Looper: A Groundbreaking Time Travel Film

I went in with high expectations for this film. Ever since I saw the trailer, I have been super excited for Looper. I have never been so excited to see a film, and Looper grabbed my attention for a lot of reasons. I was thrilled when I saw it was getting good reviews, and after I watched it, my mind was blown.

I will start off with what I liked most about this film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance as the younger Bruce Willis is nothing short of spectacular. In fact, his performance really sold the film and made it believable. Yeah, the makeup really helped, too, but JGL's sharp talent for transforming into another role (rather than mimicking it) completely changed the tone of the film. Looper easily could have been JGL chasing down Bruce Willis, but that was not the case. This was a young Bruce Willis chasing down an older Bruce Willis. Rather than the traditional man vs. man theme, this film effectively and creatively utilized the man vs. self theme, which I enjoyed.

I also liked the visuals of this film. The futuristic world in this film is very feasible. I look at this world and think that it could actually exist someday. Rian Johnson clearly put a lot of thought into the setting. From a technical standpoint, the cinematography and editing was beautiful. This film distinguishes itself with its unique text, narration, and, most of all, fantastic camerawork. I wish I could describe the visual style of this film, but it is so unique and unlike anything I have ever seen before.

As far as the acting goes, I really have no complaints. As I said before, JGL was brilliant. I'd say this is Bruce Willis' best film in years. I was skeptical about Emily Blunt's character, but I came to like her and was sold on the idea of her being a country girl. Even her kid was great. Usually, I hate little kids in movies. They are almost always obnoxious and are usually used for low-grade humor. This wasn't the case in Looper. I can't say much without giving away key plot points, but the boy's performance and role in the film is amazing.

I really have no complaints about this film, other than how slow it can be. The trailer makes you think this will be a fast-paced action film, but much of the action in the trailer plays out as quick montages in the film, which was a little disappointing. I think I would have liked just a little more action, and with this film being just under two hours, it could have spared a few more minutes of that.

Looper is a groundbreaking film on so many levels. It is well-written and thought-out, visually striking, and expertly acted. This film lived up to my high expectations, which is a rarity. Looper will definitely be added to my Blu-Ray collection. Highly recommended for Sci-Fi and Action fanatics, and anyone who wants to experience a mind-bending thriller.

MY RATING:

5 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward

Chris Reviews Dredd

When it was first announced that they were gonna take another stab at bringing Judge Dredd to film I was very much against it. I really have not had a chance to read the graphic novels and the last film while hilariously bad, did not leave me thinking they should try to make another film. That being said once I started hearing the details and saw the trailer I jumped on board and got excited. So was that excitement warranted or did I leave the theater wanting to kill myself? Read below to find out..... 

The Good-

There are several aspects of this movie that I loved. The first being Karl Urban as Dredd, he made the character much more believable and realistic while maintaining a certain level of humor. This movie definitely had a unique tone and style to it as well, which I really liked. It gave you a feeling that If this movie does well, some even cooler adventures could take place in this environment.  The action while not spectacular was pretty gory and helped give the film the gritty tone they were looking for and the SLO-MO sequences were actually pretty cool as well and probably looked awesome in 3D.

The Bad-

The main issue I had with this film was the story and how much it was ripped from The Raid. Not only did they rip the premise off from it, but they didn't even do it as well. The action sequences were fairly unspectacular and didn't really stand out, yes there was a lot of gore but mostly of the CGI variety. This film also felted very restrained to me as well, it felt like they wanted to do more but couldn't because of budget restrictions.

Summary-

There is not really anything blatantly bad and if you have not seen The Raid you will probably love this film. I just wish it had hit a little harder with some better choreographed fights but outside of that I really liked this film. I came out of it wanting to see a bigger budget, more epic sequel but I'm not sure its going to happen if it continues to flounder at the Box Office. All in all this is a solid end of summer action flick that is worth checking out.

MY RATING-

3.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchise" Hart           

End of Watch: Decent, not Great Buddy-Cop Film with Aesthetic Issues

I have to admit: I expected this movie to be pretty bad. I'm very opposed to the seemingly trending visual style of "found footage", and by the trailer, it was more than clear that this was the approach End of Watch was taking. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised with the film, but is it worth a watch?

