X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Posted on June 14, 2019 by C966939529

They gave up. That’s it.

I have to admit I am a fan of the original X-men films, I’m talking with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Since the reboot they haven’t lived up to expectations, and unfortunately, I think they lost their way with this film as well. Even before the film was released the marketing has been completely off.

I watched the trailer and it appears that Jean Grey has gone bad…that is it. Throughout the film it is a lot more emotional, which I liked, but it seems that they just seem this movie as a means to an end.

We only met Jean in X-Men Apocalypse and now we suddenly reach the crescendo of her journey? In Apocalypse I felt we didn’t get to see the full potential of the character and felt Sophie Turner’s performance was a bit flat. Now we can see the full potential realised as well as Turner’s portrayal.

I feel a bit bad for Simon Kinberg who has his directing debut on this film because taking a franchise as a first film is very difficult as you don’t want it to be so drastically different in style from the other films. I would like to see him director freely allowing him to discover his true style.

Right, so here we go SPOILER ALERT!

Time to stop reading if you don’t want to get it ruined.

If you have seen Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, you will completely understand this betrayal.

Aliens, they used fucking Aliens!

This was a massive screw up. If you read the comics, you know that Phoenix is a cosmic force. But just because its cosmic doesn’t mean you have to bring aliens into it!!!!

This idea is sloppy writing and really grinds my gears! The story is lazy and the only saving grace was Turner really bringing in the emotion, but nothing could save this. Even the idea of killing off Raven / Mystique was well done but the emotional change of the other character was so sudden it really takes you out of the story.

It starts out that everyone wants to help and save Jean but as soon as she kills Raven, accidentally in a beautiful scene by the way, everyone changes to pure rage and hatred. You can understand it with Hank as he loves Raven, but Erik’s rage was too out of character. Jean goes to him for help and he tried to help but as soon as he learns of Raven’s death, she needs to die. Then as quick as he sees Charles, he changes he mind yet again! Magneto getting to the rage is absolutely on point but giving up so easily? No way!

Overall this film is below par. I found the story lacking and even though there were some good acting and big names, nothing was going to save it. It is almost like they gave up before they even released the film.

2/5

Director: Simon Kinberg

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Jessica Chastain

Crew: Hans Zimmer (Music), Mauro Fiore (Cinematography)

Genre: American Superhero

Rating: 12A

Avengers: Endgame – Part 1

Posted on April 30, 2019 by C966939529

I cried, I laughed, I lived and I died – Perfection

Over 10 years, and it all comes down to this…. I am so nerding out as I am sure every MCU fan is. But as promised this is a SPOILER FREE POST! #Part1

#Don’tSpoilTheEndgame

That of course is going to make it slightly difficult for me to contain my excitement. I will give some basic facts of the timeline (well some of it) and a couple of predictions.

So, lets get to it!

This is the climax, I mean they literally couldn’t have picked a better name for this film, and with every climax there is a worry. Is it going to work to match the imagination of the fan base? Is it going to answer our questions or is it going to be a let-down?

Never fear Marvel is here! As always, they have kept their crucial team of the Russo Brothers directing, the magic writing team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and of course produced by Kevin Feige. This core team to me is how they have kept the franchaise so perfect. In interviews they have always said they knew where it was going to end, and they have almost worked backwards. They admit they re-watched all the previous films because they wanted to have no cliff-hanger and give the characters and fans a definitive ending.

In an interview with Buzzfeed News they have admitted they are taking a break and closing this chapter on their careers.

“[We’re] taking a break,” Markus said. “[The MCU] is obviously about to have a huge injection of new blood. Launching a lot of new things. So it’s going to get interesting.”“But, you know, it’s the best working experience of our lives,” McFeely added. “So, if they call, we’d answer.” (Vary, 2019)

So into the nitty gritty! The film is set 22 days after the infamous snap, and then takes a time jump 5 years into the future…and that’s all I am going to say about the story! See told you – SPOILER FREE!

What I want to focus on is the imagery which is apparent throughout. At the end of Infinity War, we know that the focus is on getting to Thanos’ gauntlet on his left hand. I noticed on the Infinity War posters, you can see hands of the characters, especially because most of their powers are channelled through them.

