Movie Review Repost -- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Remember when Sherlock Holmes movies were a thing? I do. They were both pretty good, entertaining films back in the day. In this day and age it's a wonder why they didn't try to franchise it up and make half a dozen of them. Oh well, at least we've got two fun flicks to look back on and remember. Speaking of which, here's the review I wrote for the second film back in 2011. Enjoy.

  The first new movie I've seen since September, Sherlock Holmes 2 is a fast-paced crime thriller well worth the time and money I spent.

  Like the first film this one takes place in 1891, but rather than just London, Holmes' investigations take him all across Europe to exciting new locations. Holmes and Watson are after a professor who is trying to start an international war by bombing high-profile targets posed as terrorist attacks because he owns several arms contractors and will get rich off a major war. Meanwhile Holmes' and Watson's friendship becomes strained, since in order to recruit Watson – just married – for this investigation Holmes had to interrupt his honeymoon. This two-hour plot has lots of action scenes and more subtle humour than the first Sherlock Holmes movie. Unfortunately, the ending is poorly handled and has some loose threads.

  As with the first film, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law do a top-notch job portraying Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson respectively. The actor playing that French gyspy chick . . . meh. Irene Adler, investigator and love interest to Holmes from the first movie, is back but is killed off early in the film. It's not even a cool death; she dies like a chump.

  I found this film's editing to be astounding, especially during the action scenes where we get that slow-mo “bullet time”. The special effects work well, as do the impressive sound effects/editing. You'll feel as if you are right in the middle of those firefights. One thing that bugged me was the the movie's title. Why give it a subtitle? The first one didn't have one so why not just call it “Sherlock Holmes 2”? Maybe I'm just nitpicking; who knows.

  Despite its comparably minor flaws, Game of Shadows is still a fun and intriguing film. This movie has a little something for everybody. So if you're interested in seeing this one, I'd recommend giving it a try.

Three and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review Repost -- Apollo 18 (2011)

All Hallows Eve approaches. I'm sorry I haven't got anything new for you this weekend, so I figured I should look back at one of the few horror movie reviews I did in my early days of reviewing (and it's not the greatest review I've ever written). This is the sci-fi found footage film Apollo 18. It was mediocre and didn't leave much of an impression on me. I've not seen it since and I've barely thought about it since. So I guess my opinions are unchanged...

  The summer is at an end and last weekend I tried to fit in one more movie viewing. I chose Apollo 18, a horror/sci-fi flick set in the early seventies about the supposed last lunar mission.

  This movie is filmed in found-footage style, meaning that the cinematography is similar to grainy, staticy late-sixties video camera footage, so get used to seeing cameras malfunction and flicker around and go offline; it happens every five minutes. I can't help but wonder if that was even necessary. Anyways, don't expect to see a masterpiece of film here. The plot is very cliched and unoriginal and somewhat predictable. The film has a noticeably slow start as well as a few slow moments throughout.

  What did I like about this movie? Well the special effects look great, but with the grainy, low-res footage, making good looking special effects on this film couldn't have been that difficult. The acting is better than average, but the actors' best efforts are inhibited by the underdeveloped characters. By the end of the film you still won't really know that much about the three characters.

  During those slow boring parts, you'll find yourself thinking of plotholes and other weird stuff. Like why did Commander Walker want to be saved even though five minutes earlier he didn't want to go back to Earth fearing he'd infect the whole planet? And how come the aliens attacked on this mission but not the other moon missions? Unless the producers... And then it hits you: you're watching a hippie movie! Think about it, the pieces of the puzzle are all there: faked moon landings, the government being portrayed as evil, indigenous creatures fighting back (AKA environmentalism/anti-racism), technology being portrayed as useless, the USSR being depicted in a sympathetic manner...

  Wow. I've got to go warn people of this. Meanwhile, you should stay away from this crazy movie unless you really want to kill some brain cells. (And to think I chose this instead of My Idiot Brother!)

