Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Seriously though who's the guy in charge of choosing these titles

Written by Brennan

If in 2010 someone had told me “Hollywood is going to make two sequels to The Planet of the Apes, and they will be two of the best action blockbusters of those years.” I would have said “What? Who are you? Get away from me bro.”

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was a reboot/origin story of the original movies. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (henceforth shortened to “Dawn”) is set about ten years after the simian flu epidemic that began in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (“Rise”). Human civilization has collapsed and all that remains of humanity are isolated populations. Human-trained Caesar (Andy Serkis) leads a large group of apes living in the forest outside of San Francisco. The apes have not seen any humans for two years and are beginning to think that there are none left, when the apes encounter a group of humans living in San Francisco, led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and Dreyfus (Gary Oldman).

Even if this had been a bad movie, I would have recommended it for the sole reason of seeing the special effects. “Rise” and “Dawn” could have failed spectacularly; I remember first hearing that “Rise” would use only CGI apes and thinking that that was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard. Bad CGI is the kiss of death for a movie; nothing is more distracting than obviously fake characters. Part of the magic of movies is that they are able to trick our sub consciousness into believing that what is happening on screen is REAL. That’s why we feel scared in horror movies, despite knowing perfectly well that it’s not real. That’s why we cry real tears for completely made up characters and situations. That’s why we get a rush during intense car chases or believable action; it FEELS real. So when crappy-looking CGI is thrown in our faces, it looks very jarring against the realistic world of the movie, and those real feelings are dissolved because we are reminded that it’s all fake. “Rise” and “Dawn” avoid this lethal mistake with some of the best-looking effects I’ve ever seen; the apes look organic to the point that you forget that you are looking at graphics, and instead buy into the idea that these are characters, real apes with personalities, emotions, and fears. The ape characters are done so well in fact that the human counter parts can feel stilted and boring in comparison.

Now I'm making it sound like the movie bought into the overplayed, “humans are evil, nature is good” dichotomy, which is the kind of simplistic mindset that really bogs down movies like Avatar. The makers of “Dawn” were too smart for that though, they instead tell a story about fear, family, tribal politics, and misunderstanding. In the end, there isn’t really a “bad guy”, just imperfect humans and apes who give in to their emotions of fear and hatred. Even the character that is eventually shown to be the main antagonist has a complicated history that explains why he acts the way he acts. I really appreciate it when filmmakers don’t take the lazy route of mustache-twirling villains; it feels much more like the world we live in.

Along with great characters, intelligent themes, and phenomenal graphics, the movie looks great in every aspect, especially in set design and action sequences. The post-apocalyptic world feels worn out, the ape-village and technology are interesting and show an emerging society and culture, and the foggy, rainy forests are used to great effect. The action sequences are well-staged and well-lit, and they produce some memorable moments.

Almost without exception, for an action/adventure movie to succeed there must be 1) relatable characters that we like and want to see succeed and 2) thrilling action. Dawn receives top marks in both of these categories, and on top of that it gives us some things to think about and some of the best CGI we've ever seen. I would recommend this movie to everyone; if you were holding out for a great summer movie, this is it.

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X-Men: Days of Future Past - Seriously what a stupid title

Written by Brennan

Directed by Bryan Singer
Written by Simon Kinberg

Plot Synopsis:
In the near future, mutants have been hunted to the brink of extinction by robots called Sentinels. In a last ditch effort, the remaining mutants decide to send Wolverine back in time to prevent the Sentinels from being made.

----------20^TH CENTURY FOX STUDIOS, HOLLYWOOD, CA - 2011----------

(A Fox executive sits down with some writers)

Fox executive: “X-Men: First Class was a hit! We’re back in business, boys! Let’s make a sequel because money. Here’s what we want. First, Wolverine. People want Wolverine! It’s an X-Men movie so Wolverine has to be the main character! Duh. Make sure Hugh Jackman hits the gym and puts on like 40 lbs of muscle.”

