The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Greetings, the Man from U.N.C.L.E is a 2015 film based on an American television series of the same name that originally aired from 1964 to 1968. The movie was directed by Guy Ritchie, director of the 2009 and 2011 Sherlock Holmes series as well as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The Man From U.N.C.L.E stars Henry Cavil as an American agent named Napoleon Solo, Armie Hammer as a Russian spy called Illya Kuryakin and Alicia Vikander as a German mechanic known as Gabby Teller, as well as the daughter of a Nazi scientist Udo Teller. The music was composed by Daniel Pemberton who provides an interesting soundtrack that is accompanied with genuine 60s music, giving the movie a unique style that suits the feel of the film.
The plot begins in 1963 when professional thief and CIA agent Napoleon Solo attempts to extract Gabby Teller from East Berlin. The two manage to evade the clutches of Illya Kuryakin after being chased through Soviet territory and escape over the wall into West Berlin. Both the U.S.S.R and the U.S have an interested in Gabby as she is the daughter of Udo Teller, a Nazi scientist who later worked for America during the end of the war by experimenting on nuclear weapons. The intelligence services believe that Udo Teller has been forced to work for Alexander and Victoria Vinciguerra, a wealthy couple of Nazi sympathizers who wish to use Teller’s nuclear bomb for their own ends. As such, the two superpowers intend to use Gabby to get close to her father by way of contacting him through her uncle Rudi. Rudi is also working for the wealthy Vinciguerras as an employee in their fishing company.
With the high stakes of the crisis, both the Soviets and the Americans agreed put aside their rivalry to prevent a nuclear war by forcing Illya and Napoleon to work together. Initially, the two agents are reluctant to work as a team due to clashes in their personality, ideological disputes and their preference to operate alone. Gabby Teller also plays an important role in their plan to locate Udo by pretending to be engaged to Kuryakin. The Soviet agent is undercover as a Russian architect and must earn Rudi’s trust in order to find the whereabouts of Udo Teller. Solo is also undercover as an antiques dealer and the trio deduce that they are being watched by the Vinciguerras when they arrive in Rome to begin their mission.
While I did enjoy this film I felt that the plot could have been stronger and that the villains could have been developed more as characters. Despite this critique, I found the Man from U.N.C.L.E to be an entertaining watch with plenty of humorous moments and some memorable action scenes, especially when the main characters were fighting each other at the beginning. While I’m unsure if there would be a sequel, I would be interested in seeing one as I believe that it has plenty of potential to generate an entertaining series. I would encourage you to watch the Man from U.N.C.L.E if you have yet to see it.
Plot=7/10
Characters=9/10
Special Effects=9/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the Day
What I try to tell you? This country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the woman. That's why you gotta make your own moves.
Tony Montana
Scarface
Scarface
Greetings, Scarface is a mob film directed by Brian De Palma and was released in 1983 as a remake of the original 1932 movie. The most prominent cast members include Al Pacino of Godfather fame and Michelle Pfeiffer, a relatively unknown actress at the time in which this film served as her break out role. The music was produced by Italian composer Giorgio Moroder who relied heavily on synthesizers and electronic music in the soundtrack, giving the OST an 80’s feel to it. I felt as though some of the tracks that tried to build suspense were rather tacky but it didn’t detract from the entertaining experience. It should be noted that the Cuban accents were very heavy and difficult to understand during the beginning of the film but you get used to it as Scarface progresses.
The movie begins in 1980 with Fidel Castro shipping Cuban prisoners out from his country, claiming them to be against the spirit of the revolution. Among the immigrants are Tony Montana and his best friend Manny Ribera who have entered America, settling in Miami. While stuck in a refugee camp Manny finds a way to access green cards in order to enter America legally. He is hired by a wealthy American drug lord named Frank Lopez to assassinate an ex-government official of Castro’s regime who is also hiding in the migrant camp. Once the official is murdered by both Tony and Manny, the two are given their green cards which gives them the right to live and work in the United States in adherence to the law.
