MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Directed By: George Miller
Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theoron
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

     Some have called it the best action movie ever made. Many have called it the best film of 2015. I call it a badass movie, but its not the best action I've ever seen. I still reserve that crown for the first Matrix movie. However, I definitely do understand why so many people have heralded this movie as one of the best. It's right up there with top action films such as the Matrix series, the Bourne movies, Fast Five, Die Hard 2, Iron Man part 1, Mission Impossible:Ghost Protocol, and SPEED. Mad Max: Fury Road mostly compares to SPEED, which is one of the best action movies of all time.
     The movie succeeds in delivering audiences a product with realistic, old school stunts, inane action sequences, and solid acting, in a genre over saturated with CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Its refreshing to see some realistic action sequences! As much as I appreciate quality special effects, it seems all action movies over use CGI, such as Transformers, Spiderman, Avengers, all Super hero movies, Robot movies, Avatar and X-Men. All these types of movies rely on green screen and CGI action sequences. Mad Max:Fury Road is the antithesis of green screen. All these stunts you see in the movie were really filmed, with trained acrobats and stuntmen, filmed on location and using the dozens of cars seen on screen. It's an amazing spectacle of action packed and imaginative stunts that will leave you in suspense and amazement like no other movie has.
     My prediction is Hollywood will trend in the direction of limiting the use of green screen and CGI, in favor of back to basics realistic stunts, like the ones seen in Mad Max: Fury Road.This movie has a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes which is almost as impossible as Kim Jung Un running for President of the USA. You almost never see a rating that high for a mainstream movie released in theaters. Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10 for its thrilling ride of awesomeness, and keeping me on the edge of my seat like the movie SPEED.

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR

Starring: Lea Seydoux, Adele Exarchopoulos

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%. 

     An instant classic of modern cinema showcasing a rare cinematic vitality through raw emotion, honest storytelling, and brilliant acting. Blue is the Warmest Color is a French film with English subtitles, spanning 3 hours and 17 minutes long. The characters were so engaging that it was easy to watch a 3 hour film, spoken completely in French. This film also won the Palme D' Or at Cannes Film Festival in 2013, which is basically the indie film world's equivalent to Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Therefore, I knew I needed to watch this movie at some point. When I saw it on available on Netflix I watched it right away, not knowing how captivating and intense these actresses were. 

     The story is set in modern day France, and is  about a 15 year old girl named Adele, who meets a blue haired, confident, college art student named Emma (played by Lea Seydoux, a French model turned actress, and is also the new James Bond girl in the 007 movie coming out in Fall 2015). Adele struggles through her adolescence to find a romantic companion, even turning down a boy who really likes her. One day she meets Emma, who charms her and they start hanging out and eventually become romantic. The film showcases in an honest and refreshingly detailed way, a story of a 10 year romance of a lesbian couple who go through the major ups and major downs of a relationship. The film is simple yet layered, dark yet cheerful, long but well paced. Blue is the Warmest Color is possibly the most raw and honest romantic drama I have ever seen in my life. I became immersed with the life of these characters, especially the unique charm of Emma (Lea Seydoux), she has a non traditional attractiveness about her that highlights her spirit, and the director did an excellent job capturing the joy and attitude of her spirit, and having it translate onto the screen. This is a definitely a must watch, but to get the fully understand its honesty and greatness you have to watch the whole movie. I know most people may not want to watch a 3 hour movie, let alone in French, but if you ever do, you won't regret it. It will make you appreciate your significant other, and realize that all couples laugh, cry, argue, love, and celebrate life just as you do. If that type of thing doesn't interest you, at least you will show you how young French people party, go clubbing, celebrate birthdays, drink, smoke, go to the parks, and hang out with friends. 

Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10 for a realistic insight into the world of a hip young couple living in modern day France.