Soooo... Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi came out recently. I don’t know if anyone heard about it. It’s kind of a low key thing. Anyways, I went and saw it last night. As soon as those tickets went on sale a couple months back, I bought up a handful of them. I went with a couple of my roommates and my brother and we had a blast!
But how was the movie itself?
A difficult question. I’ll start by saying that I really enjoyed it overall. It had some really high moments, but then it definitely had some weak spots. I couldn’t say if it was better or worse than The Force Awakens. I think it definitely had stronger moments than that moviewhich made it significantly more awesome, but because of its weaker moments, it brought it down a little.
I’ll start with the good:
I was super into it for the most part and it had me actually applauding and fist pumping at parts. I mean YUUUUUUSSSSSS! It was like everything you were waiting for, those moments were that good.
All my favorite moments had to do with the Force, the Jedi, and Luke Skywalker. Man, it was like the guy never left. Mark Hamill flawlessly jumped right back into that role, with the same dramatic attitude and mannerisms, while still showing how age and experience can change a person. His character is just... it cannot be put into words how awesome he was in this movie.
All the scenes involving a lightsaber were so freakin’ amaze-balls! I was so enthralled by all of them. The choreography of them, the emotion behind them, those subtle little moments, just YES!!! Holy moly!
Two characters that surprised me with their likability/interestingness: General Hux and BB-8. Now, BB-8 has always been cute and awesome, but this movie really kicked it up a notch to the point of suspending your disbelief (but I didn’t care. He’s great!) and he really saved all the scenes he was in with the subplot that he was involved in. As for General Hux, he didn’t have a ton of screen time in the last film and his role was pretty standard and cliche, but in this movie, he fascinated me. It’s not that he was turned into this major complex character or anything, I think it was just that his actor was given more to work with and I was impressed.
Then, obviously, it was an all around gorgeous film. The sets, the colors, the costumes, the cinematography, EVERYTHING! It was fantastic!
As for Kylo Ren; I wouldn’t classify his story as good or bad, just interesting. This movie definitely delves deeper into his past and his relationships with other characters. I haven’t decided how I feel about some things about him yet.
Now, for the bad:
The subplot involving Finn and Poe was very contrived and literally led nowhere. I was unimpressed with the whole thing. It was trying too hard to be interesting and exciting and then had a disappointing payoff. It was like the writers didn’t know what to do with Finn while they were focusing on the other characters, so they decided to stick him on this random pointless mission and it was kind of an insult to his character. It’s not to say that there weren’t some interesting parts during the whole thing, but I think that overall, there could have been something better.
Then the repeats of previous films. The biggest criticism of The Force Awakens was that it was too similar to A New Hope. I boldly defended it saying that it was trying to prove to fans after the disaster of the prequels that they could make a Star Wars film and make it right by calling back to the films that fans liked. I said that the next film would probably stray away from copying the older films’ plots. However... after seeing The Last Jedi, I can’t exactly say that I was proven right. I don’t think that it was as bad as The Force Awakens in copying and pasting the plot from previous movies, but I feel like sometimes it felt a little too familiar to not just The Empire Strikes Back, but also Return of the Jedi. It wasn’t completely awful, it was just something I noticed and think that the writers should try to stray away from a little more.
In its defense though, it did take a very different route than I expected, because I was expecting it to completely follow those previous movies, but it did make an original move.
The last thing was that sometimes it was just sort of confusing and almost felt disorganized. And (I feel almost dirty making this comparison), but it was that kind of confusion and frustration I felt when watching Batman v. Superman. Now, before people get up in arms about that, let me just say, it only happened a couple times. There are two moments in particular that stand out to me where I was like “what the actual heck?” and then there were just other parts throughout the movie where it just felt a little random (mostly with the subplot involving Poe and Finn).
So, I think (at least for now before I see it again), I’ll give this movie an 8/10.
I have a confession to make: It’s a rather unpopular opinion... Superman is one of my favorite superheroes. There. I finally said it. Now, I understand all the criticism that he gets; he’s too god-like, he has a lame weakness, he’s not relatable, he’s too indestructible, he’s too much of a do-gooder, and all that jazz. However, despite all that, I still find him endearing and awesome.
