CITY BOY GEEKINESS

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If you didn't already know: I love gaming. Board games. Video games. Digital games. I can't help it; I grew up with it. And one of my guilty pleasures is watching movies that have a "gaming" theme to them, whether it's a video game-to-movie adaptation or simply part of the plot. Well, after having a lonely Friday night without friends around, I decided to check out a brand new movie in theatres. (Yes, I went to the theatre by myself. Don't judge, we all do it!) This movie review is about a competitive digital thriller: NERVE.

The Plot: Vee (Emma Roberts) is shy and unadventurous high school student in Staten Island who wants to go to school to be a photographer. After her friends joke that she's too safe, Vee signs up to play a new digital reality game called "NERVE," an app that challenges players to dares (ranging from embarrassing to life-threatening) to win cash. NERVE covers the events of one as Vee competes in this dangerous game.

The Results: 3.75/5!
I liked NERVE more than I probably should have. Blame the likable cast, the bright colours, the New York setting, or even the concept of the game itself, I enjoyed watching the film. Emma Roberts did a great job leading the movie and I liked the supporting characters; Dave Franco's character, though, rubbed me the wrong way, but he did have great chemistry with Roberts. The only fault to the movie I had may have to do with the plot itself. The movie tried to give as much background as it could to explain NERVE (the game), but there were some persistent plot holes. Like, for instance, is the winner the only one to get money or do people who fail challenges also get money? If the game is so popular, why do most people seem not to know of it? Regardless, that could be explored if there is a sequel. NERVE is digital, techo-colour ride that offers some laughs and a could teen thriller to watch while having popcorn.

There's a new queen bee ruling the world of smize and booty tooch, and the choice may be a bit surprising. Revealed Friday by VH1 (and initially appearing on Deadline), British pop singer Rita Ora will serve as host of America's Next Top Model when it moves over to VH1 for its new season. Departing host Tyra Banks will still serve as executive producer.

Rita Ora, who has amassed hits in the U.K. and some familiarity in North America, has partly made her TV judging career with U.K. shows, like The X Factor. Ora will be joined on the judging panel with:

  • Paper Magazine Chief Creative Officer Drew Elliott
  • Celebrity stylist Law Roach
  • Supermodel Ashley Graham

I'm ecstatic that America's Next Top Model is coming back to TV. I'm a reality TV fan and, if you can believe, I've watched every season of the show. While the eliminations and winners are highly debatable (I'm talking heated back-and-forth with friends), this is a guilty pleasure I need in my life.

Do you think Rita Ora will live up to Tyra's legacy? Post your comments below.

Remakes/reboots can be a hit-or-miss in the movie world. I tend to be on the fence before I see the final product - it's always good to have an open mind. However, if the original movie is a classic or near perfect, there are a lot of expectations set against it. The same can be said for the movie that I will be reviewing today. The film is the remake of the supernatural buddy comedy flick: Ghostbusters.

The Plot: After being fired from their jobs for discussions of the paranormal, a rag tag group of friends open up a ghost-hunting business to prove the existence of the ghosts. However, when ghosts start to terrorize the city, it is up to them to save everyone.

The Results: 2/5!
Ghostbusters isn't a bad movie; in fact, it's a good film and offers a few laughs. Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones all shine in their characters as the main four leading this adventure. And with these four, there were moments where I did genuinely laugh. The problem I have with Ghostbusters is simply that it was unnecessary. The movie didn't provide anything new to the series but explain the cause of these ghosts appearing in the city. The design and special effects detracted from the scariness of the ghosts and made them feel non-threatening whereas in the original, it felt more like a horror-comedy. When it came to the supporting or side characters, they were funny but didn't come across as real people; they were more as comedic pieces (especially the Chris Hemsworth character). Ghostbusters is a fun flick and I would suggest checking it out, but if there came a choice between watching this film or the original, you should absolutely watch the original.

Horror trilogies are a rarity in the movie genre. Certain films have been lucky enough to reach the threshold to tell their story in three parts (the Scream series, which is now debatable after the release of Scream 4) while others are a "one-and-done" or falter in their sequel (I Know What You Did Last Summer). The latest movie that I will be reviewing today is the third part to the futuristic horror society series: The Purge: Election Year.


The Plot: Several years after the events of The Purge: Anarchy, a political candidate (Elizabeth Mitchell) is gaining momentum in her election campaign toward becoming the next president. Her main goal: Ending the Purge. Unfortunately for her, the current regimeThe New Founding Fathersdon't want to eliminate the Purge and they will do whatever it takes to eliminate her on the deadliest night of the year.

The Results: 2.5/5!
The Purge: Election Year is what you would expect from a typical Purge flick. There is blood, violence, crazy costumes, and an intentional need to survive against deranged people out to kill the main characters. The strength of the film has to be the design and development of the characters. Each of the main characters, including some of the supporting villains, are fleshed out well enough that you get a sense of who they are and a bit of their backstory. I liked the political candidate and the core group of heroes.

The downside, however, is that the film is overloaded with cheese factor. The villains aren't simply evilthey're deranged and psychotic! The first and second film in the series at least had their villains grounded enough that they had some sense of humanity paired with their evil; there is no such limit in Election Year. Particularly the scenes with the psychotic teenagersI couldn't believe people descended into THAT level of madness that quickly. 

If you're a fan of bloody horror movies or a fan of the Purge series, this movie is for you. It's a good popcorn flick for a bit of action during the summer. However, you shouldn't go in expecting anything news or groundbreakingit's a Purge movie.