Life (2017) Movie Review

While there are some movies out there that fail because they move at a snail's pace, Life suffers from being on the other side of the spectrum. The progression of the new species from Mars, the centerpiece of the film, feels far too rapid and extremely unbelievable. As it grows from a microscopic organism to something much bigger, its thinking power far exceeds feasibility. What results is a film compounded with too many headscratching moments for it to be enjoyable.

On the plus side, if you're going to see this film for thrills, Life definitely offers up some legitimate scares. The "creature" from Mars (no spoiling) is terrifying because of its abnormal look and its lightning quick speed. As you come to find out, the thing could literally be hiding anywhere and that's frightening in and of itself. In that respect, director Daniel Espinosa deserves proper credit.

For those of you that don't know Life is the story of a six-man space crew that has embarked on a mission to retrieve evidence of life on Mars. What they run into is far worse than what they ever could have hoped for. That last cliche of a sentence is an ode to the noticeable amount of horror cliches you will find in the film.

Life starts with a bang that captures your interest, then manages to fizzle out as time goes on. It feels like you're watching a bad magician that's really good at setting up his tricks. Once you see the trick, you're not amused. I've seen worse in the horror genre, but I have also seen much better. I give it a 67.

Kong: Skull Island (2017) Movie Review

Monster movie. That's what you have to remind yourself before you sit down in your chair at the movie theater (and, yes, go see this in theaters). Don't expect a lot of depth, but still expect to have a really good time.

The plot is somewhat rehashed from the original. A group of explorers come upon a mythical island where they suspect it could be a major discovery. What they find ends up being way more than what they bargained for. 

The answer is Kong. They find Kong.

The characters are about as hollow as a cardbox box. The cast is actually pretty stellar on paper, but none of them really do enough to make one stand out over the other. Their sole purpose is to run, scream, and basically get out of Kong's way while he does his thing. Screenwriters Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, and Derek Connolly tried to add some depth to Samuel L. Jackson's character by making him the eventual antagonist, but Jackson's motivations made the story seem even more farfetched. Makes me wonder why it took three guys to write this.

All that being said, let me reiterate that you're insane if you go to a monster movie for the characters or the story. No, you go for the action and Kong: Skull Island absolutely delivers here. The explorers and military team that get stranded are faced with danger left and right which makes for some pretty cool scenes. And let's not forget about Kong, the star of the show. He walks around with undeniable swagger, destroying anyone or anything that opposes him. The just ruler runs a tight ship and doesn't take kindly to being screwed with. It's just plain fun watching him battle gargantuan monsters and take on multiple bad guys at once.

The visual effects were done extremely well. The 2006 King Kong did an amazing job of capturing the emotion in Kong's face and Skull Island definitely replicated that success. In addition to the titanic ape, the film boasts an abundance of creative creatures, including a spider that looks like it's walking on tree-high stilts.

Kong: Skull Island succeeds in giving you strong action scenes that you'll remember for a long time. I give it an 86.

Moonlight (2016) Movie Review

Moonlight is the story of Chiron and his harsh life in Miami where he's trying to find both himself and a way to survive. The film follows Chiron through three phases of his life, all of which are pivotal in shaping the man that he becomes. I've heard from others that Manchester By the Sea has a very depressing feel to it. Well, Moonlight is no stranger to the darker side either. It suffocates you with sadness. You want it to stop but at the same time you know it's necessary.

I question some of the stylistic choices at times, my only gripe in addition to the fact that there are no cheer-worthy high points to look forward to. The film jumps around a bit, which would be fine if I didn't have to already contemplate the things I just saw. At times it felt like I had just eaten a healthy plate of food then went for a run directly after. 

For its flaws, however, Moonlight is highly original. It does more than offer a fresh perspective on a story that's already been done. Rather it takes you inside a story you've never heard of or seen before. How does one survive in Chiron's living conditions? Furthermore, how does one survive in Chiron's living conditions AND struggle with sexuality at the same time? These are just one of many questions this film challenges you to try and answer.

The film excels in a number of things, evoking emotion being one of the leaders. You would be hard pressed for your heart not to break as you watch Chiron grow in all three phases of his life. You want this kid to get a win so bad, but life continues to hand him a raw deal. I loved the consistency that all three characters used to bring this character to life. As he gradually developed into a man, he was still the same lost kid at his core. Awkward. Shy. Man of little words. One can't help but wonder how differently his life would have been had he grown up in the same environment the characters from La La Land did.

The real world isn't a fairytale and Moonlight does an excellent job of capturing this truth. It's a film that will stick with you long after you have watched it. I give it an 84.

Logan (2017) Movie Review

For those of you that value my opinion on movies, even remotely, just know this: I literally just spent the past ten minutes trying to find something wrong with Logan. For the life of me, I couldn't do it. If you're reading this and you're in a hurry, I'll save you some time: Logan is one of the best films you will see all year.

It's a film that sucks you in with how real it actually feels. Sure, it takes place twelve years from now and it's about mutants, yet it still manages to capture a visceral realism that's unforgiving. Mutants, kids at that, fighting for their survival and having to take lives to keep their own. Innocent casualties. A corporation willing to risk everything to fatten its own pocket. All conceivable scenarios that gives Logan a roughness around its edges.

The year is 2029 and there hasn't been a new mutant born since 2004. Logan (Hugh Jackman) has become a limousine driver and his age is finally starting to show. His attempts to remain low-key are ruined when a woman abruptly appears in his life asking him to transport a young girl to safety.

The film was carried, in part, by phenomenal acting performances. Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Professor Charles Xavier. He's become a bit senile in his old age. Logan has to force feed him pills to keep him from having seizures that wreak havoc on the world around him. There's a lot to be said about some of the powerful scenes he finds himself in. There's even more to be said about Dafne Keen's performance as Laura (X-23). Silence is golden for her so she relies a lot on her body language and stoic facial expressions to get her point across. As a fan of the X-23 comics, I think she did an awesome job of embracing that role. Lastly, you get to see Hugh Jackman as a Wolverine that you've never really seen before, but you always knew was there. You can tell he had a lot of fun with this role as he got to utilize a lot of range. He can make you laugh then break your heart, all within a few moments.

The action will make your eyes grow big. A lot. Let's just say it's the Wolverine movie everyone has been waiting to see, or at least the one I've been waiting to see. I won't ruin even the slightest bit, but lets just say the trailers don't even come close to the bloody flick this film turns out to be. Expect to say "Ohhhhhh!" a lot.

Yes, they got it right this time around. I love that Logan never deviates from character. He doesn't change being who he is just because a kid is in the picture. On the surface, he's a jerk that has to look out for number one first. Underneath is a man who has a larger heart than he realizes, yet refuses to show it.

There's so much more I can say about this film. There's the slightly brilliant move by director James Mangold to not include a post-credits scene (about thirty seconds into the film, you will understand why and be totally happy about it). Then you have the excellent pacing among many other things. Logan is the overall package. I give it a 97.