The Night Before Movie Review

A little late with this review but better late than never! This movie was definitely a sleeper for me as I hadn't heard much buzz about it all year. Sometimes no news can be good news as it leaves you open to be pleasantly suprised which I can definitely say is the case here.

Love the cast. Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie each deliver awesome performances during their onscreen time together as well as their own separate storylines. They absolutely drive the impact of the movie. This is not to say the ladies came up short, however. Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan, and Darrie Lawrence light up the stage and are responsible for some hilarious moments that, in some cases, made me laugh harder than during the guys' screen time. Kudos all around.

If you need a good laugh and want to see a fun story unfold, this is definitely a great film to check out. Overall, I give it a 93.

Retro Review: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

I'll give them credit for being ballsy enough to attempt this. When I first saw the trailer for this movie fifteen years ago, I was turned off. The original animated Grinch was so good, why would you want to even try a live-action version? I expected it to be lame which is why I've steered clear of it for over a decade. I finally decided to give it a chance and, I have to say, I'm really glad I did.

For those of you that don't know the story, the evil Grinch lives atop a mountain overlooking the city of Whoville. The Who's love Christmas, while The Grinch detests it. Not wanting anyone else to be happy, The Grinch decides to rob the townspeople of Christmas by stealing every single present they have.

The biggest draw of this story to me has always been the message behind it and none of that is lost in translation here. It's a heart-warming story that identifies the true meaning of Christmas. This movie will make you burst into laughter at times and can be heartbreaking at other times. The emotional mixture is both enjoyable and genuine. Director Ron Howard took the time to make the story his own while still staying true to the animated version. Hats off as well to Jim Carrey who stole the show with his protrayal of The Grinch. One favorite scene of mine that sticks out was one where The Grinch was trying to decide if he was going to accept an award the Who's were giving him. His back-and-forth on what he would wear was truly hilarious. I give this movie an 87.

Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens Movie Review (SPOILER FREE)

About eight minutes into Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens, there was already a glaring difference between this movie and the prequels: the acting. Whether large or small, each actor/actress was superb in their respective roles, from the hilarious innocence of John Boyega as Finn to the dark and brooding Snoke played by Andy Serkis. Acting should enhance a movie and never take you out of scene. It does just that in this film while also capturing the spirit of what Star Wars is all about.

Fun yet dire. That's what I mean by the spirit of Star Wars. JJ Abrams is known for capturing that magic in his films and he definitely didn't disappoint here. I went into the theater with all the fanboys hoping for a revival. Abrams delivered.

Abrams told us (and by "us", I mean the public) that he wanted to get away from CGI as much as possible which is challenging for fantasy/sci-fi movies. Once Again, Abrams held true to what he set out to do as all of the characters, save for three, were not computer-generated. That's not to say the visuals fell short, however. Beautiful setpieces and epic space battles are sure to give you your fill of eye-candy. 

I love movies that can manage to make you laugh in the moments where you don't expect to. The comedy flows naturally in each scene without detracting from the seriousness of the surrounding situations. Nothing forced. Just right.

The film isn't without its flaws despite all my gushing. The trailers were a bit misleading in some ways, but it wouldn't be fair to deduct points for that unless the movie was bad and it was far from it. You can tell that the film is the first of a few as you will probably leave like I did with gobs of questions. Too many questions. Maybe that's ok for you as a viewer, but it always tends to leave an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. After all, what if I don't like the eventual answers to those questions? Does that still make the movie good? I'm not sure.

It reminded me of Spider-Man in this regard. It wasn't until I saw the second movie that I was truly able to appreciate how good the first one was. I was hoping for more closure in The Force Awakens, but I went in knowing I probably wouldn't get it. There are a couple other pitfalls the movie has, but I can't talk about them without spoiling the movie and I've already promised...

It's the story of two people trying to find their way in a galaxy that threw them some lofty curveballs. Great movie experience that has left me excited for more. I give this movie an 85.

Retro Review: Rise of the Guardians

About two thirds of the way into the movie, Rise of the Guardians experiences a bit of a wardrobe change and loses its way for a slight moment. The film goes from fairly light-hearted to dark and brooding in almost the blink of an eye. This isn't the first time this has happened in a movie, but it's hard to overlook when a movie suddenly shifts away from something it was doing so well only to have to reintroduce itself in another tone. Good news, though, that is really the only problem I could find to pick at. That, and I wanted more of Sandy. Can never have enough Sandy!

Rise of the Guardians is the story of our childhood heroes. That's right I'm talking the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and the jolly old fat one himself Santa Claus. Imagine them fighting together to protect the belief of innocent children against the darkness of the world and you have Rise of the Guardians. Much like Arthur Christmas, the innovation here is marvelous. Each guardian has their own special power that relates to their gift-giving job. For example, Bunny can create holes in the ground by stomping his feet. The helps him get from one place to another quickly and also helps trap enemies when he's in a pinch. As I mentioned before, Sandman, who doesn't say a word the entire movie, is definitely my favorite guardian. Instead of talking, little images appear above his head to express how he's feeling.

A fun movie to watch, especially if you're trying to instill in your kids the beauty of using their imagination. I give it an 86.

Retro Review: Arthur Christmas

As I've done before, I'll start with the cons: Quite frankly, there aren't many. The film does take a  moment to engross you in this particular Christmas world, but once you're in, you're in to stay. Also, like a lot of against-all-odds stories, it seems like main character Arthur can't seem to catch a break which really drove me crazy at times. It's like watching the Trix rabbit get rejected over and over and over...If you can get through this, you're definitely in for a treat.

Let's face it, Christmas movies have been done and redone, particularly those regarding Jolly Old St. Nick. It's refreshing to see one so original as this. I don't want to give away too much and spoil the magic of watching it firsthand, but watch the first scene and see if it doesn't put a smile on your face. As the years have passed and technology has advanced, so apparently has the help provided to Santa. Elves fly around looking like they're on the Mission: Impossible team with the perfect computer gadgets to ensure all the kids get what they ask for without actually seeing Santa himself. And that's only the beginning.

While the film packs a great comedic punch, it packs even more heart. If you're not rooting for young Arthur to succeed in delivering the one present that Santa missed, something is wrong with you. A number of smaller stories combine to tell that of the entire Claus family and what Christmas means to each of them separately.

Our family is currently watching twenty-five movies leading up to Christmas Day and this just happened to be one my son picked out. So glad he did. It's the story of a man who goes to great lengths to reinforce the spirit of Christmas. I give this movie a 98.

Retro Review: Star Wars: Episode III--Revenge of the Sith

I hate prequels. A part of the magic of a film or novel is the not knowing. You're waiting to see what's going to happen next because you just don't know. When you don't have that, watching the movie becomes a normal thing, like driving to a gas station. That being said, when a prequel is pulled off well I have to give credit where credit is due. There has been a lot of talk over the quality of the Star Wars prequels and what exactly George Lucas was thinking. With Star Wars: Episode III--Revenge of the Sith, I think he got it right.

Space operas can be confusing as there are things happening we might not fully understand. There is a huge political shake-up here that might be hard to keep up with and my suggestion is to not even try. The action is more than enough to keep you entertained. While the first two prequels try and keep the story moving with dialogue and character development, Revenge of the Sith has way more slicing and dicing. Let's face it, we love Star Wars largely because of the lightsaber battles and this film doesn't disappoint. Where the second prequel came up very short with a brief Yoda battle, Revenge of the Sith gives our favorite little green hero multiple action sequences that will leave you with a cheesy grin on your face.

The Star Wars series has never struggled in the area of visuals and Revenge of the Sith is no exception. There's so much attention to detail that it's almost silly, from the hundreds of crazy cool creatures to the impact a lightsaber has with other objects. Two particular scenes that stick out in my head are Obi Wan's race through a cavernous set-piece on a dinosaur with a high pitched yelp and Obi Wan's battle with Anakin Skywalker as lava is exploding all around them. Eye candy galore.

Outside of the action, Revenge of the Sith did something else quite well that failed to resonate in the first two prequels: create an emotional tie. This is a dark movie that definitely earns it's PG-13 merit badge. The sadness is almost palpable as you watch a great force of good being extinguished. Anakin leaves behind a trail of destruction that you can't unsee which left me thinking, "Man, they really went there. Wow."

