Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War

Dir: the Russo Brothers

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman,

Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo,

Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Karen Gillan,

Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper (voice), Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan,

Pom Klementieff, Benedict Wong & Don Cheadle

       It's all been building to this. Marvel's biggest team up yet and the culmination of 

  eighteen films & ten years in the making. Immediately following the events of Marvel's

  Civil War, The Avengers are no more and our heroes are scattered across the globe

  (and beyond) and this time the stakes they face are high. 

       

(spoilers, proceed with caution)

      After laying waste to a ship full of displaced Asgardians, a cosmic entity named

   Thanos (Brolin) sends his minions to Earth looking for the last gem of his Infinity 

   Gauntlet, a powerful glove that grants the wearer unlimited power if all the stones

   are found. 
                              

       Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch) & Spiderman (Holland) 

    team up to chase after the powerful being into outer space. They then meet up

    with the Star Lord (Pratt) and his ragtag group of alien friends. Thor (Chris
    Hemsworth) and Rocket Raccoon (Cooper) travel out to the farthest reaches 
    of the galaxy to craft a weapon to defeat Thanos.

       Meanwhile back on Earth, Scarlet Witch (Olsen), Black Widow (Johansson),

    Capt. America/Nomad (Evans) and Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) head to Black

    Panther's nation of Wakanda to protect it from the incoming alien invasion. 

    I felt some sympathy for Thanos as he had to sacrifice his adopted daughter 
    Gamora (Saldana) to do what was right in order to maintain balance in the 
    universe. 

                                    (spoilers over)

      I have very mixed feelings about this film. I can't say that I hated or liked it at all.

    I felt like that there was so much exposition going on that it dragged to the point 
    of tedium. The one thing that this movie did right was balance out the comedy
    with the scifi action that happened during slow scenes.

       Certain characters had to be killed off to show that Thanos wasn't messing 
    around. But knowing Marvel's M.O., they'll probably bring them back to life 
    just like they've always done.

       Marvel Studios has done a good job of tying in the previous movies like a 

   chapter in a book. It is also a big undertaking for the exec producer Kevin 
   Feige to bring all the superheroes together in one big movie such as this. 

      It is not the best movie of the MCU but the biggest that they have made. 
   When the credits came up, it left me wanting more hoping it ends on a positive
   not. It seems Marvel painted themselves in a corner and I just don't see how 
   they can continue. We'll find out next summer in 2019.

                                                         Grade: B-

 

Black Panther

Black Panther

dir: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forrest Whitaker

Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman. Sterling Brown

      Black Panther isn't just another a superhero flick but the first in the MCU to feature a 

  black protagonist. Ryan Coogler, whose critically acclaimed Creed, is the first African

  American director to get his hands on a Marvel megaphone. 

      Shortly after the events of Civil War, T'Challa returns to his home country of 

  Wakanda to become king. But an old enemy, Dr Klaue (Serkis) shows up to steal his 

  homeland's supply of vibranium to sell on the black market. Also showing up 

  is fellow Wakandan Eric Killmonger (B. Jordan) to help him out.

    T'Challa is challenged to a fight by Killmonger where he wins and throws Black

   Panther over a large waterfall to his families horror. His family secretly rescue him 

   and heal him back to health to reclaim this throne. 

    The Good: Despite the sparse action scenes, there isn't much to like about this film.
    The character of Shuri was adorable as Black Panther's tech-savvy sister. Black 
    Panther is a good hero for little black kids to emulate since as don't have one.

    The Bad: The excess CGI is suffocating and the plot felt contrived and nonsensical.

  It dragged the film down to the point of boredom. This was a weak Marvel entry 

  and I left feeling disappointed. The lack of tension killed my enjoyment for this movie.
  The "what are those!!?!!" line was cringe-worthy and will become outdated within a 
  few years. 

   Overall: Despite all the hype this film is getting, I didn't think it was that great. The 

  characters were bland and I had hard time caring about them. 

               Grade: C (7/10)

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)

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)

New Flash Movie Plot Details

Flash Movie Plot Details

       It was announced at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con that the plot for the new 

  Flash movie is going to be an adaptation of the Flashpoint Paradox story arc. 

       Published in 2011, the 5 issue arc involves the scarlet speedster traveling back

  to the past only to find out he inadvertently changed the future. He finds out that

  Bruce Wayne's father is the new Batman and his arch nemesis,Captain Cold, is the

  new hero. Superman doesn't even exist. Without Supes and Batman then the Justice
  League doesn't get formed. Now it's up to Barry Allen to fix the past before it's 
  too late. 

      

      My Take : 

      While I'm happy a Flash movie is being made, I think it's too early to do the 

  Flashpoint story considering it's already been before on the TV show The Flash.

  It would feel totally redundant and customary. 

       If the right producer/director were to adapt it, then it might actually be pretty 
  good. If the cast of the Justice League were to appear then it'd be even better.
  But knowing how Warner Bros likes to play catch up with Marvel and rush out
  their DC films (I'm looking at you Zack Snyder), it probably won't be any good.

Spiderman: Homecoming

Spider-man: Homecoming

Dir: Jon Watts

      Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marissa Tomei, Zendaya,

Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon

        Spider-man has finally come home to the MCU in this joint venture between
  Sony and Marvel Studios. Newcomer Tom Hollland stars as Peter Parker, a 
  regular teenage boy who lives in Queens, NY with his unusually attractive
  Aunt May (Tomei). By day he goes to school but by night he fights crime as
  the iconic webslinger.

     Acting as the young boy's mentor is billionaire playboy Tony Stark (Downey Jr.)
  who checks on him from time to time and offering him advice. But the eager
  Avenger wannabe soon finds himself in over his head. 

        

      Michael Keaton, whose career is going through a resurgence, plays a salvager 

  named Adrian Toomes who finds alien tech leftover from the battle during 2012's

  The Avengers. When his salvage business gets shut down, he is left with no job.

  The only way he can support his family is by pocketing the alien tech and trades

  it with local criminals. With some spare tech lying around, Adrian becomes

  The Vulture and turns to a life of crime.

  

      Now it's up to Spider man to not only stop The Vulture but to also prove 
  himself worthy of being an Avenger to Tony so that he can hang with them. 
  An unknown director named Jon Watts directs this reboot from Marvel Studios.

   The Good: I liked that it didn't have to retell the same story of Peter getting bit

  by a radioactive spider, it just jumped right in as soon as he got his powers. The

  action scenes were fun to watch along with the funny interactions between Peter

  and his best buddy Ned (Batalon). Making Keaton's character with a blue collar
  background made hist portrayal of the Vulture more relatable than most Marvel
  movie villains. The trailers made this Spider-Man feel very generic but I was
  pleasantly surprised how it turned out in the final product.

  The Bad: Zendaya is pretty much a pointless character who just adds filler to the
  movie with a quip here or there. The decision to change the ethnicities just for 
  diversity's sake didn't sit right with me but somehow it worked without it
  becoming a stereotype. 

  Overall: It's a fresh take on the Spider man character that brings him back to the 

  fold in the MCU. The tone of this movie is a stark contrast to the moody version

  that Andrew Garfield's take lacked. But just as Peter has some growing up to do,

  so does this young franchise. 

Grade: B+ (8.5/10)

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

Dir: Patty Jenkins

      Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston,

      David Thewlis

       The DCEU has had a pretty bad track record when it comes to their movies. This 

    breaks that trend and is actually pretty good. The gorgeous Gal Gadot stars as 
    Diana, an Amazonian warrior who believes in the greater good in humanity and
    must fight to protect it. 

       Much like the first Thor, Wonder Woman begins with little Diana looking up to

    her mother while being raised on the remote island of Themyscira. This island is 

    strictly inhabited by strong women who fight like Roman soldiers. As Diana grows
    up, she gets trained to fight just like her fellow sisterhood.

      One day while she is gazing out over the ocean, a spy named Steve Trevor (Pine)

   crash lands on the island and tells her that a war to end all wars is about to happen.
   She makes it her personal mission to save the world before all of humanity is lost. 
   The two team up to take down the Nazis who want to use powerful mustard gas
   to end humanity.

     The Good: 
    The action scenes were phenomenal along with the slow motion shots during the
   fight sequences. The cinematography was excellent, as there was a perfect blend
   of action, comedy and some romance. Her theme played during the action scenes
   was on point. Chris Pine and Gal Gadot shared great on screen chemistry and the
   attractive Israeli is quite easy on the eyes.

   The Bad:
    It was a little long for me but it kept my interest up enough from becoming boring.
   The villain of the film falls into the pit that every Marvel movie did; forgettable.
   He had so much more potential as his convoluted plan didn't work as hoped. 

