Weekend Box Office (April 26th - April 28th)

Weekend Box Office Report (April 26th - April 28th)

Disclaimer: Every Monday, I will post the top five movies that grossed the most money DOMESTICALLY (in the United States), with some brief thoughts about each film. 

1. Avengers: Endgame ($357.00 Million): The 300 million dollar mark was said to never be breached, ever in the history of modern cinema. Even Avengers: Infinity War, which was perhaps one of the biggest movies ever, that was playing in every single cinema for opening weekend around the clock, was able to make $257 million. And yet, somehow, some way, Avengers: Endgame made the record look, for lack of a better word, absolutely stupid. Three hundred and FIFTY million dollars. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY. If that doesn't scream success, I don't think anything does. I honestly don't. 

2. Captain Marvel ($8.05 Million): And once again, Marvel making a statement; Captain marvel, the other Marvel movie in theaters right now, is at the number two spot, sneaking past Shazam!. 

3. The Curse of La Llorona ($7.50 Million): While I didn't expect the film to make the number three spot, I did know that the film would make some amount of money to be in the top 5. But then again, there was nothing stopping Endgame. This film will dip out sooner or later. 

4. Breakthrough ($6.30 Million): The Christian movie continues to draw an audience. It's the most respectable showing at the box office since the recent film I Can Only Imagine.

5. Shazam! ($5.52 Million): Shazam! deserves better. It really does. I think out of the three comic book movies, it's the second best and I think that all three are great. Hopefullly this gives DC confidence though. 

How Did I Do (Weekend Box Office Predictions)
Number of Films Correct: All 5
Number of Films IN RIGHT SPOT Correct: 3 (Avenges: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Breathrough)

Avengers: Endgame Makes 1.2 Billion Dollars Worldwide in ONE Weekend

Avengers: Endgame Makes 1.2 Billion Dollars Worldwide in ONE Weekend

Everyone knew that Avengers: Endgame was going to be the biggest movie of all time, even having a chance to beat Avatar for the number one spot at the worldwide box office. And while we knew that this movie would be successful, the box office returns have been absolutely spectacular - according to reports, the film has grossed a whopping $1.2 billion worldwide in ONE weekend. And while this doesn't necessarily mean that the film will beat Avatar, it is absolutely well on its way. 

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. 

Dumbo (2019) - Review: A Big Heart is What Really Helps Dumbo Take Flight

Dumbo (2019) - Review: A Big Heart is What Really Helps Dumbo Take Flight

Release date (US): March 29th, 2019

Starring: Eva Green, Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito, Michael Keaton

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

Everyone knows about Dumbo. Disney has a way with their magical creatures. The flying elephant has become a staple of popular culture throughout the years, especially for children, as they remember the flying elephant with huge ears that made us believe in the impossible.

Even I, having not grown up on the film, knew the basics of Dumbo; an elephant with big ears who relies on a feather to fly but realizes he doesn't need the feather and learns to take flight on his own. But when Disney announced that they would be remaking the film in live-action, as they had been doing for a lot of their other classics, I was a little skeptical. Animation was a different story in terms of making an animal that doesn't talk the protagonist because of how expressive you can make the creature through drawing. But in live-action, I wasn't quite sure.

The trailers sold me on the film, however. The sweetness, and the sadness, and the beating heart that this film has was foreshadowed by some brilliant trailers that showcased the incredible cast of Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito.

And for better or for worse, this film ended up being pure "Disney". This film is Disney encapsulated in a two hour film. The movie has the heart, the soul, the joy, and the pure exhilaration and wonder that are reminiscent of old Disney classics.

What's interesting to me is that the film doesn't actually portray Dumbo as the main character, because it knows about the limitations of making this animal the main character. But what it does do it take its stellar cast and wrap it around the elephant to accentuate the charm that this CGI creation has. And for what it's worth, the elephant works in the context of the film. The CGI isn't the greatest there's ever been for an elephant. I'm sure if you saw a CGI elephant from the upcoming Lion King compared to Dumbo, it would be night-and-day. But the filmmakers sacrifice pure realism for a little bit more expressiveness and emotion in Dumbo's eyes that do make him a little more "cartoony" but work wonders to let the audience know how he's feeling at any given point in time. 

What sets this apart from a lot of other Disney films as well is that you end up really rooting for the protagonist. Some of the latest films are enjoyable, but it lacks the true involvement from the audience that a lot of the previous films had. You really do want Dumbo to fly. I found myself at the edge of my seat when Dumbo was teetering on the edge of a platform about to fall, and there was genuine tension. I knew there was never a doubt in my mind that Dumbo was going to fall but then catch himself at the last second and fly. But the way the scenes were shot and laid-out provided actual, dramatic tension.

