What to watch: The Interview (2014)

First off let me start by saying that if you are going into this with all of it's hype in mind you're going to be disappointed. People don't seem to understand that all the buzz around this movie was not for it's quality but for it's actual release. It is still uncertain who is behind the Sony hack attack but one of the main demands was to have the film pulled due to it's controversial depiction of dictator Kim Jong Un. Sony shortly pulled the plug and many thought we'd never see the movie and claimed that nobody and  especially terrorist have the right to censor a form of artistic expression. The reason this movie is so anticipated is more out of protest against censorship and because people want to see what was so "controversial". Another thing was the rating people were giving it on iMDB for example, the film had a 10/10 and people misinterpreted this as people saying it was a great film but the reason behind this was to show that people cared about the movie and they wanted to see it. So that's what all of that was about now let's get into the actual movie review. 

There's only one way to review The Interview for me and that is comparing it to two other films, one is Pineapple Express and the other is This is the End. If you've seen either of those two movies you're familiar with this type of comedy. This movie is Seth Rogen and James Franco playing themselves in yet another crazy situation the only difference is this time they don't smoke their weight in weed. The overall plot is simple and the jokes are decent throughout the entire movie and I didn't feel bored at any time during the movie. The pacing was okay and the music did standout as it tends to do in these movies but one of my major problems with the movie was the lighting, I kept wondering why certain scenes were so unnecessarily dark and in most scenes only parts of people's faces were visible due to shadows. I'm not sure if that was an artistic decision or if someone forgot to fix that but to me it felt fairly noticeable. 

How does this compare to Pineapple Express and This is the end? Well it's not as funny and not as memorable either. The Interview relied more on the chemistry between the Skylark and Un characters and those two were great together but a lot of the rest of the film is predictable and there doesn't seem to be any wow factor. One of the best things about this movie is the Skylark Tonight interviews though, eminem has a cameo within the first five minutes of the movie and I'm so glad it wasn't shown in the trailer because in my personal opinion it was the funniest joke in the movie. I would've love to see more of that part of the story but that would've been asking to much since it would've been irrelevant to the story. 

Do you like Pineapple Express and This is the end? If you do then go see this and even if you only like them a little then at the very least rent this. If you didn't then this isn't going to be any different and I recommend you skip unless you really care about the fact that this film was almost pulled and you want to show that we here in the U.S. take our right to free speech very seriously. 

Rating: Full price (or rental) 

Where will you be watching The Interview?

Sony decided to release the highly controversial comedy on Christmas Day after all but the biggest news is Sony's decision to release the film for rent or own on several different platforms including YouTube, Google Play and ITunes. 

So where will you be watching the most talked about comedy of the year? 

Trailer Talk: American Sniper (2014)

Clint Eastwood directs Bradley Cooper as Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle in American Sniper. This is the second official trailer released and in this version we get a lot more than just the one tense rooftop scene. Bradley Cooper seems completely immersed in this character and the amount of plot shown is enough to give a good idea while not ruining the story. The fact that this is releasing around christmas makes it obvious that it is what some would call "oscar bait" but I couldn't care any less...this movie looks intense and Cooper looks to have given the performance of his career. Seeing Cooper as Kyle take aim at a child while begging him "not to pick it up" perfectly portrays the tone that this film is looking to establish followed shortly by Kyle on the phone exclaiming "i'm ready to come home" all while under fire. This right here is how you make a trailer! It's very late in the year and yet this trailer has jumped right up there in my top five of the year! Remember that is including Avengers: AoU Jurassic World and Star Wars ep. 7! So what did you think of the latest trailer for the war drama American Sniper? let me know in the comment section here or on any of the social media sites I've shared this on. Thanks again for reading and I can't wait to discuss this trailer with you

Star Trek 3 nabs a Director!

Set to replace Robert Orci in the director's chair is none other than Fast and Furious franchise director Justin Lin! 

Sources over at TheWrap.com say that Skydance and Universal have both confirmed that Lin will be directing. While this news does come as a surprise to me I'm still interested in how this will play out for the Star Trek universe, Lin is no stranger to large scale big budget action movies but this does seem to be his first SciFi film. Check out the full story at TheWrap.com HERE.

