Friday, March 4, 2016

Why are people hating the new Ghostbusters?

I really don't understand it.

And I should mention before I delve into my thoughts that I am not a Ghostbusters fan. I don't have some childlike, nostalgia-fueled love for the franchise. In fact, I just saw the original film for the first time about two months ago, and I didn't find it to hold up like other older films. That isn't a critique on the special effects, premise, or acting; it just didn't grab me like it apparently grabbed kids 30 years ago.

And maybe that's where the differentiation comes in to play. The original Ghostbusters was never meant to play out and be the franchise it is today. It wasn't meant to span a long-running cartoon series, video games, a sequel film, even LEGO. Back then, the Ghostbusters was just a chance for some old Saturday Night Live cast mates and friends to get together and make a movie with a fun premise. Their energy and camaraderie is what made it so entertaining to watch on the big screen. Kids ate up the mythology and the characters, adults loved the jokes, and the film became a hit. The fact that the franchise has been as inactive these past few years is nothing short of unbelievable. 

Now, director Paul Feig of Bridesmaids fame is back to bring Ghostbusters to a 21st-century audience, complete with a cast of women to represent the modernity of both the acting industry and the world at large. He brings with him women he's worked with before, in the form of the impeccable Kristen Wiig and the surprisingly-talented Melissa McCarthy. Newcomers Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones round out the group, each bringing their comedic sensibilities to the table as well. Kristen, Leslie, and Kate all started SNL fame, so they've got the ability to do comedy well. Melissa McCarthy has recently had films like St. Vincent and Spy to change up her "Melissa McCarthy formula" of acting into something more diverse and enjoyable. The story, while clearly looking like a revisiting of the original, seems to be enticing enough to watch more people bust some ghosts. My personal favorite thing to see was the special effects, which look absolutely amazing. The ghosts look vibrant and lively; pardon the irony. The proton packs and the neutrino wands project dazzling light shows that will most likely culminate in an impressive third act. So I'm left flabbergasted as to why the people are so upset.

The move is definitely looking goofy and lighthearted for something generally considered to be king of the horror-comedies, but I really don't think that this initial look should detract people from enjoying a world that they love so much. As an outsider looking in, I'd recommend to keep your mind open about what's to come. I mean, it can't be worse than Ghostbusters II, can it?

The answer is no. It can't. Just like Star Wars  needed The Force Awakens to be great for its fans, so too does Ghostbusters need to be good. Have faith that director Paul Feig is doing everything in his power to deliver an entertaining entry into the Ghostbusters mythos. And if this doesn't work out, maybe the Ghostbusters franchise needs to be left alone.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

DC's Legends of Tomorrow Pilot Review (NO SPOILERS)

After my rant on my displeasure with the projected direction of the CW’s DC shows, you might have been surprised to hear that I’m giving DC’s Legends of Tomorrow the time of day. But there was a lot to be looking forward to when this show was announced: a team-up with your favorite secondary and tertiary characters from both Arrow and The Flash with the backdrop of saving the world by traveling through time sounds like complete and utter pandemonium, but in the most fun of ways. So, after seeing the pilot and getting a sense of what the following 11 episodes have to offer, I believe it’s safe to say that this show will be just fine.

East Londoner and Time Master Rip Hunter
For novices out there, the show revolves around Time Master Rip Hunter’s quest to stop the immortal tyrant Vandal Savage from taking over the world by the year 2116. To do so, Rip travels to 2016 to recruit some heroes and villains he knows will become legends in history: the dashing Ray Palmer/The Atom, the dynamic duo of Professor Stein and Jax Jefferson/Firestorm, the reincarnated assassin Sara Lance/White Canary, the lovers from ancient history Carter Hall/Hawkman and Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, and the super-criminals Leonard Snart/Captain Cold and Mick Rory/Heatwave. They will follow Rip throughout all of time to try and end Savage’s reign of terror before it ever begins, while at the same time learning how to work as a team. It’s nothing foreign if you’ve paid attention to the comic books genre, but it is genuine fun to see these fan favorites get a little more screen time.

