Monthly Archives: April 2017

04.22.17
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Get Out

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Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) is an African-American who visits his Caucasian girlfriend’s mysterious family estate, but things start to slowly unravel and nothing is as peaceful as it seems.

Get Out is easily one of the smartest, most intense, and most surprising thrillers I’ve seen in theaters, and it’s even more shocking that its director is comedian Jordan Peele of the sketch comedy duo Key and Peele, and that this is his first time ever directing a movie. He creates such a mysterious and creepy environment in the film’s first hour and everything advances and is developed so well. Not only is everything very thrilling but the message he has to say about modern-day race relations is done so well with very over-the-top satirical humor and some that is mild as well.  The themes in the film about race aren’t preached or told to you but rather through interactions and reactions of the characters in the film, and it feels like something some audiences could even relate to. When the horrifying truth of what’s been going on throughout the film is finally revealed, everything makes sense and it ends in a suspenseful carnage of blood and surprises. Daniel Kaluuya shows such wonderful talent in every scene, and his character feels very realistic and in no way overdone like most filmmakers would make a protagonist like him behave. Allison WIlliams is also very well-cast and her performance is too great to spoil. However, the best of the cast is obviously Lil Rel Howery. He has about five or six scenes, and there wasn’t a single one that didn’t leave me cracking up. His dialogue is so hilarious and he knows how to bring terrific comic relief to a film. I didn’t think the 2017 film that truly defines what a Hollywood movie should be would be the directorial debut of a comedian or a horror film, but Get Out is widely distributed Hollywood at its greatest. The trailers misled me to think it was something cliche and uninspired, but what I stepped into truly blew me away. Peele makes it so original, engaging, and unforgettable, with sequences, twists, and shocks that are better than most of what you see nowadays being advertised on billboards and television. Get Out is not only brutal and thrilling but it also gives you an important and honest look at America today. Whether or not you like to be thrilled, entertained, or cracking up at the movies, I think every film lover and person should see Get Out. It’s the most acclaimed and essential film of the year so far and it’s an experience you won’t forget.

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04.15.17
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The Fate of the Furious

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In this next Fast and Furious movie, the stakes are raised as Dom (Vin Diesel) is pitted against his team by a mysterious woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron), and his crew face trials that will test them as never before.

The Fate of the Furious proves that this series will never end, as they’re always successful and the studio is always compelled to make more, but it also proves that no matter how ridiculous the plot is, it can still live up to be as entertaining as its predecessors. This isn’t the best of the series, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it. It wasn’t a great decision by the studio to continue making these films after the tragic death of Paul Walker, one of the main stars of the franchise, but this film still brings insane stunts, incredible action sequences, and tons of great humor to the screen. The film is even able to pay tribute to Walker at the end, more subtly this time. Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnon are easily the heart of the film, with Diesel bringing the best out of his character as always, and Johnson is both hilarious and badass and a much larger role in the franchise now, and I’m sure glad he is. Jason Statham’s return is also great, and Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris are once again terrific comic relief. The twist of Dom betraying his team at first concerned me when it was revealed in the trailer, but the background and reason behind it is written well and a nice surprise. However, the writing of Charlize Theron’s antagonist was horrible and her performance is beyond forgettable. The story doesn’t really explore new territory other than that, revisiting the consistent theme of family that’s been used very well throughout the series, and sometimes the story is too over-the-top or rushed, but I was still entertained by the insane action sequences, which are some of the most awesome of the series. The directing and writing aren’t some of the most memorable in the franchise, but the action and humor sure is, and despite the plot being mostly forgettable, I can’t call this film a disappointment because of how much this saga still amuses me. There’s been so many sequels in this series, but thankfully I can still have a great time with this saga, despite the story not being the best. More follow-ups may be unnecessary, but if a ninth film is released, I’ll be sure not to miss it.

Who knew that the 8th installment of a series could still hold up? The Fate of the Furious is the saga at it’s most over-the-top but it keeps all the entertainment that has made the series great. You should watch it if you’re simply looking for an incredibly fun time at the movies.

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