REVIEW: Jurassic World

JURASSIC WORLD

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: *****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) 22 years after the original Jurassic Park failed, the new park (also known as Jurassic World) is open for business. After years of studying genetics the scientists on the park genetically engineer a new breed of dinosaur. When everything goes horribly wrong, will our heroes make it off the island?

 

THE PRO'S: Extremely fun, engaging story, awesome Dinosaurs, absolutely EPIC finale and final fight, character dynamics are excellent.

 

THE CON'S: Needed a little more peril for the tourists, more time in the park before the destruction could have been nice, some characters needed more to do.

 

THE REVIEW:

Now, this review was held off for a good reason: I'm a Jurassic Park fanboy, always have been, always will be. And I wanted a second viewing before I sold you guys on how awesome it was from opening day awe alone. But after my second showing tonight, I can honestly say: not only is the park open, but it is SPECTACULAR.

 

The story of Jurassic World picks up more than two decades after the original. With a fully functioning park on Isla Nubar (where Jurassic Park originated) having been up and running for nearly a decade. Unfortunately, attendance is slowly declining as interest in dinosaurs drops drastically. A fact which forces the higher-ups to create something new to bring back the wow factor: a genetic hybrid. Unfortunately, the super-intelligent creature soon backfires drastically as it escapes and begins hunting for sport on the island.

 

Since I will admittedly be gushing for most of this review otherwise, I'm going to get what I felt were the Cons of this movie out of the way first. First of all: for a fully-functioning park to be open, I expected a bit more carnage when everything went down. The fact it was contained mostly to where the leads were really needed to be scrapped in favor of chaos exploding in the park. Though make no mistake, when things go down around the tourists it is AWESOME. I would have loved to see more of that dynamic explored.

 

On top of this, I feel we needed a little more time spent in the park itself. Yes, we get a lot of time as it is, but a lot of the wonder comes from seeing this fully-functioning park. And I think, again, maybe a little more time spent with exploring the park and showing more attractions could have been thrown in. Which itself would have lent to my first qualm about the movie, because the more dinos introduced could have meant more means of chaos.

And finally, in order to get into my last qualm, I first have to say. I'm in the minority, but I loved the characters. I thought the dynamics between everyone were great, and though they aren't totally deep, neither were the original group. So I really loved them for the fun characters they were, and the cast delivered great performances.

 

But this said, my qualm here is some were underused too much. I especially felt there was a lot of untapped potential in Jeff Goldbloom (Ian Malcom) stand-in Lowrey and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard)'s assistant, Zara. Who at the end of the day, were fun in what screentime they had, but definitely needed more screen time. Something I think should be fixed in a sequel and its characters is simply put: let the supporting cast have their time to shine too.

 

Now that this is out of the way, I have to say, despite its faults Jurassic World is by far THE best sequel we have gotten to the original. To say the least, it made me feel like a giddy little kid again in the best way. In short, I feel that all the wonder, and action of the original is here, and it is just SO much fun. Probably the most fun movie of the summer so far, next to Avengers, and it's clear that the filmmakers had fun too, which only adds to it.

 

Another huge plus is the story itself. I feel like though some ideas were underused, the story wasn't. I liked who I was supposed to like, I hated who I was supposed to hate, and I really enjoyed how well the story came together as a whole. Everything about it seemed to just work remarkably well, and while the plot isn't anything deep or profound it is definitely well done and handled.

 

And speaking of the story, I have to say, the finale it led to almost made the movie all on its own. I cannot say this enough: that finale was probably the best of any movie of its kind. I dare not even begin to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. It's something none of the trailers dared to give away either. But boy, is it just about the biggest crowd-pleaser I have seen in a long time. And I could not help but clap at it both times I saw the film.

 

But by far the best thing about it, as it should be is the dinosaurs. Specifically I really, really enjoyed "raptor squad". I know that a lot of people were skeptical about the use of "trained raptors" in this movie, but it was pulled off brilliantly. And they easily, by leaps and bounds, stole the show with their awesome personalities and fun nature.

