Toy Story 4 - Review: A Fourth Installment That Will Fulfill You in Ways You Never Knew You Needed

Toy Story 4 - Review: A Fourth Installment That Will Fulfill You in Ways You Never Knew You Needed

Release date (US): June 21st, 2019

Starring: Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Tim Allen, Keanu Reeves, Tony Hale, Keagan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Joan Cusak, Christina Hendricks

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

Does this movie need to exist? 

That was the question that I was asking myself repeatedly in the months leading up to the release of Toy Story 4. There were many who were beyond ecstatic for the film. There were few who were hesitant. And there was a small population that were completely cynical and wanted nothing to do with a fourth installment. I was part of the latter. Not because I had anything against the franchise. Rather, because I felt so strongly that the third installment ended the trilogy on the highest note it could, that any new addition would forever tarnish the legacy of one of the best trilogies in cinema history.

And while I'm still not quite sure whether or not this film needed to exist, I don't think that matters anymore. After seeing the fourth part in a franchise that changed animation forever, I think questioning whether or not it should have been made is irrelevant at this point. Because Toy Story 4 does nothing to tarnish anything that the third film establishes; in fact, it does its best to honor the legacy of Andy while still carving out its own story.

And the story is beautiful.

After an opening that sets up events and motifs that will become relevant for the entire film, we meet Forky. Let me make something abundantly clear. Forky is a character that the trailers made out to look like a terrible character. He looked awful. The marketing did this film no favors whatsoever. But Forky turned out to be one of the most interesting, dynamic new additions to the Toy Story roster. He was three-dimensional (no pun intended) and the themes that Josh Cooley (director) decided to explore with him were really, really fascinating.

Of course, the original cast are back, along with the additions from Toy Story 3. Woody and Buzz are there to lead the crew, along with Jessie, Rex, Slinky, and many more. One small flaw that the film suffers from, from really no fault of its own, is that the original cast does take a backseat for the majority of the film. The film chooses to focus primarily on Woody, Bo Peep, and the new additions. So if you were expecting much out of the original cast, don't be too disappointed when you don't. 

But each and every new addition to the cast feel natural and fit right into this world. Forky, as mentioned above, is one of the highlights of the movie. Duke Caboom, as voiced by Keanu Reeves, is an entertaining, albeit more one-dimensional new addition that doesn't get quite as much time to shine as the film wanted. And Keagan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, long-time comedy partners who play Ducky and Bunny, are absolutely hilarious. They have an amazing recurring bit that pays off at the end in ways that you wouldn't even dream you wanted, but trust me, you do.

Before I continue on with the review, I would just like to reiterate that I am looking at this franchise and this film with my own subjective, personal lens. Which means that this movie may not have the significance to others that it did to me, which is completely and perfectly alright. Film hits each and every one of us in a different, unique way. 

So I won't lie and say that the second the film started, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia that I hardly knew I had. I grew up watching the Toy Story films; they were some of my earliest childhood memories. I remember loving these characters, watching the movies as both a child and a teenager and remembering how much I loved the universe. And the second Woody and Buzz appear onscreen together, and the music begins to play as the opening credits begin to roll, I felt a wave of fondness, as if I was meeting an old friend again.

What Pixar does so well is capture your childhood and take you on a journey that makes you remember what makes you human and the good and fond memories that you had. And this film epitomizes that. There are moments in the film that take its time to remind you what it means to be a child, and how hard it is growing up. There are little things that seem so insignificant to us now, but meant the world to us as children, and while some may take that lightly, this film doesn't. It puts a golden, rosy lens on childhood and innocence, and why growing up is hard, but necessary. 

These deeper themes bring out emotions that I didn't know were in me. Pixar is one of the best at that. They don't intentionally make you cry (except maybe in Up). But in Toy Story 4, they take you back to when life was difficult when you lost a toy that meant the world to you. When you couldn't find that one thing that made you happy, and because of that, you felt like everything was lost. But when you find that glimmer of hope and happiness, the world becomes a better place.

This movie also understands what real characters are. Woody goes through a journey that, while applicable to toys in his case, can be applicable to any one of us. And the other characters, one in particular, go through events that make them grow up and mature, and eventually find peace with where they are.

As a quick aside, the action (yes, action) in the film is surprisingly intense and interesting. There is some genuine horror elements, especially in the antique store as seen in the trailers. The film never intentionally sets out to scare the audience, but there are admittedly a few sequences that may be too frightening for children.

If I had to give any true criticisms to this film at all, I would just say that the second act is a little slow and wanders a little from time to time. It's all for a grander purpose, and by the end you're able to see that, but there are certain segments towards the beginning that don't quite grab you like the other three films did. The central plot isn't driving forward like you'd want it to be. But the film quickly picks up and ends on a note that can only be described as emotional, yet so completely and utterly satisfying.  

In Conclusion: Pixar films always have that moment where the tears begin to well up and you feel all your emotions come to the surface. But when that moment arrived in Toy Story 4, they weren't tears of sadness at all, but tears of fulfillment. This movie reminded me what a memorable, exciting, and fulfilling childhood I had, and that through all the ups and downs, I always had people by my side telling me it was going to be okay in the end. This film is just the next installment in the long line of successes at Pixar, but more importantly, it's a fourth installment in a franchise that will go down in history as truly legendary. 

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Review: Unlike the First Two, the Finale Feels Empty and Generic, Bringing the Trilogy to an Uninspired Close

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Review: Unlike the First Two, the Finale Feels Empty and Generic, Bringing the Trilogy to an Uninspired Close

Release date (US): February 22nd, 2019

Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Kit Harrington, Cate Blanchett, F. Murray Abraham, Craig Ferguson, Gerard Butler, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, 

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

It's not a stretch to say that the standard for animated feature films has risen steadily over the last two decades. From the inception of Pixar with the first Toy Story, all the way until now, animation has steadily gotten better and better, to the point where it has almost become photorealistic. There are some shots in animated films where it's almost impossible to tell whether or not it's animated or live-action.

And with that higher standard for animation and visual effects come higher standards for storytelling. And for the most part, a lot of animated films have stepped up to the plate. Pixar has been cranking out quality movie after quality movie for many, many years. But quietly, other studios have been stepping up and delivering quality animated films. The How to Train Your Dragon franchise is the prime example. 

The first two How to Train Your Dragon films were not just good animated movies. Nor were they good children's fare. Rather, they were good movies, period. They were emotional, funny, smart, and geared not just to children, but to the entire family. They had deeper themes of acceptance, loss, and responsibility as we follow an unlikely hero, Hiccup, as he journeys through a world with dragons.

So it was to my utter surprise and shock that I found the third, and supposedly final installment to this excellent trilogy to be dull, empty, and rather boring, quite rankly. From a franchise that produced such great characters and touching moments, there was almost nothing "adult" about this movie. Which is perfectly acceptable for a film franchise such as "Trolls", let's say. Because you wouldn't expect anything deep or significant from movies that are purely meant to entertain children. But from a franchise that produced two films that could rival some of Pixar's best, I was extremely, extremely disappointed. 

We meet up again with Hiccup, who is now running the island of Berk. He now has more responsibility than ever as he has to not only meet the expectations of his own people, but also face the mounting pressure from rivaling tribes and chiefs that believe his truce with the dragons is sacrilegious. Joining him are the usual cast of characters, like Astrid (America Ferrera), Snotloud (Jonah Hill), and his mother, Valka (Cate Blanchett). 

The problem with this film lies not in the characters themselves, but rather how they're used. These characters have already been established and are rich characters. It's not the fact that they need to be expanded upon, but rather the fact that the wrong characters are given bigger roles and bigger moments, while the wrong characters are relegated to delivering exposition and advice when Hiccup needs it. And Hiccup himself doesn't feel as fully three-dimensional as he used to. It almost feels as if he's there to think about a problem and solve it promptly, only to run into another problem. 

And really, that's what the film boils down to. The reason it's boring is not because of the characters, nor the scenarios necessarily. It's more of the way that the film is edited and strung together. Because of the way that the film is put together, it almost feels unnecessary. It feels more like a "day in the life" rather than a story that needs to be told. Each and every event that takes place feels important, yet so unimportant at the same time.

Not to say that there aren't some good moments. There are. The characters are too well-developed for there not to be. There are some interesting changes in the relationships between Toothless and Hiccup as well as Hiccup and Astrid. And there are some really tender moments, especially towards the end of the film. The last thirty or so minutes of the film felt good. They felt like they were more in line with the previous two installments. The film makes some interesting choices and closes out the series with some level of finality that ultimately wraps up the entire trilogy.

But that's the main problem with the film; while the resolution to the film feels right and feels deserved, it's not because of anything in the movie itself, but rather what was set up before it. It felt like the filmmakers and story-writers wanted so desperately to reach this ending, which was a very good ending, granted, but didn't pay much attention to how they were to get there. The first two acts meandered for a long time, and the reason behind some of the events taking place made absolutely no sense. The film spends way too much time on the relationship between Toothless and this Light Fury, but it doesn't feel earned like it did between Hiccup and Toothless in the first film. 

