It Follows

It Follows is an indie 80's horror throw back film.When I say throw back, I mean throw back. If you liked the films done by John Carpenter. Its safe to say that you will enjoy this film at least the style. The film stars the stunning Maika Monroe (The Guest) and is Directed by David Robert Mitchell (The Myth of the American Sleepover). The film is about Jay (Monroe) going on a date and sleeping with a boy. The passes on a curse that wants to kill her and will never stop following her.

Monroe was a great choice for the lead in the film. She has a lot of talent and you really do get attached to her thought out the film. She is just an everyday girl that had this terrible curse put on her or if you want to read into it sexual disease. The film makes you feel very paranoid no matter who you are and this is one the great strengths of this film. David Robert Mitchell swiftly directs this film. He is able to do one of the hardest things to do for most Hollywood horror directors out. Which is keep tension on the whole film. Which made me very happy. I personally was on the edge of my seat the whole film and couldn't look away. When you left the theater you just had that feeling of "crap its right behind me." The films score and look are another great positive for the film. The score goes with its 80's throw back theme. It is a electronic score and has great moment of pure, intense moments and other parts of just beauty. The films look is awesome a lot of shots of suburban living and long shots and very long pans. I really liked the looked.

Now, I personal had huge exceptions of this film and sadly it didn't knock it out of the park. Not fully anyway. It was still a very good horror film. It just didn't have that extra punch that Spring, Under the Skin or The Babadook had.  Also with the John Carpenter parts it can be a positive and a negative. Some parts are just an homage to him like the setting, the score, and the overall plot of the film. Others are just straight lifted from Halloween. So if you have seen that film you can call where it goes. Also, it takes a lot of the 80's stupid horror things. Now I am not sure if that was on purpose or poor writing because the whole film is a love letter to the 80's, but it is still apparent. Things like running in stupid areas or running past doors. So when it comes down to it. I have a lot of problems with the script. Like they have a lot of metaphors in the film or at least attempts at metaphors. Like something with a pool that went over my head. I pretty good at figure those out, but this one I missed so I will need to see the film again. So the bottom line is if you like 80's horror films and just super intense moments all the way thought your film go see it.

RATING
3 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Spring

Spring, is an indie horror, romance film that is about a man who had just lost the last bit of his family and needs to get away for a while. So what is his best option? Take a trip to Italy of course. The film stars Lou Taylor Pucci in the title role of Evan and Nadia Hilker in her first film. Now I don't want to spoil the rest of the plot, but the genre blending of horror and romance has been a personal passion of mine. (Been writing one for awhile now)

Horror and romance aren't things that go together very well. So, when people try to put them together we get one of two things can happen. One, an amazing film going experience like Warm Bodies or Let the Right Ones In (Let Me In). Two the worst film you could possibly see, every Twilight film made. Lucky for us this one falls in the first category.  The two leads do a perfect job of making you fall for both of them. Evan is just this completely normal ever man type. That you can't help, but like. He has that quality that you know someone like him in your everyday life. Then Louise is the girl that is a complete mystery that you need to get to know better. Then when you do get to know her, she is one of the most interesting people you can ever meet. Heavy on the interesting. This film works as just a great romance. You get to see these two go on dates and talk. You get to learn what they think about life. The writing shines here. Every time these two talk my eyes were glued to the screen. I wanted to hear what they thought about life, love and what it means to live. It has this Before Sunrise feel to it. Then the way it is directed has this great atmosphere to it. With its blown out brightness and washed out colors and great use of 80's electronic music.

From what I just wrote you are most likely thinking "Kyle didn't you say this was a Horror movie?" Yes, it is a horror movie. The horror is in the complete mystery behind Louise. These scenes are genuinely creepy and super intense. The film gives you this little teases the whole film and you as the audience are trying to figure out what is going on with this girl. This becomes the only part of the film that has a critique. Once you figure out the mystery it loses some suspense, but the directors replace the mystery with another thing that I don't want to spoil. It is done well,  just not as good as the first three fourths of the film.

Now, this review is going to be a bit longer because I am going to on a little rant here. Horror movies now are in a state of reimagining. They truly are. I am not just saying this as a fan of Horror. Look at the films that are coming out and have come out. We had last years The Babadook and Starry Eyes and Honeymoon. We have the team behind The Guest and You're Next. Now we have this year Spring and It Follows. All of these were low budget and are some of the most interesting and well made films of their respected years.  Look to the indie filmmakers right in horror they are doing some of the most unique things you will ever see. I as your humble film nerd go watch all of those film I have just mentioned. You will not be upset. (It follows just looks amazing, I haven't seen it yet, but don't worry I will)

RATING
3.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs. 

American Sniper

American Sniper is the next film from director and amazing actor Clint Eastwood. The film stars Bradley Cooper as the title role the most lethal sniper in US history, Chris Kyle (great last name just saying). The film tells the story of Kyle's trips to Iraq to fight in the war.

This film is kind of a mixed bag when I saw it. I went in excepting see a huge action film with lots of tense moments in the shoes of Cooper. What I got was more of a quiet film which I have to say has its positives and negatives. Eastwood, I can tell really want to honor this man. He doesn't make him out to be some super hero. He really makes him a human which is one of the things that I can safely say I loved about this film. The film takes pages from The Hurt Locker and how you can be addicted to the war. I really liked this theme because it really opens you up to something that people really don't know much about. I have to hand it to Eastwood and Cooper for this because you really end up caring for the man. Cooper's performance is very good. Its very once again quite and lets his face tell a lot. The dude was also really looked the part of solider. So the main thing that this film had going for it was the character of Kyle.

