Review: Goosebumps (2015)

                         

           
             'Goosebumps' Might Give You Those, But For The Right Reasons

          It's days like this where I love what I do. I can review a film that manages to live up to my expectations and isn't a film that is super serious or too deep. Just a fun time to watch and that is what Goosebumps is.

     Story:
   Goosebumps follows the story of a boy named Zach (Dylan Minnette) who moves into a small town with his mother (Amy Ryan). Living next door is the mysterious author R.L. Stine (Jack Black) and his daughter Hanna (Odeya Rush). After breaking into Stine's house and opening one of his sealed Goosebumps books, the rest of his books come to life, leading to a night of adventure and horror.

     Ups:
   I thought the actors did a fine job. Dylan Minnette, I think is on his way to bigger things because he is so charismatic and likable here as the main protagonist. While Jack Black is marketed as the lead, it is mainly Minnette's movie. Speaking of which, I though Jack Black was pretty good. I'm usually not fond of his brand of humor, but I didn’t mind him here. Amy Ryan isn't given much to do, but she does a solid job with what she is given. But Jillian Bell was a real scene stealer as Zach's aunt Lorraine. She has a handful of scenes, but she was a riot whenever she appeared.

    I also liked the CGI on some of the monsters. My favorite monster in the film was the Werewolf of Fever Swamp. I liked how they had him walk on two legs and gave him people clothes to acknowledge the fact that he is a werewolf. Also, the Werewolf of Fever Swamp is my second favorite episode of the TV series, right behind The Haunted Mask, so that could also be why I loved the creature so much.

    Downs:
    As a fan of the series, I was hoping they'd include the Haunted Mask because it is my favorite episode (Then, now, and forever, might I add). But to be fair, there are so many monsters in the series, it's difficult to focus on all of them. Maybe in the potential sequel, we'll see it. Also, I admit that it does take a short while for things to really pick up and for the main events to really be set in motion.

    Consensus:
   Overall, Goosebumps is a solid treat for the family that is a fun adventurous romp and a nice nod to fans of the source material. It's not anything ground breaking, but it doesn't need to be. It's simply a fun time at the movies.

Grade: B+

Top 10 Scariest Non-Horror Movies

Hello, Bloggers, Happy Halloween to you all! In the spirit of the holiday, I figured I'd share a list of what I consider to be the top 10 scariest horror movies not categorized under the horror genre. Let's take a look:

10. Animal Kingdom: This choice seems more out of the box, but what makes it so unnerving is two of its characters that are the most memorable on-screen psychopaths in recent memory: "Smurf" and "Pope" Cody. "Smurf" with all of her menace buried under that sugary smile, and "Pope" who can kill you with just a look, will leave you shivering by the time the credits roll. Also, you may never look at the song "All Out Of Love" by Air Supply the same way again.

9. Martha Marcy May Marlene: While being hunted down in a deserted summer camp can be bone-shattering, being involved with a sinister cult in the peaceful upstate New York mountains is enough of a reason to make you appreciate the suburbs. Even when John Hawkes' characte sings a harmonious tune to our lead heroine, you can still sense the darkness behind it.

8. Schindler's List: The film didn't have to show us the horrors of the Holocaust to showcase how bad it was. Yet it still shows how cruel humans can be. None more so than the Nazis, especially Amon Goeth, who in this film is evil personified.

7. Blue Velvet: While Martha Marcy May Marlene showed how life in the mountains can make you appreciate the suburbs more, Blue Velvet shows that even life in the suburbs can be unnerving. Director David Lynch sums that up even through the opening sequence where we see the sunny suburbs, then slowly go deep underground.

6. The White Ribbon: As I said in my review, even if this film isn't exactly a horror film, it still has a structure that is similar to much older horror films because of how we piece the puzzle ourselves: We create what happens behind closed doors and try to figure out who the perp is throughout. There is never a boogeyman wearing a mask because anyone in the village can be wearing an invisible one.

5. The Hunt: The Hunt introduces a different kind of villain. Something that isn't a sentient being or a ghoulish spirit: Rumors. One small idea that can spread and infect the minds of simple townsfolk, turning the town into a modern-day witch hunt.

4. We Need To Talk About Kevin: It has been a couple years since I first saw this and I still can't hear the song "Everyday" by Buddy Holly the same way again. I don't ever plan on being a parent, but watching this sealed the deal for me. In fact, any parent that watches this will be clutching their children by the time it's over.

3. Compliance: Much like how The Hunt demonstrates how a simple idea can grow out of proportion, Compliance shows how one prank can slowly get out of hand and ruin people's lives. What seems like a simple day at work for our main characters will become a night of horror and the main villain doesn't even have to be there for it to happen.

2. Fatal Attraction: Anybody who looks to cheat on their spouse should perhaps watch this before doing so since it is Exhibit A on why you shouldn't do so, thanks to the efforts of actress Glenn Close as the psychotic Alex Forrest. But like Forresr herself, this movie shouldn't be ignored.

1. Requiem For A Dream: Don't do drugs, kids.

So that was my list of the top 10 Scariest Non-Horror Movies. I would love to hear your thoughts on my list in the comments section. Feel free to share your own list in the comments section as well. Thanks for reading and have a very happy and safe Halloween!

Review: The Visit (2015)

                     

         
                 Quite An Interesting 'Visit' To This House Of Horror

        Since M. Night Shyamalan is behind this, and he is famous for his twist endings, I would say that while there is a big twist at the end, the biggest one is that Shyamalan......wait for it....is actually trying!

    Story:
   The Visit is about two children (Ex Oxenbould and Olivia DeBarge) who leave their mother (Kathryn Hahn) to go visit their grandparents. But as their stay continues, their grandparents begin to exhibit strange behavior.

    Ups:
   First off, I loved the use of the found footage technique. Normally, I am not too crazy about that recent craze because we are starting to see a little too much of them. I especially wasn't crazy about the abysmal Paranormal Activity. But here, they take the found footage technique and mold it into the film's adventurous thrilling feel with the kids filming their grandparents and their escapades.

