8, newly introduced porgs, and Jedi temple caretakers are particularly for the kids -- but there are also many serious moments -- moments that underline the "Wars" in Star Wars. There is tragedy, loss and sacrifice; however, there is humor, caring and hope! As for the performances, they're all top notch here, particularly from Daisey Ridley, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill. Johnson finally addressed -- to me -- a long-standing issue with Fisher's Leia and it is glorious! Seeing Fisher up on screen makes your heart both soar and hurt over how wonderful she was and how much she will be missed. Hamill finally gets to delve into the more serious undertones of being the "last Jedi" and he delivers it in the masterful way that only Hamill can, proving once again that he was born to play Skywalker! Driver does well with his unspoken acting, delivering both on the yearning to be accepted and wanting to pave his own path. Ridley especially really upped her acting game, and in one pivotal scene with Driver, she delivers a rather simple line in the most heart-aching way.


There were many scenes I figured out would happen but didn't know for sure if Johnson would actually go there, and, fortunately, he did! But there were also many unexpected moments and that makes for a great film! Of course, the film also saw the return of composer John Williams and his score this time around was SO much better than the Force Awakens score! This time, he does what should be done: he uses those familiar, favorite themes from the original trilogy and interweaves them with the new! Hearing themes like "Luke and Leia," "Han and Leia," "The Force theme," and others was a very welcome addition!


My favorite moment of Last Jedi is one I unfortunately cannot write without spoiling the surprise, but I actually teared up throughout the entire scene! To me, this scene made the movie and I think other diehard fans will love it just the same! New actors and characters such as Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo, Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico, and Benecio Del Toro's DJ are wonderful additions to the cast and SW universe, each given their respective moment to shine! Some are saying Del Toro wasn't used enough but I was satisfied with his screen time. Other great moments are seeing the Millennium Falcon speeding through the caverns of new planet Crait; as well as the production design and sets, which were amazing! The colors used and photography brings an artistic distinction to the saga.


The only ever-so-slightly negative criticism I have of the film is the little side plot between Tran's Rose, John Boyega's Finn and Oscar Isaac's Poe, but those characters had to have something to do while Rey met with Luke! While, at first, the side mission felt a little perfunctory, it soon reveals some social class issues very relatable to the real world, as well as drive the overall saga toward episode 9!

Overall, Last Jedi is one of the most enjoyable films of the year! I enjoyed it more than Force Awakens and my ranking would be as follows:

1) Empire Strikes Back

2) The Last Jedi

3) Rogue One

4) New Hope

5) Force Awakens

6) Return of the Jedi & Revenge of the Sith (tie)

7) Attack of the Clones

8) Phantom Menace

I will be seeing this film MANY times over the holiday break and I urge everyone who even remotely likes Star Wars to see this film as soon as possible!

In loving memory of Carrie Fisher. May the Force be with you ... Always.

My Favorite TV Shows of 2015

Daredevil (Netflix)
Starting off its run of Marvel series, Netflix picked my favorite Marvel hero, Daredevil. Lawyer by day, vigilante by night, blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) uses his uncanny abilities -- to see using soundwaves -- to fight crime and bring justice to his neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen. This adaptation follows closely to Brian Michael Bendis' epic run on the comic -- the dark, grittier, more realistic tone -- as opposed to the current, flashier, swashbuckling, rollicking adventure which is currently being headed by Mark Waid. Netflix and the producers didn't waste any time throwing audiences into the major threat of Wilson Fisk a.k.a. Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio), Daredevil's main antagonist. What I love about Daredevil's comic as well as the series is he's not all flash and bang like Marvel's other major films. This series is more steeped in real day-to-day living and seems all the more realistic. But it's not all serious drama. Murdock's best friend and law partner, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) is there to add some needed comedic support and their secretary Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) is there to bring in some light. I was extremely happy to hear the series got picked up for a second season and that there will be appearances by legendary Daredevil characters Elektra and The Punisher! 2016 is shaping up to be a great year in television!

The Flash (The CW)
Hands down, the BEST superhero adaptation on television! What started off as somewhat of a spinoff of The CW's preceding superhero series, Arrow , has now surpassed it to become one of the most entertaining series on TV! The show follows pretty closely to Flash comic book lore, and, even better, all of the characters are here! Unlike ABC's boring Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Flash delves deep into its universe full of heroes, villains, and -- even better -- introduced the concept of DC Comics' infinite earths this season! The first season was flawless as far as network television series go, with the acting, writing and production were all pulled off so brilliantly. I especially loved that the villain the producers used to initiate the series was one of the Flash's most deadly -- and one of the most underrated in comics -- the Reverse Flash! Now, in the current second season, not only does Flash have to fend off a bevy of his usual rogues gallery: Captain Cold (portrayed so damn well by Wentworth Miller), Heatwave, Weather Wizard, Golden Glider, Trickster (a nice Easter egg from the 1990 The Flash series, with Mark Hamill reprising his role!), Gorilla Grodd, King Shark and many more, but his main adversary is Zoom, another deadly foe. Lead actor Grant Gustin does a great job with portraying Barry Allen, capturing Allen's humor and unrelenting hope while also showcasing Allen's frustration of being a new hero. The dramatic moments on the show are even touching without getting pretentious and the show is a fun watch. This show is probably the one I look most forward to from week to week! I love the inclusion of Earth-2 characters (Jay Garrick!) and am looking forward to the emergence of Wally West! If there is one primetime network superhero series to devote your time to, The Flash beats all the rest.

Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)
Based on the book by Eddie Huang, who is currently a successful restauranteur, Fresh Off the Boat takes a beat from its successful predecessor, The Goldbergs (also on my list here), and takes place in the mid-1990s. The show is about the Huang family, who move from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida, so patriarch Louis (Randall Park) can run his own successful steakhouse restaurant. Along for the ride are his wife, Jessica (Constance Wu); his oldest son, a laidback, yearning-to-be-cool rap fanatic, Eddie (Hudson Yang), the one who wrote the book upon which the series is based; his middle son, the nice, amicable "ladies man who respects the ladies," Emery (Forrest Wheeler); his youngest son, the super-smart, super-sweet Evan (Ian Chen); and Louis' mother, Grandma (Lucille Soong). The entire cast is funny, working off their character's own respective eccentricities, but it is Constance Wu's "tiger mom" Jessica who steals the show. I honestly don't know why Wu was neither nominated nor won an Emmy for best comedic actress, but she should've been given both this past award season! From the 90s fashion and rap music to the references to all of the pop culture of the time, Fresh Off the Boat is a hilarious series that isn't going off air anytime soon!


The Goldbergs (ABC)
If you grew up in the 1980s (whether as a teenager or kid), then The Goldbergs is essential viewing! Currently in its third season, The Goldbergs has taken what started as a show primarily about the youngest member of the family, Adam (Sean Giambrone), and has expanded its storylines to focus on the rest of the hilarious family members. The other two kids, Barry (Troy Gentile) and Erica (Hayley Orrantia) provide plenty of laughs, but it's the kids' (s)mother, Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey), who steals the show! Just like Fresh Off the Boat's Constance Wu, McLendon-Covey should have been nominated and won (over Wu) for best comedic actress in a series. The show continues to up its family love factor while still maintaining the comedic, shouting dialogue its known for. Plus, every 80s fad, toy, music, movie, and fashion is covered -- some even getting their own episode devoted to them (i.e., The Goonies episode, the Risky Business episode, the Ferris Bueller episode, etc.). While the show is still no Wonder Years (although there was a moment in the season two episode, "The Lost Boy," that comes close), it still has a heart all its own ... and it's funnier than a lot of other shows on TV right now.

Gotham (FOX)
FOX's prequel series, Gotham, which delves into the world of Gotham City back when Bruce Wayne/Batman was a kid and James Gordon was a new hire detective to the GCPD, started out a bit slow in its first season. However, halfway through that season and with the beginning of season two, it has upped its game tremendously. When subtitling the second season "Rise of the Villains," introducing Batman's major villains and some new ones, how can it not make good television!? The series perfectly captures the world of Gotham, a city which seems to be stuck in the past with its noir fashion and architecture, but has the contemporary technology. Especially impressive to the show is Robin Lord Taylor's portrayal of The Penguin. He takes a laughable comic book character and turns him into one of the most formidable of villains, making him both repulsive and sympathetic to audiences. What has been most cool to watch this current season has been the emergence of The Riddler and other various villains. DC Comics' television division has dominated the TV universe -- a feat Marvel Comics has yet to do -- masterfully balancing its use of the classic characters of Batman's world while also keeping the style more like a noir cop procedural. With the way the show's mid-season finale ended, I can't wait to see what the new year brings!

