Movie Review -- Dark Phoenix

  This is the end, my only friend, the end. Dark Phoenix marks the end of the 19-years old X-Men series as run by 20^th Century Fox and it's been quite a ride, hasn't it? We've had some ups – Days of Future Past, Logan – some downs – Origins: Wolverine, Apocalypse – and everything in between (I didn't think The Last Stand was all that bad!). And to cap it all off we've now got the twelfth and final film which takes another stab at a classic comic storyline already tried in an earlier film back in 2006. What could possibly go wrong?

  Let's start with the film's title. Why doesn't it say X-Men in it? This isn't exactly a solo movie that's all about Jean Grey; Dark Phoenix is supposed to serve as the conclusion to the “new”, soft-rebooted series that began with First Class (2011). What, are the producers trying to disassociate this film with the others or something?

  Anyways the story takes place in 1992 and the X-Men are now international celebrities, but not all is well. Professor X's motivations/intentions as the face of mutantkind are called into question and during a rescue mission in space Jean absorbs an extraterrestrial force that amplifies her powers far beyond what she's used to. A shape-shifting alien race travels to Earth to reclaim this force. Trouble ensues and relationships are put to the test. It's a plot that borrows a lot of elements from 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand: the same locations, the same external forces, even some of the same deaths. As with that film, Dark Phoenix raises a bunch of ethical debates which cause friction amongst the team, which is interesting to see. It's just a shame that the dialogue is a bit heavy on the oversimplification.

  It's also a shame that Quicksilver gets the shaft. Remember the whole he's-the-son-of-Magneto thing? Totally forgotten. And as was the case with Days of Future Past, he gets written out rather early on account of how overpowered he is.

  Speaking of characters getting the shaft, Jennifer Lawrence really lets down this time around as Mystique. She acts like she barely gives a damn about anything. There might be a bit of truth to that considering how much time she doesn't spend in her blue mutant makeup.

  Some of the acting is quite good, especially from James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Sophie Turner. But having been set in yet another decade, Dark Phoenix suffers from that old familiar problem of the soft-rebooted X-Men series: the returning characters look way too young. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Nightcrawler haven't aged at all since 1983. Quicksilver looks just as he did in 1973. Xavier, Magneto, Beast, and Mystique were all born the 1930's and yet they look just as they did in the 1960's! After four movies they still can't get aging right. Is immortality a superpower common amongst all mutants? Am I really watching a series of Highlander films?

  But the rotten turkey award has got to go to Jessica Chastain as Vuk, the aliens' leader. Her delivery is so awkward and her dialogue is so Care Bears-esque that it's impossible to take her seriously.

  The scope of Dark Phoenix's production is a mixed bag. The Hans Zimmer score sounds excellent, but a lot of the film's other elements gives the impression of a relatively a low-effort affair. For example, the action is of notably smaller scale than in previous instalments. And even though this is a movie set in the 1990's hardly any attempt was made to make it look so. There isn't a single Nirvana song, which is pretty much obligatory for 1990's period piece films nowadays. If you walked into the theatre a few minutes late you could be forgiven for assuming that this takes place in the present day. And to cap it all off, we don't even get to see what the aliens truly look like. From beginning to end Vuk and all her minions look just like regular people! How lazy can you get?

  That's not to say I hated Dark Phoenix. There are some genuinely cool scenes, sympathetic characters, decent songs, and emotional moments on display. I'd say it's slightly better than 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse in that it has a more focused cast, is more emotionally commanding, and is less unintentionally funny. That being said its lesser scale, toned-down action, and silly villains keep this phoenix firmly mired in ashes.

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Movie Review -- John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

  Screw Avengers: Endgame. This is the movie I've been looking forward to seeing in 2019! John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is the latest instalment in what I consider to be the best new action franchise of this decade. The previous film in the series (reviewed February 2017) utterly blew me away and its ending gave this third film plenty to work with as far as story goes. So did Parabellum match the high calibre of its predecessors or has this series fired its last bullet? Let's take a look.

  Chapter 3 starts off right at the end of Chapter 2, with hitman John Wick on the run from countless assassins due to his actions in the previous film. With badguys coming at him from all sides John desperately tries to clear his name with the High Table. It's a plot that continues the world-building we saw in Chapter 2. We meet a few more important characters and we learn a lot more about how the whole secret-society-of-assassins works. For example, being a hitman apparently requires you to frequently mutilate yourself in front of your bosses. We also get some insight into John's origin as well as his real name.

