Furious 7 (2015)

4/5

Furious 7 outdoes its many predecessors in every way possible. Sometimes this mindset helps, but more often than not it hurts. Fast & Furious 6 was already the epitome of outrageous action films, so anything more extreme just feels silly. The action scenes are too over-the-top to believe, which eliminates the tension from each action scene. You are supposed to fear for someone's life, but you can't do that if they are invincible superheroes.

Maybe I'm just forgetting the previous films, but I'm a little surprised at how much objectionable content there is. The objectification of women is outrageous, filming models the same way they film shiny new cars. The Rock's use of "woman" and "sumbitch" is both derogatory and laughable.

That's not to say that this is a bad movie; in fact it's a whole lot of fun. It's pure entertainment. And Paul Walker's send-off is poignant and heart-rending. If only the movie ended on the beach instead of with the voice-over montage, it would have been immeasurably better. But it is what it is, blending humor and action and heart seamlessly, which makes it a joy to watch.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2820852/

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

4.9/5

Marvel's new cinematic franchise Guardians of the Galaxy is an extraordinarily fun film and an unparalleled success. I won't bore you with plot details, but I will say that it is more an adventure movie (a là Star Wars or Indiana Jones) than a comic book/superhero movie. Even if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea, don't wait for it to come out on Redbox. It is a profoundly visual experience, a motion picture in every sense of the word, and should be enjoyed in a theater. You will be utterly delighted. It's hard to remember the last time I went into the theater without expectation and ended up with a smile plastered on my face and my mouth agape in awe for two straight hours.

Chris Pratt leads the cast as Star Lord, and he brings levity and charisma to the role. But he also brings gravitas, which I was not expecting from Anna Faris's goofy husband. He has a presence on screen that makes me think he could be what Harrison Ford was in the 70's: a superstar. But with all his charm, Star Lord is not the most lovable character. That title belongs to Groot and Rocket, voiced by Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper respectively. They steal every scene they're in, leaving you itching for the next one. Laugh-out-loud lines coupled with an endearing friendship make the duo unforgettable.

The cinematography is agile and the editing is tight. For its 2-hour runtime, it breezes by surprisingly quickly and packs in a bunch of plot (sometimes revealing just hints of backstory to leave you wanting more). The director made some bold choices with mood and tone, but it works perfectly here. Somehow, it feels like a brand-new type of movie. The biggest challenge will be making sure the next one is as on-point as this film is. Guardians of the Galaxy has unique, memorable characters, an exciting story filled with seemingly unending thrills, and the promise of more adventure to come with what I hope are numerous sequels and prequels. I honestly cannot wait for all this series has to offer.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2015381/

Never Back Down (2008)

2/5

Jeff Wadlow's Never Back Down (working title Get Some) is, for all intents and purposes, Fight Club meets Bring It On. And it is an amazing movie. By which I mean to say that I was very amazed by it. Amazed at the atrocious acting, at the lifeless characters, at the predictable plot, and at the cheesy dialogue. But amazed most of all that I was actually able to enjoy it.

To discuss the acting first: Sean Faris's "knowing smiles" and "charming smirks" made ME want to clock him, for looking so retarded. His glib self-satisfaction and fighter mentality didn't mesh with his emo outsider persona. His home life and past mistakes were disarmingly mind-numbing. His mother and younger brother are utter buffoons, shallowly envisioned and hollowly portrayed. All the girls in the movie, and I mean ALL of them, were written as absolute idiots, in every respect. The mother, in an argument about fighting, asks him if he thinks breaking things is fun. Then she throws a glass against the wall and breaks it, encourages her younger son to do the same, and agrees that it does feel good. Then cleans it up, because that's her job as mother. Uhh, what? Another time, this one chick says, I think you'll lose in a fight, and then is confused as to why that might upset the person she told.

These are all faults of an insultingly stupid script. Not a single line said in the movie could be taken seriously. Everything was laughable. Of all the movies I've seen so far this year, which granted is two, Never Back Down takes the cake for funniest. It is difficult not to laugh at such a preposterous premise executed with such acute, unerring, seemingly planned, precision in creating this farcical, sentimental dreck. Which reminds me: What high school do these people attend? I want to go to this imaginary paradise, where all the girls are sexy, bikini-clad models, where lesbians make out in bubble baths while others watch, and where the most violent school rivalry ends peacefully in that seemingly ubiquitous "nod and smile" of approval.

All that being said, it does in fact try to be more than a cheesy teen emo fighting romance. You have to give it credit for trying. Unfortunately, the attempt itself just made the whole movie seem more pathetic. While everyone groaned and poopooed the literary correlations (the shield of Achilles in the Iliad), I really liked it and thought it elevated the movie to a more sophisticated realm. And it was a blast to watch. Even if you don't think the serious parts are funny, you will still laugh at the intended comedic elements, which are frequent and many. I had a good time watching it. But I really hope Sean Faris never acts again.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt1023111/

Blood Diamond (2006)

3/5

Blood Diamond starts out strong and ends strong, but the middle wobbled. Its focus was action, while the rest was drama. The story as a whole and the acting by all three main characters was quite good. As a result, several scenes stood out as very powerful ones. The action in the movie was the archetype of relentless tension. However, the directing, writing, editing, and music were all adequate, but nothing special.

I thought it tried too hard to be too many things, which made each thing seem less important than if the movie had just been about that. It talks about conflict diamonds, child soldiers, the general situation in Africa, reporting and smuggling as professions, and family--but none quite satisfactorily. The love story between DiCaprio and Connelly was so forced and unnecessary. The final 5-10 minutes of the movie felt like poor filmmaking to me, telling us nothing we didn't already know and weakening the impact and power of the piece.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0450259/