REVIEW: "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

Director Tim Burton is one strange individual, isn't he? Definitely one of the most quirky directors of our time, Burton is known for mixing strange visuals and memorable characters into very imaginative and visionary films such as "Beetlejuice", "Edward Scissorhands" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (which he didn't direct but created the story and the characters in the film). But sadly, whenever he decides to remake a classic film or story, things start to go array. Even the director himself didn't like his own interpretation of the "Planet of the Apes". And with films like "Dark Shadows" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", it seems that remakes or reimaginings are not his forte. However, in 2010, his remake of "Alice in Wonderland", that garnered mixed reviews from both critics and audiences, grossed over $1 billion worldwide. Clearly, there was enough going on in the film that made people flood the theaters to see it on the big screen. But what would be a match made in heaven ended up being everything that the original Lewis Carroll "Alice in Wonderland" stories aren't. And now, 6 years later, Burton returns as producer in the "long awaited" sequel, "Alice Through the Looking Glass". Will the sequel improve on the original and give us more of the "Alice in Wonderland" feel?

"Alice Through the Looking Glass" stars "Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen, and is directed by James Bobin. The film also features the voices of Alan Rickman (in his final film), Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall. 3 years after the events of 2010's "Alice in Wonderland", Alice Kingsleigh (played by Mia Wasikowska) has been sailing across the seas and returns to London from a trip to China. Upon returning, she follows Absolem, the blue caterpillar now turned butterfly (voiced by Alan Rickman), through a magic mirror and returns to the world of Wonderland. Soon after arriving back into the fantasy world, she discovers that the Mad Hatter is not fine and well. In order to save her friend, she meets the physical embodiment of Time (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) and steals and device that will allow her to travel through the history of Wonderland. For a film that is set in this magical world, "Alice Through the Looking Glass" sure does suck out the awe and wonder out of its imaginative setting. The film sadly is contrived, messy, uninteresting and, worst of all, lacking in creativity.

Mia Wasikowska returns to the role of Alice Kingsleigh that made her an international star and is, once again, not given anything interesting to say or do. Seeing Wasikowska in other films like "Jane Eyre" and "The Double", it is clear that, when given the right material, she excels greatly. Here in "Alice Through the Looking Glass", she is a bland and hollow reflection of who Alice was in the books. Wasikowska's age doesn't help this plotline either. The decision of making Alice returning to Wonderland as a teenager was charming and fun the first time in Tim Burton's film, however the sequel thats place 3 years later and she is a fully grown woman. The idea of an adult acting so childish, like saying she likes to think of impossible things before breakfast, ceases to be charming and becomes blindly naive. While this is in no way Wasikowska's fault, the filmmakers behind the film should have made the film sooner and not have set it an entire 3 years after the events of the first. Overall, Wasikowska is better in other films so to see her give a good performance, turn off "Alice Through the Looking Glass" and search iMDB to find her other works.

Last year, many film critics have pointed out that Johnny Depp's portrayal of Whitey Bulger in the superb gangster film "Black Mass" was an Oscar caliber performance and one of the most engrossing roles in Depp's career. Many audience members were tired of his long string of kooky characters like Barnabas Collins in "Dark Shadows, Tonto in "The Lone Ranger", Charlie Mortdecai in "Mortdecai" and, of course, the Mad Hatter himself in the 2010 "Alice in Wonderland". And now, in all his paleness, Depp returns as the insane hatter and is somehow even worse. While I found his performance tolerable in the first film, it seems that the direction Depp was given in the sequel was to be more insane and more over-the-top. The film also tries to give the character of the Hatter some backstory, which was a huge mistake on part of the filmmakers as it felt like an insult to the original source material. Hollywood's obsession with origin stories plague this film as we meet younger version of the Mad Hatter and his family throughout the film. While this bad performance, which could be his worst, may not be entirely Depp's fault, the decision to show every important aspect of the Hatter's past was entirely the director and screenwriter's fault.

As the White Queen, Anne Hathaway reprises her role from the 2010 film and, like Depp, is even more like a cartoon rather than a real performance. While the White Queen in the first "Alice in Wonderland" film was humorously over-the-top, this portrayal of the character might as well been from a Saturday morning cartoon. Much like the Mad Hatter, the film also focuses on the Queen's past, which turns out to be very uninteresting and bland. Showing us the split between the White and the Red Queen was entirely unnecessary as it reveals to us something that should have been left a mystery to us. Giving these characters more "motivations" do not make them more charming or endearing to the audience. Like Depp, Hathaway's unconvincing caricature of the White Queen was most likely due to horrible direction and not her own volition.

Helena Bonham Carter, what have they done to you? Much like Depp and Hathaway, this ear numbingly bad performance is, once again, most likely to Carter's fault. It seems that director James Bobin, who helmed the two most recent Muppets movies, just wanted to turn the entire cast into cartoon character. While Carter's portrayal of the always screaming and always angry Red Queen was somewhat true to the character [although they do confuse Red Queen with Queen of Hearts in the film], in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" she is annoying, tiresome and just plain loud. Once again, like Depp and Hathaway, a large portion of the film is dedicated to the relationship between the Red and the White Queen, which felt watching a tedious soup opera. Probably one of the performances in the film, second to Depp, Carter is here to collect another million dollar paycheck from Disney as she goes through every scene she is in screaming at the top of her lungs.

The only character that somehow survived the horrible direction James Bobin has given the entire returning cast was Time, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Because his backstory and origin are never explained in the film, it makes the character of Time fit in the illogical world of "Alice in Wonderland" novels, although Time is not a character in the book series. Cohen's wit and charm transcends the horrible material and direction he was given and with an admittedly cool design, he was the only one in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" that was truly worth watching. As the main antagonist in the film, his motivations are clear and his actions are surprisingly more justified than Alice's. Explaining that her actions will destroy the course of history and stop time itself, Time must go after her and get back the device she stole. It's very unfortunate when the filmmakers behind the film even makes the protagonist unlikable to the point where the main "villain" seems more right than wrong.

As many film fans will know, "Alice Through the Looking Glass" was Alan Rickman's final film as he voiced the character of Absolem before his untimely death on January 16th, 2016. While he only has a few lines in the entire film, hearing his voice for one last time was rather tragic and sad. As the beautiful blue butterfly flew away off screen, it was though as if we were saying goodbye to the legendary actor.

With Tim Burton working on the film as producer, it was director James Bobin and screenwriter Linda Wolverton, who wrote the predecessor, that crafted this film and it truly is a jumbled mess of ideas. While the first film did not feel like the Lewis Carroll novels, at least it had one contained narrative of Alice sleighing the evil Jabberwocky. Here, there are so many twists and turns in to the film's plot that makes it very annoying to have to sit through the entire 113-minute, which felt like an eternity. The film's narrative is never smooth as stops from one place in time to another as we jump back and forth between the younger versions of the Mad Hatter, the White Queen and the Red Queen. Although Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" is not a perfect film, seeing "Alice Through the Looking Glass" would make audiences members appreciate Burton's skill as a storyteller. While lacking in quality, Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" at least felt like a true experience through a fantasy world of his imagination. "Alice Through the Looking Glass" on the other hand often feels like an uneven ride at Disney World.

The cinematographer on 2010's "Alice in Wonderland", Dariusz Wolski, returns behind the camera in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" and manages to create a surreal experience full of vibrant colors and beautiful imagery. While the CGI throughout the film is very noticeable and, at times, very unimpressive, the costumes and sets along with the cinematography does look very beautiful in IMAX 3D. With that being said, without Tim Burton's insane vision, the designs of some of the landscapes, buildings and rooms are very uninspired when comparing it to the first film. Without the quirky and strange wonder that Burton brings to all of his films, this sequels feels mostly flat in imagination, ingenuity and inspiration.

The common trend this film has is the word "unnecessary". It has unnecessary backstory to some of the most beloved characters in literature. It has unnecessarily bad, cartoonish performance. And the existence of this sequel is entirely unnecessary as most critics and audiences didn't like Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" [although it did gross over $1 billion so making the film was entirely a cash grab]. Even the score by Danny Elfman this time around was less inspired. Although Sacha Baron Cohen as Time was entertaining, the rest of the cast sleep [or scream] their way through the entire picture, never fully grabbing us emotionally. With uninspired visuals, lackluster performances, pretty but empty sets, a humdrum score and bad direction/writing, this is not a sequel that should have been made. Sorry to say that this is not a film I'll be recommending as I give "Alice Through the Looking Glass" a 5 out of 10. If you're going to see one film this weekend, you should go watch the X-Men fight Apocalypse because this one is not worth your time.

See it in theaters today in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D.

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/alicethroughthelookingglass_185806/movietimes

REVIEW: "X-Men: Apocalypse" (SPOILER FREE)

The 16-year-long "X-Men" franchise has reached its 9th film and thankfully we, as the audience, aren't tired of seeing these various mutants and their powers on screen. 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" grossed $748 million worldwide while this year's "Deadpool", which is also part of the film series and considered canon, became the highest grossing R-rated film of all-time, making $763.1 million internationally. Clearly, there is still love and appreciation for these beloved comic book characters and director Bryan Singer returns to helm his 4th film in the series. After directing the first two "X-Men" films and "X-Men: Days of Future Past", it is very apparent that Singer has a great understanding of what makes these characters engrossing and powerful. 

"X-Men: Apocalypse" stars an ensemble cast, which include James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn, Evan Peters and Lucas Till, and is directed by Bryan Singer. The film opens in Ancient Egypt where the world's first mutant, En Sabah Nur, is born after going through an ancient ritual that preserves his immortality. Centuries later, Apocalypse returns to the 1980's and it is up to the X-Men, a group of mutants created by Professor Charles Xavier, to face the godly being and save the world. Although the bar was set pretty high after "X-Men: Days of Future Past", thankfully Bryan Singer has delivered us a powerful, moving, artistic, fun and exciting X-Men film that is full of marvelous performances and flashy action set pieces. The returning cast continue to shine in their respective roles, as do the newcomers.

Oscar Isaac, who has become one of the most sought out actors in Hollywood, plays the god-like Apocalypse that posed a great threat to the world of men. Out of the many villains in the X-Men film series, Oscar Isaac as Apocalypse might be the best one, aside from Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto. Menacing, imposing and sinister, Apocalypse drives the film with his other worldly aura. While destroying the world isn't a new or original idea, not once did it feel contrived or tiresome in "X-Men: Apocalypse". Believing for centuries that the world would be ruled by powerful beings, Apocalypse felt betrayed by the inhabitants of Earth and is motivated by his rage against the human race who he views as weak. Again, while not a new idea, it at least is delivered to us in a way that doesn't feel phony or overdone. Isaac plays one of the best villains of the year and elevates the film's presence with his grand performance.

From "X-Men: First Class", we've seen James McAvoy breathe new life into the iconic telekinetic mutant that Patrick Stewart played in the original films and it seems that now, more than ever, McAvoy has become the Professor X we've known and loved. As the mentor to all the students at his mutant academy, his strength is not with his powers but is in the connection he has with his students and his connection with mankind. Once again, McAvoy brings something very new and different to the role that hasn't been seen before and now that he is facing a god, he is met with new challenges he must overcome, creating great drama. His friendship and battle between Erik Lehnsherr (a.k.a Magneto) is still one of the most important aspects of these X-Men films and Singer is able to beautifully realize their friendship as something that cannot be broken. McAvoy has become the professor in so many different ways and it would be hard to imagine anyone else, besides Stewart, playing the role.

Michael Fassbender as the young Magneto has always been one of the highlights of this new X-Men timeline and in this film, he continues to be one of the most heartbreaking and harrowing characters in this long lasting franchise. In "X-Men: Apocalypse", the tragedy of Erik Lehnsherr is not forgotten as a certain moment involving him in a forest is easily one of the most emotionally gripping scenes in the entire franchise. Driven by anger and guilt, his motivations are never muffled or unclear. We as the audience are able to easily feel sympathetic to Erik Lehnsherr, even when he does the most horrible things imaginable. The inclusion of his struggles and failures in "X-Men: Apocalypse" gave the film a very operatic feel, almost like watching a Greek myth or a Shakespearian tragedy come to life. This is something that is sorely missing in many superhero films, especially in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although many of Lehnsherr's scenes in the first act of the film are not large or grand in scale, Singer manages to make you feel every emotion in these small little moment. This sense of rawness and power is something that was present throughout "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". The flood of pure, unfiltered, real emotion was handled beautifully, which ultimately made the film feel more passionate. As one of the great villains of the comic book world, Fassbender never fails the character and is one of the most crucial and down right inspiring aspects of the film.

Although originally a villain in the original "X-Men" trilogy, Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence returns as Mystique, who [once again] takes on the role of a hero, leading the X-Men into battle. Because Lawrence's popularity has increased since she first appeared in "X-Men: First Class", the filmmakers have made her involvement in the subsequent films more and more vital to the plot, which, if done right, could be an interesting twist on the already established character. However, it is apparent in the film that Lawrence is incredibly miscast as the role, making her performance in "X-Men: Apocalypse" seem tiresome and uninteresting. This young version of Mystique seems to lose her [no pun intended] mystique as she yells and commands the young X-Men to fight. Lawrence's Mystique is almost like an unconvincing shadow of  Rebecca Romijn's portrayal of the character.

Reprising her role from "X-Men: First Class", Rose Byrne returns as Moira MacTaggert and meets Xavier in the film as a completely stranger. Not remembering who the professor is, she appears as a blank slate and eventually helps the X-Men learn more about the mysterious being known as En Sabah Nur. Explaining much of the film's exposition, but without boring us with the details, Moira MacTaggert sees the world of mutants as we would if we saw these films for the first time: with a sense of awe and wonder. Although not a prominent figure in the film as a whole, is was a delight to see Byrne return to the franchise after "X-Men: First Class".

Appearing in both "X-Men: First Class" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past", Nicholas Hoult once again returns as the blue furred mutant, Beast, and acts as Xavier's close partner in running his school. While not incredibly important or vital to the film's plot, Hoult provides the film with a certain degree of youth and wisdom as he assists the professor in bringing the X-Men together. A good fighter and a good teacher, the blue Beast has become a more important member to the team than most audience members have expected.

Ever since "X-Men: First Class" was announced, fans were wondering if we were ever going to see a young Scott Summers in the new timeline. Although we've seen his older brother, Alex Summers, in both "X-Men: First Class" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past", the future head of the X-Men has no been mentioned once in these new prequel-sequels. Finally, Tye Sheridan brings Cyclops back to the 80's and absolutely nails the part. While not the leader we know from the X-Men comics, we can definitely see the possible transition from student to leader after seeing him in more films. Capturing the essence of who Cyclops is in the comics, Sheridan will soon be a fan favorite as the young X-Men leader. Will we see Sheridan lead the X-Men in the future? Only time will tell.

One of the few surviving Starks in "Game of Thrones", Sansa Stark, appears in the film as the powerful telepath Jean Grey, who will later become the all powerful Phoenix. Sophie Turner gives us one of the film's stand out performances as her grace, charm and beauty added something very special to "X-Men: Apocalypse". Encompassing everything that Jean Grey is in the comics and in the original trilogy, Turner has effortlessly slipped under the skin of the character, which is no easy task considering she had to follow up the gorgeous Famke Janssen. Although her American accent may slip once or twice, it never distract from everything she does that brought new life into her role. If a sequel to "X-Men: Apocalypse" is greenlit, it would be very disappointing to not see Turner return as Jean Grey.

The opening scene of "X2: X-Men United", involving Nightcrawler attacking the White House, will go down in history as one of the most impressive and well constructed action sequences in a superhero film. Now, in "X-Men: Apocalypse", Kodi Smit-McPhee plays the blue German teleporter and grants the film with much needed humor and energy. Following Alan Cumming's shoes isn't an easy task to undertake, but Smit-McPhee was able to pull through and put his own stamp on the character. Easily likable and fun to watch on screen, Smit-McPhee could be the first actor to play Nightcrawler again if he is asked to return in a sequel.

Making her film debut in "X-Men: Apocalypse", Psylocke leaps off the comic book pages onto the silver creen, portrayed by the beautiful Olivia Munn who is absolutely stunning as the dynamic mutant. While not given many lines, she still managed to become one of the most memorable and most powerful henchmen in any comic book film to date. Her beauty is almost as dangerous as her purple energy staff that can take the form of a whip or a sword. Is there a future for her character in the X-Men franchise? Hopefully. Would love to see Munn return as Psylocke once again as she was electrifying on screen in "X-Men: Apocalypse".

As one of the X-Men's most iconic members, it is odd to see Storm work for the villain throughout the majority of the film. As the young Ororo Munroe, Alexandra Shipp felt more like the comic book character than Halle Berry ever was in the original trilogy. With her African accent and dominating presence, this newcomer commanded the screen and became the powerful mutant that I remember reading from the comics. Along with Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Shipp was another actor that gave one of the film's stand out performances. Hopefully, if they continue making more X-Men films with this cast, Shipp will be called back into action as Storm.

Another founding member of the X-Men joins the bad side in "X-Men: Apocalypse" as Angel (or Archangel), played by Ben Hardy, is given metallic wings to fight off the members of the X-Men. As a cage fighter in the beginning of the film, seeing Angel's dark heart delve into darker places as Apocalypse meets him, gives the character a lot more weight without giving him much to say. As a threatening henchmen of Apocalypse, Hardy's film debut is something that many young actors can only dream of.

Those of you who have seen the final trailer for "X-Men: Apocalypse" will know that Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine in the film and, without spoiling anything, it is beyond amazing. Some fans have complained over the years that Jackman's portrayal of the iconic character has been tame in comparison to his comic book counterpart, but those fans will eat this scene up as Weapon X is fully unleashed.

For the 4th time, Bryan Singer brings to us what feels like the X-Men comics brought to life on the big screen. Clearly the man knows the characters like the back of his hand and beautifully realizes them as fully fleshed out characters. Without having the luxury of having their own solo films like the Marvel Cinematic Universe does, Singer is able to establish an entire ensemble cast without leaving anyone out of the loop. Every mutant has a moment to shine and everyone has their own personal story arc they must complete. But aside from great character moments, the film is also filled with amazing visuals (done by Newton Thomas Sigel, who has worked with Singer many times before), a powerful score (done by John Ottman and Michael Louis Hill) and imaginative sequences that would have not worked if Singer was not in the director's chair. As the director of a superhero film that can be filled with so many colorful characters, it is the director's duty to use the endless amount of imagination these comic book stories have to their advantage. Without wasting any opportunities, Singer managed to craft an evenly balanced film that contained exhilarating action scenes, gripping drama, fun characters moments and beautiful artistic imagery.

With a god as the main antagonist, it is expected that various cities around the world would be destroyed and the X-Men would have to fight their way through the demolished ruins of what once were urban landscapes. Not disappointing, Apocalypse doesn't pull any punches as humanity is brought to the brink of annihilation. Debris flying all around and laser beams shooting out from all directions, it is a wild ride watching "X-Men: Apocalypse" on the big screen. From Cyclops red beams to Storm's lighting bolts to Psylocke's purple energy staff, Singer was able to take advantage of all the amazing and fantastical things comic book characters can do in this film. While seeing cities destroyed isn't anything new or exciting anymore because of directors like Roland Emmerich or Michael Bay, Singer uses this destruction with purpose, making it far more captivating to witness. The imagery, the harshness of the action scenes and the heart pounding score, this third act battle sequence is what the airport fight scene in "Captain America: Civil War" should have been.

As mentioned before, the one element about "X-Men: Apocalypse" that seemed very out of place was the mediocre performance Jennifer Lawrence gives as Mystique. Incredibly miscast in the role, her character is expanded due to the actress' fame and not for any logical story purposes. While I understand that she is a catalyst for some of these young X-Men members because of the events of "X-Men: Days of Future Past", it still feels very unbalanced when you know that she was one of the main villains alongside Magneto in the original trilogy.

Apart from Jennifer Lawrence's performance in the film, "X-Men: Apocalypse" soars high and mighty with wonderful visuals, creative action sequences, heart wrenching performances, smooth and exhilarating cinematography and an amazing score. The 47% the film currently has on Rotten Tomatoes almost seems like a bad dream Jean Grey would have. From the jaw dropping Quicksilver sequences to Wolverine's rampage to Xavier's mental battle against Apocalypse, the film grabs you from the beginning to end with endless amounts of fun and heart. Surprised to see that "X-Men: Apocalypse" handled character interactions, battle sequences and emotions better than "Captain America: Civil War" has. If the X-Men franchise is to continue with this cast, keep Bryan Singer at the helm for he will not fail this series. The most fun I had at the theater (besides "Deadpool", another X-Men film), "X-Men: Apocalypse" deserves a 9 out of 10.

Go see it in theaters on 2D, 3D and in Dolby Atmos today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/xmen:apocalypse_175470/movietimes

Rila Fukushima Joins "Ghost In The Shell" Live-Action Cast

The once red-headed badass is joining Section 9.

Rila Fukushima, who we all know as Yukio from "The Wolverine", has officially joined the cast of next year's "Ghost in the Shell" live-action remake starring Scarlett Johansson. Set for a March 31, 2017 release date, the film will take its main plot and villain from the critically acclaimed anime series "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex".

The film has been met with some controversy, which criticized the filmmakers for white-washing the character of Major Motoko Kusanagi and Americanizing the Japanese story.

Are you excited for "Ghost In The Shell"?

REVIEW: "Warcraft" (SPOILER FREE)

NOTE: Saw the film on May 17th, 2016 at a prescreening. This is an early review.

"Super Mario Bros.", "Bloodrayne", "Resident Evil", "Max Payne", "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time", must we continue? It would be an understatement to say that feature length video game adaptations have not had a good track record. The genre is mostly known for producing either cheaply made ("Bloodrayne") or expensively made garbage ("Hitman: Agent 47"). The trend sadly hasn't been redeemed to this day, even with "The Angry Birds Movie" debuting last weekend to a lukewarm response from critics and audiences. It seems that all hope for the video game film genre has been lost... Until "Warcraft"? This epic fantasy film is based on the "Warcraft" video games that are all set in the fictional world of Azeroth. Much like "The Lord of the Rings", this series, to the everyday moviegoer, will contain a long list of fantasy jargon about spells and monster and make-believe cities, but it also may provide them with entertaining escapism if done right. With director Duncan Jones behind the picture, will "Warcraft" be the shining light in the pit of darkness that is the video game film genre?

"Warcraft" stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Robert Kazinsky and Daniel Wu, and is directed by Duncan Jones. The film begins with Durotan (played by Toby Kebbell), an orc, explaining that there world is dying due to a magic spell known as the Fel. Because of this, the orcs have begun transporting their kind to the human world of Azeroth in order to survive. Meanwhile, Sir Anduin Lothar (played by Travis Fimmel) must aide the human race to beat the invading orcs from destroying their lands and way of life. But when the orc leader, Gul'dan (played by Daniel Wu), becomes corrupted by the Fel's magic, Durotan makes an alliance with the humans to save his people. As someone who hasn't played the video games and is seeing the film with fresh eyes, this was a devastatingly disappointing film. With bland characters, an unengaging script, a droning soundtrack, visually uninteresting cinematography and maybe one or two good performances, "Warcraft" is one holy mess of a film that feels like a waste of good source material.

One of the few saving graces in "Warcraft" would be Travis Fimmel as Sir Anduin Lothar because of his instant likability and undeniable charm. Although he is a thinly written character, Fimmel is able to push through the mediocre dialogue he is given and delivers something credible. As one of the two moral centers of the story, "Warcraft" ceases to fail completely due to Fimmel's performance. Suave, witty, compassionate, strong and engrossing, Lothar somehow managed to hold the attention of the audience that is quickly being beaten down by talks of orcs and magic and names of characters that makes memorizing the names of the 13 dwarves in "The Hobbit" trilogy look easy by comparison.

Single handedly the best character in the film, Durotan, played by Toby Kebbell, without a doubt should have been the main protagonist of "Warcraft". The film opens with Durotan's narration and begins by showing [not telling] who he was as a character and made for a very intriguing first 10 minutes. Toby Kebbell, with "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes", has proven himself to be a powerful performer and the small subtle movements and mannerisms he brings to his performance Durotan are remarkable. Without words, Kebbell is able to convey so many different emotions, especially in the first 10 minutes, that is pitifully wasted in this underwritten and misguided story. As the film trudges along, Durotan is the only fascinating character in the large cast of people and orcs, most of which have name that are nearly unpronounceable. With a cool design and many action heavy scenes, Durotan alone carries more than half of the film's weight on his giant shoulders and will easily become the most memorable character in "Warcraft".

While incredibly beautiful and capable in her action scenes, Paula Patton as Garona Halforcen, a half human half orc outcast, is not compelling or particularly interesting. While Garona may have the most backstory out of the main human cast, her character is, by no means, as gripping and complex as she should be. Thankfully not over sexualized like most female video game characters are [even when adapted into film], Garona had the potential of being one of the film's highlights if done correctly. Sadly, the beautiful Patton is simply eye candy as the film betrays the talented actress by not blessing her with an impactful character.

So far in his career, not once has Dominic Cooper give a bad performance and "Warcraft" is no different. However, it doesn't help that his character, King Llane Wrynn, has absolutely no special characteristics or interesting motivations in the film other than being a king. Cooper, who is a talented actor, is completely unable to stretch his acting muscles in the film and comes across a bland and wholly uninteresting. If perhaps another actor were to play the King, it may have been even more tiresome so, in the regard, Cooper does deliver with have he is given but what is given is so very little.

When the topic of most underrated actors working in Hollywood today comes up during conversation, one can only hope that Ben Foster's name is mentioned at least once. Starring in films like "3:10 to Yuma", "The Mechanic", "Kill Your Darlings" and "Lone Survivor", this is an actor that needs to come out of the shadows and become a household name. However, it's a shame that in "Warcraft" he clearly either phones in a performance for the paycheck or is given very unwise direction from Duncan Jones. While the Ben Foster many of us know can be charming and a show stopper, the character of Medivh in "Warcraft" is instantly forgettable and, at times, laughable. Unable to overcome the silliness of being able to conjure up spells and use magic, Foster is lost in a character with almost no direction or motivation in a story with, again, no direction or motivation.

Who casted Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar in the film? Nothing against Schnetzer but his performance in "Warcraft" was grading, confused, unwarranted, unfunny and extremely out of place for the mystical world that they created. While everyone in the cast looks the part, Schnetzer looks more like a cosplayer from the 21st century than an actual character in this fictional land. Sucking out the charisma from nearly every scene he is in, as if he were some kind of vacuum, the character of Khadgar is one of the film's many low points. A completely unnecessary and unimportant character that should have been cut entirely from the film, which would have made the overbearing 123-minute runtime much shorter.

