Big Hero 6 (2014)

Big Hero 6 (2014)

7/10

Starring the voice of

Ryan Potter

Scott Adsit

Daniel Henney

T. J. Miller

Jamie Chung

Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams

Big Hero 6 is Disney’s 54th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, with a significant change from the Marvel Comic it was adapted from.

The movie blends Disney elements with Marvel's. Thanks to the screenplay by Robert L. Baird, Dan Gerson, and Jordan Roberts, the movie has the Disney feel of a happy, lovable story with relatable characters, combined with Marvel's action themes and characters with complex behaviors.

Produced solely by Walt Disney Animation Studios, this wonderful family movie will both interest and captivate your mind. Disney didn’t miss their trademark of embedding lessons here and there for the viewer to pick up on, and they removed anything that would make the story similar to anything we’ve seen before.

The movie’s plot follows 14-year-old Hiro Hamada, who lives with his aunt and older brother Tadashi in futuristic San Fransokyo. Hiro is highly intelligent and loves participating in illegal bot fights, much to the dismay of his brother and aunt.

Trying to distract Hiro from this life, Tadashi introduces him to his friends—GoGo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred. He also shows him Baymax, a personal healthcare robot Tadashi created. Tadashi and his friends attend Krei Tech, and Tadashi hopes the inventions Hiro sees there will inspire him to join. Tadashi succeeds, but his untimely death when the college mysteriously catches fire halts Hiro’s interest in joining Krei Tech.

Sad and alone, Hiro accidentally activates Baymax, who then stumbles on one of Hiro’s inventions trying to reunite with its other parts. Baymax traces the invention to its source and uncovers more about Tadashi’s death.

Some notable changes Disney made include making Baymax a product of Hiro’s brother Tadashi, while in the comics, Baymax is a monster (instead of the lovable and huggable robot Disney presented) created by Hiro as a science project to serve as his butler and bodyguard. Also, in the comics, it was Hiro’s father who died, while in the movie, it’s Hiro’s brother’s death that inspires the formation of the group. Hiro’s father isn’t mentioned in the movie.

Although the movie is great and the characterization is memorable thanks to the great voice acting performance, I hope many will appreciate the level of storytelling and fast-paced action it packs. It would be sad if this movie ends up being one of those brilliant films that didn’t get enough credit or celebration. Another thing that will be sad about this movie is if it never gets a sequel, because it deserves one.
As much as I loved this movie, it does have drawbacks, like even though the characters are memorable, some feel underdeveloped, which weakens their emotional impact. The plot also feels predictable at times, and some of the backstories and plot points seem unnecessary, pulling focus away from the action.

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

7/10

Starring

Tom McGrath

Chris Miller

Conrad Vernon

Christopher Knights

Benedict Cumberbatch

John Malkovich

Directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith

To be honest, after seeing the movie the first time, I was in line for a second helping. Those penguins crack me up big time, and they are just too cute and wonderful to be overlooked.

It’s about time they had their own motion picture, about them and them alone. The TV series that airs on Nickelodeon is always a riot of laughs, as there’s nothing these penguins won’t do to get to the end of the pressing matter at hand. And in this movie, they showed the same tenacity, and we even get to see how the group was formed.

The movie had many inside jokes to keep you aching for more, and the voice casting was exceptional. We had Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Conrad Vernon, and Christopher Knights voicing Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private, respectively. We also had Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich as the villainous octopus Dave, or Dr. Octavius Brine.

So, what are our beloved penguins up to now?

The answer is, they were out looking for an adventure.

The movie starts with an introduction to our penguins and how they recruited Private. The group has been together since they were chicks, and they decided from then to be different from the rest. This led them through various ups and downs in zoos, until the movie catches up with the present development after Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012).

The group gets accosted by a villainous octopus who is out for revenge against the penguins’ cuteness. This leads them to meet the North Wind (NW), an elite undercover task force that rescues animals in need. The group consists of their leader, a gray wolf named Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch), as dubbed by Skipper, a harp seal named Short Fuse (Ken Jeong), a polar bear named Corporal (Peter Stormare), and an intelligent snowy owl named Eva (Annet Mahendru).

The octopus, Dave, wants to rid the world of the penguins’ cuteness, and the penguins have to stop him, or they will no longer be cute (it sounded better in my head).

