Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

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With the recent passing of Gene Wilder, I wanted to talk about this movie, which is one from my childhood. Is this the most faithful adaptation? No. That said, this is still a great movie. As far as children's movies go, it's fairly dark once you get past the seemingly warm and bubbly surface. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory works as something of a twisted morality tale. Before I go on, just to be safe, I would like to issue a potential spoiler warning. I want to briefly address the fan theory that surfaced on the internet, not something I normally do. The theory goes that Wonka himself is a serial killer. One of the things I feel adds to this theory (something that actually works in the movie's favor) is the fact that once these kids give in to their personal vices, they disappear and are never seen in the movie again. Wilder's performance in the movie (he really was the standout to me amidst a sea of really good, if not a little bit corny at times, acting) helps. He gives Wonka a sort of childlike innocence. There is, however, something else to this Wonka as well. Wilder in the movie comes off someone who always seems as though he may or may not be hiding something, possibly a little bit more sinister than he's showing. There's a lot of other great things to be seen in the movie as well. The production design might seem a little dated by today's standards, but it still still looks pretty damned good. As I said already, the other actors are really good too. Peter Ostrum as Charlie is really good, especially for a child actor in his first movie. The makeup on the Oompa Loompas looks great. They feel as though they are from another world. For the most part, the songs are incredible classics (even though the song Cheer Up, Charlie doesn't do much for me personally). The singing is fairly hit-and-miss for me. Gene Wilder's singing deserves just as much praise as the rest of his performance. Jack Albertson, the actor who portrayed Grandpa Joe did give a solid performance, but seemed to struggle with keeping in tune. Overall, despite some fairly minor flaws, I still love this movie, as more than a nostalgia trip.

9 / 10   

The Angry Birds Movie

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Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) has lived his entire life with an anger management issue. He’s the most hated bird on his bird-inhabited island, and an incident puts him squarely in anger management class. One day, a ship full of a bunch of pigs (led by an obviously evil, but still entertaining Bill Hader) arrive. Red is the only one who sees that something is wrong, and attempts to do something about it. Angry Birds is much better than it has any right to be. The voice cast is pretty solid. For example, Jason Sudeikis sells Red’s dry sarcastic tone. Sean Penn creates a memorable and funny character despite only speaking in growls (not a word of dialogue, and you’d never know it was him). On that note, the writing for the characters is strong. Nowhere do I find that more obvious than in the character of the Mighty Eagle (voiced by the great Peter Dinklage). He’s a character that I think works because of a mix of writing and performance. The animation is top notch. It’s CGI, but manages to create a style that still looks and feels like old school Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry. It’s very fast-paced and energetic, which I don’t see too often anymore. The movie does manage to follow the game by showing the conflict between the birds and pigs. However, I do have to acknowledge that the story is fairly cliched as well. I don’t how often I’ve seen the story element of the obvious villain that fakes being nice, or the misunderstood hero, the list goes on. While I did think the movie was funny overall, there just weren’t as many points where I roared with laughter as I would have liked. Overall, I do recommend this movie as a solid one-and-done rental.

7 / 10  

Nerve

 

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Vee (played by Emma Roberts) is a high school senior who never takes risks. At her friend’s behest, she signs up for an online game called “Nerve”. The idea of the game is described as truth or dare, minus the truth. She meets a guy (Dave Franco), whom she ultimately teams up with. If this is a movie that sounds interesting to you, go in blind. Don’t watch the trailer because it gives a lot of the movie away. With the trailer warning out of the way, I have to admit that I actually really liked this movie. Emma Roberts and Dave Franco have solid chemistry and work off each other really well. Emma Roberts, in particular is good in the movie. She gives a likable and relatable protagonist that I was actually rooting for. The biggest surprise to me was the performance by rapper Machine Gun Kelly, who was actually really entertaining (and clearly channelling his inner Matthew Lillard). Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman give the movie a distinct, slick look with their direction, which could only work for this movie. Some of the shots that I felt worked the best were the first-person shots helping add a layer of tension to the movie. There are some legitimately well-crafted moments of tension throughout. This movie does require a lot of suspension of disbelief, and that actually works in Nerve’s favor, the occasional plot hole be damned. I don’t think this is a movie that will age terribly well. I say this because this movie is very much of its time. It’s a perfect time capsule for this generation. Despite having a couple of issues with the leaps in logic and movie’s not likely holding up in the next few years, I thought Nerve was a decently fun matinee movie.

7 / 10        

Horror of Dracula (1958)

 

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Horror of Dracula is that type of horror movie that they just don’t make anymore. This is one of the films that helped put Hammer Studios on the map, and from the very beginning, it isn’t hard to see why. They had been making movies since the 1930s However, most of their films from the late 1950s onwards are what people tend to remember the most. The production design of the count’s castle is gorgeous. It has a sort of style that could only work for this movie. Christopher Lee as Dracula manages to make a performance that feels very close to the Dracula of the original source material, while still making a unique stamp on the character that is very much his own. Meanwhile Peter Cushing portrays Abraham Van Helsing with some badass swagger and charisma. The music is big and bombastic, fitting of a horror film from the 1950s. On the note of the music, it, along with the direction and Christopher Lee’s fantastic performance make him look damned intimidating when he needs to. What’s interesting is that Lee himself is to this movie what Anthony Hopkins was to Silence of the Lambs. He’s not in the film very much, despite being the most memorable aspect. I will say that this movie is a very loose adaptation of the original novel. It does follow a lot of the original book’s story elements, but changes a lot of things here and there. Some examples include Johnathon Harker’s profession, his reason for being there, and his ultimate fate. Some things haven’t aged particularly well. For example, during many of the outdoors shots, it’s obvious that the filmmaking is taking place in a studio. The film’s being in color doesn’t help because the sky clearly looks painted. For the most part, however, I felt that the movie’s visual style was incredibly striking and unique. Something I noticed as the film progressed was that almost every character was interesting, even the ones that barely have a minute of screen time, which I don’t see happen very often. Overall, this movie never really scared me, and it takes a lot of liberties with a source material I greatly admire. However, it is still a fantastic film that’s worth watching, especially for a bygone era. 

9 / 10      

The Last Heist

 

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A group of bank robbers target a bank that is about to close down. They run into a problem when they realize that one of the people whom they’ve taken hostage is, in fact, a serial killer. From the very first moments, The Last Heist is plagued by terrible acting (the actor who plays the serial killer seems to be under the impression that all he has to do is look crazy), uninspired direction (lazy slow-mo that I’ve seen a hundred times before is interjected into the movie within the first five minutes), and horrendous writing that offers absolutely no likable characters (even the semi-likable characters don’t muster the ability from me to even remotely give a shit). None of the actors in the movie are able to work off each other believably. Now, these bank robbers are the biggest fucking idiots in the world. They take their masks off. They use their actual names. The most disappointing thing about this movie is that, once gain, I see a lot of wasted potential. As the movie goes on, the plot-holes and leaps in logic just get bigger and bigger. The action sequences are so shoddily filmed that I can’t tell what’s going on half the time (to a point I actually wanted shaky cam) I like the idea of a battle between a serial killer and a group of robbers, especially with the contained setting of a bank. The problem is, The Last Heist is inept in every single way, and can’t even do anything with an interesting premise and setting. Ultimately, this movie is cheap, ugly, and stupid (not even a fun kind of stupid) My advice would be to avoid this one should you come across it on Netflix.  

0 / 10 

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

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A family headed for California breaks down in the middle of the desert, near an old nuclear test site. From there, they are attacked by a family (or “pack” as they are referred to in the movie) of mutant cannibals. Afterwards, the movie turns into a sort of “family vs. family” story, mixed with the level of intensity and gore that Wes Craven was usually known to bring, and this is one of the early movies from the late horror master. One of the things I love is that pretty much from the beginning, you get a feeling for the movie’s setting. The desert feels big and empty. The family feels genuine, and, for the most part, they are pretty likable. Craven understands how to let the atmosphere sink in. The movie starts out with showing the aftermath of some of the gorier moments, but showing very little of the titular antagonists. This works because that makes it meaningful when the villains are finally shown in full force. That’s how I know things have just spiraled out of control. The teenage daughter of the mutant family, named Ruby, is the most well-realized character in the movie. There’s this understanding that they set up for the audience. She can be sympathized with. She wants to see the real world, and has grown sick of her family’s actions. Actress Janus Blythe, who plays Ruby, does a damn good job showing that. The cannibals give off the feeling that they are not screwing around. They are committing these heinous acts simply because that’s how they have survived in the desert. There’s a sense of dread present, as you aren’t really sure if the main family that you grow attached to is going to survive the ordeal. The Hills Have Eyes is an exercise in tense brutality in the wake of a potential nuclear fallout, and uses all of its elements to near-perfection. 

