'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is a well-done revival

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is not only one of the most anticipated films in some time, but also one that likely held an incredible amount of pressure on director J.J. Abrams and the cast and crew.  The classic trilogy that kicked off the franchise decades ago remains possibly the most iconic and influential sci-fi series of all time, and while George Lucas's prequel trilogy 15 years later was more divisive critically, it still made its own notch in pop culture.  Abrams was tasked with making a film that could appeal to younger modern audiences while still respecting the material that came long before it.

Thankfully, The Force Awakens is done in a manner that pulls both of these tasks off.  It still continues the story of characters like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, but also brings in some new blood with completely new main characters.  It looks gorgeous, is engaging, and in some spots surprising.  There are still some factors that prevent it from being the instant classics the original trilogy became, but the final result is still a worthy follow-up, and one of the better blockbusters of the year.

Taking place thirty years after Return of the Jedi, the movie once again takes place in that familiar galaxy far, far away, and establishes a new threat in the form of the very Empire-like First Order, complete with the very Rebel-like Resistance fighting its attempts at oppressing the masses.  A raid by the First Order and their Sith leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) on the desert planet Jakku also has Finn, a stormtrooper on his first mission, horrified by the atrocities his comrades carry out on innocents, and he eventually decides to abandon their cause and also free captured Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), eventually finding himself back on Jakku.  There, he meets both a local scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) and a droid named BB-8, who contains something very valuable to both the First Order and the Resistance.

The two end up escaping on the iconic ship the Millenium Falcon, and soon meet up with its original owners, the infamous smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and the wooly alien Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), who are now part of the Resistance.  From there, it's a race to get BB-8 where it belongs, stop the First Order from utilizing a weapon that threatens the galaxy, and help Rey and Finn find their place in the greater Star Wars mythos.

In general, The Force Awakens does a good job visually of feeling like a proper Star Wars film.  One neat aspect of it that Abrams insisted upon was less of a reliance on computer-generated effects and more on real-life sets, props, and aliens, in an attempt to feel more authentic to the old films than the CG-heavy prequels.  That's not to say that there's no CG, as some environments, spaceship fights, and even newcomers like Resistance ally Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) and First Order leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) are done via motion-capture, but it does strike a good balance in using both practical and digital effects where they're most fitting.

The cast also delivers the goods.  Finn and Rey not only have some great chemistry when they're paired up, but they also have interesting aspects to their characters, though some of them shouldn't be ruined here.  It's interesting to see the direction characters like Han, Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Luke (Mark Hamill) have all taken in the decades since their last big adventure; there are even some sad aspects regarding the way things have turned up for them as well as where some of them end up by the film's conclusion.  As villains go, Ren doesn't stand a candle to Darth Vader or the Emperor, but he also has a tragic side to his past, and even a few sly moments of humor without going overboard.  We also get an early glimpse at Snoke, who will presumably serve as this new trilogy's main villain, and while it obviously remains to see how iconic of a baddie he'll ultimately be, Serkis's performance and an interesting design help to set him up as intriguing.

The pacing is very good, as the slower moments help to both progress the central story and bring us up to date on how things have changed, and the action is overall solid.  In terms of the actual plot, it's successfully interesting and fun to see unfold, though the idea of everybody chasing a droid in the first act as well as a dogfight over a superweapon at the climax are recycled directly from A New Hope.  There are funny moments (Though not as many as one would expect compared to the originals), emotional moments, and exciting moments.  It feels like a Star Wars film should.

In terms of flaws, the film doesn't really bother explaining how the First Order came to be, though hopefully follow-up films can elaborate on that.  Poe Dameron also feels like he should have more of a memorable personality and standout moments considering how much screen time he gets, and a moment involving the revival of a familiar face in the last ten minutes provides no explanation for itself at all.  The First Order's main weapon also needed more buildup, as well as a more significant feeling of consequence for what it does midway through the film.

Finally, while this is overall a satisfying, well-made film, it doesn't end up feeling like it's going to leave as big an impact on the original trilogy.  One of the reasons Star Wars blew up wasn't just because of its good writing and effects, but because it presented a lot of concepts and story elements that sci-fi films generally never had up to that point.  The Force Awakens feels more like a straight continuation of those original films rather than something that's really trying to expand upon established ideas or offer completely new ones, and this results in it being an enjoyable film rather than a true classic.

Even with these problems, The Force Awakens is still worth seeing as soon as possible.  It is a film worthy of the Star Wars name, will appeal to many generations, and contains its fair share of surprises (One moment in the last act may be the most heartbreaking in the series so far).  Abrams and company have set a good foundation to bring Star Wars back into the public eye, and it will be interesting to see where the already-confirmed eighth and ninth films go from here.

