Nobody Review

 When thinking of action heroes, the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger always come to mind. A name that does not strike this moniker is actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk. Among his versatile resume, Odenkirk’s most notable role is on the hit television series Breaking Bad as well as its the series spin-off Better Call Saul-where he plays the title character. Needless to say, Odenkirk’s demeanor is not something you would expect for an action star, but that is precisely the point in the new movie: Nobody. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, Nobody takes the concept of an average guy turning out to be a skilled killer. Truth be told, this was not a movie I was anticipating-in fact I hardly knew anything about it even when I headed to the theater. Regardless I decided to see the movie and much to my surprise Nobody had much to say as an action movie.

Read the full review here and for more Cinematic Content head over to Something Cinematic.

Justice League Review

Three years ago, a team of superheroes united on the big screen. The Justice League, DC Comics iconic team, made their debut in the 2017 blockbuster that continued the events of Man of Steel and Batman v.Superman: Dawn of Justice. It should have been a triumphant moment for the filmmakers and fans alike, but the final product ended up being nothing more than a beautiful lie. After director Zack Snyder left the project due to a personal tragedy, the studio tried to make its release date by hiring Joss Whedon (director of Marvel’s Avengers) to finish the project. What transpired was an altered version of the movie that was met with both criticism and controversy. Now, thanks to the efforts of Release the Snyder Cut movement, Justice League has been restored as Zack Snyder returned to the director’s chair to finish what he started. Though this director’s cut did not debut in theaters, it did however find its way to viewers thanks to WB’s streaming service HBO Max. Trying to watch the film was an adventure in of itself for me, but after several delays I was able to see this massive blockbuster. While I am not a major detractor of the theatrical cut (though it has not aged well for me) I will definitively state that not only is Zack Snyder’s Justice League the superior version, it is one of the best superhero movies ever made.

Read the full review here and check out more cinematic content on Something Cinematic. 

Christopher Robin Review: Pooh's Return is a Delightful Experience

When Disney is not producing animated or superhero films the studio is busy retelling their classic tales in a live action format. From Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast the studio continues to take their animated classics and breathe new life into them with these new retellings. The latest title to take in this live action leap is not an adaption of a classic movie but rather a film that centers on a particular character; and in this case it is the bear from the Hundred Acre Woods Winnie the Pooh. The stories of A.A Milne and E.H Shepard have played a pivotal part in Disney as the tales of Winnie the Pooh have been told in a variety of films as well as other mediums such as television. Now the iconic bear and his friends return to the silver screen in the film Christopher Robin. Directed by Marc Forester Christopher Robin takes a different approach on the Winnie the Pooh series as, rather than reflecting the books, the movie takes a page from the likes Hook and 2010's Alice in Wonderland and centers on a grown up Christopher Robin. While this idea is nothing new this direction could bring new life into the classic series.After watching the movie I can say that Christopher Robin is as much a homage to the series as it is a delightful adventure.

As noted the movie is about Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings) reuniting with a grown up Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) who venture to the 100 Acre Woods to find Pooh’s missing friends all the while dealing with Christopher’s personal conflict. At its core the story of Christopher Robin is about rediscovery. Despite being a familiar concept, even when it comes to Disney films, the movie uses this idea to the best of its ability. Rather than being cliche with it morals the story takes a subtle approach to its themes and grounds them in a realistic fashion. Along with this niche direction was the story’s adventure which was enjoyable, but rather standard in hindsight. The plot’s structure and pacing was understandable but it prevented the adventurous aspect to flourish and left points, such as Christopher and Pooh’s journey through the Hundred Acre Woods as well as the return to London, to feel limited in their execution. The story of Christopher Robin was a tame one and while it did have much going for its simplistic nature held the movie back a little bit-but only a little.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Review: Sizes Up as A Entertaining Sequel

