OFF WEEK - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

I posted about this movie in my most-anticipated list from the beginning of the year, but I had to post this newest trailer. This is absolutely going to be the movie from this series that I've always wanted to see. I'm super excited about this one. I think there's a lot of social issues being dealt with in the background of this movie, too, a second, deeper level. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx
Directed by: Marc Webb
Rating: I Liked It

I don't know if this is a fair assessment of the movie or not if I'm being honest. I kind of feel like I've been jaded in the way of movies for this year, because I've already seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I'm afraid I'm going to compare the rest of the year's releases to it, and that's a high mark to hit. So, keep that disclaimer in mind as you read onward. 

First, I should say that I liked the first of this series really well. I don't have the same problem of extreme hatred that many do for the original Toby McGuire trilogy, but I feel like The Amazing Spider-Man definitely improved on things in a lot of ways. I don't necessarily think that this film was a step backward, but it didn't really feel like a step forward either. 

One of my favorite things about Spider-Man are the cheesy jokes and one-liners. However, in this go around, I felt like things were a little too far in the way of the funny. Spidey's lines were still OK, but some of the lines that Electro (Foxx) delivered were just too corny for even a Spider-Man film. I don't know if that was because of Foxx's delivery or if it was just not the best writing, but a lot of it felt forced and cheesy. For that matter, Foxx's performance overall as Electro was just mediocre to me. He's a great talent, but this was not his role. 

It may just be that he's too cool to the play the loser turned super villain, and one of the most important aspects of a successful movie in my eye is the casting. Marvel and Disney have done a great job with that concept in building the MCU, but I don't know that Sony is having the same success. The only casting that was outstanding in any way was that of Garfield in the title role. He makes a good Peter Parker/Spider-Man. While Sally Field does a decent job as Aunt May, the rest of the cast is lackluster in their roles. Also, as much as I like Paul Giamatti...not as the Rhino. No one performs badly, but they're just not perfect for the part whereas so many other comic book films are nailing the casting, making for completely unforgettable characters. 

To step away from the cast, the plot of the movie was pretty good, the timing and script, not so much. Parts of the movie that should've been longer weren't, and parts that should've been shorter felt excessive. Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan) and Peter's friendship grew too fast with little to no interaction or development at all. They spent three short scenes on screen together before Harry started claiming that Peter betrayed him. The Gwen Stacy side of the story was good but felt a little underdeveloped. There was just too much going on behind the main story.

Two stories, especially when one is hidden, as in Winter Soldier, can compliment one another. Three or four stories in one movie, or just too much attempted character development in the background can distract from the main focus, and that's what I felt like happened here. It's possible that the production team was just expecting audiences to fill in a lot of gaps with what they know from the previous movies and comics, but if you do that, you're crossing source material.

Since I'm already way over my self-set 500 word limit, I might as well mention a few things I did like. I enjoyed the first-person views of Spider-Man's swinging through the city. I love the back story we get with his parents, because it doesn't impede the front-and-center story, only adding depth to it. I like that the Rhino is a mech suit, even though it doesn't look all that great. Well, that's about it. 

**SPOILER ALERT**

The last fight scene of the movie did help the film recover somewhat, but it wasn't enough to drag it out of the trenches in my opinion. Really, it wasn't even the fight scene that did it. I was drawn in mostly by the suspense of finding out if the film stayed true to the original, comic-book fate of Stacy. It did, and I think that's really, really important in the development of Spider-Man's development as a hero. Again, the whole scene wasn't enough to salvage everything. 

If you have some extra time and really want to see a movie in the theaters, this wouldn't be a bad choice. You might even like it a lot better if you haven't seen the magnificence that is the newest Captain America film. If you're going to the movies specifically to see this expecting something amazing, you might be disappointed. Sony is really going to have to step up their game in the story and script departments to catch up with the other companies making similar films. 

OFF WEEK - As Above, So Below

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

The found-footage/first-person horror genre has become just that, a genre of its own. It's here to stay for sure it seems. There's a long list of this style of film that started way back in 1999 with The Blair Witch Project. Since then, hundreds of this type of film have been released. Some of them have been big productions, but a lot of them, because of the nature of the filming process being cheaper than other alternatives, have been low-budget works. Personally, I like my fair share of them, but like many things, too much of a good thing...

This movie looks to try this concept in a new setting. Taking us to the catacombs underneath the streets of Paris, As Above, So Below has a team in search of a mysterious artifact in the burial place of hundreds of souls. What could possibly go wrong with that? I'm sure we'll find out. As cheesy as a lot of these movies are, I still enjoy watching them for the chance of a decent scare here and there. 

OFF WEEK - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to note nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

This movie was in my most anticipated movie list from the first of the year, but I honestly didn't know a lot about it at the time. There were lots of rumors and some production pictures, but overall, there wasn't a lot of confirmed information. One of the big things people were upset about was the turtle origin story. 

