Movie Review - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Kurt Russell, Elizabeth Debicki, and more.

Directed by: James Gunn Written by: James Gunn Based on the Marvel Comics by: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Cinematography by: Henry Braham Music by: Tyler Bates

Premise: After finishing a job for the Sovereign, the Guardian's find themselves in trouble when Rocket filches some of the goods they were paid to protect. Saved by a stranger, the group meets Ego, Peter's father. But the Sovereign are not about to let the Guardians' transgression remain unpunished. They hire others to do the work. And as Peter finally embraces the fact he's found his father, Gamora realizes something about Ego is not quite right. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of lovely and strong performances from all members of the cast. All the weird and sometimes clashing personalities are fun to watch. Several emotional scenes were beautifully carried out by all parties. Michael Rooker deserves added attention for his intense and emotional conversation with Rocket - and for pulling off a metallic 50's hairdo with style! :P

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: There were lots of great effects and visuals in the film. Mantis's antenna and her bug like eyes were so well done, you never doubted she looked like that.

All the Sovereign people were gold from head to foot, and it looked natural. Their throne room, gadgets, and remote controlled ships looked great. And the giant tentacle monster? Awesome!

Ego's palace was gorgeous. His ship and the molding platform were lovely. The moment reconstructions in the egg like receptacles were neat and loved that they had a different texture than everything else. There were several body repair sequences, and these were fab! The view of Ego from orbit said it all. 

The big fight on Ego's planet was spectacular. And kudos on making Kurt Russel look young and long-haired once more! He looked great! :)

3)  Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: On several levels, the plot for vol. 2 is a lot darker than the original film. The main point of this one is discovery. Discovery of self, of what's been there all along, of things you never knew you possessed, and fear of acknowledging emotional needs. Every single character has a revelation of one form or another. Many are not ones they are happy to find out about, even as they bring a sense of growth, depth or even a bit of peace to their souls. 

There are a ton of wonderful little moments. The opening section ties directly back to the beginning of the first film as well as the end. Adorable! 

Several major items that have shaped Peter's life are made clear. Things are not always as we assume. 

I did think some of the action was less believable this time around. While our heroes are intrepid and hearty, some of this went way beyond. Almost like overcompensating for the darkness and going too far with the size of the action. This took away rather than added to the film.

As always, be sure to sit through the credits. Not only is the cool backdrop of a record album ala Jefferson Starship entertaining, so are the "I am Groot" word plays, and the multiple extra scene snippets! :)

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Most of the stunts are CGI-assisted, but no less fun. Some of the gags were taken to a much higher level than the last film, which stretched believability quite far. Still impressive to watch though. :P

5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: While all the great 80's music and visual 50's music homage was fun, I was a little disappointed that they used those almost exclusively rather than more music by Tyler Bates. Some of this they made up with the neat, nostalgic treatment of the original theme by the Steepers in "Guardians Inferno." Very disco and reminiscent of Meco and their cool renditions of Star Wars music and other popular science fiction soundtracks of the time. 

Conclusion: While not as good as the first, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 is still worth a watch. Darkness and discovery, as well as lots of humor, awaits!

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)

Movie Review - Passengers

Passengers

Starring: Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne, Julee Cerda, Aurora Perrineau, Andy Garcia, Vince Foster, Kara Flowers, Conor Brophy, and more.

Directed by: Morten Tyldum Written by: Jon Spaihts Cinematography by: Rodrigo Prieto Music by: Thomas Newman

Premise: The colony ship Avalon is on route to Homestead II. It's carrying 5,000 passengers and 258 crew all in suspended animation for the 120-year trip. 30 years in, the ship encounters an asteroid field. One of the asteroids is massive enough that it breaks into pieces when hitting the ship's shields rather than be vaporized. The ship sustains some seemingly minor damage it is able to repair. However, a chip on one of the hibernation pods shorts out, and the passenger is awakened. Something which has never occurred in the history of the company. And something the ship was never programmed to handle. So Jim Preston finds himself alone, with 90 years of the journey still to go. His only companion in a ship of over 5,000 people, a semi-intelligent bartender android. And the ship wasn't actually able to repair all the damage... And it can only hold out so long. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence did outstanding work in film. They also have great chemistry together. Something that's crucial since for 95% of the movie they are the only ones carrying it forward. Chris gave real emotional weight to Jim's problems when he first wakes up alone and later when he battles himself over a major decision. Jennifer Lawrence also runs the gambit once she's brought awake, and again later when she learns a horrifying truth. Michael Sheen is fabulous. His portrayal of Arthur as the semi-intelligent android and the passenger's only available outlet was top notch. You could almost see his programming struggling to do more and to understand more than his software could handle. Laurence Fishburne also added a lot as Gus Mancuso. The whole cast was fantastic.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Lots to love with regards to the special effects. The Avalon is a gorgeous ship! Self-repairing, auto maintaining, and so beautiful. A lot of care is taken on scope and view angles. When Jim goes on his first spacewalk, his position feels stationary as everything around him is spinning. In reality, though, the two are swapped. (Don't watch the surrounding stars for too long as it will make you dizzy!) Tons of lovely attention to detail!

