Avengers: Age of Ultron

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"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.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

This movie should not have existed.

I'm not a big fan of the decision to split this story into 3 movies.

That being said, I still enjoyed this movie.

For me, any time spent in Middle Earth is time well spent.

SPOILERS AHEAD

First off, it looked good: sometimes too good. The CGI is evident in every scene, and though it's not a bad thing all the time, some battle scenes look too glorious and bright. The lighting is a little weird.

I am glad that the trilogy is confident in its style; it goes all out on CGI.

Computer generated orcs look cool and all, but sometimes I miss seeing real people with disgusting orc makeup. 

Dain, Thorin's brother who comes to the aid of the dwarves, is ENTIRELY CGI. I think it had to do with the actor portraying him having Parkinson's. 

The fighting was epic; the movie earned its title. There was a real sense of danger when Thorin fought Azog. 

On the flip side, there was no sense of danger when Legolas defies gravity and runs up falling rubble.

Here are some problems I had with this movie:

At times, there was comedic relief where it didn't need to be. In the open of the film, after seeing Smaug completely decimate Lake-town, and feeling extremely sad and fearful, it cuts to Bombur the dwarf making a funny face. Then it switches back to a sad tone as if nothing ever happened.

Alfred. This annoying, unibrowed jerk had way more screen time than he deserved. He keeps coming back again and again, and every time the movie focuses on him doing something cowardly. How does it end? Does he get what he deserved? Absolutely not. The last time his character is unnecessarily seen, he leaves with gold-stuffed fake breasts feeling great about himself. For the rest of the movie I waited patiently for Alfred to be stabbed or stepped on by a giant orc, but it never happened.

He had more screen time than Beorn and Radagast combined, who both deserved more of the spotlight. How unsatisfying.

Thranduil shoved an Aragorn reference down my throat. Way out of place.

There was hardly any closure for Tauriel. The last time we see her, she is mourning Kili's death.

Come to think of it, Bilbo, Gandalf, and Thorin were the only ones with a satisfactory amount of closure.

The ending was strange. It rapidly took me on a roller coaster ride from the happiness of the Shire to the doom and gloom of the Ring. Then in a blink of an eye, Bilbo is an old man, Gandalf comes to visit, and the Shire is happy again. I didn't know what to feel.

Speaking of the ending, I had way too many questions after the credits rolled.

Who lives in the Lonely Mountain now?

Who is next in line to be king of the dwarves?

Where the heck is the Arkenstone?

What happens to Tauriel?

My biggest complaint of this movie was that it didn't end by cutting back to the dwarves, burying Thorin deep in the Lonely Mountain, singing the Misty Mountains song one last time. 

The fighting proved an acceptable ending to the Hobbit trilogy, but it was far from perfect and barely near acceptable.

But alas, any time spent in Middle Earth is time well spent.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

This movie blew me away.

Without a doubt the best cinematography I've seen all year, Birdman is shot in such a way that you can't tell when one shot ends and another begins; it all looks like one big shot for the most part.

When I left the theater after this one, I couldn't really gather my thoughts. I still can't very well. This is a movie that demands to be seen again to delve into its meanings and symbolisms.

I got parts of it; the commentary on the movies and art of today, the symbolism to Keaton's own career, and the human desire for approval, but I almost didn't feel smart enough to completely understand this movie after the first viewing.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't leave the theater unsatisfied.  I loved what I saw and understood.

I just know I'll be seeing it again, which I have no problem with.

In addition to the mind-boggling camerawork, the soundtrack is also spectacular; a jazzy drum sound that is constant through the movie, fading in parts and intensifying in others. It's really catchy and it's a shame it was disqualified for Best Original Soundtrack (you can read about that here - http://goo.gl/0DpB2b).

This movie is dialogue based, and Oscar-worthy performances by Keaton, Norton, and Emma Stone bring the clever writing to life.

Much of this movie is up to interpretation - the ending especially. This is another reason I can't wait to see Birdman again.

Go check this one out; it's interesting and definitely worth seeing.

Interstellar

“Do not go gentle into that good night…” - Spoken by Michael Caine’s character in this movie.

Interstellar didn’t “go gentle” by any means.

It was perhaps the most ambitious movie I’ve seen all year; and I can’t get enough of it. 

First things first, this movie was out of this world. Please keep reading. I’m sorry. That pun made itself. If you haven’t seen it, go see it without knowing anything about it. I’m so glad that’s how I did it. That's why I didn't include a trailer in this review. Go. Shoo.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Seriously though: there were so many fantastic aspects of this movie. It looked beautiful, from the dust bowl-esque Earth to the depths of outer space. When the Endurance (McConaughey’s ship) entered the wormhole, my jaw hit the floor. Nolan harnesses the sense of wonderment of space and captures it beautifully, with many nods to Kubrick’s 2001: “A Space Odyssey”. In some of my favorite shots, the Endurance is a tiny blip on the screen, sailing alone through “the final frontier”. Nolan knows how to make his audience feel small.

I was also impressed with the lighting; in lieu of the futuristic, bright white spaceship the movies typically portray, the Endurance comes off as a more realistic, gritty, dim spacecraft. In this aspect, the ship isn’t too different from the world it leaves behind. 

I had the honor and privilege in seeing this masterpiece in 70 mm IMAX film, and it looked beautiful…

One thing I really appreciated was that Nolan emitted all the space stereotypes; Interstellar is way different than “Gravity” in that no time is spent focused on the absence of gravity or the view of Earth from above. Nolan makes this space movie his own and doesn’t depend on space gimmicks to keep it interesting. Even the takeoff sequence is unique and original; the sound of the ship and the countdown can be heard as Cooper driving away from his farm crying is seen on screen. It cuts right to the chase. 

I loved the sound in Interstellar; Nolan combines great sound effects (like having no sound in space) with an incredible soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.

Hans Zimmer is a genius. The soundtrack to this movie is right up there next to the greatness of “Inception”. Zimmer uses the organ to make an iconic sound for this movie.

One of my few complaints for this movie had to do with sound; across the nation there were numerous claims that at some times the dialogue couldn’t be heard over the music and bass. For the majority of the movie this wasn’t a problem for me, but in one particular scene with Michael Caine on his deathbed I couldn’t make out what he was saying. This will most likely be buffed out for the DVD release.

As for the acting, everyone was spectacular. Caine is perfect for the poem he recites multiple times, and Hathaway and McConaughey (McConaughey especially) were able to bring some unexpected emotional moments into the film. Matt Damon’s surprise cameo was very well done; I was very surprised both at Damon’s appearance and performance and that Nolan was able to keep that a secret. 

As for the plot, there are always going to be minor plot holes in a movie about black holes and wormholes and time travel and inter-dimensional beings. However, as confusing as the premises of the plot are, the plot itself is not difficult to follow at all. Small plot holes aren’t easy to see unless you’re looking for them. 

A brief tangent - the robots in this movie were insane cool; the design was awesome and they were a fantastic source of comedic relief. 

Though the whole “love transcends spacetime” thing was pretty cheesy, I still liked Hathaway’s speech. Love is a big theme in the movie; for Brandt, it was her love for Edmunds. For Cooper, it was his fatherly love for Murph. At is essence, this movie is all about the relationship between father and child. I got a little choked up at the end when Cooper asks Murph, “How did you know I was coming back?” and Murph replies “Because my Dad promised me”. I’m a sucker for happy endings. 

The only thing I really had a problem with was Cooper stumbling upon NASA’s top secret base and immediately being instituted as the captain of the ship that is the only hope of saving mankind. But after the rest of the movie, this was the least of my worries. 

This movie isn’t perfect, but it was pretty close for me and it will win an Oscar for something. Interstellar will be a classic in the future, something I’ll show my grandkids. 

For now, I’ll be happy to buy it on Bluray and proud to hang a poster on my wall.

p.s. The film has a lot of biblical symbolism. Google it if you get a chance.

“Do not go gentle into that good night, 

Old age should burn and rage at close of day; 

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”




REDDIT TIME: my favorite comments of an Interstellar discussion thread.

Guardians of the Galaxy

If for some bizarre reason I was only allowed to watch one Marvel movie for the rest of my life (something painful to think about), it would be this movie.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite Marvel movie. 

I don't know if it can even be classified as a superhero movie; it's not about a person with inhuman abilities that always has a plan. It's not even like the Avengers, where each hero of the group could function by themselves.

This movie is all about the team. Without each other, the Guardians couldn't save the world. Without his team, Rocket would just be a raccoon with a gun. Groot would be a giant tree. Gamora wouldn't have anyone else. Drax would be blind with vengeance. Starlord would be hopeless. 

Together, they make the most lovable and fun band of misfit heroes to ever grace the screen; the Guardians of the Galaxy.

This movie is action-packed, hilarious, and insanely quote-able. It's a feel-good movie that will still have you on the edge of your seat. All of the characters, despite being aliens and an anthropomorphic plant and animal, are so real; they're each fighting for different reasons and you feel for each of them in their own ways. 

The voice acting is incredible and the music fits like a glove; you can still find me jamming to Awesome Mix Vol. 1.

For the first time, I scrolled down the rotten reviews of this movie and didn't agree with a single one. My jaw dropped lower in disbelief with every one I read. 

Maybe I'm a bad critic, but this movie was the most fun I've had in a theater all year.

Go see this movie; I promise you won't regret it.

Post credits scene? 

A Howard the Duck reference. Not worth it if you don't know who he is.

Boyhood

"I think it sums up the movie and life in a way. Simultaneously overwhelming and underwhelming." - /u/IncidentOn57thStreet

This movie is unlike anything I've ever seen before, and it's in a good way. For those unfamiliar with the concept, the movie follows the same actor, his sister, and his divorced parents over the course of 12 years. You get to watch Mason, the main character, grow up on screen. And the end result is a fascinating, nostalgic achievement that's unlike anything ever done before.

*Spoilers ahead*

Mason is only two years older than me; the movie starts when he is 6 and ends when he is going off to college. Mason's kid years are a blast from the past. I had the same blue Gameboy, played Deadman on the trampoline, cherished my 20 Questions game, and rode a Ripstik. Other than Mason's family situations, our early lives aren't that different; we rode our bikes around the neighborhood with our friends and had annoying sisters. Director Richard Linklater takes viewers on a relatable journey through the 90's and 2000's with details right down to the music. I laughed at Mason's stepdad's admiration of Roger Clemens and he and Mason's discussion on why Star Wars would never have another sequel. It all feels 100% genuine, because it is; everything was filmed right in its own time period.

Boyhood isn't just about the boy. Over the course of 12 years, his family changes too. His older sister grows up, his mom marries and remarries, and his Dad enters his life again. It's amazing to watch the family's experiences shape their personalities and dialogue for the rest of the film. That's the most incredible thing about this film; it feels like real life. It's realistic when realistic doesn't mean a happy ending for everyone. The emotions feel real and the story feels real; it's not bogged down by a plot. It is simply a boy growing up and discovering what it means to be human. Like real life, Mason's life has ups and downs, triumphs and losses.

Boyhood doesn't follow the traditional story arc. It doesn't have a climax or even a denouement. Just 12 years of a boy growing up. And I wasn't bored once.

"Few filmmakers ever make a great movie. Fewer still ever make a movie that expands what movies can express. Richard Linklater does both with Boyhood." - Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

In conclusion, this is a coming-of-age film unlike any other, a groundbreaking experiment that celebrates life and the journey it takes you on.