Ready Player One - Review (Non-Spoiler/Spoiler)

Ready Player One - Review (Non-Spoiler/Spoiler)

Release date (US): March 29th, 2018

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Simon Pegg, TJ Miller, Mark Rylance, Hannah John-Kamen

Expectations/Background: When I first heard of the next movie that visionary director Steve Spielberg was going to direct, I scratched my head. I confess that I had not heard much about the novel that this movie was to be based on, but regardless, I thought Spielberg had found his niche in Oscar-caliber movies and away from blockbuster type films (BFG). And to be quite frank, I had not heard much of this movie since the production began. Until the first trailer - and I confess that I did not like any of the trailers at all. Granted, a film cannot be judged on their marketing; a great trailer can produce a terrible film and vice versa. But if I had any interest in seeing this film, it dissipated immediately after seeing the first footage. The only reason in particular, come Easter, that I decided to give this film a shot was the positive word of mouth - most of the critics said that this film was awesome and worth a watch, and since there weren't many other films out, I gave it a shot. I went in completely dark, knowing nearly nothing about this movie, and what I got was... 

The Movie: A vast disappointment, in my opinion, by Spielberg standards. The visionary director, directing masterpieces such as Jaws, ET, Jurassic Park, and even The Post comes out and directs this film, which baffled me. To be quite fair to the illustrious career of the great Spielberg, this film was bad only as compared to his filmography. As a film, on its own, it's enjoyable. That's as much as I'm willing to give it - it's not great, it's barely good, but it certainly is enjoyable.  

Positives: For the most part, the performances in this movie were good. The characters felt real enough given the world that they were living in, and most of their interactions were fine. There are obviously certain characters that I enjoyed much more than others, but overall, the people that we as an audience want to focus on are fun enough to watch onscreen.

I will give the film this - at first, I thought the CGI in the video game parts of the movie was quite jarring; I understand that the film was meant to be a "video-game"-type film, but it was still rather jarring at first. But after awhile, it did become bearable (more on it later though). 

What this film has going for it is its fast-pace. Save for one scene, this film breezes by. The worst thing a film like this can do is drag; but luckily, Spielberg makes 2+ hours seem like much less because of how brisk the film is. There are certain MacGuffins that the characters that must go get, and what this film feels like is a hunt. It almost feels like a heist movie at some points. 

There's also plenty of fan-service. A major concern I had entering the film was whether or not the references would be distracting or not. We all knew when we saw the Iron Giant that this film would be full of fun surprises. And I am pleased to say that 99 percent of the references made in the movie are not distracting at all. I think that this is one of the strongest points of the movie - Spielberg is able to weave in so many different winks and nods into the story in a way that makes it rewarding to the eagle-eyed fan, and fun even for the casual moviegoer. Not only that, but a lot of the references play a huge part in the story. There's a particular extended reference/scene in the movie that delves deep into a movie, which I enjoyed immensely as a movie fan. I'm not quite sure how other casual film fans would react to deep cuts like that, but I thought that most of them were great. 

And finally, it's a feel good movie. The film's brisk pace and warm emotion that the film attempts to elicit does give the film some sense of closure. There aren't any real twists or turns in this movie, but that's alright, I suppose. This isn't a very deep film, but when you exit the theater, you don't feel awful, like you've been sitting in a dark room for 2 and a half hours. 

Negatives: Before I begin this section of the review, I would like to say - this section will be long and extensive. HOWEVER, that is not to say that I hated this film. I think there are so many things that Spielberg could have done better, and that's what I'm here to point out. But as pointed out earlier and as I will point out later in the Verdict section, I did enjoy this film. 

While I think that most of the characters were fun to watch, I think that there are a few characters that were awful, and almost absolutely useless. I understand that this film was adapted from a book, but I also know that this film took many, many liberties when it came to the adaptation, and I think that some of these characters should have been cut.

There are so many different plot conveniences as well. The way certain characters meet, the places they magically end up, it maddened me at certain points in the film. There's this one place that the characters constantly visit that was so incredibly convenient that I was amazed it was even there. Not only that, but the fact that the characters know EXACTLY what they want from this particular location without much thought confused me even more.

And here's one of the biggest flaws of this movie; the dialogue and how it was used. Let me start off by saying that, no joke, about 30-40 percent of this film's dialogue was conveyed through narration. I understand that there is a lot of dense material in this movie, but by the time the two hours was done, I had my fill with hearing voiceovers. It felt extremely lazy.

Alluding to earlier points that I made earlier, yes I did get used to the CGI. But not completely. I mentioned it in my Positives section because I believe that it won't necessarily detract from your enjoyment of the film. But, and again I understand what the source material was, watching video game-like characters for about 60 percent of the film was a little jarring and annoying. Perhaps this was my mistake, not knowing what I was getting into, but whenever the video game characters came back on the screen, it took me a couple minutes to get used to. Thankfully, near the second and third acts, the film transitions back to the real world a lot more often, but for the first hour, the CGI bogged the film down significantly.

I will talk about this more in my spoiler section, but as fast-paced as this film is, there is one 10-20 minute sequence in the film that I thought was almost completely unnecessary. There was exposition spit out like it was nothing; there is an attempted line of dialogue that tries to paint one of the main characters in a more vulnerable and human light, but it really just felt so lazy.

And lastly (more on the villains later), what I didn't like about this film was how video-game-like in nature it felt in terms of the story. Let me reiterate, I know EXACTLY what the source material is. But that isn't an excuse to make the STORY like a video game. What really turned me off of this film was that visually it looked like a video game, and structurally, it felt like a video game. It was very much, oh let's get here, checkpoint, let's get there, checkpoint, final boss, we're done. 

The Villain(s): Going into the movie, I really didn't have a clue who the villains were. I had heard mention of a couple of actors that were playing the villains, but I didn't know. What I will say about the main "bad guy" is that he did his part. The character that he was given was a complete stereotype, and there was a poor piece of dialogue that paints him as a maniacal figure, but he served his role. There were two other supporting villain characters that I thought were awful. I had no idea why they had such a huge role in the film, and I thought that they should have been cut. 

