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Andor (2022)
The non-Star Wars Star Wars aka Star Wars for people who dislike Star Wars
I envision the pitch meeting for this show to be "Hey, let's make a Star Wars show. Only let's make it about one of the least popular or recognizable characters from the excellent movie Rogue One. AND let's take out all the Jedi and Empire stuff. AND let's make sure that the planet is dusty and desert like since that is all that exists in the galaxy. AND let's get rid of blasters, ship battles, interesting droids, storm/clone troopers and any other characters people might know. Better yet, let's make sure that everyone speaks with accents so they are really hard to understand! Ooo, ooo, and let's have many scenes where no one speaks English and we will not put in any subtitles! "
"Well, it does sound awesome but can you make sure to film a lot of it in very dark areas so it is hard to tell what is going on and perhaps do all that you can to make sure most people look alike so it is hard to tell who is who?"
"You betcha and we will even frequently change their hairstyles or let them wear hats/headcoverings to make it even harder! The audience will have almost way to know what is going on and we will get the main star to mumble as much as possible or refer to things by odd names with no explanation of what he is talking about."
"You have a deal! We will guarantee it for 2 years! Get right on it."
In the promo material it said that the writers/show runners wanted to make something that even non-Star Wars fans would like. Apparently they forgot that Star Wars fan need to like it too. As a Star Wars fan, I cannot say what non-fans think but the above dialog pretty much sums up my thoughts. This is NOT Star Wars and worse, it is not even interesting. It is no spoiler to mention that he is looking for his sister (since it is the first scene) and that whole "looking for my sister" thing is a tired plot device. Done well, it can be good if we are made to care about the sister or main character but 3 episodes in and they are revealing some information about the sister but it has not at all gotten my interest. By the end of the third episode, you should want to watch more and care about some of the characters. I never thought I would say this about a Star Wars show/movie but I was so glad when it was over.
Maybe someone who hates Star Wars can say if they enjoyed it. Maybe there is an audience somewhere for it. Probably there is if someone likes to watch paint dry in a darkened room but that isn't me or anyone I know.
Nope (2022)
NOT what trailers made it seem
I have to write this review because the way this movie was advertised and promoted was wrong in so many ways. I found Jordan Peele very funny on Key & Peele and was glad to see he was doing well as a director. Horror movies are not my thing so I had not seen his prior movies but I was really interested to see how he was as a writer/director. I liked the name of the movie whether as an abbreviation or how it played on characters in movies not making the standard dumb moves "ie there is a deranged killer chasing us, let's hide among those running chainsaws" and I enjoyed when a character is about to do a standard dumb move but stops and says "Nope". So what made me not like the movie? It was heavily promoted as a "Black Movie" and in trailers and ads it was heavily pushed as a movie aimed at Blavks. That offends me. The Hollywood "woke" mentality doesn't play outside of Hollywood and TPTB's emphasis on making it a racial thing was wrong and unfair. It kept non-Blavks away in droves.
In truth the film is more Sci-Fi than horror and while race is mentioned (main characters great great grandfather was first person filmed while riding a horse as is stressed in the trailer) but it is not in a racial way nor does race play a significant part in the actual movie. It is NOT a Black movie! Sadly many people will see it thinking it IS a black movie and many will NOT see it because they have no desire to see a Hollywood, woke, preachy movie. It will not get a chance to just be a movie and get a fair shake.
The movie really is not "woke" and is a different take on things. The story isn't great but it is not bad. The pacing is too slow for my taste and the final reveal of the "big bad" is a bit of a letdown but only a bit. Peele took chances with the story and camera work and some work, some don't. I hope he gets a chance to do a movie that is promoted as a movie and not as a racial thing. Although I rated it a 6, I am glad I saw it and my disappointment is more of a reflection of the false advertising than just the movie and a 6 is still above average.
The Batman (2022)
Definitely see it in the theater
I wanted to dislike The Batman. But I cannot. It was a pretty good movie, well told and well performed. I wanted to dislike it because in general DC movies have lacked that something that made Marvel movies so good. I wanted to dislike it because I thought Robert Pattinson would make a poor Batman/Bruce Wayne. I wanted to dislike it because Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman just did not seem more than a publicity woke stunt. I wanted to dislike it because I was expecting more "woke" propaganda. I was wrong and I am glad that I was.
First, this is not a superhero movie. It is not a horror movie or much of a detective movie because the Riddler signs things from the start (although you do not know who he is). It is not a movie that is easy to stuff into a genre because it is all of those things and none of them. This Batman has no super-friends helping him and uses very few gadgets. His Batcave is more like a garage, not a high tech headquarters. This is early in this Batman's career and he is still very angry and, as he says at the start, motivated by vengeance. If there was a genre called "vengeance", that is probably the best genre for this movie since almost every main character has vengeance on his/her mind.
Robert Pattinson made a very good Batman. I was wrong. At first I thought he made a horrible Bruce Wayne but as I read some of the director comments, it is apparent that was on purpose. Bruce Wayne was patterned after Kurt Cobain and seen through that lens, Pattinson did a good job. He was uncomfortable being Bruce Wayne and resented being Bruce Wayne. He wanted to be The Batman as much as possible. Pattinson is far more than just a pretty face and I have to give him props.
Batman's relationship with the Gotham PD was still evolving. Many disliked him as a vigilante. Lt. James Gordon (very well played by Jeffrey Wright) had to vouch for him several times and their dynamic was good and interesting.
Zoe Kravitz was a very good Catwoman. Far better than Halle Berry (I shudder at that memory) or Ann Hathaway and her character/motivations were even better than Michelle Pfeiffer's. Kravitz pulled off a feline grace very well and interjected into her walk, fighting and everything else. Her character was extremely well written and was not there just for the eye candy or a gimmick. She had a good reason to be in the story and fulfilled that reason without falling into the damsel in distress cliché or being googly eyed at the Batman. She had good chemistry with Pattinson.
Collin Farrell was unrecognizable as Penguin (a version without umbrella or chintzy quacking) but was terrific. He was the old school version of Penguin. John Turturro has been in some many comedic roles lately, I forgot how good he can be. As Carmine Falcone, he was really good. Andy Serkis, not doing motion capture for a change, made a good Alfred and Paul Dano was terrific as the psycho Riddler. Again, no costumes and wild gimmicks just good storytelling.
Another concern I had was the "dark movie" where they have people wearing black fighting at night in unlit areas. That is one reason I generally like costumes because they are usually not black. This movie only had 2 costumes (both black oddly enough) but the lighting was good enough to be able to see the fight choreography well and enjoy it. I saw it in the theater and I am worried that those who wait to see it at home will suffer from the lack of brightness on TV screens but I hope that is not the case.
I can easily see this movie being a trilogy as it is rumored to be. It will not be a part of the DCEU or have cameos of other "superheroes" but it is what it is. A very well scripted and performed movie that although it was 3 hours long, never had me lose attention or be bored. I was not on the edge of my seat (mostly) but I stayed interested as the plot twisted and things were revealed in a steady pace. It was not the best movie I have seen but it was one that I did enjoy and that I am glad I saw in the theater. Well done.
The King's Man (2021)
So disappointing
I really loved the first Kingsman. The second one had flaws and it appeared they forgot most of what made Kingsman 1 good. From the previews and trailers, I thought they had returned to style and that Kingsman 3 would be more like Kingsman 1. I was so sad to see that apparently Matthew Vaughn was instead determined to completely disregard all that was good in Kingsman 1 and on that, he succeeded wildly.
The previews showed a great movie. It had excitement and thrills and the fun fighting I loved in K1. The actual movie had none of it. Those fun action scenes were so watered down and placed in context in the movie were somehow boring. Rasputin was cool but not the real villain. Instead the real villain was kept concealed while he yelled at the other bad guys in a deep Scottish brogue with his face in shadows so I kept thinking it was going to be a big reveal and thinking of what villain from history was Scottish. I won't spoil it but I will say I was very let down.
Finnes was really good and tried hard but since the story and plot was so boring it could not save it. I am deeply saddened that apparently the Kingsman franchise cannot recreate Kingsman and I have to hope they stop sullying the memory.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Absolutely terrific! Unbelievably so
One thing I love about MCU movies is that no matter how awesome the trailer is, it seldom really gives you any plot of the movie. You make assumptions based on the trailer and the actual movie still keeps some surprises. This is no exception and whatever you thought this was about, it is about so much more and in such a much better way. I normally love spoilers but I tried to avoid them for this and I am glad I did. Even if I told you the exact story, my telling would not come close to the actual movie.
Willem Defoe is in the movie as trailers show but he really shines. Not only is his costume better without the silly helmet but he really plays Green Goblin with the strength and confidence I wish he had in the Rami movie. I think he is right up there with Heath Ledger's Joker.
Don't miss this movie and don't miss the great story, acting and characters.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
A return to good Marvel movies
If you are like me, from the previews and ads you thought this was a Kung Fu movie about a son rebelling against his crime lord father and the father sends men to force him to return and make him take over as the next leader of the criminal empire. Not an awful plot but not that original either. That is absolutely NOT what this movie is about. I love and hate that Marvel's trailer seldom give anything away and I am glad they are doing it again. That is not at all what this movie is about and I will not spoil anything.
The performances are good, the story is good and while not complicated, it keeps your interest. Funny parts, touching parts, action parts, it is overall just a good movie that was enjoyable to watch. It is not one of the best Marvel movies but it is a solid one and worth seeing in the theater.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Definitely better DC movie
First, I love comic books and comic book movies. Most DC movies have disappointed me (when Zack Snyder does them) by changing characters badly or having people in dark outfits fight in dark rooms. Thankfully this movie avoids both and is fun. Not unbelievable fun but good enough. Viola Davis is incredible! She does the perfect Amanda Waller. Bloodsport and Peacemaker have great chemistry and work well together. Almost all of the characters work really well but it is hard to beat King Shark since any scene he is involved in seems to be stolen by him. I felt Harley was just in it to pander to people but she does become an important part of the movie adding the right amount of crazy (like in previews where she tells a captive "and if you have personalized license plates, you die" while Bloodsport is trying to threaten the captive).
I wish we got more of several characters but there are none I wish we had less of for the most part. It is worth seeing.
Black Widow (2021)
Worst Marvel movie yet
I just saw Black Widow after more than a year of anxious waiting and looking forward to it. I have to say it is probably one of the top 3-4 DC movies. Of course since it is a Marvel movie, that is not a good thing. Neither is the movie and Thor:Dark World is no longer my least favorite Marvel movie. I have trusted Marvel and so far they always delivered until Black Widow. A lackluster movie was (in the words of Thanos) "inevitable".
The story was weak. The actors did their best I felt but the story and many locations just did not support them. Taskmaster is one of my favorite villains but they really messed that up. Taskmaster was never in the "comics" costume with the cape and it is a shame because it is a cool costume. Also, no spoiler, this was not the comic Taskmaster in several ways.
I envision a production meeting going something like "Hey, let's make a new Batman movie. Yeah! Only instead of him being American, let's make him a Pacific Islander. Yeah! And instead of his parents being killed, he could be stranded from a boat wreck. Yeah! And instead of being rich, we make him an inner city drug dealer who then escapes prison. Yeah! That'll be an awesome Batman movie!" Except of course it is absolutely NOT a Batman movie. I think the same thing happened here with Taskmaster and some other story elements. DC movies and Pre-Marvel Studios movies suffered from this and it is sad to see it finally hitting Marvel Studios.
Red Guardian was awesome and funny and met expectations and the Yelena character was acceptable.
What bothers me most of all is the people who will say "people will not accept a female led superhero movie" just as they did with WW84. It is not that at all (see how well Wonder Woman did). It is that people do not like a crummy movie whether it is male or female, white, black or asian led. Marvel, you can and should do better.
Note that if you go see Black Widow, there is a scene at the absolute end of the credits (no other credit scenes) that sets up other things in the MCU.
Without Remorse (2021)
Implausible waste of great actors and story
I love Tom Clancy books and like others was excited to hear this movie was coming out. I like Michael B Jordan and had no qualms imagining him in the role other than he is a bit young for the character. I was disappointed to hear the movie would deviate from the book but I could deal with that. What I could not accept was that it was slow and boring. John Clark is supposed to kick butt and while MBJ had moments I blame the lackluster script. Adding LT Commander Karen Greer as a character also was offensive and ruined any realism. There are currently NO female Navy Seals, much less a team lead reasonably high officer. Her character was pure Hollywood to be able to say they added a black woman. Every time she was on screen, it took me out of the movie and reminded me that "politically correct" was more important than a good movie. All of the characters, to some extent including John Kelly, were incredibly two dimensional and neither relatable or interesting.
Obviously the studio paid for the rights to the book but it is just sad that they only used the name to make a C level generic story with bad writing.
Doom: Annihilation (2019)
Worth watching if you're a fan of the first Doom videogame
This is not a movie made for winning awards but that does not make it a bad movie. If you accept it for what it is intended to be, it is actually pretty good. The acting is not great nor is the script but I have seen a lot of movies that were much worse that did win awards or tried to win. The special effects are not terrific but they are more than adequate. The guns look a little plastic but since this is the future, just assume stuff does look different. The special effects nor acting nor writing ever pulled me out of the movie or story so to me that is pretty good. The action was acceptable and the tension waiting to see if something was going to jump out was sufficient.
As for those questioning if this is like the video game, my answer is absolutely. There were many Doom video games but if you just consider the first one, all of the elements are here for the most part. UAC Marine, check. Weapons (knife, pistol, rifle, chainsaw, chaingun, shotgun and BFG) check. Phobos and a gate, check. Blue, yellow and red key cards, check. Final boss fight, check. Granted the marines were not wearing the costumes of Doom but it was still obvious that the elements of the game (at least the first one) are mostly present.
