Terminator Genisys Review

A sequel of sorts to -one of my favorite movies- Terminator, the humans have just defeated Skynet only to discover its final weapon, a time machine. John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor only it seems like this has already happened, yet something has also changed.

Apologies for the plot summary being a little confusing because that was perhaps my biggest gripe with this movie. Ironically, the whole parallel timelines creates some of my favorite bits where they recreate scenes from the first Terminator movie but add a twist. The parallel timelines device does make me like this movie moreso than Terminator 3 where the characters affirm that they actually have choice instead of being doomed to fate; however, it causes a lot of confusion and unanswered questions (perhaps purposely done since this causes several headaches for Kyle Reese). I won't divulge too much into it because it would spoil the movie, but the confusion and unanswered questions center primarily around John Connor and the T-800 terminator.

For those wondering about how Arnold Schwarzenegger's age would be dealt with, the creators of this film actually invent a fairly clever idea. The terminators have actual human tissue surrounding them, so it must also logically age (contradicting The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but season 2 can be ignored). On that note, Arnold again nails the terminator performance showing both heart and humor. Emilia Clarke and Jai Courtney do a great job portraying Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese respectively. They bring an original performance that feels faithful yet not a cheap imitation which makes perfect sense since -technically- these are not the same Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese that we've known before. I wish they could have done a little more with JK Simmon's character, but he had some great moments as well. Lastly, Jason Clarke did a phenomenal job as John Connor especially since his character underwent some big changes throughout the movie.

Lastly, I want to address the controversy that this didn't get a "hard R" rating. This movie proves that you can have an entertaining and action-packed movie that's not filled with nudity and swearing. The nudity is discretely concealed by smoke, fog, or well-placed objects. And of course since most of the violence is between robots, there's not a lot of blood. An "R" rating is needless and would probably cost the studio money. An "R" rating wouldn't have made this movie better.

I don't know if I really want to see this movie again except to possibly try and piece some more clues together to figure out the story, but I was definitely entertained throughout the whole movie. Great action, great special effect, and great character moments keep you engaged the entire time. It's definitely one of the better movies this summer but just not enough for me to give it 4 stars. As I said earlier, I think the only thing that made me not like this movie more is that the plot was fairly confusing due to either plot holes or questions that are never answered. Perhaps these questions will be answered in a sequel.

Note: There is a mid-credit's scene.

I give this 3 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked it. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

After supposedly taking down the last HYDRA base, Tony Stark creates Ultron in order to protect the world. Unfortunately Ultron has a different idea of what that means.

Hype was probably the only problem this movie had. It certainly lives up to it, but it certainly didn't exceed it (granted my hype may have been greater than most). Regardless, this movie is great. It doesn't waste any time showing off the Avengers as the movie starts off with the storming of a HYDRA base. It does a great job exploring the personal relationships between the Avengers and we even got to see the other Avengers (War Machine and Falcon) get some screen time as well as some cool moments. Lastly, James Spader as Ultron is truly a treat. Unlike Loki, Ultron can definitely hold his own against even the mightiest Avengers and has some of the funniest moments in the film.

I feel I must address the two main criticisms I have heard in other reviews that are so wrong that it bothered me. Iron Man's "retirement" at the end of Iron Man 3 is easily explained as the motivation behind the Ultron project. How these critics missed that shocks me. The other issue deals with Thor's "spirit quest". Without spoiling anything, it is definitely not pointless. It informs the other Avengers what the infinity stones are and sets up the next Avengers movie and possibly other Marvel films.

How does it relate to the TV show, Agents of SHIELD? As of this review, I haven't seen the episode that is supposed to tie-in to this movie (it will air April 28, 2015), but the TV show does tease Baron Von Strucker and Dr. List - the latter being more prominent in the TV show - who are the main HYDRA leaders seen in the movie. Not much else. Thor and the other Avengers are still certainly clueless about Coulson's resurrection. I'm not sure if Quicksilver or Scarlet Witch may be Inhumans - they are simply Strucker's experiments in the movie. SHIELD does play a role in the movie, but none of the actors show up in the movie - which makes me wonder how Fury acquires a certain BIG item.

There is a mid credit's scene which is going to make you wish it were 2017 already, but there is no end credit's scene.

Between the action, the character's relationships toward one another, as well as the welcome additions of Ultron, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Vision; this movie rocks. It should also be mentioned that Hawkeye finally gets the attention that was sorely missed in the first Avenger's movie. The plot was fantastic and the visuals were stunning. At two and half hours, I forgot how badly I needed to use the restroom. With that said, my only complaint -besides wanting more- was that Captain America's last line of dialogue was cut mid-sentence. When you see the movie, you'll know what I mean -especially if you're a huge Marvel fan. I'm sure it was done on purpose, but regardless, this is truly one of the most fun experiences I had for a movie, and I'm sure you'll love it too.


I give this 4 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked it. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

Peter Quill aka Starlord is abducted by aliens when he is a kid back in 1988. Flash forward to the present, he recovers a mysterious orb that is sought after by Ronan the Accuser. He eventually gangs up with several other extraterrestrial companions to stop Ronan from destroying the galaxy.

Like the first Thor movie, I was really worried over how much I would buy into this movie. Make no mistake, not only did I buy into it, but I thought that this was one of Marvel's better movies. Special effects were great. Despite the fantastic scenery, it never felt fake to me. The acting was phenomenal. The actors did a great job of balancing drama with comedy.

Probably the best feature about this movie is how well it stands on its own. There are virtually zero references to the other Marvel movies. There are two minor ones (which have the potential of being HUGE references to future Marvel movies) and several of the races that Lady Siff named in Agents of SHIELD make their debut. Other than those references -and of course the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, this movie is its own movie. With that being said, this movie explains a huge plot motivation from The Avengers (one of the two minor references). While future Marvel movies may explain this motivation, this is definitely the first that I am aware.

Since this is a Marvel movie, I can definitely guarantee you that there is indeed a post-credits scene. It has very little to do with the plot (if any), but it is certainly a huge laugh-out-loud, WTF moment. It introduces a character that has had its own movie before, but I will be surprised if I see this character outside of this post-credits scene.

Not once was I bored watching this movie, and despite all of the new characters, I never lost track of them. There are a lot of great action scenes, laugh-out-loud moments, and even some touching moments. It was definitely worth the ticket price!

I give this 4 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

Steve Rogers returns as Captain America, but this time he must face a familiar foe except this time he doesn't know who he can trust.

Sorry for the brief and cryptic plot synopsis, but so much stuff happens that I don't want to give any of it away. This movie has great action, great acting, and a conspiracy plot that I have been waiting a long time for. The fight scenes are each different and honestly get better and better with each one - be it a simple fist fight or a man with wings fighting a jet. Chris Evans does another phenomenal job as the Captain and same with the rest of the cast. The chemistry between Evans and Scarlett Johansson is some of the best I've seen without it having to get all mushy. As for the conspiracy plot, I thought the biggest plot twist was going to be the identity of the Winter Soldier which a simple wikipedia search would've spoiled for you. The biggest plot twist is much bigger and much more vast.

There really isn't too much more say. If you are a fan of the television program Agents of SHIELD, then watching this movie is a level 10 priority! (As a side note, if you thought Agents of SHIELD wasn't that good at the beginning, it gets a whole lot better.) It was also fun to see all the little nods that Agents of SHIELD expanded upon like security levels and whatnot. The main cast doesn't show up in the film, but there is a character introduced in Thor but greatly expanded upon in the TV show that becomes a very relevant character despite how short it is.

Since this is a Marvel movie, it is worth noting that you should probably stick around for at least the mid-credits scene which not only introduces a new villain but also two new possible Avengers. There is a post-credit scene too which while interesting is not really vital. 

I think this movie is better than The Avengers, and I don't care what your plans are, you need to see this movie. It's that good.

I give this 5 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.

Noah Review

I will preface this review by pointing out that I am a devout Christian and this may affect my personal opinion of the movie.

Noah (directed by Darren Aronofsky) follows the story from the Bible generally well but does take several artistic liberties - some good and some bad. The movie begins with a brief history pointing out that the descendents of Cain have thrived greatly over the descendents of Seth (Adam's two living sons since Cain killed Abel) with the help of the Watchers (a combination of fallen angels and the Nephilim). Noah (played by Russel Crowe) - the last descendent of Seth - receives a vision in a dream of a global deluge that will not destroy creation but cleanse it. He believes he is chosen by God (Who is referred to as 'The Creator' in the movie) to help carry out God's Will by building an Ark to restore God's creation after the flood. When he realizes that his sons need wives in order to repopulate the Earth, he journeys to a nearby village where he sees all manner of evil. Mankind has ravaged the Earth utilizing virtually all natural resources and even resorting to cannibalism. This convinces Noah that perhaps it is God's intention for Noah's family to be the last humans.

There are practically two separate plots in this movie. The first half is about figuring out Noah's dream and building the Ark in order to save creation. The second half of the movie is about Noah's cold condemnation of humanity which amalgamates to if his grandchild is a girl, he will kill her in order to prevent her from becoming a mother to mankind.

Before I talk more about the first half of the film, I really need to address what I feel is its worst aspect. The Watchers are some of the poorest CGI creations I have ever seen in a movie and seem really out-of-place in this biblical epic. I can give the added complaint that the Watchers are nothing like their counterparts in the Bible. In the movie, they wanted to help mankind so much that they rebelled against God in order to do so whereas in Genesis they rebelled in order to lay with human women. The Nephilim don't really exist in this movie, but the fallen angels become these horrible looking stone giants (a translation for Nephilim) but not the "mighty men who were of old, men of renown". Admittedly when I was reading about the Noah movie, I was really excited to see that Semyaza and the other fallen angels who are mentioned more in the book of Enoch (part of the apocrypha - not the Bible) would appear in the movie only to be sorely disappointed by this interpretation. Ignoring my disappointing preconceptions, the Watchers have descent motivations but their look honestly ruined every scene with them. Besides looking out-of-place, the way they interacted with the film reminded me of really bad animation in live-action movies from several decades ago. I can forgive their unbiblical premise, but I cannot forgive their screen presence. 

Despite the Watchers, the first half drowns this movie. It is very slow and not a whole lot is happening in it. It starts with exposition which helps explain Darren Aronofsky's view of the antediluvian world. The vision that Noah dreamed turns into a quest to find Noah's grandfather which seems like Noah and his family walking around surrounded by nothing. They add a little tension by having them be chased, but I couldn't feel any. When they finally reach Methuselah (played by Anthony Hopkins), he saves the first half a little bit because he is very charming and adds some humor. The movie slows down again when they are building the ark.

The second half of this movie almost made me like this movie. It's ironic that the first half wastes the wonders and mysteries of the antediluvian world, yet the second half takes place entirely inside of the ark and is an entirely more interesting story. Because of Man's evil, Noah is convinced that mankind should die with his family. When he learns that he may have grandchildren, he becomes very cold and states that if his grandchild is a girl, he will kill her in order to prevent her from becoming a mother for more humans. As you may have guessed, the protagonist of the movie has suddenly turned into the antagonist. Now needless to say, this is not the biblical version of Noah in any way shape or form, but I really liked this interpretation. You will literally hate Noah yet understand him at the same time. All of the actors are great.

There are some minor nit-picks like where did Methuselah get a flaming sword (and what happened to it) and why did Seth's descendents carry around the serpent skin from the Garden of Eden. I can also complain about how biblically inaccurate it is (as another example - in Genesis, all of Noah's children had wives who made it on the ark whereas in the film, they didn't), but the slow first half and the Watchers is what ruined the movie for me. I definitely could recommend this as a rental and you can choose to skip to the part where they're on the ark, but I can't really recommend seeing this in theaters.


I give this 2 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.

The Lego Movie Review

The Lego Movie stars a normal lego figurine name Emmitt as he is told he is the only one who can stop Lord Business from destroying the world.

This movie takes place in a world full of legos. And while it may be all CGI, it looks like legos. Nostalgia, charm, and and plain good-feels make this a true family friendly movie. Full of cameos, this movie also has a sense of humor that plays on many movie tropes as well as the cameos (even with the voice actors) that I'm sure everyone will find funny. The Lego Movie did not insult my intelligence and I am confident that people of all ages would absolutely love this movie. In fact, the twist near the end was moving enough to almost bring me to tears.

Stylish, fun, something that people of all ages can enjoy. I don't think I can say enough good things about this movie. If you haven't already seen this movie, I highly suggest you do. And be sure to get your ticket early since theaters are still selling out even a month out.


I give this 5 stars out of 5

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1 star = I hated it. Avoid it at all costs.
2 stars = I didn't like it, but you might.
3 stars = I liked it. Doesn't warrant a repeat viewing.
4 stars = I really liked. Has rewatchability.
5 stars = I loved it. Make plans to watch it.