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Fear the Walking Dead (2015)
A refreshing intake in how it all began
Now mind you that this is a direct spin off The Walking Dead and as a result this show aims to be different in its own way without bearing too much resemblances to the original shoe. Now people will say that the original show will always be better. That I can agree. So when AMC announced that Fear the Walking Dead will be coming out just weeks before a new season the the original show the fan in me needed to see this one to appreciate. Plus it is from the brilliant mind of Robert Kirkman. The man behind the comics and TWD TV show. So how does the pilot episode of this show live up. Enough hype or just big pile of bore based on previous other reviews?
The opening scene of the show and we are presented with a gloomy and suspenseful atmosphere. We are introduced to Nick Clark (Frank Dillane) who seems to be a troubled teen-aged kid who's wound up in drug activity. Borrowing elements from TWD we have the suspense and the fear as Nick walks around trying locate Gloria. However it doesn't end all well. Nick flees away from the place and hence the start of the show.
The first 3 mins reels you in effectively with its atmosphere and music. As the episode progresses, we met the rest of this dysfunctional family and their deeply engrossing back story. We meet Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) a high school guidance counselor, Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis), a high school English teacher, and Madison's fiancée, and Alicia Clark (Alycia-Debnam Carey) their high achieving yet ambitious daughter. The characters were quickly introduced and allowing the time for their back stories and personalities to grow. We get a good sense of who they are and the type of family they are. Obviously their bond will change once the meltdown of society begins. Aside from this the major lacking is the on screen chemistry. There was little to no chemistry shared between the actors. It was like none of them wanted to be there and just reciting their lines to get it over with. Hopefully as the series moves along it will improve.
Above all us everything that you will love about the Walking Dead makes a return in here but there is enough unique aspects about this spin off that separates itself from the original show. Please keep in mind that this show is what the world was like before the world fell apart due to walkers. This series will slowly show society falling apart as walkers start to take over.
Also bare in mind that the first episode is slow moving with some fillers here and there BUT it is only there to build up to bigger things later. A build up to fear. The chaos and the panic as seen in future trailers. The "good stuff" will be coming soon given that the first season is only 6 episodes.
Overall, this show sets itself apart from TWD with its own cast of characters, setting, atmosphere, tone, and plot progression. They can go in so many directions with this. Maybe someday the cast can have a crossover with the cast of the original show. I'm hopeful and looking forward to where it goes next since AMC made a bold move by picking it up for a second season long before the series even aired! So was it enough hype?
Verdict: Yes. (in my opinion.)
The show didn't disappoint. I have accepted for what it is. If you are expecting it to be like the Walking Dead (zombies, action, blood, gore, plus more zombies or "walkers" in the WD universe) then you'll be disappointed cause you don't get much of that in the pilot unlike the pilot in WD.
However if you are a die hard Walking Dead fan like me then you'll certainly enjoy this one for what it will bring.
9/10.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
This franchise keeps remaining fresh
This franchise continues to reinvent and outdo itself film after film. With a franchise running for this long you would think it would be running dry but with Tom Cruise highlighting the main films he continues to make sure that audiences are entertained from start to finish and make their money feel all paid off.
In the latest entry of the MI series, Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt and brings along with the craziest stunt performances. You would think it is all done in front of a green screen but with Cruise it is all practical and real. In Rogue Nation, IMF is disbanded and a new threat called the Syndicate arises with promises to establish a new world order with the usage of terrorist attacks.
Throughout the story we are blessed with good dialogue, humour between the supporting cast, chemistry remains on point, and best of the actions sequences.
Do yourself a favour and see the fantastic four. Er... not the one from Fox. But these guys. You are in for a treat.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
What a lovely day!
Wow! I just got back from the theatre and I have to say that Mad Max: Fury Road is one the most insane, blood gutting, intense, visual pieces of cinema work I've seen in years.
George Miller returns to the Mad Max universe after many decades, and presents us with a modern, fast-paced style of what is likely going to be a new series of Mad Max films. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce. When Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) lead a group of rebels on a daring escape through the Wasteland, she forges an alliance with Max (Tom Hardy)and from there it is a high speed car chase from there.
One of the things that I appreciate from this movie is how most of the stunts are all practical with a small usage of CGI. That paid off well as the action, and stunt work is eye popping, but it is all executed effectively without it making it look like a sloppy mess.
In terms of plot, there is not much of it. You might have trouble understanding on what the story is... and I had difficulty with it too. But this movie isn't designed for hard plot and if you are expecting that then be prepared to be let down.
The action and soundtrack were on point. In terms of acting, it was decent at best. Although the title of the film is "Mad Max" it felt like more of Charlize Theron film as Tom Hardy barely got enough screen time as Max. Moving on, Tom Hardy's performance was average but this can be due to a lack of proper screen time. As well, the constant flashbacks were distracting as it was never really explained why or what happened on that day.
Overall, this is a film you don't want to miss. Don't let negative reviews on here prevent you from seeing it. At the end of the day, you are the judge of the film. After all, film is subjective in taste.
