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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Blade (1998) in Movies
Jan 15, 2020
Blade is undeniably a product of it's time. It's the late 90s, everyone loves leather and shades, everyone loves Wesley Snipes, everyone loves dumb one liners, so the character of Blade is ripe for adaption.
But the importance of this gory action flick should absolutely not be understated. Not only was it the first proper big (ish) budget Marvel film, but it's pre dates Black Panther as the first superhero film with a black lead, and it pre dates The Punisher as the first R-rated Marvel blockbuster.
But in a pre X-Men world, comic book movies weren't a big deal at this point. I actually remember me and my friends sneakily renting and watching it (we were 10 at the time...) and none of them even knowing that Blade was even a comic book!
Here we are all these years later and the Blade trilogy is now remembered fondly (well, at least the first two are!)
Wesley Snipes is of course the star of this particular vehicle, and here, he is the most Wesley Snipes he's ever been. The cheesy one liners still come off well, and lend a nice comedic edge to the buckets of blood on display. The charm that he brings to the Blade character is the main reason why it's been hard to imagine anyone else in the role for so long (although I am here all day long for Mahershala Ali)
The other big character throughout the trilogy is Whistler, played by Kris Kristofferson, just generally being old, grumpy and badass, and is honestly the best character in the whole thing (here's hoping the MCU introduce a Whistler series on Disney+...)
Stephen Dorff plays Deacon Frost, the films villain, and he's really not much more than a generic superhero bad guy (the first of many).
The choreography and the fight scenes are pretty great, and the willingness to go hard R is what set Blade apart before comic book movies became a thing. It's sooooo bloody in parts, that it verges heavily into horror territory.
The CGI effects are utterly horrible by todays standards, but it's not used nearly enough to discredit the film too much.
Blade is a decent enough adaption of the cult Marvel series, and is a fun, gory blockbuster, but as mentioned, it's an important step in comic book cinema. Long live Blade!
But the importance of this gory action flick should absolutely not be understated. Not only was it the first proper big (ish) budget Marvel film, but it's pre dates Black Panther as the first superhero film with a black lead, and it pre dates The Punisher as the first R-rated Marvel blockbuster.
But in a pre X-Men world, comic book movies weren't a big deal at this point. I actually remember me and my friends sneakily renting and watching it (we were 10 at the time...) and none of them even knowing that Blade was even a comic book!
Here we are all these years later and the Blade trilogy is now remembered fondly (well, at least the first two are!)
Wesley Snipes is of course the star of this particular vehicle, and here, he is the most Wesley Snipes he's ever been. The cheesy one liners still come off well, and lend a nice comedic edge to the buckets of blood on display. The charm that he brings to the Blade character is the main reason why it's been hard to imagine anyone else in the role for so long (although I am here all day long for Mahershala Ali)
The other big character throughout the trilogy is Whistler, played by Kris Kristofferson, just generally being old, grumpy and badass, and is honestly the best character in the whole thing (here's hoping the MCU introduce a Whistler series on Disney+...)
Stephen Dorff plays Deacon Frost, the films villain, and he's really not much more than a generic superhero bad guy (the first of many).
The choreography and the fight scenes are pretty great, and the willingness to go hard R is what set Blade apart before comic book movies became a thing. It's sooooo bloody in parts, that it verges heavily into horror territory.
The CGI effects are utterly horrible by todays standards, but it's not used nearly enough to discredit the film too much.
Blade is a decent enough adaption of the cult Marvel series, and is a fun, gory blockbuster, but as mentioned, it's an important step in comic book cinema. Long live Blade!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Cars 2 (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Producer Brad Lewis (Ratatouille)steps into the director’s chair for this sequel that follows racing legend Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his trusty sidekick, Mater (Larry the Cable Guy).