One of the writers: “But Wolverine isn’t in the X-Men yet, remember? He didn’t join until the first X-Men movie, which is decades after X-Men: First Class.”

Fox executive: “Who invited this nerd? Shut up and put him in! Next items. This Jennifer Lawrence girl is trending, make her more important! Also, audiences like James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as the young bald guy and the young magnet guy, but audiences like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen too, and they’re still alive…….ish. So put them all in! Next, set up more sequels, for future money. Next, get that Dinklage guy from that fantasy nerd HBO series. Last, comic book nerds want to see uhh… (looks at a list) … Beast, Iceman, Shadowcat, Bishop, Colossus, Quicksilver, and Blink. Or whatever. Put em in boys! Ok? Did you get all that? Good! And don’t screw it up like we screwed up X-Men 3 and the Wolverine movie! Now get to work! I want a screenplay in 2 weeks!!”

(the writers look at each other nervously)

The point I’m trying to make is that the story X-Men: Days of Future Past is a convoluted mess. Luckily for us, they got Bryan Singer back (director of X-Men and X2) and they assembled an A+ cast. The smart direction and the excellent characters and performances elevate what could have been a complete disaster into an exciting and ambitious superhero movie with a heart.

Things that work:

•           The strong moral messages about the cycle of violence, consequences, hope, teamwork, and sympathy. One of the most moving parts of the movie is when young Charles Xavier is faced with his fear of entering minds and sharing in the pain of mutants and humans. He must decide whether or not to embrace the pain of his brethren to unlock his potential. Another is when Jennifer Lawrence’s character Raven/Mystique is faced with her aversion to kill and her desire to avenge the lives of fellow mutants. She must decide whether or not to let go of hate, as justified as it may be. The themes inspired me and I came out of the theater hopeful and wanting to do better and be better. It’s been a while since a superhero movie has done that for me.

•           Strong characters, as I just mentioned. Eric/Magneto, Charles/Prof X, Raven/Mystique, and Logan/Wolverine are all multi-dimensional people who struggle against themselves and the other characters. These internal struggles give the characters depth and make the movie much more compelling. Also, because I cared about the characters, I was able to overlook a lot of the problems in the script.

•           Some excellent visual sequences. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that I’m talking about Quicksilver’s wonderful scene in the Pentagon. I haven’t had that much fun in a superhero movie in a long time. Also, the “past” scenes all took place in the early 70s, so the visual style and soundtrack kept things pretty groovy.

•           Assured direction. I’m so glad they got Bryan Singer back; I don’t think this would have worked without his ability to get great performances out of his actors and keep difficult narratives engaging.

•           The performances. James McAvoy conveys his character's deep fear and emotional scars very well. He’s not as fun as he was in X-Men: First Class, but his character is in a much darker place now. Michael Fassbender is perfect as the young Eric/Magneto. He is cold and calculating, but he burns with indignation and loyalty to his fellow mutants. Watching Fassbender in his role reminds me of the clips I’ve seen of Malcolm X, with his intensity and confidence. Hugh Jackman is good as always as Wolverine, although his character took a backseat, and Jennifer Lawrence is good in her role as well. Also, Tricky Dick gave his best performance since he glad-handed Mao Zedong in 1972.

 

Things that don’t work:

•           As I’ve said, the story. At least ten times I thought to myself “Huh? Wait why don’t we just do this? What?” As I illustrated earlier, there are so many things going on that it’s amazing that it worked at all, it’s a mix of Looper and The Matrix with four main characters, about twenty-five supporting characters, AND it’s a sequel to two movies that take place 30 years apart. I can’t help but think that there had to be a better way to do it.

•           Some characters needed more time, in particular, Jennifer Lawrence’s character Mystique. Her role is pivotal to the story, but not very much time is given to her, and I feel like her motives aren’t very well established.