The two protagonists are drawn further into a life of crime when Montana attempts to purchase cocaine from Columbians on Frank’s behalf. The deal was revealed to be a trap and resulted in Angel, one of Tony’s friends, being killed but the Columbines were massacred by the main duo. After the failed negotiations Tony and Manny make off with both Lopez’s money as well as the narcotics to meet with Frank personally. During the meeting, Montana briefly meets Franks’ girlfriend and is instantly infatuated by her the moment she makes her introduction. The gangster’s moll, Elvira Hancock, is portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer as a bored drug addict as well as a trophy girlfriend. Frank Lopez is impressed by Montana’s nature and offers the two characters full time employment in his criminal empire. At the beginning of the movie, Lopez believes that Tony could be controlled despite Montana’s wild character and excessive ambitions. The plot also tries to highlight Tony’s familial problems that stem from his criminal occupation and his mother’s disdain for his violent actions.
Overall, I did enjoy this classic film and felt that it was worthy of its status as a pop culture phenomenon. I would encourage you to watch it if you aren’t adverse to scenes of a violent nature, profanity, drug taking and nudity but keep in mind that these scenes are quite pale in comparison to the standards of modern entertainment. The series has spawned a few videogames surrounding the titular character such as the 2006 one named ‘Scarface: The World Is Yours’. There are also currently negotiations in process to get a sequel made. It would be set in modern day Los Angeles as a Mexican immigrant chases the American dream through building a criminal empire. Although it is too early to tell what to expect from the film, I am looking forward to what a modern sequel to Scarface would entail.
Plot=9/10
Characters=9/10
Special Effects=8/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the Day
You don't believe in the Force, do you?
Luke Skywalker
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Bastion
Greetings, Bastion is an action role-playing videogame that was developed by Supergiant Games and was published by Warner Bros in 2011. As it is an indie game, it lacks a notable cast, employing the acting talents of Ashley Lynn Barrett and Logan Cunningham to narrate the story. Both Barrett and Cunningham are relatively unknown actors but they have worked together in Supergiant Games’ previous work, titled Transistor. The small cast suits the story as there are only a few characters involved in the plot and the campaign contains little dialogue. Although I wasn’t overly struck on Bastion, the game was well received by critics who were impressed by the visual effects, the narration and the music.
The plot begins with the protagonist, a silent character named the Kid who wakes up from an apocalyptic event known as the Calamity. The true nature and purpose of the Calamity is explained further in the game but I cannot expand on it in this review as the event is a major plot point that shapes future events. The Kid heads towards the Bastion, a structure that was designed for the people of Caelondia to travel to in the event of an emergency. When he arrives the Kid meets Rucks, an elderly man who instructs the protagonist to collect Cores to power the Bastion.
On his adventures to collect the items, the Kid meets two other central characters named Zia and Zulf. Both of them are Uras, a people who were at war with Caelondians such as Kid and Rucks before the Calamity had occurred. Despite, previous hostilities the four get along while the Kid fulfils his duty to explore dangerous areas and recover the Cores or shards. The characters as well as some animals that the Kid brings back from various areas, mostly hang around on the Bastion and can be interacted with. The peace is broken when Zulf reads a journal that the Kid discovered in his travels and attacks the Bastion before returning to Ura lands.
My main issue with the game is that I didn’t really understand the storyline during the conclusion. I believe this confusion stemmed from the lack of dialogue in the campaign or interactions with the characters. The game also includes various challenges and trials based around the available weapons that are unlocked throughout the storyline. I found some of these to be a frustrating addition rather than a fun exercise because some challenges such as the hammer trial required repetitive, mindless button mashing in order to beat the clock. One thing I did like about Bastion was the unique music style that was composed by Darren Korb. I was especially interested in the vocal tracks such as ‘Build that Wall’, ‘Mother, I’m here’ or ‘Setting Sail, Coming Home’. Overall, I believe it was an interesting game to play but it isn’t an experience that I would consider to be an essential for a gamer to immerse themselves in.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Graphics=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.
Michael Corleone
The Godfather Part II
BioShock: Rapture
Greetings, BioShock: Rapture is a 2011 novel by John Shirley. Ken Levin oversaw the writing to ensure the book did not clash with the original source material or the second BioShock game. The novel serves as a prequel to the original game by introducing new characters such as Sofia Lamb or Augustus Sinclair as well as expanding upon existing ones like Andrew Ryan. Some characters were invented solely for the book as they do not appear elsewhere in the series. As BioShock: Rapture was released in 2011, it omits the events of BioShock Infinite, the Burial at Sea episodes and the role that Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth had in shaping Rapture’s future. This is most likely because BioShock Infinite wouldn’t be released until 2013, despite having been worked on a few months after the completion of the original BioShock since 2008. The novel is built around the viewpoints of various individuals but it mainly focuses on Bill McDonagh as the main character and his reactions to Rapture’s fall.
