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Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Prometheus (2012)

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Prometheus (2012)

Directed by: Ridley Scott     Runtime: 2 hr 3 min     Studio: 20th Century Fox

Screenwriters: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof, Dan O’Bannon     Rated: R

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Logan Marshall-Green, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong

Ridley Scott returns to the Alien franchise he started in 1979 but with a different trajectory in mind. In the previous Alien films, the question of “where did they come from” never comes up. That’s okay, those films were designed for thrilling suspense and to scare you. They were never intended to answer big questions. Or ask them. Prometheus tackles these logical questions head-on to examine the storyline from a new lens while still connecting it to its predecessor. 

Prometheus doesn’t precisely answer any of the questions it raises, to the annoyance of many viewers. Still, life doesn’t always give answers—and neither does Scott. Strangely, I’m okay with it. While the pacing is sometimes slow, the Prometheus crew gets an answer to if man is alone in the universe. 

This quest for understanding originates from archeological findings on Earth in 2089. A “scientist” belief that mankind is being invited to go looking for their maker is all that is required. The Weyland Group privately funds a space expedition for this journey through the stars. In Alien, the Weyland Group is what the Umbrella Corporation is to the Resident Evil franchise. Though it’s not really apparent in this movie.

While the plot’s rationale for taking a journey through space is thin and scientifically absurd, as are the other scientists and professionals, the characters are still likable. There’s a biologist who acts like a kid at a zoo, a geologist who gets lost despite mapping equipment, a medical doctor, security personnel, and the bridge crew. Two archeologists (one who believes more in faith than science), a Weyland employee overlord, and an android with a creepy god complex round out the rest.

Half of the characters are barely developed. The ones that are are a mixed bag. I can’t understand the lack of rules and protocols of a crew on a spaceship. It’s like you stole your parents’ car and drove for the first time with friends, it’s aggravating chaos. Despite that, the performances are well done; not Oscar-worthy but enjoyable all the same. My two favorite characters are the ship’s Captain/pilot, Janek, played by Idris Elba. Hello, it’s Idris Elba. No other reason is required. Seriously, I like his level-headed demeanor. It’s in stark contrast to everyone else. The other is David the android, played by Micheal Fassbender. He depicts an android emulating a human without emotion with precision. 

Another depiction that is well done is the scene/set locations. There is this opening sequence that shows this harsh, beautiful landscape. You don’t know if it’s on Earth or when. The similarity to that setting and the one later in the film highlight how our planet is not unique in the universe. It indicates how small we are, and that’s not a notion we like as a species. 

In movies, there is this notion that space travel, ships, and equipment have to be either old and industrial or clean and futuristic with lots of technology. The original Alien films look very dirty and industrial, which is a sign of the times when they were made. Special effects were not what they are today. However, the vessel Prometheus itself and the land equipment are a great mix of the two. Additionally, the other technology used throughout the film isn’t so reaching as to be unbelievable. 

This movie isn’t for those who don’t want to think about it too hard. It will also not be loved by serious fans of the Alien franchise if all that is expected is low-lighting, suspense, and body cavity bursting. Prometheus is designed to show you how the body cavity bursting aliens come to be. It’s about their origins. Sometimes a good story is slow to set up, which this film is for many. However, it’s not the only movie Ridley Scott has planned as an Alien prequel. With this in mind, you should add Prometheus to your watch list.

—a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Backdraft (1991)

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Backdraft (1991) 

Directed by: Ron Howard Runtime: 2 hr 17 min Rated: R

Studio: Universal Screenwriter: Gregory Widen

Cast: William Baldwin, Kurt Russell, Robert DiNero, Scott Glenn, Rebecca De Mornay

Backdraft is a thriller/mystery film with action by Ron Howard. It follows the lives of two firefighter brothers who ride engine 17 for the Chicago Fire Department in the early nineties. 

This film’s setup and the subsequent character development between actual brothers Stephen and Brian McCaffrey and their fellow firefighter brothers happens early on. Howard shows effortlessly how trust and brotherhood matter through work, play, and training sequences. That new or experienced being a team is everything. 

A team is hard to keep together when funding cuts by the city close fire stations. 

Fires happen for many reasons, and the fire department gets called out to every one. For each one, there’s an investigation to determine what caused it. In Backdraft, Inspector Rimgale (Di Nero) doesn’t like what he’s finding. Arson. 

