Atomic Blonde (2017) directed by David Leitch

While I did not know much about Atomic Blonde before going into the theater, I did have very high hopes for it, given its high praise and spectacular reviews. This film, however, left me a bit disappointed in the overall plot element of it all. The action scenes were amazing nonetheless, but I ended up feeling confusion rather than the satisfied conclusion I prefer.

First off, the good parts of the film: the action sequences and supporting characters. This film has been given praise as the greatest action film of 2017, and I might have to agree with that, solely for the choreography. The action scenes filmed were all done by Charlize Theron herself, which is quite impressive, given the dangerous extent of them all. The fight choreography was very smooth but brutal, and definitely caught my eye and held me in while they happened. I'm always a sucker for one-shot scenes, and towards the end of the film where Theron's character Lorraine took out the group of men on the multiple floors was absolutely astounding. Another aspect that I very much enjoyed were the performances by the supporting actors James McAvoy and Sofia Boutella. McAvoy had a fantastic portrayal as the adversary-turned-enemy, as he turned out to be the rogue spy that was releasing information. His character was so well-rounded that I did not even begin to suspect that he might have been the antagonist. As for Boutella, she gave an amazing performance as Delphine, the French agent who was sent to look for the same information as Theron's character. I feel like Boutella's character had the most development, which I really appreciate in any film. Her character went from naive and innocent to becoming a crucial part and saving the almost nonexistent plot. Her love scene with Theron was also the turning point for her character because only then did she realize what she was really in for. This was good in order to see her role change from eye-candy to motivation for Lorraine.

I feel that it was also a really clever move to choose 1980's Berlin as the setting, given the tensions between East and West Germany and that the Berlin Wall was about to be torn down. It provided a really interesting way to present the story, as they had to be different people on the different sides of the wall. It showed the spies' dexterity and professionalism acting between sides. The main piece of the setting that I loved, however, was the music choice. This period of music gave us some of the greatest alternative and electronic hits of that era, and these songs fueled the aura of the film. Songs like "99 Luftballons" and "Personal Jesus" among many others truly gave it a late-80's edgy feel.

There are some aspects that I would definitely change about this film, however. Firstly, while Theron's character was a stoic, badass, Bond-type protagonist, there was definitely room for development. Even a little bit might have convinced me. No information about her background was given, and her stale and flat ego remained constant throughout the movie. Which makes for an excellent expendable spy I suppose, but I would prefer to hear more of her story and connection to the plot. Which there also happened to be almost none of: a coherent plot. Towards the beginning of the film, it seemed like the purpose was for Lorraine to retrieve the list from the rogue agent. As the story progressed, however, it seemed less and less like there was a reason for her actions or the introduction of the other elements. Towards the end, I started to feel the reason for the plot but it was definitely too late to introduce anything worthy of saving it. And the twist at the end revealing that Lorraine was the American FBI agent the entire time threw me for an even more confusing loop. So overall, the plot seemed messy and unorganized, which turned me off quite a bit.

I would strongly recommend Atomic Blonde for the die-hard Bond fans who are looking for a possible female to fill the role. While Charlize Theron excellently portrayed her character with what she was given, the movie just seemed to be lacking a concise plot, which is what a good film needs. I would definitely suggest viewing this film, but watch it for the fun, sexy action rather than the story.

My Rating: ★★½

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) directed by George Miller

I recently watched Fury Road for the umpteenth time with a friend who had never seen it before, and it was just as amazing as the first time I saw it. This film is one of the greatest action films ever made, and it has definitely deserved all of the praise and awards that came with it. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron crushing it in their roles of Max Rockatansky and Imperator Furiosa is only the start of the great things about this film. While it is a reboot, Mad Max: Fury Road will go down in history as absolutely astounding.

There is so much to rave about, I am not sure where to begin. Tom Hardy is definitely the new Max that we needed in this generation, and he brings a familiar sense of the classic films back to life in this movie. A very soft-spoken but begrudgingly tough survivor, Max finds himself trying to survive in the post-apocalyptic world that we have come to adore. Haunted by the nightmares of the deaths of his wife and daughter, Tom Hardy brings so much life to his character. Seeing Mel Gibson in this role definitely would not have felt right, and Hardy is such a fresh face that he absolutely nails it. He was not the only fantastic role in this film, however, as Charlize Theron plays Furiosa, an ex-war general who abandons her post and fights for what she believes is right. Furiosa is a new character to this franchise, and she stole the show. Theron's immense talent was shown in her quest to save her fellow females from Immortan Joe, the slave-wielding dictator of the citadel. It was absolutely amazing to see Furiosa fight to free her fellow females from becoming full-time breeders of Joe, and it gave me such a sense of hope. Especially in the setting of this movie, it was necessary to see that some people still had a sense of right and wrong.