I think it’s a trend with me to be drawn to the handsome patriotic boy scout who is out of place/time with strong morals and a can-do attitude. I’ve always been Team Captain America on the Marvel side of things. It’s not that I dislike Batman or Iron Man (the mysterious orphaned bad boy billionaires with no superpowers, but lots of cool gadgets), it’s just that I’m drawn more to the other side. Superman and Captain America follow their hearts a little more than their heads, they do what they think is morally right, while Batman and Iron Man do what they think is logical, they follow their heads. While I am a very logical person, I am also very sympathetic, so I lean more towards the first.
This is why I like Superman so much and find him so intriguing. He IS very god-like, coming from another planet with seemingly endless powers and strength, but he was still raised on earth and has very human emotions.
There’s also just so much about the Superman lore that I find so intriguing and fascinating. His origin story is iconic and well as his look, all the characters are memorable, his relationships with others are interesting, and so on. Obviously I am not the only one who thinks this since the character has endured through the decades.
Now with something so iconic and enduring comes adaptions ;D
Oh yes, of course I was going to do this. I’ve done it in the past with other iconic things (Check out my SNOW WHITE post, ROBIN HOOD post, and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE post). I’m going to pick out my favorite picks for some of the Superman icons from the adaptions I’ve seen. (Side note: I will be focusing on the live action versions, not animated.) Unfortunately, Superman Returns never made it anywhere onto this list. But yes, I have seen it. It was just not good enough to make it in any category. Ha!
Let’s start with the obvious one:
SUPERMAN- Henry Cavill (DC cinematic universe, 2013-present)
This was an extremely tough choice because pretty much all the Supermans I’ve watched have been at least good if not great in their performances. However, in the end I went with Cavill largely because not only does he play the part well, but he looks exactly like Superman. Too much so, that his Clark Kent is awful that it boggles my mind that people don’t realize it’s him. Maybe if he acted like a different person when he was CK, it wouldn’t bother me so much, but he doesn’t. He acts exactly like Superman, just with a pair of glasses on. Come on, man! BUT, mega props to his Superman, there’s a good balance between confidence and vulnerability which I think is important for the hero. People have complained that he is too emotional, but I believe that it makes him more relatable. He's all business and "Imma save the world. Try and stop me."
CLARK KENT- Christopher Reeve (Superman movie franchise 1978-1987)
Yes, I’m separating Superman’s alter-ego from his counterpart because they are almost always completely different entities. What I have appreciated about some adaptions is that Clark Kent is an extension of Superman and that they aren’t totally different people, which is why I almost went with the TV show Lois and Clark’s Clark Kent. However, in the end, I just had to go with Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of the character. It is just SO GOOD! He plays that bumbling, stuttering, incompetent idiot so perfectly. Like, no one would possibly suspect him of being Superman, even though he is same build and coloring as the hero. His behavior literally makes him look and sound completely different. Even though I know it’s him, it’s hard for me to see it.
Side note: Something people may not have noticed about many adaptions, but Clark Kent and Superman’s hairstyles are often reversed (for example in this adaption, Superman’s hair is parted to the right and is a little ruffled with the curl on his forehead, while Clark Kent’s is parted in the opposite direction and is slicked to his head).
LOIS LANE- Erica Durance (Smallville- 2001-2011)
Superman is just not complete without Lois Lane, the intrepid reporter who documents all his saves, as well as serving as his love interest/coworker. In the early stages, Lois was just like any other love interest to a superhero: an object to be saved, a damsel in distress. However, as time has gone on, she’s grown more of a personality, becoming more of an equal for Superman, perhaps not physically, but emotionally, verbally, and personally.
What I really like about Smallville’s Lois Lane is how much of a firecracker she is. While she does need saving every once in a while, she does know how to handle herself. She is snarky and guarded, but also really funny and charming. She is always seeking the truth and knows how to get it, going to great lengths in order to find it, which is what makes her a great reporter. And her personality doesn't get annoying or repetitive like some of the other Lois Lanes; she is always quick, funny, and fresh.
LEX LUTHOR- John Shea (Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman 1993-1997)
The hero is only as good as his villain. I’ll admit, I sort of had a tough time with this one, mostly because I haven’t seen a Lex Luthor that I absolutely loved. I was sort of leaning towards Smallville’s, but once he actually became evil, his character was ruined. It was only while he was wavering and you weren’t sure if he was good or bad was he interesting. In the end I went with Lois and Clark’s because he was interestingly conniving. He was always behind the scenes, basically twiddling his fingers and chuckling evilly and no one knew what he was really up to. People would often suspect, but could never prove it. His deviousness impressed me.
