Earth to Echo

When I was watching Earth to Echo, I was jealous. For two reasons: 1) because I didn't have a childhood adventure that the three friends in this movie had, and 2) because millions of kids will be able to grow up with Earth to Echo possibly being one of their favorite movies, and I'm too old to be one of them. Now, I'm not that old, but watching this movie made me feel old, but in a happy, reminiscent sort of way, and it made me want to go back to one of those lucky days after school when we had no homework where the mystery of possibilities was endless.

Of course, stumbling upon a lost alien was never in the realm of possibilities for me. But it was for friends Alex, Tuck, and Munch. Each of the boys, convincingly portrayed by a trio of newcomers, represent one of our childhood needs. The awkward but goodhearted Reginald (aka Munch) embodies our need for order, sanity, and a clear idea for the future. Tuck represents our desire for popularity and to be seen as a leader. The foster kid Alex, delivering his sarcastic one-liners, acts as the necessary balance between being transparent and being loved and accepted. Voiceovers and archive footage of the boys' lives assure us that they're all good kids, simultaneously establishing a bond that after just two or three minutes, we as an audience don't ever want to see broken.

On their last night together before a freeway is built over their town, the three decide to investigate what's been causing their phones to act strangely (or in their terms, their phones to "barf"). Biking 17 miles away from home, the boys pinpoint a capsule that houses a small robotic alien that they name Echo, due to its audible repetition of whatever sound effect it hears.

After two hours of communicating with the extraterrestrial, Tuck, Much, and Alex discover that Echo's ship was shot down by government officials. Echo was sent by his home planet to repair and return a damaged spaceship hidden in the boys' town. Alex and Tuck insist to the hesitant Munch that they see this mission through on their final night together, and the trio venture around the state to make sure Echo can get home safely.

While surprisingly original given its heavily derivative plot details, Earth to Echo does fall victim to a few cliches, like adding in a female character halfway through the movie that two of the boys happen to be fighting over. Poorly conceived, executed, and acted, the character of Emma was an unwise decision on the filmmakers' part. The idea of the government officials was also a bit half-assed. Granted, it was a found footage film, but give them a legitimate purpose in the film or leave them out.

At just a brisk 89 minutes, Earth to Echo manages to be not only one of 2014's best movies, but one of the best family adventure movies in years. Although it resorted to the dreaded show-random-clips-of-the-characters-having-fun-in-the-movie-that-I-just-saw ending sequence, the rest of the movie more than makes up for it. I'd be blind not to recognize the blatant borrowing from Chronicle, Super 8, E.T., Stand By Me, Transformers, and The Goonies, but it's important to note that every single one of those movies has its merits, and Earth to Echo manages to take the best of each of them and still bring something new, exciting, and fun to the table with witty dialogue, smart cinematography, sincere performances and a nostalgic score and cinematic tone. I wish Hollywood made more movies like this.

Rating: 4.5/5

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Monkeys. With Guns. (ScreenRant) 

In this Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel, the humans take a backseat as the primates take the screen. Nearly a decade following the events of the first film in this reboot of the Apes series, Caesar and his comrades are residing in the area once known as San Francisco. Signs are tilted and covered in vines, leaves and dirt cover where there roads existed, and the apes haven’t seen a sign of humans in years, assuming they all destroyed each other during the chaos surrounding the Simian flu.

Living with Caesar are his son, Blue Eyes, his wife, Cornelia, and his friend Rocket. Along with them are a clony of various species of primate, including Koba, an unstable ape who still holds resentment towards the humans for the treatment and experiments they subjected him to before the downfall of humanity. To the surprise of the entire ape community, a group of presumed dead humans stumbles upon the assembly in search of a new power supply. Hoping to restore a dam located near the apes’ home, Caesar gives the humans a few days to work in hopes that it will bring peace among the two groups.

