2014 Summer Movie Season - Month 4 Preview (August 2014)

Out with a Bang!!! Guardians, Turtles, and Expendables Take Center Stage in the Summer Movie Season’s Concluding Month!!!

By: Brandon Porter

Good Evening Followers!!! Since I started doing these blog posts, around this time I begin to give out awards and recognitions. However, The August line-up for this year has proven to truly be spectacular so I decided to preview the true closing month of the summer movie season. Let's take a look at these must see flicks

Marvel Studios brings you the most unlikely group of
heroes you'll ever meet.

 

Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel Studios, August 1st)

In a distant galaxy far from our own, dark forces have risen planning to throw the universe into utter chaos. The only hope for this distant universe lies in the hands of an unlikely group of outcast inmates who are the only thing standing in the way of total obliteration. From the superstar minds of Marvel Studios comes the fourth and final film of Marvel Phase 2. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Batista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Copper star in the sci-fi adventure film that is guaranteed to be out of this world.



Chadwick Boseman turns the funk up to the Max in the
Tate Taylor directed biopic of James Brown.

Get On Up (Universal Pictures, August 1st)

                From the director of the acclaimed 2011 film The Help comes the story of one of the greatest entertainers of all time. As a kid growing up in Augusta, Georgia, James Brown rose to the occasion to one of music’s most important and influential performers. Starring 42’s Chadwick Boseman, Get On Up is the inspirational biopic that gives fan a chance to see the acclaimed Godfather of Soul like they’ve never been able to before.



Mikey, Donnie, Leo and Raph are back in this retelling
of the beloved series

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Paramount Pictures, August 8th)

                After years of being underground, the famous butt-kicking, pizza loving, crime fighting turtles are back in a whole new way. From Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo are back in the action-packed reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. With an updated look but still the same lovable brothers you remember, director Jonathan Liebesman and producer Michael Bay bring the shell shocked pizza kings to the 21^st Century.

 

Stallone and company gear up for one last ride.

 

The Expendables 3 (Lionsgate Studios, August 15th)

                The big guys of action are back for one last ride. When Barney’s co-founding old friend returns for revenge, the mercenary group known as the expendables recruit a young group of skilled fighters to add some present day flavor to their butt kicking gun show. An all-star lineup featuring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, and Jet Li alongside newbies Kellan Lutz, Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford, Ronda Rousey, and Kelsey Grammar, The Expendables 3 prepares to offer the same fun and action packed thrills in a nice PG-13 package. Prepare for a wild ride with the kings of action.

What a way to close out the 2014 Summer Movie Season!!! Stay tuned for the reviews for these films and more. Have a great night!!!

2014 Summer Movie Season - Month By Month Recaps

 * Jupiter Ascending (poster image in the middle banner) pushed back till February 2015*

Month 3 Recap (July 2014)

 

Hello Followers, The month of July has been fun, but now the curtain is about to Fall on it. With the third month of the summer movie season concluding let’s reminisce on how each release did.

 

 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

                If you want a prime example on how to build off the success of your sleeper hit reboot, look no further than Dawn of the Planet of The Apes. A intense, thrilling, engaging, and emotional cinematic spectacle that is no question among one of the summer’s if not year’s best blockbuster films. With a sequel set to come out in two years, the stage is set for the next generation of Apes fans to ascend their franchise to greatness.

Planes: Fire and Rescue

                The second running of Dusty crophooper was not much of an improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. With new characters and some surprisingly action packed sequences, Planes Fire and Rescue builds off the few positives of its predecessor to become a decent sequel. That being said, Dusty and the crew have a long way to go if they want to take the franchise to new heights.  

 

 

 

Hercules

                Coming in as the odd ball no one payed too much attention to, Dwayne Johnson surprised audiences alike in the Brett Ratner directed retelling of the comic book, Hercules: The Theracian Wars. Clearly a surprise success, Hercules still didn’t have enough strength to earn top honors at the box office despite generally positive reviews, but the big fella defiantly gets an ” A” for effort.

Lucy

                Scarlett Johansson’s sci-fi action film rose to the occasion in its quest to become the top box office champ in the final full week of July. Johansson’s performance of a drug mule turned super human garnered great praise from audiences and decent review from critics. Good to see she can hold her own at the box office without Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk around

Here is a Breakdown on How the Following Films Did Financially and Among Critics

 

Best Box Office Numbers

1 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: $364,843,269 Million

2 Hercules: $61.8 million

3 Planes: Fire and Rescue: $56,347,478 Million

4 Lucy: $ $43,899,340 Million

 

Best Critical Success (via. Rotten Tomatoes)

1 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (91% Certified Fresh)

2 Hercules (62%)

3 Lucy (58%)

4 Planes: Fire and Rescue (43%)

 

 

What Was Your Favorite Film This Month? Be sure to stay tuned for the August preview in the coming days. See you soon.

2014 Summer Movie Season - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Review & Analysis

Caesar’s Reign Begins!!! Second installment of Apes Reboot Terrifically Builds on 2011 Sleeper Hit.

By Brandon Porter

"Home...Family...Future."

Story

                In an attempt to cure Alzheimer’s, Will Rodman, a scientist at Gen-Sys, developed a drug called the ALZ 112. His company studied its effects on chimpanzees and in that discovered that the drug can be passed genetically from parent to child. One of these ape offspring was Caesar (Andy Serkis), a young male chimpanzee who is a dear friend to Will. However, events including the development of a more powerful drug known as the ALZ-113 and an ape uprising led Caesar to leave Will and establish an Ape sanctuary for his fellow simians. 8 years have passed since then and the world has taken dramatic and deadly turn. Though the ALZ-113 drug indeed increased the intelligence of the apes, it also, unknown to the human creators until it was too late, wiped out most of humanity. Now, the human race finds itself on the edge of extinction while Caesar and his family thrive in their new home. On the brink of war with both species vying for global domination, Caesar and another human must band together to bring peace to both their races as the dawn of a new era on earth begins to ascend.

Caesar stands before Malcolm and his search party.

Analysis

Rise of the Planet of the Apes became the big time sleeper hit of 2011. The reboot garnered significant praise and brought new life to the age old science fiction franchise. With its sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, 20^th Century Fox has the terrific opportunity to build on the surprising momentum of its new franchise. The result: A bonafied showstopper. Critics and fans were singing praises for the continued story of the apes. The film garnered an outstanding 91% certified fresh rating from rotten tomatoes from critics and an even more favorable 93% fresh rating from audiences. The most notable sign of praise came from Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter stating that, “Dawn is to Rise of the Planet of the Apes what The Empire Strikes Back was to Star Wars—it's that much better." In addition to the films critical success, the film did equally well at the box office nabbing the #1 spot with an impressive $73,000,000 million in its first weekend. With this new found reception to the second film, the rebooted planet of the apes franchise now finds itself in the same boat as the rebooted Star Trek franchise, a retelling of a story that brings new ideas and creates a new set of fans to call their own.

Humans...Apes...WAR!!!!

Review

                When I saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the film took me completely by surprise. The engaging performances, solid action, and terrific storytelling made this the truly must-see sleeper hit of 2011. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes brings back Caesar and his fellow genetically enhanced simians as they begin their journey to thrive in the now devastated earth where human kind is on the brink of extinction. When I saw the film, my initial expectations were met and then some. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a terrific sequel that builds on the momentum of its prior installment. From the beginning, the film perfectly recaps the events of the first film and then progresses the story. The film’s dark and apocalyptic atmosphere blend perfectly with its tone and scale. Performance wise, top notch all around. Andy Serkis is brilliant in his second running as Caesar. He portrays Caesar as wiser, compassionate, and stronger both physically and emotionally and adds even more substance to this lovable character. There are other notable performances as well. One that stuck out to me was Toby Kebbell’s performance as Koba. When we first met Koba in Rise, all we knew about him is that he had been in many labs and had been abused and tested on numerous times by scientist. This resulted in him being hostile and quick to get even with humans. In this film, it is brought up a notch. With his new found intelligence, we see even more layers to him. We dig even deeper into his psyche and are show a very sad, tortured, and twisted individual who is blinded by revenge and driven by rage. We also see he has a keen eye for manipulation and a slick display of cunning. This make him into a compelling and menacing antagonist. Keep in mind, we are talking about on-screen depictions of animals who have various layers of emotion, substance, and depth. Not just one, but all of them. The credit goes to the actors performances. Serkis, Kebbell, and even newcomer Nick Thurston, who played Caesar’s son Blue Eyes, all give their characters terrific depth and personality. You make emotional connections with them and you care about them deeply. This is the work of truly talented artists. Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, and Kodi Smit McPhee perform well in their screen time, but the movie really puts the humans on the back end on this film. The action in the film is solid as well, but the movie’s true strength lies in its storytelling and performances. No question this Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has solidified itself as one of the year’s best films.

Rating and Final Thoughts

Engaging performances, great action, and terrific scale make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a shining example of how to make a sequel that builds on what worked the first time when your first attempt took everyone by surprise.

Even with two terrific installments, Caesar’s story still has yet to be completed. We will surly eagerly await the next chapter of this reborn franchise.

2014 Summer Movie Season - Month 3 Preview (July 2014)

So Fly in July!!! Apes, Planes, and Super humans take over Month 7!!!

By Brandon Porter

 

 

 

            Good Afternoon followers!!! Hope you had a safe and fun 4^th of July weekend. Now, as we enter the July portion of the summer movie season, potential blockbusters are coming by the handful. Here are the films that headline the month of July.

 

 

 

 

 

Caesar, Maurice, and Koba return in the sequel to the 2011 summer sleeper hit

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Fox, July 11th)

            Sequel to the surprise box office hit of 2011, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes continues the story of Caesar and his clan of genetically enhanced apes. Taking place after the devastating ALZ-113 virus outbreak, humanity has been severely decimated by the virus while in contrast, enhances the simian species. Now on the brink of War, Caesar must find a way to make peace with the fragile human race looking to reclaim earth as their own while protecting his family and fellow brethren. Starring Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, and Gary Oldman, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes looks to take the rebooted franchise to new height in the month’s most anticipated film.

Dusty returns in an all-new high flying adventure

Planes: Fire & Rescue (Walt Disney Pictures, June 18th)

            After taking the world by storm in the Wings Across the Globe race, Dusty, the crop-duster turned racing champion, finds himself in a life changing situation when he discovers he may never race again. He soon decided to devote his life to saving lives. He teams up with a group of ariel firefighters saving lives and making new friends. But Dusty soon discovers that being a firefighter requires more than just flying skill, but a big heart and bravery beyond comparison. Disney continues the Cars spin-off series in the second installment of the planned trilogy. Dusty and the crew are ready for take-off once again.

The legend of the son of Zeus is retold for a new generation. 

Hercules (Paramount Pictures, July 25th)

            As the demigod son of Zeus, Hercules displays superhuman strength that makes him unlike human ever seen. But when descendants of Hades threaten his family and people, Hercules must step up defend this world from the forces of darkness. Starring Dwayne Johnson in the title role, Hercules is the action packed adventure of one man’s incredible courage and willingness to step up and save the ones who need him most.

Scarlett Johansson expands her mind in the new sci-fi thriller from
Director Luc Besson

 

Lucy (Universal Pictures, July 25th)

            Have you ever wondered what would happened if someone was able to access 100% of their brain’s capacity, well one woman is about to find out. After being used as a human mule for a mysterious drug, the substance seeps into her system giving her superhuman abilities and intelligence. Now, she goes on a journey to find answers to why she is displaying these symptoms and answer the question no one knows: What happens if she harnesses her full brain’s potential? Starring Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s Scarlett Johansson and Transcendence’s Morgan Freeman, Lucy is the amazing psychological thriller that has all the potential to be the summer’s sleeper hit.

 

 

July is gonna be full of excitement. Stay tuned for all the latest post. Have a great day followers.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



2014 Summer Movie Season - Month By Month Recaps

Month 2 Recap (June 2014)

Hey Followers, The month of June is in the books and what a crazy month it was. A lot of movies occurred during this month so let’s look back on how each one did

Here Are Some Of Standout Films That Were Released This Month

 

 

 

 

 

The Fault in Our Stars

The second biggest hyped up young adult novel adaptation aside from Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars came in with high expectations and knocked it right out of the park. The performances of leads Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort drew praise from critics as well as praise for its humor and heartfelt story. This will definitely be considered as one of the best book to film adaptations in recent memory.

Edge of Tomorrow

                The new Tom Cruise sci-fi epic drew terrific critical praise, but failed to really deliver in the box office despite putting up a good fight. I personally liked the film, but didn’t love it like most moviegoers and critics did. The action was to a fault ok but not jaw droppingly memorable. In the end, I didn’t make the connection with this film like so many others did. It isn’t a bad film ,but it is not one I would die to see again (no pun intended).

How to Train Your Dragon 2

                After seeing the first How to Train Your Dragon, I was eager to see how they would top it. Thankfully, they did just that. I enjoyed the first film, but this sequel is by far the best entry in this planned franchise. From the outstanding animation, exciting action, and emotional story, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is by far the best animated film I’ve seen since Wreck-it Ralph. I look forward to returning to Berk to see these beloved characters together again.







 

Think Like A Man Too

                As a Kevin Hart fan and avid fan of the first film, I really looked forward to seeing Think Like a Man Too. However, though the film made me laugh, it lacked that heart and substance that made the first film so unique and rich. That didn’t stop the movie from doing very well at the box office and adding to Kevin Hart’s fast growing fame. I won’t be surprised if we see more of him down the road.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

                Going in, I knew exactly what I was getting into when I was ready to see the next Transformers film. As a fan of the movies, I was eagerly anticipating the latest adaption that also served as a semi-reboot in a way. I was not disappointed. This by far the best action movie of the summer. I expect no less from the summer movie guru Michael Bay. Delivering that same action packed spectacle I’ve come to know and love, Transformers Age of Extinction is a solid entry into the franchise despite the flaws like it’s length and the below average performances of its young leads. I look forward to the next chapter of the battle between the autobots and decepticons.  

 Here is a Breakdown on How the Following Films Did Financially and Among Critics

 

 

Best Box Office Numbers

1 Transformers Age of Extinction: $381,453,107 Million

2 Edge of Tomorrow: $320.3 Million

3 How to Train Your Dragon 2: $232,939,947 Million

4 The Fault in Our Stars: $197,244,607 Million

5 Think Like A Man Too: $50,381,737 Million

 

Best Critical Success (via. Rotten Tomatoes)

1 How to Train Your Dragon 2 (92% Certified Fresh)

2 Edge of Tomorrow (90% Certified Fresh)

3 The Fault in Our Stars (80% Certified Fresh)

4 Think Like a Man Too (24%)

5 Transformers Age of Extinction (17%)

 

What Was Your Favorite Film This Month? Be sure to stay tuned for all the latest post. Till Next Time.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Summer Movie Season - Transformers Age of Extinction: Review & Analysis

 Return of the Bay-hem!!!! Transformers Return in Most Explosive Entry Yet!!!!

By: Brandon Porter

The Rules have Changed

Story

                Four years ago, Optimus Prime and his brave collection of autobot teammates helped humanity stop a massive decepticon siege of planet earth. Since then, both the autobots and the decepticons have vanished without a trace. However, the siege in Chicago has rocked humanity to it’s core and now the government has issued a hit on all transformers…including the very autobots they once called allies. Hunted down by the very people they fought to protect, Optimus and the autobots find themselves in their biggest ordeal yet. But soon, a single father and mechanic (Mark Wahlberg) and his teenage daughter (Nicola Peltz) make a discovery that once again threatens the lives of millions of innocent lives. Forced to reveal themselves to the world despite being hunted, Optimus, Bumblebee, and the Autobots must stand for humanity to combat an enemy that plans to place the human race on the path to extinction.

Cade Yeager inspects a seemingly broken down semi-truck

Analysis

Over the course of it’s eight year existence, the Transformers franchise has seen it’s share of praise and criticism. With praises coming all around for the action and visual effects but criticism for the acting, length, and underdeveloped characters, the on screen war between the autobots and the decepticons has grabbed the attention of the entire world. The latest installment, Age of Extinction returns the “robots in disguise” to the big screen…whether the critics and fans like it or not. Faced with the task of taking over the box office once again, critically, audiences and critics responded about what you expected…negatively. Critics hammered the film hard with a harsh 16% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite a passable 60 fresh rating from audiences. Despite the negative reception, it didn’t stop the film from dominating the box office. The film grabbed a tremendous 100 million at the US box office and $301.3 million worldwide in its first weekend. The Transformers may still be ridiculed by hard core movie lovers, but with box office numbers like these, it is safe to say that these bots aren’t going nowhere for a while.

 

 

 

Top: Optimus, Drift, and Crosshairs mount Grimlock, Spike, and Slug
Bottom: Optimus and Grimlock take on the Deceptiocons in Hong Kong

 

Review

                It has been a total of three years since the “Robots in Disguise” graced the big screen, since their last adventure, a lot of things have changed. An archer named Katniss Everdeen has taken the throne of the young adult movie genre, this franchise known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe rules the box office, and the sequels of beloved franchises like Star Wars and Jurassic Park are now about to make their return. Now, the Transformers are back in their latest ordeal with new robots and new human companions. After seeing it in IMAX 3D, I only have six words to say…It’s good to have them back!!!! Age of Extinction brings the widely recognized “Bayhem” back to audiences. There is a reason I love this franchise. It is because it has the uncanny ability of delivering amazing action with great orchestration and style. In terms of action, I’d expect no less from a Transformers movie. The film delivered the fast paced, consistent, and flat out epic action spectacle that has made me fall in love with these movies. I can always count on Michael Bay to bring life to the summer in the only way he knows how…blowing stuff up and doing it oh so right. It was also great to see Bumblebee and Optimus on screen again. The two of them are the heart of these movies and to see them again was a terrific sight. Now, as for the human characters, they are hits and misses. Mark Wahlberg is solid in the lead role bringing his own unique personality to the table as Cade. A pleasant surprise for me was Stanley Tucci. I really enjoyed his character’s progression and growth through the course of the film. He also brought solid humor to the table and became a decent comic relief. As for the youngsters Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor, they were good but not standoutish. Peltz as the lead female character doesn’t have the unique presence of a Megan Fox or a Rosie Huntington Whitley, but she dose good in her role and has redeeming quality near the end of the film. Hopefully, if she is in future movies she can possibly surpass Fox and Whitley. Reynor is basically a breathing wedge between Cade and his daughter. It seems like all he’s there for is to make things awkward or be a smartass. The jury is still out on him whether or not he is a viable addition to the cast. As far as downsides, I would have liked to have some backstory on what happened to other characters like Sam, Carly, Epps, and Lennox and what their fates were. I understand this is kind of like a semi-reboot in a way, but it would have been nice to have some closure on the previous era of films. All in all, Transformers Age of Extinction is a terrific entry into the big budget franchise. Of course, the film or films themselves have their share of haters, but you have to commend Michael Bay to sticking to what works and satisfying his film instead of his critics. When you live in an age where most films have to be dark, gritty, and depressing to be good, it is good to know the Transformers series continues to step to its own beat and embraces what it is: a stupid, dumb, popcorn action film that isn’t trying to be serious or please it’s “haters” who can’t connect with it. This is why I continue to support this franchise because it isn’t trying to be something it’s not. It knows what it is and wears it like a badge of honor. I look forward to seeing how the next few planned films usher in the new era of Transformers series.

               

Rating and Final Thoughts

High octane, fast paced action and solid performances make this latest entry one heck of a fun ride and begins a fresh new start for the action franchise.

The Bots are back and whether you like it or not, it appears they are here to stay!!!