Category: Franchise

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker Review

The Skywalker Saga Comes to a Thrilling End

How do you end a decades long saga beloved by millions and millions of people? Do you honor the past like The Force Awakens did when it started off this new trilogy or do you try something new like Rian Johnson (Knives Out, Looper) did with The Last Jedi? Ultimately, J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Super 8) decided that nostalgia is more important than going in a new direction. At this point, I believe that Star Wars films are event blockbusters, very similar to films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For me, the reason I like Star Wars movies is because I absolutely loved the original trilogy and I even love the prequel trilogy (I hope that didn’t instantly burn my reputation). This being said the nostalgia in the film was easily one of my favorite parts of the experience.

I absolutely loved every second of it, especially seeing it during opening weekend. The crowd had an energetic vibe and there were plenty of cheers and eye-wateringly awesome moments if you’re a major fan of the franchise. I really enjoyed the story too! As displayed by the second trailer that was released, Emperor Palpatine, played by Ian McDiarmid (Star Wars Episodes I, II, III, V, V), returns to wreak havoc and retake control of the galaxy. Self-declared Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver (Marriage Story, The Report), attempts to take control of the galaxy as well in his ever-persistent journey to become the most powerful person in the galaxy. Rey, Finn, and Poe, played by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Murder on the Orient Express), John Boyega (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Pacific Rim: Uprising), and Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Ex Machina), race against the clock to try to protect the galaxy as the battle between good and evil, light and dark, is waged one last time.

The movie moves along at a (force) lightning pace. This didn’t bother me in the slightest because I grew up watching the original trilogy with my Dad and I saw all of the prequel movies in theaters… not to mention the amount of times I have watched them all at home. However, I guess for some it could be considered too fast paced, so it will be advantageous going in with that knowledge. The characters finally felt comfortable to me. Rey is continuing her training to become a Jedi, Finn and Poe aren’t exclaiming and hugging every single time they see each other, and Kylo Ren is determined and has dropped the whiny tantrum act. The stakes in the film are palpable and, in my opinion, honor the Skywalker Saga as a whole, not to mention this new trilogy. This film also brings back Lando Calrissian (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Brian’s Song) and I can’t emphasize enough how chilling Ian McDiarmid’s portrayal of The Emperor is. Seriously, if you have young children it may not be the best film as there is some truly frightening imagery as my cousin learned the hard way (again, I apologize for not writing this sooner). The film is easily the darkest of the new trilogy, although I think Revenge of the Sith has to take the cake for the darkest film in the entire franchise; why the younglings, Anakin??!!

Needless to say it is up to each and every person to come up with an opinion for this film because it is extremely divisive. At the end of the day as an auteur you can’t please everybody, and J.J. Abrams clearly put his heart, soul, and extensive knowledge/passion of Star Wars into this film. He co-wrote the film with Chris Terrio (Argo, Justice League) as well as taking on directing duties. The film was another movie that was actually shot on film like so many other fantastic films this year. As I’ve said, there is something magical about movies that are actually shot on film. The film was shot by Dan Mindel (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Trek Into Darkness) and contains plenty of classic J.J. lens flare along with some truly breathtaking imagery. Seriously, the desert scenes are amazing, filled with heat shimmer that make the film that much grittier. Luckily our main characters visit plenty of planets this time around, which offers up all sorts of beautiful and unique kinds of scenery. I’m sure the film will garner a few technical Oscar nominations too as the sound design and VFX are stunning to say the least. Again, it is a Star Wars film, so these qualities are almost a no-brainer.

The movie was edited by Maryann Brandon (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Super 8) and Stefan Grube (10 Cloverfield Lane, Tully). While the action sequences were all edited very well, I didn’t feel like anything really stuck out as being exemplary or ground-breaking. The film was edited very much like The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, however, they did have an extraordinary task of making everything feel cohesive as there is quite a bit going on. John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) returned one last time to score the final Skywalker film and he claims this film will be his last Star Wars film, which is bittersweet. On one hand, all of his Star Wars themes are memorable and unique, whether it was the main theme, which is arguably the most iconic movie composition of all time, or it his extraordinarily composed/performed “Duel of the Fates” in The Phantom Menace. On the other hand, it is always good to leave on a high note, and his score for The Rise of Skywalker is definitely a high note. Whether it be “Rey’s Theme” or the classic “Imperial March,” John finds a way to mix old with new in unique and memorable ways.

