Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and
inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana
Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work
quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite
the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman,
Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the planet from an
assault of catastrophic proportions.
Release Date: Nov 17, 2017 Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot,
Amy Adams, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence
and action
Review:
Justice League gives DC fans the big superhero team
up they’ve been waiting for.It’s not a
perfect film by any stretch of the imagination but it’s still incredibly
fun.The film had its share of behind
the scenes issues, due to the death of Zack Snyder’s daughter that had Joss
Whedon stepping in, and at times it does feel a bit like a Frankenstein mash up
of Synder and Whedon’s styles.The first
act feels a tad clunky as we catch up or meet all the heroes and are introduced
to the primary villain.It feels like it
could have used some smoothing out but it’s not really a huge detriment once
the film finds its footing.Once it does
and the characters are fleshed out we get an enjoyable superhero romp that
feels like a live action version of Bruce Timm’s animated Justice League
show.Established characters like Batman
(Affleck is lighter and having more fun), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot is always on
point) and Superman (Henry Cavill is still a great choice even with CGI
weirdness on his mustache) all get their just due while intermixing with the
newcomers.The newcomers all leave a
lasting impression.Ezra Miller’s Flash
is great fun every time he’s on screen.His manic and energetic personality translates wonderfully on
screen.Miller’s got tangible chemistry
with the entire cast which serves the film well.Jason Momoa brings an unbridled macho swagger
to Aquaman which is a fun take on the character and it works far better than
expected.Ray Fisher might be overlooked
but he shouldn’t because he’s delivers one on better performances in the whole
film.Anyone who’s a fan of the
character from Teen Titans will instantly recognize as soon as Fisher shows
up.It’s an impressive turn that can get
lost in the overall shuffle but it really shouldn’t.The villain, Steppenwolf who voiced by Ciarán
Hinds, isn’t memorable or terribly deep, he’s more of a mechanism to the
overall plot. Hinds, to his credit, gives
the character a commanding presence and he plays it loose enough that you can
tell he’s enjoying the outlandish bombast of the character.The action sequences are all fun and well
plotted out with the arrival of Steppenwolf on Themyscira being an impressive high point.Justice League is a film that
checks all the boxes for fans and general audiences.It’s hard to see anyone not having a good
time with this film especially long time DC fans.
Dearest Blog: I have spent the better part of the last two days in three Justice League screenings at Marquee Cinemas, and I am now prepared to talk to you about it. This will probably get long, so grab a coffee and dive on in!
Spoiler level here will be moderate; if I talk about anything not explicitly revealed by the trailers, it will be something obvious from a quick check of the IMDB credits, or enough discussed (pre-release) to assume it was a not-actually-secret secret. Still, if you prefer to know nothing until you've seen the movie, read no further until you do.
When Superman's passing leaves the world lawless and without hope, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of heroes to fill the super-sized gap.
Dear reader(s), as I so often mention, I approach every movie--whatever my predisposition towards it--with an open enough mind to be surprised to the good or to the bad. In the interest of full and fair disclosure, and to exactly no one's surprise, please note that the opinions hereafter shared are honest, but coming from a place of great affection. This movie would have had to work very hard to make me dislike it.
So let's begin at the beginning, shall we? More than a decade removed from that benchmark of superhero movie perfection, The Dark Knight, DC is trying to find its footing again. That is not my personal opinion--I love the way DC does things, and they have yet to produce a movie I didn't like--but, if the DC Universe officially rebooted following Christopher Nolan's directorial swan song, this movie represents at least an informal CTRL-ALT-DELETE, adopting an entirely different tone from the one to which we're accustomed. Even Wonder Woman, redeemer of heroic cinema and hope of all DC fans, didn't seem as much of a departure to me.