An arsonist creating more work with less backup is only one of the conflicts unfolding in this story. An alderman, who, like most politicians, have to stick their noses in where they don’t belong is another. Could the rationale be better? Yes. Some may find the pretext for this plot thin, as a former citizen of the Chicagoland area, it’s plausible. Everyone in the world has to endure or hear about someone at some point in their local government that can’t stay in their lane.

‘Backdraft’ trailer from Universal Pictures via YouTube

Brian (Baldwin), a new firefighter compared to his older brother, Stephen (Russell), jumps at the chance to get away from his judgmental supervision when the alderman offers him the opportunity to work with Rimgale. Brian is given a perspective about fire he’s never thought of before as they work to stop an arsonist. 

The personal dynamics play out with the right amount of cadence and energy and the actors’ responses to the action. There are flames, explosions, heat, and heavy gear to contend with, all while delivering lines at the correct time. All these components align to produce an engaging, captivating narrative. Or, it seems like that. The special effects of creating the fire and smoke scenes while creating the impression that the actors, or their stunt doubles, are in the middle of these hot, destructive sets are impressive. Maybe not by today’s standards but certainly for 1991. 

The attempts to show firefighters have a life outside the fire station in this movie is poorly done. In Brian’s case, his personal relationship is nothing more than a plot device to cobble one film component to the other. Stephen’s relationship with his estranged wife (De Mornay) touches on the fear spouses of actual firefighters might have. Still, without seeing anything else about their relationship previously, its execution is flat. 

Don’t be like my parents and let your ten-year-old watch it. Still, if you want a new thriller with action, like firefighters, or any of the actors in this film, it’s not a bad watch. You should put it on your watch list and appreciate the special effects of the early 90s. 

—a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Dead Again (1991)

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Dead Again (1991)

Director: Kenneth Branagh Rating: R Runtime: 1 hr 48 min  

Studio: Paramount Screenwriter: Scott Frank 

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Robin Williams, Andy Garcia, Derek Jacobi

What if there isn’t a heaven or hell to go to when we die? What if we come back as something else, someone else? If it was all fate. Would you change how you live your life? In Dead Again, it doesn’t matter whether you believe in karma or not; it happens anyway. 

To appreciate a story like this, you need to be open to reincarnation as a plot vehicle. The story moves back and forth between two events in Los Angeles, CA, one in 1948 and the other forty-years later. It’s easy to follow along with the shifts because the past appears in black and white. While this wasn’t the original intent of the director, it works. Post World War II, the noir look is quite fitting. 

A married couple, Roman and Margaret Strauss, have issues with jealousy, money, and job security—those are attributes relatable to many marriages. The majority don’t end in murder, however. The ‘what’ and ‘why’ questions to be answered in this film are intertwined. It’s the unfolding of the past events and how they relate to the present that provides answers. 

How do you get answers about a past life? You get hypnotized by an opportunistic antique dealer named Franklin, played by the amazing Derek Jacobi. 

Roman Strauss/Mike Church, a musical composer/private detective, is played by Kenneth Branagh. Margaret/Grace, an orchestra player/artist, with amnesia is portrayed by Emma Thompson. Their depictions of their respective characters are well performed, infused with genuine chemistry.  

Robin Williams plays Cozy Carlise, an ex-therapist turned grocery clerk who gives advice from a walk-in cooler. His character provides Mike with insight and advice that allows viewers to follow the theme that karma plays. 

The well-developed characters, plot structure, pace, and tone of this film mesh together with Patrick Doyle’s musical compositions. It helps the entire film’s mood despite the vast differences in cultural tastes between the late 1940s and early 1990s. 

Some may find the premise behind the plot ridiculous. Many will not. It’s refreshing to see a non-Christian based religious-belief system represented. It reaches out to more than just the ideals of the West. I first saw this a few years after it came out, and I wasn’t more than thirteen. Before this film, I had never heard of karma, past-lives, or reincarnation, so it expanded my brain to other notions than what I had been taught. 

That insight is a positive takeaway. The downside is I probably shouldn’t have watched the end of this film, then. I was squeamish. As an adult viewer, the climax scene isn’t a shock, yet it’s not disappointing either. No one predictably says that “karma is a bitch,” but it’s certainly implied. 

If you like mystery or thriller stories and try to figure out the ending before you get there, this movie should make it on your watch list. It’s an under appreciated chestnut of cinema worth your time. 

