Thor: The Dark World (2103) (PG-13)

     And here we have the second of Marvel's "Phase 2", or post-New York superhero flicks. The first, Iron Man 3, in my opinion, was a huge disappointment. It advertised itself to be something entirely different from what it was. That is not the case with Thor: The Dark World, which is exactly what we have come to expect from Marvel: action packed, visually stunning, and very funny.

     The story this movie tells takes place shortly after the events of The Avengers. Thor and the Warriors Three are traveling between the 9 realms attempting restore peace in the wake of the destruction of the rainbow bridge. However, an ancient artifact of great power has been accidentally rediscovered by Jane Foster back on earth, alerting the lord of the dark elves, Malekith. Malekith has been awaiting the return of this artifact, called the Aether, and seizes the opportunity to control its power and return the universe to darkness. Thor is forced to return to earth to save the universe....with the help of his brother Loki, who has been rotting in prison since the events in New York. In all, this is a fairly typical storyline for a superhero flick, but it features enough twists and turns to keep the audience guessing and engaged.

     The main thing that held my attention throughout the film was Tom Hiddleston as Loki. As in Thor and The Avengers, the second he comes on screen he demands your full attention. In this film, he has exchanged the emotional outbursts he was prone to in previous movies for an icy, brutally sarcastic demeanour. It suits him well, and provides some of the funniest moments I've seen in a Marvel movie to date. He's one of those villains who you almost want to succeed, because you almost like him more than the hero. That isn't to say that Chris Hemsworth does a bad job at portraying Thor, however. His character hasn't changed much since The Avengers, and I do hope that in the future they develop him further, but he still feels just as powerful and righteous as ever. However, one major disappointment, and perhaps my biggest complaint with the movie, was Christopher Eccleston's Malekith. I'm a huge fan of Eccleston, and I don't think it was the actor's fault, but Malekith is a dud. There is absolutely no depth to his character. By the end of the movie, you feel like you've only seen him for a total of 5 minutes. He is completely and utterly forgettable, almost literally at times. I found myself forgetting that he was in the movie. It truly is a shame to waste such a good actor. 

     Like in the first film, the design in Thor 2 is very nice. We get to see more of the meticulous work that went into designing Asgard in this movie, all of which looks superb. The design and effects on the dark elves is also very interesting, with the eerie masks and pillar-like ships. The CGI rarely falters and is consistently good throughout the film, as we have come to expect from Marvel. There is also much more action in this film than in the first one, which I think is a good thing. I've heard it said that the first Thor was a chick flick.....I'm inclined to agree with that. This is by no means a chick flick, and contains the amount of action that we want from a super hero movie. 

     In all, this is a very acceptable, entertaining addition to the Marvel canon. It doesn't push any boundaries, but sometimes we just need to sit down and enjoy a popcorn flick rather than a groundbreaking drama. SCORE: 7.5/10

CONTENT: This movie is very mild on content. Violence is at a minimum, with nothing noteworthy. There is a small amount of language. No sexual content. 

Captain Phillips (2013) (PG-13)

     

     As most of you probably know, I'm a big fan of sci-fi and fantasy. I love being immersed in different worlds, and hearing tales that could never possibly occur in our own reality. However, while these stories thrill and excite us, most often the ones that stick with us and impact us are the ones that really happened. This is the case with Captain Phillips, a true-to-life story about a man whose ship was hijacked by Somali pirates and was taken hostage. This movie is an intense, nail-biting, deeply affecting look into the motivations behind terrorism and the horror it causes.

     It was just another freight run for Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks); get the cargo from port to port just like every job. However, this freight run happened to venture very close to the horn of Africa, by Somalia. And in Somalia, there are pirates. We are dropped in a Somali village, where a local warlord's men bluster in and tell the men of the village to get back to work capturing ships for their boss. Right from the get go, we get the impression that these pirates are not evil, even if they are the antagonists of the film. They have choice between doing what the thugs tell them, or going broke and possibly causing more violence. So they get back in the water, and it isn't long before they and Captain Phillips' ship cross paths. They board the ship, and through a convoluted series of events, end up in the ship's lifeboat with Captain Phillips on board. However, the navy soon shows up, and, well.....most of us remember the news stories. The movie's intensity is searing, and in some scenes becomes almost uncomfortable to watch because of how much it is making you squirm. However, just when you almost begin to consider leaving the theater, the situation shifts and the tension lessens. At least for a while. The film is an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. 

    Once again, as we have all come to expect, Tom Hanks delivers another pitch perfect and moving performance. He taps into that "ordinaryness" that makes us able to connect with him on a deeper level than almost any actor alive today. He is resourceful and heroic, and does his best to keep his crew safe, but he isn't so much of a hero that the movie ventures into seeming cheesy. Not everything he attempts works out; he didn't plan on being taken hostage. He is genuinely concerned for the pirates as well, he sees that they don't really want to be there and tries to convince them to give up their futile attempts at fortune. The pirates themselves also give very good performances, particularly Barkhad Abdi as Muse, the leader. While he is trying to provide for himself, there is also an aspect of him trying to achieve some sort of greatness and recognition. He thinks if he pulls off this job, he could maybe rise above his station as "just a fisherman". You feel outrage at the crimes he is committing, but also pity. We've all felt discontent, and the desperation that can set in when we are dissatisfied with our situation. 

     Ultimately, most of this movie's impact comes from the hugely intense last 20 minutes. Shortly before the Navy Seals that have been deployed enact their plan, Muse, marvelling at the chaos, confides to Phillips, "It was supposed to be easy. I take ship.....ransom. No one get hurt." Throughout the movie, Muse had said to Phillips that "everything is gonna be ok". He didn't want or expect things to get to the extent they had gotten to. However, shortly after this, Phillips is left alone and blindfolded in the bloody aftermath of the rescue. Phillips removes the blindfold, and is left aghast at the scene before him. He lets out a heart-wrenching scream of anguish, and then settles into shock. We are left reeling just like Phillips; reeling at the horror of what happens when honest people are driven to desperation. While this is a heartbreaking scene, it is I believe necessary, or even beneficial to watch. To many people are oblivious to the horror that terrorists themselves go through. On another note, this isn't a movie that you can forget about because it was "just a movie". The events of this movie are very real, just like its impact. 9/10

CONTENT: As I mentioned earlier, this is an extremely intense movie. I normally wouldn't mention intensity in the content advisory, but the sheer level of it in this film in my opinion is worth noting. It would be very upsetting for many children or even early teens. The language is minimal, with only occasional mild language. There is violence present, and while most of it is not graphic, there are several beatings that are disturbing. There is only one scene that is becomes rather graphic, and that is the ending. There is no sexual content. 

Gravity (2013) (PG-13)

     Since its announcement, Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity has garnered unimaginable hype. Cuaron is a very highly regarded director (most well-known for his post-apocalyptic epic Children of Men), and his hyper realistic space odyssey was looking like an intense, visually stunning thriller set in the dead of space. However, what we got in this movie is something quite different. And quite spectacular.

     

     This movie is, in my opinion, one of the greatest cinematic achievements of the past 5 years. A film that blends all of its elements together in perfect harmony like Gravity does is rare to the utmost degree. This movie perfectly mixes jaw-dropping visuals, acting finesse, and a rock-solid plot to create an experience that is completely immersive. 

     

     The movie opens with a single, 15- minute shot of Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) making repairs on the Hubble telescope, and right from the get go you know that this movie is something special. The camera moves through this scene with such breathtaking ease that I found myself wondering how on earth (no pun intended) they shot the scene. This sets the stage for the rest of the movie as well, which boasts throughout some of the best camera work I've seen to date. The swooping camera movements really give the sensation of being out in zero-gravity, and adds to the film's sense of immersion.

     

     The realism of the animation is astonishing. I found myself many times having difficulty distinguishing between reality and CGI, despite the fact that the images I was seeing couldn't have been real. There were several moments throughout the film where my jaw literally dropped at the breathtaking and horrifying sights I was seeing, whether it was a sunrise from space or a massive debris field smashing through a space station. Everything in the movie was gorgeous and realistic to the extreme.

     But, for all its dazzling visuals, this movie is still about the characters. The plot remains focused on Dr. Stone's personal issues back on earth (which I won't reveal in this review), and uses the deadly events occurring in the film as a vessel to help her deal with those issues. By the end of the film, she has become a stronger woman than before she ventured into space. We are completely invested in Dr. Stone's character for the entire film; we feel how she feels. We feel terrified when she's cast into space, spinning uncontrollably, and we feel happiness when she finally comes to grips with her problems. The audience basically become her for 91 minutes. This is largely due to Sandra Bullock's excellent performance, which captures every emotion the director was trying to convey perfectly. Clooney is also pitch perfect as the veteran astronaut on his last flight, with his cocky yet instantly likeable demeanour. However, the moment things start going wrong, he snaps into action and gets his job done. 

     As a whole, this movie is something different than it might seem to an average passerby. At first glance, it would seem to be just about two people trying to survive an extremely unfortunate series of events. However, while those events dominate the on screen activity, it's implied that there's much more going on here. As I mentioned earlier, this movie is about the characters, their personal struggles, and how they overcome them. The ending of the movie reinforces this, and while I won't reveal the outcome, the conclusion will make you proud to be human and make you want to jump out of your seat. While this movie dazzles on a level I have scarcely seen in terms of visuals, the characters are where this movie's true impact comes from, and why it is truly a masterpiece. 10/10

CONTENT: This film is fairly tame when it comes to negative content. Language is present, but for the most part it is mild and infrequent. Violence is also at a low, considering there are only 3 characters, but there is one scene that is rather gruesome and could be disturbing to some viewers. There is no sexual content. 

Prisoners (2013) (R)

 

      Keller Dover stands in an abandoned house. Next to him is a shower, boarded up with a man inside. A man he believes knows where his missing daughter is. He turns on the water on full heat, scalding the man and causing him to scream, but he still doesn't offer any information. Why is he not cooperating? Doesn't he know the pain will stop if he tells Dover where his daughter is? Does he even know where the girl is in the first place? These are some of the headache inducing questions that Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners asks.

Plot 

     The basic plot of this movie is very simple, and at first glance may appear to be just another film in the tired "kidnapping-thriller" genre. And while some plot devices in this film are familiar, the way they are delivered is anything but. Keller Dover, his family and his neighbors are enjoying thanksgiving dinner together when Dover's and his neighbor's daughters go missing while outside playing. A search ensues and a suspect is found, but the girls are still missing and the suspect, who is apparently mentally handicapped, isn't offering any information. Detective Loki, who apprehended the suspect, has no choice but to let him go free, but Dover isn't convinced. He kidnaps the suspect and tortures him, completely fixated on the thought that he knows where the girls are. Meanwhile, Detective Loki chases up more leads and begins to uncover the bigger picture of what is really going on behind the kidnappings, all while circling closer to discover what Dover is doing to the suspect. The plot is intense in the extreme, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. It also brings up some very interesting questions. How far would you go to protect or save your loved ones? Would you violate everything you believe in an attempt to get them back? Dover confesses himself to be a religious man, and we see him praying throughout the movie, along with various other religious imagery. However, his "devotion to the faith" is in stark contrast with his actions and decisions, which are at times horrifying. The only moment when the story falters is in the final act, or "the big reveal" when you finally find out exactly what's going on. It ventures ever so slightly into the realm of being corny, but the final shot of the movie makes up for it. 

Acting/Writing 

       An area where this movie shines in particular is in that of acting. The performances in this film are believable to the utmost degree. Hugh Jackman brings a perfect mix of unhinged intensity and pitiable worry to Keller Dover's character, causing you to simultaneously feel sorry for him and afraid of him. The things he is doing are detestable, but you find yourself questioning whether it could be the right thing to do. Jake Gyllenhaal is brilliant as Detective Loki as well, as the only character who consistently makes the right decisions throughout the film. That said, you don't particularly like his character. He's very cocky and sure of himself, and is absolutely infuriating in some of the scenes involving Dover and his family. He assures them that everything will be all right, that they have their best people on it, and they're keeping all leads open.....the typical police bull, all while having a cocky smile on his face. His condescension in the beginning of the film is maddening, but as it progresses he becomes more the hero of the story and becomes truly concerned with finding the girls and putting an end to the madness. Paul Dano as Alex Jones, the handicapped suspect, pulls off the mentally handicapped, terrified child very well. You feel awful for him throughout the movie, because of what Dover is doing to him, but at the same time you wonder whether he's just putting it on as a facade. There isn't a bad performance in the movie, although some stand out more than others. The writing is also fantastic. Prisoners is one of the most realistic movies I have ever seen, particularly the scenes involving the families together and interacting. I felt as if I was looking through a window at a real family. 

Visuals/Audio 

      This movie isn't really about flashy visuals and special effects, so in the visuals department there isn't really much to discuss. The whole movie has a sort of grungy, grey filter over it, increasing the feeling of grittiness and realism, and helping the feel of the movie. The camera work is very good as well, wisely staying away from the shaky-cam fad and sticking to more traditional style. The movie is shot in a way so as not to show all of the terrible violence that is occurring, but the beforehand or aftermath shots we get are bad enough and possibly more affecting than if they bared everything to the audience. The soundtrack is subtle but effective, and speaks more with its absence than with its presence. 

     This movie is a perfect example of why I love when the summer movie season ends. All of the big, flashy, effects-laden blockbusters have come and gone, and most of them have been forgotten, leaving movies like this: thoughtful, slow, and deeply affecting. I have a feeling that this movie is going to stick with me longer than any blockbuster will. 

CONTENT: This is definitely not a movie for children, or for that matter young teens. While for the most part this film is not graphic or bloody, it is highly disturbing and would not be good for most people under 16 to watch. There is also a fairly heavy amount of language present. There is no sexual content.    

    

The Wolverine (2013) (PG-13)

 

     Everyone's favorite slicing-dicing, sideburned ball of rage is back in the newest summer blockbuster! But after several shaky attempts at film greatness, can this new take deliver the Wolverine we've really been waiting for?  The answer, for the most part is an emphatic YES.

Plot

     The movie opens on Wolverine an undetermined time after the events of X-men: The Last Stand. Logan has exiled himself in the Canadian wilderness due to his guilt over having to kill Jean Grey, aka the Phoenix. However, he is soon flown to Japan to say goodbye to an old friend who's life he saved in Hiroshima years ago. Of course, nothing here is as it seems, and Wolverine is soon embroiled in a massive conflict that will change him forever. One of the main problems I had with X-men Origins: Wolverine was how complex and convoluted the plot was. They attempted to bite off more than they could chew, and the result was a mangled mess of a movie. However, in this film they keep it simple, and that makes the movie more easy to watch. It is also interesting to see the movie really get into Wolverine's character a bit more. He tries not to help people, but he can't resist. It's in his nature. There are a few unnecessary characters, such as the villain Viper. She barely even serves a purpose in the movie, and still not really sure why she was in it. She also came across as very cartoonish, which was in stark contrast with the rest of the movie. I mean, your power is spitting acid on people? Really? However, aside from the occasional deviation from tone, the story this movie tells is a great character piece and holds your attention very well. 

Acting/Writing

     Once again, Hugh Jackman brings shocking life to Wolverine's character. It still surprises me to this day how perfectly he portrays the character's gruff, often brutal, but still kind demeanor. I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing Wolverine at this point. In this movie, Jackman well portrays Logan's guilt over the events of Last Stand, but also his eventual acceptance and moving on. In other words, Jackman's still got it. Tao Okamoto as Logan's love interest, Mariko, well portrays her helplessness in the situation she has been thrust into, but her determination to do the honorable thing for her family. However, other than these characters, the standout acting stops. The other characters in the movie range from acceptable to not so great, most of them simply functioning as plot devices. Then there's the previously discussed Viper, who has completely no purpose, and is rather awkward to watch. So, while the vast majority of the acting is lackluster, Hugh Jackman provides more than enough charisma for the whole film.

Visuals/Audio

     The exotic locales of Japan suit Wolverine well. The visual combination of him and ninjas and swords somehow works very well, and makes for an interesting experience. The fight scenes are brutal and intense as ever, and are a standout in this film, particularly the fight between Wolverine and Shingen. However, as mentioned earlier, this movie seems to suffer from a split personality, and jumps between dark, noir-style scenes and Sunday morning cartoons. Within the span of 15 minutes wolverine is slicing and dicing a group of ninjas in a village, then fighting a giant robotic samurai and a lady who spits acid. The contrast is just a bit to drastic to work completely. Also, the soundtrack is lackluster and boring. I barely noticed it throughout the film. At times, this movie feels like a movie that was made to be rated R, but then just had all the blood removed. This is by not means a tame movie, but I found myself wishing that the violence was a tad more realistic. Watching Wolverine rip his way through 10 guys without a drop of blood is a little bit disconcerting. 

     In all, this movie in my opinion delivers the Wolverine movie I've been waiting for. A darker tone, more character development, and an overall increase in seriousness make for a much better movie. However, there are still traces of that cartoonishness that tainted Wolverine's previous outings, as well as some character flaws. Despite this, The Wolverine is a highly enjoyable blockbuster that I would recommend to any fan of Wolverine's character. Score:7.5/10

CONTENT: This is not a superhero movie that you would take the kids to see like The Avengers or Iron Man 3. This, compared to previous superhero flicks, is a very violent movie, with a very high body count. The fights are bloodless for the most part, but Wolverine is a very dark character and this shows in the possibly excessive violence. Language is also at a higher level than most superhero movies, again due to Wolverine's gruff demeanor. Sexual content is at a minimum for the most part, however, aside from a suggestive scene or two.

Pacific Rim (2013) (PG-13)

     

     If you're like me, sometimes when you're at the movies you just want to shut your brain off, eat your popcorn and have a good time. Don't get me wrong, I value depth and intelligence in film very highly, but sometimes it's good to take a break from that and just be entertained. That is exactly what Pacific Rim delivers: a fun, immensely entertaining feast for the eyes that captures the essence of the summer blockbuster. 

Plot

     The story that this movie tells is fittingly simple. The movie comes in several decades after giant monsters called Kaiju began coming out of a rift in the pacific ocean. To combat the beasts, we created giant robotic suits called Jaegers. This strategy worked for many years, until when this movie begins. Kaiju attacks are becoming more frequent, and the monsters themselves are getting larger. Jaegers are being destroyed faster than they are being built. It is decided that in order to stop the Kaiju and save the human race, the rift must be closed, with the help of an ex-Jaeger pilot and a promising trainee. The plot of this movie succeeds where movies such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen failed. It doesn't attempt to be convoluted and complicated, so there isn't much to get confused about. The good guys need to close the portal that the bad guys are coming through. The end. That isn't to say that there aren't any subplots, but the main focus of the movie is kept simple and to the point, which fits this movie well. This could also be regarded as a fault with the movie, depending on what you come to the theater wanting to see, but in my mind this is a plus.

Acting/Writing

     Like with the story, the acting in this movie is nothing spectacular or innovative. The only real standout performance is Idris Elba as Stacker Pentacost, an ex-Jaeger pilot with an endearingly gruff demeanour. Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi are definitely passable as the two main characters, while not really bringing anything all that interesting to the table. Charlie Day as Dr. Newton Gieszler brings some comic relief to the film, and Guillermo Del Toro's favorite Ron Perlman makes an appearance (much to my delight). Unfortunately, a lot of the characters sometimes come across as just being there as plot devices, and don't really serve much purpose other than their role in the story. The dialogue of the movie is not the best, and while it doesn't sink to the cringe-inducing lows of the Transformers series, there are a few moments of eye-rolling humor. Other than that, the dialogue isn't special but isn't bad either. 

Visuals/Audio

     This is where the movie really begins to shine. In every fight scene (and there are many), you can feel Del Toro's passion bleeding through. You can feel that he loved making this movie, and really allowed his inner kid to go nuts. That childish feeling is definitely infectious, and you end up feeling like you're a 10 year old kid again by the end. These fights are absolutely ENORMOUS, which is fitting considering the combatants are 30 stories tall each. Transformers' fight scenes were very confusing, and it was sometimes hard to tell what was what. However, the fights in this movie are slow enough that you can actually take in what is happening and squeal in boyish delight. The fights remind me in many ways of 2011's Real Steel, except on a much larger scale. Also, everything looks great. I can't remember a time in the movie when the visuals were not gorgeous and convincing. The design is also pitch perfect, both on the Jaegers and Kaiju. The many varieties of Kaiju keep the fights fresh and interesting; some of them fly, some of them swim, etc. There are lots of cool lighting effects as well, that make the combat even more cool to look at. Also, this is one of the very few movies that I would recommend seeing in 3D. The movie made great use of the effect, and it actually added to the immersion. I would also recommend seeing this movie in Imax, so you can get the full experience as far as sound goes. This is a movie that needs to be loud. 

     This movie made me happy when I was watching it. I wasn't thinking deep thoughts, I wasn't analysing the actors, and I wasn't picking apart the plot. I was just watching giant robots punching giant monsters in the face, and that aspect was so well done that it took away any other niggling problems with the movie I might have had. If you're willing to turn off your brain and become a kid again for 2 hours, watch this movie. You won't regret it. Score:8/10

Content

     Obviously violence is a very prevalent thing in this movie, and the fights are almost pervasive. There isn't much violence involving people, but the Kaiju are dispatched in some pretty gruesome ways. Swearing is kept to a minimum, with only standard PG-13 language. There is no sexual content.