  We're also presented with a load of action scenarios new to the series, such as a chase scene on horseback, a knife fight in the middle of a knife store/armoury, and (basically) ninjas. It's the good old over-the-top action we've come to love about this franchise, and while it doesn't go as far as slapstick territory the film definitely has a sense of humour at times as evidenced by the abundance of attacks to the crotch. The only thing I wasn't too keen on was how it was unclear whether killings in full view of the public were being noticed or not.

  Keanu Reeves returns as the title character and he's in as good a form as ever. However I did notice that the character of John Wick seems a little less sympathetic this time around. All the trouble that he's now in: he brought that upon himself and now he's dealing with the consequences. It's also unclear what his motivation is. In the previous films he was out for revenge or he was doing things that he was obligated to do, but in Parabellum it isn't all that convincing or clear of what it is that he's got to live for. Familiar characters have returned from the previous films – yes, even the dog with no name. Lawrence Fishburne is once again the Bowery King, hamming it up and loving every minute of it. Even Charon, the concierge, gets to kick some ass this time. There's also Halle Berry who plays one of Wick's old assassin buddies. Her acting is merely OK, but at least she's pretty good in the action scenes.

  And when it comes to John Wick movies that's what people go to see isn't it? Yes, the series trademark action makes its triumphant return with its spectacular choreography and breakneck speed thanks to returning director Chad Stahelski. The fight scenes and shootouts are exhilarating: close up and not too shaky, unlike the viewer who will be trying their best to not blink! The rest of the movie has that familiar, modern visual style the series is known for. Even visual elements such as lens flares – which I usually dislike – are used to heighten suspense. Parabellum's sound design also deserves a lot of credit. The thunderous gunshots, the explosive shattering of glass, and the enhanced punch/kick sounds all serve to make the action scenes that much more visceral and impactful.

  And that about sums up John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. It's an intensely fun experience that ups the ante in terms of action spectacle, and a worthy addition to this great franchise. If you didn't care much for the other John Wick films then this one probably won't win you over. But for everyone else, prepare to have your socks knocked off yet again.

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Movie Review -- Avengers: Endgame

  Hey, guys. Sorry this review is so late. I actually saw Avengers: Endgame a week and a half ago, but things have been busy lately and in order to avoid this review being delayed until June I'm going to try something a bit different. I'll start things off by giving my verdict right away: Avengers: Endgame is a good film roughly on par with its predecessor, Infinity War (reviewed last May). Go watch it. This review of Endgame will be more of a brief comparison between the two films. So let's get to it!

  In terms of story both films have their strengths and weaknesses. Infinity War's best story part was its ending partially because its bleak, punch to the gut approach was radically different to any ending yet seen in the MCU films. But that film's beginning was plodding and took a while to gather momentum. Endgame, on the other hand draws you in right away with its more interesting opening, showing us what a world suddenly missing half its population would be like. As the action gets rolling, it's clear that the stakes have never been higher for Marvel's superheroes; if the Avengers can't pull this off they won't get a second chance. This leads to a desperate tone which still allows for some fun and jokes (this is the MCU, after all). For example, as was the case in the last film there's a heart-rending scene involving the Soul Stone that really stands out. (It's also cool to see Red Skull again, even if again he isn't voiced by Hugo Weaving.) Endgame's middle act is similar to Infinity War's but since it draws the viewer in immediately Endgame doesn't feel as long as its marathon running time would suggest.

  A big difference between the two films is their cast of characters. The first film was an all-hands-on-deck affair, whereas this second film is more of an anyone-who's-left-tag-along-if-you-want situation. This obviously means that there are less characters to keep track of in Endgame and the film is better for it. Infinity War had plenty of heroes – Hulk, Vision, Groot, etc. – who were pretty much useless. Though there are still characters with diminished (sometimes non-speaking) roles, Endgame has more room to develop and show off its characters. It also helps that most of the guys who died at the end of Infinity War were people I didn't really care about anyways. And speaking of characters I don't care about, Captain Marvel thankfully has a very limited presence in Endgame. All she really does is act arrogant and talk about how important she is. In fact, she would make an alright villain...

  In terms of direction and production value, there's no surprises to be found in either film. They're shot and edited just the same as most other Marvel films.

  And that's about all I'll say about Avengers: Endgame. It's a fine ending to the story we first got in last year's Infinity War. Each film demands that you view the other as well, but if I had to pick one over the other I'd say that Endgame is the superior of the two thanks to its better pacing and more balanced cast.

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100 Film Reviews Special: Top 10 Best Movies I've Reviewed

Here we are. It's hard to believe that I've done one hundred movie reviews over the course of nine years. Casually reviewing movies has been a lot of fun and for those of you who have stuck around to read these things this is my thank you gesture: the top ten best films I've reviewed. (FYI: Each of these films' reviews can be found on this blog.)

10. Looper (2012)

Looper is a mostly forgotten sci-fi thriller movie that I think is criminally underrated. I wish I could go back in time and sing its praises even louder so that more people knew about it! If you've heard about Looper's plot then you'll probably just think it's Terminator set in the Midwest, but those who've seen it can tell you that it is so much more than that. It's a thought-provokingly original story that pits a hitman named Joe against his own future self. The tension comes from watching how far old Joe will go to fix his reality and how far young Joe will go to set things right in his own reality. Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's dual performance as Joe is a joy to watch and the action is tense. If you like smart sci-fi action films then you've got to give this one a try.

9. The Disaster Artist (2017)

Is seems strangely appropriate that a movie famous for being terrible would spawn a “making of” comedy-drama that is famous for being outstanding. The Disaster Artist got me hyped up like few other films have and it did not disappoint. If you've seen The Room (2003) – which I recommend before watching this – or read Greg Sestero's book The Disaster Artist then you'd know that the story of The Room's production would have to be put to film one day. A tale with this much weirdness and hilarity, but also heartbreak and inspiration, demands it. And it's a tale that's handily brought to life by a magnificent performance from James Franco as the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau. Watching this outcast chase his dreams makes for some great entertainment and a fine addition to the feel-good genre of films.

8. Baby Driver (2017)

If this was a top 10 list of the funnest movies I've ever reviewed, then Baby Driver could very well be #1 on such a list. Few other films I've reviewed have such high-energy direction, cool characters, gripping action and tension, and a unique use of music. While I've never agreed with the notion that a film's music is itself a character I would say that the way songs play in Baby Driver set the tempo and mood for almost every scene. It's a different way to experience a film and I hope more action movies take note of this.

7. Gravity (2013)

Perhaps the best-looking movie I've reviewed, Gravity is a beauty to behold. Through the masterful cinematography, the viewer experiences how isolated, cramped, and fatigued the astronaut characters are at various points. Suspension is also sustained through the film's tense score and the special effects are so well done that it's easy to forget that more than 85% of what you're seeing was made in a computer. While there's not too much going on story-wise Gravity still manages to be an enthralling film, borrowing themes found in other shipwreck/survival movies and adapting them to the most extreme of settings, the final frontier. It's a true wonder of a movie, one you can easily lose yourself in.

6. Logan (2017)

While it isn't a perfect movie, I do believe that Logan is one of the best superhero movies of this decade and certainly the best I've written a review for. In his last performance as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman gets one hell of a sendoff with a brutal, heart-wrenching movie that will be remembered by X-Men fans for years to come. Finally we get to see a hard R-rated film about everyone's favourite Canadian mutant which tells the story of the end of his life. It's a great story in which an indifferent and cynical Logan realizes that there is still hope for people like him and he finds value in fighting for the next generation. I know I'm going to be watching Logan many more times in my future, because it's a powerful film and its main character is the best there is at what he does.

5. Skyfall (2012)

In 2012, the 007 series was in dire need of a good movie. 2006's Casino Royale was brilliant but its follow up, Quantum of Solace, was a shoddy disappointment. It would be an excruciating four years until Bond fans got their next 007 flick and if this one turned out to be a stinker then the Daniel Craig era of Bond would be dead before it had ever truly lived. Thank goodness Skyfall ended up being an action tour de force that easily ranks as one of the best James Bond movies ever made. With its masterful characterization, fun action scenes, dazzling direction, comfortable acting, cool musical score, and dry British humour Skyfall is a film for all action fans. Though I still think Casino Royale was better than Skyfall, I will say that the latter film is the more accessible and perhaps more exciting of the two. Sam Mendes, mission accomplished.

4. Dunkirk (2017)

I've already spoken at length about how much I've enjoyed this film. I've written about the captivating cinematography, the pulse-pounding score, the dazzling stunt work and practical effects, the exciting action, and the uplifting ending. Dunkirk is an excellent addition to the war film genre as it depicts a battle not often seen in major films and it also brings focus to the fact that not all combatants in war are indomitable heroes, sometimes they're simply trying to survive unwinnable situations. In this regard I guess Dunkirk is roughly comparable to Thin Red Line, albeit less wordy and less boring. If that won't want to make you watch Dunkirk then I don't know what will.

3. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Gosh darn, 2017 was a good year for movies! With the deluge of lazy cash-in sequels and remakes that Hollywood churns out nowadays it is very refreshing to see a sequel that is worthwhile and does its predecessor justice as Blade Runner 2049 does, and I'll admit that I was worried when I heard news of this film being made. I should've realized that those fears were unfounded once it was revealed that Denis Villeneuve directed it and Hampton Fancher (co-writer of Blade Runner) co-wrote it. Not only is it a spectacular film to watch but it is about as faithful to the original as one could expect, right down to the compositions, score, and dialogue. Probably the biggest difference between the two films is the ending; the original left audiences with an ambiguous ending whereas the sequel concludes on a hopeful note. Overall, it easily ranks as the best film I saw on 2017.

2. Interstellar (2014)

I've already mentioned this movie several times on Arnold's Benediction, probably because it's so amazing that I can't stop thinking about it. To me Interstellar embodies all the wondrous things that movies can be about, showcasing how imaginative and creative movies can be while also showing some heart with a moving story. And of course it's all pulled off with the highest professionalism and quality we expect of a Christopher Nolan film: great acting, effects, cinematography, and music. In short, Interstellar is out of this world! Heh heh.

1. The Revenant (2015)

If you've ever read my Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen article (November 2016) you may be surprised that this film is ahead of Interstellar. I guess I've re-evaluated my opinion on the two films because I now find The Revenant the more interesting of the two. It is a movie that is violent and visceral, yet also hauntingly beautiful. Tom Hardy and Leonardo DiCaprio give some of the best performances of their careers and director Alejandro Iñárritu creates a mesmerizing tapestry of a film that includes numerous sustained shots and dazzling compositions. I'll admit that it's a challenging film that isn't for everybody but it is a rewarding one for those who pay close attention. Just let this film take you away to a different time and place. It'll make you want to not blink.

Movie Review -- Us

  Us. Yes, another movie with an incredibly short and non-descriptive title has been bequeathed unto the general public so that the good people can ask one another “which one is that?” whenever it is mentioned in conversation. So what is Us? Is it as good as the critics say it is? And is this really my 100^th movie review? Let's take a look.

  Written and directed by Jordan Peele, Us follows Adelaide Wilson, her husband, and her two children who vacation at their beach house in Santa Cruz where Adelaide once had a frightening experience as a child. Her fears come back to haunt her as the Wilsons are attacked by doppelgangers of themselves known as the Tethered. Think of it as The Purge meets a zombie apocalypse movie, and you've got a pretty clear idea of what Us is like. As far as home-invasion movies go, it's decent; it's only towards the end where Us starts to lose steam. Although some of the kills come a little too easily, the film has a good amount of tension and suspense, especially during its opening scene. It also has a commendable sense of humour, with quick little jokes poking fun at the situation the characters find themselves in, and yet these jokes avoid distracting or clashing with the scene's tone.

  However one moment that really didn't work was the pointless twist ending; not only does it add absolutely nothing to the story but it makes no sense whatsoever. Without spoiling too much, let's just say that this twist completely screws up some backstory.

  That's not the only plothole here; Us has loads of them! How did the Tethered know how to mimic their true counterparts? Are they psychic? What's up with their names? What is their goal? Why did some attack the Wilsons but not the others? There's also a Bible verse that's referenced several times throughout, but the film doesn't have the courtesy of actually letting the audience know what it is. It's something I had to look up myself and since doing so this verse's significance to Us is just as dubious as before. Perhaps Jordan Peele simply tried cramming too many ideas into one film.

  The acting is done rather well. Winston Duke gives a fun performance as the enthusiastic try-hard dad, Gabe. And of course Lupita Nyong'o is riveting in her dual role as Adelaide and her doppelganger, Red.

  All in all, Us is alright but it's not as glorious as the critics say it is. From the reviews I've glanced at it seems as if critics are projecting grander themes upon the film that aren't truly there (at least, not in any substantial or meaningful way). The only argument I got from Us is that we need to support the proliferation of firearms – seriously, there isn't a single gun in this whole movie! But no, Us is an adequately entertaining thriller with a good sense of humour, decent acting, and professional direction but also a script riddled with logical fallacies that would have benefited from another round of editing. I can see why it'd be easy to fall in love with it if you don't think too hard about it... but you know me by now. We've been over this one hundred times, you know.