10 / 10 

The Invitation

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 The Invitation is about a man, who along with his girlfriend attends a party hosted by his estranged ex-wife. The two lost their son, and she had grown depressed, going so far as to attempt suicide. As the night goes on, the man grows more and more suspicious that there may have been an ulterior motive behind this dinner party. I’m not sure why, but from the second the movie began, I never really bought the acting. I feel like this is one of those movies that I just didn’t like, and I can’t entirely put my finger on why I didn’t. The setting is intimate, perfect for a horror-thriller like this one. The house was a normal house, which I liked, making it feel a bit more real. Outside of the main character and his ex-wife, I feel that the character development was either thin or non-existent (with the exception of the character of Pruitt, played by John Carroll Lynch, who I felt had some development and was the best-acted out of all the characters). Lynch manages to make the fact that his character’s a bit off work. But you also kind of understand his reasoning for his involvement in everything. If anything, I would say that this movie ultimately reminds me a lot of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. It’s a movie that didn’t really have much of anything visibly wrong with it, and for all intents and purposes, I should have been able to like. Also, like Henry, I think the script just wasn’t very engaging, for the first two acts anyways. The third act has the shit hit the fan and transition from something sort of dull into a tense, violent slasher flick. Sadly, a solid third act and some decent character development amid a whole lotta meh just isn’t enough to save The Invitation.

5 / 10  

Captain Fantastic

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 A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his wife have spent the last several years raising their six children in the wilderness, away from civilization. His wife dies suddenly after months in the hospital. Her father (Frank Langella) forbids him from attending the funeral. He ultimately laments in order to appease his kids’ wishes. On their journey, the family learns of life in a world they know little to nothing about. Personally, I would like to start with the negatives, because they were very few for me. The slow pace of the movie isn’t bad, but it did drag for me at times. Now, on to the positives. The kids in this movie are great. This may be some of the best child acting I’ve ever seen. Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Zahn are also great in their brief appearances. But, the standout is Viggo Mortensen himself. Here, he gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a father who genuinely cares for his children. I believed the family bond this man had with his children.  You understand that even when he makes the wrong decisions, he always believes that what he is doing is best for his kids. The cinematography is gorgeous. The shots in the wilderness and the long shots when they are traveling on the road are great. None of the characters feel like stereotypes. They feel real. Most of the cliches you would expect this movie to take are either sidestepped or just never pushed into the movie’s forefront.  This is one of those movies I really have to recommend, simply because of how good it is.    

9 / 10 

Moonwalkers

 

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Moonwalkers is a movie that takes place in a world where the conspiracy theory of Stanley Kubrick faking the moon landing is actually what happened, or at least, in a way. Now, I will say this is a bit of a bizarre movie, and definitely isn’t for everybody. If any of what I described sounds interesting, it’s currently available on Netflix. Check it out and see what you think. I personally enjoyed this movie a good deal. Although, it takes place in the late 1960s, which honestly makes the head trip feeling work in the movie’s favor. I have to compliment lead actors Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint. Perlman is solid (and perfectly cast) as the gruff, no-nonsense CIA agent who has been tasked finding Kubrick, and trying to bring him in. Grint, in particular really shines as the movie’s standout in his role as a loser band manager who gets roped into the insanity, most of which is his own fault. I will say the mishap that gets him involved in the mess is cliched, something I have seen a thousand times before. I’ve also seen the story of a guy getting in over his head a thousand times. No, parts of the story don’t work as well as they should. Fortunately, the performers are able to rise above the familiarity of the story. I will say I did think the movie was funny, albeit never really gut-busting funny, for the most part. The climax to the film is easily one of the funniest I have ever seen. This has some of the most effective use of slow-mo I’ve seen since Dredd. For example, there’s a fight scene that uses said slow-mo for comedic effect, and it really works. Other times, it’s used for some of the movie’s more surreal moments. The final result is a fun, if somewhat flawed 60s-era head trip that worth watching at least once.

7 / 10       

Standoff

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Standoff is about a young girl (a wooden Ella Ballentine) who witnesses the slaughter of a hitman (Laurence Fishburne, delivering a menacing and frightening performance). The girl flees to a nearby farmhouse. She finds protection from the home’s owner, a war veteran (Thomas Jane in a layered performance). This movie has a lot going for it. The setting is small and confined largely to the house, which looks pretty good. Laurence Fishburne and Thomas Jane give good performances, and, due to their performances and talents, I found some entertainment in their battle of wills. The music is alright. There’s sort of an 80s feel to it. The writing and story aren’t especially strong, and the pacing just doesn’t feel right to me. A bulk of this movie grinds to a slow, plodding pace. I think the idea was to build some tension, but it just comes off as kind of boring most of the time. The majority of the dialogue comes between Jane and the young girl, who seems to just struggle with her lines The story is fairly predictable, and cliched. You can figure every character’s beat pretty much from the get-go. This movie’s meant to be a slow burn-style thriller. Unfortunately, the monotonous pacing really don’t make the build meaningful, and some of the more violent moments that come later just didn’t feel natural to me. The final result sadly isn’t worth the watch. It’s slow, boring, and just kind of comes off as nothing more than wasted potential. 

