I Luv Movies: Comic Book

Showing posts with label Comic Book. Show all posts

Thursday, July 31, 2025

SUPERMAN (2025)

Written & Directed by James Gunn

Where & When: AMC The Americana at Brand 18, Glendale, CA. July 13, 2025 1:30 PM

Since his creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster eighty-seven years ago, Superman has endured as an iconic, super-powered, crime-fighting character that helped popularize the comic-book genre. Since 1940, he has appeared in numerous radio serials, novels, films, television shows, theater, and video games.

Now the latest film reboot, simply titled "Superman", has James Gunn behind it, the writer and director who boldly shook-up the formula of the genre (somewhat) with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy by taking us on a weird, wild ride with off-the-wall heroes and some unexpected dark humor. With this film, Gunn does mess around with our expectations of these very familiar characters. Some of these changes feels inspired while other transitions comes across as painfully awkward. But what this "Superman" has done successfully is brought a fresh excitement to this legendary hero's story and taking us on a thrilling, offbeat adventure we hadn't anticipated at all.

Assuming we are all well familiar with his backstory, the film begins with Superman (now played by David Corenswet), badly hurt and unable to make it on his own to his secret ice fortress in Antarctica, whistling. This calls for his super-powered dog, Krypto to race through the snow to help his master. We learn that Superman had lost his battle against a metahuman called the "Hammer of Boravia", who is under control by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), a wealthy tech wizard whose prime focus is to destroy the Man of Steel. After recovering with the help of his team of robotic helpers, Superman returns to Metropolis under his secret guise as Clark Kent, an unassuming reporter for the news organization, The Daily Planet. Clark might spar with his fellow reporter, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) at work but after hours, they are privately having a romantic affair with her fully aware of his true identity. Lois cares for her Superman but unsure if this relationship is really such a great idea.

Luthor is still determined to finish off Superman. After having another metahuman collaborator, The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) break into Superman's fortress, she discovers a message from our hero's parents (Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan) that was with him when he was sent to Earth as an infant from his doomed home planet, Krypton. The end of the communication had been damaged during the journey and Luthor uses his technology to repair the message, discovering that the parents had requested a malevolent plan for their son. Luthor broadcasts this disturbing recording to the world with the public quickly turning against Superman and the government demanding that he be locked up for questioning.

After being unceremoniously dropped from Marvel/Disney over some controversial jokes he had made in the past, Gunn was hired to breathe fresh new life into the DC Universe. The recent films over the last five years ("The Suicide Squad", "Black Adam", "The Flash", "Blue Beetle", "Shazam! Fury of the Gods") have all struggled at the box-office. "Superman" is the first big step and Gunn has certainly succeeded in launching an intriguing new direction for the comic-book series. The film is a visual wonder with a spectacular-looking Metropolis and riveting battles against odd looking creatures and mutated super-beings. I was very surprised to learn that the dog, Krypto was completely a CGI creation, leaving me impressed (and a little disturbed) over the endless possibilities of this technology.

In the previous movies, there was clear distinction between good and evil with Superman being a powerfully stoic, near-perfect figure that fought against sinister forces while representing solid American values. With "Superman", the spirit here is more shades of nonpartisan gray. The heroes of the Justice Gang, Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), who help Superman in his battle against Luthor, have no issues with killing anybody in their way when they feel necessary. But the noticeable difference about this Superman is that he's motivated by the unshakable belief of decency and that all life is valuable. Even that dirty squirrel deserves to be saved from a certain death.

As our latest "Superman", Corenswet, who had made supporting appearances in several films and television programs before Gunn had noticed him in Ryan Murphy's overripe Netflix series, "Hollywood", perfectly captures the classic image of our hero. But his take features Superman as far more vulnerable than he's appeared in the past. Superman is still a brave and amiable protector with midwestern values yet somewhat very naive to the self-involved mindset of this modern world. He's made to constantly question his beliefs by friend and foe, which in turn weakens him psychologically and causes him to lose in battle more than once. Luthor, Superman's longtime arch-nemesis, has been given a slight makeover that makes him an attractive, compelling presence than previously seen. Curiously modeled after Elon Musk, Hoult brings an oily charm to the vile billionaire inventor who seethes with irrational rage over the universal praise Superman receives from the public. Brosnahan's Lois Lane fares less well here. Many of the recent screen versions of Lane has made her a shrewd, fearlessly independent reporter. Brosnahan has a few opportunities to display some of this resourcefulness but she's basically on the sidelines here, given perfunctory chores to do during the attempts to save her man. And there's not much of a persuasive spark happening between this couple on screen either.

Considering the politically volatile times we're currently living in, "Superman" has managed to stir up accusations of being "woke". There is no doubt that Superman might be perceived as left-leaning yet there is no political agenda in this film beyond simply presenting this alien hero from Krypton in our present day and how he most likely would be received in it. The world has grown far less trusting of people who are considered to be "different" and the idea of a super-powered being from another planet making decisions for this entire planet would have the minds of conspiracy theorists going into manic overdrive.

But "Superman" has a warm, vibrant energy generating throughout this stylish, entertaining adventure. This is helped by Gunn effectively sticking to the core of what has made this classic comic-book star still appealing; a noble, kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of morality and justice. This is the kind of super-hero that we really need right now and anyone from any political affiliation should be able to get behind.

Monday, March 21, 2022

THE BATMAN (2022)

Written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig

Directed by Matt Reeves

Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 8, 2022 4:25 PM

In this third big-screen iteration of Batman, co-writer and director, Matt Reeves has moved this legendary comic-book crime fighter deeper into the darkness with "The Batman", set in a dystopian Gotham City so overcast by anarchy, corruption and depravity that sunny optimism is barely able to break through. Wearing the bat-cowl and cape this time is Robert Pattinson, an unexpected yet inspired choice, bringing to the role a far more somber and psychologically damaged Bruce Wayne who is motivated purely by vengeance, aggressively battling against felonious behavior with his own brand of vigilante justice.

Thankfully we do not have to once again relive the tragedy that happened to young Bruce Wayne when he witnesses his parents being murdered during an attempted robbery. But this traumatizing event remains a catalyst which not only drives the brooding, angst-filled Wayne but becomes indirectly connected to a recent crime that has been committed. On Halloween, the city's mayor, who was running for re-election, is brutally murdered in his home. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), a lieutenant officer signals Batman to the crime scene. Only operating as the costumed hero for two years, he is an unwelcome presence by the police, particularly by the police commissioner (Alex Ferns) who considers Batman no better than a common criminal. But Gordon, who is a strong ally, called Batman because a note was left behind by the killer, who calls himself, "Riddler" (played largely unseen by Paul Dano), specifically addressed to him with a riddle to solve. Not long after, the police commissioner and Gotham's district attorney (Peter Sarsgaard) are killed in similarly grisly fashion by Riddler, each time leaving a riddle for Batman, serving as clues for the reason behind his crimes.

One clue leads Batman to the Iceberg Lounge, a seedy nightclub run by Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) who is referred to as "Penguin". As an associate of crime lord, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Cobblepot has no intention of helping Batman with anything. But he finds a waitress, Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) working in the club who personally knows the clue he's seeking; her roommate, Annika (Hana Hrzic). But she's has been abducted and the two must work together to find Annika, in order to get answers to stop Riddler. And Selina, a skilled fighter with an affinity to cats, is more than capable of handling herself.

Despite a runtime of one hundred and seventy-six minutes, "The Batman" surprisingly doesn't feel excessive, using the time effectively to introduce us to some intriguing remixes of these familiar characters and holding our attention throughout with a harrowing storyline. On the surface, "The Batman" may appear like your standard super-hero adventure but the script by Reeves and co-writer, Peter Craig (who is the son of two-time Oscar winner, Sally Field) digs deeper, offering something introspectively complex, precarious and mature. Using the graphic novels, Frank Miller's 1987, "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: Earth One" from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank in 2012, as starting points, the story is driven with an emphasis on the detective-thriller elements, having far more in common with the dark, psychological complexity of "Se7en" and "Zodiac" than say, "Justice League" (either version). Set in a alternative vision of NYC, cinematographer, Greig Fraser artfully captures a Gotham City that merges the dangerous times back in the '70's and the more current bright-lights version with a perpetually gloomy, shadowy atmosphere, even in moments taking place during the day.

Pattinson first found fame playing the sexy vampire, Edward Cullen in "Twilight", the romantic-fantasy trilogy based on the wildly popular books by Stephenie Meyer. And after that initial taste of unbridled passion from the rabid fans of these films, it seems the British actor decided to run far away from these high-concept movies, spending his time working with indie-minded filmmakers like David Cronenberg ("Cosmopolis"), Claire Denis ("High Life"), the Safdie Brothers ("Good Time") and Robert Eggers ("The Lighthouse"). Now with over ten years passing since "Twilight", Pattinson feels comfortable enough returning to mainstream entertainment, appearing in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi, action thriller, "Tenet" before stepping into the batsuit. Unlike the character seen in the past, usually portrayed as a wealthy playboy, Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is a millennial; pessimistic, dubious and having little interest in the trappings of his family's vast empire, leaving Alfred (Andy Serkis), a military veteran now his butler, mentor and de facto parental figure, to handle the business affairs. He is so laser-focused on combating crime as Batman, subconsciously trying to avenge the murder of his parents, that it leaves him little time to enjoy any sort of real life as Wayne.

But Selina Kyle does spark something in Batman during brief yet potent occasions where they actually appear interested in a physical entanglement together that doesn't involve crime fighting. I can't recall a time in any super-hero movie where one of these characters actually plants a passionate kiss on anyone and that event in this movie felt astonishing to see. Much like "Joker" (which was elevated by the deeply committed, Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix), "The Batman" moves the comic-book based movie in a thrilling new direction, pushing out of the family-friendly comfort zone as far as possible into something that feels more adult. And while it may not actually be groundbreaking, Matt Reeves brilliantly shakes up the routine and challenges the expected convention of this genre.

Sunday, October 17, 2021

COMING SOON

As Daniel Craig says goodbye to the British spy, James Bond in his final film as the iconic character in the long-running franchise, "No Time To Die" (with the search for a replacement to begin in earnest next year), another legendary fighter against crime is in line for a reboot: Batman. This follows Christopher Nolan's critically praised, box-office sensation trilogy that ended with "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2012 and the brief fling with Ben Affleck filling in for the character in the less revered films, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Justice League".

Now Matt Reeves, the filmmaker behind "Cloverfield" and the admired franchise sequels, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and "War for the Planet of the Apes", is taking over this iteration, directing and co-writing the script with Peter Craig which is based on the classic Frank Miller 1987 comic-book story arc, "Batman: Year One" and the limited comic-book series, "Batman: The Long Halloween". The new guy in the Bat suit (following Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Affleck, in case you might have forgotten) will be Robert Pattinson, the British actor who first found fame in the popular "Twilight" film series and has been fighting against being typecast in the image of a sexy vampire heartthrob ever since. I guess enough time has passed for him to decide to get back in to another franchise.

A new sneak-peek of "The Batman" has dropped and this looks to be an even darker version of the Dark Knight. The focus of this film will be on Batman's initial period of fighting crime in the increasingly corrupt Gotham City and his first meeting of the recently transferred police detective, James Gordon (played by Jeffrey Wright) and their developing relationship. This is also when he first encounters his famous arch-enemies, the Riddler (Paul Dano, not actually seen completely in the trailer), the Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). Based on the spotty track record over the long, cinematic history, it's still unclear if "The Batman" will be really intriguing or incredibly disappointing.

"The Batman" is due in U.S. theaters on March 4, 2022

Thursday, October 31, 2019

JOKER (2019)

Written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver

Directed by Todd Phillips

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. October 7, 2019 5:45 PM

The Joker, the deranged and insane comic-book villain, is just as well known as his arch-nemesis, the Dark Knight or as most of the world refers to as Batman. I guess some thought that he deserved to have his back story told and we now have "Joker", a divisive and provocative work which explores how a sad, mentally disturbed man is pushed by a cruel, indifferent society in to becoming a cruel, homicidal messiah.

Todd Phillips, the director behind the high-concept comedies, "Old School" and "The Hangover" trilogy, has surprisingly been given the reins of this violent thriller. He has effectively created a world that goes far outside of what you would normally find in a movie based on comics, a place that is far more sinister, frightening and credible. And we have Joaquin Phoenix, the three-time Oscar nominee who is best known for his impressive work in playing strange, offbeat characters, taking on this title character in a deeply committed performance with the actor going as far as losing over fifty pounds to make himself appear even more deviant.

"Joker" was the unexpected winner for Best Film at the recent Venice Film Festival which makes it appear like this film rises well above the standard super-hero action-adventure. While the film is certainly grounded with no costumed crusaders or CGI enhanced battles to be found yet if you remove the comic-book connection, the troubling and brutal dramatic situations found in "Joker" would be seen as far less innovative or entertaining.

We first meet Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) on the streets of 1980's Gotham City dressed as a clown, flipping a advertisement sign to promote a business. A gang of kids steal the sign and when Fleck tries to get it back, they beat him savagely. And to add insult to his injury, his boss informs Fleck he has to pay for the missing board.

Life at home isn't much better for Arthur, who lives and cares for his seriously ill mother (Frances Conroy). He not only has to take medication to help control his fragile mental state but also suffers from a rare disorder that causes him to laugh during inappropriate moments when he is stressed. This clearly leaves Arthur feeling further isolated and lonely.

Fleck seems to have a large sign on his back saying "Easy victim right here" as he becomes the target for a trio of drunken businessmen. However this time, Arthur is not left in a bloodied heap. Pulling out a gun given to him by a co-worker to use as protection, Fleck leaves his would-be-assailants groveling and full of bullet holes.

With one of the men perishing, the city is sent in to a panic, fearful that a dangerous vigilante is on the loose. The victims happened to work for Wayne Enterprises and the billionaire owner, Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) is running for Mayor. He uses this tragic situation to his advantage to show Gotham City he will be tough on crime while labeling the criminal a cowardly clown envious of rich, successful people. Some citizens find this statement offensive and take to the streets to protest in clown masks.

Mr. Phillips' goal was to make "Joker" a complex drama that does not feel like a direct extension of the DC comic-book universe. And with that, the director is successful. As a filmmaker, Phillips creates an interesting blend of realism and fantasy with Lawrence Sher's camerawork highlighting the garish and muddy colors which helps add to the urban decay of this dystopian world. But as a storyteller, Phillips is less fortunate. The screenplay, co-written by the director and Scott Silver, may have been aiming for reflective social commentary yet it's not exactly clear in what the film is really trying to say. The horrific deaths and unsettling mayhem that occur seems to imply that these victims may have deserved what came to them. I'm sure the intention is not to be rooting for the sociopathic Fleck. Or is it? Phillips has not made this clear enough in his script.

There are a few well-known character actors popping up in supporting roles including Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron and "Atlanta" co-stars, Brian Tyree Henry and Zazie Beetz who plays a neighbor who shows Arthur a brief moment of kind attention but none of them are really given much to do. And that includes Robert De Niro who appears here as Murray Franklin, a Johnny Carson-type, late-night television host. Arthur is a big fan of the show with Franklin as his inspiration to become a stand-up comedian. After performing during an open-mike and bombing quite badly, Fleck's taped performance ends up going viral, catching the attention of Franklin who invites him on the show. Fleck accepts but at this point, he's off his meds due to budget cuts and no longer in a joking mood. De Niro is kinda sleepwalking through the film but the real purpose of his appearance was clearly designed to make a subliminal connection to the disturbed and delusional characters he once played in the Martin Scorsese films, "Taxi Driver" and "King of Comedy". There are also elements of the celebrated director's early 1970's work used in "Joker" to help inspire an atmospheric shorthand for the dirty, gritty city of this world yet it comes across as lazy and trite.

What makes "Joker" work at all is the wiry and zany performance of Phoenix. It was reported that the actor was extremely reluctant to take on this iconic role. But once he was reassured that this would not be a conventional version of the character, he was comfortable to join the project and let himself go creatively. Nothing that Phoenix does here is remotely predictable, skillfully going from sensitive and caring to unhinged and ferocious, sometimes impressively all at the same time. Without the sensational work of Mr. Phoenix, you would be far more aware of the thin characterizations and cliched situations that fills the rest of the film.

To me, "Joker" is a sordid, unrelentingly bleak and miserable cinematic experience. Yet people have responded to the film in great numbers, clearly seeing it multiple times to make it not only one of the biggest hits of the year but on course to be one of the rare films to make over a billion dollars at the worldwide box-office. What does this mean? Perhaps people are connecting to the themes of destructive anarchy and violently rising up against the greedy rich. Maybe they are enjoying a refreshing new way of telling a comic-book story that doesn't involve super-powered, costumed heroes or high-flying battles. Or it could be that audiences are just simply entertained by the dark humor in this well-crafted yet unsettling drama that is anchored by a wildly dynamic performance by Mr. Phoenix. No matter. I'm certain nobody is going to see "Joker" to find any dark, hidden messages. Or are they?

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019)

Written by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck and Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck

Where & When: Vista Theatre, Los Angeles, CA. March 19, 2019 2:00 PM

"Captain Marvel", the latest Marvel super-hero action-thriller, is groundbreaking for exactly one reason. After twenty feature films which brought to the screen their popular characters and introduced the somewhat, lesser-known heroes, this is the first of the comic-book movies to showcase a female in the lead. Brie Lawson plays the intergalactic being with a mysterious past and little memory of it who will ultimately become Captain Marvel. And while the Oscar-winning actress is certainly able to deliver some gravitas to our hero, the colorful costume still feels ill-fitting on her. She is unable to create much of a distinctive personality for her powerful character and the film itself cannot overcome a generic quality to this ponderous adventure.

There is a brutal conflict between the alien worlds of the Kree and the Skrull. We meet Vers (Lawson) after she awakens from another dream which involves experiences that feel like they were real. She is a young member of Starforce, a Kree military unit, and under the tutelage of the group's commander, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). Impulsive and emotional with the ability to project energy which she's not completely able to control, the commander trains Vers hard in order to break her of this so she can become the perfect warrior.

Starforce, which includes Korath (Djimon Hounsou), Att-Lass (Algenis Pérez Soto), Bron-Char (Rune Temte) and Minn-Erva (Gemma Chan), is sent on a mission to rescue one of their undercover operatives who is infiltrating a group of Skrulls, who have the ability to shapeshift. But it's a trap and the Skrulls capture Vers. As they approach 1990's Earth, the Skrull commander, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) attempt to extract memories from her with a probe. Realizing that her dreams are actually a reality that happened on Earth, Vers manages to escape and crash lands on our planet.

She runs in to Nick Fury, at this point just a low-level agent with S.H.I.E.L.D. (and played by Samuel L. Jackson who was digitally-enhanced to take some years off of his actual age), who team-up to discover her past. Those triggered memory fragments leads them to visit former Air Force pilot, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) in Louisiana. She reveals that Vers appears to be her best friend and fellow pilot, Carol Danvers that apparently died years ago in a crash with an experimental jet. And this jet was designed by Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening), a figure featured prominently in Vers' dreams.

The Skrulls are hot on her trail with Talos disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Keller while Yon-Rogg and his crew are not far behind. This leads to Vers discovering the truth behind her part in this war between the Kree and the Skrulls which will allow her to release the full potential of her incredible powers.

Another attempt by Marvel to shake up the routine was by hiring Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck to write and direct "Captain Marvel" with Ms Boden the first woman to direct one of their movies. The team (who are not a romantic couple) is best known for their indie dramas like "Half Nelson", "Sugar" and "Mississippi Grind" and their script for this film, (which was co-written with Geneva Robertson-Dworet who wrote the recent "Tomb Raider" reboot) while not completely ignoring her gender, wants to keep the focus on our hero's quirkiness and her humanity. But displaying some compassion and offering a few bad jokes isn't enough to make this cosmic Captain particularly engaging. Since this is an origin story, there's a lot of sitting through exposition and introductions with it all being done in a long-winded and mundane way. The unexpected twist in the third act regarding the actual reason behind Vers' involvement in this war is clever and intriguing but most everything that has lead us to it is not.

Ms Lawson, who we know is more than capable of being captivating on screen from her impressive work in "Short Term 12", "Trainwreck" and "Room" which won her the Best Actress Oscar, seems to struggle with finding a balance between her character's human and super-human sides with her settling for a bland middle ground. Yet Ms Bening, on the other hand, (who also makes her first appearance in a super-hero flick) is effortlessly fascinating as she embodies authority with her brief appearance as the scientist who is also mysteriously connected to the Kree–Skrull War. Someone should build a movie around her character or better still, put this actress in the lead of any Marvel adventure.

For all its efforts to be seen as a bold and monumental achievement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Captain Marvel" never moves much beyond this sentiment. The movie seems content floating along with uninspired battles, predictable explosions and lame attempts at humor. But this is supposed to be viewed as an innovative advancement simply because a woman is at the center. They seem to be implying that should be enough. But it isn’t.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

STAN LEE (1922 - 2018)

We have sadly lost Stan Lee, the co-creator of many of the comic-book characters in the Marvel universe, who passed away on November 12th at the age of ninety-five. Lee was responsible for pioneering a new way of storytelling in comics which were initially designed only to appeal to children by addressing more mature themes and in the process keeping readers well in to adulthood. His superhero creations which include Iron-Man, the Hulk, Fantastic-Four, The Avengers, Thor, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and probably the most popular, Spider-Man, helped transform the industry with down-to-Earth characters that were complex with human problems and fears. After they were adapted for the big screen, beginning with "X-Men" in 2000, these heroes became even more popular and the films went on to be global, multi-billion dollar successes.

Born Stanley Lieber in Manhattan, he began his career in comics at the age of seventeen as an assistant for Timely Comics doing various odds jobs before getting a chance to write and create characters. After serving in the U.S. Army during WWII, Lee returned to work at Atlas Comics and soon became editor-in-chief. The company eventually became "Marvel Comics" by 1961 with the first issue of "Fantastic Four" which Lee created with artist, Jack Kirby. This series broke convention with flawed super-powered heroes and helped usher in a new era in comic-books.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017)

Written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon

Directed by Zack Synder

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. November 21, 2017 5:45 PM

"Justice League", Zack Synder's chaotic and uninspired gathering of DC Comics superheroes, was supposed to be the icing on the cake. After reintroducing Superman to a new generation with "Man of Steel", followed by a new Batman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" which also brought Wonder Woman (and very briefly, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg) to our attention, this film was destined to be the thrilling adventure fans had been highly anticipating. However, that has not come to pass. While those previous films were hardly great, "Justice League" ends up being the worst of them all. Sluggish pacing and a colorless script that features a very generic villain has made finally seeing all these classic heroes together in one film a decidedly disappointing experience.

Our story continues where "Dawn of Justice" left off with the world still reeling from the death of Superman when a new evil threat arrives to try and take over the planet. Steppenwolf (a CGI creation voiced by Ciarán Hinds), a powerful alien, seeks to collect and unify the energies of three Mother Boxes hidden in locations around the world with the aid of his army of Parademons, a kind of extraterrestrial flying monkeys, which will ultimately make him unstoppable.

One location is on the island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. Lead by Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), these female warriors fight valiantly against Steppenwolf but he's far too formidable and he takes the first box. The Queen manages to get a message to her daughter, Diana, better known to the world as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), warning her of the danger. She goes to Bruce Wayne, who secretly is Batman (Ben Affleck), "the Dark Knight" and both decide they will need to recruit a few others with some significant muscle to help stop Steppenwolf.

Wayne travels to Iceland to persuade the legendary "Aquaman", a super-human who can live on land or in the sea. Usually seen as a blond wholesome figure, this Arthur Curry, as played by Jason Momoa, is a long-haired and tatted-up type who's gruff and doesn't play well with others. Meanwhile, Diana locates Victor Stone (Ray Fisher), a former college football star who was severely injured in a car accident and saved by his scientist father (Joe Morton) by merging his damaged body with robotic parts, making him a brooding, super-powered Cyborg. With both declining the offer to join the team, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) or otherwise known as "The Flash", an enthusiastic teenage nerd with the ability to move at lightning speed, is more than willing to help with the fight.

They both eventually come around after Steppenwolf gets the second Mother Box that was secured in the underwater world of Atlantis despite Aquaman's attempt to stop him. And Cyborg knows where the final box is; he had hidden it after his father had used it to help save him following his accident. Batman decides they should use the box to revive the Man of Steel as they desperately need his help to defeat Steppenwolf although some are concerned about his mental state once he's resurrected.

Zack Snyder was in the middle of post-production on "Justice League" when a horrific family tragedy caused the director to withdraw from completing the film. Joss Whedon, who's had plenty of experience with sci-fi and super-heroes having worked on Marvel's "The Avengers" and the sequel, was brought on board to finish the project. Whedon wrote some additional scenes and assembled the cast back together for some re-shoots. However, Henry Cavill, who reprises his role as Superman in this film, was in the middle of shooting another sequel to "Mission: Impossible" and had grown an elaborate beard for his part and couldn't shave. CGI was used to remove the out-of-place facial hair but there are moments in a few scenes that has left Mr. Cavill's handsome jawline noticeably misshapen. It's these little things that add up to making the film feel oddly disjointed and erratic.

It's written in the DNA of comic book stories that the malevolent villain will ultimately be defeated and our heroes will once again rise to a new challenge. So what makes each story in these films interesting is the witty banter and emotionally charged moments between the characters and the rip-roaring, visually-enhanced battles these heroes engage in. While "Justice League" delivers plenty of bold visual stimulation, the camaraderie between the members of this team is lacking, with little more than indifference and petty sniping going on between them. There are some occasional funny bits scattered throughout (most likely thanks to Mr. Whedon) including a particularly hilarious scene involving Aquaman and Wonder Woman's magic lasso but not nearly enough to lighten the heavy mood.

Also like the previous films, there is still a serious problem with female characters. With the exception of our favorite Amazon, the significant roles for women featured, which includes Amy Adams and Diane Lane returning as Superman's girlfriend and adoptive mother, are not given anything substancial to do but look sad and weepy.

While "Justice League" may captivate and entertain with high-flying yet routine battles between good versus evil, it's just doesn't offer much more than that. The major flaw is that the film doesn't invest enough time in helping us engage with our heroes or making them characters we actually want to get to know better. The true inspiration seems to be simply manufacturing another cog in the money-making machine of super-hero features, creating a satisfactory yet far from superior product.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN (2017)

Written & Directed by Angela Robinson

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. October 15, 2017 7:05 PM

Wonder Woman was one of the first female super-heroes to appear in comic-books back in 1941, a time when women were not seen as much more than wives and mothers. She was the rare feminist character that was highly intelligent, powerful and strong who didn't require a man to fight her battles but still maintained traditional ideas of femininity. William Moulton Marston, an American psychologist and educator, is the man behind Wonder Woman's creation (under the alias "Charles Moulton") and with "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women", from writer/director Angela Robinson, reveals the incredibly unconventional life of the author that inspired this unique hero. Enticing and melodramatic, the film examines the eye-raising, intimate relationship between Martson, his wife and his female student yet lacks a convincing passion and spirit to fully engage this decidedly kinky material.

The film opens with Marston (Luke Evans) startled by a frenzied mob burning comic-books including his "Wonder Woman". This is followed by the professor being questioned by the director of the Child Study Association of America (played by Connie Britton) during an investigation over the effects on children to his questionable comic-book character and the depictions of subversive behavior in them.

We flashback to 1928 when Professor Marston is teaching a course on human behavior involving the dynamics between men and women at Harvard. His wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall), also a noted psychologist, works along side her husband at the school as they are struggling to develop a device that can detect if you are lying. In search of a research assistant, Olive (Bella Heathcote), a lovely, sweet-faced student, applies for the job and Marston, attracted to more than just her brain, quickly hires her. Outspoken, opinionated yet insecure, Elizabeth crudely warns the shy young girl not to sleep with her husband. Horrified that she felt a need to even mention the idea, Olive wants to quit even before she starts the job. But after Marston has his wife offer a hasty apology and both are thrilled to discover Olive is the daughter of radical feminist, Ethel Byrne who is the sister of the groundbreaking activist, Margaret Sanger, they begin to work closely together.

Thanks to a suggestion by Olive, they are finally able to get the lie detector to function. And this soon leads to this highly educated couple being unable to deny that they have both become completely smitten and fallen in love with their young protégée.

This is only the third feature by Ms Robinson following her 2004 indie debut, "D.E.B.S." and the Lindsay Lohan disaster, "Herbie: Fully Loaded" the following year. Although she has spent most of her time directing for television, it's hard not to wonder if her gender has played a part in her not having more opportunities in film. This may be why "Professor Marston" has a solid screenplay and impressive performances yet features a fairly generic cinematic vision. One glaring example is when our trio make love together for the first time. With Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" blaring in the background, they come together backstage at the school's empty theater, playfully dressing in stage costumes and shot in glossy, Hollywood-styled soft focus. It's hardly a genuine erotically-charged moment or even a believable sex scene.

Once William, Elizabeth and Olive commit to their progressive relationship, they move to upstate New York where they raise together their children (with each woman having two with the professor) while telling their neighbors that Olive is a widow that they are helping out. A trip in to the city has Marston stumbling upon a tiny shop which discretely sells fetish wear and detailed instructions on the pleasures of bondage which further spurs the professor's imagination. But noisy neighbors, resentment and illness disrupts the idyllic paradise the trio have created in their home.

While no one will confuse these beautiful actors for their real-life counterparts, they are able to bring these people to life with committed performances. Mr. Evans, the Welsh actor and Ms Heathcote from Australia are quite exceptional but it's Ms Hall who is the true standout here. The British actress delivers a fierce intelligence, sharp wit and fiery passion to her role as she struggles with her mind telling her that their romantic liaison is completely impractical while her body is filled with an undeniable desire.

"Professor Marston and the Wonder Women" introduces us to a forward thinking man that greatly admired and respected women, believing that with their superior minds should be in charge of ruling the world. Although this was far from a commonly held belief in Marston's time (and not much has charged in our modern era) but with the two important women in his life that he loved to help fuel his imagination, he was able to creatively bring his extraordinary ideas to realization. The film is not entirely successful in breaking out of the usual bio-pic routine yet succeeds in opening our eyes to other uncustomary ways to love and be profoundly committed in a relationship.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)

Written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers

Directed by Jon Watts

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. July 8, 2017 5:45 PM

With the announcement that Spider-Man would finally be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the question that immediately came to my mind was do we really need another re-boot of "Spider-Man"? In the last fifteen years, there have been five features made with two actors (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield) in the role and combined have grossed almost four billion dollars globally. So I guess we know the answer to that question.

The latest revival has surprisingly been given to Jon Watts, a relative newcomer to film whose previous credit is the well-reviewed yet little-seen 2015 road-thriller, "Cop Car". But Watts had a clear plan and with "Spider-Man: Homecoming", he brings a refreshing and thrilling spark to the series. He returns to the basics of the history of this character with a high school kid trying to figure out and come to terms to what the phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" really means.

As the third guy in the spider suit, Tom Holland, the twenty-one year old British actor who made an impressive film debut in the 2012 feature, "The Impossible" and also appears in this year's "The Lost City of Z", delivers a fresh take on Peter Parker, making him filled with all the anxieties, insecurities and raging hormones of a true teenager right down to a voice going through pubescent change (in a flawless American accent).

Thankfully we have been spared another origin story with this film beginning shortly after Spider-Man's brief cameo in last year's "Captain America: Civil War" which featured a major battle that caused a lot of destruction in New York. Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) and his crew had been assigned to clean-up the city but Anne Marie Hoag (Tyne Daly), head of the U.S. Department of Damage Control, informs him that Tony Stark's company will be taking over the removal of the debris. Enraged by losing much needed income to a very wealthy man, Toomes decides to keep some of the alien technology left behind he had collected.

A few years later, Peter anxiously wants to become one of the Avengers but Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) doesn't feel he's ready to take that on full-time yet. He suggests he stay in school and "Happy" Hogan (Jon Favreau), Stark's driver and bodyguard, will contact him when needed. But the impatient Peter decides to put on the Stark-designed suit and go through the city fighting crime on his own.

One night on a practice run, Spider-Man witnesses a robbery of a bank's ATMs in progress and decides to intercept. However, these men are not only armed with standard guns and fire back on him with advanced weapons that can take down a building. After escaping, they return to their leader, Adrian Toomes who has created these powerful weapons to use in their crimes, sell to other criminals and even crafted an elaborately armed, flying costume for himself which he uses as "The Vulture".

I was concerned when I saw six names involved on the screenplay (including director, Watts) yet I was pleasantly surprised to find a cohesive script that tells a clever and witty story which is sharply focused on the awkward teenager struggling to become the crime-fighting hero he dreams of being while fighting against a disgruntled average guy who turns to criminal misconduct mainly to support his family.

There is stronger emphasis on Peter's life outside of the suit and we meet his best buddy and fellow nerd, Ned (Jacob Batalon) who discovers his secret identity. Ned wants to tell everyone at school so they would be cool but Peter is wise enough to know that would not be a good idea. If he was going to be tempted to reveal himself, it would be to take on Eugene "Flash" Thompson (Tony Revolori), a rich, school bully but also attract the attention of Liz (Laura Harrier) a pretty senior that Peter has a crush on. And we have Oscar-winner, Marisa Tomei playing a younger and hipper Aunt May who is quite concerned about the odd bruises and increasingly strange behavior of her nephew.

With Ned's help, Peter is able to study one of the weapons left behind to understand it's advanced power source and locate Toomes, with a tracking device he placed on one of his henchmen, to be able to get one step ahead of him. After discovering that his Spider-suit is set on training wheels, he also has Ned help override it's settings to release it to full capacity. Not a great plan since he doesn't completely understand all it can do but fortunately, much like Stark's Iron suit, there is a calm, disembodied voice (played by another Oscar-winner, Jennifer Connelly) to take commands and give advice on how best to solve any impending situation.

Now it wouldn't a super-hero movie without the requisite action sequences and "Spider-Man: Homecoming" has several big numbers, including the final battle between Spidey and The Vulture, that are all visually impressive yet ultimately generic. But what makes this film really noteworthy is how it makes this long revered character fun and interesting again by simply bringing him back down-to-Earth, filling him with youth, inexperience and uncertainty.

By the end of "Homecoming", we have a transformed Peter Parker and even Spider-Man, for that matter. He has matured somewhat, learning how best to use his extraordinary power to not only help mankind but also himself. No offense to any of the previous films but this is one thoroughly enjoyable Spider-Man adventure that will be remembered and long praised.

Friday, August 26, 2016

SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)

Written & Directed by David Ayer

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. August 9, 2016 5:45PM

What would happen if we lost one super-powered crime-fighter and became concerned that if another one came around, we might not be able to control them?

According to "Suicide Squad", the wildly hyper-active yet logically dim comic-book action caper, the answer would be to round up some of the world's most dangerous and amoral super-villains, attempt to control their actions and force them to do good. Based on the popular DC comic, the film wants to shake up the routine of what we have come to expect from our super-hero movies. And while writer and director David Ayer has an interesting concept to work with, he's not found a way to make the motivation behind this theory dramatically plausible or coherent. Because of this fatal flaw, "Suicide Squad" ultimately winds up falling in to the predictable formula that we've come to expect from these action thrillers but without nearly enough fun.

Our story begins where we left off at the end of "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" after the apparent demise of Superman. Locked inside a super-maximum security prison, run by a bone-headed security officer (Ike Barinholtz), are a sorted collection of super-baddies. We have Will Smith, in a rare turn as part of ensemble, as Deadshot, a never-miss-his-target assassin who is secretly trying to be a loving and devoted father to his young daughter. There is also George "Digger" Harkness (Jai Courtney) otherwise known as "Captain Boomerang", a foul-mannered Aussie who uses the device to cause harm. Due to a genetic condition, Waylon Jones (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) has a reptilian appearance and a deadly appetite which is why he's known as "Killer Croc". Chato Santana (Jay Hernandez) is a L.A. gang-banger that has the destructive power to control fire. Finally, we have the former psychiatrist, Harleen Quinzel who has turned in to the psychotic, Harley Quinn. Played with deranged gusto by Margot Robbie, this lethal beauty struts around in skimpy attire, multi-colored hair and armed with a baseball bat, ready to use it for anything other than sports.

If these criminals cooperate with helping to save the world, they will have some time taken off their sentences. However, as a safeguard, each one is implanted with a device that will cause their heads to explode if they get any ideas of trying to escape. The architect behind this deranged plan is Amanda Waller, an ambitious and ruthlessly driven U.S. government official, played by Viola Davis. The presence of this respected actress brings some much needed gravitas to somehow make this crazy scheme seem practical. She almost makes it work.

One of the first under Waller's control was the Enchantress (British model, Cara Delevingne). A once-worshiped evil entity imprisoned in a shrine for thousands of years until an archaeologist, Dr. June Moone discovers her tomb, releasing this powerful sorceress who takes possession of the doctor's body. While Waller was able to bring out The Enchantress when needed, she manages to outsmart the government agent, escaping from under her command and takes over Dr. Moone completely.

Angered by her treatment, the Enchantress plans to destroy all of humanity. After setting her brother, Incubus (Alain Chanoine) free and summoning a horde of monsters to fight, her idea is to spend a great deal of time creating a device that will wipe out the planet. Huh?? I guess we're supposed to ignore the fact that we've already seen that this evil enchantress could easily have done this deed with a simple wave of her hand. Now, I'm well aware you must suspend a certain amount of belief when watching a film involving super-powered beings but it's difficult to do when underdeveloped characters and weak storytelling feels beneath working my brain so hard. Besides if it all came to an end so easily and quickly, we wouldn't have gotten the experience of watching this assembled squad of bad guys routinely crack wise and fight together to fight a terrible force worse than themselves. Or would that really have been such a bad thing?

In addition, with a film already overstuffed with mayhem and badness, we have the iconic, green-haired villain, The Joker. Desperate to be reunited with his lady love, Harley Quinn, he causes his own mix of destruction in order to set her free. Jared Leto plays The Joker here in a performance that feels surprisingly muted considering the opportunity to go as large and extreme as possible with this homicidal character. Following in the impressive footsteps of Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger in this role, Leto doesn't offer much to make his appearance special or memorable.

Much Like "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice", "Suicide Squad" is all about the high-powered, visual spectacle. Story, character and performance trails far behind in regards of importance here. That makes this film engaging for about a good thirty minutes with the rest of the running time spent waiting for the credits to roll. And with Ben Affleck's Batman showing up along with The Flash and Aquaman popping-up for brief cameos, this also serves as cheap promotion for the inevitable upcoming films. I will sum up "Suicide Squad" quite simply. It's not exciting. It's not much fun. And it's not very good.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016)

Written by Chris Terrio & David S. Goyer

Directed by Zack Snyder

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. March 29. 2016

Plenty of high-flying, super-powered punches are thrown in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice", a bleak epic battle between these two legendary super-heroes. Zack Snyder is back with this quasi-sequel to "Man of Steel", a box-office hit that brought Superman back to the big screen. And once again, we have thrilling action sequences and mesmerizing visual effects paired with sluggish pacing and incoherent storytelling. Henry Cavill also returns (and still fills out the suit quite nicely) as an emotionally blank Superman while we now have actor/director Ben Affleck wearing the bat suit. The actor is fine as our latest brooding Dark Knight and as the fifth actor playing Batman in film, Affleck won't make us forget about Christian Bale however he leaves a much stronger impression than George Clooney.

"Dawn of Justice" begins where "Man of Steel" ends except this time we get the perspective from on the ground. Bruce Wayne witnesses the destructive aerial fight between Superman and General Zod while watching helplessly as this leads to the loss of many lives at his company's office tower. This tragedy leaves Wayne angry, bitter and quite distrustful of the unrestrainable power of this alien hero.

A few months later, an incident involving an investigative story that Lois Lane (Amy Adams) was covering goes horribly wrong with more innocent lives lost after Superman comes to her rescue. This new tragic situation has some people becoming very concerned that the crime-fighting of Superman is actually dangerous and a threat to national security. He's even called before a Senate committee to answer questions about his actions.

This is where our super-villain and his diabolical deeds of turmoil and destruction enters the story. Lex Luthor has been a long-time nemesis of Superman, usually seen as a mature, bald, twisted mastermind. But here, he's now a twitchy, millennial tech-wizard billionaire played with a complete lack of charm by Jesse Eisenberg. His mannered performance grows increasingly exasperating as he brings no convincing sense of brilliance or menace to the role.

Luthor's plan involves the lifeless body of General Zod, getting his hands on a stock-pile of Kryptonite found aboard Zod's wrecked ship and creating additional friction between Superman and Batman. It's during the Senate hearing that he sets the scheme in motion, causing deadly chaos. With Batman blind with rage at Superman, it's very easy for Luthor to manipulate a battle to the death between our heroes, particularly since he has a hostage to force Superman to fight. It's no spoiler (nor much of a surprise) to reveal that the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel manage to patch up their differences and work together against their common enemy.

"Batman v. Superman" is a slickly packaged entertainment with little motivation to offer more than your average roller coaster ride. There are brief, fast-paced thrills, chills and scares but after it's all over, it will be difficult to remember any of the fine details. What is noticeably absent is even a momentary sense of fun. This is one seriously intense comic-book movie with no jokes, laughs or smiles even briefly allowed. Gloom and doom covers every inch of the film like a very dark, heavy, dirty blanket.

A welcome addition to this male-dominated genre is the long overdue arrival of Wonder Woman. It is the first film appearance of this feminist icon in over seventy years and Israeli actress, Gal Gadot brings mysterious allure and savage power to the Amazon warrior. Wonder Woman helps the boys battle Luthor and his Kryptonian monster creation, Doomsday. As the most interesting character here, she's not in this nearly long enough. Thankfully, Wonder Woman has her own feature due next year and I can't wait.

The rest of the women in the cast do not fare nearly as well. As Lois Lane, Ms. Adams is supposed to be a sharp, modern reporter yet comes across more like a throwback to the character of the past who was continuously being rescued and comforting the distressed Superman. Holly Hunter briefly appears as a steely Kentucky Senator and while she brings life to the few scenes she's in, this is still beneath the Oscar-winning performer. However, poor Diane Lane, as Clark Kent's mother, has it even worse. The fifty-one year old actress is made to look old and haggard with little to do except be horribly victimized by Luthor.

Wonder Woman is not the only character from the world of DC Comics to appear in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice". We are given brief introductions to The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg who will all be seen in their own feature films either before or after the upcoming "Justice League" movie in which they all will be seen together. All of this promotion makes this film comes across more like an entertaining infomercial instead of a compelling dramatic action adventure.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

FANTASTIC FOUR (2015)

Written by Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg & Josh Trank

Directed by Josh Trank

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. August 18, 2015 7:25PM

The Fantastic Four are a group of superheroes, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, who gained their super-powers after being heavily exposed to cosmic rays during a space expedition. This collective became one of the most popular comic books in the Marvel Universe. After a low-budget Roger Corman production in the '90's that never saw the light of day and two more recent films that made some money but were far from critical favorites, the latest version brought to the screen is also far from fantastic. "Fantastic Four", directed by Josh Trank whose only previous feature was the low-budget hit, "Chronicle", is filled with too much silly science, dim-witted drama and not nearly enough fun or adventure.

We are given another origin story but it has been completely reworked and not for the better. This time, a teenage genius, Reed Richards (Miles Teller) along with his classmate, Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) enter their high school science fair with his invention of a device that can transport objects. While not entirely successful but it works well enough to capture the attention of Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), the director of the Baxter Foundation, a scientific research institute. He offers Richards an opportunity to further develop his project at their lab. The idea is to merge Richards' invention with a failed device created at the Baxter by a sulking Victor von Doom (Toby Kebbell) with the hope of a working machine.

Franklin's children, Sue Storm (Kate Mara), his adopted daughter and hot-headed son, Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) also help work on the experiment at the lab. After the team successfully transports a monkey to a planet in another dimension with their space shuttle called the Quantum Gate, it's now ready to test on humans. Dr. Allen (Tim Blake Nelson), the supervisor of the Baxter, thanks the team for their hard work but informs them NASA will be taking over the project. After a drunken celebration, the boys decide they should be the first to test their invention. Reed calls Ben to join them and they sneak off for a trip to another planet.

Once they arrive, the scientists set out to explore this alien world. Their presence causes a serious disruption, setting off a series of violent explosions throughout the landscape. As they race to get back to their shuttle, Victor falls in to a void, forcing them to leave him behind. With Sue back at the base to help them return, their space craft explodes on re-entry, exposing them all to cosmic rays.

We know they all survive but each has been altered with strange powers. Reed now has a body that can stretch to great lengths. Sue has the power of invisibility, can create force fields and travel through the skies like Glinda, the good witch. Johnny's body is engulfed in flames and Ben has become a giant with brute strength but his body is covered with a rock-like substance. The big, bad government holds the foursome in confinement to observe them but Richards manages to escape, feeling guilty for their condition.

A year later, the remaining three are trained to learn how to control their powers. Grimm is sent out on secret military missions with the others soon to follow. Dr. Allen is actively trying to track down Richards so he can recreate their previous voyage. The young scientist is found, mislead to return to planet with the goal of finding them a cure. After they arrive, miraculously, von Doom is found still alive. Not only has the doctor been changed, he is pissed.

"Fantastic Four" can't shake the feeling of rushing it's narrative even though the pacing moves at the speed of molasses. Even by comic book standards, the characters are non-existent with the plot over-the-top and full of gaping holes.

Social media expressed it's outrage over the casting of the African-American Jordan in the role of the usually blond, blue-eyed Johnny Storm. I didn't mind the switch (in fact, I found it the one inspired moment in this film) but what I did mind was the lack of an expressive wit the Human Torch usually displays in comics or even in the previous films. Here, Johnny Storm plays one note, unpleasantly sullen. The rest of the cast is equally lackluster with Mr. Teller, coming off his amazing performance in "Whiplash", faring best which isn't saying much. The only thing notable about Ms Mara here is the distracting change of her hair color and length throughout the film. This is the first time that the rock-covered Thing actually looks believable on screen but the complete waste of the gifted Mr. Bell (who first made an impression as a boy in "Billy Elliot") is unforgivable.

Much like the recent remake of "Spider-Man" that starred Andrew Garfield (which is incredibly getting rebooted again), this latest "Fantastic Four" feels commonplace and marginal. It may not have started out that way but after the well-publicized friction between the studio, the director and the actors, this film was a disaster that didn't have much of a chance. The results is a problematic adventure that has been salvaged the best it can.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Written by David S. Goyer

Directed by Zack Snyder

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA June 18, 2013 5:00PM

Superman, the patriotic comic-book hero who has been soaring the skies combating evil, fighting crime and protecting good American values for the last seventy-five years, has been resurrected once again for the big screen in "Man Of Steel". Last seen in the underwhelming 2006 film, "Superman Returns", writer David S. Goyer ("Blade", "Batman Begins") and director Zack Snyder ("300", "Watchmen") have taken a page from Christopher Nolan (who executive produced this film)as he achieved great success with his very dark revision of Batman. They decided a fresh spin was required and did this by giving the invincible super-hero a little edge, a few flaws and some anxiety. This veteran do-gooder seems to have been brought down to Earth as a way to make him appear more hip and appealing to modern audiences. While the idea has some merit, this 21st century version of Superman is burdened with a dark heaviness that never really feels like a good fit. All these changes hasn't made this Superman more intriging, it's actually made him blend in even more within the very crowded cinematic super-hero universe.

Since this reboot is starting from the beginning, it might seem necessary to retell the overly familiar story of how the baby, Kal-El ended up on Earth from his doomed planet, Krypton. However, this time we get a more detailed look in to the dire situations that lead up to this event. His father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), a top scientist predicts his planet will soon come to an end due to the extensive overuse of Krypton's natural resources. The military leader, General Zod (Michael Shannon) violently rises up against the ruling party and wants Jor-El to join him but refuses. The men rage a deadly battle with Jor-El losing his life but not before sending his new-born infant off to Earth with the genetic code of the Kryptonian race with him. Zod and his fellow rebels are captured and banished to the Phantom Zone as punishment

From here, the film wisely veers from narrative tradition and we next see the adult Kal-El, now called Clark Kent, and played by the chiseled and almost unbearably handsome, Henry Cavill. Clark has been drifting, traveling across the country and picking up a variety of odd jobs along the way. It appears he's hoping to find meaning to his life and place on this planet. We learn more about Clark's past through a series of flashbacks; he was brought up in Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) who found his spacecraft and raised him as their own. The Earth's gravity has given Clark the power of x-ray and heat-omitting vision, allows him to fly and has made his body structure so strong that he's now virtually indestructible. After discovering his amazing abilities and fearful of what could happen if others found out, his parents strongly advise their young son to never use his special powers publicly which leaves him confused and frustrated.

Clark lands a job as part of a scientific crew who find an alien spaceship buried in the Antarctic. Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter, Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is sent by her paper, The Daily Planet to cover the story. While sneaking out to get a closer look at the object, Lois discovers Clark, who is also investigating the vesicle. Originating from Krypton, the craft connects Clark to his history and past. Lois manages to become seriously injured while on board which forces Clark to reveal his secret to save her life.

When she returns to work, Lois has written a article about this "super-human" mystery man but her editor, Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) refuses to run this seemingly crazy story. Meanwhile, the activated spacecraft has inadvertently lead General Zod and his crew to Earth. They had been set free from their prison after their planet's destruction and been searching for Kal-El ever since. He hold the key to Zod's plan of creating a new Krypton by altering the atmosphere on Earth but it would also mean the end of all human life. Clark, now outfitted in a Kryptonian warrior uniform, has finally been given a very good reason to display his super-powers to the world as he has to try and save his adopted home.

Mr Synder began his career making commercials, so he knows how to tell a complete story with visual impact in less than sixty seconds. But "Man of Steel" is over two hours long and while the film impresses with some brilliantly, dazzling images, it's far less successful at keeping the story and pacing up to the same level. This has been a common problem I've had with most of the director's films as they tend to be highly stylised but emotionally artificial. The advancement of special effects has indeed made this film look incredibly realistic but as the numerous battles for dominance between the man of steel and General Zod mount and the city of Metropolis crumbles in the process, these scenes soon grow tiresome and more uneventful as they plod on. "Man of Steel" seems determined to put some distance from the Superman we've grown accustomed with, to the extent that the "S" word is never even uttered throughout. Lois Lane nearly gives the hero his name after questioning the large letter on his massive chest (which is cleverly not what you think it is) but this film is still unable to erase the memory of the charming 1978 film that featured Christopher Reeve in the red and blue costume that first made us believe a man could truly fly. While that "Superman" featured visuals that might be considered primitive by today's standards but it also had a sense of fun that is completely lacking in "Man of Steel" and desperately needed.

While the British Mr. Cavill (who nearly won the role in the 2006 film) certainly fills out the spandex quite nicely, his take on this all-American bred hero is pretty much a zero as far as making a persuasive impression or igniting any sparks between himself and his future long-term love interest. It's not entirely the actor's fault as the screenplay gives him no real distinctive personality or that Lois Lane displays more of a steely exterior than our Kryptonian. Ms. Adams plays an up-to-date version of the intrepid reporter who is tough, fearless and serious-minded but never comes across convincingly as a person that would ever allow somebody to sweep her off her feet. Mr Shannon is reliably good as the pathologically driven Zod and Mr. Crowe is fine in what should have been a glorified cameo but he pops up later in the film to meet his son and give him a history lesson in the form of an overly interactive hologram..

As far as these flicks go, "Man Of Steel" falls somewhere down the middle as it certainly delivers all the thrills and excitement you would expect but doesn't offer much that makes you feel like you haven't seen it many times before.. By the conclusion of "Man of Steel", Clark Kent has put on his glasses and begins his new job at The Daily Planet but now what? The whole world is well aware of his true identity including Lois Lane so there doesn't appear to be any logical reason for him to even go through these motions. A follow-up looks like a high probability but if "Man of Steel" is any indication of what to expect in the future, there might be a string of uninspired, disappointing sequels on the horizon.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)

Written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent & Steve Kloves

Directed by Marc Webb

Where & When: Vista Theater, Hollywood, CA. July 10, 2012 3:15PM

It doesn't seem that long ago since Tobey Maguire was swinging through a CGI Manhattan in a skin-tight spandex suit as the web-slinger off to rescue his true love, Mary-Jane Watson (played by Kirsten Dunst) in a film directed by Sam Raimi.

Well, in fact, it was only six years ago since this team made the last of three "Spider-Man" films and yet the series is starting over from the very beginning with a new cast and director. It feels a little soon to be rebooting this character since the previous films are still very fresh in people's memories but there's just too much potential money to be made to allow "Spider-Man" to sit on a shelf for any extended period of time.

Andrew Garfield, the British actor who is really only known in film for his supporting role in "The Social Network", has been hired to fill in the red & blue suit for "The Amazing Spider-Man". Physically, he is the polar opposite of Mr. Maguire as Garfield is tall and lanky with him playing Peter Parker as less of a nerd and more like a shy, awkward outsider. The basic origin story remains intact; the highly-intelligent teenager, Parker is bitten by a genetically-modified spider which gives him super-strength and gives him the ability to climb walls. Peter neglects to stop an armed thief and as a result, his Uncle Ben is killed by this criminal. After this tragic loss, Parker creates a costume, calls himself, "Spider-Man" and uses his powers to fight crime throughout the city.

That is where the similarities end between these films as this revamped version has made changes (most of them are minor but enough to be noticeable) and sticks much closer to the comic-books in which the films are based. We are introduced to Peter's parents who feel forced to leave their young son with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May (played by Martin Sheen and Sally Field in two of the film's many inspired casting choices) due to Peter's scientist father (Campbell Scott), whose work on a secret project might threaten Peter's safety. He also leaves behind documents hidden in briefcase.

Years later, a teen-aged Peter discovers his father's papers that indicated he was working on an experiment with Dr.Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) at Oscorp. After Peter tracks down the doctor, he reveals his identity and the documents. This proves helpful to Connors as he has been working on using lizard DNA as a way to replace his missing arm with this being the missing link that could help him succeed. While exploring the laboratory, Peter's life is changed by the bite of a spider.

Shortly after Peter becomes "Spider-Man"and takes on crime throughout Manhattan, he becomes a hero to some and a menace to others, most especially to George Stacey (Denis Leary), the police captain, who is determined to take down the masked hero. However, Captain Stacey also just happens to be the father of Gwen (Emma Stone), the high school classmate and new girlfriend of Peter's which creates some additional complications for the teenager.

After Dr. Connors achieves success with regrowing a limb on a laboratory mouse, he tries the formula on himself. While his arm is regenerated but there is a terrible side-effect which turns the doctor in to a giant hybrid of a half-man and half-lizard with incredible strength. The drug also alters his mind which makes Connors extremely violent and deadly. With a diabolical plan to change all of mankind in to a creature like himself, only Spider-Man can possibly stop the Lizard as these two super-beings battle fiercely, destroying half the city in the process.

It's a little surprising that the studio took a chance on their big-budget franchise with a director who has only made one previous film which was the delightfully charming romantic comedy, "(500) Days of Summer". After seeing "The Amazing Spider-Man", it becomes more clear on what they wanted to accomplish with this reboot as Marc Webb's major contribution was his emphasis on fleshing out the characters and his effective touch with emotion and intimacy. Much like what Christopher Nolan did when he revived the "Batman" franchise, Mr. Webb wisely surrounded the film with dramatic actors not usually associated with this type of cinema and they don't fail him as they ground all of the excessive comic-book intensity with charm and good humor. Emma Stone is always a pleasant addition to any film as she plays Peter Parker's actual first girlfriend in the comics (Mary Jane Watson became his girl only after Gwen Stacey's death caused by the Green Goblin). Her character is intelligent, funny and pretty, very much like the actress, and when she is together on screen with Mr. Garfield, they truly connect, making a dazzling team.

The script offers your standard issue super-hero plot but the writers have added nice, clever touches to make the characters feel more human and create heartfelt moments in the middle of all of the meteoric action sequences. This hero is brought down to Earth as he actually feels intense pain after each of his battles and has to figure out how to creatively explain all of his many cuts and bruises.

It seems rather pointless to question whether this film is necessary or even compare to the earlier films but this "Spider-Man" manages to hold it's own and is actually pretty amazing thanks to a well-assembled cast and it's remarkable ability to bring a winning, fresh touch to this familiar character.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)

Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely

Directed by Joe Johnston

Where & When: Emagine Cinemas, Canton, MI August 1, 2011 4:30PM

"Captain America: The First Avenger" seems like it might be at a disadvantage as it is the last of four films ("Thor", "X-Men: First Class" and "Green Lantern", in case you had forgotten) released this summer based on a comic book super-hero. Audiences could possibly be suffering from spandex overload at this point and although this film certainly doesn't offer\anything that makes it stand out from the crowd but it still delivers enough visual thrills and high-octane action to make it entertaining.

During the second World War, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a short and scrawny kid from Brooklyn, desperately wants to join the US Army to help fight against the Nazi Party. The problem is that he has more heart than brawn and Steve is rejected but he is very determined, having tried several previous times using different aliases. Steve's good friend, James "Bucky" Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was accepted and about to be sent off to Europe.

Steve decides to give enlisting one more shot and this time he is accepted due to a scientist, Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who overheard Steve's conversation with Bucky on why he wants to get in to the army. The real reason is that the doctor has a secret plan for the unfit recruit, much to the dismay of Col. Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) who thinks a better candidate could be found.

Steve is going to be used in an experiment to turn him in to the perfect fighting machine and if it works, to create an army to defeat the Nazis. With the help of inventor, Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), Steve Rogers goes from a skeletal reject to a towering, super-solider who now wears his patriotism on his newly, muscle-bound chest.

However, this was not the first attempt to create a powerful human weapon to fight in the war, as Dr. Erskine was forced to use the serum on Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), a top commander who runs Hitler's terrorist organization, HYDRA. It worked on him but there were some side effects which lead to Schmidt also being referred to as "The Red Skull".

Schimdt has discovered Dr. Erskine's location in America and has him killed, delaying the possibility of using the secret serum on other soldiers. The army only wants to study Steve in a lab but he wants to get out and fight, so he gets an offer to perform in a stage show to help sell war bonds, earning him the name, "Captain America".

Captain America makes it to Italy to entertain the troops but he is mocked by the soldiers. While there, Steve discovers that Bucky's unit was captured fighting against HYDRA. Steve is determined to rescue the men, so he gets some assistance from Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), a tough but beautiful British solider to help get him behind enemy lines.

Armed with an indestructible shield designed by Stark, Captain America, single-handily, gets inside of the HYDRA fortress and saves the troops. Captain America comes face to face with the Red Skull and the men engage in battle but the Skull manages to escape. However, the Captain discovers the location of other HYDRA headquarters

Captain America rounds up Bucky and a band of multi-ethnic soldiers begin to destroy all of HYDRA's bases but they soon find out that the Red Skull has a large scale plan to wipe out the entire planet but will Captain America be able to stop him in time?

If this plot feels familiar, well, it probably is but the story has always taken a back seat in these comic-book adaptions to deafening action sequences and glossy, computer-generated images. Director, Johnston displays great visual style and keeps things moving at a fast pace, while the script manages to capture some of the spirit of the films of the era with snappy dialogue and grand romantic gestures but "The First Avenger" soon dissolves in to a fairly pedestrian and predictable conclusion.

Mr. Evans, who certainly looks the part of an all-American (super) hero, has had previous experience wearing tights as he played "The Human Torch" in the two "Fantastic Four" movies but he was used to better advantage in those films than in "The First Avenger". The Torch was cocky and arrogant, making that hero interestingly flawed and human while the Captain is just so selfless and idealistic that it makes him bland and not particularly believable, which doesn't leave Evans really much to play. The CGI that was used to make Evans looks skinny in the beginning of the film was not always successful because, at times, it made him look like a bobble-head figure.

Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving were wisely brought on to fill in roles that have become their specialty; Jones can play gruff, no-nonsense men with a soft center with little effort while Weaving delivers his reliable, evil-personified character and both actors add much needed spark and humor to the film. Ms Atwell is sexy and charismatic as Captain America's love interest but her character is just a little too 21st century to fit comfortably in to the world of the 1940's. Derek Luke, Toby Jones and Neal McDonough are also a part of a very classy supporting cast.

Overall, "Captain America" delivers plenty of the fun and adventure you expect from this type of film, no more and no less. Also, be sure to stay until the end of the credits as you get a shameless plug of next summer's expected super-hero blockbuster, "The Avengers" which will bring together Thor, The Hulk, Iron-Man and of course, Captain America, all in one film.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

GREEN LANTERN (2011)

Written by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg

Directed by Martin Campbell

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas Hollywood, CA. June 20, 2011 8:20PM

"Green Lantern" is the latest DC comic-book character to be brought to the big screen. This character first appeared in 1940 and has gone through many transformations over the years but he is not as well known as their other characters, Batman and Superman. The time seems right as the technology is available to create an impressive visual world but unfortunately the film makers have not put as much thought in to character development or a decent screenplay.

The film begins with the back-story, as millions of years ago, The Guardians of the Universe, a group of supreme beings, assembled an intergalactic police force to secure and protect the galaxy from harm. This group is called the Green Lantern Corps who meet on the planet, Oa. There is a Green Lantern representative from most of the planets in the universe, which is broken down in 3,600 sectors, and they each are given a ring that sends out a green-colored power light to create whatever than can imagine to help them battle evil.

A powerful threat appears called Parallax that feeds on fear that is destroying all planets in it's path which includes the Earth. Parallax reaches Sector 2814 and does battle with the planet's Green Lantern, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison). Gravely wounded and barely escaping, Abin Sur heads for the closest planet, Earth, in search of a worthy replacement.

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a cocky and irresponsible test pilot who works for Ferris Aircraft that is run by Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), a fellow pilot and ex-girlfriend of Hal's. Haunted by his pilot father's death, Hal is is determined not to show fear, just like him and behaves recklessly.

The ring selects Hal as a Green Lantern and brings him to Abin Sur. Before his final breath, he tries to explain to a stunned and very confused Hal about the honor of this position before he is whisked off to the home planet, Oa. Hal is met by Tomar-Re and Kilowog, two fellow Green Lanterns, who attempt to explain to him their philosophy and train him on how to use his new power but Hal is having difficulty and is fearful. Sinestro (Mark Strong), the leader of the Corps, finds humans very primitive and feels that Hal is unfit to wear the ring. Hal agrees and returns back to Earth.

Meanwhile, The body of Abin Sur is recovered by a secret government agency and Dr, Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), the highly intelligent but socially awkward son of Senator Robert Hammond (Tim Robbins) has been assigned to the autopsy of the alien. While inspecting a wound on the body, Dr. Hammond becomes infected by Parallax's blood and begins to mutate, which causes his head to become enlarged and misshapen and gives him power to move things with his mind. Parallax is able to communicate with Dr. Hammond and commands him to help him destroy the Earth.

Hal has learned how to properly harness the power of his ring and realizes the eminent danger of Parallax but will he find the courage to be able to defeat this seemingly indestructible monster?

The whole back story of the Green Lanterns is convoluted and silly and I think the film would had been much more interesting if it had kept the plot more focused on the Dr. Hammond character who was much more interesting that the whole Parallax thing, which I have a feeling was the original plan but some focus group made their opinion heard and in comes another writer to appease them. It always concerns me when there is more than two writers involved on a film because it always seems to show as the script feels disjointed and incoherent which is one of the biggest obstacles with this film.

This film is in the unfortunate position of following two other comic-book based films, "Thor" and "X-Men: First Class" out this summer and like those movies, there is plenty of exciting action and better than average visual effects that is expected in this type of film, but "Green Lantern" is clearly lacking in charm (despite all of the overzealous efforts of Mr. Reynolds) and heart which made those two films stand out in this ever expanding field.

Mr. Reynolds certainly looks the part of a super-hero with his ridiculous good-looks, dazzling white teeth, and a well-defined muscular body that is encased in a costume that leaves very little to the imagination and he attempts to play the modern hero with the right amount of humor, arrogance, intelligence and vulnerability but he's still not able to make either Hal Jordan or the Green Lantern particularly dynamic or memorable.

While Ms Lively, best known for TV's "Gossip Girl", surprised me with a fine, gritty performance in last year's, "The Town" but is back in attractive accessory mode as she isn't given much to do beyond doing the girlfriend/damsel in distress role. Mr. Sarsgaard, the most interesting villain in the film, is quite impressive as his character goes through a range of emotions from being timid, frightening and sympathetic. The rest of the film is filled out with a very classy cast including the voices of Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan as the Green Lantern trainers and the very welcome return to the big screen of Angela Bassett.

As far as super-heroes movies go, "Green Lantern" is much better than the 2003 misfire, "Daredevil" but no where near the majesty of "The Dark Knight" which managed to combine thoughtful story-telling and fine acting with action-packed adventure. You certainly won't walk out of "Green Lantern" feeling ripped-off as it fits perfectly into your typical formulaic summer movie fare but it never manages to soar above that to make it truly engaging or significant.