Edge of Tomorrow: sci-fi's version of Groundhog's Day is surprisingly entertaining

Talking about actors that truly bug me on screen, Tom Cruise is on the top of that list!  I have not enjoyed a Tom Cruise film since Top Gun and Risky Business.  His real-life arrogance oozes all over every character he plays on screen.  And as an action star, he has the goofiest run, and the most awkward physicality in fight scenes.  There is no power or sense of danger, I just can't help but laugh when watching him act the tough guy...not believable!

With that said, this is by far the best Tom Cruise movie in a very long time!     #EdgeofTomorrow  

Based on the novel, All you need is kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, Edge of Tomorrow is a fun, exciting, and engaging ride.  All though the plot is recycled, pun intended, the film keeps the story line and each reincarnation fresh with intrigue, humor, and exciting action.

Edge of Tomorrow is smartly written with a fantastic pace, to the point that makes Tom Cruise look good on screen.  It's one wild ride that engaged my interest and kept it the entire journey.

Emily Blunt takes off the Prada and dawns chiseled muscles dirt and grit with a metallic war hardened personality intimating in her battle armor while sword slicing through Mimics left and right.

The look of the film is gritty and full of the violence of war.  The body armor the soldiers wear are very cool and gives every soldier, even Tom Cruise, a "bad ass" look.  However, in a practical sense, they do seem cumbersome and clunky but that may be based on the users experience.                                                                                                

The Mimics are well designed with a mix of machinery and animalistic organic.  They do, however, remind me greatly of the Sentinels from the Matrix movies in the way they move and their overall squid like influence.

  

Edge of Tomorrow Mimic

Matrix Sentinel

Overall, a great enjoyable ride with even a charming and budding love interest, perhaps not as charming as the romantic comedy version of Groundhogs Day, but an imaginative and thrilling experience. If Tom Cruise looks good, you know they are doing something right.


In the end, I'm placing this as number 2.  Although a great fun summer movie.  X-Men:  Days of Future Past is just really hard to top right now.

1.  X-Men:  Days of Future Past
2.  Edge of Tomorrow

3.  Maleficent

4.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2

5.  Godzilla

Maleficent: Nothing Special, but a Fun Night at the Movies

#Maleficent isn't anything super awesome, but it does provides a fun experience.  It also has many parallels with the musical Wicked to The Wizard of Oz.  we get to see the same story told, but from the "evil" characters perspective.

Maleficent is a retelling of Disney's original Sleeping Beauty animated film made in 1959 which was Disney's 16th full length animated film.  This was also Disney's last animated film based on fairy tales due to its low box office grossing until Little Mermaid.  





I will preface this review with that typically I do not care for Angelina Jolie.  She is just one of those actors that bugs me with her oversexed, pouty, predictable characters.  With that said, she was an excellent choice for this film.  She displays power, despair, loss, and compassion with equal sincere honesty.  My only "complaint", or more accurately, an annoyance was her evolution to evil.  I will call this the "Anakinader Event".  Maleficent experiences extraordinary loss and betrayal which warrants her passage into evil, but it seems to happen awkwardly quick, as though a mental switch was flipped.  However, her growth throughout the rest of the show feels justified and we get to see her emotional evolution which is humorously touching.

It was also fun to see Sharlto Copley as Stefan in this rags to riches king.  His characters tend to be boisterously aggressive, and high energy as demonstrated in District 9, The A-Team, and Elysium.  In this role, he comes across mentally unstable and irrationally paranoid.  He plays the neurosis well as demonstrated in previous roles.    

The look of the film is at times breathtaking and at all times natural and believable.  The design of The Moors was serene with unique and charming creature designs. The tree Ent-like creatures were stunning and so cool in their attention to detail.  beautifully crafted.  Digital characters have come so far since Jar Jar.  In addition, Maleficent's wings are alive on the screen and feel every part of her character as her arms.  Extremely


excellent collaboration between digital design and an actress portraying the physical attributes of this character flawlessly with sincere honesty.  I also really liked all the nods to the original animated film, the thorn walls, the dragon, and the green magic flames, all done very well.

Where this movie trips up is in the script.  It comes across very much on the surface.  It rarely sinks it's teeth into some of these emotionally rich and disturbing occupancies.  The early love interest between Maleficent and Stefan seems very rushed and glossed over.  The relationship doesn't feel sincere that Maleficent's descent to betrayed revenge and evil does not feel justified.  There are many other areas that feel glossed over, but I Wish to avoid spoilers.  I will say I found the "sleeping beauty kiss" enduring and moving.      

In the end, this film does not compare with X-Men: Days of Future Past which has the complete package, but keeps me engaged and never leaves me thinking the film is too long and is a  fun enchanting ride.  That's why it currently lands second in the summer list of movies under X-Men: Days of Future Past and ahead of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.  

1.  X-Men:  Days of Future Past

2.  Maleficent

3.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2

4.  Godzilla

X-Men: Days of Future Past

FINALLY!  The X-Men movie I have been waiting for!  Right off the bat, this is a must see and full-fills the needs of any action/adventure, superhero, syfy movie fan.

Within the first ten minutes, I found myself intrigued, mesmerized, and (what all the previous X-Men movies have lacked) a sincere investment in the characters' well being.  A great mix of previously seen X-Men with new characters wrapped in years of trust and reliance built upon a constant battle for survival within the near future.  Within these first few moments with very little to no dialogue, the surviving X-Men battle with such a unified front utilizing each others strengths and relying on their skills.  These dynamic thrilling sequences demonstrate a small group of mutant combatants fighting strategically and with a ferocity to protect the greater good and each-other, no matter the personal cost.  I was hooked!

At first, knowing that the lynch pin for this epic adventure spanning time itself was to be Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman for the seventh time, I was skeptical and a little annoyed.  Wolverine has played a key character in 5 of the 6 X-Men movies and a stand alone Wolverine movie, can we please invest in someone else in this vast and expansive universe?  With that said, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed seeing the character twists in this movie.  Wolverine is portrayed as a more grounded even compassionate soul.  His complete turn from self centered pity within the first few movies has completely given way to a mature yet still very aggressive version of Wolverine who puts everything aside to achieve the greater good and the safety of his fellow X-Men.  It's fun and dare I say moving to see him as the level headed leader in the midst of younger immature versions of his hard earned friends.  Hugh Jackman was quoted in an interview saying that eventually he will no longer be able to play the part Wolverine.  The limitations on aging is inevitable.  Personally, I feel this is an excellent swan song for both Wolverine and Hugh Jackman.  Potentially an excellent ending to his 14 years as Wolverine.  Fortunately or Unfortunately, depending on your tastes, it sounds as though he will be doing the next Wolverine movie and perhaps X-Men: Apocalypse.  He was quoted by IGN about perhaps portraying his character in a future Avengers movie.

"I would love to see him as part of ‘The Avengers.’ Because there's a great dysfunction among that team, and I think Wolverine would fit right into that. He'd like that. There's no doubt he'd get in a fight with the Hulk at some point. Those two bad, rage-filled characters are going to square off at some point. It would be quite fun. I don't know how much fun to shoot it would be because I'm sure I'd be on the worst end of it, but hey, he can heal." 

I must say, this is a very intriguing idea!

Any way, back to the review.

One of the stand out scenes for me was with Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters.  During a prison break in the Pentagon this scene combines special effects with a scene full of teenage care free attitude out to have a good time fulfilled by incredible speeds underscored by  Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce.  This scene is brilliant and almost stands alone as it's own complete film fulfilling all the needs of character, story, action, and amazing special effects!  Not since the original Matrix movie has there been a special effects sequence that left me bewildered, mesmerized, and enthralled!

Evan Peters as Quicksilver

The look, feel, and design of the film is very well done.  It's especially exciting to see 2 very different time periods within the 70's and the near future.  The future version of the X-Men are dressed militarily in a style  reminiscent of battle armor that hint at the character's comic origins with color choices and silhouettes.  The outfits feel simultaneously utilitarian, while pushing the elements of fantastical that we expect from our traditional comic super heroes.

The X-Men story line is laced with a much darker side of humanity.  Exploring equality in the midst of prejudice rooted in fear and fighting for survival at all costs verses choosing a more ethical and humane path.  This film, for the first time, truly defines this dark struggle while exploring the intimate friendship between two enemies, Professor X and Magneto, played by Patrick Stewart/James McAvoy and Ian McKellen/Michael Fassbender. Perhaps because we see the back story thoroughly developed between X-Men: First Class and this movie that the caustic bond between these two powerful individuals fighting the same war with two very different strategies is thoroughly developed in a gripping and compelling way.  

In the end, I love how this movie answers all the right questions, while opening the door wide open for many more.  It's also great to see so many familiar faces!

From the first 10 minutes, that hook never let go!  I was invested in the entire story line, but more importantly within the characters.  After so many attempts, this movie gets it right by creating characters that an audience cares about and can relate to.  Yes, even in a superhero action movie, well developed intriguing characters make a story compelling. I never felt that the movie was running long, nor did it ever lapse in energy.  It is a wild and very enjoyable ride!

This movie is proof that an action superhero movie can be great with strong relatable characters, an intriguing and inventive plot, mixed with believable (within the scope of the X-Men world) and thrilling action/special effects!  X-Men: Days of Future Past clearly belongs on the top of my summer movie rating.  It will be very difficult and something extraordinary to unseat this hero of a movie!

Since X-Men came out in 2000, I find myself for the first time excited to see what's next from this franchise!    

1.  X-Men: Days of Future Past

2.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2

3.  Godzilla

Godzilla

Godzilla lands firmly on both sides of the same coin.  If you are looking for a modern revival of the original 1950's -1980's Godzilla, then this is the movie for you!  It's complete with a campy story line, illogical plot points, superficial acting, and digital versions of men in monster suits.  It fits seamlessly within this lineage of movies that only the cult aficionado can appreciate.

