Mike Goes To Movies

The Old Guard (2020) TLDR: Immortal and yet still unable to elevate this one past your standard run-of-the-mill action flick. Netflix's newest romp-and-stomp, The Old Guard, based on the comic series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, may give you that temporary adrenaline fix you crave but, ultimately, it is fairly standard fare that will likely come and go like so much other contemporary content. The Old Guard is about a small group of immortals who, throughout history, have acted as a for-hire squad. The team is led by Andy (Charlize Theron), the oldest (and most badass) of the four. The film centres around a plot by a business man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who seeks to expose the group's incredible power so that another more-cruelly minded business man may distill and capitalize the group's immortality. At the same time, the group becomes aware of a brand new immortal (Kiki Layne) whom they attempt to integrate into their way of life. The concept - while not en...

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Fact: Mad Max: Fury Road is the zenith of the modern day action film.  For a while the prospect of a Mad Max sequel - a whopping thirty years after 1985's Thunderdome - did not sit well with fans. The famous role was going to be recast, and writer/director, George Miller,  really had not had a major success since the original Mad Max films (other than the Happy Feet movies... yes, he really did make those). All of these points lead to more than a little trepidation about rebooting the cult classic series. How wrong we all were... Unlike action of yesteryears, today's action is high-octane: filled with fast action and fast-cutting. While this style has often been criticized for it's lack of continuity, choreography and grace, when utilized well - as in the recent Mad Max - it becomes an exhilarating and unrelenting adrenaline rush. Secondly, Mad Max uses CGI in the best way possible, which is for enhancement. It is almost impossible t...

A visual showcase of some of the finest performances from the 2000's: