The DC Hero We Finally Deserve..."Wonder Woman"

Wonder Woman (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gal Gadot, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Chris Pine, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Lucy Davis, Elena Anaya,

Directed by Patty Jenkins

The Story:

Bookended by seeing Diana/Wonder Woman (Gadot) in action during modern day, a briefcase delivered by Bruce Wayne allows Diana time to reflect on discovering mankind and embracing the heroic ideal she was born to live.

So, I finally got around to watching Wonder Woman.

I tried not to let the hype surrounding this movie cloud my judgement of it.

While I might be firmly in the camp of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I totally root for DC to get it right and give the audience something worth going to see.

So naturally, I approached this one with cautious optimism.

Is the hype real?

Or is it just clamoring for something, anything from DC to erase the unwatchable bore of Batman vs. Superman or the entertaining in parts but ultimately unsatisfying Suicide Squad?

I suppose it will ultimately depend on who you ask.

I was never blown away by the trailers for Wonder Woman.

It seemed fine enough, but it was missing something for me, and I couldn't put my finger on it.

So the movie has come out, it's made more money this summer than anything else, and I couldn't be happier for the cast, crew, fans and Warner Brothers for finally, finally making a DC movie worth watching.

Depending on your point of view, it's been a long time coming, whether it was Superman: The Movie, Batman (1989) or the Nolan Batman Trilogy.

I finally got around to seeing it...

And much like the trailer, I liked it, but didn't LOVE it.

Again, there's something missing for me, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

I suppose if I have to try and isolate it, perhaps it's the sense of fun, entertainment or enjoyment that I have while watching a Marvel film.

While Wonder Woman is a technically a well made picture, the sense of fun just wasn't quite there. It bubbled under the surface through a lot of the movie.

Now to be fair, there were many, many, many enjoyable scenes and amazing set pieces that oohed and aaahed me as the movie went along.

So again, it's a tough one to judge.

Is it on par with what Marvel is giving me?  No. Close, but no cigar.

If I was given 4 choices of going to see any superhero movie again in theaters, I'd be going back for Guardians or Homecoming before I went back to see Wonder Woman.

That's just me being honest.

Is it better than what DC has been giving me? Absolutely yes.

I love that Wonder Woman has been this successful for DC and for all the little girls around the world that now have a superhero role model on the big screen.

It gives me hope that Captain Marvel and maybe Black Widow will someday headline a film for Marvel or maybe DC will offer up a Catwoman movie that doesn't suck.

: )

Final Grade: B... B+ if I'm really nice. ;)

Welcome Home Web-Head! "Spider-Man: Homecoming"

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr.

Directed by Jon Watts

The Story:

Peter Parker (Holland) is trying to adjust to life as Spider-Man all the while waiting for the next call-up to something big by Tony Stark (Downey Jr.). When he discovers that a new bad guy, the Vulture (Keaton) is up to something really big, Peter gets tired of being ignored while he tries to enlist help, so he tackles it on his own. Needless to say, his web-slinging and high school problems are going to cause more problems than your typical high schooler has to endure.

Welcome home to the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spidey!

The deal that allowed Marvel Studios to use Spider-Man pays off huuuuuuge for Sony as they craft the best Spider-Man film so far.

For those of you that loved the Raimi trilogy...or at least Part 2, you're welcome to think that's the best Spider-Man ever.

I never cared for Tobey in the role, nor Dunst as M.J.

I much preferred Garfield's take in the role, but those films weren't without their flaws.

Now along comes Homecoming.

Holland is quickly winning me over as Peter/Spidey.

It also helps that Keaton's Vulture is an impressive and logical foe to set this whole thing up, and he is great as the film's bad guy.

Are there flaws?

Probably.

Am I willing to overlook those?

Absolutely.

The biggest complaint I could see is the characterizations of most of Peter's supporting cast.

I simply remember: this is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not the comics.

Then yeah, I'm good.

What else can I say at this point?

1) The Spider-Man theme song makes an appearance.
2) Possibly the best ending of any Marvel movie.
3) There are indeed 2 scenes that appear after the credits.

I highly encourage you to stick around for both!

Congratulations to all involved, I'm now going to type what I thought unthinkable just 2 short months ago...

Sorry Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.... there's a new favorite movie of the year in town!

Good luck Thor: Ragnarok... you've got your work cut out for you.

Final Grade: A

"Doctor Strange" Is Not Covered By Your Affordable Healthcare Plan

Doctor Strange (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen,

Directed by Scott Derrickson

The Story:

Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) is an extremely accomplished neurosurgeon who is as brilliant as his ego suggests he is. In an instant, his world comes crashing down, and he loses everything. In a last-ditch effort to regain the full use of his hands, he heads east in the hopes of healing, and winds up learning ancient mystic arts. Of course, when another former pupil is trying to learn a dark spell that will wind up destroying the earth, it will fall upon Strange's shoulders to see if he's learned enough to stop the threat.

Full disclosure, I never really cared for Doctor Strange when I was growing up. Aside from guest starring in the books that I read, I never sought his own comic out to read.

Just a character I never truly cared for.

However, much like Daredevil, give him to the right hands, and I might find myself really digging the character.

When I saw the trailer(s) for Doctor Strange, I was also less than overwhelmed.

They did nothing to alleviate my fears, unlike the killer trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy that made me realize THAT movie is going to be amazing, and I MUST see it in theaters.

Nope, this looked like one I could probably miss in theaters and catch on DVD, much like I did with Age of Ultron.

However, I wound up at the theater with one of my kids Friday afternoon, and we sat down to watch.

Neither of us hoping for much, other than to not be let down.

Part of me wonders why we even worry about anything Marvel touches anymore.

: )

In short, it exceeded any and every expectation that we had.

There was great characterizations, there was fun, Marvel dialogue.

The special effects are nothing short of amazing, and they keep the fight sequences fresh and visually stunning.

I've seen handfuls of reviews, both professional and not that actually recommend this one be seen in 3-D if possible.

I can only imagine how crazy that's got to look!

The final "boss battle" in the movie is really good, and keeps within the character that Doctor Strange has been and becomes as the movie progresses.

What else?

Doctor Strange sounds an awful lot like Dr. House. Apparently that is the default voice for grumpy brilliant doctors. : )

And if the Academy ever decides to create a Best Supporting Prop category, I nominate the Cloak of Levitation.

: )

Go see it.

You'll be glad you did.

Final Grade: A-

Totally Shell-Shocked: Still More Guest Reviews for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"!!!

 I am both pleased and saddened that the guest reviews provided by my daughters are the most popular reviews ever posted.

Apparently my daughters are geniuses (no argument) or people really love the Turtles (no argument).

Or my reviews are lousy.

:* (

Let's go with Turtle Power!

:)

So, 2 daughters made the reviews for yesterday.  I found a 3rd review in my Yahoo Spam folder.  I'm not sure what THAT was all about.

So you would think that a movie like TMNT, and the varying opinions of my kids would find at least one naysayer in the group.

Nope, read on for more glowing reviews:

The youngest reviewer (11):

I thought the movie was really really good.  I would give it a B+ and I hope that I get it for Christmas.

Please Dad?


Short, to the point, and a clever request for a gift all in one sentence.  Nice!

And the final reviewer, (18):

April O'Neil is a persistent reporter for New York's Channel 6 News. Unfortunately she's only given feeble stories to work with which prevent people from taking her seriously. Determined to prove her talent, April decides to investigate The Foot Clan; a mysterious group that have been terrorizing New York. With very little info on them, she's determined to shed some light to the ongoing case, accidentally meeting 4 mutant turtles that are highly skilled in martial arts (and are connected to her past), along with uncovering an even bigger threat to New York City in the process.

---

When I first heard of the movie, I was excited. Upon seeing the trailer, I lost interest. But I was still willing to give it a chance.
I'm glad that I did.

The movie was amusing and fun, but at the same time it was intriguing and filled with great action sequences. It was fast-paced and I never lost interest.

However, I will admit that while the film was good, it felt a little weak to me.

There were a couple of questionable points in the plot (but easy to overlook), and I felt like we didn't get as much character depth from the turtles as we could have.

I think the biggest difference from this TMNT movie to most of the TMNT franchise is the fact that April was the main focus this time. Usually she's secondary, leaving us plenty of time to get to know the turtles better.

But honestly, that's what I love most about TMNT. Every series is different. They hold similar elements and characters, but each incarnation is told differently, and uniquely.

There isn't a single series that's identical to the other. You may have your chosen favorite (which may differ from someone else), but in the end, it's still consists the same characters that you love and enjoy.
That's how I felt walking out of the theater. I was pleased and satisfied with their take on the Turtles.

Overall, I'd say that this was not the most incredible film I've ever seen, but it was highly enjoyable.

If you haven't seen it already, give it a shot! It might surprise you.

...

Or not. ;P

Final Grade: B+/A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: There's no rush, but sure. I wouldn't mind seeing it again.


So there you have it.

My Teenage Mutant Ninja Girls give TMNT 8 thumbs up!!

Special Guest Reviews: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

If you can't judge a book by its cover, then can you judge a movie by its trailer?

