Man Of Steel ***

“Man Of Steel” is a reboot of the Superman franchise. After the disaster that was “Superman Returns”, Warner Bros. decided to start the franchise over with a new director and cast. Christopher Nolan was brought in to come up with a story and produce the film as his “Batman” films have shown us just how amazing a superhero movie can be. His vision for Superman is to imagine what it would be like in todays world if he existed. He then brought in Zack Snyder, the director of films like “300″ and “Watchmen” to bring it all to life.

The result is a fairly engaging and some times exhilarating Superman movie. I think this is the film that fans were hoping for when they said that “Superman Returns” did not have enough action. This film has all the large scale destruction that one would want from a summer blockbuster. But it also tells a story that has dramatic weight and meaning.

The film opens on the doomed planet of Krypton. Jor-El, played by Russell Crowe, is trying to convince the planet’s government that their home world is going to fall apart and they must evacuate as soon as possible. He is interrupted by General Zod played by Michael Shannon, as Zod stages a coup igniting a massive battle. This sequence is exciting and epic. It is one of the most visionary battles put to the screen since “Avatar. After seeing multiple movies taking place on a futuristic earth, it is a pleasure to visit a different place in the universe.

As Krypton starts to crumble, Jor-El sends his only son, Kal-El, to earth. Kal-El grows up to be Superman, aka, Clark Kent, played by Henry Cavill. As a boy he is raised by Jonathan and Martha kent played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. Jonathan thinks it is best to keep his origins and powers a secret because he believes that the people of earth would fear him. One sequence has Clark saving his schoolmates from a bus that has fallen off a bridge into a river. Jonathan says that maybe he should of let them die to keep his secret

As an adult, Clark spends his life as a drifter, occasionally saving lives then falling off the map. Eventually he finds his way to his fortress of solitude and learns the truth about his heritage. This happens just in time to greet General Zod, who has arrived on earth to find Clark for reasons I will not spoil here.

Now amazingly, Snyder is able to dial down his signature visual trade marks in favor of telling a more straight forward story. He focuses on the story of this young man as he quests to find out his true purpose in the world.

The performances were the real highlight of this movie for me. Cavill in particular as Clark Kent, plays it more dramatic that Christopher Reeve did in the original. He is more of a man of action with little time for light hearted humour or romance.

Costner and Lane as his adoptive parents are particularly effective as they attempt to raise an alien with essentially human values. Crowe is also very good here as his biological father, who has instilled his consciousness in the fortress of solitude as a helpful guide.

Michael Shannon, who play’s Zod here, takes on his first major role in a blockbuster film. After giving some powerful performances in independent films, he gets a chance to make a mark in a major studio tentpole and he does not disappoint. His Zod is maniacal but not without purpose. He truly believes that he is attempting to save his own race by basically wiping out all humans.

All the action sequences are top notch, especially when Superman battles Zod and his minions. There is much destruction starting in his home town of Smallville then spanning the globe. My only concern here is the amount of lives that are lost during these battles are way more than you would expect in a Superman film. The city of Metropolis is literally turned to rubble. Skyscrapers topple over on top of each other. The 9/11 imagery is evident in almost every one of these scenes.

So compared to other super hero movies, “Man Of Steel” holds it’s own. I still prefer the Iron Man and Batman series simply because I find their stories to be more complex and interesting. But coming from someone who never really got in to Superman growing up, this movie is pretty great.

This Is The End ***1/2

Who would of thought that “This Is The End” would end up being the funniest and most outrageous comedy of 2013 so far? I thought the trailers kind of seemed like this was some kind of gag. A group of comedic actors play themselves in a movie about the apocalypse?! How wrong I was. I’m actually grateful that the marketing campaign did not ruin any of the funniest moments in this movie.

The main characters are Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride. Rogen and Baruchel are long time friends who end up at a house warming party at Franco’s place. The party is attended by pretty much every celebrity who has had a role in a Judd Appatow production. My favourite had to be a coked out Michael Cera who loses his cell phone.

