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Reviews
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
The Writers and the Director Dialed this one in. . .
I gave this one a higher rating than it deserved out of loyalty to the Marvel brand.. that said, this seemed like the writers and the director dialed this one in. . .
The subtitle for this move might be "we've never seen a shop worn riff we didn't like" The visuals were reasonable, and the high-level story made sense in the context of the ongoing MCU -- but the depth and substance were severely lacking.
Reference "The Winder Soldier" or "Infinity Wars" or "Endgame" for movies with greater levels of substance. Shang Chi was also a film that focused on family. It was also vastly superior to this effort.
I would have thought that it was mandatory for this round of the sequencing of films evolving a Big Bad Wolf story leading up to the Avengers would have to surpass the previous round. No such luck here. Visually perhaps, but not with regard to story substance. . . Perhaps this director, in wrapping up a trilogy, had one foot out of the door and is looking forward to his next assignment.
As someone who started reading Marvel comics in the 1960's I know that there is source material with more depth. It appears that Kevin Feige is slipping in his role as the MCU's QA Gatekeeper. Or perhaps Disney, is fixed on Disney-fying the MCU via death by cliche.
Please don't F-up the Fantastic Four'
DMZ (2022)
Much Deeper than Initial Appearances. . .
This show is much deeper than initial appearances would lead you to believe. It is a far more nuanced and multi-dimensional universe than the post-apocalyptic fists, bullets, and bombs on front-and-center display in the trailers.
Don't get me wrong. . . It's definitely violent and action-oriented. But then, so was Game of Thrones.
WandaVision (2021)
One Episode Per Week is a load of Bushwah...
I've been really looking forward to the show. Also, I have to admit that I haven't seen any of it yet. But I want to go on the record as saying a 1/2 hour per week format is a load of crap. This is particularly true given that it's a streaming platform. I don't know why they don't release the entire season all at once so I can watch at my own pace when I want to watch.
I really hope this is not going to be the standard for Marvel's streaming series.
Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 (2020)
Once you get to episode five it's all good!
Once you get to episode five it's all good! Yes, the animation is creepy. Yes, it makes you say what on earth were they thinking. But the story is really not bad. So far it's not as good as the second gig (standalone complex season two) - But seeing how we're only at the halfway point it has great potential.
My suggestion is that you watch episode five a few times. It's very rich and it's very good. Once you get past the cheese whiz animation. I agree with everyone who says they miss Yoko Kanno. I'm still hoping for the best.
Joker (2019)
What a miserable piece of low impact crap
What a miserable piece of low impact crap. I am amazed at all the hype and accolades this movie has received. I've just seen it and there is nothing about it that could be considered remarkable.
The guy with a mental illness has a few bad weeks - very bad weeks - and then Begins massacring folks that have done him wrong.
As a background for the origin of the joker, this is interesting and an add some depth to the Batman mythological. But it is not by no means remarkable or outstanding.
The key word for this movie, in my opinion, is miserable. The story is about someone experiencing a miserable few weeks and it left me feeling miserable. Another tagline might be "how I learn to love being a psychopath".
I'm not saying don't watch it but it certainly doesn't belong on a list of Oscar nominees.
The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)
Everyone asking for a female James Bond. . .
All of you who have been asking for a woman to be the next James Bond should find a way to support this movie. The Girl in the Spider's Web is easily better than a couple of Daniel Craig's offerings. Let's not even discuss Roger Moore or the worst of Pierce Brosnan.
You don't need a female James Bond. You have Lisbeth Salander. She is an original character who delivers all of the heroic attributes you need. It is shocking that this movie is poorly reviewed at the same time female audiences are crying out for a woman to play James Bond.
If you ask nicely, I'm sure they will develop a scenario that requires her to wear a tux.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Did the Plot Remind Anyone of 'the Nutcracker'?
I'm sorry but, the plot twist -- wherein the good guys turn out to be the bad guys and the bad guys turn out to be the good guys -- is exactly "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms". I do not want to be snotty about it but, there are also comparisons to be made between Mackenzie Foy and Brie Larson. But we will leave that alone for now.