There are plenty of awful video game movies (Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Tekken, Double Dragon and the first Doom movie) but there are some others that were pretty good (Ready Player One, Mortal Kombat,Tomb Raider, Rampage, Resident Evil) and this one, to me, is clearer in the worth watching category. I encourage you not to expect Oscar winning acting and effects and instead just relive the hours you might have spent playing Doom and imaging the story.
Rim of the World (2019)
Great movie for its genre
I cannot believe all the negative reviews. I suppose they were looking for the next art festival winner or cinematic masterpiece. If you are looking for that, this is definitely NOT your movie. However, if like me you grew up enjoying science fiction and the books of Heinlein or Niven, you will like this movie.
Highly implausible things like an alien attack starting with only 5 min warning and then having mostly ended within the next few minutes as well as other similar things. (Not a spoiler since it is in the description and preview) However, that is exactly how stories of that type progressed! Would 4 13 year olds from vastly different backgrounds be counted on to save humanity? Probably never EXCEPT in this type story. Watch a documentary if you want hard science. Watch Pride and Prejudice if you want art festival fluff. This movie is great at what it is supposed to be - a nostalgic look at old science fiction. Viewed through that lens, the writing is great and the dialog perfect. The mediocre special effects are fine. The comedy fits and the stereotypes work.
I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Don't fall for the movie snobs.
Daredevil: The Devil You Know (2018)
It felt like I was reading the comic
This was an incredible episode. I am trying to avoid spoilers though if you have watched the prior episodes, you likely see all of this coming. Each character/actor does a superb job of filling his/her role, advancing the plot and creating a wild ride. The slow burn on Dex is great and reminded me of Palpatine and Anakin from Star Wars. Matt's defication to his friends and Foggy's commitment are outstanding. Even the normally annoying "journalists are noble" them in shows played just right with Karen and Ellison. Nadeem's thoughts about lying to his family and desire to do right are just a small part of why Nadeem has become a great character this season and is terrific to watch. Meanwhile, the fight at The Bulletin is the confrontation I hoped to see and the main combatants act/react like I would imagine they would. Expertly played, scripted and executed with plenty of light to see (I hate when the have a battle in a dark room with people in dark clothes so you can barely see the great moves the stunt people work so hard in doing). This was what I hoped for in a Daredevil episode. Thank you.
Logan (2017)
Good acting and potential that is wasted
I wanted to like this movie but the longer it went, the more I disliked it. I can only think how much better this movie would have been if Marvel had made it and done the story right. The good is that the acting is very good and Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart deliver great performances as you would expect from them. Stephen Merchant was great as Caliban. Dafne Keen was the true find as she did an outstanding job as Laura (X-23). Not speaking for most of the film means she had to rely on facial expression and looks and she did them with a lot of skill. Whether it was her or just great direction, the point is that she executes her role wonderfully. She has very expressive eyes and at times reminded me of a very young Sandra Bullock. I hope she has a long career.
The bad is the typical problem when Marvel isn't making the movie. Apparently the desire is to make superhero movies where the superheros detest their powers and stay far away from lame things like costumes (ie what fan like). So of course there are no costumes in this and there is a lot of complaining about having fantastic powers and everyone seems to determined use kung fu rather than actually use those powers.
At several points, it seemed that someone in Hollywood got an idea and insisted that it be included (hey let's involve border crossings, hey we need to say something about big corporations, hey let's complain about self-driving cars, etc. etc.) which all just muddle the story and add nothing in my opinion.
Although his acting was as good as always, I found Prof. X a distraction in the movie and was disappointed with his storyline. Others may disagree.
This movie is rated R. There are some bloody scenes but there are a lot of F-Bombs. Despite the rating, we had a 9 year old Wolverine fan sitting behind us constantly asking his parent what this or that means. With Wolverine being such a child-friendly character in comics and cartoons, making an R rated version was a pretty bad idea since a lot of kids are going to want to see it and give their parents plenty to have to explain. Deadpool could do it since Deadpool is not that common with kids. In fact, the best part of the movie was the preview (kind of preview) for the upcoming Deadpool sequel.
This was the 3rd movie I have seen recently in the theaters where the audience was disruptive. Talking, cell phones, etc. (one guy even taking a phone call during the film!) made it a bad experience. I love seeing movies in a theater but if people cannot learn that when in a theater they are NOT in their own den watching Netflix, I will have to seriously rethink it. Ticket prices keep going up and up and highly disruptive customers (forget poor films) make a good explanation for why people are staying away from theaters.
