I will never forget the first time I read Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 back when I was in grade school, simply because…I had never read anything like it before. It was just a wild and unique idea to slip into a world where books were outlawed and burned without anyone giving it a second thought and since it was grade school and I was still a boy when I read that book, a lot of the deeper meaning of said novel was lost upon me for certain, which is why I was so happy to pick it up years later and truly appreciate everything it stood for.
 
Because this book has always been a wonderful and accessible tale about the dangers of fascism and ignorance and well, if there was ever a story that was ripe for a remake or a reboot in modern times this was it, because sadly, the first motion picture adaptation of this story from 1966 has not aged well. As it turns out however, I was not the only one who believed that this story could benefit from an update, since HBO recently released their own version of this harrowing and fascinating tale and well, while one would think the current political climate and debates within our society would serve as fodder for a brilliant reimagining of this tale, the 2018 iteration of Fahrenheit 451 simply comes up short when it comes to the social commentary necessary to give this tale gravity.
 
Which is quite a shame because there actually is quite the foundation for success when it comes to this motion picture. I mean come on, it features Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon in the lead roles, the visuals are phenomenal, and the story even found a way to integrate modern technology into this tale. But, while I was able to enjoy the performances, because the acting is indeed solid, and sit through the entire film without issue, once it came to its end, I simply felt nothing, which is something I wasn’t expecting. Because after putting down the novel, or even after watching the original film, I found the story sticking with me for days on end.

​So how then, can a story that features strong acting and the look and feel of a futuristic society that has lost its way not resonate with an audience? The answer to that is simple, the story tries to accomplish way too much when it comes to its social commentary. Because what makes the source material so incredibly magnificent is the sheer fact that books have meaning in that world. The printed word, and the power that it holds and the thoughts it can ignite in a person’s mind take the center stage in the story and seeing a society that is without creativity or thought, that is vapid through and through, is the true terror that the novel provides us with. 
 
But here, the power of books is outright diminished. In fact, they are reduced to a mere plot device, and at times put on the backburner as the story tries to shake its proverbial finger at every other aspect of our world. Technology, the internet and our society’s desire to ignore reality in order to stay happy are given staggered screen time here and quite frankly, it confuses the story and muddles everything and really the finest example of how books simply don’t matter to the story (when they should) is the scene where a particular character is more excited to recite memorized passages from a novel rather than speak to the meaning of the words he is in fact reciting.
 
If anything, Fahrenheit 451 feels like a wasted opportunity when all is said and done. Because this is a motion picture that prefers to scold the audience rather than teach it something and it is a movie that quite frankly, hasn’t a clue what it wants to be. At times it is an action film, at other times it is a cautionary tale, but make no mistake about it, the one thing this movie is, is a mess and had the script found a focal point to work with when it comes to social commentary, it could have done something incredible. But, it is watchable. So, if you’re looking to kill a couple of hours, then definitely check this one out, but, if you’re looking for something a little deeper when it comes to this story, then I recommend picking up the original novel, because it still holds the gravity and power that this remake is sorely lacking.  

Comedy is one of the few genres, that I would venture to say sparks a valid debate to the whole matter of whether or not a sequel should exist for a popular film from said genre. After all, sometimes a funny movie is simply lightning in a bottle, with jokes so perfect that the only way another entry in the series can properly exist, is to either rehash everything we love about the first one or take the story in a bold new direction and let’s be honest, while those two things happen often, the critical response and the reaction from the audience is usually ugly once the movie in question hits theaters.
 
It’s a misstep we’ve seen from studios time and time again, even as recently as 2011 when The Hangover Part II tried to recreate the magic of the first film. And while we often lament those kinds of sequels, sometimes they are actually supremely watchable, and after having the opportunity to see a perfect and flawless iconic comedy on the big screen the other day, since the Alamo hosted a special screening of Airplane!, I felt compelled to continue a deep dive into this hilarious franchise and revisit the sequel/rehash of that incredible classic, Airplane II: The Sequel.
 
