Jason Bourne

Image Source

 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

Image Source

 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

 

Image Source

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

 

Image Source

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  

  

Ghostbusters

Image Source

So, the Ghostbusters reboot has been thrown into some controversy. There’s that whole thing about “if you hate this movie you’re sexist” bullshit which is just plain stupid. There were also the prejudgment of the movie sucking based it starring women, which is also stupid. As far as the trailer goes, I didn’t hate it, but I was a little skeptical. I do understand people thinking the movie would suck because they thought the trailer was bad. Ultimately my final say on the controversy is this: If you like the movie, great. If you hate it, great. Neither side’s right or wrong. It’s just a difference of opinion. The final result of the movie kind of mirrored my thoughts on the trailer. I thought it was funny, but it could’ve been funnier. So, yes I did like this movie. Is it as good as it could’ve been? No. Is it as bad it could’ve been? No. Does it even compare to the original Ghostbusters? Hell no. It’s kind of stuck somewhere in the middle. It is a good movie. It doesn’t really have any huge belly laughs, but it does have chuckles throughout. Let’s start with what I actually did like in the movie. The cast is pretty damned spot on. Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon all have strong chemistry together. There’s a few cameos littered throughout that are pretty entertaining (especially Ozzy). The designs of the ghosts look really damn good too. My favorite part of the movie was easily Chris Hemsworth. He was the one who made me laugh the most, playing the Ghostbusters unqualified, incompetent receptionist. On the more negative side, I will say that the villain is just ok. Not the greatest villain I’ve ever seen, and not the worst either. Some of the scares work alright and Paul Feig does actually do an ok job building suspense in certain areas. The movie can reach some slow points at times, but I never really found it all that boring. The question is: Will this movie stand up alongside Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Spy as being one Paul Feig’s best movies? No. It’s a decent afternoon matinee type of movie, at the most. I’d personally recommend just waiting for video, as I don’t think you NEED to gout and see the movie right now by any stretch of the imagination.

7 / 10   

Independence Day: Resurgence

Image Source

 Independence Day: Resurgence is another one of those long-awaited, long-rumored sequels that has finally seen the light of day this year. Honestly, much like the first film this movie is incredibly stupid, with situations that involve questionable logic, and your enjoyment of the movie may or may not hold weight in that statement. Unlike the first film for me, however, this movie never really amounts past guilty pleasure status. Brent Spiner, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, and Judd Hirsch all return. Major newcomers include Maika Monroe, Liam Hemsworth, Jesse Usher, and William Fichtner. One of the major issues I had with this movie was the fact that the character development was paper-thin. Part of this problem could lie in the possibility that there might be too many characters, making it feel overstuffed. The elements of humor are certainly not going to work for everybody. It kind of worked for me, but I don’t know if that’s saying all that much. One of the more disappointing aspects was that certain characters were killed off, and I just couldn’t bring myself to care, especially when there are characters who are supposed to feel for these particular characters. Jesse Usher plays the stepson of Will Smith’s character from the first movie in this one. Sadly, the newcomer lacks the screen presence and charisma that Will Smith has in abundance, and his presence was sorely missed here. Fortunately, William Fichtner and Maika Monroe are very welcome new additions for me. More than anything, if I had to compare this movie to anything, it would be McDonald’s. It’s tasty enough if you don’t think too hard about what it is. The overall enjoyment you get out of this will come from your overall taste, and your attitude towards fun, cheesy guilty pleasure movies. 

6 / 10       

Independence Day (1996)

Image Source

For this Fourth of July, I want to talk about one of my all-time favorite movies. Independence Day is known for being that one Roland Emmerich movie that most people can agree on. It's been twenty years since this movie hit theaters, and was one of the action movies I remember growing up with. Is it a little stupid? Yes. Is it cheesy at times? Yes. This is still a fun sci-fi action movie that, for the most part, holds up. The cast is entertaining. The movie is quotable as hell. I'll admit, having watched again within the last few days, the effects look a lot more hit and miss now. The CG doesn't hold up so well, but the practical effects absolutely still do. The characters feel real. They have their stakes in this invasion. Will Smith's Steven Hiller is trying to return to his girlfriend and her son. Bill Pullman's president wants to keep the people safe (including his family). Randy Quaid's Russell Case is a drunk dealing with an alien probing he may or may not have actually endured. Everyone has their share of big, stupid, fun movies that they enjoy. This is one of mine. I love this movie because of the characters. I love this movie because of the action sequences. I love this movie because of the leaps in logic that are taken here and there. I love the ultimate "America! Fuck Yeah!" speech that Bill Pullman gives near the end of the movie. What else can I say but: "This day, we celebrate our Independence Day!"

10 / 10