Luke Cage (2016)
Incredibly good - Definitely do not miss
The other Marvel on Netflix shows have been okay to sometimes good but tended to drag. The "superhero" aspect tended to be downplayed sometimes and it got into more of a drama series with someone who just happened to have superpowers. I always enjoyed the Luke Cage comic books although some of the more recent changes (in cartoons) have not been to my liking so I had low expectations for this NetFlix series. WOW was I surprised!
THIS was the Luke Cage I remembered reading about in the comic! His superpowers were no big deal to him and he did not whine about being different. He has virtually impenetrable skin and super strength but they do not define him nor make him feel better or worse about himself. I hate superhero shows where the character is conflicted because he has all this power or ability and wishes to be "normal". Luke is still just Luke. He has powers, he is an escaped criminal, he has many aspects but he is still who he is. The character development for him is well told and engaging.
Mike Colter is from Columbia SC so that was good to see. I wanted Terry Crews for Luke Cage but now I cannot imagine anyone being better than Mike Colter. I thought his acting was great and the changing look (sometimes with more hair or beard) were well played. He really did terrific and muscled just the right amount.
The other characters were also great. Mariah was detestable in the right way. Diamondback was great. Cottonmouth (although not super powered which is my only complaint about him) was wonderful. My favorite was Shades though so I hope we will see him, and that actor, again. His eyes and general demeanor were just perfect. Rosairo Dawson's Claire really fit well into the story and I liked her better that her prior appearances.
Some people do not like the show because of "black power" stuff but it is important to remember that the character was created during the blaxtoyplation phase of Hollywood so it was designed to be that way. I am not black but I felt it hit the right notes to stay true to the origins (taking place in Harlem and so forth) while also being relevant.
I cannot say enough good things about this series and I cannot wait for another season or for Luke to turn up on other shows. My biggest complaint is the they only showed Luke once in his iconic yellow shirt, blue pants and chain but at least they showed it (with great explanation of why he was wearing them). At least a lot of people referred to him as Power Man (much more than I was expecting) and he kept saying his catchphrase "Sweet Christmas".
Tomorrowland (2015)
Smug and preachy
George Clooney cannot resist being smug and preachy apparently. The basic premise is good and there are pretty good performances from the younger cast but Clooney is like a flat edge on a car tire. Whenever he is on screen, things go askew. It is really sad and disappointing because I could see a good movie in it but instead they opted for whiny and preachy. A big surprise too because Brad Bird's other films were good. I can only assume Clooney insisted on changes. The girl who plays Athena does really good and I will bet we hear a lot more from her. The actor playing the young version of Frank was also impressive.
Something that really bothers me was reading that Disney scrapped plans for Tron 3 because this movie flopped. Why can Hollywood not understand that it is not the TYPE of movie, it is CRUMMY movies that people do not like.
Humans & Households (2013)
Outstanding and hilarious!
I play RPGs and The Gamers:Dorkness Rising is one of my favorite movies. Most of the other movies about gaming do not really "get it" at points so I have been anxious for more from The Gamers. Hands of Fate was okay but dealt mainly with card games so it was less interesting. Now, they are back into full RPG mode but in the opposite direction.
Here, we have a "real life" Rogue, Cleric, Warrior and Mage playing fantasy characters. They play a Nerd, Nurse, Jock and Liberal Activist. Seeing how gaming characters would react to things that are ordinary here in our real world is fertile ground for jokes and this movie makes them while also not making fun of gamers.
This was a hilarious movie and I cannot wait for them to make more!
Knights of Badassdom (2013)
Very disappointing
I enjoy role playing games, LARPing and science fiction/fantasy. I like Peter Dinkage, Steve Zahn, Ryan K. and Summer Glau. Ever since watching Gamers:Dorkness Rising, I have hoped to find another movie half as good at least (Hands of Fate was not good). I should have loved this movie and was excited to watch it after reading a few reviews that said it was terrific. Apparently someone is either writing false reviews, has not actually watched the movie or perhaps is being paid for reviews. It is not unheard of and I really hope it does not happen on IMDb but I am beginning to wonder.
In this instance, the basic setup is okay and the premise is okay. With these great actors (and actress), it could have been fantastic. Ssdly, it mainly makes fun of the LARPing, RPG scene. The jokes are more at the expense of geeks and nerd than WITH geeks and nerds. The plot is very slow moving and never really apparent. As a demon is mentioned in the brief summary, it is no spoiler that there is a demon. What might be surprising though is that the demon really looks like it is from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Watching it you will see what I mean.
The movie is a great disappointment and what worries me more is that producers will see this movie and others in the genre and falsely assume that there is no market for this type of movie. Often dislike of bad movies is confused with disliking a genre. More movies like Gamers:Dorkness Rising and less movies like this (or Gamers:Hands of Fate) and there will be a good market.