That being said, it's not an unpleasant film to look at. In fact, it's beautiful. From the very first frame, I was completely taken aback. Many of the frames seemed to be taken straight out of live-action. It was a level of animation that really, and truly seemed like the next generation of animation. The attention to detail was absolutely breath-taking. The amount of time taken to develop each and every frame was evident, and for that, I can commend the film. 

In Conclusion: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is not a terrible film. I don't think it's a bad film either. But it's utterly uninteresting. It feels completely empty and devoid of any importance, falling well short of the bar set by the previous two. While it wraps up the trilogy in a way that seems fitting and poetic, the first hour and a half that it took to get there did not feel as if there was a lot of care put into it. The film is not without its merit. But I wouldn't say it's worth a watch either. 

Ranking Every Single X-Men Franchise Film

Ranking Every Single X-Men Franchise Film

The X-Men franchise, save for The New Mutants, has come to an end. With Dark Phoenix in theaters, the comic book movie franchise that arguably started the phenomenon will now close this chapter before it returns to Disney. With ten x-Men films and two spin-off Deadpool movies, I'm going to rank the twelve entries in celebration of a franchise that changed modern cinema forever.

12. X-Men: Origins - The Wolverine: It was an interesting idea. To tell the story of the Wolverine from the very beginning. This was actually supposed to be an entire spin-off series, with origin films for both Cyclops and Magneto in development with Fox before the film hit theaters. But with troubled production comes a very bad movie. While there are some moments of bright spots, like the beginning montage throughout the wars, the rest of the film is either boring, cringe-worthy, or downright confusing. And while the film did its job of telling the origin story of Logan, it did so in the most convoluted, unnecessary way possible. 

11. X-Men: Dark Phoenix: Dark Phoenix is not awful, like X-Men: Origins, but there's almost nothing good about the movie. It's 90 percent boring and generic, 9 percent terrible and awful, and 1 percent good, if not great. It was the result of a first directorial effort from Simon Kinberg who had never stepped in front of a camera before, as well a story that honestly didn't need to be told again (more on the Phoenix Saga later). The cast is great, which is what this film has over Origins, but that's about all it has going for it.  

10. X-Men: The Last Stand: At least this film was trying to be inventive. At least it was trying to be something different. I even respect the fact that it tried to go for a B-plot with the mutant cure. That was an interesting concept. Granted, the story and execution of the story were awful, but at least it tried. And while I like the cast from Dark Phoenix more, I think that this film's cast was consistent with their characters. Charles Xavier in Dark Phoenix was a jerk for absolutely no reason. In The Last Stand, it's at least another opportunity to see our favorite characters, like Logan, Magneto, and Charles. 

9. X-Men: Apocalypse: I think this film has a bad reputation. It's not great, no. I think Apocalypse is a terrible villain, one of the worst in the franchise. But I think that it's a standard X-Men film. It's goes through some conventions that are true to the X-Men franchise. It's got the cast from Days of Future Past and First Class. I would argue that the magneto scene in the forest is one of the best in the franchise (it belonged in a better movie). And the Logan cameo was great. Unnecessary? Absolutely. But it was great nonetheless. That being said, the young cast did not stand out at all. They were bland and generic and were trying way too hard; the only one that seemed comfortable was Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler. The Four Horsemen are also terrible. And the third act is the epitome of generic. But aside from that, there isn't a lot to hate about the film. It's mildly entertaining. That's the best I can give it. 

8. The Wolverine: I always admire films that go for something different. While I can't say I love James Mangold's take on the character the first time around, I can say that I really did appreciate how he went for something completely different in The Wolverine. The fact that they sent him to Japan with an entire new cast of characters while still being haunted by Jean was really, really interesting. And a theme that was later explored in Logan, that being Wolverine dying from the inside, was fascinating. It wasn't anything external that was trying to kill him, and that was refreshing. I wasn't quite sure why he had to have a romance with Mariko, and the third act devolved when the Silver Samurai appeared, but other than that, it's a solid, solid entry into the X-Men franchise. 

7. X-Men: The first film did for comic book movies what the MCU did for extended universes. It essentially started it all. While the film doesn't hold up quite as well as it used to, it's still a marvel (no pun intended). The characters are rich and have motivations that are real. The fact that Bryan Singer was able to take these characters that have supernatural abilities, but make them relatable and human was absolutely fantastic. The cast is amazing as well; Jackman as Logan, Stewart as Xavier, and McKellan as Magneto are perfect castings. I think the allegory of minorities and oppression are also really interesting. That being said, there's nothing that really, really stands out. It's a solid entry in the X-Men franchise, and it's the first one.  

6. X-Men: First Class: First Class essentially revived a franchise that was coming off the back of Last Stand and Origins, two films that many thought killed the franchise. But with this new cast, which rivals the original, and an interesting setting, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the film succeeds in being a solid entry in the franchise. Also, this movie has the best cameo out of any film ever. Period. 

5. Deadpool 2: Deadpool 2 is interesting. It's trying to be even more meta than the original. And while it tries to subvert the superhero movie genre, it actually falls into some of the tropes that makes the film a little more generic than the first. The team that Deadpool assembles is interesting, but not as interesting as just him, Colossus, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. That being said, Deadpool is amazing, as per usual (Ryan Reynolds was born for this), and he and Cable have an interesting chemistry. Domino is a nice addition, and the film has some genuine belly laughs hidden inside the constant giggling at references. 

4. X-2: X-Men United: While the first X-Men film kicked everything off with a bang, X-2 did what many sequels couldn't, and still can't; it kept everything from the original that was good, improved on everything that wasn't, and was different and original. It really is the epitome of how a sequel should improve on the original. Much like Spider-Man 2, X-2 took the three-dimensional characters established in the original and gave them more depth, gave them more heart, and gave them more relatability. In addition, X-2 had intrigue, introducing William Stryker and the Weapon X program. X-2 is everything the first X-Men film is and so, so much more.

3. Deadpool: Deadpool was the most surprising X-Men film. It was original, it was funny, it had heart in the right places, and most of all, it was meta. And that's exactly what Deadpool is. The fact that Ryan Reynolds refused to give up on this character and persisted for this long brought us one of the best comic book films in the last decade. It was the definition of a breath of fresh air; just the right elements of a superhero movie while also being just the right amount of Deadpool.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past: But while Deadpool may be the most original of the X-Men films, X-Men: Days of Future Past is the quintessential X-MEN film. It has everything that any X-Men fan would want; moments of sorrow, sadness, hope, action, Wolverine, terrific casts, and a message about changing perception on minorities and outcasts. Days of Future Past is a deeper story about what it means to be different hidden underneath a time-travel movie that has Wolverine, TWO Professor X's, and TWO Magnetos. And an amazing Quicksilver scene. 

1. Logan: Logan is an incredible movie. Not a superhero movie. Not a comic book movie. Not a blockbuster. An incredible MOVIE. The action and the spectacle are absolutely nothing compared to the story and the characters. Mangold decided to skip going for eye-candy and told a story about people who are on their last legs, trying to find reasons to stay alive and keep moving. It's a movie that emphasizes hope, purpose, and finality, and does so under the pretense of a Wolverine film. This film will remain one of the best comic book movies EVER for the next fifty years. It's going to stand the test of time. 

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part - Review: After a Shaky, Rehashed First Half, the Sequel Cleverly Captures the Spirit of the Original

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part - Review: After a Shaky, Rehashed First Half, the Sequel Cleverly Captures the Spirit of the Original

Release date (US): February 8th, 2019

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Will Arnett, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Channing Tatum

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

Let me join the millions in saying that when the first film in the franchise was released, I had zero expectation that it would be good. The trailers were, in my opinion, horrendous, and the mere audacity that a studio would make such a ridiculous concept into a big-budget movie was ludicrous. And let me also join many more millions in saying that The LEGO Movie was one of my favorite movies of 2014. It was funny, inventive, original, and most of all (perhaps most surprisingly), heart-warming. 

So to say that my expectations for the sequel were high is an understatement. The trailers, yes, were lackluster yet again, but I took that as a source of courage. I thought, perhaps because the marketing was following the same trend as the original, that the sequel would prosper just like the first. 

And while the sequel wasn't exactly what I was expecting, and not exactly what I wanted at times, I can say that it succeeded in recapturing the same charm and heart-warming vibe that the first film encapsulated.

Chris Pratt playing Emmet turned out to be one of the most genius casting decisions ever. He embodies the blank, lovable, goofy charm like no other, and in the second part, it's much of the same. Emmet picks up right where he left off, even though the world has gone into chaos. He's still the endearing character that we fell in love with in the first film, trying to make the best out of some terrible situations. 

What I wasn't quite as sure about was his counterpart, Rex Dangervest, who is also voiced by Chris Pratt. Dangervest is essentially an amalgamation of every single action role htat Pratt himself has played in the past five or so years, from space ranger (Star Lord) to raptor trainer (Jurassic World). And there is a heavy, HEAVY emphasis on the dinosaurs in the movie, a lot bigger than I could have possibly imagined. There are times when Pratt's Dangervest does seem like a perfect ying to Emmet's yang. And yet, there are others where he really does seem like a caricature. An over-the-top exaggeration, trying to poke fun at popular culture, but instead succeeding in pounding the same joke over the audience's head.

The supporting cast, including some wonderful cameos that won't be spoiled here, are great as usual. Tiffany Haddish's villain, whose name is so convoluted that I won't bother to spell it here, is the most interesting out of the bunch. She has an interesting arc and motivation, but when the film comes to a close, you're left wondering why her character did some of the things she does. Haddish is great in the role, and her comedic timing is generally in line with the rest of the cast, especially with Will Arnett's Batman, but there are some moments that really do pull you out of the film.

And that's the biggest problem of the film. It's the first hour. The first hour is so hell-bent on trying to pick up the pieces (pun intended) of the ramifications of the last film, that it almost feels like it's trying too hard. It really shows. There are moments where you can tell where the filmmakers are trying to take their own stab at the source material, but then there are others where it feels like a group of fans trying to recreate the vibe of the original.

This odd mixture makes for a tonally dissonant first half, with some great moments, some questionable ones, and some downright cringey ones as well. There was a certain segment towards the beginning of the second act that began to devolve into a musical for no apparent reason. The music in the original was quirky, but it fit the tone and the narrative of the movie. This film felt like it was trying to have that same odd, quirky music for the sake of being the same as the original rather than for any novel or new purpose.

There is something to be said about where the lsat film left off as well. Phil Lord and Chris Miller inadvertently cornered themselves when they set the events of the film in the mind of a young child with his father, Will Ferrell, representing Lord Business. Now that those rules have been established, they're impossible to ignore, so the sequel tries its hardest to play around with those rules again. And while the concept and the ideas presented in this film are nice, especially towards the end, the fact of the mater is that we've seen it before. There's a huge vibe of "been there, done that" throughout the movie, and while I think that that was in no fault of the directors of the sequel, it was something they had to deal with. 

But perhaps the one aspect that the film truly does well is play with interpersonal (interminifigural?) relationships, not just in the LEGO world, but in the real world as well. The movie is trying to tell a message about unity. Whereas the original was trying to tell a story about breaking from the mold and being original, this film tries to reconcile the ideas of being different and yet still being in harmony with one another. And much like the first film, it's extremely creative. The animation lends itself to some incredible visuals that make your head spin. And the way the bricks are manipulated in such a photorealistic way is absolutely incredible.

These characters are, for the most part, three-dimensional, and that's really what carries the story. From the beginning, you're hanging in there not because of the story, but becuase of Emmet. He's such a likable, well-rounded character that has such pure intentions. It's not often that we see that. And when he's challenged with ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, you really do get to see his inner struggle, which I appreciated. There are new layers added on to Wyldstyle as well, more than before. And even Tiffany Haddish's character had a few interesting wrinkles that I didn't see coming either. 

Once the movie picks up int eh second and third acts, it gets going and knows exactly where it wants to end up. While a little generic at times, the finale brings to a close a story that is really small-scale, much like the original, which ended with a father and son being able to meet in the middle. 

In Conclusion: While the story may not have been nearly as strong, the inventiveness and creativity of the LEGO world is still there. Everything you loved from the original, for the most part, is still there. And while the films struggles to break free from the mold that the first film set, it realizes in the middle that it doesn't have to, and instead fully embraces it. And when it does, all the bricks fall into place. 

Dark Phoenix - Review: The X-Men Franchise Staggers and Stumbles to the Finish Line

Dark Phoenix - Review: The X-Men Franchise Staggers and Stumbles to the Finish Line

Release date (US): June 7th, 2019

Starring: Sophie Turner, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Evan Peters, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Kodi Smit-McPhee

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

So this is it. 

After almost twenty years with a dozen films set in this universe, the X-Men saga from Twentieth Century Fox (save Deadpool) has come to a close. We have seen an era that has produced such icons as Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Patrick Stewart AND James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, and Ian McKellen AND Michael Fassbender as Magneto. We have seen amazing films, like X-Men and X-Men: Days of Future Past, and we have seen some that have been massive disappointments, like X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Apocalypse. And, in my opinion, we have seen not only the best comic book movie of all time, but my favorite piece of cinema of all time: Logan.

It really hurts me to say that this illustrious franchise had to end on this note. Because Dark Phoenix, despite some clear bright spots, is one of the worst X-Men movies made in the past twenty years.

Let me reiterate by saying that it is ONE of the worst. It is not THE worst, as some other critics are saying. I believe I would rather watch Dark Phoenix over X-Men: Origins Wolverine and maybe even X-Men: The Last Stand. The film is better in quality and narrative than both of those films. But in terms of pure quality, it is not good. 

The cast from the prequel series of X-Men movies all return, including McAvoy as Professor Xavier, Fassbender as Magneto, Nicholas Hoult as Beast/Hank McCoy, and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique/Raven. Additionally, the new cast from X-Men: Apocalypse return, including Sophie Turner as Jena Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, and Alexandra Shipp as Storm. 

And while each cast member does the absolute best that they can with the script and the story, none of them can salvage what turned out to be an awful-at-worst and mediocre -at-best script. Simon Kinberg, who directed this film and wrote many previous X-Men films, clearly did not have a clear vision or handle on the script or the story, and as a result, some of the lines spoken in the movie are downright cringe-worthy.

In particular, James McAvoy's Charles Xavier went a different direction than he had in the previous films. That in itself is not necessarily a bad thing; in X-Men: Days of Future Past, we saw Charles go through a drug addiction and depression, which were extremely new for a character that was the leader of the entire X-Men team. But that was not out of character either; he had gone through so much to get him to that point. In this film, Charles acts bruteishly arrogant and self-centered, and puts his students in harm's way for no apparent reason besides inflating his ego, which was extremely inflated to begin the movie. It was so odd to see Charles act in such a selfish, narcissistic way - something that had never been set up before, or even remotely hinted at. 

Fassbender's Magneto is barely given any screen time in the movie, and while he is great as usual when he is onscreen, it almost seemed like Erik Lensherr was an afterthought, thrown into the movie at the last second to please the fans. Other supporting members like Lawrence's Mystique, Sheridan's Cyclops, Peters' Quicksilver, and Shipp's Storm, to name a few, were utterly forgettable. Interestingly, I felt that the most dynamic and realistic performance was given by Nicholas Hoult as Beast. While the character took a very abrupt, sudden, and arguably out-of-character turn as the Beast, I thought that the way Hoult played the character almost convinced me for a moment that this was the right decision to take the character.

But the film, as indicated by the title, hinges on Jean Grey. And while Sophie Turner wasn't necessarily the worst in X-Men: Apocalypse, she wasn't the greatest either. And it's much of the same in this film; she's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but absolutely nothing screams "lead" about her performance. It's hardly subtle, she sounds like she's trying to say her lines while holding her breath at the same time, and her acting resorts to a mix of crying and screaming when she's trying to express high emotion.

Speaking of characters, though, Jean is not alone in her pursuit to destroy the X-Men. Jessica Chastain plays a character that I will not reveal here, since the marketing has been careful to hide her true identity from us. But then again, and this is no major spoiler, what you see in the trailers is basically the same amount of character development her character gets: none. Her character seemingly comes out of nowhere and almost entirely born out of coincidence, that every moment she's onscreen you are left wondering why she's even in the movie. It's hard for me to even say that Chastain, who is a world-class actress, even gave a good performance. It's not her fault; the script did her ZERO favors, but she was easily the worst part of the entire film.

The opening act is arguably the best part of the movie. The X-Men open on a mission, where they first encounter the Phoenix Force and everything goes downhill (for the X-Men and the audience) from there. But the opening fifteen to twenty minutes is enjoyable. The X-Men do get to show off their powers, each and every one of them, in interesting ways that we haven't seen before on the big screen. 

And for what it's worth, the special effects are decent, if not good. They're worthy of a comic book, big-budget, superhero film of the modern era, and really do hold up well. There are some especially good effects with Jean and her Phoenix Force that I thought were unique. There really was never a moment where I doubted that anything was real in the context of the movie. Everything looked sharp, clean, and had the X-Men feel.

But to be quite honest, that's about all the positive I can give this movie. Because everything else, save for one scene that takes place in the second act, is mediocre or terrible. 

While the action and the excitement towards the beginning of the film were well done and laid the groundwork for an exciting movie, the movie meanders and wanders through the next hour or so of the film. Simon Kinberg said they reshot the entire third act of the movie, and you can tell that towards the end of the second act, the filmmakers were scrambling to connect the dots and get to the the final action set piece.

And while the final action scene was decent in terms of visuals and showing off mutant powers, there were absolutely zero stakes or emotion attached. You felt almost zero weight when characters make decisions or crucial choices that would hurt or cause you to cheer in a good movie. I didn't care about any of these characters when the final act came because the film had not given me any good reason to care. 

The second act wanders, as does Jean, rather aimlessly as it tries to find its footing and figure out where it wants to go. Essentially, an entire hour of the movie is Jean going from place to place where everyone is afraid of her, and in the end she does something "evil" and is forced to flee. Writing it out makes it sound worse than it actually is, granted, but not by much. It's very, very poorly paced, and again there is little excitement besides seeing some X-Men characters you liked in better movies.

There is another action scene that also takes place in the second act of the movie, and unlike the opening scene, and even the final train sequence, this is one of the worst pieces of action that I've seen in a comic book movie in the past few years. The motivations for the characters are completely forced and hardly make any sense. And if you think hard about what the characters are trying to accomplish (no major spoilers), they're essentially trying to cross street. Granted, great movies can make simple premises like this good and investing because of the characters that are involved. Captain America: Civil War essentially had the heroes fighting over a helicopter in an airport, but that wasn't the point because you cared about what happened to the characters and who they were. In this movie you simply don't.

And come the credits, as the film attempts to wrap up the entire X-Men saga in a little bow, you realize just how far the franchise has fallen from the likes of X-Men: Days of Future Past just five years ago. The references and callbacks to the previous films don't add any emotional ties to the characters your'e watching, but rather make you long for the characters of previous films even more.  

In Conclusion: If Dark Phoenix had come out at the same time as X-Men: The Last Stand, I would have had a hard time distinguishing the two. Both are sloppy, have subplots that never get addressed or resolved, and frankly are poorly written. But both have a great cast, some redeeming moments, and some decent action. And while I would call Dark Phoenix the better movie, I honestly can't say it's by much. Simon Kinberg, who wrote the Last Stand as well, makes the same mistakes he made all those years ago in this film that shows that Fox simply hasn't learned from their failures. 

Men in Black: International - Review: A Mire of Mediocrity

Men in Black: International - Review: A Mire of Mediocrity

Release date (US): June 14th, 2019

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani 

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

One could argue that throughout the decorated and storied career of Hollywood icon, Will Smith, Men in Black was one of the films that really did put him on the map. The original, starring Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, opened a door into an alien universe that many gravitated towards. Smith and Jones had chemistry that tied the film together, and sequels were quickly sent into production. 

But in trying to recapture the magic, the two sequels failed to connect with audiences and critics alike. The over-reliance on Smith and Jones made critics wonder whether or not the first film (92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) had been a fluke. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones continued to have the same dynamic partnership that had lit up the first film, but something didn't quite translate as well into the second and third iterations in the franchise.

So Sony waited a few years before deciding again to return to the franchise that had seemingly captured lightning in a bottle. Seeking the aid of director F. Gary Gray, who directed the critical smash hit, Fate of the Furious, and Marvel alumni Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, the studio seemed to have a hit brewing on their hands. A fresh take on the franchise with a new comedic duo looked to set the stage for a triumphant return to the top-secret government agency.

Unfortunately for Sony, they've missed the mark again and failed to recapture the magic of the original. This movie, though not terrible, is at best mildly entertaining, and at worst, simply put, flat-out bad. 

When casting two dynamic leads in Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, one can only expect great things from the duo that proved they had chemistry and comedic timing from Thor: Ragnarok. And while the two still have good chemistry in the film and deliver solid performances, the writing lets them down tremendously. In Thor: Ragnarok, the two were given source material and a script that they could bounce off and lean into when they needed to, which made their performances that much better. 

Chris Hemsworth is a wonderful actor, and has really grown into a proper A-list star in the past five years. He's also been developing a comedic side to him that he's put to great use in the Marvel films. But while his improvisation and goofy sense of humor seems to work so well in those films, you can clearly see in Men in Black: International when he stuck to the script and when he improvised, and unfortunately for him, there are very few times where either work. I would argue that the best moments from him are the lighter, deeper, and more emotional moments (which are few and far between) where he gets to show his acting range and versatility. When he's trying to be the funny man, he comes off more as Chris Hemsworth than Agent H.

Tessa Thompson, another fantastic dramatic and comedic actor, also gives a strangely oscillating performance. There are moments in the film where I found her character, Agent M, borderline annoying. She says and does some things that make you pause and wonder who in the world would actually do that in the real world. But there are other times where she asserts herself and becomes something more than what the script had on paper, and those are the best moments. It's not entirely her fault; out of all the characters in the film, the screenplay and the script do her little justice. Her character is entirely one-dimensional, and at certain points even used as a plot device that it's hard to tell if Thompson was just following a bad script or not.

Supporting cast members, notably Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson, do fine in their respective roles. Thompson is given hardly anything to do, but when she's onscreen, you're briefly reminded of the "glory days" or the original Men in Black. Neeson is given a far more substantial role than I had originally anticipated, and while the script once again lets him down, Liam Neeson is too good of an actor to let that hinder him. Yes, his character is extremely one-dimensional, but he does what he can and turns in a decent performance.

But you didn't come to a Men in Black film looking for Oscar-caliber performances and dialogue; you came for the fun and the action. And there is indeed plenty of action to be had. The film is so busy trying to live up to its subtitle, "International", that in hopping to so many different locations, it often loses track of the focus and the story. But regardless, the action in the film is indeed fun. While not the most inventive of action set pieces, what you do see is entertaining and at the very least, will not bore you or put you to sleep. There's nothing particularly original about any of it, but then again, that goes for the rest of the film as well. There's a particular action scene involving guns and a car towards the beginning that I thought was quite clever and unique, and was easily one of the best parts of the film if you ignore why the characters are in that situation to begin with. 

Despite the bad writing, and the extremely one-dimensional characters presented in the film, there is one that stands out, head and shoulders above the rest: a new alien companion named Pawny, played by Kumail Nanjiani. Pawny doesn't appear until about halfway through the movie, but when he does, he immediately captures the hearts of everyone in the audience with his wit and odd cuteness. Nanjiani is the only actor whose humor translates well onscreen; for some reason his brand of humor lent itself better to this character than Hemsworth's did to his. It wouldn't even be a stretch for me to say that without Pawny, this film would have been unabashedly bad. Pawny brings a level of charm, humor, and likability that was missing from the film prior that makes the film that much more bearable. 

But as always, the deciding factor for me is always story. Story is the single most important aspect that a movie must nail in order for me to call it good on a fundamental (and completely subjective) scale. And while Men in Black: International brings some genuine laughs and chuckles at times with some decent and (rarely) inventive action, the story falls flat in almost every single regard. The story was so bad, in fact, that for the first hour of the movie I had no idea where the film was going and was, in fact, bored to death until Pawny showed up. When Pawny showed up, not only did the entertainment factor spike, but the story seemed to pick itself up and stumble towards the finish line, albeit, in my opinion, too little too late.

The first hour hour is spent trying to set up characters that we generally have a good idea about already. The film spends too much time on character development that is, quite frankly, unnecessary and out of place. There are several scenes that I would have outright cut from the film, and the movie is already under two hours. But I still believe that at least fifteen minutes of footage was not needed at all. And then, the film seemed to be setting up a mystery that I thought was going a certain direction for the majority of the running time. I actually thought that if the film went this specific direction, it would be quite interesting and set up some unique scenarios. Unfortunately, the film abandoned that subplot and went for a very, very generic ending that was disappointing and rather lackluster.

In Conclusion: Men in Black: International is watchable. Once you get over the first hour and are introduced to Pawny, the film picks up speed and you may actually enjoy the final half. But it's not enough to save the movie from a poor script, odd acting choices, and a disappointing story. There are so many different ways you could have gone with this universe and with these characters, and yet, for some inexplicable reason, the director and the studio decided to play it safe. 

Joker Will Be R-Rated, Says Director

Joker Will Be R-Rated, Says Director

One of the more intriguing films hitting theaters in October is Joker. Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips are teaming up to bring a new take on the Clown Prince of Crime, and now, Phillips has taken to his Instagram to confirm that the film will be R-Rated. The film, set to follow Arthur Fleck in his descent into madness, will try to follow in the footsteps of other R-Rated comic book films such as Logan and the Deadpool films. 

Joker will hit theaters on October 4th, 2019. 

West Side Story Remake Begins Shooting

West Side Story Remake Begins Shooting

West Side Story is one of the most iconic stories ever told, both in terms of the film medium, as well as the musical genre. Now, acclaimed director Steven Spielberg has decided to tackle the project in a fresh new take that will hit theaters in 2020. The film has officially begun shooting and the first official image from the film has been released - check it out below.

West Side Story hits theaters on December 18th, 2020.

New Spider-Man: Far From Home IMAX Poster Released

New Spider-Man: Far From Home IMAX Poster Released

Spider-Man: Far From Home is the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is hitting theaters in just over three weeks. Now, with the release of the film coming soon, Sony has released a new IMAX poster for the film, which showcases Spider-Man's two new suits that will be featured in the film. Check out the poster below.

Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2nd, 2019.