The Raid 2

   Things are kicked off right after The Raid: Redemption ends.  Rama and others have escaped the criminal building and they are out of danger.  So he thought.  Rama discovers he is just getting into his problems as he is sent undercover to prison in order to further infiltrate the criminal underworld that he already put a decent beating on.  Corruption and greed flow through the city and Rama has to get all the way to the top to put an end to it and safely return to his family.
   In typical sequel fashion the plot is much grander than the original.  Instead of the simple plot of a group of cops escaping a building, we are met with a giant conspiracy and several players as they fight for control of two crime families.  The fight scenes are plenty (which adds to the run time of the movie.  Buckle in it's about two and a half hours).
   You'll probably want to watch Redemption first.  The first few minutes can be jarring if you do not remember who all survives and what there role was.  If you're into action movies then that should be no problem.  Get ready for subtitles as well.  It's an Indonesian film after all.

3/5 stars

The Other Woman

   Cameron Diaz might be in the star of the film, but the drawing power of this movie is Leslie Mann.  She shines as the neurotic housewife who learns, unbeknownst to both of them, that Diaz has been sleeping with her husband.
   Mann clings to Diaz because she is the only one that knows about the affair and she needs someone to talk to.  As their friendship blossoms they learn of another girl, Kate Upton, and bring her into the fold.  Together these three women plan revenge against the cheating husband.
   The actual plot of the film is a little thin.  It holds well until the ending that presents an "Okay" climax.  It wasn't unsatisfying, it just could have been better.  Especially considering there were several opportunities presented that could have added a bit more tension to the end.  Instead they go an easy way out and keep to simple laughs.
   Diaz and Mann are hilarious together as they tackle the problems of cheaters, new romance, and a giant dog named, "Thunder."

3/5 stars

Transcendence

   To begin, it's almost refreshing to see Johnny Depp play a more straight role instead of the usual "Jack Sparrow"-ish characters that he's portrayed over the last decade.
   Depp plays Will Caster, a scientist working on developing the first major AI system.  Plans go awry when a terrorist group kill many of the major scientist in that field.  Their attack leaves Caster to a slow death.  His wife, in a desperate attempt, transfers Caster's consciousness into the AI system he was working on.  The result is a new sentient being that leaves the question on who or what it really is.
   The scope of the film is actually larger than what the trailers would have you believe.  The stakes are raised high early in the film, and it leaves you guessing how we get to the end result.
   The biggest problem with the film is the writers weren't sure how they got to the end result either.  It's a little choppy with the film eventually just going through the motions to see it to its end instead of letting the characters organically arrive at their conclusion.
   Regardless, it's a wonderful cast.  (If you're wondering how the movie got such a cast, just look at the producer credits.  You'll notice a certain Mr. Nolan.  Then it all makes sense).  The movie is nothing new or special, but it is enjoyable.

3/5 stars

Divergent

   There is a big problem with a lot of the movies based on books genre lately.  It's lack of explanation.  Either the writers are too lazy or they just assume the audience already knows the answers because they've read the books.  It leaves the movies lacking in character development and world building.
   Divergent is about the world that has been decimated and a rebuilt society that has been broken down into sects.  As a teenager you are given a test to determine your personality and what sect you best belong in.  Then you must choose a new permanent home for yourself either sticking to your current life or leaving your past behind.  Our hero Tes is discovered to being a Divergent.  She does not belong in any specific sect.  She must hide though because the government will kill her if they find out.  So she hides in the most dangerous sect possible not only having to worry about being discovered, but also about getting kicked out and being left homeless, but also gets tied up in a conspiracy to overtake the city.
   The movie is decent.  Girl power is strong in this one (maybe a little too much?), but it's a nice change of pace considering the history of male dominated stories.  There are just a lot of ridiculous scenarios that having you shrugging your shoulders.  I can't buy into the world without better explanation.

3/5 stars

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

   Captain America makes his present day movie debut  this time around.  He now works for SHIELD alongside is Avenger teammate the Black Widow and takes orders from the spy of spies, Nick Fury.  It's a bit of a rebuilding of the Captain America franchise given that most of the cast of characters from the first film are dead from old age.  The newest additions being Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Agent 13.
   The movie centers around the innerworkings of SHIELD.  Fury uncovers a deadly secret that will change the world if he, Captain America, and a handful of others can not stop.  The biggest obstacle in their way is the emergence of the Winter Soldier, a superspy with ties to Captain America.
   The movie is overall very good.  The actors and characters have great chemistry with one another.  Their use of humor in dangerous situations is a nice balance that has come to be expected in the Marvel Movie Universe.
   The ending fizzles a bit with the final confrontation between Captain America and the Winter Soldier.  Also Agent 13 played by Revenge's Emily Vancamp is the most inconsequential character in the whole movie.  She has been built up as a major part even getting her own poster, but she does very little through the movie despite being in it the whole time.
   There is also plenty of setup for future movies.  There are major ramifications with SHIELD, leading to wonder what will happen with the SHIELD tv show.  This could be their chance to show true connectivity between the movies and television.
   And stay tuned during the credits for a taste of things to come in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

4/5 stars