5 / 10 

Darling

 

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If I had to describe Darling in one word, I would say haunting. From the very beginning it is clear this movie is influenced by old school genre classics such as The Shining and The Haunting. The movie centers on a young woman who agrees to watch over an old mansion with a dark past, by herself. One of the first things I have to appreciate with this movie is that it is shot almost entirely in black and white, giving it a sort of vintage look and feel. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the music is atmospheric. Right from the beginning, you know that something is off. Lead actress Lauren Ashley Carter is the movie’s ultimate anchor. Her gradual slip into madness is believable and tense, so much so, that at first it’s hard to tell if the house is toying with her, or if she has always been crazy, or even if it’s a little bit of both. She manages to give a performance that is equal parts insane, vulnerable, nuanced, and mysterious. Sometimes she’s even able to do this all at once. Interestingly, none of the characters in the movie have actual names.They are credited simply as Darling, Madame, or even, the man. As much as I really did enjoy Darling, I will admit that it isn’t the most original movie in the world, borrowing heavily from many films that came before it. However, there are so many good elements to this movie that I can easily look past that. Something that I liked was that even though they explained that the house has ghost stories surrounding it, and is supposedly haunted, whether or not it actually is haunted is never explained. Darling is ultimately an excellent psychological horror film that gets all of its elements almost to a tee.  

9 / 10 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

 

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is the sequel to the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. In this movie, the turtles have to deal with the Shredder’s escape from prison, the inter-dimensional being known as Krang (voiced to perfection by Brad Garrett), Baxter Stockman (a completely miscast Tyler Perry), a mutagen that could turn them human, and Bebop and Rocksteady. What I just described is all set up in the first 20 minutes, showing that what’s to come is likely going to be a bit of a mess. Weirdly enough, this is the same sort of problem that some of the other superhero movies of the year have fallen into (especially the previously reviewed Suicide Squad, also a bit of an enjoyable mess) Admittedly, it is. However, this movie rides on being enjoyable guilty pleasure popcorn fun, at least for me. I think whether or not this is actually a “good” movie is debatable. I want to compliment the actors who play the turtles through voice and motion capture. These four actors bring a believability to the idea of being brothers. Though my favorite turtle is usually Raphael, I really think this movie is a Mikey showcase. He’s got some of the best lines in the movie. I do have to admit that the writing is the best, which shows even more the talents of Noel Fisher. Like the first movie, Megan Fox is fine in the role (perhaps the highest compliment I could ever give her acting “talents.”) As I already said, Tyler Perry is miscast as Baxter Stockman, but enjoyably so. What I mean by that is, it’s in the same way that Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones were miscast in Batman Forever. The movie’s visual effects are generally hit-and-miss. I think the turtles look good, but I didn’t think Bebop and Rocksteady looked all that great. The fight between Casey and the foot ninjas was pretty cool and well choreographed. The best way I can describe the final result isn’t good, so much as a lot of stupid fun.

6 / 10 

The Bad Seed (1956)

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The Bad Seed is about what happens after the death of a young child who was believed to have been murdered. Afterwards, the mother begins to wonder whether the young girl may have murdered the boy. The music in the opening sequence is fantastic, and perfectly sets the mood for the story to come. There’s a mix of darkness and innocence, and immediately puts you at unease. As the film unfolds you learn more about the little girl, named Rhoda. Actress Patty McCorack is the film’s standout performer. She does a great job at appearing sweet and innocent, but having a cold heart, clearly feeling nothing towards the events that continue to transpire as the movie goes on. It can be difficult for child actors to deliver a performance of such a caliber, and Ms. McCormack absolutely does so here. The movie has clever use of foreshadowing throughout, often setting up plot points throughout that will come to light later, as the movie goes on. The cinematography is gorgeous, and I love the use of shadows in certain scenes. The movie has a slow pace that occasionally bogs the movie down a touch. For the most part, however, this works in the film’s favor. The horror to The Bad Seed is very psychological, often exploring whether evil is hereditary, fostered by environment, or possibly a little bit of both. One of the things this movie has that I love is actual characters that feel real. The mother of the dead boy appears in a scene, drunk. This is what I would expect from a woman who just lost her only child. The evil little girl’s mother naturally grows more and more suspicious. Again, this feels like a genuine reaction. The settings to the movie are limited, and fairly contained, with some possibility of inspiring other thrillers such as Psycho or, more recently, Buried. There’s also a sense of subtlety by showing the reactions to deaths in the movie, as opposed to the deaths themselves. Everything seems to blend together to make a good horror-thriller that’s enjoyable for a watch. 