Producer Michael Bay had suggested that the turtles were going to be aliens. While the ooze that created the turtles has been alien in origin in a couple of incarnations, the turtles themselves have always been from Earth. This had people all worked up, and I wasn't too happy about it. I had also seen some production pictures that had the actors in green-screen suits with HUGE shells on their backs. This was a little unnerving, too. Now that the trailer is out and available, I'm pretty happy with the end result of the look of the turtles. 

I'm still really excited for this movie regardless of any specific detail I might not be on board with 100%. I'm happy to get a TMNT movie, and it's awesome to see that these characters that I grew up with still capture the imagination of kids today. While this movie won't be perfect - I don't know that anyone could make a perfect TMNT at this point with the level of expectation we all have - it is a TMNT movie coming to the big screen. Let's just be happy about that.

OFF WEEK - Lucy

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

As I was sitting in the theater preparing for Winter Soldier, I saw this trailer. My mind immediately jumped to the 2011 Bradley Cooper vehicle, Limitless. I've never seen it, but I remember the trailers, and I've seen a few bits and pieces here and there. This seems to be along the same kind of theme, except this one has a really attractive female lead to change things up. Plus, it has Morgan Freeman. 

I'm pretty sure that this is going to be an interesting movie. I'm definitely going to watch it, because I want to know what really gives her these Scarlet Witch-like powers. In the preview, Lucy (Scarlet Johansson) appears to be bending time, space, and reality. We even get some scenes that appear to have the same code-view that Neo developed in The Matrix. I'm really excited to see where this goes. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders
Directed by: Anthony & Joe Russo
Rating: An Adam Favorite

When I saw Iron Man 3, the first movie in Marvel's phase two, I knew we were in for some big things. After seeing Thor: The Dark World, I was still impressed, but decided that maybe I shouldn't expect the movies to keep getting better and better. After seeing Winter Soldier, I can't imagine what could be better. I'm still excited to see what Marvel does with Guardians of the Galaxy, but this latest Captain America installment has set the bar pretty high.

Everything about this movie fell right into place. The twist of finding out who the Winter Soldier really is, even for people who already knew, was amazing to watch. The underlying story that surrounded SHIELD was just strong enough to be interesting, but it didn't overshadow the main plot. All of the casting was terrific as usual. There was humor, amazing action sequences, a rousing speech by Cap, inclusion of Black Widow who got more well-deserved screen time...just wow. It was just all great.

There were a couple of scenes in particular that really made this a home run. Being a SHIELD movie, we got to see a lot of action from SHIELD operatives. Black Widow was one I mentioned already, but we also got to see some more action from Nick Fury. Jackson was great as the character as usual. The car chase scene he's involved in is great. It's something completely different than what you usually expect in a chase sequence. Smulders also got a cool scene or two as Maria Hill.

The introduction of new characters was good, too. I'm interested to see what, if anything, is done with the new potential villain introduced in the film. Falcon was great, especially the way they made his "powers" a little more realistic than in the comics. I'm sure we'll be seeing the Winter Soldier again at some point in the future. Even the name drops that happened in the film got me excited for what's to come, especially the mention of Stephen Strange.

If you do go see the movie in theaters, be sure to stay for the mid-credits and after-credits scenes. The mid-credit one is the big reveal of something to come, but the after-credit scene is something cool, too. It's really hard to talk about the movie much more than I have without getting into any spoilers, and really, I'm just going on about how much I enjoyed it anyway. It's by far my favorite Marvel movie so far, possibly next to The Avengers, maybe even better than that. GO SEE IT! I might see it again.

Muppets Most Wanted

Starring: Rickey Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, The Muppets
Directed by: James Bobin
Rating: It Was OK

I was pretty happy with The Muppets, and I have been a fan of the character group for years. This time around, though, maybe because I'm older or maybe because the characters have changed, I didn't feel they captured the same magic they once did.

The Muppets were always a good mix of comedy that appealed to both kids and adults. I can still watch the older Muppet films and enjoy things I didn't notice or didn't understand as a kid. With this newest film, it seemed like there was less of that. The Muppets seemed sillier to me for lack of a better term, a little more ridiculous than in the past. It's almost as if Disney has turned this newest film into another way to sell hundreds of movie themed toys, a merchandise machine.

The plot of the movie was OK. I kind of felt like it was a little to similar to The Great Muppet Caper, but it was different enough to stand on its own. I did like the switching of Kermit for his evil counterpart, Constantine. It's also fun to watch the others come to the realization of the switch.

I'm not a fan of Fey's work, but she was actually pretty good in this movie. This was Ray Liota's second Muppet appearance I can remember; the first was in Muppets from Space. There were several other cameos that were fun, particualary the majority of the prisoners in Russia. Burrell and Gervais were great as always. It was also cool to see Sam Eagle get a larger part.

I can't say a lot of good things about this one, but there's not a lot of negative aspects either. It was really just OK. I definltely wouldn't recommend theater prices for this movie, but if your'e a fan of the Muppets or you want to introduce them to the younger generation, this would be a good way to do it. Oh, yes, one last comment. The songs in the movie were not nearly up to par with those from the past in my opinion, and that's always been one of the best parts of these films.