Now in this particular film, we jump ahead into the future, wherein mankind is moving toward the stars, since there is now a colony on the Moon. Which means that commercials flights are now available through the Lunar Shuttle Program and the maiden voyage of Mayflower 1, a shuttle filled to the brim with civilians is about to get underway. But there’s just one problem, the shuttle is nowhere near ready for a safe launch into space, and the lives of everyone aboard are in jeopardy. But thankfully, the man who saved that fateful fight bound for Chicago many years ago is on board this doomed voyage to space, and it will be up to Ted Striker to save the day once again…
 
Now I called this film a sequel/rehash a moment ago and well, that’s really the only accurate way to describe this film. Because for the most part, it’s more of the same from the first film, right down to even having Peter Graves reprise his role as Captain Oveur, and well, that’s a shame because there really was a grand opportunity to do something unique and special here with the film’s outer space setting. However, despite treading through some familiar territory, there are some original and fun moments to be found. The third act for example, goes off the rails in the right kind of way and William Shatner’s appearance as Commander Buck Murdock is a complete and utter delight.
 
If anything, Airplane II is actually a pretty watchable comedy and its greatest weakness is also its greatest strength since there is some sense of nostalgia and joy that comes with seeing the old jokes come to life once again. But, make no mistake about it, it doesn’t hold a flame to the original, but it is definitely a fun way to kill a couple of hours and you’ll definitely enjoy a healthy chuckle while you watch and really, the best way to approach this movie, is with an open mind and if by chance you haven’t seen this, check it out at least once, you’ll be glad you did since it will definitely put a smile on your face and let’s be honest, you could do far worse when it comes to somewhat unnecessary sequels…like say, Caddyshack II.

​I’ve always been supremely fascinated with how classic films manage to withstand the test of time. Because as the years pass us by, and new generations replace the old guard with brave new ideas, one would expect that older stories would become antiquated and simply fade away. But the true classics strike a chord that transcend generations. They relate to people from all walks of life and for me personally, seeing these types of films on the big screen with a diverse audience is a wonderful way to prove just how well an iconic film has managed to captivate us.
 
It's why institutions like the Alamo Drafthouse are so incredibly important, because not only do they allow for a celebration of nostalgia for those of us who have seen these movies before, they also allow for us to see first-hand how these stories still successfully entertain a modern audience after all this time and thanks to the Alamo, I once again had the opportunity to see a film that meets these criteria on the big screen for the first time, courtesy of a special screening of the 1980 classic, Airplane!
 
Now, I’m sure to some, it seems a bit outlandish to use Airplane! and the world ‘classic’ in the same paragraph, but the fact of the matter is, the movie truly is iconic. After all, it was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2010, and it’s a title that is instantly recognized by people and let’s be honest, the mere mention of this movie usually prompts a quote off and a conversation about how great this movie is and well, if that doesn’t make it a classic, I don’t know what does and really, what I was looking forward to the most in seeing this picture on the big screen, was witnessing how this sucker played out in front of a large audience and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
 
Because for a film that was released thirty-eight years ago, it still resonates with people, and it was amazing to hear the audience chuckling and chortling, or outright busting a gut as the jokes played out on the screen and really…that’s the film’s enduring legacy. The fact that its jokes are timeless and while it was wonderful to have a hearty laugh myself, and see my friend Emily, who came along to the show with me, nearly spit out her drink because a joke she forgot about caught her off guard, what truly impressed me about this experience, was bearing witness as to how this movie has managed to bridge the generational divide.  
 
Because sitting next to me, was a father and his daughter and it was inherently clear that he introduced her to this movie ages ago, and this was a grand opportunity to share in that memory one more time and it was just magnificent to see the two of them leaning in to quote their favorite lines and laugh with glee and it just speaks to the power of this film, and film in general and how it connects us on a fundamental level and well, I cannot thank the Alamo Drafthouse enough for letting all of us be reminded of this fact, and for allowing us to let loose and giggle with glee for an hour and a half by treating us to a screening of this magnificent and iconic comedy. 

​I’ve always been fascinated by what makes a motion picture iconic in our eyes, because the reasons are always different when you discuss those kinds of films with others. Sometimes it’s a powerful plot that allows for a particular movie to withstand the test of time, or it could be the characters and the incredible moments they share with us that make the film a favorite through and through. But for me, there is one reason and one reason alone as to what makes a film iconic; the fact that they bring something unique to the table.
 
Because the films that offer up a fresh twist on an old trope, or outright deliver something original stick in our minds immediately since cinema does love to tread in familiar territory and really, if there’s one genre out there that is far more successful at this feat than others, it’s comedy. Because the rich and outlandish nature of this genre, allows for unique and memorable moments to shine through often and recently, I sat down to re-watch a comedy that meets these criteria and is about as iconic as they come in ¡Three Amigos!
 