But for the, writers and directors to trot out a such a shop-worn Disney-esque plot device -- in a film that begins with a Stan Lee tribute -- is profoundly unworthy. What happened to the legendary Kevin Feige genius?
Iron Fist (2017)
Marvel owes me 12 hours. Boo!
Marvel seriously needs to upgrade it's writers, it's fight choreographers and its special- effects budget on these Netflx shows -- ESPECIALLY THE WRITERS. This was incredibly disappointing.
Hey Marvel! Do you really think that you could slap together every cliché in the book and people will like it? Please put more effort and imagination into your work!
This production is the epitome of phoning one in. It is little more than Bill Bixby's version of the "Incredible Hulk" broadcast on CBS in the late '70's -- populated this time with a bunch of soap opera appropriate casting choices. Every member of the Meachum family looks like they stepped off of the set of "Days of Our Lives" In fact, the weaknesses in this production illuminates some of the (similar) stink on Luke Cage, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones. If these shows were meatloaf, they would be 60% to 75% breadcrumbs.
The only reason it has 2 out of 10 instead of 1 out of 10 is because I could look at Jessica Henwick and Rosario Dawson all day long! But this review is for the show -- not those two delicious heart-breakers talented actresses both. :-)
Marvel owes me 12 hours. Boo!
Logan (2017)
Crap with a Capital K!
Warning Warning Warning Warning The review contains spoilers!!!!! The review contains spoilers!!!!! The review contains spoilers!!!!! The review contains spoilers!!!!!
-------------------- This review contains spoilers RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING --------- ---
A completely morbid and joyless film. Grim and hopeless to the point to depravity! The ignominious death fashioned for Charles Xavier is unworthy -- given the legacy of this character.
Equally distasteful are the not so subtle suggestions that this film or its characters are comparable to Shane. This self-service association is entirely unearned and borders on heresy. You could have done so much better with a modicum of imagination and heart.
When I saw the coming attractions it left me feeling miserable. I though "Who would possible want to see such a grim and hopeless film?". As an owner of copies of the previous two films and most X-men movies, I went to see it anyway. I left the theater feeling even worse than I did after viewing the coming attractions.
The rating of 3 out of 10 rather than 2 out of 10 is for the visceral depiction of the effects of Professor X's 'brainstorm' That part was very well done
Aside from that, thanks for nothing guys. Eat soup and cough!
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
Eva Green deserves an Academy Award Nomination for her performance
My comments are limited to Eva Green's performance.
Eva Green is Brilliant. Her performance alone is more than enough reason to see this movie. Her performance is absolutely classic and well worth the price of admission.
Imagine all The greatest femme fatale performances in classic film noir -- and add this at or near the top of that list.
Yes this movie has more edge than might have been imagined in the classic noir era. Yes the film is raw in a way such that that raw quality may be the dominant impression that some viewers are left with. It would be truly tragic if these characteristics caused Eva's performance to be overlooked. She is exuberant and soaring. She delivers as brilliant an acting performance as anyone has brought to the screen in years. Think of it as a femme fatale incarnation of the intensity displayed in Dinero's 'Raging Bull' performance. It is a take no prisoners femme fatal performed to perfection Eva Green deserves an Academy Award Nomination for her performance.
If would be ashamed if the films box office performance results in her not receiving the recognition that her performance deserves.
She is the masterpiece within this movie!
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
WTF . . . It was total Crap
I would have preferred to choose minus-1 for Gawd-awful, but the choice was not available.
I went into the theater being VERY familiar with the mini-series. I went in as an enthusiastic supporter of the effort to convert this work into an original 2-hour(ish) movie. I had even downloaded the pod-cast series promotional materials from iTunes.
So, expecting excellence from an excellent cast, I sat through the biggest pile of (steaming) nothing I've seen in a long time.
How did it look? Like Crap! How coherent was the story telling? Crap! How was the character development? Crap!
I think the director must have believed he was supposed to make a chain of coming attraction vignettes instead of a movie. Perhaps he should limit his future efforts to commercials for dog food and diapers for the aged -- thereby limiting the likelihood of his wasting more time, money and talent.
Can ANYONE explain the logic of multiple scenes of Smiley wordlessly swim around in a pond -- instead of using the same time for character or plot development?
Dose anyone besides me think that the Christmas party scenes were a complete waste?
With all the promotional talk about the calibre of cast that has been assembled, we get virtually zero leverage out of Ciarán Hinds capabilities.
With the rest of the cast going on and on about being intimidated about working with the great John Hurt the director provides us with virtually zero leverage on his capabilities. Did you see anyone leave the theatre saying wow, the John Hurt performance was spellbinding? Hell No.
I saw people in the audience doing Facebook on their iPhones and I became envious of them. My only concern was that the strangers sitting next to me might be offended.
What I really want to know is, where do you have to line up to get opportunities of this calibre with so little ability to deliver?
An Anime version would have done more justice to furthering the proliferation of the story into diverse genre -- just find a different director.
Congratulations on the biggest waste of an opportunity's potential that I have seen in a long long time.
The Outsider (1968)
I'll bet you're wondering how I got into a mess like this!
When I was a child and watched this show, I looked forward to those words every week. The show would start with a cliffhanger followed by "My name is David Ross and I'll bet you're wondering how I got into a mess like this!"
When became aware of the genre this show grew out of, I came to believe that it (the show) was an homage to Raymond Chandler. I can think of very few others that captured the spirit of those detective novels so well. Of course this is looking back in memory and it has been many years.
I would love to see how this series stand the test of time. If this were available I would buy it in a minute. Does anyone know if it is available or if it soon might be?
4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
They didn't make the movie I wanted but I liked it anyway
This is an update of the original review (below). I would say that the Avengers movie demonstrates the point I was trying to make about the potential these characters and story- lines -- unrealized by the Fantastic Four movies.
In the comic books, the FF stories rival and often surpass the Avengers.
You would never have known from this offering.
***************** This 10 is not the same #10 I would give a great and enduring classic, but it IS a 10 just the same.
I am a long term Marvel and FF fan. As a child, I bought the Galactus trilogy as they were printed. When I was 12, I decided that I wanted to direct the movie (didn't work out that way). So I have waited for this film for a long time.
In my heart I wanted these movie to make these characters seem real and to make the audience feel the enormous gravity of the challenges that they faced. I also wanted their powers -- individually and collectively -- to seem commanding in scope and power. The "screen-reality" of these characters feel much smaller that what I had hoped for, but I enjoyed the films anyway.
I am still holding out hope that FF2 will be successful enough that more films with adequate resources will be made -- and the gravity of the characters grow to meet my expectations.
PS... There is no need to loose the fun while your at it
Thanks
Fantastic Four (2005)
Great Start --
Without being the best movie ever made this was a great start on this series -- and I hope it is enough of a start to provide us with sequels. I am just happy these characters are here. Some of this was very good. Very good indeed. There was not much more that could be done considering that the origin story had to be told.
I loved the fight scene at the end. Thank you for putting these characters on the movie map......... There are some great FF story lines to work with. I am really looking forward to a great run with this series -- and fully expect these characters to blossom going forward. I don't see how they could have done much more without making a 3-hour movie.
Let's kick even more butt in the films to come.
Great start Thank you
Catwoman (2004)
Dramatically unfair reviews. Please think for yourself on this one.
Dramatically unfair reviews
This is a far better film than the notice it is receiving. This movie is being soundly trashed -- and it does not deserve to be.
The reviewers have trashed this film and everyone seems to be jumping in on the bandwagon. Having seen the film I can tell you for an absolute fact that this is unfair. I think someone has put the word out to get this movie and that is just what is happening.
This is not the best super-hero movie ever made, but it is a good one. There is much to be respected and enjoyed in this film. In my opinion movies based upon DC Comic characters are working with less rich material than their Marvel Comic counterparts. Given its DC heritage, this is a reasonably good effort.
In any event, it certainly compares favorably with the Laura Croft films. Something unfair is going on here. Please do not let the poor reviews stop you from going to see this movie with an open mind.
I could go on and on about its good aspects of which there are more than a few but my advice is
You should see it for your self and make up your own mind.
You should see it for your self and make up your own mind.
You should see it for your self and make up your own mind.
Do you know what I mean?
Please think for yourself on this one.
Enjoy