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David McK (3880 KP) rated Hancock (2008) in Movies
Apr 11, 2021 (Updated Jul 11, 2022)
"Good job" / "no, you did a good job"
You know that bit in Superman 3 (I think) where Superman goes bad?
Straightening the leaning tower of Pisa, blowing out the Olympic torch, drinking, etc?
That's pretty much how this film starts, with Will Smith's Hancock a hard-drinking, hard-living (and miserably lonely) 'superhero' more concerned about his next drink than saving the day.
However, when he recues publicist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), Hancock soon becomes convinced to change his way of life, voluntarily surrendering himself to the authorities (who are sick of the damage he has caused and the ensuing financial implications of the same) and going to prison until the public starts missing him and the police need his help.
There is a real surprise in the third Act of the film, which does take it in a totally different direction that it had been going up to that point.
Straightening the leaning tower of Pisa, blowing out the Olympic torch, drinking, etc?
That's pretty much how this film starts, with Will Smith's Hancock a hard-drinking, hard-living (and miserably lonely) 'superhero' more concerned about his next drink than saving the day.
However, when he recues publicist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), Hancock soon becomes convinced to change his way of life, voluntarily surrendering himself to the authorities (who are sick of the damage he has caused and the ensuing financial implications of the same) and going to prison until the public starts missing him and the police need his help.
There is a real surprise in the third Act of the film, which does take it in a totally different direction that it had been going up to that point.
David McK (3880 KP) rated Die Hard (1988) in Movies
Jul 9, 2023
For my money, this is Bruce Willis's breakout role as New York detective John McClane, who - when visiting his estranged wife Holly for Christmas in Los Angeles - gets caught up when a group of criminals (led by Alan Rickman, in another brilliant role) seizes control of the high-rise building in which she works.
On his own, and presenting a more everyday action hero than the like of Schwarzenegger or Stallone (who would probably walk over broken glass without flinching in one of their films), the wise-cracking McClane finds himself taking on the group one by one in the cramped confines of the high rise.
There's a reason many-a-film since has been called "Die Hard on a xxx"
In short, oft imitated but never bettered
(and, back here, McClane has not yet transformed into the almost-superhero who shrugs off injuries that would cripple a lesser man that he becomes in the alter films)
On his own, and presenting a more everyday action hero than the like of Schwarzenegger or Stallone (who would probably walk over broken glass without flinching in one of their films), the wise-cracking McClane finds himself taking on the group one by one in the cramped confines of the high rise.
There's a reason many-a-film since has been called "Die Hard on a xxx"
In short, oft imitated but never bettered
(and, back here, McClane has not yet transformed into the almost-superhero who shrugs off injuries that would cripple a lesser man that he becomes in the alter films)
Merissa (14146 KP) rated Blood Surfer (Thunder City #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
This is the second book in the 'Superhero' category that I have read recently, and this one is once again absolutely amazing!
With a plot that grabs you from the very first word, characters that are completely believable (considering their world), family angst, childish tricks gone bad, and betrayal - it's all here!
The relationship between Scott and Hannah is very fast, whilst paradoxically a slow-burner. The friendship, trust, and possibly more, take time to build up even as circumstances throw them together.
With a world that I would love to return to, and a bunch of characters that I would love to read more of, this is a fantastic read that builds to a rip-roaring climax. Thoroughly enjoyed, highly recommended, and I can't wait for book two!
* 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!
May 9, 2016
With a plot that grabs you from the very first word, characters that are completely believable (considering their world), family angst, childish tricks gone bad, and betrayal - it's all here!
The relationship between Scott and Hannah is very fast, whilst paradoxically a slow-burner. The friendship, trust, and possibly more, take time to build up even as circumstances throw them together.
With a world that I would love to return to, and a bunch of characters that I would love to read more of, this is a fantastic read that builds to a rip-roaring climax. Thoroughly enjoyed, highly recommended, and I can't wait for book two!
* 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!
May 9, 2016
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Thor (2011) in Movies
May 9, 2019
Two worlds, One hero
Thor is presented with a difficult challenge - believably incorporating a god into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has already been established. This task falls to director Kenneth Branagh, who devotes sufficient time to both Asgard, Thor's (Chris Hemsworth) home realm, and Earth, where he is exiled to. Asgard is depicted through a heavy use of special effects which creates a sense of wonder, but the story is steeped in relatable familial issues. When Thor disobeys his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), he is cast to Earth as a mortal. His hammer, Mjolnir, is the source of his powers, and it is also sent to Earth to await someone worthy enough to wield such power.
