Movie Night- The Nice Guys

5/23/2016

The Nice Guys 

Welcome to Movie Night with Brandon, which is basically my excuse to discuss and review any film I feel like. Whether it's a brand new film or an older one, it's whatever I feel like doing.  With all that out of the way, let's talk about some movies. 

The Nice Guys is a film I had been anticipating since it was announced later last year. I'm a huge fan of the cast, Ryan Gosling in particular. While I have not yet seen Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Shane Black wrote the first three Lethal Weapon films which I adore. I also love the setting of this film, taking place in 1970's Los Angles. So going into this screening I had pretty high expectations. 

I was surprised with how much I ended up enjoying this film. It had a lot of expectation to deliver on, and it surpassed all of it. The film is about a tough-guy for hire played by Russell Crowe and a Private Investigator played by Ryan Gosling. When their paths cross while investigating a case, they find themselves working together to find out how a dead porn-star and a girl named Amelia are connected. 

The first thing I have to praise in this film is the screenplay. The dialogue and set-pieces these characters are given are written with such precision that it kept me laughing through the entirety of the run-time. There are moments where I found myself laughing myself to tears, which films rarely do since I'm such a stickler when it comes to the comedy genre. Another thing I have to mention is the amazing chemistry between Crowe and Gosling. They work so well on screen together and Gosling in particular nails comedic timing as well as psychical comedy. Russel Crowe's character is more of a straight forward character which he executes perfectly, even adding his own element of humor. The two characters as well as Gosling's daughter in the film all play off of each others performances so well it really lends to the realistic feeling of the characters. Even the action sequences were handled very well, which I did not expect from this film. 

While the story isn't very groundbreaking or original, the film still manages to feel very fresh. The setting of the film feels very authentic as well, which is crucial for a film set in the 1970's. I can't tell you how important it is for a film to feel seamless in this way. It never breaks immersion due to awesome costume and set design. The tone of the film can be a little choppy at times but it's never enough to hinder the film completely. Certain scenes in the second act felt a little too serious out of nowhere and it felt a bit rushed.

Overall, The Nice Guys feels like a refreshing piece of cinema that felt very authentic with a lot of laughs to offer. It is one of the funniest movies I've seen in the last couple of years and it manages to do this while also telling a fun story with great and realized characters. I can very easily see this film spawning a franchise of "buddy-cop" movies with a lot to offer to the genre. While the film's tone does suffer at times, The Nice Guys is still one of the best films I've seen so far in 2016. 

8/10

Movie Night- Captain America: Civil War

5/9/2016

Captain America: Civil War

Welcome to Movie Night with Brandon, which is basically my excuse to discuss and review any film I feel like. Whether it's a brand new film or an older one, it's whatever I feel like doing. With all that out of the way, let's talk about some movies. 

I know you think this review is a little late, but I wanted to see the film twice before I gave my full thoughts about it. Although seeing a film like this opening weekend is fun, I like seeing them again with a quiet, less enthusiastic theater so I can think about as a film, not an event. Don't get me wrong, I liked this movie a lot and I'm on the verge of loving it, but there are a few things that keep me from completely falling in love with it. After I give my review and final grade I will discuss some spoilers, so read after the review so we can go into some specifics. 

First lets discuss the things I liked about Civil War. Once again, Marvel nails the casting of it's heroes. I'm assuming you want to know what I think of the new Spider-Man and our first on screen look of Black Panther right out of the gate. Chadwick Boseman did a great job with the role of Black Panther and really sold me on his character. I didn't know much about the character beforehand because I never read one of his comic books, but now I am interested to read some and I'm really excited for his solo film. If anyone knows me they know I love the character of Spider-Man and he is my favorite comic book hero. So I'm delighted to say that Tom Holland's interpretation of the character is my favorite live-action version to date. He's quippy, funny, and has excellent line delivery which is crucial for the part. While he isn't in the film for long, he's one of my favorite aspects about it. All of the returning cast once again knocks theirs respective roles out of the park. The entire reason the Marvel Cinematic Universe has became the phenomenon that it is, is because of the stellar cast. 

Another huge plus to the film is it's incredibly gritty direction from the Russo brothers. Coming off the highly successful Captain America: The Winter Solider, they once again do a great job of realizing the characters and give us awesome action complete with incredible stunt work. The Russo brothers know how to craft and action film that not only has good action, but gives you a story where you care about the characters outside of the action. All of the special effects in the film are also great, which is no surprise considering it is a Marvel film. Considering this film is also just under two and a half hours long, the film never seems to drag. I also really enjoyed a lot of the themes of this movie and the questions it presents. It gives the audience some genuine reasons why you'd pick one side over the other in the beginning of the movie. 

