Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

     The much anticipated sequel to J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot/reimagining, Star Trek Into Darkness is one of the most exhilarating, visually appealing science fiction films of the past few years that gives fans, both new and old, an adventure worthy of the final frontier...

   Within less than a year of the events of the first film, the crew of the USS Enterprise finds themselves on a hunt for a rogue Starfleet Commander named "John Harrison" who has declared a one man war against Starfleet. However this particular mission can be quite fatal to certain members such as Captain James T. Kirk who is hellbent on revenge, pursues Harrison and makes it a personal matter that tests his ability as a Captain and could ultimately cost him the lives of his fellow crew. First Officer Spock also makes this a personal conflict on whether to use logic as his half-vulcan heritage is used to or to trust his heart and gut feelings as his half-human side would. The adventure will ultimately define the relationship of the two characters as well as show them what it means to be a family and not just as members of the same starship.

   Set within the same alternate reality that was established in the first film, therefore does not affect the original Primary Universe of The Original Series, the film offers fresh but yet familiar takes on characters and events that have been created many years ago.  Abrams takes no time getting straight into the action that runs non-stop throughout the entire film with plenty of amazing set pieces, orbital battles, fistfights, shootouts and much more that is sure to leave viewers on the edge of their seats. The more dramatic scenes hit hard, as expected from a J.J. Abrams film, possibly even making a few viewers shed a tear as well as providing many, many laughs mostly from the creative, witty dialogue that occurs between characters. Compared to the first film, which was naturally an origin story, the story is focused to be more personal as opposed to being more bigger and flashier which lots of franchise sequels tend to do. Trekkies or even just geeky fans in general can expect no shortage of iconic lines being spoken as well as several references to the fates of some characters that have occurred in the original timeline, even showing the Klingons for the first time in this reboot franchise.

   Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as the films antagonist; "John Harrison", who portrays the character with such awe and malice that it comes as surprise when viewers start feeling some sympathy toward him in a few scenes all the while topped off with a deep, soft spoken yet haunting drawl that makes the villain very easy to listen to. The gorgeous Alice Eve plays the role of Dr. Carol Marcus, a Starfleet Officer trained in the field of applied physics and advanced weaponry who has a big part to the overall plot and as some fans should know, has an important relationship with the Captain. RoboCop himself, Peter Weller plays the role of Admiral Alexander Marcus, Carol's father. The returning cast is at their best yet with some characters having bigger roles such as Communications Officer Uhura, played by Zoe Saldana, finally kicking some ass. Zachary Quinto is again a near perfect portrayal of First Officer Spock originally made famous by Leonard Nimoy.

   Hardcore fans of The Original Series seemed to be divided on J.J. Abrams take on the franchise set in an Alternate Reality but for casual movie goers, Star Trek Into Darkness is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of an epic space adventure, complete with amazing action sequences, witty banter and visuals equally appealing as Alice Eve. It was a nice return to the world of James Tiberius Kick and the command deck of the Starship Enterprise that is not only one of the biggest blockbusters of 2013 but also one of the best Science Fiction films of the last few years. While the main cast has said they would appear for at least one more film but with Abrams taking another big franchise under his belt by directing Episode VII of Star Wars, it may be awhile until we see a third installment and where this franchise "boldly goes" next...

Film Review: Iron Man 3

     A year after the groundbreaking, spectacle that was Marvel's The Avengers, fans once again return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the world of Tony Stark where the eagerly anticipated Iron Man 3 provides many laughs and awesome action sequences that unfortunately falls short while not quite living up to
the hype it was given.

     Set some time after the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark finds himself suffering from a sort of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like anxiety due to the extra-terrestrial invasion of New York City. Because of this, Tony has spent a considerable amount of time creating many different types of suits and also enhancing his armors abilities which ultimately is creating a love-triangle of sorts between Tony, his armor and his girlfriend and current CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts. Global tensions are also on the rise due to an emerging experimental tissue regenerative and ability enhancing virus known as Extremis, a series of unexplained bombings and the appearance of a terrorist  who calls himself "The Mandarin". After a close friend of his falls victim to one of the bombings, Tony proceeds to go on a personal vendetta against The Mandarin all the while asking himself: "Does the Suit make the Man? Or does the Man make the Suit?"

     After Jon Favreau's departure as director of the first two installments, Shane Black was hired to screen-write and direct the third film which would reunite him and actor Robert Downey Jr. after working together on the 2005 dark comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Those familiar with Black's work can expect his usual plot devices such as a kidnapping of one of the characters and the film being set around the Christmas holiday come into play. While a new director at the helm of a much beloved franchise is expected to make a few changes, Iron Man 3 is significantly different compared to it predecessors; both in its visuals and sense of tone as well as starting and ending the film with a narrative voice-over from Stark and not opening the film with an AC/DC soundtrack. But as can expect from a Marvel film, there are plenty of laughs, both subtle and not so subtle nods to comic lore and incredible set pieces that will have the audience cheering for a now much adorned superhero.

     Robert Downey Jr. reprises the role of Tony Stark for his fifth appearance and with no surprise stealing the show with the usual wit, smart-ass, lovable jerk attitude that has become so synonymous with the character. Guy Pearce provides a fresh, deceptively cunning, love to hate villain that could quite easily be considered the best live-action Iron Man antagonist to date. Those who have wanted to see more of the two most important figures in Tony's life are in for a treat; Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes played by Don Cheadle  is finally given a more significant role that is not only essential to the plot but also to put his best friend Tony in his place and the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow reprises her role of Pepper Potts for the fourth time with this appearance definitely giving the character a much more important role to the overall story as well as finally breaking the stereotypical damsel in distress cliche. The biggest issue in an otherwise fantastic cast is the inclusion of Sir Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin; was nothing more than a waste of a talented and big name actor offering little screen time with the big reveal and revelation of the characters true nature will surely anger and disappoint hard core comic book fans.

     The first film and everything it delivered was the start of an incredible cinematic journey that eventually led to one of the most ambitious films of all time as well as setting the standard for all superhero movies to come, it's sequel was panned by critics and fans alike due to it's messy plot that was all over the place and two dimensional villains and now Iron Man 3 was immensely hyped up to be the first, big follow up to Marvel's The Avengers but sadly didn't quite deliver as it promised to. The first film to begin Marvel Studios' "Phase Two" plans for their Cinematic Universe, did nothing to show fans what to expect in upcoming movies. It had great acting, great character development and great action set pieces but Iron Man 3 simply did not deliver in what it hoped to be.

Film Review: Evil Dead

     Despite being a remake of the 1981 cult classic, Evil Dead is a fun, respectable homage to the original supported with Sam Raimi's and Bruce Campbell's blessing that in the end turns out to be one of the most entertaining and gruesomely awesome low budget horror film of the last few years.

     The film introduces the viewers to a group of long time friends who meet in an oh so cliche cabin deep in the woods where they plan to use this isolation as a way for one of their members, a girl named Mia, to quit her heroin addiction. While exploring the cabin, they come across a hidden cellar door where they find a Sumerian version of The Book of the Dead. Despite multiple warnings in the book to not read from it, it is revealed that a demon must take five souls in order to enter the world of the living. The demon then takes possession of Mia after she attempts to escape the woods and her plans of cold turkey. After they find her in the woods and take her back to the cabin, Mia with the demon attached to her soul proceeds to kill the other members one by one.

     Horror fans can expect the usual slow camera pans and the creepy pop up moments that reveal the antagonist usually standing behind a character or in a mirror as well as the cliche characters such as the man of science, the dumb blonde, the pretty boy and the African-American girl but what Evil Dead brings so fantastically to the table is the gore. There are many, many bloody cringe worthy moments that would more than well make the squeamish very uncomfortable. With the exception of Mia (Jane Levy), the other cast members are easily forgettable but they do serve their purpose as horror movie characters well. Some lines and moments can be quite corny, possibly even killing the mood, but those are really small gripes in an otherwise entertaining film.

    The original The Evil Dead/Army of Darkness Trilogy has reached such cult-status among fans, the idea of a remake was not well received at first but given that the original director and lead actor gave the film their blessing as well as lending a hand in writing and producing the film, fans should feel at ease knowing this. It may lack the absurd humor of the original and have a more serious undertone but like the original, it is best not to take this film too seriously. There are a number of nods and references seen that have become synonymous with the series such as the Oldsmobile, the chainsaw and of course the double barreled "Boomstick". Some of the most memorable scenes from the original have been re-imagined like the Tracking Shot in the woods and the forest rape but it would not be considered an Evil Dead film without a few bodily dismemberments, which thankfully there are.

     While it boasts to be "The Most Terrifying Film You Will Ever Experience" as seen sprawled across the posters, it most certainly is not. It is quite terrifying and creepy at times but to call it "The Most Terrifying" is a bit of a stretch. Despite that there are plenty of fantastic scare moments and gruesome gore scenes that are definitely not recommended for the squeamish. With two sequels already in development and the possibility of Mia and the original trilogy's iconic hero Ash Williams teaming up in one of those sequels, it will be interesting to see where the series goes from here. One of the better remakes in recent years Evil Dead is a wonderful, fun, respectable homage to 1981's The Evil Dead that horror fans will either love, hate, enjoy equally as much as the original or find it to be just plain "Groovy".

Game Review: Bioshock Infinite

      A Breathtaking Experience. Is all that can be said for Irrational Games' and Ken Levine's Bioshock Infinite; story, visuals, combat and characters are all blended so perfectly, it should not come as a surprise if  this Masterpiece takes the Game of the Year Award.

 

   
     "Bring us the girl, wipe away the debt." is what disgraced ex-Pinkerton agent and former war hero Booker DeWitt is told when accepting a job to rescue a mysterious young woman named Elizabeth from the floating city of Columbia. Upon first exploring the City in the Sky, Booker learns that it is in a current state of Civil War between the rich, white supremacists and the multi-racial working class. He also finds it's citizens hold high praise to a religious leader and self-proclaimed "Prophet" named Father Comstock, who predicts the arrival of the "False Shepard" that the bears the letters "AD" on their hand, which Booker has. Elizabeth, who has been locked in a tower for most of her life, possesses the ability to open "Tears", which are essentially doors to another universe or time period. With their own personal reasons; Booker and Elizabeth help each other escape Columbia from those who want to use Elizabeth's power for various reasons, while uncovering the dark secrets of the city and themselves, in a plot much bigger than anyone can imagine...

     The gameplay is pretty much that of  first-person shooter with role-playing elements but with its own uniqueness. Players have access to the usual handguns, rifles and shotguns that can be upgraded. "Vigors" are Infinite's version of Bioshock 1 & 2's "Plasmids", which give the player special abilities such as: Sending a flock of crows to attack an enemy or briefly incapacitating enemies in midair. As fun as it is, there are some downsides to "Vigors"; Salts are required to power the abilities and there is a maximum of 2 out of the total 8 "Vigors" that players can equip. Players can ride the "Skyline", Columbia's rail transport system, during combat and use the  "Skyhook"  for melee strikes and executions. Easily the most important part of gameplay is Elizabeth; during Combat she will hide from attackers and restock players with health, ammo and salt by calling Booker's name and tossing supplies to him. The most important part is Elizabeth's ability to open "Tears" during combat, where she can materialize cover, turrets, health kits, ammo stocks and allies to the players aid.

      The game is so polished and so perfectly crafted with stunning visuals, fun combat, amazing characters and a story so vast and thought out, it more than well makes up for the several delays gamers had to go through for this astounding experience. The revolutionary AI and story behind Elizabeth gives a companion that not only needs no hand holding but is also a vital part to gameplay and by delving farther into the plot, players should not be surprised if they find themselves doing everything they can to protect and to care for Elizabeth. Blurring the line between religion and politics and exploring themes such as racial equality, social class, alternate realities and the price of freedom are all part of a marvelous, thought-provoking story-line with an ending that will be sure to shock and dumbfound those playing it.

     Bioshock Infinite is such a masterpiece that it would be shame for people to overlook this as a simple shooter and possibly miss out on one of the most ambitious, groundbreaking games of the decade. The sky is the limit so "Would You Kindly" pick up this game...

Game Review: Tomb Raider

     "A Survivor is born." That is the tagline for Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix's well executed re-imagining of one of video games' most iconic heroines of all time; providing gamers with a compelling plot, a beautifully rendered open-world environment and an easy to follow gameplay system.

     Tomb Raider is a complete reboot of the franchise and therefore the previous installments are not considered canon to this reboot's universe. The game follows a young, naive and fresh out of college Lara Croft as she attempts to make her "mark" on the world of exploration and archaeology. On her first expedition aboard the Endurance, Lara and her fellow crew are in search of the ancient Japanese kingdom of Yamatai when their vessel is struck by a storm and ultimately shipwrecked on the island. Stranded, alone and inexperienced; Lara must find a way home, rescue her friends and learn to survive from the elements, the savage wildlife and the mysterious, hostile inhabitants of the island.

     The initial gameplay is a mix of exploration, platforming and combat implemented with a system to upgrade Lara's skills and abilities in Survival, Hunting and Brawling. Lara's arsenal which consists of a bow, a climbing axe, a shotgun, an assault rifle and a pistol can also be upgraded to help her in combat and exploration. Traversing the open world island of Yamatai is so fleshed out that it requires players to be quick on their feet, utilizing all of Lara's tools and abilities, otherwise she could be plunging to her death by sharp rocks in rough waters, just to name at least one brutal death sequence. Also for those players who absolutely despise "Quick-Time Events", it should be noted that there is a fair amount of that throughout the game however most of those sequences are in the opening chapters while the rest are merely for combat and platforming purposes such as counter killing.


     The game is so beautifully rendered; with the peaking sunlight through a coastal forest or the ominous sight of a shipwrecked cove, players should not be surprised if they find themselves enjoying the scenery and taking screenshots. The set pieces provide some very impressive awe-inspiring moments that, without a doubt, rival another certain game franchise about an adventurer, that is well known for it's wonderful set pieces. The story, while can be predictable, is so engaging  that it's hard for players to put their controllers down for those 12-15 hours worth of gameplay, offering many twists, turns and character development rounded off with excellent portrayals by the voice and motion capture actors, especially Camilla Luddington (Californication, Grey's Anatomy) who is the new voice of Miss Croft.

     Tomb Raider is a fresh, new start for the long time video game franchise, breaking down the character of Lara Croft into a vulnerable, naive and a realistic young woman who, while perfectly proportioned unlike her other incarnations, is still very sexy in her own right. Older fans of the original series might feel alienated due to the lack of over the top gymnastics and the grittiness, brutality and realism of the story but it should be noted that this is merely the start for Lara and there is no doubt we will eventually see her become the heroine we know and love, albeit with several differences in order to fit this new reboot. Watch out Nathan Drake, Lara Croft is back...

   
   

Film Review: Warm Bodies

 A classic love story with an undead twist. Based on the debut novel by Isaac Marion comes a very fun film with a different take on falling in love with the undead, forbidden romance and learning to feel alive again.

In a post apocalyptic world the population has dwindled down into three different categories: Humans, who are now very few in number. "Corpses", the traditional zombie but still retaining some memory of their former life and "Bonies", who are a more evolved terrifying, skeletal form of "Corpses" where they do not have any traces of humanity at all. The story is narrated by one "corpse" in particular simply named R, who spends his time in an abandoned airport, wandering aimlessly, having somewhat near conversations with his friend M and collecting objects for his so-called home in an old airliner. During a hunt for food, R, M  and a few other members of the undead, encounter a group of human teenagers who are on a medical supply run. As the two groups clash, R comes across a beautiful human girl named Julie and after eating her boyfriends' brains, begins to fall in love with her. Keeping her alive and safe from the other "corpses", R takes Julie back to his home, where the two begin a very strange relationship and R finds himself slowly but surely coming back to life.

 

English actor Nicholas Hoult heads the cast as R, giving a very amusing performance, particularly with his interactions with other characters,  through his actions, expressions and mannerisms of the undead. Australian Native Teresa Palmer as Julie Grigio is the more serious character between the two star-crossed lovers but occasionally has moments of high spirited fun, making the beautiful young actress a delight to watch. John Malkovich rounds off the cast as Julie's father, General Grigio, in a disappointingly small but well performed role as expected from the veteran actor.

