Edge Of Tomorrow

MY RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

The summer blockbuster season is in full swing and this time we get to see another sci-fi action-packed thriller movie starring Tom Cruise.

In Edge of Tomorrow, continental Europe has been invaded by an alien species referred to as Mimics. Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, an officer who has never experience combat first-hand but is unceremoniously dropped into a suicide mission by the military to take back Europe. He is quickly killed but then wakes up the day before, realising that he is being thrown in a endless time-loop that forces him to re-live the day and then die, over and over again.

Edge of Tomorrow came as a surprise to me. I thought it would be another moderately good Tom Cruise action movie like Jack Reacher and Oblivion. However, it turned out to have a good plot, amazing CGI and enough action from start to end to make my heart race. The Mimics, I have to say, are the scariest alien beings I have seen so far on film, particularly because they are so fast and relentless.

What I liked about most about Edge of Tomorrow is how there is an endless number of ways the story could go and it gives the audience a feeling of suspense throughout. There were many times where I felt the movie was reaching it's climax but it turned out to be a dead end which forces the characters to take on a different lead. There was a couple of humour placed in the film, especially when it ties to him dying and resetting in several ridiculous ways.

For a movie where the plot repeats itself over and over again, Edge of Tomorrow clearly does not tire the audience out. It is thrilling, engaging, suspenseful and funny and will definitely earn the likes of audiences. I truly recommend this to anyone seeking out a good thriller. 

How To Train Your Dragon 2

MY RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

You have to admit, Toothless does remind you of Stitch from Lilo & Stitch. That's probably because the director of the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, Dean DeBlois, and the executive producer, Chris Sanders, co-wrote and co-directed Lilo & Stitch back in the days. This aside, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is such a thrilling film to watch! I am glad that this sequel was able to live up to the expectations set by the first film. With no Pixar contender this year, I could easily see this film clinching the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. 

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is set 5 years after the events of the first film and Hiccup has grown into a confident, skilled, dragon-riding teenager. Together with his dragon, Toothless, he ventures into new lands and discovers more about his past when he inexplicably ran into his long-lost mother, who turns out to be a dragon rider as well. Reunited, they have to take on a powerful adversary who threatens to seize all of the dragons under his control. 

What I really love about this film is that is brought back everything you like about the first film and added new elements to it that kept the film fresh and exhilarating. There were several unexpected twists and turns in the story that kept the movie interesting throughout and the audience wondering how is this all going to end. It is packed with adrenaline-pumping action that young audiences would enjoy as well as a number of beautifully-done heartfelt, nostalgic moments that children and adults alike would love. The tones in the film were also well-defined and I am surprised by how brave the producers are to introduce darker elements to a film meant for young audiences.

The animation in the film was extremely well-done. One of the best I've seen yet. I could really tell that they paid a lot of attention on the skin texture for both human and dragons as well as the fabric, although I have to concede that Disney did a better job animating ice and snow in Frozen than DreamWorks did in this film.

In all, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is a film everyone, young and old, would enjoy. It is definitely a film I would recommend for parents who want to take their children out for a movie, or for anyone who loves animated films. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

MY RATING: MUST WATCH

Bryan Singer returns to save the X-Men!!! In X-Men: Days of Future Past we get to see the cast of the original X-Men Trilogy meet the cast of the X-Men: First Class in a prequel/sequel/reboot instalment in the X-Men franchise. It can be a little confusing in terms of where this movie is placed in the timeline and how its events affect the overall sequence of events but I as far as I am concerned, this movie is just so incredible that I actually enjoyed it better than Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past has all the elements of a great superhero movie. The script has to be one of the most well-done I've seen, especially with the element of time travel involved. Time travel tends to confuse the audiences but I am glad that the time travelling element of the story is well-thought out and well-executed. 

There was a lot of character development in the film too, which in a way made the film feel very mature. We see Wolverine step out of his comfort zone and be the person of guidance for once. We also get to see Professor X in is lowest point in his life and Mystique's internal struggles that has developed her from the innocent friend of Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class to the cold-hearted figure we've known in the original X-Men Trilogy 

The action scenes were amazing, especially the battle between the X-Men and Sentinels in the future. I was so stoked to see Iceman's upgraded powers and also the new additions Bishop, Sunspot and Blink in action. The battle was both intense and heartfelt and the future sentinels do present themselves a formidable adversary. 

There was also a considerable amount of humour added to the film which helped lighten the tone a little. Most of it is tied to the character Quicksilver which is undeniably one of the highlights of the film. Quicksilver such a quirky character and the scenes of him running around in slow-motion is simply the most entertaining part of the film. 

In addition, with a huge ensemble cast, I am glad that the film managed to find the balance between characters and give each character an adequate amount of screen-time. The pacing was also well-done and no scene felt out-of-place or unnecessary to the story.

Lastly, what I am most happy about this film is the fact that it brings the X-Men franchise onto the right track after it has been messed around by several directors and writers. It is sort of Bryan Singer's way of saying "Move aside, this is my franchise!" Sure, there are going to be several minor continuity issues with this instalment of X-Men like where did Wolverine get his adamantium claws back after loosing them in The Wolverine, but its best if we look past these details and focus on the overall picture.

In all, X-Men: Days of Future Past is undoubtedly my favourite X-Men movie as well as my favourite superhero movie of 2014 thus far and it will definitely give anyone watching it a thrilling, entertaining and rewarding time at the cinema.

SPOILER WARNING FOR THE CONTENTS BELOW