2018 Releases

Deadpool 2 – David Leitch

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Deadpool 2 starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, and Julian Dennison.
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Since the first Deadpool film smashed the box office in 2016 (grossing over $783M worldwide), fans have been waiting for Ryan Reynolds to reprise the role as the vulgar, hilariously honest Wade Wilson. The original broke records for an R-rated film – a rating it wholeheartedly earned – and it was only a matter of time before Deadpool 2 became a reality.

It’s simple; if you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy the second one.  The quick-witted, nasty outhouse (toilet just doesn’t cut it) humour is about the same, they routinely break the 4th wall, make cheeky pop culture references, and the R-rating is embraced at every turn.  It may not be quite as funny the second time around, but it is still exactly what you would expect the sequel to be.

Deadpool 2 starts off with a literal ‘bang’ as a depressed Wade attempts to kill himself in spectacular fashion. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he lives (he can’t die) and in an attempt to pull himself together (mentally and physically), he works alongside a bunch of X-Men trying to save a seriously disturbed mutant teen from a time-travelling super-villain called Cable (Josh Brolin). There are a number of amusing cameos along the way – watch closely or you might miss them – and it just solidifies what we already know: every one loves working with Ryan Reynolds.

Audience members who were on the fence about the original Tim Miller version have no business watching the second installment (this time by Director David Leitch, of John Wick fame). For those who never got around to seeing Deadpool, don’t worry about it, you’ll still get it. The plot itself isn’t overly complex and you don’t need a whole lot of background to understand what’s going on. A person with a healthy understanding of the X-Men characters will be rewarded, but again, it’s not a requirement.

Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Josh Brolin plays a pretty decent villain who, coincidentally, isn’t totally unlike the other famous villain he played this year – Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War). Both “men” are incredibly strong, incredibly misunderstood in their actions, and are killing for “the greater good”. Julian Dennison, a young New Zealand actor in his breakout role of Firefist, will certainly be getting more work after this film. He was endearing, hilarious, and a little creepy all in one. His character is hellbent on revenge for being treated poorly by staff at the orphanage. Feeling sympathy – or any other deep thought for that matter – isn’t necessarily something you would expect in a movie like Deadpool 2, but it still takes you there, albeit just briefly since you know there is always a wisecracking joke around the corner.

Oh, and the end credits are equally amusing. Props to Celine Dion for having a sense of humour in addition to her singing chops. Again, her involvement just proves that everyone loves Ryan Reynolds.

Watch the official trailer here:

Mission: Impossible – Fallout – Christopher McQuarrie

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Mission: Impossible – Fallout starring Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames,and Rebecca Ferguson.
Photo credit: Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures

It’s pretty clear that Christopher McQuarrie (Director – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Writer – Edge of Tomorrow) likes working with  Tom Cruise, they have collaborated on five other films before Mission: Impossible – Fallout in various capacities. When a Producer/Director/Writer has a good working relationship with an actor, it typically comes out on the screen. In the case of McQuarrie and Cruise, it has resulted in many wildly successful action films over the last decade, with Fallout having the best opening weekend for the entire six-movie franchise. 

Critics have called Fallout one of the best action movies ever made. And it’s true, the action doesn’t stop – it is pure escapism at its finest. It’s hard to believe that the hanging-from-an-airplane-scene or the underwater-scene-done-in-one-breath could be topped, but the stunts in Fallout do just that.  Yes, stunts – with an “s”. They are the cornerstone of the franchise and, frankly,  no one can do it better than Tom Cruise. It never leaves you doubting the reality of what you’re seeing on screen because you already know it’s real. In a world where visual effects are generally overdone and entire films are done with the help of a green screen, Mission:Impossible still clings to the notion that “real is better than fake”. When it can be pulled off like it is in Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, and Fallout, that is most definitely true.

Fallout follows Ethan Hunt and his team on another mission to stop world destruction when a group gets their hands on a set of weaponized plutonium. Again, Hunt finds himself in a compromising situation (or three) when he has to take matters into his own hands to stop the criminal organization. Lane (Sean Harris) is back from the previous film and is hellbent on destroying Hunt and everything he holds dear. In true Mission: Impossible fashion, there’s double crossing, hand-to-handle battle, a lot of running, intriguing villains, and beautiful women. There’s even a surprising connection to the first Mission: Impossible through one of the new characters, but if you don’t catch it, it’s nothing to lose sleep over. Henry Cavill, Vanessa Kirby, and  Angela Bassett are welcomed additions to the franchise and each new character makes Hunt’s journey a little more interesting this time around. 

