MORTAL KOMBAT Review

I don't know if it's due to going without movie theaters and therefore big-budget blockbusters for nearly a year, but between this and Godzilla vs. Kong it has been a pleasantly surprising return to the tentpole extravaganzas that had become almost too common to pre-pandemic life. That isn't to say 2021's Mortal Kombat is anything more than someone with the loftiest of expectations might hope it to be, but it's an assured piece of both filmmaking and storytelling that knows what it is, embraces everything about its own ridiculousness, and runs with all of it to the point it almost forces viewers to genuinely care about what is going on with this silly yet compelling multi-dimensional death battle. Of course, one's level of enjoyment with the film may come from their affection for the now iconic video games and its catch phrases that have made their way into the everyday lives of an entire generation. Some enjoyment (or complete distaste for, honestly) may come from the nostalgia-tinted glasses those who loved the nineties movie adaptations still wear, but even if you're an audience member with little to no brand recognition or fondness for the property what is both slightly unexpected but also an advantage to this new iterations success is that Greg Russo (his first feature) and Dave Callaham's (2014's Godzilla, Wonder Woman 1984, and the upcoming Shang-Chi) screenplay makes it an accessible adventure for anyone inclined to see what all the fighting is about. That is to say, Russo and Callaham build out the worlds Mortal Kombat encompasses in a simple and straightforward fashion that doesn't overwhelm the audience with too many levels nor does it dig too deep into the politics of the tournament itself, but instead takes what everyone loved about the games and puts them front and center: the characters. I'll backtrack slightly on this point as the film does introduce a new character into the Mortal Kombat mythos with its main protagonist Cole Young (Lewis Tan), but other than providing this surrogate who will take the audience through and into this universe the movie is otherwise all about bringing these characters viewers will recognize to life in what is ultimately fun and entertaining ways. Sans a pretty impressive opening sequence that admittedly sets the bar too high for the nonsense that follows, nothing about director Simon McQuoid's film is what one might label as "good", but almost everything about what it does in service of re-capturing that feeling of sitting in front of your cousin's tiny TV in their bedroom and mashing buttons in hopes it will result in a combination that will defeat said cousin in a bloody battle to the death is one thousand percent enjoyable.         

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM Review

It's been five years in real time, but in the life of John Wick (the entirely endearing Keanu Reeves) the man has had one hell of a month - if that. From losing his wife to losing the puppy his wife bought him to killing the son of the mob boss that killed his dog and stole his car leading him back into a life he only thought he'd left behind. In this ill-fated scenario, Mr. Wick found himself dealing with more and more repercussions of his actions to the point that at the end of the second film he was so filled with rage that he would seemingly never be able to forgive anyone who dared cross him again...much less himself for having allowed his life to slip back into these old routines. So filled with rage, in fact, that he broke the only rules he'd ever had to follow thus forcing the hand of his powerful friend, Winston (Ian McShane), the owner of the grounds on which Wick had broken said rules of the league of extraordinary assassins that he was assigned the label of "excommunicado" therefore placing a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. These are the kinds of things that happen when one kills a member of a shadowy international assassin's guild though, not to mention a member who was seated at what is referred to as the "High Table". John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum begins with the stakes as high as they've ever been-even Wick's closest friends are unable to look past the bounty in order to give this broken man another chance. It is in this scenario and current mental state the character inhabits that make it fairly critical to have seen the previous films in director Chad Stehelski's now trilogy of films. Parabellum kind of assumes we're present in the theater because we're already invested in the character and then moves forward with such a momentum that there's little time to catch-up if you're not already in it. That said, the pacing is not just an excuse to continually grow the breakneck speed of the action as well as the scope, but is more a stylistic choice that every function of the script adheres to and if the John Wick trilogy has done one thing consistently it's adhere to stylistic choices. As the series has progressed more layers have been added, but never have these brought the story, character development, or action beats down. Rather, each of these elements necessary to making a feature motion picture are held to the same standards the action is. That isn't to say the dialogue is as Shakespearian as the action, but does it function so as to effectively elicit the intended visceral reaction of the audience? Damn straight.

