Here we go! By popular request, I'm back on the blog and reviewing movies! My movie-watching was a bit slow to start the year - I was in PhD school after all - but picked up once I got home and had free time and free movies once again.
Previous 2016 Reviews:
Unscripted Ratings:
4/4 - Buy a ticket, poster, & DVD.
3.5/4 - Buy a ticket.
3/4 - Buy a matinee ticket.
2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
1/4 - Consider as last resort.
0/4 - Avoid at all costs.
Captain America: Civil War: Following collateral damage, political pressure mounts for government control of the Avengers. The new status-quo fractures the team, pitting allies against each other, including Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
A major success of Civil War is that it manages to not make the film revolve around Tony Stark/Iron Man, despite the overwhelming charisma and popularity of RDJ. Where the film falters is that it begins to feel as though it is more about Steve Roger's friend Bucky/The Winter Soldier than the Captian himself. But although Civil War stopped short of exploring ideological rifts between its heroes at a deeper level, the film is still an immensily enjoyable blockbuster. Full of usual Marvel wit, but with superhero tussles occuring on a grander scale than before seen in this cinematic universe, Civil War keeps the Avengers series feeling full of life, even as it stretches itself in scope and number of characters to the point of daring a breaking point. The Final Word: 3.5/4 - Buy a ticket.
Love & Friendship: Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica and, naturally, for herself as well.
Love & Frienship is, I'm sure, a faithful adaptation of the Jane Austen novel "Lady Susan." Other than that, the film is... fine. I'm sorry if I offend my more Victorian-literature-inclined friends (since I have so, so many of those), but this film merely fails to offer more than a rather trodding plot, occasional moments of whimsy, and fanciful dialogue. Which is... fine. I didn't hate the movie - I actually enjoyed it to a certain extent - but there just isn't a whole lot there. The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
Money Monster boasts an all-star cast and crew and a reliable story, but the stars seem to shine less bright when the well-packaged plot is revealed to be wrapped in plain, brown paper. The twists and turns of the story are never true revelations and the broader themes would seem more fitted for a movie released in 2011 for members of Occupy Wallstreet. The issues are certainly still relevant, but their place in the zeitgeist have smaller flames of passion than more recent manifestations of greed, corruption, and power (have you seen this election?!). Money Monster is a decent movie with solid performances, but without a more daring plot it seems like a film you would have more enjoyed 5 years ago. The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to stream/rent it.
While the first Neighbors was actually quite funny and enjoyable, this sequel falls into the common trap of repeating what worked in the original (which never works as well again) without introducing anything new. Neighbors 2 tries, admittedly, with the introduction of a feminist-minded sorority, but when it comes down to it, the plot is exactly the same and even the jokes are rehashes of gags from its predessecor. I had maybe 4 or 5 good laughs watching this comedy, and in truth a couple of those were forced in an attempt to shake myself out of apathy. It didn't really work. The Final Word: 1/4 - Consider as a last resort.
Writer/director Shane Black (Lethel Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) is a pioneer of the buddy-cop action genre and makes one of his best contributions with The Nice Guys. The script saunters from hilarious physical and verbal humor that keeps the film pleasantly humming along to moments of violent altercation that keep the stakes high, all the while pursuing an original, ingenious plot that keeps you guessing and interested until the credits roll (and really after that; sequel please!). Gosling and Crowe are perfectly cast, but it's obvious that in writing and presenting his story, Black is the master craftsman here. The Final Word: 3.5/4 - Buy a ticket.
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