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bebakerus
Reviews
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Good but lacked in some areas
A good movie overall and a good transition to the finale. I liked the character development and all the fan service provided. They did a great job developing Miles and Gwen's characters and back stories. I especially liked the depiction of Miles dad. I'm a father of teenagers myself and he did a great job of balancing responsibility with allowing them to develop and did so without becoming a clown like so many other shows do.
Now for the not so great.
This movie has no real story of its own. It is a transitional movie but it should also have a story of its own but it really doesn't. All the time is spent on the backstory and leading to the next movie.
While Oscar Issac's performance was outstanding, I do not know where they got the personality for Miguel O'Hara. That was not him. I collected the original Spider-Man 2099 comics and he was always my favorite alternate S-Man. What I saw in this movie was not him. Way too serious and way too intense. Miguel has a dark, sardonic sense of humor but he has one. He is also brilliant. None of that came through. He was just a 2D bad guy with a thrown together backstory to justify it. Bad writing all around.
I can go above 7 stars for this and honestly my love of the character is the only thing keeping this from a 6. It was good but the next one needs to fix these things.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel Review
Some movies are made to appeal to the masses and some movies are made to appeal to a certain segment of the population. Other movies are simply made just to make a statement. I am certain Captain Marvel falls in a couple these categories. It is the latest in the line form the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the first stand alone one with a female lead (more on that later).
To be honest, I almost skipped the theatrical release for this one. The character has never interested me all that much and going to the movies has gotten so expensive I tend to pick and choose what I watch in the theater vs. What I watch on video. Two things made me go see this in the theater. 1) I was concerned that it might have direct ties to the upcoming Avengers Endgame (which I will see in the theater). 2) I had a free weekend. That being said, I have to admit that I enjoyed the movie overall even with a few criticisms. I will try to keep this review mostly spoiler free but there may be a couple minor ones.
Plot:
Good: The plot is a basic formula that works well. The hero is introduced and you learn more about her as the story is told. Along the way you are also introduced to the antagonists and supporting characters. It's not complex and this movie does a decent job of it.
Bad: While there is nothing wrong with the basic plot, I felt that the characters were rather underutilized. The focus is of course on Carol Danvers (her movie after all) but there is not much given to the development of ay other characters. In the end we are left with a predictable story that comes across as somewhat bland. It wasn't terrible, just not as good as it could have been.
Characters:
Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel/Vers: I had never heard much about Brie Larsen prior to the production of this movie. She definitely looks the part. As for her portrayal, it was ok. I can't call it spectacular because there was simply no opportunity in the plot for anything beyond what was allowed by the story. I did find her to be somewhat non-emotional but I will allow that the writing didn't allow for it. Time will tell if she grows into this part.
Nick Fury: Samuel L. Jackson is back as everyone's favorite super spy. However, he is not what we have seen in previous movies. As this takes place over 20 years in the past, we see a side of Fury we haven't seen before. One not quite as experienced or as jaded by life. Jackson does this very well. It's the same character but 20+ years younger. My only criticism is he is too often used for comic relief. Side note: the digital de-aging done for Jackson in this movie was masterful. You could not tell that this wasn't him from 25 years ago. Watch some clips from one of his movies back then and see for yourself.
Dr. Lawson/Mar-Vell: Annette Bening comes in as the film version of the Mar-Vell character. (Which by the way, is where we get Captain Marvel from in the first place.) This is where the movie shows some bias in favor of female characters. In the comics, Mar-Vell (the original Captain Marvel) is a man. Given that the movie rewrites this history, was it wrong to switch the gender of the character? Yes and no. There is nothing wrong with it if it had some bearing on the plot or the story being told. From what I can tell it did not. There was no discernible reason for the change thus I am not all that thrilled with it. Not to detract from Bening's performance as there was nothing wrong with that in this rather minor role. I just did not see a reason for the change.
Yon-Rogg: Jude Law delivers a passable performance as the antagonist. Honestly there is nothing special about this character. He does his job but that is about all.
Maria Rambeau: Lashana Lynch is probably my favorite of the supporting actors. Her role is not huge (all roles are small next to the title role) but she handles it well. I found her to be one of the more interesting characters.
Talos: Ben Mendelsohn comes in as the Skrull leader. His role is important to the story and I thought he was interesting and well delivered. A good mix of funny, serious, witty, and sympathetic. Well done all around.
Conclusion:
Overall I liked the movie. It was decent if not exactly epic. The biggest problem was with the story and source material. Carol Danvers simply is not that interesting of a character even in the comics. She has her good points but with a chance to rewrite her history they could have done a much better job. As the first female lead, they already had a good example in the MCU. Black Widow has deserved her own title for some time now.
Should you see this movie? Sure. If you like the MCU you won't be disappointed. It does not have to be the best there is to be enjoyable. Do you need to see it in the theater? No. Save your money. There is nothing in this movie that directly ties to Avengers: Endgame that you would miss for that movie this April. Only two points that I will mention below...
1. The intergalactic pager that Fury has in Infinity War has its origin. Basically CM modifies his pager to contact her in case of emergencies. I don't think that is really a spoiler but it is a tie to the next movie.
2. There is a mid credits scene showing a part of Endgame on how CM shows up. I have no doubt this same scene will be in Endgame
That's it. This movie is not required to enjoy Endgame to its fullest. I didn't know that or I might have waited. Still a nice afternoon out with my kids is worth the price.
Creed II (2018)
Creed 2 Review
I like boxing movies. There is just something about the drama of one man standing against another and seeing who wants it more. Nowhere on the silver screen is this better portrayed than in the Rocky franchise. Since 1976, Sylvester Stallone has captured the hearts of people with his brilliant portrayal of the lovable pugilist. While these movies are a far cry from the real world, they do speak strong messages about perseverance, determination, and heart. All strong life lessons for anyone. Imagine my surprise and delight when my son, who never before showed a desire for such things, declared he wanted to see Creed 2. So after our Thanksgiving feast, we headed off to the movie theater for some father-son bonding.
Though I'll try to keep it to a minimum, I should warn you there may be spoilers ahead.
Characters:
Rocky: Sly Stallone is not the man he was back in 76. And that's just fine. Rocky has always been famous because he's not larger than life. He's human with all the same faults and strengths inside all of us. Rocky is getting older. The years of being a human punching bag and a battle with cancer (see Creed 1) have taken their toll. Inside, though, he is the same man that many of us have come to know over the years. I tip my hat to Stallone for being able to portray this character so well over 40+ years.
Adonis Creed: Michael B. Jordan is back in the role as the son of Rocky's biggest rival/best friend. I have to say he does it well. He's no Rocky and that's fine because he's not trying to be. He's a young man who is coming to grips with who he is in the rather large shadow of his father. Along the way he also deals with very normal things. Any man who has felt the nerves of proposing to his bride or caring for their infant child will identify with Jordan's portrayal.
Bianca Taylor: Tessa Thompson did a very nice job with her role. I don't know if this is true or not but she seems to have taken inspiration from Talia Shire's portrayal of Adrian from the original movies with a generous amount of her own personality thrown in. She is not a background character and the audience can definitely see the depth of her feelings for Adonis as well as frustration with his chosen profession. All that and maintaining a strong supportive role. Well done.
Mary Anne Creed: Whoever decided to cast Phylicia Rashad as Adonis' adopted mother deserves a raise. Just imagine a woman taking in the son of her husband's infidelity and you have one of the more complex characters in the entire series. Her role in Creed 2 is not large but it cannot be dismissed either. She has all the attitude and personality of a mother and widow rolled into one. Nicely done.
Ivan Drago: Dolph Lundgren is back as Ivan but this time with more than 5 lines. This is a chance for him to bring Ivan to life as more than a Cold War era antagonist. In that he does as well as he can given that the story leans hard toward Adonis. Drago comes across as a little more than two dimensional but not quite fully fleshed out. However his part in the final fight was a pleasant surprise.
Viktor Drago: Florian Munteanu is an actor I've never heard of and based on this movie I am not in a hurry to learn more. To be fair, there really isn't much opportunity for character development. He is very much the basic antagonist that Ivan was in Rocky 4.
