The Conjuring 2

Directed by :  James Wan  
Written by :  Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes, James Wan, David Leslie Johnson  
Starring :  Madison Wolfe, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O'Connor  
Release Date :  June 8, 2016  

There's one camera trick in "The Conjuring 2" that Director James Wan loves going back to over and over again with this movie. Pan to the right. Pan to the left. Pan to the right. Pan to the left. Pan to the OHMYGOD JUMP SCARE! That happens a lot here, and some might say that the high amount of jump scares in this can be annoying to put up with. Although it can admittedly be exhausting to go through all those jump scares in a 134 minutes film, I still found myself highly entertained. This is a thrill ride of a movie that I was more than willing to get on board with. 

While I thought the disturbingly creepy factor and the intense dread that won a lot of people over with the first installment of "The Conjuring" were somewhat missing in this follow up, the build-up of extreme tension is still very much alive and well in this. There are tons of scary scenes in the majority of the movie, and a few in particular really stuck with me. One scene involving a painting I thought was just spectacular to see play out. James Wan even tried something a little different in this, by incorporating some CG character effects that will either excite you or turn you off. 

At the heart of why this movie worked really well with me is because of this cast and the characters they played. Madison Wolfe is fantastic as Janet Hodgson, and perfectly conveyed how tortured and traumatized she was by this event, as well as look terrifying when controlled by the supernatural entity that's oppressing them. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are once again also back as the very fascinating Ed and Lorraine Warren. I also loved how this movie expanded the mythological history of the Warrens, and I'm open to the possibility of more "The Conjuring" films that feature them. 

Even as an exaggerated and fictional version of the true events about the Enfield Poltergeist case, James Wan still delivers an entertaining movie with "The Conjuring 2."  This haunted house story doesn't truly offer anything that much new to the genre, nor is it groundbreaking, but this is still a really well made scary movie. 

lovedit  ENJOYED IT  itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Warcraft

Directed by :  Duncan Jones  
Written by :  Charles Leavitt, Duncan Jones  
Starring :  Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Ben Foster, Daniel Wu, Dominic Cooper  
Release Date :  May 25, 2016  

If you're already a fan of the video game that this movie is adapting, or you are just looking for a huge fix of high fantasy entertainment, then there's a good chance you will enjoy "Warcraft." I on the other hand was never really into the game, and while I do enjoy watching fantasy films, I thought this movie was rather mediocre and average in terms of story telling. There were several moments of me just feeling bored and annoyed, mixed in with mild-amusement to how epic this movie is trying to be. 

The story itself is arguably the most problematic aspect of this movie. For people who want this film to greatly explain and fully develop the world of Azeroth and the different characters that live in it, well you're going to have to take things at face value. The pacing is a bit too quick for it's own good at times, and the transitions between scenes can feel distractingly jarring at times, that it felt like it was missing a reel or two. Out of the huge cast of characters, the only one I really cared about was Durotan. Everybody else seemed like they were just there to serve the plot, and then they also try to shoehorn in certain plot turns that felt too forced or cliche for me to take seriously. In addition, the little attempt at levity this movie tried to entertain us with also just fell flat. 

On a technical level, this reaches some incredible achievements in visual graphics, but it's also still all over the place in terms of execution. Simply put for me, I couldn't get pass the uncanny valley of how the CG Orcs looked. They may look very detailed and almost photo realistic, but if I was to borrow an appropriate statement, it all still "looked like I'm just watching a video game." I could say the same about the backdrops that scream "I'M A GREEN SCREEN" at me multiple times. Watching this movie was just a tug-of-war of me keeping my suspension of disbelief going. At least I can honestly say that several of the battle sequences looked impressive and enjoyable to watch, and I did really like how magic looked in the game... I mean movie. 

