Civil War Movie Review

Just got back from watching Captain America: Civil War, the much anticipated third installment in the popular Captain America trilogy in the Marvel Universe.

SPOILER FREE
                                                                  

      Let me start by saying I am a fan of both characters in the Marvel comics universe in regards to the way both are portrayed on the big screen. I think Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect person to play Tony Stark and his Iron Man films have entertained and dazzled me with the first one being the best, the second being the worst but still entertaining, and the third a step up from two despite its overlapping flaws. I find the Captain America trilogy to perhaps be the only comic book trilogy in existence where each film is unquestionably better than the previous one and the expansion of that trilogies plot and character growth is very impressive. Every comic book trilogy and every trilogy in general should aspire to have each installment triumph over the previous one and be its own standalone movie. I still consider the first Avengers movie to be the best Marvel film ever made as it carries the excitement of seeing all the Marvel superheroes teaming up together for the first time on film. Avengers: Age Of Ultron was for the most part a satisfying sequel to the first Avengers movie even though it doesn't reach the same level of excitement nor cinematic heights off it's predecessor. Watching the trailers for Civil War, it appears that what was missing from Age Of Ultron that made it a step below the first Avengers movie has made it's return with this movie, and the end result is highly satisfying.

      Captain America: Civil War is hands down the greatest Marvel movie ever made outside of the first Avengers movie. Where Age Of Ultron lacks the enthusiasm and excitement of it's predecessor, Civil War brings it all back and places itself right beside the first film. The first Captain America movie (Not the awful 1990 film) with Chris Evans was a highly entertaining blockbuster that benefitted from being a period piece set during World War ll. Everything about that movie was awesome right down to the Art-Set Decoration, Costume Design, and strong performances from it's main actors. It was a  movie that essentially delivered good old fashioned summer fun at the theater. Winter Soldier upped the scope in every sense of the word by showing a war hero being brought into the 21st century and having to struggle with adapting to new modern times while maintaining his heroism as well as his patriotism. It also benefitted that Avengers 1 and 2 showed the clash between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark in regards to their motives behind being superheroes which makes for a nice foreshadowing of their inevitable clash in this movie. In Captain America: Civil War, political interference in the activities of the Avengers causes a rift between former allies Captain America aka Steve Rogers and Tony Stark aka Iron Man. As they begin to break apart over moral differences, the Avengers team is forced with having to choose which side to take along with newcomers such as Black Panther and Spiderman.

      Civil War's greatest asset is not within the eye popping special effects that it showcases but rather the strong performances of it's main cast and the chemistry the two leads possess. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. were born to play these parts and they do it to absolute perfection. The friendship the two developed over the course of the three films they share together is evident here as well as the wittiness between the two making for a more powerful impact when the two take opposite sides in this movie. Scarlett Johansson does good as usual as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, but the two actors who truly standout giving scene stealing performances in the film are Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther and Tom Holland as Spiderman. The latter doesn't have a large performance in the movie but the moments where the character does appear both as Peter Parker and Spiderman is spot on as the actor nails both perfectly while delivering nods to the previous interpretations of Spiderman. Marisa Tomei catches eyes as Peter's surprisingly younger and attractive Aunt May who shares a few great scenes with Tom Holland as Peter with zero clue of his after school activities as a webslinger. At first I was hesitant on the casting of Tom Holland as Spiderman because I grew up embracing Tobey Maguire in the title role as well as loving his trilogy despite the third films flaws. Andrew Garfield was a good Spiderman for the time he was allowed to be one as his series never made it past Amazing Spiderman 2, but Holland gives hope back to fans that he can deliver a Spiderman that takes all the great traits from both past performances and blend them into one definitive portrayal of the character. Whereas Maguire was the superior Peter Parker, and Andrew Garfield was the superior Spiderman due to having more sarcasm than Maguire's, Hollands Spiderman embodies both actors portrayals while giving the character a freshness and renewed sense of energy. After seeing his performance in this movie, one greatly looks towards his future solo film with much anticipation. Paul Rudd who plays Ant Man has a hilarious supporting role in this film bringing his A game from his previous solo movie onto this one, and William Hurt does a good job reprising the same character from the one he played in The Incredible Hulk. If one were to watch both movies back to back and notice the end scene with Tony Stark coming to tell Hurt's character that he's assembling the Avengers team together, you get excited to see the same

characters continuing from where we last saw them together. Anthony Mackle, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olson, and Don Cheadle all shine in their respective parts with Cheadle sharing some great moments with Robert Downey Jr that reminds you of their characters friendship in the first Iron Man movie and how far they've come since then. One almost wishes that it was Don Cheadle in the first Iron Man instead of Terrence Howard before he got fired because it would make the progression of his chemistry with Downey Jr. even more stronger.

      In terms of the overall technical aspects of the film, Civil War dazzles visually and feels a bit long at times but the slow pacing is not a negative stain on the film but rather helps to advance a plot that comes across as being surprisingly mature and non cartoonish compared to other films in the Marvel universe. As action-packed of a blockbuster that Civil War makes itself out to be, it carries with it strong thought provoking themes such as what's right and what's wrong, good vs evil, vigilante justice, death of parents, friendship, accountability, victory at the expense of the innocent, diplomacy, fear vs understanding, and protection vs internment. The film's ultimate message says that doing the right thing can be hard which is the dilemma both Captain America and Iron Man deal with. An example is the films subplot of the government pushing for the Anti-Hero Registration Act, which is a law that limits the actions of a superhero. This law is brought into effect because of the casualties that occur when The Avengers are called into action and large damage being done to major cities. The act is what ignites a division within The Avengers as Iron Man stands by the act saying that their actions need to be kept in check otherwise they will continue to destroy cities, but Captain America believes that saving the world is risky enough and they cannot rely on the Government to do it. In regards to writing and tackling serious themes, The Captain America trilogy is becoming more and more noticeable for it's maturity and risk taking while inducing great fun and humor into the mix. Civil War is a prime example that you can actually have seriousness and popcorn entertainment interwined and get the best of both worlds. Avengers may be the best Marvel film still but Civil War possibly has the superior script with much deeper themes and thought provoking situations taking place here.

      Overall, Captain America: Civil War is the film that Marvel fans have been waiting for in great anticipation and for many, it's going to make up for all of the shortcomings that Age Of Ultron possessed. This movie makes no effort to hide the fact that it's a summer blockbuster as it embraces that title proudly, but with all the action spectacle comes a surprising amount of maturity and brains that's mostly uncommon for a movie like Civil War but is more than welcome here. This movie is brave and courageous in tackling serious and thought-provoking themes while beautifully setting up the next batch of Marvel films that can be summed up as phase 3. The movie feels less cartoonish than the others and feels more real as these characters grow and act like real people. It is a movie that not only lives up to the expectations placed upon it but actually surprises and surpasses them. One of the years best movies thus far and the perfect film to kick start what looks to be a very promising summer of blockbuster extravaganza. As Roger Ebert would enthusiastically put it, TWO THUMBS UP. One of the greatest comic book movies ever made and the second greatest Marvel movie behind The Avengers, very close second.

                                                                                                                                                9/10



                                                                                                                                               

The Jungle Book Movie Review

Just got back from watching the 2016 live action adaption of The Jungle Book.

 

       Let me start by saying I grew up watching both the original Disney animated classic as well as the 1994 live action movie with Jason Scott Lee and Sam Neil directed by Mummy director Stephen Sommers. While I found both movies to be fun and enjoyable, I didn't really think a remake of the classic story was necessary. That's not to say I didn't have any faith in the film, I like Jon Favreau and felt that he would be an ideal choice for bringing the animated cartoon to life as I enjoyed his work on Iron Man, Zathura, and Cowboys And Aliens. Upon seeing the trailer for this movie when I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I was hooked instantly. The whole outlook of the movie looks visually stunning as if the story that we all know and grew up witnessing as a cartoon is coming to life before our very eyes. At that point, I had little to no doubt that this movie wouldn't meet expectations. Now that I've seen the film, I can safely say that Jon Favreau has done the unthinkable and turned a classic Disney story into a worthy live action remake, that redefines all the possibilities of the same story being retold for a new generation.