Two small cons I must address: 1. Hayden Christensen, while much improved from Attack of the Clones, still leaves a lot to be desired as an actor. It's almost like the director did multiple takes of his scenes and decided to go with the ones that sucked the least. 2. Jar Jar. Oh, Mr. Binks, your lack of relevance in everything you have to do with these prequels will never cease to amaze me. I will say, these two blemishes pale in comparison to everything else the movie does well.

It's the story of a troubled kid becoming one of the most iconic bad guys the universe has ever seen. A great swan song to the prequel trilogy, I give this movie a 97.

The Good Dinosaur Movie Review

I'll get the cons out of the way so I can spend the rest of the time talking about what The Good Dinosaur does right. Really there is just one glaring con that I couldn't shake: The Western Theme. The film follows a cowboy-great plains motif which is fine, save it comes with all the stereotypes of that theme. The country accents. The slack-jawed yokel (which, ironically, is played by a velociraptor and they are supposed to be one of the smartest dinosaurs to walk the earth). Farming and rustling livestock. I don't hate westerns. In fact, some of my favorite movies are in fact westerns. I respect that Pixar was trying to do something different with an overused genre like dinosaurs but...westerns and dinosaurs just don't mix. It caused me to lapse in and out of the movie at times and that's never a good thing. If you can get past it, though, what you have left is a pretty good movie.

The movie centers around Arlo and Spot, a young brontosaurus and kid respectively. Their growing relationship over the course of the movie is really what makes the movie shine. As they grow closer and learn things from each other, you are watching a friendship form that is both funny and touching at the same time. Disney has always had a way of taking two different types of cultures and personalities and throwing them together to create a positive explosion. There were a couple of touching moments that I'm glad no one was watching my reaction to.

I would go on to state that this is also one of Pixar's best jobs imagery-wise. Some of the landscape shots make it hard to believe that the film is completely animated even if it is digital. Pixar took their time on this one and they got it right for the most part. All in all, I give The Good Dinosaur a 72.

Peanuts Movie Review

Based on the Sunday comic strip, Peanuts centers around young kid Charlie Brown and his quest to get the new girl in town to like him. The gang is all here. Peppermint Patty. Lucy. Lionus. Schroeder. Pigpen. All of those pale in comparison to Snoopy who steals any scene that he is a part of.

As I mentioned earlier, Snoopy makes this movie. The majority of the times I found myself laughing was during scenes he was in. There's one particular scene towards the end of the movie that had me in hysterics. Besides Snoopy, I also loved the fact the movie came with a heartwarming message. Unfortunately, it came a little too late. By that point, Charlie Brown had been raked through the mud too many times to count finally causing me to scream, "Enough already. Good grief!" It was almost like watching an animated version of The Pursuit of Happyness.

While Snoopy saved a good portion of the movie, it wasn't enough to keep me fully engaged or make the movie memorable. There were a lot of lulls, particularly when Snoopy would do his Red Baron bit. Once is enough of that. Five times? Way too much. My final thought: I give this movie a 54.

Playing the Odds

With the launch of the new Star Wars movie coming up next month, I'm hearing rumblings of people not wanting to go because of fear of a potential mass shooting. It got me thinking of the chances of being shot in a movie theater. These are some facts that I dug up:

1. There are about 42,814 movie theaters in the US and Canada combined.

2. The average number of movie theaters have about fifteen screens.

3. Let's say the average movie screen has about four showings a day. 

Taking all of this into account, you have about a 1 in 2,568,840 chance of being the unfortunate moviegoer to be attacked in a movie theater. In terms of percentages, that's 0.0000003893%. And that's assuming someting like this happens everyday which it definitely does not.

Am I telling you to go to the movies? Absolutely. Life is too short to live in fear. I'll be watching Episode VII on opening night. Will you?

Goosebumps Speed Review

Based on the bestselling series and childhood favorite of the same name, Goosebumps is a story of mayhem and monsters. Zach played by Dylan Minnette and mom Gale (Amy Ryan) have moved to a small town in Delaware for a fresh start. He quickly develops a relationship with the girl next door Hannah (Odeya Rush), but is warned away by her dad who we learn from the trailers is the author of the Goosebumps series himself R.L. Stine (Jack Black). Tucked away in Stine's house is a bookcase filled with original manuscripts he's written, all locked tight. One of the books happens to get open, unleashing a monster, and the mayhem ensues.

