Rogue One Reviews
Following the release of J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens, the Star Wars franchise arguably is as popular as it's ever been. But it also finds itself standing at a crossroads. In response to George Lucas' polarizing prequel trilogy, the sci-fi saga has worked to resurrect its original image and feel - and while that has meant a wonderful return to practical filmmaking and concise storytelling, it also led Abrams' movie to feel like an echo of A New Hope, the 1977 blockbuster that started it all. This has raised an important uncertainty amongst fans: can new Star Wars titles remain beholden to what made the classic films great, while simultaneously developing unique and special narratives? Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proves that the answer to this question is an unequivocal "Yes."
Finding the balance between the old and new within Rogue One starts with its conceit and approach, magnifying a story audiences think they already know with an aesthetic that's fresh within this franchise. Expanding a single line from the opening crawl of A New Hope, Rogue One tells the tale of the rebel spies who stole the original plans for the Death Star, all while putting a much heavier emphasis on the "Wars" aspect of Star Wars and exploring a gritty, more realistic feel. The combination not only lends itself to a thrilling, fun and dark narrative that is full of legitimate surprises, but even allows the introduction of elements and details that actually make its predecessors stronger. It's a film that introduces exciting original characters, worlds and ideas while also managing to give us some of the best Darth Vader material that we've ever seen.
Instrumental in this is Rogue One's new ensemble of protagonists -- none of whom have any direct connections to previously established heroes (which is incredibly important within trying to open up the universe beyond the Skywalker clan). While Star Wars has notoriously always operated in black and white morality -- the Rebels purely representing good, and the Empire evil --the Rogue One script by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy introduces important grey areas that emerge naturally from the reality of the subject matter, and effectively add depth to the characters and the stakes of their mission.
At the head of this is Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a young woman who has spent her life on the run from the Empire doing anything required in order to survive -- but it fully extends to her compatriots as well, from Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a Rebel spy whose commitment to the cause has taken him down some extremely dark roads; to Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), an Imperial cargo pilot who defects in hopes of repentance. It can't be said that these characters wind up undergoing extreme arcs that make them different people by the time the movie is over, but each of them enhances the story being told, and they all have vital roles to play within it -- deepening themes of hope and sacrifice that have always been inherent to Star Wars.
All of this may seem to point to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story being an entirely bleak affair, but working to measure tone is actually yet another one of the movie's strengths. Audiences definitely won't be laughing whenever the Empire is flexing its muscles (or really during any scene featuring Ben Mendelsohn's intimidating Lt. Commander Orson Krennic), but it certainly does have a sense of humor that derives organically. While never being anything as reductive as "comic relief," the greatest assets the film has in this respect are unquestionably Donnie Yen's Chirrut Îmwe (a blind warrior monk with a deep faith in The Force), and Alan Tudyk's K-2SO (a reprogrammed Imperial droid that has a tendency to say exactly what's on its mind). Much more than just delivering quippy lines, their best moments really just come from their natural attitudes and interactions -- whether it's their individual contempt for authority, or fun relationships with the other members of their team (particularly Wen Jiang's heavy gun-toting Baze Malbus and Jyn Erso, respectively). This levity that not only prevents the blockbuster from feeling overly harsh and dreary, but endears you to the heroes and makes you root for their victory and survival that much more.
It's a similar balance that plays into Rogue One's style and action as well, somehow managing to be both unlike anything we've seen before from the franchise, while also being undeniably Star Wars. Gareth Edwards' on-the-ground approach during the movie's many bombastic and exciting action sequences makes you feel the dirt spray on your face, and actually experience the danger and consequences of the battles -- an element that hasn't been featured in these movies before. There is an incredible variety established within the set pieces as well, not only in setting, fighting style and weaponry, but also just from a creative aesthetic perspective -- with many new kinds of Stormtroopers featured and even a few new spaceships thrown into the mix. Most importantly, every bit of action is important and furthers the plot in a significant way, all leading to a third act and final climatic Rebels vs. Empire showdown that can be described with no other term than "perfect."
There are elements of Rogue One that do somewhat hold the film back -- such as a few underdeveloped plot elements, and a desire to see more of the relationship between Orson Krennic and Mads Mikkelson's Galen Erso (Jyn's father and the creator of the Death Star) -- but these are minor issues in the grand scheme. Much more significant is the specific vision of Gareth Edwards, the fantastic plot execution, and it's deep connection to what makes these movies great in the first place - all of which spell incredible things for the future of Star Wars. If the franchise can continually pull off blockbusters with the same level of creative energy and the proper amount of reverence as Rogue One does, there's every reason to expect greatness for years to come.
Director:
Gareth EdwardsWriters:
Chris Weitz (screenplay), Tony Gilroy (screenplay)Stars:
Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan TudykWatch full movie: Rogue One (2016)
Sing (2016) Review
Up until now, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures have had a lot of commercially successful films, thanks to the Despicable Me franchise and, most recently, The Secret Life of Pets. But compared to their latest effort, Garth Jennings' Sing, they really haven't landed a film that both manages to entertain and emotionally resonate to the extent that this picture does.
Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) has fallen on hard times. The theater he'd always dreamed of running is not making enough money to justify staying open, and as such he has creditors chasing him down from every angle. Yet when most others would give up, he decides to go all in and throw a singing competition. Many audition, but few make the cut, which leaves the competition down to a handful of contestants who have their eyes set on various prizes of their own.
In a year full of some of the finest animated product we've ever seen, Sing manages to stand out as it's neither a franchise nor a typical children's film. There's no material objectionable to the kid audiences that'll see it, but the film does manage to work with some themes that are better suited for a more mature audience. But Jennings manages to work those themes into his latest film effort as keenly as he has in past works like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Son of Rambow. While the film does start off a bit slow and disjointed, the overall picture begins to tighten up as it goes along, making for an extremely pleasing final product.
The mix in material only further stands out when compared to the rest of Illumination Entertainment's line up, as Sing is probably their most ambitious film in terms of storytelling. While Despicable Me did bask in the warmth of parenthood, it discarded that for more comedic energy in its second outing. Not to mention, Minions and The Secret Life of Pets don't even come close to the emotional weight that the first Despicable carried. Yet with Sing, Illumination seems to have found its footing again, as the comedy doesn't outweigh the actual joy of seeing these characters live their dreams, and vice versa. We can laugh with these characters, while at the same time actually caring about where they end up in the end.
Of course, this is not just because of the story we're given to process, but also the particularly brilliant casting that was done, as the roster is filled with vocal talent that can actually sing. Nowhere is this better scene than in the third act of the film, where all of our main contestants get a big musical number towards the end of the film, and the result is the sequence that clinches the film's message of displaying ones talent for all the world to see. Though particular notices should go out to Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly, as both are granted quite possibly the best pair of show stoppers towards the end of the film. Also, you get to hear a Koala with Matthew McConaughey's voice singing Call Me Maybe, so if that doesn't grab you, there's plenty of other material out there to enjoy. Though don't let the mention of random contemporary Pop scare you, as the soundtrack is made up mostly of new renditions of classics from the 70's and 80's, with some of the stuff the kids love mixed in for flavor.
With the embarrassment of riches that the animated world has this year, it's no surprise that Sing was one of the few nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature. It's the rare jukebox musical that finds a way to make sense of switching tracks at a rapid pace, without letting any story beats get lost in the shuffle. More importantly, it's a musical about following your dreams, and fostering a community of dream makers, so that they may continue to bring happiness to all. That's a message we could all use this time of year, and Sing should go down as "the other brilliant musical" we got this December.
Directors:
Christophe Lourdelet, Garth JenningsWriter:
Garth JenningsStars:
Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlaneWatch full movie: Sing (2016)
Hidden Figures tells the little-known story about the African American women who were involved in the early days of NASA. The film is receiving early screenings in order to be eligible for awards, but one of those screenings is more high profile than the others. First Lady Michelle Obama is hosting a special screening of the film at the White House today. In addition to the first lady, the real Katherine Johnson, who is played in the film by Taraji P. Henson, will be in attendance.
Hidden Figures is set for a limited Christmas Day release in order to be considered for year-end awards like the Oscars. It will see a wide release on January 6. However, before all that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there will be a special screening at the White House. The movie will be even more resonate now than it might have otherwise been. The film tells the story of John Glenn's historic orbiting of the earth. The former Astronaut and U.S. Senator recently passed away.
The fact that African American women were involved in the space program in the 1960s is one of those stories that not only are most people unaware of, it's also the sort of story that doesn't seem likely considering the state of race relations in the decade. That makes it all the more important that the story be told. The First Family clearly has a desire to help spread the word of the film as much as possible. Apparently, Michelle Obama has already seen the movie once already. Whether or not the President of the United States will be in attendance is unknown. We'd assume he'll sneak in if he has the time, but as President, it's surprising the guy has the time to watch a movie anytime in eight years.
Director:
Theodore MelfiWriters:
Allison Schroeder (screenplay), Theodore Melfi (screenplay)Stars:
Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe | See full castWatch full movie HD: Hidden Figures (2016)
A look at the life of an aging insult comic named Jack Burke.
Director:
Taylor HackfordWriters:
Art Linson (screenplay), Jeffrey Ross (screenplay) (as Jeff Ross )Stars:
Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVitoWatch Full Movie HD: The Comedian (2016)
I Am Not Your Negro (2016) Reviews
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
Director:
Raoul PeckStars:
Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Dick CavettWatch Full movie: I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Rings (2017) Reviews
There is no expiration date for a great sequel. If there's a smart, interesting story to be told that builds upon an established world and narrative, then it doesn't matter how many years have passed in the real world since the last chapter was released. Hell, sometimes it even works to the project's advantage, as that extended period can be the result of a "look before you leap" philosophy and smart planning. This, of course, is the ideal... but it's not what audiences are getting with director F. Javier Gutierrez's Rings. Instead, it feels like a forced years-later retread with a paper-thin plot, and no real scares to speak of.
Based on a screenplay that went from the hands of David Loucka and Jacob Aaron Estesto before being redrafted by Akiva Goldsman, the movie picks up 13 years after the events of The Ring Two -- but that's not incredibly relevant given that none of the main characters have any connection to the original cast. The notorious cursed tape winds up in the hands of an Icarus-esque professor (Johnny Galecki), whose wax wings are lack of morals and scientific method, and he propagates screenings to his students as a study in the name of getting closer to the afterlife.
One of these students is Holt (Alex Roe), whose characterization pretty much extends solely to his relationship with his long-distance girlfriend, protagonist Julia (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz) -- but it's fair game since her characterization doesn't go beyond her relationship to him. When Holt stops answering phone calls and texts, Julia drives to his campus to figure out what's going on, and after a few hours of amateur sleuthing she uncovers the aforementioned professor's study. In order to save her boyfriend, she copies Holt's video and watches it herself -- only to discover that her version has more footage than what's seen before. This revelation sends the kids down a familiar rabbit hole, traveling to the burial site of Samara Morgan (Bonnie Morgan) and uncovering some secrets and horrible history.
As far as "world-building" goes, Rings deserves some bonus points, as it does turn over some stones left unturned by the first two movies -- but the problem is that it doesn't actually do it in any kind of logical or interesting way. Despite the fact that seemingly dozens of students are being exposed to The Tape, Julia is the only one privy to the vision-inducing bonus footage, but there is zero reason given for this being the case (this is where I'd point to any potential evidence, but we learn so little about her in the film that it's impossible to pinpoint anything). Even the dramatic ticking clock element inherent to the mythology of the series ("Seven days") is completely lost on the film, as the audience is never given any clear indication of how much time is passing, and no character ever references it.
Despite the effective atmosphere, F. Javier Gutierrez echoing cinematography and effects of predecessor Gore Verbinski, Rings is also depressingly without any of the scares of the original -- with even the jump scares being entirely telegraphed and set-up to death. The truly disturbing moments come when we see the bodies that Samara leaves behind after heading back to her well -- and the designs are legitimately amazing -- but we never get a glimpse at them more than a few frames long, and they come few and far between (a side effect of a killer who takes a full week to take down her victims). Ultimately what audiences are really offered is a flimsy mystery answering questions nobody really asked with the occasional fright that will inspire more people to look at their watch than to scream.
The financial success of both The Ring and The Ring Two -- not to mention the original Japanese franchise -- always suggested that the series would find a way to come back, but those hoping to get a movie more like the first than the second are going to be left sorely frustrated. It's admittedly not exactly surprising, but it is unfortunate.
Watch full movie Rings (2017)
The Space Between Us Reviews
In this interplanetary adventure, a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet – never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot – an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa. When he finally gets a chance to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars – from the most simple to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere. Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be, and where he belongs in the universe.