Most superhero movies spend a large amount of time introducing their hero to their superpower, and then invest yet more time discovering the full potential of this power. In the case of Thor, this is reversed. He begins the film a powerful god and is then stripped of such a gift, forced to learn to live without such capabilities. It is here that the film really shines, as Thor attempts to adapt to life on Earth. He is not accustomed to human ways, and this fish out of water scenario is wisely played for laughs.
Of course, this being a superhero movie means a love interest is required to be drafted in. Enter Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), an astrophysicist who discovers Thor. She is accompanied by her mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), and her assistant, Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). They all become entangled with S.H.I.E.L.D, who have previously been glimpsed in Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and Iron Man 2 (2010). Throughout this series of films it has been evident that there is something larger at play, and with Thor this bigger picture begins to come into sharper focus.
Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is presented as the villain, but he mostly stays in the shadows and pulls the strings of others to do his fighting. This results in less CGI-laden battles but a stronger character-based story. Thor strikes a pleasing balance between plot and spectacle, effectively setting up a likeable hero and an interesting big bad. However, with most of the Earth-based action set in a small town in New Mexico, the threat never feels particularly palpable.
I was skeptical but intrigued by Thor, and Branagh does do a marvellous job of incorporating myth and legend into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I would have liked to see Kat Dennings given a meatier role to play, but that minor quibble aside Thor is a highly enjoyable superhero movie. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, delivering in both the heroics and comedy and Loki played by Tom Hiddelston is a fantastic villian. Sadly, the film doesn't quite rise to the bar set by Iron Man, but it does come impressively close.
Most superhero movies spend a large amount of time introducing their hero to their superpower, and then invest yet more time discovering the full potential of this power. In the case of Thor, this is reversed. He begins the film a powerful god and is then stripped of such a gift, forced to learn to live without such capabilities. It is here that the film really shines, as Thor attempts to adapt to life on Earth. He is not accustomed to human ways, and this fish out of water scenario is wisely played for laughs.
Of course, this being a superhero movie means a love interest is required to be drafted in. Enter Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), an astrophysicist who discovers Thor. She is accompanied by her mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), and her assistant, Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). They all become entangled with S.H.I.E.L.D, who have previously been glimpsed in Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and Iron Man 2 (2010). Throughout this series of films it has been evident that there is something larger at play, and with Thor this bigger picture begins to come into sharper focus.
Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is presented as the villain, but he mostly stays in the shadows and pulls the strings of others to do his fighting. This results in less CGI-laden battles but a stronger character-based story. Thor strikes a pleasing balance between plot and spectacle, effectively setting up a likeable hero and an interesting big bad. However, with most of the Earth-based action set in a small town in New Mexico, the threat never feels particularly palpable.