Trailer Talk: Get Hard (2015)

So the official trailer for the 2015 comedy starring Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell was released. It was just a matter of time before these two were paired up together so I guess this movie is no surprise.

Plot summary: When millionaire James King is nailed for fraud and bound for San Quentin, he turns to Darnell Lewis to prep him to go behind bars. 

So in this trailer we're introduced to both characters and given a brief rundown of what the movie is about but like most comedies nowadays the trailer seems like it's shown all of the best bits in the movie, that being said some of the jokes in the trailer actually made me laugh for example seeing Ferrell trying to drink wine while sitting in a massage chair was great and Hart being used as an exercise tool had me laughing pretty hard. The story sounds predictable but it seems that a redeeming quality of the film is that it'll be rated R which is good to see, this could've easily been watered down and turned pg13 by producers to widen the audience and rake in more cash which in hoping Hart and Ferrell both fought against. I'm not super excited for this but I won't dismiss it completely since it'll probably end up being at the very least a rental but here's hoping I'm wrong and this turns out to be a nice surprise like the Jump Street movies. What did you think of the trailer? Are you excited? Did you hate it? Let me know in the comments section here or on any of the social media sites I share this on. 

What to watch: Men Women and Children (2014)

I was very excited for this when the first trailer was released, Jason Reitman has made some wonderful movies in my opinion and this didn't seem to be any different. 

This film is....well it's like an interesting book, and that seems to be the only way I can explain it. From the narrator to the way we're treated as an omnipotent presence in the lives of all of these characters, it is obvious that this is an adaptation of a novel. I personally liked the style but I've read negative things about this aspect of the film. 

We follow several different characters as they make their way through certain situations such as love, personal dreams and abandonment all while seeing the different ways people use social media in their day to day lives. Certain performances are better than others which is understandable since some did get a little more development than others but overall nobody was particularly bad. 

The use of social media isn't innovative but it is the best use I've seen so far but sadly this will cause the film to feel terribly dated in the future which is to be expected. The feel of the movie is somewhat slow and it might translate poorly to certain audiences if they aren't expecting a character driven drama, otherwise the slower pace shouldn't be a problem. 

I enjoyed this quite a lot since its right up my alley but I'd have a tough time recommending this unless I know the person would enjoy this type of movie so it's not for everyone. If anything I've said here is something you'd like to see then by all means check it out otherwise I'd say don't rush to see it. 

Rating: Full Price (if you like things like "the social network or perks of being a wallflower") Rental (if those aren't your favorite types of movies.)

Get Hard - Official Trailer - Official Warner Bros. UK

Game of Thrones author offers his Theater to show The Interview

Many celebrities have voiced disdain about Sony's decision to pull The Interview from theaters and most recently Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin has even offered to show the film in his personal Theater.

In an interview with Esquire the prolific author and producer had these strong words to say 

"The level of corporate cowardice here astonishes me.  It's a good thing these guys weren't around when Charlie Chaplin made THE GREAT DICTATOR.  If Kim Jong-Un scares them, Adolf Hitler would have had them shitting in their smallclothes." 

This is my personal favorite opinion on the matter since it brings up a rather interesting point and comparison to the hitler regime that somewhat puts things into perspective. 

See the full interview and story at esquire.com HERE.

Sony will NOT be releasing The Interview after all!

With the recent threats of terrorisic attacks on theaters showing the film, it seems Sony isn't looking to take any chances. Many consider the threats to be mere talk but Sony isn't willing to roll the dice and find out. 

I'm sure they'll end up doing a VOD release or just release it online all together but Sony has taken a blow nonetheless. Many people aren't pleased with the news claiming that "this means the terrorists win" since Sony is submitting to the terrorists demands. The hackers claimed they had a "big Christmas surprise" that would leave Sony pictures at its lowest point but it is unknown if they'll go through with those threats since the movie has been pulled. 

What to watch: This is where I leave you (2014)

From the amazingly versatile director of 5 episodes of Animorphs and Jett Jackson: The Movie comes a wonderful dark comedy called "This is where I leave you". 