   Overall:
   Wonder Woman is your typical fish out of water story and it's an excellent movie
   from start to finish. From here on out, it's a step in the right direction for the 
   DCEU. It should light a fire under Marvel to keep them from being complacent.
   The passion project for director Jenkins worked out pretty well for her and it 
   opened the door for future female directors. Little girls should be inspired 
   by Wonder Woman's fearlessness to take charge and kick some serious butt.

 Grade: B+ (8.5/10)

Logan

Logan
Dir: James Mangold
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holdbrook,

      

        When the first X-Men movie was released seventeen years ago, Hugh Jackman 
 became a star and household name. It ushered in an era of superhero movies and 
 changed the landscape of the summer blockbuster. In Jackman's final and most 
 famous role as Wolverine, he finds himself tending to his mentor Professor X 
 (Patrick Stewart) whom he must hide from society. 

        Along the way, he takes in Laura (Dafne Keen), a genetically engineered little 
 girl with powers just like Logan's. Together they go on the run from an sinister 
 corporation rounding up mutants from experimentation purposes. Little Laura 
 spends most of the movie as mute and unleashes her inner monster when threatened.

        

       The serious tone in this movie makes you forget that it's a comic book movie. It

 touches on one's mortality when mutants have died out. Logan's body is also dying 

 and must need injections to keep him healthy.

      Although the movie was pretty violent in nature, it is deserving of it's R rating.

 It is a well acted movie with likable characters that you can relate to. It is not only 
 only one of the most gritty superhero movies, it's also one of the best. Despite the 
 slow pacing of the film, Jackman's run as the Wolverine ends off an a high note.

                                             Grade: A (9/10)

Superpowers

       

With the East Bay Comic Con coming to Concord this weekend, I thought I'd share a

superpower I'd like to have. If I had a power, I'd have superspeed like The Flash.

Here are several reasons why: 

1. I'd never be late for anything wether it'd be school or work. I'd always be on time.

2. I 'd visit the best places on Earth and not have to buy a ticket to go there.

3. I'd use my powers for good to prevent accidents from happening. 

4. I'd lose alot of weight since I'd be constantly running all the time.

Dr Strange

Doctor Strange

Dir: Scott Derrickson

      Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen,

Tilda Swinton

       At a time when superhero movies have reached their peak comes the most trippiest

  since Inception. The popular Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Stephen Strange. He

  plays an arrogant neurosurgeon whose hands become mangled after a nasty car wreck.

       Travelling to the far East to repair his broken hands, he meets the Ancient One

  (Swinton). In order for his hands to heal, he has to learn the mystical arts and paths

  to alternate dimensions. He gets help from another sorcerer Karl Mordo and they

  must stop another evil sorcerer (Mikkelsen). The gemstone that Strange wears

  in his necklace helps him travel through dimensions.

      This move was painfully average with its mediocre story and forced humor. The

  visuals during the dimensional travel scenes were top notch as they were ripped

  straight from the Strange issues drawn by the famous Steve Ditko in the 1970's.

      The best scene was when the sorcerers were bending the buildings & streets while

   Strange was fighting them.

       Strange's backstory felt rushed and poorly done in the time frame given. The evil

  villain like most Marvel movies was utterly forgettable. Strange's love interest 

  (McAdams) was dull and contributed nothing to the overall plot.

      Despite the MCU releasing three movies a year, it almost feel like superhero 

 movie fatigue is setting in. It's not a bad movie just passable at best. This film 

 may feature the bells and whistles but it lacks the proper story to make this movie

 even better. It's my least favorite Marvel movie.

Grade: C (6/10)

Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad

Dir: David Ayer

Cast: Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Will Smith, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne

        Borrowing a page from Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy". DC tries to do the 

same in this non stop action flick that follows immediately after "Dawn of Justice".

       Top secret government head Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) enlists Rick Flagg to 

lead a group of criminals known as Task Force X. Together, they must stop a young

woman June Moon (Cara Delivingne), possessed by an evil witch from taking over

the world.

      In exchange for reduced sentences, they must follow their mission or a bomb

attached to their necks detonates. Among the criminals Rick leads are Deadshot

(Will Smith), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Katana (Karen Fukuhara) & wisecracking

Capt. Boomerang (Jai Courtney).

     The irresistible Margot Robbie nails the role of Harley Quinn, a shrink 

  turned bat wielding psycho girlfriend of the Joker (Jared Leto). Jared's 

  turn as the iconic character is downright scary. Scenes depicting the abusive

  nature of their relationship were cut from the film.