Welcome to the Jungle (2013)
Misled by the reviews
I saw this and had never heard of it so checked IMDb. Based on the reviews, I decided to watch it since I have often enjoyed such "diamonds in the rough". Sadly someone must be paying people to write reviews now or perhaps it is better when stoned or drunk. The movie I saw was nothing like the reviews. There were no "hilarious" parts.
I normally like silly or stupid humor. This was neither. I like cerebral humor and this was not that either. I kept watching and thinking it was going to get better but it did not. I like most of the actors and actresses in this and they seemed to be doing their best, especially Van Damme, but when it is not funny, it is not funny. Several times I could see a joke being set up but then it never happened.
I gave it 3 stars out of respect for the cast who did try really hard but it was another movie that I wish I could unwatch and use that time instead to do something more fun. Which would be anything including watching paint dry. Spare yourself.
Man of Steel (2013)
Awful DC fluff
I love most superhero movies. Movies done by Marvel has shown universal quality. DC movies were getting better and I liked Green Lantern, Dark Knight and Batman Begins. I really wanted to like this movie but it has several gaping holes that I just could not tolerate. There are spoilers so stop reading if you have not seen it. You were warned but there is no way for me to really comment on the problems without these points.
First, the good stuff. I liked the overall story. I liked the actors for roles (although Lois Lane should have black hair but Amy Adams is hot so I can tolerate that). The "fathers" (Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner) did very good and I liked Cavill as Superman. Costume was good. I liked that the Zod followers did not instantly have all of Superman's powers since he had had to learn to control the powers and taken years to master them. That felt right. With so much going for it, the problems had to be big and they were to me.
First, Superman does not kill. EVER. I collected comics growing up and Superman was one of my favorites. Many issues revolved around him having to solve the problem without killing. It was one of his constants. Maybe the recent issues have changed him since i do not still collect and read the comics but for Superman to kill or knowingly let someone die is anathema. The scene with Jonathan Kent, I could handle because he was obeying his father. The scene with Zod I could not. Superman would have found another way. Period.
Zod brings up another point. This is a GENERAL who was genetically engineered to be an ideal warrior and who trained his entire life. However, he spends the movie getting his butt kicked. First, a scientist kicks his butt handily. Maybe Jor-el's armor had enhancements or something so I will give that an "eh" but then Kal-El whups him. Twice. Zod should have been able to eat Navy SEALs for breakfast but he cannot handle a scientist or farm boy? His second in command was a terrific fighter so it surprises me she did not kill him long ago if that is the best he can do. The actor playing him did well but c'mon, that is not a Zod that is a credible warrior.
The movie cuts back and forth in flashbacks that were distracting rather than better in my opinion. The flashbacks were good but I wonder how the movie would have been if shown in a more linear fashion. Still, that is a personal preference and no reason to dislike the movie.
The fight scenes seemed to go on forever and to be basically the idea that if they blow up and destroy enough stuff, everyone will forget the lame action. Remember in the old TV show how bad guys would empty their gun on Superman then throw the gun at him? I thought was going to happen at one point (which would have been funny) but that is how the fight scenes were. Who would think "Well, I hit him with a steel beam and it did nothing so maybe if I slam him into concrete? Hmm, still nothing, I guess I should throw him into the concrete building? Hmm, still nothing, maybe I should drop the concrete on him?" At some point they should have realized "HE IS INVULNERABLE, Concrete is not going to work". Instead they level building after building after building. How many died in the buildings falling? Remember the Pixar movie "The Incredibles" where superheroes were outlawed because of the amount of property damage they caused. Maybe this was intended as a prequel for that movie.
Time after time in the movie an illogical or unrealistic (yes, I know it is a comic book movie but it can still have realism) event would take me out of the story. A movie that cannot keep me in it or that has fight sequences with such vast destruction which go on so long that I am just bored looking at the obvious CGI is a movie I wish I could have avoided. Most of all though, a movie that has Superman kill is not a Superman movie.
Iron Man Three (2013)
Reviewers miss the point. This really is a great movie!
I was stunned to see all the negative reviews for this movie. I avoided the reviews and spoilers and couldn't wait to see it since I have loved the Marvel movies so far and knew they were starting "phase 2". This movie really plays well off of the events in the Avengers without really relying on that movie. Tony has anxiety worrying he might fail, worrying that he is not able to protect Pepper now that he has someone he cares for more than himself and basically afraid that he cannot be good enough. Big difference from the swaggering Tony but he tries to keep up the swagger act.
