Trailer Alert: Avengers 2: Age of Ultron

I have said it before and I will say it again, I HATED the first Avengers movie. I thought it was utter garbage and I saw it more than once. I did so in the hopes that it would get better, that it would grow on me...never did. So I wasn't looking forward to the sequel at all because it may suck just as bad as its predecessor, but I have to admit that the trailer completely fucking ROCKS! Will it be enough to get my butt in a seat remains to be seen but for now bravo Joss Whedon. The story seems solid and the villain is a childhood favorite of mine so this trailer kicks ass. Check it out Kornheads and let me know what you think.

Nas: Time Is Illmatic

Nas: Time is Illmatic, the debut documentary from director One9 is a magnificent trip down memory lane. The film seems to almost ask you, where were you when you first heard the most influential rap album ever dropped, Illmatic. One9 and writer Erik Parker have put together a film that somehow recaptured the energy of New York during what has proven to be one of the most pivotal times in rap music and hip hop culture. Because of that I give Nas: Time is Illmatic four buckets of Killer Korn.










I can't even begin to lie, this movie brought me back to a time that got pushed to the back of my mind. Thanks to adulthood and adulthood issues, the early to mid nineties got shoved aside because room had to be made for current shit that comes with growing older so this movie was the key that unlocked that door where all those memories were stored. I still listen to Illmatic but I somehow put away the memories that came along with that twenty year old classic. This movie unearthed them and forced me to remember them no matter how pleasing or painful they may have been. Leafing through those times in my memory book made me smile and made me understand why I still relish Nas' classic Illmatic, when I hear that album it transports me back to a time when things were fun's like time stands still.

I was twenty five when Illmatic dropped and I was introduced to it by my boy George and to say that my mind was blown would be an understatement. That was the second time rap music has done that too me. The first time was when I heard Eric B. & Rakim's 12" Eric B. is President, Nas followed that up with Illmatic, and then Eminem blew me away with The Marshall Mathers LP. It was Nas' Illmatic however that hit me the hardest and Nas: Time Is Illmatic offers behind the scenes information on the making of that album that a true fan will always be thankful for. The film is chock full of interviews by those that had a hand in putting Nas on, getting Nas signed, and having a hand in creating his classic debut. The film does more than that though, it takes you on a journey of Nas' life. From the start it vividly details the pain, trials, tribulations, and victories he's had throughout his life and career and it all culminates at the one place that would have seemed like a billion miles away from the housing project Nas grew up in, Harvard University.

Nas: Time is Illmatic touches on all the highs and lows of his life. It speaks to the rivalries he's had with other artists, the loss of his mother and best friend, the breakup and re-connection with his father and so much more. The cinematography was a bit off at times bordering on annoying by Frank Larson but he pulls it together more times than he loses it. For a debut film it was an amazing film and for a true fan of Nasir Jones, this was made for you. If you love Nas and Illmatic then I highly recommend Time. If you aren't that big of a fan of his but remember that period of New York fondly then you should check this movie out if you can, you will not leave disappointed and I'll see you at the theater.  

Gone Girl

Gone Girl, the latest film from master director David Fincher is a stylized, creepy, and insanely good movie on the pitfalls of marriage and a statement on society's unquenchable thirst for scandal. I did not read the novel by Gillian Flynn, who also write the screenplay, and after seeing this movie, I have no desire (or need) to. I don't see how the book could be that much better than the movie and because of that I am giving Gone Girl four and a half buckets of Killer Korn.










THIS IS NOT A DATE FILM! You might want to read that last sentence over again before you think of taking your significant other to the theater to check this movie out with you. That's not to say that this movie isn't exceptional because it is in EVERY way, it just doesn't cast a very pretty light on relationships. And if your significant other happens to be engaged to you, skip this film altogether, seriously. Go see something else, you'll be happy you did. Gone Girl is another notch in the belt of David Fincher, an artist I have been a big fan of since Se7en and who I list as one of my top three favorite directors. He has yet to fail to entertain me and that's saying a lot these days but he's consistently put out quality material so I have consistently been faithful. That consistency has paid off yet again. Gone Girl is adapted from the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name and in a stroke of genius (I don't know whose stroke it was actually) Gillian also wrote the screenplay which gave her a chance to fix or change some things she probably wished she could have fixed or changed in her book. Much in the same way Don Winslow, author of Savages and screenwriter of the movie changed the ending (for the better in my opinion) of Oliver Stone's film. From what I know of the changes made it seems Gillian improved upon her story.

Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne, the amazing Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne, Tyler Perry as Nick's lawyer Tanner Bolt, Carrie Coon as Nick's fraternal twin Margo Dunne, Neil Patrick Harris as the long suffering Desi Collings, Kim Dickens as lead investigator Detective Rhonda Boney, and Patrick Fugit as Boney's partner Officer Gilpin. It's an impressive cast and everyone holds their own but make no mistake, this movie belongs to Rosamund Pike. She is absolutely phenomenal and if she isn't nominated come Oscar time that would be a crime. This creepy, gripping story is told initially from Nick's point of view and if you haven't read the book Fincher certainly makes Nick seem like a sociopath who could have easily killed his wife. Nick lies to the police, hides clues, and is overall smarmy in the first act of the movie. The second act is Nick trying desperately to prove his innocence as he and his team try to piece together what could have happened to Amy. The second act is gripping and tense as you watch Nick walk on that thin ice as the police finds Amy's journal which is chock full of slightly incriminating details regarding Nick. The third act though is where this film shines and where Fincher proves how much better a director he is than 80% of the clowns that are behind the camera these days.

Don't get me wrong, Gone Girl isn't without it's flaws. There's way too much Nick running around at night trying to get into houses, the part where they talk about Amy looking to buy a gun was completely unbelievable, Nick's father was barely in the story, and it could have been at least 15 to 20 minutes shorter. Those sins are completely forgivable though because you will be so wrapped up in this drama that you probably won't notice any one of those things. This movie sets you up and just when it has you right where it wants you, it yanks the rug right out from under you sending you careening head over foot. As usual Fincher employs the talented cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth, the two have worked together since Fincher's Fight Club and Gone Girl is another masterful job. Scored by the Oscar Award winning duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the music is moody, dark, brooding, and lush. Coming off their obscure score of Fincher's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl is more straight ahead, direct, and perfect. This movie is a must see regardless of your having read the book or not, you will not be sorry you did unless of course you bring your significant other with you. I told you not to, you never listen to me. I'll see you at the theater (if you can make it out of the house).

The Drop

The Drop, the latest film from writer/director Michael R. Roskam is a gritty, tense, and grown up film with a story line that you can definitely sink your teeth into. The Drop will keep you guessing from the first frame to the end of the film and it is exceptional in between those two points. It's not my pick for best film of the year so far, just the second best and because of that I give The Drop five buckets of Killer Korn.












This is the movie so many other films this year aspired to be (yes I am talking about you Equalizer and A Walk Among The Tombstones), and it's a movie that you just may want to see twice. I know I do. The performances were amazing, from top billed on down there was no weak link in the chain and the story was truly well crafted. Why this movie is receiving such very little buzz is beyond me but I will rant and rave about it until everyone else catches up with it. The Drop is adapted from a short story called Animal Rescue by master storyteller Dennis Lehane who in turn wrote the screenplay (nothing beats continuity). The Drop was so good that I now want to read that story. The movie stars Tom Hardy as Bob, and I have to say I was truly impressed by his performance. Based on the last film I saw him in I didn't think he had something like this in him. He's joined by Noomi Rapace who plays the closed off and walled in Nadia, John Ortiz who plays the wise religious Detective Torres, Matthias Schoenaerts who plays the mentally unstable Eric Deeds, and in his last role ever there's James Gandolfini who plays the scheming Cousin Marv.

The story opens with the audience being clued in that throughout the city there are bars that are drop bars, collecting all sorts of dirty money from those that deal in it. The kind of money no one wants the government knowing about. Those bars never know when they are going to be designated a drop bar until maybe a day or two in advance and Cousin Marv's bar, Cousin Marv is the drop bar du jour. The story starts with the bar being held up at gunpoint after a day of collecting all sorts of illegal monies from an assortment of characters. Bob notices something about one of the robbers and tell Detective Torres, but on the flip side of that, the people that now own Cousin Marv want the money that was taken and they want Cousin Marv and Bob to get them their money. At the same time this is going on, Bob adopts an abused but adorable pit bull puppy he found in one of Nadia's garbage cans on his way home. Dennis finds a way to weave these two stories together as only he can and Tom Hardy brings Bob to life in such a way that will make you pick your jaw up off the floor at the end.

The Drop as stated above is the kind of adult fare one can really sink their teeth in. They can slap down their money or card, purchase a ticket, and walk out utterly satisfied that what they just saw was how movies should be done today. Every facet of movie making is done flawlessly here. From direction, production design, lighting, acting, to cinematography no complaints can be lodged, no fault can be found. I went to see The Drop simply because Dennis Lehane is one of my favorite writers, little did I know that this movie would possess a redeeming performance by Hardy AND one great last performance from Gandolfini. Cousin Marv isn't a stretch from Tony Soprano but it was a role Gandofini knows how to portray convincingly and does. The score by Marco Betrami was subtle and beautiful, heartbreaking almost and a job well done. All in all The Drop is a MUST SEE film. It can even be placed on the MUST SEE AGAIN list, and if you do you just may see me on line. I'll see you at the theater!