The Dance Dance Revolution type game was hilarious. And all the 3D holograms and interactive systems looked great. The pool area was fab. And what they do with it when gravity fails at one point was awesome.

The gorgeous views of the universe, and especially the gas giant, will make you feel it's those who are asleep that are missing everything and not those who are awake. A lot of fantastic visuals. Totally worth the 3D price.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: True science fiction is more than just about spaceships, aliens, and weapons. It's a medium for exploring human behavior, the human condition. "Passengers" definitely explores several levels of both. They also have fun playing with the hubris of corporations and how nature and Murphy's Law care nothing about it. lol. 

The science is, for the most part, solid as well. So that's a bonus. Though the film does take a few things to unbelievable extremes. The spacesuits in the Avalon are beyond miraculous - heat shield or no heat shield. The autodoc is too, once you get past the pesky restrictions. lol.

The film is a combination of "Silent Running," "Robinson Crusoe," "Cast Away," and more. It's also a great date movie. These are things to keep in mind as it will probably not resonate with some viewer's expectations. Hubby and I, however, were quite pleased.

One bit that gets done wrong or is misleading in way too many movies is the act of writing. Aurora is a journalist and a writer. And they show her just speaking out her thoughts and the computer typing them for her on a screen. While that's all well and good, the part they do not cover is EDITING! You can just jumble stuff down on paper, but NEVER is that the final product. NEVER! You have to go over it, prune it, add to it, change it, make sure it flows, that it makes sense, that it's legible. Even this movie review is not just typed and posted. Editing happens to it too! Gasp, wheeze, breathe. *Ahem*

The fabulous acting, gorgeous vistas, and well thought out scenarios will help audiences overlook the overstretched items. And some little things did show a lot of thought. At one point we see Jim drawing on the deck for something he's working on. And he thought it through thoroughly. Many will probably miss it, but what he does is a real achievement, especially since he's trying to avoid damaging any systems. You'll know it when you see it. 

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: From about the middle to the end of the film there are several scenes with stunts. And most look to have been done by the actors! They meshed quite nicely with the CGI of what was going on around them. Great job!

5) Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: I believe that between "Prometheus," "Avatar," and "Guardians of the Galaxy" that other films' visual effects and cinematography have a high bar to compete against. "Passengers" works hard to get near the three. The spanning space shots. The views of different parts of the ship. The gas giant, the asteroid field, and more are presented in fabulous ways. There are even some beautiful gas clouds during the end credits that take full advantage of the 3D. Nice!

Make sure to take a good look at the end of the film when the crew awakens and goes into the main concourse! It's super fast but super cool. And there are so many details it's hard to take them all in before it goes away!

Conclusion: Whether you go see "Passengers" for date night or for social SF or just the cool visuals, the film is definitely worth it. Add in a little suspension of disbelief at a couple of places, and you're in for a treat.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Haddock, and more.

Directed by: James Gunn Written by: James Gunn and Nicole Perlman Based on the Comics by: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Cinematography by: Ben Davis Music by: Tyler Bates

Premise: Kidnapped from Earth as a boy, a grown Peter Quill decides to scoop a big score and leave the Ravagers behind. But the price on his head and the object he's stolen brings him in contact with a cast of outcasts that will now have to cooperate with one another to escape prison. As the group find themselves in the middle of a game for an object that can destroy worlds, they must decide whether to run or stay and try to make a difference. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Though you'd not normally expect this from a SF movie, this is one of those films where there truly are no small parts - because every line or look is delivered so naturally, even when it's an awkward moment, that they make the scenes pull that much harder at the audience. Kudos.

Chris Pratt played the charming scoundrel expertly. Zoe Saldana was too fun as Gamora and kicked all sorts of booty. Dave Bautista had several lovely one liners, which he delivered beautifully. Bradley Cooper did a great job as Rocket, but he got outdone by Vin Diesel as the second half of this comedy pair. "I am Groot" was served to us in a myriad of ways - the meanings and inflections changing as the movie went on and served nicely by to us by Vin Diesel. Nice job!

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: A fabulous job on all the special effects. I am so in love with Quill's ship! The Ravagers might not be a nice bunch of guys, but they have good taste in small fighters - that sucker hovers and turns like a dream. The main Kree ship was fabulous inside and out - loved the bizarre control system. The mining colony inside the floating giant head was very cool. (Though the concept of them mining flesh and fluids from it was disturbing!) Nova had a lovely capital city. Their one man fighters were also cool, especially when you see how they're used for planetary defense.

Besides ships and cities, the special effects team did wonders with Rocket, and even more so with Groot. Groot was constantly changing, which must have given the special effects peeps fits, but he looked so utterly amazing. Thanos also looked fabulous, especially lording it over Ronan from his throne. The communications screen on the Kree ship was super unusual.