Normally previews spoil surprises in the movie but I was very happy that here, the scenes shown in the previews were good and in the movie but in the course of the movie they actually played out differently than you would guess from the previews. For example, in the trailers/previews I thought several sequences took place well outside of the US but that was not the case. The previews did not spoil anything.
The plot was clear and fun. It took turns and was interesting. I have no idea how others think it was stupid and wonder if they actually saw the movie. People complain about the child and call him a sidekick or make fun of the hostage part. I found him to be a great addition and an effective way to further the story. The "hostage" thing with the kid was very minor and furthered the story in important ways. Far from being a silly plot device, I found it to be a smooth addition.
As for the comments about the Mandarin, things are not always what they appear. The movie was pretty clear about that over and over yet the plot twist involving him is something the naysayers take on faith. Marvel is starting phase 2 with this movie. Would the Mandarin twist fit into that or do you think there might be a lot more to it than was clearly apparent? Would Marvel have referred to him in the prior movies and put so much into the "ten rings" only to have it end like this? Viewers should ask themselves if Marvel would so misinterpret one of their major villains or would they just make people think that had to reveal more in a later movie?
As you watch the effects of the Extremis drug, see if your mind immediately goes to the Red Hulk? Could the Extremis effect be a springboard for characters in later movies? Better yet, how can it not?
I believe Marvel has shown that if we trust them a little, that trust will pay off. The naysayers are like fans who see the other team score first and just leave convinced that their team has lost. Yes, parts of the movie can be viewed as odd but don't most stories rely on creating a challenge for the heroes? I believe this is what we see here. It is a great movie that leaves some odd questions but I believe they will be answered soon enough
The Campaign (2012)
OK but could/should have been better
I was excited for this and wanted it to be good. It was okay but missed chances to excel. Will Farrell was very much like his Ricky Bobby character (which is good) and did a good job with his role. His Cam Brady was a good blend of crass politician, idiot and selfish boor. Zach G. Was also good and different from Due Date and Hangover. The story, casting and idea were all good but it fell apart as basically several funny skits, most of which were shown in the trailers. It could have been so much more and much funnier.
One big peeve is that a scene from the trailers (Cam Brady holding up cigarettes as he is questioned if he is being paid by big tobacco) is not even in the movie. I think the DVD is likely to have a lot of deleted scenes and I wish I had saved my money and seen it on DVD.
The Hunger Games (2012)
Did not live up to the hype
Maybe it was just that my expectations were too high but I was disappointed. The story was not all that novel but since the main audience for the book was young adult, it probably was new to them. For the movie it may be the same. The authoritarian nature of Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451 as well as others and the gaming best done in The Running Man.
I have not read the book but my daughter did and explained many things the movie glossed over or omitted. I believe reading the book before watching might have made some things better. The acting overall was nothing special and I hated that Elizabeth Banks was almost unrecognizable under all her make up. Lenny Kravitz was the exception and did great in his role.
The use of shaky cam and close ups during fight scenes was distracting and a trend I intensely dislike. The costumes and colors were evidence that apparently in the future leisure suits would have returned as all the rage.
I wish I had waited to watch this on DVD
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
Stay Away from this movie
I liked the first Ghost Rider and collected comic books for years. I say that to let the reader know that I am also a fan of comic book movies normally and am not a stickler about a movie sticking to comic book canon. My problems with this movie have nothing to do with it being a comic book movie.
The special effects in the movie are very bad. I saw it in 2D since I do not like 3D but I do not believe that makes a difference. The new version of the burning skull is much worse than the original. Now, there is tons of smoke most of the time and it is hard to see anything. Like watching polar bears have a milk fight in a blizzard but in black instead of white. The excess smoke and a skull that sometimes blazes but often is just impossible to see in the smoke combine to remove some of the "cool" factor of Ghost Rider. In addition, the motorcycle and costume that were cool in the first one are gone. Replaced with a motorcycle that is hard to see (hello smoke) most of the time and when you can see it, it is basically an old motorcycle on fire. Not the awesome chrome and blazes chopper you would expect. The outfit is old leather that appears to be melting when you can see it through the smoke. I suppose that would be fine if you are going for more of a rotted zombie look but that is not Ghost Rider.
One of the main bad guys appears to be one of the ghost twins from the Matrix films and is about as interesting although he does have a cool power that the actor does a good job of appearing to enjoy. Sadly, he is on the screen far too seldom and is far too often in GR's smoke.
Which brings me to the acting. Normally, I like Nicholas Cage but here he is different. His face is chunkier and he has replaced acting with turning his head sideways. Apparently, someone told him that instead of snappy patter or doing cool things, he would appear so much more menacing if he started just turning his head sideways. So he does it A LOT! As GR, he barely talks except for a few very poor one liners that are akin to Arnold's "I let him go" in Commando.