And that’s probably where the show starts off the strongest. White Canary, The Atom, the Firestom, Cold and Heatwave have all been here for a good year now and stuck out as fan favorites. To see these actors flex their muscles in an environment that focuses solely on them is a genuine pleasure to see, and it makes for some amusing moments. Who would have originally thought that seeing Professor Stein and Ray Palmer trade their quips by means of one-ups would actually bring a chuckle for me? One of the best parts of the pilot still remains the scene where our resident gray-area protagonists Canary, Cold, and Heatwave stop for a drink in 1975 and cause a commotion. The actors show that they’re having genuine fun on the show, and they dig deep into their characters. It’s not as nearly as dramatic a soap opera as Arrow still strives to be, but it’s also more ridiculous than The Flash.


Lovers from an ancient time, Hawkgirl and Hawkman
As for newcomers like the Hawks, Savage, and Rip, there’s some work to be done. They’re all interesting enough on a base level, but I have particular issues with each. My favorite one out of the bunch is Rip, and he’s certainly the most promising. He’s essentially the leader of the show, even though almost everyone gets equal screen time, but what Arthur Davill is doing with Rip is promising. He’s got a wide range, which I think will play well as we see what else is in store for the Time Master. The Hawks, on the other hand, seem to be stuck in a rut. Kendra continues to express disbelief of her role, hindering her character progression; and Carter isn’t exactly moving it along as well as he should. Not that the actors are necessarily bad, but they’re very limited in terms of what they have to work with. One of the biggest mistakes the show has already made, in my opinion, is the casting for Vandal Savage. The actor himself definitely looks the role (although I prefer to see Vandal Savage on the same physical level as Superman, just as a staple). My issue with him is he doesn’t exactly have the voice of what I would expect a live-action Vandal Savage to be. It’s foreign-sounding, with a very heavy accent, and it’s just an octave higher than I prefer to hear. I had this same issue with Ra’s al-Ghul last year, where the actor just didn’t sound the part. While the way an actor sounds isn’t a large enough reason to not cast him or her, Savage’s delivery has also been awkwardly handled thus far. I just don’t find him naturally acting when I see him on screen, especially when compared to the actors who have portrayed Deathstroke and Damien Darhk. Because of his wooden delivery and peculiar sound, I don’t find the villain intimidating, no matter how much the pilot tried to convince me he was.
The immortal conqueror Vandal Savage

But this show isn’t just about acting and the characters. This show has some of the best special effects I’ve ever seen on television outside of HBO. It just goes to show where networks are putting their budget, and they’re really giving their audience a spectacle. The time-travelling spaceship reminds one of the Millennium Falcon, and seeing it travel through the fabric of time and space is a marvel. The colors are vibrant and ecstatic. The battles here are bigger and better than they ever have been on the CW, and the choreography for each character’s distinctive fighting methods is fascinating to watch. Canary kicks ass when she’s literally kicking ass, Firestorm’s flaming flight is fantastic, and Rip Hunter’s futuristic pistol is especially cool to see in action. These set pieces for combat or special effects showcases are some of the best I’ve seen on TV.

All in all, the story is simplistic enough for people to jump on the train without thinking. There are references to the other shows here and there, but DC’s Legends of Tomorrow benefits from their time travel that they don’t have to rely on the events taking place on Arrow and The Flash, letting loose the shackles that the other two have been crutched to for quite some time. The acting is good enough to grab your attention, and it never hurts to see fan favorites get a little more time in the spotlight. Newcomer Rip Hunter is a fun change of pace from the usual cast of characters, but more will need to be done with the Hawks and Vandal Savage to convince me they’re worth investing more interest in. The special effects are almost in it of themselves a further main character, as it’s some of the best you can see on television. If you’re a fan of DC comics or the CW shows, you’re probably going to enjoy this one. From what the pilot has shown us, this story is going to be very focused, which is good since 13 episodes doesn’t leave you much room to deviate. Let’s just pray that this doesn’t go off the rails anytime soon.


Pilot Rating: 7.5/10

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

My Current Problem with The CW's Superheroes

I love superheroes. I love them. They’re fantastical, they’re engrossing, they’re inspirational. They present to me an example of how to be the best person I can be – to be able to overcome fear, to stand up for others as well as yourself, to be a man who can do good by others. And so, I love the fact that we live in an age of superheroes. We have movies, video games, books, even LEGO based on the tight-wearing, muscle-covered super-beings that at one time only used to inhabit colorful, twenty-page chapters one had to find every month at their local drugstore. The comics laid down foundations for all themes to be depicted in both mature and humanizing ways; from the issues of addiction to equality, comics have done it all. It then frustrates me to see high-profile television shows facing the difficulties that comics have already conquered.

Now bear with me, I understand that comparing comics to television isn’t exactly fair, but keep in mind that they function the same way. Both mediums have a certain budget in which to tell a story, and face similar deadlines. Whether it be 30 issues or 22 episodes, comics and television shows often have to fight the same storyline obstacles of both progressing a central narrative while at the same time giving the audience something captivating to enjoy. Now, I’m not saying that all superhero television lacks the enjoyment necessary to hold my attention – Daredevil and Jessica Jones are perfect examples of how this can be done right – no, I’m talking about DC’s current run of shows, specifically those that air on the CW Network.

The CW is known for its dramatic flair; most of its shows happen to be variations of a soap opera in one way or another. And when this all started, it seemed ludicrous to attempt a superhero show in that vein. All of that changed when we saw how fantastic Arrow was in its freshmen year. Action-packed, gleefully dramatic, and with a pinch of the right amount of humor, it seemed like all superhero shows should work their way into this format. And after the success that the series saw, it seemed as though the executives thought the same way. Taking the time in season 2 to carefully and thoughtfully expand their world, we were introduced to a likeable Barry Allen, who would go on to be The Flash the following year. Taking an alternate but similar approach, The Flash decided to lead with a tone that suited the character better. It was lighter on the themes, but still blissfully complex when presenting the relationships of characters juxtaposed to the scenario of the episode. The Flash was fun, delightfully so, and it was even more fun when it got to the point where we could see these two casts interact with one another. To see the gritty Star City vigilantes bump heads with the light-hearted crew from Central City was a fun romp, and it put into perspective how both shows could stand on their own but still be so consistent in quality. And at the same time, this is when things went off the rails.

While both shows keep to the relationships that have been established with the central characters, never slacking off so much as to make them seem like caricatures rather than actual people, I felt an immediate change in priorities that lay underneath the surface. Almost immediately after the introduction of Barry Allen, the showrunners began to launch a campaign to find any B-list or C-list DC character not slated for a film in the next seven years and throw them to the screen. We saw the emergence of The Atom, Black Canary, Katana, Wildcat, Firestorm, and even Constantine. These characters are all very cool, and some of them have even grown to be enjoyable to watch (I personally enjoy Firestorm the best), but there became a very real feeling within the shows to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. There became this idea that the superhero made the show, rather than the show making the superhero.

I can wholeheartedly disagree with that. For the beginning of both season 4 of Arrow and season 2 of The Flash, viewers were treated to what the showrunners called “table setting.” They described it as using the early episodes of these shows to launch their recently-started DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Before the winter television break, we had to deal with seven episodes that helped jump-start the new series. Seven episodes where dedicated fans had to trudge through characters and plots separate from the overall story. Seven episodes where the show’s own characters had to make room for sub-plots. That irks me in ways you can’t imagine. When I sit down to watch a show, it shouldn’t be expected of me to begin investing my care and attention on characters I may or may not watch at other times anyways. Especially at season 4, I’m returning to a show for one reason, and one reason only: give me an epic struggle for my hero. Don’t make him or her have to take time away from their own issues to deal with someone else’s. If the crossover occurs naturally, I’ll allow it. For example, last year’s crossover had Team Arrow going to Central City to track down Captain Boomerang, and Team Flash went to Starling to continue the search. A central goal to bring these two heroes together is good fun. 

This year, they did the same thing, but it was still table setting means: Vandal Savage was hunting down Cisco’s girlfriend Kendra, and Team Flash went to Team Arrow for help. Maybe it’s just me, but there was never any hint a threat like Savage was looming. At least with Boomerang, we knew that he’d been on the run from A.R.G.U.S.’s Suicide Squad for quite some time, and causing havoc in the process. When a show expects me to suspend all of my disbelief, it rubs me the wrong way, especially when their plan is to just get me to sit through more of their content.

Does ANYBODY know what to do with Thea?
Do you sleep in that suit?
Furthermore, I’m starting to question the ability of the writers, specifically when it comes to them writing women. It seems to me that they can’t really have me emotionally invest in women characters unless they’re disobeying an order or facing some sort of inner demon (at least, that’s what I think the writers think). Think about it: Laurel, a.k.a. Black Canary, has always had some stupid drama to deal with, whether it was the love triangle with Oliver and Tommy, the overdosing on the drugs, or the disregard for personal well-being when it came to becoming the Black Canary. Thea, a.k.a. Speedy, dealt with drugs too, neglectful parents, and then having the realization that her birthfather is actually a psychopath with a pension for domination. Iris West has her boy troubles, and that’s just about all they give her in terms of a story at this point. Caitlin is the same way. Even Sara on Legends suddenly finds herself afflicted with side-effects from the Lazarus pit which, on Arrow, they just said was no issue

With Wally as the catalyst, can Iris be more than a love interest?
Now, in the writer’s defense, many issues have been resolved. Iris now has a lot more purpose since she has a further drive to connect with her long-lost brother Wally, and Laurel is far more competent on the team than off it. But there is still work to be done. You say Laurel is an assistant District Attorney, so where are her cases? She can’t be a sidekick full-time, can she? In previous episodes, we’ve seen Iris do some reporting, but it’s always been very light. What about Thea? What’s she doing nowadays, besides making out with Oliver’s campaign manager? These female characters are beginning to slip into familiarity in terms of confliction, and it’s making them boring to watch. Even with the new conflicts to present them with, we as viewers don’t care. Fans still call for Laurel’s removal from the show. Now, I don’t have the answer on how to fix them. But it’s my personal opinion that the ideas of these shows is to center them around the superheroes because that’s what they believe the people want to see. That mindset needs to change. Give people more with these characters you insist on keeping around, because at the moment all they serve to do is take up time, story, and the budget to keep them on.


And I want to be clear: I still enjoy their shows. They’re fun, they’re stupid, they’re time killers. My biggest issue is that they used to really set the bar for what superheroes on TV should be. It’s not about introducing any spandex-wearing superbeing you can find. It’s about the drama, the intrigue. To their credit, the back half of the season is seeing a turnaround in attitude and story. And I understand that this was probably the plan to being with. But I hate it when my time as a viewer gets eaten up because we have to focus on five spin-offs or two cross-overs. I want to see Flash fight Zoom, I want to see Green Arrow get back at Damien Darhk. If the showrunners can give me entertainment that uses story, setting, and characters to their fullest potential without drifting too far off the beaten path, I’ll be a happy camper. And I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review (NO SPOILERS)

Three years ago, the man who revolutionized modern cinema, George Lucas, sold the company he had built from the ground up to the largest entertainment conglomerate of the world: Walt Disney Studios. After three years of development of films and plans for many more to come, the first Star Wars film to progress the overall story forward has been released. Featuring both a new generation of characters as well as the return of some fan favorites, many have hyped this film up to epic proportions. The question is, does the hype meet the expectations of the film? Well, if you're a Star Wars fan, this film definitely gives you what you want. Fun, action, and heart are abound in the galactic, space-opera story that many have been wanting since 1983. In short, this movie is awesome.

Director J.J. Abrams and writer Lawrence Kasdan have done a tremendous job at bringing back the spirit of the original trilogy in all of its glory. You've got a menacing antagonistic force in the form of the First Order, led by Kylo Ren, fighting against the resilient forces of the Resistance led by General Leia. In the midst of the conflict, we find Stormtroooper deserter Finn running away from the evil of the First Order and meeting with Rey and BB-8. As the First Order's might comes crashing down on the heroes, veteran warriors Han Solo and Chewbacca rush in to the rescue, returning to fight evil once more. The story might sound simple, but there's a lot of fun to be had here. Between Kylo Ren's unique lightsaber and his skills with it to the Millennium Falcon rocketing through space, the spectacle is an absolute joy to watch unfold on screen. Star Wars has never been better: the story is fun and invigorating, the action is stupendous, and the visual effects are jaw-dropping.

And that's not even half of the fun: the best part of this movie is meeting the newbies, the fresh faces. Headlining the newer cast is that of newcomer Daisy Ridley, and in traditional Star Wars fashion, has the chance that her predecessors had of having Star Wars be her first major role in Hollywood. And boy, does she knock it out of the park. Daisy portrays the character Rey, a girl left on the desert planet of Jakku. She's tough as nails and is actually a bit rough around the edges, but you can't really blame her - she was abandoned there without any real reason why. To see her grow from being somewhat of a loner to becoming a powerful warrior against the First Order was an absolute thrill to watch. Rey is going to capture the hearts of some, and maybe even inspire others. And as part of Lucasfilm's new initiative to have more opportunities to represent women in Star Wars, Rey is an excellent way to kick that off.  But Rey's not the only new cat in town. Joining Dasiy Ridley is the eccentric John Boyega as runaway Stormtrooper Finn. Boyega portrays an amicable and relatable man stuck with the impossible choice of running away from everything he knows. His character growth from fearful to brave throughout the movie, and it's another joy. Where Rey represents the hero within us all, Finn represents the good of the hero. His mission is really to help Rey grow, and he does it splendidly. And finally of the notable bunch is Kylo Ren, leader of the First Order. With his cross-guard broadsword lightsaber and his menacing, shrouded demeanor, he's probably the most anticipated new character of the bunch. Whenever he shows up, he absolutely pays off. He's intense, he's got a great voice to him, and his lightsaber skills are masterful to witness.

Other new characters include Oscar Isaac's Poe Damaron, Gwendoline Christie's Captain Phasma, Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanada and Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke, but don't get too excited for this bunch. Even though all of the actors mentioned here are absolutely top-notch, there isn't enough time to focus on them like there is when concerning Rey, Finn, BB-8 and Kylo Ren. Oscar Isaac's Poe is both fun and adventurous, akin to the Han Solo of old, he gets the short end of the stick in the movie, so it's a shame to see he isn't around for more. Lupita Nyong'o playing Maz Kanada is inspired, but again, 10 minutes with her doesn't give us much more of an impression other than the fact that she's this trilogy's Yoda. All of the extra villain characters also leave a lot to be desired: none of them ever get enough screen time to make them more interesting than their base design features, which is too bad, considering how much marketing went into these guys. While it won't detract from the overall enjoyment, the absence of any substantial contribution of most of these villain characters (the good guys do a little more) did pull me out a little bit.

As for the returning cast, Han and Chewie get the most screen time, which is probably what fans want. They're just as fun and rogue as they were 30 years ago, palling around the galaxy trying to escape the inevitable truth that they're needed on the front lines. Their involvement with Rey, Finn, and BB-8 reunites them with General Leia, C-3P0, and R2-D2 of the Resistance, as well as a few more fan favorites. Seeing all of these old characters reunite after so long is fun to watch, especially after the audience is caught up on what the old gang has been up to. It's a natural transition for them as well, so their presence doesn't feel as forced as it could have been. And for those of you wondering, where is Luke Skywalker in all of this? What's his agenda been? Well, the only thing I'll say on that matter is this: everyone else is wondering that too.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was so much fun for an avid Star Wars fan to watch. The action is out-of-this-world, the main characters are dynamic, the lightsabers and spaceships are a breath of fresh air, and the story is an excellent re-introduction to the galaxy far, far away. While not everyone gets a shot to shine in the movie, and certain story moments seemed a bit shoehorned in for the sake of appeasing fans, it nonetheless is a fun, fantastical ride: and one people have been waiting for. If you enjoy Star Wars in the remote slightest, there's no reason for you to skip out on the sensation that's already swept the world. And if this is any indication of Star Wars' direction, then we're in for a hell of a ride.

Rating: 9/10



Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Announcement Trailer Review







The wizarding world invites you back to see more adventures! A new film featuring wizards in New York City, starring Eddie Redmayne as the main character? Who WOULDN'T be excited for this? Well, the first bit of footage has released, and what does it look like? Watch the video to find out!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Trailer 2 Review







After all this time, what's left for DC to show us before the movie is released? Apparently, a lot. A whole heck of a lot. I talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly here. Why don't you take a look?

KOKOWÄÄH - International Movie Review (NO SPOILERS)

As a student in Germany, I've had both the benefit and the task to learn how other societies live, how they interact with one another, and how they view the world. The new perspective from a citizen living in a country who often remains close-minded about the rest of the world is refreshing, and it's given me the opportunity to grow more as a person in relation to the world around me. But, how does this all relate to a film called Kokowääh? In short, I believe it doesn't hinder me from understanding fully some of the choices that the characters make. That being said, this movie still has it's fair share of mistakes made, no matter how endearing the central story is.

The story begins with us being introduced to Henry, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter living day-to-day in Berlin, Germany. He's given the opportunity to change his life around when he's offered to adapt his ex-girlfriend Katharina's successful novel into a script. During this, Henry has thrown on his plate an illegitimate daughter he accidentally had with a friend from long ago. Her name is Magdalena. As Henry tries to manage his new challenge of scripting the novel with the responsibility of taking care of this young girl, the father that had been raising her before Henry even knew, named Tristan, begins to butt heads with Henry over rights and responsibilities for Magdalena. Throughout the time that Henry spends with Magdalena, he begins to develop real, paternal instincts for her and even begins to care for her on a deep level. This care affects the relationships Henry has with Katharina, Tristan, and even the mother of the child, Charlotte.

First off, the story is endearing. This is the classic tale where a cold heart becomes warm. However, Henry does have instances of kindness before he meets Magdalena. He cares for the people he's with, he even told Katharina as much. Henry's just a guy who's drawn a few bad straws lately, and that helped me to buy into his hesitations and his character development a little bit more. The thing that boggles it down is some of the character decisions made. Why is Magdalena thrown into Henry's arms after all of this time, rather than Tristan's? Why, after Tristan and Henry meet, can't Tristan just suck it up and claim responsibility for Magdalena in the mother's absence? Why is Katharina so upset that Henry's had some hook-ups after they've already broken up? And it's because of these chatacter choices, actions, and lines of dialogue that I had trouble staying invested. As an international viewer, it was difficult enough hearing them speak in a foreign language. I just wish that some of the scenes that showcased this deterrent in the thought process of the film as a whole were removed.

The production value is also pretty good. This film by Warner Bros. DE, which is surprising because I didn't even know they had a German film division. The camera work is top notch, the settings and locations all set the mood perfectly, and the costuming is well done. Associated with all of this is the song variation that plays over montages or scene transition -  a number of songs are quite popular, which surprised me. I'm not entirely sure how music rights work, but I'm pretty sure that getting the rights to use a song in a movie is one of the most expensive ventures, more often than not. So to hear all of these popular tunes playing while the characters were driving or walking was a bit of a surprise. Although, it did make the film move along at a brisk pace.

Finally, what did I think of the acting -  international acting, no less? The names in this film will be relatively unfamiliar to my readers living in English-speaking countries, but the name of this movie is Til Schweiger, who is also the director and writer. Some might know him from more famous movies like Inglorious Bastards, where he played Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz, the Far Cry movie as Jack Carver, or Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, where he played Sean. And this guy brings it in this movie. He's often playing the subtle card, seemingly strong yet dealing with some real issues - those show later than they probably should, but it's all the same effective. The girl playing Magdalena is actually is daughter, Emma Schweiger. This was a brilliant move, because you can really see the chemistry between these two, especially later in the movie when they're closer. Finally want to give a shout-out to Samuel Finzi, who played Tristan in the movie. Probably the most effectively-used character in the film, Finzi is the one who brings the damaged portion of the story: playing a man who he thought was is daughter, only to find that someone else was. Finzi portrays Tristan masterfully, whether he's on his own and emphasizing his struggles or sharing some back-and-forth with Til, Samuel Finzi is the stand-out of the movie, and is worth seeing him interact with literally anyone else in the movie.

By the end of it all, I was seriously frustrated about some of the choices that the characters had made, but the overall theme of the story, the growth of the characters Henry and Tristan, and the performances of the three leads kept me invested enough to enjoy it just a little bit more. Some viewers who aren't German might giggle about some aspects of the movie, but it's ultimately an excellent foray into international film if you're at all interested: production value isn't an issue like it might be with other films, the acting is par for the course, and the story itself is enticing enough to get you through. And if that doesn't sound good enough, at least there's some good songs to listen to as you go through it.

Rating: 7/10