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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Movie Review

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YouTube Review:



The Good
:

Let's start with the setting. This takes place as an overlapping sequel to Man of Steel (Review). It was nice to see the parallel sequence of events that happened at the end of Man of Steel in the beginning of this film, except this time, from  a different perspective. More importantly, we were given a much more humanized perspective. That led to another strength of this film being the focus of morality.

For the entire duration of the movie, the concept of what is good or bad, and who's responsibility to determine right or wrong was played out very well. It kept a lot of the characters as being morally ambiguous for the most part.

Another highlight was the fact that director Zach Snyder didn't shy away from playing into the dark tones of the film. The impact of death and destruction was nicely emphasized throughout the movie; especially how it ties into the heavy moral burdens the various characters face. (As you can see from the trailers).

If Christian Bale was the Batman we all "needed, but not deserve", then Ben Affleck's Batman is the Batman we all wanted AND deserve. Ben Affleck IS BATMAN! He was made for this role just like Ryan Reynolds was made for Deadpool (Review). His rendition of Bruce Wayne was spot on as an aged, brooding, and fully focused Batman. They did a nice job of blending in the Frank Miller graphic novel version of Batman with the Arkham City video game version of Batman as well. You've never seen a Batman like this on screen before. It's probably easy to say that this is the darkest version of Batman we've ever seen, and it would be hard to find someone who isn't pleased with his performance. Jeremy Irons portrayed probably the best version of "Alfred" as well. Both Irons and Affleck shared great on-screen chemistry. (And that is no disrespect to Bale or Michael Cain either) I should also mention that Gal Gadot did perfectly fine in the film as Wonder Woman. So if there were any lingering doubts, they will be gone after this. (You will see why the studio is so confident to already begin filming her solo film)

There were plenty of surprises from beginning to end. What I most appreciated was how unpredictable most of them were. There will definitely be a few moments that will shock you or have you slightly jumping from your seat. Some scenes were so dark that it almost felt like the film crossed genres and became a horror flick.

Without giving anything away, I think overall the big fight between the two heroes was handled very well. The director, I think, learned from what didn't work in the Man of Steel movie, and made this fight more grounded. It definitely lives up to the hype and probably will be one people will be talking about for years to come.

The Bad:
One of my own disappointments in this film was Jesse Eisenberg in the role of Lex Luthor. I thought that his character was a bit too one dimensional compared to how Lex Luthor has always been displayed in various other platforms. In every single depiction of Lex Luthor ranging from the animated cartoon shows, comics, Kevin Spacey (Superman Returns) or Gene Hackman (Superman 1,2, 4), we have always seen a Lex Luthor that had a dynamic personality. The character is typically not only brilliant, but charismatic, witty and arrogant. He is able to win people over in the general public, like a smooth politician, but behind closed doors be a complete nightmare.
I don't know if this is the writer's fault or Jesse's but, either way, his performance as a villain came off to be very generic, stereotypical and overall corny. The way he played Luthor made him seem much more suitable for playing the role of The Riddler instead.

Okay, now that's off my chest, I should say that the movie is about 2.5 hours long. Some scenes could've been left out, but you'll notice that they were there just to add more depth to the character. As for the story itself, it was good for the most part, but if you're a comic fan you may feel like they rushed the plot a little too much. (Especially given the ending)

Unfortunately, I think that the trailers probably robbed many of us from the surprise element of the good scenes in the movie. I try to avoid trailers after the first one is released, but looking back after seeing the movie, I kind of feel bad to know that people have probably seen certain characters' best scenes in the trailers. For instance, the movie itself spends a good amount of time trying to build anticipation for that doomsday monster thing. However, thanks to the trailer, we're all robbed of the experience of being properly introduced to the monster.

The Reason:
Well...we finally have what we've been waiting for. Batman V Superman will probably go down as a staple in comic book movies for the next decade. It made history. This movie could've been monumental had it been released in 2012 or 2013 around the time Avengers came out. Given that we've seen this superhero setup film before, it SLIGHTLY loses its potential from being 100% epic.(Though some may still disagree, which is fine.) So I think it does live up to the hype to some capacity at least.

I think that what's also important to know is that this movie is about 2/3 about Batman and Superman, and 1/3 setup for the next couple of Justice League movies. (As you can tell from the subtitle) To fully appreciate this film, I would highly suggest watching Justice League: War and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 & 2 before watching this movie. Justice League War will fill you in with many of the elements of what's to potentially come within the future movies, and explain some scenes that may not initially make sense if you're not familiar with the comics. The Dark Knight movies will give you better insight on the inspiration behind Affleck's version of Batman, and why he's so different from any other Batman you may be accustomed to.

There are a number of big surprises in this film, which means that you know some internet trolls will eventually ruin the movie with a meme or something. So, I would highly encourage those of you out there to go see it as soon as possible in theaters (IMAX is a great choice). The surprises were such a big deal that during my screening of the movie, director Zach Snyder prerecorded a clip humbling requesting not to go out and spoil it for others. For those who want a sense of where this movie falls compared to other comic book films, I would say that it was better than Age of Ultron and Man of Steel, but not better than The Dark Knight or Captain America 2: Winter Soldier. Also there is no end credit scene, so don't bother waiting. Go see it, and share this review with your friends.

The Rating: 8.5/10 7/10



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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Midnight Special Movie Review (2016)


The Trailer
:


The Good:
Writer/Director Jeff Nichols does a really good job of creating an authentic blend of mystery, drama and sci-fi. Nichols develops the story in such a way that the movie almost feels like an actual novel. Every scene reveals just enough and every new scene almost feels like you've just turned the page.