During the party, the world outside begins to fall apart. Los Angeles turns in to ash and smoke. Some citizens are beamed in to the sky by blue lights. Eventually monsters and demons start roaming the streets, chasing down the survivors.

The majority of the movie follows Rogen and his friends as they bored up Franco’s house and attempt to wait the situation out. This results in some hilarious situations as these inflated egos try to survive each other. Eventually they have to survive McBride and his raunchy, over the top behaviour.

Now going in to this movie I did not expect to laugh as loudly as I did. I don’t think I have laughed this much since “Ted”. What a refreshing thing laughter can be, especially after duds like “The Hangover Part III”.

I was also impressed by how freaky the film was. Seth Rogen and his parter Evan Goldberg both wrote and directed this film. I was fairly surprised that they went all out on trying to scare the audience as well as make them laugh. The visual effects are pretty effective as well.

“This Is The End” will appeal to anyone who likes a good R rated raunch fest. This movie has it all.

The Purge ***

“The Purge” is a pretty intense and well made thriller but it should have turned out way more disturbing considering it’s intriguing premise. I would much preferred to follow the events of the outside world as opposed to being confined to a straight home invasion flick.

The plot takes place about ten years in to the future. America is now enjoying the it’s lowest crime rates in history as well as less than one percent unemployment. This is all credited to the annual Purge. The Purge is the one day a year when all law enforcement and emergency services are suspended and all crimes are legal for a 12 hour period. This apparently allows people to take out their pent up rage and release it one day a year.

Average families have resorted to purchasing high end security systems to so that they can enjoy the Purge from the safety of their own homes. Ethan Hawke plays Jamses Sandin, who has made a fortune on setting up such security systems for his friends and neighbours. When the purge commences, he fortifies his own home so that his family can relax without fear.

When a man comes screaming for help down their street, his sympathetic son opens the door and lets him in. Suddenly the Sandin’s find their home surrounded by maniacs who are bent on getting their prize. Rhys Wakefield is the leader of these psychos, who politely offers the Sandin’s safety in return for the man they are harbouring. This sets the stage for a third act that will remind you a little of the ending in “Straw Dogs”.

I guess it is the minuscule budget that constrained the filmmakers to keep the focus of the story on one house. I can understand that. My other thought is that they have come up with a very intriguing premise and I would have preferred that it was expanded in to a bigger story. I wanted to see political debates about the Purge, interviews with average citizens, maybe more history on how it came to be.

In the end we get a pretty tense thriller that relies on more action cliches than I would of liked. It is an entertaining movie but it could have been so much more.

After Earth ***

You know I don’t get all the hate out there for director M. Night Shyamalan. Yes he has directed some bad films but he has made some great ones as well. “Signs” and “Unbreakable” are some of the best movies of the last decade. “After Earth” may not be a great film but it engaged me with a fairly absorbing story and great locations as well as visual effects.

The story takes place a thousand years in to the future. Earth has become uninhabitable and the human population has been forced to evacuate to Nova Prime, the only planet that can sustain human life. It is located outside of our solar system. In the thousand years since earth was evacuated, the planet’s creatures have evolved in to dangerous ecosystem. Think of the planet on “Avatar”.

After humanity’s resettlement, a peacekeeping organization known as the Ranger Corps is trained by a wise but stern General named Cypher Raige (Will Smith). Raige’s son Kitai (Jaden Pinkett Smith) wants to join the Rangers. Cypher’s wife, Faia, urges him to see their son’s behavior as a longing for his father’s love and a plea for attention. At her behest, Cypher takes Kitai on a routine mission to relocate a dangerous predator known as the Ursa.

When their ship is damaged during their trip, father and son find themselves stranded on Earth. Cypher is seriously injured in the accident and his survival is relying on Kitai, who must now venture across unknown terrain in search of the other have of their vessel which contains a rescue beacon. This journey will test the young man as well as bring his troubled relationship with his father to an emotional brink.