While I have several issues with "Warcraft," I admitedly did end up appreciating the ambitions it tries to reach storywise, most especially during the final act. Fans of the franchise will likely have no problems appreciating the movie as a whole, just from the sheer fact that they are seeing this beloved game come to life on the big screen. Speaking of which, I did get a free copy of World Of Warcraft that came with my movie ticket, so there's also that. 

loveditenjoyeditit'sokay  IT'S MEH  itsterrible

TMNT2 Out Of The Shadows

Directed by :  Dave Green  
Written by :  Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec  
Starring :  Noel Fisher, Pete Ploszek, Jeremy Howard, Alan Ritchson, Megan Fox, Stephen Amell, Will Arnett, Gary Anthony Williams, Stephen Farrelly  
Release Date :  May 30, 2016  

So apparently "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows" really was made for 10 Years old kids. It's got a ridiculous story, plot conveniences, plot holes, characters that are typically underwritten or achetypes, on the nose moral themes, with outrageous action sequences, and a juvenile sense of humor filled with silly and stupid jokes. One could argue that's it's just like watching a kid's cartoon, and that this would be a prime example of what "mindless entertainment" is. With that said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it! 

The most important thing this movie got correct, is that it got the Ninja Turtles right! No, this isn't the dark and gritty original comic book versions from the mid-80s, but the way they acted and talked in this represents exactly what I remember; or what I wish to remember, about the Turtles. Plus, compared to the previous installment, the Turtles were in this the majority of the time, which is exactly what we want. The human characters from April O'Neil, Casey Jones, Baxter Stockman, and even the Shredder, were all really just in supporting roles here. 

In addition to the Ninja Turtles, this film brings the cartoon favorites Bebop and Rocksteady to life, and they did not let us down. Just like with the Turtles, these characters acted and talked the way I expected them to, and they were entertaining to watch in the stupid way that they are. There are sequences in Brazil that involves the Turtles and Bebop and Rocksteady, that were one of my favorites from the movie, and reminded me why I was a fan of the cartoons all those years ago. Basically, watching the main characters in this simply made up for any of the flaws this movie had. 

Despite the heavy use of CGI, the over the top scenes, and the throwaway storyline, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows" delivers in fun escapist entertainment that should please fans of the Ninja Turtles. As for everybody else who were never fans, you have my approval to consider skipping this. 

lovedit  ENJOYED IT  itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Popstar Never Stop Never Stopping

Directed by :  Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone  
Written by :  Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone  
Starring :  Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, Tim Meadows, Chris Redd  
Release Date : June 3, 2016  

Although they usually end up becoming cult-favorites, musical satirical faux-documentaries don't always connect with everybody, so can "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" break that trend? Maybe. If you are a fan of Andy Samberg as a comedic actor, is a fan of the songs by The Lonely Island, and enjoy their irreverent sense of humor, or maybe just want to see a movie that seems to clearly be making fun of somebody like Justin Bieber, then this may be exactly what you've been looking for. 

This is a satire about the world of pop music stars. Covering the basic background story of humble beginnings, the meteoric rise to stardom, and the embarrassing fall from grace. Yes, it's more or less a predictable story, but that's not what defines this movie. If you get all the celebrity pop culture and music industry references, then this is a pretty funny movie. It has some cleverly constructed plot points, ridiculously over the top scenes, parodies, comedic celebrity cameos, and silly stupid jokes. Then there's what I believe is the primary reason to see this movie, which are the original songs. 

This movie has songs like "I'm So Humble (featuring Adam Levine)" with lyrics that doesn't really sound humble, "Equal Rights (featuring P!NK)" that's intentionally unintentionally offensive, and "Finest Girl" which is about relating sex to killing Osama Bin Laden. There are a bunch of songs in this movie that are just so embarrassingly hilarious, and yet also undeniably pretty catchy. I know the first thing I did after watching the movie is to listen to the official soundtrack. 