In summary the experience of The Rise of Skywalker is what you make of it. Unfortunately characters like Rose, played by Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Sorry for Your Loss), and Maz Kanata, played by Lupita Nyong’o (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Us), don’t get much screen time, which is another reason the film is being criticized, especially the absence of Rose. In a bulky script, I don’t see how their roles could have been increased, but alas, such is life. There are plenty of truly epic moments that any Star Wars fan should enjoy and if anything it is an extremely fun movie to experience in a theater. Be wary of bringing small children as the film is extremely dark and could be scary for them, and as always, may the Force be with You!

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action
Running Time: 142 Minutes
Produced By: Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm, and Bad Robot

Spider-Man: Far From Home Review

The Web Head you know and love travels to Europe to team up with Nick Fury, Maria Hill, & Mysterio

After the absolutely phenomenal Avengers: Endgame was released to massive critical acclaim and commercial success, the question on everybody’s mind was: how do you top that? Well, Spider-Man: Far From Home chooses not to compete, instead sticking with the John Hughes-esque dynamic its’ predecessor used to make Spider-Man unique within the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Whether it’s introducing new characters or building on pre-existing characters, Far From Home does a fantastic job of remembering that character comes first when telling a story on a massive stage. Director Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cop Car) and writers Erik Sommers & Chris McKenna (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Ant-Man and the Wasp) both returned to give us both the next chapter of the MCU’s Spider-Man and the final film for the MCU’s Phase 3. A word of caution, if you read any further there will be massive spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. Please, I hate spoilers as much as the next human, so do not continue reading if you have not seen Avengers: Endgame. 

Final chance… okay, so Far From Home deals with the aftermath of Endgame, specifically a major death, which I will refer to in a few sentences in case somebody who hasn’t seen it is still scanning the page. As Peter Parker/Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Impossible), deals with the loss of his mentor and friend, Tony Stark/Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Endgame, Sherlock Holmes series), and the enormous power vacuum left in his place. Peter struggles throughout the film with the enormous pressure of whether or not he should take Tony’s place as the world’s protector or not, and in his defense, he is the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. In addition to this pressure, Happy Hogan, played by Iron Man director Jon Favreau (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Swingers), informs Peter that Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson (Captain Marvel, Pulp Fiction), is trying to get in touch with him. At the same time Peter is off to Europe for a summer vacation with his friends/classmates. With subplots galore, including a burgeoning potential relationship with MJ, played by Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Greatest Showman), his best friend Ned’s, played by Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The True Don Quixote), girl problems, and a global threat involving the Elementals, Far From Home has plenty going on. All this going on while Happy may or may not be dating Peter’s Aunt May, played by Marissa Tomei (Spider-Man: Homecoming, My Cousin Vinny), which causes Peter unimaginable amounts of grief.

When an Elemental attacks Venice, where Peter and his friends are staying, a mysterious man, played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Prisoners, Donnie Darko), appears out of nowhere to save the day. As he is dubbed Mysterio, Peter learns that he is from an alternate Earth, introducing the concept of a multi-verse, as well as working with Nick Fury and Maria Hill, played by Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother, Avengers films). Mysterio AKA Quentin Beck acts as Peter’s unofficial mentor, with the absence of Tony, and Peter is able to commiserate his predicament of becoming a hero for good or enjoying life with his friends. In a film that challenges Peter in many ways that are familiar, yet so unique and interesting, Far From Home is an exciting, thrilling, and hilarious addition to the MCU.

First off, I think the way this film addressed The Snap was incredibly thought out and dealt with people’s criticisms about Peter’s friends all being the same age in a thought provoking way. Honestly, it only gets me even more excited for whatever comes next in the MCU, because Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios) and his team have proven they can literally do anything. I think one of the many reasons that the MCU is so successful is the consistent genre/tonal shifts they keep introducing to their films. Far From Home feels like a combination of a John Hughes film and a National Lampoons’ Vacation film, all while still maintaining its’ blockbuster superhero status. Hopefully Marvel and Sony can work together in the following years, because they have an absolute hit on their hands with both of these Spider-Man films.

