There really is no better mix of testosterone, speed, and thrill than the Fast & Furious films. I remember how much I enjoyed the first one a long time ago, I remember how Paul Walker won me over time and time again in its sequels.
To me Paul Walker has been the soul of the franchise, so I was worried about this seventh installment considering the fact that Walker passed away in 2013. Would it be the same knowing what happened to him in real life, or would real life events cloud and tarnish the potential of the most expensive Fast-film to date? Continue reading “REVIEW: Fast & Furious 7 (2015)”→
Sometimes sequels just aren’t called for. In the sequel to the 1994 comedy classic, Dumb and Dumber, we follow Lloyd and Harry once again go on a trip across America – this time in search for the daughter of Harry, who has been adopted. There’s some added emotional weight added to the film, seeing as Harry desperately needs to find a kidney-donor.
That’s the overall frame for this feature length journey, and it’s complete with fun nods to the original film like specific dream sequences ending in a certain way, and the vehicle on the film’s poster. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are, of course, back – but while they both act out the comedy extremely well, they aren’t given a lot to deal with. I just don’t feel that a huge chunk of this movie is funny at all – primarily around the time of the point of no return in the third act. That’s not to say that it’s not funny at all, because of course Daniels and Carrey are funny – but most of the jokes are not really that memorable – and the film isn’t instantly quotable.
The thing is that the film borrows a lot of the plotpoints and quotes from the original film – and thus takes some fanservice and turns them into wasted moments of material that feels copypasted. Sadly, I also felt that the parts of the plot that weren’t ‘copypasted’ were predictable. Daniels and Carrey are the real highlights of the film, for there’s nothing else to be excited about. The plot feels similar to the original, the jokes feel similar to the ones in the original and the sidecharacters aren’t that exciting.
While I didn’t hate this movie, I feel that I have to add that the people next to me were so disappointed that they left the film after 30 minutes – and I’m sure they weren’t the only ones wishing they were somewhere else… And that’s sad, ’cause it’ll never get old seeing Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey having fun together.
Overall Score:4.7 out of 10. Though not completely without laughs or fanservice, this film remains nothing more than yet another comedy classic sequel – and not a single one of them are very good. I loved the original, but this one lost its magic – perhaps this was a missed opportunity.
Matthew McConaughey in INTERSTELLAR — PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures (Still image from trailers).
The following is an updated review of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. It was updated in March 2026, as I felt, upon rewatch, the final score needed to be upped, while the writing did not reflect my current voice.
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar follows Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey), a NASA test pilot-turned-farmer and father of two, as he attempts to secure a future for his children, who are living in a difficult situation that threatens to only get worse. With violent dust storms and worsening conditions, Earth is falling apart, and the future of humanity is in question. When Cooper’s daughter discovers an anomaly, it becomes the starting off point for a journey that will take him far away, as Cooper is thrown into something much bigger than him and his family, i.e., interstellar travel to potentially save humanity. Cooper’s daughter, Murphy (played by multiple people, but chiefly Jessica Chastain), doesn’t agree with his decision to partake in the journey, as it means leaving them on Earth for what could be decades (and possibly forever), but he feels that he must take this chance to secure a life for his children. As Cooper goes on the mission to travel through a wormhole, encounter a black hole, and evaluate distant planets, the story truly begins.
With the focus on a father-daughter relationship and risky missions into space, this may sound like Michael Bay’s Armageddon, but this film is much more ambitious, scientifically savvy, and cerebral than that. Don’t get me wrong, the aforementioned film can be enjoyable, but the small plot points of films like Armageddon are processed much better here in Interstellar by the Nolans. The themes in this film revolve around family, self-sacrifice, and love. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, and Anne Hathaway, all of whom turn in instantly iconic performances. Shepherded by one of the most intelligent and gifted filmmakers of our time, Christopher Nolan, they deliver what I am comfortable in saying is one of the most breathtaking space-set adventures put to the big screen. There is also an epic surprise cameo in this film that blew me away. I’d like to add that the scenes involving Michael Caine have a lot of weight to them, and that there’s an overall message in those scenes (retrod in the scenes involving the special surprise actor). A message created by poet Dylan Thomas, which is absolutely breathtaking and at times quite emotional. It is a perfect use of a perfect poem.
