WISH I WAS HERE REVIEW

With the success of Veronica Mars kickstarter campaign, Zach Braff decided for his next film, "Wish I Was Here" that he would do the same publicly funded effort. The finished product is a movie filled with terrific actors, and a great story. In it, Braff plays a struggling actor who must face the eventual death of his father, while homeschooling his kids, and putting himself back in touch with what made him love his life to begin with.

Braff plays Aiden Bloom,  whose father played by Mandy Patinkin, confesses he cannot pay for the education of Braff's children any longer due to his cancer coming back. Braff must spend the rest of his time figuring out how to handle his children being home schooled, as well as a wife who is in a job she hates, a brother who is a hermit, all the while facing the eventual death of his father, who he has a hard relationship with, filled with criticism on Aidens lack of a "real job." It is Aidens journey on finding himself again that is the basis for the story.


I liked the film, but there were a few things that bugged me. Kate Hudson and Zach Braff dont really have enough chemistry. The story makes Mandy Patinkin seem like the bad guy, which in reality, he's pointing out the obvious.  BUT the pros in this film highly outweigh the con's. The performance by Patinkin is terrific. Josh Gad is hysterical, and the scenes he has with Braff are some of the films best. He has a particularly great moment with Braff's daughter played by Joey King, where he admits his worst fear. And its one of the best moments in the film. The writing was clever, and the cinematography was terrific. Braff is a good writer, and he knows how to pull the audience in. I was also happy to see a cameo by Jim Parsons. A small thankless role, but Parsons always brings his "A" game.
I think the best thing about the film though, is that Braff made something that is intimate. In the age of big wide crappy blockbusters like Transformers 4 and Die Hard 5, that is nice to see.

THE VERDICT

"Wish I Was Here" isn't perfect, but its very interesting and very heartfelt. "Wish I was Here" gets a B.

MY OFFICIAL RATINGS FOR FILMS

MOVIES RATINGS:

A: Go out and see it and theaters, after buy on blu ray
B: Rent it
C: Rent it if theres nothing to watch
D: Don't watch it, unless your'e forced to
F: Don't watch at all!!!!

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES REVIEW

So on my birthday I went to go see, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." This movie went way above my expectations. Way better than its predecessor, this is so far the best movie of the year. It was a perfect movie to see on my 16th Birthday. Now on to the story.

10 years after the first Planet of the Apes, a virus has spread. A huge percent of Humans are  either dead from the virus, or went crazy and killed  each other. While the humans that survived after this 10 year virus breakout, ( And are now amune it)   they search for basic resources like generate electricity. The Humans seem to only want light. And while most of the apes want to live in peace, including their leader Caesar,  some apes want war with the humans.  It is the set up for an incredible conflict. And asks the great questions about who we are, and how we think of ourselves. What an incredible movie! There are terrific performances from Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, and most of all Andy Serkis. I join the loud choir of people who say that we need to give this very talented man an oscar. His work as Caesar is detailed, and heart breaking. .What an emotional roller coaster. It also has great special effects, and fantastic action. And the story was  amazing.

THE VERDICT:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a rare sequel that exceeds expectations, and is much better than its predecessor.  Spectacular, and thrilling, I give  "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"  an A.

TRANSFORMERS : AGE OF EXTINCTION REVIEW

They say you can't polish a turd, and after watching this movie I realized you can't transform one either.     The trailer states,  "The age of the transformers is over" Yes I hope so after watching this film.  I HATED THIS MOVIE!
First of all let me explain. The first Transformers movie came out in 2007,  and it was mindless, but fun. A "B," movie at best. Then the sequels came out in 2009, and 2011, and were bad and ok. What did these all have in common? Director Michael Bay and the same formulaic silliness he's become known for. There's the protagonist...who no one quite understands is not an idiot, but in fact, a secret hero. His girlfriend, who on his best day in a normal school could NEVER have a chance with her EVER! The parents, who are tough love, but decent kind of people. Patriotic Soldiers, one of whom for some reason has a wife, who just had a baby that he has never seen, (There fore, you really don't want him to die, cause that would be awful.) And one crazy government guy, always vaguely Italian looking, and always with the worst kind of silly lines that they have to make sound threatening and realistic. Now after the third one, it seemed evident that if there were going to be more Transformer movies, that a new cast and director would take over. That it might have had a real shot if that had been the case. But no. Michael Bay couldn't let it go. Only this time he gets Mark Wahlburg, Nicola Peltz, and Stanley Tucci. And wow....its the most awful three hours i have ever spent in a theater. (And I once had brain surgery!)

