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Predestination (2014)
Disappointing, confusing, overly convoluted and lacking any true plot
Okay so I'm going to do my best to avoid giving any spoilers, for anyone truly interested in watching this film, you should have the chance to do so without any prior bearings. HOWEVER, I will say, it is extremely hard to write a review of WHY this is such an unenjoyable film, without mentioning spoilers. So, I'll be using comparisons to other films where necessary.
First off, the acting. It's not bad, Ethan Hawke is a one-trick pony but personally I like his style, I enjoyed him in films like Precinct 13. He's his usual reliable self in this film. The other protagonist actor is a mixed bag. Not someone I enjoyed very much, but in some ways that's an awful lot to do with the story given to the individual's character.
The opening of the film is filled with plenty of promise, intrigue, good dialogue, fine work between both the protagonists. It's a definite 7 or 8. Up until about half way or maybe even just the incredibly poor, unclear, disjointed final portion of the film, it is actually good.
The meat and bones of this movie is a time-travelling story, hence the title, and I know the initial information will say so. Remember Terminator? Interesting story, strange twist, total plot-hole and paradox, and why is the film so awesome, how does it redeem itself? Terminator is full of action and dread, a roller-coaster experience. Predestination is not. I just didn't find anything to redeem it, and it feels a bit like it just never begins and ends properly.
Aside from Terminator, and if you've seen that movie, you'll understand the point about paradoxes, this movie also treads the lines of just being a bit too artsy and weighed down by an unclear story. I said in the title, lacking any true plot, and I stand by this, it really just feels like they went for an artsy experience, tried to wow people who are easily wow'ed, and left out anything firm and redeeming with regards to a plot. What makes a good story? A beginning, middle and end. This film lacked an ending, or certainly had an unsatisfying ending.
I'd avoid it, personally, if I could time-travel back and tell myself about this movie. If, like me, you didn't like the other protagonist actor within the first 20-30 minutes, then, go with your gut, because that individual is more of a protagonist than Ethan Hawke, he's the supporting actor. And nothing really happens in the film. It's rather like if you took the action scenes out of Tarantino's movies (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Hateful Eight for instance), and tried to just have a few scenes of powerful dialogue, then they shrug their shoulders, put out their cigarettes, and walk away without finishing their sentences. Bit boring really, and considering the intrigue and investment at the beginning, it feels like a tease, it's quite frustrating and irritating.
Avoid it and watch Terminator instead. Terminator is at least honest about its direction, and feeds you exciting action scenes to keep you interested.
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
It's beautiful, has good actors, and really interesting technology and alien characters
Okay, I'm going to start off by saying, at the time of writing this, Prometheus has a combined 7 out of 10 here on IMDb. Prometheus. And yet, Jupiter Ascending, has a 5.4. All of these things are not equal.
The ONLY redeeming factor in Prometheus, is its stunning visuals. The plot, actors, individual and group logic, even the settings, either make no sense whatsoever, or have massive inconsistencies.
Now, Jupiter Ascending, if you don't like the story, actors and scenes within the film, is still EQUALLY as beautiful, if not more so, than Prometheus. The point being, if you liked and gave Prometheus a similar rating, then you absolutely WILL enjoy Jupiter Ascending, it's gorgeous.
I gave this movie a really high rating, for a number of reasons. First of all, Mila Kunis is her reliable, excellent self. She's developed well as an actress and this is another good edition of her prowess. She portrays the role of Jupiter perfectly, the only letdown being that she can come across a little too down-to-Earth at times later on in the movie, but that's what keeps her relatable to the audience.
The main thing I adore about this movie, is the genuine and legitimate nature of the universe at large. Honestly, just look at the planets, the ceremonies, the costumes, even the different aliens, I felt totally captivated by the beauty, and feeling of a real living, breathing society. It's not perfection, but it leaves you intrigued, because there's really nothing you'll have seen that's like this, which is quite special. I really hope there's a sequel, if for nothing else, than at least just to explore what's been established, I wanted more time in this universe, with these planets and these people!
Another thing I really enjoyed was the technology. I won't spoil it by talking specifics, because some of the different equipment and technologies are awesome to see, when you get that first look at them. Again, it's immersive, and leaves you wanting more, the special effects team were incredibly creative with some of the things they had in the film.
The storyline is believable, and while a bit underdeveloped, it's definitely credible. Somewhat like a lot of Sci-Fi stories, it takes a back seat to the action and visual exploration on-screen. Realistically a sequel should delve into the story much, much further, but then, Star Wars never really did, beyond a couple of core themes.
Overall, this film is very much like Star Wars or Star Trek, with a more creative hand guiding its presentation. Parts of Jupiter Ascending would improve either of those universes. If you enjoyed the exploration and discovery elements of those movies/TV shows, getting to see and know different species, planets, societies, then I feel you'll definitely enjoy Jupiter Ascending. The scenes and species on display are really colourful, and it's great escapism to be drawn into their world.
The negative votes on this film, in my opinion may come from those who dislike a female lead, who gets rescued quite regularly by the strong male co-star. That could be males who chauvinistically don't like a female lead, or feminist females who felt that she wasn't strong and independent enough. Either way, I strongly feel the public opinion is biased, because this movie has a lot going for it, and if you approach it without bias and agenda, I think you'll really like it. Check it out for yourself, don't let the bad reviews put you off it :)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
Really poor live action adaptation of the original
It's just a turtles movie, right? Low expectations? Well, sadly for this cheesy cash-in, we already HAD a turtles movie, way back in 1990. So, 25 years later, they try again, and somehow, somehow, managed to make a WORSE film? Pretty sad.
The original had a real feel of the turtles oriental origins, Splinter felt genuinely wise, Leonardo was portrayed with a samurai's demeanour, selfless, reflective and dedicated, and Donatello, Rafael and Michelangelo were western without being generic or boring.
I feel like this new crack of the whip is aimed solely at New Yorkers, little kids, and controversially, African Americans. Some of the references and attitudes are sickeningly forced, pandering to an intended demographic, and I'm going to guess it swings pretty wide of the mark even for those in that demographic. I disliked the actor voicing Michelangelo, even though he was actually good in Battle:Los Angeles. The entire cast of voice actors just dropped the ball, Michelangelo was the worst because he was irritating, but Donatello was overly nerdy, he didn't have a single line that wasn't babbling geek-talk. Big Bang theory's geeks have more depth, they could have learned something from that show. Leonardo was so generic and boring, nothing of the leadership, no spirit of a samurai, just a generic New Yorker. Rafael wasn't too bad, but Splinter was another let-down, he wasn't wise or mystical or intriguing.
As for the story, is there one? I mean, the Saturday morning cartoons at least tried to establish a premise, in 20 or 30 minutes. I don't think I could give spoilers if I tried, the big danger, and the need to save people, is so watered down and lacking in any form of impact that you can literally miss the plot completely. Not once does it actually become relevant to the action on screen, and there's so little reaction from the characters.
I watched Transformers and just took it as a goofy movie, low- expectations, cool visuals, nice robots. This film managed to be worse than Transformers. The turtles didn't even look good! If the voice acting was endearing, and the turtle animation looked good, I'd probably up the rating by a star, because this is 25 years later, we should have excellent turtle character models!
Anyway, I've rumbled on long enough, I barely made it through the movie, I took 3 cracks at it over meals and spare time, I couldn't watch it over one sitting, it was just too boring and unengaging.
You want to see a Turtles movie? Check out the 1990s version, it's much, MUCH better!
The Purge (2013)
Not bad, but the sequel is better
The idea is good, but it's resemblant of Battle Royale, Hunger Games and other breakdown-of-society sociopathic style films. So it's not exactly original, but it carries the same sense of dread and unease, the feeling of a loss of safety.
I gave it 5 out of 10 because it's really not below average. Some of the action, tension, and underlying conflict is very good, and Ethan Hawke does a siege really well, Precinct 13 and the Purge are good films from that standpoint. The purge characters are unique and sinister almost in a Clockwork Orange kind of way. It's a very different film, it can be quite eccentric.
The biggest dropping points are the kids, their acting is pretty terrible, they don't act like human beings at times. In general the film lacks a great push or edge to it, it can feel a bit boring and the pace feels slow too.
If you're the type of person who's really good at getting past silly things then you'll be able to get through it and probably enjoy it. My own level is an enjoyment of Star Wars Episode 1 in spite of the presence of Jar Jar. This film was harder to watch than Episode 1. I'd definitely recommend the sequel though, it fixes a lot of the issues with this film
The Purge: Anarchy (2014)
Great effort, they really improved on the first film
I've got to say well done to the creators of this film, they obviously went over the first Purge film and fixed a lot of the bugs. It's much, much better as a movie.
So the main points, it's got the same eccentric, dark and unusual aspect that the first film had, with the purging characters all looking and acting in an unsettling manner. Aside from that, the main actor is another good solid action star. I think that's where the similarities end between this and the first Purge.
The actors are much, much better, the storyline is pretty interesting, the pace is definitely very enjoyable, you won't get bored at all, and I found myself rooting for the protagonists, as well as really enjoying the action found from the main hero, some of the scenes were awesome. And I really liked the daughter, she came across very well, intelligent and self-assured beyond her years.
Overall I'd recommend it highly, it has a unique style, lots of good action, and a human element with interesting characters.
Bear Grylls: Mission Survive (2015)
Excellent show, very enjoyable
I'm really enjoying Mission Survive, it's a great way of doing it, bringing in people who are interesting characters and letting them have a crack at surviving; and then sending them packing when they fail. It's really different to other shows that send people home, because survival is literally life or death, it's not like not singing a song properly in an acerbic poser's opinion, this is literally the difference between living and dying. And Bear's far more polite than those characters tend to be.
Partly this show proves a point that Bear has made numerous times: very few people would survive in the wild, though most think they could.
At a ground level, it's not just the ultra-survival guy teaching survival skills, it's a group of people learning those skills for the first time for themselves, and using their initiative to keep going. It feels a lot more genuine to the average person because these are novices, and the learning they're gaining feels more relatable because of that. Equally, the fact that they're using their initiative shows that there isn't one answer to a problem, something that due to the constraints of time usually gets lost in translation in survival shows, where the expert simply does everything the best possible way.
Aside from the deeper, general societal implications, (and the thinking it generates about skills we've lost) the show is nicely paced, with challenging, interesting situations that the celebrities have to overcome. I always enjoy Bear's way of presenting information, teaching, challenging and encouraging people, he's a really good people person, and definitely embodies what he tries to preach: cheerfulness in adversity.
Really enjoying the show, and I only really knew Tom Rosenthal and (sort of) Jamelia and Mike Tindall. The other celebrities have been really good though, some arguments and disagreements were good drama and very human, and at other times they've all applied good teamwork and strategy, which can be really encouraging. And on that point, I think this does encourage you to learn more of the skills survival actually implies, it highlights the truth.
10 out of 10, between this, Born Survivor, Man vs Wild, and The Island with Bear Grylls, I think the man is just constantly producing excellent content. Keep it up Bear!
American Sniper (2014)
Great film, somewhat tainted by political and philosophical perspectives
I have to say, straight off the bat, I loved the acting in this movie. Bradley Cooper is excellent, completely different to any of his previous roles. There's a lot to be said for a film with the quality of acting on display, and I personally believe it deserves the awards it received.
Storyline: Very well done, the style and back-and-forth portrayal is really appropriate, I ended up feeling like the story was well- nurtured and that I really got a chance to get to know Chris Kyle throughout the movie. I hope the portrayal is true to the man.
Action: Excellent. Very well shot, fast-paced without being blurry or confusing, really crisp sniper shooting scenes, and tense moments, along with some big decisions that as a viewer I found myself "along for the ride" with.
Cons: The on screen rapport between Cooper and Miller feels a little forced at times. It's not a deal breaker though, it just doesn't feel like they have a great connection.
Overall feelings: Really enjoyed it. I'd definitely recommend the film to anyone who wants to see a good action film, with some strong human and moral elements. I sat entertained for the entirety of the movie, and I think Clint Eastwood has shown his ability to make a great movie yet again.
On an aside, I think anyone viewing this from the perspective of political or philosophical terms is really running the movie into the ground. It's a humanistic story, about an interesting and significant person, who you get invited to know throughout its telling. He deals with human issues and it shows you that journey. This isn't a film that stands on a pedestal and seeks to preach to people as to the ethical implications of war. It isn't trying to make a political statement, it's just telling a soldier's tale accurately. I'm not American and I don't feel any allegiance to the country or its actions or political stances, but I did greatly enjoy this story and the portrayal of the main character in it. I wouldn't agree with everything that character stands for or the things he would say or believe in, but regardless of that, he's a very real character and I appreciate that aspect.
I give the film 10/10 because its pacing was superb, it never drags, the action is great, and the acting is top-notch. A really great film that I'll definitely watch again in the future.
Her (2013)
Great, touching story
Really enjoyed the story, even though I didn't have high hopes, it was excellent, very touching. Having dated someone long-distance, I could relate to some of the more painful, personal aspects and it brought up a lot for me. There's good acting and a lot of humanity throughout the film, it delves into our psyche and relationships from such a different perspective than you'd ever see in any other romantic film. Definitely worth watching, and totally different to anything you've seen before.
The feeling afterwards is somewhere between reflective and emotional, I always write my reviews directly after watching, and that's how I feel right at this moment. The deepest thought the film brings up is as to what communication really is, or what it's becoming. Communication breaks down into 55% body language/ expressions, 38% tone and 7% language, and yet we already do communicate using a majority of tone and language via phone, and it even becomes that 7% language only via messaging, with perhaps an artificial percentage of expressions using emoticons. I feel I'll be thinking about this, and the film in general, for a couple of days to come
Hope you give it a chance
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
A genuine effort to combine a war film with an alien invasion
Straight off, I have to say this was one of the best films I've watched recently, and if you're looking for a positive vote for this film then you've definitely got it, don't bother reading any further, go watch the thing!
Okay, my full impression of the film:
The characters are enduring, the direction the film takes is believable and the aliens are impressive. When matched up against war films it's a good film, but when matched up against the alien invasion premise, it makes everything else look like an amateur shot in the dark.
Cloverfield, Skyline, Spielberg's Falling Skies, every one of these feel like the survivors are incredibly lucky to survive more than a few minutes. And while that may be appealing in some respects, it's also very sketchy as far as realism. In Battle: Los Angeles you know the characters have worked hard to survive, and it gives plausible reasons why they do, as you get to see their skills in action.
Personally I far prefer this approach, most alien invasion films ask you to make a leap of faith that the protagonists will survive, simply because they're the lead characters, but that often feels hollow. Based on the overkill strength of most aliens in these films for me they always fall short of what the film has already established by allowing survivors to live without explanation. If characters don't show impressive intuition or intelligence they don't set themselves apart from the masses. In Battle: Los Angeles the actions of the characters feel genuinely impressive and believable, and while the aliens have great weaponry they aren't supernaturally capable of surviving everything thrown at them.
The film takes you on a journey and you feel right in the midst of the action at all times. Aaron Eckhart gives a great performance which for myself follows on from his excellent appearance in the Dark Knight. He's 2-0 in my book, definitely going to watch for films he's in from now in. He carries the film for me, along with Michelle Rodriquez who never fails to impress, she's a girl that doesn't seem to have to try hard to pull off tough, I imagine in reality she'd be someone to get stuck in if there was work to be done.
Overall I can't speak highly enough of this film. I loved District 9, it tells a certain story and has portions of action, but Battle: Los Angeles feels epic and is the first truly action-based alien film I've enjoyed since the old Predator and Alien films. Independence Day was good for it's time but it doesn't stand the test of time, whereas Alien and Predator do, and I feel like this will be the case with Battle: Los Angeles, I can see myself watching it in 10 years and enjoying it just as much. Can't recommend it enough, if you like action films, or war films, or want to see a brilliant alien invasion film then in my opinion this is unmissable.
(This review comes about 10 minutes after I just watched it for the first time, I'm genuinely that buzzed I had to write about it. No doubt whatsoever I'll be watching it a second time)