Maze Runner: Scorch Trials

"The maze was just the beginning"

Wow, two reviews in two days! I really am making up for lost time! Scorch Trials is the second instalment in the Maze Runner trilogy, based on the awesome book series by James Dashner. Thomas, Minho, Newt and Teresa return to the big screen to fight WCKD.

Scorch Trials picks up from where Maze Runner ends. Thomas and his friends have broken out WCKD's headquarters, and are transported to a fortified facility in the middle of the Scorch, a desolate swathe of burned land teeming with virus-infested Cranks (aka zombies), only to find out that they still haven't escaped from WCKD. With the help of a new ally, Thomas and his friends stage an escape into the Scorch.Now the Gladers' only hope may be to find the Right Arm, a resistance group that may assist them in battling WCKD.

When I read the Maze Runner series, I was amazed. The Scorch Trials was my favourite book in the series and the trailer gave me goosebumps whenever I watched it, so I was expecting a lot from the movie. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Now, I know that when a book is made into a movie (movie-fied as I like to say), I do understand that the producers and screenwriters can't make everything the same, but at the same time, they can't change the entire story. But here, I'm disappointed to say that it was as if the book had never even existed in the first place. The story had been tweaked in so many ways. One major difference is that Brenda was not immune to the virus (known as the Flare). In the book, her being immune to the Flare forms an integral part in driving the story forward. That element will now be missing from the next movie. Also, if Brenda was not immune, she shouldn't even have been alive when Thomas and her friends met her. There were also so many other small errors which I noticed. For example, everyone seems to be very cold since they're wearing jackets and their breath is frosting. They are supposed to be in the Scorch, which is meant to be scorchingly hot. I felt that some of the new characters introduced, like Vince and Mary were useless. They were not needed for the story. Meanwhile, characters like Newt and Aris should have held more importance, but their roles were downgraded. Indeed, there were some points in the movie where I forgot that Newt was even present. Another speaking point is that for some aspects of the movie, like the enzyme cure and the Flare virus should have been accompanied by some more information, especially for the Flare. Anyways, there were some parts of the movie I really liked. The special effects were amazing. Everything looked very real and convincing, especially the ruined buildings. They gave the excellent backdrop a dystopian world. The Cranks exceeded my expectations. I was expecting something similar to the zombies from World War Z, but what I saw was much better. They looked quite scary and creepy to me. Dylan O'Brien impressed as he did in first film, and hopefully he keeps that going.

• Genre- science fiction, action and adventure
• Director- Wes Ball
• Producers- Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen and Lee Stollman
• Starring- Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Rosa Salazar, Jacob Lofland, Giancarlo Esposito and Aidan Gillen

My rating

6/10

Picture from- http://cdn1-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/2015/03/scorch-trials-header.jpg

Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-44_igsZtgU

The Intern

"Experience never gets old."

Going by the name of this film, you'd expect it to be about a young new intern, new to the chaos and disorder of today's corporations, struggling to earn approval, and maybe finding love on the way. Well, The Intern is almost nothing like that. (I know this movie came out a long time ago, but there you are.)

Ben Whittaker is a 70-year old widower and he's just discovered that retirement isn't anything excited. He's tried everything, from travelling the world to cooking to learning Mandarin. Hoping to find some adventure, he takes up an internship and becomes a senior intern to the founder of an online fashion store- Jules Ostin.

Most of the movies I've reviewed here are science fiction or action or adventure, but it feels great to write about something else. Robert DeNiro executes his role as the perfect gentleman flawlessly, from the crisp suits he wears everyday to the advice he gives to his younger colleagues. His character was one of those who you can't help but like. Anne Hathaway was perfect in portraying the hectic life of a working woman who juggled her duties. The two had a really great chemistry. Jules was the one who asked for help and Ben was the one who brought the experience to the table. They form the perfect team. Humour was no stranger here. The boys road trip was absolutely hilarious, and I was rolling around with laughter in my seat. The audience cracked up numerous times during the movie. If I had one complaint, it would be that I felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. But overall, a heartwarming movie, and I was smiling as I walked out. (By the way, this movie is NOTHING like The Internship. It couldn't be more different.)

• Genre- comedy
• Director- Nancy Meyers
• Producers- Suzanne Farwell and Nancy Meyers
• Starring- Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Adam DeVine, Zack Pearlman and Anders Holm

My rating

8/10

Picture from- http://s2.dmcdn.net/M0ubg.jpg

Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU3Xban0Y6A

Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation

"Go rogue"

One of the biggest releases this year, it was no surprise that Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation made a boatload of money at the box office. It was the fifth instalment in the Mission: Impossible series, and we follow Ethan Hunt once again trying to complete another impossible mission.

With the IMF now disbanded, Ethan Hunt is out in the open on his own. A new threat soon emerges from the shadows - The Syndicate. The Syndicate is an organization bent upon establishing a new world order, and includes a network of highly trained operatives. In what may be his most impossible mission yet, Ethan brings his team back together and sets out to defeat this new menace.

