Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan The Wedding Ringer (2015) Rating: 2.5/4 Director: Jeremy Garelick Writers: Jeremy Garelick & Jay Lavender Cast: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Olivia Thirlby ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM*** Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) Rating: 4/4 Director: Matt Reeves Writers: Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver Cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smith-McPhee - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes continues the story of Caesar from the first film (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), but this time the world has completely changed. Government and society ceases to exist. It is Man vs Ape and in this case, it becomes hard to choose a side. Director Matt Reeves does a superb job in exploring this apocalyptic world by showing how both species, Man and Ape, interact differently within the environment. The Apes are on the rise and are slowly taking over the landscape; starting with the forest. Man seems to be hiding in the abandoned cities, seeking any hope in order to survive in a world which they are struggling. Andy Serkis, once again, shows why he is the master of motion capture and delivers an outstanding performance as Caesar. It is a shame that the Academy continues to overlook is motion capture work. I hope someday he gets his recognition. The interactions between Caesar and Jason Clarke's character, Malcolm, are what drive the film forward because they both seem to want peace between the two species. What made an impression on me about this film was the fact that it became hard to pick a side on who is right. The lines between Man and Ape become blurred and it delivers a powerful theme that sits with you after the film has ended. That theme being who are we really when it comes down to surviving? With an extremely detailed environment, an excellent cast and a theme of man interacting with nature, it is safe to say that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the best films of 2014. ——————————————– The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) Rating: 3.5/4 Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen Writers: Joel & Ethan Coen Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, James Gandolfini, Katherine Borowitz, Tony Shalhoub, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Jenkins ——————————————– Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Rating: 1.5/4 Director: Michael Bay Writer: Ehran Kruger Cast: Mark Whalberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor - I still have yet to figure out why Michael Bay keeps making almost three hour long Transformer films. It just seems completely unnecessary for a plot that is already all over the place. Clocking in at 165 minutes, Transformers: Age of Extinction is another entry in the blockbuster series, which really hasn't made a good film since the first one. Although this is not as bad as Revenge of the Fallen, it still is nothing that is worthy of watching again. The plot often doesn't make any sense and it often relies on the heavy action to keep the audience interested. I just had a hard time believing the relationships between the characters. Nicola Peltz's love interest in the film, Jack Reynor, has an Australian accent and is a racecar driver in the middle of Texas (essentially the middle of nowhere). Seemed like a really odd character choice that just did not seem believable. One moment in the film that really made a bad impression on me was during a battle scene in China, when a Bud Light truck comes out of nowhere, crashes and spills Bud Light bottles everywhere. Wahlberg picks one up, cracks it open against the car and drinks it; in the middle of fighting alien robots. I honestly felt like someone slapped me in the face. Terrible product placement. This is just one moment in what was a dull attempt to try and rejuvenate the Transformers franchise. It did however gross 1 billion dollars worldwide, so it is safe to say we will see a fifth entry sometime soon. Let's hope that one will be better than the last three. ——————————————–
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorPat Brennan: Recent Film grad from Temple University with a love for all aspects of film. David Fincher for life.
Archives
November 2016
Categories |