Well, I did, and the Turtle reboot looks just terrible.

However, I've got a house full of TMNT fans.

They love the 2012 animated series on Nick. They've seen the 80s version I grew up watching.

And pretty much every version that has happened in between.

So who better than that to offer an opinion on the new movie, than people with a vested interest in making sure the franchise doesn't suck?

First up: (The 14 year old)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) Is about a woman named April O'Neil (Megan Fox). April wants more to her job/life than silly reports that nobody would care for.  When she discovers Four Mutant Ninja Turtles she tries to tell everybody in the studio about it, Nobody believes her. So what dos she do?

She goes off to find proof and get's herself in a dangerous adventure! 

Plot:

April becomes friends with the turtles, but also leads the bad guys to their lair. Now Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo are kidnapped by the foot clan,The foot clan want/need the turtles DNA. It is now up to April her friend Vernon (Will Arnett) and Raphael to rescue them. So that's pretty much the plot.

Things I liked/disliked:

I liked the fact that they kept the movie kid friendly

I didn't like the villain that much, But you're not normally supposed to like the villain. so Great job I guess....

I really liked April's friend Vernon he was a funny guy. :3

I disliked the turtles and everyone in it a lot! But I let go of the fact that these are not the '80s turtles, they are NOT the 2012 turtles. So once I let go of that, They were pretty lovable, Ish...

Favorite Character: Leonardo. Why? He was a really great character, He was the most responsible and actually quite funny, I loved his personality, and to me he was the least awkward out of all of them. :)

Favorite Part:

My favorite part was when they first approached April O'Neil. That scene was funnier than it should've been.

Sooo...Over all It was a Fun, Action packed movie!

I would give it 4 stars or a B+

Yes, I was as surprised to hear this as you are reading it. :)

Next up, our oldest test subject, (20):

Surprisingly entertaining, the newest incarnation of the turtles is fast-paced, action-packed and filled with humor. Hopefully this is enough to divert your attention away from the plot, which is a bit convoluted and weak.

Starting with the visuals, which were highly impressive, the turtles looked great on-screen. Distinct from each other, each of brothers had a unique design, and in terms of animation, everything felt believable. The Animators and Visual Effects artists at Industrial Light & Magic did their jobs well. 

The story is nothing spectacular and it has its share of plot holes, but it’s no worse off than either the 1990 or 2007 film, neither of which are known for their depth. A lot of scenes were cut before making it to the final and I am more than curious to see what got left out. Regardless, all of the characters got a chance to shine, and the new interpretations were still familiar.

Raphael had the most screen time out of the brothers, but not by a lot. With a voice similar to Nolan North’s, Alan Ritchson’s Raph was quite reminiscent to the 2007 version. Always the angry one, his issues with Leo were again brought to focus in this film. His rage never lingered however, and we got to see Raph on all sides of the emotional spectrum with some truly heartfelt and hilarious scenes.

Leader of the team, Leonardo was the man with a plan, keeping everyone on task when they would listen. While I’m still disappointed Pete Ploszek was only the motion capture performer, Johnny Knoxville did a fine job with the voice-over work. Leo’s personality contrasts Raph's wonderfully, this being most evident when they first confront April. Cool and collected, this Leo still exhibits a fun, youthful side and isn’t afraid to beatbox with his younger siblings.

Donatello was absolutely brilliant and probably my favourite of the film. His dweeb-ish demeanor was endearing, Jeremy Howard was perfectly cast. The cracking of his voice that betrayed him while trying to sound commanding, the giggle-snorts and high pitched screams, everything worked and fit for this character. Saving his brothers multiple times with his brains, Donnie also got the chance to steal the “badass” title from Raph momentarily. 

Youngest of the group, Mikey is a bit of a flirt with no filter. Wonderfully embodied by Noel Fisher, Michelangelo was indeed the funny guy, but without him being dumbed down immensely. 

Even the human characters were, for the most part, enjoyable. Megan Fox played her role well. With disdain for her position at channel 6, April O’neil didn’t always make the smartest decisions. But she was filled with courage and determination, facing and fighting the Shredder more than once. 

Vern, when not ogling April’s rear end or attempting to flirt, had some good lines. Most of which consisted of stating the obvious absurdity of the situation or complaining. Still, he was entertaining enough and serves the group as their glorified chauffeur. 

