Ant-Man (Teaser) and Demonic Trailers

As Marvel Studios continues its conquest of the entertainment world, we're given another intriguing superhero to latch on to. Paul Rudd stars as a con artist who accepts the responsibility of being Ant-Man, a hero armed with the unique ability to shrink in size, but increase in strength, in order to protect the world. Ant-Man boasts a particularly unusual team with comedy star Paul Rudd taking center stage and director Peyton Reed (Bring It On and Yes Man) at the helm. But after last year's surprise blockbuster hit, Guardians of the Galaxy, I'm open to giving a fair chance to anything that Marvel produces, Ant-Man is slated to reach theaters on July 17th, 2015.





Horror enthusiasts have latched onto their beloved niche director, James Wan (Saw and The Conjuring), who crafts another promising tale with Demonic. Although Wan's story has been carefully placed in the hands of director Will Canon, who helmed the clever 2010 indie film Brotherhood, anything with Wan's name attached is sure to attract an audience. Demonic follows a police office (The Purge: Anarchy's Frank Grillo) and psychologist (Prisoners' Maria Bello) who investigate the mysterious deaths of five people who were attempting to summon spirits. If this film is even half as good as The Conjuring, we're in for a real treat.

2014's Most Overrated Movies

Today I'll be reminiscing over 2014 once again and pinpointing the year's most overrated and overblown features. A few days ago I compiled my list of 2014's Most Underrated Films and Overlooked Performances as well.

Now, staying focused on my current list, I always refer to 4 specific pieces of criteria. Two mainstream indicators for a film's quality reside in its critic evaluation percentage (courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes) and IMDB viewer score (where a "7.0" rating represents a strong film and the "8.0" range means its highly exceptional). My final two pieces of criteria for formulating my list are a film's Box Office Revenue and any award season accolades (i.e. Golden Globes, SAG and Critics Choice awards). So here they are, 2014's Most Overrated Films of the Year!

Honorable Mention: The Equalizer (7.3 rating on IMDB and grossed north of $100 million), The Maze Runner and its infuriating ending (7.0 rating on IMDB and grossed north of $100 million), and Selma, a presumed Oscar contender that's already been recognized by the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Despite giving the Civil Rights drama a slightly above-average grade (mainly for its performances and direction), its 100% critic approval and outpouring of love is way overblown.

#5. Edge of Tomorrow

I remember walking out of the movie theater completely on the fence with the Live.Die.Repeat action thriller, Edge of Tomorrow. After taking the night to sleep on it, I woke up still feeling unsatisfied with the film's ending. This Tom Cruise sci-fi flick lands on my overrated list not because it's an awful movie, but more so because of the public perception surrounding the film. With a 90% critic approval, an unfathomable 8.0 rating on IMDB, a box office north of the $100 million plateau and a Best Action Film nomination by the Critics Choice Awards, there are plenty of reasons to think Edge of Tomorrow needs to be knocked off its high horse. 

#4. Into the Woods

As stated in my recent review of the Oscar-hopeful Broadway musical adaptation, Into the Woods, the film's a tale of two halves. The first being an enjoyable and enchanting genre-blend, while the second portion is as unbearable as nails being scraped along a chalkboard. Into the Woods is by no means Best Picture material, but the film has performed well in the early going of awards season after being recognized at each of the Golden Globes, SAG and the Critics Choice Awards. With a 71% critic approval and a box office that's on its way to $100 million, Into the Woods hasn't warranted any of its accomplishments.

#3. Godzilla

One of 2014's most anticipated blockbusters also turned out to be its most disappointing. It isn't hard to believe that hordes of people swarmed to theaters to catch the monster destruction movie, enough to land Godzilla's box office total north of $200 million. What's more shocking is the film's 74% critic approval. Especially considering the fact that we're only given about 10 minutes of face time with the title character! The majority of the action movie centers around the human characters' story lines, none of which are that thrilling. Needless to say, Godzilla was one of 2014's biggest busts.

#2. Unbroken

Once upon a time, Angelina Jolie's account of Louis Zamperini's heroic journey was believed to be "the film to beat" in the Oscar race. However, Unbroken, justifiably opened to middling critic reviews and now its awards season hopes are in some serious jeopardy. In one of the most polarizing films in recent memory, Unbroken has a fair share of supports (evident by the movie's solid  7.3 viewer rating on IMDB). Yet, drowned in religious undertones and obsessed with physical brutality, Jolie's offering is barely enjoyable. Unbroken has been recognized by the Critics Choice Awards and it's on its way to crossing the $100 million mark, making the one-time Oscar favorite a highly overrated inclusion on my list.

#1. 22 Jump Street

Despite my counterpart's (guest-writer Greg Rouleau) glowing review of the action-comedy sequel, 22 Jump Street, I actually found the follow-up to be mildly entertaining at best. 84% of critics approved, its box office fell just short of an astounding $200 million and the film even captured a few nominations from the Critics Choice Awards. Obviously, there is plenty of love being thrown around for the overly self-aware and minimally funny action-comedy, enough to land 22 Jump Street as my most overrated film of the year. The first installment used cleverly developed jokes to aid its leading pair of immature officers to comedy glory. However, this extremely anticipated sequel took all of the original's glowing attributes and outstretched them to ridiculous lengths in a self mocking and pretentious manner. I was hoping for a lot more than what 22 Jump Street actually delivered.

The Ultimate 2015 Movie Preview

The turn of the calendar year represents a new beginning and, in the world of cinema, there’s no difference. This early on it’s always impossible to predict which film will be the biggest summer blockbuster (who would have guessed Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014?) or which drama will capture Oscar glory when it’s all said and done. But one thing is for sure, these are the 2015 films definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Coming Soon

Focus (Feb 27): It’s not typical to see Will Smith outside of his usual summer or holiday season tent-poles, but a breezy rom-com/action-thriller seems like a strong fit for the mega star at this point in his career.  The directing team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love) tell the story of a con man that becomes romantically involved with his protégé – played by the entrancing Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street).

Chappie (Mar 6): Neill Blomkamp thrilled audiences with his 2009 directorial debut, District 9, only to follow it up with the middling 2013 effort, Elysium. In a relatively quick turn-around Blomkamp returns this March with the intriguing prospect, Chappie, which follows an ever-developing robot possessing the human-like abilities to both think and feel for itself.

In the Heart of the Sea (Mar 13): The first trailer for Ron Howard’s high seas adventure story was mighty impressive.  After an impressive last outing with Chris Hemsworth in Rush, the director is once again back with the Aussie, with Cillian Murphy also along for the ride.  The film portrays the tumultuous journey of the Essex whale-ship and the crew – as well as their encounter with a giant sperm whale that inspired the story of Moby Dick.

The Gunman (Mar 20): Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Idris Elba star in this action-thriller, from the director of the first Taken, about an international operative (Penn) and his attempt to settle down with his longtime love, whilst trying to clear his name from the organization he works for.

Child 44 (Apr 17): This thriller will be the fourth film to star both Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman in as many years.  Adapted from the 2008 novel of the same name, Hardy plays MGB agent Leo Demidov who investigates the brutal child murders taking place during the Stalin-run Soviet Union.  Noomi Rapace, Vincent Cassel, and Jason Clarke also star.



Age of Adaline (Apr 24): Think Curious Case of Benjamin Button meets Nicholas Sparks – that’s exactly the vibe the trailer for this romantic sci-fi drama gives off.  Blake Lively stars as a woman who becomes immortal after an accident, and stays the same age for nearly eight decades.  After meeting a possible “Mr. Right”, his parents, played by Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker, believe they recognize her from their youth and threaten to reveal her secret.

BLOCKBUSTERS

Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1): When you have the sequel to the highest-grossing non-James Cameron movie of all-time, little needs to be said to elevate the hype.  The biggest question is will audiences eat this up like the first one? Or is superhero fatigue finally setting in with the masses? Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Andy Serkis and James Spader (as the voice of Ultron) join the already star-studded cast.

Tomorrowland (May 22): Brad Bird reportedly turned down directing Star Wars: Episode 7 for this movie, so obviously he felt strongly about the story that was written by himself and Damon Lindelof of Lost.  A teaser debuted in October, narrated by star George Clooney, which shows a young girl discovering a pin that transports her to another world where she can seemingly alter the future.  With it’s family-friendly story it seems like this could be a sleeper for a solid box-office run amidst the major franchises of the summer season.



Jurassic World (Jun 12):  Executive producer Steven Spielberg dropped hints of this film’s development around the time of the fourth Indiana Jones, and nearly a decad later the project has finally found the right story and director.  Colin Trevorrow who helmed the acclaimed indie, Safety Not Guaranteed has been given the task of breathing new life into this storied franchise and red-hot Chris Pratt is in the lead role with Bryce Dallas Howard in support.  The first trailer looked promising, even if a little too reliant on CGI, and we’ll have to see how they handle the new lab-created dinosaur terror, but it should be a fun trip back to the park.

Spectre (Nov 6): While initially met with some trepidation and controversy, it’s difficult to argue the success of Daniel Craig as James Bond.  Quantum of Solace aside, both Casino Royale and Skyfall were welcomed additions into the franchise, and Skyfall set box-office records and even threatened to nudge its way into the Oscar race.  Expectations are high with Sam Mendes once again behind the camera; we’ll also see Christoph Waltz and Dave Bautista in villain roles, and Monica Bellucci takes on the role of the obligatory Bond girl.



Star Wars 7 (Dec 18): Another film that isn’t lacking at all in the hype department is the latest addition to the Star Wars franchise, sub-titled The Force Awakens.  Fans rejoiced as George Lucas announced he’d be handing over the reins to Disney and JJ Abrams settled in as the director for the first installment. While the prequel trilogy was a box-office success, it was much maligned by critics and fans due to the addition of unwelcomed characters and an overabundant use of CGI.  Abrams has promised to use more practical special effects this time around.  Details of the story are still being kept quiet, but fans will see the major stars of the original trilogy as well as some fresh faces in key roles.  I’ll remain cautiously optimistic about this one, even if it doesn’t reach the heights of episodes 4-6, it’ll be tough not to outdo episodes 1-3.

More Blockbusters: Furious 7, Mad Max: Fury Road, San Andreas, Terminator: Genisys, Ant-Man, Fantastic Four, Jungle Book, Mission Impossible 5

Comedies

Spy (May 22): Spy will be the third collaboration between director Paul Feig and star, Melissa McCarthy, following Bridesmaids and The Heat.  McCarthy has had a disappointing run recently with some critically panned efforts, but perhaps this comedic take on a CIA agent forced to go undercover can get her back to the heights of her Oscar nominated turn in Bridesmaids.

Untitled Cameron Crowe Movie (May 29): The upcoming, still untitled Cameron Crowe movie was one of the subjects of the recent hacked Sony emails, with executive Amy Pascal apparently unimpressed by the project’s development.  It was once set to be released Christmas 2014, but was pushed back to May to finish work on it.  Bradley Cooper stars as a military contractor who becomes caught in a love triangle with Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams.  It’s been a while since we’ve had a great Cameron Crowe movie and while hopes may not be high for this one, let’s keep our fingers crossed it’s somewhat of a return to form.

Trainwreck (Jul 17): No story details have emerged about latest from director Judd Apatow, but with a script co-written by Amy Schumer and an extremely long and impressive cast list, we could be looking at the comedy of the summer, hopefully.  Some of the names in that ensemble include the talented Brie Larson, Ezra Miller and Captain Phillips’ Barkhad Abdi.

Vacation (Oct 9): The Griswold’s are back and all grown up, as Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) now the patriarch of his own family set off on their own vacation adventure.  Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo will make an appearance, at least.  Chris Hemsworth, Charlie Day and Christina Applegate star as well.  

