Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

RATING: C

The story continues of Anakin Skywalker turning into Darth Vader; only about ten years later, flashing forward so far that they had to get a new actor for Anakin--and yet didn't have to for anyone else, not even Padme. And now we get to watch one of the biggest examples I've ever seen of what could've been, was not. 

In this film, we end up getting a brand new antagonist to replace Darth Maul--this one the much older Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), who's basically threatening to take over. And with about four actual Jedi (Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda and Mace Windu), the Republic wants to get an army to help them fight back--but they keep on facing opposition, including Padme--one of the voters on the situation--having repeated attempts on her life. Thus leaving Anakin to be Padme's guard, while Obi-Wan goes to deal with some unbelievably cartoonish aliens (seriously, what were the guys in the creative department thinking?) and dig up the scoop on the clone army. 

Attack of the Clones is, as a whole, more action-packed than its predecessor, which certainly helps it out. None of the sequences reach the level of the duel at the end of the Phantom Menace, but we're given more in quantity this time to keep us from falling asleep. The last 30-40 minutes are quite an action-packed climax that help make it worth the ride. It also helps that Jar-Jar Binks only gets about ten minutes of screen time in this film. 

However, there's a lot wrong with this film. Part of it is the direction; much of the film feels rather sloppy. The script is quite thin, which makes me feel sorry for the film's mostly-excellent cast. As mentioned earlier, the aliens they come up with are just ridiculous. The worst part, though, is Hayden Christensen as Anakin. In this film, this guy cannot act to save his life. The script may not have been helping much, but either way, he's more annoying than anything. It's a shame too, because things get interesting as his hidden anger shows up, and if there had been a better actor, his feelings could've been portrayed far better; instead, he just sounds like a spoiled bratty 12-year-old. 

That's the perhaps biggest example of something about this film that could've been far better, but just wasn't. And sadly, there were many other little things that they could've done/not done that would've helped immensely. For example, the battle droids are all but gone, and when they do show up, there's very little of the comic relief they had in the first film. Also, there's an incredibly long "action" sequence involving Anakin, Padme, 3PO and R2 being stuck in a factory that is ultimately more boring than anything. Another thing of note is that, near the end, an injured Obi-Wan throws Anakin a second lightsaber to help him fight Dooku, but that second lightsaber is quickly destroyed. Think of how awesome it would have been if we had an extended fight with Dooku vs. Anakin with two lightsabers. (Or, even better, we could've had Anakin with two lightsabers vs. Darth Maul... but we know why that couldn't happen.)

It's little things like this that kind of bring the film down. Yes, it's entertaining and there are some funny bits, and the backstory is still interesting, but Attack of the Clones is tortured by poor direction, poor dialogue, and horrific acting from Hayden Christensen. The biggest Star Wars fans should probably be entertained still, and there are indeed some bits that make it worth a view, but ultimately, Attack of the Clones is an attempt at a possibly good film wasted. 

Postscript: I'm not quite sure why this film is called "Attack of the Clones." Aside from the training facility scene, we don't even see them until the last 25 minutes--and they don't really "attack" anything (they defend the Jedi), and they're not enemies, which is sort of the impression one kind of gets from a title like that. If you had to mention the clones, maybe Rise of the Clones? I dunno. Whatever. 

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

RATING: C

Ah, Star Wars. Both famous and infamous; famous for revolutionizing sci-fi and overall cinema as everyone knew it back during the 70's-80's, and then infamous for taking a dump on said older films, at least in the eyes of many. 

The prequel trilogy pretty much tells the tale of how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. The Phantom Menace decides to focus on him as a young child and his first chance occurrence with the Jedi. In this case, he meets his eventual trainer Obi-Wan Kenobi as well as the new character Qui-Gon Jinn. 

The Phantom Menace also focuses on how, after a time of apparently being almost nonexistent, the dark side of the Force seems to beginning to rise--led by the mysterious hooded Darth Sidious (get it? Phantom Menace?) and his apprentice Darth Maul. 

The Phantom Menace has some interesting things to tell about Anakin's past and the beginning of his path. Perhaps the most interesting thing is Qui-Gon's belief that he is "the chosen one"--the one to destroy the Sith for good. Also, the Phantom Menace has arguably the best lightsaber fight out of all six films, involving Obi-Wan & Qui-Gon vs. Darth Maul, who carries a double-bladed lightsaber. After the earliest films having much more restrained lightsaber fights (the one between Vader & Obi-Wan in the first film looks pathetic now), this one looks far better, and has held up well since 1999. 

