Jasonic Reviews Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

"So what's all the buzz about Star Wars?" an average non-fan might ask. Aside from being the biggest, most epic space opera in cinema of all time, there are literally multiple stories to uncover in the massive galaxy the original built over forty years ago. From the various expanded material written throughout the years to the many video games indulging in cool ideas for players to try themselves, there's almost no where the saga hasn't gone (except maybe R-rated territory if you're talking the movies -- which Revenge of the Sith almost was). As of the release of The Force Awakens, there have been more and more side projects for Star Wars releasing in between each new main saga installment. With the release of The Last Jedi just around the corner, I thought I'd go back and take a look at last year's surprise spin-off hit, Rogue One. Right off the bat, it's clear that the movie is rather different from its predecessors as it is the only live action -- I say that because there's also the animated Clone Wars movie -- Star Wars film to not feature an opening crawl, but the differences don't stop there.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

The film is a direct prequel to the original Star Wars (better known as Episode IV: A New Hope) and is perhaps the most mandatory prequel story in the whole saga. In it, a young criminal named Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) is rescued from Imperial labor by the Rebel Alliance. With help from intel officer, Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna), she is tasked with finding her father, Galen (played by Mads Mikkelson), in order that they may acquire more information on the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star of which he has reluctantly helped construct for years. Meanwhile, a defect Imperial pilot named Bohdi Rook (played by Riz Ahmed) has been tasked with delivering Galen's message, which reveals a flaw in the Death Star; a flaw that, if exploited, will pave way for the Alliance to destroy it should they get their hands on the plans. As they team up with the likes of Chirrut Îmwe (played by Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (played by Jiang Wen), and K-2SO (played by Alan Tudyk), they must conquer any and all odds stacked against them to retrieve the Death Star plans and ultimately bring hope to the galaxy no matter the sacrifices they make.

For starters, the entire plotline gives us a deeper look into the Star Wars galaxy and answers the one crucial question many nitpicking viewers have had for years: why was the Death Star so easy to destroy? To some this movie's sole existence is to justify that with Galen Erso's explanation, but I see it as more than just simply that. Whereas the Original Trilogy only gave us hints toward life in the galaxy under the Empire's rule, this gives us an up close and personal glimpse at it. Details like the Stormtroopers roaming the streets of Jedha City to the skirmishes incited by Saw Gerrera's extremists show that the many conflicts of the Galactic Civil War weren't just limited to good vs. evil; there were obvious grey areas and even the main characters show that. Innocent as she looks, Jyn is clearly ready to break the necks of anybody who crosses her while Cassian is very much the opposite -- is essentially a hired killer who recognizes his poor choices even under the cause of the Rebellion. Though we have seen many grey areas throughout the Star Wars mythos, it's nice to see a more down to earth take on the worlds and characters that, while sci fi to us, very much realistically depict war from an average person's viewpoint.

Speaking of the characters, one of many complaints I hear is that the characters (especially the Rogue One squad) aren't developed enough and that they don't resonate with us like those from the main saga. Well, I'm here to tell you that that's the point; the objective of the movie is not to make us care about those Rebel spies mentioned in the opening crawl of A New Hope, but rather show how the Death Star plans were acquired and add some humanity to the conflict. To have everyone talk extensively of their backstories would have likely weighed the film down to a point where we're distracted from rooting for them to work together to complete the mission. For example, Saw Gerrera (played by Forrest Whitaker) had a presence in only the first act without us even knowing much about his story -- except for those who watch The Clone Wars, which I hardly did -- and died as if sacrificing himself when he barely left an impression. To some, that may have been too quick of an entrance/exit that means nothing other than for him to reunite with Jyn and show her father's message, though it's made clear that he's a physically broken person ("There's not much of me left.") and is tired of running from danger by the time the Death Star fires for the first time. All in all, the fact that all the new cast members die off in the end not only is a different way to cap off a Star Wars film (especially in Disney's case), but each of the cast gets enough development to where we're hopeful that they'll overcome all odds while not too depressed the moment the movie's over.

Though most of the movie's down sides are easy to rectify, the main negative I can agree on with this movie is its use of CGI to recreate dead or aging actors. I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about when I say that the way they used CG to essentially resurrect Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin and de-age Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia at the time didn't turn out as well as you might think. Despite noble efforts on the special effects crew's department, it's just too easy to tell they only animated someone's likeness over another actor's face; in other words it doesn't look real enough. Specifically with Tarkin, the moment you see his head turn around as the Death Star finishes construction, the way his face moves as he talks is so clearly animated, I almost thought I was watching one of the animated shows for a second. That said, prosthetics might have done the trick in a more authentic manner given that the actor they chose looks like a young Peter Cushing and could easily pull off his voice that, had they gone that route, I would have though maybe they brought the actor back to life just for this movie. And I know not what they could have done better to re-capture the likeness of young Carrie Fisher (as she was still alive at the time the movie came out -- RIP Carrie Fisher), yet it somehow goes back and forth from looking real to not real in the matter of the only 12 seconds she's on screen. Even so, the scene itself ties in perfectly with the movie's message of "rebellions are built on hope" without completely disregarding Luke's role in the next chronological installment and was a neat way to end the movie.

Of course, it's a Star Wars film so I can't let slip by just how fantastically the environments shown are visually represented. From the out of this world yet somehow real worldly vibe of the Erso's home planet to the sunny, beachy landscape of Scarif, each planet is filled with stunning landscapes that really draw the viewer into another world while somehow also remaining grounded -- the same contrast that's found throughout the film in its world and characters. It's clear that the designers knew what era of Star Wars they were designing after and it shows throughout the movie. The inclusion of Yavin 4 only serves to amplify that and seeing it come back wasn't just mandatory, but also seeing it from different angles as well as the Mon Mothma look-a-like were enough to excite me about seeing the OT era from a different angle. Even in the beginning of the film, the planet we first meet Cassian on has its own contrast, showing at first a bright and shiny city like that of the Prequel Trilogy before panning down into a more rugged, shady city similar to the Original Trilogy. Each locale was immersive in its own way and definitely made for a welcome way to revisit the era.

Naturally, the action scenes are just as mandatory and, my golly, are there many show stealers in this one. Whereas the previous films prominently featured acrobatic swordplay Jedi fights with only a handful of blaster action on the side, Rogue One deviates with a multitude of more realistic action set pieces many of which are very stellar and noteworthy. From Chirrut's blind Force-based hand-to-hand combat to the amazing X-Wing space fights we're given in the third act, the whole film somehow manages to create unique action set pieces without ever featuring on a lightsaber duel, which is saying something for a film of its series. Where in the pacing was a tad off in the first two acts and the action wasn't as engaging, the entire third act battle at Scarif is undeniably the highlight of the story; between the multiple perspectives shown from the ground to the sprawling aerial combat between the X-Wings and TIE Fighters, I was once again a young boy watching the exciting Battle of Hoth yet again, only this time better! And if that wasn't enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, the immediate follow up to that scene with Darth Vader slaughtering Rebels in a darkened hallway absolutely did not disappoint. Aside from Vader barely appearing hardly in the film up to that point, him breathing in the shadows, igniting his lightsaber, deflecting the Rebels' blaster bolts, and slashing/choking them in all sorts of dynamic ways has forever cemented that scene in my mind as the best scene in the movie as well as the best portrayal of the character of Darth Vader on film to date! I could literally nerd out on it for days at a time if I wanted!

Lest we not forget to mention the acting; it was fairly good. Not exactly the most masterful acting of all time, but it definitely wasn't prequel levels of terrible. Felicity Jones, though she played the part of Jyn Erso well, sort of maintained a bit of an angry expression throughout the movie even after her emotional moment where her character discovers the truth about her father, which I guess signals further the need for viewers to not get too attached to her. Ben Mendelssohn's Krennic, on the other hand, though I can't say he was the best antagonist in all of Star Wars, really nails the persona of a man who isn't recognized for his achievement as a result of ignoring simple oversights. He's just trying too hard to be the best and doesn't succeed and Mendelssohn did a good job pulling that off. The other actors all did a fine job of playing their parts even though they hardly ever got emotional, but then again that was the point. James Earl Jones, of course, returns to voice Darth Vader, and though his voice isn't given much of a presence in the two scenes where Vader's present, he actually cracks a joke that's guaranteed to make any fan of the Force choke crack up with ease. However, the real show stealers would have to be Alan Tudyk's K-2SO and Donnie Yen's Chirrut. K's snarky personality gives him the most funny lines of them all (i.e.: "Congratulations. You are being rescued. Try not to resist.") and even Chirrut's one liners (i.e.: "Are you kidding me? I am blind!") make him a fun presence to have throughout the film. And that's what the film was to me: gritty, dramatic Star Wars fun.

Overall, the film was great despite its flaws and really offers us a taste of what the additional Star Wars spin-offs may be like in years to come. Despite complaints involving the use of CG-plastered faces to recreate old familiar faces, the story answered our questions and took us into new, but familiar territory, the characters were developed enough to not distract from the main premise, the environments beautifully constructed and rendered, the action managed to stay fresh while also providing edge-of-your-seat enjoyment, and the acting was fairly well done. If anything, I'd rank this somewhere between The Force Awakens and Return of the Jedi in terms of my favorite Star Wars overall. That said the film gets a solid B and a worth watching recommendation from me to any Star Wars fan and beyond!

Thanks y'all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews The Incredibles

*Dramatic narrator voice* In a world where every Fantastic Four movie is a stinker, leave it to Pixar to make a proper movie about a superhero family in the form of The Incredibles. And there's no denying that it truly is incredible!

Yes, I know that's cliche as could be, though there is real truth to it. By the time the movie was released, Pixar had already started out with a consistently good track record with the likes of the Toy Story films, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo that there was literally no telling where they would go next. By the time the film was being made, brand new technology to animate realistic-looking humans -- the likes of which most, if not all Pixar films, only had as background characters up to that point -- had been created as a means of upping the look of humans as they were to be the primary focus of this film. And, on top of that, the superhero film genre was still very much unpopular that the studio could just do whatever they want to create their own superhero-centric film without the pressure to live up to popular superhero trends in movies (if there were any) besides what the X-Men and Spider-Man movies had to offer. Throw a little family dynamic and James Bond-inspired settings and music into the mix, and you have what I consider to be one of the coolest Pixars from my childhood, The Incredibles.

***INCREDIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*** (actually, no, just thought I'd type that for fun)

The setup and overall plot is rather fascinating compared to most superhero movies of this day and age. In the movie, we follow Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) as he, along with other "Supers" of his day and age, are sued for collateral damage and other injuries inflicted on civilians in their crime fighting efforts. As a result, he and his family of Supers consisting of Helen/Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter), Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell), Dash (voiced by Spencer Fox), and Jack-Jack (voiced by two different babies whose names I can't recall) are forced by the government into a relocation program, moving on a regular basis and hiding their powers as they do so. 15 years after the program's enactment, Bob faces a mid-life crisis, longing to relive the glory days as his Super persona and working with his best friend, Lucius Best/Frozone (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) as a secret vigilante on the side. Things finally start to brighten up when Mr. Incredible is recruited by a mysterious client to find and take down a rogue robot known as the Omnidroid as it supposedly threatens the remote island of Nomanisan. Eventually, Bob discovers it's all a plot orchestrated by a supervillain named Syndrome (voiced by Jason Lee), his former biggest fan formerly known as "Buddy" whom he rejected assistance from years ago and is now a maniacal, tech savvy monster out to kill him. Only when the rest of the family gets involved do the Supers face permanent extinction when Syndrome threatens to take over for them himself.

