(Movie Review) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Emphasis On the 'War'

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Sci-Fi, Action, War

Directed By: Gareth Edwards

This time last year most Star Wars fans were losing their minds as Episode VII hit theaters, the first film in the franchise in a decade. The Skywalker story had officially been brought back and the fans embraced it with open arms, but this year the fandom celebrates something quite different. This December we finally get to see the first 'spin-off" movie in the galaxy far, far away. For the first time, we are seeing a Star Wars movie that focuses on something other than the Skywalker epic. They aren't straying too far away, however, as this latest movie tells a tale most of us fans already know the ending of, the story of a band of Rebels stealing the plans to the Death Star.

Right out of the gate Rogue One wants you to feel a different way, after the iconic "a long time ago..." card pops up the movie hard cuts right into the opening sequence, no opening crawl, and no classic theme song. This isn't the epic space opera you have become so familiar with over the past few decades, this is something new. We may know a group of rebels is about to steal the coveted Death Star plans, but how they do so, and how they got to the point of doing so is what this movie is all about. 

I'm not going to run down the plot, there is no point. We all know the basics of the story and the fun is watching how all of the gaps in between get filled. From start to finish they have littered the movie with wonderful easter eggs and character cameos, there are endless little details for life long fans to obsess over because this is a film made for them. They chose to do this particular story first for a reason, this one was for all of us who have been (probably) too enamored with this franchise for most of our lives.

That being said, this isn't a perfect movie and the first two acts have some flaws. They take their time getting started, which is fine, but that also means the film has to do a little more work to get us into it as well. Without any Jedi, or any lightsaber wielding people of any kind around it takes a bit to remember you are in fact watching a Star Wars movie. Once this clicks, though, the film moves a mile a minute and puts forth some of the best work we have seen in this world so far.

We had heard since the film started production that it would have a much different tone and style than we are used to, director Gareth Edwards had been adamant that this will be a war film, and a war film it is. Rogue One aims to show us this world from the soldiers perspective and what it was like for those without the powers of the force at their side. We get to see the toll it takes on their lives and how they justify the fight, even when the odds seem impossible. 

This leads the movie to also have some of the most spectacular battle/action sequences in all of Star Wars. Throughout the film, we see displays of power by The Empire as well as the scrappy battle tactics of the Rebel Alliance used against those forces. It all builds to a truly epic finale, a battle between the full Rebel force and the Empires arsenal that is some of the most intense, jaw-dropping action I've seen from this franchise. Even if you aren't sold on the first half of the movie, the final act has all the potential to blow your mind regardless.

This latest film is also keeping with the new trend of the series of having totally infectious and lovable characters. They have, much like JJ did with The Force Awakens, populated this film with countless characters you only want to spend more time with. Felicity Jones is absolutely wonderful as the lead, Jyn Erso and her relationship with Diego Luna's Cassian is a real highlight of the movie. Alan Tudyk puts in wonderful motion-capture performance as the reprogrammed Imperial droid K-2SO, but the real standouts, at least for me, were Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe, a one-time protector of the Temple in the city of Jedah, and his heavily armed right-hand man Baze Malbus played by Wen Jiang. The two steal every moment of the movie they are on screen with some of the most dazzling action set pieces of the film. 

From the start, this movie had a nearly impossible task, in telling a story most of us know the ending to they had to somehow still manage to capture the intensity and suspense that would go with a heist like this, and get us to feel it as well. Gareth Edwards and everyone involved managed to make this happen, regarldess of knowing the outcome the final fifteen minuets are some of the tensest moments I have seen in the theater this year. 

As the first installment of the new "Star Wars Story" side of this world, Rogue One does a fine job introducing us to a new side of this universe while also keeping the feeling of familiarity we all want with these films. They told a story all of us already know in a way most of us didn't expect and with all of the little easter eggs it's hard for me to believe many fans will leave this movie without a massive smile on their face. I mean, that last act is one for the ages and if we are going to have more stuff on the level of that in the future then I cannot wait for more off-shoot stories like this. I think I speak for us all though when I say let's hope this is the last major Death Star movie, I think we've had enough at this point.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on Twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Moana

Moana (2016)

Animation, Adventure

Directed By: Ron Clements, Don Hall, John Musker, and Chris Williams

Let's skip the usual spiel about how Disney has been trying to bring the "princess" story into the twenty-first century and what was problematic about them in the past, yadda, yadda, yadda. By now, we have all heard the complaints and have complained ourselves, and Disney has no doubt heard them. Both Tangled and Frozen played as literal responses to these issues, but still, they suffered from some of the key aspects bogging down some of their classics. Well, Disney has seemingly finally found an answer to those problems and it comes from ancient Polynesia. 

On the small Polynesian island of Motunui, the daughter of the chief, Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) is poised to be the next leader of the people, but her heart lies somewhere else. Ever since she was a child she has been drawn to the sea, where she believes great wonders await her. After uncovering her people's lost lineage and realizing the darkness that awaits them in the future, she realizes she is the only one who can save the island and her people inhabiting it. To do so she must recruit the help of shamed demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and his magic fish hook so together they can restore life to the world.

Disney has always kept a good balance with their animated films jumping between "princess" stories (which tend to be the musicals) and the adventure style stories. What makes Moana so unique is that it is a brilliant blend of both. Though I wouldn't call this a "princess" movie it definitely draws from the best aspects of those kinds of stories. Small things like Moana realizing she doesn't need to stand for the patriarchy, and that sometimes following your heart is a smarter move than following your mind. In fact, Moana at one point in the film points out that she is not a princess, and she is definitely no damsel in distress. 

Voiced incredibly by newcomer Auli'i Cravalho, Moana is a leader, which is why she goes on this adventure, she knows it is her duty as such to go out and save her people. This sets her on an epic adventure rooted in deep ancient mythology, making for a thrilling piece of cinema. From the demigod, Maui, voiced wonderfully by Dwayne Johnson, to the wild monsters they encounter along the way the film is never short of excitement. 

What drew me to this movie from the start was the inclusion of Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda on the soundtrack. I am admittedly obsessed with his Hamilton musical so I could not wait to see what he would do with Disney. To put it simply, the music in Moana is some of the all-time greatest they have ever brought to a film. Lin's influence is felt on nearly every track and there isn't a bad song in the bunch. Even The Rock manages to charm our pants off in his song "You're Welcome" and Jemaine Clement brings his best Bowie impression to one of the truly great Disney villain songs. 

One of the biggest improvements Disney has made over the past decade or so is their ability to do 3D animation. What was once dominated by Pixar is now rivaled by everything they put out, and this is the biggest swing yet. Moana is an absolutely gorgeous movie to look at and if it weren't for Kubo and the Two Strings being released in the same year I'd say it was hands down the best-looking film of the year. 

Disney has been crushing it as of late in just about every aspect of their studio, but the animation even more so. Moana was their second release this year and having dominated its opening weekend the two films have proven to be massively successful. It has also been revealed that Lin-Manuel Miranda is also working on another secret animated movie for Disney as well, so the hype going forward for these guys is huge. Disney has once again regained its place at the top of the animated world, and I for one welcome it with open arms. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Adventure, Fantasy

Directed By: David Yates 

When the final Harry Potter film hit theaters just five years ago many long-time fans of the franchise, like myself, thought we were done seeing the wizarding world on the big screen. Without any more books, it just seemed like an impossibility, so when news broke that J.K. Rowling herself was going to pen the script for a new spin-off series the fandom got excited. There are infinite stories that could be told within this world and starting it off with the tale of famed Wizard Newt Scamander seemed like the perfect place to start.

If you are unfamiliar with the Harry Potter lore, no worries, this film is easy to get into regardless of your history with the franchise. The movie tells the story of famous wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) as he travels the magical world studying the creatures that inhabit it in preparation for his book, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. This first movie (as of now there are going to be four more) starts at the beginning of his journey in 1920's New York where his trip collides with a dark force currently threatening the city. With the help of some new friends, he must navigate an area of the wizarding world he is unfamiliar with in order to keep the peace between the magic and non-magic worlds.

It's important to state upfront that this movie is not Harry Potter. What I mean by that is this story, though in the same world, feels quite different in tone than the franchise so many have come to love. There is plenty to remind you that this is once again the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling's mind but they do a great job of allowing this to exist on its own without being bogged down by set-in-stone mythology.

Rather than shape itself into an epic story on the scale of its predecessors, Fantastic Beasts is totally fine with existing as a thrilling adventure tale. Think of Newt Scamander as a kind of Indiana Jones of this world, while the rest of the wizarding community is focusing on "big picture" issues Newt is roaming the streets in search of rare and powerful creatures. This, in turn, introduces us to the true scale of the magic world outside of Hogwarts.

Centering in on Newt and his research proved to be the right move as it was refreshing to follow someone in this world that isn't one of, if not the most powerful wizards alive. Watching a story unfold that isn't all about "the chosen one" was a good change of pace, knowing our main character is rarely the most powerful person in the room added a different level of tension that wasn't there before. In the Potter movies whenever the going got tough we always knew Harry would come out on top, whether because of luck or natural power whereas with Newt the outcome is never certain.

This time it isn't just about the witches and wizards, though, as the title boasts this film is chock full of magical creatures. Upon Newts arrival to New York, a handful of them escapes his nifty briefcase and he must find them all before they wreak havoc on the people living there. The creatures themselves are wonderful and the designs look gorgeous. The CG doesn't hold them back and they all fit seamlessly into the magic world and all add their own charms to the movie. 

Academy Award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne heads the cast as Newt Scamander and owns the part. Some people may be turned off by his quirky shyness and inability to look just about anyone in the eyes but I found it to be an interesting take. After watching eight movies with the "fearless" Harry I thoroughly enjoyed following a lead who was just as unsure of himself all of the time as the people around him were. 

Aside from Newt, who most Potterheads were already familiar enough with, the movie also introduces a handful of new and interesting characters like Graves, played by the always fantastic Colin Farrel, a nasty Auror in the American wizarding world. Maybe the most compelling of those side characters is the muggle Kowalski played by the brilliantly funny Dan Fogler. We rarely get to focus in on the "no-maj" folk in these stories so to see one follow them along the entire movie was a unique treat. 

Katherine Waterson rounds out the main cast of the film as former Auror Tina. She is fighting to do whatever she can to be reinstated and before long she becomes a fine ally to Newt. Her performance is great and I look forward to seeing more of her character in the future. The rest of the cast is populated with all kinds of familiar faces (and voices) like Ezra Miller, Jon Voight, and Ron Perlman each adding their own unique flavor to the mix. These characters help set much of the groundwork needed for future installments in the franchise.

At this point in time, director David Yates (who directed the final four Potter movies) has got more than a handle on this world. The magic battles are visually wonderful and exciting and all of the "magical jargon" works regardless of how ridiculous it sounds. Though it would be interesting to see someone else's take going forward it's hard to complain about him being the guy to helm the entire series.

Going into this movie I think it's safe to say what most of us wanted most was to see the world of magic expanded far beyond the limits of Hogwarts and England and to get an idea of how this society operates all over the known world. Though this movie only takes us to New York, giving us a glimpse into the American side of things, it teases us with the idea of so much more. This is a massive universe with so many things to explore and this movie is only the beginning. Going in I was skeptical of the five movie run Rowling is claiming this will have, but upon leaving the theater I was ready for the next four. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Arrival

Arrival (2016)

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

The idea of how to handle the first contact with an alien race has been one of our favorite "what if" scenarios to explore in science fiction for as long as the idea has been around. Popular movies like Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind implanted the idea that if aliens were to ever come here, how we try to interact with them will be the most important hurdle to overcome. You can't get through an "alien invasion" movies these days without some form of this scene taking place, but what if you dedicated an entire movie to the reality of what that first contact would actually look like? Denis Villeneuve digs deep into this idea with his latest film Arrival, a realistic as can be alien invasion movie that explores the difficulties and importance of intelligent communication. 

When twelve mysterious UFO's make landing all over the planet the U.S. government enlists renowned linguist Dr. Louis Banks (Amy Adams) to help them create a dialogue with the mysterious aliens to try and find out why they have come here. With the help of theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner)  and a team of other scientists and linguists, they attempt to open a communication that both species can understand in hopes of discovering why they have come here and what their intentions are. 

The film sells itself as an alien invasion movie, which it is, but mostly on the surface. What it turns into by the end is a message to the world about the importance of clear and open communication and how our natural isolationism and nationalism divide us as a race. The film spits in our face, calling us out for all of the truly idiotic tendencies we have all before wrapping it up with a hopeful message that we can still change for the better. 

It's no secret that one of, if not the biggest dividing factors of our people is language. The inability to communicate with someone is a key factor in the division of the world, and it always has been. This proves itself throughout the film as Dr. Banks and her crew is constantly being stonewalled by countries like China and Russia, who have no desire to share information or hear out others opinions on the matter. As you can imagine, this proves to be one of the most difficult obstacles for them to overcome within the movie. 

Villeneuve keeps this film from being a total bummer, however, by keeping the hope alive whenever it all seems lost. Even when the worst happens they somehow find a way back and by the end of the film he has driven home the message he wants us to receive: listen. He begs us to simply just listen to each other and hear out what we all have to say. The sharing of ideas and culture has always been the fastest route to progression for humanity. 

