"The wonderful thing about Tiggers, is Tiggers are wonderful things. ... But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is I'm the only one."
And while the T-I-double-G-R is still the only one of his kind, thanks to "Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse," we learn that if there's one constant amongst parallel dimensions, it's that there's somebody out there who got bitten by a radioactive spider.
The story follows young Miles Morales as he learns and grows how to be the next Spider dude after the previous one (blonde, blue-eyed, and played by Chris Pine) is no longer able to "do whatever a spider can." Along the way, the Marvel multiverse is split open and several heroes with the Spider adjective preceding their names pops up on his plane of existence. Together, they try to foil an evil plot, racing a clock for destruction of themselves & the city, and Miles learns how to be the Ultimate Spidey from each of these do-gooders.
A visual treat and an amazing exercise in blending differing animation styles. A lot of people mock when comic visuals make their way into a moving medium like movies or TV, but this film does it very well. Not to mention that the geniuses behind the "LEGO Movie" produced this film so the comedy and characters are top notch. So in the same way that the Easter eggs flowed like water in the "LEGO Batman Movie," there's something in almost every frame for the ardent Spider-man fan. Aside from that, the story is still very focused on the main character of Mile Morales and how he is not just the new spidey kid on the block, but how he has to live up to his potential and the expectations set by his parents, his uncle, his heroic peers, and eventually himself. The music manages to also elevate the movie, with such jams that encompass the mood of the characters and even some joke tracks that will put a laugh on your lips. Overall, an amazing, spectacular, fantastic film for the Spider-man fan of all ages. Don't forget to stay to the mid-credits to see the tribute to both creators of the character and stay til after the scrolling credits for an acknowledgement of a popular meme from the Internet.
For a creative overview from a fellow movie-reviewing friend, go here. For a SPOILER-FILLED rundown of the movie's events told in a rapidfire way, go here.
By far one of my favorite shout-outs in the Spiderverse comic...hopefully we have more like this in the sequel.
Third time's the charm
Third time we have an All-New Peter Parker, with All-New challenges, All-New cool gadgetry, All-New relationships, and All-New villains to tackle, AND IT WORKED OUT!
"Spider-man Homecoming" is truly a return to form for what people like about the character while also establishing a new tone with him being a young 'un and a hero in training in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Like always, the plot is simple: Peter Parker must try to balance his time as a crime fighter and an average high school student while he must foil the dastardly plot of an evil villain. What adds new wrinkles and twists to this formula is the fact that Peter is young and stays in high school throughout the movie. His youth leads to a different playfulness to the character as well as a burning desire to prove himself to the adults (and heroes) of his life...which for the most part leads to disaster. In a similar way to how the "Parker Luck" was in full effect in "Spider-man 2" as Maguire's Peter ran into mishap after mishap, scenes where the current Peter's inexperience with the whole "superhero" thing is painfully evident and that just works out perfectly. The audiences who are familiar with what the character can do and yet is hampered by how new to everything is to him just want to see him succeed. Additionally, the casual moviegoers can always root for the underdog, something they have done ever since Rocky Balboa got into the ring. In addition to this new spin on the character, the amount of cool gear he has this time around really puts the previous Spidermen to shame. This Spidey's Stark-made suit, previously glimpsed at in "Cap 3: Civil War " has all sorts of wonderful cool stuff, including an advanced Siri to help him figure everything out...including his love life? Surprisingly though, there is a time in the movie where he has to abandon all the high tech and really slum it with a homemade costume, which also gives Peter his time to shine since he has to prove to himself, the villains, and the audience he is still...spectacular without the fancy super suit.
The definitive tie to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark, was part of this film's massive draw as the ever charismatic Robert Downey Jr. never disappoints as the billionaire playboy with the fancy suits. While some people were worried that this might mean he hogs the spotlight, there was not much screentime with him to distract the crowd; it is still Spider-man's movie first and foremost after all. All in all, he does play a fairly decent mentor to Spidey, trying to be the cool uncle and connection to the bigger world of heroes beyond the little bit of New York that is the friendly neighborhood. With that said though, a large part of Peter's characterization in the early parts of the movie is him trying to get Senpai to notice him. While that is not a completely bad motivation as a character, it does kind of detract from Spidey's own honorable character traits, with the idea that most of what he does is a cry for a parental figure.
The supporting cast does an excellent job as well. His "surprisingly attractive aunt" plays this role less as a surrogate mother figure as the other actresses who have portrayed this character before, and more like a cool older sister, made even more acutely aware with Peter never calling her "Aunt" May and just sticks to calling her "May." Peter's best friend is surprisingly not a vaguely menacing Osborn this time but a fat, nerdy, Filipino dude who even though is an established character in comics canon plays much more like another Spider-man's best friend, who is a fat, nerdy, Korean dude. His mannerisms and quirks really give Peter more of a confidant, giving them a dynamic which was sorely lacking in the previous incarnations. As for the rest of the familiar characters, oh wait! Not familiar anymore since some got age-lifted, race-lifted, and all in all changed. Especially with an "original" character played by Zendaya, is pretty much Trini from the
recent Power Rangers movie as she is SUCH a teenager with attitude. It's
as if her only purpose in this movie is to provide snarky comic relief
in random scenes, and that's totally fine.
The villains this time play the more relatable, street-level, but credible threat. The best part is the complete departure from megalomaniacs or psychos whose evil sides are unleashed by science fiction accident; this villain's motivation is the working man's bad guy, one who is trying to provide for his family without being a common criminal thug. And of all the residents of Spidey's rogue's gallery I never thought I'd learn to care about, it was the Vulture. No longer is he a decrepit old man in a funky green animal cosplay but Michael Keaton channeling equal parts Batman and Birdman with a high tech flying suit with impressive wingspan. Of particular note is how his relationship to Peter changes as the movie progresses and to say how would be to completely spoil the flick. Definitely one of the top bad eggs that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has brought forth to distract us from the heroes discovering about themselves and conquering their own demons (The top tier in my book are Loki and David Tennant as Purple Man; this Vulture is somewhere around Kingpin level.).