Once again I have to say that the comedy and the songs in "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" isn't for everybody. It's very much geared for a specific target audience, and I have to say that they should definitely enjoy watching this movie. 

lovedit  ENJOYED IT  itsokayitsmehitsterrible

Alice Through The Looking Glass

Directed by :  James Bobin  
Written by :  Linda Woolverton  
Starring :  Mia Wasikowska, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp  
Release Date :  May 25, 2016  

If there's one thing that you should expect from "Alice Through The Looking Glass," it's the imaginative and vibrant backdrops that makes up Underland, and this movie delivers in that regards. If there's a second thing that you should expect from an Alice In Wonderland type movie, it's that it has to be weird and bizarre, but unfortunately this one doesn't completely deliver on that aspect. Sure, there are weird characters and bizarre situations that can be found in this still, but one could argue that this movie is surprisingly tame and straightforward. 

The premise of this film is actually something I didn't think they'd do for this franchise. Time travel. Now if you know me, then you know I'm a sucker for time travel stories, so expect me to be just a little bit more lenient towards this movie. With that said, I actually genuinely liked this plot, even if it isn't as imaginatively weird or bizarre as one would probably expect. Alice steals an object from the physical embodiment of time itself; played well enough by Sacha Baron Cohen, to travel back through time, to what is essentially an excuse for this movie to show us the back stories of the Hatter, the Red Queen, and the White Queen.

Yes, the story can feel like it is just going through the motion, and the sense of urgency isn't immediately felt, but it still does have some good scenes worth checking out; mostly about the Queens' younger selves. I did like the overall themes about family connections that runs through this movie, despite them feeling too on the nose. I also thought the conclusion was satisfying and worked well enough for me. The cast are more or less fine in this, although their roles didn't seem very energetic; with the exception of Helena Bonham Carter who seems to enjoy playing the Red Queen in an over the top manner. 

I suppose the biggest issue some people might have with "Alice Through The Looking Glass," is that it generally feels a little bit mediocre, uninspired, and it doesn't take enough risks with the plot. I still had some enjoyment watching it, but it's not exactly a movie I necessarily need to revisit. 

loveditenjoyedit  IT'S OKAY  itsmehitsterrible

P.S. this has one of Alan Rickman's final voice over work

X-Men Apocalypse

Directed by :  Bryan Singer  
Written by :  Simon Kinberg  
Starring :  Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Rose Byrne, Evan Peters, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tye Sheridan  
Release Date :  May 18, 2016  

With a title like "X-Men: Apocalypse," it might seem like this is going to be a movie with non-stop action. I'm afraid to say that isn't the case. Director Bryan Singer and Screenwriter Simon Kinberg must have had a hell of a time trying to juggle all these characters into a cohesive story, and still make us care about what's going to happen. Due to that fact, a good huge chunk of time is spent on new character introductions, the like you normally see in origin stories, which is something we all just have to put up with. With the huge amount of people they have for this story, there just isn't much time to establish proper character developments to make us truly care for them. 

Out of the new characters, En Sabah Nur, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, and Scott Summers, respectively played by Oscar Isaac, Sophie Turner, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Tye Sheridan, were the only ones I could remotely have any genuine interest in. Even then, it wasn't as much as I'd hope. Even the well established cast from the previous films had to share screen time to the point that it feels like they were just underutilized. The only two that really stood out were Magneto and Quicksilver, because each one of them arguably had the best scenes that this movie had to offer. 

Despite the patchwork feel of the movie just showing us scene after scene after scene, just for the sake of moving the story along, it still somehow manages to entertain with some huge spectacles. Spectacles in the sense of mutant powers being used in grand ways, as well as in very destructive ways. While it's fun seeing those mutant powers on screen, unfortunately when it actually came to the fight sequences, there really wasn't much going on there. The movie boils down to seeing En Sabah Nur's master plan play out, the X-Men characters having earnest discussions with each other, attempting to add levity with multiple forced jokes that just fall flat, and just the simple case of being a comic book fan geeking out on seeing these classic characters on screen. 

