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. 

Mission Impossible Rogue Nation

Mission Impossible Rogue Nation directed by Christopher McQuarrie, starring Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ving Rhames.

This is easily the best Mission Impossible movie in the franchise.  It shouldn't be because normally as movies get further in the sequel syndrome they become worse and worse until they become a shadow of their original self.  Rogue Nation completely breaks that mold as it presents one of the most action packed and stunt ridden movies in the series.


Christopher McQaurrie has become a better action director than I would have given him credit for and a person who has channeled the Tom Cruise persona to perfection with this movie and Jack Reacher.  He never let the action scenes or story line get to ahead of him in this movie and kept the focus of everything on characters.  The characters really blend well into the action scenes without become over shadowed by them.  This is the one movie that has a well rounded ensemble cast and where Cruise isn't the focal point of the movie but the other characters around him completely help the story line along.  Rebecca Furguson does a marvelous job opposite Cruise.  She is essentially the female version of Cruise's character in this movie, the movie doesn't shy away from this fact, nor does it treat her as a women or exploit her sexually or romantically.  She is in all ways equal to every male in this movie who have had the same type of training.  This in alone of itself a brave thing this movie does as Hollywood still hasn't figured out how to write women roles without the cliches attached to them. 

The pacing of this movie is manic and insane but never once does it seem to strain from the next action scene to the next action scene, which in and of itself is simply amazing.  Easily one of the better action movies I've seen. Michael Bay could take some notes from this on building characters around the action scenes versus the other way around.   At times this movie plays out like a musical only instead of random musical numbers the audience is treated to actions scenes and of those there are plenty but it never seems bogged down by those scenes. 

Stand out scene is clearly the opera house scene.  One of the best action scenes to be filmed and it completely lives up the hype I've read about it.  Hitchcock would have been proud of it as it has touches of him throughout but doesn't have the same type of feel as watching Tarantino ripe off people shot for shot.  This one feels wholly original but with touches of Hitchcock.      

Jumper

Jumper directed by Doug Liman, starring Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rooker, and Diane Lane.

I hadn't seen this film since it first came out in 2008.  I remember liking it at the time and I've got to say time has been very kind to this film.  I don't think it's aged all that bad. 

It is by no means a perfect film.  Some of the things story line wise need to be answered along with some character motivations both on the good guy and bad guy side that didn't make a lot sense and needed some more perspective - doing this would have made the characters a lot more believable and the story line flow even better. 

But despite these few flaws what I did like about this movie is that it broke from the normal cliched version of super hero story lines by presenting a character who uses his power for selfish reasons instead of noble, heroic reasons.  This did make for a refreshing break from a typical superhero story and made the main character a lot more relate able.  Another thing, this movie has a perfect run time of just over an hour and half - not to long nor to short and by the end of the movie it leaves a feeling of wanting more.  I've got to say this again, as I've said before, Jamie Bell is a really good actor.  When his characters finally shows up in the movie, in full force, he brings an energy and enthusiasm to the movie that was previously lacking.  His character is wholeheartedly interesting - even more so than the main character and Jamie Bell seems to be having a ball playing him.  Every scene he isn't in after he fully arrives the film seems lacking with intensity - such is the nature of his ability.

A good movie worth seeing more than once.   

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials directed by Wes Ball, starring Dylan O'Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Dexter Darden, Rosa Salazar, Patricia Clarkson, and Aidian Gillen. 

Not as good as the first movie and they main reason because of this is that the movie doesn't even attempt to answer very many questions from the first movie.  Near the end of this movie some answers are given but by that time it really is to little to late because up until that point nothing has been done to further any kind of character development or story.  It didn't seem as if the movie even cared about any of that, so I didn't really care about the movie either as I fed off of it's own not caring.  

This movie is basically one long chase movie (not anywhere the level of perfection that Mad Max Fury Road made with the same type of premise) with lots of shots of people moving from one place to another.  It felt like a cliff notes version of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies.  Gone is the fast paced interesting scenario of the first film and in its place is lots of running, pacing that borders on manic, characters are developed as if in a Michael Bay movie, and lots people acting stupid for no other reason than to set up the more fast paced/manic situations dictated by stupid people.  This is a sad thing because the first film was unsuspectingly good.    

A Feast for Crows

A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin. 

First thing: I have to admit the first time I read this book I hated with a passion and it was the one book that took me the longest to read with much frustration, tears and perseverance.  Where as the other books just flew by this book pulled me screaming and kicking through its story. 

This time around was a completely different experience.  I can't even put my finger on why this time around was different and why everything in this book clicked for me.  I don't know what happened.  For some reason everything in this story locked into place for me and the story flew by just like the other books.  There was no pulling me kicking and screaming through the story, instead the pages were being flipped at a hurricane pace. I still don't think this book is as good as the first four books before it but it's still good. I was thoroughly impressed by what Martin did and I can't even truly say what it was he exactly did because I don't really know. I had really low expectations going into this book from the first time I read it but this time the book was amazing even though it didn't have some of my favorite characters.  With book Martin introduced so many new characters and didn't even touch upon many of the favorite characters in the story that this story should have fell flat on its face but it doesn't.  

Even with these new characters I found myself thoroughly engrossed like I was before.  I wanted to know what happened to these new characters in this book like never before. I was really captured by their personal story line and the over all story that Martin was telling. I've got to admit this world he's created and continues to create is one of the most detailed, believable, and personal worlds I've read in a long time. He puts so much detail into the mythology and world building he's created that when characters start talking about past or present lineage or history I understand about 75% of the names or references they're using, where as when Tolkien did it I was lost about 90% of the time.  But Martin has woven such a rich web of peoples and colored them in such a variety of colors that their lives and world really come alive. 

By all honesty this book should have dragged again for me but it didn't. What this book did was just add more the mythology Martin had started with A Game of Thrones. I really like the Dornish culture down south and wouldn't mind some more insight into their culture. Those Sand Snakes really intrigue me as did the Red Viper. 

As I think back, the characters have come such a long way in this story from where they started. It's been one crazy journey. I really like how Martin will start to set something up for a character and get the reader into thinking the character is going that way only to have the rug not just pulled out from under the character but forcibly yanked, beaten bloody, and then killed all right before our eyes as we are powerless to stop it from happening...all we can do it keep reading through clenched fists and gnashing of teeth. 

Now bring on A Dance with Dragons. I am really looking forward to reading this one, it will be the first time and I just hope my expectations aren't too high. I ordered it on Sunday and am hoping it will be here by the end of the week but until then I'll be finishing up HBO's A Game of Thrones for the second time 3 episodes left.