Now this is another film where the plot doesn’t need to be discussed, because we’ve all seen it a million times and we quote it on a regular basis. So really, what I want to focus on today, is what makes this comedy so damn iconic and memorable and really, it’s the overall plot that we have to thank for that. Because really, what makes this film so successful is the fact that it provides a unique and fresh take on the fish out of water story. Sure, we’ve seen average joes be put in places they simply don’t belong before, but never like this. 

​I mean come on, three dainty actors are suddenly in harm’s way without even knowing it? That’s genius and it makes for more hilarious moments than we could ever imagine, and it is those clueless moments that give the film its charm, because these guys really don’t know anything else in life outside of the entertainment industry and they love the business so much that they believe that putting on a show is the only way they can find fulfillment in life and really, for proof of that, look no further than the ‘My Little Buttercup’ scene to understand their lack of understanding. But the film offers so much more than just awkward moments for these guys. They eventually grow, they become heroes and come to understand there’s more to life than the sheltered world they’ve hidden in.
 
However, that kind of journey simply doesn’t work without the right actors in place and boy did they pick the perfect men to play the title characters. Because Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short are downright brilliant as the Three Amigos for so many reasons. First and foremost is the obvious one, the fact that they are comedic geniuses through and through and their skill set when it comes to making people laugh is on full display in this tale. But, their talents as dramatic actors come into play here as well, since they are able to sell that all-important growth and really, this motion picture truly serves as a testament to their incredible talent.
 
Yet despite all the wonderful acting and writing on display in this tale, make no mistake about it. This is a damn funny film. The laughs simply come at you a mile a minute and every actor in this movie contributes to the comedy in some form or fashion which makes this movie incredibly quotable and memorable and really, it’s unique setup and everything else we’ve discussed today, make it a true classic and if you haven’t seen this one, you’re missing out, and if you have…well it’s probably time to watch it again. Because if you’re like me, you likely missed something while you were busting a gut laughing, meaning that there’s something new and wonderful to find in this story, with every subsequent viewing. 

Batman Ninja is a wonderful testimonial of the power of bringing different cultures together. It is a glorious celebration of Eastern and Western drawn culture, and if you are a fan of either anime or Batman then you owe it to yourself to watch this film and see what Batman is like as a guest in Japan.
 
First things first: this is still definitely Batman. Although he has been invited into Japan and has adapted to their culture and customs, he is still Bruce Wayne, through and through. You’ll recognize a delightful list of classic Batman characters from all across his history, and see them in wondrous Sengoku Period splendor. Every inch of the overall design perfectly blends both Japan and Batman together, from the Samurai armor of the Villain Daimyo to the familiar, League-of-Sahdows-esque ancient Bat Ninja garb to Sumo Bane, everything about Batman Ninja is clearly the classic Batman characters covered in anime and historical paint, dripping with the characteristic Batman mix of realism, fantasy, and technological reality-stretching. If you’re worried about Batman completely transforming himself for this movie, fear not. He simply adapts, the way Batman always does, changing to accommodate the demands of his environment. Almost everyone behaves the way they should and we see it on the screen and in their actions, from Grod’s shifting motives that serve his own ‘greater good’ to Alfred’s steadfast unflappability to Selina’s typical self-serving loyalties that eventually give way to her true feelings.
 
The plot is actually quite meaty, and the 85-minute runtime is absolutely stuffed with people, places, and huge screen-covering events. It feels like a familiar Batman story with new anime flavor and style. They’ve combined all the best things about Japanese animated media and all the loudest, most signature notes of Batman. The filmmakers managed to utilize all their resources wonderfully: on the one side they packed in references and hat-tips to almost every inch of Batman’s onscreen history, from Adam West to Kevin Conroy to Ben Affleck, and even a small homage to The Dark Knight. On the other, well, Joel’s exclamation of ‘Super-Bat-Monkey’ seems like a perfect way to describe what’s called, in the film, ‘the mighty Bat-God before us.’ 

