2017 Best & Worst Movies

       The  5 Best & Worst Movies of the Year*

*(of what I've seen so far)

The Best

1. Wonder Woman

2. Kong: Skull Island

3. Baby Driver

4. It 

5. Justice League

(Could've been better but enjoyed it anyways)

The Worst

1. Transformers: The Last Knight

2. Valerian : City of a Thousand Planets

(I really wanted to like this one but couldn't)

3.War of the Planet of the Apes

4. The Mummy

(Even Tom Cruise's hammy acting can't save this stinker!)

5. The Emoji Movie

(Didn't see it and never want to)

6. The Kingsman: The Golden Gircle
(came across as really preachy about drugs)

Justice League

Justice League 

Dir: Zack Snyder (Revisions by Joss Whedon)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher,

Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams, Ciaran Hinds

       Immediately following the death of Superman, the world seems to be a place without

  hope. When an alien being arrives on Earth, Bruce Wayne/ Batman (Affleck) along with

  his friend Diana/Wonder Woman (Gadot) help track down other super powered individuals

  to stop this other worldly foe. 

       It's not until they get their butts kicked that they need a certain Kryptonian to help 

  even the odds and defeat the ginormous alien known as Steppenwolfe. He is in search

  of three special boxes that were hidden, if found, could put an end to the world. 

      The fifth movie in the DC movie franchise was directed by Zack Snyder who also

   oversaw last years dreadful Batman V. Superman. When Snyder's daughter passed

   away, he left the movie soon after completing it. The Avengers director Joss Whedon

   stepped in and finished the movie for him.

      The general consensus for this film seems to be pretty negative hovering at around

  40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Like the old saying goes film is a visual medium. It's not an

  exact science. Film is also subjective to every person that views it. 

     My opinion is this: It was alot better than I had feared 

   based on initial movie reviews.

     The Good: The casting was quite good and played off of each other well. Ezra

   Miller's take on the speedster The Flash was quite hilarious, quipping every time he

   was on screen, just happy to be on the team. Fisher, who plays the robot Cyborg, 

   felt less developed as the others. Momoa's take on the oceanic superhero, Aquaman,

   is an imposing presence. There was so much action taking place that the film didn't

   seem to drag to the point of boredom.

   The Bad: I felt that this movie could've benefited from a longer run time given the 

   amount of characters that were on screen. While Gadot shined as Wonder Woman

   earlier this year, she isn't given much to do here. Tonally, it's a bit of a mess. Snyder

   & Whedon's directorial styles clash as you can tell what was reshot (hint: funny

   quips).  The bloated, overuse of slow motion shots became redundant. The main

   villain, Steppenwolfe, is quite forgettable and was made just to set up the big 

   baddie in the next team up film, Darkseid.  

   Overall: With WB mandating that the film be cut from almost 3 hours to just under 2

   hours for more showtimes, DC/ Justice League fans deserve a better film to be 

   released when it hits the video market. Despite the cuts, I was quite pleased with 

   how it turned out. It was a whole lot more fun than the dreary Batman Vs Superman.

         Grade: B (7.5/10)

Thanksgiving Post w/ Playlist

    I'd just like to wish everyone out there a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Here are some
  of the things I'm thankful for:

   My family, my friends, a roof over my head & receiving nice gifts during the holidays

   To celebrate this, I present to you my Thanksgiving music playlist:

  1). The Cranberries- Ode to My Family
   (not exactly about the holiday just merely reminiscing about one's childhood.)

  2). Green Day- Macy's Day Parade
   (a somber song from the pop/punk band)

  3). Ray Charles- Sweet Potato Pie
   (the famous singer sings about a side dish)

  4). Adam Sandler- The Thanksgiving Song
  (a favorite of mine and the funniest of the list)

Cinematic Universe Craze

Cinematic Universe Craze

Cinematic Universes are the rage right now but some studios aren't learning the right

   lessons in establishing one.

         When Marvel Studios released The Avengers five years ago, many studios have 
  been looking to Marvel as a model in which to create one. Everywhere you look now,
  there seems to be one popping up into existence.

         The idea of a cinematic universe first started over 20 years ago with Kevin Smith's

  View Askew movies that included Clerks, Mallrats, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.
  Movies that were made by Kevin Smith himself and featured characters he created. 

          Fast forward to today where that model has been commercialized to the point of

  making a quick buck. Many studios haven't gotten the idea that in order for a universe

  to work, it has to slowly build, focusing on an individual character first then much later

  for a team up.

       Here are a few studios who tried to make their own Cinematic Universe :

        Sony Pictures (Failed miserably when they released their an all female Ghosbusters

  movie amid critical and fan backlash.)

       Universal (Also failed horribly when they tried to start their Dark Universe featuring

  their dormant horror movie monsters and had the writer of Transformers directing it.)

