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TacoDave (3508 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies

Apr 10, 2019 (Updated Apr 10, 2019)  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
Special Effects (1 more)
90's Setting
Acting (2 more)
Story
Overt Politicalization
Captain "Meh"vel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I finally saw Captain Marvel, just a few weeks after the rest of the world. It has already made over $1 billion, so I know I'm late to the game.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.

What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.

Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.

And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"

One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.

So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.

I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
  
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Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated 2012 (2009) in Movies

May 30, 2018  
2012 (2009)
2012 (2009)
2009 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
As a disaster movie it doesn't get much better than this.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Roland Emmerich has done it again. He seems to get a kick out of bringing out humanities worst fears and putting them on screen in all its glory. After destroying a large part of the world in Independence Day: ID4, and trashing New York with Godzilla, he decides to go the rest of the way and change the face of the earth forever and in the process kill off most of humanity. What is the enemy this time? Aliens? Nope done that. Monsters? Nope also done that. Bad weather? Once again done that. What is left? I know lets have the sun spit out solar flares that heat up the earth's core and destabilize the planet! Whatever his problem with humanity is, it translates well on to film. This is an epic disaster movie. No part of the world is safe and there is no magic quick fix here.

The film itself is simple, massive destruction minimal plot. But in this case it really works. With amazing effects and a great cast that includes John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover and the story is played out well and the acting is good. It is not too over the top except the stand out performance from the great Woody Harrelson. He is your go to guy when you are looking for crazy, and once again he pulls off the crazy guy effortlessly.

I really enjoyed this film and I think it has been given an unfairly hard time by critics and movie goers alike. I don't understand what people expected from this film. It is a disaster film not The Shawshank Redemption! I expected disaster and destruction and it exceeded my expectations. I didn't expect award winning performances by the actors (many of who are award nominees and winners), and I didn't expect a plot more complicated than oh s**t, we are going to die what can we do? Many viewers and critics must have forgotten the other films by Roland Emmerich when viewing this or they were comparing it to other films that were released at the same time. However I judge a film on its own merit and not comparing it to films that are in a different category. As a disaster movie it doesn't get much better than this.
  
Violet Souls (The Evoxian Legacies #1)
Violet Souls (The Evoxian Legacies #1)
Abbey MacMunn | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Violet Souls (The Evoxian Legacies #1) by Abbey MacMunn
Violet Souls is the first book in The Evoxian Legacies, which tells us about violet-eyed aliens living amongst the humans here on Earth. Bree is one such alien, although she doesn't know it. She has always felt differently to the others, but never knew why. She wears blue contact lenses to hide her violet eyes, as she was teased when she was younger. When she searches for more information on her birth parents, it opens up a whole new world of which she was unaware.

This started off really well, with plenty of action and build up to her actually finding out just who, or what, she is. Bree is a no-nonsense character, determined to do what is right by her daughter. I think the thing for me is that Bree was just too laid back! If I found out I was an alien from another world, which is dying, and I have a soul mate I chose when I was a baby, oh, and my talisman grants me a special power too. No matter how relaxed I tended to be in 'normal' life, I think I would still have some sort of panic attack over all of the above. Not Bree though, nope, not happening. You can throw what you want at this woman, and she won't even blink an eye. Torture? Boring. Death of an enemy turned friend to helped her? So yesterday. Daughter ageing quickly? It's fine. I liked Bree, I really did, but I found her emotions definitely needed broadening.

On the whole, this was a great start to the series, and an epic cast of supporting characters I would love to learn more about. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow (unless you count the emotional distance). This IS the start of a new series, so be prepared for world and character building, which you always need. I can't wait to see where this series will go. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
Marvel Studios has once again launched a new franchise within their expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe with the arrival of “Captain Marvel”. The film tells the origin of the title character (Brie Larson), who struggles with gaps in her memory while serving as a Kree Protector under the supervision of Yon-Rogg (Jude Law).

When things do not go as planned during a mission; the good Captain finds herself on Earth forced to wait for her crew to retrieve her. The gaps in her memory combined with the arrival of the shape-shifting Skrulls are bad enough, but now there is also the arrival of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) for her to contend with.

Being set in the 90s we get a Fury that has yet to be awakened to what is truly out there so he finds the claims of alien beings a bit hard to grasp until fate pairs him with the Captain who must stop the threat posed by the aliens and unlock the mystery of her missing memories.

