CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "CREED"

Director-Ryan Coogler

Last Looks

I heard a lot of good things about Creed so I decided to check this one out. Normally I do not like franchises after they get passed the third movie because production companies seem to sell out a good story in favor of just pocketing a quick buck. I have always been a big fan of the Rocky movies so I don't want to see anything that is going to ruin the memory of the previous films. Director Ryan Coogler and lead actor Michael B. Jordan both had tremendous success in Fruitville Station which I loved. So let's see if they can rekindle the magic in Creed or will this movie fall flat. 

Breakdown

Adonis Johnson, the illegitimate son of former legendary world heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed wants to start pursuing boxing professionally. Since Johnson never knew his father he does not want to get ahead by utilizing his Dad's name. Not getting anywhere in Los Angeles, Johnson moves to Philadelphia and seeks out Rocky Balboa his fathers former adversary and companion to become his trainer. Reluctantly Rocky agrees as a favor to his fallen friend and soon the two develop a father son relationship. Soon word breaks through the media that Johnson is in fact the son of Creed and a meeting is set up quickly between Johnson and now world heavyweight champion Ricky Conlan to sanction a match between the two because his name alone would deliver ratings and a huge payday. New to the game, Johnson is going to have to overcome every obstacle to fight and be victorious against the best boxer in the sport today.

Nose Candy

"You are your father's son you are a part of him but you don't have to be him"-Mary Anne Creed

"Time takes everybody out its undefeated"-Rocky Balboa

"One step one punch"-Rocky Balboa

"Im not training unless you get the treatment if you don't fight i wont fight" - Adonis Johnson

"Knock that son of a bitch down"-Rocky Balboa

Style Points

Adonis shadowboxing in the shadows of his father's youtube clips

The freeze frame of showcasing a boxer and his accomplishments did so much more then 

just saying them

When Adonis was first knocked out there is a nice sideways shot on the ground

I loved making the classic Philadelphia run more new school with kids following Johnson on four wheelers

Role Play

Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Johnson) Jordan is quickly becoming the "It Guy" for young african american actors. I think he has the potential to be a box office mainstay and  transcend barriers that make big movie companies reluctant to casts black actors as the face of a film. Johnson underwent an incredible physical transformation for his role as his performance was superb.

Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa) I think getting Sly to do the movie was probably the biggest obstacle. Having him in this film brought so much legitimacy to this project and also speaks to how well the script was to make him want to do it and not tarnish the original Rocky legacy. Sly may never change his expression but his words cut skin deep and came through as always with epic one liners. Great job in a supporting role.

Tessa Thompson (Bianca)- I haven't seen much from her prior to this but I thought she held her own amongst such movie heavyweights. Thompson was great with giving Adonis more humility and making him vulnerable at moments when he needed it. Hopefully this will be a breakthrough role for her as I thought she was a great love interest.

Money Shot

The final fight was shot beautifully with creative elements such as Johnson walking to the wrong corner after taking a beating and the slow motion blood splatter. Then when Johnson was knocked down a montage of all of the things in his life that motivated him to get to this point. If the talk before the final round doesn't make you wanna get up beat the hell out of someone nothing will. I thought they did a great job of making Adonis look like the underdog with his eye swollen shut. Sly was great with his emotional tale about how he should have 

stopped the fight where Apollo Creed died and he needs to stop this fight to make up for it. Johnson countered miraculously letting him know that he wants to prove to himself that he was not a mistake. As the classic Rocky music hits you are end from one hell of a finish.

Random-How stunning does Phylicia Rashad still look? After all these years she still has a face like Claire Huxtable. Black don't crack!

Final Touch

Creed is a great film. Normally I don't like remakes or continuations of great franchises because they can never come close to the original however Creed did an exceptional job of honoring the past as well as creating their own lane for it's version to develop and be prosperous. I liked how they modernized the story by utilizing youtube and I cloud references. Also they had a nice crossover aspect by incorporating actual ESPN shows and anchors to make the fights seem more real as well as the characters. Creed is not just a boxing film there is a great story about a young man who is constantly trying to prove himself and his search for a father figure as well as his purpose. This film teaches how to overcome over any adversity that life seems to throw at you and stand up to your skeptics. There is drama and redemption that will have you rooting for the underdog to win.

SPOILER ALERT- Also the ending was perfect as Rocky and Adonis walk up the legendary Philadelphia steps. I thought using the old school camera was great to add a nostalgic effect to this scene as both characters seem to find a new outlook on life and a drive to always keep fighting.