Now, this film does have its problems. I feel people who are looking for the next Lone Survivor really won't find it here. The action is good don't get me wrong, but it is no where near as intense as that film was. The action of the film was really a second thought. I liked this, but I know some people will not like this part. Also the film is a bit on the slower side and not much really happens because it's not really a story driven film. Much more a character film. Also, since this film is a lot like The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and Lone Survivor. It feels like we have already seen a lot of this stuff already. Like the War Addict in the Hurt Locker or the actionfest that is Lone Survivor and I believe those films did both of those things very well.

At the end of the day this film is a very well done character drama. That tells the some of the problems of the war with people coming back home and should be seen by people who do in enjoy a pretty solid war film.

RATING
3 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service is the next film by gang behind the second best ( in my opinion) X-Men films First Class. The film stars Colin Firth, Sam Jackson, Mark Strong, and Michael Caine. It also stars Mark Hamill in a small role and a new comer in Taron Egerton. The film is about Firth working for a secret spy organization that needs to replace someone and Taron Egerton is his choice.

The star of this film is really the man in the director's chair. Matthew Vaughn, who is easily one of the most under-appreciated directors working in Hollywood today. This man has not made a bad film today. He is easily the master of pace in a scene and the master of tone for a film. He brings his talents to this film. This is his best film to date. He easily mixes the tones of his two most known films. Them being Kick-Ass and First Class and throws a little old school James Bond into the mix and you would have the plot and tone of this film. You have the humor of Kick-Ass, but in a spy film. The film continuing to comment on how stereotypical the film is, but does it with such class and just great style. That you can't help but to laugh. The pace of the film is great. The film is never boring. You will have a great action set piece and then you have a great character building moment in Eggsy (Egerton). Speaking of characters,  the acting in the film is amazing. Seeing Firth doing some great hand to hand fighting and using all sorts of crazy gadgets to defeat his enemies was something I thought the man couldn't do, but I was very wrong. Egerton plays a very likable main character easily showing he has the chops to stand toe to toe with any of the new and up and coming actors. I hope this kid doesn't get put into the action film typecast because I want to see him grow into a great actor. Sam Jackson plays a lot bigger role than I thought he was going to. He plays the main villain of the film and does it very well. Making once again another great character. He is a villain that you can actually understand why he is doing what he is doing, but the man completely evil, but you get it. Vaughn is known for having very over the top violence in his film. Which this film has in spades, but its no where near the gore level that Kick-Ass had. It found a nice middle ground between the two films. So with all that being said, this film is going to be rated R. The film is way too violent and way to crude in its humor. So I can't recommend it to younger kids.

This film is a spy film that is made for the fans of spy films. Much like Cabin in the Woods was made for horror fans. Picking at the problems with it, but still doing them with the class that any great spy film can do. I personally don't have any problems with this film. It is an amazing way to start off 2015. So if you are looking for a film with hyper stylized action and has some great in jokes. Look no further then Kingsman: The Secret Service. I can't believe I am already doing this, but my score for the film is

RATING
4 out of 4 Ticket Stubs (See this film when it comes out I want a sequel now)

Top Ten 2014

Now since this is my top ten films of 2014 this is all my personal favorite films. This means even thought I didn't give it a perfect rating it still may out beat other movies. Also I didn't see everything. So sorry if your favorite film isn't on the list.  I will also post the rating out of how many ticket stubs I think the movie deserves because I didn't do full reviews of all them. Sorry for the last few months with no reviews. November and December a lot comes out and its hard to see everything plus school. So thank you for your support it truly means a lot.

Honorable mentions- Nightcrawler, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Captain America: Winter Solider, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

10) The LEGO Movie- 3.75 out of 4. This pair of directors were on fire this year. They would send a joke minute at you and all of the would hit. They would also put is in tandem with making fun of themselves and actually having a very heartfelt story and great voice acting. If you are of age of course you should there other hit film this year 22 Jump Street.

9) Edge of Tomorrow- 3.75 out of 4 This film was the original film to come out of Hollywood this year. It was well told and had an amazing character arc. It also had a great and very strong female lead in Emily Blunt. Which I always like to see. It was very sad to see that this film underperformed at the box office. It should have made so much more. It's Groundhog Day with Mech suits what is not to like about that.

8) Snowpiecer- 3.5 out of 4. Chris Evans killed it in this film. Another super well made indy film that had a great idea and was very well done. Powerful ending and great action. With another great character arc. This film also underperformed and should have much more then it did. If you are looking for a film to watch and you what action and great story I recommend both 9 and 8. You will not be mistaken.

7) The Raid 2- 4 out of 4 Easily the best martial arts film I have ever seen. I have even been quoted as calling this the Godfather of martial arts films. It will change the face of action with its high intense hand to hand fighting. The other thing is the story and character is are so good you will find yourself lost in this world of crooked cops and gangsters.  

6) John Wick- 3.5 out of 4. Maybe a dumb and really to simple premise for a film, but the style and world and just the overall great action fun that happens in this film is a must see for action junkies like myself.  Keanu Reeves is completely back after seeing this film. This is just a super COOL film and is a great film to watch for both silly fun and great style.

Here we go everyone the Top 5 films of the year for me. There were so many good films this year. I wish I could make much longer list, but ten is the norm for critics. Doing this was very hard this year. Also I am happy to be reporting my next film review will be Kingsmen. I have a early screening passes so look for that. I am love doing this and its been a great year for me as a film fan to go see this great pieces of work.

