The summer movie season is in full swing! It is around this time that the big blockbusters are still coming but other smaller movies also come out for those tired of the onslaught of blockbusters. Today, I will be looking at a major blockbuster as well as a few smaller films for those looking for alternatives. I will be reviewing "Transformers: Age of Extinction" which is the latest in giant robot fighting as well as the sci-fi thriller "I'll Follow You Down" and "Jersey Boys" which is an adaptation of the Broadway dramatization of the career of 1960s pop band "The Four Seasons." Before I get started, I'd like to give a shoutout to the Free Gamer's Alliance YouTube channel. Their videos cover everything from walkthroughs, glitches, easter eggs, and various amusing video game related content, all of which is delivered with some colorful commentary while they have buckets of fun doing it. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/FreeGamersAlliance/.
Lets get this thing started with "Jersey Boys." Here is the trailer:
- This movie is about as stylish as it gets. There are some fantastic costumes and set pieces that really transport the audience into the 1960s.
- The writing is (for the most part) very good. The story is interesting and the dialogue feels authentic.
- The music in this movie is spectacular. I dare you to watch these songs without at least tapping your feet.
The Bad:
- There are definitely some pacing issues. Some scenes drag more than they should. This is where some creative editing could have helped.
- Some of the acting is pretty scary.
- There is a really bad habit of constantly breaking the fourth wall. I found it rather distracting as I was trying to be immersed in the movie.
The Verdict:
"Jersey Boys" is a fun time at the movies that has quite a few flaws. I would say this one is probably a rental but if you decide to go to the theater you could do worse. (examples of that are coming in the below reviews)
Lets move on to "I'll Follow You Down." Here is the trailer:
- This movie has in incredibly interesting premise. This is showcased well in the third act.
The Bad:
- The acting is very robotic. I have a hard time believing that any of these people meant anything they were saying nor did I believe that they were feeling anything that they were supposed to be.
- The pacing is terrible. Many scenes are longer than they should be which results in a movie that feels far longer than it actually is.
- For a movie that is trying to be serious and deep, there are a lot of moments that are way too silly to ever allow that to happen.
The Verdict:
"I'll Follow You Down" is a movie that had so much potential but it all ends up being squandered thanks to bad acting/pacing and over the top silly moments. I would say skip this one.
Now its time to move to the big one! Here is the trailer for "Transformers: Age of Extinction":
- As usual, the visual effects are incredible. A lot of money was spent on this movie and it shows. The explosions look great as well as any transformers and ships.
The Bad:
- As was the case with the previous "Transformers" movies, the voices for the robots are so cheesy that it really becomes impossible to take any of them seriously.
- The dialogue is horrific. There are so many stupid lines that its impossible not to burst out laughing during moments where the film is trying so hard to be dramatic.
- The acting is absolutely painful to watch. Mark Wahlberg is incredibly miscast here, Nicola Peltz can't deliver a line convincingly to save her life, Jack Reynor looks like he is about to burst into laughter every time he opens his mouth, and Kelsey Grammer is incapable of being a convincing villain.
- The pacing here is about as bad as it gets. There are so many pointless scenes that do nothing but make the movie more bloated. It feels so much longer than it is. Not even over the top action scenes can save it. The action scenes end up feeling bloated due to the fact that none of the characters are interesting enough to care about, therefore I found it hard to care about the action because I don't care about the characters that the action impacts.
- There are things that happen that are just so stupid that suspension of disbelief becomes impossible despite the fact that you are going into a movie aware that it is about fighting robots that can transform into cars.
- The writing really steps over the line when dealing with minorities and women. The minorities in this movie turn into such caricatures that its hard to believe that it isn't done on purpose. The way that the female lead is written really makes me believe that the writers are giant misogynists. She is not only completely useless, but it seems that she only has two purposes. The first is something for the heroes to obtain. This is best shown in a line where her father and boyfriend manage to imply that they own her. The second purpose seems to be to get endless shots of her sweating and panting while things crawl up her legs. I'm not saying that every female character has to be Katniss Everdeen, Anna, Elsa, or Black Widow but they should be written in a way that doesn't feel like someone from a few centuries ago was writing it. I knew that the writers of these movies were never good at writing these types of characters but they botched them here so badly that I can't help but think that it goes beyond incompetency and is a result of twisted views.
- To top it all off, the 3D is obnoxious. Things are constantly being shoved in the audience's faces. Worst of all, there are many scenes where bright lights are being shined in the audience's faces and I find that to be headache inducing.
The Verdict:
Not only is "Transformers: Age of Extinction" one of the worst movies I have seen this year but one of the worst movies I have ever had the misfortune of viewing. It goes beyond the bad popcorn movie with mild bits of fun (which is how I would describe it's predecessors) and goes into territory that can be best describes as vile, exploitative, and lazy. Don't waste your time or money on this rusty pile of junk.
Thanks for reading everyone! As usual, feel free to leave a comment but please be advised that if you are going to read potential comments that there may be spoilers.