All in Disappointing
Colin Trevorrow's JURASSIC WORLD
What is on display here is a technocratic approach to filmmaking driven by a checklist of sights, events, and characters that a committee decided need to be on display.
Luc Besson's LUCY
Still, the movie is worth a watch especially for the first half or so. But eventually the silliness overwhelms the acting, editing, and wonderful production values. Lucy at the end reaches for spectacular profundity but lands with the thud. We’ve seen it all before.
Shinji Aramaki's SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK
There’s so much eye candy displayed you almost forget about the labored exposition and hackneyed plot.
Bryan Singer's X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
But with a movie like X-Men you get the sense that there is just too much of everything — too many characters, too many action scenes, too many speeches, too many forgettable details.
Gavin Hood's ENDER'S GAME
The first half of ENDER’S GAME plays like every “raw recruit boot camp” movie you’ve ever seen, punctuated by sequences about paintball in zero gravity.
I'm Giving Up On UNDER THE DOME
I loved the book. To say I’m disappointed with the TV series would be an understatement. I’ve watched 5 or 6 episodes so far (via Amazon Prime) but I think I’ll stop there.
J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS
Having grown up reading the science fiction of Clarke, Heinlein, and Asimov, the original Star Trek TV series always seemed unsophisticated and juvenile.