NOCTURNAL ANIMALS (2016) – My rating 7.5/10

This unusual psychological thriller is a story within a story that takes you on a surprising journey. Not knowing what to expect, I was delighted by how well Nocturnal Animals kept the audience fine tuned into the events as they happened, despite the constant flipping between the novel and the real life story of the reader.

Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) received a manuscript written by her x-husband, Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) along with an invitation for dinner during Edward’s upcoming visit to Los Angeles. Susan is currently married to businessman, Hutton Morrow (Armie Hammer) who is unfaithful and currently having an extra marital affair throughout the movie. During her marriage to Edward, Susan deemed Edward a failure as a writer and ended their marriage when she terminated their child by having an abortion without his knowledge, 20 years ago. She is convinced his novel, which he sent to her, asking for an opinion, was nothing more than revenge for her behavior when they were married.

As Susan starts to read the novel titled, Nocturnal Animals, she becomes so engrossed in the story she can’t put the manuscript down. Edward had sent the novel to prove that he was not a failure and that he was quite capable of writing a successful novel. The movie actually flips to the novel about a family man, happily married to India Hastings (Ellie Bamber) with a daughter on family vacation, when they encounter the Ray Marcus gang (Aaron Taylor-Johnson – gang leader; Lou (Karl Glusman – gang member); Turk/Steve Adams (Robert Aramayo – gang member), who forces them off the road. The three thugs beat Tony Hastings, (Jake Gyllenhaal) the family man in the novel, kidnap Tony’s wife and daughter then drive off with Tony and dump him somewhere along side the road, unconscious. With Tony’s wife and child missing, he eventually hooks up with a Lt. Graves (Graham Beckel) who helps him search for his family and the Marcus gang.

Nocturnal Animals continues to flip between the novel and real life showing us and Susan the terrible flaws in her character and judgement. The novel holds you to the edge of your seat and will keeps you guessing about what becomes of Susan, her husband and his affair. I was well entertained, surprised and thrilled — Nocturnal Animals is definitely worth seeing, great performances, great story.

{BTW, Aaron Taylor-Johnson won the 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture,  for Nocturnal Animals!}

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AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015) – My rating: 9/10

Wow! What a roller coaster ride. The gangs all back in full force. They have brought along their woes and brainstorms too. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downing, Jr.) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) lock minds to perfect peaceful software into man’s dream of a safe and peaceful environment from aliens and bad humans, alike. Of course the whole thing backfires making Age of Ultron one of the most profitable films of the Avenger series. Ultron gets a body as well as a voice (James Spader) plus endless power to fight and destroy all Tony and Bruce has worked for, including the ever so faithful, J.A.R.V.I.S. After all is said and done, two new super powers are created. One reasonably good and one pure evil, bent on destroying all of mankind. We learn in this sequel, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) and The Hulk are attracted to one another but for obvious reasons, he is reluctant to persue a relationship.
It all started when the team encountered the twins, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) aka, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, respectively. They have been experimented on by Wolfgang Von Stucker at a Hydra outpost. Pietro has superhuman speed and Wanda can manipulate minds and project energy. From this encounter, Stark and Banner discover an artificial intelligence (AI) inside the scepter gem they recovered and used it to complete Ultron, Stark’s secret Global Defense Program. Once completed, Ultron destroys J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark’s current AI and attacks the Avengers, believing in order to save Earth, all mankind must be eliminated. Ultron continues to reek havoc, creating himself a body, building an army of robot drones and destroying people and cities. The twins started off as allies of Ultron but learn of his plans to destroy all mankind and quickly switched sides. Many agents of Shield, as well as Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Heimdall (Idris Elba) and Agent Carter (Hayley Atwell), make appearances. If you seek action, you’ve come to the right flick. You’ll be on the edge of your seat right up until the very end, common with the Avenger series. James Spader really does a fantastic job as the voice of Ultron. The special effects are spot-on and the story is decent. I understand there’s going to be two more sequels: Infinity War, Part 1 to be released May 4th, 2018 and Part 2, May 3rd, 2019.  James Brolin is expected to play Thanos, who was introduced briefly in this sequel. If you see Avengers: Age of Ultron, make sure you stay for the credits.

GODZILLA (2014) – My rating: 7.5/10

For some reason, Japan and the US has had a long term affair with Godzilla or the idea of a Godzilla.  There have been several movies dedicated to Godzilla, each holding it’s own merits.  This Godzilla has the best special effects I’ve seen since Avatar.  Since this is a fantasy, the plot can be as outrageous as Hollywood can make it.  If I were naming this movie, it would be called Godzilla vs Alien Praying Mantis.  Unexpectedly, Godzilla turned out to be the hero and the bad guy.  A lovely family consisting of a husband, wife and son become casualties of a cataclysmic phenomenon.  Actually the son and father survive.  The movie picks up 15 years later when the son, Ford Brody, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson is grown and dad Joe Brody played by Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad’s Walter White) is presumed crazy.    Once we really get into this story, it’s all over the place.  Since there are quite a few creatures, we are taken to many different locations that are being attacked.  Ford has a wife and son who he is trying to get back to with the hopes of keeping them safe.  Interestingly, the Japanese doctor played by Ken Watanabe, had the same look on his face throughout the entire movie.  He looked shock and disturbed at all times.  I think he was always in think mode and that was how he expressed that emotion.  Just when you think the movie is over, we get a surprise twist.  Godzilla didn’t quite come together the way I wanted it to but it held it’s own.  I was entertained and as I said the special effects were awesome.  If you’re going to see Godzilla, see it on the big screen.  Godzilla 2014 is definitely better than Godzilla 1998 which was a disaster of a film starring Matthew Broderick.