With Godzilla vs. Kong releasing, let’s travel back to the movie that kicked off this Monster-Verse, with the almighty Godzilla.
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
Remember a time when Godzilla just wasn’t part of our lives? At least not here in North America, going 16 years without a major Godzilla movie to hit theatres. Times had changed. This wasn’t the 90’s and the last time this iconic monster was on screen, let’s just say, it was quite forgettable. In fact, the Roland Emmerich take on Godzilla was flat-out embarrassing. The world needed a new and fresh take that felt a little more this century.
In comes Gareth Edwards who knew a thing or two about making a monster movie. Not only was he bringing in one of the biggest monsters this world has ever seen but coming along for the ride was at that time, the biggest thing on TV – Bryan Cranston. I remember it like it was yesterday, Bryan Cranston screaming “it’s going to bring us back to the Stone Age!” During the first teaser trailer for the film. The marketing was off to a flying start because we thought it was going to be Walter White vs. Godzilla. We all know that’s not what we ended up getting but none the less seeing Cranston in this movie was incredible to see, just wish he would have become a major player in this Monster-Verse.
Instead, we got the Maximoff twins. Aaron Tyler-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen headlined this movie and for me, they have been some of the best human characters this universe has had to offer. Johnson’s stoic performance where he was a soldier who happened to be a jack of all trades – is another character you wish you saw again. Taking part in the “halo jump” sequence which is to this day arguably the best scene this franchise has to offer.
Gareth Edwards takes a play out of Steven Spielberg’s playbook by teasing us for the majority of the film with the creatures. Much like Jaws, it isn’t until the end where we finally get to see Godzilla in all of his glory and the suspense and build-up works so well in Edwards’s favor. He is a sight to behold and it wouldn’t be right to introduce us to him so early in the film. Because once the film gets going and especially in the third act, when the violence starts – it hits hard. I’ll never forget that noise, you know, the sound of Godzilla building up is legendary Atomic Breath. Watching him shoot that into the MUTO’s mouth is something every movie fan will never forget, what a moment!
Unlike the next installment, this doesn’t feel so bogged down by the character development because it felt so needed. Like I mentioned it takes a while for us to even see Godzilla, this isn’t the sequel where that mystique and suspense is still lingering. They seem essential to the plot and at this time they are unsure if Godzilla is friend or foe. I really liked Tyler-Johnson and Olsen in their roles, I know some people will disagree but they just felt so grounded, with King of The Monsters everyone felt like a comic-book character. Speaking in one-liners and just being either disposable or filling their cliche role.
Overall, I think Godzilla reminded us what we can have with these types of movies and where the genre was going. PacificRim, Kong: Skull Island and King of The Monsters really show just how great these movies can look. It’s difficult to put it all together. The special effects are something to behold and I’m excited to see how Godzilla vs Kong expands this universe and how Adam Wingard will bring his own sense of style to this franchise. Godzilla remains a great larger-than-life monster movie filled with good performances and some unforgettable movie-going moments.
The next installment of the Saw universe appears to breathe new into this long and forgotten franchise.
Spiral, a movie that perhaps was lost among the pandemic, now has everyone’s attention with the newest trailer. For a franchise that became more of a parody on itself, I think it’s time we take this movie seriously.
Just by watching this trailer, you can clearly tell this has perhaps the best cinematography in the entire franchise. It looks beautiful and we have some real actors having actual performances, something the last few Saw movies were definitely lacking.
(Barrett) Chris Rock and (Marcus) Samuel L Jackson are a father-son duo with a complicated history. The driving force of the movie, Rock is giving his best performance in a long time. The thing about this new trailer is that it keeps you guessing. Barrett can’t trust anyone and neither would you with everything that’s going on. We are in the world of Jigsaw so expect the unexpected, one great thing about his trailer that will ultimately lead into the movie, it keeps you guessing and on your toes.
Saw fans will rejoice that we are getting a new and what looks like an improved look at the franchise. Bring on the games.
My most anticipated turned into my most hated movie of that year.
The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collided with Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah.
Talk about your all-time letdown. I had this number one on my most anticipated list, and quite frankly it wasn’t even close. When the first trailer dropped for Michael Dougherty’s follow-up to the 2014 Godzilla my breath was taken away. It was one of the most beautiful movie trailers I’d ever seen. The mixture of gorgeous visuals and scored by the emotional Clair De Lune, I couldn’t get enough of it. I couldn’t believe that we were finally going to get the Godzilla film I’ve always wanted. Hard-hitting action, incredible actors, and larger-than-life Monsters, that would make Guillermo Del Toro proud. By the looks of the trailer, the Titans as they are called would come to life in ways we couldn’t even imagine, and they all looked so flawless in design. Everything leading up to it, the marketing, the trailers, the images, made me believe this would be truly special. In fact, I love monster movies so much, this had the potential to be one of my favorite monster movies of all time. After about an hour, I knew we had a complete disaster on our hands. Everything good that happens in this movie, lasts for no longer than 15 seconds. Whether that’s some incredible visuals or action. It just doesn’t last and is immediately drowned out by one of our incessant human characters.
Looking back, there are so many similarities between BvS and Godzilla, the religious mythos, larger-than-life icons finally coming together on the big screen, both bloated with too much plot. I can see parallels everywhere between them. But I have recently come around to BVS and appreciate it so much more than when it first hit theatres. I can’t quite put my finger on what went wrong with this movie for me. Maybe it was all the human characters or just something about how the monsters looked? Don’t get me wrong, the monsters look incredible but at times I just found them to be a little too cartoonish. The battles are great when the times come, but I wanted maybe a little more darker tone from them? Perhaps they just made them almost likable when they should have been terrifying creatures that were wreaking havoc on the entire planet.
This is the co-main event for the biggest thrown down this world has ever seen. Pitting Godzilla vs King Kong and I just felt like this was a major disappointment. No doubt they have nailed down Godzilla since they reintroduced him in 2014 and he is not the problem with this film. Bogged down by a handful of human characters you never fully get invested in which always is the problem with these big monster movies. I always look at Aliens as the prime example of who did it best. You have a large team of characters and simply kill 90 percent of them off leaving us with the ones we truly care about. Even seeing this on the biggest screen I could find, I just never felt satisfied.