The actors in this film all absolutely nailed their roles. Whether it is Peter’s “guy-in-the-chair” sidekick, Ned, or Zendaya’s sarcastic, dry humored turn as MJ, the films’ supporting cast does a tremendous job. Angourie Rice (Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, Spider-Man: Homecoming) got way more screen time this go-around, portraying Betty Brant, Peter’s co-worker at the Daily Bugle in the comics. Tony Revolori’s (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Grand Budapest Hotel) portrayal of Peter’s nemesis, Flash Thompson, is just as hilarious as it was in Homecoming. Remy Hii (Marco Polo, Better Man) puts in a fantastic turn as Pete’s rival/MJs’ other love interest in the film as Brad Davis. Martin Starr (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Freaks and Geeks) and J.B. Smoove (Mr. Deeds, Hall Pass) are absolutely hilarious together as the teachers/chaperones for Peter and his friends’ trip to Europe. Jon Favreau and Marisa Tomei both crush their roles as Peter’s parental figures. Last but not least, Tom Holland proves himself, yet again, to be my absolute favorite iteration of the live-action web crawler. As Peter or Spider-Man he absolutely nails the quintessential teenager superhero role. Since Civil War he has injected a lot of fun and emotional story arcs into the MCU and I can’t wait to see whatever he does next.

Michael Giacchino (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Doctor Strange) is the brilliant composer behind the music in Far From Home. Giacchino, who got his start composing music for video games, proves to be the next John Williams, leaving an indelible mark on cinema as a whole. The Far From Home score is filled with trumpet fanfare, woodwinds, and flutes. To me, it sounds very much like his scores from The Incredibles I & II, as there is a theme of espionage within Far From Home, while also embracing some major MCU themes that have been created over the years by various composers. Giacchinos’ score effortlessly transitions between thrilling and bombastic to sweet and heartfelt throughout the entire film, embracing instruments throughout the films’ many different locales. 

Jon Watt, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers have crafted another brilliant addition to the MCU. Hopefully they get a chance to work with Marvel again, I suppose we all have to collectively cross our fingers that Sony doesn’t botch the deal in an effort to build their own Spider-Verse with Venom, Morbius, and future Into the Spider-Verse sequels. Unfortunately, there is no Stan Lee cameo in Far From Home, as Endgame appears to be his final cameo before his sad passing. Although there is no Stan Lee cameo be sure to stay behind after the credits as there are two mid/post-credits scenes that hint at what is to come in Phase 4 of the MCU. I am sure Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are proud of what Kevin Feige and the cast and crew have created. In my opinion, it is just as good as Homecoming, if not better.

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
Running Time: 129 Minutes
Released by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, Pascal Pictures, and Sony

Child’s Play Review

Chucky Slays In This Upgraded Reboot Of The Horror Classic

Shocking as it may sound, if you haven’t heard, Child’s Play, the old school horror series about a killer doll named Chucky, got a reboot. Even more surprising is that, for the most part, it is a relevant and noteworthy reboot. From the producers of It (2017), comes a re-imagining of the classic tale about mass-consumerism in a day and age where smart phones have taken over our lives. There a few major differences between this iteration and the original. First, Brad Dourif (Child’s Play Franchise, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), who has voiced Chucky in every single Child’s Play film from Child’s Play (1988) to Cult of Chucky, got replaced by the very talented voice actor, Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series). Chucky also isn’t brought to life via voodoo this time around. He is just an artificially intelligent robot gone awry. The final big difference is the fact that Andy, played by Gabriel Bateman (Lights Out, Benji remake), is a few years older than his counterpart in the original film, and he is joined by a group of kids, which is probably inspired by the massive success of that dynamic in It (2017) and Stranger Things. 

Child’s Play begins with a television ad about the “Buddi Doll” featuring Henry Kaslan, the head of Kaslan Corporation, played by Tim Matheson (Animal House, Hart of Dixie). Kaslan Corporation specializes in smart-home technology like thermostats, vacuums, and speakers, as well as drone technology. The Buddi Doll is introduced as a similar device as Alexa, but in a kid-friendly form that does everything from singing bedtime songs to helping them remember their science book. A disgruntled Kaslan employee, working in a factory in Vietnam, disables one of the Buddi doll’s safety features following his unceremonious firing and all sorts of nasty shenanigans are in store for whoever’s hands the doll ends up in. Fast forward to Andy and his mother, Karen, played by Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, FX’s Legion). After a sudden move for unknown reasons, Andy is a lonely kid, spending all of his time looking at his phone, while his mom works at the local Zed Mart, the local toy/electronics store.

Andy has trouble staying at home because of her mothers’ jerk boyfriend, Shane, played by David Lewis (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Man of Steel), so the only friend he has made since the move is nice guy detective Mike Norris, played by Brian Tyree Henry (If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). Noticing her sons’ lack of friends, Karen decides to give Andy a Buddi doll she tactically acquired from work so that he has something of a companion. Sure enough, it is the same safety-featureless doll which was tampered with at the films’ beginning, and this is when the real fun of the film begins. As Chucky learns more and more from Andy and his ragtag group of friends the more violent he becomes. Without spoiling anything, the film definitely earned its’ hard R-rating with its’ horrific situations and intensely gory deaths.

The Child’s Play series has always relied on a combination of horror and comedy and the reboot, directed by Lars Klevberg (Polaroid), applies the same formula. Oddly enough in these films, there are times when we are almost rooting for Chucky, as an audience filled with a sense of blood-lust, and this film is no different. There are plenty of outrageous laugh out loud moments as well as truly horrific and violent moments which got groans and gasps from the mostly full theater I watched it in. Klevberg does a fine job of directing the actors during these tonal shifts from a debut screenplay written by Tyler Burton Smith. It’s really an interesting take on the Child’s Play story due to the fact that the majority of the technology in the film mirrors our current state of affairs. I could easily imagine this film as a twisted Black Mirror episode. 

The child actors do a pretty good job, especially Gabriel Bateman, who seemed to convey so many different emotions of a kid who feels trapped and unhappy in a situation beyond his control. The other kids are pretty one-dimensional, but they serve their purpose well, as there wasn’t enough time to completely build their characters. Aubrey Plaza does a very good job of playing Andy’s mother, even though its’ her first time playing a mom. She conveys the necessary concern for her son, the reckless abandon of a recently single mom, and the unbelievable blind eye to the psychopathic doll living in her house. Mark Hamill does a fantastic job with Chucky’s voice, unsurprisingly. Hamill boasts a very large body of work as a voice actor, most famously voicing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and the Arkham Asylum video games. I would say his Chucky voice slightly resembles his Joker voice, but he does an incredibly good job with the small emotional subtleties which Chucky requires. Just like in the original film, Chucky seems to have two modes: good guy doll and evil psychopath. Hamill is incredible as he can switch from one mode to the other in an instant. Decades of voice acting experience made him the obvious choice to portray Chucky in this reboot.

Another reason I enjoyed this film is the shoestring budget which seems to be accompanying some of the greatest horror films these days like Don’t Breatheand any film produced by Jason Blum, who lives and breathes on small budgets. The reason I like a film with a small budget is that the filmmakers have to get creative and in the case of Child’s Play, it forces the filmmakers to use practical effects, which in this modern era of films is a breath of fresh air. It reminds me of the good old days of practical effects produced by Stan Winston (Terminator, Predator) and his protégé Rob Bottin (John Carpenter’s The Thing, Total Recall) whose creature effects redefined what could practically be done on a film set. The majority of the doll effects in Child’s Play are practical, with a tiny bit of CGI used when practical effects were simply impractical. Hats off to special effects coordinator Barry Hebein (X2: X-Men United, Trick r’ Treat) and his team for pulling off the cool robotics seen in the film.

Finally, the best horror films have great scores and Bear McCreary (The Walking Dead, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) creates an incredibly creepy score for this film. McCreary is having an excellent year as he also composed the wonderful score for the blockbuster Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It’s really a pleasure to listen to his work as each of his scores is so unique and different. His score for Child’s Play bears an overall theme, which is used in the Buddi song which Kaslan Corp uses as a marketing tool in the film. It is essentially retooled throughout the film as well, bearing many different toy instruments at its’ core. Everything from a kazoo to a child’s xylophone are used to create a very unique and creepy score, which plays on the fact that this is a film about a killer doll. The music changes from heartwarming to chilling in an instant, which plays well with the multiple tonal shifts throughout the film. Recently released on vinyl at Waxwork Records, I highly encourage fellow wax heads to check it out!