—a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

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Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1 hr 54 min

Studio: 20th Century Fox Screenwriter: Michael Green

Based on: The novel by Agatha Christie 

Everyone is a suspect in Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit, Murder on the Orient Express, written for film by Michael Green. It’s not the first time this novel has been made for film or television, but it is the most recent. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen those others or read one of her thirty-plus novels; there is a first time experience for everyone! 

Agatha Christie’s works have sold over 2 billion copies worldwide in the century since her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published in 1920. Murder on the Orient Express, published in 1934. All these years later, people love her work. The most iconic of all her characters, detective Hercule Poirot, comes alive again through actor/director Kenneth Branagh. 

Branagh is an iconic stage and film actor who ticks off all the mannerisms and peculiarities that make Poirot such an iconic and layered character. Minus the egg head Agatha Christie famously describes him with. 

The film’s opening is at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem; it’s a short bit that sets up why he ends up on the train, yes. Most importantly, it shows, not tells, the audience who he is. How he operates as a detective and as a person. Hercule Poirot has been a staple in Christie’s novels for well over a decade by the time this novel is published, so those familiar with her work understand him. If you are not, this scene addition is essential for the viewer. 

As the title and trailer state, there is a murder on a train. With twelve main suspects on this train, stuck on a mountain bridge by an avalanche, casting Poirot was arguably the most critical casting choice. The others could have been filled with newcomers or unknowns, but Branagh filled this train ride with an all-star cast of talent. Their respective character portrayals do not disappoint.

It’s challenging to create atmosphere, character depth, structure, and pace for a story that doesn’t miss something with so many people. The filmmakers can bring to life this ensemble so effortlessly because the original material has already done these things so well. Additionally, the sets, props, costumes (period-appropriate clothing), and camera work capture the close quarters’ train ride. 

If, like me, you enjoy knowing tidbits about the process behind bringing a film to life, make sure to rent or borrow a copy of this film that has the “extras” section. I found the way they shot the landscape scenes outside the train fascinating! 

Near seventy-five years later, certain aspects of humanity and social constructs remain. A single serving mentality of meeting people you will never see again is especially evident on this train. Class hierarchy and discrimination are others. However, it is the aspect of the murder that is especially true. That murder has a ripple effect. That love, guilt, truth, and revenge are all components of the human experience that were true then and today. It’s human nature to want the guilty to suffer. 

Those aspects remain, but the overall intelligence of a reader has increased. Many find Agatha Christie’s work irrelevant because they don’t see her as challenging as newer mystery/crime writers. In a way, that is true, but so what? The story-telling process Christie used then is applicable today and still inspires a new generation every year. The importance of details, motive, character, plot, and story structure never changes. It’s why they are still in print, in libraries, in schools, and for sale in multiple languages. Part of her process is to allow the reader to know what the detective knows, so you feel a part of the story in a way. That process is not lost when adapted to the screen. 

On-screen, it’s almost more immersive. You are like the character, Monsieur Bouc, who follows Hercule Poirot around seeing and hearing what he does. It’s not often to find a movie where you can easily place yourself in a characters’ shoes. 

If you like crime, mysteries, or the game ‘Clue’, this is ideal for a movie night flick to add to your watch list. 

-a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Promising Young Woman (2020)

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Promising Young Woman

Directed by: Emerald Fennell Runtime: 1 hr 53 min Rated: R 

Studio: Focus Features Screenwriters: Emerald Fennell

Promising Young Woman is creatively colorful as it is visceral in its exploration into double standards and accountability. Holding a light into the dark standards and practices of not just people but also institutions and their role in sexual abuse and rape. Carey Mulligan’s portrayal of Cassandra is a revenge PSA (public service announcement) worthy of award nominations. 

Two lines in the trailer showing a heavily intoxicated Cassandra are:

“You know they put themselves in danger, girls like that.”

“You think you’d learn by that age, right?”

They are prime examples of the double standards and accountability this film is exploring. The existing culturally accepted norm that a girl or woman can be taken advantage of is her fault. 

Another set of lines are:

“I’m not the only one who didn’t believe it.” – Woman

“We get accusations like this all the time.” – Woman

These words coming from other women are equally disturbing because it highlights the denial and permission, by default, women give to men when women ignore or don’t speak up for others. Witnessing and staying silent helps no one, and Casandra is anything but silent in her mission to obliterate these accepted practices by so-called “nice guys.” 