    The studio mandated reshoots to make it lighter, caused it the tone to be off

 along with the script, given just six weeks to write by director David Ayer.

 The music used during the flashy intros didn't fit the narrative. I blame mostly

 WB for the meddling they did and for the sloppy editing as well as pacing. DC

 fans deserved better.

   While there were cuts to get it to PG-13 rating, there were scenes in the trailers

 that didn't make it to the final cut. It would've made for a more cohesive film.

 WB can rectify this by caving into fan demand and release an extended cut.

   I went into this with high expectations, sadly it turned out to be a decent 

action flick if you don't follow the story. It did leave with much to be desired.

It more enjoyable than the dreary Dawn of Justice. With its funny quips and

non stop action, you can shut off your brain. Just don't go in expecting high

quality cinema.

   Grade: B- (7/10)

   

Deadpool

         

Deadpool

Dir: Tim Miller

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Ed Skrein, Gina

Carano, Leslie Uggams, Breanna Hildebrand

       Taking place in the X-Men universe, Deadpool is based on character of the same

  name. Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a hitman who one day gets diagnosed

  with terminal cancer. Upon learning this, he volunteers himself to be a guinea pig 

  for a shady organization that can cure him but for a price. In doing so, it disfigures

  him and turns him into a wisecracking assassin.

       

       With the help of two X-Men (Colossus & Negasonic Teenage Warhead), Deadpool

  goes on a killing spree looking for the Francis (Skrein), the man who permanently 

  scarred him for life. 

       Despite the graphic nature of the film, some of the 4th wall breaking jokes were

  utterly hilarious. It's a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and had a good message

  about accepting someone for who they are. 

      Deadpool was stuck in developmental hell for a decade and it's a movie 

 worthy of your time. It's easily one of my favorite superhero movies of the year.

   Grade A (10/10)

Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War

Dir: The Russo Bros. 

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, 

Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Chadwick Boseman

   In the new movie, Captain America: Civil War, the government wants to put restrictions
  on the Avengers after causing many innocent lives lost due to defending the Earth from
  sinister forces. 
      Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) supports this cause along with other super powered
individuals.Captain America (Chris Evans) has conflicting ideas about it while trying to
protect his best friend Bucky from having to answer for his crimes while brainwashed by 
the evil organization, Hydra.
     Bucky goes on the run after being framed for the murder of Black Panther's father by
a mysterious man with a hidden agenda. We also get to see what happened to Tony's 
parents long before he became Iron Man.
      While the movie is long, sadly it suffers from the third movie syndrome.The action
scenes are few and far between. The plot felt dragged out almost to the point of boredom.
I felt that there were too many plots going on while trying to set up other films to come.
       The surprise villain of the film was mostly forgettable, looking nothing like his
 comic book counterpart. 
       The good parts of the movie were the funny one liners and the introduction of 
Spider Man. The battle at the airport was pretty fun to watch. This felt more like 
Avengers 2.5 than a Captain America movie. This is my favorite MCU movie 
of the year.
       I had high expectations for this movie but felt it didn't live up to it.All in all it 
was pretty mediocre just not as good as CA: The Winter Soldier.
  

Grade C (6/10)

BvS : Dawn of Justice

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

                                     Dir: Zack Snyder

       Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Jesse

    Eisenberg, Gal Gadot

      This is my review of the highly anticipated movie in the DC Cinematic 
  Universe taking place immediately after the events in Man of Steel.

      Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) arrives in Metropolis for unknown reasons, just
in time to witness the destruction of the city between Superman and his nemesis 
Zod. Its citizens turn against Superman (Henry Cavill) and perceive him as 
an alien threat to Earth.

      Meanwhile we are introduced to Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), a wealthy 
young man with Daddy issues. He becomes paranoid of Superman and takes 
drastic actions to have Batman battle Superman.
       
      I thought this movie was too dark and depressing. I was disappointed with 
 the pacing and tone of the movie. The killing of a certain character in the Superman
 lore early on was pointless and unnecessary. I felt like this movie was tried too 
 hard to shoehorn characters for the plots sake. It's a muddled mess of a film that
 tried to take itself serious.
      Jesse's Lex character came across as too nerdy and unlikable. Wonder Woman's
inclusion became the better half of this movie. 
     Overall, it wasn't the worst comic book ever, just the worst of the past several 
years. I wanted to like like this movie but couldn't.

   Grade D (5/10)