      Legendary Pictures (Doing fairly well with their own featuring kaiju monsters such as

  Godzilla and King Kong). 

      Warner Bros. (Doing decently after the financial success of Wonder Woman and

  their DC Universe). 

    Coming soon are the Nintendo Universe, Valiant Comics Universe and X-Men 

  Universe. 

     

      As you can see with shared universes, it can be hit or miss. Many studios are looking

 to replicate the lightning in the bottle that Marvel had and just failing at it. Maybe it's 

 time they stop putting all their eggs in their basket and focus on making good films first

 that people want to see. If there is no genuine desire to build a working shared universe

 with their properties then why bother?  Like all crazes, people will tire of these shared
 universes and studios will look for the next movie genre trend that will make them money.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson,

Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban

         The third movie in a series tend to be the worst but this one bucks the trend and

   is easily one of the funniest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth

   returns as our favorite demigod who swears to protect his home world of Asgard

   from the evil goddess Hela (Cate Blanchett). 

           Critically acclaimed director Taika Waititi (What we do in the Shadows) takes a

   stab at a blockbuster that draws inspiration from Norse mythology and combines

   the Thor character with the Planet Hulk comic. 

 Spoilers ahead, use caution

          After escaping the pits of Hell, Thor returns to find his father Odin missing 
    from Asgard. He contacts Dr. Strange (Benedicts Cumberbatch cameo) and tells
    him that he's alive in Norway. There Odin gives him some fatherly advice only to
    pass away. When all of a sudden, a black cloud opens up in the sky only to have 
    the evil Hela show up. Together, Thor and adopted brother Loki (Hiddleston)
    fight her only to get separated in the Bifrost.

     

        Thor lands on a trash infested planet called Sakaar where he meets a young

   female warrior, Valkyrie (Thompson) and unknowingly has to fight the big green 

   monster The Hulk (Ruffalo). Meanwhile Hela rules over Asgard with an iron 

   fist. The only way to stop Hela is to fulfill the prophecy and create Ragnarok.

   In Thor's vision, Odin tells him the Asgard isn't just a place but people as long

   as they are protected. 

   The Good: The action scenes along with humor was spot on. Jeff Goldblum's

   Grandmaster was hilarious every time he was on screen. The inclusion of Led 

   Zeppelin Immigrant Song during the fight was the icing on the cake. This film

   was a lot lighter in tone than the depressing Thor: Dark World. This movie 

   featured  alot of colorful backgrounds which is bereft in most blockbusters today.

  The Bad: I thought Hela was too overpowered, killing off characters senselessly

  just for the sake of the plot. The last half of the movie felt rushed and didn't 

  connect well with me. The overuse of horrendous CGI that look like low budgeted

  action TV show. 

  Overall: I went into this movie expecting your typical superhero movie but I was

  blown away about how good it is. On a whole, this is an entire different outing 

  for the MCU. We see a side of the cosmic universe we've never seen before. It's

  what GOTG Vol. 2 should've been,a lighthearted movie that perfectly balances 

  the humor with action.

Grade: B+ (8/10)

Happy Veterans Day

      Today we celebrate Veterans Day to honor those who have fought for our freedom 

  and way of life. Take time to remember and honor those people.

IT (2017)

IT (2017)

Dir: Andy Muschietti

Cast: Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Bill Skarsgard, etc.

     Clowns have never really scared me but for some they can be total nightmare fuel.

   The movie IT reinforces that idea. Based on the best selling novel by Stephen King, 

    IT is a re-imagining of the 1990 TV miniseries that starred John Ritter.

       

       It's summer 1989 in the fictional town of Derry, a little boy named Georgie goes

    missing. A group of bullied kids band together to track down something more 

    sinister. They find a shape shifting, demonic clown named Pennywise, who feeds

    on the fears and flesh of young kids every 30 years. 

       The Good: The acting was fantastic and as was Bill Skarsgard's take on the 

   character originated by Tim Curry and made it his own. His performance was

   downright scary. There was some CGI but that was to be expected featuring

   a clown that takes the form of the kids fears. I could really relate to some of

   the problems kids faced as well as 80's references. I liked the fact that every

   time a red balloon showed up, Pennywise was nearby. It made all the more

   creepy.

      The Bad: As with every movie, there were a few plotholes that could be 

  explained but could easily be resolved with the upcoming sequel. The swearing 

  was a little too excessive for their ages but since this movie followed the book
  pretty closely, I'll let it pass.

     Overall: IT  lived up to my expectations. It was funny, creepy and nostalgic

  to the core. Muschietti tried to not make it a carbon copy of the original. There

  had to be lines added in just for the sake of nostalgia. It's hard to remake a 

  movie that's as good as the original and it left me wanting more. It's one of the
  best horror movies this year. Believe me, you'll float too.

Grade: B (8/10)