Now looking at the posters for Endgame, its all about the faces. No hands. But in the film there is a massive focus on the hands. There are lots of close up shots of hands and a lot of the characters are wearing some form of gloves, as in a nod to the gauntlet that holds the worlds fate in its hand. (Not sorry for the pun.)

Even the difference in the colour pallet can be seen, the light and dark. This follows through the film and even through the entire franchise.

So now I have a theory on what is happening after Endgame.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is already in development and I can link it into Endgame. At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – in the post credit scene we see the Sovereign leader showing off her new creation which she calls Adam. Already I am picking up the rebirth of the Universe vibes. So in Endgame we have Thanos in a place called “The Garden”….Marvel are literally setting up the freaking Garden of Eden! Even in Infinity War Thanos says he wants to create Paradise – “Going to bed hungry. Scrounging for scraps. Your planet was on the brink of collapse. I was the one who stopped that. You know what’s happened since then? The children born have known nothing but full bellies and clear skies. It’s a paradise.” (Russo, 2018)

Garden of Eden is literal Paradise! This cannot be a coincidence. But I guess we will have to wait till 2022 to find out.

So in closing to the end of this Phase of the MCU, as all the fans out there I want to say Thank you to the cast and crew for giving us the ending that we deserved. The story, character arcs, imagery was all perfect and I can’t wait to discuss it more once the Spoiler ban has passed. In a few weeks I will go into more detail of the story and what it means for the characters but for now #ThanosDemandsYourSilence.

#ThankYouAvengers

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, and Josh Brolin

Crew: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Writers)

Genre: Superhero

Rating: 12A

References

Russo, A. &. (Director). (2018). Avengers: Infinity War [Motion Picture].

Vary, A. B. (2019, April 19). How Captain Marvel, Valkyrie, Ant-Man, And Hawkeye Somehow Fit Into “Avengers: Endgame”. Retrieved from Buzzfeed News: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adambvary/avengers-endgame-screenwriters-captain-marvel-valkyrie

Secret Screening: Incredibles 2

Posted on June 21, 2018 by C966939529

It’s not good, it’s super!

I have waited 14 years for this film to be released and I got to see it before the 13^th July release! Thank you, Cineworld for Secret Screening number 8! Writer and Director Brad Bird said he would only do a sequel if he could come up with a story as good as, or better than the original, and I am so glad he waited because this is perfection.

The Parr Family is back in action!

In the cinema when it came up on the screen a full cinema of adults started cheering. Bearing in mind, that nobody under 15 was allowed in the screening shows how much excitement there is just with adults!

The film is set just 3 months after the first film and is picked up with Tony, the boy Violet likes in the first film. I really like how they keep the continuation from the first film, as it is always a worry when there is such a gap between sequels. The majority of the original cast have returned except for the role of Dash. The original voice actor Spencer Fox was 11 when he was in the first film , but now at 25 and puberty it is understandable why a younger actor got the role. Enter Huck Milner! Kim Renfro states in her article,

“it’s very hard to distinguish between Milner’s performance as Dash and Fox’s take on the character in 2004. They sound essentially identical.” (Renfro, 2018)

I completely agree! I didn’t know it was different actors!

The antagonist of the film Screen Slaver reflects a lot about our society.

How many times do you go out to dinner with people and they are glued to their phones? How many people actually speak to people these days instead of sending a message on Facebook or WhatsApp? We are slaves to our screens and we are missing real life. Just like Screen Slavers says,

“You don’t talk you watch talk shows.”

Instead of the villain hijacking our screens, maybe we are already hijacked by them?

I am not going to give anything away this is a SPOILER FREE ZONE!!!

Doesn’t mean I won’t give you anything! Here are a couple of Easter Eggs to wet your appetite:

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR – See if you can spot them!

A113 – Classroom of the California Institute of the Arts – appears 2 times!
Insuricare – Where Bob used to work – check the background 😉
Baby V Raccoon – that is all I’m going to say

All I can say is how funny this film is. On numerous occasions the entire screen was in a ruckus laughing out loud, and here is a tip: Keep your cookies on stand by 😉

5/5

Director: Brad Bird

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Eli Fucile, Samuel L Jackson

Crew: Brad Bird

Genre: Animated Superhero

Rating: PG

Works Cited

Renfro, K. (2018, February 15). ‘Incredibles 2’ swapped out one of the stars in the main cast — but you probably missed it. Retrieved from Business Insider UK: http://uk.businessinsider.com/incredibles-2-dash-new-voice-actor-recast-2018-2

Bird, Brad (Director). (2018). Incredibles 2 [Motion Picture].