In truth, the one thing that might put some people off is also one of its greatest strengths: it’s very Japanese. Giant robots, an army of monkeys, physics defying combat and disparate, changing art forms will all seem familiar to anyone who’s seen their fair share of anime, but might strike those less familiar with the medium as inconsistent with the Batman they are used to. I said before that the film is still true to Batman, and it is: Batman adapts to the culture and time period in the film, and he has also been faithfully and respectfully adapted to the art and storytelling. The clear respect for both East and West, coupled with the deft interweaving of the best aspects of both, left me delighted and overflowing with excitement by the end of the film, as if someone had written down all the most jaw-dropping and characteristic aspects of both the anime medium and Batman’s world then crafted a film around that list. The understanding the filmmakers had, both for the character and the medium, was palpable. As one of them said in the special features ‘Giant robots are giant robots, but they’re not just giant robots.’ That grasp of the important broader impact of both Batman and anime clearly helped them to sift through their huge pool of options and mesh together the best and most important parts to create something wholly unique, yet familiar. Of course if Batman was going to Japan there would have to be giant supervillain-driven robots, and of course if Japan was going to host Batman it would reveal an ancient bat-ninja clan. There was a place for everyone to fit comfortably into, as he and his Rogues Gallery so naturally slip into their new roles as Daimyo in the Warring States Period. I didn’t even mind that Damien had a personality I’ve never seen before (more anime than what I’m used to for him,) or that most of the villains played tertiary roles. There was simply so much stuffed into the film that every little inclusion, no matter how small, burst out of the screen like a nod to the fans, like the hint of another flavor in this massive melting pot. If anything, my only complaint is that it was too short: more time to explore the characters and their thoughts and more time to let fight scenes breathe would have been amazing. That everything feels tightly paced like a tour or an overview is disappointing only in the way that reaching the end of your first slice of pizza is disappointing: it just leaves you wanting more.
 
The quality of the production is excellent in every aspect, from the sound to the character design to the script to the art. Put simply, this film had some of the best art and animation I have ever seen on any screen, ever. Certain parts are achingly, eye-wateringly beautiful. Others are inspiring to the point of being downright moving. There was one moment, a sunrise, that can only be described as truly and genuinely mind-blowing. There is simply no other term that sufficiently describes what I experienced or the way I was utterly overcome by feeling. The effort didn’t all go into the art however: the sound was woven in so smoothly as to become a perfect utilitarian decoration: enhancing every second of film while providing its own unique detail, context, and depth. The script was also phenomenal: each character true to their own nature. The Joker/Harley script was particularly on point: tight, comical, and perfectly written and delivered. I have to specifically call out the performance of Tony Hale, the English voice actor for The Joker, as top notch. It’s not so obvious at first: at times he speaks with a strange style and pitch, almost like the Joker himself is putting on a parody of an accent, but in other parts he drops the jovial, just-for-fun act and his voice is exactly as it should be: pure Joker, though and through. No accents, no strange affectations, just The Voice. There is a particular moment that sent shivers up my spine like only Mark Hamill has ever managed until now, when a largely innocent laugh transforms into The Joker Laugh, and it is chilling, electrifying, and utterly flawless.
 
Batman is one of my oldest and most enduring nerd obsessions, one I’ve been immersed in for as long as I can remember. Anime is a more recent discovery; one I’ve tried to dive headfirst into in an effort to catchup on as much as possible. Putting the two together could have been disastrous – an exercise in compromise as Batman and anime were bent over backwards to accommodate each other – but instead it’s a beautiful mixing of two worlds. Each brings its own unique flavors, their disparate distinctions serving as dazzling accents that enhance and support the beautiful central pillar of similarities. In a true example of the wonderful things that collaboration can accomplish, Batman Ninja takes two separate worlds and blends their similarities into a smooth new flavor without diminishing any of the sharp, distinctive standouts that make them what they are. The end result, at once both new and familiar, is a delightful experience packed full of fun and incredible moments. I absolutely recommend Batman Ninja to any fan of either Batman or anime, and I hope to see many more such collaborations in the years ahead.

