Director: James Gunn
Writers: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
Stars: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper

Synopsis: In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.

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INTRO
Let’s flashback a few years to Comic-Con 2012 when it was announced that Guardians of The Galaxy was going to be a feature film. Many people had no idea what this was but I was jumping up and down in excitement. How excited was I? When Maury tells people that they are not the father and you see how happy some of those men are, that is how I excited I was. The concerns many people had was that the characters are not household names and the idea of a talking raccoon (just don’t call him a raccoon) that is best buds with a tree is hard to sale. Fast forward to now and Guardians is here and I personally feel it is the most successful Marvel movie; because it not only expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it shows that Marvel can bring lesser known characters to the big screen.

DIRECTION
Guardians of The Galaxy is a film that will leave you “hooked on a feeling” with its character development, stunning visuals, entertaining plot and of course, stand out performances from Chris Pratt, Lee Pace, and Bradley Cooper. Thor: The Dark World was the first time we get a real look at the beauty that is the Marvel Universe beyond earth. However, GOTG opens up the cosmic realm of Marvel and all the planets and warships are visionary masterpieces and the cinematography really makes it that much special. James Gunn’s film is not the best Marvel movie by any means, but it’s the most successful, even before it actually hits theaters. GOTG is a success because in two years this movie has completely changed everyone’s perception on this film and Marvel in general. Kudos to Gunn and his team.

Grade: B

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SCRIPT
GOTG is about people coming together for a cause greater than their own. Legendary outlaw Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), finds himself subject to a global manhunt after stealing an orb. Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) is a man you don’t want to steal from and Quill ends up forming an uneasy alliance with other misfits Gamora, Rocket, Drax the Destroyer, and Groot. The orb poses huge threats to the cosmos and it’s up to the Guardians of The Galaxy to stand together and bring Ronan to justice. Nicole Perlman, big congrats to you on being the worst woman to write a script in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Along with Perlman the script was also written by director James Gunn. Making a movie is hard enough for one superhero but handling multiple in one film is very difficult. One of the reasons The Avengers was so good was the because of how the script properly handled the multiple personalities of the team. The Guardians of The Galaxy member’s personalities are so different, it makes the Avengers bond look stronger than Ash and Pikachu. Gunn and Perlman did impress me with the way they were able to find common ground between all the characters and the jokes were based off each individual character’s uniqueness to the team. The characters interact with each other well and the constant pickering works in the film’s favor. One major issue I have with most Marvel films is the handling of the villains. Ronan fared a lot than Malekeith did in Thor: The Dark World. Ronan was giving a few solid moments but his action sequences could have been more developed. The other big issue I have, as an avid fan of the comics, is that I was extremely disappointed in how they handled Gamora in this film. Gamora is billed as the most dangerous woman in the Galaxy, in this film she is more of a poodle than a pitbull. I would have also loved to have seen Richard Rider or Adam Warlock in this film (sequel maybe). Overall though, despite a few things here and there, the story is still a lot of fun.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Lucy Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Chris Pratt is the new star of the Marvel Universe. I knew Pratt would do an excellent job nailing Star-Lord because he has great comedic timing. Pratt is able to carry the film and I am not sure that Star-Lord is Pratt quite yet as Iron Man is RDJ but so far so good. Zoe Saldana is one of my favorite actresses and was fantastic playing this type of character (credit Avatar). WWE wrestler Dave Bautista was better than I imagined him to be as the role was a natural fit for someone of his size and wrestling background. Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel pulled a San Antonio Spurs on me and blew me away with their voice work for Rocket and Groot respectively. Lee Pace was great as the underdeveloped role of Ronan the Accuser. The roles of Glenn Close, John C. Reilly and Benicio del Toro were severely underused in the film.

Grade: A

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SCORE
The score and visuals are some of films greatest strength. Quill listens to his Awesome Mix volumes any minute he can and it helps him stay connected to the Earth, home and family he lost. Composer Tyler Bates was the man in charge of the awesomeness and he will leave you in awe with his musical selection. Anybody who uses a Marvin Gaye song automatically gets two thumbs up.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Marvel has done a tremendous amount of marketing for this film to generate interest beyond the comic book fan and Guardians is just the start. I cannot wait for Ant-Man and Doctor Strange and personally, I would love an Inhumans film. All that being said, Guardians of the Galaxy is the best movie of the summer so far and everyone will love the team of Rocket and Groot. I guarantee Rocket will be popular with kids and he will be on their backpacks and lunch pails.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: John Carney
Writers: John Carney
Stars: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine

Synopsis: A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.

