Steve Jobs

LOGAN ***1/2
Danny Boyle returns to make an engrossing biopic about Steve Jobs.  Portrayed by Michael Fassbender, we see what kind of a man Steve Jobs was, his brilliance as well as his faults.  Michael Fassbender gives, arguably, the best performance of the year so far, as he transforms into the computer mogul that tries his best to revolutionize the tech industry.  The rest of the cast was great too, each being invested in their roles backed by another great screenplay by Andy Sorkin to boot.  These elements combine to make Steve Jobs a very fascinating and enjoyable movie.  It knows when to be funny, and it knows when to be intense and serious.  And it is intense!  The movie is separated into 3 moments in Steve Jobs' life, and I would say the last part is the least engaging, as you've already caught on to the pattern and it basically follows the 2 previous acts step-by-step.  Plus, there are some arguments and flashbacks in the movie that can be very hard to follow because they move so fast.  However, with all that being said, "Steve Jobs" is intense, funny and fascinating and certainly should be in the running for best picture at the Oscars at the end of the year.

BRYCE ***
CHASE ***
LANDON ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

The Martian

LOGAN ***1/2
Ridley Scott's latest movie is another sci-fi flick, only this one is a lot more light-hearted than those he's made in the past.  This is a good thing.  "The Martian" could be described as a cross between "Cast Away" and "Apollo 13."  Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars and has to not only find a way to survive, but figure out how to communicate with NASA.  Usually this would be tragic, but the movie is surprisingly really funny, as Matt Damon pulls off a great performance as this brilliant scientist trapped in an extremely difficult situation.  The other cast members do a really good job too, such as Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Eijofor and others.  Even though some of the movie felt pretty slow, and definitely could've been trimmed a bit, it really gives you a connection with Mark Watney.  You feel like Mars is a place that you would like to visit and avoid all at the same time.  It's interesting, funny, and engaging: a must-see movie.

BRYCE ***
CHASE ***1/2
LANDON ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***

Pan

CHASE *1/2
Going into this movie, I wasn't expecting much from "Pan."  I felt that telling a story about Peter Pan, even if it is an origin story, felt a little stale.  But the more I thought about it, the more I felt that a story like that could potentially breathe some fresh air into the classic story.  Unfortunately, it felt like this movie did everything it could to get in the way in of that potential, which is a shame because I felt that there were some people involved that actually tried in what was ultimately a failed project.  The story, obviously, is about how Peter Pan came to Neverland and became the person we all know and love.  I will give the movie this: there are moments that actually did work.  There are some settings that looked pretty cool and I thought the actor who played the titular character, Levi Miller, made a good Peter.  Also, I honestly think the guy who played James Hook wasn't half bad, but I think that's a personal preference.  Everything else, especially from a screenwriting and visual stand point, was appalling.  One huge aspect of the movie that personally drove me nuts is that they turned Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, into a prophesied "chosen one" type of character.  This wouldn't bother me so much if the majority of the plot didn't hinge on that aspect.  It felt lazy and they made him more important than they should.  On top of that, the CGI,  and all the special effects in this movie sucked.  Most of the creatures and stunt work looked so incredibly fake and even laughable that it took me out of the experience.  Overall, "Pan" is not a good movie by any means. I suggest that you skip it, even if you are a fan of Peter Pan.

Pawn Sacrifice

LOGAN ***
Director Edward Zwick, who directed of one of my favorite movies "Glory," has brought us a story about the man considered the best chess player of all time, Bobby Fischer.  The story shows his amazing skill in chess, as well as his extremely paranoid attitude towards pretty much everything.  Toby Maguire portrays Bobby Fischer, and he did a great job in the role, capturing the eccentric genius that Bobby Fischer was.  The rest of the acting is well done also.  The tension of some of the chess games can be pretty thrilling, and it's just overall an interesting story.  However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bored a little bit in some parts.  I was checking the time during a few stretches wondering when the plot will get moving.  But the biggest flaw with the movie is that there isn't much of a connection we can make with Bobby Fischer on an emotional level and the one of the biggest reasons for this is his paranoia.  I still don't fully understand why he's so paranoid, and the movie doesn't really focus on that nearly enough in the beginning.  Nevertheless, this is a compelling story that I recommend watching.

CHASE ***
LANDON ***

BANGERANG SCORE: ***