Godzilla wreaks havoc yet again

Take a good look at this because Godzilla is coming to wreak havoc upon your puny souls in May 2014. Pardon me for being overly-dramatic but it had to be done!

Gareth Edwards, the filmmaker behind 2010's Monsters was rumoured to have helmed the directorial role behind a certain reboot a couple of years ago. And that reboot turned out to be none other than Godzilla. 

Having experienced the travesty of a monster flick that was Godzilla (1998) with Matthew Broderick, I was overjoyed when I heard about the reboot. Okay, maybe I wasn't completely fond of the idea and felt a little reluctant. But those mixed feelings did not last long due to the barrage of screens, and announcements Legendary kept pouring on fans via their Facebook page and Twitter. Suddenly, the thought of a steroid-infused Tyrannosaurus Rex-like creature rampaging through a populated city seemed gratifying. 

A few months ago Gareth Edwards revealed a 2-minute trailer for the highly-anticipated film and I speak for all those wanting to see good ol' Godzilla go to town when I say, "I am pleased." The trailer starts off filled with anxiety, featuring an iconic soundtrack that instantly reminded me of Kubrick's 2001. Grim is the best word I can come up to describe the atmosphere. And that high-pitched roar at the very end struck fear into my very bones. I seriously cannot wait for this!

Batman vs. Superman Teaser Image?

Apparently this is a teaser image for the sequel to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. Also known as Batman vs. Superman. It says a lot if you ask me. 

 

The Lone Ranger (2013). I Don't Even Know...

Tonto and The Lone Ranger

What can best be described as one of the most direction-less films of the year, Gore Verbinski's wild west picture The Lone Ranger is (emotionally) confusing.

Gore Verbinski

Damned if I know what that above statement even means because I'm still recovering from the utter feelings of confusion that I was put through by said director. This is the genius behind Pirates of the Caribbean (only referring to the first one).

Notice that I have not filed this under the 'Reviews' category. That's because this isn't a review. Not by a long shot. This is a rant, a tirade about how a movie so ambitious film with such an epic opening could flop so badly during the second half. I'm mad.

Let's get this out of the way first because I'm a massive visual effects industry advocate: The visual effects are brilliant. As with any film of this hype nowadays. No problem there, Gore. You know can make bedazzling features.

As for everything else this movie has to offer, you'll be let down. If the mediocre dialogue doesn't put you off, the awkward instances of comedy that are heaped upon you will.

Is it really that bad? No. The Lone Ranger has its moments, all thanks to Johnny Depp. It's hard to imagine that anything could go wrong with a Johnny Depp movie. He is one of the best performers alive. That's a fact. I'm assuming it was Verbinski's presence behind the camera that attracted him to the project, coupled with Depp's history of playing weird characters on screen (he's good at it too!). But seriously Johnny, read the entire screenplay before taking on a character.

The lack of direction is overwhelming. From the first 10 minutes, one can easily determine how the movie will end as the premise is very cliché. You've got a bad guy, and a good guy who happens to also be 'the chosen one' - but he doesn't quite know that yet. That's where Tonto (Depp) comes in. He is, what I found to be, the facilitator between the two factions of good and evil. Kind of like Jack Sparrow. Actually, now that I think back, Johnny Depp played the exact same character in the Lone Ranger as he did in the Pirates series. Tonto is the only source of comedic relief in the film. Every now and then he feeds his bird who is so pleasantly latched onto his head piece. There is a spoiler to be made here.

To be frank, I don't know what to make of it. Quentin Tarantino listed The Lone Ranger as one of his favourite movies of 2013 and his reasoning is understandable because the film had potential to be better than it came out. He's a controversial filmmaker who's never afraid to touch a nerve through the silver screen. We've seen Tarantino explore slavery for what it is, in all it's brutality and injustice without sparing anything. This was because he genuinely wanted to bring this touchy subject out into the open for all to see, because it did happen and there's no denying it. The Lone Ranger, however, fictionalizes and bastardizes the slaughter of the aboriginals on which the very foundation of America was built.Yes, The Lone Ranger is an adaptation of popular fiction, but at least write the thing properly! Sheesh.

Travelling Back In Time

So on Thursday, October 10th I finally managed to get my butt to the Distillery District here in Toronto. In my years of residing within the hustle and bustle of this city, I have to confess: I've been quite oblivious as to the beauty that lies here.

Cafe Canadien

Filled with tourists at every turn, the Distillery District is a glimpse of Old Toronto. It is an entertainment hub for the 'artsy' type and I had an amazing time just sitting there at Balzac's Coffee Roastery having my Cafe Canadian with double chocolate brownie on the side. I must add: One of the main reasons for my visit was to take pictures for an upcoming project for my 3D Design class in College. (LOL!) See! I can multi-task!

