The Hateful Eight

The Bounty Hunter. The Hangman. The Prisoner. The Sheriff. The Mexican. The Little Man. The Cowpuncher. The Confederate.

All in glorious 70mm.

It takes an excellent storyteller, writer, and director to craft an entertaining 3 hour movie that predominantly takes place in two locations - a one-room haberdashery and the blizzard outside of it.

This movie also introduced me to the word "haberdashery", which definitely scores it some points.

For his 8th film, Quentin Tarantino goes big. This was the first movie I've ever seen with an intermission. It was well executed - the perfectly placed 11 minute break gave me time to stretch my legs, visit the pee pee palace, ponder the thrilling events of the past, and speculate on the infinite possibilities for the future of the movie.

The Hateful Eight feels like an epic - 5 sprawling, yet increasingly intriguing chapters filled with brilliant Tarantino dialogue that can only flow from the mouths of a stellar cast - Kurt Russell's mustache is at it's peak and Sam L. Jackson is, well, a western Sam L. Jackson. No complaint there. 

It's nice to see Tim Roth and Michael Madsen work together again - something we haven't had the pleasure of seeing since Reservoir Dogs. Walton Goggins stole the show and conveyed an impressive character arc - and I'd never even heard his name before.

Jennifer Jason Leigh, who hasn't been in anything huge lately, was perfectly cast. She's creepy, hilarious, and very easy to hate. I would love to see a best supporting actress nom for her performance.

Ennio Morricone, who also composed the score for The Thing, composes another beautiful score for The Thing's western, more human counterpart. The two movies would make for a great double feature.

The death toll is high, the violence is plentiful, some parts are tough to stomach, and it's a movie you'd never want to watch with your mother - everything you need for a great Tarantino flick. It's not as good as Inglorious Basterds or even Django - but it's not losing by much. 

This is an awesome mystery movie about human nature, racism, and manipulation - filled with dramatic tension throughout. I left the theater more than satisfied and once more blown away by Tarantino's ability to write and tell a story. 

If you have the chance to catch one of the 70mm Roadshow showings, take it! The colors are lush, the use of light is noticeable, and Tarantino fills the wider aspect ratio with purpose. With the Roadshow experience, you get an overture, an intermission, and an awesome little collectible booklet filled with great pictures and fun facts about the movie. This was no doubt my second favorite theater experience of the year (behind Star Wars of course).

"Spend the holidays with someone you hate."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (NO SPOILERS)

"Have you felt it?"

Star Wars is back in every way.

Regardless of your feelings on the infamous prequel trilogy, it's a fact that it divided the Star Wars fanbase. The Force Awakens is just what the saga needed - unifying Star Wars fans once more.

This was the best movie experience I have ever had. After waiting 12 hours in line, the atmosphere of the opening night was filled with wondrous anticipation. There were costumes and lightsabers, people laughing and strangers mingling. A guy in our theater flew around a remote controlled Millennium Falcon to the crowd's delight. Kids playfully dueled in the open space in front of the mammoth IMAX screen. 

It was the best audience - there were times the cheering drowned out the surround sound - but at the most important moments, you could hear a pin drop.

The Force Awakens has all the charm of a Star Wars movie. The characters it introduces are extremely lovable and the characters it brings back somehow become more lovable.

It's hilarious, action packed, and sincere - you can see the passion that was poured into each performance, the set design, and all of the film's effects - both practical and computer-generated.

Some of the moments do feel strongly reminiscent of earlier movies, and the film does hit some of the beats from A New Hope, but it is different in more ways than similar. I've heard TFA described as "an awesome mixtape of the original trilogy". Isn't that what Star Wars is about? Telling an old story in a new, fresh, exciting way?

Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis - these talented people bring their roles to life in a way that their characters seamlessly become iconic.

In short, this is movie magic at its finest - an enthralling, thrilling, passionate ride that was blended perfectly - reminding old fans of what makes the saga so special and roping in a whole new generation of fans (who now have 6 other movies to explore while we wait for VIII).

Of course it's not a perfect movie, but I couldn't have asked for a better one.

The force has awakened, working in new, fascinating, and mysterious ways. 

John Williams is back. 

BB-8 is adorable, Kylo Ren is terrifying, and Luke Skywalker is - well, you'll have to see for yourself.

Thank you to everyone who cared about making this movie. It shows.

In the words of Patton Oswalt, "JJ did it".

Now, the waiting game begins again - only 521 days to go until Episode VIII.

At least we'll have Rogue One to tide us over.

May the force be with us.

Krampus

The opening scene to Krampus is a glorious slow motion montage of Black Friday shoppers in a frenzied rage. Suffice it to say, I was thoroughly entertained throughout this movie.

Krampus is funny - Adam Scott and David Koechner bring many cringy and dark-humored laughs along with the rest of the cast (including an irritated mom, a drunk aunt, and some quirky child actors). Sometimes I couldn't tell whether to laugh or be terrified.

I did wish it got to the action a little quicker - but Krampus's first appearance was well worth the wait.

The effects were great fun and fit the movie like a glove. From the terrifying practical effects of Krampus himself and a few of his helpers to the mischievous CGI gingerbread men, there was always something fun/scary to look at.

I've heard Krampus described as a "purposeful B-movie", and I think this is pretty accurate. It's absolutely crazy in every regard, but it pulls it off for the most part.

The ending is fun to talk about. But no spoilers here.

Sadly, when I left the theater, I didn't feel any more Christmas-spirited than when I walked in (the opposite of how I felt after seeing "The Night Before").

It's a fun, fun movie, and you should definitely take some friends to see it if you're into goofy horror - but I probably won't see this one next year when Christmas rolls around again.

The Good Dinosaur

This movie is dividing me big time - but at the same time it's not at all. Well - hmm.

Let's start with how it looks - no contest, it's Pixar's best looking movie. The animation is absolutely stunning. I could've watched the water for 2 hours. Some of the stuff looks like a photograph.

Here's where it gets tricky. The story is beautifully simple and emotional at the same time. I cried just as much as I did watching Inside Out - and if a movie makes water come out of my eyeballs, it's a movie I would recommend to anyone.

It will hit you like a brick in typical Pixar fashion - poignant, no-fluff, deliberate. It's an INCREDIBLE story of family, learning to live with fear, and making your mark on the world. It's message is one that will stick with me.

The problem is, it's a very familiar story - in the vein of Lion King, Land Before Time, Ice Age, and even Finding Nemo.

I've always been amazed at Pixar's ability to make original stories out of things you would never expect (toys, fish, emotions). The story is technically original - but it's so similar to other things that at times it feels criminal.

After thinking about it for a long time, especially during the writing of this review, I think I've reached my verdict on these similarities - I don't care.

Have I sold out? Am I looking the other way in the face of some serious unoriginality? Maybe. But I love the characters and I loved the story - even if it is familiar.

And it's not a blatant ripoff - everything has its unique twist. The father/son relationship that screams "Lion King" does have its own moments that Simba and Mufasa never had. The movie is more about family than it is about strictly father and son.

It's funny, sad, and heartfelt - but at the same time feels like a new friend trying to replace your old friend. 

Maybe I do care. Hmm.

On the flip side, isn't this supposed to be a kids movie? The kid in me LOVED this movie. It's the aspiring critic in me that's more divided. I'm just a little disappointed that a Pixar movie is giving me these problems.

Here's the bottom line - go see this movie and make your own opinion about it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wish I didn't feel guilty for doing so. At the least, it's a very good movie. I wish I could call it a great movie. If it came out before Lion King, maybe I could.

I guess it all ties back to my first sentence. See what I mean?

The Night Before

I did not care to go see this movie. I just wasn't in the mood for what I thought this movie was going to be - a bland drug comedy with some Christmas sprinkled in. 

The Night Before is like the tiny iPod sitting under the Christmas tree wrapped up in a huge box - an unexpected and awesome surprise.

What I'm getting at is that this movie was actually heartfelt. There were moments where I felt genuine sadness and genuine happiness. At its core, this isn't a stoner comedy that sprinkles in a crappy plot and a few "Christmas values". It's a hilarious movie with well developed characters and a strong plot that embodies the meaning and spirit of Christmas - and sprinkles in some drugs for comedic effect.

Even though JGL seems slightly type-casted, his love interest is definitely a "B-List Zooey Deschanel", and his whole sub-plot screams comparisons to 500 Days of Summer, its not a blatant rip-off - just sweetly familiar.

If you're in this for the comedy, you'll definitely won't be disappointed - I was frequently laughing out loud and I will 100% be quoting this movie for the remainder of the holiday season.

There are 3 great celebrity cameos - and the reason I didn't post a trailer is because all the trailers I've seen ruin the best one. 

I'm seriously impressed that this movie manages to be so many things at once:

It's a hilarious comedy.

It's a Christmas movie.

It's very vulgar.

It's a great movie.

The essence of The Night Before is friendship. True friends are like family, and this movie is a testament to the power of having friends who have your back - and an instrumental part of the Christmas season is to be thankful for friends like these. When the credits rolled, I was thankful for my friends and more than excited to kick off the Christmas season. Don't miss this movie - it could be a classic one day. I know I'll be watching it next year too.

NETFLIX PICK OF THE WEEK: Hot Rod

"Smack destiny in the face."

Since I totally forgot about last week's pick of the week, I thought I'd make it up to you by reviewing one of my all time favorite movies - Hot Rod. I'm actually seriously surprised it hasn't made its way onto the blog before now.

Hot Rod, believe it or not, was one of the 3 movies that really got me interested in movies - alongside the Dark Knight and the Shawshank Redemption. Hot Rod definitely stands out among the three.

In middle school, before Netflix was the booming industry it is today and long before it offered Hot Rod on instant play, my friend Wesley Sweet showed me this masterpiece. It was the funniest hour and 28 minutes of my entire life. I laughed so hard, I had a small asthma attack. I couldn't wait to watch it again.

I've actually lost count of how many times I've seen this movie, but I estimate around 20 times. I quote it on a regular basis. I have it on my phone for when I need a quick pick-me-up. I used to own a shirt from the movie until it got a massive hole in the armpit.

The premise, if you are not aware, is as follows: a crappy stuntman named Rod Kimble and his loser friends (including his step-brother) must do a crazy stunt to raise enough money to pay for Rod's step-dad's heart surgery so Rod can beat him in a fair fight. I feel like that premise alone could suffice for this entire review. Lucky for you, I love talking about this movie.

Why do I love a movie so much that critics seem to hate? Is it charming setting of a small town with a 90's feel? Is is the eccentricity of the characters, who wear Heelies, throw ninja stars, and trip acid? Is it the ever memorable and catchy soundtrack? Is it the unbelievable quotability? Is my judgement clouded with nostalgia?

I don't even care if you hate this movie. I could watch it another 20 times. It's too legit to quit. Case closed.

The Peanuts Movie

I've always been a fan of the Peanuts comic strip - do Peanuts fans call themselves the Peanut Gallery? - If so, count me in.

In my early years of reading, I used to devour the Sunday "funnies" as my grandma calls them. She used to send them to me in big yellow envelopes, and Peanuts was always one of my favorite strips.

When I was young, I laughed at it for Charlie's blockheaded-ness and Snoopy's antics. As I get older, I look at Peanuts with a different perspective - I relate to Charlie's blockheaded-ness and the melancholy of growing up. 

Peanuts shines as a wonderful juxtaposition of life's ups and downs - for every time Lucy tricks Charlie into making a fool of himself, Linus is there to pick him back up. For every time his kite gets stuck in a tree, Snoopy is there to be a friend. As much of a klutz Charlie can be, he's a good man - and his friends have his back.

When I went to see Peanuts, I was ready to soak in a feel good movie and ride the nostalgia train as far as I could - and I had a blast.

The movie looks beautiful - a one of a kind 3-D animation style is a huge success in keeping the tone and overall aesthetic of the 2-D classics we know and love. 

This is such a character driven movie, and it's great fun to watch the Peanuts come to life in a new and exciting format; you couldn't ask for better voice actors.

After seeing a trailer for the movie earlier in the year that showcased some pop music, I was terrified Peanuts was going to try to hard to cater to younger audiences; thankfully, this isn't the case. The score is a fantastic fit, and there weren't any pop songs save for a dance song that actually ties into the plot.

The plot itself is refreshingly simple - with a runtime just over an hour and a half, it succeeds in doing what Schultz was a master of - putting Charlie down, then picking him back up again. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't rely on the classic Peanuts "cliches", but used them to enhance its own story. Intertwined with the adventures of "The Flying Ace", a "Little Red-Haired Girl" moves in across the street from Chuck - who instantly starts crushing on her. Charlie is excited for a chance to have a clean slate with someone and thinks maybe she could see past his blockheaded-ness. Charlie's quest is tough, and there were several parts that were hard to watch (in a good, Peanuts way), but the reward is so great and I had a smile on my face the whole time. 

Charlie's selflessness, compassion, and bravery are all heartwarming and inspiring. Linus's wisdom is consoling. Schroeder's piano skills are entrancing. 

This movie was everything I was looking for, and something all ages can enjoy and take different things away from. Long time fans will love it, and it could make fans of a new generation as well.

3D? Not necessary. If you have the extra $ to blow, might as well. It looked nice.

NETFLIX PICK OF THE WEEK: Room 237

This should be fun - every week, I'm going to recommend a movie available for play on Netflix instant. Hopefully this can eliminate a chunk of the 30 minutes you spend scrolling through titles. And hopefully you can appreciate my taste. Let's do this.

Firstly, Room 237 is a movie about a movie - Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. If you haven't seen it, this movie will be extremely less enjoyable. So go watch that first.

Unfortunately, I can count the horror movies I've seen on one hand - but among them, the Shining takes the cake. It's an unnerving, unsettling masterpiece and it is one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. After my first viewing, I knew I had only glazed the surface of the film's meanings. Through the next few viewings, I gained a better grasp of the motifs, but accepted the fact that I could never completely understand what was going on in Kubrick's mind - something that Room 237 attempts to do.

This "documentary" analyzes the film through the accounts and conspiracy theories of nine people - who claim the movie is everything from an account of Native American genocide to a confession that Stanley Kubrick helped fake the moon landing. The movie is nothing more than these people's voices - you never see their faces, and there isn't any commentary apart from what they say. These accounts, overlaid with imagery from the Shining and from other sources, make up the entirety of the movie - making the most unique "documentary" format I've ever seen. 

The movie lets the viewer decide what they want to believe, never trying to prove any of the crazy things the interviewees describe. As a whole, I thought this movie was less about The Shining than it was about these interviewees - and the lengths people will go to find meaning in intricacy.

Thought provoking, funny, and even creepy at times (the last commentary really disturbed me), Room 237 (along with its wonderful score) put me in a trance of reflection and amusement. If you like the Shining, fan theories, listening to crazy people, or documentaries in general, give Room 237 a watch. 

Room 237 is available for streaming on Netflix.

Southpaw

I didn't include a trailer because every one I looked at gave away a huge twist I did not see coming. Screw trailers these days.

Anyway, here's what you need to know about me before I give my brief review:

- I'm not a huge fan of boxing movies.

- I love me some Jake Gyllenhaal.

- I'm left handed, so if I could be a Southpaw.

- I'm not a boxer.

With Southpaw, I got pretty much what I expected - an average boxing movie.

Right after the big twist, I saw the rest of the movie flash before my eyes, and that's pretty much how it played out. Gyllenhaal definitely carried the movie for me, and I did think the beginning and ending were both really satisfying. The middle kinda dragged on.

It also didn't really feel cohesive: I couldn't tell if I was supposed to be inspired, or bloodthirsty, or just kinda bummed out. I guess in the end I was a weird combo of all three.

The boxing choreography was well done.

Hope's daughter was a great little actress.

There were a lot of weird zooms I wasn't really a fan of.

In the end, this was just kinda "eh" for me. Which bums me out because I want Gyllenhaal to win an Oscar. I haven't lost hope yet - we still have Everest and Demolition. 

5/10

Ant-Man

Poster courtesy of harrymovieart.com

Ant-Man is a fun movie. 

I had no idea what to expect, especially for all the time the movie spent in development hell; but Ant-Man succeeded in being everything I look for in a Marvel movie: (SPOILERS AHEAD)

1. ACTION 

Ant-Man fighting is so awesome to watch. I was always obsessed with the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" movies as a little kid, and having tiny action scenes in huge everyday environments is so much fun. I was really impressed by how crisp everything looked.

2. A GOOD AMOUNT OF HUMOR 

Some Marvel movies fail to find the balance of humor, or mistake their identity for a comedy, (cough A:AoU cough) but all of Ant-Man's humor fit the tone and hit the nail right on the head. You could even call Ant-Man a comedy if you wanted to, but it worked because it was genuinely funny and had me laughing out loud. Paul Rudd is absolutely perfect for the smart-ass known as Scott Lang and it's gonna be interesting to see him as a part of the Avengers. You could definitely see traces of Edgar Wright's writing, and I can't help but believe the finished product would've been better with him at the helm, but the end result was hilarious nonetheless. Michael Peña stole the show as Lang's enigmatically goofy/sophisticated best friend. I hope we haven't seen the last of him either.

3. MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE-NESS

I love seeing connections to other Marvel movies. Plenty of awesome lines are dropped (Why don't we just call the Avengers?) and Ant-Man even fights an Avenger. At the end of the movie, a line even nods toward Spider-Man. How exciting.

4. MEANING

This isn't just a disaster porn movie or even a superhero porn movie. Even though she may seem like a plot device at times, Lang's daughter Cassie is adorable and you can't help but root for him on his quest to prove to her that he's a good guy. "Be the hero she already thinks you are".

Since this movie hit all of my Marvel checkpoints on the head, I instantly loved it. Here's some other great stuff it has going for it:

- I liked how the stakes of this movie seemed simultaneously big and small. The fate of the world wasn't really at stake, but it didn't need to be - the main goal was to save Lang's own image of himself in his daughter's eyes. That was enough.

- The ending was really cool in that it would've been so easy for the writers to make the step-dad a bad guy and have Lang completely replace him in the end, but I liked the route they went - the movie ends with Lang eating with his daughter, his ex-wife, and her new husband in harmony. It was refreshing.

- This movie made me seriously sad when an ant died. That alone is an accomplishment.

Here's some stuff I didn't love about it:

- The chemistry between Dr. Pym and his daughter wasn't quite right. I still can't put my finger on it but something was off. Kinda awkward maybe.

- It suffers from the typical Marvel syndrome of having a villain with the same powers as the hero and weak, uninteresting motives. 

Overall, this was such a fun flick and I'd definitely see it again. Can't wait to see what's in store for Scott Lang.

AFTER CREDITS SCENE? 

Yup. 2. Stay planted in your seat 'till the lights come on.

8/10

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Click here to view the full size poster

Before you see this movie, you should read the book. It's the funniest book I've ever read, and I was so stoked to see it on the big screen. I picked up the book after seeing it advertised as the antithesis to "The Fault In Our Stars". After reading the book, I can confirm this as an accurate description. Both books deal with a girl with cancer, but "Me and Earl" pulls no punches in its realism, often making fun of the sappiness of "The Fault in Our Stars". The main character, Greg, is an awkward, often narcissistic teenager with a love for movies. His mom makes him hang out with an old acquaintance, Rachel, who has fallen ill with leukemia. It's not a love story in the slightest, but it's charming because of this.

Both the book and movie have incredibly authentic characters. They're each unique, well developed, and never become genre tropes. They really bring the story to life. Even Greg and Earl's teacher, Mr. McCarthy, who could have easily been the typical high school movie mentor, is a guy with tattoos on the back of his neck that frequently exclaims, "Respect the research".

The screenplay for the movie was written by Jesse Andrews, the author of the book. You can tell - the tone of the movie does a great job of matching that of the book, and visuals give the book's humor a whole new dimension. The movie is hilarious, with Greg's humor often manifesting in quirky daydream sequences (sometimes in stop-motion).

This is a movie about friendship - and what happens when a teenager opposed to making friends is forced to be a friend. Though the movie sugarcoats Rachel and Greg's relationship slightly more than the book does (Movie Greg's life is more changed/learns more from Rachel than Book Greg), there are clearly no romantic undertones - I am thankful the movie is faithful to the book in that respect. The movie and book end on a slightly different note, but I appreciate both equally in their respective mediums. 

I really appreciated the unique camera angles and movements - you can see a few in the above trailer. There's some beautiful steadicam work and really well done long takes - all acted by a stellar cast. Overall, it's a fun movie teeming with heart and emotion that any teenager can relate to. Go check it out.

I loved this movie, but had three main gripes. These gripes contain some big-time spoilers.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Gripe #1: A big part of the story is that Greg and his friend Earl agree to make a film for Rachel. In the movie, Greg shows the film to Rachel before she dies, but the film is barely seen. You can vaguely make out some sort of blood-cell-esque stop motion, but there is a huge disconnect that occurs when you can't see the film and the passion in the film that makes Rachel cry. 

Gripe #2: Near the end of the movie, Greg has a minor squabble with Madison, a girl who he thinks to be extremely attractive. Madison ends up asking Greg to prom. The entire prom dynamic wasn't in the book, so I was intrigued as to how it was going to unfold. Long story short, it didn't. Greg gets in the limo, but goes to the hospital instead (This is good.). He spends his prom night with Rachel instead of with Madison (This is good). After this scene, in which Rachel dies, Madison and Greg don't interact for the remainder of the movie (This is bad). There was no real resolution to this minor sub-plot, and the whole prom thing ended up feeling useless and unnecessary. We are left without a clue as to how Greg and Madison's relationship stands.

Gripe #3: Throughout the movie, Greg tells us in the form of a voiceover that Rachel doesn't die at the end. He assures us of this multiple times. 

Rachel dies in the end. Greg says something like, "I know I told you Rachel wasn't going to die, but I really did believe that." For me, it was dumb and misleading and again, didn't add anything to the plot.

BONUS GRIPE: Near the end of the movie, Greg discovers Rachel's hidden talent of cutting up books to make art. (OK, so what?) The movie tries to push the whole "you can learn new things about people even when they're dead", but Rachel's secret crafty superpower seemed forced and unimportant.

BONUS REDDIT COMMENT

Inside Out

French Poster

LAVA

The short that premieres before Inside Out is titled "Lava", and centers around a romance between two volcanoes. Only Pixar could make me emotionally attached to a volcano and take me on a roller coaster ride of feeling in the course of 5 minutes.

The entire short is also a song - it's a Hawaiian ukulele song and it's still stuck in my head.

Though the story of this short is weaker than past Pixar shorts, the musical aspect and the tropical aesthetic instantly won me over. 

INSIDE OUT

With my first viewing, I loved every bit of this movie. I am continually amazed at how well this concept was executed. It takes mad writing skills to create a believable story about the emotions in an 11 year old girl's head. It's incredible that the majority of the movie can take place within the infinite expanse of the human brain - and yet nothing feels missing.

In typical Pixar fashion, it looks and sounds beautiful - the visuals of the mind are very creative (Train of thought! Imagination land! Dream Productions!) and Michael Giacchino's soundtrack of "short instrumentals to accompany playtime and spark daydreams" is spectacular.

The wonderfully animated (both in character and in aesthetic) core emotions play off of each other in hilarious and intellectual ways, making the movie enjoyable for kids and adults alike.

The message of the movie is beautifully real - sadness is a part of life, and that's OK.

Ranking Pixar movies is nearly impossible for me, but Inside Out is up there with Toy Story and Monsters Inc. More than any other Pixar movie, Inside Out is a celebration of life and all life's parts: including growing up, losing innocence, and accepting sadness. Please, please don't miss this movie. 

Below is a chart of the emotional combinations in the movie. Check it out!

Image courtesy of Christophe Haubursin, Vox.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Buy this original poster from Marie B.

"No comic book movie before has so nailed the feeling of sitting and reading a stack of eight comics." - Jordan Hoffman, Popular Mechanics

SPOILERLESS MUSINGS

If you're an Avengers fan, you will adore this movie. It's got more action and humor than its predecessor and a far more menacing villain. Hawkeye might be your new favorite Avenger, and you'll also walk out with some favorite new Avengers. Ultron is the perfect balance of wit and menace, and you'll appreciate him as much if not more than Loki. James Spader killed it.

If you're not an Avengers fan, or you're looking for something more than a popcorn superhero movie, you will undoubtedly see the flaws of this movie. Otherwise, they're extremely easy to overlook.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I knew I was going to have fun with this movie as soon as I saw the first scene. Do you remember the tracking shot of the first Avengers movie that shows all the Avengers one by one, each fighting in their own way? The movie opens with a variation of that scene, this time located in the woods of the fictional Eastern European city of Sovokia. This was the first of many occurrences of me grinning like an idiot during the movie's 2 hour and 21 minute runtime.

I also appreciated director Joss Whedon's ability to turn from scenes filled with action and laughs to dark scenes that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. When the Scarlet Witch gives Tony Stark a vision of all the Avengers dead around him, it threw me completely off guard - and it was one of my favorite scenes in the movie for its shock value and depth. Marvel knows that it could never pull off the dark, gritty feel of DC movies, but it was nice to be reminded that they can still trigger an emotional response.