The fear of the unknown is something that keeps many of us from trying to move forward. Wanting to know what is going on at all times may not be possible for us normal folk and people might think that staying in the dark is for our own good. While we know very little about the stars and what they might have in store for us in the future, we do know that there are plenty of planets out there that can be inhabited by some sort of life, but what kind is being kept a secret. I would like to think that finding an extraterrestrial life form somewhere would be news for the world to hear and embrace, but we all know that it could possibly cause a panic, and maybe keeping it quiet…would be justified.
​
As a massive amount of ships are starting to be seen around the globe, the President of the United States is not willing to take any chances with these new lifeforms and scrambles a couple of jets to check out their local ship. But these visitors are not looking to be investigated and take out the jets with little effort, before shutting down all of the Earth’s nuclear weapons. Unleashing a blast and destroying the White House, the Vice President is sworn into her new position and is supposed to take control of the situation and learn what this new race is looking for but she gets a very upsetting message that will change the way the world is able to react to its new threat.

Receiving a call from the aliens, who call themselves the Orions and hail from the Orion constellation, they inform President Raney that they control all nuclear facilities and will take out all government locations, along with military facilities around the world. With the Earth being known as a violent planet, this will ensure that their transport shuttles will not be harmed while they relocate the planet’s citizens over the next five days to a new planet. Not knowing what this means, Raney and her team try to figure out where the Earth dwellers will be headed, but that information is not available. Trying to gain some sort of a rapport with the President, the Orions offer something that she cannot refuse, to heal her son and allow him to walk again.

Arriving at a transport, Captain Goddard brings young Bobby aboard and watches as the boy is healed in minutes. Still not trusting what will happen to the human race, Raney is not willing to allow her citizens to board the ships until she knows more. With her husband in the position to make some requests as well, Randall is able to get ahold of the local militia to keep people off of the ships as long as possible. With the First Earth Militia taking matters into their own hands, an interstellar act of war is about to take place, but the President is not willing to allow her nation to be the reason for Earth’s annihilation. Agreeing to meet with the head of the Hive to come to some sort of terms to save her nation, President Raney finds out that these aliens will not deliver what they have promised and that the world is in much more trouble than previously believed.

Overall, I was not too disappointed with this movie, as it showed how little power the Earth could have once we lose our government’s ability to use their massive weapons. While these might not be the best way to face off against an alien race, they might at least give us a fighting chance for a little while before we destroy the planet. Really focusing on using diplomacy in the face of annihilation instead of force is something that I hope we could use in the future, since nobody really wants the human race to perish in such a way. I really liked watching as nobody seemed to be on the same page, showing that panic can bring out the worst in people, especially when the unknown becomes known and either way the planet will belong to the Orions. With an alien invasion, a militia putting Earth first, very little government control, useless weapons, a programmer and doctor with a plan and a President being forced to look death straight in the eye, this movie just goes to show that maybe taking a minute to figure out an attack plan might be the better way to go, rather than just launching nukes at an advanced race.

I was watching Despicable Me the other day, and it hit me. How often in kid’s movies do we see parents? Alarmingly, not often. Disney has long since been the first to introduce death into the lives of children, and oddly enough it's incredibly rare we see both parents. Aurora ended up having her parents, but she didn't grow up with them. Same with Rapunzel. Mulan has her parents, as does Merida (some limbs not included), and they seem to be the only happy family units out there in mainstream kid’s movies.

A lot of the time a parent is dead, or both die, or fill in the blank. Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 show a bit of a different story. You have a single guy who, granted for evil reasons, adopts these three orphaned girls. We never learn what happened to their parents, we just know they died. But what makes the story truly special is that throughout the first film we see Gru step up and become a father to these girls. As someone who was adopted by my dad, it's really refreshing to see a happy story like that play out on the big screen. In the second movie, Gru finally gets a love interest, they marry, and the girls are really accepting of their new mom.

To see the dating process of a single parent is beyond rare for a kid’s film. I'm pretty sure this is the only movie/series that shows things like adoption or dating of a single parent. Which kind of isn't fair. Growing up in the Era of the Disney Princess archetype I saw a lot of negative connotations when it came to things like step parents. Often it was the evil stepmother who mistreated the beloved heroine, and for whatever reason wanted them dead. I'm looking at you Cinderella and Snow White.

Those films gave a lot of misconceptions to kids about what a stepparent could be. Granted, I'm not saying all stepparents are good, nor am I implying they're all bad. Every situation is different. However, as a kid watching those films it made me very apprehensive when my dad started dating my mom. In the end, it worked out awesome, but as a kid I didn't know that. Despicable Me and it's first sequel deal with issues I think a lot of kid’s films miss out on.

