Creep

Directed by : Patrick Brice
Written by and Starring : Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass  
Release Date : June 23, 2015  

I think we're done hoping the found-footage genre is going away, because it seems like it's here to stay for good in varying degrees. A movie like "Creep" proves that the train can and will keep on rolling, even if there is an obvious familiarity to this type of film making. All it takes is a premise to properly justify a story, and in this case it's about Aaron, a man hired to document one day in the life of Josef, a man who has terminal brain cancer. What could go wrong there right? 

Well the movie plays off innocently enough, but gradually plummets into a rabbit hole of bizarreness as Josef acts more and more weird in unsettling, unnerving, and potentially dangerous ways. Part of the fun in seeing this story through is wondering what else is going to happen. Even if you have an idea where it's potentially heading, you just might want to see how the mystery plays out anyway. The wolf head mask named Peachfuzz alone should pique your curiousity. 

Mark Duplass as Josef does a great job in combining levity and creepiness into this movie. Although the tone of the movie verges on the terrifying horror scenario, it's also lighthearted in it's own way. There are several moments of jump scares in the movie, and they can get repetitive and annoying, but they also kinda all work out anyway because of the fact that they were mostly played off as a laugh. There was even one jump scare that I particularly thought was surprising but really hilarious. 

"Creep" isn't exactly a masterpiece of horror cinema, but it's entertaining and captivating enough to find some merit in checking it out. 

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Steve Jobs

Directed by : Danny Boyle  
Written by : Aaron Sorkin  
Starring : Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, 
Release Date : October 8, 2015  

You can add "Steve Jobs" to the list of movies that is more about the conversations the characters are having on screen, to the point that it may as well be a stage play. Actually, why not? This would work really well as a stage play. This movie is also not really a biopic in the traditional way either, as it doesn't really try and recreate every aspect of Steve Jobs life. With that said, I thought this was a captivating piece of cinema. 

The movie is divided into three acts, which represents three major launches of Steve Job's career. The unveiling of the Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT box in 1988, and the iMac in 1998. This is not your typical narrative, but there is still several compelling story arcs that flows through each event, and reveals more about who Steve Jobs is as a person, and how he relates with key important people in his life. One very effective theme brought up is his precarious relationship with his daughter; Lisa Brennan, which is a story that really humanizes Jobs. I also rather enjoyed how this movie is still able to add a sense of humor to scenes when Steve Jobs is being really mean to people. 

This film has a talented group of actors from Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and the three young actresses (Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo, Perla Haney-Jardine) who played the daughter at the different ages. Of course the primary reason to see this movie is for the fantastic performance by Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs. Fassbender is able to excellently portray Jobs in his quiet calm moments, to his loud and furious episodes. More importantly, he is able to capture that look of an intimidating mad genius. 

Adapting the biography written by Walter Isaacson, "Steve Jobs" is a fascinating look at this iconic figure. The direction by Danny Boyle and the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin really helped moved this film in such an energetic pace, with highly enjoyable dialogue to listen to. 

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Boruto: Naruto The Movie

Directed by : Hiroyuki Yamashita  
Written by : Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi  
Starring : Yûko Sanpei, Junko Takeuchi, Noriaki Sugiyama, Kokoro Kikuchi, 
Release Date : August 7, 2015  

If you are a fan of the Japanese manga and anime TV shows "Naruto," "Naruto Shippuden," and have seen the anime movie "The Last: Naruto The Movie," then "Boruto: Naruto The Movie," is the next thing you want to watch. This is a continuation to the story where the next generation of characters get to carry on the franchise. 

As the title suggests, this story is primarily about Boruto, the son of Naruto, and how their relationship is strained because of the Father's busy duty as the seventh Hokage; leader of the ninja village of Konoha. I found the premise about a boy who just wants his Dad's attention to be rather effective, and there are certain scenes that hit that idea home really well. Besides that, there is also a big bad guy to contend with in the plot, but it's a little under cooked and unmemorable. 

Part of the fun of watching a Naruto movie are the action sequences, and this installment does not disappoint. Ninja skills, powers, and martial arts combat, are done really well here. Even though several of the characters are rather over powered, the movie somehow manages to maintain some tension of danger to our protagonists. Maybe a little bit of tension. The final battle in particular is entertaining to watch, and it's because it's easy to root for our heroes to succeed spectacularly. 

"Boruto: Naruto The Movie" is admittedly typical of an anime movie and doesn't do anything remarkably unique. It's not a perfectly told story either because of all the plot elements it had to juggle. However, the fans should enjoy it, and appreciate seeing the characters they know and love in a different perspective. 

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Bridge Of Spies

Directed by : Steven Spielberg  
Written by : Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen  
Starring : Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance 
Release Date : October 14, 2015  

Based on true historical events, "Bridge Of Spies" is about an insurance lawyer who is thrust into the world of espionage and world politics. This is not some spy thriller that's tense filled with lots of action and excitement. This is more about the conversations, the ideals brought up, and a look at a very precarious historical time of the Cold War. 