Overall a fine picture to reintroduce the world to the friendly neighborhood wallcrawler. Heart, fantastic action, decent humor, a cool villain, and an after-credits scene that mocks you like Deadpool did last year for waiting so long, this movie is a blockbuster to bust all blocks.
For a creative overview from a fellow movie-reviewing friend that lists three pros and three cons, please go here.
For a simple yet somewhat entertaining (somewhat spoiler filled) review, go here. For funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Cardinal rule about trailers: while they are intended to hype you up about a movie, they should never be believed.
Case in point, "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" filled me with hopes of intricate betrayals and spy situations where things are going horribly wrong not unlike the 4th Mission Impossible movie.
This was not the case.
Chris Pine plays the titualr Jack Ryan and while he does a fair job portraying the role of a man who must keep secrets, it's honestly a paint-by-numbers on high-octane, spy drama. Nobody betrays him as I was led to believe in the trailer, and the threat is about as basic as your average night of NCIS or NCIS LA.
Bridesmaids
Having been recently diving deep into the waters of Saturday Night Live,
one can see many of their alumni in "Bridesmaids" and how clever it can be.
Kristen Wigg is set to be the maid of honor at her best friend's wedding to Nameless Schmo A, and while she has the best of intentions for Maya Rudolph, events happen that completely undermine everything going right for her, making it a tale where we're supposed to laugh at all her misfortunes.
And there ain't nothing wrong with that.
The amount of laughs one can get out of the absurd situations, all involving the misery of our protagonist, are astronomical. From the misery of a policeman who wants her to start up her baking business again, misery from ridiculous roommates, and of course, misery caused by another bridesmaid completely one-upping her efforts to win over the bride to insane levels of extravagance.
Insane, fun, a little gross at times, and I can't believe it was even nominated for an Oscar.
The LEGO Movie
The one thing you should know about "the LEGO Movie,"
EVERYTHING.
*IS*
AWESOME.
An everyday, unspectacular, completely normal guy finds himself the center of a giant prophecy that will overthrow the Orwellian government and bring the fun and creativity back to the world...not the kind of synopsis you'd expect from a glorified toy commercial eh?
A generic LEGO minifigure has his communistic, always-compliant lifestyle flipped upside down when he is mysteriously bonded to a piece that'll stop the superweapon the evil Lord Business, emulating Lord Farquad's obsession with order and perfection in his world. He is drafted into the revolutionary forces of the Master Builders, which include Batman, a 1980s-era spaceman, a hybrid kitty-unicorn, a cyborg pirate, and many many more. And from that setup, it's nonstop action, laughs, witty one-liners, excellent characters and their development, and a twist you will NEVER. SEE. COMING.
Watch this for amazing animation, story, and characters. But if you hate being a corporate tool, get over yourself and enjoy a damn good animated film.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Amazingly, the twist might be a reference to this gem from Fullmetal Alchemist
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Somebody out there must be listening because I was so afraid that
there would be too many "temporal fish-out-of-water" scenes in "Captain
America: the Winter Soldier."
There are not. There's a notepad of
pop culture references that changes upon region viewed, and with that out of the
way, there is a juicier movie!
The good Captain Rogers is now working with S.H.I.E.L.D. to take down threats that's too much for mere mortals. But there's someone that manages to take out Samuel L. Jackson, the urban legend amongst spies known as the Winter Soldier. It's up to Captain America and the only hanger on from the Avengers movies, Black Widow, to get to the bottom of what's the deal behind this military dog with the automail arm.
As I mentioned last time I had to talk about Captain America, I thought he was a pretty boring dude...an icon of patriotism and valor, but overall not that impressive (I would've said Superman's *my* American symbol, but then Man of Steel happened...), but this movie blew my expectations of the character out of the water. You really feel for this guy, being a relic from the past, trying to fight evils of the present, as well as what really matters to him.
Good solid action, really dive into how Captain America is trying to adapt to this new world, but without tacky what-is-computer-durr scenes, and enjoy his interactions with everybody, including new hero Falcon.
Oh yeah...a twist of much twistness...you have been warned.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Rio
Everybody loves a good fish out of water story; oh the hilarious possibilities! So what does "Rio" have different from other such tales?
Bird who can't fly because of upbringing?...and then thrust into the fast-pounding heartbeat of the creature known as Rio de Janeiro?
...points for creative locale.
We start out with a cute baby parrot as he sees his people sing and dance as only birds can...and then we're immediately subjected to scenes of animal cruelty and the sad baby bird ending up in Minnesota.
Years pass and the bird is exceedingly comfortable in his lifestyle as a VERY PAMPERED PET. Then news is that he could be one of the last of his kind unless he mates with a wild one in captivity in Rio de Janeiro.
So not only are there hilarious hijinx involving trying to get the girl bird to see him as respectable, but then there's a smuggling plot, lots of musical numbers, an evil cockatoo, hip birds that can somehow speak English despite being natives to Brazil, and...Carnival...of course...
Brought to you from the same goons who have done the Ice Age movies, one can only hope that a quality product popped out of this studio...and it did...just don't try to compare it to Pixar or Dreamworks level storytelling or animation.
Crossover with the only other mega-franchise involving birds won't exactly make the movie better...but it sure can try.
Amazing Spiderman 2
With the previous film starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone being met with a resounding "meh," did the folks at Sony up the ante for "Amazing Spiderman 2?"
Yes! It is now a resounding "Okey dokey."
Gone are the yellow tinted eyes from Spidey as he does his superheroing, as well as graduating from high school. In his quest for adulthood, he must deal with creepy, obsessed fanboys who somehow gets turned into an electric-eel man, his aunt living a double life of her own, being haunted by the ghosts of his failures, finding out what on earth his parents were up to considering they had to ditch him and the country at an early age, and reconnect with his childhood buddy who is terminally ill.
Lot to swallow? Try watching this craziness and see if you can see the plates a-spinning.
Personally, this movie spoke to me at the time since I was pretty apprehensive about all the changes happening in my life...and this movie was all about Peter Parker having to deal with the changes happening to his rapidly, spiraling-out-of-control, life. And in the end, I learned that even if life has dealt you the worst hand, you keep the poker face on and keep playing. Sometimes, not just for yourself but for your capacity to bring hope to others.
Even if you hate what the "Amazing" films have done to the franchise, watch this one for inspiration...and possibly really cute relationship-building scenes with Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker...and this one Sherlock Holmes-esque scene involving Spider-Sense.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Thanks you wonderful SNL people for doing a funny thing involving the movie for me.
Godzilla (2014)
"Godzilla." King of the Monsters. Doin' monster things. For a couple of minutes.
As is typical when Americans take the helm in directing a film of the world's most famous giant monster, not enough focus is on him, and instead we are treated to far less interesting people because somebody out there believes the gigantic lizard with the atomic breath can't be interesting all on his own.
But what this does that completely shoots the old '98 Zilla film out of the water is that Big G actually gets to fight other monsters. Nobody goes to a Godzilla movie anxiously awaiting the scenes of how military forces are completely ineffectual against the colossal reptile; they want to see epic bestial brawls and this movie does deliver that...for a couple of minutes. Like I said before, they want to keep the human element the focus of the film for some reason, and we see the main character always be a part of the Godzilla action somehow.
The only reason to see this movie is if you are a diehard fan of kaiju...and if you want to wash out the taste of giant swimming iguana that changes genders on a whim.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
As with most things, I believe if it featured pokemon whatever it is will be better. Same with this case.
X-men: Days of Future Past "Gotta get back, back to the past Samurai Jack...jack...jackjackjackman" I was
mighty satisfied with "X-men: Days of Future Past." They keep it focused
on the mutants that all of this revolve around and the drama/conflict
is very palpable. We open on a bad future with just some of our favorite Xmen, and through funky mutant powers that shouldn't be a thing, but we're thankful are, Wolverine's mind gets sent back into the 70s. Conveniently, it's when "First Class" Xavier is having an existential crisis what with 75% of the cast from that movie are dead. So it's up to time-displaced Wolverine and bitter&angry Tumnus Xavier to bring the band together, for not only a rescue mission, but a mission that undoes the future that is Aku-erm, berserk robots who hunt down humanity. Also Jennifer Lawrence is near nude as is typical of Mystique. For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here. For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Surprisingly accurate synopsis that's relatively spoiler-free.
The Grandmaster ...really didn't get "The Grandmaster."
Despite cool action scenes...what the heck was it about? Who was the
main character? What was the point of including that "Razor" guy? What
was the climax? Because if your last fight was 20-30 minutes before the
end, that's just dragging us through pointlessness. GO WATCH "IP MAN" INSTEAD!
Pacific Rim
Just how much has Japan taken over the world?
When something so Japanese as "giant robots beating up giant monsters" can get the greenlight as the Hollywood film "Pacific Rim." Because let's face it, everybody digs giant robots.
In the far future, mysterious giant monsters with radioactive blood emerged from a dimensional crack in the Pacific Ocean, and, as is typical, conventional military weapons are useless against em. And with too many hours of watching Power Rangers, Voltron, Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, Gundam, and other merchandising opportunities from Japan toymakers, the logical step to fighting these monstrosities are gigantic mecha, named Jaegers, piloted by two psychic-linked, hot-blooded, youths from around the world. With the monsters escalating in numbers and sheer power however, the movie opens on the Jaeger program on its last legs. Thanks to a last-ditch effort from a coalition of the last Jaeger pilots however, the tide is turned not just through the sheer might of their mighty machines, but...erm, from nerds messing around with dead monster parts...BUT MOSTLY THROUGH THE GIANT ROBOTS PUNCHING KAIJU IN THE FACE!
For a funny, yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Further reasons for why you need multiple pilots for one robot that's mimicking your body movements are explored in the prequel comic.
Maleficent
"Maleficent," AKA Disney's (other) version of
"Wicked," the hit Broadway musical.
Even longer before "a long time ago" was a cute
fae-child named Maleficent who had magnificent wings that she would soar
through the skies in her fairy kingdom and all was right in the world...except
a human boy with too much ambition seduced her and she was essentially taken in
by his talk of true love and stuff...and left her crippled...and made her
completely psycho evil.
EXCEPT!
When the boy becomes king and has a daughter, this jilted
lover curses the child, but is unable to bring herself to kill it outright.
Thus begins the long tale of how she essentially raises the kid because of
truly negligent parenting.
There is so much wrong with this movie and yet the redeeming
factors ARE the title character, with Angelina Jolie playing it so cool, yet so
maternal, that it's hard to imagine how she EVER really becomes the mistress of
all evil. That and the eventual relationship that forms between the sleeping
beauty and her is quite fascinating. All other characters you remember from the
story though, have become nasty, awful, and/or boring kinds of people.
If you're a hardcore Disney fan, you might want to skip
this...but if you want to see a really amazing performance from Angelina Jolie,
go ahead and give it a go. Also, Steel-types kill fairies!
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Hipster Emma Swan says, "Did that kind of true love's kiss before it was cool."
Edge of Tomorrow
Hey kids! Hate Tom Cruise? Why not watch a movie where he dies!
A lot!
"Edge of Tomorrow" is a thrilling, sci-fi, based-on-a-Japanese-manga tale of jellyfish-frog aliens trying to conquer the Earth through the same time-travelling-through-the-mind nonsense that we saw in "X-men: Days of Future Past," and the one guy Tom-Cruise-crazy enough to stop them.
Cruise's character is a glorified military PR guy but because he pissed off a higher-up, he gets sent to the front lines of the D-Day analogue as a grunt with no rank, no experience, and no hope. However, his one lucky shot at an enemy alien lets him hitchhike on the "Groundhog Day" Express and he must relive the day over and over. Along the way, he has hilarious shenanigans with his new company, learns how to be a badass fighter in a super suit thanks to Emily Blunt's character, a war hero from a previous battle where she literally single-handedly won it, and in general, learns to be less of a jerk.