Now it's time to discuss things I didn't like or had flaws with in Civil War. Some character motivations at times feel forced and out of character. I will go into greater detail in the spoiler section but the movie has too many moments of conveniences that felt a bit too much. Another small problem I had was the character of Zemo. While his motivations are very understandable and Daniel Bruhl was amazing in the role, he felt almost rushed in. I feel like the film could've played out almost in the same way without his character. There is also a decision made at the end of the film that I wished they had done differently. The film also suffers from a few pacing issues and tonal shifts that sometimes feel jarring. Once again, I'll get specific in the spoiler section. 

I really liked Captain America: Civil War but it fell just short of perfection for me. It is still currently one of my favorite movies in the MCU and I'll thoroughly enjoy watching it many more times. It boasts some of the coolest segments of any comic book film ever, but it's few flaws make me hesitant to give it my highest grades. While I do highly recommend you check it out, which you probably have already, I cannot say it is perfect for the genre. 

7/10

SPOILERS!

Okay, now to discuss some things in greater detail. 

-The character motivations of Iron Man and Black Widow felt at times very unlike their character. While I do like and agree with how Iron Man first came to the decision to sign the Accords, I felt like a five minute conversation with Captain America would've helped change his perspective and his mind. 

-The films pacing also suffers because of strange tonal shifts. The first half felt very straight-forward and realistic, but the middle section felt too fantastical and happy. Especially since the final act of the film was so dramatic, the pacing suffered because of it's middle section.

-I found there to be a few too many coincidences in the film as well. How did Zemo get out of Germany so fast after his interrogation with Bucky? How did Zemo know Iron Man would be at the Winter Solider headquarters in order to show him the video of his parents being killed? Basically I felt like Zemo was a little bit omnipotent because the script required him to be. 

-By far my biggest disappointment of the film is that no one died. I know that sounds like I am blood thirsty or something but these films lack tension. If Rhodes would've died instead of just being paralyzed, that would've made for a more emotional moment. Instead it's just an excuse for him to get some Tony Stark Robo-Legs. And personally, if the last fight in the film had a death at the end, I would've loved this movie even more. There was no dramatic payoff at the end of the fight since the characters walk away with hardly a scratch on them. If Steve Rodgers would have died, it would've made for this huge scene that would've left such an impact on the franchise and given it some dramatic tension for future films. Instead they play it safe and even end the film with Tony and Steve on almost speak able terms. 

Movie Night- When Marnie Was There

5/2/2016

When Marnie Was There

Welcome to Movie Night with Brandon, which is basically my excuse to discuss and review any film I feel like. Whether it's a brand new film or an older one, it's whatever I feel like doing. In this series, I won't be giving grades because I don't feel that they're necessary for this particular series. With all that out of the way, let's talk about some movies. 

I first heard about this film a few months ago and I was interested to check it out. I had not previously seen a Studio Ghibli film before and I was curious to check this one out. So when I saw the Blu-Ray was on sale at Best Buy I decided to buy it and check this film out, and I am extremely glad that I did. This movie genuinely left me entranced and it captivated my thoughts for days afterword. I once again have to strongly, strongly recommend this film immediately even before the rest of the review because this film desperately deserves your attention.  Even if you are not a person who likes Anime films, please give it a shot. I made my mother give it a shot and she seemed to really like it as well and she doesn't find Anime all that appealing. 

At the start of the film we get introduced to Anna. A shy girl with asthma who doesn't seem very happy. She doesn't have many friends and she is emotionally distant from her adopted mother. When she has an asthma attack at school, Anna's doctor recommends that she stay with her guardians relatives. They live in a more rural area where the air is cleaner which they believe will be beneficial to her. While she is staying there she discovers a house on the edge of a marsh that she becomes obsessed with. I will the the synopsis there because it is a film better experienced with no more knowledge than that. 

I have completely fallen in love with this film. I have seen it three times now and I desire to watch it again soon. The animation in the film is always stunning with beautiful landscapes that completely engage the audience. Hand drawn animation seems to be becoming less and less prevalent in today's films, but that also helps this film feel a little more timeless in turn. The music is also always fitting with the story with very alluring instrumentals. The voice casting is also very good, the only flaw being John C. Reilly not blending well with the film. Hiromasa Yonebayashi's direction of the story is always spot on, exploring mature themes that children can relate to and crafting an ending that packs a formidable emotional punch. 

Where the film is strongest for me is in it's characters, particularly that of Anna. I relate to her character immensely in the film. I am a fairly introverted person and I have trouble with connecting with people at times. So as the film goes on and you go on this journey with Anna, you become emotionally invested in where she is as a person. You become so attached to her character because of how real and grounded she feels. This made for one of the most emotional film finales for me as I cried like a child. With the exception of a few Pixar films like last years incredible Inside Out, children's films don't really explore these deeper and more serious emotions. While a fun kids movie is enjoyable now and then, these films are imperative to see as well because they are so much more profound and send a much greater message. 

When Marnie Was There was a magnificent animation film with believable characters and beautiful visuals. Like all films in this series of Movie Night reviews, this should absolutely be on your watch list especially if you have kids. It is a film that will leave you breathless and make you fall in love with it's astounding story.