Rating: Two stars out of five

Movie Review Repost -- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Sorry, dudes. I've got nothing new this week. You know what that means: a repost of an older review that I did during my Facebook days. And since next month will see the release of a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I think it would be appropriate to look at my review of the last movie the series gave us, On Stranger Tides. My opinions on the Pirates series has been very up and down. I like the first movie, in which Johnny Depp wanders into what would've otherwise been a dull romance movie and ended up stealing the whole show. The second and third films were convoluted snooze-fests. And then there's this one, which was easier to digest but not exceptionally well written. As you'll see here, my thoughts of it haven't changed much since 2011. Enjoy.

   So there's a new POTC movie out this summer. Is it better than the last two? Let's find out. I'm going to be comparing them to the other ones a lot, so be prepared.

   Our new leading lady is Penelope Cruz who plays Angelina, the pirate daughter of Blackbeard and love interest of Jack Sparrow. Cruz does an excellent job of making Angelina an interesting character – this is what Nightly's character should've been like! Angelina and Jack make an exciting onscreen couple. Keith Richards is back – for about two minutes – as Jack's father . . . kind of pointless. Our main villain is Blackbeard, who, while he did have a cool introduction, is pretty dull throughout the rest of the film. His connection to Angelina often slows down the plot, like that scene where they play russian roulette to decide if she should jump into a river.

   The good news is that this movie's plot is self-contained and we don't have to wait for the next movie to see how it ends! (Yes, I'm still miffed about that.) This movie left out Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan from the other films, but that's OK. I always thought they were unnecessary. Now we can focus on Jack Sparrow and his adventures. The plot isn't as confusing and messed up as the second and third movies, but it's still somewhat needlessly complicated. Like the other movies, this one has decent physical humour and fun fight scenes, like that one fight near the beginning where Jack seemingly fights himself. Also cool, this movie has mermaids! Beautiful, highly intimidating, vampiric, man-eating mermaids. Cool.

   But this movie also has plot holes big enough to fit a pirate ship. Like where'd that prophecy about Blackbeard's death come from? It's just brought out of nowhere and never explained, that's where! So if Blackbeard doesn't want to be killed, why doesn't he just “zombify” himself like he did to some of his crew? By the way, there's a semi-pointless romance between a clergyman and a mermaid which sort of takes the place of the Will/Elizabeth romance. In the end, their fates are completely unexplained. Did the clergyman die of his wounds? Since Angelina drank from the fountain of youth (as a means of healing her mortal wounds) does this mean that she lives forever? No one says a word regarding this matter, so who knows? Putting together shreds of plot give only tattered answers.

   In short, this movie is only slightly better than the second and third POTC movies. If you're a POTC fan, check it out. You'll probably like seeing it once. If you're tired of pirates movies, then I wouldn't recommend this one. It just doesn't bring anything fresh to the franchise.

Final Rating: two and a half out of five.

Movie Review Repost -- X-Men: First Class (2011)

Since Logan is still out (and awesome) I think now might be a good time to look back on another X-Men movie, First Class, a movie that... doesn't have... Wolverine... Yeah, sorry guys. I started a new job this week and my new schedule doesn't allow for as much free time as it used to. But don't worry, I've been working on some stuff and I promise there'll be new material next week. Anyways, as I mentioned in January's "Movie Review Mistakes?" article I think First Class is a better film than I originally gave it credit for. I was too harsh, but I could probably chalk it up to the fact that it was on;y the second movie review I ever wrote (June 2011). Enjoy. 

   Last night I saw X-Men: First Class, the latest in a growing line of X-Men films. And to be honest it was kind of a mixed bag.