Let me start by saying I completely changed my opinion of this film by the end of it. About 3 quarters of the way through, I was around a 2.5, but things really pick up in the film toward the end: emotionally and dramatically. There are a few things I really liked about this film, the biggest being the partnership of Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena's characters. Fantastic chemistry here. There's a perfect balance of arguments, ball-busting, and serious conversation to be had here. I feel safe saying this is one of the best buddy-cop match ups EVER. There are quite a few laughs in this movie, which is rare in such a dark film. I liked Anna Kendrick in this (mostly because she is my current Hollywood crush). There was also a healthy balance of work and personal life, which in turn contributed to the great character development in this film. I felt myself REALLY caring about what happens to these characters, which is a rare feeling when you watch as many movies as I do. I was also pleasantly surprised with how emotionally charged this film was, especially at the end. Great performances from Gyllenhaal and Pena make this film good.

I won't elaborate on the many reasons why I am so opposed to the "found footage" approach, but I will say that one of those reasons is that it is so overused. Project X, Cloverfield, and Paranormal Activity are three films in recent memory that try and fail using this method. This film did a slightly better job at using this technique, but like all "found footage" films, I was left feeling dizzy nauseous. That is my biggest issue with this film. This easily could have been one of my favorite films of the year, but the use of this choppy, shaky shooting style takes away from the sophistication of the story. I can see how they were going for the "Cops" look, which could've been done better as TV show, but for film, this is a style that shouldn't be used. This also caused issues throughout the film because we were being beat over the head about where cameras were, and there were one too many "get that camera out of my face" moments. The documentary style seemed forced, and that definitely hurt the score for this film.

In conclusion, if the shaky-cam doesn't bother you, this is a good buddy-cop film that has a serious take on the drug war and is very emotional. Great performances from the leads helps distract you from the aesthetic problems in this film, but you will still leave the theater wishing you watched a "film" rather than a bunch of splices of footage. Recommended for buddy-cop and crime fans.

MY RATING:

3 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward

Chris Reviews Premium Rush

This is one of those spur of the moment movies for me. I really had not been anticipating this at all and had no expectations for what I wanted it to be. I went because Kevin can get us into movies for free and it looked mildly interesting. Was it worth the hour and half investment? Read below to find out. 

The Good-

This is a slick looking well placed thriller that brings a unique concept on to screen.Yes the story is somewhat formulaic but the biking element gives this a very distinct feel that has not been done before and that alone makes it worth a watch. Joseph Gordon Levitt is solid but gets overshadowed by a fantastic performance by Michael Shannon. This made me particularly happy because I came to see this movie to get an idea of what he will be like as the villain in Man of Steel. After seeing this I am anticipating that movie even more now. It is also refreshing to see a PG-13 action movie that does not feel restrained. Often times PG-13 action feels like they are holding back to get that rating but this does everything it needs to and really can be watched by anyone at any age.

The Bad-

I didn't find anything to be glaringly bad but nothing stood out as fantastic either. While Joseph Gordon Levitt was solid, he really didn't stand out in this film. The storytelling was a bit chaotic although it did not bother me that much but I think the main issue is the somewhat formulaic plot even if it is in a new setting.

Summary-

All in all this was a solid thriller that was well worth seeing. It has some interesting looking bike chase scenes that are somewhat cool, a unique concept and a great performance from Michael Shannon. The film suffers from a formulaic plot, chaotic storytelling and an average performance from Joseph Gordon Levitt. Is the film worth seeing in the theaters? The best I can say is maybe, because I'm not sure I would have gone to see it if I had to pay. (Wow Kevin and I have the same rating for 2 movies in a row!)

MY RATING

3.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart          

Premium Rush: A Familiar Plot with a Decent Execution

Premium Rush is a movie we've seen dozens of times, but what I liked was the whole biking concept, and, of course, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the star.  While this film doesn't present anything we haven't seen before, it is an enjoyable thriller to waste some time with.

I had a good time with this film.  Michael Shannon as the villain was great; he was funny, creepy, and lovably over-the-top.  JGL was good as Wilee, although it wasn't my favorite character he's played.  I had mixed feelings about the pacing of the film, as it jumps around a lot.  However, if you are looking for a quick thriller that doesn't require a lot of thinking and want to jump straight into the action, this is your type of movie.  Without wasting much time, Premium Rush dives into the meat of the story, making the 91 minute film go by much faster.  I'm a bit of a sucker for thrillers, especially ones that take place over the course of a single day.  This is one of those films, and it was enjoyable.  This film also had a minuscule amount of violence, especially for a thriller, which I was impressed with.