As stated before, this flick stands out from every other superhero film in recent memory for having such a unique and interesting storyline with themes to complete it. It's not relatable in the sense that everyone wants to be greater than they are, but rather it shows that everyone (especially adults going through midlife crises) longs to relive the glory days when they feel they were at the top of their game and that really shows in Mr. Incredible's arc throughout. Though the film is called The Incredibles, the film primarily focuses on him and his journey; symbolically, the first third of the film post-prologue is largely drained of color to reflect how drained of fun and excitement Bob's world is in having to deal with difficult clients in his insurance company job as opposed to stopping crime as a Super like he wants. It's mostly about him trying to get his life back together for more selfish reasons, initially before realizing that his family truly is his greatest treasure. For that matter, the family dynamics are some of the most notable parts of the whole thing. Each family member behaves like their respective role in the family without coming off as one-dimensional or stereotypical (i.e.: Dash behaves like a hyperactive 10-year-old just as I was when the film came out) and their superpower also equates with their familial role and who they are -- such as Violet being a self-conscious teenager who often wants to disappear due to her insecurities. The family, while not completely the focus, does have a lot of fun ways of playing off each other with their exchanges throughout as well as their working together more towards the end of the film and they're what makes the film shine through.

From a visual/technical perspective, this is still one of the most visually impressive and interesting technical feats in Pixar to this date. The humans, being the main focus, all have features that make them look real and identifiable as such; from realistic flowing hairs to noticeable facial scruff, having realistic human features was a big step up from Pixar's previous human supporting characters, which mostly looked subpar compared to the main characters which weren't human. Real as they might look from a visual standpoint, their designs are rather cartoony as if the film were meant to be hand drawn at first. Director, Brad Bird, often had a knack for designing humans with a more cartoony edge and his work really shows here -- just look at The Iron Giant humans and compare. Unironically, Brad Bird's character, Edna "E" Mode, whom he voiced in the film is a costume designer for the Supers has this sort of psychotic passion for designing super suits I would almost assume that she, in some way, represents his own inner passion for the amount of thought and care he puts into his character designs. As much as "E" doesn't like capes in her designs (as shown with her popular "No capes!" joke), I bet it's true that Bird is the same way about realistic character proportions.

The film is excellent in the audio department for a number of reasons mainly the music. Composed by Michael Giacchino, the score has a clear James Bond influence with the loud jazzy instruments accompanying the action scenes, which, in retrospect, creates a fitting fanfare for a whole family of supers. For one, it's different from the traditional dramatic horns we hear in most superhero movies (The Dark Knight, The Amazing Spider-Man, etc.) as it allows for both excitement for the family and others watching as well as dramatic tension for every time the heroes swoop into action. Second, it works for the time period in which the film appears to be set; though rather inconspicuous at first, upon closer inspection, it's clear that, based on the car models and suburban aesthetics among other things, the film is set in the 1960s back when James Bond was first starting out. Although to some this is rather unbelievable, even the 60s James Bond films, which were set in the time period even had futuristic high-tech machines and facilities that the villains operated in; that's what makes the James Bond influence very fitting. And, while the voice actors weren't the most noteworthy aspect, each does an great job of portraying their character/role with the Parr's voice actors sounding like a real family and some of the bigger names like Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee creating fun performances for their characters.

I may not have talked about the story much, but it's nice to see that the cliffhanger this left off on so many years ago is finally getting a payoff with the soon-to-be Incredibles 2 coming out in June, for which the announcement was the reason I decided to go ahead and review the first one near its 13th anniversary this month. For that matter, the film really lives up to its name with the deviation from the traditional superhero narrative, the portrayal of family and midlife crisis, the interesting visual looks and technical feats it achieved, the fantastic score, and great voice actors. This may even be one of the best Pixars apart from Toy Story and Finding Nemo even still to this day! That said, the film gets an A+ in my book and is definitely recommendable for families, moviegoers, animated and superhero movie nuts alike!

Thanks y'all for reading and I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews Iron Man

When a movie comes out that's based on a comic book, it's interesting when a mainstream audience knows next to nothing about the character being portrayed. In the case of Batman, Spider-Man, and the Hulk, pretty much everyone and their brother knows that they came from murdered parents, spider bite, and gamma radiation respectively; and it's only because they're so popular too. However, in the rare instance that a superhero film comes out and next to nobody knows the origin that it actually turns out to be an interesting watch, it's exciting to the brim and nobody gets bored. This is exactly how it was back in the day when the MCU first booted up nearly a decade ago. With the success of the MCU permeating heavily throughout the world the last ten years, I decided it would be interesting go back and look over how the thin popularity of the character's origin among other things sent the one film that launched the MCU off the ground flying to where it is now.

For years, the idea of a cinematic universe in Hollywood had been tossed and turned across many producers. Early attempts at such included deals with Fox and Sony to cross over the X-Men and Spider-Man with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine set to appear in Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man movie back in 2002. While that idea was scrapped for weird reasons -- Hugh Jackman forgetting his costume -- producers at Marvel were looking for a way to create a film universe akin to that of their comic books, which would cross over through common plot elements and characters. Eventually, they formed Marvel Studios and with plans to kick off a cinematic universe utilizing the characters and properties they still owned the rights to. Seeing as they still owned the rights to all the core Avengers members, the key was that they created a universe set mainly around each member of the team as well as their coming together through interwoven plot-lines and carefully crafted characters. The result was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which got off to a fresh start with who had been quite possibly their least popular character at the time: Iron Man.

***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (just in case you haven't seen the movie -- though you probably have)

The plot explores the previously unpopular origins of Iron Man. In it, billionaire genius playboy/philanthropist, Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.), is the egocentric head of weapons manufacturer, Stark Industries, who cares more about himself he lives as he pleases. After a demonstration of his newly built "Jericho missile" in the Middle East, Stark is captured by terrorist organization, the Ten Rings, who coerce him into building a Jericho missile of their own. While being held captive, he is implanted with an arc reactor that keeps shrapnel from an explosion that injured him out of his heart and gets the idea to use it to power a suit of armor that ultimately helps him escape. Upon being rescued and brought back to America by Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (played by Terrence Howard), Tony decides that, having seen his weapons being utilized for terror, to shut down all weapons manufacturing -- much to the dismay of the world and his company manager, Obadiah Stane (played by Jeff Bridges) -- and work on improving his armor design for future use. Meanwhile, Stark and his personal assistant, Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), get involved in a conspiracy surrounding Stark Industries and its possible connections to the Ten Rings. In a series of sciency inventing montages and company drama, Tony Stark forms himself into the renowned superhero known as Iron Man in hopes to save lives from the atrocities he's created.

One thing this movie does right is make a superhero origin story both interesting and exciting for a change. Not only was the origin uncommon knowledge for many movie goers at the time, but with Iron Man, we're also given more of a "show don't tell" approach with the way that Tony is often seen building his Iron Man suits without too big an exposition dump as to what he's doing. Throughout his many planning and building trials with the Iron Man suits and functionalities, it never gets boring just watching things play out as he surrounds himself with technology, viewing and playing with holographic displays in his Malibu mansion workshop basement that everybody only wishes they could have in their own home. And the way he takes his time building the suit components and practicing the repulsors and jetpacks is done in a way that helps us enjoy watching him adjust. It feels like those viewing are in the process with him as he goes about the trial and error of doing and redoing everything. For that matter, his reactions are very much believable and make the whole thing fun to watch.

Speaking of reactions, the actors are not only what sold this movie on its own, but also what helped the universe gain a solid foundation in cinemas for the last many years. It's undeniable that Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely fantastic in every way as Tony Stark, taking the character as Marvel fanboys know from the comics and making him his own. The ways in which he sells a plethora of attitudes and emotions not only through his snarky, witty, apathetic dialogue, but even through simple facial expression shows that he was really into the character from the beginning. And in all the years since the film's release, he's been both a major selling point for the many sequels he's starred in as well as a surrogate that has kept the universe going for all these years. And Jeff Bridges, gotta love him! He really sells it well by playing a villain for a change and keeps everything fun and cool every time he's on screen that it's a shame that, for being the villain, they axed him off right away. Regardless, Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper may not have gotten much credit at the time, but looking back, I say she really is her character just as Clark Gregg really is Agent Coulson (who plays a minor part in this one, but would later help tie the universe together) to me. Sadly, Terrence Howard never got to return as Rhodey, but he and the other side characters did a fine job themselves with what they were given.

While actors weren't as involved in the action scenes as they were your standard dialogue scenes, the action and special effects of this movie are stellar and an innovation for the time period in which it was released. In a world where superhero costumes sometimes look fake and unrealistic (i.e.: Green Lantern), the special effects department did a great job of making the Iron Man suit look organic and believable like a man was actually inside operating the thing. It blends well with the action scenes in the Middle East where Iron Man squares off against the Ten Rings terrorists as well as a single tank and a couple of jet fighters that tail that he has to evade in an exciting aerial chase. Speaking of aerial, the first flight scene is amazing and the various shots of Tony's face inside the HUD here and throughout the movie allow the audience to somehow feel like they're actually flying with Tony -- and the attention to details displayed in the HUD is just stunning! The only downside of the action bits is that the finale fight between Stark's Iron Man and Stane's Iron Monger suit is underwhelming at best with the action often pausing for the two to get their bearings as they utter commands and one liners. Clearly not the best third act fight in the series, but I'm thankful that in most future MCU installments, they only got better from there.

Not only did Iron Man provide the perfect jumping off point for the MCU on its own, but in some ways it revolutionized the superhero genre as a whole. Most superhero origin movies tend to follow the tropes set by the origin movies of the past whereas this dodged many standard tropes to give the film a fresher, more inviting feel as a whole. For one, prior to the title card, we are given enough of a glimpse as to who Tony Stark is in the military convoy when suddenly his attackers show up to kill everyone and capture him before the cuts 36 hours prior to the incident. Granted, this is where the usual buildup part that most superhero origins (i.e.: Spider-Man) utilize, but an action-based intro like that allows for a more engaging way of reaching the turning point for the main hero -- Deadpool would later utilize this in a more fun, creative way. While minor at best, such a twist is nothing compared to Tony's big reveal as Iron Man at the very end. Never before had a superhero willingly revealed their identity to the world in a movie so to have the first live action take on Tony Stark take such a leap was a big deal for the superhero genre as a whole and made the film stand out even more than anything else of its kind. That said, the way they executed everything was nearly perfect and it makes me glad to have stuck with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its cinematic inter-woven artistry after all this time.

What more can I say about a movie like Iron Man? It's got an engaging origin, great actors, stellar action and special effects, and it gave a big slap in the face to most superhero tropes that Hollywood had yet to fully break away from at the time. The fact that it's kept an entire cinematic universe up and running after all this time is absolutely amazing and the after credits scene with the sneak peak of Nick Fury and the mention of the "Avenger Initiative" only served as the introduction to after credits scenes being a necessity for all subsequent Marvel movies as well as an major influence to encourage audiences to stay until the end of the movie for a change. Clearly it revolutionized the film industry as a whole and paved the way for DC among others to put up some serious competition with other cinematic universe rolling out since. But, for standing well on its own, I give the movie a solid A and call it a strong recommendation for moviegoers and those looking to get into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thanks y'all for reading and I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews Edge of Tomorrow

With the success of a film of a movie like Groundhog Day, which brought a brand new method of storytelling into cinema, it was only a matter of time before other films (or forms of media for that matter) began utilizing what made its story so unique and interesting in the first place: the time loop. This form of storytelling takes what we know about traditional storytelling and time travel for that matter and creates something worth re-watching again and again -- literally. Entertaining as the idea was to begin with, it's no wonder many tried to follow the success of Groundhog Day through reiterating the same idea in their own unique ways. Although I've never read the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill, it is apparent that it was successful enough to generate a film adaptation in the form of Edge of Tomorrow, both of them making use of the time loop formula, but with a twist: aliens. Despite its premise sounding like a potential Groundhog Day ripoff with aliens tacked onto it, I'd have to agree that, in more ways than one, it managed to succeed on its own in more ways than one.

*Not too many spoilers in this one, but still proceed with caution if you haven't seen it yet*

This story follows American officer, William Cage (played by Tom Cruise), as he is stripped of his rank of Major and reverts to a Private under the cover story that he's been deserted. In reality, he threatened to blame his general for if the invasion to stop the onslaught of aliens called "Mimics" turned out to be a failure. After joining the "J squad" and being forced to partake in the invasion, Cage is killed in action, but not before making contact with the blood of one of the more peculiar aliens -- known as "Alphas". Soon after, he wakes up reliving the same day multiple times over and learns many methods to change the outcome albeit unsuccessfully. Eventually making contact with the renowned Sergeant Rita Vrataski (played by Emily Blunt) who has previously experienced the same phenomenon "before Verdun", Cage learns that the aliens are all connected to the source known as the "Omega", whose blood inadvertently allows Cage to share their ability to reset the day whenever he dies. Through learning and relearning the same methods multiple times, Cage and Vrataski must work together to somehow successfully end the Mimics invasion of Europe for good even if he has to live, die, and repeat time and again.

For starters the film doesn't fully rely on tired tropes to tell its story. Where there could have easily been no solid explanation for the time loop happening (like in Groundhog Day), they tell us full on that it happens because the Mimics possess said ability and, through the first Alpha dying, unintentionally share that ability with Cage. Self-explanatory as that may be, their take on the time loop becomes even more refreshing when, by the last act of the movie, Cage has this ability removed after a blood transfusion -- this is foreshadowed when Vrataski explains that this same exact thing happened to her. Upsetting as it may sound, in the long run, the removing of the "reset button" allows for the endgame to feel all the more exciting and tense (the battles building up to such feeling a lot more playful than most war films). Plus, whereas most alien invasion movies/blockbusters focus around America (i.e.: Independence Day, Battle: Los Angeles, etc.), this one takes place in Europe, making barely even a mention as to what's going on in America during the events of the film. It's almost as if the writers decided to pull a page from the history books with Hitler's takeover of Europe and apply it to the alien attackers in this movie. Then again, the writers/producers decided they wanted to keep things as close to the source material as possible -- which I trust they did a good job at. In turn, this makes it not only a fresh take on the time loop premise, but also a more excellent book to film adaptation than... well, most book to film adaptations.

Not only is the film well-written, but surprisingly well-acted as well. Despite the belief that he would become a running joke of an action star (à la Arnold Schwarzenegger), Tom Cruise actually manages to hold up this film quite well. Although I still see him as Tom Cruise more than whichever character he plays onscreen, his actions and reactions to the time loop are quite relatable; much like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, he starts off confused before learning what's really going on and, although he tries to succeed, he eventually gives up trying to do it right before ultimately pulling through. While it's not a direct copy-paste of Groundhog Day, it certainly feels similar in a way that's advantageous for Cruise to show off his surprise believability. In addition, his chemistry with Emily Blunt's character might be the most interesting part of the movie; their dynamic is interesting in the sense that he knows her through his memories of reliving the same day time and again, yet every time she meets him she, once again, doesn't know him, but, in a way, she kind of does based on her previous experience. Confusing as it sounds, it's a lot of what makes the movie for me. Plus even the supporting cast is entertaining and they play off each other well regardless of if they were as prominent as the main actors.

And what cool sci fi movie isn't without its nifty special effects? The mech battle suits that the soldiers wear into battle operate in a way that shows it really takes some getting used to (as demonstrated by Cruise's character unable to control it at first, but then becoming more capable the more he warps back in time). While you have your standard explosions, copters flying about, and human-operated battle suits all throughout the action scenes, the most interesting part is the design of the Mimics themselves. I must say that, in the countless alien invasion-related movies and games I've seen to date, the Mimics are without a doubt some of the coolest alien designs I've ever seen. Unlike most extraterrestrial designs, which draw inspiration from earthly organisms, the Mimics clearly have this other-worldly flare to them that makes them stand out; their grossly flaring black tentacles that react to everything around them (bullets, explosions, etc.) and can ensnare humans whole allows the audience to see them a believably terrifying alien race capable of turning the tides in battle. That and they have distinct and memorable faces that stick in your brain better than any of the Chitari aliens from The Avengers. Though the Mimics may not be the one thing everybody remembers about this movie, they're one of the many reasons the movie is still one of the most memorable summer blockbusters in recent memory for me.

All things considered, I will admit that, going into this movie, I didn't expect or even know that much about it. Ultimately, my low to non-existent expectations were completely toppled when I saw its similarities to Groundhog Day as well as how mind-blowingly well-written the premise and story mechanics were handled, how proficient the actors did onscreen, and how excellently-crafted the special effects were made. Did I mention how deep the movie is to have several theories written about the conclusion yet? Talking about it from a certain viewpoint is something I don't like to do very often, but I will say that the many theories I've heard around the net save me from complaining too hard about the ending turning out to be a stereotypical "Hollywood ending" that I heard largely deviates from the source material. Still, I'm not one to complain about hardly anything and don't mind the way it turned out since it was so well-made to begin with. That said, I will have to give this movie an A- and believe it to be a noteworthy success in sci fi actions films of the last five years -- so much that it's getting a sequel, which makes me interested to see where they could potentially bring it in the future.

