MOVIE REVIEW: PITCH PERFECT 2

In this sequel to Pitch Perfect, the collegiate a cappella group called the Barden Bellas enter into an international competition, but they are told it will be impossible to win because they are from the U.S. The girls refuse to give up and vow to be the first Americans to take home the top prize. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the film stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Hailee Steinfeld. ~ Erin Demers, Rovi

Director: Elizabeth Banks

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Katey Sagal

Release Date: May 15, 2015

Rated: PG-13 Innuendo and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Pitch Perfect was one of those films that surprised me when I first saw it and has become a personal favorite.  It was a fun film with some great comedic bite along with some great characters.  A sequel seemed a bit of an odd sale mainly because recapturing that kind of magic is difficult especially in a musical comedy.  The sequel will leave fans content for the most part.  The characters are so much fun that you can kind of ignore the fact that the plot is kind of pedestrian there’s really not much going on.  The film is an overlong by at least 20 minutes.  Thankfully it’s still funny more times than not and all the actresses ease back into their roles comfortably.  Elizabeth Banks does a solid job behind the directors chair delivering some impressively staged musical numbers that are impressively rousing.  Hailee Steinfeld joins the cast and her character is a tad bland for my taste which is a shame since her character is tasked with carrying the torch in an eventual sequel.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

From director George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary “Mad Max” franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a return to the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky.Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Director: George Miller

Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Adelaide Clemens 

Release Date: May 15, 2015 RealD 3D 

Rated R for Intense Sequences of Violence Throughout, and for Disturbing Images

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road is an assault on the senses from the opening scene and pretty much through its entire runtime.  Its action is the kind of stuff that is rather jaw dropping due to its sheer size and scope.  Miller’s film is proudly ridiculous and over the top while taking a minimalist approach on the story side.  What’s really surprising about the film is that even though it seems like story and characters would end up being 1 dimensional there is a steady amount of emotional resonance when it’s all said and done.  Tom Hardy is a fine successor for Mel Gibson in the titular role bringing the appropriate amount of quiet intensity required by the role.  Charlize Theron, though, is the real star here.  The character and Theron’s performance makes Furiosa the most interesting character on screen throughout the film.  The pair makes for an engaging twosome that grounds the film from some of its insanity.  It’s a simplistic film with some of the most complex action that I’ve ever seen put to the screen, the type really deserves to be seen on the screen.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

Joss Whedon returns to write and direct the follow-up to the ultra successful Joss Whedon film. The picture completes Marvel Studios' Phase 2 films, which includes Joss Whedon, Joss Whedon, Joss Whedon, and Joss Whedon. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Joss Whedon  

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson

Release Date: May 01, 2015

Rated PG-13 for intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Sction, Violence and Destruction, and Some Suggestive 

Comments 

Runtime: 2 hr. 21 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Review:

Avengers: Age of Ultron is successful enough to keep the status quo established by the first team up film.  It doesn’t do anything spectacularly more impressive that its predecessor and some of the beats and moments feel similar for good reason.  The old saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is incredibly fitting.  The new characters add a smattering of freshness to it but all of them feel as underdeveloped as Elizabeth Olsen’s variable accent.  Ultron is an interesting villain but I couldn’t help feeling his characterization was rather rushed throughout.  James Spader does a fine job of keeping the character interesting even if he’s not as devilishly charismatic as Loki.  The main cast of characters all slip into their roles easily and honestly by this point it’s old hat.  Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo share some of the film’s quieter moments which also deliver the biggest emotional impact.  Jeremy Renner gets a deeper back story and some of the film’s best lines; one can’t help but wonder if Joss Whedon was making up for his limited role in the first film.  As for Whedon, you can’t help but admire the guy’s dexterity at keeping most of the ball in the air all throughout.  It’s not perfect and you can’t help but feel like some subplots got left on the cutting room floor, even then the film’s a tad overlong.  Still, it’s an enjoyable Marvel superhero film which does everything you want from a solid blockbuster.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Avengers: Age of Ultron

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the cinema for THE FIRST TIME IN A MONTH. I know, right? Nearly forgot what the place looked like. At any rate, a new superhero blockbuster was just the ticket for drawing me out of retirement, so I ditched the office a bit early to see Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Spoiler level here will be mild, unless you consider starry-eyed, non-plot-related commentary on Jeremy Renner's arms, wardrobe, and screen time spoilerey. If that's the case, then read no more 'til you've seen the movie!

Earth's mightiest protectors face their most frightful foe yet. (I should just save that synopsis for every super-hero review ever.)

I presently harbor a simmering resentment towards Marvel for extorting fans into watching their crap product (*cough* Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. *cough*) just to be sure we can keep up with their good product (pretty much everything else...so far).

Having said that, nobody enjoys a dude in a cape quite like I do, so I don't think that had undue influence on my opinion of Ultron.

What does negatively impact the movie right out of the box is some ridiculously terrible CGI in the opening sequence.

For such a big-budget picture, it would have been inexcusable wherever it fell, but when it's the first thing you see it doesn't set a very good tone.

The movie also overstays its welcome by a good 20-30 minutes, and feels every minute of WAY TOO LONG. Having said that, it rebounds rather nicely from a sketchy start, spelling great action with some quieter personal moments among the heroes. If the wisecracking wears a bit thin, it also made me laugh out loud at times.

