T2 Trainspotting (2017)

T2 Trainspotting (2017)

6/10

Starring

Ewan McGregor

Ewen Bremner

Jonny Lee Miller

Robert Carlyle

Directed by Danny Boyle

Trainspotting the sequel, or T2 Trainspotting, feels more like a nostalgia movie than a sequel that could stand up to the awesome delivery of the first movie.

Taking my time to go through this movie wasn’t as fun as I expected, and it didn’t start to hit home until the remaining cast of four (since Tommy died of AIDS in the first movie) got together in one place. Sadly, that scene only lasted about five minutes.

T2 Trainspotting follows the lives of the four who pulled off the drug sale some twenty years ago. You’ll recall from the first movie that Mark (Ewan McGregor) ran away with the sixteen thousand pounds that was supposed to be split among them. Now, Mark is in his forties and has decided to move back to Scotland.

Much of the fresh, slick fun of the first movie is missing here, and the sequel also lacks the awesome cinematography and effects that were so influential in the cult stardom of the original. The characters are older now, but they still manage to deliver and capture some of the fun you’d expect from seeing them reprise their roles.

The movie does have the element of surprise, though. Many of the things happening on screen will catch you off guard, as you won’t be able to faithfully predict how things will turn out. However, the cut scenes showing the characters when they were younger—or providing visual aids to what they were talking about—felt distracting to me and, in a way, made the movie longer than it needed to be.

T2 Trainspotting is loosely based on Porno, the sequel to Irvine Welsh’s book Trainspotting. The movie is also directed by Danny Boyle, and I wouldn’t say it’s a wasted sequel. It does tie up loose ends between the friends and gives them an ending that somewhat befits their stories.

That said, the movie’s plot and screenplay drag a little. From Mark returning and lying about how great his life is (when he had nowhere to go), to Simon (Jonny Lee Miller) blackmailing people to get by, and Spud (Ewen Bremner) struggling to cope as an addict and a father, the pacing feels uneven. Mark’s return is met with blows and punches from both Simon and Spud, but eventually, the three decide to team up for one more money-making gig.

On the other hand, Frankie (Robert Carlyle) has broken out of jail and is trying to raise his son to be a burglar like him. His reunion with Simon leads him to believe that Mark is still in Amsterdam. Simon’s plan is to get even with Mark, but even that doesn’t go well, as Frankie is even more out of control than he was in the first movie.

T2 Trainspotting is a movie to watch after you’ve seen the first, but don’t expect it to live up to the classic status of the original.

 

Trainspotting (1996)

Trainspotting (1996)

8/10

Starring

Ewan McGregor

Ewen Bremner

Jonny Lee Miller

Kevin McKidd

Robert Carlyle

Kelly Macdonald

Directed by Danny Boyle

Over the years since its release in 1996, I’ve seen this movie—set on an Academy Award-nominated screenplay—over a dozen times, and it never gets old watching Mark get ahead of his friends in the end.

Following the lives of drug addicts who struggle with the “this will be my final time” symptom, only to find themselves back on the same thing they swore to stay away from, is both funny and tragic. The movie touches on difficult themes like life in Edinburgh, drug abuse, neglect, and diseases that can come from sharing needles.

This Scottish movie had a great cinematographer at the controls, paired with a wonderful visual effects team. Both performances shine, especially during the scenes where the men use heroin, taking you on a surreal ride. There’s no dull moment in this classic—the black comedy is compelling, funny, and leaves behind many unforgettable scenes long after the credits roll.

Based on Irvine Welsh’s 1993 book of the same name, Trainspotting has been recognized by the British Film Institute as one of the best British movies and is seen as the best Scottish movie in Scotland. The film stars many British actors who are now big names in the U.S., but back then, they were unknowns carving out a legacy for themselves. Ewan McGregor has done well in Hollywood with roles like Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars and Moulin Rouge! (2001). Robert Carlyle plays Rumpelstiltskin in the series Once Upon a Time, and Jonny Lee Miller stars as Sherlock Holmes in Elementary.

Directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire), the story follows the lives of five men. One of them, an older, slightly crazy guy, ironically doesn’t do drugs like the other four but gets his own high from bar fights. All five know each other well, and their drug-fueled lives carry them through the struggles of stealing and doing anything just to get high.

Their constant drug use leads to the death of an innocent child, the death of one of their own, and causes Mark and Spud to be arrested. Spud is sent to jail, while Mark “Rent Boy” Renton (Ewan McGregor) is forced into a rehab program. After getting clean, Mark is dragged back into the world of drugs by his friends. This time, instead of using the drugs, they decide to pull off one major score by selling them, hoping to make enough money to live a better life.

The one final score doesn’t turn out great for everyone involved, and that’s how the movie ends.

Trainspotting is one of those films you need to have in your library. The decision to make a sequel twenty-one years after the first is something I’m willing to explore.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

7/10

Starring

Chris Pratt

Zoe Saldana

Dave Bautista

Bradley Cooper

Vin Diesel

Directed by James Gunn

While watching this movie, I could feel the energy the writers, director (James Gunn), and actors put into the production to make sure we found it entertaining and thrilling. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a great sequel to the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). The movie packs as much fun, adventure, and visual mastery as the original, ensuring you’ll want to own a copy as soon as it comes out.

This is the fifteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is based on the Marvel superhero team, Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie features the characters Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel).

If you’re a Marvel fan, you’ll notice right away that the writers decided to change the origin of Quill/Star-Lord. In the comics, Quill is the son of J’son, who met Quill’s mother when his ship crash-landed on Earth. J’son is the King of Spartax, and you can see this story if you watch the Guardians of the Galaxy animation on Disney XD.

In the movie, however, the living planet Ego is revealed to be Quill’s father. Ego is an immortal Celestial consciousness that learned to manipulate matter around him to form a planet over his consciousness. He went further to create a humanoid version of himself, which he uses to travel the universe in search of his purpose.

His travels led him to Earth, where he met and fell in love with Quill’s mother. Quill was born while Ego was exploring the cosmos, and when Ego learned of his son’s birth, he hired Yondu to bring Quill to him. Yondu failed to deliver Quill and instead raised him himself, using him to steal and commit crimes. Now, Ego finds Quill and shares his origin with him, showing him his abilities—including the power to manipulate matter on Ego’s planet.

Meanwhile, things aren’t going well for the Guardians with the Sovereign, led by Ayesha. After Rocket steals some batteries from them, it nearly leads to their annihilation—until Ego arrives and saves them. As Ego and Quill continue to bond, Ayesha hires Yondu and his crew to retrieve the batteries and deliver the Guardians to her.

Back on Ego’s planet, Gamora grows suspicious of Ego, and Drax’s new friend, Mantis—Ego’s assistant—tries to warn them about Ego’s plans for the galaxy.

Nothing should stop you from seeing this movie. The graphics are off the charts, and the CGI/live-action mix is solid. Plus, get ready for some fun cameos from Sylvester Stallone, Stan Lee, David Hasselhoff, and Ving Rhames.