movie review

Movie Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS, 2010

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JUSTICE LEAGUE CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS MOVIEJUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS, 2010
Movie Reviews

Directed by Lauren Montgomery, Sam Liu

Voices: Mark Harmon, Alyssa Milano, William Baldwin, James Woods, Chris Noth, Gina Torres, Gary Cole,
Review by Evan McCaffrey

SYNOPSIS:

When an alternate universe of evil superheroes threatens to destroy their world, The Justice League must team up with Lex Luthor in order to save the day.

REVIEW:

For the past few years, DC Comics and Warner Brothers have combined forces to deliver a slew of direct-to-video comic book adaptations to the market. It is a series of films that deals with the source material faithfully, and respects its viewing audience. These are not a watered down kids film. Each one is filled with level of emotion and intensity one would expect from the source material. “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” is no exception.

Often, when lesser-known entities of the comic book world are given feature film franchise, they are treated with less respect than they deserve, (i.e. ‘Daredevil’, ‘Ghost Rider’ to name a few.) The companies will take the name of the franchise, throw on a director who does not have the vision to fully realize these films, and then attach a star with little or no regard to how he fits in with the actual character. Fortunately, this film does not fall into that category. Though it is animated movie, it still contains everything you could want out of a Justice League film

As the movie begins, Lex Luthor and the Jester, an alternate universe Joker, have stolen a device of immense power. However, in doing so, they trip the alarms, and are quickly set upon by a mysterious and powerful force. It becomes quite clear at this point that this is not the Joker and Luthor we have grown to hate. In order to save his friend, the “Jester” sacrifices himself in order to give Luthor a head start, (something the Joker would never do.) Luthor’s head start is brief, and in moments, he is quickly surrounded by what appears to be a group of superheroes. Knowing he has no choice, he flicks on the device, and in a flash of light, he vanishes.

The story quickly shifts to our universe, where Luthor suddenly appears. Turning himself in to the Justice League, he convinces them he is not the Luthor this world despises so well, but from an alternate dimension where he is good and they are bad. On his planet, alternate versions of the Justice League have gone rogue and are creating a bomb that, if ignited, will destroy the entire planet. With little hesitation (the movies one quick and forgivable fault), the Justice League takes up Luthor’s cause, and joins forces to save his world from utter annihilation.

This is a fun movie. It provides roughly 78 minutes of solid entertainment. It never gets bogged down with too much exposition. It understands the audience watching this film, and it knows you already have an idea who most of the main characters are. Only once does it revert to a flashback, and that flashback is done in a way in which does not hinder the main story, but fleshes out one of the only characters I was slightly confused about. That is a testament to the writing abilities of the screenwriters. They know we have a solid foundation on most of the main characters. No one watching this film is going to be clueless about the motivations of either Superman or Batman. And most people have some sort of understanding of the Green Lantern, The Flash and Wonderwoman. It is this one character, J’onn J’onzz (The Martian Manhunter), that people will be confused about. Since the writers know this, he is the only character given a, if small, fleshed out backstory. I truly appreciate the respect and admiration these films have for their audience.

Now, as a story, does the film work. Yes. Absolutely. You will not go into this movie expecting the caliber of Christopher Nolan, but you will still get something immensely enjoyable out of this viewing. Not only is the story interesting, it is incredibly fun to watch. It is also very intense. People die, and, towards the end, the movie takes a dark turn reminiscent of “Watchmen.” It is a short movie, but one that delivers on all levels it intends to.

Studios take note; this is how you make a superhero movie. You do not need to always make an origin story. This is a movie that respects the audience and takes risks with its story. It knows what the fan base wants to see, and it delivers on all fronts. I can’t wait for the day that some company decides to stop playing the safe route, and to make comic films that deal with some of the more extreme stories in their universe. Until then, this movie more then satisfies that desire.

 

#SuicideSquad Trailer NEW. Fan Reaction?

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Warner Brothers just posted their new Suicide Squad trailer today.

Here’s what people are saying on Twitter:

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Movie Review: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (USA/Australia 2015) ****

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mad_maxMAD MAX: FURY ROAD (USA/Australia 2015) ****
Directed by George Miller

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Jones, Zoë Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Review by Gilbert Seah

Aussie director George Miller, now in his 70s reboots his MAD MAX movies after decades with MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, a film that spurned two sequels and defined the anti-hero (Mel Gibson becoming famous in the process as a bad ass actor and human being).

The reboot is again set in a post apocalyptic future of a desert wasteland where petroleum is the needed commodity in which all tribes fight and kill for it. And water. The bad guy is Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) ruling his distraught tribe controlling their access to water. Imperator Furiousa (Charlize Theron) steals his brides escaping in a war rig. She meets Max (Tom Hardy) in a vicious fight but they become allies right to the end of the last reel.

What is marvellous about the film is that the story still manages to emerge despite the scant dialogue. There is no silly message but the characters do strive for hope and redemption. This is almost pure cinema where the audience gets everything, in true cinematic form.

The scenes of the various bikes, souped up vehicles and trucks chasing the war rig with warriors dangling on the poles trying to hop on to the rig are nothing short of spectacular. Inventive, scary, exciting and totally awesome! The stunts are for done with real vehicles and men without any silly CGI, according to the reports on the production sets.