Anytime you have a cast as good as this one with Danny DeVito, Michael Keaton, and Colin Farrell, you're bound to get some great performances. Each one of them performed their roles exactly as they were told by the script. Their performances were extremely solid. Eva Green also has a significant role, which I wasn't expecting, but also which I didn't quite enjoy as much. Her character felt almost entirely superfluous. Again, I preface all of this by saying that I haven't seen the original in an extremely long time, and don't remember nearly anything from it, but I felt both Eva Green's performance and character was not the best.

Despite some solid performances, however, I felt that the real weakness of the movie was the predictability and the script. Every single moment of the movie, I was able to telegraph what the next few scenes and plot points were going to be. This isn't really Tim Burton's fault; he was going off of a tried-and-true formulaic type of story that was set in stone many, many years ago. So while I don't fault the filmmakers necessarily, I do have to point it out. And the script, much like the story, is a product of the original film. It's a little clunky at times, and doesn't lend the characters much room to breathe. They're very, very one-dimensional, but then again, so were the originals. It just doesn't quite lend itself to live-action as well as it could, because live-action and animation are very, very different mediums.

And since the script is so weak and the characters are so flat, it makes it so much worse when the child actors are so bad at acting. Especially the little girl; every time she said anything, it brought me back to Jake Lloyd or Hayden Christiansen from the Star Wars prequels. It was so wooden and so stiff that I couldn't believe that this was the best child actress for the role. While Colin Farrell can make a bad script work by acting around it, these children don't do the movie any favors.

But the point of a movie is so make you feel something. It really is to give you an emotional experience, and whatever that may be, whether it's horror, action, thrills, chills, sadness, you should come out of a good movie with high emotions. Many others have said that this film is "dark" for a Disney movie; I can see why this movie would be traumatic for children, but as for me, I didn't quite get that sadness that I thought I would. But on the "highs", the film really delivers an experience that is true and faithful to the original while bringing its own unique, classic twist to a new generation. 

In Conclusion: Dumbo lends itself to animation more than live-action, let's be 100 percent clear about that. The emotion needed from the elephant is less than what it could be on an animated screen. And yet, despite the weaknesses of translating an old story and an old screenplay to the silver screen, the actors make it work, and the elephant makes it work. You end up loving baby Dumbo and being able to see him overcome the odds and fly is what you really came to see in the movie. And by the time I walked out of the theater, I believed an elephant could fly - at least this one. 

The Rise of Skywalker - Who Does the Title Reference?

The Rise of Skywalker - Who Does the Title Reference?

Star Wars finally has a title for the ninth episode, and it's The Rise of Skywalker. And with it, comes eight months of speculation; what does it mean? We're going to break down a few possibilities of who/what the title references.

Kylo (Ben Solo/Ben Skywalker): Ben Solo is really is a Skywalker. The Skywalker blood flows through him, and even Snoke acknowledges this in Episode 8, referencing his grandfather Darth Vader. It's entirely possible that Episode 9 insinuates Kylo Ren's rise to power and him taking up the mantle of his grandfather, Skywalker. Maybe rise is just referring to the First Order's rise to power underneath Supreme Leader Skywalker. 

Rey?: While Episode 8 clearly debunked the theory that Rey was a Skywalker, I'm just putting this in there as an obligatory theory. There's always a chance, however small, that Rey actually is a Skywalker. Fans have been predicting this since Episode 7. But I personally think this is the theory with the least credibility. 

Anakin: This is personally the one that I want to happen the most. I think that Anakin Skywalker has remained very, very quiet in the sequel trilogy. His counterpart, Darth Vader, has remained a looming presence, but Anakin himself has been quiet. And I think it's time to give Hayden his due. I thought all along that Hayden was coming back in the sequel trilogy in some way, shape or form, but since he hasn't appeared in the previous two films, I think it's time for his return. 

Palpatine?: Is there something the Emperor wasn't telling us? It has been confirmed through canon that he was the one who initiated Anakin's birth through the force. Perhaps he's somehow connected to all of this in this mess of a family tree. It's not very likely either, but I think it's more likely than Rey being a Skywalker. 

Luke: One of the most obvious picks is Luke. He just had his big movie, but he also died before really getting a huge action scene, which a lot of fans seemed to want. So perhaps this is it; perhaps Luke, as a Force Ghost, is going to get his due and wreck some shop in the final act. Perhaps this really is the rise of Luke. 

Leia: On a more plausible side, Leia is still alive. And Episode 9 was always meant to be her film, and even though Carrie Fisher sadly passed away a couple years ago, JJ insists that there's enough footage to give her a role in the movie. Perhaps Leia will finally take the mantle of Skywalker and be the hope that the Galaxy needs. 

A New Order: This is an interesting theory that could have some plausibility. Perhaps Skywalker will become the new "Jedi" or "Sith": a new branch of Force users. This is interesting because it means Rey could take the mantle of Skywalker without actually being one. She could end the film by training the next generation of "Jedi" now known as "Skywalkers". Then again, if this really is the end of the Skywalker saga, I don't think it would be smart to end off the film with a new WAVE of Skywalkers. 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.

The Rise of Skywalker - What Role Could Palpatine Have?

The Rise of Skywalker - What Role Could Palpatine Have?

Perhaps the biggest reveal from the first teaser for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and perhaps the entirety of Star Wars Celebration was the fact that Emperor Palpatine will return in the last film of the Skywalker saga. But what does this mean for the film? What kind of a role is he going to have in the upcoming film?

It's important to note that none of the footage or the interviews seemed to indicate that Palpatine was actually alive. In a world were ghosts do exist, it's entirely possible that Sheev will be returning, but from the spiritual/ghost world, not as a physical reincarnation. While we don't know that the Sith have the power to return as Force Ghosts, JJ could introduce a whole slew of new Sith powers if he so chose, and it could be retconned that Sith can appear as a Force Ghost of some sort. Maybe he will be haunting Kylo the entire film.

But then again, it seems like Palpatine will really have a more substantial role than just a ghost. Let's look back at Revenge of the Sith. Sidious tells Anakin about the story of Darth Plagueis the Wise, who was able to defeat death allegedly, but was killed by his apprentice. It is alluded to that his apprentice was actually Palpatine himself. BUT, what if Palpatine actually was able to unlock the secret to eternal life before he killed his master. Perhaps that is how he's able to survive. 

There's the other possibility that he simply survived the fall down the elevator shaft and got into a fighter, leaving the Death Star before it exploded, where he bided his time in the Outer Rim. I would not be surprised in the slightest if it was revealed that Palpatine and Snoke were associated in some way, whether it was a master, apprentice relationship or something of the sort.

But what does all this imply for the story? Let's just assume that he's going to be alive in some capacity in a physical form. There is the possibility that he and Kylo go after Rey, but I personally don't believe that's the case. I think what would be more narratively interesting was if he was the binding force that temporarily brought Kylo and Rey together to fight a greater evil. 

The higher-ups at Lucasfilm have been saying that this film will wrap the entire saga together, and I presume that this includes the maligned prequel trilogy. So it would be very, very interesting if Palpatine really was the "big-bad" of all NINE films rather the first six. 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th, 2019. 

Coming Soon: April 26th

Coming Soon: April 26th

Every Tuesday, I will be breaking down the top films hitting theaters that coming Friday. There are a large number of films that open every weekend, so I will highlight the films that I believe will be worth seeing. 

1. Avengers: Endgame: There is only one. There is only one. No other big film is willing to open anywhere near this film because they know how absolutely enormous this movie is going to be. This is going to the film of the year, and perhaps even the defining film of the decade as it wraps up 22 MCU films in an unprecedented fashion. Look for this film to nearly hit 300 million at the box office. 

Weekend Box Office Report Predictions (April 26th - April 28th)

Weekend Box Office Report Predictions (April 26th - April 28th)

Every Friday, I look at the films opening this week as well as the films that have already opened to predict which films will be in the top 10. Let's take a look.

1. Avengers: Endgame: Was there any doubt? Ever? If there was a movie I was 100 percent confident in, it was this one. It's Avengers: Endgame. Enough said. 

2. Captain Marvel: I'm taking a gamble on Captain Marvel reaching the number two spot, after dipping out of the top five just a week ago. But I have a theory about this, and that's what makes this a gamble. I think that people going to see Avengers: Endgame who haven't seen Captain Marvel will be interested to see the Brie Larson-led film after seeing Endgame, perhaps because of how cool she is in the Avengers. With Shazam!'s box office on the decline, and Captain Marvel's on the rise, it could happen. We'll see. 

3. Shazam!: But if Captain Marvel makes it to the number 2 spot, Shazam will be close behind. Granted, neither will make the slightest speck of money because Avengers: Endgame will EAT up the box office. But it's going to be the weekend of comic book movies. 

4. Breakthrough: I'm going to play it safe; with so many comic book movies out in theaters, and especially with all the money that Avengers: Endgame is about to take, the only way to make money this weekend is with counter-programming. What's more counter programming with a based on a true story Christian film? It was in the number 3 spot last weekend; I think it has a shot to be in the top 4.

5. The Curse of La Llorona: The only reason this film is here and not dipping out like Hellboy and Pet Semetary before it is because this is only the second weekend for the film. And because of that, while it will have an enormous drop, it could be enough to hold it in to the top 5 for one more week. 

My Statistical Predictions for Avengers: Endgame

My Statistical Predictions for Avengers: Endgame

I love putting together predictions for films and seeing how accurate, or not, they are going to be. And with the biggest film in recent memory coming out this week, and one of the most anticipated films of all time for me personally, I wanted to make some quick predictions before the film opens. I've already made 10 predictions that are more story and content-based, but this time, these predictions revolve around numbers (box office, critical reception, etc.). I'll revisit both sets of predictions after the film comes out to see how well I did; without further ado, let's jump in.

Domestic Opening Weekend Gross: $287 Million

Worldwide Opening Weekend Gross: $850 Million

Total Domestic Box Office: $840 Million

Total Worldwide Box Office: $2.35 Billion

Cinemascore: A

Rotten Tomatoes Percentage: 91 Percent

Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26th, 2019.

Weekend Box Office Report (April 19th - April 21st)

Weekend Box Office Report (April 19th - April 21st)

Disclaimer: Every Monday, I will post the top five movies that grossed the most money DOMESTICALLY (in the United States), with some brief thoughts about each film. 

1. The Curse of La Llorona ($26.51 Million): Consider me a little surprised. I didn't think this film had an initial buzz big enough to propel it to 25 million+, but here we are. The horror genre seems to be getting back on its feet, and it's exciting to see films like this get a boost at the box office, despite some critical response that may not have been so bright. 

2. Shazam! ($17.34 Million): The film will hit a bulldozer come next week when Avengers: Endgame steamrolls over all the other competition, but it's hanging in there for now, at a respectable 17 million. It won't make much more than that, but it will indeed be profitable due to a small production budget. 

3. Breakthrough ($11.10 Million): I underestimated this movie. I really did. This film looks like it's going to be a lot more successful than I though, just like the other Christian movie that came out a couple years ago, I Can Only Imagine. 

4. Captain Marvel ($9.10 Million): It's back! Captain Marvel is getting a boost from a slow weekend and the impending release of Avengers: Endgame. its place on the release schedule has also allowed it to cross 400 million worldwide, and it's not going to stop. I have a feeling that because of her role in Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel will get a little more of a boost in the weeks to come as well. 

5. Little ($8.45 Million): Another film that I didn't think could make it to the top five, I believe that now this is the last week. But it made a respectable amount of money in the past couple weeks, and because of a smaller budget, looks to be fairly profitable. 

How Did I Do (Weekend Box Office Predictions)
Number of Films Correct: 3
Number of Films IN RIGHT SPOT Correct: 0

Shazam! - What do the Credits Scenes Mean?

Shazam! - What do the Credits Scenes Mean?

**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SHAZAM! LIE AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

Shazam! was a delightful film in the DCEU, and easily one of the best out of the bunch. And, like other comic book films, it has a couple of credits scenes. Let's break them down, looking at what they mean for the future of the DCEU.

Mid-Credits Scene

In the mid-credits scenes, we see Doctor Sivana in prison, writing the ancient runes to get his power back. His writings cover the entirety of the cell, and he's frantically writing until his pencil snaps and he screams in frustration.

We then hear a metallic, robotic voice coming from a corner of the room. The voice laughs and says something along the lines of "We're going to have a lot of fun", before the screen goes to black. When the camera pans up, we see a worm or a caterpillar or some sort, with a device around his neck. 

While I, along with many, were extremely confused with his appearance at first, this is a famous Shazam arch-nemesis known as Mister Mind. The villain has appeared previously in comics and is associated with Black Adam, who will be played by none other than Dwayne Johnson. Now, with the massive success of the film, there is little doubt that a sequel will head into development very soon. Dwayne Johnson has been saying that he's signed on to play Black Adam, but now it looks like he actually will be.

It's also interesting to note that Doctor Sivana has been kept alive - will Mister Mind be the next major villain with Black Adam and Doctor Sivana? Mister Mind would be a stretch for the DCEU to adapt, but then again, we've seen weird before.

Post-Credits Scene

The post-credits scene is a gag scene that was seen in parts of the trailers. It was probably cut and put in the post-credits after the success of Aquaman. We see Shazam and Freddy discussing his powers, probably during the second act of the film. The two are discussing whether or not Shazam can talk to fish, to which he responds that it's a stupid power, before remembering Aquaman.

It's a cute little gag that pokes fun at the most recent DCEU film, but really has no significance to the larger story. Still, it's nice to see references to both Superman, Batman, and Aquaman in a more "self-contained" film.

Shazam! is in theaters now. 

Coming Soon: April 19th

Coming Soon: April 19th

Every Tuesday, I will be breaking down the top films hitting theaters that coming Friday. There are a large number of films that open every weekend, so I will highlight the films that I believe will be worth seeing. 

1. The Curse of La Llorona: The horror film is not receiving good reviews at all, but regardless, this is the film that people would be seeing this weekend. It's a relatively well=known name, with some decent marketing, but don't expect it to make a ton of money either. But it's there. 

2. Breakthrough: This is the definition of counter-programming. The Christian film based on a true story also opens this weekend, and it will attract a huge audience of religious people to go see it. 

Weekend Box Office Report Predictions (April 19th - April 21st)

Weekend Box Office Report Predictions (April 19th - April 21st)

Every Friday, I look at the films opening this week as well as the films that have already opened to predict which films will be in the top 10. Let's take a look.

1. Shazam!: This one's a no-brainer. It's an extremely quiet weekend, and Shazam! is the only big budget film that has a chance of wide appeal. It won't make a lot, but I would venture to say that 10-15 million would be extremely solid. 

2. Hellboy: Despite the critical panning, I think the film still has the most recognizable IP out of all the other 4 options that I think it can (barely) make the number two spot. Hellboy is not going to be anywhere next weekend when Avengers: Endgame smashes every single record, but then again, neither will any of these films.

3. The Curse of La Llorona: There is a lot intrigue surrounding this film, but again, like Hellboy, it is getting critically panned. Then again, last weekend, Hellboy was in the number 3 spot, and I think The Curse of La Llorona has enough steam that it can sneak into the number 3 spot. 

4. Pet Semetary: It's not the best weekend for horror. Pet Semetary wasn't the most well-received out of the bunch, but then again, it was better than The Cures of La Llorona and Hellboy. It's not the best time for horror right now. But it's another big name that people may want to check out over the weekend. 

5. Breakthrough: This one is the only counter-programming film in the top five. Breakthrough is opening this weekend and I think there is an audience of Christian followers that would head out to see the film. It wouldn't be a lot, but it would be enough to hit the top 5. 

Thor 4 Moving Forward?

Thor 4 Moving Forward?

Tessa Thompson, who played Valkyrie and allegedly will reprise her role in Avengers: Endgame, may have revealed another Marvel film that's coming up in the pipeline. Speaking to the LA Times, Thompson said this when promoting her next film, Little Women.

"I heard that a pitch has happened for [another "Thor" film]. I don't know how real that intel is, but I hear that the pitch has happened. I think the idea is Taika [Waititi, who directed Thor: Ragnarok] would come back."

Like Thompson said, nothing has been confirmed, but it may mean that Thor makes it out of Avengers: Endgame. Then again, maybe it means that Thompson herself will take up the mantle. We'll have to see.

Avengers: Endgame will hit theaters on April 26th. 

New Spider-Man: Far From Home Images Showcase Familiar Characters

New Spider-Man: Far From Home Images Showcase Familiar Characters

With all eyes on Avengers: Endgame, it's easy to forget about the next MCU film that is set to hit theaters just a couple months after. Spider-Man: Far From Home has remained quiet in the past few months, but now has released a couple new images. In the first image, we see MJ and Peter in Europe, presumably. Peter is wearing his new red-and-black suit and MJ looks adoringly at her new love interest. The second picture shows Nick Fury and Maria Hill, back from being dusted, as they show Peter Parker some files. In this image, Parker s wearing his new SHIELD stealth suit that has been showcased in the trailers and in other pieces of marketing. Check out the images below.

Spider-Man: Far From Home is set to hit theaters on July 2nd, 2019.

Shazam! - Breaking Down the Shocking Surprise

Shazam! - Breaking Down the Shocking Surprise

**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SHAZAM! AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

Shazam! contained some wonderful surprises as well as many unexpected twists and turns. But perhaps there was none more surprisingly than what happened in the lats scene of the film. Again, this is your last chance to leave before one of the best scenes in the entire film is spoiled for you.

In the last scene of the film, Shazam heads to lunch with Freddy Freeman, like he had promised he would earlier. He plays it off, and it's a nice pay-off to what happened earlier in the film, where Freddy needed Shazam the most. However, Shazam's not alone, ""I hope it's okay, I brought a friend," he says dryly as none other than the Man os Steel, Superman, steps onto the screen. He sits down next to Freddy who lets out a scream and the film ends.

It's great to see Superman back on the big screen again. HOWEVER, it doesn't actually mean much when looking deeper into it. There's a reason that Superman wasn't shown from the head-up. Henry Cavill and Warner Bros. were having some disputes over the role and his contract, and after recent reports that Cavill was out as Superman, it looks like he won't be playing the Man of Steel anymore. That's why we don't get to see him in the actual scene. 

But it's important to note that Superman is THE main player of the Justice League. And Shazam being included in the same scene as him shows that Warner Bros. may not be done with the shared-universe idea after all. Then again, who knows? This could have just been a nice wink-and-a-nod, and nothing more than that. We'll have to see where this scene takes Billy Batson in the future as we move towards the next slate of DCEU films. 

Hobbs and Shaw - Trailer 2 Review

Hobbs and Shaw - Trailer 2 Review

The second trailer for Hobbs and Shaw has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: No one said it had to make sense. Not when you're dealing with Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson. So when Hobbs and Shaw releases another trailer, I expect to shut my brain off for two minutes and enjoy a bunch of nonsense.

And I did - and it was awesome.

There are some films that require your utmost attention and are so beautifully and wonderfully crafted. Then there are films like this that essentially require a tub of popcorn and a dopey grin. This film looks so unbelievably stupid that I think it looks awesome.

We see more shots of Idris Elba being the most hammed-up bad guy in the history of bad guys. Granted, if I was judging this trailer on the same scale as I would a lot of other trailers, I would be very concerned at just how much story they're showing. They essentially showed us the plot of the entire film, with Hobbs heading back home to get backup.

But you know what? It works. You don't go to these kinds of movies for plot, you go to them for the experience of flipping Jeeps and machine guns and helicopters. 

This film could be one of the worst of 2019. Or it could be one of the absolute best. 

Did it Raise Excitement? You bet it did. 

Trailer Rating: 7/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Final Trailer Review

X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Final Trailer Review

The final trailer for X-Men: Dark Phoenix has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: When marketing a film, you need to be careful about what you put out in what order. I think a lot of studios don't realize how important the order of releasing their trailers is. Because had they led off with this trailer, or even not released the last one and released this one instead, and I think the film would be on track. 

This trailer, despite everything negative I've said about the film and everything negative I've HEARD About the film, is actually rather decent.

Again, I do have the same problem I have with most of these X-Men trailers in that it shows a lot. People say that you can't possibly spoil a movie with a 2 minute trailer, but I think that you can if you cut two minutes of footage in a particular way. I was never a big fan of the idea of "show the entire beginning set up" in the first minute of the trailer. I think there's no need to do something like that, especially for a film like this.

Regardless, we see the entire set-up to the movie in a couple minutes, with the X-Men heading off to save a NASA Shuttle, and Jean gets wrapped up in the mysterious energy source. From what I've seen at least, I think this sequence looks far better than anything else that they've shown.

From there, we get to see shots of Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, and Beast, a few mutants that we didn't get as much footage for previously. And we get to see what looks like it could be a fantastic interaction between Jean and Erik, as she rips apart his helmet.

Honestly, aside from that though, this trailer is rather generic. But in a time when Fox decides to put out trailers that deliberately spoil the movie, I think generic is not a bad word. This trailer could've been a lot of worse. 

Did it Raise Excitement? I don't think anything could really change my view on this film. I think this could easily be the worst comic book film of the year. Regardless, this trailer itself was decent, so it does get points for that. 

Trailer Rating: 6/10

John Cena Eyed For Role in Suicide Squad 2

John Cena Eyed For Role in Suicide Squad 2

James Gunn's Suicide Squad film is moving full-steam ahead, set to hit theaters in 2021. While not much is known about the plot of the rest of the cast, we may have some new insight into what According to Variety, sources say that John Cena is being eyed for a role in Jame's Gunn's sequel to the critically panned Suicide Squad. No other details have been released as of yet.

Suicide Squad 2 is set to hit theaters on August 6th, 2021. 

Spider-Man: Far From Home Moves Release Date to Tuesday

Spider-Man: Far From Home Moves Release Date to Tuesday

Spider-Man: Far From Home is the next MCU film following the gargantuan Avengers: Endgame. The film was originally set to release on July 5th, 2019, which was a Friday. But now, Sony, the distributor of the film, has announced that the film will open on Tuesday, July 2nd. It remains to be seen if there will be Monday night screenings, but the move looks to capitalize on the Fourth of July weekend. 

Spider-Man: Far From Home is now set to open on July 2nd, 2019.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Teaser Review

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Teaser Review

The first teaser for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has arrived. Does it deliver? 

Thoughts: Honestly, my love of Star Wars had begun to fizzle out in the past months. I think that with the recent backlash with The Last Jedi and the lackluster performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story, I began to realize that being a Star Wars fan doesn't mean the same thing that it used to. So a lot, at least to me, was riding on this trailer. 

And for what it's worth, even though this isn't the best trailer in the world, I'm starting to wake up and come back. The weirdest thing happened to where I watched the trailer for the first time and thought, "alright, I'm not that interested still".

Then I kept watching it to see if I could pick up on little details, and I began to remember what it was like to be a Star Wars fan. Especially now, living in the culture of comic book movies and blockbusters not named Star Wars, I think that this trailer was the best thing to happen for this franchise.

While this trailer doesn't show us much, it shows us enough. It shows Rey in a desert planet, perhaps Tatooine, or even Jakku, as she flips over a TIE Fighter. We don't see who's piloting the fighter, but it could be many people; it could be a test from Luke, it could be Kylo, it could even be Palpatine (more on that later). 

We then cut to a montage of shots backed by the iconic Leia's theme (may she Rest in Peace), and we get to see Lando Calrissian again, in the cockpit of the Falcon. I'm not quite sure what role he's going to have, other than fan service, but whatever it is, bring it on. We'll see if his role really does service the story.

After some other intriguing shots, like Kylo repairing his helmet and killing someone on what looks like Endor, we finally see a shot with the entire new cast together, staring over the ocean where the wreckage of the Death Star is looming in the horizon.

Then we hear it. Palpatine's evil cackle bursts onto the scene and we get he title: The Rise of Skywalker. We'll discuss what we think it means in a future post, but for now, I think this was just enough to peak the audience's interest and let them know that a Star Wars movie is coming, and it's going to be big. 

Did it Raise Excitement? Absolutely. It raised intrigue and curiosity and I think I'm back on board with the direction that the Star Wars franchise is going. 

Trailer Rating: 7.5/10

Shazam! - Review: Overabundant Charm Smothers Some Noticeable Cliches and Flaws

Shazam! - Review: Overabundant Charm Smothers Some Noticeable Cliches and Flaws 

Release date (US): April 5th, 2019

Starring: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, Asher Angel, Djimon Hounsou

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind. 

The Review

The DCEU as we know it has not been the most celebrated franchise. As Marvel has put out quality film after quality film, DC has struggled to replicate their success with films like Suicide Squad, Justice League, and Batman v. Superman. However, as of late, it looks like they may be turning a corner with a lighter tone. Wonder Woman was critically acclaimed and made a showing at the box office as well. Aquaman was enjoyable and cracked a billion dollars. This new model of taking each film one at a time and not connecting them to an overarching cinematic universe seems to be working amazingly for DCEU.

Then we turn to Shazam!. 

This would not have been the first film that I would've done after well-known IPs such as Aquaman and Wonder Woman. It honestly wouldn't have been the fiftieth either. Granted, I am not a DC comics reader, so I don't know the elaborate history of these characters. But again, Guardians of the Galaxy worked, so why shouldn't this? 

Where I got stuck was really the trailers. I thought the first couple of trailers were some of the worst pieces of marketing that I had ever seen. But trailers don't make movies; plenty of good movie shave had bad trailers. All to say that I was not excited at all about this movie entering the month of March. But as critical buzz and positive audience reactions began to surround the film, my interest peaked, until I found myself sitting in a theater, genuinely curious and excited to see where this film would go. 

Here's what I'll say about Shazam! right off the bat. It knows exactly what it is, and it's not original AT ALL. The director, David F. Sandberg, who is known for his horror projects in the past, has said as much. He said this was a mix of Big meets Superman. He knows that this film is drawing entirely from outward source material, 

On top of that, this film is riddled with cliches and tropes that have been used millions and millions of times. DC made the unfortunate mistake of putting a lot of those in the trailer. We see Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman being beaten up by bullies. Shots of Shazam! flossing didn't course confidence through me either. There is this element of trying to be relatable to the audience while also trying to be appealing and Shazam! toes the line with that sometimes. 

BUT, what Shazam! has that not a lot of other superhero movies have is charm. It has an overwhelming sense of joy. And because of that, it works. Because it's not trying to a Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or an Avengers: Endgame, it uses those tropes to its benefit. And it uses them well. It would be one thing to say that Shazam! uses an exorbitant amount of cliches and it becomes stale, but they're used to well into the film that you forget about them.

We see Billy Batson, a boy running from foster home to foster home trying to make it on his own, until he finds himself in a foster home with Freddy Freeman, played wonderfully by Jack Dylan Grazer. Chaos ensues, and Billy finds himself in a different dimension, faced with the wizard known as Shazam, who bestows his powers unto Billy. And thus, the movie takes off.

The first fifteen minutes or so of the film did feel slow. When a movie is slow, you begin to notice things that you normally wouldn't have picked up on, for better or for worse. Slow in itself is not inherently bad. But the first fifteen or twenty minutes of this film made the cliches stand out so much more than the rest of the movie. Again, Shazam! is not inventive. It's downright copying some other films at certain points. But that's okay because it's bolstered by Zachary Levi and the rest of the supporting cast. But you don't get to see Levi until about forty-five minutes into the film, and especially in the first thirty minutes, there is so much set0up and exposition going on that the film feels like a drag to a degree.

But then Zachary Levi as Shazam appears. I can't say enough good things about him. I thought that the casting was great, even if the trailers didn't do him any favors. He's the perfect mix of dopey, charming, witty, and "kid-like". And that's what the film relies on; the duality of this character in that there's really a teenage boy living inside a superhero's body. Granted, it doesn't work all the time. There are points in the film where it really does feel like Zachary Levi and Asher Angel (Billy Batson) are playing completely different characters, to where if one transforms into the other, it's almost like they're transforming into the a different person.

But there are other points in the film where the transition between the two is seamless. They meld together so that you feel they are the same character going through the same struggles; one just happens to have the power of the gods. 

Jack Dylan Grazer, as well as ht4e rest of his family, were surprisingly charming as well. They fit their roles extremely well EXCEPT for the last thirty minutes, which I will discuss later. They provide a home for Billy, who never really had a home. Freddy, as cliche as his character is, was written so well and Grazer was given some amazing dialogue to deliver so that his cliche character felt unique.

