Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Movie Review

Say what you want, this time you can't blame it on Ben Afleck. I thought he was both a quality Bruce Wayne and Batman. In fact, this Batman was probably one of my favorites. I loved how brutal he was. I've always thought that Batman has translated onto the big screen as a big softy, at least until Christian Bale came onto the scene, that is. Afleck's bat did a thorough job of kicking butt and taking names with some help from a pretty cool batmobile. 

There's one more pro that stands out: Without spoiling anything, there is a major explosion that happens at a certain point in the movie. As the fire is dancing around Superman, you can see the hurt and pain all over his face. It was a beautiful, memorable scene. A rose in a concrete jungle.

Put the kiddies to bed. It's about to get ugly.

Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice was like losing my virginity. You go in expecting something amazing, but what you actually get is a confusing, forced mess. When it was over, I was left asking myself: What the hell just happened?

Blame it on the confusing dream sequences that start when the credits open and hit you sporadically throughout the course of the movie. And just when you think you've had enough, Zack Snyder hits you with a dream within a dream. It almost felt like the main characters spent more time asleep than awake.

Blame it on the awful script that left you shaking your head. I almost felt bad for the actors/actresses throughout the course of the movie as they were doing the best with what they were given. The dialogue is corny at times and painful at others. It does little to advance the story at all. I don't know what's worse, the script or the schizophrenic directions this movie manages to go in.

Blame it on improbabilities, some of which you will have to see for yourself. One that does stick out that I can mention: How is it that Lois Lane somehow manages to find a way to end up where the superheroes are battling all the time? Last time I checked, she doesn't have a batwing or super flight speed. No, all she has is some kind of strange telepathy that allows her to know everything that's going on even when she wasn't there to begin with and apparently the most fearless taxi driver in the world.

Blame it on a Lex Luthor and a Wonder Woman that I just wasn't impressed by. Blame it on a lackluster ending that offers no payoff for all the slower spots the audience had to sit through. Blame it on the overly-used gloom-and-doom atmosphere that was so suffocating, it almost made me wish I was in Seattle getting rained on everyday. Blame it on trying to keep up with the Marvelses by introducing sixty different characters in two and a half hours. And blame it on the fact that, when those two and a half hours were up, I was no more connected to said characters than when the movie started.

But, whatever you do, don't blame Ben Afleck. It's not his fault. Not this time. This movie was bad all by itself. It's a crime on cinema with its largest heist being that it's going to steal your money regardless of how bad it is. DC is heading down a dark path that I fear it might already be too late to bounce back from. I give this film--and I say "this film" because I refuse to type that long, ridiculous title more than once--a 37.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) Movie Review

10 Cloverfield Lane relies mainly on one set piece, an underground bunker, throughout the entirety of the movie. It is a challenge to keep the material fresh when there aren't many places for you to go. In that sense, it's very reminiscent of the movie Devil which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's the only gripe I have and even the one set piece isn't enough to take away from this great experience. 

It's funny that I am writing this while watching March Madness as this movie will drive you mad with curiosity. Each scene creates questions on top of questions until the very last shot. When it's over, you're still left wondering some things although most you can deduce them on your own if you take the time to think it over. You leave the film hungry for answers and a little...well mad. You know something larger is afoot and you wish you could fastforward to a possible third movie.

After Michelle's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) car gets run off the road, she awakens in an underground bunker owned by Howard (John Goodman). Howard tells her that she can't leave because of the terrible things that are happening above. Michelle remains suspicious and rightfully so. How can she trust the word of a man she's never met in her life? A man who comes off as super creepy in his own right. The entire film essentially revolves around her search for the truth.

This movie would be nothing without a great cast. Winstead plays a stellar role, one that left my wife saying, "Man, that was a badass chick!" You feel her emotion throughout, her hurt, her fears. Speaking of fear, John Goodman apparently plays an awesome weirdo. He was both stoic and frightening at the same time. John Gallagher Jr. plays Emmet, the other guy in the bunker. He provides a few doses of comic relief while helping to shed further light on what is truly happening. 

This is all I can say without giving anything special away. I will say, I think the ending is worth the wait and getting past your early confusion. I definitely recommend 10 Cloverfield Lane. I give it an 86.

Zootopia (2016) Movie Review

Zootopia is about small-town bunny Judy Hopps whose only desire in life is to make it in the big city as a police officer. In the world of Zootopia, bunnies aren't supposed to be police officers. That's a job for the predators and the larger herbivores. Judy doesn't let those stereotypes set her back. Not only does she become a cop, but she gets to prove herself by being assigned a big case that she has forty-eight hours to solve. 

