Phoenix Productions
Review - UPGRADE5/31/2018 UPGRADE is a sci-fi action flick centered around the tired concept of over-intelligent sentient AI. While the concept and incredibly predictable plot are nothing new, the film itself oozes style and excellence in ways that Blumhouse Tilt have not produced before. The motion-tracking technology that was first utilized by IT Chapter One for wide-release films is perfected here, and used to create some stunning action scenes and unnerving dramatic tension. Logan Marshall-Green's performance as Grey Trace really nails the helpless victim and murderous vigilante machine duality perfectly. Simon Maiden as STEM is horrifying, cold, calculating, and fantastic in the role. The rest of the cast, save for a solid attempt from Betty Gabriel, is cliche and par for the course, yet it feels adequate here. This film has surprising depth to its plot, exploring the morality of this machine in Trace's back. The action is over-the-top, brutal, and a spectacle to behold. The excellent cinematography and score here hold up the film and add to the overall dystopian far-future feel. What starts as a John Wick-esque film becomes Robocop, becomes something else all together. It is an excellent popcorn flick, one that pleasantly surprised me and kept me entertained throughout its 95-minute run-time. Leigh Whannell, as director and writer, comes into his own here, delivering a truly fun, brutal, and enjoyable dark horse blockbuster, which deserves to be seen for its fight sequences alone.
FINAL VERDICT: 7 out of 10
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Solo might not have the stakes of other Star Wars films, but it has a charisma and charm that the franchise has needed for years. It doesn't need an overly-complex plot or episodic structure to deliver a full, enjoyable experience. This film allows Star Wars to explore more fun-filled adventures with low stakes and maximum enjoyment. The score of the film is to be commended, blending the most familiar stings of Star Wars music with new, incredible pieces. The cast drives this film. Alden Ehrenreich has proven himself to be an excellent Han Solo. While he is not Harrison Ford, he is more of a side-grade than an up- or down-grade. He fills holes in Han's character that Ford can't, while also missing parts of Han that Ford nailed in his performances. Overall, Ehrenreich performed fantastically in Solo, quelling all fears of not living up to the legacy before him. Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson also deliver incredibly performances as Lando, Qi'Ra, and Beckett respectively. Paul Bettany's villain role as Dryden Vos suffers slightly from the "Marvel Curse" of a slightly one-dimensional, weak villain, but Bettany's ability to act anything under the table is to be admired. The film is highly predictable, but Ron Howard managed to include one particular twist that is just too good not to mention: The Crimson Dawn gang, fronted by Dryden Vos, is actually run by Darth Maul, the apprentice of Darth Sidious who was defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, twice in The Clone Wars TV series, and once in Star Wars Rebels. Qi'Ra's role in the Crimson Dawn as a double agent whose allegiance is tied to herself and to Maul is also incredible to behold as it all comes together. The entire film is done extremely well, even for a weaker level of cinematography and strange under-lighting by Bradford Young, of Arrival fame. Even though this lighting is strange and brings down the quality of the cinematography as a whole, in the Star Wars universe it actually makes sense, considering the environment of Corellia.
Overall, a fun popcorn flick in a franchise that desperately needed one in order to break the now-tired formula, just as the excellent The Last Jedi did last year. FINAL VERDICT: 8 out of 10 Review - Deadpool 25/31/2018 Deadpool 2 is an incredibly fun continuation of the original film, and adds a new layer of depth to Wade Wilson. Ryan Reynolds absolutely knocks it out of the park once again in a role that was seemingly destined for him alone. Josh Brolin once again flexes his acting prowess as Cable, delivering another stellar performance in the wake of his Legendary-grade job in Avengers: Infinity War. The rest of the cast is just as great, and carry this film through serious and light-hearted moments alike. There are surprising amounts of serious moments in this film, though they usually end in a joke or two. Cinematography is on par with the first film, but the visual effects have taken a step up, most likely due to the increased budget. The score and soundtrack both absolutely nail it here. The story presented is more mature than the first film, and subverts many expectations. The humor of the film, however, doesn't reach the quantity of jokes that the first film had. Instead, the quality of the jokes increases dramatically, driving nonstop humor into a story that realistically shouldn't have any humor at all. While the stakes aren't always apparent or important, Deadpool 2 delivers an excellent sequel that will keep audiences begging for more. Also, the mid-credits sequence here is the best of all time, by far.