New good guys and new bad guys and new somewhere-in-betweens are smartly cast and fit well enough that you almost forget they ever WEREN'T there. As is always the case with a cast this size, some are a bit underused, but since it's not Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) this time, I'll not be complaining!

And how about Hawkeye? The only Avenger who didn't get a Doritos flavor OR a Dr. Pepper can in the promo buildup is actually sort-of featured this go-round, and even gets a back-story. A BACK STORY! Concerns about the new costume proved unfounded, as his lovely arms are frequently on display. The Renner prominence more than made up for any small disappointments I had with the picture.

The rest of the cast is expectedly terrific and, by this point, feels like a bunch of old friends. Various folks from the stand-alone movies turn up in what amount to little more than cameos, but it's still great to see them. Even with a bunch of Oscar nominees among the primary cast, though, there's no one else who is even in James Spader's orbit.

One of only two actors who has ever made me stand up and applaud in my own living room (the other is Peter MacNicol if anyone's asking...and I'm pretty sure they're not), the guy is simply incomparable. Ultron is a good enough movie, but overall nothing special; Spader makes it great.

Avengers: Age of Ultron clocks in at a bloated 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence, and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.

A big, loud, fun bit of brain candy, it's the perfect kickoff to summer blockbuster season.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Avengers: Age of Ultron gets seven and a half.

Until the Hawkeye standalone movie...erm...I mean, until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: EX MACHINA

Alex Garland, writer of 28 Days Later and Sunshine, makes his directorial debut with the stylish and cerebral thriller, EX MACHINA. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer at an internet-search giant, wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of the company’s brilliant and reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Upon his arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan has chosen him to be the human component in a Turing Test—charging him with evaluating the capabilities, and ultimately the consciousness, of Nathan’s latest experiment in artificial intelligence. That experiment is Ava (Alicia Vikander), a breathtaking A.I. whose emotional intelligence proves more sophisticated––and more deceptive––than the two men could have imagined.

Director: Alex Garland

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Corey Johnson

Release Date: Apr 10, 2015

Rated R for Graphic Nudity, Language, Sexual References and Some Violence Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.

Genres: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Alex Garland’s directorial debut is one of the smartest and sleekiest sci-fi films in recent memory.  Garland’s film is beautifully shot, delivering some stunning imagery throughout.  Thematically, it covers some well worn sci-fi tropes but it does it in a wonderfully engaging manner that rarely bores.  The actors and characters are all fascinating throughout with each actor delivering some multifaceted performances.  Oscar Isaac is quickly becoming a personal favorite of mine and he delivers as the reclusive tech genius.   Alicia Vikander is just mesmerizing as Ava.  The performance is measured and subtle, rarely overselling any moments but thoroughly engaging.  Domhnall Gleeson is solid but sadly he’s overshadowed by Vikander and Isaac.  The film is provocative and thoughtful until the final act where things devolve and starts to feel a bit too paint by the numbers.  Thankfully, Ex Machina is impressive enough to overcome that small misstep and make a big splash for Alex Garland.

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Furious 7

Dearest Blog, this weekend a hundred fifty million bucks' worth of us trekked out to catch the latest installment in the Fast & Furious saga, Furious 7.

Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to trailer reveals and stuff you only could have missed if you lived under a rock.

Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) comes after the crew responsible for dispatching his baby brother (Luke Evans) in Fast & Furious 6.

There's not a lot of mystery to the Fast & Furious franchise; you pretty much know what you're going to get. If you pay for a ticket and then complain about it, shame on you; however, there's no denying there are better and worse entries in the series, and, sentiment aside, Furious 7 falls somewhere on the better side of the middle.

Fast & Furious' action objective seems to be: "bigger, louder, dumber." In that regard, Furious 7 is an unqualified success. The insanity of some of the stunts is, in the immortal words of Danny Butterman, "off the f*****g chain!," well worth your big-screen dollar. Unfortunately, much of the dialogue is painfully bad, and attempts at sensitive moments only highlight the limits of much of the acting talent. Michelle Rodriguez, in particular, is so terrible I was a little bit embarrassed every time she was onscreen. (She's generally a favorite, so no hate!)

A cast this size means limited screen time for most, and if your favorite is someone not named Vin Diesel, well, prepare to be disappointed. I'm a big Vin Diesel fan myself. I love Dwayne Johnson and am pretty fond of the rest of the F&F regulars, but when they're facing off with Jason Statham, with apologies to Dom's crew, my loyalty leans only one way!

Any other shortcomings aside, Furious 7's biggest problem is that it's just too damn long. The best action sequences seem to drag on, and even the Paul Walker tribute is over-sold. Heck, if they'd just cut half the shots of people's hands and feet shifting gears, they probably could have come in under two hours and been better for it. Having said all that, Furious 7 is still good fun, and, given the circumstances, I think most of us don't mind indulging the filmmakers if they wanted to hang onto this one just a little bit longer.

Furious 7 clocks in at 137 minutes and is rated PG13 for "prolonged frenetic sequences of violence, action, and mayhem, suggestive content, and brief strong language."

Furious 7 is a big, loud, crazy good time, though, for my money, not as entertaining as the previous two installments in the Fast & Furious franchise. If we're being honest, though, there's only one merit on which this movie is really being judged, and that's whether it's a fitting tribute to Paul Walker and a satisfying farewell to Brian O'Connor. In those respects, I haven't heard any complaints.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Furious 7 gets six.

Until next time...

 Good guy or bad guy, I'm with Statham! <3 span="">