   First let's take a look at the characters. While all roles are well-acted only some of the characters are really interesting. The Professor, Magneto, Beast, Mystique, and Banshee are all fantastic; you just can't take your eyes off them in whatever scenes they're in. It was a real treat to see Professor X (James McAvoy) portrayed so differently: younger, energetic, and a touch egotistical. The villains on the other hand were pretty see-through and dull. By the end of the movie you won't even remember their names. Also, I couldn't help but feel that Beast could've used a little more development towards the end after he turns himself into a monster. The matter is addressed for about one minute and then dropped forever.
   The plot also has its ups and downs. The action scenes are intense and a lot of fun to watch thanks to the great CGI. The setting, 1962, was also fun to see, and I love how a summer blockbuster movie dramatically portrays the Cuban Missile Crisis (albeit with mutants and all). That part (the climax) where Magneto catches and stops the hundreds of American and Soviet missiles from killing the X-Men is just awesome. And what superhero team movie is complete without a training montage, eh? This film also has some good jokes too - especially Wolverine's cameo appearance! Nevertheless, this movie's plot has many shortcomings. First and foremost, the villain's plan was bland and just totally lame! They want the USA and USSR to go to nuclear war so humanity is wiped out, only the strongest survive, mutants rule the world, blah, blah, blah... Next, the romance between Professor X and that MacTaggert chick near the end sort of came out of nowhere. Furthermore, why did Mystique leave the X-Men and join Magneto even though she didn’t really have any motivation to do so?
   Yes, this film has plotholes, but unlike Thor these plotholes are just obnoxious and confusing. For instance, no explanation was given for why Beast screwed up his "mutant cure" formula so badly. Likewise, when young Magneto freaks out and kills the Nazis at that concentration camp, why did he kill everyone except the guy who killed his mother? I guess he just felt like waiting 18 years so he could go through the trouble of searching the world and finding him first.
   Lastly, this movie just totally screws up the timeline of the other X-Men movies. The ending - where Magneto leaves the X-Men and Xavier is paralysed - contradicts what we saw in both X-Men 3 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine which both suggest that up until just a few years ago Xavier could walk and that he and Magneto were still allies.
   So to sum up, we've got a movie with cool heroes, lame villains, a dumb plot, cool action scenes and CGI, great jokes, big plotholes, and good acting. We've got a movie that is entertaining but it screws up the continuity of the other films. I will recommend this for X-Men fans. But for casual moviegoers, you might like this.

   I give it three stars out of five.

Movie Review Repost - The Three Stooges (2012)

I've been thinking about the 3 Stooges a lot recently. Why, I don't know. I guess when you grow up seeing the handiwork of comedic geniuses it really sticks with you. I guess they're sort of an acquired taste; you'll either love them or hate them. But my two brothers and I all think they're great. Here's the review I wrote in April 2012 for the 3 Stooges movie. My thoughts on it remain the same; it wasn't great, but it could've been way worse. And the only part of the film anyone cares about - the stooges - were done perfectly. In retrospect it's kind of funny that the pop culture references (Jersey Shore, Kardashian jokes) intended to make the thing more relatable to contemporary audiences end up dating the film. I mean, when was the last time you heard anything about Jersey Shore?

   I'm baaaaaaaaaack! It's the first movie review I've done in three months. Last night I saw the Three Stooges. You know, it's not everyday that you see a movie based on a 60 year old TV show and that spends another 10 years in development hell. Is this the movie that 3 Stooges fans – like myself – have been waiting for?

   The answer is yes! In fact the movie feels a lot like a really long 3 Stooges episode. It borrows the classic sound effects and even lifts some plot points from the show. It uses many of the same jokes (wordplay, puns, physical humour, etc.) as well, which I didn't mind. Of course the movie has its fair share of decent original jokes. There's a few pop culture jokes that are mediocre, but it doesn't ruin the experience. Surprisingly, the funniest jokes by far are the cruel dark humour jokes that I was totally not expecting to see in a 3 Stooges movie. But I won't dare spoil them for you here.

   I was blown away by the casting for the Three Stooges; it was perfect! Sasso, Hayes, and Diamantopoulos look, talk and behave exactly like the original stooges! Unfortunately, with the exception of that nun played by Larry David, the rest of the cast is kind of forgettable.

