Chris Reviews The Worlds End

I apologize for taking so long to get this review up because I did see this film opening night. In fact I went to see the entire Cornetto Trilogy at AMC Theaters. It was a hell of a good time because I love Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz and after watching both of those films the bar was set pretty high for The Worlds End. Was It able to top both of those excellent films or is it simply the 3rd best film in a great series? Obviously you should read below to find out.....

The Good-

If you love Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead then you will not be disappointed. The humor is right in line with the previous entries in the Cornetto Trilogy. This time they tackle the Sci-fi/Alien Invasion genre and despite some cliché moments they do a fairly good job at creating a film that works both as a comedy and as a film that fits in the Sci-fi genre perfectly. Another fascinating element of this movie is that it works as a critique on modern society. The prologue of the film really takes a twist on the genre and makes a depressing statement about human nature. So this film not only is enjoyable on a basic entertainment level but on an intellectual level as well.

The Bad-

There was not much that I disliked about this film. The only major issue that people seem to have is with the third act. It definitely is the weakest part of the film as it really is just one jumbled action scene after another. That being said I think the mistakes of the third act get redeemed at the very end of the film. Other than that I did not have any major complaints.

Summary-

All in all this is not only an excellent Comedy but a pretty damn good Sci-fi film. Is it the best in the Trilogy? I think that really depends on your personal opinion but for me it is a close 2nd behind Hot Fuzz and my favorite film of 2013! I highly recommend this film to everyone!

MY RATING-

4.5 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Chris Reviews The Heat

I'm going to be honest, I really had no desire to see this film. I have never been a fan of Melissa McCarthy because she uses the fat/gross out humor in every role she plays, the story looked generic as hell and Sandra Bullock has never been an actress that I particularly liked. Despite all of that I went because my Grandma really wanted to see it and that's what good Grandsons do. Did this film play out exactly as I expected or was it a pleasant surprise? As usual you should read below to find out....

The Good-

This was a competently made action/comedy film that was solidly entertaining throughout. There were several jokes that worked well and had me laughing out loud. I actually liked Sandra Bullock in this as well which is probably a first. My favorite part of the film were the usual comedy film cameos, specifically Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as a Eastern European hooker/drug dealer and Thomas F. Wilson (Back to the Future) as the police chief.

The Bad-

This is about as formulaic as a buddy cop film can get. It really does not break any new ground with the exception of the struggles of women in the police force story line. It telegraphs every plot line so badly that there really is no suspense throughout. There are also a number of bad jokes that just annoyed me (The Albino guy in particular) and Melissa McCarthy is still one of my least favorite actresses in Hollywood. She plays the exact same character you have ever seen her in and it is not one that I like.

Summary-

This film was much better than I expected but It also had every problem that I expected it would have. Is it the worst movie I have seen this year? No, but it is yet another mediocre film that 2013 has been so generous in giving us. I would only recommend this if you are seeing it at the cheap theater or getting it at Red Box.

MY RATING-

3 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart
 

Chris Reviews 2 Guns

I was not expecting much of this movie going in. The trailers made it look like just another generic summer action film, but it did have an interesting cast. I mainly went to go see it though, because I decided I need to force myself to see more movies this year even if they are mostly crap. So did this film exceed my expectations or become yet another bland summer action film? Obviously you should continue reading to find out.

THE GOOD-

The chemistry and performances are the selling point of the movie. I like both of these actors and they work well together and provide some good humor. I also enjoyed seeing Edward James Olmos as a Mexican Drug Cartel leader. The action sequences are solid although nothing spectacular.

THE BAD-

This was yet another terribly written action film. While there was a mildly intriguing premise it was so mishandled that it made it borderline unwatchable. It attempted to be an overly complex crime film about a DEA Agent and a Naval Intelligence Agent who accidentally rob a CIA slush fund bank and the CIA wants their money back. I was not sure if this was supposed to be a criticism of government corruption or if it was just supposed to be a ridiculous over the top action film. That was one of the main problems is that it struggled balancing comedy and seriousness which is a key element of a good buddy cop film. None of the action scenes had much weight because it seemed like it was all just a big joke. There were also numerous plot holes and random things that would happen that were never addressed. Outside of the lead actors there really was not much to like from the performances either (Paula Patton was pretty terrible). Essentially this movie contains almost every problem that a bad summer action film features.

Summary-

This is just another poorly written summer action film that you watch and forget 10 minutes after you walk out of the theater. Sure the lead actors give solid performances and provide enough charisma to make the film watchable but that's about it.

MY RATING-

2.5 out of 5

-Chris "Da Franchize" Hart