Director: David Ayer
Writers: Skip Woods, David Ayer (with additions by)
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard

Synopsis: Members of an elite DEA task force find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house.

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INTRO
Hands tied up, blood rushing down her face, she screams for John…gunshot…she’s dead and Sabotage begins.

DIRECTION
Prior to viewing this film, I had it on my worst list for the month of March because just like Need for Speed, the plot seemed predictable and I was not too thrilled on the casting. Sabotage poorly deals what happens when money and greed comes between friends and teaches you that you always shouldn’t trust a mastery Halo player. Beyond the action scenes we hardly have anything to be excited about as the movie itself gives away small clues as to who is Sabotaging the group and as soon as I saw the trailer I already had an idea of who it was and I was right. I am surprised that this film was as bad as it was because director David Ayer, did an awesome job with End of Watch. End of Watch, just like most police movies are very hard to expand on its scope because you are limited by what you can do and he was still able to craft a great and emotional movie. Sabotage has too many characters and they all come and go very quickly like an argument that you have no time to care about any of the characters besides John Wharton. Ayer stuck with the same logic that Need for Speed did, where you throw a bunch of things together and hope that one thing makes it worth the audience’s time. For Need for Speed it was the nice cars and for Sabotage, it was the sheer violence and the blood bath. I do not like mystery movies because it is always very easy to figure things out and the way this film reveals who it is comes with no buildup what so ever, basically wasting everyone’s time. Once it is revealed why the money was stolen and by whom, it is a huge letdown.

Grade: C

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SCRIPT
Right after the grueling opening scene we witness the only strength of this film: The action scenes. The scenes are not for the faint of heart as there is enough blood in this movie that can feed vampires for over 100 years. Who else better to lead the blood rayne than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger plays John “Breacher” Wharton, the commander of an elite squad of DEA operatives. His team consists of a Nav’I, a stripper, a basketball coach turned b-boy coach, a Jaeger pilot and of course an Iron Patriot. This group of DEA operatives, during a mission, steal 10 million dollars from a Mexican drug cartel. Mission is over…Money is missing… and soon members of the group are taking out and the Scooby Doo mystery begins.

Grade: D+

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RELATED: Noah Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
I want to talk about the performances if I can because Olivia Williams was great in this film as Investigator Caroline Brentwood. Williams had great onscreen presence and was able to carry the entire film along with Schwarzenegger. Williams was able to breathe life in the scenes with the other operatives because she cared about her role in the film. She also had brief but excellent scenes with fellow detective Jackson (Harold Perrineau). The other female character Lizzy (Mireille Enos) is the latest member in the girls kicking butt in movies club. There has been a huge trend lately in women being strong characters in females and I think it is about time we see this change. Lizzy is tougher than I will ever be and makes Lara Croft look like a poodle. This type of movie is right up Schwarzenegger’s alley and he played Breacher in a way only the Terminator can—tough as nails. Schwarzenegger role was refreshing because his last role as an officer in The Last Stand was a nightmare that I do not want to discuss.

Grade: B

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SCORE
David Sardy chooses drafts a perfect score for this film as it is dark and has that underground style to it that is suited for this type of film. The musical elements ring loud in all the best ways and service the movie really well.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
If you just enjoy senseless killing and rivers of blood than this is the film for you, but I just wished that they would have spent some of the money they stole into some editing because since it is not told in chronological order some so parts it’s hard to see what’s going on. The best example of this is a montage when Breacher and Caroline try to reach Tripod (Kevin Vance) and his assailants kill him.

Overall Grade: C

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel
Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins

Synopsis: A man is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.