The Space Between Us (2017)
I AM MICHAEL is the incredible true-life story of Michael Glatze (Franco), a high profile queer youth activist who created a national controversy when he claimed to no longer be gay and became a straight Christian pastor. The film follows Michael from his life in San Francisco with his boyfriend Bennett (Quinto), where he pursues political activism, a journalist career at XY Magazine, social awareness, and sexual exploration, to his days off personal self-discovery. After a traumatic scare, Michael is plagued by doubt and paranoia, and begins a religious reawakening. Michael renounces his gay lifestyle, rejects his friends, and endeavors to find his "true self." He explores Buddhism and Mormonism, yet ultimately lands at a Christian Bible school in rural Wyoming where he meets his girlfriend, Rebekah (Roberts), and becomes the pastor of his own church. This powerful new film captures one man's haunting journey through modern concepts of love, denial and redemption.
Rating:
NR- Genre:Drama
- Directed By:Justin Kelly
- Written By:Justin Kelly, Stacey Miller, Benoit Denizet Lewis
- In Theaters:Limited
- Runtime:
- Studio:Brainstorm Media
Watch full movie I AM MICHAEL
La La Land, written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Damien Chazelle [Whiplash], tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Ryan Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.
Director:
Damien ChazelleWriter:
Damien ChazelleStars:
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Rosemarie DeWittWatch full movie La La Land (2016)
xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) Reviews
The world is changing, and to cope with these dangerous and deadly changes, it takes a different type of hero. That's the core thesis of the xXx franchise, and that's what has carried it through two films and a twelve-year absence from the silver screen. D.J. Caruso's xXx: The Return of Xander Cage does precisely what the title suggests: it brings the titular hero of the first film back to save the world once again in the most extreme and adrenaline-fueled way possible. However, if a guy like Xander Cage is the only thing standing between us and a global apocalypse, then we should just let the world come to a swift and painless end because this movie is downright terrible.
Let's start from the beginning. Xander Cage is on the run. Fifteen years after saving the world from the threat of Anarchy 99 in the Czech Republic, the reluctant anti-hero has opted to live a relatively quiet life away from Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) and the NSA's xXx program. However, duty calls when a group of highly skilled badasses led by Xiang (Donnie Yen) steals a piece of tech with the ability to control any of the thousands of satellites orbiting miles above Earth. Answering the call of duty once more, Cage returns to action and assembles an unorthodox new xXx team consisting of a sniper (Ruby Rose), an insane stuntman (Rory McCann), a dorky computer genius (Nina Dobrev), and a stealthy DJ (Kris Wu) to kick some ass and prevent world annihilation.
You read that last part correctly, by the way. One of the main characters in this movie is literally a DJ whose unique skill is the ability to have a good time. If that doesn't tip you off for what the film has in store, then I don't know what will. This movie is packed to the brim with endlessly annoying characters, poorly staged action (with one notable exception, but more on that later), and awful B-movie tropes that have been executed far more efficiently in other recent action blockbusters. For the sake of perspective, xXx 3 makes Suicide Squad look like Casablanca.
Despite its relatively straightforward and simple premise (as well as D.J. Caruso's best intentions), the film is awash with pacing problems, continuity issues, and muddled character motivations that just don't hold up as the story wears on. It's a stream of mediocre action glued together by the thinnest possible narrative, and it even features one of the worst "night suddenly turning into day" moments since The Dark Knight Rises. There simply isn't two hours worth of story here to make any of it work, and the film loses all sense of urgency about an hour into its runtime. Throw in a few twists that don't pay off as well as the movie thinks they do, and you have a recipe for one of the most incoherent action movies in recent memory.
You might be tempted to think that I'm holding xXx: The Return of Xander Cage to too high of a standard for a movie like this. After all, plenty of dumb movies have the ability to entertain because they recognize their inherent stupidity and acknowledge their B-movie charm; that's pretty much the entire legacy of the first film. However, The Return of Xander Cage fails to satisfy so many basic requirements to be called even a decent movie that I just cannot grant in the "so bad it's good" leniency. This movie isn't so bad it's good; it's just bad.
However, the biggest issue with the new xXx is the fact that it arguably centers on one of the most unlikeable action movie heroes of all time. This is not the Xander Cage that audiences met in 2002. In the first film, Cage was a brash, tough guy, but he at least understood the gravity of the situation around him, and he seemed like a fairly relatable guy thrust into a deadly situation. By contrast, this movie has reduced the character to a chrome-domed superhero who can survive impossible physical feats without a scratch, stare death in the face with a constant (and endlessly annoying) smirk, and spout terribly written catchphrases that will make you squirm. Here's a note to aspiring screenwriters, "I know mouth to mouth," is not a charming or witty spy movie one-liner for the hero to proudly say to an awe-struck young woman. It's creepy, and so is Xander Cage.
That brings me to a more somber note. Many have voiced concerns over whether or not the Fast & Furious series can survive on Vin Diesel's shoulders in the wake of Paul Walker's tragic death. I hate to say it, but The Return of Xander Cage does little to reassure us that he can anchor a franchise by himself anymore. Dwayne Johnson's job for The Fate of the Furious just got a lot more difficult.
There are only two distinct aspects of xXx: The Return of Xander Cage that ultimately make the film tolerable: Donnie Yen as Xiang and Ruby Rose as Adele Wolff. In a movie that's packed to the brim with completely unlikeable stereotypes, archetypes, and all around douchebags, they are the two that I found myself even remotely engaged by. That's because they're the only two characters who seem to have ideologies that extend beyond living life to the extreme. Yen deserves particular credit, as his fight scenes are the only action sequences in the film that stand out among most of the dull set pieces; the 53-year-old Chinese actor did all of his own stunts in the movie, and it really shows. That said, in the face of everything else that the new xXx gets wrong, these two characters are not enough to save it.
In the end, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is a disjointed and jumbled mess of a movie that tries to resurrect the world's supposedly biggest badass. Considering how the film turned out, maybe Mr. Cage should've just stayed dead.
Director:
D.J. CarusoWatch full movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
After the loss of their parents in a mysterious fire, the three Baudelaire children face trials and tribulations attempting to uncover dark family secrets.
Watch full Movie A Series of Unfortunate Events
Gold (2016) Reviews
TWC-Dimension presents GOLD, a Black Bear Pictures and HWY61 production directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Traffic) and produced by Teddy Schwarzman (The Imitation Game, All is Lost) for Black Bear Pictures and Michael Nozik (Syriana, The Motorcycle Diaries) for HWY61. Directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan (TRAFFIC, SYRIANA), the film stars Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey (INTERSTELLAR, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET) and Golden Globe nominees Edgar Ramirez (HANDS OF STONE, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN) and Bryce Dallas Howard (JURASSIC WORLD, PETE'S DRAGON), Corey Stoll (Ant-Man, "House of Cards"), Toby Kebbell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Fantastic Four), Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, Capote), Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (American History X, Nebraska), and a powerful ensemble cast. The screenplay for GOLD was written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman ("Friday Night Lights"), who also serve as producers. Executive producers are Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby), Ben Stillman, and Richard Middleton (The Artist, I Love You Phillip Morris) as well as Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein and David Glasser. Key members of the production team include Academy Award winning director of photography Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood, Syriana), Academy Award nominated production designer Maria Djurkovic (Tinker Tailor), and Academy Award nominated costume designer Danny Glicker (Milk).
Watch full movie Gold (2016)
A Dog's Purpose (2017) Reviews
Pretty much everyone loves animals. But do we really know animals? What's in their souls? What are they thinking? And most importantly, in the case of A Dog's Purpose, we're meant to ask what, indeed, is their purpose in life? Sadly, the movie that asks these heady questions doesn't even bother to answer them, at least in a satisfactory way that would make any sort of substantial impact on its audience.
Bailey (Josh Gad) is a dog who is searching for his purpose in life. Through various incarnations, identities, and breeds, our narrator will explore the biggest conundrum of any living being. With each new life comes new complications, lessons, and smells for our protagonist to experience. But little does he know that his experiences will lead him back to the one human who meant the most to his entire journey (played by Dennis Quaid).