The movie had cool dad jokes cheesy lines like:

1. “Nicholas, cage them!”
2. “Drew, Barry, more power!”
3. “Kevin, bake on!”
4. “Charlize, stay on them!”
5. “Robin, write this down!”

As you can see, the humor often relies on cheesy one-liners and inside jokes, which may not resonate with everyone. I felt the pacing was uneven, shifting between action and backstory without giving enough time to develop the characters or the narrative. 

After watching this movie, I hope the box office and home media sales bring in the financial investment made for us to see it, because it would be sad if a sequel isn’t made. So, I hope word of mouth drives many to go see this. It’s worth it for both adults and kids alike.

Nightcrawler (2014)

Nightcrawler (2014)

7/10

Starring

Jake Gyllenhaal

Rene Russo

Riz Ahmed

Bill Paxton

Directed by Dan Gilroy

Nominated for numerous awards—which are well deserved—this crime thriller is one movie you’ll watch, and it will stick with you. The characters are memorable, and the plot and the direction deliver a masterclass in storytelling.

The movie tells the life of a sociopath who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The extent to which he’ll go is not beyond his sociopathic needs, and, as you can guess, he doesn’t care who gets hurt along the way.

The movie is tragic and thrilling, and the sad events that occur at various intervals will make you sit still and wish harm would come to the lead character, Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal). The movie is written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut, and it stars his wife, the 60-year-old and still beautiful Rene Russo.

Jake Gyllenhaal had to lose 20 pounds for the movie, which is obvious from the first scene. Lou starts his career as a petty thief, stealing what he can to sell so he can survive. He comes across Joe Loder (Bill Paxton) on his way home. Joe is an independent news cameraman, and Lou sees him capturing footage of a crash. He asks how much Joe was paid for it and decides that making the news is going to be more financially promising than stealing.

Lou starts off small, capturing the aftermath of a carjacking. He then offers the footage to a local TV station, which is ready to pay for the clip. The TV station uses the clip in their morning news, and the news director, Nina (Rene Russo), who buys the footage, encourages Lou to keep shooting and bring the clips to her first.

Lou soon discovers that to get the top—and only—footage of violent incidents, he has to be at the crime scene on time. So, he hires an assistant, Rick (Riz Ahmed), to direct him through traffic.

Lou later realizes that his clips are causing the ratings of the news show to rise and decides to twist Nina’s arm for more money—and her body.

The movie shows that being around a sociopath is only to your detriment. Nightcrawler ended in a way I wouldn’t have guessed, and I was truly thrilled by the events. That said, I felt the pacing of the movie was uneven at times, with some scenes dragging on longer than necessary, which disrupts the flow. Lou’s sociopathic traits become repetitive, making it harder for me to stay engaged with his character.

A box office hit and a definite award grabber, this is a movie you should see before the year runs out.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

7/10

Starring

Andy Serkis

Jason Clarke

Gary Oldman

Keri Russell

Directed by Matt Reeves

There are errors, and then there are major, big-time catastrophes.

I made a major catastrophe by waiting this long to see this movie. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is not a movie to overlook at any point in time. This new set of movies is meant to be a prelude to the original series, and this is the eighth theatrical film in the franchise—so far, it’s the best.

The movie received critical acclaim upon its release and was also a box office hit, but the real thrill is in the story.

The apes from the first part, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), have gathered to form a colony and have grown in numbers. They’re training their children in the sign language and words they learned from their human captors. Caesar still stands as their leader, but the movie is set 10 years after the first, so Caesar now has a family with two sons.

The apes live undisturbed in the woods because, in the human world, the panic caused by the deadly ALZ-113 virus has led to much of the human race self-destructing. Many of them now live in colonies formed across the world, some unaware of the existence of others.

This depth in the story will make you sit and wonder what the movie will bring. The intro scenes feature the apes living together as a colony, hunting and conversing. You might think such scenes would make you doze off, but think again—be ready for the surprise that’s coming.

The acting, especially by the apes, and the visual effects are in a class of their own. The humans in the movie also deliver top-notch performances. Their story begins when they venture into the woods, meet Caesar’s family, and are granted passage to work on a dam to generate electricity.

This action, among others, causes distrust in Caesar’s leadership and leads to a battle between the apes and the human colony. The conflict results in deaths on both sides and sets the stage for an upcoming outbreak of war, which I believe the third film will explore.

There were cast changes made in the movie, and since it’s set 10 years ahead in a world of pandemonium, it was easy to write off the old cast. That said, I noticed that although the conflict between humans and apes is central to the plot, it feels predictable at times and lacks depth in certain areas. And some of the characters, particularly on the human side, come across as a bit one-dimensional.

This is a movie where you buy the DVDs/Blu-rays for keeps, for future reviews. Don’t be like me, waiting an eternity to see a classic—go see it now.

Be Cool (2005)

Be Cool (2005)

7/10

Starring

John Travolta

Uma Thurman

Vince Vaughn

Cedric the Entertainer

Harvey Keitel

Christina Milian

Andre Benjamin

Dwayne Johnson

Directed by F. Gary Gary

It’s not every day you get to have a movie that you believe is cool, even if everyone else may beg to differ. Be Cool is extremely funny, and the movie’s inside gags are what cracked me up the most. Its absurd view of the world through the eyes of Chili is what I find fun.

The movie is a crime comedy adapted from Elmore Leonard’s 1999 novel of the same name. If you recall, Danny DeVito was in the prequel to this movie, which was also an adaptation of Leonard’s 1990 novel Get Shorty—the same name as the 1995 movie.

Get Shorty showed Chili Palmer’s life when he decided to go into the movie-making business. Here, in Be Cool, Palmer decides to switch to the music business. The switch would have been smooth, but you know Palmer from Get Shorty—Palmer wants, Palmer gets, regardless of who’s in the way.

So, as I said, Chili Palmer (Travolta) wants to switch businesses again because he takes an interest in a young singer trying to make it big, but the road to success isn’t smooth, and Chili’s style of doing things does not make it any easier. So, with Chili, we navigate the music scene, get tangled up with mobsters, record execs, and wannabe stars, all while trying to get the girl and make a deal that works in his favour. It's a comedy about the chaos that comes with chasing fame and fortune.

The movie features enough stars, just like the first one, but it just splatters them all over the screen, like a checklist. Director F. Gary Gray tried to make sure they all got enough time to deliver their part and add value, but that didn’t really happen.

I love this movie and have seen it quite a number of times, laughing my head off every time. The acting is top-notch, and weird enough, I think The Rock acted better here than in some of the movies he’s done lately. I have to say though, some characters feel a bit flat in this movie, and while the plot is fun, it leans on clichés a little too much. Plus, the humour doesn’t always hit as hard as it should, and it could go over the viewer's head, especially the inside jokes. I also think the music part could have been explored more, given its importance. Although, look out for the Aerosmith and Christina Milian duet.

Be Cool’s Inside Gags (thanks to Wikipedia):

• At the beginning of the film, Chili sees an advertisement for Get Lost, which is the sequel to Get Leo—the film within a film he produced in Get Shorty. He expresses his distaste for sequels, as well as his dissatisfaction in failing to prevent Get Lost from being made, despite the fact that he himself is a character in a sequel. The first line of the movie is Chili disgustedly dismissing the advertisement.
• Tommy proposes the idea of making a movie about a young singer who wants to make it big with the help of a record mogul. This becomes the main plot of the film. Almost every factor Tommy mentioned in his pitch, such as gangsta rappers and the Russian Mafia, ends up happening in the film.
• Chili is asked by Marla, the FBI agent, about his meeting with Tommy. He replies, "I know what you're getting, Marla. You think that I set this up. But the truth is, he wants me to make a movie about him. How can we make a movie when the main character gets popped in the first scene?" The detective replies, "Yeah, not a bad opening." Tommy responds, "Yeah, you're right. You know, that worked for American Beauty." The detective and Marla reply, "Sunset Boulevard." "Or Casino." Well, Tommy was shot early in the movie, if not the first scene.
• When the idea is brought up to Steven Tyler, he vehemently rejects the possibility of being in a film and declares that he is not one of those singers who does bit-part cameos in films—despite the fact that that’s exactly what he’s doing in this film.
• The one time the word "fuck" is used in the film is in talking about the MPAA's policy that the curse word can only be used once without censorship in a PG-13 film without bumping the rating up to R. Be Cool uses that word only once, in the first scene: "Do you know that unless you're willing to use the R rating, you can only say the F-word once? You know what I say: Fuck that. I'm done." For the rest of the film, several characters come close to using this cuss word but are cut off or censored in some way before they can.
• The dancing scene between John Travolta and Uma Thurman is reminiscent of the one they portrayed in Pulp Fiction.