The plot begins in 1945 with Hiroshima and Nagasaki being bombed by the United States. The incidents inspired wealthy entrepreneur Andrew Ryan to build the secret city of Rapture between Greenland and Iceland as he believes that mankind would soon wiped out by nuclear annihilation. As founder of Rapture, he tries to run the city as an atheist, capitalistic society with minimal interference from governing bodies. His plans of a utopia are derailed when he gives Frank Fontaine, a conman posing as an honest business man, the opportunity to become a Rapture citizen. As Fontaine is responsible for the city’s fish supply, he uses the opportunity to smuggle confiscated items such as Bibles into Rapture. While Ryan can’t prove that Fontaine is behind the smuggling operation he remains suspicious of his entrepreneurial rival and waits for him to make a mistake.
Rapture soon descends into lawlessness with the discovery of a Sea slug that can be used to create a substance called plasmids. The plasmids, named ADAM, give users supernatural abilities such as pyrokinesis or telekinesis but also has an adverse effect on their mental state. Fontaine employs Doctor Tenenbaum and Doctor Suchong to develop the plasmids for Fontaine Futuristics. In order to produce them more effectively, Frank sets up orphanages that turn ordinary girls into hosts, known as Little Sisters, for the Sea slugs. The girls are protected from splicers by their guardians which are called Big Daddies. Fontaine isn’t Andrew’s only problem. Ryan is also troubled by the attempted incursion by psychologist Sofia Lamb who wishes to lead the citizens of Rapture through her cult, the Rapture Family. Therefore, sane Rapture citizens are trapped in the underwater metropolis as splicers of three armed factions fight to control the city.
While reading the novel is not an essential part of the BioShock experience, it is interesting to see how a civilized Rapture functioned and to watch some of characters, such as Sander Cohen or Dr Steinman, lose their sanity. If you are a fan of the series you might enjoy the novel and I would encourage you to read it if you want to learn more about the lore behind the BioShock universe. It should be noted that the book steadily moves from the year 1945 to 1959, ending shortly before Jack’s arrival into the city to find that Atlas and Andrew Ryan are fighting for control of Rapture.
Plot=9/10
Characters=8/10
Wording=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
Just relax. It's just like taking a stroll through the woods. 65 million years ago.
Owen Grady
Jurassic World
Jurassic World
Greetings, Jurassic World was released in 2015 and it is the fourth instalment in the Jurassic Park series which began in 1993. The new cast includes Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins and Jake Johnson. It should be noted that there are no returning characters such as Dr Alan Grant or Dr Ian Malcolm except for Dr Henry Wu who is reprised by his actor, B.D. Wong. Like Jurassic Park 3, World does not rely on the novels of the late Michael Crichton for inspiration. While the second and third film are still canon, the fourth movie ignores their existence for the most part and builds upon the lore established in the original plot. Apparently, Jurassic World has spent over a decade in development hell as Universal Studios had shown an interest in continuing the series in 2004 despite the mixed reaction to the sequels.
The storyline is set 22 years after the original Jurassic Park and returns to the island of Isla Nublar. A new theme park has been operating for several years despite the failure of Hammond’s vision and the massacre that had occurred in 1993. As a result, visitors are used to watching dinosaurs which prompts InGen to create genetically modified dinosaurs such as the Indominus Rex to keep attracting tourists to the island. The plot begins with Zach and Gray Mitchell being sent on holiday to the park as well their chance to visit their absentee aunt named Claire. Claire Dearing is the park’s operation manager and her occupation combined with her workaholic nature prevents her from being heavily involved in the lives of her nephews. She is pressurized by the push to open the Idominus Rex exhibit to the public and therefore asks her assistant to watch over the Mitchell brothers while she works.