The journey itself is fairly frightening, as the son must contend with fierce baboons, birds the size of cars as well as other dangerously evolved animals. The worst is the Ursa, which cannot see but relies on it’s ability to smell fear. Cypher has masted what they call Ghosting. This is when you can purge yourself of all fear thus making yourself invisible to the Ursa. Kitai must learn to do this or die.

Now the movie does have a few issues. For one I thought that Will Smith’s performance was almost too robotic. I know he is supposed to be a hardened warrior who has learned to live without emotion, but Will Smith takes it almost to intensely. His son Jaden also has a few moments where he doesn’t seem believable. But it didn’t take away from the movie that much.

The film’s strongest aspect is in it’s visuals, locations and the almost methodic direction from Shyamalan. This is his best looking movie in years. He doesn’t so much shoot the landscapes as he surrounds us with them. Yes there is use of CGI but he doesn’t rely on that solely. There are real locations that are blended in seamlessly with the visual effects.

The action scenes are all tense and thrilling. I especially liked the crash sequence starting with the astroid shower that pelted the ship. The final battle between the Ursa and Kitai was amazing as well.

I urge you to see this movie in theatres where it should be seen. I’m not sure why it is getting such harsh reviews but I imagine it is because critics are starting to enjoy hating on Shyamalan which is a shame.

Fast & Furious 6 ***

Who would of seriously thought that “The Fast And The Furious” would be turned in to a franchise that would span six films? As I write this, the seventh film is being planned for next year. I thought that “Fast Five” was a terrific send off for this series but as long as they keep making money than I guess the studio will keep making them.

I must admit I am rather fond of this series and these characters. Much like “Star Trek” and “Harry Potter”, we have become comfortable with this crew. We have grown accustomed to seeing them navigate vehicular carnage. Amazingly this series has evolved over time. The last picture followed the model of a heist thriller and this film becomes a sort of quasi James Bond thriller.

The plot involves Diplomatic Security Service Agent Hobbs, played again by Dwayne Johnson, and his mission to bring down mercenary Owen Shaw, played by Luke Evans. Shaw and his crew are trying to put together some sort of weapon of mass destruction for some obscure purposes. Hobbs enlists Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew to help capture him and has a reason for asking them specifically. Turns out that Letty, Toretto’s former girlfriend, thought to be dead, is alive and is part of his crew. Toretto agrees in exchange for full pardon’s so that his team can return to America.

This sets up a series of loud, frantic car chases and set pieces all done with amazing technical skill and direction from Justin Lin and his team. Shaw and his crew drive what I can only describe as modified formula one cars designed to propel enemy vehicles high in to the air, which they do many times through the streets of London. There is also a sequence where cars attempt to crash a plan which is exciting. My favourite sequence involves a tank chasing down our heroes on a highway. These are the reasons we go to see a “Fast And Furious” movie.

My issue with this instalment is that it feels sort of cold. The stakes don’t feel as high. The last film the characters seemed to be more desperate with their backs to the wall. Here they almost seem like they are just along for the ride. The plot is not as involving and seems more to exist as a reason to stage elaborate action.

The end of the film sets up the next instalment in a way that really interests me. I can’t say how or why without spoiling anything. What will be the theme of the next movie? I think by announcing a seventh movie kind of spoils a few things going into this film as it is. Perhaps it will be titled “Fast & Furious Into Darkness”

“Fast & Furious 6″ is a terrific pop corn entertainment. Check your brain at the door though as it is not needed. Enjoy the sights, and enjoy the company of familiar characters.

The Hangover Part III **

“The Hangover Part III” is the second unnecessary sequel in this series. Some movies do not require a follow-up and “The Hangover” was one of them. It was a nearly perfect comedy film. But we have had two films to continue the story of these characters so here we go.