 

Other dinosaur highlights come from the new hybrid: The Indonemous Rex (or D-REX), who is probably the second best villain the series has had (right behind the T-Rex). And the Pterodactyls, whose scene is probably one of the most memorable in the entire film. But really, there are tons of cool dinosaurs to gawk at and be amazed by throughout. So frankly, it did its job well.

 

And as said before, the acting and characters are lots of fun themselves. I really enjoyed everyone, with big stand-outs for me being the two kids Zach and Grey  (Nick Robinson and Ty Sympkins), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), Barry (Omar Si), and Lowrey (Jake Johnson). All of them really gave it their all, and delivered some fun and memorable performances, at least in my opinion. I can't wait to see how further stories expand upon the surviving characters.

 

So, to wrap this up....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

Jurassic World is THE summer blockbuster to beat, and THE best Jurassic Park sequel of them all. Its engaging story, fun visuals and dinosaurs, outstanding cast and chemistry, and just pure awesomeness clearly outweighs any negatives in this film. Whether you're an old fan, or someone totally new, if you haven't seen this, put it at the top of your list. You won't regret it.

 

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECCOMENDATIONS


A SIDE NOTE:
Let me save fellow super-fans a little disappointment. If you read the "news" that Lex Murphy (the little girl in the original) was going to be back in some way. It ended up being a bogus rumor, she is nowhere to be found in the sequel (sad to say). Hopefully they'll bring both generations together in the inevitable Part 5 though!

 









THE VAULT OF HORRIBLE HORRORS: Bonnie and Clyde vs Dracula (2008)

THE PREMISE:

Bonnie and Clyde so random, terrible things along the country side. Meanwhile some dude in a hood randomly sets out to bring Dracula back to life. Somehow, after about 40 minutes of two completely unrelated but amazing ghetto stories, they meet up. And Dracula decides to terrorize them, and feast on them. Oh, and there's Annabelle, who is the best character in the history of ever, and star of "THE ANNABELLE SHOW".

 

HOW BAD IS IT?: Ummmm did you read the title? It is literally a movie about Bonnie and Clyde crossing paths with Dracula. And on top of not featuring any of their actual gang, the entire movie is literally an hour and thirty minutes of bad dialogue, absolute hilarity, and nonsense. And it's amazing.

 

NOTABLE FOR: Having either the best or the worst plot in the history of ever. Seriously, I haven't decided which yet. But I am pretty sure there were a lot of drugs involved in the making of this film. It's also notable for having very little to do with Dracula. And even better, being the only movie to feature a guy who wears a sack the entire movie for no reason whatsoever.

 

FUN LEVEL: Very Fun

 

RECOMMENDED VIEWING METHOD: Get a couple of friends in a chat room, or over to the house. And pull this modern day classic up on Youtube.

 

MINI-REVIEW:

 

What do you get when you cross the two most infamous bank robbers in history with Bram Stoker's Dracula? Apparently one of the best "bad" movies I've seen in recent years. You also apparently get about 40 minutes of an awful, completely inaccurate Bonnie and Clyde story followed by thirty minutes of Dracula even being a thing.

 

 By far the best thing about this movie is Annabelle:

Seriously, this movie should have been titled Annabelle: The Movie. Because her performance is by far the best thing I have ever seen. When she's not acting like a total fruit loop, her hobbies include slaying your favs and being the best thing in this movie. Seriously, can we get an Annabelle spin-off? Because she>>>>>>>>>>>>the entire movie that was actually called Annabelle.

 

Wait, I should be talking about the actual movie, right. Ummmm. It was literally so amazing that they spent the entire opening with two people that they made look like Bonnie and Clyde before actually showing the real thing. And me, nor the two people I watched it with knew they WEREN'T the real deal. So you can say that the effort put into this movie was STELLAR!

 

Also there is this guy with a sack over his head:

Sack Masked Jason Voorhees, is that you?