Jon Levine Christmas Eve Movie (Nov 25): Jon Levine directed one of the finest films of 2011, 50/50, and his next project finds him back with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, so suffice to say this one will be on my must-see list.  The untitled movie will see three friends setting out to find the best Christmas party in New York City, hijinks and hilarity ensue, I’m sure.

More Comedies: Rock the Kasbah, Entourage, Magic Mike XXL, Pitch Perfect 2, Ted 2, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Goosebumps, The Intern

Oscar Hopefuls

Black Mass (Sep 18): For Johnny Depp, it’s been a long line of Jack Sparrows’ and Tim Burton roles over the past decade.  Even his attempts to do something more serious have been one critically panned, box-office failure after another.  So with Scott Cooper, who directed Jeff Bridges to an Oscar in his first feature as director, maybe Black Mass will be the start of a much needed “Deppaissance”, in the vein of Matthew McConaughey.  Depp plays Whitey Bulger, criminal turned informant, in a cast that also features Benedict Cumberbatch, Sienna Miller and Corey Stoll.

The Walk (Oct 2): Robert Zemeckis finally returned to live-action with 2012’s Flight, and his follow-up to the Oscar nominated drama is the story of French high-wire artist, Phillipe Petit, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and details his famous tightrope walk between the Twin Towers, in 1974.  The feat was the subject of a documentary, Man on Wire, which also won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2009.

Untitled Spielberg Cold War Thriller (Oct 16): Spielberg directing a period-thriller, written by the Coen Brothers, with Tom Hanks in the lead? Take my money.  The last Spielberg effort in this genre was my beloved Munich, and Tom Hanks has been churning out some consistent, quality work as of late, too.  Some feel Spielberg’s best days are behind him, but I have a strong feeling that the auteur can still pull out at least one more classic in the twilight of his career, if this movie is that, remains to be seen.

Hateful Eight (Nov 15): Controversy surrounded the new feature from Quentin Tarantino earlier this year, when the leaked script prompted the director to cease production.  After a few months and a live table read of a first draft, Tarantino decided to resume production and he filled out his cast with frequent collaborators, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Madsen and Tim Roth.  Bruce Dern and Channing Tatum have also been cast in roles.  The Hateful Eight continues the director's tour of the Western genre and if it’s anything like his last effort, Django Unchained, we’ll be in for a treat come November.

By the Sea (No release date): Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken may not have been the awards juggernaut in was once thought to be, but she’ll have another chance again this year, this time with husband Brad Pitt in tow. Unlike Unbroken, Jolie wrote the screenplay for By the Sea and while details about the drama are scarce, the plot seems to be focused on a vacationing couple attempting to revive their marriage.

Midnight Special (Nov 25): *Taken from our 2014 preview, before being pushed to 2015* Jeff Nichols is certainly a young director worth keeping an eye on.  Mud and Take Shelter are a pair of great, underrated films and he follows them up with a story about a father and son on the run after they learn of the child’s special powers.  Starring Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton and Nichols' movie regular, Michael Shannon.

Joy (Dec 25): David O. Russell will once again be back with a late year release, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. The premise sounds like it could be a strong showcase for Lawrence, which is the story of a Long Island single mom who becomes an entrepreneur after inventing the Miracle Mop.  O. Russell’s last three films have been nominated for a total of 25 Oscars, including three Best Director nods, so we’ll see this holiday season if Joy can add to that remarkable total.

The Revenant (Dec 25 ): Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.  If you’re not familiar with this director by now, his profile will only get higher over the next year.  The director is seemingly a lock for a Best Director nod for his 2014 black comedy, Birdman, and could take home multiple awards for his innovative direction.  Later this year, his next feature finds him directing Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy in what will once again put the director back in the awards conversation.  DiCaprio stars as Hugh Glass, a frontiersman, who treks cross-country, seeking vengeance on his enemies after being mauled by a grizzly bear.  Certainly a nice change of pace for Inarritu, and the question that always looms with every subsequent DiCaprio role, will this be the one to finally bring him the Oscar?