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe many heroes have risen to stardom. The likes of the Avengers and Spider-Man being major players is no surprise, but this movie continuum has also featured more obscure characters such as Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy; and they have proven to play a vital role in this shared franchise. Among the MCU alumni is none other than the minuscule Avenger: Ant-Man. Ant-Man made his cinematic debut in the 2015 blockbuster and managed to make an impression as his solo film was filled with wit and style. Needless to say that it would not be long before moviegoers would see Ant-Man again as the character not only appeared in Captain America: Civil War but the small time hero received a sequel in the form of Ant-Man and the Wasp. Once again directed by Peyton Reed, the sequel features Ant-Man teaming up with his iconic partner the Wasp. The film has been receiving good buzz (a shocking revelation if I’ve ever heard one) as the likes of critics have praised the movie for its sense of fun. Yet the prospect of a Marvel movie being fun is not enough to sway this Film Adventurer. Truth be told I have not been ecstatic for Ant-Man and the Wasp as details surrounding the film have made me skeptical. Regardless I journeyed to the cinema to see this new superhero film, and after it was all said and done I have to say that Ant-Man and the Wasp was...enjoyable.

The story of Ant-Man and the Wasp deals with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) teaming up with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) who seek to enter the quantum realm in order to find the long lost Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeifer). The story of Ant-Man and the Wasp is perhaps the weakest part of this movie. The story’s concept was not bad but when it came down to it there was little to no substance within the plot itself. The main conflict lacked impact and the story had a tendency to rely on tropes and conveniences too much. Yet this was not to say everything about the story was disappointing. The plot’s adventurous aspects, for the most part, was enjoyable while certain dilemmas ,like Scott dealing with his house arrest, gave the plot a grounded nature. It was these factors that made the plot an enjoyable experience even if the lacking details prevented the superhero tale from reaching its full stature.

Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Review: A Jurassic Disaster

In 2015 the movie world returned to that little park filled with dinosaurs After years of hibernation the Jurassic Park series made its return with the fourth installment in the franchise: Jurassic World; and what a return it was as the summer blockbuster was a success both critically and financially. So because of its success, it came to no surprise that Jurassic World would garner a sequel, and sure enough the adventure would continue three years later in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Taking the helm from Jurassic World’s Colin Trevorrow this time was director J.A Bayona; although Trevorrow remained on the film as an executive producer and a writer. So with an exploding island as well as a new hybrid, Fallen Kingdom looked to up the adventure for the series and while some may have found this exciting one Film Adventurer did not. See I had a different experience with Jurassic World as I found the blockbuster to be stupid for all the wrong reasons. However just because that experience was a poor one did not mean that the sequel would be the same. Oh how wrong I was.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom centers on Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) who return to the island in order to save the raptor Blue, and the rest of the dinosaurs,from extinction. If you have seen any trailer for this movie then odds are you know how this story plays out. Having a predictable plot is not always a bad thing as long as its executed decently.Sadly this was not the case for Fallen Kingdom. The story structure was inconsistent as it rushed through the first act then dragged itself through the remainder of the film to the point where any intriguing aspects were hardly investing due to excessive padding. This was evident in splitting the story up into two areas with the Owen and Claire’s adventure being one part and the mystery of the Indoraptor being another. Although both sides eventually converge they did very little keep this adventurous tale...well adventurous. It did not help matters that the plot was contrived as it relied heavily on conveniences and its sense of continuity was horrendous. Another glaring issue was the story’s use of themes such as nature vs nurture. While this could have been a captivating element for the plot, the movie barely touched on it leading to this theme be nothing but an afterthought. I tend not expect much out of a Jurassic Park tale but I do hope that it has some semblance of storytelling to it; but that is not the case for Fallen Kingdom’s plot as its sense of adventure goes up in flames along with the convenient volcano.

Upgrade Review: A Gritty and Innovated Experience!

In the summer season it is expected to see blockbuster after blockbuster hit the big screen. Yet among the array of anticipated films there are alternatives, such as indie or low budgeted films, that find their way into the season. A fine example of this is the new sci-fi thriller simply known as Upgrade. Written and directed by Leigh Whannell Upgrade takes sci-fi concepts and meshes them with the film subgenre of body horror. In the past week I have heard the rumblings of Upgrade’s success to the point where the film may in fact become a sleeper hit for this year. Needless to say I was curious to see this movie for myself and after experiencing it I can say that Upgrade is not just a hit but it is arguably one of the best films I have seen all year.   