Animated movies aren't just about fun and games anymore. More often than not, they are appealing to the minds of the adults that have to sit through the movie with their kids. There is something about a message shining through species that aren't human that make the message even more potent in some ways. It allows the viewer to take a step back and see the points for what they are without taking offense.

Zootopia is no exception. Among the many things to enjoy about this movie, the message itself stands apart as the most remarkable. During a time where racism is very much alive and well, this movie preaches the power of believing in yourself and overcoming the stigma of negativity. No kidding, you could literally hold a seminar on all the different messages captured in Zootopia. It left me thinking about it for days, hence the late review.

The "many things to enjoy" I referred to earlier are quite pleasing as well. Disney does an extremely good job of paying attention to detail and their talents are in full effect in Zootopia. As I watched, I thought, "Man, they really have thought of everything." Among all the details, I particularly loved Little Rodentia, a district made specifically for the smaller creatures of the city. During a fun chase scene, Judy looks like Godzilla as she is racing through the district trying to catch a bad guy.

The characters were done particularly well also. I was a huge fan of Judy's as I followed her through the highs and lows of her struggle to become a police officer then keep that job. Yes, Jason Bateman did a great job as well playing clever fox Nick Wilde. For me, Ginnifer Goodwin stole the show as Judy and gave the movie its heartbeat. The clever mix of characters will keep you laughing but also hit you with touching moments at times.

One gripe: In the beginning of the film, we are conditioned to think that the prejudice issue is against one species in particular. Then something else happens that I won't give away and another group is suddenly stereotyped. This threw me off my game a bit as it had me wondering who is against who? But I guess that the ugliness of racism, right? One race gets hated then hates on another race. It's an ugly cycle where no one is innocent. There is a saying: Hurt people hurt people. Going a step further: We act and think the way we do because of how we were taught. How can you expect to ever think differently when you were raised to hate bunnies?

These are the types of conversations created that make this movie phenomenal. I give Zootopia a hefty 98.

Triple 9 (2016) Movie Review

Triple 9 is the story of a gang of four who get caught up with the Russian mob and have to perform heists to appease them. The catch: two of the four are cops. There's one heist left and the only way they think they can pull it off is by killing a fellow cop--Code 999 in cop language. No matter who's side you're on, this movie will leave a bad taste in your mouth which is both a good thing and a bad thing. I will elaborate more in a bit. That being said, it's films like these that make me sit on my reviews for awhile. Once I can finally process what I saw and how it made me feel, I can make an informed decision.

I was surprised by the lack of action in the film as the trailers really played it up as being balls-to-the-wall. The movie relies mostly on the cast which is a good one. Anthony Mackie continues to show his range and really impressed me here playing one of the cops Marcus Belmont. He is conflicted throughout the film. Are they doing the right thing? Is this something they can even get away with? Is there a better way? You sympathize with him and you hate him at the same time. It's the same with mostly all of the characters. What you're seeing is not just, "I'm a bad guy, let me prove it to you", but rather, "I want to be good but here's why I can't be.." or "I'm a bad guy with enough redeeming qualities for you to be fond of me." The deeper you dive into the film, you know things have to shake out a certain way, but you can't decide if that's ok or not.

I will say, the action, when it does come, is quite intense and pretty cool to watch. Overall, the movie was enjoyable enough. I liked it. Just didn't quite love it. I give it a 78.

Speed Review: Hail Caesar! (2016)

The Coen Brothers seem to have a knack for subtle humor. While I certainly appreciate all types of humor, it takes that subtle humor a little bit longer for me to process. Days after viewing Hail, Caesar!, I finally came to the conclusion that the movie was actually pretty well done overall. 

Sometime in the 1950's, movie star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) has been kidnapped right off of a movie set. It's up to Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), one of the studio heads, to figure out what happened and find a way to get Whitlock back. What ensues is a number of funny events that drives the film to its somewhat unexpected conclusion.

The cast is incredible and really drive the film. Reporter twins Thora and Thessaly (Tilda Swinton) are my personal favorite. Between the strong cast, comedy, and intrigue I feel comfortable recommending this as a movie you definitely want to see at some point. My wife is going to be surprised by my score (because she probably thought I hated it), but I give Hail, Caesar! a solid 83.