Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

So, I actually wrote this review right after Batman v Superman was released and quickly became to busy to remember to post it. Now, I've remembered, and you get to recall your feelings toward this film. 

Isn't that nice?!?

Expectations:

Disaster of the year?... Possibly. Disaster of the decade?... Probably. 

Batman is my favorite superhero (by a large margin), and I truly adore the Nolan-directed Dark Knight trilogy, which deserves as much praise as it can possibly receive, critical or otherwise. Nolan changed all superhero movies... forever! Even Marvel wants to be a little bit darker! But, they will never be able to touch the baddies of Nolan's Bat-universe. Regardless, there was no bone in body that expected Batman v Superman to even come close to Nolan's films. Ben Affleck could never top Christian Bale. Henry Cavill could never get me interested in Superman. And, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? I mean, what's up with that? 

Plot/Characters:

First and foremost, let me say that Zack Snyder's ridiculous, pre-film request to avoid spoilers was absolutely unnecessary. Did he think Batman v Superman was going to be discussed like Star Wars or something? I don't understand that? Anyway, I'm going to spoil a few things, in this section. So, proceed with caution...

For a film that I thought would be an absolute disaster, I was overwhelmingly surprised by how much I enjoyed watching everything unfold. Sure, it was simple and dumb, at times, and there were several huge, gaping holes in the story. But, overall, it was a lot of fun and truly intrigued me, with regard to how Batman and Superman would "v" one another. And, don't worry, I wasn't in a super critic-friendly mood. As soon as I saw Thomas and Martha Wayne pop up for yet another rendition of their untimely deaths, I was ready to run screaming.

Ultimately, my favorite thing about the film was how Affleck's Batman already had a history and seemed to have the same darkness and coolness that we came to know and love with Bale's Batman, without us having to endure the origin story. And, while it is certainly tough to sit through Henry Cavill playing any character, Superman's own crises were well-founded, and the scene with Superman arriving at the Capitol Building was pretty awesome, even if the outcome was terribly telegraphed.

The biggest flaw in the film was the disastrous Martha Kent, played by Diane Lane. First, in a film filled with 300 cameos, we truly could have done without Martha Kent. Second, why is Superman able to sweep in from some random, hallucinatory mountaintop and rescue Lois Lane, but he can't take the time to rescue his mother from the back alley of her diner? Third, and most ridiculous, what kind of superhero hears his dead mother's name, and immediately forgets every piece of vengeance in his heart, and decides to follow the god of Superman to the ends of the earth? Take Martha Kent out of this film, and everything improves--10 times over. The second biggest flaw in this film was the blatantly unnecessary plugs for the Justice League characters that were absent from this film. Nobody cares about Aquaman or Cyborg, and The Flash already had a cameo. So, why do you need to have some secret file with convenient video evidence that these people exist? A: YOU DON'T.

However, I will defend one character that has been questioned since the first trailer for Batman v Superman was released--Lex Luthor. There is one reason, and one reason only, that The Dark Knight is considered the best of the Nolan-directed Batfilms... The Joker. And, when the Joker has already been delegated to another DC film and there is no hope of ever reaching Heath Ledger's villainous performance, what is Zack Snyder supposed to do? Well, this one is easy. You just turn Lex Luthor into a younger, makeup-less joker and see what happens. But, little did Snyder know that viewers would be attached to the Lex Luthor of old, even if they hadn't considered the character in 20 years. I've yet to understand why people think that a different version of Lex Luthor is automatically a bad version of Lex Luthor. There were things about the character that I didn't enjoy, particularly the most dramatic hair-shaving sequence this side of Les Mis. But, ultimately, he was just meant to move the plot along and bring Batman and Superman together, and even Lex Luthor didn't expect that a woman's NAME would cause Batman to rethink his entire life.

Conclusion:
If it wasn't so easy to find flaws within the film's attempt to create drama and establish a broader DC universe, more people would be open to seeing just how fun Batman v Superman really was. Obviously, that is a sad excuse to make for any film, but I truly believe that people should ignore the critics on this one, go watch the movie, and have a good time! It was an easy watch with plenty of action and solid characters. Sure, they were characters that we already knew, but, if I had a dollar for every time that I've had to re-imagine Spiderman, I would at least be able to buy my ticket to Captain America v Iron Man. In a world where The Avengers are a bunch of has-beens, Batman v Superman is a breath of fresh darkness, and I look forward to what comes next. I give Batman v Superman 3.14 out of 5 stars

Now You See Me

 

 

Expectations:

One of my favorite movies of all time, The Prestige, does something with magic that totally blows me away each and every time that I watch. The entire film, you think that the magic is the focus, but, in the end, you realize it is nothing but a front. After watching the trailers for Now You See Me, I was fairly certain that this film would lack the depth and the Nolan that made The Prestige so great. However, while watching and allowing the film to do its own thing, I was able to avoid comparing Now You See Me to The Prestige. My expectations were not extremely high, but I do like Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, so I figured there was a little hope that the twists and turns coupled with good acting could "magically" impress...

