Fate of the Furious Mini-Review

The Fast and the Furious has been going strong for over fifteen years, and as the latest installment shows, it is not running out of gas yet.

In this one, the gang is recruited to stop an international terrorist (Charlise Theron). She has coerced Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) into helping her retrieve nuclear launch codes, by holding his family hostage. For this mission, the heroes are forced to work with former enemy, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham).

This installment was directed by F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton), who delivers exactly what fans have come to expect from this series. Insane action and a lot of fun. It is very over the top, and if you care about realism, this isn't for you. If you liked the previous entries, and you're willing to turn your brain off for about two hours, you are going to like this movie.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Colossal Review

Indie hit Colossal is a weird movie. It is all at once a monster movie, a romantic comedy, and a story of alcoholism. And for the most part, it pulls it off.

Anne Hathaway plays an unemployed alcoholic who moves back to her childhood home after breaking up with her boyfriend. Upon arriving, a giant monster attacks Seoul, South Korea, and she gradually finds out that she is connected to this. Every time she sets foot onto a playground in her neighborhood, the monster appears and does whatever she does, on the other side of the world. Jason Sudeikis also stars as Hathaway's childhood friend.

The monster is treated as a representation of Hathaway's problems. She is an alcoholic and spends a lot of time around men who treat her like dirt. This destructive behavior is shown as literally destructive, as the monster tramples the city.

But the monster is rarely treated as the center of the movie. This is about Hathaway and her struggles. It is true that the monster is the driving force of the story, but very little of the rampages are shown. There may be points where it looks as if the movie is headed toward a big Pacific Rim style climax, but, to put it simply, it's not. But it is still an entertaining movie, nonetheless. Anne Hathaway's character is relate-able, and is played very well. The movie also has plenty of funny moments, even though it's rarely hilarious.

I guess my main complaint with this movie would be Jason Sudeikis' character. Without spoiling anything, I'll say that I felt the motives for what many of the things he did were not very believable. The movie does not try to justify these actions, but it felt more like they were trying too hard to make him into the kind of character he turns into.

Despite the weird concept, Colossal is a very entertaining comedy and monster movie. It is a bizarre fusion of genres that stays entertaining throughout.

4 out of 5 stars

Kong: Skull Island Review

Kong: Skull Island is not the traditional King Kong. But if you accept that, this is a really fun time.

I say that this is not the traditional King Kong for many reasons. This is not the same story that you all know and love. This is barely even the same monster; this one is much taller. The whole movie really only exists to set up 2020's Godzilla vs Kong. That being said, this is a fun, action packed movie, that rarely feels like a cheap setup to another movie.

The story revolves around a group of scientists and soldiers in the nineteen-seventies who conduct experiments on Skull Island, unaware of the monsters that inhabit it.

The concept is not taken as seriously as many previous renditions of Kong. It focuses mostly on intense action, and features comic relief, mostly via John C Reilly's character. But it is still suspenseful, with many characters dying unexpectedly, making me more fearful for other characters. It also has some pretty good cinematography, and many scenes reminiscent of Apocalypse Now.

This new version probably won't appeal to all King Kong fans. A lot of people will probably hate the lighter tone and the liberties taken with the monster. But it does what it set out to do: deliver a fun action movie. It is nowhere near as good as the original, or even the Peter Jackson remake, but I was thoroughly entertained by it. I'd also say I'd prefer it to the recent Godzilla movie it's set to crossover with. This is a good movie if you know what you're getting into.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Logan Review

Logan is the final performance from Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And he definitely retired the character on a high note.

The movie takes place years into the future where mutants are an endangered species, and Logan (or Wolverine) (Jackman) is a limo driver, taking care of an elderly Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The movie follows him as he attempts to take his estranged daughter to a sanctuary, while she is pursued by agents from a facility that created her.

This is not like most other superhero movies. It is a lot more emotional, as one might have seen in the trailers. All in all, it plays more like a dramatic thriller than a standard Marvel film. But there is also plenty of action, which is intense and brutally violent.

This film is very moving, with some heart-wrenching moments, and good performances. It is an intense, emotional violent thriller that defies what you'd normally expect from a superhero movie.

I think that this might be the best X-Men movie so far. It is a great movie, and a great sendoff to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Get Out Review

Get Out is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele, from the comedy duo Key and Peele. The fact that it is a horror movie may be surprising and maybe a little off-putting, but this may be one of the best horror movies of the past few years.

It tells the story of a black man who goes to meet his white girlfriend's parents, and begins to fear that there might be something unnatural going on in her suburban town. Without spoiling too much, the movie uses this concept to explore themes of racial relations. However, it focuses on more subtle racism by seemingly tolerant characters. This offers a more interesting insight to these themes.

It is also a very effective horror-comedy. There are a few cheap jump scares, but overall it is very tense throughout. The comedic moments also work very well, but never get in the way of the scares. The characters are well thought out and you actually want them to survive. Overall, this movie held my interest, even when the story went down a somewhat ridiculous path.

Get Out is a very intense, funny, and insightful thriller. It will scare you, but it will also make you think.

4.5 out of 5 stars

La La Land Review

La La Land is a heartfelt, upbeat romantic musical.

The plot revolves around a struggling actress (Emma Stone) and a struggling pianist (Ryan Gosling) who meet and fall in love. Both of these roles are played very well, and the stars have great chemistry.

This movie is essentially a tribute to a bygone era. It is in the style of the movie musicals of the thirties and forties, with similar music, choreography, and a similarly upbeat story. There is a clear love for the movies and music of old on display here. It is evident that the writer and director is passionate about these things, especially since his last film, Whiplash, is also about jazz.

The musical numbers are very well done, with well written dialogue and excellent choreography. There is also a very heartwarming love story to go along with these performances. The tone of the movie is very happy and colorful throughout.

I am not putting as much effort into this review as many of my others, since you've probably already heard a lot about it, considering it has swept the Oscar nominations. But I'm just going to write that it is a fun, uplifting film with heart. If you want to feel good at the movies, I recommend this one.

3.5 out of 5 stars

The Lego Batman Movie Review

The Lego Batman Movie is only the first what will probably be many spin-offs and sequels to the original 2014 hit. In fact, this isn't even the only Lego Movie we're getting this year. But it continues to set the groundwork for what may be an amazing franchise.

The movie follows Batman (Will Arnett) as he accidentally adopts a young orphan named Richard Grayson (Michael Cera). This happens while the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is hatching a plan to destroy Gotham City, and Richard gets pulled into the conflict, and becomes Robin.

This movie is just as fun as the original. Throughout the movie, there is plenty of action, humor, and vibrant energy. Even the opening logos are entertaining. Its style and humor could be appreciated by both children and adults. Put simply, this is a fun adventure featuring almost every Batman character, and even a great deal of characters from various other movie franchises.

But it also has heart, displaying themes of friendship and family. While these elements may not be as effective as the heart in The Lego Movie, they still help to elevate the narrative. But the vast majority of the movie is not serious

The cast also gives great performances. Will Arnett delivers Batman's lines with a humorous level of narcissism that elevates the movie. Michael Cera also delivers a stand-out performance as Robin, giving him a strong sense of childlike wonder and energy. Galifianakis' take on the Joker is very interesting, as a villain who's main motivation is simply to have Batman acknowledge him as his worst enemy. This creates a more likeable Joker, who is perfect for this Lego universe.

While this movie isn't always as good as The Lego Movie, it fully retains its sense of fun and humor. This is a great movie for Lego and comic book fans of all ages.

4.5 out of 5 stars