Balzac's

Thoughts On: The Conjuring (2013)

From the director of Saw and Insidious Chapters 1-2, comes a different kind of horror in the form of The Conjuring and it's bursting with scares.

Thoughts On: Europa Report (2013)

"Are we alone in the universe?" A question that has become a premise for hundreds of Hollywood films, some which turned out to be great (for example 2001: A Space Odyssey) and others that aren't even worth mentioning in this post. 

Fortunately, Europa Report is in the 'great' category. A space thriller set not long in the future after present time, the film chronicles the first privatized manned expedition to Jupiter's moon Europa - which has long been an object of speculation and mystery among astronomers and astronauts alike. In fact, modern-day astrophysicists have gone as far as to say that life on Europa is almost certain. 

Director Sebastián Cordero wastes no time in letting the film's intentions known at the very start. Europa Report is another example of the found-footage style but it doesn't take itself too seriously because of the added documentary style. They work so well together that the transitions between interviews and what's actually going on aboard the Europa One spacecraft are almost seamless if not a little jumpy. 

Europa Report isn't perfect. It's short, clocking in only 90 mins, things seem to happen a little too rapidly. Nonetheless, we are introduced to the characters properly so as to feel for them when a calamity strikes. Think of the movie as The Blair Witch Project + Moon. 

There is an unmissable sense of dread and claustrophobia that one will feel while watching Europa Report, followed by an unexpectedly creepy surprise at the end. There's almost a bit of the Matrix in here, let's just say. 

Thoughts On: Frankenweenie (2012)

One of the most underrated of the year, Frankenweenie was forgotten soon after release last year. Or at least, nobody really cared about it in my vicinity. Needless to say, Tim Burton's dark comedy animated tale of a boy named Victor Frankenstein was everything but forgetful.

Frankenweenie is presented in crisp monotone from start to finish and this, although different, only adds more contrast to the film's explicitly grim narrative. It's for kids, like all other animated features but with a layer of maturity. Allusions to the great Frankenstein and Dracula mythologies are blatant throughout.

Those familiar with Tim Burton's work will find all 80 mins worth sitting through because Frankenweenie is full of wacky, out-of-this-world surprises straight out of Burton's wild imagination.

Dead animals are brought back to life by one curious (or mad I should say) boy's misadventure. As the annual science fair draws nearer, competition stiffens and Victor's classmates find their eyesights locked on the first prize. Frankenweenie is the type of film that will appeal to audiences of all ages, the only requirement being that you have a childhood because this feature will take you all the way back.
Loved this film!

Thoughts On: The Campaign (2012)

The reason why this film was made: I do not know. Quite frankly I don't think anyone knows.

Thoughts On: Oblivion

So I gave into Joseph Kosinski's new feature film, Oblivion, wondering if he would be able to redeem himself after the travesty that was Tron: Legacy. To be fair, Konsinski does redeem himself, but with mixed feelings.

Thoughts On: Lincoln

If there's anything to be said about Steven Spielberg's bio pic about Abraham Lincoln, it's this: Daniel Day-Lewis.

Thoughts on: Thor: The Dark World

Yo yo yo!

So I woke up this morning on a bright and sunny morning expecting good things, and boy was I ever in for a treat because they've just released the trailer for Thor: The Dark World - sequel to 2011's epic introduction to our hammer-wielding, otherworldly hero from Marvel. 

Can't say much about the trailer itself other than how mind blowing it really is. I believe it is Thanos that we are shown midway through the trailer and it looks like he may be playing a bigger role this time around. His presence in this film is a surefire sign that Marvel is cooking up one helluva series. 

Summer 2013 is packed with a whole bunch of superhero movies popping up including Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Wolverine, and DC's Man of Steel. 

May the good lord have mercy upon our poor souls. 

Check the trailer our below. 

Thoughts on: The Last Stand

From director Kim Jee-Woon comes this not-too-shabby action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here are my thoughts on: The Last Stand.

Following Reviews Coming...

Hey guys,

Here's a list of reviews that I'm planning to get in by this end of this week:

Lincoln 

Star Trek (2009)

The Last Stand 

Serenity 

Defiance Ep 1 (TV)

The Following Ep 1 (TV)

Django Unchained 

Silver Linings Playbook

Keep checking back! :D

Thoughts on: The Bourne Legacy

It seems like it was just yesterday when I was sitting on my bed watching the Bourne Identity. Then came The Bourne Supremacy and then finally my all time favorite of the trilogy: The Bourne Ultimatum. Good heavens I miss the chills I got when I watched that one for the first time. It was excruciatingly suspenseful, especially the ending when Moby's remixed Extreme Ways hit and you see an underwater shot of Jason Bourne swimming away into darkness having survived yet another bullet to the back. Paul Greengrass did an incredible job of closing the loop opened by Doug Liman two movies earlier.