Though the future of the whole world is at stake, the tone here is light and cartoonish. It's not the choice I'd have made, but it is enjoyable and nearly all of the humor is spot on. Outside of a few missteps with Aquaman (more on that later), the funny bits are well-timed and often quite clever. (Look out for an exchange between Lois Lane and Martha Kent in the Daily Planet breakroom!) The film's overall appearance is very comic-bookish, and continues to overuse that super-slo-mo that annoyed me so much in Wonder Woman. The effects are mostly solid, but there is some oddly-dodgy CGI, most notably in scenes where the porn-stache Henry Cavill was wearing for another project was digitally removed in post production. Yes, you may utter those never-before-spoken words: "Henry Cavill's face looks bad!" and that will be why. A final note on the look of the film: for the first time in recent memory, I could actually see everything that was going on; nothing was overly dark, despite my not bothering with the 3D.
I was prepared to open this review by stating that Justice League could use more Batman. Truth be told, I got a LOT more Batman than I anticipated with such a large ensemble...though pretty much any movie could always use more Batman. (Lookin' at YOU, La La Land!) The lighter overall tone makes Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne seem somewhat less world weary, but his perpetually bemused expression and self-imposed outsider status still make him a perfect Batman, in my opinion, the best ever. As expected, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is front and center throughout, and she is an absolute delight. Henry Cavill remains an ideal Superman, handsome, strong, and vanilla. Jason Momoa's Aquaman is a little too "bro" for my liking, but claims credit for some of the movie's funniest moments. Strictly for science purposes, here I shall inform you, dear and faithful reader(s), that there's a fair bit of gratuitous, but not unwelcome, shirtlessness on the parts of Messrs. Cavill and Momoa. Bring the galoshes! While all those big names are pretty terrific, the movie's highlights are Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher as The Flash and Cyborg. Miller brings a real sense of wonder and spot-on comedy skills to Barry Allen, an isolated kid who is as excited as he is overwhelmed to be asked to join such a super team. Fisher is extraordinary, turning in a natural performance that easily makes Victor Stone the most sympathetic and likable character in the film. Unsurprisingly, awards darlings Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons, and Amy Adams provide small bright spots in limited screen time. Oh, and there's Not-Gary-Oldman as the new Jim Gordon. I guess he's okay too.
Plot wise, Justice League seems a little scattered, especially at the start. Much like the whole of Suicide Squad, the early parts of JL are more like a bunch of small stories than one cohesive larger one. Ultimately the pieces start fitting together, but it's a feeling the movie never quite shakes. My personal taste leans strongly towards the grittier, more real Nolan-verse, but I think Justice League works well as an attempt to reinvent the DC Universe as more fun and less grim. Missteps in the humor are rare, and there's nothing that feels shoehorned in, as I so often complain of Marvel movies in general and Tony Stark's one-liners in particular. A well-defined message makes it easy to excuse a few ridiculously hokey lines. (Hokey lines, are, after all, a Super-staple!) There's a peripheral hint at possible romance between Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince, and--if I don't especially need romance in my superhero fare--I don't mind this pairing either. Justice League is more than accessible enough for a casual fan to enjoy, but there are plenty of fanboy moments too. Though the climactic battle scene bogs down just a hair, Justice League also succeeds in one way that no other costumed hero picture has in recent memory: It runs shy of the two-hour mark. This is a smart decision and a trend I hope both DC and Marvel will continue. There are two post credits scenes--one (far as I could tell) merely amusing and the other functional and thrilling. I enthusiastically encourage you to stay for both.
A few random thoughts that I couldn't weave in anywhere else:
Why is Wonder Woman always grunting like she's constipated? None of the men do that.
Momoa's Arthur Curry always sounds like a guy who's about to drop a Limp Bizkit track at karaoke.
Weird that Alfred spent this movie dressed like a member of the Newsies ensemble...??
Justice League runs 119 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi (??) violence and action."
By now, you've probably seen a bunch of professional critics complaining about Justice League, but my Facebook feed is full of people saying they loved it and can't wait to see it again. I've seen it three times, and am proud to throw in my lot with the "can't wait to see it again" crowd. It may not be perfect, but it's pretty great. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Justice League gets eight and a half.
Fangirl points: Batman! (DUH!) Billy Crudup! Holt McCallany!
Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot probes the
mystery of a murdered American tycoon aboard the legendary Orient Express as
20th Century Fox and producers Ridley Scott, Simon Kinberg, and Mark Gordon
bring Agatha Christie's classic whodunit back to the big screen. ~ Jason
Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Kenneth Branagh, Mark Gordon
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem
Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp
Release Date: Nov 10, 2017
Genres: Detective Film, Drama, Mystery
Rated PG-13 for violence and thematic
elements
Review:
Murder on the Orient Express is a solid and
lavishly directed throwback murder mystery.Kenneth Branagh, lover of all things classical, directs his film with a
steady hand, keeping everything visually stimulating even during some of the
slower portions.Branagh does fine work
pulling double duty as Hercule Poirot, one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved
characters.It’s an interesting
iteration of the character that captures his quirks and mannerisms while
infusing him with a tinge of sadness.Branagh is front and center for the majority of the film but the
impressive ensemble is given plenty of time to shine with Michelle Pfeiffer and
Daisy Ridley leaving the biggest impression.The central mystery, which is over 80 years old, isn’t terribly complex
and fairly common knowledge so there is a lack of urgency to the whole thing.
Kenneth Branagh clearly loves the material and it comes through on screen but
I’m not sure if people will be rushing to revisit it after the initial viewing.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the much-anticipated remake of Murder on the Orient Express.
Spoiler level here will be mild, on the off chance there's a living soul who doesn't know how this one plays out.
A murder on a derailed train leaves a carload of suspects stranded with the world's greatest detective.
2017's Murder on the Orient Express isn't likely to match its 1974 counterpart in the hearts of critics and fans, and is even less likely to match Thor: Ragnarok at the box office. It seems to exist in a weird little comfort zone of middling expectations, but a much-loved story combined with an extraordinary cast made it a must-see for me, and it did not disappoint.
I simply love the way this movie was filmed. At every turn there is a gorgeous panoramic view or a perfect angle on a face or a table setting or a train car that reminds me how great a movie can be just for being a movie. Much like The Revenant, I could have gazed upon its beauty for hours even if I despised the rest of it, which I most certainly did not. The film sets a light tone to start, earning some laughs while familiarizing viewers with the great Poirot's talents and idiosyncrasies, then things go progressively darker as the unfortunate events play out. Kenneth Branagh's moustache game is as on point as his portrayal of the iconic detective. I am faithfully married to David Suchet's Poirot, and was quite surprised to find I wasn't making unfavorable comparisons in my head over the course of the movie. As a die-hard Depp-a-Holic, I am delighted to see Johnny in a decent film where he doesn't play the weird guy with the funny hat. Neither the story nor the size of the ensemble allows him as much screen time as I'd like, but this role is a friendly reminder of those details to which Depp tends better than anyone else: accents and small mannerisms that really make a character. May his career swing ever further back in this direction towards a long-deserved Oscar. The supporting cast is solid, with no one outside of Branagh really getting enough face time to delight or offend. Lovely costumes and a luscious score by Patrick Doyle are the perfect accents to this old-school mystery. Orient Express is a tale that doesn't keep its secrets especially well, but it moves at a good clip and doesn't suffer much for the fact that you'll probably guess the outcome, even in the unlikely event you didn't already know it. A ghastly musical number called "Never Forget," showcasing the dubious vocal talents of Michelle Pfeiffer, nearly made me forget how much I liked the movie when it crashed the end-credits, but fortunately I recovered before I had to start writing this review.
Murder on the Orient Express clocks in at an efficient 114 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence and thematic elements."
It may not match the brilliance of the 1974 classic, but 2017's Murder on the Orient Express mixes an iconic tale with an extraordinary cast to create an enjoyable bit of cinema.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Murder on the Orient Express gets seven and a half.
Fangirl points: Don’t suppose anyone else looked over this cast and thought, “Hey, that’s the dude from Magnificent Seven??” Also... Olivia Colman! Hadley Fraser! Leslie Odom, Jr.!
Another weekend, another double feature at the local theater! First I was off to see Murder on the Orient Express followed by Daddy's Home 2.
