This movie is suited and booted, and I think the majority of critics were wrong about this action packed sequel.
(Twentieth Century FOX)
Some minor spoilers, like the littlest of spoilers, mostly stuff from the trailers.
Okay, so I’m a little late to the Kingsman: The Golden Circle party, and after the reviews came out, and it’s sitting at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, I was honestly surprised by this. I know going into any movie you shouldn’t look at reviews or take that into consideration what they say when deciding what movie you want to go see. Critics should never decide if you want to go see a movie or not, or have that impact how you feel about a certain movie. People often fall into this trap, and sometimes I even do it myself. Maybe that’s why I put off seeing this for about 2 weeks, and I’m happy I finally sat down to watch Kingsman, because I had a really great time doing so. After its 2015 predecessor, the sleeping hit that was Kingsman: The Secret Service, fans from all over the world fell in love with Eggys (Taron Egerton), Merlin (Mark Strong) and Harry Hart (Colin Firth). This was a commercial success, and it left people wanting more, so FOX decided it was in their best interest to green light a sequel, and here we are, 3 years later with The Golden Circle. This was number 7 on my most anticipated movies of 2017 list, so when the negative reviews came pouring in, I found myself kind of in shock. The first Kingsman was so well received and it was just something new and refreshing. They had managed to take all the coolness of James Bond and blend it perfectly with a Kick-Ass kind of vibe, and making into not only funny but so action packed, that it was kind of like nothing we had really seen before.
So the gang is all back, yes Harry doesn’t die after being shot in the face, and they actually do a great job telling us how he survived. That was not a spoiler, because they show him in the trailer! Why I put the spoiler warning in, they kill Roxy (Sophie Cookson) who was so good in the first one, she had great chemistry with Taron, and I was really bummed they did that. I feel like this is Kingsman so theres a chance we may see her again somehow, but I don’t know, I feel like she really got the short end of the stick here. Also that prick Charlie (Edward Holcroft) from the first one is back, and once again he does a bang up job of playing a real prick. One of the reasons I was so excited for the sequel is when they released the all new cast members, which included; Channing Tatum (Agent Tequila), Jeff Bridges (Champ), Julianna Moore (Poppy), Halle Berry (Ginger) and Pedro Pascal (Agent Whiskey). That’s a star studded cast if I say so myself, so this had all the makings to be a great sequel. So here’s the rundown Poppy is the new baddie and she’s out to destroy the world, so when she rids the world of Kingsman, Eggys and Merlin are left to fend for themselves, so they cross the pond to good old America, Kentucky to be exact, to their cousin agency The Statesman for some much needed assistance.
My biggest fear going into the movie, was having it feel bloated with sequel fatigue. You know, bigger and better. I don’t think that happened, I just don’t think it was a great overall story line. One thing this franchise does so well, is create great and unique characters. Characters you feel invested in, and that you ultimately care about. It was the same old, “save the world, kind of situation” but it just felt a little more watered down. One thing I will say, this movie felt a lot more cartoony and comic book like, than the original. I’m all for the larger than life villain, that was one of the best things about the first. Samuel L Jackson did such a good job in that role. But having Poppy have robot dog guards just felt like a little too much, and at the end of the day, she seemed way less intimidating than Jackson’s character did. I just kind of wanted a more physical villain for the heroes to fight, she has her henchmen, but I think this franchise could really get a boost if they have a stronger villain next time around. I don’t want this franchise to stop, it’s not doing really well at the box-office, but it certainly deserves a third installment.
Director Matthew Vaughn once again brings the action, and does so in spectacular fashion. The over the top violence returns, and at times it almost feels like we are watching a music video, in the sense that the violence is going along to the rhythm of the music and it works really well. Any movie that plays “Lets Go Crazy” by Prince is alright in my books. I honestly thought the last action sequence was the best one of the entire series, and some of the most fun I’ve had at the movies in 2017. It’s a ton of fun, and Vaughn did such a spectacular job at making this movie work. I don’t know why it’s getting such hate, I thought this was a great popcorn flick. The humour is back, and pair it with the great action sequences, I think its a real shame that people aren’t getting out to see this movie.
