For as long as there have been stories about costumed superheroes, Batman and Superman have undoubtedly been the most universally popular. And now, their paths have finally crossed in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. But does the much-anticipated superhero crossover deliver on expectations?
The story picks up with the conclusion of the previous Superman installment, Man of Steel, during which Superman (Henry Cavill) is locked in combat with his superpowered equal, General Zod. As you can well imagine, the sheer might of two supermen going at it is enough to bring a well-standing city to its knees. We experience the carnage on the ground level from the perspective of Bruce Wayne, aka Batman (Argo star and director Ben Affleck), as Wayne attempts to rescue as many civilians as he can. After witnessing the cataclysmic destruction first-hand, Wayne vows to don the Batsuit and take the fight directly to Superman. This movie is a pretty mixed bag with a lot to unpack, so let's get to what I like first: Ben Affleck as Batman. I had a good feeling that Affleck would play an excellent Bruce Wayne, and I was right. His portrayal of the character is determined and vengeful, but not without being reasoning and calculating. While you may not agree with all of his decisions, you find yourself relating to the passion behind them. What surprised me even more was his version of Batman; this is easily the roughest incarnation of the hero we've seen onscreen, going as far as branding criminals with his bat logo. This is an intense and angry Batman, and while I think younger Batman fans might be a little offput by this interpretation, I do respect the writers for going in such a bold and unexpected direction. Other actors who give impressive performances are Jeremy Irons as Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred, and Fast and Furious star Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Like Michael Caine in the Dark Knight trilogy, Irons brings a brand of affectionate, dry humor to the character of Alfred. He gets involved in building some of the bat-tech, and it's fun to see his interactions with Bruce in the Batcave. Likewise, Gadot doesn't get a whole lot of screentime as Wonder Woman, but she shines when she is around. The newly-designed costume is perfect, with Gadot bringing an imposing presence to match, and nothing was more satisfying than the thunderous applause that greeted her dramatic entrance. On the topic of Wonder Woman's role in the film, my biggest concern going in was that the presence of additional heroes would make the film feel bloated with too many moving parts. Fortunately, the extra heroes present had no bearing on this issue. Unfortunately, the issue of the script having too many moving parts was still there, and sorely affected the pacing. The clash of ideologies between polar opposites Batman and Superman warrants genuine tenison, but it feels too crowded when it's bogged down with several other plots; there's Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) uncovering a conspiracy plot involving Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg giving his most over-the-top Jim Carrey impression) that easily could have been cut; and there's an attempt to set up the Justice League that hardly has any place in the film. When the title-promised Batman/Superman fight actually goes down, it's pretty great, but the majority of Batman v. Superman's time is spent setting up future movies, without focusing on the one we're watching. But let's be real here: if you're interested in a movie called Batman v. Superman, chances are you're more excited about the action than the story. So how does the action stack up? Again, it's kind of a mixed bag; while it does certainly boast some exciting scenarios, such as a high-speed Batmobile chase or a showdown between two superheroes, it only engrosses you if it's shot well, and it hardly ever is. While the editing is far from nauseating, it certainly isn't what you would call "enthralling." Scenes that should be riveting are instead slightly hard to follow due to rapid camera work and editing, and while I know Superman can easily punch and throw Batman through thick walls, that doesn't mean he has to every chance he gets. Although it is admittedly cool to see the two face off, the resulting fight could use a little more variety, and a lot more length. In the end, Batman v. Superman isn't a terrible movie. There are certainly aspects that I enjoyed, such as the pleasantly surprising performances from Affleck, Gadot and Irons, as well as the plot about the two heroes' idealogies coming to a head. But when that central plot is entangled in a web of stories trying to set up future films, and dazzled with lackluster villains and unimpressive editing, the ratio of negative elements sadly outweigh the positive. If you're a serious comic book fan, I'd recommend seeing this one at a matinee price. Otherwise, you can wait until the Redbox release. As for me, I'm giving Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice two out of four stars.
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3/15/2016 0 Comments '10 Cloverfield Lane' Movie ReviewA couple years ago, Lost director J.J. Abrams gave us Cloverfield, a sci-fi thriller with a brilliant marketing campaign, and not a lot of payoff. So naturally, viewers were cautious at the announcement of a spin-off film, 10 Cloverfield Lane. But don't worry, I'm here to set the record straight and give closure to everyone: 10 Cloverfield Lane not only far surpasses its predecessor, but stands well on its own as an accomplished thriller.
