Chi-Raq

Based on an ancient Greek play and set in the violence riddled, modernity of Chicago, Chi-Raq is a ripe satire amidst the ever growing inner city crime, police brutality, and movement of Black Lives Matter. It is also a perfect cinematic vehicle for Spike Lee to re-emerge at the helm of subject matters he boldly took on 20 years ago in his classic films; or so it would seem.   This time around, as was the theme of the original play, women are so fed up with the violence of the day, that they impose a sex strike that catches fire around the world.  I so wanted to like Chi-Raq, really I  did.  Who wouldn't if you're a Lee fan?  He brings back his old notables Sam Jackson, Angela Bassett, and Wesley Snipes. He adds in fresh new faces and newcomers like John Cusack, Jennifer Hudson, Nick Canon, and the best of the bunch - Teyonhah Parris (Dear White People).  In all fairness, Wesley Snipes never should have been cast in that particular role of this gang leader going up against Nick Canon.  Shit, he's better than that and what the fuck was a limp Nick Canon even doing in a lead like that with no charisma at all?  Well, he surprisingly lent to the title track, along with Chicago native Jennifer Hudson, in addition to giving her signature dramatic tears to the role.  Now, let's remember that this was a satirical adaption to the distressing violence of our era.  But it just didn't work for me as well as it could have.  It tried to be too many things genre wise to me, that just didn't work, and then salvage a message.  In addition to mis-matched casting and performances, it just kind of felt dated; as if Spike just copied and pasted these not so new issues into his style from 20 years ago, and added new people.  More importantly and perhaps more accurately, is just that these issues have been covered before endlessly and with no apparent end in site.  But instead of Brooklyn/Crooklyn, it's the Chicago/Chi-Raq.

Ant-Man

Directed by Peyton Reed and starring Paul Rudd, Ant-Man is certainly a unique film within the successful Marvel film universe, being the most family friendly of the bunch. I was pleasantly surprised, as I certainly had my doubts and lacked enthusiasm at the mere mention of the film and cast.  It's a humorous, caper style of a film who's main characters are motivated by redemption for their families. A great supporting cast it also has, but Rudd was certainly an unexpected surprise in bringing a certain flawed and humorous every-man persona with an endearing freshness to the role. It's the unexpected charm of Ant-Man that adds a pleasant departure to the usual larger than life (pun intended), amped up Marvel franchise and simultaneously gives us arguably one of the most relatable of the Avengers.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

I don't know why we had to have a sequel to a classic, ground breaking, international martial arts movie nearly 16 years later.  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny is the name and it stars Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, and is peppered with a mixed international cast. Poor Michelle, who still looks good and is a great performer, should not have even signed up for this. She's much better than this and Donnie has matured into roles insofar as acting, but he ain't no Chow Yun-fat and there is no chemistry in the characters, other than their generational role as martial art stars.  However, the addition of  Donnie and a returning Yuen Woo-Ping (this time as a director)  do ensure there is ample quality action (although not ground breaking).  There is also the Shigeru Umebayashi soundtrack, which I barely noticed to tell the truth.  Probably, oh I don't know, because there was the omission of director Ang Lee!  That might have something to fucking do with it, just a theory.  Lee knew how to add a classical elegance to stories and character parallel with Woo-Ping doing the same for choreographed action.  So without him, you have a story that tries hard but mostly unsuccessfully to copy and paste scenarios that continue a not needed saga with 2nd string acting.  An international cast, a partly New Zealand location, and Harvey Weinstein production with a Netflix debut attempt to inject new life into the project.  Yet without the other essential higher quality  parts of the original Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon equation, it falls rather flat.  All this is not to say that it's not entertaining, but that one must lower their expectations to reap these feeble benefits.  At best, it's a just good martial arts film. It deserves a title change for sure and I just feel bad for Michelle Yeoh in the lead role.  Shit, Donnie is like in every martial art film and could benefit from pacing himself between roles, less some people viewers think it's Ip Man meets Crouching Tiger. 

Sicario

Sicario is a film directed by Denis Villeneuve that takes a peering look into the murky world of the drug cartels and government and law enforcement agencies that go up against them.  Powerfully acted by Emily Blunt and rounded out in talent with the likes of Benicio DelToro and Josh Brolin, it's a film that skillfully and artfully immerses you in the conflict.  Here, and equally as power as the acting and directing, is the awesome cinematography of Roger Deakins and composer Johann Johannson, who both deliver a rich atmosphere of impending tension at just the right moments in the story. It's really good to see DelToro in a leading role that showcases his acting chops to such a degree that a sequel focusing on his character was announced.  As controversial as the political and social realities are, Sicario is an important film that serves to elevate the important realities and complicity of the drug trade on an almost equal footing with the war on terror. 

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is a well crafted spy movie that thanks to the writing and directing of Christopher McQuarrie, manages to be arguably one of the best in the series.  McQuarrie's script is smart, taut, and filled with just the right balance of humor and intrigue to elevate it on par with one of the better James Bond films of late.  Right away, one can see that McQuarrie's involvement is paramount.  After all, this is a man who has previously worked with Cruise (Valkyrie, Jack Reacher), can seriously write complex intrigue (The Tourist, The Usual Suspects), and can obviously handle a talented ensemble.  Speaking of which, the addition of Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson was also a smart and fresh choice, as she more than carries her own weight against Cruise and the rest of the team. I'm not initially a fan of adding and swapping out parts to successful franchises like a professional sports team.  However, when it works, you can't really argue much against it.  So, half nod to Jeremy Renner (already a part of 3 film installments) and nod to Alec Baldwin for rounding out the talent here.  Rogue Nation is certainly the most shadowy of the MI films and the full plot is a about as complex as you can get (my only minor criticism), but it has a bit of an old school realism that carefully aligns it with the wide screen birth of Bond and the more realistic aspects of  say the Spooks/MI5 television series.  The stunts and gadgets were still cool and all, but it's in the story and performances under the direction of McQuarrie, that really shine.  Cruise and the other cast member seem to really be having fun, even moments of poking fun at the whole MI notion.

Fantastic Four (2015)

Bad, so very very bad.  Ten years after the original film and with a new cast, 2015's Fantastic Four succeeds in being even worse; and I didn't anticipate that was even possible.  The approach emphasizing the origins of the team is different, but there are too many holes, skipped over and unexplained logic, and just bad scripting that stand out even more than the mediocre special effects. Quite frankly, Fantastic Four would have even been a dud on television, as there are plenty of one hr. episodes of superhero shows that are far more engaging and smartly written than this horrendous film.  A talented actor like Michael B. Jordan needs to surely leave this one off his resume.  I waste no more words on this shit.