Adoption happens quite frequently, yet it's a topic we as a society seems to keep taboo, or we novelize it. Even just being adopted by one parent seems to be a strange concept. Despicable Me and its sequel get my forever love for its different outlook on family. Yes, I do realize this film isn't owned by Disney, rather by Dreamworks. However, it's the first kid’s movie to tackle the hard topic of adoption, and the more important topic of love. This movie didn't kill any parents during the film, it shows that love comes in all forms, and that family isn't always this cookie cutter ideal.

One thing that most everyone should have done when they were growing up is take a babysitting job. It is good money for a couple of hours of work and most of the time, the kids you are looking after are happy to see you. As a parent, trying to find the right person for the job has become much more stressful over the years, since now you have to conduct interviews and have to install nanny cams to make sure that your kids are safe at all times with the new person in their lives. But once you are comfortable with the person that will be taking care of your offspring, you will call on them all of the time and just pray that they are available for your night away.

Chris is looking forward to a great date night with her boyfriend Mike. She is expecting a magical evening at the finest French restaurant in the city, but when Mike comes by to let her know that the night is off, Chris is destroyed. Being a high school senior, Chris is looking for a man to spend the rest of her life with, but with these plans now off the table, she will have nothing to do. Getting a call from the Anderson’s to watch their kids on short notice, Chris feels that she is too old to babysit, but with nothing else happening on this night, she gives in.

Sara Anderson is very happy that her favorite babysitter is coming over to watch her and rubs it in her big brother’s face. Brad is ecstatic that Chris will be at his house as he has a massive crush on her but has plans to sleep over at his best friend’s Daryl’s house. As plans quickly start to change, Chris gets a call from her best friend Brenda who has just run away from home and needs help in getting back home as she does not have enough money to take the train anywhere and she guilts Chris into leaving her duties as a babysitter and being a good friend, Chris heads down to the city where anything could happen. 

As Chris, Sara, Brad and Daryl experience a blowout on their drive into the city, they find that they are going to have a strange night to say the least. Being picked up by a nice tow truck driver and offered a helping hand for a night that has already started off wrong, the group is drawn into a bad situation as the driver receives a call that his wife is cheating on him. As shots are fired, Chris and the kids get into the car that is sitting in the driveway, but it already has an inhabitant in it, Joe, who is looking to steal it. Becoming an accomplice to a car theft, Chris’ main concern is with the safety of the kids, but when they arrive at the local chop shop, she finds out that she will need to worry about her own safety as well as they have been drawn into a much stickier situation than expected.

I love this movie and am not going to lie, I wanted to do this with at least once with one of my babysitters at the time but was shot down consistently. Going on an adventure when the folks were out was always a dream, I mean, what kind of mischief could I get into when the threat of being spanked was always on the table, but babysitters did not have the authority to do that to me. Even with all of the fun the group has together, it does seem like they were destined to get into some sort of trouble regardless of what happened. Although my babysitters hardly ever let me leave the house when they were watching me, I learned from this movie that it is okay to take the kids out for at least ice cream to calm them down for just a few minutes. Babysitting could be a tough gig, but once you have it perfected with the kids you are watching consistently, it could be a lot of fun as well. Happy viewing.
 

Scott's Review
Some people have an easy time recognizing which people are good, and which people are bad. Unfortunately, it is a blurred line for most of us and while we tend to think we are a good judge of character, we are sometimes completely wrong. As the art of deception has become common place in this world, even your best friends may be hiding something from you and when you find out what it is, it is too late. It is always better to go with your first impressions when meeting somebody new, even though they may be wrong, you will not be kicking yourself later on because you never questioned them in the first place.

On a snowy trek in the wilderness of Wyoming, John Ruth and his prisoner Daisy Domergue are comfortable in their stage coach. Not expecting any stops along the way to Red Rock, John is shocked to see a stranger on the side of the road that is looking for a lift. Being careful about who he lets near the stage, John sees that it is his old friend Major Marquis Warren who is in need of a lift. With plenty of questions asked and seeing that Marquis is not interested in his cargo, John allows the Civil War veteran to join in on his adventure.