 

Complete with a great soundtrack, the sounds of Guns n' Roses, John Waite, Scorpions, Bon Iver and many more, complements this very fun, supernatural romance film which thankfully doesn't take itself too seriously. The film has all the elements of a classic cliche love story: boy meets girl, falls in love with girl but are both from very different backrounds, can be a reason for viewers not to see this film as they have all heard that story countless times. However due to the setting within a zombie apocalypse, movie goers should consider this a fun twist as a backdrop for an otherwise predictable story. Keeping along the lines of a love story, there are many allusions to arguably the most well known love story of all time, Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet", including the names of the two characters, R and Julie, and a certain balcony scene...

 

Falling in love with a supernatural, undead creature is nothing new in Literature and Hollywood but unlike some certain undead love stories of the past few years, "Warm Bodies" is a fresh take on the subject as it does not take it self too seriously, which in return brings a delightfully fun, comedic film that both men and women can enjoy and relate to, (yes guys you can accompany your girlfriends to the theatre and not feel embarrassed to do so),  all the while making viewers wonder what it truly means to feel alive again.

 

 

 

 

 

Film Review: Silver Linings Playbook

 

    Based on the debut novel of the same name by Matthew Quick comes this incredible romantic, comedy, drama film about true love, second chances, family bonding and having faith for the bright side of life. Currently nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and all four Best Acting Categories, "Silver Linings Playbook" is easily one of the best and disappointingly overlooked films to come out of 2012.

Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) is a recently released mental health patient suffering from Bipolar Disorder and episodes of violence after walking in on his wife, Nikki, having an affair with another teacher. Released after 8 months into the custody of his parents Pat Sr. and Dolores Solitano (Robert De Niro & Jacki Weaver), Pat begins to "better" himself by training mentally and physically for his supposed reunion with Nikki. Along the way he develops an odd friendship with the young, beautiful, recently widowed Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) who is also a recovering sex addict and has gained a reputation as the "town whore". Discovering their shared emotional struggles, Tiffany agrees to give a letter to Nikki, as Pat's restraining order prevents him from contacting her, but only if he will be her partner in an upcoming dance competition. In between all this Pat struggles with his condition, holding back violent tendencies every time he hears his old wedding song, being his father's "good luck charm" for the Philadelphia Eagles and looking for the "silver lining" in his life.

 

 

Bradley Cooper is at his manic best as a character who in one second can turn from a shy, respectable man driven by love into a raging powerhouse destroying anything and anyone in his way. Cooper, who is best known for his role in "The Hangover" quite possibly gives his best performance to date. Playing Tiffany, Jennifer Lawrence proves that she is without a doubt one of Hollywoods' youngest and obscenely talented stars. Despite being sixteen years junior to Cooper, Jennifer more than well holds her own on screen as a woman who has many neurotic, foul mouthed and manipulative tendencies on the surface but internally suffers from insecurities and demons from her past. Legendary actors Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver play very loving but fair parents who want nothing more than to see their son find happiness...and to see the Eagles win.

 

 

Despite several differences between the original novel such as the time period Pat spent in treatment, the significance of his therapist Dr. Patel, Stevie Wonder haunting his thoughts instead of Kenny G. and the age of Tiffany who in the novel was a women a few years older than Pat was changed to someone who is considerably younger, are all minor gripes in an otherwise fantastic and very moving film. It is not without its moments of light hearted-ness specifically the banter and quips between the two main characters as well as portraying how seriously a city can take a national sport. But unlike so few romantic comedies there are plenty of serious heart wrenching scenes that would be enough to make one start shedding tears and reconsider one's life.

 

 

In a year glorified with superpowered teams, caped crusaders, wizards, secret agents and teenagers fighting eachother to the death, "Silver Linings Playbook" was a severly overlooked film that did not get the proper recognition it deserved when it was released in the fall of 2012. Powerful, driven but yet witty and depressing with superb acting, this film should be watched by those who missed their chance before, fans of the novel and movie audiences that are looking for something different.