Movie Review - Mad Max: Fury Road

(Sorry there's been no movie reviews for the last couple of weeks. Between a super late night for Avengers and sickness at home...)

Mad Max: Fury Road

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Josh Helman, Nathan Jones, Zoë Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton, John Howard, and many more.

Directed by: George Miller Written by: George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, and Nick Lathouris Cinematography by: John Seale Music by: Junkie XL

Premise: Dealing with his own demons, Max Rockatansky is caught and dragged to the Citadel to be used as a blood sack for reenergizing White Warriors. But when an Imperator breaks ranks with one of the Citadel's tankers and some hidden cargo, Max unexpectedly gets one last chance to struggle for freedom - for Immortan Joe, leader of the Citadel, wants the cargo back - at any cost. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Max is definitely mad and Tom Hardy conveys it quite well. Yet in his madness might also be salvation. It was fun watching the almost feral man slowly regain his humanity and self. When he finally says his name, you can almost feel him dragging it back up from oblivion. Charlize Theron is tough, competent, and strong where it counts. Nicholas Hoult was great as Nux - gung ho 100% yet we also see him evolving, proving he is more than what the Citadel made him.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Since the film is written and directed by pretty much the same group of people responsible for the previous Mad Max films, it comes as no surprise that there is a TON of special effects with regards to explosions, cars, flamethrowers, and more! As pimped and crazy as the previous Mad Max films made the vehicles, they still somehow managed to raise the bar again. Booyah!

Fantastic work too on the Citadel, the people powered machines there, and the overall look and feel of the place. Cogs in the machine!

The approaching field of storms in the dessert looked fantastic! And once they drive in between them, and  some of the consequences of doing that - totally fab! The CGI and Cinematography shots of these and other scenes were just gorgeous.

Nice job too on the mutations! They ranged from hardly noticeable to downright disturbing. All the branding and scars looked real as well. Great job!


3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: You get a very fast intro and not much detail as to what has brought the world to this junction. Seemingly, Max was a pre-apocalypse cop, which doesn't exactly jive with the civilization we see at the Citadel - as it implies a longer span of time, like several generations, but I may have missed something. Like I said, very fast intro.

Loved that they actually did try to develop distinct cultures for several of the groups we come across. A lot of it the audience has to put together on their own, but they do give you enough info or visuals to help you get there. Every cog has its place, and every survivor above a specific social strata had a purpose all their own.

We don't see enough of the other groups to put as much together, but the fact they actually are different and conform to their areas in different ways was definitely a plus.

Story was pretty solid overall and just enough to string the action together without getting in its way. There's even some surprises! Which was lovely. The only place it fell apart a little was towards the end. Injuries suffered by one of the characters would in no way actually be overcome the way they showed. This was the only major disappointment, though - the action doesn't leave a lot of time for anything else. :P

Though water and fuel play a major piece of what people want, mother's milk and trying to make perfect children added new layers of complexity and food for thought. Another new and fun bit was the addition of drums and music to the hunt - things that are ancient and traditional - and in the film wove into the actual music soundtrack, tying their reality in with the fiction of the film.

One large bit of kudos to the writers for having a heroine with a prosthetic. Gave a lot of weight to her years of pulling up hill to get to the position she had when she finally made a run for it. Nicely done!


4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Mad Max films would be nothing without stunts - and this film is chock full of them. CGI does play a major part in a lot of them, but there's plenty of real ones as well. Between all the guns, cars, exploding javelins, flamethrowers, hand-to-hand combat, and explosions, I doubt anyone will be disappointed. Great job!

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Fury Road goes back to its roots and filmed a lot of the movie in Australia. This rendition, however, also added several locations in Africa to its repertoire. All the locations set the mood perfectly. Awesome choices all around - which got taken full advantage of in the cinematography! Sweet!

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The costuming and makeup departments did great work. From the emaciated rabble at the Citadel, to the Immortan Joe's White Boys and Warrior Boys, they had their own unique looks and were instantly recognizable as to their strata. The tattooes on the blood sacks as well as the carved flesh and scars of warriors and others, and the Citadel's brand on those they claimed for themselves were distinct and added a lot of flavor.

Even more kudos for making the dress, look, etc of the rocky area group and that of the people in the marshes and beyond unique to their own groups.

Conclusion: For fans of the previous Mad Max movies or anyone who loves a good action film - Mad Max: Fury Road totally delivers! Between the great stunts, special effects, and cinematography, there's a lot to enjoy on this chaotic ride.

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

Movie Review - Jack The Giant Slayer

Jack The Giant Slayer

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Eddie Marsan, Ewen Bremmer, Ian McShane, Christopher Fairbank, Simon Lowe, Mingus Johnson, Ralph Brown, Bill Nighy, John Kassir, Ben Daniels, and more.

Directed by: Bryan Singer Screenplay by: Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dan Studney Story by: Darren Lemke and David Dobkin Cinematography by: Newton Thomas Sigel Original Music by: John Ottman

Premise: Jack and Isabel, though from very different worlds, grew up hearing the same stories about the giants living between the earth and heaven. Both want nothing more than to have an adventure of their own. Fate draws them together and between a rainy night and some stolen magical beans, the two of them find themselves in the midst of more adventure than they can handle. And they've yet to find out about the dark plot being woven around them. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Thumbs Up: Nicholas Hoult makes the act of slaying giants look easy. Eleanor Tomlinson was adorable, especially at the beginning, when she's trying to find out from Jack about the motives for his actions when they first met, while still trying to hide who she is from him. Ewan McGregor had several good lines, and looked quite dashing in his armor. He did several silent looks which spoke volumes, and delivered several delightful lines. Wish he'd had more! Stanley Tucci was perfect as the oily Roderick. Bill Nighy and John Kassir were fun as the two headed giant.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The movie is totally worth seeing for the beanstalks alone! Watching the thing grow at a magical rate and seeing it burrows everywhere was utterly fascinating. The effect when they cut it down was both realistic and unexpected. It might very well have done more harm  than the giants.

