War for the Planet of the Apes (SPOILERS)

I did not start this war...but I will finish it...

The Planet of the Apes franchise is one of the most beloved Sci-Fi franchises of all time, and recently, a prequel trilogy was formed. This trilogy has brought a lot of the things that were great about the originals and, in some ways, proves superior. The films follow the story of Caesar, who is a compelling protagonist to follow and carried by an amazing performance from Andy Serkis. War for The Planet of the Apes concludes Caesar's story. For the most part, it is a relatively satisfying conclusion. However, that's pretty much all I could say, since I found this to be a step-down from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It's still a great film, but sadly disappointing considering the critical rave that it received. As per custom, it's time to look at what the movie got right and what it got wrong:

UPS

1. Andy Serkis as Caesar. For all this movie's faults, this may be Serkis' best performance in all three films. Everything that Serkis did great in the first two films is brought to the next level here, from his emotion, to his interactions with the rest of the cast, to bringing the completion of his arc full circle. Though it didn't work out entirely in his favor (more on that later,) Serkis really gave his A-game and I wouldn't be surprised if he managed an Oscar-nomination, which so many people have high hopes that he will. 
2. The rest of the cast, old and new, were great. Maurice continues to excel as Caesar's advisor and best friend; Nova provides some heartwarming scenes that show a relationship we have never seen before; Bad Ape is a real hoot, providing the funniest moments in the movie without ever coming across as a nuisance; Red has just as much of an arc as Caesar, one that provides a redemption that felt earned even though it cost him his life; and the Colonel is a great villain. He may be a step-down from Koba, but Woody Harrelson's performance and his tragic backstory really make him standout. Speaking of Koba...
3. His cameo scenes were great. Not only was it great to see the trilogy's best villain again, but the scenes also delved into the psyche of Caesar, showing his burden of guilt and fearing that he'll become a monster like Koba. All in all, his presence in the movie was welcomed. 
4. The themes of family, revenge, and forgiveness. They really carry throughout the whole movie, mostly through Caesar's interactions with his family, his friends, and his enemies. The scene where he allows the Colonel to kill himself when he succumbs to the Simian Flu shows how far he's grown from the suicidal revenge seeker he was at the beginning of the film. These themes make the film deeper and all the more stronger.
5. The music is just amazing. Listen to it here.  

DOWNS

1. Caesar's death didn't come off as well as it should have. After all that he went through, it just didn't feel right to have him die. In fact, it felt cruel. To make things even worse, the movie makes it seem like he's fine and has him stick it around to the very end, right as his people have finally made it to their newfound sanctuary, and he dies by a single arrow from the soldier he spared. Talk about a nasty kick in the balls. All in all, though the ending ends on a mostly optimistic note considering Caesar's people are finally safe and his son can grow up in a peaceful environment, it seems a little too bleak to have that child go through the hardship of losing his mother, his brother, and his father all at the same time just when it seemed like things were looking up for once. Although Caesar left a profound impact for the time that he was around, I just wish he could stick around to see his son grow. I could only imagine that more could be done with him.

OVERALL

War for the Planets of the Apes was a satisfying conclusion to a spectacular trilogy, but it was not as good as it could have been. I wanted to see more of Caesar even though we did get a complete story out of him throughout these movies. It's a great movie, but not the best. 

Well that's it for this blog, guys. Tune in for more coming soon :)

The Walking Dead Season 7 Review (SPOILERS)

The Day Will Come When You Won't Be...

Yeah, this review is way overdue, but I've been preoccupied as of late so my posting hasn't been very consistent. Thankfully, I managed to get some free time in, so what better way to spend it than finally writing my review for the seventh season of my one of my favorite TV shows, The Walking Dead. Negan has finally arrived and looking past an abominable cliffhanger ending comes a place that the survivors have never seen themselves in before. It seems as though the group has finally reached rock bottom throughout the season, but by the end, they persevere and keep the fact that they are the ones who should NOT be fucked with. Though that sounds like it makes a great story, response toward this season has been...less than stellar. Many people criticize the sluggish pace of this season as it sets up the "All Out War" storyline and just felt it grew very tiresome after awhile. This is clear in the massive ratings drop the show has suffered as of late. All in all, this season is looked to by many as the Black Sheep of the series, even more so than the infamously divisive Season 2. Where do I fall in this debate? Well, I do see where a lot of these criticisms are coming from, and I am going to be honest that the quality of The Walking Dead hasn't been as stellar as it should be. That said, I don't think this was the worst season ever. In fact, I think it's far better than the last two seasons, which is saying a lot since Season 5 is considered the show's best season ever.  Here are the reasons as to why I feel this way:

