Chef

Have you seen Chef? Have you even heard of it? If not, I suggest taking 114 minutes out of your day to watch it.

I was surprised just how good this movie was. In short, Chef follows Carl Casper (played by Jon Favreau) as he tries balancing his professional and personal life. I knew nothing about this movie going in, so I will keep the plot and celebrity cameos a secret.

Written, directed and starring Jon Favreau, this movie showcases his best performance to date. I was surprised just how good he can be in a starring role. His character had a lot of depth which made it a joy to watch him on screen.

The most impressive aspect of this film is the script. The screenplay is so good, that it doesn't feel like it was written. Everything these characters said came across very naturally. You forget that you are watching fictional characters and instead, feel like you're watching real people in a documentary. The script is so well realized and is a testament to Favreau's writing abilities.

Working in restaurants for many years, I have a good understanding of the industry. I love the culinary world and I enjoy cooking myself. Having that background, I really could appreciate the level of accuracy that the film took in representing the industry and those who work in restaurants. There was clearly a lot of research prior to making Chef, and it comes across on screen beautifully.

You don't have to be a lover of food to appreciate this movie. With a great father-son relationship, great characters, and a very impressive script, Chef is a movie that I would recommend to all.

Captain America: Civil War **SPOILERS**

I hate when people talk during the movies. It gets under my skin and I think it is extremely rude. For that reason, I am dead silent when my butt is in a theatre seat.

There was a scene in Civil War where Spider-Man was holding Captain America back from retrieving his shield. Spider-Man had both of Cap's arms pinned back by the strength of his webbing. When that was happening, out of no where, I blurted out loud;

"I can't believe what I'm watching right now"

I really meant it. There was a moment where I turned into a 7-year-old. I literally could not believe what I was watching on screen. Ten years ago, the thought of this spectacle would have seemed impossible. Now, in 2016, we have our Marvel Civil War. 

To get one thing out of the way, Civil war isn't an "Avengers" movie. As the title states, this is a Captain America story and a continuation from the Winter Soldier. Despite the fact that this film has tons of characters, the Russo brothers were able to distinguish it as a Captain America piece. The movie is driven through him, and his decisions are what ultimately change the dynamic of the Avengers. 

Let's get Spider-Man out of the way. He's in two scenes (if we aren't counting the end credits scene which I missed out on). In both scenes, he was fantastic and stole the show. I won't proclaim that he is the greatest Spider-Man we've ever seen yet. The sample size isn't big enough for me to do that. So far though, I love Holland's portrayal and I am sure Spider-Man: Homecoming will be great. 

I won't lie, I had no idea who Black Panther was before I saw the movie. Let's be honest - you didn't know much about him either.  To my surprise, Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther was one of my favourite aspects of the film. It was an interesting fold to the story. His father was assassinated, and he was on a mission to take out The Winter Soldier. He was very T-1000 like from Terminator 2. The civil war happening around him was meaningless to him as he was focused on bringing down Bucky. I loved Black Panther, and he was handled incredibly well. Never felt shoe horned in and I can't wait for his solo film.

I have to mention the airport scene. For over 17 minutes, I was never bored. Remarkably, the Russo brothers were able to craft something so perfect for Marvel, that I can't imagine a fight scene being more impressive. There were so many "holy shit" moments that it never got over indulgent. Did anyone expect Ant-Man to steal the show? I certainly didn't. His lines were my favourite and him growing into Giant Man was hilarious.

I will admit though, I never felt the "war" aspect  during the airport scene. Most of the characters were making jokes during the fight - which is fine. Marvel has built a universe in adding humour to their movies. But as amazing as the fight was, I never felt nervous because I knew they weren't actually trying to kill each other. I thought they should have killed War Machine off when he fell from the sky. I think it would have added some weight to the situation, and a reminded to the Avengers as to why they must get along. I guess all he needs now his robot legs.

What did feel like "war" to me, was the final confrontation between Tony, Bucky and Cap. Was it a ridiculous idea for Zeemo to have them fly out to the middle of no where to find other winter soldiers only for Tony to watch a VHS tape and hope that he will get angry? Of course. But that is besides the point. Just like I speculated in my trailer review, this was the best acting that Downey Jr. and Chris Evans have done in their Marvel roles. When Tony finds out that Bucky killed his parents, he was ready to kill. To me, Marvel has never had a more emotional sequence that the finale of Civil War. Seeing Tony react while watching the death of his parents was heartbreaking. You wanted him to seek his revenge, yet you didn't. Your emotions were torn as you understood both sides. It was riveting to watch and is the highlight of the film for me. To hear Tony say to Cap that he doesn't deserve his shield as his father made it was the best line of the movie. So much emotion, after almost a decade of movies, all summed in one line.

I enjoyed Age of Ultron. But the third Captain America movie felt more of a culmination of phase two,  (if not the entire MCU) than Age of Ultron did. It was hilarious at times, while heartbreaking in others. The Russo brothers are the perfect directors to move the MCU forward. No, I am not a Marvel fanboy for enjoying this movie and hating Batman V Superman. I am a fan of good movies, regardless of the studio. I just know when something is good, and when something is not.

Thanks for reading everyone!

What does a weekend marathoning the MCU movies bring out in someone? Click here to find out! 

Spirited Away.

There's a beautiful sequence in Spirited Away when Chihiro and No Face are riding a train. There's no exchange of words, and no fantastical imagery shown. It's quiet, peaceful, and a reflection on the true masterwork that is Spirited Away. Despite all the imagination put to screen, and the variety of characters shown throughout the film, it's this quiet moment that shows the confidence in the storytelling that Miyazaki and the team at Studio Ghibli crafted.

It's easy to think of Spirited Away as the "the Japanese Alice in Wonderland." A young girl goes on an unwanted adventure where a variety of colourful creatures and imagery are flashed on screen. It's an interesting comparison, and I won't argue with someone who sees the two as similar. I just happen to enjoy Spirited Away a little more.

There is something about Spirited Away that draws me in, and oddly enough, I can't really put my finger on the reason why. Of course, the hand drawn style is beautiful; just looking at the film is a treat upon itself. However the characters are not incredibly interesting to me, and I never feel a sense of danger for our main protagonist. Despite that, Spirited Away draws me in and I am locked in for the two-hour run time.

Why is that? What is it about the film that makes me like it so much?

I think it's the little moments that are little stories upon itself. Seeing the water pour over the Stink Spirit is both beautiful and disgusting. Looking into it, you see Miyazaki's attempt to bring up the negative impact of pollution to our natural world.

Chihiro helping Haku remember his name as they are falling from the sky is one of the most heartfelt moments of the film. Was I ever really invested in Haku as a character? Well...no...not really. But when this moment comes in the film, I couldn't help but get emotional. Perhaps I was invested, and I never really knew it.

You just have to sit back, and allow Miyazaki's imagination in. Spirited Away does a lot right, but most of all, it makes you FEEL something. Beautifully paced, quirky as can be, and strange beyond belief, Spirited Away is a sad reminder of how Hollywood lacks originality.  This movie may not be for all, but if you give it a chance, you might find something in it that you weren't expecting. 

A Weekend with the MCU

This week, we have guest blogger Jamie Burton from Board of Dice. Jamie has graciously loaned me his words for a great new post. Show him some love.

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Thought on the MCU so far.

This past weekend I watched (well, re-watched) all of the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point in preparation for Captain America Civil War.

Starting from the very beginning with Iron Man, it was refreshing to take a look at how the films have grown since Nick Fury showed up in Tony’s house to tell him about the Avengers initiative.

The first few were super hero-y, to put it in a word. Yes, technically all of them are, but it was Captain America: The First Avenger that really broke that mould. It was a WW2 movie first, and a super hero origin second. It used a lot of tropes of the genre, from the general grittiness of the visual to the marching montages.

And then Avengers came around and really changed everything. Many more qualified people have spent hours analysing and talking about exactly why Avengers is “really that good” so I won’t go into many details. Suffice it to say, the MCU might have technically began with Iron Man, but it really began with The Avengers.

Given that I have just rewatched these films in order in a short period of time, I’d like to give my opinion on the “Best to Worst” as well as a brief line about what I think of the movie. So, without further adieu:

Jamie’s List of MCU Movies, Best to Worst 

1. The Avengers - While subsequent rewatches reveal more problems, this is still my pick for number one. The action is solid, the plot flows nicely and the characters are (mostly) all given their time to shine.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy - It is difficult not to place this one at the top, and only loses out to Avengers due to what that one started. Guardians has an amazing sense of humour, and the five main characters have an insane level of chemistry. The “12 per cent of a plan” scene in particular has what I consider to be the best extended dialogue scene in the MCU.

3. Iron Man 3 - Take Tony Stark, remove him from his OP suit for most of the movie and give him real, genuine problems to deal with. This, plus the humour and fanservice orgasm ending, makes for a great film. It’s a buddy cop film on steroids. And, while it pissed a lot of people off, I enjoyed the hell out of the Mandarin fake out.

4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - The movie in particular suffers from the biggest “Why not just call in X” of the franchise, but while watching you hardly have a chance to notice. It’s a Bourne-style spy movie with Cap, where you get to see him adjust to a new style of combat and war.

5. Ant-Man - The one that wasn’t supposed to be good. How could it be? It’s such a crazy concept! But it pulled it off, partly by not taking itself seriously. It does have a more super hero-y vibe to it, but at its heart, it’s a heist movie. Doesn’t hurt that it is funny, too. I do wish we could have seen the Edgar Wright version, however.

6. Avengers: Age of Ultron - Hawkeye kills this movie. He was overlooked the first time around, but they made it up to him in spades here. Ultron himself is the best Dr. Doom on the big screen, as well, not that he had much competition. I like the way it was able to introduce side characters into the big picture without things getting too crowded. All in all, it is just a damn good time. Language!

7. Captain America: The First Avenger - Number seven was a toss up between this and the next, but I feel as though Cap is a better movie for many of the reasons stated above.

8. Iron Man - Tony’s first adventure did a lot of things right, and it is hard to find a lot of faults. It isn’t this far down the list for being bad, just that the others I enjoy more after watching them all back to back. That said, it does get mad props for getting all of this going.

9. Thor - There are going to be a few movies on here that I refer to as “half-good” in that half of the movie is good, and Thor is the first to fill that slot. I like Asgard, and the look into that side of things, but Thor on Earth is kind of dull. This one, at least, gave him more reason to be here.

10. Thor 2 - This one, on the other hand, is made worse for every scene that takes place on Earth. What could have been a fun romp through the other realms instead took too much of it’s run time to focus on Jane Foster. The villains weren’t anything special, either. But the parts that do take place in Asgard are fantastic. Heimdall steals the show on this one, but there’s a special place in my heart for Lady Sif and the Warriors Three.

11. Incredible Hulk - This is the defining “half-good” MCU movie, where the line is split at the halfway part of the movie. The opening in Brazil might just be the best Hulk-out in the MCU so far, and the one on the university campus is great too. Too bad the movie slows down after that and never really recovers. The ending fight in Harlem just feels like a chore to watch now.

12. Iron Man 2 - Why Whiplash? This is an example of one character bringing down an entire film. IM2 had a lot of good ideas. Don Cheadle is a better Rhodes, Tony’s drinking while dying is a great plot point. Justin Hammer is cringe, but it makes him a great opposite to Tony. Black Widow’s debut is awesome, and probably the only time you see hr actually being a spy. But the overall feel is brought down by a weak motivated villain (while the villain with better motivations is pushed to the sidelines) and what I’m assuming was a lot of producer interference. IM2 is an Avengers trailer, and while that was the shit before Avengers came out, upon rewatch, I didn’t enjoy it any more. That said, I did enjoy drunk Tony, in the suit, being a total idiot at his birthday party more this time around. At least Iron Man 3 was able to pick up a lot of the slack and deliver a better movie.

There we have it, my complete list as of right now. Some may swap positions before I even hit post, so they aren’t set in stone. The MCU has been a pleasure to watch unfold, and I look forward to what is to come. Civil War opens on Friday (in North America), and I am eagerly awaiting is. Where will it place on the list? Who knows!

The Jungle Book Review

This Jungle Book remake was, oddly enough, a remake I was looking forward to. The 1967 animated classic was a movie I watched all the time as a child, so I was curious how a new creative team would treat the property.

I had no idea what to expect from Disney's latest remake of an old classic. I was optimistic, as their latest remake of Cinderella was fantastic in my opinion. Jon Favreau is a favourite of mine, and I was confident in him being the director of this classic story. Just listening to him talk about the property here, made me excited for the film.

If movies were judged solely on CGI, The Jungle Book would be an unmitigated masterpiece. This entire movie was shot in a soundstage in L.A. Everything you see in the film was made in a computer, and I still can't believe the film's technical achievement. The animals look so real; the most realistic animals I've ever seen. The landscapes, water simulations, weather simulations - everything was so real. The work that hundreds of CG artists accomplished can't be overlooked.

Below are pictures of some of the voice actors sitting next to their CGI counterparts. Look at the realism they were able to accomplish with these animals.

Ben Kingsley as Bagheera

Idris Alba as Shere Khan

Christopher Walken as King Louie

The movie is much more than just amazing CG work. The Jungle Book is a fantastic remake that honours the source material, while adding its own spin on things. The character of Mowgli was played by young actor Neel Sethi. Not only did he give a great performance for a child actor, he gave it while being surrounded by nothing but green screen. As the only real thing on screen, he was able to carry the movie, while adding a sense of charm and curiosity that made the character of Mowgli so endearing.

I don't think they could have picked a better voice cast. Ben Kingsley is perfect as the old and prissy character of Bagheera the panther. His voice added a sense of gravitas that perfectly fit the characteristics of the old, wise panther.

Bill Murray is just as funny as a CGI bear, as he is in real life. While funny, his performance was very heartfelt, which made his relationship with Mowgli so special. I can't see another person as the voice of Baloo, besides Phil Harris in the original classic.

The highlight performances were Idris Alba as the villain Sheer Khan, and Christopher Walken as King Louie. Sheer Khan was frightening and menacing. Alba is so perfect for this character, as you legitimately fear his presence. They gave the character of Sheer Khan much more backstory this time around, which made his motivations much more clear. Alba knocked it out of the park and his performance, combined with the CG work, made for a great villain.

Then there's Christopher Walken. His scenes as King Louie had me smiling the whole time. You could tell that the character model was based off Walken's real face, which made it even more amusing. Walken's voice is so charismatic to begin with, that when you add him singing, as a big monkey, you can't help but smile.

For a fun featurette on the voice cast, click here.

It's hard to believe this, but this is a better film than the 1967 animated movie. Not because of special effects, but because the characters were given much more time to develop. Sheer Khan in the original came across as an old Englishmen, who was mildly annoyed by the presence of the man-cub. In this remake, you understand much more about Sheer Khan, which makes you more invested in the story.

I go to the movie theatre for an experience; an experience that will move me, and wow me. The Jungle Book gave that to me. The story is as sweet and fun as its always been. The spectacle of the incredible CGI work is jaw-dropping at times. The characters are fun, and the adventure is better then its ever been. It's rare for a remake to do this, but this new Jungle Book is the best interpretation that we've ever seen. It was everything a remake should be. A respectful interpretation of the source material, while adding a new spin on things. I have no idea how Andy Serkis' Jungle Book will be, but I can't see it being better than this.

More than just the bare necessities here.

Favourite Indy film

An impossible questions for me to answer is; “what’s your favourite Indiana Jones movie?”

I can’t do it! It’s too difficult for me to narrow down a single reason as to why one of the films is my favourite.

Obviously The Crystal Alien Skull thing is the weakest. Temple of Doom is my least favourite of the originals, as I can’t stand listening to Willie Scott scream. Although the most iconic image of Indy is found in Temple of Doom on the rope bridge, the story doesn't intrigue me. Randomly falling out of a plane on a native village, in order to rescue their religious rocks is not overly interesting to me. I do commend the filmmakers for making something vastly different than Raiders, however it falls a bit short for me. Still a good movie, just not my favourite. 

So awesome

Raiders and The Last Crusade however, are two of the most re-watchable and fun movies ever made. The idea for this blog came last week after I watched The Last Crusade on blu ray. For the first time in my life, I think I have found the answer.

The Last Crusade is my favourite. There. I finally made a choice that I will stick with...until I watch Raiders again.

So why the preference for The Last Crusade? Let's start with the obvious. Sean Connery adds a dimension to the series that was lacking in Raiders. Instantly, the character of Indiana Jones is fresh again as his father is introduced. Their chemistry is fantastic and it's one of the most entertaining relationships I've seen on film. 

James Bond is Indy's dad

I love the locations. Ahhh Venice. Great new location for the film to start in, and they only get better from there.

Some of the best scenes of The Last Crusade include Sallah and Marcus Brody. They were such great characters in Raiders that having them play larger roles in The Last Crusade is fantastic. Seeing Marcus act like a fish out of water when Indy tells the Nazis "he has a two day head start," is one of my favourite scenes. 

The holy grail is literally the holy grail of MacGuffins. Such an interesting artifact that instantly grabs my attention; even more that the Ark of the Covenant. 

The three trials that conclude the film are to me; the most riveting aspect of the saga. Seeing Indiana push his faith by taking that leap, is a level of emotion that Raiders never had. 

When it's all said and done, riding off into the sunset is a finale that you smile at. The ending of Raiders is fantastic; but you don't have that sense of excitement watching a room full of crates. Seeing our four heroes ride off into a beautiful sunset is one of the best endings a film series can have.

Don't get me wrong. Raiders of the Lost Ark is AMAZING! I want to watch it at least twice a year. The Last Crusade however, hits me emotionally where Raiders never did. 

Batman v Superman Review

Boy, did I want to like this movie. When they announced it at Comic-Con International, I was on board. I had a good time watching Man of Steel, so I was ready for what the DCU had to offer. I bought into the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman and Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

When Jesse Eisenberg and Gal Gadot were cast, I wasn't sure what to think. There were rumours of Flash and Aquaman showing up too, which made me feel like the movie was less and less focused.

Then I saw the movie-I mean trailer, and was surprised that they showed the entire film before it hit theatres. What a HORRIBLE trailer that unfortunately, spoiled the entire movie.

Nevertheless I stayed optimistic and saw the movie last night at a screening.

Alright, so the good. Ben Affleck did a heck of a job playing Bruce Wayne/Batman. He was convincing as Bruce Wayne and his scenes with the incredible Jeremy Irons were the highlights of the film. Batman looked fantastic and the scenes of him being Batman were a lot of fun. This Batman is the most brutal we've ever seen (I'll come back to that later) and the scenes he's in come across as a suspenseful horror film. Henry Cavill is as good as Superman needs to be. There's not much to the character and he does a great job looking the part.

Let's face it, Zack Snyder can make a cool looking movie. There were some great shots, especially early on, which made the movie interesting to look at.

The first 20 minutes I really enjoyed. The set up between the two lead characters was interesting. It came across as a mature, political movie that had a lot of depth to it.

Sadly, that's about it- the movie is a mess. Unfortunately, if you've seen that trailer, you know the whole plot. The Rotten Tomatoes score is warranted. 

I'm sure there will be many who enjoyed Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal as Lex Luthor; I am not one of them. He was so over-the-top and reminded me of Jim Carrey's riddler. At times, he comes across as menacing, but that is few and far between.

It's so obvious that the writers had no idea what to do with Lois Lane. Why does she need to be in this movie so much? Does she need to be on the battlefield with the titans of the DC universe? There was obvious confusion from the writers as to what her role in this story would be. It is clear after seeing the movie, that there was none.

May or may not be from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Then of course, there's the fight. During the 5-10 minute fight, I couldn't help but feel the kid in me smile. It was awesome to see the two go at it; although incredibly frustrating that their fight was less than the runtime of Stairway to Heaven. As serious and brutal as the fight was, the resolution was almost laughable and so unbelievable, that it negated all the buildup prior to the fight. For a movie titled Batman V Superman, there was very little "V" in the two and half hour movie.

Gal Gadot as I predicted, was a little wooden. She has maybe 10 lines, and her role is very minimal (albeit more than the movie needed). You can't keep throwing new characters at the audience and expect them to follow what's going on. 

I understand this is a set up to the the Justice League movie. Unfortunately, that's all it feels like; a setup to something rather than a movie on its own. There is a scene where Gal Gadot is reading an email, and it is the laziest, most shoehorned Justice League scene I've ever seen. There might as well have been subtitles on the screen that read; 

"We shot footage of this, do you like it? These are superheroes. People like superheroes right?"

What is this?

This is not a spoiler because it was in the trailer; when Doomsday came into the film, I checked out. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman team up to fight some CGI cartoon causing EVEN MORE destruction than Man of Steel's final showdown. Why? Why am I watching Doomsday shoot laser beams out of his face into more face-shooting lasers beams? This is "Batman VERSUS Superman." It was so shoehorned in, that it reminded me of Venom in Spiderman 3. 

Also, Batman kills? What happened to the morale dilemma that made the character so interesting? 

I understand the movie's tone was dark, but the movie itself was dark. With the 3D glasses already making the picture darker, it was even more difficult to see what was going on. The screen was almost black sometimes during the action.

What will hurt this movie is Captain America: Civil War. Soon there will be a comparison as how to do this type of movie right. Marvel did the leg work so that when The Avengers hit the screen, it was something special (and fun-yes these movies can be fun). 

Batman v Superman tried to do their Justice League, without the setup. This movie is an absolute mess and incredibly disappointing. It feels more like a setup to something rather than a film on its own. Batman was really cool, and the couple minute fight scene was great; however that's not enough to justify the 2 and half hour run-time.

-"Do you bleed?"

-"My brain does watching your movie"

Why Indiana Jones 5 is a good idea

I remember the excitement when my Indiana Jones collection arrived at my door on blu ray. I had heard that their transfers into 1080p were fantastic, and I could not wait to re-watch some of my favourite movies. 

When the credits rolled on The Last Crusade, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. The trilogy was over, and there would be no more Indy adventures.

A perfect ending to the trilogy

That was the moment I forgot about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

As I flipped through the digibook blu ray case, I forgot that there was a fourth movie of the franchise left to watch. I will not lie, I had yet to watch The Crystal Skull until last year. I avoided it like the plague, as I knew it was universally hated.

We all know how bad Indy 4 is. I  don't have to rant about it. Sure, they're actually are parts of film I enjoy. But overall, it's incredibly disappointing and the disc will probably be used as a drink coaster from now on.

I had no idea it would be this bad

So why is Indiana Jones 5 a good idea? Truth is, Indiana Jones 4 was a good idea, and there was a fantastic script from Frank Darabont for it. George Lucas (active producer of the Indy films) rejected Darabont's script, and instead went with the literary achievement that was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. For the most part, Indy 4 is a very well directed movie. The problems of the film come down to the ridiculous script and horrible characters.

Ford keeps himself in great shape, and he is ready to play the role. Steven Spielberg is coming back to direct with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall producing.

Indy 5 is a great idea, because George Lucas will not be involved. I am not a Lucas hater. He was a great visionary director and a great man. However his time in Hollywood is done, and Lucasfilm is ready to move forward.

Disney understands how to create a great story. With Disney owning Lucasfilm and the rights to Indiana Jones, I am confident Indy 5 will be a great movie and the send off to the character we've always wanted.

The Force Awakens Blu Ray

An image that started it all

I remember it like it was yesterday. When the picture shown above was released on social media, it took the world by storm. I remember downloading it, just so I could zoom in and see the expressions on all their faces.

It was real.

Harrison Ford was actually sitting next to J.J. Abrams, discussing the film.

Speculation started instantly. Seeing Lawrence Kasdan was to me, the most important person in the room. Kasdan of course, wrote Episode 5 and 6. Seeing his return was reassurance that the script was in capable hands, and George Lucas was far away.

Seeing R2D2 in the corner, having Carrie Fisher talking to Daisy Ridley, is that...is that ANDY SERKIS!

Needless to say, this picture started all the fan theories and and all the hype. It didn't take long for me to envy the fly on the wall in that room. How I wanted to be there to hear the cast discuss the film and read it for the first time.

Luckily for spoiled consumers such as myself, the Force Awakens blu ray has it covered.

I am excited to watch the movie again at home. However I am more looking forward to this special feature that was recently announced. Along with many more features, this blu ray seems to be a great addition to my ever growing collection. As you probably can tell, I was a huge fan of The Force Awakens and I'm looking forward to adding it to my shelf.

Here is the Force Awakens In-Home trailer.

Captain America: Civil War Trailer Review (Trailer Spoilers)

This year, we are getting a movie where some of our favourite comic book heroes will go head-to-head in an epic fight of principles. One of them looks like a depressing, angry battle between the brattiest of the brutes; and the other looks like Captain America: Civil War.

The final trailer for the third Captain America movie was released today. I have watched it multiple times and I seem to get more excited after every viewing. I have been a fan of these Marvel movies. They have yet to crumble under their enormous universe, which can be attributed to the fantastic work of Marvel's president, Kevin Feige.

I am not the most dedicated Marvel fan however. I haven't seen the Thor movies because, well...I just don't want to. I'm not going to watch a movie just because it's part of a universe and I'm obligated too. I am however, a huge Spider-Man fan. The thought of him FINALLY being added to the MCU is incredibly exciting.

Spidey's new suit looks FANTASTIC and is clear fan service. I'm not sure how much screen time he will have in the movie, as he was a late addition. We can look forward to Spider-Man's new film in 2017.

This new trailer shows a lot to look forward to. I'm going to assume that these be the best performances from both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. Both look like they're pushing their characters to the limit and I can't wait to see them interact with each other.

The Russo brothers proved with The Winter Soldier, that they are ready for these big budget Hollywood blockbusters. Civil War looks like it's in good hands. May can't come soon enough.

If you haven't already, it's time to take Ben Affleck seriously

Affleck shooting Argo

Ben Affleck is an interesting character to talk about and definitely worth a blog post . In 1997, he and his friend Matt Damon wrote the Oscar winning flick Good Will Hunting. For anyone who hasn't seen it- stop reading this blog and check it out...then of course come back and finish reading!

I can imagine that in 1997, the general public would have assumed that Affleck would begin an illustrious career as a screenwriter after taking home the Oscar. That of course, would not be the case. 

Affleck had a small leading man career as he reached the height of his superstardom with films such as Pearl Harbour and Armageddon. Both of course, are lacklustre movies to say the least.

However lacklustre those movies were, they were the calm before the storm that would be the early 2000s for poor Affleck. Affleck starred in Hollywood flops such as:

                   Daredevil 

Thank goodness for the Netflix mini series

      

    Paycheck   

Run Ben! Run as far away as you can!

                                                                                                          And of course....Gigli

This one just hurts

Each of those films earned Ben Affleck a Razzie award for worst actor in a featured film. The sad part is that each of those movies were released in 2003, giving him three Razzies in one year alone!

I would assume that Affleck had had enough with all the negative criticism at the time. While his close friend Matt Damon (who he had won that Oscar with years ago), had reached superstardom, Affleck was sinking fast .

Affleck decided that he was ready to try a new adventure; that being directing. With his directorial debut Gone Baby Gone (2007), Affleck created one of the most real and gritty cop dramas of the last decade. It was something that nobody saw coming.

Three years later, he would direct and star in The Town (2010). The Town showed that Gone Baby Gone was not a fluke. And to this day, Affleck directed the best performance given by Jeremy Renner. It is an incredible heist movie with amazing direction and thrilling action sequences.

Then of course, is Argo (2012). Argo would take home the Academy Award for best picture at the Oscars that year. Yes...Ben Affleck had directed the best movie of the year, less than a decade after the three Razzie night. He is now one of my favourite directors in Hollywood and someone who you should be taking seriously. 

What's next for Affleck you may ask? In this case, I feel a picture speaks louder than words.

Batman! The man is Batman!

Ghostbusters Trailer Thoughts

I got around to watching the brand new Ghostbusters (2016) trailer and I can honestly say I am surprised by the feedback. If you look under the Sony Youtube page, they're twice the amount of dislikes as there are likes.

I find the negative feedback surprising. Did any of those people watch this trailer? Don't they understand the potential here? Hollywood can remake everything and anything! 

I always watched the original Ghostbusters and thought; "if only Hollywood would remake this movie to be bigger and better then ever." The original's special effects just don't hold up anymore, and the humour is way too intelligently written. Clearly it needs a remake for the fans who desperately want to see it.

Now to think of it, Back to the Future seems a little dated. Am I really to believe that a teenager would ever wear an outfit like that to school? Might as well do the fans a favour and cast Dave Franco to play the new Marty McFly.

To continue this thought, Citizen Kane seems very dated. Really? Black and white? This is ridiculous. How are modern audiences supposed to get behind that character? I really think they should consider Jai Courtney to play the young Charles Foster Kane. He clearly can play a beloved character like Kyle Reese to perfection.

Michael Biehn is no match!

I'm surprised that after the amazing praise the Psycho remake received, old Hollywood classics aren't being remade more. Isn't the world ready for a new Raging Bull or Apocalypse Now? Didn't the fans appreciate the remakes of Carrie, Point Break and Poltergeist? Isn't it time the Princess Bride and The Breakfast Club get their stories told again?

This is getting a little ridiculous. It is time that movie fans get together and demand Hollywood to redo, remake and reimagine our favourite films again. The Godfather is SOOOOO boring and definitely needs a CGI action set piece in the middle somewhere. Does anyone understand the ending to 2001: A Space Odyssey? I think it should be remade into a trilogy of movies...wait...no...split the last chapter in two films - or even a trilogy on its own; making a five part movie event for the decade.

Let's get our voices heard people. Maybe if we're loud enough, we will get that Memento remake we've all been asking for. 

Oscars 2016 after thoughts

Well, it's over. The almost 4 hour run time of this year's Academy Awards (with lowest ratings in almost a decade) definitely had a statement to make. It was expected, as we knew Chris Rock was going to say something.

"This year, in the in memoriam package, it's just gonna be black people who got shot by the cops on their way to the movies."

It was my favourite opening monologue in recent memory. While it was comedy, Rock was saying the truth of the situation by bringing up real issues.

As the awards started, there wasn't too many surprises. Sure, everyone wanted Stallone to win that Oscar; however Mark Rylance was well deserved for Bridge of Spies. 

The songs were great in the ceremony. I may be the only one who really enjoys "Writings on the Wall" from Spectre (of course Skyfall is better). Lady Gaga once again, may have stole the show as her moving performance brought tears to people's eyes.

As expected, Brie Larson and Alicia Vikander took home the trophies and both had really great speeches. 

Amazing to see an action movie get Academy love

It was FANTASTIC to see so much love given to Mad Max: Fury Road. I would have loved to see it win more, as I believe it's one of the few movies nominated that will be watched and remembered for decades. 

Then there was silence as Julianne Moore walked on stage. Everyone was hoping she would say the coolest name in Hollywood and our golden boy from the Titanic would win his first Oscar. When Leonardo DiCaprio was announced, there was a standing ovation and a collective feeling of happiness from movie goers. For some reason, this Oscar meant something to the fans, and as expected, DiCaprio had a wonderful speech (that was probably rehearsed as we knew he would win). It was great to see, as he is one of the best actors in Hollywood and has been for years.

There was no way they would play his speech off with music

The best picture winner was a little bit surprising as Spotlight took home best picture. It was only surprising because The Revenant seemed to be gaining momentum winning best director and actor. Spotlight was a good film and an important one, but not best picture material in my eyes.

Keep in mind that your opinion of the best movies of the year is more important than what the Academy thinks. Don't let the Oscars sway your opinion, or be used as an argument as to why your favourite films sucked. My favourite film was the zero Oscar winning Star Wars: The Force Awakens  (great to see our favourite droids walk out on the Oscar stage last night). Your opinion means just as much as anyone else's and an award show should not change that at all.

Roger Deakins 0/13

Louis C.K. next year's host?

Spectre

I should preface this blog by saying I am not a James Bond aficionado. I appreciate them for what they are, I just have a hard time getting over the campiness. For goodness sake there's a movie called Octopussy.

That being said, I am a massive fan of Casino Royale and Skyfall. Casino Royale blew me away as an origin story that explored the character of Bond like never before. Skyfall did more of the same, with a stand out performance by Javier Bardem.

...Quantum of Solace we won't speak about.

When Spectre started off, I was convinced it was going to be the best Bond movie ever. That opening shot is a technical marvel and something worth seeing. If anything else, this movie is technically flawless. Sure it's not a Roger Deakins movie, but it's pretty close.

My issues with Spectre all come down to the script.

Two time Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz is severely underused as the villain, Oberhauser. The casting of such a fantastic actor was waisted, as he was little more than an evil guy monologuing about his past evil deeds. Sure he was good in the role and had a few good scenes, but Waltz is more than just a standard actor playing a standard villain.

Casino Royale set up such an amazing relationship with Bond and Vespa that when the Spectre girl played by Lea Seydoux eventually said "I love you" to Bond, it is hard to believe; especially because they didn't have the time to develop that chemistry.

Craig sure does look cool as James Bond

Overall, Spectre is a good time. Sure, it is disappointing after the masterwork that was Skyfall. With undeveloped villains and some odd story choices, Spectre doesn't hold to the same standard as some of Craig's past work. That being said, I would recommend it as it is a fun action movie with incredible set pieces, a compelling enough story and Dave Bautista (who is always cool).

For a great blog about the quiz game Sporcle, check out Patrick's Sporcle Badge Quest featuring a post about James Bond. Also, who doesn't love those amazing Bond cars? My friend Nate has a fantastic blog to check out for all your car needs.

...Boyhood

Do you remember when Boyhood came out? It was said to be an experience that would never be forgotten. A movie that transcends generations and to quote some critics;

"It's like a time-lapse photo of an expanding consciousness"
- Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail 

"This is not only a great film, but an important landmark in how great films can be made"
-David Keyes
Cinemaphile

"The year's most captivating narrative experiment, and possibly the most engrossing coming-of-age movie in the history of the genre"
-John Hartl
Seatle Times

If you enjoyed the film, then I am happy for you. All movies are subjective and if it did something for you, then that's great.

However for me, it's my least favourite movie of all time.

What is the first thing people say when talking about Boyhood? "12 years! It took 12 years to make. Did you know...that Boyhood took 12 years to make? That's over a decade!? 12 years!!!!!!?"

Just to clarify something, it did not take 12 years to make. It was made over 12 years, but it only was shot for only 39 days. Believe it or not, but the idea of shooting the same actors over many years is NOT something that is brand new. Does anyone watch Modern Family...or any long running sitcom? Married with Children ran for 11 years using the same actors who "grew up in front of your eyes."

Watch as he gets more and more unlikeable

So I will not call Richard Linklater (writer/director) a visionary genius for making Boyhood. With cringe worthy dialogue, boring cinematography and the most unlikeable central performance in recent memory, Boyhood is not only a bad film, but a painful film to watch. It feels like a movie written by an old man, who is so disconnected with how kids talk to each other.

Had Boyhood not used the same actors over the 12 years, no one would be talking about it. If it was the exact same story and writing, but different actors played the different ages, it would be known as a joke.

Luckily, I am not alone in thinking this, so I don't feel like a mad man. If you enjoy this movie, then I hope I didn't offend you. Maybe I am wrong in my opinion, but I can't find myself to enjoy Boyhood at all.