What I love most about the Mad Max films, besides whatever unbelievable cars and trucks they can come up with, is how simple but effective the plots are. Max is caught by a gang of War Boys who take them back to their citadel, run by Immortan Joe who enslaves women and forces them to bear his children to make more War Boys. Max leaves while still imprisoned by the War Boys, but ends up getting entangled in Furiosa's quest to save the women. They desire freedom and want to go the "Green Place", a safe haven for all women in the awful world. They don't know, however, that the "Green Place" has been gone for years, and they end up fighting their way back to the citadel and taking control. This film has more plots than the others, but their simplicity added together makes for an astounding viewing experience. For example, Nux, played by Nicholas Hoult, is a War Boy turned ally who falls in love with one of the breeders, played by Riley Keough. I personally was so invested in their relationship and wanted to see more of where it could have gone, but Nux sacrificed himself to keep her and the rest of the women alive. These sub-plots are what I personally think make films great, because there is so much potential to flush out more of their backgrounds and learn more of their story. We also got to see stories of the varied civilizations in this Australian desert scene. We saw many different groups who were out to kill Furiosa, and seeing how different their fighting and driving styles were is so visually pleasing. Having played the Mad Max video game, these groups of people are so much more detailed than the movie gave them credit for, but it was awesome to see their canon on the silver screen. And of course, Tom Hardy had to make his seamlessly quiet exit from the citadel in the closing of the film, a classic Max move.

The paramount and most critical aspect of any Mad Max film, however, are the vehicles. It is simply not the same without the bizarrely creative cars, trucks, and gadgets, and this film was no exception. The two main treasures and currency in this world, after all, are gasoline and water. While we saw Max's classic Ford Falcon coupe towards the beginning, before it was hauled away, at least. Some of the most peculiar automobiles were displayed in this film, and we can thank George Miller's creative genius for them. Some of the most eye-popping vehicles were the long pole-vaulters that dipped down and snatched people straight from their cars and many other weird outfitted vehicles that riddled the land. The War Rig driven by Furiosa was a beast to behold, as well. But I think the coolest and most original vehicle in the film was the massive monster truck pimped to carry the flame-wielding guitarist and his drummers. It added that extra flare to the music and vibe that Junkie XL gave us with the amazing orchestral soundtrack. What is so impressive about the stunts and action done in this film, however, is that none of it was CGI. All of the stunts done and cars driven were real, and to put that much effort into each individual vehicle is astounding. It is no wonder why this film won so many Oscars, including Best Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, and Sound Mixing and Editing.

In conclusion, Mad Max: Fury Road is a masterpiece of a film, and is a must-see for any fan of action and adventure. Its plots are subtle but attention-grabbing, and the overall tone of the film is capable of attracting any moviegoer. I love this film, and can not praise it enough.

My Rating: ★★★★★

No Escape (2015) directed by John Erick Dowdle

Umm, okay.

Yikes.

I'm not entirely sure where to begin when discussing this film. So let's just jump right into it: No Escape was not Owen Wilson's greatest feat, and that's putting it nicely. This film has some of the most faulty moments and confusing plot lines I have ever seen. The tone was all over the place, and there were scenes where I could not bear to watch because of its utterly nonsensical content. I feel like the director was not sure how to use Wilson, whether in a comedic or dramatic sense, and therefore his character was flatter than a piece of paper. And that's just the good news.

First, let me address the casting in this film. Owen Wilson, known for classic comedies like Wedding Crashers, Starsky and Hutch, and Zoolander, is absolutely not fit to be playing the role of any main protagonist in an action film. It was very difficult for me to view this film and not think of hilarious moments where he could have cracked a joke. I have to give him credit for trying, though, because there have been a lot of career action stars who have done worse. So for now, I strongly hope that Owen Wilson sticks to Lightning McQueen, because "kachow" is the only action phrase I can hear him muttering. Lake Bell on the other hand, who plays Wilson's wife in the film, has been known to co-star in a few comedies as well, but her acting was not nearly as bad. I give her props for holding up at least some of the talent throughout those painful 103 minutes. Pierce Brosnan was also in this film for some reason, but I will get to my problems with him in a bit.

The tone of this movie was very jumpy, as it started off comedic, which I thought would be a good fit for Wilson. I was very confused, however, when it went straight from Wilson cracking dad jokes to his daughters into a sudden political coup where foreigners are being executed. The father had brought his family into an unspecified third-world country for work, and the reason why is beyond me. If I had a family that I was forcing to come with me to another life for my job, I might want to check the political and social state of that country first. But Wilson apparently did not know that there would be an uprising the day after they arrived. How unlucky. As Wilson struggles to save his family, he also struggles with persuading the audience that he belongs in a film like this. I never would have imagined him in this scenario, and there were moments in the film that proved me right. As there were enemies and rioters moving in closer to their location, it was apparently appropriate to make a "Hi hungry, I'm Dad" joke to one of his daughters. Wow. Should I be laughing or on the edge of my seat? Throughout the movie, I simply could not choose. As for the pivotal moments of the film where any normal person would have been cornered and killed by these rioters, Pierce Brosnan sweeps in to save the day. This happens multiple times, and there is no explanation as to how he is able to predict when the poor Dwyer family was in trouble. You can always count on good ol' James Bond to save the day, but it's a shame he could not save this movie.

There is one positive about this film, however. After about halfway through the movie and plenty of awful hallway chase scenes, it started to feel like an action movie. Surprising, I know. As desperately as this film needed a new protagonist, I got used to seeing Wilson in his role. This movie did have a lot of potential to be a very interesting and suspenseful political action film, but the main roles just did not cut it for me. If you divert your attention to the actual plot of the film, it is very dramatic and compelling, but it was just not executed as well as it could have been with another actor.

No Escape is an honest waste of a lot of potential, and an honest casting mistake. Given a better lead cast, more political background, and no gratuitous cameos, this movie could have been fantastic.

My Rating: ★★

Wonder Woman (2017) directed by Patty Jenkins

It seems like moviegoers have waited forever and a half for a female-led superhero film. Well, the wait is no longer because DC Comics, creators of such characters as Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, and The Flash, has made dreams a reality. Wonder Woman is the fourth installment of the DC Universe, and unlike past films, it is stupendous. This movie has risen DC from the ashes of the fire that Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad started (excuse me, Oscar award-winning Suicide Squad). This is the movie that this universe desperately needed, and it stands on its own as one of the greatest superhero movies of modern culture.

Gal Gadot, former star of the Fast and Furious franchise, first appeared as Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While that film was not the greatest by any standards, Gadot certainly stole the show with her power and grace as her character. Now that she has her own film, she can prove who really runs the world. It's girls. Girls run the world. Wonder Woman is an amazing film with a very diverse and talented cast that shines, which is one of the biggest positives. Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, and Robin Wright are all outstanding in their roles and their relationships to Diana were very strongly developed and played out. Diana is proven throughout the movie to be an independent woman capable of holding her own, with or without Chris Pine's Steve Trevor by her side. I thoroughly appreciated the romantic tension put between the two, as the relationship was a very well-developed one and not a half-assed, unexplained fling (ahem, Age of Ultron).

There were other aspects of this film that I very much enjoyed as well, mainly being the color! This film has had more color in it than the past three films combined, and I don't just mean scenery but people and personality as well. The characters in this film were so much more flushed out than those in the past, such as Batman, Superman, or even Harley Quinn. Each individual role had their own story, own life, and own experience to bring to the table when it came to making this film as wonderful as it was. And including the Chief, a non-stereotypical Native-American, was a very smart and powerful social move. So props to you, DC. Another feature that I loved was the beautifully-orchestrated setting of Themyscira in the first act of the film. Seeing Diana grow up and be raised as the first child on this mystical island was amazing, and it truly showed how formidable the Amazon women were.

Like any movie, though, I have concerns. Not as many for this film, however, because it really was a cinematic wonder. Let me start by saying that Ares in his final form was everything that a comic nerd like me dreamed of seeing on the big screen. His uniform made from the industrial metal around him looked like it could have been out of the Injustice video game. The only difference between that acclaimed fighting game and this movie, however, was the actual action sequences. The fighting in Wonder Woman was astounding, and credit has to be given to Zack Snyder for his dark and explosive visions, which worked well for the film. However, if all of the slow motion effects were taken out of the fighting, the movie would have lost maybe 20 minutes of screen time. There was so much slow motion in it that it seemed to drag on at certain points and it would have been refreshing to see Gadot swing her sword and slay in normal time. My only other problem has to do with a certain character's development. Dr. Maru, the lead scientist for the Germans, was the potentially most interesting villain in the film, but was never given her dues. It would have been interesting to see how she got her ceramic mask and what her motivation was for wanting the Germans to win the war.

In conclusion, Wonder Woman is definitely the film that the DC Universe needed to show how it's done. Given that it was the highest opening weekend for a female director in history, hopefully DC will hire Patty Jenkins once again in the future, for she did an amazing job on this part of the larger story. I will absolutely be supporting Jenkins, Gadot, and the others who created this film as I highly recommend it.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) directed by Jon Watts

Finally! A Spider-Man movie amazing enough to want to write home about. Or for me, blog endlessly. Spider-Man: Homecoming is such a delightful start to Peter Parker's journey in the Marvel universe, and I personally do not think they could have done a better job with it. There was plenty of great moments, Easter eggs, and pure heart in this film and there is little that could have been improved on.

For starters, this film felt so fresh in the wake of the Andrew Garfield era. The two Amazing Spider-Man movies were not bad, but they seemed bogged down by the classic style of Tobey Maguire. This movie, however, took a nice turn and did not follow the typical Spider-Man story line. Moviegoers are almost as tired as seeing Uncle Ben die as they are the Wayne parents, and it was pleasant to see that change of pace. Knowing his background already, it was good to just jump into the movie. It was also a good refresher for us to see Parker's point-of-view during the events of Civil War and how he handled his life as the friendly neighborhood web-slinger. Another aspect that I particularly enjoyed was the age of Peter in the film. While I did not initially agree with his whiny voice and spastic attitude in the previous Captain America film, Tom Holland's portrayal grew on me. Parker behaved like a geeky high-schooler, just like his character from the comics should.

I am so relieved that they chose a fresh face and villain for this movie, and Michael Keaton did an amazing job. It felt like more of a grounded story this time around, as opposed to Spider-Man films in the past where the villain craved world domination or revenge. Michael Keaton's Vulture was very motivated by family, which is something that we can all agree with. He also proved himself to be one of the most terrifying villains of the Marvel universe, even though he was fairly small-time. And the moment where he was revealed to be Liz's father took me for a twist. I was definitely not expecting that, but the writers did an outstanding job of hiding and later connecting that moment. Another element that I was very pleased with was the incorporation of Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. From the looks of the trailers and interviews leading up to the release, it seemed as if Tony Stark was going to play a massive role in this film, being Parker's mentor and father figure. I was happily surprised knowing that this was not the case, and that Parker was left alone for the majority of the film to figure things out by himself. This was much-needed development in Parker, and it was good to see Stark not completely controlling the spotlight.

There were a few major Easter eggs and references in the film that definitely affect what could potentially come next. Zendaya's character in Homecoming was revealed to be MJ, or Mary Jane for non-source material followers. She plays a critical role in Parker's love life in the future, and it was nice getting that confirmation of who her character was after months of speculation. Another aspect that I am sure will get fans riled up is Donald Glover's character Aaron Davis. Our very own Childish Gambino is in this film, and if that does not make you happy enough, maybe the confirmation that Miles Morales exists will, as Glover plays his uncle in a few scenes.

With all great superhero movies comes some criticism, however, as there were a few minor things that bothered me about Homecoming. There seemed to be no difference in tone or general feelings between this film and many previous Marvel films. While it is no doubt that Marvel has built the largest franchise in cinematic history, there is a running trend of mediocre themes. A hero learns to harness his or her true power for the greater good and fights a villain who has a personal connection to the hero. This seems to be the generic theme for all superhero movies nowadays, and it gets very dull after dozens of films. While it was an exciting new part of the Marvel universe, it seemed complacent in its directorial style, which gives Jon Watts mediocre credit. Another aspect that I did not enjoy was towards the last act of the film when the Homecoming dance was taking place. One might think that it would be a big part of the movie, considering it is in the title after all. But it was played off as another one of Parker's excuses for fighting crime, and was not given the attention it deserved. I felt like a John Hughes-style scene at the dance would have worked well, considering it is a high school movie, but we can't always get what we want.

Overall, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a great new addition to the Marvel universe, and the character of Peter Parker was brought back to life after years of production uncertainty. Even though the style seems bland at many points, the film is a fast-paced and witty story worth watching.

My Rating: ★★★★

Top Gun (1986) directed by Tony Scott

I recently watched Top Gun for the first time a few nights ago, and it was exactly how I pictured it was going to be. A perfect 80's action/romance flick with plenty of stock footage of fighter jets and shirtless Tom Cruise (back when he was decently attractive, at least). This movie has been one of Tom Cruise's most notable performances, however, and that credit has to be given to him. This film was great, to say the most, but it lacked something that many other fantastic 80's movies held, which was a decent soundtrack.

Before you watch this film, I recommend preparing to have Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone and Berlin's Take My Breath Away stuck in your head for DAYS, given that those two songs were the majority of the soundtrack for this movie. This was one of my main problems with the film was that some of the use of those two songs was not characteristic to the scene at all. For example, Tom Cruise's character Maverick was having a steamy scene with his flight instructor Charlie (played by Kelly McGillis), which it was perfectly acceptable to play that pop love ballad. But when they have a fight and seem to want to never see each other again, a different verse of the song is playing. I couldn't decide whether to get upset about their relationship or hope that we'll see more of Charlie again. This was my main problem with the film was that the lack of varied music did not give me any sense of emotion to feel for the characters and their struggles.

Aspects of the film that I loved greatly outnumber those that I did not, thankfully. Top Gun is everything I hoped and dreamed for a cheesy 80's film, and it did not disappoint. I think the scene that really got me feeling the vibes of the movie was the volleyball match between Maverick, Goose, Iceman, and that other poor guy who we did not get to see any character development in. This entire scene was the epitome of 80's greatness, as it was an extended and up-close look at the off-duty lives of the fighter pilots and their shirtless antics. Another aspect of the film that I greatly appreciated was the death of Anthony Edwards' character Goose. As tragic as it was, it was necessary to give us a glimpse at some decent development in Cruise's character. Seeing how he handled his best friend's death was amazing to see, and it gave me hope seeing Maverick get back on his feet and fly again. Hope was the most prominent emotion I felt in this film, which is a nice change of pace for most memorable 80's movies with depressing themes (I'm looking at you, Breakfast Club).

Overall, Top Gun is a fantastic movie with a great ending and decent development throughout. I wish there could have been more focus on other characters, given that they were played by such amazing actors, such as Val Kilmer and Tim Robbins, but I guess we have this movie to thank for the rise of Tom Cruise. I would recommend watching this film to anyone who is looking for something to watch on date night or simply to someone who has never seen it before (guilty as charged).

My Rating: ★★★

Baby Driver (2017) directed by Edgar Wright

Let me start off by saying that this has absolutely been my favorite film this summer, this year, and probably from the past few years. Directed by Edgar Wright, you can expect it to draw you in with its stunning visuals and cinematography. The fast-paced story was driven well by the amazing cast, led by Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, and Jon Hamm among others. This movie has so much heart and dedication put into it that any moviegoer can enjoy it in its entirety.

Baby, played by Ansel Elgort, is a getaway driver that owes jobs to a crime boss (Kevin Spacey) after an incident in his past. Running multiple heists with big name stars such as Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx is what Baby does best. He proves to be a professional driver, as his motor skills are unmatched by even the police. The dynamic between Baby and all of his criminal passengers was very well-developed, especially between Hamm and Foxx's characters. We see Baby and Buddy (Hamm) go from close acquaintances who understand each other to enemies within a few scenes, as well as Bats (Foxx) going from outwardly skeptical to, well... dead (his fault). Anyways, the performances from all of the actors were astounding, which gave the film so much heart and passion.

My favorite relationship in the film, however, was between Baby and his newfound girlfriend Debora. I tend to criticize romantic relationships in movies constantly, since I never find any of it realistic. However, this movie did a good job with maintaining balance and not turning it into a "I-would-do-anything-for-love" setting. Baby and Debora met in the diner where she was working, and Baby instantly fell for her (it's Lily James, understandable). They maintained a fantastic relationship throughout, and understood each other's needs and complexities, which was handled well.

One of the main attractions of this movie, in my opinion, was Wright's stupendous use of music to push along and assist the story. Baby has tinnitus, which was caused by an accident when he was younger involving his mother and father, causing him to wear earbuds and listening to his music consistently throughout the film. The soundtrack is an amazing collection of music that perfectly fits the mood of every scene that Baby is drowning out. Ranging from The Commodores to Simon and Garfunkel, the music is what makes this film so unique. Knowing that whatever song you may be hearing in the film is what Baby is currently experiencing gives it so much more depth than any generic orchestral background music. This was the biggest draw-in for me, as I am a music nerd and a sucker for a movie with a good soundtrack. But the soundtrack for this movie was much more than a soundtrack, as it drove the pace along and made the film absolutely brilliant.

Baby Driver has been the most fun and enthralling experiences I have had in a theater since Interstellar. While this does not happen often, I have zero issues or complaints with this movie, and it is definitely Oscar-worthy for its ingenious use of music integration into the story. I highly recommend this movie, as it is an experience like none other.

My Rating: ★★★★★