Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
June 13th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Sink or swim, many studios like to test audiences on whether or not they can get too much of a good thing. While Pixar had made quite a name for itself already, Finding Nemo came along in 2003 and really cemented the studio as the best in the business at that time. Thirteen years later we have the sequel, Finding Dory, which is incredibly entertaining, but also arriving at a time when Pixar is more focused on proving it can continue to be as good as it ever was. A follow up to Nemo may not have been necessary, but there is much to enjoy in what we get to see in this aquatic world.
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June 10th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
The core concept behind these Now You See Me films is making heist movies with magicians. That sounds incredibly fun to me and apparently many others, as the first film was a sleeper hit, paving the way for this sequel. Now You See Me 2 takes the ‘bigger is better’ route seen with most sequels and ups the ante for our main characters. The film has some of the same issues from the first, meaning the plot really only works if you don’t think too hard about it, but plenty of positives actually make this film even more enjoyable.
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June 9th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
After stepping out of the horror realm to put his foot on the gas and deliver the huge action blockbuster that was Furious 7, director James Wan returns to what he knows best with a sequel to his 2013 horror hit The Conjuring. The Conjuring 2 pretty much gives audiences what they are looking for, as far as spooky mainstream horror, but at over two hours, I wish it had more going on. While the film is sound on a technical level and startling when it chooses to be, there was only so much to take away from the characters and story, which felt more engaging the first time around.
c Continue reading ‘‘The Conjuring’ Scares Up More Demons In A Lengthy Sequel (Movie Review)’
June 8th, 2016 by Brian White
There hasn’t been that much buzz leading up to the theatrical release of The Conjuring 2. While it took me a couple watches to warm up to the first installment (my Blu-ray review here), I guess what I’m most surprised is the return of James Wan in the directors chair. After he got the invite to helm Furious 7, I guess I never really expected him to come back to something so small or in the horror genre anytime soon. I think he did a great job on Furious 7, but what do I know. Maybe it was too much for him and he wanted to go back to something simple before moving on to err…Aquaman, but I digress. Nevertheless, the horror mastermind of James Wan is back for better or worse to lead us on another supernatural adventure in The Conjuring 2, releasing in theaters this coming weekend, July 10th. Continue reading ‘‘The Conjuring 2’ Doubles Down On The Scares, But Not Much Else (Movie Review)’
June 8th, 2016 by Kenneth Wagner
When I first watched the trailer for the World of Warcraft movie I was upset. I saw a franchise that was so rich in lore, and had such a large and hardcore fan base, but such a terrible looking movie. I remember finding the trailer on my Facebook newsfeed, watching it, scrolling away, then going back to watch it again in disbelief and disappointment. At first, it looked so cliché, and so simple, I felt like it may possibly be what finally brought the mighty Blizzard Entertainment to a thaw. Today, right now, I’m here to tell you that when I was sitting in that dark theater, surrounded by tons of World of Warcraft fans hoping and praying for a miracle, and the title screen faded and the movie started… I was pleasantly surprised. Continue reading ‘World of Warcraft, The Cinematic Adventure’
June 8th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
With Warcraft, any inherent silliness that comes from seeing this live-action video adaptation is pushed to the side thanks to tremendous visual effects that effectively incorporate real facial expressions to develop truly believable CG characters. Sadly, this only concerns the orc characters. The rest of the film contains too many unenjoyable human characters and attempts to cram so much story amidst all the world building. These faults unfortunately turn an ambitious endeavor from director Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) into another misfire for the sub-genre. However, if you want a hardcore fantasy film, you certainly got it.
Continue reading ‘The World Of ‘Warcraft’ Is Vast, Ambitious And Ultimately Unsatisfying (Movie Review)’
June 3rd, 2016 by Brian White
Ever since it was announced way back when that the beautiful, thumb challenged, mother of three Megan Fox would star as April O’Neil in an all-new live action adventure/reincarnation feature film of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I knew things were completely on the right path. Cowabunga! I was so right! While the 2014 outing was rather silly and probably inconsequential to the survival of the TMNT brand as a whole (the Nickelodeon cartoon carries it alone), the end result was helluva lot of fun to be had (see my movie review here). So it’s with great joy, giddiness and absolutely no exacerbation that I unbiasedly (as much as possible considering Megan Fox is in this one) tackle the green subject matter contained within this review, the sequel to the 2014 Paramount hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, with the utmost of care, caution and precious handling. After all, these are cute, little green turtles. But who we kidding? These turtles love to kick arse! Gotta love ’em! Continue reading ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Is An Absolute Blast! (Movie Review)’
June 2nd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
The turtles are back and actually better than ever. Sometimes you have to say something along the lines of, “if you didn’t like the first one then this will be no different,” but that really isn’t the case here. TMNT: Out of the Shadows has both packed itself with all sorts of new characters best known from their cartoon origins and done all it can to make the film more palatable for all audiences. The results are quite fun, granted you accept the CG-fest that you are in for.
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June 2nd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
With three albums and success that ranges from internet fame to directorial work to starring roles in film and TV, The Lonely Island (the comedy trio consisting of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) have rightfully built up to this. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is essentially ‘Lonely Island: The Movie’, as it takes their talents as satirical/parody rappers and puts it to good use in this modern age ‘Spinal Tap’. Popstar may not become a comedy classic in the same vein and the subject being parodied is not exactly new territory being explored, but the film is consistently funny and happy to take plenty of jabs at the millennial music scene.
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May 27th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
It was bound to happen sooner or later. The immensely popular Scream Factory Blu-ray line from independent distributor Shout! Factory has made a big name and impact on the horror fandom and community right from its inception in 2012. After a few years, fans began to ask if they ever thought of putting out their own films ever. With trust from them having built clouts as huge fans themselves of the genre, they were definitely interested in it. Then, last year, the exciting news dropped about Fender Bender with much excitement. Fittingly, their first foray into filmmaking and producing would be a slasher film as their first Blu-ray release was the 1981 slasher sequel Halloween II (Also the first of the coveted “Collector’s Edition” line). Horror lovers will be able to take in this film when it premieres on ChillerTV next Friday (A week from today, June 3) at 9PM. Continue reading ‘FENDER BENDER Is At Fault For Being A Fun Time! (Movie Review)’
May 26th, 2016 by Kenneth Wagner
Hey guys, Ken here, and today’s Underdog is Alice: Through the Looking Glass. If you’ve seen the first movie, Alice in Wonderland, which released in 2010, you’ll understand why Brian didn’t feel like going to this one (hence why I used the word “underdog”). The first movie wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t worth paying $20.00 to sit in a crowded room. The first movie rated 3 out of 5, but I have to say, this sequel was a touch better (but certainly not without it’s flaws). Some of the flaws from the last movie crossed over, but it also made some improvements. Let me start with the cons. Continue reading ‘Alice: Through the Looking Glass, Almost (Movie Review)’
May 25th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Perhaps it is the bitter taste still left in my mouth after having watched Tim Burton’s blockbuster that was Alice in Wonderland, but I have much warmer feelings towards this sequel, directed by James Bobin. Alice Through the Looking Glass may not be improving much on a sense of substance, but the level of design both practical and CG present in this film offers a lot to enjoy, which is what mainly disappointed me the first time around. Add to that a (kid-friendly) story involving time travel and there’s enough here to find me enchanted by a return to Wonderland.
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May 19th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
As a writer, Shane Black made a name for himself by scripting many successful mismatched buddy movies. Over time and after stepping into the director’s chair, Black has more evidently become a master of going against what’s expected to the tune of comedic and often times violent irony. The Nice Guys is a perfect embodiment of what we have come to expect from him and it only helps that this comedic caper is plenty clever and entertaining in weaving its silly detective tale.
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May 18th, 2016 by Brian White
I have a weird kind of attachment to the first Neighbors outing. It’s not because I liked it a lot, but it’s because it’s the last time my parents came down to visit me in Austin, TX. You see, besides some friends, my parents are the only ones who have ever came down to visit me family-wise since I’ve been down here for over three years now and apparently not going anywhere soon. It doesn’t make sense either given the fact that my entire family is located up in frigid Cleveland, OH. Sure there are many things up there that are severely lacking in Austin, TX like professional sports, casinos and real places to eat breakfast, but give me a freaking break. The weather up there absolutely sucks during the winter. However, I digress as I feel myself veering way off of topic here. I need to transition back to Neighbors now after I hit the return key to start the next paragraph. Continue reading ‘Neighbors 2 Plays It Safe and Succeeds (Movie Review)’
May 18th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Great comedy sequels or even good comedy sequels are rare to come by. So many risks are taken when it comes to both recapturing a certain magic and taking a premise to a new level. 2014’s Neighbors is not exactly a film that lends itself to a sequel, but it was a hit and the powers that be asked for it. Fortunately, director Nicholas Stoller, the writers and star/producer Seth Rogen have put together Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, a comedy sequel that outdoes the original. It’s leaner, funnier and incredibly clever in tackling relevant social issues.
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May 17th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
It was about as frustrating to watch The Angry Birds Movie as it is to play the game and merely get one out of three stars on a given level. As harmless as a movie like this is, I am not all about giving something colorful and goofy a pass, simply because the young kids it targets will be swayed over, regardless of quality. There was an attempt to actually make this plotless mobile game about something, but try as filmmakers may have, with the help of screenwriters and a talented voice cast, nothing really helps when the final product misses so many targets.
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May 12th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
When you learn of a film with a premise as bizarre as The Lobster, there has to be hope it can really work. Oscar-nominee Yorgos Lanthimos has taken the offbeat sensibilities that helped his film Dogtooth catch on and applied it to his first English-language feature, which involves people either finding love or being turned into animals. The results are wickedly entertaining, as The Lobster manages to push forward a satirical look at a society forced into a ridiculous existential nightmare.
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May 12th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
As nice as it may be to champion an original thriller with big movie stars and some relevant themes, Money Monster doesn’t do much to challenge the audience. That’s not necessarily required, but when a studio has the audacity to title a film Money Monster, you should be expecting more bite. There is a somewhat entertaining film here, but it seems like there should be more, given the talent involved.
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Sink or swim, many studios like to test audiences on whether or not they can get too much of a good thing. While Pixar had made quite a name for itself already, Finding Nemo came along in 2003 and really cemented the studio as the best in the business at that time. Thirteen years later we have the sequel, Finding Dory, which is incredibly entertaining, but also arriving at a time when Pixar is more focused on proving it can continue to be as good as it ever was. A follow up to Nemo may not have been necessary, but there is much to enjoy in what we get to see in this aquatic world.