Emerald Fennell and Carey Mulligan created and depict a beautifully crafted character with survivor guilt in Cassandra. In most movies, when a woman experiences this type of violence, it’s ignored, or a man gets revenge. It’s refreshing to see a woman take back control, even in the extreme. Cassandra going out at night like she does is dangerous. I’m not ignoring that. It’s also celebratory because it’s shown in a raw and honest manner with a pinch of humor. 

Promising Young Woman Official Trailer, Focus Features via YouTube

That humor, dark that it is, will not appeal to everyone. There were nine other people at the showing my theater had; five of those were men. A few women laughed a little; the men, unsurprisingly, did not. If anything, I was too loud when I laughed, and it had nothing to do with the empty theater. It just resonated with me, like it will for far too many. It’s not a film that only those who have survived rape will understand. This film is for the friends and family of such people. Those left behind after a suicide. The parents of every child. 

It’s an avenue into conversations about being a good person and what safe really means, and proper consent. Promising Young Woman really highlights the experiences women face in a centralized manner. It’s very to the point. Additionally, it shows how the process of acceptance and healing in the aftermath can take more time than many people are comfortable with. Cassandra’s parents don’t see it; they just see a 30-year old living at home.

Cassandra had been a medical student, that’s years of her life dedicated to a specific path. One event changed her course. She was a promising young woman full of potential, like many other women full of promising potential. I know it’s a movie review, but for context, in 2020, according to worldpopulationreview.com, there were 84,767 reported incidents of rape in the United States alone. So many, too many, are not reported each year. Al Monroe, played by Chris Lowell, says, “It’s every guy’s worst nightmare getting accused like that.” Cassandra replies, “Can you guess what every woman’s worst nightmare is?”  

This film will anger people, specifically males, and that’s okay. Mulligan’s take on Cassandra is bright, fun, twisted, raw, smart, and unapologetic. It’s hard to come up with an ending to a film topic like this, and Fennell doesn’t disappoint. This film should be on your watch list for sure. 

-a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

SHAZAM! (2019)

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SHAZAM! (2019) Runtime: 2 hrs 12 min Rating: PG-13  Studio: Warner Bros

Directed by: David S. Sandberg Screenwriters: Henry Gayden 

I’ll be honest, Shazam or Captain Marvel, as he’s also known in the comics, was never one I cared to know. Billy Baston is a kid who transforms into an adult with powers by saying a magic word. Sounds kiddish, right? I just found him so whiney, or that his actual age showed too much as his adult self. That’s the beauty of the design of him, though, isn’t it? What kid hasn’t ever thought about being super? Made up what powers or abilities they would have. I’m an adult, and I still think about it! 

This hero first came to be in 1939 as Captain Marvel from Fawcett comics (currently published by DC Comics). Years later, after being out of publication for a time, Marvel grabbed the available trademark for “Captain Marvel” in the early 1970s. Doing so meant the DC character could no longer be published under the name, so the comic book’s name was changed to SHAZAM! and the title of “Captain Marvel” within DC Comics stopped in 2012 when the superhero name officially became SHAZAM! as well. 

A version of Billy Baston’s origin story has him living with his uncle. In the “new 52” version, he’s a foster kid. This works better for this character overall, I think. Asher Angel plays the role of Billy Baston, the teenager, while Zachary Levi plays the adult/hero version. Mark Strong plays the villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, who has been around since the original comics debut. 

Unlike most hero origin stories where loss of some kind is close to the time they suit-up, Billy Baston’s is not. He’s minding his own business when he finds himself before “the Wizard,” played by Djimon Hounsou. I like Hounsou’s previous work; he has a nice range of projects under his belt. However, I cringed at his costume. It looked like a low-level, Halloween Express attempt at cosplay. Still, Billy comes before him via magic into this cave, the Rock of Eternity—the vibe is anything but kiddish. 

The Wizard is one of seven who’s combined powers keep the seven deadly sins away. He is no longer strong enough to hold back what can be described as a version of Pandora’s box and needs someone new to take over. Enter Billy. Billy doesn’t know about Sivana or the sins, who look like unfinished concept renderings Constantine would fight. No, he seeks help from one of his foster siblings, a die-hard fan of comics, to help him figure out the alternate version of himself. 

While the film attempts to merge teenagers and kids’ youthfulness with a conflict that means the end of the world, the conflict portion falls flat. However, there are jokes and laughs throughout the film that sort of make up for it.

