Tag: fun

Jason Bourne: An honest, spoiler free review

Jason Bourne. The ultimate Bad-Ass. Was this movie necessary? Not at all. Was it appreciated. Yes, yes it was.

Worth a Watch?

It’s Jason Bourne, it’s Matt Damon. Enough said. Watch this movie if you loved the trilogy, it’s more of the same. Are you expecting a new Jason Bourne experience? Sorry this isn’t it. The Jason Bourne formula works and is classic.

The Action

If there ever was a movie known for action. Michael Bay may be master of explosions, but Jason Bourne has class. Jason is the weapon and no one is safe. Any inconspicuous object can be turned into a weapon and the newest Bourne does not disappoint. The main setting for the movie is during the Greek Crisis, which I personally thought was a great set up for fight scenes. Bourne is on the move, so there’s plenty of variety in venues and it’s always fun to see Bourne make use of each new situation/environment. Oh, and the car chase. It wouldn’t be Bourne without it. So if you want to feel like Bourne is snapping limbs left and right and actually cringe at the brutality, the movie is worth seeing for the action alone (and let’s be honest, Jason Bourne is all about the action).

The Characters

Jason Bourne is back. Too much Jason Bourne is never a bad thing. The supporting cast is great and serve to push the action along in the typical Bourne fashion. You have the Assassin, the friend, the agency (always out to get Bourne), and the person who plays both sides. Standard cast, nothing you haven’t already seen. The movie gives a little more background into Bourne’s personal life and does a fine job of creating a purpose for Bourne to come back.

The Story

The story, for better or worse, is the same Bourne formula we know and love. Bourne accepts the call to action, is being hunted, sneaks around, fights people, has a car chase, and ultimately escapes. I enjoyed it because it is exactly what I expected. This movie is simply more Bourne.

Final Verdict

I was a little worried when I first heard Bourne was coming out of retirement. The Bourne trilogy is one of my favorite trilogies, so I didn’t want to see the Bourne name tarnished. Matt Damon is also one of my favorite actors, so I expected a quality experience. While the new Jason Bourne isn’t blowing anyone’s mind, there’s plenty of action and I was entertained for the entirety of the movie.

Suicide Squad: An honest, spoiler free review

So Suicide Squad, DC’s answer to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. If you’ve seen the reviews, they’re not great. I saw the movie and by and large enjoyed it. It wasn’t anything spectacular, but it certainly wasn’t a disaster either. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Is it worth watching?

What you really want to know, the reason you’re reading this review. As a longtime DC fan, I’d say go for it. It’s a fun movie, just go in with the right expectations. I was expecting an offbeat, wacky, quirky movie. That’s what I got. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Action

If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve got one. The fighting is run of the mill but there were a few scenes that got me saying “now that’s bad-ass”. Not much else to say, there’s explosions, bullets flying, and lots of destruction.

The Characters

The characters were great, all fitting their respective roles well. My favorite of the bunch was Will Smith as Deadshot and El Diablo came in a close second. Each had enough backstory to keep you in the loop but I’d say of all the characters, Harley, Deadshot, and El Diablo had the most time dedicated to their backstories. Captain Boomerang I could’ve done without but I thought the movie did a decent job portraying his character. Amanda Waller was spot on and played the cold, calculating women we’ve come to know from the comics. Jared Leto makes a decent joker, giving more of a mob boss vibe than a completely off the hinges psychopath. The main villain was a mixed bag. On one hand there was complexity to the character yet on the other hand after the intro of the movie I felt the character was underutilized.

