Blade Runner 2049 Review (2017)

Blade Runner 2049

  Denis Villenueve is a director I've been following for a while now. With gems like Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, and Arrival up his sleeve, I was really excited to see what he would do with the new Blade Runner.
  Now, I am a very objective person, and so I know the difference between a movie that is objectively good overall and a movie that is subjectively entertaining to me. Sometimes, a film isn't both, and that is how I felt about Blade Runner 2049.
  This is a film that takes the concepts of the original Blade Runner and really expands on them in a unique way that I really respect. Before anything else, I have to address one of the most talented cinematographers working today, Rodger Deakins. Dude. There aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe my love for his gorgeous cinematography. Every shot is so rich and mind-blowing that even if you hate everything about this film, it is still worth seeing for the visual feast alone. It is a very very good looking film with splendid production and set design as well.
  Aside from the visuals though, Villenueve takes all the best parts of the original Blade Runner and expands on them in a superior way. He dives headfirst into the world and reality of a replicant and we really get to feel the loneliness and confusion that comes with that. From an objective standpoint, Blade Runner is actually quite a masterpiece in the science fiction genre, and Ryan Gosling does absolutely fantastic in the role. It offers us a lot in terms of a meditative reflection of society and what it means to be human in a visually poetic way.
  My subjective take on the film, however, not being a HUGE fan of the original, is that it took far too long to tell the story and could have cut off at least an hour of its runtime. Clocking in at two hours and forty-five minutes, Blade Runner 2049 teeters on self-importance and losing its entertainment value. Because of this, my subjective rating would have to be 6 out of 10 stars (Worth Ticket Price), while my objective rating would probably be 9 out of 10 (I'd Buy It On Blu-ray). If you are a fan of the original Blade Runner, I guarantee you will love this film. If not, you'll definitely be feeling that runtime. Either way, if you're going to see it, see it in theaters.

Stronger Review (2017)

Stronger

  *Deep breath* I'm not crying... You're crying...
  Stronger is the story of Jeff Bauman, a victim of the Boston Marathon bombing who gets his legs blown off, and BOY does it pack a punch. Staring my favorite actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the uber-talented Tatiana Maslany, we are thrown into a survival story that really resonates on profound levels.
  Before I get into the story aspects of the film, I have to comment on Gyllenhaal's performance. He's had a LOT of great performances over the past few years, but this one definitely stands out among the top. The way he conveys the stages of grief and PTSD after the incident is so organic and understated that you can't help but feel the full emotional blow of his trauma in the third act of the film.
  There is a transcendence of genre in Stronger that is really worth noting because it could have very easily been a play-by-the-numbers type of film. What really gives it an edge over other films in this genre is how personal it is. It is so raw and unapologetic in the way it showcases the flaws of its characters, even at the risk of losing our sympathy at times.
  Stronger is a genuine film bursting with hope and patriotism in the wake of one of America's darkest tragedies, that pulls at our heartstrings without ever feeling contrived. 10 out of 10 stars (A Must See)

Wind River Review (2017)

Wind River

  Wind River is based on a true story of a murder investigation on a remote Native American Reservation.
  I went into this film knowing absolutely nothing other than the fact that it starred Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. I hadn't even watched the trailer, so I was definitely blindsided by how heavy the content would be.
  Let me start this review by saying that this is not a movie for the faint of heart. It immediately starts us off with a tone of darkness, soaks us in that darkness, and then it leaves us in it. Our main characters all are dealing with a sort of brokenness that they are trying overcome, all while living in a cold, desolate environment that traps them in a certain repetitive way of life.
  There were a lot of layers to this film, and a lot of themes we can analyze. On one end, we have the relationship dynamics between the Natives and the white people living on the reservation. On the other hand, we have this culture that is affected by the environment in ways that are detrimental, and how certain characters react to this environment. At the very heart of the film, it is the story of a broken man who seeks catharsis through the solving of this case, and how his trauma helps heal the community.
  While it is more of a slow-paced drama than a thriller, you never feel left wanting. It is both heartbreaking and beautifully affecting, unafraid to dive headfirst into its concepts and themes.
  Wind River is probably not a movie you'll want to watch over and over again but is definetly a film you should see at least once, if not only for Jeremy Renner's excellent performance. 7 out of 10 stars (Very Good)

IT Review (2017)

IT

  I can't even tell you how excited I was for this movie after seeing the first trailer. Everything about it, from the acting, to the tone, to Pennywise himself, looked absolutely terrifying and demented.
  There was so much about this film that I liked and other things that left me a little disappointed. With that said, let's get into the review!
   If there is one thing that absolutely works in this film, it is the characters. They are the beating heart of IT, and basically the reason we wind up so invested. There are no passive characters, everyone makes decisions and those decisions affect the plot in some kind of impactful way. The professionalism in the young cast is so impressive and really adds a lot to the film's entertainment value.
  Another thing that really worked for the film was Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. He managed to keep bits and pieces of Tim Curry's Pennywise, all the while adding his own slightly more demented flare. His performance was extremely layered and he really put a lot of emphasis on the details, giving Pennywise that feeling of not only being a crazy clown but also a demonic entity.
  Another thing that stood out to me was the aesthetic of the film and the soundtrack. The cinematography, combined with the beautiful score by Benjamin Wallfisch really gave it an 80's feel and charm. In that sense, it was very similar to Stranger Things.
  Moving on to the gripes I had with IT... In the trailer, the tone we get is a very dark, moody film that takes a lot of chances with its scares. What we actually get though, is a film that isn't actually that scary. While it excels in a lot of areas and has a lot of heart, it isn't a film that will keep you up at night, which is a darn shame because its ability to traumatize its audiences into adulthood was what made the original so iconic. Unfortunately, as well executed as this film was, I don't foresee it having that same effect on this generation. Does that mean it wasn't a good film? No, it's still very good. But I do wish it would have been a little edgier in that area. 8 out of 10 stars (I'd Buy It)

Annabelle: Creation Review (2017)

Annabelle: Creation

  So it's official! The Conjuring has its own cinematic universe. I never saw the first Annabelle movie, but this one definitely looked like it had potential to be very good.
  Director David F Sandberg (Lights Out) sets up the story in a very promising way, introducing us to two very sympathetic orphan girls, and having them lead us into the story. For the first 30 minutes of the film, the tension was there. It's conventional in a lot of ways, but still creepy enough to keep you interested. THEN about an hour into the film, we take a turn into a more campy territory. Most of this, I would say, has to do with the script. The characters start doing things that are either stupid or out of character and the scares become cheaper.
While I wish I could say this was as good as The Conjuring movies, it doesn't have quite the charm those movies did.
  In the end, Annabelle: Creation, while mildly entertaining, doesn't quite reach it's full potential and does nothing to stand out in the horror genre. 5 out 10 stars (Rent It)