The Music/Score: Alan Silvestri composed the score for this particular film, and I thought he did a fine job. There wasn't much memorable about the score other than the opening video game-type opening score with the logo. And there was this one moment near the end of the film where he utilized the orchestra in a really cheesy way that made me laugh. But other than that, nothing memorable. 

**READER DISCRETION ADVISED - SPOILER ALERT - IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS SKIP TO "VERDICT"**

Spoilers: While I did think the chemistry between Artemis and Parsival was good, both in-game and in the real world, the way they met, the way she found him in the real world, and the awful, clunky dialogue that they were given completely took me out of it. 

Also the aunt dying was a complete and total cheap shot; I had no idea why they did that and when it happened, I didn't care at all about her because they really didn't develop her character or her relationship with Wade. 

In reference to the scene I thought that should have been taken out, I'm referring to the night-club dance scene. I have absolutely no idea why it was there (I'm sure Spielberg could convince me if he wanted to) but it served no obvious or useful purpose in my mind. That was the one time where I found myself not enjoying the movie as "Staying Alive" was playing in the background. 

Nolan Serrento was fine, but the two characters that I think should have been taken out were F'Nale and i-Rok. While I understood their roles (though F'Nale, not as much), I had no idea why they were onscreen that much. They really didn't need to be there in the capacity that they were. 

SPOILER ALERT OVER

The Verdict:. To be quite honest, when I walked out of the film, I was in disbelief that Spielberg directed this movie. This seemed like a film directed by the likes of a JJ Abrams or someone like that. That being said, it's enjoyable enough that if you sit through it and watch it, you won't be bored for most of the film. The characters are fun enough to watch for the most part, the story moves along briskly enough, and it's never really dull. It's a good time at the movies, but at the same time, it's a vast disappointment.  Letter Grade: B-. Number Score: 6.8/10

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER**: Letter grades and Number grades do not mean the same thing. Just because I give a film an A does not mean it gets a 9.5 or above. They do not line up like a traditional school grading system To see specifics, see below.

A- to A+: Amazing

B- to B+: Enjoyable, but Flawed

C- to C+: Redeemable in some cases, but heavily Flawed

D- to D+: Nothing but Flaws

F: A Failure of a Film

9-10: Nearly Perfect to Perfect

8-9: Very Good

7-8: Good

6-7: Okay

5-6: Average/Mediocre

4-5: Apparently Flawed

3-4: Heavily Flawed

2-3: A complete and utter mess

0-2: A Failure of a Film

MCU Rewind #10 - Guardians of the Galaxy - Review

MCU Rewind #10 - Guardians of the Galaxy - Review

Release date (US): August 1st, 2014

Directed By: James Gunn

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bardley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Josh Brolin, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Karen Gillan

MCU REWIND REVIEW EXPLANATION: In these reviews, I will be going back to all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Films that have been released to date, reviewing each one in a retrospective manner. Expectations and background will detail how I felt about the film before the repeat viewing. This review will contain spoilers for these movies. You have been warned. 

Previous Rating: 9.4/10

Expectations/Background: I had a very interesting relationship with this film preceding this rewatch. The first time I watched this movie, I thought it was fine. It was a fun action-comedy with character that were pretty entertaining, what is there not to love. But upon a second viewing, I found that I loved the film. When I was watching it for a second time, and this was about 2015, I realized what joys I had missed and found myself loving this movie immensely. So entering this rewatch, my expectations were lofty for sure. I had high hopes that this film would deliver on the promises of a fun ride with great humor.

The Movie: Perhaps it may have been best if I had just left it at a second viewing with my great memories of the second time watching it. I still immensely enjoyed the third viewing of this film, but not nearly as much as the second time I saw it, and even maybe less than the first time I saw it. Now granted, this film is still awesome, and I think it did something huge for the MCU in starting out with an ensemble feature and being able to introduce so many new, original, dynamic characters into one compelling movie. But agin, I just found that I didn't enjoy it as much as I had before. 

Positives: I believe that what this film does so brilliantly is the character development. That alone is commendable on the films part. If the story was mediocre, and that action was mediocre, this film would still have an ensemble of dynamic characters to rely on. Peter Quill (Pratt) is such a fun presence onscreen. Unlike the previous MCU heroes, like Tony, Steve, or Thor, Star-Lord's nonchalant, gung-ho attitude is something that is so fun to see. Perfectly balancing his character are Gamora (Saldana), Drax (Bautista), and Rocket and Groot (Cooper and Diesel, respectively). 

As alluded to earlier, Gunn deserves massive props for introducing 5 characters that can each hold their own, but didn't need their own solo film. Marvel took a huge risk in even doing an Avengers film, and they need 5 films beforehand to familiarize the audience with the heroes; but Gunn goes for it and shows us that it's possible to make a team-up film within the context of 2 hours. 

This is film is also very fast-paced; as much as the Winter Soldier was tense, this film just goes for it and is a blast form start to finish. It really doesn't let up until the very end. What I really like about it is that it starts off with some powerful emotion and ends off with a little emotional touch as well.

Speaking of emotions, one of the best openings to a Marvel film is this one; we knew fro the marketing and trailers that we were going to get a comedy of sorts, but the way that Gunn starts the film with something very dark and very serious adds a little levity to a film filled with jokes.

And the jokes, flying off the walls, work great. This film is banking on the comedic talent of its cast, and they deliver in leaps and bounds, from Rocket and Groot, to Star-Lord's great one-liners. Almost every single joke landed for me, and on a repeat viewing, they landed pretty well considering I knew that they were coming.

Really, when you have a comedy, the main purpose of the film is to make you laugh. If the film doesn't achieve this, then the film hasn't done its job. You can pardon some of the other sins of the film if it's enjoyable enough, and to me, that's exactly what Guardians is.