Knowing a little about Marquis, John continues to keep an eye on him, making sure that he is not eyeing Daisy since she is worth ten thousand dollars to him. When chatting, John brings up the Letter from Abraham Lincoln that Marquis keeps with him at all times. Reading it again, John feels secure about keeping Marquis with him, but when the group runs into another stranger on the side of the road, John starts to question if they are working together. As Chris Mannix approaches the stage, he is put through the ringer of questions as well and saying that he is the new sheriff of Red Rock does not get him any leeway from John as he is only focused on getting his reward for Daisy. 

Seeing the disdain that Mannix has for his other passenger, John breathes easy and the group makes their way up to Minnie’s Haberdashery to wait out the blizzard that will have them trapped for a number of days. Pulling up and meeting Bob at the door, John is secure in staying the night, but Marquis is questioning everything about the stranger that Minnie has left in charge. With a group of unknowns in the house, John is still concerned about his prize and tries to get to know everyone’s story, but what he cannot take into account is that Marquis is ready to settle old scores. While talking with old General Sandy Smithers, Marquis has a new target and killing a man has come easy for him over the years. But when Marquis takes care of an old problem, someone else in the house is looking to free Daisy from the bounty hunter that is keeping her under lock and chain and everyone could be considered an accessory. 

One of the things that I can say about this movie is that I didn’t see it coming. When it comes to Quentin Tarantino movies, the more recent ones have a different feel and they are growing on me very quickly. With a couple of westerns under his belt now, he may be the only director that could be able to bring the genre back. I loved the interactions in the movie, from people yelling at one another to shut the door, Daisy getting rocked for speaking out of line, or just the hatred that some of the characters have for each other. I must admit however that I busted a gut when the group finds out that the coffee was poisoned and started dying off one by one. I was blown away by the performances once again and with a cast of great stars, it is hard to skip this film, but I think that Walton Goggins (Chris Mannix) stole the show, along with Tim Roth (Oswaldo Mobray), two actors that I have not seen in years, who were totally able to hang with the big guns.

John's Review
It seems as though every single time Quentin Tarantino comes out with a new movie, there is a grand debate that pops up on all my social media news feeds revolving around whether or not the man is a talented director or a hack that needs to hang up his slate and disappear into the shadows of Hollywood and well...I find this constant debate intriguing. I say that because I personally find Tarantino's work fascinating and have definitely enjoyed his films over the years. So needless to say, I have never quite understood the controversy the man seems to produce in cinema...that is until I settled in to watch the eighth Quentin Tarantino film...The Hateful Eight.

Now, I do realize that I just typed a loaded statement, one that essentially crucifies Tarantino and logic would say that I am about to bash this film into next week, but that's simply not the case. You see, first and foremost I liked The Hateful Eight. It is a well-paced throwback western epic that moves so smoothly thanks to its vibrant characters that you never once notice the epic three hour-ish running time.  

But when I say I understand why some cinephiles aren't big fans of QT's work...I'm not kidding because this particular entry in the man's career is also a grand experiment in filmmaking. Granted most if not all of his stories are experiments in their own right, but this is the first time that Quentin decided to play it straight, inject his own brand of filmmaking and fuse two genres at the same time, and it is because of that that one can see why this particular movie infuriates people. After all, this is a western epic through and through, one worthy of the classics in how it is shot and even how it is scored since Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for the film reflects its characters and environment. It is beautiful, haunted and angry all at once. 

But outside of the setting, aesthetics and timeline, that's where the western epic ends and the Tarantino world begins as his trademark dialogue and violent settings come into play and well...it works, but more on that in a moment because I did mention a fusion of genres and it's clear the 1982 horror film, The Thing also heavily influences the film with a grand who's who mystery that you have to see to believe and at times...the violence seems like something straight out of a horror flick. But, back to those all-important Tarantino trademarks because they a touch jarring, since the film starts out unlike anything I've ever seen from the director before, and it slowly moves into a decidedly anti politically correct film when it comes to its dialogue, and it instantly shocks you to see hints of Reservoir Dogs come to life on the screen in an era where it seems like such talk and fury shouldn't exist. 

