War for the Planet of the Apes 3D Movie Review

War for the Planet of the Apes 3D Movie Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

Check out my Video Review on YouTube below: 

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3D

Unfortunately the 3D visuals for this movie are not impressive and don’t do much of anything. Occasionally you will see rifle barrels pop out of the screen. A few scenes have snow falling and the 3D looks decent as the snowflakes fly around in 3D space. The 3D visuals do help make the digital apes seem more lifelike because there a three dimensional shape instead of flat 2D shape. The 3D visuals never wow the audience and are a subtle and minor aspect of this movie. Overall the 3D visuals for this movie are mediocre, forgettable and simply not worthwhile.

Final Verdict: Weak 3D 2D RECOMMENDED

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Movie

“War for the Planet of the Apes” is the third movie within this rebooted movie franchise. I really respect what the filmmakers have done with this franchise and how they created an interesting and believable world of apes. This trilogy is possibly one the best trilogies of cinema with all three movies being enjoyable.

The first thing I must mention about this movie is how misleading the title of the movie is. The title of this movie “War for the Planet of the Apes” seems to imply an action movie when that isn’t the case. The trailers are also very misleading and give an impression of a non-stop action spectacle. I mention this because the title and trailers give the audience an inaccurate picture and could potentially set up false expectations. This movie is very dramatic and serious and has lots of subtitles instead of spoken dialog. In many ways this movie feels like a thoughtful independent movie instead of a summer blockbuster. The movie does have some action scenes but the story is more focused on characters and plot than action. I feel that some people may find this movie boring because of the slow pacing and lack of action. This movie isn’t your typical summer blockbuster; it’s very cerebral, tense and suspenseful. I am not a marketing expert so I don’t know how to accurately make the trailers showcase this style of movie and give a correct portrayal of the movie. I usually don’t discuss the title of a movie or the marketing within the review, but for this occasion I believe that it must be mentioned.

The movie takes place several years after the events of the previous movie in this series “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”. This is the third movie within the rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise and it continues the story of Caesar and the super intelligent apes that follow him. This movie builds upon the previous two movies of this franchise, and they are required viewings before watching this movie. The movie begins with a few blocks of text on screen that give the viewer some context going into this story. This movie is about the ape of Caesar (the leader of the apes) and a small group of apes that follow him to investigate a nearby human military base. Broadly speaking this movie is about family, survival and the concept of mercy. The performances of the various apes are perfectly captured by cutting edge special effects. The acting and writing for this movie is truly excellent. I never once doubted the computer graphics on screen and it was a spot-on showcase to what the power of computer-generated characters can do under capable filmmakers. The characters might be digital creations but the have depth and substance. The movie does an excellent job of making these apes relatable and makes it easy to have empathy for them. This world that this movie presents is realistic, gritty, sad, tragic and is totally believable and thought provoking.

This movie has many returning characters but also several new ones. One of those new prominent characters is that of The Colonel. The Colonel is portrayed by Woody Harrelson and is the villain of this movie. This is easily one of the best performances by Woody Harrelson in his entire film career. This character has one excellent speech where you understand everything about this character and his history. I wanted to stand up and cheer after this speech because it was so perfectly delivered and it hit all the right notes. Another new character that is notable is that of an ape who used to live in a zoo. This character is used as comic relief and is very charming and very helpful to the plot. Many times he says what the audience is thinking and is a wonderful addition to this movie. Another new character is that of a young girl. This young girl is semi-adopted into the ape clan and is another stand out. This girl is a simple character and doesn’t have many lines but is a joy to watch on screen and has beautiful sweet innocence presence on screen.  The movie keeps some of the best characters from the previous movies and adds several new additions that are all excellent and interesting. This movie does a wonderful job with handling all these characters and making them feel complete and meaningful.

The only problem I had with this movie was with the ending. I won’t spoil this aspect, but needless to say it is the definition of a deus ex machina

ending. The conclusion makes sense within context of the location this movie is set, but it still feels too convenient. Maybe the deus ex machine ending was intentional for the narrative but it feels cheap and like a cop-out. Overall the movie does end in a satisfactory manor that feels like a closure to this series of Apes movies and delivers catharsis.

In conclusion this movie is an excellent science fiction film. My issues with this movie are minor and related to the ending and the slow pacing. The story, characters and acting are all truly wonderful. These “Apes” movies have done something truly spectacular and made a perfect trilogy and this third movie wraps things up nicely. “War for the Planet of the Apes” is an incredible summer movie, and Andy Serkis (motion capture & voice actor for Caesar) deserves award recognition for this performance within this movie, because it’s perfectly executed and is totally believable. This movie is almost perfect and totally resonates with its emotional and dramatic elements. This movie is easily one of the best movies of 2017 and should not be missed.