In case the poor acting, distracting special effects and poor story are not enough, they also added annoying camera work. At times it has the hand-held shaky method so wonderfully annoying and at other times the director falls in love with closeups that add to confusion when you want to see what is going on.
In the first Ghost Rider, he could throw fire, he could use a Pennance (or Soul stare) Gaze. He could defy gravity with his awesome chopper. He made quips and was a hero. They did away with all of that and replaced it with....Nic Cage turning his head sideways. I know that he does gaze at a bad guy but although some might claim that is the Pennance Gaze, nothing seems to happen.
Finally, just in case all of the aforementioned was not enough, they made sure to have lots of people talking with odd accents to help make sure the mumbled dialog was harder to understand. An awful movie that I have 2 stars only because of my respect for comic book movies in general and I am glad someone tried to make a sequel. If only they would give the rights back to Marvel and let us get a decent Ghost Rider movie again.
Tower Heist (2011)
NOT a comedy but okay as a heist movie
This movie has a lot of star power with big comedians like Ben Stiller and Eddie Murray. Some of the marketing plays it up as a semi-comedy or comparisons to the Oceans 11 movies. I was expecting to laugh. While there were some minor (very minor) chuckles, it was far from a comedy. As a pure heist movie, it was okay but when you factor in all the star power and potential, I had to rate it poorly.
Eddie Murray does have one mild rant but otherwise is way under utilized. I seldom like characters played by Alan Alda since the first few seasons of MASH and this was no exception. The fact he was trying to play an unlikeable character is beside the point I believe. Matthew Broderick was in the movie but there was really nothing about the part that showcased his talent. Tea Leoni's FBI character was also confusing and it was like her character's motivation would change to fit whatever fit the plot at that particular moment. Ben Stiller did a good job but as with the others in the movie, there was very little of either the funny Stiller or the drama Stiller. What finished the movie off for me as a poor 3 out of 10 rating was the ending. No spoiler here about it except to say that the ending turned it from an okay unfunny heist movie to a movie I am very disappointed to have wasted my money to see.
I went with my wife and 2 children. I have not seen many movies at the theaters in the last few months. Looking at this movie along with the ~$65 I paid helps convince me I do not want to see many more. People beside me felt it appropriate to talk back to the screen frequently, someone in front of us might have had TB based on the amount of hacking coughing, someone behind my daughter had another discussion going on and overall I was left thinking I would rather have waited for the DVD, paid $1 and watched it in my living room. I hope theater owners wake up before it is too late for them.
Just FYI, there were no scenes during or after the credits that we saw so do not bother to wait around if you end up going.
The Green Hornet (2011)
A surprising and enjoyable movie
I am a big fan of superhero action movies usually and grew up as a huge comic book fan. I was not a huge Green Hornet fan but like many kids, knew who he was and the required lunch box (a metal container kids carried their lunches to school for those of you born after the 80s -lol). With the remakes and reboots going on, I was not too excited about Green Hornet and figured it would be marginal at best. Then I heard that Seth Rogen was going to star and although I like him in comedies okay, I immediately assumed Green Hornet would be awful because it would be cheesy and make fun of the genre. I like deliberate spoofs of superhero movies (see "Superhero Movie") but not ones that are just poorly done and ridiculous (see Halle Berry in "Catwoman").
I watched some of the previews and it began to look better so I decided to give it a chance. A friend is a huge Green Hornet fan so he kept me well informed as things developed. I went to the movie with very low expectations and an assumption it was going to be a movie that made fun of the fans.
I was wrong. I say that without hesitation and shame. The movie was not what I was expecting at all. Seth Rogen was good casting and he played Britt Reid as the shallow egotistic the movie needed. He was impulsive, he overlooked things and was quick to leap before he looked. The funny was genuinely funny and fit nicely into the story. I did not feel it was making fun of the genre or the fans.
On the other hand, Kato ruled the movie. Kato (Bruce Lee) in the television series was the big part kids imitated and I believe the same will be true here. Green Hornet may be the hero people talked about but it is Kato who does the real work. In the movie, this is handled very well as Kato wonders why no one mentions him and as he and Seth Rogen discuss it several times with funny results usually.
It was definitely a movie worth seeing and I am very glad I went. It was a different take on superhero action movies. The movie worked. The tone was right. The humor fit and the action was well done. The actors played their roles well and the bad guy was suitably bad, evil and mildly (or not so mildly) insane. He maintained a suitable threat without overpowering the movie or the story. This is definitely a movie that should appeal to most people and is one that i hope generates a sequel if the same people do the writing.