Mixed in with those components to the film are Billy’s newest foster parents and the other kids who live with them. The family scenes seem so forced, like it’s normal for a new foster kid to get along so well so soon. Sivana grew up to be the very type of person he hated as a child, uncaring and unloving. That sentiment of not being cared about parallels most foster kids’ feelings, yet I don’t feel for Sivana. That the display of family and togetherness Billy’s new foster family portrays is the crucial difference between being good or evil. Sure…

This is meant as a movie for middle-school-aged kids and up. It’s not designed to be completely logical, just a light-hearted journey into the DCEU without the gritty, testosterone-filled displays currently at work. 

For a movie about a kid, who becomes a super adult, who goes back to being a kid, there needs to be room to grow such a character. To start, kids are already figuring out who they are in the world. On top of that, Billy has to get used to being an adult hero without anyone else finding out he’s a kid in the adult’s body. 

So, should this be on your watchlist? Yeah, go on and do it. It is a lighter super film than anything else out there currently. It can be a fun watch if you accept that it will take more than just this one film for Billy/SHAZAM! to be fully realized. 

-a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Wonder Woman 84 (2020)

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Wonder Woman 84 (2020) 

Director: Patty Jenkins Screenwriters: Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Dave Callaham 

Studio: Warner Bro. Runtime: 2 hr 31 min Rating: PG-13

Wonder Woman 84 was released on Christmas Day to the anticipation of many, myself included. It starts with a young Diana on Themyscria, with Lilly Aspell reprising her role with the same energy and dedication she had in the first Wonder Woman film. Viewers will get another look into a section of Paradise Island with visually stunning scene settings. The Amazons impress again with their abilities that make the Olympics look like a high school state gymnastics event. 

The opening scene has more to it than action, and while I won’t say what, it is the thread of rationale that Wonder Woman 84 is built around. 

Official Warner Bros. WW84 trailer via YouTube

Shifting from Themyscaria, the movie takes you to Washington, D.C., in 1984. 

Diana is out being Wonder Woman in an era where she can still show up, do her thing, and vanish. Why it had to be in the 1980s, I have no idea. Malls were huge then, and one of the scenes is shot at one, but it could have been elsewhere. Aside from that, the clothes and technology, there isn’t anything that cements a rational justification for choosing 1984. It’s in the title, but it has little relevance. Perhaps because cellphones (as we know them today) weren’t around to capture everything? The internet wasn’t even available publicly yet, so anonymity is her friend. 

Despite her 66-years of relative isolation, who she does befriend is Dr. Barbra Minerva, otherwise known as Cheetah. This iteration of the character sets her up as a cliche of films. She is fashionably stunted (a sharp contrast to the always put together Diana), clumsy, socially awkward, smart, and ignored by everyone she meets. Many of us can relate to that list, hell on most days, it describes me. The difference is that we don’t get to have a wish that gives us a glamor and personality makeover. 

Throughout cinema, animated or otherwise, we have been told that you only get one wish. Maybe three. That magic always comes with a price. Well, Maxwell Lord, played by Pedro Pascal, begs to differ. He’s the embodiment of a character in a magic lamp scenario where you want to trick him into the bottle; he’s so sleazy. In WW84, he is after the Dreamstone and will do anything to get it and everything else. 

After the stone comes to Diana’s attention, with the help of Barbra, they find out more about it. Like most people, Barbra can’t help but think about what she’d wish for. Diana, on the other hand, understands there is more at work than just a simple wish. 

The pace and set-up of this film are slow. Arguably the typical trap of a second film when you know there will be a third, but this wasn’t set up under that pretense. There are so many plot questions, holes, continuity errors that made me lose interest early on. This was not the movie I was excitedly waiting to see. There is little ‘wonder’ to be found in this film. 

While Gal Gadot reprised her role as Wonder Woman and certainly looked the part fantastically again, I wasn’t excited. Pedro Pascal pulls off a 1980s suit to accurately depict the scam artist, Max Lord. However, nothing in this universe will make me believe, magic or otherwise, that Kristen Wiig is as attractive as Gal Godot. Or Barbra to Diana. The Cheetah “costume” is okay until you get to her face. Her face makeup looks like it was stolen from Floki, the character on the History channels Vikings. Rebel Wilson and Taylor Swift’s heads as felines from the movie Cats looked more believable. 

Warner Bro. Films photo of Kristen Wigg as Cheetah in WW84 via Flickeringmyth.com 12-15-2020

For a movie whose pretense is that “…the truth is all there is,” there couldn’t be a bigger lie than the one the filmmakers ignore in how they bring Chris Pine’s character, Steve Trevor, back. It’s absolutely disgusting, really. It goes against everything Wonder Woman is. That, along with the other issues I won’t go into, (spoilers) are reason enough to avoid this film. This movie should not be on anyone’s watch list. 