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DIRECTION
Darren Aronofsky is known for his creative worlds, strange sequences and bleak stories that on the surface made Noah seem like a good fit for him. While the story of Noah is famous from the Christian Bible, the world that Aronofsky creates here is almost from another planet. If you’re to enjoy this movie, you must be willing to submit to that as this world is more mystical, fantastical and almost Harry Potter-esque. Aronofsky is very careful about not using that word that seems to scare and offend many, “God”, so instead we are introduced to “The Creator”, again keeping you on another world. The landscapes are dry and baron, creating the desperate feeling of change the world needed. Most of the camerawork was solid but there were a few shots that felt off course and some of the CGI felt lazy. However, as with all Aronofsky films, there are several dream sequences that are well shot and crafted to elevate this story and world we’re introduced to, which was easily some of the brightest spots of the film. Overall, purists will vomit over this version of Noah, but if you’re willing to lay down expectations, you can believe what Aronofsky is doing, at least from a direction standpoint.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
Aronofsky, as the writer, is quite a different story. Again, Aronofsky’s films are known for their bleakness, yet also wonderfully portrayed characters that have many layers to them. The story starts out with an opening sequence laying out the backstory of creation, the Garden of Eden, Cain and Able and the downfall of mankind. We see how sin and corruption has taken over the world, from Adam all the way through Noah’s generation. It’s also not long before we are introduced to fall angels, who have become rock-like creatures (they explain why in exposition later) that roam the Earth to try to help mankind. Think of them like the Tree Creatures in The Lord of the Rings. In a dream, The Creator, tells Noah he’s destroying the Earth for the sins of man and Noah interprets the dream as an extermination of man-kind. Noah takes his family on a journey to meet their grandfather, Methusela (Anthony Hopkins), who helps Noah interpret his next steps. Soon Noah and his family start building the ark, with the help of these rock-like creatures, and we see the birds, the snakes and all kinds of animals make their way to the boat. After the animals arrive, we meet Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone), the representative of the fall of man, whom appears out of nowhere with no explanation or backstory. And now he wants Noah’s boat. The biggest problem with the script is Noah himself. The story of Noah is one full of hope and new beginnings all while dealing with death and destruction. There are many layers to Noah that make him compelling, however, Aronofsky contrives ridiculous family melodrama that wasn’t necessary and took away from the natural attractiveness to the character. His inner transformation is kind of interesting though, but isn’t enough to save from a muddled script.

Grade: C

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RELATED: The Grand Budapest Hotel Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Russell Crowe and Emma Watson are out of this world good in Noah. Crowe brings this character to life and captures the struggle of what would of been going on in Noah’s mind. He makes you love him, makes you hate him and brings you back to him again. A better script and this could of been one of the best Biblical characters we’ve ever seen in film. Watson doesn’t have as much to do until the third act, but man she delivers. She’s powerful, moving and brings her A-game. Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Hopkins are also solid in their roles as well.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Clint Mansell brings a solid score for the film, but ultimately a forgettable one. It moves quietly throughout most of the film, other than a few big moving shots Aronofsky has throughout. The music is beautiful though and does raise some scenes well. In the end though, there’s not much to really grab your attention, but it serves well.

Grade: B+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Noah is a film that both believer and non-believers can enjoy if you’re able to submit to Aronofsky’s world. His mystic elements is not the problem. The problem is a muddled script with unnecessary contrived plot elements that take away the heart of the story. Noah is compelling without having forcing it. He understood that death and destruction was coming but that ultimately it would bring a new beginning. Aronofsky lost sight of that in his script and blew up the natural rythms that could of made this film great. For me, it’s a disappointment.

Overall Grade: C+

Director: James Bobin
Writers: James Bobin, Nicholas Stoller
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey

Synopsis: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.

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DIRECTION
James Bobin is back in the director’s chair once again for Muppets Most Wanted, his follow-up to The Muppets back in 2011. The first thing you’ll notice is that Bobin and his crew pick up right where they left off in 2011, where our beloved muppets are back together and trying to find their feet. Bobin once again reigns in nostalgia and brings us all the goofiness and silliness you’d expect from a Muppets movie. The musical numbers were riveting and well shot, which elevated many of the film’s bright spots. Bobin’s big win, however, had to have been the addition of Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog and #1 criminal in the world. As a representation of the 80’s Russian bad-guy, Constantine was fun and used extremely well. If you peel back the layers, you’ll find references to Muppets Lore and the movie industry that creates more intrigue, but this is more of a film where you can shut off for a few hours and just have a little fun.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
The story picks up right after the events of The Muppets, when a camera is left behind after filming the last movie, thus revealing that there is a sequel to be made. It’s at this point, we hear our first song, We’re Doing A Sequel, which is quite possibly the most brilliant thing I’ve ever heard. The song itself is catchy, but the writing is beyond glorious taking jabs at the film industry and even Americans’ behavior to watching film. It’s not long before we’re introduced to Constantine, who escapes from The Gulag, one of Russia’s toughest prisons, finds Kermit and frame. The muppets then meet up with Dominic Badguy, posing as a tour manager but is really Constantine’s #2 and thus our plot is set in motion. As the muppets tour, Constantine and Dominic have their plans of stealing and finding a bigger treasure. In the middle of all that, Interpol and CIA agents, Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and Sam Eagle (Eric Jacobson) have teamed up to investigate these acts of thievery, which include some of the most ridiculousness we’ve seen in a muppets movie. While many of the musical elements shine, the narrative is formulaic, predictable and dry at times. The elements surrounding Kermit in The Gulag are hit or miss, especially the character of Nadya, which is contrived at times. Despite some of these flaws, it’s still a very good time and the musical elements more than make up for any narrative issues.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Divergent Review

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PERFORMANCES
Ricky Gervais shows stellar comedic timing and helps create an enthralling dynamic with Constantine, voiced by the great Matt Vogel, who was marvelous. Vogel not only voiced Constantine, but several other characters, as did Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta and David Rudman, whom all did a fantastic job with our fun muppet characters. While Tina Fey’s character could of been written better, she delivers a fun performance, Russian accent and all. As with all Muppets films, there are many cameos or small roles, which include Sean Combs, Lady Gaga, Zach Galifianakis, Salma Hayek, Josh Groban, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Langella, James McAvoy, Ray Liotta, Chloe Grace Moretz, Usher, Danny Trejo, Celine Dion, Christoph Waltz, Stanley Tucci and the list goes on.

Grade: A

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SCORE
While the musical numbers will overshadow the score in a big way here, Christophe Beck’s score isn’t terrible by any means, although it’s nothing special at the same time. In this case, not recognizing the score isn’t a terrible thing, given the nature of what this film is and the kind elements it has. Beck’s score is more than serviceable but will ultimately won’t be the main attraction.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Muppets Most Wanted is a strong piece of work in many ways, especially the musical pieces and the nostolgia it dives into, but suffers from a formulaic plot and gags that are either hit or miss. Kids will most likely have a ball with this film and if you’re a parent, that’s really all you can ask for. Some of the writing is magnificent, especially towards the beginning, but it fizzles in the 2nd half and doesn’t quite live up to Bobin’s first take at these beloved muppet characters. Still worth a watch though.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Stefan Zweig (inspired by the works of), Wes Anderson
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law

Synopsis: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

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INTRO
You had me at Wes Anderson.