As far as reboots go, I was not disappointed with Child’s Play. It seems their clever marketing campaign, which feature Chucky humorously killing off different characters from the Toy Story franchise (seriously, checkout the crazy poster designs they came up with), has paid off as the film is heading for a $20+ million weekend. Considering the films’ small budget, this could be a good indicator that a potential sequel could happen. If you have kids, definitely take them to see Toy Story 4 instead of this, but if you’re a fan of horror films and can stand a bit of gore, I would give this movie a chance. After seeing this movie, I’m not going to lie, I’m slightly scared of going to sleep with my Amazon Echo device in the house. Hopefully it hasn’t gained the same malicious self-awareness that Mark Hamill’s Chucky did.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters Review

Godzilla Proves To Be The King of the Big Screen!

After the disappointment of the 2014 Godzilla reboot, which was directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Monsters), and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Godzilla), Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla, MCU), and Bryan Cranston (Argo, Breaking Bad), I’m sure fans were skeptical when news of a King Kong reboot was on the way in 2017. Luckily, audiences got the spectacular Vietnam-period piece which was Kong: Skull Island. So, when word that a straight up sequel to Godzilla was coming with an entirely (mostly) new cast, my ears perked up. Then the first trailer was released, and I’ll never forget the feeling of utter thrill and joy I felt when it ended with Godzilla and King Ghidora running at each other at full speed. As the next trailer started in the theater, I looked over at my girlfriend, heart beating out of my chest, and I saw the same look of excitement on her face. The film lives up to the incredibly well-done set of trailers that were released, and the reason why is that the filmmakers knew exactly what they were making: a monster film.

The first attempt at Godzilla was bogged down by the human factor. While Bryan Cranston’s storyline was ultimately tragic in nature, the major draw of a monster movie should not be the human element. We didn’t even get to see a full image of Godzilla until the third act. Even though it was a bearable film, I haven’t watched it again, yet. That says something right there. King of the Monsters on the other hand is absolutely rewatchable. The film begins during Godzilla’s battle in San Francisco from the point of view of Kyle Chandler’s (Argo, Friday Night Lights) character, Mark Russel, and his family. Suffering a tragic loss, the film then jumps ahead to present time. The Russel family is split up and they are dealing with the loss in different ways. Mark is off doing his own thing, upset at the “monsters” as he calls Godzilla, while his wife, Dr. Emma Russell, played by Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Up in the Air), and daughter Madison, played by Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), are working for Monarch on some unknown mission.

Emma creates a device that can essentially communicate with the monsters by the use of “Alpha” channels, which they test out on a larva version of Mothra. When Mothra is woken up she is NOT happy, but Emma’s device works and Madison gets to go pet the docile thirty story creature. Enter our villain, Alan Jonah, played by Charles Dance (Last Action Hero, Game of Thrones), an eco-terrorist who plans to use Emma’s device to wake the other Titans (AKA Monsters/Kaiju) so that they can bring the world back to a purer, more basic state of affairs. The only problem with his plan are the millions and potentially billions of innocent people who would become collateral damage. Jonah absconds with Emma, Madison, and the device, while Mothra goes into cocoon.

Sally Hawkins (Godzilla, The Shape of Water) and Ken Watanabe (Inception, The Last Samurai) revisit their characters from the first Godzilla as scientists who urge Congress to embrace Godzilla, rather than treat him as an enemy, on the behalf of Monarch, the secret organization which monitors the activity of Godzilla and the Titans via bases situated throughout the world. They also have a few new team members in the form of Thomas Middleditch’s (The Wolf of Wall Street, Silicon Valley) Sam Coleman and Bradley Whitford’s (Get Out, Cabin in the Woods) Dr. Rick Stanton who has some of the films’ best one-liners. Once word of Emma and Madison’s kidnapping reaches them, they team up with Mark and a special ops team led by Colonel Diane Foster, played by Aisha Hinds (Assault on Precinct 13, 9-1-1) and Chief Warrant Officer Barnes, played by O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton, Den of Thieves), to try and get them back before any real damage can be done. Unfortunately, they are unsuccessful and Ghidora is woken up, which causes a whole bevvy of other problems.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is successful because Michael Dougherty (Trick ‘r Treat, Krampus) is at the helm. Dougherty has referred to his movie as “the Aliens to Gareth’s Alien.” He is of course referring to the drastically different tones of those two classic films. Dougherty embraces the sort of quirky humor Aliens embraced when following up the ultra-dark sci-fi horror gem, Alien, directed by master director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator). It’s clear that all of the projects he has worked on thus far have led him to this point. He is fantastic at creating genre pieces, as Trick ‘r Treatredefined the horror genre and his screenplay for X2: X-Men United produced easily the best X-Men live action film. Dougherty is the perfect choice for this film, looking back, and I’m glad the studios made the right call this time around. 