The giants themselves were varied in how they looked and acted and moved well. Their gross manners, bedraggled appearance, and lack of hygiene, however, clashed with the gift of their incredible sense of smell. As badly as these fellows looked, they wouldn't have been able to smell much of anything other than themselves.

The final battle sequence was outstanding. I loved how the giants took one of the defensing measures created by the humans at the castle and figured out how to turn it to their advantage. Sadly, however, the definite intelligence shown in combat again clashed with their lack of skills in making clothes or armor.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: While the main plot and its resolution won't be a surprise to anyone, there were still many pleasant surprises in the plot. Setbacks and progress were parceled to all parties, and a number of things didn't follow the expected route.

There are also a lot of subtle bits woven into the story. Some were jokes, like having Elmont make an Obi-wan type comment. While others were silent, or implied, and you have to pay attention to catch them. My favorite was when Roderick and the giants made it to the waterfall. Watch the General's heads.

Another fun thing about the story were the circular elements. There's a ying and yang quality at the very beginning as we glimpse the different yet similar lives of Jack and Isabel as children. Another has to do with specific dialogue being said more than once by different people. The final circle happens at the end, when we get to hear the story of the giants as it changes through time and how Jack safeguarded the one thing that could help mankind if the giants somehow returned yet again. (Pay special attention to the boy at the very end. He should look familiar.)

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Some stunts were CGI, others were real, and yet others were a mix of the two. Regardless of which kind it turned out to be, the 'gags' were all done very well.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: A mixture of CGI and real locations, they fit perfectly. The view from the beanstalk as the sun comes up over the clouds will take your breath away. The same can be said of several of the sweeping views of the giants' domain. There was a lot in the film to satisfy the eyes.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Thumbs Up: The costuming department had a lot of fun with this film. There were subtle jokes about clothing in several places. The human general was one - strangely looking like a spruced up version of the magistrate in the original "Frankenstein" film. The king's cloak was another joke and actually played a part later in the film. The Princess though did suffer 'perfect hair' syndrome throughout despite all their troubles.

Conclusion: "Jack the Giant Slayer" is a fun and more complex retelling of the classic fairy tale. It was filled with lots of gorgeous vistas and giant action. Definitely worth seeing in IMAX 3D.

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

Movie Review - Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Cory Hardrict, and more.

Directed by: Jonathan Levine Screenplay by: Jonathan Levine Novel by: Isaac Marion Cinematography by: Javier Aguirresarobe Original Music by: Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders

Premise: A teenage zombie questions his lack of life and odd thoughts and habits as he moves through the confines of his existence now that he is no longer human. But his spark of oddity flares when, on a normal zombie raid for human flesh, he falls in love at first sight. Thus unknowingly setting off a slow chain reaction that might save him as well as others. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Nicholas Hoult made for a truly adorable zombie. His facial expressions and long dead stares were great. His body movements were a little more limber here and there than one would expect from zombies, but this is a minor 'nit-pick'. Teresa Palmer as Juliet was incredibly believable in both her fear and lack of excitement for the emotionally barren area of what her father called 'home'. Rob Corddry added a lot to the film as R's best zombie friend M. The scene where he stares at the picture of the couple holding hands was very poignant.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The creatures that zombies turned into once they despaired of their unlife had great detail and were very creepy. The scene where the bonies land on top of the glass canopy and start pounding on it really brought home how far removed from the others they were. The scenes showing the zombiefied hearts coming back to life looked great.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Warm Bodies" is a darling idea, especially with the undertones of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Zombies in most stories and films just 'are', with no real science to support their existence, so taking the extra step to believe they're not truly dead at that stage, won't be much of a mental reach for most viewers. Half the fun is watching the zombies evolving back to what they used to be.

Several themes run throughout the film -- that not all (emotional) zombies are undead, and that people need to connect with others to feel alive. I loved the use of eating brains as a means for the undead to steal memories and feelings from their victims so that they could feel momentarily alive themselves, and how it was used in the telling of the story.

The film felt a little slow in spots, but only a few, and not for long. There were plenty of fun, amusing moments throughout.

4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: There was gun play in several sections of the film. Juliet's side slide and shotgun use, won't be forgotten by the guys anytime soon. "Warm Bodies" also had some decent hand to zombie combat. The zombies versus bonies scene, where the zombies are played by people and the bonies by CGI, probably took a lot of work to synchronize.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: There were several skyline shots, a few made more impressive by the addition of the wall the humans erected over a large part of the city to keep the zombies and bonies out. The use of the airport as a main zombie hangout was very apt, for incorporating a few of the themes and the wide variety of locations all in one place.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The department did some really nice work on the zombies. Between the changes to the skin, virus made tracks on the body, and the eyes, they made for a huge contrast as R changed over time. The changes were even more telling on M and a few of the others. The scene where we see R's scars from previous human encounters looked great.

Conclusion: Zombies, tragedy, and romance - an odd mix, but one that was surprisingly cute and satisfying. As hubby pointed out, "Warm Bodies" is the perfect date movie - a mixture of genres that will give both guys and gals something to enjoy.

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