The Strain (2014)
If you like the Walking Dead, you might like this
So last night I happen to stumble on FX and came across this show called The Strain. I didn't know what this was about but it pulled me in with its dark atmosphere and horror.
The Strain focuses on a strange vampire like virus that causes an outbreak in New York City after about hundreds of people aboard an aircraft are strangely dead. As the virus spreads, Eph and his team must wage war on the fate of humanity.
The show has its comparisons to The Walking Dead since it is apocalyptic and this virus is likely to spread globally as many people are slowly becoming infected. They display acts of vamperism and feed off a nearby host and the process continues. It's dark, gritting, scary, and it has an interesting complex storyline. The characters have potential and I look forward to see their development as each episode passes on.
The CGI and other stuff looks decent and surprisingly it feels quite real. The main storyline doesn't give too much away leaving you guessing on what next to come. I felt throughly entertained by the pilot episode and I will certainly be tuning in next week.
My biggest gripe about the first episode was the writing. It felt slightly sloppy, filled with pointless clichés along the way. But it is only the first episode and I'm sure, like all shows, the writing picks up and gets much better. So I can't be too harsh on that.
Overall, this show has great potential and I may have landed a new worthy show to watch this summer when there is usually nothing worth watching on TV over the summer holidays.
If you like The Walking Dead, check out this show!
8/10.
300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
Plenty of action but doesn't live up to the charm from the first one
After several years since the first 300, we are finally rewarded with the long awaited sequel only to be disappointed with its depiction in the end.
300: Rise of the Empire tells the story of Greek general Themistokles who attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that could change the course of war. It puts him against a massive force of the Persian army led by the mortal-turned-god Xerxes and his naval commander Artemesia.
In the start of the film we are presented with Queen Gorgo telling her men about the Battle of Marathon. From there Lena Headey's character can only be heard narrating the story as the film continues to move forward while she only has few scenes.. Back track and we are seen with nice action sequences, the slow motion effect, the 3D that is done right, and the special effects of the battle.Noam Murro tries to tell the story starting with before, during and after the events of 300 but unfortunately he has left me as a viewer scratching my head as to what moment in time are we in during the course of the film.
Despite the slow motion action sequences, the film started to get pale. It begins with the introduction of new characters. Some of them weren't given enough quality time to be developed so therefore I didn't care for them if they lived or died. Even a few returning characters irritated me, particularly Xerxes who thinks he's so tough rambling on about how he is a god king yet the only tough thing he did was he slapped Artesmesia then goes back to sit on his throne. Pathetic!
The CGI in this film was a bit over the top. The blood seen when people were killed looked so cheesy it looked like it came straight out of a video game! In fact it felt like I was watching a video game and not a movie during the 2 hour run. Next, the light in the background in the sky. In the first film it shone through the skies and the actors faces with the right balance and tone, but in here it was a bit too distracting and it couldn't really find its place properly.
Lastly, the aggressive sex scene. This didn't really serve no purpose to the actual story. But like everything else in the industry "sex sells!"
In general, the film isn't disastrously bad but unfortunately it left an uneasy feeling in my stomach that just didn't sink right. It didn't live to the charm the first one had and that was something about its sequel I was afraid off.
As was said in the film, "Seize your glory!" only this film didn't obtain so much victory in my heart.
Need for Speed (2014)
Blew my expectations away!!!
I'm not sure what the these so called "critics" saw in this movie that they needed to smash this movie down into a failure pile. I assume it probably wasn't boring enough for them like most Oscar nominated movies.
I was sold on this movie for two reasons. Number 1 it had Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul as the lead who plays Toby Marshall, a former pro street racer who gets framed by a rich business associate which in turn ends up being thrown into prison. After doing his time, he seeks revenge on his mind and goes on a cross-country road race. Number 2 it is the adaption of the video game series.
When I went into the theatre I had very low expectations from this movie since most video game-movie versions always end up terrible. But I wanted to give it a chance since Aaron Paul is in the lead role.
The opening scenes of the movie gives you the introduction of the characters such as Dino, Julia, Benny, Finn, and Little Pete. It sets up the kind of life these people had. Toby and his friends fine tuning cars performance in his garage but at night he goes and participates in races to make end's meet. The car scenes in the movie were exceptionally well done and all real giving you a sense of adrenaline rush and a sense of realism making the Fast and the Furious movies look childish. It's amazing how they didn't use any CGI and for that I applaud them for that. I also applaud Aaron for doing most of his stunts.
Anyway back on track. The story doesn't begin until the first 30 minutes into the movie or it must have felt that way due to it's slow moving pace. I must say NFS did an amazing job adapting the video game onto the big screen but however it comes with a predictable plot. The addition for new and classic cars were a plus, certainly to get an car lover to be excited for. Imogen Poots did a wonderful job as Juila Maddon and she and Aaron had great chemistry that gets build up into depth as their wild ride progresses. The ensemble cast was great and the humour was top notch.