I think the biggest problem I had was my expectations were so high, because of how well they marketed the movie. Releasing two of the best trailers of the last 5 years, I couldn’t help feel that this movie was going to blow me away. Maybe that’s my fault for having higher than high expectations, but at the end of the day, that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Even on future rewatches, one being very recently, this movie just kind of pains me. Now, I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come in this monster-verse and I can’t wait to see where they go. It’s just a bloated, nonsensical blockbuster, that didn’t have to be. You can have a move like this and have it make sense and be somewhat plot-driven, but at the end of the day, it was just loud and over-stuffed beyond belief. It was a sad day for this movie fan when I walked out of the theatre that day.
I’ll be heading back to where it all started with Godzilla, with a review tomorrow!
How’s that for a group shot? I’m going deep on everything Zack Snyder and his epic Justice League movie has to offer, so buckle up, going to be a long one.
Zack Snyder’s definitive director’s cut of Justice League. Determined to ensure Superman’s ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
Redemption. If I had to best sum up the movie and the man behind the camera, Zack Snyder with one word, that would be it. This was a long and tiresome battle, that drained not only fans but Zack himself. Zack has been making movies for DC for almost a decade now, since 2013 and the release of Man of Steel. It seems ever since that moment it’s almost been an uphill battle for Zack over at Warner Brothers. His movies dividing fans and critics alike and not being the total box-office success that Warner Brothers was hoping for. Even with the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, people all over the world didn’t quite understand the magnitude of the situation at hand, because unless you follow these things closely, why would you? The events leading up to Justice League and the events that unfolded afterward will go down in Hollywood history. From the biblical-sized fan support and movement that honestly changed the way Hollywood could make movies going forward, to the backlash that the 2017 film endured and the fill-in director Joss Whedon faced. In March of 2017, one of Zack’s adopted daughters Autumn tragically took her own life and Zack like any parent didn’t know how to handle the situation. So when he decided he needed to step back from his work and focus on his family, his Justice League movie was on the brink of being complete. Warner Brothers decided that his vision and everything he had built for that studio since 2013 wasn’t their own ideas and beliefs anymore and wanted to alter, manipulate and downright destroy his beautiful movie. November 2017 rolls around and Justice League is released and to this day he hasn’t seen that product. Fans were unaware of just how mutilated his vision was and felt that “this wasn’t a Zack Snyder” movie and the birth of the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement began. The next 3 and a half years had so many ups and downs for fans, trying and doing whatever they could to get the attention needed to bring about Zack’s cut of his own movie. Until finally on May 20th of last year, that was finally made a reality and now we can all say, we have seen the true vision, the true Justice League movie. When it comes to situations like these, I will always be on the side of the film-maker, and at the end of the day, no matter how you feel about the movie. One thing we can all agree upon is being happy for Zack Snyder and his family that his original vision has come to life and in the end, he got total redemption. This is a win not only for the fans but for him as well, erasing a black mark on his career, which wasn’t even his fault to begin with. The movie being released didn’t just redeem Synder but every single person involved, not only do our actors experience it, but their hero counterparts as well.
First things first, make sure you empty that bladder before you hit the play button! Now, those four hours just flew by didn’t they? Toss out everything you know about the 2017 version, in my eyes, it’s a parody. Except for the little bit of the original Snyder content left in, we can bury it, it’s dead. This is exactly the type of Justice League movie fans have wanted their whole lives. It’s immense, epic, mythological, and offers so much from every single one of our heroes. Each one gets their own moment to shine, in the grandest of ways, each making sacrifices and realizing that they can only save the world when they work together. All of this was missing 4 years ago, that’s because this new version gives our heroes time to breathe and get a feeling for one another. You understand their motives and why they might be a little coy on joining a team. No matter how big or how small your fandom is for DC Comics, this movie kind of has something for everyone. Each character fleshed out, making them feel more human, most notably Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. His character and Ezra Miller’s Flash are the two characters in my mind that get the biggest overall boost from this cut. Making you realize that they are vital and important members of the league. Everyone else also gets a boost and you see that these are Zack’s characters and aren’t muddled in nonsensical humor or completely defying everything that was built with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.
As for the movie, I’ll be going into a little spoiler territory! Within the first scene, you know this is the continuation of BvS, that this is a Zack Snyder film. Watching Superman scream to the high heavens before he dies, and having the Amazons, the Atlanteans and even Cyborg hear those cries. It lets you know that his death means deep shit for planet Earth. Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) is still trying to find the light again and he is doing his best Danny Ocean while attempting to recruit some warriors. He’s building an alliance and when Jason Momoa’s Aquaman essentially tells him to kick rocks, he goes back to Alfred with his tail between his legs. It was so amazing seeing Affleck back as Batman, and the way he was intended to be seen. I forgot how much I loved him in this role and so much of his anger is gone and this is a Batman just ripped straight out of a Justice League comic. Soon enough the only members he’s able to convince to help him Diana (Gal Gadot) obviously, and they are giving us a little “are these two just going to hook up” vibes a few times. I want it, you want it, we all want to see that go down. Evetually, after stalking Barry Allen they manage to take the League from a dynamic duo to a threesome but it still isn’t enough. Once Cyborg and Aquaman join their ranks after a tough first encounter with Steppenwolf, the team is ready to lay down the law. Speaking of Steppenwolf……
Can we all just take a moment and truly appreciate all the villains. Steppenwolf was a winey Momma’s boy in 2017 and became arguably the best villain in the DCEU. He’s mean, he’s lean and he kicks all sorts of ass. Amazons, dead, Atlanteans, dead, humans, dead. Steppenwolf’s design is just infinitely better this time around and it makes him look menacing and actually a formidable foe. We get a backstory for him this time, so we actually know what his motives are! We realize that he’s been kicked out of the house by dear old Dad, also known as Darkseid (Ray Porter). Everything is just so much more cohesive with the story actually being built. We understand why Steppenwolf has come to Earth and why rightfully so, he’s a little pissed off. As for Darkseid, who is DC’s Thanos, he’s terrifying, the dude straight up steps on Steppenwolf’s head after it’s been cut off like it didn’t even phase him. I wanted him to go to Earth and throw down against the league but we will save that for next time. However, we did get to see him and his little Omega Beams in action. In the Knightmare timeline, he totally alienates and kills Aquaman! They didn’t even bother putting DC’s biggest baddie in the 2017 version, like what on Earth were they thinking? I loved Steppenwolf and Darkseid looked terrific, we need to see more of him and the New Gods. We actually got to see him in action during the history lesson sequence. It was great to see the foreshadowing of the old gods coming together and being able to defeat him, each of them portraying one of our new heroes. One thing is for sure, we need more Darkseid and when we saw him take control of Superman after Lois Lane’s death, I can’t even imagine how much havoc he causes.
It takes almost 2 hours but Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) comes back. You didn’t think Zack would forget about his crown jewel. He’s resurrected once again, but this time they make it a little clearer about how they will do it and why it might be a terrible idea. When Superman returns he also gets his time to shine. He dons the epic Black Suit and all that was missing was his mullet. The action really ramps up once he is back on screen and for a 4-hour movie, the action is nicely spread out and isn’t overstuffed with unnecessary action sequences. The 3rd act of this film is mind-blowing and the team finally comes together and takes the fight to Steppenwolf. When the biggest moment of the film occurs that involves Barry running back through time to save everyone, that caught me off guard. I didn’t see that coming and it was the most powerful moment in the movie. His time to shine and in the biggest way possible.
Now for those last 20 minutes…….
Anyone else just want an entire movie set in the Knightmare timeline? Talk about the weirdest party anyone could ever attend. Batman, Joker, Deathstroke, Flash, Cyborg, and Mera all working together, well trying to work together to “make everything right”. Finally, we got some actual dialogue between Ben Affleck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker and boy did it not disappoint. Some of the best dialogue between those two iconic characters ever put to screen. I think it totally redeems Leto’s Joker another character and actor to achieve redemption status. Then the ultimate party pooper shows up and we are left wondering how the hell our heroes got out of that one. Bruce wakes up and thinks Superman is coming to visit only to be visited by none other than Martian Manhunter himself! Bruce went from hating Superman and wanting to kill him to not giving a shit than an alien is flying towards him after waking his ass out of bed, now that’s character development baby! He lets Bruce know that “There’s a war coming” and Darkseid isn’t done with Earth. Bruce says he’ll see him around and that’s it. Until we get the most heartwarming moment of the film when “For Autumn” appears on the screen…..
This is a smorgasbord for DC fans and the accumulation of almost ten years from Zack Snyder. It’s one of the strongest and best comic-book movies I’ve ever seen and definitely cements it in the DC lure forever. Emotional beats, impactful character moments, with glorious and beautiful action set pieces. It met my expectations and rendered everything from 2017 obsolete. Whatever happens in the future regarding Zack Snyder and potential Justice League sequels remains unclear. One thing is clear, the world wants it, but I just don’t know if it will happen. That’s not important, what is important is a man got to undo something and maybe can sleep a little better at night.
This is and will always be about Zack Snyder and he just gave us one of the best comic book movies ever.
We are mere days away from Zack Snyder’s Justice League, so once again take a trip down memory lane with the birth of the expanded DCEU with Batman v Superman.
Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.
Remember this little indie flick that came into the zeitgeist back in 2016? Batman v Superman, arguably the most talked-about piece of pop culture this century. One of the most polarizing, divided, and controversial movies I can ever really remember seeing, it finally introduced us to the possibilities of the Justice League.
After the semi-success of Man of Steel, Warner Brothers knew they needed to go big for their next movie. Zack Snyder decided to bring in the big guns, which was Oscar Winner Ben Affleck, coming off winning best picture at the Oscars. He was going to be suiting up and taking on the Son of Krypton. Ben Affleck was at the height of his power, he had more juice than almost anyone in Hollywood at the time and Zack Snyder convinced this guy to come play Batman for him.
Warner Brothers had just wrapped up the monumental Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, proving that Batman was essentially box-office gold. How could this fail? Once production got underway, Zack Snyder and his team rolled out one of the most impressive marketing campaigns in history. Everything was a homerun, casting, posters, and more importantly the trailers. Fans couldn’t wait to sink their teeth into this movie and the world was waiting to see what Zack Snyder had in store.
When reviews came pouring in, it wasn’t what WB was expecting, arriving at 28% on Rotten Tomatoes and now that isn’t an important marker for every movie, but it can sink a movie in terms of box-office success. Not even eclipsing 1 billion dollars at the box-office, things didn’t seem the same once BvS was released.
Again, the problem with the movie for a lot of fans, they felt it had too many holes and some of the pieces of the puzzle seemed to be missing. Then came along the Ultimate Edition of the movie that proved the intended version that Zack Snyder had for the world was the superior one. It changed how a lot of people viewed the movie and made a stronger case for as to why Zack Snyder should be the one leading the charge on the future of the DCEU.
Personally, I remember being disappointed when I walked out of the theatre after seeing BvS. I waited over 700 days for the movie and it didn’t live up to my expectations. Until I realized I had set the highest of expectations that could never be reached. Like most fans, I didn’t really fall in love with this movie until I watched the Ultimate Edition. Now with every passing viewing, I find myself enjoying this thing just so much more. Mostly due to the fact, that there is just so much more to enjoy, and the movie just feels complete to me.
The movie serves as a launching pad for the future team-up movie, introducing us to Ben Afflecks’ dark and lost Batman. As he tries to find himself again and is eventually inspired by Superman. This is a Batman who has broken free from his golden rule and has lost all sense of what made him such a strong figure for Gotham City. We never quite got to see this kind of Dark Knight, someone who lives inside a world with super-powered beings all while having 20 years of crime-fighting experience. Without a doubt as of right now he is the definitive Batman because he fills out the suit to perfection and his relationship with Alfred is the best part of his entire character. Making his Bruce Wayne just as valuable on the screen as his alter-ego.
We also get introduced to the last piece of the Trinity, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Obviously not as flushed out as Batman, but we knew she would be getting her own solo flick in the near future. Gal steals the last third of the movie, having one of the best entrances for a superhero ever. She looks fierce and has only gained confidence on-screen as time has gone on. She’s a much better actor today than she was when she was first cast as Diana. Not to mention a quick glimpse at Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman, Snyder was trying to tell us a much larger threat was on the horizon and these heroes would need to come together in order to save the world.
This is just so different from anything that was going on in the comic-book world at that time. It was serious and dealt with our heroes in a very thematic and layered way. In the MCU it was mostly ordinary people trying to be Gods, where Snyder was displaying our DC heroes as Gods that just wanted to be like everyone else. Superman is a flawed character, for good reasons and his story arc through the first two DCEU movies was a unique take.
Fron the beautiful score, that hits right from the very get-go as we watch the Waynes get gunned down once again in Crime Alley. Leading all the way until the very last moments of our film. The action isn’t what propels this movie forward. When it hits, of course, it’s great, that’s one thing you never really have to worry about with Snyder (warehouse scene anyone), and his visuals are always on the highest of peaks. These characters have never looked better in a movie. Jesse Eisenberg who gives a more Mark Zuckerberg rather than Jeff Bezos kind of Lex Luthor portrayal was met with such criticism, but for me, it’s one of the things that works so well. It’s interesting that as the movie goes forward we see Batman and Lex go on opposite paths, Batman gliding towards the light, while Lex slips deeper into the dark. His rooftop sequence with both Superman and Lois Lane is his crowning achievement.
Over time I think more people have come around to this movie, but it’s still highly discussed and has polarized a fanbase. It will leave a mark on the comic-book industry no doubt, even more so with the events that played out after its release.
Batman v Superman may be flawed in some areas but overall, I truly believe it is one of the best comic-book movies ever made. It’s rich in context and in texture and it is more than just heroes punching one another. Zack looks at our heroes through a certain lens that leaves you wondering what he had in store for the future. In less than a week, we will finally get to see that vision and I don’t think the world is ready.
With Zack Snyder’s Justice League just under a week away, we look back at the movie that kicked off the DCEU ,with Man of Steel.
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened, when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
It doesn’t seem that long ago when everyone was sitting down in the theatre to watching Christopher Nolan finish off his Batman trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises. The first teaser trailer for Man of Steel was shown. Setting up what would ultimately become the infamous DCEU, showcasing a different outlook and tone of this beloved and iconic character of Superman.
Zack Snyder who had previously dipped his toe into the comic-book genre with Watchmen was now tackling arguably the hardest hero to put onto the big screen. Unlike Richard Donner’s take on the character, this seemed to go in a different direction, more thematic and stoic. Man of Steel was met with okay reviews by critics and fans all around the world were definitely divided. The world was used to a certain kind of Superman, one who smiled and saved cats from trees and was an all-around boy scout. Zack had different plans for the character and that’s what had people discussing the philosophy behind the character and is still the topic of discussion to this very day.
Man of Steel is a character-driven story that showcases what it would truly be like if someone with extraordinary powers came to Earth. Many parallels to Jesus are often brought up and Zack does really dive deep into the mythos of the character and what it would mean not just for our hero, but for humankind as well.
Times had drastically changed since the ’70s and a fresh new take on Superman was needed, but the old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” really got in some people’s heads. It’s almost been a decade since this movie arrived and it has only aged more beautifully with each passing year. One of the strongest origin stories we have gotten, certainly on the DC side of things, but it’s an important movie that regardless of how you feel about it, lives in the zeitgeist, whether you like it or not.
Zack didn’t just find the perfect Clark Kent/Superman with Henry Cavill. Who is a spitting image of what Superman should look like? He brought along Amy Adams, Kevin Costner Diane Lane, and Micheal Shannon along for the ride as well. The casting was so pitch-perfect that you wonder how this movie didn’t do better at the box-office. Alongside perfectly placed Easter Eggs, some we wouldn’t find out about until years later, can you say Martian Manhunter.
One of the most difficult aspects of transitioning Superman from page to screen is just how incredibly powerful he is. Who can stop that hero who has it all? Well, you make him fight someone equally as powerful. The fight sequences are breathtaking, especially the battle of Smallville, easily one of the best action set pieces in all of the DCEU, that really started to show how awesome Superman can be. The battle of Metropolis was met with some criticism that was addressed in Batman v Superman, but what would you expect to happen with two unstoppable forces fighting in a major city?
With a beautiful Hans Zimmer score, a great script, this movie had all the makings to be such a fantastic launching pad for the DCEU, and to this day, I’m still not sure where it went wrong. Henry Cavill still hasn’t done a Superman sequel and could be on his way out the door. Which would ultimately be a crime because of just how perfect he is in that role.
Man of Steel was a groundbreaking achievement by Snyder who proved once again that he can be trusted with a comic book property and that just because his philosophy of a certain character isn’t what you think it should be, shouldn’t discredit the subject at hand. Russell Crowe who plays Jor-El, Superman’s father. Another brilliant casting decision says to Kal-El, ” But, in time, they will join you in the sun.” I think it speaks volumes to this movie. In time people will realize just how special this movie is and we all failed it by not making it a bigger deal.
I’ll never forget watching the battle of Smallville for the first time and realizing that we could have Superman movies like this for a decade. Truly a special movie theatre experience for me.
Thought it was time to finally write a review for the greatest action movie of all time.
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced and powerful cyborg.
When you run down some of the best action movies of all time, the list can get pretty long. Aliens, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dark Knight, The Matrix and Heat. All incredible in their own rights. But none of them hold a candle to not only the greatest action movie ever made but the greatest sequel of all time. This is about to be 30 years old, I’ll say that again. This movie turns 30 this summer and it still feels so inventative, so original and so ground-breaking that with every single re-watch, it still amazes me in new and surprising ways.
James Cameron coming off just a slew of home runs, most notably Aliens, was set to direct a sequel to The Terminator, the movie that put him on the map. Already proving he could direct a worthy sequel with Aliens being one of the best movies to come out in the 80’s. This time around he was dealing with his own child, the ultimate killing machine, the Terminator.
We open up about 10 years later and Sarah Connor is not that shy and naive girl from our previous encounter. She has done a lot of growing up and even had a baby boy! John Connor as we know is the future leader of the resistance against the Terminators and she will do anything in her power to keep him safe. Enter Edward Furlong and his clear claim to fame. Does James Cameron know how to cast excellent kid actors or what. The second he’s introduced with Guns N’ Roses ‘You Could Be Mine’ playing in the background, it kind of says everything you need to know about his character. A troubled kid, but what kind wouldn’t be with their mom in a psycho hospital because she thinks machines are going to take over the world. For a film that introduces Edward Furlong he doesn’t such an incredible job acting beside both Linda Hamilton and Arnold.
I’ll never forget going years and I mean YEARS without watching this movie, so I was in university and fired it up and we arrived at the best sequence in the movie – the Galleria Mall and tunnel car chase. When Arnold meets Robert Patrick’s T-1000 in the back hallways of the Mall, the hairs on my arms stood up. It was instant goosebumps because I forgot how intense and just beautiful this moment was. Imagine being a person sitting in the theatres in 1991, because the movie did a really great job at not showcasing who the bad guy was in the movie. Until that time, Arnold was the bad guy, the Terminator sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor.
Speaking of bad guys, how fantastic has Robert Patrick’s T-1000 aged? Not only his running form, which remains god like, he really could give the Flash some lessons on proper running form, but his whole performance has really stood the test of time. From his stoic demeanor, his almost likeability at the beginning of the movie, and finally just how much ass he kicks. Without a doubt, the movie just isn’t the same if they go with a different actor.
From the pitch-perfect pacing, with action set-pieces that seem so simple, yet are excecuted to perfection, because that’s what James Cameron does. To the memorable performances across the board, Terminator 2 is just a beautiful movie to watch unfold each time you play it back. Even the score has just be embedded in movie history, you hear that epic score, you know exactly what is about to go down.
Judgement Day is something that I watch about once a year and it’s just a movie I’ll never really get tired of. How can you? From Arnold learning how to reload a shotgun while riding a motorcycle, to the horror elements from the T-1000. This movie provides so many iconic one-liners that you almost think this movie invented the cool one-liners, or simply has the most ever in a single movie.
Put this movie in a museum and throw away the key, or in some canister much like the robotic arm from Cyberdyne.
It’s rare for me to be so caught off guard by a movie nowadays, making Promising Young Woman one of the more memorable movie experiences since Parasite.
A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path.
Sometimes you just watch a movie and you sit back and kind of just stare at the screen for a few moments, trying to take in everything you just watched. It happens every so often, maybe every few years. It just happened with Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman. I don’t say this lightly, but it could be a masterpiece.
This film packs a serious punch and right away it gets pretty dark and uncomfortable, but the movies message and themes are suppose to do just that. Trauma is nothing to shake a stick at. Certain things and moments in our lives can latch themselves on to us like a symbiote and no matter how hard we try, we can’t out run our past. For Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) that’s exactly what’s going on in her life. Traumatized by something so awful and rotten to its core, it has shaped her life in ways that her friends and family just can’t comprehend. Secluded and working “nights” Cassandra a former Medical School student, is now working at a coffee shop and trying to rid the world of a few bad apples.
I really don’t want to go into many specifics with the film, because it certainly serves better not knowing anything about it. Those plot points and specifics isn’t what made this film so special in my eyes. This screams “movie-making” for a first time director Emerald Fennell, she brings it all. From the flawless soundtrack, to every single outfit that Carey Mulligan wears throughout the entire film (seriously), it’s the little details that add up. With an incredible script, that has your skin crawling in some scenes. At the end of the day, we all know there is evil in the world. On multiple occasions, the girl we are rooting for, can seem so unhinged in a mere moment, and change her entire demeanour and body language, that it made my jaw drop. Carey Mulligan cannot be praised enough for this tour-de-force of a performance that should have her walking away with gold come Oscar season. More on her in a bit, because every single person that has a speaking line in this movie, brings it. It’s like the director milked every ounce of good acting out of every single person that stepped foot on her set. From Alison Brie, Adam Brody to Clancy Brown, who gives such a warm Dad performance, considering all you really remember him being is an asshole in most of his movies.
When bad things happen to good people it can leave you scarred for life. Especially when those bad things only have consequences on those good people involved. Watching the systems put in place fail all around you, you start to ponder a lot about life and what it truly means. Carey Mulligan is doing so much in this movie, from cute girl-next-door vibes, to the black out drunk mess, to finally her doing her best Kathy Bates impersonation from Misery. Toss in the dozens of different looks her character has, I was blown away by it and it’s a performance I honestly might never forget. Trying to digest everything is difficult because this is a complicated matter, and seeing her act her way throughout this thing was a beautiful, yet sick and twisted rollercoaster ride. Even Bo Burnham comes in and really uses Mulligan’s energy to his full advantage and shines in almost every scene that he’s in. They had terrific chemistry and seeing their complicated and odd relationship blossom was great look at how quickly relationships can rise and fall.
I can see this movie flying under the radar and when it comes on Netflix or any other streaming service it will blow up. One of the better films I’ve seen in recent memory and one that should contend for some Oscars.
Promising Young Woman will make you laugh, cry, scream, and leave you feeling kind of dirty. Moral of the story, men are pigs
I will say this. The subject at hand is a difficult topic to discuss. However Emerald Fennell is able to talk about accountability in people, how the dangers of disassociation can affect not only victims and survivors, but those around them. How most of the time the perpetrator is the one who walks away guilt free and in these times who actually deserves forgiveness. The film does such a fantastic job at capturing all of this, while showcasing how hard it is to be a woman and certainly how hard it must be dealing with actual life altering events when everyone just wants to say “boy will be boys” or “we were just kids.”
Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot reunite for a worthy sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman. Leaning on the 80’s nostalgia and cheese, Diana Prince finds herself confronting her biggest threat to date.
Rewind to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.
What is your deepest desire? The one thing that if you had in your life, that would make you the happiest? Would you sacrifice a part of yourself in order to obtain this? This is what’s at the centre of WW84. Love was a large theme during Wonder Woman and this time around it’s truth. Being true not only to yourself, but the other people in your life. The most powerful weapon a person can possess, isn’t something you can wish for or something you have to obtain, it’s something you already have but just never truly realized it until now.
Times sure have changed, we aren’t in the nitty gritty of war anymore, and we have moved on to the craziness of the 80’s. Diana has been living on Earth for a long time now and she feels alone and isolated. The truth is, she hasn’t fully recovered from losing Steve Trevor and now she’s afraid to get close to anyone. Not letting anyone new into her life means she can’t possibly feel the pain of losing someone again. It isn’t until she stumbles upon a mysterious artifact and a new friend Barbara Minerva (Kristin Wiig), that she embraces her one wish, to bring back her one true love. Little does she know that when you get the one thing you want most in this world, it will come with a consequence. Enter Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), a down on his luck TV sales man who sees the promise with the “Dreamstone” and wants it all to himself. In fact, he wants to embody the stone itself, and start fulfilling wishes. He’s a con-man and starts wrecking havoc across the world, because he is hungry for power, but he also desires attention.
WW84 is very different from its previous outing. The tone has shifted just as much as the time. I think some people are going to be thrown off by the amount of campiness and cheese that is thrown into the mix and the over-the-top characters but even with all of that going on, it still has its core values at heart. Hope, truth, love and kindness lead this movie forward and once again, the chemistry between Diana and Steve Trevor propel this forward.
As much as Wiig and Pascal were refreshing with their villain takes, Wiig could also be completely removed from this movie and you wouldn’t even notice. She doesn’t really serve any real purpose in the plot and that was a let down because of how important the character of Cheetah is in the Wonder Woman mythos. She’s kind of just always in the background and I found it incredibly weird that she first wishes to be “just like Diana” and when Max Lord asks her if she wants “more” she becomes a cat. It didn’t really sit well but that was how she needed to become ultimately Cheetah. The action set pieces aren’t nearly as rewarding or fun to watch as Wonder Woman, but the movie does a great job at showcasing all the things Diana can do. Gal Gadot loves this character so much, she embodies everything that makes this hero, super. The 3rd act is when this movie really gets to shine and spread its wings. By far the strongest aspect of the film and really makes up for a weak first 2/3s.
Patty Jenkins wants to embrace what makes Wonder Woman special. Just something doesn’t fit at the end of the day. It could be the watered down action, but that’s not what this movie is about. They dive into what it means to be a true hero, which is letting go of things that hold you back and learning to live with your weaknesses. Using them as strengths and learning that the truth will indeed, set you free. Certain demographics are going to love it and others will not. Theres a fine line drawn in the sand, and we will be getting another dose of Wonder Woman in March with Zack Snyder’s Justice League. So everyone should be happy.
I just wish they used Cheetah more and developed that relationship a little bit more because Wiig actually surprised me with her portrayal and I know she can do so much more. I’m certain she will return in future movies and maybe even pop up in other DC flicks. But what saves this movie is Pine and Gadot working together. It’s emotional to see Steve Trevor return and they have honest to god top-notch chemistry. Which was never in doubt and I’m glad they were able to bring his character back without making things to difficult when explaining it to the audience.
At the end of the day, WW84 is a fun movie, with some entertaining moments, but it’s the performances that carry the film. From top to bottom, everyone brings it, and Maxwell Lord is one of the more intriguing DC villains we have seen so far. It’s full of hope and laughter and will make you smile and at the end of the day, sometimes that’s all that matters. There’s no propaganda or any nonsense like that going on, no political message, it’s just a movie that wants everyone to look deep within themselves and realize they are perfect just the way they are.
For the first time since 2008. The world will not be entertained by any new MCU content. Sadly, but in the meantime, let us run through the entire MCU run, from start to finish!
Well, here we are. 23 movies down, in the most impressive franchise runs in cinema history. So why not take a stroll down memory lane? Starting at the beginning. Just a few thoughts about each flick, followed by a review (out of 5 stars!)
Iron Man. Director: Jon Favreau. Box Office 585.2 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 94%. Release Date: May 2nd, 2008
The movie that started it all! Can you believe they originally wanted Tom Cruise to play the playboy billionaire? How crazy would have that been? Is the MCU as successful as it is today? I can’t really see Cruise playing Iron Man nearly as well as Downey Jr. in fact I think the execs over at Disney and Marvel probably get down on their hands and knees every day and thank god he got this role. Well, it was Favreau who convinced them that he would be perfect after he saw RDJ in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Actually directed by Shane Black, more on that later. Plain and simple, this is the most important movie of the century. It literally changed how we as an audience watch movies. It was a herculean task, the idea of the MCU, but with proper guidance and the perfect casting, everything worked out. It even started the “stinger” craze, the little snip-it at the end of the credits. Iron Man has aged beautifully and is among of one the best MCU movies in the entire run.
I’m sorry but I don’t see Tony Stark being a Burger King kind of guy. That never sat well with me.
5/5 Stars
The Incredible Hulk. Director: Louis Leterrier .Box-Office: 264.8 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 67%. Release Date: June 8th, 2008.
Kind of the black sheep of the MCU family? The long and forgotten solo Hulk film. The only solo Hulk film to date in the MCU, and don’t plan anymore in the future because of some copyright issues. I’m going to say it, this is vastly underrated and under-appreciated. There’s a lot of good in the first half of this film. Norton is ripe for the role, and Tim Roth as Blonsky/Abomination is fantastic. Just creative differences really faltered this into the ground. The Hulk still remains a staple in the MCU and it will be interesting to see where they take his character next. Feels like Ruffalo is getting checked out of his role.
How does he manage to stretch his pants? Maybe he’s been in touch with a certain individual who is a little fantastic……..
3/5
Iron Man 2. Director: Jon Favreau. Box Office: 623.9 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 73% Release Date: May 7th, 2010
When you’re following up the most important movie this century, well those are pretty big shoes to fill! Iron Man 2 suffers from what I call, lack of preparation. They had no idea what to expect from Iron Man, and when it became a worldwide phenomenon they start prep on its sequel rather quickly. I think this movie suffers from a lackluster plot and a rush script. But even in the weakest of times, the MCU remains top-notch. It’s like pizza, even when pizza is bad, it’s still pizza. They really start to world build here, with the tease of Caps shield and the great stinger of Thor’s hammer at the very end. It just felt so rushed and wasted the great Mickey Rourke and the finale of this movie is mere seconds long. If you blink it’s over. Honestly, it might have the least amount of action out of any MCU movie to date.
Justin Hammer played by the legend Sam Rockwell, is the bright spot here, and I truly hope that bird was taken care of. All Ivan wanted was a friend and his pet bird.
I NEED A HORSE! One of the best lines delivered in the entire MCU. A Shakespearean tale, directed so beautifully by Branagh, who really encapsulates the essence of Asgard, their power, size, and mortality, but also can show the humble and more dignified part of their existence. Chris Hemsworth much like every original member of the Avengers was so perfectly cast, right alongside his brother, the God of Mischief Loki. Both play off one another so well, Hiddleston stealing the show, without him and his portrayal of Loki, I’m not sure what happens with the MCU. Thor’s “clueless” side is the driving force in the second half and that’s really where Hemsworth shines. This movie truly is like a fine Asgardian wine, it keeps getting better with age.
Do you think they had pancakes on Asgard?
4/5
Captain America: The First Avenger. Director: Joe Johnson. Box Office: 370.6 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 80%. Release Date: July 22nd, 2011
The first outing for the unanimous MVP of the MCU! It’s pretty obvious from the get-go that Chris Evans and his Captain America was going to be special. From his boyish charisma, and world-class heart, it was another role that the actor who landed it was born to play. I would say his growth is among the best of our heroes and each time we see him on screen, he’s almost a completely different Cap. His friendship with Bucky is special and he hates bullies, most importantly Nazi bullies with a Red Skull. It’s sad we never got another showdown between these two, but we now know it’s possible. By far the most violet MCU flick, and has the most shocking a violent death in the series, when a man is inhaled by an airplane propeller. You just didn’t see much more of that in the MCU.
The biggest question throughout all of the MCU and it is an important one. Is Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, a virgin?
