The 5th wave

Director: J Blakeson
Writers: Susan Grant, Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner
Stars: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Gabriela Lopez, Maika Monroe

Synopsis:
An alien race shows up and starts wreaking havoc on the world in 5 different waves of attacks.

Review:
The 5^th wave is a Sci-fi film that depending on your sci-fi knowledge, or fandom of the genre, might be considered a boring re-tread or a fun adventure. I personally thought it was a fun adventure that brought me back to the days of the old alien sci-fi films. Now this movie wasn't perfect and honestly my favorite part was any scene involving the character Ringer (played by 'It follows' Maika Monroe). And I haven't read the book so I don't necessarily know what all they did and didn't do with the source material.
With it being a YA adaptation though, there is a small love triangle thing that honestly feels force and I think they should have just kept it out of the film in general. Maybe they should have developed it more or something, again I haven't read the book so I don't know exactly how much they kept or changed from it. But besides that though this movie has been done before, not necessarily within the YA adaptation genre but more in the Sci-fi genre.
This movie overall was a good time and honestly wasn't that bad of an experience.

Rating: 4 Stars


Recommendation: I'd say if you want something fresh in the Sci-fi genre then stay away, but if you want to be able to enjoy a movie full of Sci-fi tropes then you should check this out. Also, if you're wanting to stay away from this because it's a YA adaptation then please give this a look because honestly the only thing that this takes from those similar movies and books is the love triangle aspect and there's enough stuff going on around it that it doesn't stand out too much except for the couple scenes that it is involved in.

Facebook Page

I'm writing this to let everyone know that I have a Facebook fan page also that I post little extra stuff at like what my schedules are and what I'm watching trying to get some conversation going on movies and everything.

The link is here if you want to go and like it.

the actual address is http://facebook.com/thecinemasquirrel if that link doesn't work.

Dirty Grandpa

Directed By: Dan Mazer

Written By: John Phillips

Stars: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch, Aubrey Plaza

Synopsis: A grandpa wants to take a trip to Florida with his grandson he hasn’t really connected with in years after his wife died because it’s what she would have wanted, but that’s not exactly the actual plan.

Review:  Dirty Grandpa starts out modest enough. Jokes that are raunchy but you’ve probably have seen worse or about the same before. The actors are enjoyable and no one really does anything wrong with their roles. The movie looks nice and there are a few laughs to be had that do run generic. Dirty Grandpa’s main problem though is that it’s generic.

Really the problem I had is that some jokes run too long, and especially the last scene. I was glad I was able to watch this in an empty theater because I let out the biggest groan during the last scene because it was just so awkward and dragged on so long I was just out loud like, can we just end this forgettable movie already?

There’s a romance subplot too that feels a little force and really only has a few scenes devoted to it, and overall, like I just stated, this movie is mainly forgettable. It doesn’t have a specific joke or scene that is memorable enough to be remembered years from now.

Rating: 3 stars

Recommendation: If the trailers made you laugh then catch this at a matinee or rent it. Besides that though you might as well stay away.

The Boy

Director: William Brent Bell
Writers: Stacey Menear
Stars: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, James Russel

Synopsis:
A nanny is hired to look after a family's son that actually turns out to be a life-sized doll.

Review:
This movie falls into the category of false marketing, much like House at the End of the Street did, although not as bad. I say that because the first half of the film is much like what the trailers show us the film to be, but then by the time the second half of the film hits, its a thriller, and I think that's where people get upset with this film, much like how they were with House at the End of the Street. I personally loved both that and The Boy, and I think it's because of that reason, they're not really what they look to be, and actually surprise me.
Like I said the first half is all about the doll being possessed but through some twist and turns, the plot takes us to thriller territory and the scares fade, which I actually quite enjoyed. Of course I can see why the majority of people would be upset due to the fact that a lot of people come to these to get scared then feel ripped off when it turns out not to be scary.
Now, this movie isn't perfect and I wouldn't even say it's worth full price at this point, and the twist does offer up a bunch of questions that don't get answered, ultimately they might make a prequel explaining it like most horror movies recently. But while that's a problem, Lauren Cohan's character really is the best thing about this movie and makes the movie worth watching. The story can be considered bland, depending on your thoughts on the paranormal and possession genre as of late.

Rating: 4 Stars

Recommendation: If you are looking for a darker movie to watch in theaters right now then this would be your best bet. I'd recommend a matinee to save some money though in case you find yourself disappointed in it. 

Room

Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Writers: Emma Donoghue
Stars: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers

Synopsis:
A mom and her five year old son try to escape a room, one she's known, and only known, for seven years.

Review:
This movie is really engaging and such an emotional ride. One I haven't felt in awhile based on just how good the movie is, I mean I did have an emotional ride through Star Wars, but that was purely on nostalgia. I didn't know much about this going in, except that Brie Larson won the Golden Globe for it, and I hope she wins the Oscar for it after seeing it, and I honestly think that's the best way to see it, but I found out that this is based on a book, written by Emma Donoghue, and apparently this follows it very well with that book.
The acting is perfect, it's believable and at most points I forgot that I was watching a fictional movie and not a documentary. The story, the way it unfolds, really delivers the emotional punches at the right time and in the right way. Since I didn't know what the movie was truly about I was trying to figure out what it was about the room they were in, when this movie took place, and etc. But when Ma tells Jack what exactly was going on, I wasn't honestly prepared for it and it explained what I was questioning.
This truly was a respectable movie made about its subject matter which I applaud especially with how grounded and real this movie's subject matter is.

Rating: 5 Stars

Recommendation: If your theater is showing it,which most are now because of the oscars, go see it. And try not to look too much into the synopsis, unless you've read the book this is based on. Because I thought that was the best way to enjoy this film with an open mind and not knowing much about what this was about. Highly Recommend.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Chuck Hogan (Screenplay), Mitchell Zuckoff (Book)
Stars: John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale

Synopsis:
A U.S. Compound in Benghazi is attacked as a security team tries to defend it along with an American Ambassador in 2012.

Review:
I'm going to start out with saying this, this is Michael Bay's best film. But it certainly isn't the cinema masterpiece that the trailers are saying now. Michael bay even goes as far as keeping his camera crew from drinking a whole pack of monsters before every shot they take. They only take them on their off days apparently. There's even scenes and sequences that I'm like, is this really a Michael Bay film? Because some shots are just so well made and sequences are actually tense some times.
Now, like I said this isn't a masterpiece, there are some jokes that don't hit, and there is still quite a bit of shaky close up camera shots that make it difficult to tell what is going on sometimes, but honestly you should at this point know that you're going to be seeing that stuff in a Michael Bay film, but it honestly isn't done in a way that's over the top or obnoxious. It all just comes and goes and there's enough room for you to breath between each time.


Rating: 4 Stars


Recommendation: If you have seen everything else out there, and looking at what to watch that came out this weekend this is going to be your safest bet.

Ride Along 2

Director: Tim Story
Writers: Phil Hay, Matt Hanfredi
Stars: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong

Synopsis:
James and Ben head down to Miami to stop a drug dealer supplying Atlanta dealers.

Review:
Oh boy. This movie is basically what 22 Jump Street could have been. This movie takes everything that made the first one fun and exciting, and just retreads it in a lazy fashion. Honestly if Ice Cube and Kevin Hart wasn't in this, then I don't think this would even be put in theaters. It only goes through the motions that we've seen not only in the first movie, but any buddy cop movie made... ever.
I did find some laughs though, and again, Ice Cube and Kevin Hart I feel like have great chemistry together, that's why I'm even saying it's worth a watch. I just hope that when the sequel comes out, if one does, that they actually try and bring something new to the table and make it a blast to watch much like the first movie was.


Rating: 3 stars


Recommendation: Rent it, or wait till DVD or something if you really liked the first one, because you're just getting more of the same from that one, but not nearly as good.

Deathgasm

Director: Jason Lei Howden

Writers: Jason Lei Howden

Stars: Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, Kimberley Crossman

Synopsis:
A couple teenagers accidentally summon demons when trying to make a new song for the Death Metal band, DEATHGASM.

Review:
This movie was just pure fun, it especially worked well for me because I'm into the metal genre of music and I love a good bloodbath. The acting wasn't anything special but it wasn't terrible by any means, the main attraction for this movie is the practical effects, the bloody mutilations, and just the pure fun this movie delivers throughout its breakneck pace.
If you don't like bloody movies, than this isn't going to be for you, I don't know though if you'd really be looking into a film called Deathgasm if you weren't though to be honest. I wasn't really expecting much from this when I first heard this, but ever since it first got screen I've been hearing mainly great things about it so I decided to pick it up when I got the chance, and I'm so glad I did. This had laughs and blood oozing everywhere. Now there are a few problems, mostly nick picking, but I think there should have been maybe an extra scene or two of demon action scenes, but I know this wasn't made on the biggest of budgets and honestly I feel like that's only because I felt like I blinked and the ride was already over.


Rating: 4.5 stars


Recommendation: If you're into horror films, bloodbaths, and metal music then I'm sure this will serve you just fine in the entertainment department.

The Revenant

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Writers: Mark L. Smith, Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter

Synopsis:
A frontiersman that was on a fur trading expedition in the early 1800's ends up doing a survival quest after being nearly killed by a bear and left for dead.

Review:
The movie, first and foremost, is beautiful. It's also brutal, from the first scene all the way till the ending. The use of natural lighting causes the night scenes to have some of the blackest blacks, and there's a constant bluish hue to everything. There's nothing that looks quite like this, at least in the past few years. Not only does the movie look beautiful, but the performances are just as powerful.
Leonardo, does it again, honestly though, I can't think of anyone coming close to his performance in this, especially when he can't fully speak through most of the beginning. Which leads me to believe that he will be getting his first Oscar with this movie, like most people are predicting.
Tom, plays a great villain, not over the top, nor does he do stupid stuff just to do stupid stuff, but he does things that make sense. He's very believable in his decisions made throughout the film and that makes this movie just that much more engaging, because you want to see how this all plays out because you want to see this man get hurt in some way.
This movie runs at a somewhat breakneck speed, at least that's how it feels, even if there's a lot of walking and riding and usual nonsense to lengthen normal movie run times nowadays, this one actually does that in a way that feels natural and doesn't hinder the audience, mainly in part with the scenery and the unique look this movie has.


Rating: 5 stars


Recommendation: This movie brings 2016 in at a high bar for other movies to follow, so high in fact that I really don't see much topping it as December 31^st rolls around come 12 months from now. Highly recommend seeing this this weekend and paying full price for it, especially before the Golden Globes Sunday evening.

Concussion

Director: Peter Landesman
Writers: Peter Landesman, Jeanne Marie Laskas
Stars: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks

Synopsis:
Pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu discovers the connection of football players and brain damage they suffer due to their years of play.

Review:
A movie like Concussion is both rewarding and frustrating at the same time. I can't tell if it's a little too short or a little too long, because everything outside of the science ordeal is kinda shady in its pacing and structure. I can't tell if they shouldn't have bothered and made a pretty great one and a half hour long film or made a two and a half film and improved the life story they were trying to tell of Dr. Omalu. The saving grace in this movie is Will Smith, his performance is one of the best this year and I can see why he was nominated for it compared to nothing else with this film.
The film's plot is interesting, and whenever they're just doing the science and concussion stuff, it's very interesting, but then they add stuff to it that shows off what's happening in his life at the same time this discovery is taking place and it feels disjointed and rushed.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Recommendation: Honestly if Will Smith didn't give the performance he gave than I might not have enjoyed it at all, and might go on to have said that this was just like any other sport documentary true story type of shindig. But because for the most part it is interesting and Will Smith's performance shines brightly, this film is worth at least a rental.

The Big Short

Director: Adam Mckay
Writers: Charles Randolph and Adam Mckay, based on the book by Michael Lewis
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt

Synopsis:
Different groups of people predict the credit and housing bubble collaps of the mid-2000's and decide to make money off of it.

Review:
Honestly a movie with this plot probably shouldn't be as entertaining as this movie was. It is very similar to Wolf of Wall Street, but it also doesn't feel like a copy cat either. This is a bit more professional than that movie was, so if the excessive lifestyle images offended you from Wolf, and you really do enjoy the subject matter of banking and wall street, then you shouldn't have a problem with this movie. Now I will say that I enjoyed Wolf of Wall Street a lot when it came out and still consider it one of my favorites, but this one was a lot of fun still and would be a lot better of a watch more due to the smaller run time and overall tamer tone than Wolf.
Now with Adam Mckay directing and writing I knew it was going to have some comedy in it, but I was actually surprised with just how funny this was, I love Steve Carell and Brad Pitt especially. I'm actually curious how this will fare during the awards season, because there are a lot of equally good films this year, so I wouldn't be sad if this lost, but at the same time, I am going to be rooting for this a long with some of my other favorites of this year.
This really is a winner to spend your time at the theater, especially if you want to stay away from the crowds at Star Wars.


Rating: 4.5 stars


Recommendation: This honestly doesn't require a theatrical viewing, but if you want to go to the theater and see something that isn't Star Wars this should be near the top of your list.

Alvin and the Chipmunks The Road Chip

Director: Walt Becker
Writers: Randi Mayem Singer and Adam Sztykiel
Stars: Jason Lee, Justin Long, Mathew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Josh Green, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Synopsis:
Alvin and the gang don't like the idea of Dave getting engaged to her girlfriend, Samantha, because they believe that he'll leave them in the forest. So they decide to travel from Los Angeles to Miami to stop it.