Leading the humans into the apes’ territory is Malcolm (Jason Clarke). Accompanying him is his second wife Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and others. Back at their desolate survival camp, run by ape-hating Dreyfus (played here by an underused Gary Oldman), the ape Koba shows up to sabotage the humans’ attempts to regain a power source and establish peace with the other species, leading to a violent feud rife jaw-dropping moments until the credits start to roll.

We’ve still got a few more years to go, but Dawn of the Planet of the Apes could end up bing revered as one of the best films of the decade. The movie takes risks, is action-packed, and gives us a new breed of protagonists to root for. The movie could have been better, mainly in the area of holding back on some of the human characters to give us these apes to the extent that we got them.

We knew which apes characters we were supposed to be hoping would make it to the end, but what about the film’s human characters? Was there a specific reason or incident that caused Gary Oldman’s character to be so bitter towards the apes? Could we have gotten to better understand Malcolm’s relationship with his new wife and his son, and perhaps know the details of his first marriage? Again, I realize why these human characters were the secondary focus of the film, but it’s still important to know who we’re dealing with in the realm of characters. I also commend the decision to give Andy Serkis top billing in the film. Caesar was the main character, and it’s nice to see that Hollywood is finally starting to give recognition to motion capture performers, and Serkis is the perfect poster child for this movement.

Dawn is a very good film, but I believe it would have worked better as a third entry in the rebooted franchise. The time jump takes us past the worldwide exposure to the Simian flu, and right into the depths of human disparity during the war’s aftermath. Seeing some human vs. ape or human vs. human battles immediately following the events of the first movie might have created a smoother bridge for this entry, and possibly given us a chance to know the human players in Dawn. Pending on the future success of this franchise (it might be hard to top chimpanzees riding into battle on horses with machine guns), I’d like to see filmmakers revisit this in-between time. But let’s see what follows the events of Dawn first.

Rating: 4/5

22 Jump Street

21 Jump Street was the kind of movie that seemed flawless during the first watch, especially when you’re in a group. Every joke seemed ten times funnier and every silly gag seemed all the more original. But when I rewatched 21 Jump Street by myself, I noticed I wasn’t laughing as much. Don’t get me wrong, 21 Jump Street  was still a good, funny movie. I just think it was a bit overhyped at the time of its release, which made me skeptical about 22 Jump Street.

22 Jump Street delivers on the promise of its predecessor’s last line, and puts our favorite bumbling young cops Schmidt and Jenko (the unexpected comedically gold pair of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum) in college. Everyone in the audience and on the set know it’s the same deal as before: find the dealer, infiltrate the supplier. But there’s a certain self-awareness about 22 Jump Street that brings different approach to comedy than we’re used to, similar to that of This is The End. And that’s what makes this sequel stand out as more original and more effectively comedic than the original.

Just like in the last one, Jenko and Schmidt find themselves getting involved with the social scene in their school. While Jenko shines as the college’s new football star and fits right in as a recruit for a fraternity, Schmidt tries his luck at spoken word in one of the film’s best scenes.

I mentioned it before, but what really makes the comedic style of this movie stand out is the self-awareness of the characters. Walking up to the captain’s office and hearing Schmidt say it looks like a “giant cube of ice,” Jenko saying “something cool” as he blows up a helicopter, and the end credits scene showing all the future sequels that are most definitely (but rather unfortunately) not on their way made it clear that everyone involved in 22 Jump Street knew they wanted to make a great movie and have a blast doing it. 

Sometimes there are a few humorless moments, but they’re scarce and easy to gloss over. The majority of the movie is filled with breathtakingly funny moments. As I write this review one month later, I can’t remember many parts I disliked, but I have a slew of memories of the film’s better parts, like forced sexual tension during the final shootout and driving a car through the school’s sculpture garden. So although 22 Jump Street advertises itself as just being the same movie in a new light (the characters make this clear several times with their dialogues), it conveniently left out the part that this follow-up, which could have gone so wrong, was so much better.