GENERAL ZOD- Terence Stamp (Superman II- 1980)
Speaking of villains, Superman’s other major foe deserves recognition. Definitely Terence Stamp is the winner because 1) he’s Terence Stamp, and 2) it’s just an iconic performance. I love how cool, collected, and strangely sophisticated he makes the character. It’s a little unsettling. It shows that you don’t have to be completely crazy and out there in order to be a good villain.
JOR-EL- Marlon Brando (Superman movie franchise 1978-1987)
When you think of Superman, you think of his home planet, Krypton. And with that comes his dead father’s consciousness, Jor-El, who constantly guides him through his trials. I did actually really like Russell Crowe’s portrayal in Man of Steel (sue me) because it radiates a kind of fatherly wisdom and compassion. However, there’s something about Marlon Brando’s performance that sort of captures a mystical and other-worldly aura with just a hint of fatherly compassion behind it. Of course Jor-El can’t have pure emotion because it’s not really him, it’s only his consciousness and memories stored away years after his death; so it’s sort of a robotic copy (that was something I appreciated about Smallville’s portrayal of him, he was so cold and severe because all emotion had been erased out of his memories.) Therefore, I chose Brando over Crowe because it was a good balance between coldness and caring.
THE KENTS- Annette O'Toole and John Schneider (Smallville- 2001-2011)
While on the subject of parents, Clark was raised by humans on earth who had an enormous impact on who he grew up to be. Most adaptions either make them out to be the cliche supportive/doting parents, or almost completely gloss over them, (Or in Man of Steel’s case, tried to suppress him? I’m still confused about what his dad was trying to do). These people raised a god among men and they get no recognition? However, Smallville had time to explore Clark Kent’s background and adolescent years. It still easily could have pushed his parents into the background, turning them into the typical doting parents who are only there for advice or whatever, but the show actually made them very complex. They weren’t scared of their son, but worried about him. They were protective of him, but encouraged him to use his powers for good. They helped him find his limits and know right from wrong. I loved their portrayals.
PERRY WHITE- Lane Smith (Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman- 1993-1997)
The Daily Planet needs an editor and chief and who better than Perry White? Now, I don’t think anyone can beat out J. Jonah Jameson in my book as my favorite head of a newspaper in comic books, but Perry White is pretty good. For the most part, he’s nothing too special; just in charge of sending Lois Lane and Clark Kent on assignments, he’s very interested in Superman and (unlike J. Jonah Jameson with Spider-Man), he actually supports Superman for the most part. However, he also seeks the truth and will print it no matter what.
What I like about this portrayal is that he brings humor and personality to the character. He’s not straight up business and seriousness. I also think his Elvis Presley obsession is hilarious.
JIMMY OLSEN- Aaron Ashmore (Smallville 2001-2011)
Last of the major characters: the photographer at the Daily Planet. I found this portrayal to be endearing because of how innocent and bright-eyed he was. He always trailed around with Clark and the other reporters, hoping for a scoop, but always misinterpreted everything.
Now for a few other things...
FIRST FLIGHT- Man of Steel (2013)
I think the two things Superman is most associated with is super strength and flying (maybe invulnerability as well). Most adaptions of the story show him flying for the first time and it’s always a very big moment, but I’ve decided that Man of Steel portrays it the best. I love how he starts “testing his limits” by jumping higher and higher until he thinks he has it, then suddenly crashes. Finally, he musters up all his strength and energy and finally takes off as the music builds, then he just keeps going and going. I also love how the movie portrays his flying in general; it makes him look like a rocket in flight instead of like a person floating through the air like pervious adaptions.
ORIGINS/BACKSTORY- Smallville (2001-2011)
Well, this was a show dedicated to Superman’s backstory so it would’ve been kind of sad if it didn’t get top spot. What I actually really like about it is that it has baby Superman arrive on earth in a meteor shower (debris from the destroyed Krypton) which explains why there’s Kryptonite on earth in the first place, and it also covers his spaceship’s entrance into the atmosphere. I love all the little details the show includes about Krypton, how the Fortress of Solitude came about, Clark’s relationship with different characters, the developing of his powers, etc.
