The Hateful Eight

I’ve said in past reviews that Quentin Tarantino is my favorite film maker. Hell, I’ve even made a list of his films last year, ranking them according to my opinion. And if you remember that list, you’ll know that I said that “Django Unchained” was my favorite film he’s made. The film had a very enriching revenge story, the action scenes were intense and exciting, the dialogue was very Tarantino-esque, and the characters were as memorable as the performances from their actors. While there were bits and pieces of it in “Kill Bill,” it’s nice to see Tarantino give out a full-out western film, with audiences enjoying it so damn much. In fact, even Tarantino himself had a good time making it, that he decided to make another one, entitled “The Hateful Eight.”

Now before we get into this film, it’s important to address the amount of controversy that’s been around this film for a couple years now. In early 2014, an early draft of “The Hateful Eight” was leaked online by someone who Tarantino was looking to cast in the film, and hearing about this pissed him off. It got to him so badly, that the guy said he would shelve the idea completely, and work on another project entirely. Fans, like myself, where praying desperately that he would change his mind and consider making the film after all, and this went on for months. Later on that summer, Tarantino gathered some of his collaborators and friends to do a live reading of the script on stage for an audience, which received great reception.

Due to the reception that the script was getting, Tarantino did the right thing and decided to make the film after all. It was an official confirmation, when Robert Rodriguez said that in front of his next movie, “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For,” would play a teaser trailer of the film, even before it went into production. And it wasn’t just to get the film a Christmas release again, like with “Django,” he went as far as to film the entire movie in 70mm Panavision film, a format that was popular with epic films like “Ben-Hur,” “The Ten Commandments,” "Lawrence of Arabia," and “The Sound of Music.” It would also be given the Roadshow treatment, with a program of the film, overture, intermission, and being shown at theaters that still used live film stock cameras.

“The Hateful Eight” features what you expect: eight different people, stuck in a blizzard, and have something detestable about them. Of those people, a bounty hunter named John “The Hangman” Ruth is taking the murderous Daisy Domergue to Red Rock City to hang. However, during his stay with some of the other people, he feels that maybe someone might be conspiring with Daisy to get her free.

Now, is this one of Tarantino’s best films? Well, after seeing the film three, I would say yes. It actually reminded me a lot of “Reservoir Dogs,” where we learn more about these characters as they interact in one location, and shows us the story in a non-linear way. Now that can sometimes backfire, but the way the film is executed makes it feel natural in a way only Tarantino would do it. Hell, it even has two of the actors FROM “Reservoir Dogs” in the film.

Speaking of the actors, let’s talk about them. Most of the cast playing the eight guys consist of former Tarantino collaborators: Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill), Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction), Bruce Dern (Django Unchained), Walton Goggins (Django Unchained), Kurt Russell (Death Proof), and of course, Samuel L. “Motha Fucka” Jackson. Then we have newcomers: Demian Bichir and Jennifer Jason Leigh. They’re all wonderful to watch, either playing characters that are intimidating, make you laugh your ass off, or both. If there’s one thing that I love about Tarantino’s films, it’s how the characters work off of each other so fluently. This isn’t a film where you’re watching actors; you’re watching these actual characters interact with each other.

Jackson definitely gives one of the best performances of his career, making him the most intimidating character to sit and watch. Those cold eyes staring at you could mean either two things: you’re dead or he’s trying to get under your skin. Walton Goggins was also very entertaining, and was easily the funniest character in the film. His eccentric attitude and over joyous attitude made me as happy as he was. He does have his serious moments, but he shines best when he’s over the top goofy. After this, “Cowboys & Aliens,” and “Django Unchained,” it just seems like Goggins was born to partake in modern day westerns, because does a damn good job in them. But out of the whole eight, Jennifer Jason Leigh stole the show as Daisy Domergue. Not only was she very funny, but her devious attitude was so captivating, like no matter what she had something up her sleeve to do or say. Even after getting hit so many times in the face, she never once loses that essence of evil bubbling in her soul, that you can’t take your eyes off her when she’s on screen. Jason Leigh is one of those actresses that’s been known to be very memorable without earning a single Oscar nomination, but that might be about to change after this performance. Other supporting actors like Zoe Bell, James Parks, Gene Jones, and even Channing Tatum were incredibly well acted.

The music by Ennio Morricone was absolutely excellent. It’s nice to see the man return with another western score added to his filmography after forty years, because it sounds glorious. Fun fact: Ennio Morricone also did the music for John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” which also starred Kurt Russell. Morricone had a couple unused tracks that never made it to the finished project. With this in mind, Tarantino decided to take those unused tracks and put them into his film. It makes sense, because listening to them on their own, I thought the music was to a horror film…and they originally were. That’s pretty damn cool!

As someone who lives in a town that still has a theater playing 70mm film, it was really neat to see this film get the roadshow treatment. It’s a damn shame that not many other films do this now a days, but it’s become a difficult method to do, especially with how common digital filmmaking is nowadays. But as long as we have directors like Tarantino, who will still shoot on live film stock, there might be some hope that further generations will follow suite to keep the format alive in some form or another.

Overall, “The Hateful Eight” is another masterpiece from Quentin Tarantino. Is my favorite? No, “Django Unchained” still holds that title, but this film’s definitely in the Top 5. I’m really hoping more people go see it, but I wish more movie theaters would consider bringing live film again. I want audiences to get the same kind of experience that I had watching it, on classic 70mm film with the whole roadshow package included. Oh well…hopefully it’ll happen someday.

Rating: 10/10

Next Time: Top 15 Best and Worst Films of 2015

Creed

            The 1976 film, “Rocky,” is one of the greatest inspiring stories ever told. The tale of a down on his luck guy, given the chance to fight a champion, and work his way to the top is classic and memorable. Sylvester Stallone treats the first film as if it was a biography on himself, seeing how he was a down on his luck actor, who rose to fame with both a tremendous performance and solid script. So solid, that it got him two Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. He may not have won, but the film still managed to win both Best Picture and Best Director, which is satisfying enough as is.

            The sequels from there on got to be less and less credible, aside from “Rocky Balboa,” which was really damn good. With how it fleshed out, you’d think there’d be nowhere else to go with the series, and it should just be put to rest. That thought changed when a spin-off film was announced, simply titled “Creed.”

            “Creed” tells the story of Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s friend and rival. Adonis is taken out of juvenile hall by Mary Anne Creed, and grows up into a simple life. However, Adonis can’t escape his passion for fighting, so he goes to Philadelphia to train under the guidance of a retired Rocky Balboa, and make a name for himself and honor his father’s name.

            Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best film in the “Rocky” series, since the first movie. Ryan Coogler, the director of “Fruitvale Station,” shows us through this film that he understood what made the original film so iconic and so memorable, but doesn’t make it a complete carbon copy of it. The film’s brutal, heartfelt, mature, and respectful to the fans and Stallone’s work. One of the best directed scenes in the movie is when Adonis is in his first fight after training with Rocky, and the whole scene is done in a single shot. The way it was handled and always kept the action going, I didn’t even notice it was one shot until the film was over. Thank you Mr. Coogler, and thanks to your cinematographer, Maryse Alberti, for her excellent camera work.

            Michael B. Jordan as Adonis was a fantastic casting choice, as he really gave this performance his all. He starts off cocky and is easily irritated, but as the film goes on, he learns from his mistakes. He does have a few smug moments when training with Rocky, but his charisma and delivery make them very funny, which helps with the character. With the weight he has on his shoulders on whether or not he’ll live up to his father’s name, you feel the struggle along with him and want to see him come out on top. If possible, I would love to see B. Jordan get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

            However, the best performance by far was from Sylvester Stallone, reprising his iconic role as Rocky. With all the things that have happened over the course of the previous films, the regrets and emotional struggles he goes through built up on him. He’s lost almost everything he’s had, ready to finally break down and let time take its course, not wanting to see another person he’s grown attached to fall to pieces again. The way he and Adonis work off each other is really welcoming, as he acts as not just the Mickey to Adonis, but as a father figure that Adonis never had growing up. I’m desperately hoping that Stallone gets nominated for Best Supporting Actor, because this was not only his best portrayal as Rocky, but his best performance throughout his entire career.

            Bianca, Adonis’ love interest, is played by Tessa Thompson. At first you expect her to be like Adriane, but she’s her own different character. She’s assertive, stern, and isn’t the kind of person to take shit from any kind of rough behavior. When she’s on screen with Adonis, you buy their relationship and care about seeing these two ending up together. Thompson is fantastic in the role, and if they decide to do a sequel to this, she’d better return. Other cast members like Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish, Wood Harris, and Andre Ward, give very enticing performances as well, giving the film a more full feeling.

            Composer Ludwig Goransson did a fantastic job with scoring this film, mixing in pieces from Bill Conti’s original score and giving it a more modern feel to it. It felt really exciting to hear the original “Rocky” theme song go on during the final fight, telling us that the torch has officially passed on. Definitely a composition that’s a majesty to the ears.

            Now the big question someone might be asking is, which boxing film I prefer this year: this or “Southpaw?” Well, I think they’re both phenomenal films, but their good in their own different rights. Do I go with the film about a guy, who lost everything, try to pull his life back together and claim custody rights for his daughter back? Or do I go with the film about a man climb his way up to his father’s legacy, under the guidance of his father’s rival and best friend? Either way, I recommend people go and watch both films and determine for yourself.

            Overall, go and see “Creed” while it’s still in theaters, you won’t be disappointed. The fight scenes, the camera work, the story, the direction, and the performances were all wonderful. It’s one of the best films of the year, and I’m hoping the Oscars takes notice of it. This film and “Mad Max Fury Road” are easily the two best sequels of the year.

Rating: 10/10

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

            “Star Wars” is probably the most famous franchise in cinema. As soon as it premiered in 1977, it exploded into pop culture faster than you could yell “SLOW DOWN!” It’s hard to avoid seeing anything that isn’t “Star Wars” related: movies, tv shows, spin-offs, video games, towels, costumes, toys, SPAGETTIOS, you name it. What’s there to be said about it that hasn’t been said already? Let’s first take a glance at the previous films.

            The original trilogy, spanning from 1977 to 1983, is considered by many to be one of best film trilogies of all time. It introduced the world to Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and brought a renewed interest in adventure films and science fiction, which paved the way for rival studios to try and cash in on the success with their own works. So many iconic moments in cinema have spawned from these films, paying homage to classic adventure serials while adding a sci-fi twist. If I had to choose a favorite, I would have to say “A New Hope” is my favorite out of the original trilogy.

            Then came time for the prequel trilogy, from 1999 to 2005. Millions of fans turned against Lucas for what he did in these films, even more so than for what he did with the special editions to the original trilogy. The political plot-points, the corny dialogue, the stilted acting, the racist stereotypes, I mean for god’s sakes, JAR JAR BINKS! I do think the prequels are weak, but unlike everyone who says “The Phantom Menace” is the worst, “Attack of the Clones” is the only film that I hate out of the whole series. Why? Because it’s the only one of the films that doesn’t have a direct narrative purpose. It’s just a filler movie. In fact, the “Clone Wars” miniseries by Genndy Tartakovsky felt more like an “Episode II” than the actual film.

            So yeah, “Star Wars” has definitely been something that people go into detail on constantly. While I’m not TOO big into it today, it’s still pretty damn impressive how far it’s gone. As you can imagine, when news of Disney buying the rights to the franchise and announced “Episode VII” back in 2012, fans were hyped. The hype went even higher when J.J. Abrams was announced to direct the film, coming off the recent reboot of “Star Trek.” While I was looking forward to seeing what Abrams would do with the films, I wasn’t quite as hyped as everyone else was. Not that I was being skeptical about it, but I wanted to keep my expectations at a reasonable level.

            Now that “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” has hit theaters, what do I think of it? Well, my feelings toward this film are about the same as “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron”: it’s good and very entertaining, but I don’t think it’s AS big of an experience as everyone would make it out to be.

            In this film, it’s been years since the empire has been taken down, but it’s risen again under the First Order, led by Kylo Ren. During its war with the Resistance, we follow a lone scavenger named Rey, who gets caught up in the middle of the war, after encountering Finn, a traitor of the First Order, and BB-8, a droid from the Resistance that has important information on the whereabouts of a missing Luke Skywalker.

            One of the major selling points is the returning use of practical effects. It’s not like the prequels where they’re surrounded by blue screen or the special editions where it’s thrown in for no reason; you’re seeing actual sets, puppets, and animatronics. CGI is used in the film, but it’s only to a minimum. They use it for certain effects when it’s absolutely necessary, and it all fits in with the story. Thank you, Mr. Abrams for being dedicated to the craft of film making.

            The performances in the film were also handled very nicely. Daisy Ridley as Rey was a very likable protagonist, showing her capabilities through battle and her travels. Even when captured, she’s still stands up for herself. It was also very refreshing to see more female fighters in the “Star Wars” films, in the same vein as when we saw Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” I don’t know why, maybe it’s because they both start off in the desert. John Boyega as Finn also gives a very sympathetic performance. While he may start out as a Stormtrooper clone, he still has a conscience of his own. Boyega does a great job as a man who is determined to do what he believes is right, even if it means changing sides. It’s really nice to see the star of “Attack the Block” go to a much more mainstream movie in the span of four years. I was really glad to see Oscar Isaac as the Resistance X-Wing Fighter, Poe, but he sadly gets pushed aside for a majority of the film. Oh well, maybe we’ll get more of him in the sequel. Adam Driver plays Kylo Ren, the new Sith lord following Darth Vader. He provides a strong intimidation factor through the film, and gives the new characters a run for their money. This is a guy who means business, willing to do anything in his power to take charge of the war and surpass Lord Vader.

            As you’d expect, the actors from the original trilogy make their return. Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill, the gang’s all here, and they’re just as good as they were back in 1983. We even get cameos from other “Star Wars” related actors like Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz, Warwick Davis, and even some big name actors like Bill Hader, Ben Schwartz, Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, Lupita Nyong’o, Kevin Smith, and Max Von Sydow. They even work in a cameo for Alec Guinness, the original Obi-Wan, by using archival audio. That was a nice little nod to the fans.

            Now if I have any complaints, it would have to be with the film’s plot. Not to go too deep into spoilers, but the film’s story does have a lot of similarities to “A New Hope.” “A New Hope” is my favorite of the series, but it is very noticeable through some key scenes, which leads to very predictable moments. This isn’t the first time Abrams has done this; “Star Trek Into Darkness,” was simply a retelling of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.”

            Now with more films planned in the series, each of them having a different director on board, am I excited for “Episode VIII?” Well, considering they have Rian Johnson, the director of “Brick” and “Looper” on board, I’ll admit I’m a little more excited to see that. However, I will keep my expectation reasonable, so I don’t overhype myself.

            Overall, is “The Force Awakens” worth seeing? Absolutely. It gives the fans what they want: a “Star Wars” film that’s made for fans BY fans. It’s easy to understand the pressure Abrams was going through when developing this movie, but in the end it pays off for the most part. I’d say go and give it a watch, but I’m guessing you already have.

Rating: 8/10

Krampus

            With the amount of Christmas films we’ve seen over the years that feature Santa Clause, there’s always at least one film every few years that tries to change it up a bit. Sometimes you’ll have drunk Santa, slasher film Santa, vigilante Santa, all different kinds to change things up a bit. But how about instead of Santa coming to visit you this year, you get visited by Krampus? For those who don’t know, Krampus is the figure of Austro-Bavarian Christmas folklore, who punishes the children who have misbehaved around Christmas time, whether it’d be taking away their gifts or taking the children themselves away. To put it simply, he’s a reverse Santa Clause. Over the years, the creature himself has been making more of an appearance in most pop culture, including a feature film simply titled, “Krampus.”

            In the film, we follow a suburban family trying to survive the holidays, with the son, Max, wishing things could go back to the traditions that were before. However, dealing with his cousins and douche of an uncle and great-aunt, who patronize him for his belief in Santa, causes Max to tear up his letter and throw it away. This results in a massive snow storm, where the family is attacked one by one by Krampus and his minions.

