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Reviews
Justice League (2017)
Proof the Marvel formula works
Don't worry, it's not a joke fest but the lighter tone certainly works better than that dark nonsense. Still the same cherry picking from the source but no way as bad as BvS. It's New 52 but with more focus. The CGI is excessive at times and the individual story arcs are forced at times.
There are some pleasant surprises. The trailers did a good job of not giving much away. Now as a comic book fan I do have to Nit-pick some of the deviations. One was horrible. I won't mention which one but it was bad but doesn't hurt the overall theme. There is a heavy Avengers influence, which isn't a bad thing but DC needs to reach into their own source and adapt Barry and Cyborg much better. Jason Momoa steals the show, along with Wonder Woman who is currently DCEU'S best character. My only issue is they power her down in this, which really bothered me. Team doesn't mean the members need one person to save them, they are all supposed to be as powerful as the other and together they can take care of any threat. But to an extent it was fan service so I fully understand why Zack and Chris Terrio wrote this film the way that they did.
Not bad at all and not too dark for the kids. Not great, but a much better start in the right direction.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Another great trilogy from Marvel
With the exception of some profanity, this is truly fun for the whole family. A LOT is taken from a variety of Thor comic books but you don't need to be a comic book reader to enjoy this.
Fun, full of laughs that aren't forced like they were in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. No cringe worthy moments.
The following are slight spoilers so tread lightly. Okay, Thor's new look is from the comics, yes even the very end. The arc was drastically changed but it's from the books. There is "Odinson" and then there is "Thor" so Odinson does loose Mjolnir. And yes, he has swords, one was actually enchanted like his hammer in the comics. So fear not. For now Odinson is still Thor who doesn't need Mjolnir. And RIP to this sentient being Mjolnir.
The good- Marvel shows how a "shared" universe is supposed to be. Guest appearances and many characters pulled right from the comic books.
Action packed from start to finish. Easy to follow, straightforward plot. Sets up Infinity War without giving anything away. Jeff Goldblum, first looks like The Grandmaster from the books and his eccentric take on the character works well.
Hulk fans, rest easy. Hulk/Banner are fantastic in this. Loki is perfect as always.
The bad: It's clustered with too many elements from the books that don't make a lot of sense. Thor's look is from Unworthy Thor when he can't lift his hammer anymore but it's mixed in with the King Thor arc. Which is crazy.
Cate Blanchett is simply a world champion when it comes to acting. However, the character arc wasn't very good. With the film deviating from the 616 version of Hela to basically make her character seem like a victim, instead of a powerhouse.
Speaking of "powerhouse" the character of Hela is powerful, and she's shown as such but she fights and throws daggers from the air when she can do way more than that.
Both DC and Marvel power down too many key characters for the sake of sub-par deviations from the source.
Special effects were good but it was filmed in Australia and we really barely see this beautiful country.
I hated the Valkyrie casting and arc. I love Tessa Thompson, but did not like the direction the writers took with this character. Tessa's acting was solid, it's the writing and directing that I have issues with. Another powered down character. Also, Tessa simply doesn't fit. But not terrible by any stretch.
Overall, it's still a solid film. Marvel never makes excuses for it's flaws. And the pros out way the cons in this film. If you hated Thor: The Dark World, give this film a chance. You won't be sorry.
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
Hot Garbage
I've been following this for decades. From toys, to manga, to Marvel comics. Yes, Marvel included the Transformers in their portfolio.
How bad? I'll drop a big spoiler. Unicron is mentioned. Guess where he is. Stuck in the planet Earth. I mean how ridiculous is that?!
Unicron is similar to Galactus. He can't get stuck in a planet. It's so absurd and as usual, craps on the little bit of source material there is.
The editing is insulting. Characters literally change clothes without transition. The action sequences are so absurd it had me laughing the entire film and I don't mean in a good way. It was like watching Dumb and Dumber in space, it was so ridiculous.
How Michael Bay dragged Anthony Hopkins into this mess is beyond me. Oh, and it's still racist. I think there are like two African American characters, one doesn't say a word the ENTIRE film.
The costar is a Latina that's homeless, and has an attitude problem. Instead of little lady, she's referred to as "bro" or dude, I can't even remember.
Tyrese Gibson bailed at the perfect time. This film is for people who have no clue as to what is going on.
AVOID AT ALL COST. My last spoiler. Optimus only has like 10 minutes in this entire film.
Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Not bad but not the same as the original
The film does take a lot of elements from the 1995 anime film. The film is almost structured the same.
I gave this a solid 5 out of 10 because it isn't that bad a film and in terms of Scarlett Johansson's casting, It wasn't that bad. In the original manga film Major has blue eyes.
So either give a Japanese actress blue contact lenses(Which to me is just as bad) or cast an actress with blue eyes. .