Rating: 4/5

The Fault in Our Stars

Movie Pilot

Opening with a similar narration to that of Little Manhattan, The Fault in Our Stars' protagonist, Hazel Grace Lancester (the can't-do-wrong Shailene Woodley) informs us that her love story isn't the happiest or most uplifting - it's just the way it is. And as much as it breaks the audience's heart, the film's truthfulness supersedes our need for a happy ending, even though we'd do anything to see Hazel and her beau Augustus (Ansel Elgort) get one.

Diagnosed in her early teen years, 17-year-old Hazel struggles with the side effects of her cancer every day, including an excess of fluid in her lungs. Mrs. Lancester is almost certain her ill, indoorsy daughter is depressed, and so her doctor recommends a teen cancer support group. That's where she meets Augustus, an 18-year-old leg amputee who is happily cancer free. Boasting the looks and confidence every boy wishes he had, Augustus approaches Hazel, looks her in the eye, and tells her she's beautiful. I'm assuming most fangirls who read that sentence are already starting to tear up again.

As the two develop a bond, Augustus's spirit inspires in Hazel the idea that even though oblivion is inevitable, it's still a good life, and love is not only a reality, but a necessity. Augustus proves to be the new king of originality, taking Hazel everywhere from his basement to Amsterdam in their quest to make the most of their time together. But as virtually all cinematic productions promise, all good things must come to an end (including this movie).

The characters are fully worthy of my praise as a reviewer. Hazel and Augustus force viewers to embrace mortality in their own lives, as well as encouraging us to take chances (although making out in Anne Frank's attic may have been a step too far). The two never define themselves until the very end, when Hazel says a line something like "I'm his girlfriend…not that it matters," solidifying the idea that Hazel and Augustus' romance transcends any label or title you could give it. What those two had was simply love.

Shailene Woodley is continuously climbing the Hollywood ladder to A-list status with her emotionally powerful performance as Hazel, while Ansel Elgort lights up the screen in ways I have truly never seen before with his screen time as Augustus. The movie also manages to take a respectfully humorous approach to a rather touchy subject, similar to 50/50's format.

Although awards season doesn't pick up for another few months, I can already tell The Fault in Our Stars will be one of the best movies of 2014. It is by one of the best, if not the best, romance movies of the decade. It's heartbreaking, touching, funny, and above all else, conveys a sense of reality in its approach. Just go watch it. Okay?

Rating: 4.5/5

Blended

Vulture

You've seen Blended dozens of times. Guy chases the girl, guy loses the girl, guy gets the girl back, they kiss, everyone cheers, the end. But even though it's nothing radically new, it's a familiar, feel-good movie that you're happy to watch again. It doesn't pretend to be anything extraordinary, and because of that, it's an uplifting and occasionally special comedy.

Blended starts out on a blind date gone wrong between widower Jim (Adam Sandler) and divorcee Lauren (Drew Barrymore). Coincidentally, both end up hearing about the exact same vacation package to a beautiful African resort. Thinking it would be perfect for his three daughters and her two sons, they take the chance to get away. When they run into each other during the resort's blended family event, the two families soon discover they're in for a wild adventure leading up to the foreseeable happy ending. Proven in their past collaborations for movies The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates, Sandler and Barrymore do some of their best work together, complimenting each other's artistry in every shared scene.

The film's supporting cast of characters helps to make Blended different from others of its kind. The charming performances by youngsters Kyle Red Silverstein (who I'm convinced is Nolan Gould's doppelgänger) and Alyvia Alyn Lind evoke an impressive balance of fun and innocence, while Bella Thorne brings heart and laughter to the androgynous Hillary (aka "Larry"), and the comedic timing of resort employee Nickens (Terry Crews) and his merry band of backup performers is nothing short of perfect.

Despite having an epilogue that stretches out a bit long and some unsuccessfully forced humor, Blended is an otherwise brilliant comedy. It's just as funny (and in some aspects, better) than 2014's Bad Words and Neighbors. Although it's nothing for the history books, it's the best that I've seen Adam Sandler in years, partially because it never gets as unnecessarily dramatic as some of his other works like Big Daddy or Mr. Deeds. Not since 2007's Click have I been so convinced that Adam Sandler still has a few surprises up his sleeve.

Don't listen to the other critics - listen to me. Go see the Adam Sandler movie in Africa. Go back to a time when you weren't able to predict the ending to every romcom on the planet, and put yourself in the mindset that a movie with goofy sex jokes and a lot of laughs could be the feel-good film of the year. If you go into Blended with that mindset, you might just be surprised to find yourself enjoying an Adam Sandler movie in this decade. Isn't it time we had another light-hearted comedy to our list of lovable movies? Well, believe it or not, Blended might just be that movie.

Rating: 4/5

Godzilla; Neighbors; X-Men: Day of Future Past

Hooray for mini-reviews! Because I saw these movies months ago and forget most of the plot details.

Godzilla

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What's Godzilla missing? It's an exciting monster movie with dramatic twists, genuine performances, thrills, and spectacular visuals, all centered around well-thought out characters in an extremely human-grounded story. But it is missing something: Godzilla.

The movie focuses on the Brody family. Joe (Walter Whi…I mean Bryan Cranston) and Sandra are a married American couple working in a Japanese power plant, where one day unusual seismic activity leads to the catastrophic destruction of some of the area. Sandra dies in the accident, and when the plant and surrounding vicinity are put under quarantine, Joe adamantly stays in the area to find out what caused the accident that led to his wife's death.

Fifteen years later, the Brody's son Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is in the military. When he's not on a tour, he's at home with his wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and their young son. After getting word his father has been arrested for trespassing in the quarantine zone, Ford returns to Japan to see his father, who convinces his son that the accident that caused his wife's death was covered up. While you're reading this, are you wondering why Godzilla hasn't been mentioned yet? Yup - I was too. 

After getting caught in the quarantine zone together, Ford and Joe become acquainted with two scientists who have been monitoring the situation for decades, and reveal that a giant monster called MUTO (that's right, not Godzilla) was responsible for the accident, and has been in a deep slumber since the day of the catastrophe. They also explain that wherever MUTO goes, it seems to draw the attention of a giant, prehistoric predator called…wait for it…Godzilla! When MUTO finally awakens, Godzilla arrives to pit nature against nature in a series of intense, civilian-threatening battles around the globe, complete with astonishing cinematography and a fittingly erie score. While not necessarily brining the same level of destruction as Pacific Rim's Kaiju and Jaegers, Godzilla and MUTO still bring undeniably havoc-wreaking brawls to the screen.

As entertaining and dramatic as Godzilla was, I can't completely forgive the movie for using the big monster's pre-existing name, image, and reputation as tactics to fill seats in the audience. And even though Godzilla was a good movie, it wasn't a Godzilla movie.

Rating: 3.5/5

Neighbors

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As someone who has gone to college, let me tell you: Greek life can get very old very fast. But don't bother telling this to the Radners (Seth Rogen & Rose Byrne), they already know. When a caravan of frat bros move into the house next to theirs, the couple decide to get on good terms with the leaders of the brotherhood (Zac Efron & Dave Franco). One night of heavy partying seems to solidify the neighbors are respected acquaintances, until an all-out rager keeps the newlyweds and their adorable baby Stella up until 4 am. When they call the police, the offended fraternity president (Efron) vows to make the rest of their time in the home as torturous as possible for the family.

Neighbors brings very little that's new or rejuvenating for the comedy genre, but while I was watching it, I didn't want the movie to end. While I did laugh a lot, I'm pretty sure I'd only find most of the jokes funny for one more viewing, two max. What makes Neighbors worth that extra viewing or two is not just its material or fresh atmosphere, but the fact that it displays the expectedly impressive performances by leads Rogen and Efron, while Rose Byrne continues to prove why she is radially becoming a household name. The movie boasts that the simplistic neighbor versus neighbor idea can be drawn out for an hour and a half. And even if it wasn't able to do that, how can anyone not love the Robert De Niro party idea? It's 40 seconds of pure genius.

