Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

4.9/5

Edge of Tomorrow is one of the smartest action movies I've seen in a very long time. Tom Cruise stars as an unwilling businessman-turned-foot soldier in the midst of a global battle against an alien invasion. He gets killed quickly in the trenches, only to discover that he must relive that fateful day over and over again. He finds out that this same phenomenon happened to another soldier (Blunt) earlier in the war, so he seeks her out in the hopes that they can join forces and defeat the aliens.

Battle scenes have a jarring, chaotic feel, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan during the beachfront invasion. In the midst of the violence, the cinematography remains smooth and crisp, with sharp editing and clear shots. But director Doug Liman also does a lot with the repeating day premise. The day resets sometimes quickly, for comic effect, sometimes slowly, for an agonizing emotional hit. Despite the repetition, every time feels interesting and exciting, new and worthwhile. It builds on the Groundhog Day framework instead of stealing from it.

There is an unexpected chemistry on screen between Cruise and Blunt, adding a tender human element to the exciting sci-fi backstory. It's not particularly fresh, but it feels genuine. And it makes watching the movie so much more rewarding. I highly recommend Edge of Tomorrow: it's genre-defying in the best way possible, straddling diverse moods expertly, appealing to the comic, romantic, action junkie, time travel nerd in all of us.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631867/

Mr. And Mrs. Smith (2005)

3/5

Mr. And Mrs. Smith is an entertaining action flick that began the Hollywood couple known as Brangelina. Looking over the IMDb trivia, it seems as if five or six different actresses were considered before Jolie; it's hard to imagine our celebrity world if they had never met. But enough asides, it's time to discuss the movie. The plot follows married couple John (Pitt) and Jane (Jolie) Smith. They seem like a normal suburban couple with dysfunctional problems after the initial lust has faded. Except they're also assassins, and their alternate lifestyles may be adding undue strain on their marriage by constantly keeping secrets from each other. On their latest job, they are both tasked to kill the other; can they follow through or is their love stronger than that? The answer may surprise you (but probably won't, because the movie is very predictable).

The plot in this movie is barebones. When it does attempt to explain itself, it fails pretty spectacularly. To put it simply, no part of this movie makes any sense whatsoever. The dialogue is amazing though. It is sharp, quick, and efficient. It says so much with so few words. It relies on the actors' chemistry and body language to tell their history and their behavior. The directing allows the actors space to act without forcing rapid-fire dialog or editing. And it's funny. As an action movie, Mr. And Mrs. Smith is somewhat middle of the line. I didn't find it particularly compelling, or particularly nauseating, so that's a good sign. All in all, it's a fairly average action flick that has some strong elements along with some weak elements. If the trailers looked interesting to you, I'm sure you'll enjoy checking it out.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356910/

Swingers (1996)

4/5

Swingers is the epitome of the guy equivalent to a chick flick, and it is hilarious. Like Pulp Fiction, it thrives on pop culture references. It captures both a generation and a perspective flawlessly. There are some extremely effective scenes (when Mike decides to call Niki, the awkwardness was palpable--I literally squirmed in my seat). Unlike most comedies, this movie actually has a solid foundation, plot-wise and message-wise. And it succeeds: it's funny.

Some scenes go on for too long or don't really have much of a point (for example, the swing dancing). Also, the movie doesn't age well; it digs itself deep in 90's culture and gets stuck there, in terms of language, clothing, and references. The filmmaking becomes a little self-indulgent sometimes. Overall, a very effective, character-driven comedy that very accurately looks at the dating world through guys' eyes.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0117802/