But perhaps the greatest trick the film manages to pull off...is the fact that it's title truly reflects the characters. Outside of a handful of bit parts, for the most part we spend our time hanging out with angry and bitter people and that's also something new for Tarantino since usually...there is someone we can relate to in his films or there is someone we find to be a wonderful character and that's simply not the case here. So, when all is said and done I can see why some fans of film are pretty upset with this particular offering, but something important has to be taken into consideration by those not keen on this one...the fact that Tarantino has announced he is two films away from retirement. Why is that relevant? Because Quentin knows he's already made films a little friendlier to the masses, this was made to satisfy his own personal goals. This was a chance to experiment with some of his favorite genres and pay tribute to what influenced him most and while yes...he's done that plenty over the years, he's never done it on this grand a scale and quite frankly...he's earned that right and the end result of this grand experiment is an enjoyable sweeping epic that feels like the motion pictures of yesteryear but also never strays from the core elements that made Quentin Tarantino the household name he is today.

With all of the resources that we have put towards it over the years, it is still amazing that we know little about the stars that we see on a nightly basis. Not even being able to escape our own galaxy yet, there is a vastness to outer space that we may never fully understand in our lifetime. While we continue to explore and find the possibility of life within our own solar system, we are also looking for the threats that could compromise our planet. But what happens when we find one that we cannot stop? Do we just sit back and watch the world come to an end or do we have a secret plan to launch some lucky people into space? No one has the answer to this just yet, but I hope that our top minds have a plan when this day comes, because it would suck to see the human race come to an end without a fight.
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Keeping an eye on the satellite feed, Noah and Rajesh spot something strange hitting Mars and quickly making its way to Earth. Calling in Dr. Picciotto to take a look, she quickly comes to the conclusion that it is Dark Matter and it will hit the planet within a few days. Not being able to do anything to deflect it from its path, as there is little known about this element, no alerts are sent out to the public and her team will just need to sit and watch the event take place. As the space anomaly arrives at Earth and plunges into Alaska and exits through Africa, a chain of events start to take place that no one should survive.

Being left alone with her new stepdaughters, Johanna has no idea what it takes to be their mother, but will do her best. Getting woken up by an earthquake, she rushes out of her room to try and keep young Cassie and her older sister Kaley free from harm, but it is apparent that the quake will not stop. Rushing out of the apartment and making their way into the stairwell, the building starts to give way and traps the women inside. Making their way down the stairs, they find a couple of neighbors that need help and finally make their way out of the building before it crumbles. Seeing that the city is falling apart around them and needing to wait for Matt to return from picking up his son Rick, Johanna decides to be proactive in her efforts at trying to make sure that the men in her life are alright as well.

After getting into a little spat on their long drive, Matt is trying to defend his marriage to Johanna to his son Rick who is not having it. Being embarrassed by his father overall and seeing that he is nothing more than a middle-aged cliché, Rick would like nothing more than to get the trip over with. But being the convincing parent that he is, Matt is able to find some common ground with his son and the two are looking forward to going fishing in the morning. Before the sun comes up, the two are awakened by violent shaking of the ground and before they are able to exit the tent, they find themselves being hurled down a newly formed hill. Being able to escape the tent before it falls into the depths of the earth, they are stuck on a new incline, but are lucky enough to be spotted by a passerby who only wants a ride in return. Getting on the road and hearing what happened to the city, Matt has nothing else on his mind than getting to his girls before something bad happens to them. 
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Usually I tend to love these types of disaster movies, but this one took its shot and missed badly. I could focus on shoddy camera work or poor effects, but there is no point since it was made to rival Geostorm’s release and it really felt rushed. When there is a small budget for a disaster movie, I can understand that many areas will suffer in the movie, but the story is what is supposed to keep you intrigued, or at least the characters, and this movie did not even deliver on either of those fronts. The kids Rick and Kaley were just bitchy, for no good reason, and it really took away from anyone not wanting to see them perish, which is sad, because they could have been great. It appeared that a lot of the character development scenes, if they were there, hit the editing room floor, because based on what the dialogue told us, we were missing a ton.

Now what could have made this a better movie, since there was no way that it would be close to the world ending event that Geostorm brought to the big screen, is pretty easy, since you won’t be able to destroy the world, have some fun with it. There was a line that said, ‘Don’t fear the dead’, and nothing was done with it, you could have had zombies come out of nowhere, because we don’t know that Dark Matter would not cause a zombie apocalypse. Another line, ‘You were my superhero’, um, kind of goes without saying that there could have been a cape and some flying, because once again, Dark Matter could have that effect on the living. Those are just two quick examples of what could have made this movie a little more memorable, because I will admit that the realism it brought to the screen was pretty lacking overall.