Category Archives: General Entertainment

“Paper Towns” movie review

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PaperTownsPretends to be more serious and deep than it actually is. Paper Towns is the latest movie based on a novel by best-selling author John Green who brought us last year’s The Fault in Our Stars. However, before you get too excited and begin to develop expectations of this current movie, this film falls short of the emotional roller coaster and deep introspective thoughts you may have had rushing through your head in last year’s movie. That being said, Paper Towns is very well acted and the coming-of-age story will likely keep you entertained; and may even evoke some nostalgic feeling of what it was like to be 18 and a senior in high school–or maybe the way you would like high school to have gone for you. With a solid cast and natural chemistry between friends and lovers, this film successfully brings the last month of high school alive for the audience. The cast feels like “real” people amongst a sea of the “paper” people often encountered in movies and even in real life.

Paper Towns is about the mysterious disappearance of Margo Roth Spiegelman (Cara Delevingne), the “it” girl, from a local high school in Orlando, Florida. Her cute-nerdy neighbor across the street Quentin (Nat Wolf) has been in love with her for over nine years–ever since her family moved in across the street. After Margo comes to Quentin’s window late one evening, she takes him on the ride of his life as she pranks and punks some of her former friends and ex-boyfriend who have been keeping secrets from her. Ending the night with dancing in a high-rise in downtown Orlando, it looks as if Quentin may have his girl. Not so fast. The next morning, she turns up missing, and a string of seemingly random clues may lead Quentin to where he can find Margo. Teaming up with his two best friends Ben (Austin Abrams) and Radar (Justice Smith), Ben’s high school crush Lacy (Halston Sage) and Radar’s longterm girlfriend Angela (Jaz Sinclair), they pile into Quentin’s mom’s minivan to trek across the eastern seaboard in order to find Margo.

This is one of those movies that will remind you of past films in the same sub-genre or vein, if you will. Immediately following the close of the movie, I could not help but think of the many elements and plot points that reminded me of movies such as Stand By Me, The Fault in Our Stars (not surprisingly), The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Kings of Summer. What do all these movies have in common? They are all type-A coming-of-age stories featuring characters who are trying to find themselves or their place in this world, typically occurring in the high school years, an often the last months of high school. Narratively speaking, Paper Towns shares many of the same tropes; but it is certainly not a reboot, remake, or simply a rehash of what’s been done before. It stands alone as unique in its own way. Unlike the endings of the aforementioned movies, the one thing that truly sets this film a part from the others is the ending–it is quite unexpected and, as a whole, unfortunately poorly executed and leaves the audience slightly angry and mostly unsatisfied. Can’t tell you what that is because this IS a movie built upon the premise of a mystery.

The brightest element of this production is the excellent casting. Honestly, these young people feel like they could be your neighbor’s kids or perhaps your friends. They are earthy, crude, funny, horny, selfish, and devoted. What really helps the story in this movie is the believability of the actors’ emotions and dialog. The writing is very natural, well paced, and usually takes us to the emotional highs and lows we need in the story. Both in appearance and in personality, the casting choices couldn’t have been better. I enjoy movies that take you back to when you were 17-18 and finishing high school. It’s like, ‘yeah, I remember going through that same stuff, talking about sex and alcohol, and our futures.’ The topics or discussion and the manner in which the characters engaged one another felt extremely natural and un-rehearsed. And, the little bit of romance between some of the characters is cute and heartwarming.

I was defintiely disappointed that the movie was so very close to hitting the emotional mark it needed to, but then fell just shy of it. It kind of leaves you in that awkward place that you may have found yourself in on a date when things lead right up to an intimate encounter with your love interest, and just before you hit the home run, it ends or plateaus. Emotionally, that is precisely what this movie’s plot does for the audience. Furthermore, the whole “paper towns” concept is never fully explained. That could be consciously done, but cinematically, I feel the analogy or symbolism could have benefited from deeper exposition. The audience is really left to draw many of their own conclusions and infer what the author or screenwriters meant by this or that. You can make sense of it eventually, but it would have been helpful for the movie to have explained it a little more clearly.

If you enjoy the movies I have referenced in respect to Paper Towns, then you will most likely enjoy this film. Definitely not really a group movie–more like one of those that you see with a significant other or maybe even alone. Unlike other movies that deal with the pains and triumphs of growing up, this one will not likely cause you to think too deeply about oneself or one’s life situations. BUT, this one is a movie to watch for the great acting and the interpersonal relationships between friends and lovers.

“Southpaw” movie review

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SouthpawA ‘champion’ of a movie! Move over Cinderella Man, and make way for an incredible story of prestige, loss, overcoming challenges, and triumph. Southpaw is a surprisingly fantastic movie with dynamic characters and an incredible story. Follow one man from being on top of the world to self-destructive behavior that costs him nearly everything. Ordinarily, I do not give sports-related movies a second thought because I don’t follow any particular sporting event; however, had I let this one pass me by, I would not have had such a great cinematic experience. To be honest, it’s not screaming ‘early Oscar nom contender,’ but there is the off chance it could get the recognition. Never having attended a boxing match before, I am unsure of the adrenaline that rushes through the bodies of the audience. But, if it is anything like what I experienced during the third act of the movie, then I can totally understand why sporting events, such as boxing, can be quite the visceral thrill.

Southpaw is about champion boxer Billy “The Great” Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his triumphs and tragedies. Holding the Light Heavyweight title, he is on top of the world in his professional boxing career. Furthermore, he has a beautiful and loving wife Maurine (Rachel McAdams) and an adoring daughter Leila (Oona Lawrence). After he decides–well, after being urged–to take time off from the boxing circuit, his agent is hell-bent on getting him back in the ring and sign a contract with HBO. Finding it difficult to ignore the fame and emotional high of the eyes of the world being on him, Billy turns down the opportunity to focus on his family. Following a speaking engagement at a New York City children’s home (the home both he and his wife grew up in), a brawl breaks out in the lobby and Maurine is shot. Devastated, Billy takes out his anger on nearly everyone except Leila. But, one drunken night, after he crashes his car in the front yard of his palatial estate, the court finds him unfit to be a parent and sentences him to rehab. Having lost his wife, and now his daughter, and all of his possessions, he must rebuild his name and career in order to win back his daughter despite the odds being against him.

The movie opens on a gritty scene during the championship for the boxing light heavyweight title. This intense opening is quite indicative of the entire movie. This is the type of movie that will rock you down to the very core. In many ways, the story is told through various perspectives. Believe me, it’s mostly objectively shot; but, there are definitely times that the camera gives us a subjective or point-of-view perspectives and other times the subjectivity is implied. This is an important element to the narrative because, from what little I know about boxing, it is a sport that is personally intense and highly affects the boxer physically, mentally, and emotionally. Unlike other sports which are not nearly as violating or invasive, the boxing ring is one that requires amazing stamina, discipline, and courage. Unfortunately, throughout his career, Billy was never one to focus on his defense. And this is a character flaw that transcends the ring into his life. On the subject of the coverage of the boxing matches, the cinematography is crafted so that it truly feels like you have been transported from the cinema into a great ring-side seat. This greatly increases the realism of the movie and grittiness of the plot.

Not surprising, the main focus of the plot is on Billy’s character development. But, not unlike Billy, both his daughter and his new trainer Titus “Tick” Wills (Forest Whitaker) also go through their own respective developments. In many ways, Leila and Titus embody some of the very same struggles and challenges that Billy is going through. Although Billy made decisions that lead to his fall from fame and glory, the tragic death of his wife affected him in ways in which no one is ever prepared emotionally. The writers and director of this movie were very successful is transferring the pain of Billy, Leila, and Titus from the screen into the minds of the audience. However, despite the fact that there are many elements that I appreciate about the movie, I do feel the Billy’s recovery time should have been a little bit longer and taken him to darker places in order to truly get to the very core of what his character must have been feeling and to better support the more inspirational aspects to the narrative. He went from rock bottom back to the top a little too quickly.

One of the refreshing parts to the movie was the inclusion of humor here and there. Due to the dark nature of the subject and the mental anguish experienced by Billy, it would have been all too easy to allow the low places of the film to be filled with utter despair and anger, but I was quite pleased that the writers included a little bit of humor sprinkled throughout the narrative. Wasn’t over the top, or tasteless, or thrown in there, it felt very natural and added to the believability of the story. In fact, the dialog as a whole, was well-crafted and allowed the characters to become real for the audience.

If you enjoy movies about overcoming obstacles, metaphorically returning from the dead, and the feeling of being on the edge of your seat, then you should definitely check out Southpaw. Even if you’re like me, in that you don’t typically watch sports-related movies, you should still see this fantastic story with excellent acting and character development.

The Gallows movie review

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The GallowsA new twist on the found footage genre. Blumhouse’s The Gallows is the movie adaptation of the urban legend that sprung out of the real accidental death of Charlie Grimille at Beatrice High School in Nebraska during a play. This is the type of movie that you already know is going to be built upon the concept of the jump-scare, but it takes the often overly employed plot device and actually couples it with sub-plots and proper pacing. Even for the avid horror film fan, this movie will definitely curdle your blood and send your anxiety level through the roof. Surprisingly, this found footage horror film deviates from some of the most common tropes appropriately associated with this horror sub-genre. Although any substantial narrative and dynamic plot lacks from the film, it still provides thrills, chills, and gasps. You may even find yourself resisting closing your eyes to avoid the horror on screen. Be sure to bring a friend or significant other along if you dare to watch!

The Gallows takes place during the final rehearsals for Beatrice High School’s production of the play The Gallows. Back in 1993, the school produced The Gallows but due to a prop malfunction, the character of August was actually hanged. Ever since then, the school until today, never produced the play again. Despite rumors and alleged sightings of paranormal activity in the school’s theatre, Pheifer (Pfeifer Brown) has decided to spearhead a revival of the cursed show. On the evening prior to the show’s opening, Pfeifer catches her co-star Reese (Reese Mishler), his douchey best friend Ryan (Ryan Shoos), and Ryan’s cheerleader girlfriend Cassidy (Cassidy Erin Gifford) dismantling the set. Unfortunately, this chance encounter inside the theatre, is the beginning of a night of terror and mystery.

Due to the very nature of the essence of a found footage movie, it is the type of movie that should be appreciated for what is it–some good scares for an hour or so. This movie genre is not produced to typify the art of filmmaking; but it’s produced for pure unpleasureable pleasure. So, given the goal of the movie, it was very successful in producing frightening imagery for the eyes and embedding terrifying thoughts in the minds of the audience whilst sticking to a coherent plot. I especially liked how the writers included subplots that underscored the more superficial narrative. This is something that is usually left out of found footage movies. Furthermore, the ending is definitely unique to what is typically expected in this sub-genre.

If you’re a fan of horror films, this is definitely one to check out! Even if you are not fond of found footage movies (as is the case with yours truly), you will still find a great deal of enjoyment in being scared for a short while. For further reading, check out the true story and urban legend that serves as the inspiration for this film. http://www.hauntedhovel.com/beatice-high-school-beatrice-nebraska.html and/or https://supernaturalinvestigations.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/the-charlie-grimille-case-beatrice-nebraska/

 

Review of “Jurassic World”

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JurassicWorldBack with a roar! The Jurassic Park franchise returns from the dead with a vengeance in the newest and highly anticipated installment since the original back in 1993, and certainly since The Lost World in 1997 and Jurassic Park 3 in 2001. Jurassic World will take you back to the island that started it all and deliver the same WOW factor as the original beloved favorite. Return to Isla Nublar to experience the park John Hammond envisioned but could never have dreamed would become a reality. “The park is open!” Enjoy the adventure, pseudo-science, character development, plot, the acting, and the music that you loved about Jurassic Park (1993) in a film that holds true to the very essence of what made the original such a great film but adds in the visual storytelling technology we enjoy today. For lovers of the ride at Universal Studios (FL/CA), you will enjoy experiencing the park in ways you may have only dreamed of, and for lovers of the franchise, despite the poorly produced past sequels (even though they are still fun to watch), prepare for your expectations to be greatly surpassed as you return to your childhood and experience Jurassic World.

Jurassic World takes us back to Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica. Just south of the original park, a new theme park has been opened and is bustling with park guests and dinosaurs alike. The luxury theme park and resort is jointly ran by Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and of course the once chapter 11 InGen BioEngineering company founded by John Hammond (the late Richard Attenborough). For the last few years, the guest satisfaction ratings have plateaued at Jurassic World and Claire has worked with InGen’s Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong) to develop a genetically modified hybrid to wow the guests and increase profits. But as Ian Malcolm once so eloquently put it “life will find a way,” the attempts to control the park’s “assets,” will not go as planned. After the newly minted genetically modified hybrid Indominous Rex cleverly escapes the paddock, it is up to Claire and her unconventional Navy veteran turned dinosaur control/safety expert Owen (Chris Pratt) to save Claire’s nephews Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) as well as the over 20K park guests from the jaws of history’s top notch predators.

Where to begin? It seems so much easier to write a critique for movies that are just okay or even terrible. When working with such an incredible movie, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to begin and even harder to know when to stop. Going into the movie, I had my reservations-especially after seeing what I thought was a ridiculous scene from the trailer of Owen facing off and talking with the raptors–but I can honestly say that is this movie that I, as well as millions of others in their mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, have been waiting for since we saw the original as kids in theaters. It truly embodies everything that made the original great and capitalizes on it by adding in the digital effects and visual storytelling techniques we enjoy as part of modern cinema. The best movies are those that simultaneously embrace current technologies whilst remaining grounded in the very essence of what a movie should be: exceptional visual storytelling in terms of the art and science of filmmaking. This truly is the sequel we have been waiting for since the helicopter left Nublar 22 years ago.

I was watching Jurassic Park 3 with a friend in order to finish the first three movies prior to seeing Jurassic World last night, and I asked him and myself  “what was it about the first one that makes it such a great film and in the top 20 grossing movies of all time (and that’s even when adjusted for inflation)? We talked a little, and both decided that is was the dynamic plot, clever writing, memorable characters, and that wow factor of seeing dinosaurs like never before on the big screen that made the first movie not just a successful movie but a GREAT movie. That same dynamic plot filled with subplots and subtext, memorable characters, and more is captured by the current installment. Yes, this movie is high concept as summer blockbusters usually are; but just because it’s high concept doesn’t mean that we cannot experience character development, subtext, exceptional writing, and great visual storytelling. From the moment that I heard the all-too-familiar music and returned to Isla Nublar, I knew then that this was going to be one of the most exciting and phenomenal movie-going experiences of my life. And you know what? It was as exciting as seeing the original for the first time. Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Legendary Pictures harnessed the power of what made the first movie great and brought a nearly extinct franchise back from the dead.

Just like the characters from Jurassic Park (1993) helped to make the movie what it was, so do the characters of Jurassic World. You have Claire who, much like Hammond, is a dreamer. Although, she is definitely more concerned with money than Hammond ever was. Witness as she goes from a cold shrew business woman to a courageous and loving aunt to her two nephews. Speaking of whom, witness the transition of Zach as the older mean brother who couldn’t be bothered with his sibling to risking his life to save his brother Gray’s. Dr. Henry Wu reprises his role as the genius behind the science that made Jurassic Park and now Jurassic World work. Every movie needs that hero who is unconventional and has subtle sexual tension with the strong female lead, and we get that, in spades, with Owen. There is the chief financier Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) who is concurrently overly concerned with making a profit but still genuinely concerned that his park guests are having fun. And finally, we have Lowery (Jake M. Johnson) who sports an original Jurassic Park t-shirt and has rubber dinosaurs on his desk because he loves the original park and is thrilled to work at the new one. Each of the characters has very unique personalities and traits that are meticulously woven into the plot in order to continually advance the story.

I also wanted to touch on the references to the previous films in the franchise. Early on, it was made known that the old Visitors Center would make a cameo appearance, but I did not expect the extent to which the old compound plays an intricate part in Jurassic World‘s diegesis (narrative). Claire is even dressed in all white like Hammond. Not only is the music powerful–almost to the point of tears–and harkens back to the first time you heard it, but the movie helps to make Jurassic Park feel like a real place because of Lowery’s t-shirt he bought off eBay and the banner of “when dinosaurs ruled the earth” now covered in dirt and mold that fell from the ceiling at the close of the first movie. Although not formerly acknowledged, there are many references to not only the first movie but also 2 and 3, and even the Jurassic Park Ride. From lines of dialog to easter egg camera shots and even to the Jurassic Park 1992 Jeep Wrangler, Jurassic World uses material from its storied past to support the current narrative and evoke fond memories. Interestingly, the movie also deals with the element of third party companies grossly sponsoring attractions and exhibits in theme parks. Just like even Disney’s Magic Kingdom is now sporting a Starbucks on Main Street, the same can be seen in many theme parks. Sometimes it seems like theme parks are sacrificing storytelling and creative theming for the almighty dollar. Perhaps this movie shows us what happens when greed overpowers creativity.

I feel that Universal Pictures (a Comcast Company) has been searching for its cash cow franchise like Disney’s Pirates, Avengers, and now Star Wars or like Warner Bros. Harry Potter (even though Universal rakes in the dough from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at it’s Florida and soon California parks), like MGM’s James Bond, or 20th Century Fox’s Avatar or X-Men, but after the two failed sequels to Jurassic Park, all seemed lost. Until now. This installment in the 22 year-old franchise has been successfully resurrected and could quite possibly be a contender and a worthy opponent in the franchise competition. The way the final shots of the island were in the movie, I have a feeling that this was the official goodbye to this chapter in the Jurassic Park novel and the opening of the floodgates for followups to this movie that will hopefully continue the embrace of the essence of the original whilst continuing to advance the story of what happens when man creates and manipulates dinosaurs.

I don’t know what you have planned this weekend, but you NEED to get to the theatre to see this movie. I am even planning to see it again this weekend myself. But, I need to find an IMAX that is showing it in 2D (yes, that is correct 2D). Prepare to be taken back to your childhood and relive the experience all over again in the newest chapter of Jurassic Park.

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For my review of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom click here.

Ryan is a screenwriting professor at the University of Tampa. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog!

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Insidious 3 (movie review)

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Insidious3Ridiculous: Chapter 3. The final chapter in the Insidious trilogy takes us all the way back to the beginning. Only, you will find that the beginning is far less terrifying and interesting than the previous films in this story. The one saving grace the film has is the pretty interesting backstory to Elise (Lin Shaye) and her small team of paranormal hunters. We also get a couple references to the Josh Lambert case from the previous movies, and we learn a little more about the bride dressed in black that brought Elise to the Lamberts in the first place. Compared to the the original and, to a lesser extent, the sequel, the third movie is much less developed diegetically (narratively) and contains poor dialog. I have a feeling most of the fans of the series will be disappointed by this installment. It is very apparent that James Wan did not have much to do with the final chapter in the series he created. For what it’s worth, the movie does have its moments of terror and cliche jump scares. As with many horror films, it’s still a fun one to watch with friends or on a date…most likely you’ll be able to put your arm around your movie date. So, there’s the silver lining.

Insidious Chapter 3 is the final movie in the Insidious trilogy. Follow Elise (Shaye) all the way back the beginning to a case involving a young lady named Quinn (Stafanie Scott) who recently lost her mother. Upon trying to contact her mother, Quinn feels she may have awaken something far more insidious (yeah, I went there, haha). Arriving without notice on the doorstep of Elise’s house, Quinn seeks her assistant in contacting her mother. Unlike the Elise from the previous movies, this one is scared to step back into the supernatural world and tells Quinn she cannot help her to the extent Quinn wants. Following continued terrifying events and malevolent appearances of evil entities, Quinn’s father (Dermont Mulroney) reluctantly contacts web-famous paranormal hunters (Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson). Realizing that the entity that haunts Quinn is way beyond their expertise, all seems lost. But, Elise confidently arrives to save the day. Now, Elise must go into the further to conquer the evil that so desperately wants to claim the life of Quinn; but not only will she face the demon that wants Quinn, Elise must also confront her fears as well.

While my hopes for this film weren’t terribly high, I was definitely hoping for something better than what I saw. Although the sequel to Insidious was strong for a horror sequel, neither the second nor–definitely–the third are on par with the original. I know, I know, that is not uncommon in the horror genre, but there was such an opportunity to truly develop the events leading up to the Lambert case from parts 1 and 2. Now, we do get some character and subplot development in regards to the character of Elise, but that’s about it. The paranormal case of Quinn is not nearly as terrifying as the Lambert case and is not nearly as well executed. Often writing suffers in cliche horror films–such as this one–but the writing for most of the dialog was so incredibly poor that is was nearly laughable. Once the movie was over, it was as if everyone in the audience asked themselves “is that it?” And–spoiler alert–we get an almost comedic glimpse of the “Darth Maul” demon from the first movie.

Some of the few positive notes regarding the movie is the fact we do get to learn more about Elise’s character and her ragtag team of paranormal hunters. So, that was pretty cool and somewhat interesting. Although not directly explained, there is evidence to suggest why the bride dressed in black hates Elise so much, and kills her in the first movie. Unlike the first two movies, there is very little emotional investment or attachment to any of the characters with the exception of Elsie. Even in the first movie, her character is often considered the favorite in the films. That is most likely do to her good looks–for an older actress, confidence, compassion, and courage. And, in this movie, she has a great single line that prompts everyone to clap and cheer. You’ll just have to watch it to find out. Despite the terrifying nature of the movie, there are come minor comedic relief parts–ones that were intentional.

For me, the best part of watching this movie was the sneak peek into Jurassic World during the previews. So, if you are a fan of the Jurassic Park series, you may want to see Insidious 3 just for the exclusive look into next week’s box office smash hit! For fans of horror movies, you will probably enjoy this film even though it simply did not live up to the low bar of expectations.

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