Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

My Grade:  A+

If you’re going to see Star Wars VII:  The Force Awakens, you already have. And if you don’t care to see it, me writing a review isn’t going to make you want to because there are hundreds of positive reviews out there. If those haven’t convinced you, then what makes me think I can? So, I’m not going to write a review of The Force Awakens, I’m going to write a review of my experience with The Force Awakens. 

I have been a Star Wars fan for a long time. I have seen the original trilogy too many times to count. I used to own and play Star Wars Trivial Pursuit (and I usually won). I used to play the underrated and, now, discontinued Star Wars Customizable Card Game (the cards are still in my attic). I have Star Wars shirts that don’t quite fit me but I still wear them. I wore Darth Vader socks to a close friend’s wedding (sorry Rachel). I did, however, marry a woman who had never seen any Star Wars movies EVER! In regards to that, I jokingly (sort of) told her that we couldn’t get married until she had seen the original trilogy. She sat through episodes IV and V in one sitting which is quite commendable, but she still hasn't seen Episode VI (or VII obviously). That’ll happen, though, don’t worry.

That is a brief glimpse at my history with this franchise that has not only shaped the art of film in general, but it has also shaped the entirety of pop culture. So, yes, I was pretty darn excited when Disney bought Lucasfilm and announced they were set to continue the story. Even if the new films were as bad as the prequels, at least there would be more to the story. And, to make matters even better, there would be anthology films each year in between the episodic installments? This fanboy couldn’t be happier about that (especially the Han Solo spinoff).

Anyway, back to my The Force Awakens experience. I can’t remember how many times I watched that first trailer. And, obviously, I applauded when Han and Chewbacca showed up at the end. Yes, I was alone in my house with nobody but the dog to hear my cheers; but I cheered anyway (you did, too… just admit it). Then that first full trailer dropped and broke the internet. I think I read that it was the fastest video ever to hit 1 million views. I contributed at least 25 of those million.

With each piece of news that came out, I got more and more excited. And, fortunately, they were largely spoiler free. That might be the most impressive thing about this movie:  the marketing campaign. They could have shown videos of grass growing then play a snippet of that iconic John Williams score and plaster a release date on the screen and people would still line up for days. But they didn’t. They gave everyone just enough to build the excitement to beyond a fever pitch but they never even showed one shred of the actual story so everyone got to go into the theater fresh.

Tickets went on sale that first day and I snapped mine up. I had my ticket for a 9:40pm showing on Thursday, December 17. Meanwhile, my wife and I were expecting our first child with a due date of December 31. I’m not sure how much you know about due dates and pregnancy, but it was feasible that our baby girl could be born on or before December 17, thus making the ticket I pre-ordered a mere tease. Obviously the birth of my first child was vastly more important that “some stupid movie” (as it was called by my wife once or twice… she was kidding, I think) but I am certainly glad that our baby girl hadn't shown up before that Thursday. Closer to the due date would be better anyway, right?

Finally, it was Thursday. I had to work that day and it was the slowest day ever. All I could think about was the next chapter in this story with which I grew up. Work ended, I grabbed some food, then met up with my friends to wait in line. If you know anything about opening night movie events, you have to get there early unless you want to get stuck in the front row and risk neck trauma while trying to enjoy the film.

As the minutes ticked away, we finally got seats and the lights dimmed. Trailer after trailer prolonged the time before I got to witness the rebirth of the greatest franchise in film history. Finally, it was time. That iconic score blasted and the opening crawl burst onto the screen to uproarious applause from the crowded theater. The next two hours and sixteen minutes flew by. It was a glorious mix of nostalgia, fan service, classic storytelling, epic action, strong acting, and a mix of new faces that blended perfectly with the classic old faces we know and love. Not only is it the movie that we wanted as fans, but it’s just a good movie. Sure it shares a lot of close similarities with Episode IV but that is one of the greatest examples of classic storytelling in the history of cinema; so, if you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best, right? And there was enough new to set itself apart from its predecessors. 

Once the film ended, I was equal parts excited for what is to come next and angry that they left us on such a cliff hanger (literally). It’s like when you watch your favorite show every week and this week’s episode ends on a shocking reveal that will have game-changing implications… then the closing credits roll. You have to wait a whole week to see what happens next. Well, in this case, you have to wait two whole years! What makes it even worse is that Episode VIII is being directed by one of my favorite directors in the business, Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper). But until then, I’ll just re-watch The Force Awakens on blu-ray (which I ordered the day it came out) a handful of times. Also, I guess the first anthology film, Rouge One, will tide me over. 

Sharknado 2

My Grade:  C

I know this review is a little late but, as Halloween gets closer, I will be reviewing some extra horror films for you guys. Today, I bring you Sharknado 2. This is the first time I am reviewing a sequel having not seen the first installment and it’s the first time reviewing a straight-to-TV movie. So strap in for the glorious B-movie fun that is Sharknado 2!

Sharknado 2 is exactly what you expect:  a tornado that brings sharks onto land to eat people. Flooding accompanies the tornado so sharks are able to swim in the streets and eat people as well. The first Sharknado happened in Los Angeles and brought together a bunch of no-name actors and... Tara Reid? I guess it isn’t so surprising that Tara Reid did a SyFy original movie because her career isn’t exactly one that has led her to critical acclaim. But she probably still makes tons of money, so who am I to judge?

Sharknado 2 picks up right where its predecessor left off. Fin (our ridiculously named protagonist played by the completely devoid of emotion Ian Ziering) and his girlfriend April (Tara Reid) are on a plane to New York for a book signing. April wrote a book entitled “How To Survive A Sharknado.” Which, by the way, allows for the word “Sharknado” to be thrown around a ton which is stupidly awesome. On the way, they encounter a mid-air Sharknado that destroys the plane and gets April’s hand bitten off. The plane successfully makes an emergency landing in New York and the sharknado doesn’t hit the city for a few hours. When it does, the action never stops.

The thing about this movie that makes it hard to review is that it is supposed to be campy and awful. So, on one hand, it does exactly what it is supposed to do making it a success. On the other hand, it is just awful from a story, character, dialogue, and acting standpoint. I have to be honest, though, it is a ton of fun to watch. I wouldn’t watch it again but I certainly enjoyed my two hours of badly rendered CGI sharks eating unsuspecting new yorkers and wildly bloody shark kills with everything from circular saws to chainsaws and even bombs attached to toys.

