KONG: SKULL ISLAND Review

In the vein of Marc Webb going from (500) Days of Summer to The Amazing Spider-Man and Colin Trevorrow from the quaint Safety Not Guaranteed to Jurassic World, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have plucked indie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts from the safety of his summer getaway that he so lovingly crafted in his 2013 break-out, The Kings of Summer, and thrust him into the world of blockbusters with literally one of the biggest stars in Hollywood history: King Kong. In an effort to re-boot the property that hasn't been touched since Peter "Lord of the Rings" Jackson's epic attempt in 2005 and build a cinematic universe a la Marvel with Gareth Edwards 2014 iteration of Godzilla, WB and Legendary have given Vogt-Roberts the keys to Skull Island AKA the home of the titular Kong and several other species of creatures, most of which are prehistoric in nature, but in other cases-are species that come straight from the pages of an old school horror/fantasy novel. A place where those who own the earth really reside, the place that God forgot to finish. The place where not only a human tribe somehow still resides, but so is there proof of dinosaurs, of more than one Kong, and of devils from the deep that the best character in the film affectionately refers to as "skullcrawlers". And so, the question is-what has the director done with such an environment to elevate the mythology it inherently carries? What has he done to give this mythical island a real sense of place and of substance and of tangibility? Well, the answer to that question is more positive than what the response might be to, "How good is the movie overall?" as the movie itself is pleasant and fun enough, but the real value in the piece comes from seeing that of Kong do what audiences want to see him do on a large scale and creating a full-on world in which these unbelievably thin characters and rote plot exist. It is because this world in which these things exist does indeed feel so lived in and palpable that much is forgiven. Even the special effect that is Kong himself holds more weight and authenticity than one might expect with the film eliciting a real soul from the beast which is more than it can say for the majority of its human cast. This is all to say that Kong: Skull Island certainly has its issues and could benefit from having at least one protagonist other than the movie's eponymous monster that we could sympathize with, but in a strange turn of events the spectacle holds more significance than the non-existent emotions and ideas it seems to have never had any ambition of carrying. In that regard, this is very much decent enough popcorn entertainment-fine if not completely forgettable.

Official Trailer for KONG: SKULL ISLAND

The first glimpse of the latest re-boot/re-make/re-imagining of the King Kong mythos we received this past summer looked visually engaging, but was always going to have deliver that something extra to differentiate itself from being just another in a long line of blockbusters that will now be populating theaters from March until August and now, this new official trailer gives us how exactly it stands to do that: John C. Reilly. In something of an interesting twist I couldn't have seen coming from a mile away (though I admittedly haven't been following this movie or its production too closely) it seems Reilly will serve as both the audience and a large amount of the ensemble casts way "in" to the world that Kong now dominates. He looks to be an explorer of some kind who became stranded on the island Kong inhabits and more or less took up with the indigenous people. That is, until the likes of a new batch of explorers show up (headed by John Goodman and Straight Outta Compton's Corey Hawkins) to mess things up. Again, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (The Kings of Summer) has delivered a visually pleasing trailer that contains not only a solid amount of action and spectacle, but through Reilly he has also mixed in a fair amount of humor and so I'm even more interested to see what the director has done as I've probably watched his debut feature a handful of times and think his temprement could play will in the blockbuster arena. That said, Vogt-Roberts has already entered the franchise world as Skull Island is seemingly Warner Bros. and Legendary's attempt to bring King King and Godzilla head to head after establishing the latter in director Gareth Edward's 2014 Godzilla film. No matter the future plans though, I'm excited to see what Vogt-Roberts has in store for us in just a few short months. Kong: Skull Island also stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tian Jing, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Thomas Mann, Shea Whigham, Toby Kebbell, Eugene Cordero, and opens on March 10, 2017.

First Trailer for KONG: SKULL ISLAND Starring Tom Hiddleston

Well, Warner Bros. is certainly knocking it out of the park today in terms of quantity as not only have we seen trailers for their upcoming DC slate, but now they have released the first look at their re-imagining of the King Kong myth that they intend to make a part of another extended universe by pairing the King of the Apes up with the Godzilla from the 2014 film. While it has been just over a decade since Peter Jackson's three-hour epic that brought Kong back to the big screen WB has now pulled in Kings of Summer director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (in the tradition of Marc Webb, Colin Trevorrow, and Gareth Edwards) to once again launch a franchise of sorts by hopefully bringing some of his independent mentality to large scale blockbuster filmmaking. While it feels odd that something as big as this trailer makes the film look will be opening in March rather than the middle of summer that is also something of a compliment in that the film looks like a full throttle action/popcorn flick that will be easy to enjoy and difficult to dislike. With this first trailer for the film largely being a sizzle reel of sorts (it's absolutely stunning by the way) we get very little indication of what the story will be other than the standard "team of explorers ventures deep into uncharted territory," and that we get little to no dialogue from any of the principal cast gives very little sense of what types of characters we'll be dealing with as well, though Samuel L. Jackson certainly seems to once again be enjoying himself by hamming it up in another (see Tarzan) action tentpole that ironically feels like something from a bygone era. Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, John C. Reilly, Tian Jing, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Thomas Mann, Shea Whigham, Toby Kebbell, and Eugene Cordero join Jackson for the ride as Kong: Skull Island opens on March 10th, 2017.