The film is chock-full of memorable scenes, but none is more emotionally impactful than those that revolve around a message-in-a-bottle communication system, as Cooper sees the effect the sands of time have had on his family and his relationships back on Earth. It is an almost torturously affecting aspect of the film. McConaughey does some of his best work in the scenes wherein he receives videos from Earth. At its core, this really is a film about saving your family, and the sacrifices one is willing to make for love. Those expecting more of a horror sci-fi going in will be disappointed. Nolan, instead, aims for a balancing act of realism and reality-defying love. He focuses so much on theoretical science, but he never forgets that the story inherently has space operatic aspects. The blend works wonderfully, as it is not only satisfying from a cerebral standpoint, but also when it comes to tugging at your heartstrings. It also features breathtaking science-fiction visuals, as Nolan puts awe-inspiring alien planets, a black hole, and reality-defying locations to the big screen. It truly deserves to be watched on the biggest screen possible. It is arguably Nolan’s best-looking film to date.
Though I loved the film, I do think that one may struggle with it and have a less-than-stellar experience if they’re unable to properly relax in the film through suspension of disbelief. Also, though the film does a great job of building a credible father-daughter relationship, I do think the father-son relationship feels underdeveloped. Its biggest swing is in the final act, though, where some elements can feel a little bit clunky or confusing. The extent to which you love this film will depend on how willing you are to suspend your disbelief and go with the emotional core of what is happening rather than overthinking the details of it.
Though the film has an iffy final act, with perhaps a tad too much Hollywood-sweetness added to it, this is a great example of a proper space opera with foundations in a somewhat realistic portrayal of integral sci-fi aspects, but which is unafraid of throwing itself headfirst into the beating heart of the film, even if it may defy our sense of reality. The visuals, performances, and technical prowess make this a near-masterpiece of science-fiction filmmaking with the potential to become a true classic.
The following is a review of Nightcrawler — Directed by Dan Gilroy.
In Nightcrawler, the directorial debut of The Bourne Legacy-co-writer Dan Gilroy, we meet Louis Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) a guileful thief, desperate for a chance at a job. As Bloom traverses through Los Angeles at night, he, at one point, encounters Joe Loder (played by Bill Paxton), a so-called ‘stringer’ who makes a living by selling footage of violent crimes or accidents in the Los Angeles nightlife to local news stations. Bloom becomes intrigued, acquires a cam-corder and a police scanner, and slowly begins to climb up the ladder of relative success as an unscrupulous freelance photojournalist. But when Bloom then becomes an employer, he becomes decidedly unhinged. Bloom is a quick learner, and if he wants something, he’s prepared to take it by any means necessary. Continue reading “REVIEW: Nightcrawler (2014)”→
The following is a spoiler review of Boyhood, a Richard Linklater film.
There’s something quite special about Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. This isn’t like anything else you’ve seen in the cinema. And I know what you might be thinking – is this like a documentary? No, this is not filmed like a documentary. No, this is not a mockumentary. You’re not going to see a Modern Family-like camera setting. This is simply a story about a boy, or rather a story about one kid growing up.
Now, this movie throws you some curveballs. Some might be led to believe this film is about parents splitting up – it’s not. Some might be led to believe this film is about a violent stepfather – it’s not really. Sure, there are elements of the aforementioned plotpoints. With that having been said, this film is simply about life. It’s about a single-mother, her disobedient daughter, sibling-rivalries, learning to allow your parents to move on from eachother. This is life.
Filmed over the duration of 12 years with the exact same actors – Boyhood is unique. The two main children are not really trained actors, as far as I understand, but following them grow up is a sight to be seen. Interestingly, the daughter in the film is the real life daughter of the director – and her character is significant. Mason Jr. (played by Ellar Coltrane) is really intriguing, but while he’s the main character in Boyhood, it’s his parents that provide the most stellar performances seen in a while.
I’m a big fan of Ethan Hawke, and his character’s transformation is possibly the most interesting. For while Mason Jr. & Samantha go from children to teenagers – Ethan Hawke’s Mason Sr. goes from mid-life crisis dad, worrying about his children forgetting his role in their life, to a new father – a new husband – trying to juggle two lives; becoming a role model in the process.
But while Hawke’s character finds his spot in the world eventually, he might be the only one doing that. Samantha and Mason Jr. go their seperate ways as they need to build their own lives – it’s exciting to watch Mason Jr. finally being able to build his life (in spite of some problems along the way).
This film is depressing too, though – and it is due to an amazing performance from Patricia Arquette’s Olivia. Arquette deserves an Academy Award for her performance, she really does, as she is dealt some very tough cards in life. It’s tough for Olivia, as she has seperated from Mason Sr. and rather quickly gets together with Marco Perella’s Bill Welbrock. Bill ends up being a heavy drinker, and a violent one at that – as becomes apparent when his strictness evolves into hitting Olivia in front of Mason Jr. And eventually another man becomes a problem. This is tough for Olivia, and I dare you to not feel heartbroken as Olivia finally breaks down in front of Mason Jr.
But as I said, this film is about life – and doesn’t rest by these plotpoints for too long. Life goes by fast, and so does the various events in Boyhood. So will Mason Jr. have a disappointing life, like his mother did? We don’t know, all we can do – as viewers – is to leave Mason Jr. at College – just like Olivia does. A boy became a man, and it is his job to evolve. We witnessed this coming of age-film – and it was absolutely perfect.
Overall Score:10 out of 10. This is my favourite film this year, and it really is stellar. This is a unique film, don’t miss it.
The following is a spoiler review of Guardians of the Galaxy, a James Gunn film.
Today I saw a movie that featured the characters that reignited a fire within me, reignited my passion for comic books – Guardians of the Galaxy. I’ve been really excited for this film for a long time, and I even feel like I’ve been ahead of the massive hype-train for a long time. In the following review, I will briefly discuss the credits-scene, I will shed some light on what I liked, disliked and what I would’ve liked to have seen more of in this film. Guardians of the Galaxy might become one of my favorite films of all-time sooner, rather than later.
The following is a quick spoiler review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Directed by Matt Reeves.
In 2011, I quite enjoyed Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I must admit. And that was in spite of some mistakes that I had found in what I found to be a rather simple story. I liked that movie, but it pales in comparison to its 2014 sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Gone is Wyatt, Franco and Pinto – in stays the amazing Andy Serkis. Continue reading “REVIEW: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)”→
I remember when I first watched the trailer for this movie. I felt that it had potential, and I was really excited to see the writers of the original The Hangover-movie tackle something focused more on the younger audience. My focus group, I guess. Unfortunately, this movie did absolutely nothing for me. 21 & Over stars Miles Teller, Skylar Astin & Justin Chon as three best friends, on Jeff Chang’s 21st birthday, played by Justin Chon. Initially, I thought this movie might work well – I did somewhat like Teller and Astin as old friends, but their association with Chon’s Chang did not seem real enough.
It didn’t help that the friendship roles perfectly dealt in The Hangover, had been mixed together into these three guys. Skylar Astin’s character was a mixture of Justin Bartha’s Doug and Ed Helms’ Stu. Teller felt like an odd mixture of Bradley Cooper’s Phil and the Stifler-character from the original American Pie-movies. The drunk actions of Jeff Chang made him seem like a mixture of Ken Jeong’s Mr Chow and Zach Galifianakis’ Alan. With that being said, Jeff Chang did seem like a fine character when Justin Chon didn’t try to act drunk. I really like Sarah Wright, who played Nicole, and Francois Chau, who played Dr Chang, and I would’ve liked to see them in more scenes.
Overall, I felt that this movie tried to be like The Hangover too much, and 4 good acting performances were not enough to make me care for the overall plot. I really wanted to like this movie, sadly I did not.
Final Grade:5.5 out of 10.0. Mediocre movie, too convenient ending.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 