      The Jungle Book is a highly entertaining, charming, beautifully shot and well-executed film that does the greatest justice to the original movie while crafting its own version of the classic tale. Both movies can stand apart from each other and be watched as separate films, even though they essentially tell the same story but have different things to offer. The original has great music and nostalgia while Favreau's version capitalizes on the storytelling being told in grand fashion with top notch technology, great cinematography, beautiful art-set decoration, and a talented cast driving it among the likes of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, and Christopher Walken. The story plays out much like the original with a young boy named Mowgli, who flees the jungle after being threatened by the tiger Shere Khan. With the help of the panther Bagheera voiced by Ben Kingsley and the bear Baloo voiced by Bill Murray, Mowgli goes on a journey that involves self-discovery, although he comes across creatures that have ulterior motives such as the giant snake Kaa voiced by Scarlett Johansson, and Christopher Walken as King Louie. With all of these actors bringing their A game to this story with the best works coming from Murray who proves to be a fantastic Baloo injecting heart into his performance, and Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, who acts like father figure to Mowgli, it is the performance of Neel Sethi as Mowgli that makes the film work. He does a fantastic job with making the audience adore as well as care a great deal about this character during his journey of self discovery. This character experiences so much during his journey and has so many intense encounters with non friendly animals that he gives Leonardo Dicaprio's journey in The Revenant a run for it's money minus the gore. The character of Shere Khan played by Idris Elba, makes for a strong villain as he comes off as being both intimidating and terrifying. The climatic scene between him and Mowgli is one of the best moments of the entire movie as its both visually spectacular and powerfully acted. The film flies by at a fast paced but never feels boring instead leaves you wanting more.
      What made the original 1967 The Jungle Book a classic film, is the expressive animation that the film showcased making its characters come alive as well as making you emotionally care about them becoming invested in their journey, and the catchy songs that appeared randomly throughout the film like the shark frequently popping out in Jaws. Watching the live action adaptation of The Jungle Book, it is apparent that Jon Favreau and his team studied the original very closely in order to successfully carry over those ingredients into their own film. The 2016 film possesses all of these great traits but takes advances in both its storytelling and technology. The catchy songs are still present but this time rather than hearing the voices of the original people singing them, it's the new cast that represents the lyrics and does them very well. I honestly can't imagine anyone who wouldn't get a kick out of Christopher Walken's King Louie's song I Wanna Be Like You. The CGI in this film is stunning as the animals are brought to life and speak to Mowgli like its actually happening. Whereas the original film used expressive animation, this movie uses CGI that conveys the same kind of expression only this time it looks and feels real. People will instantly fall in love with the character of Baloo in terms of look and realism, while being afraid of Idris Elbas Shere Khan and terrified of the snake Kaa.  Long after this film is over, one will still be thinking about the awesomeness of the jungle set feeling like it's a place that you would love to explore and wonder through. If this movie doesn't receive Oscar noms for Best Art-Set Decoration, Best Visual Effects, and Best Cinematography, then the Academy would be doing this film as well as Disney a great injustice. The film is completely engrossing to watch as once the film begins, you will become immediately pulled into this world and become richly invested in Mowgli's journey.
      In regards to remakes, Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book is one of the rare ones that actually lives up to it's predecessor and improves upon it. The movie is rich and grand in it's scope, and leaves you with a feeling of awe when exiting the movie theater. There is no other way to experience this movie than watching it on the big screen as this movie was essentially a labor of love by the filmmakers with a simple mission of taking this story and reintroducing it to the new generation. The success of this movie redefines all the possibilities of what remakes can be and will give audiences more faith in Disney's plans to do further transformations of old classics into live action movies. With the success of Cinderella 2015 and now The Jungle Book, one can look towards the upcoming live action movies The Legend Of Tarzan, and Beauty And The Beast with more optimism. This is a grand slam for Disney, Favreau, and the whole team who worked tirelessly to bring this story back to the big screen in an incredible way. This movie is all heart and has a a great dose of humanity to it which often at times, makes it feel like a miracle in todays climate of filmmaking.  One of the years best movies so far and one that commands the entire family to experience it on the big screen. See it on IMAX if possible.
                                                                                                                                                   9/10

 

When A Man Ranks The Batman Films

       Let me start by saying that I've always been a longtime fan of Batman. From my early years of  childhood to present day, no other comic book hero has left an impact on me the way this character has done so. What makes Batman such a great hero is that unlike all the other comic book and superheroes, he DOESN'T need superpowers to win and his stories are constantly one endless battle of good vs evil. Batman always wins because no matter what happens, he stands by his morals and codes. Growing up, the first two Michael Keaton Batman movies left a huge impact on my childhood making me become engulfed in the character. Christopher Nolan's Dark knight Trilogy in my humble opinion, takes the comic book genre and turns it upside down on it's head showing that comic book movies can be more than just flash but serious, thought-provoking, and even great films worthy of Academy Award recognition. I thought since Batman vs Superman has just barely made it into theaters and everyone is reevaluating their rankings of the best Batman films and performances with the addition of Ben Affleck into the mix, I felt that the timing was perfect for me to do my own ranking of all the major Batman films I've seen from best to worst. With every ranking, I give brief reasoning's behind why I chose one film over the other as well as the highs and the lows of each Batman film. With that much being said, I give you my own personal rankings of the Batman films I've seen.

1. The Dark Knight



I don't think this is a really a surprise to anyone at this point. Truth be told if you ask a bunch of your friends what their favorite Batman film is, most are going to flat out say The Dark Knight with their main reasoning behind Heath Ledger's incredible performance as The Joker. Of the three Batman films in the Christopher Nolan trilogy, The Dark Knight, feels like the crown jewel of the bunch as well as being the crown jewel of Batman films in general. The opening bank robbery scene is amazing with major inspiration being lifted from Michael Mann's Heat. The film balances it's action with grand storytelling perfectly and keeps the Joker on the sidelines, making him appear and disappear like the shark from Jaws. When Ledgers Joker appears on screen, the audience is engulfed in his brilliant performance, and when he disappears the audience waits anxiously for his return. The second best performance out of the entire film is Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent aka Two Face. He makes for a perfect combination of a man with two different sides to him, and often steals scenes that Ledgers not in such as the climatic sequence involving Batman, Commissioner Cordon, and Gordon's child. Not to mention the film is also one of the fastest 2.5 hour movies I've ever sat through in the cinema, and the script brings up some thought provoking and ethical questions such as what would a person do if they were on a boat set to explode and their only means of surviving is to blow up the other boat. Would you do it? The writing, directing, and genius acting speaks high volumes about the greatness of this movie with his weakest points being Christian Bales over the top Batman voice. He makes for a terrific Bruce Wayne but one wishes Nolan had Bale tone down the raspy voice. The finale with Batman taking the blame for Dents murder and running from the cops is one of the most powerful movie endings in cinema, as well as giving the story it's proper closure. You almost don't need to watch The Dark Knight Rises to see if Batman regains his innocence or not. More on that one later. The Dark Knight until further notice remains the definitive Batman film of all time as well as the greatest comic book movie ever made garnering 8 Academy Award nominations, a record feat that no comic book film since then has came close to matching with a well deserved win for Ledgers unforgettable take on The Joker.

                                                                                                                                                   10/10

2. Batman 1989.





Before The Dark Knight, there was Tim Burtons 1989 blockbuster classic Batman starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. Before there was Christian Bale and Heath Ledger donning the title roles, there was only these two who blew the socks off audiences at the cinema during this films initial release. This movie was hyped very much like The Dark Knight and turned out to be an enormous success for Warner Brothers, becoming the second major comic book franchise in existence after Christopher Reeves Superman movies burned out. What makes Batman 1989 a great movie and a classic 27 years later is how spontaneous and utterly badass it is. No one thought Michael Keaton could pull off being The Dark Knight upon the announcement of his casting but here he proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he is Batman. The film doesn't bother with giving his character a proper origin story much like Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins did, and just begins with Batman terrorizing the criminals of Gotham one month into his reign. Keaton's Batman is dark, mysterious, terrorizing, and undeniably cool all rolled into one. His suit is completely old school and Batmobile is unforgettable. Jack Nicholson's Joker, is the second greatest behind Heath Ledgers and here he's portrayed more as complete psychopath. Burton directs this film with a great deal of energy and imagination, giving it a pace that moves fairly quick and never stops for a beat. Batman 1989 is the second greatest Batman movie behind The Dark Knight because much like that film, it gets right to the point and never waste its time on useless subplots. The romance in this movie doesn't feel tacked on but appropriate with Kim Basinger playing a desireable Vicky Vale who questions the kind of person Bruce Wayne presents himself to be. Danny Elfman's electrifying score also outdoes Hans Zimmer's theme to this day, and gives the film an incredible adrenaline rush. Batman 1989 is the ideal comic book film of it's time as it delivers on dark spectacle, thrills, great fan service, and two iconic performances even if the villain at times overshadows the main character but that's also the case with Heath Ledgers Joker in The Dark Knight. A near flawless movie which remains to this day as being one of the greatest blockbuster films ever made.

                                                                                                                                              10/10

3. Batman Begins

Before The Dark Knight, there was this little film that many audiences overlooked in 2005 titled Batman Begins also starring Christian Bale in the title role along with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, and Tom Wilkinson. Unlike that film, this movie had a smaller budget and no major villains as it gave complete attention in regards to telling the origin story of how Bruce Wayne became The Dark Knight. Batman Begins, is the film that was very much needed after the disastrous results of Joel Schumacher's 1997 critical dud Batman and Robin, a film so bad it killed the careers of Alicia Silverstone and Chris O Donnell, and left Batman in development hell for 8 years before finally getting off the ground again,. Batman Begins is unquestionably the greatest reboot film ever made as well as being the definitive origin story for the character. What makes the film special is it gives audiences answers to questions they had while watching Michael Keaton's Batman films such as where did Batman get those wonderful toys and where did he learn how to fight? Nolan being a longtime James Bond fan, brought some of that to the table with the invention of Morgan Freeman's character serving as a D.C comics version of Q for Bruce Wayne. What makes Batman Begins such a great movie, is it understands the essence of the character it's glorifying, and makes his journey towards becoming Batman a personal one for the audience. This is essentially The Fellowship Of The Ring for Nolan's Batman saga as it proves to be smart, intelligent, well-filmed, dark, brutal, but most importantly it got the character down absolutely right. As Roger Ebert put it eloquently in his review for Batman Begins, it was the first Batman film for him to get it right, to get it ABSOLUTELY right. As great of a film Begins is, Tim Burton's 1989 Batman still stands slightly above it for being more legendary and iconic. Begins has a few issues in regards to how it's fighting scenes are filmed with poor choreography and Katie Holmes performance as Rachael Dawes brings it down a notch. Still, fans should realize that without Batman Begins, there'd be no Dark Knight and sometimes you need to go backwards in order to move forward.

