MOVIE REVIEW: Terminator Genisys

Terminator Genisys is another reboot of the successful movie franchise and it is a big improvement compared to the two previous films before this: the dull Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and the underwhelming Terminator Salvation (2009). It's also nice that Arnold Schwarzenegger is back is his iconic role but since this is a new version, the filmmakers made a role that is suited for his age and stature that befits once who once got elected to be California governor. He plays the Guardian aka Pops to Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke's Sarah Connor who is almost like a father figure to him all these years as they fight the machines amidst the upcoming dominance of the Genisys app that can easily rule the world.

Alongside Sarah Connor are the other characters we know of the movie series. His son John Connor (Jason Clarke) who may or have not changed, Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) and of course Skynet. The story is one long time traveling tale and it doesn't disappoint. Just be alert of it. I also love that they used San Francisco as their city. After San Andreas and Inside Out, we do love our city getting hit in Hollywood!!

 Terminator Genysis may not have the brilliance of Terminator 2: Judgement Day which is the best of the series but it does bode well for the upcoming trilogy that it's filmmakers had planned on doing.

MOVIE REVIEW: Magic Mike XXL

The second male bonding themed movie this summer season after Entourage in a months time is Magic Mike XXL, the sequel to the surprise box office and critical hit in 2012 that's loosely based in lead actor's Channing Tatum's early career as a male stripper or as one of the characters says in a politically correct term: a male entertainer.

Fast forward three years later, Mike Lane (Tatum) left the group Kings of Tampa to put up a business but he was persuaded to go back to the group for a one last gig at the stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Minus their big boss and recruit from the first film, Mike back together with the rest of the gang: Ken (Matt Bomer), Richie (Joe Manganiello in a great revelatory comic performance), Tito (Adam Rodriguez) and Tarzan (wrestler Kevin Nash) encounter drag queens, ex flames and cougars on one fun filled road trip that was shot in signature Steven Soderbergh style. The Oscar winning director may had transferred the reign of directing the sequel to his frequent assistant Gregory Jacobs but the script and the overall feel of the movie feels like an Ocean Eleven film transported to the South that you can feel the humidity and the sunshine simply by just watching it.

New recruits to the film include Jada Pinkett Smith as a club owner with such a sexy empowering performance you forget that in real life she has teenage kids, Amber Heard and it's great to see Groundhog Day's  Andie MacDowell back on the big screen having fun as a Southern divorcee who longs for some good lovin.

Ladies would love the film for the actors themselves with their fit bodies gyrating onstage and guys like me loved it for it's sheer comic value and the friendship that it's characters showed in the film that I'm pretty sure most of us can relate to whether you take your clothes off for a living or not.

For a sequel of one of the funniest films in this decade, Magic Mike XXL does not disappoint.

MOVIE REVIEW: Max

Inspired by accounts of service dogs accompanying troops in the world's most dangerous places such as Afghanistan and most likely the photos of them beside the casket of their fallen masters that went viral on social media, Max is not your typical dog movie that can easily warm your heart: part American Sniper part Lassie and shockingly part No Country for Old Men, the marketing department at Warner Brothers would definitely had a hard time promoting the film. 

It is just too violent for kids who are primarily the core of the family audience demographic not only due to scenes of war but also a subplot involving Mexican gun smugglers. I'm actually surprised how Max was classified PG with the MPAA considering the instances mentioned.

If you have military themed films then by all means Max is recommended. I had some experience of being near a Belgian Malinois, the breed of dog Max is and seeing the film made me realize how intelligent and affectionate they are to their masters and their purpose in the military. Trust your judgment though if you want to bring young kids to the film.

MOVIE REVIEW: Ted 2

Starting where it's predecessor left off, Ted 2 continues the bromantic friendship between John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and his foul talking childhood teddy bear who grew up with him Ted (voiced by it's writer, producer and director Seth MacFarlane) as both enter a new phrase in their lives: marriage.

Unfortunately, John got divorced from his wife (played by Mila Kunis in the first movie), however Ted got married to his co-worker girlfriend in the supermarket Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) and that's where the dilemma of the second installment of the 2012 hit movie begins. Defying basic logic, the two wants to have a baby of their own but because of legal issues and common sense, they can't.

The beauty of Ted 2 is that it's creator Seth MacFarlane, known for his pushing the envelope political correctness type of humor is aiming for equality and justice for anyone as timely as today's headlines thru Ted and it works. As in all of his other works, Ted 2 is polarizing - those who loved the first movie will surely enjoy this even though some of the humor falls flat, example of which are a gay couple bullying some nerds which was repeated a couple of times without a dash of humor into it. Inspired cameos though save the day. I won't divulge who, but me along with the preview audience laughed so hard at this.

