LA Movie Review- A Million Ways To Die In The West

   A cowardly sheep farmer must find his courage when he is challenged by his ex's boyfriend and the deadliest gun-slinger in the west. Helping him in his quest, is a woman who is new in town, who happens to be full of surprises. A Million Ways To Die In The West is the sophomoric effort from director Seth MacFarlane. Seth MacFarlane also stars alongside Charlize Theron, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Ribisi, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, and Liam Neeson. 

  The movie is written by MacFarlane, Wellesley Wild, Alec Sulkin, the same trio of writers who brought the world Ted. Now, those three brought us a very funny film in Ted, but completely misfired here. The screenplay is bad, plain and simple. I don't have a problem with vulgarity in movies, as long as it serves some sort of purpose. For example, in The Wolf of Wall Street it added to the dimensions of the characters. It brought colorful life to their ways of speaking. Here it is just vulgar to be vulgar. It adds nothing to humor of the film. The dialog all feels the same as well. Perhaps bringing in another writer would have been a good choice, so they could add another voice to these characters. Seth MacFarlane's writing here doesn't really differentiate the voice between the characters. It almost feels as though he wrote for one character and then decided to split that character up into multiple versions of the same personality. His direction didn't help the film either. This movie was constantly uneven in tone. Something dark would happen followed by a fart joke. 

Seth MacFarlane misfires with A Million Ways To Die In The West

   Charlize Theron did what she could with the material she was given. She is the best aspect of the movie by far. Neil Patrick Harris has a funny moment in the movie and plays his part well. Amanda Seyfried. What a waste of her acting potential. Her character was the definition of bland in the movie. She had nothing to do and she is a very capable actress. I don't even see the point of casting her if MacFarlane planned to use her the way he did. Sarah Silverman plays a prostitute who is dating Edward, a virgin played by Giovanni Ribisi. I felt that a lot of their scenes didn't work together because their jokes weren't landing. Liam Neeson is not in the film very much. I wish his character was more fun so we, the audience, could have fun along with him. Instead his character was just kind of meh. Don't get me wrong, Liam Neeson isn't bad in the movie, but his character is a bad guy just for the sake of being bad. His character was very one-dimensional. Now onto the biggest problem in the cast, Seth MacFarlane. I thought he was really bad in the movie. All of his weaknesses as an actor are exposed here. His portrayal of the character was too sarcastic for my taste.  He had no redeemable quality that felt like he was worthy of being the titular character, or being a "good guy" even.There was too much winking at the camera going on from him.

Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, and Seth MacFarlane

   This is a well made movie. All of the sets looked good and the visual effects were all neatly done. Together with cinematographer Michael Barrett, MacFarlane made a good looking movie. The problem didn't lie there however, it lied in its director.  Too many repetitive jokes from too similar characters, and a lead who just doesn't work can describe this movie. There are a few funny jokes in the movie, but surprise surprise, the best jokes are in the trailer. A Million Ways To Die In The West is a comedy whose director found a million ways to make this movie disappointing.

2.6/5

LA Movie Review- Neighbors

   A couple with a baby is put to the test when a fraternity moves in next door. Wanting to feel young again, the couple is at first welcoming of the fraternity and their leader. That all changes when the fraternity's nonstop partying disrupts the baby's sleep, leading to a war between the family and the frat. Seth Rogen, Rose Bryne, and Zac Efron star in this Nicholas Stoller comedy. 

   From the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek, and The Five Year Engagement comes this new, fun comedy. Neighbors is a comedy that hits a lot of high notes. This movie has a great cast that work well together. Seth Rogen is coming off of his, in my opinion, best film last year in This Is The End. In that movie he plays the character he plays in most movies, which is Seth Rogen. If it isn't broken then there is no need to fix it, and in Neighbors it works as efficiently as it ever does. Rogen is very funny in the movie as a father who misses the ability to party. Starring opposite Seth is Rose Bryne who brings a lot of energy to her character. Rose Bryne and Seth Rogen's chemistry together is a big reason as to why this movie works as well as it does. Another big reason as to why this movie works is Zac Efron. This is my favorite Zac Efron performance. He isn't known for his comedic abilities and yet he hangs in there with Seth Rogen. 

Zac Efron and Dave Franco participate in a "Robert De Niro" party

   Zac Efron was really good in this movie and shows a lot of promise for his acting future. Dave Franco is funny and so is the underrated Ike Barinholtz as Seth Rogen's office buddy. Lisa Kudrow even makes a funny cameo in the movie. 

   There are so many memorable lines of dialog in this movie and funny moments. It is nice to see that some movies still believe in not giving away everything in a trailer. There are a few things in this movie that I did not enjoy. There is one scene that I really didn't enjoy, which I won't give away. It seems as though the purpose of that scene was simply to see if they could have gotten away with it and gross out the audience at the same time. The scene didn't really serve any purpose other than that. 

   Nicholas Stoller's film is a very funny one which had a hard job following Seth Rogen's last film, This Is The End. While I believe that he made a funnier movie than This Is The End, I don't believe he made a better movie. Still, there are plenty of laughs to be had in Neighbors, and I even caught myself repeating some of the movie's lines afterwards.

4/5

LA Movie Review- X-men: Days of Future Past

   In a desolate future, androids known as sentinels force most of the mutant population into extinction. In a fight for their race, the X-Men send Wolverine into the past so he can put an end to the events which lead to the creation of the sentinels. Simon Kinberg wrote the screenplay and Bryan Singer directed the film. Hugh Jackman leads the all-star cast also featuring Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Jennifer Lawrence.
   There are a lot of great superhero films; The Dark Knight, The Avengers, Iron Man, Spider-Man 2, and now X-Men: Days of Future Past can be added to that list. This is a perfect superhero movie in an era filled with greats. Director of the first two X-Men films, Bryan Singer returns to direct the seventh entry in the franchise. He sets the story in the early 1970's and fills the film's atmosphere with common tropes of the time. By doing so, he makes the movie feel as though it is taking place in an altered reality, complete with its own twisted version of our country's history. Singer's film is well paced and well made. This is a well edited film too. The film's 131 minute run time never feels too short or too long. Simon Kinberg's script takes care of past continuity issues in an incredibly effective fashion. No scene ever feels unnecessary or out of place. The special effects are all terrific and the cinematography adds to the 70's feel when it has to. Bryan Singer sets a fun yet serious tone and has many characters to play with.
   The time travel element of the film allows the combination of both, the cast of the original X-Men trilogy and the cast from X-Men: First Class. While he is featured prominently, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine isn't exactly the star of the show. He plays a huge role in the film, but it is a story centered on all of the prominent members of the X-Men, unlike what the trailers for the film would suggest. This is truly a team movie. Hugh Jackman is still great at playing Wolverine, a character he has been playing for fourteen years now. My favorite performance was that of James McAvoy and his take on the hopeless Professor X.

James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart

 The screenplay and acting add so much depth to the character, making him somewhat of an addict, and someone who is tortured by his abilities. Sharing the role of Professor Charles Xavier is Patrick Stewart, playing the older version of the character. While he isn't in the film much, he is a staple of the franchise. His wiser professor X is someone who can bring out the best of people. Ian McKellen is a great Magneto but Michael Fassbender makes the role his own. While McKellen's Magneto sees the need for peace and unity, Fassbender's Magneto is much more aggressive in his beliefs that man and mutant cannot coexist. Michael Fassbender is terrific at playing villains and what makes him so special here is the fact that you can understand his cause. Jennifer Lawrence is a much better Mystique here than she was in her last outing as the character. The character's inner struggle with right and wrong gives the twenty-three year old, academy award winning actress much to work with. Joining the cast is Peter Dinklage as the creator of the sentinels, Dr. Bolivar Trask, who commands the screen whenever he is on it. Ellen Page was great in her small, but important supporting role as Kitty Pride. Peter Evans stole the show as Quicksilver. His comedic timing was great, he was a fun character, and had the best scene in the movie.

Peter Evans as Quicksilver

   There are seven films in this universe, therefore there is a lot the audience should know going into this movie. To get the most out of the experience, I believe the audience should revisit the earlier films. Days of Future Past is an ambitious film with a lot of moving parts. It does a good job of cleaning up the mess that earlier X-Men films have made, but it also works as its own complete story.This film does benefit from multiple viewings and I encourage the audience to see it multiple times.This is a fun movie, this is a great movie, and this movie is my favorite of the year so far.

5/5

LA Movie Review- Godzilla

   Man's arrogance has lead them to believe that they are in charge of the planet. They are wrong. As nature fights back against the sins of mankind, the king of all monsters emerges. The film's title says Godzilla but he is not the main focus. The main focus of the film is on U.S. Navy officer Ford Brody, who is trying to reunite with his family while trying to stay alive. This ambitious reboot of the giant science fiction monster is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

   This movie will divide audience members who come across it. Most will argue that Godzilla isn't in the film enough, and while that is a fair argument, I believe less is more. It is true that the giant lizard is not in the film as much as you would like him to be, but that takes nothing away from the presence he had while he was on-screen. Besides, how much of the screen time did the shark actually take up in Jaws? Putting the focus of the film on Godzilla alone would have just made for mindless destruction like the terrible 1998 version. Instead by placing the focus on the human characters we see Godzilla almost as a natural disaster. That film's mistake was exposing Godzilla too much, a mistake the director here didn't make. After all, no mystique big mistake. Gareth Edwards made a wise choice by keeping Godzilla's mystique. If Edwards can make you, the audience, care for the characters, you will be more engaged in the story. We see the film through the eyes of the human characters, making Godzilla feel larger than life. Striving for realism with a flare of campiness, Gareth Edwards did a good job directing the monster flick. Together with the help of screenplay writers Max Borenstein and Dave Callaham he was able to create an experience in the cinema. They took the character of Godzilla and made him into an anti-hero, a sympathetic anti-hero at that. The three crafted a film that has a genuine big movie feel to it.

Godzilla: villain or anti-hero?

   Aaron Taylor- Johnson was the lead of the film. His character was abandoned by his family when he was a child and is unwilling to do the same to the one that he has as an adult. Johnson is a good actor and he is good in the film but some of the creative choices made for his character were questionable, as his character is written with unbelievable luck. Bryan Cranston, fresh off of Breaking Bad has a minor role in the film. He gives a performance that echoes a type of stubborn desperation that we haven't seen from the actor recently. Ken Wantanabe plays Dr. Ichiro Serizawa who is one of the too few nods to the Japanese original. Elizabeth Olsen plays Ford Brody's wife, Ellen Brody. She is a solid edition to the cast but like the titular character, isn't in the film much.

Bryan Cranston (left) Aaron Taylor Johnson (left)

   On a technical level, the film is great. This movie has some breathtaking cinematography in it. The special effects are incredible as you see so much detail in the monster and the cities. Composer Alexandre Desplat wrote a score which breathes life into the allure of monster movies. His music builds up tension and helps scale the creature. The movie is 123 minutes long and it could have been cut down to below the two hour mark.
   Godzilla is almost the anti-Pacific Rim, a 2013 summer blockbuster revolving around giant creatures attacking the Earth and humans building giant robots to fight them.While that movie had a tremendous amount of action, the human characters were all flat and forgettable. The weight of the film lies on the shoulders of the humans in this blockbuster. They used just the right amount of action here, teasing you with glimpses of battles before delivering at the end of the film. Despite this, it does ultimately leave you wanting more from it. This movie will split audiences, but over time I believe people will appreciate this version of Godzilla, even if they don't right now.
4.4/5

LA Movie Review- The Amazing Spider-Man 2

   Peter Parker juggles his romantic life with his crime fighting life while being haunted by the memory of his parents. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the most emotional and most violent of all of the films in the Spider-man franchise.

   Director Mark Webb has made only one movie outside of his Spider-Man films, and that movie would be 500 Days of Summer. 500 Days of Summer is a great movie which looks at the idea of love from the male perspective. I bring that up because that is what Mark Webb does best. This film is the most romantic superhero movie ever made. Mark Webb handles this element of the film perfectly. The relationship between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy is undoubtedly the strongest element of the movie. The chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone was terrific. You almost didn't need any action in the film because their story would have been enough. Mark Webb makes you care about these characters and makes you believe that they truly care for each other. The film is also surprisingly funny as well. Every few minutes you find yourself laughing out loud at the one of the movie's many jokes. Webb handles those two elements best but fails when juggling multiple story lines. There are a lot of characters in the movie and a lot of them don't get the appropriate amount of screen time. The screenplay written by Alex Kutzman, Jeff Pinker, and Roberto Orci crams a lot of story lines into one movie. These story lines were too much for Webb to carry and as a result many intimate moments were crammed to make room for the next subplot. This made for a very long winded and convoluted film.
   Visually the film is a mixed bag. While all the effects in the film are truly amazing, the cinematography was not. The problem was its inconsistency. Certain action scenes suffered from dreadful shaky cam while others were clear and easy to follow. The film also utilizes just the right amount of slow motion which allows the audience to bask in the glory of being Spider-man, especially in his swinging sequences. The looks of the characters were diverse in quality. The Spider-man suit has never looked better while Electro looked more like an angry cartoon character rather than a terrifying villain.
   Andrew Garfield completely outshines Tobey Macguire. Garfield is the superior Spider-Man on screen. He is charismatic, funny, and serious when he needs to be. Andrew Garfield brought a great emotional depth to the character of Peter Parker. His Peter Parker wasn't necessarily a nerd, but he was clearly intelligent. There was more to him than that. He was a friend, a son, a nephew, a lover, and a hero. Emma Stone was great as Gwen Stacy. She was more than a damsel in distress. She added so much to the film as a character that you want to cheer on. Jamie Foxx played the role of Max Dillon/ Electro. He was given a story arc similar to that of Syndrome, the villain from The Incredibles. Foxx is an obsessed fan of Spider-Man who only wants people to notice him. I found that story to be interesting even though Jamie Foxx is given some laughable dialogue. Dane DeHann is in the film and is a better Harry Osborn than James Franco ever was in the original trilogy. Sally Field isn't in the film much but makes the most of her screen time. Paul Giamatti plays the Rhino and has a very annoying Russian accent. Fortunately his appearance here doesn't take up much time and is mostly a set up for future films.
   The Amazing Spider-Man 2 does suffer from poor pacing but is still an enjoyable film. It is more entertaining than the first film but too many story lines drag down the quality.
3.5/5
   That is the rating the it was going to receive and then the final 15 minutes of the film happened. Those final 15 minutes contained an emotional gut punch of a scene. It was shocking and unexpectedly violent for a superhero movie, especially a Spider-Man movie. The movie then holds you in grief before giving you something completely opposite. As the triumphant Spider-Man theme by Hans Zimmer plays, you are given a great moment of hope that closes out the film. If you end a movie strongly then the audience will forgive you for any missteps earlier in the film. Although it is a very flawed movie, it is also a great piece of entertainment with an abundance of heart.
4/5

LA Movie Review- Transcendence

   Dr. Will Caster is a scientist who is close to creating a new artificial intelligence, one capable of being smarter than the entire population of the world. Threatened by the possibility of Caster creating what could become a God, a terrorist group known as Rift attacks Dr. Caster. Fearing for his life, Will Caster's wife uploads his consciousness into a computer as a way of keeping him alive. Transcendence is directed by Wally Pfister and written by Jack Paglen. The movie stars Johnny Depp as Will Caster, Rebecca Hall as Evelyn  Caster, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, and Kate Mara as the leader of Rift.

   This is Wally Pfister's first time as a director, he has primarily worked as a cinematographer. He worked on such films as The Dark Knight Trilogy, Memento, Moneyball and even won an Academy Award for Inception. Jack Paglen has never written a screenplay before this one. So what you have is a first time director directing a screenplay written by a first time writer. The combination of these elements make for a very lackluster film. That saddens me to say because not only was I looking forward to this movie, I also really wanted to see Wally Pfister succeed as a director. He made a movie with interesting ideas that ultimately go nowhere. The first third is the point at which the film peaked. It contains topics of morality which are interesting but at the same time there are little red flags in the beginning which are cringe worthy. You hope the film will get past them and continue to tell a compelling story but it never does. After the first third the film was moving very slowly and wrapped itself up with an unsatisfying finale. This film's science fiction element isn't anything we haven't seen before. Even the love story doesn't hit as strongly as it could have. The fact that the love story fails is a major reason why the movie isn't good. The love story between Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall is supposed to be the soul of the film and when that along with the sci-fi  isn't connecting you get a dry film. 

   Johnny Depp can be a terrific actor when he wants to be. Unfortunately here, the screenplay just doesn't allow that as he is essentially playing a computer. Rebecca Hall tries but her relationship with the computer just doesn't work unlike in the film Her, where a man falls in love with his operating system. The difference is in that film the operating system had a personality. In Transcendence we have Johnny Depp who has no personality at all for most of the film. It takes two to tango and as much as Rebecca Hall tries, the rule remains true. Kate Mara plays the leader of the terrorist group who believes Will Caster should be stopped. Once again, Kate Mara tries and the screenplay tries to make her a formidable opponent but you never really buy that. If the screenplay was better it would have expressed what the audience was thinking and that was that her character didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of victory. Cillian Murphy plays an FBI agent who along with Morgan Freeman is trying to stop this new Artificial Intelligence. Cillian Murphy as talented as he is brought nothing to this movie. I don't believe that's his fault either, there was just nothing to his character. The same goes for Morgan Freeman who had nothing to do in the movie. The once exception to all of this is Paul Bettnay who plays a scientist who was a friend of Dr. Caster. Paul was good in the film as he was a character who you understood and could get behind.

   There are good things about the film. Wally Pfister made a good looking film with the help of cinematographer Jess Hall. Jack Paglen raised some interesting ideas in the beginning of the film.  The other two thirds of the film really bring the quality down. It isn't helped by a one-note Johnny Depp and a cast that is mostly underwritten. This could have been a great sci-fi movie but unfortunately Transcendence  falls flat on too many levels.

2.5/5 

LA Movie Review- Captain America: The Winter Soldier

   When Captain America discovers that the line between freedom and fear is becoming more blurred than ever, he'll become a fugitive as he takes on corruption while battling his ever-haunting past.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the newest film to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is however unlike any of the previous films that exist within that universe. This film doesn't fit into the superhero genre. It transcends it. Captain America II is an action filled political thriller that takes you on an incredible journey.
   Directors Anthony and Joe Russo's film is a game changer for the Marvel cinematic universe. They directed a film which contains the fun of previous Marvel movies while managing to take itself more seriously than any of the other Marvel movies. The brothers Russo seemed like an odd choice to direct this film as they have primarily directed sitcoms such  as Community and Arrested Development. They did a tremendous job with this film. They did a great job of building up tension in scenes that demanded it. There were plenty of moments where I believed characters would die. They took me right into their world and made me believe anything could happen in it. The action sequences were the strongest element of the movie. They were shockingly good. I don't mean in a way suggesting that I assumed they would be bad. I was shocked by how much they raised the bar with their action scenes as they are absolutely incredible. Every punch, kick, and throwing of a shield is hard hitting. The film has some truly intense moments during these scenes which make them all the more better. The tone set by the brothers is fun and exciting. The screenplay they directed ensured that their Marvel film would stick out from the others.
   Christopher Markus Stephen Mcfeely wrote the screenplay based on themes of trust and betrayal. They clearly have something to say about today's world and they say it through this film. Aside from their clear message on freedom, they also did a good job handling the characters. There are some scenes that don't work as well as you want them to. They don't hurt the film in a major way, but they still do hurt it. Aside from a few hiccups they do an exceptional job. They along with the brothers Russo did a great job of making this film feel like a political espionage type thriller.
   Chris Evans was great as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Evans has the unique role of playing a patriot from the past in today's world. You sense that freedom runs through this man's veins. Scarlett Johansson is given much more to due with her character in this film. She has a larger role than previous films an with it she is  funny, fierce, and a friend to Cap. She is quite good in the role of Black Widow, who is an ever growing character. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is also expanded upon in the film. He has trust issues like Bruce Banner has anger issues. There are also several new additions to the cast. Alexander Pierce is a new character in the film. He's a powerful and cunning individual played by the legendary Robert Redford. Anthony Mackie is a fun addition to the cast as Falcon, Captain America's partner. Sebastian Stan plays the mysterious Winter Soldier. He was a villain done right. He has great screen presence. He was a deadly character who was a legitimate threat to favorite shield carrying hero.
   The first superhero film of the year has set a high bar for those who follow it. This film has a relevant message and a layered plot with unparalleled action. This sequel raises the stakes to an unexpected level and is a guaranteed great time at the movies. The Russo brothers have delivered a film that in my opinion is as good as The Avengers. 
4.8/5