2014 Summer Movie Season - X-Men Days of Future Past: Review & Analysis

Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future!!!! All-Star X-Men film delivers powerfully gripping installment!!!

By Brandon Porter



To save their future, they must change their past.

 

Story

For years, Mutants have lived among humans. Ever since their existence, the mutant species has been met with fear, hatred, oppression, and even violence. However recent events have seen tremendous change as mutants slowly begin to have acceptance following the Alcatraz incident. Unfortunately, a new development by Trask Industries known as sentinels have become an issue. Originally used to target mutants, it took it one step further and now fate mutant kind and mankind hang in the balance. With their backs up against the wall and all options exhausted, Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Erik Lehnsherr (Ian McKellan) and the X-Men feel the best way to save all of humanity and mutant kind is to stop the sentinel threat from surfacing altogether. Logan (Hugh Jackman) volunteers for an urgent mission that will send him back to the 1970s where he will try to convince a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender) to come together in a time where they could barely stand each other to combat an impending threat and prevent the horrible future that awaits them.

 



Logan, Xavier, Erick, and Quicksilver
 attempt to escape mutant custody

Analysis

            For 14 years, people have watched installments of one of Marvel Comic’s most beloved characters come to life. There have been highs and lows, but in its existence, the X-Men franchise has endured and is slowly gaining new life in this current age of filmmaking. The latest chapter Days of Future Past mixed the old with the new to bring together fans who have been around the films since day one and fans who may just now getting on the bandwagon. All In all, the film did great. X-Men Days of Future Past not only delivered strong at the box office with a worldwide total of $301 million, but it garnered an outstanding 91% certified fresh rating on rotten tomatoes. This makes it the highest critically ranked film in the franchise. Sean O'Connell of Cinema Blend stated that the film was "the greatest, most complete and staggeringly entertaining X-Men film to date. The CEO of AviLand Productions, Mike Avila, said the film was Superb and also praised the performance of the actors as well as the film’s action and emotion. Critics and fans alike praised the film for its action and substance. Now the question remains: With this boost of momentum, how will the franchise build on its new found breath of life.








The X-Men battle the sentinels in the past and the future



Review

            I have been following the X-Men franchise since it started in 2000. For 14 years, this franchise has been the staple for superhero films today and for comic book adaptations for Marvel. This year, X-Men Days of Future Past brought together all of the X-Men characters from the original trilogy and the X-Men characters from the acclaimed Preboot First Class for one of the biggest films in the franchise. The result: The best X-Men film to date. Days of Future Past is an amazing collection of old and new that culminates into an unforgettable experience. From the opening sequence, the film grabbed hold of me tight. The depiction of the bleak horrible future was both gripping, depressing, and extremely dark. I found this a very effective example of grabbing a hold of the audience from the first act. There is plenty to like about this film. First thing is familiarity. Obviously, a lot has changed since the original X-Men cast last suited up for action. However, returning actors, sights, and sounds were a welcome addition to the film.  Hearing music and seeing characters I’ve known since I was 8 years old tugged on my heart strings and brought a smile to my face. Seeing Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page, Ian McKellan, and Halle Berry return to their respective X-Men characters brought back so many childhood memories. These were MY X-Men. The heroes I watched as a kid, the first superheroes I ever truly watched in film. Seeing them again was truly a welcome sight. The performances of the actors was one of the other pluses about the film. Terrific acting from Jackman, and the returners from First Class: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence (who I have missed dearly seeing on screen), and Nicholas Hoult deliver extremely well in their return to their roles. The veterans like Jackman, Berry, Ashmore, Stewart, and others play their roles as if they were clockwork. New characters such as Peter Maxinoff aka Quicksilver were fun as well. Evan Peter’s depiction of the character were both fun and really brought light heartedness to the otherwise dark story. I’m eager to see what Arron Taylor-Johnson does with the character in Age of Ultron next year. The biggest plus of the film is its powerful emotional aura. This was one of the most emotionally powerful superhero films and possibly films period I’ve seen this year. There were several scenes that had me on the brink of tears. Preferably the scenes in the future. Seeing all of my childhood heroes suffer and die was truly heartbreaking. It was sometimes unbearable. This proves how much they meant to me and how emotional the film was. I no question applaud the folks at FOX for delivering a truly amazing installment to their long running franchise. Though action wasn’t the main star in this X-Men film, it still delivered some great sequences. Given the circumstances that Logan faced knowing everything he did or help happen would alter the future. Everything that occurred in the 70s made me ask the question “How would this effect the future?” This was a great way of the movie toying with our minds and bringing up theories on how what happen back then would affect now. In the grand scheme of things, X-Men Days of Future Past is hands down one of the best X-Men Films ever made and the best non-Marvel studios film to date. Given how the film ended, questions still remain on what the future of the franchise holds for the world most famous mutants.



Rating and Final Thoughts

With solid action, terrific acting, and a dark and gripping story, X-Men Days of Future Past establishes itself the best film in the franchise and one of the most emotionally powerful superhero films ever made.

Days of Future Past is the culmination of what this franchise has accomplished in its 14 years in Hollywood. Now, the question remains: With the film in a way hitting the reset button for the series, what does the future hold for the franchise down the road?

2014 Summer Movie Season - Godzilla: Review & Analysis

Return of The King!!! Garth Edwards' Godzilla reboot returns King of the Monsters to his rightful Throne!!!!

By: Brandon Porter

Make Way For The Return of The King of The Monsters!!!

Story

                In 1954, nuclear test were conducted to destroy an unknown entity of massive size. Soon however, strange events start occurring that puts into question the safety of mankind. Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston), who recently lost his wife in a nuclear power plant collapse, is convinced that higher officials are hiding the truth from everyone. As Brody and his son Ford (Arron Taylor-Johnson) begin to peel back the layers of this mystery, deadly creatures begin to emerge and begin causing destruction and chaos across the globe. With the military on its last leg and the fate of the world on edge, the only thing standing in the way of humanity’s imminent doom is a powerful force of nature that can restore balance to the world. Its name…GODZILLA!!!!



Father and son Joe and Ford Brody investigate a deserted quarantined zone

Analysis

                After the embarrassing effort to bring Godzilla to the big screen in 1998 and 2000, Hollywood was skeptical about what the future held for the King of the monsters. In Garth Edwards, they saw a director who had the ability to create the Godzilla movie that the critics and fans deserved. Thankfully, he did just that. The film garnered a solid 73% certified fresh rating and a 76% fresh rating from audiences.  Richard Roeper praised the film stating that "Edwards and his team produce consistently stunning visuals.". Boston Globe’s Tome Russo explained, "Crafted with motion-capture technology and an aesthetic eye toward tradition, Godzilla is convincingly rendered here, making for some genuinely electrifying moments. There’s the monster’s battleship-buffeting partial reveal. That initial footfall, and the way it instantly communicates Godzilla’s impossible scale. That initial blast of his radioactive dragon’s-breath, and a stunning encore." Financially, Godzilla stomped on the competition. It garnered an impressive $100 million dollars at the box office and in total received $200 Million worldwide. With a sequel already in development, Godzilla’s return to cinemas will be met with great anticipation and even higher expectations.

Two Words...ATOMIC BREATH!!!!

Review

                Since the 1998 and 2000 versions of Godzilla, Hollywood has struggled to capture the awe, magic, and wonder of the proclaimed “King of The Monsters”. This year, director Garth Edwards tries his hand at successfully bringing the iconic beast back to cinemas. After seeing it in IMAX, I can happily say, he succeeded. Godzilla is a great film that delivers new school thrills with an old school vibe. One plus is the action. Some well orcastrated action sequences put this film up there with the years best action movies. The creature fights between Godzilla and the other monsters are truly spectacular and fun. They were right on par with last year’s Pacific Rim which is a huge plus. In fact, the one of the things that I didn’t like about the film is that there weren’t enough monster fights. But the monster sequences shown were just breathtaking enough to satisfy. The sight of Godzilla is truly an amazing experience. When he first appears, I couldn’t help but smile wide seeing that he finally returns to cinemas after all these years. Acting was on the balanced side. Arron Taylor-Johnson did an admirable job in the lead role. He showed great maturity and resolve in what is just the start of his skyrocketing rise to fame. Though still room for improvement, He has the potential to be a great actor in Hollywood. Bryan Cranston delivers a solid performance as Joe Brody. He is passionate, emotionally broken, and conflicted. Unfortunately, Cranston is disappointingly underutilized in this film. Just as he is coming into his own, he is no longer a factor. It’s a disappointment knowing this was done and considering his fan base expected him to play a bigger part in the film. Nonetheless, Cranston does well in the screen time he’s given. Others like Ken Wantanabe and Elizabeth Olsen pull their share of the weight in this film as do others, but I feel the human element sometimes took away from what the fans really wanted…to see Godzilla fight!!! But the human involvement is just good enough to keep you engaged until the next fight sequence occurs. All in all, Godzilla is a Godzilla film done right and puts the iconic beast back in the good graces of fans and critics alike. Here’s to another successful run on the silver screen G-Man!!!!

 

Rating and Final Thoughts

Breathtaking monster sequences, passable human story, and epic grand scale, Godzilla is a terrific installment of the franchise and really helps renew interest in the timeless character and franchise.

Though Godzilla reigns supreme this year, make no mistake, he WILL return to reclaim his throne

 

2014 Summer Movie Season - The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Review & Analysis

 

 

Swinging In For Seconds!!! Spidey’s Second Adventure Delivers Strong Installment to Young Rebooted Franchise!!!!

By: Brandon Porter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Parker begins his greatest battle yet as Spider-Man

 

Story

                Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) life couldn’t be more exciting, as the web slinging hero Spider-Man, he is fully embracing his role as the town’s unquestioned guardian. Finding balance between his home life with his aunt, helping people across the city, and keeping his forbidden romance with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), Peter seems to have this hero thing down pretty well. But soon, Peter’s childhood friend and son of OSCORP founder Norman Osborn Harry (Dean DeHaan) arrives to inherit his father’s company. Peter now finds himself facing his greatest challenge yet as he prepares to encounter obstacles that reveal the truth he’s been searching for and put everything he holds dear at risk.

 

 

 

 

Peter and Gwen meet up for some quality time in Manhattan.

 

Analysis

                Since Sony Pictures decided to reboot the Spider-Man franchise, concern and optimism has surrounded it ever since it began. With a solid financial and critical performance of the first film in the rebooted series, people were eager to see how the sequel will do the second time around. For the critics, it was somewhat unsatisfactory. With a disappointing critical rating of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics seem to on the brink of putting the franchise on the death watch list. Critic’s complaints stemmed from the films length to the addition of all the villains. However, they enjoyed the strong chemistry displayed by Andrew and Emma Stone Tim Robey of The Telegraph states that, “Marc Webb's Spider-Man sequel is overstuffed with high-voltage villains, but the sparks between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone save the day". On a positive note, Richard Roeper gave the film a solid B+ saying, “It's about 20 minutes too long and it's overstuffed with too many characters and too many subplots, but there's enough good stuff in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to ward optimism about the next chapter of the franchise.” Financially, Spider-Man did well. It grossed $92 million dollars at the box office and had a worldwide gross of $368 million. Despite the strong box office numbers, the critical decline puts the franchise in a very tough position that begs the question: Is the rebooted franchise in danger of being shunned or can Marvel Studios do it better?

 

 

Spider-Man and Electro go head-to-head at OSCORP

 

 

 

Review

                After 2012’s Spider-Man reboot, the world was reintroduced to one of Marvel Comics’ golden boys. With a new lead actor, love interest, and new look. The Amazing Spider Man franchise was launched hoping to create a new look for the web slinging Avenger (Yes, I did say AVENGER!!! Are you listening Sony and Marvel Studios?!) Fast forward two year and Spidey returns with a brand spanking new suit and new enemies to face. I was lucky enough to experience it in IMAX and I really liked what I saw. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is exactly what I hoped it would be. A sequel that builds on what is good and fixes what didn’t work the first time. This time around, Andrew Garfield is now fully established as Spider-Man. Everything from his demeanor, wise cracks, and overall aura makes me love him as the character more and more. At this point, he has fully surpassed Tobey McGuire’s performance as the character. As for the others, Jamie Foxx delivers a very solid performance as Max Dillon/Electro. I in no way shape or form had to worry about how Foxx would do in the role. Given some of his recent work, I am convinced he can play any role he gets his hands on. His role is this film backs that claim. Foxx’s portrayal of Max Dillon is very good. Max comes off as someone who just wants to be noticed and acknowledged for his hard work and brilliance. Unfortunately, he just seems to be a small stain no one pays attention to. All he wants to do is be seen and recognized by people. This makes him relatable in a way and you feel sympathy for him. We all want to be recognized for our work and efforts but sometimes they go unnoticed and we are pushed aside like we don’t matter. When Dillon becomes Electro, in a way, he gets his chance to show everyone what he is capable of, including his idol Spider-Man. However, in his pursuit of gratification, he loses his sense of morality and becomes someone other than the person we see in the beginning of the film. Jamie plays this well and I really enjoyed his performance. Emma Stone delivers very well as Gwen Stacy in her second running. Dean DeHaan dose well as Harry Osborn and establishes his place as a future prominent figure in the rebooted franchise in his small amount of screen time. The action in this film far exceeds the previous one. I felt that The Amazing Spider-Man had the best action out of any of the films. This film tops it big time. The action is fast, fun, and exciting. So far, the rebooted franchise does a much better job at delivering great action sequences than the original trilogy. The film also does a good job of filling in the holes that were left in the first film. You really see all the unanswered question from the first movie answered in this one which is really great to see. Another plus for me was the films emotional impact. Without giving anything away, there is a powerfully emotional scene that had me almost in tears. It really hits you hard and is a bold but good move for this still growing franchise. I do believe there is plenty of room for improvement if this franchise continues to move forward. But if the right things are done, The Amazing Spider-Man franchise can hopefully live up to its name

 

Rating and Final Thoughts

Delivering solid acting, terrific action, and strong emotional fiber, Spidey’s second running is a solid indication that the reborn franchise is moving in the right direction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With another Spider-Man film out, question still remain on Sony’s plans for the franchise and what does the future hold for the rest of the retold tale of Peter Parker.