Señor Review: Robocop

Robocop stars Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Abbie Cornish, and is a remake of the classic 1987 film of the same title. Directed by José Padilha, Robocop is the story of Detroit police officer Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) who is given a second chance at life when disaster befalls him. Funded by enterprise OmniCorp, Murphy is made half human-half robot, to become the greatest crime fighting officer on the streets, known as Robocop.

First of all, I want to stress that for my review I'll be looking at this movie separate from the original. Having been released over 20 years ago, the original 1987 film was made for a different audience, a different generation.

That being said, I was surprised by this movie. I liked it more than I thought I would. Now here's the thing: I walked into this movie expecting a less than impressive remake, similar to that of 2010's Total Recall. But what drew me into this film was the level of sophistication on screen. When it was announced that this remake of Robocop would be receiving a PG-13 rating, the internet went abuzz about how Robocop needs to be rated R. While I don't agree with this opinion, I did go into the film expecting a movie at the content and subject matter level of a PG-13 film. However, Robocop successfully portrays real world issues, human emotion, and corporate motivation. The first 10 minutes or so of the film left me very impressed, with so much social commentary happening within such a short amount of time.

Things such as the consequences of this extreme situation, both personal to the lead and to the public in general, are not overlooked just to give way for action and explosions. The motivation of OmniCorp to create Robocop are given an air of legitimacy, as opposed to the only reason being because "it's cool". Even the underlying message of how marketing and the media are shaped for the public speaks true, and at times very humorous, to real life. There is a weight to the film. It's not just a shell of a film, which is what I had been expecting.

Also, the acting was believable. There are parts of the film that would seem corny or farfetched if it wasn't for the acting of Joel Kinnaman as Robocop. He sells his performance really well, along with the rest of the cast. Gary Oldman, in particular, is very convincing as the doctor in charge of the Robocop procedure. The script isn't rushed and not filled with cheesy lines or one-liners. As I said before, it's surprising the amount of sophistication that went into the film.

Now, this movie isn't perfect, even though I enjoyed it. There are parts that drag, and it's a bit slow moving at the beginning. While it's cool and fun to watch this half-man-half-robot fight, the action doesn't seem to have the same weight as the social commentary in the film. The CGI is impressive and as a viewer you are cheering for Robocop, but it doesn't go beyond that. There are also things that happen in the movie that go unexplained, or rather, are given a very quick, unsatisfactory explanation.

All in all, Robocop is an enjoyable time. It goes further into itself than other remakes have, dealing with political, social, and business issues. It creates a believable world and believable characters. Although there are bumps along the way, Robocop is a valiant effort at bringing a classic film to this generation and putting it in a modern context.

This has been SeñorMovie, I'll see you at the theater!

Señor Reviews: The Lego Movie

The Lego Movie stars Chris Pratt as the voice of Emmet Brickowoski and Elizabeth Banks as the voice of Wyldstlye. The Lego Movie has Emmet, a normal, average, unspecial lego construction worker, face his fate, as foretold by a prophecy, to save the Lego universe in which he lives from the evil President Business (voiced by Will Ferrell), who plans on attacking the Lego universe with his weapon, the Kragle. Along the way, Emmet is guided by Wyldestyle and Vitruvius (voiced by Morgan Freeman), master builders determined to help save the Lego universe; he also meets varoius characters, including Batman, a Unikitty, Superman, and many many more.

To say this is a fun movie is very much an understatement; just as fun and imaginative actual Lego are, The Lego Movie explodes with clever animation, funny moments at every turn, and characters easily lovable. This world built entirely of Lego sucks you into the movie early and keeps you there for the rest of the ride; and it really is a ride. Exciting chase sequences, explosions in action scenes, and cheesy love moments are scattered in this film, and the best part is that the movie KNOWS it's doing this! The Lego Movie pokes fun at all the Hollywood clichés we know from other movies, but does in such a way that doesn't make the viewer immediately recognize that it is. This is something I especially loved about the movie.

The characters also are very easy to enjoy in this movie. Immediately after meeting Emmet, the hero, you already like him. And that goes for every character in this movie. The movie is filled, FILLED with Lego characters, so much so that one is left even looking for more. All the voice actors are clearly having fun with their roles, totally up to the task of bringing these little people to life and making them larger than life. Notable performances go to Will Arnett as Batman, Liam Neeson as Bad Cop, and of course, Chris Pratt as Emmet.