FINAL VERDICT: 8 out of 10 I have waited a month to write this review specifically so that people could witness this spectacle. I have made my position on this film no secret on my social media platforms. So I won't beat around the bush with it...
Avengers: Infinity War is an absolute masterpiece, the magnum opus of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is not a film that can be reviewed without first noting the rest of the MCU. This is a film that has been built up to over 10 years and 18 other films. After four screenings of Infinity War, I can safely say that this film earns its score through sheer power of the payoff from this journey. But what makes this film so spectacular, against the two Legendary films that released in April (Ready Player One and A Quiet Place)? Execution. This film executes on every fundamental level with flying colors. The cinematography is spot-on. The score is absolutely mesmerizing to listen to. The protagonist cast is as polished as ever, with standouts being Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Hemsworth. Josh Brolin, however, is undeniably the star of the show. His portrayal of Thanos is, without a doubt, the best villain the MCU has offered, and might be among the best on-screen villains of all time. His motives are changed from the comics, but they make him relatable on a level that no other MCU villain has attained. He is wickedly intelligent, strong-willed, and brutal in his efforts to destroy half of all life in the universe. Risk-taking. This film takes risks that no other Marvel film would even dare to take. This film has stakes on a cosmic level. Characters die. Big names die. A lot of them. Most of all, the villain wins. Thanos completes the Infinity Gauntlet and, even in the face of death through Thor's superpowered new weapon Stormbreaker, fulfills his destiny and Snaps half of the universe out of existence. Fallen heroes in this film prior to the Snap include Heimdall, Loki, Gamora, and Vision. Each of these deaths held significant emotional weight: Heimdall, because of his continuous arc throughout the Thor films and his personal friendship with the God of Thunder; Loki, because of his redemption arc throughout the Thor and Avengers films, which culminated in Thor: Ragnarok; Gamora, because of her relationships with Peter Quill and Thanos himself, and how much Thanos truly loved her and was forced to sacrifice her in order to retrieve the Soul Stone; and Vision, because of his relationships with Tony Stark and Scarlet Witch, and his double death because of the Time Stone. Once Thanos Snaps, the following characters are vaporized: Bucky Barnes, Black Panther, Teen Groot, Falcon, Mantis, Drax, Peter Quill, Peter Parker (the most emotional death in the entire film, even more impressive because that scene was improvised by Tom Holland), Maria Hill, and Nick Fury. Half of the protagonists, gone. Just like that. The implications for the future of the MCU are clear from here on out: the Multiverse is to be invoked if the franchise is to continue. And personally, I think this is a brilliant move. Epic Moments. This film's epic moments are above and beyond anything else in the MCU, similar to how the epic moments of Star Wars: The Last Jedi raised that film head and shoulders above the rest of its franchise. Thor's entrance in the Battle of Wakanda, Doctor Strange's Magic Onslaught on Titan, Iron Man's Last Stand, and the Snap itself all solidify themselves in my mind as the standout scenes of the film. Bottom line: This film is a masterpiece in the superhero genre. It has taken its place as one of my top 10 favorite films of all time, and the verdict has just been solidified more and more on each of my four screenings. In a Month of Legends (Ready Player One, A Quiet Place films, God of War video game), this one makes its mark and stands among the stars with no questions asked. Side note: If you watch Season 5 of Agents of SHIELD, it will further enhance the experience. FINAL VERDICT: LEGENDARY Author
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