Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – 2018

Score: 8/10

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is exactly what it is supposed to be. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s funny, it has you on the edge of your seat! It’s the perfect example of what a summer blockbuster should be and it manages to tick almost all the boxes needed to be a huge success. The box office results speak for that and you have to see this movie, you just have to see it. You will actually root for the dinosaurs towards the end (that’s a first for a Jurassic Park movie) and you will be satisfied with the progression of the characters. This one is truly a refreshing surprise for me and I can honestly say it deserved its success!

The story is interesting, especially towards the end, because for the first time we get to see the dinosaurs in the real world. The sequel, slated for 2021, will be the first Jurassic movie that will take place in the openness of the world instead of a controlled environment and I can’t wait to see what new possibilities that will open. It is a nice stepping stone on the journey to a different type of movie and it manages to be entertaining and emotional as well. Could it have been different? For sure! But for now, I am happy with what we got and I just hope that this is just the first step towards something even better!

The characters are good, developed, engaging and, most importantly, relatable. You understand their motivations and whether you agree with them or not, you are invested. This is a great achievement of the film, that it manages to make you care about every single character. An amazing job here by the cast, and I have to praise Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, B. D. Wong, Isabella Sermon, Geraldine Chaplin and Jeff Goldblum for their performances.

Now, you are probably wondering why just an 8 if it’s so great. Well, the movie is good, but the problem is that we have seen most of it before. And while that worked for the first installation of this new series, it is simply starting to become stale and boring the second time around. I get it, there is always a kid who likes dinosaurs, there is always a bigger dinosaur taken out by a smaller one… It’s always the same and I swear I felt at times that I was watching previous movies. It still worked here but it’s the last time. For the sequel, come up with something new please or the fans will simply not show up anymore… And trust me on that, we won’t…

As CGI and special effects go, this one nails it! I loved the design of the dinosaurs, the world felt real and engaging and there was an air of majestic beauty surrounding most of the scenes. I did want more outside action, as the last part of the movie felt a little bit stuffy and dark, but nevertheless, as a whole, the effects work and they are a definite improvement on previous instalments. Couple that with the witty banter from the two leads and with the amazing musical score and you get the perfect recipe for a blockbuster that has managed to fascinate audiences all around the world.

In conclusion, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is definitely a must see. I am sure it will end the year in the top 5 highest grossing movies of 2018 and that is exactly where it deserves to be. It was hugely popular and rightly so, because it brings some of the excitement of the first movies back to the big screen. If they manage to fix some of the errors and they stop repeating every theme over and over, I can honestly see this series producing at least another trilogy. And while some critics find that idea repulsing, if you are a normal and honest human being, you can’t say that you are not excited about it! So let’s see what the future holds in regards to our ancient friends and in the meantime, does anybody know of a place where I can buy a Blue of my own? 😀 Seriously, I need one, I really do… 😛

Avengers: Infinity War – 2018

Score: 10/10

I mean, seriously, I don’t even know where to start. It’s mind-blowing, it’s amazing, it’s perfect, it’s by far the best movie of 2018. Avengers: Infinity War is exactly what I expected it to be, a rollercoaster of emotion and a powerful example of what a carefully constructed multiverse can offer when it fully comes into force. It’s a brilliant movie and it offers you emotion after emotion. You can’t watch this without getting hyped and you will not feel the minutes going by. It’s long at 149 minutes but my God I wanted more, I wanted much more… I have praised Marvel movies in the past but this one is simply the icing on the cake. It’s a perfect movie from start to finish and you cannot afford to miss it!

The story is amazing. All of the little clues and post credits scenes from previous movies have paid off. It has heart, it is powerful, it has emotion, amazing music, one liners, everything that you could want from a superhero movie. You are engaged from the very first second and everything has an air of grandiose stakes. The world is coming to an end and the heroes that we grew up with are trying to save it. Amazing!

The characters are the ones we love and they are all showing us their best. I mean there is really no point talking about it more. It’s a stellar cast, like, all the huge names are here, they all pour their hearts on screen, they click, it’s simply amazing and it’s the coronation of the MCU and the previous 18 movies. Amazing and it will be long, but I have to praise Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson for their performances. I mean seriously, look at this list of names… Marvel, OMG!!!!

Thanos! Like I can’t believe that in a movie like this, where you have ALL the heroes, my favorite character was the bad guy. I mean honestly, Josh Brolin’s performance is brilliant and every single act of the villain makes sense. He is correct in everything that he says, he evolves, he has emotion, he is all powerful, like, it’s simply the best villain I have ever seen in any superhero movie until now. I actually rooted for him towards the end and I wanted him to win, and considering that he was going against some of my favorite superheroes off all time, I am truly impressed that the movie made me feel this way. Thanos rules! Thanos forever! 🙂

This is how you do an ensemble cast movie. I mean we have here everyone from the Marvel universe, and by everyone I truly mean everyone. You get all the big superheroes in one movie, superheroes that each got their own movies before this, superheroes that all have sideline stories, love interests, agenda’s, everything comes together. And yet, like magic, everything fits. Every actor gets some share of the spotlight without making the movie feel weird and too complex. The action flows and you get to recognize each hero’s trademarks. This is an amazing feat and anyone planning to do movies with multiple protagonists should learn from this one. Marvel, there are no words to describe how great you are!

In conclusion, Avengers: Infinity War is THE MOVIE. For superhero fans, for movie fans, for anybody. If you live on this planet, you have to watch this film. And if you want the experience to be complete, before you watch this, take all the movies that have previously appeared in the MCU and watch them. You will understand everything that is going on and you will be amazed at the details and hidden meanings that fill up this universe. This one will remain in history as one of the best, if not the best, superhero movies of all time. I can’t wait for the sequel on May 3 2019 and I can only hope it will be as good as this one… I would say I want it to be better but frankly at this point I can’t see how that would be possible… So surprise me Marvel, if anyone can do it, you can…

Passengers – 2016

Score: 8/10

Passengers was a movie I eagerly awaited, because I am a huge fan of both Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. And the film did not disappoint, as it was for me a treat from start to finish. I found the idea novel and interestingly transmitted, while the action scenes fit well into the story. And because I saw a lot of critics complaining that the movie normalizes abuse, I have to say there is no such thing as abuse here. Jim does what EVERY SINGLE ONE of us would do in a similar situation and the fact that Aurora forgives him in the end should make us understand that this film is not “a creepy ode to manipulation” but a visceral presentation of how real people act in real circumstances.

The story is complex and well done, although I felt I was watching two different movies that overlap. On the one hand we have a nice romantic story that starts with a painful decision and goes through rocky patches before blossoming into a powerful love story that sends all the right messages out to the viewers.  And on the other hand we have a sci-fi movie that manages to intrigue, even though it has some plot holes and exaggerations. The problem for me here is that sometimes the movie jumps from one side to the other without warning and you get the feeling it just enters science fiction mode at inappropriate times just because there is an impasse in the romantic part of it…

The best part of Passengers is by far its cast. Lawrence and Pratt are amazing actors and they simply light up together on screen. Their characters are well developed and their relationship is constructed with care. You understand his initial obsession, you feel for his loneliness, you can identify with his decision. And then you can feel her horror when she realizes what he’s done, you understand her inner conflict and you can relate with the feelings that she cannot fight in the end. Their interactions are powerful and well-made and it is a testament to the quality of the two actors that they can sustain a 116 minutes movie almost on their own. Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishburne complete the star studded cast very well and the only complaint I have is that we get too little Andy Garcia to matter.

The music complements the atmosphere very well, adding to the state of tension that is growing over the first 2 acts. The CGI is very good, subtle but also impressive, and the action scenes make sense and flow very naturally. It is overall a good and inviting sci-fi romance and one movie that you can watch while you relax, snuggled up with your loved one in some cozy pillows. It makes you think but it doesn’t force it on you, thus breaking away from both the romantic and the sci-fi genres in a fresh and interesting way.

In conclusion, Passengers is a very good movie which I strongly recommend seeing. You will discover action, you will discover comedy, you will discover a beautiful romance, all wrapped around in a mesmerizing story that takes you to the edges of space. And in the end, you cannot help to wonder what it would be like to go through that. And to ask yourself if you have a person with whom you would enjoy spending your life, just the two of you, alone, passengers aboard the spaceship of your destiny…

 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – 2017

Score: 8/10

The Guardians series is the most funny of the Marvel Universe and you go into volume 2 expecting that. And yes, you receive it in droves, as this movie tries to go even farther than its predecessor in the humor department. You are laughing all the way, and it is relaxing to see a movie of such magnitude not taking itself to serious. It makes the viewing experience more enjoyable and its success is what prompted Marvel to include more humor in Thor: Ragnarok and I guess in every single entrance of the multiverse which will follow. We like our superhero movies to be lighthearted and funny and this will not change.

The action is interesting, the special effects are amazing, and the characters are developed even further than in the first one. You learn a lot of backstory that helps define each character and you start to discover the red line of their past that makes them act the way they do. The cast is stellar, and when you have Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell all in one movie, nothing can go wrong. Every single actor delivers an amazing performance and you can see they had so much fun doing this film, which gives it an extra layer of likeability. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer is simply amazing, and almost steals the movie with his rough humor and absurd lines. You find yourself laughing out loud in the theater and enjoying every second of it.

The story is good, a little bit convoluted in points, but streamlined quite well in the final act. The CGI is good, the grand action scenes offer enough awe to justify them, and all in all the conflict manages to keep you involved until the end. Also, speaking of action scenes, Yondu’s arrow massacre is one of the best action scenes I have ever seen in a movie, making you laugh and leaving you speechless at the same time. The action in the movie is superb and right up there with what Marvel has offered us across the years.

The movie is a little bit too long at 136 minutes and its 4 post credits scenes are starting to push the limit a little bit, especially since one of them is another useless cameo from Stan Lee. 2 post credits scenes are ok, but going past that for me is just fanboying for the sake of fanboying and nothing more. The music is good, a nice selection of songs, although I feel that they are not as fresh as the ones from the first movie.

And this brings me to my only criticism of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, that it is far too similar in my mind with the first one. It simply does not have the same wow factor and you kind of feel like you have already been there and done that. This takes away a little bit from the overall enjoyment, although it did not have an effect on the box office results, with Vol. 2 earning more than the original. I just hope that for volume 3, which is slated for a 2020 release, Marvel will change the formula a little bit and shake things up.

In conclusion, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a very good movie, which I recommend to any comic book fan. A great installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a worthy successor to the first Guardians movie. Oh, and the smaller dumber Groot is by far the best plant I ever saw in a movie. 😛