Justin and I saw Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice on March 28, 2016! I'm a DC guy and I'm finally glad more focus is being put on the Justice League. Let me just say: This is my new favorite comic book movie. The only comic book movies I like as much are Kick-Ass, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Dark Knight, and Man of Steel. This was an incredible introduction into the beginning of the Justice League while also looking at real world political issues as well as motifs within the comic book genre.
This movie really does an amazing job exploring the positives and the negatives of Superman. I think Superman is by far the focus of this movie. The whole mythology of Superman and the question of is he good or evil is done so well. We look at how Superman has created so much destruction, but on the other hand this destruction was done to save humanity. I think looking at the Superman vs. Zod battle from Bruce Wayne's vantage point was interesting. You see how people were suffering while Superman was fighting to help the people. Henry Cavill was excellent here. I think he is the best Superman since Christopher Reeve. His performance should be considered one of the best from any comic book movie. You feel like you're watching Superman come to life from the comics before your eyes. His relationship with Lois Lane, his mother, and his dealings with Perry White at the Daily Planetshow his humanity. When he is in battle, we see the God come forth. Superman is the personification of God vs. Man. It's really intriguing to see.
I think Ben Affleck did a great job under the cape & cowl of Batman. He played a great Bruce Wayne, and definitely brought a grittier edge to Batman. His issues with Superman hinge back to what happened to Wayne Enterprises in Man of Steel. His mission initially is to bring down Superman, but as events unfold with people like Lex Luthor (played maniacally well by Jesse Eisenberg-who basically pulls the puppet strings of Batman, Superman, & even Washington D.C. as well as introducing the important element of kryptonium that will end up being such a major part of the movie), he realizes Superman may not be the devil some paint him out to be. In my opinion, the movie showed how similar Batman & Superman are in many ways. It showed how both can create so much damage, but at the same time both believe they are making the necessary sacrifices for the greater good. I also think that even though Batman is a mortal man, I believe the fear he induces on his enemies make him feel he is a god, which also ties in the similarities between them.
The battle scenes in this movie are excellent. They were so exciting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. They did an excellent job making it a fair fight between Batman & Superman. It was one an epic encounter for sure. Both Batman & Superman had their moments to shine in the huge clash between them. Batman vs. Superman is such a gritty fight.The force and power in each punch is felt by the audience. God vs. Man was on full display in physical form & it was amazing to watch. The action amplifies under the thumb of Lex Luthor introducing the element of science into the mix. What happens from here is the most epic battle sequences I've ever seen: The DC Trinity (Wonder Woman, Superman, & Batman vs. Doomsday). Seeing the DC Trinity together for the first time on screen brought tears to my eyes, and I think Gal Gadot is awesome as Wonder Woman. Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL did a phenomenal job on the music as well-capturing the mood and tone of each scene to match with the amazing visuals on screen.
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice had me smiling, crying, cheering, and enjoying every second of the movie-a definite emotional rollercoaster. It's a realistic, darker movie that does an amazing job exploring the most recognizable faces in comic book history. It's a movie that does an amazing job in terms of performances (particularly Henry Cavill & Ben Affleck), exploring real world issues through the lens of DC Comics, studying the Superman character, exploring the vengeance of Bruce Wayne, showcasing intense battle scenes that amplify the gritty nature of the movie, as well as phenomenal musical scores & a movie that truly shows how the more adult oriented themes of DC Comics are why I enjoy the comic book genre. All of these elements definitely receive a 5/5 from me. I know many critics disagree with me, but I really think this movie is well done and should be seen by everybody that appreciates comic books, the mythology of superheroes, & a look at the world around us through a different lens.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Allegiant Review
Justin and I saw Allegiant on March 19, 2016! In my opinion, the Divergent series is extremely underrated! Much like Divergent & Insurgent, I thoroughly enjoyed Allegiant. I thought the story was great. It centers around the complexity of human beings. It's really incredible to watch how both main view points of Evelyn & David would end up leading to utter chaos. Tris Prior opens up our eyes to realize human beings choose their own path. Paths and ways of life cannot be dictated to us. The complexity of our personalities and genetic make-up cannot be placed into one category whether it's pure, damaged, or one of the five factions: Dauntless, Erudited, Abnegation, Candor, or Amity. Being damaged as a person shouldn't necessarily be treated as a negative. Tris tells us to embrace our differences and damaged selves rather than strive to be pure. The message of the Divergent series has always been an incredible one, and Allegiant just continues to present an amazing visual representation of this.
Shailene Woodley continues to be one of my favorite actresses as she delivers another solid performance as Tris Prior. She is torn between stopping Evelyn's radical regime & David's vision of perfection. In my opinion, Tris is one of the most amazing literary & film characters in recent years. She's such a strong character that looks at issues from both sides. She has to determine who to trust (which is ultimately herself & those closest to her). She physically and emotionally leads revolutions to produce a society that embraces each other as equals. Woodley's work in this movie perfectly presents the complexity of a human being. She presents both the positives and negatives we experience in every day life. She sells pain & betrayal so well, but also shows the power of hope, trust, and forgiveness. She is the embodiment of yin and yang. She shows the light and the dark in her personality, and shows us that even though she may be deemed "pure", she definitely is "damaged." Being damaged isn't a detriment-it's what keeps her fighting and pushing on. Woodley absolutely owns this. Tris Prior's vision is definitely one that society should embrace.
I think Theo James produced his best work in the role of Four thus far in Allegiant. He had a bigger presence here realizing the flaws in David's plan, and pleading with his mother that her way isn't the way to attain respect and a habitable society. Theo is a gritty, physical being as Four, but also presented how intelligent & mentally pure his mind is. Four is considered "damaged", but it's Theo that delves deeper into the Four role to show us that this is a positive. His outside the box thinking helps Tris to doubt her trust in David (which is ultimately proven to be a good instinct), and he shows great emotion for the children who have their memories wiped clean with the new serum concocted by David.
Evelyn's radical regime will cause fear & death. David's vision will cause people to become puppets by eliminating their identity & forcing them to think and act as he sees fit. Both Naomi Watts & Jeff Daniels were excellent here. While I find flaws in both their methods, I understand Evelyn's views. She does have a very physical & violent way to get results, but I do think much of this is because of Marcus and her estrangement from Four. Her speeches resonated with me as somebody who has suffered emotional trauma from past events and is now unleashing that physically on the traitors who helped Jeanine. Ultimately, Four will help her realize it isn't the way to produce results. Jeff Daniels was excellent as David. He presented a character in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare that believes everything he is doing will purify society. He wants the faction systems so he can control people. Daniels had a calm demeanor that made David's tone more cerebral & in my opinion sadistic. His plan is truly despicable in many ways. While it doesn't necessarily cause bodily harm, he is still taking away the core of what makes us who we are. Daniels did so well manipulating Tris & those around him to make them believe his message and vision was flawless. Naomi & Jeff needed to be discussed, because they represent the flawed thinking. On one hand you have Evelyn: military/physical vengeance/chaotic factionless system, while on the other hand you have David: a man hellbent on creating mindless sheep that follow what he deems necessary-using the faction system to control society.
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for a great storyline, solid performances, a brilliant study on human beings, and intriguing twists that keep everything flowing.
Shailene Woodley continues to be one of my favorite actresses as she delivers another solid performance as Tris Prior. She is torn between stopping Evelyn's radical regime & David's vision of perfection. In my opinion, Tris is one of the most amazing literary & film characters in recent years. She's such a strong character that looks at issues from both sides. She has to determine who to trust (which is ultimately herself & those closest to her). She physically and emotionally leads revolutions to produce a society that embraces each other as equals. Woodley's work in this movie perfectly presents the complexity of a human being. She presents both the positives and negatives we experience in every day life. She sells pain & betrayal so well, but also shows the power of hope, trust, and forgiveness. She is the embodiment of yin and yang. She shows the light and the dark in her personality, and shows us that even though she may be deemed "pure", she definitely is "damaged." Being damaged isn't a detriment-it's what keeps her fighting and pushing on. Woodley absolutely owns this. Tris Prior's vision is definitely one that society should embrace.
I think Theo James produced his best work in the role of Four thus far in Allegiant. He had a bigger presence here realizing the flaws in David's plan, and pleading with his mother that her way isn't the way to attain respect and a habitable society. Theo is a gritty, physical being as Four, but also presented how intelligent & mentally pure his mind is. Four is considered "damaged", but it's Theo that delves deeper into the Four role to show us that this is a positive. His outside the box thinking helps Tris to doubt her trust in David (which is ultimately proven to be a good instinct), and he shows great emotion for the children who have their memories wiped clean with the new serum concocted by David.
Evelyn's radical regime will cause fear & death. David's vision will cause people to become puppets by eliminating their identity & forcing them to think and act as he sees fit. Both Naomi Watts & Jeff Daniels were excellent here. While I find flaws in both their methods, I understand Evelyn's views. She does have a very physical & violent way to get results, but I do think much of this is because of Marcus and her estrangement from Four. Her speeches resonated with me as somebody who has suffered emotional trauma from past events and is now unleashing that physically on the traitors who helped Jeanine. Ultimately, Four will help her realize it isn't the way to produce results. Jeff Daniels was excellent as David. He presented a character in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare that believes everything he is doing will purify society. He wants the faction systems so he can control people. Daniels had a calm demeanor that made David's tone more cerebral & in my opinion sadistic. His plan is truly despicable in many ways. While it doesn't necessarily cause bodily harm, he is still taking away the core of what makes us who we are. Daniels did so well manipulating Tris & those around him to make them believe his message and vision was flawless. Naomi & Jeff needed to be discussed, because they represent the flawed thinking. On one hand you have Evelyn: military/physical vengeance/chaotic factionless system, while on the other hand you have David: a man hellbent on creating mindless sheep that follow what he deems necessary-using the faction system to control society.
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for a great storyline, solid performances, a brilliant study on human beings, and intriguing twists that keep everything flowing.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Zootopia Review
Justin and I saw Zootopia on March 5, 2016! It's been a weak 2016 as far as movies go thus far, but I finally found the 1st movie I actually enjoyed this year. Every year there is usually one animated movie that I really enjoy. In year's past it's been Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, and Inside Out. Zootopia is a smart movie that caters to both children and adults that incorporate current themes of racism and sexism and acceptance from society, while giving us a fantastic story with good twists and turns.
Zootopia is a world where only animals exist. Predators and prey live in harmony. You are free to be whatever you want to be. If you have a dream, go out and take it. We follow Judy Hopp's dream to become the first bunny police officer. Judy represents females in society. We watch her navigate her way through negative attitudes from peers telling her she'll never make it, but her determination to prove everybody wrong is amazing to watch. She also represents prey. Nick Wild is a sly fox who has been pulling off schemes for most of his life. He ultimately represents minorities in society, as well as predators. Natural enemies their whole life simply because of how they were born, it's interesting to watch the interactions with Judy and Nick early on. Judy is determined to solve a big case of 14 missing animals to prove to Chief Bogo that she is a real officer. Nick assists Judy on her journey based on incriminating evidence she has on him.
The journey that Judy and Nick take to solve this case allows us to explore the beautiful world created in this movie. Each section of Zootopia is different in terms of climate and population. We watch Judy and Nick's friendship grow and we watch as Judy and Nick both realize they possess characteristics of both predator and prey. This is a great message for adults and children: No matter the differences they possess, when it comes right down to it, they're both animals. I really like that, and I think the dialogue between them was really well done. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin did really well with the characters. Both were clever in their own ways, and each used their intellect to take one step closer to solving the mystery.
The twists and turns the audience encounters in this movie are well done. The most unsuspecting character ends up being behind the conspiracy. I thought the villain's stance made perfect sense as well. It takes a look at politicians and people in higher positions using fear to gain more power. The cunning wit of Nick and Judy was tremendous and really made us applaud the conclusion of their journey. Each twist and turn was designed to not only build up Nick and Judy's friendship, but it was also designed to show that the ordinary citizen can make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. We feel real emotion for the characters, as Zootopia delivers great drama. It also delivers genuine humor (particularly in a DMV scene with three-toed sloths).
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for incredible, well developed characters in Judy Hopp & Nick Wilde, tremendous work by the voice actors, a beautiful, original world filled with colors and opportunity, and a solid storyline that keeps the audience guessing as we follow Judy and Nick on their journey. I highly recommend this. It was the 1st movie I truly enjoyed in 2016.
Zootopia is a world where only animals exist. Predators and prey live in harmony. You are free to be whatever you want to be. If you have a dream, go out and take it. We follow Judy Hopp's dream to become the first bunny police officer. Judy represents females in society. We watch her navigate her way through negative attitudes from peers telling her she'll never make it, but her determination to prove everybody wrong is amazing to watch. She also represents prey. Nick Wild is a sly fox who has been pulling off schemes for most of his life. He ultimately represents minorities in society, as well as predators. Natural enemies their whole life simply because of how they were born, it's interesting to watch the interactions with Judy and Nick early on. Judy is determined to solve a big case of 14 missing animals to prove to Chief Bogo that she is a real officer. Nick assists Judy on her journey based on incriminating evidence she has on him.
The journey that Judy and Nick take to solve this case allows us to explore the beautiful world created in this movie. Each section of Zootopia is different in terms of climate and population. We watch Judy and Nick's friendship grow and we watch as Judy and Nick both realize they possess characteristics of both predator and prey. This is a great message for adults and children: No matter the differences they possess, when it comes right down to it, they're both animals. I really like that, and I think the dialogue between them was really well done. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin did really well with the characters. Both were clever in their own ways, and each used their intellect to take one step closer to solving the mystery.
The twists and turns the audience encounters in this movie are well done. The most unsuspecting character ends up being behind the conspiracy. I thought the villain's stance made perfect sense as well. It takes a look at politicians and people in higher positions using fear to gain more power. The cunning wit of Nick and Judy was tremendous and really made us applaud the conclusion of their journey. Each twist and turn was designed to not only build up Nick and Judy's friendship, but it was also designed to show that the ordinary citizen can make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. We feel real emotion for the characters, as Zootopia delivers great drama. It also delivers genuine humor (particularly in a DMV scene with three-toed sloths).
I give this movie a definite 5/5 for incredible, well developed characters in Judy Hopp & Nick Wilde, tremendous work by the voice actors, a beautiful, original world filled with colors and opportunity, and a solid storyline that keeps the audience guessing as we follow Judy and Nick on their journey. I highly recommend this. It was the 1st movie I truly enjoyed in 2016.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)