The rest of the characters were either minor or mildly displeasing. April’s roommate was a nice touch, and I enjoyed Whoopi Goldberg as April’s boss. Karai was fantastic, wish we could have seen more of her. Something about Splinter left me feeling detached to his character so much so that I didn’t really care if he lived or died. Eric Sacks seems to be an American alternative to the name Oroku Saki, he came off as a watered-down, boring villain with poor motive and execution. The Shredder, whose real name remains unknown and unspoken, was absolutely terrifying in his first scene, leaving even steely Karai fearful. But after that, he simply becomes Eric’s go-to henchman/bodyguard. 

The backstory for the Turtles is not really my favourite and comes off as problematic in many ways. Similar at first, to the recent IDW comics with them all being test animals in a lab, they tried too hard to make everything connect and the origin story unfolded into something flimsy and weak.

While the movie had several things to harp on, the overall feel was fun and enjoyable. The problematic parts are easy to point out, as they’re not the most spoiler-ific, but there’s a lot of good in this movie that balances everything out and leaves me grinning like an idiot. I’m very happy that Jonathan Liebesman turned what was going to be a dark movie about aliens into humourous little romp that genuinely feels like a turtle film.

So, similar to the recent G.I. Joe adaptions, your adoration for the franchise will either mask over the problematic parts as you enjoy a fun film, or leave you extra nit-picky on what could have been.

Final grade: B+

Final Thoughts: I loved it a lot. I want to see more. Sequel please, extended cut, directors edition, blooper reel, I don’t care. While aptly paced, this movie still left me wanting more. 

Bonus: Surprise pass on the Bechdel test. Thanks to April’s roommate, Taylor, and her boss, Bernadette Thompson. Crossing my fingers for an Irma Langinstein next film..? 

My other 2 did not get their reviews to me in time for publication this morning.  However, the assessments were quite similar.

Bottom line:

No, these aren't your turtles. They aren't your kids turtles.

These are movie turtles.  Different timeline. Alternate dimension.

Whatever you need to make it work in your head.

Check your hatred at the door, and you might have a better time than you think.

Thanks ladies for the review.

I await the DVD release this fall.

:) 

A Star-Lord Is Born... "Guardians Of The Galaxy"

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace

Written and Directed by James Gunn

The Story:

Marvel Studios heads into space with a tale of a band of ne'er do-wells led by Star-Lord (Pratt) who teams with Gamora (Saldana) Drax (Bautista) Groot (Diesel) and Rocket (Cooper) in an attempt to save the very universe that considers them to be outlaws.  But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and these Guardians of the Galaxy are about to prove to be every bit as worthy as The Avengers.

Mostly.

What to say about this film without completely echoing every other critic out there, and without revealing any spoilers?

Let's try...

This is THE Star Wars experience for the 7-12 year olds that we got to experience back in the 70s.
Not those terrible prequels that came a generation later... ick.
:)

Chris Pratt cements his claim to leading man/action hero/everyman action guy.  In other words, if he so chooses, he could be the next big thing.  His Star-Lord is equal parts Indiana Jones and John McClane, and everyman hero who can take a beating but keeps coming back for more.

Vin Diesel steals the movie out from under his co-stars with but three words...and one of the most expressive facial and body language you'll ever enjoy in a film.

You think he nailed it in Iron Giant?  Wait until you catch his Groot!

Cooper instills Rocket with equal parts cockiness, snarky, charm, agression with a hint of heart.  You want the mascot duo?  Look no further.

These guys are the C-3P0/R2D2 combo, except, they're a lot more relevant.

:)

Dave Bautista is given some great dialogue which he delivers perfectly.  He got the role of a lifetime, and I'm very happy to see him up on the screen.

Zoe Saldana proves that she's not a one-trick pony, put her in any franchise and she will deliver.

Lee Pace almost unrecognizable from Ned in Pushing Daisies, and he played Ronan the Accuser without mercy, a total change from what I was used to.  Well done.

James Gunn, he wrote it, he directed it, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all the better for it.

I rolled my eyes and wondered what Marvel was thinking when this movie was announced.

I humbly apologize.

This is what they were thinking, and I cannot wait to see how they follow it up in 2017, or perhaps a cameo elsewhere before then.

Bravo everyone.

I'm not sure if I will give this the edge over Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

But so far, it's Marvel running 1-2 for movie of the year.

That's impressive, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I've got until December to make that decision.


A word of warning from some of my kids:  You might want to bring a tissue along, just in case.


There's some moments in the film that will touch you beyond what you're expecting from a comic book movie.


That's James Gunn and his cast bringing an awful lot of heart to a film that is going to make you feel like a kid again before the credits roll.


They put the tagline "You're Welcome" on the poster months ago.

It wasn't cocky, it was a response to everyone who is now saying "Thank You" for making such a great movie.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll be buying it, I hope it's out just in time for the holidays.  Loved it.