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Passengers (2016)
Decent Popcorn Flick
Yet another polarizing movie from the year 2016, Passengers is neither as horrible as the critics say it is, nor as wonderful as Pratt/Lawrence fanboys/fangirls will go around telling their teenage friends.
The movie does have a lot of pros, actually. The visual effects and set design are both wonderful, particularly the spaceship's exterior, and a beautiful swimming pool featured in several scenes (made all the more beautiful with Jennifer Lawrence's presence). The acting is pretty good overall, however Lawrence can be as bland as she is hot at times. Pratt plays the same character he always does, the likable every-man, but I can't say I've tired of it yet. The end credits song, by Imagine Dragons, is reliably good, even if it's not their best by a long shot. Finally, I can't say I was ever bored by the film... irritated and disappointed, yes, but never bored.
The cons are more extensive than I wish they were. The movie borrows from so many other films, including Cast Away, Titanic, Gravity, and The Shining, just to name a few. And there are so many missed opportunities to make really great, original twists that are never utilized. There's also a certain actor that makes an appearance that doesn't really have much purpose... The second act drags a bit, and is less interesting than the other two acts, particularly the first one. Oh, and I can't forget to mention that Pratt makes a decision in the movie that will throw half of the film's viewers into a state of rebellion...
Overall, Passengers was a decent use of $6.00 and an afternoon with friends, but not one you need to rush out and see, particularly when compared with other space films of late, such as Rogue One and Star Trek: Beyond. However, fans of sci-fi, such as myself, will probably be moderately entertained for a couple hours.
La La Land (2016)
Best Musical Ever?
OK, I know. The Sound of Music, The King and I, White Christmas.
I didn't really like any of those. I recognize that they are great, timeless films that many people love, including family members and friends of mine, but if I personally had to pick a least favorite genre of movie, I'd have to go with musical. But, my God, this was great! In fact, it's my second favorite movie of the year after Hacksaw Ridge.
This is a colorful, amazingly directed, beautifully filmed movie that puts the music in musical without hitting you over the head with it. In most musicals, there is a song every five minutes, and I'm sitting there face-palming myself: "Another one? ALREADY?!" However, La La Land spaces out its musical acts, so that you appreciate them more when they appear. And, while I wasn't crazy about all of the songs, most of the music in the film is gorgeous. It also has an amazing ending, several moments of comedy, and a generous dose of warmth and feeling, without becoming too sappy.
The only complaints I can come up with are a lack of explanation for a certain plot point (but the filmmakers probably wanted this aspect to be left open to interpretation), and the fact that Gosling and Stone are not professional singers. However, this makes the characters more believable in a way, and you are certainly invited to relate to them.
Much like The Magnificent Seven attempted to resurrect the Western earlier this year, (and I enjoyed that film greatly as well) La La Land set out to bring the musical back from the grave-- and if they can make more that are this good, I say go for it. Once again, these thoughts come from a cinephile that doesn't like musicals. If you're like me, I still highly recommend this film, and if you do like musicals, boy, you're in for a REAL treat. Move over, Hamilton!
Rogue One (2016)
Move Over J.J.
I would have given this 8.5, but they won't let you do that, so I gave it a 9. Why not?
I was very pleased with Rogue One, especially after walking out of the theater feeling a little disappointed last year. If nothing else, Rogue One tries some new things, which The Force Awakens didn't do much of at all. It also features an arguably better balance of old and new characters, and one of the best scenes in Star Wars history near the end. The special effects (both CGI and practical) are also amazing, some of the best I've ever seen in fact, and one particular aspect of them may change the way movies (especially sequels/prequels) are made FOREVER. I'll be shocked if Rogue One doesn't win Best Visual Effects at the Oscars this year, because it totally deserves it, even though Doctor Strange is a worthy contender.
As for negatives, there aren't many. Some may argue that the new characters are largely flat, but I would point out that this is a standalone story, not part of the main series. These characters will not be featured in any other movies in the foreseeable future, so not focusing on them as much left some time for the old characters, as well as what we all came for, the epic battle scenes, which are much better than those in TFA. And I actually grew to like several of the new characters more than I thought I would. The first act is a bit hectic, jumping around all over the place very quickly. There are also a couple scenes that are quite strange, even for Star Wars standards, but these are all fairly minor complaints.
