The New Review - Thor: Love and Thunder

Copyright by Disney/Marvel

Thor: Love and Thunder

Director: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale

Concept: Taika's go with Thor, a sequel to Ragnarok. And the 4th in the series. And this one... we get introduced to Mighty Thor, aka Dr. Jane Foster!!!

Slightly Spoilery. That is your warning.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Hemsworth Thors it up again. You know it. Tessa Thompson with a great support role. Natalie Portman did a great job as the hero. But the highlight of the movie is Christian Bale. His Gorr the God Butcher was amazing. Creepy. The other 3 brought their A game, but Bale brought his A+ game. Score: 18/20

Presentation: Rockin' soundtrack. Bright and colorful. But... equally depressing and dark. And one of the most depressing starts to an MCU movie do far. Straight to the heartstrings. And set a tone that permeates the whole movie. But... the humor, while expected, did take away from the movie a little bit. It wasn't OVERLY funny, like Ragnarok was. But the timing of some of it was out of place. Korg... isn't necessary anymore. Score: 17/20

Chronicle: this is movie with two stories: one for the heroes(Thor, Jane, Valkyrie) and one for the villain(Gorr). The hero story was... happy, positive with a tragic ending. The villain story was dark, depressing with a somewhat peaceful ending. And... that yin yang type works... just know, they feel like two different movies melted together. Not a bad thing... most of the time. And in this case it does, for the most part. The hero side of the story was filled with so many clichés and tropes(but not the one I expected), but it also turned one around(fridging into a hero's death). The villain side... once again, the villain's motivation was justified. But... justified in both sides(the God he worshipped personally... and then the Gods Thor went to for help). The audience understood why. But... methods are what made him a true villain. So... understandable motivations... but despicable actions. A well developed character, portrayed by one of the best actors. Yay to well developed villains. Boo to cramming in too many clichés. Score: 26/30

Impact: Taika Waititi is the first director to repeat in the Thor franchise. And... I was worried going in that Taika would fall into his own trope: overly funny until a serious tone shift. That DIDN'T happen this time. Yes... some of the jokes weren't necessary. But a few were pretty damn good.

"Call the Axe."

"You need to call the dentist." That... worked so well. But the tone was split. Colorful with happy/dark with dreary. And setting up the concept for a sequel. Taika isn't one of favorites when it comes to directors, but because he DID subvert by negative expectations, he is my only choice for the next movie. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: Let's address the negative. And then the positives. The negative... TOO MANY CLICHÉS AND TROPES IN THIS MOVIE. It was a love letter to the 80s action/adventure films. But... that means all the crap with it. And it CAN work. Just don't fill a 1 lb sausage casing with 2 lbs of sausage. It doesn't all fit. And shouldn't. It was cool. But might be too much cool. Make sense? Does to me. But... one tired trope got turned on its head. Fridging. Fridging is a trope where someone dies(usually female)to motivate the hero(like in Deadpool 2). Jane Foster dies in this movie. The power of Thor is accelerating her cancer. She chooses the let the power take the last of her strength so she could help Thor defeat Gorr. She died a hero instead of the motivation(and post credits show he joining Heimdall in Valhalla for it). And that was a great touch. And lastly, I can't say enough about how great Christian Bale was. Easily top 5 role for him(because he has so many great ones). Helps me forgive the movie for the clichés, but doesn't eraae them. Score: 8/10

FINAL SCORE: 89/100

FINAL GRADE: B+

Conclusion: The duality of the movie makes this one a bit different than the other MCU movies. And both sides are equally understandable and tragic. Overstuffed with 80s tropes without being an overly 80s movie, but balanced enough that it doesn't matter as much.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: Thor Love and Thunder is a pretty good movie with a decently woven story to tell. I was pleasantly surprised. And it is absolutely one of Christian Bale's best roles. As for the movie, I do recommend seeing it, just like most of the other MCU movies. It isn't a top 10 MCU movie, but it is one of the better Thor movies...

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There you have it folks! Thor: Love and Thunder has gotten......... an 89!!!!

Did you see it? What did you think? What would have changed about Jane's death? What would you have done about Gorr's story?

Comment and share!!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Copyright by Marvel/Disney

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Directed by Sam Raimi

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and Xochitl Gomez

Note: I am changing how this movie should be addressed... given the noir horror nature of this movie, it is now "The Multiverse of Madness" Doctor Strange is just starring in it. It isn't his movie. It is the Multiverse's movie.

Concept: MCU Sequel for Doctor Strange... and Spider-Man: No Way Home... and WandaVision. Strange is going to travel to the Multiverse

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch should've been the only choice when they first casted for Strange, and in this film, he plays MULTIPLE distinct versions that are just him showing off how good he is. Benedict Wong was perfect... again(Wait... did I just realize that they casted a Benedict for Wong... and his last name really is Wong?!?... woah). Elizabeth Olsen shows off that creepiness we got a glimpse of in Age of Ultron, and dialed it up to 13... they leaned HARD into her being a villain. Xochitl Gomez did a wonderful job as the MCU newcomer, looking forward to seeing what more she brings to the table. And nice seeing Rachel McAdams have more involvement in this movie compared to the original. Score: 20/20

