Jurassic World

Yes.

That is what you need to know... also, IMAX 3D is the only way to properly see this movie. And that is coming from me, a vocal opponent of 3D movies (or as I like to call them, "Migraine Bait").

So some of the plot points don't make sense, and maybe there are one or two unexpected un-answered storylines, but this film is still very much worth watching. If, towards the end, you don't find yourself screaming or cheering then you might want to have your pulse checked. 'Cause you might be dead.

Unfortunately there aren't many movies that get audible reactions from me, but as anyone sitting in a five-foot radius from me tonight can attest, I got rowdy.

Not much I can say without giving things away, but suffice it to say that the CGI artistry will not let you down, the movie pokes fun at its history, and Chris Pratt is awesome.

It is pretty hard to beat the moment in the original Jurassic Park, when the T-Rex bellows as the banner falls around it, but this movie has a scene or two that get pretty damn close.

Whiplash

This movie was just barely on my radar, I had read a brief blurb about it in a magazine, just enough to know that I had absolutely no interest in seeing it. But then a copy fell in my lap and I thought what the heck, it's this or keep binging on Scandal, so I popped it in.

Best random movie watching EVER. My expectations were so low they were essentially non-existent, I admit that may have played a role, but in all seriousness I was blown away. Why have I not heard more buzz about this movie?!?

Intense and chilling and a wee bit creepy, this film is beautifully shot and surprisingly written. Several turns I didn't expect, and J.K. Simmons, one of those actors whom you always recognize but whose name you can never remember, was unpredictable and fabulously menacing.

Birdman

Iñárritu is a genius.  So is Lubezki.  While we are at it, let's just add Keaton, Norton, and pretty much the entire cast of the movie to that list.  I could just go on and on about how amazing this movie is - from the brilliant acting to the dark comedy of the script to the mind-blowing way it was shot and edited.  They tackled this movie with the intent of making it appear as though it is one continuous long take; an incredible feat.

The introspective self-reflective subject matter and the entirely raw feeling to the movie has a powerful effect, especially when combined with this challenging shooting style.  This movies leaves a lot up to interpretation, but shockingly not in the annoying "the-writers-don't-know-what-to-do-so-they-get-ambiguous" kind of way.  Every last aspect feels intentional, even when it can be explained in more than one way.

All professionals involved, in the peak of their game.  Go see it, and revel in their awesomeness.

Interstellar

The first 2hrs 15min of this movie are going to blow your mind, in a good way.
The last half hour is going to blow your mind, in a rather unfortunate way.

Christopher Nolan is an incredibly talented Director.  That is an established given.  He is also an incredibly complex writer.  Inception, for example, was surely convoluted and confusing and required multiple watchings to glean a true understanding, but in the end when it is all said and done the movie makes sense.  Not so much with Interstellar.

But overall, very much worth seeing. Incredible experience on 70mm IMAX, plus acting and editing and all the other requisite goodies to boot!

***SPOILER***

The following is what totally didn't make any sense to me.  I will try to keep this as concise as possible...

If the daughter solved the gravity problem, then why not follow Brand's beacon to the new world? Why just launch several human "pod stations" into orbit in Earth's galaxy? And if that was the goal, than why couldn't they launch human pod stations earlier, the same way one would launch any other rocket into space?

If it was revealed that McConaughey was "them", then who created the wormhole? A different "them"?  Or when he went through the "dimensional zone" black hole was that in fact the wormhole, that in turn dropped him back in Earth's galaxy?

And lastly... love?! Really Nolan? Is that the moral of the story?

Snowpiercer

Last night I saw one of the BEST movies I have seen in a long while.  Certainly the best since my last blog post back in December for 12 Years A Slave.  This movie was totally and completely amazing. You know me and my innate ability to pick out tiny flaws or inconsistencies, and while there may have been one or two things I took a moment to be like wait, what? (i.e.: re-appearing matches - you will understand when you watch) overall I was so mesmerized and captivated by this entire film honestly in this case those things don't even matter.

I am also not often surprised by movies, plot lines are generally predictable, but damn if this film didn't throw a few curve balls my way.  It was full of unexpected story jumps, as well as a shockingly good performance by lead Chris Evans.  The story was relatively simple, with a straightforward goal for the characters, and it wasn't muddled by "what happened in the past" flashbacks.  The story moved forward as the characters made their way forward in their mission,  the audience and the characters discovering the train along the way.

Unfortunately I cannot say much more without ruining the wonder of this film, but it was shot beautifully - extremely gritty and raw - with an exceptional use of light and dark, shooting speed, and unique style.

I think I may have to go out and see it again...

12 Years A Slave

Damn that was good.

And that about sums it up.  Thank you all for coming - I'm out!

Seriously though.  Director Steve McQueen just keeps getting better and better.  While I am confident I would not recommend Hunger to anyone, gosh darn if the film wasn't beautifully shot.  Pretty sure I wouldn't tell most people they should see Shame, but the story is intriguing (if not of edgy material) and the filming of rare quality.  And now you have this gem - also hard to watch, also impeccably shot.

Take any, absolutely any aspect of this film and you would be hard pressed to find a challenger.  The acting.  The storytelling.  The editing.  The sound design.  The finesse of how all these elements danced together to form those perfect moments.  The subject matter may be hard to watch, but if for only just the one time you should take yourself there.  This film is a work of art if I ever saw one.

Oldboy

While there are many cult followers of the original 2003 South Korean version of this film, I think they will be relatively pleased with the 2013 Hollywood remake.  The new version, directed by Spike Lee, follows the original story quite closely (if not exactly) and mostly takes what one might call "acceptable liberties".

Notice I said "mostly"...

Certain memorable moments, while not directly present, are often referenced in an offhand manner.  Sometimes this is simply not good enough.  For me, one of the most striking scenes in the 2003 film is when the main character eats an octopus alive.  Guess that star Josh Brolin wasn't quite up for that, so he just relegates to staring at it in a fish tank.

Another major moment Lee doesn't give justice is a ridiculous fight scene that in the original is done in one long take.  Quite an accomplishment that Lee does not duplicate.  A shame.

All that being said, I do think Lee made some great choices in other areas to distinguish his film from the original.  Many I cannot get into for fear of spoilers, but honestly in this case I am not quite sure which version of the film I would say is the better.  The Hollywood version, as you might expect, is easier to follow with a more readily understandable plot flow - but the twist is just as delightfully shocking in the end.  In fact, even though I saw the 2003 and knew what was going to happen, I would still say that the 2013 was less predictable than the original.

Creative, violent, and slightly disturbing - it is a win despite which version you decide to see!