Bird, Brad (Director). (2004). The Incredibles [Motion Picture].

Avengers Infinity War 3D

Posted on May 1, 2018 by C966939529

“Marvel-lous Movie Magic”

I have been waiting for 10 years for this film as have all Marvel fans, and it does not disappoint!

This is part one of Infinity War which means lots of cliff-hangers, unknown character fates and so many possibilities in part two. They were filmed back to back for continuity and was wrapped in January 2018.

The last Marvel film was Black Panther from February and the last time the Avengers were together was 2 years ago in Captain America Civil War.

This story has been planned for 10 years and each character has gone through their character development over multiple films. This is why DC failed in their attempt as they ignored the individual characters. Maybe that is just my MCU love coming through!

I have one problem though – WHY IS BLACK WIDOW BLONDE!?!? There is no mention of this change of hair anywhere in the film! For 8 years since she was introduced in Iron Man 2, always been a red head. I want answers!!

OK rant over – So here it is guys:

SPOILER ALERT!

Even our bad guy Thanos’s background is developed which is a fantastic asset and makes him more relatable. He is humanised during his search for the Infinity Stones, especially for the mysterious Soul Stone, as he sacrifices his daughter Gamora.

In previous movies we have just accepted that Thanos wants the Infinity Stones in order to rule the world, as most bad guys do. This time Thanos explains that he is trying to save the world. He believes “Life needs correction” and instead of having everyone starve, kill half the population and then everyone lives a better life. He sees it as a necessary evil and that it takes a strong person to make that decision. Really hardcore! In a flashback we see how Thanos believes he is saving Gamora as a child and trying to distract her from the horrible genocide going on around her. I love the depth of Thanos and it really makes you think would you be able to make a decision like that?

We have seen these sort of decisions before, just to name a few:

Avengers Assemble – Iron Man flying through the wormhole
Civil War – Should Wanda’s powers be allowed?
Guardian’s of the Galaxy – They all handle the power stone to save the world, not just Quill.
Doctor Strange – Protecting the Time Stone, regardless of anything else.

Another theme I like following through the timeline is the Ironic role of Wanda’s powers. Scarlett Witch was given her powers after undergoing tests using the Mind stone with her brother. (RIP Pietro!) Her powers have been up for discussion numerous times, especially in Civil War when the Accords are draw up because of her. Ironically now she is the only person who can destroy an Infinity Stone, a decision (See trending theme!) she has to make sacrificing Vision, who possesses the Mind Stone to stop Thanos.

Now it comes down to the main discussion this film has brought about.

Who is Alive?!?! Who is Dead?!??

Just as in the world when Thanos clicks his fingers and kills off half of the population, we lose half of our Avengers! I expected to see some deaths but this many no way! I may have cried…no judgment! In my defense it is heartbreaking to see your favourite characters disappear into dust, damn you Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. As the screenwriters for part two as well, they have a lot to answer for!

SURVIVORS

VICTIMS

It isn’t just the Avengers we lose. In the Post credit scene we see Maria Hill and Nick Fury also succumb to the new world order. Before they do Fury, being Fury, makes one final call for help using an ancient pager displaying a blue and red signia.

This is the symbol of Captain Marvel! Oscar winner, Brie Larson signed up to the role which has its own movie currently being filmed and due for release in March 2019. We already knew that she was going to be featured in Avengers 4 and this is our confirmation! We are going through big changes as we head into Phase 4 and a lot of the current cast have fulfilled their contracts and won’t be coming back to the universe after Avengers 4 – We are going to be introduced to exciting new characters. As much as it is going to hurt to lose our fan favourites, I know as a fandom we are going to embrace the next chapter.

Before I finish as usual Marvel has given us some great one liners and I couldn’t resist sharing some of my favourites.

Favourite Quotes:

“I am Groot.” “I am Steve Rogers.”

“Oh, screw you, you big green asshole! I’ll do it myself!”

“What’s the matter with you, kids? You’ve never seen a spaceship before?”

“Dude, you’re embarrassing me in front of wizards.”

“ Kick names, take ass.”

“Groot: [in a mocking tone] I am Groot. Peter Quill: Whoa! Drax: Wow. Peter Quill: You got some acorns on you, kid. Rocket Raccoon: Ever since you got a little sap, you’re a total D-hole. Now, keep it up and I’m gonna smash that thing to pieces!”

“Rocket Raccoon: You speak Groot? Thor: They taught it on Asgard. It was an elective.”

Directors: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Pratt

Crew: Kevin Feige (Producer), Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (Screenwriters), Alan Silvestri (Music)

Genre: American Superhero

Rating: 12A

Suicide Squad 3D

Posted on August 10, 2016 by C966939529

“Storyless Shit”

I was really looking forward to seeing this film from the trailers. After Batman v Superman I was worried with DC so I was looking forward to it with trepidation. Looking at the cast they got very lucky, Jared Leto as the Joke, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Jay Hernandez as Diablo = amazing! But there was also some very bad decisions.

The character of Enchantress and Dr June Moone I was expecting a really Jekyll and Hyde idea really separating the two sides of the individuals. Cara Delevingne was one toned and I saw no acting skills at all. In interviews apparently director David Ayre asked Delevingne to walk around in the mud and woods naked to get into character. I would never have guessed she made such an effort. (Shepherd, 2016)

I loved Jared Leto as the Joker. He brought a completely different interpretation of the character compared to Heath Ledger.(RIP)

(Katz, 2016) (Browne, 2014)

Ledger brought the real manic mastermind side of the Joker to the story but Leto brought the real crazy psychopath. Even his eyes were crazy! But that means nothing because his not in the damn movie!! From the trailer I thought he was a part of the SKWAD but it was just a hyped up cameo. Considering how long Leto spent in Make up for the tattoos seems like a waste of time. Leto even commented “Were there any that didn’t get cut? I’m asking you, were there any that didn’t get cut? There were so many scenes that got cut from the movie, I couldn’t even start. I think that the Joker… we did a lot of experimentation on the set, we explored a lot. There’s so much that we shot that’s not in the film.” (Placido, 2016)I just think they brought him into the film to say the Joker is a part of it, even though Leto gave a great performance.

Speaking of the Joker, another standout character was Harley Quinn. As Griggs says “That is just a whole lot of pretty and a whole lot of crazy.” Margot Robbie completely nails this. We see a few flashbacks of Harley and the Joker and unlike Enchantress we see the two sides of her. We see Dr Harleen Quinzel before she makes her transformation to Harley Quinn. I think it is a good metaphor that love can make you crazy.

“Harley Quinn: You ever been in love?

Deadshot: No. Never.

Harley Quinn: Bullshit.

Deadshot: You don’t kill as many people as I’ve killed and still sleep like a kitten, but feel shit like love.

Harley Quinn: Another textbook sociopath.”

I wish I could talk about every character in the film but there are too many! There are a lot of pointless characters such as Slipknot, who suddenly appears and then disappears in a few scenes but this isn’t the worst crime this film commits.

The main problem for me is the lack of storyline. It starts off after the death of Superman from Batman v Superman and Waller is suddenly creating this “task force of the most dangerous people on the planet” but for no real reason! Also once they have assembled their team the story just drops off. I found myself very bored for the second half of the film and no film viewer wants to be paying to be bored.

Another thing that bugs me is the sexist remarks towards the female characters. Examples include “Stay evil doll face…” and “Listen, you are my gift to this handsome honka honka! You belong to him now.” Women should not be referred to as “hoes” or an object. I think they focussed on this a bit too much. I can understand that the characters are that way inclined but it was too much of a focus for me and took me out of the film.

I wanted so much for this to be DCs comeback but it has just not happened. I don’t have a lot of faith in the upcoming Wonder Woman or Justice League films.

As this was slightly better than Batman v Superman I wish I could give more but I can only give 2.5 out of 5.