Presentation: The MCU meets Sam Raimi horror, topped with some Danny Elfman movie soundtrack magic. It is HEAVY CG, but it needed to be. Difficult to do most of that with practical effects... but to Raimi's credit, he packed some really great practical effects, that he is know for, in this movie. And for movie to be the scale of this movie, it never once feels overwhelming. Some CG moments did look a bit choppy. But... no fault to Raimi or FX crew... there would be no way to have done it more smoothly. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So... how do you make a sequel to one of the most visual impression MCU movies? And make it a sequel to a trilogy of a different franchise? While making it a bridge to other franchises? And referencing pieces of your television franchises? AND setting up the future of the MCU? Well... with this movie. Sam Raimi weaved together SO MUCH going on in the MCU(past, present, future), but it never felt like that was all going on. It felt like... a Doctor Strange Sequel. Which is what it was supposed to be. A love story, a tragedy, and a horror film all wrapped up in a neat, magic filled package. And I need to highlight that. This did NOT feel like an MCU movie to me. It felt like a Sam Raimi horror film... but doesn't at the same time. It filled a mold... but breaks the mold... without having a mold in the first place. It is... unique. And... with this being the 28TH MCU film, that is one of the best compliments I could give one of these.

All of this praise because Sam Raimi pulled off a PG-13 MCU Horror Film. Someone finally did it. It pulled off what VENOM was supposed to, but failed to deliver on. A PG-13 Superhero Horror Film. Score: 32/30

Impact: As I just said, it is unique. A mold maker... a mold breaker. And that leads me to believe that some other directors should look at as a lesson. Cookie cutter works for a share universe project, but Unique makes you stand out. And this movie stands out. And with Sam Raimi already signed up for Dr. Strange 3, you bet we will all be watching as he does it again. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: Spoiler Section here. But... it has to happen. The Illuminati cameos. Woah. John Krasinski as Reed Richards better not be a one off. We got a glimpse, we need more. Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, that was good for my health. The use of Maria Rambeau as Captain Marvel was slick. Anson Mount IN the Black Bolt suit and fully utilizing his powers was a pay off I've wanted since they screwed up the TV series(and I caught that sign language). And... having Charles Xavier coming in with the COMICS LOOK with the Green Suit, Floating Chair, AND the X-Men '97 theme!!!! Wow. I could say how it might be a wasted scene... but it did EXACTLY what it needed to do. Created a crossroads of Comic book movie past, present, future, what if, and what we never thought we would get... without it taking ANYTHING away from the story, and without it taking a large chunk of the run time. Would I have wanted more time with these characters? Sure. But... we had character introduction, slight development, a backstory, and in the moment purpose... and still a fraction of the run time. Wow. And... not even my favorite scenes in the MOVIE!?! Score: 13/10

FINAL SCORE: 105/100

FINAL GRADE: S-Tier!!!

Conclusion: I know Sam Raimi's work. I know how good he is. I also know what can happen when the studio interferes. So I had high expectations for Sam Raimi's return to superhero movies... high hopes that Disney/Marvel/Feige would just let Raimi be Raimi. And... it surpassed my expectations. Vibrant... and dark. Hopeful... and depressing. Magical... and horrifying. Just... Wow.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!! SAM RAIMI NEEDS THE SUPPORT!!! Go see this movie. As soon as humanly possible. You all need to see this movie. SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! Have I mentioned that you should see this movie!?! Because if not, you should totally see this movie!!!

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Well, there you have it folks... Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness has gotten...... a 105!!!

An S-Tier movie... it deserves the extra credit for the extra praise.

Extra note from me. Going into 2022, my most anticipated film for the year was The Batman. And while The Batman is one of the GREATEST DC movies I've seen... it no longer has the spot for my favorite movie of the year. And I'm saying this now, Thor: Love and Thunder won't be capable. I know... we have over 6 months left, but I might need to lock this in as my "Good" for 2022.

Extra extra note from me. All of that time making Wanda out to be the strongest superhero in the MCU... looked like it was a great lead into making her one of the strongest VILLAINS instead.

Sam Raimi. Welcome back to Superhero movies!!!

Also... thank you Sam Raimi for the 2 for 1 Bruce Campbell Cameo!!!

Thank you reading...

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Spider-Man: No Way Home

Rights belong to Sony and Marvel

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Directed by Jon Watts

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Concept: Jon Watts is the first to complete an MCU Trilogy with this 3rd MCU Spider-Man movie. Set directly after the event of Far From Home, Peter needs to navigate the aftermath... while making a stupid decision that brings villains from past franchises to the MCU.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: As I said, Tom Holland is back, Zendaya is back, Jacob Batalon is back... and Benedict Cumberbatch is along for the ride. And they each has significant character growth here. But we also get Willem DaFoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, and Rhys Ifans back(with their respecting villains)... and it doesn't seen to be overwhelming. It is extremely balanced... and I don't get how. Worries me that I missed something, but I didn't. Packed tight, yet very balanced. Score: 20/20

Presentation: I've said this before: it is a Marvel movie. Great soundtrack mixed with stunning visuals. But... this movie had some scenes that had WAY too much going on, but you can still see all of particle effects and it looks beautiful. For me, it is most visually impressive MCM movie, above and beyond the typical Marvel/Disney movie. Score: 21/20

Chronicle: So, I'm going to compare it to Raimi's Spider-Man 3. I had an issue with Spider-Man 3. There were at least 3 MAIN plots going at once, and the movie couldn't focus. No Way Home has MUCH MORE GOING ON, yet they found a way to make it focus on ONE main plot, AND balance all of these villains. I told Bob(yes... that Bob) that it felt balanced. And that is one of the best compliments I could ever give a movie with all that they packed in. But not all is sunshine and roses. There is a plothole that carries with you... one the movie addresses, but never explains why it happens. And... not a spoiler, it's in the trailers. Supposedly, these villains came over due to the botched spell... and they are villains that knew Peter Parker is Spider-Man.....  except one of them didn't know: Electro. He never knew. So why was he there? The movie addresses that he didn't know, but it forgets to figure out why he was there if he didn't know. It is a glaring plothole, but Jamie Foxx is SO good, I can't dock too many points. But... it can't be ignored. Score: 25/30