There's dark humor a-plenty here as the only way Tom Cruise gets to restart the loop is to get killed...and he gets killed off many, many times. There's also lots of solid action-y pieces, but mainly it shows many soldiers in futuristic armor get slaughtered since the aliens are a bunch of know-it-alls.
Overall, a really solid action movie, with some chemistry between Cruise and Blunt, and a lot of dark humor and alien blasting.
Not according to the Beatles (All you need is Love)...nor Mitsuru Matsuoka (All you need is Drive)
How to Train your Dragon 2
Pop quiz! What is the number one enemy of a series, be it TV, comic, or movie?
Stagnation.
The same thing, the status quo, what you were super impressed with the first time but after it keeps happening, you tire of the monotony.
The hero will save the day/the world/their way of life, slapstick will always go on despite pain unimaginable, and the mysterious conspiracy will never get explained until the end.
SO THANK ANY OF THE NORSE DEITIES YOU WISH TO CALL UPON THAT "HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2" UPPED THE ANTE!
3 years have passed and not only has dragon-viking interactions reached an all-time high, they're now a part of daily life, from pet ownership, to organized sports, to exploration and adventure!
Leading the charge of course is our relatively-grown-up beanpole of a brilliant mind, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his faithful brother in crippledness Toothless the Night Fury. They discover that somebody out there is kidnapping dragons to make an unstoppable army with, and ever the envoy of peace, Hiccup seeks to change this new adversary's mind about how lovable these beasts are. Along the way, he meets new allies (and family. Goshdarnit trailer you spoiled that up!) which bring to light new and brilliant ways to interact with dragons, and in light of a tragedy, will rise to the challenge of fighting back and protecting his own.
All the characters looks better with the 3-year timeskip, the action is brilliant when it happens, the heartfelt moments will crush, and of course, flying on the back of a dragon never seemed so appealing. The only things I would have to complain about that didn't seem to carryover from the previous film was the humor and the conflict.
In numero uno, the humor was centered mainly around the feline antics of the whole of dragonkind, specifically on Toothless, and the quirkiness of the supporting cast of would-be dragon slayers. In the follow-up, we still have the kitty nature of Toothless amped up to the 10s, but the funny from the human characters is not from their own personalities but from the tried&true hilarity that comes from the teenage hormones, with half the characters being enamored with someone or another and the crazy lengths people go to from infatuation.
Overall, a great film involving growing up and accepting your responsibilities while taking a stand against oppressors of your people...but with dragons at the core of the story. And that's not a bad thing.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Yes I had to buy this the weekend of viewing. Two of my favorite things on one shirt...three if you count the fact it glows in the dark.
Crocodile Dundee
Before there was Steve Irwin...there was Dundee!
Australians are a grand and noble people, who really could care less what you think about them. So what happens when a New York reporter is tasked with finding out how the Bushman lives in the Outback and then she invites him to come back to the big city with her?
HILARITY ENSUES!
Saving Mr. Banks
What I really enjoy about "Saving Mr. Banks," a Special Behind-the Scenes look at "Mary Poppins," is the whole ordeal you get to see involving the creation of a beloved classic. What I like better than just watching a documentary is how at odds the creative team is with the author, played brilliantly by Emma Thompson, as she is against almost everything Walt Disney and his cronies has in changing her story into a major motion picture. As the story progresses though, the audience finds out that it's not because she's just takes pleasure in being difficult, but because the story of Mary Poppins is so special and personal to her, that any deviation from her intended vision sets her off on a tizzy.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Or as I like to call it, "Ooga Chaka and More 80s references than you can Shake a Space-Stick at!"
Oh Marvel Studios...how you can take the obscurest of characters and make a feature film about them without making them seem dated, unlikable, nor uninteresting is probably YOUR superpower.
Kid gets abducted by aliens and spends his life learning to space pirate with the best of em. One gig has him find some mystical relic and so he's thrown in prison because of it. In prison, he runs into a deadly, green cyborg-woman, a pair of not-even-remotely-human mercenaries, and a hardened warrior who is unintentionally hilarious. While they're hatching the escape from space prison, another menace rears its head from a blue-skinned alien dude who hates another type of alien and wants the mystical macguffin to destroy those he hates. And who better to beat him to it than the ragtag band of misfits previously mentioned.
While it is a Marvel production, it is technically not a superhero flick. It reads on paper more like a space adventure where a dude assembles a team of weirdos to fight a planetary threat. And what's more, it can be downright hilarious. The main character is so hopelessly stuck in the past, not having any interaction with Earth since the 80s, that he references all these retro pop culture stuff (plus he has a Walkman with some of the classic jams of the 60s and 70s) despite being in a somewhat futuristic sci-fi setting. The chemistry between the talking raccoon and the talking tree is amazing since one has a limited vocabulary and the other talks such a big game that you forget he is actually quite small.
Overall, a MUST WATCH for lovers of sci-fi adventure and lovable rogues who fight the good fight.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Because as many have pointed out, "Guardians
of the Galaxy" is essentially "Live-action Cowboy Bebop" or
alternatively "Live-action Outlaw Star." Or for you non-anime fans,
it's also been described as "the most Star Wars film since the original
trilogy ended without it actually being Star Wars."
Expendables 3 The only way to describe "Expendables 3" ULTRA-MANLY!! TESTOSTERONE-FUELED RIDE OF MUSCLES AND GUNS AND EXPLOSIONS! Oh and a super-funny Antonio Banderas and a super-hammy, yet threatening Mel Gibson.
Best part? You didn't need to worry about little things like continuity
and such since I enjoyed it without seeing any of the previous films.
Hunger Games: Catching Fire
So "Catching Fire" is pretty much more of the same of the first movie, but with much more EXTREEEEEEEME to it.
EXTREEEEEME celebrity lifestyle BS that ain't for Katniss!
EXTREEEEEME poverty shown in the rest of the districts!
EXTREEEEEEME dresses on fire, but now with more middle finger to the government!