Upgrade centers on Grey (Logan Marshall-Green): a mechanic left for dead after criminals paralyze him and kill his wife Asha (Melaine Vallejo). However after being infused with a computer system called STEM not only is Grey able to move again but is granted superhuman abilities which gives him more than enough power to avenge his wife. There was much going for the plot of Upgrade. At first it was a little difficult to get into the story as it felt a little sporadic, but once it gets going it was hard not to be enamoured by this tale. The plot uses a variety of themes, such as the ghost and the machine, that have been used in many movies before it, but how the plot executed its ideas is what made all the difference. Blending a revenge story with that of a man becoming a monster tale, the plot utilized its concepts in a way that felt very refreshing. Along with its keen use of themes was the story’s setting which brought a practical sense to a futuristic world. The structure could be rather predictable but it was still effective and did not hinder the plot’s payoff, or delivery, in anyway.

Incredibles 2 Review: Pixar's Super Family Returns in Style

Superheroes: a theme that is all too familiar in this day and age. The idea of heroes saving the day has been a concept that has been told time and again on the silver screen and continues to be depicted as the superhero genre expands. However before the Avengers assembled, before the Justice League united, another team defined the meaning of being super. In 2004 the movie world was introduced to the Parrs in the hit film from Pixar Studios, The Incredibles, which told the story of a superhero family trying to adjust to a normal life. To this day The Incredibles is among my favorite Pixar films, as well as one of my favorite animated movies, as its sense of style and charm made it into an instant classic. For a long time now the idea of an Incredibles sequel had been talked about, but nothing really came from it. That was until 2014 when Disney made it official and after fourteen long years Incredibles 2 made its way to the big screen. Once again directed by Brad Bird Incredibles 2 picks up where the first film left and feature the Parr family in another superpowered adventure. Despite the action, the humor and more Jack-Jack my enthusiasm for this sequel was minimal as I found the content in the trailers to be questionable. However after watching the movie my skepticism was put to rest as Incredibles 2 ended being a sequel worth the wait...well for the most part anyways.

The story of Incredibles 2 centers on the Parr family dealing with another conflict as Helen/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) is selected to bring Supers back from retirement while Bob/Mr.Incredible (Craig T.Nelson) has to stay home and watch the kids. While I was hesitant at first, the story of Incredibles 2 ended up being better than expected. The plot handled its concepts well as both Helen’s case and the family being stuck at home were executed decently, and both sides of the story meshed well with the movie’s overall tone. Yet this super tale was not without its weaknesses as the story had a tendency to drag on and certain plot points were too predictable for my taste. However things still worked out for the story as its stylish delivery made the plot one that was both entertaining and fitting for the Pixar series.

Annihilation Review: A Conflicting Sci-fi Film

Every now and again there comes a movie that shakes things up. Whether it is a big time blockbuster or something independent one film tends to pop up during the year and get people talking. A cased point of this would be the 2015 sleeper hit Ex Machina. The sci-fi film directed by Alex Garland arrived on the scene in the spring of 2015 and received a massive reception from critics and moviegoers a like. Now two years later it seems that Garland is at it again with his latest contribution to the sci-fi genre: Annihilation. Annihilation is based on the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer and Garland wrote the story for the screen. The movie is now playing in theater and it appears that lightning has struck twice for Mr.Garland as Annihilation has been a critical hit. With the film garnering so much praise my curiosity was peaked and I decided to see this new sci-fi film for myself. My experience with Annihilation was a bit different from the majority as found myself indifferent about the new sci-fi movie.

