PODCAST SPECIAL: Top 5 Films of 2015

Oh god, it's happened again! Forest & Cory have wasted another year watching movies. Listen as they recount their favorites from the past year and explain why they are each a must see!

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Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Genre

Action | Sci-Fi

Director

George Miller

Country

Australia | USA

Cast

Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton, Josh Helman, Nathan Jones, John Howard, Richard Carter, Angus Sampson, iOTA, Quentin Kenihan, Jennifer Hagan, Jon Iles, Melissa Jaffer, Megan Gale, Gillian Jones, Joy Smithers, Melita Jurisic

Storyline

In the stark desert wasteland populated by a broken humanity driven with survival and the unending ravage for gasoline, a loner named Max (Tom Hardy) finds himself unwantedly caught in the middle of a chase while aiding the heroine Furiosa (Charlize Theron), and her female companions, she struggles to return to her homeland and escape the clutches of a ruthless dessert gang leader, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne).

Opinion

Following a series of ups and downs, the Mad Max Trilogy ended in the worst possible of ways with "Beyond Thunderdome", a film starring Mel Gibson that somehow ends up on the set of "Hook". Ever since, George Miller had plenty of time to think. I imagine him brainstorming, trying to restore Max's name and dignity; and here he is, thirty years later, with a brand new film that will blow you away.

A ferocious, glorious, gripping, thrilling, and absolutely insane film, "Mad Max: Fury Road" is a masterpiece that goes far beyond the action genre.

As mentioned earlier, George Miller had plenty of time and he used it beautifully: not only he identified the weak points of his narrative, but he also realized that action without substance doesn't have any purpose. Miller renewed his post-apocalyptic universe and was able to express this complex and chaotic world to perfection through his people: every single face has a story to tell that is worth listening to.

You will be immediately catapulted into a mad world, where it is not recommended to let your guard down, between a sandstorm and an attack led by the War Boys. Adrenaline doesn't lower for a single moment, leaving you on the edge of the seat for the whole running time.

To a great story frantically paced is added a minimal use of CGI on behalf of the spectacular Australian landscapes and real stunts. The result is a mix of explosions, jumps and fights so real that no computer will ever be able to replicate. Also, the way the sick action sequences were filmed not only is revolutionary but is so fantastic there are no words to describe it.

But the real innovation is the presence of women. They are the real characters, and for once they break free from the 'objects to be saved and owned' label that our male-dominated society imposes, and they fight for their freedom. Among these stands out Furiosa, the heroine of the story with a dark past behind her.

Then of course there's Mad Max, no longer in the disguise of Mel Gibson, still a man haunted by his past, so tormented to force himself to an even greater exile than the rest of humanity has to deal with. To balance the whole there is Immortan Joe, a terrible tyrant and self-proclaimed god followed by the War Boys, warriors willing to sacrifice their lives to earn Joe's admiration.

As for the acting, Tom Hardy's talent for portraying strong, silent characters shines again in a subtle performance. Thanks to his impetuous and animalistic attitude, and a glance filled with madness, he really does a great job. However, the stand out is Charlize Theron who delivers an emotionally perfect and Oscar worthy performance as Furiosa. 

Yes, it deserves every single nomination. 

Hope is a mistake. If you can't fix what's broken, you'll, uh... you'll go insane. - Max Rockatansky

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

Genre

Action | Sci-Fi

Directors

George Miller | George Ogilvie

Country

Australia

Cast

Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn, Frank Thring, Angelo Rossitto, Paul Larsson, Angry Anderson, Robert Grubb, Helen Buday, Tom Jennings, Edwin Hodgeman, Rod Zuanic

Storyline

Robbed of his possessions whilst traveling through the Australian outback, Max (Mel Gibson) stumbles upon Bartertown, a trading post for all manner of criminals and governed by Aunt Entity (Tina Turner) and Master Blaster (Angelo Rossitto). Forced to fight on behalf of Aunt Entity, he is later banished and finds a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen.

Opinion

Following a bad start, and a good recovery, this final instalment of the Mad Max Trilogy seems to return to its roots, not sure why. Maybe George Miller didn't put his whole heart into it because of the loss of his friend and producer Byron Kennedy, to whom the film is dedicated, or maybe Hollywood stepped in and did what Hollywood do better, ruin things.

Too messy and dragged to be an enjoyable experience, "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" is quite hard to sit through.

Apart from the misleading opening with Bruce Spence who made me believe the film would have followed the events of "The Road Warrior", the start is great. The thunderdome concept -- Two men enter, one man leaves -- is interesting, and from the title someone would expect to see Mad Max fighting in the thunderdome, maybe in some sort of tournament. That is exactly what happens, in the first 20 minutes or so. But it's just one fight, one killing and it's all over. Then there is the middle of the film. It is dreadfully boring as we see Mad Max stumbling across a colony of young people, and the film's genre seems to be shifting from science fiction to children's fantasy. Eventually stuff happens -- I am not sure what because I lost my attention several times -- and the film returns to the good, old Mad Max, with a decent chase sequence through a desert Australia.

Another disappointment is the killing sequences. They used to be quite immediate and macabre, now they are over long and choreographed, lacks blood and nastiness. 

Benefiting of the budget are the settings, more impressive and detailed than ever, and the special effects, which proves explosions worthy of Hollywood.

Mel Gibson somehow manages to do a good job, but unfortunately seems to be the only one working as hard as he can to make the film work. Tina Turner does a decent job as Aunt Entity, but she should probably stick to music.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

Genre

Action | Sci-Fi

Director

George Miller

Country

Australia

Cast

Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Michael Preston, Virginia Hey, Kjell Nilsson, Max Phipps, Arkie Whiteley, Moira Claux, David Downer

Storyline

Former police officer Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is now a lone wanderer, traveling through a devastated Australia after a nuclear war looking for now-priceless petrol. He lives to survive and is none too pleased when he finds himself the only hope of a small group of honest people running a remote oil refinery.

Opinion

Good news everybody. You can see "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" without having to watch the dreadful "Mad Max". Infact, the film opens with a brief summary of the first installment, and rather tries to connect that story with the new reality instead of making a real sequel. Also, unlike its predecessor, this film does set the basics for a post-apocalypse movie.

A violent, destructive action flick, "The Road Warrior" may lacks in plot and dialogue, but makes up with great action sequences and unique characters. 

The plot is quite simple but well-executed, and the idea of the escape is far better and far less clichéd than the good old revenge plot device. Also the plot is more cohesive and the characters are more interesting and better defined. Humungus is as good as Toecutter, probably even better, and then there's a little fella, the feral kid, who shows that size doesn't really matter when it comes to fighting. Maybe the character of Mad Max suffers a little in this film, since he is more an ideology than a character.

Once again directing, George Miller uses well the low-budget, and offers a setting that is the strongest part of the film: an empty Australia, made of dusty deserts, desolate roads and abandoned corpses, all to emphasize the end of civilization.

On the road again, this time with a dog, Mel Gibson is back in one of his finest roles, and he does a great job as the lone wanderer Mad Max. Unlike their predecessors, the actors in this one actually give nice performances.

Mad Max (1979)

Genre

Action

Director

George Miller

Country

Australia

Cast

Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, Roger Ward, Lisa Aldenhoven, David Bracks, Bertrand Cadart, David Cameron, Stephen Clark, Robina Chaffey, Jerry Day, Howard Eynon, Max Fairchild, John Farndale, Sheila Florence, Nic Gazzana, Paul Johnstone, Vincent Gil, Steve Millichamp, John Ley, George Novak, Reg Evans, Nico Lathouris

Storyline

In an Australian dystopia of decaying order and violent highways, patrolman Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) cruises the squalid back road that have become the breeding ground of criminals foraging for gasoline and scraps. When his wife (Joanne Samuel) and child meets a grisly end at the hands of a motorcycle gang, Max sets out across the barren wastelands in search of revenge.

Opinion

Before watching the highly acclaimed "Mad Max: Fury Road" I thought it'd be fair watching the original Mad Max films. Seems like the franchise didn't start off too well.

Paced too fast, especially in the action sequences, Mad Max is mostly bland and surprisingly manages to be tedious.

The major problem is that the film seems like it's never going to begin. Most of the plot seems like an introduction to the real story, that basically occurs in the last thirty minutes or so of the film. 

Also I wouldn't go too far and call it a 'revenge movie' or a 'post-apocalyptic movie' because the revenge doesn't start until that last part I've mentioned before, and dusty rural roads are not enough to convince me it's a post-apocalyptic Australia or a science fiction film for that matter.

However, I have to admit that the action sequences, despite the fast pacing, are quite exciting, especially Max's revenge sequence, and quite good considering that time standards. 

In one of his earliest performances, Mel Gibson did a quite good job with his character, even thought he has to wait around for most of the film, and the writers didn't bother writing an interesting character you can care about. Aside from Gibson, everyone else seems to put on some amateurish performances. 

If flat plot, lack of decent dialogue, explosions, car wrecks and motorcycle crashes are your thing, I'm quite sure you'll enjoy this film.

Movie Review Head to Head: AGE OF ULTRON vs. MAD MAX !!

Why not? A couple of awesome 3D converted movies compared head to head! I really wanted to see AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON a second time before doing this but didn't have the time yet so instead of waiting to see both again, I'm giving it a go now.

Yes, they are both second view worthy. Very much so. However, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is a downright classic, while AGE OF ULTRON doesn't measure up to the original Avengers movie.

So which one came out on top? Definitely MAD MAX. ULTRON has some very cool elements don't get me wrong, but I get the strong feeling that director Joss Whedon was severely curtailed in what he could deliver on vision for the project - Marvel is known for that. In this case, they need to smarten up. George Miller on the other hand seems like he had carte blanche to explore his vision and explore he did! A stunning accomplishment.

