Review: Straight Outta Compton (2015) [Dope, Man?]

“You don’t care what I’m fightin’ for”

Straight Outta Compton is a film I have been looking forward to ever since I saw the trailer a few months back. I’m not especially a big fan of N.W.A, but the singles ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and ‘F**k Tha Police’ are among my favourite rap songs. They have a raw power and a sense of urgency that culminates in a primal scream of fury. I hoped as much from the film. Plus, a film about race relations in the US always has relevance, especially in light of present race-related murders in the US. I didn’t know enough about the N.W.A. to spoil the plot of the film, either (well, apart from knowledge about Dr. Dre and Ice Cube). I received what I expected: a great musical biopic that feels truly epic in scope and theme.

Review: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015) (I Accept!)

“I didn’t need help”

Mission: Impossible is a franchise I’ve never warmed to. The first film was a dull affair. The second one was a sub-par John Woo film. The third one tried very hard to impress, but failed. The first three caused me to disregard the fourth one, but with the release of Rogue Nation, I thought I’d give the franchise another shot. I didn’t regret it, either! What I was served was typical but perfectly adequate popcorn fare that peaked too soon to leave us with an underwhelming ending. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which negates the various plot conveniences and absurdities. I’ll only remember the action sequences, and only a little of the plot. But for sheer entertainment, the first two-thirds of Rogue Nation is a hit!

Review: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) (Beyond the CGI-Dome!)

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

“The world is fire and blood”

Yet again, we have another remake/belated sequel from the 1980s. Initially, I read the news of a new Mad Max film with the greatest of cynicism. Mad Max was, in my mind, join the ranks of remakes/belated sequels like Robocop, Total Recall, Prometheus (prequel, yes, but you get my drift) and a host of unimaginative cash-ins on 70s/80s nostalgia. After seeing the trailer, my interest perked up. After watching the film itself, I could slap myself for how wrong I was about Mad Max: Fury Road. Much like The Matrix and Die Hard, Mad Max redefines the action genre. Not only that, but it leaves every action movie from the past decade or so looking like they were filmed during amateur hour. Mad Max is perhaps the purest action movie I’ve seen for a long time.

Review: The Duff (2015) (I’ll Drink To That)

Are you ready to get Duffed?

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

“She has the hottest friends”

Within the first minutes of The Duff, the narrator and main character, Bianca Tyler, tells us that things have not changed with regards to high school stereotypes. Yes, thanks to social networks, geeks are in. But, the high school hierarchies are still in place. The jocks get all the popular girls, the geeks still don’t get laid. Within the first five minutes, even with the fancy scene-cutting (mirroring life on the internet), The Duff hadn’t sold me on being anything different than your average high school teen comedy. And while it doesn’t tell us anything radical, the film tried it’s hardest to impress.

Review: Cinderella (2015) (Once Upon A Dream?)

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

“Have Courage and Be Kind”

I fully expected this to be another awful live action remake of a classic film. Disney’s last attempt to give an animation a live action make over, Alice in Wonderland, was about as enjoyable as licking a toilet bowl. It is fair to say that I went into Cinderella with low expectations (especially after seeing ANOTHER PRICE INCREASE at the local Odeon. Those robbing so and sos). It went above and beyond those low expectations!