Scarlett's casting didn't bother me at all. It was her performance. The Major wasn't one to smile or get overly emotional. There were times Scarlett gave slight smiles and went crazy to the point of tears. Then she seemed tight and stiff as if to emulate a robot the same way Peter Weller did as Robocop. She seemed almost confused at times.
Her casting may not have been bad, along with Batou, but the rest of the film's cast was outright bizarre. Whitewashing is the least of this strangely cast film. Not sure if Ng Chin Han is even Japanese.
Juliette Binoche and Michael Pitt are prime examples of Whitewashing because they simply were poorly cast and skin color had to have played a part in their casting. Peter Ferdinando's casting as Cutter wasn't bad but this film might as well have been called White Power.
Danusia Samal has a bit part and although I personally loved watching Adwoa Aboah as a sexy prostitute entertaining Scarlett's Major Motoko, she was still a bit player and a prostitute. That's not a representation of progress in diversity. Have her as a girlfriend at least or become one. I mean, it's not like the film is staying cannon to the original.
The irony of the Whitewashing controversy is that the original anime film featured a White female character. Blonde hair and blue eyes and what happens to this character is what pushes the subject of a "Ghost" within the cyborgs.
So a White woman was going to be featured regardless.
Don't get me wrong. Mrs. Johansson's performance isn't terrible. She's still a delight to watch, problem is it was off from the anime version.
No the major problem are the deviations from that film and the manga series in general. It's not the same as deviating from an American comic book. The comic book companies deviate within the source material itself. And there are different versions of every character created by each American company in existence.
Manga is different and most Japanimation brings in a different audience. So more people may have seen the 1995 film or even Arise, than have read the books.
Another key element is that most anime is straight forward. What you see, is what you get. So there is very little that can be changed.
And in all fairness, it's not like the original manga or film or anime series is all that diverse, but the casting was still bizarre.
The film simply does not capture the essence of the manga or 1995 film or even the series Arise, which means it doesn't capture the essence of the key characters.
Die-hard fans need to avoid this film. They will be disappointed. Casual fans might actually enjoy watching this. The film isn't bad. It's just a "shell" of the original.
Warcraft (2016)
Time for a series
I enjoyed this film. I never played the game but it's hard not to be familiar with it. It's not based on World of Warcraft, but on other series.
As with comic book adaptations and other video game adaptions there are some slight deviations, but nothing too extreme.
The CGI and motion capture for this film and some of the actual sets were good, not great. To me CGI and green screen should be an excuse to abandon live sets and locations. The film has characters similar to that of Lords of the Rings but not the same quality on the all around.
Ruth Negga and Paula Patton were great, especially Paula Patton. She needs to do more action films. I'm sorry but nothing beat traditional make-up and watching the actual actor versus motion capture. The motion capture was good in this and was needed for the Orcs. I'm just really glad a decision was made to include Paula Patton and put her in make up, instead of turning her into another motion capture character.
Speaking of make up, the costuming was awesome in this. Especially Dominic Cooper who played King Llane Wrynn. His battle armor was incredible.
Great fight sequences and a decent story-line. Again, nothing great. I do wish this film was lighter on the gore. I get it's based on a game and the film is meant to emulate the game play but I wish there was less gore.
I'm glad the director made changes to the script. The film did have balance between the Orc clans and the humans characters. Unfortunately I can't give this a high rating and certainly can't agree that the video game film curse is over. The deviations were slight but did seem necessary at all and the film as a whole was good not great.
I still did enjoy watching this film.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
Good not great
If you are an action junkie, this is the film for you. If you are a Ruby Rose fan, this is the film for you. If you liked the first film, this is a must see. If you hate exaggerated action sequences, that at times make no sense, then avoid this film at all cost.
It's good action, with the most diversity I've seen in a while on film. Quality acting and casting. More stylized than the first film. Pure eye candy from beginning to end in terms of visuals.
Unfortunately I can't give this film a high rating because it would put it in the same class as Saving Private Ryan or 12 Years A Slave and this film is far from those films in terms of overall quality.
The gun play is a lot more concise than with most films but the viewer has to spend to much time suspending belief. The first sequence is an action junkies wet dream but it makes no sense what-so-ever. A lot of the sequences defy logic and really run counter to the overall plot.
John Wick is supposed to be this high level assassin. The trademark of a professional or even a military trained operative is being prepared. And there are times John gets in trouble and it's his own doing because he really isn't prepared for a heavy assault.
The most annoying theme was him getting hit by on coming cars. I mean, is this a comic book film? Problem for me was two fold: A- A trained operative always is aware of his surroundings. Why can't John Wick avoid getting hit by an on coming vehicle? B- How is he able to get up after getting hit by a car traveling at high speeds?
Just absolutely ridiculous.