Tom Hanks is impressive as James Donovan, the lawyer that becomes an American pariah for defending a Russian spy on trial. Mark Rylance is excellent as Rudolph Abel, the calm and collected Russian spy who puts his trust and respect towards Donovan. Some of the best dialogue in the movie are between the two characters, and there's even a running joke that they have that I found entertaining. 

The most impactful aspect about this movie is that it celebrates standing up for what's right despite public opinion. Standing up for your fellow human being, whoever they are and wherever they are from. Standing up for having a strong character trait that stands by their ideals for integrity and for proper justice. It's amazing what can be accomplished just by talking and not by violence, and that's why James Donovan is a true hero that deserves more recognition. 

While "Bridge Of Spies" may be a bit dry and slow paced for some movie goers, I found it rather inspirational, and appreciated the message it was relaying. 

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Crimson Peak

Directed by : Guillermo del Toro  
Written by : Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins  
Starring : Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver,  
Release Date : October 14, 2015  

Looking at "Crimson Peak" at just a glance, it's easy to assume that this is some kind of scary movie. However, it's not. There are in fact some jump scares, gruesome violent images, spooky settings, and the ghosts are especially ghastly to look at, but even then this is still not a horror film. This is Director Guillermo del Toro doing Gothic Fiction, and it's quite enjoyable. 

The primary three actors here are great, and are part of the reason this movie works. It's got Mia Wasikowska as the girl who can see ghosts, Tom Hiddleston as the charming man who is hiding a secret, with his cold and intimidating sister that is played by Jessica Chastain. Another huge reason to see this movie are for the excellent visuals. The spooky mansion and the haunting ghosts, are quite the sights to see. 

As for the premise itself, it's compelling, fascinating, and mysterious. This movie does play off like a mystery that needs to be solved, and that's the driving force to see things through. Watching Wasikowska sneak around the mansion trying to uncover the secrets is simply entertaining. The story may not be entirely unpredictable, and there are some questionable plot developments, but it has more good points than bad. 

"Crimson Peak" isn't exactly the kind of movie that will necessarily connect with everybody, as this is targeted for a specific type of movie goer. The type who likes a flair of gothic fiction in their narratives. 

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Goodnight Mommy

Directed and Written by : Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz  
Starring : Elias Schwarz, Lukas Schwarz, Susanne Wuest  
Release Date : January 8, 2015  

"Ich Seh Ich Seh" AKA "Goodnight Mommy" starts off with two young siblings playing together, nearby and in an isolated country side home. In fact, a good portion of this movie are just dedicated to scenes of the siblings playing. Soon, their mother comes home after being away for some period of time, except her face is wrapped in bandages, and the boys start being suspicious of whether she is who she claims to be. No good can come of this right? 

This is somewhat closer to an unconventional horror movie in the sense that while there are a few jump scare moments, it isn't completely littered with that. It's much more atmospherically creepy and unnerving, with the intention of getting under your skin. Eventually, things do get disturbingly dark and horrifying. I even found some of those scenes quite shocking to see, in the context of where the story is going. 

The movie is definitely not for everybody. It's pacing is purposefully slow, which can get a little frustrating to put up with. The premise may also feel fresh and inspired, but I also thought it was a little too predictable for it to be considered truly clever. It may have played it's hand way too early, and it felt like I was just putting up with the long wait to the climax. Oh and I should mention that there are several scenes involving lots of bugs. I hate bugs. 

While "Goodnight Mommy" had some great ideas to put on screen, I somehow feel like the whole thing could have been simply done as a short film. But then we would lose all that slow burning dread that this film was effectively going for. 

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99 Homes

Directed by : Ramin Bahrani  
Written by : Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi  
Starring : Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Noah Lomax, 
Release Date : September 25, 2015  

It'll be easy to call "99 Homes" a very important movie to watch about modern history, in regards to the American housing crash. This is a story about people's homes going into foreclosure, and the families that get evicted from them. It's a very arresting topic, and Director Ramin Bahrani does a great job in letting the audience experience what an eviction feels like, and those scenes are very heartbreaking to watch. 

Michael Shannon does an excellent job as Rick Carver, the real-estate broker that represents the banks when they take a house. Andrew Garfield is fantastic as Dennis Nash, a man who was evicted himself but ends up helping Carver as a lucrative source of income to help support his Mom and Son. Both actors are great in making their characters come to life, with Garfield being particularly strong in this role. 

While the movie's theme about how far a person is willing to go, in watching other people suffer for their own personal gain, is indeed very compelling to watch, there are still some conventional plot points that are too predictable and coincidental. The film tries to play around in a moral grey area, but the execution is still very much black & white, and very much good vs bad. It's overall an interesting story, but still very straightforward. 