I was skeptical but intrigued by Thor, and Branagh does do a marvellous job of incorporating myth and legend into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I would have liked to see Kat Dennings given a meatier role to play, but that minor quibble aside Thor is a highly enjoyable superhero movie. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, delivering in both the heroics and comedy and Loki played by Tom Hiddelston is a fantastic villian. Sadly, the film doesn't quite rise to the bar set by Iron Man, but it does come impressively close.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
See the cracks
#glass may open like its #unbreakable but soon after starts to #split at the seems becoming a #disappointing & unnecessary conclusion to a trilogy we didnt really need. I confess I didnt really care that much for Split but as with Glass i found the most impressive aspect of both of these films is simply watching #jamesmacavoy put in some seriously impressive character work & ultimatly carry both films alone. His ability to flip seamlessly between these inner characters is not only impressive stuff to watch but adds great tension & unpredictability to what is other wise a very dull movie. At first i was slightly #impressed with Glass (as it seem as if #mnightshyamalan had progressed as a film maker & not only learnt from his mistakes but also adapted completely new styles of film making too) but as the film played out i realised what he has actually done is instead stolen ideas from much better films (ie #getout) then re used them again here. Dont get me wrong at times Glass is filmed great, the score is good & there are some well done #tense moments but theses are more often on not ruined by Shyamalans dorky & damn right #silly sense of #humour, bad writing & forced exposition heavy visual cues & dialog. Its so patronising & predictable at times its almost like hes not only taking the piss out of the #superhero genre but us the viewer too. For a #film thats been so heavily promoted & built up now for such a long time i feel weve all been eagerly anticipating its release to see this big conclusion & i can tell you now its so not been worth the wait. Not only is the final act so #boring & increadibly anticlimactic the end its self feels flat, tact on & empty like M Night just straight up ran out of ideas. This film series started out so #fresh & interesting but Glass takes a strange turn to the generic & mundane side of the superhero genre that most #Marvel films these days have managed to grow out of by now. This is one #trilogy that should of stayed Unbreakable. Very disappointing. #odeonlimitless #odeon #saturday #weekendvibes #filmcritic #comicbook #hero #filmbuff #samuelljackson #brucewillis #comic #villain #sundayfunday
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
insignificant
#antmanandthewasp feels like a step backwards for our tiny #hero, this time instead of feeling bigger & better what we are left with is a film which is simply just ok. I loved #antman it was a refreshing & unique entry to the already overcrowded & overdone #superhero gene. Now we have the inevitable #sequel & im sad to say that i really didnt care for it i at all. Not only does it lack genuine excitement but the entire #film feels draw out & underwhelming too. Ant man 2 really bored me & for a superhero film thats not good. Action is sparse with everything noticeably feeling strangely lower budget this time. The cgi is bad, locations are drab & visually dull, set pieces are incredibly forgettable & fights lack excitement/thrill. This would all be fine if the film held my attention elsewhere but the plot & story are just as bad here. There's no sense of urgency at all & the stakes just dont seem very high, this isnt helped by some really out of place/silly characters & a conatant lack of seriousness throughout. I get that the film needs to be fun but when the #humour is this cringe & its getting in the way/effecting the scenes that need to have an #emotional punch then im sorry but it just makes me just lose empathy for all the characters. This also means theres no tension at all & the films so wrapped up in constantly explaining to us whats going on/happening that it ends up making you realise your watching a movie instead of being immersed in its law. Acting is a mixed bag #michaeldouglas & #michellefifer are clearly trying here but almost everyone else looks like they are going through the motions to get paid. Over all Ant man 2 is one big piece of exposition & filler that i cant recommend going to see. Its dull, forgettable, over simplistic & so stuffed full of unnecesary padding that its lost what made the first one so fun. A film that we just really didnt need where even the #stanlee #cameo feels overlong. #odeonlimitless #odeon #ant #silly #funny #mcu #marvel #disney #friyay #filmbuff #filmcritic #paulrudd #wasp #insect #comic #comicon #filmreview #hope #film
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Super
#pixar #disney #incredibles2 is an exceptional #sequel with a much more mature tone & flawless #animation. After doing a double bill of the incredibles films today in #4k I found myself awe of the technical achievement on show. This #film is stunning & I mean visual #perfection, particle effects are complex & mesmerising, #eyes house tiny red veins, faces blush & cloths contain intricate stitching too with character animation also being fluid & #natural. Subject matter is dark this time around & deals with extremely #adult themes, parents might want to think twice before taking kids to see this one as id say almost 80% of the film is a heavily dialog driven #drama. I wont lie at times its incredibly intense, heavy going & hard work but its also always fascinating & higly rewarding housing many very real world/mature themes with great complexity & depth. With things getting very serious the film does break things up every now & again with just enough huge scale top notch memorable action set pieces & slick comedy to let your brain rest briefly (however I found most #Kids in my screening were getting restless & bored by then so parents may want to think twice before taking the #family). Themes of death, jealousy, trust, lies, parent roll reversal, balancing home #life & family with work, teaching kids to be themselves while also making sure they obey the law & fit in, as well as metaphors about technology enslaving us all & how superhero films are only pushed on us to distract us from real world problems & belief someone else will solve all our problems for us (this is not only refreshing but expertly handled & over flowing with intelligence giving the #film a more human, realistic & relevant tone). Voice work is simply top notch with #bobodenkirk being the most interesting & going the extra mile. Score & #sound design are also on point & at times I swear I thought #jackjack was a #kid in my screening running around behind me. The last 20mins felt a tad rushed but with such likeable & well fleshed out characters & a more mature story #incredibles 2 might just be the most intelligent & #fun #superhero film or the year. #odeon #odeonlimitless #beautiful #hero #super
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Megamind (2010) in Movies
Dec 5, 2018
Holds up well - very entertaining
When one thinks of Animation studios, the first 2 names that come to mind are, probably, PIXAR and DISNEY ANIMATION. Coming in 3rd on that list is probably DREAMWORKS with such hit franchises as SHREK, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and KUNG FU PANDA. But Dreamworks also made a few, fun "one-off" films (animation films that spawned no sequels), most notably OVER THE HEDGE, SHARK TALE and the animated film I'm reviewing today, MEGAMIND.
What? You don't remember MEGAMIND? Well, you should. Spooffing SuperHero films by focusing on the villain, Megamind stars some incredible voice talents - Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, David Cross and Johan Hill - and tells the cautionary tale of "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."
Ferrell, of course, stars as the titular Megamind, a Super Villain who after years of failure, finally defeats SuperHero Megaman (Brad Pitt). He realizes that without his arch-nemesis, his life is empty and begins to search for meaning in his life. Along for the journey is a reporter (Tina Fey), her Cameraman (Jonah Hill) and Megamind's Minion (long before Despicable Me), David Cross.
Sounds like pretty standard stuff, huh? But in the hands of comedians like Ferrell, Fey, Cross and Hill it elevates itself to something more. The comic sensibilities make a little more sense to me when I realized that Ben Stiller and Justin Theroux were the Excecutive Producers - both very funny men. They, smartly, turned the Direction of this film over to Dreamworks Animation veteran Tom McGrath (REN & STIMPY, some of the MADAGASCAR films and THE BOSS BABY), he keeps the events of the film moving swiftly and simply, being really clear of the events and motivations of the players while not getting too clever and complex.
I caught this film on HBO, and am sure you can stream it elsewhere. If you're looking for a fun film for the whole family this Holiday Season - especially one without Princes & Princesses in it - check out MEGAMIND, it's a fun way to spend a few hours.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
What? You don't remember MEGAMIND? Well, you should. Spooffing SuperHero films by focusing on the villain, Megamind stars some incredible voice talents - Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, David Cross and Johan Hill - and tells the cautionary tale of "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."
Ferrell, of course, stars as the titular Megamind, a Super Villain who after years of failure, finally defeats SuperHero Megaman (Brad Pitt). He realizes that without his arch-nemesis, his life is empty and begins to search for meaning in his life. Along for the journey is a reporter (Tina Fey), her Cameraman (Jonah Hill) and Megamind's Minion (long before Despicable Me), David Cross.
Sounds like pretty standard stuff, huh? But in the hands of comedians like Ferrell, Fey, Cross and Hill it elevates itself to something more. The comic sensibilities make a little more sense to me when I realized that Ben Stiller and Justin Theroux were the Excecutive Producers - both very funny men. They, smartly, turned the Direction of this film over to Dreamworks Animation veteran Tom McGrath (REN & STIMPY, some of the MADAGASCAR films and THE BOSS BABY), he keeps the events of the film moving swiftly and simply, being really clear of the events and motivations of the players while not getting too clever and complex.