This film embraces the true nature of monster/Kaiju movies, which is the monsters themselves.  It also does away with the ultra-realism the first film had. In this film, the technology is inexplicably updated to the point that some of Monarch’s gear/weaponry/planes are extremely sci-fi. I’m so glad the makers of this film had the good sense to know what to make of importance. Obviously, the technology and human element (for the most part, there is still some good old’ fashioned human drama in play) aren’t nearly as important as the look, feel, and especially sound of these magnificent creatures. Godzilla hasn’t sounded this much like himself since 1954 and King Ghidora’s intense scream is so exhilarating. Each of the different Titans has a different and unique sound, so don’t worry about the potential for confusion when all hell is breaking loose. The choreography (if you want to call it that) of the Titan battles is never out of control to the point that it is confusing.

Bear McCreary (The Walking Dead, 10 Cloverfield Lane) composed the music for this film, and it is yet another reason why the film is so good. The Walking Dead has definitely prepared him for this film, with subject matter that is totally unrealistic, yet dramatic at the same time. In the smaller, more delicate scenes, soft strings play soothing sounds of regret, hope, and wonder, whereas the big battle scenes boast blaring horns. McCreary also utilizes some of the original soundtrack, such as Godzilla’s theme, to great effect. We saw the film in Dolby Atmos, which really goes above and beyond with the sound/speakers in the theater. When Godzilla is rearing up to do battle and his theme song played, everyone cheered. 

I recommend seeing this film in the best theater you can, whether it is Dolby Atmos or IMAX. Monsters as tall as skyscrapers deserve to be seen on the biggest and best screen possible. If you can’t, I still recommend seeing it on any big screen, as there is something fun about watching a bunch of giant monsters laying waste to Boston. Talk about some kahma (Go Blues!). The filmmakers behind these “Monarch” films have really outdone themselves this time, and it’s exhilarating and exciting that this cinematic universe is continuing so well. Let’s just say that the bar is set very high for the next major monster film in the series, because Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a smashing success! 

Dark Phoenix Review

The Fox X-Men Franchise Goes Out With a Bang

The long running X-Men franchise has had plenty of hit films, yet, it’s hard to forget The Last Stand. In that film, Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix) botched the Dark Phoenix Saga, written by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, and Dave Cockrum. The Last Stand had way too much going on plot-wise, which negatively affected how Dark Phoenix was handled. A lot of fans were upset, and it literally resulted in the franchise being shut down for five years until it was rebooted with the new James McAvoy (X-Men Franchise, Wanted) led cast in X-Men: First Class. We aren’t going to talk about X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Without a doubt there was much trepidation and fear when it was revealed that Simon Kinberg was assigned not only to write Dark Phoenix, but also to direct it. Critics haven’t been too nice to it, and in this writer’s humble opinion it seems like a lot of this backlash is still aimed at The Last Stand as Dark Phoenix is a complete success in my book.

The most recent X-Men film before Dark Phoenix was Apocalypse. In this film a good amount of the new cast are introduced, such as Jean Grey, played by Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men: Apocalypse), Scott Summers/Cyclops, played by Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One, Mud), Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In, The Road), and last but not least, Ororo Munroe/Storm, played by Alexandra Shipp (Shaft, Straight Outta Compton). While critics haven’t been too kind to that film either, I believe it was a natural progression from the excellent adaptation of Days of Future Past. While Oscar Isaac’s (New Star Wars Trilogy, Ex Machina) iteration of Apocalypse left much to be desired, the film accomplished its’ goal. The X-Men are finally respected by the leaders of the world and humans and mutants live in harmony. This is exactly where Dark Phoenix picks up several years later, this time in the 90’s.

