SOLO – A STAR WARS STORY

May 25, 2018 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Since Disney bought the rights to the Star Wars franchise a new plan was rolled out with many future releases. In addition to the 3rd trilogy, Star Wars has begun releasing anthology films starting with Rogue One. Let’s see how Solo rates on our report card.

ACTING/CASTING – 2/5 – On paper the casting looked incredible. Donald Glover as fan favorite Lando Calrissian alongside Game of Thrones vet Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrleson. Virtually every member of the cast comes up short, with an origin story there were extremely high expectations.

DIRECTING/EFFECTS – 3/5– Ron Howard is an incredible director and the effects live up to Star Wars standards but with the dark lighting and set unoriginality the film just seemed a bit rushed.

WRITING – 2/5 – With a story about Han Solo there were so many directions the script could have gone, it chose a safe route that doesn’t necessarily fit and leaves die hard fans with more questions than answers.

GENRE STABILITY 2/5 – Star Wars fans will enjoy the cameos but ultimately this didn’t feel like a Star Wars film. The new planets were uninspired and again felt rushed.

RE-WATCH FFREQUENCY – 1/5 – This is a one timer in the theaters and only consider a Blu Ray purchase if you want to complete the Star Wars collection.

STORY – 2/5 – it is nice to see how Han met Chewie and Lando but other than that fans will be left feeling a little cheated. Personally I wanted to see when Han meets Jabba and see how his character progressed.

ROASTED RIPPER TOTAL – 2/5

ROTTEN TOMATOES (At time of post) – 70% Critics VS 55% Users

IMDB (At time of post) – 6.9/10

FINAL THOUGHTS – As a standalone film, Solo is still entertaining and has some laughs but that’s about the end of its’ substance. In the Star Wars cinematic universe it fails to uphold the continuity and integrity of past films. Had Solo been released prior to Rogue One, it would have been met with a better vibe. Add it to your collection at home but I would not recommend spending the cash to see it in the theater.

ACTION, COMEDY

DEADPOOL 2

May 18, 2018 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

The highly anticipated Deadpool sequel finally hit theaters, with a genius marketing campaign and higher budget, let’s go to the report card to see if it’s worth the hype.

ACTING/CASTING – 5/5 – With the addition of Josh Brolin it brings a new chemistry. Brolin playing the serious and vengeful “Cable” alongside Ryan Reynolds…. who plays Ryan Reynolds. There are a few cameos that will make X-Men fans happy, while also developing some of the supporting cast from Deadpool.

WRITING – 6.5/5 – This film could have gone the route of most comedic sequels, rehashing the same jokes/storyline from the original. Not Deadpool 2, it doubles down on comic book trolling while staying true to its’ identity.

DIRECTING/EFFECTS – 4/5 – With a higher budget the effects were obviously going to take a leap forward. While some of the CGI characters lacked realistic representation, they make sure to address it in the script.

GENRE STABILITY – 3/5 – If you are new to the Deadpool franchise, you will need to watch the first film in order to understand his powers and surrounding characters. It will also help to be familiar with other Marvel and DC films but it’s not a necessity.

STORY – 5/5 – Unlike the first installment, this story has a serious undertone. It puts the audience in an awkward spot, while Reynolds is forced to show off some of his range. An element which was absent from Deadpool.

RE-WATCH FREQUENCY – 5/5 – I would see it at least twice in the theater to catch the Easter eggs and any one-liners you may have missed the first time around. An at home buy is also a must, even if just for the gag reel and deleted scenes.

ROASTED RIPPER TOTAL – 4.7/5

ROTTEN TOMATOES (At time of post) – 85% Critics VS 85% Users

IMDB (At time of post) – 8.4/10

FINAL THOUGHTS – Deadpool 2 could have easily taken the lazy cash grab route as most sequels do. Instead, they decided to pack in the action and laughs into two hours that you don’t want to end. With the addition of the X-Force and further development of original characters under a heartfelt script and contagious soundtrack, this is a perfectly balanced sequel that fans will love.

Deadpool 2 also features one of the best “post” credit scenes of all time. It’s run in mid credits and split into two parts, after that feel free to leave as there is nothing remaining (Unless you want to hear more of the original tunes).

NEXT WEEK – SOLO – A STAR WARS STORY

BLURAY/DVD, COMEDY, THROWBACK THURSDAY

THROWBACK THURSDAY – DEADPOOL

May 17, 2018 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Deadpool 2 hits theaters in a few hours, in anticipation let’s take a walk down memory lane and see the report card from the original.

ACTING – 5/5 – Ryan Reynolds… Green Lantern no more!

WRITING – 6/5 – For a low budget spinoff, this script shows no fear. The film takes shots at their own producers, other Marvel films, and misuse of the Deadpool character (X-Men Origins : Wolverine).

STORY – 3/5 – There are a few dull moments where the flow of the film is broken up. A minor speed bump in the fun.

GENRE STABILITY – 4/5 – Whether you’re a die hard comic book fan or have never seen a movie in the MCU, you can follow along just fine.

DIRECTING – 3/5 – Again, this goes back to the pace of the film, nonlinear storytelling for a goofy comedy. Due to a low budget the visual effects also suffered.

RE-WATCH FREQUENCY – 5/5 – Can be seen multiple times in the theaters with endless showings at home. A must buy DVD or BluRay purchase.

ROASTED RIPPER TOTAL – 4.3/5

ROTTEN TOMATOES – 83% Critics VS 90% Users

IMDB – 8.0/10

FINAL THOUGHTS – Deadpool will go down as a genre redefining film. It not only broke superhero movie rules but also managed to poke fun at them, all while maintaining an original feel. A film where the Audience feels like they were part of the cast. It won’t be remembered as an award winner or the best hero movie of all time but it’s still a classic in my book!

Check back for the “Roasted Ripper Report Card” for Deadpool 2

ACTION, COMEDY, HORROR, THROWBACK THURSDAY

THROWBACK THURSDAY – GHOSTBUSTERS

September 22, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

I Am The Reviewer. Are You The Review Reader?

In 1984 we were taken to the world of ghost hunting, or better yet the world of ghost hunting was brought to us, long before there were countless shows and movies on the subject. And with a good combination of action, suspense, some scares, and a few recognizable faces in their earlier years, “Ghostbusters” became an instant classic.

Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd lead the ensemble of now well-known faces and names that made this piece what it is. Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray) is kicked out of the college he works at and is forced to find a new job. With the help of his fellow parapsychologist friends Dr. Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), the three create their own ghost removal business in New York City. But there happens to be one case in particular that is far worse than the rest which threatens to bring an end to all of mankind.

Cast alongside Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis are none other than Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and Ernie Hudson. They all work well off one another with the antics between Murray and Aykroyd leading the way.

Given that this movie was made more than 30 years ago the story is good, the cinematography is good, and the different effects throughout were all good too with a few hiccups here and there which can be expected for a movie from the eighties. If this exact same movie were made today for the first time ever I’m sure there would be some differences that could have made it even better. But all in all it is still a really good movie.

Even with an updated version of “Ghostbusters” having come out (and being well received by those who saw it) earlier this year, this one is still a monumental achievement all on its own. This is a great movie and will keep viewers of all ages well entertained for the full hour and forty-five minute running time.

Roasted Ripper Score = A

9 Proton Blasters / 10

HORROR

BLAIR WITCH

September 18, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

A new twist on a classic.

In 1999 the found footage style of the horror genre was born with the Lionsgate release of “The Blair Witch Project”. At the time many speculated the film to be real and its’ popularity spread like wild fire. Obviously it was later determined that the film was planned but it was already a massive success. Whether you love or hate the original Blair Witch, it is engrained in horror culture for eternity. Due to the success of the first film the studio fast tracked a sequel released in the following year titled “Book Of Shadows – Blair Witch 2”. The sequel flopped and is widely considered one of the worst horror movies of all time.

It was unveiled at this years’ comic con that the new horror film “The Woods” was actually a Blair Witch sequel. The original trailer for “the Woods”was vague yet intriguing, once it was announced as “Blair Witch” it sent horror fans into a frenzy and ripe with anticipation. With a modern twist the filmmakers set out to do the impossible and bring life into a franchise that was as dead as the Blair Witch herself…

Mission Accomplished, kind of.

“Blair Witch” picks up about 20 years after the events of the first film, we meet James who is watching a clip uploaded to the internet which is believed to be from his sister Heather Donahue (The main character from the original). He and his friends set out to the Black Hills woods in Burkittsville, MD to see if they can uncover the fate of James’ sister. Armed with modern technology including GPS, drone cameras, and personal recording devices they document as they are terrorized by the Blair Witch.

While sure not to please everyone, fans of the genre and the first installment will ultimately enjoy the latest take. The 89 minute runtime goes extremely fast, a far different pace then the slower suspenseful exploits of Heather, Josh, and Mike. The visual effects obviously got a modern day overhaul which is refreshing, clearer camera shots and multiple angles lure the audience into the story and keep them intrigued throughout. The mythology of the Blair Witch is examined and key parts that fans have asked about for 17 years are answered and make sense. They do this in an obvious way but it doesn’t detract from the story.

Casting was a downfall, none of the actors were that great and they showed little chemistry for portraying “lifetime” friends. The audience is disconnected from them from the get go, making their impending demise somewhat enjoyable. The woods look different from the original, choosing to shoot in the pacific northwest probably was not correct for continuity from “The Blair Witch Project”. Giving the film more of a green look rather than orange/brown, the daytime scenes are a little annoying but obviously with night shots it doesn’t matter. The filmmakers took a lot of risks with a few of the new elements that they added, for that they should be applauded. Audiences will likely be torn on if they like the new direction. This film has a long list of negatives that movie goers will surely notice, even with horrible acting, new direction, and unfortunate location they still make this an enjoyable hour and a half and leave the audiences asking more questions.

“Blair Witch” is nowhere close to being the scariest movie of all time, it can be classified as average at best. As most fans know though, with the slew of horrible and lazy horror flicks out there, average can be memorable.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE = C

2.9/5 Creepy Stick Figures

DRAMA

SULLY

September 13, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear wings.

The miracle on the Hudson will forever be known by its’ defining image of the passengers and crew standing on the wings of the nearly submerged aircraft, shivering in the sub zero temperatures while waiting for help to arrive. “Sully’ brings you the story of the pilot behind the impossible landing – Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger as portrayed by Tom Hanks. Sully has over 40 years of experience in the air, but no amount of experience or training could prepare him for dual engine loss at low altitude while gliding over the most populated city in the world.

Like most biographical/historical pieces, the audience is well aware with how the film will end. Even knowing that all 155 people aboard will survive, “Sully” doesn’t let up on your nerves or emotions. Clint Eastwood has an outstanding track record in Hollywood and his directing is no exception. The story of the 208 second terror is told in a non chronological format which ends up keeping the audience more engaged without a lot of action sequences. There isn’t much to criticize with this film other than “Sully” somewhat skims over his relationship with his family and all of their interaction comes over the phone. This leaves the audience unattached to the Sullenberger clan as a whole.

The first 90 seconds of the film is quick to remind you what could have happened if Sully had followed protocol and made his way back to the airport. Spoiler Alert – It’s not good. With a September release it automatically throws your mind to the tragic events of 9/11/2001. The basis of the film is the investigation behind his actions and if they were careless. Again the audience may be well aware how the case turns out but will still be overcome with emotion and uneasiness.

The major takeaway from this film is the total team effort with perfect timing that allowed this forced water landing to have a 100% survival rate. The Pilots, crew, passengers, air traffic controllers, and first responders all played an equal role in making sure no one was lost to the frigid waters. Much like we give credit to Police, Military, and Firefighters – Pilots are often under appreciated. I, like many Americans complain when I travel on a regular basis. Crazy things can happen in the air and without extensive training and quick decision making, traveling would be a lot more stressful than a delayed flight or long security lines. Without Captain Sullenberger there would also be 155 more people in NY that would be simply another tragic statistic.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE = B+

4/5 Inflatable slides

COMEDY, THROWBACK THURSDAY

THROWBACK THURSDAY – YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

September 2, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

BRING…MR. WILDER…BECK!

With the recent passing of the great Gene Wilder it felt necessary to take a look back at one of his most marvelous, and less known and recognized great performances, in “Young Frankenstein”.

Directed by Mel Brooks, Wilder plays Fredrick Frankenstein (or Froaderick Fronkensteen as he prefers to have it pronounced) the grandson of the infamous scientist in this classic Brooks vision in the world of the well-known story.

After hearing of his grandfather’s death, Fredrick is invited to Transylvania to prove he is not as crazy as his family name suggests. And even as he adamantly expresses his disinterest in his grandfather’s work, he finds himself dragged into it to the point where he himself brings his own monster to life. As the result of an abnormality with the creature, the events that ensue are both intriguing and hilarious.

Alongside Wilder on the screen includes the likes of Marty Feldman, Terri Garr, and Peter Boyle not to mention a few familiar faces from the Mel Brooks movie world like Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman. There might also be a small appearance from a young man named Gene Hackman playing a blind man.

As with any comedy, especially one by Mel Brooks, there is a certain group of people who will love a film like this and another who will not. There are plenty of things you could change, but doing so would take away from the magic this film creates and is unnecessary due to the slapstick nature of it all. And if you’ve enjoyed any other projects with Brooks and Wilde involved with it, then this is just another to add to eithers library.

If you are an avid fan of comedy and are fine with straight forward jokes, laughs that are created by a play on words as well as those made by observations and complete ridiculousness, and you are able to follow the simple story and the vast humor within, you will have a great time watching this movie.

Roasted Ripper Score: A

(9 Humps/10)

Dedicated to Willy Wonka, Jim, Leo Bloom, and many other great characters better known as Gene Wilder

ACTION, HORROR

DON’T BREATHE

August 30, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Don’t Blink Either…

From the minds behind “Evil Dead” comes a home invasion story with many twists and turns, and of course enough brutality to make horror fans of any style happy. We follow the story of 3 troubled youths from Detroit who raid wealthy homes taking valuables and trading them for cash. Desperate to leave Detroit they decide to target a blind military veteran who has $300-400K stashed in his house. A settlement that came from his daughter’s death via vehicular manslaughter. Once the kids break in all hell breaks loose.

“Don’t Breathe” is one of the most interesting movies this summer, marketed as a horror but I would classify it as a suspense thriller. Fans of the genre love twists, the main twist in this film is not to the level of “Saw” but is a hell of a lot more effective than “the Village”. While most home invasion stories are pretty one sided, these characters have a few different dimensions blurring the line of who is good and evil. Like most memorable movies there is a scene or two that can’t be unseen, “Don’t Breathe” has such a scene that will make you gag, laugh, and give you nightmares all at the same time. Obviously this film has more than its share of silent moments, only making the audience feel even more uneasy setting us up for an emotional roller coaster.

The biggest negative that comes out of this project is some of the minor details. Just an example – knowingly deciding to rob a blind guy while he is in the house. The group of criminals seem to also neglect that people who lack in sight make up for it in their hearing abilities, these three should have been a little bit more stealth in order to complete their goal. While these characters also have different layers the audience never feels truly connected to any of them, making their fate unemotional yet still entertaining – a rare combination.

Overall “Don’t Breathe” has enough of an original story with original twists to make up for its few shortcomings. It won’t redefine the horror or thriller genre but still is a must see this summer. Make sure to pick a reasonable show time (Preferably earlier) as there isn’t much dialogue so teenagers or inconsiderate load mouths could ruin the experience.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE = B

(3.8/5 Gasps)

ACTION

SUICIDE SQUAD

August 26, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Worst. Villains. Ever?

With “Man of Steel” back in 2013 which was followed by “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” earlier this year, one of the most anticipated movies in the growing DC movie franchise was none other than “Suicide Squad”. But did it live up to the hype or did they focus on the stories of a few select characters little more than they should have?

We meet up with some of the most notorious villains in the DC universe as they’re being held captive in a high security fortress in Louisiana. The group includes the likes of Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and a full cast of others with their own unique abilities and offense which brings to reason why they are there in the first place.

But why do I feel like I’m forgetting some major bad guy. Oh yeah, Jared Leto’s Joker. Perhaps I forgot about him because of the producer’s decision to remove many of the Joker scenes due to them making the movie too dark. Funny, I thought this was supposed to be a movie about supervillains. Why would we want to make that a darker movie than one about superheroes?

Anyway, the band of misfits (minus Joker as he’s off doing his own thing) is brought together for the government’s attempt at stopping a Superman like creature that may threaten humanity if they see fit. And as luck would have it, such a situation arises and the team is reluctantly thrown into action to put an end to the threat or die trying all in an attempt for redemption. Either way, the government will be able to wipe their hands clean as they would just claim to have no knowledge of the groups existence.

With great action and effects, a decent story that could have been both better and worse, and a cast of some well-known faces and names, this is perhaps one of the best comic based movies of the year. That’s easy to say considering there have only been a few of them this year.

Now for the harsh part. Although it was great to get someone like Smith involved in the project, and even Robbie and Leto, it seemed like the whole movie was more centered on the former two’s characters and their stories far more than anyone else’s. Was this because they were being played by big stars in the industry or were their stories that much more interesting than anyone else’s? The Joker on the other hand left a lot to be desired as they built him up as being in the film quite a bit, but he really wasn’t in it all that much. And even when we did see him, it again wasn’t for very long.

Overall, the movie was very entertaining and kept you drawn in till the now always expected clip during the credits that foreshadows the next movie to come. There were just certain things that could have been done differently to really make this one a memorable feature that people would have been talking about for ages. People may be talking about it, but it might just be for the wrong reasons. This certainly won’t be the last time we see these villains, but let’s just hope the next time we do we’ll see an equal amount of each of them rather than focusing our attention on the ones played by the big name actors.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE – C+

(7.7/10 Likeable Baddies)

ACTION, COMEDY

WAR DOGS

August 23, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

Jonah Hill and Miles Teller are weapons in their own right…

From the director of “The Hangover” trilogy comes the true story of Efraim Diveroli (Hill) and David Packouz (Teller). Two childhood friends who are now in their twenties working together to obtain obscure weapons contracts for the Pentagon on the black market. Efraim and David are reunited at a friends’ funeral, while reminiscing Packouz unveils to Diveroli that he is unhappy with the direction of his professional life. As a friend Efraim decides to help David, showing him the ropes and financial upside of international arms dealing, soon the pair become business partners.

It is refreshing to get a war film that has a different take, most films on combat are shocking, depressing, and negative much like the true horrors of life and death situations. “War Dogs” gives you a behind the scenes look at the real world cost to outfit our soldiers (roughly $17,500 per soldier) and that is just the beginning. From guns to grenades to rocket launchers these characters sell them all. While this film seems like it has a complicated premise, Phillips does a masterful job of dumbing it down so audiences with no background in business or military weaponry can follow right along.

Jonah Hill does a compelling job depicting the man behind the operation Efraim. We have all come to know Jonah Hill as a comedic star but he shows off his range in “War Dogs” and should be taken seriously for future widespread roles. Miles Teller does a good job aside Hill as David. Teller is also known as being an upcoming star thanks to the “Divergent” series and a few other comedies. Hill does most of the comedic heavy lifting as the film focuses around Teller and his characters’ family. Teller is believable as a serious family man but would have liked to see him throw in a few jokes.

This film was marketed as a comedy, while it won’t have you laughing out of your seat it will keep the laughs at a brisk pace for the rest of the action and drama. A few of the details about minor characters can be seen as plot holes but they don’t deter the audience enough to disconnect from the major characters. An entertaining and educational film with enough laughs and serious moments to be considered one of the best all-around movies of the summer.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE – B+

(7.8/10 Crumbs)

ROASTED RIPPER REVIEWS