A great aspect of The Lego Movie is its sophistication, as well. It's easy to see the parallels of this society's issues and that of the Lego universe, but never beating you over the head with it. It doesn't ever forget to have fun. The references and little Easter eggs here and there with a multitude of characters, and the heart throughout the movie, especially during the last few scenes, truly make this movie a great experience for everyone. The Lego Movie captures the heart and imagination of the viewer, and always has fun.

Did you see The Lego Movie? What did you think? Excited to see it? Comment down below!

This has been SeñorMovie, I'll see you at the theater!

4FP9K533UGFZ

Breaking: "Batman vs Superman" Casting! Lex AND Alfred!?

That's right, movie goers: 2016s Man of Steel sequel has 2 new official castings!  

Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luthor.

Jeremy Irons is Alfred Pennyworth.

What does this mean?! Well, for one, WBDC really does love to shock everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) with their casting. But let's address the Alfred (Batmans Butler) casting: Awesome. Really, could you ask for more? Irons is a respectable actor with years under his belt. After Michael Caine played the butler to the Caped Crusader for the Dark Knight Trilogy, one could have only hoped that, should he return to the new DC cinematic universe, a man suitable for the role would be cast; it seems the internet is pleased with Irons. So no problem there.

But...

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor?? The internet is on fire right now (and that's an understatement). Left and right people (like the Affleck/Batman casting) are debating and taking a side. Good casting? Bad Casting? Warner Bros. has lost their mind?!

Now I'll be the first to admit I was blown away by this news. After having heard the rumors of Joaquin Phoenix playing Luthor, or maybe Denzel Washington, THIS news is out of nowhere!! (Kudos are deserved, however, for the entire MoS2 team for keeping this under wraps). And while I'm a bit sad that we won't get to see Phoenix play the iconic villain, I have to say, after thinking about it a few minutes, I'm being won over by this choice.

Director Zack Snyder according to Variety magazine, says, "What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions"

Therein lies the key to this new casting: A villain beyond the confines of the stereotypical villain; complicated and sophisticated; new and unexpected directions. This is not going to be your grandpas Luthor.

Both Snyder and writer David Goyer have said they want to portray this universe as though it were in the real world. And really, REALLY, what kind of person is, like Lex Luthor, billionaire, genius, ahead of the curve? Bills Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk. THESE are the modern day Lex Luthors (if they were to exist). Because of this, I can completely see the reason behind this casting.

What do you think of the new casting? Love it? Hate it? Don't care?

This has been Señor Movie, I'll see you at the theater. 

Checkout the Variety article online: http://variety.com/2014/film/news/jesse-eisenberg-cast-as-lex-luthor-in-supermanbatman-jeremy-irons-set-as-alfred-1201079902/

Señor Reviews: Lone Survivor

Based on the true story of U.S. Marine Marcus Lurtrell, Lone Survivor recounts the events of a failed SEALs mission, and the fight to survive against all odds.

Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, and Ben Foster play the 4 U.S. SEALs in Lone Survivor, tasked with an assassination operation. However, when the mission fails, the 4 fight against a small army of Taliban soldiers.

To begin, this is an intense movie. The beginning of the film sets up the main plot. The characters are introduced, with a real life look into the training of U.S. soldiers, as well as the back stories of the 4 main characters. This story building greatly influences the attachment a viewer feels towards the protagonists. As a result, the viewer is sucked into the action on a more personal level, hoping each of them survive the ordeal, even though it's obvious, given the title of the movie, that this won't be the case.

On that note, the action in this movie is really something. While many blockbusters and high action movies are full of flashing lights and exaggerated effects, it's clear that the director, Peter Berg, wanted to stay as true to reality as possible. The audience is immersed in the action, with cringe worthy, heart pumping moments. The danger that these 4 faced is felt throughout the majority of the film. This leads to the make up; a phenomenal job done by the make up and effects department, as each injury looks incredibly real. The four main actors, lead by Wahlberg, portray the SEAL team members respectably, showing the chemistry needed to create a believable on screen team.

An important aspect of the film is that of "who is the enemy?". While someone may think that this film may feed the idea that it's "us versus them", or "America versus the Middle East", the third act of the film showcases the side of war that many overlook: the fight happening over there. It's shown that villages in the Middle East struggle on a daily basis with the Taliban; that these are a specific group of terrorists, creating problems all over, and that it is in fact them versus the world.

Overall, Lone Survivor is a respectable film, gripping action, good acting, and a story easy to follow. It shows the ordeals that many Navy SEALs have to go through, and depicts all sides of the story.

This has been SeñorMovie, I'll see you at the theater.