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Reviews
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
A mind-blowing, technological marvel that makes Marvel films pale in comparison
Just saw it last night and just wow... the 48fps during the fast moving action sequences was mind blowing. Even if you don't like the "Avatar story", this is worth the watch just for the ground-breaking mix of CGI and 48fps. The movie even slows down to 24fps (the usual film speed) for dramatic scenes. A technical marvel and makes MCU movies' CGI mediocre (and even bad) in comparison.
The first one was never one of my favorite movies, but this one is just so immersive, I'd definitely recommend it just for how revolutionary it is, technologically speaking. I also love how the majority of the main characters are all "aliens" and we buy into it instantly. Years ago if a character was CGI it would look "off", but this movie proves that CGI has gotten to a breathtakingly believable level and I'm here for it.
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Toy Story 3 ended perfectly. Had an opened mind when I saw this, but this was a cash grab plain and simple.
Like many franchises these days, this franchise had the perfect send off with an earlier film but the execs felt the need to pump another out that does nothing whatsoever to enhance the story.
One Punch Man: Wanpanman (2015)
The anime that one punches them all!
One Punch Man. There's nothing like it. It's funny, it's action packed, it's heart felt and the animation is a blast to watch. One Punch Man incorporates all the best aspects of anime into one show. The main aspect it nails is the played trope of "over-powered" characters in anime. I grew up watching Dragonball Z, Cowboy Bebop and Trigun and this is up there with the absolute best.
The protagonist "Saitama" can one punch anything and I mean anything. It could be the most bad-ass, giant, demonic monster in the universe and when push comes to shove - he'll one punch the beast into oblivion. But here's the thing that makes the show unique - it constantly makes fun of his "over-powered" status in the way Saitama nonchalantly disposes of his opponents. He's bored with how over-powered he is and he wants a challenge... but here's the thing... there's no challenge big enough for his fist.
Saitama's a peaceful man, who's bald and doesn't work out as hard as all the other aspiring heroes in his world, so when a hero/beast confronts him with their over-powered show-boating tactics, Saitama is about as relaxed one could be when facing certain death and that's what makes me laugh. In Saitama's world, the heroes are ranked with the highest being "S" and then down to "A", "B" and "C". It gets funnier - even though he's clearly the strongest hero in the world, he's not even close to the top in rankings.
Without spoiling anything - season 1 has the better animation out of the two but season 2 is still a blast and retains all the comedy and heart of season 1. What are you doing with your life? Go watch this right now.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises one last time to save Gotham City...
You can all rest easy now.. "The Dark Knight Rises" is the 3rd and final movie of the Christoper Nolan-directed trilogy and it was a great feeling seeing it finish in grand fashion.
There was no way it was going to surpass "The Dark Knight" and the iconic performance of Heath ledger as the "The Joker", but it comes incredibly close and mostly delivers with the assistance of "Bane"; the last major villain of the franchise. Actor Tom Hardy does the role justice as the voice itself is creepy and haunting and sets the tone of the entire film, as Batman is caught in the darkest of struggles.
Then there's Anne Hathaway's portrayal of "Catwoman" which surprised me and added a bit of fun to the otherwise dark film, however she doesn't surpass the utter brilliance of Michelle Pheifer's "Catwoman" in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns" which is still the definitive version of the character.
All in all the movie was a lot of fun to watch since we've all been waiting to see how it all ends, and trust me it was well worth the wait!
I congratulate Christopher Nolan for making a trilogy that is connected beginning to end and is now the most compelling take on the "batman" that we've ever witnessed on the big screen.
Prometheus (2012)
"Prometheus" isn't for your average moviegoer..
Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" isn't a fun summer movie for the masses, but a serious sci-fi film that makes you think about it long after its finished, leaving questions unanswered, ultimately putting the viewer in a situation where they must come up with their own perspective of what the film means as it incorporates many religious and ancient themes.
If you want to watch a sci-fi movie that challenges your intellect and pushes you to think outside of the box, then this is the movie for you. It's unconventional and I love it. The Visuals and art design are outstanding and the story has so many elements to it that its hard to read what's happening all at once, but that's why it's so great: It makes you think after and talk about it.
"Prometheus" is a prequel that makes the universe of "Alien" that much more interesting, but at the same time making all those "Alien vs. Predator" spin-offs look horrible and gimmicky.
This is the definitive "Alien" film and anything else that follows it will most likely not surpass this gem, as Ridley Scott has just set the bar, once again, extremely high.