 

Plot:

Most summer blockbusters feature great visuals and action scenes, and, with most films like Now You See Me, that's about all they have going for them. Unfortunately for Now You See Me, the visuals and action scenes really never materialized in any way. They would randomly swoosh around the focal point, in the midst of a long, awkward pause, but it just never really worked. Maybe I just got spoiled watching Star Trek twice... who knows? Anyway, contrary to my expectations, Now You See Me actually allowed the plot to carry the film, and, when included, the magic was quite impressive (even though most of it was unbelievable). Sure, the big plot-twist finale was predictable, but there were actually a lot of minor details that were included, adding a bit of depth to the plot.

 

Characters:

We've all seen Harrelson and Eisenberg in Zombieland. We've all seen Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in The Dark Knight trilogy. Aside from those two combos, this cast felt completely random to me. I never felt, in any way, that the four magicians (Harrelson, Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco) fit together. Before being grouped together by some mystery man, each magician had their own act, and it should have just stayed that way.

 

Negatives:

21 Jump Street was my favorite comedy of 2013, but Dave Franco is my new favorite actor to hate! He is so freakin annoying! Many people have the same opinion about his brother, James, but I really don't mind James. He can act! Dave just whines and talks funny... nothing more. On the other hand, I love both Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, but they just didn't really bring it in Now You See Me. I can't put my finger on the problem with either one, but they didn't fit.

 

Positives:

Mark Ruffalo is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood, yet, after his turn as The Hulk in The Avengers, I think he will soon be getting the credit he deserves. Kudos to Ruffalo for sticking with it for so long and picking some roles that suit him well. I remember first seeing him in 13 Going on 30, which I'm sure he now regrets.

 

Conclusion:

While Now You See Me wasn't an amazing film, it was able to satisfy (maybe exceed) my expectations. Was it as good as The Prestige? Heck no! However, the depth of the twists and turns are sure to thrill the average viewer, and the magic tricks will impress anyone, regardless of their believability. The last five minutes of the film were great. You just had to get there. Unfortunately, whoever was in charge of casting should probably perform some sort of disappearing act. Aside from Franco, I like all of the actors, but they did not fit in any way. According to the box office results and the critics, I made the right decision by choosing Now You See Me over After Earth... Sorry, Will Smith! I give Now You See Me 2.54 out of 5 stars.

Repeat

 

In all of my 21 years of life, there is no telling how many movies I have seen. Not only am I clueless about how many films I have seen, but also there are so many different types of films that I have seen, from my early days of The Land Before Time, The Mask, and Toy Story to my present days of The Hangover, Argo, and........ Toy Story. Regardless, as I grow older, I am realizing that there are fewer and fewer films that I can watch over and over and over again. When I was little, I would watch my Disney movies day after day, and I was a perfectly happy child. Today, however, I just can't watch films more than like once every six months or so, and they have to be really, really good for me to even take the time to watch them more than once. Some of this reduction of movie-watching time is due to the fact that I don't have time to do much of anything, with college, work, and friends taking so much of my time, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Also, I go to the movies almost every week, which takes up much of my weekend fun time. However, regardless of how much time I have or how long it has been since I last watched a movie, there are a small number of films that I can watch over and over and over. Are they my favorite films of all time? Not necessarily. But, they all have something about them that makes it very easy to pop that disc into the movie machine. So, I have compiled a list of five films that I can watch at any time of any day and be utterly satisfied. If you have not seen any of these films and are scared of becoming a film addict, steer clear! You cannot stop once you start!...

#5-The Dark Knight

Batman is my favorite superhero of all time, and Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite movie-makers of all time. So, it would have been hard for me not to love The Dark Knight. I will admit that there are times when I fast forward to the parts with The Joker, but it's not because I don't love Bruce Wayne. Seriously, though, who wouldn't want to watch the greatest superhero movie of all time over and over? It may not be the movie that we deserve, but it is the movie that we need, today and every other day.


#4-O Brother Where Art Thou?

I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers, who have impressed me with many of their films. However, O Brother Where Art Thou is easily their best film and probably my favorite comedy of all time. I can easily quote the entire film to you. So, if you ever need a good laugh, come find me and ask me to tell you an O Brother Where Art Thou story. It's sure to relieve. I'm pretty sure that most everyone has seen this film, at this point, but, in case you haven't, prepare yourself for the high amount of floor rolling that you will be participating in... Gopher, Everett?


#3-The Hangover

The Hangover has absolutely redefined the entire comedic genre, and I don't think everyone realizes it. On top of that, it's the comedy of my generation. Hence, my generation redefined the entire comedic genre. Seriously, how many people get excited about PG-13 comedies these days? That's right... No one... For that, you can thank The Hangover! Anyway, none of that really makes me want to watch it over and over. The fact that it is freaking hilarious makes me want to watch it over and over, and, every once in a while, I need to be reminded that tigers hate cinnamon.


