Movie Review: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

If you are looking for someone writing about how this modern cinematic reboot of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. relates to the original 1960's series, you've come to the wrong place. Frankly, the only thing I know about the original is the title, that it was an east meets west spy series, and it starred Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. I am also fairly certain the two relate in only the broadest of terms. With that being said, this new take is actually better than I was expecting. It is not a great film, mind you, but it is a fun stylish modern take on an old formula. Simply put, this was an entertaining two hours in a movie theater.

Movie Review: Kingsman - The Secret Service

When I first saw a trailer for Kingsman: The Secret Service, I was not sure what it was going for; however, seeing that Matthew Vaughn was listed as director, I was certainly interested. The guy has a solid track record, with movies like Layer Cake, Stardust, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class on his resume. The big question going in was what he would bring to this. No, I was not aware of the comic book origins, but it seems to make sense with the over top nature of the tale. It strikes me as a blending of movies like Layer Cake and Kick-Ass, with the result being a spy movie and superhero movie being rammed into each other.

Blu-ray Review: Skyfall

We are know six years removed from the introduction of the new Bond and onto his third outing. It is true when they say third times the charm as this movie is bigger, better, bolder, and perhaps a touch more familiar than they have been in years. This 23rd film in the official series feels very much like one of the classics, yet has a certain infusion of genuine emotion and character that is not seen all that often at this level. It is a fusion of the current run of grittier superhero tales (specifically Nolan's Batman run) and post-i revisionist spy tale. The result is something familiar, easy enough to digest, but still offers a complexity worth spending some time with.