The Story

Everyone hates a cliched story yet that’s exactly what we got. Everyone is looking for the “next big thing” when it comes to movies and I say, “why does every movie have to be bigger and better than the last”? Some call the story muddled, but it’s all about context. This movie is creating a universe, a sort of trailblazer for DC if you will. DC doesn’t  have the luxury of creating multiple films when Marvel has already established a rich universe that is ever expanding. So yes, Suicide Squad is a lot of back story and it may seem like filler and intrusive at times, but from the context of the bigger picture, it has to be done. I didn’t notice any glaring flaws with how the story was structured. This is a very straight forward movie, no twists, no turns. It has a good amount of humor, so that is a big step forward for DC. It juggles grit with humor well. It also humanizes the villains, giving more than one dimension to characters many often dismiss as “baddies”.

Final Verdict

It’s a fun movie. It’s not the big blockbuster everyone will love, but as far as the DC cinematic universe is concerned, it’s a step in the right direction. The characters are fun and complex and while the story is very standard and cliche, that by no means makes it a bad movie. So go ahead and spend ten dollars on the ticket, I thought it was worth the money.

A Key to Success: to tell a…

So , there are many ways to be successful. This happens to be what’s worked best for me and I truly believe if you do this you can find success wherever that might be. What is it? It’s learning how to tell a good story.

Yes, from the dawn of time we have been story tellers. A story can take any form, it can be a painting, a photo, a blog post, literally anything. Let me clarify, just because you have something to say doesn’t make it a story. A story is a process of organizing information, tailoring a message to your specific audience. This audience can be yourself or others. We are constantly absorbing new information and this information is just noise until we break down the noise and organize. So what do stories need?

Stories need focus

One story at a time. Yes we have a lot to say and want to say it all at once, but this almost always ends in disaster. You end up having too much to say and end up spreading yourself too thin. You end up jumping from topic to topic and lose the interest of your audience.

Stories need a message

There is no point in telling a story if it doesn’t have a message. People want application. A story without a message is simply put, a waste of everyone’s time. You don’t tell a joke without a punchline and the same applies here.

Stories need to matter

You must tailor your story to your audience. Some stories are best left untold if they don’t add value to the other person. That’s not to say the story doesn’t matter, but it might be a story for another day and a different audience. If you find value in the story, great, that’s your own personal story. This said, my advice is try to find universal interests to frame your stories. Like, for example, everyone can relate to wanting to feel valued, to know that they have worth. You can tell many stories from this frame, whether that be giving advice through a blog or telling someone how much you appreciate their work and listing specifics.

So there you have it, a simple guide on what stories are and what to watch out for so you’re not giving people word vomit. I would like to note that this post is just one story. There very well has probably been another blogger who’s written about telling stories and reached a completely different outcome. Life isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about valuing the differences! Now go out and tell your story (or stories) whatever that (those) may be! Thanks for reading!

Two steps forward, one step back

So here’s an idea. Everyone knows the old saying, “one step forward, two steps back”, right? Well, I say let’s challenge that. Life comes down to perspective. Let’s break down the saying itself. Who in their right mind has ever taken one step forward and two steps back? No one. Isn’t it more likely for a person to take two steps forward and one step back (maybe to turn in a new direction). That makes sense. Why would you ever believe a saying that doesn’t even make literal sense? It’s a logical fallacy.

Moving Forward:

The first step – As it goes, the first step is getting started. If we want to get anywhere, we must take the initial step. This step is the foundation. The first step allows us to take the second step. If we only take the first step, we get nowhere.

The second step – In a perfect world, I’d say that the first step is just as important as the second step. That it comes down to perspective and that it really depends based on the situation. It doesn’t. The second step will always be more important than the first step. That said, without the first step the second step would never exist. The second step is what pushes us further. It is putting the decision in motion and giving us a taste of what to expect.

One step back – This is the turning point, the point where you choose whether or not to take the third, forth, five, etc. step. Think of it as a pivot, it’s not really a step back but rather a rotation, a change in priority, even a change in purpose.

So there you have it, a fun little musing of a common saying. I plan to do more of these “common sayings perspective shifts” but until then go take a few steps into the unknown. Learn from your mistakes  and you’ll always be moving forward. Thanks for reading!