 

Who apparently decided to also change sacks for a dinner party. What the hell? What is under this sack? What is he hiding? To be honest, my guess is he genuinely just refused to show his face in this movie. And we don't blame you sack-man. We don't blame you.

 

Oh you want to know how Bonnie and Clyde were? Well, Bonnie was amazing. But I forgot Clyde existed about half-way through the movie, so more power to you if you're strong enough to remember him. But let's face it, if you're looking for a relevant interpretation of these two, go watch anything, and I do mean anything else.

 

So in short, this movie was the most ghetto of ghetto horror movies. And apparently it will soon be joined by 60s classics: "Jesse James meets The Daughter of Frankenstein" and "Billy The Kid vs Dracula". Because now that I discovered these exist, I am by no means not going to watch these horrible little gems.

 

SUGGESTED DRINKING GAME: Drink every time you wish Dracula would show up and eat someone already.

NETFLIX REVIEW: Earth To Echo

EARTH TO ECHO

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (Netflix)

RATED: PG

RATING: ***/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) "Earth to Echo" follows four young teenagers who find an alien life form that's trying to rebuild its spaceship. Together, the teenagers protect the alien and help rebuild it's ship so it can fly back to its home planet.               

 

THE PRO'S: Echo is ADORABLE. Fun, heartwarming story. Mostly well-written. Decent for low-budget fair.

 

THE CON'S: Acting is subpar, borrows a little too much from ET, boring at times.

 

THE REVIEW:

 

Earth To Echo has always been a movie that interested me, but I had never actually gotten around to that. But ultimately, I find myself glad that yesterday I finally decided to give it a look. Even if it wasn't quite the "modern day classic" it felt like they were aiming for.

 

The film focuses on childhood friends: Alex, a foster kid, "Munch" a shy, technology savvy teen, and Tuck, an aspiring filmmaker. The night before they're supposed to vacate their Las Vegas suburb, they come into contact with a small alien they name Echo. At which point, their adventure (on which they are joined by a young girl named Emma) to get Echo home begins.

 

If this sounds a little like ET to you, that's sort of the biggest problem here. It is a lot like ET, which sort of hinders it from really being that "original". And while overall, it's a good movie, the ET connections is glaring sadly. Which to some, may be a turn-off, but Earth To Echo has a heart that is just undeniable and made me keep watching.

 

And that's its biggest strength: its heart. Each of the characters (while not all that well acted), are very real characters in my opinion. Their dialogue feels realistic, and their interactions are also very real. It helps to make me overlook the somewhat (again) poor acting. And definitely helps the movie tell its story well. I will give it that.

Though I admit the movie does falter on some fronts with the characters. Mostly in resolving some of the conflicts throughout it. Some of them seem like they simply are written off, or settled way too quickly. And I feel if the movie had a bit longer running time, it could have opened the door to a bit more character development between them.

 

But the real reason to watch the movie is mostly Echo itself. He is quite honestly one of the most adorable aliens in modern cinema. Though we don't see him on screen as much as I'd like, I couldn't help but find him to be cute. And I can honestly say that I would love to own my own Echo. The little guy just has a lot of personality, even with limited screen-time, and also is a lot of fun.

 

And yet, as exciting as the premise is. This movie can get pretty boring. The movie's scavenger hunt style ends in a lot of similar shots, and situations. And at some points, it feels like it really has no idea where it's going and can get boring. But while it someone detracts from the enjoyment, the movie is still exciting enough that it doesn't really matter. Kids will definitely still enjoy it either way. (and they are the target audience after all)

 

So....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

Earth to Echo is a cute little family/kids film. While a little on the boring side, and with some pretty bad acting (with some good ones also thrown in there) it's still a fun way to kill an hour and a half. If you're a parent, enjoy this one with your kids. They are sure to love it, and you are sure to find something to like too!

 

3 OUT OF 5 STARS
RECOMMENDED



REVIEW: Tomorrowland

TOMORROWLAND

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG

RATING: *****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as "Tomorrowland."      