Story:
The story of Creed 2 is, like most Rocky movies, fairly predictable. The formula is nothing new. You know Creed is going to win the title. You know he is going to lose the first fight with Drago (way too early in the movie for it to be a victory). And you know he is going to emerge victorious in the end. Most of the time movies that are predictable are not all that enjoyable. In the case of Creed 2 it really doesn't matter. You enjoy the ride enough that you don't really care that the destination is one you've been to before. The fun is in getting there. That said, there were a couple things that could have been better:
* In the previous movie Rocky is diagnosed with cancer. It is only implied in this one that he beat the cancer. It would have been nice to see this a little more clearly.
* From a content perspective the extended love scene between Adonis and Bianca was not necessary. It was not that long and there was no flagrant nudity but it will be uncomfortable for parents of young kids and it really added nothing to the movie. There are more abbreviated ways to imply said activity.
Ultimately this movie is about fathers and sons. While not biological, Rocky is father to Adonis and Ivan is Father to Victor. There are two very different approaches to fatherhood. Both want their sons to succeed but for different reasons. One for the son's sake and the other for the sake of a family legacy. As a father I completely understand the struggle of wanting the best for your son but also desiring to see your son achieve what you could not. This movie touches these feelings in a very real way.
Conclusion:
If you like movies like this and/or the Rocky franchise, you will enjoy this movie. If you think boxing is a vulgar sport with no redeeming qualities then you are probably not interested anyway. Creed 2 delivers a predictable plot in an enjoyable way.
The Circle (2017)
Missed Opportunities Abound
This movie had the potential to be more than it was. I thought it was going to be something of a dystopian style message but it basically meanders around that point for almost 2 hours. There is no drama, no excitement, and no development. Basically it is a boring, creepy ride through the mindset of some of the millennial generation who seem to think their entire lives are something everyone wants to see.
The movie had potential to truly address the issues of privacy in a digital, online age. But it falls very flat. Basically you are left hanging and it seems that the movie actually endorses the "transparent" lifestyle. It seems to push two main points that I want to refute.
1. The idea that your life experiences must be shared with the world at large. Seriously? I can think of so many ways where this can go wrong. First of all it is simply not true. No one is entitled to my life except me. If you want my life experiences, go get them. Also, watching a video of someone's life is not sharing their life experience. At best it is voyeurism.
2. "Secrets are lies." This is pushed about halfway through the movie. At first I thought it was going to be the hook used to draw the antagonist into the issues of privacy. But it never gets used that way in any effective manner. The statement is obviously over-generalized and patently untrue.
I also want to spend a little time on character of Mae, played by Emma Watson. She is the smartest dumb person I have seen in a movie in a long time. She starts out ok and you kind of like her until she starts spouting out the company BS. At first you think she is going to wake up and realize that invading people's privacy is wrong but she never does even when her childhood friend dies because of it. Watson's portrayal is bland at best. She's not all that likable and can't quite seem to completely cover her British accent. With her character's parents portrayed as down-home folks, she comes across as aristocratic. Maybe that was the intent but it does not make for a character you can get behind.
Rogue One (2016)
A Good Story
A good story that nicely ties into Episode IV. That, in fact, is the best part about the movie. It does a great job of providing background information of the new characters while at the same time making us interested in a story we, frankly, already know the ending to. The new characters are real and likable. I especially like the main character Jyn Erso. She is not bigger than life and still manages to capture your attention.
Now for the not so good parts. This movie would have been a whole lot better had they kept the classic iconic character involvement to a minimum. First the CGI on Tarkin and Leia is obvious. I understand why they did it but the technology simply is not ready to make characters who can endure long on camera balanced against live action. It would have been much better to keep this to a minimum or find some way around it. Truthfully, Tarkin simply was not necessary. He could have been replaced by any number of characters acting on his behalf. (Though whoever did the voice nailed it). The brief scene with Leia could have been done completely from behind. We did not need to see her face.
The scene with Vader and the director was also unnecessary. It would have been better if Vader's dialogue had been up to par but it was not. He is not a long winded character and never needed to be. To be blunt, he talked too much. Also he did not look right. I cannot explain it any better than that but he seemed off somehow.
A good movie overall and well worth eight out of ten stars. Better by far than most of the prequel movies.