Annihilation tells the story of Lena (Natalie Portman) a biologist who joins three women on a mission to a excavate the quarantine zone known as the shimmer-which contains a mutated environment that is as deadly as it is fascinating. Conceptually speaking the story of Annihilation is sound as it featured engaging elements worthy of any sci-fi tale. However the way the movie went about delivering this story is where I find myself at odds with Annihilation. The main plot is fairly straightforward and easy enough to get into. However elements likes Lena’s backstory as well as Lena conveying the events to a group of scientists were not handled well as these factors just took me out of the story. Rather than adding to the plot these aspects came off as contrived and it made the movie’s narrative feel very sporadic. Furthermore the thematic elements to the story, although ambitious, were a bit lackluster. It felt like the themes were trying to be thought provoking, but they were not fully explored within the story itself and because of this they just come off as minute details. The plot was by no means boring (although the pace could be slow at times) as I was interested to see how things would play out and this certainly made up for the plot’s lack of substance.

Solo A Star Wars Story Review: Smuggles The Series' Sense of Adventure

In Star Wars there have been many things to define the franchise like the Jedi and the Rebellion. Yet despite the galaxy far, far, away centering on the heroic tales of the Skywalkers one character manages to steal the show and cannot help but love him for it. This character is none other than the scruffy looking nerfherder himself: Han Solo. Since appearing in the cantina and shooting Greedo the iconic smuggler has been a prevalent addition to the Star Wars franchise. However, despite his role in the franchise, the origin of Han Solo has been all but a mystery on the silver screen; that is until now. With the franchise branching out into the Star Wars Anthology film series, moviegoers can now see Han’s humble beginnings in Solo: A Star Wars Story. While production of the film went through major changes the anthology movie was able to make its release date with director Ron Howard taking the helm for this installment. While it can be hard for me not to be excited for a new Star Wars film, my anticipation for Solo was a subtle one as all I was expecting from this standalone tale was it being a swashbuckling adventure; and in that regard this Star Wars Story did not disappoint.

The story of Solo centers on a young Han (Alden Ehrenreich) who is whisked into a crime filled adventure that leads the novice outlaw meeting the likes of Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) as well as finding his future ship the Millennium Falcon. Even for Star Wars the story of Solo was a simple one; though that was not necessarily a bad thing. Although it was a little jeering to get into the plot to this Star Wars Story was indeed thrilling. The second act in particular was adventurous and really got into the spirit of the series. Granted this was a double edged sword for the plot as the third act did not have the impact as the previous chapter. Another highlight for the plot, although a minor one, was its references to other stories in the Star Wars Saga; both in the films and other mediums. When it came down to it what held this plot back was its structure, but even that was not enough to keep this tale from being a engaging adventure.

Deadpool 2 Review: Superhero Sequels Fires Expected Rounds

These days superheroes are a dime and a dozen to the point where certain characters can get lost in the shuffle. However the character in question is not among them as his bright red costume makes it hard for him to blend in. This character is none other than the Merc with the Mouth: Deadpool. The iconic anti-hero made his return to theaters in 2016 in his very own film. Needless to say Deadpool was here to say as the X-Men spin-off became an instant hit. So naturally because of its success, and because Deadpool would have it no other way, a sequel was made and has now made its way to theaters. Directed by David Leitch Deadpool 2 looked to be bigger than its predecessor by including popular X-Men characters such as Cable. There was certainly plenty riding on this sequel. So after watching Deadpool 2 it seems clear to me that this superhero movie lives by the motto of “it ain't broke don't fix it”.

Deadpool 2 centers on Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) who has to protect a young mutant from the time traveling Cable (Josh Brolin) who is determined to change the future. To no surprise the plot of Deadpool 2 was straightforward as one can be-which was not a bad thing. While there were few surprises in the plot it was entertaining as it kept me invested all the way through. Much like its predecessor what benefited the plot was its stylish sense of storytelling as Deadpool would break the fourth wall to keep the story moving. When it came to themes Deadpool 2 was fairly sound in its concepts. The story’s morals were surprisingly deep for a plot such as this one and meshed well with film’s outlandish nature. However other concepts such as time traveling were underplayed to point where it felt unnecessary. Though it may not have been the strongest of tales the plot of this sequel was a fitting one as its zany presentation felt right for the Merc with the Mouth.