EXTREEEEEME Hunger Games action but this time with all the participants being more EXTREEEEEME than the last (yes, even Mags)! EXTREEEEEEME plot twisting with not just 1 supposedly bad guy on your side but 2! Of course this is really setting things up for Mockingjay and all the ROW-ROW-FIGHT-DA-POWA that comes with it, but until then, enjoy Hunger Games All-Stars with less chance of winning than last time! For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here. For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Jennifer Lawrence cosplaying as Batman, but Lenny Kravitz is more a fan of Hawkgirl.
All is Lost
Otherwise known as, "The Universe Hates Robert Redford on a Boat." Seriously, we're not told this character's name, why he's on a dinky little sailboat in the middle of the ocean, nor why he suddenly finds himself in constant peril, but we keep watching just to see what becomes of this poor poor man.
Robert Redford's status the majority of the movie = this kitty.
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows
Just like how "The Dark Knight" upped the ante for awesome that "Batman
Begins" begat, "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" gives us a sleeker,
cooler, funnier Sherlock Holmes than any of his predecessors...except
for maybe Benedict Cumberbatch but he's cool period. In addition, the
nemesis is much more a menace and threat psychologically and physically
than whoever-he-was-that-faked-his-death in that first film.
Brings everything you loved from the first movie back, what with Sherlock essentially being a superhero whose main power is his brainpower, as he and his faithful companion John Watson and another lady try to stop the eve of a world war from a madman.
Moneyball
Sometimes a good reason to have friends is that they can recommend
movies to you that you would never pick up on your own accord. Thanks
to the urging of some friends, we were able to enjoy "Moneyball."
While
this film is another that surpasses my expectations, it is not without
its flaws. One of which is the length. It's the
story of how a disgruntled and discouraged Brad Pitt, manager of a
baseball team that always loses, sets out to change the system of how
players are recruited, along with a nebbish Jonah Hill who comes up with
the system based on stats and maths and other things I care less about. And despite all the pooh-poohing coming from the old
fogies who run the team, Brad Pitt does whatever it takes to make sure
his system works, and once the obstacles are removed, it does. And yet,
it's a bittersweet ending in the fact that despite his losses, Brad Pitt
and Jonah Hill did the unthinkable and changed the game.
Overall,
it's not bad. Not spectacular, but it's an interesting viewpoint that
most of the common sports spectators don't normally see.
Cowboys and Aliens
Daniel Craig. Harrison Ford. Two names who are associated with some
amazing action heroes of the big screen. So when there was news that
both of these hardboiled actors were going to be in the same movie set
in the Old West, the only word to describe the feeling was "hyped."
However, upon actually seeing "Cowboys and Aliens," the better word to
describe the feeling was "underwhelmed."
It's not that these
two actors didn't act well. Daniel Craig, as a recently amnesiac outlaw
who had left his gang for a woman and who escaped the "devils," was able
to convince us of this gruff and tormented persona without too much
questioning. Harrison Ford, who plays a no-nonsense land baron who was a
formal colonel who fought Indians in his past, comes across as
intimidating and quite mean in his initial appearances but slowly
becomes less of a jerk and more human. The main problem for me is the
story and the blandness of the side characters. The story tells us
aliens (from outer space) are abducting humans in the Old West for kicks
and giggles with fancy-looking lassos while also stealing all of the
gold.
...What?
None of the side characters are relatable. One was a doctor who nobody respects, a preacher that is almost as
good a shot as the main characters, but dies early on, a kid whose
grandpa got swiped, and Olivia Wilde, who for some reason the camera
focuses on for no apparent reason very frequently, was bland as heck,
offers a little mystery, but then dies off in a kamikaze strike against
the invaders.
...What?
If the story and supporting cast are
unlikable, it doesn't matter how good the main characters are played.
So many times I was yelling at the screen "What? Why?" because of the
incomprehensibility and illogical nature of the script, the blandness of
the side characters, and the utmost stupidity of the enemies. You'd
think aliens that have spanned the galaxy in search of gold of all
things would account for the resistance of the locals...BUT NO! They are
taken down by arrows, guns, and one little kid who stabbed one in the
weak spot for massive damage!
Overall, this movie has
problems but it has semi-interesting visuals, and cool (theoretically) main
characters.
So basically, the aliens are a combination of this guy's mentality:
mixed with the monster from "Cloverfield"
Real Steel
Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Classic game that's survived the nostalgia
filtering through its simple premise of beating up the the other dude by
punching really hard.
Rocky. Movie of one of the greatest underdogs in cinematic history, also synonymous with the very word "boxing."
What happens when you combine the two concepts?
"Real Steel."
Of course it goes beyond the simple pleasure of seeing big ol' robots beating the crap out of each other, as it's also a story about family, particularly the relationship between a father and son and how both of their skills are needed to make their underdog bot be the best of the best. Hugh Jackman is likable as the washed-up boxer, as he's gruff but learns to open up more. The bratty half-pint that's supposed to be his kid is strange in that he seems to be more like an adult than an actual kid (well, there is that one scene where he downs almost a whole 12-pack of Dr. Pepper...I can relate.) I also like the intrigue that their little underdog bot has in that it could be sentient or it could be just imitating real people, which kind of makes it like a parrot.
Overall, it's a blast to watch not just because of CGI metal monstrosities beating the crap out of each other (which, funnily enough, some are only half CGI since puppetry was involved here), but also for the good 'ol fashioned tale of the sports hotshot learning that there's more to life than the glory.