With the X-Men now directly helping the President under the guiding hand of Charles Xavier, NASA’s latest mission has a catastrophic failure when it hits an unknown force. Against the wishes of Raven/Mystique, played by Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games Films, Silver Linings Playbook), Charles sends the X-Men into space for the first time in the long-running franchise. They arrive to find the shuttle spinning hopelessly, with no way to contact the crew. Cyclops uses a periscope gadget to amplify his powers to stop the shuttle from spinning, while Nightcrawler and Quicksilver teleport into the shuttle to gather the crew. They quickly retrieve everyone and teleport back to the ship only to realize they’ve left the ships’ captain behind. Again, against the wishes of Raven, Charles insists they leave no one behind, which causes Nightcrawler and Jean to teleport back to the shuttle. Amidst all the confusion, while the mysterious force threatens to destroy the shuttle, Nightcrawler finds the Captain of the shuttle, but can not get back to Jean in time. He teleports without her as the cosmic entity overtakes the ship and gets absorbed into her, while bursting into a giant explosion, seemingly killing Jean. As the X-Men temporarily mourn Jean’s loss, they realize she somehow survived.

Back on Earth, the X-Men celebrate their victory as the young students at Xavier’s School for the Gifted whisper about Jean Grey’s miraculous survival. They give her the nickname, Phoenix. As Jean struggles to control her powers, mysterious shape-shifting aliens arrive elsewhere. These aliens are the D’Bari, whose home world has been destroyed by the Phoenix Force, and are led by Vuk, who quickly morphs into Jessica Chastain (Interstellar, It: Chapter Two). Jean realizes her abilities could put the ones she loves in danger, so she leaves the X-Mansion, not knowing what to do and unbeknownst to her she is followed by Vuk and the D’Bari.

Dark Phoenix is probably the most intense and gritty X-Men movie made to date, not including the R-rated Deadpool films. The second act features a lot of surprise turns of character and introduces us to Magneto who is living happily on an island with other mutants, which, with a closer look at the credits can only be Genosha. It was disappointing that this wasn’t made clear in the actual film, because Genosha has plenty of lore behind it in the comics and X-Men: The Animated Series, which came out in the 90’s. As more and more characters team up to either save or kill Jean, the film ramps up to an exciting climax on a train in the third act.

While I think the Dark Phoenix saga was adapted better than The Last Stand’s attempt, I believe in the future, in the hands of Marvel and Kevin Feige, it could be done even better. It saddens me that critics and fans can’t seem to enjoy this version though. The film deals with trauma and how characters deal with it in a realistic manner, set in an unrealistic universe. The action scenes are thrilling and exciting, we get to see the younger X-Men use their well-controlled powers in unique ways, and Hans Zimmer (Inception, The Lion King) creates a dark score which sucks viewers in from the very beginning. Unfortunately, the Disney-Fox merger negatively impacted this films’ chance of success. As the pre-production/production had already been well under way before the merger happened, Dark Phoenix was suddenly to be the last film in the long-running franchise. I can’t be sure, but I can only imagine this wasn’t Simon Kinberg’s initial intention, and the fact that the film underwent extensive reshoots seems to support that theory. It’s always a bummer when business/politics negatively interfere with a popular franchise.

All in all, Dark Phoenix was a fun ride. If you go into it with that mindset, I imagine you will enjoy it. If you’re going into the theater with unrealistic expectations, you’re only going to be disappointed, which most of the superfans/comic book fans seem to be. By no means do I expect everyone to hold the same opinion as me, yet, I do wish that more people today could separate themselves from some of the toxic fandom which seems to be everywhere. In a social media age, it is nearly impossible to make something that is universally accepted. Although Endgame seems to be the exception to the rule. Hopefully the X-Men can be adapted in new and interesting ways now that the characters have finally come home to Marvel. As for this version of the X-Men, thank you for the many years of excellent storytelling and intriguing characters.