Impact: Without spoiling the movie, it is definitive within the grand scheme of the MCM... AND for a Spider-Man movie. Reports of a SECOND MCM Spidey Trilogy, this movie ends one ENORMOUS arc, but sets up Spidey as we know him... Solitary and somber. Also... the 3rd largest opening weekend of all time, it is promising for the theater industry. You can't really argue with success... and considering how many chances we have had since the Covid pandemic, the theaters need a win. If you completely ignore the movie itself, the success it has so far...... it is VERY important. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: I highlighted this already, but I must touch on it again. The balance. But the balance goes much further than that. It balances how much Strange is involved, how the villains were used, the personal crisis that Peter Parker is having through the movie, the terrible choices he had to make, and balancing him stuck to Iron Man's legacy to him setting out on his own... and it didn't drop a single plate(the Electro thing is like dropping a glass). I went in and expected something HUGE to not fit in, and everything just be a mess(again, like Spidey 3), but it subverted my expectations. And what we got was beauty that was both cohesive and chaotic...... beautiful controlled chaos. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 96/100

FINAL GRADE: A!

Conclusion: I can forgive them for the plothole, because the story balanced how exciting the situation was with how depressing it was going to be. Many characters... but none of them felt like they weren't important to the story overall. Massively cohesive.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: No Way Home is my favorite Spider-Man movie so far... and it is easily the best of this MCM Trilogy. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Not just recommend it once... watch it twice. And don't just do it for me... do it to help your local theater. But... yeah... do it because it IS an epic movie.

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There you go, readers... Spider-Man: No Way Home has gotten a 96! That is pretty damn good.

What did you all think about it? What could they have done better? What do you hope for the next Trilogy? Comment... share...

Until next time, don't forget...

The New Review - The Eternals

 Copyright for Marvel/Disney

Marvel's The Eternals

Directed By Chloé Zhao

Starring Richard Madden, Selma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie

Concept: Some of Marvel's earliest players are finally in the MCU.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: There are PLENTY of characters in this movie. Maybe even too many. It makes sense, but it also doesn't. And hard to explain without spoiling some twists in the movie. The actors and actresses all do a very fine job of making their characters shine. This "team" is much different than what we have seen in the MCU thus far... and... the beginning of the movie lack enough exposition to fully introduce the characters fully... and 2 of them are killed. It makes sense in the overall scheme of things, but the lack of connection between audience and characters make it so I didn't feel anything when the two characters die. Again... it make sense overall, but in the moment, it was jarring. On a second watch I bet it'll feel different, but hindsight isn't always a good thing for a movie. Each cast member did great... it was the writing for character development that hurts... even if the movie explains it away. Score: 13/20

Presentation: This one is easy. It is a Marvel Movie. Soundtrack is excellent. Visually stunning, and that is including the Celestials. Stunning, as per the course for the MCU. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So, as with the character development issue, the story is tied directly to that. And the film does a good job of explaining why things are the way they are. A surprise twist involving a traitor(it wasn't who I was expecting). But there is this problem with the time jumps. It goes to when they landed on Earth, to Present day, back to a different era, back to Present Day, back to a different era. And it makes sense in context overall, but still feels confusing a bit. Believe me when I say, it makes sense...... but it is still jarring. Just a forewarning. Score: 25/30

Impact: So as of now, there is very LITTLE Impact on the MCU. But the potential it has could easily make Eternals the sleeper when it comes to shaping the future of the MCU overall. The implications for Marvel Cosmic are limitless. But that is the point... potential. If they end up not making a sequel, that all goes to pot. So... we have to see how much this movie/franchise has for the MCU. Because of it being POTENTIAL, I have to dock some point. I can only hope that it works out... we will see. Score: 18/20

Extra Oomph: I could talk about how the inclusion of Dane Whitman is an AWESOME thing, but he is barely in it.(I get it. Not his movie). Instead, we are going to highlight one of the implications that were briefly mentioned in Impact. The connection that Arishem has to the Eternals in the movie, it lays some very important groundwork... the blueprint on how Galactus is connected to his Heralds. It is a VERY similar relationship between the Celestials/Eternals as it would be for Galactus/Heralds... ultimately ending in similar results for the planets. If this relationship was indeed the blueprint for getting Galactus in the MCU, then dammit... this makes the movie VERY important to the MCU. I know that I docked points in Impact for potential, but since Eternals isn't the only reference to Galactus I think we've seen, it makes the Comic Nerd in me very excited. So... bonus points? Bonus points!!! Also, I would be doing a disservice to the movie if I didn't mention the LGBT representation. Phastos has a homosexual relationship with a human guy with a kid. He had a family. And... it didn't feel shoehorned in. It felt natural. It was a good spot... made sense... and gave Phastos some real stakes. It gets a bonus point too. Score: 13/10

Final Score: 89/100

FINAL GRADE: B+

Conclusion: In the face of the issues I had with the movie in real time, Eternals also explains it. I feel it does, might not do it exactly right, but it does it. The time jumps can be jarring... it DOES make sense. And deserves a watch. It's like a jigsaw where the pieces are blank to begin with, but eventually the image appears to look like what is on the box. And the best part... it is entertaining enough to keep you engaged.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I do recommend seeing this movie. I feel it will be important to the MCU(or can we start calling it the MCM now?). It is entertaining, the action sequences are amazing, and I wanna see more Kumail Nanjiani!