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Movie Review Repost -- Avengers Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers: Endgame isn't far away and so I think this might be a good time to take a look at my old review of the second film in the Avengers series: Age of Ultron, which according to the film's story turned out to be more of a Weekend of Ultron. Anyways, I still think the film is fine, maybe not 4.5/5 fine, but fine nonetheless. You can tell that this review was written just before I came down with a serious case of franchise fatigue with the MCU. Anyways, enjoy!

  Avengers assemble! And I mean really assembled; Age of Ultron's cast is huge, recalling all of The Avengers' cast as well as the addition of some new characters and even the supporting casts of other film series like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. It made me realize, this is now a huge cinematic universe.

  “But not big enough for the two of us!” exclaims the film's main villain Ultron, an artificial intelligence inadvertently created by Tony Stark that uses robots to further his goal of eradicating all human life from Earth. What I particularly like about Age of Ultron is that we get to see more of how the Avengers characters interact. And it's not just a bunch of arguing like in the last film, they're actually hanging out and having fun. There's no Loki in this film, but we do get a look into Hawkeye's personal life, giving his character some sorely-needed insight. There's also a rather interesting romance, though it does make me scratch my head; I guess Betty Ross no longer exists in this universe? The new characters are pretty cool and they make the cinematic Avengers roster more closely resemble that of its familiar comic book counterpart. Just keep in mind that this Quicksilver is definitely not the same one from the X-Men universe.

  All actors do a fantastic job here, especially James Spader who voices Ultron. His performance gives the character an intelligent Frankenstein sort of quality to it with a bit of humour, of course.

While the first Avengers movie was full of great jokes and one-liners, this one goes for a somewhat more serious approach. Though it still has some great jokes – even a few adult jokes – Age of Ultron is less flashy and peppy than its predecessor. People are actually seen dying this time around.

But there were a few moments that left me dumbfounded. Like why did the Hulk just leave? If SHIELD is disbanded then where did that helicarrier come from? And no, I have no freakin' clue what the point was of that scene of Thor in the cave. (Also, the 3D was OK, but not necessary.)

  Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron is an excellent addition to the Marvel cinematic universe. While I still prefer the first one, this one was still a load of fun. And for those of you who wanted a large-scale superhero team film that feels less like a cartoon, this one may be for you.

Rating: four and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review -- Cold Pursuit

  Oh yeah, that's right: there was a Liam Neeson action movie this year about him killing people over problems with one of his children. Because we don't have enough of those, right? To be honest, I haven't seen any of the Taken films but I think I've got the gist of them: don't mess with Neeson's kids. Although Cold Pursuit isn't in that series, one can certainly be forgiven for believing it is after seeing this film's trailer. So does the latest entry in this particular set of genre films – films that have been produced over a very long career, films that are a nightmare for people who don't like action – have anything different to offer? Let's take a look.

  Cold Pursuit is centred around Nelson Coxman, a soft-spoken snowplow driver in a ski resort town in Colorado. After his son turns up dead from a suspiciously out-of-character drug overdose Nelson begins his vengeful campaign against local drug dealers. However this gets the attention of the guys at the top and things quickly spiral out of control. It reminds me a lot of Fargo, just swap out the kidnapping and ransom for good old-fashioned revenge. Not only does Cold Pursuit share that film's snow-covered rural setting but it also shares an interesting sense of dark humour. I like it; the black comedy is what keeps this film from being just another generic action movie. There's even hints of slapstick and self-aware humour as well. The only downside to this is that in the wake of the swift ending the viewer is left with a bunch of unanswered questions: was that one guy paragliding all night long?

  Cold Pursuit is populated by lots of relatable characters who seem normal at first, but each have their unusual quirks. Chief among the oddballs is the main villain Viking played by Tom Bateman. Bateman does a delightful job playing a psychopathic drug lord who's also an unusually uptight father. He steals whatever scene he's in. The other grand performance is of course Liam Neeson's as Nels Coxman. This character truly is an ordinary guy in every sense of the word; he's a small-town, middle-aged man who has no witty quips or noble speeches, is not a convincing liar, and is a stranger to brutal violence. Watching him go through his quest for vengeance and deal with its consequences – and oddities – makes for a fascinating trip.

  In terms of direction, Cold Pursuit is a good-looking movie with plenty of landscape shots, both beautiful and ominous. Editing is handled in a way that enhances the comedy, such as cutaways after certain characters deaths for example. (Revealing anything further would be spoiler territory.)

  In conclusion, I'd say that if you like Quentin Tarantino movies then you'll enjoy Cold Pursuit. It's got all the action-thriller fare of a usual Neeson-type flick but with some quirky gallows humour and sophisticated direction to elevate it into above-average territory.

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