   I also thought the acting was very good, especially from the actors playing the children. They weren't too mature for their age or too kiddish because that tends to be a minor gripe with child actors. But these two kids had great chemistry. I also thought Deanna Dunagan who plays the grandmother was absolutely terrifying. Some of the scariest scenes weren't just the ones where she acts all nuts around the house, but ones where the daughter is interviewing her and Dunagan slowly sheds hidden layers with her craziness slowly cracking and revealing itself.

   Another thing I really liked was how even though we know that the grandparents are crazy, as the film progresses, we are trying to figure out what is making them crazy. Are they possessed? Are they really just senile old people? You keep guessing and I loved that.

    Downs:
    I'll admit that, despite the film having a pretty short length, it still felt much longer than it was. So the pacing was a little off. But that's just a minor gripe.

    Consensus:
    Overall, The Visit is an adventurous yet chilling effort that is one of the best surprises of the year. It made the tired "found footage" gimmick work very well and it is M. Night Shyamalan's best work in years.

Grade: A-

Topic Of The Day: Are Academy Voters Feeling A Genre-Packed Year?

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Topic Of The Day. For today's topic, since we are in the midst of awards season, I figured I'd delve into something that really struck me. As I've discussed before in my blog, and others have pointed out, there is one genre that the AMPAS has had a rocky relationship with over the years: sci-fi. Even when Gravity emerged as the big winner a few years ago, winning 7 out of 10 Oscar nominations, they still gave Best Picture to 12 Years A Slave to avoid possible think pieces about how the Academy is racist.

But this year, I wonder whether voters will go crazy over the genre films that the studios have in store for them. One is Mad Max: Fury Road. Even if it didn't make all the money in the world, it still has a near perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 97% and it still made $374 million worldwide against a $150m production budget. With its high rating, critics will certainly get behind it and they're just as political as industry voters are. It did win the FIPRESCI Grand Prix Award which is bestowed by the International Federation of Film Critics and which went to films like Amour and Boyhood which went on to be nominated for Best Picture. Also, if you go on Warner Bros'. official awards site, you'll see that they're pushing for it across the board.

While this one is more of a long shot, A24 Films is giving a push to one of their summer releases, Ex Machina, which was a sleeper hit, grossing $36 million worldwide against a budget of $15 million. They may have their hands full with Room, but if they push hard enough, it can at least get some tech nods. Because of how small Ex Machina is, I feel that techs are as far as the film will go, but it could still call itself an Oscar-nominated film.

Next is The Martian which is currently leading the box office charts and has received high critical praise. When I was listening to the podcast show Indiewire: Screen Talk by Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson recently, they brought up how it could be this year's Argo because of how it is a mainstream crowd pleaser that makes audiences feel good about themselves. They also said that it played very well at its AMPAS screening and that is very key. When Gone Girl had its AMPAS screening, voters greeted it with a shrug and that was like a foreshadowing of how it was treated on Nomination Day. So if voters like it, that's a pretty big deal.

Lastly, I'll go into a little movie called Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This may seem crazy, but hear me out. Now, we're all pretty aware that it'll be a box office behemoth as it is already breaking pre-ticket sales records. But if it receives positive word of mouth from critics, then I could see it having a strong showing at the Oscars because it has J.J. Abrams behind it who almost got voters to recognize fanboy fare with Star Trek which scored a Producers Guild nomination as well as a Writers Guild nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. But over the years, the Star Wars franchise has been more embraced. The first one won 7 out of about 10 nominations and the subsequent 2 films still won technical awards. Much like the first Star Wars, Gravity, and even Avatar which, coincidentally came out on the same date, December 18th, Star Wars: The Force Awakens will likely be an event that will bring the masses into the theaters and sometimes, voters do like to embrace that.

But what do you guys think? Do you feel that voters will go crazy and recognize any of these films for major categories? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Reviews: Jupiter Ascending (2015)

                           

           
                   Send This Movie To 'Jupiter' Where It Belongs

      At the very beginning, Mila Kunis' character says "I hate my life" as she wakes up. That line probably sums up the reaction of those that had to suffer through this movie, including myself.

      Story:
     Jupiter Ascending follows the story of a woman named Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) who is hunted down by three royal siblings from space looking to claim her ownership of Earth that apparently she is entitled to and ends up being protected by a half-man half-wolf named Caine (Channing Tatum).

      Ups:
    I thought the score by Michael Giacchino was pretty good and quite beautiful. I won't go deep into the effects and production design because these days, the effects and production design on sci-fi films usually do look spectacular.

     Downs:
    First, I'll go into the acting. While I thought Channing Tatum does a good enough job, Mila Kunis looked bored out of her mind. She looked like she kept waiting for her check to clear. Same with Sean Bean. Also, while Gugu Mbatha-Raw does a fine job with the small role she is given, she is still wasted. Lastly, I'll get into Eddie Redmayne. His performance is so laughably bad, that once you see it, you can't unsee it. I'm quite stunned the Academy didn't take his Oscar back as punishment.

     Also, the script is such a mess, with too many ideas and things going on, that I didn’t follow all the different characters and plot points. Nor did I care about what was going on. Plus, what angered me so much about the film was how it was a sci-fi film that still delved into stuff like revenue and land ownership and so on. I don't watch sci-fi for that stuff.  I want to be transported to a different future or universe. Yet I don't want to watch a sci-fi version of MSNBC nor do I want to see too many ideas put together. A few characters at a time and no overbloated visual effects. Speaking of the characters, because there are so many, I just didn't care what happened to them. Especially Jupiter who is such a weak damsel that it is a shame that we are still getting characters like her in the midst of films like The Hunger Games and Frozen which depict stronger female characters.

    Consensus:
  Overall, Jupiter Ascending is an overbloated anger inducing mess that seems destined to rank among the likes of other D-grade sci-fi films like Barbarella and Battlefield Earth. 

Grade: F
    
 

Review: Steve Jobs (2015)

                             

       
               'Steve Jobs' Is Worth Watching Beyond Just On A Mac Computer

          Just know that, whenever I review a Michael Fassbender film and if I say that he is a chameleon, at this point, it begins to feel customary.