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DIRECTION
John Carney’s Begin Again is definitely one of the more fun looks at break-ups and the complications of relationships. Carney does a fantastic job of pacing the story and editing it to make it flow smoothly and fluidly. The first act structure is non-linear, which is unique and well used, which builds the characters strongly and sets the right tone. Carney’s biggest win however, is how he injects the musical sets that add some great layers to the film. One scene in particular with Mark Ruffalo’s character is just magnificent. The songs set in New York are wonderfully displayed and will probably make musicians envious a little bit. There are a few things here and there that Carney could’ve of tightened up a bit, but overall, a solid effort.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
Dan (Mark Ruffalo) is a music executive who’s fallen on hard times, living by himself and struggling to find any motivation. Gretta (Keira Knightley) is also on hard times after an unexpected break-up after a five-year relationship with rising music star, Dave Grohl (Adam Levine). As fate would have it, which is told beautifully in non-linear fashion, the two meet up at a bar who happens to be hosting an open mic night, in which Gretta reluctantly partakes in. Soon after, it sets Dan and Gretta on this path of possibly making a new music album that is fresh, unique and will possibly change both of their lives. However, the journey of making this album changes them in ways they probably didn’t see coming, which is the beauty of the film and also the fun of it. The story explores the dark side of relationships, the heartache that comes with it, but also how people’s decisions effect how they walk the rest of that road.

Grade: A

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RELATED: Lucy Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Mark Ruffalo is a beast (see what I did there?) and is just terrific as Dan. He’s a hurting man, whose lost his mind and isn’t sure what his next move is and Ruffalo portrays that wonderfully. Keira Knightley is also fantastic and has a solid singing voice that comes through so richly in this film. The chemistry between the two is magnetic and feels extremely genuine. Adam Levine is, well Adam Levine, but he adds some great musical elements to the film. One of the biggest surprises is James Corden, who plays Steve, one of Gretta’s best friends. Corden is hilarious and his comedic timing couldn’t be more perfect. Supporting roles by Mos Def, Hailee Steinfeld and Catherine Keener also add a lot to this film, just elevating Ruffalo’s character and his performance.

Grade: A

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SCORE
While there is score here by Gregg Alexander, it’s overshadowed big time by the amazing music by Adam Levine and Keira Knightley. The soundtrack for Begin Again is one of the best of the year so far and is just addictive once you see the film. More importantly, how it plays into the film works well and adds to the story and characters.

Grade: A+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Begin Again is a movie that features great music, but at the heart of the film it’s about relationships and how to deal with the crazy complications that come with them. For these characters, music is how they go about dealing with it. The film explores how other options could’ve come into play, but you still have to deal with it and you don’t have to stay stuck in the heartache. The exploration of that theme is fascinating and handled really well here.

Overall Grade: A

Director: Luc Besson
Writers: Luc Besson
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi

Synopsis: A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.

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INTRO
It is estimated that the average human only utilizes 10 percent of their brain – but what if evolution (or an accident?) accelerated things and you could access 20 percent, 30 percent, or more? Lucy is a very strange and weird film that explores that very idea of unlimited potential. The result is an absolute beautiful film and I’m not just saying because of the lead actresses. Lucy is what Transcendence inspired to be but this time around things worked out for Morgan Freeman.