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "STRAIGHT OUT OF COMPTON"

DIRECTOR-Felix Gary Gray LAST LOOKS-Growing up on the west coast I have always been a huge fan of gangsta rap and the godfather's of the genre NWA who spearheaded that movement. I was definitely  ecstatic when I found out they were coming out with a feature film as normally movies  based on musicians have been relegated to just television networks lately. It's great that  the company said they would pay for extra security to have order at the screenings.  There are a couple of moments that would make you not want to be seen wearing a badge at the theater if you know what I'm saying. The problem with police brutality in our nation has seemingly not changed in the past 25 years which is another underlying theme in this movie. NWA were just speaking the truth on problems affecting our society and were true voices of a generation. So lets see if Straight out of Compton is worth  changing your avatar. THE BREAKDOWN-5 young men from Compton, California overcome all odds to become  pioneers in gangsta rap and icons in the entertainment industry. Early on the group  were trailblazers voicing problems that effect youths in everyday society however with newfound success generates problems as once close friends turn into enemies as they learn the consequences of a greedy music business on their way to superstardom. NOSE CANDY "Im the Barry Gordy of this shit!" Easy-E "You never know what you need until you need it"-Shug Knight "You can't harass my clients because of what they look like"-Jerry Heller "You can't put a price on piece of mind"-Ice Cube "We have guns from Russia and drugs from Colombia and we dont have passports" -Easy-E STYLE POINTS-This film definitely captured the essence of late 80's early 90's California  lifestyle, some of the cooler spots was the Godfather meeting between Ice Cube and  Jerry Heller and the inclusion of footage from the Rodney King beating and slow motion  rolling through Los Angeles riots. MONEY SHOT-This actually may not be the best scene in the movie but was clearly the most entertaining which was the scene in the hotel where a jealous boyfriend swings by to pick up his girlfriend who was partying with NWA. This scene was very well shot as they went with a one take throughout a wild hotel party. Also we may have gotten a glimpse from the origin of the now notorious phrase "Bye Felicia." It's funny how that term is used  so frequently in pop culture but very little know about its inception as a throway line from  the first Friday.I fell out laughing as me and only a handful of others in the theater actually got  the hidden joke in this scene. Nice. COLD JAMS-Lost in all of the success of the film was the release of Dr. Dre's first musical project in 15 years "Compton." We may never get Detox but at least we get some dope  songs that will provide good car music for the next few months. Some of my favorite songs from the NWA/G funk era are "Express Yourself" "Jackin For Beats" and  "Nothing But A G Thang" ROLE PLAY Jason Mitchell (Eazy E) I thought was very charismatic and was clearly the jokester of the group. He also was able to be deep as he had a very emphatetic scene where he found out he had aids which was believable. Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre) Another good performance here. I think the movie somewhat  centered around Dre's charachter. There was a very good scene where Dre found out  his brother died that was extremely well executed. O'shea Jackson Jr. (Ice Cube) Its scary how much he resembles his dad. There were moments i actually thought I was watching Ice Cube. The scenes where he was recording  Amerikkkas Most Wanted were exciting as he probally had tears of experience preparing  for this role. He definitely did his pops proud. Paul Giamatti (Jerry Heller) The master manipulator Giamatti has always been good in  playing bad guy roles. I think what made this performance special was how he was  made out to be a caring manager towards Eazy until the truth finally comes out.  Considering Giamatti clearly had the most acting experience in the film he did a  good job of leading as a veteteran especially the scene where he had to defend  NWA against a team of corrupt cops. RANDUMB-I think it is impossible to find an actor that can ever play Snoop Dogg  he is way to charismatic and unique. Actually wouldn't have minded if he played  himself just for kicks. FINAL TOUCH-Straight Outta Compton has become a pop culture phenomenon. In outstanding depiction of the rise to power for 5 young mcs who changed the  game forever. Even if you are not a fan of rap music I think viewers will find the film  very entertaining and inspiring. I think its great that artist such as Ice Cube and Dr. Dre  have now transcended rap and have become successful entrepreneurs laying the  blueprint on how artists should utilize their craft to ascend to new levels of success.  The performances by the cast were exceptional and the plot provided an in depth  analysis of the worlds most dangerous group. Straight out of Compton is Straight  remarkable and is definitely a must see.

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "THE AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON"

Director-Joss Whedon  LAST LOOKS Finally the pinnacle of all action super hero movies has returned. The first Avengers broke the box office all the way to becoming the third highest grossing film in cinema history. Comic book movies have really taken over the movie industry lately and have dominated in ticket sales. You have to give credit to the Marvel/Disney regime for presenting the Avengers in a cool and innovative way. One they give each Avenger hero their own movie, to tell each individual story and also The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D television show also gives another glimpse inside of the organization as a whole. As far as presentation Marvels Avengers are leaps and bounds ahead of their competition leaving other genres such as DC comics scrambling to throw together a franchise as good and successful as theirs. Huge hits such as Iron Man 3 and Captain America Winter Soldier has kept the genre fresh as of late. Marvel has done a great job of not giving us viewers too much to get fatigued but just enough to keep us wanting more. So lets see if Marvel can Avenge their title as top super hero movie franchise.  THE BREAKDOWN Tony Stark and Bruce Banner activate a dormant program that will help save humanity however things go haywire forcing all of the Avengers to reassemble to battle the evil Ultron. Ultron is a villain who has the power to recreate himself over many times and is hellbent on destroying Earth. STYLE POINTS Of course there were so many awe inspiring effects in a movie of this magnitude. Damn the story sometimes you go to a theater just for the pure excitement of witnessing visuals you couldn't even imagine. Some of the spots that stuck out for me were, Scarlet Witch hitting the avengers and going back up towards the door Hulk turning back to David Banner The futuristic look of the agents of shield headquarters. Blur focus as the Avengers attempt to lift Thor's hammer Speed through and slow motion of Ultron getting hit Mind control Ultron vs Ultron  Nose Candy "Sometimes exactly what I want to hear is not exactly what I want to hear"-David Banner "What if aliens rolled up at the club and couldn't get past the bouncer?"-Ironman  "I miss the days where the weirdest thing science ever created was me."-Captain America "Im just a guy looking for a needle in the worlds biggest haystack."-Ironman "When the world starts to settle god throws a stone at it we have to evolve"-Ultron "If you get killed walk it off"-Captain America "Human beings are fearful and in need of protection. But then that fear can inspire them to do great things" -The Vision "He's multiplying faster then catholic rabbits!" - Nick Fury "Everyone creates the thing they fear. Men of peace create engines of war. Avengers create invaders. Parents create children, that will supplant them"-Ultron "This is exactly what I wanted all of you vs all of me!"-Ultron ROLE PLAY-Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Hayley Atwell, James Spader, and Samuel L. Jackson. In an ensemble cast as huge and with as much star power as this movie possessed it is often difficult for everyone to get their proper time to shine. I think Avengers definitely attempted to humanize the characters this go round. I think giving an inside look into Thunderhawk's family was a nice touch. Although the budding relationship between The Hulk and The Black Widow did seem odd and out of place. I maybe being picky but I don't think Tony Stark was not as witty and had as many punchlines as in previous movies. The Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver were cool characters but to me did not add that much to the film and weren't really necessary. Of course Samuel L Jackson was great and cashed in on another movie as he is fortunate enough to never have that well dry up. Hands down I think the best performance goes to James Spader as Ultron. I thought he had a great villain outing and had some really good dialogue. I can't say enough about the writing as there were an array of memorable lines in this film. Missing Person Alert Where is Low Ki! MONEY SHOT A lot of epic fight scenes to choose from the Hulk vs Iron Man and Captain America vs Ultron on a moving bus. But I'm going with multiple Ultrons vs The Avengers main battle. Basically all of the over the top sequences and cool effects you would expect from any super hero movie. But this one was just as sweet. The only problem with the scene was after all of the incredible fight visuals beforehand this one kind of seems like a repeated scene. FINAL TOUCH Director Joss Whedon claimed he had a difficult time making this movie because he struggled with trying to top himself from the first Avengers. I think he far more exceeded expectations with this film. Really this was an awesome experience. The only thing about this film is that I feel at times it focused too much on character development to set up for the next film. Never the less Avengers Age of Ultron does not disappoint with epic fight scenes, stunning visual effects and funny moments. Marvel raises the bar again with a super powerful cinematic experience! -CALEB RAVES

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. VS MANNY PACQIOU"

LAST LOOKS

Finally the fight of the century between 2 of the best pound for pound fighters is finally coming to fruition. This generations thrilla in minilla will finally take place May 2nd 2015 and the world coudn't be anymore in a frenzy. For the longest it seemed as though this fight would never happen. After Pacquiao refused to take a blood test and ultimately sued Mayweather in 2009 the odds of this bout actually occuring decreased dramatically. There was also the added tension between the two as Pacquiao won fighter of the decade and Mayweather voiced his disapproval. With multiple reasons putting the fight in jeopardy, both men began to move on to other opponents and began to criticize each other publicly. This is a battle of two fighters with with different agendas. I don't think Mayweather was ducking Pacquiao contrary to popular belief I just think Mayweather wanted to wait until the opportune moment for him in order to generate the biggest pay day possible. I must say I dont know if the allure of this fight is still as vibrant as it once was a few years ago. Seeing Pacquiao get knocked out took away that cloak of invincibility he once possessed. Also with both combatants getting older many wonder if they would be able to perform the way they were capable of a few years ago. Pacquiao regained his dominance over the past year. The stars alligned one night in Miami with the two at a Heat game where they were both in the same place at the same time and they were finally able to put aside all of their differences in order to make this dream fight a reality. You have two fighters that couldn't be any more different. You have the flashy and boastful Money Mayweather against the humble and reserved Manny "Pac-man". All of these combustible elements the clash of the titans that was 6 years in the making is finally upon us. 

THE BREAK DOWN

A star studded event as celebrities from Jay-Z and Beyonce to Michael Jordan to Andre Agassi and Donald Trump have all found a way to be up close for this once in a generation affair. What a scene to have this much star power under one roof at one time. 

Jamie Foxx then sang the national anthem out of tune but his charisma more then covered up for it.

Great video package on both fighters prior to the bout I think this set the stage for people who are not casual boxing fans to get an inside glimpse of what all the hype is about and the magnitude behind this historic confrontation. 

Pacquiao is out first as he walks out with Jimmy Kimmel and takes a selfie. Simple but effective. I think Manny is business as usual as I dont really think he cares how he comes out but how well he performs. Pac man comes out to a strong ovation. The media is not even attempting to be bias as majority of them are Filipino and are expressing their admiration for Manny. During the fan vote Manny won by a considerable margin as I think it is evident that he is the fan favorite as also I think people enjoy rooting for the underdog. 

Out next is Mayweather. You have to be one bad ass fighter to look tough walking out with Justin Bieber and Burger King. Interesting Burger King would allign themselves with Mayweather with all of the controversy surrounding him but from a marketing standpoint was brilliant. Mayweather is known for having these outlandish over the top entrances and does not dissapoint here. Mayweather enters to a sea of boos but I think he really does not mind being the villian in the bout as long as he is getting paid.

Round 1-The bell rings, here we go the wait is over. Both competitors feel each other out to start. Mayweather wins first pretty convincingly Pac looks extremely frustrated. 

Round 2- Mayweather takes second Pac tries to land a bunch of offense at the end to no avail. Mayweather has great defensive tactics here. 

Round 3- Pac goes all in on a left as he knows that this is the only way he can win. Money begins holding. Another good ending for Pac as he takes round 3 with his aggressiveness

Round 4- Pac starts to get busy as he connects with a huge left. Mayweather starts to defend he nails a few jabs but not enough as Pac evens it up at 2-2

Round 5- Mayweather is back with a great combination however round goes to Pac. Floyd keeps saying "nope" as if he is not getting hit. Admitting is usually the first step 

Round 6-See round 5 

Round 7-Mayweather starts jabbing all kind of ways then Pac connects with another hard left. 
Quiet round 7 but Mayweather takes 7 for me. 

Round 8-Mayweather takes the next round as he prevents Pac from doing any major damage this is very close big connects from both guys here.

Round 9- Floyd lands and holds good at keeping Pac from doing anything in this round too.

Round 10- I'm going with Manny I think he had Mayweather in the corner for some good hits. Pac is trying to to be aggressive but cant nail the ones he needs. 

Round 11- Floyd goes in on a jab flurry. This one goes to Mayweather though. Pac is clearly frustrated as I think he is now starting to realize that this is over. 

Round 12- Last round to me goes to Mayweather nothing special in this round this fight should go to Mayweather easily.

Your winner Floyd Money Mayweather Jr. 

NOSE CANDY

Pacqiou-"I thought I won the fight"

Mayweather "Nope!" 

FINAL SCORE

And just like that, it is all over. After all of the media attention, after all of the promotion after 6 damn years that was it. Honestly I I don't think the fight was bad. It was not more than I personally expected. I do feel however the general population were disappointed because of unreal expectations wanting to see a "down goes Frazier!" Knock out moment. You know who is not disappointed? Floyd Mayweather who took home 140 million for winning this fight. At the end of the day its not about if you people want refunds because you paid to see it and I think that's good enough for the money team. "Don't fuck with the money team!" I got an indoor pool and an outdoor pool... don't get me started where is Ray J when you need him. Honestly its not about who ever won or lost because Mayweather fought a strategic plan and executed to victory. Pacquiao failed to make the necessary adjustments and was completely dominated in the second half of the bout which led to his demise. Mayweather did his job he showed up he won and he got paid. No really Mayweather got paid. So whats next? Mayweather has stated how he plans on retiring after his next fight. Things began to take a turn for the worst when Pacquiao stated he had a shoulder injury that prevented him from competing to the best of his capability. This whole thing has turned ugly now with Pac man getting hit with a major lawsuit for not saying anything about the injury prior to the fight. At this point how difficult it was to put together the initial bout, I can't imagine the formula it will take to put together a rematch. I actually enjoyed the fight. I thought it was actually very entertaining but with the aftermath Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacqiao will probably be remembered as more of a nightmare then a dream fight.



-CALEB RAVES

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "KENDRICK LAMAR-TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY"

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CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "FAST AND FURIOUS 7"

DIRECTOR-James Wan LAST LOOKS- Racing back into theaters is Furious 7. It's incredible how one of the longest action movie sequences has been able to stay so popular over the past decade plus. It's interesting to see where the theme is going to go now as Fast and Furious seemingly made the transition from being an underground racing flick to an international heist thriller. But somehow with good story lines, fresh faces and lots of riveting entertainment the Fast Franchise looks to be back better then ever. I was really saddened to hear of the death of leading man Paul Walker as I think he was a good actor and obviously an instrumental role in the Fast and Furious movies seeing he has been involved since the very first one. He will greatly be missed. The show must go on however as I think Walker would have wanted it too. Much respect for the entire Fast and Furious crew to come together and still complete the project after such devastating news. From a storyline aspect the Fast Franchise left off in a scene from Tokyo Drift where Han died in a racing accident or so was it?? We learned at the end of Fast 6 that he was actually killed by a new character Deckard Shaw the big brother of Ethan Shaw. Wow just when you thought this anthology couldn't possibly go on any longer they always have some sort of twist that keeps us as viewers interested. That is extremely important in movies that have multiple successors not to be completely redundant. Great job by the Fast and Furious team by coming up with fresh exciting plots and character development that engages interest. Strap in! BREAKDOWN- The Fast and Furious crew are being hunted by Deckard Shaw(Jason Statham) who is out for revenge for his baby brother Owen. Toretto(Vin Diesel) and O'Conner(Paul Walker)  is then introduced to Petty (Kurt Russell) a special ops leader who offers to help the fast team obtain Deckard in exchange for helping him retrieve a female computer hacker named Ramsey. She is the creator of a device called Gods Eye, a program that can track a person using any digital device in an area who was abducted by a gang of thieves.  NOSE CANDY  "I put a hurt on him so bad his momma woulda wished she kept her legs closed"-Hobbs "Wanna know how to kill a shadow shed a little light on it"-Petty "2 things that keep a group together fear and loyalty and I don't sense a drip of fear from any of you"-Ramsey "Would you believe I knocked him out of my charm?"-Letty  "If we're going to be in a war we are going to fight it on the streets we know best" -Torreto "Thought you could leave without saying goodbye?"-Brian O'Conner STYLE POINTS-Mr. Wan thank you for figuring out why the camera was invented as the abundance of ass shots of beautiful women were well on display in this movie. No but for real I think it was great that this Fast film went back to the essence of what this film was predicated on which was underground street racing, fast cars even faster women and felt Wan did a great job of recapturing that initial look at race wars. Even though there was the only street race in the film Wan made it very spectacular. The fight scenes were excellent. I love girl fights as Rhonda Rousey and Michelle Rodriguez squared off for an epic encounter. Rousey is on her way to superstardom as I feel she has the talent that can transcend MMA. The dream fight sequence between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham was also done real well as The Rock delivered a sick rock bottom that was Wrestlemania worthy. The ending fight between Diesel and Statham was awesome with the music and usage of big sticks. Unreal. Of course the free falling out of the airplane with cars was awesome as well as the car going through the two towers was cool too. As unrealistic as a lot of the scenes that happen in this film are they are shot masterfully and are intriguing to watch.  The shot where Walker was on the bus leaning off a cliff was well done as it made the whole theater shift no exaggeration. The party in Abu Dhabi was great with the upscale attire and the girls spray painted gold. Sometimes you close your eyes and can Invision a great set and in this case I dont think the result couldn't have come out any better than they imagined it. Some other cool shots included the traumatized shot of O'Conner in the mini van. The Parkour from one of the thieves in the cellar as I feel Wan did that intentionally to win me over. Watch out for a nice zoom out shot on Paul Walker as there is a close up on his face and the camera pulls out to reveal this rugged staircase. COLD JAMS- The music during the final fight between Toretto and Shaw was something you would hear during an epic gladiator battle. Everything always sounds better with a little opera. Also "When I See You Again" was well done by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth. I can predict this being the "pour out some liquor for my fallen homie" anthem for the foreseeable future. ROLE PLAY-Vin Diesel(Dominic Toretto)Always looks good in these mega action movies also I thought he was set up real good for his epic one liners. Paul Walker (Brian O'Conner) I dont know if this franchise will be the same without Walker. He always added a level headed cool swag to these films and will greatly be missed. Also good use of camera angles for Paul Walker's brothers in this film too as it must have been difficult to pull off but did an amazing job in their brothers absence. Great call by the Fast staff to allow Walker's brothers to work those scenes in his memory. Dwayne Johnson (Luke Hobbs) Even though he was injured for majority of the film the "muscle" of the group never dissapoints when he goes attitude era Rock with how bad he is going to beat your ass quotes. Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz) very believable as far as being the bad ass tough girl but also has the ability to be vulnerable and really sweet as well. The scene where she regained her memory and professed she remembered that her and Dominic were married was incredible work. Jordana Brewster(Mia Toretto)-I think its a shame she did not get to kick some ass in this film but I liked her sentimental side as she was believable in her attempt to lure Brian away from the Fast lifestyle. Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pierce)-always adds a humerus aspect to these films as he always holds his own in huge blockbusters. Chris (Ludacris) Bridges- A multi talented guy. Bridges is not just "the token rapper" in movies. I think he has long proved he is a good actor and takes the craft very seriously. Luuudddddaaaa! Kurt Russell(Agent Petty)-Adding a veteran to a franchise like this was a good move. Russell added that voice of reason to the gang and also some wise humor. Jason Statham(Deckard Shaw) An ass kicking machine like he is in all of his movies. He came off very creepy and remorseless. We get to see Statham in movies like "The Expendables" where he holds his own very well amongst his peer. this movie is no different as Statham was perfect for the antagonist role. Money Shot- With all of the fast cars, big explosions and epic fight scenes, I'm going with the Paul Walker tribute at the end. I think that in action movies you try to steer away from scenes that are too sentimental but in this instance given the circumstances it was only fitting. The heartfelt words by Vin Diesel really hit home as he and Paul Walker recreate the ending scene from the original Fast and Furious movie as both of their cars ride off into the sunset going in separate paths. Touching.  Final Score -Whoo that was a lot of fun to watch. This is probably the best time I will have at a movie theater this year. James Wan's hands were all over this film. I thought Wan as a director did a great job of honoring the essence of the previous fast films as well as having the vision to turn it into his own. I don't care about the plot holes, entertainment wins over logic any day in my book. I don't know where the Fast Franchise could possibly go from here but the series did leave the door open as Deckard Shaw didn't die and is incarcerated. I also appreciate the fact that the Brian O'Conner character was not killed and was masterfully wrote off as he wanted to retire from the fast life and spend his time as a family man. If you're looking for pure excitement that's going to leave you on the edge of your seat you wont be disappointed. Furious 7 takes off real quick and for 2 hours never let's up!

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "WRESTLEMANIA 31"

Last Looks

I know I'm a nerd but I have always been a huge professional wrestling fan. I don't care if its fake its real to me damn it! Really I think there is a great amount of athleticism and  performance capabilities to this grappling art and I have a great deal of respect for sports entertainment. It's Wrestlemania season but for some reason it feels like Christmas in July. The special aura for the showcase of the immortals has just not been there this year. Mostly due to a lackluster build with rare appearances from part time talent who will be in main events this year has prohibited this Wrestlemania from being must see. There are matches I really want to enjoy such as Sting vs HHH and Taker vs Wyatt, but honestly up until Brock Lesnar broke the news he had signed a new contract earlier last week I wasn't excited to see the World Heavyweight Championship match. I knew it had been predetermined that Roman Reigns was winning this match since last years Wrestlemania and WWE had went all in on trying to put Reigns over and making him the next face of the company. I am a huge Reigns fan and think he has the "It Factor" but creative has not done him any favors by shoving him down our throats and writing him awful fairy tale promos. Now with the news of Lesnar's new contract it at least puts the doubt in our minds that Reigns is actually going to lose. A lot of different scenarios and I'm pretty much ready for anything at this point. Lets get Ready to Rumble!

Ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship
Wade Barrett vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper vs Daniel Bryan vs R Truth vs Dean Ambrose vs Stardust

The spot fest we all thought it would be. I hope that with all of the participants going after the belt it adds some prestige to the title. Even though I wanted Bryan in the main event I think it was the right call giving him the title because I think WWE would have lost the the crowd had they not done so. Its crazy how much the reaction of Bryan dictates so much of the story lines. I think Bryan having the belt will add instant credibility to a championship that was once very prominent.
Winner- Daniel Bryan 

Style Points

Stardust's jacket

Wade Barrett bull hammering every one

Ziggler with the zig zag off the ladder

Luke Harper powerbombs Dean Ambrose through a ladder

Ziggler and Bryan headbutting each other to finish. 

Rollins vs Orton 

Good match and everything I expected from two stellar workers. Orton has been my favorite wrestler for some time now and even though I think he is a better heel he can tween and be face if needed. The only issue I had was I felt Rollins should have won. This Wrestlemania had newcomers vs veterans and I thought if one of the younger guys were to win it should have been Rollins being that he had the MITB briefcase and should be booked very strong. Still solid match between the two.
Winner-Randy Orton

Style Points 

Orton double ddt off the apron on the floor to J and J security

Rollins moonsault to the outside

Orton with a rope ddt to Rollins

Rollins attempts a curb stomp and jumps 10 feet in the air and Orton counters to an RKO 

Nose Candy

"The greats make it look easy"

Sting Vs HHH

This match stole the show and to me was the best of the night. Some may say it was too gimmicky but who cares. Thats the special aspect only sports entertainment can provide and did so to perfection. It was everything you could imagine. I marked out when DX and NWO faced off. Sometimes you just need two big names and the rest will take care of itself. I hope this is not Sting's last match because he worked at a very high rate and can still go. A classic match between two legends. I didn't like the handshake at the end because I don't think the chapter in this rivalry is over and HHH had to use the sledgehammer but outside of that this was pretty much a perfect match
Winner HHH

Style Points

Sting's awesome drum entrance 

The fact Sting didn't wear a T-shirt

HHH terminator entrance was awesome the bromance between Hunter and Arnold Schwarzenegger lately is kind of strange  

Sting with a cross body on DX from the top rope

Nwo and Dx face off

The HBK superkick was great!

Unanswered Questions
How did DX win full custody of Xpac? 

Nose Candy 

"You can go down with the ship but nobody remembers the name of the captain of the Titanic"

Backstage Promo

This was great to see. Legendary Intercontinental champs chanting yes with Daniel Bryan. This was a little cheesy but the geek in me was chanting too. Like I mentioned earlier having Bryan with the title adds instant  credibility.

