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David McK (3248 KP) rated The Fifth Element (1997) in Movies

Oct 27, 2019 (Updated Mar 19, 2023)  
The Fifth Element (1997)
The Fifth Element (1997)
1997 | Drama, Sci-Fi
I can't believe that this film is now more than 25 years old!

Action/comedy/sci-fi mix, back when Bruce Willis had hair (albeit bleached blond here), that - I believe - was also a pre Resident Evil Milla Jovovich's breakout role, and with Gary Oldman chewing up the scenery alongside Chris Rock's (initially annoying, but grows on you) DJ Ruby Rod.

Well worth a watch: one of those movies that, if I come across while channel surfing, I'll probably sit down to watch the rest of.
  
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Dean (6925 KP) rated The Batman (2022) in Movies

Mar 31, 2022 (Updated Mar 31, 2022)  
The Batman (2022)
The Batman (2022)
2022 | Action, Adventure, Crime
Great Cast (2 more)
A different version of Batman
Great visuals
Vengeance
Well can't say this was top of my list to see when I heard we have yet another Batman reboot. Although my interest was raised after seeing the trailer.
This is a different style of Batman compared to all the others. It's dark, gloomy, broody and noir like at times with a strong detective element to the story. Gotham looks great with its real locations adding character to the setting.
This is a dark, aggressive, loner Batman with Bruce Wayne more of a recluse than a playboy. It seems that Bruce Wayne is the real mask for this character. It's interesting to see a new Bat Cave, Batmobile and other key things from the comics.
The assembled cast is strong, especially Jeffrey Wright as Lt. Gordon who has some great scenes. It is a bit long but not in a way that will have you checking your watch waiting for the end, as the story is good.
It's not better than Dark Knight but it's definitely up near the top end of Batman Films. Although I personally enjoy some of the others more, I definitely admire the quality of this version.
  
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Character Development further fleshing out Thor (0 more)
Bruce Banner being stuck as Hulk with no real reason as to why and no exploring of solutions (0 more)
Thor Ragnarok
Out of all the Thor movies released to date, Ragnarok is my favorite. Before Thor just was either simply annoying to me or wasnt able to hold my attention. Ragnarok begins fleshing out of his character. He may be a god, but his flaws and foibles make him more realistic and relatable. We get to see his struggles. We get to see facets of his sense of humor. Oh, and he makes fight scenes EPIC.
  
The Expendables (2010)
The Expendables (2010)
2010 | Action, Mystery
6
6.9 (15 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A film with all the main action stars of the 80's, 90's and 00's!! Pity Bruce Willis and Arnold didn't have bigger roles than just cameos. It is high octane stuff, with some great fights, stunts, explosions, good chase scene and one loud bad ass gun!!! Yes the story is simple and weak, just like all the old action films. It's kinda like a mix of Commando with the Magnificent seven! If you like pure action you will love it, if you don't you won't! Great cast though and rumours of a sequel already!
  
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David McK (3248 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of Batman - The Telltale Series in Video Games

Sep 27, 2020  
Batman - The Telltale Series
Batman - The Telltale Series
2016 | Action/Adventure
I'm... Batman!
Telltales take on the Caped Crusader, not particularly tied to any previous work starring the same, in which the player takes on the dual role of Batman and Bruce Wayne.

And I do mean the dual role: you spend just as much time in this one playing as ol' Brucie as you do his alter ego.

Set early in Batman's career, and takes roughly until episode 3 (of 5) to really get going, IMO, with the plot also bringing in several familiar characters from Batman's rogues gallery alongside one I'd never even heard of before!
  
Batman: Nightwalker - DC Icons Book 2
Batman: Nightwalker - DC Icons Book 2
Marie Lu | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
So I didn't actually realize, back when I reviewed Wonder Woman: Warbringer, that it was the start of a series of origin novels. The second is this one, about Batman, and the next is Catwoman: Soulstealer. (I can't wait for that one, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Catwoman have been my three favorite superheroes for ages, even if Catwoman isn't exactly a hero!) After Catwoman's book, we get Superman's book, and that's all that's been announced, so I don't know if there will be any more. Though I hope there will be, because these first two have been excellent!

The name Batman is never actually mentioned in this book; he is Bruce Wayne the entire way through. He does get a suit, towards the end, and starts his career as Batman without really realizing he's doing so. We get a few nods to the Batman mythos - he stops to watch a swarm of bats heading out to hunt, and he mentions the broken grandfather clock that he hasn't fixed yet. But this is a Bruce around his high school graduation, just starting to learn about the kinds of tech that Wayne Tech produces. We do meet a few familiar faces beyond Alfred.