A major highlight that I did not see coming was Sir Elton John. He plays himself, and saying that he would be a stand out in an action movie, well I can’t really believe I’m writing it. He was great, and had some of the biggest laughs of the entire film. So kudos to Sir Elton. I really hope FOX doesn’t do away with this franchise, there is a ton of potential hear, especially if they take their time and get back to the drawing board. Channing Tatum isn’t in it a whole lot, but they make it seem like he could be a huge part of this universe. I want to see what he can bring to Kingsman, and I honestly think they owe it to him. I’m happy I walked out of the theatre smiling, and realizing that you should never take anyone else’s word on a movie, just go in with an open mind and see for yourself. This is a perfect example of this. Really hope we can get a Kingsman trilogy.
Check ya later.
Nate’s Movie Tour Review – Kingsman: The Golden Circle = 77/100
Under water cars, bazooka suit cases, and dope suits, I’m in!
(FOX)
Have you ever wanted to see Channing Tatum and Elton John in the same movie? Well the wait is finally over with Kingsman: The Golden Circle! So I waited around all day yesterday for this bad boy to drop online and it never did, not until I fell asleep that is. So this was a really nice treat to wake up to. One of my most anticipated movies of 2017, and the teaser trailer didn’t disappoint. Hey, any trailer that’s got “My Way” by Sinatra is good in my books!
Okay, I will be blunt I was hoping for a little more from this trailer. I still have no idea if Tatum is going to be a bad guy or not, and really have no clue what this movie is going to be about. But what we did get to see was pretty awesome. I love how colourful this movie looks, from the suits to the cinematography, I just really like how everything looked in the trailer. It appears that The Kingsman will be heading across the pond to the U.S after their headquarters gets blown to bits, and that’s where we will meet our new cast members; Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Elton John, Halle Berry and Julianne Moore. So I’m excited to see what they all bring to the table, especially Tatum, because he’s never played a villain before so that will be awesome to see! One of the best things about the first Kingsman were all the cool gadgets and guns and from what we see in the trailer they aren’t holding back! Imagine trying to get through TSA with that suitcase, well you might need that if you’re flying United.
All the old gang is back, including Harry (Colin Firth) now sporting an eye patch, curious to see how he survived his fate in the first one, but I’m excited that they brought his character back to be honest. The director Matthew Vaughn is back and I’m glad because he’s one of the best action/comedy director working right now, and I felt switching directors for the sequel would have been a bad move on FOX’s part. These movies have all sorts of fun, and the action is bonkers and they really push the limits but with a franchise like this, that is to be expected.
Like I said, I wanted more from this trailer, but I can’t honestly can’t get to worked up over that because this movie isn’t due out till the fall. From what we did see, I’m glad I put it on my most anticipated list because this movie looks so promising and if it’s anything like it’s predecessor I will be truly happy about that.
So let me know if you’re excited for Kingsman? And if you enjoyed this trailer!
Goodbye 2016, hello 2017! At last, the year from hell is over! 2016 in many people’s eyes will go down to be an all-timer, in the worst way possible. For popular culture junkies like myself, I will never forget it. We saw so many influential people leave us, and movies disappoint us (I’m looking at you Batman V. Superman) that when the clock struck 12 on December 31st, we all rejoiced that it was officially the start of a new year. That being said it wasn’t all-bad in 2016; if you’re reading this, you probably love movies as much as I do. Movies are a great way to escape for a few short hours and be reminded just how extraordinary something can truly be. While there were many disappointments in 2016, I’d just like to thank certain films such as; La La Land, Moonlight, Arrival, and Nocturnal Animals for restoring my faith in Hollywood, after what was a lackluster summer, to say the least. That’s all behind us now, and I’d like to share the ten films I’m most anticipated to see in the year 2017!
10 Stephen Kings IT director/ Andres Muschietti
Beep beep Richie! Are words that haunted me as a young child. The 1990 made for TV movie adaptation of Stephen King’s famous novel brought the terrifying Pennywise the clown to life. Personally, I think the original still stands up today, and I’ve come to appreciate it more as I’ve grown older. Andres Muschietti is coming off a stellar directorial debut with Mama and hopes Bill Skarsgard who’s playing the infamous clown will bring the same magic as Tim Curry did in the 1990 version. I’m not usually one for horror movies, as I believe they have shifted in a weird direction, but there’s just something about this movie that feels right. Boasting a great young cast especially Finn Wolfhard (Mike from Stranger Things) and Jaeden Lieberher (Midnight Special) makes this seem even more promising. I’ll admit that I was a little turned off from the photos of Pennywise so far, but I can’t let a few pictures determined how excited I am to finally see this movie on the big screen. My goal for this movie is for it to be successful enough that we get the adult sequel and that I don’t regret putting it on my list.
9 Power Rangers director/Dean Israelite
Nostalgia, Nostalgia, Nostalgia. Don’t judge me on this one; the original had a lot of my firsts. First toy I can remember, and certainly my first crush (thank you, Kimberly). When I first heard they were remaking the Power Rangers into a feature film I didn’t think much of it. The 90’s TV show can be summarized as a poppy, cheesy afterschool kids show. So it was hard to fathom how they were going to translate that onto the big screen. Lionsgate has really flipped Power Rangers a complete 180 degrees, with it looking very dark and gritty from everything we have seen thus far. For some, this is the biggest criticism of the movie, but I think it’s the perfect direction to take this franchise. The trailer gives off a very breakfast club meets Chronicle vibe and I’ve been intrigued ever since. The folks behind the new movie have been rolling out promotional images of the movie here and there and the new look Alpha 5, Zords, and even the rangers who are looking a little too Iron Man-ish have me thinking that they are taking Power Rangers in a whole new direction. The biggest surprise for me would have to be the casting of Bryan Cranston as the giant floating head Zordon. Why on Earth would he choose to be in this movie? Does it make me believe there’s a chance this movie could be good, well maybe but sometimes actors just need a payday? The thing I’m most excited about is without question is Elizabeth Banks playing the villain Rita Repulsa. At least from the trailer and all the images we have seen it looks like she’s all in on this role and I couldn’t be happier about it. This has all the makings of being a horrible crapfest, but that’s not the point of the list. I’m excited to see what this movie could be, and I’m even more excited to see just how bad this movie could truly be. IT’S MORPHIN TIME!!
8 War for the Planet of the Apes director/Matt Reeves
“The irony is we created you. And nature has been punishing us ever since”.
First, it was just apes, then apes on horses and now you’re telling me apes on tanks?????! The apes are back baby, and this time it means war! This movie is going to be bittersweet for a lot of us, seeing how it will certainly be the last time we get to watch the great Andy Serkis do his thing as Caesar. This franchise has done so much for motion capture performances; it’s taken them to a whole other level. The first Apes was a great movie, the second was extraordinary and this could be the cherry on top of the trilogy sundae. This has all the makings to be a great trilogy, maybe even one of the best ever. Matt Reeves is back in the directors’ chair for the second time for this franchise and this time around he’s bringing Woody Harrelson. Who looks menacing as hell as the villain along for the ride. I loved what I saw in the first trailer and visually these movies just keep getting better and better. The apes look breathtaking and I just can’t say enough about what Andy Serkis has accomplished for the motion capture industry. These movies have done wonders for the lure of the planet of the apes, and with some rumors that this final installment might have some ties into the original movie, it intrigues me even more. I’m going to miss Caesar and I hope this movie will be the sendoff he deserves. Side note: I really hope they bring back Koba, that guy was awesome!
7 Kingsman: The Golden Circle director/Matthew Vaughn
I remember back in 2014 walking into Kingsman and not thinking too much about it. I heard it was a fun time at the movies and was based on a graphic novel, so I said to hell with it and gave it a shot. As soon as the opening credits hit and Money for Nothing, Chicks for Free by Dire Straights came on, I knew then in my heart I was going to love this movie. Kingsman was fun, full of incredible action (YouTube the church scene and you can thank me later) and it didn’t take itself too seriously. I love being surprised by movies when they go beyond your expectations; it’s just a really great feeling to have when walking out of the theatre. Now 3 years later, here comes Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and I couldn’t leave it off my list. Matthew Vaughn is returning and he’s on a little bit of a role with, Kick-Ass, X-Men First Class, and Kingsman respectfully. The entire cast is back but you’re telling me Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, and Channing Tatum are being added?! This only wets my beak even more. Not a whole lot of information is known about the plot or whom the new cast members are playing, with things being very tight-lipped around the project. What I expect from this sequel is more of the same, great laughs, really good action, and most importantly a great story and awesome new characters being thrown into the mix. This has serious potential to be one of my favorite films of 2017!