Review:
This movie, is mainly just good for a distraction for your kids, For the most part it isn't that insulting, but at the same time not much happens in it that we haven't seen before. I've seen all four now, and the first one is at least good on keeping itself on track telling the story it's trying to tell and that's about it. The sequels, especially the squeakuel, just seem to try to keep the run time going by throwing in random pop culture references, some that I don't understand why they think they'd work. Like there's a reference with John Waters and Pink Flamingos in this one and I was just like, why? I think it's mainly to keep adults in the theater watching, but that's about as much thought as I put into this film.
The saving grace with this movie, and the reason why it's not my least favorite in the series, is the end. I thought the last 20 or so minutes of the film really made this film tolerable in a sense that I gave it an extra half star because of it. Mainly because there's some character development with it. It's not just the same characters doing the same stuff they've done for four films now, there's a sense that someone behind the scenes actually wanted to make a film the whole family can enjoy. Outside of that though it's just high pitch voices making the same old mischief that we've already seen before.


Rating: 2.5 stars


Recommendation: If you really want to see a movie the whole family can enjoy and you've either already seen Star Wars or think that's a little over the heads of your children than this really isn't the worse option out there. Honestly though if you just want to see this because you've seen the others, I'd say rent or wait for DVD.

Top 10 of 2015

Well here it is, my top 10 of 2015 when it comes to movies. It actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would have been, considering it went from 38 to 15 quite easily. The ordering though, especially after five, could honestly change its order but I liked those 5 more than most other films this year.

1. Ex Machina: This movie, I didn't catch it till almost December but it was always one that I wish I had caught in theaters back in March I believe. It was beautifully shot and just as captivating as the story went on, I could say the plot was simple and have been done before, but it still didn't take away from the thrill and the enjoyment I had from my viewings of it.

2. Mad Max Fury Road: This movie is what action movies wish they could be, it was smart, beautiful, and heart pounding all the way till it's last frame. Such a great film and a great continuation of the already amazing Mad Max franchise.

3. The Martian: This movie was the complete package to be honest, it had great comedy, great drama, great science, some could say it science the shit out of itself. It was an enjoyable film that I didn't actually expect to be as great as it was considering Ridley Scott's recent films being okay at best.

4. The Hateful Eight: Quentin Tarantino does it again, His writing and direction have only gotten better over the years and this is one of my favorites from him. Especially when he can make a three hour film with a simple enough plot of people stuck in a shelter during a blizzard just as entertaining as either of the other three films before it on the list.

5. Kingsman: The Secret Service: I sadly didn't catch this in theaters, I ended up seeing Fifty Shades of Grey with some friends that weekend, but when it came out on DVD I got it off redbox and actually ended up watching it three or so times, I enjoyed it that much, and I can't wait to see what the sequel has in store.

6. Krampus: This is of of my all time favorite Christmas movies, probably Die Hard and Nightmare Before Christmas top it, but I had such a blast watching this and enjoying the comedy and the horror mixing together in front of me.

7. Star Wars The Force Awakens: I just can't believe that a movie 32-10 years, depending on your thoughts of the prequels, in the making could live up to the hype the way it did. I thought this was the perfect movie to get you to go out to the theater and see this in the biggest and loudest theater in your area. It also is great that a blockbuster like this didn't force you to turn your brain off to enjoy it.

8. The Big Short: Funny, smart, and enjoyable, can see this getting a lot of award recognition but I don't know if it will pull through with wins, considering the Revenant is getting released next weekend and is looking to be a lot better of a film than this was, still, this movie kept me entertained and especially with something as dry of a subject as wall street and business. This can easily be compared to Wolf of Wall Street, but Wolf did it better I think, but not by much.

9. Inside Out: Disney and Pixar did it again, quite an enjoyable film and smartly handled the subject of depression and growing up in a way that kids can understand, especially as they grow up and watch it repeatedly, as I remember doing with most Disney films growing up.

10. Trainwreck: This honestly was probably my favorite comedy to come out this year. If this doesn't win the best comedy category at the golden globes it better lose to The Martian or The Big Short, which honestly it probably will because they moved those into that category just because they ran out of space in the straight up drama category. But still, this movie made me laugh the hardest and not even in a crude way, for the most part, there's actual feelings and characters in this movie, it wasn't like Ted 2 or Vacation where it was just throwing people into crazy situations for some hit and miss laughs, it does get dark for a bit, and it's believable. That's why it's in my top ten.