Rating: 3.5/5

X-Men: Days of Future Past

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I find it hard to believe that the X-Men, a group of superhumans who are collectively capable of pretty much anything, would be scared of being annihilated by a few robots. But seeing as these bots are the major antagonists of the film, I guess I'll just have to look past it. These robots, called Sentinels, adapt to any mutant power to eliminate these abnormalities of nature. 

Surviving members of the X-Men, including Storm, Professor X, Magneto, and Wolverine, realize there demise is inevitable. With the help of team member Kitty Pryde, X-Man Wolverine (aka Logan, played by everyone's favorite Australian, Huge Jackman) is mentally sent back in time to recruit younger versions of the team to stop these Sentinels from ever being built. To do so, they must thwart Mystique's attempts to assassinate the machines' creator, Bolivar Trask.

One of the best decisions of X-Men's filmmakers was the extent to which they used Jennifer Lawrence, and by connection, her character Mystique. They took full advantage of Lawrence's cultural popularity and screen presence, and brought her to a villainous role that audiences had never seen Lawrence undertake. Needless to say, she owned it.

Day of Future Past is successful in merging the bridge between the two different directions the franchise took, connecting the storyline and actors from both X-Men: The Last Stand (which I have not seen) and the prequel X-Men: First Class. It's able to bring a fresh and riveting story and conflict to a franchise that, in my opinion, never seemed to have a sincere idea of where to go (minus X2). In Days of Future Past, the massive ensemble of players are able to balance flawlessly in terms of screen time, while the screenplay weaves in scenes of drama, action, and comedy almost effortlessly. I see it as the best superhero movie since The Avengers, and a reason why we should all be excited for X-Men: Apocalypse. 

Rating: 4.5/5

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Screenrant

Wes Anderson, I have no doubt that you are a cinematic genius in your own eyes. However, you need to find a way to let that genius show to a wider audience. Watching your film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, I caught glimpses of the way your mind works, and I was impressed. But as much as I wanted to fully embrace your film, I only found it to be marginally entertaining.

To my readers: I couldn't really tell you much of what The Grand Budapest Hotel is about. It seems Anderson focused most of his efforts on elaboration of scenery and cinematography, as well as sly gags, rather than characters and plots. All I could gather was that a man named Zero looks back on his experiences as a hotel lobby boy at a magnificent European hotel. He would work every day to do well in the eyes of the hotel's eccentric concierge, Gustav (Ralph Fiennes).

When one of Gustav's regular guests (who moonlights as his cougar) dies, he discovers he has inherited the woman's most valuable possession - a painting worth millions. The woman's enraged family denies him ownership, prompting him to steal the work of art. This soon leads to an escapade throughout ski slopes, prisons, trains, and of course, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

In terms of the film's style, I'm not one to shy away from a quirky movie, but The Grand Budapest Hotel took things to a new extreme, where artwork and quick dialogue delivery become the focus of the entire movie. For example, I can hardly remember anything about Willem Defoe's silent assassin/bodyguard character except for the fact that I liked him and wanted more of him, but didn't get any. I don't even remember his character's name. Or Adrien Brody' characters. Or the character of the underused Saorsie Ronan. Or Harvey Keitel's character.

I found myself laughing for a split second at many points in the movie, but laughs were less and less frequent when I stated realizing I wasn't sure who or what I was laughing at. Maybe it's just because I'm not used to Anderson's style of work. Although I've seen Moonrise Kingdom, I've yet to watch any of his more notable works like The Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore. Until I understand where Anderson's coming from with is approach to movies, I guess I'll just destined to never fully enjoy his creations. But The Grand Budapest Hotel is worth a watch, if only for the originality it tries so desperately to achieve and its stunning visuals.

Rating: 3/5