Isle of Dogs Review: A One of Kind Animated Feature

There are many filmmakers out there but if there is one that could be consider truly one of a kind it would have to be Wes Anderson.  The director has a distinct style in his movies and tend to deal with outlandish stories with distinct imagery; and for this reason Anderson is among my favorite filmmakers working today. So when seeing a new Wes Anderson movie hitting theaters, I cannot help but be excited; and in this case it is the film known as Isle of Dogs. The new movies sees Anderson return to a style he used in The Fantastic Mr.Fox as Isle of Dogs is a stop motion animated feature. I finally had a chance to watch the new animated movie and I must say that Anderson was in rare form with Isle of Dogs.

Isle of Dogs centers on the canine Chief (Bryan Cranston) where he and his fellow pack must help the boy Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin) find his lost dog Spots (Liev Schreiber) who has been missing since dogs were sentenced to trash island by Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura). When it came to storytelling Isle of Dogs was as simple as it was captivating. The story was no doubt an adventure and a straightforward one at that. However it was all about how this movie presented its zany story and in this case the execution was sound. The story was always engaging and used its concepts to their fullest abilities. This was notable the movie’s subplots which were  presented well by adding more to the overall story. The movie also featured individual chapters and while this element did not have major implications on the movie itself, it did however give the plot a sense of style. With a few surprises the plot of Isle of Dogs relied on its presentation and I think that direction aided the movie by making this tale a noteworthy one.

Rampage Review: Monstrous Entertainment

Many video games have made the jump to silver screen with some adaptations being more successful than others. However if there was one video game that I never expected to be told in a celluloid format it would be the game Rampage. Rampage is a game series where you played as giant monsters who are tasked to destroy city after city. Now these colossal beasts burst on to the big screen in a spring blockbuster directed by Brad Peyton. Like most adaptations Rampage looked to break away from its source by bringing a new spin on the video game concept, but despite the changes Rampage seemed like a standard blockbuster. Going into this movie I did not have the highest expectations for Rampage, and this may have been a good mindset to have as I found myself quite entertained with this adaptation.

Rampage centers on Davis (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) a primatologist who gets caught in a destructive situation after his ape George (Jason Liles) is transformed into massive mutant. The plot of Rampage was as simple as one could get. If you have seen the film’s trailer then odds are you probably know how this story plays out. However was this matter of simplicity a bad thing for the story? In my opinion no, it was not;in fact the plot’s straightforward storytelling was both appropriate and appreciated.  Some details got lost in delivery but even with its inconsistency the story still worked. The plot was entertaining as it never got boring and, much to my surprise, the story’s structure was paced remarkably well. When it came down to it Rampage was a story about giant monsters destroying things and the movie never strayed from this concept-which made this monstrous tale all the more enjoyable.

A Quiet Place Review: Silence is Golden for this Dynamic Horror Film

The realm of horror can be an interesting one. The movie genre is home to a number of concepts that tend to thrill, and even chill,l audiences. However, with such a variety at its midst, it can be difficult to bring something new to the likes of horror movies. Yet the latest horror film, A Quiet Place, could very well challenge this issue. Directed by John Kransinski A Quiet Place takes the idea of silence and melds it with a dystopian world. The movie has been getting good buzz and that was all the more reason for me to check out this new thriller. On a cloudy Thursday evening I checked out the new horror film and I must admit that I found myself  thoroughly impressed with A Quiet Place.

A Quiet Place tells the story of family trying to survive a harsh environment where monsters prey on people through sound. The plot of A Quiet Place takes a simple idea and mixes it with a straightforward narrative; and the end result was a captivating story. The plot takes the concept of silence and captivates on the theme to create a tense tale. The plot moved fairly quickly and this ended up be a double edged sword for the film. Given the movie’s concept it did make sense for the story to have a fast pace, but this direction did prevent the plot from exploring some of its plot points. Among these ideas was the dystopian world that work as the story’s backdrop. The apocalyptic world was interesting but it had little effect on the plot as a whole to the point where the desolate world was unnecessary and it would have been mores effective for the story just to take place in a isolated location. Yet even with this issue the plot remained effective as its sense of presentation was able to create a thrilling story.

Ready Player One Review: A True Cinematic Adventure

If there is one name that has defined blockbuster movies it would be none other than Steven Spielberg. Although the acclaimed filmmaker is prominent in a array of genres it is in the likes of adventure films where Spielberg's influence is so pivotal. His latest film not only sees Spielberg return to the genre but  also celebrate the very idea behind fandoms. This movie is none other than Ready Player One. The new adventure film is based on the novel by Ernest Cline which centers on the idea of virtual reality while being an ode to pop culture. I cannot deny that I was looking forward to this one as the movie’s concept is right up my ally. After watching this sci-fi adventure I must that admit, and I do not say this likely, that Ready Player One is perhaps one of Spielberg’s best films in quite some time.

Ready Player One centers on Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) who travels the virtual world known as the Oasis in order to find the Easter Egg left by the Oasis’creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance). In every aspect the plot to Ready Player One was an adventure. The plot does rely on elements and traits that are all too familiar to the adventure genre (not to mention a Spielberg blockbuster) but it all came down to how the movie utilized these elements-and Ready Player One certainly used these aspects to their highest caliber. Along with its sense of adventure the plot also featured strong themes and morals that grounded this out of this world tale. The ideas that surrounded the story were thoroughly executed and gave  a sense of complexity to this adventurous story. This was notable in the story of James Halliday which I found to be just as investing as the main journey. Another addition to the plot was its worldbuilding ability as both the Oasis and the Real World were plot elements rich with substance and creativity.  While some details, particularly getting into the third act, could be unclear it hardly affected the story’s presentation as I found myself invested in this adventure from beginning to end.

Pacific Rim Uprising Review: Rises Up As A Tolerable Sequel

If there is one thing I cannot but  love it is the concept of giant robots. The idea of mechanical titans has always been something I love seeing in pop culture. The only thing that is as good as a giant robot would be giant monsters such as Godzilla. So what happens when you have a movie about Giant Robots against Giant Monsters? The answer is a little film called Pacific Rim. The 2013 blockbuster was a treat to see by being a big time adventure for silver screen. Despite the movie under performing (a mystery that baffles me even to this day) the attention that Pacific Rim garnered was enough for a sequel to be developed; and that film has finally made its way to theaters in the form of Pacific Rim: Uprising. The first film was directed by none other than Guillermo Del Toro but this time around Steven S.DeKnight takes the helm for this sequel. So with a new director and studio backing the movie it seemed that Pacific Rim: Uprising had no shortage of obstacles to overcome; and the end result was an experience that was bittersweet.

Pacific Rim: Uprising takes place 10 years after the first film and centers on new heroes such as Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) who is tasked to train a new group of Jaeger pilots. The story of Uprising was simple and that was not a surprising direction given that its predecessor did not feature a complex plot either. However while Pacific Rim’s story was simplistic it knew how to use that direction while branching out to create an investing world. Uprising was not so fortunate but that was not to say that it did not try. There were several ideas in the plot that were interesting such as having a double perspective in story with the leads Jake and the cadet Amara (Cailee Spaeny). Plus some of the story’s twist were surprising and managed to keep things engaging. However what held the story back was its pacing as it seemingly rushed things along rather than letting elements flourish. If nothing else the plot of Uprising was by no means boring as, even though it was lacking in substance, it still found a way to be entertaining.

Tomb Raider Review: An Adventurous Adaptation

Video Games and movies tend to have a mix relationship. The transition from console to the silver screen can get  messy as more often than not it leads to adaptations that are either mediocre or just tedious. However that is not to say that every video game movie turns out to be unsuccessful. A cased point would be none other than Tomb Raider. The hit video game series made its cinematic debut in 2001 where it found some semblance of success. However, one sequel later, Tomb Raider quietly bowed out of the movie world as the series discontinued its celluloid adventure, that is until now. Lara Croft returns to the silver screen in a brand new adventure directed by Roar Uthaug. Rather than continuing from where it left off Tomb Raider is a reboot and based on the 2013 video game-which also was a reboot. Being a fan of the game, and never saying no to an adventure, I checked out the new Tomb Raider and found myself quite satisfied with the experience.