As the main villain of the film, Gul'dan, played by Daniel Wu, while opposing, is rather forgettable and also very unsympathetic. While most villains don't need sympathy, it was hard to feel anything for this character. Much like Gollum, he is cursed with the magic of the Fel, but while "The Lord of the Rings" went to painstaking detail as to who Gollum was before the Ring corrupted him, "Warcraft" never explains or shows who Gul'dan was, thereby making it harder for the audience to feel anything for him during the final battle scene at the very end of the film. With a great design and a menacing presence, better writing would've helped Gul'dan become a chilling villain.

Duncan Jones, after directing both "Moon" and "Source Code", became a well known name for those who loved the cinema. Both films were indie productions that were extremely thought provoking and memorable. Some appropriately called "Moon" one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century. However, once given a $160 million budget on "Warcraft", his directorial style became tiresome and tasteless. While "Moon" and "Source Code" told their stories with a brisk pace that was full of tension, "Warcraft" crawls across to the end credits with zero tension, tedious dialogue and unimaginative cinematography [done by Simon Duggan]. While Peter Jackson managed to cut back and forth in between different characters, spanning many different locations, in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit", he also managed to hold our attention without ever making us feel the length of the film's long runtime, which could be 3+ hours if you're watching the Extended Editions. In this case, the 123-minute runtime of "Warcraft" feels like an eternity as the urge to look at your watch becomes stronger and stronger, almost as if you were corrupted by some kind of spell. Much like that orc in the film. In other words, Jones is unable to contain the massive story he was trying to tell and proceeds to add many unnecessary scenes and characters into an already jumbled and unsimplified story.

In an time when Peter Jackson has given us two film trilogies set in Middle-earth, Zack Snyder amazed us with dazzling displays of violence in "300" and George Miller showcasing the most insane and adrenaline pumping dystopian world of "Mad Max: Fury Road", "Warcraft" never scratches beyond the surface of how to create or stage an alluring action scene. As we see the human and orc armies clashing into one another in the film's climax, it seems to lose more and more steam. Even with $160 million, "Warcraft" doesn't innovate or create anything original or fresh, even with the endless amount of possibilities they have. With a source material like this, that can arguably be the modern "The Lord of the Rings", much of the video game's imagination and wonder is lost, especially in these tame, sapless action sequences. However, on the other hand, Duncan Jones managed to somehow make the film feel grand and big. With many camera angles taken from above and shots of beautifully rendered CGI landscapes, the size and scope of the film was done appropriately to match scale of the video game. However, when it came to constructing a captivating action scene, Jones recreates what would be a passable video game cutaway scene from 2010.

Although the action scenes, the overall story and some of the acting in the film is questionable, what was not problematic about "Warcraft" were the visual effects, which were done by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). The film begins with the image above of Durotan and seeing it on the big screen in IMAX 3D was astounding. Every pore, every detail, even the subtle movement of the eyes were animated to the point where the creature on screen felt real. No once did I see a CGI character, I was watching a living, breathing orc that they somehow hired to be in the film. While some of the effects on the landscapes or battle sequences aren't going to win an Academy Awards, they were serviceable enough for the film to make me believe what I was watching. What made the film more unbelievable was the tiring plot and dull characters that surrounded the visual marvel these amazing artists put together.

It's not the one we were looking for but it is a somewhat competently made film that would be expected of a less experience director. What made "Warcraft" particularly disappointing was seeing Duncan Jones' name attached to the project. If this were a first time director, the flaws in the film could be passed off as mistakes, however with Jones involved, these mistakes can not be overlooked so easily. Because I cannot say whether this is accurate to the source material or not, this review is solely focusing on what I saw on screen and what I saw was not very enjoyable or fun. While it's by no means terrible, it is vastly disappointing to see a great director produce a mediocre film that should have been another epic fantasy like "The Lord of the Rings". Although necessarily not a good film, it is certainly worth checking out in theaters just for Kebbell's stand-out performance as Durotan and if you are curious to see what "Warcraft" is more or less about. If you are not a fan of the video game or are new to the lore, it is hard to recommend this film as I rate it a 5.5 out of 10, which makes it, in my opinion, the best video game film ever made. Congratulations on passing the grade but not be a lot. Now it's all up to you, "Assassin's Creed". Please be good.

Go see it in theaters on 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D June 10th!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/warcraft_181432/movietimes

"Beauty And The Beast" Trailer Breaks Record For Most Views In 24 Hours

It looks like the beast took down the Force.

Yesterday, Disney unveiled the first official look at next year's "Beauty and the Beast" live-action remake and it seems that in the first 24 hours, the trailer has been viewed a record 91.8 million times, which dethrones "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" as the most viewed trailer in the first 24 hours of its release of all-time. The Disney execs must be having a great time with their success and hopefully our positivity towards the film isn't betrayed by the film's quality. Putting my faith on Disney to giving us a good, memorable and magical adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast".

Did you see the "Beauty and the Beast" trailer? Of course, you did.

Disney's "Beauty And The Beast" Live-Action Remake Releases First Teaser Trailer

Be our guest. For Emma Watson, anything!

Disney has released the first official teaser trailer for next year's live-action adaption of the 1991 classic "Beauty and the Beast" looks very promising as the imagery evokes a sense of wonder and fantasy but also an element of horror. Disney has assembled a great cast for this film (including Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad and Stanley Tucci) and a director (Bill Condon) who is capable of creating a great sense of mood. So far, the film looks very promising even with this one and a half minute of footage Disney has presented. Bravo. Very interested in seeing this next March.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c38r-SAnTWM

Are you excited for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast"?

"Mission: Impossible" 20th Anniversary

Your mission should you choose to accept it started 20 years ago today.

The franchise that is now worth $2 billion worldwide, "Mission: Impossible", began with the 1996 original directed by Brian de Palma. Tom Cruise starred as IMF agent Ethan Hunt who was framed for the murder of fellow IMF agents and begins a mole hunt within the Impossible Mission Force to figure out who set him up. Being a mega hit at the box office, "Mission: Impossible" spawned 4 sequels, the latest being "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation", as the 6th film in the franchise is currently moving forward. The action-packed and thrilling first entry in the series should not be overlooked when talking about some of the best action films in recent years and it is has now turned 20 years old.

Happy birthday, "Mission: Impossible" franchise. Go kick some more ass!

"Star Trek Beyond" Released 2nd Trailer And New Poster

To boldly go where no man has gone before.

Many of us were doubtful when we heard "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys play during the first "Star Trek Beyond" teaser trailer but some of us maintained hope that Paramount Pictures had something up their sleeves for this 50th anniversary film. And with this 2nd trailer [and new theatrical poster], it looks like they aren't pulling their punches with this 3rd installment in the rebooted "Star Trek" series. With exhilarating action set pieces and some interesting new characters to the series that we haven't seen before. Justin Lin does J. J. Abrams' world justice and provides us with what might be a great "Star Trek" film.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzD8H6o1awQ

"Thor: Ragnarok" Casts Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum And Karl Urban

The epic is bringing in an epic cast.

Marvel Studios has just announced that 2 time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will be playing the villain Hela in "Thor: Ragnarok". Along with Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum and  Karl Urban will joins the cast as the Grandmaster and Skurge respectively. Tessa Thompson joined the cast as Thor's new love interest, which will replace Natalie Portman as Jane Foster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The previous Asgardian actors, such as Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba, will return in their respective roles along with Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk.

Are you excited for the "Thor: Ragnarok" cast?

"Star Wars: Episode VIII" Title Revealed?

The Resistance will fall.

A leaked video surfaced today that seemingly reveals the title of the next installment of the legendary "Star Wars" saga. According to this leaked video, the title for the 8th episode of the series will be titled "Star Wars: Fall of the Resistance". Because the official Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016 logo appears on the poster itself, it is very likely that "Star Wars: Episode VIII" will have the subtitle "Fall of the Resistance", however taking this pieces of new with a grain of salt is recommended.

What do you think of the possible subtitle for "Star Wars: Episode VIII".

"Captain America: Civil War" Reaches $1 Billion Worldwide At The Box Office

The show [and the war] goes on.

After having the 5th biggest opening weekend in film history, as of May 20th, 2016, "Captain America: Civil War" has just crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, making it the first film of the year to do so. Congratulations to Disney and to the cast and crew of the film for reaching this momentous goal.

Have you seen "Captain America: Civil War" yet?

Michael Keaton Once Again In Talks To Play Villain In "Spider-Man: Homecoming"

Spreading his wings once again?

Not too long ago, Academy Award nominee Michael Keaton was in talks to play the villain in the upcoming Spider-Man solo film but reportedly passed on the role a few moments later. Now however, Variety has reported that the "Birdman" actor is currently speaking with Sony and Marvel again and finalizing a deal to appear in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as the main villain.

Who will Michael Keaton play in Spider-Man: Homecoming"?

REVIEW: "The Nice Guys"

Buddy cop films have come a long way haven't they? In 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures will be releasing two of the four buddy cop films this year: "The Nice Guys" and "Central Intelligence". While there aren't many similarities between the two, it's comforting to know that the genre will not take a dive in popularity. Disney's "Zootopia", which is considered to be a buddy cop film, raked in $971.5 million worldwide and both "Ride Along" films have made $100+ million each. Clearly the box office has shown that audiences still have a hunger for more buddy cop films and will continue to support other entries in the genre. "The Nice Guys" pairs up a tough enforcer with a hapless private eye as "Lethal Weapon" writer Shane Black directs the feature film with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as the main leads. The two actors have never worked together before but judging from the viral marketing campaign that started early this year, it is clear that Crowe and Gosling have a palpable chemistry together and Black has proven himself to be a formidable force of nature when it comes to his screenplays. With all this in mind, how nice is "The Nice Guys"?

"The Nice Guys" stars Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David and Kim Basinger, and is directed by Shane Black. In 1977 Los Angeles, a hired enforcer, Jackson Healy (played by Russell Crowe), teams up with a miserable private detective, Holland March (played by Ryan Gosling), to solve the case of a missing girl, Amelia Kuttner (played by Margaret Qualley), who is surprisingly linked to an even larger mystery that the two "brave" men have to unravel to save Amelia's life. As you leave the theater, you'll notice a wide grin on your face as the film leaves you with such a wonderful impression. It's nice to say that "The Nice Guys" is, so far, the best film of 2016 and is also one of the funniest comedies in the past decade. Shane Black's sharp writing and nostalgic visuals along with sizzling chemistry between Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling make this a very special film. The kind of magnetic chemistry that only comes once every few years. Everything from the dialogue, acting, music, costume/set design and cinematography were all executed very meticulously in a manner that almost made you feel as if they shot 1970's L.A. with digital cameras.

Every buddy cop film needs a great duo and the unpredictable pairing of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling gave birth to magic on screen. The way the bounce of each other and work together in the film lead to some of the funniest moments in recent memory. Some may point out the similarities between Crowe and Ryan to Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in Shane Black's film debut "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", which was also a buddy cop film.

