Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writers: Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec
Stars: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner

Synopsis: A group of mutated warriors face off against an evil kingpin who wants to take over New York.

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DIRECTION
If I hear one more person say this is a Michael Bay film, my head may explode. For one, this movie is an hour and forty one minutes long. That’s the length of a Bay short film. Secondly, the one “glorification” shot in this movie is not even a second long and shows zero skin. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is also a very family friendly film, definitely written for kids and most of it’s humor follows suit. Sure, you can definitely feel the Bay aesthetic a little bit, but it’s so miniscule and irrelevant in this film. TMNT‘s problem though isn’t Bay, but rather poor writing, poor acting and poor direction on Jonathan Liebesman part. The action beats are fun, along with some banter from the turtles themselves, but mostly Liebesman felt lost.

Grade: C-

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SCRIPT
The script is just plain awful. Now, I know this is “written for kids” but that doesn’t mean it gets a pass. The dialouge is terrible and the story lines are not very coherent. The “villains” of the movie are incredibly mishandled, with almost zero backstory or substance. The origins story has parts of it that is okay, as call-backs to original mythology that is updated for modern audiences, but it’s poorly executed. The turtles banter is mostly well done and they are easily the highlight of the film. The movie would’ve been great if we just the turtles hanging out for 90 minutes just arguing and fighting each other. However, the story meanders, doesn’t have enough development and is mostly a huge swing and a miss.

Grade: D

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RELATED: Wish I Was Here Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
You know a movie is bad when it makes good actors look terrible. Will Arnett is usually really great, however he’s mostly wasted in this movie. William Fichtner is amazing at being menacing, but in TMNT it’s very by the book. Megan Fox is…well…Megan Fox. She’s just not lead actress material. Even small roles like Whoopi Goldberg add nothing to the film. That being said, the turtles save this film ever so slightly and it’s because their banter is engaging. Noel Fisher as Michelangelo was pretty great and worked the best throughout the film. Jeremy Howard was a bit campy as Donatello but also worked well for the most. Alan Ritchson was superb as Raphael but the character isn’t as deep as other properties which was a bit disappointing but Ritchson was great in the role. As for Johnny Knoxville, he was okay as Leo, but his voice is terribly distracting. It’s not so much Knoxville’s fault as it is bad casting.

Grade: D+

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SCORE
Knock, Knock you about to get shell shocked! Hey, maybe it’s a bit cheesy but honestly, Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa’s Shell Shocked in the end credits is one of the best parts of the film. As for Brian Tyler, the score is okay but many of it’s themes and tones are re-hashed from his Thor: The Dark World score. It felt a bit lazy but at the same time, the music is still pretty descent.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, go see the 1990 movie. This version of TMNT doesn’t quite have the heart or development that keeps you as engaged or entertained throughout. It does some parts well but mostly it falls flat.

Overall Grade: D+

Director: John Michael McDonagh
Writers: John Michael McDonagh
Stars: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly

Synopsis: After he is threatened during a confession, a good-natured priest must battle the dark forces closing in around him.

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DIRECTION
From the opening scene till the end credits, Calvary will have you hooked. It’s not just the film’s thrilling mystery, but it’s themes and performances are just riveting. John Michael McDonagh again re-teams with Bendan Gleeson and it’s even more magical than last time. The cinematography is stark at times, but also beautiful and used wonderfully. The pacing is great and the story is fluid, which is what’s most important.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The film opens with Father James (Gleeson) sitting in a confessional booth where one patron enters and confesses that he will kill Father James in a week. He has seven days to prepare himself, but at the end of it, he must atone for the sins of others. While the film does play as a “whodunit” mystery, it’s much, much more than that. There are obvious Christ parallels, but the film also explores ideas of faith in general, doubt and forgiveness, which are all fleshed out wonderfully. We see Father James reconnect with his daughter in some amazing heartfelt ways, all while providing counsel for various people seeking his services though out the movie. We see raw sides of Father James as well as his spiritual sides, which makes him feel more authentic and relatable. McDonagh ultimately takes us through a journey of consequences, the effects of past hurts and how you respond to those emotional layers matters. The story is rich, layered and extremely fascinating.

Grade: A+

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RELATED: Wish I Was Here Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Brendan Gleeson gives one of the best performances of the year, hands down. He’s masterful at showcasing every side of him, pummeling though every layer and giving us something special to behold. His revelations are alluring at times, but you can’t help but feel riveted. Chris O’Dowd is also wonderful, as is Kelly Reilly and Aidan Gillen. All of the performances have a purpose, have weight behind them and elevate the film fantastically.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Patrick Cassidy, I applaud you. Cassidy’s score is absolutely gorgeous and was the perfect anectode to the music need for this film. The tones add emotion and layers that fit the story masterfully, but also never seems forced or too much. The theme is used quite heavily, but it serves a specific purpose that never felt trite. Amazing work.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Calvary is not for everyone but the film’s exploration of faith and how raw it can be, is a visual reminder of how imperfect it is but also how good it can be. It’s not about a specific religion or faith, but rather how deep it’s connections are, whether it’s good or bad, and how you decide to respond to it effects other people. Father James’ story is intriguing, provocative and one of the best experiences I’ve had in 2014.

Overall Grade: A+

Director: Zach Braff
Writers: Adam J. Braff, Zach Braff
Stars: Zach Braff, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon

Synopsis: Aidan Bloom is a 35-year-old man who finds himself at major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career, and his family.

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DIRECTION
Zach Braff’s Wish I Was Here will feel familiar to those who saw his directorial debut film, Garden State, as this film also focuses on the hardships of life and the emotional poignancy that comes with it. The cinematography is gorgeous, well used and enhances the film a great deal. However, Braff’s editing is troubling here and unfortunately, too distracting at times. He’s forced to re-earn every emotional beat, which may work, but is unnecessary.

Grade: B-

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SCRIPT
Wish I Was Here explores the arduous realities of life, but that coping with them doesn’t have to be an individual event. Braff also explores themes of family, hope and how guidance of sorts can make a difference in the heartache of tragedy. Despite the film feeling unfocused at times, it’s certainly heartfelt and provocative as well.

Grade: B+

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RELATED: Lucy Movie Review

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PERFORMANCES
Braff is wonderful in his role, making you feel his hurt and struggle as he must learn to find himself again. Braff has some wonderful moments with his kids, played by Joey King and Pierce Gagnon, which were incredibly endearing and fun to watch. Those scenes were also big bright spots in a film that dealt with mostly heavy material. King and Gagnon were just as fantastic too. Kate Hudson was terrific as Aiden’s wife and Josh Gad added a fun brother dynamic to Braff’s character, which will speak loud to a lot of people.

Grade: A

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SCORE
The soundtrack isn’t as good as Garden State but it’s still pretty wonderful. Hozier, Paul Simon, Bon Iver and The Shins all make appearances on the soundtrack as well as several others to help add a strong layer to the film. They fill the music void extremely well and it’s a soundtrack you’ll want to check out.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Wish I Was Here is definitely a flawed film, but it’s themes are relevant and it’s emotional beats are still heartfelt. Sure, some of them may have to be re-earned, but if you can stick with it and try to stay engaged, it’s a wonderful experience that’s visually beautiful.

Overall Grade: B+

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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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+