Based on Robert Ludlum's novels, the Bourne Trilogy was brought onto the silver screen by Tony Gilroy and company. Boy was it ever worth it. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of the series is its unexpected bursts of wit and high octane action. Looking back, there was really nothing impeccably appealing about the visual style of the first film. The cinematography was plain. Doug Liman got the job done with simple tracking shots and chase sequences while keeping Ludlum's ever so winding plot intact. 

Enter Paul Greengrass on the Bourne Supremacy and the conclusion where Jason Bourne finally comes 'home': The Bourne Ultimatum. He introduced a style of filming that I think is his specialty and his alone. Keeping the viewers' eyes where they need to be is difficult in choreographed action sequences. Reminds me of the words of an actor (and friend of mine), Patrick Stevenson: 'Fight scenes in film are not a whole lot different from dance routines.' I'm talking about Greengrass's work extensively because the difference between his work and that of screenwriter Tony Gilroy - who directed The Bourne Legacy - is very slim. The work would've been almost identical were it not for Matt Damon's absence.

The Bourne Legacy (2012) sits at a rating of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes - which in turn, doesn't sit well with me because I approached the film with a rather positive attitude. As with all movies really. A fresh pair of eyes is key when enjoying a movie, I believe. I can proudly conclude that this ideology is what served me well during my viewing of Legacy. That's not to say that Tony Gilroy produced a flawless motion picture. It does, as with everything, come with a few minor issues. Then again, you'll hardly notice these minor plot issues if you take away the works of Greengrass on the last two films.

Tony Gilroy is a phenomenal screenwriter, and being able to craft something totally new, and at the same time make it run parallel to something he did not direct is difficult. But Gilroy pulls it off. From handheld shots to tension-relieving drum hits. He's done it all.

The story follows Aaron Cross. As with Bourne, he's an agent operating under the intelligence who has been brainwashed to, well...kill. He's operating not under Treadstone, but a standalone program called 'Outcome'. After Bourne shows his true colors by infiltrating and ultimately exposing Treadstone and Blackbriar, the agency has no choice but to shutdown all active programs. Including Outcome. Which means everyone has to be eliminated.

At this point, the Bourne Legacy becomes a prequel of sorts. I particularly loved the detailing of the agents' training program. The brutality that the agents were put through despite their resistance is one that'll make you feel for the characters. It's not easy to start a new life and leave everything you loved behind you. This is the premise of the film. The allusion to Jason Bourne is also great. Like I mentioned before, Legacy runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. Anything crucial that happens in New York as a result of Bourne's work ripples into Aaron Cross's (Jeremy Renner) run.

Tony Gilroy moved forward with The Bourne Legacy for all the right reasons. He knows the Bourne series inside out and it shows.

There were some issues I had with the film though. For instance, I loved how he tried to mimic Greengrass' style (of filming) but since it's a new take on the series, wouldn't it have been cool if he established his own style? I mean, shaky cam-ing everything isn't always the answer. We learned that the hard way when we saw Taken 2. Good lord. I also had a bit of a problem keeping up with what was going on. Flashbacks didn't seem like flashbacks and because of that, dialogues were difficult to comprehend.

Ed Norton is great in whatever role he plays but he's too flat of a character. In case you're wondering, he plays the head honcho on Aaron Cross' trail. Vosen and Landy had stories of there own, they had vendettas in place that motivated them to find Bourne, but Norton's character functions like a robot. If it's Cross the higher ups want, it's Cross they'll get. Not to mention, he has a personal vendetta against Cross himself...which we are never exposed to...which sucks really.

Jeremy Renner's badass and watching him take down a barrage of oncoming agents is a treat. He's not as mechanical as Bourne was and at times it's hard to keep up with what he's trying to accomplish. We're kept in the dark until Eric Byer's (Norton) team members say it out loud. This was a bit annoying. Rachel Weisz is cool too - though her vocal chords can be a bit irritating. My advice to you Rachel: Practice screaming your ass off! :)

Take away all those minor issues up there and what you get is a movie that is totally worth the 2 hour mark. I would give it another watch just to see Renner kick ass and listen to the gut-wrenching scores. The Bourne Legacy is a successful spin-off of the Bourne Trilogy.

Feels great to be back!

It has been way too long since I updated my blog and boy does it feel great to be back. There's something about having loads of fresh material to write about that I find motivating!