Tag: Wonder Woman

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

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
Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

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Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Directed: Zack Snyder   

Screenwriters: David S. Goyer & Chris Terrio Runtime: 2 hrs. 32 min

Rating: PG-13 Studio: Warner Bros. & Ratpac Entertainment

Cast: Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice isn’t the dawn of any justice. None for the characters’ many iterations over the decades. Nor for the fans of DC Comics who have only ever been given Batman up to this point. It’s like Warner Bros was incapable and unwilling to try anything other than Batman until now. Couple that and the direction the screenwriters took to create this movie with future projects in mind…there isn’t any point in trying to stay neutral in this review. I won’t spoil anything that’s not in a trailer or isn’t backstory to any character in a way that will ruin something. 

Warner Bros. Pictures 2015 Comic-Con trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice via YouTube

This film is set a year and a half after the battle over Metropolis occurs in 2013’s Man of Steel. (See Review) The movie starts off from Bruce Wayne’s perspective of being on the ground that day in Metropolis. From his point of view, Superman is just as culpable as the other Kryptonians. Like he did it on purpose. It’s the driving force that makes Bruce seek to destroy Superman before he goes bad. Take this mindset into consideration, along with the mommy and daddy issues that are repeatedly brought up. What has been created is an uptight man with resources in desperate need of anger management and PTSD therapy. I can’t decide if what I detest the most is Ben Affleck playing Batman/Bruce Wayne or how the character is written. 

Bruce wants to stop Superman based on the chance he might go bad one day. At this point, Bruce has been Batman for around two decades and is jaded and calloused. He’s not a cautious detective; he’s untrustworthy on an unhealthy paranoid level. There’s actually no detective version of him to be seen in this film. Okay, Gotham got to him. That mentality extends throughout the movie. Pair that with Lex Luthor’s mindset. Yep, Lex and Bruce think Superman needs to die. Honestly, that’s not a spoiler. What could go wrong? 

Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Credit: Warner Bros via the Guardian

Lex is played by Jesse Eisenberg, a considerably younger take on the character who has always been older than Superman/Clark. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. An older Lex has more years to be justified in his questionable life choices and the path that got him there. Here it also means his dad is dead much sooner. That doesn’t matter for this story, but it could be problematic for future stories. Eisenberg plays eccentric well and plays up the neurotic psycho angle here. His acting isn’t the issue, but his script is. Lex is all over the place with his attempts to stick it to Superman and others that get in his way. Including his weird and overly conversed god/devil and good/evil rhetoric. This Lex is all about the “paradoxical,” but someone forgot to tell the screenwriters what a real paradox is. So, Lex comes off as just manic instead of goal-oriented. 

Woven in all of this is Diana Prince cropping up in multiple places. That’s Wonder Woman to all you non-comic lovers out there. Gal Gadot was cast for this iconic character, and she is a fantastic embodiment of Wonder Woman. Her addition is done well, mysterious and not over-stated, but that’s okay, all things what they are. Honestly, her character’s place in this film is to help facilitate Warner Bros. dropping Wonder Woman’s stand-alone film after this one and setting up for the Justice League movie after that. 

Amy Adams and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Credit: Warner Bros. via slashfilms.com

Bruce and Lex are paranoid, and Clark is still dealing with his feelings about his place in the world, especially now that his Superman persona is out there. This film really drives that point as well. Should there be a Superman? Who is he accountable to, and should he be? Is he or is he not the savior figure some have put on him? Is he just a political tool or just some person out there to do good for the sake of good? My take-away from all that noise is, are you team Batman or team Superman in this version? Then ask yourself why. 

I have to say that the scene transitions in this film are lazy if done at all. The movie’s pace is continuously tripped up by this, and the BIZARRE and disjointed “dreams” of Bruce’s just thrown in. A disgusting reminder that Bruce has needed therapy for years, and ignoring one’s mental health is a self-destructive idea. These scenes had NO place in the film. It’s like someone copy and pasted in snippets from another version. I mention it because I don’t want you, the viewer, to feel lost or that you missed something. At one point, I thought about walking out of the theater—an action I’ve only done two times in 25-years of seeing movies on my own. 

Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Credit: Warner Bros. via denofgeek.com

Zack Snyder is the director of this mentally scaring, shit-car-filled train wreck. But he didn’t write the script, David Goyer and Chris Terrio did. Directors get all the blame. Goyer also wrote Man of Steel with Christopher Nolan. Nolan understands these characters, or at least how to do a great Batman. Someone, please, give Mr. Nolan the screenwriting reigns from now on. While I’m not a fan of Snyder’s entire body of works, it’s not fair to blame him for a horrible plot and unrealistic character development. 

This movie should have been the beginning of what DC fans have dreamed of for decades, especially in the shadow of Marvel’s cinematic universe, our own superhero team-up. You have the founding trio of the Justice League in this film, decades of stories to choose from and build upon, and this film is what fans got instead. 

Henry Cavill in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Credit: Warner Bros via CNET.com

So why should you put Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on your watch list? To help you follow along in the other movies after this. So you understand the backstories of how certain characters met, why they are together, or are against one another. However, don’t fall into the comparison trap of DC movies vs. Marvel ones. That’s a decade-old dance that started with the actual comics. Take each as they are and look at it as good and bad from within each respective universe. 

-a pen lady