Photo credit: Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures

Typically after six movies, some of the cast starts to drop off or replacements are used for certain characters. In the case of the Mission: Impossible film franchise, that hasn’t seemed to be the case. It leads one to believe they really enjoy their work. Tom Cruise may not necessarily be the most likable actor due to his religious beliefs and prior talk show antics (Oprah’s couch), but it certainly appears that he is well-liked in Hollywood, and not just for his almost-guaranteed box-office draw. Between all the stunts and the witty banter between characters, the Mission: Impossible movies just look like a lot of fun to be part of – and a big part of that (like it or not) is due to Tom Cruise. Action movies aren’t known for being very genuine and typically whatever “depth” they attempt to throw in usually seems a bit forced. Mission: Impossible has always been a little bit different though – the balance just….works. You’ll laugh, hold your breath, and take Hunt seriously, all at he same time.

It’s an easy franchise to be loyal to. The formula is the same, the actors/characters are the same (for the most part), and it just keeps getting bigger and better. Oh, and Tom Cruise runs. What’s not to like?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to run (Tom Cruise style) to the nearest theatre and watch the latest installment on the big screen. You won’t regret it. *cue iconic theme song*

Watch the official trailer here:

Red Sparrow – Francis Lawrence

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Red Sparrow starring Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton.
Photo Credit : Twentieth Century Fox

If you’re looking for an R-rated film with a take-no-prisoners female lead, graphic violence, and full frontal nudity, look no further – Red Sparrow has it all. Unlike most spy movies, this one does everything it can to deglamorize the spy world. Red Sparrow tries to shock you at every turn, and for the most part it succeeds. This is the main reason the film’s reception was hot and cold for the most part. Some found it intriguing and suspenseful, while others were overwhelmed with the violence and thought it cheapened the bleak tale of survival.

The story features a secret Russian government training program that trains its agents to use their bodies and intellect to extract intelligence information from unsuspecting marks. In this case, the mark is a C.I.A agent Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) who is caught up in a complicated Russian-American intelligence battle. It turns out former ballerina Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is something of an expert in the art of seduction and is tasked with getting Nash to reveal his source, a high-ranking Russian mole. The plotline starts out simple enough, with Egovora being unwillingly thrust into the spy world,  learning the ‘tricks’ of the trade, and beginning her mission. It gets more and more complicated as it goes on as you aren’t sure about anyone’s motives (but that’s the deal with spies, no?). All you do know is that Egovora wants out of the life, and at any cost. Despite the mind-boggle, Red Sparrow stays interesting and – in true spy-thriller fashion – concludes with an epic triple-twist.  It also features the most realistic knife fight ever to be seen on screen. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but altogether a really impressive scene for all involved.

Director Francis Lawrence, best known for three Hunger Games films (Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 & Part 2) and I Am Legend, has worked with Jennifer Lawrence and is clearly familiar with her talent. Her craft is certainly on display in Red Sparrow – from her Russian accent to her brief stint as a ballerina to a disturbing rape scene, she is undeniably one of the best actresses of our time and is as far away from being typecast as possible. While he may have directed a number of music videos in the early 2000’s for the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith (for real…), Francis Lawrence clearly has a passion for darker, dystopian-style films, and Red Sparrow is an obvious example of that. Supporting actors include Jeremy Irons,  Matthias Schoenaerts, and Charlotte Rampling. 

All in all, Red Sparrow is a good watch. But while some people may have raved about it (in a positive way), it isn’t likely they (or anyone else) will be in the mood to watch it more than once. However, if you can withstand the wrenching torture scenes and typically enjoy a good thriller, taking the time to see it at least once is recommended. You will more than likely be satisfied with the ending – it’s one that sticks with you – and it’s almost-always exciting to see the darker side of the intelligence game. As mentioned before, the spy life depicted in this thriller is anything but glamorous. It turns out it’s not all disguises and martinis after all.

Watch the official trailer here: