Chappie

THE PITCH



Chappie - HD Trailer from Nueplex Cinemas on Vimeo.

WORTH

$$$$1/2

THE VIEWING


"The problem with artificial intelligence is it's way too unpredictable."

"Chappie: Why did you build me to die maker?
Deon: I didn't. I built you to live."

    Seeing the trailer for Chappie I initially became mildly interested.  No doubt it looked great visually but I had zero confidence in the director Neill Blomkamp [District 9] . Well, maybe I shouldn’t say zero because all offences were made up with Elysium… errr, made even.  So there is this great unknown when it comes to his work.  Will there be this over-the-top ending or will the conclusion complement the story?   

  Artificial Intelligence films seem to always have the same conflict.  A.I becomes evil because that Intelligence is so much better, so much more efficient than that of humans.  Naturally we [humans] become “in the way”.  Therefore the higher intelligence must eradicate the obstacles in the way of ‘superior’ intelligence.  That or A.I robot is outcast and needs help adjusting to real world adaption and it becomes an adventure.  Then there is the Man vs. Machine conflict that doesn't necessarily have to include AI.  All though Chappie may have a few of those characteristics in the story, it doesn’t seem or feel like the same type of AI flick.

   Remember the movie D.A.R.Y.L. (one of my all-time faves) or Short Circuit, or even the movie A.I before it got controversially weird at the end?  Well, just like Chappie we become extremely endeared and  involved with the main character.  Not very original material but the execution of the story and the script was just amazing to watch.  Even more surprising is that the main characters are really a South African rap group with no acting experience at all.  Their attempt at “gangsta” mannerisms were comedy to me at first but now that I know who the actor and actress are I can see now see that it was the cultural quirks and oddities that felt a little odd.

   For Sci- Fi aficionados Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics held true.  I had some serious questions about Chappie’s “learning process” and other computer code commands that were used but now I admit that it was the cynic in me.  Forensically analyzing the little bit I know about computers to what was going on on-screen.  

    All-in-all I am very impressed with Chappie. So glad I saw this film in the theater.  I would most definitely recommend spending theater cash and concession stand money as well.

Worth Watching.

letter grade: B+

Get Hard

THE PITCH



GET HARD - DOMESTIC TRAILER 2 from Seismic Productions on Vimeo.

WORTH

$

THE VIEWING

"Sad Dog. I think that's a strategy that could work, don't sexually harass me I'm already sad..."

       I thought that I may have unfairly compared Get Hard to other comedies that had a good buzz and delivered. Reality is… I didn’t. This was just a bad movie.  This movie gave me three grins and they were spaced out evenly through the duration of the film.  

   I won’t waste time with a lengthy review.  Honestly it was a waste of great comedic talent.  It felt as if they were making it up as they went along.

   I can take crude humor but the “bathroom” scene took it way too far.  I actually had to look away from the screen. Enough! Let me wrap this up.

   Not Worth Watching.  I can not even recommend renting this.  Such a shame too, so much untapped potential.

letter grade: D+