The Hangover

The Hangover directed by Todd Phillips, starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Rachel Harris, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Rob Riggle, and Ken Jeong.

I hadn't seen this movie in a long time but was quickly reminded of how brilliant it was.  It didn't take long to be reminded of it either.  One of my favorite aspects of the movie is how it takes the detective type of story and kind of turns it on its head and creates an interesting mystery within the confines of a buddy comedy movie.  Another thing this movie has aged well and will continue to age well.

The opening scene sets the tone for the first act and offers a curiosity into what happened.

This movie is perfectly paced and has a perfect run time. No scene ever over stays its welcome and matching the time and pace perfectly of the whole movie.  Nor does any of the humor become reduced to dick, fart, gross out humor, or that improvisational humor that stretches out scenes longer than they need to be stretched out.  The humor is derived from situational and character - which means it will last longer over time and is actually funny.  The situational humor kicks in right after the first act of the movie has set up all the character and established their personalities and quirks. It's one of the better first opening acts I've seen from a comedy in a long time.  It's focused and secure in what it's doing with no need to rely on anything but the characters being themselves.  This is enough to set the flow and pace of the movie.

When the second act kicks in, it kicks in with the full force of the hangover of the title.  This scene opens up with one of the best second act comedy openings I've ever seen as it sets up everything that is to come with a set production that is simply amazing.  All of the debauchery and chaos of the night before are given room to visually breath, then add into that each character as they wake up with their visual touch just adding to the production already seen just minutes before.  Everything in this scene adds up well with nothing deterring away from the story or characters, all that stems from here does so in a chronological way with nothing going over the top or distracting from the story or characters.  Everything feels organic in a detective sort of way as it's easy to get caught in the mystery of what happened the night before.  That curiosity never wavers from a frame of this movie.

All the actors do a marvelous job of establishing their characters and injecting them with an honesty that makes them feel real.  By doing this they help the story line to be that much more relate able. I liked the fact none of the characters escaped this story without incurring some form of physical harm, for some reason I thought this was wise move with the story.  It also has a good, all enclosing ending that ties up most loose threads with one character must needed growing up.

The cameo role by Mike Tyson is simply put - brilliant. It comes out of nowhere but doesn't distract from the story as it only adds to the insanity and curiosity of what happened the night before.

No sequels were needed at all.

Sense 8

Sense 8 created by The Wachowski Siblings and J. Michael Straczynski, starring Aml Ameen, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Reimelt, Miguel Angel Silvetre, Brian J. Smith, Alfonso Herrera, Max Mauff, Freeman Agyeman, Naveen Andrews, and Daryl Hannah.

The only thing that saved this show was the concept because the agenda pushing of the narrative was daunting to deal with but I suffered through that because of the concept of eight people being able to share their lives with each other despite the geographical distant I found completely fascinating.  Another thing I liked about this show was the diverse cast.  This is one TV show that can boost of having one of the most diverse casts out there, characters range from America, London, Iceland, Germany, Africa, Japan, Mexico, and India, with a cast to match those cultures as well.   Each different part of that world had its own diverse production design and cultural effect, which made each change to character unique.  All of this made this show interesting as it turned into more of a character study than an over all arching plot of show.  I can't say I was prepared for this but I did go along with it.

What didn't help the show was the agenda pushing of gay, lesbian, and transgender as the only forms of a stable relationship.  These people were they people in this show where their partner was giving ample air and story time where as a straight person's relationship was never explored or even hinted at.  I felt if there had been this focus on a straight person I think the show would have more than accomplished the balancing act they were striving for but by not doing this, the show doesn't fell complete. It feels lacking.

The show also suffers by the end with the Wachowski's utter lack of wanting to reveal any sort of answers as they've become to be known for doing.  Good to know they still like to revel in the philosophical mumbo jumbo that offer no answers but only more questions.  The only thing that saved this show was the focus on characters and I've got a feeling Straczynki influence can be thanked for this.

Not a great show but one I found interesting.  There is so much potential here but most of it becomes wasted as the show progresses.  If the concept does click with you, I think you will have a good time watching it otherwise proceed with caution.   

Dune

Dune written by Frank Herbert.

I read this over the summer - my 5th time reading through this book and it had been over 3 years since I've read it last time.  This is my second favorite sci-fi novel of all time.  It used to be my favorite but Dan Simmons Hyperion books eventually took it down.  The fact that it's still on my top list does say something about this book and what Herbert has done with the story.   Even after 5 times of reading through it, I've got to say it's still a really good book as it is basically a retelling of Shakespeare's Henry V told in a science fiction setting.  It still holds up well to that comparison.

At the time I read this it was one of the most complex novels I had ever read, even after the 5th time the complexity of the world building Herbert did is still impressive.  The universe he creates is extremely detailed with some great characters that help to bring this story to life.  Now I would call this book a precursor to Game of Thrones.  I didn't realize how much politics were in this book and how much political machinations played a role in the story, until this read through.  Game of Thrones owes a lot of its vastness to Dune.  I really like the cultural creation Herbert did with population of Dune and in particular with the Fremen whose viewpoint of life has been completely influenced by the desert planet Dune.  Their perspective of life soon shifts into the driving point of the story as the main character (Paul) and all other characters become caught up the Fremen philosophy.  They feel like a living, breathing people such is the detail Herbert interjects into them.

After all of these years of starting Dune, it is still one of the best books ever written and has held up well over time. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J. J. Abrams, screenplay helped by Lawrence Kasdan (this is huge having him back in Star Wars as his return is warm welcome), starring Daisy Ridley, Tom Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill.

First thing I will say as I've mentioned above - I am very glad that Lawrence Kasdan has returned to the fold of Star Wars.  His scripting duties were sourly missed with the prequels and his not being there cleared showed with stilted and awkward dialogue that only continued to show how out of touch with reality Lucas had become over the years.  Where as this movie revives the tight, crisp dialogue he brought with Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.  This time around he has even sharpened and honed his dialogue even more as it sizzles with more humor as the characters relate to each other in more realistic ways that feel even more natural than his previous screenplays.  I am so glad Kasdan has returned.   

Well this movie completely renewed my faith in live action Star Wars movies.  After the utter failure of the lifeless and passionless prequels, which only managed to prove how much George Lucas didn't know about the world and universe he created, it was good to be reminded of how much I love the live action Star Wars movie.  And missed them.  There can be much said about how much this movie recycled bits and pieces from the original trilogy or how there is a lack of character development or how plot points and pot holes do emerge as the story marches one - but to say this is to forget how much the original trilogy also had these types of elements with in yet we didn't care.  I don't care about them here either because this movie revives all the fun and excitement of the original trilogy as it quickly adheres to the word OPERA in the space-opera of these movies.  This must be remembered when watching these movies.  They are an opera.  They will be cheesy.  But they should be fun, exciting, and a thrill ride a minute.  This movie is all that and more.

Thank you Abrams, thank you very much.

This is just an all out fun movie with manic pacing that once it starts after the characters are introduced it never lets up.  What good, new characters that have been introduced to the Star Wars universe both female and male that seem to be having a blast being in a Star Wars movie - this passion and joy show in every frame they are in making it very easy to relate to and like these actors. 

This analogy from my brother completely summons up the experience of watching Star Wars the Force Awakens: Ratatouille, this movie is like that scene from Ratatouille where the food critic ate that dish and was immediately brought back to his childhood just with one taste of Ratatouille.  This movie is like that in that it immediately brought me back to my childhood and watching Star Wars with such wild abandon. Looking forward to next movies in this trilogy and any other movies Disney will release in the Star Wars universe. 

Fantastic 4

Fantastic 4 directed by Josh Trank, starring Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan, and Kate Mara.

Well this movie lived up to all the bad hype I'd read about.  If you want a good example on how not to make a superhero/comic adaption this movie can be held high as a how not to.  This is a shame because they did get some good actors to play the Fantastic 4, they just didn't give them anything to do.  With a pacing that moved through things faster than the Flash chugging Red Bulls, speed, and all forms of energy drinks at the same time, so much so the story never really gave the characters or their relationships to each other time to breathe.  The movie didn't even both being cliched with any character as it just lightly touched upon just the tops of each cliche without even embracing the cliched, which left all the characters as nothing more than an empty shadow.  It didn't even feel like the screenplay writers tried to make a good movie and their lack of passion is in about every frame of this film. 

I longing for the day when Marvel gets these characters back into their fold because I would love to see what they would do with them not just with a movie but with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.  Here's hoping that day comes soon because I wouldn't question a remake on this series but would wholly embrace it.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. written and directed by Guy Richie, starring Alicia Vikander, Henry Cavill, and Armie Hammer.

This was just a fun buddy cop type of movie set in the 1960's.  This movie doesn't aspire to be anything else but fun and in my opinion this movie succeeded on every level of that aspiration.  Guy Richie's direction is once again really getting the hang of these action films.  He continues to maintain good control and communication on the action scenes, never letting them get out of control or ahead of him.  There is never any confusion as to what is happening with the action scene - for some directors they think over editing and flashy effects are the only way to go with these types of scenes.  Whereas subtly and less is more is better.  The production design and costumes in this movie also compliments the direction - which Richie wants to show and not hide in lazy direction.  By doing this the production and wardrobe is given full room to live and breathe as they becomes another character in the movie.  Then and the three leads into this mix who really go all out with their roles as the chemistry between all three is full of sizzle and sparks making this movie one fun ride from beginning to end.

A good time to spend watching a movie.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

Daredevil: Season One

Daredevil: Season One, starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rosario Dawson, and Scot Glenn.

All I can say is Marvel has does it again.

Unlike the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), this series is more personal and really dives into the personality and characters of the main character and characters around him.  It is a slow burn of show that is more concerned with building the personality of Matt Murdock than it is with his alter ego Daredevil.  It is also more focused on Murdock's relationship with his best friend Foggy Nelson and the other characters around him than it is with the persona of Daredevil.  This was a huge risk on Marvel's part but it was a gamble that paid off in that the person of Matt Murdock and Daredevil is one of the more complex persons in the MCU and it all the better for this as well.  But don't get me wrong there are some serious action scenes woven throughout this show that are some well choreographed fight scenes.  This show owes a lot to Nolan's Batman in the darker and gritter aspects it brings to being a superhero.  Along with this Nolan connection also comes a drive for continuity snaking its way through each episode, which is something most TV shows have long forgotten.  But Daredevil picks up these loose threads from the previous episode and weaves them into the next episode with some great precision.

Another thing this show got right was building up the character of Wilson Fisk (soon to be the Kingpin of crime) played with some brilliance by Vincent D'Onofrio.  Fisk is one of the best villains introduced in the MCU since Loki.  They also chose to dive into the past and character of Fisk with the same depth as Murdock, in so doing they created a good foil for both characters. 

I will say this about the MCU there are things I don't necessarily like about their world.  They can take minor short cuts and flirt with some plot holes at times but I find myself not caring at this because the characters they create are more interesting than the what they get wrong.