Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens today and I have mixed feeling about it. The action was typical Star Wars goodness, it was fun seeing some of the original actors and characters but overall it felt a lot like a re-used story that was about 30 minutes too long. There wasn't much of an attempt to make this particular episode feel new and fresh. I think that the director was just hoping that as long as he brought back all these old people that fans would come & wouldn't care too much about the plot or the script, which at times was unrealistic and a bit silly. What I will say is that I am really excited about these new comers. They pretty much carried this film and have some potential to bring this series back to life. I'm anxious to see how they do in the future films. For this one I'd say avoid the crowds and wait a couple weeks if you plan on seeing it in theaters.

Creed

I saw Creed today. I came into this one a little concerned that I would miss out on some key points of the movie because I've never seen the original Rocky movies (SN don't get mad - I'm working on it) but I must admit that not seeing those movies didn't take anything away from this movie. There was something about this movie that draws you in right a way. The character development made it so easy to care about and root for the protagonists and the boxing scenes were so seamless and clean. They were done as one continuous shot, unbroken, which made them look more real. Sylvester Stallone was really great in this but in my opinion Michael B Jordan carried this film with an intense passion and grit. This guy is one of my new favorite actors. I'd definitely recommend this movie.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

I saw Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 - the fourth movie inspired from a 3 part book series. I'm glad I waited a week for some of the new blockbuster movie craziness to go down. I must say, for me, the movie felt pretty true to the final book, which I appreciated. For those who haven't read the books I think that you will still find the movie enjoyable. The acting from this cast has gotten better each & every installment. This movie had a little bit of everything in it..action, drama, suspense, romance. It's not your typical ending, which I know some people didn't appreciate, but I thought it was faithful to the book & the right way to close the chapter on the series. For those that have seen the predecessors I say get some closure & see this one to complete the long, 4 year, movie road that we've been on.

Spectre

I saw Spectre tonight and I can't believe I'm about to say this but I feel like I just wasted 2 1/2 hours of my life. With such great actors like Christoph Waltz and Ralph Fiennes this still lacked the intensity of Skyfall or the grit of Casino Royal. I feel like the movie was just trying to ride the Skyfall wave & just hope no one would notice how disappointing it is. This movie was almost as bad as Quantum of Solace. I say hold off on this one & wait for it to come to DVD

Fantastic 4

I saw Fantastic 4 yesterday. I came in with low expectations because of the reviews from other people who had already seen it. I will say that after I figured out the purpose of the movie, it wasn't that bad. This movie is all about character development & teeing it up for a sequel. So don't expect a ton of action because they don't even become the heroes until pretty much the end of the movie. If you are a fan of any of the actors in the movie then I say go for it. If not, then I'd suggest saving your money & waiting this one out until it goes to DVD.

Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation

I saw Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation yesterday. There is a certain level of enjoyment I get from high action Tom Cruise movies. With that said, don't be fooled by the commercials, this is not better than Bond and may be as good as Bourne but definitely not better. This movie felt about 30min too long and too light in action. I will say that there was a bit of comedy which was a pleasant surprise and the few action scenes that did make the cut were really good; I especially enjoyed the fight scenes with the female lead, Rebecca Ferguson. The choreography in those scenes were sick. I'd say even though this isn't as good as its predecessors it's still an entertaining one to see.

Jurassic World

I saw Jurassic World yesterday. This is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year and it definitely didn't disappoint. I was super impressed with how real the dinosaurs looked, the action was phenomenal & I enjoyed the parallels to the original movie. There was the occasional corny scene but overall this was a really entertaining film. Be prepared for long lines; this is a must see.

San Andreas

I saw San Andreas today. If you have seen any of those late 90s natural disaster movies (Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, etc) then you've seen this movie. Poor script, no clear direction in the plot, decent acting, awesome action & CGI. If you are okay with that then I say go for it. Just get there early because this is a popular one.

Pitch Perfect 2

I saw Pitch Perfect 2 yesterday. As always its hard to follow up a great original. I will say that even though it wasn't as good as the original there were some funny moments, mostly due to Rebel Wilson's great timing, and even a couple of touching ones. There were definitely also quite a few awkward moments, but that's what happens when you are trying to push the envelope. I think this is one of those movies that you might have been more disappointed to see if it was opening weekend and I had to fight crowds to see it. Since its been out for a while, I'd say check it out.

Ex Machina & Avengers: Age of Ultron

Saw Ex Machina & Avengers: Age of Ultron this weekend. 

Ex Machina was a cool idea that came out weird and a little creepy. It was also slow paced. I wondered for a long time if it would ever pick up. There was a lot potential for this one because the acting was so good, but in the end it just leaves you feeling like you wasted your time. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron was action packed. Some parts were a little over done and fake looking but overall very entertaining. The only thing I would suggest on this one is go to the bathroom beforehand because this is a long one.

Black or White

I saw Black or White last night. It was a very touching and refreshingly honest film. There was even some humor. Overall the performances from the cast, especially Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer & Andre Holland were really compelling. I'd definitely recommend this one.