Mark Wahlberg is Boston comic perfection and Amanda Seyfried is a revelation in a role way different from the ones who saw. Ted 2 doesn't have the charm and curiosity factor of the first movie but just like John Bennett and Ted, we all mature and need some crassness and good old toilet humor along the way to enjoy life.

MOVIE REVIEW: Inside Out

Pixar Animation Studios specialty has always been creating worlds for things we take for granted such as toys, aquatic animals and even cars as well as making monsters seem lovable. It's latest release Inside Out elevates them further by giving characters to our emotions and their working station right in our head. The premise is basically straight out of a Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry movie that makes this latest release from Pixar worthy enough for me to spend two hours in the theater not insulting my intelligence. A big thumbs up also to the film's animators for creating a colorful world completely different from the drab terms usually associated with films with clinical complex terms such as this.

The film is basically a story of a young girl named Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) whose life will change dramatically when she and her parents (Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane) will move from their hometown in Minnesota to San Francisco for her Dad's work. The emotions inside her head include Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader) and Anger (Lewis Black) suddenly will work into full throttle and ready for action since Riley is still a child and not in the right state of mine because of the sadness of moving out with your friends you grew up with. All of us can definitely relate to her struggling to fit in a new place.

Ably directed and sharply written both by the superb Pete Docter (Monsters Inc and Up) , Inside Out is Disney Pixar's best original film since Up.

MOVIE REVIEW: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

The story of one middle class high schooler Greg aka Me in the title (Thomas Mann) who's best friend since childhood is Earl (RJ Cyler), and the two make spoofs of classic films examples of which are Senior Citizen Kane and 2:58 PM Cowboy in their spare time which is a lot!! 

Their lives are about to change when Greg's mother (Connie Britton) asks him to befriend a schoolmate who has leukemia Rachel (Olivia Cooke) the Dying Girl. The two of them are basically like complete outcasts in school, not really close  and together a wonderful friendship developed despite such unfortunate circumstances.

I'm surprised that the film is based on a book. I presumed that entries from Sundance are not adapted from other sources but kudos to director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon who made the film with such an original feel and atmosphere and it also helped that the author Jesse Andrews also wrote the screenplay. 

Comparisons to last year's similarly themed The Fault in Our Stars in inevitable but Me and Earl and the Dying Girl ain't no romantic movie and devoid of syrupy sentimentality. Props also for inserting some premise of Jack Black's Be Kind Rewind in it. But one thing is sure: Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke and RJ Cyler would achieve the same breakout recognition that Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort did last year in the likely situation that this Sundance Audience and Jury Award Winner would be a sleeper hit at the box office.

MOVIE REVIEW: Entourage

A disclaimer: you don't have to worry if you weren't to catch or follow the TV show until the end of it's final episode four years ago. Writer/director Doug Ellen made sure that the Entourage movie can stand alone without relying on it's old episodes. The movie would actually be a great starter course for those who have no idea what it is and I'm pretty that interest of it would make them watch the series again.

From the hit HBO show about the rise of actor Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) in Hollywood
together with his boys: best friend Eric or E (Kevin Connolly), half brother and bit player Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon), friend Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) and their adventures or challenges of living in Los Angeles. Entourage picks up where the TV series ended: the boys are back being boys and Ari Gold gets to be the head of a movie studio. Gold offers Chase a movie in which he would be the leading star. He then accepted it on only one condition: that he would be the film director as well too.
Like in a typical episode of Entourage, the supporting players shine. Grenier only acts based on his pretty boy looks, there's nothing much else about Vinnie Chase that the movie could have explored more. Connolly and Dillon were much better here in the movie compared to the last season of the show in situations most men can relate too. Unfortunately, Ferrara was underutilized here. It's all just about his goal with hit it off with MMA fighter Ronda Rousey (who plays herself). Jeremy Piven was born to play Ari Gold and once again every scene with him is satisfying. A spinoff series with him would have been perfect.
The Oscar nominated kid from The Sixth Sense Haley Joel Osment is deadpan funny as the son of a Texas billionaire (Billy Bob Thornton) who funded the film. This is a perfect vehicle for him as his first major film role as an adult.
Like the TV series, the movie is flooded with cameos from executive Mark Wahlberg, supermodel Emily Ratajkowski, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, DJ Calvin Harris and many more.
Curses and nudity aside, the movie actually shows us in simple terms on how a movie gets started in Hollywood: from the initial pitch to the money source all the way to the studio head, actors and producers. You will never look at a movie the same way again after this.
Entourage is like comfort food to those who loved and adored the show. It showed us the universal truth that in life when one of us hit it big, life becomes more meaningful when you share it with friends who never left your side.