ROMANCE- Smallville (2001-2011)
Something else that really draws me to the Superman lore is the intriguing love triangle between Clark/Lois/Superman because it’s not just any ordinary love triangle because Clark and Superman are the same person. The relationship between Lois and Clark is always different between adaptions; sometimes they’re friends, sometimes there’s romantic tension, sometimes she knows who he is, sometimes they’re married, etc. But always, she is in love with Superman and he is almost always in love with her no matter who he is.
I chose Smallville because their relationship changes over time and morphs into the ultimate Superman/Lois destiny. They start out as rivals, then they become friends, then co-workers, then partners, then lovers, then she finds out who he is and not only keeps his secret, but helps him through his journey. She also develops a relationship with his alter-ego early on that mirrors her future relationship with Superman-- that special bond. I just thought it was all very well done.
I went and saw Pixar’s new movie Coco the other day. I’ll admit, I had no expectations for it since I didn’t really know what it was about. The trailers weren’t very informative, from what I could gather, there was this boy who wanted to play guitar and idolized a famous singer, then he found the singer’s guitar and when he played it, he suddenly could see the dead? IDK, I was confused.
BUT, it was a Pixar movie and Pixar always puts out good movies (besides some of their sequels). Therefore, I had to see it.
So how was it?
So FLIPPIN’ GOOD!!! Holy cow! From start to finish it was an all around solid movie in every aspect. The visuals, the acting, the songs, the story, the characters, the morals, everything was amazing!
Just to clarify the plot for those who don’t know: It’s about a Hispanic boy, Miguel, who lives under a family ban of music. He enters the Land of the Dead on Dios de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) in an effort to find his great-great-grandfather who was a famous musician.
The plot is what really intrigued me. It had so much emotion, twists and turns, not too much melodrama, and was all around fun. I also loved the morals: It turns the cliche “reach for your dreams” into a more important “reach for your dreams, but don’t sacrifice relationships and people you live along the way.” It reminds you that a family’s love shouldn’t be conditional and that they should always support you. I was crying by the end, just saying. Not tearing up, actually crying. So many feels! This film was so rich with love and care. I loved all the emphasis on family, especially since it's very important in the Mexican culture.
I loved all the characters. His grandma was funny (but also kind of scary). I loved his great-great-grandma Imelda and how sassy she was. The guy he travel with through the Land of the Dead, Hector, was hilarious and full of heart. Miguel was amazing. They were just all great!
The songs were very catchy; with that Hispanic flare. Very nice! They were written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the people who wrote the Frozen songs.
And it was a completely gorgeous movie. The Land of the Dead was stunning! All the colors and designs were breath-taking!
I have a great appreciation for music. That is to say, it has the ability to speak to my soul like it’s supposed to. So when I listen to a happy song, I feel happy, when I listen to a sad song, I feel sad, and so on. It’s more than just “oh that’s a nice song,” I mean I really feel it. Whenever I watch movies, I appreciate the effect the music has on certain moods. Every movie has music in it, and most movies have a main theme that repeats throughout.
I have selected some of my favorite themes here. My top eleven just because I couldn’t narrow it down to anymore than that. I’ve chosen them based on how much emotion they manage to get out of me purely through music (and not the subject content), whether or not I can actually sit through the entire thing without getting bored or if there’s just one part I enjoy, how much I can re-listen to them like any song on the radio with words, and just how freakin’ awesome they are.
Here we go, my top 11 in order:
11)“Halloween Theme”- John Carpenter (Halloween 1979)
There’s something just so creepy and eerie about this theme song. I’ve never seen any of the Halloween movies, but this is one of the most encapsulating horror themes I’ve ever heard. The eerie, repetitive piano notes, the ominous strings in the background. I wouldn’t listen to this while walking alone. It’s at the bottom of the list because it does get old after a while. It is just the same thing over and over again.
10) “Back to the Future Main Theme”- Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future trilogy 1985-90)
Tell me you don’t get excited when you hear this? I love the way it builds up. It’s not anything super epic and extraordinary, but it’s still full of fun and adventure. It gets you in the mood to go time traveling, right? ;)
9) “The Raiders March/Indiana Jones Theme”- John Williams (Indiana Jones franchise 1981-2008)
Speaking of fun and adventure, here’s the ultimate theme song right here. If you ever want to feel like a total adventurer while doing something, just play this in the background and you’ll feel so much more epic.