Despite those certain scenes that genuinely stood out in "X-Men: Apocalypse," this still felt mostly like an unmemorable movie that doesn't live up to it's own ambitions. It does open up exciting new possibilities for the next film though, so despite my lack of enthusiasm, I'm still all in with this movie franchise. 

loveditenjoyedit  IT'S OKAY  itsmehitsterrible

The Lobster

Directed by :  Yorgos Lanthimos  
Written by :  Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou  
Starring :  Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux, Ariane Labed, Ben Whishaw, Rosanna Hoult  
Release Date :  October 15, 2015  

From the creative and unique mind of Director Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Lobster" is another bizarre but absolutely fascinating movie of his. This is like a satire or a twisted comedy commenting on people living the single life looking for companionship, as well as a critique on people who are in a relationship. That's what this film is about thematically at least, and it may sound familiar just from that description alone. However, combine that with the premise about a world where people have to fall in love and be married, or be forced to literally be turned into an animal, and you've got a movie that's unlike any other. 

The odd tone of this movie and just the weird concept alone should make viewers feel a little bit unnerved. What I found most fascinating is the world building in this movie that establishes the rules of the land, and how people in this reality behaves. Part of the fun in watching this is how these unusual rules are gradually revealed as the film moves along. There are rules of what the hotel occupants can or cannot do, as they look for somebody to be a couple with. There are also rules on what people can or cannot do when they choose to be alone. The logic behind these rules play like commentaries on how we ourselves can view what single life or married life are. I found it all so very interesting. 

Depending on your sense of humor, there are actually a lot of plot developments that I found pretty entertaining to see happen. Several scenes that should be troubling to see play out come off so matter-of-factly in this movie, that at times it makes you question if you're supposed to be horrified or amused by what's going on. A lot of that has to do with how people in this reality act. Every character seems to talk in a very deadpan, monotone and unemotional way, which leads to dialogue that sounds wooden and scenes of heavy awkwardness. However it is amusing to see scenes where people can be rude and tactless, but in a civilized and polite way. This once again just feeds into the film's twisted sense of humor. 

Kudos to the whole cast of "The Lobster," who were spectacular in bringing their very odd characters to life in this very thought provoking story. There's a lot that this movie is saying, but it's weirdness will limit the kinds of people who will enjoy seeing this. 

LOVED IT  enjoyedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

Angry Birds

Directed by :  Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly  
Written by :  Jon Vitti  
Starring :  Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Bill Hader  
Release Date :  May 11, 2016  

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that "Angry Birds" is kinda all over the place. As a movie based on a video game, I can say that I've seen much much worse than this. This movie, I could actually tolerate and find some entertainment value to it. However, the super colorful visuals, the hyper pace, and the throw everything at the wall comedy, may be too much for some people to handle. Kids will probably love it, but adults need to consider what they are getting themselves into. 

Story-wise, you may as well throw logic out the window. The plot is like a mix of being a tribute to the game's premise, a take on how to make the game's world come to life, and to poke fun with pop-culture references and self-aware meta humor. It's like a series of comedic skits, stitched together into one whole movie. Although there are a lot of lowbrow humor that you'll have to put up with, some clever comedic bits can be found in this, as well as some adult-humor that kids likely won't get (pigs "stripping," reference to The Shining, Sean Penn's casting). I did catch several thematic sub-text to what's going on in this movie, that only makes the plot even more twisted than it should be, but I won't get into that here... 

As an animated movie, I thought the visuals are pretty spectacular, and the last act of the movie is just a wonder to watch. The soundtrack also surprised me, with it including songs by Black Sabbath, KRS-One, The Who, mixed in with the more pop friendly fare. The game's original theme music being used multiple times in the film is admittedly a nice wink to the fans. As for the characters, I thought they were enjoyable enough. Red as played by Jason Sudeikis may be the most fleshed out as a character, but I also truly enjoyed the characters of Chuck; played by Josh Gad, and Bomb; played by Danny McBride. 

Fans of the game should enjoy watching "Angry Birds," while those who aren't should proceed with caution. I liked it more or less, but basically the movie is hit or miss. 

loveditenjoyedit  IT'S OKAY  itsmehitsterrible

P.S. This is the first movie I can think of that makes you use your smartphone to see the after credits scene.

