Marvel is really on a roll these days. Moviegoers and fanboys alike anticipate every film in the Marvel Cinematic Uinverse, even this summer’s Ant-Man, a character who never would have made the transition from comic book to silver screen prior to this heightened interest. Avengers: Age of Ultron kicks off Phase 3 of the Universe […]
A talented artificial intelligence expert is called on to evaluate his boss’s latest evolutionary achievement in the riveting sci-fi drama Ex Machina. The promise of advanced artificial intelligence serves as the centerpiece of countless Hollywood films. 1927’s Metropolis captivated audiences with its cautionary tale of a dystopian future ruled by smart machines. Our own tech […]
A simple, young housekeeper discovers that she’s actually intergalactic royalty in Jupiter Ascending. Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) is the daughter of an unassuming immigrant couple captivated by the mystery of the universe. She also believes that there’s more to the dazzling nighttime display of dancing stars than meets the eye. The real truth is not only […]
I’ve never been a fan of splitting movies. In recent years, when the last Harry Potter book was split into two movies, it opened the floodgates for other series like Twilight, The Hunger Games and The Hobbit to do the same. If I thought like a movie producer or company, I would see the brilliance […]
A brainy young teen, his robot companion and a group of misfit friends form an unlikely clan of crime fighters in the animated adventure Big Hero 6. Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter) is a natural whiz at robotics engineering. That’s quite an accomplishment for an otherwise typical 14-year-old boy. He uses his skills to craft […]
A confused teen finds himself trapped at the center of a massive maze with no memory of who he is or his life before in The Maze Runner. Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) is jolted awake from a foggy haze, unsure of everything he sees around him. He’s encircled by dozens of grizzled, suspicious boys who forcefully introduce him into […]
Reboots of franchises can be a good idea if they’re done right. The recent Godzilla is a perfect example of how a reboot can still feel fresh and entertain audiences. I can’t be as positive about the reboot — is this the second or third attempt? — of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to coincide with the 30th […]
It has been an interesting summer for the major superhero movies. Things started off strong with Captain America: The Winter Soldier because it went beyond its superhero origin. I was disappointed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which felt more like a romance to me than a film centered on a comic book character. X-Men: Days […]
A group of outcast misfits bands together in an attempt to save us all in Guardians of the Galaxy. In 1988, a young Earth child was abducted and raised by a group of space pirates known as the Ravagers. Now grown, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) sets his sights on a small, highly-coveted orb that the Ravagers have […]
A reluctant drug mule gains incredible superpowers when she’s inadvertently exposed to the effects of a new drug in Lucy. An American woman living in Taiwan runs into an exasperated recent acquaintance. He implores Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) to deliver a mysterious briefcase to a third party at a nearby hotel. The hand off goes horribly wrong, ending with her abduction […]
A molecular biologist searches for the answer to a genetic mystery that challenges everything we know about life in I Origins. Geeky graduate student Ian Gray (Michael Pitt) is fascinated by the human eye. Each one is a work of art unique to its host and no one else. His research, not surprisingly, revolves around the […]
Four hapless citizens try to survive a single night of government-sanctioned lawlessness in The Purge: Anarchy. In the near future, the weight of a growing population threatens the stability of the United States and its capacity to provide services to its citizens. In response, its leaders approved an annual 12-hour period of complete mayhem where anything goes, […]