Hello all! I hope those resolutions are going well as we enter the second month of the year. January was a interesting month for me at the movies while it started off pretty strong and then quickly decreased in quality. Let's take a look at the January releases as well as some limited releases that I was able to catch up on. Remember to click the titles for my reviews!
Before I get to that though, feel free to check out the 2014 Rath Awards where I cover the best of the best (and some of the worst of the worst) in MUSIC, TV, VIDEOGAMES, and MOVIES. It's a big post with over 50 awards handed out. Enjoy! CLICK HERE
The Woman in Black: Angel of Death: Does anyone actually remember that this film released less than 30 days ago? No? Ok good then I'm not the only one. Seemed like a average and forgettable horror flick.
Selma: It's a film that is especially important given recent events and it really was a fantastic film that covered a highly controversial event of the Civil Rights Movement. (Rath's Review Score: 9/10)
Tak3n: This one wasn't quite as bad as the abysmal Taken 2, but it certainly wasn't a shining gem either. It's forgettable and the action editing is atrocious, but I had some fun nonetheless. Olivier Megaton (the director) needs to go though if they decide to do Tak4n /4aken. (RRS: 5.5/10)
Blackhat: This movie could have and been so much more. It had the star power, the concept, and the director, but ultimately it ended up being a slightly-above-average thriller that didn't really dive into any of the depths of hacking at all. (RRS: 6/10)
Kingsman: The Secret Service: SURPRISE! I got to go to my first advanced screening ever and it was a blast. Kingsman is a perfect spiritual successor to Kick-Ass as it combines extreme violence, British humor, and the James Bond spy genre effortlessly. It's incredibly fun and I will most likely see it again when it comes out Valentine's Day weekend. (RRS: 9/10)
Paddington: I'm kind of bummed that I missed this one but I just really didn't feel like seeing 4 movies in one weekend. That being said, almost all reviews are positive and it seems like Paddington is the perfect family film.
American Sniper: Despite the controversy surrounding it (which I address in my review), I found this Clint Eastwood film to be fantastic and intense with some great action. Made me truly appreciate the sacrifices of the soldiers and their families during this war. (RRS: 9/10)
The Boy Next Door: It seems like the only positive to this film was being able to look at J-Lo the whole time. Most reviews are pretty negative for this most-likely cliched tale. Only other positive that I've heard is that the film has some hilarious sexual innuendos.
Mortdecai: It was destroyed by the critics and audiences didn't bite for Johnny Depp's most recent film at all. But once all the dust settled, I actually found it to be somewhat entertaining and I was amused by most of it. Not a good film by any means, but not terrible either. (RRS: 5/10)
Project Almanac: This one was a disaster waiting to happen and luckily it ended up far better than I was anticipating, although it still wasn't anything all that incredible. It has its issues, but at the end of the day, it was a fun combination of time travel and found footage. (RRS: 7/10)
Most Disappointing: Blackhat
Most Surprising:Project Almanac
Worst Movie: Mortdecai by default
Best Movie: Tie between Selma, American Sniper, and Kingsman although my personal favorite would be Kingsman
Now let's check out a somewhat busier February. Remember to click the movie titles for their trailers!
Why It's Worth Seeing: Originally supposed to debut in July (I think?) 2014, this one was pushed way back to this month. Personally, I have a good gut feeling about it and Channing Tatum has proven himself in his past few outings to be a strong lead. The special effects also look really well done.
What Could Go Wrong: The Wachowski siblings are directing and their last efforts haven't been all that great (although I would argue too harshly criticized by professional critics). It depends if they can help Jupiter stand out from the crowd and be unique. Otherwise this will just be the space opera that got forgotten between Guardians and Star Wars.
Why It's Worth Seeing: I'm always intrigued when Jeff Bridges is attached and the rest of the cast isn't shabby. Moreover, there is always the possibility that the film has some awesome Lord of the Rings-style fights.
What Could Go Wrong: I read a lot of books and I've never heard of the source material. That right there worries me, not to mention that this looks like a deliberate rip off of LotR and Game of Thrones, albeit one with more monsters. It's an easy genre to cliche, and this film looks riddled with them.
What Could Go Wrong: This is the film that truly could go either way I think. If the creators go a little bit more in depth to the characters while also focusing on the sex that made the series so popular (with most likely a hard-R rating), it has a chance. But if it carries over the faults and dialogue of the novel, it will be pretty looking trash with a good soundtrack.
What Could Go Wrong: Not much goes wrong at all except for maybe being a tad too long. Also, if you are easily offended, this film is not for you. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Why It's Worth Seeing: While the first isn't one of my all-time favorite comedies, it had its merits. I had no idea the merits were enough for a sequel but here we are. The cast's chemistry is good and I personally think Clark Duke (right side of the picture) is the funniest of the bunch. If he has a lot of material, this could be a hoot.
What Could Go Wrong: John Cusack leaving isn't a good sign although he didn't really bring much to the first film. Also, I find Rob Corddry incredibly annoying when playing arrogant characters, which his is in this film. It's unfortunate but all signs are really pointing at this one being a stinker.
What Could Go Wrong: I'm curious about the February release date as a Will Smith film often pulls in the big bucks. It could spell bad signs for the film, and I'm wondering if all the con twists will bog down the screenplay.
What Could Go Wrong: Ummm, who's the marketing team for this one? I haven't heard a thing about it until I wrote this post. Failure there. Also, it could be flat out stupid, based on the premise.
Must See (in order): Kingsman: The Secret Service (again, LOL), Focus
On My Radar: Jupiter Ascending, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Lazarus Effect
Predicted Duds: The Seventh Son, Hot Tub Time Machine 2
There's the month of February! Tune in next month for a somewhat dull month of March. Thanks everyone and I hope
that you enjoyed the overview!
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James the Movie Reviewer here to say to check back tomorrow for my review of one of the year's most critically acclaimed films, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Out of this list, I'm most interested in Kingsman but I doubt I'll be able to see it in theaters. Glad to hear that it was good, though, as I thought the trailer looked hysterical. :)
ReplyDeleteIt could easily end up being the best of the month, that's for sure.
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ReplyDeleteI will have to check out Kingsman. True stories make mediocre movies great, and great movies mind blowing.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Sniper will be the biggest movie of Clint Eastwoods fabulous carreer. I find that kinda sad. Aside from the extreme progpaganda aspect, (Iraq had something to do with Al Queda, and we must pound sand in the Middle East or terrorists will pound the pavement in Times Square), I just found it flat in both direction and especially Bradley Coopers comic book acting. For me Lone Survivor was a far superior movie also based upon the biography of a Navy Seal. I dont mind propaganda in my movies, I loved the Green Beret, for me American Sniper just pushed the buttons way to hard.
I also dislike the way the facts are changed in Selma. For many people American Sniper and Selma will be the difinitive history. When the history is wrong, how can people get it right the next time?
Taken 3 had better car chases and explosions but I liked 2 way better.
If Jupiter Ascending is better than Cloud Atlas, which should not be that difficult, I expect it will be a big hit. Although early reviews are brutal.
Project Almanac sounds kind of cheesy, but I loves me my cheesy time travel movies.
MyAmerican Sniper Review.
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