Green Lantern Review

Green Lantern

     DC's latest shot at getting another one of their characters besides Superman and Batman on the big screen.  Now this one will probably get me a lot of negative comments but I for one enjoyed this movie.  I have been rooting for this movie ever since I first heard about it.  DC's track record in the movie department is a very short one.  Trying to pull out a lesser known character as Green Lantern, essentially a space cop assigned to a sector with only a green will powered ring, was going to be a tough job.  Now when I say lesser known I am not referring to my fellow comic nerds but rather the general public.  Ryan Reynolds as comic book Green Lantern favorite Hal Jordan was a spot on pick.  At first when I heard I moaned and groaned but honestly he pulled it off.  Blake Lively as Carol Ferris was a good supporting actress, helping Hal come to grips with his new found power.  Peter Sarsgaard as villain Hector Hammond did an admirable job playing a character with a very larger bulbous head. Mark Strong was excellent as Sinestro, who starts out as Hal's ally but ultimately becomes a villain using the yellow power ring of fear.  Now for a movie as heavy with CG as this I expected a multitude of mistakes but in all there were only a couple, usually with the mask.  The suit which was all CG looked fantastic in action and in most still shots.  Planet OA was amazing to look at.  During opening week I watched and read almost every review as they came in and unlike X-Men it was like finding a needle in a haystack when it came to good reviews.  I was definitely disheartened by this because I knew that DC had a lot riding on this being successful.  If this performed very well then the likelihood of us getting more DC characters on the big screen would be better.  Alas the movie performed better than studio expectations the first weekend but, unlike Hal Jordan, I am afraid that we may have to wait and hope for another character to give DC that big push.  Let's face it right now DC is riding Superman and Batman's capes in the movie industry.  Now like I said with such a big task of heavy CG I thought the movie pulled it off.  What Hal created with his power ring were interesting constructs.  Now remember this was an origin story and now that is out of the way a sequel wouldn't get bogged down with having to do so much explanation.  So I went opening weekend like so many others and I walked out actually enjoying the movie.  It was way better than other critics would have you believe.  All in all I give Green Lantern 3 gamma bombs out of 5.

X-Men: First Class Review

X-Men: First Class

     The next on my list of films I seen thus far was the next, or should I say pre, chapter of the X-Men universe.  Set back during the sixties this is a telling of how Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, better known as Magneto, started out together and ultimately ending up on opposite sides.  I found that James McAvoy portrayal as Xavier was much more entertaining than, dare I say it, Patrick Stewart's portrayal.  The same can be said about Michael Fassbender as Magneto than Ian McKellen as Magneto.  The story really centers around their relationship and even though we know the outcome you can't help but root for them to find middle ground and work together.  Alas we know it is not to be and the filmmakers stay true to that but in the scenes with both actors is so intense you find yourself lost in their performance, really getting into the story.  Both actors chemistry works so well together that a lot of the time you don't even care about the other mutants and find yourself waiting impatiently for the next scene with them in it.  I initially was content waiting for this to hit DVD/Blu-Ray and watch it then but was stunned that after opening weekend that it was hard pressed to find any negative reviews and rightfully so.  I kept reading about how this was one if not the best of the franchise so far.  So second week out I was there skeptic at how this could pull me back into the X-Men mix.  But I assure you that by the end of the movie I was a believer that there was hope for a franchise that I thought burned out long ago.  I give X-Men: First Class 4 gamma bombs outta 5.

THOR Review

     Well I fell off of blogging recently and haven't posted in quite awhile, but in that time three big comic movies have been released -- THOR, X-Men: First Class & Green Lantern.  My reviews of each film are my own opinions and many of you will likely disagree with some of what I say but I stand by my word.

THOR

     I went and seen THOR the weekend it came out because I was thoroughly excited not only for the character but also for the obvious Avenger's movie tie-in it would deliver us.  On the other hand I was very nervous about how a character from Asgard would translate in a world where comic book characters are balancing keeping comic nerds like myself happy yet have you believe this could happen in reality.  Of all the Avengers tie-in films I personally felt this would probably be the weakest of link.  I wanted all tie-in movies to do well leading into The Avengers.  In a world where the latest Batman trilogy would have you believe he exists how do you make the audience believe a mythological GOD exists?  Well in short they did an excellent job at that.  Explaining that what we call science and magic is where he comes from, they are one and the same.  Chris Hemsworth did an amazing job portraying the cocky GOD of Thunder and on the flip side a humble man.  Anthony Hopkins as always steals the screen whenever he is present as Odin.  He is just such a wonderful actor to watch.  Natalie Portman was decent in her role as scientist Jane Foster.  Tom Hiddleston as Loki was worth watching.  He was so manipulative you sometimes believed him.  They kept many things from the comics and throughout the film I found myself searching for things that THOR did in the comics.  He flew with one arm holding the hammer (Mjolnir) outwards, he hovered using Mjolnir as a helicopter blade substitute twirling above his head, his GOD like anger.  The suit they used for him was beautifully crafted and was just stunning the way his color scheme looked against the desert background.  Also we get our first brief look at Hawkeye who will not get a solo movie before the Avenger's movie.  Plus the post credits Avengers tie-in sent a chill down my spine.  All in all I give it 4 gamma bombs outta 5.

Captain America: The First Avenger v.s. The First Avenger

     It was announced earlier today that Captain America: The First Avenger will be the title for the movie globally except for three countries in which it will be titled simply The First Avenger -- Russia, Ukraine & South Korea.  I would like to give a round of applause for everyone except those three countries.  Now the question I have pertains to the dialogue.  They obviously took the route of taking out Captain America from the title so are we to believe they are going to also omit his name from each bit of dialogue addressing him as "The First Avenger" or "Avenger" or "Captain" or will they address him as "Captain America"?  Maybe the dialogue will go something like this "Hello, I'm Captain *******" or "Thank you for saving us Captain *******" or my favorite "Curse you Captain *******"  Why show a movie that is obviously American, only to change the name of the movie but still the title character is dressed basically in U.S.A colors?  Why even show the flick?  There is no sense in altering the title if said three countries hates our country only to have a character representation of our country pre-dominantly throughout the movie.  If you don't like our country then why even show the film at all?  We're not forcing you to take the movie, yet you decide to shorten the name of the film to exclude the main character's name.  Would you rather we call it Comrade Russian?  Captain Ukrainian?  Captain Korea?  I know I have been ranting on and on but honestly if you don't want Captain America in the title of the film then why would you want to watch a movie about Captain America?  That's all I have for you today my little gamma radiated freaks but until next time this is Bobby telling you to Shield Up!