Thanks y’all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews Groundhog Day

One of the most fascinating kinds of films is one that not only revolutionizes a whole genre, but also completely cements and popularizes an entire concept. Very rarely do films nowadays ever leave such an impression on the industry as a whole, but, as of 1993, I'd say a film like Groundhog Day is absolutely no exception. A very recent example, indeed, specifically popularizing the use of time loop in fiction to a point where many modern film and TV works have adopted the same formula -- whether it be for a little tidbit or the entirety of a plot. Apart from its general significance, though, just what is it about Groundhog Day that makes it so great even to this day? As always, let's critically examine the aspects of the movie to determine precisely what makes it such a spectacle!

*Not sure about a spoiler tag since, as of now, it's a rather familiar plot*

The film is a seamless blend of romantic comedy and fantasy about egotistical TV weatherman, Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) as he reluctantly covers the annual Groundhog Day festival on February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He begins by giving a halfhearted report with assistance from his colleague, Rita Hanson (played by Andie MacDowell), and camera man, Larry (Chris Elliot) after which the groundhog sees his shadow. They become stranded in Punxsutawney when the blizzard Phil predicted would miss them ends up hitting them right where they are. Ever so unusually, Phil wakes up the next morning and finds himself reliving Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney many times to a point where he believes he's going insane. Eventually, he chooses to indulge in a hedonistic lifestyle before trying to impress Rita with every chance he gets, every time pretty much ending up in failure. When nothing seems to be working, he attempts suicide several times yet that never breaks the loop. Over time, Phil begins to consciously re-examine his life and priorities and finds just what he's looking for, which ultimately breaks the loop.

Predictable as it sounds, the ways in which Groundhog Day combines genres is what makes it unique in the sense that it depicts various phases of life and teaches great life lessons without being too over-dramatic about it. As I said before, the movie basically takes the seemingly opposite genres of romantic comedy and fantasy, sticks them in a blender, and yet it still comes out looking great. It's funny when it needs to be without being overly slapstick and when things get serious it really makes you feel and think about what's going on (as it relates to you and the characters and yourself). The initial few loops start off with Phil, unaware of what's going on around him, educating himself in a manner that's similar to a child in early education before rebelling in ways akin to a teenager. This segment of the film is lighthearted to where anyone watching can easily enjoy the comedic bits more so when they get older. As the film progresses and becomes more serious, it's easy to feel what Phil is going through as many of us have tried to get through life with a certain ambition in mind only to have it blow up in our faces as with his many attempts to impress Rita. Surely we all have reached a point where we've felt like giving up as Phil attempted to many times throughout the middle. Ultimately, Phil chooses to continue living, no longer for himself, but for others throughout the town, effectively showcasing the idea that we get to choose how we want to live -- for ourselves or for others.

On top of the profound moral lesson is perhaps some of the best acting I've seen in a romantic comedy-styled film. Having only previously seen him in a purely lighthearted action comedy like Ghostbusters, I was genuinely surprised to see mainly Bill Murray had the capability to portray himself a number of different ways. His going from comedically self-centered, clueless, carefree, and ambitious at the start of the film to depressive and downcast at the midway point was a seamless transition I had no idea he could pull off. Without a doubt, he was the selling point of the movie and I have no idea if anybody would remember he starred in it were it not for his spectacular performance. The other actors, while not nearly as notable the main star, have neat interplay with Murray's character throughout and are given interesting things to do every time they appear (i.e.: Stephen Tobolowky's Ned Ryerson and his insurance offers as well as his signature "Bing!"). Even if I can't say much else about the supporting cast members, it's still the best onscreen performance of Bill Murray's I've ever seen.

What pushes the film into speculative territory is just how open to interpretation everything is in relation to the time loop. For example, what's causing the time loop? How long does he actually spend there (days, weeks, months, or years maybe)? And what exactly happened that allowed Phil to finally escape it? We don't know for sure; based on my interpretation, though, I believe that somehow time is acting against Phil in order to make him fix up his life before it's too late. Him being arrogant and self-centered as he is in the beginning could have been the wake up call to start living for others that he had to figure out with time before he could move on. As for how long he spent trapped in the loop, I didn't keep track of nor interpret how long for myself, although many have assumed anywhere from 10 to 10,000 years before he could finally move onto February 3rd. Finally, what helped break the loop was his drive to finally start living selflessly, which got him the girl in the end as he no longer was stuck being the same old person doing the same old thing. Of course, this is just my opinion and it's not very deep, but I am welcome to hear anybody else state what kind of story they think it's trying to tell!

As of now on this blog, I hardly ever review movies that can barely have anything negative said of it and this is for surely one of them! Between popularizing the time loop plot device, the complex plot and ideas surrounding the narrative, Bill Murray's stellar performance, and the rules for how things worked being left open to interpretation, Groundhog Day is as notable as it is well-written and is unlikely to fade into the background of film history any time soon. Were it not for its main factors and more, I don't know how else it could have influenced Hollywood and fiction in general -- I mean we could've had a movie about an immortal character watching the world change around them, but that's another story. That said, I score the movie with a solid A and consider it a must see for anyone reading and beyond!

Thanks y’all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews Moana

Just what is it about Disney that keeps people coming back to it? Is it the well-crafted worlds and stories told within them? Perhaps its the magical artistry that manages to capture everyone’s attention throughout their movies? Or maybe it’s the fantastic music they hardly ever mess up on? Whatever the reason, I had previously been planning to review something completely different before now, but I must say, in deciding what to go for next, I couldn’t help myself with this one. It was just too good of a flick (however recently it became one of my favorites) to pass up and I’ve been obsessed with its soundtrack even more so than I was with Frozen’s overplayed OST. Even though this may not have come by popular demand much, I can’t even help but ask...

♪What can I say except you’re welcome?♪

***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (And yeah, this tag totally applies to Disney now. Surprised?)

For starters, this film heavily portrays many aspects of Polynesian culture and legends and is one of those territories that Disney hasn’t fully explored before -- save for maybe scratching the surface in Lilo & Stitch back in 2002. In it, a strong-willed daughter of the chief of her tribe named Moana (voiced by newcomer Auli’i Cravalho) longs desperately to sail out into the ocean and discover what lies beyond her island. Her father (voiced by Temuera Morrison), however, is overprotective of her and won’t let her venture outward due to his past experience, instead having her grow up to take his place as chief. Upon noticing her land is slowly succumbing to a blight and discovering the secrets of her tribe, the sentient ocean along with her grandma Tala (voiced by Rachel House) send her out to restore the world to return the “heart of Te Fiti”. The heart being the only thing that can restore life to their world, Moana sets out to enlist the help of shapeshifting demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson -- who himself is Hawaiian) to return the heart which he stole in the first place. In order to do so, Moana must first travel the ocean, navigating various perils and learning how to work her camakau as the ocean guides her. Through means of teamwork, trust, and learning who she is, Moana will soon learn what her destiny holds for her.

Right off the bat, I simply couldn’t believe the look of this film. Disney really outdid themselves with the luscious island landscapes rendered in a way that appear so real and full of plant life -- like literally some shots are packed to the brim with plants in some of the island scenes. I don’t know how they did it, but I can only assume it’s because technology has come a long way since the genesis of CGI. Just looking at it makes me wanna move away to a tropical island paradise with nothing but plant life! And lest we not go without mentioning the ocean water effects this film is known for. Although I can honestly say I’ve seen better-looking water in CG animated movies before (i.e.: Finding Nemo), it’s still cool how they managed to create such realistic-looking movement in the water to make seem like it’s alive -- which, in the case of this film, is quite literal. From the moment the ocean first interacts with Moana, we are treated to a glorious shot of the ocean life surrounding her without her ever even getting wet. And, I’m sure there’s a proper term for it, but I hope it makes sense when I say that I found myself impressed with how the water at the ocean’s surface level decreased in order for the ocean to essentially “grow taller”. The attention to detail is just stunning!

In the other Disney movies I’ve covered thus far, never have I really noted the comedy very much and, although a lot of it has been good for what it is, here it really stuck out to me. The interplay between Moana and Maui’s friendship (which, in itself, reminds me vaguely of Ralph and Vanellope in Wreck-It Ralph) is so comedically on point that I couldn’t help but bust a laugh every time something funny was said/done. There was a great running gag when every time Maui threw her out into the sea, the ocean spit her right back much to his annoyance before getting used to it. And Maui’s interactions with his animated tattoos (the only real hand drawn animation in the movie) only served to make Maui my favorite character in the whole movie. Upon them re-retrieving Maui’s magical fishhook in the middle of the movie, there began some hilarious mishaps where he couldn’t properly transform into the creature he so desired (hawk, lizard, beetle, etc.). Instead, he would transform into things like Sven from Frozen (in a brief cameo, mind you) and a silly half shark, half human (or demigod) hybrid, which made me crack up every time it was on screen -- plus Dwayne Johnson’s great voice performance made everything funnier too. And who could forget the comedic character of Heihei the rooster (voiced surprisingly by Alan Tudyk)? He may not have done much besides act stupid for comic relief, but it sure hilarious re-watching it knowing that all of his sounds were made by a guy -- and a veteran actor for that matter.

Whenever the musical numbers came along, I was more than pleasantly surprised; I was blown away by how good it was! Not every song was catchy per se, but each one had a distinct melody that was so captivating it makes you want to learn it by heart. Songs like “Where You Are”, “We Know the Way”, and “Logo Te Pate” each have some element that pertains to South Pacific culture with its use of, for lack of a better term, island-like instrumentation and vocalizations, and some of them have lyrics in different languages such as Samoan, Tokelauan, and Tuvalu. Of course, everyone pretty much remembers more the songs with English lyrics such as “How Far I’ll Go” and “Shiny” upon leaving the theater, but, surely, the one song you can’t stop singing/humming afterward is “You’re Welcome”. This, undoubtedly, has been the case with me since I watched the movie and is one of the reasons why I love both this movie and referencing it in the first place. It’s just so catchy and in just the right key to where everyone, both singer and non-singer, can sing it just fine. Even Dwayne Johnson himself surprised me with his ability to actually sing an entire number by himself -- correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t quite remember if they edited his voice or if he sang okay by himself.

Most of all, I enjoy how the movie explores the theme of identity. Sure, the whole premise of Moana being chosen to save the world sounds like your average destiny angle, though it’s actually explored much deeper than some would think. Rather than being chosen simply because she’s “gifted” with some special ability (I mean she can’t even properly operate a boat at the start), she finds out through a secret cave area full of boats on her island that her tribe used to be a tribe of voyagers. In that sense, the ocean calls her to be the first in her present tribe to start the tradition once more and, being the only one in her village to desire heading out “beyond the reef”, it suits her best -- even according to her father who, like all reluctant fathers, changes his mind in the end. On top of that, like most recent Disney movies, the villain has a unique twist to it in the sense that it’s not exactly who you’d expect it to be. It is stated in the start of the movie that Maui stole Te Fiti’s heart and then encountered the fire demon Te Kā who also sought the heart making it appear as though Te Kā and Te Fiti were two separate beings just with opposite effects on the world. As it turns up, Te Kā and Te Fiti are actually one and the same, the former being Te Fiti without her proper life source and, as a result, becoming the opposite of who she’s meant to be -- deadly and destructive as opposed to peaceful and life-giving. While some were quick to guess the twist from the beginning, I initially bought into movie’s expectation aversion and was completely blown away by the twist. This was definitely one of those movies where I actually enjoyed getting lost in what was presented to be easily surprised by its twist ending.

In the end, the movie, as good as it was, can hardly have anything negative said of it. It’s got breathtaking landscapes, impressive environmental effects, great comedy and voice acting, memorable music, and solid thematics that, if I were still a kid, I’d watch this movie over and over again like I just wouldn’t care. If I had to complain about anything it’s that, once Moana heads out to sea, we never see anything happening back home (save for that one dream sequence depicting the parents dying) or much else of how the world is being affected by Te Kā’s darkness, but I guess the plot benefited from focusing completely on Moana as, of course, she’s the title character -- also, even the Kakamora pirates which were a big part of the movie’s marketing were only in it for one action scene. Even so, none of the aforementioned negative points really detract from the overall experience and is all just minor nitpicking on my part. Therefore, without further adieu, I score this movie with a solid A and label it a must see for all ages!

Thanks y’all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!

Jasonic Reviews Toy Story 2

Did you ever have enough Toy Story yourself as a kid? Did your kids ever watch it to the point where you had to force them to watch something else? Did you ever find yourself humming "You've Got A Friend In Me" over and over again and gotten tired of it? If your answer to all these questions is "no", then it's definitely a good thing that Pixar made another one only four years following the original's success without hesitation. Production for this movie saw some interesting developments throughout the studio and the movie itself and is not only one of the rare cases in which the sequel met the success of the original, but also surpassed it unexpectedly. Without getting too much into the fine details right away, let's go ahead and take a look at what makes Toy Story 2, like its predecessor, still one of the most beloved films to this day.

***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (but I'm sure many have seen this movie too, so why fret?)

The main factors that make Toy Story 2 stand out so well not just as a sequel, but as it's own film are its plot developments. This time we see Woody (voiced once more by Tom Hanks) trying to save a toy from a yard sale only to wind up stolen by greedy toy collector, Al McWhiggin (voiced by Wayne Knight), to be sold to a toy museum in Japan. While Woody gets to know his history through the likes of his "Roundup gang", Buzz Lightyear (voiced once more by Tim Allen) and the other toys set out on a search and rescue mission, risking their lives to locate Woody and bring him back home. Basic as it sounds, there's actually a neatly complex dilemma to it -- Woody initially wants to go back to Andy's after being fixed up for display when newcomers Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) and Stinky Pete (voiced by Kelsey Grammar) convince him that it's better to be adored forever than it is to be forgotten by those you used to play with. In a sense, it's easy to understand this, especially since Woody's departure would have meant the rest of the gang going back into storage (of which Jessie can't stand). However, Buzz begs to differ, reminding Woody of the lesson he taught him in the first film on being loved by those who matter most while they're around. Such a relatable topic for a movie about toys! Who would've thought a series like Toy Story would get SO incredibly deep?

And, for that matter, there's no real reason to argue that the film isn't good when it both looks and sounds fantastic! Although it was only released four years after the original -- and one year after Pixar's previous hit, A Bug's Life -- the animation and textures definitely got that much better! The humans no longer resemble plastic as the toys should and the graphics, despite being dated, actually hold up well enough today. General as that sounds, there's no mistake that, during the scenes where the toys are traveling through the apartment vents that it truly feels like you're inside one of those things -- not just from a graphical standpoint, but from the various sounds echoing off the walls as well. And so tell me again why I shouldn't say it doesn't sound great when the music is perhaps even more noteworthy this time? Randy Newman may not have any vocal bits in this movie, but there is still an abundance of phenomenal tracks both vocal and orchestral throughout. The part showing the montage of Jessie's story is greatly enhanced by the track "When She Loved Me" and there are, not one, but two different versions of "You've Got A Friend In Me" this time around! Could this possibly get any better?!

I may sound like I'm overly gushing about this movie from a nostalgia perspective seeing as I watched this film quite often, if not just as much as the first film when I was a kid, but really I'm not. Back when I was just a kid, though, it went over my head just how many genius adult jokes and film parody scenes were in this movie in the first place -- the adult jokes I'll save talking about for the observant viewers wishing to give this movie a view if you haven't already. What big movie buff could've possibly missed the Jurassic Park reference when Rex falls out of the car in Al's Toy Barn and Mr. Potato Head spots him in the rear view mirror? And those Star Wars references... I swear they're everywhere, even in a Toy Story film! Between Buzz breathing like Darth Vader in his helmet at the beginning or the "I am your father" parody scene between Utility Belt Buzz and Emperor Zurg during their showdown on the elevator, it's amazing the writers had the urge to stick those in there in the first place. With that I will say that Toy Story 2 is, without a doubt, a well-written, well-acted film with little moments like these from the side characters to make me appreciate it all the more!

Like its predecessor, Toy Story 2 is another one of those brilliant films that can't even have anything negative said about it. It's a sequel that managed to not only be as successful as the original, but succeeded it as well through means of deep dilemmas, well-written characters, well-acted voice performances from an all-star cast, improvements in graphics, excellent music, and little comedic moments that make me love it all the more. In the end, it's a neat addition to an already existing franchise and is one of the reasons why Pixar is known for being the animation giant it is today. All this and more said, I give this movie an A+ and surely consider it a must see for all ages as well as anyone who is both a fan of the original and/or looking for a brilliant film sequel to watch!

Thanks y'all for reading and, as always, I will see you in the next review!