5 Summer Films to see in Autumn 2015

For many people, summer vacation has come to a close. It's now time to return to the old grind, whether it's going to school or going back to work. The point is that people are getting back at it, and that means the end of the summer blockbuster season. However, just because the summer is over, doesn't mean the movies are gone. And, while you may have movie plans for your autumn and early winter months to close out 2015, I've found five movies that you might have missed this past summer, and should do yourselves the favor and watch it during the colder months.

5.) Marvel's Ant-Man - Even if you're not a Marvel fan, you owe it to yourself to check out the most recent entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Introducing a lovable cast with all-star power, this movie packs action, drama, intrigue and comedy into one small-sized superhero showcase. With stunning visuals sure to look stellar on your HD televisions and a compelling heist tale, Marvel's Ant-Man is a great reminder that superhero movies can be fun and engaging without necessarily being dark and pessimistic. It's popcorn fun at it's finest, and the best part is it's totally approachable, even if you aren't a hardcore Marvel fan to begin with.

4.) Pitch Perfect 2 - Three years after the surprise success of the a capella movie, there's been a bit of a cultural upheaval in the world of a capella: specifically, mainstream attention and care to the style of performing. Pitch Perfect 2 honors the evolution of this by presenting the girls in a scenario where they're not at liberty to break the rules anymore. Now, they have to work their way back up to the top, competing against other competitors from all around the world, and bring back some real street cred to a capella. The movie is a really fun time, and although it doesn't necessarily achieve what the original did, the story this time around is even more compelling. While the Barden Bellas (the a capella group) have to train for the world championship, Beca (Anna Kendrick) works to understand and realize who she is before she graduates, a theme I think many people in the next year could really relate to. With even more music, more laughs, and more of what you loved the last time, Pitch Perfect 2 makes for a great weekend movie with friends and/or family. Just...be careful of who you watch it around, because there's a LOT of misogynistic jokes.

3.) Furious 7 - Depending on where you live in the world, the title could be different. That being said, this movie was a hell of a fun ride! Where it places us is at the main casts' downtime, ready to retire from the fast life, when lo and behold, super tough British guy Jason Statham comes to shoot people and punch Dwayne Johnson in the face. This was my very first experience with The Fast & The Furious, and what a great place it was to come in. With this film surrounded by a ton of production hang-ups due to the death of alum Paul Walker, I was also morbidly curious to see how director James Wan, of Insidious and The Conjuring fame, would handle it. The answer? Masterfully. Wan gives us ample to enjoy, from sweet car chase scenes to outrageous moments to exotic locations, with a dash of absurdity here and there. Not only was the film a fun ride, it does a good job of giving tribute to Paul Walker and his legacy with these films. I couldn't tell when his brother came in to play him, and the send-off was organic and true enough that I don't know how any other movie could have done it, let alone done it as well. Do yourselves a favor and check it out.

2.) Cinderella (2015) - Yeah, it is technically a spring movie, but since we were speaking of masterful movies, director Kenneth Bragnah (Thor (2011) , Hamlet (1996)) puts a fresh coat of paint on a beloved property. Whimsical, fun, and beautifully shot, this new take gives us a refresher course on why those classic Disney films are so revered. However, don't go in thinking this is just a straight shot-for-shot remake. The story is updated for a post-Mulan world, complete with story beats that don't keep our leading lady from being a vapid, dipsy princess. Not only that, but we get to see in the life of the wicked stepmother, expertly executed by actress extraordinaire Cate Blanchett. While it isn't a re-hash of Maleficent (in that we feel sorry for the villain), we do get to see her convictions and why she is the way she is. The only thing fans of the original may find disappointing is the lack of dialogue from some famous talking animals, but if you're like me, you'll find the rest of the movie charming enough that the nostalgia stab will pass, and you can enjoy yourselves as you see the magic return to Disney classics. And if for nothing else, this might get you intrigued in several other upcoming live-action reboots Disney has in the works.

1.) Ex Machina -  For the final movie I recommend to you all, Ex Machina is an achievement worth noting. It's style is unique, it's narrative is compelling, and it's story will have you questioning what's going on the entire time - but in a good way. See, Ex Machina  puts you in an environment that's isolated from the outside world, and gives you three characters to interact with, all that are marvelously performed by three of the biggest up-and-comers in the business. With all that said, Ex Machina also takes the time to let you examine what it means to be human, and lets you experience a point of view from remoteness of things you may take for granted - the trees, water, even the clothes on your back. This movie does an incredible job at bringing the audience the right amount of suspense and unease from interacting with a nobody, a hermit, and a robot, all awkwardly trying to figure out what being human means to us, whether that's the will to survive, the readiness to fight for what we want, or the desire for us to be better than what you are. It's heavy stuff, and something you should definitely watch with someone who you respect intellectually - this movie could be a great starting point for a lot of discussions between viewers.

Anyway, those are the five movies I think you need to check out. What do you think? Have you seen them already? Are you even interested in any of these? Are there any you, yourselves, would recommend to me? 

Ant-Man Review (No Spoilers)

After the devastation that the villainous Ultron wreaked in this year's film, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel is introducing us to yet another villain within their world, and despite his size, he's making a big splash.

The basis of the film follows convicted master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) as he attempts to leave his sticky-fingered ways to be a better father to his daughter. However, seeing no other way to make ends meet than stealing, Scott makes one more ambitious attempt at a job and ends up stealing a magnificent suit that gives the wearer the ability to shrink. As the creator reveals himself to be Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), he enlists Scott in the largest heist he's ever pulled off to protect the world from a new evil.

Now, for those of you upset with how broad Age of Ultron seemed to be, rest easy knowing that this movie is on a much smaller scale, taking place within one city among only a handful of locations. This movie keeps itself well contained, and the story is better serviced in that aspect. While that may sound a bit boring for a Marvel movie, they give us plenty of eye-popping locations, such as the intricacies of a computer that Scott will run through, or the underground hills of his ant companions. The visuals compliment the set pieces very nicely, and it all looks great.

As for the story, I was seriously blown away. This movie, above any other Marvel movie, takes their comedy to the next level. The dialogue is witty and the characters are quirky, and the cast only raises the standard here. Paul Rudd is perfect as the guy out of his depth here, and Douglas' Hank Pym is a worthy mentor for our hero. The female lead, Evangeline Lily, plays her role well, and she's really showing the world that she's more than a television actress from LOST. My personal favorite actor walking out of this movie was Michael Pena, who plays Lang's lovable sidekick. Most of the jokes come directly from him, and his comedic timing is so on-point, he nails it every time. Seriously, this guy is good.

As for the villain Yellowjacket, A.K.A. Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), he's been getting a lot of hate for his character - people believe he's not compelling, that his motives were too undefined. Personally, I thought Stoll did great; his character was intense, and he was believable enough that I actually felt some sympathy for him. Yellowjacket was a good and serviceable villain, through and through.

All in all, Marvel's Ant-Man was an entertaining action-comedy, and the perfect summer movie. And trust me when I say that if my mom can have a fun time at a superhero movie (when she doesn't really love them in the first place), you can too.

                                                                         Rating: 9.5/10

The 3 New Dramas You MUST look for

After the months of what I like to call "blockbuster-palooza", Hollywood has begun to transition into its award season. What comes with that is less of the explosive fun of the summer and more of the exploration of the human condition, through various and diverse stories. Many of these films have already graced the film festival such as Cannes, TriBeCa, and more, and the studios are now ready to present the best that storytelling and drama has to offer. While there are multiple films that will attempt to grab the hallowed "Best Picture" Academy Award, I have identified a few that may just have a greater chance at doing so.

The first movie that really caught my attention was the upcoming film, titularly called The 33. The 33 tells the true story of the devastating mine collapse that took place in Copiapò, Chile in 2010. The film promises to show us the Chilean governments tireless work to rescue the miners from their subterrenean prison, and will also give audiences a glimpse into the struggles of the miners and their 69 days of horrific submission. Being one who was a bit too young to follow the event closely when it occurred, this movie intrigued me right off the bat, and in the trailer you can really feel the tension and the drama, but also the heart. The fact that this movie has almost no notable names outisde of Antonio Banderas also gives me hope that this movie might shine a light on some more capable Latino actors and give them the chance to enter Hollywood as rising stars. Overall, I'm pretty excited for this movie - I'll definitely be out to see it.

Another film that crossed my radar was an upcoming military action piece titled 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, directed by Michael Bay. I know what you're all thinking, but identifying just the trailer alone, I'm liking what I'm seeing. What Bay seems to be doing is exactly what he should be doing - taking a group of All-American men and placing them in an against-the-odds situation where they've got just themselves and their values to get them through the mission. The action looks bombastic, the story sounds compelling, and the actors look intimidating. And hey, if you can get nice-guy Jim from the U.S. version of The Office to look like a total badass, you're doing something right. Now, this movie may be one steaming pile of fecal matter, but the fact remains that the trailer intrigued me enough to want to see the movie, and the fact that this is yet another world-harrowing scenario I did not pay close attention to just increases my interest tenfold. I'd say to those of you on the fence, "Wait and see. You may be surprised".

And concluding my new to-see list is the upcoming film Spotlight, which tells the story of the Boston Globe's work to uncover the child molestation incidents within their town's archdiocese, causing a backlash to their legitimacy as a newspaper and rocking the Catholic Church's foundation as the world knows it. This film in particular has already received mass critical praise in the film festivals, and features an all-star cast with the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci and more. Again, this film features a story that I was too young to follow, but this is also probably the most serious and controversial of the three that I've talked about today. With that being said, with the cast we've got here, and the narrative we're promised, you can bet that audiences will get a world-class drama to go see. Now, this story won't be for everybody - none of these will be. However, what I'm noticing is that they're all being taken very seriously. People say Hollywood tends to bend the facts, to change history a bit to please certain people, but these films seem to steer away from that stigma, which is great to see. Because as Hollywood evolves, we as a human race get the chance to see stories of both triumph and failure, and just might have a chance to work on improving ourselves in the process.