This reboot is an American-Australian co-production unlike the original which is totally Aussie. But this film keeps the actors Australian with most speaking with an Aussie accent.
The word ‘mad’ never comes into the dialogue but the meaning is evident throughout the film, embedded in Max’s character. He looks completely mad (angry) throughout the first third of the film, forced to wear a mask that makes him look like a madman.
Miller’s film is complete action and chase from start to finish – a full 2 hours non-stop. The film’s camera work, atmosphere and look are excellent.

Miller’s name is synonymous with mayhem. His BABE IN THE CITY was so black darkly funny, it angered the financial backers and lost money despite being the most chaotic entertaining family film not for children. His first MAD MAX had the villain saw off his limb in order to survive and his American debut THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK was Jack Nicholson’s wildest. Miller has lived to his reputation with this reboot, though a reboot is hardly the correct term for this film. Though set in similar territory, the story, if it has one is radically different. And there is his expected mayhem all the way from start to finish. A cinematic treat of violence, blood and gore and of course, mayhem.

Compared to the original, FURY ROAD has achieved director Miller’s vision of heightened mayhem of his dystopian future. It is not a future one wishes for, but it makes great entertainment and a visual classic. Clearly, the best serious action film of 2015!

Movie Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA, 2011

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CAPTAIN AMERICA, 2011
Movie Reviews

Director: Joe Johnston

Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Hayley Atwell, Natalie Dormer, Richard Armitage, Dominic Cooper

Review by Mark Engberg

SYNOPSIS:

After being deemed unfit for military service during WWII, Steve Rogers (Evans) volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty — a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. His first mission: to combat the Nazi propaganda effort headed by Johann Schmidt (Weaving), also known as the Red Skull.

REVIEW:

Check your thesaurus for the word “patriotic” and you will find that every synonym perfectly typifies the character of Captain America.

“Patriotic: Chauvinistic, devoted, dedicated, dutiful, jingoistic, nationalistic, statesmanlike, zealous.”

Yup, that’s him, all right. But chauvinistic? No, Chris Evans’ rendition of the 1941 comic book icon is too much of a sensitive and caring male superhero to be considered a chauvinist.

In an age when political pressures stalled the direct involvement of women in the military, new recruit Steve Rogers maintains persistent and loyal eye contact with his female superior, SSR officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). And he is even more faithful to his fellow Brooklyn buddy, Sgt. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan).

As far as personality goes, he’s a kinder, gentler Captain America.But those familiar with the history of this superhero know that this is only the tip of the iceberg (get it, fans?). This is a humble beginning of the character, who was created by legendary Marvel Comic gods Joe Simon and Jack Kirby seventy years ago in order to stir up some fervid patriotism among the nation’s children during World War II.

Through seven hard decades, Captain America has suffered imprisonment, torture, suspended animation, degradation, and even death. In terms of pop media, he actually suffered a fate worse than that when WWII ended: People began to forget about his character and he seemingly vanished in the 1950’s. It wasn’t until March of 1964, when his frozen carcass was found in a floating iceberg, that he resurfaced as the leader of The Avengers.
At first, I rejected the studios’ choice to cast 30-year-old Chris Evans as the celebrated hero. For one thing, he already played Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch in “The Fantastic Four.” Any Marvel fanboy who says that’s insignificant is lying. Secondly, I always envisioned the time-honored Captain as an older and wiser soldier; someone who could embody the leadership of John Wayne, the campy loyalty of the G.I. Joe team, and the athletic prowess of Batman.

In all honesty, I was thinking Brad Pitt would be perfect for the part. His memorable portrayal of Lieutenant Aldo Raine in Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” was already an R-rated, masochist Captain America who carved swastikas in the bad guys’ foreheads. George Clooney could have been another viable candidate if he had not humiliated himself in 1997 with “Batman and Robin”.

The logic behind these casting choices relates to the fact that the Captain America of today has been through hell. Like his country’s perpetually diminishing respect around the globe, this hero has survived insult and onslaught. Therefore, it should be a tough and seasoned veteran handling the performance of this great American warrior.

But that’s not what “The First Avenger” is about. These are his formative adventures from long ago, when military colonels were funny like Tommy Lee Jones and American ideology was at its zenith before we went crazy with power in Southeast Asia. Johnston’s introduction to this saga seems to catch the Captain in his most vulnerable and obedient years. Maybe we’ll get to see him become more of the dynamic leader he was always destined to be in “The Avengers”, which will place the period piece character into a modern time frame.

Tommy Lee Jones is in his comfort zone as the intimidating Colonel Chester Phillips. Like Agent K in “Men in Black” or Sam Gerard in “The Fugitive”, Phillips has a way of barking orders in a condescending yet subtle manner that depicts humor as well as bravado. His alliance with Dr. Abraham Erskine (the seemingly omnipresent Stanley Tucci) creates the country first-and-only “super-soldier” when the 90-pound Rogers is injected with super-serum and lit up with vita-rays.

The all-time accountable villain actor Hugo Weaving wears his best nasty face (literally) to play Nazi officer Johann Schmidt, who eventually will become the Red Skull. He and his men steal a mysterious cubic prism from a Norwegian castle early in the story.

Naturally, this “jewel of Odin’s treasure room” is merely a MacGuffin used to motivate the mad scientist villain towards his destructive goal. Since Weaving is so well versed as a diabolical supervillain, it’s only naturally to cast Toby Jones as his sniveling sidekick. Jones, who marvels in these kinds of roles (he played Karl Rove and Swifty Lazar in the same year), brings a simpering Renfield quality to Weaving’s Nazi Dracula.

Like Johnston’s underappreciated previous action flick, “The Rocketeer” (1991), the film has a ton of tight action sequences that are presented in a much more discernible and entertaining way, rather than the contemporary blockbusters (cough, cough, Transformers). In other words, you can actually follow the action and catch your breath between the explosions because there is an unfolding storyline.

Even more appealing is the fact that these action/chase sequences are evenly timed out to honor the tradition of 1930’s film serials. Spielberg himself paid respect to the cliffhanger style of fragmented short movies when he made “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1982.

Chris Evans is no Indiana Jones, but the dramatic timing of action is not far away from those golden fight scenes. Modern action filmmakers could learn a thing or two from the pace of action in “Captain America”, instead of burying their audiences with overlong apocalyptic destruction of cities in 3-D.

Speaking of which, I saw this movie in 3-D and I would politely advise against it. The movie is great fun and about as cheesy as a Hasbro cartoon. But like every other action film I’ve seen since “Avatar”, the 3-D effects just aren’t worth the headache and diluted color palette that suffers in the transformation. Ever feel like you’ve been under a fluorescent light for two hours when you’re handing back your glasses? I do.

I didn’t see “X-Men: First Class” or “Green Lantern” so I can’t say “Captain America” is the best superhero movie of the summer. I can say that is an improvement for Marvel Studios after “Thor”, which was fine, if not a bit too cosmic and surreal. Fans won’t have to wait too long to catch either of these heroes again Joss Whedon unites them for “The Avengers” next year.

Now that we’ve all been briefed about Captain America’s past missions with “First Avenger”, we can determine what he can do for contemporary America today. Let’s have him start by saving the economy.

This late note is for those who have already seen the picture: SPOILER ALERT.

Is there anything funnier than the kid who gets thrown into the water by the fleeing bad guy? In all my life of watching action hero movies, I have never before seen an innocent bystander get thrown into the lake . . . WHO CAN ACTUALLY SWIM! This quick joke made me laugh out louder and harder than anything else I’ve seen this summer. I wonder if anyone else got the joke.

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Movie Review: IRON MAN 3 (2013)

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MOVIE POSTERIRON MAN 3, 2013
Movie Reviews

Director: Shane Black

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

Review by Matthew Toffolo

REVIEW:

Tony Stark uses his ingenuity to fight those who destroyed his private world and soon goes up against his most powerful enemy yet: the Mandarin. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) has literally everything a man could ever want. More money and fame than he knows what to do with, a great girl (Gwyneth Paltrow), an amazing house and even better toys and to top it off when he’s not jetting around the world as a billionaire playboy he’s the superhero Iron Man. But when a crazed terrorist (Ben Kingsley) starts blowing up pieces of the world Tony begins to realize he may be up against the one thing even he can’t handle: the second sequel.

Third time’s the charm, isn’t that how it goes? Except usually not, at least as far as film franchises go. Third time is usually where the gasp of creativity that breathed life into the series to begin with finally starts to run out, leaving the filmmakers with one of two possible options: either keep repeating what has worked already on larger and larger scales ad nauseum, or break the series apart and come at it from a brand new angle.

Very few series opt for option two, since it is a very risky proposition at the best of times. At best you’ll generally get some sort of middle ground in between options 1 and 2 – which pretty well sums up writer-director Shane Black’s (“Lethal Weapon,” “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”) stab at “Iron Man 3.”

He has, like many before him, decided to focus on what has worked in Iron Man before and provide more of it. Fortunately for him what worked before has been less big effects or ideas and more along the lines of star Robert Downey, Jr. doing what he does. Like no other actor in a superhero film (except perhaps Heath Ledger’s turn as the Joker), Downey has made both the character of Tony Stark and the role of Iron Man his, and most of the joy of these films is watching him swagger and strut and attempt to hide Tony’s many faults through snark and arrogance. Of course, Downey has done this three times already now so he can do Iron Man in his sleep if he has to.

Fortunately, Black is not going to let anyone rest on their laurels. He’s given a real think at how to advance an Iron Man story beyond what has come before and the result is not only the cleverest action beats in the series to date, but the most work Downey has had to put into them. In fact, for all the many dozens of suits of armor flying around through the film and all the people wearing them (at one point it seems as if the entire cast is put into a suit at one point) Iron Man 3 actually boasts the least Iron Man of the series to date.

After brazenly calling out The Mandarin on live TV, Tony’s home soon comes under attack and is destroyed, leaving him on his own with only his mind and his wits to help him figure out what the Mandarin is up to and what it has to do with an old girlfriend (Maya Hall) and a shady think-tank called Advanced Idea Mechanics who have been cooking a up a means to make the human body stronger and better called Extremis.

It’s a bit of a gamble but it works as Downey is actually more relatable and more fun to watch out of his armor than in it, and he’s helped but tight script from Black and screenwriter Drew Pearce who have applied a liberal dose of comedy relief that has the benefit of actually being funny.

On the downside, along with the armor, a lot of Tony’s supporting cast tends to come and go for long periods, particularly once he disappears into rural Tennessee to follow up a lead. Sure they get stuff to do – Happy follows some suspicious characters and sets the plot in motion, Rhodey once again backs Tony up during the action finish after doing little else the rest of the time, and Pepper actually gets into the action movie game for the first time, particularly during the middle segment when she briefly gets a suit of her own.

But then they disappear so that Downey can go off and trade quips with a 10 year old for 30 minutes. Which is, it must be said, far better than it sounds due to Stark’s inability to actually be sappy but it’s still hard to feel like you’re being gipped somehow. After two films setting these characters up and making you care about them, they are shipped off because now no one knows what to do with them.

Those are generally small quibbles, though, as “Iron Man” continues to set the bar for Marvel’s solo superhero films through a combination of wit, charm and out and out entertainment. It’s not quite as good as “Iron Man 2” – but then I’m one of the few who thinks Iron Man 2 is the best of the series – but it’s not far off and certainly does no shame to the series. I don’t know how many more of these they can make, but so far it doesn’t look like they’ve run out of steam quite yet.

 

 

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Movie Review: IRON MAN 2 (2010)

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IRON MAN 2 MOVIE POSTERIron Man 2, 2010
Movie Reviews

Directed by Jon Favreau

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, John Slattery, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Gary Shandling, Jon Favreau
Review by Joshua Starnes

SYNOPSIS:

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances — and confront powerful enemies.

 

REVIEW:

Most sequels offer you one of two choices in their approach: either bigger, louder and faster (the most popular choice), or smaller with a focus on characters over plot. Both of these choices offer certain costs and benefits. One gives you more bang for your buck but tends to be empty and heartless. The other will offer a surfeit of heart but with so little actually happening that you can’t help but feel unsatisfied. The ideal sequel will balance the two, upping the ante in threat and using it as an opportunity to deepen its characters and story.

“Iron Man 2” isn’t an ideal sequel but it is awful good, fixing most of the problems of the first movie without giving up what made it work to begin with.

To be fair, much of what made the first film work was Robert Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark, and that’s still true in the sequel. Better yet director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux (“Tropic Thunder”) have given him some real problems to struggle with instead of just being charming and funny.

Because Tony Stark is dying. The materials in power core that keeps him alive are also deadly poisonous, it turns out, and Tony can’t find a cure. With the end starting to look nigh, Tony has turned his attention to his legacy, finding a good person to run his company and pick up his Iron Man mantle after he’s gone. Unfortunately there’s a dark side to his legacy as well in the form of mad Russian scientist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) who has figured out how to weaponize Stark’s power system and wants nothing more than to wipe Stark out once and for all.

 

They say you have to make one of these films to learn how to make one of these films and Favreau has certainly taken that lesson to heart, adding a great deal of style and panache to “Iron Man’s” already impressive repertoire. What was good about the first “Iron Man” is still good about the sequel and in many cases noticeably better. As good as Downey’s original performance was it is aided considerably by having to deal with the reality that he may not have cheated death after all, just put it off for a little bit. The quest sends him not just to cement his legacy but also an incentive to increase his already manic and unpredictable lifestyle–like spontaneously taking his Formula One driver’s place before the Monaco Grand Prix–which is the part of Stark that Downey really excels at.

It’s also a step above the original in terms of pure craft. While the original was solid but unassuming, the sequel looks every inch the big budget film it is. Matthew Libatique, who shot one of the best looking movies of the 00s—”The Fountain”—has substantially upped his game from the first film. The Monaco sequence in particular is gorgeous and illustrates in microcosm what makes “Iron Man 2” so successful. It’s extremely well paced, quick and funny and light on its feet before turning a sharp corner as Vanko attacks Stark on the racetrack while he is alone and unarmed. Even in the middle of a large action sequence Favreau keeps his eye solidly on his characters and working hard to make solid use of everyone, not just Downey, as his erstwhile Girl and Guy Friday’s—Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Happy Hogan—drive against traffic in a Formula One race to get Stark’s armor to him.

IRON MAN 2 POSTERIn fact almost every character gets significantly more to do, from Pepper struggling with running the company to Stark’s best friend Rhodey (Don Cheadle) being forced to decide where his loyalties lie, to Stark or the US Air Force. New characters, like Sam Rockwell’s unctuous Justin Hammer (a sort of anti-Tony Stark) are just as good, and yet for the most part they don’t overwhelm the film.

However, while Favreau et al. have solved a lot of the problems of the first film, several of them still remain, not least its propensity to climax without warning. A great deal of work has been put into building up the action sequences, with Industrial Light & Magic putting in some fantastic effects work, only to have them suddenly finish. It’s not as noticeable as in the first film but it’s still there, particularly in any sequence involving Vanko.

More insidious it’s starting to develop the ‘comic book universe’ problem. These premade stories come packed with large amounts of ready made stories and characters, and plenty of fans who want to see them on screen. Inevitably this seems to turn to introducing characters just to introduce them, letting them eat of screen time that would be better spent somewhere else. It’s most noticeable in Scarlet Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, who while well executed serves no important purpose. She moves the plot along, but there’s nothing she does that couldn’t be done by another, already existing character. However she does eat up valuable screen time that might be better used by Rhodey who is not around near enough considering how important he is to the climax. He’s the only character who still feels underdeveloped.

It’s also risking getting stuck in a rut. Because there are as yet no super powered people for Iron Man to fight he keeps getting stuck fighting iterations of ‘other guys in Iron Man armor’ and there’s only so many times you can go to that well.

Still “Iron Man 2” is far, far better than it is weak. Action junkies may find the middle more than a little slow as it dwells quite a bit on his existential dilemma, but that’s also where many of the films best moments lie. “Iron Man 2” is one of those rare films with something for everyone, good characters, excellent presentation and well designed adventure elements. Worth every penny.

 

 

 

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Movie Review: IRON MAN (2008)

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IRON MAN MOVIE POSTER
IRON MAN
Movie Review

Directed by Jon Favreau
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges,
Review by Salome Bell

SYNOPSIS:

When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil.

REVIEW:

You can’t send a boy to do a man’s job, and you can’t put a man in a role that calls for him to be smarter than he is.

Fortunately for “Iron Man,” Robert Downey Jr. carries enough weight for any ten metallic suits, and seems like exactly the kind of guy who could build them

Popcorn movies have a tendency to underwhelm, but “Iron Man” has managed a pretty miraculous feat — to sneak in almost under the radar with few television ads and deliberately vague trailers, and to be the best flick I’ve seen this year and a natural to go on my list of top comic book films of all time.

Everything works. The casting is perfect. Paltrow shines as the essential but overlooked Poppy Potts, despite a last-moment shoe choice that says just about everything you can about fashion victimization. Jeff Bridges has just as much chemistry cast as the mentor/father figure to Downey Jr.’s obsessed Stark. The script is everything you could want — witty, intelligent, and steering clear for the most part of the usual comic cliches.

Even the ubiquitous Stan Lee cameo is a treat, which I will not spoil. .

If there’s one thing I could criticize, it’s that the story bogs down briefly while it shifts its bearings between Stark pre- and post-captivity, where it seems to be reinventing its moral center, much as Stark is at the same moment. Current films self-consciously walk the thin line between portraying the U.S. as a benevolent superpower or as a force just as prone to cause problems as solve them. “Iron Man” knows certain people have to die, and that because it’s a comic book movie, it has to relish the manner of those deaths to show off Stark’s new invention. But it never feels comfortable; in these years since the fall of the U.S.S.R., Hollywood is still searching for the perfect hateable villain.

But, smartly, things get personal and everything falls as snugly into place as Iron Man’s hydraulic armor. This film thunders through to the end, at once a flick that a newbie with no clue about Stark or Iron Man’s pic-lit roots can love while providing enough insider tips of the hat to thrill the fans with the feeling that, “Yes, Victoria, there is a Santa Claus watching over Marvel Comics movies.” The effects are seamless and organic so you feel every bump when Stark hits the ground (or a concrete wall), and Favreau has a brilliant touch with injecting just a little bit of humor into the darkest scenes. “Iron Man” is going to do well, really well, at the theatres, and it’s a movie not only a fan will want to own.

3 1/2 stars out of 4!

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Movie Review: STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005)

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REVENGE OF THE SITH MOVIE POSTER
REVENGE OF THE SITH, 2005
Movie Reviews

Directed by George Lucas
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz
Review by Andrew Kosarko

SYNOPSIS:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. Sometime during Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker will make a fateful decision. Faced with a choice between losing the one he loves or giving up his soul to gain the power to save her, Anakin will fall prey to the seductive temptations of the dark side of the Force. Just what Anakin’s decision is, why he makes it and how it leads him to don a frightening suit of black armor have been the stuff of Star Wars legend.

One word: Finally. And even that is pushing it.

REVIEW:

The Story:

Finally, Lucas pushes the “Go” button that he’s been afraid to hit for the past 2 movies. And even so, he waits until halfway through this movie to hit it. The story is so much more focused than the other two prequels and really provides a dynomite character piece that overpowers the CGI and the action. This here, is the good stuff. We finally will get to see how it all goes down, and here folks, is where the mystery truly lies. We finally see the Jedi annihilated, but sadly, mostly from the hand of the Emperor and not Darth Vader. But don’t let that phase you, Darth Vader does murder children in this film. Yeah…as sick and depraved, this is what I have been waiting for. For once in the prequel trilogy I was emotionally captured throughout everything happening in the film. I recall seeing the film for the first time at midnight, watching the death of Mace Windu and thinking to myself “Oh man…this sucks.” Anakin finally embraces his selfish wants to save the galaxy and his woman by his own hands and we understand why and we can justify everything he does through his eyes. We needed not the filler of yester-film, just to know the man was in love and that he would do anything to save it. We also get a great story of a teacher who feels immense regret for his actions and his own selfish promises that have come to a great cost to his world. We see an evil dictator rise to power and the groups who realize they unknowingly helping it come to fruition. Basically, the story works great for mystery, betrayal and epic action.

Acting:

Alright, here’s where I get defensive mode. It’s not Hayden’s fault for his performance. At first, I was like most and thought Lucas had hired the wrong man for the job. But once I got my hand on the DVD for this puppy, my view point changed. Watch some of the bonus features and see some alternate takes of Hayden performing. The man blows the roof off the house. And then watch as Lucas interrupts the take and asks him to change the performance to what we get in the final film. Sadly for Christensen, when George Lucas tells you to do something, you do it. Veteran actors like McGregor, Jackson, McDiarmid must have picked up on this way back in Episode 1 and figured out they were really on their own in terms of their performance. Even Portman steps it up in this film and impressed me. But of all the players, Christensen was the only one on his second outing. I don’t blame him for the faults in his portrayal of Anakin and even at it’s worse, it’s still somewhat tolerable.

Ewan rocks the house. I mean it. This is the Obi-wan we were all waiting for. It’s almost like he mixed a little of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo into his Obi-wan. But the detail is in the subtleties that really shows his ability. Watch the following shot after the end of the lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-wan. Anakin lays on the bank in pain and the first instinct of Obi-wan is to go and help his fallen brother. But he can’t. He stops himself. THAT, to me is absolutely phenomenal. I love it. Obi wan is a man driven in this film, which is what makes him most interesting. Just as Anakin becomes Darth Vader in this film, Obi-wan becomes the Obi-wan we’ve all been waiting for. He’s wise and understanding of the mistakes he’s made and out to fix them. Meanwhile, all trying to save his best friend. I mean come on, it just doesn’t get any more interesting than that if you ask me.

Lastly, I’d like to mention Ian McDiarmid. The dude steals every scene that he’s in. It’s not so subtle that he’s the one pulling the strings behind everything so they just run with it. It’s not revealed to us the audience until it’s revealed to the characters and that’s what makes it fun. We know it, but we’re not completely assured there’s a twist coming on it or not. Which is what makes it so rewarding that we can say “Yes! I knew it was him.” Even though most of us knew it from Episode 1 haha. But in all seriousness, the man goes from vile and mysterious to straight up evil and intimidating. A great arc is clearly seen in this film as he takes over the galaxy. So much, that this is more his movie than anyone else’s.

Directing:

Lucas gets everything right this go around. Yes the CGI is still heavily there, but there’s so much great story going on and great character development that we don’t mind it. It only adds to the story the way we hope. That’s what we needed in the other films. My only complaint is that he was so influential on Christensen’s performance that it hurts the film overall from most of everyone else’s opinions. That and making the cyborg Vader scream out like a little punk bitch at the reveal of his wife’s death. There, I said it.

Cinematography:

Stunning and original. This is when the HD 24p cameras were really working at full capacity. The film looks flawless. It really does capture a great crisp look that almost makes all of the CGI work better along with it so that it helps to suspend disbelief. Sad only because it’s the last film that will have it for Star Wars….at least until Star wars 7,8 and 9 come out.

Production Design:

Was there any? Aside from a few sets, everything is CGI. Most of the production design goes into costuming and set design, and even those are CGI influenced. As much as I praised the work above, I still favor actual objects when they can be there. But that’s just me.

Editing:

Great, there’s never a side step the entire film. I’m captured in every moment and never find myself bored. The pacing is on and while it takes a little while for the story to reach the point we’re all waiting for, we still aren’t looking at our watches. It gets there like clockwork and flows nicely. Again, shame it only took them 3 movies to figure it out.

Score:

John Williams jumps back to the level of great scores that he had in A New Hope. This film has it all. A perfect 50/50 blend of the old and new films to bridge the gap. There’s exciting new music that still channels the spirit of the original trilogy and gives us an emotional backbone to support some of the great battle scenes – most notably “Battle of the Heroes” between Obi-wan and Anakin. Simply powerful.

Special Effects:

The movie is 75% CGI. Literally. While still, in my opinion, over stylized, the film’s story keeps the CGI from overpowering the image and removing our attention from the events at hand. Some of the work is very impressive, while other parts are very obvious CGI that got less attention and is needing heavy work. Massive props have to be given to the work on Yoda however. While it’s not perfect, it’s damn close to it. I was very impressed with how close to life like it looked.

In closing:

Revenge of the Sith delivers. It’s not how any of us would have done it, but it is indeed George Lucas’ baby. It’s not perfect, but it works greatly. It’s one of those darts that get’s so close to the bulls eye that your friends are like “alright, I’ll give you that one.”

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Movie Review: Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones (2002)

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ATTACK OF THE CLONES MOVIE POSTER
ATTACK OF THE CLONES, 2002
Movie Reviews

Directed by George Lucas
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels
Review by Andrew Kosarko

SYNOPSIS:

In the second installment of the Star Wars series, EPISODE II–ATTACK OF THE CLONES, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is now a teenage Jedi apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). Together they must protect Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) from a militant group of political activists that is trying to assassinate her. This group is led by the evil Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). Among other troubles, Anakin faces some hard choices as he begins to fall for Padme, knowing this love is forbidden by the Jedi knights’ creed. In addition, Anakin begins to show his rebellious attraction to the dark side–which will eventually conquer him, when he becomes the future Darth Vader. The story is set 10 years after STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, and there are appearances by some of PHANTOM’s characters, including Jar Jar Binks. CLONES also brings back familiar faces from the original STAR WARS: the lovable droids R2D2 and C3PO, and Yoda, who plays a key role in this film.

 

REVIEW:

For a title that includes the term “attack” there seems to be a repeat of the problems of Phantom Menace in this film. The lack of action and the continued overstylized CGI that possesses every frame. This was supposed to be, in a fans mind, where things got good. And when I say “good” I mean, “bad” for just about everyone in the story. We got the setup in Phantom Menace, everybody knows everybody and things are set in motion. The sad part about this film, is that instead of trying to follow through on those setups, the film attempts to vicariously channel the romance aspect of Empire Strikes Back without including the darker elements. Sure, there’s a slaughtering of the sand people and the not so subtle of Count Dooku, but I mean, the rest of the time it’s just Hayden and Portman giggling in the gardens and using the force to pass the dinner salt. Meanwhile Obi-wan takes a space vacation and runs into the Boba-fett wannabe dad while Yoda and Windu sit around the temple watching Palpatine run amok constantly saying “this is gonna be bad” and not doing anything to stop it. There ya have it. There’s the movie. The problem, again, is basically Lucas’ mindset of “we have to save all the good stuff for the next one.” And that’s basically explains the reason for this movie. Filler.

The Story:

Granted, it takes a step in the right direction after Menace and there’s no repeat fish chase scenes, but overall, this is a Star Wars movie for teen girls. And there’s nothing wrong with that….well, except the core audience of this film don’t talk to members of that gender unless they’re members of the 501st. I do enjoy seeing Anakin and Padme falling in love, but I don’t need it dragged out for 2 hours. The romance aspect is just “there.” It doesn’t ever “build.” That’s my problem with it. The mystery aspects involving the clones and Obi-wan isn’t so much a mystery given what we know from the original films so maybe this movie will play different to my kids one day if I decide to have them watch them in order for Lucas and not release. Speaking of which, I think one day I’ll hold an experiment and have one son watch them in Lucas order and the other son watch them in release order and then watch them duke it out. Who knows how that could end haha.

Acting:

Now, here’s where people are going to raise an eyebrow. I don’t think Hayden Christianson is a bad actor. I honestly don’t. Go see Shattered Glass if you have a chance. The dude can act. I don’t know what happened to him in these movies.Wait, on second thought. Yes I do. But I’ll explain his acting problems when you read the Revenge of the Sith review. Because until I saw something with that I thought he sucked just like the rest of the world.

The rest of the returning cast do the same old song and dance. Jackson is more characterized in this film as being the strict badass so he works a lot better in this film and if Ewan McGregor was channeling Alec Guiness every night, I wouldn’t be surprised. He works very well, even down to the subtleties of Guiness’ acting and speech. Very impeccable work. The only weak link, in my honest opinion is Christopher Lee. Yes, I know he’s a famous cult actor and one that fits this genre….well…kinda. Nevertheless, I never felt any life in his character. Never despised him like I do all of the Star Wars villains. I still think if Darth Maul had survived Menace and carried on until the third film in the same spot as Lee that it would have been a hell of a lot more interesting. Not only for us as an audience who see Maul as a mysterious and intriguing character, but also as a personal emotional arc on seeing how Obi-wan dealt with the theme of revenge as opposed to Anakin. But that’s just me.

Directing:

Here ya go Mr. Lucas, let’s try this for a second time…don’t drop the ……..ball. Damn it George what did I tell you? As with the past of George Lucas famous directing shouts (“Faster and more intense.”) I have came up with his new ones all my own. For Menace it was “slower and more subdued.” For Clones? I’m going to make a guess and say it was “not too much, save it for the next one.”

Cinematography:

Again – beautiful when not dealing with the CGI explosion love fest taking place.

Production Design:

Same as Phantom Menace, the problem here being that Lucas now using a digital high def 24p camera has a lot more ability to manipulate things with a computer so there’s a whole heck of a lot less production design and more CGI. And this, as a loyal student to the old school, makes me sad.

Editing:

Much better off this time around. While I felt Phantom Menace moved too slow, this film still carries a nice pace. Like I said, most of this film just comes off as filler in the end, but it still keeps you hooked for the majority of the film.

Score:

John Williams makes moves. More movements towards the original score so the audience “gets it”. Granted, I’m pretty sure it was easy to tell the Clone Troopers would become storm troopers, but the music really gets you excited about it all, even if it’s just for the last 30 seconds of the film.

Special Effects:

Too much of the same old song and dance. Sorry, the film comes off being a little too altruistic in the CGI sense. It’s almost as if the aesthetic is the only selling point of the film, and even at that, it chokes the story most of the time. Massively hinders the suspension of disbelief. There in lies one of the problems. Yes, we’ve made massive strides in CGI realism, but it’s not there yet. I can still tell when something’s fake, even in something these days like District 9.

In closing:

Filler. I honestly think you could skip this movie, go straight to the third one and really only miss a beat or two. Nothing that a friend couldn’t explain in a sentence. The filler doesn’t really do much to justify or explain the details, oddly enough something we got too much of in Menace, to make it worthy of repeat viewing. The film is a let down mainly because this is the one we expected to see the rise of Darth Vader and then the next film to be full force Vader badassery. Hunting Jedi, taking over the galaxy. But no.

Flowers. Giggles. Clones and Wannabe’s. And a lot of “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Next…..the bad guys come a callin in Revenge of the Sith….

 

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Movie Review: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999)

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THE PHANTOM MENACE MOVIE POSTER
THE PHANTOM MENACE, 1999
Movie Reviews

Directed by George Lucas
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Lloyd
Review by Andrew Kosarko

SYNOPSIS:

The first of three prequels to George Lucas’s celebrated STAR WARS films, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE is set some 30 years before the original STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE in the era of the Republic. Naboo, a peaceful planet governed by the young but wise Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), is being threatened by the corrupt Trade Federation, puppets of an evil Sith lord and his terrifying apprentice, Darth Maul (Ray Park). Jedi knights Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, performing an amazing vocal imitation of Alec Guinness, the older Obi-Wan) are called on to intervene in the trade disputes. Along the way, they acquire an apprentice of their own in the form of young prodigy Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), or as STAR WARS fans know him, the future Darth Vader. They also encounter Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), a goofy, lizardlike creature who has been banished from his underwater world for clumsiness. When the Trade Federation launches an attack on Naboo, the queen and her allies must battle hordes of robot troopers while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face off against the sinister Darth Maul. One of the most anticipated films of all time, THE PHANTOM MENACE sets the stage for the tumultuous events to come. Lucas fills the screen with detailed sci-fi creatures and locations, revealing the most creative and exquisite sets, costumes, and character designs to hit the screen since the original trilogy

REVIEW:

A Baaaaaa! Da da duhhhhhh…ba da duh da duh duh duhhhhh.. Bah bah baaah baaaah ba ba baaa baaaaaaa baaaaa. It was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Ever since George Lucas renamed the Original Trilogy (OT) years ago to have episode numbers, fans have been waiting on edge for the prequels to the biggest feature films of all time. There is no argument, nor comparison. Star Trek and Lord of the Rings can kiss my wookie. But sadly, this outing didn’t match fans expectations.

The Story:

The most repeated phrase for this review is going to be “hit or miss.” Simple as that. The story, jumps between awful moments that we don’t need, and spectacular moments that drop your jaw. The problem is that the former is the majority overall. Lucas has no box to be put in so it’s very much that vain indie film maker mentality of “I know how to do it better than the studio.” Which is very apparent in his commentary and bonus interviews. Most of the story is bogged down in details and that’s the problem overall. Yes, it’s nice to see someone selling alien snacks at a podracing event, but it’s not something we need to designate 5-7 seconds to in a stand alone shot. This, in small doses, is alright, but Lucas runs with it too far. Showing every nook and detail of the worlds he has us in with spot light shots (basically featuring just the detail alone) and not contributing anything to the overall story. These short details add up in time and slow the story down. Secondly, the story is paced way to slow. Many of the attempts to bring some life to it feel forced upon repeat viewings – most notably the Qui-gon VS Darth Maul on Tattooine battle. Lucas could have had a shorter film that was paced better if he hadn’t had 2 fish chase sequences back to back that both end the same exact way…I’m still trying to figure out why the hell we watch the same exact thing twice. If anyone knows, please feel free to drop me an email.

Acting:

Alright, here we go again with “hit or miss”. Neeson – hit. McGregor – hit. McDiarmid – Hit. Lloyd – Miss. Portman – Miss. Jackson – ….that one is a 50/50 for me. The biggest ball dropped is Jake Lloyd. I’m sorry – he’s a horrible child actor. The blame does fall to Lloyd’s ability, or lack thereof, and Lucas’ casting decisions here. What’s mind boggling is watching the bonus features and seeing the footage of the two boys it came down to for casting Anakin and Lucas picks Lloyd, who also sucks in the audition. The other boy is fantastic and from that screen test, in this reviewers opinion, would have made the film a lot stronger and more legitimate. Oh and then there’s Ray Park as Darth Maul – That my friends, was a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th in the championship game.

Directing:

Lucas sees these films as his tribute to the old sci fi serials. A vision that was disregarded by Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher back in the days when he was a little known director. But over time, his reputation has been built off the franchise that he only wrote and directed one film of. Thus, I believe a lot of his direction is taken too close to heart by the actors. Namely, Portman and Jackson, whom I know are capable of a lot more.

Cinematography:

The last Star Wars film to be shot on 35mm. And it shows, in a good way I mean. I love the way 35 looks with this world. In such an epic and fantastical tale, it’s nice to see the grain of film that reminds the viewer of reality. Granted, there’s less control over the image but that’s one of the creative boxes Lucas couldn’t get out of yet. It also most likely diminished a lot of the stylized CGI worlds that were to come. Everything is beautifully lit and framed and there’s never a moment your eyes want to look away, unless of course it’s the back of your eyelids.

Production Design: When it’s actually there, it’s great. I’m a fan of minimal CGI and I enjoy seeing the craftsman ship employed on actual objects an applaud the “movie magic” of yesterday that earned that illusion of disbelief. It’s stylized, but still fits this world and shows early indications of what’s to come in later films. A nice luxury of making a prequel.

Editing: Here’s where they could have done a lot of fixing in terms of the scripts pacing. But it’s not. I feel like the editors, mainly Smith, were influenced by the omnipresence of George Lucas. The Podrace is 10 minutes long. That’s 4 minutes too long by my count. Do you know what you can get done in 4 minutes in a feature film? And again…the “always a bigger fish” twice….come on? Was it so boring in the editing room that everyone fell asleep at the Avid and forgot to extract that scene from the timeline?

Score: John Williams. Duh? Duel of fates sold that score alone. I don’t know if I’d say it tops the OT score, but it definitely defines the new trilogy as having a similar, yet original score of it’s own.

Special Effects: “Too much of a good thing.” I cannot speak ill about the accomplishments of the CGI, but I feel as though there’s way to much, even when there’s no need for it. It over stylizes the film and really takes the audience out of the emotional connection with the characters and the surroundings. I realize puppets and animatronics and real sets are hard to create and cost a lot of money, but if you’re a real artist, you understand that it’s a better pay off in the long run.

In closing: I like this movie. A lot. I hope my review doesn’t lean too much towards the negative side. It’s just not the same as I expected. Which is hard to justify because I’m a film maker and a fanboy of this series. I think as a collective group we all expected the following most of all –

1) An older Anakin right from the start – preferably with better acting.
2) Lucas, being notorious for one single line of directing on A New Hope, “Faster and more intense” would echo that again. Instead we got “Slower, and more subdued.”
3) No Jar Jar.
4) A bit more of darker story tones. I’m not talking The Dark Knight here, but sparing moments to foreshadow Anakin’s eventual turn to the dark side.
5) No Jar Jar.
6) More action. The film plays like a drama instead of an adventure. And the majority of the action is rarely justified. Michael Bay does a better job at explaining why some things blow up in his movie than a couple moments in this film.

Had these things been focused on more, I feel like would be obsessed with this movie and fans would have received it a lot better.

On to Star Wars: Attack of the Clones…..

….and no Jar Jar.

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