Movie Review: MAN OF STEEL

MAN OF STEEL
Director: Zach Snyder
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, Richard Schiff


One of the most highly anticipated movies of 2013 is Man of Steel, the latest take on DC Comic's Superman. 2006's Superman Returns sought out to be a return to the franchise. After a chilly reception of the oddly cast film, the franchise was dead in the water again. Fresh off The Dark Knight Trilogy, screenwriter David S. Goyer and producer Christopher Nolan give us their take on the DC Comic superhero.

The planet Krypton is in grave danger. Jor-El (Crowe) fears the take over by General Zod (Shannon) and his followers will lead to its complete destruction. In order to save his newly born son Kal-El, he launches him off in a pod headed toward Earth. Jor-El infuses his son's body with a genetic code that will in turn preserve the Kryptonian race. Zod witnesses the escape of Kal-El and claims, "I will find him!" vowing to one day get his hand on the genetic code.

Kal-El is rescued and raised by Jonathan (Costner) and Martha (Lane) Kent in Smallville, Kansas. At a young age, he realizes that he is different than the other kids in his class. The Kryptonian genetic codes have given him a super strength and speed that he struggles to understand. He wants to use his abilities to help others, but is advised by his father to keep them harnessed for a later date. If the world finds out how special he is, they will only use it against him. Clark (Cavill) finds it harder to sustain his powers as an adult. He works odd jobs, lives in various places, and uses different names to stick to a mysterious life. He risks his true identity after rescuing workers near an Arctic plant. An archaeological dig has discovered space crafts that have been buried for thousands of years. Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Adams) has been sent in to cover the discovery but turns her fascination toward Clark. The discovery of the spacecrafts marks the return of General Zod who has finally found Clark.

Previous Zach Snyder (Watchmen, 300) films have had similar issues with structure regarding the action versus character development. Man of Steel falls into that trap. The story digs into the origins of the Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman story. You will not find Lex Luthor or Jimmy Olson in this version. One would think that an origins story would enrich the characters we know and love. I feel like the best scenes in the movie involve Clark, Jonathan, and Martha. There is a humanity and warmth to them that make the origins story more credible as Clark learns how to deal with his inner struggles. Unfortunately, the story should have utilized more of these scenes in the beginning and middle sections to further the origins story line instead of treating them like flashbacks. Lois Lane is given a different spin on how she approaches Clark Kent and Superman. Amy Adams portrays her as a tougher, no-nonsense reporter over the ditsy damsel in distress type character. Henry Cavill fills out that Superman suit very well, but stays pretty brooding throughout most of the film. The script does not give him enough to play around with in this portion of the story. I have faith he will only get better with each film as he settles into the different mindsets of Clark Kent versus Superman. The film seems to rely too heavily on cutting to the action sequences and the need for the Superman costume before delving into the heart of these characters. The audience sees the suit pretty early on in the film, and he stays in combat mode the majority of the movie.

I had high hopes knowing that David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan were involved. I am a massive fan of The Dark Knight Trilogy, so I was hoping for that same feel and tone. This is by no means a bad film. It has that first movie in a series syndrome where the filmmakers want to kick the series off into high gear with big action sequences but neglect key elements and flow of making it a standalone film. The ending of the movie is sure to please fans as it sets up the next installment well. You get the sense that the actors will really be able to play around more with their characters. I wish we would have seen more of that in this movie instead of waiting for the next.


RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin, Ethan Suplee, Rob Reiner, Spike Jonze, Joanna Lumley, Christine Ebersole

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are teaming up for their fifth collaboration. They are bringing Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name to the big screen with an adaptation by Terence Winter ("Boardwalk Empire", "The Sopranos").

The film is a biographical boiler room drama that follows the notorious Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a Wall Street stockbroker who was flying high on drugs, money, and women. This bad business included a "pump and dump scheme" of money laundering and security fraud against Wall Street and the mob.

I am a huge fan of Martin Scorsese's work, and while some naysayers like to claim that no new film of his could ever live up to Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas. While I agree that those are cinematic works of excellence, The Departed is one of my favorite movies. I may also be one of the few that has a soft spot for Leonardo DiCaprio and don't understand why the Academy continually ignores him. The first trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street definitely showcases the look of luxury and the more comedic tones the film will have. It does not have that gritty, rough feel of your traditional Scorsese film. I have read up on the life of Jordan Belfort and I have faith the film will showcase the darker or crazier sides of his life.

What are your first impressions?

In theaters: November 15, 2013

Here's the trailer:

Movie Rewind: TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL (2011)

TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL (2011)
Director: Eli Craig
Starring: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss



Tucker (Tudyk) and Dale (Labine) are two simple guys headed up to a cabin (aka vacation home) to do some fishing. They pop open a few beers in their truck to celebrate the good life. Their innocence and stupidity leads to a stream of unfortunate events. To start, their unkempt hillbilly appearance at a gas station scares off a group of college friends going to their cabin. Dale tries to turn on the charm to the ladies of the group, but he inevitably scares them off. They pull up to the cabin, and it is about as dilapidated as it gets. Always looking at the positive side, they just call it a “fixer-up” and continue on in their fun. They also happen to ignore all of the newspaper clippings hanging up regarding a brutal massacre of a bunch of campers years ago.

This same scary story is also told by the college friends around a camp fire. Later that night they all go for a swim in the same area Tucker and Dale are doing some late-night fishing. Tucker and Dale notice Allison (Bowden) stripping as she prepares to jump in the water. They get too excited and start causing a commotion. She hears them lurking in the water, screams, and slips off the rock. Tucker and Dale go and try to rescue her, but Allison’s group hears them say “We’ve got your friend” and think the dimwitted hillbillies are kidnapping her. That is by no means their intention. They are simply taking her back to their cabin to rest and heal. Gee, aren't they nice!

The next morning Allison wakes up and realizes she has not been kidnapped. Dale makes her a breakfast of bacon and eggs and a quick game of Trivia Pursuit ensues. Her friends sneak up to the cabin in an attempt to rescue her but are all too scared to go in based on the rundown appearance. Who knows what could be lurking inside? Each of Allison’s friends start meeting their untimely and gruesome deaths in their attempt to rescue her, but their deaths are not at the hands of Tucker and Dale. It appears bad luck and misfortune keep following Tucker and Dale as they are being mistaken for the deaths of these college kids. Unfortunately they are too stupid to know how to get out of this sticky situation they have gotten themselves in.

The premise of a group of college aged folks going to a deserted cabin in the woods is about as old of a plot device as it gets when it comes to horror movies. If filmmakers are going to keep using this premise for the movies, they better come up with an original spin or twist to keep their movie fresh or original. Low and behold, writer/director Eli Craig has taken a satirical approach that is fresh and funny, yet still full of blood and gore spraying all over our victim’s faces. He embraces these standard characters like the hillbilly idiots, the blonde, and the tough guy but shines a different perspective on them. Instead of seeing the film through the eyes of the victims, Craig tells the story through the eyes of the two buffoons who are mistaken to be the killers. Like Scream before it, this “horror” movie relies on plenty of laughs throughout using some of the oldest forms of physical comedy as the gags. This time around there is deadly consequences instead of a simple bump on the head. Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil would be a great starter for any scary movie marathon. It’s bloody enough for your true scary movie fans without being too gruesome or shocking for anyone with a queasy stomach.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Evangeline Lilly, Hugo Weaving, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Orlando Bloom



As we saw at the end of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the dragon Smaug (Cumberbatch) has awoken in the Lonely Mountain. The second part in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy continues on with Biblo (Freeman) and his adventure with Gandalf (McKellen) , Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage), and the rest of the dwarves to take on the Smaug (Cumberbatch) and reclaim The Lonely Moutain.

This film will also see the return of Orlando Bloom as the Elven Prince Legolas. Evangeline Lilly joins the cast as Tauriel, a female elf, who has been created by Peter Jackson and Philipha Boyens as the character does not appear in the original Tolkien story.

Like The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the second part will also be shown in the followings formats: Read D 3D, HFR 3D, and IMAX 3D.


RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2013

Here's the trailer:

Movie Rewind: END OF WATCH (2012)

END OF WATCH (2012)
Writer/Director: David Ayer
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, Cody Horn



South Central Los Angeles seems to be as rough as you can get. It takes a certain type of police officer that would want to assign themselves to that area. Knowing that you are putting your life on the line with every phone call into 911 is heroic to say the least. Every day they are faced with guns and rifles pointing back at them with every house call they respond to. Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Peña) are partners in the LAPD. They have a brotherly love with quick witty banter and report often degrading each other or calling each other out on their own stereotypes. They are wise asses who seem to do things their own way only adhering to official police rules if they feel like it.

Taylor is shooting a documentary for his film class, so the rest of the film is shot documentary style primarily using the footage shot with their body cameras as well as the cameras mounted on their patrol cars. Their daily calls and inquiries are for a variety of reasons: drive-by shootings, drug and alcohol overdoses, gang rivalries, and domestic disputes. One call comes in claiming two children have gone missing. Taylor and Zavala show up to a heavily influenced set of parents living in a crack house whose children are tied up and duct taped in the closet. As they say, “Money and guns are the lifeblood of their organization.” Their biggest and most dangerous threat involves a Mexican cartel known as the Curbside Gang.

Outside of their job, Zavala is married and his wife is pregnant with their second child. During one of their many rides throughout the neighborhood, Taylor confides in Zavala about his desire to settle down with the right girl. He thinks he may have met the right one with Janet (Kendrick), the latest girl he is seeing. She seems to be sweet, funny, smart and even accompanies him to a quinceañera for Zavala’s extended family.

End of Watch is the latest from David Ayer who wrote Training Day and S.W.A.T. This is by no means an easy film to watch. The documentary style filming adds to the intensity making you feel like you are watching footage of real raids. The graphic violence and the living conditions of the people in this neighborhood take a strong stomach to handle. The raids and confrontations seen throughout the movie lead up to one final showdown that can be severely stressful. If you have issues with the “f” word or any of its derivatives, take note that that is used very liberally. Is it used as the vernacular with cops in this situation? Most-likely. It does not make it any less jarring with the copious amount it is spoken or yelled.

The relationship between Taylor and Zavala is the heart of the movie. It is easy to get wrapped up in the violence, but their camaraderie and friendship make the film a little more relatable and approachable than your standard buddy cop movie or street gang story. Gyllenhaal and Peña give exceptional performances. It is clearly evident that the film was no walk in the park to make. The banter between Gyllenhaal and Peña is hysterical at times which helps off-set the gritty tone the rest of the movie has. America Ferrera and Cody Horn have strong supporting roles as back-up officers who respond to any of Taylor and Zavala’s cases. If you can stomach the strong violence, shaky camera, and the language, End of Watch is definitely worth a viewing. It puts that whole world and life of a police officer a little more in perspective. I know that I would never be strong enough to take on that career.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: NOW YOU SEE ME

NOW YOU SEE ME
Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Mélanie Laurent


Magic comes in a variety of forms each appealing to a different kind of crowd. J. Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg) is your fast-talking brainiac who performs your standard set of card tricks. Merritt McKinley (Harrelson) pulls out unsuspecting people from a crowd and gets them to divulge life secrets as a mentalist. Jack Wilder (Franco) makes his living by doing sleight of hand tricks. He may end off ripping people off and stealing their money in the process. Henley Leeves (Fisher) pulls off the death-defying stunts as an illusionist.

All four of them are targeted and are given vague instructions to meet in a secret location. The world of magicians must be small as they all know each other or know of each others reputations. When they each arrive and notice that other people got the invitation their curiosity is sparked regarding this gathering of the who's who of magicians. They enter an abandoned apartment and a hologram of blueprints starts playing. They have been brought together to form a "super group" called The Four Horsemen.

One year passes and The Four Horsemen are performing to sold out crowds as an act in Las Vegas. During one special performance, they rob a bank in Paris and the money starts falling from the rafters onto the audience. This is no simple illusion as the money appears to be real and the bank mentioned during the trick has actually been robbed. This is just Act 1 of 3 of their plan to take over corrupt businesses and shower the people they have wronged with their money. The feds led my Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) and a member from Interpol (Leaurent) are brought together to catch the Four Horseman. Rhodes brings along former magician Thaddeus Bradley (Freeman) along for the ride to explain and uncover their tricks along the way. He is the type of retired magician who makes a living off making videos exposing the tricks of the trade.

The film plays out as your standard cat and mouse chase between The Four Horsemen versus the authorities who want to bring them down. Like any good magician, they are always two steps ahead in their plan. None of the characters are all that original or new. You've got your dumb detective who gets angry every time they get away. You've got your wise old mentors, and of course you've got your hot shot "criminals" who do not believe they are doing anything wrong. None of the actors are really playing outside their comfort zones. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine have all played this types before. The film may sound conventional, but who cares.

The tagline for the film "The closer you look, the less you'll see." is frequently used throughout the movie to describe the magic and illusions being performed. It is also a decent way to describe the movie. Now You See Me is a perfectly good summer popcorn film. This is the kind of movie where you can go in, have fun, enjoy it for what it is worth, and not have to think too hard. Magic is like that. On the outside, if you watch a magic trick and the person performing it has done their job you will leave amazed and surprised. If you take it at face value, it can be a fun time in that moment. If you start to dive in and deeply dissect how the trick was done, you will get aggravated or frustrated that you wasted your time on something. This is that kind of movie. I do not think the filmmakers were going in trying to make the most artistic movie about magicians ever made. There are no hidden meanings or deep thoughts behind it. You will be severely disappointed if you are looking for high art or the mysteries of magic to be explained. If you want to see that movie, go rent Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. Don't worry, you will still get your Michael Caine fix in. This movie is meant to be taken at face value as a fun joy ride that may keep you guessing along the way.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Rewind: PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971)

PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter, Donna Mills, Irene Harvey

"It was funny, I was calling you from that phonebox over there and he was telling me you'd left and I was staring at your car - isn't that funny."

Last summer I spent a week in small town Minnesota visiting my fiancé while he was performing in "Gilligan's Island" for the local townies. I found a weird joy about feeling secluded in a dark rustic cabin. Call me crazy, I know, but I was relishing in being away from work. I love thrillers and horror movies, so I thought it would be fun to watch an oldie from that genre. Does that make me a glutton for punishment? I find the majority of recent horrors like the Saw and the Hostel series to be so over-the-top that they don't make me jump or feel frightened in the least bit. The 1970s provided us with some great thrillers that are shocking and timeless. Movies like Don't Look Now, The Exorcist, Carrie, Halloween, and The Omen are still watched time after time without ever feeling old or boring. This felt like the perfect night to delve into a thriller that was both vintage and something I had not seen before.

Sometimes listening to jazz on the radio can be a perfect way to relax after a long day. Add in a disc jockey with a smooth, calm, and relaxing voice and you have the perfect solution for a long drive or a late night. Evelyn Draper (Walter) has found that perfect disc jockey. Dave Garver (Eastwood) is the late night host of smooth jazz KRML in Carmel, California. Every night a mysterious female calls into his show and requests "Misty" by Erroll Garner. She never leaves her name, but Dave always plays that song for her. On most nights after his shift, Dave pops in to his local pub. He notices a strange woman staring at him one night. They strike up conversation and mentions to her that he knows her from some place but can't place it. Evelyn admits to knowing him and specifically went to the bar to meet him. Dave realizes she must be a fan and then connects the dots that she is the woman behind the voice that always asks him to play "Misty". He agrees to take her home and sleeps with her.

In his mind, it was a one night stand to please a fan. In her mind, it was an invitation to a long-lasting relationship. She shows up at his door the next day unannounced with an arm full of groceries. This is just the beginning as Evelyn snowballs from cutesy and funny to deadly serious in her attempts to enter his life for good. Just as Dave is trying to make his life uncomplicated, Evelyn makes his it a living hell.

Throughout the movie, I kept thinking how perfect Jessica Walter is at playing this type of fanatic stalker. You never know how far Evelyn will go in her attempts to win Dave’s affection. At times it becomes quite jaw dropping. Walter is flawless at playing the various angles of a stalker without playing into camp or veering into over-the-top territory. She stays grounded and truthful and really shows that Evelyn firmly believes in everything she does and sees no problem with her actions. Walter went on to receive a Golden Globe nomination for the film.


I came across Play Misty for Me back in my Barnes & Noble days. I really like the work of Clint Eastwood, both as an actor and as a director, and put this on my never ending "must watch" list. It was a departure for Eastwood from the spaghetti westerns he was known for, like the Man with No Name Trilogy. Eastwood made the choice to make this movie as his directorial debut. For being his first time behind the camera and switching genres, Eastwood makes a crisp, dark, edge-of-your-seat thriller. The studio originally wanted Lee Remick in the lead female role, but Eastwood saw Jessica Walter in Sidney Lumet's The Group and wanted to cast her instead. Kudos to Eastwood for sticking to his gut and picking such a fierce actress and gripping film for his directorial debut.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: OBLIVION

OBLIVION
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo


With the exception of Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise movies have been very ho-hum lately. They have ridden the fence of mediocrity, but who is to blame? Is it the material? Is it Tommy boy, the guy that used to make huge blockbuster hits? Or both? The film starts off with Jack Harper (Cruise) narrating the destruction of the Earth and what is left of it. I immediately get perturbed whenever that much exposition is done all in voice-over. An alien invasion destroyed the Moon which caused massive earthquakes and tsunamis that then destroyed the Earth and left a desolate wasteland in its place. A few landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty have, for the most part, been pummeled with the remaining portions left poking out of the ground.

Jack and his partner Vica (Riseborough) are part of a handful of people who have survived the chaos. The majority of his memory has been erased except for the part where he remembers being with a woman (Kurylenko) up on the Empire State Building. Their mission is to fix and maintain robotic drones that defend their power stations from any of the remaining species, known as the Scavs, left from the alien invasion. Vica supervises from their command station on their living quarters watching his back from any potential Scavs that may be lurking in the area. Their superior Sally (Leo) gives the commands to them via satellite from a space station orbiting earth. An unidentified spacecraft crashes down leading Jack to investigate against regulations. He discovers human bodies kept in pods and recognizes one of them as the woman from his memory. Drones quickly descend into the area killing all of the humans, but Jack is able to save this woman. She explains that her ship was a NASA mission but won’t reveal the purpose of the mission. When they go back to retrieve the ship’s flight recorder, they are captured by the Scavs. Everything Jack knows to be true is turned upside down when the Scavs reveal themselves and what their true intention happens to be.

That moment in the story also happens to be the time when the movie derails into a muddled cheap sci-fi flick and starts adding in plot twists and other additional themes and ideas. So much of the exposition was told through narration and then we get blasted with these random space loopholes and ultimate truths that it tries to be a little edgier and deeper than it started out to be. I do not want to give too much away about the second half of the film as it would ruin one of the “revelations” in the film. Did I mention that they do not always explain certain ideas they are introducing? Take for instance the cabin. Yes, a cabin. Apparently on this deserted barren Earth is a cabin that Jack still retreats to for solace and there happens to be electricity so he can listen to his record player. There is also an unnecessary love triangle thrown in.

That being said, the first half of the movie is the better half. It is a three, but mainly two, actor adventure as Cruise and Riseborough go about their mission and roam around what is left of Earth. It gets a bit slow, but I found the idea behind this portion of the story interesting as we see what is left after Earth’s destruction. This exploration of life or the lack thereof was appealing. The look and tone of the film is very reminiscent of earlier sci-fi exploration films, especially 2001: A Space Odyssey. Melissa Leo’s Sally is a direct homage to Hal 9000. Cinematographer Claudio Miranda recently won the Oscar for his work on Life of Pi. His work here is quite beautiful and visually stunning. There is a constant score throughout by Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Trapanese that fits well with this mysterious vibe that something else is out there.

Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) directed the film based on his own graphic novel. Oblivion has some great aspects going it for it but starts to lose its footing when it tries to accomplish too much. I think going in with fairly low expectations caused me to enjoy and give into the film more than I would have if I was expecting the next sci-fi masterpiece. I just wish it would have stayed on track. Call me crazy, but I would not have minded a two or three actor movie about space exploration and the destruction of Earth.

RATING: *** (3 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Alice Eve


Trekkies might have been on edge back in 2009 when J.J.Abrams was going to reboot the beloved Star Trek films with a younger cast playing all the old familiar characters from the original series. I am sure there are some purists out there that turn their head in disgust, but Abrams successfully brought back a series that made the Star Trek universe cool again. Old fans rejoiced and new fans came in droves to check out the reboot. If these new fans were like me, they went back to the original source material to gain a whole new knowledge and appreciation for this series.

Abrams is back in the director’s chair and has re-teamed with his writing crew of Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof for another dangerous adventure for the members of the USS Enterprise. Captain James T. Kirk (Pine), Bones (Urban), and Spock (Quinto) are observing civilization on the vastly red planet of Nibiru. As Spock’s life becomes in jeopardy when he is stuck in an active volcano, Kirk disobeys Federation protocol and exposes the Enterprise in order to rescue him. Back at the Starfleet Headquarters, Kirk is punished and demoted to first officer and Admiral Pike (Greenwood) resumes position as Captain. There is an emergency meeting after a bombing occurs at a secret location in London. The bombing has been traced back to one of their own Starfleet agents, John Harrison (Cumberbatch). The meeting comes to an abrupt end has Harrison flies in and opens fire. He escapes but one of Starfleet’s member’s lives has been compromised sending Kirk out for revenge. Harrison flees to the Klingon world of Kronos and Kirk, Spock, Uhura (Saldana) and the rest of the crew set out to capture him.

Rest assured that Abrams and his cast come back to deliver a sequel that is one high-octane ride to say the least. The special effects are top-notch and don’t ever have that phony CGI feel to them. Some may claim the film feels more like an action movie than a true sci-fi movie with the constant explosions and chase scenes. I can understand this feeling, but I was never bothered by this choice. The idea of terrorism and rebellion from within an organization grounds the story in a more realistic society than some of the other films in the canon have dealt with as themes. In order to take this approach and still have fun, you need to have a kick-ass villain played to perfection. Benedict Cumberbatch completely blows it out of the ballpark and becomes one of the best villains seen on screen since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. He has found the right voice and physicality to make him this larger-the-life maniacal villain while keeping him grounded and realistic. He never falls into campy bad guy territory.

The screenplay provides great material for the actors to play with no matter what role they inhabit on the Enterprise team. It is by no means the Kirk and Spock Show. The idea of working on a team that operates like family really resonated with me. They may all have different opinions and ways of operating but they all have the same goal of looking out for each other. Pine and Quinto have really grown into playing Kirk and Spock, respectively. They keep in line with the previous actors that played them but give them their own breath of fresh air and unique personalities without ever giving into to doing cheap Shatner impressions. Their brotherly love plays a key factor in the story. Kirk will always do what he thinks is right versus what should be done by the book which is how the non-emotional Spock operates. This difference of opinion comes to blow during the opening sequence. In addition, Simon Pegg's Scotty is hysterical and always full of energy. I would expect nothing less from Simon Pegg.

Abrams knows how to make a great summer blockbuster that is more than just your standard popcorn fare. Like Christopher Nolan, he can take a series and completely re-invent it while staying true to the source material but also opening it up to a broader audience base. The filmmakers intentionally made a stand-alone film so you do not need any knowledge of previous plotlines or characters in order to understand this movie. However, there are plenty of little snippets and nods to the Star Trek universe to make it still feel inclusive to the history. He blends genres and themes to give it a universal approach and feel. If he has done his job correctly, it will hopefully cause the new fans to go back and invest into the world Gene Rodenberry created and gain an appreciation for the older Shatner/Nimoy movies or even binge watching the original TV show.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THE GREAT GATSBY

THE GREAT GATSBY
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke, Isla Fisher


When you think about it, The Great Gatsby has all the ingredients to be a fantastic movie. Fitzgerald! Baz! Leo! The Jazz Era meets Jay-Z! Somehow this recipe does not quite turn out like the masterpiece I hoped it would be. Nick Carraway (Maguire) is spending time in a sanitarium for depression, anxiety, and being morbidly alcoholic amongst other things. He starts to tell his psychiatrist about the time he spent in New York and how a man named Gatsby (DiCaprio) had a huge impact on his life. Being unable to fully express his thoughts, his psychiatrist suggests having him write it all down as a memoir.

When Nick arrives in New York he settles in at a little cottage next door to a sprawling luxurious mansion. This elusive Jay Gatsby character owns the place. He throws the grandest parties filled music, alcohol, fireworks, and beautiful women. He is world renown yet maintains a mysterious air about him as few people ever seem to meet him face to face. Directly across the bay from the Gatsby mansion lives the beautiful Daisy (Mulligan) and her brutish husband Tom Buchanan (Edgerton). Daisy just happens to be Nick's cousin and Jay’s former lover. Nick learns the hard way that Tom is by no means a faithful husband when Tom takes him to a secret place he goes to cavort with his mistress, Myrtle (Fisher). Nick receives an invitation to one of the infamous Gatsby parties and actually meets the host. Jay gets Nick to host a tea party the next day in order to reconnect with Daisy and potentially rekindle his romance. Jay’s feelings for Daisy have never dissipated over the years. His mansion and parties were all a way to gain her attention in hopes she would stop by to see him again.

There is no denying that Luhrmann has a distinct style and vision. The world he has created to represent the vision of author F. Scott Fitzgerald sits right alongside Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! Extensive choreography, music infused with various genres, and elaborate costumes by Catherine Martin are all present and from the outside can be a feast for the eyes. As a whole picture, Luhrmann relies too heavily on these theatrical moments to get his story going instead of trusting the characters and original source material. The cinematography and editing are so fast paced in the first part of the movie in hopes of capturing that vibrant rush that comes along with the party lifestyle. Luhrmann has brought in Jay-Z to blend the sounds of jazz and hip hop. There are fabulous moments and scenes in his previous movies where the musical elements really drive the scenes and intensify the emotions between the two lovers. I never felt that concept successfully worked in this case. It just plays as gimmicky and distracting.

When the camera slows down and the 3D special effects are not popping out at us, the story starts to take shape. Luhrmann has cast a strong ensemble willing to tackle on such well-known figures from the literary world. DiCaprio, as always, knows how to command the screen and can very easily bring out the multiple sides of Gatsby that show off his true personality. This role seems to fit him like a glove. It is probably a good thing the movie finally got made as he is getting too old to play a part that he was born to play. Edgerton and Mulligan are just as impressive as the tough, forceful husband against her beautiful, light, and airy qualities of Daisy. I cannot forget to mention Jason Clarke and Elizabeth Debicki who are equally fantastic in smaller roles. Maguire was the only negative standout which is a big problem being the narrator of the story. He lacks any sort of emotional connection and vibrancy that Nick should have toward the romance between Daisy and Jay.

I adored Lurhmann’s fusion of styles and tones in Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! but he cannot seem to make it work for The Great Gatsby. Throughout the whole movie, I was baffled by how inconsistent Luhrmann was in approaching this story. The character and dialogue driven scenes were simple and effective while the lush, CGI heavy party scenes were explosive and over-the-top. The two different styles never worked well together. He seems to trust the actors and the Fitzgerald language but feels the need to Luhrmannize any transitional type moments. The film was shot for a 3D release, but the effects came across as fake and phony like those recent Disney adaptations of Alice in Wonderland and Oz, The Great and Powerful. He easily could have made a lavish artistic movie that conveys the world of the Fitzgerald novel with real sets and effects without giving into CGI pressure. Luckily DiCaprio, Mulligan, and Edgerton are strong enough to make a portion of the movie work.

RATING: ** 1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)