OFF WEEK - A Million Ways to Die in the West

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

The more I learn about this movie is the more unsure I am about it. I think it could be funny, but I think it could be too over the top. It's gonna go either way. It does have a lot of people in it that I really like, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, Liam Neeson. On the other hand, Seth MacFarlane hasn't ever impressed me outside of Family Guy. I never did watch Ted; it just seemed to crude for me, and that's saying something. I feel like there could be a lot of awesome gags in this flick,but at the same time, those gags could be really over used, too. I'll probably give this one a watch, but there's not way I'm paying $10.00 to see it in theaters with all the other awesome movies coming out this year. 

Don Jon

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlet Johansson, Julianne Moore

Directed by: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Rating: I Liked It

When I first heard that Levitt was writing, directed, and starring in a movie, I was 100% on board. From his days on Third Rock from the Sun, I was a fan. Since he's taken on roles in 10 Things I Hate About You, The Dark Knight Rises, and Inception, among others, I've only come to appreciate his talent even more. However, writing/directing is a whole different ballgame than acting, but Levitt definitely stepped up to the plate here. 

I watched the movie, or started to I should say, with my roommate. She gave upon the film about twenty minutes in after the word "p***y" was used at least a couple of dozen times. She's not a fan of the word in general, but even someone who doesn't mind foul language at all might have been on the border line of offended in this case. Levitt knew what he was doing, though. He was setting up his character to make a huge change by the end of the film, and you can clearly see that transition. 

Jon (Levitt) is a guy who spends his days taking care of his body and his car, while his nights are spent picking up different women for meaningless sex. On top of that, no matter how good the sex is, Jon has a pornography problem. I won't spoil it, but he goes into detail explaining his fascination in the film. He also explains there are only so many things that he really cares about, the four things mentioned above (his body, his car, his girls, his porn), along with his "pad", his family, his church, and his boys. Pretty much anything else means nothing. 

Then, one night at the bar, he meets Barbara (Johansson), and he turns his life around in lots of ways. They start to get serious, but she's not interested in sex until after they meet each other's family and friends, Jon gets a good job and gets back in school...basically, until she's molded him into exactly what she wants him to be. Through all this time we meet his family and his friends, all while learning a little more about Jon. We see him make a transformation, learning a lot about himself and deciding that he needs to make some decisions. 

It's a cool story to watch unfold at my age. If you put the porn addiction to the side, Jon is just a twenty-something trying to figure out what's going on in his life, exactly what most of the people watching this movie probably are. For that matter, it might not be porn addiction, but most of us have something that complicates our life to the same degree, some thing that we think about too much and never let anyone else know about. Levitt just presents this phase of life in a very entertaining way. 

The story is good, and there are moments that are great, if only because of how real they feel. I remember one scene with Barbara and Jon in a department store very clearly feel really, really awkward. Once Julianne Moore's character, Esther, enters the picture, you get a good idea of how things are going to turn out for everyone. The casting in this movie was great, too, espeicially Jon's family. His sister, who doesn't say anything until her enlightening line toward the end of the film, which makes it all that more enlightening. 

All-in-all, I'd recommend giving this a watch. It's funny but real enough to let someone my age connect with the characters and story. It's not one I'll probably ever watch again, but I'm glad I finally sat down to watch it the one time through. 

OFF WEEK - Annie (2014)

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

I never really connected with the original film version of Annie as a kid, but I remember watching it a couple of times. I just watched the trailer for the original film on YouTube to compare it to this one, and even though I wasn't a huge fan of the original, I think it will be hard to duplicate, particularly in the area of characters. 

I think Jamie Foxx will pull off his role just fine, and I'm sure most of the other actors in less important roles will be good. My main concern is in the title role and seeing Cameron Diaz portray Ms. Hannigan. Carol Burnett has some big shoes to fill, especially in this iconic role. Just from the trailer, I don't know that Diaz has that spark. Furthermore, I can't see this capturing the musical magic that the original did more than thirty years ago. Maybe I'm wrong... I kind of hope so. This won't be a theater watch for me, but it's intriguing enough that I will probably give it a shot on home release. 

OFF WEEK - Transformers: Age of Extinction

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to note nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Transformers growing up, but the movies caught my interest when they were first announced. After watching the first one, I was enticed enough to continue watching the series. I have to say that Dark Side of the Moon was my favorite, thanks in large part to Alan Tudyk's appearance. He can make any movie a little better. 

Over the last couple of years, though, I've found a new appreciation for another actor, Mark Wahlberg. I always thought he kind of took himself too seriously, but after seeing some of his more comedic roles, I've changed my opinion on the topic. I think he'll be a cool addition to this franchise, and I think he'll be a better lead than Shia LaBeouf was. I don't dislike LaBeouf, but he's not exactly my favorite either. If nothing else, I'm excited to see robot dinosaurs. 