The story, for the most part, revolves around Amy Adams character Dr. Banks and she has never been better. With the movie hinging on her performance it is important her character feels authentic throughout. The way she reacts to first contact and being on an alien spacecraft had to feel real and she sells it in a profound way. Jeremy Renner's Ian Donnelly more or less plays sidekick to Dr. Banks but proves to be the perfect companion for her on this journey. The two leads are also complimented by great performances from Forest Whitaker and Michael Stuhlbarg as the military men running the show. 

As with all Vllienueve films, we can't get out of here without talking about the gorgeous cinematography on display here. Bradford Young (Selma) captures the massive scale of the film with limited space, as most of it takes place in an open field in Montana, and with just a handful of locations is able to convey worldwide panic. Story aside this is just a gorgeous film to look at for two hours.

Though the story has its twists and turns to make it a compelling and authentic piece of science fiction you shouldn't get too caught up with that as a viewer. Rather than sitting there trying to crack the big twists enjoy what the filmmaker has to say about humanity and how the ideas he puts forth can be used in our actual lives. Focus on all of that and let the clever plot of the story surprise you in the end. If you can do that, I promise you will leave with a ton of ideas and theories to wrap your brain around that focus on much more than just an alien invasion.  

Though you probably won't leave the theater with a smile plastered on your face, Arrival is more or less the movie we need right now. It manages to scare the living hell out of us while also showing us that there is, and always will be, hope for change. What may be broken now doesn't have to be forever and if we can overcome these simple hurdles than we will be far better off as a people. Science fiction is at its best when it holds a mirror up to ourselves in an unlikely situation, showing us how obvious it is that we need to change, and right now we need to change the way we interact with each other.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange (2016)

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Directed By: Scott Derrickson 

When Marvel first announced a Doctor Strange movie I didn't know what to think, I had almost no familiarity with the character besides knowing he dealt in magic, but that was enough to make wonder how they were going to pull it off. Up until this point, the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) has been, for the most part, grounded in as much reality as possible. That was all going to change with this movie as Mordo tells us just twenty minutes into the movie to "forget everything we think we know" because this movie breaks every law of science you've ever learned. 

Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is one of, if not the most prolific neurosurgeon in the world. His hands are literal miracle workers, that is until he gets into a severe car crash that would leave them useless. In an attempt to find any way to fix the one thing that gave him purpose he is led to Kamar-Taj, a temple of mystic arts run by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Here he is taught to manipulate energy and magic before being recruited in the fight against a former student turned evil, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson) who is attempting to channel dark forces that want to destroy our world.

Directed by acclaimed horror filmmaker Scott Derrickson (Sinister), the film feels like the most standalone story in the MCU to date (with Guardians at a close second) and honestly, it's quite refreshing. Now, fourteen movies into the cinematic universe it felt good to see a story that isn't entirely entrenched in bigger picture implications. We saw a sequence of events that the Avengers will not only never know about, but probably never even had a whiff of concern about. 

The story is an origin, unfortunately, but is also totally necessary for this character. You couldn't just have Doctor Strange show up wielding magic powers without any backstory on how he came to have those abilities. Prior to this point magic hasn't been fully embraced by this universe so they kind of had to walk us through it hand in hand. The film does a fine enough job getting all of this information out in a quick fashion which allows us to enjoy the cerebral aspects of the movie that much more.

When it comes down to it, this movie is all about the cerebral high you get from the insane visuals and out-of-this-world plot. Strange and the other sorcerers are able to manipulate matter, time, energy, and so much more in ways you had never thought of and seeing it manifest on screen is like nothing you have seen before. You get a small glimpse into the visual insanity of the film from the trailers but man, it doesn't do it nearly enough justice. Every time they started manipulating their surrounding my jaw was on the floor, I have never seen visuals like this before. When CGI has become this good, it's hard to complain about its use anymore.

For those hoping for the first truly great, interesting villain in the MCU... you may leave this film disappointed. Mads Mikkelson puts in a fine performance as always but the character is once again a one-note villain given a by-the-book's story arc that sets up the epic finale. I'd like to see Marvel figure out a more interesting and complicated villain going forward but Kaecilius works just fine for this film. This movie is about Strange discovering his powers and how to use them and Kaecilius works great as another tool to get him there.