Grandfathered (FOX)
On paper, this series' premise seems somewhat ... played-out. And maybe it is. But, to me, there's something that just seems to work. John Stamos portrays Jimmy Martino, a successful womanizing restauranteur who finds out one random day that he's a father of a twenty-something son, Gerald (Josh Peck), who has a toddler daughter, making Jimmy an awestruck grandfather. There is no grand story arc to the show, just a man trying to retrofit his life to now include his new family -- including Gerald's mom, Sara (Paget Brewster), the only woman Jimmy's ever loved. Each week is a new experience for Jimmy and family but it's fun to watch and has a lot of heart.

Jessica Jones (Netflix)
The CW's The Flash may be the best comic book adaptation on TV -- especially network primetime -- but a very close second (almost a tie!) is Netflix's second installment of its Marvel Comics Defenders broadcasting, Jessica Jones! Taken from the very underrated, almost unknown Marvel comic, Jones stars Krysten Ritter as the titular character. I have to admit I was very wary of the casting of Ritter as the tough-as-nails private investigator since she is mostly known for the goofy female sidekick roles in most films and shows. But she has more than won me over with her portrayal of Jones! What I love most about the character is she is a formidable superhero with impressive powers, but chooses not to use them like her famous counterparts, The Avengers. In the comic, she used to be with The Avengers for a time and some of the big names even make appearances from time to time. But what her comic -- and story -- are truly about is her place in a noir detective world which just so happens to have run-ins with superheroes and villains from time to time. To me, Netflix's Marvel series are the only good television Marvel is putting out. Their decision to make the main protagonist Kilgrave a.k.a. The Purple Man is genius! Kilgrave is a major villain in Daredevil's comic book world and I've always believed him to be one of the most dangerous villains. Think about it. A man who can make anyone do anything just by speaking it? The shame of it all is that, in the comic, he's treated like somewhat of a joke. But the Netflix series took the true essence of that concept and ran with it in all the right directions, making his true power the kind of fear which is equal to that of a rapist! David Tennant's portrayal further exemplifies the actor's ease at making an evil character almost relatable. I also enjoyed the inclusion of Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), who most don't know goes on to be Hellcat. While The Flash is bathed in light and hope, Jessica Jones explores more of the seedy underbelly, which is a testament to Marvel's Marvel Knights/MAX imprint run of comics (Daredevil, Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher), which was a hit during its heyday in the early 2000s. The best thing about this series, though, is the cast, which is composed mostly of women -- strong, smart, confident. I can only hope that Netflix picks up another season like they did with its other hit, Daredevil!

Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Netflix had a banner year with its programming and is quickly becoming a wonderful alternative to network television. Case in point is my final pick: Orange is the New Black, based on the book, which aired its third season this year. What made this season so much more impressive and enjoyable for me was the fact that the writers used most of its 13 episodes to move away from the show's protagonist, Piper (Taylor Schilling) -- my least favorite character in the show -- and instead explore the lives of the ensemble cast of inmates and how they landed in prison. The actresses who portray the inmates are all so well diversified and complex, plus the writers are damn good at their jobs, that you start to feel a comradeship with these women. This season you begin to root for them and every dramatic turn brings you all the more willingly into their world, with the end of the season delivering a satisfying emotional payoff. I'm not sure where the show will go from after the end of this past season, but if it's anything like season three, then audiences are in for more fascinating, emotional storytelling!

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
By far one of the funniest shows with the sickest sense of humor, Netflix's comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows a former cult follower, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper), who is rescued along with her three other sister wives of cult leader Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. Upon her rescue, she decides to take her court settlement money and move to New York City to see what she's missed over the year since she's been in an underground shelter since the age of 14 and was told the outside world had suffered an apocalypse with her, her "sisters," and Wayne as the only remaining survivors. This may sound like some intense, gritty drama, but it's anything but. With SNL alumni Tina Fey as creator and producer, the show has too many jokes and dirty humor to take it too seriously. The series follows Schmidt as she tries to begin a life for herself with the help of her roommate, Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), her landlady Lillian (Carol Kane), and her employer who she nannies for, Jacqueline Voorhees (Jane Krakowski). This show does not disappoint when it comes to laughs. And if you aren't singing the theme song by the end of the first episode, I'll have to highly question your taste in music! UnBREAKable! They alive, damnit!

The Walking Dead (AMC)
Every year, AMC's crown jewel series just gets better and better! In season five, I lost one of my favorite characters, then our favorite band of survivors has discovered a new secure community. If you're asking, Shouldn't they just stay away from communities after what happened with the Governor's people, the hospital, and Terminus?, then you won't be surprised by Rick and company's wariness when they come to Alexandria. They come the closest to dying -- not from zombies -- but from basic needs, and it rocks each one of their personal worlds. So much so that Rick (Andrew Lincoln) slowly begins to become similar to one of the cold, heartless scavengers he's encountered in past seasons. The way the fifth season came to its finale was so well-executed, also bringing back fan favorite Morgan (Lennie James). When season six came on the new threat came in the form of the mysterious attackers known as the Wolves. The Walking Dead continues to lead the way in terms of writing, acting and production! If you don't watch the show simply because "it has zombies in it," then you're truly missing out on one of the best dramas currently on TV, as well as ever!

Book Review of "Go Set A Watchman"