Robocop (2014)

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton
Directed by: Jose Padiha
Rating: I Really Liked It

I have to start off by saying that it's been a few years since I most recently watched the original Robocop, but I've still got a pretty good idea of how it all went down in that movie. Still, I'm going to try and avoid a lot of comparisons, because I don't really remember the details well. This will be more of a straight up review of the remake, with just a little comparison to the original on a few key points. 

First, I think that Kinnaman did a great job as the title character. Whether he was trying to portray his more human side or was dealing with the machine taking over, you believed his actions, facial expressions, and demeanor. It's hard to see some characters portrayed by new blood, but this one was an easy transition. His supporting cast, particularly Oldman and Keaton, did an excellent job in their respective roles. 

Outside of casting, the pace of the movie felt good. It kicks off right away with a broadcast from The Novak Element, a fictional TV program hosted by Pat Novak (Samuel L. Jackson), offering a political commentary piece on the use of drones in American law enforcement. This fight is what kicks off the entire "robocop" program, seeking a way to put a machine on the streets of the US despite the laws that are in the way. It presents the loophole needed. From there, we jump right into the action that leads Det. Alex Murphy to a near-death explosion, creating the perfect candidate for the program. We quickly pick up the information we need to get into the rest of his story as Robocop, and the pace never slows. 

Despite the explosions and gunfire, the side of the story that appeals most to me is the internal struggle between man and machine. Dr. Norton (Oldman) initially leaves all that makes Murphy human in his mind, but is later convinced by Sellars (Keaton), the man funding the project, to do whatever it takes to make Murphy a more efficient machine. It's then that Norton removes all of Murphy's humanity, only to find later that the soul will find a way back to him. 

Another aspect of the movie that jumped out at me was the visual aspect. From the on-screen views of Murphy's computer display, to the sleep black color of his armor and motorcycle, to the completely beliveable, everyday future technologies, the filmmakers did a great job with the movie's look. It really all came to a head when we see Murphy stripped down to what little bit is left of his human side, a brain and a set of lungs with a heart, basically. All the rest of him we see is machine. 

To wind everything together, we do get a few direct throwbacks to the source material. The drug, Nuke, that makes a large appearance in the original makes a cameo in this remake, but doesn't take a center role like the original. We also get the classic "dead or alive, you're coming with me" line from Murphy. It's almost like a "yippe ki-yay" from John McClane. 

Overall, I say this is a great action flick. It kept me interested the entire run time, and I can't wait to see what else may come from the series to surely follow. I'd even recommend seeing this one in theaters. Not many movies out there deserve the money you have to spend to see it on the big screen, but if you're looking for a good shoot-em-up, this one is a good pick for it. 

OFF WEEK - The Bag Man

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

The last movie I saw with John Cusack that involved a motel in the middle of nowhere is one of my favorite suspense movies. Identity was a psyholigical thriller that leaves you guessing at every turn. This movie doesn't look like it's going to be exactly like that, but I do see some similarities, particularly the mystery around the bag. Plus, you've got De Niro in the movie, too, so, that doesn't hurt anything either. This will probably be a home movie experience for me, but I'm still intrigued. 

The Lego Movie

Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell

Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

Rating: I Liked It

While this movie carries a deserved 97% fresh rating over at Rotten Tomatoes, I don't think I'd personally give it a nine out of ten or better. I did enjoy the movie. It had moments that made me laugh, moments that made me feel all sappy, and a little bit of a deeper meaning for kids and adults. My slightly less than perfect rating may have something to do with the pops it was given before I went to see it. So many people were talking about how good it was that I was really just set up for a fall. 

The good parts were definitely good. Seeing the main character, Emmet (Pratt), who is just a regular everyday kind of guy, step up to give a speech in front of his superiors that include Batman, Abraham Lincoln, and Gandalf was fun. Watching the clever twist of names of real world elements (a tube of scratched up Krazy Glue becomes Kragle) was a lot of fun. Seeing Liam Neeson play both good cop and bad cop in the same character was great. The transition scenes made with real Lego pieces with audio provided by human sound effects were amazing. 

The best part about the movie, though, is the messages it sends, and I make that plural, because I believer there were two very distinct messages, one for adults and one for kids. The message for the kids was pretty straight forward: everyone is special; you just have to find out what it is that makes you special. It wasn't some new-age ideal about everybody getting a trophy, but more about how each individual has something special to offer to the world and working to find out what it is. The message to the adults watching the film was a little more in-depth. 

The movie starts with a pretty glaring political commentary. The best example is the TV show that is everyone's favorite, a mindless comedy, Where Are My Pants? We follow that up with the hit song, "Everything is Awesome" and find out its sung by everyone everywhere. The shocker comes when we learn that the villain of the movie is now the president of the world, using all of these things to distract the masses from his evil master plan. The movie doesn't focus on this directly, but it does make you think about how we live our lives. 

So, with everything I mentioned above, I'd have to say that I did enjoy the movie, and I would recommend it for kids of all ages, even though some of the gags are run a little in the ground. I definitely think it could wait for a DVD/Blu-Ray release. It's not a theater must-see. It has done well enough to already have talks of the sequel in the works. 

