2016: Films I've Watched in June

First watched 6/26/2016

Thoughts: A very solid well made film that provides an interesting but somewhat strange pace of a ride throughout; leading to the huge punch at the end that delivers on several levels of WTF!?!?! In a great way :)

First watched in the theater 6/24/2016

Thoughts: A film that introduces revamped characters but doesn't seem to have enough time for all of them. Thus, I am more excited about the potential these characters have in future installments then the end results here.

However, there are quite a few fun moments to be had here :) we get another Quicksilver scene and while not as good as his scene from Day of Future Past I still had fun with it XD

I did enjoy the actors and actresses that were picked to play Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Storm, Jubilee, and Psylocke I look forward to seeing them in future installments and more screen time dedicated to them (hopefully)!

James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, and Evan Peters are all welcome returning characters and certainly scene stealers. However, I am a bit concerned that the producers and powers that be are pushing Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique to act like Katniss Everdeen to try and draw in that demographic I worry that will damage the creativity of future endeavors; which is unfortunate because I do really like Jennifer Lawrence in the part.

But, lets get to the center piece: Apocalypse. Now Oscar Isaac does a great job in portraying En Sabah Nur in his mannerisms and his speech you get a feel that he brings a real presence to the role and gives it weight. Unfortunately, Isaac through no fault of his acting talents suffers due to the costume and the camera angles they decide to give him.

What I mean is whenever we are zoomed in on Apocalypse's face or he is covered by shadows and the camera is looking up at him then Issac and his voice really come across as menacing and a real threat. But, when they show Apocalypse in day shots or in group shots with the camera looking down at him he looks less threatening and more like a middle schooler trying to pass off that he's in high school. The sad thing being that this could have been fixed with the right camera angles and lighting techniques. But, again I want to stress this is because of how the film decides to display him at times and not because of acting ability.

So in summation X men: Apocalypse is a bit more mixed and suffers from problems shared by previous installments. However, the pieces are there to be played out and I do believe the story for this flows despite characters getting shafted for screen time. Also, I'm a sucker for anything set in the 1980's XD oh man that Thriller Jacket!!! The hype is real! So my recommendation is to watch it but maybe at matinee price because I am awarding this film:

31/2 stars out of 5

A rushed start to a new team and a new chapter but still with potential that given time and effort I think can become something great :)

And as always stay till after the credits because it looks like something Sinister is on the horizon o-o

First watched 6/22/2016

Thoughts: A fine but forgettable distraction.

First watched 6/21/2016

Thoughts: An interesting but tricky concept to adapt. Here the intended satire comes off a bit too mean spirited and most of the characters are too one dimensional to really get across anything meaningful. And in previous Spike Lee film where the camera work aided the story telling and environment here it seems to come off as more of a distraction. However, if you are looking to complete your Spike Lee filmography checklist give it a watch. Because while messy the ideas are still there and might still resonate with others better but don't go in expecting anything really hard hitting.

First watched 6/21/2016

Thoughts: Atmospheric and shot so well in the backdrop of LA this film kept me hooked and excited throughout and even manged to surprise me on more then one occasion. With Cruise and Foxx giving some of their best performances.

First watched 6/20/2016

Thoughts: A fun film that reminds me somewhat of Dog Day Afternoon and has quite a few twists and turns that makes it worth a watch. However, I would be lying if I didn't mention that I felt it lacking a big punch by the end.

Re-watched 6/17/2016

Thoughts: Upon re-watching it has the same kinetic energy that I can't look away from. The only downside is I will never be able to view it again for the first time. But, I will definitely be watching Fury Road many more times in the future. So what are you waiting for go see it! Stop reading this and see it! Go! Go! Don't even think just go!

First watched 6/15/2016

Thoughts: Beautifully shot and effects that look pretty good even today. But, sadly even given an all star cast there is little depth character wise to be found. Thus, it is an okay film that looks nice.

First watched 6/14/2016

Thoughts: Interesting ideas but the tone seems to jump to often and by the end the film feels as though it overstayed it's welcome by some 30 to 40 minutes. But, harmless enough and does have a few elements going for it.

First watched 6/14/2016

Thoughts: While not particularly engaging it serves as a nice distraction with some nice locations and the personality of Simon Pegg to guide us along.

First watched 6/14/2016


Thoughts: Often odd with not all the humor landing (especially the gross out gags) however, underneath that this is a film with a cast of actors that are certainly having fun and with a re-write I think it could have been a solid piece.

First watched 6/13/2016

Thoughts: Bright and beautifully animated with very interesting ideas and creations. However, the main plot seems confused and the messages not as subtle or effective as other Miyazaki works. With the last 15 minutes causing some serious head scratching but still a lot of fun.

Re-watched 6/11/2016

Thoughts: Better upon re-watching. A fun sci-fi ride with some tears. A must for Firefly fans.

First watched 6/2/2016

Thoughts: Gripping excitement with beautiful cinematography and music that melds perfectly with each scene.