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird – to many, a junior high/high school mandatory read – changed my life. I’m not the only one who could say that with no ounce of pretentiousness. For some, the character of Atticus Finch is seen as a father figure, for others an inspiration for getting into law and making the world a better place, to legally fight the inequalities of life. Finch has been on many a list of people’s greatest characters of all time (Jay and I both placed him on our respective Best Movie Dads) and this is mostly due to his silver screen portrayal by the legendary, all-around wonderful human being Gregory Peckin the 1962 film version. 
For me, Finch and his ilk in Mockingbird said many deep, philosophical things without sounding deep and philosophical, but rather more simplistic, realistic speak with which almost anyone could search for meaning. I use Mockingbird quotes to get me through dealing with tough times -- and people -- as well as trying to become a better person. I use Mockingbirdquotes to try and make sense of a world that was just as convoluted as it was back in the 1930s setting of the story and 1950s reality of which time the story was written. Mockingbird has not just hope but gritty reality. Mostly, it has hope and that has made it – and its Southern charm, elegant prose – the enduring classic for which it is known.
It’s only been six days since the release of Lee’s much-anticipated novel, Go Set A Watchman, the sequel to her legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and I finished it in three days. First off, I will quickly get out of the way the known facts of how the novel came together. When Harper Lee originally wrote Watchman back in the late 1950s, she had included flashbacks to her main character’s – Jean Louise Finch’s – childhood. Her editor read the manuscript and enjoyed the flashbacks so much, he gave her the idea of focusing on Jean Louise’s, or as we know her, Scout’s, childhood. So Lee took a few of the flashbacks out of Watchman, inserted them into her new manuscript – originally entitled Atticus Finch – and ran with it. The manuscript eventually became Mockingbirdand Lee’s whirlwind entry into literary fame. What was eventually found soon after Lee’s protective, attorney sister, Alice, passed away in late 2014, was the original manuscript of Watchman(without the scenes which were eventually added to Mockingbird), and it was released last week with Lee’s blessing.
Now, on to the good stuff. I will keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, so don’t fret. Watchman, which takes its name from the Bibleverse Isaiah 21:6, focuses on Scout once again, although, this time, Scout goes by Jean Louise and she is now twenty-six-years-old and no longer a permanent resident of the Alabama township of Maycomb, but now a New Yorker. The story begins with Jean Louise returning to Maycomb via train, and we are given a history of her native land and its people (more so than in Mockingbird) as well as the joyous news that she is somewhat engaged to her childhood friend Henry “Hank” Clinton (no, not Dill!). The major difference with the story is that, whereas Mockingbirdwas written from the perspective of six-year-old Scout, Watchman is told from a third-person perspective. However, sometimes, not very often, Lee slips and the narration, without warning or noticeable change in font, switches to Jean Louise’s thoughts. This is further proof that the original story of Watchman was to be told in third-person, and either Lee or her editor made the decision to have Mockingbird told from Scout’s perspective. Most readers may not like the third person narration and prefer the Scout’s first-person voice as they feel more connected to the character. To argue first person versus third person in terms of which is better is an age-old argument in the literary world and I won’t get in to it here. All I will say in terms of the narration is that Lee’s distinct voice is still a heavy presence in Watchman.
The endearing characters from Mockingbird are mostly all here, whether by a simple mention of name or a heavy presence: Atticus, Jem, Dill, Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra, Uncle Jack, as well as Zeebo, Judge Taylor, a nameless mention of Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it mention of Miss Maudie Atkinson. Whereas Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack had somewhat smaller roles in Mockingbird, their roles here are much more significant and the reader gets to know more of their personalities, even if those personalities may have somewhat changed over the past twenty years. There are also some flashbacks to Scout’s adolescence still intact, but they are the clichéd tales of growing pains (i.e., feeling the need to wear falsies), albeit told with Lee’s wit. One can tell Lee wrote this at the same time she wrote Mockingbird as all of the character’s mannerisms, description (although they are twenty years older), and ways of talking are the same.
The book started a bit slow to me as I wasn’t quite interested in the town’s history, but by chapter eight, the story and the bulk of the plot are revealed. The first seven chapters were still a quick, easy read and once the story picked up, Lee’s prose, speeches and situations made the book impossible to put down. Ultimately, Watchman is a coming-of-age tale about a young woman coming home to her small hometown to find that those she turned to for moral inspiration and support are not who she thought they were. It’s about growing up to find out that your parents are human, they make mistakes, and they may not have the same set of ideals as you. Lee’s Jean Louise/Scout is rudely awakened to find that her father is not the man she thought him to be and that her town – a place she is half in love with and half despises – has become a faraway place in terms of who she now is as a person. Anyone who has ever had the same feeling as Scout, having drastically differing views than those of their parent(s) or guardian(s) and/or discovering their parent(s) is not who they thought they were, will most likely be deeply affected by this story. Watchmanis the death of a hero … but it is a necessary death. I found myself feeling exactly the way Jean Louise feels throughout most of the last two-thirds of the book, trying her best to ignore the wretched truth of which cannot be ignored. What she speaks is what I have felt in my own personal experiences.
The issue of racial equality is still front-and-center of Jean Louise’s journey as it becomes the catalyst for her adversity with her family and most of Maycomb. What most people want to know is whether Atticus – a strong, moral pillar of a man – is racist in Watchman. Well … yes and no. On its face, he has racist views. Ones not expressed at all in Mockingbird. There is no explanation why or how he came to change, but I believe that is what happened to him. He changed. People do that, after all. Atheists can become Christians. Christians can become atheists. Democrats can become Republicans. Republicans can become Democrats. People can switch their favorite sports team or favorite ice cream flavor. It happens all the time during our lives. And there is no exception in the lives of a literary character; that is what's real. Let’s also remember that this story does take place in the South in the late 1950s during the big segregation battle. Nevertheless, above all, Atticus still believes in the law. And he believes the law should service everyone equally, no matter their race. The tragic sting of having an inspirational character revealed to actually be everything you thought they would never be is heartbreaking. No one takes that sting to heart more than Jean Louise and the reader is easily transformed into her and joins her on her journey through Lee’s writing. My only criticism to Lee’s tome is that there is one prevalent line Atticus says in Mockingbird which would completely contradict his own moral character and make him a hypocrite in Watchman (HINT: The line begins, "As you grow older, you'll see white men ..."). Again, even though Jean Louise calls out here Atticus’s hypocritical ways, all one can chalk up his drastic change to is time – time and change of beliefs.
I believe Watchmancame along at just the right time. With many debates and outrage today regarding race relations, the NAACP, racially-motivated shootings, and the “true” basis for the Civil War (which could parallel to the creation of the Confederate flag) – all of which are addressed in Watchman– Lee’s 1950s-penned story is uncannily apropos to today’s racial issues. While there is no absolution to such issues within Watchman’s pages, Lee continues the good fight and it is felt through Jean Louise. What is great about Lee’s story is also her ability to not be entirely one-sided. She touches on both sides of the issue with a level head and plenty of respect … even when her characters are freaking out. When a character is dancing around an issue, the reader will feel just as frustrated as Jean Louise and want a flat-out answer. Lee’s characters dance to their own music and answer life’s – and Jean Louise’s – questions in their own melodic ways. It is this which gives them credibility and life.
But there is more going on than just racial issues. There is the issue of a girl who held her father in such high esteem seeing a side of him that she didn’t believe existed or could never exist. That is what lies at the heart of Watchman. It’s about making peace with what you cannot control, learning the true meaning of tolerance of others who are different than you lest you turn into the very thing you claim to despise – a lesson many people on both sides of any issue or political party must learn if we are to grow as a country united – and being true to yourself. My personal take on the ending was that it was very cathartic for me. I related to SO much of what Jean Louise was experiencing, saying and feeling – not so much because of racial beliefs (although I do believe in the equality she does), but more about being different and seeing things differently than a seeming majority. While the story may seem a tad darker thematically than its predecessor, and the story somewhat lulls at the beginning, I believe Harper Lee’s unearthed story still contains what made Mockingbird so beloved. The ultimate message which Jean Louise learns from the most unlikely source near the end is inspiring and endearing and full of hope, yet also delicately, with great understanding, shows any reader the opposite side of their own belief. It was those feelings which permeated me as I closed the final page on Go Set A Watchman– and as Ms. Lee is famously quoted as saying, “The book to read is not the one that thinks for you but the one which makes you think.” Doesn’t that, after all, make for a successful, effective piece of literature? I reckon it does.

Movie Review of "Avengers: Age of Ultron"

The long-awaited Avengers sequel has finally hit and like any sequel, there are good points and bad points. This phase in the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU) finds the team going directly into action to face off against HYDRA and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) to obtain the scepter previously used by Loki, obtaining the wisdom infinity stone. The audience is not given any review or catching up on what our heroes have been up to lately. So let's review what we know so far: Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) have been on missions together and seen the end of S.H.I.E.L.D., which was infiltrated and corrupted by its enemy HYDRA; Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who, somewhere between Captain America: The Winter Soldier and here, got into a romantic relationship with Black Widow, went off to work at Stark Industries, alongside Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.); after a major battle with Aldrich Killian, who tried to further weaponize the "Extremis" technology, Stark seemingly gives up his Iron Man persona to be with an ailing Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow); Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has been laying low; Thor (Chris Hemsworth) saved his world, Asgard, and Earth from the evil Malekith, with his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) posing as their father, Odin, and two Asgardians deliver an Infinity Stone (featured in  Guardians of the Galaxy ) to the Collector (Benecio del Toro), which, thanks to the Guardians, is currently in the custody of the NOVA Corps. Otherwise, the audience is just thrown into the action. What follows is a fun, action-packed beginning to the summer movie season!

 The newest addition to the MCU is the addition of the "miracles" (they're mutants -- let's be real), "the Twins," Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who have powers beyond a scientific explanation; Wanda has telekinesis, hypnosis, and can emit powerful energy bolts, and Pietro is a super-fast speedster. We find out the two are not the victims they were made out to be in their brief appearance of the post-credit scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As Wanda uses her powers to hypnotize Tony Stark, he sees his worst nightmare of his teammates dying while Earth is faced with another alien invasion. This fear spreads within him and he decides to turn his sentient Iron Man soldiers (oh yeah! They were made too in the interim between films!) into more aware artificial intelligence (AI). The problem is that his AI -- named Ultron -- becomes all too self-aware and decides the only way it can bring about Tony's "world peace" is by destroying those who make the world the most violent: humans. Thus, the Avengers spring into action and it's an entertaining ride to watch.

"There are no strings on me." Ultron first meets the Avengers and makes a rather underrated, sinister threat.
One of the best things about the villain of Ultron is that he is a broad-based villain. Everywhere there is computer AI and the internet, he lives. Plus, he makes several copies of himself, making an innumerable threat. But that is also a problem in Age of Ultron, because, for a villain who seems so much of a huge threat and is capable of being one, the filmmakers don't fully utilize his power of coursing through the world's internet and it is never explained why (I can't say too much now as it would become too much of a spoiler). Sure, there's a brief mention of NEXUS, but how Ultron is prevented from fully using his power is never explained. Of course, in the comic, Ultron is actually created by Hank Pym -- who will be played by Michael Douglas in the Ant-Man film due out this summer -- but, in this film, it is understandable that director/writer Joss Whedon had to keep it in the already-established characters' world. The other best thing about Ultron is he is voiced by James Spader. Spader brings a delightful playfulness to his villainy, his voice oozing with delighted evil (fans of NBC's The Blacklist know what I'm talkin' about!). Ultron is probably one of the best robotic characters I've ever seen on film. Since Ultron is created by Stark in the film, it is understandable that the robot would take on Stark's wit and pompousness. I think he's even better of a villain than Loki. Taylor-Johnson is good as Quicksilver but -- because I'm a DC Comics fan, I have to say -- that character is no Flash. Olsen really brings "the dark" as Scarlet Witch and I can't wait to see how the MCU fits her in to its world. And Paul Bettany's Vision was interesting, I liked the way Bettany portrayed him as well as how he was written, and there was one jaw-dropping moment which Vision silently shows his full strength ... and it's not even in an action sequence! I look forward to seeing how he'll affect the overall function of the Avengers as a whole.
Some of the best parts of this film are some of the small quirks peppered throughout the film; my personal favorite is when all of the Avengers are humorously trying to lift Thor's hammer and Cap -- an insanely buff Evans -- slightly nudges it, and Thor gets a worried look on his face but quickly plays it off like he wasn't worried. Also worth mentioning is the introduction of Ulysses Klaw (Andy Serkis) in Africa -- this is a brief intro to the world of Black Panther (who will be introduced in Captain America: Civil War , and have his own film come out in July 2018). Plus, this has to be my favorite Stan Lee cameo of all the ones he's done so far ("Excelsior!"). What I also liked about the film was the further development of Hawkeye's (Renner) character, and Thor's little side mission where he sees a major foreshadowing. I've said this since The Avengers and I'll say it again: Black Widow should have her own stand-alone film; she has one of the best origin stories in the Marvel universe. There is also definite seeds being planted to foreshadow the famous "Civil War" event storyline (from the comics), which will be the centerpiece to the next Captain America movie (due out in May 2016), most notably the fight between Cap and Stark. I love that this film explored the duality between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Stark is so intent on wanting to protect the world that he creates destructive devices to do so (sounds like most real-life "politicos" nowadays) -- an idea which is one of the Maximoffs' main reasons for not trusting Stark -- while Rogers believes in overall freedom. I couldn't help but think of Rogers' most quotable line in any of the films he's appeared in when he confronts Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Winter Soldier, by pointing to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new weapons and saying: "... Like holding a gun on everyone on Earth and calling it protection. This isn't freedom. This is fear." This will play out more in Civil War. Now, some people may think this film follows the same formula of the first, especially involving the "dysfunctional family" feel. However, this aspect is necessary in this film so that Marvel could set it up for what's to inevitably come. 
A house divided ...
What I wasn't too crazy about was some of Cap's action stunts. I know this is a comic book adaptation movie, but there's still only so much unrealistic action moves I can stomach, and his were too much to bear. Also, Marvel's continuing utilization of the entire "coincidence catastrophe" technique is good in theory. Let me explain. You might notice in every Marvel film that when any major disaster happens in a city or place, miraculously no major lives, cities, and/or places are destroyed (although, in this film, there is plenty of destruction, and I'd like to see what Man of Steel naysayers who were so up-in-arms about the destruction of Metropolis would say after seeing this -- even though I'm sure they'll make excuses). Anyways, like I said, this technique is good in theory in that kids don't see much death and it makes the story all the more optimistic, but it sort of gets old. It gets to be too unrealistic ... even for a film steeped in science fiction and flying men. But it still works nonetheless ... for now.
Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a great way to start the season, another exceptional notch in Marvel's belt, but don't expect too much exposition. Still, there's more story here than in The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies ! The cast ups their game as we get glimpses into what they really fear, and makes me really wish there would be a Hulk stand-alone film. But what's most exciting is the mid-end-credit scene. I won't spoil it but it sets up for the next Avengers film: probably one of the most major events in comic book history. Whedon does a great job -- as usual -- but it is the humanity of Avengers: Age of Ultron which ultimately makes this film a memorable addition to the MCU.

My Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

It's that time of year again! Because the dawn of a new year in film is upon us, I figured I'd share the films with which I'm most excited to see in 2015 (in alphabetical order)! (Please note that all release dates of the films could change.):


Aloha Directed by Cameron CroweStarring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Bill Murray, Jay Baruchel, and Danny McBride
Once called  Deep Tiki , the currently-titled film, Aloha (which may change names again before its release), from writer-director Cameron Crowe ( Almost Famous ,  Say Anything ,  We Bought a Zoo ) is a dramedy (comedy/drama) about a disgraced 30-something U.S. weapons consultant, Brian Gilcrest (Cooper), who is deployed to a dormant military base in Hawaii to launch a spy satellite in response to aggression from China. While in Hawaii, with his U.S. Air Force assistant, Major Lisa Ng (Stone), Brian must get approval from the native Hawaiian council before the launch, all the while reconnecting with the love of his life, Tracy (McAdams) ... and her husband and kids. While the story sounds a bit simplistic -- and far-fetched -- leave it to Crowe to take such a concept and put his own special, particular spin on it to make one hell of a delightful movie. With an amazing comedic cast (especially the wonderful Cooper!) and the backdrop of Hawaii, there's much to anticipate with this film. To be released: May 29, 2015.



Avengers: Age of Ultron Directed by Joss WhedonStarring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Idris Elba, Andy Serkis, Paul Bettany, and James Spader
Marvel consistently is upping its game, taking over not only the big screen but also the small screen ( Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Agent Carter ), but it is its massive Avengers initiative (bringing together A-list actors to portray the legendary Marvel heroes) which wins most fans' attention. So, since the first installment, what have our heroes been up to? Captain America (Evans) and Black Widow (Johansson) have been on missions together and seen the end of S.H.I.E.L.D., which was infiltrated and corrupted by its enemy HYDRA; Bruce Banner/Hulk (Ruffalo) went off to work at Stark Industries, alongside Tony Stark (Downey Jr.); after a major battle with Aldrich Killian, who tried to further weaponize the "Extremis" technology, Stark seemingly gives up his Iron Man persona to be with an ailing Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow); Hawkeye (Renner) has been laying low; Thor (Hemsworth) saved his world, Asgard, and Earth from the evil Malekith, with his brother Loki (Hiddleston) posing as their father, Odin, and two Asgardians deliver an Infinity Stone (featured in Guardians of the Galaxy ) to the Collector (Benecio del Toro), which, thanks to the Guardians, is currently in the custody of the NOVA Corps. In this sequel, the team come together once again to defeat the robotic threat that is Ultron (Spader), which -- in this film -- is created by Stark (in the comics, his creator is Hank Pym, who will be portrayed by Michael Douglas in the Ant-Man movie due out this year). There is no doubt this will mark the beginning of the "Civil War" storyline featured in the comics, which will lead into the next Captain America movie, to be released in 2016. To be released: May 1, 2015.


Ant-Man Directed by Peyton ReedStarring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Judy Greer, Hayley Atwell, and John Slattery
First, many cinephiles were overjoyed at the announcement of cult director Edgar Wright ( Shaun of the Dead , Scott Pilgrim vs. the World ) taking on Marvel's miniature might man. But it was short-lived as Wright soon dropped out and was replaced by director Peyton Reed ( Yes Man , Bring it On , The Break-Up ), known mostly for comedies. Although Reed doesn't have any action movies under his belt, it is still Marvel and I'm trusting they wouldn't hire someone who wasn't up for the challenge. The choice of having Paul Rudd (a comedic "everyman") portray protagonist Scott Lang is a bold choice -- and some say too risky -- but Rudd has proven he can do drama just as well as comedy. Plus, with the addition of Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter and Slattery as the older Howard Stark (Tony Stark's dad), there promises to be more flashback information to tie together Marvel's expanding cinematic universe. Although the film will not closely follow the Ant-Man comics, it still promises to be one of the top hits of the summer. To be released: July 17, 2015.


Black Mass Directed by Scott CooperStarring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Sienna Miller, Dakota Johnson, Juno Temple, Peter Sarsgaard, Kevin Bacon, Corey Stoll, Adam Scott, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Based on the true story of how the FBI exploited a childhood friendship in order to take down Boston's Italian Mafia, Black Mass -- based on the non-fiction novel of the same name -- explores the friendship of childhood friends John Connolly (Edgerton) and James "Whitey" Bulger (Depp). In the late 1970s, Connolly grew up to be a major figure in the FBI's Boston office, and Bulger grew up to be godfather of the Irish Mob. The film examines how, through the two's friendship, the FBI used Bulger and his mob to take down the Italian Mafia, leading to the FBI's involvement in murders, drug dealing, racketeering indictments, and Bulger making the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted List. With an all-star cast, and director Scott Cooper ( Crazy Heart , Out of the Furnace ), the film promises to make a mark this year, as well as maybe garner some Oscar nominations. To be released: September 18, 2015.


Bridge of Spies Directed by Steven SpielbergStarring Tom Hanks, Austin Stowell, Amy Ryan, Alan Alda, Sebastian Koch, and Eve Hewson
Matt: Steven Spielberg's newest film is the true-life event of James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer and U.S. Navy Reserve commander, who negotiates the release of U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowall) after he is shot down in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. This is Spielberg doing what he does best, along with partner-in-crime Hanks, so I have big expectations with this one. To be released: October 16, 2015.

Cinderella Directed by Kenneth BranaghStarring Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Hayley Atwell, Ben Chaplin, and Derek Jacobi
With the release -- and success -- of Disney's live-action Maleficent , the House of Mouse has been looking to transition other famous princesses into the live world. The next step, for release this year, is Cinderella (and Beauty and the Beast has already been given the green light with Emma Watson to star as Belle). With director Kenneth Branagh ( Thor , Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit ), the film promises to fit the style Disney likes to achieve. What's mostly a stand-out on this film, though, is the cast: Lily James ( Downton Abbey ) as Cinderella and Cate Blanchett as her evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine (a perfect casting as far as I'm concerned). Hopefully, Disney can deliver on a script as good as Maleficent, with its ability to take a somewhat simplistic story and giving it multiple layers. To be released: March 13, 2015.


The End of the Tour Directed by James PonsoldtStarring Jason Segel, Jesse Eisenberg, Anna Chlumsky, Mamie Gummer, Joan Cusack, and Ron Livingston
This is a biographical film (biopic) of writer David Foster Wallace, who committed suicide on September 12, 2008, at the age of 46, based on the 2010 non-fiction David Lipsky book,  Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace . The film follows Lipsky (Eisenberg), who accompanies Wallace (Segel) on his book tour to promote his novel, Infinite Jest . To be released: January 24, 2015.


Entourage Directed by Doug EllinStarring Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Jeremy Piven, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Billy Bob Thornton, Haley Joel Osment, Rex Lee, and Perrey Reeves
For fans of the hit HBO series, this is long overdue! Especially since there were some unanswered questions left by the series finale. To see the cast again reminds me of what made the series so fun and so entertaining. Let's hope Doug Ellin can keep that same magic going with a full-feature film. For those who don't know, Entourage is loosely based on actor Mark Wahlberg's life as he hails from Boston (in the series/movie, the character Vince Chase hails from Queens, New York) and has his entourage made up of childhood friends. In the series, Chase (Adrian Grenier) is a successful actor who is managed by best friend Eric (or "E") (Kevin Connolly), and accompanied by his D-list actor brother, Drama (Kevin Dillon) and his driver, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara). The show follows them as they are "fish-out-of-water" trying to navigate the roads of Hollywood, lead by Chase's lovable-jerk-of-an-agent Ari (Jeremy Piven). The film promises to be an end-all to the story and I'm looking forward to seeing each of the characters (hopefully) succeed. To be released: June 5, 2015.


Everly Directed by Joe LynchStarring Salma Hayek, Jennifer Blanc, and Hiroyuki Watanabe
Salma Hayek is stirring up some action in her latest film, about a single mother who finds herself in an apartment where multiple assassins are sent to kill her. In order to save her mother and daughter, she must fight her way through the melee of dangerous killers and find a way out of the building ... and her situation. This isn't the first time Hayek has played action (the most notable being Once Upon a Time in Mexico ), but this is the first time she has taken the lead. And I can't wait to see how she does it. In a film reminiscent of Smokin' Aces and  Shoot 'Em Up , there promises to be lots of action and lots of funny sight gags and cheesy one-liners. To be released: February 27, 2015.


The Fantastic Four Directed by Josh TrankStarring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Tim Blake Nelson, and Reg E. Cathey
Marvel's Fantastic Four is one of those franchises which -- for some reason or another -- is so difficult to adapt into a decent film. The original (starring Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Ioan Gruffold) was a major stinker, but if anyone can revitalize the franchise, it's director Josh Trank -- the awesome director behind the sleeper hit Chronicle (a found-footage film showing the birth of a supervillain, in a real-world setting). Plus, with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan leading the film, there is a lot of acting strength here. Let's just hope the screenwriters get this right! To be released: August 7, 2015.


Goosebumps Directed by Rob LettermanStarring Odeya Rush, Jack Black, Amy Ryan, Ken Marino, Dylan Minnette, Ryan Lee, and Halston Sage
I have to admit that I'm more excited to see this with my daughters more than anything else. They're big fans of the series and we're looking forward to going and see this together. Based on R.L. Stine's series of young adult/tween horror books and the 1995 TV anthology series, Goosebumps promises to have plenty of thrills as a kid must team up with Stine's niece (Odeya Rush) after Stine's (Jack Black) imaginary demons are set loose on the town of Greendale, Maryland. To be released: August 7, 2015.

High-Rise (2015) Directed by Ben WheatleyStarring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy, and Sienna Guillory
I was quite excited when I read this film -- based on the 1975 novel by J.G. Ballard -- was going to be released. The story is about a class war which erupts within a luxurious apartment building, transforming the building into a battleground between economic classes. Lead character Dr. Robert Laing will be played by Tom Hiddleston, and the story will stick to its metaphor of the building representing wealth class politics in America. Really can't wait to see this one! To be released: TBD 2015.



In the Heart of the Sea Directed by Ron HowardStarring Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, and Brendan Gleeson
Based on the true life 1820 event which inspired Herman Melville to write the classic novel Moby Dick , and based on Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction novel  In the Heart of the Sea , this film looks like it could be a cross between The Perfect Storm and Jaws . The story follows a whaling ship crew, lead by its Captain George Pollard Jr. (Benjamin Walker) and First Mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), who are stalked and hunted by a large sperm whale, which strands the crew at sea for 90 days, thousands of miles from home. Director Ron Howard hasn't had any major solid hits lately -- his last film being 2013's  Rush , with Hemsworth -- but this looks to put him back on the map. Plus, there's always an intriguing story when it comes to man vs. nature. It makes for great drama! To be released: December 11, 2015.


 Inside Out Directed by Pete Docter & Ronaldo Del CarmenStarring Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, and Kaitlyn Dias
Pixar promises to strike cinematic gold again with its latest release: Inside Out. This time, the master animators are bringing audiences into our brains to see the inner workings of Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). They all reside in each of us, but this particular set of emotions reside within "tween" girl Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). They help guide her through the difficult process of her life being suddenly uprooted and having to move to San Francisco, where she has no friends and has to navigate the new city, school and home with many conflicting emotions in the "headquarters of her mind." I'm excited to take my girls to see this and, as for why it may be good, it's Pixar! There doesn't need to be any other reason. To be released: June 19, 2015.


Jupiter Ascending Directed by The WachowskisStarring Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Douglas Booth
Originally set for release last year, the film got pushed back to its new release date to contend with lesser blockbuster films and gain some more audiences. Fortunately, it comes to most movie-goers in February -- a time when there aren't many major film releases -- and is a film with more originality than 99% of main studio releases nowadays. In the film, a caretaker, Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), is surprisingly targeted by a ruthless son (Eddie Redmayne) of a powerful family that live on a planet in need of a new heir. Jones travels with a genetically-engineered warrior (Channing Tatum) -- sworn to protect her -- to the planet in order to stop the son's tyrannical reign. The Wachowskis ( The Matrix , Cloud Atlas ) are very visual and action-oriented directors but, no matter what they do, their methods effectively work ... and work well. I don't let the visual effects sway me into wanting to see this film, but am ultimately excited to see where the story goes ... even if it may somewhat be predictable. To be released: February 6, 2015.


Jurassic World Directed by Colin TrevorrowStarring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Johnson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, BD Wong, Judy Greer, and Katie McGrath  
Fourteen years after the last Jurassic Park film ( Jurassic Park 3 ), the franchise has been brought back to life by director Colin Trevorrow ( Safety Not Guaranteed ), with the story taking place 22 years after the events of the original Jurassic Park . In the film, the island of Isla Nubar now features a fully-functioning Jurassic World theme park (like the one conceived of in the original 1993 film), but, after 10 years of low ticket sales and attendance, the owners concoct a scheme to draw more crowds to the park and up their revenue in the process. Unfortunately, the new "scheme" is a new genetically-modified hybrid dinosaur called the Indominus Rex, and it breaks loose on the island, wreaking havoc and killing patrons. It's up to the park's staff, lead by Velociraptor behavioral researcher Owen (Chris Pratt). Sure, the premise sounds like some B-movie you may watch on the SyFy channel, but with the cast and involvement of Trevorrow, my interest is certainly piqued to visit the park once again. Plus, I love the premise of the film(s) as it shows how humans' involvement with wildlife as entertainment is just another form of a reality-show mentality (notice in the trailer the audience cheering when an aquatic dinosaur feeds on a great white shark); in a way it's perverse and this film's story reminds us of that. Unlike the reality shows we see on TV, these "participants" did not volunteer for their "work" and, most times, are not happy with their environment (I'm looking at you, SeaWorld!). To be released: June 12, 2015.

Mad Max: Fury Road Directed by George MillerStarring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
I have to admit that I never was that crazy about the Mad Max series of films, but this one looks way too cool to pass up seeing in the theater! The casting of Tom Hardy as Max (the original role being portrayed by Mel Gibson) is nothing short of brilliant and the film looks like one ride through literal hell! In an apocalyptic future set in a dust-bowl desert, Max comes across Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a mysterious woman on a mission to cross the desert, back to her childhood homeland. Along the way, they meet several degenerate pirates, who hunt for blood and nothing more. Like I said, Mad Max has not been my favorite -- although I have wonderful memories of going to see Beyond Thunderdome in the theater when it was released in 1985! But this trailer makes this film seem like one of the craziest films to be released in the past 10 years or so (although Verdi's "Requiem" only makes me think of the beginning of Battle Royale )! So I'm onboard! Start your engines! To be released: May 15, 2015.


Masterminds Directed by Jared HessStarring Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Devin Ratray, Jason Sudeikis, Ken Marino, and Kate McKinnon
Based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina, this film follows armored car driver and vault supervisor David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis), who, along with many accomplices, steals $17.3 million in cash. Because of the comedic actors picked for the film, I think it's not a stretch to say this film will be more comedic in tone, but at least it's not at the expense at someone's life (a major problem when Michael Bay's Pain & Gain  -- a film that made comedic situations over someone's murder -- was released). I'm intrigued to see what director Jared Hess ( Napoleon Dynamite ) will do with this. To be released: August 14, 2015.


 Minions Directed by Kyle Balda & Pierre CoffinStarring Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, and Jennifer Saunders
Set in 1968, 42 years before their adventures with Gru from Despicable Me , the Minions -- led by Stuart, Kevin and Bob -- are looking for a new evil master to serve when they come across Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), an aspiring villain, in New York City. Not much else is known about the plot other than that, but with the same team from Despicable Me leading this film, there promises to be plenty of laughs. Another one I'm looking forward to seeing with my kids! To be released: July 10, 2015.


Mission: Impossible 5 Directed by Christopher McQuarrieStarring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, and Alec Baldwin
After Brad Bird did such an amazing job with its predecessor, I'm looking forward to seeing what Christopher McQuarrie ( Jack Reacher , The Way of the Gun ) does with the franchise! The Mission: Impossible series has come a long way since its dismal first and second films. To be released: July 31, 2015.

Pan Directed by Joe WrightStarring Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, and Garrett Hedlund
Director Joe Wright is taking the legend of J.M. Barrie's literary immortal "boy-who-never-wants-to-grow-up" and turning it into somewhat of an origin story. In the film, Peter (Levi Miller) is spirited away to a magical land where he comes to know fun and danger while meeting the pirates Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman), Hook (Garrett Hedlund), and Princess Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara). I've always been a fan of the world of Neverland and look forward to seeing this particular spin on the myth! To be released: July 17, 2015.


 The Peanuts Movie Directed by Steve MartinoStarring Noah Schnapp, Venus Schultheis, Mariel Sheets, Hadley Belle Miller, Noah Johnston, Rebecca Bloom, and Alexander Garfin
It's been a while since the Peanuts gang have seen the screen, and while this release makes me a little wary, I have to say, I'm very excited about this film! I've been a Charlie Brown/Snoopy fan since I was a kid and I gratuitously watch the Peanuts specials on TV every year. I have to admit I find a spiritual comradeship with Charlie Brown ("I got a rock."). And now, with having kids, I look forward to taking them to see this movie -- even if it's more for me than for them! To be released: November 6, 2015.

Pixels Directed by Chris ColumbusStarring Michelle Monaghan, Adam Sandler, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean, Ashley Benson, Jane Krakowski, and Kevin James
Gamers of all generations! Take note! There is a new movie coming out this year about 1980s video games characters attacking New York! And even though Adam Sandler is involved, Pixels looks to be as every bit of awesome as it sounds. In the film, video game experts -- lead by Sam Brenner (Sandler) -- are called on by his childhood friend-now-President Will Cooper (Kevin James) to help save the U.S. (and the world) from aliens that misinterpret video feeds from classic 1980s video games as a declaration of war against them, thus using the games as models from their various assaults. For anyone who grew up playing Atari 2600 (Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Centipede, etc.), this film will be a must-see. And I know that's what the production companies are banking on, but they sure got my money! To be released: July 24, 2015.


  Regression Directed by Alejandro AmenabarStarring Emma Watson, Ethan Hawke, David Thewlis, Devon Bostick, Dale Dickey, and Aaron Ashmore
All that is known about this film is a father is accused of sexually abusing his daughter (Watson) -- a crime of which he has no memory of committing. This film is the disturbing tale of a father and daughter torn apart, and the detective (Hawke) investigating the case, thrown into the center of a conspiracy that shocks the nation. While that is not much to go on -- and sexual abuse films are not my "cup of tea" -- I still am looking forward to seeing this film solely based on its leadership under excellent filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar ( Open Your Eyes , The Others , The Sea Inside ). Amenabar knows drama and how to expertly weave an intriguing tale so this will be one I won't miss. To be released: August 28, 2015.


The Revenant Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez InarrituStarring Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, and Lukas Haas
Based on the novel by Michael Punke, The Revenant is about frontiersman Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), who, in the 1823, sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling. Not only is the film directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu -- fresh off his impressive, Oscar-nominated Birdman -- but it's a revenge pic with DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. 'Nuff said. To be released: December 25, 2015.


Spectre Directed by Sam MendesStarring Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, and Andrew Scott
It's James Bond. There is no further explanation needed. To be released: November 6, 2015.


Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Directed by J.J. AbramsStarring Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong'o, Max von Sydow, Andy Serkis, Peter Mayhew, Warwick Davis, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker
I've heard one potential storyline for this sequel to 1983's  Return of the Jedi , and all I will say is that if what I read is going to be the film, I will be disappointed. However, I'll still give it a try. I'm looking forward to the return of original trilogy characters Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), but also very curious how the new characters will figure well into such a huge saga. I was hoping director Brad Bird would take up the task on this film, but I got my very-close-second J.J. Abrams so I'm very happy. Either way, it's the Wars, so I'll be first in line come opening day! To be released: December 18, 2015.


Straight Outta Compton Directed by F. Gary GrayStarring Corey Hawkins, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Paul Giamatti, Keith Stanfield, and Neil Brown Jr.
The biopic of gangsta rap group N.W.A. may not be for everyone, but I can't wait to see the early lives of some of rap's most influential pioneers (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E) brought to the screen. Plus, I think F. Gary Gray is a great filmmaker. While not a huge rap fan, even I have to say this film is long overdue. (WARNING: The trailer below is a red-band trailer, meaning there is expletive language and brief nudity.) To be released: August 14, 2015.

 Tomorrowland Directed by Brad BirdStarring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Kathryn Hahn, Hugh Laurie, Pierce Gagnon, Judy Greer, and Tim McGraw
Rather than take on the newest Star Wars , director Brad Bird decided to stay loyal to his commitment to Disney to make the long-awaited Tomorrowland -- based on the theme park at Disney World. In the film, a teenager (Britt Robertson), who loves science, teams up with a former boy-genius inventor (George Clooney) to embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory. Disney is keeping the story very hush-hush, but with a screenplay by Bird and Lost alum Damon Lindelof, there is great promise here, in which I'm sure will be a story for all ages. To be released: May 22, 2015.

Triple Nine Directed by John HillcoatStarring Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Kate Winslet, Gal Gadot, Teresa Palmer, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Clifton Collins Jr.
In this all-star cast movie, a group of corrupt cops are blackmailed into pulling off a seemingly impossible heist, which includes the murder of a rookie police officer -- a code "999" -- in order to distract the other cops while they pull the heist. The cast is what makes me most excited for this film, along with direction by John Hillcoat ( The Road , Lawless ). To be released: September 11, 2015.


True Story Directed by Rupert GooldStarring Jonah Hill, James Franco, Felicity Jones, Ethan Suplee, Gretchen Mol, Genevieve Angelson, and Robert John Burke
Based on the true story of journalist Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill), who finds out his identity had been stolen by murdering fugitive Christian Longo after Longo murdered his own wife and children in December 2001. The film deals with Finkel's interviewing of Longo and getting to know him -- giving the film tones of Infamous . To be released: April 10, 2015.


Vacation Directed by John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. GoldsteinStarring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Pena, Elizabeth Gillies, Charlie Day, Chevy Chase, and Beverly D'Angelo
This reboot/sequel of the classic National Lampoon's Vacation series is either going to be really funny or really lame. In the film, Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) is finally grown up and, inspired by his father Clark (Chevy Chase), taking his family on a trip to Wally World before it closes down permanently. Although Wally World's security guard (the late, great John Candy) and Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) will be sorely missed, I still think this film has great potential. Let's just hope Lindsay Buckingham's "Holiday Road" makes an appearance! To be released: October 9, 2015.


The Walk Directed by Robert ZemeckisStarring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, and Steve Valentine

After the documentary Man on Wire , great interest was sparked about Philippe Petit, the French man who walked between the two Twin Towers (of the World Trade Center) in Manhattan in 1974 -- one year after the finish of its construction. This film directed by Robert Zemeckis, follows Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his team as they get ready for the legendary feat. NOTE: If you're afraid of heights, this may not be the movie for you to see -- as evidenced in the trailer alone! To be released: October 2, 2015. 

My Top Albums of 2014

It has been a very disappointing year in music ... and each year seems to be getting worse and worse as the music single becomes the ever-important "mark of success" for most musicians. This is all due to the workings of iTunes, which any music lover can buy a single song, without having to buy the entire album. Because of this aspect, musicians -- and their record companies -- don't worry about an entire album being a success, but, rather, just a few singles.  Nevertheless, I was able to find 10 albums which impressed me in 2014. And here they are ... in alphabetical order:

"Strange Desire"Bleachers

From the opening track, "Wild Heart," one may think they're listening to a soundtrack from one of their favorite John Hughes 80s teen films. But the album "Strange Desire" is the band Bleachers' debut album. Using synth pop rock, some rollicking guitar riffs and catchy choruses, Bleachers has put out an entire album worth listening either in your car on a night out or in the privacy of your own home, breaking out some of the (in)famous 80s dance moves ... especially with the frenetic "I Wanna Get Better" and the percussion-riddled "Like a River Runs." But there is also a bit slower tempo mood to this album -- such as the track "Take Me Away," featuring Vancouver singer Grimes, and the closing track "Who I Want You to Love." So, while Bleachers has all the sounds of an Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (O.M.D.), Yaz (a.k.a. Yazoo), or 80s Echo & The Bunnymen, the band has the better songwriting to entice any 80s alternative music fan or someone looking for something new in an age of same-sounding rock-pop or dance pop.

Favorite Track - "Wild Heart"


"Favorite Waitress"The Felice Brothers
When The Felice Brothers' self-titled fifth album -- and first major release -- was released in 2008, I named it one of the best of the year. Even though the band has released four albums since, they haven't come as close to a hit as they have with "Favorite Waitress." But don't go thinking this is some "Felice Brothers Part 2." This album has more jingle-jangle slower tempo songs than their self-titled album, even though lead singer Ian Felice still sounds like Bob Dylan but, this time, sounding more like his legendary album with The Band. "Favorite Waitress" sounds like music to get drunk to, but it's worth a listen any time of the day.
Favorite Track - "Cherry Licorice"


"Get Hurt"The Gaslight Anthem
New Jersey's own The Gaslight Anthem has had a hit-or-miss career so far. Their debut album, "Sink or Swim," was more punk-rock and failed to get the attention they -- and the album -- so richly deserved at the time. Then came their sophomore album, "The '59 Sound," which proved there was no slump to be found. I consider "The '59 Sound" to be one of the best albums of all time! Then came "American Slang," which promised to be a more hard-sounding album -- in the vein of The Clash. While I did place that album on the 2010 Top Albums list, it barely made the cut ... with a majority of forgettable tracks. Then came 2012's amazing "Handwritten" album, which returned their sound to the likes of their hit album "The '59 Sound." This year, the band first released an album of their B-sides, which was good enough to hold off fans until their latest release, "Get Hurt." Although not as catchy as "Handwritten," "Get Hurt" captures more of the poignant, bittersweet emotions found in those previous albums and fills this whole album with them. And while the band still slightly channels sounds of Bruce Springsteen, they also touch upon sounds of Pearl Jam (especially in the second track "1,000 Years") and Alice in Chains (on the opening track "Stay Vicious"). For a band that tries out so many different influencing sounds, they never fail to disappoint.
Favorite Track - "Get Hurt"


"Twist is the New Twerk"Postmodern Jukebox
Classically-trained jazz and classical musician Scott Bradlee decided to take contemporary songs by artists such as Pitbull ("Timber"), Miley Cyrus ("We Can't Stop"), Robin Thicke ("Blurred Lines"), Carly Rae Jepsen ("Call Me Maybe"), Lana Del Rey ("Young and Beautiful"), and Guns n' Roses ("Sweet Child O' Mine") -- just to name a few -- and adapt them into jazz, blues, doo wop, and ragtime standards. I love 'em all! Especially the 60s girl group adaptation of Ellie Goulding's "Burn," which is featured on the album "Clubbin' With Grandpa." Bradlee has had quite a year, releasing four albums -- three regular albums and one Christmas album. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Bradlee and his talented posse of musicians (which have featured guest appearances by Dave Koz, Morgan James, American Idol's Casey Abrams, and Marie Digby) have utilized social media to their advantage, recording and releasing a new song almost every other week. You don't have to like any of the songs or their original artists to fall in love with these songs. That is Bradlee's success.
Favorite Track - "Timber" and "Burn"


"Historical Misappropriation"Postmodern Jukebox
Bradlee's third release, "Historical Misappropriation," had more favorites for me as opposed to the second release ("Clubbin' With Grandpa"). The song choices -- and their adaptations -- were all well done ... with remakes of songs by Britney Spears ("Womanizer"), Sam Smith ("Stay With Me"), Cyndi Lauper ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"), Radiohead ("Creep"), Meghan Trainor ("All About That Bass"), and Bon Jovi ("Livin' On A Prayer"). Postmodern Jukebox may not be for everyone, but, in an age of same-sounding pop, rock and rap, they're a welcome extravagance.
Favorite Track - "All About That Bass"


"They Want My Soul"Spoon
Out of all the albums I've heard released this year, I was most surprised by how much I liked this one. I've only really ever heard one Spoon song, which I love: "The Underdog" (off their 2007 album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"). "They Want My Soul" sounds like The Black Keys and sometimes early rockin' David Bowie (although, "New York Kiss" sounds like Elvis Costello!) -- with Spoon showing some noteworthy guitar riffs. While I was not impressed with The Black Keys' 2014 release ("Turn Blue"), Spoon put out one good album. Every song leads into the next quite nicely and it's nice to have a nice rock n' roll album to listen to in one sitting.
Favorite Track - "Rent I Pay"
 

"High Hopes"Bruce Springsteen
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who truly knows me. I'm a major Springsteen fan and it goes without saying that there's a major possibility of his albums making my top list of the year. While "High Hopes," in my opinion, is not the best contemporary Springsteen album (that goes to 2007's "Magic" and 2012's "Wrecking Ball"), it still has a lot of previously unreleased material and some real hidden, underrated gems -- such as the studio version of the previously released live song "American Skin (41 Shots)" (which is originally based on the 1999 police shooting death of Amadou Diallo, but has even more meaning now with the recent mass media coverage of police shootings), "Just Like Fire Would," "Hunter of Invisible Game" and "The Wall." Plus, the album is bookended by covers of under-the-radar songs, such as "High Hopes" (originally performed by The Havalinas) and "Dream Baby Dream" (originally performed by Suicide). Then there's my personal favorite on here -- "Frankie Fell in Love," which, if you listen to the lyrics, has so much going on and it all flows together with the music so seemingly effortlessly, it reminds me of his early songwriting. Springsteen proves with each release that he does have a certain sound but he can take that sound and make the songs something unique. While not as good as "Magic" or "Wrecking Ball," "High Hopes" betters "Working on a Dream." Add that along with his previous reissue of his first seven albums, remastered, and he's having one hell of a year!
Favorite Track - "Frankie Fell in Love"


"Rudderless Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"Various Artists

Definitely one of the best films of the year! And the soundtrack follows suit. Featuring both the orchestral score by Eef Barzelay and the songs performed by the band Rudderless (Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Ben Kweller, and Ryan Dean), this soundtrack has songs better than most anything found on the radio nowadays. My only complaint is that the songs aren't a bit longer but they work nicely. I prefer the band songs to the score, but the music -- as a whole -- is great! I can't recommend the soundtrack, or the movie, enough. If you're not into instrumental music, just download the band songs. Trust me. You'll be happy you did.
Favorite Track - "Stay With You"


"Everything Will Be Alright in the End"Weezer
When I listen to Weezer, I instantly think of the mid-1990s because that was when the band first hit the music scene, and I remember how integral they were to my high school experience. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of "The Sweater Song," but I loved their other hits and their sound just correlates to that time. Most critics and haters pan the group for sounding the same. And while a majority of the group's songs do have that quality, all I can ask is: Who cares? If you're a band who has a trademark sound and you produce great songs which that sound good and fun, then what does it really matter in the long run? I've heard bands in which I've loved a particular sound and then they tried something different and fell flat ... several times! Weezer returns to the alternative rock which made them famous with albums "The Blue Album" and "Pinkerton" (one of the best albums ever!). In this album, former The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek produces some great songs with guitar riffs heavily reminiscent of Queen's Brian May -- particularly in the track "I've Had it Up to Here." Other songs such as "Ain't Got Nobody," "Eulogy for a Rock Band," "Da Vinci," and "Cleopatra" are also impressive and will perk up the ears of any 90s Weezer fan. 
Favorite Track - "Foolish Father"


"rose ave."You + Me
I just heard this folk-country-pop duo -- consisting of singer-songwriter Pink (a.k.a. Alecia Moore) and Canadian rocker Dallas Green (a.k.a. City and Colour) -- as they performed live recently on a cable music channel. And to say I was impressed is an understatement. Sure, some may think this is the same idea as actress Zooey Deschanel's and M. Ward's group She & Him, but the style of music couldn't be more different! You + Me are completely grassroots-folk-bordering-on-the-very-slightest-bit-of-contemporary-country. And you don't have to like country music in the slightest to enjoy this album -- especially since the sound is 99% folk ballad. The album's sound is very intimate and, at times, melancholy; the pairing of Pink's beautiful voice and Green's melodic voice work very well together. The album sounds like two best friends whose love transcends romantic love, just getting together one day and having a marathon jam session. I've always loved Pink -- especially her voice -- and she shines here! Plus, the discovery of Green makes me want to rush out and hear what he's all about. My favorite song on here is "Open Door," a song which hit me like a sledgehammer with its poignancy and reflection of close relationships and how they affect us. "rose ave." is one of the best surprises of the year!
Favorite Track - "Open Door"

