X-Men: Apocalypse - Snapshot

I was looking forward to X-Men: Apocalypse, and in usual tradition I set out to re-watch all 7 previous movies in the franchise, in preparation. Fresh with the knowledge of the entire X-Men movie timeline, I proceeded for the IMAX experience of Apocalypse. The opening credits sequence is true to the X-Men movie style, now with a little Egyptian Pyramid flavor, keeping in context with the theme. The 3D presentation of these opening credits are well worth the 3D moniker, truly drawing in the audience; on IMAX it was amazing. The narrative sets things up well, and plays out beautifully. One of the major successes of the franchise is keeping the timeline under control, aiding in the various movies seamlessly working with each other. While there are some questions if you really analyze things, they are miniscule at most. This may not seem like a big deal, but there have been past sci-fi entertainment efforts that have totally blown it in this department, the original Heroes TV series being a classic example. Beyond the first season it became pointless, owing to poorly managed time travel powers, making everything fairly pointless and irrelevant. Director Bryan Singer and writer Simon Kinberg deserve to be applauded, as the X-Men movies magically maintain the past, present, future, including various changes and iterations. What started with X-Men: First Class, in the sense of origins and backstories, continues with this movie. More new characters are introduced, and work their way closer to a future audiences are familiar with. The feeling of being able to relate, is truly rewarding for the viewer. The scale of the destruction is massive, in line with the absolute power that is the new Apocalypse character. As with old movies, Magneto has a key role; though it would have been nice to see the plot not have to rely on him as much. We welcome back Quicksilver, who contributes to perhaps the most standout scene is the movie. Supported by the music of Eurythmic's Sweet Dreams, the slow-motion montage combines memorable elements, including special effects, an effective story board, and narrative humor. Where the movie slightly disappoints is the action sequences; there are hardly any notable ones.  Mid-movie there is a nice little character appearance, without which perhaps the movie would have been incomplete as an X-Men movie. Being the 8th installment, its easily one of the longest running movie series, and kudos to the studio for managing to successfully sell another X-Men movie. In conclusion, while X-Men: Apocalypse failed to wow me, it was a great watch, and a great action flick.

My Recommendation: Watch It+ (16 years and going strong, with more X-Men to be Xpected)

Last Vegas - Snapshot

Last Vegas came highly recommended from a friend, so I decided to check it out recently and was blown away by how awesome it was. It replicates the Hangover formula, but rather than being a cheesy rip-off, it’s a classy comedy act. It retains the dynamic of the group of guy friends going to Vegas for a bachelor party, but swaps out the 30 something guys for an ensemble of legends in their 70's. The cast includes Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline. In true Vegas fashion, there are crazy parties, hot women, and celebrity cameo's including 50 Cent and LMFAO. In addition to the humor, the movie also has its share of deeper elements, including good core values, a positive depiction of senior citizens, friendship, love, and life's realities and complexities. The age thread is woven into the narrative well, in a sense that enhances the humor and the plot. It goes without saying that the 4 leads performances are superb, resulting in perhaps what was a true gold-class, comedy experience. The content I sampled was a high bitrate 1080p Bluray rip, with a DTS soundtrack. Video was clear and bright, and had a similar vibrant presentation to the Hangover movies. Sound was peppy, as expected with such movies, with loud bass and dance music during the scene transitions, ensuring a lively viewer experience.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (A Hangover rehash that plays the age card with quality)

The Purge - Snapshot

I came across The Purge as part of my regular movie research. It caught my attention, easily standing out for being conceptually different, and being some very serious fiction. The plot though practical, also sinks to new levels of human depravity. In terms of entertainment presentation, it has elements of a dark slasher thriller, like say the Wrong Turn, focusing on the survival effort. Also emphasized is the family unit dynamic. The main crux being the struggle of humanity versus efficiency. It depicts human beings in different states of acceptance... The young boy, naïve and innocent; clearly seeing humanity over all. The father torn between providing for his family which comes with some compromise, and his humanitarian values; faltering at moments. The mother being strong about her morals, and serving as a guiding force. Performances from Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey are superb, being totally believable. There are some predictable plot twists, and there is a looming sense of helplessness, which is presented well. As a negative, the narrative has some annoying moments. Overall, top grade acting from the leads, and a unique yet unpleasant premise. The audio was presented by means of a DTS soundtrack, which featured noticeable use of positional sound.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A fictional future that places logic over humanity)

The Broken - Snapshot

The Broken is a British movie from writer and director Sean Ellis, that explores a mysterious chain of events, and its effect on the McVey family. Gina McVey played by Lena Headey is the first to notice things being off, and the narrative follow's her investigation to get to the bottom of it. The movie is slow, and dark. There is very little dialog, with some sequences having no verbal exchanges at all; thus putting a greater emphasis on the acting and scenes for context, which is done effectively. The movie is also billed as a horror flick, which is partially accurate; though there are no obvious ghosts, gore, or sudden scares, it's about how the mood is built, and there is a tremendous sense of eeriness.  Ellis does a great job of creating a haunting experience, while Headey puts in a powerful performance; the combination making for a great movie experience, filled with intense suspense. While I don’t want to give too much away, the plot bares resemblance to an episode of the Twilight Zone with Bruce Willis, from 1985. What's really impressive is that as you watch the movie, the premise and setting are fairly obvious, and though nothing is explained, its laid out for the audience very plainly. There's no spoon feeding, but it results in a rewarding experience. 

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A slow, eerie, dark thriller that truly impresses)

The Fantastic 4 - Snapshot

Though the 2015 reboot of The Fantastic 4 received largely negative feedback, as someone who pays little attention to others opinions, I watched the movie recently, and found it pretty decent.  One of the most obvious differences is the younger cast, especially Reed Richards; which was quite a departure from the first movies and the cartoon. As the plot evolves, the super powers of the characters and the science behind it is presented to the audiences in a more plausible manner. It's an origins movie of sorts, rather than being a fight the big bad villain; so there are no waves of battles and action. The special abilities and special effects to depict it are seamless and look natural. One of the standout scenes is the black hole sucking in trees and cars from the highway; when you see it, you'll know. The movie does have a few slower moments, but pace is okay. The friendship of Ben and Reed is somewhat explored, but character development is otherwise limited and weak. The teams connect and rapport with Sue is especially limited.  This iteration of The Fantastic 4 really serves as a starter, with perhaps room for considerable development in following movies. But with its lackluster showing, the push from the studio for future sequels is questionable. If you like The Fantastic 4, action movies, or comic adaptations, it's worth the watch. But if you have very set expectations, of what the movie should be like, it may not be for you.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A new look at The Fantastic 4, that veers away from the usual formula).