A Bigger Splash

Directed by :  Luca Guadagnino  
Written by :  David Kajganich, Alain Page  
Starring :  Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Dakota Johnson  
Release Date :  November 26, 2015  

If there's one reason to watch "A Bigger Splash," it's to see Ralph Fiennes act in such an over the top, energetic, and unbelievably full of life role as music producer Harry Hawkes. If you need a second reason, see this for Tilda Swinton as world famous singer Marianne Lane, who had a recent throat operation and can't really talk. There's a third reason too, which is Matthias Schoenaerts as Paul De Smedt, the hunky boyfriend of Marianne, trying to tolerate their overbearing vacation crashers, while still recovering from a painful past incident. You need a fourth reason? There's Dakota Johnson as Penelope Lannier, the estranged young daughter of Harry, who is there to be enigmatic and seductive. 

These cast of actors are really the main draw to watch this movie, which is inspired by the 1969 film "La Piscine," because the story itself is rather slow moving, in a languid pace, with the main crux of the plot being this underlying love triangle that involves Marianne, who is in a relationship with Paul, but used to be in a relationship with his mentor Harry. Then add in Penelope who likes to push people's buttons, and you've got a powder keg that's ready to explode. The series of superficial and hedonistic scenes may turn off audiences, but the erotic and sexual tension might be enough to turn on people to keep watching. 

On the subject of watching, visually, this film is amazing. The backdrop of a paradise home in the Italian island of Pantelleria is an incredible setting that's nice to look at. The different creative camera angles, and the seemingly innocuous choices of visual shots, that are used in this movie can be quite fascinating to see as well. The locations and characters are just mesmerizing to watch here, that it can be easy to just get lost in the movie purely on a visual stand point. On the audio side of things, rock and roll music and in particular the Rolling Stones does play an important part of the movie's feel as well. 

Although the plot of "A Bigger Splash" may seem to be aimless, there are in fact underlying themes and social commentary to consider, which then goes with the character studies of the people featured in this movie. This may not be a film for everybody, but there is definitely something that it's saying. You just may not care what that is. 

loveditenjoyedit  IT'S OKAY  itsmehitsterrible

The Nice Guys

Directed by :  Shane Black  
Written by :  Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi  
Starring :  Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice  
Release Date :  May 15, 2016  

If you're familiar with Shane Black's works like "Lethal Weapon," "The Last Boy Scout," or "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," then you should know what to expect from "The Nice Guys." This is another one of Black's Buddy-crime-thriller-comedic-films. Many would argue that his movies are derivative of each other and his particular formula can be tiring for some people. Here's the thing though, his movies are generally very fun and entertaining, and I honestly thought this one is definitely no exception. 

The story itself about a mystery that starts from the death of a famous porn actress, that involves a missing woman, and somehow ties in to a much bigger and very dangerous criminal conspiracy, might be too convoluted for some movie goers. That's just the plot though, and the real reason to see this movie is for the clever action sequences, the witty dialogue, the sight gags, the comedic coincidences, the compelling characters, and the nostalgia factor of the setting being based in 1977's smog heavy Los Angeles. From scene to scene, things move at such a good and energetic pace, that I couldn't help but enjoy seeing the story play out. 

Even with the direction and the writing, this movie wouldn't have worked so well if it wasn't for it's two primary actors, Russell Crowe as Jackson Healy; the thug with a heart, and Ryan Gosling as Holland March; the bungling private investigator. The two together make a fantastic comedic-duo, and their chemistry is fantastic. Hold on, I should have said "the THREE primary actors" and how the "THREE together" make a fantastic comedic-trio. I have to specifically point out Angourie Rice as Holly March, who is the precocious daughter of Holland that's pretty much the heart of the team, and quite the smart detective herself with a smart mouth. Rice does an amazing job holding her own against Crowe and Gosling, and arguably steals every scene she's in. 

Despite the criticism against Shane Black for seemingly doing the same thing over and over again, "The Nice Guys" proves that repeating something that is fun to watch, and doing it rather well, is enough to make a very enjoyable movie. What more should I ask for than to be well entertained. 

LOVED IT  enjoyedititsokayitsmehitsterrible

P.S. Check out this comedic trailer for the movie...