DIRECTION
Luc Besson is the writer/director and that had me a little worried because Besson also wrote both 3 Days to Kill and Brick Mansions and directed The Family and The Lady, which are all horrendous movies. Besson here was able to compile a script that keeps you entertained with a balance of amazing visuals and solid action sequences, all under 90 minutes. No idea goes unexplored with Lucy’s superhuman powers and the beauty of it is that it works. However, issues that plague the movie in the beginning is the direction, or lack thereof. In parts where Dr. Norman (Morgan Freeman) is lecturing to a class about his brain capacity theory, there are cut-away scenes to animals or natural events that are used to facility what Norman is saying. I felt that the cutaways ruined the flow of the film and that they were unnecessary. Ruined but was not a huge deal breaker. I like how Lucy is portrayed in the beginning of the film though as she’s less intelligent than she really is because when the drug takes effect makes the transition more believable. Usually I do not discuss visuals and special effects in so much detail, but not doing so for this film will be illegal. Everything from the animals to the coloring was mind-blowing. Lucy gives us a few shots of inside the human body and having studied Cell Molecular biology in College I was in awe. Let’s just say the last 20-30 minutes is truly an amazing visual affair.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
Lucy is living in Taipei, Taiwan, and after a scuffle, she gets injected into the world of drugs and gangs, of course thanks to a guy. A drug is implanted into her and inadvertently leaks into her system and she slowly begins to unlock her brain’s full potential. The plot is pretty simple and what you get is in the trailer. As Lucy accesses more parts of her brain she seeks out the help of Dr. Norman. Although most of the stuff Lucy experiences is far-fetched, the way Besson explains the theories, the more the ideas seem plausible. One idea that I thought was extremely interesting was ideas that our perception of things are based on time and space. Interesting. That being said, despite how good a script is or how well it is shot, if you do not have the character element there than the film will fall flat. The characters and how they’re written into the theoretical narrative is well done for the most part.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Under the Skin Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Scarlett Johansson stars as the titular Lucy and she has proven that she can easily handle action movies so she was the perfect fit to play the titular character. Johansson didn’t have many action scenes but in the scenes that didn’t she was still able to carry the film with her voice and acting. Morgan Freeman is one of the few people who can make a narrative work-rather it’s about the brain or lemurs, Freeman gets its done.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Eric Serra’s score works pretty well for the most part and adds a fantastic layer toward the end of the film, which is more visual than it is story. The score builds as the narrative becomes more about theory, adding some fun themes and tones that add to the experience. It’s not the best of the year, but it certainly works here.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Lucy is not a blockbuster by any means and I think its short running time may deter many moviegoers but in a time where we hardly have any strong heroines, Lucy is the next best thing.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: Steve James
Stars: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel

Synopsis: The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.

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Roger Ebert, what else can you say? Anyone who loves movies will at least know of his work, but us as critics have nothing but respect for the guy. Based on his own memoir, Ebert’s life wasn’t perfect, in fact it was far from that. And what makes Life Itself so extraordinary is that the film doesn’t make him out to be a saint or completely glorify him; it just tells the story of a man who lived the life he was proud of, battled his demons along the way, and in the process, changed the way average moviegoers viewed film as the art form it truly is.

From his time at the University of Illinois, serving as the campus newspaper’s chief editor, and his frequent trips to a downtown Chicago bar with this fellow writers and students, Ebert had a fascinating persona about him. He was cocky, demanding, a womanizer, and even a bit of an @$$hole, but his deeply philosophical mind was nothing short of admirable. And Steve James does a great job focusing on both the triumphs and the troubles in his early life, from joining the Chicago Sun Times where he would eventually become the film critic (the first film critic to ever go on to win a Pulitzer Prize by the way) to battling alcoholism and harming those around him. Ultimately, Roger Ebert was another human being, just like the rest of us, and that’s where the heart of this documentary lies.

This is what makes Life Itself such a moving experience, where we can see the life of a man so well respected among the film community, and learn how human he was. But even with all that aside, Roger Ebert also lived a fascinating life, making Life Itself an also incredibly entertaining documentary.

One of the film’s biggest focuses is Ebert’s relationship with Gene Siskel, whom we all should know as the film critic for the Chicago Tribune and Ebert’s cohost on At the Movies. It was so interesting to see the dynamic of their relationship, how they essentially started out as “enemies” and eventually growing a bond that felt more brotherly. And to even see the impact the show had on us as average moviegoers is also part of this film’s magic; Life Itself recognizes that film is indeed a beautiful art form, something both Ebert and Siskel believed in, and we as the audience come to see that influence even more clearly.

But what’s even more extraordinary is not that Ebert and Siskel influenced us as moviegoers, but the impact they had on filmmakers, especially Ebert and his relationship with them. Interviews with Martin Scorsese and Ramin Bahrani state how Ebert’s love for their films only forced them to better their craft. And in the case of Scorsese, hearing the kind words Ebert and Siskel always gave to him, helped him battle his cocaine addiction and continue his phenomenal directing career, eventually leading to his critically acclaimed film Raging Bull. It’s wonderful to see how a critic can have that influence on the filmmaker, while maintaining that positive relationship with them, something I feel has been lost in today’s age of “film criticism”. It’s also only fitting that Steve James directed Life Itself, whose previous credits include the Chicago basketball documentary Hoop Dreams, a film Roger Ebert even placed as his #1 favorite film of 1994. It’s clear Steve James is yet another filmmaker influenced by the great words of Roger Ebert.