                                                         

                                                                                                                                          9/10

4. Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm





Ah yes, who could forget about Batman: The Mask Of The Phantasm. Before there was Batman Begins, Batman: The Mask Of The Phantasm, was the definitive origin story of the Batman and Bruce Wayne tale. One almost wishes that this was a live action movie that was the undisclosed Batman 3 to Michael Keaton and Tim Burtons films. It would've been the perfect way to close out their batch of movies as this one shows Bruce Wayne reflecting on a past lover named Andrea Beaumont who got away from him and helped push him to become The Dark Knight we know him as of today. While reiminiscing, Bruce investigates a series of murders involving mobsters committed by a vigilante named The Phantasm with the police assuming Batman committed the acts. Meanwhile The Joker hovers in the background with connections to the mob members that are being hunted down by the Phantasm. This movie is an essential Batman film because what it does so great at the time of it's release is it showcases Bruce's humanity with key moments such as him at his parents grave in the rain begging them to let him live a normal life with Andrea and let the police handle the crime, or Bruce completing his first mission as a crime fighting vigilante, and the police chase he endures later on in the movie. What makes The Mask Of The Phantasm succeed where many of the live action adaptations of Batman were lacking at the time is it gave the character the origin story that was needed as well as showcasing his human side. The film is deeply and admirably respectful of the source material and can be taken seriously as an emotional drama despite the animated part of it.

                                                                                                                                                9/10

5. Batman Returns





One of the pinnacle movies of my childhood growing up. As a kid, I preferred Batman Returns over Batman 1989 but as time goes on, I see the greatness as well as the flaws between the two films and find Batman Returns to be slightly below Tim Burtons movie. Batman Returns, is a great sequel to the first Tim Burton movie with Danny Devito and Michelle Pfeiffer playing unforgettable roles as both The Penquin and Catwoman. The film is much darker than the first film Burton directed making the movie look like a twisted circus nightmare that just happens to have Batman in it. While the script may not be as well written as the first movie and the central villains may indeed overshadow Batman at times, Returns has some terrific Batman moments that ring true to the comics and the character. Examples are Bruce Wayne sitting alone in his mansion waiting for a reason to go out and fight crime and the shining of the Bat Signal into his living room with him stepping into the light is profound. Other great sequences are Selina Kyle's transformation into Catwoman, Catwoman and Batman's first fight, their first kiss under the missletoe, the ballroom dance scene where they both discover each others identities, Bruce unmasking for Selina, and the final scene which is a darker and more depressed version of the ending of Breakfast At Tiffanys with Bruce being alone in the alley with Selinas cat. Danny Elfmans music is also much better this time around, and the romance between Catwoman and Batman is steamier than what is shown between Bruce and Vicky Vale in the first Batman movie. Burton's dark and brooding atmosphere along with Keaton's performance as a tragic hero, the insane yet perfect casting of Devito, Pfeiffer and even Christopher Walken as Selina Kyles boss max Schrek make Batman Returns one of the most iconic Batman films to date. I go back and forth some nights on whether this film was better than Batman 1989 but in the end, I feel Batman 1989 wins over this as well as Batman Begins and Mask Of The Phantasm. The story drifts away too much from Batman at times.

                                                                                                                                              9/10

6. The Dark Knight Rises.



Perhaps the most divisive film of Christopher Nolan's otherwise stellar Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises takes place 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight with a retired Bruce Wayne being summoned once more to fight a terrorist named Bane, who has connections to the League Of Shadows, a group that trained Bruce in the first movie led by Ra's Al Ghoul and later turned out to be bent on destroying Gotham. The Dark Knight Rises, is made more so as a sequel to Batman Begins than The Dark Knight as this film mentions Harvey Dent but never of The Joker. Rises greatest strengths are showing a more eccentric side of Bruce Wayne even if his retirement seems a bit far fetched given how The Dark Knight ended. Anne Hathaway gives a terrific performance as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman with Joseph Gordon Levitt stealing the show as a Robin type figure named John Blake. Michael Caine is the true star of the film giving a heartfelt performance as Bruce's longtime Butler and father figure named Alfred. The few scenes that Caine has pierces into the hearts of comic book fans everywhere as you truly do feel that this man looks upon Bruce as his own son and wants what's best for him. A lot has been said about The Dark Knight Rises from it's endless amount of questionable plot holes to it's no mention of The Joker policy. Many fans think the film is a satisfying finish to the Nolan trilogy while many others wish that Nolan went a different route with how he chose to end the story. I personally would've preferred Riddler as the main villain as he feels more consistent with Joker, but Bane is great nevertheless. Talia Al Ghoul, one wishes she was fleshed out more but her big reveal scene is one of the films best acted scenes. Rises is a good finish to Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy although one will wish that Nolan did things a little differently.

                                                                                                                                                8.5/10

6. Batman vs Superman

 Much like The Dark Knight Rises, this film is very divisive among comic book fans. While this movie isn't entirely focused on Batman as it pairs him up with Superman and WonderWoman, the Batman side of the story with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Irons is one of the best we've seen on film thus far. Affleck gives a great performance as The Dark Knight with a quick flashback origin scene that feels similar to the one shown in Nolan's Batman Begins as well as a great introduction for the character of Bruce Wayne. Affleck gives us a merciless man whose more terrifying and creepier than Christian Bales bringing back the spirit of Michael Keaton's. One factor that may put off some fans of the comic book is that Batman actually KILLS in this movie compared to Bales Batman who stated that what separates him from the other criminals is that he won't kill them. Ben Affleck and Jeremy Irons Bruce and Alfred feel so much like the characters we've grown up seeing from the Animated cartoon series that aired on FOX back in the 1990s. This Alfred isn't afraid to throw witty remarks back at Bruce but also demonstrates that he does care about him. He also delivers his Michael Caine wise Alfred moment where he tells Bruce that Superman is not his enemy and shouldn't be concerned about him. The scenes between Batman and Superman in the movie are terrific even if the fight itself is a bit shortchanged given the anticipation and build up to it. Regardless of what one person feels about Batman Vs Superman as a whole movie, they'll be hard pressed to not think that Affleck is one of the best interpretations of the character we've ever had. I look forward to his solo film with great interest.