   Keep in mind, this is the the Three Stooges, so don't expect a cinematic masterpiece here. The plot is a little dumb, but like I said, it's basically just a long episode. In this movie, the stooges live in an orphanage until adulthood because nobody wanted to adopt them. When the orphanage is about to be shut down due to lack of funds, Moe, Larry, and Curly are sent out to find the money to keep the orphanage running. There's a few boring scenes about the orphans who you won't really care about, but don't worry; they're not very long. And in case you (or your kids) were wondering, the violence isn't real; there's a short PSA at the end telling kids to not try this at home.

   Ultimately, this film is probably the best that can be done with the Three Stooges. It is a must-see for Three Stooges fans or even just slapstick fans in general.

Final Rating: Two and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review Double Repost - Captain America

Hey guys. Since last week I reviewed the newest Captain America film, Civil War, I thought it fitting if I reposted my original reviews oft he the first two movies: First Avenger (2011) and Winter Soldier (2014). Since writing these reviews my opinions on these films are pretty much unchanged. I mean, I now realize that First Avenger had a more comic-book/cartoon tone to it, but that doesn't detract at all from my enjoyment of it. I still consider this the finest Marvel-related trilogy yet produced. Enjoy.

First Avenger

   Just so you know, you don't have to be American to like this movie. Believe me, this movie is cool! To quote Conan O'Brien, “it looks gooooooood!”

   Everything about this movie is just so cool! It's well-acted, the characters are enjoyable, the environments are fascinating, and you will be invested by the intriguing plot. They did a good job of putting that silly looking costume on screen and making it look badass - it looks way better than the 1990 film's costume! The special effects are superb, especially on making Cap's actor Chris Evans look like a scrawny little guy. Red Skull looks pretty cool too.

   But don't expect to see a lot of Nazis in this movie; regardless of what you may have heard, this isn't truly a WW2 movie. There's also a lot of loose threads at the end which I guess they're saving for the inevitable sequel.

   One thing this movie could've done better is the transitions. The second half of the story seems rushed. Characters will refer to a job that needs doing and next thing you know we go straight to the middle of an action scene with no transition at all. I'm guessing this is to make up for all the time they spent building up the introductions and origins of the characters. There's also a few downright silly moments. Like how is Captain America able to sneak around without being noticed wearing that brightly coloured costume and that shield that looks like a bulls eye?!

   Oh well. Despite this, Captain America is still a very fun summer action flick. One of the best so far, I'd say it's almost as good as Thor. So what if it's not as funny as the 1990 film?

Four stars out of five.

Winter Soldier

   If you're one of those people who's been wanting for Marvel to make a “serious” movie, your prayers have been answered. Captain America: Winter Soldier is the most badass superhero movie since the Dark Knight, and it might just be the best Marvel film yet made.

   CA:WS has the Captain, Steve Rogers, living in Washington DC, working for SHIELD with Nick Fury and Black Widow. They try to initiate Operation Insight, a government surveillance program, until it becomes complicated by the activities of a certain organization and its top assassin: the Winter Soldier. I actually have read the Winter Soldier comics and they nailed it here, both in story and character: an angry, scary badass. The plot of this film goes a bit deeper than most other comic book movies, as we get a proper narration of Rogers coming to terms with missing out on 70 years of his life. We also learn more about Black Widow's and Nick Fury's personalities, something past movies have been lacking. Plus we get to see a few socially-relevant topics being played out (for example, the whole security vs. freedom thing).

   As mentioned above, CA:WS is more serious in style and tries to keep comic book absurdities to a minimum (though they're still there, don't worry). I guess it's comparable to the Dark Knight movies if the characters there didn't endlessly over-analyze everything. Think Tom Clancy meets Captain America. To up the intensity Cap's cheesy Avengers costume has been discarded in favour of a new, more believable one. The fight scenes are choreographed just as spectacularly as ever. Keep in mind, this does make CA:WS a bit more violent than previous Marvel movies. But it's a shame that that pesky shaky cam has to make it hard to observe. Hint: don't blink.

   Captain America: Winter Soldier is mandatory for action movie fans. If you felt like you weren't being treated like an adult with the other Marvel movies, then you'll be pleasantly surprised with this one. So all in all...GO WATCH THIS MOVIE!

Rating: five stars out of five.