Jurassic World (2015): a neverending franchise, huh?

Trailer



Plot:
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, a new theme park, Jurassic World, now operates on Isla Nublar, off the Pacific coast of Central America. The new park is run by the Masrani Global Corporation, which also owns InGen, the genetics company that creates the dinosaurs.

Brothers Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) visit Jurassic World to see their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), the park's operations manager. Claire, a busy workaholic, assigns her assistant to be the boys' guide.

Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) has been training the park's four Velociraptors. InGen security chief Vic Hoskins (Vincent D'Onofrio) believes the raptors are trainable for military use, despite Owen's objections. Park owner Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) has Owen evaluate the park's new hybrid dinosaur, "Indominus‍ Rex", before the attraction opens. Owen warns Claire that the Indominus, raised in isolation, is potentially dangerous because it is not socialized to other animals. When the Indominus has seemingly escaped its paddock, Owen and two staff enter the enclosure. The Indominus, having camouflaged itself and masked its heat signature, ambushes them, devouring the two staff before escaping into the island's interior. Owen orders the Indominus to be executed, but Masrani sends the Asset Containment Unit to capture the dinosaur. When most of the ACU team are killed, Claire orders the island's northern sector evacuated.

Zach and Gray, exploring in a gyrosphere ride, enter a restricted area where the Indominus attacks and destroys their sphere. The boys escape and come upon the ruins of the original Jurassic Park Visitor Center.

After repairing an old Jeep, they drive back to the park resort. Claire and Owen, who are searching for the boys, barely escape the Indominus themselves.

Masrani and two troopers hunt the Indominus by helicopter, but when the Indominus smashes into the park's aviary to escape gunfire, it releases pterosaurs that collide with the helicopter, causing it to crash. Gray and Zach find Owen and Claire at the resort as armed troopers shoot down the pterosaurs with tranquilizers.

Assuming command, Hoskins orders that the raptors be used to track the Indominus; Owen is forced to accept Hoskins' plan and lead the raptors. However, when they reach the Indominus, the dinosaurs begin communicating with one another. Owen realizes that the Indominus was created with raptor DNA; it becomes the raptor pack's new alpha. Hoskins, meanwhile, has Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong) helicoptered off-site with dinosaur embryos, protecting his research. Owen, Claire, and the boys find Hoskins at the lab packing up more embryos, but a raptor breaks in and kills him.

Owen reestablishes his bond with the three surviving raptors before the Indominus reappears. Two raptors are killed attacking it. Claire has the park's veteran Tyrannosaurus rex released from its paddock and lures it into a battle with the Indominus. The T. rex is overpowered, but before the Indominus can kill it, the lone surviving raptor joins in on the attack. The raptor and T. rex force the overwhelmed Indominus towards a lagoon, where it is dragged underwater by the park's resident Mosasaurus.

Isla Nublar is abandoned, while the survivors are evacuated to the mainland. Zach and Gray are reunited with their parents, while Owen and Claire decide to stay together, possibly for another sequel.



Review:
the pairing of CP and BDH as lovebirds to me is so awkward and so much lacking the sizzle. i mean, as a stand alone hardworking career-driven Claire, BDH is ok. but as a romantic interest to macho CP, not so much.

the storyline is ok, though i find it very unacceptable at certain scenes. for example, how does T-Rex can so meekly accept orders from Claire without devouring her first. also, how does Mosasaurus take the cue to grab Indominus from the lake? isn't it supposed to be safe for people to be there as well without risking their head from being grabbed by the lake humongous resident?

besides, how does Gray know how to fix the jeep? so talented meyh.. their venture to the restricted area is so downright stupid, and readers, please observe the off-signs ya should you ever want to visit such places as this Jurassic World.

the fight between the raptors and the Indominus was quite incredulous to me. the way the raptors changed alliance moments after attacking their previous Alpha Male that is Owen.. moreover, how does the last one know that they have changed alliances and charge on to attack Indominus? it was miles away when the rest changed their minds..

hmmm.. for a non Jurassic Park fan like me, it was an ok movie.  maybe another leading actress with enough chemistry with CP would have been better.

sorry, lukewarm chemistry here.

  

The Intern: sweet, lovable and relaxing

Trailer:


Plot:
Seventy-year-old widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro), a retired executive from a phone directory company, applies to a senior citizen intern program after retirement has gotten too boring for him. The company in Brooklyn he applies to is About the Fit, a fast-growing e-commerce fashion startup, whose founder and CEO Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway) had previously agreed to a community outreach program where seniors would intern at the firm. Ben impresses everyone and is one of four hired.

Ben is assigned to work with Jules, who is somewhat skeptical at first. Initially frozen out by her, Ben slowly wins over co-workers with his likability and gets into Jules's good graces. One day, Ben notices Jules's chauffeur drinking, convinces the driver to leave and drives Jules home himself, a role he retains in days to come.

Ben eventually reveals that he once worked in the very same building where About The Fit is now based. He develops a romantic relationship with the in-house massage therapist, Fiona (Rene Russo), and becomes something of a father figure to the younger workers. He is very committed to Jules, and even breaks into the house of Jules's mother to delete an embarrassingly scathing email that Jules inadvertently sent her. Ben also gets to know Jules' family. Her husband, Matt (Anders Holm), gave up his own career to be a stay-at-home dad to their daughter, Paige (JoJo Kushner), when About The Fit started to take off. However, their marriage is slowly breaking apart over Jules's long hours, mainly caused by her very hands-on management style.

Meanwhile, Jules is under pressure to give up her post of CEO to someone outside of the company as her investors feel that she is unable to cope with the workload, having grown About The Fit from a startup founded in her kitchen to a 220-employee juggernaut in only eighteen months. Believing it will give her more time at home with her family, Jules is willing to consider the offer. While driving Paige home from a party, Ben discovers that Matt is having an affair with another parent at Paige's school. While on a business trip in San Francisco to interview a potential CEO candidate, Jules reveals that she knows about Matt's cheating as well.

In an effort to buy herself the time to repair her marriage, Jules decides to hire a prospective CEO. When Jules goes to Ben's home the next day, Ben greatly encourages Jules to think about how much this will change her authority and how her creativity may be tampered with and also reminds her of her passion for her company. Matt unexpectedly drops in at the office and urges her to reconsider, saying that he is willing to make their marriage work. Jules goes out looking for Ben, wanting to tell him that she has changed her mind and finds him obviously enjoying his Tai Chi exercise group. She finally lets herself relax and joins him.


Review:
i absolutely love this movie and how it portrays Ben's character. he's respectful, gentlemanly and endearing. someone deserving of every good turns in life. he is so believable, that should i be Jules, i'd be drawn to him, as a father figure no less. Ben is a person that we say aging gracefully. how lucky is he, huh?

one beef that i have with this movie is the scene where Fiona gives Ben the victor's back rub. man, so unnecessary! it made me took the half star off. also, the smug persona of Adam DeVine is in the movie too and i never like that.. huhu.

the movie also tackles the working mother and stay at home dad issue. how it affects the family, the sacrifice, the give and take relationship, and the consequences. by the way, what's the meaning of humongous? owhh.. googled it. it means huge. well, i have a humongous issue with Jules' reaction over Matt's infidelity. if i were her, it would terribly upset me and instead of a handkerchief, i'd ask for a bludgeon over his head. the nerve! but then, it's Jules and this movie is about a happy ending.. so take a chill pill and join taichi session, y'all!