nickweninger Reviews

The Martian (2015)

The Martian is out of this world

[10/10 · 2 October 2015]

The Martian was out of this world. Yes I know that is cheesy but this movie was amazing. A lot of people will compare this movie to the last years space movie Interstellar and it is definitely up to the standard and comparison. Lead by an all star cast starring Matt Damon Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover. Each one delivers an all star performance that form characters that you grow to love and root for. Matt Damon specifically is amazing in this movie. When a man is stranded and the only person on a planet, you can imagine emotions would be high. Damon does an incredible job of portraying those emotions and also brings forth comedic relief in an excellent form. This is a very stressful and high intensity film at times and the comedic relief was a pleasant surprise and best of all, didn't feel forced into the situation at all. The writing, the special effects and the directing (the amazing Ridley Scott) well all spectacular. This movie is over 2 hrs long but it doesn't feel like it. Time flies because you are so sucked into this movie. I honestly can't say enough good things about this movie and I don't want to give too much of the story away. Usually I try and think of some things that I might change or what they could have improved on but I am drawing a blank. You guys will just have to see it for yourself and see what you think. I would highly suggest seeing it!

Average Man Score: 10/10

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

Solid second film in the series but not amazing by any means

[6/10 · 18 September 2015]

The Scorch Trials brings a solid second film to the Maze Runner franchise. As we all know, the Maze Runner film has a very similar style of teen fictions as other such movies as The Hunger Games and the Divergent series, so this film will follow in that type and sense of film. Nothing really too unexpected though. However this movie has maybe the most intense of the teen fiction movies, offering up some actually scary parts of the movie that has enjoyable to watch. The visual aspect of this film is very well done and offers all the thrills needed to keep you engaged with the film. The whole movie is basically a chase and then hiding. In that sense it kind of reminded me of the amazing movie Mad Max that came out this year except most everything was on foot and not in apocalypse vehicles. One thing that I noticed is that this movie feels like a completely different movie from the first movie in the series. I mean that in the sense that the Hunger Games and Divergent both seem to follow each other very easily. They lead each other to the next film and have the same type of feel between the films. This movie did not have the feeling. It will feel to you as a completely different movie; a stand alone film. This film also will reveal some things about why things are the way they are but in a frustrating sense. They start to answer a question and then they move away from it. The big reveal seems kind of cliché to me but then again it is teen fiction so what are you going to do. Overall though, this movie was entertaining to watch but is not without its flaws. It is a little over two hrs long so keep that in mind. **Another side note, I have been told and read about that this movie is very different than the book so keep that in mind. The author and director have said that the third movie is going to be much more true to the book.

Average Man Score: 6/10

The End of the Tour (2015)

A thought provoking and emotional movie

[9/10 · 21 August 2015]

The End of The Tour was a beautifully done movie that will not be widely seen or even heard of. This movie doesn't have explosions, or side splitting humor, or sex, or anything that sells in Hollywood these days. What this movie does have is a well written plot with fantastic dialogue, a great story, wonderful performances, and thought provoking themes that make you ponder what is really important. The End of The Tour is about the five day interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky, and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (played by Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel). This five day interview took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's epic 1,000 page novel called Infinite Jest. An interview that would later turn out to be never published and not really heard about until Wallace's 2008 suicide. During this interview, we get to see inside what it is like between the two men. Like I said earlier, this movie asks a lot of deeper questions that will leave you thinking. Questions like what is really important? If I am unhappy right now, will having what someone has change that? That even being famous and looked upon by the public doesn't really make you truly happy. We have seen this time and time again with famous celebrities that everyone thinks has it all together, give it all away because of depression and loneliness. This movie does an excellent job of portraying that. My only critique about this movie is that you never really get to know the character David who was doing the interview. They allude to deeper issues within him but never dive into them and expose them. Average Man Score: 8/10

American Ultra (2015)

American Ultra just failed to meet the ideal goal of what it was reaching for

[4/10 · 20 August 2015]

American Ultra doesn't offer a whole lot other than the occasional laugh and interesting action sequence. Jesse Eisenberg plays this stoner that lives a normal life smoking pot, working a basic job and living with his girlfriend Kristen Stewart. Their lives suddenly turn upside down when men are sent to kill Jesses character Mike Howell. Turns out that he is a highly trained ex government experiment that they feel no longer needs to be of service to them . Having laid out the basic plot for you, nothing stands out in this film and nothing is really noteworthy about this film. You will watch this movie and think "oh, that was an OK film. Interesting action scenes and stoner talk" and that's about it. This film really does nothing for you and soon it will be a passing thought for summer movie category. There were a few laughs here and there because they are stoners and seem to have no idea what they are doing. Other than the laughs and the action, the acting is mediocre, the dialogue does nothing to stand out, the antagonist Topher Grace is overdone and laughable, and much more. I was hoping this movie would be a lot better than it actually was. This film had a lot of potential but it just failed to reach it.

Average Man Score: 4/10

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

Straight Outta Compton delivers a raw and emotional movie that will stand for generations

[9/10 · 14 August 2015]

Straight Outta Compton delivers a raw, edgy, and powerful film that is built to last for generations to come. Starting in 1987, a group of 5 individuals start what came to be, a musical movement that came in like a tidal wave. They together formed the group N.W.A and with their powerful lyrics, strong wills, and big dreams, they got the ball rolling for the hip hop and rap music industry that we see today. This movie does an excellent job of showing the hardships that these men had to go through. The racist cops, the threats from the FBI, and the government and media want to censor their art. They were given a voice with their music and the were not going to be silenced. Police tried to silence them and were subject to racism and misconduct, This can resonate with the people and the movement that is happening right now. The casting department for this movie did an excellent job of filling the giant shoes of the musical giants Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre and more. Most of these were fairly unknown actors but each one of them did an outstanding job. The music and the style they portrayed were spot on and this lead to a fantastic soundtrack throughout the movie. This movie would be almost perfect if it wasn't for the side stories that they brought in throughout the later half of the movie. Without giving too much away, I felt that bringing in these stories may have lost some of the emotion and the intensity that had been building up throughout the movie. This movie has done an excellent job of its presentation of the hip hop and rap revolution in a fun, entertaining, and historical fashion. I would highly recommend seeing this film.

Average Man Score: 9/10

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

An enjoyable movie to watch but not without its faults

[6/10 · 13 August 2015]

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. brings a not so serious spy movie to the table in a form that is enjoyable to watch. Taking place in the 1960's at the height of the Cold War, this movie does a great job of not only showing that tension, but also the rivalry that the two super powers had for one another. This rivalry and tension is showed through the two main characters Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer). The American spy Napoleon is this arrogant, suave, cocky smart aleck and most stereotypes that a typical American would have while the Russian spy fills the stereotype as a temperamental strong Russian man. These two do not like one another and are constantly trying to outdo one another and the result makes for an enjoying dynamic to watch. They are accompanied by the beautiful and the talented Alicia Vikander who is coming off an amazing performance in Ex Machina. Having said this, this movie is not without its flaws. With any Cold War period piece, you can almost always assume that there is a nuclear bomb involved and this of course was the case. This has been played out time and time again in spy movies and it just gets repetitive. For me, the biggest flaws for this movie have to be the weak plot and a weak villain. Comparing to other recent spy movies like Kingsman, Spy, and the new Mission Impossible, this movie just wasn't up to their standards of special effects and spectacle. Like I said though, this was a fun movie to watch and it was not without its enjoyable moments.

Average Man Score: 6/10