        Story:
       Steve Jobs follows the story of the titular Apple co-founder (Michael Fassbender) and showvases three different periods in his life through three product launches: The Macintosh in 1984, NeXT Box in 1988, and the iMac in 1998.

        Ups:
      I'll start off with the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Not only does he get showcase his typical Sorkin-esque dialogue like in The Social Network, but what makes this completely different from The Social Network is how he splits the film into three acts in a way that it not only feels like a play, but three different short movies even as the characters remain consistent. Also, when the film began, I was immediately hooked and I think that is a testament to Sorkin's writing.

      I also would like to acknowledge Danny Boyle who is able to take the different acts of the film and give them distinguished characteristics. For example, during the "NeXT" act, the characters are all wearing red and are surrounded by red, signaling how it is the darkest period in the film, and there is an orchestral score unlike the beginning and the end which are composed of a more techno-based score. So if you love to analyze film, you can pick any detail from each act and find something to appreciate whether it is the way they are shot, the music, or how the whole movie is paced. This kind of structure allows the film to separate it from more conventional biopics like The Iron Lady and Lincoln that mainly focus on the events of the lives of the people that are portrayed. This film may do that as well, but in a way that the product launches depicted are like parallels to Jobs' life which aides in its separation from convention.

     Next, I'll get into the acting. Michael Fassbender is an absolute chameleon. Despite the fact that he looks nothing like Steve Jobs, he still becomes Steve Jobs in body and spirit. The way he portrays him is like the machines he is selling: Full of energy and communicates in rapid fire yet trying to evolve and look ahead. His work transcends beyond cheap mimicry. He also has an outstanding cast surrounding him. Kate Winslet plays Apple's marketing executive Joanna Hoffman and Jobs' confidante and she is in top form here as a woman packed with no-nonsense yet sensitive candor. As the film began and she appears on screen, I kept forgetting that it was Kate Winslet. Seth Rogen has a smaller part as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and he really impressed me as he sheds his lovable stoner routine. I have been impressed by his semi-serious work in films like 50/50 and Observe and Report, but I loved him in this. I would say this is his perhaps his best work. The rest of the cast, including Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Katherine Waterston, are great as well.

     Downs:
     NIL.

     Consensus:
     Overall, Steve Jobs is a captivating biopic that works as both a technical and emotional marvel. It is engaging throughout thanks to its rapid fire writing by Aaron Sorkin, tremendous acting from the cast, and precise direction from Danny Boyle.

Grade: A+

 

Oscars 2016: Gotham Awards Nominations: My Thoughts

Hello, Bloggers! So they just announced the nominations at the Gotham Independent Film Awards which usually are indicators of dark horse indie contenders much like the Independent Spirit Awards. But while the Spirit Awards haven't announced their nominations, the Gotham Awards lineup looks interestingly a little less Oscar friendly.

First off, about four of the five Best Film nominees are female centered. We have not just Carol, but Diary Of A Teenage Girl, which led with four nominations (Best Film, Best Actress for Bel Powley, Bingham Rey Breakthrough Director Award for Marielle Heller, and Best Screenplay) and also Tangerine, which is a dramedy filmed on an iPhone and stars two transgendered actresses. its distributor Magnolia Pictures is looking to mount some kind of awards campaign for this film, and its actresses, so I'd keep an eye on it. Its biggest hurdle is not only that its a smaller-scale film, but it also has The Danish Girl to contend with. But if Tangerine can push hard enough, we'll see where it goes. 

But one of the biggest surprises is that Room only scored one nomination for Best Actress for Brie Larson. However, Whiplash only scored one Gotham nod last year and still managed to nab a 3-2 Oscar record. I still think Room will be this year's "little movie that could" a la Whiplash and Boyhood. One thing I've also noticed is that Brie Larson will once again be up against Cate Blanchett for Best Actress like when she won for Short Term 12 against Blanchett for Blue Jasmine. Could Cate win Round 2?

We also have 6 Best Actress nominees compared to 5 in Best Actor which is neat. Best Actress not only has Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, and Bel Powley, but Blythe Danner for I'll See You In My Dreams, Lily Tomlin for Grandma, and perhaps the announcement that made my morning, Kristen Wiig for Welcome To Me. I worry that this'll be the farthest she'll go. But I hope she can get recognition for the banner year she's having. 

Expectedly, Spotlight found plenty of love as well as Carol. So their nods gave them a boost to their already solid campaigns. It was also neat that While We're Young found some love in Best Screenplay and that none of the Best Actor contenders are Oscar frontrunners which makes that category quite interesting.

So those are my thoughts on the Gotham Awards nominations. I would love to hear what you guys think. Please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Full nominees here:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/gotham-awards-nominations-2015-1201624034/

Chris Rock Will Host the 88th Oscars

Hello, Bloggers, it has just been announced that Chris Rock will host the 88th Academy Awards next year. So, I figured I'd post my thoughts on this announcement. Here we go:

Now, first off, I think this is a great idea. One reason is because I am a huge fan of his. I love his show Everybody Hates Chris and I even enjoy watching Head of State whenever it is on. I know that film isn't anything grand or a classic, but it's pure fun. So I enjoy watching Chris Rock be funny and I think he will deliver a killer monologue.

Also, it helps that he has hosted the Oscars before about 11 years ago when Million Dollar Baby won Best Picture. As I have mentioned in my tips for picking an Oscar host, I would be comfortable with them picking a host with previous hosting experience. Even if it means picking someone that has hosted the show before, it is still quite comforting. Just hopefully they don't have Sean Penn as a presenter this time around in case Rock jokes about an actor he likes.

I forgot where I heard this from, but before this announcement, I read that we would have two hosts. If that is the case, then who I would recommend hosts alongside Rock is Louis C.K.. As I have also mentioned in my tips for picking an Oscar host, if you are going to go with a pair, go with a pair that is used to playing off one another and Rock and Louis C.K. do have a collaborative comedic history. So if you're going to pair Rock up with someone, pair him with Louie because even if Louis C.K. doesn't have much hosting experience, we still won't have a James Franco/Anne Hathaway situation. Plus, in case the nominees become white washed this year, having Chris Rock host the show will still add some diversity to it.

So those are my quick thoughts on Chris Rock hosting the Oscars. But I'd love to hear what you guys think. Do you think he's a good host and if they want to pair him up with someone, should it be with Louis C.K. or should he do it solo? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Oscar Watch: Joy Trailer #2

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episodeof my Oscar Watch where I discuss trailers for upcoming Oscar contenders. For this episode, I will delve into the latest trailer for Joy starring Jennifer Lawrence.

When I saw the teaser, I had gotten vibes of American Hustle meets Erin Brockovich. Now after watching the full length trailer, I have vibes of Goodfellas meets Erin Brockovich because of the old music and how it is structured like a Scorsese pic. Now that I think about it, I worry that director David O. Russell is trying too hard to be like Scorsese. Not the best sign for this film. I think it looks great but I don't want to see DOR copy Scorsese.

Another thing about this trailer that has me off guard is oddly enough Jennifer Lawrence's performance. I feel that her line delivery was a little off at times like the big "don't talk about business" monologue at the end. It's as if she was thinking "I have..to sound...like I'm in power." I also think it is distracting how she seems like a young girl playing dress up. Sure, she has been cast as older women before in her previous films with David O. Russell, but it's becoming too much. However, there were two names that really stood out. One is Robert De Niro who looks like he is continuing to prove that he is still got it. Also, Isabella Rossellini looks amazing here. I especially loved her "gun" monologue. I think if any of the supporting ladies will get nominated at the Oscars, it'll be Rossellini because the trailer seems to put more emphasis on her.

Overall, I think the trailer has some promise. Despite some problems I have with Jennifer Lawrence and how it seems like a Scorsese clone, I may check it out in theaters. What do you guys think? Do you think it looks like an awards player? Please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Final Trailer: My Thoughts

Hello, Bloggers, the final trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens has finally arrived. I had to push myself to watch the first half of the Giants-Eagles game to get to the trailer and I was up for quite a few hours to get my ticket for Opening Day. But I have my ticket and the final trailer is here. Here are my thoughts:

Wow! What a trailer this was. The thing that I absolutely loved about it the most, though, is that we got to see a lot of Han Solo. While I think Luke and Leia are cool, Han Solo is the s*it! He is my favorite character in the series and major kudos to Harrison Ford for being game to not only coming back to the role, but playing a potentially big part in the sequel.

I also loved the last shot of the main villain, Kylo Ren, and Finn, played by John Boyega engaging in a lightsaber duel. I'm thrilled that John Boyega is even in this. When I saw him in Attack The Block, I knew that this kid was going to be huge and he certainly will be after this movie. I also think that Kylo Ren's lightsaber, that is designed like a cross, is pretty cool.

While we didn't get to see much of R2-D2 or C-3P0 in this trailer, I'm sure they'll get a good chunk of screen time. We didn't get to see Lupita Nyong'o, or the motion capture character is she playing, in the trailer either. But I am curious as to how big of a role she will have and am hoping that her talent isn't wasted. Especially considering she is an Oscar winner.

I'm also quite confident that the film will have awesome action sequences. The aforementioned lightsaber duel between Kylo Ren and Finn at the very end shows a lot of promise. I'm still VERY excited about the film as a whole and I look forward to potentially covering Star Wars up until the film finally gets released in December.

So those are my quick thoughts on the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Please feel free to write your own thoughts in the comments section on whether you think it looks promising or not. Thanks for reading!

Trailer Talk: The Forest and The Boy (2016)

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Trailer Talk. In the spirit of Halloween, I figured I'd share my thoughts on the trailers for two upcoming horror films. Let's take a look:

The first trailer I'll discuss is The Forest starring Natalie Dormer of Game of Thrones fame. The story, which deals with a woman looking to find her twin sister in the Aokigahara forest, where people go to commit suicide, is quite frightening because this forest actually exists. I don't really know if the ghosts thing here is real, but people do come to this forest to kill themselves. I think the movie as a whole looks terrifying and whether or not I see this in theaters remains to be seen. But I will definitely see it. I love horror movies so I love a good scare every now and then.

Next is the trailer for The Boy starring The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan. It's interesting because while I love horror movies, I can't tolerate ones with creepy dolls. Yet somehow, I am intrigued by this. I couldn't see Annabelle when it come out, yet I might plan to see this. Maybe it's the interesting premise of a couple asking for a babysitter to watch their doll. Whatever the reason, I might go and see this.

So those are my thoughts on these trailers. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section on whether you think these look really good or not. Thanks for reading!

Dream Cast: 6 Actresses Who Could Play Captain Marvel

Hello, Bloggers! The Captain Marvel film is slowly but surely coming to fruition and they have yet to announce the actress playing her. Now, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey has been pretty vocal about wanting to play the role, even recently posting fan art of herself on her Instagram page as part of her campaign. With all due respect to Ronda Rousey, I would be more comfortable seeing an actress with more acting experience. So here are 6 names I personally would consider for the role. Let's take a look:

Emily Blunt: I'll start off with a more obvious choice. I've been pretty vocal about how Blunt should be bigger than she is and this might be the role that reaches her to those heights. Anyone who's seen Edge of Tomorrow knows she can bring the right mix of confidence, vulnerabilty, and physicality.

Charlize Theron: While she might be a bit on the pricey side, given her name status and even her Oscar win, I still think Marvel should at least consider her. She's already has sci-fi cred with Prometheus and Mad Max: Fury Road, she looks the role, and if Captain Marvel becomes a leading member, Theron could play her with ease.

Jessica Chastain: Much like Theron, Jessica Chastain has sci-fi cred (The Martian, Interstellar) and has experience playing no-nonsense women with Zero Dark Thirty. She may be quite in demand at the moment, but if her schedule is open up, I'm sure she'd be willing to fit this film into her schedule. She did say she'd love to do a superhero movie. That helps.

Rebecca Ferguson: Since she played a double-sided agent in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, it would be interesting to see her pull of a heroine that knows where her loyalties lie. Plus, she's already shown in Mission Impossible that she can match her male counterparts tit for tat.

Brie Larson: She may be a little on the younger side, but thankfully Captain Marvel doesn't come out for quite a while. However, if Marvel were to consider her, I'd discuss a contract with her soon because her profile is really taking off. She even has another blockbuster lined up with Kong: Skull Island. So I would pencil her in quick.

Brit Marling: I've already done a Dream Cast on why I think she would be a great choice for the role and I stand by it. One thing that works in her favor is that she fits Kevin Feige's potential price range. She's not costly and she's a solid actress to boot. While she sticks mostly to indies, if Felicity Jones, Shailene Woodley, Elizabeth Olsen, and of course, Jennifer Lawrence taught us anything, it's that indie girls go studio sooner or later.

So those are my picks for who I think would make a great Captain Marvel. Who do you guys think should play the role? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section and also share your thoughts on Ronda Rousey being in the running for the role as well. Thanks for reading!

Ranking the Phase 3 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies From Most to Least Anticipated

Hello, Bloggers, since Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is already set to kick off next year, I figured I'd share my own ranking of the Phase 3 films in order from the ones I am least anticipating to the ones I am most excited for. Let's take a look:

10. Spider-Man (2017): I love Spider-Man, but enough is enough. I'm glad the rights of the character were brought back to Marvel. But I don't want the character rehashed every couple of years. No. Thanks.

9. Thor: Ragnarok (2017): I am trying to keep a VERY open mind about this one. I hated its predecessor, so I'm not over the moon about it. But thankfully we'll not only have Loki back, but the Hulk will appear as well. That gives me something to look forward to. (But seriously, PLEASE be better than The Dark World.)

8. Inhumans (2019): While I don't know too much about the Inhumans, the reason I am quite stoked for their upcoming film is because I always look forward to new heroes and teams being introduced into the film world.

7. Captain America: Civil War (2016): While this seems more like The Avengers 2.5, they do have heroes coming back that I like (Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch, Falcon) and are introducing Black Panther. I still fear that it'll mainly be the Downey or Iron Man show because I think RDJ is overstating his welcome in the MCU. But, I'll still see it.

6. Avengers: Infinity War- Parts I and II (2018 & 2019): For this one, I am excited to see how many Avengers will be a part of it. I don't think every Avenger will because I think that Marvel won't fulfill every star's salary (unless some stars were willing to take a huge pay cut which I highly doubt), but I'm curious to see who we will see.

5. Doctor Strange (2016): I am glad we finally get to see Doctor Strange on the big screen. Not only that, but I like that they got Benedict Cumberbatch to play him as well as who else they got: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and of course, Tilda Swinton!! Agh, so excited!!

4. Black Panther (2018): Not only am I thrilled that Black Panther is getting his own movie because it took quite a while for it to come to fruition, but we finally have the MCU's first black superhero movie. I'm all for diversity being front and center in these studio tentpole films and it is awesome we are seeing that with not just the Black Panther movie, but the casting of John Boyega and likely Gugu Mbatha-Raw as leads in the upcoming Star Wars trilogy.

3. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): Just when I thought the future of Ant-Man was a little uncertain, suddenly, a sequel was announced. Yay!!

2. Captain Marvel (2019): So, we're not just seeing more diversity in terms of race coming to fruition in these films, but also gender. While female-centered superhero films, like Elektra and Catwoman, haven't fared too well, here is hoping we have better luck with Captain Marvel. The rumors of Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson circling the role is another reason for me to get excited.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): The first Guardians was my favorite Phase 2 film, so it would only make sense I would be thrilled for the sequel. Here's hoping it not only is as good as the first, but has a kicking soundtrack like the first.

So that's my ranking of the Phase 3 films in order from the ones I am least anticipating to the ones I am most anticipating. Be sure to offer up your own rankings in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Review: Crimson Peak (2015)

                       

             
        'Crimson Peak' Is Like The Red Blood Shown Throughout: Splattered Yet Pretty Sticky

           After I walked out the film, because I read some early reviews, I thought to myself "Wow, early o have benefits" because while there were areas where I wasn't disappointed in terms of expectations, it was disappointing in unexpected, greater areas.

        Story:
       Crimson Peak follows the story of a writer named Edith (Mia Wasikowska) who is swept off her feet by the mysterious Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) whom she marries and lives with both him and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) at their mansion called Crimson Peak. But as she stays with them both, she becomes haunted by the literal ghosts of her pasts and uncovers hidden mysteries within the walls of Crimson Peak.

       Ups:
      First off, the film looks gorgeous! Director Guillermo Del Toro has a very keen visual eye and even when his films are so-so, they all look amazing. I thought the costumes were very ravishing and the production design looked absolutely beautiful. I especially liked the red dirt road leading into Crimson Peak.  

       While the actors do a fine job, the standout, in my opinion, is Tom Hiddleston as Thomas. I thought he captured Thomas' sly charm, as well as his elusive nature, perfectly. I also thought Jessica Chastain was really good as Lucille. Even if I thought she was "scene-chewy" at times, I still got a kick out of watching her villainous performance.

       Also, on a side note, do not go into this expecting a ghost story. As even Del Toro himself has stated, this is a Gothic romance. I would slightly agree with him on that note and say it is also a mystery.

        Downs:
       I would say that the weakest element is the script. One thing that didn't feel right is the inclusion of the ghosts. Even if you were to take them out, you would still have the same movie because there are scenes of Mia Wasikowska wandering the halls of Crimson Peak, searching for ghosts and they just go nowhere. While Guillermo Del Toro has incorporated ghosts and creatures into films like The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth, those were used as metaphors for their respective stories that were incorporated. Like how The Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth that has the big dinner table is a symbol for the top of the heirarchal class system. So the monsters in Del Toro's films usually work as symbols of something yet I had trouble figuring out what the ghosts in this meant.

