Chris Reviews Cloud Atlas

I was very intrigued the first time I saw the trailer for the film and even more so when  I saw that the Wachowski's were putting it together. At the same time I was cautious because while the Wachowski's have made great films (The Matrix) they tend to be overly complex and ambitious, so much so that viewers get turned off. So I headed into Cloud Atlas cautiously optimistic, was it bloated and overly ambitious or was it a groundbreaking piece of cinema? Read below to find out.

The Good-

This is by far the most ambitious film of the year. Of course that was exactly what I was expecting but I really do think they pulled it off. While I was initially skeptical of the many simultaneous stories jumping back and forth, by the end of the film everything ties together in a very satisfying way. The visuals were at times breathtaking and imaginative and the score while not fantastic throughout does have one great theme that I have fallen in love with which furthers the emotional impact of the film. 

The Bad-

 While there is a lot to love about this film there is also a lot that many people will not like. The film is very densely packed with information that will likely overwhelm a viewer especially with its nearly 3 hours in length. The many stories bouncing back and forth will likely turn some people off as well. There are a few other complaints I had relating to how certain stories were resolved and some stylistic choices but that's about it. 

Summary-

Cloud Atlas is not a film for everyone and it may not be groundbreaking but if you love high concept and ambitious Science Fiction films than you will like this film. On the other hand if you think that it looks pretentious, confusing and boring than chances are you will think the same thing after seeing it. That being said I highly enjoyed this film and thought the 3 hours flew by and while it is not perfect it is definitely worth a watch!

MY RATING

3.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Chris Reviews Argo

I have to admit that being a History Buff, films such as Argo tend to be the ones that get me the most excited. That being said if they are bad I will ream them but if they are good I will love them more than most people. So the question is did Argo tickle my history nerve or stab it? Read below to find out.

The Good-

Ben Affleck has cemented himself as one of the best directors out there. With his first 2 films he established that he had the Crime Drama down, but with Argo he has shown that he can make Oscar Winners. He fantastically weaves drama and tension with light hearted humor. The opening sequence alone (the storming of the US Embasy in Iran) makes this film a necessary watch because of the relevance of it. Argo is also a very accesible film, often times Historical Dramas become history lessons and take themselves way to seriously. Argo does not do any of that, it manages to tell a very interesting historical story while at the same time make it interesting and exciting to the average audience member.

The Bad-

There is not anything blatently bad about this film. That being said I think many of the characters were not fleshed out enough and while the performances were solid there was nothing spectacular about them. Other than the lack of notable performances there really is not much to complain about.

Summary-

Ben Affleck is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors and I can not wait to see what he does next. Argo is a fascinating Historical Drama that combines masterful tension with good comedy to create not only the best Drama of the Year but arguably the best film of the year. I would not be suprised if this does very well at the Oscars.

MY RATING

4.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Chris Reviews Seven Psycopaths

I really came into this movie without any kind of expectations. The trailers looked OK (but its always hard to tell the quality of a film from a trailer) but the reviews were pretty good. So I sat down and watched the film without any bias for the first time in a long time. Was it good, was it bad? Read below to find out.

The Good-

If you saw Martin McDonagh's previous film "In Bruges", then you know what to expect from this. It's quirky, satirically violent, and filled with interesting and flawed characters. At times this film is fantastically fun with genuine laugh out loud moments. The commentary about the art of storytelling in films is fascinating which makes me want to watch this again just to pick up on all of it. This is a film that has a lot going for it but there really is one fatal flaw that prevents this from being a great film.

The Bad-

The biggest problem with Seven Psychopaths is the chaotic pacing. It is all over the place, and ironically despite it being a film about the art of storytelling it struggles to actually tell a coherent story at times. I think this is just McDonagh's style but that still doesn't excuse it.

Summary-

Seven Psychopaths is fascinating but flawed film that is well worth a watch. I have a feeling it will grow on me with time as I think about the commentary imbedded in the story, but the pacing is still somewhat of putting. Some will love it, some may hate it but it is undeniably an intriguing film.

MY RATING

3.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart          

Taken 2: Possibly the Worst Film of the Year

Fans of "Taken" will probably enjoy Taken 2. But for me, the guy who sees the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to action movies, was unable to enjoy this film. This was an ugly film. Keep reading to see why.

Taken 2 is nowhere near as good as Taken. While Taken isn't the most inventive action film, it was very enjoyable and had some genuine excitement. This is not the case for Taken 2. Taken 2 takes the "Bourne" approach even more than the first, utilizing the very cliched shaky cam and quick cuts. Quick cuts are even used in slow dialogue scenes, and for no obvious reason. As an editor myself, I believe cuts should be precise, intentional, and purposeful. As I was studying some of the shots in this film, I came to the conclusion that the editors didn't really put much thought into WHY the cuts were being made, other than to make the film faster-paced, and it didn't work. Also, the director overused high-shutter speed cameras to "intensify" fight scenes. This made me dislike the film even more, as this is an extremely overused technique. This film wasn't just bad technically. The writing was poor. A friend I was with even pointed out some contradictions in the dialogue, causing some serious continuity issues. The writers were very sloppy and it is clear the focus of this film was not on the story or the writing, but the action, which is something a film should NEVER do.

I apologize for not being able to find anything good with this film. Taken 2 is a prime example of what I dislike about action films: fast cuts, shaky cam, and high shutter speeds, not to mention, poor writing and dry acting. This film was obviously action-based with weak characters and a very flimsy script. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to go to the movies and literally be in a coma and not use their brain whatsoever. This is easily a candidate for the worst film of the year.

MY RATING:

1 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward

Chris Reviews Looper

I'm sure you have already read Kevin's review of Looper. He had been talking non stop about this film for a long time and it seemed like it had become his favorite movie before it even came out. Now I was excited to see this movie but no where near the extent he was. So was this movie another "Amazing Spiderman" situation where we have two contrasting opinions? Read below to find out........

The Good-

Well let me first start of by saying that Kevin and I are both in agreement on this, Looper is a fantastic film! I do not think I have ever seen a movie quite like this and I mean that in a very good way. Rian Johnson has created a truly unique film that is extremely engaging. I could not take my eyes off the screen, The story is interesting, the casting is perfect, the acting is great, the makeup work on JGL is awesome and the score is cool.

The Bad-

I really cannot think of anything blatantly bad in this film. Like Kevin said the film was marketed as more of an action film and there really is not much in here so some people might be disappointed. But other than
idiots who only like Michael Bay movies, everyone should like this movie.

Summary-

This is a film that establishes Rian Johnson as the next big Sci-fi director in the same vein as Duncan Jones. Although I think this is stronger than either Moon or Source Code. Looper does everything so well that I am putting it up for consideration as my top movie of the year. I legitimately feel that this should be an Oscar contender for Best Picture. So as you can guess I Highly Recommend this film! Although I could not quite give it a 5 due mostly to a rude a-hole who essentially shushed me and Kevin during the trailers before the movie even started.
   
MY RATING

4.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart