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.

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.