First Trailer for AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING

When looking over the 2016 release schedule in anticipation of making my most anticipated list for the year I scoffed at the fact there was another attempt to reboot an old horror franchise on the books. That said, I didn't expect to see much in the way of marketing for the film as the April Fool's Day release currently pits it against Rings (another attempt to reboot a now eleven year old franchise) and it seemed as if the distributor would drop the film without much heads up and simply hope for a little bit of return on the brand name alone. Even stranger than pitting two similar movies against one another on a weekend primed for a horror breakout (the original Insidious made $13 million on a $1.5m budget on this weekend five years ago) though is that Blumhouse and The Weinstein Company have released the same trailer that was originally posted for the film almost two years ago. This new Amityville was actually shot in 2014 and was originally set for a January 2015 release, but clearly that didn't pan out. What has happened and why the film was delayed more than a year is anyone's guess, but star Bella Thorne has confirmed having to do re-shoots as late as last week. No word on whether or not writer/director Franck Khalfoun (P2, Maniac) has been involved in those re-shoots, but it seems the two production companies are finally ready to distribute the film even if they're not up for delivering a new trailer with some of this new footage that is apparently being shot. Either way, the original release date doesn't bode well for the films quality and the long road to release could definitely mean bad things for the final product, but the last time we visited the Amityville house (2005's re-make of the original starring Ryan Reynolds) MGM raked in $65m domestically on a $19m budget so the reasoning behind this is understandable. Amityville: The Awakening also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cameron Monaghan, Thomas Mann, Taylor Spreitler, Kurtwood Smith, Mckenne Grace and opens on April 1st, 2016.   

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL Review

Everything about Me and Earl and the Dying Girl screams artsy film festival fodder. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact a decade ago that description would have suggested anything but a bad thing, and yet there is such a stigma around films molded on the tendencies of Wes Anderson now that they've become ripe for criticism. What also doesn't help Me and Earl and the Dying Girl's case is the level of self-reference it operates within. At one point, how can we expect any person or movie to exist without a certain level of self-awareness when the environment we live in is a heightened social media one where each of us are called out for the cliché's of our life and yet, on the other end, there is still the viable option of embracing one's self or one's story wholeheartedly to the point the audience is enveloped in the earnestness. It's a tough choice to make and just because Me and Earl and the Dying Girl decides to go way in one direction doesn't immediately make it a recycled, overused picture that lacks real meaning or effect because the techniques it uses to convey it's story may no longer be as fresh or meaningful as they once were. This is the area where some seem to have accused the film of being trite or even irritating, but beneath all of the style that director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon has smothered upon Jesse Andrews quip-heavy screenplay adapted from his own novel I find it hard to believe anyone could justly deny the emotion and straight-up craft the film also packs into its running time. This brings us to the beginning of the film where our protagonist and narrator, Greg (Thomas Mann), can't decide how best to begin his story and thus debates between a trope such as, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." or simply remaining in his head so as to guide us through his thought process. As the latter wins out we are given examples of what Greg might consider the best of times and what might qualify for the worst. Before springing into the title credits Greg looks to his left to see what would indicate that what he's recently experienced, what he's going to tell us about, were indeed the best of times even if he didn't realize it in the moment.

First Trailer for ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Making major waves out of the Sundance Film Festival in January Me and Earl and the Dying Girl won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. Needless to say, my interest was piqued. It's always nice to see what films will come along throughout the year that you didn't expect, that you didn't see coming because they really have no major credentials and zero precedent. This feels like one of those types of films; the summer indie akin to something like The Way, Way Back, The Kings of Summer or The Spectacular Now from a few years ago that really captured the essence of that transition from being in a state of adolescence to that of actual maturity. While the trailer also tends to make it look an awful lot like those types of films it has a nice enough little hook that it divulges about halfway through that should stand to reason why cinephiles who attend things like The Sundance Film Festival enjoyed it so much. As a kid who fell for the movies early and attempted my own versions of features and shorts with little more than a handheld camera, I too was taken by the trailer. It only helps the film has received such solid accolades so far as it truly does look like a touching and extremely soulful film that would be disappointing were it simply looked over as another indie movie that simply existed. Given all of that, I really hope the final product lives up to the hype and promise it delivers in this first look. Starring Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Jon Bernthal, Molly Shannon, RJ Cyler and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, most notable for his work on American Horror Story, with a screenplay from Jesse Andrews based on his own novel Me and Earl and the Dying Girl opens on June 12th.

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES Review

Personally, I've been rooting for Beautiful Creatures since first seeing the trailer and its stellar mix of southern goth and Florence & the Machine soundtrack. Though I haven't read the young adult novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl the film is based on, I was intrigued by the setting, the fantasy and trying to assure myself that the next teen-lit adaptation featuring witches, wizards, or vampires had to be better than those Twilight movies. While it seems the buzz has been slow to build around this series I truly hope it becomes a talking point among its target audience and even beyond as I would love to see this series continue and have the opportunity to tell all four of its stories on film. While I enjoyed the movie plenty, there is much left to be desired and to a certain degree this takes away from the experience of the film. In some ways, it is as if this is only exists to set things up for what might come in the future and granted, that might just be due to the fact that there is still very much to come in the future. Still, for a first chapter there is much to enjoy here as the film adaptation of Beautiful Creatures features an impressive and very likable cast that executes its somewhat familiar story with a flair for the fun in it. There was a film a few years ago called Stardust and I always wished it had become a bigger success than it was. Based on a Neil Gaiman story it was a fun, enjoyable, very good film that took itself just seriously enough to feel credible while also not feeling overly cheesy when dealing with such things as witches and wizards. Beautiful Creatures is not as good a film as Stardust, but in the same vein it is a none too serious take on the fantasy world that gets overlooked or under cooked these days. Any movie that can involve elements of such genres and still manage some humor and honest drama is a welcome treat.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS Review

Where to even begin with something such as Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters? To be honest I was somewhat excited for this film despite the fact knowing going into it that it was probably going to be pretty horrible. I read the Seth Grahame-Smith novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter last spring in anticipation of the summer film adaptation but was sorely let down by that film (though it has improved to a fun, campy thrill on repeat viewings). It must have really burned the producers of this film to see that action/horror mash-up make it out of the gate first as their film has been complete for over a year now and has been doing little more than collecting dust. Why the delay? I can only imagine. I can't really see this film being much better after a years worth of tinkering and the 3D post conversion doesn't take THAT long; I can only think that after the release of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol the producers wanted to wait out 2012 and let Jeremy Renner become even bigger star with The Avengers and The Bourne Legacy which might guarantee them a bigger draw when they dropped it on unsuspecting movie-goers in late January. The strategy seems to have worked as Hansel and Gretel cleaned up at the box office and have proven that with a ridiculous, even outrageous premise one might still find an audience in those looking to see their favorite childhood fairy tales adapted for the big screen with a dark twist about them. The film is about as brainless as you  might expect, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have a pretty great time with the film as it flew by at a rip roaring pace and delivered grand entertainment value on a limited scale. I know it's dumb, I realize it will be completely forgotten about in a few weeks time, but I also know I became immersed in their world and didn't mind spending the hour and a half they required tagging along and killing some witches.

PROJECT X Review

You don't really expect to go into a movie that is labeling itself as The Hangover on steroids and not get a good amount of ridiculous. All those commercials we have been bombarded with over the last few weeks have used words like epic, awesome, insane, wild, best party movie ever. In a sense they are right. "Project X" is not shying away from what it is and makes no qualms about what it isn't. This is a movie that exists to bring to life the aspirations of every high school student that exists right now or has ever existed. No matter if you were the most popular kid in school or an unknown this is a party you wish you'd thrown and our protagonists reach a status we all enjoy seeing and don't have to pay the consequences of. Though in the end everything is wrapped up a little too neatly and the kids get off a little too easy it isn't the eventual after effects that matters. It is the here and now, the living in the moment without wondering if it will all be worth it tomorrow. It seems to be the message of the movie that risking everything for one legendary night is in fact worth it as you are made celebrities for it. Though part of me couldn't believe what was going on and I realize the stunts these kids were pulling didn't stand too tall when logic is brought into the equation, but the other half was laughing its butt off at the absolute absurdity of the whole thing. I couldn't help but to laugh no matter how irresponsible, immature, and ridiculous the situation got. While it seems wrong to reward such behavior by glorifying it, the movies have been doing it for years and this one may have accomplished it on such a scale that it will be a staple for high schoolers for years to come.

From left: J.B., Thomas, and Costa experience the party of a
life time in "Project X".

The movie hits all the of the typical party cliches as far as stock characters like the fat kid with glasses best friend (Jonathan Brown as J.B.) and then there is our stories hero Thomas (Thomas Mann) who is just now figuring out his hot girl best friend is the one he was meant to be with. Oliver Cooper is the leader known as Costa who puts this whole shindig together and leads the film with a flair for arrogance while clearly being unsure of what he has gotten himself into. Mann handles leading man duties well as he is actually allowed to develop his character as someone conflicted by knowing he is going to pay for this and reveling in the awesomeness of what is actually going down in his back yard. There are fun bits with a drug dealer that is off his rocker as well as a new dad neighbor who wants the party shut down by 11:30. Then we reach the point where midgets are hopping out of ovens, dogs are being airlifted by balloons, and cars are being driven into pools. I have always appreciated a comedy that is willing to not only go the distance for a laugh but one that is also willing to get so over-the-top and out there that it leaves audience members stunned by the pure ridiculousness of what is happening. That is where "Project X" succeeds. This is not simply just a high school film about a bunch of underage kids getting together and doing bad things, but it escalates to a point that is legitimately unbelievable. No doubt countless attempts will be made by young ones around the world who see this this weekend to recreate the event but most will be hard pressed to find a flamethrower that can do THAT kind of damage.

Security is upheld by two unlikely adolescents that take
their job really seriously.

It also has to be noted that this is shot in the "found footage" documentary style that has become increasingly popular this year. While I didn't look too highly on either "Chronicle" or this film upon first seeing trailers for them, both have turned out to be rather good surprises. While audiences are becoming more accustomed to this style of film it also really adds an authenticity to the entire proceeding that with the comedy genre at least makes it feel not just more real to the audience but it puts you in the middle of that it becomes an experience you often times feel a part of. There is just a difference in watching this cast of unknowns as they achieve everything we wanted our high school years to be and watching established comedic actors executing a well tuned script. Most people, and likely probably those hard edged adults, will look at this as derivative of any point and another sign that the apocalypse is getting closer. Others will simply ignore it and some will only see it as a geek's escapism into what he could do had he rich enough parents and friends that really don't care about him. There is a lining in "Project X" that makes me want to agree with those people. Part of an ethics code that makes me want to look at this as an "adult" would and say that it is dumb and outlandish, but most of all irresponsible. Still, the movies have always been something of an escape for me and for anyone who wants to see such ludicrous situations be lived out without actually having to deal with the consequences. That is what the movies are here for, to show us things that would be impossible in out day to day lives. This provides that escapism in spades and it is also consistently hilarious. I'd be mad if it didn't make me so damn happy.

The Boys get in a little trouble, to say the least, when
Thomas parents arrive back home.

There is no doubt this will largely be bashed by critics and while I have to rate the production of it and overall story as a pretty average film it does have a killer soundtrack and is nothing short of a good time. Sure, we don't actually get to participate in the party and we are literally the only people participating in the event that are in a right state of mind but that only allows us to realize scale of the madness at which this movie documents. Director Nima Nourizadeh, a music video vet, does his best on his first feature to separate the redundant highlight of the film with pretty montages of the kids having a good time set to a good mix of old and new school songs. Each montage gives us what we pay for while the chemistry that infuses our trio of leads holds over the loose storyline that mainly has them dealing with keeping things under control and hiding their party from the cops. It is when they lose all control that the movie really begins to become not just interesting but ultimately entertaining. For the first half hour or so it skates by on the charisma of the kids and their ability to feel like typical teens we can all relate to but by the time helicopters from the local news stations start showing up it is full scale madness and that is what we paid to see, that is why we show up to movies that look like they were shot on our phones. "Project X" will incite many arguments among those who loved it and want to live it and those who won't admit they can enjoy it without taking it too seriously. Others will simply be so offended they won't believe a movie like this was even made. I had fun though and I won't deny the teenager in me wasn't smiling the whole time.

PROJECT X Review

You don't really expect to go into a movie that is labeling itself as The Hangover on steroids and not get a good amount of ridiculous. All those commercials we have been bombarded with over the last few weeks have used words like epic, awesome, insane, wild, best party movie ever. In a sense they are right. "Project X" is not shying away from what it is and makes no qualms about what it isn't. This is a movie that exists to bring to life the aspirations of every high school student that exists right now or has ever existed. No matter if you were the most popular kid in school or an unknown this is a party you wish you'd thrown and our protagonists reach a status we all enjoy seeing and don't have to pay the consequences of. Though in the end everything is wrapped up a little too neatly and the kids get off a little too easy it isn't the eventual after effects that matters. It is the here and now, the living in the moment without wondering if it will all be worth it tomorrow. It seems to be the message of the movie that risking everything for one legendary night is in fact worth it as you are made celebrities for it. Though part of me couldn't believe what was going on and I realize the stunts these kids were pulling didn't stand too tall when logic is brought into the equation, but the other half was laughing its butt off at the absolute absurdity of the whole thing. I couldn't help but to laugh no matter how irresponsible, immature, and ridiculous the situation got. While it seems wrong to reward such behavior by glorifying it, the movies have been doing it for years and this one may have accomplished it on such a scale that it will be a staple for high schoolers for years to come.