Fans of the series like myself will find the film quite enjoyable. Not sure if all the monsters from the series inhabit the movie, but the screen is filled with them. While Jack Black stands out as the main attraction, the rest of the cast doesn't disappoint either. For a kids movie, there were a number of comedic moments that had me cracking up. On the downside, I felt like this was a movie that struggled with its identity. It started with a comedic punch, then combined comedy with action. Towards the end, though, I felt like it tried to take itself a little too seriously. My final recommendation: A great watch for a home-viewing experience. I give it a 79.

Movies In My Top 242: 230-223

Yes, I keep track of all my movies and where I rank them in terms of GIMO (Greatest In My Opinion). This list changes frequently as I build my list of movies I've actually seen. Looking at Ebert's reviews, I've got a long way to go before I can say I've seen all the greats. I like showing off the list because it gives readers an idea of my random taste in movies. It also gives moviegoers a chance to wildly disagree which I welcome as well. Below are 230-223.

230. Knight and Day (2010)--A sleeper in 2010 in my opinion. Cameron Diaz falls head over heels for Tom Cruise who turns out to be a special agent. Action and laughs abound. My Rating: 80.

229: X-Men: First Class (2011)--The first decent origin story coming out of the X-Men camp. It follows a young Charles Xavier and Magneto as they work to build a better life for mutants. This movie also gets an award for having one of the most memorable scenes I can remember. Let's just say I'll never look at a quarter the same way again. My Rating: 80.

228. The Proposal (2009)

227. Above the Rim (1994)--Featured some powerful acting roles from the likes of Tupac, Duane Martin, and Bernie Mac. Give viewers a glimpse of the harsh realities of star athletes that grow up in the toughest of areas. My Rating: 80.

226. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)



225. Abraham Lincoln: Vanpire Hunter (2012)--So you mean to tell me Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves...and he killed vampires? That's all I need to know. My Rating: 80.

224. The Croods (2013)--Wonderful animated movie about an overprotective father trying to keep his family alive in a prehistoric world. My Rating: 80.

223. Iron Man 2 (2010)--Not as good as the first, but definitely a satisfying thrill ride packed with a great deal of action and a star-studded cast of Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the great Mickey Rourke. My Rating: 80.

The Visit (2015) Movie Review

Finally. That word is something I've been wanting to say in terms of M. Night Shyamalan's next great movie. Sure I liked Devil and The Village was somewhat tolerable, but The Happening and Lady In the Water were two ghastly movies I hope I never have to sit through again. Now, in The Visit, we have a movie that puts Shyamalan back on the map as an artist of horror and a master of storytelling.

Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) are going to visit their Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) out in the country--grandparents they've never met before. Becca and Tyler's mom (Kathryn Hahn) had a falling out with her parents over a boy and hasn't spoken to her parents in fifteen years. After her parents track her down online, Becca figures this would be a great time to go and visit them and hopefully patch things up between both sides. What they find is very unexpected and frightening.

The acting was superb all the way around. DeJonge and Oxenbould captured the true essence of siblings going back and forth with comedic jabs that added a few moments of lightheartedness. Dunagan and McRobbie's roles as the strange grandparents are both alarming and terrifying, especially during those moments where they aren't saying anything at all.

I won't ruin the twist of the movie, but I will say that even if you figure it out early like I miraculously did, it doesn't ruin the impact of the movie. In fact, knowing makes it even harder to watch. For me it only took about five minutes for me to be watching the screen with wide eyes waiting to see what crazy thing was going to happen next. The scares didn't disappoint.

Neither does the message. Yet again, Shyamalan has managed to tell a great story that ends with an applicable message that made me reflect on my own life. It's the type of movie that sticks with you long after you've watched it. There were a couple of parts that were a little unbelievable once you think about it, but I'm talking about minor blips here. I give The Visit a 95. Can't wait to watch it with the wife. She's scared to death of horror movies. So am I, but I couldn't deny the call of Shyamalan. Good call on this one.

Nine Great Movies That Aren't Parent-Safe

We've all been there before. You sit down to watch a movie with the folks. Everything is going good until a few minutes or so in and things just take a turn for the worst. For better or worse (and you hope it gets better, but you know better) you're stuck in an uncomfortable, vulgar situation for the next ninety minutes to two hours. Here are nine movies to not watch with the parents.