Yeah Shawn Levy has a strange filmography, so I was a bit hesitant going into this but looking at this cast I just had to see it. Seriously this cast is fantastic! I loved each and every one of these characters. This family is dysfunctional, witty and extremely charismatic. The story here has been done to death but that doesn't even matter since the actors all do such a great job with their respective roles. 

I really can't say much more since that is all that this movie is about. The film heavily relies on the chemistry between these people and I must say they do a terrific job. Every aspect of this movie takes a backseat to its dialogue and banter between these siblings who just can't seem to be a normal family. 

So this movie is fun and has a lot of heart but does it need to be seen in theaters? No, not if you don't want to. It's a good movie so if you'd like to give it a hard earned 7-10 bucks then sure go ahead, but I know most people would rather wait until it's out on DVD and Bluray so that's probably your best choice. 

Rating: (a very enthusiastic) RENTAL

What to watch: The Maze Runner (2014)

With the recent surge of Young Adult novels being turned into movies, it seems producers are throwing every idea at a wall and seeing what sticks. It looks like The Maze Runner has stuck. 

A solid plot is really what drove this story because aside from Will Poulter as Gally, the actors portrayals weren't very inspired. The story was interesting and managed to keep me entertained and while the visuals weren't the best of the year, they do hold up against other visual films this year. All the maze sequences were so big in scale that this aspect alone warrants a trip to the theater. 

This movie is obviously for a younger audience but with the amount of action, suspense and some profanity it seems the studios also tried to market this towards an older audience. Doing that can sometimes translate poorly especially with the profanity because it makes it feel forced and fake but I'm glad to say this film didn't suffer from that. 

The characters have very little development since the movie mostly focuses on them as a community so sadly they feel very interchangeable thus causing detachment and ultimately little to no caring of the minor or side characters and their demise. Another flaw is the pacing since somewhere towards the middle it felt like I'd been watching for well over an hour and it'd only been about 40 minutes. 

I can nitpick at this movie all I want since it wasn't perfect but I won't deny that I enjoyed it. Would i recommend seeing it? Absolutely, like I said before the visuals and Maze scenes would be best enjoyed on the big screen so I'd say see it in theaters if it's still available in your area, but I wouldn't pay full price. It's a good solid young adult novel turned summer blockbuster and the end of this film left me considering seeing the sequel. 

Rating: Matinee (see it in theaters but don't pay full price) 

Trailer Talk: Insurgent Trailer

In the first ever Trailer Talk we'll be discussing The Divergent Series: Insurgent...here are my thoughts. 

Overly dramatic, cliche and a blatant rip off of The Hunger Games? Some might find it unfair but I think this looks terrible. It feels like this movie is just trying way to hard to compete with The Hunger Games, more specifically MockingJay. With a full cast of rising stars It seemed like every frame of this trailer was trying to reveal a new character to get people to say "whoa he/she is in this too!" And the overall feel of the trailer is almost parallel to MockingJay! Now I'm not some Hunger Games fanboy by a long shot so that's not the end of my complaints because this trailer is oozing with YA cliches like "you have to fight yourself" or "you're the chosen one so you have to be the martyr" tropes. Obviously I'm not the key demographic here but I honestly don't have to be as long as the film is decent enough but this just looks like a clusterfuck and a cash grab to me. All that being said I haven't seen the actual movie of course so I can't completely cast this aside so we'll have to see when this is released. Although I don't know if I could sit through the first which I was hoping to never have to do. Now remember anything and everything I've said here today are strictly my opinion and I'm glad to discuss this and maybe even change my mind. What did you think of the Insurgent Trailer? 

What to watch: Horrible Bosses 2

Since it was announced that Horrible Bosses would get a sequel I've been on the fence. I enjoyed the first and the casting of Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz had me optimistic, but I always had that voice in the back of my head that kept saying this could very much go in the wrong direction. 

Horrible Bosses 2 is mediocre at best, with adequate writing and a recycled plot it seems it's only saving grace is the chemistry between the cast. Bateman Sudeikis and Day all return as our leads and their antics are carried over pretty well from the first. Waltz delivers a bland performance that is very forgettable. While Chris Pine really shined and really tied the cast together pretty well. 