8) “Theme from Jaws”- John Williams (Jaws franchise 1975-87)
Those two notes though. That’s all it takes to freak people out. Unlike with the Halloween theme, the repetition of the same notes over and over again in this case doesn’t get boring. I can listen to the entire thing and not get bored. John Williams is the master of capturing the mood and essence of the movie he is scoring. Even if you have never seen Jaws, you can just picture the shark creeping up on you attacking, right? It’s so suspenseful.
7) “Hedwig’s Theme”- John Williams (Harry Potter franchise 2001-11)
I tried not to let my personal nostalgia get in the way here, but this theme song is so great! Just listen to the entire thing and tell me you don’t picture a world full of wonder and magic. All the different little themes intertwined into one song give you different feelings of the world you’re supposed to be entering. Amazing!
6) “The Batman Theme”- Danny Elfman (Batman franchise 1989-97, Batman the Animated Series 1992-95)
It’s just an epic theme song. It’s dark and brooding, but also action-packed with a little bit of mournful romantic themes. That is Batman. I can listen to it over and over.
5) “Theme from Jurassic Park”- John Williams (Jurassic Park franchise 1993-2015)
Now we’re getting to the theme songs that get stuck in my head on a regular basis. This theme is so full of wonder. It’s so epic and yet so beautiful. It totally fits with the idea of visiting an island with dinosaurs.
4) “Psycho Main Theme/The Murder”- Bernard Hermann (Psycho 1960)
This is one intense theme. Something interesting about the entire score of the movie is that it is entirely composed of strings; no percussion, to horns, nothing. I think the strings make it that much more intense. I love the main part of the theme and how unnerving it it, but the actual murder part with just the repetitive violins is also very inspired. It creeps under your skin
3) “He’s a Pirate”- Klaus Badelt (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise 2003-17)
This theme song has a similar effect on me as the Indiana Jones one except on a greater level. I want to go swinging from rope, jump over cliffs, swim across oceans, sword fighting with pirates, or whatever just as long as this music is playing behind me. Plus, I can listen to the entire thing on repeat and never tire of it.
2) “Main Title”- John Williams (Star Wars franchise 1978-?)
Okay, my inner Star Wars fan really wanted me to put this as number one just because it was Star Wars, but I had to be unbiased about subject matter and put it second because the first one... well, I explain later. The thing about this theme is that the one moment that is REALLY gets you excited is at the beginning during the credits scroll and there there are tiny glimpses of it throughout the film. It’s super similar to my number one, but I put this one as number two because it’s not quite on number one level, but still good. I love how just plain epic this theme is. It’s just laying out this grand, amazing tale you’re about to behold for you (which is why it plays over the opening scrawl). It’s such a great way to get the audience super pumped just through music.
1) “Superman Main Theme”- John Williams (Superman franchise 1978-87 and others)
So THIS beat out Star Wars because the two themes are remarkably similar (really, try singing one and then switching over to the other. It’s super hard.) However, I chose this theme as number one because of how well it captures its subject matter. It’s fun, it’s campy, it’s epic, it’s heroic, it’s romantic, it’s gentle, it’s out of this world, and it’s just super! Even years later after those movies came out, the song is still associated with Superman. Almost every adaption of Superman that has come out since then has incorporated the theme somehow. If a composer can manage to encapsulate such a beloved and epic character simply through music, that is an accomplishment. Plus, I can listen to this song as part of my regular music on repeat, it’s that good.
I saw Justice League yesterday. I’ll admit, I’ve been trepidatious towards this movie ever since it was announced. DC has had a history of putting out some less-than-stellar movies (*cough Batman v. Superman *cough* Suicide Squad *cough cough*). However, I never completely wrote it off even as the trailers came out. I withheld judgement until I saw it myself. Then, after Wonder Woman came out, my hope for the future of DC movies began to be rekindled. I thought her story, her character, and everything was handled well and I thought if DC continues down this road, perhaps they could recover from their unfortunate streak.
They needed to stop trying so hard to be like Marvel and accept that they were different; embrace their own styles and characters. They could have their own cinematic universe if they wanted, but they had to stop trying to “catch up” and take it slow. I could see from their past movies that they were trying to stuff so much into their films in an effort to make them epic and awesome. The mistake that they were making is that a lot of “stuff” isn’t what makes a movie awesome; at the core of it all, it’s well written characters and a compelling story that’s easy to follow. Of course there’s other things too like good performances, interesting action, cinematography, etc, but usually everything falls apart without a good story and interesting characters that you care about.