#2-Midnight in Paris

Of the five films on this list, Midnight in Paris is easily the least popular and probably the least expected. It is unlikely that you have seen this film, so please go out and rent it! This Woody Allen original has such an amazing vibe that makes me want to move to Paris and write a novel each and every time that I watch. If you are nostalgic, like me, you will absolutely love this film. Please! Please! I beg of thee! Watch Midnight in Paris!!! It will make you feel great about life.


#1-The Social Network

Over the past 2.5 years, there is no movie that I have watched as many times as The Social Network. When I saw the film in the theater, it did not have a very large impact on my life. However, after I bought the DVD (for $12 at Best Buy on its release date!!), I fell in love with the film and the characters. I have never watched a movie that made me feel as smart, thanks to Jesse Eisenberg's turn as Mark Zuckerberg. Although people dislike Zuckerberg's character, they must remember that he isn't an asshole, he's just trying so hard to be one. Whether or not this story is completely true, I absolutely love the film and the characters. When I tell people how often I watch The Social Network, they never seem to understand my connection to the film. I believe that they would fall in love with it, if they would watch it more than a couple of times. If I have never said it before on my blog, Aaron Sorkin is one of my favorite people in the world of film and television. He wrote The Social Network, Moneyball, The West Wing, A Few Good Men, and, most recently, The Newsroom on HBO, and I truly love each and every one of these productions. Really, there is nothing that I dislike about The Social Network, and that is why I can watch it over and over and over, more than any other film...



I would have made the list longer, but there really aren't any more films that I can watch with such repetition. As time goes on, I'm sure that I will stop watching some of these films as often, and I'm sure that I will start watching new films over and over, so there is nothing set in stone. This list is nothing but a snap shot of Spring 2013. Also, just to clarify, I do not have the largest DVD collection of all time. I may watch a lot of movies, but I probably only buy 5 or 6 movies each year. One day, when my girlfriend and I combine our movies, we will have a large collection, but, until then, I remain average. Finally, to reiterate what I have already said, this is NOT a list of my favorite films of all time, just ones that I can watch over and over. Maybe one day I will give you a list of my favorite films, but I'm going to keep you waiting for now. Hope you enjoyed, and I hope you go watch these films, if you have yet to do so. Then, watch them again... and again.... and again.........

30 Minutes or Less

Expectations:
The summer of 2011 was full of mediocre comedies and included a few great laughs like Horrible Bosses and The Hangover: Part II. While I do love Jesse Eisenberg, my expectations for 30 Minutes or Less leaned more towards the mediocre side. The previews were certainly funny, but it seemed that those may be the only funny parts. My expectations were really lowered when I found out that this film was derived from true events. It was such a good idea, but knowing that it wasn't an original idea really made it seem less funny for some reason. Also, the guy in the true story died, which is pretty rough and not funny.

Plot:
As the previews show, a pizza delivery guy, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg), is kidnapped and has a bomb strapped to him. The kidnapper, Dwayne (Danny McBride), needs $100,000 to hire someone to kill his dad, so he can have his inheritance. They decide to rob a bank, using a kidnapped pizza boy. I won't reveal the rest of the plot, but I will tell you one thing that really pissed me off. The pizza boy is given something like nine hours to rob the bank. I don't know about you, but I wanted to see him do it in thirty minutes. Maybe that really isn't important, but I think they should have focused more on the pizza side of things than they did. The title is 30 MINUTES OR LESS, they could've thrown a few pizza jokes in there somehow. Overall, the plot was rather predictable and simple, but there were plenty of laughs along the way.

Characters:
Jesse Eisenberg was his usually great self, which made me want to see more of him and much less of Danny McBride. Don't get me wrong, McBride was very very funny, but I thought the movie should have focused almost totally on the delivery guy. Nick's friendship with Chet (Aziz Ansari) was actually very intriguing. They had stabbed each other in the back a few times in the past, which provided many laughs. Eisenberg is very good at making you care about his character, which makes this friendship seem very personal in just an hour and a half of watching. You really feel like these two are true friends.

Best Character: Chango, played by Michael Pena, is the man who Dwayne is going to hire to kill his dad. He is, by far, the funniest character in the movie, and Pena really does a great job playing the role. Also, Chango provides the only real plot twist, which is an added bonus.

Worst Character: Travis, played by Nick Swardson, was Dwayne's best friend and fellow kidnapper. Personally, I thought he was absolutely unnecessary. Swardson is very very funny, but he really distracted from the focus of the film.

Conclusion:
30 Minutes or Less definitely falls into the mediocre comedy category. There were many laughs and a funny storyline, but I don't think there was ever too much potential with this film. The cast was full of great, funny comedic actors and, of course, the great Eisenberg. Aziz Ansari really surprised me, because I usually don't find him very funny. The entire cast really gelled well together, and I think the problem may have been that there were too many great actors. I wanted the movie to focus on each of them a bit more, but that just couldn't really happen. I'm still bitter about the fact that the pizza had very little to do with the movie, but I will get over it. I give 30 Minutes or Less 2.32 out of 5 stars.