I’m not even going to talk about the attempted character development that fails miserably. I wish the filmmakers had left that out because it’s not necessary in this type of film. What I will mention is that there are some awesome cameos. Most notably, the annoying, ridiculously dressed, purpled-haired Kelly Osbourne gets owned by a shark early on. That was rather satisfying. Furthermore, Robert Hays (from the movie Airplane!) was, you guessed it, a pilot on the airplane. Also making appearances were Wil Wheaton (Star Trek:  The Next Generation), Andy Dick as a cop, Al Roker and Matt Lauer (who get a pretty solid team kill on a shark), Jared (from Subway), Billy Ray Cyrus (as a doctor... haha), Perez Hilton, pro wrestler Kurt Angle, and more. But my favorite was Daymond John from one of my favorite shows “Shark Tank”... get it? He turns to get a briefcase full of money and that hesitation ends him. How fitting. Those little tidbits of fun kept the movie entertaining but weren’t able to save the poor writing, dialogue and horrendous acting.

Overall, Sharknado 2 is not a good movie but it’s fun and it does exactly what it is supposed to do. It could have done without the pretending to have character arcs and twists but the over-the-top silly action and campy-ness of it all makes it worthwhile. If you’re in the mood for stupid, mindless entertainment, get Sharknado 2 from Redbox or Netflix when it is available.

Under The Skin

My Grade:  B-

This is a strange one, folks. Under The Skin is from little known director Jonathan Glazer and stars the talented and gorgeous Scarlett Johansson. Be warned, watching this film is not your normal film-viewing experience. To be honest, I am not even really sure why I liked it as well as I did because it’s, frankly, kind of boring from a story standpoint. The visuals keep it alive and can only be described as hypnotic.

Under The Skin follows the story of a beautiful young woman as she seduces lonely men during the wee hours in Scotland and lures them back to her... what can only be described as a lair, I guess. On her journey, however, she discovers who she really is and a little about what it means to be human.

To call the story slow would be an understatement. Much of the film contains no dialogue but a lot of Johansson’s character doing some major people-watching. It’s as if she is hypnotized by how they interact with each other and even by how they move. But, surprisingly enough, watching her watch people is mesmerizing. Sometimes she is simply looking at herself in the mirror; but she does it with such interest and wonder that it is unlike anyone else has ever looked at themselves in the mirror before. Then, when she does lure an unsuspecting lad back to her lair, you may want to look away, but you can’t. Visually, this film is a strangely hypnotic masterpiece.

Adding to the unique and engrossing visual style is the minimalist score which captures the mood perfectly and serves to hypnotize you even more. The filmic elements come together in such a way to draw you in and seduce you much like Johansson’s character seduces her victims. Then, once you are drawn in, the weirdly appealing visual effects blow you away and leave you speechless. 

None of this would work if it weren’t for Johansson’s spectacular performance. She perfectly captures the wide-eyed wonder that her character has while observing humans as if seeing them for the first time. Then, as her character arc takes shape and she begins to realize what it’s like to be a part of this world that seems so foreign to her, it’s almost as if we get to experience it with her. It’s uncanny how well she connects with the viewer with very little dialogue.

Overall, Under The Skin celebrates film as a visual art form. It is definitely not a film for everyone and I would not really like to see it again. I mentioned the hypnotic nature of the film multiple times because it’s almost as if this film tricks you into liking it when it’s really not fun to watch... because it’s not fun but I dare you to look away. This is a film that will stick with you. So, if you’re into unique film experiences and can get past the nudity (which isn’t just used for the sake of having nudity), then rent Under The Skin and let it get under your skin (see what I did there).

X-Men: Days of Future Past

My Grade:  A+

This marks the second film in one franchise to which I have given an A+. What’s even wilder about that is I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of superhero films. After seeing X-Men:  First Class, I didn’t think any other X-Men film would live up to it. I was wrong. Days of Future Past may be even better than First Class. It is such a highly ambitious film with a huge cast, huge stakes, and even time travel (which is so hard to do well) but it works extremely well. It does something that very few films are able to do:  operate on a huge scale while simultaneously staying small enough to focus on character and story.

This film serves to bridge the gap between the older X-Men films featuring the likes of Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Cyclops), Halle Berry (Storm) and the newer films featuring some of the top young actors of our generation:  James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Beast) and more. It bridges that gap by taking us into a bleak future that has been set into motion by a mutant who thought they were doing the right thing. To fix it, the mutants have to go back in time and fix the problem at the source. It makes Professor X and Magneto work together as young men which is my favorite pairing in the new leg of the franchise. McAvoy’s Charles Xavier and Fassbender’s Magneto have such a layered relationship portrayed perfectly by the actors… it’s simply a joy to watch.

This film is also very funny. It’s surprisingly funny, actually. It would be easy to take the subject matter very seriously since the fate of the world is at stake. But, it’s a superhero movie at its core so it should be fun. And it certainly is. One of the funniest and best characters, though, doesn’t hang around long. Quicksilver (played by one of my absolute favorite up-and-comers, Evan Peters) has a couple of key scenes. It’s ironic, though, because he’s out of the film about as fast as he entered (similar to his superpower of superhuman speed) and he steals every one of those few scenes (his character is notoriously a thief). The main action scene he takes part in is also, hands down, the best action scene I have seen in a long time. I can’t even explain why it’s so good; it just is. I wanted more of him in this film but hopefully he will play a big role in future films.

The production design is fantastic in this film, too. The set pieces are epic, the look captures the time period it’s set in, and the Sentinels (big, bad, mutating robots… yea) look terrifying. These Sentinels are very worthy opponents and definitely up the stakes for our heroic mutants. This is something the newest iterations of the franchise have done very well:  villains. A villain that wants to take over the world just because they can… that’s boring. A villain who has a deeper purpose and thinks they are doing what is right… that’s compelling. First Class and Days of Future Past have both done this very well and I look forward to the next installment’s villain.

Overall, Days of Future Past is both highly entertaining and provides a refreshing character-driven story that isn’t very common in big budget summer blockbusters. It revitalizes the X-Men franchise and allows for more films that (hopefully) can fill our need for superhero films that offer more than surface thrills. I can’t wait to see what is next for this franchise that seems to be getting better with age.

Gravity

My Grade:  A+

There are not many films that reach the level of hype Gravity did before its release. The combination of critical acclaim, strong cast, a highly competent director, and the advanced technology used during production had people talking about how perfect the film is months before it was released to the general public. I’m not sure anyone thought it could actually live up to all the hype but it actually exceeds it.

Gravity is a simple story about a medical engineer in space for the first time and a seasoned astronaut who battle for their lives after a devastating accident which leaves them stranded in the harshest of all environments. Part of what allows the film to span every demographic is the fact that it speaks to a universal concept:  survival. But, without the charismatic (and funny) performance from George Clooney and the absolute best performance of Sandra Bullock’s impressive career, the film would not have the gravity it does. Clooney is like a real live Buzz Lightyear and Bullock is flawless. You will laugh. You will cry. You will gasp. You will bite your fingernails. And that’s just because of the story... which isn’t even why this film was widely talked about at first.

The reason everyone was talking about Gravity is partially because of the anti-gravity effects (ironically), partially because of the lighting effects, and mostly because of the stunning visuals director Alfonso Cuaron offers us. I’ve never been to space but feel like I have after watching this film. Every shot is gorgeous and looks real. It’s the closest thing to shooting on location in outer space in the history of cinema.  Who knows, maybe they actually shot in space and didn’t tell anyone... it wouldn’t surprise me because of how perfect it looks. 

The cinematography is one of my favorite aspects to this film because it immerses you in the story. The camera floats around as if it’s in anti-gravity while employing Cuaron’s famous technique of using very long, single shots to tell his story. This approach makes it so realistic and makes you feel like you are there (especially in 3D). Then he takes us into Bullock’s point of view, immersing us even further into our own struggle for survival, leading to his lesson which encourages all of us to take a look at our own struggles and leave it all on the line to overcome them and continue living life to its fullest.

I usually can find something wrong with every film I watch but not with Gravity. It is jaw-dropping, spectacular cinema and has set the bar very high for filmmakers. But if I was forced to come up with one thing that could be considered a flaw, I’d say that it’s almost too tense, making it a bit unbelievable. Unbelievable that so many things could go wrong at every single turn for these characters. But the amazing part is that Cuaron makes us believe it.

Overall the film is immaculate and should be seen in the movie theater (unless you have a 3D TV and stunning surround sound at your house) because the epic soundtrack and visuals help make this movie the immersive masterpiece that it is. It may be the most engrossing film I’ve ever seen. I also am happy to see the box office success of this film because it is not only an original film in a market inundated with remakes, sequels, and adaptations; but it’s also a supremely well-made film. The success of this kind of film may encourage filmmakers to step up their game from a technical standpoint and may help convince studios to spend money on producing original content. But maybe not. Either way, Gravity is out of this world... pun intended.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

My Grade:  C

From the writers of Zombieland and the director of such dance epics (sarcasm intended) as Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D comes G.I. Joe:  Retaliation, the recent sequel to Rise Of Cobra (2009) which garnered a stunning 34% from the critics on RottenTomatoes. I do love Zombieland, but I’m still not surprised that Retaliation is not very good. It does, however, offer some strong surface thrills but is ultimately a forgettable film.

This second installment (they clearly plan a third) adds Dwayne Johnson to the mix and features a surprise performance from the incomparable action hero Bruce Willis. Why Bruce Willis would do this film is beyond me, but he does have a great role... and he probably got paid millions of dollars for a week or so of work. I’d do it too, I guess. But, apart from Bruce Willis and a few good moments from Ray Stevenson as Firefly, the acting is terrible.

Fortunately, I did not decide to go see this film for Oscar-worthy acting performances. I also didn’t see it so I could be on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next... because I already knew the “twists and turns” before they happened (except for the thing near the beginning where you think it’s Snake Eyes, but it’s really Storm Shadow which isn’t as powerful as I think it is supposed to be).

The reason I went to see this film is because I wanted to put my brain on hold and bask in some stunning action sequences. I got what I wanted. Shootouts abound, sword fights are common, tanks are involved, I couldn’t count all the explosions (I guess I could’ve if I’d tried, but I didn’t care enough) and Dwayne Johnson fires a turret-style minigun with his bare hands... twice. There is even a scene where Firefly rides his motorcycle at a prison, dismounts and lands gracefully (thanks to his parachute) as his motorcycle continues toward a prison. Then the actual motorcycle breaks into pieces that slam into the prison and explode. It is awesome! Also, I wasn’t sure if Retaliation could include a scene that tops the chase scene through the streets of Paris from Rise Of Cobra, but it does. There is a sword fight on the SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. It’s completely ridiculous, but so much fun.

Overall, G.I. Joe:  Retaliation is a poorly acted, poorly written, very predictable actioner with little to offer except for surface thrills that may be able to convince some audience members that this is a good movie... it’s not. But it’s also not a total waste of time and money if you need to put your brain on hold for 110 minutes (which is too long for this film). Wait for it on blu-ray... but don’t do DVD, this one is worth doing blu-ray.

Safety Not Guaranteed

My Grade:  A

Ever heard of Colin Trevorrow?  Probably not unless you are a Star Wars fan that has been following all this drama surrounding the candidates to direct Episode 7 under the Disney masthead.  Trevorrow’s name has been tossed around in the mix but it’s pretty certain that he will not be the guy.  Why would this seemingly random director be mentioned for such a high profile film?  Because of his feature debut, Safety Not Guaranteed.

The film is about an intern named Darius (a charming and layered performance from Aubrey Plaza) who goes with her boss, Jeff (Jake Johnson of “New Girl”) and her fellow intern, the shy Arnau (an awkwardly funny turn from Karan Soni) to investigate an intriguing classified ad.  Who wouldn’t want to investigate this ad?

WANTED:  Someone to go back in time with me.  This is not a joke.  You’ll get paid after we get  back.  Must bring your own weapons.  I have only done this once before. Safety not guaranteed.

I’m intrigued... that’s why I wanted to see the film.  And I’m glad I did because it’s a joy.  It has some wonderfully quirky and well-developed characters that all play off each other nicely.  The quirkiest of the bunch is the man who placed the classified ad, Kenneth (Mark Duplass of “The League”).  He plays this role with extreme care, walking the thin line between muted heroism and crippling insecurity to a tee.  He brings a lot of heart to the character and his chemistry with Darius makes this film so much better than many indie films you will see this year.

Apart from the great acting, the story is well done, too.  It’s unlike anything you’ve seen but is easy to connect to.  It even has a few twists thrown in... and they are well-done.  One of the issues I have with this film, however, is how little the A-story (their investigation of Kenneth’s ad) intertwines with and is affected by the B-story.  There are many subplots, but the main B-story (Jeff trying to reconnect with an old flame) is one that almost doesn’t seem to matter apart from helping develop Jeff as a character.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good part of the film and the night that Jeff and Arnau party is great (I’m not going to mention more at risk of spoilers); however, it doesn’t affect the Darius and Kenneth portion of the story much at all.

Apart from that, the only other small issue I can think of that keeps me from giving this film an A+ rather than an A involves the twist... well one of the twists.  Without saying too much and ruining anything, I’ll put it like this:  Kenneth explains something away that Darius believes is a lie and we are left to speculate whether he is really lying or not.  I’ve said too much already...

Overall, Safety Not Guaranteed is a great example of why you should avoid big budget Hollywood movies sometimes if you want a low-key, entertaining, and (most importantly) refreshingly original film.  It also has plenty of laughs and great performances to go around.  So, to close on a cheesy/witty note:  safety may not be guaranteed, but enjoyment is.

Looper

My Grade:  A+

In case you didn’t already know from some of my previous reviews, I am a huge Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan.  One of my favorite of his films is Brick which was Rian Johnson’s 2005 feature directorial debut.  Looper is the second pairing of Johnson and Gordon-Levitt, so I don’t have to tell you how excited I was to hear about this film.  My already high expectations were made even higher by watching a couple of interviews with JGL (one with Peter Travers of “Rolling Stone” and one with Conan O’Brian).  Sometimes it’s bad to go into a movie with high expectations because it’s likely that the film will be a let down.  Looper is definitely not a let down.

Let’s all take a moment to thank Rian Johnson for writing, directing, and producing an original film that isn’t a sequel, based on a book, a remake, etc.  And, even better, it’s a great story!  It’s 2044 and, 30 years in the future, time travel will have been invented but outlawed.  Criminal organizations still use it, though, as a way to kill people without having to dispose of a body.  They send the target into the past where a “looper” awaits with a sawed off shotgun.  The looper blows them away the moment they appear (bound and gagged), get’s their payday, then goes and parties with strippers and drugs.

  

It’s all fun and games until those in charge decide to “close your loop” or send your future self back in time for you to kill.  That means two things for you:  you get a huge payday and you know you have 30 years left to live.  The problems occur when you “let your loop run” or fail to kill them.  That’s the problem Joe (JGL) faces.  His loop appears and is not bound or gagged... and he’s Bruce Willis, so he escapes.  He doesn’t just escape because he wants to live, though; he escapes to save his wife who gets killed (30 years later) by “The Rainmaker.”  So, Old Joe (Willis) plans to kill the child version of “The Rainmaker”; thus, saving his wife.

I don’t normally explain the plot in my reviews but I want to this time because time travel movies are messy.  They are hard to pull off from a writing standpoint because of all the weird details you have to worry about.  Looper does it better than any other time travel movie I have seen.  Joe and Old Joe even discuss the time travel aspects of their situation and end up brushing off the explanations as “messy.”  It’s a perfect way to not bother with the needless portions of the time travel issues.  The things that matter are addressed and work extremely well.  Also, Rian Johnson does some things with time travel that I haven’t seen done such as having a future version of a guy lose limbs and other extremities in real time as his younger self is being tortured... mind bendingly awesome!

So many things (other than the magnificent writing) stand out that I could write about this film all day, but I will focus on two things:  the look of the film, and the acting.  The look is perfect for this film because it is technically a sci-fi film but it has the feel of a film noir and even black comedy at times.  The reason the look is so perfect is that the city looks highly advanced and slickly sci-fi while also being very run-down.  We are immersed in the dirty underworld of crime, drugs, and murder but it’s also a highly advanced world.

Looper marks the first time that JGL plays a role that was written specifically for him (according to his interview with Peter Travers).  Rian Johnson and JGL are close friends which allows Johnson to write a role perfect for JGL... and he did in Looper.  JGL even pulls off a pretty decent Bruce Willis impression in certain scenes.  Whether that’s what he was going for or not, it works.  Bruce Willis also puts on a heck of a show as Old Joe.  He gets the moments where he can go Die Hard on some people with matching P90s blazing, but he also has some touching moments and reveals his inner struggle of doing the right thing.

The supporting cast is incredible as well.  Most notably Pierce Gagnon (The Crazies) who plays Cid and gives one of the best performances I’ve ever seen from a child actor.  Then, of course, there’s his mom (Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt).  She is a force to be reckoned with as she toes the line between frail and fierce; she almost steals the show from JGL in some of their scenes together.  Finally, there is Jeff Daniels who made everyone laugh in Dumb and Dumber (as well as other things), and scares us to death while making us laugh as “man from the future,” Abe, in Looper.  I can’t describe him better than Peter Travers does:  “fiercely funny.”

Overall, Looper is an amazingly fresh film with outstanding performances, wild action, and mind blowing visuals... all on a relatively scant budget.  The only issue I have is with the prosthetics used to make JGL look more like Bruce Willis.  It looks good, it’s believable, it doesn’t take away from the film... but it’s unnecessary.  Just making their eyes look the same would be fine.  But go see this film as soon as you can.  You won‘t be disappointed.

The Watch

My Grade:  D+

Another summer action/comedy.  Another movie that includes aliens where you may not expect them.  Another movie about men, by men, for men.  But it’s funny.  And it has a pretty good cast.  But that’s all it really is... pretty good.  I was entertained, but not blown away.  It’s a good matinee or Redbox selection.

On one hand, I had high hopes going into this movie because of the cast.  Jonah Hill has always been funny, but he has really proven that he can act ever since he got skinny.  Also, Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn being back together is a good thing.  I missed them since Dodgeball... and (sort of) Anchorman and Zoolander.  They make comedy magic together so it’s great to see them together again.  To be honest, I was only excited about those three... not Richard Ayoade... because I had no idea who he was... because I’m not British.  He is very funny, though!

The cast is what makes this film enjoyable.  The script is not.  It’s penned by the unknown Jared Stern and it’s just alright.  His initial script was rewritten by Seth Rogen and his writing partner, Evan Goldberg, which I’m sure greatly improved it.  It is logical and an interesting enough story to keep our attention.  It even has a decent twist, but the characters aren’t super deep.  They all are dealing with personal crises that many suburban men can relate to, which allows us to put ourselves in their shoes; however, there’s not tons of emotional meat here.  This might be, in part, due to the directing.  I’m not saying that it is poorly directed but it’s not a masterpiece by any means.  Akiva Schaffer is really only known as part of The Lonely Island and for directing a lot of SNL digital shorts and similar sketch comedy type fair.  His only other feature is Hot Rod which is essentially a feature length SNL digital short (and, in my opinion, too stupid to be enjoyed).  I love his digital shorts, but he should probably stick to directing those.

The action in this film is pretty good, though.  The comedy is better, but I was pleasantly surprised by how intense some of the action scenes were as I was watching it.  After watching it, though, the comedy is really what I remembered.  I didn’t, however, take away a lot of good one-liners like I did from great recent comedies such as Horrible Bosses. 

Another strong point of this film is its special effects.  Special effects have gotten very good in recent years so for a big budget movie to not have good special effects... well, they pretty much all do.  But the aliens look pretty real, the lasers and such look great, etc.  Visually, the film is strong with nothing that stands out in a good or bad way when it comes to lighting or cinematography.

Overall, this film is enjoyable for most of its 102 minutes but doesn’t do a lot of new things.  The cast is likable and they work well together but don’t expect to go away quoting the film.  It won’t be remembered for long, but it’s worth ‘the watch’... see what I did there?

The Amazing Spiderman

My Grade:  C

I can’t say that I’m a Spiderman fan.  I actually am not a huge fan of superhero films or the comic book genre in general.  But I tried my best to go into The Amazing Spiderman with an open mind and an unbiased approach… but my expectations were not high.  So at least I wasn’t let down.

In this update… reboot… new take… whatever it is, Peter Parker is in high school and is NOT in love with Mary Jane; he is in love with Gwen Stacy.  She pretty much serves the same purpose as Mary Jane did in the first Spiderman film, though.  As a matter of fact, everyone pretty much serves the same purpose as their character did in the first Spiderman film.  This is essentially the same movie.  But I guess there are a few differences that make this film recognizable as its own thing.  For instance, in an effort to make the film darker (more Chris Nolan-esque), they decided to throw in some things that you find in the Batman films.  That whole originality thing wasn’t really a concern during the making of this film, apparently.

Now, to get off my soapbox, let’s talk about the most notably different thing in this new take on Spiderman:  the cast.  Andrew Garfield (“The Social Network”) plays the younger Spiderman and he does pretty well.  He brings an immature nervousness to the character that really works for the high school version of this superhero.  He also has a baby face, so he believably pulls off his “age.”  That is in part due to good costuming and makeup as well, though.  Emma Stone, however, does not convince me she is in high school as Gwen Stacy.  As much as I love her (for her looks AND talent), I think she was miscast here.  Stacy seems almost too immature, which is probably in most part due to the writing; but, Stone just seems out of place in such an immature role.  I do love Sally Field and Martin Sheen as Aunt May and Uncle Ben, though.  They are great, as usual.

The biggest problem of the film is the bad guy a.k.a. “The Lizard.”  Rhys Ifans is a great choice for Dr. Curt Conners… but not The Lizard.  And, what’s worse, is that The Lizard is just a poor choice of bad guy.  They might could have made him better but he just isn’t as scary as he needs to be.  His voice is lame, he doesn’t look good, and his motivation is terrible.  The thing that makes a good bad guy is a strong motivation which makes him think he is the good guy.  I can’t really explain why his ultimate plan is lame and doesn’t make sense without giving anything away; so just watch it and you’ll agree that his master plan is dumb (for lack of a better word).  The ONLY THING that makes him scary is that he is so much bigger than Spiderman… that’s it.

There are so many cheesy things in this film that I can’t list them all, but one involves some blue collar workers and a set of strategically placed cranes; and another involves ridiculous displays of Spiderman’s strength that are supposed to make us laugh.  The fight scenes even get pretty cheesy because they are ALL THE SAME.  After you watch the first one, you’ve seen them all (except for Stan Lee’s cameo).

There are two really cool things that make this film watchable.  First the chemistry between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield is very good.  It better be since they are dating in real life.  And some of the conversations they have showcase the film’s best writing (especially the scene in which he first asks her out… sort of).  Secondly, there is a scene in which Spiderman creates a web and uses the vibrations from that web to detect his target.  Yes, just like a real spider.  That is pretty cool.  And one more thing:  the spidey suit looks way better in this film.

Overall this film is not needed since it doesn’t offer enough new stuff from the original.  I know it’s based on a different comic book, but give us something new and fresh, please!  At least a menacing bad guy!  Well the not-so-surprising news is that there is already a sequel in the works.  We can only hope that it is better than this one.  And I really hope that they picked Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) to direct again, because his name is PERFECT for Spiderman films.

The Avengers

My Grade:  B+

How else can you describe The Avengers other than “epic”?  Maybe “expensive” would work.  From the opening scene, you can see the film burning through its MASSIVE 220 million dollar budget with huge sets, tons of explosions, an inordinate amount of extras, glorious special effects, and (of course) the expensive cast.  That phrase “you get what you pay for” works with feature films, too, because those 220 million dollars paid for a very exciting film.

Almost all 142 minutes of the film are action packed.  There are some scenes that involve a good bit of exposition, but the majority of the film is spent in epic battles.  And the story is pretty strong.  An evil demi-god gets control of the most powerful item in the world and plans to use it to bring his army to Earth in order to enslave the entire planet.  Oh yea, AND he is Thor’s brother (adding some emotional issues).  The Avengers have to come together and overcome their personal demons and petty differences in order to save humanity.

The hard part of writing this film is that there are so many “main” characters.  Thor, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America have all had their own films, but they are mashed up into an ensemble cast in this one along with other heavy-hitters:  Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Nick Fury.  With this many leading characters, the struggle is giving each of them enough of a spotlight while keeping an ensemble feel.  And Joss Whedon does that wonderfully.  We get to know each character and get enough of them to care about them but not too much to take the focus off of the team.

Since we are talking about the ensemble cast, I have to discuss my biggest fear for this film before I saw it.  I was worried that the actors would not “play well with others” as Iron Man says in the film.  Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson are all leading actors and only a few of them have been members of an ensemble cast (but not recently).  I figured egos would collide during filming, the film would be wrought with production problems, and the film would collapse... I was wrong.  They all work very well together and make for a superbly strong cast.  Of them all, though, Mark Ruffalo shined the brightest with his portrayal of The Hulk/Bruce Banner’s inner struggle.

The problems I have with this film are the same problems I have with a lot of superhero films.  First, there are some ridiculously cheesy one-liners.  It seems like you can’t really escape from them in superhero films, but some of them are glaringly cheesy and not as funny as they are supposed to be.  The other problem I have is that The Hulk and Thor don’t seem to have any weaknesses.  Even though Bruce Banner is one of the most interesting characters because of his inner struggle, once he “hulks out” he is practically invincible which makes the stakes lower.

I know I just knocked some of the cheesy one-liner jokes, but the comedy that is sprinkled throughout this film is a very welcome addition.  The funniest moments, though, are not the lines the characters say; they are small physical things.  The moment that got the most laughs at my screening was when The Hulk punches Thor out of the blue.  Also, when a soldier asks why they should take orders from Captain America, he fights off a handful of dangerous enemies in a very flashy, epic fight scene... which serves as an answer to the soldier’s question.

Overall the film is a lot of fun and keeps your attention, but it’s a little too over-the-top for my tastes.  It stands head and shoulders above many of the other superhero films I have seen recently (except Christopher Nolan’s Batman films), but I don’t think I will be listing it in my favorite films of 2012 list.

As a sidenote, Loki’s outfit is ridiculous... in a not-so-good, kind of silly way... just sayin’.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

My Grade:  B-

I didn’t think it was possible to be more over-the-top than Transformers 2; but I was wrong.  But “over-the-top” would be an understatement for this film.  Never have I seen so many CG robots, explosions, buildings toppling over, etc.  And, to be honest, it is some very solid adrenaline junky fun for about an hour and 45 minutes.  In case you were wondering, the film is a staggering 2 hours and 37 minutes and, let’s face it, it’s no Scarface or Lord of the Rings.

    

I saw Dark of the Moon in 3D and I was blown away, visually.  Just like the past two movies, watching hundred-thousand dollar cars transform into robots is breathtaking (kudos to the CG artists), but it is out of this world in 3D.  Surprisingly, however, the visuals weren’t the only thing worth watching here.  Unlike number 2, this film has some heart.  It’s not much but it’s there.  Sam’s (Shia LaBeouf) need to feel useful and his want to matter in the world really gives us something to latch on to and relate to.  Leave it to Michael Bay to not get too deep into his characters, but he gives us a little here which is nice.  

    

We can’t go any further here without discussing the addition of the British bombshell Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.  I’m not sure how I feel about a hyphenated last name but I am so glad that she replaced the lifeless Megan Fox.  We can all agree that Fox was nothing more than arm candy for LaBeouf and eye candy for the audience.  Huntington-Whiteley isn’t much more, but she does play a key role in saving the day (I won’t say more since I didn’t write “spoiler alert”), which is played out very well in a strong setup and payoff fashion.  Also, for a Victoria’s Secret model she is not a terrible actress.  O yea, and she is a good deal more attractive than Megan Fox.

    

Enough about unattainable, stunningly gorgeous actresses; let’s talk about the big problem of the film:  length.  The first 20 or so minutes of the film could be cut down to about 7 and the final 45 minutes could be cut to about 20.  There’s 38 minutes of waste right there (haven’t they heard of the “cutting room floor”?).  I agree that we need to know the background of how this fictitious story ties in with real history (which was a bit of a stretch if you ask me... go see X-Men:  First Class to learn how to tie a movie in with history), but we don’t need so much of it - we want to see robot on robot violence!  But, to contradict myself a little, we don’t want to see so much robot on robot violence.  The final battle has some epic parts and it is really nice that they destroy Chicago instead of LA or NY like every other movie does; however, it... just... drags... on... and... on... and... on... and... on.......  Just get to the big battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron already, ya know?

    

The other way to save some time is to start showing us the story later in the story.  What I mean is that what should be the inciting incident (that’s a screenwriting term for the event that kicks off the main problem in the story) doesn’t happen until 50 or so minutes in.  It may be earlier but it certainly seems like 50 minutes.  That’s just bad writing.  I do have to give kudos to the screenwriter, though, for some of the twists.  I was completely caught off guard at one of the twists and I normally see things like that coming... way to go Ehren Kruger.  

    

As expected, the visuals are what hold this movie together and make it tolerable.  I know a B minus is better than “tolerable” but part of me giving it a B is that it is so much better than Bay’s last Transformers effort.  Dark of the Moon definitely benefits from a rotten predecessor.  As I leave you, I have to mention Ken Jeong.  Seeing him in this film caught me off guard, but he absolutely steals the show for the few minutes he is on screen.  Look for him, watch him, love him, then miss him when he... well, isn’t on screen anymore (no spoilers!!!)

Super 8

My Grade:  A

I have some good news folks, I’m going to act like the trailers and not give ANYTHING away about the movie... which is going to be a challenge if I plan to be as vague as the trailers were.  Here’s what we know:  a group of kids is making some sort of movie when something crazy happens (maybe something reminiscent of a Spielberg movie?).  Oh yea, we also know it involves a train.  That doesn’t give me much to work with, but I’ll give it a go.

     

First of all, I would like to remind everyone how much I don’t like science fiction.  The good thing for people like me is that Super 8 is like the Megazord of movies.  If you are not familiar with the Megazord from the original Power Rangers, then just think about how all the Transformers joined together in this giant (pretty stupid) thing at the end of Transformers 2...  the point is that Super 8 is a mesh of genres.  It also seems to borrow some ideas from other movies (but what movie doesn’t?).  This is not to say, however, that it is not original or fresh.  It is part sci-fi, part adventure, part disaster movie, part comedy, part romance (and bro-mance), part creature feature, and even part horror.  These all come together in a strangely captivating way that not only holds your attention, but keeps you on the edge of your seat.

     

The thing that this movie has over similar movies is that it puts the main characters in danger, but you actually want to see them survive for more reasons than that they are the main characters.  The kids have endearing quirks and witty dialogue, but, more importantly, they deal with problems that someone of any age can relate to.  This gives them loads of empathy and we feel like we might cry if one of them died, which seems to be a real possibility.  Although the kids dominate the film, there are also some very strong moments with the adults in the film (parents of the kids as you might expect).  All I will say is that the main adult relationship grows and changes in a very effective way that works beautifully in the story.

     

The problem with this film is that it sometimes falls back on cheap jump scares in exchange for real suspense.  It also uses some of the SAME jump scares over and over until they start to feel a bit like gimmicks.  A little more creativity in ways to make the audience jump, scream, close their eyes, or grab the arm of their significant other would have been very, very welcome.  Also, once you learn more details about the big event (which you learn in the very first shot and subsequent scene), it seems almost too contrived with the intent to grasp your heart-strings and yank at them... only in the movies, I guess.

     

Overall, this is a very entertaining film with the action of a mindless, summer popcorn flick and the heart of a strong drama (not an exceptional drama).  Go see it and make sure you stay in your seats until a little bit into the final credits.  One of the most memorable parts of the film takes place after the first few minutes of credits.

X-Men: First Class

My Grade:  A+

Big budget, big thrills… and big stakes:  nuclear war.  This film is the perfect summer flick to chew your popcorn to.  It’s an action packed thrill ride and, more importantly to Hollywood, it’s another installment in an established franchise.  And oh, what a welcome installment it is.  Easily the best of the X-Men films, First Class rises to the top with strong writing (which you hope for with a team of writers), stylish directing (which you expect from Vaughn, director of Kick-Ass), and most of all an outstanding young cast (and Kevin Bacon).

          

The way the story ties in with the Cuban Missile Crisis is as believable as it can be with mutants involved.  For a moment I thought Kevin Bacon actually caused the Crisis, then I saw Angel fly and spit fire balls and I snapped back to reality.  The real gem in the story, however, is the strained relationship between friends-turned-foes Professor X and Magneto.  This film takes advantage of the audience’s knowledge of their future conflict and has you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what the turning point will be that transforms these “brothers” into mortal enemies.  One of my problems with the film, though, is that there is no Storm, Cyclops, or Jean Grey.  It would have been nice to see how they fit into the history (I guess that’s why there will be more Origins films), but focusing on Xavier and Magneto doesn’t leave a lot of room for others.

          

It’s no secret that Kick-Ass has some of the most stylish action scenes that we have ever seen on the big screen.  Vaughn delivers similarly in First Class.  The special effects are great (most of the time) and the pacing is perfect.  Each action sequence is packed to the brim with tension and, most importantly, we care whether the characters survive.  It’s a tough thing in a prequel to keep that tension going when we know that Professor X survives and so forth; however, more is at stake here than our mutants:  mankind is.  

          

The film does so many things, but one of the biggest is that it proves James McAvoy is one of the best young actors in Hollywood and we will be seeing a lot more of him.  Yeah, he shined in Wanted despite having Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freemen to compete with, but he proves in First Class that he can carry a blockbuster.  His co-star, Michael Fassbender, is great as well, but he is out-shined by McAvoy.  The entire young cast is fantastic and Kevin Bacon delivers as one of the greatest bad guys of the summer.

          

It’s not all good, though.  There are some cheesy lines and at least one scene that serves no purpose (when Frost mentions that in war, both sides must have an equal chance of winning).  And don’t worry, that is not a spoiler because it doesn’t really matter in the slightest.  One spoiler, however, is obvious from the trailer where we see Beast as a furry blue… well, beast.  Guess what:  he doesn’t start out that way.  But when the scene comes along in which he has a big decision to make, we all know what is going to happen and it loses all of its punch.  Let’s all say “thank you” to whomever edited the trailer.

Sidenote:  when you watch it, see if you don’t get a distinct Star Wars VI:  Revenge of the Sith vibe.  Think Prof X is Obi Wan and Magneto is Anikin… it’s there, complete with the sith ideal of “strike him down and join the dark side.” 

District 9

My Grade:  A+

Put together a director who has never directed a feature, a lead actor who has never acted in a feature, and a writer who has never had a feature script produced and you might think you would get a feature film that is mediocre at best.  Not so when that director is Neill Blomkamp, that actor is Sharlto Copely, and that writer is Terri Tatchell.  Bringing those three together allowed the amazing film District 9 to hit theaters and blow away audiences in 2009.  It certainly helps that they had Peter Jackson as a producer to guide the process, but having this many unknowns and being nominated for four Oscars (Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture) is extraordinarily impressive.  While the film isn't technically an original film (it was an adaptation), it is adapted from Blomkamp's short film titled "Alive In Joburg" so it is sort of an original.

District 9 is not only shockingly good for its extremely modest $30 million budget, but it is one of the best and most original films to hit theaters in many years.  This film does so many good things, but there is only time to talk about a few.  Most notably, the special effects are stunning.  The prawns look perfect and are integrated with the live actors flawlessly.  Also, when the alien weapons essentially make people explode, it is disgustingly real-looking.  The weapons themselves look rather silly, but that is forgivable when you take everything else that is great into account.  It's not surprising that the effects are wonderful because Blomkamp comes from a visual effects background having done 3D Animation for TV shows such as "Stargate SG-1," "Smallville," and others.

The second thing that stands out is the use of so many kinds of footage to tell the story.  Security cam footage, documentary-style footage, news footage, medical research-style footage, and more are all seamlessly integrated into the narrative of this film which gives it a very unique feel.  It starts out feeling like a documentary, but it shifts styles as it goes and becomes a very action packed narrative film.  There's a reason it picked up a Best Editing nomination at the Oscars.

Finally, Sharlto Copley rocks your world as Wikus in District 9.  He goes from simple, nice, realtively weak man that avoids confrontation to cold and heartless leader of the group that sends prawns to an internment camp.  Then, as he slowly becomes a prawn he hits a low point as victim but still treats the prawns as filthy animals.  That is, until he finds out Christopher can help him.  Then he is a little more accepting of prawns, but it's out of selfishness.  He finally becomes Christopher's friend and is willing to sacrifice himself for the race that he once hated.  This is a lot to ask of an actor emotionally but Copley does it flawlessly.  What's even crazier is that his first acting credit on IMDB.com is for the short film that then led to the production of District 9.  Very impressive.

In all of this, the film still has a chance to make some very relevant points about racism, xenophobia, greed, and more.  See this film; you won't regret it!

V for Vendetta

My Grade:  B-

In his directorial debut, James McTeigue took a comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd and made a stylish film that has garnered quite the fan base since its release in 2005:  V For Vendetta.  This film is written by The Wachowski Brothers (Andy and Larry) who are best known for directing the Matrix trilogy.  Interestingly, McTeigue was their first assistant director on all three of those films.  Giving him the reins of V For Vendetta worked out well because it is a very solid film.  It didn't do anything at the Oscars, but comic book films rarely do.  It did however garner four awards including a Saturn Award and a SFX award, both for Natalie Portman as Best Actress.

The film has its problems, but those problems are outweighed by the things that are done well.  The three best things about this film are V's dialogue, Natalie Portman's performance as Evey, and the cinematography by Adrian Biddle.

V's dialogue is wonderful for a handful of reasons.  It is unique, making it unlike any dialogue you will find in any other film.  It also reveals a lot about V's character.  His speech patterns are very methodical, precise, and well-planned just like his plot to take down the government.  Hugo Weaving also does a fantastic job of delivering his lines in such a way that V sounds as unique a character as you will see in film.

Natalie Portman is simply fantastic in most of her roles but, other than her role as Nina in 2010's Black Swan, Evey may be her best role.  She shows her amazing emotional range, draws the audience in with her strong-yet-vulnerable exchanges with V, and brings a refreshing sweetness to counteract the darkness of the film.  Also, you have to give her kudos for going all out and actually shaving her head!

Finally, the look of this film is stunning.  You could pause the film at almost any point and the still image would be a great photograph.  For that, we have Adrian Biddle (Director of Photography) to thank.  He has shot other classics such as Aliens (1986) The Princess Bride (1987), Thelma and Louise (1991), The World Is Not Enough (1999), and many others.  V For Vendetta was his last film before he died on December 7, 2005.  His work will certainly be missed.

The film is not without problems, though.  It is a bit too long making it a little awkwardly paced.  It also could benefit from a little more subtlety with its message.  It as a lot to say about governmental control and such, but it is rather heavy-handed when trying to get that across.  Allowing some room for the audience to figure out what the film is trying to say would make the audience connect with it a little more.  Overall, though, these things aren't enough to make V For Vendetta a bad film.  It's very good and will be watched for years to come.

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi

My Grade:  A

The final leg in the original Star Wars trilogy hit theaters May 25, 1983 and completed the epic saga that changed cinema forever.  This third installment brought the third director (Richard Marquand) but kept Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas as writers.  This final chapter also boasts a considerable boost in budget from its predecessors.  According to IMDB.com, A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back had budgets of 11 million and 18 million respectively, but Return Of The Jedi was made for an estimated 32.5 million.  Apparently Lucasfilm and FOX had a lot of faith in the box office draw this film would have... which is understandable.  This film, like the others, was nominated at the Oscars for Art Direction, Effects, and Sound.  It also garnered John Williams his 19th Oscar nomination for his epic score (two other nominations came from the other Star Wars films but he only won for A New Hope).

This film is about the same as the other entries in the original Star Wars trilogy.  The story is great while the dialogue gets a bit cheesy at times; but, despite how epic the story gets, it still keeps its focus on the hearts of the characters.  So it is fantastic.

The thing that any Star Wars fan will cite as their reasoning for liking one episode over another is the locales, the aliens unique to that episode, and the action that takes place.  It's really a personal preference thing.  Return Of The Jedi suffers from the problem of the ewoks.  While the ewoks are cute and get across a considerable amount of emotion for only speaking gibberish, the things they do to save the Rebels are somewhat unbelievable.  You are made to believe that something that is essentially the same size and build of a teddy bear can take out a Stormtrooper (full grown man in body armor with a laser gun).  Oh yea, and the ewoks do it with primitive, caveman style weapons.  It's up to you if you can get behind that or not.

Whether you like the ewoks or not, you can't argue that Return Of The Jedi is a satisfying conclusion to the Star Wars saga.  Luke completes his character arc by becoming a jedi, remaining on the good side of the force, and even helping Darth Vader (his father) reach some sort of redemption.  Also, the Rebels win the ultimate battle giving you hope that good really can defeat evil in real life.  Han and Leia resolve their issues and finally agree that they are in love.  And there's a great party... you can't go wrong if you end with a party!

Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back

My Grade:  A

While Star Wars V:  The Empire Strikes Back isn't as highly acclaimed as the original, A New Hope, many Star Wars fanatics argue that it is a superior film.  It only won one Oscar (Best Sound) rather than A New Hope's six.  Maybe it's because A New Hope was so shockingly different than anything else that had come out recently so The Empire Strikes Back wasn't as awe-inspiring.  Whatever the case, The Empire Strikes Back has some of the most important reveals in all of Star Wars and builds the tension to massive levels in preparation of the final chapter:  Return Of The Jedi.

Much like A New Hope, this second installment is very good.  It has similarly epic music (scored by the masterful John Williams), and the story is highly engrossing.  The thing this film doesn't have to worry about that A New Hope did, though, is developing the characters.  That had already been done very well in the first film so this one can focus entirely on the story and building relationships.  It does introduce a few new characters, though, and those characters are very well developed.

The interesting thing about The Empire Strikes Back is that is essentially serves as the second act in a really, really, really long screenplay.  But it also has to have it's own first, second, and third acts.  George Lucas hands the writing reigns off to Leigh Brackett (El Dorado, The Big Sleep) and first time feature scribe, Lawrence Kasdan who would later go on to write Return Of The Jedi and Raiders Of The Lost Ark.  According to IMDB.com, Brackett wrote a first draft, then died of cancer.  After Lucas retouched her first draft, he hired Kasdan to finish it.  After all of that, they got a very strong product that isn't quite as good as A New Hope, but still is quite good.

Being a second act in a massively epic story makes this film different from most films because it allows for a negative ending.  Going into this film, you are acutely aware of the possibility that the Empire could come back very strongly... just look at the title.  So it leaves you unable to guess what will happen and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.  Also, being a second act, this film is able to (and supposed to) keep amping up the tension making it harder and harder for the heroes to succeed.  And that just makes for an exciting movie-going experience.

Star Wars IV: A New Hope

My Grade:  A+

Star Wars has shaped American pop culture forever and continues to do so.  People live and breathe for Star Wars.  And it all started with a sort-of science fiction film written and directed by George Lucas called Star Wars.  It has come to be known as Star Wars IV:  A New Hope, but when it hit theaters on May 25, 1977 it was simply called Star Wars.  That year it won six Oscars (Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score).  It also garnered a special achievment award for Ben Burtt's work creating the voices of the aliens, creatures, and robots.  But, more importantly, it has forever shaped the way people watch movies and altered the cultural terrain of the United States and beyond.

If you have ever seen a film, gone to a theme park, or been outside on Halloween, you probably at least have some idea about what goes on in Star Wars or you at least know the names of some characters.  But, in case you don't know, it is about a young farmhand named Luke Skywalker who lives with his aunt and uncle because his parents died.  His world is turned upside down when he buys a couple of droids (robots) because one of those droids has a secret holographic message to an Obi Wan Kenobi.  Luke figures it might mean this crazy old man named Ben Kenobi.  It does.  When Luke shows the message to Ben, his life changes forever.

The quick version of what happens is that Luke joins Ben on a quest to rescue a princess from a intergalactic battle station ran by an evil Dark Jedi named Darth Vader.  This quest takes Luke all over the galaxy and shows him that he has a destiny that is much bigger than he ever thought possible.  And, that "the force is strong with him"... meaning he has the ability to become a Jedi Knight.  His quest also hooks him up with galactic cowboy, Han Solo, and his furry friend named Chewbacca.

The quest gets much bigger in scope than just rescuing a princess, though.  Luke, Han, Chewbacca, Ben, and the rest of the Rebel forces have to destroy Darth Vader's intergalactic battle station called The Death Star before it destroys the planet that holds the Rebel's main base.  You probably already know what happens, but if you don't... just see STAR WARS already, please!

Star Wars sometimes gets a bad rap because its fans can be rather eccentric at times.  Some brush the film off as not that good, it's just a cult hit.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  While it's true that a film can become wildly popular because it is exceptionally bad (e.g. The Room), Star Wars is not one of those films.

The story is epic and on a huge scale, but it keeps its focus in the right place:  Luke's internal struggle of chasing his destiny.  At it's heart, the film is all about a normal guy that must join something WAY bigger than himself and essentially save the world... well actually, the whole galaxy.  Everyone can buy into that.

Even if you don't like the science fiction genre, you still may enjoy Star Wars because it is very different from other sci-fi flicks.  First of all, it is set in the past... think about every other sci-fi film you've seen and you will realize that they are almost exclusively set in the future.  It is wildly important to this film because the feel of it is very old-timey (it may not be a word, but you know what I mean).  Despite the laser guns, aliens, spaceships, and crazy looking planets, you feel like you are watching history unfold.  It's a fantastic thing to experience even though you don't really realize the dichotomy of that experience.

The only troubling thing about this film is some of the acting.  Alec Guinness is fantastic as Ben Kenobi and James Earl Jones does some amazing voice work as the uber-intimidating Darth Vader.  Harrison Ford captures Han Solo's arrogance very well, but some of the supporting actors are a bit iffy.  Most films are that way, though.  It's almost too much to ask for the entire cast to be amazing... but some films pull it off.

Overall, it is fitting that Star Wars is so popular and widely considered one of the greatest movies ever made.  It is filmmaking at its very best because it does exactly what film is supposed to do.  Film is supposed to tell an amazing story that allows the audience to escape for a little while and immerse themselves into the stuff that dreams are made of.  That is something that Star Wars does better than most.