Enemy

Enemy is the next film from the director of my personal favorite film of last year, Prisoners. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal (by the way, that name is really hard to spell), Melanie Laurent, and Sarah Gadon. Now, I can't tell you much about the story without revealing too much. What I can tell you, however, is that Gyllenhaal finds an actor that looks just like him and becomes obsessed with finding him.

This is another film where you have to read a lot into it to full get the story. This one isn't as bad as last week's Under the Skin so you won't see two scores. I feel like this one isn't as symbolic as Under the Skin is, but it is still a really good film. There was a lot to like about this film and very little that I did not enjoy.  Gyllenhaal's performance is very good and since he is playing two people for most of the film, we get two really great performances out of him. There are moments where I got so into the character because of Gyllenhaal that I didn't even see Gyllenhaal at all, which is one of the biggest things you can say to an actor. He is slowly becoming my favorite modern actor.  Denis Villeneuve once again directs this film with care. You can tell that the guy really knows what he is doing behind the camera. He knows how to tell a really good story. The film is shot really well. In the cut I watched, everything has this yellow hue to it that looked  really amazing. The pace and the tone are, once again, great. You will be guessing all the way through the film, again much like Prisoners.

Now, the problem that I have with this film is that if you don't read into the film and look at symbolic nature of the film you really won't understand the film. However, symbols aren't as effective and well done as in Under the Skin. I know I  am really comparing Enemy to Under the Skin in this review, but it's the only way I can tell you about it. The only thing that is like is 2012's Drive. It has a lot of very good Art House tricks thrown in the film and you can read a lot into  those  things which is always good, but the film allows most people to get it without reading too much into it anyway. It creates this sorta of mixed bag of not fully commenting to a full art house film or a mainstream film. With say and done, I can actually give this one more of a recommendation then Under the Skin, but not by much. Overall I really enjoyed the film and is easily on my top 5 so far this year, but I can see this film being over looked.

RATING
3.25 out of 4 Ticket Stubs

Under the Skin

Under the Skin is about...ahh how do I tell you the story without really ruining the film. Well here let's actually start with this film stars Scarlett Johansson. It only stars her. She is a alien on the hunt for lonely men. I am mixing it up this time around. I am going to talk about how this film is and then talk about if I enjoyed it or not.

This film is art house film or at least has a ton of art house qualities. So this film really knows its audience. It treats the audience as an adult and lets you know figure out the film on your own. It doesn't try and spoon feed you the story. It also lets the acting and visual aspect tell the story. I didn't even catch Johansson's the character name (Laura). I had to look it up on IMDB. Jonathan Glazer the Director puts you in the shoes of Johansson. So with all that said if this sounds like you would enjoy a film were you have to thing and having every little detailed explained to you. This film will not be for you.

Now personally, I enjoyed the hell out of this film. I mean I have been waiting to see a film done like this for awhile. Johansson to start is amazing in her role. The last half of the film you don't even hear her actaully speak words, but you still feel like you know what is going on in the this characters mind. Glazer did an amazing job with all the shots done in this film. They are all done with purpose and give the tone of this very dark and tense film. Not a lot actually happens in the film, but at the same time you don't need much to happen and you are never once bored thought out the film. The character is always changing with all the things she learns and sees. The pace of the film is slow, but like I said it is never boring. You will be locked in your chair for a good hour a half.

Now with that all said and done. You are most likely excepting I high score from me. Well my personal enjoyment of the film is very high (I mean I really loved this film). This film is not for everyone like I have stated earlier. You don't watch this film to loose yourself for a bit. You go to see this to think and talk about film. So basically if you like to look at film and say this means something. This film is tailor made for you, but for everyone else you should most likely skip it.

RATING
2.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs
Personal Rating 4 out of 4

The Raid 2

The Raid 2. This is the follow-up to the first film the The Raid: Redemption. The first film was a very simple film super action packed and just all around a good watch. Even if it was just for the martial arts. Now these films are both are Indonesian. So yes, that means subtitles people. This one isn't dubbed and I thank god for that. The story follows Rama (the main character from the first film). He goes undercover to find dirty cops. So he enters a world of gang war and violence.

I personal love a good martial arts. I think they have some of the best action scenes out there. The thing that they always lacked in my book was a good story, style and acting. (The only exception to this would be the IP man series which I also recommend.) Now when I say this I say with is all the weight that it carries. The Raid 2 is the Godfather of martial arts film. Everything in this film just works. I mean everything. The music the fighting the story the acting all perfect. Let's start with the fight scenes, saying that they are good isn't enough. They are easily the best fight scenes I personally have ever seen. Also the way the shoot the fight scenes is good and wide so you can see the whole thing go down. The DOP on this film has a great eye and does a lot of long takes that are just beautiful lit. The acting for this film is good, easily best I have seen for martial arts film. The actors all really care for the story and the characters and it shows.

The director of the film is also the writer and the editor. This film has to be his baby. I mean all the cuts are done at the most perfect of times and the writing is great. He uses slow mo and pushes the camera in for the right reasons. Not just because it looks cool because it creates this feeling of intensity that the film needed. The tone is perfect all the scene follow perfectly into the next and nothing feels truly out of place.

Now I personally loved this film. This is my favorite film that have seen all year. I liked it more then Captain America: The Winter Solider. But I do have my warnings to people. This film is violent. I mean violent. It's at the levels of Django Unchained and Drive. Also the film does have a slow part in the middle, but this does not make the film slow. I just needed time to set up the 3rd act. So people go see this film. I don't want to hear "But Kyle I don't want to read," trust me people this film is well worth reading lines of dialogue.

RATING
4 out 4 Ticket Stubs

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Solider is the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. Now I don't want to tell you to much of the story, but the film is the mix of a Bourne film with superheroes. It of course stars Chris Evans as Captain America. It also has Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Samuel Jackson (Nick Fury), and Anthony Mackie (Falcon). There is one more person, but he needed his own sentence Robert Redford.

Well to start the acting is very good. I enjoyed everyone in this film. I think the real standouts are Johansson and Redford. Johansson just kills it as Black Widow, as she always does. I mean she kicks some serious butt through out the film, but still holds your attention during the drama parts of the film. Redford is Redford. I mean the dude chills it in his role. He just commands every scene he is in. Now the reason why I didn't want to tell much of the story is because the writing in this film is amazingly good. The story and characters work so unbelievably well. This is the Captain America film fans have been wanting for a long time. The film makes the dude completely rock. Personally I couldn't wait to see that on screen. The story really is a superhero movie, but is also more of spy movie. The director change in the Russo bothers was aboustley perfect. They got these shots that look amazing. The pace and tone are perfect for the film. It feels like it is set in our world and nothing feels truly out of place. Now I will admit they do change some stuff, but this change was so good that if the writers would have put it in the comic book it would have fit. Also there is a lot of drama, so when the action in the film happens (all shot extremely good) it makes it all the more tense. I want all the action films to look the way this one looked.

I really don't have too many complaints about this film. I mean, I really enjoyed the film. It really works for everyone. If you aren't a big fan of a comic book movie you will really enjoy it. If you are a big fan of comic book films you will like it even more. This is easily one of the best (if not the best) Marvel film. The biggest thing I can say is that they really understood Captain America and I am so happy that they did.

RATING
3.75 out of 4 Ticket Stubs