The story of Tomb Raider centers on Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) who journeys to an uncharted island to find out what happened to her father (Dominic West). What she discovers is a group of mercenaries searching for the tomb of Himiko and the secrets within. When comparing it to the game’s story the plot managed to true to the ideas of its source; although it did take many liberties but that was to be expected. Looking at it for what it was the story of Tomb Raider was an effective adventure. The origin concept  worked for the movie as it gave a clear understanding of who Lara Croft is and what kind of adventures she deals with. A surprising element to the plot was that it took its time to build up Lara’s journey. Granted the pacing could be quick, particularly in the film’s climax, but this still worked  to the movie’s advantage by keeping things exciting. Along with a few surprises the plot of Tomb Raider was adventurous to say the least; and though it could be too straightforward it did not take away from the exciting execution of this adaptation.

Game Night Review: Unravels into a Stellar Comedy

The comedy genre and I do not tend to see eye to eye. Perhaps I am just strict when it comes to my sense of humor but I usually find myself unimpressed with modern comedies as they often have the same type of jokes and like to beat you over the head with their punchlines. However when it comes to this profession you cannot pick your battles and sometimes you have to endure certain movies. That was the case for the newest comedy in theaters: Game Night. Directed by the team of John Frances Daley and Jonathan Goldstein Game Night takes the concept of a murder mystery and seemingly mixes it with a comedy of errors. Despite my grievances with modern comedies Game Night,surprisingly, looked entertaining as its ideas could have easily make it an enjoyable comedy. After watching the film I can say that perhaps the biggest twist of the evening was how much I enjoyed Game Night.

The movie tells the story of Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) who enjoy having a game night with their friends. However when Max’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) decides to make an epic game night, the evening is turned upside when Brooks is kidnapped by real crooks and the group is caught in a mystery to crazy to believe. The plot to Game Night did not go the way that I expected it to, but that was by no means a bad thing. The plot did feature a comedy of errors concept but handled it in a different way. Along with this was the story’s mystery which was effective as, while may not have been complex, it managed to work thanks to the story’s narrative. Yet this was not to say that the story did not have some puzzling directions. This was the case in how the plot handled its subplots. The subplots were effective by keeping things interesting but they had underwhelming conclusions as, rather than coming to a head, they were all but dropped by the film’s climax. Another issue was that the movie overplayed its mystery a little too much. The twists in the story were effective but with the way that things play out it does get confusing on how certain plot points fit together.

Black Panther Review: A Noble Superhero Film

The superhero genre continues to grow. For years this subgenre of movies have been defined by heroes such as Batman, Spider-Man and The Avengers. However these days the concept has branched out and brought a number of new faces to the silver screen. A cased point is latest hero to leap onto the silver screen: Black Panther. The Marvel hero made his cinematic debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War but now the character has his own adventure to have with director Ryan Coogler helming the superhero film. Quality wise Marvel Studios have been staggering on top of the mountain with their Phase 3 lineup, but Black Panther looked to be a strong entry for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After watching the new superhero movie I can safely say that Black Panther did not disappoint.

The movie tells the story of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) who fights for his country Wakanda as its guardian the Black Panther. After becoming king, T’Challa’s title and character are put to the test when Erik Killmonger (Michael B.Jordan) seeks to take the throne from T’Challa and bring a dark age to Wakanda. At first it was hard to get into the plot of Black Panther, but as it progressed  the story behind this superhero movie turned out to be quite engaging. The story’s structure, though effective, was a little too formulaic for its good. The narrative did work for the character of Black Panther, but it also created few surprises and several plot points were too predictable. However it was in the plot’s themes that made all the difference for the movie. At first the themes felt contrived , but as the film progressed the thematic elements flourished making this superhero tale a complex one that handled its ideas with care. Along with its strong themes was the story’s ability to create an interesting world within the boundaries of Wakanda. From its hierarchy to its spiritual side Wakanda was a realm filled with investing concepts that only enriched the plot in all the right ways. The plot lived up to the adventurous aspects that most superhero movies have, but it was through its keen presentation that aided this kingly story to stand out from the rest.