It's a film that makes great strides to be elegant, and mature but falls short of that in its action sequences and plot devices.
Again, if you are a fan, you will love this film or even if you are just an action junkie who wants to hang out on your day off and you need a decent film to watch. This is for you.
But if you have a hard time suspending belief or dealing with a film that is filed with glaring continuity issues, avoid this film.
I give it a solid 6 out of 10. Not a bad film at all, just not as great as so many have claimed.
Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016)
total waste of talent
It's Wonder Woman with three great actors and a boring script. This film is yet another example of why writing is more important than casting.
If you like to drool over Gal, the lingerie sequence was a treat. She is extra sexy in that, but to me it wasn't enough to justify wasting time watching this rather dull film.
All four actors have comedic timing. Yes, even Gal Gadot, who, I myself criticized for poor acting. Here she is cast as the tough, yet sexy agent/spy and does it well. Her part is formed well around what she can do- not to much, not to less and shows she does have timing, problem is the jokes are bad half the time and it leans to much on Isla Fisher and Zach Galifianakis.
The geek-meets popular, good, looking people scenario is becoming painfully cliché. And doesn't work all too well seeing as Isla Fisher is very attractive. It also is more distracting than an element to move the plot along.
And I have no idea what's going on with Jon Hamm. He is totally wasted in this.
It's bad action sequences and bad comedy mixed into a romance of sorts. It has it's moments thanks to the cast and especially Zach and Isla, but overall it's a poor mans Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Not even worth a dollar rental.
xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Vin Diesel-please retire
I don't know what was worse. The writing, the acting or the bad CGI.
This should be a stunt man/woman and fans wet dream. Extreme sports, meets action film.
I just kept hoping Tom Cruise would show up to save us viewers from this bad cartoon of a film. Sadly that didn't happen.
Gorgeous cast. Ruby Rose and Deepika Padukone stole the show as far as I'm concerned, but don't go see this film just to see them. Even if you are a hardcore fan. I'm a big time fan of Donnie Yen and even though he was his usual great self, it didn't stop the pain and agony this film caused my senses.
At least with a comic book film you already suspend belief. Even for human characters that have no superpowers what-so-ever. You still understand there will be outrageous stunts and CGI. I can't grasp why Vin Diesel does films like this. He doesn't do his own stunts the way that Tom Cruise does and Diesel looks over the hill.
This film did the right thing by hiring actors like UFC champion Michael "The Count" Bisping and Tony Jaa who can actually fight, but sadly drowned them in poor writing and special effects.
I wouldn't watch this again if it was forced on me at gun point. Avoid at ALL COST!
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
It's been a fun ride but glad it's over
If you're looking for action and zombies, this is the film for you. If you are a fan of this series, you will enjoy this. If you are looking for a good film, look someplace else.
I don't know why I am a fan of this series. Okay, Milla is part of the reason along with the rest of the attractive cast that started with Michelle Rodriguez and ended with Ruby Rose.
Ruby Rose fans, I will drop one big spoiler. She's not in the whole film. Sorry, but don't rush to see this film just for her.
But if you are a fan, this film does bring a good close to this long running series. Fans will enjoy how everything is tied together.
Cheesy fight sequences, too much CGI, and painful dialog have always plagued this series. Yes, I'm a fan, but I guess I'm truly getting old.
I am thankful to Milla for hanging in there with this series for so long. This series, though not perfect, has always been the flag for girl power, and one of the few to have a female lead who fights and beats up men, women, and monsters.
As much as I like this series, I'm glad it's over.
Bad Moms (2016)
Wasted potential
It was nice to see Mila Kunis carry yet another film but it's a mediocre film at best. Some fun funny moments but overall a very sub-par film. It's a film that wants to be a romance and comedy at the same time. Very difficult to take dramatic actors that aren't even that strong in that department, and blend romance and comedy. Comedy takes talent and timing and good writing. Aside from having the wrong cast for such an endeavor, it needed to commit fully to comedy and less to the romance aspect. A little more slapstick and more absurdity would have actually been better to maintain the audience's attention. A dramatic film with humor commits to the drama first and that becomes the plot device while humor is the buffer that lightens the heavy moments in the film. This film never does that. It depends on vulgarity and cheap parlor tricks in the way of gags to get a laugh instead of structuring a comedy film with over the top funny moments, which have a central plot. Then the film makes this lazy attempt to become an ensemble story arc in the second act for really no reason. Then it's the belabored overworked soccer mom subplot. Which is already laughable at this point but in this film it's ridiculous. The lead has no burden of finances. In fact the lead character is working part time with no problem and the main obstacle is her own idiocy. We never really see him transform from bad mom. It's the men in her life that end up the excuse as to why she isn't leading the life she thought she should be. So it goes from one element to another without finishing the central plot. Just not a well thought out film at all.
Carol (2015)
Gorgeous enough to keep you awake
This film dragged from start to finish. It's beautifully shot and should have been awarded for production design. The performances were only okay to me. Cate Blanchett seems to be playing a similar character in her recent films. I know some actors after a while incorporate some of their own traits into their characters, and then it becomes hard for the audience to discern between each role. That or Rooney and her were simply miscast in this. I liked Cate's look in this but for some reason it was like she was channeling Katherine Hepburn too much. Good actors sometimes carry a film too much and sometimes they are simply not right for the part. The chemistry seemed strained in this. I've always been highly critical of adaptations. It's simply not possible to incorporate it all into a single film. This film seemed like it was too long. Another issue is Rooney, director and screen writer didn't do a great job really conveying that Therese was attracted to Carol from the very beginning. The author Patricia Highsmith(whom Therese is based off of) described seeing this beautiful blonde in a mink coat as almost feeling faint," yet at the same time uplifted, as if I had seen a vision." I did not see this until later and even then it was diminished under this layer of tragedy of Carol going through this unseemly custody battle. And I don't see how a mother can be broken up by a custody battle for her only child and run around with a young women, only to leave the affair and asking her friend and former lover to watch over her new lover. Even in an adaptation there needs to be a balance between the source and compiling elements that work throughout the story. The ego bruised men were too much of a negative distraction that never helped tell the story. Not to mention the story is predicated on women who lied to these men in their lives and they seemingly tell these men to kiss their collectives butts because now neither woman needs them anymore. These two women, with little, in the way of, redeeming qualities to begin with. Carol is a spoiled brat that didn't have a care in the world and seemed more like a hurt child, than an experienced lesbian showing a young lover the way to ecstasy, and embracing her sexual appetites. This was a very overrated film. Not terrible in the slightest, but not very overwhelming either.
Suicide Squad (2016)
WB has forsaken thee
This is what happens when a director writes a comic book film and doesn't have a good grasp of the source material.
Great performances from Margot and Leto and with that great homage to Alex Ross, it's easy to see David understood these two characters and in this film he reached to both the comic books and cartoon as references points.
And contrary to popular belief, this film borrows heavily from the comic books. Unfortunately like BvS, it doesn't go all the way, or cherry picks too much.
Which makes much of what the characters do make little to no sense.
The characters were also too soft. They are supposed to be the worst of the worst. Double crossing everyone in site and greedy. Here they are not even close.
Will Smith is yet again portraying a caricature of himself. It's as if he refuses to portray a truly vile and evil character. Viola Davis was another highlight in this films. Her character simply wasn't written well as it could have been.
I personally didn't see issues with editing. The film simply drags because the pacing is very poor.
The final act is deplorable. I'm not sure if Cara Delevingne is that bad an actress or if the writing/direction was that awful, that it made her performance that much more cringe worthy.
I'm just glad I watched this film at a discount. I hope Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Jared Leto return. The rest, I have no interest in seeing again and DC might want to think about replacing David Ayes as writer and director.
Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)
Nothing special
I loved the focus of Raven and Damien. Cyborg's subplot was great and it paid a great homage to the comic books.
Great voice acting and casting in that department. Although I will always love Kevin Conroy's voice as Batman, I am getting used to Jason O'Mara.
The story wasn't bad but I would have liked it if the fight was more even. I just didn't see the point of it if it was going to be one-sided.
I'm also tired of Superman being the focal point. Something happens to him, the world has to stop. Granted the film leans on Raven heavily, which again, is good, but DC just has this bad habit of making Superman the end-all and be-all of DC and it wears on the over all effectiveness and impact of the other characters, which thus hurts the over all plot.
I thought the set up was a little long. The climax seemed to be drawn out a little. I think that's what took my interest away.
The overall plot seemed a little weak. DC wants to engage kids, but also young adults and the few older parents that will be watching this with their kids. I just feel it wasn't as engaging as other films have been over the years.
Not horrible, just not special, like some of the past films were.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
See this film! An unbiased review
Outstanding film. And no I'm not some bias Marvel fan with a grudge against DC and yes I actually did read the Civil War comic book series.
This ends, what is right now the best comic book trilogy. That's right! Better than Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. Remember this is comic book based films. I would not call this the best trilogy in cinema.
I personally can't believe it. I never thought Captain America would take the lead in Superhero films but he has. I never liked Chris Evans casting in this series, but he has turned out to be a great Steve Rodgers.
It is action packed and for the whole family. Be warned! It does have a grounded tone similar to Winter Soldier. There is humor but a lot of tense, emotional scenes that continue throughout the film.
The film really is about emotion. It's about devastation, and loss. So do not go in thinking it's a slap stick gag fest full of one liners.
Spiderman? Awesome! To my die-hard comic book readers, Disney and the Russo Brothers have NOT let you down.