Murder on the Orient Express, my review:
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
starring: Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Justin Gad, Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz and Willem Dafoe
Murder on the Orient Express is a straight forward retelling of the Agatha Christie classic. Branagh takes the reins both in front of and behind the camera as he both stars and directs. Murder on the Orient Express clocks in at 1 hour and 54 minutes. That was at least 20 minutes too long. I found myself checking my clock several times as this murder mystery lumbered on toward it's conclusion.
There are some great things to see here. Branagh seems to be incapable of putting in a bad performance. His portrayal here of the titular Poirot is the best use of facial hair since the 1st Hunger Games movie. Poirot is the world famous detective who lands squarely in the middle of a who dun it on the world's most posh passenger train.
The cast is all putting in solid work here. Michelle Pfeiffer is a national treasure and I remain her biggest fan. However, the movie as a whole left me....wanting more. There is not one specific thing, other than maybe needing a trim time wise, that I can point to as a reason to not enjoy this. However, I also can't really point to any real reason to go out of your way to make time for this either.
There is nothing new here. No Earth shattering performances. No breath taking scenery. As much as I wanted to fall in love...I just never managed it. I would skip this one in theaters and wait for the rental. A very “meh” 2 out of 5 stars is my rating, I'm afraid.
Trying to dust off my disappointment..I head into Daddy's Home 2. Full disclosure here...I did not see the 1st Daddy's Home movie but I wanted to give this one a try anyway.
Daddy's Home 2, my review:
Directed by Sean Anders
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Will Farrell, Mel Gibson, John Lithgow, Linda Cardellini, Alessandra Ambrosio and John Cena
Daddy's Home 2 picks up the continuing story of a blended family consisting of biological Dad Dusty (Wahlberg) and stepdad Brad (Farrell) and Mom Sara (Cardellini). It's time for the holidays and that means they're respective Dads are coming to town to visit. We have a super simple, extremely affectionate Don (Lithgow) playing Brad's Dad and brass, unapologetic, absentee Dad to Dusty, Kurt (Gibson) thrown into the mix. Kurt is inexplicably dismayed by the healthy coparenting that is happening to his grandchildren and decides to try to make things far more toxic by attempting to break the relationship between Dusty and Brad. Setting aside the incredibly toxic masculinity, we find that the straight man/physical comedy combo of Wahlberg and Farrell really seem to work here. Wahlberg's Dusty has a familiar every man feeling to him. And even this self professed Farrell hater found herself laughing along with Brad's antics.
This is a fun, competent flick that doesn't take itself too seriously at all. I enjoyed it FAR more than I expected I would. Daddy's Home 2 clocks in at a pretty enjoyable 1 hour and 40 minutes. I give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars.
Imprisoned on the other side of the
universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that
pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor's quest for
survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from
destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark
Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum Release Date: Nov 03, 2017
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rated R for language throughout and some
sexuality/nudity
Review:
Thor: Ragnarok is a much needed infusion of
originality in the Marvel cinematic juggernaut.Most the Marvel movies are enjoyable but tend to lean towards formulaic
plots outside of some rare exceptions.Thor:
Ragnarock is a solid step outside of the tried and true Marvel formula
delivering a huge dose of wacky fun.Taika Waititi delivers a film brimming with fun from
start to finish.It’s a Technicolor fever
dream that feels like a thoroughly enjoyable acid trip.Stripping away the self serious tone of most
comic book movies and going for a more comedic tone pay huge dividends.Chris Hemsworth has always been a strong
comedic actor and this slant plays well for him.As a result, Hemsworth is free to deliver his
best “Mimbo” interpretation of Thor.The
supporting cast embraces the lighter tone and everyone seems to be having a ball.Tom Hiddleston keeps Loki interesting while
lightening him up a bit.Mark Ruffalo
and Tessa Thompson are great counter balance to Hemsworth’s Thor with both
doing strong work.Cate Blanchett
gleefully vamps it up as primary villain this go around.If there’s a bit of a negative about
Blanchett’s character it’s that she’s not given much to do except wait for Thor
to come back to Asgard so they can get to the final battle.It’s a real shame because she’s really
impressive in her screentime, it would have really made the film even better
had she’d been given something more substantial to do.It’s a minor quibble for the film which
really is one of most fun superhero films of the year.