Negatives: However, what I found interesting is that although I did have a great time watching the film, and I really did, there were some weaknesses that didn't seem to bother me as much the last time. But they do now.

Having gone through 9 other MCU films, I can assert that for the most part, the dialogue in most of the films is snappy and well-delivered. And while most of the dialogue is delivered well in this movie, some of it is very clunky and very poor. I found myself, with this film in particular, getting close to cringing at some of the lines that were spoken. They weren't cringe-worthy, per se, but I did think that some of them could have easily been rewritten and redone.

Another thing is story - MCU movies before this have been very hit or miss when it comes to this. This is a film where the story is not so strong, in my opinion. Now granted, when you have a straight up comedy, the story doesn't need to be the greatest, which is why it doesn't bother me as much as it did in, say, Iron Man 2. But I noticed right away that the story seemed to meander a little. While the pace of the movie was fast, sharp, and brisk, and good on Gunn for that, the storyline itself seemed to wander at certain points as the storytellers tried to connect dots in odd ways.

There were some shots as well where I thought the CGI was a little off, and that mainly revolved around the scene with Thanos. As the movie went by and I anticipated the scene, I saw it and thought something was a little off. So later, I went online and rewatched it. What was jarring to me was how odd the skin of Thanos was as compared to the rest of him, as well as how odd the background looked in comparison to the rest of the characters. There are other scenes as well where it seems that the CGI wasn't exactly the greatest, especially in comparison to other MCU movies. 

These pointers may seem like nitpicks to some, but to me, when watching the film again, they bothered me significantly more than I was anticipating. 

The Villain(s): Ronan is an interesting case. After seeing the film each time, I didn't like him. I thought he was boring, generic, and over-the-top. Then something interesting happened - Marvel announced that he would be returning for Captain Marvel and I found myself getting excited at that notion - I'm not sure if it was I was happy Marvel was reintroducing old villains, or because I secretly didn't mind Ronan. Regardless, purely based on this film, I thought he was fine. He served his purpose, and that's all that he was there for, really. Thanos was barely in it at all. Nebula also was just there to serve her own purpose, and she got a bigger role in the next film, and seems to be getting an even bigger role in Infinity War. But overall, the villains were just there to drive the story along. 

The Verdict: Bottom line - this movie is fun, it's entertaining, it has great characters, and it has the laughs. I'm not sure if the experience I had with the film is something unique to me; because I do remember loving this movie. But at the very least, what you'll get is a comedic film with plenty of laughs to go around, as well as awesome characters who play off each other so incredibly well. The ensemble cast pays off in a big way, and this was the launchpad for James Gunn to really take the reigns of the cosmic side of the MCU.  Letter Grade: B+. Number Score: 8.9/10

Should I Skip?: For the intents and purposes of Infinity War, I would say no. The Guardians are going to play a part in the upcoming film, and I think that it's important to see both this one and the subsequent sequel just to have a better idea of what their place in the film would be. 

TLDR: I think I will be doing away with this portion of the review - if you wish to know the summary, go on Wikipedia; the summary will be essentially the same as what I would have written. 

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER**: Letter grades and Number grades do not mean the same thing. Just because I give a film an A does not mean it gets a 9.5 or above. They do not line up like a traditional school grading system To see specifics, see below.

A- to A+: Amazing

B- to B+: Enjoyable, but Flawed

C- to C+: Redeemable in some cases, but heavily Flawed

D- to D+: Nothing but Flaws

F: A Failure of a Film

9-10: Nearly Perfect

8-9: Very Good

7-8: Good

6-7: Okay

5-6: Average/Mediocre

4-5: Apparently Flawed

3-4: Heavily Flawed

2-3: A complete and utter mess

0-2: A Failure of a Film

MCU Rewind #9 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Review

MCU Rewind #9 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Review

Release date (US): April 4th, 2014

Directed By: Joe and Anthony Russo

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Robert Redford, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emil VanCamp, Anthony Mackie

MCU REWIND REVIEW EXPLANATION: In these reviews, I will be going back to all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Films that have been released to date, reviewing each one in a retrospective manner. Expectations and background will detail how I felt about the film before the repeat viewing. This review will contain spoilers for these movies. You have been warned. 

Previous Rating: 9.3/10

Expectations/Background: I knew what I was expecting when going into this movie. I have seen this countless times, and for a reason. This was the first MCU movie I saw in theaters, and truly loved. LOVED. The first time I walked out of the theater for this movie, I knew that this movie was something special. And I've seen it countless times after that, and I knew that when entering this rewatch, I would love this movie. We need say no more. 

The Movie: What I realize after watching this movie again is how brilliant and how deep this movie is. Perhaps not deep in a way that it's philosophical, but deep in a way that the plot is so subversive and it takes beloved characters and completely flips them on their heads. It takes everything you think you know about Steve Rogers and subverts it. This film is brilliant.

Positives: There are so many great things about this movie, and I think the best place to start is the beginning. From the get-go, the dialogue is sharp, and you can tell. From the very beginning, with "on your left", you feel this sense of ease as you watch familiar characters interact with new favorites. The Russos, as well as Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus (the writers) do such a great job developing their characters and giving them great lines to say ("air conditioning is fully operational").

Also from the first few minutes, you notice how much sharper the action. In Captain America: The First Avenger, while it's not something that necessarily stands out and bothers you, the action isn't the best, especially with the slow-motion montage in the middle. Right away, you see how the Russos are able to take a simple circular shield and use it in so many different ways. Cap is more skilled, versatile, and agile in this film, and there's a heavier focus on the martial arts as you see with his fight with Batroc the Leaper. 

Let's talk about a weak point in the previous films that is a huge strength of this one; the story. The story in this film is brilliant, and to this day, may be the best through-line of any MCU film to date. The way the Russos go about this spy-espionage type of story, trying to constantly take your expectations and flip it on your head is masterful. From the beginning, they have you on your toes as you ask yourself, "Who can you trust?" That's the mark of great storytelling, when you're not sure, as an audience member, who you're supposed to trust. 

