The Imitation Game Review (2014)

The Imitation Game

  Two words. Benedict Cumberbatch. Saying he's a good actor is probably the understatement of the century and is so obvious that it's almost not even worth mentioning. However, I will mention his acting because in this movie he is absolutely phenomenal! I was a fan of Cumberbatch in the Sherlock TV Series and thought he did decent in some of his earlier stuff like the BBC film, Hawking, where he played Steven Hawking. In The Imitation Game, he really out does himself with his performance. He has such a great emotional range that even though his character can be a jerk at times, there's still something about him that makes you really want to root for him.

  The rest of the cast also gives great performances in this thought-provoking film about breaking the unbreakable enigma cipher machine and essentially inventing the first computer. I knew nothing about Alan Turing prior to seeing this film, but wow was this guy a genius. It's crazy that he played such a vital part in ending World War 2 and yet his whole story was classified for 50 something years.

  This movie and it's characters had a lot of layers and those layers really keep you invested in the story. My only gripe with this film was the way they emphasized Alan Turing's homosexuality. Obviously this was a true event and his character being a homosexual was essential to the plot, but I did feel that in the end notes, they try to shine this massive spotlight on homosexual injustice and really just victimize him. The movie was about the war and breaking this unbreakable code, so to diminish it in the credits to gay propaganda about how many homosexuals commit suicide a year, really soured the brilliant story being told. This aspect I found to be a bit off-putting and for that reason I can't quite get the rating to five stars, but I will give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. (I'd Buy It)

 

Annie Review (2014)

Annie

  Well, I was really not excited about writing this review or seeing this movie. Surprisingly, it was even lower than my expectations.

  What should have been a fun family film, was a long-winded, badly acted, unnecessary remake of the original (which I have never seen).

  It was boring, predictable. It tried so hard to get you to feel something and you just don't. Jamie Fox was probably the saving grace of this film, but Cameron Diaz's performance is so bad that it doesn't even matter. 

  The singing was decent, but again, Jamie Fox was the saving grace with arguably the best voice. 

  Overall, this generic excuse for a movie is not worth your time and should have never been made. 1 out of 5 stars. (Hate It)

Taken 3 Review (2015)

Taken 3

  January isn't officially here until a terrible movie hits the theater. That movie, is Taken 3. 

  Like most trilogies, the first one is good, the second one is okay, and the third one is terrible. Taken 3 doesn't stray from this formula.   

  Not only does it take forever for Liam Neeson to even start killing people, but even when he does it's still incredibly boring. The plot is overly predictable, the 31 year old, college student daughter is still annoying, the villains still have stupid motivations. I was literally laughing at how they used every synonym in the book to describe kidnapping, other than kidnapped. She was taken, grabbed, snatched, captured. Then we have Liam Neeson blowing up in cars (twice) and the next scene he's walking away without a scratch on his face. 

  There is sooo much wrong with this movie that I could write fourteen page paper. If only I could hire Liam Neeson to get back the money taken from me at the box office. Seriously. I really hope it does ends here. 1 out of 5 stars. (Hate It)

 

Selma Review (2014)

Selma

  If you were planning to see Taken 3 this week, do yourself a favor and see Selma instead. Similar to 2012's Lincoln, this film chooses to focus on a singular event in Luther's life, the right for black American's to vote. I'd never realized how much we as a people can take voting for granted.  If anyone proves that our voices really do have a say in our future, it is Martin Luther King.

  What I really liked about Selma, was that it really humanizes King while at the same time showing us how much of an inspiration he was. It is a timely piece that brutally paints the true colors of systematic racism and how we as a people have a part to play in that.

  David Oyelowo does an excellent job encompassing the life of Martin Luther King. He definitely deserves his nomination and future roles as good as this one.

  Selma is a deeply moving biopic that everyone should see. 5 out of 5 stars! (A Must See)

How To Train Your Dragon 2 Review (2014)

How To Train Your Dragon 2 

  As a huge fan of the first How To Train Your Dragon, I had very high expectations for this one. Did it meet them? Not quite, but that doesn't mean it's terrible necessarily.

  The animation is absolutely lovely, the expressions on their faces, the shots of the dragons in flight. It was really impressive and fit like a dream with the beautiful score.
  While stylistically it was equally as good as the first movie, the storyline wasn't as good. It felt like the creators couldn't really think up something interesting and so they decided to have Hiccup discover an island of dragon catchers who are led by an evil viking who has an army of dragons under brain control. If that wasn't random enough, Hiccup meets his mother who left them for 20 years to go rescue abused dragons. Try to justify that one.

  There are moments in the film that are really touching and then there are moments that feel long-winded because not much is happening. I think I would have preferred the creators not make this movie since the first one was one of my favorite animations. 1.5 out of 5 stars. (Skip It)

Big Eyes Review (2014)

Big Eyes

  I'm not usually a fan of Tim Burton movies, but Big Eyes grabbed me from the start. Something about the charming 50's really provides a vibrant tone to a colorful story about an artist who is pressured into giving her husband all the credit for her work.

   I do believe that this is the first time I've really felt an emotional connection with one of Burton's films. Sure, the material is still very eccentric, but it's probably the least "strange" film that he's ever made.

   Amy Adam's gives us a beautiful, layered performance. She isn't over the top, she isn't pretentious. She makes a quiet impression that really moves and is great in contrast to her flashy, over the top husband played by Christoph Waltz. 

  I really enjoyed how this film shows how one little lie can can poison your very being. While the pacing is a bit off beat, perhaps purposely, Big Eyes has Oscar written all over it. Really good film, 4 out of 5 stars. (It's Great)