Spectre

Director: Sam Mendes

Writers: John Logan (screenplay), Neal Purvis (screenplay)

Stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux

Synopsis: 

In James Bond’s 24^th outing, he follows a trail that leads him to try to uncover the secret organization called SPECTRE, all the while M is trying to keep the 00 division alive and kicking due to recent accidents across the world.

Review:

Now I really haven’t been known to care for the Bond series before Daniel Craig showed up in Casino Royal. I’d play Goldeneye a lot on my Nintendo 64 with friends but that was about it when it came to the series. I’ve loved every film he’s done, except Quantum of Solace, and absolutely loved Skyfall. I think this movie could very well have been one of the best in the series, but with one scene serving as a sort of… turning point? I think that’s the best way to describe it, there’s a scene towards the end, and from that scene on, it dives into a territory that tries to appeal to the fans of the older movies in the series, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn’t merge well with what was already established. But even with the said tonal shift it’s still a high-octane action adventure film that delivers the thrills that we’ve come to expect from the bond series, even if it almost dives into the silly spectrum of everything.

Rating: 4 stars 

Recommendation: Go see it, if you’re a huge bond film or even a fan of the recent ones at the least, but rent it if you’re just looking for an action film to watch.

The Hateful Eight

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Writer: Quentin Tarantino

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Synopsis:

Eight strangers are stuck together in a shelter while waiting out a blizzard.

Review:

Quentin Tarantino I feel like at this point, can do no wrong. He knows what movies are for, and knows why people want to go see movies, his writing is smart and straight to the point, often witty as well. He gets movies and makes movies that he would like to see himself, he’s done so many genre epics, from westerns to mobster films, he’s made movies in ways that haven’t been done in years, like the way he went and made The Hateful Eight, filming it in the style that hasn’t been done in 40 or so years. I don’t know how he does it, but even when his movies have the simplest of plots, like this and Django Unchained, they’re some of the most enjoyable films I’ve seen in recent years. He strikes gold again with this, and while some people might be turned off with the simple plot and nearly three hour runtime, I know that some people will find this boring, and believe me, if this was in the hands of anyone else, then it might have been, but with Quentin’s writing and direction, it is just simply splendid, and I don’t think there’s much that needed to be changed or tweaked, it’s direct and beautiful to look at, the climax is just as much a bloody good time as any other Quentin Tarantino film. It’s probably the best three hours I’ve spent in a theater all year.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Recommendation:

Any fans of Quentin Tarantino knows what they’re getting into, if you don’t like his films then of course you’re not going to like this one, but if you love him and his films then you know just about what you’re getting into. I’d recommend going to see it in 70 mm if you can, I’ve seen it twice in 35 mm and can only imagine how amazing this would look in that format.

Star Wars The Force Awakens

Director: J.J. Abrams

Writers: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams

Stars: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver

Synopsis:

Set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, we meet up with old and new characters as the story continues.

Review:

Now, I’m saying this now to be clear, there are SPOILERS in this review, I left the synopis as plain as I could to try and not let too much be known. Turn away now from this section if you haven’t seen the film yet!

Now that that’s out of the way, Star Wars, what much is there to say about the series in general that hasn’t been said before, now, I originally was going to write reviews of the other six films, but because I had computer problems, and so many people have already torn those films apart, I figured I’d just sum up my thoughts here. My order of the films, without The Force Awakens, would have to go, from best to worse, Empire Strikes Back, A New Hope, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones. And my new order would have to be now, Empire, The Force Awakens, A New Hope…. That’s right, this movie, to me at least, is just as good as the older ones. Now, are there flaws? Is this the best film ever? Would have I wanted anything done differently? Yes, No, Maybe.

Yes, there are flaws, and the more you think about it the more there are. This certainly isn’t the best movie ever, but it is quite the spectacle that hasn’t been done in quite some time, possibly not since Empire. And if anything, I’d probably want to have something… new, out of all the stuff I’d want done differently, it would have to be just that, something different. But I do see why it is done the way it is and why the story does what it does, it’s because we needed to have our trust earned again, especially since most fans don’t really like the prequels. This movie set things up for the future and allowed us to know that, for the most part, the people working on these new films get what it is that we want and know how to tell some pretty great stories in the Star Wars universe.

So, was it perfect? No, but it did live up to the Hype and left me wanting more, and that’s all I could have asked for honestly.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Recommendation: Go see it in IMAX as soon as you can, or at the very least in theaters, this is the movie you’ve been waiting to see at a theater for quite some time that actually doesn’t require you to turn your brain off to enjoy.