The Darkest Minds

The era of the dystopian young adult book franchises has officially come to an end; now that J.K. Rowling has returned to writing stories in the Wizarding World, most other adaptations that tried to hold that special place in tact have all pretty much died out. The Hunger Games came to a finish after they took on the mantle, The Maze Runner came and went without much word, The Divergent Series killed itself dead in its tracks by movie 3, and the rest went like The Mummy and died before even starting; the latter of which, a category, in which The Darkest Minds falls under.

The Darkest Minds tells of a world in which half the kids in the world are either killed or granted mysterious powers, by this weird disease. When a rare gifted child, Ruby, escapes from the concentration camps, she must team up with other youths to revolt against the govern-oh my god, could this movie be any more paint-by-numbers?

This has got to be the most recycled pile of shit I’ve seen in awhile; nothing about this movie is the least bit original, and you can trace it way past other YA stories to simply every other damn massiah story we’ve seen before; hell, this makes Pan look like Avatar by a landslide comparison if you ask me. Even if it was cliche, the movie is directed so lazily and cheap, that there are scenes that look like they just found a random hotel or house, and did nothing to change it up; or how about some of the fight scenes, in these SUPPOSED occupied cities (they did establish that), with some of the most uninspired choreography...keep in mind, this is a movie produced by Shawn Levy (Stranger Things and Night at the Museum) and directed by Jennifer Yuh-Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2 & 3), so I don’t understand what they were thinking going for this melancholy tone that doesn’t fit their style at all. Had they gone in either the direction of making it parody or super stupid that it makes it hilarious, this movie probably would have stuck out better than this.

Amanda Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games) is clearly trying to make this work, but after this and Everything, Everything from last year, she really needs to pick a better agent; her character spends most of the time being told what to do, trying not to trust anyone but ends up falling for the OBVIOUS tricks...are we going to start adding “dystopian dumbass rebel heroines” to the list of cliches that are getting old? Or how about Patrick Gibson as the villain, because he’s so obviously the villain, and never NOT acts like a villain? And it isn’t just them that’s wasted: Harris Dickinson (Trust), Mandy Moore, Gwendoline Christie (The Force Awakens), Golden Brooks (Girlfriends), and Bradley Whitford (Get Out, The West Wing). All of them look like this is all for a paycheck and nothing else.

Considering how bad this film bombed, there’s no way in hell that a sequel is going to happen. Ladies and gentlemen, The Darkest Minds better officially be the final nail in the coffin for dystopian YA adaptations for the next few years. With how little and uninspired this movie is, it’s hard to keep trying to draw in material worth discussing, and its BORING. Just go see or rent something else.

Rating: F

Upgrade

As we come close to the end of the summertime, everybody’s talking about their favorite film that blew them away and twisted their expectations into pretzels; films like Avengers: Infinity War, Incredibles 2, Deadpool 2, all these big blockbusters that have been breaking records faster than they’ve been breaking ankles. That’s not to say independent films didn’t get their share too, from documentaries like Won’t You Be My Neighbor? to dramas like Tully and Eighth Grade, and then, there’s experimental films that kick your ass and blow your mind to say “oh fuck.” Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade.

In a future not too far from our own, people are gaining their own new mechanical enhancements in daily life. When a man, Grey Trace, loses his girlfriend and his ability to move his body, he receives a chip called “STEM”, granting him his mobility in order to get revenge.

Upgrade is the kind of movie that people like myself have been waiting to see for some time, in the same vein as John Wick and Atomic Blonde, with a touch of Robocop; while it is a very simple film to follow, it is a balls-to-wall, body-horror action film, that has the most intriguing way of talking about our dependence on technology, and it never lets down. Whannell’s experience in horror, gives the movie a lot of creative camera tricks and choreography that I’ve seen thus far; with it being a BlumHouse production (thus, having a low budget), it gives him the range to be smart with his money (ex: using arm cannons instead of guns, and only one major gore effect). Hell, there’s even sequence in which we see the crippled Grey try to live life, and it just breaks your heart watching him.