6 Dunkirkdirector/Christopher Nolan
In the latest Christopher Nolan movie, he will be heading to World War 2 to tackle the historic battle of Dunkirk. Let’s face it, when Nolan steps up to the plate it’s an event at the movies. He’s a filmmaker through and through and what you are watching is a spectacle you have to go see to believe. Whether it was the Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, or his latest film Interstellar the man knows how to make a movie. If you know history, well you know Dunkirk does not end well (spoilers) so I’m curious to see how Nolan is going to pull this one-off. We got a great war movie in 2016 with Hacksaw Ridge, but Dunkirk will be packing a little more of an emotional punch, seeing how brutal and violent that battle was. There’s just not much more to say about this movie, visually it will be stunning, tremendous acting and it’s going to be an emotional time at the movies. In the end, it’s Christopher Nolan doing a war epic, I’ll be there opening night.
5 Alien: Covenant director/ Ridley Scott
In space, no one can hear you scream, but they might have heard me yelling in the theatre as I sat and watched Prometheus. What was there not to be excited about, it was Ridley freaking Scott back directing an Alien movie, and boy did it not sit well with me.
The poster alone got me excited for this movie, because as a huge alien fan, it told me everything I needed to know about this movie. I think it was the best movie poster of 2016. Then early Christmas morning FOX decided to drop the trailer for the next installment in this franchise and OMG this movie is going to be bananas. It’s everything I wanted Prometheus to be, it looks like Ridley Scott is taking it back to what made Alien so successful, suspense, gore, horror, and most important of all ALIENS. The trailer is so well put together that I don’t need to see anything else to know that I’m going to enjoy the crap out of this movie. I want to be on the edge of my seat when watching an Alien movie. I want to be a little scared and this looks like it’s going to fulfill those needs. The cast alone is just out of the charts with talent, but the person who I think is going to steal the show is none other than Kenny Powers himself Danny McBride. Actually, James Franco is in this too, so maybe this is just some crazy high and it’s somehow a Pineapple Express sequel, there’s only one way to find out. Fun fact, Terry Hall from The Mighty Ducks is in this, I honestly thought he made one movie in his life. Who knew?
4 Logandirector/James Mangold
First off, props to Ryan Reynolds for leaking that Deadpool footage, because without doing so Deadpool is never made and without Deadpool, the world wouldn’t be getting a rated R Wolverine movie. This isn’t your grandma’s Wolverine here folks; it’s a whole new ballgame. This will be the most brutal, violent Wolverine yet, something we really haven’t seen since the mansion scene in X2. If watching that trailer synced to Johnny Cash’s Hurt didn’t get you fired up for this movie then something is wrong with you and you should see a doctor immediately. The trailer gave me all the feels and made me realize just how much I’m going to miss Hugh Jackman playing this role. This trailer really knocked me on my ass, and it’s something as a Wolverine fan I’ve always wanted to see. This is it for Hugh Jackman as the beloved character, it’s his kitchen sink performance you could say, he’s going to be throwing everything he’s got at this one, and for some, it’s going to be an emotional ride. He’s been playing this character for almost 20 years now (that’s insane), and this movie is going to be is swan song. I’m excited to see where this movie takes the X-men lure, and how it’s all going to play out in the end. Based loosely on the Old Man Logan story from the comics, this movie finds Wolverine teaming up with Professor X one last time to save a young mutant much like Wolverine from falling into the wrong hands. One thing that intrigues me about this movie is the Professor X storyline part, part of me thinks he will just be in Wolverine’s mind the entire time, and I can’t wait to find out if I’m right or not.