I caught this film on HBO, and am sure you can stream it elsewhere. If you're looking for a fun film for the whole family this Holiday Season - especially one without Princes & Princesses in it - check out MEGAMIND, it's a fun way to spend a few hours.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Super Nasty
Brightburn is a short film that moves at a blistering pace but its the calm moments where the movie truly shines. Brightburn successfully turns the entire superhero genre on its head going almost full horror movie on us & while it does fall into the trap of using to many horror cliches its a really interesting, fun & stand out movie. If I were to compare it I'd say its a mix of A Quiet Place, Midnight Special & The Children leaning towards the horror side of things more than anything else but there are sprinkles of Scifi & obviously dabs of Superhero here & there. Visually its such a looker the screen often painted fully in deep inky blackness with the only thing breaking it up being the warm glow of natural light coming from a lamp or street light. This not only helps create great atmosphere but heightens tension by limiting the viewers vision perfectly. There are neat swaps between camera techniques too eg from an almost raw found footage style to a really cool slightly obstructed first person scene. Action doesnt disapoint & the film makes the viewer wait for its violence & big pay offs making it more impactful when it finally hits. Acting is great & Elizabeth Banks clearly steals the show here. Theres a running comparison of Brandon to predatory animals such as a wasp, jellyfish or Wolf & I found the creepiest elements of the film were the slower paced scenes where we see him discover, adapt & learn how to evolve into a more successful killing machine (ie studying human anatomy) & also the impact of his actions begin to tear up his happy home & constantly disappoint his loving parents. Theres a big metaphore about adoption & the difficulties it can bring for both the new parents & the child (especially when the child hits the age where questions need to be answered) & at one point I wondered if that was really the overall message the film was actually trying to relay because this scene was so full of realistic emotion. Brightburn at times can be very predictable & show its budget constrains too but as a first film I really did dig its format & would definitely like to see a sequel or two to it for sure.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Aug 15, 2019
An X-Men spin off, of a poorly received character from an earlier X-Men spin off... FOX must have had some major trust in Ryan Reynolds to give Deadpool the green light after the mess of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
I've been a huge fan of Deadpool comics since as long as I can remember. When I was younger, the 4th wall breaking, the hyper violence, comedy, and self awareness that he is a comic book character, was always something that appealed to me.
So I, like many other Marvel fans, really hated what they did with the character in Origins, and it seems Ryan Reynolds did as well, pitching a rough sequence to FOX which convinced them to give this beloved characters another shot. God bless Ryan Reynolds.
And it paid off in spades. And it's easy to see why - Deadpool is a great movie.
The character himself is near perfect. He looks the part, he sounds the part, and it's great that the studio didn't shy away from an R rating.
The violence in Deadpool is frequent and messy, as is the cursing and crudeness, and the result is hilarious.
The story is told mostly in flashbacks before the big last showdown, and is nicely mapped out, and we're given a hugely likable cast.
Ryan Reynolds is of course , as is T.J. Miller and Morena Baccarin.
I even liked Ed Skrein's villain, Ajax.
Deadpool even manages to sneak in a couple of X-Men with a completely CGI Colossus joining the party, as well as Negasonic Teenage Warhead - the best superhero name ever, and coincidentally the films shining star after Ryan Reynolds - Brianna Hildebrand is a welcome addition to the film, and I genuinely hope that she makes in over to the MCU in the recent Disney Fox merge.
Deadpool is important for a number of reasons - it finally does the character justice. It's also shows that spin off films away from the main X-Men cast can be really decent, and it also shows that R rated superhero films can do the business at the box office.
It's certainly in the top tier of the FOX X-Men series.
I've been a huge fan of Deadpool comics since as long as I can remember. When I was younger, the 4th wall breaking, the hyper violence, comedy, and self awareness that he is a comic book character, was always something that appealed to me.
So I, like many other Marvel fans, really hated what they did with the character in Origins, and it seems Ryan Reynolds did as well, pitching a rough sequence to FOX which convinced them to give this beloved characters another shot. God bless Ryan Reynolds.
And it paid off in spades. And it's easy to see why - Deadpool is a great movie.
The character himself is near perfect. He looks the part, he sounds the part, and it's great that the studio didn't shy away from an R rating.
The violence in Deadpool is frequent and messy, as is the cursing and crudeness, and the result is hilarious.
The story is told mostly in flashbacks before the big last showdown, and is nicely mapped out, and we're given a hugely likable cast.
Ryan Reynolds is of course , as is T.J. Miller and Morena Baccarin.
I even liked Ed Skrein's villain, Ajax.
Deadpool even manages to sneak in a couple of X-Men with a completely CGI Colossus joining the party, as well as Negasonic Teenage Warhead - the best superhero name ever, and coincidentally the films shining star after Ryan Reynolds - Brianna Hildebrand is a welcome addition to the film, and I genuinely hope that she makes in over to the MCU in the recent Disney Fox merge.
Deadpool is important for a number of reasons - it finally does the character justice. It's also shows that spin off films away from the main X-Men cast can be really decent, and it also shows that R rated superhero films can do the business at the box office.
It's certainly in the top tier of the FOX X-Men series.