Review: Guardians of the Galaxy

‘Guardians’ featured a great cast, fun action, and a welcome change to the predictable superhero universes. (Marvel Studios/aceshowbiz.com)

It sure seems like a long time since I’ve seen a movie in theaters. And additionally, it sure seems like a long time since I’ve seen a comic book based movie that doesn’t feel like the same…darn…thing, over and over again. The Nolan Batman trilogy aside, can you think of one that stands out as memorable, that hasn’t been tainted or watered down to an extent by sequels and reboots galore? Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain America, X-Men…they keep coming out with new ones that follow the same formula. Do they work? Sure, they’re probably fun, and harmless. But there’s no risk involved, there’s flailing originality in the Marvel and DC universes. Then came along the weirdest, brashest comic book movie I’ve ever seen to partially restore my faith in this genre: Guardians of the Galaxy.

An 80’s kid, a green-skinned warrior, a blue hulk of a destroyer, a maniac raccoon, and a tree with a below-average IQ. Those are your heroes. Those are the main characters in what Marvel hoped would not be an absolute bomb at the box office. Turns out their gamble paid off big time. The breath of fresh air from this band of misfits is so utterly enjoyable, so fun and likable, that it’s hard not to gush at what a good time it was to just sit back and take this film in. Will the story set the world on fire? Will it become an instant classic, or even become your favorite superhero movie ever? Doubtful, on both accounts. But it does so many things right, that those things don’t even seem to matter.

One thing the movie does better than most, is its’ humor. This is led by our main character, Peter Quill (aka, Starlord), played by the incredible Chris Pratt. From minor appearances in Zero Dark Thirty to Moneyball, and his starring role in NBC’s Parks and Recreation, it’s clear that Pratt is on the rise. And this role just put him over the top. He’s a normal guy superhero, with no superpowers or crazy suits and gadgets. He does possess impeccable timing for one-liners and great humor littered throughout the movie. But the laughs don’t end with just Pratt: the entire cast has brief moments of humor that make the watching experience that much more enjoyable.

Without going to the point of labeling this a comedy, it should be noted that Guardians is a hell of a ride when it comes to outerspace action, too. The effects were good (nothing incredible), and the worlds we were introduced to were grimy, realistic (despite being futuristic), and in a funny way…ordinary. That’s not to say they were like what you might see on Earth, but for some reason, they never struck me as crazy as some things in other Marvel or DC movies. Maybe it’s because I liked the characters so much, and was having so much fun watching, that I just accepted things as normal.

Even the voice actors – Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper – were good. Diesel voiced a tree, who had, from what I remember, two different lines he used in the entire movie. And yet, it was suitable and at times, very heartfelt (trust me on this). Cooper on the other hand, was a non-stop chatterbox, who hit it out of the park as an insane, yet insecure, raccoon.

 

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY:    (out of 4)

Review: Star Trek: Into Darkness

While not quite up the level of the last Star Trek, this installment had plenty of great effects to satisfy a summer movie craving. (aceshowbiz.com/Paramount Pictures)

The last movie review on this here site was all the way back on January 20th for Zero Dark Thirty. Fast forward to late May, 2013, and here we are with my first new review in almost half a year, and my first trip to the theaters in far too long! Not only is it good to get back to writing for this blog, but it’s good to finally get back to seeing movies on the silver screen again. Let’s see how Star Trek: Into Darkness played out for me…

My expectations were mildly high coming into this movie, simply because the first Star Trek from J.J. Abrams that came out a few years ago was just so good. Same cast, exciting looking trailers, good-looking special effects – this has to be tremendous, right? I mean, if Rotten Tomatoes says it’s nearly 90% fresh, who am I to argue? Well, as it turns out, being an unqualified reviewer, I can argue just about anything I want. And while Into Darkness was fun, and had great special effects, it was just…good. Nothing great, nothing special, and unfortunately something I’ll most likely forget quite soon.

Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention, but I didn’t seem to notice the humor and back-and-forth between characters as much as the previous installment. What made that first movie so special was the ability to mesh incredible alien atmospheres and pulse pounding action, with plenty of laughs to make it feel human, to make you care about the characters. Now don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t as somber as a World War II movie, but I would have liked to see a little more “fun” being had.

It may sound like I just trashed the movie a little bit, and that really is not my intention. Into Darkness had plenty of the same aspects that the first entry in the series did – incredible effects, ridiculous action sequences…just visual magic. Nothing changed in that department for sure. It had a plot that kept you interested, even if you’re not on the edge of your seat (I wasn’t), and did a solid job of being a fun summer blockbuster/popcorn flick.

I don’t know if there’s a third movie in the works for this franchise (Abrams might be a little busy with Star Wars now), but if there is, I’d tailor my expectations more to what this film turned out to be. And there’s really nothing wrong with that.

STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS:   (out of 4)

Review: Avatar

He did it. He actually did it. Eleven plus years in the making, James Cameron’s passion project is not simply golden at the box office as it turns out, but one of the best motion pictures in recent years. It is true – it looks like nothing you’ve ever seen before in movies. Midway through, I leaned over to a friend and whispered, “This is unbelievable. It looks too real.” But perhaps what will cement Avatar as a sci-fi and modern-day classic, and a film that changed how movies are essentially made, is the tremendous work put into the story behind all those pretty pictures. We’ve all seen high-budget/bad acting clunkers – no matter how cool it looks, without a solid story and good acting, it’s going nowhere. Well, fear not for Avatar, because in all respects of how movies are made, it – like James Cameron said some years ago – “is king of the world.”

Cameron has created a masterpiece by showing us something we've never seen, but the story matches the effects in emotion and beauty. (20th Century Fox/aceshowbiz.com)

Look at Cameron’s resume: Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2, True Lies, Titanic. I’m not so sure why this guy isn’t mentioned in the same sentences as a Steven Spielberg; those are all classic science fiction or action movies that are above the standard for their day. Little did we know that back over a decade ago, as Oscar after Oscar was won by Titanic, that Cameron was dreaming up the world of Pandora, the remarkable and game-changing special effects, and this beautiful story. Now we know, and the movie world is better for it.

Let’s focus on what’s being “attacked”, if you want to call it that, by critics. I should say that about 9/10 critics have it in their top 10 of 2009 and it’s been nominated for a number of Golden Globes, with Oscar nominations coming not too far down the road. But I digress…the knock on this film is the formulaic storyline. Now granted, the tribe on Pandora can be interpreted as any civilization in history that was stomped upon by a mightier power. And granted, the human military machines can also be interpreted as any superpower that tried to uproot or destroy another people for riches or land, or both. The military general is by the book: jerky, flat-top haircut, ripped, and completely empty of emotion. But the way in which Cameron brings his feelings, emotions, and thoughts into these cookie cutter ideas is what makes the story take off. Forget the scenic backdrops for a second – the story captures your heart and your mind immensely. It’s riveting and sad, tragic and beautiful. Of course, as noted, you have to have good acting…

And that’s what we get from the cast of Avatar. In other Cameron movies, as amazing as they were, I don’t think Arnold was a ‘moving’ character study in Terminator 1 or 2. But that is not the case here, as our hero – Sam Worthington – plays the hell out of Jake Sully. As a partially paralyzed marine who takes his brothers shoes on this foreign planet and this demanding mission, the character transformation is both well acted and completely understood. Starting from a hard-nosed Marine and ending up as one of the creatures is truly incredible to watch. However, he doesn’t do it alone. Sigourney Weaver is a terrific counterpart to the military general. Zoe Saldana, although never seen in human form, is full of power and emotion. Finally, Giovanni Ribisi is fantastic as a tortured but determined mission leader. You can’t just throw actors into a plot and hope it works: these ones were hand chosen for their roles and they all delivered mightily. You feel their agony, you smile when they laugh, and you become rich with their way of life and being.

There is only one way to describe this movie: game-changer. You feel as if you are truly in Pandora. Unbelievable. (20th Century Fox/aceshowbiz.com)

So, apparently there’s some cool special effects I hear? This movie was hyped up like nothing I can remember in the past, and to say it lived up to expectations would be a slap in the face of everything it accomplished. It wasn’t just great to look at it, nor was it cool or amazing. It’s a game-changer. When you see Iron Man 2 next year, and walk out of the theater with a smile on your face, try and think if you’d rather have it shot the way this was shot. In no movie I can remember was I so entirely “inside” the movie. You literally feel as if you are walking amongst the mystical trees and bushes, as if you are pressing the beautiful folding flowers and jumping over waterfalls and rocks. Pandora isn’t a planet in a movie you’re watching – it’s real life for a few hours. Someone noted to me after the credits rolled, “I feel like I want to go back to Pandora, like this life should be the dream.” Yes, it’s that insanely mind-blowing. Yes, you are part of the movie. And my God, is it more beautiful and jaw-dropping than you can imagine.

I had a difficult time juggling in mind which was the better picture this year: Up in the Air or Avatar. Both were tremendous in sincerely different ways. While Up in the Air is a 4-star movie that I will re-watch in the future and remember for years to come, Avatar blew the competition out of the water. The story is top-notch. The acting is top-notch. The experience is top-notch. The special effects are literally like nothing I’ve ever seen.

When you add it all up, this could be Cameron’s greatest achievement – ahead of Aliens, Terminator 2, and the Abyss – all classic movies. This is his passion project, eleven plus years in the making. And every single element, every scene and every word were chosen and made beautifully. This is the movie of the year and one that people will be talking about decades from now.

AVATAR: (out of 4)

Review: Star Trek

Well, I don’t believe it: I feel like a Trekkie. Joking of course, as the chances of that happening are as good as me paying money to see Dance Flick. But the bottom line is this – I’ve never been a fan of the Star Trek television shows or movies, and have never had any real interest in the subject matter at all. But just like he did with an albeit smaller project in Cloverfield, J.J. Abrams surprised me again with Star Trek, a really fun warp speed ride that a non-Trekkie could enjoy just as much as the diehards.

There is no let down when it comes to special effects in this movie (Paramount Pictures/aceshowbiz.com)

The re-booting of a franchise is what seems to be the hot idea these days, and why not, with The Dark Knight grossing over $1 billion worldwide, movie studios and executives are hoping for that same effect with their story. The story of Kirk, Spock, and Scottie has been, well, “dead”, for a number of years now to put it plainly. Shoved to the back-burner after years and years of movies and shows, Abrams (Lost, Alias, Cloverfield, etc) decided to give it a go. Just like other successful reboots, not Dark Knight in this case, he cast no-names to truly start fresh. That was his first, and possibly best choice in the whole darn process.

I don’t know why but watching the movie trailers for Star Trek and the television spots, I kind of found Chris Pine (Kirk) annoying. His performance was quite the opposite. While Zachary Quinto, who played Spock, gave a good showing of the Vulcan with no emotion – not much to do with that role really, Pine was dynamic in his representation of the ship’s eventual captain. Funny, sly, and cocky are just a couple of words to describe Shatner’s replacement. But when it came down to serious business, his action chops were as good as his one-liners.

A mostly no-name cast worked wonders for Abrams' reboot (Paramount Pictures/aceshowbiz.com)

Visually, the film is absolutely dazzling. The space sequences are obviously incredible, but even more than that, I found the shots on Earth even more amazing. There are simple scenes in any movie that can be imprinted on your memory for one reason or another as unique. In Iowa, yes…Iowa, while Kirk drives past fields on his motorcycle, the far off distance shows the scary-tall towers and operations of Star Fleet. It’s a quick shot, over in just over 5 seconds, but the link between this world and the one we live in today is really cool to look at. That scene aside, the actual Star Fleet academy is another shining star in this movie jam packed with special effects. The bold, slick design of the buildings and atmosphere clash brilliantly with the dirty, menacing shots of Eric Bana’s ride of evil.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek clocks in at a mind-numbing 95% – a number so high, that Pixar hopes to do reviews like that (and they probably will). While I don’t think this movie is an all-timer, one to be remembered for the ages, it’s exactly what you want from an action movie all around. It’s fun, and it’s funny. It’s action is back and forth at a dizzying pace. The cameos and references to older generations Star Trek are fun and really do put a smile on your face. It’s a perfect summer blockbuster, and a hell of a ride the whole way through.

Oh oh, and by the way, as a last minute tangent: great casting overall. Simon Pegg is hilarious, Anton Yelchin is really good, and Zoe Saldana, well, wow.

STAR TREK: (out of 4)