-a pen lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Aquaman (2018)

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Aquaman (2018) Screenwriters: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Will Beall 

Directed by: James Wan Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 2 hrs. 23 min. 

Until now, people probably never gave the role of Aquaman in live-action a ton of thought. Excluding those in the industry. It’s a massive undertaking to decently portray a mythical city in the vast depths of the ocean. In real life, and in film and TV, we focus more on our planet itself, the center of it, and certainly space. Our oceans are not a realm we look at too closely until now. 

James Wan tackles the challenges of bringing Atlantis beyond comics and animated series with vast scale, explanation, and vibrance. Is it perfect? No. I have questions about continuity with other DC films, some cultural ones, and some have to do with physics. I don’t do physics… still, it’s an impressive first take on Atlantis and underwater film in general, in live-action. 

A lot of water, CGI, and creative camera work let you enjoy a perspective of underwater living, swimming, and fighting. How do you fight underwater? With tridents, if you’re Atlantian. Basically, a giant pitchfork. Some interesting contraptions are rigged up to help with this, which is its own form of movie-making-magic. Or torture…

The trailer for this film sets the tone for an action-mystery. It’s true. It’s a journey of discovery about many things and not just for the main character. The central conflict Arthur Curry/Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, faces is stopping his half-brother Orm, played by Patrick Wilson, from waging war on the surface world. He is aided in his journey by Amber Heard’s character, Mera. These supporting roles depict characters vital to Aquaman’s origin story and are excellent additions to bring this universe to life. A villain figure more prominent than Orm throughout the DC universe is Black Manta. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes on the iconic villain and costume of this character with gusto! 

Speaking of costumes, I appreciated not seeing Mera in a more revealing costume style, evident in other iterations. One, women don’t need to be half nude to be remarkable. Second, all that water work on set… that had to get cold. I know that sounds two-faced next to Aquaman, having no top on for most of the film. Yes, they’re Atlantian and are supposed to be able to tolerate it. The characters, yes, the actors, not so much. Between this film and Justice League’s water scenes with Jason Momoa, he might be part fish-man at this point. He brings a “don’t mess with me” presence to the character on screen, unlike past versions-but water doesn’t care. 

I had to stop writing at one point because I had this mental image of Jason Momoa in the original Aquaman costume design. I stopped to laugh. It couldn’t be helped. All of him in a green and orange spandex suit. It’s in your head now too. You’re welcome! Seriously, this film’s costume design is a nod to the original colors but gives him more of a presence, one that commands respect without being over the top. I dig it. 

So should Aquaman be on your watch list? Yes! It’s a fun watch. It’s not serious in the way the previous DC films are but can tie other things together. Really this should have come out before the Justice League movie. Could there be more character development in areas? Absolutely! That’s the benefit of being part of a universe with teams; it gives you more time to flesh out characters. Aquaman will be no exception, and I look forward to seeing his evolution on screen. 

-a pen lady

Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Justice League (2017)

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Justice League: (2017) Runtime: 2hr 0min Rating: PG-13 

Studio: Warner Bros. Screenwriters: Zack Snyder, Chris Terrio 

I was beyond excited when I heard a Justice League movie was being made. It’s hands down my favorite comic team-up. Like many of you, I’m sure. 

This version of the Justice League is comprised of Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. Bruce/Batman and Diana/Wonder Woman seek out the others to help prevent Earth’s destruction. It’s set not too long after the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice though it doesn’t state it specifically. 

If you haven’t seen Batman v Superman, you will be a little lost. I have a review on it, in which I state the only reason to watch it is to follow along with the movies that come after it, like this one. You can watch this movie without seeing Wonder Woman first, but her stand-alone film is excellent. 

Compared to Batman v Superman this movie is a one-eighty. This story is easier to follow along with, even though there is a plot within a plot. In terms of moving from one scene to another, it’s more smooth. I didn’t get the “this scene shouldn’t be in this movie” feeling like I did with the other one. Ben Affleck, as Batman, was a stark contrast as well. I really hated him in Batman v Superman absolutely loathed the character. Here Bruce/Batman is calm, rational, and resembles the detective with gadgets we expect. 

The action sequences and visual effects that are in this version are good as well. The work done with wires and rigs, green screen, and motion capture suits are done so that I’m not questioning or raising my eyebrow at something. Ray Fisher, who plays Cyborg, is a great example of this because not one part of him is in an actual costume while filming. He even has one eye covered the whole time, so the cybernetic one can be put in correctly later. He does a great job of going through the literal movements pretending he’s got mechanical parts as he performs. That’s got to be complicated. Imagining how to move your body like that; what that would feel like to operate. 

Jason Momoa gets tattooed up, more than he naturally is, as Aquaman, and receives some pale ice-blue contacts. He pulls it off, but it takes a short bit for that adjustment to sink in. It’s a good intro to who he is and what he’s about as a character. Aquaman has a stand-alone live-action film in theaters a year after this film comes out. 

For me, the best part of the movie was The Flash/Barry Allen, played by Ezra Miller. His portrayal is a lovely mix of vulnerable, funny, and honest. This version isn’t carried seriously like recent versions of him. He (Barry) has this enthusiasm, appreciation, and awe when meeting everyone and figuring out who they are. It’s like a gobsmacked Harry Potter discovering magic for the first time. He knows he just joined something significant. His reactions are a tremendous difference from everyone else and everything else going on. Also, his suit is held together by wires. Wires! The way he moves in it, the lighting coming off of him, and it stays on. You understand he’s smart without having to say it. It’s a wonderful costume concept. I see this version growing effortlessly into the one who makes puns and quips on purpose but without being cheesy. 

As it stands, I would say put it on your watch list, but I do so with reservations. There are all these moving parts at the start of the film where each character is introduced. They are separate but come together to solve a common issue among them. The assumption is that you’ve seen the other DC films and know about these characters. I got it, but I know who the characters are, so it was OK to watch for me. For a lineup of characters with nearly eighty years of history, this movie should have been so much better. 

This is credited as being directed by Zack Snyder. Months before the film box office release in October 2017, he withdrew from the project to be with his family. Google why yourselves. At that time, the film was in post-production when Joss Whedon took over with Warner Bros. oversight. The cause of my reservations. It has been reported in multiple interviews with cast members that what made it into the box office release was not what Snyder worked on. Mainly it’s what Whedon chose to do with the project. If Joss Whedon’s name sound familiar, it’s probably because of his involvement in writing and directing The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and for his work on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Why is that problem? On so many levels-I’m thinking of creating another blog so I can talk with spoilers. It would probably be more of a rant. 

The trailers for the Justice League movie are a good indicator. There were a couple that was released, including the two from Comic-Con 2016 and 2017. They were the best trailers, the ones that pulled me in any way. The reality is that so much of what was in those trailers never made it into the film. Creative differences are one thing, but that much cut is like false advertisement. The others that followed, in contrast, are the first indicators of the shift. 

Some parts of this movie made me seriously wonder how much Joss Whedon knew beforehand about DC comics. If he did any research or went back and looked at the previous DC films or talked to the other films’ directors or in pre-production. Some blatant plot holes are in this film that shouldn’t have been if someone had. It’s just sloppy and lazy. 

At this point, between the screenwriters, the studio’s interference, and the directors pissing contests of whose ideas are better than the others, I’m amazed this movie was released at all. 

-a pen lady

Warner Bros. Pictures Justice League Official Trailer 1
Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Wonder Woman (2017)

apenlady

Wonder Woman (2017)   2hr 21 min  Rating: PG-13   Studio: Warner Bros. 

Director: Patty Jenkins  Screenwriters: Allan Heinberg, Zack Snyder, Jason Fuchs

There are many parts to a film, from the script to the acting, the sets and scenes, wardrobe and editing choices, and choreography and musical arrangements. When all come together in unison, that’s magic. It’s reflected back when going to the theater and being enveloped by a movie, from beginning to end. It’s everything. The hallmark feeling every movie-goer should hope for. 

Hope, belief, and love are all parts of the first live-action, stand-alone film of Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins. It’s a great adaptation of the super-heroine who has endured for over seventy-five years as a cultural icon. There’s also drama and action! 

The beginning of the film might make you feel lost, or not if you didn’t see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice beforehand. That’s cool. You just need to understand Wonder Woman was in that film, and that’s when she met Batman/Bruce Wayne and Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent. She was in the trailer for that movie, so I don’t consider it a spoiler. I mention it, so you’ll get why she’s interacting with Wayne Enterprises, and you are not confused. That film was hit or miss for some fans. You can check out my review on it. 