8 / 10   

Suicide Squad

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Suicide Squad is the third film in DC’s Extended Universe. Overall, these movies have been very divisive. While I didn’t hate Man of Steel or Batman v Superman, neither of them really wowed me. They both felt a bit dour. Suicide Squad, on the other hand was a blast. That’s not to say it was perfect. It definitely had its flaws. Let’s start there. The character development was pretty thin. Deadshot and Harley Quinn both had complete arcs. The other characters in the movie were mostly likable due to the actors and their talents coming through naturally while portraying them. Props should really go to Jay Hernandez as El Diablo, as I really felt his pain. The plot does feel a bit choppy. I never really felt a clear motivation for the main villain. I feel like there’s a lot that ended up on the cutting room floor, and it makes me wonder what the relationship was between director David Ayer and Warner Bros. Let’s just say I’m curious to see if this one’s gonna get a director’s cut too. I didn't hate the music by any means (I think it's one of the best soundtracks I've heard since Guardians of the Galaxy), but I do feel like the constant music changes were a bit jarring. Slipknot was a useless character whose fate EVERYONE got right. Katana is an interesting character already, and I wish she wasn’t so underused. Speaking of underused characters (and things that I suspect got cut), nowhere is this more evident than in the appearance of The Joker. This is a version of the character I feel is going to divide a lot of people. I didn't really mind it because it was something different, though I can understand why other people don't like it. So, the question is: What did I like in the movie? Well, David Ayer is a good director when it comes to action, and this movie is no exception, even if it does feel a bit muddled at times. The cast is fantastic. Will Smith does even better at Deadshot than I could have imagined. Jai Courtney actually gives a performance that I thought was genuinely good. Joel Kinaman, another actor who’s never really wowed me also does a solid job as the stoic Rick Flag. Viola Davis was perfectly cast as Amanda Waller. But, in my opinion, the best character in the movie was Harley Quinn. Margot Robbie has the mannerisms down and even nails some of Harley's punchlines. While Suicide Squad occasionally stumbles, it never really falls. 

8 / 10 

Jason Bourne

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 So, The Bourne Legacy didn’t really thrill that many people. But, with Jason Bourne, Matt Damon, Julia Stiles and Paul Greengrass are all back in their capacities, and the story picks where The Bourne Ultimatum left off. Now, I was really excited for this movie, pretty much from the word go. Overall, I did like the movie, but it’s definitely got some rough patches here and there. Julia Stiles felt a bit underused to me. While it isn’t necessarily a flaw, and without delving too much into spoilers there was a character I like that they killed off early on, and I wish that character would have stuck around a little longer. There’s a subplot in the movie involving a social media guru and the website he’s trying to build. Needless to say, I didn’t like it. The first time it came up, it was a little bit jarring, and it felt like I just switched over to a completely different movie altogether. The attempts to tie it into the main story felt really forced. The movie does utilize shaky cam during its action sequences. However, Paul Greengrass is one of the few directors who knows how to use the technique well. The performances all work. Matt Damon practically owns the role of Jason Bourne at this point. Tommy Lee Jones plays the Director of the CIA, and delivers a cold, calculated performance that works in the movie’s favor. The same goes for Vincent Cassell as the Asset, another person in the Treadstone program, who holds a grudge against Bourne. The villains in the movie have a personal connection with our hero, something common for a good villain. I’m curious to see if they have plans to take this franchise any further. They ended it in a way that I wouldn’t mind if this was the end of the series, but I also wouldn’t mind if they told another story in this world. Yes, the rough spots in the writing were noticeable, but the rest is good enough that they can easily be overlooked. 