Taking place 4 years after the last film, the story is about a down on his luck mechanic, who mistakenly purchases an autobot truck that he thinks is just something he can sell for parts. It turns out, he made the find of the century. Turns out the Autobot is our old friend Optimus Prime, who has seen better days. He looks like I imagined he'd look if some kid left him outside all night during a hurricane. Anyway his resurrection  ticks the government off, and they come after Wahlburg and his family.  Naturally Optimus, "Calls all Autobots." And soon we see Bumblebee, and a couple of others. (Played by John Goodman, and "The Last Samurai" actor Ken Watanabe.)
I was curious as to why when he made the "Calling all autobots call," only four showed up? No idea why really. Now they must defeat Decepticons, bounty hunters, and corrupt government agents, led by Kelsey Grammer.   Along the way, we see the idiots in the White House, claim they didn't know the Autobots, a group that had saved the world more than once, were being hunted.
So many things came up in the movie. Big gapping plot points that were like giant holes in a road. Like what happened to the other Autobots? Why is the bounty hunter only hunting them? When he see's Decepticons all around him? Why when Optimus Prime has rockets that he can use to save the characters in the beginning, does he only use them in the end. " I know we have to get you out of here quickly. Here lets use this car....instead of the jet rockets I have available.... " WHAT THE HECK???

Peltz is AWFUL as the daughter. It seems every line she has is a "Help me," statement. With the words, "Daddy," attached.  And it's clear, she was basically filling in for Megan Fox.

Cause if you can't have a hot chick fixing a car, have one in front of an American flag! Nothing is really more American than the site of a really hot chick.... looking like something bad is about to happen.. with an American flag in the background. It screams "IM REALLY HOT, BUT A REALLY STUPID PATRIOT."
 Her boyfriend Shane, played by Jack Reynor, has multiple accents, never really settling on one, even though he was labelled as Irish.   Grammer and Tucci are wasted here, despite the fact both of them are easily the two most talented actors in the film. The voices of the Autobots played by Goodman and Watanabe, are , well just bad. Wahlburg is, Wahlburg. He knows how to play a guy who turns into a bad ass through circumstance. But I don't know how he didn't laugh with dialogue like this;

Wahlburg: You don't have a warrant!
Corrupt Government agent: My FACE is a warrant!

There are two other things that are ok.
2. The Autobots are great to look at.
3. Some of the actions scenes are cool

THE VERDICT

Transformers: Age Of Extinction may have a couple of good things, but it doesn't excuse its terrible script, and awful acting. Transformers: Age Of Extinction gets a D.

TRAILERS TO WATCH THIS WEEK

EXPENDABLES 3- SYLVESTER STALLONE, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, MEL GIBSON,  HARRISON FORD, ETC...

THE JUDGE - ROBERT DOWNEY JR, ROBERT DUVALL, VINCENT D' O NOFRIO.

GOTHAM TV SERIES TRAILER- BEN MCKENZIE AND DONALD LOGUE

22 JUMP STREET REVIEW

JUMP! Down on jump street, 22 jump street! I love this movie. its hilarious, and clever. The first one was funny too but I think this one might be even better. Now lets get to the story!

This is the sequel to "21 Jump Street, and
while The story of "22 Jump Street," has the same premise as the first one, (Young looking cops going undercover at a high school to bust a drug ring, now going to a college.)I know what you could be thinking.... Is this going to be like, "Hangover 2"? Believe me when I say that while filthy, its funny, and while simple, it's also clever. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill have a terrific chemistry. Ice cube reprises his role as the Lieutenant, and is as funny as ever. The main complaint I have is the repeat of certain jokes about Jonah Hill being old looking.  But other than that it was pretty funny.


THE VERDICT

22 Jump street is better than its previous outing. Fun and fast moving, if you liked the first one you will love the second
Grade: A-.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 REVIEW

"How To Train Your Dragon 2" stars Jay Baruchel, Gerald Butler, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson , Kit Harrington and Djimon Hounsou. I was very excited for this movie, I liked the first one a lot, and like "Shrek 2" which was also made by Dreamworks, this sequel lived up to the first one.

   5 Years after the events of the first one,  Hiccup's  ( Jay Baruchel) village has become bigger, with the villagers getting along with the dragons.  His father Stoick ( Gerald Butler) wants him to become king of the village so he can retire. Hiccup loves spending time with his friends and his dragon Toothless, and giving that up is not something he wants to do. He becomes nervous about talking to his father about this. He confides in his girlfriend Astrid, (Ferrera) that he really is unsure.  His encounter with a war lord (played by Hounsou) sets off a series of events that teach Hiccup about life and when its time to grow up. and what it takes to keep the peace.
 I love this movie! This movie is emotional, dark, heart pounding, and best of all exciting! It has beautiful animation and a terrific score and a really really awesome scripit. I love almost every second of this movie. This is by far the best animation of the year.


The Verdict:

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is an exciting sequel that lives up to its potential. How To Train Your Dragon 2 gets an A.