That's My Boy (2012)
Sandler + Samberg + R rating = Comedy Gold
Adam Sandler is indeed back in the game! "That's My Boy" comes after his last flick: the outright horrible "Jack and Jill", and it indeed proves to be a comeback of sorts for the struggling actor/comedian.
The laughs are big, and the supporting cast is excellent in this funny off-beat Rated-R comedy that benefits largely to the addition of SNL funny-man Andy Samberg who has become surprisingly adept at hanging around with the best of Hollywood and even surpassing them along the way.
Sandler and Samberg are a team made in comedy heaven, and you wouldn't expect anything less than a wildly-gross, ridiculous comedy that does things you've never seen before on the big screen. Yes, it pushes the limits of nastiness and if you're in need of a roller-coaster of laughter then you'll love this movie.
There's a lot I could say about this movie.. But I think you should go see it for yourself. You have been warned: This comedy will make you laugh until you poop your pants!
The Avengers (2012)
A star-studded cast assemble to create the greatest superhero movie of all time...
Superman: The Movie, The Dark Knight and The Avengers. Yes "The Avengers" does indeed stand tall amongst the greatest superhero movies of all time.
A stellar cast assemble to create a marvel of a film, pun definitely intended. The special effects are top notch and never look out of place like superhero movies of the past. However it is truly the story that is most appreciated since it is the final act of an intricate tightly woven plot that has been building through the current generation of Marvel films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger) and ends with the best superhero finale ever conceived for the big screen. Yes its that good. The only factor that could have been reduced was the amount of humour and sarcasm following certain kick-ass scenes which could have benefited with a touch of cool. In retrospect the humour mostly gets it right and compliments the "comic book" feel of the movie, which is what we have all desperately wanted for so long: A comic book movie that truly sets your mind free like the comic books and cartoons we all read and watched growing up thinking anything was possible.
I applaud you Marvel as "The Avengers" now stands as one of the greatest, if not the greatest superhero movie of all time.
The Hunger Games (2012)
The Hollywood hype machine goes into overdrive, and fails miserably..
Oh the hype! Everywhere I looked in the weeks leading up to the release of "The Hunger Games" I saw poster after poster showing some girl with a bow and arrow.. It was everywhere and still is. Hollywood is really pushing this one on the public obviously because of the popularity of the books, and the guaranteed fan base they can absorb money from. I never read the books, the advertisements were in my face at every turn, so I decided to check it out and see for myself if the hype was true.
What I got was a mediocre movie with the only thing standing out was the acting by Jennifer Lawrence. That's it. She's good, no doubts about it, but not great by any means. The beginning of the movie was nice in the way it built things up, but the latter was a let down, and the movie as a whole could never live up to the hype that proceeded it.
All in all the movie is a money-making machine created to become a multi-movie franchise that Hollywood will milk until there's nothing left to suck from the tit.
Ross Kemp on Gangs (2005)
Ross Kemp brings you face to face with the Gang Lords of the Earth...
"Ross Kemp on Gangs" is one of the most shocking shows to ever be shown on television (National Geographic Channel). Mr. Kemp is one brave soul. In every episode he travels to a different part of the world that is infested by gang violence. Forget what you see in the movies, this is the harsh reality of gang life. The mainstream gang talk in music (50 Cent/Rick Ross/Gucci Mane) is candy coated gloss. After watching this show I don't think anyone would want to be a gangster, however it seems like one is forced into such a position in life. Even the gangsters Mr. Kemp interviews are down to earth in some way or another and explain how it's a game of survival: Kill or be Killed.
Ross Kemp goes face to face with many gang lords, showing some serious courage when in the face of death. That is indeed the most interesting factor in this show, which is how close he really gets to these "Dons". Some of these criminals open up and explain why they do it, while others hesitate due to the fact that Mr. Kemp could be a "rat" or leak to the local police authorities. It's all very intriguing.
This show will open your eyes to a harsh reality you have only seen in movies, which is an understatement. Check it out... Ross Kemp knows his Gangs and isn't afraid to look them in the eyes.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Spider-Man 3 is an effects spectacle with a satisfactory conclusion to a great trilogy...
Spider-Man 3 is without a doubt the most hyped film of 2007. It was the first trailer to give me shivers since I saw the (Star Wars) Episode 3 trailer, and I simply couldn't wait for the arrival of one of the greatest villains in comic book history... Venom.
I went to see it on opening day and of course I had huge expectations, I mean Spider-Man 2 was great, and it seemed like Sam Raimi could do no wrong to this flourishing franchise.
So the lights dimmed, and the show began... I have to say I was thrilled with the first half of the film. The first fight between Peter and Harry was ground-breaking as I was witnessing a Special FX phenomenon right in front of my very eyes, and that was only the first of many eye-popping moments.
As the movie continued the story's characters became more intertwined and the conclusion was approaching. Everything up until the conclusion was extremely well done. Many of my initial first questions were answered: Topher Grace was indeed a good Eddie Brock and Thomas Haden Church was the best possible casting for Sandman. Let me just say this: The villains in this film are downright amazing.
Then the final 2-on-2 fight scene began. It really is a comic book lover's dream come to the big screen. The action reminded me of watching the Spider-Man cartoon and just being sucked into that crazy Comic book-World.
I would have given this film an 8.5 out of 10 since I'm a huge Spider-Man fan, but once again like Bryan Singer did with the X-Men films, Sam Raimi took a drastic turn from the Comic book storyline and killed off Venom in one of the last sequences in the film. Sam Raimi originally never wanted Venom in the film, and only incorporated him for the fans. So it angers me he would kill Venom off simply due to his personal resentment for the character. In the comic books and cartoon series (for all of you who had never read or watched Spider-Man prior to the films) Venom never dies, but simply "dissapears" for times due to Spider-Man rattling up his symbiote suit with a loud noise (like the bell or poles in the movie). However if you watch the scene where Venom dies his rib cage disintegrates in the blast.
I simply can't believe they would kill off such a great villain, where in the movie Raimi spent so much time with the suit and Topher Grace.
Very Disappointing. However I have read (off IGN.com) that someone who dies in Spider-Man 3 could have survived... Lets cross our fingers and hope somehow a piece of the symbiote survived with Eddie's DNA and it can somehow form into Eddie's body at any point... Kinda like Sandman does in the film.
Superman Returns (2006)
SUPERMAN RETURNS: One good action scene, dull characters & superb Special FX = a classic Hollywood letdown
After Mission Impossible 3, The Davinci Code and X-MEN 3; this was the last remaining movie I was still looking forward to see in the summer of 2006.
Basically "Superman Returns" ended up being exactly what I expected: Amazing special effects, good action scenes, and a great performance by Kevin Spacy. Brandon Routh surprised me with his portrayal of the Man of Steel, as he reminded me of a young Tom Cruise who helps carry the film forward along side the ingenious Kevin Spacy. The scenes with Spacy alone are worth buying a ticket, since his energy and charisma simply shine equally in comparison to Gene Hackman's performance as Lex Luthor in the original Superman.
The best scene in the film is the opening action sequence which involves an airplane spinning down through the atmosphere as the scene demonstrates Superman's strength and intelligence of assessing a situation with ease (as he should). Beyond this scene there really isn't an action sequence that matches up to this throughout the film, which was very disappointing. Of course the Special FX were top notch, but that's a given in this age of entertainment.
As I watched the film I found myself wanting to yell out: "Lois can't you see, it's Clark! Superman is Clark!" I felt agitated as the only difference between Clark Kent and Superman is simply Glasses and a curl in his hair. Everyone seems to be brainless or somewhat blind when it comes to thinking about who Superman is. I guess I just have to ignore this obvious flaw, but I couldn't help but chuckle when watching the scenes involving Superman and Lois.
The problem that made the film seem unrealistic is the torture Lois Lane goes through as the plane crashes down to earth and her body is being thrown all throughout the passenger cabin. You would think she would be knocked out or at least a bone would break, but nope nothing, not even a scratch. Little factors like this are what differentiates a great film from an average film.
There's this one scene when Parker Posey (who plays Lex's girlfriend) has had her breaks cut and her car is speeding uncontrollably through pedestrian filled streets. Not one single person (or car) is hit as the car speeds over sidewalks and busy streets. All I wanted to see was a few people ran over, which would have made the scene that much more realistic. I guess that explains the PG rating.
Any film director given a 200 million dollar budget could have made this film. Bryan Singer simply has a background with making super hero films (X-MEN, X2) so they gave the job to him. PLEASE Hollywood, I beg you, stop making these films, you don't know what's good or not. It all makes perfectly good sense though, most Hollwood producers are old men who just want to cash in.
Cars (2006)
Pixar uses the same formula over and over... Anyone else sick of it yet?
I went and saw the premiere of Pixar's newest animated film: CARS. Like all CG Animated films this one was no different with the lame jokes that TRY to appease the stressed out parent who had to bring their kid to the movie. TOY STORY was original for it's time, and I have nothing against it since it was a breakthrough in CG animated films, but Pixar seems to think people are oblivious to the fact that they have repeated the same story arc in most of there films.
1. There's the obvious GUY wants GIRL plot.
2. Jokes that try to appeal to both parents and kids. Key word: TRY.
3. The transformation from good hearted to HERO status.
It's a very simple formula, and this movie does have it's moments (just like any other movie), but really makes you realize that the CLASSIC aspects of animated film are fading away into oblivion.
Films like the Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast are REAL animated classics, and CARS is definitely just another film that will be forgotten as CG gets more and more realistic over the years. Just like how films with CG (Star Wars: EP 1) look terribly dated now.
Still go out and see it since it's a decent summer movie, but It's no classic. It's disappointing to know that Disney has lost its creative drive it had when it dominated the 2D (hand drawn) industry. Just IMAGINE how great a 2D film could look in these modern days. Go and watch Princess Mononoke (directed by Hayao Miyazaki), and you'll understand why 2D will always remain more genuine and timeless.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
X-MEN 3 is the best of the Trilogy but fails to deliver the greatness of the COMICS
X-MEN: The Last Stand, is a fun summer movie, but contains none of the great aspects that the COMIC BOOKS incorporated. This is a trend that can be seen throughout all the films. Every major X-MEN fan knows why the films failed. Where was the original costumes? Where was all the diverse characters? Where are the cool powers and the unique personalities that clash? Well none of these aspects are there, and that is ultimately why this film fails.
Why can't these bigwig Hollywood producers realize that to make a great comic book film, all you need to do is simply copy the comic page for page, because the story boards and great dialogue are all there. I really hope one day producers realize this, instead of ruining popular franchises like X-MEN that could have ended up being great adaptations.
Bryan Singer directed the first 2 films and he said he was a huge fan of the X-MEN COMICS, yet there's nothing relating to the comics at all. This trilogy is a huge disappointment to the kids who grew up reading the comics, and watching the classic 90's animated series.
The only good things within these films are some of the action scenes and performances. Notably: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey & Patrick Stewart as Professor X. Ian McKellen is a good actor, but is simply way to old to be playing the part of Magneto.
Bryan Singer is planning to work on ULTIMATE X-MEN the movie, which I hope he doesn't ruin this time around.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
ROTS finally lives up to all the hype the Star Wars Prequels should have delivered...
The Prequel Trilogy is Complete
with the final installment re-assuring us Star Wars fans that George Lucas is still very capable of making a true Space Opera like he did with Star Wars: A New Hope, which was the only film he directed in the Original Trilogy.
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith brings all the components which made the original movies work, and puts them together to make a single film that incorporates the style and thrill of what any viewer would expect from such a well known name as 'Star Wars'.
ROTS begins with an epic space battle over the city planet of Coruscant, which starts the movie off with an adrenaline rush no other Star Wars film has ever offered. This opening 20 minute action scene thrusts the movie in an unstoppable direction which gets darker and grimmer to the very end. Many critics thought Lucas would take it a bit easy on Anakin's fall to the dark side, however Lucas creates a much darker 'fall' then any Star Wars fan would ever have expected.
As for performances go
Hayden Christensen finally gets my approval as being cast as Anakin Skywalker since he simply shows a maturity not seen in Episode II, which helps you realize Lucas' plan for the viewer to see how Anakin matures throughout the films. Simply watch the film 'Life as a House' to see how well Christensen plays a dysfunctional character. I can't stress enough how important Ewan McGregor has been to the Prequel Trilogy, since his strong performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi has been the only positive factor leading up to ROTS. So to see him basically BECOME Obi-Wan from the Original Trilogy is a great feeling, since its accompanied by a strong film with amazing effect shots that should definitely take home the Oscar for Best Special Effects. Last but not least
Ian McDiarmid SHINES as Emperor Palpatine giving a performance that leaves the viewer uneasy and skeptical of his dark intentions as McDiarmid shows confidence and a true sense of evil like never before.
There's almost too much to say about ROTS, because every aspect of the movie is so interesting to watch, since we all wanna know how a goodhearted man goes completely evil within 2 ½ hours. What really makes the movie captivating is the 'events' that take place which change the Galaxy forever. For example: the scene when Anakin runs in on Mace Windu fighting the Emperor. Mace Windu has the Sith Master defeated and wants to finish him off, however Anakin wants the Emperor to stand a fair trial like the ways of the Jedi so the Emperor can teach Anakin how to save his wife from death. Mace knows the Emperor has too much power and has to kill him right away. So when Mace winds up to finish him off, Anakin intervenes by cutting off Mace's hand leading to his electrifying death. This single scene demonstrates how close it came to the Sith being destroyed. Scenes like this make ROTS the most intriguing and exciting Star Wars movie since Return of the Jedi.