7 / 10  

Batman: The Killing Joke

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 The first real reviews I got of this movie were that it was a bit of a mixed bag and that it was a great movie. So, I went into this movie a little cautious, more-so than I usually do with a movie in the DC Animated Universe. Overall, I actually did like the movie. It’s not perfect by any means. First off, let’s start with negatives. The two halves are very disjointed, and feel like two separate movies. Neither half is necessarily bad, but I do believe that the second half is superior. The first half of the movie does some things with Batgirl as a character that just didn’t work, which I can’t really go into without giving spoilers. I do respect them trying to flesh her out a little more because The Killing Joke movie doesn’t have benefit of years of comic backstory that the graphic novel did. I am aware the original story gave the Joker an origin through flashbacks. Honestly, I prefer the Joker with a bit more mystery. It just makes him more terrifying. There’s also a bizarre musical number near the end of the movie involving the Joker. The reason I don’t hate this is because it absolutely fits in with the Joker’s character. Alright, let’s move on to the positives. The animation is up to the usual quality of the DC Animated Universe movies. The voice cast led by Kevin Conroy, Tara Strong, and Mark Hamill are all excellent with their performances. The returns of both Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batman and the Joker respectively was one of the first things that honestly got me excited. Then, they gave the movie its anticipated R rating. In the end, while a good movie, The Killing Joke just couldn’t live up to the hype. My final recommendation would be to watch it at least once, but with a little caution. 

7 / 10   

Sharknado: The 4th Awakens

 

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Well, here’s a series I never in a million years would’ve said was going to reach four movies, but here we are. Part four delves completely into the realm of science fiction, and has completely jumped the shark (no pun intended). The strange thing is: this franchise has only gotten more entertaining the longer it has gone on. The effects are as bad as you expect, as is the acting. At this point, you know exactly what you’re going to get from a movie like Sharknado: The 4th Awakens. Like the first three movies in the Sharknado franchise, this movie falls squarely into the category of being so-bad-it’s-entertaining. I can’t really say that the actors in the movie are good, but they do give entertaining performances (especially David Hasselhoff and Gary Busey). In my opinion, the cameos in this movie are some of the best, the series has ever seen. For example, you get appearances from Andre the Black Nerd, Gilbert Gottfried, Dog the Bounty Hunter, and Carrot Top. It’s about as well-directed as your typical Syfy original movie produced by the Asylum  The movie has in-movie references to Star Wars (aside from the reference in the movie’s title). Aside from Star Wars, you also get references to Star Trek, Titanic, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There’s even a car named Christine in the movie (and it looks very familiar). I do have to question this movie’s decision to turn Tara Reid of all people, into a superhero, no matter what kind of god-awful editing they can use. Pretty much, if you enjoyed the other three movies, you’ll enjoy this one. If you hated the other movies, why would you even consider watching it? Since I enjoy this as a guilty pleasure series, I absolutely had a blast with the stupidity. 

6 / 10       

  

Sing Street

 

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Sing Street is about a kid living in Dublin, Ireland who wants to impress a girl he thinks is pretty. He unintentionally tells her that he’s in a band, and asks her if she wants to be in a video. He and some friends then form a band, and things kind of take off from there. There’s not really anybody huge in this movie (which is kind of refreshing). I think Littlefinger from Game of Thrones is the most recognizable actor in the movie. The characters all feel real. They have good moments and are generally pretty likable, but they also have their flaws and imperfections too. You easily understand the chinks in the armor. A lot of this has to do with the fact that we all kind of face a lot the issues the characters in the movie face. For example, the main character Conor deals with being the child his parents practically put on a pedestal. Teenagers often face having to deal with being viewed as the perfect child, and they often feel strained because they have something to live up to. He’s part of a poor family. His parents spend almost every waking moment fighting. Jack Reynor is incredible as Conor’s older brother, a pothead who is also a college dropout, whom Conor idolizes, despite the two showing their differences. This movie proves that Mr. Reynor should stay away from Michael Bay movies from here on out. Lucy Boynton is the standout here, to me, though.She plays Raphina, the girl who incites the creation of the band Sing Street. Ms. Boynton delivers what I believe to be the movie’s most layered (and best) performance. She’s funny, and there’s a potential darkness to the character that’s hinted at every now and then. The girl has her hopes, but she also has her insecurities. The movie’s soundtrack should also be commended too. It’s incredible, almost being a character in and of itself. Some people may be turned off by the movie’s slower pace, but I didn’t mind it. The movie is directed by John Carney. After seeing his work on this movie, I’m curious to go back and see some of his earlier work because I loved what he did here. This is one of those movies that I had no problems with, whatsoever. 

10 / 10