Logan Marshall Green is fantastic as Grey Trace; when you see him after STEM is applied, you notices his movements are more direct and robotic, and his reactions from when permission is granted, it feels natural that he’d be freaked out a little. It reminded me a lot of Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead 2, when he gets his hand possessed; the physicality and reaction timing sync so well together. People seemed to look at him as “oh hey, it’s not-Tom Hardy,” but after seeing this movie, he’s truly made his name be known.

Betty Gabriel as Det. Cortez is good as the cop trying help, but the fair way; I do like how they have her try to be more reasonable than most films with this archetype, and Gabriel handles it smoothly, even handling her own action. STEM also becomes an interesting character throughout the film, calculating Grey’s logic with his gut instincts, and it always has you guessing what this thing will have Grey do next.

A lot people have made comparisons between this and Venom, considering they’re both about a Tom Hardy looking fellow (in Venom’s case, it IS Tom Hardy) dealing with an intelligent life altering entity that helps him take revenge, as it takes over his body. Of course, one’s a blockbuster and the other’s an indie flick, but which is better? Well, as I’m writing this, I haven’t seen Venom, but I have a feeling it won’t live up to Upgrade; there was just something about Upgrade that made it feel more passionate and lively. Maybe it might, but it needs to truly deliver.

Overall, Upgrade is one of the best films I’ve seen this year, and now that it’s turned me into a Leigh Whannell fan, I’m looking forward to his next work. The action is solid, the gore is used sparingly and wise, and the lead actor makes it all the more investing. Venom, you got competition, so you better deliver.

Rating: A

Moviepass to AMC A-List

Within the past month or so, I’ve been using AMC Theaters’ A-List program, after making the decision to drop from Moviepass. If you’re not familiar with the scenario, allow me to explain: within the decade, I had become more active in seeing movies, because I knew that I wanted my life to be somewhere in the entertainment industry; my first step in going to the movies and studying what works and what doesn’t. I had heard about Moviepass for sometime now, but had only decided to give it a shot last fall, and with the falling out that’s been occurring, I wanted to share my five cents on how my experience has been with both. My time with Moviepass started last year, when I first signed up, but had to wait a month before seeing anything, due to the card not arriving yet. By October, my first film usage of the card was with Happy Death Day and My Little Pony: The Movie; covering the cost of two films alone was paying for itself already, but covering for more felt like a blessing in disguise that I didn’t know about. When AMC was making announcements about being against the business, it made me feel like I was about to get caught by security that didn’t want to deal with them at any cost; luckily that wasn’t the case, and after having to only pay for six tickets since owning it, felt pretty refreshing. While it restricted from premium screenings like 3D and IMAX, it didn’t matter since all I really cared about was seeing the movie at any cost. My only complaints were mostly centered around the e-ticketing system, and how time sensitive it is. I’m not a fan of doing e-ticketing, and the fact that it made it only usable exclusively on your phone, made it a lot more frustrating than it needed to be. It only worked if you were within a hundred miles of the theater of your choice AND it had to be within a half-hour to showtime; this is done as a way of keeping balance on tickets held on reserve, but t got even more problematic when they added the rule of showing your ticket stub and sending it in, to keep track of who is actually using it. It’s frustrating because it means my phone’s data and location have to be on at all times, thus running the battery down; what if I forget to charge it and I try to take a picture of my ticket, or if I’m on a phone call and need to use a tablet? It also got confusing when they included Fathom Event screenings that aren’t actually covered by Moviepass; why would they even include those, if they aren’t supposed to be included like the rest? Despite these troubles, I still stuck with it as a reliable go-to for movie going; even when Cinemark introduced their Movie Club program, it was only a one movie a month kind of deal, but tickets rolled over to use if untouched. That seemed to be the kind of deal that Moviepass was aiming to please when it made the announcement of its $10 a month plan; however, it restricts itself to one theater chain. However, by the time Avengers: Infinity War came onto the scene, we started to see limitations begin to increase, with the one movie restriction deal; this process was to keep people from repeated screenings, and get people more versatile with their selections. This sadly didn’t work, and when they announced surge pricing to begin in July, that’s when I knew this spelled doom for the company; by the time I reached the final day of the month, I cancelled my plan. Last I heard, it went to three movies per month and was even blocking people out of movies until they got cash from a loan, so thank goodness I left when I did. Around this time, AMC Theaters launched their service, the A-List program. The big difference first spotted was how it was double the price of Moviepass and is restricted to AMC, what comes with it? As a new variation on their Stubs Membership program, including the benefits that has, the A-List grants any user access to any AMC theater, and see up to three movies per week; this includes 2D showings, 3D, Dolby, and even IMAX. My AMC also is known to show more art house films than most, so that’s another plus. They also include major e-ticketing reserves, whenever and wherever, and no additional charges apply like it usually occurs, but they do ask for ID. It’s limiting at three a week, but it helps keep track of what I’ve viewed; plus, now that e-ticketing isn’t limited to the half-hour prior, it isn’t as stressful.

