X-Men: Apocalypse(2016)

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast:

James McAvoy – Professor X

Michael Fassbender – Magneto

Oscar Isaac – En Sabah Nur

Jennifer Lawrence – Mystique

Nicholas Hoult – Beast

Rose Byrne – Moira Mactaggert

Evan Peters – Quicksilver

Sophie Turner – Jean Grey

Tye Sheridan – Scott Summers

Kodi Smit-McPhee – Nightcrawler

Ben Hardy – Angel

Alexandra Shipp – Storm

Olivia Munn – Psylocke

Verdict:

X-Men: Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer and is the newest installment in the

X-Men franchise. This time out, the X-Men are faced with their biggest threat yet. A long

time ago, the first mutant, En Sabah Nur was born. Time had passed and he had fallen

until he is resurrected by his followers and he intends to destroy the world. This movie has

a huge cast with new and returning members. The new mutants; Jean Grey, Cyclops and

Nightcrawler were fantastic in this film. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were once

again dynamite. There were many great scenes in this movie that consisted of a fantastic

opening action set-piece, Magneto in the forest and the fight scene between Professor X

and Apocalypse. If you had watched the final trailer, they spoil a great cameo and it was

bloody brilliant. Quicksilver had another great moment that topped his last one.

Apocalypse played by Oscar Isaac was menacing and his Four Horsemen were cool, except

for the fact that they were all outshined by Magneto. Apocalypse’s plan didn’t seem well

conceived. Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique was more Raven, so once again we don’t get

enough blue-faced Jennifer Lawrence. The fight scenes in the film were great, the score

was epic and the film was very humorous. So besides those couple of negatives, X-Men:

Apocalypse was a great time in the theater with great performances and fun action.

Grade: B+

 

Alice in Wonderland(2010)

Director: Tim Burton

Cast:

Mia Wasikowska – Alice

Johnny Depp – Mad Hatter

Helena Bonham Carter – Red Queen

Anne Hathaway – White Queen

Crispin Glover – Stayne

Matt Lucas – Tweedledee/Tweedledum

Michael Sheen – White Rabbit

Stephen Fry – Cheshire Cat

Alan Rickman – Blue Caterpillar

Barbara Windsor – Dormouse

Paul Whitehouse – March Hare

Timothy Spall – Bayard

Verdict:

Alice in Wonderland is directed by Tim Burton and is the live action take on the classic Disney tale. In this film, Alice is all grown up and she is being set up to marry and when she notices something in the bushes, she runs off and ends up falling down a hole and lands back in Wonderland. The film has a huge cast consisting of Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman. The movie had great visuals but lacked in story and character performances. Mia Wasikowska was good as Alice, but she was very confused in the film. Johnny Depp was fine as the Mad Hatter, but he is so sad all the time and this makes the film less fun. The worst part of this entire movie was Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen who is annoying and is a total trainwreck. All she does is make fun of everyone and yells “Off with the head.” Gosh… couldn’t she just shut up for once. The supporting cast had some good performances from the likes of Blue Caterpillar, Cheshire Cat, Dormouse and the cracked out March Hare. A lot of the CGI was garbage and the Mad Hatter dance scene was ridiculous. Guys, Alice in Wonderland is a gorgeous looking film that lacks excitement and storytelling.

Grade: C-

X-Men: Days of Future Past(2014)

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast:

Hugh Jackman – Wolverine

James McAvoy – Charles Xavier

Michael Fassbender – Erik Lensherr

Jennifer Lawrence – Mystique

Evan Peters – Quicksilver

Nicholas Hoult – Beast

Ellen Page – Kitty Pryde

Peter Dinklage – Dr. Bolivar Trask

Josh Helman – Maj. Bill Stryker

Ian McKellen – Magneto

Patrick Stewart – Professor X

Verdict:

X-Men: Days of Future Past is directed by Bryan Singer and is the latest installment in the

X-Men franchise. The film tells the story of how one single event took place in the 70s, set

forth a drastic future for the X-Men. This movie has a huge cast that includes the old and

new cast. The plot of this film is that in the future all X-Men are being hunted down by

Sentinels, so they decide to send Wolverine back in time to prevent the assassination of

Bolivar Trask. This movie was phenomenal from its visually stunning beginning to its

heartfelt end. Hugh Jackman was great once again as Wolverine, but the standouts were

McAvoy (Prof. X) and Fassbender (Magneto). These two were dynamite on screen together.

The best scene in the movie for me, was the airplane scene where they argue about how

they abandoned each other and Magneto is telling Charles that they were supposed to save

all the mutants. That scene was very emotional. Jennifer Lawrence was also very good as

she is still hurting from the previous film and she is also more Mystique than Raven this

time. Peter Dinklage was fine as Trask, but i didn’t think he was a well-fleshed out foe.

The Quicksilver scene was great and it was cool to see new mutant side characters. All in

all, X-Men: Days of Future Past is a visually stunning film with great characters and a

great story.

Grade: A

The Wolverine(2013)

Director: James Mangold

Cast:

Hugh Jackman – Logan

Tao Okamoto – Mariko

Rila Fukushima – Yukio

Hiroyuki Sanada – Shingen

Svetlana Khodchenkova – Viper

Brian Tee – Noburo

Hal Yamanouchi – Yashida

Will Yun Lee – Harada

Verdict:

The Wolverine is directed by James Mangold and is the continuation of the Wolverine

series. After the shitty origins film, we get ourselves an awesome and intriguing Wolverine

film. Hugh Jackman returns and he is better than ever. His character is very sarcastic and

very violent, but he is also damaged and is suffering due to the loss of his love Jean Grey.

In this film, Wolverine is invited to Japan to be thanked for saving the life of an Japanese

soldier during the bombings of Nagasaki in WWII. In that scene, it was incredible. From

there on, Wolverine is told that he can be given the chance to die, and in doing so would

lose his adamantium claws. He is unsure, and then we are left seeing Wolverine caught

between a legacy battle involving the grand-daughter of the man he saved. This movie was

awesome from start to finish. Hugh Jackman kicked tons of ass and he was very sarcastic

as well. Some of the CGI was bad and though the train fight was spectacular, some things

during it made no sense. The entire Asian cast was magnificent and I liked how they spoke

Japanese, and how it wasn’t just a white-washed English only film. The villain was solid

and the action was great. The Wolverine was an intense comic book movie that did right

by its character.

Grade: A

X-Men: First Class(2011)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast:

James McAvoy – Charles Xavier

Michael Fassbender – Erik Lensherr

Kevin Bacon – Sebastian Shaw

Roe Byrne – Moira MacTaggert

Jennifer Lawrence – Raven/Mystique

January Jones – Emma Frost

Nicholas Hoult – Hank/Beast

Verdict:

X-Men: First Class is directed by Matthew Vaughn and is a reboot retelling of the X-Men

franchise. In this film we are introduced to a new Prof. X and Magneto played by James

McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as they assemble a team of mutants to take on Sebastian

Shaw played by Kevin Bacon, as he is intent on destroying the world and leaving nothing

but mutants alive. James and Michael Fassbender were magnificent as they both had a

great dynamic with each other. You really feel for Magneto throughout the film, especially

during that heartbreaking concentration camp scene. Kevin Bacon was magnificent

as Sebastian Shaw as he is the beginning and the end of this film. January Jones was good

as the sexy Emma Frost who is partnered up with Shaw. Nicholas Hoult was very good as

Hank, the scientist who turns into Beast and his scenes with Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique

were especially good. Lawrence was good as Mystique but she was more Raven than

Mystique, which was fine considering it’s her origin. I had no problems with the film

except for how the Col. went from one place to another and the guy didn’t notice how he

was dressed made it unusual. That’s just a nitpick. X-Men: First Class is a spectacular

comic book movie with fresh faces that make for astounding entertainment.

Grade: A+

The Nice Guys(2016)

Director: Shane Black

Cast:

Russell Crowe – Jackson Healy

Ryan Gosling – Holland March

Angourie Rice – Holly March

Matt Bomer – John Boy

Margaret Qualley – Amelia Kuttner

Kim Basinger – Judith Kuttner

Verdict:

The Nice Guys is directed by Shane Black and stars Ryan Gosling as Holland March, a P.I.

who teams up with Russell Crowe’s Jackson Healy, a beat’ em up guy and they are looking

for a kidnapped girl. The pair were fantastic as they had great chemistry with one another.

This is Ryan Gosling’s Wolf of Wall Street as he is bat-shit crazy and hilarious as well.

Russell Crowe’s character was very serious as he filled in the story gap that the film

needed. Angourie Rice played Ryan Gosling’s daughter and she was also fantastic. She was

a strong female character that wasn’t afraid of a challenge but had a soft spot for peoples

lives. Kim Basinger was fine as she played the kidnapped girls mom and I felt that her

story made the film a bit confusing. Matt Bomer was good at playing the hitman character,

but that was it. The movie is very similar to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but isn’t as great,

nonetheless The Nice Guys is a hilarious crime film with two fantastic leads that is

strong until the third act.

Grade: A-

X-Men Origins: Wolverine(2009)

Director: Gavin Hood

Cast:

Hugh Jackman – Logan/Wolverine

Liev Schreiber – Victor Creed

Danny Huston – Stryker

Lynn Collins – Kayla Silverfox

Taylor Kitsch – Remy LeBeau

Verdict

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is directed by Gavin Hood and tells the origins of the famous

X-Man, Wolverine. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine and is joined by Liev

Schreiber as Victor Creed and the two set out on adventures as depicted in the montage of

them fighting in all the great wars of history. After a mishap in Vietnam, the two are

executed and then brought back to life due to their healing abilities and this leads to

Danny Huston’s William Stryker coming in and recruiting them for a task force team. They

join and after Wolverine witnesses the brutality put forth by all of them, he leaves. He

then lives a quiet life but is then thrust back in when he realizes that Victor has been

killing the team. Stryker then brings him in and gives him the adamantium claws. From

there, he fights back against Stryker who creates a “Deadpool”, Ryan Reynolds with a

sewed mouth and multiple mutant powers. With the help of Victor, he kills him and then

loses his memory from a adamantium bullet, the end. This movie is terrible, the acting

from Jackman and Schreiber were the best part. Secondary characters were garbage, CGI

was shit and the worst part is how the “merc with the mouth” has a sewn up mouth. P.S.,

the end credits scene hints at a unsewn Deadpool head going sssh. WTF does that mean.

UHHHHH, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a garbage movie that wastes its time with a great

talent.

Grade: D+

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising(2016)

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Cast:

Seth Rogen – Mac Radner

Zac Efron – Teddy Sanders

Rose Byrne – Kelly Radner

Chloe Grace Moretz – Shelby

Ike Barinholtz – Jimmy

Kiersey Clemons – Beth

Beanie Feldstein – Nora

Dave Franco – Pete

Verdict:

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is directed by Nicholas Stoller and is the sequel to

Neighbors. Just about the whole cast has returned with newcomers Moretz, Clemons and

Feldstein. The premise of this film is the same as the last one, except that a sorority has

just moved in and they are at war with Rogen and Byrne’s characters over who should own

the block. This movie was hilarious as Rogen and Efron once again pull off fantastic jokes

and chemistry together. The 3 girls in the film were funny as well, and the essence of being

a family with one another really flowed throughout the film. Ike Barinholtz was a lot

funnier this time as he wasn’t so over the top as he was the last time. The only problems

here is that it is a rehashed story with different characters and not all of the jokes hit.

Besides that, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a comedy sequel that lives up to its

predecessor.

Grade: B+

Neighbors(2014)

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Cast:

Seth Rogen – Marc Radner

Rose Byrne – Kelly Radner

Zac Efron – Teddy Sanders

Dave Franco – Pete

Ike Barinholtz – Jimmy

Halston Sage – Brooke

Hannibal Buress – Officer Watkins

Verdict:

Neighbors is directed by Nicholas Stoller and is a comedy starring Seth Rogen and Zac

Efron. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play a married couple who are adjusting to a quiet

parenting lifestyle when a frat house led by Zac Efron and Dave Franco move in next door

and cause mayhem, the two pairs then clash it out in a hilarious style. Zac Efron and Seth

Rogen have tremendous chemistry with one another and Zac Efron was very good. The

movie has a lot to say about how rough parenting can be and also how when your

becoming an adult, you need to start making some choices that will affect you well in the

long run. The movie blends heart and comedy together very well. Rose Byrne and Dave

Franco were also great as they held their own against their opposite leads. Hannibal

Buress was good as the only cop who comes around the neighborhood. Minor problems of

the film would be that some jokes didn’t hit, characters were over the top at times and

how in the hell did the frat house know where Seth Rogen’s character worked.

Nonetheless, Neighbors is an outrageous comedy that captures the immaturity of college

lifestyle in a good way.

Grade: B+

X-Men: The Last Stand(2006)

Director: Brett Ratner

Cast:

Hugh Jackman – Wolverine

Halle Berry – Storm

Ian McKellen – Magneto

Patrick Stewart – Professor X

Famke Janssen – Jean Grey/Phoenix

Kelsey Grammer – Hank McCoy/Beast

Verdict:

X-Men: The Last Stand is not directed by Bryan Singer, but is instead directed by Brett

Ratner. In this third X-Men film, the humans have created a cure to suppress the mutants

and this sets off the war between the humans and the mutants. Also, Jean Grey has

returned from the dead and she is in the middle of this excursion. You’ve heard me say

this all the time, the returning cast is great with the addition of Kelsey Grammer as Beast.

The film has a very fun and light tone but when we have scenes with Jean, the movie

becomes dark and brutal. Jean is becoming controlled by her “Hyde” like side known as

the Phoenix that eventually disintegrates Professor X. Now, that was a ballsy choice to go

and kill the leader of the X-Men and one of the most beloved characters in the universe.

Prior to this, Scott is killed, and this movie just has a wasted James Marsden appearance.

Mystique also saves Magneto but in the process she is cured, that was a ballsy move. The

climax of the film is a giant battle involving the X-Men and Magneto’s mutants on

Alcatraz island. Wolverine kills Jean to save the human race and Magneto is cured…or is

he. That’s your movie, X-Men: The Last Stand is a fun and cheesy comic book movie with

ballsy story telling that will be decisive to comic book fans.

Grade: B