      Also, while Mia Wasikowska does a fine job with what she is given, she isn't given anything to do other than act scared and wander and investigate the mystery. Charlie Hunnam from Sons of Anarchy has a small role as a doctor infatuated with Wasikowska's character and he was not only underused, but his friendzoned character was cliched. A lot of plot points were pretty cliched. There is even a big reveal that I even sensed as the film progressed and won't reveal.

       Consensus:
 Overall, Crimson Peak is incredibly stylish yet is shrouded in mystery and scares that we can already figure out. The film has some standout performances and beautiful production design, but it is nowhere near Guillermo Del Toro's best work.

Grade: C+

     

Review: Sicario (2015)

                       

   
          'Sicario' Amazingly Shows How The Border Between Good And Evil Is Consistently Being Crossed

      Even if Emily Blunt isn't exactly in "Full Metal B*tch" mode like in Edge of Tomorrow, she continues to prove a strong case as to why she should get that superhero movie which continues to elude her.

         Story:
        Sicario follows the story of an FBI agent named Kate (Emily Blunt) who is asked to help take down the leader of a Mexican drug cartel, with the help of loose cannon agent Matt (Josh Brolin) and mysterious Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). But it turns out that it isn't just the U.S.-Mexico line being crossed as the three characters reveal their own motives to taking down the cartel ruler, blurring the line between right and wrong.

       Ups:
      I'll start off with the acting. Emily Blunt gives the best performance of her already impressive career as Kate. The beauty of her performance is that even if the movie was silent or she was mute, Blunt still wouldn't need dialogue to let the audience in on her rampant emotions. It's all in her eyes. I also thought Josh Brolin was great and brought both mild comic relief and enigma to the role of Matt. But as impressive as those two are, I'll say two words: Del. Toro.. Del Toro is SO amazing as the elusive Alejandro that he makes you wish his character had his own movie. While he mostly faces down and talks low, it really fits the character as you are never sure where his true loyalties lie.

     Next, I'll get into the screenplay by Taylor Sheridan. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that it was interesting that even though a villain is given, it is more of a morality tale, delving into themes such as the balance of good and evil as well as power. So, it doesn't just focus on who the characters are chasing, but how they're chasing it. Also, even though the Mexican drug cartel story is something we've seen before, here, it is done quite differently in my opinion. Thanks to the directorial efforts of Denis Villeneuve, the grayness amongst the characters is able to shine through and he is able to let the camera roll on his actors so they can let the audience in on their feelings without the heavy use of dialogue.

     I also loved the cinematography by Roger Deakins. The man is a master at his craft and here, it is no different. What I loved about the way he shot it is how the scenes set on night and day actually feel like night and day without the use of special lighting hovering the actors. Despite the film not having much action sequences, the editing by Joe Walker is put together so tightly that it not only is still filled with tension, but you're not staring at your phone. Lastly, I loved the score by Johann Johansson. Even as we hear it in the beginning, we are still given an idea of what kind of film we are in for.

     Downs:
    NIL.

     Consensus:
    Overall, Sicario is a slightly familiar yet incredibly tense thriller done with unique stylization and storytelling to help it stand out from other films in its realm.

Grade: A+

     

FYC: It Follows for Best Original Score (2015)

Hello, Bloggers, here is another For Your Consideration post that I have been meaning to do for quite a while and here it is. Here is my case for why the horror flick It Follows deserves a nod for Best Original Score.

One genre that the Academy has had trouble getting along with besides comedy is horror. They have beem much kinder to it in the past by nominating films like The Exorcist and The Sixth Sense for Best Picture. But nowadays, the horror genre has slightly waned. So, it's not too surprising this genre is often ignored nowadays. But the latest film It Follows, which is quite inventive in terms of story, is also unique with its score. The synthesized score is quite old school and when listening to it as I watched the film, it brought me back to the more classic horror films from the late 70's, early 80's like Halloween. 

Not only does it deserve recognition for its awesomeness, but also to add something that isn't traditional classical music from a sweeping period piece or anything like that. They did nominate, and give the win, to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for The Social Network. But it doesn't mean it should stop there. They should continue to be creative.

So, to any voting member of the Score or Musical branch, or film critic that may read this, I highly encourage you to consider this amazing score.

To anyone else that has seen the film, what do you guys think? Do you agree that the film's score deserves serious consideration? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Trailer Talk: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Trailer Talk. In the spirit of Halloween, I suppose I'd discuss a trailer for something horror-ish coming out next year. That is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

After watching this teaser, I have to ask this, This isn't really a film, is it? LOL. It seems like one of those fake movie trailers shown within a film. Now, a couple years ago, they came out with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. But the way this is advertised is so outrageous, it doesn't feel like it is a full-length film and like a parody or, as I said, like a faux-trailer. I'm guessing the whole parody thing is the idea and that it is a black comedy of sorts. But I can't stop laughing at how cheesy this looks.

Seriously, this movie isn't real, right?

So those are my quick thoughts on the trailer for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I would love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Oscars 2016: October Predictions

Hello, Bloggers, here are my updated Oscar predictions for the month of October. Now that the New York Film Festival is currently commencing and Bridge of Spies has just screened to a pretty positive reception, I'll put it back in my predictions because you never want to underestimate Spielberg when he makes a prestige pic. Anyways here are my predictions:

Best Picture:
Bridge of Spies 
Brooklyn
Carol
Inside Out 
Joy
The Martian 
The Revenant 
Room
Spotlight 
Steve Jobs 

Although I wouldn't underestimate Son of Saul, I replaced it with Bridge of Spies. I also replaced Beasts of No Nation with Room because I have my fears that Beasts might be too much for some voters.

Dark Horses: 45 Years, Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Mad Max: Fury Road, Son of Saul, Straight Outta Compton, Youth

Best Director:
Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs 
Todd Haynes, Carol 
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, The Revenant 
Thomas McCarthy, Spotlight 
David O. Russell, Joy 

Dark Horses: Lenny Abrahamson, Room, Tom Hooper, The Danish Girl, George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road, Ridley Scott, The Martian, Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies, Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight, 

Best Actor:
Matt Damon, The Martian 
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant 
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs 
Tom Hanks, Bridge of Spies 
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl 

Replaced Abraham Attah and Geza Rohrig with Tom Hanks and Eddie Redmayne. I took Redmayne off my predictions last month, but I think due to his role being so topical and this category being so barron, Redmayne will likely sneak in.