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There it is... Marvel's The Eternals gets a B+!!!!!

Honestly, I originally didn't want to see this movie. It didn't look interesting to me. Now that I have seen it, I'm glad I did. Better than I expected, and some really cool concepts. It was worth the money.

Who has seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment. Share the post.

One more MCM movie to go, and I'm excited. And with it, 2 more chances for ANOTHER perfect score.(Matrix being the other chance).

Glad the movies are pretty much back, and I'm looking forward to the slate in 2022!

Until next time, don't forget...

The New Review - Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Copyright by Sony Pictures and Marvel Comics

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Starring: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Andy Serkis

Concept: Sequel to Sony's solo Venom outing, starting an attempt at a Sony-verse of Spider-Man characters.

Execution:

Cast: Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock. Still done very well(but I do wanna point out... Brock in the comics felt like a brute... this Eddie is a putz). And of course, Woody Harrelson having fun, being Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady. And a shout out to Stephen Graham as Detective Mulligan with a very "Danny Reagan from Blue Bloods" vibe going on. And that is a compliment. But for reasons...... everyone else feels like a background character regardless of role. The new characters introduced get ALL of the character development. And that... is okay too. Score: 17/20

Presentation: Andy Serkis knows his CGI. A smaller budget... but still had better CGI than the first movie. Whereas in the first movie, the big fight between Venom and Riot could be attributed to colors blending together, the big fight between Venom and Carnage felt cleaner, more vibrant... and Serkis didn't shy away from better lighting. Visually, it is a STUNNING action flick. Soundtrack-wise... it was missing something. But... it is SO visually stunning for the budget that any point I would deduct for sound would be made up by visual. So... yes... Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So... the plot is paper thin. But... I like to refer to a phenomenon I call "The Expendables Effect". A movie that doesn't have the best plot, but... you shouldn't be watching it FOR the plot. This movie should be looked at as a Symbiote Smackdown and how to get there. And... that's it. Simple... why is Kasady deranged? How does he get the Carnage Symbiote? When is he gonna fight Venom? There... there is your storyboard. Sprinkled in character development. Lack of world building development. I might've been okay wit it being longer(it is a fairly short film), but it really didn't need it. Here for a good time, but not here for a long time. Score: 27/30

Impact: The movie... the movie itself doesn't feel like it has any Impact. It doesn't. I thought Sony was building their own Universe? And Venom was supposed to feel like a cornerstone of that Universe? Why didn't it feel like it? Granted, the movie didn't leave enough time FOR that... aside from Ravencroft, there isn't anything to build off of. Mulligan? But even then... that is self contained. But... mid-credit scene sets up to make the "Venomverse" part of the MCU Multiverse. And... that has some major ramifications. It is the first official non-MCU Marvel movie to be considered canon to this new Multiverse. That makes the moment extra special. But still... I'm struggling with this one. Score: 12/20

Extra Oomph: This goes to Andy Serkis. First MAJOR film he solo directed(2nd Director for Lord of the Rings and some other non-blockbuster stuff). And Serkis showed that he is the master of CGI. But there is an element that some might overlook...... this is a sequel of detailed elements(I tried to find a better why to word it). What I mean is this...... when I director gets hired to take over a franchise or to do a sequel... most of the time, it doesn't feel like the same franchise. But if you didn't know it was a different Director for this movie, would you have been able to tell? Same feel, same banter, same locations, new characters casted within the same puzzle. Look at the X-Men franchise... X-Men and X2 felt like they fit together... but The Last Stand doesn't. Different director. Andy Serkis had new puzzle pieces for Venom that he was able to cut to fit the existing puzzle. And I think that is an impressive feat. I hope he gets to do the 3rd Movie. Score: 9/10

Final Score: 85/100

Final Grade: B!!!!

Conclusion: Don't go into this movie think you are going to get this amazing plot or for it to solidify a franchise in the "Sony-verse". But... if you are looking for a fun, entertaining movie with some action and some humor, this movie has all of that.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: See this movie. It is a great anti-hero romp that will keep you entertained for 90 mins. See this movie... and support any theaters. I don't care if it local or national chain. Let's all go to the movies. Especially this one.

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There ya have it folks! Venom: Let There Be Carnage gets a B!

Not sure what my next review will be, but stay tuned!

Hit up your theaters. Show some love to the movies.

And don't forget...

Renewed Bottom 10 - Worst Comic Book Movies

Credit... Google Image Search? (If it's yours... show me. And I will give you proper credit)

The other half of the end-all for the Summer Comic Book works list. You saw a bunch of lists for good content, but what about the bad ones?......

So here we have a list of the worst Comic Book movies, in my opinion. If you don't like something on my list, by all means... make your own list.

These movies might not all be stinkers, but they are ALL disappointments.

Ready for some garbage?

Bottom 10 Comic Book Movies

Here we go...

Dishonorable Mention 1: Jonah Hex: I have to give credit to Josh Brolin. He did a wonderful job. He really did. If you have to watch this movie, do it for that. But the rest of the movie was boring, banal, and the supporting cast phoned it in.

Dishonorable Mention 2: Steel: I forgot about this movie. This was a last minute edition. And it is because of Space Jam: The New Legacy. I saw someone say on Twitter "why not Shaq instead of LeBron?" One... Shaq isn't an active player. Two... Steel exists. We KNOW Shaq is a horrible actor(but he is a funny dude in the cameos). He is. And Steel was a horrible movie. The reason it isn't on the list proper is partially because it was a last minute addition... and partially because it makes me think of the TV Show M.A.N.T.I.S... and that show did it better. So Steel gets a pass for reminding about this show.

10. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: This sequel had so many issues for me. Let's start with the set pieces. They were restricted. No scope for a movie that would've benefitted from a grand scope. The Cloud Galactus was also a huge let down. And... let's focus on Doom being the villain again. Nothing against Julian McMahon's Doom, he did great in both movies. But the title... the set up... and we got what we got. It's like they got a small budget for this movie, and spent most of it on the CG for the Surfer and getting Lawrence Fishburne to voice him... and not enough for writers or set designers.

9. X-Men: The Last Stand: I was excited for this movie. Getting to see Kelsey Grammer as Beast was going to be a treat. Getting to see my favorite X-Man(Colossus) in action. And okay, that stuff was cool...... and that was it. Screwing up The Phoenix as bad as they did, small continuity issues, and a lifeless plot. How did this happen? X-Men 2 is one of the BEST sequels(in an industry where sequels suck). Followed by one of the WORST 3rd entries in the business... how? Director change...... that is it.

8. Howard the Duck: Supposedly it has turned into a cult classic... creepy ass puppet and all. As a family movie. This... a family movie? It is 3 different kinds of comedies, and it can't decide which it wants to be... and one of them is a Porky's type(without the nudity, that I can remember...). The only real positives for this movie are: Technically it is the first ever Marvel movie in theaters... and the other... it's failure inadvertently created Pixar. George Lucas had just spent $50 million to create a CGI division of Lucasfilms and hopes to turn a profit by producing this movie. He didn't. So he sold that division to STEVE JOBS... and it ended up becoming Pixar. So... credit THAT to this atrocity of a movie. Three positives... Lea Thompson

7. Thor: The Dark World: The first Thor was great. Ragnarok is one of the funniest MCU movies. This one was...... lackluster. It isn't a "bad" movie. And still integral for the MCU overall. But it is a bit confusing the first time going through it. No real memorable scenes. And a villain that, well...... could've been a Power Rangers villain. If you wanna watch all the MCU movies, you have to. But... overwise, be careful with this one.

6. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace: Screen actors guild... typecasting past a 3rd movie with the same name doubles the actor's salary. This is the 4th Superman movie with Christopher Reeve. And... well... most of the money went to Reeve. And he demanded a plot with a message about Nuclear Disarmament. Well he got it. Nothing wrong with that. Hell, they even included the lesser know Superman weakness of Nuclear radiation...... but why do the corporate takeover of the Daily Planet subplot? How did the Luthors screw up the Superman DNA? They combined it with radiation to make "Nuclear Man"... and wow!!! was he such a terrible villain/themed monster?! The 3rd Superman movie was bad... really bad. But this movie took that as a challenge.

5. Batman & Robin: Sonuvabitch... this movie pisses me off so much. And I can't not watch it. Keaton made an Iconic Batman, and a good Bruce Wayne. Val Kilmer made a GREAT Bruce Wayne, and a decent Batman. Clooney... didn't feel like either. O'Donnell was O'Donnell. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't seem like he could be smart enough to be Mr. Freeze(and all of those DAMN ice puns). Alicia Silverstone... underrated sex symbol... let's make her Batgirl, change her backstory, and pander to the audience. Poison Ivy was cartoonish, but at least close to what I expected(the auction scene is still too much). Complete screwed Bane(Bane is a tactical genius in the comics). The only detail I can appreciate is John Glover as Jason Woodrue(the scientist that created Bane and accidentally made Ivy). Jason in the comics is the human name of villain Fluronic Man in the comics, an alien of sorts with similar powers to Ivy. It was a mess. And I still can watch it. Doesn't mean I like it.

4. Catwoman: The last movie I ever walked out on and asked for my money back(and I got it). I was bored. And I get it... Halle Berry... skin tight leather costume... but the movie was BORING as hell. I tried to give it another chance later, and fell asleep on the couch. I wanted to place it higher... but I've never finished it.

3. Judge Dredd: So let's see if I got this right... Stallone... playing the titular Judge Joseph Dredd, a character who is the Law, dedicated to it. And famous for not revealing his face and not having friends. Stallone removes the helmet in the first act... and they pair him with Rob Schneider in a buddy cop style comedy portion of the movie. The only good part was Rico, and they turned him into an over-the-top Bond-like villain. Oh, and don't forget the attempted elaborate plot so thin that even Stevie Wonder could see right through it.

2. Justice League: The Josstice Cut. Joss Whedon. Screwed this up. I don't want to dwell on this. It is very public what happened, and how he ended up with this in his lap. Small details that didn't need to be changed... details added to "Whedon" it up... and in the Snyder Cut, Flash & Cyborg were HUGE heroes... but for some reason, Whedon made them almost worthless.

And the WORST Comic Book Movie...