3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol: 2 director/James Gunn
“Showtime A-holes”
The gang is back! Marvel’s misfits are returning after the 2014 smash hit that up until this year’s Civil War I considered to be the best all-around Marvel movie. This time around Star-Lord is finally getting over his daddy issues and is in search to hunt down the man. Fully loaded with another awesome mixtape, the whole gang is returning but this time we are getting the ever so cute Baby Groot!. James Gunn is back directing (duhhhh) and he cares so much about these characters and franchise that I don’t think anyone else could direct this movie. The trailer alone sold me on this movie, it looks tailor-made for me, and with Chris Pratt promising this would be the biggest most epic scale movie we’ve ever seen on the big screen. I can only hope they follow through on that promise. The humor seems to be back, and the dynamic between the Guardians is something that’s almost rare in movies these days. It’s a massive science fiction, fantasy blockbuster that just feels right. Everything from the trailer looks like it’s popped right off the pages of a comic book and it just looks fantastic. I only have one concern about this movie, and it’s a little thing but I just don’t want them shoving Baby Groot down our throats for the entire movie.
2 Star Wars: Episode VIIIdirector/Rian Johson
The force will be strong with this movie. The Force Awakens did a great job bringing back Star Wars into our lives, all the beloved characters that people hold so dear in their hearts. It was the perfect way to set up this new universe with all the new characters and immersing them with the old. Everyone knows that this movie will be pulling on heartstrings whenever Carrie Fisher graces the screen, regardless of how much she will be in the movie. The Force Awakens did exactly what Disney and JJ Abrams wanted it to do, and that got everyone excited again about Star Wars. Now the real fun can begin with Episode VIII, and this movie is going to take Star Wars in a new direction, one that people really haven’t seen before. People are going to want this movie to be the Empire Strikes Back of the new trilogy, for me I just want it to be something new and fresh. Let Rian Johnson take this franchise to places it’s never been before and do things we aren’t accustomed to when it comes to the Star Wars universe. The director Rian Johnson knows how to make a great science fiction movie, Looper was such a unique and original story that I don’t think I would be as excited for this if he wasn’t sitting in the director’s chair. Obviously, everything is very hush-hush about this movie, but one thing is for certain and that is the return of Luke Skywalker, and I’m pumped to see Mark Hamill back on the screen playing the role that made him famous. I’m curious to know where they will take his character and ultimately just who has Luke become.
1 Justice Leaguedirector/Zack Snyder
OHHHHHH BABY!!!! Here we go folks; it really is due or die time for WB and the DCEU. Just like Eminem said, “if you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted. In one moment, would you capture it,
or just let it slip”? If I were to say no other DCEU movie had come out, and this picture of the Justice League was released and this was the first thing we ever got to see from WB, people would lose their minds. That’s not the case, we have gotten three stinkers in a row now and time is running out for them to turn this ship around. There is so much riding on the success of this movie, and I’m just not talking about financial success here people. Let’s try to get a DCEU movie fresh on rotten tomatoes, shall we! Saying all that, we can all agree that Batfleck crushed it as the Caped Crusader. Now they are introducing the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg into the mix and from the trailer, it at least looks like they are on the right path. I just can’t be walking into Justice League a super confident person, because I have seen the three previous DCEU movies and I just don’t know which Zack Snyder will be stepping up to bat (pun attended). The Justice League is the greatest superhero team-up of all time, and we are finally going to get to see that on the big screen, something some people have been waiting to see their whole lives. A nice change in tone, shifting away from the gloominess of BvS will do wonders for this movie. People need to care about these characters and want to see more of them when they are done watching Justice League and have people talking about whether they will be more excited for the next DC or Marvel movie. For the love of god please don’t screw this up Zack Snyder that’s all I ask of you, sincerely the entire world.
Well, there you have it, my most anticipated movies of 2017. I have a feeling 2017 is going to be a tremendous year for movies. If I did this list for 2016 all of my favorite movies from the year wouldn’t have even made the list and that’s what I love so much about movies. You just never know what you are going to love and which ones you are going to hate until you see them.