 

THE PRO'S: Imaginative, intriguing story. Great acting and writing. Good overall message.  Very touching.

 

THE CON'S: A bit too little time spent in Tommorowland itself.

 

THE REVIEW:

 

So this was one that had me intrigued for some time between the mysterious trailers, and the great cast. So I went into this one super-excited, especially when I heard good things from the theater I formerly worked at. And boy was I not disappointed.

 

The movie tells the story of Casey Newton, a big dreamer whose dad is about to be laid off, and who is doing everything she can to keep his job going. One of these stunts lands her in jail, where she discovers a pin she never knew she had. The pin shows her a vision of a place unlike any other: Tomorrowland. The discovery sets her on the path to saving the world with the help of a child-like android, Athena, and a former child genius.

And what a creative journey they all take us on. To begin with, everything in the movie is handled very well. The world that Disney created (based on their Tomorrowland park) is just awesome, and, for what little time we spend in it, magical. Sadly we only get to see a little of the "magical" Tomorrowland, and this is the movie's only fault. I feel like it definitely needed more time getting to see and discover the world, sadly.

 

But that's okay, because it does little to detract from the movie itself. The story itself is super creative, even when we spend time in our world. It's an action thrill ride with a lot of heart, and has a lot of fun sci-fi throwbacks that help to move the story along not only at a brisk pace, but with some absolutely fun references.

 

Probably my favorite part of the movie is the actors and their relationships with each other. Both Thomas Robinson and George Clooney (Young and older Frank respectively) really carry the movie very well. With Clooney's relationships with Casey, played by Britt Robertson, and Athena, played by  Raffy Cassidy really driving the movie. All of the actors really bring an excellent amount of acting to the table, and play it off realistically enough that it's very easy to forget you're watching a movie.

 

I especially love the action, next to the story and the characters/actors. The action in this movie is top-notch, and while over the top at times, is super fun. I especially enjoyed the fights against the androids that chased the leads, as they really were a funny group and brought a ton of humor whenever they were on-screen and were just a pleasure.

 

But most of all, I love the message that the movie ultimately gives. I feel like it's a message people seldom think of, but is one that really just makes the movie stand-out. I won't give the ultimate message away, but I really, really liked it.

 

So....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

 

Tomorrowland is a fun little gem of a film. With a super fun story, characters, and action driving it, it's definitely one of the most fun family-action films out there! If you get the chance, give this one a look, you won't be disappointed.

 

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS

REVIEW: Pitch Perfect 2

PITCH PERFECT 2

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: *****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB)The Bellas are back, and they are better than ever. After being humiliated in front of none other than the President of the United States of America, the Bellas are taken out of the Aca-Circuit. In order to clear their name and regain their status, the Bellas take on a seemingly impossible task: winning an International competition no American team has ever won. In order to accomplish this monumental task, they need to strengthen the bonds of friendship and sisterhood, and blow away the competition with their amazing aca-magic! With all new friends and old rivals tagging along for the trip, the Bellas can hopefully accomplish their dreams once again.

 

THE PRO'S: Just as fun, funny, and exciting as the original. The new characters are extremely fun. Great music. Acting, writing, and story are solid.

THE CON'S: It's aca-awesome, I can't find any cons!

 

THE REVIEW:

 

And now for one of my favorite movies of the summer so far! That's right, the return of the amazing Barton Bellas! And let me tell you, an awesome return it definitely is! And I am definitely just as much in love with it as the original.

 

The film takes place three years after the original. After a humiliating moment performing for the President, the Bella's are banned from competitions during their senior year. Angry and humiliated, they make a bet: if they can win the world championships they will be reinstated. And now, with a host of new Bella's (including a legacy) along for the ride, they prepare to do just that.

 

And it's just as fun an adventure as the original by far, if not even better! The humor here is right on-point with the hilarious original. Each character has time to crack their fun one-liners, and the leads as usual are a riot. Though of course, Elizabeth Banks (also the director) and John Michael Higgins both steal the show with their snarky commentary!

 

What's more, the new characters are absolutely awesome too! Both of the new rivals are a lot of fun, even though they are pure evil. And Hailee Steinfeld's new Bella, Emily also kicks a lot of butt. I was especially impressed with Steinfeld, considering I had never heard her sing, she had an amazing singing voice. As usual, the rest of the characters are on top of their game and Brittany Snow, Anna Kendrick, and Rebel Wilson are all amazing in their roles.

 

Another important part handled well here is the music! Wow, I really loved all of the music in here. Their song, Flashlight is a personal favorite of mine, not only is it catchy, but it's really fun too. Other highlights include the "Crazy Youngsters" song done over the credits, and practically every song that was used for this film's riff-off. Really, all of the music was really great this time, without a bad one in the bunch.

 

The story here is also really fun as well. It's not exactly the most deep story in the world, but the message and heart to it are just great. I loved it's message about growing up and moving on, and I loved how they handled it. I felt like I could really connect with the girls on an even bigger level than I did in the original, considering I graduated last semester and had the same issues.

And that's ultimately why these movies are so great. The characters feel very real and authentic, especially here. I feel like everyone can relate to someone in this movie, and what they're going through. And it's for that reason I continue to be impressed with the great writing this series has. And hope it continues for a long time. (A third is already in the works!)

 

So....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

 

Pitch Perfect 2 is aca-amazing! I really enjoyed this movie on both a fan and critical level. It's a lot of fun, funny, and entertaining. And if you loved the original, you're sure to love this one!

 

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECOMMNDATIONS

 

 



REVIEW: Poltergeist

POLTERGEIST

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: ****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi and director Gil Kenan reimagine and contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.               

 

THE PRO'S: Retains the heart and spirit of the original, genuinely and thoughtfully suspenseful, some interesting and fun ideas in there, good acting, gives a unique perspective on the original story, what it does new it does well.

 

THE CON'S: The tree scene is a HUGE disappointment, could have done more to make it original, still doesn't hold a candle to the original.

 

THE REVIEW:

Now this was a movie I have been weary about for some time. Between constant (terrible sounding) rewrites, and some harsh sounding reviews for early scripts, my hopes weren't high. But given I liked the trailers, I decided to give this a chance. And as a long-time Poltergeist super fan, I am here to say I don't regret it at all.

 

If you know the story, it's pretty similar to the original. The film focuses on the family's only son, Griffin, who is forced to move with the rest of them to a home after the father loses his job. Immediately, Griffin notices something isn't right with the house, and even less right with his little sister: Maddie. After a terror-filled night with his siblings, Maddie is abducted by the spirits he's tried to warn the family about and they are forced to call in paranormal investigators for help. Beginning a supernatural battle for Maddie's soul.

 

In the end, they took a big risk in remaking this horror classic, and I will say that it both did and didn't work. In this case, I'd like to get the bad out of the way first. Starting with the big one: one of the most terrifying scenes in the film is absolutely butchered here. Yes, I mean the tree scene. As awesome a build-up as it had, I was really upset when I found out how it was handled. Because it was just absolutely disappointing. So I feel it best to warn you about that first.

 

The rest lies in its originality. While it has a lot of it in the suspense, and build up, the story is basically the same. They've done nothing to throw any "big" twists in the plot. Even with a new kid to see through the eyes of in Griffin, nothing really changes. But it's not necessarily the worst thing, especially since Griffin is a great protagonist, things DID need to be changed up a bit more. It's this reason I feel it ultimately still didn't hold a candle to the original.

 

Now that we have the bad out of the way, let's get to all the GOOD things about this movie. And there are a lot. First and foremost, the suspense in this movie is top notch. Even knowing what was happening, I cannot count the amount of times I was gripping my chair in suspense. The movie makers clearly took great care to make sure they didn't just rely on jump scares. And instead created enough tension to keep it interesting.

