It’s not often I review a film with a budget less than $100 million, let alone a film as inexpensive as The Sex Addict. Any self-respecting film fan knows there is no correlation between budget and quality. Transformers films are among the most expensive of Blockbusters, but they’re terrible. Clerks had a micro-budget and remains one of the best comedies ever made. Story, dialogue, and actors are king when it comes to a good movie, no matter the budget, as is the case with The Sex Addict.
Written, directed, and starring Amir Mo, The Sex Addict is a clever film that makes the most of its price-tag. Filmmakers like Mo who don’t have studio backing are smart to embrace comedy genre, more specifically mockumentaries. Making use of great comedians and their ability to crack wise on the fly, The Sex Addict is a great example of a independent film done right.
In fact, the film’s biggest strength is its actors. The movie does feature stars such as Horatio Sanz (SNL), Bryan Callen (MADtv, and Ken Davitian (Borat), but it really doesn’t need them. Most everyone else is perfectly capable of carrying the feature film without any sort of celebrity to their names.
Amir Mo is absolutely hilarious as Rex, the sex addict to which the title refers. He’s the heart and soul of the film. The man is a master ad-libber, as most the film is unscripted and plays out like a Christopher Guest picture. Rex is a clever, fast-talker who Mo successfully brings to life with his unique ability to be hilarious on the fly (it’s not as easy as it looks, folks). The lead of the film, Mo is in most scenes and interacts with nearly every other comedian, always with quick whit that feels natural rather than forced. His is neither so add-libbed it is obvious, nor so scripted and wooden that it comes across as unnatural. His interview with Porn Star Mary Carey is absolutely hilarious and is where Amir Mo shines the most. He was born to be on The Daily Show with his sharp questions and even more clever responses to Carey’s answers. Rex is certainly a sexist character, without a doubt, but that’s the point, isn’t it? Rex is obviously a flawed character and the film addresses his short comings, not endorsing sexism even with the film’s subject matter.
Still, no one can do it alone and Mo was smart to surround himself with other talented actors that range from his co-stars all the way down to featured actors and extras. Valerie Tosi is great as Suzanna, a PhD student working on her dissertation in sex psychology who chooses Rex as the subject of her study. In an interesting twist on the Mockumentary genre, the Cameraman played by Sergio Crego is a character in the film as well, behind the camera nearly all the time, yet more involved and present than whoever is shooting “documentaries” like Mascots, The Office, or Arrested Development. I guess if he was a real cameraman, this would be frowned upon as he interacts with his subjects too much, but in The Sex Addict it is a refreshing addition to the genre.
Looking past the two main leads, Caleb Thomas as Theodore is unbelievably funny, second only Rex. Anyi Malik as Arnell is another scene stealer; I would watch a movie just about him and Theodore (though Rex would need to have a presence as well). Danielle Gross also drives home the humor as Rex’s not-really-but-sort-of platonic friend Trudy. Even very minor characters like the two women Rex meets at a Church are incredibly talented. There are points in the film where I wasn’t sure if I was watching actors or real people caught in Amir’s cross-hairs because the acting was so seamless. The aforementioned women Rex meets in the church are a great example of this. In the church, I thought they were just disgusted, real people that Mo was messing with in character, but when they showed up in the next scene, I realized I misread the situation. Their shock and disgust was just that convincing.
Look, I interned at a company where all I did was watch movies submitted by idiots who really did think they were the next big thing. And every, single one of those movies was terrible… nay… unwatchable. The Sex Addict wouldn’t have been one of those films. It would have been a bright spot in a bleak internship. It is a truly is a funny film with a great premise and solid execution. It’s one of the good ones. 
The Sex Addict is available to preorder on DVD, Bluray, and Digital on March 28th, on iTunes and Amazon! The film itself is out April 28th. So check it out!
What humor? You mean the “jokes” you’ve already seen in the trailer? Because other than that, the biggest joke is that Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) has a Unicorn fetish, which may have been funny… before we saw Ryan Reynolds jerk off to a plush Unicorn in Deadpool back in February. Sure, this film was shot before Deadpool‘s release, but being 2nd to the Unicorn Orgy looses all the thunder. At least Will Smith as Deadshot is funny enough through attitude alone; Smith hasn’t been this snappy since his 90’s classics like Independence Day and Men In Black. Everything else is bleak as Batman V Superman. Suicide Squad seems like it wants to be more like Guardians of the Galaxy and Deadpool, but it fails, miserably.
