Brick Mansions

Note: Before anyone reads, I just want to say, that I send my humble wishes to Paul Walker’s family and friends, who are still in deep sadness over the loss of someone who meant a lot to them. If any of them happen to be reading this review, I do apologize if I offended you in any way for anything I’ve said here. I’m only talking about the film and the film only.

R.I.P. Paul Walker

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                Paul Walker has been recognized by many as one of the best action stars of our generation, as proven in films like “Into the Blue,” “Takers,” and the “Fast and the Furious” franchise. However, the actor sadly passed away back in 2013 in a car accident, leaving behind a legacy that I’m hoping fans will remember years on. Before he did leave us, he was able to at least finish up today’s film, “Brick Mansions.”

                A remake of the foreign film “District 13,” this film takes place in the not-so distant future of Detroit, where crime is at a high (so just basically Detroit), and the most crime infested part has been barricaded. This sector, under the name Brick Mansions, has Detective Damien Collier team up with Lino Dupree, a citizen of the area, so they can find a bomb stolen by Tremaine Alexander before it blows the whole area to smithereens. Now, let me say I thought the film was…mediocre at best.

                While I haven’t seen “District 13,” I can assume it made changes that were approved by both producer/writer and star from the original film, since they took part in the remake. And let’s go over the list of clichés that are so obvious here: Rebel cop; father died on big assignment; cop goes to do father’s last job; villain’s a gangster who runs the turf; cop teams up with resident of area; one of them has a girlfriend kidnapped; there’s a time limit because of a bomb. Yeah, those are only HALF of the clichés that describe the movie. It wouldn’t be so bad, if the clichés used in the film were used to great levels.

                Let’s first talk about the gang leader of the film, Tremaine Alexander, played by RZA. Now the character he was playing is the typical gang leader archetype, being very dangerous with a few quirks, but…the way he talked was just so weird. Throughout the film, it feels like he’s trying to do an impression of Elmer Fudd, saying his r’s like w’s; I just couldn’t take this guy seriously. Another problem I had was they don’t have any focus on the people of Brick Mansions, except for the drug dealers. We don’t see any families that have been corrupted, we don’t see gang beatings, and we don’t even see how Brick Mansions came to be. Hell, we don’t even get a simple flashback of Damien’s father on the job and how it went down for him. It’s a movie! Show, don’t tell!

                As much as I enjoy Paul Walker and his work, I can easily say this was not his best performance. It’s not that he did a bad job; it’s just that his character was so generic and so forgettable. And like I said, I wouldn’t mind it, if the character was interesting or fun. David Belle, who was the star in the original film (as well as the creator of parcore), was just as un-investing; I mean, with what they describe this character and his backstory, I would have let this go if they did show us his life beforehand as well. Again; SHOW, don’t tell! The rest of these characters are either un-memorable or simply disinteresting, so there’s no point.

                As for the action scenes, it’s another film that has shaky cam. Granted, it’s not AS bad as most films have done in the past, but it still gets in the way. To be honest, I was kind of excited with the opening chase scene, and it was really tense and blood-pumping. However, it doesn’t go any further from that, with a few becoming very cartoonish. You know that scene in the trailer, where they fight the big dude and smash his head with a cinderblock? Yeah, he gets hit and you hear birds chirping…I’m not kidding when I say that.

                Half of the stuff they do in this movie, I have to ask one thing: why was this a PG-13? Seriously, if they had made this a hard-R, it would have made this film much more intense if they showed just how violent this place can get with the people in there. I mean, there’s a scene where David Belle is locked in a cell, and pulls a guy’s head through the hole, jumping up to force his weight onto his neck…and they cut to black! Out of all the things you could have done with this scene, the least you could do is just not show the head ripped off, but just the body fall with blood on the bars!

                Overall, “Brick Mansions” is a film that’s not worth the money. If you’re a Paul Walker fan, and you just want to see this film to show respect and support, I can understand. However, I’d suggest donating to his charity foundation as a better option, as that money would be better suited for a proper purpose.

Rating: 4/10

Transcendence

                Films based on artificial intelligence have always sparked interest and thought on whether or not we a progressing in the way of life, or if the advancements in technology is corrupting our society, potentially leading to our downfall. Films like “The Matrix,” “Total Recall,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and “The Terminator” films are examples that brought this into speculation. The advantages that we have today are seen both as a blessing and burden, each way we turn. The internet is a prime example of that, stating that while it does showcase things worldwide, it’s only a matter of time before it could lead to our biggest downfall.

                Today, we have a new film to also focus on this topic, “Transcendence.” The film is about Will Caster, a scientist who is trying to construct a way for life of any kind to be reborn, no matter what the damages. However, after being shot, Will starts to die slowly and his brain is transferred into his computer, thanks to his wife and friend. However, once Will is inside, his progress starts to exceed at a tremendous rate, soon becoming more advanced than anything in the world, even able to manipulate the minds of the ones he’s healed. Is this a blessing or is it a possible disaster?

                One of the problems with this film was that the entire description I gave you is the whole movie. I’m not kidding; every key point in the trailer is what happens in the movie. Now, there are films that have done this, but still managed to be very interesting nonetheless…this is not one of them, sadly. The film has a really interesting premise going for itself, and it really does make the view think about their output on technology. The film does go into detail on that, but the execution of how it was done really falls flat, and at times it gave me a headache throughout the whole movie.

                The acting in the film, while had some big name talent, was pretty flat as well. Rebecca Hall as Will’s wife was dull and didn’t keep my attention, despite being the main star of the film the whole way through. She wasn’t investing, and even when she almost was, it didn’t last that long. Morgan Freeman also appears in the film as Will’s co-worker, and I can tell he’s trying his best to make this work. As much as I appreciate this man and his work, I can’t say the same for this film. Cillian Murphy is also in the film, playing an FBI agent, but he is so forgettable in this film, I didn’t even bother paying attention to him.

However, in terms of who gave the weakest performance, Johnny Depp as Will was absolutely BORING. Throughout the whole movie, whether he was alive or within the computers with just a voice over, always kept that monotone voice the whole way through. I mean, sure he’s done that in more movies before hand, but he at least looked like he was interested in his performance, even in bad films like “Dark Shadows” and “The Tourist.” Here, it always feels like he’s sleepwalking throughout the whole film.

Surprisingly, Paul Bettany, playing the best friend character, was the one giving out the best performance. He was the one who actually felt like he was invested in his work, trying to do what seems like the most logical thing to do. I wish the film was more about him trying to cope with the fact he was losing his friend, and just on his beliefs in science are questioned in his decision.

The film was directed by Wally Pfister, better known for being Christopher Nolan’s Oscar winning cinematographer, and it shows. The film is gorgeously shot, and the visuals are actually stunningly to look at. I can understand the difficulties one can have, when it comes to transitioning from a cameraman to an actual director, as very few have done that successfully, especially when you’ve been under the wing of someone like Nolan.

Overall, “Transcendence” was…disappointing. I really wanted to like this film, and I was hoping this would be one of those timeless gems of science fiction. However, that isn’t the case, as it features stunning visuals and graceful cinematography, as the icing over a cake that’s made from dull acting, boring direction, and straight up disappointment.

Rating: 3/10

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

                As the summer blockbuster season draws nearer and nearer, we have those spring releases that try to get the big cash in, right before the big ones start to take in the cake as soon as May comes around. And in that run, Marvel has decided to take in on the task of raking in some dough, by releasing their newest film, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” But before we get to that, let’s talk about the first film.

                In the times of World War II, Steve Rogers wants to join up to serve and protect his country. The only problem is, he’s a complete weakling with asthma, so he’s turned down time and time again. After finally being recruited by a doctor for testing, he’s given a super serum that gives him super human strength, under the name, Captain America. At first, it’s just a promotional act for others to join the army, but when Steve puts his skills to the test, he manages to lead the people to victor against HYDRA, the Nazi science division, lead by the Red Skull. Why? Because he’s from ‘MURICA, bitches!

                “Captain America: The First Avenger” was the first film of “The Avengers” series that I loved since “Iron Man,” and is still my favorite of “Avengers: Phase 1,” because it had qualities that clicked in best with me. While it wasn’t as spectacular as it could have been, it was still a very exciting film, showing Chris Evans can play a stern leading man, after playing the Human Torch in “Fantastic Four.” It was so good, I actually bought on Blu-ray, being one of the first films I bought on that format.

                Now that brings us to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” After the events of “The Avengers,” Steve Rogers has been doing his best to catch up on many things, all while taking on mission assignments from S.H.I.E.L.D. After one mission involves saving hostages and recovering data info, Rogers believes there may be something he hasn’t been informed about, as S.H.I.E.L.D. becomes compromised after the encounter of the Winter Soldier. Now it’s up Rogers to clear his name, and find out who’s behind this and the mystery behind the Winter Soldier.

                Now here’s the big question you’re probably ask-oh screw it, I FRIGGIN’ LOVED THIS MOVIE! No suspense here, this was a very enjoyable film! Just about everything in this film was so damn exciting to watch, from start to finish. It has good humor, it has kick-ass action, it has a great story, and it keeps your attention at full force, without a moment of it getting too boring or disinteresting. The fact that this film came out on my birthday was an even bigger treat, as if Marvel decided to give me, and others who were born on that day, a surprise treat.

                Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers, and he still does a magnificent job. His performance in this film is a great step up from his previous appearances in the first film and “The Avengers.” We see more of his interactions with the modern world, and just how he’s been able to get used to it within the time he’s been here. Evans has really stepped up his game, and has become one of my favorite actors after his previous performances. He IS Captain America! It’s going to be kind of sad, when he retires from the acting job, but it does give me interest on how well his directing will turn out. We also see the return of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, and Samuel L. “Bad Mother Fucker” Jackson as Nick Fury, who also contribute well to the film, more so than when Jackson and Johansson were in “Iron Man 2.” They play major parts in the story, and they manage to help push it much further, showcasing many twists and turns in all places.

                One of the newest additions here is Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie. Mackie really managed to make this character very likable, by showcasing his sense of humor and how to get a job done when the time is right. It’s definitely a step up from how they did Falcon in the “Avengers Assemble” cartoon, which was just a stupid toy commercial (which by the way…Disney, please bring back “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”). Robert Redford also joins the cast, playing Alexander Pierce, a senior leader within S.H.I.E.L.D, and he does a magnificent job. His character manages to pay tribute to some of his work in the 1970’s, like “Three Days to Condor.” And why wouldn’t he give a good performance here? It’s Robert Redford, one of the greatest actors working today and of all time!

                Then there’s the Winter Soldier himself, who is an incredible force of nature. He’s ruthless, he’s powerful, he’s mysterious, he’s taking names, and he’s kicking ass. While people complained there wasn’t enough of him to call this film, “The Winter Soldier,” I was okay with it. I mean, people said the same thing about Tim Burton’s “Batman,” but it was still awesome regardless. Maybe this film should have been called “Captain America: Fuck Yeah!” but what can you do.

                Screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, return from the first film and “Thor: The Dark World” to write this film, but this time around have a new director controlling here. Anthony and Joe Russo, who are best known for directing episodes of “Arrested Development” and “Community,” take helm with this film, as the action scenes are greatly done, with some kick-ass features to look at. Only gripe I do have is some of the shaky cam, but it didn’t bother me as much as it could have. It does make up for it, by showing us that Captain America’s shield is one of the coolest weapon of the Marvel Universe. Iron Man’s suit, Thor’s hammer, Hawkeye’s bow and arrow, they pale in comparison to Cap’s shield, as seen in this film. Nothing left to say, except “I want that friggin’ shield!”

                Overall, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is so far my favorite of the “Avengers” series, my  favorite film of the year, and I can’t wait for it to come out on Blu-ray. It proves once again, that “Iron Man” is still the only one to have weak sequels.  And it looks like it’ll be in fierce competition with “Amazing Spiderman 2,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Big Hero 6,” for which one will be my favorite Marvel film of the year.

Rating: 10/10

Oculus

                When it comes to feature films, WWE studios seems to be much divided in my opinion. They’ve ranged from making stupid action films featuring their star wrestlers, or making incredibly dumb thrillers and horror films that are more comedic than they are suspenseful. So far, the only good film they’ve had on their track record was “The Rundown,” but that may be due to them having Christopher Walken doing what he does best. This time around, we get to their newest installment, “Oculus.”

                “Oculus” tells of two siblings, Tim and Kaylie, who lost their parents over a decade ago, which Tim was framed for. When Tim’s released, Kaylie takes him back to the house, with the mirror they used to own back in their possession, as she thinks it’s what made them lose their parents to begin with. Tim, however, has no belief in it anymore, but Kaylie still tries to persuade him that the mirror is cursed and that it was what caused their parents’ death. For a horror film released in the spring, I have to say I was impressed by it. Instead of most horror films relying on jump-scares, like the typical found-footage movies, it builds mostly on suspense and atmosphere to do the scaring for us. And for a horror film in this day and age, especially coming from like this studio, that’s saying a lot.

                The best part about this film that comes to mind, for me, is the two main leads. Karen Gillian and Brenton Thwaites as Kaylie and Tim really deliver strong performances and the chemistry between them is so believable, I completely forgot I was watching actors, but rather real people dealing with something of the supernatural. Watching them allows the view to think, was all of the stuff happening really the work of a cursed mirror, or if it was part of some delusion that was going around.

What threw me off for a bit, is that the film jumps between the present and the past, with no indication of it being the two years before, but thankfully it did manage to pick up after a while. The biggest complaint that I had with the film was during the flashbacks, it does indicate that the mirror is cursed, because I liked the possibility of it being a delusion shadowing their minds. I was kind of hoping this would be similar to “The Shining,” where instead of making it obvious that there are ghosts haunting the hotel, Stanley Kubrick made you think if it was ghosts or Jack’s insanity finally getting to him. However, it is the mirror, as it does show in flashbacks with the dad dealing with the mirror’s tricks.

Despite this, the film does showcase some really tense and spooky moments, like the biting of a light bulb, and Katie Sackhoff as the mother being the subject of torment to the father, played by Rory Cochrane from “Argo,” who they themselves give good performances as well.

Overall, “Oculus” is definitely a horror film worth watching. While nothing special, like “The Conjuring” or “Sinister,” it still has some strong moments that are worth viewing, especially when the Halloween time starts to roll around. Even if it wasn’t all that great, it would still be better than all of those lackluster “Paranomral Activity” movies. Screw that crap.

Rating: 7/10