Welcome to Screen Talk Central. A one stop shop for all things TV and film. My ideas on whats going on in the worlds on screen. You get my theories, thoughts on rumors and news, and whatever else I feel like talking about on the topics of science-fiction, fantasy, drama, action, and adventure.
I saw Ex Machina, a film staring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Alicia Vikander, just over a week ago. I'm doing the review now because I needed all this time to process the movie. It was a total mind-bender. The cast is incredibly small. Besides the three above, there are a handful of extras at the beginning and one actress who plays a mute housekeeper.
The story focuses on a computer programmer, Caleb, played by Domhnall Gleeson. He wins a contest to go spend a week with his boss, Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac, who is a tech genius who designed a search engine similar to Google and who lives in seclusion in an un-named mountainous region. You quickly discover that Nathan has built an artificial intelligence and he brought Caleb to his house to run the Turing Test. The Turing Test is an examination where the goal is to interact with an artificial intelligence is sentient or not. Caleb is then introduced to Ava, an attractive robot with an artificial intelligence played by Alicia Vikander, and over a few interview sessions Caleb begins to bond with Ava and starts to fall for her. During one of the sessions, Ava kills the power in the building and warns Caleb that Nathan is a bad person and that everything he says is a lie. From here on out the film turns into a thriller as Caleb tries to uncover the truth about what is going on in the house and what Nathan's true motives are. He uncovers that he didn't win a contest and was in fact selected by Nathan and that Ava's physical appearance was purposefully designed to attract him. He also discovers that Ava is not the first incarnation of the A.I. and that Nathan has violently destroyed previous models. He also discovers that the mute housekeeper is actually a robot as well. All of the experiences within the house cause him to question his own humanity and he finally decides that he will end the cycle and break Ava out of the compound and save her from being destroyed by Nathan. Knowing that Nathan is probably watching his every move, Caleb gets Nathan drunk, breaks into the compound control room, and rewrites the security protocols to unlock the compound in case of power failure. The next day he tells Ava that he will do what he already did and come get her that evening. Nathan catches on that something is wrong as he saw this conversation on a portable camera and then reveals to Caleb that Ava may be playing with his emotions and may just be trying to escape, which every previous model tried to do. Thinking he foiled Caleb's plan, Nathan gloats a bit, but then the power goes out and Caleb tells Nathan that the security protocols were changed the previous night and that we will now see what Ava's true intentions are and if she actually cares about Caleb. Nathan knocks out Caleb and picks up a dumb bell bar and goes off to stop Ava from leaving. Ava meets the housekeeper robot and together they confront Nathan. Nathan destroy's Ava's left arm and then the housekeeper robot shoves a knife into his back. Nathan hits the bot over the head, effectively killing her. Ava takes the knife and stabs Nathan through the heart and lets him bleed out on the floor. She then finds Caleb and tells him to watch her. She goes into Nathan's bedroom and opens the closets which contain the previous AI models, some of which have fake skin. She places the fake skin over her mechanical body, puts on a wig and a dress and walks out of the bedroom. Caleb slowly follows and Ava walks out a door and locks it behind her, effectively locking Caleb inside the compound without a way of getting out. Caleb screams and pleads with Ava to let him out but she just gets on the elevator and leaves the compound. She boards a helicopter and is taken to a city where for the first time she witnesses people interacting with her and she begins to experience the world.
This movie was a mind turner! From the very beginning this film takes you on a roller coaster ride. I was confused from the very beginning but not because the plot was confusing. The movie presents itself as a mystery thriller. Information is slowly revealed and the problems get more complicated before they are resolved. More and more facets are revealed which make the characters and their stories more and more complex. If you don't pay attention you could get lost, but paying attention is never a problem because the film is so captivating. It draws you in and doesn't let you go until the end. It was incredibly suspenseful and I haven't been that captivated by a movie in a long time. I have thought about this movie a lot. It made me question what it means to be intelligent and what it truly means to be human. And I never expected the ending. Ava leaving Caleb to die shocked me because Caleb wasn't a bad person. He was taken advantage of by Nathan and by Ava and left to die. Ava had been so mistreated by Nathan that she did not trust Caleb and used him to her own ends. But is it possible how all relationships are? Is it possible that humans build relationships to fulfill their own personal needs? I don't know and I hope that is not the case, but this film made me think about these types of existential questions.
Besides the message of the film, the acting was phenomenal. All three actors were impressive and played their characters perfectly. Each one was completely believable and had different shades. But Alicia Vikander was the breakout star of this movie. Her portrayal of Ava was spectacular. She was captivating and mysterious. She gave the character a playful naivete that was really a mask for a more sinister plot and personality. The shocking turn of leaving Caleb to die really surprised me. I did not see it coming as I honestly believed that Ava at least valued Caleb as a friend, so her betrayal really hit me. I haven't been that stunned by a film in years. This movie was fantastic in its own unique way. Its not a huge summer blockbuster with tons of action, but it is an intelligent exploration of the human condition and is a remarkable character driven film. A phenomenal film that I give a 4.8/5. This is one of those films that I will remember my feelings for a very long time.
Today was the best day ever. By now everyone probably knows that Lucasfilm released the second teaser trailer for Star Wars The Force Awakens earlier today. If you haven't watched it yet, its included above. But lets back up a bit. The trailer was released at the conclusion of the Star Wars The Force Awakens Panel at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim. Thousands of people gathered in Anaheim to listen to Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams discuss the upcoming film. The event was also broadcast online and in some special locations hundreds of Star Wars fans gathered to watch a satellite feed of the proceedings in movie theaters across the globe. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the screening in London, England.
The panel began at 10 AM Pacific Time, or 6 PM in London, so while everyone in America saw the trailer by early afternoon, those at the London screening event had already been celebrating for hours. I arrived at the Empire Theater in Leicester Square around noon to get in line. My friend from school came with and we were prepared to have a great day!
Not only did we get there early, but we were 17th and 18th in line and surrounded by many fun and interesting people. Oh, and I arrived looking like this!
Yes. That is me dressed up as Darth Maul!
Photo Credit to @happy_random on Twitter
We had to wait in line for 5 hours, but that time passed so quickly. We had interesting discussions with others in line and shared our love of Star Wars. About an hour before the doors opened the press and photographers from Disney showed up and took pictures and talked with the fans. Due to my costume, I was in high demand by the photographers. It was a ton of fun. I took pictures with other fans dressed as Jedi, Rebel pilots, Sith warriors, R2D2, C3PO, and one musician from the Cantina Band. Hopefully I will have more pictures soon.
Around 5PM we entered the theater to get ready for the screening. I have never seen a screen this big. Apparently it is the largest screen in England. It was HUGE.
This picture doesn't do it justice. I was zoomed all the way out and I still couldn't see the edges. It was massive. Before the show started there was a trivia contest moderated by Warwick Davis. He played Wicket the Ewok and Professor Flitwick in Harry Potter. Some may even recognize him from the original Leprechaun film. After the trivia contest, they had a costume contest. I was called down by Warwick Davis and got to meet him! It was so cool. I lost the contest though. The winner was a 5 year old boy dressed as Darth Vader. He was awesome. When asked his name he replied, "Darth Vader." Then Warwick asked him what his name was before he was Vader and the kid said, "Anakin Skywalker." He did all of it in a deep growly voice. It was really funny and he won, rightfully so!
Then the panel started. We didn't really learn anything new from the actors, except that Finn is actually as Stormtrooper, which means that he may switch sides. Its all very speculative at this time. J.J. made sure nothing was revealed. But the highlight of the panel was the reveal of the new droid BB-8. HOW THE HECK DOES THAT THING WORK! I was stunned. I heard that they made the droid a practical effect, but I didn't think it would work like that. I have no idea what makes that thing work. It is so cool! I wish I could have one! I was so impressed by that droid and am still blown away by it. Wow. We also go some cool still images, but again, nothing revealing. And I don't believe for one second that the planet they are on is or isn't Tatooine until I see the movie. J.J. is famous for bending the truth and hiding things until the release. I also don't believe some of the character names. But that is another discussion. The panel didn't really reveal anything which was ok, because the real reason we were there was to see a new trailer.
And that trailer was AMAZING! Seeing it on a massive screen before I saw it on my computer was so great. We watched it twice in the theater and I have watched it another 7 times since I got home. So, here it goes for my breakdown!
Opening scene: Desert shot with the crashed Star Destroyer. What a way to open this trailer. I was awestruck when I saw this shot. It was incredibly cool and instantly said "This is Star Wars". If you noticed, there is also a crashed X-Wing in the foreground. I think it is possible that the Star Destroyer may have crashed onto the planet surface during a battle with the Rebel Alliance, or The New Republic. And the speeder shooting across the scene looked like the speeder Rey gets on in the first teaser. It was a great establishing shot and really sets up both the movie and Rey's character. If the panel is to be believed, she is a junker living in a ship graveyard and a crashed Star Destroyer is a great location.
The voice over. It is Luke reciting a previous line from Return of the Jedi.
"The Force is strong in my family. My father has it." This voice over really sets the tone for the trailer. It gives it a sense of mystery and mysticism. What I thought was cool was the slight modulated echo of Luke's words. And the light Darth Vader breathing heard below the line. And the image of Vader's melted mask is very creepy. If you look carefully it looks like it is on some sort of pedestal and as the shot fades in there is an outline which in my opinion looks like the outline of a cloak. Could this be Kylo Ren, the main established bad guy for the movie? Is he collecting Sith relics, like Vader's mask? All these questions will be answered in the movie in December.
"I have it." This one was creepy. A hooded man sitting next to a fire with a droid that looks like R2D2. And then the man touches the robot with a robotic right hand. With all this information, it is safe to assume that the man is Luke Skywalker. The voice over says "I", the droid probably is R2, and Luke's right hand is robotic because Vader cut it off in the Cloud City. I really want to know what is going on in this scene. But once again, J.J. masterfully gives us a taste, making us want more, but doesn't give in. I love that about him. I'm pretty sure we will know nothing about this movie when it comes out in December. If all the trailers are like this I will be very happy. I want to know as little as possible when I go into the theater on December 18th. And what the heck happened to the fake skin on Luke's hand? That has to be an interesting story.
"My sister has it." This scene may be one of my favorites. If you look closely at the righthand side of the screen as the shot fades in, the being handing over the lightsaber is an alien. You get a quick glimpse of the face. It looks like a mix between a lizard and a Mon Calamarii (Think Admiral Ackbar). Its a very cool look that you could miss if you are not looking. As for the woman receiving the saber, I assume that is Leia at some point in her life. I don't think it could be anyone else because the previous two scenes were definitely Skywalkers and the dialogue says "sister". So Leia. And I say at some point in her life because it has been rumored that Carrie Fisher's daugher was brought in to play a young Leia in a flashback. But the lightsaber itself is what I find most interesting. If you look carefully, it is the same lightsaber given to Luke by Obi-wan Kenobi in the original film. Anakin Skywalker's weapon. The one Luke used in Cloud City and the one he lost when his had was cut off. Guess what guys... its back! The lightsaber sound at the end of the first teaser was confirmed to be the sound of the original lightsaber as well, so I think it is safe to say that this blade plays an important role in the film. I'm not sure how and I don't feel comfortable speculating. But it does seem important. It has now been featured twice.
"You have that power too." Who is he talking to!? That question is not answered and I can't wait to find out. There was no shot associated with this line, so I am now going to go shot for shot and give my reactions.