9. Pulp Fiction (1994)--Nothing says family movie night like seeing a man raped with an apple in his mouth. Outside of this famous scene, the violence throughout is very Tarantino-esque, blood and guts abounding.

8. Dope (2015)--The first twenty minutes of the movie is pretty tame before things go haywire. A nude scene that's way longer than a boob-and-goodbye might make things a little squeamish for you if you're watching this with the people that raised you and taught you morals. The violence isn't bad, but the language is definitely cringe-worthy.



7. The Girl Next Door (2004)--It's about a kid who falls in love with the girl next door...who just so happens to be a porn star. Shall I continue?

6. Varsity Blues (1999)--Watch this with your parents if you want them to question your entire high school experience and their job as parents.

5. Trainwreck (2015)--Amy Shumer takes vulgar to a whole new level in this hilarious comedy. Too many uncomfortable moments to count.

4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)--One of the funniest comedies I've seen. I can't count the number of scenes that I wouldn't watch with my mom.

3. About Last Night (2014)--I've seen both versions and I pray that I'm not caught dead watching them with my mom. A beaucoup of language and sex drive the inappropriateness up the list.

2. Let's Be Cops (2014)--The hardware store scene. Enough said.



1. That's My Boy (2012)--I can't count the number of "Oh My God"s I uttered while sitting through this. If you're a fan of sex and extreme vulgarity, you will love this movie!

Movie Review: No Escape (2015)

If you're pressed for time, I'll cut to the chase: For everything that No Escape does well, it manages to do five things wrong. After watching the trailer, I never really understood what genre this film was supposed to fall in whether action or drama. After watching the movie, I'm still not quite sure. The film manages to stumble between both like a drunk bar customer after last call. Neither is done exceptionally well. I found the action sequences to have quite a bit of unnecessary slow-mo that proved to be more annoying than cool. There are some intense moments where you might be gripping your seat like I was as the actors stumble forward in pure silence, but it never seems to deviate from what I found it to be: A film that knows it has an R-rating, but can't seem to fully embrace it. There is blood and violence, yes, but quick cutaways never expose the full carnage. I think this takes away some power from the magnitude of the situation the cast find themselves in.

I've never seen Owen Wilson in such a role where he's having to be 95% serious. I blame him for not making me a believer. I couldn't manage to connect with him on any level, neither as a father or out-of-towner that finds himself in such a crazy situation where his life is in danger. When I can't connect, I found myself shutting down from a film that could otherwise be quality. Before you tell me I didn't give the man a chance, I have had nothing but great things to say about Amy Shumer's role in Trainwreck. It was unfortunate that Wilson couldn't duplicate Shumer's efforts. 

The acting as a whole stifled the more drama-filled moments. On second thought, maybe it was a combination of the acting and a few cases of wrong-place-wrong-time. This movie follows the story of a family of four that moves to China so the father can start a new career. Unfortunately for them, they are caught in the middle of a riot where they become a prime target. I wanted to feel sorry for them. I really did. However, the acting kept me somewhat at bay. The kids were overly annoying and Wilson's wife Annie (Lake Bell) was never someone I could bring myself to care about.

Two final things that turned me off: 1. The antagonist. Just sadistic without really a justifiable motive. If your aim is to kill Americans to protect your family, why do you feel the urge to rape or perform over-the-top killings? Just saying...2. I'm not a fan of movies where the protagonists are pretty helpless from start to finish. I know the movie is called No Escape but seriously? This is probably why I have such a hard time watching horror films. A main character doesn't have to start out empowered, but I would hope that, by the end of the movie, he's gained a leg-up in power, survival, etc.

No Escape is probably not worth your time in theaters. I give it a 32.

Retro Review: Despicable Me

What happened to the good old days when animated movies used to be mindless forms of entertainment? Maybe it's not the movies. Maybe it's me. As I've gotten older, I'm noticing these beautifully-rendered movies are coming equipped with some great messages, messages that pack a powerful punch. Despicable Me is no exception to that rule as it enforces the power of love and makes us question the importance of what we truly value in our lives.