Despite that, it's also still a quite flawed film. The movie does move pretty darn slowly at times, but by far the biggest issue is the inclusion of the Gungan aliens, who by themselves threaten to put you to sleep when you're not trying to decipher what they're saying, as well as Jar-Jar Binks, who was supposed to be an attempt at comic relief for the kids--and I suppose it succeeded at that, but otherwise it fell flat on its face. Ironically, much of the rest of the humor is far better--namely the expendable battle droids (perhaps the funniest bad guys ever), and although they're a far cry from the early films, C-3PO and R2-D2 are still good. 

The Phantom Menace suffers most perhaps from Jar Jar Binks, and though the removal of him would certainly have improved things, it still would never have been A-grade material, in part because things just move pretty slowly at times. The climax and conclusion are pretty satisfying, but it's not quite enough to save the film. If you like the idea of the prequel trilogy and having some extra insight, it's worth a watch--and it's also arguably worth a watch just for the ending lightsaber fight alone. But it's not likely to win over any new Star Wars fans. 

Jurassic World

RATING: A-

You would think that after twenty years and three movies, them darned corporations and bureaucrats would have learned to stop messing around with dinosaurs. It hasn't worked for them before, and yet here we are with a fourth film and they're still trying to exercise control over them. Perhaps they should've heeded Jeff Goldblum's warning from the first movie: "Nature finds a way." 

In a movie that ignores the existence of the two Jurassic Park sequels and returns to Isla Nublar, John Hammond's dream of a dinosaur park from the first movie has come true--due in part to increased technological advantages and increased measures that make the park somewhat safer... but still dangerous. And yet, it's been thriving for a while now, with a few accidents here and there but so far nothing compared to the disaster in the first film. 

So, they have dinosaurs on exhibit. However, the money they're currently getting isn't enough for them. "Every time we unveil a new exhibit, attendance spikes," they claim. So what's their newest move? Create a hybrid dinosaur. Not bred... *created* in a lab. The "Indominus Rex," they call it--built partially from the DNA of the T-Rex and built to be even bigger than the T-Rex. And perhaps even more dangerous. And way smarter. 

Needless to say, the hybrid gets loose and the park officials/our main characters have to clean up the mess with about 20,000 people hanging around in the resort. We've got Claire, a control-freak more concerned with the park than with her nephews--Zach and Gary (both of whom I and the movie could've admittedly done without--couldn't even remember their darn names half the time). We've got Owen (Chris Pratt), the park's local raptor trainer. Yes, you read right: raptor trainer. And then we've got a few expendables and a bunch of crazy army guys who want dinosaurs--namely the raptors--for weapons. 

The movie admittedly gets off to a pretty slow start--we're slapped early on with the boring kids and their visit to the park--and I believe it takes about 20 to 30 minutes before we actually see a dinosaur onscreen. Much like in the recent Godzilla, the characters are pretty thin/boring--the exception being Owen, who basically just walks around, trains raptors and is a boss for the whole movie. 

But that's not why we went to see the movie, right? We went to see it for the dinosaurs. And they are still very exciting to watch. This film gets a lot of what Jurassic Park III got wrong right--whether it's bringing back the suspenseful scenes, or actually pulling out some truly thrilling moments. (JP III did have a couple of them, but nothing compared to the first or second.) What this film does a particularly fantastic job of is building up the action sequences and tension over time--getting the least exciting ones out of the way first (as far as that goes), and saving the best for last in a breathtaking finish. 

Jurassic World admittedly is not perfect, and there are a few oddities/things left hanging. But it succeeds at what it sets out to be: a thrilling dinosaur flick in a new decade that is reverent enough to its predecessors while still being its own movie. It's hard to not be excited as the film continues to build up. It's well worth seeing in the theaters--especially for a little extra suspense (hint: surround sound is utilized very well here). That is, if you didn't see it already, considering how much money it's already made. Whatever the case, go and see it if you're a fan of the franchise/genre. 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

RATING: A-

We know full well that this sudden trend of making final movies of book series into two parts is really just an extra-money gig, and for those who may not be familiar with said books, it can be a bit much for them. So far, though, it actually seems to be working out pretty decently. Harry Potter pulled it off quite well, and it seems Hunger Games is on the road to doing the same thing.