Passports are secured and ready to take part in the biggest race on the planet, Lightning and his freinds prepare to take on the best racers in the world. As the first-ever World Grand Prix approaches, cars from every continent prepare for the ultimate competition. But who will have what it takes to become the fastest car on the planet? Just as Lightning McQueen edges up to the starting line, however, his old pal Mater gets sidetracked on a top-secret spy mission that takes him from Japan to Europe. Thankfully Mater’s friends are always willing to lend a helping wheel, and as the race gets under way, everyone shifts into high gear to help out an old friend.
“Cars 2” It’s James Bond meets “Fast and the Furious” and Full of ACTION! None of the characters from the first film are forgotten Of course Tow Mater stands out the most for his hilarious ways of a small town country tow truck who isn’t afraid to do or say anything! Mater is as FUNNY as can be and shares a range of emotions with Lightning . The bond between Lightning McQueen and Tow mater “Mater” are classic as for Mater he encounters a reality check when he’s able to understand how others view him for the first time out of Radiator Springs. When Mater is mistaken for someone else a whole new world of adventure is opened up for him which causes him to grow.
I saw the film with an all ages group in the theater and I observed that everybody was enjoying it as well.
Watching this movie in 3D really made you feel like you were there! It’s funny when computer graphics of animation are realistic enough to make you become part of the story. It is amazing how much technology has changed from when I first encountered Disney animation in the 1970’s.
If you enjoyed the first Cars movie your sure to enjoy this one too! It is a must see! Never a dull moment. A Wonderful start to the Summer of family Movies.
Passports are secured and ready to take part in the biggest race on the planet, Lightning and his freinds prepare to take on the best racers in the world. As the first-ever World Grand Prix approaches, cars from every continent prepare for the ultimate competition. But who will have what it takes to become the fastest car on the planet? Just as Lightning McQueen edges up to the starting line, however, his old pal Mater gets sidetracked on a top-secret spy mission that takes him from Japan to Europe. Thankfully Mater’s friends are always willing to lend a helping wheel, and as the race gets under way, everyone shifts into high gear to help out an old friend.
“Cars 2” It’s James Bond meets “Fast and the Furious” and Full of ACTION! None of the characters from the first film are forgotten Of course Tow Mater stands out the most for his hilarious ways of a small town country tow truck who isn’t afraid to do or say anything! Mater is as FUNNY as can be and shares a range of emotions with Lightning . The bond between Lightning McQueen and Tow mater “Mater” are classic as for Mater he encounters a reality check when he’s able to understand how others view him for the first time out of Radiator Springs. When Mater is mistaken for someone else a whole new world of adventure is opened up for him which causes him to grow.
I saw the film with an all ages group in the theater and I observed that everybody was enjoying it as well.
Watching this movie in 3D really made you feel like you were there! It’s funny when computer graphics of animation are realistic enough to make you become part of the story. It is amazing how much technology has changed from when I first encountered Disney animation in the 1970’s.
If you enjoyed the first Cars movie your sure to enjoy this one too! It is a must see! Never a dull moment. A Wonderful start to the Summer of family Movies.
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Tolkien (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
An Unexpectedly Dull Journey
Tolkien is a 2019 biographical/drama movie directed by Dome Karukoski and written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. It's produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Chernin Entertainment and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, and Derek Jacobi.
As a young boy living in the countryside, J.R.R. Tolkien, learns multiple languages and how to read and write with his younger brother as they are taught by their mother. They are forced to move to the city so their mother can better provide for them when unfortunate events have them taken in by the Church and and stay at a boarding house. This is where, as a young student at King Edward's School, among a group of fellow outcasts, he finds friendship, love, and artistic inspiration. But his friends and their new brotherhood must endure the ups and downs of his position in society, his relationship with the love of his life Edith Bratt and later the outbreak of World War I.
I was really excited for this movie and having my hopes up and expectations might be the reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. For one I don't normally watch autobiographies but I have seen more that I liked in comparison to this film. I guess I thought they would show more about him coming up with the ideas for his books, which they showed very little of. Instead it was about the important events of his life which I guess is what biographies should do. For some reason though I felt like the storytelling dragged and it didn't do enough to keep you interested, very lackluster. I found that the story, acting, and dialogue were all well done but the movie suffered from the direction they went with and how they chose to show it. One thing I really liked was there were several instances where you could see what influenced him when he wrote the Lord of The Rings" books. It's an entertaining film with flair and ambition that teems with on the nose moments but is hindered by the usual biopic framework. I believe the quote from Rotten Tomatoes says it best, "Tolkien Has the period trappings and strong performances of a worthy biopic, but lacks the imagination required to truly do it's subject justice". I give it a 6/10.
As a young boy living in the countryside, J.R.R. Tolkien, learns multiple languages and how to read and write with his younger brother as they are taught by their mother. They are forced to move to the city so their mother can better provide for them when unfortunate events have them taken in by the Church and and stay at a boarding house. This is where, as a young student at King Edward's School, among a group of fellow outcasts, he finds friendship, love, and artistic inspiration. But his friends and their new brotherhood must endure the ups and downs of his position in society, his relationship with the love of his life Edith Bratt and later the outbreak of World War I.
I was really excited for this movie and having my hopes up and expectations might be the reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. For one I don't normally watch autobiographies but I have seen more that I liked in comparison to this film. I guess I thought they would show more about him coming up with the ideas for his books, which they showed very little of. Instead it was about the important events of his life which I guess is what biographies should do. For some reason though I felt like the storytelling dragged and it didn't do enough to keep you interested, very lackluster. I found that the story, acting, and dialogue were all well done but the movie suffered from the direction they went with and how they chose to show it. One thing I really liked was there were several instances where you could see what influenced him when he wrote the Lord of The Rings" books. It's an entertaining film with flair and ambition that teems with on the nose moments but is hindered by the usual biopic framework. I believe the quote from Rotten Tomatoes says it best, "Tolkien Has the period trappings and strong performances of a worthy biopic, but lacks the imagination required to truly do it's subject justice". I give it a 6/10.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
End of a Generation
Marvel's Avengers: Endgame is a 2019 superhero movie produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by the Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe), written by Christopher Markus and Stephen Mcfeely and starred an All-star cast of actors. It is a sequel to Avengers: Infinity War and is the 22nd film in the MCU.
Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, what's left of the Avengers are coping with their loss in their own ways. With so many gone, the world itself has changed and become a different place. Many struggle to move on or move forward, others try to keep busy continuing to fight crime/criminals. Thanos is gone and his location can't be found by any deep space satellite or advanced technology that Earth has. However in their darkest moment a glimmer of hope emerges when information outside of Earth comes into play with Thanos possible location. They form a plan and maybe just maybe, have a chance to get their hands on the Infinity stones and bring their friends back. But this time there will be even less of them to fight the all powerful Thanos.
This movie was epic. This film definitely lived up to all the hype. Already a phenomenal success financially, it made 1.2 billion opening weekend. This film was also a success in story telling being the finality of a story being told in over 20 films. It was very emotional with lots of action and pretty satisfying. Very somber in the beginning, especially with how the last installment in the franchise went. I really thought that i knew how the beginning of the film would play out but they really gave the audience some twists early on and throughout. And they also made sure it had plenty of "fan service", giving the fans a lot of what they wanted. Not a lot more that i can say without spoilers but I was really thrown for a loop with a couple of characters mainly Thor and Hulk. This movie gets my "Must See Seal of Approval" and I give it an 8.
I almost gave it a 9, but I felt Infinity War was better and certain Avengers acted out of character. Also a pretty confusing plot device that plays a very important role in how the movie unfolds.
Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, what's left of the Avengers are coping with their loss in their own ways. With so many gone, the world itself has changed and become a different place. Many struggle to move on or move forward, others try to keep busy continuing to fight crime/criminals. Thanos is gone and his location can't be found by any deep space satellite or advanced technology that Earth has. However in their darkest moment a glimmer of hope emerges when information outside of Earth comes into play with Thanos possible location. They form a plan and maybe just maybe, have a chance to get their hands on the Infinity stones and bring their friends back. But this time there will be even less of them to fight the all powerful Thanos.
