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KIRK: Let me explain what's happening here. You are a criminal. I watched you *** innocent
men and women. I was authorized to end you! And the only reason you are still alive...
is because I am allowing it! So shut your mouth! // (heavy sigh) Serious accusations
Captain... but tell me, what was the deal with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier? // We
all make mistakes. // Exactly my point. So if you want to know why Hollywood keeps making
sequels, let me convince you of the truth. // Give me one reason why I should listen
to you. // I can give you 101... because This is Movie Night!
Hello and welcome to the season four finale of Movie Night, YouTube's most-viewed movie
review show, I'm your host, Jonathan Paula. Tonight we'll be reviewing three brand new
sequels, parts 12, 3, and 6 of their respective franchises (several of which have been reviewed
here before): as well as an early review of an upcoming heist feature. But lets begin
with a look at "Star Trek: Into Darkness".
Released worldwide in May of 2013 - this $190-million dollar science-fiction action film, the twelfth
entry in the long and illustrious "Star Trek" franchise is poised to break a profit only
a week into it's American run. Directed by the extremely popular J.J. Abrams, this PG-13
rated space adventure, like its predecessor, is a re-imagining of the optimistic and exciting
future Gene Roddenberry so expertly crafted in the 1960's TV show. Part remake, part reboot,
and part sequel, the latest tale of the USS Enterprise is an effective blend of everything
we go to the movies for, and is tremendous fun because of it. Joining the excitement
mid-mission during a thrilling cold open, we're reintroduced to Chris Pine, Zachary
Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, and Bruce Greenwood:
all returning for the roles they were so perfectly cast-in for 2009's "Star Trek". Thankfully,
each of them get enough screentime to shine, and strut their often amusing personality
quirks - a perfect embodiment of what made the original characters so iconic: especially
Pine and Quinto, whom, dare I say - showcase better chemistry than their aging counterparts
did. It's hard not to have an emotional connection to these well-defined characters as the film
effortlessly slides from light-hearted action to its dramatic conclusion. Joining the cast
is Alice Eve, an extremely sexy science officer ostensibly introduced as a eye-candy, but
rarely featured; Peter "Robocop" Weller as a Federation admiral whose curious motivation
and unenthusiastic delivery make him mostly an afterthought; and finally Benedict Cumberbatch
who positively steals the show as the picture's primary villain: a fiercely intelligent, well-spoken,
and cut-throat adversary who challenges our heroes to their deadliest showdown yet. When
he taunts the Enterprise crew by maniacally asking, "Shall we begin?" - the tension and
anxiety are ramped up considerably as the impeccably paced adventure flies along, despite
some confusingly edited battle sequences. Scored wonderfully by Michael Giacchino, the
sharp and witty writing makes the exciting material accessibly to all audiences - brought
to life by incredible visual effects by ILM, from the super cool warp-speed shots to the
seamless integration of exotic locations and the actors that inhabit them: with fewer annoying
lens flares than the previous installment. Containing a number of throwbacks to past
entries, like a glimpse of the NX-01 prototype ship from the "Enterprise" TV series, an appearance
by a fury tribble, or a shameless cameo by Leonard Nimoy. Although the 132-minute picture
relies a bit too heavily on tired ticking-clock mechanisms to maintain tension, a hectic space
jump sequence, that sees Pine slaloming between space debris wearing only a thin suit, is
undeniably thrilling. A 2nd-act reveal abandons established cannon and reasoning with a shocking
development for non-fans, but it's unmotivated and pointless otherwise. The final minutes
are gripping, emotional, and wonderful to watch unfold, as the picture plays homage
to the original series. Best experienced unspoiled, this feature is one I thoroughly enjoyed,
and will definitely watch many times again: but it isn't without flaws. A slight improvement
over 2009's reboot, this is easily the franchise's strongest entry... I can't wait for lucky
thirteen. "Star Trek Into Darkness", a "Gripping blockbuster fun. Trek's best." Now lets hear
your thoughts from the YouTube comments.
Our scores for "Star Trek Into Darkness" on the rate-o-matic... TWO NINES.
Praising Cumberbatch, the visuals, and humor, 72% of the vote was split between the highest
scores, you thought it was AWESOME. So far, the best film I've seen in 2013, and while
I loved the remake/reboot blend, I was definitely annoyed by the irrelevant twist. Still, it's
a supremely entertaining popcorn film that gives me hope J.J. will make "Star Wars 7"
work. I too thought it was AWESOME. Next up, "The Hangover Part III".
The supposed final chapter of the unlikely trilogy was released nationwide on May 23,
2013 - and produced on a budget of $100 million by director Todd Phillips, returning for his
third picture. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helmes, and Zach Galifianakis are back as the wolf
pack in their most contrived adventure yet, after newcomer bad-guy John Goodman sets up
the lengthy exposition. The string of goofy hi-jinks and escapes takes us from a giraffe
beheading on the highway, to a prison escape in Bangkok, to stealing gold form a Mexican
villa to fighting with angry roosters in Tijuana, to reuniting with old friends from part I
(Heather Graham and Mike Epps), to repelling off the side of Caesar's Palace in beautiful
Las Vegas. While many of the funniest moments were ruined in the trailer, it's great to
catch up with these familiar characters, even if the extremely annoying Ken Jeong as the
foul-mouthed Asian troublemaker is an acquired taste. After his Oscar-nominated turn in "Silver
Linings Playbook", I suspect this role may now be a bit beneath Cooper, but he and the
rest of the cast all do a fine job with the outlandish material: which feels more like
a lighthearted caper picture than a true comedy. The first movie was inventive and original,
the second a shameless rehash, and the decision to do something different here is commendable,
but results in a much unfunnier vibe. Indeed, there's no actual hangover until a post-credits
sequence: and is honestly the best part of the whole R-rated movie. Because the investigation
/ heist style plot bounces around so much, the 100-minute feature isn't able to maintain
consistent pacing, or urgency. Not a film I'm dying to watch again, but certainly not
one I regret seeing: this is a decidedly average comedy that fans of Galifianakis or Jeong
will likely enjoy. But for those not amused by their unwilling criminal exploits and misadventures,
this experience feels more like a chore with likable protagonists, who are thankfully far
more redeemable than in previous installments. A quick montage at film's end is a terrific
nod to the earlier movies, and a fitting ending to the trilogy. A well-made comedy that inspires
more chuckles and smiles than actual laughter, "The Hangover Part III", is "Amusing resolution
to crazy nonsense."
As with most new releases, we don't have any audience feedback for this one, but I am scoring
"The Hangover Part III" a FIVE. If you've seen the first two, you should consider seeing
this as well. It was enjoyable, but never impressive, the text-book definition of an
ALRIGHT film. And now for tonight's poll question: what's the best film trilogy? Leave your responses
as a comment below. Third up tonight, "Fast And Furious 6".
The sixth entry in the inconsistently titled ensemble action/racing franchise, this $160-million
dollar entry from director Justin Lin was released worldwide on May 24, 2013. With nearly
everyone from Fast Five returning, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker again reprise their now well-defined
characters in their fourth, and five appearances respectively. The gang of street racers turned
international heist criminals are brought out of retirement exile by DSS agent Dwayne
Johnson, who promises pardons and information on the previously deceased Michelle Rodriquez
in exchange for help taking down newcoming villain Luke Evans - a undeveloped bad-guy
hell bent on chaos and cars for reasons never actually explained. Regarding the sexy tomboy,
and his former lover, Diesel explains, "You never turn your back on family... even when
they do." The series that started off with a slightly original racing movie, before disappointing
with two irrelevant follow-ups, the "Fast" franchise has come roaring back with parts
four, five, and six - effectively a new trilogy in their own right, and a damn entertaining
one at that. This 130-minute extravaganza ramps up the stakes and speed to the next
level, constantly flirting with realism in the process. Seeing these characters risk
their lives in one big budget action set-piece after another is undeniably entertaining and
often hilarious; Tyrese Gibson and Chris Bridges bring plenty of comedic relief, resulting
in many laugh-out-loud moments. For the uninitiated, there are many references to earlier pictures,
and while a flashy opening credits montage showcases the best moments of yesteryear,
I'd recommend against seeing this PG-13 picture before the others. Coming full circle with
the fourth title, the acting, music, tempo, and visuals are all top-notch: and Lin's directing
keeps the fast-paced thrills easy to understand and follow; especially one awesome sequence
where the group uses a Mustang as an anchor to takedown a car-crushing tank speeding down
a highway. Later, a climatic chase on an impossibly long runaway sees our seemingly invincible
heroes defying physics when they attempt to crash a giant cargo plane. Keeping in fashion
with previous entries, a post-credits sequence gives further backstory to a scene in "Tokyo
Drift", by setting up an applause-worthy cliffhanger for the already confirmed 7th installment.
