American Ultra

American Ultra directed by Nima Nourizadeh, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Bill Pullman, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Groggins, John Leguizamo, and Tony Hale.

Basically this is the slacker, stoner version of The Bourne Identity only not as good as that movie.  
The one thing that saves this movie from being rather boring is the run time of about 90 minutes.  This forces the movie to run along at a brisk pace with not to many wasted scenes.  All of the acting in this movie, from the leads to character actors/actresses, saves it from the mediocrity that it should have been.

I've got admit I do like Jesse Eisenberg and have liked about everything I've seen him in.  There's just something about him that I like and if he gets the right material he can elevate any movie by just being it.  He does that here with this movie because if he hadn't been in it I don't think this movie would be as entertaining as it turned out to be.  By contrast I've found Kristen Stewart annoying from what little I've seen her in (no I haven't seen The Twilight movies - still banded from watching them by my wife - but from what little I've seen of them her character is like claws on a chalkboard for me).  So there is a bias from me to her.  Having said all of that she's not half bad in this movie making me eat a little crow on her, I will fully admit.

All in all this isn't to bad of a movie to watch. It is violent, bloody, and sort of gory - all things I do like if done well.  They were done fairly well in this movie making it entertaining.   

Spectre

Spectre directed by Sam Mendes, starring Daniel Craig,Chrstoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ralp Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Ben Whishaw, Naomi Harris, and Dave Bautista.

The worst Bond movie the Daniel Craig era.  Basically it is the first Craig film to do Bond by the numbers and it shows in about every frame of the movie.  For me this movie felt like a much longer version of The Quantum of Solace (which is much better than people realize).  This connection with Solace must to noted as this movie tries to copy ideas and themes from Craig's early Bond movies so much that it feels like a copy, of copy, of copy rather than a Craig type of Bond film.  This movie also felt like it was directed by Peter Jackson - a whole lot of shots of people walking/traveling/running from place to place with little or no dialogue spread in between as it relied on visuals to sell everything that was happening.  I wasn't buying anything they were selling.  There wasn't any urgency to the story line and it all felt rather much ado about nothing. 

The only thing this movie had going for it was the opening scene which was a spectacular, brilliantly shot, and edited action scene that fully lived up to the Craig Bond era.  Then unfortunately everything was down hill from there as the opening Bond song kicked in - one of the worst songs ever.  Boring is the only way I can describe this movie as it fully captured the mood and tone of that song.

If I'm to believe Bond is going to give up his spy life for a woman, I've got to believe in that relationship.  Now Eva Green in Casino Royal, I believe he would have given up his spy life for her because the movie showed the evolution of their relationship with scenes of them acting together.  Also the chemistry between Craig and Green was scorching hot and they didn't even sleep together until near the end of the movie because their relationship wasn't based on a physical need but was based mutual connection.  Where as the relationship between Craig and Seydoux went no were the whole movie.  And what scenes there were with them that tried to show a relationship seemed very strained and forceful, having no sense of the great care given to Craig and Green.  I think that emphasis of of the word caring becomes a filter in how to view this movie because only the opening scene seemed to have an care devoted to it, while the rest of the film lacks any form of care as it just adheres to standard Bond fare, just not something the Craig films were none for. 

The only other thing this movie got right but wrong at the same time was having Radiohead write the theme song (and actually use the title in the song) only to not use the song.  Here listen to it in all of it's glory:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHpbfR3oHSo.

The Martian

The Martian directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon,Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Michael Pena, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Alex Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Benedict Wong.

I will say this The Martian is the best Ridley Scott  has made in a long time.  I would say it's been decades since he's made a film that has a story line to match the visual flare he brings to the table.  Normally, his films seem to be of the Emperor's clothing line apparel - nothing there but for some reason everyone around him keeps insisting that the clothing looks great.  This time around the story line is actually quite good even though it is basically Castaway set on Mars but it is much better than Castaway ever dreamed of being. 

The best part for me about this movie was how the scientists and astronauts actually acted like scientists and astronauts not like they acted in Scott's other bomb of  film Prometheus.  These characters were way more believable and the film is all the better for it as it lends the film an authenticity and believability  that Prometheus was seriously lacking.  All of the actors and actresses in the movie do a great job of bringing this movie to life with Damon being the sole person who drives home the narrative and story line.  Damon does what he has always been doing since he started acting - he latches onto a story that seems awkward and with little potential but turns it into a movie worth watching.  I honestly don't know how he does it but he's been doing it on a consist basis with some great results.

Ultimately though this movie is about Mars.  Mars dominates this entire movie visually, physically, and psychologically.  Scott brings his full force of talents to create Mars into a wholly believable character.  This is at times good for the film and bad for the film.  Good in the sense that Mars feels real for entire movie.  Bad in the sense that Mars over shadows everything else and everyone in the movie, which falls on the screenplay to support but it doesn't as the characters don't sparkle with life near the same way the planet does.  Damon's character needs to be more of a character instead of just wanting to stay alive and get off of Mars - that desire instantly generates sympathy but there needs to more there to make him fully alive.  The movie Moon quickly teaches a lesson with The Martian on how to make a movie with a significantly lower budget but create a character that is actually a character and not relying on a cheap gimmick to generate sympathy with the audience.  Special effects are good and all but character and story are so much more important to the longer term status of a movie.   

 It's still a good movie to watch though and not a waste of time.