The Equalizer

The Equalizer, the latest movie from director Antoine Fuqua is an enjoyable take on the hit 80's TV show of the same name. This movie is over the top at times and it takes itself far too seriously but the cliche's are light and it was better than I thought it was going to be. Because of those reasons, I am giving The Equalizer  three buckets of Killer Korn.












For those like me that have been waiting years if not decades for The Equalizer to come to the big screen, calm down because this movie may only serve to disappoint you. If you've never seen the show then by all means, check this out. This version of The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall wants to be an origin story from the hit 80's show of the same name, except on the show Robert McCall was a white Englishman living in a brownstone in Harlem. Whereas Denzel's McCall is living in a one bedroom tenement in Boston. TV's McCall was a wealthy retired spy, Denzel's McCall is working in a giant hardware store. If you can get past those differences then you might enjoy Antoine Fuqua's The Equalizer. Granted it's over the top at times and it beats you over the head with McCall being a solitary man, not to mention it doesn't even begin to tell you why he would put himself on the line to help a hooker he only knows from late night diner conversations over books and pie, but I digress. There are some cliches but they aren't overwhelming surprisingly and the violence is brutal. Much of this movie reminds me of the character Denzel portrayed in a far superior movie, Man On Fire. This movie borrows heavily from Tony Scott's film in regards to McCall's personality and dedication to getting things done.

McCall's nemesis in this movie is Teddy aka Nicholai, played cartoonishly by Marton Csokas. He is the right hand man and hammer of one of the heads of the Russian mob, Vladimir Pushkin played by Vladimir Kulich (I know, I know). Pushkin has his hands in everything from oil and gold, to drugs and women and it's one of these women, a prostitute name Teri aka Alena played by Chloe Grace Moretz who befriends an insomniac McCall at a twenty-four hour diner close to his house. Of course nothing good can come out of this situation but before you can tell yourself that one thing leads to another and McCall is a room full of Russian gangsters. The trailer gives you a sense he survives that encounter but what the movie fails to explain is why McCall felt compelled to go in there and risk his life in the first place. Regardless, Teddy comes to town looking for the one or ones responsible and he comes across McCall on surveillance tapes. The two men play a cat and mouse game for the remainder of the movie that tends to drag on far longer than it should, and the ending was, well remember that over the top comment I made earlier? It applies to the ending.

Denzel does a decent job of bringing Robert McCall to life but honestly he seemed uninspired and his performance isn't something new. The Equalizer has Denzel being Denzel in almost every frame. In essence, he just walked through this movie. The last time Antoine and Denzel worked together they delivered the searing Training Day, which won Denzel his second Oscar (first for Best Actor). This time around there will be no such glory. The score, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams was very reminiscent of his previous works, namely the score he did for The Town, so I was somewhat underwhelmed by the music though it did have it's moments, especially at the end. The cinematography and the look of the film was thanks to Oscar Award winner Mauro Fiore. There were times when the tone was somewhat heavy handed and others when it was perfectly done. All in all I would recommend The Equalizer but only if you've never seen an episode of the original TV series and only if you're fine with Denzel being Denzel, and I'll see you at the theater!

A Walk Among The Tombstones

A Walk Among The Tombstones, the latest film from writer/director Scott Frank was mediocre at best. It could have been a lot better, more scintillating, and far more frightening. It starts off somewhat interesting but then if peters out in the end. I was expecting more than what I got from the story and the directors vision, though I was pleased with some of the performances. It's those performances that inspire me to bestow A Walk Among The Tombstones two buckets of Killer Korn.











I have a friend who is an ENORMOUS fan of author Lawrence Block, the man behind the book this movie was adapted from. I am going to tell her to skip this movie because at best it may sour her on the book and at worse it may piss her off. I am sick and tired of movies that don't answer the obvious questions that arise regarding plot, motivations, and tactics and this movie must be thrown into that pile. A Walk Among The Tombstones blew chance after chance to be a gritty and frightening procedural. It started off that way but it lost its mojo somewhere around the second act and I attribute that to a few factors. First off, if you are going to create monsters, keep them monstrous. Humanizing the monsters takes away their power, it weakens the scare factor by ten, and it puts the good guys on equal footing with the monsters. Liam Neeson's Matt Scudder is an ex-cop who is the good guy which suddenly becomes just as intimidating as the monsters thanks to some dubious directing. You no longer fear if Scudder will survive the eventual confrontation with the malevolent force in the film, you start to wonder how he will.

The story starts off good. Scudder, a recovering alcoholic is approached by a fellow 12 stepper Howie who is played by Eric Nelsen. Howie's brother Kenny, played by Dan Stevens needs a service rendered that only Scudder can provide. Kenny's wife was kidnapped and although the ransom had been paid, his wife was slaughtered anyway. Kenny wants those responsible brought to him and he's willing to pay Scudder handsomely to do that. Researching other missing women Scudder comes across a street wise homeless kid name TJ played by Brian Bradley in just his second movie. He's the charm this movie was devoid of before he showed up on the screen. The two hit it off and develop a solid friendship and should there be a sequel to Tombstones, TJ and Scudder's relationship would be a reason worthy of buying a ticket. In the end though, the monsters aren't that intimidating, they are more frightening in the trailer honestly. One of them actually pulls of a Harry Houdini like escape that is never truly explained.

I was hoping for something powerful and instead what I got was a watered down version of something that could have been an incredibly strong drink, the kind that you feel as it goes down. This was a light beer and that was upsetting. The trailer is more intense than the movie. The music by Carlos Rafael Rivera was moody and dark, too bad it was wasted on a light beer. The cinematography was crisp and clear and had impressive moments thanks to Mihai Malaimare Jr. I would have liked to see what he could have done with a more impactful story that answered some of the questions it created as opposed to leaving the viewer hanging. I recommend skipping A Walk Among The Tombstones and read the book instead. You might enjoy this story more that way and I'll see you at the theater.

   

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner, the first full length feature film from director Wes Ball is an incoherent, jumbled, empty vessel of a film. I have never read the book and maybe those that have will enjoy this film. For those in the same boat as me will be you may find this movie quite confusing. I'll admit that I found the premise interesting, which is the reason why I saw it but I could have missed it and been just fine. I was originally going to give this movie two and a half buckets of Killer Korn, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it deserved no more than a solitary bucket.









The Maze Runner is the first major film by Wes Ball and it looked like it. The movie initially come across as one that seems worthy of your time, attention, and money but the more you think about it the more you realize just how weak it is. The plot holes are massive and the ending is head scratching at best. Maybe those questions are answered in The Maze Runner Chapter II: The Scorch Trials which is currently in pre-production but I doubt that is a movie I'll be seeing since this one did not impress. The Maze Runner stars Dylan O'Brien as Thomas and the movie opens up with him wildly overacting. He's ascending in an elevator and has no idea where he's going, where he came from, or who he even is. He doesn't even remember his name. All he knows is that he has to get out of the little compound where there lives a collection of other boys all around the same age, and out of the maze. The leader of this Lord of the Flies type situation is Alby, played by Aml Ameen and he breaks down the rules and regulations to Thomas and they are to be obeyed no matter what. Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays Newt and is Alby's second in command. He takes Thomas under his wing. Thomas reveals to Newt that he wants to be a maze runner, a group of boys led by Minho, played by Ki Hong Lee that run the maze during the day to map it and see if there is a way out.

Thomas becomes a maze runner after throwing himself into the maze after dark to help Minho save Alby who runs the maze after a runner get's infected and is expelled from the "island". Thomas survives the night and actually kills a creature known as a "griever", something that is extremely hostile and was believed to be invincible. Thomas' stature grows after that and all seems well but that doesn't last long when the only girl is introduced to the island with a note proclaiming that she will be the last one. That's where the story really starts falling apart. So many things happened that just didn't make sense that made the movie that more unbelievable. Teresa, played by Kaya Scodelario was the only girl amongst a horde of boys in their sexual prime and there was not one instance of sexual tension or frustration. Not one boy flipped out and tried to attack her, which would have made sense if the majority of the boys were gay but even that was never spoken on. It was like everyone was neutered in some way, or the producers just chose to ignore the obvious realities of that situation.

The ending of The Maze Runner made absolutely no sense and while I'm most certain the book answered all the questions the movie created, again though if you've never read the book then you will more than likely be just as lost as I was. This film was soulless and not even remotely interesting. The score by John Paesano far too often sounded like a melange of other scores from other composers, completely devoid of anything original. I would definitely skip The Maze Runner and encourage you to read the series of YA books by author James Dashner. I'm sure you'll have a far more enjoyable time going that route and I'll see you at the theater.