Action

Bushwick (2017)

Published

6 years ago

September 15, 2017

Summary

When a Texas military force invades their Brooklyn neighborhood, 20-year-old Lucy and war veteran Stupe must depend on each other to survive.

Genre : Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Dave Bautista : Stupe
Brittany Snow : Lucy
Angelic Zambrana : Belinda

Director :
Cary Murnion
Jonathan Milott

My opinion on “Bushwick”

“I mean it’s more tactical.
This isn’t an attack.
This is an invasion.”

There’s one thing this film surprised me with. And that’s the speed at which the violence begins. One moment Lucy (Brittany Snow) walks with her boyfriend through a subway station. The next moment, he’s lying dead next to her and in the background you can hear the sound of automatic guns and screaming people in panic. Turns out a war started in this part of New York. A kind of American Civil War in guerrilla style. The sound effects and the way in which the camera follows fleeing Lucy looks a lot like a third person shooter. Even Lucy’s sister Belinda (Angelic Zambrana) thought the neighbors were playing “Call of Duty” all the time.

Where’s Snake Plissken when you need him?

It’s only when Lucy is rescued by Stupe (Dave Bautista), a concierge with a military background, this realistic looking film turns into a survival journey through a suburban district of New York. Immediately I had to think of movies like “No Escape“. But also of older hit-movies such as “Escape from New York” and the magnificent film “Warriors“. A turbulent flight through neighborhoods where street gangs suddenly take up arms against the forces who try to take over Bushwick and punks who take adventage of the lawlessness to rob neighborhood stores. And all this looks as if it’s filmed in one take.

Those Texans again!

The reason why those troops are penetrating this neighborhood and total anarchy breaks out, sounds quite ridiculous and unlikely the first instance. But thinking further about it afterwards, you could say it isn’t. Such a situation could occur somewhere in the world, given the interracial and domestic conflicts that arise everywhere. But apart from this original approach, this film has little to offer. The rest of it is just about the two main characters trying to escape the violance in a city that looks like a battlefield. Even the noisy and rebellious looking local residents who are waving with their illegal weapons excitedly, don’t make it more interesting. Although some of them were in a high stage of enthousiasm.

Mumble mumble mumble. He’s such a wonderful conversational companion.

In addition to the fact that it’s all simplistic and there aren’t really surprising developments, there were also some things that were quite annoying. For example, the continuous mumbling of Dave Bautista almost the entire movie. Besides the emotional closing argument, his oral contribution was limited. He resembled Rambo who also mumbled the whole movie in those days. And although he seems to have a lot of military experience, he continously refused to use more sophisticated firearms. I’ve lost count of the number of times I got pissed because they ignored modern automatic guns, which were lying around for the taking. They stubbornly held on to their small handguns. I would have known better.

No survival skills needed to watch this movie completely.

I’m not sure if it was the intention to make a political statement. If so, they didn’t quite succeed in doing that. Before you know it they shifted back to making a superficial action film with Jews jumping around with Uzi’s. In general, the acting isn’t so bad. Brittany Snow is doing her best as an emerging survival expert. Dave Bautista’s posture is very suitable for playing the character Stupe. His physique and rough-hewn behavior makes an extremely dangerous neanderthal of him (mumbling included). And if you’re looking for a movie with a denouement so noncompliant compared to the rest, don’t look any further. Believe me. So, “Bushwick” isn’t special, but you don’t need survival skills to watch it entirely.

My rating 4/10
Links : IMDB

FILM RATING

Action

Five Reasons To Love ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’

Published

2 months ago

January 22, 2023

Richard Schertzer

Back in 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened into theaters with a mixed reception from critics and audiences and has been deemed as the least desirable of the Spidey movies. In the film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) must face off against another villain who has been given the name Electro. Moreover, our brave hero uncovers some bizarre mysteries surrounding his parents.

Many fans of the series view the film as an overcrowded mess, but I think it might be the most entertaining of all the Spidey films, until No Way Home arrived, and here are five reasons why that remains true.

Andrew Garfield

First and foremost, Garfield is always a delight to have in the Spidey outfit. His charisma and witty banter is almost what makes the film truly great. I have always said that he was the best Spider-Man and this movie proves it with his ability to elevate any scene from dull slog to a comedic venture.

Spidey, in this particular movie, embodies the hero in the original comics with his incessant need to make a fast-talking quip to one of his enemies. There is nothing better than a comic-book character sticking true to his essence and spirit of its source material.

Electro

Despite what many people say about the villains, Jamie Foxx as the supercharged baddie Electro proves to be a formidable opponent for the web-head, with his omnipotent powers and overly-powered nature. More than that, Max Dillon is depicted as a quiet, shy loner who is invisible to other people. He is essentially a nobody, until he falls into a vat of electrically-charged eels and becomes the sinister villain Electro.

To better understand a villain, you must understand their plight and Electro’s plight is that of a rags-to-riches success story and the visual effects are certainly something to marvel at.

Action Sequences

This article wouldn’t be complete if I decided not to talk about the exhilarating action that embodied the film. Whether we see Spidey chasing down a truck with Oscorp’s product or a massive fight inside a grid that seems like a colossal feat for any Marvel film, the film can take a lot of pride in its action sequences.

One can also never forget the massive and iconic battle sequence between Electro and Spidey in Time Square that seems impossible to be made.

Green Goblin

While he remains a secondary villain, Dane Dehaan’s Green Goblin is still noteworthy. Dehaan portrays Harry Osborne who is left with his dead father Norman’s life work and stumbles upon a Goblin serum that enhances his speed, strength, and intelligence.

His little spat with Spider-Man is certainly befitting for the dark, moody tone of the film and entertaining for plenty of comic fans with zippy action and certified intensity. In the end, he is also responsible for the death of Spidey’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy.

Gwen Stacy Death

Speaking of Gwen Stacy, this is the only Spidey film that features his love interest dying. As he battles the Green Goblin, Spidey attempts to hold on to Stacy, literally, by a thread in the clocktower. However, when the thread snaps, Spidey is able to snag her in mid-air but the whiplash of the fall snaps her neck, killing her.

What might be the saddest moment in any Spider-Man film, was brought to life in this extraordinary scene that silenced an entire generation of Spider-Man fans.

FILM RATING

Action

Anthony Hopkins to Lead Peacock Gladiator Drama ‘Those About to Die’

Published

2 months ago

January 19, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

Peacock is one of the streamers that has yet to break through in terms of their original content getting recognized for awards contention. One such series that might change that fate for the streaming service is Those About to Die and it’s starting to build out its cast. According to Variety, 2-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Father) is the first to join the drama series which comes from Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow). Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat will script the series.

Hopkins will play the character known as Emperor Vespasian in the series which is set in the world of gladiatorial battle. It will be an ensemble drama following many different Roman characters that will set forth for violent affairs in the arena among other complexities such as political power and corruption so expect a starry cast for this Peacock drama. Hopkins’ character is described as “despised by the Patricians jockeying for position in the Empire and looking to supplant his heirs to the throne the first chance they get. Vespasian became the Roman emperor after a ten-year civil war. We expect to get more casting news soon as the show will begin filming in Rome in March.

Anthony Hopkins is coming off a terrific performance in James Gray’s Armageddon Time in 2022 after winning his second Academy Award for his role in The Father the year prior. He’ll next voice a character in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon for Netflix and also will star in British drama One Life alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Jonathan Pryce. Emmerich is coming off directing the sci-fi disaster film, Moonfall in 2022.

FILM RATING

Action

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Adds Oscar-Nominee William H. Macy

Published

2 months ago

January 12, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

The Planet of the Apes trilogy headlined by Andy Serkis from the 2010s can be argued as one of the best trilogies of all-time. The technological advances made from motion capture helped actors completely transform into the apes with their interactions with human characters making the story rawer and more emotional. Now, 20th Century Studios will jump back into the world of apes with their latest, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Deadline reports that William H. Macy (Shameless, Fargo) will round out the cast for the newest chapter of the franchise.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place many years after the conclusion of War for the Planet of the Apes being led by an entirely new cast that includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan and Peter Macon. Details are currently unknown on whether Macy will be playing a human character or an ape. The film series has grossed almost $2 billion dollars for the studio so it’s no surprise that they’re aiming to make more Apes fims.

Macy is coming off his biggest role ever in Showtime’s series, Shameless for which he played Frank Gallagher and was nominated for 6 Emmy Awards for his performance over 11 seasons. Macy is also a former Oscar-nominee for his lead role in the Coen Brothers classic, Fargo. Since then, he’s amassed tons of parts including most recently in Hulu’s The Dropout and a guest spot on the ABC sitcom, The Conners. Macy will next appear in the film, Maybe I Do with Emma Roberts, Diane Keaton, Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon.

FILM RATING