John Hammond’s successor as owner of the park, Simon Masrani, asks for the Indominus Rex’s enclosure to be inspected by an expert as he does not want a repeat of the original disaster. Under his order’s, Dearing asks for Owen Grady, the Velociraptor trainer, to examine the compound. It is revealed that the Owen and Claire had a brief romantic interest in each other but they did not reach the second date as they clashes over each other’s personalities. While inspecting the area, Owen notices there are scratch marks on the wall and fears the dinosaur may have escaped its pen. The Indominus Rex is particularly dangerous due to its genetically modified nature in which it was created from various creatures and because it had been raised in isolation for its entire life. Grady and two other staff members enter the enclosure to ensure it hadn’t escaped but they quickly discover that they are locked in with the Indominus. This leads to one of the panicked workers to open the door of the compound, allowing the Rex to access the island. The dinosaur manages to escape the area and kill Owen’s two co-workers before exploring the rest of the park. Owen survives the ambush and warns the park authorities that everyone on the island is in danger. Claire only calls for an evacuation of the island after a security team fails to capture the Indominus Rex.
The music was composed by Michael Giaccchino who had previously written music for some Jurassic Park games but he incorporates some of John William’s work into the film. I admit that I was initially cautious about the quality of Jurassic World considering the standard of the two sequels from 1997 and 2001 but my concerns were unfounded. It is a predictable but fun movie which is enjoyable to watch and contains a lot of humorous moments. If you have not already seen it, I would encourage you to do so, especially if you were a fan of the original.
Plot=10/10
Characters=10/10
Special Effects=10/10
Overall=10/10
Quote of the Day
Welcome... to Jurassic Park.
John Hammond
Jurassic Park
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Greetings, the Avengers: Age of Ultron is the sequel to Joss Whedon’s 2012 Avengers film in which most of the main cast reprise their previous roles. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is notably absent from the movie, replaced by a new protagonist called Ultron who is voiced by James Spader. Other Marvel characters from the earlier instalments in the franchise such as War Machine, Falcon and Nick Fury also return for smaller roles in Age of Ultron. It is the eleventh movie in the ever growing Marvel Cinematic Universe which also plans to release Ant-Man later in the year and seems to be building an overarching storyline between the films which surrounds the Infinity Stones.
The plot begins in the fictional Eastern European country of Sokovia, where the Avengers are assaulting a Hydra compound. They are searching for a sceptre that had previously belonged to Loki and is now in the possession of a Hdyra agent called Wolfgang von Strucker. Strucker had been using the sceptre on the Maximoff twins, known as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, for human experimentation. The Maximoff twins hold a grudge against the Avengers as Tony Stark’s weapons had killed their parents during Iron Man’s days as an arms dealer. Quicksilver has the superpower of rapid speed while his sister has the ability to get into people’s minds and control their thoughts. The raid is successful as the Avengers manage to retrieve the sceptre but the Maximoff twins evade capture.
Stark notices that the sceptre contains Artificial Intelligence that he and Bruce Banner use to build a global defence program named Ultron. The defensive system is kept a secret from the rest of the group until Ultron is awakened and plans to save earth. The AI becomes sentient, believing that humanity must be exterminated if he is to save the world from destruction. He, in the form of one of the Iron Men bots, turns Stark’s weapons against the Avengers and escapes with the sceptre. In his quest for human extinction, Ultron recruits the Maximoff twins who desire revenge on the superheroes. As such, it is up to the Avengers to stop the AI and his mechanical army before he can complete his vision of a human free world.
While it is entertaining to watch, it does not surpass the original’s entertainment value in my opinion as the novelty of a team up is no longer a fresh concept. I believe that Marvel films are problematic because there are no high stakes due to the genre’s nature of light-heartedness. Major characters are likely to survive the ordeals they face in order to continue with their own series and therefore it lacks a tense atmosphere. The sequel tries to strengthen the characters by expanding Hawkeye’s background as well as establishing a romantic relationship between Banner and the Black Widow. If you are a fan of the original you would probably enjoy this movie although I felt as if it had less humorous moments than the first film. I do have concerns that Marvel may be oversaturating the market with future Avengers films and standalone instalments of other characters but I will have to wait to understand if this is the case.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Special Effects=7/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
The Force is with us, Master Sidious.
Count Dooku
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