 Final score: A low 8 out of 10

'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2' is a mixed bag of a conclusion

As big a phenomenon the Hunger Games series has been both on film and in its original form, like all franchises, things must come to an end someday.  The film adaptations have reached the big finale in the form of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, and while enthusiastic fans of the series will likely be pleased with how things wrap up, other moviegoers might be disappointed.  Suffering in the same way The Hobbit did by being needlessly stretched into two films, poor pacing and some missed storytelling opportunities end up stopping the film, much like its predecessor, from reaching the heights of the first two entries in the series.

The film immediately picks up from Mockingjay - Part 1, with series heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) still shocked by the changed behavior of her longtime friend and Hunger Games partner Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), who was captured by the dystopian Capital and is still recovering from being brainwashed.  As a long-brewing war between the Capital and the rebellion of oppressed citizens begins, Katniss still desires the opportunity to finally kill the oppressive President Snow (Donald Sutherland), but the rebel's leader, President Coin (Julianne Moore) refuses, citing Katniss as a valuable symbol of hope for the rebels.

A frustrated Katniss ends up sneaking onboard a plane headed to the Capital as part of the final assault, and eventually teams up with a squad that includes both Peeta and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), another longtime friend.  Their attempts to reach Snow's mansion lead them into the path of numerous traps Capital officials have set up, from motion-activated flamethrowers and machine guns to carnivorous sewer-dwelling mutants.  Eventually, Katniss witnesses the final major assault by the rebels, but even when the war reaches its conclusions, some new issues and moral grey areas appear that leads to a shocking finale.

This synopsis might make it sound like there's a lot going on throughout the film, but honestly, the first two acts of Mockingjay - Part 2 feel very stretched out, no doubt a culprit of the decision to tell one book's story over two movies.  The journey of Katniss and her comrades to reach Snow should feel urgent and gripping, but there's a lot of unnecessary downtime (Not one, or two, but four separate setting up camp and sleeping scenes!), and the action scenes that break up the monotony generally don't feel as inspired as the ones in earlier entries, though admittedly the build up to the sewer mutant's appearance is successfully tense.

It also feels odd that Katniss herself feels like one of the least developed characters this time around.  The most interesting character arc far and away is Peeta's, as he struggles between his old self and the unstable murderer the Capital turned him into, to the point where he feels like a threat to the cause and wants to be executed. Gale, a character who's mostly sat on the sidelines previously, also shows a more hardened edge here and ends up being more complex than most viewers probably suspected.

It's worth noting that the actual climax in terms of action feels like a missed opportunity due to sticking only to what Katniss witnesses, with only one quick scene and then a jump to the aftermath.  This is likely a result of the source material sticking to a first-person view, but previous films added scenes that Katniss wasn't around to see, so a deviation here would have been welcome.  Finally, one of the film's later deaths that should hold a lot of importance is shot in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it fashion, and feels like it should have an immediate reaction from certain characters, which is instead held off until the final scenes for some reason.

With all these complaints, it may sound like this film is disappointing all around, but to be honest, it's actually once things have settled down and the film reaches its last half hour that things get inspired.  Both Mockingjay films drop hints that the lines of good and evil may be more blurred than Katniss thinks, and the reveals dropped are interesting and horrific to think about.  Also, once everything's truly settled and we get to the final scenes, there's a good sense of closure all around, and many fans will likely be happy with where Katniss ends up in the last moments.

The fact that Mockingjay - Part 2 ends on a better note than what it started with is reliving, but much like The Hobbit, these last two entries end up feeling that they could have been much more if combined into one film and given a better pace.  Fans who care less about in-depth moviemaking and more about seeing their beloved books brought to the big screen will likely have less issues, and the solid last act is a welcome one, but this feels like a series that ended up peaking in its first two entries compared to the two-part finale.

Final score: A high 6 out of 10
Originally written November 22, 2015

'Black Mass' shows Johnny Depp at his grittiest

Besides a lot of positive press for Black Mass in general, many writers are particularly happy to see Johnny Depp take on a more serious and grounded role, perhaps tired of Jack Sparrow, duds like The Lone Ranger and Transcendence, and a seemingly endless series of Tim Burton characters.  Depp is indeed intense and frightening in this film, but he's not the only good thing about it, as there are other good performances and subplots that feel equally as important.  While the finished product is unlikely to end up being remembered as one of the year's best, it's still an interesting and often brutal look at an infamous crime lord.

Depp plays James "Whitey" Bulger, the leader of the Boston-based organized crime group the Winter Hill gang, and the movie primarily follows some of his more notable actions during the seventies and eighties.  Having already served time in Alcatraz when the film starts, Bulger only continues to gain notoriety for his steadily increasing power in the criminal underworld.

