April 2016: The Jungle Book Kills It

Okay guys, we’re almost to Summer. We’re almost out of the transition from the dump months to the blockbusters, and let me just say…this April was not great. Not terrible by any means, but there were definitely some tough ones. However, like any month there was one movie that had me over the moon. Take a guess which one? SPOILER: It’s not The Huntsman.

The Boss

Oh, Melissa McCarthy, why can’t even movie you do be Bridesmaids? When you’ve got a good movie to work with (The Heat, Spy, the aforementioned Bridesmaids) you’re hysterical. But Tammy? Ugh. Identity Thief? Meeeeeeeeh. The Boss looked like it was gonna be the typical bad side of McCarthy; unlikable woman goes to jail, get released, tries to work her way up in the world by being a horrible person and doesn’t learn anything. Did I guess correctly? Yup!

It’s not that The Boss is totally devoid of laughs. It’s definitely better than Tammy. But it’s just like every other bad Melissa McCarthy movie. Like I said, her character’s unlikable, she does horrible things to people who don’t really deserve it, we’re expected to laugh, we don’t. McCarthy is very likeable, and her work with director Paul Feig shows it. But she needs to be more discriminating when picking projects, maybe stop being directed by her husband, Ben Falcone. Above all, stop playing this type of character! I want to like you, not watch you get mauled by rabid dogs.

Score: 4/10

The Jungle Book

Until a few months ago, I was only mildly looking forward to The Jungle Book. However, after seeing some trailers and getting a feel for how it was going to be, they got my dollar immediately. And trust me, it was money well spent. Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Chef), The Jungle Book remakes the classic Disney film, expands on what made it so wonderful, and creates a fantastic movie filled to the brim with heart, laughs, and excitement.

Every time I see great visual effects, I think to myself “how they can top this?” Well, Jungle Book just may top them all. Almost the whole movie is CGI, and yet it feels so real, so seamless. After a few seconds I believed I was really looking at a tiger, a panther, a bear, a pack of wolves, whatever. The world Disney has created here is a living, breathing creation, proving just how far visual effects have come over the years and how just how immersive they can be.

But what really gave the movie its charm were the performances and characters. Baloo (Bill Murray in one of the best his best roles) and Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) are awesome mentors for young Mowgli, the former fun, carefree and lighthearted, the latter serious and protective, both well meaning and only wanting what’s best for the young man-cub. Idris Elba plays Shere Khan to perfection, making him a profoundly threatening presence that the original version couldn’t quite rise to. Even newcomer Neel Sethi was a pretty good Mowgli. He still has some growing to do as an actor (he’s, like, ten years old), but I believed him as the character and he did a good job interacting with an all-CG world.

Finally, we get to director Jon Favreau. Favreau has always been a great director. Iron Man, Chef, and Elf show his talent for storytelling as well as his range. However, The Jungle Book might be his masterpiece. After this, he can do whatever he wants if he couldn’t already. A Star Wars movie, perhaps? A guy can dream.

Score: 9/10

Hardcore Henry

I’ve got to admit, even as a big action fan I was very worried going into Hardcore Henry. The trailer didn’t wow me. The first-person gimmick has failed before (Doom, anyone), and even then it’s usually only lasted a few minutes at most. How could you keep it up for an hour and a half? The basic story of a cyborg trying to save his wife from waves of baddies with the help of badass Sharlto Copley (District 9) could be fun, but it’s pretty small-bore stuff. However, as I settled into the movie I ended up really enjoying Hardcore Henry.

A movie like Hardcore Henry doesn’t work without some kickass action, and oh boy does it deliver! The action is, well, very hardcore, bloody and gritty, and an absolute joy to watch for fans of the genre. The movie’s first-person gimmick could’ve been a big headache, but it ended up enhancing the experience. Granted, I understand why someone would get sick of it, but I considered the experiment a success. Also, I really was not expecting much from the story, but to my surprise I found myself feeling for our plucky cyborg. For someone who we never see, it’s easy to root for Henry along his trials, tribulations, and betrayals.

However, this is very much a movie for the video game crowd. If your opinions on video games are anything more than “eh, they’re okay”, then this is the movie for you. If you don’t care for them or are over 40, don’t bother seeing it. It pains me to say this, but the film’s low box office take is no surprise. I hope Hardcore Henry finds a bigger audience out of theaters. I have a sneaking suspicion that a cult audience is just what it needs.

Score: 8/10*

*If you’re over 40, then it’s probably gonna be 5 at best.

The Huntsman

Snow White and the Huntsman was an alright fantasy movie, nothing more, nothing less. I really didn’t care about seeing another one, but I tried to keep an open mind. There’s a lot you can do in a world like this and with these characters, and fantasy is possibly my favorite genre. But after seeing The Huntsman, my only thought is…why oh why was this movie made?

To get the one good thing out of the way, Chris Hemsworth and Jessica Chastain have really good chemistry. They’re both great actors, and I’d love to see them team up again in a better movie.

Everything else in The Huntsman is a massive pile of crap. First, I was expecting a prequel from the trailer. Turns out the movie is mostly a sequel! If you’re saying “but the evil queen died in the first movie”, well, they bring her back in the stupidest way possible, and it only goes downhill from there. The magical sister rivalry, stupid plot twists, and a heaping helping of fantasy cliches combine to make a story that’s both much worse than it could’ve been but could’ve made a great spoof movie if it were just *a little* sillier. Charlize Theron (great actress) phones it in as Ravenna, and Emily Blunt (even better actress) gives her only bad performance to date. Not even the visual effects are all that good. If you can’t even make your fantasy movie look pretty, you know you’re up shit creek.

Once again, why was this movie made? I have no idea who it’s for. Was there a mob of rabid fans clamoring for another Huntsman movie? Well, you guys blew it. Sorry.

Score: 3/10

Hopefully I get to finish up the month with Key and Peele’s hopeful magnum opus, Keanu. And next week, I get to see Captain America: Civil War! Awesome…

 

“Mad Max: Fury Road” Review

It’s been years since the collapse of civilization, and ex-cop Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) has been wandering the wastes ever since his family was killed. One day, he’s captured by a cult called the War Boys, led by the mysterious Immortan Joe. However, he’s soon caught up in a plot by Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to rescue Joe’s “wives” (read: designated breeders/sex slaves). Now it’s up to the Road Warrior and Furiosa to get the wives to greener pastures.

Mad Max is one of the most iconic, fun movie series of all time. All three films, especially Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, have defined the post-apocalyptic genre and action movies in general. However, it’s been thirty years since Beyond Thunderdome was released, and director George Miller has lately been content to stick to family films. Don’t get me wrong, I love both the Babe movies, but he hasn’t been in the action realm for quite some time. This made me nervous about a new Mad Max film, even though I was still excited it was coming. With all the good marketing and fantastic reviews, my fears were mostly laid to rest, but you never really know if something’s good until you see it for yourself. Well, is Mad Max: Fury Road this franchise’s triumphant return? You bet!

Mad Max has always been, first and foremost, a visually-driven series. They’re generally light on plot and dialogue, but their appeal is in telling a story through action, and damn does Fury Road deliver! The action is fun, gritty, and (this is very important) almost non-stop. Seriously, there is so much action is Fury Road that I think I’ve just witnessed a near-perfect simulation of a roller-coaster. From very early on, this movie takes you on a ride and never lets go. And best of all, the action itself is  truly breathtaking, and some of the best I’ve seen in at least the past five years. It’s hard to believe that George Miller, now seventy years old, is still the man.

The cinematography is also stunning. Miller and co. really took advantage of their African locations and milked them for all they were worth. Most of the movie takes place in a vast desert, with little to nothing other than sand dunes and such. But they made it look so good! I especially liked the night scenes, which were given a monochromatic blue look that actually looked really cool.

However, this movie would not have worked without a good Max. Trust me, Tom Hardy is an awesome Max. He’s one of the best actors around, whether he’s playing a vicious inmate in Bronson, in a blockbuster like Inception, or the only one onscreen in Locke. Here, he takes the role that made Mel Gibson a star, still retaining the general feel of the old Max while making it his own. He rarely says more than a few words at a time, but every line counts and he’s a compelling character even when totally silent. Charlize Theron is also great, playing a driven warrior woman who’s ultimately the most heroic character in the movie. They play off each other very well and give the movie a human side whenever they interact.

I did have some complaints about Fury Road. Like its predecessors, the plot is pretty thin and takes a backseat to the action. In fact, there’s so much action that I sometimes felt a bit overwhelmed by the sheer craziness. Most of the time this was the perfect feeling, but I would’ve like a few more moments where the movie slowed down, explained some things, and gave it a rest. I would’ve liked to have seen some more backstory for what Max had been doing since The Road Warrior and how Immortan Joe’s cult came to be. Then again, it’s pretty easy to fill in the blanks of the story and you can create your own backstory.

The previous films have all had great villains. Toecutter, Lord Humungus, Wez, and even Tina Turner’s Aunty Entity were intimidating and interesting. However, Immortan Joe is kind of a non-entity. The heroes were so cool, but it seems like Miller neglected to give Immortan Joe enough to do. It was cool seeing Hugh Keays-Byrne (Toecutter from the first movie) playing a villain again, but I wish it was a better one.

Even with these pitfalls, Mad Max: Fury Road is the movie this franchise needed to get the franchise back in the limelight. It’s big, loud, fun, and beautiful, with a pair of great heroes played by top-tier actors. It’s everything fans could ask for, but the best part is you don’t have have seen any of the previous films to get it or have fun. Go see it on the big screen!

Score: 8.5/10

A Million Ways to Die in the West Review

Starring Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, and Liam Neeson. Directed by Seth MacFarlane. Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, language throughout, some violence and drug material. 116 minutes.

I’m a pretty big Seth MacFarlane fan. The Cleveland Show and some post-cancellation Family Guy episodes aside, I think he’s a very talented writer and a wonderful voice actor. I was absolutely thrilled with Ted, and anticipated anything else he put out. However, even though I liked the first red-band trailer for A Million Ways to Die in the West, I quickly became concerned when I noticed that all the same jokes were in the trailer. I became extremely worried, and I can honestly say that I was let down.

Premise: A cowardly farmer falls in love with a mysterious woman. However, she’s married, and he must duel her husband to gain her affection.

Pros: Like any Seth MacFarlane media, A Million Ways to Die in the West has some decent humor. There’s a few really big laughs that are spread throughout the movie, and a couple good giggles. Some of them come from the dialogue, but the big ones come from the physical comedy, one of MacFarlane’s main strengths. There’s also a very funny musical number that had me nearly spitting out my popcorn.  

I’ve always loved Liam Neeson, whether it’s in a wartime epic like Schindler’s List or an action movie like Taken. Oh sure, from time to time he’ll phone it in, but when he’s on his game he’s one of the best in the business. In fact, I think he’s so convincing that he could say
“Phantom Menace was a fine film” and I’d swallow it hook, line, and sinker. Well, in this movie Neeson’s awesome once again, this time playing a menacing antagonist that provides some of the darker moments. He really should play more villains.

A Million Ways to Die in the West also did the one thing I never expected it to do. It gave Seth MacFarlane and Charlize Theron a lot of good chemistry. I admit going in that I thought seeing them as a couple would be a tough sell, but the more the film goes on you start to believe not only that MacFarlane could fall for Theron, but she could fall for him.

Cons: Does A Million Ways to Die in the West have some laughs? Sure. Does it have enough? Hell no. Some of the humor is half-baked, and a lot of the gags fall flat entirely. Like Neighbors, there’s a lot of gross-out humor. I think gross-out humor can be really funny, but you have to make it funny to balance out the disgusting crap that goes into it. This movie didn’t often do that.

Seth MacFarlane should never have cast himself in the lead role. Look, I think MacFarlane’s a great voice actor, with a wide range and scores of different voices to draw on. I even thought he was quite funny hosting the Oscars. But A Million Ways to Die in the West makes it clear that he’s not much of an actor. His character, Albert, is basically a whiny coward, and not of the lovable variety. Albert’s frequent rants about how horrible it is to live in the West grow tiresome, and he does nothing to engage you. All he does is annoy.

The supporting cast is used quite poorly. Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman’s characters are only good for one joke, but they go back to the well countless times. Not only do their characters suck, they suck in their roles. Neil Patrick Harris gives it his all, but once again he has a one-joke character, and the joke is unfunny.    

As a final note, A Million Ways to Die in the West is way too long. It felt like it should’ve been a half hour shorter in order to give us less waiting time between good jokes.

Verdict: On the MacFarlane scale, A Million Ways to Die in the West is closer to The Cleveland Show than the brilliant American Dad. I wouldn’t recommend it to non-MacFarlane’s fans, but if you are one (like me) maybe go to a matinee showing. You could do a lot worse, but with so many better movies out right now it’s just not worth the wait.

Score: 5/10