I did find myself laughing throughout but it was mostly situational comedy and the back and forth between these characters. This didn't feel like an all around fun movie since all of this fun can be had on some sitcom so the film itself felt weak and dismissible. At the same time the movie did seem self aware and didn't take itself too seriously so it wasn't boring and I don't regret seeing it. 

I do enjoy these actors working together but I can't say I'd like to see a third film although I'm sure the production process has already started somewhere in some Hollywood office. This movie is nothing special and yet I was not bored so if it's available for rent or on tv I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to watch it. 

Rating: Rental 

New segment "Trailer Talk" coming soon.

With January and February coming up we'll have a lot less movies coming out that will garner interest but we will start getting more trailers for the upcoming films of 2015! Next year is looking to be one of the biggest years in movie history with Star Wars, Marvel and many other huge movies. I'd like to start doing something called #TrailerTalk. I'll be watching and discussing all new and fairly new trailers and giving my opinion and thoughts on said trailers. I'm looking forward to this and I hope many people check this out. 

Mad Max: Fury Road New Poster and Official Trailer

New poster 

A new official trailer that really showcases the cinematography and art style which look fantastic. This almost looks like a musical and that I'd be lying if said I wouldn't love a musical mad max. 

What to watch: The One I Love (2014)

The One I Love is a Comedy/Drama/Romance but this film is like nothing I've ever seen before. It is available on Netflix and from reading the plot summary we're only given a brief explanation as to what the movie is about....but this is way way more than just that.

From the beginning this movie feels like a lot of other Romance Dramas in that we see a couple struggling to rekindle their once passionate relationship, all that soon takes a turn for the unexpected when they decide to have a retreat that will help them rediscover themselves. That's all the details i'll be giving on the film because this is a great movie to go in to knowing as little as possible.

The plot is interesting and different while the performances are real and emotional. The chemistry between the leads is great and we're also treated to some beautiful cinematography and a charming atmospheric score that fits very well into the world which is fun and romantic while still holding a sense of mystery that is felt throughout the movie.

Many troubling topics are also covered in the relationship department here, our characters are confronted with many problems that might be very familiar to some viewers that are in similar situations so there's a strong sense of relatability that gives this film another level of complexity to an already wonderful movie.

Should you see this? If anything I've said so far sounds interesting than I can't recommend this enough but this is in fact a romantic drama so it obviously won't be for everyone. I personally enjoyed this movie quite a lot and think it was an unexpected surprise.

Rating: Full Price (check it out on Netflix streaming.)

San Andreas - Official Teaser Trailer [HD]

The first trailer for San Andreas, the disaster film starring Dwayne Johnson is here and it looks....well about as decent as you'd expect it to. Should be a decent disaster movie with great visuals and having The Rock star in this should be a plus. 

The latest look at Dwayne Johnson in San Andreas

I know a lot of people were upset that the upcoming disaster film San Andreas wasn't what they were hoping but I'm still very excited. 

Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is set to star in this disaster film as a fire rescue helicopter pilot who must travel across California to save his daughter played by Alexandra Daddario amidst a catastrophic earthquake and wild fires. The film is expected May 29th 2015 but not much promotion outside of a few photos have been given. 

What to watch: Modern movies with exceptional Soundtracks

There are many classic films with unforgettable scores like Jaws, Star Wars  and many others but I've gathered here a group of movies made within the last five years that I think have exceptional soundtracks. In no particular order 

Tron Legacy (2010)

In Daft Punk's film scoring debut some might argue that the mesmerizing electronic infused classical score is the best part of the film. 

The Social Network (2009)

David Fincher has struck gold since he's decided to almost exclusively collaborate with NIN frontman Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The duo have since made several award winning and nominated film scores but I think their first is the most influential and wonderfully crafted works. 

Drive (2011)

The stylish and eclectic film that can only come from the mind of Nicolas Winding Refn is perfectly merged with the musical style of Cliff Martinez. The film is very different and is one of those that you either hate or love but you'd find it hard to find someone who isn't a fan of this 80's synth inspired soundtrack. 

Oblivion (2012) 

I was a very big fan of this underrated SciFi and one of the things that stood out the most for me was the music and its role in establishing and building an atmosphere that felt futuristic and what I can only describe as "clean". Cliff Martinez of M83 fame is known for his wildly popular style of electronic music and his experience shows in this films score. I highly recommend listening to this movies title theme "oblivion" by M83. 

