Month: May 2016

How to Watch: “X-Men: Apocalypse”

X-Men-Apocalypse-Poster-TMK

Step 1: Get ready for more of the same. Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse is the third installment in the series revolving around the younger versions of our favorite X-Men characters, and while it isn’t as stellar as the first two – First Class and Days of Future Past – Apocalypse still manages to thrill you with its mutant action and impeccable characterizations.

Step 2: Tell the story. Apoc takes place about 10 years after Days of Future Past. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Hank McCoy/Beast (Nicholas Hoult) are successfully running Xavier’s School for the Gifted, which takes in young mutants who want to learn how to control their abilities AND get an education. Here we meet the young Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), whose telekinetic powers are so strong it concerns Charles, and Scott Summers/Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), who has just found out his eyes are now powerful laser beams. Not exactly the ideal thing for a teenage boy.

Meanwhile, Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is still saving mutants from being exploited and rescues a young Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and brings him to the school. Raven also has found out that Erik/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is in trouble again, and she wants to go help him with Charles’ assistance. But, of course, they are all sidetracked when an ancient mutant named Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) rises in Cairo after being trapped for centuries, ready to destroy all the weak humans and take over the world. And Apocalypse doesn’t work alone. He needs his “Four Horseman” by his side, so he recruits four powerful mutants to assist him, and in 1983, those four include a young Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Angel (Ben Hardy) – and Magneto, naturally.

Step 3: Love us some Mystique. The cool thing about Mystique is that her future has been altered. When we first meet her in the original X-Men movies, she is a villain, working with Magneto to take down those humans oppressing the mutants. Then in X-Men: First Class, a new Raven emerges, one with a lonely past but defiant in staying true to who she is. We see her leaning towards Magneto’s side, knowing how that turns out, but in Days of Future Past, the timeline is skewed by Wolverine and their success in saving mutants in the distant future. So now, in Apocalypse, Mystique is a hero to both the human and mutant community. It’s not something she necessarily wants – and she is still fighting for mutant rights – but she is no longer angry at humans. She becomes the Captain America of the X-Men, leading the team and telling them to embrace their abilities so they can defeat the evil. Lawrence has continually given this character enormous depth and meaning, and by making her the mutant champion, instead of an enemy, she shines.

Step 4: Hear Charles and Magneto debate the same thing. Charles has taken the time between their last encounter to build his school and teach the young mutants, and while McAvoy continues to play it brilliantly, giving small glimpses of the Patrick Stewart older man he’ll become, he has less impact in Apocalypse than he did the previous installments. The actor is actually kind of wasted in this, and manages to mostly sit around, dictating, reacting – and having the same argument with Erik over using their abilities for good to help humans, rather than harm them. Yawn. It doesn’t do McAvoy justice, especially since he’s given so much life to the role. We do see, however, how he becomes bald (and it’s not just a hair preference).

On the flip side, Magneto is a wanted man in Apocalypse for his evil deeds in Days of Future Past, but he has tried desperately to shed that persona and live a normal life. Without giving anything away, a set of circumstances turns Erik back into his vengeful Magneto once again, now just ripe for the picking by Apocalypse. While this also just seems repetitive, Fassbender continues to be the most fascinating player in this “new generation,” showing just how tortured Erik really is from all the horrors of his past. That’s why we can never completely hate Magneto for his actions (and we feel similarly for Ian McKellan’s older version) because we’ll always ultimately felt empathy for him – even when he’s tearing up the world.

Step 5: Follow Quicksilver and Wolverine. Evan Peters simply wins as Quicksilver. Period. There’s no way Age of Ultron‘s Aaron Taylor-Johnson had a chance to outdo Peters’ interpretation of the Marvel character, especially after his debut in Days of Future Past, so it’s probably best they killed Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver off. In Apocalypse, Peters once again shines as Quicksilver, doing his schtick (and saving a bunch of mutant kids from a bomb blast), stealing every scene he is in. And now that he knows he is Magneto’s son, this should be interesting in upcoming X-Men movies. And it’s no secret Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine makes an appearance in Apocalypse (because it’s in the trailers), but the way he does it is so completely awesome, you’ll definitely cheer when he shows up. Hint: It does have something to do with Col. William Stryker (Josh Helman) – remember, he’s the government guy who turned Wolverine’s claws into iron.

Step 6: Yawn at the villains. Isaac has the unenviable task of bringing the first mutant ever to life, but like McAvoy, he’s wasted, weighted down by all that brooding mutant elitism – and that prosthetic makeup. Apocalypse just isn’t compelling and there’s nothing new Isaac brings to the table. Same goes with two of his Four Horseman (excluding Storm and Magneto). While Munn looks kickass as Psylocke, she really only has one fight scene to speak off, while Hardy has no chance to give Angel any sort of depth, although he, too, looks fierce. This is a big missed opportunity to elevate standard comic-book bad guys.

Step 7: Praise Jean Grey. Along with Magneto and Wolverine, Jean Grey has always been one of the most compelling figures in the X-Men universe – the one mutant who truly has enough power to either rule them all or wipe them out. Famke Janssen will always have the credit of being the first Jean and for making an indelible impression, but Sophie Turner may have outdone her as the younger version. The Game of Thrones star proves she’s a real badass and has probably the most spectacular scene in the whole film when she takes on Apocalypse. It shows shades of the Dark Phoenix, but one wonders if her future, in which she does become evil, will now be changed by the altered timeline.

As for the other newbies, Sheridan does a nice job as the young Scott, trying to control those laser beam eyes while also falling for the older Jean, while Shipp gives us a whole new take on Storm. Did you know Ororo Munroe was Egyptian? I sure didn’t, but if Halle Berry ever has a chance to play Storm again, Shipp gives her lots to work with. The standout, though, is Smit-McPhee as the sweet-natured and religious Kurt, with his wide-eyed innocence and willingness to do teenager things. Again, his future has been skewed (remember in X2, he is under Magneto’s control), and now he is part of the X-Men team.

Step 8: How Bryan Singer handles it. The director absolutely understands this X-Men universe backwards and forwards, and does a wonderful job in keeping things familiar and relevant to all the characters. But where he fails in Apocalypse is in trying to give us something new and different. The film feels like a retread, with little propelling the story forward. Perhaps that’s the intent, a way to herald in the new generation of X-Men that we were first introduced to in the 2000 X-Men, but it feels lazy, in its execution and bloated action sequences. But he seamlessly blends all those great characters together, which allows X-Men fans to to look past the shortcomings and have fun with Apocalypse nonetheless.

How to Watch: “The Nice Guys”

Nice Guys

Step 1: Have fun. From the mind of writer/director Shane Black, The Nice Guys is just pure wackiness all the way through – a straight-up crime mystery filled with hilarious antics and plenty of violence. A perfect addition to the summer movie roster.

Step 2: Set it in Los Angeles in 1977. The premise revolves around Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), a former cop who now works independently as the guy you hire to rough someone up. When he takes a job from Amelia (Margaret Qualley), a young woman who wants him to stop some guys following her, Jackson meets (and beats up) Holland March (Ryan Gosling). March is a down-on-his-luck private detective dealing with some personal issues like the loss of his wife and trying to take care of his precocious 13-year-old daughter, Holly (Angourie Rice). But a turn of events forces Holland and Jackson to work together to try to find a now-missing Amelia and solve the mystery involving Amelia’s porn flick and why everyone associated with it are being killed.

Step 3: Find the new onscreen duo. Evident from all the trailers and promotional appearances (like the hilarious videos of the actors seeking couples therapy), Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe together are what sell this movie. Their chemistry is palpable onscreen, and the two simply click in this Shane Black-created milieu. Although he did do a few early on his native Australia, Crowe is definitely not who you think of when you think comedy. And to be fair, he’s not the balls-out comedic performer in The Nice Guys, either, but he is a perfect straight man, an always underrated component of a great comedic onscreen duo. It’s the reactions that count, and Crowe nails it. So yes, it’s Gosling who shines as the funny guy, which isn’t all that surprising since he’s done films like Crazy, Stupid, Love. and The Big Short. What is surprising, however, is how well Gosling handles the physical comedy in Nice Guys. He gets beat up, shot at and pratfalls like the best of them. Seriously, if they play their cards right, Crowe and Gosling could be another great Abbott and Costello.

Step 4: Oh, and hire a really savvy teenager. As the smart-as-a-whip Holly, Rice very nearly steals the show from her two co-stars. She shows an uncanny comedic sense while also making it seem entirely plausible that Holly would be just as good at being a private eye. Also, Holly finds herself in some situations no normal 13-year-old would be in but is, naturally, the level-headed one who tries to set her falling-apart-at-the-seams father on the right path. The “wise kid raising the parent” isn’t a new concept, but Rice does a nice job keeping it fresh. Look out for this young Australian actress – she’s going places.

Step 5: Be thankful L.A. doesn’t look like that anymore. The Nice Guys locale is a key player in the film, showing that gritty, smog-filled side of Los Angeles in the 1970s. From the dilapidated Hollywood Sign, to the crowded freeways, to the growing porn industry, director Shane Black really paints a nice thin, dirty feel to the whole thing, which completely complements the action. But there is also some beauty to the film, a clear love letter to L.A. and the promise of how gorgeous the City of Angels will become – once all the smog is cleared out.

Step 6: Get Shane Black. The once wunderkid, whose sale of his first script, Lethal Weapon, is one of those legendary Hollywood stories. The classic 1987 buddy-cop script was one of the first to benefit from a “bidding-war” situation between studios, creating a heyday for screenwriters in the ’80s and ’90s. While it’s much different now with how movie scripts are sold, Black has proven he was not a one-hit wonder, especially with his directorial debut Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005. The Nice Guys follows along the same lines, mixing genres and creating something that feels familiar but is still unique.

There are some plot holes in the film, mostly revolving around Kim Basinger’s role as Amelia’s mother (who definitely needed more screen time) and her job as the “head of the justice department,” investigating the auto industry and the smog emission problem that plagued Los Angeles in the ’70s, but you’re willing to overlook it because the characterizations and the dialogue are all so spot-on. This crime comedy milieu is really Black’s forte, and let’s hope he keeps making them.

How to Watch: “Captain America: Civil War”

Captain America

Step 1: Buckle in. The ultimate battle of superhero titans is about to take off in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War and hold onto your seats, folks, because this is one helluva ride – and the best Marvel movie to date.

Step 2: Set up. The basic premise revolves the Avengers’ methods of staving off potential global catastrophes. Lead by Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans), the small band of superheroes and fighters see the threat and go in to take it out. Problem is, when they do that, collateral damage – both with property and with innocent lives – is inevitable, and governments around the world are not sitting well with it. They want some checks and balances on the Avengers. Usually on the side of the government, Cap sees this as a big problem because any delay in their emergency response could prove to be highly detrimental and a larger loss of life. Instead, it’s Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), who sides with the bureaucrats. He says he understands their POV, but there’s an underlying guilt Tony feels because let’s face it, the last catastrophe at the hands of Ultron was Stark’s fault since, you know, he created Ultron. Tony doesn’t trust himself anymore and thinks he might need some higher authority telling him no.

Step 3: Pick a side. Thus creates the conflict, which is only heightened when Steve’s BFF Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) shows up again. Bucky is trying very hard to shed his Winter Soldier/assassin reputation by staying in hiding but unfortunately is still under some form of Manchurian Candidate-type mind control, and at some point, Winter Soldier is re-engaged. Steve knows his friend is still in there and isn’t doing these things on his own accord, but the rest of the world doesn’t. Cap wants to get Bucky help to finally “fix” his brain, but in protecting Bucky, Steve and those who follow him – Sam Wilson aka Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) – become wanted fugitives themselves. They now have to fight against their friends who are following Tony, such as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany) and Lt. James Rhodes aka War Machine (Don Cheadle). Little do they know, they are all being manipulated by another, more sinister force, who, of course, should be stopped by the Avengers. But can they do that before the friendship between Cap and Iron Man are irreparably damaged?

Step 4: Kudos to the writers. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely craft an excellent story, one that isn’t too convoluted (sorry, Batman v Superman, they did it right) but also one that allows a bevy of characters to share time onscreen in a seamless way. This is a story we can actually relate to, if you’ve ever had a big blowup with your siblings. Markus and McFeely turn the Avengers into a dysfunctional family of sorts, so when they do argue – and by “argue,” I mean use their superpowers to slam each other through walls — it actually comes more out of love and respect. Tony and Steve don’t want to be in this conflict, but they are also both stubborn and are doing what they think is best. Plus, you really can understand both sides of the conflict, even if you find yourself rooting for a team (Team Cap does have the advantage, come on). Then, just when you think relations seem to be improving, a turn of events really sets Tony off, making the ultimate falling out between Cap and Iron Man even more heartbreaking to watch.

Step 5: Enter the new Avengers. The writers also have to introduce new characters into the Civil War mix to feed the Marvel machine, but do it in a way that makes sense to the overall picture. The biggest newbie storyline goes to T’Challa aka Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), a prince from a fictitious African nation who seeks revenge against Bucky for seemingly killing his father. This is what sets up the film’s tentpole battle sequence at the airport between Team Cap and Team Iron Man. Both teams know they need reinforcements, so Falcon brings in Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), who has always been anti-establishment, to join Team Cap, while Tony recruits teenager Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland) for Team Iron Man. The airport battle is nothing sort of spectacular, with its power, fabulous action, great humor and shades of grey coloring in what is supposed to be a black or white situation.

Step 6: Let them shine. All the actors get a chance to bring more depth to their characters. In the past Avengers movies, Downey seems to overpower the situation with his stellar performance as Tony Stark, but in Civil War, he really isn’t the main focus but rather complements the whole ensemble. And, yes, the title does have Captain America in it, so it is, in essence, Evans’ movie, but everyone has their moment: Downey and Cheadle deepen their friendship; Evans and Emily VanCamp as special agent Sharon Carter share a bond (and maybe a romance?); Johansson and Renner have a nice moment in the airport scene (“We’re still friends, right?” “Depends on how hard you hit me.”); Olsen and Bettany get to play with a possible romance blossoming between Scarlet Witch and Vision (if that’s even possible); Mackie and Stan have fun playing Cap’s BFF rivals; Paul Rudd is freaking hilarious from the moment he appears and is totally us when he geeks out over being with the Avengers (“Hey, I know you,” he says to Scarlet Witch. “You’re great!”); and Boseman is simply kick-ass as Black Panther (and gets us excited about his stand-alone movie). The true stand-out, however – and the one most will talk about – is Holland as Spider-Man. I think they’ve finally nailed that character (and by “they” we mean Marvel… sorry, Sony).

Step 7: Call to action! Finally, there has to be a big shout-out to directors Anthony and Joe Russo. Armed with the excellent script, the brothers are able to implement an action-packed, funny and emotional comic-book movie that, up to this point, is the best of them all. The action sequences are crisp and well-defined, and the Russos thankfully avoid falling into the trap of making them too long or too busy. The brothers did that a little bit with Captain America: Winter Solider, so it looks like they’ve studied and improved their techniques. They also make sure there are enough light moments as there are dark ones, which seems to come naturally from the players’ camaraderie; that’s also a good sign the cast had attentive directors. Let’s just say, we are super excited the screenwriting/directing teams will be handling the last of the Avengers movie, the Infinity Wars Part 1 and 2.

Step 8: Go see Captain America: Civil War, like, right now.