What is an absolute hit is Lilly Aspell, the young Scottish actress that portrays young Diana. She is such a delight! For such a young actress, she is believable as Diana. Her energy, determination, and delivery are so on point. Anyone who has kids or has ever been around them understands not many have the temperament to be actors. Which is not the same as your kid being a ham. I’m sure many would have looked the part, but Lilly Aspell is the perfect precocious child to have been cast. I saw her in one of the film trailers with this “challenge accepted” face on, and I laughed. I knew I would enjoy her in the film right then. 

Other casting choices that are marvelous are the actresses that play any of the Amazonian roles. Let’s get one thing out of the way. Their costumes are modeled after the ones in history; they are accurate iterations of the outfits used in ancient times. Thousands of years ago, or today in a film, being a ‘warrior’ takes work—a lot of it. Being on horseback and doing what they do remind me of Dothraki fighters from HBO’s Game of Thrones, but these women are way more impressive! Okay, it’s remarkable choreography and editing skills that make it seem natural, too, but I’ll take it. 

Frankly, the stunt doubles/people in cinema are under-sung heroes in their own right. When actors, especially in action-heavy films, get awards for their performances, their stunt doubles should get one too. They do an incredible amount of work to make the cast look as they do. I want you to consider that for the rest of this film, or anything else you ever watch. 

Another incredible film component is picking out locations to film at. If you’re like me, you’d want to visit Paradise Island! Themyscria itself is idyllic. It’s so old, yet clean. The scale of it cinematically is an excellent vision of how it has always been depicted. The best part is that it’s not entirely CGI. All the scenes for the island were mainly shot on multiple beaches and coastline in Italy. Update your translator app and back a bag! I’m totally pumped about this movie, and at this point, you would be like five minutes in.  

Speaking of being “in,” if you are not familiar with Wonder Woman’s backstory or Greek mythology, that’s okay. Patty Jenkins’s portrayal of it deviates absolutely from actual Greek mythos in many ways. However, it’s still done so well you will follow along, okay. If you are familiar with either, it may bother you, so be prepared. Just go with it. There’s nothing you can do. It was apart of DC’s revamp ten years ago when they introduced the “new 52” to all their lineups. I like the storyline from the animated series Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited from 2001-2004. You should defiantly check that out! 

Connie Nielsen is a Danish actress who plays Queen Hippolyta. Otherwise known as Diana’s mother. Her origin change is very much tied to Dianas in the revamp. She may be Queen, but her sister, Antiope, is the General of the Amazonian army played by American actress Robin Wright. Both ooze formability, confidence, loyalty, and perfection in their respective roles. Another staple in Wonder Woman history is the character Steve Trevor, played by American actor Chris Pine. Steve Trevor comes along for the ride in Jenkins’s version in a go-with-the-flow attitude when he meets Diana. Like everything she tells him doesn’t freak him out, which I find odd in a setting of 1918… but it works. The dynamic allows for softer moments, humorous moments, and room to let the filmmaker show off some of Diana’s lesser-used but cool abilities.  

There is this slow build-up from the beginning of the film where you are shown how Diana thinks and feels about things. How she responds to people and situations and handles a crisis. She embodies a kind, ethical, strong, brave, selfless, trusting, moral, intelligent, loving person. Even as she discovers what she is, she doesn’t lose any of it. Then there is this moment when you see her, finally, as Wonder Woman. Perfection! It is your comic book heroine alive on screen. I hissed “yes!” with excitement in my theater seat. 

Those of you who are Zack Snyder fans will feel his influence on the story, particularly near the end. It doesn’t last long and blends right back in with the original tone of the movie. I was grateful for that in light of how Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice turned out. 

Another influence you will notice throughout the film is the camera work. Some movies action sequences are so hard to follow along with. The choreography and camera work make it so the viewer can’t see the potential for how awesome a fight scene could be. I’ve seen plenty of movies where I can’t tell what’s going on because everything is dark, rushed, or blurry. Or all of the above. This film shoots it’s action sequences, so you don’t get eye strain. In fact, there are a few times where it is slowed down so you can appreciate the scene in front of you. However, it’s not just for that. Like many films, Wonder Woman was shot to utilize 3D. You can view either version, in case you were wondering. 

So, should you put Wonder Woman on your watch list? Absolutely! Grab some snacks, and do it. This is a movie everyone should see. This is how DC should do their films. 

-a pen lady

Warner Bros. Pictures Offical Trailer for Wonder Woman via YouTube