5) Interstellar 3 out of 4. Great film for me personally. I loved all the 2001 a space odyssey like moments and Nolan fixed all the problems that I had with him in the past. That being of his characters. I never cared about any of the characters that Nolan created. Till now. I was near tears at the end of this film. I know it was bit hard to follow, but I had no problem with this and maybe just a little to long for some, but I had no problems at with this film as well, but still there are 4 films that I thought were much better.

4) Gone Girl- 3.5 out of 4. David Fincher you smart and crazy man you. It was perfectly done dark thriller that would keep you guessing all the way to the end of the film what is going to happen next. Has a super dark and real ending. Also has completely turned me around on an actress that being Rosamund Pike. I never really liked her till I saw her performance as Amy. This is one of those few films were I left the movies going darn I wish I made that film. It looks good, great story and great acting what more do you need.

3) The Babadook 4 out of 4 This film should be called the horror film that could. This film is going to go down as a horror classic. It makes me so happy that is film is getting a lot of love on sites like Reddit and has close to perfect 100 on rotten  Its not just a great horror film, but a great film. It has a great story with amazing acting from the leads. This film also takes the horror genre very serious and wants you look at the deeper into it. It also is truly terrifying. We truly can't get rid of the babadook.

2) Under The Skin- 2.75 out of 4. Don't let that score fool you I absolutely loved this film. It was a horror film with many dark and great symbols. It truly asked the question what do we think is beauty. Top it off with a great lead actress, score and look this is and my number one pick are almost interchanged as best films. This one is just a bet harder for some to digest. Hence it being put back to number 2.

1) Birdman- 4 out of 4. Easily the best film of the year. Not just for the style, the film would have been just as good without it. Funny and insightful this film is truly a masterpiece that you have to see once in your life. I don't want to say to much else about it just see it if you are a fan of films. You will not be upset. This is the film I will be rooting for when awards come around

Interstellar

Interstellar is the next Christopher Nolan film starring (oh boy here we go) Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine. There are more stars in this film that you will see but I don't really want to spoil parts of the film, because they are so important to the plot. The film is simply put, the earth is dying and we need to find a new place to live. So McConaughey goes and searches for a new planet.

I am a big Nolan fan. I wouldn't go as far as saying and calling me a Nolan fanboy because I do actually hate one of his films and see some flaws on one of his "greatest" film. I will admit thought that the man is somewhat of a genius. I think this film thought maybe his best film to date. I like it more the dark knight as of right now. So if you know me you can probably see where this review is going.  Nolan tells a great realistic space travel film. Which is amazing in of itself. All the characters in the film feel like real people and you want to see them all get thought this. Which is something I think Nolan sometimes has a hard time with. The film looks great. Not just because of the great CGI but the actual look of the shots and how they are composed looked amazing. McConaughey continues to amaze as he has done that past few years. He gives us some great moments with his on screen daughter were you can just feel the emotion going thought the man. I honestly would give this film just a view for his performance. The score was very good. I do have problems with that but I am pretty sure it was just the theater that I was in because I have had this problem with my local theater before, but I am going to mention it just to be sure. Also the fact that I saw the film on a actual film stock just made me love the film even more. Just hearing the flickering of a projecter it in the background just made me feel like a kid again.

Now, this is the section were I usually talk about the problems I see with the film. I personally have no problems with this film. I will repeat. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS FILM. I will let that sink in for a minute. But there are a few problems that I can see many people having issue with. This film is super hard to follow. It really dives a lot into wormhole theory and all that jazz. I was able to follow and keep up, but I know many people will hate this film for it. This is basically the same problem that I have with Under The Skin which I loved.  The film is also 3 hours long, but it needs the time to tell the story and set up the world and explain how all this world works. So I am going to give the film a personal score of perfect 4 out of 4 and a second score for everyone else.

RATING
3 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

John Wick

John Wick is the first film directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski. They were the team that gave us the action scenes for the Matrix films. So needless to say these guys know how to make a cool action scene. The film stars Keanu Reeves in the title role in John Wick. The film is about an ex hitman who's wife has recently died. With her dying wish she gives him a dog. When a group of  man come and kill said dog it sends Wick back into the underground of the city.

Leich and Stahelkis did something that is truly amazing. They made Reeves relevant again as an action star. I have to say every action scene in this film is absolutely perfect. I loved every action scene in the film. They all had a great style to them and just all around cool factor that a lot of action films of this day and age are sorely lacking. Another thing I can say about the team is that this film has a great style a loved it. You guys know that I am huge sucker for anything with a cool style and this film has that in spades. Also something that I would like to mention is the fact that the world that these guys made is completely and totally realized in this two hour film. There are a lot of moments in the film where characters talk and they have age behind them. I really loved that about this film. It also leads me into the fact that I would really like to see a sequel to this film. Just so I can see more of the world that the two had created. I hoped this film makes a lot of money because it truly earns it these guys really made a great action film. I want to see more from them. Don't let these guys go into unknown territory. I used to love the Boondock Saints, I have rewatched it and didn't age well with me. The reason why I mention this is because I think this film really is what Boondock Saints should have been. Now Reeves is 50 years old and it is great to see him kick some serious butt thought out the whole film. He also gives one of his best performances that I have personally have seen him give. He also does a ton of the stunt work which is always just great to see.

Now this film was really for lack of a better word completely geared toward someone like me. It does everything that I like in a film. Super style, great music, and a great hero that is very gray character. Just look up my Drive review and you see that I had the same problem with that film as I do this film. It is so perfect in what it does that it truly alienates and goes for a specify group of people. So if you are into films that are big on action and style this film is for you. But if you don't like films of that type you are going to have a real hard time sitting down and watching this one. With that, my finally thoughts are this if you like a film with the style of Drive and the action of The Matrix. Go see this film. Go see it now. But if you hated both of those films stay far away.

RATING
3.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Fury

Fury is the next World War II film this time directed by David Ayer of End Of Watch fame. This one centering around a group of 5 men that pilot the US tank Fury. The film stars Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Micheal Pena and Jon Bernthal.

There were 2 WWII films that came out this year. One of them being Monuments Men. I personally didn't really enjoy that film and was very let down by it. I was very excited for this film. It really did a great job of being a war film. I also have to really stress that I went into the this film hoping for just a very good war film. What we got was one of the darkest and grittiest war movie I have ever seen about war.  When it comes to WWII films that are about the war. Saving Private Ryan is one of the best if not the best. Now the D-Day scene in that film is the darkest that film gets I would say, Fury hits the tone of that scene and stays with it. I really got to hand it to David Ayer for this. With that tone he was able to create a group of characters that are very well rounded. You may not like every create in the film and I don't think Ayer really wants you to. He really wanted to show the darkness and the evil that is created from war. He does this with flying colors. Another thing that I really enjoyed about the film was pretty much everything on the production side.  The film looked and sounded so real. I loved the look of this film. I mean I really loved the look of this film. The shots done by Roman Vasyanov(so happy I didn't have to say that because I would have screwed that one up) were beautiful looking. He does my favorite thing again. Giving the film a gray and colorless look until the end. The sound design of the film was also great. It felt like I was being shot at. There was very little that I honestly hate about the film. I loved the score from Steven Price he put a lot of choir singers giving every action scene this super mythological feel. I thought it was a great choice.

The only that I haven't really touched on is the cast. A film with this good of a production crew. Needed a cast that could bring it all to life. I will admit they did it. There is not a bad performance in the bunch. All of the actors really give a great performance.  It's hard to pick a favorite because they are all so very good. Brad Pitt again plays a great war character that is just a leader and someone that the men that has seen the darkest side. Lerman gives a great performance of a good man in a bad situation. The other three also give great and character pervading moments. I have to say my only real problem is the end of the film and the story of the film. The end is a hard topic to talk about without spoiling stuff, but here it goes.  A character escapes a very hard, dangerous spot in a very unbelievable way.  That is all I will say about it just because I don't want to spoil the film. The other part is more of a preference. There is much of a story or mission I would say the crew is doing. I personally don't mind this because it lets the world, characters, and area build and tell the story which is something I love, but I can see if you want a more story driven film.

Fury is a star studded WWII film that shows the real darkness of war. It doesn't glorify these people. It lets the characters tell the story and also has some great tank warfare action. So if you are looking for a dark slower, but a powerful war film this the film for you. I would not be surprised to this film on my top 10 later this year.

RATING
3.5 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

The Judge

The Judge stars Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall as a strained father and son. Jr. is a hot shot lawyer who comes from a small town where is the father is a Judge (Duvall). Duvall was out one night after a funeral of his wife. They wake up and find that there is a dent in his car and that he may have run down a man. So Jr. most come to help is father and save him from jail time.

Now, that the story is out of the way I have two huge things to say about this film. The casting was great in this film. Downey and Duvall are great in this film. Both actors go thought the whole cycle of emotions. All the from happy and laughing to sad and angry. I will also say the characters are both very good and feel like real people. At least the characters themselves do the plot and way it's handled is different. I can really see that both of these characters are related. I really enjoyed it for that reason and that reason alone. You really get that the writers and director really wanted to tell a family drama more than a courtroom drama. Just this court thing is the background noise to the real story that is Duvall and Downey's relationship. The other thing that I really enjoyed about this film was cinematography done by Janusz Kaminski. If Roger Deakins is my all type favorite cinematographer, then Kaminski is easily my second. He really works a lot with Steven Spielberg. Shot some of his best work in Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. This movie looks absolutely amazing. Going into the film I didn't know he had shot it. Leaving the film I knew it had to be him. He does some of my favorite things with low lighting in the courts for the dark moments and bright and sunny for the great out doors moments. There are so many very good looking shots. There was only one that I really didn't enjoy,  but nothing that is distracting when it comes to the image.

My big problems are the pace and how the overall story is handled. The pace of the film is very slow. I mean that is a big problem for a film with a run time of two and a half hours. There are two characters that I will not mention because they serve to the overall film. It doesn't focus on the relationship or the court room parts. It just slows the film down and adds more screen time that isn't really needed. The trailer is another thing that I had a huge problem with they are really trying to sell this huge courtroom drama. I never really got that from this film. It shouldn't have been the center or the main focus. The court room part actually kind of bored me except for the last one, but that is because that was mostly about the relationship between the father and son. I think that if they wanted to sell courtroom drama, it should have been a lot more intense.

I think overall this film is very okay. You get two great performances from the leads and some great looking scenery, but the overall story is just too heavy handed with the story and long. I think if you are looking for a descent family drama and good leads, then you have found your movie. But if you are looking for a 12 Angry Men or A Few Good Men. You sadly won't find it here.

RATING
2.5 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Horns

Horns stars Harry Potter, I am sorry I mean Daniel Radcliffe as Ig Perrish, who has be wrongly of accused of killing and raping his girlfriend. He goes on a bender on the night of a candle light vigil for her. He awakes with Horns coming from the top of his head and giving the power to know and tempt people to do their darkest wishes. The film is directed by Alexandre Aja, who has made The Hills Have Eyes (2006) and Piranha 3D. It is also based off the book of the same title written by Joe Hill.

I have read the book, but I will do my best to keep my opinion on just the film. Because we all know how bad I am at letting things that I have read first get in the way of actually viewing the film as just the film. I am looking at you almost every comic book movie. Well to start Aja is one of the directors that I think is a little under liked. I think if you are a horror junkie like me, you will like his style and tone of his films, but if not he is always a tough sale. Here he isn't in full gory, over the top horror mood like the The Hills Have Eyes. He hits more of a middle ground between that and Piranha 3D. He has some really dark moments, but really hits the really dark comedy that is all over the place in this film. I also really have to give him props for his imagery as well in the film. It's not a great looking film, but there are shots in the film that look great. Two really come to mind, one is of Radcliffe walking out of a barn and another is of Radcliffe just sitting in a car with a burning building behind him. It just looks very cool. There was a major problem with pace at the beginning of the film. It felt very fast. Like nothing really got a chance to breath, but then about at the half way point of the film it slowed down and gave us some real character moments. The thing the strongest part of the film is the story. It is very unique kind of. We have all seen a revenge movie before, but this one differently has its own style and look to it. Which I personally really dug, but I can see people having a hard time getting into. 

The acting of the film is good for the most part. There are a few people that just stick out like a sore thumb one of them being Heather Graham. I really think she was just there for the paycheck, not her best. The two stand outs really are Radcliffe as the lead and I would say Juno Temple playing Merrin Radcliffe's dead girlfriend. Those two on screen really looked good together and had great chemistry on screen and I wanted to see them happy. Radcliffe really impressed me sporting an American accent. The only part where his acting feels a little off really is in this Voice Over parts, but overall he is very good. He really has stopped being Harry Potter. I never really saw Radcliffe or Potter for that matter. Which is one of the best comments you can get from someone like me. He did a great job at the bar scene with Juno Temple. It is easily his biggest moment, but he really gives it his all and makes you feel very bad for the character.

Overall, if you are a fan of the book I think you like the film version. It does  some things different and cuts and moves things around, but it all works for the overall film.  Now if I was going to recommend this to people.  I would say if you like Aja you should see it. I think you will really enjoy this. It fits very well with all of his other films, being a fan of him myself. The casual viewer, however it would be a tough sale. You have to like dark humor or a dark story. If not you should stay away, but if you like the story elements and don't mind a dark story I think you would find something to enjoy.

RATING
2 out 4 Ticket Stubs

Gone Girl

Gone Girl is the next Ben Affleck film. The film was based on the book with the same title written by Gillian Flynn. The film tells the story of Nick Dunn (Affleck) waking up in the morning of his and his wife's Amy (Rosamund Pike) anniversary. The happy morning for the couple turns to dread when Nick finds his wife is missing.

Let me start this review off saying this I am a huge David Fincher fan. He is one of my top three favorite directors of all time. I have seen all of his films and will say Seven is one of my all time favorite films. So if you want to take everything I say with a grain of salt you can. David Fincher knocks the film out of the park with his direction of the film. The tone of the film is perfect nothing truly feels out of place. He also wisely really chooses a great subtext about the film concerning how the media (oh the irony of writing this) can really control how people think of you. The script of this film is great. It has a great three act structure. Each act truly has a point and has a end. Which is super important to the story. I also really enjoyed the fact that I had no idea how the film was going to end. I know the book ending was changed, but I loved the ending to the film. It does one of my favorite things which is ending where it started.

The acting and characters were very well done. Affleck was so good in the film. He gives a great performance. He doesn't have a very big moment, but he makes you really see the character and what he is going through. You know every emotion the man feels, but the film doesn't just tell you. Affleck physical posture does that. Pike for me was always a really hard pill for me to swallow. I just never thought she was that good. Well after this film Pike and the character of Amy makes me want to review everything she has ever done. Amy maybe one of my favorite female characters of all time. This is one of the characters I wish I should have written. I loved everything about her. Pike just kills it as her. Affleck maybe getting all the press, but the performance from Pike was just pure amazing. I do have one character and actor that I have problems with. No, its not Tyler Perry he was very good in the film. It's sadly NPH (Neil Patrick Harris) I felt like he was just missed casted as him. The first time he speaks feels very wooden. Then after that he has this really odd moment with Pike. I am not sure if he was supposed to come off as creepy or just a nice guy. The character just felt very off.

This film is perfect thriller and a perfect way to start off my favorite season for movies. I do have some minor nitpicky problems. The third act of the film felt very slow. It maybe because all the thriller aspects and the what's going to happen next feeling had left. It really a was a great ending, but it had a lot of loose ends to tie up and I felt like that part was poorly handled. This film will fit perfectly into Fincher's filmography. It will go right alongside of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It is not as good as Seven or Zodiac, but better than Panic Room.   This film is great for a weekday out at the movies for a weekend if you are looking for a perfectly crafted thriller.