First Trailer for JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM

The third entry in Keanu Reeves' latest franchise, John Wick, that began as a humble one-off revenge thriller in 2014 with little to no aspirations has (finally) released its first full trailer and this neon-soaked barrage of violence and fine tailoring couldn't look more badass. John Wick: Chapter 3 or Parabellum as it has now been subtitled will follow the events of Chapter 2 in allowing audiences to witness the "excommunicado” of its titular assassin as he is now a wanted man by the entire criminal underworld, but without the safe haven of places like The Continental to escape to. While it looks as if much of this latest film will see Wick on the run, eluding and deflecting those with balls big enough to try and claim the bounty on his head it also looks as if director Chad Stahelski (who co-directed the first film, but went solo on the sequel), directing a script from Derek Kolstad, will be introducing plenty of new faces-not least of all a character played by Halle Berry. While Berry hasn't exactly spurned the promising beginnings of her career into one of widely adored projects or a franchise or character that has catapulted her to insane levels of fame, she seems right at home in this world of Wick and given she seems to essentially be teaming up with Reeves I can only hope the chemistry and banter between them is as good as I might venture to guess; the touch of her having a pair of attack dogs isn't bad either. Of course, what most come to the John Wick franchise for is the action and it would be hard to blame them as both the aesthetic of the film in general and the look of the many large action sequences here look to be downright striking. Taking place mostly at night, with lots of moody rain we see Wick chase sword-wielding motor cyclists on a horse in a chase sequence I can't imagine will be anything less than bonkers while Wick also seems to have figured out a way to make even reading lethal. Needless to say, this looks to be exactly what any sequel to that 2014 original would promise itself to be. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum once again reunites Reeves with his Matrix co-star Laurence Fishburne, with other newcomers including Anjelica Huston, Jason Mantzoukas, Hiroyuki Sanada, Robin Lord Taylor, Tiger Hu Chen, Yayan Ruhian, and Cecep Arif Rahman, while Ian McShane,  Lance Reddick, Common, and Ruby Rose all return when the film opens on May 17th, 2019.

LIFE Review

First impressions undoubtedly set a tone that will forever tinge the perception one has of another person or thing-such as a piece of entertainment. The first impression given by Life is that of an old fashioned horror movie. Sure, the comparisons to Alien are easy and to obvious extents, valid, but Life gives such an immediate indication of being inherently old fashioned in its approach to what would still be new frontiers that one can't help but to allow those tendencies to carry on throughout the entirety of the film even as it becomes slightly silly and a little long in the tooth. Life accomplishes such vibes by taking pride in showing the audience things we've become conditioned to by the movies that truly are spectacular were we to actually step back and appreciate them once in a while. Whether it be something as simple as the view of earth from space or the way in which director Daniel Espinosa's (Safe House) camera flies as effortlessly through the spacecraft in zero gravity as the characters do-these actions and spectacle are more appreciated due to the sense of sincerity the tone and score from Jon Ekstrand give off. Espinosa's film, which was written by the guys who wrote Deadpool and Zombieland (Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick), places itself squarely into the horror mold while utilizing the always compromising environment that is outer space to heighten the tensions and push the suspense up to eleven. In short, Life doesn't take so many notes from space movies as it does scary ones. Life is a thriller that means to make you claustrophobic despite the fact escaping said confined space would result in a slow, likely agonizing death. There are no good options except to stay and fight and so, as our six man crew is picked off one by one, we are exposed to the dangers of curiosity outweighing fear. We are exposed to how being blinded by what such discoveries promise can distract from the potential trouble at hand, but Life never becomes too heavy handed or ham fisted in these explorations of our psychologies or mentalities. Rather, the film finds a large entertainment factor in coming up with different types of situations to find that tension and suspense in-leaving the larger ideas to fill in the gaps in between; almost as if the residuals of the more striking moments are intentionally left to linger and for viewers to comprehend once the shock wears off. It's an idea that's easy to propose, but Life actually pulls it off rather well and is all the more fulfilling for it.

First Trailer for LIFE Starring Jake Gyllenhaal

It was a little odd to open up the browser this morning and see news of a trailer for a movie I hadn't yet heard about that has some pretty major credentials going for it. Though I hadn't yet heard of Life the fact both Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds showed up in the five-second tease that appeared on my Facebook home page made me take notice. What exactly was this unknown major property that would apparently be blessing us with its presence Memorial Day weekend next year? I wasn't sure, but given the notable actors seemed to be floating around in zero gravity it seemed as if we might be in for an action/adventure in space. Turns out, Life may serve to be a little more interesting than that as it seems director Daniel Espiniosa (Safe House, Child 44) and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland, Deadpool) don't exactly have a run of the mill action/adventure in store for the summer movie season, but rather something more in line with the action/horror vibes of Alien. As the just over two-minute trailer shows us the film is about the six-member crew of the U.S. Space Station as they come in contact with the first proof of life beyond earth in the form of a small, single-celled organism. The trailer does well to set an eery tone by overlaying a speech from John F. Kennedy that was made in regards to the space race in the early sixties while simultaneously showing just how far we've come and establishing the crew members that consist of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation's Rebecca Ferguson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Olga Dihovichnaya, and Ariyon Bakare. By then diving slightly into the plot and showing just enough of the crux of the situation that will provide much of the tension and inevitably much of the action the trailer then hooks us indefinitely. As if the star power and intrigue of space weren't enough the idea of something along the lines of a big-budget horror/sci-fi coming out next summer only makes this project all the more appealing. Now the interesting scenario to watch play out will be just how well Alien: Covenant will do when it opens just over two months after Life's May 26th, 2017 release date.

MR. HOLMES Review

There have been countless iterations of Sherlock Holmes over the years, but prior to this films release I'd not heard of Mitch Cullins interpretation of the world's greatest detective. At first glance, Mr. Holmes seems like one of those ideas that is better left as an idea rather than the likely failure to meet expectations result that would come from trying to make it a reality. What might actually be so fascinating about an older detective who can hardly remember his glory days let alone how he made his reputation? The possibilities are certainly intriguing, but the execution could be questionable given what one takes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works to inform the state of an elderly Holmes. Having not read Cullins book on which this is based, I don't know how much credit to give director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls), but by not simply telling another story revolving around a mystery the film starts off on the right foot. As the film plays out we see a mystery element incorporated in the form of flashbacks to Holmes' final case with which he is having trouble completely recalling. These flashbacks are more or less used to both create reason for why Holmes chose the course he did for his later years while also reminding him of a throughline theme by which he intended to live out the rest of his years. Solving the mystery of his forgotten case also incorporates the only way Holmes truly knows how to live and how to deal with getting older and facing death. By both incorporating these aspects, but keeping the film more focused on the man rather than the mystery the film seems to capture the only possibility that could make this type of story appealing without being completely depressing. There are themes of regret throughout that I can only imagine will be more resonant with a second viewing, but on a first pass still strike one as heartbreakingly honest. I say this because Mr. Holmes is as much about preserving the thoughts and correct legacy of one's life as it is making amends for the mistakes in one's life by passing on what they've learned to a younger generation so that they may not encounter the same regrets. The strong conveyance of these ideas are made largely possible through two wonderful lead performances in Ian McKellen and newcomer Milo Parker.

First Trailer for MINIONS

I've said it before and this will no doubt be the last time, but I always feel the spin-off is a cheap way to over-extend something that worked unexpectedly and is now being mined to death. With Despicable Me 2 becoming a bonafide worldwide smash last summer though and the third film not coming out until 2017, Illumination Studios was quick to capitalize on the popularity of Gru's minions and give them their own feature. Now, while I, like most people in the world, enjoy the minions and their shenanigans while trying to assist their criminal mastermind leader-giving them a whole feature to themselves initially felt like a bit much. They are great as supporting players, as comic relief, but to be the stars is to ask the question of how much will they overstay their welcome? With the first trailer for next summers easily titled Minions, directors Kyle Balda (The Lorax) and Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me 1 & 2) have taken us back to the beginning of life on earth and seem to have delivered the origin story of these little yellow creatures that influenced a fair amount of events throughout history eventually leading them to New York City in 1968 where the lore of these Igor-inspired servants becomes much deeper and more entrenched in villainy. I am always cautious to the idea of spin-offs or any piece of entertainment that feels specifically manufactured for the sole purpose of exploitation and profit, but darn if the film doesn't look like it will deliver the goods. Minions features the voice talents of Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Katy Mixon, Chris Renaud, Steve Carell as well as Coffin and opens on July 10, 2015.

THE RAILWAY MAN Review

The Railway Man is a weight of a film. It is heavy with burden, heavy with guilt, heavy in theme and deeply entrenched in a story so stricken with all of these attributes that the resulting cinematic take on it could not help but to swim around in these deep, dark emotions. It is a disturbing tale, but it is one that is more of a straightforward nature than any film I've seen recently that exists outside the big-budget wheelhouse. We typically see these smaller films as opportunities for filmmakers to say something more than what you might find on a classroom poster or more than an excuse to simply make a bunch of noise and draw obvious conclusions from years of archetypes and cliches that still entertain the masses, but are not enough for people as immersed in film as the makers themselves or the strong army of cinephiles that populate the internet. Sometimes though, a story is strong enough on its own bearings that there is no need to come up with a fresh way to convey it or imply larger themes or ideas beyond that of the basic story and Jonathan Teplitzky's The Railway Man is one of those films. Not that the way in which Teplitzky has chosen to tell the story isn't effective in enhancing the already engaging story, but anyone who could provide solid-enough direction while armed with this narrative and these actors could have likely pulled off a win, it only helps that Teplitzky and his screenwriters, Frank Cottrell Boyce (Millions) and Andy Paterson who adapted Eric Lomax's autobiography, were able to get out of their own way and let the story speak for itself. I sometimes find it difficult to describe what makes a film of this straightforward yet compelling nature exactly that, but in doing so I've found I try to over-analyze and do the same thing I'm happy the filmmakers didn't do. That being said, The Railway Man is an engaging story featuring world-class actors and a high-brow look that keeps us entranced by its beauty, torn by its brutality and unwavering due to its strong resolution that you can't argue with because it's true, but is still somehow able to cover if not heal the scar tissue left behind by years of hate and a yearning for retribution that is tucked away by the harsh reality of how the world works.

First Trailer for 47 RONIN

It is hard for me to get excited over fantasy films that look to rely heavily on special effects and have a hard rock soundtrack. It is even tougher to get excited when those kinds of films star Keanu Reeves. Yet, that is what we have here as the trailer for 47 Ronin has finally made its way online after having its initial release date pushed back over a year from last November to this Christmas. I don't know if that is a good or bad sign, but it could certainly show Universal has some kind of faith in the project as it could have been extra time to perfect those countless CGI shots and decided to go with a prime Christmas Day slot instead of the early February release it was going to get when last November didn't work out. Of course, it could also be due to the fact the studio sunk an estimated $170 million into the project and hired first time feature director Carl Rinsch to helm the project that they are only placing it in the company of more prestigious projects with hopes of better recouping the films budget at the box office. I can't help but feel this is on a one way street to join the likes of Jack the Giant Slayer and The Lone Ranger as some of this years biggest bombs though. Their is nothing that stands out in this trailer and the always laughable delivery of Reeves makes the whole thing seem more a parody of what it is actually trying to be. On the bright side it does seem to have a rather epic scale and the story of the real-life group of samurai in 18th-century Japan who avenge the murder of their master could be intriguing with the added supernatural elements. I'll definitely reserve judgement and hope for the best, but after hearing of all the issues plaguing the project I was hoping for a little something more than what this generic trailer offers. The film also stars Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kô Shibasaki, and Rinko Kikuchi. 47 Ronin opens in 3D on December 25th. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

First Trailers for THE WOLVERINE

It has been somewhat of a Wolverine week here in movie world as each day we have been teased with posters (no matter how horrible) and small snippets of footage to be included in the full length trailer that has finally premiered today. It is no secret that the first attempt at a solo Wolverine film, X-Men Origins, failed miserably at living up to the expectations held for it. The CGI was bad, the story was bland, and the film leaked online a few weeks before release causing a significant drop in anticipation seeing as word on the street wasn't that great. In trying to revitalize that failing aspect of the X-Men universe we now have Hugh Jackman returning to the role that keeps on giving in a film simply titled The Wolverine. Originally intended to be directed by Darren Aronofsky, I would have loved to have seen what a director like that would have done with material like this, but alas that was no to be and so James Mangold (Walk the Line) took over and things seem to be in pretty good shape after taking a look at both the international and domestic trailers that were released about thirty minutes apart this morning. The international trailer offers a bit more in way of background information and footage, but the domestic piece is more focused, more lean, and reveals the man who offers Logan a deal to repay him for saving his life. Mangold has said this takes place after The Last Stand and if you look closely you can see glimpses of  Jean Grey, but for what reason we don't know. I am intrigued by the film even if this so far feels like one of the lesser super hero films of the summer. I have always enjoyed Jackman's complete personification of the character and look forward to this take on him as it chronicles a story not touched on in any of the previous films. Not to mention, the fight scenes look badass. The film also stars Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Brian Tee, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto and Svetlana Khodchenkova. The Wolverine opens in 3D on July 26th. Hit the jump to check out both the international and domestic trailers.