The Cloverfield Paradox Review: Trapped Between Ambition and Confusion

The name Cloverfield is an interesting one in the movie world. The found footage monster film was a secret project developed by JJ Abrams, and directed by Matt Reeves, that debuted on January 2008; and it became a success both financially and critically. This was no surprise as the movie, while it has not aged well in certain areas, was certainly originally in its concept. While it looked to be a one hit wonder,this would not be last time moviegoers would see Cloverfield as in 2016 the once solo film became a franchise with the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane. 10 Cloverfield Lane signified that the franchise would taking a unique route as it work as an anthology featuring a variety of different (not to mention bizarre) stories.The anthology trend continues with the third installment in the franchise: The Cloverfield Paradox. Directed by Julius Onach the newest film in the Cloverfield franchise came from the spec script by Oren Uziel and was originally titled “God Particle”. Keeping true to the series’ secretive marketing, the movie  debuted on Netflix immediately after its preview premiered during the Super Bowl. I had the opportunity to watch this unique release and when it was all said and done The Cloverfield Paradox was no doubt the an ambitious entry in the series, but far from the strongest.

The film centers on the crew of the Cloverfield Station who are tasked to find an alternative energy source in order to save Earth. The crew’s work leads them to build a particle accelerator but the results are catastrophic as the machine leads the station to disappear and puts the crew in a interdimensional dilemma. There is no doubt in my mind the plot to The Cloverfield Paradox had a lot of good ideas to it. The concepts that the movie played with were interesting and it could have made it into a stellar sci-fi tale. However the problem is how the movie goes about presenting its story. Although it has good ideas the story lacks a firm center that connects everything together. Furthermore the plot had a nasty habit of telling but not showing its conflict which was evident in the movie’s subplot-which did next to nothing to emphasize on the crisis. Along with this issue was the story’s use of conveniences which lead to a number of plot holes within the fabrics of this tale. The plot does have a good sense of tension and things do become more intriguing as it progresses, but it is not enough to save the story as this sci-fi tale is looped between the realms of mystery and utter confusion.

Winchester Review: A Traditional,albeit Tamed, Ghost Story

When it comes to horror you can never go wrong with a good ghost story. The concept of haunted houses and the specters that dwell in them have played a vital role in the genre and continues to do so even to this day. Over the years there have been many types of ghost stories depicted on the silver screen, and among these tales are ones that are based on real haunted houses. The concept of a “Based on True Events” horror film can be effective by blending both fiction and reality; and the latest film to play with this idea is a movie called Winchester. Directed by Michael and Peter Spierig, Winchester centers on the events that would turn a mansion into the famous Winchester Mystery House. On a dark and cold night I ventured to the theater to see this ghostly tale, and after enduring all the frights I found myself moderately pleased with Winchester.

Winchester centers on the Eric Price (Jason Clarke): a doctor who is tasked to go to a San Jose mansion in order to diagnose Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren). Once arriving at the mansion Price discovers the reason behind its construction and why it is called “The House That Ghosts Built”. As plots to horror movies go, the story of Winchester was pretty simple. The narrative was quite typical as it played with familiar elements such as a skeptic being haunted by unknown forces.  However the story was able to conjure up some merits as it did play with some interesting concepts. The idea of reality vs. illusions played a prominent part in the story as Doctor Pine’s addiction to drugs helped to create a sense of deniability behind the ghostly visions; and this was just one of the elements that created a manner of mystery within the plot and in doing so it made the story quite compelling. However what prevented these factors from flourishing was the movie’s fast paced structure. The pacing prevented the story from exploring its ideas while making moments such as climax feel rushed-which was upsetting as the conclusion had all the makings of being a great finale for a horror film.