            Now the one thing that worried me about this film was that it’s a horror film, but also a comedy. That worried me for two reasons: #1 – Horror-comedies are usually hit or miss, and rarely finds a proper balance between the two genres, unless you have a director who knows what he or she is doing. And #2 – The last horror-comedy I saw was “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse”…and you all know how well THAT film turned out. To further that point, David Koechner is in both films, and he usually sucks in horror-comedies. However, what kept me wanting to be reasonable about the film was that it had other stars in it, like Adam Scott and Toni Collette as the normal couple, and Conchata Ferrell as the alcoholic great-aunt. That, and it was being handled by Michael Dougherty, the same guy who brought us “Trick ‘r Treat,” which is a great modern Halloween classic.

            How did it fair out? Well, let me get out of the way what I hated about the film. The in-laws, while acted fine, are written to be obnoxious. A lot of their dialogue to tease and be mean to each other got on my nerves very fast. Even Max, who is essentially the main character, had his share of annoying moments. There were a good majority of funny lines with them and a couple humanizing moments, but not enough to say they were likable.

            Aside from that, just about everything else was done extremely well. Adam Scott and Toni Collette have very good chemistry together as a workaholic father and over-worrying mother. Their timing, reactions, and quick thinking do make you care for the two, and hope for the better with them. I’m glad to be seeing Adam Scott work in different genres of film, especially in another horror-comedy since “Piranha 3D.” I also want to give props to Krista Stadler, who plays the grandmother of the family. The story involving her experience with Krampus was truly something to be fascinated by, especially with the flashback being a haunting animated sequence. She really did a wonderful job and gave the best performance in the whole film.

            Now let me talk about the meat and bones of this movie, and that is Krampus and his minions. The look of these creatures is astounding and actually did seem terrifying during their scenes. The demonic jack-in-the-box, the grizzly teddy bear, and the elves are so creatively designed and their scenes really sent chills down my spine. The built up they did with Krampus was handled extremely well, keeping him in shadow for most of the film, but still being a very persuasive demonic entity. And the best part about them is that they were all PRACTICAL EFFECTS. They took the time and effort to actually design these costumes and puppets, which added so much to the creep factor. In fact, the times they use CGI is done to a minimum when they really need to do it, which is how it should be done. Michael Dougherty really does a fantastic job in delivering suspense and scares to a film like this. This is a film that definitely takes its place among other Christmas horror classics like “Silent Night Deadly Night,” “Christmas Evil,” “Black Christmas,” and films its drawn influence from like “Gremlins.”

            I will have to say though, the ending was a little off putting. I felt like it would have worked out better if it ended about ten minutes earlier, but instead it dragged on a little too long. And just when I thought they were going to puss out with a happy ending, it then gives a “Jeepers Creepers” style ending, which made me a little bit happier.

            Overall, “Krampus” is a film that I definitely feel comfortable recommending. If you’re looking for a little bit more spice than sweet for your Christmas movie season, then go and give “Krampus” a watch.

Rating: 8/10

The Night Before

            It’s the holidays, and that time of year when movies try to get people in the spirits and become the next big holiday classic. And to kick that off, we have Jonathan Levine’s “The Night Before.”

The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie, as a trio of friends who have a lot going on in their lives. Mackie’s a famous athlete, Rogen’s going to be a dad, and Gordon-Levitt is a struggling artist working as a caterer. With so much going on, they decide to make this year’s traditional Christmas get together their last and best, and attend a party they’ve been pining to go to for years.

            The film is a very charming and lovable comedy that I enjoyed watching with my girlfriend, and we had a fun time laughing at all the shenanigans that the three get into. Sure a lot of it is sophomoric humor, but the way these guys deliver the jokes is what makes it work. Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, and Mackie work off of each other so well with these jokes, and the chemistry is very believable. You buy their friendship, which is one of the major rules of any comedy, and they nail it.

            The supporting cast also gets in a few laughs as well. Michael Shannon plays a weed dealer from the trio’s school days, who foreshadows events in the film, but his delivery makes you believe that he’s just spouting things out because he’s high. His timing and delivery make this character so fun to watch, showing Shannon’s versatility as an actor. Jillian Bell, who played the villain in “22 Jump Street,” plays Rogen’s pregnant wife. Some of the best laughs do come from when she and Rogen are talking about this baby, especially with one subplot involving Rogen’s phone switched with Mindy Kaling.

            If I had to list any problems with the film, I’d say that the beginning was a bit slow and a bit dark. Not that it was bad, but it does take a bit of time for things to really get things in motion. Aside from that, everything else really stuck to its guns and was one hell of a fun time. Hell, we even get some fun cameos from James Franco, Tracy Morgan, and Miley Cyrus (don’t worry, she’s good in the film).

            Overall, “The Night Before” is one hell of a good time. If you’ve got family visiting and they want to go out to a theater to see a movie, this is what I’d recommend. The acting’s great, the jokes are great, and it’s a load of fun. Check it out and see what you think.

Rating: 9/10

The Good Dinosaur

            So after the 20 years that Pixar has been making feature films, I recently payed homage to all of them in my recent review of all of them. Even with the worst of Pixar’s work, I can still find a good amount of enjoyment with them, with some form of satisfaction on my face. Now it’s only fitting I finish things out with their second film of the year, “The Good Dinosaur.”

Now before I get into this, let me first talk about this film’s troubling production history. Bob Peterson’s project about a dinosaur and a little boy had first been announced back in 2009, and two years later had its plot and title, “The Good Dinosaur,” fully announced. It was scheduled for a 2013 release, but it was pushed back to make room for the release of “Frozen.” So the film was set for release in 2014, but the film was delayed again in October of 2013. Why? Well, because Peterson was dealing with some harsh troubles with the story, not knowing where to end it, he was booted off of the project. This left us with no Pixar film to be released in 2014, thus the short film that was originally planned for it, “Monsters University: Party Monster” had to be put in front of “Muppets Most Wanted.” Afterwards, Peter Sohn was called up to take over and finish what Peterson started, and the film was then set to release on Thanksgiving of 2015. The teams were different, the cast was different, almost everything had to be changed up.

Now after such a long delay, after it finally was able to be finished, did “The Good Dinosaur” pay off? In my eyes, it did…to a certain degree.

In an alternate universe where the meteor that killed the dinosaurs misses, we are introduced to an Apatosaurus family that lives off of the land itself.  A strong willed father, a caring mother, a brute of an oldest boy, a playful and teasing daughter, and the runt of the litter, Arlo. Arlo lives most of his life as a coward, unable to do something great to earn a mark on the family silo. After his dad dies from a storm after forcing him to go after a critter he let escape, Arlo falls into the river and gets lost away from the family. His only hope now is to travel with the human boy, who he names “Spot,” all the while meeting colorful characters along the way.

The major highlight of this film is the animation, which looks tremendous, even for Pixar standards. Mother Nature’s beauty has never looked better in animated form, as the attention to detail was taken into extreme care, like a real live human could walk on screen and nothing would look out of place. With how long this movie was delayed for, they really did their best to make it look as gorgeous as possible. The designs of the characters really stick out too. While the Apatosaurus family does have a similar color scheme, they have very distinct features to them that makes them stand out, such as their jawlines and physique. Same goes for the rest of the dinosaurs in the film, such as the T-Rex family, each having different scars on their bodies. I also love some of the cool shots they get of the film, like when you have pterodactyls act as sharks in a cloudy sky. They also deliver some really good visual humor, such as Spot decapitating a giant bug and a scene where Arlo and Spot get high, which is the writer’s excuse to tell the animators, “Have fun with this scene.”

The voice acting in the film was good from most of the cast, with actors like Jeffery Wright, Frances MacDormand, Sam Elliot, and Anna Paquin doing a good job with what they’re given, but I think the film would have been stronger if it had been a silent film. Like I said, the visuals are astounding, and with how good they are, they could have easily done without any dialogue.

           

As for everything else, it’s good, but nothing groundbreaking. The story is stuff we’ve all heard before, of a low-life who gets taken from his home and becomes a stronger person along the journey, thus earning the respect he’s wanted. With the themes and elements you see, it’s kind of like an animated buddy road western, but with dinosaurs. It’s handled nicely, but nothing that makes it stand out. The weakest point of the film is probably the emotional draw that Pixar’s known for. While it was there at times, how it was put into the film felt forced, like it was something that they forgot to put into the film and added it in at the last minute. And with a story like this, you can see why.

With that said, does that make “The Good Dinosaur” a bad film? Absolutely not! What saves this film is the tremendous animation effort and bits of comic relief. The story and characters weren’t great, but they were still good. It may be one of Pixar’s weaker films, but that doesn’t make it a bad film. With all the production difficulties that this film had gone through, I’m glad that they were able to finish it and make it at least enjoyable. At the end of the day, it’s still a harmless film that I enjoyed and recommend people go and give it a watch.

Rating: 8/10

Sinatra 100: My favorite Frank Sinatra songs

Today is a day that truly defines celebration. While we’ve had film anniversaries and others like that, this one is in honor of one of the greatest celebrities of the 20th century: Frank Sinatra.

As I continued to grow up, I became more infatuated with the legacy of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, from his crime filled youth to his time with the Rat Pack. He really became an icon of American culture, and nothing could ever change that. He’s influenced a majority of celebrities with the one thing that has been associated with him best: the songs he sang. And in honor of Sinatra’s 100th birthday, I bring to you my favorite songs that the good man sang. No particular order needed, and no need to go into detail on them. Take a listen and enjoy the music.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Sinatra:

x x x

Luck Be A Lady



If I Loved You



You’ll Never Walk Alone



Saturday Night



She’s Funny That Way



The Best Is Yet to Come



Come Fly With Me



Fly Me To The Moon



I Get A Kick Out of You



I’ve Got You Under My Skin



My Kind of Town



New York, New York



Something Stupid



Here's another version of Something Stupid, with Frank's son and daughter:



Strangers In The Night



Summer Wind



That’s Life



They Can’t Take That Away From Me



We Open In Venice



What Now My Love



You Make Me Feel So Young



Angel Eyes



My Way

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

            “The Hunger Games” films have definitely made an impact on this generation of film goers haven’t they? Being the next YA franchise that “Harry Potter” passed the torch onto, people have gone nuts for seeing more of what would be brought to the table in their film adaptations. And as you would have guessed, I am one of those people who grew to love the films.

            The first film, directed by Gary Ross, introduced movie goers to the heroine, Katniss Everdeen, an archer of District 12 who volunteers as tribute to the 74^th Annual Hunger Games, when her sister Primrose is selected. Afterwards, she and Peeta become part of this reality show of survival, and seeing the true brutal nature that the games really are. For a first film to bring you into this world that’s going to be a franchise, it did its job very well. At first, it just seemed like an Americanized “Battle Royale,” but I feel like this film managed to give itself its own identity. Though, my major complaint with the film is that the action scenes did have some poor cinematography. Aside from that, I enjoyed it very nicely.

            In the second film, “Catching Fire,” Katniss and Peeta return as the winners on tour to other districts, but witness more of President Snow’s brutality towards the people, when they inspire some district citizens to fight back. After a short break back at home, the two are thrown back into the 75^th Hunger Games, competing against previous winners, with Katniss being the subject for an upcoming revolution. Switching over to director Frances Lawrence’s hands, “Catching Fire” could have easily been a copy and paste of the first film with slight updates, but it goes beyond that. The film fleshes out the characters further, the action scenes are polished greatly, and it really keeps you on the edge of your seat with each passing second.

            The third film, “Mockingjay Part 1”, features Katniss suffering from post-traumatic stress after the games. Despite this, the rebels of District 13 make her inspire the other districts to join in on revolting against the Capitol’s reign, and help get the other winners after being captured. One of my favorite films of last year, “Mockingjay Part 1” had some really damn good build up to it, and also raised a lot of questions about the revolution and the Capitol, and who is really the side to trust. It may be frustrating that they separated the third book into two films, but I let that go with how well they handled “Part 1.” It is a propaganda film, so it should have a good build up to a rebellion.

            I felt like the series just keeps getting better and better with each passing film, so you can imagine that I was looking forward to “Mockingjay Part 2.” So opening day, my buddy Zack and I attend a showing for it.

            In “Mockingjay Part 2,” after recovering from Peeta’s assault on her, Katniss is put back to work to inspire the rebellion and gather troops. Going against Coin’s orders, Katniss and others set out to Panem’s Capitol, but Snow’s troops have a trick or two up their sleeve for the attack. Now, did I like the film? Of course, I really enjoyed watching the film…but I do have a few complaints about it.

For starters, there were some scenes that felt padded out than they needed to be, with some scenes that felt short on how they played out. For example, while I thought the ending was good, I felt like the very last part of the ending was a bit unnecessary, which did take away the emotional punch that the previous scene had. That seems to be my main complaint about the film, is that there are several moments that feel padded, and you can definitely feel it. Granted, it’s not as bad as when it was done in “The Hobbit,” but you get my point.

However, with how padded the scenes are, the ones that are underplayed were the mourning of characters deaths. We do see the mourning, but I felt like they should have spent a bit more time on it, to really allow the emotions to settle in, especially one involving a very crucial character, who I won’t say for the sake of keeping this spoiler free. I also noticed that there was a particular scene that was directly stolen from the movie, “Aliens.” If you’ve seen the film, you know what I’m talking about.

Aside from that, I still think the rest of the film is still strong. The production design is still amazing to look at, from the Capitol to the Districts, and even the underground tunnels. You really feel like you’re in this dystopian future that Suzanne Collins created, fighting alongside the Mockingjay and the rebellion. As for the action scenes we get, Frances Lawrence really did a bang up job with giving it a thrilling feel and that every step could be a trap just waiting to spring.

Jennifer Lawrence still does a fantastic job playing Katniss, the Mockingjay herself. I’ve heard people complain about her performance, saying that she looks bored through the whole movie, which I disagree with. Think about what Katniss has been through these past few movies: this is a woman who after going through two Hunger Games and almost dying on several occasions, one of which was being choked by Peeta. Looking at her in this installment, it tells me that she's just fed up and tired with all of this hell, and just wants it to finally end. It’s pretty clear that the events have her going through post-traumatic stress if you ask me. And with this being the last installment, Lawrence gives it her all, and still remains one of my favorite actresses.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta has a lot of emotions going through this film after being rescued by the rebellion. Still recovering from the effects of the Tracker Venom that the Capitol gave him, there are plenty of moments that have him conflicting with his mental thinking, even attempting to kill Katniss again. Hutcherson’s display of this duel between his thoughts and the Capitol’s really makes for some interesting scenes, and keeps you on edge when the guy’s going to crack. Other cast members like Woody Harrelson, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Jeffery Wright, and Willow Shields, really do an outstanding job for the film. I also got to give props to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, marking this as his official last appearance onscreen, after his tragic passing in early 2014. This man was a phenomenal actor, and he will be missed dearly.

As for how the rebellion turns out, it definitely got me thinking after watching it. At first, it seemed underwhelming, but after a while I did get what it was trying to represent. It tells us that no matter what, there’s always going to be a cycle of war and chaos, no matter what side you’re on. I think that’s what the message of the books is trying to get behind, showing us that nothing is ever going to change. There will always be corruption in politics, there’s always going to be harsh brutality, and as much as we try to fight it, the cycle is always likely to continue.

            Now the main question is would “Mockingjay” have settled better as one film? Well, I would say…yes and no. There are parts that were extended that I thought were executed really damn well, actually making it feel like it belonged, but at the same time there are moments that got extended that felt padded when other scenes would have been better suited longer. So I guess the decision was a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoy both parts, and I look forward to buying them all on Blu-ray in one nice package.

            Overall, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” may not have reached my expectations, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Now that the series has ended its course on the big screen, where will it go from here? Will it follow the path of “Harry Potter,” and possibly develop a separate story in the universe, or will it be left as it is? And which YA film series will be passed on the torch to take its place? “Divergent?” “The Maze Runner?” Or could it possibly be “The 5^th Wave” coming out soon? Only time will tell. All that can be said left is that we’ve come to the end of another era, and a new one is set to begin soon. You truly were something, “Hunger Games.”

Rating: 9/10