Dark Horses: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation, Michael Caine, Youth, Bryan Cranston, Trumbo, Johnny Depp, Black Mass, Ian McKellen, Mr. Holmes, Geza Rohrig, Son of Saul, Will Smith, Concussion 

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Carol 
Brie Larson, Room 
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy 
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn 
Lily Tomlin. Grandma

Replaced Charlotte Rampling with Lily Tomlin because buzz seems to be rather quiet on 45 Years. 

Dark Horses: Cate Blanchett, Truth, Emily Blunt, Sicario, Blythe Danner, I'll See You In My Dreams, Carey Mulligan, 45 Years, Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years, Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor:
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario 
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation 
Tom Hardy, The Revenant 
Michael Keaton, Spotlight 
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight 

Replaced Joel Edgerton with Mark Ruffalo. I want to say Edgerton gets in, but Black Mass' buzz is slowly waning. Plus, with Ruffalo's film gaining more momentum and him said to have the juiciest role out of his ensemble, Ruffalo can easily land a spot.

Dark Horses: Paul Dano, Love and Mercy, Robert De Niro, Joy, Joel Edgerton, Black Mass, Seth Rogen, Steve Jobs, Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies, Hateful Eight actors  (Kurt Russell, Demian Bichir, Walton Goggins, etc.)

Best Supporting Actress:
Joan Allen, Room 
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight 
Rooney Mara, Carol 
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight 
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs 

Replaced Alicia Vikander with Rachel McAdams. With the strong buzz Spotlight has gotten, I'm expecting a lot of love for the actors. Also, The Danish Girl is slowly slipping as a contender and they already have Rooney Mara to contend with in terms of category fraud.

Dark Horses: Elizabeth Banks, Love and Mercy, Jane Fonda/Rachel Weisz, Youth, Diane Ladd/Isabella Rossellini, Joy, Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria, Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Original Screenplay:
The Hateful Eight 
Inside Out 
Joy
Spotlight
Trainwreck 

Dark Horses: Anomalisa, Bridge of Spies, Ex Machina, Son of Saul, Straight Outta Compton, Youth

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Brooklyn 
Carol 
The Revenant
Room 
Steve Jobs 

Replaced Beasts of No Nation with Brooklyn. 

Dark Horses: 45 Years, Beasts of No Nation, The Danish Girl, The End Of The Tour, The Martian

So those are my updated Oscar predictions for the month. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

The U.T.C.: Rachel McAdams

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to a new segment on Film Guy Reviews. It is known as The U.T.C., which is short for the Undervalued Talent Club. On this segment, I discuss actors that haven't had a ticket to Oscar yet, but hopefully will in the future. The main criteria is that the actor doesn't have a nomination as of now. The first member of this club I will discuss is Rachel McAdams.

I remember when I saw her first film The Hot Chick, where she played a girl who switches bodies with a crook, and when I saw her name appear at the end credits, I thought to myself, "This girl is gonna be big." Then 2004 happened and suddenly people knew her name. With Mean Girls, she relishes in playing yet humanized the evil queen bee Regina George, proving her ability at comedy. She also played the romantic lead in The Notebook.

She would then go on to bounce from genre to genre: Thriller (Red Eye), ensemble dramas (Spotlight, State of Play), romance (The Vow, About Time, The Time Traveler's Wife), comedy (Morning Glory, Midnight in Paris) and now sci-fi blockbusters with Doctor Strange.

But her work that is most snubbed, in my opinion, is as Regina George in Mean Girls. I've discussed her work on my Anatomy Of A Performance segment, but she not only took the queen bee role to new heights, but her Regina has become more prolific than plenty of recent Best Supporting Actress winning performances in my opinion. That's the category I would've put her in. Thankfully, with the upcoming Spotlight, her membership of the U.T.C. might be revoked.

What do you guys think? Do you agree she is an underrated talent like I do and what do you think of this segment? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Topic Of The Day: Why I Might Not Go See Spectre

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Topic Of The Day. Now I had Spectre on my list of my top 10 most anticipated movies of the rest of the year. But...now I have my doubts as to whether I should see it in theaters. Mainly because of a recent interview Daniel Craig gave with Time Out magazine. When asked whether he would come back again as Bond, he said he'd rather break a glass and slash his wrists. In other words, he would dread coming back. If he were to come back, it'd only be for the money. I'll get into why that is so flustering:

Now, in the interview, he does go into a few perks that Bond has offered him. But the way he expressed his reluctance to coming back to the role that made him beloved by audiences really makes him come off as ungrateful. If it's the long shoots, fan attention, and extensive press tour that is so grating, then I say tough crap. I don't feel sorry for famous actors that get paid millions of dollars to act and promote their big movies then go back to their nice house and whatever. Whenever they do complain, it just makes them come off as ungrateful and spoiled. PR and fan attention is like smelly gym clothes when it comes to these kind of movies. It just comes with the territory. You don't like it, then go to indie or TV land or take these big roles and suck it up.

Also, if he says that he would only come back depending on his paycheck, then to me, it kind of ruins it for the audience. Now we all do jobs for the money. But we don't need to actually say it. I have a job, but I would never admit that I'm in it for the money because that's why we all work. Plus, if it looks like Craig doesn’t enjoy himself as Bond, then it won't be fun for the audience and it would give the suits a greater incentive to find another actor that'll be more excited to take the role. Thankfully, the role of Bond has been recast many times. So they shouldn't worry about whether the new actor will resemble Craig or anything like that.

So that is why I might choose not to see Spectre in theaters. Even if Craig was being honest, I still think he could've been a little nicer about it. I mainly wanted to use that interview to demonstrate why it is key for actors to sometimes watch their words. If the actor isn't enjoying the work they are promoting, then it makes it less fun for the audience.

