Jupiter Ascending (2015)

There are so many things that are great about The Wachowskis' newest film, "Jupiter Ascending", that it is hard to be mad about its faults. Production designer Hugh Bateup created beautiful sets, and Kym Barrett's costumes are gloriously stunning. The score, by Academy Award winner Michael Giacchino ("Up"), is operatic, and swells magnificently during the well staged action sequences that John Toll, the movie's cinematographer, has captured glamorously. He shoots Chicago so elegantly, that it will make you fall in love with the city if you aren't already. Many of the performances are even fairly top notch (especially Mila Kunis and Eddie Redmayne).

The concept and the story are even intriguing, and should have been a thrilling from start to finish; however, much of the action is broken up by what feels like hours of expository dialogue. The Wachowskis could have had a far more interesting film on their hands had they not bogged the script down with such a heavy-handed attempt at Shakespearean soap opera. They also tried to hard to build such an expansive universe in such a short amount of time. Most of the ever-widening cast of characters get so little screen time, it is hard to build up any emotion toward them, and we spend entirely too much time watching Mila Kunis falling off of buildings. This film could have either dealt with 20 less characters, or an extra 30-45 minutes.

Grade: C+
3D: It adds some depth to a few scenes, but isn't necessary.
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean
Director: The Wachowskis
Writer(s): The Wackowskis
RT: 127 min
Rating: PG-13 for some violence, sequences of sci-fi action, some suggestive content and partial nudity

Two Sentences:

The Boy Next Door (2015): A boring, lifeless stalker drama chocked full of bland performances and hammy dialogue. All I did through the film was think of Mark Wahlberg's first starring role in the 1996 clunker, "Fear".

Grade: D-