John Wick (2014)

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick” is almost a contemporary vision of “Unforgiven,” and one that proves to be an excellent look at the cycle of violence. Stahelski opens up a world and narrative that feels paper thin but really is filled with layers and complex themes about grief and revenge. Keanu Reeves almost monotone performance comes in handy, as he plays a relentless and mythic hit man tasked with paying respect to the memory of a loved one. He does so with a gun, martial arts, and leaves a massive trail of bodies in his wake.

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Why Young Animal Lovers Should Watch the “Dolphin Tale” Movies

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

You would think a movie with such a goofy name like “Dolphin Tale,” centered on a dolphin with literally no tail would be just an unbearable cutesy movie. Truthfully, “Dolphin Tale” is very much a film about nature, wildlife, and the very fragile balance that can be ruined when man is reckless.

Much of the first moments of “Dolphin Tale” are depicted with large splashes of dolphin and underwater life suddenly disrupted by fishermen in the waters. The introduction of Winter, the dolphin ends when we see a fisherman drop a crab cage in to the water. This is unfortunately not the last time we’d see her. When we do get to meet her once again, she’s been beached, is dying from dehydration, and her tail is horribly caught in the very crab trap we saw moments before.

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The Babadook (2014)

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

In a time where studios aim for shocks over substance, especially with the advent of the found footage sub-genre, it’s great to see a horror movie that’s horrifying and about something. Director Jennifer Kent’s first outing as a horror director is a downright flawless effort that doesn’t just shock audiences, but has a ton of subtext, and undertones that deserve to be examined by literally everyone. It’s not just a movie about a mother and son being terrorized by a monster, but a movie about the mother and son dynamic. More to the point, it’s about the birth of a child, and how blame can often be misplaced on the unborn child for circumstances beyond their control.

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The Flash/Arrow Crossover

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

The benefit of the “Arrow” and “The Flash” two night crossover, is that it emphasizes the contrast between both shows. While “The Flash” is a hit series, and a spin off of “Arrow,” it’s also much lighter, brighter, and action packed than “Arrow” which bases itself on a darker more revenge fueled storyline. Though the Greg Berlanti fueled shows have made it clear they’re one in the same and will crossover from time to time, the contrast between two shows in the crossovers is made perfectly clear in this event. It may allow audiences to ultimately decide which series they prefer, or if they want to stick with both. I’m choosing both, even though “The Flash” has won me over in a season while it took “Arrow” to win me over by the end of season two.

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Tusk (2014)

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

With “Tusk,” director Kevin Smith completely rips off Stephen King and Tom Six, mixing together “Human Centipede” and “Misery” in to one really awful concoction that I was barely able to make it through. Serving as a simultaneous ad for his crappy podcast, this time rather than James Caan as a respected writer, Justin Long is an amoral moronic podcaster whose own celebrity status has transformed him in to a fame obsessed pseudo-Howard Stern. Much like Kevin Smith. I can only laugh at Smith’s self-congratulatory inference that today’s podcaster is the modern storyteller like the writer. But hey, at least he got to squeeze in obligatory cameos from his and Johnny Depp’s daughter.

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