Supporting cast members are also amazing. I wasn't so high on Emily VanCamp's Agent 13, but she was fine. Anthony Mackie is one of the best new foils to Steve's character, and is an awesome addition to the Avengers. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is also amazing as well, adding new layers to a character that we have grown to love. Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders are great as well. And Sebastian Stan and Robert Redford are brilliant. 

And what I love most about this film is that it has consistency and it has heart. From the beginning, this is a story about Steve Rogers and his journey to discover what his place in the world really is, as the layers underneath his feet begin to crumble. His allegiance to SHIELD is put into question as he realizes HYDRA has compromised it. His best friend returns from the dead, but as the mercenary the Winter Soldier. I love the interaction between Steve and Sam where there standing on a bridge and Sam tells him straight up, "He's not there anymore. This is the type of person you fight.", but Steve responds with, "I can still bring him back." That's who Steve is at his core, and even though everything in this movie was taken away from him, he is still so purely Steve Rogers. 

There is real raw emotion too. I remember this was the first MCU film that I felt something truly emotional at the end. I love how the Russos always use lines said by characters in the past to their advantage. When Bucky is beating up Steve, you see that Bucky is so conflicted between his mission and his heart, and Steve, being Steve, lets Bucky beat him up. When he calls back to, "I'm with you til the end of the line," that was the crux of the film. Outside all the espionage and all the thriller aspects of the film, this is the story about Steve trying to get his friend back, and that line encapsulates it so perfectly and so wonderfully. 

Side note - while the score isn't as "memorable" per se, like a Star Wars score might be, I do enjoy the music quite a bit. It really embodies what the "spy theme" is of the film when Steve is doing battle. It has a tense, fast-paced feel, and while it's not quite memorable, it integrates itself into the film in a great way. 

Negatives: No film is perfect, and this film has a few things that I was a little puzzled at. These aren't quite major complaints, but rather "nit-picks", as I don't think there are many things inherently "wrong" with this film.

One of the things I don't quite like about this film, and I understand that this may be by design, so this might be a personal preference, is the color scheme of the film. The Russos, as is their trademark, like to use gray and dark colors that are rather bland. And when you watch the film, there really isn't any color ever. Everything seemed to be going through a gray filter, and the film lacks vibrancy. 

There are also a few things that bothered me plot-wise; for example, when Nick Fury is down underneath the car, they didn't establish the technology that he could cut through the ground and escape through a tunnel, but apparently he could. That I can get by - what did bother me was that Bucky didn't even remotely try to go after him. Another thing that rather bothered me was putting the file device in a vending machine. HYDRA could have easily gotten their hands on it, but even worse, a random person could have as well. That, to me, was never the best place to hide the film's biggest secret, but that's something you can bypass very easily.

And what sets this apart from other films like Civil War, is that there isn't really "THE SCENE". When you watch this movie, it's such a great movie through and through, and you're completely hooked throughout the film. But when you look at the film from a critical standpoint, there isn't that "one scene" where you go, "this is what defines this movie". 

But then again, maybe this movie doesn't need one. 

The Villain(s): Many people don't talk of Robert Redford's Alexander Pierce when talking about the best Marvel villains. But to me, he is one of the best, not because he is the most powerful, but because of how subtle his performance is. This is the first time they went out and got a major, major actor to play one of their characters (Subsequently, Kurt Russell, Michael Keaton, Michael Douglas, Cate Blanchett) and it pays off. The subtleness that he plays the character with is superb, and there isn't that one moment where he "goes insane". Bucky/the Winer Soldier works for what he's given, which isn't much. His role really is reduced to looking as evil as possible, and for the most part, he achieves that. And Frank Grillo's Brock Rumlow does his part too, just being there to oppose Steve and set up his role in future films. 

The Verdict: This was the first MCU movie that I knew was a slam dunk. This was everything you wanted out of an MCU film and a sequel - it took developed characters, taking your expectations and completely destroying them as Steve Rogers has his world turned upside down. The action is amazing, the heart is evident, and the storyline is awesome. For what The Avengers did to the genre, The Winter Soldier did as well, showing a different side of the superhero movie that we had never seen before.  Letter Grade: A. Number Score: 9.4/10

Should I Skip?: Simply for the quality of this film, not you should not. This is a film that is definitely worth seeing before continuing through the MCU as it establishes Cap as the hero we have come to love. 

TLDR: Captain America and Black Widow are running missions for SHIELD when a mysterious assassin "kills" Nick Fury. On the run, they discover that HYDRA has slowly been taking over SHIELD over the years. Steve also discovers that this assassin is his long lost friend, Bucky Barnes. HYDRA/SHIELD plans to kill off anyone who would be a threat to them, but Steve, Natasha, a new ally Falcon, and Nick, who was revealed to be alive, take down this plot. Steve confronts Bucky, who eventually saves his life and disappears. Steve and Sam go off and try to find him, leaving the door open for the future of the MCU. 

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER**: Letter grades and Number grades do not mean the same thing. Just because I give a film an A does not mean it gets a 9.5 or above. They do not line up like a traditional school grading system To see specifics, see below.

A- to A+: Amazing

B- to B+: Enjoyable, but Flawed

C- to C+: Redeemable in some cases, but heavily Flawed

D- to D+: Nothing but Flaws

F: A Failure of a Film

9-10: Nearly Perfect

8-9: Very Good

7-8: Good

6-7: Okay

5-6: Average/Mediocre

4-5: Apparently Flawed

3-4: Heavily Flawed

2-3: A complete and utter mess

0-2: A Failure of a Film

MCU Rewind #8 - Thor: The Dark World - Review

MCU Rewind #8 - Thor: The Dark World - Review

Release date (US): November 8th, 2013

Directed By: Alan Taylor

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom HIddleston, Idris Elba, Jamie Alexander, Kat Dennings, Christopher Eccleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Ene Russo

MCU REWIND REVIEW EXPLANATION: In these reviews, I will be going back to all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Films that have been released to date, reviewing each one in a retrospective manner. Expectations and background will detail how I felt about the film before the repeat viewing. This review will contain spoilers for these movies. You have been warned. 

