Search

Search only in certain items:

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
2018 | Action, Animation, Sci-Fi
Out of this world
#spidermanintothespiderverse isn't just an incredible film its also hands down THE best #Spiderman film period & a film fans of the #webhead simply must see. Wow what an intense, #nostalgic & visually breath taking movie, its downright #gorgeous with a dazzling & explosive colour pallet, great dimensional pop, slick smooth unique #animation & some of the most absolutely insane/creative camera angles ive seen all year. This film had my eyes constantly opening wider, searching around the screen trying to take in the immense/painstaking detail literally crammed into every scene. So much attention to detail & #love for years of spiderman material has gone into the making of this film that its honestly just a complete joy to behold. Story wise its a complete breath of fresh air too with constantly shocking plot twists a new spin on origins & extremely informative catch up scenes. Characters are all extremely likable & really well fleshed out & human that have to deal with some really tuff adult problems that i was not expecting to delve into in an #animated #film. Themes are vast here & my favourite explored how none of our #hero's really want the burden or responsibility of doing this as a job but understanding its their purpose/#destiny keeps them dedicated to it. There's also alot on commitment, loss, #courage, inner #demons, fate & #fear which again was awesome to see. Score & soundtrack wise it also shines with all the music intensifying & complimenting not only the tension but the obscure telltale visual style too. Speaking of tension its top notch too, there were scenes that had me sweating & sat on the edge of my seat in suspense & action so energetic, fluid & busy i felt goosebumps on my arms. While also absolutely #laugh out loud #hillarious the film can also be emotionally heavy at times too & i was surprised at just how often the film quickly got dark with either a surprising character death or deep philosophical dialog. Do yourself a favour see this in cinemas & in 3d we need #sony to realise this is the high quality spiderman we want more of. Simply stunning. #marvel #spidergwen #stanlee #mcu #comic #spiderpig #milesmorales #odeon #filmbuff #superhero
  
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
2018 | Action, Comedy
Dead waste
#deadpool2 has a bad case of 'bigger doesn't always mean better', its not a bad #film its just a very safe one & the formula is already starting to wear thin. I liked the first #deadpool, it wasn't anything ground breaking but I found it nailed the character & delivered something #superhero films haven't dared do in a while (it also balanced cool action & #fun #comedy well). With deadpool 2 we get more of the same & while the scale, budget & ideas seem to have been upped the films itself feels a tad flat, lifeless & overstuffed. First the good the fight choreography is very well done its fast, brutal & filmed well. #Music & the score is great & compliments the film perfect. #Popculture references & cameos are fun & extremely fun & well done. Sets, costumes & props all look great & have clearly had alot of care, time & detail put into them. #joshbrolin as #cable is tremendous completely stealing the show with his scenes being by far the most entertaining. The bad - with no real unique stand out scenes or anything new to bring to the table I found myself getting bored quite quickly. Story wise its bland/basic too & we are introduced to so many uninteresting characters with uninspiring motives that I just couldn't invest in them at all. Jokes & dialog both come across as forced this time & after a while became tierd & repetitive. Cgi wise its a mess going from good to damn right embarrassing at times (I just dont get some of the decisions to keep some scenes/characters in when they look this bad, it just made the film feel cheap & pulled me out of the experience constantly). Overall its not a bad film its just a very very average & unnecessary one. Id say its not a patch on the first one & that wasnt that amazing either. #Kids will #love it for its crude humour & gratuitous violence & hardcore #marvel fans probably wont have a bad word to say about it but for me I was disappointed & was hoping for a new direction not more of the same old. Definitely watchable but sadly forgettable. #odeonlimitless #odeon #avengers #ryanreynolds #mcu #comic #cinifile #tuesdaythoughts #spiderman #hughjackman #xmen #review #comicon #domino #deadpoolmovie
  
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
To infinity and beyond
#avengersinfinitywar is an intense, fast, slick & fun ride that pulls its viewers along at such a thrilling pace that you rarely have time to breathe. Im #happy to report #infitywar is a solid, well made & a very entertaining #film (it is however by no means perfect but it does come out overall as one of the best films that marvel has produced). From the start you can instantly tell production is high here, costumes & makeup ooze detail as do sets, the score is #beautiful & extremely epic & cgi its stellar (minus a few scenes where it looked a bit soft). This is a film that clearly has had not only alot of money but a lot of love put into it. Fight scenes are weighty, fluid & pack a sometimes brutal punch to them & they come thick & fast but never out stay their welcome. Set pieces are #gorgeous too with great camera work ranging from tight claustrophobic combat to huge dizzying establishing shots giving the film great scale. Acting is great all round with #joshbrolin as #thanos being the standout here, hes constantly intimidating visually & vocally with so much unpredictability & power his presence alone instantly made me #anxious. Story wise it keeps it interesting & everyone's motives are clear but i do feel that with so many characters to juggle you loose that connection & emotional impact from time to time. Also its a darker film but peril is quite void here & at times I felt no one was really in that much danger of being fataly hurt. Themes of sacrificing the things you #love for a greater purpose & the effects/impact power can have in different hands were interesting but id need to watch it again to see what its deeper over all message was. Lastly the ending is so clever, perfect, beautifully done & shocking that it left most of my screening breathlessly glued to our seats. Comedy works well here too with most jokes hitting without being to cringe. Overall its a damn good time & watching it with a big excited audience reminded me of what going to the cinema is all about 'Escapism' & 'fun' & #avengers really does provide both. #comicon #superhero #marvel #disney #guardiansofthegalaxy #thor #hulk #captainamerica #spiderman #groot #ironman #marvelcomics #mcu
  
The Rocketeer (1991)
The Rocketeer (1991)
1991 | Action, Drama, Family
Hated it
Me trying to find something I liked about The Rocketeer: "Well that part was cool. Yeah, but it was quickly ruined by x,y, and z. Besides, the terrible part that happened right after made it all for nothing. Ok, but what about...Nope, that was pretty crappy too."

If Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice has taught us anything it's that sometimes superhero movies get it wrong. Not only does The Rocketeer get it wrong, it steps on its own feet before it can even get off the blocks properly. Oftentimes we have the case of decent actors getting placed with a dud of a script, but that's far from the situation here. Sure the actors didn't have much of a chance with the awful writing, but I have the strangest feeling that even if the writing had been superb these actors still would have found a way to muck it up. It's that bad. I'm talking grind your teeth bad.

To its credit, the film doesn't dupe you as it gets off to a terrible start almost immediately. Twenty minutes in and I was already thinking of the number of different things that I could have been doing rather than watching The Rocketeeer. Was it all bad? No, but mostly. The redeemable parts were quickly ruined by their own contradictions. Perfect example, everytime main character Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) donned the Rocketeer suit, the action was pretty sweet to watch. Considering the fact that he wasn't in the suit for even a full half hour, things soured pretty quickly.

Corny moments abound in the film. I was hoping for a base that was more serious and less campy and all I can say is: Mission Not Accomplished. Between the absolute joke of a villain, the lame plot twist, and a number of other things, I don't know what bothered me the most.

The Rocketeer is the story of an aviator who is on the run from the mob after discovering a jet pack in the 1930's. Yeah, now that I think about it, the plot should have told me everything I needed to know about expectations. Skip it. I give it a 10.
  
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
John Hughes Film Inside a Superhero Cartoon
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the prototypical teen film from the eighties that was not written with the keen insight of John Hughes or one of his proteges. There is the teen girl who kind of likes this boy, but they are friends and she is afraid of losing him as a friend if they start to date. She doesn't flirt with embarrassingly tossed off factoids that only attract him more. There is also a dorky guy who is in love with a girl in his school so instead of directly asking her out he comes up with an elaborate plot to win her over. But at least the plan doesn't end in rape where the sex causes the dream girl to fall head over heels in love. In addition to our lovers, there is a romantic rival who blackmails the guy so he can't attempt wooing the girl. There is a horndog best friend who tries to convince the guy to give up a monogamous relationship for casual sex with multiple partners on an European vacation. There is the bully who hates the dorky guy, but is smitten with the hero who is the dorky guy in disguise, i.e., Teen Wolf. There is a second milquetoast girl who makes occasional appearances in the film so it is not some sausage fest with one female character in search of love. Then, there are a lot of ineffectual adults in the film except for one sympathetic adult who serves as a mentor. The mentor tries to help out teen to win the love of his life and figure out his path in life. And, there is also a heartless boss the teen has to work with who rides his ass and makes him want to quit, but he needs the money. Against all odds, the dorky guy succeeds and transitions into a functional adult male of some character.
Overall, the movie is extremely satisfactory and sets up a whole new set of Marvel movies. But it leaves several huge questions due to the credit cookies, one of which is Where is Maria Hill? (not really a spoiler)
  
Steelheart
Steelheart
Brandon Sanderson | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.5 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
I didn't really feel like writing a full review for <i>Steelheart</i>, so here's a list for you to take a gander at (and it sums up what I think... mostly).
<h2><strong>Six Things You Should Know About <i>Steelheart</i></strong></h2>
1. In the overall view, this is a revenge book laced with superheroness. Eight-year-old David witnessed his father being killed by an Epic, a human with superpowers. Ten years later, he vows to join the Reckoners, a group of people who hunt and kill Epics for a living and convince them to help him kill Steelheart.

2. From the two superhero books I've read, superheroes have really sad nicknames. Steelheart, Nightwielder, Firefight – it might sound really cool, but... ew. (You'll find a review for that other one sometime in the near future.) O_O

3. Sanderson writes this in a way that I actually liked and I'm not annoyed David is out wanting Steelheart's head on a platter in revenge. Not... really.

4. David is as socially awkward as <a title="The Sorcerer's Apprentice" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/movie-review-the-sorcerers-apprentice/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">that one dude who probably has the same name in that one movie</a>. Lucy London still takes the trophy as the <a title="Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">best socially awkward character</a> (plus, who can beat her? She's absolutely adorable!).

5. David sucks at metaphors. I don't know if that's just Sanderson or the character, but David just tries <i>too hard</i> with the metaphors. Have I mentioned it makes him seem socially awkward?

6. Have I mentioned those metaphors are so bad, it's bleeping hilarious? The explanations David comes up with makes it even worse, thus more hilarious.

I really think I'm only interested in the second book because I want to see what David and the Reckoners are going to be up to.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-steelheart-by-brandon-sanderson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
40x40

Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies

Jan 18, 2020 (Updated Jan 18, 2020)  
Little Women (2019)
Little Women (2019)
2019 | Drama
Coffee and Compliments
Little Women feels like a breath of fresh air in a time chock full of superhero movies and action sequels. Simply overflowing with such kindness, warmth and an enormous sense of love and heart little women is pure escapism into a tale so beautify simple yet so sophisticated and intricate that its simply a pure delight to behold for any age to enjoy. Being unfamiliar with the source material myself I was concerned that I wouldnt enjoy this movie but as the film began I found myself so absorbed by its beauty and overwhelmed with its ability to transport me back and embed me into a period in time like it was but a memory of my own. Production design is staggering and constantly breathtaking from clothing, set design, lighting and props everything just screams quality and class making homes feel lived in/cosy, parties feel exciting/grand and the outdoor scenes to feel magical and fable esque. Whats truly stunning here however is how the feeling of belonging has been masterfully created and as we spend time with this family the bond and love depicted here is so flawless, real and full of love its hard to remember these are actresses we are watching and not real people going about thier lives. Perfomances are splendind but its Florence Pugh that really shows she deserves her nomene for this for sure with a performance so believable full of innocence, emotion and energy that its trully entrancing to watch. With accurate depictions of love, courtship, acceptance, passion, drive, perseverance, innocence, maturity, family life, bonding and grief we almost see these girls fight thier own personal battles along side the real war going on as they struggle to make something of themselves and live freely in a world where men are considered to have all the dominance and rights. Although taking place in the past it all just feels so very current and timeless not affraid to tackle a variety of important and complex themes/issues while exploring the very characteristics and traits that make us human. A wonderful delight and a simply magnifict and heart warming piece of film making history. Such a joyous experiance for anyone and everyone alike.
  
40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Outlast in Video Games

Nov 7, 2020  
Outlast
Outlast
Action/Adventure
Survivor The Asylum
Outlast- is a excellent survival first person horror game set inside a asylum.

The game revolves around a freelance investigative journalist, Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate a remote psychiatric hospital named Mount Massive Asylum, located deep in the mountains of Lake County, Colorado.

Outlast, the player assumes the role of investigative journalist Miles Upshur, as he navigates a dilapidated psychiatric hospital in Leadville, Colorado that is overrun by homicidal patients. The game is played from a first-person perspective and features some stealth gameplay mechanics. The player can walk, run, crouch, jump, climb ladders and vault over objects. Unlike most games, however, the player doesn't have a visible health bar on the screen and is unable to attack enemies. The player must instead rely on stealth tactics such as hiding in lockers, sneaking past enemies, staying in the shadows and hiding behind or under things in order to survive. Alternatively, the player can attempt to outrun their pursuer. If the player dies, the game will reset to the most recent checkpoint.

