Mini Movie Reviews 5/26/19

Morning, all!

Pressed for time, so no Virtual Tourist this week. Instead, we have two Mini Movie Reviews and some news!

Aladdin 

This is a live-action remake of the animated 1992 Disney film with Robin Williams (uncredited at the time). They kept the flavor and fun found in the original animated version. Almost all the original songs were included (they left out Jafar's twisted rendition of Prince Ali. One of my favorites! Wah!), and some had minor lyric changes. (At the time the original was released, there was a lot of push back, so I guess they decided to be politically correct?) There is one new song for Jasmine. There are minor changes in plot, but they wove them in nicely, mainly having to do with Jasmine.

All the characters are represented, and they did a great job with the non-human ones.  Abu, Rajah, Iago (Since parrots can speak, he still does!), and carpet (carpet was awesome!). The special effects were great! Costumes were made to resemble those in the animated film. Will Smith did great as the genie. There were also bits of homage to the original thrown in as well.

Overall, they did an excellent job. Should be fun for the entire family. Rating: 3.75 out of 4 (I think I messed up my rating scale a few months ago. Ugh.) Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

While Chapter 2 was a disappointment, Chapter 3 makes up for a lot of it. This chapter starts minutes after the end of Chapter 2. The High Table is taking steps to erase John from the world as well as anyone who showed him any mercy or favors. The fact it was one of their own who warped their rules to get his seat, is never admitted to and they want to crush it all away.

The action hardly ever slows — lots of inventive fighting scenes and weird locations. The fight in the stables got extra kudos as Keanu showed horse knowledge - watch John closely in that section, he always lets the horses know he is there. This is a basic bit of horse knowledge that will keep you from startling them and getting kicked! :) They even added a couple of western movie horse trick moments we've not seen in years! Nice.

I was super thrilled to see Mark Dacascos - he does an excellent job as Zero. Half fanboy, half ninja assassin. He was a riot! (The song playing at the sushi place is "Ninja Re Bang Bang" a super adorable song. Hubby knew what it was on the first few notes! lol) Some higher graphic violence in a couple of places. Halle Berry as Sofia was fun as well. Her dogs are awesome! Also quite nasty! Guys, you will cringe at what they do. Lol.

Betrayals, alliances, rule-breaking, this film will fill up your action quotient quickly! Left open for Chapter 4! Rating: 3.75 out of 4 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)

News! 

Re-edits on "Inner Demons" and "Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles" are complete! New covers by Charles Bernard are being converted to cover flats, and I will be sharing those with you soon - can't wait! They are awesome!

Movie Review - Alice Through the Looking Glass

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Rhys Ifans, Matt Lucas, Lindsay Duncan, Leo Bill, Alan Rickman, Geraldine James, and more.

Directed by: James Bobin Screenplay by: Linda Woolverton Based on books by: Lewis Carroll Cinematography by: Stuart Dryburgh Music by: Danny Elfman

Premise: Alice comes home from China to find that things are not as she left them. Stepping through the looking glass, she learns matters aren't any better on the other side. To help the Mad Hatter, she must go back in time and find out what happened to his family. Yet there's more danger in her mission than she realizes. A lot more. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Mia Wasikowska reprises her role as the spunky Alice to good effect. She appears a lot more comfortable with her role than in the first film. Johnny Depp gets to explore some unexpected sides of the Mad Hatter. Leo Bill was fun as the extreme Hamish. Sacha Baron Cohen was fascinating, and fluid, as Time. Helena Bonham Carter was fun as always as chaotic Iracebeth.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: If you can manage it, try to see this one in 3D or IMAX if at all possible. The special effects will make it totally worth it. From the mad dash of the Wonder through shallow waters to the Chronos Orb eye popping voyage over the seas of time. Lots and lots of amazing sights await. 

Especially cool were the Grand Clock and the Chronos Orb itself. The Mad Hatters' transformations from his illness were lovely. Time was amazing! The actor moving here and there and the audience seeing the machinery sticking out from the back of his head. It truly looked like it was a piece of him. Fabulous!

The vegetable people and the clockwork people looked awesome. The upright fish people were also rather interesting.

And if you enjoy the neat, unfolding buildings in the beginning of Game of Thrones, you'll like the cute unfolding little tales during the credits.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I enjoyed this second film a lot better than the first. The plot seemed more solid and fascinating. Life on both sides of the looking glass showed different facets of the same problems.

Friendship and family were the main recurring themes. And like the first film, it hints at how a small thing can begin a chain of events that end in unforeseen and even tragic results. Bits of darkness, than in and of themselves don't seem like much, but can fester and grow until they are out of control.

They have some rather cute after moments that run through the credits, too. Like extra bits from after Alice's visit. 

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of tumbles, crashing, jumping. A few of the landings from both the Chronos Orb and Time's other machine looked like they hurt! :P

5) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The period costumes were very nice. And I loved the female captain uniforms. I also thought that Alice's oriental dress was gorgeous. The makeup work on the Mad Hatter was superb, especially as it kept changing. They even used the makeup for some subtext with regards to Iracebeth as well.