I found the 3D conversion to be acceptable for both movies, but FURY ROAD had the flexibility to expound a crazy new world and the exaggerated 3D at times worked tremendously. Only saw a few shots where the 3D was shoddy and frankly lazy. It helps that I know what to look for but this was obvious (detail around moving fine lines for example). Definitely see MAD MAX in 3D on the largest screen possible. Same goes for ULTRON but the 3D there is much more muted and if you like seeing and being reminded that you are watching a 3D movie over and over again, then MAD MAX is for you. For me, there is a time and a place for using extra depth and FURY ROAD is it. Trust me.

I thought both movies suffered somewhat from storylines that did not justify the immense time, effort and money that went into them. ULTRON was not a good enough villain to throw at the Avengers (hard to follow up after Loki but still...), the movie seemed invented rather than "fate" for the team and character development is all but at a standstill with so many characters in play now. However FURY ROAD had practically no character development either and if it wasn't for the odd quote of "redemption" or lightning quick flashbacks there would be none at all. But MAX had proper villains, better acting, better practical effects (which make a huge difference) and was just stunningly gorgeous in its bleakness. You have to see it to believe it.

I'm not going to spoil either movie for those who haven't seen them yet (but we can spoil in the comments - so fair warning!), but definitely see them both. This is a comparison between two amazing movies, but its just that MAD MAX is an instant classic and is really artwork. It belongs in the Louvre. Seriously. It's as if Tarsem Singh, Michael Bay, James Wan and well, George Miller all got together and painted a moving masterpiece. Bravo Mr. Miller - you've grown your game even though you've been around for an amazing career.

Watch: Final Trailer For MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Still looking amazing, the last trailer for George Miller's MAD MAX: FURY ROAD solidifies some story along with the spectacular action. In fact there's what seems to be a clip from the movie in it and it helps to give the movie some skeleton to all the muscle it's been showing.

Can't wait for this!

Here's the movie's storyline:
A apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD hits theaters on May 15.

I'm Hooked! New MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Trailer Brings Whole New Level Of Fantastic

Wow. I've been reserved about MAD MAX: FURY ROAD since the beginning. The stunts, explosions, grittiness and story elements I'd seen just wasn't cutting it for me. BUT NOW, after this latest trailer? MM:FR is definitely on my must see in theater list.

You see, I've seen many post-apocalyptic movies and many explosion for the sake of explosion movies. I want to see something I haven't seen before. Up until now MM:FR hadn't shown me anything that excited me to any great extent.

But this trailer... Wow. I think they may actually have a half decent storyline and stunts/action that are necessary to move the plot along. It's not just another yawner! At least I hope it's not.

Here's the movie's storyline:
From director George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary “Mad Max” franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a return to the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky.

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) stars in the title role in “Mad Max: Fury Road”—the fourth in the franchise’s history. Oscar winner Charlize Theron (“Monster,” “Prometheus”) stars as the Imperator, Furiosa. The film also stars Nicholas Hoult (“X-Men: Days of Future Past”) as Nux; Hugh Keays-Byrne (“Mad Max,” “Sleeping Beauty”) as Immortan Joe; and Nathan Jones (“Conan the Barbarian”) as Rictus Erectus. Collectively known as The Wives, Zoë Kravitz (“Divergent”) plays Toast, Riley Keough (“Magic Mike”) is Capable, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) is Splendid, and supermodel Abbey Lee is The Dag, and Courtney Eaton is Fragile. Also featured in the movie are Josh Helman as Slit, Jennifer Hagan as Miss Giddy, and singer/songwriter/performer iOTA as Coma-Doof Warrior.

So have a look at the latest and definitely greatest trailer for MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. It's coming in 3D and it looks MEAN. MM:FR opens on May 15.

Native 3D Is Calling MAD MAX: FURY ROAD!!

George Miller's MAD MAX sequel will be in native 3D folks. Miller himself told insidefilm: “We are doing 3D on Fury Road – we are shooting with real 3D cameras."

The $100m+ production is apparently using new 3D technology developed by Dalsa Corporation (almost sold to ARRI last year) and 3D rigs and cameras designed by Miller himself.

Miller: “We are doing 3D on FURY ROAD – we are shooting with real 3D cameras. Seven years ago we were going to shoot in 3D but the technology in cinemas wasn’t geared for it then but I always loved 3D or stereo.”

WETA is confirmed to be working on FURY ROAD's conceptual design, specialty make-up FX, costume and dummies.

According to slashfilm, there is a report in The Australian claiming that there may be a decision to make two films instead of one resulting in pushing back the shoot to February. According to the report, cast, crew, agents and film service companies are awaiting official confirmation this week.

Miller seems fully invested in 3D now as he is also working on the animation HAPPY FEET 2 in 3D. I am dying to hear more on these Mad Max features! All the power to him... although I do think bringing Mel Gibson back is a BAD idea.