Our protagonist robot is essentially this thing:
only with the heart and Japanese name of this bot:
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here
Kamen Rider Movie Taisen: Megamax
Kamen Rider Fourze & Kamen Rider OOOs Movie Wars: Megamax, while being the yearly crossover movie for the Kamen Rider series, has a lot of good intention and feeling to it. The OOOs part of the story is great because it picks up where the last episode left off, gave us all our favorite characters back, and established cool (concept-wise at least) movie-only Riders (hero AND a villain. Not too often you get both). The Fourze part of the story really takes the cake though since the it shows us the normally bombastic main character of Gentaro being sheepsih around a girlfriend that literally fell out of the sky and into his arms. But then all is not well as it turns out she's a McGuffin for the evil corporation that's been lurking in the shadows since Kamen Rider W (oh and both the main characters from that show come back and to reprise their roles in more than just throwaway cameos.) Then when all three heroes are on screen, nothing but awesomeness ensues as almost every power they have is showcased in fighting off either nameless mooks or weaker but familiar boss characters. I'll admit, the movie-only super forms they receive *are* ridiculous, but the movie is exactly the right kind of fanservice that fans of both shows (and the fans of W) have been waiting for. =D
Mild SPOILER but Gentaro's girlfriend ended up being something like this:
The Avengers
What can be said about the Avengers other than SUPERHERO-Y GOODNESS!!!!! All the other Marvel movies have been building up to this and the payoff is glorious. The scene of all 6 heroes assembled while the camera pans around then is worth its weight in gold. But yeah, the plot is...basic. The main baddy from the Thor movie takes the McGuffin from the Captain America Movie to take over the world while a different Incredible Hulk rampages like Godzilla (New Hulk is pretty good since he plays a more fidgety/barely-holding-it-together Bruce Banner than Ed Norton and Eric Bana before him.) and Robert Downey Jr. is his usual cocksure, but lovable self.
But the true meat of this movie is the interactions between all the big name characters. All that ego, all that do-goodery/cocky selflishness combo, it leads to some interesting dialogue and situations.
Overall, great action flick with witty lines and great visuals
Sorry Alan Silvestri, your theme is good, but THIS theme song ROCKS!
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Brave
After Pixar's lack of truly original concepts in the past two years (sequels, sequels everywhere) I was kind of hyped for this new story about a redhead lass shooting arrows at bears...turns out that's not what the film was about at all. It was more about the rebellious teenage daughter who doesn't want to be a princess but tries not to disappoint her family...so much for originality. *shrugs* But through a quirk of fate, her mother gets turned into a beast and a different kind of true love will break the curse...so yay originality.
What I did like was the great feel of Scottish culture and some of the humor involving the mute triplets, who were very reminiscent of the triplets from Scrooge McDuck stories in their brand of mischief. Also the mother-daughter relationship is the main focus and I like their tale of dynamic reconciliation. What seems to be lacking though for me is that it didn't seem fantastic enough. There are one or two elements of the truly strange and magical, but for the most part, the environment is too set in its medieval times setting, with not enough of the Pixar trademark blend of mundane & barely-normal-fantasy. Still worth a watch in my opinion, but it ranks pretty low on my list of top Pixar films...definitely way up from the "Cars" series though.
Archers...much more popular in fiction than you think.
For a more in-depth review (and slightly biased), go here.
The Muppets
What will one fanboy do to make sure his heroes don't go down without a fight?
Play the music.
Light the lights.
Meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show revived for 2011!
Yes, in the newest simply named Muppet movie, "The Muppets," one fanboy who is supposedly brothers with Jason Segal (ummm either adopted or genetics in this world is way more messed up than anything out of Greek Mythology), hears the dastardly plans of an oil tycoon, and becomes the new hope for the old gang of familiar, lovable, JimHenson-made faces. Along with catchy songs, celebrity cameos out the wazoo, and some good, solid humor, this Muppet show revival brought the nostalgia out of the die-hards and made the world's most famous puppets relevant again in the eyes of the young and uninitiated.
For someone else's more in-depth review, go here.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a more in-depth review (with a comic!), go here.
Hop
To make a protagonist in any story, one of the keys is that he or she has to be likable. Even if he is a supposedly despicable character with no redeeming qualities, most writers would craft it so that the detestableness of the character is still somewhat enjoyable to watch, playing on people's dark desires of escapism.
That being said, the two protagonists of "Hop" have none of that.
They are thoroughly unlikable. One is a slacker beyond all normal reasoning, with the standard "I want more out of life" mentality that CAN be endearing, but then he does nothing to really achieve this vague dream job. The CGI bunny, voiced by Russel Brand, wants to pursue his own dreams and break away from the family business...which is being the Easter bunny, and managing candy production and stuff. This would be fine, except that he runs away and then starts scheming people/taking advantage of the goodness of humanity almost the moment he enters the real world.
Another thing that bothers me is the need for live-action. This movie is purportedly done by the same folks who did "Despicable Me," a film which, for the most part, is free of Easter Bunnies, and crazy chicks bent on overthrowing their bosses, and there's no need for filming real actors. The juxtaposition between the two worlds and the interactions between inhabitants of both can be really jarring.
It can be kind of cute at times, but really, it's not worth the time.
Not really a spoiler since they say right at the beginning, but he becomes the Easter Bunny.
...
I don't see how this is any better than the evil, Latino chick that goes One-Winged Angel on us. ^~^
We bought a zoo
Matt Damon's the hapless widower in this flick who seeks to reconnect the bond between him and his children by doing the most logical thing a parent can do: buy a broken-down zoo and try to restore it to its former glory. The main pull in this movie is the interactions and budding relationships between all the main characters (there are some easily forgettable side characters, but some side characters go well with the main characters), especially between Damon and his son, his daughter, the zookeeper, and the naysayers. Do I recommend it? If you're into this kind of story, but honestly, I thought it was a little bland; decent and watchable, but bland.
The Amazing Spiderman
Yes ladies and gentlemen, Spidey lost the organic web-shooters in this reboot of a franchise, "The Amazing Spiderman." As the last Spiderman movie left a bad taste in the mouths of fans, critics, and general audiences alike, this new Spiderman movie promised to be a breath of fresh air to one of the earliest of Marvel movie franchises. I will say that it is indeed a breath of fresh air to the characters previously established in other movies; the Peter Parker that Andrew Garfield plays is not AS blatantly nerdy and loser-like as Tobey Maguire did, as it kind of helps that the movie is centered solely on Peter's high school days. Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy, and she is surprisingly competent as a leading lady, not falling completely into the role of the damsel in distress like Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane, being brilliant in her own right and fighting her own fights when need be. The villain actually does hatch a diabolical scheme that doesn't involve general terrorism that the previous villains seemed to have as their default operating system, and is more than a match for our fledgling hero.
I do have to say though, the teen drama scenes seem to take up the abundance of the movie, and thus it seems to fall under the same trap as the "Green Lantern" movie with the focus being more on the relationships being formed than about superhero-y stuff happening. Other than one or two scenes where I got a good laugh out of it, most of the interactions between Garfield and Stone lack chemistry (irony because science!). The infamous scene of Uncle Ben's death was also severely cheapened by the stupidity of the man himself instead of it being Peter's fault, AND we don't actually get the trademark "Great power, great responsibility" line. =/
Overall, this film looks great with its youthful new cast, has great action when it matters, and leaves plenty of room for a continuation of this new series.
Verrrrry clever movie designer...verrrrrrry clever...
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Puss in Boots
Remember how back in "Shrek 2" they introduced Antonio Bandaras reprising his role of Zorro from "Mask of Zorro" but as a cat and it was the coolest new character ever? Wouldn't it be great if this character could get more coverage on his own story?
Well, we got our wish, but it was from a monkey's paw.
"Puss in Boots" delivers us our lovable, action-seeking hero that embodies not only the awesomeness of the swashbuckler, but also the trademark seamless meshing of his feline nature. Not only that, but we get an actual backstory of Puss. And therein lies some of the problem. They show him as a kid, but keep Antonio Bandaras's voice...ok, that's slightly excusable...cute adorable kitty with suave Spanish accent is comedy gold BUT GOOD HEAVENLY CHEEZUS DAT HUMPTY DUMPTY! I cannot remember another character so bent on derailing the tone of a movie since the robot revolutionaries in the recent "Astro Boy." Just like those clowns, every time Humpty Dumpty, voiced by Zach Galifianakis, opens his mouth, I thoroughly get sucked out of the movie; I cease to be engrossed in the goings on. I get that they were trying to go for the modern, fast-talker to try and add some levity to otherwise archaic situations (hey, it worked with the Genie from "Aladdin"), but this egg annoys me greatly. Salma Hayek does a good job voicing the oddly-named Kitty Softpaws, a thief archetype to completely round out the merry quest party, as she creates a dynamic with our hero by not only being on the same level of cunning as him (arguably moreso) but she adds a nice touch of femininity to counter Zorrocat's machoism (ie. sanity, the voice of reason, etc.).
As for the actual story itself, I started to think it was a brilliant heist story, complete with treacherous locations, crazy competitors to the prize, and hijinks galore...but then the big conspiracy rears its ugly head and then plotholes consume all the credibility the story had.
So depending on how much you liked the Puss in Boots character, this film's for you.
I bet there were much lulz in the recording studio during one scene where they're up in the clouds because of these
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
The Dark Knight Rises
After the powerhouse that was "The Dark Knight," you'd think that with the final installment of this trilogy by Christopher Nolan about a more realistic look at the Caped Crusader, there would be precautions to make this thing go out with a don. For what it's worth though, it's a great end to the saga of Christian Bale, the gravel-throated Batman, as he faces 2 1/2 threats this time. The character of Bane has been uniquely re-imagined with an odd Sean Connery-esque voice to accompany the look. I will say that the plotholes riddle the story, trying to incorporate too much into this end of the franchise, as well as some dumb decisions regarding which comic storylines to use, but it's still a very satisfying end. Messy and nonsensical, but satisfying end.
Thank you Nolan-sensei. This was a most excellent trilogy.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Wreck-it Ralph
"Wreck-it Ralph" is a movie set in a video game world. For those who don't get/don't like video games, don't worry; this movie is still solid. It's like a Pixar movie without the Pixar label, meaning it has all the trademark elements of one.
A fantastical realm that's loosely connected to the human world? Check.
Misunderstood protagonist? Check.
Grand adventure far from home? Check.
Meeting of diverse and colorful (sometimes literally) characters? Check.
Bonding between two unlikely characters? Double check.
A day is saved, and the protagonist comes out of it a better person/thing? Check.
Heartwarming & funny mini-movie before the actual film that features almost 0 lines? Check
So is it so formulaic that it's boring?
Nope, nope, and more nope. It's a roller-coaster of emotions with a lot of great story, engaging characters, true emotions, and a creative world. It's full of excitement, laughs, and surprising heart. Fully recommend watching it.
Just like in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" the unexpected cameos are EVERYWHERE!
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Skyfall
I can honestly say that I can't remember a THING from the previous James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."
Thankfully, the latest installment in the 007 movies featuring Daniel Craig has absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Skyfall" has a lot of the trademark James Bond movie charm in it: suave British man shooting bad guys, romancing beautiful women, driving a fast car with cool gadgets etc. However, this film takes several different approaches to the formula. To start with, after a horrible accident that occurred before the Adele-sung opening credits, he has found himself as less the paragon of secret agent man, and thus has to find his groove back. Q is no longer an old man of any kind, but more of a teenage boy genius with computers...easily forgiven given the times. The villain is as hammy as ever (maybe even more so than previous ones since he's an odd mix of fabulousness and master planner), but they make it interesting by giving him ties to both Bond and his boss Judy Dench. And while it IS a quite a spectacular spy thriller for about 2/3 of the film, it stops being that near the end and it becomes a strange hybrid of James Bond, protecting the important gal in his life, and "Home Alone" gone deadly.
Overall, a great film that plays homage to the great Bond films before it as well as establishing new things that make it its own creation.
"Casino Royale's" spy car was just sad. Thankfully, this guy makes a return appearance as the Bond spy-car of choice. And there was much rejoicing in the theaters when it did show up
Rise of the Guardians
Based on the trailers, you could've sworn that this was Dreamworks trying to blend "The Avengers" with classic fables from childhood...that's almost what happened. "Rise of the Guardians" is actually a very (after having read the books, the adjective is now EXTREMELY) loose adaptation of a series of books by popular children's book author William Joyce (he did the book that Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" was based off of), where he gives the classic fable characters something of a re-vamped origin and abilities and personalities (All of which are awesome. Really, read the 2 picture books and the 3 children's novels and be amazed at how much retooling one creative man can give public domain characters).