Poe Dameron flying an X-Wing over a lake. This looks like another shot from the scene featured in the first teaser. Another lake shot. And the X-Wing looks cool. I love the little yell he gives. It reminds me of the pilots from the original trilogy and their confidence and charisma. It also reminds me of the Han Solo "Yahoo" yell. Could this be a hint at parentage? Who knows. It was cool anyways!
Kylo Ren slashing something with his lightsaber. Cool quick shot. Could miss it if you blink. It doesn't show much except that Kylo Ren wields his saber using two hands.
Rey, Finn, and BB-8 running away from an explosion. What is going on? Looks like chaos, and I love a bit of chaos. Looks like a fun action scene.
Kylo Ren's "face" and The Force. Kylo Ren looks like he is using the Force here. On who? On what? Very interesting. But his face is what this shot is all about. He wears a mask, so we don't get to "see" him, but the mask should be important. For anyone familiar, it looks similar to the mask that a character from the Old Republic extended universe wears, Revan's mask. I think this mask looks strikingly similar to the mask Revan wore. What if it is Revan's mask, that Kylo Ren has Vader's helmet, and his lightsaber is actually also a relic of the past. Maybe Kylo Ren is a Sith who has an affinity for collecting and using ancient Sith artifacts. Kind of like an evil Indiana Jones.
The army of Stormtroopers. This shot was cool. It reminded me of the shot of all the clone troops in Attack of the Clones. The only difference is that this time they looked like they were actually there and not CGI. Actually, they are there! I love that this movie used real people, costumes, props, and sets.
Rey's look of dread. Something bad is going to happen. I wonder what she is looking at. The shot tells you nothing but sets up a feeling of foreboding.
TIE Fighters! The TIE shooting up other TIEs was awesome. I have no idea what the context for this scene is but its looks awesome. The shot does give a great view of the revamped TIE though. The wings look white like the stormtrooper and the cockpit looks like it is black instead of grey. They look really cool. Plus I really love the stormtrooper getting flipped through the air by the explosion. These effects look practical and the stunts look like they were actually performed. The look of this film alone has me really excited!
Finn taking off his helmet. I think this is the moment when he decides to switch sides. I think he no longer wants to be a trooper and runs away just after this.
The new look Star Destroyer and Shuttle. SOOO COOOL!! I love how this film is mixing the old, recognizable images and sounds but giving them new life and treating them as if time passes. Of course things would upgrade in 30 years. I really love that about this movie.
The Chrome Trooper. What a badass. Wow. That shot is so cool. I think this is Gwendoline Christie's character. Whoever this is is a force to be reckoned with. Only a badass could wear such armor.
BB-8 peaking around a corner. Who knows why this is happening, but its so cute! I love BB-8 but I already said that. It also shows that it will have a personality like R2 does. I can't wait to see what that personality is. The interesting part of this shot is that it is peaking around a corner of the Millennium Falcon! I would recognize the wall pads and the stairs to the gun turrets anywhere!
Rey reaching out to Finn. This is a strong moment. This shot truly establishes that Finn and Rey are significantly connected in this movie and they will be tied together for most of it. I love the dirty nature of the costumes and sets. Everything looks worn and lived in. Just perfect.
The Falcon being chased by TIE Fighters. This was the money shot of the sequence. This is Star Wars! This shot was just classic. The Falcon running from Imperial fighters by flying into the engines of what looks like the crashed Star Destroyer from the first scene. A tight space where they can cause the fighters to crash. This reminds me of the Trench Run from A New Hope, the Asteroid Belt chase from Empire Strikes Back, and the Death Star Tunnel Attack Run from Return of The Jedi. In fact it reminds me most of the Tunnel Run from Jedi. This shot was just so cool. Just Wow. I also love the cutback to the TIE fighter pilot. That reminds me so much of the original trilogy. That was missing from the prequels because the enemy ships were droids themselves. Seeing the enemy pilots always gives a "face" to the enemy which I like.
"Chewie. We're home." They didn't need this shot. They already had me hooked, but I am so glad they included it! It was honestly my favorite scene and being in a crowd when it happened was great. Everyone lost their minds! And so did I! It made me all sappy. It was a feel good scene that was the perfect ending. But it also presents an interesting problem. Why does Han say it? Why would he say "We're home." while him and Chewie are both carrying their weapons. Did they loose the Falcon? Did they have to fight to get it back? They almost look relieved, like they had been separated from the ship for a while. Plus it was a great to seen Han and Chewie on screen again! I can't wait for this movie!
That's my breakdown. Sorry for being so long winded, but this trailer was really really dense. But it was amazing. I give this trailer a 5/5. It was really cool and I am so glad I got to celebrate Star Wars with other fans today and see the trailer on the UK's biggest screen. Totally worth the 5 hours in line and the 3 hours it took to get into costume. What a day. What a trailer. I cannot wait for the next movie. I'm going to go watch the trailer again now! Bye!
PS: I did an interview with the BBC after the screening tonight. You can check out the article about it at the link below!
Furious 7 came out last weekend and I had the chance to see in on Saturday night. I thought the movie was incredibly fun. I would argue that Fast 5 is the best movie of the franchise but Furious 7 ranks up there as one of the better ones. It is one of those movies where you go to the theater just to have a good time. You don't care about the complexity of the story, the meaning of a film, or the failure or success of the acting. You go for the jokes, the cars, the car chases, and the action sequences, and this movie delivered on all counts. I laughed and had a great time.
From the beginning of the movie when Jason Statham wrecks havoc on a London hospital until the climatic sequence the film ups the ante with every sequence. One of may favorite sequences in the film was when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Hobbs fights Statham in Hobbs' office. The fight was intense with the coolest moment being The Rock using his WWE finisher, The Rock Bottom, on Statham through a glass table. It was epic. By the end of the scene, Hobbs' is out of action and in a hospital with severe injuries and Statham slips away to go destroy Dom Terretto and his family and friends.
Even though this scene was awesome it highlights one of my problems with the cinematography for the film. Even though this film is meant to be fun and I didn't go looking to be blown away by the cinematography. There were a few moments in this movie that were so jarring that I was taken out of the movie. In the RockvsStatham fight, the camera does a complete 360 degree spin as The Rock Rock Bottoms Statham through the table. The camera spin was completely unnecessary. I think it actually took away from the whole scene. This kind of thing happened constantly throughout the film. Weird camera moves, odd slow-motion action bits, and other things in the complete control of the director. If it only happened once or maybe twice it wouldn't have been a problem, but it kept happening. It is my only complaint about the film.
The rest of the movie was just awesome. There were cars being dropped from airplanes. High-speed mountain car chases while taking down a bus armed with like a dozen mini-guns. Jumping a sports car between three buildings in Dubai. A car chase in LA involving a drone and a heavily armed helicopter. The Rock busting out of a cast and using a mini-gun to shoot down a helicopter. People getting passed between cars while traveling at high speeds and doing donuts. A huge fight between Vin Diesel and Statham and a final, insane car stunt off the side of a collapsing parking garage. This movie never took a break and was exactly what one expects going into the theater.
But the big story going into this movie was Paul Walker. Paul, one of the stars of the franchise, tragically died during production in a car accident. They were not filming a scene when he died. Once production restarted, his brothers filled in for him when they needed Brian O'Connor in a scene. This was done almost seamlessly. You mostly couldn't tell they were in a scene and when they needed an action scene they expertly shot them in dark rooms and kept his face obscured. It was really well done. The big question ended up being how they would write Paul's character off of the franchise while also honoring the crew's lost friend. Going into the film I was convinced that Brian would die a heroic death trying to save his family. The whole plot of the movie ended up being Dom and Brian trying to protect their family, so it opened up a whole maze of possibilities.
This move was brilliant because they teased Brian's death over and over again. He was put in countless situations where you thought he might die. He walked past a bomb in a box. When the bomb went off he heroically shielded his son from the blast but his head smashed into a pane of glass. He almost fell off a cliff while saving a hostage. He almost died in the car jump sequence in Dubai. He was in a gunfight against Statham and a group of terrorists. He was chased by a drone and shot at by missiles in the streets of Los Angeles. He had a fist fight with a martial arts expert. Over and over again the film put Brian in positions where I thought he was going to meet his end, but it never happened. This was genius. It kept the audience on the edge of their seats the entire time and invested in the story, which honestly was kinda complicated and jumpy. It made you care more. They even teased the death of Dom for a moment just to play with your emotions. It said, "You all expect Brian to die, so instead we will kill Dom." The film took the viewer on an emotional roller coaster. It was great. In the end Brian didn't die and the film ended with a scene where the characters watched Brian play with his son and think about their friend. They were no longer talking about Brian but really about Paul. It was beautiful. Dom leaves the family gathering and is driving down the road thinking about Brian and they included a montage of moments of Paul from previous films. Then Brian pulls up alongside Dom and says "Think you could get away without saying good bye?" They smile at each other, drive along with each other for a moment, then Paul takes an exit and drives off into the sunset. It was beautiful and was the best ending I could have hoped for. It was absolutely touching. I don't cry in movies, but I was definitely feeling this ending. It was a mixture of sad and happy and it was just right. It couldn't have been better.
I loved this movie and felt that it would be the perfect ending for the entire franchise. It wrapped every loose end up and felt like a natural ending. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing it end now. But the movie made almost $150 million in the United States its opening weekend, the most money for any April film ever, and one of the highest grossing opening weekends in film history. Based on that alone I believe that there will be more movies in the franchise. But instead of doing Fast 8, I think they should spin off the movies. Come up with a new title and create a new series which focuses on Vin Diesel's character Dom and The Rock's Hobbs. Have them permanently team up and turn the films into action films where Dom and Hobbs work to stop criminals and prevent cataclysmic disasters and take down terrorist organizations. They could be a lot of fun. The series took a new and different turn in Fast 5 when it became a heist movie and The Rock joined the cast. His character is one of the most interesting character additions to a franchise in the last decade and breathed new life into a franchise that was risking becoming really repetitive. Instead the tone and type of film changed and the franchise made 3 more films. Seeing a franchise centered on the Hobbs character would be, in my opinion, the next step forward. Leave all the other characters alone so that Brian's story is left alone in its glory and move the focus to Hobbs. Bring in Dom because Diesel's and The Rock's chemistry is really good. I would definitely be on board to see more films staring these two.
As for Furious 7, I thought it was great. It was fun, exciting, and the perfect summer blockbuster. I wish more movies would just try to have fun, because this movie did that and succeeded. It may not be the best movie ever, but that was never the goal. They set out to make a fun movie that people could enjoy and they succeeded. I give this movie a 4/5.
Well its finally April and that means SUMMER MOVIE SEASON is upon us! This year is incredible for movies and it all starts NOW. We have had a few surprises thus far with films like The Kingsmen and Cinderella, but the big thrust of great popcorn films and other great projects really begins now. Here is a list of the movies I am looking forward to this summer (and into next fall).
April 3rd (Yesterday): Furious 7. This movie just came out yesterday. I am actually going to see it tonight and will be writing a review of it afterwards.
April 10th: Ex Machina. A Sci-Fi film about artificial intelligence and a human like female android.
April 23rd (UK only): May 1st (US Release): Avengers: Age of Ultron. Sorry USA friends, I'm seeing the new Avengers movie on April 23rd. I can't wait!
May 15th: Pitch Perfect 2. I had reservations about the original and it took forever for me to see it. I thank Brandon James for actually getting me to watch it. That movie was GREAT and I hope this comedy sequel lives up to the original.
May 15th: Mad Max: Fury Road. A post-apocalyptic world with fast cars and a lot of action. It could be really cool and the trailers look GREAT. Also the Batman vs. Superman trailer is attached to this film. May go to this movie just to see that trailer.
May 22nd: Tomorrowland. Directed by Brad Bird (famous for PIXAR films) and staring George Cloony and Hugh Laurie. A Sci-Fi adventure in a imaginative world where anything can happen. It looks absolutely amazing. I love new original sci-fi.
May 29th: San Andreas. A disaster film starring THE ROCK! I would love if this movie is good. I'm giving it a shot. There hasn't been a decent disaster film since Day After Tomorrow. Plus The Rock is in it so it will at least be fun.
June 5th: Entourage. The television show is awesome! Jeremy Piven was iconic. This movie may be good, may be bad, but will be FUN no matter what. I'm seeing this film. Definitely.
June 12th: Jurassic World. Its another Jurassic Park movie. And the park is actually open. Of course I'm seeing this!
June 19th: Inside Out. Another Pixar movie. I got a kick out of the trailer and think this should be fun. Its all about our emotions and how they interact within our heads. It can't be worse than any of the Cars movies.
June 26th: Ted 2. Another comedy sequel. Ted was one of the best comedies in years. I hope this is good but my expectations are low, so anything better than blaah will be exciting.
July 3rd: Terminator Genisys. I'll be back. He didn't lie. He is back. Another Terminator movie. Some didn't like Salvation, but I kind of enjoyed it. I'm interested in seeing how this film resets the franchise. Staring Schwarzenegger, J.K. Simmons, Jai Courtney (Maybe he will actually be good in a movie for once), and one of the best young actresses in the world today, Emilia Clarke! I'm definitely interested.
July 17th: Ant-Man. Another Marvel Cinematic Universe addition. I'm excited for this movie, but Ultron is foremost in my mind. After Ultron we will see more stuff on Ant-Man and I will get more excited by July. I see this being this years surprise hit like Guardians of the Galaxy was last year.
July 17th: Pan. A live action rendition of the Peter Pan story staring Hugh Jackman. Could be good.
July 24th: Pixels. A sci-fi comedy about aliens invading Earth using classic video game characters. Has potential and the premise sounds really good, but it stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James so there is always the possibility it is horrible.
July 30th: Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation. Tom Cruise hanging off an airplane. So yes, I'm watching this film. Very glad it moved from December to July. It is a perfect summer blockbuster. Always excited for MI movies.
August 7th: Fantastic Four. A revamped version of the Fantastic Four staring a young cast. They change the origin stories a bit and make it less campy and more realistic. The trailer shocked me and am definitely interested.
This is the last big movie of the summer that I am interested in. I will probably see every one of these movies and write a review for each. But the fall lineup comes back with a vengeance in November. Here are the fall movies I will be seeing.
November 6th: Spectre. Bond, James Bond. No more needs to be said. I will be ordering advanced tickets and going to a midnight showing. Book it.
November 20th: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2. The conclusion to the Hunger Games saga. I think this will be good and when matched with Part 1 it should make a really good complete movie. Just like Deathly Hallows is really a great movie when Part 1 and 2 are watched back to back.
November 27th: The Martian. A sci-fi film about an astronaut stranded on Mars. Directed by Ridley Scott staring Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Matt Damon, and Kristen Wiig. HUGE potential and I'm a sucker for anything Ridley Scott does.
December 18th: STAR WARS: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Um... STAR WARS!!!!!! I can't use enough words to describe how excited I am for this movie. I need this movie. I will probably see this more than once opening weekend/day. This movie will be so good.
Star Wars is my bet for being the biggest movie of the year. It will make more money than any other film. Its a safe bet, but its the right choice. It will be huge. It will be a wonderful capstone on an amazing year of films.
I will be seeing every one of these movies over the rest of this year and will be writing up a review and discussing my thoughts. Its a big year. I will periodically be doing other posts whenever I see something I think is worth talking about, whether good or bad, but my main focus will be the new movies. I have written a lot about older films and really want to open it up to new films.