1980's Godzilla

2014 Godzilla

For the rest of us, this movie is the opposite of entertaining.  In today's advanced technology, I was expecting a great deal more from this movie!  We have moved beyond cardboard cityscapes and men in monster suits waddling around!  Although these original movies are great fun to watch and appreciate for their original solutions to technical ingenuity, I have no real desire to see this same style created today.  Godzilla himself looked extremely similar to his earlier predecessors including the waddle, and goofy overweight chubby appearance.

The MUTOs also looked as though they were a suit designed for a man to wear with stilts attached to his arms.  Godzilla and his counterparts were awkward in their movements, slow, and lacked any real sense of immanent danger.  Godzilla often times grabs one of the MUTOs with his teeth, and instead of ripping chucks out of these monsters with his powerful incisors, he simply lets go.  This film made Godzilla as dangerous as putting chunky legs and short little arms on a skyscraper fighting with its neighboring buildings.  This doesn't bode well for this "alpha predator."

1980's Godzilla

2014 Godzilla, Concept Drawing

As far as the acting goes, even season actors Bryan Cransten, Ken Watanabe, and David Strathairn deliver a performance that has the depth equivalent to a paper doll and comes across contrived.  Some  how our main character Ford Brody, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, seems to continually conveniently survive when everyone around him dies gruesome and violent deaths.  I understand movies like this demand a great deal of suspension of disbelief, after all, I am a great fan of the movies Battleship, Pacific Rim, and Starship Troopers, but Godzilla is painful to watch in it's stumbling around a plot and sheer lack of believable logic.  Now I get it, the chance of giant monsters fighting while terrorizing metropolitan areas is pretty slim in reality, but, if this was to happen, could they present humanities and military reactions in a believable nature please.  I mean , is there any reason none of theses monsters were attracted to the nuclear power plants on the multiple naval vessels sailing along side them?  Did they really think detonating a modern day nuclear device off the cost of San Francisco was a good idea?  Why in the world did they not allow the civilian vehicles, including the buses with refugee kids, get off the Golden Gate Bridge before the military opened fire on Godzilla?  Even though missiles and rockets had no effect on any of these monsters, we apparently thought it was a good idea to continue arming our solders with rifles.

In addition, this movie is easily 30 minutes too long.  Could of shortened this plot-less drivel down in order to limit the toxic exposure to its audience!  Needless to say, this movie falls to the bottom of my summer movie ratings were I strongly expect it to stay!

1.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2.  Godzilla

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The past couple of years, I have enjoyed rating the summer movies based on my own personal tastes and enjoyment.  This year I thought it would be fun to share this endeavor with the people of the World Wide Web.  This list will not be fully inclusive, but will include the main stream "blockbuster" movies that I have an excitement to see.


Although many consider the start of the summer movie season to be Memorial Day weekend, I will start this list with this weekend's release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.  This was a good movie, but I anticipate it falling down the ranks rather quickly.



On the positive note, this movie does a really good job at realistic human computer graphics.  You can still tell at times when these aerial scenes were computer animated, but they make it very easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy these sequences.  In addition, Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man/Peter Parker plays the perfect adolescently angst, verbally sassy, and haunted by his past and responsibility that is the heart of the Spider-Man character.  His agile physical movements went not wearing the mask is at the same time humorous and and impressive lending a believability to his super human feats he demonstrates when wearing the mask.  He has a subtle young Jackie Chan style with his use of the physical world around him.  The overall look of the film seamlessly intertwines the realistic look of modern day New York City with the near future of a technology reliant culture with clean stylized touch screens everywhere and holographic projection displays.  With modern day cell phones and tablets, this technology comes off very realistic and believable.  It's also fun to see the Empire State Building in the same skyline as Osborne Tower.  

On the down side, this movie felt
long with exposition seeded throughout the entire movie.  Too many villains were introduced giving the movie as a whole a thinned out quality.  There was quit a bit of time spent with Peter's turmoil with his past and his future as Spider-Man, but his past with Harry Osborn was glossed over.  It felt that Harry's and Max Dillon/Electro came to hate Spider-Man out of necessity for the movie and not from a sincere wrong done to them.  You can make the argument that both these characters are mentally unstable and prone to make irrational choices, but the movie depicts these moments as though flipping a switch was all that was needed and leaves a "what just happened " quality with the audience.  It was very reminiscent of Anakin Skywalkers switch to the Dark Side in Star Wars Episode III.  One minute he is defending the Jedi Order and all that is "good". And the next he is murdering kids.  Hmmmm.  As with most super hero movies of the past, the development of the villains seemed rushed and forced.  It just suddenly happens that they are now bad.  From a visual design stand point, I was also disappointed in the look of the Green Goblin and the last villain.  These outfits were designed and their occupant's drew their "power" from technologically advanced suits which reminded me of Iron Man knock offs.  


In the end, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a good movie, but did not excite me nor left me wanting more.  Currently this movie is ranked #1; however, it's the only one rated thus far.  This coming weekend there is not much coming out that excites me, but I'm looking forward to the week after's release of Godzilla.

1.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2