An almost self-aware, over-the-top thrill ride with plenty of babes, explosions, hot
rods, and excitement - this is a ridiculously enjoyable and rewatchable movie, even if it
is occasionally brainless popcorn fun. "Fast & Furious 6", "Unbelievable action that's
furiously exciting." Now lets read a few of your comments from YouTube.
The rate-o-matic with our scores... an EIGHT and a NINE for "Fast & Furious 6". Delivering
exactly what it promised, you really enjoyed this movie, calling it GREAT. I've been a
fan of this franchise since the beginning, and its only gotten better as its evolved
over the years... on par with Fast Five, I thought it was AWESOME. Now, in a first ever
for this show, lets review a film that isn't even out yet, "Now You See Me".
This Louis Leterrier magician-themed caper film is set to be released on May 31st, 2013
- where it'll be lucky to earn back its $70-million dollar budget. The ensemble all-star cast
is led by Jesse Eisenberg and Mark Ruffalo, and includes *** Harrelson, Isla Fisher,
M�lanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Dave Franco, and Michael Caine; all of whom do a good job
with the limited material. The plot follows a group of poorly defined, and rather interchangeable
illusionists who pull off a series of daring and perplexing bank heists, and then proceed
to play cat-and-mouse with the authorities and their hapless marks. The first act of
this clever116-minute drama is fast, inventive, and interesting: which goes against convention
by featuring the big heist early on. Even the featured magic tricks are neat, and actually
work on the audience. After the magicians are taken into custody, the always neurotic
Eisenberg taunts the FBI by quipping, "You have nothing up your sleeve, and you know
it". From there, the film descends into an inconsistent, poorly-paced, and even confusing
story - including a 25-minute stretch where the protagonists don't show up. There's no
dramatic irony either, as most of the misdirection and clever illusions are unknown to us as
well... making even the coolest parts of the movie feel like surprising gimmicks rather
than a meaningful plot device. A pseudo-intellectual investigative thriller that pretends to be
a thinker, this PG-13 movie is ultimately a disappointing one: no matter how well-acted
or directed it is. The visuals however are clean and captivating, and Brian Tyler's score
keeps things dramatic... but there aren't any characters worth rooting for - all of
their action seem motivated solely for sport. A last-minute Kaiser-Soze-style twist adds
nothing but contradictory confusion to what was already a lackluster adventure, ensuring
audiences will be more annoyed than entertained. An average, and generally unbelievable movie
I probably won't watch again, this movie still provides for some fun - especially if you're
a fan of the actors involved. "Now You See Me", "Inconsistently interesting illusions
and drama."
Now, my score on the rate-o-matic... a FIVE. I was definitely expecting more from this
intriguing premise and talented cast, but I it was an average, and forgettable experience.
I thought it was ALRIGHT. Now, as we wrap up season four, lets take a look at your thoughts
on movies currently playing theaters.
If you see a new movie in theaters, Tweet your review with the #JPMN hashtag, as we
continue our on-going conversation about movies during the summer. Be sure to follow me on
Twitter or Facebook for updates between episodes, and to help decide upcoming reviews. As the
show takes its annual summer break, rest assured, I won't be going away entirely: I hope to
post at least one episode a month, focusing on some of the bigger, and more anticipated
films released between now and November. I just want to take a hiatus from the weekly-grind
while I focus on some new projects and old shows for this channel (which I was finally
able to officially rename to "Jogwheel"). Much of this show has changed since I first
launched it in 2009, but film has always been a passion of mine, so again, I'd like to thank
you for your continued support over the years, and making this YouTube's most viewed review
show -- just this season we reviewed over 100 films together. Also, I'd love to hear
your suggestions on which films you'd like to see me review in future episodes. In the
meantime, please subscribe to the Movie Night Archive channel for exclusive trailer commentaries,
and an organized library of all our past reviews. My name is Jonathan Paula - thank you for
watching Movie Night, I hope to see you, right back here for the next episode!