OFF WEEK - Winters Tale

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

I'm pretty unsure about this movie as it stands. However, it does have elements that really appeal to me. It's all going to depend on how it wraps up together. I'm not the biggest fan of Jennifer Connelly, Colin Farrell, or Russell Crowe, but there are a few people in the extended cast that I like, including Will Smith and William Hurt. The premise is kind of intriguing, but I'm afraid it's going to focus on the romance too much for my taste. 

OFF WEEK - Labor Day

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

This movie might turn out to be too sappy, but I'm willing to give it a chance. If for no other reason than being a fan of Josh Brolin, I have to give it a chance. I'm also intrigued by the mystery of what "actually happened" to him. In one part of the trailer he says there's more to the story than what's in the newspaper. That's the part of the story I want to see. This one didn't make it into my most-anticipated list for this year, but it looks OK. 

OFF WEEK - 300: Rise of an Empire

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

So, this movie was supposed to hit theaters last year, at least I'm pretty sure it was. I even put it as a movie-of-note on my most anticipated list for 2013. Well, as we can see, it got pushed back a bit. It's hitting theaters in March. 

When I first heard that they were making this, I thought for sure it was a prequel, but apparently, that's not the case. This movie follows the events of the first film, and we see the revenge taken by the Spartan empire. I don't think that any film could stand up to be as good as the original, but this one definitely has the same tone, and it looks like it's gonna be pretty good. It's hard to not see Leonidas, though. 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Starring: Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Kristen Wig

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Rating: I Loved It

I have to start this off by saying that I usually dislike Ben Stiller as a general rule. Well, I don't know the guy personally, so, I guess I should say that I dislike the characters that Still usually plays. Then again, I haven't really seen a lot of his work, so, maybe it's just the idea of Stiller that annoys me. You know, the more I think about is the more I think that I have no reason to dislike him. Let's do some quick research... Of the movie of his I've seen: 

I enjoyed: 

• The Watch
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
• Night at the Museum
• Dodgeball (sort of)

I disliked: 

•  Tropic Thunder
• Zoolander
• There's Something About Mary
• Meet the Fockers

Plus, he once had a small role on FRIENDS, an appearance in which I also hated him, and I'm a huge fan of that show. It would take a lot for me to dislike an episode of it. Actually, it would take Ben Stiller to make me dislike an episode of it. With the info above, I have to go with: I don't care for Stiller as an actor. 

Now, on to this movie, I guess you could add one more to the "I enjoyed" it list. It was funny, somewhat moving, will make you take a look at your life, will make you think about some things differently, and charming. I liked Stiller's character, Walter Mitty, and I felt like I could connect with him on some level. The other characters were all likable, too, with the exception of Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott) and his cronies, a group you're not supposed to like...so, well done. 

There were some great sequences, both imagine by Walter and those happening in his reality. It was great to watch how those experiences changed the character along the way. Starting out, Walter has a hard time standing up for himself, but by the end of the film, he has a much better grip on who he is. 

The movie has plenty of funny moments and moments that I felt like could've been expanded on further. The good thing is that those moments didn't leave me disappointed. A lot of the time I get aggravated with a movie when I feel like a certain aspect should've been explored deeper, but this movie wrapped them up nicely and moved on to the next scene. I'm sure the book takes a longer look at some of these things. I guess this means Still did a pretty good job in the director's chair, too. 

Overall, I'd definitely recommend catching this at some point. It's not necessarily a must-see-in-theaters film. You could wait for Red Box or Netflix and be just fine. I'd definitely put it on your list, though. It's not one you want to forget about. 

Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

Most Anticipated Movies

This year, I again attempted to cut this list to a top ten, but I just couldn't do it. Every movie on this list is something I am really looking forward to watching, for better or worse. There are plenty of mainstream movies here, but if you're looking for more independent, lesser-known films, check the next section of this post. I'm very much looking forward to those as well, but this list is comprised of the movies I am 100% most excited about seeing.

1. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Releasing May 2, 2014

• Whether or not this movie turns out exactly like I want it to turn out, I'm pretty sure it'll be another fun romp for Spidey. I thought Andrew Garfield made a good Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the first of this series, and I'm sure he'll due well, again. Emma Stone is great, and we get to see Jamie Foxx in a super hero flick. I'm not a fan of the way they've made his character, Electro, look in what I've seen so far, but I can let that slide if everything else comes together. We also pretty much know from the trailers that we'll probably be seeing at least one Goblin and the Rhino. Are we setting up the Sinister Six? Possibly!

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Releasing April 4, 2014

• I've read and still read a lot of comics, but I've never really invested myself in a Captain America story, beyond knowing the basics of his origin. Sure, I read Avengers books and others he crosses into from time to time, but I don't read any story lines that are solely a Steve Rogers story. I do, however, very much like the first Captain America film. Knowing what I know about the story that's coming (where Winter Soldier comes from, seeing more than one time period, etc.), I'm really excited for this movie. Plus, Robert Redford is in this, and if I'm not mistaken, he asked to be a part of it. He sought out the role. When Redford is coming to you, something must be right. 

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Releasing July 11, 2014

• Possibly my absolute, most-anticipated movie in this list, Dawn is the story I've always wanted to see behind the original Planet of the Apes. While I loved the idea of astronauts returning to Earth to face a world turned upside down, I'm much more interested in the story of how it got so backward. That's what we got the very beginnings of in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and we'll be getting more in this movie. Plus, who doesn't want to see Gary Oldman in basically any movie, especially this one!

4. Draft Day - Releasing April 11, 2014

• I've mentioned in the past, on at least a couple of occasions, that I'm not much of sports fan, but sports movies have always been a lot of fun for me. Remember the Titans, Necessary Roughness, The Replacements, 42, and Moneyball are all some of my favorite movies. In fact, one of my absolute favorite movies is another that Kevin Costner (star of Draft Day) vehicle: Field of Dreams. I digress, though. This movie appears to lean more on the side of Moneyball, taking a look at the back end of the business of sports. Costner is one of my favorite actors, and I'm excited to see where this one goes. 

5. Edge of Tomorrow - Releasing June 6, 2014

• Despite all of the plot holes that you can't help but fall into, I'm a sucker for time travel films. Whether it be a comedy like Back to the Future or Men in Black 3, a drama like The Time Machine, or a movie that will make your head explode like Primer, which I've watched at least three times and still don't fully understand, I can't avoid time travel. Edge is even more narrowly tuned into my genre preference by working on a shorter loop of time where only a couple of characters are aware of the loop a la Groundhog Day, though, I doubt we get Bill Murray's sarcastic charm in this film. 

6. Godzilla - Releasing May 16, 2014

• Monster movies haven't been the same in recent years. We've had some noble attempts, Cloverfield and Super 8 to name a couple excellent ones, but they weren't the same as the monster films of yesteryear. We got a re-imagining of the Wolfman a few years ago, and this year we also get retelling of the Frankenstein monster in I, Frankenstein (see below), but Benicio Del Toro werewolf vehicle fell a little short of most expectations, and the new Frankenstein looks to be OK, but not much better than just OK. I can't wait to see Heisenberg take on the giant reptile from Japan, and even though I can watch 1998's Godzilla without throwing things at the TV like most people, I'm hoping this one takes a step above that. 

7. Guardians of the Galaxy - Releasing August 1, 2014

• This is the Marvel movie of which everyone seems to be unsure. The Guardians of the Galaxy is not a title many people are familiar, especially those who don't read comics. I read some comics, and I honestly had no idea who they were until I went to find out when I heard about the movie. I have total faith that this will be just as good as the Marvel films that preceded it, because there's no reason Marvel would make it otherwise. It probably won't bank as much as some of their other movies with more popular characters, but then again, you never know. It's got the right cast, though, and if you've read my other posts, you know how important I think that is.

There isn't a trailer up for Guardians, yet, but this video will introduce them to you a little. 

8. The Lego Movie - Releasing February 7, 2014

• There isn't a lot to say about this movie that you can't see in the trailer. It looks like a good, fun family movie with plenty of gags centered around pop culture. In what other movie could you see Abraham Lincoln, a ninja turtle, and Batman all in together? It kind of seems like it may have the same vibe as Wreck-It Ralph, and that was a surprisingly good time in my opinion. 

9. The Monuments Men - Releasing February 7, 2014

• George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and a host of other great actors are all part of this (loosely) based on true events comedy. Basically, a platoon is put together to recover art from the Nazis who stole it in order to not lose that part of history. Clooney is directing a great cast here, and this is just the kind of movie you'd expect from him. The fact that Murray is in the movie says a lot, too. He's pretty particular about the roles he takes, so, when he's involved in a project, it basically has the BFM seal of approval. 

10. Muppets Most Wanted - Releasing March 21, 2014

• The Muppet's previous, self-titled movie would have made it into my list of anticipated movies for 2011. but I hadn't started this tradition at that point. Jason Segel had a pretty big hand in writing that movie, but isn't involved in this production. That makes me a little sad, because I'm a huge fan of his, but at the same time, I'm glad to see someone else take a swing at the franchise. I'm also not a big fan of Tina Fey's; I don't dislike her either, though. Ricky Gervais on the other hand is hilarious. It seems like it's taking some notes from The Great Muppet Caper, and that's OK, too. 

11. Noah - Releasing March 28, 2014

• Whether you're a believer in Christianity or not, you have to admit that the Bible contains some excellent stories. The story of Noah and the Great Flood is one of them. I've honestly never read the text, but I just might, because I'm interested in how much stretching and adding to the story Hollywood does to make this work. It's not like the miniseries based on the Bible from the History Channel. This is a big budget movie. If the industry can't stay true to Harry Potter or Hitchhiker's Guide, how can they stay true to Noah? Regardless, Emaa Watson for the win. 

12. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Releasing August 8, 2014

• This movie could get an entire entry itself. I grew up on Ninja Turtles, and I'm still a fan today. The cartoon series from the late 80's and early 90's really cemented the characters' places in pop culture history, based on Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's original comic series. The show was more kid oriented; the comics a bit darker. The first live-action movie (which was the highest-grossing independent film of all time for several years) found a place in between the comics and the show, leaning more toward the darker tone. The two following sequels went a little goofier. I'm hoping we get a somewhat darker tone in this new movie.
  
  People have been going crazy about the changes that director Michael Bay has been suggesting. One decision really got people worked up: the turtles were going to be aliens. Now, while I'm not all that big a fan of the idea, in the original comics, it comes out that the ooze that created the turtles is from another planet, so, I can see the connection. I recently saw pictures of a couple turtles and Shredder, which were quickly pulled back down by Paramount. I think they looked pretty good. Obviously, they were somewhat updated, as they have been in every incarnation. I'm going to wait to pass judgement after seeing the movie, not before. One image that did survive is the one to the right of the first possible poster for the film. 

13. Transcendence - Releasing Aptil 18, 2014

• Johnny Depp plays a character, a scientist, who downloads his mind into a computer before losing his battle with a terminal illness. Soon, he becomes too powerful to stop, and as usual, that power corrupts him. It's an interesting concept, and one that has been talked about in nerd circles for years. Is it anywhere near the realm of actual scientific possibility? I have no idea, but I'd guess probably not. I love outside-the-box sci-fi movies like this, and while I imagine this won't turn out to be one of  the year's biggest earners, it will still be an interesting watch. 

14. Welcome to Yesterday - Releasing February 28, 2014

• The second movie in the list to deal with time travel (Edge of Tomorrow above), this movie looks like it might be just independent enough to be something fresh on the topic. It kind of reminds me of the Butterfly Effect based on the trailer, a sort of "look how badly we screwed things up" idea. It also kind of reminds me of Chronicle, in the fact that it showcases some kids who come across power(s) that they can't understand or fully control. I'm sure it'll have some kind of twist at the end. I just hope it's one we can't see coming from a mile away. Also, I hope it's not quite as complex as Primer. 

15. X-Men: Days of Future Past - Releasing May 23, 2014

• Of all the movies in this list, this is the one that I'm probably most excited for its potential to be awesome. Again, we're dealing with time travel, but it's on a grand scale. We get an excellent cast, combined from the original X-Men trilogy and the newer series that includes X-Men First Class. We get to see the sentinels, which is awesome. I just can't say enough about how much I want this movie to be awesome! That may turn out to be a bad thing, having my hopes set high. There isn't a trailer available, yet, but ::WOLVERINE SPOILER ALERT:: there is an awesome after-credits scene from Wolverine that sets things up. 

THIS VIDEO CONTAINS WOLVERINE SPOILERS!

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Movies That Pique My Interest

This list contains movies that look like they might be good or something I'm interested in seeing, but they don't quite have my full attention. There may be too little known about them, or they may just look kind of questionable, or maybe I just, only kind of want to see them. Shorter descriptions, too. The long list of movies of note below are ones that pinged the edge of my radar. If there were more information or a trailer available for a couple of them, they might have made the above list. 

1. 3 Days to Kill - Releasing February 21, 2014

You can see how one
might remind me of the other. 

• This movie gets a spot on the list due to its star Kevin Costner, of whom I'm a huge fan. Plus, somewhat like Mr. Brooks, we get to see him in a different role than his usual. Costner plays a ex-secret agent who is given one more job with an ultimatum. He will also appear in two other movies mentioned in this post: Draft Day and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. 

2. Bad Words - Releasing March 28, 2014

• I am usually not a fan of Jason Bateman. I don't hate him with the same passion I do some other actors, but I don't tend to like his work. This movie looks a little different, placing him in a strange role. He plays a man who sets out to win the national spelling bee by using a loophole in the contest's rules. 

3. Fading Gigolo - Releasing January 16, 2014

• Written by, starring, and directed by John Turturro, this film tells the story of two friends, one of whom sells the other into a career as a gigolo. The movie looks to be a sort of quirky comedy with heavy influence from costar Woodey Allen. 

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel - Releasing March 7, 2014

• Wes Anderson movies usually don't do a lot for me. They always look really good in the previews, but upon actually viewing the movie, I get bored. I fell asleep watching Darjeeling Limited, and I turned off Moonrise Kingdom about fifteen minutes into the movie. I couldn't handle The Life Aquatic either. Hopefully, this one will be different. 

5. I, Frankenstein - Releasing January 24, 2014

• I really enjoy the story of the Frankenstein monster. I've never read Shelley's original masterpiece, but I plan to sometime in the future. I like the idea of the monster's struggle to just live his life and be left alone. That is not what this movie is about, though. This movie sees the character set in modern times, fighting an army of demons. He's basically a super hero...or maybe an anti-hero. 

6. Interstellar - Releasing November 7, 2014

• I don't know anything about this other than the fact that it's about space travel, is directed by Christopher Nolan (of the Batman trilogy fame), is written by Christopher and his brother Jonathan, and it stars Anne Hathaway. Wait, I know a couple more things, but those are the only ones I care about, that actually make me want to see the movie. Here's the synopsis from IMDB... "A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations of human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage."

7. Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons - Releasing March 7, 2014

• From the mind that brought us Kung-Fu Hustle, a new martial arts comedy emerges. I had no idea what to expect on watching the previously mentioned work, but I was pleasantly surprised with the recommendation from a friend. It's really funny. 

This is a clip from Kung-Fu Hustle, a comedy kung-fu movie. 

8. Mr. Peabody & Sherman - Releasing March 7, 2014

• I'm drawn to this for a couple of reasons. First, nostalgia draws me here, remembering this being one of the few cartoons on Cartoon Network my dad and I could both enjoy. Second, one of the voices is provided by Patrick Warburton, a voice actor I've enjoyed immensely since he voiced Kronk in The Emperor's New Groove. 

9. Non-Stop - Releasing February 28, 2014

• So, I'm not sure, but this movie should maybe go in the "guilty pleasures" list. It kind of seems like some kind of weird cross between Taken and Flightplan. I'm not overly impressed with the plot of the movie, but I am excited to see Liam Neeson take on some bad guys again. It can't be any worse than The Grey. 

10. Sex Tape - Releasing July 25, 2014

• There's not a lot of information on this movie available, yet, but what I do know is enough. Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz play a couple that makes a sex tape that then goes missing. I'm sure it's a comedy of errors during a frantic search to find the tape. 

Other Movies of Note

Big Hero Six; The Death of Superman Lives; Earth to Echo; Exodus; Fury Road; Devil's Due; Divergent; Heaven is for Real; The Interview; Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit; Jimmy P.; Jupiter Ascending; Knights of Badassdom; Million Dollar Arm; A Million Ways to Die in the West; Open Grave; Selfless; That Awkward Moment; Transformers: Age of Extinction

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Guilty Pleasures

Maybe I shouldn't be excited for these, but I am.  So sue me! I know they're not going to be masterpieces, but there is something about each one that draws me into its web. I've listed a short word or two about what that something is for each film.

RoboCop Review HERE

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Biggest WTF Movies of 2014

This is my "I Can't Believe They're Making That (in bad way)" list. One of the movies on this list from last year surprised me by exceeding the lack of expectations I had for it in a big way. Hopefully, one of the movies below will do the same. 

1. The Equalizer

• Denzel Washing takes on the lead role in this remake of the TV show of the same name, probably playing the same character he plays in all of his action movies. 

2. The Giver

• This is a strange cast, and I think most of all, I'm going to avoid it because of Taylor Swift. 

Is there anyone that's really excited
for more of this? 

3. A Haunted House 2

• This spoof movie series, including Scary Movie, Epic Movie, etc., just needs to die. They're not funny, and it's just time to let go of them. 

4. Life of a King

• So, we've come to the point of inner-city redemption through chess. These types of movies should've ended a long time ago, too, or we need to at least be picking something more exciting than chess. 

5. Maleficent

• I've never seen Sleeping Beauty, and that may have something to do with my lack of interest in this movie. Overall, I think it just doesn't look appealing to me. 

6. Need for Speed

• I was a huge fan of Breaking Bad, and I'm happy to see Aaron Paul get his own vehicle (pun intended), but couldn't it have been something better than this? I mean, he's going to be in Exodus later this year. Did he really need to do this movie? A video game movie?!?!

I prefer science, personally. 

7. Paddington

• I never was a fan of this children's book series growing up, and I think it's time we stop pursuing the need to turn this kind of thing into a movie. 

8. Son of God

• I have no problem with a movie being made about Jesus Christ. What I have a problem with is a production company taking something they already released on TV (History Channel's The Bible) and recutting/repacking it as a movie. That's literally all it is! It's a way to make more money from something that you know people who are believers will go to see. 

OFF WEEK - Sxtape

I've had to concede to myself that there will be weeks in which I won't have time to update this blog. It's not necessarily because I won't have time to write a review; it's more based on the time, or lack there of, that I have to watch a movie.  I could write and have written in some instances about movies I like but haven't seen recently.  However, when I do that, I tend to not be nearly as motivated in my writing, and the blog suffers.  

In place of writing a crappy review here and there, I've just decided to write a short paragraph for those weeks about a movie that is coming out soon that I'd like to see or a movie I've never seen that I intend to watch as soon as time permits.  Some of these will classics, some will be indies of which you may have never heard, some may will be unreleased titles.  Regardless, it will turn out better than if I just force an entry about something I'm not really motivated to write.

I'm really excited to see Segel in another movie. I'm hoping it's going to be good. I'm sure it won't stand up to I Love You, Man, but it could be good. I've always enjoyed the crazy, chasing something/someone down movie premise. This one definitely looks like it fits that bill. Plus, Diaz looks really good in this movie, even better than usual. On top of that, it looks like there's a cool supporting cast to back them up.