This movie was epic. This film definitely lived up to all the hype. Already a phenomenal success financially, it made 1.2 billion opening weekend. This film was also a success in story telling being the finality of a story being told in over 20 films. It was very emotional with lots of action and pretty satisfying. Very somber in the beginning, especially with how the last installment in the franchise went. I really thought that i knew how the beginning of the film would play out but they really gave the audience some twists early on and throughout. And they also made sure it had plenty of "fan service", giving the fans a lot of what they wanted. Not a lot more that i can say without spoilers but I was really thrown for a loop with a couple of characters mainly Thor and Hulk. This movie gets my "Must See Seal of Approval" and I give it an 8.
I almost gave it a 9, but I felt Infinity War was better and certain Avengers acted out of character. Also a pretty confusing plot device that plays a very important role in how the movie unfolds.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Black Widow (2021) in Movies
Jul 16, 2021
It should have happened way sooner, but finally, Black Widow is here, and in short, it's pretty damn good.
There are many questions that hang over the future of the MCU and the direction that they are going. With so many cogs in motion via the various limited series on Disney+ and the impending multiverse, this first theatrical realease of phase four is a welcome and grounded change of pace, focusing on a story set in a time period we've already seen before, more specifically, set between the events of Civil War and Infinity War.
Natasha Romanoff is a rich character. Her backstory has been teased a handful of times throughout the series, but her big moment in the spotlight really gets into it. The narrative is nicely paced, fairly dialogue heavy in places, but allows the story arc space to breathe. The set pieces peppered throughout are decent, including a stupidly entertaining finale, but they never detract from the many character moments between Natasha and her "family".
The cast are absolutely solid. Scarlett Johansson is Natasha Romanoff through and through. Her presence in the MCU all this time has been a welcome one. She is bolstered by a stacked supporting cast also. Florence Pugh is great as usual, and a fine addition to the ever growing MCU roster, as is David Harbour. It's always a pleasure to see Rachel Weisz in anything. Same for Ray Winstone, even when he's playing an awful shitpiece.
A couple of minore gripes - The Taskmaster we get here is certainly not the Taskmaster comic fans may be familiar with. The way they are slipped into the narrative makes sense, but I hope the "real" Taskmaster is out there somewhere. The version we have here is parallel to the version of Deadpool we saw in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, essentially a mute henchman which is a shame.
I also wasn't a huge fan of some of the editing, especially in the more action heavy segments, but it's not enough to de-rail what is a triumphant and overdue solo effort for a truly beloved character.
If this is indeed the last time we see Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow (which I'm sceptical about, what with the multiverse incoming and all that), then it's a fitting send off.
There are many questions that hang over the future of the MCU and the direction that they are going. With so many cogs in motion via the various limited series on Disney+ and the impending multiverse, this first theatrical realease of phase four is a welcome and grounded change of pace, focusing on a story set in a time period we've already seen before, more specifically, set between the events of Civil War and Infinity War.
Natasha Romanoff is a rich character. Her backstory has been teased a handful of times throughout the series, but her big moment in the spotlight really gets into it. The narrative is nicely paced, fairly dialogue heavy in places, but allows the story arc space to breathe. The set pieces peppered throughout are decent, including a stupidly entertaining finale, but they never detract from the many character moments between Natasha and her "family".
The cast are absolutely solid. Scarlett Johansson is Natasha Romanoff through and through. Her presence in the MCU all this time has been a welcome one. She is bolstered by a stacked supporting cast also. Florence Pugh is great as usual, and a fine addition to the ever growing MCU roster, as is David Harbour. It's always a pleasure to see Rachel Weisz in anything. Same for Ray Winstone, even when he's playing an awful shitpiece.
A couple of minore gripes - The Taskmaster we get here is certainly not the Taskmaster comic fans may be familiar with. The way they are slipped into the narrative makes sense, but I hope the "real" Taskmaster is out there somewhere. The version we have here is parallel to the version of Deadpool we saw in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, essentially a mute henchman which is a shame.