 

And speaking of tone, boy did this one keep the original's well. I was so impressed with how much this film felt like a Poltergeist film. It still had that heart to it that I've come to love about these movies, and gave it a great feel. This is especially helped by the unique perspective on the story they have taken, by putting it through the eyes of the son.  Kyle Cattlet carries the movie well, and really embodies the spirit of the original well.

What's more what it does new, it does well. Without giving anything away to people, I can say there are quite a few cool little bits. Especially at the end, where the movie goes to some interesting places. I really enjoyed it for at least bringing SOME new things to the original, even if it is still just mostly a straight remake.

 

Acting-wise, as I said, Kyle Cattlet is awesome. While Kennedi Clements does a good job as Carol-Anne's update, Madison aka "Maddie", though she doesn't quite have the same haunting, angelic quality that Heather O'Rourke did. And finally, Jared Harris stands out as usual as Tangina's new version, Cariggan Burke, and does a very good job with it as well. Everyone else was good in their respective roles as well, but those three definitely stood out most.

 

So to wrap this review up...

 

IN CONCLUSION:

Poltergeist is nothing new, but that's okay, because it's still worthy of the legacy it carries the title of. Its unique perspective on the story, generally fun feel, and suspense make this movie well worth the look for new fans and old ones alike.

 

4 OUT OF 5 STARS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED



REVIEW: San Andreas

SAN ANDREAS

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: ****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his daughter.

 

THE PRO'S: Insanely fun, intense action sequences, amazing special effects, solid acting and writing.

 

THE CON'S: Pretty cliché most of the time, unnecessary sub-plot.

 

 

THE REVIEW:

So another year, another big disaster movie. I know the drill all too well by now, but something always draws me to these because I just enjoy them. And I must say, San Andreas not only wasn't an exception, but was a pleasant surprise.

 

The movie focuses on Ray, a helicopter pilot who is caught in the wake of the "San Andreas Fault Quake" that has been theorized about for years. Along with his ex-wife, Emma, he makes a dangerous quest from LA to San Fransisco in hopes of rescuing his daughter, Blake, who has been abandoned by her stepfather, and is seeking refuge with a pair of Brittish brothers on holiday: Ben and Ollie. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, and a reporter, attempt to warn the world that the chaos is far from over.

 

While San Andreas isn't the best disaster film out there, it's still one of the better ones. The thing that sets it apart is just how well the disaster is handled. The special effects in this movie are top-notch, and each action sequence feels more intense then the last. Particularly the entire finale sequence (which I won't give away here), is absolutely awesome and extremely suspenseful. I was gripping the edge of my seat (quite literally) the whole way through it.

 

Though the movie is cliché, and I can't say otherwise, it also does a good job with its characters. Everyone in the movie, with the exception of the stepfather, is extremely likable and human. I felt like despite the (let's face it) unrealistic actions they did, they all still were relatable on some level. And the writer here did a very good job in that respect.

 

As usual in these movies I can only really say the acting is "good". Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson does a good job as our hero, and probably was given the most to work with. While Alexandria Daddario surprised me with a really good performance. Though she did good in Percy Jackson, her other roles being not as good made me nervous. But here, she is at the top of her game, and seems to really be enjoying herself. While no one else totally stands out, everyone pulls off good enough performances that nothing detracts from the movie.

 

I will say that the biggest fault the movie has is in the character of Lawrence played by Paul Giamatti and the news crew. As fun as the character is, he really plays no significant role outside of warning everybody. Which I thought was a problem overall. His role could have easily been confined to someone on the TV or radio warning everybody. But instead, we are taken away from the actual story in order to indulge in this and it just ultimately doesn't work.

 

That being said.....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

San Andreas is not the best or most original disaster movie ever. But it IS a ton of fun, and a great time at the movies. With some good performances, and relatable characters, it is well worth the admission price. Go in there expecting something fun, and you won't be disappointed.

 

4 OUT OF 5 STARS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED