Dunkirk Review 2017

Dunkirk

  I'm starting to wonder if it's even possible for Nolan to make a bad movie... Like seriously, he never ceases to amaze me. Every Nolan movie is an experience, and Dunkirk is no different.
  Based on true events, Nolan's new film is the story of 400,000 men stranded in the French city of Dunkirk and trying to at the very least survive, and at best, return home. Its all star cast includes Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, and newcomers Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles.
  Funnily enough, what I really appreciated about this movie, is something I've heard other critics complain about. The fact that there isn't really a main character, and the fact that the characters aren't given much of a backstory. I, however, think this was done intentionally. I think Nolan wanted us to connect more with the atmosphere and the experience of the war, then a specific character in it. I believe that is why all of the men looked so much alike. Nolan puts us right in the center of this major event and he makes the event the character. Because of this, we get to see the bigger picture of what went down.
  Speaking of pictures, see this on the biggest screen you can cause it is GORGEOUS. Seriously, the aerial views from the planes, above the beach, and over the water were like a massively immersive painting. Shot on 70mm film, Nolan blesses our screens with gloriously pristine imagery. But it's not only pretty, it's also practical when it comes to the special effects. Because of this, the actors are able to react naturally to the surroundings, putting their efforts more into other aspects of their performances.
  I also want to talk about the sound editing, because everything sounded so realistic! The gunshots, bombs, and planes rang through those theater speakers like they were right above me and all around me.
 I seriously cannot gush about this movie enough. It's intense, it's moving. Dunkirk is another epic masterpiece from the best director of our generation, and I will definitely be seeing it a second time in theaters. 10 out of 10 stars! (A Must See)

War For The Planet of the Apes Review (2017)

War For The Planet of the Apes

  It is very rare these days to find a decent trilogy. The most recent one I can think of is the Dark Knight Trilogy. Yet, here we are on our third Planet of the Apes movie, and let me just say, they seem to only be getting better.
  Because it is my job to manage expectations, I should mention before beginning this review that if you are expecting a lot of action and war, you're not going to get it. There is really only one war scene in the entire movie,  and the rest is drama. Now, this isn't a knock on the film at all, it's actually one of the things that make it so riveting.
  Of all the movies, this film is definitely the most ape-centric. Because of this, the audience could have easily been lost. Thankfully, we have a brilliant script and every single ape is a fully developed character. They have goals, desires, fears, and hopes.
  War for the Planet of the Apes is about two groups (apes and humans) in a pretty desperate situation. What is so great about this film is that the bad guys aren't really bad. We understand their point of view and if we were in their position might even back them up. The complexity of the problem makes for a lot of high stakes and internal conflict as well as external. As usual, Andy Serkis brings it, further evolving the character of Caesar and showing us the most vulnerable side of him. He is a flawed character. He does things that aren't always the right thing to do, but that's what makes him feel so human.
  I adore this movie. The score by Michael Giacchino was stunning, the cinematography was gorgeous, the scope of the film felt larger than life, the apes looked incredible. If I were to complain at all, I'd complain that it sometimes lacks in momentum, making it feel slightly overlong. This, however, is just me nitpicking. 10 out of 10 stars for War of the Planet of the Apes. (A Must See)

Spider-man: Homecoming Review (2017)

Spider-man: Homecoming

The third reboot of Spiderman stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, and a lot of other up-and-coming actors. When I first heard they were rebooting Spider-man again, I was actually excited. My favorite villain from the comic books was going to be in it, my boy Tom Holland was going to be in it, and lastly, Marvel finally received the rights to the character. Unfortunately, Sony still owns a lot of the other characters like Mary Jane, Harry, etc., but honestly, the new, more diverse cast infused the film with much-needed novelty and modernization. It was nice seeing characters such as Flash represented in a more 2017 way. We don't generally have the typical jock bullies anymore. These days the bully probably would be a bit more of a geek since geeks are in and all. The actor of Flash, Tony Revolori, first showed his talent in The Grand Budapest Hotel. I was happy to see him in this role, and I'm excited to see him in the future films.
  There was a lot that I really liked about this movie. I like that they didn't feel the need to show us the same origin story we've seen the past two times. Peter has already been bitten, Uncle Ben is already dead, responsibility, blah blah blah, and we are continuing from there. I really liked Tom Holland in this role. He's high energy, he's quirky, and the best part is he's actually a teenager. Spiderman being a child is essential to the essence of his character and I think we lost that in the last few movies.

   Michael Keaton nailed it as the Vulture. I liked that his character's motivations weren't necessarily rooted in evil intent. He's kind of like Iron man in that respect before he was captured by terrorists. I also really like that in most ways, Spiderman Homecoming feels more like a teen movie. Now don't get me wrong, there are still some great Spiderman moments, but the heart of the film focuses on Peter more than Spidey. It focuses on him earning the right to be called a superhero and earning respect from Iron Man.
  There were only two things I didn't love in this movie. The first was Liz. I don't think she was that good of an actress and she doesn't really have a personality. Peter likes her and thinks she's awesome, but there is really no reason for the audience to like her, aside from her being pretty. It would have been nice to see a little more characterization. Secondly, the film felt a little long, about 15 minutes too long.
  Overall, Spiderman was everything I've come to expect from a standout Marvel movie. Entertaining, fun, comedic where it needs to be, and sincere. 8 out of 10 stars (I'd Buy It).

Baby Driver Review (2017)

Baby Driver

  Written and directed by Edgar Wright, Baby Driver is the story of a young getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort), trying to get out of the #thuglyfe.
  When I saw the trailer for this movie, I figured it was a bad rip off of Drive. However, when the high praise reviews came in on Rotten Tomatoes, I got curious.
  Deciding to give it a shot, I went and saw this film, and I was pleasently surprised. 

  This is one stylish film, my friends. It has that 500 days of Summer, indie vibe to the cinematography and a directorial flare that really sets it apart from other action movies. Baby Driver had the potential to be really campy, but the execution was top notch, as well was the acting. Jaime Foxx in particular gave a really good performance.
  Another thing I really loved, was how the soundtrack was used. It felt like a character itself, bringing us into the action and keeping us there. Which reminds me –– THE ACTION. DUDE. The car scenes blew my mind. From the opening scene, we get to see Baby's driving skills, and he doesn't dissapoint.
  If there is any flaw in the movie, it would unfortunetly be in the romance department. I feel like the love interest (Lilly James) and Baby's connection is quite rushed. She makes choices that are life changing after only weeks of knowing the guy. This took me out of the movie a little bit, but it doesn't ruin it.
  In the end, Baby Driver is a wildly entertaining thrill ride that you should definetly see! 8 out of 10 stars (I'd Buy It)