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

Godzilla

MY RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

We finally get to see the iconic Japanese Kaiju back on the big screen and simply put, it was one of the most rewarding monster movies I've watched so far, perhaps even topping Pacific Rim.

Godzilla hits all the right notes. I could really tell that the director Gareth Edwards took a lot of effort in ensuring that the beast and the story stay true to its roots and not repeat Roland Emmerich's 1998 Godzilla flop. The result was a well-balanced, well-written and well-paced monster movie with enough intensity, emotion and action to keep the audiences' adrenaline pumping. 

One of the great treats from the film was the introduction of a few other Kaijus to the story which opens up more possibilities to which the story can go. Unlike Spider-Man's villains, the law of diminishing marginal returns do not really apply here. The additional Kaijus actually helped enhance the story, leading to a great and fulfilling conclusion.

When it comes to acting, Bryan Cranston's stellar performance in the first act of the film really set the bar for standards which the subsequent lead actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson struggled to maintain. I am a little disappointed the Bryan Cranston did not have the amount of screen-time I expect him to have, but he delivered a strong performance nonetheless. Elizabeth Olsen and Ken Watanabe were also good but unfortunately movies like these do not offer much character development and interactions. 

In all, Godzilla is a fantastic re-imagination of the famous genre that is not only able to honour the legacy this beloved monster but also bring it to the modern age. It is definitely a film viewers would enjoy and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a great summer blockbuster movie. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

MY RATING: RECOMMENDED 

The second instalment to the Spider-Man reboot is finally here! Spider-Man returns in this sequel adjusted for inflation with more villains, more action and more emotional drama. In general, I really enjoyed this film, although there were several approaches and concepts I feel could have been improved on.

In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man has gotten used to his powers and his responsibilities in protecting the city of New York against crime. However, he still struggles to find the truth behind his parents leaving and struggles to keep the promise to Gwen Stacy's father to stay away from Gwen. Amidst this, he faces new adversaries, including Electro and his old friend, Harry Osborne. 

What I really liked from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 are the actions, acting, humour as well as the chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. The actions in the film are spectacular and the CGI is one of the most impressive I've ever scene. The fight scenes between Spider-Man and Electro and Harry Osborne are undoubtedly the highlights of the film. A lot of attention is being paid to detail in this film, especially in terms of Spider-Man's suit and Electro's skin, making a lot of CGI scenes look very realistic. 

The acting was also great and it made the film more compelling to watch. Andrew Garfield plays Spider-Man perfectly and at times I felt that he portrayed Spider-Man a lot better than Toby McGuire in the original trilogy as he is able to bring more charisma and humour to the character. Also, the chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy is so powerful and natural that you want to root for them to be together regardless of how complicated their relationship is. 

On the flip side, there were also many parts of the film that I felt could have been improved. I felt that the character developments for the villains could have been a lot better. Max Dillon (a.k.a. Electro) merely came across as a weird anti-social character who seems to be suffering from a mental disorder. This makes him quite unrelatable and thus failing to garner the amount of sympathy it should deserve. Harry Osborne came across as a jerk in a very superficial manner. The original series did a lot better in the character development of the Green Goblin. Harry's introduction in this film felt a little forced and his transformation to the Green Goblin also felt a little too rushed.

The mystery behind Pater Parker's parents' departure was resolved in this film, but after all the hype and suspense that has been built up around the mystery, the resolution felt a little too underwhelming. Many critics reviewed the film saying that the plot was too heavy with all the issues and villains coming into Peter Parker's life and that it made the storytelling clunky. There is some truth in this but I feel that such a problem is inevitable and that the director, Marc Webb, did his best to tie all of these together using the common theme of responsibility and making the right choices. 

In all, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will undeniably be an enjoyable time for all. Marc Webb did a good job with this film and I am eager to know what comes next in this franchise. 

The Other Woman

MY RATING: GOOD ONE-TIME CATCH

Revenge is sweet, yes. The Other Woman, at first glance, is like any other chick flick with the usual relationship drama, over-the-top characters, slapstick humour and and of course alcoholism. However, what I enjoy about this movie is that it deviates from the cliché of finding romance to instead, finding revenge. One can't help but feel good when revenge is served. 

The plot of the movie is very straightforward. 3 women plan to seek revenge on a guy who has cheated on them all. Each of the three main female characters have their own unique personality and I really like how the dynamics work between the three of them - the lawyer, the wife and the boobs - as it is mentioned in the film. 

Being a comedy, I felt that the film hit the right notes in ensuring that the audience sustain their laughter from start to finish. I was surprised to find myself laughing so hard at times. The film may not have the wittiest of humour but I still enjoyed the slapstick gags regardless of how shallow or retarded they may seem. There were also several emotional issues to address in the film and I am glad that they kept them sweet and not turn them into an emotional drag that does not fit into the tone of the film.

In all, if you looking for a good time with your friends and to leave the cinema with a good laugh, The Other Woman would be the movie for you.

Noah

MY RATING: GOOD ONE-TIME CATCH

Hollywood once again attempts to adapt the bible for the silver screen with the story of Noah. Noah is unlike the colourful and hopeful story told by children's books but a more realistic yet artistic take on the Book of Genesis. Director Darren Aronofsky brought in a sense of realism to the film, showing us first hand how wicked and cruel the world used to be that "The Creator" had to destroy everything. 

The film opens up with a disclaimer saying: 

“The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the Book of Genesis.”

This statement sent us a clear message that the story is going to be considerably different from the biblical version and indeed it was, with the addition of new details and characters as well as the unique interpretation of the "Fallen Angels". Despite that, I do feel that the film (in some way) still managed to bring across the essence of new life, the values of faith and goodness that it promised and maintain the general idea of the story. 

What I like about Noah is that I managed to step into the shoes of many of the characters and comprehend their feelings and emotions. We also get to see the dark side of human nature which is truly disturbing but not entirely surprising for we are indeed self-centred people in a dog-eat-dog world. We learn that Noah is actually not the perfect figure we always perceived him to be but a conflicted person who did not understand the true intentions of "The Creator", just like anyone else would be. Another thing I have to give credit to Aronofsky is his rather convincing attempt in marrying the concept of Creationism and Darwinism in a visual spectacle explaining how the world began.  

I really like the cast of Noah as they are each incredibly talented in their individual roles. Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins - They all delivered an amazing performance that made you connect well to their characters 

Hollywood adaptations of biblical stories, however, will continuously be bombarded with controversy and criticism due to its divergence and inaccuracies. It is an unavoidable situation as film-makers have to make changes to the original in order to obtain as much revenue for it is in their agenda, especially for a film with such a huge budget. 

Noah, in my opinion, is an interesting and thrilling film. It was a good, scary take on the biblical story and it is very emotional as well. I am giving it a "Good One-Time Catch" for despite the thrill, it is not a film I have the strong urge to watch again.

Divergent

MY RATING: GOOD ONE-TIME CATCH

From the companies that brought you films from the disappointing Twilight Saga to the widely acclaimed Hunger Games Saga comes a new franchise based on a trilogy written by Veronica Roth. For starters, I felt that the movie was quite enjoyable despite the fact it was not everything I hoped it would be. It clearly could not compete with the likes of the Hunger Games films but I still felt  it was a good attempt at adapting Roth's thick, plot-heavy book for the big screen. 

Divergent is set in the dystopian future where people are categorised into five different factions based on their personality. Every 16-year old has to take an aptitude test to determine which faction they are best suited for, and eventually make their decision during the Choosing Ceremony. However, Beatrice Prior, born in Abnegation, found out that she possess qualities of more than one faction, making her "Divergent". Divergents are hunted in the society and thus we see her cope in the faction she eventually chooses, Dauntless, and struggle to keep her divergence a secret.

Every film has its good and bad and in this case I felt it was split quite equally. I felt that the story was well-paced but choppy at times,  and that the climax of the film was good but not impactful enough. The actors played their characters pretty well but I hoped there was actually better character development, especially for the supporting characters. However, I do like the action scenes in the film and the training sequences that changed Beatrice into a strong, confident and brave member of Dauntless.

Like I've mentioned earlier, the weakness of this film is probably the fact that it was unable to condense Veronica Roth's novel well enough for the story to appear smooth. There were many elements and characters in the book that the film failed to allude to and character development storyline appeared to have segments cut out. The relationship build-up between the two main characters also felt as if it skipped a few steps. 

Divergent isn't a great film, but it wasn't a bad film either. If you walk into the theatre hoping it would be like the Hunger Games films, I am pretty sure you would be deeply disappointed. But if you are looking for a good fantasy action film, Divergent would be what I could recommend. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

MY RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The next instalment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally here and I can safely say that this is one of the best films that Marvel Studios has to offer. The film basically offers everything viewers want in a great action-packed movie - political drama, intense gun fights and hand-to-hand combat, spectacular car chases, great character development and impressive CGI. 

I thought that Marvel Studio has ruined their big surprise when they revealed the true identity of The Winter Soldier through their promotional campaigns. However, after watching the film I realised that, the identity of The Winter Soldier is merely the tip of the iceberg and that there are more revelations and plot lines that would bring about greater repercussions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Russo Brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, did an amazing job directing the film and scaling down the amount of CGI used in the film. Many of the action scenes are done with actual set pieces and props which make the action look more realistic and intense. I also like the character development in this film, and how Captain America comes to terms with modern contemporary society and the blurred lines between good and bad. The interactions between the characters are also very interesting as Captain America, Black Widow and Nick Fury each have their own way of thinking and outlook on the world and they do not necessarily see eye to eye in every situation. 

Speaking of characters, the introduction of the Falcon played by Anthony Mackie, is an excellent touch the the film as the character brings charisma as well as great aerial dogfight scenes to the film. The Winter Soldier is also a great character and I consider it as one of the most 'badass' villains I have seen in the MCU, well apart from Loki. 

With a strong storyline, amazing action and great characters, Captain America The Winter Soldier is a true representation of what a great superhero movie can be. It is a must-watch for those who are fans of the superhero and it definitely worth the time and money for those seeking a good time at the cinema. I cannot wait for the next few instalments, Guardians Of The Galaxy and The Avengers: Age Of Ultron to hit the theatres! 

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE CONTENTS BELOW