1. Fantastic Four(2015): Let me begin by saying this movie isn't just the worst comic book movie, it is one of my least favorite movies of all time. Also... let's also talk about the cast... the director... this heaping pile of garbage is in no way their fault. Great cast... you can clearly see what the director was going for. No... I blame the Fox execs. They should've left him alone. The first part of this movie is pretty good... up until they get their powers, Reed escapes, and the one year time jump. Then you start seeing evidence of reshoots(like Kate Mara wearing an obvious fake blonde wig in some parts and not in others)... and so much build up for a climax that never happened. Like an trying to edge an orgasm that you forgot to go back and finish. The ends with an abrupt fade to black, like how Avengers: Age of Ultron did... and this didn't earn that. The overall finished produce felt like. 100 minute long trailer for a movie that would've been GREAT that we never got. Did I say finished? Sorry... cobbled together like a broken piece of IKEA furniture, and you can't tell whether it's a table or a toilet. That is this movie.

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There it is... the garbage.

What do you think? Too harsh on some? Disagree with one? Did I forget some?

Comment and Share.

And thank you following the series!!!

Renewed Top 10 - Comic Book Movies

Credit goes to Matt Groening/Fox/Disney... YOU KNOW WHO HOMER SIMPSON IS!!!

Here we are! The end of the Comic Book series. As planned, this will have 2 posts: a Top 10 and a Bottom 10(I know a few of you are looking forward to the Bottom list!!!!).

The rules are simple... movies. Yes, these movies appeared on the other lists. That... is how this works. And there is representation from each list.

This one was the most difficult off all the lists, because there are sooooooo many good movies on this list, and the top three, I had so much trouble getting it just right for me. Some of you will be shocked. But you'll understand it. If not... well, it is MY list. Go make your own.

Speaking of my list... I am going to preempt this one by saying descriptions and explanations might be shorter or non existent, given these are on their own lists. And if you want more, please go check out their lists. See how they stack up on their own lists.

Now... let's get at it...

Top 10 Comic Book Movies

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: The Crow: Dark... broody... so much you think it's a Batman movie, or at least a Tim Burton film But it isn't. It's a Brandon Lee movie. His last one... and one of the best! A rising star gone way too soon from an accident no one could see coming.

Honorable Mention 2: Avengers Infinity War/Endgame: The two part epic ending to greatest multi-project shared Universe in film history. The ensemble cast or ensemble casts.

Honorable Mention 3: Sin City: A rare example of adapting the source material to the screen that actually works. Visually stunning, weaved tales, black and white with a splash of color.

10. Logan: Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in all of his bloodthirsty, gory glory. Claws out... and a great family film. No... not "show it to your kids" family film. But father/son with Xavier and Logan... and father/daughter with Logan and Laura. Perfect send off ol' Canucklehead!

9. Thor: Ragnarok: Best of the Thor franchise(so far). Funny as hell, AND the first MCU movie in which the heroes fail their mission. Foreshadowing Infinity War!!!

8. Joker: A non-Superhero, Oscar winning performance about one bad day getting stretched for a wholly terrible life. Art Noir... for a character you never thought could be a subject of such a movie.

7. The Dark Knight: Christopher Nolan made this wonderful trilogy about how Batman could work in reality. At the heart of this trilogy is a Oscar winning performance from a Joker that played Gotham like a fiddle. Another rising stsr gone too soon, more Oscars in his future he never got to experience.

6. The Suicide Squad: The Non-Sequel where James Gunn was enticed by DC with free creative control. And not only was it better than the original, it was one of the better comic book movies of the decade

5. Deadpool 1 & 2: Ryan Reynolds IS Deadpool. And he knew it. That is why forced Fox's hand to get the first movie made. He proved an R Rated superhero movie could work... and make money. Which it did. And the sequel was even better. Now we wait on Disney to get this third one made. It'll sell... it'll make money... and Ryan will get more of them.

4. Guardians of the Galaxy: I still regard this as the biggest risk in the entire MCU. Fairly unknown characters in a space epoch that was as bonkers and it was beautiful... all with a memorable soundtrack.

3. Zack Snyder's Justice League: I am a firm believer that a studio should not always listen to the hardcore fans. And it isn't because they know or don't know what is best. But because you can't please everyone all the time. Especially comic book nerds. But this is one of the times I'm glad Warner did. Zack Snyder is a visionary... and no one will every have the vision he does. That is the point(there are other directors that applies to, as well). Warner finally gave in. And we got a 4 hour Apology letter to the DC fans.

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The best of the MCU. And it was a mold-breaker. While most of the rest of the MCU were these amazing Superhero epics, Winter Soldier wasn't. It was a great spy thriller with some of the best action sequences in the entirety of the MCU(that Elevator scene!!!)... and driven by an interesting story. And not to mention the awesomeness that is Robert Redford with yet another great performance.

And my number one Comic Book Movie............

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: This was a masterclass in Superhero movies. Oscar winning in animation, and well deserved.

-Great ensemble voice cast? Check

-Absolutely stunning animation feeling like it was ripped from pages of a comic book? Check

-Worthwhile emotional story at the core? Check

-Off kilter humor to keep the levity going? Check

-The most Stan Lee Cameos in a single comic book movie? Check

The movie is just...... great. Jarringly beautiful in many ways. Who would've thought the team behind "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs" could make a 5-star comic book movie? If I did a review of it right now, it would still get a 100. If you haven't seen it, you should. End of story. End of list.

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There it is... the list. The list of the lists. The big one this summer has been leading to.

I'm proud of it. How many did you read? Check them out if you haven't?

What did you think of the big one?

Thank you for following along. Drop a comment. Share the posts. And enjoy the movies!!

Renewed Top 10 - MCU Works

Copyright belongs to Disney/MarvelStudios... because... look at it.