While the film takes a while to get going; there is enough action scattered throughout to keep your interest and the finale is a rousing FX showcase that really helps establish the character and delivers what fans expect.

Naturally there is a good amount of humor along the way and the dynamic between Larson and Jackson is very good and I hope we get to see them paired on future Marvel adventures.

The supporting cast of Jude Law, Annette Bening, and Ben Mendelsohn is great and it was nice to see many other characters from past Marvel films appear as younger versions of themselves.

The film had to balance establishing the character and setting up further adventures with making sure audiences understood her importance and why her presence in “Avengers: Endgame” is connected and does so very well.

Larson was amazing in the title role as she portrays a strength and confidence without ever being arrogant but there is also a quick wit and at times; a vulnerability that makes her character more well-rounded than people would expect from a comic based film.

It is amazing to me how Marvel Studios can take some of their lesser known characters and turn them into Box Office gold and their winning formula continues with this entertaining new franchise.

http://sknr.net/2019/03/05/captain-marvel/
  
Men in Black International (2019)
Men in Black International (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
Perfectly Fine
MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL is a perfectly fine movie that showcases two perfectly fine talents getting into a perfectly fine predicament that is perfectly fine to view. It's fun and action-packed with weird aliens and charismatic, bickering, leads.

It also is nothing new. We've seen this film before with MEN IN BLACK or MEN IN BLACK II or MEN IN BLACK III. So, while I walked out of the cineplex with a satisfying movie going experience, I was left wanting something...more.

In this version of MIB, Tessa Thompson takes over the Will Smith role as the "newbie" in the MIB Universe. We (the audience) experience unusual - and unexpected - things through her eyes and she is joined by a veteran MIB agent - this time played by Chris Hemsworth. The MIB Universe is expanded as agent "M" (Thompson) is sent to the London Bureau by her boss, "O" (an always welcome Emma Thompson". There she meets the head of MIB London (Liam Neeson being gruff and "boss-like") and his "golden boy", Agent "H" (a game Hemsworth). The two join forces to investigate a "mole" in MIB and are, eventually, joined by Alien "Pawney" (voiced, nicely, by Kumail Nanjiani).

The plot machinations are nothing new. I saw the 2 "plot twists" coming a mile off. So it is the journey, not the destination, that should be the fun of it and, ultimately, the journey is agreeable enough but nothing more. "H" and "M" bicker their way through the proceedings until they form a mutual respect for each other. "O", "High T" and Agent "C" (a rival for Hemsworth's "H") are gruff...enough...but never threatening.

And that, ultimately, is the issue here. The stakes weren't high enough, the conflicts weren't big enough, the special effects weren't new enough and, ultimately, the movie just isn't original enough. I kept thinking to myself..."This is the perfect "airplane" movie." By that, I mean I could watch this on an airplane and not be worried about who is looking over my shoulder at what I am watching on screen. It is a safe, pleasant enough, entertainment experience.

You won't be disappointed in this film, you also won't be challenged, thrilled or amazed at it, either.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
  
The 5th Wave: Book 1
The 5th Wave: Book 1
Rick Yancey | 2013 | Children
2
8.0 (42 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really wanted to like <i>The 5th Wave</i>. The synopsis sounded fantastic, it's becoming a movie – the book just sounded like one of those that I would probably read quickly, enjoy it, demand the second book (in other words, snag it straight off Lupe's shelf), read through that quickly, and pretty much have another favorite book this year (there's really only two so far that are special).

I didn't even last thirty pages. <i>Thirty</i> pages, which says <i>a lot</i>, because while I may give up on books more often now, I don't usually give up THAT early.

The premise wasn't what made me give up reading <i>The 5th Wave</i> – characters trying to fight for survival? Sounds like <i>Hatchet</i>, only with the "aliens" attacking with "waves."

I only stopped because of Cassie. Cassie, short for Cassiopeia, the main character of the book. I couldn't stand her for the life of me.

She's materialistic – in a world when the world is literally falling apart around you, who <i>cares</i> about hygiene being top priority? It's great she cares (because you can't just walk to a job interview smelling like horse poop), but by the whatever wave that's past the first, I'm pretty sure you're too busy making surviving the <i>day</i> your priority.

She's rude – if there's one thing I don't like, it's texting while in a conversation simply because you're bored. Then, she says, "Oh, and in case you're an alien reading this? BITE ME."

Totally. I'm totally willing to bite Cassie... in a review, that is.

Basically, there was a vibe about her I didn't like early on. But with all of the flashbacks at literally every chapter, I not only got to know the world <i>before</i> the 1st Wave, I got to know Cassie as a person. And Cassie probably tops the list of the most annoying characters I've ever come across in a book.

Someone please tell me I'm not the only one who couldn't stand Cassie. If I am, I'm willing to cry in a little corner alone with my lonesome self...

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/dnf-review-the-5th-wave-by-rick-yancey/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
Love, Death &amp; Robots - Season 1
Love, Death & Robots - Season 1
2019 | Animation, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
The beauty of Love, Death and Robots is it's format. An eclectic collection of animated short films, some genuinely brilliant, with a handful of duds, truly gives something for everyone.

There are 18 films on show here, all with something different to offer.
Firstly there were 3 that failed to really resonate with me - Sucker of Souls, When the Yoghurt Took Over, and Alternate Histories. I found these three either slightly boring, or silly for the sake of being silly. There were 2 that sort of floated in the middle - The Dump, and Blind Spot, not bad by any means (none of the shorts are truly bad) but just were sort of there.
Leaving a grand total of 13 shorts that I thought were really really great.

A handful of these realistic CGI entries - namely, Sonnie's Edge, Three Robots, Beyond the Aquila Rift, Shape Shifters (one of the highlights for me), Helping Hand (reminded me of Gravity, in a great way), Lucky 13, and The Secret War.
These lot are lengthier offerings, and boast some good looking CGI animation, bordering on photo realism at times. The run time gives an opportunity for some decent fleshed out stories.
The Secret War in particular is nothing short of breath taking, and may well be my top pick of the whole season.
Elsewhere, we have more cartoony offerings - Suits, a loud animation that features farmers in mech suits fighting aliens. Zima Blue, a beautifully touching story of how a simple robot transcends existence itself - another highlight of the season. Fish Night, a short desert based drama bursting with colour. The animation of this one reminded me of A Scanner Darkly. Good Hunting, a collision of Ancient Chinese stories and a Bioshock style steampunk future. Hard to watch at times, but stunning also - easily would have been my top pick if The Secret War wasn't included.
Rounding it off we have The Witness, and animation that looks like a moving oil painting and reminded me of Mirror's Edge, and Ice Age, a fun short that's the only live action inclusion with CGI flourishes about a civilisation growing in a couple freezer.

It's an ambitious collection of shorts for sure, but like I said, there's something here for everyone. Even the ones that I liked the least are a 6/10 at worst. If you like sci-fi or animation in any shape or form, then check this series out.
  
Tenet (2020)
Tenet (2020)
2020 | Action
Contains spoilers, click to show
Tenet has a good premise, a CIA agent is recruited to help find the source of a number of objects that have been 'Inverted', meaning that they run in the opposite direction of time. Unfortunately the film feels like Christopher Nolan (the writer) took James Bond, Men in Black (without the aliens) and the Red Dwarf Episode Backwards (without the comedy), put them all in a bag, gave it a shake and tipped the contents out.
That's not to say that Tenet is a bad film it's just, well that's the thing, I'm not entirely sure what the problem is. There are some films where some scenes feel off until something is revealed later on (I found this with the meat locker scene at the beginning of Bloodshot) and Tenet is one of these, which is the point, the film is about time travel/manipulation and so you are only given some of the information first time around, but I think Tenet gets too jumpy.
Tenet starts with a good old action scene then slows right down as the Protagonist (he has no name) tries to find out information, this part drags a little. The it begins to get Timey Wimey. There is a fight scene where the choreography seems a bit off and then the story begins to pick up pace.
There are action scenes that are, at least in part, backwards and, to be honest I think Red Dwarf pulled it off better. The rules of the inversion don't always seem to make sense but, to it's credit, when trying to explain some of the science they do say that they don't know and that things happen.
You have to keep your eyes open, much like a certain Red Dwarf episode consequence sometimes precedes action so, sometimes there is a clue to what is going to happen. But there are also time loops and some loops have other loops and things happen that you have to wait for a character to explain.
There are also things that happen in the first scene that are only hinted at so there is a set up for some sequels.
So, over all, we have Bond'esq ode to a Red Dwarf episode that is mostly entertaining, predictable in places and slow in others. Is it worth a watch? Yes but don't expect a big budget time travel sci-Fi extravaganza.