Now the main question remains, what about Moviepass? Well, recently the company's been beging to go broke, and even the customers still on board are becoming aware of the situation; the problem has become so toxic that even the company is uncancelling people's accounts who quit, which is becoming a truly frightening situation. Moviepass has become a truly lost cause, so I can't say it's a likely option for anyone now; hell, with how much it keeps popping up in the news, I doubt they'll make it to the end of the year. In conclusion, if you live near an AMC theater in your town, then this is the program that I would suggest using; plus, it’s by the theater chain itself, not a third party seller. I’ve heard some good things about Sinemia, mostly on how it’s a ticket discounter, so look into that if you have a different set of theater chains. I’ve been pretty satisfied with the A-List program after the first month, and with them including 3D, IMAX and Dolby, that’s covering more than enough for me. Let me know what your thoughts are, and I’ll see you next time!

Skyscraper

Skyscraper is written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, and stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Will Sawyer, a former soldier turned security tech expert, who is tasked with managing the security of Hong Kong’s new skyscraper, the Pearl. When a group of terrorists looking for a macguffin come in, framing him for a fire attack on the building with, Sawyer must now go in and rescue his family before the flames consume them.

Dwayne Johnson is the modern day Arnold Schwarzenegger: he was known for his muscles, but it's entertaining. He is a fierce intimidating wall, but he's a soft teddy bear. He brings people hope, despite no public politics. He's a bad actor, but man does he try his best...oh what, you don't agree with me on that last part? Well, sorry, but that's the truth; the Rock might be a charming guy, but he isn't the main reason most people go to see his movies. Hell, people tried to argue that he saved Baywatch from Zac Efron, who while was worse, the Rock wasn't any better in that movie.

This brings us to Skyscraper, a film people are saying isn’t that impressive. But why is that? Why isn't it being complimented as a throwback to (or rip-off in this case) classic action and disaster movies like Die Hard and The Towering Inferno? Maybe it might have something to do with the fact he's doing so many movies a year, it's not only becoming tiring, they're all starting to blend together. But what I can tell you right now, this movie was nowhere near as entertaining as it thinks it is. I found myself absolutely bored and pretty aggravated sitting through this movie, and that’s saying a lot for someone with low expectations.

Like I said before, despite the Rock trying his best, I never bought him as a former seal with a fake leg, as a lot of his stunts look as though he isn’t crippled at all. They really want you to believe that a man that big, with one real leg, could jump off a super crane from that height, onto the edge of a window; granted, it’s not as preposterous as they make it look in the trailer, but compared to everything else beforehand, it just feels out of place to me. Not to mention, the fact that he’s a former soldier turned security expert, doesn’t make him as relatable as someone like John McClane in the first Die Hard, who was a barefoot average joe cop. Even when he’s doing that climbing up and jumping from the super crane, or using duct tape to keep his balance on the windows, it’s just not believable. Also, with a building, shouldn’t it be harder to breathe when the windows open?

The rest of the cast is there to be the archetypes, as always. Neve Campbell is the wife; Chin Han is the wealthy secret holder; Pablo Schreiber is the corrupt friend; bad guys are...bad guys. This film is hardly giving me stuff to work with, people!

By now, plenty would argue that it’s just trying to be a dumb fun action flick, and nothing else, and I admit to enjoying that with a movie every so often; the problem is, Skyscraper never felt fun, or unique for that matter. Looking over the last six films that the Rock has done: while he was a major part of those films’ stories, he was accompanied by either someone like Kevin Hart or Vin Diesel, someone to work off of easily. I mean, his last film featured him fighting alongside a giant gorilla, against a giant flying wolf and dinosaur crocodile; the absurdity has reached a very high level. Not only that, but compare this to the recently released Mission Impossible: Fallout, where the main draw has become what crazy stunt Tom Cruise is going to attempt, but he at least he’s able to make it look and feel authentic, because it’s actually happening; hell, he did most of the insane crazy stuff that the Rock does in this movie, like scaling on the side of a building, back with MI: Ghost Protocol.

As for the part that tries to appeal to the DUMB side of dumb action movies, this one gets dumb to the point of being offensive, especially with how they fix the building’s security system. Even if I was enjoying the movie, that ending point would still bring me to where I am now: irritated by a cop-out ending. Again, I don’t care if it’s intentional, it’s still bad writing.

Overall, I don’t see how people could go see Skyscraper, even if you’re a big fan of the Rock; I’m just worried that studios aren’t going to learn from this, and try to give a little bit more space between releasing his movies, otherwise his popularity will burn out. Just stay home and rent Rampage instead; or better yet, wait until Christmas and watch Die Hard.

Rating: D-

Eighth Grade

Growing up in the digital era in its beginnings was a really strange time, both from the perspective of somebody who wanted to be in the entertainment business and as someone who was limited with technology (didn’t own a smartphone until my 2nd semester of college). Within that time, we’ve seen people who got their fame from YouTube, ended up going on to become successful, some of which ended up becoming filmmakers that distribute their movies through Amazon or YouTube Premium. Today we’ll be talking about one’s journey all the way to Sundance, Bo Burnham and his movie, Eight Grade, something I was very lucky to catch at a one time showing here in Vegas, thanks to AMC Stubs. Eighth Grade tells of Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher), who tries to use her last week of middle school to become more confident and excited about life.

The best way I can describe this movie is it’s the Lady Bird for the pre-teens, and what I mean is that, it’s a story about life after graduation, through the eyes of a girl who feels the need to stand out before it’s over; however, this movie tackles the subject of whether or not your life in middle school really matters, especially compared to high school and after.

Elsie Fisher gives one of my favorite performances I’ve seen this year; she makes Kayla feel relatable in ways that I never expected, much in the same vein as Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird. The anti-social behavior, the distancing between yourself online and offline, not sure what the world is truly going to bring to you, and most of your hopes and dreams dying off with you as you grow out of old habits; it’s heartbreaking, but Fisher delivers that sense of reality brilliantly. Most of the film truly relies on her, and she carries it triumphantly. I also love the chemistry she shares with her dad, played by Josh Hamilton; there’s a scene in the movie, in which she asks her dad if she makes him sad, and the scene itself brought me down to tears. The tone in his voice, while never cracks, illustrates enough that being with his daughter is all that has him going. The other character that Fisher worked well with was Emily Robinson, who plays Kayla’s friend in high school, and they truly have a natural and relatable relationship.

That’s truly the best word to describe this movie: relatable. Bo Burnham delivers easily one of the best screenplays this year, capturing how it truly feels to be going through this kind of phase, and I say this as a twenty-two year old. But with how much some people haven’t changed, and how I’ve been seeing most adults that are supposed to be sophisticated, act more like children, than most children today.

Overall, if you can find a theatre that’s playing this, don’t waste a chance to go and see it. Eighth Grade, as time settled in, ended up becoming one of my favorite movies of the year, right up there with Infinity War and Incredibles 2. This movie perfectly captures the feel of 21st century youth today, and joins The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lady Bird, The Way Way Back, and The Spectacular Now, in that perfectly collective circle.

Rating: A+