Category Archives: ACTION

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

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

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)

ACTION, HORROR

THE SHALLOWS

June 25, 2016 avsguy98@hotmail.com Leave a comment

“We’re gonna need a bigger… rock”

Just when you thought all shark attack stories were the same, The Shallows brings a new perspective to the table with a simple objective and small cast.

Blake Lively plays Nancy a med student who travels to Mexico after her Mom is lost to cancer. She goes on a mission to a secluded beach where her Mother had gone while pregnant with Nancy. Finding peace with the cove and reminiscing through photos of her lost Mom, Nancy then surfs the whole day and on her last run meets her hungry nemesis.

This film will keep you entertained and Blake Lively puts on a great performance, as she is by herself for 90% of the movie. The Shallows plays on the popular fear of being stranded in the ocean with a shark, the most realistic of which would be Open Water. Other films have similar outlines with other dangers, Phone Booth is a sniper, Frozen (Not Disney) is on a ski lift with wolves below just to name a few. There are a few GOPRO sequences that really hit their mark as folks have documented encounters with Great White Sharks in real life (Just YouTube “Shark Attack GoPro” to freak yourself out).

The downfall of this movie is some of its unrealistic moments and there are more than we would like to see. What makes sharks so scary in movies is that they are rarely seen, the fin is enough to terrify most people. When the shark is shown about halfway through the movie, its shock is underwhelming as its depicted using less than desirable CGI. It’s not entirely the filmmakers fault as the studio cut their original budget and they lost their first director because of it.

All in all it is a fun movie to watch and will make you think twice before stepping into the ocean again. While it may not have the realism of Open Water, this film stands on its own when it had the potential to be a complete disaster.

ROASTED RIPPER SCORE

B- (7/10 Shark Bites)

ROASTED RIPPER REVIEWS