UPS

1. The season premiere. Remember when I said it would be hard to top "No Way Out"? Well I thought "Last Day on Earth" would do just that. I was wrong, so wrong. However, the Season 7 premiere did succeed in that regard, and produced an episode that shakes the core of The Walking Dead as we know it. Words cannot describe the sheer impact this episode had (for better or for worse,) and though the series' 100th episode should be just as stellar, it has massive competition to go up against if it wishes to be the series' pinnacle episode. 
2. Major Character Deaths are back. Season 6 was severely lacking in this regard, but Season 7 comes back in full force with not one, not two, but three major deaths, with one of them (you guys know which one) being the biggest death since Lori. I'm not saying it's necessary for characters to die to make the story great, but when done at the right moment, the stakes could be raised all the more higher and it makes things much more intense. For that reason, it's nice to know The Walking Dead has returned to its roots of no one (well unless you're Rick or Carl) being safe, and I hope the next season continues that trend.
3. The Kingdom. Whereas I feel the show's iteration of the Hilltop is pretty lackluster for the most part (more on them later,), the Kingdom is spot-on. Though David Fennoy would have been awesome as well, Khary Payton is perfect as King Ezekiel, capturing his hammy theatrics and balancing the more human side exceptionally well. However, the thing that is so great about the Kingdom is that Ezekiel does not overshadow the rest. Jerry provides excellent comic relief and is clearly the heart of the group; Benjamin plays an integral role in the completion of Morgan's arc; and Richard carries an arc that is a real standout in terms of being a secondary side character, and the way it ends is tragically fitting for him and the story. All in all, they kicked ass and...SWEET JESUS, how could I forget Shiva? Well, just watch this and see all there is to know about her ;)
4. Carol and Morgan's arcs are finally completed. While this doesn't necessarily pertain to their roles in the season, it mostly means that their journeys that began last season were finally brought full circle. This was done especially well in the case of Morgan, who really excelled this season in terms of where he was and where he is now. As for Carol, well, more on her later...
5. Finally, it's time to talk about the man himself. Despite the lack of bulk and the addition of the beard, Jeffrey Dean Morgan IS Negan. He captures the essence of the character so perfectly. While he spent a little too much time being all bark and no bite for parts of the season (which was another criticism for the season,) he excelled in most parts and was genuinely funny and intimidating. Of course, like the Kingdom, Negan does not overshadow the rest of the Saviors. Dwight is particularly compelling in his will he-won't he redemption arc, and Simon provides the perfect lackey for Negan to have, bringing a more subtle menace to Negan's more bombastic approach. Overall, these guys rocked as villains and will continue to do so for ALL OUT WAR! 

Of course, for every positive, there's always a negative. And here they are...

DOWNS

1. The Hilltop just isn't given much to do. While Tom Payne is great as Jesus and Xander Berkeley is a hilariously detestable presence as Gregory (RHETHORICAL,) their screen time is limited and ultimately they are given the short end of the stick here. Unlike the Kingdom and the Saviors, the two have the burdening task of carrying the rest of the Hilltop, since there is no presence in both the people and the setting. I hope they get more screentime in the future, but as it is, they are severely disappointing :(
2. Carol got shafted this season...hard. While her arc is completed and Melissa McBride excels as usual, she ends up getting the short end of the stick as well, especially when compared to what Morgan goes through to complete his journey. Though she seems like she's finally got her mojo back, this season was a major disservice to the character.
3. The simple fact that this season was, for all intents and purposes, a filler season. Did we need a whole episode dedicated to Tara? Did we need to be introduced to more groups? Did we need to wait till the end to find out the conclusion (or partial conclusion) of Dwight's arc? Did we need several episodes of hearing Rosita bitch and moan about how much everyone's lives suck? Did we really, seriously need a WHOLE fucking season to setup "All Out War." The simple answer is no. We could have gotten some form or shape of the war this season. Hell, they probably could've fit the whole thing into the second half and it would've been AWESOME! Alas, we got several story arcs stretched out to the farthest they possibly could and ultimately, as the ratings have shown, fatigue has set in. Hopefully this was all worth it, otherwise Season 7 may have well been the Black Sheep.

OVERALL

I enjoyed the Seventh Season of The Walking Dead. It's got problems, but I do believe it was better than the last two seasons. Season 5 turned me off with its disjointed narrative, severely bleak tone, and the death of Tyreese (BIGGEST DISSERVICE EVER BTW,) and Season 6 had a sluggish first half that was almost saved by a spectacular second half until AMC dropped the big one with...it pains me to think about it. Ultimately, though, I believe the show has lost the quality it had during its first four seasons, and as such I have actually lowered my expectations for Season 8 in hope that it blows me out of the water because quite honestly, if it doesn't, then my days as an avid viewer (don't worry I'll always be a fan) of The Walking Dead TV show may become numbered :( 

That's it for this blog guys. Hope to get more in as soon as possible. Until then, take care and always remember, the world is but a treat when you're on easy street...