Mark Strong plays the villain in the film, and while his motivations are set-up on paper, they don't quite come across as well as they should have. That being said, when you bring in a world-class talent such as Mark Strong, you're bound to get a great performance, and that's exactly what you get. A great performance out of a villain that was otherwise extremely average in terms of comic-book movie standards. He had his usual "bad-guy" lines and did his "bad-guy" things, and played a nice foil to Shazam in the end. What more could we ask for, I suppose? He's no Thanos, but he's no Steppenwolf either.

I felt the movie really felt the strongest during the second act, when Shazam and Freddy are experimenting to find out wha tShazam's powers are. You see a bit of that in the trailers, but you don't nearly see enough because it works so well in the finished film. There's a very nice choice of music used as well, which fits so perfectly with the character.That was where Sandberg was allowed to really make this movie his own and allowed to give these characters the "oomph" and the "realness" that they desperately needed. And because of that, we care about them despite a slow first act. 

But then the third act comes along. I will say this: it's nowhere close to as bad as the third act for Batman v. Superman. But as far as third acts go, this follows the trend of DCEU movies not being able to quite stick the landing. It comes close, but it doesn't quite do it. As someone who doesn't follow DC comics at all, they pulled a couple fast ones on me that I didn't see coming. At first, when they did that, I thought that they were absolutely amazing. But then I continued to watch the third act unfold and realized that the execution was rather poor. They felt shoehorned and just there for the sake of fan-service. Did they serve the story? Essentially, they did, but did they need to be there? Not really. 

The third act as well showcased some other weaknesses of the film. The action in the film was rather generic, and there wasn't much unique visually throughout the entirety of the movie. I think that while the action wasn't necessarily bad, there were so many more creative things they could have done with it. Granted, they didn't have a crazy huge budget, but I felt that films like Ant-Man did creative things with a smaller ("smaller") budget. There are also certain things the film lays out that they never pay off, which was rather frustrating, especially when Shazam was in danger.

The CGI wasn't great either at times. There are some points where the costume looks great - it's hilarious in the right way, in the way that the supporting characters are laughing at it as well. But there are some points, ESPECIALLY in the last thirty minutes, where the CGI is rather laughable. Without going into spoilers, almost all the characters presented in the third act look very, very, very CGI and that frustrated me a little bit.

In Conclusion: But again, all of that aside, what this film has that a lot of others don't is charm. Zachary Levi knows exactly what kind of film he's in; he knows exactly what he wants to do with the character. He makes those cliches seem original and funny because his charisma is so magnetic. You're able to see how much he loves playing the character. Without him, this film would be nothing if not mediocre at best. 

What Does James Gunn's Rehiring Mean for GOTG 3 and the MCU?

What Does James Gunn's Rehiring Mean for GOTG 3 and the MCU?

James Gunn is back! Marvel fans rejoice as the director, who had been previously booted by Disney due to comments he made on Twitter many years previous. But he's back now, and is set to direct Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. What does this mean for the MCU going forward? Are we set to see some changes?

It's important to note that first, before James Gunn was fired from Disney, he was one of the most important figures in the Marvel hierarchy. He and Kevin Feige worked closely with directors such as the Russo Brothers to craft the overall narrative of the MCU, and he was specifically in charge of the cosmic side. So it's interesting that since he has now returned, we have a leader and a visionary who will be dealing with the space elements moving forward.

Kevin Feige has said that the MCU moving forward will be dealing a lot with cosmic elements, which makes sense with characters like Captain Marvel entering the fray. Could James Gunn be overseeing, or even directing a Captain Marvel 2 sometime in the future? It's possible. What could be even more likely is Captain Marvel joining forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy at a certain point.

What we do know is that James Gunn's script was going to be used no matter who was going to direct the film. And so, his ideas and visions for the film were always going to be included. This means that Adam Warlock, who was teased at the end of volume 2, would or would not have been in the film regardless of who was directing. The more important impacts of Gunn returning lie not in the story implications, but rather the behind-the-scenes implications.

It's hard to know, especially with the film not being released yet, how much influence Gunn had over Avengers: Endgame and his Guardian character. We know the dusted will mostly return, and that probably means Quill, Drax, Mantis, and Groot. What adds an even more interesting wrinkle into this fold is that Dave Bautista, who plays Drax, wanted out of his role as soon as he heard Gunn was not going to be returning. That's why I put him as my most likely to die in Endgame. But now that Gunn is back, I think Bautista is actually one of the least likely to die. For all the headaches that he's given Disney and Marvel, Gunn is the reason that Bautista enjoys being in these films, and I think that now he's back, Bautista would quit if he WASN'T in GOTG 3.

Aside from that, not much is being said about Gunn's involvement at the present. He still has to direct The Suicide Squad, and that will remain his priority for the time being, but when he gets back to GOTG 3, we will be looking forward to that in great anticipation.