John Wick 3: Parabellum, a Brilliant Entry in an Already Cult-Classic Series

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum Review

Chad Stahelski (John Wick Series, the upcoming Highlander) and Keanu Reeves (John Wick Series, The Matrix Trilogy) have created one of the coolest characters of all time, not to mention the ridiculously deep world building that has been done over the course of three films. John Wick introduced us to the retired assassin, played by Keanu Reeves (Speed, The Matrix Trilogy). The reluctant assassin, who was mourning the loss of his wife, was brought back into the fold when the punk son of a Russian mobster kills his dog and steals his car. After killing all the people responsible John adopts a new puppy and he retrieves his car in John Wick: Chapter 2.

 Having buried his life as an assassin once again, John is instantly pulled back into the fold when he is presented with a marker by Santino D’Antonio, played by Riccardo Scamarcio (Master of None, The Ruthless), which is essentially a blood oath to do a favor. Unfortunately, Santino double crosses John and places a bounty on his head. John survives and after killing all of Santino’s henchmen, with the help of Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix Trilogy, Black-ish), who plays the Bowery King, yet another sect of assassins who pretend to be homeless beggars and communicate via pigeons. Santino finds sanctuary in the New York Continental, the hotel for all the assassins, in which no “business” can be done. After goading John about this fact, John promptly shoots Santino in the head, instantly forfeiting his good standing with the Continental.

 Chapter 2 ends with Winston, played by Ian McShane (Deadwood, Game of Thrones), who is the manager of the NY Continental, informing John that he will be “excommunicado” after an hours’ time, which essentially means John is cut off from any facilities related to the Continental, including medical assistance, weapons, and allies. This all while the 7-million-dollar bounty on John’s head is doubled to 14 million by the High Table, which control the world John Wick lives in. At the end of the film, John is running through Central Park with his dog, nervously watching all the people around him picking up their phones, unsure of who is trying to kill him or not.

Parabellum opens seconds after Chapter 2 ends with John running away with his dog. After sending his dog to the NY Continental’s concierge, Charon, played by Lance Reddick (The Wire, John Wick Series) John heads to the NY Public Library to pick up some supplies, where he is brutally attacked by a giant assassin, played by NBA star Boban Marjanovic. After dispatching him, John continues to run through New York, being relentlessly pursued by all sorts of assassins. The film is a non-stop action-packed thriller with arguably the best fighting choreography of all time. John must figure out a way to right his wrong with the help of old friends, Sofia, played by Halle Berry (X-Men Series, Swordfish) and Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family, The Life Aquatic) who is a mysterious ally who reveals some of John’s background. On another front, an Adjudicator, played by Asia Kate Dillon (Orange is the New Black, Billions), is going throughout New York finding any and all people who have helped John and serving out exacting punishments straight from the High Table.

Parabellum is a bit larger in scope than the previous outing, but what really makes it a success is how utterly intense it is. Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman himself and the director of the John Wick movies, creates some of the most exciting fight scenes in cinematic history. Being the ultimate assassin he is, John goes about killing in all sorts of ways, using knives, swords, and even horses to kill his enemies, and that requires master direction to deter the fighting from getting stale. The writing of Derek Kolstad (John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2), who is also a former stuntman, helps Chad and Keanu come up with all the thrilling fight scenes. This time around there are motorcycle samurais, highly trained attack dogs, and high-speed horse chases, oh my!

The John Wick movies also work so well due to the excellent music composed by Tyler Bates (John Wick Series, Atomic Blonde) and Joel J. Richard (John Wick Series, Triple Threat). As the movies continue to evolve, so does the musical score, which is gritty and intense. Bates brings the dark guitar sounds from his time of touring with Marilyn Manson which, in combination with the electronic score, combine to make one of the more memorable movie compositions in recent history. Excommunicado, Tick Tock Mr. Wick, and Winter at the Continental really stand out as interesting twists from the music these two composers have already created in John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2.

John Wick: Parabellum is a rare example of a sequel which is better than its’ predecessor. In fact, the entire series just seems to be getting better and better as the movies continue to come out. Keanu Reeves perfectly embodies John Wick and since Parabellum made more money than its’ predecessor in less than 10 days and John Wick: Chapter 4 has already been greenlit; it seems audiences will be able to see more John Wick for the foreseeable future. The only question is how will Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves keep raising the stakes? I’m sure it will be interesting to say the least.