One of the interesting aspects of this film is how the mystery of the little boy challenges a lot of popular thinking. We have no idea if he's an alien, religious savior, or a superhero from a comic book. Regardless of who or what the boy is, the film keeps you in a state of wonderment as it develops over time.

From the very beginning, Michael Shannon is great in his role as "Roy". As the boy's father, he portrays an interesting balance of confliction, love, and dedication when it comes to his son. At times, it's hard to tell if Shannon's character is just some religious zealot or if he's just sincerely concerned for his son's well-being. Joel Edgerton (plays "Lucas"), also delivers an interesting supporting role as his character seems to be on the fence about his beliefs throughout the film.

The Bad:
I suppose one thing that may not resonate with some people is that, while this is a mystery, it doesn't really answer all of your questions. If you miss a few subtle lines here or there, by the time you get to the end of the film, you may feel as though there were some plot holes. The director purposely left some things up for interpretation, but that doesn't necessarily mean that people will be okay with that.

The Reason
:

I think that one of the best ways to approach this film is to just dive right into it. Don't read about it, and if you haven't already, don't bother watching any trailers. I think that if you also go in with low expectations, you may actually enjoy the movie a bit more as well. It's one of those movies that will keep you guessing, and it will also deliver a few surprises here and there. This film is a bit of an original however you'll probably notice a lot of similarities from other movies like ET, Super 8, or Knowing. I thought that the film was good overall, and if you want something a little different, then give this a chance. Sci-Fi fans should really enjoy this, especially if you happen to watch it at home.

The Rating: 7.5/10
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Bonus Q&A w/ Director Jeff Nichols and Joel Edgerton (SPOILER ALERT)

I had the pleasure of being able to attend the Chicago screening of Midnight Special, and we were lucky enough to have Jeff Nichols and Joel Edgerton stop by. They talked about the film and gave some interesting insight about the film. Be sure to check it out.








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Saturday, March 12, 2016

10 Cloverfield Lane Movie Review (2016)



The Trailer:

The Good:
It's pretty easy to say that John Goodman (plays "Howard") carries this movie for the most part. Goodman continued to show different dynamics of his character that would constantly make you think, "What's this guy's deal?". He was by far the most intriguing character despite the fact that Mary Elizabeth Winstead ( plays "Michelle") is the obvious lead.

Similar to the previous Cloverfield film, the movie continues the same approach of keeping a level of mystery until the latter part of the film. The good part about this is that you become invested into the film because you don't know any more or less than the main character.

There are some moments that are genuinely suspenseful and thrilling. Given the fact that you're kept in the dark about who the characters are,  the film really does keep you in the moment from scene to scene. You have no idea what may or may not be actually happening in the outside world either. There are just enough twists and turns to keep you wondering about what will happen next.

The Bad
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If you were expecting this to be a movie about aliens, then you'll be in for a disappointment. The film focuses heavily on the characters and the drama they ensue while being in the bunker. Some of the scenes kind of drag a bit because the movie wanted to build up the characters in different ways. I think that, again, if you were expecting this to focus more on the alien threat from the previous film, then the build up the characters just won't matter as much to you. (Except for John Goodman's character.)

The Reason
:

10 Cloverfield Lane isn't really a sequel per se. Unless I missed something, it felt like a stand alone film that happened in the "Cloverfield universe". When you see the end of the film, you'll be able to see how the two films connect. This movie is more of a thriller than it is a sci-fi flick. I'd say it's more of Misery + War of the Worlds, or something like that. Unfortunately, I can't really say much more without giving too much away, so I'll just say that this was enjoyable and worth the watch. I think that if you liked Cloverfield then you'll more than likely also like 10 Cloverfield too. It's not something you'd have to rush to the theaters to see. If/when you do decide to see it, I don't think many people will be disappointed.

The Rating: 7.5/10








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Thursday, March 3, 2016

London Has Fallen Movie Review (2016)

The Trailer:

The Good:
 Gerard Butler returns in one of his best action roles next to his performance in 300. Butler clearly carries this film the entire way through. He consistently delivers cliché but yet classic action-hero one-liners that provide just a pinch of humor to the film. His character is also not short on playing nice with the bad guys. His "kick butt and ask questions later" demeanor make him the best highlight of the film.

For this sequel, the writers did a nice job of making the plot a little bit more realistic. (So you don't have to worry about turning your brain completely off.) There were even a few unpredictable sequence of events that happen that, I think, help to ground the movie a little more. Even the villain was given a much more believable motive rather than just simply world domination or whatever. 

Speaking of being grounded, even the action wasn't unbelievably over the top. The car chases and the explosions were handled in an exciting, entertaining and suspenseful manner. The director, Babak Najafi, did a nice job with the camera work during some of the more intense scenes. I appreciated the unique camera-follow shots where it almost felt like you were running with Butler's character during the crazy fight scenes.

The Bad:
Not sure what could really be said here. Some of the special effects for the explosions looked a little fake, but...you know...it was fake. So if that bothers you I guess you could consider it a "Bad".

The Reason:
I personally really enjoyed London Has Fallen. One of the best things about this movie is that it doesn't take itself seriously at all. It knows that it's a pure action flick, and it doesn't try to be anything more or less than that. There are guns, fights, explosions and cheap one-liners. All the things that action junkies love in action films. The only movie I could compare this to would be Die Hard. Gerard Butler is basically Bruce Willis from Die Hard (If John McClane was a secret service agent, instead of a New York city cop). Overall, I think this is a perfect movie for action movie lovers and it’s more than safe to watch in theaters or at home. I’d also say that this topped Olympus Has Fallen (Previous Review) as a sequel too. You definitely want to see THIS Gerard Butler film, and not his other movie flop, Gods of Egypt.

The Rating: 7.5/10







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