As for the film, it's a pretty good tale. The main character is Jack Frost, or as many people called him when they saw him in the 2nd trailer, "bishonen bait." He's troubled because in this world, all myths are only real and empowered as long as people believe in them, and he's in a sort of null area since he's still kind of known but not well enough that people care to make holidays about him. So apparently, long ago, the Man in the Moon commissioned several beings of well-renown to be the Guardians of Childhood, and he just decided to add Jack Frost to their ranks. The Guadians consist of Santa Claus (now a semi-angry Russian man), an Australian Easter Bunny, a...strange, hummingbird-esque Tooth Fairy, and the mute, but cute Sandman. They're out to stop the evil Bogeyman, known simply as Pitch, as he's recently come into the power of infecting the Sandman's dreamsand to turn into nightmares. And the race is on for the Guardians of Childhood to beat this sucker back into the shadows where he belongs. And speaking of belongs, Jack Frost also has the internal struggle of not knowing his identity before he became a force of nature, and how such a free-spirited individual fits into such a group as the Guardians.
While the story is pretty solid, the locales creative, colorful, and well-fleshed out, and the characters likable, relatable, and entertaining, the main problem I have with this picture is the logic-gap in the belief-power system. Heck, as the world grows more into despair, the Guardians become weaker than newborn kittens...which really irritates me since their power and lives are essentially in the hands of naive, easily-swayed, children...it further bothers me since the books established these beings as powerful even WITHOUT the support of children.
However, given my love of stories featuring ragtag teams of misfits, as well as stories involving fun-loving characters coming to grips with who they are and what they were, in addition to a compelling villain with a sympathetic backstory (even moreso because I read the books...yeah, I'm going to keep harping on y'all reading the books because they are really easy reads), I'd say this movie is another gold star for Dreamworks, right after "How to Train your Dragon" and "Shrek 2."
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Hailed as one of Tim Burton's masterpieces, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a musical movie that fully encompasses both his macabre visions with his whimsical madness. It shows how one dude, tired and bored of living in his singular goal of making each Halloween more terrifying than the last, chance encounters a different holiday and the feelings that it brings with it. However, when trying to bring this new sense of joy and wonder to the denizens of his dark town, they completely don't get it. And when he tries to bring Christmas into terms they understand, their tunnel-vision into making things dark and scary warp what Christmas really is, and while our protagonist Jack Skellington does his best to keep his original outlook on Christmas, he eventually get it in his head to improve on Christmas with his town's macabre machinations.
Overall, this film is worth looking at for its marvelous stop-motion wizardry, compelling themes, and the most whimsical-creepy musics composer Danny Elfman's done.
First you take the creepy:
then you add the whimsy:
et voila! Tim Burton classic!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
So the main issue with the "Lord of the Rings" for some fans was that they omitted many many things that would've made the movie perfect in their eyes...for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," however, the problem was that they ADDED too much to the film. Why add stuff to an already short story? Well, I believe it was just so Peter Jackson could jackhammer the fact into the audience's skulls that they are, in fact, watching a prequel to Lord of the Rings. The addition of things like Radagast the Brown wizard & his animal friends, orc opponents hunting their merry band, and the pointless Elijah Wood cameo at the beginning really stretch the film. Further weakening the film is the cast itself. The titular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is...not entirely likable in this installment. But since I read the book I know he gets better as time goes on, and to be fair, he does demonstrate some likable characteristics partway through the film, like gumption, bravery, and selflessness. Not just him though, the rest of the crew can be described as 12 bumbling, brash short guys, 1 dwarf who is essentially Aragorn-lite, and wise ol' Magneto in a pointy hat. The Fellowship of the Ring was a group that had so much more diverse characters and dynamic personalities that they are infinitely more enjoyable than these...mostly homogeneous fellows. While it does have these flaws however, it's still a great action fantasy film. Can't wait to see how much they stretch out the other two installments though...=/
And so Gandalf asks, "What time is it?"
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Les Miserables
So this supposedly great Broadway musical has been given the Hollywood treatment. It's exactly what it says in the title, "The Miserable People." This movie is a long series of scenes crafted specifically to tug at the audience's heartstrings and tear ducts. It's movies like this that disgust me, for forcing me to feel for these characters as they go through needless tragedy after needless tragedy. While I wasn't exactly expecting a happy musical, the story itself is riddled with plotholes that make me scratch my head at the point of all this sadness. There are also long singing parts that seem to capitalize on the actor or actress, without any real need to show background or scene transitions, something which I'm sure would look more impressive in a stage production, but on film, looks kind of simple. In addition, the editing can be a bit choppy, giving this movie the strange dichotomy of being both rushed and dragging.
HOWEVER!
This movie is still worth seeing.
This movie is still worth seeing solely on the power of the performances by the many big-name actors and actresses gracing this dingy, dirty-looking film about sad things happening to sad people.
Hugh Jackman is a powerhouse as the man who has taken upon himself to be God's mercy to everyone he meets.
Anne Hathaway, despite her brief appearances in this film, leaves quite the lasting impression with her down-&-completely-out-on-her-luck Fantine.
Sacha Baron Cohen, who I cannot normally stand for his raunchy comedies, is a welcome bit of comedy, however ridiculous he is, because all the events prior to his showing up on screen were so emotionally draining for sadness, any laugh, however cheap, was welcome.
Even Russel Crowe, who many a critic of music and film are defaming for having a lackluster performance, leaves an impression on me of such a strong character despite his flaws, and even though his singing isn't up to par as these Broadway booming crooners, his voice has sort of a garage-rock-band feel to it that gives his vocal performance a unique flavor.
Overall, this movie's story blows, but the people in it are so full of passion (some more than others) that it's worth the 3 hours out of your life.
If you need a light-hearted parody after all those emotions, have some Animaniacs!
For a more argumentative-between-two-critics review, go here and here.