I know, we're talking about a kids movie here, not an Oscar-nominee. Kids movies are supposed to be filled with highly-imaginative characters and insane fun. This movie not only harbors both, but doesn't ruin the aforementioned message in the process. After a short, fun scene in Egypt, you're quickly introduced to Gru, powerful supervillain bent on performing the greatest heist of all time. It doesn't take long to realize how big of a bad guy he really is. He's a jerk, but he's a fun kind of jerk a la the first Iron Man. He's aided in his conquests by the old and clever Dr. Nefario, but primarily by his little minions. There's so much going on with the minions even when there's only a handful on screen at a time. I've watched this movie multiple times now and still manage to find new things happening in the background that freshly entertain me. Despite their hilarious heroics, little Agnes steals the show. 

Agnes is one of three sisters who live in what appears to be an orphanage. Not giving away too much, Gru decides to adopt them in his efforts to complete his grand heist. Seeing the interactions between a hermit and three vibrants kids had me cracking up and anxious to see what kind of craziness would ensue next. Agnes is the type of you kid you always want around because they're so cute, but you have to watch with three eyes because they're so unpredictable. 

It's the story of two worlds when it comes to animated movies. Because you have artists capturing the perfect shots at the perfect time, it should be easy to do an animated movie well. Unfortunately, there are some cases where these movies focus too much on trying to get a little kid to laugh and not so much on quality which would actually appease an entire audience, old and young. Despicable Me never falls victim to that mistake. In fact, it goes in quite the opposite direction doing almost everything right. It's the kind of movie I'll be watching for years to come still loving it like it was the first time. I give it a 98.

Check Out What Sony is Doing

Sony seems to have had a tough go of it recently with their struggling cash cow Spider-Man not performing as well as they had hoped. However, after the release of their upcoming movie schedule, it appears they are trying to make a comeback. Check out the article here: Sony Release Dates. At first glance, it looks to be an interesting mix of sequels and new titles. Being the big kid that I am, I'm most excited for The Lamb, an animated tale which releases in 2017. It follows the story of a lamb "who will change the world". I can dig it.

The Gift Movie Review

You ever start looking at a clip on Youtube and you get a weird feeling in your stomach about thirty seconds in? You know something unsettling is about to happen, but you can't make yourself look away. The Gift would be that unsettling clip of the day.

The story follows married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) who are moving from Chicago to an area of SoCal that's close to Simon's old stomping grounds. The happy couple is starting a new chapter in their lives as Simon is beginning a big career move. Their new chapter includes leaving behind an old one filled with some skeletons you come to find out about later. On a routine shopping trip, they run into Gordon "Gordo" Moseley (Joel Edgerton), an old friend of Simon's. What starts as a chance encounter turns into something much worse, something darker...

From the first time you meet Gordo, you know something isn't quite right, even if you haven't viewed the trailer. He has a strange look in his eyes that gives you chills. Edgerton did a great job of capturing a true weirdo without going over the top. Think of that creepy person in the bar who, every time you glance their way, is looking right back at you. Bateman and Hall were not to be outdone as their acting is just as captivating. I've never seen Bateman in such a role, but was impressed at his range. Hall's character beautifully portrays a woman caught in the middle of something she doesn't quite understand. Together, they are the perfect storm.

For those of you looking for suspense, this film will keep you engaged throughout. Not only that, but I have a great respect for a movie that keeps you thinking long after it's over. How would things have turned out differently if this character had just done that? Who's really to blame? What really happened? This movie will keep you guessing to the end and, just when you think you can't be twisted around anymore, a little cherry is added to finish you off.

The Gift was a pleasant surprise to top off the summer. I give it a well-deserved 94.

Deadpool Trailer

Wasn't sure how to feel about this movie, but, after seeing the trailer, I gotta say I'm pretty darn excited! What do you think?

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Review

A huge airplane is about to take off carrying chemical weapons. IMF Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) jumps onto one of the wings then sprints for the side door that is supposed to be open, only to have to settle for hanging on to the side of the plane as it launches into the air. Fast forward to a few minutes later. Hunt is captured by an evil group known as The Syndicate. One of the baddies is about to interrogate him using all sorts of hardcore tools, but Hunt makes a harrowing escape with the help of mysterious woman Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Both of these scenes were shown in the trailers for Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.

And both of these scenes happened within the first fifteen minutes of the movie.

A film already earns crazy points with me when all the good stuff isn't given away in the trailer. Even those two aforementioned scenes had a couple of other neat, small-touches parts that you don't get to see until actually viewing the movie as a whole. And, if you think the thrill ride stops there, think again.