The Interview (2014)

The Interview (2014)

6/10

Starring

Seth Rogen

James Franco

Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg

If you haven’t seen this movie, I advise you to put everything aside and go see it. I wouldn’t even be offended if you paused reading this review to go watch it—it’s magnificently funny. But I must add, if you do not fancy silliness and unrealistic stories as enjoyable, this movie is not for you, because it is filled with it. Even I at some point felt, it went in too deep on the silliness and unrealistic ideas.

For me, James Franco has proven to be an actor to watch out for in the future. He delivers every time he’s on-screen and makes any movie he’s in worth seeing. Seth Rogen, on the other hand, has been a bit of a disappointment for me when it comes to movies. Even in this one, I just never find his kind of humour funny, and did not enjoy his portrayal or acting in this movie.

That being said, why I liked this movie and laughed hard at the jokes can be attributed to the long-awaited anticipation of seeing it. Due to a group known as the "Guardians of Peace"—a group the FBI believes has ties to North Korea—Sony Pictures Entertainment was hacked, and several upcoming Sony films and sensitive internal information were leaked. The group demanded that Sony pull The Interview from cinemas, a movie they referred to as "the movie of terrorism."

But later, the movie was released in cinemas on December 25th and online.

Ironically, North Korea and the Guardians of Peace have made this movie a must-watch and even gave Sony a chance to recoup the financial damage they caused.

The movie was originally developed to feature the assassination of Kim Jong-il, but after he died and his son Kim Jong-un assumed power, the writers redirected their focus to the new supreme leader.

The movie’s plot follows two friends: Dave Skylark (James Franco), a talk show host, and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen). They are approached by the CIA to assassinate North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un (Randall Park).

What led to this approach was Dave and Aaron’s ability to get Kim Jong-un to feature on their show, as it was written that Kim Jong-un loved the talk show Skylark Tonight.

What you’ll love most in this movie is Dave Skylark. His ignorance and stupidity are beyond normal, to the point that every time he opens his mouth, nothing meaningful comes out.

Again, I advise you to go see this movie. It’s a guaranteed laugh that Sony packed for viewers—and one that North Korea wanted to deny us. Now, remember it is a comedy, so it is not to be taken seriously.

The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (2008)

The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (2008)

6/10

Starring

Noah Wyle

Bob Newhart

Jane Curtin

Stana Katic

Directed by Jonathan Frakes

Aha! This movie had something I was aching to see, a frustrated and tired Flynn Carsen.

I’ve been watching the whole TV movie series, and I have to say TNT did a good job with these films. But I’ve been curious and asking myself: with all this running around the world, saving it over and over again, wouldn’t Flynn be tired and eager to get a life?

Well, this movie answers that question.

In the first movie, he was kicked out of class by a teacher who told him to go get a life. Flynn then got this job, and I don’t think he found a life—he just found something else to distract him from the obvious fact that he didn’t have one.

Being The Librarian means your life is focused solely on service to humanity, but Flynn wants more. In this movie’s premise, Flynn has a nervous breakdown. This breakdown causes the library veterans, Charlene (Jane Curtin) and Judson (Bob Newhart), to doubt whether he’ll return to being The Librarian.

He’s given some holiday time, and Flynn learns the hard way that being The Librarian means you don’t get any days off.

In this movie, Flynn’s female sidekick—which is what he gets in every movie—is Simone Renoir (Stana Katic). Stana plays Detective Kate Beckett on the ABC series Castle, where her acting is top-notch and very impressive. But here, it felt more cheesy, making me wish someone would stick a stake in this woman’s heart—quick.

Simone is a vampire who’s hunting for the man who turned her. Her path intertwines with Flynn’s as he hunts for the Judas Chalice. Flynn’s decision to go after the Judas Chalice is formed when, on vacation, he meets Simone and the men who are after what she guards—a rare medallion that points to the hidden location of the Judas Chalice.

Get ready to meet Vlad Dracula in this movie, but also be prepared to be disappointed by how he’s taken down and destroyed for all eternity—I guess.

TNT’s decision to turn this movie franchise into a TV series is a good idea from where I stand. I just hope we don’t get bored quickly by a bunch of people hunting down mysteries week in and week out.

Now, I guess I can start watching the series and get up to date with the current order of things.