Previous Rating: 7.8/10

Expectations/Background: I remember back when this movie came out, I was really excited. And after watching it, I was satisfied. I think this was around the time though where I was able to critique a film for what it was without letting the hype completely get to me. And when I saw this film for the second time, I began to see the flaws in this film. I will admit, before this rewatch, I hadn't seen this film since a few months after its release. But everyone loves to hate on this film as the worst one in the MCU. And coming off of Thor, which I personally extremely dislike, I was wondering how much I would hate/like this film - couldn't be that bad right? 

The Movie: So I'm going to be straight up - I don't mind this film at all. For those people who say that this film is downright awful, I respect their opinions, but I will also respectfully disagree - I equate this film to an Incredible Hulk in that the plot is very bland, generic, and boring, but the difference between that movie and this movie is that this film is visually much, much more appealing, and we have characters that we love who are returning, and much like Iron Man 2, their chemistry saves this from entering the abyss of pure boredom. 

Positives: I think this was the film where Chris Hemsworth asserted himself as Thor. The previous two films were merely introductions - when we find Thor in this film, he's casually fighting Kronins and in general, being the god of thunder that we wanted to see. 

Of course, we have the wonderful Tom Hiddleston as the god of mischief, Loki. Despite the limited role that he is given, and the cheap arc (we'll get to that in the next section), he takes his character, which he established in The Avengers, and completely owned every single scene that he was in. Hiddleston took his character, he knew his strengths, and he just ran with it, which made watching him and Hemsworth's Thor together such a treat. 

This is a very safe film. When I write points in my "Positive" section, I want to write about things that I really liked about the given film, and to be quite honest, there's not much. That's not to say that I think that this is a bad film. This is a film where absolutely nothing stands out, but where nothing really goes horribly wrong. I think that Taylor played very safe with the characters and the story, and for the most part, it works. There are a couple moments where he attempts to go for the emotions, and I really appreciate that. I think that Thor took some time to establish emotion, but also took too much time with odd, fish-out-of water, humor. 

Speaking of humor, I don't mind Kat Dennings. Is she the best comic relief? No. But when critics say that she's one of the worst things that have ever happened to the MCU, I will again respectfully disagree. I won't defend her character with my life, but I didn't mind her at all. 

Negatives: I think that one of the "highlights" for many in the first Thor film was the chemistry between Thor and Jane. Natalie Portman is a world-class actress, but unfortunately, she wasn't given the best character arc throughout the film (mostly sleeping and fainting) and she didn't do the best with the character either. The romance this time around was ham-fisted, in your face, and it wasn't earned either. 

The villains (more on them later) are weak. I would not want them to come back again in the MCU, but then again, they're not laughably bad like a Whiplash. They're just not good in any way. 

I also think that, like I alluded to in the "positive" section, there is nothing memorable about this film. From beginning to end, you watch the movie but there isn't any one moment which you can define the film from (except for Loki as Captain America, that was pure gold). 

And even though this film wasn't as disjointed, in my opinion, as the first film, I still feel there are many inconsistencies throughout the films. There are scenes with Jane talking to little kids with floating trucks, and then it transitions to scenes in Asgard with Thor and Loki. I'm not talking about the scenes themselves, I think that together they work fine - but I feel that when watching the film, when watching the two different storylines, it's almost as if you're watching two different movies.

What can I say about this movie? There's nothing really memorable. Nothing awful, nothing great. Overall, this film felt like an "introduce an infinity stone" film, not a Thor film. 

The Villain(s): Again, Malekith isn't anywhere near as bad as Whiplash (the worst MCU villain in my opinion). But you could look up the word generic in the dictionary and find his picture. His motivation is generic, his dialogue is so boring and generic, and he himself is boring. And in the end he starts making random portals? I have no idea what his character was, and by the time the film was over and they killed his character off, I felt absolutely nothing. Also Kurse is there, and he looks cool. But he's just the muscle, and he's just there to look cool. 

The Verdict: I know I'm in the vast minority when I say that I vastly prefer watching this film over Thor. I think that while there isn't anything memorable about this movie, I think that as compared to the first film, I didn't feel a sense of dislike while watching it. When Loki is on screen, he eats it up, and those scenes are the best. Chris Hemsworth establishes himself as Thor, but overall other than the great recurring characters, this movie is a whole lot of nothing.  Letter Grade: C+. Number Score: 7.2/10

Should I Skip?: Here's the interesting thing. While this film is not good, not by any stretch of the imagination, do not skip this movie. Because the work that it does setting up the rest of the MCU is vital. It sets up moments in Ragnarok so well, which pay off great. And additionally, this is the second Infinity Stone, and while we haven't seen Infinity War, I'm sure the Aether will play a huge part. And again, this film isn't the worst out of all of them, so I think that it's worth watching. 

TLDR: Loki returns to Asgard and is imprisoned for his crimes. Thor is off fighting various enemies when the Aether resurfaces and manifests itself in Jane Foster. With the Aether, Malekith awakens, and attempts to extract the Aether from Jane. Loki is "killed", and Thor confronts Malekith in Greenwich, England, and defeats him, preventing catastrophe. Jane and Thor reunite on Earth, and it is revealed that Loki is sitting on the throne of Asgard masquerading as Odin. In the credits, we see Sif and Volstagg (Thor's comrades) visiting the Collector and delivering the Aether to him, where it is revealed that it is an Infinity Stone. 

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER**: Letter grades and Number grades do not mean the same thing. Just because I give a film an A does not mean it gets a 9.5 or above. They do not line up like a traditional school grading system To see specifics, see below.

A- to A+: Amazing

B- to B+: Enjoyable, but Flawed

C- to C+: Redeemable in some cases, but heavily Flawed

D- to D+: Nothing but Flaws

F: A Failure of a Film

9-10: Nearly Perfect

8-9: Very Good

7-8: Good

6-7: Okay

5-6: Average/Mediocre

4-5: Apparently Flawed

3-4: Heavily Flawed

2-3: A complete and utter mess

0-2: A Failure of a Film

MCU Rewind #7 - Iron Man 3 - Review

MCU Rewind #7 - Iron Man 3 - Review

Release date (US): May 3rd, 2013

Directed By: Shane Black

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gweneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, Ty Simpkins

MCU REWIND REVIEW EXPLANATION: In these reviews, I will be going back to all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Films that have been released to date, reviewing each one in a retrospective manner. Expectations and background will detail how I felt about the film before the repeat viewing. This review will contain spoilers for these movies. You have been warned. 

Previous Rating: 7.8/10

Expectations/Background: Going way back, after The Avengers, I remember the hiatus between the team up and the final entry in the Iron Man trilogy was the time when I got caught up with the MCU. May 2012 - May 2013 was the period of time where I watched all the other films that I had missed and started immersing myself into the MCU. So when Iron Man 3 came out, I was all hands on deck excited for this movie. When I first saw the movie, I loved it. I was much younger (it was 5 years ago) and I got just caught up in the hype. Then I saw it again later when I had my wits about me, and to be honest, I thought it was fine. Here's the thing. And this is probably completely my own fault, although I think the studios are partly to blame; the trailers promised a gritty, harsh, dark film with a terrorist as a villain where Tony Stark is lost and has to fight his way back. THAT is a movie that I would have loved to see. Go watch the first trailer for this movie and tell me that you don't want that movie. As for the movie that we got, I thought it was serviceable, but nothing much. I wasn't that mad about the twist, but I was disappointed. I would have loved to see Sir Ben Kingsley playing a truly terrifying villain that would close out the Iron Man trilogy. Having not seen the film for awhile, I was curious to see how my thoughts had changed since that. 

The Movie: The first two thirds of this movie are solid. Rock solid. Except for one scene which we will get to later, but I think up until the Mandarin twist the movie was rock solid. But I think the problem with the movie is that it loses it about halfway through the third act when you see 60 iron man suits (yes I know it's 42) the movie goes off the rails. 

Positives: Despite what I just said, I think that there are so many great things about this film. First of all, Robert Downey Jr., as per the usual, is awesome in the film. He IS Tony Stark and he embraces it every single frame that he's onscreen. Paltrow as Potts is good as usual. And I didn't mind the kid (Ty Simpkins); the only reason I didn't hate him was because of how well he played off of Tony Stark ("because we're connected" kills me every time). 

And I can tell you that this film is LEAPS and BOUNDS more entertaining than Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2 was not a good movie, but it was entertaining in the sense that it was funny trying to watch RDJ act his way out of a terrible script and a terrible plot. This film, right from the get go, has a sharp script and sharp dialogue courtesy of Shane Black. 

And honestly, this is the kind of film that you can just sit back and enjoy without thinking too much about. If you really want to make the most out of this movie, then just sit back and ignore the dumb things from the movie and take it for what it is. This film is an action comedy at heart, and it is unapologetic, which is great.

Another wonderful thing about this movie is the visual effects. As much as Jon Favreau revolutionized the way Iron Man looked in the first couples, one of the best suit ups ever in the MCU is Tony Stark suiting up for the Mark 42, both for the first time and when the mansion is exploding. The way the visual effects make the flying parts look so real when they attach to him is stunning. 

Here's something small that I really appreciate about the movie as well; the theme song is awesome. And they use it so much, and again so unapologetically, but I LOVE it. This is my favorite MCU theme song, and especially when the song starts blaring when the  mansion is breaking apart and Tony is suiting up, that to me is one of the best pieces of cinema to come from the MCU. 

And... I mean look again. The film's dialogue is sharp, funny, and entertaining for sure. I really think so. But...

Negatives: The story is a mess. As per usual, Marvel fails to bring forward a compelling story. NOW GRANTED - this story is not nearly as messy as Iron Man 2 (I don't think Marvel is capable of making a story that helter-skelter ever again). But I'm telling you, the movie opens as a comedy, goes to action, goes back to comedy (even buddy cop in a certain sense), and then just goes bananas when the army of iron man suits start showing up and blowing up left and right. 

Also, can I just say. One of the dumbest things any character has done in the entirety of the MCU is give their home address to a terrorist. I mean seriously? Now, granted, of course he's Tony Stark and who wouldn't know where he lived being a multi billionaire, but the moment he declares where he lives on national TV was one of the stupidest, dumbest things a character has done. If that was the ONLY way to move the plot forward, then they should have scrapped it. But it's not - they could have easily included a scene where they show the terrorists tracking down Tony's house and launching missiles. 

And the Mandarin. Now look, I think the twist ITSELF is fine. It's fine. It was funny too. But let me say, as funny as the scene was, the way that they played it had no place in the film that they were making. And again, this is my fault partially, but also look at the marketing and look at the first two thirds of the film. The terrorism aspects of the Mandarin were haunting, chilling, and terrifying. I would have LOVED to see this kind of villain play out and be a match to Tony Stark. But what we got is what we got.

We don't talk about Aldrich Killian (we will in the next section).

So overall, the film is fine, but most certainly it's disjointed and has no focus. It's rather disappointing that this was the best that they could do after Iron Man.

The Villain(s): I think I've said enough about the Mandarin, so let's talk Aldrich Killian. I think that when he's on screen just being the cunning, smart, slightly maniacal but cold, calculating scientist was great. He did a greta job. But after he starts breathing fire, he goes off the rails. I hate the line where he goes, "I AM THE MANDARIN." It was almost as if the filmmakers realized that fans would be disappointed with the Mandarin, they shoehorned a reference to it. I thought that was absolutely disappointing. I think we had a great villain to start with, but like so many others, he just falls so flat in the end. 

The Verdict: It may seem like I'm bashing on this film - let me make this abundantly clear; this movie is a fun time. Is it the sequel we all wanted after a disappointing Iron Man 2? No. Is it the follow up to the Avengers that we wanted? Not in my opinion. But when you sit back and enjoy this for what it is, this film is a fun ride that you can enjoy. There are a couple of all time great superhero scenes and the visuals are stunning, but in my opinion, it falls short of being something truly great.  Letter Grade: B-. Number Score: 7.6/10

Should I Skip?: I think so. Just search the suit up clips online. Here's the interesting thing with this film. When it first came out, this was RDJ's last film on his contract before he renewed it again. So they had to close out the film as if RDJ may not come back to the MCU. But in doing so, it closed it off so oddly with Tony promising not to make any more suits, before coming back promptly in Age of Ultron with a Mark 43. So yes, you can easily skip this film and be fine. 

TLDR: Tony Stark builds 42 suits and is dealing with PTSD from the Battle of New York. He fights a villain, and has the shrapnel removed from his chest. 

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER**: Letter grades and Number grades do not mean the same thing. Just because I give a film an A does not mean it gets a 9.5 or above. They do not line up like a traditional school grading system To see specifics, see below.

A- to A+: Amazing

B- to B+: Enjoyable, but Flawed

C- to C+: Redeemable in some cases, but heavily Flawed

D- to D+: Nothing but Flaws

F: A Failure of a Film

9-10: Nearly Perfect

8-9: Very Good

7-8: Good

6-7: Okay

5-6: Average/Mediocre

4-5: Apparently Flawed

3-4: Heavily Flawed

2-3: A complete and utter mess

0-2: A Failure of a Film

Top Ten #10 - Predicting First Ten Films of Marvel's Phase 4

Top Ten #10 - Predicting First Ten Films of Marvel's Phase 4

Marvel is chugging full steam ahead towards Infinity War and Avengers 4. Yet, we don't know much about what's coming in the future after the final film in the first saga of Marvel Cinematic Universe Films. We're here to predict what the first 10 films of Marvel Phase 4 will be (and yes, two are confirmed). All dates given have been confirmed by Marvel Studios. 

1. July 5th, 2019 - Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (confirmed): Let's get the obvious one out of the way. With the massive success of Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the clear win-win situation of the Marvel and Sony collaboration, a sequel was imminent. It was announced that the sequel would be released right after Avengers 4, on July 5th, 2019. Jon Watts returns to direct with Tom Holland a mystery Avenger to accompany him, and apparently, the film will deal with the direct consequences of Infinity War. 

2. May 1st, 2020 - Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (all but confirmed): Another all but confirmed MCU film, Guardians of the Galaxy made its mark in August, but moved the sequel to May where it made over 800 million dollars. James Gunn has said that the film will be released in 2020, and this seems to be the perfect time to release the film. Oh, and please, can we get Mark Hamill in Volume 3? Please? 

3. July 31st, 2020 - Captain America 4: This one is one of them that I am least sure about. I have a feeling that Phase 4 will take time to focus mostly on characters that we are already familiar with as we see so many doors open to sequels and team ups with existing characters. But taking a step back, I did realize that it would make sense to have a core Avenger back. And yes, I think this is Captain America 4, but I also think that this will Bucky's film. I don't think Steve Rogers will make it out of Phase 3, and I believe that Sebastian Stan will take up the mantle. 

4. November 6th, 2020 - Doctor Strange 2: This is one release date that I am fairly confident in. Marvel has a pattern of releasing most sequels about 3 years after the original film's release. There are two November dates in the upcoming slate, and I think that with the massive success and popularity of Doctor Stephen Strange, I believe that he will return, along with Chiwetel Ejiofor for Doctor Strange 2 in November. This is one of the ones I am fairly confident in. 

5. May 7th, 2021 - Black Panther 2: Come May of 2021, we will be about 3 years separated from the massive juggernaut known as Black Panther. I think moving Black Panther to the May spot is a genius move because of how popular it is. Feige and Coogler have said that there are some elementary plans for a sequel, and if your film makes over $1.27 billion dollars, you bet there's going to be a sequel. It'll be curious to see how 

6. July 31st, 2021 - Black Widow: We know that this film is happening, so it's just a matter of knowing when. I think that this is a nice slot to put it in because Black Widow is a well known character and Scarlett Johansson is a strong box office pull. However, because this is the first film in a franchise, it wouldn't be put in a May slot because Marvel typically reserves those for sequels and proven franchises. I think that this will be a huge hit with fans and audiences and will be the standalone Black Widow film we've been waiting for. 

7. November 5th, 2021 - MCU Female Team Movie: Now, with reports late last year of Tessa Thompson and other female heroes of the MCU wanting an all female movie, I believe that Kevin Feige will be completely game for this kind of film. November is as prime of a date to put it because of the relative empty real estate, and I think with star power consisting of the likes of Scarlett Johansson (who would have just had her solo film), Tessa Thompson, Zoe Saldana, and Elizabeth Olsen, this film can be a huge hit and a landmark for female diversity in comic book films. 

8. February 18th, 2022 - X-Men: About time, eh? By this point, I think Disney and Fox's deal would have gone through and by 2020, an X-Men film would be in production. That means that it would make complete logical sense to put an X-Men film in 2022, where we can be reintroduced to all our favorite characters. 

9. May 6th, 2022 - Avengers 5: You may have been wondering why I put the previous films in those places. I think up to Black Panther 2, it's fairly obvious where they would fit in. However, what the genius of Marvel is (should they go through with this schedule) is that they're heavily building towards whatever Avengers 5 is. You have the Black Widow movie which leads directly into the female lead team movie. Then you have the X-Men film. So what you have are heroes like Bucky (Captain America), Spider-Man, Captain Marvel (somewhere in space), Black Panther, Doctor Strange, the Guardians, the X-Men, and the female heroines all gearing up for whatever Avengers 5 is. It's brilliant if you think about it. 

10. July 29th, 2022 - Captain Marvel 2: I guess this technically wouldn't be part of Phase 4, but this is Top 10, so we'll include this. I think that after her solo film this February and after seeing her in Infinity War (maybe), Avengers 4, and maybe even Guardians 3, fans will grow to love Brie Larson's Captain Marvel. It would make complete sense for her to kick off what would be Phase 5, and the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Editorial #6 - What Should Star Wars do about Princess Leia?

Editorial #6 - What Should Star Wars do about Princess Leia?

As shocking as it is to say, Carrie Fisher has not been with us for over a year. Star Wars has sorely missed her presence, her spunk, and her heart as they continue pressing on towards whatever other films they have planned. But now that Episode 9 is almost beginning its production, the question arises: what will J.J. do with the Princess Leia character? 

To me, there are three primary options that they have, and they have already ruled out one. But just to briefly summarize what they are...

• Recast: This one perhaps is the most interesting one. Carrie Fisher held the spirit of Princess Leia since the late 70s, and because of that, she has almost become synonymous with the character as it defined her and her career. Mark Hamill himself has said that recasting would be tough because of how ingrained Carrie Fisher is with the character. However, if reports are to be believed, then Carrie Fisher had a significant role in the upcoming Episode 9. So what can they do? One option, as hard as it may be, is to recast Princess Leia. IN this way, they can finish her story arc and still have the character live on without the actress herself. 
• CGI: This one has been ruled out by Lucasfilm and Disney but I thought I'd just include it just for fun. Awhile back, way back in 2016, we first saw the emergence of an entirely CGI character appeared in the form of a resurrected Peter Cushing playing Grand Moff Tarkin. The reactions from the movie were mixed at best, but for the most part, fans seemed to indicate it worked well enough. So when Carrie passed, fans wondered if Disney would be able to do this with Princess Leia. However, in the recent past, Disney and Lucasfilm have confirmed that this is not the way that they're going to go. Additionally, the technology is not at the point where they can carry this throughout the entire film, and I don't believe this to be the most prudent option. Maybe in 20 years, but not in 2018-2019.
• Don't Use Her: This option is intriguing in it of itself. Because of the predicament that Disney is in, they are presented with an easy way out. The opening crawl. Because of the precedent that Episodes can take place years apart, another idea that Lucasfilm could use would be to say "General Leia Organa" had passed on during the opening crawl. This would effectively allow her presence to be very heavy in the film without actually having to use her.

I don't believe there are any other options at the present, and I think that Disney is either going to not use her or recast her. Now, here are a couple interesting things about this. Let's play out both scenarios.

So let's say Disney recasts Leia. Well, here's the thing. Disney usually announces their castings a little bit before they start filming. So the fact that they haven't announced who Leia would be is a little unusual, but still not completely out of the ordinary. They begin filming in June and depending on what they wanted to do, they could announce it anytime in the next couple months.

Another thing to note is that if they were to recast Leia, they already have. Something that many casual fans don't realize is that when a casting is announced, the deal was done weeks, even months before the announcement. So if Disney were to announce the casting, the actress who would be stepping into the General's shoes would already know. 

Let's say they decide not to use her at all. This would make a little more sense - it seems that Disney is moving full steam ahead with JJ Abrams and the rest of the returning case, without any word of Princess Leia. AGAIN, they are still a couple months away from production beginning, but still, all signs indicate that they may be moving ahead without her.

As for me personally? I stand on two different fronts. A few days ago I was completely against the idea of recasting Leia. But then rumors came out of a certain actress who may be willing to play her. And with that casting, I was completely on board. If Meryl Streep were to play Princess Leia, I will be completely on board. COMPLETELY. Because I believe that there is no one better to recast and play Leia Organa than Streep herself. I think that if they announce Streep will be replacing Fisher, everyone will be alright with it. Even physically they look similar.

HOWEVER. However.

I don't think this is where Disney is going. I think from all indications, Disney will be moving full steam ahead without Carrie Fisher. I think that based on the way JJ Abrams operates, I think that he is going to want it play it safe. That's just his style. You saw with the Force Awakens. And I believe that he's going to operate and run Episode 9 the same way, especially after the backlash with The Last Jedi.

It's a tough situation to be in, and I don't envy Disney at all. We'll see what they do. 

Woody Harrelson Role in Venom Revealed?

Woody Harrelson Role in Venom Revealed?

Awhile back, reports that War for the Planet of the Apes and Solo: A Star Wars Story actor Woody Harrelson would be appearing in some capacity in the upcoming Venom film. Now, reports from BleedingCool claim that an anonymous tip has confirmed who he will be playing. According to this tip, Harrelson will be playing the primary antagonist of the film, Cleatus Kassady AKA Carnage. Carnage was a prominent foe to Venom in the comic run Lethal Protector, in which Venom became an anti-hero and fought alongside heroes such as Spider-Man. As this is the route the film seems to be taking, it may not come as much of a surprise that Carnage will be featured. At this point in time, these are just rumors and should not be taken as fact.

Venom opens on October 5th, 2018. 

Black Panther Breaks Box Office Record

Black Panther Breaks Box Office Record

With the monstrous success of the film, it seemed only inevitable the Black Panther would continue to stay hot and break more records. The Ryan Coogler MCU film has now officially become the fourth highest grossing film at the domestic box office of ALL TIME. 

Black Panther has now passed Jurassic World with over $652 million dollars to land in the number four spot. It remains to be seen whether or not it can top the fourth spot, as it trails Titanic by only $9 million dollars. 

Additionally, Black Panther has also surpassed Frozen to land into the top 10 all time worldwide box office grossing films at $1.28 billion dollars.