Rogue One is a new hope for Star Wars fans that were disappointed with The Force Awakens. It's definitely not perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than it had any right to be, especially considering that any fan of Star Wars knows exactly what's going to happen. It stays grounded in what we know and love while branching into just enough new territory simultaneously. I will eagerly be awaiting the next Star Wars story!
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Stop-Motion At Its Finest
Forced to watch this movie as part of a school project after reading the book, I was not particularly looking forward to this one. I ended up liking it, however. I have a deep respect for stop-motion animators, not only because they laid the groundwork for the mind- blowing special effects of today, but also because of the countless hours they put into their work-- and it shows here.
The best part of the movie is undoubtedly the animation; unless you're a huge Roald Dahl fan, that's the reason you're going to watch this. The film also has a star-studded voice cast and an enjoyable, if eccentric, score. The film almost certainly would have won Best Animated Feature if the near-flawless Up hadn't come out in the same year. Kids should be reasonably entertained, and adults will be charmed as well.
On the negative side, the film adds to, shuffles around, and changes the source material drastically, but even the most die-hard fans of Dahl will admit that there wasn't a whole lot to turn into a feature-length film to begin with. Some of the additions work, and some definitely feel tacked-on and unnecessary. The film also markets itself as being "hilarious," which it is not; it is occasionally humorous at best. There are also a few glaringly obvious CGI insertions at times, which take the viewer out of the experience a bit.
Overall, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a fun family film with outstanding animation and plenty to entertain audiences with for its 87-minute run-time. Get the kids and some popcorn, and enjoy this visual treat.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Worst Middle-Earth Film- But Still Pretty Good
Minor Spoilers
The Battle of the Five Armies is the final chapter in The Hobbit trilogy. Packed with fighting, CGI, creatures, and set pieces, this film picks up right where the previous one left off, so don't go in expecting a bunch of exposition or recapping. This is the only Middle-Earth film that does not begin with a flashback, which I find quite interesting. However, it's made all the better for it, because, despite being the worst Middle-Earth film overall, the opening scene is one of the best scenes in the whole series, including the Lord of the Rings. These first 10-15 minutes are some of the most exciting moments I have ever spent at the cinema, and I was sad to see them end.
The film never again gets as good as this scene, but still remains a decently competent and enjoyable movie. Even though the eponymous mini-war takes up a very large portion of the movie, the filmmakers still find time for most of their characters, humor, and even some genuinely compelling and saddening moments. Richard Armitage gives a great performance as Thorin, and Peter Jackson shows us he still knows how to stage an epic battle-- even if it's not as good as the famous fights at Helm's Deep or the Black Gate. One could also certainly say that it succeeds at transforming a few pages of a children's book into an exciting cinematic experience.
As for negatives, there are definitely more here than in any of the other Middle-Earth films. As stated previously, the movie opens with its best scene, which may not be a wise choice. There are also many, many changes and additions to the book, some of which are fresh and interesting, and others that are not. The cheesy, creepy romance from the previous film is expanded upon; however, it is made no more intriguing or touching. There is also a brief scene which shows gigantic, terrifying Were-Worms burrowing through the ground, allowing the bad guys to get to the Mountain. These creatures promptly go away, leaving audiences to wonder how stupid Azog and friends (or the writers) were for not utilizing them more. The film also ends very quickly compared to The Return of the King, and leaves just a couple of loose ends (however, the extended edition ties up a couple of these).
The Battle of the Five Armies certainly isn't a masterpiece, but it is an important and entertaining chapter in the Middle-Earth cinematic universe. Fans of the book may find it bloated and changed almost beyond recognition at times, but it is still a fun, action- packed spectacle. I would definitely recommend checking out the extended edition, which ties up some loose ends, and adds more action, depth, and humor to the story.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
The Best Hobbit Film
After the very entertaining first installment, An Unexpected Journey, the Hobbit trilogy is back with an even better second chapter. Unlike the Lord of the Rings films, where I felt the middle chapter (The Two Towers) was the weakest, I feel it is the best in this series.
The movie opens with a bit of exposition, but after that, the excitement doesn't let up much, except for a somewhat lengthy stay at Lake-Town. Characters such as the Master of Lake-Town, that are barely even mentioned in the book, are fleshed out quite well and given stories of their own. Howard Shore's score is better than in the first movie, mostly because he branches out into new territory more, just like the film itself does. There is also some great acting in this movie, particularly from Martin Freeman, who expresses just as much in non-dialogue scenes as he does in scenes with dialogue. Smaug the dragon is absolutely incredible, and they spend just the right amount of time with him to satisfy audience expectation without the story becoming dull. The ending, although it differs from the book, is quite exciting, and leaves audiences with bated breath in anticipation of the next chapter.
There are a few negatives, however. Some of the CGI, particularly during the Barrel Chase scene, is not that great, especially compared to the masterful job done on Smaug. There are also a few characters that feel unnecessary (including Legolas) and a romantic subplot that is both cheesy and creepy. This movie definitely takes more liberties (both canon and non-canon) from the book than the previous film, some of which work, and some of which don't.
All in all, The Desolation of Smaug is a superior second installment that I would highly recommend to fans of Tolkien, and fantasy lovers in general. Readers of the book will have to be ready for changes, but that's the case with just about any book-to-film adaptation. I would also advise you to check out the extended edition, which adds in some more scenes from the book, a side-story or two, and even a bit more action.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
The Start of Another Great Adventure
It really shocks me that The Hobbit films have had such a negative response, especially since most critics seemed to like them, particularly here on IMDb. Saying these films are on the same level as the Star Wars prequels is just absurd. I firmly believe that the only reason people hate these movies so much is because they aren't the Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson created such a masterful trilogy with LOTR, that most people were only going to be interested in The Hobbit if it was on par with it. And granted, it's not. But it's a great story in its own right, with just enough alterations from/additions to the book to keep audiences entertained.
The first installment of The Hobbit does take its time to get started-- the second act doesn't begin until over 40 minutes in-- but that's not really a problem here. Considering we still have two movies to go, (and extended editions, which I would highly recommend) the lengthy build-up works well. In the book, most of the dwarfs are cardboard characters with no depth or story to them, but here, Jackson and Co. have attempted (successfully, for the most part) to give them personalities and stories. We also have to learn a bit about Bilbo and the reason for this grand adventure, all the while spending some time in the beautiful Shire.
From here on out, the Hobbit still meanders a bit, but inserts plenty of action and fun characters between the exposition and dialogue scenes to keep its audience entertained. There are also enough ties to the LOTR trilogy to keep fans of the universe satisfied, but not to the point of distracting from the main story.
Overall, An Unexpected Journey is not a perfect film by any means, but is still a very fun ride, and infinitely better than most action/adventure movies churned out these days. If for no other reason, check it out so you can then watch the superior second film, The Desolation of Smaug.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
The Best Movie of 2016
In a year of many disappointing sequels, spin-offs, and reboots, Mel Gibson has come out of hiding to save the cinematic year with Hacksaw Ridge. I can honestly say that the only war movie that comes close to this one's quality and realism is Saving Private Ryan. Realistic, gripping, and even humorous at times, Hacksaw Ridge is filled with beautiful cinematography and scenery, and great acting, particularly from Garfield, Vaughn, and Weaving. Garfield should certainly be nominated for Best Actor, and both Vaughn and Weaving could potentially win in the Best Supporting Actor category. The film also tackles controversial and heavy themes admirably, and doesn't pander to its audience, which I appreciate. The only negative thing I can say about this movie is that it ends somewhat abruptly. I urge you to check out this cinematic achievement, and I certainly hope it wins big at the Oscars this year.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Half Aliens, Half Groundhog Day, All Awesome
From the director of The Bourne Identity comes one of the best films of 2014, Edge of Tomorrow. Although it might seem like just another alien shoot-'em-up at first glance, there is a lot more to this movie than you might expect. What I really liked is how this is a perfect blend of thinking-man's sci-fi and pure popcorn fun; it's sure to please both crowds. The special effects and stunt-work are quite good, there is a surprising amount of humor, and a very unexpected character arc for Tom Cruise's character. My only complaints are a couple of plot holes, (but it's sci-fi, people) and a slightly anti-climactic third act, but these are relatively trifling. There are a lot of neat surprises in this movie, so I'd recommend trying to go into it as blind as possible. I don't think you'll be disappointed.