More Oscar Hopefuls:  Silence, Triple Nine, Knight of Cups, Carol, Regression, Sicario, Crimson Peak, Everest, The Martian, Sea of Trees


*** A special thanks to Reel True owner and guest writer extraordinaire, Greg Rouleau, for all his work on this piece.

DVD Outlook: January 2015

Let me begin by wishing a Happy New Year to everyone! December brought us a fantastic reunion with some of the summer's most notable action blockbusters, while this month we'll dive deep into some worthwhile Oscar contenders. As we continue down the path to the Academy Awards, the big-named October and November theatrical releases want their films delivered to the masses to generate a stir. That means January will be the perfect month to catch some of the year's best films, and I'm not exaggerating.




Boyhood - 3 and a half stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

It's impossible for me to add to the long list of compliments that Richard Linklater's Boyhood has received, A huge part of me believes that this cinematic achievement will walk away with the Best Picture crown at February's Academy Awards, and it would be well deserved. Filmed in bits and pieces over the course of 12 long years, Linklater presents Boyhood, a groundbreaking coming-of-age tale where you literally watch Mason (played by Ellar Coltrane) grow before your very eyes. From the ages of 5 to 18, Mason is molded into a young man by his experiences growing up with a single mother (Patricia Arquette) who struggles to provide a stable environment for her family. Boyhood is a revolutionary film, like nothing you've ever seen before. Catch Richard Linklater's impressive feat before it claims Oscar Gold in February. (January 6th)




Gone Girl - 3 and a half stars out of 4 - (Read full review here)

That David Fincher is something else. The heralded director can do wonders with a dark-themed script, and Gillian Flynn's novel, Gone Girl, gave Fincher the perfect platform to work his magic. Ben Affleck stars as Nick Dunne, a husband who returns home to a frightening scene and who's unable to locate his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike). After notifying the police of her disappearance, all the clues begin to point to Nick as he becomes the primary suspect. Cluttered with phenomenal performances from top to bottom, including what should be a first-time Oscar Nomination for Rosamund Pike's unbelievable work, Gone Girl is an earth-shattering thrill ride that will leave you sleeping next to your significant other with one eye open, As a fringe player in the Best Picture race, Gone Girl is one of the year's finest films whether it makes the cut or not. (January 13th)




The Drop - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

Let me be frank and give warning that Michael Roskam's The Drop is a noticeable step down from the awards season quality of the films mentioned above. But that disclaimer aside, Tom Hardy gives another underrated performance as bartender Bob Saginowski, who finds himself at the center of a robbery late one morning. Just trying to do what's right in a dark underworld filled with many dangerous people, Bob and his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) find difficulty escaping their past, present and future in this slow-burning character study. If you go in expecting a full-fledged gangster movie, you'll be sorely disappointed. Instead, savor The Drop for Hardy's exceptional performance and the end of James Gandolfini's onscreen legacy. And by the film's unforeseen conclusion, you'll be thankful that you did. (January 20th)


Honorable Mention: There are a handful of adored films I haven't had the opportunity to see. First up is the World War II saga, Fury (1/27), starring Brad Pitt and Logan Lerman. Also, the Sundance selection  Love is Strange (1/13) follows two older homosexual gentlemen who face serious hardships after they're finally granted the legal right to marry. In what feels like yet another slight deviation from his character in Taken, Liam Neeson stars in the dark crime drama A Walk Among the Tombstones (1/13). Scarlett Johnasson and Morgan Freeman star in the action sci-fi Lucy (1/20), and Robert Duvall has Oscar hopes for his role in The Judge (1/27). Finally, there's a trio of additional movies out this month that I can offer the scoop on. My blog featured a guest review concerning the James Brown biopic, Get on Up (1/6), I was extremely put off by the ineffective melodrama Men, Women & Children (1/13), and fans of 80s B-horror flicks can find some over the top enjoyment in The Guest (1/6).