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Cara Delevingne, Viola Davis

Crew: Roman Vasyanov (Cinematographer)

Genre: Superheroes

Rating: 15

Works Cited

Browne, K. S. (2014, Dec 10). There’s a Secret Hidden Behind Heath Ledger’s Joker. Retrieved from Movie Pilot: http://moviepilot.com/posts/2494166

Katz, J. (2016, May 25). ‘Suicide Squad’ Director Says ‘The Crew Stops Working’ When Jared Leto Does The Joker. Retrieved from Billboard: http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7280199/suicide-squad-jared-leto-joker-crew-stops-working

Placido, D. D. (2016, August 6). Jared Leto Is Just As Disappointed With ‘Suicide Squad’ As The Rest Of Us. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2016/08/06/jared-leto-is-just-as-disappointed-with-suicide-squad-as-the-rest-of-us/#5e85db1d4ff0

Shepherd, J. (2016, May 19). Suicide Squad: Cara Delevingne auditioned by ‘getting naked in the woods’ and ‘howling like a wolf’. Retrieved from Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/suicide-squad-cara-delevingne-auditioned-by-getting-naked-in-the-woods-and-howling-like-a-wolf-a7037481.html

Captain America: Civil War 3D

Posted on May 9, 2016 by C966939529

This is the big one, probably the most anticipated film of the year. This is the start of phase 3 of Marvel and it is bringing in yet more characters! The thing I loved most about this film was the reaction from the fans. Before it was even released the biggest marketing used on social media was the hashtags #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan and it took over Twitter.

As I have previously mentioned in my Batman v Superman blog I was Team Cap hands down.

“With Marvel they started with phase one – the independent character films where you see the start of the story arc and get the character’s backstories. This then developed into phase two where more characters are brought in, like Black Widow into Iron Man 2, and then you hit phase three, Civil War (literally in Captain America). Where the sides are chosen. By this part in the franchise we know the characters and you have already chosen sides. I already know I am Team Cap but in all honesty I didn’t care about who “won” in Batman v Superman, as it wasn’t set up in same way as I hadn’t made the connection with the characters.”

It wasn’t because I don’t like Iron Man its just that they are so different in their beliefs. Cap is the gentleman of the group and Iron Man is just more cocky and personally I prefer the protector over the ego.

As soon as I got into the cinema you could see the battle lines being drawn, people in Captain American t-shirts and Iron Man t-shirts. I took the fence option of a plain Marvel hoodie. It was great to see the fans coming out and proudly choosing their sides.

The supporting cast are amazing and deserve as much recognition as the two main characters! The introduction of Spiderman and Black Panther, and they bringing together of outside characters like Ant Man. Even though they had limited screen time they had some great one liners!

These are some of my favourites:

“Spider-Man: You have a metal arm? That is AWESOME, dude!”

“Spider-Man: Hey guys, you ever see that really old movie, Empire Strikes Back?

Lieutenant James Rhodes: Jesus Tony, how old is this guy?

Tony Stark: I don’t know, I didn’t carbon date him. He’s on the young side.”

“Tony Stark: Ever been to Germany?

Spider-Man: I can’t go to Germany!

Tony Stark: Why not?

Spider-Man: Because I have homework”

“Spider-Man: Hey, everyone.

Tony Stark: Yeah, we don’t really need to – start a conversation.

Spider-Man: [salutes] Oh, Captain – big fan!”

“Natasha Romanoff: Are we still friends?

Clint Barton: That depends on how hard you hit me.”

“Steve Rogers: Did he tell you what we’re up against?

Scott Lang: Something about some… psycho assassins.

Steve Rogers: We’re outside the law on this one. So if you come with us, you’re a wanted man.

Scott Lang: Yeah well, what else is new?”

Trust me I could go on and one!

I also loved the storyline and the way they brought together all the characters but I admit I had a couple of reservations about the film. The first was it being in 3D. A lot of films these days are in 3D and you watch it and there is no need for it and adds nothing to the story. In the film industry it has now become a bit of a gimmick. Walter Murch summed it up very well back in 2011 in an open letter to Roger Ebert.

“So: dark, small, stroby, headache inducing, alienating. And expensive. The question is: how long will it take people to realize and get fed up?” (Murch, 2011)

Emily Cannings takes it one step further.

“The gimmick of 3D is destroying the film industry… the obsession with the visual deters film-makers from the complex plots and intriguing characters that make film great.” (Cannings, 2012)

The last film I saw in 3D was Batman v Superman was a prime example. There was no story because they thought it could stand up visually on its own. That why I was nervous but there was no need. The way 3D was used here worked so well with the fight scenes because the great pyrotechnics aren’t only just great visually they make you move in your seat! 3D works for me when I feel like I have to move out of the way of thing being thrown at you.