While I respect a film that doesn't waste time, Premium Rush didn't leave a whole lot of room for character development.  This made it difficult to be very immersed in the story.  I also wasn't a fan of the CGI building fly-throughs.  I find that to be kind of a gimmick and a visual sellout, and it seems very cliched in summer films.  One final complaint I have about this film is the overall plot.  I was a bit confused about what was going on, and the fact that this movie didn't follow the traditional chronological order made some of the plot even more difficult to follow.  I'm referencing what was in the envelope that everyone was scurrying after.  There wasn't a whole lot of build up to this, which made this aspect of the film generic and kind of bland.

Premium Rush is a solid movie and highly recommended if you don't have any expectations for it.  Michael Shannon's performance makes this worth watching, and if you want to watch a mostly non-violent thriller, you will probably enjoy this.  Overall, I would say you could wait to rent this at Redbox, because there is no terrible RUSH to come see this film.


MY RATING:

3.5 out of 5

Kevin A. Millward

The Expendables 2: Your Money is Spendable

The Expendables 2 is a solidly entertaining action film that improves on the previous film.  The previous film was too serious and just overall a weak film, but the second Expendables was very entertaining and had a lot of laughs and action to satisfy the audience.

The thing I really liked about this film was the cast.  You gotta love the star-studded cast of The Expendables 2, especially if you are an action fan like myself.  There are some great fight scenes and like The Avengers, this film does a good job of balancing screen time so you get to see everyone in action.  The fast pace of the film kept it from being a drag, and it was a very fast watch.  One liners and bad acting also make this film hilarious, and I was bursting out laughing at some of the scenes with poorly written dialogue.  I also liked how this film payed homage to older action films, such as The Terminator and Die Hard, by referencing classic lines from those films.  All these elements together made this a very entertaining action film.  As long as you come into the film expecting to have some fun and not take it seriously, you will have a good time with it.  

While this was one of the more fun films I've seen this summer, there were a lot of flaws with it.  We didn't get to see a whole lot of Jean-Claude Van Damme, which is disappointing because he could've made a great, rather than good villain.  Stallone overshadowed a lot of the cast.  Also, the acting in this film is pretty bad.  That made it more fun for me, but it might not be as enjoyable for everyone else.  This film was also very cliche, although that was probably intended.  Finally, my biggest complaint is the addition of a female to the Expendables team.  That's all I will say about that.

The Expendables 2 is a solid action film with plenty of laughs and fun.  If you can get past the cliched story, bad acting, and overused CGI blood, this is a good action film with good intentions.  I recommend this film to anyone that enjoys action films, particularly 80s and 90s action films.

MY RATING:

4 out of 5 

-Kevin A. Millward 

Chris Reviews Expendables 2

Everyone who reads this blog should know by now that the 80's action genre is probably my favorite. All of my critical perspective tends to go out the window when I watch films of that genre. With the first Expendables film I was very disappointed because it really didn't hit hard enough, does the sequel improve upon the original? Read below to find out.

The Good-
     
The action is kicked up several notches in this. We get a fantastic opening action sequence that just unloads one set piece after another. So right out of the gate the testosterone is very high. The cameos are much more effective and lengthy in this as well which is part of the reason you come to see the movie. By far my favorite part of this movie though is JCVD, now I am a bit biased as he is my favorite action hero but I think everyone will agree he is fun as hell in this. He plays a very cartoon like villain who always seems to get away from the Expendables at every turn. He has a very flamboyant charisma about him and the final showdown with Stallone was awesome if a bit short. All of the action scenes have more of a sense of fun than the original and I think that is why I liked this movie.

The Bad-

If you strip away the cool action scenes and take a look at the script, this is a genuinely terrible film. It is the most generic and formulaic story, but isn't that what this whole genre is about. The film does drag a bit in the middle but does have a few smaller action scenes to liven it up. The acting was pretty bad as well but again what do you expect in a movie with a cast like this.

Summary-

I can understand why someone might walk out of this film hating it because it is a bad movie. But if you are coming into this movie look for a well written story and moving performances your an idiot. This is a movie made for the 15-25 year old boy who loves pure violence. This movie made spending hundreds of hours watching Stallone, Arnold, Van Damme, and Lundgren movies worth it. So if old school action movies are your thing this is a must watch. Keep in mind my rating of this movies is balanced between my love for this which would be a 5 and the critical view which would probably be a 2.5.

MY RATING-

4 out of 5

 Chris "Da Franchize" Hart