DIRECTION
Wes Anderson is at it again in The Grand Budapest Hotel with his unique, goofy visual style that may be his most intricate yet. As you can imagine, it will either draw you in or push you away very quickly. His aesthetic, while cartoony, is beautiful and seems to have an extra flair in Grand Budapest, which serves what he’s trying to do well. Anderson uses several different aspect ratios for the different time periods we are thrown into, which was an interesting touch and served the nostalgic feeling Anderson was going for. His camerawork, along with his crazy backdrops, was creative and very much what I would call “Wes Anderson”, meaning it’s a punchline in some cases. In some sequences, Anderson even goes from live-action to stop-motion and the way Anderson blends that is beyond brilliant. On top of that, the fun, energetic score Anderson curates from Desplat makes those scenes feel like some sort of high. I wouldn’t say this is Anderson’s best film, but The Grand Budapest Hotel is a magic blend that is visually enhanced and will surly be more than satisfying for those that like Anderson’s style.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The script for Grand Budapest isn’t all zany and goofy as the trailer made it out to be, as there are darker layers and themes explored here. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s still very cartoony in all the best Anderson-glorified ways as possible. The story is framed as a story being told within a story. We start in modern day as a girl starts to read a book entitled, The Grand Budapest Hotel and then we flashback to 1985 where the author (Jude Law) of that book re-tells the story of how he came to write it. We then flashback again to 1968, where the author is much younger and is staying at a run-down Grand Budapest Hotel. He meets an older Mr. Moustafa, who sits down with the author to tell him how he came into possession of the hotel, which flashback’s us once again to 1932, where most of the story takes place. It’s there we meet Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the manager of this prestigious hotel, and his new lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori). Gustave is a magnetic character who is just as self-serving as he his guest-serving, taking advantage of all the rich, old woman that stay at his hotel. When one of them is mysteriously murdered, he’s blamed for it and thus the explosion that moves our story forward. While this script mostly works as a crime-dramedy, it’s also part heist film and character piece. Both those elements are prominent and at times are the driving force. However, most of the narrative surrounds Gustave having to prove his innocence with the help of Zero and how those two form an unlikely bond that is compelling and even genuine. The story deals with death, the tragedy of nostalgia and the effects that can have on people as well, all while mixed in with this stimulating comedic work. It may not be all happy-go-lucky, but there’s depth on several layers that is elegant in all the ways Anderson can bring.

Grade: A-

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RELATED: Divergent Review

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PERFORMANCES
Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori are brilliant. Their chemistry was quintessential and made for perfect comedic timing. From their goofy actions to their potent dialogue, these guys were definitely on their A-game is just about every faction. F. Murray Abraham and Jude Law had small roles but were great when they needed to be. Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe were polarizing in their roles, especially Dafoe. His chase of Jeff Goldblum was Hitchcock-esque and the mountain ski chase was a ton of fun, making for a perfect moment when that scene crystallized. Anderson threw in a bunch of small cameos, which was just about everyone he’s ever worked with before and they were all great. Simply, it was a ton of fun.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
What can you say about Alexandre Desplat? The man is a genius, especially when working with Wes Anderson. His score here almost works as another character and is a crucial piece to Anderson’s extravagant style. The music is fun and has a lot of energy, even in the smaller parts of the film. The score is always moving, creating the sense of urgency this narrative has. It was absolutely gorgeous in every way and is a fun listen to outside of the film. Definitely one of Desplat’s best.

Grade: A+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Grand Budapest Hotel is hilarious on all accounts and filled with incredible performances that is sure to please all the Anderson fans out there. Some elements of the story didn’t blend perfectly, especially when the tone suddenly changed halfway through, but it’s also never distracting. As with all Anderson films, you either love his crazy style or not. For those that do, you’ll enjoy what this film has to offer.

Overall Grade: A

Director: Neil Burger
Writers: Evan Daugherty (screenplay), Vanessa Taylor (screenplay)
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet

Synopsis: In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she’s Divergent and won’t fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it’s too late.

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INTRO
Aeriel shots of a futuristic yet decaying Chicago. Music playing in the background. Residents are divided into different factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Beatrice goes in for her Aptitude test to determine the fact she best fits in. Her results are inconclusive and she is told she is suited for more than one faction. Beatriz is told she is “Divergent”.