This entry drops the whole black out plot and opts to become a more straight forward comedic thriller. Amazingly Philips seems more interested in the action sequences than comedy in this entry. The plot involves the Wolfpack as they head to a mental health facility in Arizona to drop off Alan after an intervention. On they way they are intercepted by Marshall (John Goodman), a big time criminal who wants Phil, Stu and Alan to find Leslie Chow. Turns out Chow stone millions of dollars in gold from Marshall and he wants it back. To make sure they complete the job, he takes Doug (Justin Bartha) as collateral.

This sets up a bizarre road trip that takes these characters from Mexico, to Los Angeles, and ends in Vegas where it all started. Amazingly there is not much comedy going on here. There are lots of chases and violence with a few chuckles here and there, but it is almost as if the screenwriters, Philips and Craig Mazin, couldn’t be bothered with writing funny dialogue. Every performance feels either phoned in or ad-libbed.

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis all return but with the exception of Galifianakis, each look bored playing their roles. Cooper in general has sort of dropped the edge his character used to have. I kind of blame this on the writing and direction more than that the performance. Galifianakis to generate a few laughs and does manage to keep the energy going a bit pretty much from start to finish but even his schtick runs out of gas eventually.

Now as fond of these characters as I am, I do not need to see another movie with them. I’m sure that this film will make big dollars as the first two did, but the originality is gone and the story is dead in the water. Let them rest in peace.

Star Trek Into Darkness ***

“Star Trek Into Darkness” is a movie I am conflicted about. Much like the 2009 reboot, I enjoyed it as a sci-fi action picture but I am still sort of disappointed that it isn’t much in the spirit of what Star Trek really is. Star Trek is about exploring the mysteries of the galaxy, only occasionally engaging in combat when it is truly necessary. Amazingly this movie ends just as the movie I really want to see is beginning. But those gripes aside, this is a rousing entertainment with great performances and exciting action sequences.

The story this time is about a terrorist named John Harrison, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. After a large scale bombing and an attack on Starfleet Command, Harrison flees to the Klingon home world, where he knows that Starfleet cannot go. Kirk and his crew chase him down there anyway in an attempt to apprehend him and bring him to justice. But all is not what it seems. I will not give away any spoilers other than saying that Cumberbatch’s character uses the name Harrison as a cover for his true identity.

We also meet the Klingons for the first time in Abrams rebooted universe. Their appearance isn’t much more than a cameo but it is a classic moment in the film. Hopefully they will get a larger role in any future films.

Now as I said this rebooted series is more about action and conflict than exploring new worlds. The action sequences are nothing short of stunning. There are the usual space battles between starships, but there were two moments that really stood out for me. The first is when two characters basically torpedo themselves through space from one ship to another. They must navigate debris at high speed. The other impressive sequence is when the Enterprise is crippled and finds itself hurtling towards the earth’s surface.

The new cast from the original film are all back for the sequel. I was amazed at how good they were at replacing the original actors in their roles. It was nice to see that they didn’t just try to emulate what has already been done but created their own versions of the characters in the same spirit as the original actors. Here they are solid once again, especially Zachary Quinto as Spock, who takes charge near the end of the film and gets to kick some serious ass. My only gripe with him is that he gets to yell a familiar line from one of the original Trek films and it comes cheesy and out of place.

Joining the cast are the previously mentioned Benedict Cumberbatch and the great Peter Weller. Cumberbatch’s performance is a perfect balance between over the top menace and extreme self control. You can never truly tell what he is thinking or planning, which is part of the fun. Weller I can’t talk too much about because he has a few surprises that totally turn the plot on it’s head. I will say that he is truly fantastic here and I can see why they kept him a secret in all of the marketing.

I think that I really need to let go of the way films used to be made and simply accept how they are now. Audiences seem to value slam bang action over original story telling and absorbing characters. Reboots, prequels, sequels and remakes are all that Hollywood has left apparently. “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a prime example of what I am talking about. It is a superior technical achievement, has lots of exciting action and effects but has left the heart of “Star Trek” behind.