While Captain America: The Winter Soldier had a much more coherent story, I have to say that X-Men: Days of Future Past is the best action movie of the year because of its heart and ambition. The former is grounded, efficient, and exact, but the latter is big, moving, and messy – and most importantly, human.

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Neighbors: Another raunchy comedy from Seth Rogen

Written by Brennan

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

Written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien

Produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg

Zac Efron is just beautiful. Let’s get that out of the way. The guy has given me the motivation to go to the gym (will probably last about a week). If I could look half as good as he does…*starts daydreaming*

Anyway! Neighbors is a new comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as Mac and Kelly Radner, a young, married couple with a baby girl, and Zac Efron as the president of Delta Psi, a college fraternity that moves next door to the Radners.  Queue comedic situations.

Things that work in Neighbors:

-         -- Rose Byrne. She’s great. She’s funny, sexy, and she plays off of Rogen well (and she's way out of his league).

-        --  Zac Efron. Not only is his body a Plinko game for your eyes, but he’s really good in his role. His character is that typical cocksure frat boy, but he has a soft side for his buddies and has deep apprehensions and insecurities about joining the grown-up world. He’s probably the most sympathetic character in the movie, which is a bit of a problem that I’ll address later.

-         -- A good, relatable theme. The theme of the movie is getting older and accepting change. Rogen and Byrne’s characters are afraid that they are becoming old and lame since they now own a house and have a baby, and Efron’s character is terrified of getting older and is obsessed with squeezing as much fun out of his last school year as possible. I only wish the story had focused more on this theme.

-         -- About 40% of the scenes are really funny.

Things that don't work in Neighbors:

-        -- The story/editing. It all feels thrown together. Some scenes work really well and it feels like the story is about to take off, but it ends up skidding and sputtering around.

-         -- The characters and pay-off. (Mild spoiler) About half-way through the movie, Rogen and Byrne’s characters start to act like real jerks to the frat boys. I expected it to be about even, with the fraternity and the young couple pulling pranks on each other, one trying to gain the advantage on the other, but no, eventually the frat boys try to play it cool to stay out of trouble and the young couple just keeps messing with them and getting the fraternity into serious trouble. Now, it’s ok that the movie didn’t exactly meet the standard expectations, but we needed a scene near the end where Rogen and Byrne realize that THEY are being the real jerks. But we don’t. As a result, I can’t help but dislike the two main characters and feel more sympathy towards Efron and the frat boys.

-         -- About 60% of the scenes are not funny and are extremely off-putting.

Like This Is the End, Knocked Up, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (all from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and frequent collaborator Judd Apatow), Neighbors has great performances, some really funny scenes, a good message underneath all of the vulgarity, and a very improvisational feel as the actors are given a chance to develop scenes. However, these movies are also very unfocused and episodic, and when the funny scenes don’t really work, they come off as very over-the-top and awkward. It’s almost like they shoot a bunch of scenes, then they take their favorite 90-110 minutes and throw it all together in a vaguely chronological sequence, the result being a sloppy, poorly-paced story that is about half funny and half fail. I feel like a good editor needs to come in and rein in all of the good aspects, trim the crap, and tighten up the story. They should also probably cast someone else besides Seth Rogen as the lead. He’s a funny dude, but I don’t think he has the acting chops to carry a movie and make a compelling character.

My favorite Rogen-Goldberg movie is 50/50. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt plays a very sympathetic and dynamic character and makes a great lead. It’s definitely a Rogen-Goldberg movie, but Rogen only plays as a supporting character and riffs off of Gordon-Leavitt. The movie is also well-written and well-directed, and treats its touchy subject-matter with respect while being very funny at the same time. So this idea of a well-made, successful Rogen-Goldberg movie isn’t even a hypothetical idea, they’ve done it before!