For the beginning of the final installment of the Hunger Games Trilogy (or Quartet, now), this is the first film to not feature the actual games. Just like the books, this one is essentially just about the war while Katniss Everdeen, survivor of two Hunger Games, walks around in a mentally impaired state in the underground District 13. 

The "war" shows itself in two different aspects: the actual physical war (shown in a few various scenes where the Districts come together) and the political propaganda war that occurs on the television screens, which is the more emphasized "war." Katniss is made to be in various "propos" herself, and Peeta--captive of the Capitol--is made to try and call for a ceasefire. That's essentially the gist of Mockingjay Part 1, as Katniss uses the newfound power she has as the symbol of the revolution to force District 13 to rescue Peeta before he is killed. 

Mockingjay: Part 1 actually works out pretty well as the prelude to the grand finale. It moves a little bit slow at times, but so did the other two movies, and they ultimately came out quite well too. In many ways, the movies have improved over time--the production values have improved greatly (no more shaky cam!), the visuals are getting better, and Jennifer Lawrence is getting much better after just being okay in the first movie. 

For those who are not familiar with the story, however, it may feel incredibly slow and disappointing at times and may feel like what it admittedly is: a prelude to the actual finale. Despite that, I feel that it does a good job at being what it is. Yeah, if they had made it just one movie it probably would've been okay, but they're doing a fine job at making it two movies as well. 

Sadly, it's somewhat hard to look forward to Mockingjay: Part 2 (unless you haven't read the book) if you know what happens at the ending--on both the political and the emotional level. In that sense, Part 1 feels like the last breath of fresh air you get before you're thrown into the furnace. Whatever the case, Mockingjay: Part 1 is a worthy beginning to an end. 

Cars

RATING: A+

Cars was really the first Pixar film that received any sort of backlash whatsoever. People still liked it for the most part, but it was really pretty much the first one to not receive mostly universal applause. This was probably their most risky release yet--one that arguably pandered to a smaller crowd than before. And yet somehow it managed to get by. 

The film centers around a hotshot racecar who ends up in a three-way tie with two other cars during the Dinoco 400 (the car-world equivalent of the Daytona 500), and is on his way to the tiebreaker race when a series of unfortunate events occur, and he ends up stuck in a version of Route 66 that isn't recognized for its historic value and is a ghost town in the sense that there are no visitors--just residents. And after doing damage to their main road, he is forced into repairing it. 

Well, anyone can see pretty easily where this is going to go. Guy living in the fast lane ends up seeing the other side of things, learns to slow down a little bit, learns a few things. Pixar clearly knew that this was the case, because they end up putting in some twists of their own (which I won't give away) that are completely unexpected. Ultimately, just like most of Pixar's other films, this film is a great story and is unique in its' own right. 

The humor can be a mixed bag for some people. There are more gas jokes and such in this film than before. There is also a bucketload of cultural references--even parodying various celebrities or newscasters (a couple of the newscasters are actually played by the guys who they were parodied off of). Some people love these types of things, and others can't stand it. I think it's all quite hilarious, and if you lean the other way, there's enough clever wordplay or humor to keep you entertained. My arguably favorite part is still the "tractor tipping" scene (I'll leave it at that). 

If there's one complaint about this film, it's the uneven pacing. The film begins with a big adrenaline rush with a crazy race (and ends the same way) and then plods along more slowly at certain points during the middle. The film still kept my interest, but I am admittedly still baffled at how the little ones are entertained by this (or Ratatouille, for that matter), but it works. Somehow, I guess there's enough of the excitement or humor (much of it provided by a crazy tow truck) to keep them interested. 

Cars may not be on many people's top half of Pixar films, but it is on mine--it is a fantastic film in its own right, just like most of other Pixar's films--with its interesting story, wisecracking humor, and near-unbelievable animation. Some people tend to overlook it occasionally (now more because they hated the sequel), but it's still well worth watching, and a worthy member of Pixar's brilliant catalog. 