All in all, don't be discouraged by the low ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and go see this movie, you won't regret it!!
Iron Man Three (2013)
Not overly bad but it's the weaker one in trilogy
First off, I throughly enjoyed this movie from start to finish. It had great action, acting, special effects, humour and other things I could be missing. But what kills this movie for me was its writing and the Mandarin.
First off let me begin with the Mandarin. What the heck did they do with that character?? I have no disrespect for Ben Kingsley as he brought life to his role but they turned that character into some cheap clown that could be used in a comedy show. In the movie trailer they made it look like the Mandarin was going to be a killer enemy for Tony Stark and I was very excited. But the end result out of it? An utter disappointment and a misleading way to get my money.
The second was the writing. The quality of the writing felt bland, and in some parts predictable.
Overall, this movie was still pretty good but it is considered as the weakest Ironman film for me.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
It's alright
Chris Pine has been selected as Jack Ryan in a reboot based on the Tom Clancy character. I believe the director wanted him as he is partly responsibe for the revival of the Star Trek films which was updated for modern times.
Unfortunately, he fails to execute some depth for the character. He may have that boyish charm and the nice body but I didn't feel so hot for the character. And the same for his wife. The whole premise is too similar. An agent, a Russian who wants to take down America and therefore must be stopped. But I do applaud for the action scenes as it was done well.
Overall, film is watchable yet forgettable but Chris Pine has opened up the potential for a part 2 which if there is I really hope he could improve by adding more depth which I hope the writing really be better in order for that to be shown.
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Fantastic
Oh where to begin? First I don't understand as to why this film only has 7.1/10. It should be rated higher than that but oh well. Oz the Great and Powerful stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs aka Oz who must come to decide whiter if he is a good man or a great one after being whisked into the wonderful land of Oz from a tornado in Kansa. I loved how Sam Raimi patched things up. When the film began it opened in classical black and white with a lower picture ratio. We see Oscar doing his carnival acts. Then the movie is presented in brilliant colour and the 3D and the special effects is breathtaking. If you think you keep wasting money as so many movies that shouldn't be converted in 3D then I promise you this Oz movie won't disappoint as I was really taken away with it and how Sam really made sure that it was spot on. Then me meet Mila Kunis as Evenora I think thats her name who at first is charming and sweet. But little would we expect for she to transform into the wicked witch of the west. Then we meet Michelle Williams and I forgot the other actresses name please forgive who deliver their roles. To people who thought the characters were bland and the actors were poorly miscast then you all were sleeping in this film as I found that they all delivered life to their characters really well making them likable. Plus James Franco did a fine job as Oz and he also improved on his character by adding some comedic touches throughout the film. overall i found the movie well shot, the 3D was spot on and I think Sam did a great job on this film.
The Following (2013)
Scarily good
The Following is a new show which stars the one and all Kevin Bacon. I had decided to tune into this new series because after all the media was heavily promoting for this show and this convinced me to watch the show. Surprisingly it was scarily good. The plot involving the serial killer and the former FBI agent kept me on the edge of my seat. The storyline gets more suspenseful as the episode drags on and I tried to make some educated predictions. The end of each episode ends to keep you wanting more for next week. The concept of the show is pretty unique instead of making it a typical cop show but I just wonder how far could the series deliver? Anway I really hope it gets renewed for another season as last year I made an effort to get interested in a new TV series before it got cancelled.
Killing Them Softly (2012)
Terrible!!!!
Honestly I don't get what the critics saw in this movie and highly praising Brad Pitts work in it. When I saw the poster for this film I thought there was going to be plenty of action but boy was I wrong. There was basically no plot!! I didn't understand what the heck was going on. The characters were completely unlikeable. Swear words like F you were overused. The length of the film was VERY slow going that I attempted to fall asleep but couldn't thinking something was going to happen to keep me engaged. I literally felt like walking out of the theatre like four people in the theatre did earlier. But the worst part was the end. It was like someone writing a novel on paper and you can tell there is still more to be told but... it just ended abruptly. But I didn't care!! Was I glad to walk out there. The worst film I've ever seen in my life so far.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Great 3D effects but....
I don't understand as to why this film wasn't preview so much for its release in January but never mind to that. Hansel&Gretel: witch hunters takes on a modern twist to the Grimm Brothers story. The film starts off to when Hansel and Gretel are taken into a forest late at night by their father who refuses to reveal anything to them under their plea as to what is going on. Lost in the forest the two find a house made of candy and begin to eat off of it before embarking into the house. Little did they know they would meet an evil witch who threatens to kill them. But the two ended up stuffing her in fire for she to die and that typically explains as to why they became witch hunters. For the duration of the film to only last 88 minutes its easily forgettable. The action comes in at the right moments during the film but what really lacked was character development since the movie moved that fast. I felt i didn't get to know the characters all that well so that makes me not care for any of the characters weather they live or die. But i give credit to the 3D effects as it was spot on. It was pretty gory but I handled it well. Overall it was an interesting and entertaining movie... But it's easily forgettable.