TMNT: Out of the Shadows (2016)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

Spyro Rating: 7,4 /10 as "turtle power" 

Director: Dave Green 

Stars: Megan Fox, Stephen Amell, Noel Fisher, Alan Ritchson

More details on IMDB and Wikipedia 

Out of the Shadows (2016) was released two years past the first movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014). The sequel is both different and better compared to the first film as this time the production got things "the right way" under a different director and additional cast members.

The Turtles who saved New York during the first movie, chose not reveal themselves to humans. Being different, makes them fear that they cannot be accepted by the world. Yet fate has it that they are needed to save everyone once more.

Film making is an art that evolves by learning from own mistakes. Leave aside the new director and expanded casting, the first movie mostly failed expectations because it kept trying to make sense of things that cannot make sense. The sequel did not overthink things and just used the characters as every comedy should, that is by shooting funny moments.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows trailer #1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows trailer #2

Snowden (2016)

Snowden (2016)

Spyro Rating: 8,0 /10 as "a whistleblower" 

Director: Oliver Stone

Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Rhys Ifans, Nicolas Cage

More details on IMDB and Wikipedia 

Edward Snowden is the man who in June 2013 changed our world as the importance of facts he revealed. His actions are still debated in his country whether he is a hero or a traitor. Regardless of what one's believe in that matter, the personal story of what made Snowden's mind is very interesting and we already got a couple books released and this movie too.

The authors described their story presentation as a "dramatization of actual events that occurred between 2014 and 2013". Edward Snowden did not get to decide what will the movie include but he provided information to book authors, director Oliver Stone and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This film is a must watch if you are trying to get the story strait.

It might end up as a case of a man who will remain exiled for the rest of his life while in contrary history will regard him as a hero. To my mind we should thank Edward Snowden because he provided proof in how those in power violate everyone's freedom. Today that sentence no longer gets discarded as "conspiracy theories" and some governments have walked baby steps to solve things.   

Snowden (2016) trailer

The Dark Tower (2017)

The Dark Tower (2017)

Spyro Rating: 6,8 /10 as "needs remake" 

Director: Nikolaj Arcel

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Idris Elba, Katheryn Winnick

More details on IMDB and Wikipedia 

The Dark Tower (2017) film is a canon sequel to the well known Stephen King's novels. For people like me who haven't read any related book, the movie made some sense overall. However, as with every movie inspired by Stephen King's books, there are few plot holes that may be explained only in books or may not be explained at all.

A young boy is having the same nightmares all over. While asleep he witness apocalyptic events from another dimension and the scary figure of Matthew McConaughey is there.  Every morning he wakes up, draws what happened, his mother gets worried and sends him to shrinks. No surprise, it turns that those nightmares are more than just some bad dreams. 

Watching this film I understood why book fans were disappointed. The ideas that came from source material are solid and this movie could have done better with those ideas. As for the future, there are sequel plans for both another movie and in addition a series so we may see something more one day.

The Dark Tower (2017) trailer

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Spyro Rating: 8,5 /10 as "fun with zombies" 

Director: Ruben Fleischer 

Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

More details on IMDB and Wikipedia 

The first film Zombieland (2009) is my favorite zombie movie period. Naturally the sequel Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) is a film that I expected to enjoy prior watching it and it did not disappoint. Both movies are top recommendation for a day you want good comedy. After all, zombies are more interesting when they make you laugh.

The plot is very simple, all four main characters need to survive the zombie apocalypse. Woody Harrelson does that by being a bad ass, while Emma Stone is taking the survivor's approach. The most unique planning is the one by Jesse Eisenberg as he compiled a huge list of rules that you have to follow to the letter if you plan on surviving.

It took ten years to get this sequel and was as well received as 99 minutes had been added to a favorite movie. Hardcore fans are happy again and we finally forgot the 2013 nightmare when Amazon tried to release a series under different cast. Thankfully those series never got past the "pilot" and now it is erased out of existence as we got a proper movie sequel.

The Rules
1: Cardio	21: Avoid Strip Clubs
2: Double Tap	22: When in Doubt, Know Your Way Out
3: Beware of Bathrooms	23: Ziploc Bags
4: Seatbelts	29: The Buddy System
6: Cast Iron Skillet	31: Check the Back Seat
7: Travel Light	32: Enjoy the Little Things
8: Get a Kickass Partner	33: Swiss Army Knife
12: Bounty Paper Towels	36: Sunscreen
15: Bowling Ball	42: Keep Your Hands to Yourself
17: (Don’t) Be a Hero	52: Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help
18: Limber Up	53: Wet Naps

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) trailer