Poll Question Results: December 2014

After Google struggled to clean up some glitches with its polling gadget here on blogger, I deviated from the popular attraction for about a year. It seems that the kinks have been worked out and I've brought back the fan-friendly Poll Question of the Month. For December of 2014, I posed the question, "Which Best Picture (Oscar) Contender is Most Overrated", and the results are finally in.

By a narrow margin, the artistic and critically adored film, Birdman (33% of votes), edged out the competition. Close behind was my favorite film of 2014, Foxcatcher, which earned 27% of votes. David Fincher's Gone Girl and the Stephen Hawking biopic, The Theory of Everything, were knotted up with 17% of votes a piece. Finally, Richard Linklater's Boyhood rounded out the choices and received only 5% of votes.

Be sure to check out January's Poll Question of the Month (located in the top right-hand corner of the page) and cast a vote regarding your favorite Bradley Cooper film.

Into the Woods

Film: Into the Woods

Starring: Emily Blunt (Looper), Meryl Streep (August: Osage County) and Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect)

Director: Rob Marshall (Chicago)

U.S. Release: December 25th, 2014 (Rated PG)

Genre: Musical

Runtime: 125 minutes


As the calendar year turns to 2015 and movie theaters become mobbed by people of all ages enjoying the freedom of the holiday season, I nestled comfortably into my seat to catch the latest Oscar-buzzed musical, Into the Woods. With many worthwhile films entangled in the crowded Best Picture race, I wanted to see for myself if Rob Marshall's adapted twist on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales is a justifiable inclusion. Marshall certainly has a bit of history on his side as the director of the 2003 Best Picture winning musical, Chicago, which tallied an astounding 6 wins and 13 nominations all together. Yet, even though Into the Woods may slip into the final pack for the year's most prestigious award, I wouldn't expect a similar result as 2003.

A baker and his wife (played by James Corden and Emily Blunt) are visited by their witch of a neighbor (Meryl Streep) and tasked with collecting specific items from the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tales we all know and love: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Rapunzel. If they can collect the items in 3 days time, then the witch will reverse her curse of infertility on the baker's wife. So the husband and wife set out deep into the unpredictable woods in hopes of obtaining the items and beginning a family together.

While I definitely understand the appeal, meaning Into the Woods combines a Tony-winning soundtrack with familiar childhood stories in a modern and genre-bending new light, I will never understand or defend the feature's punishing third act. As someone who admittedly has no knowledge of the original Broadway musical, the film's final portion does nothing but tear down an otherwise sturdy foundation built by a solid first two acts. Into the Woods does an exceptional job of developing and and interconnecting these legendary tales into a fresh new story, but everything after Cinderella's marriage to the prince is an absolute abomination. The story becomes completely outstretched, the songs weaken in quality and everything falls into disarray. Perhaps the award winning musical offers a similar regressed finale, but it clearly doesn't work in the film's favor. Therefore, Into the Woods culminates as a mediocre musical adaptation at best.

Despite the feature's regrettably sub-par third act, I must admit that the first hour and a half is actually a delight. Dwelling on Meryl Streep's nearly annual inclusion at the Academy Awards ceremony always makes for good fodder, but it shouldn't be overstated that the queen of Hollywood usually warrants the attention she's given, and her performance here is no exception. Alongside Streep, castmates Emily Blunt and Anna Kendrick happen to shine the brightest. This female-heavy showcase is filled with powerful vocal contributions from everyone involved. But even though Into the Woods delivers good tunes and stunning visuals, the sum of these parts isn't nearly enough to undo the film's harshly tarnished conclusion.

Although Disney has a history of catering to families, this drawn out and over two hour affair is probably too much for younger children to sit through. Furthermore, in a surprising turn of events, Into the Woods stays true to the dark nature evident in the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. The film doesn't harp on these violent and predatory undertones, but it also doesn't ignore them in prototypical Disney fashion. Into the Woods is a middle of the pack musical that may find favor with Oscar voters, but it won't top many of the sprouting year's-best lists either.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C