I had a few moments where I wanted to shake both Bruce and the adults around him because NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD DO THAT and if it needed to happen for plot's sake make it more believable! But it was overall pretty good.

There's no need to read this in order, from what I can tell - events in Wonder Woman have no effect on Gotham. Though the Catwoman book is also set in Gotham, so it will be interesting to see if they intertwine at all.

If you like DC Comics, these are definitely worth reading - if you don't, skip them.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
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Alexis Taylor recommended Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen in Music (curated)

 
Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
1982 | Folk, Singer-Songwriter
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Nebraska is different from all the other Bruce Springsteen albums because it's not very bombastic! It's just acoustic guitar on a four-track machine. It's got to be the most lo-fi record you could get from Bruce Springsteen. I believe that's because he made demos for the E Street Band, and just didn't like how they sounded when they were played with the band. His producers, and I think one of his bandmates said to him, "The demos sound better". When I first heard it, I think that I only knew Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie in terms of that type of sound - someone working with a harmonica and an acoustic guitar. He's writing about the working classes of America, or people who are failing in their lives or trying to make it but failing. It's darker than other records too though. I think he's taking inspiration from stories he's read in the newspaper about criminals who are serving life sentences or those who are going to the electric chair. At the same time, it's about families, brothers and someone's father who is no long alive. It's got a lot of humanity in it as a record, with this resonating and wonderful sound - daunting vocals and very haunting harmonica parts. There are also loads of reverbs and a glockenspiel is on there too. It's a murky-sounding record at first, but the more you listen to it, you find all of these other details. I was at school when I first heard it. I couldn't think of an obvious way that Bruce has influenced me, until I wrote a song called 'Elvis Has Left The Building' which is on my new album. I just thought that the kind of song it was, and the mood, reminded me of 'Streets Of Philadelphia' or 'Nebraska' - not in an obvious way, and I didn't think of him in order to write it, but it reminded me of that in an odd way."

Source
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Outlaw King (2018) in Movies

Nov 11, 2018 (Updated Nov 11, 2018)  
Outlaw King (2018)
Outlaw King (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, History
Most of the early notices for this film appear to have focused on Chris Pine's full-frontal nude scene, rather than the fact it's clearly the work of people who loved Braveheart so much they decided to make their own version. Early 14th century Scotland suffers under the yoke of English oppression; nobleman Robert the Bruce decides to stand up and do the right thing, even if it does mean breaking his word and murdering his rivals. Much shouting and many mud-spattered battle scenes ensue; the CGI button marked 'arterial spray' gets pressed a lot.

All right if you like this sort of thing, I suppose: some interesting mediaeval detail sneaks in, but most of the characterisation deals in stock types and the film-makers never quite persuaded me of why I should genuinely care about this story. Bruce spends much of the film brooding, which is not really Pine's strong suit, but there are some solid supporting performances (Florence Pugh is predictably good in a very thin part). The battles are well mounted and the scenery is nice; I imagine many people will enjoy this much more than I did. For the record: Chris Pine's winky is barely visible, far less so than Florence Pugh's boobies, which have attracted much less critical attention (now that's what I call a double standard).
  
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)
2013 | Action
Yet another cobblers sequel to the 80s action classic, as Bruce Willis goes to Russia after his grown-up son is thrown in the clink for murdering someone. This turns out to be part of a uproariously stupid plot featuring all the usual goons in ski-masks and some sort of plan to carry out a heist on Chernobyl (mmm, tasteful).

Not just a bad movie, but one which is only barely functional as a narrative - the various cartoony action set-pieces are competently slapped together, but the connective tissue of characterisation, plot exposition, and relationships is just not there. No wit, no subtext, no point.
  
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
2003 | Comedy, Sci-Fi
Jim Carrey was on a winning streak in the late 90s and early 00s with films like Liar Liar, Me, Myself & Irene and of course Ace Ventura. However, perhaps my favourite of his works is Bruce Almighty. This genuinely funny comedy about a man who ends up being God was well received by critics and box-office dynamite.

Aniston plays Carrey’s wife, dealing with the strange goings on in their marriage and putting her husband straight in only a way Aniston can. It’s a classic of its time and repeat viewings only highlight how dreadful its successor, Evan Almighty actually was.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/02/11/jennifer-aniston-performances-top-5/