Previously, I did a list of non-MCU works. Simple... nothing that involves the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Well, here is the MCU list. Before I set this list, let me preface by saying I don't think there are many MCU works that are bad. But... there are a few. Most are good... and some are GREAT. Not everyone is going to agree on the order, there are a few that will absolutely be on everyone's list.

The rules are simple. Movies. Disney+ shows. And remember, this is only up to this point. So much more content is coming for the MCU.

Enjoy.

Top 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Works

Honorable Mention 1: Captain America: The First Avenger: Chris Evans. The Jokester actor. Didn't feel like he could take this role on. We were wrong. This period piece in the MCU just felt all kinds of right. And sets a different tone for the overall franchise.

Honorable Mention 2: Iron Man: The First movie in the MCU. Before the MCU became a thing. And while it was hard to put this movie out of the Top 10... it's important. There were rumors that Tom Cruise was supposed to be Stark. And I was worried. But when it came out that Robert Downey Jr was cast, it felt perfect. The movie is the foundation, and it worked.

Honorable Mention 3: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: A series about moving on. Post-Endgame. Sam Wilson had to move on from losing his mentor. Bucky had to move on from his assassin days for HYDRA. An almost street level buddy cop show about image... both in the public eye and your own self-image. So glad Sam is getting his own Captain America movie.

10. Doctor Strange: In his titular movie, Thor referred to Asgard as a place where magic and science are the same. And then we never got magic in the MCU(not officially). Doctor Strange introduced the MCU to Eldritch Magic and different dimensions of existence. Benedict Cumberbatch pulled off the asshole gets redemption story. Visually stunning. Don't do any drugs before this movie. You won't need them.

9. Ant-Man: I do not consider this movie a superhero film. It is a heist movie. And a great one at that. Paul Rudd is funny as he always is. A scene stealer. And it is his movie. Michael Péna kills it. Another redemption story with a great villain... and Michael Douglas as the classic Ant-Man, Hank Pym. Unexpected hit. But it deserves all of the praise.

8. Black Panther: RIP Chadwick Boseman. I wasn't for sure how they would get to this movie, but they did. A frightening villain, but an understandable villain. With a movie that has a vibe like The Lion King(thanks to my dad for that one). And they even got the CGI to fix the eye of Forrest Whittaker! So much good with this movie... and I'm just now pointing out how awesome Andy Serkis is in this as well. RIP Chadwick Boseman. Gone too soon.

7. Spider-Man: Homecoming: The first MCU Spider-Man movie. It held onto Iron Man a bit too much... but we got(in my opinion) the best version of a live action Peter Parker. Tom Holland gave us the life-juggling experience of innocence meets superpowered responsibility. And Michael Keaton was spot on as a villain who was more misguided than sinister. Whatever he had to do to provide for his family.

6. Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame: These are together because they were always together. Originally part 1 and part 2 of Infinity War. The ensemble movie of ensemble movies. 10 years, and 20+ movies in the making. It was the culmination of numerous stories and directors and story arc all intersecting. A massive undertaking... and it paid off.

5. WandaVision: Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, this show wasn't supposed to be the first Disney+ MCU show, but it happened. It captured me in the same way Season 1 of the CW Flash series. Each episode made me second guess my theories on the villain, until it was shown that the first guess was correct. The style of the show was unique at first, paying homages to sitcoms throughout the decades. Very well done. And still not the best show so far...

4. Thor: Ragnarok: So this one needs a preface as well. I'm a HUGE Kenneth Branagh fan. Top 3 directors for me. He directed the first Thor. Very good. Very Shakespearean. But... Ragnarok gets the BEST of the Trilogy. This movie is silly. Overly silly. This movie is damn funny. Maybe tooooooo funny. But... there is a tone shift going from Slapstick comedy... to knowing they failed. It is the first MCU where the heroes FAIL. And you can feel it... when THEY feel it. Taika Waititi is such a great director. And he is getting close to being in my top 5 directors. This movie is different than ANY of the other MCU movies(it is...). And it deserves more praise.

3. Loki(Season 1): Loki getting his own series. Why? Because it was great. This isn't the same Loki that was killed in Infinity War. This is a Loki who didn't get ANY of the character development from Dark World or Ragnarok. And they were to pull all of that off before the end of the second episode. Tom Hiddleston is one of the best actors throughtout the entirety of the MCU. And this series shows him off. Some good fight scenes. But so much character development... story driven. And I enjoyed every bit of it. Also, I learned my lesson about second guessing the "villain". I told a certain friend who I thought it was. "Oh they wouldn't do that in a series." They did(Joe... they did). Oh, and Owen Wilson... so impressed my his contribution to this series. Season 2 will be awesome. So much Wow.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy: Guardians of the Galaxy. The biggest risk that anyone has attempted in the MCU. Largely unknown comic book characters. In largely unknown part of the comic's universe. Starring an actor who was ONLY know for comedy... a wrestler who isn't The Rock... and having Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel do VOICES. It was funny, it was pretentious, and it just worked. One of the best MCU movies... one of the best Superhero movies... one of the best Soundtracks... one of the best MOVIES of the modern era. James Gunn should get all of the love.

And now... my number one favorite work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is...

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier: This isn't a superhero film. It is a layer spy thriller. Uncovering secrets and changing the MCU as a whole. Top notch action. Great storytelling. A thrill around every turn. Chris Evans best turn as Cap, ScarJo's best turn as Black Widow, gave us the first appearance of Anthony Mackie as Falcon, and the return of Bucky was very well done(even though we knew it was him). Not only is it the best of the MCU, it is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It is just that good. And the Elevator fight is such a wonderful piece, they even parodied it IN Endgame.