While this wasn't the best film in the series, I did quite like it. In every film, a futuristic piece of technology is shown to us. In Ghost Protocol it was that projector screen and camera in that hallway and in Rogue Nation, it was that tablet computer Benji used and the wristband Ethan wore when he jumped into the water-cooled chamber. (Sorry for the spoilers!) Its always exciting to see the new technology that movies show us. The plot of this film was exciting and gripping, even if it was a little hard to follow in a few places. It was thorough and I didn't find any problems with it. Humour is always a good addition to an action movie, and this was no exception. Simon Pegg was great in his portrayal of Benji, as always. Tom Cruise, as always, impressed me. Even at the age of 53, he's still got a lot of it left in him! I can't believe he actually did that plane scene by himself! I also felt that Rebecca Ferguson did a good job in her role of Ilsa Faust. However, I felt that Ving Rhames' character, Luther Stickell, was weak. The movie could have been made without him as well. The action scenes get better from one movie to the next. One scene that was different but impressive was the fight scene at the opera. It was the music that made it as good as it was. Fighting for your life with opera in the background. I should try that sometime. The screenwriters always find new ways to amaze us, and here it was when Ethan jumped into the water-cooled chamber to input a file. Once again, I'm very sorry for all the spoilers!

• Genre- action, adventure
• Director- Christopher McQuarrie
• Producers- JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Tom Cruise, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger
• Starring- Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris and Alec Baldwin

My rating

8/10

Picture from- http://s1.dmcdn.net/Jh3Dy/1280x720-v1y.jpg
Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOW_azQbOjw

Ant-Man

"Heroes don't get any bigger."

From now on, instead of reviewing my movies from Singapore, I'll be doing it in Bangalore. That's right. I've relocated! Back to Ant-Man now. For the casual moviegoer out there, Ant-Man may be the most unconventional superhero out there. Having ants as allies? Surely Marvel could think of something better than that! Anyways, with Ant-Man ends Phase 2 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

When Dr Hank Pym is forced out of the company he created by his former apprentice, Darren Cross, he recruits Scott Lang, a master thief fresh out of prison, to become Ant-Man. Armed with a special suit that enables him to shrink in size but increase in strength, Pym trains him on how to command an army of ants. When Cross tries to sell similar technology to Hydra for nefarious reasons, Lang must step up to prevent the suit from falling into the wring hands.

A great way to end Phase 2 in the MCU! The post-credits scene set everything up for the next phase, especially Civil War, with Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson discussing what to do with Bucky, and how Tony Stark couldn't be summoned for assistance. Anyways, back to Ant-Man. I was a bit skeptical when I heard the name of the movie, but then I watched the trailer. This proves that Marvel can pull of anything! First there was a film which starred a talking raccoon and a walking tree, and now a superhero who's the size of an ant! Paul Rudd portrayed Scott Lang quite well as the charismatic and likeable character who you root for throughout the movie. Corey Stoll was a good addition, and he did well as the corporate businessman and super villain. Michael Peña was hilarious, especially with his story narration scenes. If you love movies with action in them, Ant-Man is your fix. All the action scenes, especially the one at the end between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket were beautifully choreographed. The humour was great, with Paul Rudd and Michael Peña contributing to that. As always, the animation and CGI were first-class, especially with the shrinking and growing of Lang in the suit. To me, Ant-Man felt different from the other MCU films, like Iron Man or Thor, but it was a good sort of difference. I can't wait to see Scott Lang/Ant-Man as a part of the Avengers in Infinity War!

• Genres- Science fiction, action, superheroes 
• Director- Peyton Reed
• Producer- Kevin Feige
• Starring- Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Peña, Michael Douglas and Anthony Mackie

My rating

9/10

Jurassic World

"The park is open."

If you're anything like me, you would have been eagerly waiting for this one! As soon as I heard about Jurassic World, I was struck with a crazy anticipation! One question though. Didn't they learn ANYTHING from the events of the previous movies? Dinosaurs in a park + people = a place you would not want to be at.

20 years after Jurassic Park 3, Isla Nublar is now a luxury resort, showcasing the wonders of the prehistoric world to all who visit. Jurassic World is now home to an array of genetically modified dinosaurs, including the viciously intelligent Indominus Rex. When a chain of events cause the Indominus Rex to escape from its enclosure and run rampant across the island, its up to Owen Grady, a velociraptor trainer, to save 2 brothers and the rest of the tourists in the park.

In short, I would say that this entry into the franchise was a fine film, but too similar to the first one and a bit predictable. In the Jurassic Park, we had a dinosaur theme park. Then a T-Rex goes berserk and chases everyone. In Jurassic World, we have a dinosaur theme park, and the Indominus Rex causing havoc everywhere. Very similar. Having 2 kids in the centre of everything also made the outcome of the movie really predictable. Even in Jurassic Park, there were 2 kids who had the bad luck to be chased by dinosaurs. Chris Pratt was the only one who executed a fine performance. I found Bryce Dallas Howard boring. There also seemed to be a shortage of common sense in the characters. As the director of a park showcasing dinosaurs, shouldn't Claire have had the common sense to not SCREAM for the boys in the middle of the forest where they knew the Indominus was hiding? And why did Owen bring a tiny gun to fend of a gigantic, intelligent dinosaur? On a better note, the special effects and CGI in this movie were top-notch, and the dinosaurs looked real enough for my liking. (Spoiler alert) I also enjoyed how, for the first time in a Jurassic Park film, the T-Rex and raptors were the good guys. In conclusion, the film was a fine addition to the franchise, but a new storyline is needed for it to survive. 

