Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Disapointment

  Two of the world's most iconic heroes are about to battle on the big screen. Batman vs Superman. The movie is finally here and it is billed as the film that will establish DC's place in the cinematic world. Rival Marvel has done things right. DC has taken a different approach and now we see if it's the right one. Let me just start by saying that this is not the right approach.

  Zack Snyder put Superman back on the map with Man of Steel and started what many call the, "Snyder-verse." Lot's of people, myself included, had issues with the re-telling of Superman. I am not going to rehash those, but the movie picks up where the destruction in Metropolis ends. Snyder does do a good job of establishing the tone of the world after the city is nearly destroyed.

Ben Affleck is possibly the best Batman we've seen yet. He looks the part and establishes Bruce Wayne's place in the world. The stuff with him and Jeremy Irons (Alfred) is top notch. This movie does a great job of making you want another solo Batman with Affleck in the cowl. Batman is good, but his conflict with Superman seems forced. It seems fueled by anger and Batman tends to be more reasonable.

 I think Henry Cavil looks like Superman, but his emotion just seems forced. The movie teases a more familiar Clark Kent, but there just seems to be something missing. The fight between the two heroes is nothing short of fantastic. It is certainly the highlight of the movie, but you wait too long for it to even happen. You wait way too long.

  I have said countless times that movies like this are only as good as their villains. Jesse Eisenberg was a horrible casting choice and destroys one of the greatest villains of all time. He makes no sense. He is anything but diabolical and is a waste of a great character. His tone is all wrong. He doesn't come close to being the greatest criminal mind of all time. He comes across as some bad crossbreeding attempt between the Joker and Riddler. He is, without a doubt, one of the worst things in the movie.

  The other worst thing in the movie is Doomsday Zod. I will not spoil the whole thing, but the moment I saw the manner in which they created this train wreck, I was immediately annoyed. I realize you need a powerful foe to take one super heroes, but this is just a waste. Metallo, Braniac, or even a kryptonite powered exo suit for Lex would have been a better choice. The fight between this thing and out heroes is a visual c.g.i. eyesore. Snyder loves his destruction and assaulting your senses. The saving grace to the fight is Wonder Woman.

 Gal Gadot steals the show. Like Affleck she makes you excited to see her character's first solo outing. The three heroes look incredible on the screen. It truly is a comic book come to life, but unfortunately it's just not enough to save this thing. It is dark and moody. The pace is horrible. It slowed even more by these ridiculous nightmare sequences that do more to confuse than anything else. The film offers a few glimpses of hope here and there, but it's hard to get excited about the "Snyder-verse." We get glimpses of other heroes, but I don't feel like anyone was overwhelmed with excitement.  They took half a Superman sequel and smashed it together with half a Batman movie.

  The movie combines a few famous comic book arcs that are not meant to be combined. The sad cliffhanger is nothing short of emotionless and disappointing. It's a good thing this movie is being released now. It was originally supposed to open against Captain America: Civil War.  Marvel is going to win that fight. Again.  The things that people complained the most about, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman are hands down the best parts of this movie. Unfortunately, they are not enough to make this worth the hype.

Deadpool: The Merc With The Right Movie

   Comic book movies are rolling off the assembly line these days. They are hot, people love them, but when done wrong are torn apart by fan boys everywhere. Deadpool is one such character. He made his movie debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Fans loved Ryan Reynolds, but despised the Mortal Kombat looking version of Deadpool that came in the end of that debacle. Fast forward a few years. Some test footage is leaked, fans go crazy about it, and the, "Merc With a Mouth," gets another go at the big screen. 

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is former special ops soldier who works as mercenary and could be mentally unstable when we meet him. While in his best friend Weasel's merc bar he meets and falls in love with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). After discovering he has terminal cancer, he volunteers for a secret program that causes his mutant healing factor to manifest. He is cured of cancer, but horribly disfigured and mentally not all there. Add some guns, a cool costume, and the need for revenge and we have ourselves a movie. 

  Picture a combination of Spider-Man, The Punisher, and Wolverine and you get Deadpool. The comic often has him breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience and the movie does the same. Reynolds was born to play this character. After the dismal movie that was Green Lantern, it is great to see Ryan given something that fits him to a tee. The stop motion action is great and the storyline is simple enough to keep even first time watchers engaged. Fox is attempting a mutant based multi-film universe. Deadpool does a great job of tying in the X-Men. Negasonic Teenage Warhead isn't a household name character, but comic book fans will love how she is treated. The fact that her costume looks like an old school, New Mutants suit is a nice subtle throwback to the comic that launched Deadpool. Colossus has been in other movies, but we finally get the truest version of the Russian powerhouse. Spot on! 

       Deadpool was created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, who has stated before that he was the most directly responsible for the character. It is hard to find argument in his point. Rob was at the forefront of the comics boom in the 90's and this has been a long time coming. Deadpool came along as a villain, but has since evolved into an antihero and has garnered a 20 plus year cult following. Fox has a reputation of getting things VERY wrong when it comes to comic book movies. I can wholeheartedly say that they got this one right. Action, humor, and great attention paid to the source material. As comic book fans, we can't ask for much more than that. Accept for maybe the inevitable sequel. 

Go see it. 'Nuff said. 

  I am having a hard time with the situation in this country. I am probably, as a white male, not supposed to write about this. It feels like we have taken some giant steps in the wrong direction. The violence, the tension, and the fact that race is an issue in 2016 is embarrassing.

  MLK Day being last week has made me dwell on this more than usual. Maybe I am blind, but in the 90's after the riots in L.A., it seemed like these type of things were less of an issue. It was almost like we took a different approach. Maybe the social media is compounding issues. I don't know.

 I get yelled at when I say all lives matter and not just black or white. We live in a world where perspective is reality. Like it or not. I wonder now if people like Ted Nugent, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson do more harm than good. Throw Macklemore in there too with the whole "White Priveledge." Hey Ben, shut up!

 We see violence against a young black male, regardless of their character, and there are violent protests in more cases than not. We see violence against white , the news reporters that were shot by a black male, and there are no violent protests. I guess I don't know what a black person goes through because I am not one. I have also never not been able to get along with people of any color. I see personality before skin color.

 Our country has a very violent history full of wrongs committed to people of all walks of life. Here's a news flash though, most of us were not alive to be apart of any side of it. Isn't it time to bury the past and learn from it's mistakes?

 The Oscars are the new hot button. Black actors were over looked so there is a call to boycott? How does that help? It sends a message of segregation. The example is to go. The example is be part of the, "we'll get them next time," mentality. We let Hollywood and celebrities influence our lives too much as it is. Hollywood has been kind to it's population. Those over looked celebrities are already living a fairy tale. Their salary might not be what they want, but I guarantee that the middle class would gladly trade incomes. The world doesn't owe anyone favors. I agree that old men with backwards thinking rule our world. We owe it to ourselves to not fuel their line of thinking.

 As white male, it's my job to not judge books by their covers and make assumptions. People of color need to work harder to not fit into ridiculous stereotypes. It can be done. Like a lot of things, it just takes some extra work. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that we should be ashamed that skin color is such an issue in 2016. It doesn't get better until we make it better. I understand that it is tough to love everyone, but it's really not all that hard to exercise some tolerance. At the end of the day we're not black, white, red, or yellow. We are all just human.

You Need Less Than 3 Hours to Enjoy 13

 It's a political year so why not a movie that makes us remember a big political issue. 13 Hours does just that. We shouldn't need a reminder of how dangerous the world is, but 13 Hours gives us a first hand account. In a nutshell the plot is straight forward and has been national news.

  Six members of the Annex Security Team defend the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, from an attack by Islamic militants. The team is made up of ex special ops guys who all have lives outside of the military now. When American lives are threatened, they become the only thing standing between them and a foreign threat. 

 Michael Bay is the director. He is best known for big explosions and and being very military- friendly. Those are two of the biggest reasons why this film works. Bay doesn't treat it like Transformers. It's a true story and he takes care to treat it with the respect it deserves. It will remind people of Lone Survivor and that is OK. 

   John Krasinski will make you forget he was on The Office. He looks the part and fits in well. He really handles the action and delivers a stand out performance. It's intense and straight forward and doesn't take sides in the political aftermath that follow these events. It doesn't need to. It tells the story of the brave men who saved and gave their lives. That is all it needed to do. If you liked American Sniper, go see 13 Hours. 

Star Wars : The Force Awakens a Franchise

    There may not be more hype associated with any series of films more so than Star Wars. The fan base is rabid, cannon has been written since the first film hit theaters, and the characters are all household names. George Lucas reinvigorated the franchise with his prequels which were largely disliked by hardcore fans. Now J.J. Abrams is tasked with making us the force be with us again. 

30 years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire at the end of Return of The Jedi, a new threat rises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of Heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance now led by Leia Organa. The galaxy is in turmoil and one of the biggest questions looking is the location of Luke Skywalker who has all but vanished. 

 Let me start by saying all of the expanded universe cannon is tossed aside. Forget what you think you might know. The film has the feel of the original trilogy. It is filmed with more practical effects and that is a good thing. I have love for the prequels, but Lucas fell in love with all things digital. 

  The beginning of the film introduces us to the new characters. In their eyes, Han and company were just legends or fairy tales. It makes sense considering the time that has passed. Poe, Finn, and Rey all seem to mimic the original heroes in their own ways and only time will tell if they can become as loved. It is not your parent's Star Wars with a touch of your parent's Star Wars. 

 The galaxy also faces a new threat in the form of the First Order. The villains again sort of mirror their predecessors. Captain Phasma is pretty intense and the scope of the army is massive. Kylo Ren is the new evil Jedi, but to me was a let down. The story behind him is interesting. It's all relative. Literally. In comparison to Darth Vader and Darth Maul, he just falls short. I am sure he is supposed to do just that. The one thing that the prequels gave us was incredible Jedi versus Sith battles. 

 It is great to see Han Solo and Chewbacca back! It makes the movie, but also is what made me mad about the movie. I wasn't crazy where they took this. I wish we would have gotten more interaction with the original cast. I understand what they did, but I saw it differently. People will probably like the arc, but to me it was not enough of the old. We got a taste and not a meal. I can't say more without spoiling. 

 The story of Luke is set up well and it made me long for the next chapter. Make no mistake this is a great film. It has more positive than negative going for it. I just wish it were more of a continuation over reboot. J.J Abrams did well. He made me feel like a kid again and for that I thank him. The journey back to a time long ago, in a galaxy far far away, is a great trip. The force is strong with this one. 

Creed : More than a Name or Sequel

 How do you make a beloved movie character from the seventies and eighties and make him relevant again? Bring in a younger generation and put a completely different spin on it. Creed does that and more. Rocky is done with boxing and living a quiet life alone. He stays away from the sport until the son of his biggest rival and best friend begs him to train him.

 Michael B Jordan is Adonis Johnson. The illegitimate son of the legendary Apollo Creed. As an up and coming boxer, he lives in his fathers shadow and gets no respect. After deciding he cannot make it in the L.A. boxing scene, he travels to Philadelphia. He finds Rocky Balboa and asks for help. Adonis sets out to create his own legacy while helping Rocky realize that there is still fight left in him.

The boxing scenes are fantastic. The best thing they could do was get real life boxers to play the movie fighters. The fights are intense and Jordan got in great shape. It holds on to a lot of the magic that the original Rocky had. I cannot say it is as emotional, but it certainly tries. Rocky is pretty much where we left him and the arc of the character feels right. Stallone still makes you love the character, even in his seventies. He is also smart enough to leave the boxing to the next generation.

 The film does have a few plot holes, but not enough to make you dislike it. Apollo died in 1984 so Adonis would be a little past his prime, but it still works. Rocky's son is no where to be found and the sickness element plays too quickly. Creed is not Rocky 7. It is a step in a different direction and it works. It reminds us that life isn't about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Creed is a new legacy that I hope we see continue.

The Martian : Bringing Home a Great Movie!

 It's rare that movie that isn't super hero or controversy based gets a lot of buzz. It is even more rare when it doesn't come in the summer or the holiday movie season. This week The Martian hits theaters. Based off a book and starring Matt Damon it hopes to give viewers a whole new look at the mysterious red planet and a whole different idea about being stranded.

When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney (Matt Damon), presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of supplies, the stranded visitor must science his way to survival on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of NASA and the brightest minds on the planet work tirelessly to bring him home, while his crew mates hatch their own plan for a daring rescue.

  The majority of the movie is Matt Damon on Mars. He has to grow crops on a planet without water or oxygen. We become engrossed in his struggle. Mars is four years away from the next launch mission and he doesn't even have enough food for one. The science of his stay is cool, but the movie paints an incredible picture of how hard it is to communicate. The shots of Mars look amazing and Damon does a great job of keeping the audience entertained by himself. 

  

   The supporting cast is strong. Jeff Daniels is great as the head of N.A.S.A. and after the Newsroom, is believable in the role. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michale Pena are also really good in their respective roles.  It's a beautiful film and is definitely one to see on the big screen. I could really only find two real issues. I don't feel like we got a real look at how crazy the isolation would have driven Damon's character. The other problem is length. I feel like it could have been about a half hour shorter. Beyond those things, no complaints. It certainly worth the watch!