Final Verdict: 9/10, EDITORS CHOICE MOVIE AWARD

™ and © 2017 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. 

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Spider-Man Homecoming 3D Movie Review

Spider-Man Homecoming 3D Movie Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

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3D

The 3D for this movie is not spectacular or amazing but it is good. It can be fun to watch this movie as Spider-Man travels around New York and objects fly from the background to the foreground. One early scene with a bank robbery was very interesting to watch in 3D because many dollar bills were floating around and popping out of the screen. The 3D visuals looked nice but it didn’t blow me away or really capture my imagination.

Final Verdict: Good 3D

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Movie

This is the sixth overall Spider-Man movie but the first within the Marvel cinematic universe. This movie feels new and different and makes sense within the grander marvel cinematic universe.

The main plot of this movie is simple yet effective. This movie showcases Peter Parker / Spider-Man after the events of "Captain America Civil War”. Peter Parker / Spider-Man wants to have another big adventure, but is stuck in high school. Eventually Spider-Man discovers that local criminals are buying and selling some powerful weapons and he attempts to stop them. Peter Parker has to balance his school related priorities, being a superhero and his personal relationships all at the same time. Secret identities are not a big aspect within the marvel cinematic universe, but it works perfectly within this movie. Tom Holland's portray of Spider-Man / Peter Parker is very charming and funny. The movie has a fantastic supporting cast that work well together. This cast has a wonderful chemistry together and they play off each other’s lines in a realistic and enjoyable fashion. I never doubted that these actors felt right in a high school setting, and they did a fine job of showcasing “the high school experience" without falling for all the typical clichés and usual tropes. The movie works well as both a superhero movie and a high school friendship movie.  

The main villain of this movie is that of the Vulture. The Vulture is an interesting character, and the movie does a wonderful job of setting up his backstory. As the viewer you can clearly understand his motivations and you can easily sympathize with this character. This villain is fleshed out and is not a one-dimensional archetype. The great Michael Keaton expertly portrays the Vulture. I found him to be threatening yet grounded in reality, and I really enjoyed his performance on screen. The Vulture is easily one the best marvel cinematic villains. The vulture is not interested in world domination or conquering the universe, he just cares about himself and his family. I find this simplicity to be very refreshing. The Vulture is an excellent addition to this movie and is a well-developed villain.

This movie is set in the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe and generally it works well for this story. You will see several mentions of the previous Marvel movie stories and marvel characters within this movie. The movie has many Marvel superhero cameos. Sadly we don't see any cameos or mentions from the current Marvel TV shows.           I understand that the Netflix TV shows have adult content (Dare Devil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist) and are a different demographic from typical Spider-man movies, but the fact remains that this movie and those TV shows are all set within the same New York City. It seems bizarre to why Marvel refuses to connect these TV shows with the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe and why this movie refuses to acknowledge those Marvel TV shows. At times the movie feels overstuffed with Marvel cameos so why they couldn’t include a quick Dare Devil line or something small like that is beyond my understanding. At times it seems like Spider-Man can simply phone a friend for assistance at any time, and it can become jarring when some characters enter the scene at the most convenient moment. The marvel cinematic universe references work well to fill in the details of the story, but at times it can be a little too cute.

I do have some minor issues with this movie. I have a problem with how it changes a key aspect of the character of Spider-Man. It just doesn’t feel right to exclude this distinctive Spider-Man attribute within this movie. Another negative aspect is how clumsy Spider-Man is portrayed within this movie. Spider-Man looked more agile and seasoned in "Captain America Civil War" (which happens before the events of this movie) than within this movie. It seems like a blatant continuity error and it seems very odd. Some of his sloppiness can be explained by the story elements within this movie, and how his suit is more advanced because of the technological engineering of Tony Stark (Iron man). This sloppiness makes Spider-Man more relatable but at the cost of cheapening his character’s abilities . I also had a problem with how the movie rushed many story elements. The movie refuses to allow Peter Parker to enjoy many scenes with his school friends. The movie never allows Peter Parker to enjoy his life, even for a little bit. I understand that the character has to make sacrifices to be a superhero, but it seems rushed for the sake of revealing the next action scene and is not totally natural to the story. I also had a problem with a specific action scene toward the end of the movie. This action scene feels anticlimactic and slopped together with cheap special effects. The problems I have with this movie are relatively minor but are worth mentioning. 

The movie is extremely entertaining and has a wonderful sense of humor. The movie tells its story seamlessly and it hits all the right tones with the cast. I have seen all the previous Spider-Man movies but I have never seen one exactly like this one. This movie feels fresh and new and works well for what it is. I enjoyed the different locations the movie visits and how creative it is with the new Spider-Man suit. The movie has a wonderful villain and many enjoyable action scenes. The movie flows well, is fast paced and is tightly edited. The movie does have some problems but they don’t substantially ruin the movie. Overall this movie succeeds more than it disappoints and delivers a fun enjoyable movie. Tom Holland is an excellent Spider-Man and I look forward to seeing more of his web slinging antics in the future.

Final Verdict: 8/10 

MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2017 MARVEL. 
Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Movie ©2017 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and LSC Film Corporation All Rights Reserved.

Transformers The Last Knight 3D Movie Review

Transformers The Last Knight

3D Movie Review

Written By: Adolph Vega

Watch our video review via YouTube below : 

 

3D

The 3D in this movie isn't good , it isn't great, it is spectacular. The movie was shoot with IMAX 3D cameras, and it looks incredible in that format. I watched this movie in laser projected 4K IMAX in the biggest screen in the state of Texas and I was not disappointed, because the massive action scenes look sharp , vivid and are perfectly executed . A vast majority of recent 3D movies are post converted and are not recorded in 3D, and you can really tell the difference with this movie . Obviously IMAX scenes are not accessible to everyone and are more expensive than other cinemas but regarding this movie it's totally worthwhile . Why is the 3D so well done ? It's because they use 3D to make the action scenes more memorable and epic . The movie has tons of objects popping out of the screen, and it looks amazing. Some objects will travel in 3D space and travel from the background to the foreground and give the viewer some truly amazing visuals. The movie jam packed full of action scenes that look great in 3D. You really feel like your staring into a window of action scenes that are actually happening. Occasionally 3D depth is used to give a sense of scale and height which makes the visuals very immersive . So many scenes use multiple layers of 3D at the same time and slow motion to highlight specific characters and weapons and looks incredible. Honestly if you watch this movie in 2D your doing yourself a disservice. I usually like to highlight a specific scene or scenes were the 3D is especially interesting or well done but this movie has so many of those scenes it's hard to narrow it down, it's all fantastic. The 3D visuals and action scenes are perfectly intertwined and go hand in hand together. The 3D in this movie is possibly one the best uses of 3D that I have seen in years. If you can watch in IMAX 3D, you won't be disappointed and I will give this movie my highest recommendation and is truly awesome. I hope this movie will inspire other movie studios to record in IMAX 3D because it's a must see in 3D movie .

Final Verdit:

GREAT 3D, Editors Choice 3D Award 

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Movie

It is what it is. Transformers do what Transformers do.

This movie is the fifth movie in this popular franchise . You should know what to expect from this film franchise, because it's been fairly consistent in quality over the years . If you haven't seen any of the previous entrees in this franchise then I wouldn't suggest you watch this movie because you will be totally lost. This movie franchise is reviewer proof therefore; I will try to keep this review brief and be fairly straightforward.

The transformers have been present on earth for centuries . This history of Transformer and human interaction has been hidden and this movie reveals that story . This movie takes place in the present, but also has many flashbacks to scenes in the past. Mark Wahlberg returns and reprises his role from the previous movie. (Transformers 4: Age of Extinction) Mark Wahlberg is Cade Yeager and is an inventor and watches over several transformers . The Earth is in trouble and the transformers are both the cause and the solution to this problem. How this story was presented is interesting and better done than the previous movies within this franchise. However the story barely makes any sense. I have watched all the previous Transformers movies and I actually liked this one the most .

The plot within this movie very convoluted. It has many multiple parts that are happening at the same time and it can be very difficult to understand what exactly is going on. The best word to describe this plot is combocomplexlicated . Combocomplexlicated is a new word that I invented that is a mixture of the following words: combination , complex, and complicated. Combocomplexlicated perfectly describes something that is overly convoluted when it doesn't need to be . The movie has a massive cast of characters . You know very little about each character, and some of them are new and others return from previous movies. The plot is essentially an excuse for action scenes. The movie begins with an action scene, and about 70% of this movie is action, and the remaining 30% is people explaining the action. The movie has a crude sense of humor and is very corny, but I have to admit it made me laugh several times. Other times the comedy made me cringe and roll my eyes. The movie has plot holes big enough to drive an Optimus prime through. The action scenes are enjoyable to watch and are the only reason to really watch this movie. The action is big , crazy ridiculous but I was able to enjoy it .

The movie is far from being perfect, yet I liked it . The transformers movies are not "high art" and they aren't trying to be. This movie is all about over-the-top action and pure entertainment. I was entertained by this movie and it succeeded on that aspect. Ultimately movies are about being entertained and I cannot deny that I had fun watching this movie . I laughed , I cringed , I was confused and I had fun with this silly action movie. It is what it is , and this is possibly the best transformers movie ever,  but that isn't saying much .

Final Verdict: 6/10

© 2017 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved.

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