The story follows a young woman named Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who, after surviving a devastating car crash, awakes inside of an underground fallout shelter, owned by a mysterious man named Howard (John Goodman). Howard claims that she's there for her own protection, as the outside air is too toxic to breathe, but the story sounds too bizarre to be true. Without being found out by Howard, Michelle must now team up with fellow bunker-dweller Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr.) to figure out if they are being rescued or kidnapped. With such a small cast of only three actors, it's important that all of them bring their A-game, and that's exactly what you get here. Gallagher Jr. does a good job with his given material, but the real show-stealer encircles around the psychological face-off between Winstead and Goodman. Though this isn't technically a horror movie, Winstead's character meets all of the criteria of being a classic example of the "surviving girl" from slasher films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween; she's naturally unsettled by her surroundings, but she's not weakened by them. She's smart and highly resourceful, and relatable throughout. And as good as Winstead is, Goodman is even better, giving one of the most engrossing performances of his career. While I'm used to seeing Goodman in projects like Roseanne and Argo, playing the loveable everyday man, this is a complete 180 for him. His unhinged doomsday prepper feels like a combination between Psycho's Norman Bates and Misery's Annie Wilkes, constantly trying to control all of the happenings within his bunker and convert his two guests to his way of doing things. At times, he seems perfectly normal and hospitable, and it's at these moments when he's most frightening, because anything can set him off. The resulting effect toys with your symapthy for the character and makes you constantly on edge. This ties into one of the biggest strengths of the film's script: its ability to tightly wind tension like a guitar string. First time film director Dan Tratchenberg recently directed a short film based on the Portal video game series in whiche he nails the feeling of occupying a tight space, and the effect is the same here. The setting is closed off, but not always foreboding; Howard keeps his bunker refurbished with DVDs, puzzles and a juke box, and the lighting and set design make the place actually look pretty cozy at times. But right when the visual aesthetic draws you in, you realize that Howard is looming just around the corner. This clash of comfortable surroundings and an uneasy host makes you feel truly claustrophobic, as though there really is nowhere to escape to. When it comes to thinking of things to complain about, the task is an absolute chore. There's an interesting twist towards the end of the film that feels a little different from everything we've seen so far, but honestly, it doesn't clash as badly as you'd expect. Without spoilers, the twist is foreshadowed throughout the film, so it does fit into the plot, and the events that occur allow for some surprising and unexpected character growth - something that's achieved through action, not exposition. There's a smart amount of layers present, all of which keep you guessing. In the original Cloverfield, it was obvious that the threat was a huge monster, so the only mystery was the monster's appearance. Here, the movie keeps you wondering if there even is a threat above the bunker. Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is much better than I ever expected. The Cloverfield films have taken a turn from a giant monster movie to a tightly-shot underground thriller, and yet, this one has so much more happening, because you care about the characters. Between the layers of characterization and incredibly thick tension, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a deeply satisfying thriller that will keep you engrossed until the final frame. I'm giving it three and a half out of four stars. 3/13/2016 0 Comments Ranking: Marvel Cinematic UniverseSuperhero films aren't what they used to be, and that's generally a pretty good thing. In what's referred to by fans as Marvel Studios' "cinematic universe," movies can interconnect and cross over, but you don't necessarily have to see one to understand another (for the most part). The MCU has offered a lot of variety in terms of stories, settings, and heroes, and today, I'm going to list my ranking of them.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier After getting a solo film and being an Avenger, people still weren't buying Captain America as legitimate. So, the superhero formula was dropped in favor of a political spy thriller, and the result was a stroke of brilliance. The Captain, with his old timey morals of right and wrong, now represents a changing America: an America with government surveillance, drone use, and terrorism paranoia, causing the hero to question the ever-changing meaning of true freedom. 2. Iron Man The one that started it all, the original Iron Man does practically everything it does with perfection: billionaire superhero Tony Stark is the role Robert Downey, Jr. was born to play, the action, while only appearing here and there, comes in exhilerating short-round bursts, the eye-popping visuals undoubtedly made everyone in the audience want their own Iron Man suit, and underneath the film's armor is a truly poignant message about repentance, subtly stating that if you want to change the world, you have to start with yourself. 