Even though I have some issues with "99 Homes," it's still a captivating and riveting movie. It very much got my attention, and will resonate with me for a long while. 

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The Walk

Directed by : Robert Zemeckis  
Written by : Robert Zemeckis, Christopher Browne  
Starring : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Clément Sibony, César Domboy, Ben Kingsley,  
Release Date : September 30, 2015  

As a movie about a true life event from the 1970s, it does have the biopic parts, but it feels like an adventurous fairy tale, and it's also mixed in with a heist film. It is a very whimsical and inspiring story about Philippe Petit, and his dream of wire-walking between the Twin Towers. It's entertaining seeing everything that led to that fateful day, and it's also a wonderful tribute to the majesty of the World Trade Center. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a fantastic job as Philippe Petit, and captures the energetic and showmanship nature of the real man. Petit can be overbearing and obnoxious, but it's hard not being sucked into the whirlwind of a character that he is. The rest of the supporting cast from Charlotte Le Bon to Ben Kingsley do a good job of holding their own as well. 

The visuals are particularly amazing to look at here, and enhances the experience of this fantastic premise. It was also perfectly well made to be seen on a huge screen such as an IMAX theater. This film also might just be one of the best examples on how to properly use the 3D format. When Petit was walking the wire between the Twin Towers, it's easy to feel a bit of vertigo and intensity. 

Based on the Philippe Petit's book "To Reach The Clouds," "The Walk" by Robert Zemeckis made this a very enjoyable movie to experience Petit's dream come to life. This would also be a perfect companion piece to the documentary "Man On Wire," as there are contents on that film that isn't found in this one, and vice versa. 

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The Martian

Directed by : Ridley Scott  
Written by : Drew Goddard  
Starring : Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, Michael Peña, 
Release Date : September 30, 2015  

"The Martian" is a movie about survival. Usually in most movies, that means it's going to be bleak and cynical. Not this movie though! It's very much a crowdpleaser and an inspiring story about an astronaut stranded on Mars, with the nearest help literally years away from him. Along with the survival angle of the premise, the other aspect is about the people who desperately need to help rescue him. It's always heartwarming to watch a story that has faith in the good of humanity. 

There are other common themes in the movie. It's also about optimism, patience, perseverance, and most important of all, it's about science.  To quote Astronaut Mark Watney when he realized what he needed to do to survive, he said that he's "going to have to science the shit out of this." There is a lot of science talk here, to the point that the exciting reveals and plot points for this story are when people figure out a scientific way to solve a problem. It's actually fun learning things here. 

This movie does have an all star cast, with a very entertaining performance by Matt Damon as Watney, whose character is humorous enough to keep the levity alive in what is technically a very dire situation. The story also follows two other sets of characters, from the Earth side of things that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels, plus the rest of the astronauts that are still in space which includes Jessica Chastain and Michael Pena. All of them are just fantastic. 

Based on the novel by Andy Weir, "The Martian" might just truly be deserving of the best picture of the year award. This is another strong screenplay work by Drew Goddard, and probably the best directing work by Ridley Scott in a decade. 

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The Green Inferno

Directed by : Eli Roth  
Written by : Guillermo Amoedo, Eli Roth  
Starring : Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns, Daryl Sabara, 
Release Date : September 4, 2014  

"The Green Inferno" is pretty much Eli Roth's love letter to the cannibal exploitation horror film genre of the 1970s and 1980s. It also seems like 1980's "Cannibal Holocaust" by Ruggero Deodato, and 1981's "Cannibal Ferox" by Umberto Lenzi, are major influences to this film. If you haven't been exposed to this genre of movie, then the content will likely shock you. For those of you already familiar with them, you will likely ask the question "Why did Eli Roth pull his punches?" 

Short of one very graphic, gory, bloody, and cruel death scene; which was impressively amazing to see play out, there isn't really a lot here that isn't already regularly seen in some major cable TV shows. I was surprised at how relatively tame this was for the genre it's paying homage to. It didn't help that there was actually a mix of humor and adventure that only diffuses the horrific premise a bit. I was expecting something dark, disturbing, and depressing, but what I got was closer in tune with the hand-holding nature of many horror movies today. It was like Eli Roth was self-censoring himself. 

Despite my disappointment with the actual lackluster scenes that plays on the cannibal exploitation movies, the story itself was fine. It's not a perfectly told story by any means, but it's not horrible either. The movie also throws in some political and social commentaries that'll give you something to think about. The modern production value, editing, and directing work are also very appreciated to see here, as those older movies were very low-budget in look and sound. 

I admit that my criticism for "The Green Inferno" shows a little bit of my bias, but I admit that I was still entertained. I just wanted to see more, and I have a feeling Eli Roth himself knows he probably should have let himself go crazy on this movie. 

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