All of the action sequences in the movie were fantastic - and the Hulk vs. Hulkbuster scene is one for the record books. Though Ultron's robot army isn't too different from the Chitauri, the fighting is different enough to keep it interesting. I also appreciated that the movie has more of a Spiderman feel when it came to protecting civilians. Saving the lives of innocent people is something the first movie barely touched on, but it was the focus of Age of Ultron's action scenes.

In the first Avengers movie, the team barely knows eachother (save Black Widow and Hawkeye). It's great fun to see this movie start out with the Avengers being old friends. This also leads to many more humorous interactions.

Age of Ultron looks and sounds better than the first one - it is shot much more cinematically and has several great variations of the Avengers theme that we know and love.

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch made a fun team that added some interesting variables to the mix, with Quicksilver's speed and Scarlet Witch's mind control/whatever she does. "He's fast and she's weird."

If you doubted Hawkeye's usefulness to the team in the first movie, you won't after seeing this one. Hawkeye gets some massive character development and is shown to be the glue that holds the team together.

Though Black Widow and Hulk's romance seemed forced, I didn't mind it too much.

Vision was perhaps my favorite part of the movie - his origin is so unique and when he nonchalantly wields Thor's hammer (proving himself worthy), the entire theater gasped and cheered. I'm excited to see how his character develops past his 1st day on earth.

There were two main things that the film could have improved upon. Firstly, I didn't feel enough of a premonition of conflict to lead into Civil War. There were a few minor squabbles of course, but I would've liked a grudge to be kept throughout the movie. Secondly, the movie did seem inconsequential at times. There is a large sense of danger from Ultron and the flying city, but if you really examine the events of the movie, the world isn't drastically different than the world at the beginning of the movie. Even Quicksilver's death, which may be consequential, didn't even upset me that much; he wasn't developed enough for his death to affect me.

Overall, this is such a solid movie that I can't wait to add to my collection. It is easily as fun as the first one and it gets me excited about the future of Earth's mightiest heroes.

REDDIT TIME - I share some of my favorite comments from an Avengers: Age of Ultron discussion thread.

It Follows

"It could look like someone you know, or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you."

I'm really not a horror guy. I've seen less than 10 scary movies in my life. I love The Shining, and The Ring was fun to watch on Halloween, but I just don't enjoy the demon/gore horror that isn't well executed in recent memory.

It Follows blew me away with its smart, fun plot. Without spoiling too much, the monster (or whatever you want to call it) in the movie is literally sexually transmitted. The mythos of the monster isn't known or understood - we know only what the guy who gave it to the main character told her (which isn't much). This is a crucial part of what makes the movie so scary and immersive and - in a twisted, horror movie way - fun. To quote Eric D. Snider, "It Follows is scary in the bone-chilling way that great horror films are. We’re not afraid of what the characters are afraid of. We’re just AFRAID." Experiencing the monster at the same pace as the characters in the movie do is exhilarating. Whenever someone walked into the theater during the movie, my eyes would jet away from the screen to make sure the monster wasn't following me.

It Follows is smart - as Netflix put it, the concept is "like an urban legend you've known your whole life". The monster's ability to take different forms is refreshing and incredibly fear-inspiring. The movie trains you to be aware of and question the identity of everybody in the frame.

There aren't too many jump scares - its a slow burn with an exponential buildup of tension. It's not cheap.

Technically it was beautiful. Clean shots and editing all around, with the best indoor swimming pool scene I've ever seen. There are some fantastic 360 degree pans, POV shots, and claustrophobic cinematography in general - stuff that made me squirm uncomfortably in my seat.

What really tied this movie together was the soundtrack - a tense 80's synth vibe that is scary in the most fitting way.

All the kids acting in this were awesome, with stand out performances by Keir Gilchrist and Maika Monroe (who is also fantastic in The Guest - which you should totally check out if you haven't already).

My final praise of this movie is in its multiple layers of symbolism. I've read discussions and theories on the themes of sex, rape, pregnancy, intimacy, relationships, and the lack of sexual education. Each is believable.

This was a solid, intelligent indie horror flick with the potential to become a cult classic. Even if you're not a big horror movie buff you should still give It Follows a chance. It's wonderfully unique.

P.S. If you haven't seen a trailer yet, don't watch one except for the one I posted above. Most of the other trailers give away one of the scariest parts.

REDDIT TIME - Some of my favorite comments in an It Follows discussion thread.