There you go! Another great list in the bag.

Tell me what you think. What would you add? What would you take out? Leave a comment. Share the post. Get others involved. Steal an Infinity Stone.

Next will be the end-all posts for the Comic Book list series. Stay tuned for those!

The New Reviewed Renewed - Black Widow

Copyright owned by Disney/Marvel

The New Review

Black Widow

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh

Directed by Cate Shortland

Concept: The Avengers' resident Femme Fatale got her own movie. Explaining what she went through between Civil War and Infinity War.

Some spoilers ahead...

Execution

Cast: ScarJo is back, being her Black-Widowy self. Florence Pugh went from being a relative unknown, to being a powerhouse actress, she is the perfect counterpoint to ScarJo's Natasha. It is as much her movie as it is ScarJo's. And it works. David Harbour is pretty funny, Rachel Weiss is stoic... but both seem wasted. Explanation coming. And a great villain, and not the one you are thinking from the trailers. They needed more... but still had enough.

Score: 15/20

Presentation: The Typical MCU fanfare is what this movie was. And it likes to jump around to different locations, we don't spend enough time in any location long enough to matter. The prison break was a fun sequence, but it reminded me quite a bit of the House Party Protocol in Iron Man 3, with the scaffolding and quick cuts... just in the snow. The soundtrack... was boring, but it starts with a cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", if it was written by a depressed teenage girl...... and it sounded pretty damn good. Not enough to save the soundtrack.

Score: 15/20

Chronicle: The MCU has developed an amazingly complex spy thriller. It was called "Captain America: The Winter Soldier". Black Widow was NOT that level. Because it wasn't that complex. It was a straightforward spy thriller with extra extra action... with a bit of a broken family reunion story mixed it... and there wasn't enough of it. Definitely made to set up Yelena as the new Black Widow, and they did just that. The villain had a face(Ivan Dreykov), but the real villain was the Red Room itself. It didn't dumb down the child trafficking, and remembered the pheromone angle from the comics. But the story didn't feel like it had enough solid footing. It's a fun film, but it won't make or break any major story line. It was a spy movie... an action movie... a broken family movie... a sister film... but doesn't want to superhero. And it just doesn't do enough in any direction aside from the sister film.

Score: 19/30

Impact: The MCU BIG female character finally getting her own solo film. It will effect the MCU going forward, but the movie could've been so much better. It's nice what happened with Nat between Civil War and Infinity War... but it didn't feel like it was an important as it was made out to be. And that made up for the hype. It was self-contained, and aside from poking fun at Natasha being an Avengers, it was quite separated from the overall MCU. You knew it was MCU, but no other Avengers make an appearance. If was released when it was supposed to, it would be a much better fit. But no fault from Disney on that. So I will be lenient on that. So... recap... it will affect the MCU going forward, but still not affected by the MCU as a whole. Got it?

Score: 17/20

Extra Oomph: This is your spoiler section. First up... Red Guardian definitely wasn't a hero. Not...a...hero. And he had NO redemption in the movie. None. And I love that idea. It wasn't his movie. He doesn't need it. The mission he had making the fake family with Natasha and Yelena to cover for his real mission. Then basically giving those girls up to the Red Room, knowing what Dreykov was going to do to them...... Alexei is no hero. And they never pretended he was. Second... The Taskmaster. I went into the movie hoping it WASN'T Tony Masters like in the comics. I was hoping for a different payoff: the seemingly throw away comment with about Dreykov's Daughter from the first Avengers movie. The thought I had was... Nat tried to kill Dreykov and thought she killed his daughter as collateral damage. And... dammit... that is EXACTLY what they did. And I LOVE it. He got off unscathed, but his daughter was burned. He turned his daughter into the Taskmaster, complete with mimic skill the character is known for. And it FIT the narrative. Tony Masters wouldn't have fit... there was enough exposition, we didn't need this too. So this was the direction it was supposed to go. Even covered in clichés... this was the right call. So... it gets bonus points for that.

Score: 13/10

FINAL SCORE: 79/100

FINAL GRADE: C+

Conclusion: It's an MCU movie. So, at minimum it had to be good. But... that's it. It was good. Not mind blowing... not even great. Just... good. Happy that Natasha finally got her solo movie, but it ended up not being just her movie. It was a shared experience to "pass the torch" to her "sister" Yelena Belova. So I guess they still makes it a Black Widow movie regardless. The official start of Phase 4. But... only the post credit scene. And... it didn't do Nat justice. It should've been a much strong film...... and it wasn't.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: If you love the MCU movies, you need to see this movie. And I'm a fan. I want to watch it again. It was a good spy action film. But not good enough. I want to love it. But I can't. I can at least say I liked it. And will watch it again. And I think you all should to. Up to you if you want to do that in theater or on Disney+, I recommend it.

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So Black Widow is finally out. And it gets an 79.

Worth the wait from Covid? I'm... still not sure on that. Not the worst MCU movie. But not the best. It needed to be a mini series. More time on the individual aspects. But it was still a good enough movie to watch.

Tell what you thought. Did you see it? Gonna see it? What could they have done better? What did they do just right? Leave a comment. Share this review on social media.

And don't forget...

We Are The Audience.

No idea what the next review will be, but stay tuned for more lists and some new concept posts coming through.

Thank you for any support!

The New Review - Black Panther

The New Review

"Black Panther"
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o

So Here We Go...