This has been DC’s major problem lately. They’ve been focusing too much on cramming what they believe is “cool” and “interesting” into their movies in an effort to make it “epic” when in then end, it isn’t. It’s like looking at a super flashy show with fireworks, people swinging from the ceiling, dancers prancing and flipping around on the floor, a choir in the background singing their hearts out, and a lion tamer in the corner. It’s all very grand, but it’s very hard to focus on and in the end, you’re left confused and after the exhilaration of what you saw wears off, you sort of forget about it.
Wonder Woman was the first step to getting out of the rut DC had dug itself into. It had an interesting story that was easy to follow, an extremely interesting and awesome main character as well as likable supporting characters. We cared about what these characters were going through and actually wanted them to win not just because they were the main characters and we were forced to care because there was nothing else to care about, but because we genuinely felt their struggle. Finally, I had hope for DC.
Thus I come to my review of Justice League. Did it reach the bar that Wonder Woman had set? Well... no. BUT, it was definitely one of the better DC movies put out in a long time. Certainly better than Batman v. Superman.
I can tell that they’re starting to learn from their past mistakes. They’re still far from perfect, but they’re starting to make changes and learning how to balance things out.
Let me be specific: In past movies with ensemble casts, DC has had an issue with balancing out screen time and giving focus on the right things. In this movie, each of the characters all got a pretty even amount of screen time with focus on their proper character traits, backstories, etc. Characters we were already introduced to were further developed while new characters were properly introduced without rushing their backstories and characters. There wasn’t a ton of clunky exposition (just a little) and hardly any boring dialogue.
The characters were by far the best part of the movie. They were actually very well written. It acknowledged a lot of the goofiness of some of the character traits while still making them cool. They all had pretty good chemistry with each other. It was a step away from the cliche of “not liking each other, but learning to work as a team.” They all just sort of clicked right away. So it immediately jumped right into the coolness without forcing its way through bullcrap when we know they'll get along eventually.
The story was shockingly simple and very easy to follow. A major contrast to other DC movies. While the villain was very cliched and forgettable, I have to acknowledge that the focus was more on the heroes and their banding together. I liked how the villain and his plan actually connected the heroes and their worlds all together actually forcing them to work together instead of them just being like “yeah, this looks bad. Guess we could team up.”
There was quite a bit of comedy and quipping. A lot of it worked, but there were some forced/"trying too hard" moments. Like I said, they’re still learning. But I appreciated the effort. A lot of the other DC films I feel like took themselves too seriously. Something I do appreciate about DC is their darker tone, more-so than Marvel-- which is lighter and campier. But some lighthearted moments aren’t a crime because life is full of comedy and it shows that these characters are human (or close to it).
There were some pretty weak/awkward scenes in typical DC fashion though, so like I keep saying, they’re still learning. However, there were some pretty epic/awesome scenes as well. (I’m sorry if this is a SPOILER, but honestly, who didn’t see it coming? Look at the poster!) One of my favorite moments is when Superman returns. I won’t go into detail, but it is just so freakin’ amazing! There’s so many (excuse my French) badass moments, comedic moments, and is just all around awesome! Plus it was nice enough to throw in the original Superman theme which was great.
I have to say though, Superman’s character has vastly improved. Like I said above, the characters in this film were very well written. In the past, Superman has been just kind of a mopey martyr figure. This time, he’s much more of a (excuse again) badass with a great sense of humor.
Now, the CGI was... meh. Like everything else in this movie there were moments where it was really great and there there moments where it was just plain awful. I feel like the CGI wasn’t overused like it often is in DC, at least until the very end when pretty much everything was CGI.
I think that’s pretty much everything I wanted to address in this film. It was good enough that I have hopes for the future of DC. I hope they continue to improve and learn. I’ll give this movie a 6/10.
I am finally getting around to writing my review of the movie I saw on Saturday: Murder on the Orient Express.
Before I went and saw the film, I read the book in anticipation of it. I thought it was a rare thing that I actually had very little idea of what it was about for such a famous story. I took advantage of that and decided to find out “whodunit” through Agatha Christie’s writing since 99.99% of the time, the book is better than the movie.