What the film lacks in story and villain is more than made up for in the crazy visuals and a great cast of core characters. Benedict Cumberbatch owns the role of Strange and totally becomes the part, the cape just looks like it belongs on his shoulders. Tilda Swinton proves to be the perfect casting for The Ancient One, adding a certain gravitas missing from many Marvel films. Chiwetel Ejiofor is there to class things up as well as Mordo, who proves to be one of the most complex characters, not only in this movie but the entire MCU. Benedict Wong is also wonderful as Wong, pulling some the biggest laughs of the film and Rachel McAdams is amazing as always, I just wish she was given more to do.

Though improvements could be made to the story and the villain, Doctor Strange still manages to be one of the most entertaining movies in their entire lineup. From the opening scene to the last you will be kept in a state of wonder and amazement as you watch things you know to be impossible be made a reality right in front of your eyes. If you are like me and adore the trippy and the weird, then this movie is most definitely for you. Go in with a completlely opened mind and come out stunned at the visual mastery put on display here. See this movie as big and as loud as possible and preferably in 3-D, you won't regret it. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Directed By: Taika Waititi

Film is often at its best when you can tell the cast and crew had as much fun making the thing as we as an audience did watching it. That is constantly the case with the work of writer/director Taika Waititi, who is making some of the most entertaining, fun, and straight up lovable movies today. The New Zealand native has a knack for telling authentic human stories in a goofy, heartwarming setting and his latest is certainly no exception. 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople tells the story of a young orphan named Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) who has bounced from foster home to foster home due to his bad attitude and reckless behavior. His troubled path leads him to his last hope before juvenile prison, a loving foster parent name Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her rugged husband Hec (Sam Neill). Bella's untimely death threatens to send Ricky back into foster care however so he makes the insane decision to fake his death and run away into the New Zealand bush.  Hec chases him in and when an unfortunate accident immobilizes him they find themselves stuck in the bush for the next six weeks. A massive manhunt ensues while the two slowly find their way out of the wilderness. 

It's a clever plot and the way it all unfolds is a true testament to the writing powers of Waititi but the movie finds its true purpose in the character interactions between Ricky and his new foster parents Bella and Hec. Bella gets Ricky to come out of his shell in the first act of the film so we can see how much of a goof he is and the way they interact will melt your heart. The performance of Rima Te Wiata as Bella sells their entire relationship early on and the few major scenes she's in make a big splash.

The story really opens up in the second half when Ricky and Hec are stuck in the bush, before then the only real interactions we saw between the two were Hec telling Ricky to leave him alone. But once they are stuck in the wilderness together Hec is forced to learn who Ricky actually is and by the time his ankle has healed the two are seemingly great pals. So much so that Ricky is able to convince him to let him stay out there with him instead of going back to foster care.

This relationship is almost entirely sold by the performances of the two main actors. We all already know Sam Neill is a powerhouse talent but we haven't seen much like this from him before. It is a much more understated performance with significantly less dialogue than we are used to seeing from him. He is playing an uneducated man with a dark past and he makes us feel it in his performance. 

Then there is Ricky, played by the young and wonderfully talented Julian Dennison, who is the crutch of it all. He is hilarious, loveable, and sort of a bastard but it all feels real because of Dennison. This could have easily turned into a one-note cartoon character who constantly gets them into difficult situations but instead is an authentically troubled child with a lot to unravel beneath his colorful outfits. 

Though Waititi is telling a fairly serious story revolving around a missing child with legitimate issues, it never gets too heavy in its approach. He is known for making light-hearted, mostly comedic films and that certainly isn't lost here. To lighten the mood, for example, he turns the child services worker that is on the hunt for Ricky into a highly over exaggerated character who treats the manhunt, and her job, like a life or death scenario at all times. 

It's the little quirks and slight character adjustments like these that turn any one of his films into something wildly different than what you'd expect it to be. He manages to make each piece of his work a little slice of his home country as well, constantly showing us sides of New Zealand we weren't aware of and making us all fall in love with the place without ever having been there. 

Though they typically lean more towards the comedic side, his films are able to take us through the entire gamut of emotions so by the end of the story you have taken a truly satisfying ride through his mind. It may sound cliched but at the end of the day Hunt for the Wilderpeople will make you laugh hysterically, it will make you cry tears of both joy and sadness, and it will actually make you feel good about humanity, if only for a little while. In a crazy year such as this one, it is the exact kind of feel-good movie we all need to help forget about life for a while. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. Find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Directed By: Tim Burton 

Since the turn of the century, Tim Burton's work has been pretty much hit or miss. He has made fantastic films like Sweeney Todd but also churned out soulless stinkers like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Every time you thought he had lost his touch though he would release another brilliant movie like Frankenweenie, proving he still has stories that are more than worth telling. So when I first heard of him adapting Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, a story that lends itself perfectly to his visual and structural style, I was totally sold that he was the guy to bring this all to life. 

