Reviews

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an out of work, eccentric young man trying to make it in LA. While he's clearly optimistic and driven, he just can't seem to find the right opportunity. He spends his time trying just about anything to make a buck. One night he randomly stumbles across an accident and notices the men filming it. With that, Lou is ushered into the world of late night crime journalism; also known as Nightcrawling. While his initial forays into the business are unsuccessful, he eventually gets a break when he meets Nina (Rene Russo), a well-seasoned TV newswoman who is always in the market for compelling footage. Every late night tragedy now becomes a new opportunity; and Lou doesn't hesitate to capitalize on them. But the more successful he becomes and the further he rises in the business, the more clear it is that Lou is more than a just a savvy business man.

Gynlenhal is memorizing as Lou Bloom! Lou undergoes a kind of metamorphosis; at first he exudes the determination and drive you can't help but cheer for (and see a bit of yourself in). Then he slowly develops and learns to wield his intellect and cunning to his advantage. But eventually his zeal and tenacity become something else entirely. You don't really realize what's happened until it's obvious; Lou is a monster. And he's the kind of monster you don't see coming. It's brilliant work really and the effectiveness of Gynlenhal's performance is hard to deny. This is the best Gynlenhal performance I've ever seen! Russo is also excellent as the hardened, "do whatever it takes to get the ratings" Producer Nina. She's clearly underrated here as her vile, slimy character goes unnoticed for most of the film. It's not until near the end that you realize that she's really not that much different than Lou.

There's a great scene where Nina is confronted by another member of the news team about airing footage that goes against virtually every rule of responsible journalism. Nina dismisses him in such a swift and ruthless manner it's amazing to watch; his reaction so succinctly captures the horror of it all and it's nothing short of brilliant. Russo's award worthy turn as this repulsive figure is what makes that scene one of the best of the year; she had to deliver a strong performance here to rival Jake's and she succeeds in doing so. For his directorial debut I don't think Gilory could've chosen a more fitting location than LA. The backdrop of the LA night only seems to heighten the horror of it all, the sliminess and the treachery. The city were so many go to extraordinary lengths to achieve fame and notoriety is the perfect breeding ground for this kind of business.

The rags to riches element of Lou's rise kept me engaged as I always find those kinds of stories compelling, but the parallels to the current media were immediate. This film is a critique of the culture of our news media; which seems these days to focus more on entertainment, ratings and driving narrative, instead of providing information and educating viewers. Nina mirrors this precisely in her pursuit of a great story and it's chilling how clear the similarities are. Think about it? How often do you find yourself wandering why the news is covering celebrities as opposed to real news? Another element portrayed here is the TMZ effect in the media. To desire to get the salacious footage or the private phone call at any cost, with no consideration whatsoever for the people involved or how this will affect them. Lou stops at nothing to not only get the story first, but to create a particular narrative to feed into the viewer's already preconceived notions and fears. I found myself looking inward and asking is this the kind of behaviour we're rewarding when we watch the latest TMZ video? Is this what we're craving when we revel is the fall on a public figure because of a private conversation or their personal beliefs? The answer seems to be yes, and that's alarming. The fact is the news and entertainment media has fused together to become what I call edutainment. And we're the proverbial pigs that constantly feed at this trough.

Nightcrawler is also very much about corporate greed. Lou does everything in his power to use, manipulate and discard an employee when necessary in is this film solely to keep the majority share of his enterprise; with no sincerity, remorse or consideration. When we watch these characters on film we cringe and believe they are horrible, despicable people. Yet in business, we call these people successful. Why is that? To answer this answer, I had to recall a documentary I watched a while back called The Corporation where they studied the behaviours of various corporations and attempted to equate their behaviour to that of a real person. And what kind of person did their research find most resembled a corporation? A psychopath. What The Corporation mused about in theory, Nightcrawler illustrates perfectly on screen. Gyllenhaal fully embodies the process of becoming a monster and it's chilling to watch unfold.

So does Nightcrawler have a "happy ending"? If Lou were a corporation we'd say it's reached a new summit of success and would call it a successful, profitable company. Is this what it takes to succeed in today's world? It's unsettling to even consider, but I believe people like this are "succeeding" in life. They may very well be at the helm of many powerful companies and organizations. But these kinds of psychopaths won't bludgeon you to death with a knife, but with a smile while wearing an exquisitely tailored suit. And this is why Nightcrawer is one of the most important film you'll see this year.

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It's exactly what it appears to be: a low brow, frat house comedy ala Pineapple Express or This Is The End. Nothing more, nothing less. If you enjoyed those movies, you'll enjoy this as well (admittedly, those were better comedies). I won't lie though, I laughed and I laughed a lot (especially in the first half as it has some great moments). Rogen and Franco are in fine form and their goofy brand of humour is definitely in my wheelhouse. It's very silly and at times ridiculously funny, but the second half does labour on and near the end the jokes do get a bit stale (after a while you're just kind of waiting for the movie to end). That's never a great sign for a movie, let alone a comedy; so this is very much a mixed bag.

If a few cheap laughs are what you're in the mood for, this will do the trick (I would also recommend 22 Jump Street from earlier this year as it's in a similar vein and a lot funnier). But if you were looking to watch this to make some grand statement of supporting free speech or just to see what all the political hoopla was about, I say pass. There's really not much here and it's really undeserving of the media frenzy that surrounded it. For the most part, this was a forgettable film.

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Directed by David Fincher (The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and based on a popular novel by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is the story of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) who discovers on the morning of his 5th wedding anniversary that his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) has disappeared. As police begin to investigate her disappearance, it becomes clear that their marriage is not as it seemed and soon after the media descends on his home to cover the salacious story. Seedy details about Nick's personal life emerge and his strange behavior only serves to fuel suspicion. As lies are uncovered and secrets are revealed, inevitably the police, the media and the public arrive at the same conclusion: Nick Dunne murdered his wife.

I loved just about everything about this movie; whether it's the creepy score, it's consistent suspenseful tone or it's scathing critique on marriage and the dangers of "keeping up of appearances". At first the film goes where you might expect; you'll laugh at the silly moments of their courtship, you'll fawn over their romance as the story of their relationship is retold leading up to her disappearance. But marriages are not often as they seem and neither is this film; you'll recoil as events unfurl (for the sake of not spoiling this for anyone, I won't say any more than that). Let's just say this film has a few scenes that will shock and stay with you! It was very unpredictable and had a few turns that had me gasping out loud.

There's also some obvious, but still really interesting commentary on public perception, the power of the media and it's ability to drive narrative (I found this to be a pretty sobering and relevant analogy given current events and how the US media has portrayed them). The film also cleverly plays on gender stereotypes and uses them to effectively drive home it's message. At times this felt like an unconventional horror film (I might even say it's a modern day take on Psycho), but it also has some elements of Fatal Attraction.

While I thought Ben Affleck's performance was nothing to really get excited about (he does have a few strong scenes), what really stands out here is Rosamund Pike (Barney's Version, An Education). Her performance as Amy is simply incredible! As the snobby film critics would say, this is a "Tour De Force" kind of performance. She really takes over this film and delivers work that you can't help but get immersed in. If she doesn't get an Oscar nomination, it will be a travesty because this was an unforgettable performance and I can't think of a better performance I've seen this year to date. Yes, it's THAT good.

The last 15 minutes may leave you a little puzzled (characters make decisions I can only describe as incredibly strange), lead to a few questions and will spark debate. I'm usually never a fan of "I need to spend an hour on the IMDb Message Boards so I can full understand this" kind of ending, but it does seem somewhat appropriate given the tone of this film. This is also definitely the kind of film that requires multiple viewings to grasp all of it's themes and I will certainly oblige as I found this completely engrossing.

Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish, this really is a brilliant film and easily one of the best of the year. Do yourself a favor and find a way see this, you won't regret it.

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Well that was disappointing. I loved the trailer for this film (specifically the 3rd trailer as it was excellent) so I was really looking forward to seeing this. Even though the casting choices seemed ridiculous (for obvious reasons), I still wanted to see it. Even after the reviews came in mostly negative, I still held out hope. As much as I hate to admit it, the critics were spot on.

Exodus Gods and Kings is the biblical story of Moses. Born a Hebrew, but raised as an Egyptian in Pharaoh's palace in secret, Moses (Christian Bale) was raised as if he was a son of Pharaoh (John Turturro) and could even be his successor. Eventually the truth of his roots are revealed and he's cast out of Egypt by Ramses (Joel Edgerton), who assumed the throne after his fathers death. After wandering in the dessert for a time, Moses eventually begins a new life and starts a family. However, one night as he was while tending his sheep, Moses encounters God and his life's purpose is revealed: he must return to Egypt, defy the Pharaoh and free his people from bondage.

While I think the movie followed most of the biblical elements, there was definitely some use of artistic license and glossing over of key story elements. I found Ridley Scott's (Gladiator, Prometheus) interpretation of God and Moses' encounters with him to be very flawed. Moses rarely feared God nor was he in awe of him. It seemed he as if Moses was speaking with an equal and not an all powerful, all omnipotent being. This was one of the main flaws for me, as I found this to be a bizarre and puzzling interpretation. Scott also essentially relegates The Ten Commandments to a footnote, which is a glaring omission (to say the least). Admittedly, I understand that in this day an age, it's impossible to make a 4 hour movie (unless you split it in two and Hollywood has no problem doing that these days), but it just seems there wasn't much exploration of certain aspects of the story and maybe this is the rare case where two movies would've made sense. The story was at times engaging, but far less so than this year's Noah. Both of these films are based on biblical stories I'm well aware of from my childhood, yet Noah was far more compelling and suspenseful regardless (Rocket Launchers and rock Transformers aside).

The performances were sub-par; at no point did I feel lost in the characters. Egerton (Animal Kingdom, Gatsby) lacks the screen presence and the authority as an actor to pull off Ramses. His performance is tame and really unconvincing; it's clear he was miscast in this role. This performance pales in comparison to that of Yul Brynner in Demille's 1956 adaptation (and it's not close). While Christian Bale (The Fighter, American Hustle) is serviceable as Moses, serviceable performances are not what I've come to expect from him. I'm not sure if Bale just couldn't find a way to relate to the character, but this has to be his least convincing performance in some time. Charlton Heston and Jul Brynner commanded the screen and delivered believable performances. Bale and Edgerton pale in comparison, to say the least. Whether or not actors need to believe in Christianity is irrelevant; great actors make you believe their struggle, their experience, draw you into the film's world. Bale and Edgerton fail to do that here and the usual passion that's undeniable in Bale's performances is noticeably absent.

While it's clear it has numerous flaws, the production team was not one of them. The special effects were very well done; the film did an excellent job of portraying the plagues that descended upon Egypt and this is where the 3D shined. The way the parting of the Red Sea was not quite how I expected it, but it was stunning none the less at times. The battle scenes with chariots were fairly entertaining, but too scarce in my opinion (again, I wished the movie was longer). The musical score was not very effective in really driving home powerful scenes or significant moments. Maybe I was wrong to expect a booming score similar to what Hans Zimmer did in Scott's epic Gladiator, but that would've been more appropriate here given the grand tone this film was attempting to convey. I'm usually a huge fan of Ridley Scott's work, but not here. The film seems to lack a consistent theme and doesn't have any kind of vision for what it's trying to impart. The one thing you can say about Noah, was that it's theme was clear: while Noah obeyed God, it came with a great personal struggle. Bale's Moses at times lacked passion (one way or the other). Even worse, God's and Kings does feel like it's going through the motions. As in OK, at this part of the Moses story this happens and then here, this happens and oh, let's not forget to throw this bit in as well (with little or no elaboration). There was no real cohesion to the story.

I left the theatre realizing just how good The Ten Commandments was and wanting to watch it again to get the bitter taste out of my mouth. That film inspired me, wowed me. Exodus Gods and Kings left me feeling, well, nothing. For an epic film, I can't think of a more damming indictment. Very disappointing and not worth seeing. Unfortunately, Cecil B. Demille's The Ten Commandments (1956) remains of the definitive film adaptation of the story of Exodus. Amazingly, after almost 60 years it still has no equal.

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The Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies in this surprisingly engrossing young adult thriller. I'm unfamiliar with this series of books, but thought the trailer looked amazing and had an interesting concept; so I decided to take a chance. Trailers often let you down, so I didn't get my hopes up. But I was stunned as to how well made this movie was. It tense from start to finish and thoroughly engaging throughout. I can't recall a single cheesy line or unnecessary moment; every line of dialogue further develops the characters, every scene slows builds the tension and every revelation moves the story forward and piqued my interested. The soundtrack goes a long way in creating a sense of danger at just about every turn and the special effects for the maze (and it's inhabitants) make it very ominous and at times, terrifying.

Unlikely Divergent, the performances of this young cast are very convincing and draw you into the film; one of the best youth ensembles I've ever seen. The tension builds and builds to a thrilling climax and a fairly unexpected twist (or two). The ending does leave you with some probing questions about the central premise, but I didn't take away too much from the film overall. I think this sets up nicely for the remaining films and given how good this first film is, I'm definitely going to see them. I think this is a better opening film than The Hunger Games in my opinion and if the sequel is half as good as Catching Fire, we'll have a great series on our hands. The critics haven't given this film it's due, it's one of best movies (and theatre experiences) of the year. Get out and see this, you won't regret it.

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Five minutes into this film, I knew I was going to love it; this is clearly a hidden gem. It's a charming yet hilarious comedy about middle age romance and second chances. James Gandolfini (The Sopranos) delivers a very unique, subtle and gentle performance that is the complete opposite of Tony Soprano and the kind of characters he was known for. And you know what? I love it! Together with Juila Louis Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep), they have undeniable chemistry on screen and are very convincing as a couple who are discovering how well they go together. Dreyfus also steps out of her comfort zone with some touching moments as a mother that make it clear she can do more than just comedy (this was news to me to be honest).

Both actors take a step her outside of their usual roles and are so effective that it really elevates the film. It also had some interesting takes on how sometimes we can sabotage relationships because of our own insecurities. I put off watching this knowing he recently past away as I thought I'd be bummed out, but it was the complete opposite. This is the kind of film that is hard not to love because it has so much warmth and contains a fun, whimsical soundtrack. Ultimately, in the end, this is very much a feel good film. As one of Gandolfini's last roles, this is a fantastic performance to remember him by. One of the best of 2013 and highly recommended. Don't miss this!

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This was a pleasant surprise and I actually enjoyed this quite a bit (a lot more than I expected). After not being particularly intrigued by the trailer, I decided to see it after the warm reception it's received. This ensemble cast of misfits actually works fairly well together and Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, The Lego Movie) is perfectly cast as Star-Lord, the reluctant and awkwardly funny hero.

It follows the usual Marvel summer formula to a T: The plot is fairly straight forward (if not predictable), there's eye popping special effects, futuristic outer space battle sequences (the 3D version is actually worth seeing as it was well done) and of course, it wraps up neatly to set up the sequel. But I think what sets this apart is that there was *plenty of humour* (I found myself laughing quite a bit) as the dialogue is really cleverly written and loaded with well placed 80s pop culture references. I also really enjoyed the CGI characters Grott and Rocket (voiced by Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper respectively) as they were memorable, unique and at times, even endearing.

I will say I wasn't blown away however and the plot didn't quite all make sense at some points. It doesn't reach the climactic heights of X- Men: Days of Future Past nor does it have the emotional impact of Dawn of The Planet of The Apes (the best film of the year). But it excels at what it was intended to be: a very entertaining, fun Marvel action film that doesn't take itself too seriously. I've seen enough to be interested in this series going forward and I did not expect that, so kudos to the director James Gunn. I think another part of it's appeal is that it provides one last fun summer blockbuster in a time of the season that's usually barren for enjoyable movies. So I say go in with reasonable expectations and you'll enjoy this end of summer treat!

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Most of the time, sequels never seem to reach the heights of the original. Not only did this do The Raid: Redemption justice, it did it with much more style and flair than I expected. Iko Uwais cements himself as one of the best martial arts actors around today and I'm definitely a fan.

Rama (Iko Uwais) barely escaped with his life after the events of The Raid: Redemption. The criminal element and corrupt cops he battled in the original strike back hard by going after his family as payback. It becomes painfully clear to Rama that he and his family will never be really be safe until he eliminates the upper upper echelon of the crime syndicate that now wants him dead. To do this, he must infiltrate their ranks by befriending the son of a king pin (Uco played by Arifin Putra) and gain his trust before exacting his revenge.

The story is a bit more ambitious this time around, but is not overly complicated. All of the elements of the original are once again on display. The choreography is again, excellent; the fight choreography of The Raid: Redemption and this sequel are the best I've seen since the IP Man movies. The soundtrack is pulsating and sets the tone well for the action scenes very well. For a 2.5 hour long movie (I was shocked when I saw it was this long at the start), this was very well paced. At no point did it lull or meander and there was enough of story to keep me intrigued. I also enjoyed that the dialogue wasn't horrible (unfortunately that isn't always the case with many action movies) and wasn't over the top.

Iko Uwais (The Raid, The Man from Tai Chi) is once again Rama. He's clearly a really talented martial artist and proves that the original was not a fluke. Unlike most action stars, he actually has a strong on screen presence and is also able to carry an emotionally subtle scene. But what I love about this sequel the most is is how creative and memorable the villains are. I loved Alex Abbad's performance as Bejo! He's the kind of memorable villain you've seen before, but with a few tweaks that make him seem fresh and new. He steals just about every scene he's in and takes this movie to another level in my opinion. Julie Estelle and Very Tri Yulisman (unknown actors to me) shine in some fairly unique action scenes (let's just say they are very creative with a few hammers and a baseball bat).

Like the original, the action is non-stop and looks very believable. There are no clearly visible phantom punches or anything that looks staged. It definitely looks like these guys are actually beating the bleep out of each other! I couldn't have been more entertained. Honestly, the fights so thrilling at times I couldn't help but spontaneously applaud and were so gruesome at times I couldn't help but laugh. If you went into this for action, they made sure you were not going away disappointed; believe me when I say that.

This movie oozes cool. Whether it's the brazen subway battle, the amazingly shot prison yard fight (especially the lead up to it which featured some great camera-work) or the impressive car chases (which reminded of The Matrix: Reloaded a little) there's a lot to love. They were all filmed with such style and flair that I was reminded of Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill movies; kudos to the director Gareth Evans. Evans doesn't over do it with the the artsy slow motion or scene staging, it's just enough to keep it from being cheesy or over used. I will definitely be looking for more of his work (more on that to come).

It's not all perfect however. The drawback of this sequel is that in it's attempt to be be more daring, it does succumb to some of the usual genre pitfalls. The bad guys never seem to have the guns when they really need them (this was brutally obvious a few times) and at times the bad guys attack one at a time, one after the other, etc. When they do have the guns, they seem to miss a lot of point blank shots. But hey, it's an action movie, so none of that is surprising really. But one thing I just couldn't look past was the return of a character who died in the original. I get making that move in different film series, but to bring back a character that already died in the same series without any attempt to alter the character? That's a no go, at least for the sake of continuity. Apparently this is a common thing in Asian cinema, but it's something that's hard to look past as it was a prominent character from the original. Having said that, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the film, not for a second.

The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2 are setting a new standard for martial arts films. If you're an action film aficionado, be sure to watch this, you won't regret it. There is already a rumoured The Raid 3 that will star Tony Jaa along with Iko Uwais. Um, where do pre-order my tickets? As for as I'm concerned, The Raid 3 can't come soon enough!

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While it's set in a dystopian future similar to The Hunger Games, it's central premise is FAR less compelling and didn't make for a good film experience. For most of this almost 2.5 hour film, I was never really convinced there was a meaningful conflict or personal struggle; I felt like the film was just going through the motions really. Whether it's the source material or Shailene Woodley's bland performance (I'm yet not convinced she has the screen presence to carry a series like this), this was mostly uneventful, underwhelming and just didn't resonate with me. Unless there's a vast improvement in the quality of the next few films, I won't be watching them.

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Despite a fairly strong last 30 minutes and a moving scene or two from Sally Field and Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider Man 2 is disappointing. The script is poorly written, some characters are agonizingly cliché and it's just way too cheesy. Throw in the overly cartoonish special effects and the fact that the talents of Paul Giamatti and Jamie Foxx *are completely wasted* with poorly constructed characters, this is just not worth watching. The bar for great comic book films has been raised so high recently with movies like the Nolan Batman trilogy, the X-Men reboots and even this year's Captain American: The Winter Soldier. Efforts like this are just not going to cut it anymore and actually set this trilogy back. I say avoid this one.

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It's about 10 years since the events of Rise of The Planet of the Apes. The virus that began to spread has crippled most of humanity and only a few isolated segments of people remain without power, heat or means of communication. One such segment is in San Francisco, near the lab where it all began and they are close to running out of food. When a small group of survivors head to the forest in hopes of finding and reviving an old damn that used to power the city, they run into a small group of Apes. What was once feared is now confirmed; not only have Cesar and the Apes survived, they have thrived near the dam and have created a home there. While initially there is an attempt to co-exist, inevitably this situation leads to a battle for power that will ultimately decide the fate of both species.

I thought this story was really well done and I was surprised at how moved I was by it. This was a great theatre experience and definitely surpassed it's predecessor Rise of The Planet of the Apes in terms of story telling. Time was taken to show how much progress the Apes had made and how they had formed their own society with education, laws and responsibilities; friendships and families; a peaceful, functional society. The world of the Apes was actually quite engrossing and this was crucial, because it allowed the events that followed to really resonate. The first half of the movie was spent developing the world of the Apes, I found this quite engaging and it really enhanced the film.

There were quite a few tense moments to keep you interested as there was always a sense of danger and suspense as things unfolded; this was a very enjoyable and entertaining experience for the over 2 hour running time. There are even a few light moments, such as when Koba (voiced by Toby Kebbal from Rock n Rolla, Wrath of the Titans) has an unexpected encounter with some humans. There's also a notably strong scene that is hinted at in the trailer is when Cesar returns to his old San Francisco home and finds an old video of Will (James Franco) teaching him. I thought this was a very subtle, but really powerful scene.

The cast of the film is outstanding. Andy Serkis (Gollum of The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Toby Kebbal (a mostly unknown actor to me) and the rest of the motion capture team have delivered some incredible work here! They breathed life into the Apes and are the very essence of this film; the movie industry needs to find a way to recognize this kind of motion capture work (outside of special effects), because without it these kinds of films simply don't work. Serkis's Cesar owns the screen; whether it's as a powerful ruler, a caring father or a somber ape missing his mentor and friend, Cesar is unquestionably an incredible cinematic creation and one that will not soon be forgotten. Kebbal's Koba is also a fascinating character that you love to hate. He runs the gamut from funny and loyal to conniving and treacherous.

Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Leon the Professional) as expected delivers a minor but spirited performance as Dreyfus, who's burdened with doing whatever it takes to ensure his people's survival, but is desperately trying to regain the humanity they've lost to the virus. Keri Russell (Felicity and The Americans) isn't given much of a role, but quietly shines as Ellie in a few tender scenes. Jason Clarke however, produces a fantastic performance as Malcolm and throughout the film (along with Cesar) provides its emotional centre. As the film culminates, he and Cesar share a stunningly power scene that left me unexpectedly fighting back tears as it was incredibly moving (that really surprised me).

But what makes this movie great are the special effects, they are incredible! Make no mistake, the stars of this film are Cesar, Koba and the Apes. I was amazed how emotions were conveyed in a very genuine, almost human way; so much so that you can't help but be invested in their story. Love, rage, jealousy, sadness, humiliation, fear, dominance, forgiveness; they are all on full display here to amazing effect. You almost forget you're watching special effects driven characters and get lost in them. Again, the special effects guys did a fantastic job here, I can't say that enough. I didn't think the 3D really added that much depth to the movie movie personally, so the film I'm sure will be just as enjoyable if you watch a non 3D screening. There also plenty of meaningful and believable action in this film as well, so if that's your main draw you won't be disappointed either.

I felt there was an interesting theme throughout the film of the fragility of peace and the great lengths that one must go to in order to preserve it. Cesar believed that "ape not harm ape", but as the film progressed, he eventually realizes that this is not always possible. Despite one having the best of intentions, sometimes violence and the exertion of authority is the only means to maintain peace. An ironic, yet very sobering in it's accurate portrayal of society. I appreciated that the film didn't bash me over the head with it and kept it fairly subtle. This is a fantastic film from start to finish and a wonderful technical achievement; I'm definitely looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy! This easily unseats X-Men: Days of Future Past as the best film of the year to date. If you're going to see one movie at the theatres this summer: this is it.

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I didn't think much of this movie when I heard about it, but a friend recommended I see it and I'm glad he did. This is a fantastic film and one of the best of the year. I thought that it was very creative and the Lego style animation was really well done and unique. The highlight for me though is the voice over work by an all star cast. Chris Pratt (notably of Her, Parks and Recreation) and Elizabeth Banks (recently of The Hunger Games movies and 30 Rock) have the personality and wit to bring these characters to life. Will Ferrell, Will Arnett and Morgan Freeman also provide plenty of humour (yes, you read that right: Morgan Freeman was hilarious!).

I also loved that the characters in the movie were a random mish-mash from comics, major Hollywood films and current pop culture and the adventure that ensures is ridiculously silly and a lot of fun. I laughed a lot more than I expected as this was very cleverly written (I had a hard time keeping with the humour at times as I was still laughing from a previous gag). As it concluded, it also took an unexpected and touching turn and reminds us that sometimes it's good to embrace uniqueness and think outside the box. A useful lesson for young and old alike and humorously ironic given the Lego toys this is based on. Funny, witty and surprisingly entertaining, this is not to be missed and is great fun for all ages.

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Huh? I was really disappointed in this film as I had no idea what I just watched. I had heard good things leading up to it and it's filmed in my city (Toronto) so I was fairly excited to see it. Jake Gyllenhaal (who is serviceable at best here) teams up once again with Denis Villeneuve (the director of Prisoners) for what initially appears to be a captivating mystery (the kind of which I haven't seen in some time). In a nutshell, Jake is a professor who's life is turned upside down when he sees and pursues someone from a movie who looks exactly like him. The first two thirds of the film were very well done as I was intrigued by the story and the mysterious plot elements that were being developed; as the film progressed my curiosity grew and grew.

The film had a really haunting score that gave it an eerie vibe and that only added to the excitement of a puzzle that I had to piece together (Villeneuve clearly has talent for creating the appropriate mood in his films, he did a fantastic job of this in Prisoners). All was well until it got to the last third of the film, where it takes a turn that while plausible considering the plot, made no sense whatsoever. Unfortunately, this event is the trigger for the final, pivotal events of the film and leads to an ending which was just left me totally bewildered and there was no real closure to the story. I have a general rule for movies; if I have to go on IMDb message boards after seeing a film just so I can get some sort of idea of what I just watched, it's a bad movie. And that is most definitely the case here, you can pass on this one.

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This was a laugh out loud, outrageously funny movie from start to finish and a great time at the movies. The odd couple pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum continues to work really well. I haven't enjoyed a tandem like this since Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker from the Rush Hour movies. Tatum continues to surprise as he clearly has a funny side (it's not all Jonah Hill here); comedy and action movies might just be his wheelhouse. Ice Cube and Jillian Bell (Dixie from Eastbound & Down) also provide their share of really funny moments (especially Jillian who has a few gut busting scenes with Jonah near the end).

I was worried the shtick would feel stale after 21 Jump Street but I was surprised that it was just as funny as the original (if not better). While it does drag a bit down the stretch, it wasn't unbearable. It's a buddy comedy that does what it's supposed to: make you laugh and *laugh a lot*. If you enjoyed the first one, make sure you catch this hilarious sequel.

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After seeing the fairly lukewarm reception by critics and viewers alike, I wasn't terribly excited to see this. But I really enjoyed 300 (especially after subsequent viewings when I stopped comparing it to Gladiator), so I figured I'd take the plunge and hope for the best. While it's definitely flawed, I think the critics were a bit harsh on it.

Rise of an Empire tells the story of the Greek General Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) and his men as they attempt to thwart the advance of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his Persian army on a new battlefront: the Sea. As the battle rages, Themistokles realizes that his resistance may be futile as the Persians can send wave after wave of attacks until they are defeated. To save Greece from the massive forces of Xerxes, he must convince Greece's rival states to unite before it's too late, but Xerxes's cunning commander Artemesia (Eva Green) will employ all her wiles to prevent this.

So as it turns out, the events of Rise of an Empire actually takes place in parallel with that of 300, just on a different front of the battle. I didn't really realize this until about a quarter of the way into the movie. At first I was apprehensive, but it was done in a way that I found it added a bit of depth to the events of the original. I thought this was actually a fairly clever way of expanding on the original story while introducing a few new characters. I also really liked that there was a bit of an origin story of Xerxes and how he came to be. This to me was the most fascinating part of the movie as I haven't read Frank Miller's graphic novel and was fairly curious to know more about him. However, while I can remember several really strong story moments from 300, they weren't really that many stand out moments here (outside of a fairly inspiring pre-battle speech) and some of the dramatic moments feel a bit forced. So in that sense Rise of an Empire is no where near as impactful as the original. But it was interesting enough to keep me engaged as this was a mostly enjoyable two hours. There weren't any slow points or moments that dragged; the movie moved along briskly.

The performances were mostly good. Eva Green (of Casino Royale fame) absolutely steals the show here. Her Artemesia is irresistible and is one of those kinds of villains that even though you have a feeling she won't win or that you shouldn't cheer for her, you end up doing it anyway because the performance is that good. She really excels at these almost femme fatale roles (as she did in Dark Shadows) and that's definitely the case here. Rodrigo Santoro (notably from Che and Rio) as Xerxes is once again, awesome! His egotistical and narcissistic Xerxes is just so brazen and smug, it's hard not to love! Whether it's the special effects that make him appear gigantic, the deepening of his voice or the fantastic makeup job that's necessary to create this character, I just find this character really impressive and he stands out on screen every time. If Zack Snyder were to make a Xerxes spin off, I'd definitely be on board!

While Gerard's Butler's Leonidas commanded the screen and was memorable, Sullivan Stapleton (of Animal Kingdom and Gangster Squad) as Themistokles is mostly uninspiring and forgettable. Given that this is the lead character of the film, this was obviously disappointing. It might be unfair for me to compare the performances, but since this film is really an extension more than a sequel, a standout lead performance would go a long way in making the film shine on it's own. Ultimately, this is where Rise of an Empire fails for me. There's also plenty of bravado dialogue, but this was expected and not over the top; it does feel a bit toned down to be honest.

Rise of an Empire also has all the visual flair of it's predecessor. It's very stylish with vibrant colours, beautiful blue screen scenery and top notch special effects. If you enjoyed 300, this will be right down your alley. As expected, there's a few great battle sequences that are worth the price of admission. However, there are also some moments that border on ridiculous; such as a horse riding on a boat that is on fire and jumping to another one. I mean, really? Not to mention a scene I can only describe as a bizarre sex fight.

While the slow motion sword fights and splashes of blood felt fresh and new in 300, they feel a little stale and tiresome here as I didn't really see anything new or improved. It really just just kind of felt like the studio saying, "hey, you loved that in 300, so here's some more!". So as a result I would say this film doesn't really stand up well on it's own and thus not a great sequel. While I personally found it worthwhile, I can understand others questioning whether this movie was in fact really necessary.

Even though I wasn't blown away, it's certainly not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I would say I got just about what I expected and was entertained. If you didn't like 300, then you can definitely pass on this as it's more of an expansion of the 300 story than it is a separate tale. However, if you liked the original I would say it's worth a watch, if only for the back story of Xerxes (which I found surprisingly compelling).

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It's the year 2028 in futuristic Detroit. Advanced Robot technology is spearheaded by a massive corporation: OmniCorp. Their drones are utilized heavily overseas by law enforcement, but the market is becoming saturated. In order to grow the company and please shareholders, the only option remaining is to utilize their robots at home. But their efforts are met with heavy resistance, as politicians and the American people struggle to accept the idea of robots enforcing the law without any human reasoning. An OmniCorp scientist (Gary Oldman) is left at a standstill; how do you put a man inside a machine? When police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnamon) suffers a horrific accident, it provides OmniCorp with an unprecedented opportunity.

What am I missing here? This was panned by the critics, yet to my surprise I enjoyed it. I haven't seen the original RoboCop in some time, so I went in without any biases or expectations; I viewed this as it's own film and didn't compare it to the original. I thought it had a great balance of action, great special effects, meaningful drama and believable characters that made it resonate. Joel Kinnamon (Alex Murphy), Gary Oldman (Dr. Denneth Norton), Michael Keaton (Raymond Sellars) and Abbie Cornish (Clara Murphy) all put in some very good performances; the cast was very strong and they made the film better than it probably should have been.

The film takes some time to add some depth to Alex Murphy; his conflict between duty and his family was palpable and effective. The re-imagined soundtrack was very impressive and there were some interesting social commentary on the lengths we're willing to go for security (as did the original film). It's not perfect however. Samuel Jackson's pro-gun Pat Novak was just way over the top and it did have a few plot holes (the script could've also been a bit better). Some things also didn't quite make any sense; even in this futuristic world, the parts of Alex Murphy's body that they were able to be salvaged and reused seemed a bit implausible (to say the least). Having said that, watch it with reasonable expectations and I think you'll enjoy this quite a bit. I thought this was a pretty good reboot and worth watching. I definitely saw enough to be interested in the new franchise going forward.

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This reboot is a decent thriller, but it could have been much, much better. I thought there were some really well done, tense action sequences; the Moscow bathroom fight (hinted at in the trailer) was impressive and well choreographed. The plot wasn't overly complicated (a common problem with thrillers) and the soundtrack kept the film moving at a brisk pace. The movie certainly wasn't boring, not at all.

Unfortunately what brings this film down are the performances as they were quite vanilla. The characters lacked any real emotion and were unconvincing. Throughout the film it just kind of felt like they were going through the motions and at no point did I feel the end was ever really in doubt (it wraps up nicely at the end, unsurprisingly). It's worth a watch, but nothing really to get excited about.

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So this is a good "who done it" Cold War thriller, but with some small changes it could've been GREAT. The cast is solid and it has a really interesting plot (especially if you're into espionage). Gary Oldman is very good (as expected) and there are very, very strong supporting roles. As an ensemble, the cast was very impressive.

The problem is the first half of this movie is just really way too slow, I mean just brutally so. As hard as I tried, I was battling staying awake while watching the first half. The director just spent way too much time detailing the monotonous activities around spies and the initial investigation that they completely lost me. I like my thrillers to be a little more upbeat and better paced (and by a little I mean A LOT).

The second half however really picks up and they are some really good, unexpected surprises as the mole is eventually uncovered. It's a little convoluted, but not much more so than your average film in the genre. It's a shame though; edit or cut out twenty minutes out the first half of this film and I think you have one of the best thrillers of 2011. Barring that, I recommend Margin Call instead.

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You know I really don't get critics sometimes. They all pretty much crapped all over this movie and I'm not sure why. I mean, yes, it's a stupid stoner comedy set in Medieval Times. What were they expecting? King Arthur? Robin Hood? Game of Thrones? I mean really? The trailer pretty much told you exactly what to expect. And if you're familiar with Danny's Kenny Powers from Eastbound and Down, NOTHING you saw in this film should've surprised you.

As far as I'm concerned, this was entertaining and it delivered exactly what was expected: dumb laughs. So it's simple. Turn off your brain. Don't expect Robin Hood. Don't take any of it seriously. And you will be entertained and laugh hysterically. I found this much more enjoyable than A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (which for some reason got great reviews, it's the exact same dumb humour!). Danny McBride and James Franco are hilarious and they make this a fun experience. Is this a good movie? No. Will it make any "Best of the Year" lists? No. Will you laugh your ass off at the sheer stupidity and ridiculousness of it? Hell's yes. Sometimes you need a dumb laugh and Your Highness is absolutely the ticket. Enjoy!

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This is an awesome film and one of the best I saw in 2011. It's creepy, raw, shocking, dark, twisted... I'm out of adjectives. I really didn't expect much from this, so it was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. It contains the best film maniac I've seen since Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men; the same actor who was brilliant in Old Boy, Min- sik Choi. This is a wonderfully acted revenge film which is guaranteed to leave an impression. It's probably the best film in the genre since the Kill Bill movies. Be warned though, it's not for the faint of heart; there are quite a few gruesome scenes in this film. Regardless, do yourself a favour and see this as it's not to be missed!

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Have to say, I really liked this film! Initially I thought this wouldn't interest me since I'm not a baseball fan, but the movie is so well made you don't have to love baseball to appreciate it. The actors make you care about it, the camera pans of the grass and the stadiums are done with such care and reverence, it's hard not to get caught up in the romance of the sports. It reminded me a bit of The Wrestler from a few years back and how that affected a lot of people who didn't really care for wrestling. In a sense, the movie is not really about baseball, it's about rising above and not following the status quo, even when you put yourself at great risk doing so.

It was surprisingly very funny and true to the sport. Easily the best role I've seen Jonah Hill in (and yes, better than he was in The Wolf of Wallstreet). He's really solid in his supporting role and almost steals it from Brad. This movie has the best musical score I've heard from 2011 (or at least I can't remember a film that tops it); it's really effective in driving home some of the important parts of the film. And I found it pleasantly ironic that film called Moneyball ends up concluding on the fact that life isn't always about money.

I thought Brad Pitt was strong in this film. It was a very subtle performance, but I think he nailed it. As I watched the movie, I really believed he was a beleaguered manager, frustrated with his team's inability to complete with the big market teams; I really can't say that about a lot of his roles. For once, I actually believed he was this character (Billy Beane). His performance might not have been Oscar worthy (as he didn't win and I agree with that), but it was strong nonetheless.

One of the more memorable moments of the film is at the end when Billy Beane asks "How can you not feel romantic about baseball?". After seeing this movie I have to admit, I kind of do :)

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If I had to describe this film in one word, it would be: meh. The movie is average at best. The story is very bland and anticlimactic as you never really feel the result is ever in doubt. Yes, I know it's a Marvel movie, but with films like Spider-Man 2 (2004), Iron Man, X-Men First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past it's clear that Marvel can make a really great film when they want to. It just feels like the movie never really tries to make you question whether there is any really danger and seems like Marvel going through the motions expanding on it's catalogue.

Having said that, there is just enough action and more than enough comedy to justify your ticket (and really, that's why we watch these isn't it?). Tom Hiddleston continues to be one of the more interesting actors in the Marvel films and he doesn't disappoint here. In my opinion, this is the least compelling Marvel film since Captain America and no where near as enjoyable as the first Thor film. You can pass on this one.

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In one word: disappointing. After a fantastic trailer, I had high hopes for this film and hoped it would recapture some of the magic of Pitch Black. Sadly, that didn't happen. While I liked that this went back to the essence of Pitch Black, the story wasn't very compelling, the dialogue and actors were horrible and this was easily the worst of the three films. The bright spot here is that Vin Diesel remains fantastic in this role and there's enough action to make it an enjoyable watch. In the end, this just seemed like a filler to reboot and relaunch the series. Even though I'll still watch the next Riddick film, I say pass on this one.

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