                                                                                                                                                   8/10

 7. Batman Forever                                                             

                      

  

I feel like Batman Forever gets an unnecessary bad rap with people. There was actually a time  where this movie was looked upon in high regard, certainly not as high as the Tim Burtons first Batman movie but def more so than Batman Returns upon it's release. Batman Returns proved to be too dark for children and many parents complained about the merchandise being sold for it at McDonalds for kids meals given how dark the movie is. The filmmakers instead decided to make Batman in a much lighter tone and hired Joel Schumacher to take the reigns as director once Tim Burton stepped down. Schumacher hired Elliot Goldenthal as the composer of this film in the place of Danny Elfman and created a more heroic theme for Batman that goes in line with the superhero aspect of the story. Batman Forever's reputation has steadily declined over the years due to being associated with Batman And Robin with George Clooney that came out two years after Forever and essentially killed the old Batman franchise. Because of Batman Forevers association with Batman And Robin, audiences look down upon it and outcast it from the list of good and decent Batman movies. Batman Forever, still remains a fun and lighter toned Batman film than what was seen before it. Sure Tommy Lee Jones Two Face is awful in comparison to Aaron Eckhart's more serious approach but Jim Carrey is terrific as Riddler and Chris O Donnell steals the show as Robin. The Batmobile looks sicker than ever and Val Kilmer is certainly no Michael Keaton but gives a solid performance as Bruce Wayne, even if some of his lines are borderline ridiculous. Examples are the rooftop scene with Nicole Kidman where he asks her "You trying to get under my cape doctor." Batman Forever garnered three Academy Award nominations including Best Cinematography, and popularized Seals hit song Kiss From A Rose. Batman Forever is a decent Batman film which deserves some slack as it's a far better film than the one that came after it.

                                                                                                                                               7.5/10

8. Batman The Movie 1966

There's only one line that sums this movie up perfectly. It's delivered by the Caped Crusader himself. "An exploding shark...WAS pulling my leg." That's all that really can be said to describe the campy tone of this movie. This is by no means a dark and serious Batman film like the others but totally bathes in the campy and fun nature of the 1960s. If you were a child growing up watching this movie, then it was heaven. I used to rent this film from Blockbuster video all the time as a kid. I loved it, I loved Lee Meriwether as Catwoman along with the combination of all four villains teaming up to destroy Batman such as Joker, Riddler, Catwoman, and Penguin,. This movie is a blast and makes no effort to hide it's true nature which is tongue-in check humor while turning it's camp into an art form, as well as cult classic status. Batman: The Movie 1966 is nowhere as strong of a Batman movie as the others listed but its damn good fun if you watch it with the right mind state.

                                                                                                                                             7.5/10

9. Batman Beyond: The Return Of The Joker

 





 

 If you are or ever were a fan of the animated cartoon show called Batman Beyond that aired on WB network, then this movie is one to cherish as a piece of Batmsn cinema. While not as good as The Mask of the Phantasm, the film takes the Batman Beyond concept of an older Batman training a younger person to be his successor Mask of Zorro style and throws an old enemy into the mix such as The Joker. One could watch Return Of The Joker after Batman 1989 and the stories would connect nicely since its Joker looking for revenge against Batman. Kevin Conroy who did the voice of Batman in Mask Of The Phantasm and Mark Hamill as The Joker are the souls of this movie. If you're a fan of Batman Beyond the TV show then this movie is not to be missed. I've seen this film fewer times than the others which explains its low ranking even though I endorse it to fans. 

                                                 

                                                                                                                                           7.5/10

10. Batman And Robin

                                                                          



 

Generally considered the worst of all Batman films as well as the worst of all Superhero movies as well as the WORST of all movies period, Batman And Robin proudly reigns as being the worst movie of this entire list even though I tend to put it in the category of "It's so bad it's good" type of movie. This is not great filmmaking even in the slightest but the film is so damn awful it's great to watch especially if you had a few drinks. This movie completely ditches the dark tone of past Batman movies for a much lighter one with the soul intention of selling toys to kids. This movie lacks a soul and feels like a commercial film, that has one objective which is to sell action figures. That's such a shame because the first Batman film began with huge promise and ended on an epic note. For Burton to start the way he did so amazingly well and the series end here is heartbreaking but sometimes it takes the most awful things to happen to force out the best things which in this case are The Dark Knight trilogy and Ben Affleck's version of Batman. This may be one of the most important comic book movies ever made because it showed what NOT to do when doing a comic book adaptation but to forever insist that if you're going to do one, you do it right. This movie is not a good film cinematically, but if you look at it from the standpoint of it's so awful it's great then you'll have a great time with it.