4/5
The Avengers. Director: Joss Whedon. Box Office: 1.519 Billion. Rotten Tomatoes: 92%. Release Date: May 4th, 2012
How much is that group shot worth? A billion? Two billion? The true team-up movie the world had been waiting for. Planned for 6 long years after Nick Fury stood in Tony Starks living room telling him about The Avengers Initiative. This is the MCU at its finest, one of the best comic-book movies Disney and Marvel have ever produced. It gave us the ultimate tease with their best post-credit stinger ever with the all mighty Thanos. We wouldn’t see him in action for years to come, but it reminded us that Marvel had a plan and they were going to stick with it. The 3rd act is peak comic-book movie making and The Avengers is a very important movie for popular culture lore and what it meant to go to the movies.
I’ve always wondered what Pepper whispers into Tony’s ear in the beginning…..?
5/5
Iron Man 3. Director: Shane Black. Box Office: 1.215 Billion. Rotten Tomatoes: 79%Release Date: May 3rd, 2013
Hollywood is a circle man. If it wasn’t for Shane Black, maybe RDJ doesn’t even become Iron Man. Considering he wasn’t even the highest-paid actor in the original and now he was making whatever amount he asked for and got to handpick the director for the end of the trilogy, speaks volumes for how important he was to the MCU. This movie comes down to one thing for most fans. How do you feel about the Mandarin twist? For me, it just didn’t sit well, and the movie is just all over the place tonally. Shane Black adds some of his charm and comedy into the mix but overall this just again feels so inferior to Iron Man. But hey, where your movie grosses over a billion, who cares right?
You know how I know you’re still reading this? Because we’re connected….
2.5/5
Thor: The Dark World. Director: Alan Taylor. Box Office: 644.4 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 66%. Release Date: November 8th, 2013
Someone has to finish last in a race and unfortunately for Thor: The Dark World, they are that person. I wonder what this movie would have looked like if Patty Jenkins would have stayed on and directed? It just loses everything that made it special from the first and it’s due to the change of director. This just feels like one big shoe-horn to introduce another Infinity Stone into the MCU. Which is fine but at least makes the movie somewhat entertaining. It’s one of the lone duds of the MCU and when you make 23 movies, it’s hard to hit a home run each time. Weak villain, terrible pacing, and not enough Thor being an idiot.
Chris Evans probably made like 500K for his 30 second bit.
1.5/5
Captain America: The Winter Solider. Director: Anthony & Joe Russo. Box Office 714.3 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 89%. Release Date: April 4th, 2014
Again here comes the MVP! Phase 2 of the MCU wasn’t off to the start they were hoping for. With back to back so-so films and they needed a pick me up. Enter, The Winter Soldier. This movie feels like the MCU homage to the brilliant Heat. It’s a fantastic spy thriller that sets us the best friendship of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Buck and Caps relationship is such an important cog that moves this universe. We get introduced to another pair that would steer the MCU into a new director, the Russo brothers. Responsible for some of the best content they came in hot and delivered one of the best comic-book sequels ever. The most rewatchable MCU movie in my opinion.
When I’m out on runs, I always say “on your left” when running by someone.
5/5
Guardians of The Galaxy. Director: James Gunn. Box Office: 773.3 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 91%. Release Date: August 1st, 2014
The misfits are the MCU! You know you’re on a serious roll when you can have a successful movie that involves a talking tree and a maniac racoon. But Marvel knew what they were doing at this point and nothing would slow them down. Add in another perfect round of casting and a director that actually cared about the source material. The reason why GOTG works so damn well is the chemistry between all of these fascinating characters. They each are unique in their own way and all get a moment to shine at some point. Weaker villain but the Guardians carry this thing, along with its kick ass soundtrack. We also get to see Thanos in action a little bit, building on the suspend of his power.
I think this is my favourite Groot so far.
4.5/5
Avengers: Age of Ultron. Director: Joss Whedon. Box Office: 1.405 Billion. Rotten Tomatoes: 75%. Release Date: May 1st, 2015
The boys are back in town! The trailers for Ultron are some of the very best in the MCU cannon. I remember thinking, this movie is going to be dark and maybe someone might not make it out alive. Don’t get me wrong, Ultron is vastly under-appreciated and undervalued. It just didn’t coincide with the tone of the trailers. Ultron seemed like he was going to be a tough task to take and at least menacing. But neither of those things occurred and I think that’s where the movie lost itself. The addition of the Maximoff twins and Vision are great and this is just a ton of fun, but being the sequel within the movie realm, sequels tend to be much darker and this just isn’t that.
When you can make Ant-Man cool and enjoyable, you know what you’re doing. Paul Rudd shines as Scott Lang, he even gets a little ripped! The most unique movie so far and it’s actually not a bad re-watch. A better than average villain with some of more funny/ impressive fight sequences. The film sets the stage for arguably the most important aspects of the MCU, the quantum realm. We all know how important that will ultimately become. So it’s kind of like one giant shoe-horn that happened to be squished between a few Ant-Man movies
Baskin Robins anyone?
3.5/5
Captain America: Civil War. Director: Anthony & Joe Russo. Box Office: 1.153 Billion. Rotten Tomatoes: 90%. Release Date: May 6th, 2016
The movie that altered the entire landscape of the MCU. It’s like a mini-Avengers movie. Instead of a big bad guy, it’s just all our favourite heroes kicking the living snot out of one another. Of course they took away the two strongest Avengers at this point, Hulk and Thor have nowhere to be seen, probably for the best. How the Russo Brothers incorporate and introduce two MASSIVE comic-book characters, Black Panther and Spider-Man into the mix and make it seem to effortless and seamless is so impressive. This is one of the most emotional movies in the MCU, especially between Cap and Tony and the final showdown just always hits you right in the gut.
You were either Team Cap or Team Iron Man, which one was it?
5/5
Doctor Strange. Director: Scott Derrickson. Box Office: 677.7 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 89%. Release Date: November 4th, 2016
The Master of the Mystic Arts! Another Superhero that would have not even sniffed a movie theatre a decade ago is now getting a sequel. Kind of the low-key most powerful Avenger that doesn’t really flex his guns all that much. The man can control time and he was the soul reason they even defeated Thanos in the first place. Now that’s power. But for this movie, it’s just overall well done. Great villains, Benedict is so damn good in this role. There aren’t any real flaws, but when you’re competing against all the other MCU movies, it’s hard to be at the top, considering this followed Civil War. You just know that whatever they have cooking up in the MCU lab for his next outing will be special.
You think Wong is a Beyonce fanatic by now?
3.5/5
Guardians of The Galaxy: Volume 2. Director: James Gunn. Box Office 863.6 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 82%. Release Date: May 5th, 2017
The idiots are back and you know that means trouble. I misjudged this movie the first I saw it. Looking back at my initial review, I was kind to GOTG 2. It’s grown on me so much over these last few years, because they characters have grown on me. Maybe it’s because how great the Guardians are in Infinity War and I realized how special this group of heroes really is. This movie really is driven by its tremendous heart and all the little emotions packed throughout it. So many relationships blossoming and crumbling and finding out what the true meaning of what a family is. Chris Pratt is so good in this and follows it up with such a phenomenal performance in Infinity War. The Guardians are expanding and their newest member is well……Thor!
Some how they gotta incorporate Mary Poppins into Vol 3.
4/5
Spider-Man Homecoming. Director. Jon Watts. Box Office: 879.7 Million. Rotten Tomatoes: 92%. Release Date: July 7th, 2017
The best part of the MCU Spider-Man is when he is part of a team. Civil War and Infinity War are among his best showings, because I think they are struggling with how to deal with his character in his own little universe. Everything with MCU Spidey revolves around one thing, Tony Stark. That’s just not what we have come to expect from this character and we want his own universe to build because of him, on his back, not on the back of Tony’s. That being said Homecoming is a ton of fun and by far the better of the two solo Spider-Man flicks. Michael Keaton as Vulture is really great and his twist always gets you. Tom Holland is making a great case for best live action Spider-Man.
Talk about a 180 from the last time we saw Thor. Everything changed, even his hair. From one of the lowest of MCU lows, to a pretty big high with Thor: Ragnarok. Even Hulk decided to show back up after being absent for quite sometime. After this movie and the epic run that would follow for Thor, for me, he is by far the most compelling character in the entire MCU. He’s changing every film and Hemsworth just goes along for the ride. Everyone in this movie is having an absolute blast making it, Hela is terrific villain who brings out the best in both Loki and Thor. We even get a little cozier with Loki has we see him in a new light. Awesome soundtrack, some fun action and one of the more hilarious MCU movies, Hulk being just dumb and big and angry is the highlight for me when it comes to his character. Because it’s about to be all down hill for the big green guy.
Just when you were starting to like Loki…….
4.5/5
Black Panther. Director: Ryan Coogler. Box Office: 1.347 Billion. Release Date: February 16th, 2018
This movie just hits differently now with the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. The MCU will be forever altered. It’s an epic tale of sacrifice, family, loyalty and what it means to truly be a King. It’s so full of heart and beauty and emotion and that stems from the films villain. Michael B Jordan gives us one of the best comic-book move villains ever, because he’s so invested in the role. Killmonger is incredible and even his motive makes you wonder if he has a point. This movie means so much to so many people and it feels wrong that we will never get to see Chadwick in this role again, I’m not sure where they go from here with the character but I know it will be a tough decision to make. Black Panther remains the heart of the MCU for now and forever.
Can I get me some of his royal sandals though?
4.5/5
Avengers: Infinity War. Director: Russo Brothers. Box Office: 2.048 Billion. Release Date: April 23rd, 2018
The moment we were all waiting for. It was inevitable. Much like Thanos. This movie kicks off with a bang. One of the best opening scenes in any comic-book movie, holy crap they wanted to showcase Thanos straight away. Even his four horseman are awesome. This is the best of the MCU, it’s crowning jewel. It doesn’t get any better than this right here. It may never get any better than this. The entire roster is present and everyone is fighting for their lives. We get team ups we never knew we wanted, new friendships are made, bonds are broken and we were left with the best ending. After the dust was settled on screen and in your eyes, you knew the MCU would never be the same again. Infinity War is perfect.
Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good……
5/5
Ant-Man & The Wasp. Director: Peyton Reed. Box Office: 622.7 Million. Release Date July 6th, 2018
Who knew that this little guy would go on and save the entire universe? He didn’t know the gigantic role he would ultimately play in saving humanity, but before that, he needed to be trapped in quantum realm. Crazy enough we got one Ant-Man movie, even crazier that we got a worthy sequel. It’s fun, it hits all the MCU beats, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are really quite the pair. They work so well together and it’s their chemistry that drives this movie forward.
I think the next Ant-Man is going to be epic and another huge step for the MCU going forward.
3/5
Captain Marvel. Director: Anna Boben & Ryan Fleck. Box Office: 1.128 Billion. Release Date: March 8th, 2019.
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Honestly, how many giant portals in the sky needed to happen on Earth in order for Captain Marvel to show back up? I think that’s the most frustrating thing about this character in the MCU. She’s so powerful, and the ultimate warrior, played perfectly by Brie Larson, but she wasn’t around at all? It’s just one plot hole that is simply unforgivable in the MCU cannon. As for her origin, it’s just a ton of fun. One of the more down-to-earth film considering she’s an all powering space cop. But this story is meant to tell her humility and her heart rather than showcase her power, that comes later. Goose steals the show, the very best kitty in the MCU!
Going to see this in theatres was a rock concert. There’s no other way to describe it. Everything that was being built since 2008. Since Tony Stark uttered the words “I am Iron Man.” It was all building to this. So many memorable moments, Cap picking up Mjolnir, Thor turning into a party dude, the Black Widow sacrifice. Moments you wont forget as a movie goer. It’s so difficult to follow up your most prized possession with Infinity War, but Endgame does an excellent job closing all the doors, while opening new ones that will drive the MCU forward for years to come. It’s a movie that reminds you how epic this entire journey has been, sort of a like a “best of” rundown of so many cool moments that have transpired over the last decade. So curious to see where the MCU goes from here!
That portal sequence is all time movie moment.
4.5/5
Spider-Man: Far From Home. Director Jon Watts. Box Office: 1.132 Billion. Release Date: July 2nd, 2019
The first Post-Endgame movie. It was somber seeing Peter trying to deal with the fact that five years have passed in his life and also his mentor and best hero Tony Stark is no longer with us. It’s a battle of him discovering that he is more of a hero than he knows, and much more like his own hero than he realizes. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a quirky performance has Mysterio, and some of the altercations between the two are stunning to look at. It’s clearly building to Spider-Man versus the Sinister Six. His relationship with MJ grows as her finally tells her about his secret identity. We get an amazing stinger at the end of the credits, and Spider-Man 3 plans on being completely BONKERS!
I hope Ned becomes a future bad guy for Peter. Would be interesting to see.
3/5
What a magical journey this has been. On the movie screen and right here on this blog! The MCU is still so strong, 4 out of their last 5 movies have grossed a billion dollars or more. The future of movies is currently up in the air, but one thing that remains certain. The MCU is the Royal Family of Hollywood and expect many more amazing moments and movies to come!
Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.