• Genres- Sci-fi, action, thriller
• Director- Colin Trevorrow
• Producers- Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley
• Starring- Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, BD Wong and Jake Johnson

My rating

7/10

Picture from- http://images-cdn.moviepilot.com/images/c_fill,h_1080,w_1920/t_mp_quality/lzgq0lx37axayeplcrql/does-jurassic-world-ruin-jurassic-park-in-an-age-of-amped-up-special-effects-and-over-th-459070.jpg

Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJJrkyHas78

Avengers: Age of Ultron

"A new age begins"

The movie we've all been waiting for is here! Avengers: Age of Ultron! This review is a bit late, because of my IGCSE exams and stuff like that. But worry not! I'll do good in those. Right now, what matters is Avengers: Age of Ultron! (I really like saying that!)

When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner create a sentient being in the form of Ultron (basically artificial intelligence) as a world peacekeeping force, anyone could predict that things would go awry. Ultron must be stopped from enacting his terrible plans, which involve killing everyone on the planet. The team must reassemble to combat the newest threat to the safety of the planet. Along the way, they meet two mysterious but powerful heroes: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch!

The first Avengers movie released way back in 2012. For three years I waited. And that wait was not in vain, for Age of Ultron was the finest superhero movie I have ever watched! It is the sequel we've all been waiting for. The film's plot was intriguing and gripping, leaving me at the edge of my seat, waiting for more. The acting was remarkable, with everyone giving solid performances. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen were impressive too! There was a balanced mixture of humor and seriousness in the movie, especially with RDJ and James Spader, who played Ultron. The action scenes and CGI were top-notch. One thing I realized was that the final fight against Ultron was not in the USA, but in an Eastern European country; a major change! What I liked was that Hawkeye was more focused on, and his one-liners were hilarious! The villains just get better and better! First Loki and now Ultron! Second only to the one and only Darth Vader. I wonder what'll happen next in 'Civil War' and 'Infinity War'!

• Genres- Action, sci-fi, fantasy, superhero
• Director- Joss Whedon 
• Producer- Kevin Feige
• Starring- Robert Downey Junior, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, James Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan Skarsård, Claudia Kim and Andy Serkis (Phew!)

My rating

10/10

Picture from- http://i1.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Avengers-Age-of-Ultron-Poster.jpg

Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmeOjFno6Do

Stay tuned for Jurassic World!

Furious 7

"Vengeance hits home"

I know what y'all are thinking: He said that he was going offline until June. What's he doing online? Well, the answer is: Furious 7. I just couldn't miss it! This is the first movie I watched from the list of movies I was excited to watch. Unfortunately, this was the last time we see Paul Walker up on the big screen. The next movie won't be the same without him.

The crew thought it was all over after removing Owen Shaw from the picture. But when Deckard Shaw begins killing members of the crew to avenge his dead brother, Dominic and his team get embroiled in another kill-or-be-killed situation. Forced to obtain a shady computer program for the US government, and stopping Shaw at the same time, Toretto and his team have no choice but to jump back into the world they thought they had finally escaped from. 

I must say, this was the best movie so far in the series. Since Paul Walker died while filming was still on, they used CGI to incorporate him into a few scenes. It was flawless; I couldn't even make out which scenes were filmed with CGI and which ones with Walker himself. It was an emotional send-off for Paul, with a montage of him from the first six movies, finishing with to words, 'For Paul'. 

The stunts were crazy, especially when they drive out of a plane! I didn't know that they actually drove the cars out of plane during filming, instead of using animation and special effects. Paul Walker was unforgettable, and his amazing final performance was aided by brilliant acting from Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez. Introducing Jason Statham was one of the best ideas anyone could have had for the movie. He was, in one word, epic. Nobody else could have played Deckard Shaw as well as he did. The movie was also humorous due to the duo of Tyrese Gibson and Chris Bridges, with their badass one-liners and jokes! James Wan, the director, is better known for his horror movies. His use of different camera angles throughout the film was smart. If you are looking for high-octane action, crazy stunts and rapid car-chases, this movie is for you. So far, the best movie in the series so far. 

• Genre- Action, adventure, crime, comedy (a little bit)
• Director- James Wan
• Producers- Vin Diesel and Neal H Moritz
• Starring- Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges and Kurt Russell

My rating

9/10

Picture from- http://blogs-images.forbes.com/markhughes/files/2015/04/Furious-7.jpg

Video from- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISKeT6sDOg

Stay tuned for Avengers: Age of Ultron!