But what do you guys think? Has Craig's comments ruined your decision to see Spectre or will you still go? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Trailer Talk: Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Trailer Talk. For quite a while, I have done an Oscar Watch for upcoming Oscar contenders, but this time around, I'll look into a trailer for a film that might not be much of a contender since it is released quite early next year, but could still be a great movie. That film is Hail, Caesar! from the Coen Brothers.

When watching this trailer, I'm just like, wow! Mainly because of that cast. I love Ralph Fiennes, LOVE, LOVE Tilda Swinton, like Scarlett Johansson as well as Josh Brolin and George Clooney. Also, major kudos to Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill for continuing to build an interesting resume for themselves. Especially Jonah Hill ever since his Oscar nod for Moneyball. A nod for Tatum isn't out of his reach, though.

Now while the Coens aren't filmmakers whose work is all over my DVD racks, I do admire their work. I like No Country For Old Men and Fargo is certainly a favorite of mine. They've dabbled into films about Hollywood before with Barton Fink. But for me, this one might seem more accessible because of its flare as well as cast members like Tatum and Hill whose comedic work I've become quite familiar with over recent years. Scarlett Johansson's inclusion doesn't hurt either. So with its hipper cast, I might get into it more.

But overall, I think this looks really great. I love the cast and because of it, I will likely see it when it comes out in theaters. Feel free to share your own thoughts about the trailer in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Topic Of The Day: Gugu Mbatha-Raw In The Mix For Star Wars?

Hello, Bloggers, welcome to another episode of Topic Of The Day. For today's topic, I figured I'd share my thoughts on some news that isn't exactly official, but exciting nevertheless. That is that, according to some sources like ScreenRant and Telegraph.co.uk, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is reportedly in the running to be one of the female leads in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII which will be directed by Rian Johnson.

This news is very enticing for a few reasons. One is that she is a tremendous talent and I am actually hoping for her to be in a franchise like this one that could make her a star. Another reason that this is exciting is that it could continue the trend of actors of color headlining these huge tentpole properties since John Boyega is already one of the leads in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

Also, while we have seen black male actors be front and center on screen, like Will Smith and Denzel Washington, it has been very difficult for actresses of color to become movie stars. Even Halle Berry isn't much of a draw when she isn't Storm and she is an Oscar winner, for heaven's sake. Lupita Nyong'o is also an Oscar winner and will star in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But she is playing a supporting motion capture alien. I will still see the film, but when I found out what role Nyong'o was playing, I thought that was a little unfortunate. But if they were to cast an actress of color like Gugu Mbatha-Raw as one of the female leads in the next sequel and not have her play a CG character, that would be a huge step forward in my opinion. Not just for the franchise, but for Hollywood as well. That way, all the best actresses of color like Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, and Kerry Washington don't have to retreat to television where the best roles are these days.

So those are my thoughts on the casting rumors of Gugu Mbatha-Raw and why it would be a great idea to cast her in the upcoming Star Wars sequel. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Review: The Martian (2015)

                             

             
                 'The Martian' Is Out-Of-This-World Amazing

         As the film has a rather optimistic tone to it, I still feel it might have an underlying sorrow to it. Mainly because people just love leaving Matt Damon in space for some reason.

        Story:
    The Martian is about an astronaut named Mark Watney (Matt Damon) whose fellow crew members, while on an exploration in Mars, are forced to abandon him while a storm hits, forcing Watney to be presumed dead as he vanishes from their sight. But it turns out Watney is still alive and it is up to him to try and survive while his crew and NASA try to bring him home.

       Ups:
     I'll start off with Matt Damon's performance. I would say Matt Damon delivers some of his best work to date as he portrays a simple man who tries to pull through and survive not by his physical strength or just his smarts, but mainly the optimism in his heart. Damon embodies the kind of everyman we see ourselves as or want to see ourselves as. The rest of the cast is also great as well. One actress who stood out was Kristen Wiig who served as great comic relief as Annie, the NASA media director. Chiwetel Ejiofor is also a standout as NASA engineer Vincent Kapoor and he gets some funny quips as well. Jessica Chastain is also very good here as Watley's commanding officer Lewis and plays someone that is perhaps more earthly than her previously straight-laced characters in both Zero Dark Thirty and Interstellar. The whole cast is great and despite it being Damon's show, it still works as an ensemble piece.

     Next, I'll discuss the screenplay by Drew Goddard. One thing I loved about his script is how, in comparison to the other recent space movies to come out in recent years, he made this one much more light-hearted and optimistic yet it still acknowledges the fact that the characters will run into some kind of danger and acknowledges the film's scientific elements without them being too hammered onto the audience in my opinion. What I mean is that we see how Watney tries to survive and how the other characters try to bring him home, but not too much detail. I also appreciated how the female and minority characters aren't resorted to tokenism or presented as cliches with dialogue pointing out their race or gender. They are portrayed as simple everymen and women trying to get the job done. There is no hero or villain yet despite the characters not all appearing wholesome, they all still have good in them. The script also has interesting meta-references to works like Lord of the Rings to help keep audiences engaged.

     I also thought the cinematography was absolutely beautiful. I loved the scenes in the outside of Mars with an orange color scheme as well as the scenes back on Earth where press conferences are held that have a bleaker, light blue color scheme. Those ones build an interesting contrast of how life looks on Mars compared to the Earth we live in. There are also bits where Watney is inside his rover and is surrounded by blue light which captures his subtle melancholy. The editing is also very good as despite the film's 2 hour and 20 minute screen time, moves at a slightly slow but steady pace.

     Downs:
    NIL.

     Consensus:
    Overall, The Martian is a meticulously crafted piece of sci-fi that is packed with as much heart as its main character. The characters are all engaging, the cinematography is stunning, the editing moves at an easy pace, and the screenplay is out of this world. Simply astronomical!

    Would I Recommend It?:
    Absolutely. As soon as you are finished reading this, go to your nearest theater and go see it!

Grade: A+