3. Guardians of the Galaxy If Marvel made a Star Wars movie with the comedy of Ghostbusters, the result would probably look and feel something like Guardians. What makes the Guardians exceptional is that while they're certainly heroes, they're not particularly super. The squad is depicted as a party of misfits, each with their own troubles and quirks, so seeing them develop a group dynamic makes the climactic victory feel truly victorious. The Avengers may be Marvel's all-star team, but the Guardians are the glorious underdogs, and this is their big win. 4. The Avengers Age of Ultron may have been more of a fireworks spectacle, but you just can't replace the sensation of seeing the titular collection of heroes together for the first time. For a movie that combines the heroes of multiple different franchises, The Avengers is surprisingly easy for anyone to follow and engage with (I've known several people say that this is the only Marvel film they've seen and they followed it perfectly). Plus, as the conclusion of five previous films, The Avengers never needed to be a high-stakes risk-taker; all it really needed to be was a party celebrating its own awesomeness, which it does like a champ. 5. Ant-Man In the wake of high-stakes, end-of-the-world spectacles such as the Avengers movies and Guardians of the Galaxy, it's highly refreshing for Marvel to bring it back to the days of Iron Man and Thor with a straightforward, light-hearted origin story. On top of that, Ant-Man is just a lot of fun, boasting exhilerating action that, when the hero shrinks down to miniscule size, resembles the perfect breeding ground between Iron Man and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Oh yeah, and there's Michael Douglas, and a script by Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead). If those credentials don't fill seats, nothing will. 6. Iron Man 3 The darkest chapter of the Iron Man solo entries thus far, Iron Man 3 strips our hero of his armor suits and for the first time since the series began, we get to see Tony Stark, the creator of the Iron Man persona, rely solely on his wits, an endeavor made all the better by his trauma from the climax of the first Avengers. Add to that the looming threat of a terrorist leader played effortlessly by Ben Kingsley, and we get a film that's not only a rush for the audience, but a true test of character. 7. Captain America: The First Avenger What do you do with a superhero as inherently silly and old-fashioned as Captain America? Make a silly and old-fashioned movie, of course! Imaginative director Joe Johnston (of Jumanji and October Sky) takes the delicious World War II-era scenery and runs with it, and the commitment, as well as Chris Evans' shining performance as the star-spangled hero, really does a job to sell the film. 8. Avengers: Age of Ultron The second Avengers team-up is sort of like the second installment in the Back to the Future series: while the original played to its strength of being incredibly straight-forward and easy for anyone to follow, the second go round feels the need to try everything to outdo its predecessor. The result, while certainly fun to look at, can make for a film that feels top-heavy due to its many myriad of moving parts, almost as though the whole thing could topple over at any moment. It's not a bad movie - it's got great action and effects, great chemistry among the leading team of heroes, and a pretty solid score - but at times, it just feels like too much of a good movie. 9. The Incredible Hulk Doing its best to represent the Bill Bixy/Lou Ferrigno TV series, this Hulk interpretation follows Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, running across the globe from the U.S. military and desperately seeking a cure for his anger issue. Though the CGI is a tad dated and the villain is rushed into the picture just in time for the climax, Edward Norton holds conviction as Banner, the action is exhilerating, and the story boldly chooses to depict the Hulk not as a superhero, but as the sympathetic subject of a monster movie, almost reminiscent of Frankenstein. 10. Thor: The Dark World Finally showcasing Thor in all of his mythical prowess, Thor: The Dark World is confirmation of what a solo Thor film can be at its full potential: a fast-paced, passably entertaining time-killer. While the main villain of the picture is bland beyond all measure, the action is brisk and show-stealer Tom Hiddleston as the god of mischief, Loki, Marvel's finest villain to date, is worth the price of admission alone. It's just a shame he isn't in the film more, given that he's actually more interesting than Thor. 11. Iron Man 2 If the first Iron Man is a sweet Marvel milkshake, this sequel feels like soured milk by comparison. Everything that made the original fun and light-hearted feels unnecessarily dark and dour this time around, the villains are blandly motivated by revenge (a story motif that's been done a million times over), and the majority of the film's plot elements focus not on the story at hand, but are rather more concerned with introducing new characters for the sole purpose of building up to The Avengers. But hey, new entries Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johannsen), and government agent Phil Coulsen (Clark Gregg) are well-acted, so there's that. 12. Thor On his own, Thor is probably the least interesting Avenger. But being a subject of ancient Norse mythology, this film easily could have been a home run with director Kenneth Branagh (of Shakespeare adaptations Hamlet and Richard IV) soaking in the atmosphere. Unfornately, Thor's mythological setting was stripped away for a stale fish-out-of-water comedy that features the hero comically feeling out of his element as he learns life lessons in New Mexico. 13. |
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