Big Hero 6

ratings4

Big Hero 6 is the latest movie from Disney animation. It follows a boy named Hiro Hamada, who lives in the city of San Fransokyo, who teams up with his huggable robot Baymax and 4 other people to defeat a supervillain who is using Hiro’s technology to take over the city.

I saw this movie today, and it surprised me. It turned out to be a very fun movie. The humor was smart and very well written. Some of the supporting characters were stupid. Baymax is definitely the highlight of the movie. He is extremely likable, he and Hiro have good chemistry, and he is willing to do anything for Hiro. Some parts in this movie were also very touching, including the relationship between Hiro and his older brother Tadashi, which tragically ends after Tadashi is killed in a freak explosion. The animation in this film is very well done. But the movie felt way too short, and could have been a bit longer. I thought the villain would be weak, but he actually had a purpose and a backstory. At parts it feels cliche and predictable like any other animated movies, but it was also unique in its own way. I thought it was a smart movie but the end was predictable, because there is that same type of ending in almost every animated film nowadays, but Disney still did a good job with this film. But I felt that in an aspect Baymax was a weak character. Of course he had a lot of screen time and was very likable, nothing really revolved around him. None of this stuff, like this villain trying to get revenge on someone else, or Tadashi getting killed, had to do with Baymax. Baymax just came in and eventually became Hiro’s best friend.

But overall Big Hero 6 is a fun animated movie that is a good time for the whole family. I think it would be cool if they made a sequel or even a franchise out of this, but they don’t have to. It would be fine as a stand-alone movie. Big Hero 6 proves that Disney can make great movies without the Pixar brand. But honestly, I’d still prefer Pixar’s movies, since most of them are obviously better, but if you want a movie to see with your family, this would be a good choice.

Big Hero 6 (film) poster.jpg

Interstellar

ratings5

A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

So I finally saw Interstellar yesterday after all this anticipation. Did it disappoint? Absolutely not! This is an excellent film! There is so much suspense, the acting is fantastic, the visuals are gorgeous, and so is the soundtrack. This is Hans Zimmer’s best score ever. The whole cast was excellent, and they all deliver such stellar performances. But Matthew McConaughey blew me away with his emotion and I really felt for him. There were parts that made me really emotional too. Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine were also great. But the real star is director Christopher Nolan. He amazed us with movies like Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and The Prestige. And now this, I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. He directed it so well, and the film is just so great. Chris Nolan always has great and unique ideas, and that is why he is my favorite director, and he blew my away with this. This movie is 2 hours and 49 minutes, but it felt like much less. It was pretty fast, but not rushed. I was not bored for a second. To be honest, I think it could have even been longer, but it didn’t have to be. The scenes in space are the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, and yes, it’s much better than Gravity.

I will say the ending did disappoint, though. I thought it would be one of Nolan’s genius endings like Inception, but it wasn’t. It didn’t make sense at first, but when you think about it, it kind of does, but I just wish it was less confusing and a bit more realistic.

Nonetheless, this movie is terrific. From the visuals to the acting to the soundtrack to the story, it’s a flawless space drama movie, except I didn’t love the ending. But I will say it is the best movie of the year and one of Christopher Nolan’s best films. I would definitely recommend this movie for anyone.

A ringed spacecraft revolves around a reflective sphere.

Captain Phillips

ratings4

(Blu-ray review)

Captain Phillips is the amazing true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

I have to admit, I did not expect to love this movie like I did. It is breathtaking, suspenseful, beautifully shot, written, and directed. Not to mention Tom Hanks’ flawless performance is Captain Phillips. I cannot believe he didn’t even get nominated. The person who played Muse, the leader of the pirates, was also good. The action is very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat for almost the whole time. I could not look away for a second! The pacing is also very good. It never feels to rushed or too slow or boring.

I think that overall Captain Phillips is an amazing film with a high level of suspense and a beautiful performance from Tom Hanks.

Captain Phillips Poster.jpg

The Maze Runner

My rating:ratings4

When Thomas wakes up trapped in a massive maze with a group of other boys, he has no memory of the outside world other than strange dreams about a mysterious organization known as W.C.K.D. Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his true purpose and a way to escape.

The Maze Runner is not what you would expect it to be. You might think it’s one of those dumb YA rip-off failures, but it’s actually an intriguing action story that is enjoyable from start to finish. All the cast is great, and so is the plot and the action. At first when I heard who the actors were I was a bit worried but actually they all did great.

I thought the movie was so fun and suspenseful, and I loved it. It lived up to my expectations and it does not disappoint. Many people are complaining about the ending, but I had no problem with it. I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel! I wish they would just play on instead of having to wait another year! Overall, The Maze Runner is an awesome movie that does not disappoint.

Dolphin Tale 2

My rating: ratings3

In this family-friendly sequel, Winter’s story continues when her dolphin companion dies, and her condition is deteriorating, so the people at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, including Sawyer, the boy who discovered Winter in the first film and serves as the main character in both films, do their best to help her. Soon a baby dolphin named Hope is found and rescued, and Winter and Hope form a unique friendship.