Black Panther? Great. Not quite the comic book version, but a well adapted character to say the least. If you heard he shines in this, believe it.
Scarlet Witch? Much improved from AOU. Ms. Olsen is gorgeous and steals part of the show with Black Panther.
Is it Avengers 2.0 or a Captain America film? A Captain America film.
So my first spoiler alert is you do not see the entire team throughout the film. It sets up and finishes small details about important characters like Wanda, Black Widow and Vision, but you will not see much of them. This film is all about Captain America and his best friend Bucky Barnes and their story and how Tony ties into their history.
So, no, it is nothing like Batman v Superman. This is not some manufactured relationship that occurs out of the blue and (spoiler) these guys don't battle because they would enjoy pummeling each other, or are unable to speak in a complete sentence.
The reason behind that epic battle scene is not what you think.
Speaking of that epic battle scene: Is it the best in cinema history? No.
Is it the best in comic book film adaptation history? Absolutely!
It's the characters you grew up with going toe-to-toe. Now is it canon to the books? Still a no on that one. As many of you know, who read the comics, these characters are severely powered down, and in some cases dumb down. However, you will not be disappointed at all.
Enough with the praise, time to get to the not so great elements.
Baron Zemo? Not great at all. (Major spoiler Alert) He is forced into this and worse he is given a reason why he is attacking the Avengers. For once I would like a villain who is evil because he or she chooses to be. I get Thanos is supposed to be the ultimate evil(at least I hope he is) but the under developed non-costume wearing villains need to stop. I need more than some random White guy, wearing a designer suit.
No offense.
(Major Spoiler again) As you guys saw in the trailer Tony fights Bucky and Steve solo. The reason for this is one of those deviations I actually do not like. Very weak set up. A typical Hollywood tie-in.
Black Widow is in this but kinda side-lined, but again, I warned that the focus is on Bucky and Steve, same as it was in the First Avenger.
I usually don't like comic book films that deviate too far from the source but I did not like this comic book series at all. It was predicated on Steve overreacting and Tony going too far. So although some deviations I did not like(one mentioned above) I'm glad this film deviated from it's source, while still maintaining the core reason for government intervention.
The film is very focused and centered on concluding Steve's story-line, while continuing the events that took place in Age of Ultron. Not only is it not over crowed, I wanted even more characters involved.
Avengers 2012 will always be my favorite comic book film, along with The Dark Knight, but this is certainly now in my top five CBMs of all time.
Outstanding!
A must see.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Good, certainly not great
Is this film worth seeing in the theater? YES! Should you rush to see it? NO! Critics have not been harsh at all. This film is underwhelming and abandons the ideology of Batman and Superman entirely.
The positives: Visually at times this film is stunning and is the best in it's class in terms of comic book based films.
Action. If you are an action junkie then you need to see this film. It is an adrenaline rush that last all 2.5 hours. Never a dull moment.
Ben Affleck. Outstanding as Batman. The direction of his character and the elements that make the character what it is, make this the best adapted version of Batman to screen. He was a detective, a technologist and a self sufficient monster that proved why he will be an important part of the Justice League. Be warned, he is violent and shows no mercy.
Gal Gadot. Outstanding! I was pleasantly surprised. The writing of the character was superb. There is the one part of her not having her own vehicle that bothered me, but other than that she was fantastic and there maybe hope that a Wonder Woman film series might just work. At this point, it will be the fault of DC is it doesn't, because Gal was outstanding.
Negatives: Best comic book movie of all time it is not. Hardly and my list of 'best ever' stays the same. A film can't take short cuts and this one does.
One has to have seen ever comic book adaptation ever made to even make that assessment and I have seen close to all of them, regardless of the language and this one falls short of being the best ever.
It's congested with elements that don't even resemble the comic books. So you'll be left wondering what was that. The plot was straight forward to me, it's just, many of the short cuts taken seem cheap and lazy in terms of writing.
As a film it is not cohesive and the plot holes are glaring.
Superman? Some very good moments and well directed by Zack Snyder, sadly however Henry is simply holding back too much and doesn't understand how to play Superman or he is just a limited actor that doesn't have the range to play such an iconic character.
Lex Luthor. Jesse Eisenberg was a great choice for Lex. The writing was bad for this character. DC can get Lex right in the comics, but not in live action. Terrible writing. All Star Superman was great because we see Lex beat Superman essentially without Kryptonite, however I never liked the idea of Lex being obsessed with him.
To me Lex finds out everything there is to know about Superman and just makes it hard for Superman to stop him from committing crime. Instead of one Doomsday, what if it was an army? Make Lex a powerful villain that is hard to stop and necessitate the reason why the League would be needed to stop such a villain. Just because a villain get's his birth in a solo series, doesn't mean that character has to stay in that series or even be defeated.
Mercy Graves. A race change that equals yet another wasted character. Just terrible. One of the best ideas. Lex has a henchmen that poses as his driver but is really an enforcer and because it's a woman, it throws people off and they don't expect her to be the one to be his muscle or to even be capable of anything a man can do. This would have been an opportunity to have her shine and it was wasted.
Everyone else was good.
The cameos. Okay at best, but not great and one was down right terrible. Again just short sighted.
Not a terrible film. It's good, just not great.
The thing is I blame the fans for this, not just DC. The fans can't figure out what they want. No one wants campy again, but this film series can work without the excessive violence. It is not gory. So rest easy, but it is violent.
To me 'Dark" equals death and suffering and if fans can't handle that then they need to stop asking for it. To me you can't have one without the other. Also, I'm tired of the complaints of story elements that come directly from the comic book.
So to me the fans are just to blame as DC. Go see the film, just don't rush to see it.
Love (2015)
decent idea-poorly executed
To me this film was about two tortured souls that didn't know how to love and used sex as a means to explore love.
This is porn though. Yes, it even has a money shot. Those in the know, know what that means and yes very graphic. The penetration scenes don't seem to be real but the other kinds of sex acts are certainly real. It's male performers and star Karl Glusman, all have full erections. There is oral sex as well.
Sadly it's not good full-feature erotica. The characters are all two dimensional and Murphy is a slut of a man that thinks he knows what love is, but can't curb his lust for other women and sex.
The characters simply were not well-rounded and the film is entirely too long and I think that if it were more linear, it would have worked better. Furthermore if the film is going to have a lot of actual sex or sex acts, the director should have experimented and explored more. It's missionary, doggy style and spooning. At least be more creative.
You want sexy characters to help get into the sex, regardless of the plot and talent helps. Invest in some actual porn stars.
If you want to see how explicit it is watch the first half. However, it is not worth watching past that point.
Daredevil (2015)
Awesome-A review without a lot of spoilers
So the critics that wrote that season 2 starts out slow are wrong. It's a faster pace completely, from start to finish. As always the dialog is oh so important, so you can't watch this only to wait for the fist fights to commence.
PUNISHER FANS-FEAR NOT!! Marvel finally gives you the Punisher. Without the cardboard cutout criminals that he mows down with ease. It is an interwoven story-line that keeps you guessing. Jon Bernthal is awesome. He embraces this role and the writing is reminiscent of War Journal. However to the faint of heart, this also seems to borrow from Punisher Maxx, which showed a new level of brutality, even for the Punisher, and brutal and ruthless is what he is. Not for children at all.
This is very well balanced. Every character is great and not one is left out just to let Daredevil shine. It's truly more an ensemble and each character is important to the story-line. The overlap isn't as unbearable as with most Hollywood products.
The show touches the comics, so just know that going in. It's not afraid to enter into a more fantasy realm. It's still very realistic and the fight choreography is still great.
Things I had issues with.
It's Dark-literally. As seen in the trailers, it's hard to see the action because everyone is wearing black. And I do mean everyone and most of the action is at night or just plain in the dark.
Elektra- She does get a costume, but she looks more like Skarlet of Mortal Kombat than the red cloaked heroine we're used to seeing. Still mostly a Black costume. So when she fights, all you still see are silhouettes. Her set-up seems a bit strange and off but it ends with her being more like the Elektra from the comics. At first I was not in favor of Elodie Yung's casting, but she is great. Such a beautiful woman and her accent is to die for. I enjoyed watching all her scenes. She is also brutal and not for the faint of heart.
The romance between Matt and Karen was cringe worthy. The thing is they were a couple in the comics. So any slow moments are really between the two of them but thankfully it is not overwhelming. Again that touch-the-comic book thing. Just keep that in mind.
Speaking of the character of Karen Page. If you were not a fan of hers in the first season then I must warn you, you get more of her this season. If you enjoyed Deborah Ann Woll's performance, or you just like looking at her, then you are in for a treat.
It does deviate from the books. Most of it is for a good reason though. So that the focus can be on other characters that were never a focus in the comics. So just be prepared for that.
All and all, I highly recommend this show. It plays like a well crafted crime drama, so even people who are not fans of comic book based products will still enjoy this.
Halo: The Fall of Reach (2015)
poorly put together
I just couldn't get past the animation and the egregious lack of diversity. I mean it's an animated film for crying out loud. Movie makers have to realize that adapting a story-line from a video-game is easy. Just don't add in more than it needs to be. It's funny because a die-hard gamer friend of mine warned me to stay away from pretty much most video game adaptations and he was right.
This starts out just too entirely bloated in terms of meaningless dialog. The set-up is just too long winded and no way is this much set up needed for an action film. The dramatic moments are absent and there is no reason for such a set-up. We all know what the end result will be.
I can't believe this is a Microsoft product. The animation is almost amateurish. The emotions have to register on their facial movements and I can't even get an even palate on the characters clothing. It's like watching stick figures talk to each other. The Final Fantasy films run circles around this film.
If you haven't seen this yet don't bother.
Sidonia no Kishi (2014)
Good not great
I gave this a 7, which is 'my go see this' rating because the animation is incredible and the overall story-arc is pretty good. Some of the subplots however, are cringe worthy.
Anime is hard to factor at times because it's difficult to determine the age range, in terms of target audience. This has adult themes and violence that I don't think is really intended for children.
It has the teen angst, that is usually prevalent with anime series and films. Action is top notch, and the pacing is pretty good.
For hardcore Manga fans, read the Manga first, then watch this. The Manga, of course, gives more detail and insight into more of what happens. Which is too be expected.
Although the action is great, this is a space opera of sorts. Toward the later episodes there is more moments of the teen angst, where there is a lack of strong dramatic moments.
So just keep that in mind. This isn't wall-to-wall action. In terms of gender diversity, this film is very well balanced. The star of course, is male, but there is a better balance of female characters that are key elements to the story.
If you are a Manga/anime fan, then certainly check this out.
Wo hu cang long: Qing ming bao jian (2016)
Waste of talent
This film simply wasn't as good as the first. It lacked the drama and intrigue of the original.
It was just too over the top at times. More like a cheesy fantasy film than a martial arts saga.
The fight choreography was still outstanding. I can't believe both Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen are over fifty. And in spite of the film I don't want to take anything away from their performances, because each were still quality. It's just the writing just wasn't as focused as the first film.
Actresses Shuya Chang, Juju Chan, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo were pleasant additions and it was nice too see more characters and a more classic main antagonist. Problem was there was very little background on him, so he ended up being very 2 dimensional.
The film was also congested with too many subplots. The focus should be on Yu Shu Lien and her journey with the Green Destiny. And yes, the Green Destiny is still the treasure everyone is after. The sword that will turn a human into a fighting god. The film did do a good job at demonstrating that the sword is only good when held by the right warrior. That was good to see. Also there were humorous moments in the film that helped bring more cohesion to the story, but it was just too much going on that really didn't help move the story along.
I know the film studios are up in arms with films like this opening online, but I'm happy this is a new trend and I hope it continues. I hate to be harsh, but it would have been such a waste of time to watch this film in theaters. To be able to watch a film like this and still do my online work and eat a good meal was a blessing.
Again, not that is was horrible, because it wasn't. It was simply not as good as the first film.
Deadpool (2016)
Finally Fox gets it right
I know. I'm late with the review. Stuff happens man, what can I tell you. This film has a lot of sexual stuff, a shadow image of some frontal nudity and gore.
So please be warned, don't take small children, unless you like answering a whole lot of sex questions. The expletives are creative to say the least. So that's another thing.
However if you can leave the small ones with grandma or your lonely best friend, do that and go see this film.
So pros vs cons.
Pros: Great costume. Effects are a little on the frugal side, but very good in keeping with the personality of Deadpool.
Nonstop action and comedy. Both over the top and subtle. Some dramatic moments.
X-MEN BABY!! As you've seen from the trailer both Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead(The coolest name ever) are in this, in all their collective glory.
Can't comment on the guys but the ladies are gorgeous in this. Gina is fantastic and if you like her as a fighter, you won't be disappointed.
Also, it's not linear. YES! None of that, this is what happened front middle and end nonsense. No brooding in a cave or fights with best friends. It goes to the action, then back to story, then back to the action again. Fantastic!
Okay...Cons:
Well...They did a fantastic job on Deadpool's look and Colossus and even Negasonic looked like an X-Men. His girlfriend, and main antagonist did not. Granted hard to do the Weapon X program with Hugh "Wolverine" Jackmen retiring, but the look of all the characters would have been nice.
Now, I enjoyed looking at Ms Baccarin, as she is, but a little nod to her comic book character counterpart would have been nice. Just a little sexiest just having her as the girlfriend, that gets kidnapped. Which made no sense, seeing as Deadpool was already after Francis.
Speaking of Francis(Villain) he was just another comic book character that was a pretty face instead of the gruesome character he's supposed to be.
Also, this is a film by Fox and you know what that means. Lack of diversity. Yeah, if your looking for minorities you will only find two, and no, it was not fantastic. Not in the slightest.
Otherwise if you can stand some deviations, gore, sexual content and foul language, then you will enjoy this movie.
Til next time.
The Martian (2015)
I need some hot stuff
Need the disco man, need the disco. Finally diversity without the stereotypes, or racially negative overtones. If you have not seen this, Matt Damon is the star but this plays more like an elaborate ensemble cast, instead of the typical Hollywood one man show.
A well balanced film that even uses a Marvel character as a reference. How cool is that! My only issues, are the deviations from the actual book. So if you are a fan of the novel, keep in mind this film does deviate. Respect for the core product must always be maintained as much as possible. Not that this film is in anyway disrespectful at all and I'm certainly not suggesting that any film that deviates is wrong for doing so, but there has to be a really good reason for it. This is still an outstanding film regardless.
The way each character is handled is outstanding. It works as a film and doesn't lean solely on it's lead.
This has to be one of Ridley Scott's best efforts. The effects are outstanding. One of the issues with dramatic films is they can be grueling to sit through. Sometimes there is simply too much tension and it can turn a watcher off.
Not this film. It balances humor very well. The visual effects are outstanding and on par with even the best special effects film. A great film that deserves all the accolades it has received so far. And yes, a great performance from Matt Damon, who has proved to be one of the best that Hollywood has to offer.
Watch this film!
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Waste of time and talent
Aside from the vulgarity of this film I thought it was a good idea that was poorly executed. It's not linear, and fans of Taratino's work won't be surprised by that, but the narrative and almost cartoon like effects and gore turned, what could have been a great contemporary western, into a campy action film.
It's already tiresome that Tarantino uses the same group of actors, but the addition of a narrative, and break down of each act in the film was unnecessary and took away from the suspense.
It started out good, then formed into a mystery of sorts, then it was, as if, Taratino panicked and thought the audience was too stupid to digest what was taking place and switched to outlining the main aspects of the characters motivation and the overall pace of the film.
Another issue was the continuity errors. Most of his films have very obvious continuity errors, but the errors in this film were so glaring, it wasn't even funny.
And as always it's an 'N-Word' fest. Which seems to be the core element in all of Taratino's work. He seems to be obsessed with this word and Samuel L. Jackson seems always willing and able to oblige. Then to put three other actors of African decent in the film, only to get shot is even worse.
I get it. Show Caucasian people as callus, cruel, and racist. In Django Unchained it was understood and even somewhat acceptable because it was a period piece and that is simply how the times were. Here, same thing, but again, with the dialog floating between contemporary and past, it made it hard to take the whole film seriously.
Taratino is someone who has some good ideas, but a terrible at fleshing out those ideas and really needs to sit down with another writer to flesh his ideas out. He needs to also try a film that is not focused solely on race and race relations.
Even as a Taratino fan, I thought that this film was a waste of time. I gave it a four, only because it did have some entertaining moments.
Batman: Bad Blood (2016)
The Legend continues
I truly enjoyed this animated adventure. It's rare I am disappointed watching a DC animated product and this one was no exception. Not quit cannon to the books but it included elements I thought were important. Batwoman being ruthless starting out and that she was a lesbian were elements I thought were important to this story. I thought it was handled very well. And Finally we have a female villain as the boss. Talia Al Ghul is a great villain and great addition to the animated universe as the lead antagonist. The voice actors chosen were great and often I wonder if they would be good actually portraying these characters in live action. Yvonne Strahovski especially.
It's still hard not to want Kevin Conroy to be the voice of Batman forever, but we can't all have our wishes come true. Jason O'Mara hasn't been bad so far and adds a darker tone to Batman's voice. The beautiful Morena Baccarin was an interesting choice for Talia. Again just great casting, as always.
My only disappointment was that the surprise at the end wasn't more involved with the whole film. Otherwise Batman proves why he is the most solid character out of the DC family. I enjoyed this from start to finish.
Sicario (2015)
Incredible film
Denis Villeneuve's directing is incredible. The story in unflinching and unrelenting. Taylor Sheridan's writing is superb. True suspense throughout. It's almost ruthless in it's approach. This film is not for the faint of heart. The one spoiler I will give away is this is not a love story, at ALL and it is a fast moving film and you can't miss a moment of it. It's intense from start to finish.
Emily Blunt is outstanding and Benicio Del Toro demonstrates why he is an Oscar Award winner. Daniel Kaluuya was solid as was Josh Brolin. Great casting all the way through.
I'm an action junkie but I still want a good, engaging story and that's what this is. Intense, realistic action sequences. It's like you are right there in the scene.
This movie reminds me of The Kingdom directed by Peter Berg. Just as intense, but with a more by the numbers pacing. I mean that in a good way. This is a very linear film, but it still has mystery to it. It has suspense, climatic elements, and intense action.
I must reiterate that this film has some brutal imagery. It is not for kids or adults that don't like graphic violence and again imagery. The landscape is decorated by human flesh, not grass and flowers.
Just a great film. I was captivated by it from the minute it came on. It blurs the line between good and evil and shows that a Grey area does exist and it is ugly and unforgiving.