RATING
3.5 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Sin City when it first came out had a very unique look and style. Which of course made me love it. I really enjoyed its use of Film Noir like stories with its beautiful use of black and white style. Now that movie came out in 2005 and now it's 2014 and the Sequel has finally come out. Most of the actors return from the first film. Like Micky Rourke as Marv and Jessica Alba as Nancy and there a few others, but there are some new names added to the list being Eva Green, Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Josh Brolin. Much like the film before it is broken up into 3 main stories and one very short opening story. The thing that is different about this one is that. The A Dame to Kill for being the centerpiece and takes up a lot of the screen time. Unlike last time where they were all pretty equal in length. The acting in this film was very really the highlight of these films, but they are a few in the bunch that I think do very well in their characters. Those two being Micky Rourke returns as Marv and Eva Green as Ava Lorde. Marv is an awesome character and whenever he is one the screen something really dark and cool happens or something really action packed fun happens. He shows up in every story of the film be it for a bit but he is still there. Rourke really looks and feels like the character and just like last time knocks out of the park. Eva Green, is like the Queen of Frank Miller sequels last year she had 300 and now this. She was great then as a warrior and here as a femme fatale. Places it perfectly and is very enjoyable to watch all the way thought her section. Now my problem with the film really comes to how Rodriguez put the film together. The pace is really off. The look and the tone are great. Still feels like sin city and looks like sin city. I really think the three story motif hurt them here. The two added sections and a Dame to kill for just did flow together and just weren't woven very well. Levitt's story felt very underdeveloped, be it a cool story just by the end felt very unnecessary. Alba's story was also good, but makes a huge plot hole in the first film. I think the only really well done story is the center piece, but even that has its own problems. The ending of it felt very rushed. Overall I think the film would be a solid rent. If you liked the first one you will enjoy this one as well, but it doesn't live up to what the first one did.
Are you guys a fan of stylized films like this or do you prefer the more modern look?
RATING 2.5 out of 4 Ticket Stubs.

Alice In Wonderland (1951) (The Disney Collection)

Alice In Wonderland is Disney's take on the Alice in Wonderland book series. It is a actually really dark for Disney in the 50's. Talking about beheading and other dark themes. It tells the story of Alice, who gets transported to this place called wonderland.

Now as a kid I was never the biggest fan of the movie. So now that I am grown up and have gone though it again, I am still not a fan of the film. I think the film works a lot better as a series of shorts. I mean the film (I use film lightly here) really doesn't make much sense. I know that it isn't supposed to, but this one really doesn't. The film just moves from one event to the next without connecting one from the other. None of the songs are great or memorable either. I really don't like a lot of the characters or much of the lack luster story. Even when I compare this to Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland (which actaully makes some sense with a three act story) I still don't like it. Maybe it's the world or the fact that it isn't meant to make sense, but I really can't get into these stories. The only thing that I really found some enjoyment in was the animation. I can tell the animators really had to a lot of fun with this film. They created some very cool looking creatures and just a cool world over all. The one character that I can say that I enjoyed is the Cheshire Cat. I thought he was a very cool character and had an awesome design. He actually got me to laugh. Now I really don't hate this film. I think some kids can really get into this world, because it can let there imagination fly. It has that spark that lets you go crazy with your imagination and go to any place. So I think that is one of the best things about this film. The film really understands children and how their minds go to places. I mean, all kids create worlds in their minds. You did and I did to (I did it a lot). I can relate to the story for that aspect and that aspect alone.

So the question does the film hold up now that I am 22 years old. Not really. I was never into it as a kid and it hasn't changed now that I am older. I can really only recommend this to children. I think they would really like it, but if your an adult there isn't much there. I know that in the books there is more substance so maybe try those.

RATING
1 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It is also the 8th Apes film. So we have seen a lot of talking Apes at the movies. We get the return of the star of the last film back. No, not James Franco even thought he wasn't bad in the last film. Andy Serkis returns as the Motion Cap ape leader, Caesar. We also get two new characters in Jason Clarke and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman). This film takes place about 8 years after the first. The terrible virus has spread all over the world and has left the world in a post apocalyptic state.

To start off we had a change in director to Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In). I love his work I think he is a very good director. That hasn't seen much light from hollywood. He is perfect as the director of this film. The pace of the film is great. It's a two hour film that flies by and is so tease that you are on the edge of your seat the whole time. The tone never feels wrong and has its darker moments when it needs it and has its lighter moments when it needs it. So director did a good job, check. Now to the story. I really liked the story of the film. It has a lot of themes that you can really read into if you want, but still has that summer blockbuster fun that we need at this time of the year. It really is a great blend and writer and Reeves do a great job at blending these two things. It also never does what you expect it to do. It takes little twists and turns to keep you guessing. So the story is good, check. Acting... Andy Serkis deserve a oscar nod or something. I mean I was rooting for him in Rise. He is even better in this. You see Caesar go thought a ton of emotions and you can see the human that is inside the CGI Ape. He is more human and performed better then some of the characters that are just straight up human in other films this year. The CGI is insanely good. Not once did I go that is a CGI Ape. I always thought they were real Apes the whole film. So the acting is good.

So Kyle what didn't you like about this film? A very little actaully. On my drive home I was trying really hard to find a problem and I just couldn't. Every time I thought I found something. I would be able to defend the problem. I think it is a great summer film. That improves on everything that Rise sets up. It is also as deep as a movie with Apes on horses can be. If you are fan of the first one or you are just looking for a really good film. Go see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

RATING
3.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

The Little Mermaid (The Disney Collection)

I know I am skipping here, but since this is the return of The Disney Collection. I wanted to write about one that a lot of people know, but kind of don't know a lot of the full story of the film. Now The Little Mermaid is a classic. I mean who hasn't seen this film. Guys, admit that you have seen this film and actually liked it. What I find to be the most interesting thing about this film is the fact. For awhile disney films started to become boring and stale. Not just boring slipping in sales (Oh No Disney slipping in gross). So they decided to change up there style with this film. The made the princess more of a go getter. When watching it again I can totally see that. The last princess film they made was Sleeping Beauty. Which has the lest memorable princess of them all. Does nothing in the film. Just falls asleep.  Princess Ariel actually goes out of her way and makes her own destiny. It's a big breath of fresh air. They also made it more of a musical. Yes, their are songs in all the films well most, but they don't actaully play any part in the film. These songs do. The also started to use computers (CGI) to help and move the camera. Giving us more of a cinematic feel instead of having the camera at a fixed point. Now this started the era that is know as the Disney Renaissance in which they would release hit after hit after hit thought the 90's.

Now the film itself I would say still works to this day. The animation looks great. I watched it on blu ray and I can say some of the images look amazing. The songs all really work. I mean still really work. "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the girl" work the best in my mind. I mean they are good songs. Well wrote and fit the film and are just good songs all around. The pace of the film is actaully slower. When I say slower that is compared to Disney films which move so fast you can blink and miss them. You can actually see that the film is plainly set into a three act film. Which is pretty cool to see. The voice acting is so memorable. I mean the voice of Ariel and Ursula are just so unbelievably good. This film really is a classic and doesn't have many faults. I do have my problems thought. That's in Prince Eric. A lot people thing Ariel is crazy for falling in love within a day and plus she is 16 doesn't know any better. Eric also falls in love within 20 seconds. Ariel saves his life and he wakes up and says I am going to marry that girl. He doesn't remember anything about her, just her voice. So who is the crazier one? I also just don't like him as a character he feels more of plot point then a character. Also you can tell were the CGI came in now I have to give them a pass on this because it was made in 1989.

The Little Mermaid changed a lot up things in Disney and did it show? Yes, it did and do I still enjoy the film. Yes I very much enjoy the film. I just don't love this one. So with that I am going to give it a

RATING
3 out 4 Ticket Stubs

Guardians of the Galaxy 17 Minutes footage

So what I saw was basically a full scene of the film and a clip show. The scene ran about 10 to 15 minutes and the last little bit was a long trailer. I will mostly be talking about the scene without spoilers. So don't worry. I will just refer to the scene as the jail scene. What I can tell you guys about the film is very simple. I can tell that James Gunn absolutely is killing the tone in the film. It has that same fun and comic book feel that The Avengers had. So I think they have found there lighting in a bottle again. The scene I watched was very funny, but also completely action packed. I really have a lot of faith after seeing this. It had that turned up to 11 feel. All things were moving fast and perfect. I think if the tone of the trailer kind of put you off. You don't really have to be to worried. It isn't just a straight comedy. Which so many blindly said it would be. I knew it would have funny moments, but I knew it was going to be action packed. The CGI on Groot and Rocket is amazing. I believe every moment that they were on screen. I can also tell that they really got the outer space feel really down. I feel like if we didn't have another Star Wars film coming out. This could be have been the Star Wars of this Generation. I know thats is saying a lot and this all sounds like a fluff piece, but it truly isn't. Anyone that was worried shouldn't have to worry we are in good hands and I think we could have a classic on our hands.  So when it finally comes out go see it. I know I will be right there with you.

Transformers: Age Of Extinction

Age of Extinction is the 4th in this film series. It has no returning characters from the 3rd film. The only thing that returns are voices in Optimus Prime and Bumble Bee. Instead we get all new characters. The actors in this film is Marky Mark as a Cade Yeager and his daughter Nicola Peltz. Those I would say are the main characters. You also have Stanley Tucci as one of the villains and John Goodman (I don't know why they didn't market that) as a Autobot (Hound).

Now Michael Bay, I am one of the few people that actaully enjoys some of his film. Like the Rock is a great 90's action film. I also really enjoy the first Bad Boys and the second Bad Boys be it really bad is still a guilty pleasure of mine. I also think he can be a really good director (if he wouldn't shoot myself in the foot all the time). Now Marky Mark is easily one the best things about this film. I actaully really bought him in his character. Well at least one half of his character he plays a junk man that makes things into inventions and a father. Now the inventor I had a hard time believing, but the father I could get behind easily. So most of the really good acting and dialog you will see come out of Marky Marks mouth. I also really enjoy John Goodman as the Autobot that he played and thought I have seen Peltz give a really bad performance in The Last Airbender. She is not to bad in this, actually the only other part that I really enjoyed acting wise. Oh and before I forget to mention this the action is cool and CGI is very good.

Now to the problems. I am not going to bash the film, I will admit is has a ton of flaws. To many to mention in this review. For starters the script is all over the place. The story is so bloated and completely all over the place that the story of this film really doesn't matter. The pace of the film is terrible. I mean its a 2 hours and 30 minutes and I got bored at the 1 hour mark So it was a long night for Kyle in the theater. It's just very slow or felt very slow. I don't know how he did that when at least half of the film is action. The characters once again besides Marky Mark are just stereotype after stereotype. The dialogue can go from not to bad to, me rubbing my eyes bad.  Some characters are very annoying like Peltz boyfriend who does absolutely nothing for the film and Tucci who started off very good but soon became a character that yells and screams the whole time. I can see this time that Bay actually tried to change things up. Marky Mark is a great lead character and you can really get behind him the action sense. Which really helps,because that was my one my problems with the other the main character couldn't do anything. Now he is in the middle of the action doing stuff.  There are even some darker parts, but over all this is the same film as the last 3 nothing any different. So its really hard for me to recommend this film to anybody. Besides die hard fans of this film series.

RATING
.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

1st half of 2014 Top 10 list/ The Grand Budapest Hotel

This is my top 10 of the first half of the year as of June 19, 2014. This list is most likely going to change with in the next 6 months, but this year has been so good with really good action films and just good films over all. That I felt like I need one of these at the half way point. I also want to see how this list will change when 2015 comes around. Now since this is my list your favorite of the year may not be on here. Also just because it is a 4 out 4 does not mean that will be better then a 3 out 4. Also there will also be a quick review of The Grand Budapest Hotel. Which I know is super late but is one of the best of the year and I need to talk about it a little.

1) Under The Skin- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/under-skin.html

2) X-Men: Days of Future Past- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/05/x-men-days-of-future-past.html

3) The Raid 2- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-raid-2.html 

4) Captain America: The Winter Solider- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/captain-america-winter-solider.html

5) The Grand Budapest Hotel- So this is were this list is going to get very long. So I will try to keep this part as short as I can. The Grand Budapest Hotel is the next film Wes Anderson. I personally really love his films. This one is easily one of his best. It has the same style as Moonrise Kingdom had, but what this film had was a lot better writing and much better story. The story is about a the concierge of the hotel and his misadventure. It has some of the best humor that I have ever seen I laughed a lot in this film very quotable. The film is very well shot. I mean really well shot. The framing alone was just great. The acting done by the whole cast is very good. So I give this a very high recommend. I will admit it does have its faults. The film is very odd and not very mass marketable not every one will like this. I can see some people will just find it very weird. Much like last year's Her( also adored that movie). So it just misses a perfect getting 3.5 out of 4 ticket Stubs.

6) Edge of Tomorrow- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/edge-of-tomorrow.html 

7) How to Train Your Dragon 2- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-train-your-dragon-2.html 

8) Enemy-http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/enemy.html

9)The LEGO Movie- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-lego-movie.html

10) Godzilla- http://quickfilmreviews.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-2014.html

How to Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the continuation of the story of Hiccup. This film takes place 5 years after the first film. Much has changed since the last time we saw our hero and this is the new story. All the voice actors return from the first film. I was a super fan of the first film. This was one of the first two movies I have ever bought on BluRay (looks great by the way).

To start off, I was really hoping this film would be just as good as the first one or at least in the same realm as the first one. What I got, to say the least, was one of the best sequels I have ever seen. And one of the best kids movies to date. My all time favorite CGI animated film is Toy Story 3 (non CGI is a whole other story). I loved this film. Absolutely loved it.  The animation was so beautiful and extremely well shot, thanks once again to Roger Deakins who was the visual consultants on this one and the last one. Giving this once again a very, for lack of a better word, epic look. This whole film felt epic. It was like the Lord of The Rings, but a kids film. The voice acting was great just like the last film. The characters are back and better then ever. They even have a lot of character development for all the main cast. The theme and over all pace of the film are very good.  The theme is between family and coming of age, which I really enjoyed. The film is almost made for the kids of teenage age because there are some very dark moments. The story just over all had a very mature way of telling itself and it really doesn't talk down to kids at all.

This is one of the few films that I can say that I have almost no problems with. I mean, I'm typing this right now and still have none. The only problem that I had thought was during the film and it was the villain. I didn't think that he was imposing or very threatening. Then the film does something that I honestly didn't see coming. Which really fixed that problem. This film is a very good and well thought out. It has a great sense of humor and has one of the most epic story lines for a CGI film. It has a great score and just overall is a great time at the movies and once again is one of the best of the year. I am getting really sick of saying that. Wait, no I am not. This year has been so great that I am going to do my Top 10 of this almost half of year just because there have been so many good ones. I also want to see how it changes once the Oscar season comes around, but for now go see How to Train Your Dragon 2 it will not be a mistake.

RATING
4 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Edge Of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow is a film that stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. This film is based in the near future were an alien invasion has happened and we are at war with these creatures. Now there is anther aspect to this film having to do with time travel. Not time travel per-say, but a time loop which Cruise finds himself in. Much like the film Groundhog Day or Source Code.

Now to start off a lot of people don't like Cruise. I get it. He is a bit off I will admit. I still think the man is a great actor and really knows how to pick pretty good films. Now this film had a good idea and looked like it could be a lot of fun. I walked out of this film easily seeing probably one of the bigger surprises of the year. This film is carefully directed by Doug Liman, the man behind Bourne Identity, so I was really worried about the Shaky cam in this film. It actually wasn't to bad and actually made a lot of sense where it was used. Mostly.  There are a few spots were I would have preferred something else done with the camera but for the most part its good and used well. Also the Liman's direction of the film is perfect. He balances a great tone between dark and serious action with some great lighter moments. It really does have some good comedy infused with the film. Also his pace is perfect. Nothing ever takes to long or isn't long enough and you are never once sucked out of the film. When the film starts the two-hour run time  it will fly by. Then finally and biggest pieces of this film that I really enjoyed is the characters. More the way the characters get developed and progress though the film. Cruises character has a big arc in the film and has a lot of symbolism placed with him. The film has just a enough artier moments to catch my eye. Unlike Enemy and Under the Skin where its just put in your face. This one is more in the subtext, which I really enjoyed.

I don't have a lot of negative criticism toward the film. It really is a great ride for a summer film. You get almost everything you want in summer blockbuster with this film. You get a great story, with good characters, and a lot of action and humor to keep your eyes glued to the screen. My only true real fault is like the last 30 seconds of the film. It creates a plot hole and muddy ups a great character arc. It doesn't ruin the whole film so I want bring it down much for it, but it is still there. Overall go see the film it is one of the better films this year ( which there have been a ton) and is easily going to be seen on my 10 top later this year.

RATING
3.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs