Movie Night: X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Review #584: X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Cast
Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier/Professor X), Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Halle Berry (Storm), Nicholas Hoult and Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy/Beast), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde), Peter Dinklage (Bolivar Trask), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake/Iceman), Omar Sy (Bishop), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), Evan Peters (Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver), Fan Bingbing (Blink), Adan Canto (Sunspot), Booboo Stewart (Warpath), Josh Helman (William Stryker) and Anna Paquin (Rogue) Directed by Bryan Singer (#008 - X-Men and #010 - X2: X-Men United)

Review
It's been a while since I've reviewed a X-Men film (The two I just listed along with #010 - X-Men: The Last Stand, #042 - X-Men: First Class), but here we are once again. This is a movie that tries to connect two timelines of this franchise and make them work (that and try and fix the problems of X-Men: The Last Stand), with the main connection being Jackman. With such a big cast and such a tall task, does this movie meet up to code? Of course. The movie manages to have good action scenes and a dynamic cast that you (mostly) forget all the confusing aspects of this movie (such as Cyclops being alive, but a quick Internet search always helps), and this is certainly an excellent X-Men film. The cast is good, though I'm still wondering how Cyclops gets more lines (2) then Rogue (0, which is a shame). Quicksilver is such an awesome character that is fun to watch, even if he's in the movie only for a few minutes, as Peters does a fine job overall. McKellen and Stewart don't get much time together, but they are fine as always. McAvoy and Fassbender are marvelous (see what I did there?) together, they work so well against each other, especially McAvoy, whose character undergoes so much change and still rocks a nice haircut. Dinklage does a good job being more than just a bad guy the X-Men fight to stop, and he shines among all the cast. This is a movie that certainly packs a punch when it comes to action, and it is excellent to watch, especially when backed up by a good cast like this. Is it a perfect movie? No, but it is a good, if not excellent comic book movie that certainly works in the right categories.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

Review #583: The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Cast
Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes), Nigel Bruce (Dr. John H. Watson), Richard Greene (Sir Henry Baskerville), Wendy Barrie (Beryl Stapleton), Lionel Atwill (Dr. James Mortimer), John Carradine (Barryman), Morton Lowry (John Stapleton), Eily Malyon (Mrs. Barryman), and Barlowe Borland (Frankland) Directed by Sidney Lanfield.

Review
I had previously reviewed an adaption of the classic novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (#272 - The Hound of the Baskervilles - 1959), which was excellent and such. So how does this film made 20 years beforehand fare? To be honest, I actually have read the novel (big shock, right?), and the movie manages to do a fine job in cramming the story into a small 78 minute window. The story flows well with the novel, not making drastic changes (The fate of the villain is left unknown, but leaving a little ambiguity as opposed to the novel doesn't hurt), and the landscapes look haunting and beautiful. The supporting cast is decent enough, but the main attraction is Basil Rathbone in his first movie as Sherlock Holmes, which he would play for 13 more films for seven more years alongside Nigel Bruce as Watson. Rathbone is certainly fun to watch deduce the crime, though it is debatable on whether if Bruce's somewhat bumbling performance is endearing enough to work or somewhat annoying. Whatever the case, the movie is simply excellent in its portrayal of the novel and manages to work on such a short time scale. Check this one out, then check out the 1959 film to see what all the fuss is about.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Godzilla (2014).

Review #582: Godzilla.

Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Lieutenant Ford Brody), Ken Watanabe (Dr. Ishiro Serizawa), Elizabeth Olsen (Elle Brody), Juliette Binoche (Sandra Brody), Sally Hawkins (Dr. Vivienne Graham), David Strathairn (Rear Admiral William Stenz), and Bryan Cranston (Joe Brody) Directed by Gareth Edwards.

Review
It may have taken a while to get to another Godzilla film (#167 - Gojira), but I finally got around to it. And what better way to review a Godzilla movie then the latest one? Imagine being in the theater, a packed house after waiting an hour (or so) in line and then a while longer with trailers and such (The Giver film sounds like it'll be awful, Edge of Tomorrow reminds me of Groundhog Day for some reason, etc, but you get my point), the movie premieres. And the biggest cheer of the audience in the whole movie? When Godzilla uses his atomic fire breath. Heck, even I cheered for that because some things are just too awesome to say in words, so we say them in claps. The movie itself is good and certainly deserves a sequel. The cast isn't bad (though I wish there was more Bryan Cranston in it), our main character is okay even though it seems the cast gets more screen time then the monster himself, Godzilla. The movie seems to want to build tension and wait, so it cuts the first two monster fights (along with waiting an hour to show Godzilla) so we don't see much and then relents and shows the final fight, which is fantastic. Godzilla looks fantastic, looking incredibly imposing, and the roar is just great to listen to. Gareth Edwards does a great job directing as well, making me hope he returns for a sequel. The movie may take a while to getting what makes Godzilla awesome, but the payoff is excellent enough to leave you wanting more.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Forrest Gump.

Review #581: Forrest Gump.

Cast
Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Robin Wright (Jenny Curran), Gary Sinise (Lt. Dan Taylor), Mykelti Williamson (Bubba Blue), Sally Field (Mrs. Gump), and Haley Joel Osment (Forrest Gump, Jr) Directed by Robert Zemeckis (#317 - The Polar Express and #352 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

Review
Forrest Gump is a movie that could be loved for its cheerfulness and epic way of storytelling or easily to deride for its over sentimental nature that make for an overrated movie (It could be argued by many that Pulp Fiction deserved the Best Picture Oscar more then this film, but that's neither here or there), but it is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. For me this is an alright movie, a movie that is certainly interesting and certainly endearing, especially with its performances. But he best performance for me isn't by Hanks, it's by Gary Sinise. Why? Because Sinise's character development from a character with a so called pre-determined destiny to a bitter vet who still manages to encounter Forrest is interesting to watch and his speech about how Gump cheated him out of his destiny is very dark but perfect for Sinise. It's not that I don't like Hanks as Gump, but after a while it doesn't hurt to admit that Sinise brings a layer of needed darkness to the movie and that his character is certainly welcomed in a film such as this. The rest of the cast is fine and quirky, the characters are about as whimsical as you expect (Save for Wright and Sinise, which is a good thing because too much whimsical would probably kill the movie), but oh well. The movie is certainly appealing, and I recommend at least one viewing to see what all the fuss about. Or (again) to see who deserved the Best Picture award more, but at least watch the movie.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Best Man.

Review #580: The Best Man.

Cast
Henry Fonda (William Russell), Cliff Robertson (Joe Cantwell), Lee Tracy (Art Hockstader), Edie Adams (Mabel Cantwell), Margaret Leighton (Alice Russell), Ann Sothern (Sue Ellen Gamadge), Shelley Berman (Sheldon Bascomb), Gene Raymond (Don Cantwell), Kevin McCarthy (Dick Jensen), John Henry Faulk (Governor T.T. Claypoole), and Richard Arlen (Senator Oscar Anderson) Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (#347 - Planet of the Apes)

Review
It's sort of hard to talk about this movie because when it all boils down to it, this is an okay movie. Fonda and Robertson are exceptional, especially when they share a scene, but Lee Tracy is even better, he steals the show and makes it his own in his final performance as he just dominates the movie with a commanding presence. The movie itself is alright, full of supporting characters that either are tolerable or just forgettable, though at least Kevin McCarthy is decent. This is more of a curiosity of a time different from now, but relevant in some ways that surprise even me.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Frozen.

Review #579: Frozen.

Cast
Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), Josh Gad (Olaf), Santino Fontana (Hans), Alan Tudyk (Duke of Weselton), and Ciarán Hinds (Grand Pabbie the Troll King) Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Review
Frozen is a movie that after watching it, feels like a classic. The songs are the first shining moments as they flow so well with each other and make a powerful feeling of fun. The characters are likable, they are fun to watch interact with one each other, especially Olaf, who is fun and certainly enduring, though Elsa is a brilliantly written character that is given her moment to shine. But most of all, the story is really well crafted, it's a really creative tale. The animation is wonderful, especially all the shots of ice because it looks so beautiful. Is the movie really great? Only time will tell, as movies come and go, but classics never fade from our memories, which is also what I say when trying to get "Let It Go" out of my head.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beethoven's 2nd.

Review #578: Beethoven's 2nd.

Cast
Charles Grodin (George Newton), Bonnie Hunt (Alice Newton), Nicholle Tom (Ryce Newton), Christopher Castile (Ted Newton), Sarah Rose Karr (Emily Newton), Debi Mazar (Regina), Chris Penn (Floyd), Ashley Hamilton (Taylor Devereaux), Danny Masterson (Seth), and Catherine Reitman (Janie) Directed by Rod Daniel.

Review
The sequel only happened due to the first movie's unexpected success (A family flick about a cute dog that's a success? Shocking.), as the main cast returns once again. The movie isn't really anything special, but boy does it try to top the cuteness factor of the first flick with not one, but five new dogs (characters, but whatever) in tow. Grodin is clearly having fun with this role, as do Hunt and the others in a movie that just seemingly goes through the motions of being a family flick with the tinges of teen romance, the dog slapstick humor, people falling into mud, the list goes on. The movie is at least enjoyable, if not just a bag of cliches rolled into one. But yes, the puppies are cute and destructive, so take this movie at your own risk.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Beethoven.

Review #577: Beethoven.

Cast
Charles Grodin (George Newton), Bonnie Hunt (Alice Newton), Dean Jones (Dr. Varnick), Nicholle Tom (Ryce), Christopher Castile (Ted), Sarah Karr (Emily), Oliver Platt (Harvey), Stanley Tucci (Vernon), David Duchovny (Brad), and Patricia Heaton (Brie) Directed by Brian Levant (#491 - Jingle All the Way)

Review
Beethoven is a strange idea to begin with because no only was this produced by Ivan Reitman, this wasn't released in the 1980's. Of all the decades that had story ideas, the 80's had the weirdest, and Beethoven is right up that alley. The 90's? Maybe not as much, but let's get to the question of this review: How is this movie? The movie is probably more cute then good, all because of one big St. Bernard. Charles Grodin is a fun actor to watch because his facial expressions to this weird plot of a movie and his timing is just right. The dog is just a dog, growing from small ball of cuteness to a hug tub of stuff, and he is certainly charming...for a dog. The rest of the cast (insert your David Duchovny X-Files joke here) isn't bad, they certainly work well with each other. The movie has some quirky moments, and while it isn't really that funny, it's a decent family flick, harmless to say the least.

And yes, I will review the sequel soon.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Last Action Hero.

Review #576: Last Action Hero.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Jack Slater/Himself), Austin O'Brien (Danny Madigan), Charles Dance (Benedict), Robert Prosky (Nick), Tom Noonan (The Ripper/Himself), Art Carney (Frank), Frank McRae (Lieutenant Dekker), Anthony Quinn (Tony Vivaldi), Bridgette Wilson (Whitney Slater and Meredith Caprice), F. Murray Abraham (John Practice), and Mercedes Ruehl (Irene Madigan) Directed by John McTiernan (#014 - Die Hard, #018 - Die Hard with a Vengeance, #080 - The Hunt for Red October, and #325 - Predator)

Review
Last Action Hero tries and nearly succeeds in its goals of action and comedy fun for all. It's a better action movie then a comedy, Arnold can be funny, but the movie just doesn't have enough comedy in it. feeling like more like a commentary on itself which while welcome, isn't exactly that funny (Though seeing Stallone as the Terminator in Slater's world amuses me), at least it tries. The cast is okay, but I find more enjoyment with Schwarzenegger then with O'Brien because at least he does something fun to watch, where O'Brien is just the second fiddle who could be easily disposable if he wasn't out main character. At least Art Carney is fun to watch in his final film role, he packs some energy and is certainly warming to watch. The movie doesn't really break any new ground and it isn't one of Arnold's best, but this is an okay movie that isn't hard to like if you want some good ol' Arnold and some good ol' fun. Take it for what it's worth.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Way Way Back.

Review #575: The Way Way Back.

Cast
Liam James (Duncan), Steve Carell (Trent Ramsey), Toni Collette (Pam), Sam Rockwell (Owen), Maya Rudolph (Caitlyn), AnnaSophia Robb (Susanna), Allison Janney (Betty), Rob Corddry (Kip), and Amanda Peet (Joan) Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.

Review
The Way Way Back may feel cobbled together out of tropes (The loner, the parents who are useless, the northeastern setting (I suppose), the one villainous character, the romance subplot, the quirky qualities of one or more characters), but at least this is a well made cobble of tropes. The movie has its quirks, it has moments of zing that try to make for a fun movie, which it does for the first half. The second half isn't exactly as good, but I guess it could be worse. Sam Rockwell is just a joy to watch, he has a level of quirk to him and he works well with James. James himself is a decent child actor, he works well with Robb, the chemistry awkward, but it does feel just right. I wasn't aware how effective Steve Carell could be in portraying an irredeemable character (no, Gru from Despicable Me doesn't count), which essentially tells me I should watch more of Carell's work. The second half just isn't as great, maybe it just feels so downbeat mixed with some sweetness just for kicks. The movie just has a bittersweet ending that either breaks the movie due to it being a buzz kill on the fun or it just wraps the movie up nicely and makes the movie work. I'm more on the former, but this is at least is an decent comedy that works for someone looking to spend an afternoon on a hot summer day...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.