Conclusion: Alice Through The Looking Glass is a fun ride with lots of gorgeous special effects. Definitely put the Wonder in Wonderland. :)

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

Movie Review - Bridge of Spies

(Took a day off with hubby and we went movie watching! In order of awesomeness - Bridge of Spies, Crimson Peak, The Last Witch Hunter. Only have time to review one though, so picking the best of the three.) :)

Bridge of Spies

Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Domenick Lombardozzi, Joshua Harto, Alan Alda, Austin Stowell, Dakin Matthews, Mikhail Gorevoy, Sebastian Koch, Will Rogers, Nadja Bobyleva, Michael Gaston, and more.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg Written by: Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen Cinematography by: Janusz Kaminski Music by: Thomas Newman

Premise: After a Soviet spy is caught on American soil, James B. Donovan is asked by his firm and peers to represent Rudolf Abel in a criminal trial for espionage. Accepting, Donovan tries to fight for Abel as he would any other client, believing that a fair trial and due process encompass what makes America and Americans what/who they are. When one of our own is shot down over Soviet Airspace, Donovan gets asked by the government to act as a mediator for negotiations for a prisoner exchange to had Able over for Powers, but he must do so as a private citizen. The murky waters he swam in before, just got deeper and darker. (PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Awesome performances all the way around. Tom Hanks was very likeable as the "boy scout" James B. Donovan. Mark Rylance was fantastic as Rudolf Abel - he is one capable spy! "Cool as a cucumber", too! And a nice guy to boot. Lots of fun give and take between Tom Hanks and Mikhail Gorevoy and Sebastian Koch.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: From drive by's to exploding spy planes, all the special effects were top notch.

The train scene will stay with you for a while. :) The building of the Berlin Wall was disturbing in all sorts of ways.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: The film is based on "true events" but these occurred a little before my time, so I can't state on the accuracy one way or another. But it seemed thorough, giving multiple sides of a number of issues. I liked the fact you didn't get a lot of 'cutout' characters in the story. If anything, they surprised me several times in this area and they even gave unexpected depth to side characters which made them seem more real, and this in turn added to the believability and depth of the story as a whole.

People are people - and the plot doesn't shy from showing that. Even the good guys can be bad and the bad guys be good. And what the public or others believe is not always the truth. Also shows plainly how the interests of different parties can make even simple things extremely complicated. Oi!

As good movies do, you feel fully invested and moved by what's going on by the end of the film. The fact they show how Donovan's home life and family were affected by the decisions he made, added a nice touch, and some depth to what he might lose. There were also a ton of little moments full of levity, which just made the movie all the more fun.

4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Filmed in multiple locations in Germany as well as in the US, the camera work was excellent. Lots of attention to detail in recreating the late 1950's at home and abroad. As I mentioned earlier, the train scene (you'll know the one, you can't miss it) will stick with you - and the cinematography for it worked extremely well there and again when done in a different but correlating way in Brooklyn.

Following Pryor as he bicycles down the road looking for a break in the quickly rising Berlin Wall and the chaos on both sides made for a subtle but strong scene. Especially when he comes back.

5) Music - Total Thumbs Up: The soundtrack by Thomas Newman is very reminiscent of John Williams' work, which Spielberg has used on a lot of his films (and for good reason!), and was the perfect touch for setting mood and pacing during several places in the film.

Conclusion: Bridge of Spies is a thought provoking, fascinating film on a topic and period of our history not often talked about. Strong actor performances and plenty of little touches and surprises make the whole work a definite worthwhile experience.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - Hitman: Agent 47

Hitman: Agent 47

Starring: Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware, Zachary Quinto, Thomas Kretschmann, Ciarán Hinds, and more.

Directed by: Aleksander Bach Screenplay by: Skip Woods and Michael Finch Story by: Skip Woods Cinematography by: Óttar Guðnason Music by: Marco Beltrami

Premise: Katya has been searching for someone most of her life, though all she has to go on are tiny bits of memory and little else. When John Smith shows up in her life, he tells her she is being targeted by Agent 47, an enhanced assassin, who wants nothing more than to silence her and her missing father and the knowledge he possesses. And though that seems true at first, is that what's really going on? (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Rupert Friend does a great job being the stoic Agent 47. Even better was watching him bring out little ticks of 47's personality showing he's more than just a killing machine made of flesh. The awkward moments he has with Katya are hilarious on several levels.

Hannah Ware did a great job as the not so normal Katya. Dealing with particles of memory, avoiding the touch of anyone around her, and coping with overstimulated fear, she knows she's not normal, yet as she spends time with 47 you get the definite feeling she thinks she's found someone worse. lol. Zachary Quinto also did some great work as John Smith. (There's a point about his name that ends up truly having a lot of impact. After it's all done, think about him and his name. Heh heh.)

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Lots to like and love with the special effects. Plenty of cool gadgets and setups. The jet engine and the multiple ways it's used were quite nice and visually exciting. The CGI showed through at a couple of places, but not too badly, and was easily overlooked. The subsequent flames and chaos more than make up for it.

A ton of destruction ensues in different locations some very close up, others quite large!


3) Story - Thumbs Up: Way back in the day I played the original "Hitman" game. Hardest thing ever! lol. So hubby and I have had a long time fascination with the character of Agent 47. The red tie, the dark suit, the hairless head, the double .45s, these are all signature marks of the game and the man.

The Hitman game was turned into a film once before, back in 2007. Timothy Olyphant played him then, a man who has one of the best deadpan faces in the business. If you enjoyed that version, you should also like this one, as both were written by Skip Woods.

If you don't know anything about the game, no worries. They fill you in on some quick history at the start of the film. The beginning sequence/mission also tells you all you need to know about 47's mad assassination skills. From the start things are murky, the truth hidden, with much subtly implied and lots of red herrings - so stay vigilant!

As the film went along there were also several lovingly awkward moments, as we're shown little, unexpected bits of 47 as he interacts with Katya over time. The fact she starts picking on him as the film moves along gave a nice subcurrent implying things later made more evident by her father. There were a couple of moments that just made me laugh, they were so cute.

The bathtub scene with the rubber ducky was both cute and disturbing. Heh heh.

A few surprises, though on several of those you'll know something is coming if you pay attention to the signs. There's one, however, that should catch you by total surprise. :)

There's one tiny bit of extra footage right after the credits begin rolling at the end. But nothing after that.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: A ton of stunts, several which are helped along with some CGI, but many that are not. Lots of gun battles, car chases, and hand-to-hand combat. Some imaginative Fu as well. They chose to do shaky-cam during several bits of the close combat action, but it wasn't overused. Though I do prefer my hand-to-hand not shaken or stirred.

The chase scene in the parking garage was great! What happens after in the street intersection even more so.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: They chose some awesome filming locations for this one. Singapore was absolutely jaw dropping. The commercials had made it seem like the film was in the future, but it isn't. That's actually how Singapore looks right now! (Google for pics, you'll see.) The arboretum alone was fabulous!

Conclusion: Hitman: Agent 47 has everything you'd want from an action film - great stunts, decent story line, bullets, explosions, and a little more. And they left it wide open for a sequel.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - San Andreas

(Yay! Back to seeing movies again! Woot!)

San Andreas

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Will Yun Lee, and more.

Directed by: Brad Peyton Screenplay by: Carlton Cuse Story by: Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore Cinematography by: Steve Yedlin Music by: Andrew Lockington

Premise: Though Ray is a hero to many as a veteran rescue chopper pilot, it still hasn't prevented him from slowly losing all he loves most. But when a series of small earthquakes in Nevada end up heralding a much more violent upheavals coming to hit California, Ray unexpectedly gets a second chance to make things right again. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Dwayne Johnson has always been able to pull the heart strings or say any number of cliches or silly things with a straight face. Both are great skills to have in disaster movies, so he was a good pick. Carla Gugino as Emma was also a great choice. Alexandra Daddario, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, and Art Parkinson were adorable and worked quite well together. Paul Giamatti and Ioan Gruffudd always do great work and their performances during this film are no exception.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Special effects are one of the main ingredients for a great disaster movie. "San Andreas" had them in spades. Several of the earthquakes scenes were just amazing! Watching the waves of force ripple through the land will give you chills. The giant crack after one of the earthquakes was jaw dropping. A great bit to bring home just how vast the reach of this thing was.

What really sold the film, however, were the special effects that were up close and personal. A multitude of gags happen right beside you, making them immediate, devastating, and shocking. The way they were handled made the moments more poignant than usual, which only added to the realistic feel of the disaster and the immersion of the audience into the story.

There are a multitude of iconic moments. And they run the whole gambit - falling buildings, out of control fires, tsunamis, death by cruiseship, death by buildings, possibly even death by a kitchen sink. The special effects people also had some great fun with helicopters and planes!

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: Disaster films tend to be formulaic by nature. "San Andreas" is no exception. But I will say it came across a little more creative and believable than some. The people they gave to cheer for were likable, and also ratcheted up the anticipation as they gave us others to get excited about in just how they'd get their 'just desserts'.

A few spots might ring a little false, but they were in the minority. Best thing to do, is to strap in and go along for the ride. :)

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Though some of the stunts involved CGI, many did not. Between all the shaking and the rolling, the stunt people were kept quite busy. Great job guys!

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Some lovely sweeps of LA and San Francisco tantalize the audience before disaster strikes. An easy way to make the destruction have more impact. The disasters were filmed from all angles - from the air, from the ground, from the water - immersing the audience completely in the story being told.

Conclusion: If you're a fan of disaster films, this one is definitely worth putting on the list to watch. The visuals are great! All the right components are there, and the personal drama, and even a budding romance, worked well within the film.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - HOME

HOME

Starring: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones, Brian Stepanek, April Lawrence, Stephen Kearin, Lisa Stewart, April Winchell, Derek Blankenship, and Nigel W Tierney

Directed by: Tim Johnson Screenplay by: Tom J Astle and Matt Ember Based on the Book by: Adam Rex Music by: Lorne Balfe

Premise: After the Boov take over Earth, Oh finds his new life there unexpectedly much like his old one. But when he makes the mistake of sending off a party invitation to ALL, which includes the dreaded Gorg his people had run to Earth to escape, Captain Smek and all the Boov want to arrest him. Realizing he made a mistake and trying to hide, Oh inadvertently runs into a human girl. One who accidentally didn't get carted off to Humanity Land like the rest of the Earth's population two weeks before. Now they need to make the effort to understand each other before things get any worse. (Rated  PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jim Parsons is fun as the clueless, well meaning Oh. Rihanna is totally adorable as Tip. Steve Martin as Captain Smek was a perfect choice. Matt Jones also added some great levity as Kyle.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks Animation did an awesome job on the film. The Boov's cool color changes and gradations were neat to watch and gave a different dimension to the alien characters. The circular thematic theme for all things Boov was also very well done. Watching iconic Earth structures floating in bubbles left no doubt things on Earth had changed.

I loved the bizarre clumps of floating things considered useless Earth items by the Boov. The weirdness of the Captain as he found other items to adore and use in non-human ways was highly amusing. There are four quick shorts at the film's site that are basically taped experiments of human devices - definitely amusing.

Pig, Tip's corkscrew tailed cat, was a hoot. His fur swayed and moved even as he purred. The silent but no less entertaining character added a lot of lovely flavor.

The Slush Car, a weird amalgamation of 7-11, Back to the Future, and Herbie the Love Bug, was totally awesome. Talk about using the resources available to the most advantage! The car rocked!

The Gorg ships and their planet destroying Mother Ship were quite impressive.  The Gorg in all their forms were fascinating as well.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The commercials and the original "Almost Home" short shown as part of Mr. Peabody & Sherman conveyed a somewhat wrong impression of what the movie would be about, so it takes a little adjustment. The film though does pick up exactly where the short left off.

As the title implies, the main theme of the film is an exploration of what we emotionally call/feel is home and our struggles to fit in in society. Family is also a large theme in the film, as well as friendship and reaching mutual understanding between species.

The plot is pretty straightforward, containing few surprises, but it will definitely stir your emotions at a couple of spots. The reunion scene was quite moving. Some of Boov's reactions were most amusing. Though I have to say that with the things they eat for sustenance, some of the jokes with regards to things best not eaten, fall slightly flat.

Conclusion: HOME is entertaining and cute and will move you, but it won't excite or surprise you. Plenty of fun and action for the kids. The animation is great and has lots of nice inventive touches.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better for Matinee)


In case you missed it - this played before Mr. Peabody & Sherman - ALMOST HOME

Movie Review - Cinderella

(Running late! Have Allcon this weekend and after the movie it was way late!)

Cinderella

Starring:  Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Nonso Anozie, Stellan Skarsgard, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell, and more

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Screenplay by: Chris Weitz Cinematography by: Haris Zambarloukos Music by: Patrick Doyle

Premise: Years after the death of her mother, Ella's father remarries a widow with two daughters. The rocky relationship between the new members of the family escalates when Ella's father also passes. Bereft of most of their income and imbued with jealousy, Ella's step-mother and step-sisters slowly but surely relegate Ella to the role of a servant rather than a family member. Things continue to deteriorate and are brought to a boil when the small kingdom holds an open ball for all eligible your maidens. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The casting on this film by Lucy Bevan was great. Lily James does a lovely job as Cinderella. Richard Madden and Lily are adorable together and the chemistry between them felt real and fresh. Cate Blanchett was fab as the evil step-mother. She was very expressive and gave depth to the character, showing her bitterness at her lack of power and socially forced dependence on men to assure a comfortable existence and fear she might not be able to give that certainty to her daughters. Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger were perfect as the clueless and mean step-sisters. Helena Bonham Carter put her own twist to the Fairy Godmother and did a grand job as the story's narrator.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of lovely and subtle special effects enhance the film to give it just the right amount of magic, yet kept it within the bounds of something that could happen in reality. The CGI for the mice and other animals was very well done. Lots of humorous touches, especially with the goose, that make the film transcend to a possible new Disney classic.

The pumpkin transformation scene was changed with a cute twist, but the payoff is totally there when it starts reverting back to what it originally was on the mad dash away from the castle at midnight. Totally worth the wait and they give you a fun and funny conversion for the mice and lizards to satiate the audience until the later midnight reversion payoff.

The enhancements to the real castle and even the manor that is Ella's home definitely make the places magical. The stag in the forest was fantastic as well. The stag's expressions when he first meets her and then when he realizes she means him no harm, were exquisitely done. Also loved the use of the blue birds, which tie back to the animated film.

3) Story - Thumbs Up: The original tale gets expanded a little, making the whole more robust. Some of the actions and reactions are based on realities, thus giving more depth to the situations. The need for women of certain social status to marry to ensure they have money to live on as their skills are only useful in the management of a home or entertainment, rather than on ways to make a living. The pressures on monarchs to make advantageous alliances through marriage, and more.

They even plug in a couple of issues with the original, like why the step-mother and step-sisters do not recognize Cinderella at the ball.

There's also a little more interaction between Ella and the prince, making them more both more multidimensional. And Ella's conversations with animals and their reactions to her totally fit.

Incidental characters add a lot as well - used for comedic moments or for adding flavor. Both animals and people love to peek in at all sorts of places.

4) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: Great work on both fronts! Loved everything they did with the step-sisters - the horrid patterns and matching fabrics, the hair styles making them closely resemble their animated counterparts. The beautiful dresses and fashion for the step-mother, making a definite contrast between her talents and advantages and the utter lack of same by her daughters.

Cinderella's dress for the ball was fantastic! The gorgeous blue color and the layers and layers of fabric beneath made the dress seem to shimmer in different shades whenever she moved. Lots of prime colors for the other ladies at the ball, giving the scenes the same brightness of the animated version.      

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: A lot of the filming locations are real places in England, enhanced by CGI. The combinations works fabulously. The cinematography took advantage of this as well, for lovely sweeping shots of the palace and the country manor. The Old Naval Royal College used for the palace interiors looked awesome all on its own.

Conclusion: This live action rendition of the old classic is definitely good enough to be a new classic. No singing, though they do have two of the songs play through the credits. The extra depth and detail given to the characters make for a better film. The animated short before the main film is a Frozen short and it is utterly adorable and very well done!

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - Chappie

Chappie

Starring: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Ninja, Yo-Landi Visser, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Brandon Auret, Anderson Cooper, Jason Cope, and more.

Directed by: Neill Blomkamp Written by: Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell Cinematography by: Trent Opaloch Music by: Hans Zimmer

Premise: A scientist working on artificial intelligence takes a chance and steals a broken scout robot, but is in turn kidnapped. To placate his captors, he offers them the use of scout 22 once he's implanted him with his new AI program. Desperate themselves, the kidnappers take Deon up on the offer, hoping to use the scout for a big heist to get them out of trouble with their boss. But as soon as the scout robot is rebooted, it is obvious scout 22 is more than they bargained for. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Thumbs Up: Dev Patel was perfect as the geeky Deon Wilson. His emotional fervor shone through as the lamb became the lion. Hugh Jackman easily brought home all the frustrated emasculation of his character Vincent Moore. Sigourney Weaver was once more sadly underused.

Outshining everyone, whoever, was Chappie, played by Sharlto Copley. His vocal deliveries, and even more, his captured body movements which were transferred to the CGI character, made Chappie more human than the real thing. Really amazing.

2)  Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The CGI work on this film is utterly fantastic. It's hard to think of Chappie as a created image, he looks so real on the screen. The physical interaction between him and those around him totally complete the illusion. Truly some incredible work.

Even the big brute Moose, when finally used in the film, was darn impressive. Add in the explosions, rivers of bullets, and damage of all kinds, and the virtuous efforts of the special effects team are everywhere you look.

3) Plot/Story - Neutral: Though the whole concept of Chappie and his evolution is quite fascinating, the overall plot sadly suffers from all sorts of inadequacies.

Chappie as a character is developed with a lot of detail. But almost everyone else are cookie cutter cutouts. Hippo, for example, is the typical power mad, trigger happy, unthinking thug, putting pressure on his underlings for failing to meet his demands.

The theme of bullies is explored from several directions, which did add some interest and color, if you caught on. Lambs turning into Lions was another motif lightly explored.

Most of the science seemed viable - aside from putting your entire consciousness in a thumb drive, that is. And how secure is your programming when you only have one viable special flash drive and it requires no password? Those issues and some other items appeared somewhat contrived. And to be honest, for most of the film, 90% of the characters involved were not in anyway likable. The effort at the whole "being made better for those you've met" theme was hard to swallow after the ferocity evidenced by one or more of the characters.

And while Chappie gets some physical satisfaction against Vincent, nothing ever comes out about what he did, and all the people he endangered and who died because of his self serving actions (not to speak of the outright attempted murders of two unarmed men). The fact that at the end of the film they mention the scout robots would never be used again made no sense whatsoever. The information and videos of who and what crime was perpetrated at the factory easily available and what made Chappie, Chappie, not having anything to do with the standard scout class programming.

The R Rating should be taken seriously for younger viewers. Not so much for the physical violence, but the emotional ones. Chappie's first night away from home was pretty brutal.

They did move me. I'll give them that. But again, that was all Chappie and Deon for the most part.

4)  Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of action, violence, bullets, and explosions. They fill the testosterone quota quite nicely - especially the awesome fight at the beginning of the film. I wanted to see more of that!

5) Locations/Cinematography - Thumbs Up: You see enough sci-fi films and some locations start becoming somewhat familiar, even when dressed up a little. A towering building used in Judge Dredd and the shantytown used in District 9 make appearances. They did pick some rather iconic locations, and ones the director has used previously. Still, the cinematography was lovely. And the odd, childish decor in the abandoned building where Ninja and Yo-Landi lived speaked of a childhood they'd never had, even as it served as a unexpected nurturing environment for Chappie.

Conclusion: Some superb CGI work - so good you don't even realize that's what it is. On the down side are cookie cutter characters and made to fit items. You'll be moved, but not excited. Sadly, nothing new was explored in the AI theme. And while the ending was slightly surprising, it doesn't make up for the rest.

Rating: 3 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better for Matinee)

Movie Review - Seventh Son

Seventh Son

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Antje Traue, Olivia Williams, John DeSantis, Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou, David Cubitt, and more.

Directed by: Sergey Bodrov Screenplay by: Charles Leavitt and Steven Knight Screen Story by: Matt Greenberg Inspired by the Novel by: John Delaney Cinematography by: Newton Thomas Sigel Music by: Marco Beltrami

Premise: An evil locked away for decades underground escapes. The man who first imprisoned Mother Malkin, the Spook John Gregory, tries to capture her again, only to find her power has increased to the point the old methods will no longer work. Losing his apprentice, John finds another seventh son of a seventh son, except he's not exactly what he should be. But with the full red moon less than a week away and Mother Malkin's power reaching new peaks, Gregory has little choice but to work with what's available. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jeff Bridges was fun as the somewhat drunk and embittered Spook, John Gregory. Ben Barnes as Tom Ward oozed honesty and a very curious nature and doing things his own way. Alicia Vikander as the capable Alice was interesting to watch as her character dealt with conflicts with regards to family and love.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Some truly outstanding work from the special effects department. The beginning sequence combining CGI and time lapse photography spoke volumes without anyone having to explain anything - and looked fabulous!

The morphing sequences for all the witches were incredibly smooth. The sabertooth cheetah made me purr. All the fantasy creatures were great. And when Mother Malkin brings her main rooms and sister back to their prime - lovely work!

My favorite special effect, however, was the ghasts in the forest. There's a scene where one bops around Tom that looked so good it gave me chills. Ben Barnes really sold the particular scene as well.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: I've not read the series, so can't compare it to the books. It's also listed as 'inspired by' rather than 'based on', so I'm thinking a lot may have changed from the original. Something for fans of the series might want to keep in mind.

The plot is somewhat standard and passable as long as you don't look too closely.

Five days of training, most of which are taken up with traveling, does not much of a warrior make. It plot also suffered from too many cool bad guys. Mother Malkin has five top warriors, but while they all look quite interesting, there's too many of them vying for attention and not enough time for them to really strut their stuff, let alone to get the audience to know them. Sadly, this also left no time for Mother Malkin to be developed much either, except that she's a queen, has more power than before, and is evil.

One strangely amusing bit is Mother Malkin refusing the gift of several assassins from her vassal Radu. He states they are some of his best men. But Mother Malkin didn't find them all that good. Later in the film, they prove she's right! Lol! It was very odd.... Would have been nice to learn how Gregory and Tusk became friends, especially since Gregory appeared the type to kill first ask questions later. :P

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Jeff Bridges stunt double got to do a lot of work! Lots of people got thrown about. Some swordplay and lizard munching, though again too many things too see too fast to get too impressed over anyone.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The locations for the film were great. Just the place they picked for Mother Malkin's original incarceration was fabulous. Add in the fog enshrouded mountains, the walled city with an Arabian flare, and the mountain retreat with Asian influences, and there was plenty of fodder for the eyes.

6) Music - Total Thumbs Up: I've been seeing Marco Beltrami's name a lot lately. He's been doing some really nice work to boot! Just like the locations seemed to have a bit of Asian and Arabic influence, the soundtrack does as well. Some nice creepy undertones here and there, too, like where werewolves or vampires prey music. There are samples at Mr. Beltrami's site, but no movie soundtrack forthcoming that I could find. :(

Conclusion: Seventh Son is a nice fantasy romp as long as you don't look too deeply. Great special effects and the lovely soundtrack add a lot to enhance the experience.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price)

Movie Review - Blackhat

Blackhat

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Leehom Wang, Wei Tang, Viola Davis, Andy On, Christian Borle, Danny Burstein, Jason Butler Harner, Tyson Chak, Brandon Molale, and more.

Directed by: Michael Mann Written by: Morgan Davis Foehl Cinematography by: Stuart Dryburgh Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams, Atticus Ross, and Leopold Ross

Premise: When someone causes a nuclear reactor in China to overheat, then causes havoc on the New York stock exchange, China and the U.S. join forces to find the cyber culprits and stop them. But Dawai, the head of the Chinese contingent, decides they need one other person on the team if the bad guys are to be caught before they cause more chaos, his friend from his MIT days, Nick Hathaway - who's currently serving out a thirteen year sentence in a U.S. prison. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Thumbs Up: Chris Hemsworth did well as the guarded but helpful jailbird Nick Hathaway.  Leehom Wang, though, stole a lot of the spotlight as the smooth Chinese investigator Chen Dawai. Viola Davis also gave a great performance as Carol Barrett, the FBI agent in the joint task force. Wei Tang did well as Dawai's sister and Nick's love interest, though her accent was so heavy, it wasn't always easy to understand her English, so some important comments and moments were lost here and there.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The beginning of the film was a lot of fun as the special effects department worked some great magic and lovely use of macro photography to draw the audience down into the inner workings of the computers and the electronics of the Chinese nuclear power plant. This fun bit totally set the expectation bar high. Sadly, the rest of the film didn't live up to the great work in the beginning, though not from the special effects angle.

The explosion at the plant was well done. The small truck at the parking lot and how it's used was fabulous. Definitely a different approach to breaking and entering.

There's lot of gun play in spots as well as the use of other more potent armaments. There were at least two spots were the amount of lead flying was close to jaw dropping.

3) Plot/Story - Neutral: Sadly, there were a lot of fallacies in the film. While it is possible to be in jail for eighteen months and still be on top of the 'game' with programming, fifteen years or so is a lot harder to swallow. Operating systems change in but a handful of years and using illegal cellphones in jail are not going to keep you in the latest programing language.

This movie is long for an action film, 133 minutes, but the time wasn't always used to good effect, which was a pity. While we get some info here and there about Nick, we pretty much get nothing on Lien aside from her being Dawai's sister and a network specialist. There's a quick hint that Nick and Dawai were super close, once upon a time, yet nothing is even hinted at for this seeming closeness or the fact they allowed each other to lose touch.

As a bad guy trying to pull of an amazing feat of money making, he really wasn't very smart. Of all the places to try to use your 'special' program, why would you ever pick on a nuclear plant? The guy basically lit up a giant sign saying 'look look look at me!' when stealth is what was called for. It was a stupid risk and in the end, because he did it that way, he is eventually stopped. (And the equipment he was testing wasn't even that uncommon!) If he'd skipped the nuclear plant altogether and gone for a test somewhere less volatile, no one would probably have ever known he'd ever pulled his ultimate stunt and he and his cohorts would have made billions!

We're not going to talk about the lame love setup on this film. Had to have been pure hormones. Lots of long glances with strung out time which led to a lot of nothing.

And, if you don't want the audience to realize you're about to blow up the car - don't wait so friggin' long to do it! (I freaked my husband out. I did an aside and said "the car's going to blow up". Two seconds later, blow up it did! They really waited way too long - like holding up a sign.)

4) Stunts - Thumbs Up: The film had a nice fight scene in a Korean restaurant, though it was totally spoiled by the dreaded "shaky cam". Nothing wastes orchestrated violence more than the audience not being able to see it because the screen is shaking. Ugh. It moved around so much you couldn't even tell two of the guys had knives. All that beautiful stunt work wasted. Sigh. (The last half of the film was chuck full of shaky cam moments too. Double Ugh)

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Aside from the beginning sequence, the locations and spanning cinematography shots at those spots were the most enjoyable parts of the film. Shot is Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and elsewhere, there was a lot of things to see. And they picked great times in the day and angles to do the spanning shots of these places as well - just at sunrise or almost past sunset - some truly amazing colored skies and clouds, as well as tons of lights shinning up from the darkness. Some truly gorgeous filming. Too bad it was wasted on such a slow, clunky plotted movie. The patchy editing didn't help much either...

Conclusion: Started out great, had some awesome cinematography shots, but the clunky, drawn out plot and lack of depth to the characters just bogged the whole thing down. A pity, really.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Catch it on Cable)

Movie Review - Exodus: Gods and Kings

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Starring: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Ben Mendelsohn, Maria Valverde, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Hiam Abbass, Indira Varma, and more.

Directed by: Ridley Scott Written by: Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, and Steven Zaillian Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski Music by: Alberto Iglesias

Premise: Moses and Ramses are cousins raised together as brothers in the thriving city of Memphis. Though Ramses is the heir, between the whispers from his mother, his father's dotting affections for Moses, and a prophecy before a battle with the Hittites, he feels insecure of his future. So when a grovelling official tells him a story brought to him by some Hebrew slaves, Ramses pushes to discover if the tales of Moses being Hebrew are true. Though disbelieving of the story himself, Moses learns much about the Hebrew people after he is exiled. And due to events, he comes back to Memphis nine years later to demand the freedom of the Israelites in Egypt from Pharaoh. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Thumbs Up: Though the film had a great line up of actors and they did good to great work, they didn't feel well used. Sigourney Weaver's presence just about explodes on the screen during Ramses' coronation, but aside from a few lines and some telling stares, they did little with her talents. Ben Kingsley suffered a similar fate, though he did get more screen time.

Joel Edgerton did do a great job as Ramses - his jealousies, insecurities, and begrudging love were very easy to see. Christian Bale does a good job with what he's given, but the dilution of Moses' character with the direction they took the film didn't push or demand of him the presence and command that Moses would have had to have as the leader of the Israelites. You see it in his youth as the general in Seti's army, but aside from a few moments at the beach side...