Dolphin Tale 2 is a fun family flick that both kids and parents can enjoy. It’s a cute movie that does not disappoint much. I don’t think it was better than the first one, but I still liked it. It’s problem is that some parts just feel to much like the first one, and it feels like the same movie twice. I think the cast was good, except I thought Hazel, the girl who is Sawyer’s friend, was annoying at times. Our main story is supposed to be Winter and Hope, but that only happens for the last half hour of the movie, and I wanted more of Hope. Overall I think Dolphin Tale 2 is a cute family film that is enjoyable but feels too much like the first at times.

Dolphin Tale 2.jpg

FilmToppings Summer Movie Awards 2014

So I held this summer movie awards thing on Instagram, where there was a couple of categories and people had to vote. So now I will announce the results:

Best Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Actor: Andy Serkis – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Best Actress: Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow

Best Visual Effects: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Best Badass: Rocket Raccoon – Guardians of the Galaxy

Worst Movie: Transformers: Age of Extinction

I hope you all had a great Summer and that you saw a lot of great movies during it.

 

A Tribute to Robin Williams

A week ago, the world lost Robin Williams, a hilarious comic genius who made the whole world laugh. He was admired and beloved by all his fans, who are all very sad now. He managed to make the whole world happy, but apparently not himself. Robin committed suicide because he was in deep depression. On August 12, a day after he was found dead, a police officer confirmed that Williams had hanged himself with a belt.He may have had a great time onstage, but behind the screen his life was completely different. He was very sick and he was depressed, so I guess he killed himself.

I have not seen all of his well-known films but I have seen many of them. My favorite is Mrs. Doubtfire, a comedy about an actor (played by Robin Williams) disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife. That movie seriously cracked me up! It’s one of my favorite comedies! Also, he really rocked as the Genie in Aladdin. The movie itself was OK but the Genie stole the whole show! I’ve heard about many other of his great movies, like Good Will Hunting and Good Morning Vietnam. I haven’t seen those ones yet but now I plan to. Robin Williams was definitely one of the funniest actors I know and he will always be remembered, along with his movies and his roles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

My rating: ratings3

Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and the evil Foot Clan have their intentions on unleashing a chemical attack on the city. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O’Neil and her wise-cracking cameraman Vernon Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.

I didn’t think this movie would be good at all but I have to admit, I kind of enjoyed it. The action is fun and some of the humor is good, but it is a dumb movie, too. I didn’t like Will Arnett’s character, he was a bit annoying. Megan Fox was good as April O’Neil, and I felt that even though she’s been in bad movies, this role was fine. The 3D visuals are what surprised me (they were really good). I felt that I could relate to the turtles at some points.

I really liked the Shredder. He is an awesome villain who reminded me of the Winter Soldier from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, because they both have a mask and they are both super bad-ass! The battle between the turtles and Shredder was pretty awesome.

Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an enjoyable movie but it is really dumb. I would recommend it for kids age 12 and up.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film July 2014 poster.jpg

Guardians of the Galaxy

My rating: ratings5

Intergalactic adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits – Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he and his team must find a way to stop Ronan’s madness and save the galaxy.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is improving as it goes. And this movie is definitely it’s best yet. I have to admit, it’s even better than The Avengers! It’s smart, funny, entertaining, and full of heart. The pace is good (it’s never too slow), the characters are all very funny, and best of all, the action scenes are extremely fun to sit through. It really has a Star Wars feel to it, with all the spaceship battles, the fact that the Guardians keep traveling from planet to planet, and I sort of felt that Ronan was sort of like Darth Vader, with a helmet, a low voice, and an ugly face.

One thing that didn’t turn out like I thought it would be but didn’t really bother me was that Thanos (a god-like figure who works with Ronan and is Gamora’s adoptive father) had a smaller role than I expected (just a one minute cameo), but that’s OK. Maybe he’ll have a bigger role in the Avengers 2!

My two favorite characters to see onscreen were Rocket and Groot, the hilarious duo who know how to kick ass. Lots of the other characters were also very charming and funny, especially Quill (the space outlaw who calls himself “Star-Lord”).

In conclusion, Guardians of the Galaxy is brilliant, smart, wonderfully silly, and is as entertaining, awesome, and fun, as any other Marvel movie. I would recommend it for any Marvel movie fans!

The five Guardians, sporting various weapons, arrayed in front of a backdrop of a planet in space.

Hercules

My rating: ratings4

Having completed his twelve labors, Hercules, accompanied by his team, his hired by the King of Thrace to defeat a tyrannical warlord who threatens the people of Thrace. But soon Hercules relaizes that this war isn’t what it seems.

From the trailers, this movie looked bad. I didn’t think it would be good mainly because I don’t trust the director (Breet Ratner, director of movies that haven’t been good, including X-Men: The Last Stand)but this time, Ratner surprised me. I found myself enjoying this movie from the beginning to the end. The action scenes managed to enteratain me a lot. Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock) does what he’s best at: kicking ass. And when the Rock kicks ass, he’s an awesome action star.

When I saw the first trailer of this movie, I was thinking, “Not another Legend of Hercules!” The Legend of Hercules was dumb, had terrible acting and visuals, and felt more like a B-movie than a Hollywood movie. This Hercules flick is nothing like that. This one is actually entertaining, the actors are well-casted, and this time, it doesn’t fail to tell the epic legend of Hercules.

In conclusion, this movie is fun, entertaining, and has great charcters and action scenes. Brett Ratner has finally found himslef a good job.

Hercules (2014 film).jpg