The special effects teams also did a lot of stuff with prosthetics and enhancements which came across very well. The effects of exposure to space looked really amazing, and were a different take from the norm. Oh and Yondu's flying knife? Awesome!

The ruins sequence close to the beginning was awesome on several levels - not only because of the special effects, but also from general creativity, and more besides.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: First they get you with an emotional scene, then a surprising one. Jump to years later and this was one of the most unusual yet fabulous introductions into a story ever! It did wonders to set the mood for the rest of the film and made something expected totally new by adding a little twist.

Corny as some of the lines were, in the right environment and said just right, they'll bring tears. I had to wiped at my eyes in several spots, so they got me 'hook, line, and sinker'.  It's some of the real, life like, clunky relationships and edges between the group that somehow only served to endear them all the more.

The story progresses in the general direction you'd expect, but with some some swipes sideways, which will keep you wondering what the heck they'll get into next.

There are several themes running through the film - some more subtle than others, yet all are part of the fabric that allowed the universe to use such an unusual bunch of heroes to save the day.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of hand to hand combat, gun fights, and knife fights. Even some 'Limb Fu'. CGI stunts here and there, but they were integrated nicely together with the real physical action. Great work overall.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Space is wide and vast and the cinematographer and the special effects teams took full advantage. There were several spots were large things took up the upfront view, and these were layered on even more awesome backdrops. The film makers made full use of the IMAX capabilities for some great jaw dropping scenery.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The makeup teams really deserve some applause. It's hard to compete against CGI, but they definitely held their own. From the various skin tones (pink, green, blue) to the gorgeous, beveled tattoo overlay on Drax and his bright eyes, they didn't stint on quality. Ronan's off colored skin and dried goo was as captivating as his CGI enhanced purple eyes.

7) Music - Total Thumbs Up: From all the 80's music to the orchestral additions by Tyler Bates, the music and its integration to the plot shows how much attention was paid in what to play, how, and when. Every piece of music served a purpose and added a definite extra level to whatever was going on. It was even weirdly nostalgic.

Conclusion: Guardians of the Galaxy is a fun, action filled SF romp across the universe. Seeing little Groot dance in the credits? Priceless. And make sure to sit through to the end for a special appearance you will never expect. Heh heh.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - The Lego Movie

Lego Movie

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Nick Offerman, Keith Ferguson, Will Forte, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and more.

Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Story by: Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller Screenplay by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Cinematography by: Barry Peterson and Pablo Plaisted Music by: Mark Mothersbaugh

Premise: Lord Business steals the world's greatest weapon from its guardian Vitruvius. Vitruvius warns Lord Business of a prophecy in which a very special person will discover an artifact, and with it bring him to ruin. Eight and a half years later, the one who was prophesied finally appears. Yet he's not exactly what anyone expected. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The film had a totally fun cast. Chris Pratt as the empty headed Emmet was fun. Elizabeth Banks made Wildstyle both tough and secretly insecure. But it was Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, who stole the show. His dry delivery of Batman's lines was perfect. Liam Neeson wasn't far behind with his rendition of Bad Cop/Good Cop. Recording for this film must have been a blast.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Using Legos as a film medium was a stroke of genius. Between the versatility of all the things you can make with them and all the great colors, they made the imagination flow. Especially as we move from the seemingly normal city, to the other worlds also present in the Lego realm, but which had been cut off from each other by Lord Business and his mechanical minions. We're even teased with glimpses of even more amazing and different worlds than the ones we're eventually shown. (That was a Mark 5 I saw flash by, right?)

The Wild West area with it's canyons and Death Valley feel was great. Cloud Cuckooland was even more amazing and full of chaos. (I saw Ducky Momo!) The turbulent sea scene was awe inspiring not just in execution but in the amount of work that must have gone into creating that scene alone.

The animation itself moved smoothly and there's so much going on you can't keep track of it all. I aodred that even the usual intro slides on who made the film were done in Lego. Visual in-jokes and pop culture references from the 80's to modern times abounded. The range on the facial expressions was excellent and utterly complimented the voice acting.

3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: While the plot appears simple at first glance, it has a lot more going on than is immediately apparent. Emmet is also not the only one with things to learn about himself during the journey. And while several plot point resolutions are totally expected, others will catch the audience totally by surprise. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil it.

There are plenty of comedic moments, as well as in-jokes and pop culture references in the script. Long time followers of DC super heroes will find much to be amused by. Batman pretty much steals the show. (As he should.) He even wrote a song. Yes, Batman sings.

The old battle of a thousand wars is here as well - Chaos vs. Order. And in a world made with Legos, what could be more awesome?

Conclusion: "The Lego Movie" is a lot of fun. There's plenty there to keep the kids occupied and the adults amused. Yes, like it or not, you'll probably be singing the Awesome song by the time you go home. (You can pick from the Awesome, the Remix, Saloon, or the Unplugged versions!) Just to see all the amazing things they do with the Legos made the film worth going to see.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)