A Dog's Purpose isn't a movie. It's a greeting card with fur, and a borderline cloying narration. The fact that the narration didn't get on my nerves and make me rage at this movie is probably the only good thing to come out of this waste of digital hard drive space. Gad, as well as the rest of the human cast, should be given full credit for actually holding this movie together, despite the fact that there's very little to hold the film together with. Sure, the various dogs are adorable, but with that adorable and humorous nature comes the intense emotions of seeing each of these dogs, save for our final incarnation, die through various causes. I'll save you some time and list them here, so stop when you've read the one that gets to you the most: euthanasia (twice,) bleeding out from a gunshot wound, and old age. I could be forgetting a couple, but you get the point: dog death is one of A Dog's Purpose's stocks in trade, and it barely gives you enough time to grieve one dog before laughing with another, and grieving again.
The other large component of A Dog's Purpose's story is humor, and it's not very good humor at that. It's all good natured, wholesome and clean joshing that your kids and your grandma can enjoy in-between crying jags. Of course, this is in the moments where the human characters aren't fitting the cliched roles of lonely and/or abusive dog people. It's a real shame too, because Lasse Hallstrom's pedigree is on minimal display with this film, by retaining the visually lush look of films from his past. In fact, it's the scenery of the rural Michigan settings in A Dog's Purpose that really break up the visual style of the film. Sadly, not everything is this gorgeous, so this technically isn't a saving grace, so much as a break from the monotony of the rest of the film. Well, that and Dennis Quaid's small part in the film is rather endearing, showing how overlooked his talents are in modern Hollywood.
If A Dog's Purpose had gone a little edgier with its narration, or dropped it altogether, there's a chance that this film could have legitimately been entertaining, while taking on the weighty subject of existence and mortality. Instead, it eschews any sense of true thought for the philosophy of a motivational poster, at the expense of several dog's fictional lives. Frankly, if you like seeing cute animals dying, humans acting abusive and emotionally stunted, and have been longing for a mashup of cute animals and inspirational memes, then you're the perfect target audience for A Dog's Purpose. If you don't qualify for any of those categories, then you can easily wait until the closing address of this film becomes a Facebook meme your relatives post on your wall, as that's basically the sum total of what you'll be getting out of this emotionally and thematically vapid film.
Watch full movie A Dog's Purpose (2017)
Resident Evil is dead. Finished. Over with. Pretty sewn up. After 15 years and six films, we're at the end of the franchise with Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Those of you in mourning may take a moment to reflect upon this moment, while the rest of you celebrating will be vindicated. While Paul W.S. Anderson's final entry into the series he created shows slivers of promise that are ignored in favor of bigger, louder explosions, it most certainly doesn't vindicate the direction the series decided to take back in Resident Evil: Extinction. This is the way the franchise ends. Not with a bang, but with a "meh."
After a prolonged battle against the Umbrella Corporation, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is returning to The Hive - the site that started it all. With only 48 hours to prevent the extinction of the human race, she'll meet up with old friends (Ali Larter) and face off against old foes (Iain Glen). When all of this is over, humanity will either rise from the ashes or fall from grace.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is the second entry in the Resident Evil series that feels like it's jumped over a film, leaving gaps in the story so wide that one of those flying dragon creatures could easily fly through it. Whatever story is present in the latest Resident Evil film is pretty simple, and builds itself off of the back of the long legacy W.S. Anderson's original films sparked off. Most specifically, there are callbacks to the first film that bring the series full circle. While these would have been interesting points to make at the end of a trilogy, it's all too little too late when you hit your sixth movie.
And yet, for all of the faults this film has, it gives Resident Evil fans, and fans of entertaining movie villains, a great big parting gift: Iain Glen's performance as Dr. Alexander Issacs. A character introduced in the second film, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, his return is the best damned part of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, as he leans into the absurdities given to his character with great aplomb. Playing Issacs with just the right amount of lethal smarm and snark, the veteran character actor chews scenery like the best of them, and offers the audience portions to take home in a doggie bag.
While Resident Evil: The Final Chapter isn't a film that comes highly recommended, it's certainly not the worst in the series: that dishonor belongs to the achingly dull Resident Evil: Afterlife. That's mostly because the groundwork that Paul W.S. Anderson tries to build retroactively into the Resident Evil story somewhat works. If the film spent some more time building its story foundation, and slowed down the camera work so that we could actually see the monsters, it may have ranked closer to the top of the list. As it stands, the film probably ranks dead center in the line-up. So if you're looking for the most meh-tacular finale to a high-octane action franchise, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter delivers. Hey, at least it's better than the Underworld franchise.
Watch full movie Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
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