Interstellar

RATING: B+

Christopher Nolan has made a name for himself recently; gaining a reputation as one of the better directors in Hollywood, and rightfully so. The Dark Knight Trilogy; and Inception. Four classics. Much like Pixar, he is now expected to keep his streak going. The expectations are high. The question is can he hold up? 

Well, never count out Nolan in the creativity department. That much can be said, at least. 

Interstellar centers on a future Earth where civilization is falling apart due to the atmosphere weakening; dust storms are becoming a frequent thing and they are slowly running out of food sources. So, what is humanity gonna do with Earth dying? Well, find a new home. Cause as luck would have it, there's a wormhole next to Saturn that leads to another galaxy with planets that could support life. Cooper, a pilot living in the wrong time where pilots are no longer needed, gets chosen for the mission to find said planets--leaving behind daughter Murphy grief-stricken. 

Interstellar is a very complex and also quite long film, clocking in at 168 minutes. The film focuses on multiple plotlines--with Cooper's journey in space with a few other scientists--and Murphy's fight back at home as Earth continues to fall apart. Things get weirder and weirder over time--until we get to a conclusion involving some fifth dimension mumbo jumbo. 

Wormholes, singularities, fifth dimension, and all that good stuff. All in all, Interstellar can be a pretty confusing film at times. Perhaps that it its greatest flaw--it's probably Nolan's least accessible film to date (having not seen his older films). For me, the best way to describe my feelings on the final act is "I understand it, but I don't." I'm okay with it, and I'm not okay with it. 

In some ways I'm honestly torn on the film. It's slightly underwhelming compared to what we're used to seeing from Nolan, and yet it's quite groundbreaking at the same time. It's hard to think of many films that compare to it in some regards. The visuals are astounding, and the various twists are quite good. The simple yet powerful soundtrack coincides with the film brilliantly. And yet, at times, the feeling cannot be shaken: this is a hard film to understand. Does it take away from the enjoyment of the film? Not completely--there are other reasons this film falls short of other Nolan films (Anne Hathaway's character Brand is more annoying than anything). 

Nevertheless, Christopher Nolan has put together a worthy film that while it may not be a classic, it's still well worth watching with the warning of its complexity, and that if you don't like such films, it's not for you. It may well be a treat for many science geeks who understand the film better and just for people who enjoy a mental challenge in a film, or seeing something as groundbreaking as this. Interstellar is a pretty good film, but depending on whether you like more heavy thinking in your movies or not, it should be approached with caution. 

The Incredibles

RATING: A+

It's not that often that we see anyone try to come up with their own superheroes. Usually, it has to be based off one of the comic-book heroes like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, or whomever. Not that the movies featuring such rehashed heroes are bad, but it's certainly refreshing whenever someone applies some creativity to the genre. The Incredibles does that, and then some. 

This is Pixar at their peak--during the mid-to-late 2000's, when they pulled out most of their best films. The Incredibles is definitely part of that echelon, and is actually my second favorite Pixar film. 

The film centers around a world of superheroes... taking place in a 1960's with advanced technology (yeah... I admit I've never quite figured that out) where eventually the public gets fed up with the damage that super heroics cause, and eventually decide to make them illegal, preferring to deal with crime on their own instead of having to pay more for damages caused because the superheroes were helping people. Yup. Makes perfect sense. No one show those guys Man of Steel. 

It is a very good twist on the genre, however, as now the superheroes are forced to live suburban life and deal with. One such former superhero, Mr. Incredible, is fed up with it--and eventually he gets called back to action by a secret facility. Only problem is, eventually his family gets dragged into it, and they're all forced back into action against an insane villain. 

The Incredibles is one of the best films in the superhero genre by far. From its exciting, adrenaline-rush action sequences, to the humor (some of it more subtle than others), to the characters--some of whom we can sympathize with--to some of the very brief yet quite honest shots the film takes at our culture, whether it's debunking the "Everyone's special" saying, or also taking shots at "supermodels." 

What superhero films besides this one, and the Dark Knight trilogy, can even compare? The Incredibles virtually has it all. I'm hard-pressed to come up with an actual flaw. There are a couple cheesy moments between Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, but such scenes will still appeal to others. It runs slightly long for the younger ones, I suppose--but it's fast-paced enough to keep them interested. Overall, the Incredibles is definitely a film that lives up to its name.