I also wasn't a huge fan of some of the editing, especially in the more action heavy segments, but it's not enough to de-rail what is a triumphant and overdue solo effort for a truly beloved character.
If this is indeed the last time we see Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow (which I'm sceptical about, what with the multiverse incoming and all that), then it's a fitting send off.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Mulan (2020) in Movies
Sep 10, 2020
No honour
GUEST REVIEW BY THE BEAUTIFUL @fandomfanatichere - PLEASE GO CHECK OUT HER PAGE ON INSTAGRAM TO SEE MORE OF WHAT SHE DOES.
The new Mulan lacks the Disney magic of the other live actions, I found it tiresome, frustrating and the acting very lacking in some parts. The action was reminiscent of a martial arts film, which in itself would be enjoyable, but when you pair it with being a Mulan remake just forms really disappointing and cheesy action scenes. I was also sad to discover that after all of the backlash the film had been getting about its lead actress - Liu Yifei, her acting felt a little wooden. We have an additional character - a witch, whom personally I think brings absolutely nothing to the plot of the film other than irritating camera angels when she attempts to exert her power. One moment she is a strong ominous character and the next she is overthrown in the blink of an eye. We also had the addition of a CGI phoenix, rife with symbolism, a beautiful creature flying around in moments of hope and power, but the whole time I was thinking we have this, and no Mushu?! Our actress was also very unconvincing as a boy, so their surprise upon learning she was in fact a woman, felt very forced. I was, however, delighted to hear instrumental versions of 2 original songs in the background, and some paraphrased lines from the original Mulan subtly added in as Easter eggs for us uber fans of the animated film. The film itself, visually was stunning, sweeping landscape shots, interesting costume design and beautiful colours encapsulated the seductive aesthetics of China. I was also happy to see that whilst we still had hints of romance, it did not take over the plot or cause Mulan to fight for just one man, I still felt she was fighting for her family, her honour, and her right to be a strong woman. Now I feel I have slated the film a lot, but bare in mind I am a HUGE orginal Mulan fan and overall I feel I would have enjoyed the watching experience had it been a general martial arts film set in China, but as it was a highly anticipated Mulan remake, that had been set back multiple times, I was sadly very disappointed.
The new Mulan lacks the Disney magic of the other live actions, I found it tiresome, frustrating and the acting very lacking in some parts. The action was reminiscent of a martial arts film, which in itself would be enjoyable, but when you pair it with being a Mulan remake just forms really disappointing and cheesy action scenes. I was also sad to discover that after all of the backlash the film had been getting about its lead actress - Liu Yifei, her acting felt a little wooden. We have an additional character - a witch, whom personally I think brings absolutely nothing to the plot of the film other than irritating camera angels when she attempts to exert her power. One moment she is a strong ominous character and the next she is overthrown in the blink of an eye. We also had the addition of a CGI phoenix, rife with symbolism, a beautiful creature flying around in moments of hope and power, but the whole time I was thinking we have this, and no Mushu?! Our actress was also very unconvincing as a boy, so their surprise upon learning she was in fact a woman, felt very forced. I was, however, delighted to hear instrumental versions of 2 original songs in the background, and some paraphrased lines from the original Mulan subtly added in as Easter eggs for us uber fans of the animated film. The film itself, visually was stunning, sweeping landscape shots, interesting costume design and beautiful colours encapsulated the seductive aesthetics of China. I was also happy to see that whilst we still had hints of romance, it did not take over the plot or cause Mulan to fight for just one man, I still felt she was fighting for her family, her honour, and her right to be a strong woman. Now I feel I have slated the film a lot, but bare in mind I am a HUGE orginal Mulan fan and overall I feel I would have enjoyed the watching experience had it been a general martial arts film set in China, but as it was a highly anticipated Mulan remake, that had been set back multiple times, I was sadly very disappointed.