                                                                                               9 out of 10 for being so awful its great.

                                                                                                Real Film 3 out of 10

Risen movie review

So I finally got to see Risen:

 

      I first heard about this movie when I saw a poster for it on the wall of my local movie theater back in November of 2015. I instantly took interest in this film because of the angle it's approaching the Resurrection of Christ from, which is the perspective of the Roman soldiers. What really caught my eye with this film is hearing that the filmmakers intended for this movie to be a direct sequel to Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ since that movie ended with the audience seeing Christ resurrect and walk out of the tomb. That made me very anxious to see this film as I greatly enjoyed Mel Gibson's Biblical epic, and still consider it to be one of the greatest and most moving cinema experiences the Cinema ever had. The hype behind that films release was insane, and I knew going into this one that it was not going to be duplicated. Still, the idea that the filmmakers intended for this movie to be a sequel to The Passion Of The Christ, shows that they were thinking about more things than just the money but also knew where the bar was set and made some kind of attempt to meet it. Gibson's film regardless of how people feel about the filmmaker in reality was made with a labor of passion and love for the subject matter. Going into Risen, I was hoping for the exact same thing from these filmmakers. Did these filmmakers deliver on their promise of this being an effective sequel to Passion, and does it have the same kind of impact of that film? The most appropriate answer is not exactly but it wasn't a total letdown either.

      Risen can best be described as a movie with good intentions and an intent to become something that can be viewed upon as being meaningful to the audience watching the film, The film does feel like it tries to match up with passion as some of the key actors in this movie look like the one's playing the same kind of characters from Mel Gibson's film such as the actors playing Jesus, Pontius Pilate, and Mary Magdeleine. The story takes place in 33 AD where a Roman Tribune named Clavius is tasked by Pontius Pilate to find the missing body of Christ when rumors began to surface that he rose from the dead. The whole central focus of this film is on Clavius played by Joseph Fiennes and his right hand man Lucius played by Tom Felton, as they do their investigating and trying to make sense of the situation presented to them. Clavius from the start clearly doesn't believe in any of the stories about Christ's miracles and feels that his followers are touched in the head, but as the film develops, he begins to question for himself the loyalty of Christ's followers who would give their life for believing in him. The true power of the movie kicks in when Clavius discovers for himself the truth behind the crucifixion and resurrection, and becomes a believer himself. Joseph Fiennes gives a fairly restraint performance but brings a likeability to the role that makes the audience connect with his character. The idea that the story unfolds in the eyes of a nonbeliever but ends with him becoming a follower of Christ is a story that's both unique and worth telling, especially if it's from the side of the Roman soldiers. Risen may very well be one of the best Biblical films since The Passion Of The Christ as this movie is much lighter in tone and straight-forward than many faith-based films since 2004. It's greatest strength is it's story which takes The Greatest Story Ever Told and puts an interesting spin on it as the aftermath of the Resurrection has never been quite told before on the big screen like this. It also helps that this movie has strong production values such as the Art-Set Decoration, and Costume Design, something that really made Mel Gibson's movie standout as being visually striking. The score is strong as well and the film moves at a steady pace pulling you into it's story while ending it at a point where you're left reflecting on the concept at hand. The best analogy for Risen, is that it often feels like a police drama that doesn't feel heavy handed with it's Christian message, and is accompanied by terrific production values.

      With all the pros of this film, there is also some negative side effects to the film such as some of the acting coming off as being poor by some of the supporting characters in this movie such as the disciple Peter played by Steward Scudamore and Mary Magdeleine played by Maria Botto.. The acting by a lot of the minor character's isn't as effective as it could be While one certainly feels that there was a good amount of effort that went into this film and great care taken with the story, it's not on the kind of level that Mel Gibson brought towards The Passion Of The Christ. Passion was acted to perfection, looked gorgeous, had great technical traits, and left an impression on moviegoers long after exiting the theater. The film also garnered three Academy Award nominations for Best Music, Cinematography, and Makeup. It still remains the most successful R rated film in box office history domestically, giving further proof that Gibson more than exceeded what he set out to do with that story. That should be the barrier for any religious film going forward since it's release to have that kind of impact on pop culture. Risen is not going to be the film that does that but it's no failure either. One just wishes that more passion and flare went into this project than what we see on the screen to leave a bigger impact with audiences.

 

      Overall, Risen is worth watching if you are familiar with the story of Christ and want to see the story of his Resurrection told from a different angle than what's typically shown in past films. If you are a non believer going into this film, you may appreciate it as a piece of filmmaking but be left cold by it's intended message as this film works better for those who know about the story going in. Risen's message is that Christ's death and Resurrection changed the lives of so many under Roman rule during that 40 day period after the Resurrection. One wishes that the filmmakers went more in depth with the life changing experience that many of Christ's followers experienced after the crucifixion. Much like the 1953 Richard Burton film titled The Robe, this movie takes similar inspiration in showing a Roman Tribune going from a nonbeliever into a believer through the power of remorse, regret, and ultimately having faith. Telling the story from the side of the romans was a great idea and the film does feel like it could be watched after The Passion Of The Christ, but one also feels after watching it that it could've been so much closer to that film in terms of overall impact.

         

                                                                                                                                                     7 /10 

 



 

Race Movie Review

Just got back from seeing Race

 

 

 

      I first heard about the story of Jesse Owens when I was taking film classes during my sessions at San Francisco State University. Through my Film And The Holocaust and Documentary And Film classes, I learned about Owens, the 1936 Olympics that he ran in under Hitler's regime, and Leni Riefenstahl's film she made based around the Olympics titled Olympia. When I heard that this movie was getting released, I was excited because I learned about this story while in College and hoped that the filmmakers would do it justice. Watching the trailer for this movie, it struck me as being very similar to another inspirational sports movie titled 42, the Jackie Robinson story starring Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman. Race and 42 share the same parallel of two up and coming African American athletes, one a runner, and the other a Baseball player being handpicked by their managers that happen to be compassionate and successful businessmen with big visionary dreams. Both athletes excel in their professions but have to go toe to toe with racism, and people trying to sabotage their winning streaks at every turn. This story centers around Jesse Owen's quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history but in doing so, he becomes pushed into the world stage of the 1936 Olympics which is being used as a political tool by Berlins chancellor Adolf Hitler with the objective of promoting Aryan supremacy. Right off the bat, this film is aiming for that 42 inspirational and dramatic feel of good triumphing over evil with the backdrop being a major sports event. So the question on everyone's mind reading this review is did Race live up to it's promise and name? The answer is a very enthusiastic YES.
      Race is a strong and effective drama, that works because of the power of it's source material and the strong performances from it's stellar cast among the likes of Stephan James as Jesse Owens, Jason Sudeikis as Owens manager, Jeremy Irons as Owens ally Avery Brundage, and Carice Van Houten as Leni Riefenstahl, the infamous female filmmaker at the time who made the 1936 film Olympia. These key players all work beautifully off each other in showing the struggle Owens character had to endure during his time in Berlin as well as the politics behind the Olympics involving the Nazi regime. While it can be argued that the movie can never fully capture the glory and thrills of the real life event, this film does a beautiful job of showing the historic event while informing the audience about the history of the event. This was a significant race because Hitler's hope of the Aryans being looked upon as the definitive and ideal athletes was thwarted by Owens success. In terms of rich detail, the film flourishes with beautiful cinematography, art-set decoration as well as Costume Design. In regards to it's storyline, it's central focus is the race itself more so than the rest of Owens life which may come across as disappointing for some. The film does play off the traditional themes of a sports story/overcoming racism film such as determination, perseverance, and the will to succeed. One cannot deny that there was passion involved with telling this story as it's felt throughout the film, but perhaps there wasn't enough screen time to get this massively uplifting story told in just two hours. That's not mean't to be a huge criticism against the movie but just acknowledgement that the filmmakers did the best with the time that was given to them, although one wishes they tried to give more insight into the life of Owens.

      Regardless of the movies flaws, one things remains forever certain. This is an emotionally powerful and very inspiring true story about a man fighting not one war but two. He's fighting the war in which he must tango with a regime that refuses to acknowledge his talent simply because he's African American, while also representing his country that also views him as a social outcast or inferior during that time period. As one of Owens family members puts it eloquently in the film, if Owen wins the gold medal for completing the race then he will be just as hated if he chose not to go to Berlin in protest of the discrimination he received in America at the time. Jesse Owens was essentially a man, who society was going to be hard on regardless of which choice he made, but he made his decision and prevailed against all odds with humility, incredible strength, and determination. One of the films defining moments is when he receives assistance from one of the Aryan athletes on where he should make his leap during the race, followed by a scene of the two men on opposite sides having drinks together and talking about the differences between each others society and the Aryan athletes frustration with his government. This scene is poignant because it taps into the real issue the race is surrounded by, and shows two men on opposite sides putting aside their differences and playing against each other not just in the spirit of sports but also as friends. It is not just that scene but other suttle moments throughout the movie such as Owens and his manager becoming not just powerful allies but friends and Owens facing discrimination once he returned back to America as a reminder of the second battle he faces which makes this film memorable. Race is a great story told in a powerful film which deserves more attention and praise than what its received. Anyone who appreciates African American History, the Holocaust, or history in general will take a great liking to this movie as it's beautifully told and richly empowering with it's final message which says that racism is a horrible thing and that good will always triumph over evil. If you have a chance to see this movie then please do so. It's worth it.
                                                                                                                                          8.5/10