Part of the excitement going into Suicide Squad is seeing all these fan favorite DC characters – Deadshot, Harely Quinn (Margot Robbie), Amanda Waller (Viola Davis)
Though his appearance is brief, Ben Affleck’s Batman may be even better in Suicide Squad than in BvS! He moves differently, even more gracefully than than BvS, and seeing him from Deadshot’s POV is damn intimidating. Bruce Wayne even has a bit to do, in one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
The characters that are actually deemed necessary are given flashbacks, which, though quick and also underdeveloped, are the best part of the movie. The movie starts strong with these quick stories explaining their origins (sort of), which also happen to be the only visually appealing sequences of the film. There are too many though, and while the 1st act is the most enjoyable, it does feel like an extended trailer. Some flashbacks are saved for later in the film, which really, really, slows down the story and feel completely unwelcome. So, it’s all downhill from the 1st act.
Just a mess. All the pop-y fun of the 1st act is drained away in favor of poorly choreographed action sequences against the most generic soldiers since Loki’s Chitauri army in The Avengers or Ronan’s “Ninja Turtle” aliens in Guardians. Task Force X’s mission also seems misguided and a little unclear. Like I said earlier, Suicide Squad feels like a Superhero movie from the early 2000’s before Nolan and Marvel Studios figured out how to elevate the genre.
As I mentioned, the “zombie soldiers” Task Force X faces are another example of giving a superhero team an army to destroy without murdering tons of human beings (though these “monsters” were once human, but Flag assures us they aren’t anymore…). The Avengers had the Chitauri army and Avengers: Age of Ultron had a robot drone army. This feels similar, with a less interesting design and no charismatic leader like Loki (Tom Hiddleson) or Ultron (James Spader) to taunt the “worst heroes ever.” These soldiers are literally black blobs, a metaphor for all the bland visuals and fight scenes showcased here.
Is it really rockin’? Full of great songs, Suicide Squad tries hardest to be Guardians of the Galaxy with its Soundtrack. I’m sure it does make for a great Soundtrack, but in the movie this overload of music seems distracting and overbearing; every time we meet a new character (every 3 minutes or so) we get a new song. Sloppy and simply thrown together like the rest of Suicide Squad.
Another giant missed opportunity by DC. Suicide Squad tries hard to replicate the success of team-up movies like X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, and even The Avengers, but in doing so feels like a paint-by-the-numbers formulaic team movie, bringing nothing new to the table. The movie doesn’t even commit to its one chance at being unique; the twist that they are the villains, not our traditional heroes.
This added story is half the problem with The Killing Joke, as it is mundane, yet surprisingly odd and perhaps questionable. I have nothing against Batgirl (Tara Strong), but watching what is basically a twenty-minute episode of her generic adventure taking down a mobster (it doesn’t always need to be a Super Villain, but it helps) is like an unwelcome opening act for the band you really came to see. Though peppered with Batman, the Joker is no where to be found until after over 20 minutes in to a 76 minute film that is supposed to be about him! Knowing who Batgirl is does add emotional context to the story and that’s why a whole act of Batgirl was added. I don’t believe the original book ever addresses the fact that Barbara Gordon is Batgirl in addition to Commissioner Gordon’s (Ray Wise) daughter. I’m not saying Warner Animation shouldn’t make a Batgirl movie, I’m just saying it takes away from a story that is fundamentally just about Batman and The Joker at each other’s throats.
Fitting for the 50th Anniversary of the franchise, Star Trek Beyond feels more akin to an episode of the Original Series than any of the 12 films that preceded it. If Abrams’ Star Trek films had a baby with an Original Series episode, it would surely be Star Trek Beyond.
While Star Trek (2009) was tasked with “world building” and Into Darkness put too much emphasis on Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch),Beyond gives all your favorite characters meaty material and something to do, splitting the screen time between them in what seems to be an appropriate balance. Into Darkness focused on Kirk (as they all should to an extent; he is the Captain) and gave Scotty (Simon Pegg) waaaaay more screen time and a more important role than anyone else. My favorite character has always been Chief Medical Officer “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), who hasn’t received his fair share of screen time since the 60’s, but has plenty to do here, as does everyone else. Scattered across an alien planet due to the attack that destroys U.S.S. Enterprise, Bones actually gets paired up with Spock (Zachary Quinto), and it is refreshing to see their relationship more in depth, rather than the usual emphasis on Kirk and Spock. But don’t worry, no matter your favorite character, Spock, Scotty, Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), or Chekov (the late Anton Yelchin) they are all fully fleshed out and have important roles to play, with plenty of screen time.
Two new interesting themes explored in Beyond are the idea of “Cabin Fever” and the repetition of everyday life after being on a starship for three years straight, as well as Kirk’s need to escape his father, George Kirk’s (Chris Hemsworth) long and heroic shadow.
Taking over for Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, the late Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson from 1984, are Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, respectively, as each does fill the archetype of their predecessor. Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is the new Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), leader of the group and biggest skeptic, without any of Murray’s charm or sarcasm. Gilbert may be the flattest character in this film, and that’s a problem. Abby Yates (McCarthy) is an update on Dr. Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd) with just as much enthusiasm and dopey humor. Patty Tolan (Jones) is more or less Winston Zeddmore (Hudson), Black, street-smart, and last to join the team. The only actress to stand out in her role, separating herself from the archetype that existed previously, is McKinnon as Holtzmann, a much wackier version of Egon (Ramis) that steals the show, with the exception of…
It does seem a pattern is arising, does it not? Aside from each female Ghostbuster bringing a slight twist to their pre-assigned archetype, none of it feels fresh except the aforementioned Kevin and Hotlzmann. The plot, while not using the same ghostly entity as the big bad from the 1984 film, does feel recycled, with little new to offer. If anything, it offers much less, with a much simpler plot than that involving the Gatekeeper, Keymaster, and Zuul, which was deliciously bizarre and mysterious, with a real sense of danger. While I appreciate the reboot’s successful attempt to explain why Ghosts are suddenly a thing in New York City, the evil Ghost plot falls flat on its face and the finale is more goofy and action packed than the original; a remake in the modern age of CGI in every sense of the word. There feels as though there is no peril in the end of the film, just an overabundance of CGI Ghouls. It also lacks charm. These new female comedians certainly have the chemistry and the comedic chops deserving of the roles they landed, but there’s still something missing. The ending to the 1st film is so great, with those four men on a roof, facing a God and a Building-Sized Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, with only their wits and whit. The stakes and the chemistry just isn’t all the way there in this new Ghostbusters.
The humor does feel a bit off, but that is because the original film excelled in the humor of the 80s, while this reboot is obviously very modern. That being said, I think, like most modern takes of classic genres, the film is a little heavy on the humor and a bit light on character development, plot, and even the supernatural. Just compare Lethal Weapon (1987) to The Nice Guys (2016) as an example; both are the same genre and written by the same man, but the later goes overboard on the humor, losing the more poignant moments from the former. I was a bit turned off by all the jokes at the ladies’ expense, considering Director Paul Feig downplayed the fact he cast women in roles originally inhabited by men. I expected there to be some differences; obviously female character behave differently than men and will get into different comedic situations, but by the end of the film I was so tired about hearing jokes about women being able (or not being able) to do “a Man’s Job.” I don’t think it’s just the sexist haters that need to get over the fact that the Ghostbusters are now women; Feig should take a chill pill of his own.
I may have mentioned magic and wonderment (I have), as that’s what The BFG has in Spades, and is its greatest strength. If anything, the plot often gets lost in the magical realm of giants. Similar to the wonderful Children’s Film, Coraline, as well as (nearly) every Tim Burton film, The BFG has a style over substance problem. It’s a slow moving film that really, really pulls off all the visuals, from the startlingly realistic appearance of the CGI Giants to the beautiful tree of dreams, and even the foggy streets of London. It is certainly a lovely looking film that also finds visual charm in the way Big Friendly Giant (who apparently doesn’t have an actual name, unless I missed it) utilizes regular size objects across his whimsical, giant home.
The main cast is glorious under the direction of arguably the Greatest Director of All Time, from the aforementioned Mark Rylance to newcomer Ruby Barnhill. Rylance voices and did full motion capture to bring BFG to life, and if this Giant looks vaguely familiar, that’s because Rylance won an Academy Award for playing the Russian Spy in last year’s Spielberg film, Bridge of Spies. As I also mentioned, Rylance is Spielberg’s current Muse (this director’s Tom Hanks days may be over), attached to Spielberg’s next two movies, The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara and Ready Player One; also rumored to be on the cast list for Indiana Jones 5. In her 1st film, Ruby Barnhill as Sophie thrives under the direction of veteran “Child Director” Steven Spielberg. As proven by E.T., A.I. Artificial Intelligence (acronyms again!), Jurassic Park, and Hook, among others, Spielberg has President status over the exclusive club of directors who can make Child Stars shine, membership including J.J. Abrams (Super 8) and Richard Donner (The Goonies). The BFG is no exception to his legacy.
But… there are Fart Jokes. Two scenes of Fart Jokes! Which would normally piss me off in a Spielberg movie (in an interview he says he’s never done one), but again, it’s from the source material, and they aren’t awful Fart Jokes like every other Children’s Film… ever… they’re… charming.
Yes, director Roland Emmerich (ID4, Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow, 2012), attempts to go bigger, with an alien ship the size of the Atlantic Ocean, and we get one scene of London buildings and vehicles being lifted into the air (the ship has its own gravity… or gravity guns… or something) as well as some “Moon Base Destruction” (I’m stealing that for my band’s name), but the stakes somehow feel… lower than the 1st film? There was something mystifying about all the ships parked over landmarks across the globe in the original, while this one feels almost, more local? This extends to the finale where there is no world-wide effort to fight back like in the 1st Independence Day; all the action is limited to the desert wasteland around Area 51.
The lackluster destruction, action, and plot aren’t the films biggest shortcomings, the characters in this movie just suck, especially the new ones. The new young cast of heroes, Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth), the late Captain Steven Hiller’s (Will Smith in the 1st film) son Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher), and the still living President Whitmore’s (Bill Pullman) daughter Patricia Whitmore (Maiki Monroe) all share a backstory that seems like it was rejected from Top Gun, with no chemistry between the characters. William Fichtner plays the criminally underdeveloped General Adams, a character who could have been this film’s President Whitmore, had he any motivation or personality. Finally, including an African Warlord and a “Government Pencil Pusher” as supporting characters just seems like a questionable choice at best.
Independence Day: Resurgence is an uninspired retread, recalling other lazy sequels like The Hangover Part II, Jurassic Park III, and Dumb and Dumber To. It tries to repeat what made 1996’s Independence Day such a summer smash, forgetting what actually made that film great (note to director Roland Emmerich… it wasn’t just the destruction!). Dumb plot and dumber characters make for… you guessed it… a dumb sequel.
Central Intelligence works best when it’s all jokes. Johnson and Hart are hilarious together, with this film perhaps being Johnson’s most funny thus far. It was this pairing, not the unoriginal plot, that had me excited to see the film and this aspect of the film certainly delivers! Johnson is side-splittingly-funny as the muscle bound CIA Agent Bob Stone whose personality does not fit his ripped facade. Bob Stone still has a chip on his shoulder from being the fat kid who was humiliated in High School, also never outgrowing his nerdy personality, to a point where he still loves and wears a Unicorn shirt… and a fanny pack… as a CIA Agent…
The supporting cast is full of great actors and comedians, including Amy Ryan, Aaron Paul, Kumail Nanjiani, Melissa McCarthy, and an incredibly funny role for the incomparable Jason Bateman. All add a nice flavor and a bit more comedy into the mix (Aaron Paul even gets to say “Bitch,” immediately calling to mind his Breaking Bad catch-phrase, intentional or not). Calvin’s fear and resistance to being pulled into Bob Stone’s world, including his interactions with Agent Pamela Harris (Amy Ryan) and inexperience/fear of danger make for some funny laughs, but nothing tops the glee of Bob as he goes about his violent business with a big smile on his face and a bigger fanny pack on his waist!
If more of a comedy is what you’re looking for, and you enjoy the antics of the now fun-loving Dwayne Johnson (whose older movies used to take him too seriously; The Rock’s a funny dude) and/or the comedy stylings of Kevin Hart (Get Hard comes to mind as the closest comparison), then you will love Central Intelligence. It is exactly the film as advertised by its great trailers. If you’re looking for a more traditional 80’s “Buddy Cop” movie, this still isn’t it, but that’s not a deal breaker. The chemistry and comedy are great, the supporting cast is solid, as is the action (if only there was more of it…).
I watched 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Hulu the other night in preparation for this sequel. Watching the 1 st film, my initial worries were confirmed: it was a Michael Bay-esque mess (you’d swear he directed it) with more visual cues from the Transformers movies that anything in Turtle “Canon” and a brand new origin that stripped the characters of their complex relationships and personalities from the original animated series and live action movies of the 90’s. Shredder was a God-Damn transformer, William Fichtner played his typical Michael Bay role (Don’t trust that guy! Remember Armageddon?), and Megan Fox was a smoking reporter… with no reporter skills, nor any resemblance of classic April O’Neal besides having breasts. The Turtles were created by April O’Neal’s (Megan Fox) father with evil Fichtner, the former destroying his creation after learning about his research’s application (a la Amazing Spider-Man’s unnecessary backstory). They were April’s turtles that she saved only to throw down a sewer. Splinter (Peter Donald Badalamenti II) was just a rat that was experimented on, same as the turtles, instead of a former Ninjutsu master that trained under the same Sensei as Shredder. This Splinter learned Ninjutsu from a book! He was never trained AND was lacking the history with Shredder that always made their conflict personal and Shredder’s hatred appropriate. Worst of all, the plot was about poisoning New York and using the Turtles DNA as a cure, a dastardly plan that doesn’t fit the MO of the Shredder we once knew. And… the CGI was terrible, even for its time.
This movie is all about giving kids of today the same feeling I got from the Animated Series, while also serving as sweet nostalgia for those that grew up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles like myself.Shredder (Brian Tee) has been toned down to a guy in a costume nearly identical to the show; no more whirling robot arms that look like an Iron Man suit got jacked by a Transformer. The Foot Clan has stopped using guns like in the previous film and are back to being actual ninjas! Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (Stephen Farrelly) are nearly perfect adaptations of their TV counterparts, as is Krang (Brad Garrett), fully realized with perhaps an overabundance of CGI, but cool none-the- less (his suit looks a lil’ like a Transformer, but it’s also true to the character). Casey Jones (Stephen Amell from Arrow) is awesome and fits in nicely with the other new characters. Best of all, with the introduction of all these fan favorites, it never feels crowded, though Shredder and Krang deserved a little more screen time.
And the plot feels just like it came from the cartoon. No more terrorist acts like poisoning all of New York; instead, after a portal transports Shredder to the wrong location, Krang tasks him with collecting 3 relics to complete an inter-dimensional doorway which will allow Krang to invade the Earth with his warship. Meanwhile, Bebop and Rocksteady are mutated so the Foot Clan have a fighting chance against Mutant Turtles and Casey Jones takes up the vigilante mantle after he allows Bebop, Rocksteady, and Shredder to escape on his watch during a prisoner transport. Who can save the day? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Who still love Pizza!
Otherwise, the other characters are fine as well. Megan Fox remains better eye candy than a fully fleshed out April O’Neal, while Will Arnett continues to bring the funny as comic-relief Vernon Fenwick, now calling himself “The Falcon” after receiving all the credit for saving New York City in the 1 st film so the Turtles could remain a secret. Tyler Perry as Baxter Stockman is a fun addition, especially knowing his character mutates with a fly eventually in TV show continuity. That fact, as well as the ability to easily bring back Shredder, Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang, leave the franchise with a lot of places to go!
And IT IS! Good Lord, this movie delivers on every level. I had very high hopes going in, and I can’t say I was ever disappointed.
If you’re reading this, you know enough of the plot that I don’t need to say much of anything else. What I will say though, is that Civil War delivers more “I feel like I need to stand up and clap because I never thought I’d see that scene/character/moment so beautifully realized in a film” than any Marvel Cinematic Universe film before it. There are shots/scenes/moments in this film that are the most exciting you’ve seen since the unbelievable occurrence in 2o12 when the Avengers actually assembled in one movie! If The Avengers will always be remembered for bringing together different heroes with their own films onto one team, then Civil War will go down as the MCU movie that fully realizes the full potential of EVERY Avenger present, nearly always exceeding expectations. Powers you’ve never seen them use, skills highlighted in a way the other films have not, and personality shining through in characters that you could have previously accused of being one dimensional. It’s everyone from Hawkeye & Falcon as you’ve never seen him before, to Ant Man as you’ve never seen him before! Really, a stellar evolution to even the characters you already knew were bad-ass.
Civil War isn’t nearly as dark as Winter Soldier, even when funnier characters like Spider-Man and Ant-Man don’t populate the screen. The tone is lighter, though the plot is just as serious as an MCU film ever was, with poignant moments that may be among the most gut-wrenching in any superhero film. While I have Spider-Man brought up though, let’s just say he’s the most amazing (reference to original comic intended) iteration of the character, again, living up to all expectations (like everything else… I keep telling you!).
The one comparison to Batman V Superman I will make, and this is the only 
Green Room is about a broke band populated by actors Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Fright Night) and Alia Shawkat (Maeby on Arrested Development), among others, who are drawn to a Neo-Nazi “Venue” in the middle of buttfuck nowhere with the promise of $350 for a gig. Things quickly go south when bandleader Pat (Anton Yelchin) stumbles upon a fresh body and the murderers in the band’s Green Room. The band holes themselves up in said Green Room (I wonder where they got the title…) as they are assaulted by the building’s owner/leader of the movement Darcy (Patrick Stewart) and his men who are in full damage control mode with the aim of destroying all evidence… and witnesses… to the murder of Amber’s (Imogen Poots) friend, who is also trapped with the Band Members.
It’s a simple premise, but it works! Pat and his band most make some tough decisions: how long can they wait in the Green Room before they are overrun? When is the best time to make a strike/escape if there are no other exits? The film becomes a game of cat and mouse, as the band pushes their way through Darcy’s bar, only to retreat back to the “safety” of the Green Room. Repeat that formula a few times and you’d think Green Room would become a bore, but it never lets up; there are always new ways to kill and be killed and the movie’s 1 hour 35 minute run-time makes sure the film doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Besides being clever with “push and get pushed back” plot, the material is elevated immensely by Patrick Stewart’s performance. You wouldn’t think a man whose played iconic Geek heroes like Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Xavier with a voice ideal for Shakespeare would be an intimidating and convincing a Neo-Nazi. Yet, the movie’s most chilling moments arrive when Darcy (Stewart) is trying to “negotiate” with the band from the other side of a barricaded door, leaving the audience simply with his deep and terrifying voice made even more unnerving by his calmness. Stewart’s imposing leader is not just the scary voice on the other side of a door; his character is just a violent and ferocious as any of his men. I never thought I’d say this, but Patrick Stewart is pretty damn scary.
Any film is only as good as its antagonist… and protagonists, with Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots (who also starred together in the horror/comedy Fright Night) carrying half the film when Patrick Stewart isn’t around. Macon Blair who plays Gabe, a henchman to Darcy, is also fantastic here, starring in his 2nd movie for Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier following the incredibly under-rated and unseen Blue Ruin (watch it now!). It is just a coincidence that both of Saulnier’s films have colors in the title…
The main theme/running joke of the movie is taken straight from over half the sketches on Key and Peele; Rell and Clarence are the whitest, most boring Black Guys you can find, trying to fit into the toughest Black Gang by, among other things, incorporating the “N” Word (I really don’t want to use it here) into every sentence.
Keanu is a Key and Peele “Greatest Hits” movie. The film has its hilarious highlights with the comedy duo doing what they do best, but it’s not enough to save the film from itself; in adapting what could have been a short sketch into a feature film, the cracks begin to show in Key and Peele’s formula. Some of the film feels like filler, meant to get Keanu from one mini-sketch idea into another while carrying the film’s plot. Keanu feels like it was shooting for a Pineapple Express type film, and while I did enjoy the movie, the film is neither as consistently funny or as skilled with action as writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s 2nd film. 
Bottom Line: Keanu is funny, especially if you are a fan of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s work, but in order to create a feature, it feels like we’re occasionally getting material that wouldn’t make the cut on their top-notch sketch show (filler, if you will). The plot meanders a bit to fill time, while the action and the cast don’t really seem to fully take advantage of a feature film budget. Still funny, though!
The 1st time I saw the trailer for Hardcore Henry, I was at first disgusted by the proposed “gimmick” of watching a movie as one would watch his friend play Call of Duty, but was slowly won over by cool action twists and the aforementioned rocking Queen song. It’s a shame all the top action moments are in that trailer.
The lead villain, Akan (Danila Kozlovsky), has telekinesis powers (and seems to be Albino… or another brother from Hans Gruber’s blond henchman family in Die Hard), for no reason other than to provide an epic “Final Boss” battle: video game style. A prequel comic titled “Hardcore Akan” exists, giving an origin to the character… at least explaining how has such powers… if you can get your hands on it (and the average viewer won’t… which should leave them fairly confused).
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the equally unmotivated/flat character Jimmy, played by the always scene stealing Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium, The A-Team), is actually quite enjoyable… and his very existence creates a fun mystery for the audience to figure out.
We first see Jimmy first as you see him in the trailer… and he quickly dies (again, NOT a Spoiler). Then he reappears with a new accent and look, remembering Henry and keeping the same name: Jimmy. Don’t worry, it all gets explained and it is a pretty cool idea which makes for the most interesting action scene, though one great actor and his “twist” can’t save the entire movie. It does give Copley some real fun scenes to do, making his screen presence the highlight of the film.
I did have the chance to see a Q&A before the film where it was made clear that Director Ilya Naishuller idea’s of doing a 1st person film wasn’t to just make the movie look like a video game, but to put you, the viewer, in Henry’s shoes. Jimmy and Akan address you directly… but it still doesn’t work. Instead, having a blank slate of a main character backfires; you have no empathy for a character without a voice or even a face to emote. I didn’t feel like I was Henry, even more so because there aren’t even buttons to hit at the right moment to perform an action like the most basic of video game cut-scenes.
And, of course, there is ultra-violence for violence sake. Intestines spilling out, heads blown apart, you name it. Deadpool would be pleased.
BvS is both better than I expected, yet still a bit of a visually beautiful mess. After all, Zack Snyder is at the helm; the controversial Director behind a horrible film (Sucker Punch), a fan favorite I hate (300), an incredibly average comic book film (Man of Steel), and another beautiful mess that I have a soft spot for (Watchman). Snyder continues to showcase the same weaknesses (plot, story pacing) and strengths (incredibly rich CGI visuals that truly brings comics to life). Luckily, Snyder has help from writer Chris Terrio who has written Academy Award nominated films like The Town, saving BvS from being the complete train-wreck it could have been.
When we saw the funeral, and then the flashback to a family walking out of a Zorro film, yet again, we both sighed. Then something amazing happened… Zach Snyder actually presented the scene in a way we’ve never seen it before with an very creative and bold choice. Instead of Joe Chill (the man who murder’s Bruce Wayne’s parents) ripping the necklace off Martha’s neck, he slips his gun against her throat so that the gun’s hammer holds the necklace tight between her neck and the gun. When the gun fires, the hammer recoils, splitting the pearl necklace and dropping the pearls in a very visual pleasing, surprising, and brutal way.
Visually, things do fall apart in the grand finale, where you have a boring flaming backdrop (EVERYTHING is on fire!) and messily animated Heroes literally lunging/flying at each other over football stadium length for epic punches, even when said characters are not known for flying.
The 2nd scene, though one of the best in the film (if not the best), is not just a repeated image like the death of the Waynes and the ever present Pearls, but a literal repeat of the Battle of Metropolis from Man of Steel, this time from Bruce Wayne’s (Ben Affleck) perspective. The scene is visceral and real with painful yet effective 9/11 imagery, from Bruce’s race to the Wayne Fiances skyscraper to the building’s collapse and the remaining, living victims. The destruction is more real and seems to be on an even larger scale when we are watching the laser vision of Zod and Superman (Henry Cavill) rip Wayne Fiances to pieces from a far, with the two “Gods” (really Aliens) just specks in a sky flying around giant ships exploding, destroying nearly everything.
Quick props to Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as the latest Alfred Pennyworth for both not playing their roles conventionally, yet still delivering satisfying versions (especially Jesse Eisenberg!).
Quite the opposite is true, in fact. The movie is almost too slow, allowing the themes of what it means to be just a man in a God’s world and absolute power corrupting to breath for the 1st two acts. That is, before any theme or reason from earlier in the film is quickly forgotten in favor of “Smashy, Smashy, Punch Time” in the 3rd act.
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