Shaft (2000) - 4 stars out of 10

Shaft (2000) - 4 stars out of 10

“Shaft” is a pretty typical cop film.  The casting is a no-brainer, as Samuel Jackson is the only modern actor cool enough to play this character.  I was surprised to see Christian Bale and he played the villain to perfection.  The story is fine - criminal cheats the system, vigilante tracks him down, corrupt cops try to make a little extra on the side, get tangled up with another criminal, bad guys lose.  It is formulaic (even down to Dan Hedaya playing a Brooklyn-accented corrupt cop), but it puts Jackson into all of the right situations.  The language was a bit excessive though not out of place with the amount of blood shown.  I didn’t have the highest expectation for “Shaft,” but it was worth seeing just to hear Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft” during the opening credits and to watch Jackson kick butt.

[Pictured: ..."Dang right."]

Bloodsport (1988) - 2 stars out of 10

Bloodsport (1988) - 2 stars out of 10

“Bloodsport” is the martial arts film that marked the debut of Jean-Claude Van Damme.  It is a “classic” in the sense that it has gained a cult following… but lacks the quality that you expect when you hear the term “classic.”  I suppose that you have to accept it for what it is, but the acting is just so bad.  The delivery of the dialogue is so unnatural that it almost feels like a foreign film that has been dubbed in English.  The slow-motion guttural sounds during the fights are unintentionally comical, not to mention the ridiculous look on Van Damme’s face.  In true 80’s fashion, the film is complete with no less than two training sequences accompanied by cheesy synth music.  The fighting is well down, particularly the epic final fight with all of those flying helicopter kicks, but you have to survive the plodding story and horrible acting to get to it.  The only redeeming quality of this story was its basis on a true story, but even that turned out to be false following the film's release.  I liked Don Gibb’s character, but that was mostly because he typifies that overacted, macho character that manages to be lovable.  If nothing else, this film makes me appreciate where Forest Whitaker began and where he ended up.  If you’ve exhausted the martial arts film market, you might give “Bloodsport” a try, but there are infinitely better martial arts films out there that I’d rather watch a second or third time before sitting through this.

[Pictured: Be prepared to see this facial expression at least two-dozen times]

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - 10 stars out of 10

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - 10 stars out of 10

“Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” is the latest (and arguably greatest) chapter in the 50-year-old Mission: Impossible franchise.  While many franchises grow stale with time, this one has stayed fresh by shifting its focus from psychological mystery to non-stop action thrills.  I do love the tone of the original 1996 film, but this shifted focus has allowed the Mission: Impossible series to evolve and stay relevant throughout several generations.  This film builds on the momentum created by “Ghost Protocol” as the story travels to new exotic locations, introduces new gadgets, and continues to incorporate the classic mind games that define this brand of spy film.  I worried that another Ethan-Hunt-must-take-down-the-bad-guys-to-prove-his-innocence concept would fall flat due to its similarity to other films in the series, but the real focus of this story is the changing perspective of whether Ilsa, a mysterious British agent, is a hero or a villain.  The character is very well-written and Rebecca Ferguson embraces the depth of her conflicting motivations.  Another interesting twist is that, rather than battle a terrorist, Ethan must take down an entire crime organization headed by the mastermind Solomon Lane.  Lane is played by Sean Harris, who uses a quiet approach that somehow exudes an intimidating sense of power.  Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner reprise their roles to create continuity with “Ghost Protocol.”  One of my biggest issues with these films is that each one feels like a new world without connection to previous films, but this one truly felt like a continuation of the previous story.  Once you add in Ving Rhames (whose presence was really missing in the last film) and carefully cast insignificant roles with actors who leave a strong impression (like Hermione Corfield as the record shop girl), it helps to make the far-fetched plot more believable.  One of my biggest complaints is that, like other films in the series, the characters endure far too much physical damage to still be on their feet.  I suppose this is just something that you have to accept with an action film.  “Rogue Nation” will probably be most remembered for its high-speed motorcycle chase.  I don’t think I blinked or took a single breath until it was over.  I was a bit disappointed that the highly-advertised stunt in which Tom Cruise actually hangs off of the wing of a plane as it takes off occurred in the first 3 minutes of the film; however, all was redeemed with the opera sequence in Vienna.  It was genius to craft the scene around a gunshot to be fired during the high A in Turandot’s “Nessun Dorma,” one of the most famous notes in all of opera.  I adored the stylistic shot in which they showed the note circled in the libretto, a clue that allows the musicians in the audience to anticipate the climax of the scene.  If that wasn’t enough to thrill me, composer Joe Kraemer brings the story full-circle by blending “Nessun Dorma” with the main theme during one of the film’s most dramatic moments toward the end.  These details will make it easy to rewatch the film, even once you know its twists.  Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any better, “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” shows that there is a lot left to be told in the story of Ethan Hunt.  I can’t wait to see where they go next.

[Pictured: Cruise actually did this stunt.  And it might not even be the most impressive scene in the film!  How can the Mission: Impossible series possibly get any better?  Hopefully, we don't have to wait too long to find out.]

Serena - 2 stars out of 10

Serena - 2 stars out of 10

All of the pieces were in place for "Serena" to be a great film. It had Oscar-nominated actors, stunning scenery, deep characters, and a beautiful score. Unfortunately, the film suffered from one fundamental mistake: It did not spend enough developing the relationship of the main characters.  As a result, it was difficult to care about these characters or their marriage throughout the story.  Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have plenty of chemistry but, without taking the time to show them fall in love, the chemistry isn't convincing. There certainly was no shortage of make-out scenes, sex scenes, and awkward bathing scenes, but these lose their meaning without the context of a loving relationship. I would have gladly had the writers eliminate a few of these scenes to make more time for the love story.  Another issue is that this film moved so slow.  I think back on the story and a lot of interesting things happened, but the actual viewing experience put me to sleep.  There were some big surprises and the good scenes were amazing.  Sadly, they were just too few and far between to give this film a cohesive flow.  You may see Cooper and Lawrence’s names and expect a masterpiece like “Silver Linings Playbook,” but don’t fall into the same trap as me.  Just pass on “Serena” and watch “Playbook” again.  And again.  And again.

[Pictured: Magnificent actor + Magnificent actor ≠ Worthwhile film]