Most of the hospital is unlit, and the only way for the player to see while in the dark is through the lens of a camcorder equipped with night vision. Using the night vision mode will slowly consume batteries, forcing the player to scavenge for additional batteries found throughout the asylum. Outlast makes heavy use of traditional jump scares and audio cues, which alert the player if an enemy has seen them.

GameSpot gave the game a positive review as well stating that "Outlast isn't really a game of skill, and as it turns out, that makes sense. You're not a cop or a soldier or a genetically enhanced superhero. You're just a reporter. And as a reporter, you don't possess many skills with which you can fend off the hulking brutes, knife-wielding stalkers, and other homicidal maniacs who lurk in the halls of the dilapidated Mount Massive Asylum. You can't shoot them, or punch them, or rip pipes from the walls to clobber them with. You can only run and hide".

The aslyum setting is creepy, horrorfying, scary and terrorfying.

Its a excellent survival horror game.
  
The New Mutants (2020)
The New Mutants (2020)
2020 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
So yeah, I actually quite liked The New Mutants. It's getting absolutely mauled online, so I was honestly expecting an absolute shit storm that I was going to hate, but that's not the case.

For a film that was delayed over and over again, and suffered apparent reshoots, I was glad to find a pretty coherent narrative, wrapped up in a modest X-Men package. I say modest because TNM for the most part, is a pretty grounded drama surrounding 5 teens in a facility designed to help them control their burgeoning mutant powers. The first two thirds of the film have little in the way of big superhero moments, some glimpses of powers here and there.
The cast are all believable enough - Anya Taylor-Joy is a standout as Illyana Rasputin aka Magik.
It's also refreshing to see and emphasis on some LGBTQ characters in these kind of movies.

I've been a fan of X-Men comics from a young age, so seeing the likes of some more obscure characters such as Magik, Mirage, Wolfsbane, Cannonball and Sunspot (who has appeared once before in Days of Future Past) is pretty cool. Without going into spoilers, the choices in antagonists is inspired as well.
The whole final act is actually a bit of a treat for people who know a bit about the wider X-Men comics.

Although I found a fair bit to like in TNM, it doesn't quite hit the strides that it could. There are horror elements present, but nothing remotely scary - I can't help but feel that once upon a time, there was a version of TNM somewhere that was a lot more full on. Its a film that whilst ok, has a lot of untapped potential that for one reason or another just wasn't realised, and it feels a little frustrating.

However, it's far from being the worst entry in the X-Men franchise, and the fact that it's finally landed and it's watchable is a small miracle in itself. I was so so convinced that it was going to be complete garbage, and it's nice to be wrong.
  
Doom Patrol, Vol. 1: Crawling from the Wreckage
Doom Patrol, Vol. 1: Crawling from the Wreckage
Grant Morrison | 1989 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Crime, Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
In a fandom littered with reboot after reboot, with the current ones no better than the previous 4-5 before it, I took it upon myself to finally read Morrison's much-praised mid-1980's reboot of the Doom Patrol. I did not read it when it came out originally, but I remember seeing it. At the time, I was very much about the "flashy" superhero books of 80's: the X-Men (which I will still argue were better than ANYTHING that is currently being written about them!), Wildstorm's 'Gen13' and 'WildC.A.T.s', etc. Mind you, I was also very much into 'Sandman' and "Shade the Changing Man', both of which were part of the still-in-its-infancy stage Vertigo imprint from DC Comics. Weird, right, that I skipped over 'Doom Patrol'. Not sure why I did, but I did.

Now, to the present..

Having read the first volume, which is out-of-print (like so much of DC's pre-"New 52" stuff!), I can safely say I understand all the love that the series has earned! This is mind-blowing stuff, and it's only the first 6 issues!

The book boasts a dark, moody theme at times, but it is more part of the story than about trying to "be something" like many books today try to be. The characters are well-rounded, each having a uniquely interesting personality. There are returning characters, like Robotman, and the team's leader Niles Caulder, but there are also some real creative gems like Crazy Jane, with her 64 personalities and so much more going on in her!

The cool thing about 'Doom Patrol' is it can be recommended to anyone who says they don't like comics because of the costumes, etc. DP is not about costumes, superheroes or anything like that. If it were to be compared to anyting, I would say I got a 'Fringe' (the FOX/J.J. Abrams TV series) feeling when I was reading it.

There are 5 more volumes to tackle, but I shall savor each one, as if it were a fine wine!