I give Neighbors about a 5/10. There’s a lot of good stuff, but overall it’s just not a very good movie. See it if you REALLY like Rogen-Goldberg-Apatow comedies. I probably wouldn’t recommend this movie to anybody else. Better luck next time.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to comment and explain why I'm wrong!
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Cap's Back in Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Written by Brennan

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo

Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

Plot synopsis: Two years after the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers lives in Washington, D.C., continues to work for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., and struggles to adapt to contemporary society. After a typical mission saving hostages from Algerian pirates, Steve learns that the agency is hiding things from him.

Superhero-movie mania continues with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, sequel to 2010’s Captain America: The First Avenger. It has received wide acclaim from critics (88% of reviews are positive according to Rottentomatoes) and it is sure to be a huge hit at the box office. My thoughts on the movie can be summarized in two words: yeah ok.

It is easily the best big action movie so far this year. That’s not saying a whole lot (looking at you, Robocop and 300: Rise of an Empire), but Captain America: The Winter Soldier is definitely a very well-crafted action movie and will continue Marvel’s dominance. At this point I think that Marvel knows exactly what they are doing. Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger had problems, the former’s being that it was played a little too seriously and too straight and the latter’s being that it turned into a schlocky mess with Nazis with space lasers. Marvel recognized these problems and corrected them in the sequels; Thor: The Dark World went off the rails into silliness and craziness (as a movie about a Norse sky god with a magic hammer should) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier has a much more grounded story about corruption and politics, which is more fitting for Cap’s character. It was a smart move and a definite improvement from the first movie, but the movie still has some problems that keep it from reaching the heights of 2012’s The Avengers.

This movie feels more like a CIA spy thriller than a superhero movie. The majority of the movie is very down to earth with double crossings, car chase sequences, escaping from buildings, hand-to-hand combat, and other elements that have more in common with The Bourne Identity and The Dark Knight than with the bombastic, skyscraper-destroying action of The Avengers. This keeps things at Cap’s level, at least until later in the movie when things start to get a little crazy, but for the most part it’s kept under control. This keeps things tense and thrilling as the story retains a level of plausibility. In this way, it’s a much better written and much better executed movie than Captain America: The First Avenger. Unfortunately, what this sequel makes up for in story it loses in characterization and fun. Captain America is reduced to “distressed action man” who is simply on the run and punches things when he can. His character doesn’t really develop or do anything interesting. Probably my biggest complaint about the movie is the lack of fun and interesting characters. I kept hoping that Tony Stark would make an appearance for some witty dialogue and to make fun of Captain’s 1940’s mentality, but that would have ruined the story as Iron Man could just do everything for Captain. So what we are left with is a bewildered and anxious Captain America, the boring super spy Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow played by Scarlett Johansson, a generic army veteran sidekick played by Anthony Mackie, and a grumpy Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson. Yawn. The only redeeming character was Robert Redford as a senior leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. He seemed to have some fun messing with other characters.

Other pros:

-     - The major theme of the movie is the rise of modern day fascism, which worked very well since Captain America’s original foes were the Nazis 70 years earlier. The theme could have been explored further, but it was interesting to see Captain America’s black-and-white worldview contrasting to the modern ideas of sacrificing freedom, surveillance, data collection, pre-emptive strikes, and drones.

-     - The action is limited and effective. Marvel seems to have found that perfect medium between plot development and dialogue and action scenes. Too much action makes for a boring and numbing experience *cough* Man of Steel *cough*.

-     - Anthony Mackie’s character Sam Wilson/Falcon, while a pretty boring character, is a VA counselor helping veterans with PTSD. This is a small element and not very important to the story, but it was another nice touch. I like it when movies choose to bring social issues to light like that.

Other cons:

-     - The plot and “twists” were completely predictable. The twists didn’t even feel like twists; I think everyone in the theater knew exactly what was going to happen, and we were just waiting for when they would happen. I understand that it’s just a superhero action movie, and that I shouldn’t expect a complex and sophisticated plot with nuanced political messages and deep themes of morality, but can’t we at least have something that feels new and fresh? I swear Hollywood has like eight basic stories that they repackage for every action movie.

-     - The quick cutting style of the fight scenes. Here is a great video that explains the how to effectively shoot a fighting scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YuJtOgeLpw&list=PLB6N1J-D-TR4SJRgtNUreuzTvZfbS6gCG. In my opinion, Captain America: The Winter Soldier does not do this very well.

-     - A CG grandma face? Why?? Just cast a freaking old lady!! I’m sure there are thousands of cheap extras in Hollywood who would play a grandma for two minutes. That way I can actually focus on the dialogue and characters instead of just looking at how horrible the CG looks. Whatever.

Review Summary:

A very competent if predictable superhero action movie. While it doesn’t reach the heights of The Avengers, it is a definite improvement on the first Captain America movie and is better than most Hollywood movies of the same genre. I would recommend this movie to pretty much everyone. It’s exciting and well-made with some good themes.

Rating:

2 and a half wrinkly Robert Redford faces out of 4 wrinkly Robert Redford faces

 

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Brennan's Top 10 movies of 2013

Written by Brennan

With the end of the Academy Awards, another year of movies is officially over! Before I move on to 2014, I want to recap a great year by sharing my top 10 movies of 2013. Looking at my list of favorite 2013 movies, I notice that these movies took me to places that I’ve never been to before (from outer space to Indonesia); gave me a taste of experiences that I have never experienced (from the ups and downs of 18 years of life and relationships to the horror of slavery in antebellum American South); and made me feel emotions that I have never felt before (from reflecting on the life of a deceased loved one to paranoia of a parasite that affects humans, pigs, and orchids). This is the magic of movies! We live only one life, but through movies we can experience the world in ways otherwise impossible.

Enough with the pretentious malarkey, here are my 10 favorite films of 2013, from #10 to #1:

10. Upstream Color

Directed by Shane Carruth

Evocative, beautiful, and ambiguous. Some movies are better experienced than understood. This is one of them. As far as the plot goes, a man and a woman come in contact with some sort of parasite that has a three-stage life cycle in humans, pigs, and orchids. We see how this parasite transfers from one being to the next and the effect it has. What exactly happens isn’t really clear, but it is a great experience that affected me in ways no other movie has. At times the movie veers dangerously close to “weird, over-dramatic hipster fodder”, but for the most part this movie is a unique and enthralling experience.

9. The Place Beyond the Pines

Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Speaking of flawed, unique and ambitious movies, The Place Beyond the Pines shoots for the stars and comes a little short, but is a great movie in its own merit. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper play as two fathers whose choices shape their sons’ futures. Because of how big the movie is (it literally spans decades), it feels a little disjointed and episodic, with some parts working better than others, but the performances and themes are so powerful that I was moved deeply and can forgive its short-comings.

8. Blue is the Warmest Color

Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche

Blue is the Warmest Color is a three-hour coming-of-age story of young Adèle, a French teenager. It was heart-warming and sad watching Adèle grow up into an adult. She experiences love, sadness, loneliness, regret, passion, obsession, lust, joy, anger, and every emotion that a young person feels in her formative years. It’s very satisfying to see a matured Adèle by the end of the movie. Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos absolutely steal the show by bringing to life two beautiful and flawed characters that are hard not to fall in love with.

7. The Spectacular Now

Directed by James Ponsoldt

The Spectacular Now is another coming-of-age movie that feels familiar because of its common story, but is elevated by a smart script and wonderful performances. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are absolutely perfect as a charismatic slacker that is reluctant to grow up and a self-conscious dreamer that is scared to speak up. The Spectacular Now stands out because of its naturalistic feel. At no point do I feel like I’m being manipulated to feel a certain way, I only see two damaged and genuine high school students on the brink of adult life. Watching their relationship and character arcs really brought me back and made me think of how I’ve changed since leaving high school.

6. Gravity

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Most people are probably familiar with Gravity, as it made 270 million domestically because of repeat viewings and boosted revenue from 3D and IMAX. It’s a very simple story that has been done many times before, but I’ve never seen it so beautifully done. I rarely recommend 3D, but this is one I was glad to see in 3D (and IMAX), as it was an incredible and immersive experience. There were times that I would just stare jaw hanging at the beauty and terror of space. It’s not a perfect movie, some story and character elements hold it back, but for sheer technical virtuosity I cannot help but say that this was one of the year’s best movies, and one that will never be forgotten.

5. Stories We Tell

Directed by Sarah Polley

Stories We Tell is a documentary about a family reflecting on the life of their deceased mother/wife, who died of cancer some 15 years earlier. The director Sarah Polley (and daughter of the mother) uses this opportunity to explore the uncertainty about the identity of her father. The story is told through interviews, and the effect is incredibly moving. Through reflections of friends and family members and some home video footage, we get to know Diane Polley, a vivacious, beautiful, and conflicted character. The documentary also begins to take on a narrative as Sarah closes in on the true identity of her father. It’s probably the most heart-warming movie I saw this year and it explores how people leave legacies and how time affects how we interpret our own stories.

4. 12 Years a Slave

Directed by Steve McQueen

This year’s Best Picture Oscar winner is a great one. Director Steve McQueen has brought to us the story of Solomon Northrup, a free black man from the North who is kidnapped and put into slavery in the South. McQueen has a relentless, unflinching visual style that makes his movies extremely powerful and difficult to watch (his previous films are Hunger, which is about a hunger strike in a prison, and Shame, which is about sex addiction). This will be remembered as the essential movie depicting America’s grim history of slavery. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, and Michael Fassbender are also electrifying and bring the madness and horror to life. Just try to ignore Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine accent.

3. The Act of Killing

Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, co-directed by Christine Cynn, and an anonymous Indonesian

Perhaps even more disturbing than 12 Years a Slave, The Act of Killing is a documentary about old Indonesian hit-men who helped carried out the killing of 500,000 communists and ethnic Chinese locals from 1965 to 1966. The hit-men, the most notable being Anwar Congo, agreed to do this documentary through the reenactment of the killings. This documentary is brilliant and terrifying, as the viewers are made to spend two intimate hours with an unapologetic and strangely likable mass murderer.

2. The Great Beauty

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino

A modern throw-back reminiscent of Federico Fellini’s 8 ½ and La Dolce Vita, The Great Beauty has a kinetic energy and meticulous composition that puts The Great Gatsby to shame. Add to that a charismatic lead in Toni Servillo and a story that explores modern detachment, duty to country, spirituality, and culture and you have one of the most interesting movies of the year.

1.    1. Before Midnight

Directed by Richard Linklater

This movie cheats a little, because it has two preceding films that set the stage for the story of Jesse and Celine. By way of introduction, Jesse and Celine first met 18 years ago on a train to Vienna, which is the premise of the first film of the trilogy, 1995’s Before Sunrise. Nine years later they meet again in Paris in 2004’s Before Sunset. Now nine more years have passed and we get to see how 18 years of love and life has treated these characters. It’s an incredible feat, but it’s not just a gimmick, these movies are amazing. The dialogue and performances are so perfectly natural and convincing that you forget that you’re watching a movie. Watching the life of these two fictional characters has been so powerful for me that it has forced me to rethink some ideas and expectations I have of love and life. This is the magic of movies. I will gladly sift through hundreds of crappy movies if occasionally I can find a beautiful work like this.

Honorable Mentions: Mud, Inside Llewyn Davis, Frances Ha, Computer Chess, Nebraska, Her, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Side Effects, Blue Jasmine, Leviathan

So what were your favorite films? Am I just a movie snob who only likes certain movies because they are not well-known? Which films do you agree/disagree with? Let me know! Hopefully 2014 is just as great.

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