The other thing I was nervous about was the interjection of Spiderman. I love the character but was unsure about Tom Holland taking over the role from Andrew Garfield. Considering Garfield is in his 30s and Holland is 19 I thought it might be a bit of a jump for people who don’t follow the comics.

The thing you have to remember with Marvel films is that you have two types of fan, you have the die-hard comic book fans and then the people who have only seen the films. For the die-hard fans they would probably love the idea of returning to the original younger Peter Parker whereas the people that don’t follow the comics might be confused a bit. I enjoyed the character when he was in costume but I couldn’t take him seriously he reminded me of Daryl Sabara from Spy Kids.

(Elfring, 2015) (Spy Kids 3D Game Over, 2003)

But that happens to everyone at some point so I reserve my full judgment for Spiderman: Homecoming in 2017.

I give this film a bit of a random score of 4 and ¾ out of 5, but hear me out there is method in my madness. I wanted to give 5 out of 5 but one thing that bugged me throughout the entire movie and even when I got home.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Spiderman is found by Iron Man but it is never explained how!

“Tony Stark: So, you’re the Spiderling. Crime-fighting Spider. You’re Spider-Boy?

Spider-Man: S-Spider-Man.

Tony Stark: Not in that onesie, you’re not.

Spider-Man: It’s not a onesie.”

(Russo, 2016)

This is a personal bug bare when you just have to figure things out. Luckily in my research I found this article which included an interview from co-writer Christopher Markus.

“I think he’s been keeping tabs. I think he might know about everybody. Tony has A.I. somewhere running crime statistics. He can see where it’s going up and heroes might be needed and where it’s going down and there might be heroes. It’s why he built Ultron in the first place.” (Schwerdtfeger, 2016)

I admit that this does make sense knowing the character but for the fans that don’t follow the comics this can get missed and seen as an error even though its not really. Maybe I am just being picky but I stand by my score.

Works Cited

Cannings, E. (2012, August 29). The Death of Hollywood, in Glorious 3D. Retrieved from Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/9506983/The-death-of-Hollywood-in-glorious-3D.html

Elfring, M. ‘. (2015, June 23). Marvel Announces Tom Holland Will Play Spider-Man, Jon Watts to Direct. Retrieved from Comic Vine: http://comicvine.gamespot.com/articles/marvel-announces-tom-holland-will-play-spider-man-/1100-152687/

Murch, W. (2011, January 23). WHY 3D DOESN’T WORK AND NEVER WILL. CASE CLOSED. Retrieved from Roger Ebert: http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/why-3d-doesnt-work-and-never-will-case-closed

Russo, A. a. (Director). (2016). Captain America: Civil War [Motion Picture].

Schwerdtfeger, C. (2016, May 7). This Is How Iron Man Knew About Spider-Man In Civil War. Retrieved from Cinema Blend: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/How-Iron-Man-Knew-About-Spider-Man-Civil-War-129587.html

Spy Kids 3D Game Over. (2003). Retrieved from Miramax: http://www.miramax.com/watch?v=x0YWduYToTzvcgqFTE79zzWOvh2p8Jcd

Director: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo

Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland

Crew: Kevin Feige (producer)

Genre: Superheroes, Action

Rating: 15

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Posted on April 8, 2016 by C966939529

Before I even saw the film I can’t help but find that DC is just going up against Marvel. Marvel has gradually introduced their characters during phase 1 and 2 and now phase 3 we see the Civil War breakout between Captain America and Iron Man. DC Have passed this and gone straight in which I feel is a mistake, especially for people who do not follow the comics.

From the first scene you can tell it is a Zack Snyder film from the stylisation, the slow motion walks with things gently falling from the sky. Very 300esq ……in parts. The film is very bitty. The main problem I have with this film is that it’s not one film. It seems like two different films which are just edited into a “story”. Considering I know the characters and story arcs and I am confused! My poor mum had no clue what was going on.

I can see what DC were going for obviously trying to set up the Justice League but I think they have gone about it the wrong way. With Marvel they started with phase one – the independent character films where you see the start of the story arc and get the character’s backstories. This then developed into phase two where more characters are brought in, like Black Widow into Iron Man 2, and then you hit phase three, Civil War (literally in Captain America). Where the sides are chosen. By this part in the franchise we know the characters and you have already chosen sides. I already know I am Team Cap but in all honesty I didn’t care about who “won” in Batman v Superman, as it wasn’t set up in same way as I hadn’t made the connection with the characters.

Speaking of characters Wonder Woman had no real purpose for 95% of this film and at the end even Batman and Superman don’t know who she is, she just shows up unannounced.
“Superman: Is she with you?
Batman: I thought she was with you.” (Snyder, 2016)
If you don’t know anything about the character, for instance that her alias is Diana Prince, this is another confusing aspect for people that don’t follow the comics. Ben Affleck was ok but nothing special as Batman. I found that he was trying too hard instead of letting the character flow through him naturally. Henry Cavill was just flat as a pancake and brought no character to Superman. Considering they are meant to be the main cast I really don’t have much to say about their performance.

The saving grace of the film who gets a star all of his own is Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I admit I was a bit sceptical when I first heard of the casting choice thinking Eisenberg may not have the depth the character required. Boy did I eat my words. Eisenberg brings the real psychopathic tendencies of Luthor which I don’t believe we have seen to this extent on screen.
Eisenberg has said “My goal was to play a character who had recognizable pathologies, I wanted people to look at Luthor as a modern person in need of help, not a stock movie villain. I know people like this. I’ve been harassed by people like this. I’ve been accidentally charmed by people like this.” (Schleier, 2016) “You know he’s charming, and also terrifying, eccentric and very smart. He is almost all these very interesting, and almost in conflict, characteristics that I [had] to bring together,” (Unger, 2016).

All well as the story being very bitty and not put together well, I also don’t think it should have been in 3D. To be honest with a lot of 3D films I can see no reason to pay more to see it in 3D as it makes no difference. This film is no exception. The thing that made it worse was the shaky camera work in the films. In a 2D film this can work to build tension and pull the audience into the film more but in 3D it just gives you a headache. At some points I had to take my glasses off and rub my eyes. This film does have some good ingenuity as Batman turns the kryptonite into many different weapons, kudos to the writers for that, but the actually fighting just seems like two egotistical boys having mummy issues. The fact that this huge battle is stopped because their mothers have the same name is a very easy way to close the book on the story, just not very good story telling.

I know that everyone is saying that you can’t compare DC and Marvel in other reviews I have read but come on in reality you know this is going to happen. I mean I love both the franchises I just wish that DC has thought about it a bit more. Maybe when we see the Justice League form it will make more sense. Until then 2 stars.
Works Cited
Schleier, C. (2016, March 22). ‘Batman v. Superman’: Jesse Eisenberg on Lex Luthor’s Jewish qualities. Retrieved from Jewish Telegraphic Agency: http://www.jta.org/2016/03/22/arts-entertainment/batman-v-superman-jesse-eisenberg-on-lex-luthors-embrace-of-jewish-culture
Snyder, Z. (Director). (2016). Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice [Motion Picture].
Unger, M. (2016, March 24). Jesse Eisenberg Talks About His Unconventional Lex Luthor. Retrieved from Screen Rant: http://screenrant.com/batman-v-superman-interview-jesse-eisenberg/

Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg
Crew: Christopher Nolan (Executive Producer)
Genre: Superhero Film
Rating: 2 stars

Deadpool

Posted on February 24, 2016 by C966939529

“Bloody good fun, and I really mean bloody.”

It’s finally here! The first Marvel movie of the year! I am not going to lie my inner (or not so inner) geek is so happy after such a long Marvel break. The last film was in August 2015 with Fantastic Four…which did not get the best reviews.

Before I start I want to define my writing about the character of Wade Wilson and Deadpool. Although they reside in the same body they are both different entities in their own right and that is why I have dipped between the two names depending on the scene I am describing.

Well I think the first thing we have to talk about it Ryan Reynolds. This is his second attempt at being a superhero as back in 2011 he famously played the Green Lantern, which failed to reach the audience as expected. According to Reynolds, there was not much guidance, something that was completely different to his experience in Deadpool.

“You really need a visionary behind a movie like that, but it was the classic studio story: “We have a poster, but we don’t have a script or know what we want; let’s start shooting!” (McGloin, 2016)

The clever thing about Deadpool is that it makes nuances about the genre of Superhero films and also just films in general. The opening sequence for one doesn’t include any names. As bizarre as this seems instead they use derogatory terms.

The screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are a well-known duo for tongue in cheek films such as Zombieland. In an interview they have said.

“We just figured that it was a fun nod to the heartache as we’ve had on this thing over the last six and a half years. Screenwriters aren’t at the top of the food chain in the feature world. They often should be, but sometimes they take second billing. It was a fun, fun way for us to poke fun at the hierarchy. We had heroic moments for sure on this movie.” (McKittrick, 2016)

“Overpaid Tool” (Director), “Asshats” (Producers) and “Gratuitous Cameo” (Infamous Stan Lee Cameo, that every Marvel lover looks forward to) are just some of the examples. Reese and Wernick make fun of themselves and even the problems they had during production. In order to cut the budget they had Deadpool forget his guns to the final battle and even Deadpool comments that they didn’t have the budget to include a third X-Men character, which was true “Wow, this is such a big house, but I only ever see the two of you here. It’s like the studio didn’t have enough money for any more X-Men..”.

They even make fun of the different franchises with mention to Professor Xavier Deadpool asks “McAvoy or Stewart? These timelines can get so confusing.” The thing that I love about this scene is the fact that it is exactly what the fans would be thinking.

Ryan Reynolds even gets taken the piss out of with making sly hits at Green Lantern, for instance when Wade is waiting to get his “cancer cure” he jokes about being a Superhero and not making his costume green. Wade even says “Think Ryan Reynolds got this far on his superior acting method?”

Another thing that separates Deadpool from other films in general, let alone Marvel films is the use of breaking the fourth wall, which is so vital to the character. At the beginning of the film he even says “I know right? You’re probably thinking “Whose balls did I have to fondle to get my very own movie”? I can’t tell you his name, but it rhymes with ‘pullverine.’and lemme tell you, he’s got a nice pair of smooth criminals down unda’. This is an obvious shout out the X-men Origins Wolverine where we see the character but not experience the character. The main thing that was missing was of course the breaking of the fourth wall. This is a crucial part of Deadpool’s character and without this mutes his real character. Luckily our prayers have been answered with this film.

Although Deadpool is a crude character I did not expect the film to be as graphic as it is, but the best part is how once again they make fun of it. The instrument of this is Colossus. How ironic that a huge metal guy is such a sensitive soul on the inside. He tries to make Deadpool a better person ,(“Language please, Deadpool”), and a hero (“Four or five moments – that’s all it takes to become a hero”), and he even vomits at violence which is a hilarious moment in the film, but his so endearing.

Well this weekend is the Oscars and Ryan Reynolds decided to share his views with this post on Twitter. In the final week everyone has been making the final push for votes and of course how can you leave out Deadpool, the modest son of a bitch.

I must admit the Best Love Scene with Deadpool and his Baby Hand killed me and I sat there giggling to myself like an idiot. But I think this kind of humour is why everyone has fallen in love with the character. I kind of liked the raunchier side of the superhero- although he would disagree (“I may be super, but I’m no hero”), and boy is it raunchy. I must admit I was surprised that it only got a 15 rating and do wonder if it was pushing it for some of the audience that is drawn to a Marvel movie.

I overly enjoyed Deadpool and I have heard that there is a sequel in the works keeping the same screenwriters and director so I think we can expect a lot more greatness from Deadpool and look forward to seeing him merge into other films in the Marvel Universe. Although I did sometimes forget I was actually watching a Marvel film, but maybe I am a traditionalist at heart. Considering this was Tim Miller’s first directorship, he did a great job and think he is an up and comer in the future.

4/5 from this fan!

Chicka-chickahhhh.

Works Cited

McGloin, M. (2016, January 7). Ryan Reynolds Reflects On Green Lantern; Deadpool Makes Fun. Retrieved February 23rd, 2016, from Cosmic Book News: http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/content/ryan-reynolds-reflects-green-lantern-deadpool-makes-fun#axzz405fuvgB1

McKittrick, C. (2016, February 15th). The Real Heroes: Reese and Wernick on Deadpool. Retrieved February 23rd, 2016, from Creative Screenwriting: http://creativescreenwriting.com/the-real-heroes-reese-and-wernick-on-deadpool/

Director: Tim Miller

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin

Crew: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick (Screenwriters), Ryan Reynolds (Producer)

Genre: Superheroes, Action

Rating: 15

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