As in the previous M:I movies, the cast did an excellent job, save for one glaring bump that I will touch on in a minute. Cruise is at his best when he's running, jumping, and doing the usual stunts required for these movies. Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames shined in their reprising roles as well, aiding Cruise as the story progressed while providing some hilarious moments throughout. And about that glaring bump: I am by no means saying that Sean Harris did a poor job as main bad guy Solomon Lane. However, the voice thing just wasn't working for me. It was too Voldemorty for my taste. I kept waiting for him to scream, "Get back here, Potter!" Fortunately he didn't have a great deal of lines so it didn't kill the experience for me.

Unless you're a die-hard Tom Cruise fan, you're going to see this movie for the sake of the action and you're going to get a lot of it. Although not quite as hardcore, this movie is very reminiscent of Mad Max: Fury Road in the sense that it doesn't really give you a chance to sit still for that long. If they're not pulling off some intense scheme, they're plotting one. I don't know about you, but hearing them discuss the craziness of the plan is almost as intense as watching them attempt to pull it off. The action sequences had a good deal of originality while paying homages to some of the older movies. They don't disappoint.

The movie essentially follows Hunt as he and IMF try to expose and eradicate The Syndicate, a group of rogues that have been taking on the identities of dead agents (good agents, that is) from all over the world. The pacing is smooth and kept me engaged throughout the entire movie. Among other things, I appreciate the fact that the movie didn't try and force a love portion into the mix for the sake of doing it. The film identified perfectly with what it was and stuck to it consistently.

I give Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation an 88. That would make it the fourth best M:I movie, in my opinion, behind 3, 1, then 4. That's not so much a testament to the quality of this movie as it is to the outstanding greatness of the other ones. M:I is one of the best action series of all time, hands down.

Better Than Average...Hopefully

If you know me, right now, you're probably saying: "Oh great, another blog". I know, I know. There's methods behind my madness believe me. While I don't or never will profess to be Roger Ebert, I've learned a great deal from his many insightful reviews. As I seek to carve out my own niche in the review space, there are a couple of things I plan to do differently: 1. Don't give away the movie. You'll never have to worry about missing my "Spoilers Ahead" warning because there won't ever be one. I want you to enjoy the movie and be as surprised as I was during it. That being said, if there should be something you need to keep an eye out for, say an extra scene after the credits like Marvel is constantly doing, I would expect you would want to know about that; 2. Shorter reviews. After all what do you want to know? You're basically trying to find out if the movie was good or not and why. I'll do my best to keep it as brief as possible. 

One final warning: certain reviewers aren't for everyone. I can appreciate all different kinds of movies, but I know everyone has different tastes. My Top Ten should let you know whether or not we're compatible:

10. Shrek
9. Spider-Man 2
8. Iron Man
7. Boyhood
6. The Incredibles
5. Juice
4. Stranger Than Fiction
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2. The Lion King
1. Minority Report

If you're vibing with at least three of those movies, we just might be compatible. I rate movies on a scale of 0-100. Here's the breakdown:

0-9: If you watch this movie, you are literally wasting precious moments of your life.
10-19: AA as in Absolutely Abysmal. Keep away from this movie.
20-29: Not many redeeming qualities, but I didn't walk away with nothing.
30-39: Bad...but I've seen worse.
40-49: Forgettable. If I never saw this movie again, totally ok with it.
50-59: Average. You might like. Probably not, though.
60-69: A slightly above average movie that took a wrong turn somewhere. If things had been done slightly different, this had all the makings of something great.
70-79: This is what I call a "Folding Clothes Movie". A guilty pleasure. It wasn't the greatest movie by far, but you're glad it's around. Personal Example: You Don't Mess With the Zohan.
80-89: Pretty darn good. I walked away with an enjoyable experience and was thoroughly entertained throughout.
90-99: What I consider to be on the all-time great level. We're talking movies that you just want to watch over and over again and probably get something different out of it each time. A classic that hits you on multiple levels. 

Perfect 100's get what I call the Minority Status award in honor of my favorite movie and because getting a 100 is darn hard. I'll be reviewing new as well as classic movies. Hope you enjoy!

P.S.--If you're on the fence about a movie you're wondering if you want to spend a part of your life on, let me know, I'll see it, and review it!