I have to say, my assertion was correct in this case, the book was better than the movie since I really enjoyed reading about all the meticulous and seemingly insignificant details and connections that lead to the discovery of the murderer. There was a lot left out in the movie, but I think that it did a very decent job of including as much as possible. Also, the struggle with cinema is that it is difficult to convey inner thoughts without a narrator or having the characters actually speak them out loud.
With that said, however, I still think that the movie did the story justice. It changed a few things up, I couldn’t really say if those changes were for the worse or the better. For example, Hercule Poirot, the detective. Hs personality and persona were altered, which may have upset the purist fans of Christie’s books. He was not the “odd little man” described in the books, but more of a daring, almost dashing gentleman. He was a little strange and had his quirks, but he was definitely altered. (He had the outrageous mustache that he prides himself on thoug, so people could not complain about that.) One could argue that he sort of fit the tone of the movie which was more dramatic than the original novel.
I did notice that a couple things they added sometimes made some of the suspects seem either more guilty or less guilty which took away from the point of the book; because what was frustrating to the investigators was that everybody seemed equally not guilty. I guess having suspicion on one or people is more dramatic in the eyes of some people, but to m., I thought that it was very frustrating to not be able to point a finger at anybody.
On the subject of the overall tone, it was very dramatic. Not that the novel wasn’t dramatic, but I mean to say that certain things were added, characters were altered, situations were changed up in order to change the tension. There were even some action scenes (nothing outrageous or over the top, but still). I believe all these things are to appeal to modern audiences. While I personally am enthralled with simple mystery stories with a lot of thinking and dialogue, some people grow bored with people sitting around and talking about what they saw and heard, no matter how interesting their characters are.
Thus, I am lead into the characters. I was a little disappointed in that department. In the book, the characters all have very distinct personalities with memorable traits, quirks, features, etc. Poirot latches onto each of them and questions them according to their personalities. Their “psychology” is very important to him. In this film however, they’re all sort of bland. Even Mrs. Hubbard who was such a funny and interesting character in the book was toned down. It’s such a shame because they all play such an important role in figuring out who did it. It wasn’t that they weren’t well acted, it’s just that they weren’t as well written as they could’ve been. I was impressed with the star-studded cast though.
I’d say that only Poirot himself was the most interesting. Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job at his interpretation of the observant, ponderous little detective.
The sets, atmosphere, costumes, cinematography, etc. were stunning! One of the prettiest films I’ve seen this year I’d say. The train as it traveled through the mountains was a sight to behold. It really made you want to go for a ride on a train... until someone is murdered that is.
Overall, even though I knew who did it, I still really enjoyed watching it all play out. It was even more fun sitting around people who had no idea what would happen and seeing the shock on their faces and hearing the gasps. Agatha Christie is a master! I highly recommend her books!
Alright, so I went and saw a few different movies over these past months, but I never got around to reviewing them, so I’m just going to smush them all into one post here. Back in September I saw It, last Saturday I saw Thor: Ragnarok, and on Monday I saw Happy Death Day.
To start off... It (2017)
PLOT: After a young boy disappears, seven outcast kids band together to discover the cause: a shape-shifting monster that lives in the sewers feeding off people's fears and preying on children. People can get all judge-y as much as they want that I went and saw an uncensored rated R film, but I’m not going to defend myself against the haters. I have a deep fascination with film art and that’s what I went to go see this film for, not to get my jollies on being rebellious and watching “evil” things.
Anyways, to be honest, I’m pretty sure the movie was rated R for language and not for violence/gore/scary imagery. Those characters were major potty mouths, but TBH, I’ve heard worse things just on YouTube videos. The violence/gore/scary imagery was more of a PG-13 level, so if it had cut down on the language, I think it would’ve been PG-13. So, if language offends you, I wouldn’t recommend this movie to you. If not, I’d say it’s worth a watch.
I’m not typically into scary movies, mostly because the majority of them are “slashers” where the point of the film is to be graphic and gory and the main focus isn’t on the story and characters; the point is to be gross and scary. Sometimes even the lame horror films aren’t even scary, they rely on jump scares and are just gross. There’s actually a lot that goes into being truly scary.
This film was pretty legit though, I was impressed. The characters were interesting and well written, and I was very involved with the plot. The child actors were all extremely talented (it has one of the kids from Stranger Things, if that tells you anything). It had an interesting monster and legitimately scary scenes that didn’t just rely on jump scares (though there were a couple). The script was actually very funny and clever and kept me entertained the whole way through. The effects and music only added to the experience. If you’re into 80’s nostalgia, this movie is full of it. Like a lot of movies, there were a couple of awkward moments, but not so much so to weaken the movie.
In the end, I think I’d give this movie an 8/10.
Next... Thor: Ragnarok
PLOT: Thor finds himself imprisoned on the opposite side of the galaxy from his home of Asgard while his sister, Hela, the goddess of Death wrecks havoc. He must battle in a deadly gladiator-like contest against the Hulk in order to gain his freedom and return to Asgard before it is too late.
I’ve been looking forward to this film for ages. It did not disappoint. I was pretty surprised by how comedic it was. My brother and I were talking about how it was less of an action/fantasy/adventure and more of a comedy/fantasy/adventure.
If I had to rank everything in the movie from the highest to the lowest it would be special effects, comedy, costumes/makeup, acting, and then action sequences.
The visual effects were off the charts. It was a stunning film! Even just still scenes, the “filter” effects gave the screen such a nice glow. The costumes and the sets only added to the tone. I’ve decided while Thor’s long hair is iconic and I do like it, I can get along just fine with his short hair. (And I have to say that Stan Lee’s cameo in this movie is now one of my favorite cameos; definitely up there with the one in The Amazing Spiderman.)
I mentioned before that there was a lot of comedy. I can’t think of very many moments where I wasn’t at least chuckling. I think Marvel is taking advantage of how funny Chris Hemsworth is, that he’s more than just a piece of man-cake. Of course, there was a down-side, there weren’t as many (excuse my French) badass moments as I would’ve liked to see. There were one or two, but where there should’ve been more, they opted out for a joke instead. And while those jokes did make me laugh, I would have liked to see those characters be a total boss too because those moments just get you so pumped! I was getting a really strong Guardians of the Galaxy vibe throughout the film.
As for the action scenes... I wasn’t all that impressed. There was just a lot of smashing and punching and destruction, but not even in an interesting way. I mean, I was pretty bored during Thor’s fight with the Hulk in the arena. It had a lot of potential to be totally cool and fun, but instead it was just kind of meh. And I get it, with Hulk there is a lot of mindless smashing and punching, but it can still be interesting. Like in Avengers: Age of Ultron when Iron Man faces off with the Hulk in his Hulk-buster armor, that was an awesome scene! But alas, this movie had very little to offer in the action department which is why I’ve dubbed it a comedy/fantasy/adventure movie.
As is typical of Thor movies, there is a lot of fantasy, mystical mumbo-jumbo, but it’s not difficult to follow and it’s not that ridiculous. The main focus is on Thor and the Hulk really.
To be honest, this is one of the weaker Marvel movies, but by no means bad. I’ll give it a 7/10.
Lastly... Happy Death Day
PLOT: A self-centered sorority girl, Tree, wakes up on her birthday in the dorm room of a fellow student, Carter. As she goes about her day, she is suddenly and brutally murdered by a mysterious killer in a mask. She wakes up in Carter's room again unharmed. Now, Tree must relive the same day over and over until she figures out who murdered her. I am always intrigued by a good mystery story and this looked like this could be one. And... meh, it sort of was. I mean, I sort of figured out who her killer was, but then it threw me off. I felt like it was trying too hard to be original and then in the end it wasn’t all that special. It was like Groundhog Day with a murder mystery thrown in.
There were a few problems I had with it: 1) When she first figured out who her killer was, I was actually impressed at how original it was because of how random it was and so few horror/mystery stories go that route, but then it was just a red herring and it went the traditional route. So... I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that. 2) Like in Groundhog Day, she decides to better her life in the process of her repeating day, but then (maybe spoilers), on the one good day, it repeats again and everything is forgotten. I was just really bummed out about that. But then it never let us know if she did everything again and fixed it once the time loop was eventually broken. WHAT HAPPENED!? 3) Pretty much all the scares were jump scares and I was ready for them.
It wasn’t completely awful though. The acting was pretty good. The killer was pretty terrifying. I liked that she died every day no matter what she did, no matter where she went, the killer always found her, it made it pretty scary. It was pretty good at building tension even if a lot of it was paid off with jump scares. There were two scenes in particular that stood out to me that I can’t really discuss without spoiling the movie, but one took place in the hospital towards the end and another took place in a parking garage.