2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The recreations of Egypt by sets and CGI were fantastic. There were definitely times when you couldn't tell the difference. The shots of the city in the day, at night, on fire - just gorgeous. The mining area too was impressive in its scope.

The plagues were well done. You really felt sorry for everyone in Memphis who had to go through that nastiness. Seeing the nile and all the waterways turned red as far as the eye could see was a view to behold. Yet of all of them, it was the night the children died that was the most subtle and most impressive - the curtain of darkness snuffing out the light, literally and figuratively, spoke volumes.

The one spot I expected to be the most impressed at, however, I wasn't. The parting of the Red Sea wasn't so much a parting than a pulling back from shore, so it lost a lot of impact despite the fact we did get a giant wave. And the burning bush? Not sure why they bothered...The black mud was more impressive. :(

Strangely, with the current technology and CGI capabilities, you'd have expected the movie to exploit that to make the plagues more fantastic, but as you'll see in the next section, the direction taken by the script, pushed everything in the opposite direction.


3) Plot/Story - Neutral: Most people know the story of Moses, so movie watchers would have some expectations as to what is to come. Those who are of the Faith know even more on the details of the story. So while a lot of things were correct, a lot of others weren't. And some of the change choices did not help, but rather hurt the film. The biggest being the relationship between Moses and God. God bids him to check on his people and set them free, yet does not have him warn the Pharaoh or even tell Moses before unleashing the plagues. Only the last one were either of them told of before hand. Moses as a character never seemed to believe in the choices he made. The charisma and presence that made Moses a great general and leader for the Egyptians was almost completely absent when he returned to Egypt. Moses had no fire burning in him - and therefore neither did the audience.

Most of the secondary characters we do not get to know (except the viceroy), some thrown in without even an introduction, making the viewers feel lost. This was especially true during the scene where Ramses tries to get the truth from the maid - you thought maybe Sigourney Weaver might be Ramses' mother, but the other woman it took a while to realize was the dead Pharaoh's sister and by then, it didn't matter. If it was filmed, such things looked to have been lost to the editing floor. More's the pity.

The confrontation between the wizards of Egypt and the power of God didn't make it on the film. If anything, despite the bits here and there screaming of a force bypassing the normal laws of nature, everything was made to look as if it could have happened on its own, just on a grander scale. This screamed out the loudest during the parting (really more of a drawing back) of the Red Sea. Almost as if the writers couldn't make up their minds as to which approach to take and in so doing spoiled the whole thing.

And speaking of making things more scientifically feasible - giant wave falling/crashing dead on you at the edge equals death. Definitely - death.

And why did they decide to give God a British accent?!?!?!?

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The clashing of two armies, chariots, swords, chaos - lots of lovely stunt work. The volleys of arrows coming down on the Hittites and watching them strike was a sight to behold.

5) Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: An epic tale deserves epic views and the film had plenty of them. From the pull back view shots of Seti's palace, to the grand view of Memphis, there were many awesome sights to be enjoyed. (Though I will say some of the statues were way bigger than standard Egyptian ones - so they looked odd.) The shots of the mountains and deserts as well as the migration of four hundred thousand Israelites were fun to see - the scope was mind boggling.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: They may have skimped on story and a few miracles, but on makeup and costuming they went all the way and more. Ramses' armor for the war with the Hittites was fantastic! All of Sigourney Weaver's hats were delicious. The getup of the High Priestess at the beginning was a cool contrast between her and the medium of her oracle readings. Ramses' and his wife's nightclothes almost shimmered and looked ever so cool for those hot Egyptian evenings.

Loved all the bangles and jewelry Moses' wife wore, and especially her tattoo. She also was better dressed than almost everyone except the Egyptian royalty.

They also did amazing work with the sores, boils, and other skin issues the Egyptians developed. The royal family was not spared and we got to see their booboos up close. Eek!

Conclusion: While visually exciting, the end result of diluting Moses' character and not giving him fire for Christian Bale to play with, as well as trying to make the plagues fit scientifically plausible molds, what you end up with leaves you only lukewarm. Which was just too bad.

Rating: 3 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better For Matinee)

Movie Review - John Wick

John Wick

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Daniel Bernhardt, Omer Barnea, Toby Leonard Moore, Bridget Moynahan, and more.

Directed by: David Leitch and Chad Stahelski Screenplay by: Derek Kolstad Cinematography by: Jonathan Sela Music by: Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard

Premise: John lost his wife to a disease, and though they'd know the end would come eventually, he's still not prepared for it when it comes. His wife, knowing he would need an emotional anchor, ordered a beagle puppy to delivered after her funeral. Trying to deal with this new wrinkle, he's approached by a man at a gas station who wants to buy his car. He tells him 'no' and they part ways. But that night, they assault him in his home, kill his new dog, and steal his car. But there's something they don't know about John Wick - John is a retired assassin. And for their disrespect, someone will pay. (Rated R)

Review:

1)  Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Keanu as John Wick was an excellent choice - from wounded husband to avenging angel, you never doubt what's on his mind. Michael Nyqvist as Viggo Tarasov was another marvellous choice - a man who knows the choices he makes may very will be the end of everything, but does them anyway.

A master stroke was getting Adrianne Palicki to play Ms. Perkins - she was all sorts of delicious goodness in the film. (Supernatural fans - meet a new and deadly Jess. She's also been making waves in this season's Agents of Shield! Scrumptious!) Aldie Allen does what he does best as the mob boss's son Iosef. Lance Reddick was fab as the Hotel Manager! Best straight face in the business!

And one who would not normally get credit - the beagle puppy, Daisy. Most adorable thing EVER!

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: As the previews imply, there is a boat load of gun play and destruction. People shot in all manner of ways with minor splatters of blood all over the place. Great work all around.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: The premise for the film is simple and could have easily been glossed over and just used as an excuse for the mayhem. Films of this type normally go in that direction, not really bothering to get the audience invested. But not this one. These guys sell you into it. They let you see John's pain and grief and the glimmer of possible hope brought to him by his dead wife in the form of a puppy. And they were smart enough to get the most evilly adorable creature imaginable. So the audience is right there with him when things take an unexpected turn and you want them to pay for what they've done as bad as John. Super kudos on how they played this!

If that wasn't enough to amaze, they used the right reason to support why these mobsters didn't hand the offender over on a silver platter, the idiot is the boss's son. His only son. Half the fun of this thing is watching each rung of men realize who it is that the idiot Iosef picked on and how he may have just signed a death warrant on them all. Heh heh.

Lots of small reveals about John and who it is he's coming after and how this is one giant cosmic joke or a case of karmic vengeance. And John Wick is wickedly efficient. He very much believes in the 'double tap' principle. Totally awesome. And they had to reload! Yes! They even had a competent head of security to slow John down - the guy was awesome.

And then they give you more. John goes back into a world known to only to a select few. A world with rules and stringent codes of conduct. Things you do and things you don't. It added another fabulous layer to the entire enterprise. And Ms. Perkins - so loved the character of Ms. Perkins. lol.

Also, after you've seen the film, think about John's reputation, and then who it was that helped him. I got the definite impression this was not the first time this game was played. Priceless.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The stunts were phenomenal. Tons of hand to hand combat, close range shooting, speed driving, all the fun stuff of which action movies are made. And they did it phenomenally - several scenes almost seeming like a ballet at times due to the awesome timing and smoothness of the choreography of those involved.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Great locations for all sorts of mood setting spots: the Red Circle with the club within a club, the hotel combining old and new and its own unique clientele. And the cinematography showed every one of them in lovely detail. Then showed them as chaos came to rule. Visually stimulating.

Conclusion: "John Wick" was an action packed paradise with a solid story raising it that much higher above the fold. Definitely a fun ride all around. Subject matter might be a little too strong for younger kids.

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

Movie Review - The Amazing Spider-man 2

The Amazing Spider-man 2

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Sally Field, Colm Feore, Felicity Jones, Paul Giamatti, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott, Marton Csokas, Louis Cacelmi, and more.

Directed by: Marc Webb Screenplay by: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinker Screen Story by: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinker, and James Vanderbilt Based on the Marvel Comic by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Cinematography by: Daniel Mindel Music by: Hans Zimmer and the Magnificent Six

Premise: Peter Parker is haunted by the ghosts of his dead parents and Gwen's father, which straine his relationships with Gwen and his Aunt May. Harry Osborn comes back to New York to visit his father on his deathbed. But the old man doesn't go before revealing the family curse, and giving Harry the possible means to overcome it. Then comes Max, brilliant but invisible to those around him, until a terrible accident that Oscorp tries to bury away and make him disappear. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Andrew Garfield really brought home Spidey's tongue-in-cheek demeanor while crime fighting and even brought a little extra something extra to the web crusader. His scenes with Emma Stone have a lot of chemistry as well as a feeling of playfulness. Emma Stone lit up the screen whenever Gwen appeared. Dane DeHaan was a fun Harry Osborn - showing many facets; sharp, brooding, the shinning little boy, the desperate rich boy, and more. Jamie Fox was fascinating as the sad and almost creepy Max Dillon, then the much more outgoing and angry Electro.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: There's a lot of CGI in the film, but it wasn't always obvious, so it was easy for the audience to immerse themselves in what was going on around them. Some neat third person camera angles as the web slinger made his rounds around New York - just enough to give you a sense of what it's like to travel as he does, but not enough to give you motion sickness.

All the effects relating to Electro were fantastic. I especially loved the scenes where he reconstituted himself in thin air. Some cool graphics with slow motion made for several spectacular scenes. The lost subway stop was very cool.

The most fun, however, were the little touches - like the juggling act with the radioactive material jars, the inventive ways Peter used his webbing, Osborn's cool desk computer, the gas settling over the spiders. Some really great work all around.

One poignant scene has his webbing spread out just enough to look like a reaching, overstretched hand, making it a true extension of Peter and his desires.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The film starts in a totally unexpected place with some reveals and hints on the answers to the mysteries alluded to in "The Amazing Spider-man". It then works its way back to present day where we get another treat as Spider-man deals with some terrorist trying to steal canisters of radioactive material.

The story flips back and forth between romantic, sad, hopeful, and even funny. Some of the best parts are these little vignettes of compressed time - shots of Peter when he's taking his costume off and the little visual clues to the type of day he's had - Peter doing experiments to try to find a work around for a flaw with his web dispensers - Peter at the cemetery over a five month period.

The tiny comedic moments peppered throughout also gave the story a boost - the way Peter buys Gwen some time when she's being tracked down by security - Aunt May and Peter arguing over the clothes washer because both of them have secrets they are keeping from each other in the laundry. The boost is a good thing, because chunks of the film were made up of standard fare and a few too many coincidences, so it needed all the help it could get to be anything other than cliche.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Stunts were a combination of live action and CGI and they were all done very well. There are a lot of blown up and thrown vehicles and lots of pedestrians running for cover, as well as people getting yanked out of danger in the nick of time

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film has some great spanning shots of New York. These very shots make the city going dark look very impressive and disturbing. The Oscorp building itself, inside and out, screamed of innovation and expensive technology. In contrast, Ravencroft, despite some of the high tech equipment, looked medieval and full of pain and secrets.

Conclusion: "The Amazing Spider-man 2" was definitely better than its predecessor. The vignettes are a hoot. Combined with the little jokes and cute moments, they take enough of the staleness out of the cliched plot to make it decent. Seeing the big battle with Electro is totally worth it.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)