DIRECTION
Reviewing these types of films is always a challenge for critics, as we are not the target demographic. Earlier, this month I placed Divergent on my worst list for March because of the failure of movies like Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy and The Host. Divergent to me is not a perfect film by any means but it does a lot of things well. Most of the problems with it lie on the director Neil Burger and the screenwriters Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor, for difficulties translating from book to screen. Divergent runs about 2 hours and 19 minutes, yet only get a brief background on the circumstances surrounding the Prior family so when things start happening, it does not really elect a response from the non-book readers. The film seems to dwell too much into the plot as our main character is able to figure out everything that she needed to and resolve the issues all before the credits end. I would have wanted more background on maybe why the cities are divided anyways as well as why the city is decaying. If you are going to have a running time of 140 minutes answering a few of this would have been great, if not then cut the film down by a few minutes. The production design could have been better as this Chicago does not really seem to keep up with the emotion the film is trying to capture. Most of the reviews for this film are negative because it is compared too often to The Hunger Games. I understand the comparison, but every book or film has some idea that was rooted from something else. I think Divergent is off to a great start primarily on the strong roles of Shailene Woodley and Theo James and all other issues such as plot gaps, production can all be fixed in the next installment.

Grade: C

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SCRIPT
In the quick opening, we get a background of the various factions: Abnegation, meant for the selfless; Amity, meant for the peaceful; Candor, meant for the honest; Dauntless, meant for the brave; and Erudite, meant for the Intelligent. Beatrice (Shailene Woodley) and her family are currently in the Abnegation faction. Beatrice knew she never quite fit in with her faction’s selfless nature and when she takes her aptitude test we realize why she does not solely fit into Abnegation. When Choosing Day arrives, both Caleb (Ansel Elgort) and Beatrice shock the entire community when they choose new factions. Caleb selects the snobbish Erudite faction, led by the power-hungry Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet). Beatrice, chooses the Dauntless, which for some odd reason, they run everywhere and dress like a mix between a S.H.E.I.L.D agent and a Hot Topic employee. Once she starts initiation, Beatrice then chooses the new name “Tris”. The vast majority of the film takes place in the Dauntless faction where the initiates have to go through extensive training and hand-to-hand combat to determine who has what it takes to be Dauntless. And what is a young adult novel without a love interest? Four (Theo James) is the man takes a liking to Tris, giving her looks that only a R. Kelly song could have given justice to. Four looks after her, especially from a dull Jai Courtney, who plays Eric. In between the Nicholas Sparks style romance, a power struggle is deepen between the Erudites and Abnegation, and Tris soon figures out why being a nonconforming Divergent could prove so perilous.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Nymphomaniac: Part I Review

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PERFORMANCES
Right away we can already get a Hunger Games sense from this film and as it goes along the same themes of corruption and government rebellion from The Hunger Games also ties in to this film. The similarities do not stop there as both young adult novels have strong female characters. Much of the success of Hunger Games is the strong character of Katniss, backed by the terrific acting of Jennifer Lawrence. Divergent’s female protagonist is Beatrice Pryor, later known as Tris, played by the lovely and talented Shailene Woodley. Woodley did an outstanding job in The Spectular Now, and many will wonder if she has the on-screen presence to carry a film of this magnitude. Most critics are quick to bash her performance but I on the other hand, think she did a fantastic job and every scene with her was never a dull moment. Woodley had natural chemistry with Theo James and I admire her for getting in there and not getting afraid to get her hands dirty. We know all about Katniss’ story, but what she does in Divergent is special. What Divergent does well is having Tris, actually use hard-work and dedication to move up the ranks in Dauntless. Besides Woodley and James, Miles Teller, although brief, delivers a nice change of pace performance as Peter. Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, and Christian Madsen all do good work as the various people who either help or harm Tris as she tries to figure out things.

Grade: A

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SCORE
The score by Junkie XL, works well for this type of film and playing songs be Ellie Goulding fits perfectly with the film. Junkie XL has some pretty good work coming out lately and this isn’t any different. Good stuff.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Divergent will learn from its mistakes for the next film, but I am all in on this series. Woodley, I am glad that you delivered in this role and I think Tris could beat Katniss is a test of wills. Divergent, I am sorry that I wrote you off before giving you a chance. The only question left to be answered is if this film can surpass its 85 million dollar budget. I am sure the fan base is big enough but for every once else that is unsure I hope my review can help you decide to see this film because it is a highly enjoyable film that Twilight should have been.

Overall Grade: B

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