Movie Review of "Interstellar"

 Director Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Interstellar, is an original sci-fi story, and at two hours and forty-five minutes, it’s a whopper! In the film, in an undocumented, seemingly near future, dirt and dust have ruined the planet’s food supply and water, leaving all life struggling to survive during harsh dust storms and long droughts. With this inability to sustain humanity, a now-extremely-defunct NASA (even school teachers believe the original 1969 moon landing was a hoax!) approaches Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former NASA test pilot and engineer, to pilot a new expedition shuttle with a crew of four to enter a wormhole – located near Saturn – which will lead to another galaxy, and hopefully a new inhabitable world.  The only drawback to Cooper’s mission is having to leave behind his son, Tom (Timothee Chalamet), and daughter, Murphy (Mackenzie Foy), for an indefinite amount of time – if he returns at all. For the sake of his children and the rest of humanity, Cooper embarks on the mission – with his former professor Dr. Brand’s (Michael Caine) daughter, Amelia (Anne Hathaway), geographer Doyle (Wes Bentley), physicist Romilly (David Gyasi) and two robotic assistants, TARS (Bill Irwin) and CASE (Josh Stewart) – to seek out the three possible habitable planets with three different previously-sent astronauts on each.   Cooper (McConaughey) must say goodbye to his daughter, Murphy (Mackenzie Foy) before embarking on his space mission to another galaxy.In a script by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan ( The Prestige , The Dark Knight , The Dark Knight Rises ), one may think this story is Nolan’s attempt at taking on Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey . But they would be wrong. Although Kubrick’s film – based on the 1948 short story The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke – is clearly an influence, the story of Interstellar is not quite as divided into parts like 2001. In this film, the human connection is explored with greater story technique than in Kubrick’s film. The story’s overall theme of love and sacrifice packs quite an emotional punch. As a father of two young daughters, to me, the film delivers a heartwrenching decision between seeing the big picture of giving years of your – and your childrens’ – life to save humanity or wanting to be there for your children. It is a dilemma which is brought about with great entertainment value here. 
Some may believe the prospect of a situation like the one in Interstellar may be nothing but pure science fiction. However, with news such as the months-long drought in California, and the Kepler Telescope’s recentdiscovery of the most Earth-like planet yet (as seen in the video above), the film’s concept isn’t so much science fiction as the viewer may think. McConaughey does some of his best work here – even much better than his Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club (that’s right, I said it). And Jessica Chastain proves once more why she is one of Hollywood’s best new talents. I believe both should be nominated for Academy awards. I was really wowed by young Mackenzie Foy who portrays the smart, rebellious scientific daughter Murphy (named after Murphy's Law). As for Hathaway, anyone who knows me, knows I’ve never been crazy about her. But I had to give credit where credit is due. She did magnificently in Les Miserables and The Dark Knight Rises. However, in this film, I don’t know whether it is her character, but she annoys me. I’d like to think it’s the character, but it’s not. It’s her.   The space station containing Cooper and crew begins to enter the wormhole to take them to another galaxy. I really enjoyed Interstellar, but that’s not to say it didn’t have its flaws. The film may be a science fiction film, but I love how Nolan made it one of the most believable science fiction films I’ve ever seen. And I’ll stick by that claim – even though the last twenty minutes takes a gigantic leap into extreme science fiction, making the viewer question whether what happens could really happen. But that is the beauty of science fiction. It tests our thinking, our emotional and logistical/mental understanding and allows us to “think outside the box” (so to speak) when it comes to our lives and our place in the universe. Some may be turned off by the last 20 minutes of this film, and I originally did not know quite what to make of it at the time, but, after having time to have digested the material, I liked most of it. There was only one particular aspect at the end which I didn’t agree with – as a parent. But I cannot say it without giving away one of the film’s major plotlines. Yes, Interstellar is long – at 2 hours, 45 minutes, but with films like Cloud Atlas , Braveheart , and Saving Private Ryan , a long run-time is not such a bad thing. And it’s not nearly as trite as films like Armageddon (don’t get me wrong, I like that film), Deep Impact , Mission to Mars , or Red Planet . But, while some critics may think it too emotional, I believe that is one of its best features. If you’re looking for some run-of-the-mill action/romance blockbuster, go rent Transformers 4 . With its smart science speak, emotional depth and superb performances, Interstellar is a must-see for any science fiction fan. I think it leaves last year’s Academy Award darling Gravity in the dust. In an age of non-original films based on books, video games, comic books, cartoons, true stories or remakes of older films, Interstellar proves the paramount filmmaking of legendary directors such as Spielberg, Coppola, Lucas, Scorsese, and, yes, Kubrick, lives on in the filmmakers of today. 

Movie Review of "Rudderless"

            By this point in this year, I usually would reserve my praise for a film until the end-of-the-year picks for Jay's and my “Top Films” of the year article. However, after viewing the directorial debut from actor             When his ex-wife, Emily (Felicity Huffman), gives Josh’s music recordings to Sam, Sam takes a trip to the local bar and drunkenly performs one of the songs (“Home”) before a small crowd. The next morning, a young local timid musician named Quentin (Anton Yelchin), impressed by Sam’s song, visits him to try and convince him to play more of Sam’s songs together. Sam reluctantly agrees and the two become a local hit. However, there is more to the story. I could tell you what more there is, but that would be robbing the audience of experiencing the importance of the story themselves. What I can say is that this film (and story) has a lasting effect on the viewer; well, it did on this viewer, anyways! It makes you question people’s (and maybe your own) preconceived notions of judging others.
Sam (Billy Crudup) sings one of his late son's songs to try and find a way of connecting to him.
           The beauty of the story is that it starts off somewhat predictable and light, but then turns into something all the more dire, and the way this aspect is revealed within the film is well done by Macy, who may have a future as a director. The story is a testament to the healing and uniting power of music, and it entices the viewer to want to see how the story of these two misfits will turn out. The acting is very impressive – particularly from Crudup, who proves here why he is one of the best underrated actors today and why he was so damn likeable in the 2000 hit Almost Famous. Yelchin also wows as Quentin, and Huffman takes a role which is small in terms of screen appearance but is paramount to the film, nonetheless. I was not impressed with Selena Gomez as Kate, and felt that any no-name actress could have played that part; although the role is important to the story, I felt like having Gomez play the part was merely a chance to have a noticeable celebrity name on the bill.
The band Rudderless (l. to r.: Ben Kweller, Crudup, Anton Yelchin; and foreground drummer: Ryan Dean) soon become a local hit with the songs from Sam's son.
            Of course, in a film that revolves around music, it is detrimental to the film to have great music, and Rudderless does that in spades. From the original score by Eef Barzelay to the original music as performed by the band Rudderless (consisting of Crudup, Yelchin, Ryan Dean, and real professional musician Ben Kweller), written by Charlton Pettus and Simon Steadman. Songs such as “Stay With You” (featured in the trailer), “Over Your Shoulder,” and “Sing Along” are better than anything I’ve heard on contemporary mainstream radio! The lyrics to the songs also correlate to the plot as Quentin becomes more confident and Sam sings the song as catharsis to deal with the loss of his son.         
Rudderless is in select theaters now and available to rent or purchase through iTunes and Amazon Instant, which means it most likely will not be noticed this year, it won’t win any awards, and it will hardly be noticed by movie audiences. In fact, I doubt most people who see the post of this review won't read it simply because they haven't seen it advertised on TV a thousand times or because they "don't know what it's about" ... because it's not based on a book, “true life” story, cartoon, comic book, toy, video game, etc. (which most major-released films are these days). And that is a real shame because I would take one Rudderless over ten Transformers Part 4s or twenty Hunger Games! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Sometimes, the best films are the ones where the story is rather seemingly simplistic. In other words, less is more. The original story of Rudderless – no matter how simplistic – is a more welcomed cinematic work in today’s age when all the major film releases that seem to be made are sequels, remakes, and adaptations (as previously mentioned). As this film critic gets older and takes in all the cinema he can (clocking in over 2,700 films), it’s difficult to impress me much nowadays as the films of today’s stories all seem to be knock-offs of other films made 10, 20, 30, 40, even 50 years ago. I hate to admit that I’ve grown rather cynical with mainstream cinema, even though I love my comic book adaptations (as long as they’re good) as much as the next film- and comic book-geek. But with films like Rudderless, there is proof that there are still filmmakers out there whose material can impress a cynic by having great, original material, just yearning to be watched … just so long as it can find an audience. And I’m more than happy to be that cynic who makes that discovery. While the end of Rudderless is not some major revelation or epic closure, what is revealed is one man’s awakening to a journey he had to take and it's that small, simplistic journey the viewer is privy to which definitely makes this one of the best films of the year … if not, at least, of the past five years!