Bulger ends up finding a new opportunity when he is reunited with his childhood friend John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), who is now part of the FBI.  Initially believing that Bulger is still capable of being trusted, Connolly sneakily offers to turn a blind eye to his crimes if he serves as an informant to help the FBI catch other big-time criminals.  While Bulger initially helps bring down an opposing criminal family, he decides to take full advantage of his immunity, and continues to be as ruthless as ever to anyone that even potentially gets in his way.  Eventually, the facade begins to collapse for both Bulger and Connolly, and their gradual downfall is chronicled in the film's final act.

Bulger is an interesting character alone, but it can be argued that the film focuses on Connolly just as much, as he keeps letting crimes slide in favor of his own personal gain.  Thankfully, Depp, Edgerton, and the rest of the cast, including Dakota Johnson and Benedict Cumberbatch, deliver quality performances all around.  Depp particularly shines during a very tense scene late in the movie where Bulger visits Connolly for dinner, and has some moments that deeply disturb his friends, Connolly's wife, and the audience as well, to the point where it could probably be declared the film's most effective scene.

The various murders that we see Bulger and his crew commit are also appropriately brutal, though few and far between.  If any criticism can be leveled against the film as a whole, it has a rather leisurely pace for most of its running time, and the overall size of the cast makes it hard to truly get to know most of the characters.  It's ultimately this issue that makes the film just good instead of becoming something truly great.  It can be argued, though, that the scarcity of the more violent scenes gives them more of an impact.

Despite such a notable issue, Black Mass is still an enjoyable film that can be enjoyed on the strength of its performances and best moments.  Hopefully the commendations Depp has already received for his performace of Bulger will encourage him to try more highbrow roles again, as this certainly proves he's still capable of pulling them off.  For fans of gritty organized crime dramas in the vein of Goodfellas, this is worth a look.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Originally written September 26, 2015
 

'The Visit' provides a creepy household horror tale

 It's hard to think of a Hollywood director with a progressive nosedive in the quality of their films more infamous than M. Night Shyamalan.  Once praised early in his career for great work like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, the rest of his career has been noticeably worse, with mixed bags like Signs and The Village to undeniable flops like The Last Airbender and The Happening.  As a result of all this, it was easy for me to quickly dismiss his newest film, The Visit, as another certified dud.

For once, I'm happy I was wrong.  The Visit isn't going to take the world by storm, but it is still a well done thriller, with good acting, a good sense of rising tension, and genuinely creepy moments.  Regardless of anyone's opinion regarding Shyamalan's spotty track record, this film remains worth a look.

The setup sees a single mother (Kathryn Hahn) sending both her daughter Rebecca (Olivia DeJonge) and son Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) to her parent's quiet hometown for a week, as the kids have never met the grandparents due to mysterious past events causing the mother to become estranged from them.  Things initially seem nice with Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie), but their rule of being in bed by 9:30 seems suspicious.  When the kids decide to sneak out of their bedroom, they witness some rather disturbing scenes from their grandmother, as well as eventually seeing a nasty side of their grandfather.  From there, the two try to figure out the cause of their grandparent's increasingly erratic behavior, and if they're truly safe staying with them.

It's worth mentioning up front that, at its core, The Visit is actually a found footage film in the vein of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, as Rebecca is an aspiring filmmaker attempting to shoot a documentary revolving around the visit.  Thankfully, it's shot far better than most of its predecessors.  Moviegoers won't need to worry about blurry shots or motion sickness this time around.  Hopefully other filmmakers who take a stab at this subgenre in the future will learn from this.

Acting is good all around.  The two kids don't ever come off as forced or unnatural, outside of some silly recurring gags like Tyler wanting to be a rapper and Rebecca being somewhat pretentious when filming certain scenes.  Kudos also to Dunagan and McRobbie for successfully being able to switch between sweet and mild-mannered and disturbingly unhinged within a single scene.

The pacing is generally quite good, with a nice slow buildup of increasingly disturbing acts by the grandparents.  The climax includes one of Shyamalan's trademarks, that being a big twist, but it's one that works very well, and doesn't feel like it betrays anything that came before it.  I'd argue that it actually enhances the effectiveness of the last act, as the explanation that it provides creates a true sense of danger.

It's worth noting that I heard a lot about the film being just as much a comedy as a thriller going in, but I have to disagree with that.  There are definitely some good jokes sprinkled throughout the earlier parts of the film, but by the last act, things are dead serious.  Thankfully, it's done in a way that prevents any feeling of mood whiplash, so no portion of the film feels out of place.

The Visit isn't going to sweep any award ceremonies or be lauded by anyone as a classic, but it's a lot of fun, and a return to quality that Shyamalan seemed destined to never achieve.  It's certainly possible that his next film will go back to that downward spiral of the past, but hopefully he'll look at what people liked about this and build on those elements in the future.  No matter what its director ends up doing next, though, The Visit is a successfully entertaining bit of horror.

Rating: A high 7 out of 10
Originally written September 23, 2015