Based on the book of the same name written by Ranson Riggs, the movie focuses on a teenage boy named Jake (Asa Butterfield) who has just witnessed the horrific death of his beloved grandfather Abe (Terence Stamp). His grandfather's last wish was that Jake goes to a secluded island in Wales to try and find the children's home Abe grew up in, run by the auspicious Miss Peregrine (Eva Green). When Jake finds the home and the people living within it, he comes to realize all of the crazy stories his grandpa told him as a child were all true and that these people with peculiar abilities are as real as he. It doesn't take Jake long to find that he is special as well, and when a malicious group of people threatens their existence it is his duty to help keep them safe. 

Though the film has its flaws, this is easily the best live-action Burton film since Sweeney Todd and a welcome return to form for the master visual storyteller. Within this story, he is able to show off his visual skills in a variety of ways, many of wich are much more conservative than his previous efforts. It may have something to do with the fact that Johnny Depp in ten pounds of make-up is nowhere to be found, but for the first time in the better part of a decade, Burton balances visuals and plot with an even hand.  

Yes, the story allows for his style to run wild, but it also constrains him from taking it too far and sacrificing the characters and plot in the name of pretty images. He was sure to stay true to the source material and keep the character arcs and plot points intact. By the end of the movie, I am actually able to care about Jake and Emma's (Ella Purnell) relationship and what the future has in store for them. Also, Eva Green is a force of nature on screen and from the moment she first appears in the movie she completely owns every scene she is in. Seriously, get this woman in more things now.   

That isn't to say he nails it all, with a huge group of unique characters to introduce some get left to the wayside. By the end of the movie we understand the special abilities of every kid in the home but that's about it. We don't get much more than surface level stuff outside of the main three or four characters, and that's fine. This is technically another YA adaptation and the main relationship is what matters the most, and he manages to get that right. 

The film also lacks a true and menacing villain to further the story along. Samuel L. Jackson plays the big baddie Barron and although he's fun in his moments, there isn't much to his character at all. Barron and his band of cronies basically serve as a simple force to move Jake's story along and push him closer to his fate. At least these guys are accompanied by some pretty terrifying monsters that are the catalyst for the big final action sequence. 

When it comes down to it this film is purely entertainment and not much more. The story clearly has some undertones and social issues to speak on but they are mostly lost in the big budget, big studio model. A lot of subtexts are sacrificed in the name of gorgeous visuals and bonkers action scenes, which in the end work because the scenes are so much fun to watch. If they want to make another two or three movies in this world then I am more than happy to watch them. This is a must-see for Burton fans and to anyone else just looking for two hours of good fun at the theater, this will serve you quite well. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Action, Western

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Unlike most movie goers, I am not at all opposed to reboots and remakes. It is a Hollywood 'trend' that has been around forever and when it's done right we have been given some all-time great films. The key is finding what worked so well in the original and re-adapting it for a new audience. John Sturges did this almost flawlessly when reimagining Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai for American audiences as an epic western named The Magnificent Seven. 

Now it's 2016 and the thought of another remake of this property actually feels appropriate. The social landscape has drastically changed in some ways, while staying exactly the same in others. There appeared to be a story to tell and I was willing to let Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) bring it to me. Unfortunately, whatever message this movie wanted to bring to the forefront was totally lost behind buckets of bullets and a crazy body count.

By now everyone is familiar with the basic story, it's been reimagined and riffed on countless times throughout the history of film. A peaceful town needs help driving out a violent, evil force and to do so they hire a group of cowboys to protect them. This time around the evil force is a vicious land barren by the name of Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) who is gradually stealing the land away from these poor farmers, often using deadly force to do so. When the people approach bounty hunter Chisolm (Denzel Washington) about it he jumps at the chance to fight back against the notorious Bogue, he's just going to need a small team of highly skilled men to do it.

Antoine Fuqua's version of The Magnificent Seven is a fine action western. It delivers on the gun fights and the charisma, however, it falls short in the key areas that would make this feel like a true, authentic western. If you are simply looking for a giant "shoot em' up" outlaw flick than this movie is for you. The story starts and ends with extreme violence and you can't go more than ten minutes without someone being killed or injured in some sort of violent fashion.

Something felt off while I was watching this though, like some essential ingredients to the recipe had simply been forgotten. For starters, the score is dismal and anyone who knows anything about westerns knows that a giant, iconic score is practically a staple of the genre. I couldn't help but wonder in the most intense moments of the film how much more of an impact they would have had with a beautiful piece of music over top of it. The film does a good job to remind you of this when some of the original score takes over right as the end credits begin to roll. 