Paige and Aj vs the Bella twins

Give divas a chance has sparked a change in the way the women have been booked for the past few weeks. I'm glad to see the ladies get a chance to show what they can do on the grandest stage. This was a pretty good match it was a little short but I think they told a good story in the amount of time they were given. I know the Bellas get a bad rap for just being reality show stars but they have greatly improved and Nicki I think deserves the title because of how over she has gotten as a heel and she can work a quality match. Great outing from these 4 gals!
Winners -Paige and Aj

Style Points 

Vertical suplex from the Bella twins on Paige

Paige flip off the apron

Nice black widow by Aj for the the win

Nose Candy 

"Two great individuals always beat a good team"-JBL

"The Bellas have been twins for most of their lives"- JBL

Rusev vs John Cena

Wow Lana is gorgeous. My WWE crush never looked better. Ok now that I got that out of the way very good match here. Cena does so good at performing in front of hostile crowds. Its become "cool" to sing John Cena sucks during his entrance. Cena has always been a favorite of mine and has so many high profile matches to prove he does not suck. Really great outing from him and lets not leave Rusev out as he showed up big time too and displayed he can hang with a big star in a high profile match. I agree with Cena winning even though it is a risk to ruin an up and coming star. But this will help Rusev in character development as this was the first time he was pinned and can stop utilizing the "Im the big bad evil undefeated russian" character. Now we can see what Rusev can do without those elements and gain a lot more depth. As for Cena similar to the Intercontinental title I hope he adds relevance to the US championship.
Winner-Cena.....but Rusev still has Lana so technically  he never loses. 

Style Points

Rusev on the tank

John Cena sucks being sung by the crowd 

Rusev rollover suplex 

Lets go Lana chants

Rusev jumping knee.

Rusev headbutt from top rope

Cena rope spring board to a stunner

Nose Candy

"If Rusev hates every thing about America why is he here?"

Segment: The Authority vs The Rock and Rhonda Rousey 

Nobody knew the Rock was going to be there and the place became unglued when he came out. Always glad to see the great one. Stephanie was the star of this segment because she is so great in her role as the rich princess who always gets what she wants and owns everything. Rhonda Rousey was great mainstream promotion. Very cinematic but genius because that picture of Stephanie in Rhonda's hold is going to be on the front page of every media website. This segment kind of dragged but was worth it for the press WWE is going receive.

Nose Candy

"I would say the Rock just blew the roof off this place but there is no roof" -King

"Left your balls in Stanford Connecticut" -The Rock

"That look means that Rhonda Rousey is going to reach down your throat rip out your Aretha tube
and play jump rope with it"-The Rock

Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker

That awkward moment when you have a lantern in the daytime. Bray's entrance with scarecrows didn't do much for me. Meanwhile that guy who got caught on stage during the Undertaker entrance is going to be in the unemployment line next week. Good match here I thought Bray carried this match but Taker showed up big here. Taker has that aura where you want him to win and do well. That mark comes out of you the moment he walks out.Taker proved he can still work at a high level and I hope he comes back next year.
Winner-Taker

Style Points 

Taker goes old school 

Bray slamming Taker and hitting the splash

Taker hitting the choke slam and tombstone made me feel like i was 10 years old again

Taker sit up vs the Wyatt hand stand crawl

Nose Candy

"The gunslinger still runs the town"

"I don't care why the Undertaker is back I am just glad that the
Undertaker is back"

Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar

Wow Roman took a beating. Lesnar is really stiff but Roman smiled through it. Roman has more than earned my respect as I do feel a lot of the boos and negative reaction are unwarranted. I get that he is the "chosen one" but Reigns is very talented and has that It factor. Lesnar does his normal suplex repeat sequence when Roman finally makes it interesting by fighting back and nailing a couple of spears. With both men laid out Seth Rollins decides to cash in his money in the bank briefcase and gets a pinfall on Reigns becoming the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. I love this ending. One it was unexpected for me especially with Rollins losing earlier in the night to Orton but was the first time the briefcase was ever cashed in at mania. Rollins has come so far and I think he has what it takes to be a great champ. For Lesnar I think he still is a special attraction but 2 title defenses in over 200 days is unacceptable and I believe there should always be a full time champ because that is the face of the company. Lesnar announced he had signed a new deal and think he is still is a once in a generation athlete. He also can be used as a big name to sell out a pay per view. I can't help but feel bad for Reigns but I think now he finally has the monkey off his back. But does that mean the circus has left town? I wonder if fans will finally start to rally behind Roman now that he didn't win the big one and now its safe to like him. Whatever happens I think Reigns has a bright future and will soon hold the title and become the next man in WWE for years to come. But for now that man is Seth Rollins a great match with the right outcome. The finish could not have been executed any better.
Winner-Seth Rollins

Style Points

Roman walking down to the ring with security and matrix shot of fireworks 

Lesnar being very stiff especially the clothesline to the outside

Suplex city 

The Seth Rollins cash in and celebration

Final Score 

What can I say Wrestlemania was spectacular far exceeding my expectations. I have to give credit where credit is due. From top to bottom the show was incredible. It is no wonder why the biggest show in sports entertainment has become such a global phenomenon. I know the PG era of WWE gets a bad rap for being too corny and unoriginal and plain out of touch at times. Not for this years Wrestlemania. It's shows like this that make me proud to be a mark! Vince McMahon is a genius and still has the vision to lead WWE. Much respect. Now where do we go from here? WWE really set the bar high and it will be tough to keep the momentum going but I have new found faith in WWE. They have plenty of storylines to capitalize off of such as the elevation of the US and Intercontinental titles, the give divas a chance hype, the Rhonda Rousey mainstream tie in and Rollins with the belt with an array of hungry challengers. Being a wrestling fan is very difficult at times. But it's. shows like this why you can never "count" me out as one.

-Raves

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "FOCUS"

CALEB RAVES REVIEWS "FOCUS" Director-John Requa Last Looks- don't get it. Just 5 years ago Will Smith was a huge Box Office attraction with films like Hancock and I Am Legend. Not to mention huge successes with movies like Bad Boys, Men In Black and Independence Day in the 90's. For whatever reason once Hollywood's go to guy Will Smith just can't seem to pack theaters the way he once did lately. I have always been a big fan of Smith's as I think he has always been very entertaining and diverse. I also credit Smith for giving Hip Hop a blueprint on how to be successful outside of the genre as he has been able to transcend rap and takeover Hollywood. After "After Earth" I was ready to jump off the Will Smith bandwagon but I heard some great things about "Focus" so I decided to check this one out. Besides you can't hit home runs every time and Smith's talent is still something that can't be denied on the big screen. Breakdown- Nicky (Will Smith) is a professional con artist who takes a young upstart Jess (Margot Robbie) under his wing. After becoming romantically involved with each other Nicky decides to break things off as he feels he can no longer mix business with pleasure. After 3 years Nicky and Jess's paths become intertwined as they both are scheming to con the same man. Nose Candy Nicky- " The more you drink the more you learn."  "You have to die with the lie" "There's a science to getting people to trust you and then you move in for the kill." "I once convinced a man that a warehouse was the federal reserve" "2 kinds of people in this world hammers and nails" "Normal People Lie" Style Points-I love the New Orleans shots in this film being that I live only an hour away Its cool to see familiar places when I am watching a movie. Louisiana is rapidly becoming a go to place for shooting films and It's cool to see the Crescent City being showcased in a positive light. South America was also cool and gave this film some cool international flavor.    I'm also a sucker for bar transitioning into sex scenes. This film did a good job here interjecting Nicky and Jess's journey to the bedroom as they were still drinking at a bar. Then only focusing on the lips before a fade to black before anything got too x rated was well done. Also look out for a sick mirror shot as Jess comes through the door of a boutique. If you miss it the first time they show it twice.    The twist at the end was also cool and unexpected. Yes I do spoil on my blog and I thought it was an interesting way to introduce Nicky's dad into the movie imposing as Rafael's bodyguard. They mentioned him before I believe only once in the film and thought it was a good lesson from teacher to student the dangers of getting emotions involved when gambling for it all. Role Play Will Smith- I think he still has "It" as a leading man in a film. Ever since "6 Degrees of Separation" Smith has always had that intellectual smooth criminal vibe about him. His charisma oozes out of him and slimes all over this film. Good performance all the way around.  Margot Robbie-To be so young and be able to hold her own alongside heavyweights such as Leonardo Dicaprio in "The Wolf of Wall Street" and now alongside Will Smith in this film is incredible. Even though Robbie is much younger then Smith the chemistry felt real as a young woman who was captivated by a man who was the boss of his trade then left her heartbroken after using her to obtain a huge score. To play a con artist you have to be able to switch personalities very quickly and Robbie does so convincingly. One moment she is calmly eating breakfast the next she is hysterically panicking calling for help reporting a heart attack. Also the scene where she pretends to fall for Nicky's charm only to reveal that she was faking and was no longer interested showed how much range Robbie has. It may be too early but Robbie may be the next go to leading lady in Hollywood for the next few years.  Money Shot- I'm going with the reveal where Nicky con's a rich gambler out of all his money at a football game by asking him to pick a number of any player on the field and he would have Jess pick the number of the player he picked. The look on Jess's face was priceless as she picked correctly. What was more funny was the rich mans reaction to being hustled out of huge money, praising Nicky and referring to him as his hero. I especially love the reveal afterwards of how Nicky and his team "planted" that number in the rich mans head making him vulnerable to being robbed. Final Score-I believe the Fresh Prince said it best "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble." All of the greats downfall has always been attributed to a woman. No but for real "Focus" is a story of following your heart even if you have much bigger at stake and the consequences it may bring. There were some really good scenes in this movie. The moments at the football game were really intense and even though you knew it was a con you as the viewer forgot for a split second which is always good. The film was a little short for me and could have went a little more in depth with the art of deception but made up for it by good performances and exciting twists. "Focus" keeps viewers attention throughout and just when you are on the verge of glancing away finds a way to pull you back in.