In the nearly three decades Russell Crowe has worked as an actor in films, he has never tackled a full blown comedy before (at least not an America one). The rich writing behind the character of Jackson Healy along with what Crowe brings to the table makes for some amazing banter against Ryan Gosling's character, Holland March. Crowe definitely feels so at home in the 1970's Los Angeles setting that Shane Black has carefully crafted and always commanded the screen with power and strength. While in most buddy cop films, you pair two people who are very different from each other, Jackson Healy isn't too far away from Holland March. They both share very similar characteristics and don't really contrast one another throughout most of the film. Although taking different approaches in what they do, both Healy and March are made to be more human than most buddy cop film characters, which was an appreciated touch. Bringing their talents together in the film, Healy and Holland's relationship and eventual partnership is what makes the film so endearing and Crowe brings that to life without any sense of falsity.

Most mainstream audiences would associate Ryan Gosling with films like "The Notebook" or "Crazy Stupid Love". Film fans may refer to "Drive", "The Ides of March", "The Place Beyond the Pines", "Only God Forgives" and, most recently, "The Big Short" when referring to his body of work. Gosling has made a name for himself for choosing several critically acclaimed projects in the past few years and now with writer/director Shane Black, Holland March could soon become one of the best characters Gosling has ever played. Being the funny man to Crowe's straight man, Gosling is able to stretch all the funny bones in his body and inevitably makes his hilarious performance in "Crazy Stupid Love" virtually insignificant. His comedic timing along with Shane Black's impeccable dialogue will have you laughing in your seats and quoting his lines for days. Although the character is very humorous and light-hearted, there is a more human side to Holland March that Shane Black cleverly adds to the film's screenplay. Much like Mel Gibon's character in "Lethal Weapon", Martin Riggs, March is a broken human being and his more somber traits are masked with layers of comedic relief that services the film very well. Never pandering and never bothersome, Ryan Gosling was down right amazing as Holland March in "The Nice Guys".

While Crowe and Gosling are stellar in their roles, Angourie Rice as Holly March was the most shocking and unexpected performance in the entire film. Rice, with her confidence and charm, stole every scene she was in and was able to hold her own against two Academy Award nominated actors, one of which won Best Actor in 2001. Similar to Chloë Grace Moretz's stunning debut in 2010's "Kick-Ass", Rice was able to captivate the adult audience with her dry wit and her innocence. Being integral to the plot, it was important for her character to be an annoyance to the film and sadly most child actors don't have the talent or understanding to make their performances real. But it seems that Rice knew exactly what Shane Black wanted in his film and understood who her character was. If she continues to work at this pace, she will be the next rising star to look out for. A shockingly marvelous performance that alone is worth the price of admission.

Being the spark that lead to a massive flame, Margaret Qualley brings a fiery quality to the beautiful and illusive Amelia Kutner who gets Healy and March into a whole lot of trouble. Because her case is the mystery that our dynamic duo have to solve, knowing her background or motivations will give away key elements to the film's plot so knowing almost nothing about Amelia Kutner would be the best way to view "The Nice Guys". Margaret Qualley, your future is looking bright.

No matter how you look at "The Nice Guys", it is, without a doubt, a Shane Black film. From the writing to the characters to the absurdity of it all, this is his world and we are here for the ride. This has to be the best screenplays of 2016 and one of the writer/director's personal best. Moment to moment, it is consistently funny and also, at times, very heartwarming and touching. The mixture of extreme violence, hilarious jokes and actual human emotion is something that Black does so incredibly well and "The Nice Guys" displays his talents with full force. He has never been sharper or more on top of his game.

In a time when most comedy directors have no idea how to shoot a proper action scene, Shane Black waltzes in and proceeds to spit on their poorly edited and poorly shot action scenes. Each set piece in "The Nice Guys" is executed and coordinated to perfection. The camera never shakes to hide the fight choreography the actors and stuntmen are pulling off. The fistfights are aggressive and brutal, nothing fancy in this film. Each hit feels like it has such an impact to it. And the shoot outs are also done with great impact. Done in the typical 80's style filming (while set in the 70's), it really did feel like watching a classic action film from the Schwarzenegger days.

With this great nostalgic 70's setting, "The Nice Guys" marks the first Shane Black has ever attempted a period piece. This film greatly captures the look and feel of the 1970's with its classic cinematography and color palette along with the beautiful, and sometimes comical, costume and set design. Academy Award winning French cinematographer Philippe Rousselot worked meticulously with Black to create a fully realized setting that never felt fake or fantastical. The reality of the scenery and costumes added a whole new layer to the film, making it much more than a simple romp.

What a marvelous film. "The Nice Guys" is a reminder that comedies can be intelligent and doesn't have to rely on immature jokes. The humor in the film is what makes it so charming but it is not what makes it brilliant. What makes this film great are the characters and the complexities Shane Black gives to them in order to make them real people and not just two obviously scripted characters from a magical version of the 1970's. This is a one of a kind picture that only a director like Shane Black could bring to us in the year 2016. It is also very admirable to see Warner Bros. Pictures taking such a risk with this film. Although very funny and easily recommendable, it's a film that's not guaranteed to rake in all the cash. Thank you, Warner Bros., for giving us quality over quantity. And now that the film is out nationwide, you all should rush out to see this great film in theaters that absolutely deserves a perfect 10 out of 10.

Go see it in theaters today!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/theniceguys_179886/movietimes