Inception (2010)

For such an innovative and groundbreaking film it is only appropriate that you have an equally innovative soundtrack. Hans Zimmer created not just music but a sound, a sound that would become a trend that other films and composers would try and recreate time and time again. This piece of music will be looked back on as the start of an era and that era is completely dominated by Zimmer. 

So those have been some films and soundtracks with a modern feel that I think are outstanding and deserve recognition. While I'm sure some of these many of you will be familiar I hope you enjoyed a piece of music you maybe had not heard. 

Principal photography wraps for Ant-Man according to Peyton Reed

The director tweeted that principal photography is now done. 

It seems like just yesterday Edgar Wright was still attached to the project so it's good to see the marvel movie is moving along production wise. 

Robert Orci steps down as director of Star Trek 3.

I always felt that Orci was more of a placeholder for the directors position for the third installment in the Star Trek franchise. Today many sources confirm that Roberto Orci has in fact been releaved of his position as Director. It is still unknown if Orci will still serve as head writer but for now Variety.com reports that he'll still be producing the film.

From variety

 "The details behind Orci’s exit from the project are unknown, but Paramount and Skydance Productions have to act quickly to secure another helmer, as the film is dated to bow sometime in 2016.

Orci is still producing the pic with Abrams, Patrick McKay and John D. Payne working on the most recent draft of the script."

See the full story and more at Variety.com HERE.
Also the folks over at Indiewire.com and many other sources are reporting that Edgar Wright is on the short list to replace Orci as director and this news is pretty exciting.

see the full story for that HERE.

What to watch: The Giver (2014)

The Giver is an adaptation of the Lois Lowry young adult novel of the same name. This film felt very reminiscent of recent movies like Enders Game and The Hunger Games but I have to admit I did enjoy this quite a bit and it is a well made children's movie. Some of you might be wondering why I consider this a kid's movie and that is because this is a movie that children can watch and put some thought into, it has philosophical message that's easy to comprehend and discuss, which is perfect for a young audience. 

The movie starts off in black and white which sort of gives away what was a major twist in the book but I don't see how this movie could've been made without spoiling this. Some might argue that the acting is pretty bad in the first act but it's apparent that the acting was purposefully bad to portray the soulless feel of the community. The actors were basically playing robots who have no free will and live in a world that works like an engine with every part doing it's job and nothing more. 

The story is strong and while the performances weren't great I can excuse that to the fact that these characters don't have a lot of well....character. They're emotionless therefore the actors and actresses don't have much to work with. Once I finished watching this I was satisfied with what I was given. The story was left open since it is an ongoing novel and honestly, I'm looking forward to a sequel. This movie might not be amazing but it's definitely not something you should skip. I enjoyed it and I think you would to. 

Rating: Rental 

Marvel confirms Benedict Cumberbatch will play Doctor Strange

Marvel has released a couple things today but in their biggest reveal of the day we get confirmation that actor Benedict Cumberbatch will in fact play the sorcerer supreme Doctor Strange!

Many sources had this speculation but now it's official. The full story can be found at Marvel.com 

Terminator Genisys Movie - Official Trailer

Arnold is looking to cement his comeback with his return to the Terminator franchise.

News from the Bond 24 announcement this morning.

Sadly I fell asleep before 2 am last night so I wasn't awake for the Bond 24 live stream and announcement this morning which was at 5 am in my time. Here's what I gathered from the Official Bond Twitter for those of you who haven't seen it. 

An official Title and Teaser poster 

With the poster came an official date of release. 

A look at what the world's greatest secret agent will be driving. Aston Martin DB10 which is a monster of a car with a nice coating of elegance. 

We also got a look at some of the new characters that will be introduced. 

Christoph Waltz is playing "Oberhauser" who is bond's skiing instructor but in sure there's more to the character than that.

Confirmation has also been given on whether Dave Bautista will be playing a villain/henchman type role. He'll be playing Mr.Hinx

All this news is very exciting and I'm huge fan of the direction that the bond films are headed in. I can't wait for mor news on the matter.