I mentioned how, for a remake to succeed, one of the key elements in doing so is understanding what worked about the original and bringing it into a new time or place. Fuqua understood the bare essentials of the story, he got seven badass dudes together to fight impossible odds, but he didn't seem to get what lied at the core of that story. It is a story about not so good people doing great things for the sake of being decent, it's as simple as that. I won't spoil any details but let's just say that Denzel Washington's character had unfavorable motives in the movie that basically counteract the entire purpose of its predecessor as well as the other six guys fighting alongside him in this new take.

Still though, with this movie being more action than western, I found more than enough to latch on to to enjoy my time with this movie. For starters, Vincent D'Onofrio disappears into his character making choices that feel like they belong in a totally different, better western all together. His performance is worth the price of admission alone and with Byung-hun Lee (I Saw The Devil) spewing more charisma through body language than other other character with heavy dialogue this film manages to keep you engaged the entire runtime. 

Somewhere in this movie it felt like Fuqua had a deeper story to tell but it was sacrificed in the name of gunfights and hollywood charisma. They brought together a truly enjoyable ensemble cast that, though their not given much in the way of character development, carry this film on their shoulders. If you are just looking for a good time, shoot em up western this is the film for you. For those looking for a more authentic, classic western maybe wait for Ti West's latest flick In a Valley of Violence, which is getting good festival buzz.  

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

Phantasm: The 4K Experience

Phantasm: The 4K Experience

Yesterday was the first ever "Art House Theater Day", a nation wide event commemorating all of the remaining theaters that cater to the art house crowd. To celebrate theaters all over the country coordinated a screening of the new 4K transfer of Don Coscarelli's brilliant horror film Phantasm (1979) along with a live streamed Q&A with the filmmaker and main cast of the film from fantastic fest in Austin, Texas. This was not only my first time seeing this wonderful film on a big screen, but also the first time any of us have gotten to experience it looking and sounding this incredible.

If you are reading this than you probably know the ins and outs of this movie fairly well, but for those who are unfamiliar Phantasm is a late 70's horror film with heavy fantasy and sci-fi influence. The story centers on Mike (Michael Baldwin), his brother Jody (Bill Thornbury), and Jody's best friend Reggie (Reggie Bannister) as they uncover the mysteries of their local mortuary. When their friend Tommy is killed, Mike discovers something weird is going on in that Funeral home and he wants to know what it is. Uncovering the secrets that lie within those walls is made near impossible by the mortician, known only as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm)

It goes without saying that I, along with countless other horror fans, think this movie is a masterpiece in its own right. So getting the opportunity to see a new 4K transfer on the big screen, at the same time as so many other people who love this movie just as much as I do, was an incredible experience. Revival screenings can be a toss up too, you never know if you are going to get a crowd who loves the film, or a bunch of mean spirited kids looking to laugh at an old movie. Thankfully the crowd I saw it with was totally dialed in and loving the movie. One guy even brought his pre-teen son, who screamed in terror multiple times, to see it for his first time. 

You guys don't care about this though, you want to know about the new transfer, and who can blame you? When we all found out JJ Abrams Bad Robot company was heading up a new 4K transfer of the flick we all simultaneously exclaimed "FINALLY!". With all of these obscure and cult titles getting releases under companies like Arrow and Scream factory we were all wondering why Phantasm hadn't been done yet.

It was all worth the wait, you guys. The new transfer of the film is absolutely gorgeous, get ready to see this movie like you've never seen it before. If you are someone who gets nervous about HD transfers of older horror films, as they can sometime expose things that were never meant to be seen, you can rest easy because this does none of that. From the first shot outside the mortuary where you see Reggie and Jody you can instantly see how great of a job they did cleaning this up. The only shortcomings are a few exterior shots of Mike's home, they must not have had a quality master because those shots are particularly grainy.

One of the aspects of this film that made it so popular in the horror community is its iconic score done by Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave. With a new, cleaned up audio track this music is louder and creepier than ever. Hearing that wonderful theme song blare through the speakers was easily a highlight of the night. The cleaned up audio also adds just a little more boom to Angus Scrimm's already bombastic line deliveries, 

Aside from getting to see one of my favorite horror flicks on the big screen I was also fairly intrigued to check out the live streamed Q&A with Don Coscarelli and the original cast after the show. Coscarelli gave some cool insight into how this new transfer came to be, starting with JJ calling him out of the blue one day over a decade ago just to share with him his love for Phantasm. He later came to do the transfer when he wanted to screen the film for his people at Bad Robot and all Don had was a beat up 35mm print or a DVD. Aside from that the crew basically share small factoids that we are mostly already familiar with, like the fact that they shot this movie on weekends over a few years to get it finished.

