Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens-Review

The Force Awakens for a New Generation (5/5).

It's been 10 years since Star Wars Episode III hit theaters and to some its been even longer then that. Star Wars has been the foundation for blockbuster franchises ever since it became a mega pop culture phenomena after 1977. Though I have always been a fan of the movies (minus episode 2) It never occured to me why Star Wars in particular became the mega hit it did. I always assumed it was the worlds and the sci-fi, which were cool and all but I have seen many a cool concept or great movie come and go with time. Star Wars was always a huge phenomena and while I loved to be apart of it, I always found myself gravitating to stories of superheroes and darker sci-fi. Well after seeing the Force Awakens I get it! I get why Star War is so huge and I see why it stood the test of time. Its world and lore may be deep and diverse but its the characters that make Star Wars what it is. The Force Awakens carries this tradition proudly and that's what makes this movie triumph.

If character are the center piece then it makes since that I introduce them. The two major new ones are Rae, a scavenger native to the planet of Jakku, and Finn, an ex first order Stormtrooper. Finn and Rae are both strong and incredible realized characters, even in their weakest moments the come across and human despite their reluctance or fear. J.J. (the director) wisely chose to cast relatively unknowns, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, in both these parts partly as an homage to the original trilogies cast, and as a way to introduce these characters in a completely fresh skin. These two are also accompanied by Po who just so happens to be the most fly pilot in the resistance. Whats great about all three of these characters is that everybody I talked to seem to identify with them differently. I for example loved Finn and sympathized with his position. I was rooting for him the entire way through, however when I asked my friends about who they liked they responded with different characters. The core of this movie is in the hands of these newcomers and I can't express how much they knocked it out of the park.

Then their is the returning cast. At first when announced I was a little nervous the hear everyone was coming back; I really dislike it when a story seems to pander to particular characters when there really is no since for them to be there, yet this wasn't the case. The Force Awakens uses each of the returning characters wisely and conservatively. When Leia shows up it makes since, when C-3PO shows up he isn't around forever, and when Luke.............well maybe I'll skip on Luke for now. A special shout out should go to Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Believe me when I say that not only was he welcomed but this movie may not have worked as well without him. He brought humor when some was needed, heart in other moments, and a since of gravitas to the whole spectacle. Not bad 73year old Harrison Ford, not bad at all.

And what about the villain, Kylo Renn. Vader this is not ladies and gentleman but rest assured Kylo is still terrifying and vicious when he needs to be. His presence on screen is intimidating not because he is daunting but because he is human. Adam Driver did a fantastic job in conveying so much of Kylo's character just through the voice. He is fierce and driven but also sympathetic an conflicted. The rest of his story you'll just have to see for yourself.

Guys I don't have to tell anybody to see this movie because you already made up your mind already whether this was going to be for you. What I can reassuring you is what you'll think coming out. Your enjoyment and acceptance of this movie will come down to one factor, the characters. These characters effected me in a way where few movies have, movies like Lord of the Rings, or the Avengers, or even Harry Potter. Epics that tell grand tales but come down to a compilation of personal journeys. Star Wars the Force Awakens has been put in the running with these titians. Its not a perfect movie and there are still flaws to find but we have been set up for something special in the upcoming years. This may not be may favorite movie of the year but It is my favorite movie going experience and that's worth a five to me. Time will tell if the new Star Wars trilogy lives up to the mark it made.

The Good Dinosaur-Review

The Good Dinosaur Is Only Just Good (2/5).

Im not going to compare The Good Dinosaur to any previous Pixar films in this review. As good as Pixar's track record is The Good Dinosaur deserves to be compared on its own merits; what does it bring to the table and what does it not?

What if the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs millions of years ago didn't? What would the world look like years later? Good Dinosaur has a unique answer to that question and uses the phenomena to construct a familiar boy and his dog story, except this time the boy is an Apatosaurus named Arlo and the dog is an actual boy named Spot.

The greatest strength of The Good Dinosaur is in its set up. Its genius, simple and unique providing for a feel that is all its own; yet despite its refreshing ideas The Good Dinosaur borrows more from stories before it then it really should. Arlo is strong yet timid, Spot is fierce yet innocent in nature. From the start of the story you know where its heading and it doesn't take any turns form there. There is the obligatory I hate you phase between Arlo and Spot, the bonding phase after that, and plenty of cliches. Another strike against it are the side characters. The secondary characters were really annoying and felt forced in this movie; outside a pet collecting triceratops and an enlightened pterodactyl I just wanted all of them to go away. There was also an annoying subplot carried throughs the film which served as a literal translation of Arlo's development of a character. When something is subtle it risks the danger of being overlooked yet in this case when something is so obvious it instead feels like the filmmakers spoon-feeding the meat of the story to you instead of allowing the audience to interpret a work of art.

It seems like Im being to hard on the Good Dinosaur, and I don't want to come across to cynical because thats not the case. I liked this film, I liked the story and liked a couple of characters. There is a scene in this movie that takes place between Arlo and Spot at night I think is very touching, but its just one scene. I don't think I like it enough to recommend it to anybody outside of kids who are hungry for stimulus. I doubt I will have the urge to watch it again and in hindsight it wont be one of my top three animated movies this year (and there weren't that many). Overall the movie is just ok, its clever and also really cliche and overdone. The nail in the coffin for me might be the character models which agains the beautiful back drops and animation just seem out of place. That on top of a vanilla experience makes the Good Dinosaur only just good enough to be a consideration but not a must see.

Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Pt.2-Review

Mocking Jay Squeezes Out the last bit of Enjoyment Hunger Games Has in It (3/5).

Mocking Jay Part 2 is a dark movie. It was clear for a while that it was going to be, illuminated by the third books grim nature and the natural progression of stakes laid out by the previous three installments. Everybody knew how this was going to end, hell I didn't read the books and I knew how it was going to end, but endings are never easy and never unanimously loved; Hunger Games Mocking Jay Part 2 promises to deliver the conclusion the franchise deserves, but in doing so sacrifices the heart that cemented its predecessors foundation.

The plot to the anticipated finale is a simple one. The Districts once divided by the power hungry Capital and its president, Snow (Donald Sutherland), are coming together. The Capital's days are numbered. In one last lash against the rebels, and in particular Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who serves as a reluctant yet confident figure head of the rebellion, Snow redesigns the capitol as a killzone of monsters and booby traps to punish each steps the rebels take forward. Katniss's goal is to get to the heart of the Capital, Snow's Estate, and finish the fight by putting the tyrant down for good.

Mocking Jay is a smart book and the franchise as a whole up to this point has been an educated one. I have shared nothing but praise for the last couple of movies, with the second movie, Catching Fire, being amongst my favorites of 2013. Unfortunately despite being the climax of the trilogy, Mocking Jay part 2 is lacking the heart that the Hunger Games has carried and, outside a few key scenes, is mainly driven by set pieces that keep the characters on their toes. Its no longer about Katniss just trying to survive and more about the Districts getting the justice they deserve. This shift of focus is critical for the film since it positions Katniss more like a pawn in the plot and less like a character in a story. My favorite moments in Mocking Jay Part 2 were ironically the scenes between Katniss and Peeta. These scenes were clearly only a side plot among the action considering how they don't even contribute to the overall climax of the film, yet they are the scenes that explore the most depth and internal conflict. The movie ends up focusing on a story it needs to tell rather then expanding or better incorporating the stories it could have told.

Another blaring fault with the movie is the ending, which I know is the main point of controversy in almost every reader. Personally I think the ending, or rather the idea of it, is brillant, however it was not correctly executed here as I suspect it was it wasn't correctly executed in the book. I had some big problems with how they depicted a couple of the key moments and there was defiantly a class and confusion as a result of poor editing and scripting. More of this topic maybe I elaborate at another date.

Mocking Jay Part 2 is good movie and its worth checking out just because of how good the movies before it were. It is most certainly the weakest of the bunch lacking the depth or heart that established earlier entires into my memory. There is so much to say about it but at the same time there also really isn't, it is what it is. I liked the experience, I appreciated the bump in action and tone but overall this movie just cant reach the highs the others hit seamlessly.