But as extraordinary as this film is, it isn’t all happy-go-lucky, and when tragedy strikes it strikes hard. From dealing with the death of Gene Siskel, Ebert made it known he would never hide any form of struggle or disease like that from the people he loves, if it were to ever come to him. Of course, we know Ebert would come to live with cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands, and watching those scenes of him in the hospital, only months before his death, is truly difficult and heartbreaking. Those moments between Roger and his wife Chazz are absolutely stunning; the love and support she continues to smother him with truly is beautiful, and I’m glad Steve James chose not to shy away from these difficult scenes, truly earning Life Itself its R rating.

Look it’s really no question that Life Itself is a great movie; even setting aside personal biasedness as a film lover, we can respect this documentary as something more than just about movies, as it’s also about living a life you’re proud of, accomplishing what you want in life, the love and support of your family and friends, and choosing to be open and honest with them. As a documentary, I really can’t review this like a typical film, but I will say Steve James focuses on all the details just perfectly and in the right amount of time; we learn many new things about Roger Ebert we didn’t know before, and we become fascinated by it all, and that’s exactly what you want out of any documentary, which is to be informed and moved, not to only hear the things we already know. James establishes the right pathos. If I had any criticism, it would’ve been nice to see some words from Richard Roeper, whom we know took over after Gene Siskel’s tragic passing, but maybe there’s a reason for his absence than we are aware.

Overall Grade: A

Director: James DeMonaco
Writers: James DeMonaco
Stars: Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford

Synopsis: A young couple works to survive on the streets after their car breaks down right as the annual purge commences.

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INTRO
The Purge is an interesting concept that helps with population control and reduces the crime rate. For those unfamiliar with bad films, Hollywood first introduced us to the idea of purging in 2013. The Purge is a night where all crime is legal and all hospitals, fire stations, poison control centers and police stations in the United States are closed down for 12 hours. The Purge staring Ethan Hawke was a waste of a brilliant premise. The first film was ruined with terrible human characters and very few purging events.

DIRECTION
One of the issues in James DeMonaco’s first Purge was that it was isolated to just one home. DeMonaco places the main characters out in the streets, but sadly we still do not get enough purging. Even the Government thinks the people are not doing enough so they inject a few bullets here. What absolutely annoys me with this film is how everyone talks about their right to unleash the beast but nobody really ever hulks out. The rich people purge in the comfort of their homes or at auctions, stupid. This time around we have an anti-purge group that has valid points but of course the presentation is terrible. DeMonaco did a respectable job setting up the purge as you can see how some people embraced the events while others are fearful. Up until the point where all 5 main characters join together is the film paced well and entertaining.

Grade: F

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SCRIPT
The Purge: Anarchy, based on the initial trailers showed more promise and purging than its predecessor. Before the Purge commences we follow five people who all prepare for the purge in different ways. One couple is driving out the city and wait out the Purge at a relative’s house. A mother and daughter take refuge in their home. One guy straps up and heads into the night for one particular reason. These five people are eventually brought together and any guesses as to who will be their key to survival? The answer of course is the only character of any importance in this film—Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo). The issue with the script is the way the actual purging happens between various social classes. As I watched the film, I was wondering why in the world writer/director James DeMonaco wrote the characters the way he did. Scrolling at the credits I saw the answer; Bay. Michael Bay is a producer on this film and I am sure he bullied DeMonaco into writing a terrible script with even worse characters. Bay must have used his Transformer “success” for leverage. Cali (Zoe Scout) is the most annoying character in any film I’ve seen in recent years. Imagine that annoying neighbor that keeps you up regardless of how many times you told them to keep it down. You made the mistake of adding somebody on Facebook and now they keep messaging you, take that annoyance and double it and you have Cali. Cali of course is the sole rebel you thinks that Purging is stupid and she gets into the face of Leo several times regarding why he is purging. Cali here is a hint—never talk down to somebody who just saved your life.

Grade: F

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RELATED: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
There are only two performances were mentioning and they are Frank Grillo and Keith Stanfield. Grillo was so badass that this film would have been much better if it told Brock Runlow’s story before he joined S.H.E.I.L.D. Grillo was standout here. Stanfield didn’t really say anything verbally but he had great non-verbal acting. Stanfield was one of many masked young teenagers ready for the purge. Besides these two characters, none of the other performances are worth mentioning. The characters were not exciting and had zero sense of urgency.

Grade: D

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SCORE
Nathan Blackhead didn’t have a lot to work with in terms of the type of film this was but he was still able to come up with perfect compositions in those tension building moments.

Grade: C

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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Purge: Anarchy is one of the worst movies I’ve seen in a long time and has replaced Transformers: Age of Extinction as my number one worst film this year. Frank Grillo I am sorry that you were the only one that cared about this film because your performance was perfect given the type of the film this was.

Overall Grade: F