What really made the brief Q&A a great addition to the screening was hearing them all share some stories about the late Angus Scrimm. Having just passed away earlier this year they all had some really nice things to say about the wonderful actor, especially Coscarelli. Seeing them all pay respects to one of horror greatest icons was an experience I was happy to be able to have. 

If you missed the screening last night, be a little more patient, a Blu-Ray is coming though we still don't have an exact release date. The long awaited fifth movie in the franchise also hits theaters and VOD next week so keep an eye out for that. I know I am more than excited to have the Phantasm franchise be a large part of my Halloween season this year.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

MOVIE REVIEW: The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)

Documentary

Directed By: Ron Howard

By now there isn't much more to learn about The Beatles, having been dubbed one of if not the greatest rock band of all time there are countless documentaries, books, and interviews you can consume to get it all. That didn't stop renowned filmmaker Ron Howard from going out and making another one because, weirdly enough, there isn't as much directly dealing with their touring years. Yeah, we all know the stories of girls screaming so loud that the guys couldn't even hear themselves play, and about how they decided to stop touring after just a few years, but what happened while on the road? What events lead them to stop hitting the road all together? Howard's brilliant new documentary examines this in truly entertaining fashion.

Bringing together a massive collection of footage, photos, and live performances The Touring Years beautifully documents the progression of The Beatles, not only as a band but as individuals from 1963-1966, the small window of time in which they toured the world. Howard was also able to get both McCartney and Ringo to shed some light in present time about what exactly happened in those years. McCartney especially is quite candid with some of his stories and doesn't shy away from telling the honest truth. Ringo is basically just being himself but listening to him talk about how he had found a new family with these guys was a real treat.

Ron Howard and his team made sure that this wouldn't be like every other Beatles documentary you have ever seen, just recycling information we all know in a different framework. Though a good portion of the information displayed throughout this film is stuff you can learn on your own the way in which he presents it is what makes this film so engaging. Compiling tons of photos, interviews, and footage from those years he is able to tell a narrative story where you feel like you really get to know these guys. 

We really feel how young and innocent the four guys were when they first hit it big and came to America to play for the first time. You see them as a group of kids just having a blast playing their music, even if the screaming girls make it so they can't even hear themselves. Getting this feeling is what makes the back half of the film so profound, you see the progression of events that make these guys come to hate this experience. So much so, that when you see the footage of their final performance together, the famous rooftop set, you feel as emotional as the guys clearly are performing it. It really was the end of an era and Howard's film nails that emotion home better than anything else to come before it. 

The documentary grabs at us y bringing in a few iconic celebrities to tell heartfelt stories about their experience with The Beatles growing up. Whoopi Goldberg shares how this band helped shape her life and how a specific experience with them stayed with her for the rest of her life and played a huge role in how her life played out. These personal stories are just another entry point for us as viewers to get sucked into the time. 

Aside from the documentary taking you on an emotional ride with the band, there is also tons of footage and photos that have been cleaned up and restored for the first time ever. What this means is there are  moments where actual footage has been cleaned up with a new 4k scan that actually give us a sight of the young Beatles we have never seen before. It's jarring at times seeing the young guys in high definition when we have always known them in that time with the grain and fuzz. 

This leads to what is easily the most incredible part of seeing this in a theater, as I believe this is not available on the Hulu version. After the film had finished they played the full thirty minute set from the famous Shea Stadium show. This show is so famous for the fact that you couldn't hear any of the audio due to so many screaming teenagers. Well, Howard went out and put the time and money into not only giving it a new 4k scan, but also editing the audio. Somehow they found a way to separate the bands audio from the screaming crowd giving us, for the first time, a clean recording of their performance. 

The Touring Years shows us a side of The Beatles we aren't given as often as others. Rather than focus on the end of the band and what drove them to it this film shows us the relationship they had in the prime of their life. I felt their journey so much that when they played the famous rooftop performance at the end I had a small tear in my eye. I have been listening to their music for as long as I can remember and to see what all went into it is an absolute treat. The documentary is already streaming on Hulu now, but if you want the best experience you can have with this seek it out in a theater, the music really booms. Also, getting to rang out for an extra half hour watching a live Beatles performance is never a bad idea. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find em anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!