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Coneydogg
Reviews
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
the stuff of instant classic legend... simply awesome!
The first film was about giving Steve the opportunity to be the hero he was born to be. The Avengers gave him the chance to matter in the modern era. Winter Soldier gave him true character depth and turmoil that we never saw in those first two installments. Now, we get to see Steve turn the corner and add to the depth but not in ways anyone will expect.
It was easier in the 1940's to judge right and wrong. Now, it's more difficult to gauge how to deal with the events we've seen in the previous MCU films. Threats are different and some have been engineered by those seeking to do good. The debate on how to handle them is genuinely intriguing and it all serves as a wonderful foundation to the overall story. How far to take precautionary measures? Who is responsible and who oversees whom? For a man who fought to serve with all his life, how much is too much? Add to this Steve being stoic and not wanting to burden anyone with his struggles concerning Bucky Barnes. It's exactly what a man from that era would do and one that is loyal to a friend he's with "until the end of the line." That turmoil and moral self independence mixed with a "never give up" attitude is what makes the character so dynamic and interesting but it's also the perfect base to the conflict in this movie. Thus as we've all seen in the trailers, Tony wants to "punch him in his perfect teeth" and do more than that actually. Steve does struggle and he does connect with people and show vulnerability, which leads many true heroes to side with him. Yet, Tony has valid and noble points as well. All this grounds the film and makes everything more interesting.
All the characters used in this film work amazingly well. The ones we've seen before are fleshed out more. EVERY character is given at least one scene to shine. I love the Black Panther here and what is seen establishes him perfectly. Spider-Man really is as great as everyone has been saying. The Falcon is an absolute ace. Sam's friendship proves to be invaluable. The Scarlet Witch is a true surprise. I didn't think she would play this large of a role. Again, EVERYONE is used intelligently and superbly. No one feels show-horned or sandwiched in to the film. The story comes first and everyone fits.
I really loved the hard-edged, physical action. They took what was great in the last film and made it even better. Not only is it hard-edged but adding more diverse powers and characters means the action is as spectacular as it gets. It exactly what these characters should be depicted doing and it's literally a comic book come to life in the best way possible. The action is brutal yet graceful and everything works tremendously well. The Russos have it down. Cap isn't just a guy who was given the ability of speed and enhanced strength. He's been training and his enhanced mind makes him just as dangerous as his muscles. His training and ability make him VERY dangerous and the movie continues to show that in stupendous ways. The fights in this movie are the most impactful that I've EVER seem. The airport showdown will go down in history. Seriously, the stuff of instant classic legend.
Overall, a perfect sequel that follows in the footsteps of the best the genre has ever seen and one of the best adventure movies that I have ever seen.
Pixels (2015)
A joyless waste of time.
There wasn't enough of anything in this movie to make it worthwhile. Not enough fun, not many laughs, not enough nostalgia and certainly not any solid story arc. Everything falls flat and that's a shame given the cast and the concept.
Nothing carries any weight and everything is a dumb wink to the audience. There's not even much heart or sentiment at play. What hits the screen feels phoned in and cut together by little kids in an editing suite. They kept is PG-lite and dodged any kind of real humor like they were worrying about making this some kind of kid's franchise. Who was the target audience for this mess? A complete joyless letdown to say the least.
Unbroken (2014)
A massive disappointment being that the true story is so remarkable.
I don't like to bash someone that appeared to try so hard but, as director, Angelina Jolie delivered a huge rambling misfire.
This was like making a movie about Wyatt Earp and fixating on his time in Dodge City by focusing on bouts of diarrhea, illness and tough times while ignoring his exploits as sheriff, his Tombstone years and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Spending scene after scene watching Louis Zamperini being tortured and suffering just wears thin. Instead of placing any focus on his faith or his time after the war the movie spends far too much time adrift. Literally, a major portion of the film is spent watching three men trying to survive on a life raft in the middle of the ocean. The final words before the credits and the real life scenes of him at age 80 were more interesting than the entire third act itself. THAT is what I would have liked to have seen. Cut down all that repetitive ocean and prisoner camp tediousness and there would have been ample room to tell the story right and with emotional impact. This man's amazing story deserved that at the least.
The November Man (2014)
Solid Spy Flick
A solid spy flick that delivers nothing overly remarkable but, frankly is better than any Pierce Bronsan Bond film not called Goldeneye. I can't understand how a majority of the critics found disfavor with this film. I enjoyed the grit and the uneasy nature of every scene. The tone is one note but it's perfect for this type of movie. There are some serious logic flaws with the plot but easy to overlook those.
The cast was perfect especially Bronsan. With absolutely no back-story or set up, his past Bond persona actually aids in his character's mystique. The movie simply starts with seasoned pro and protégé on a mission and it's all missions and intrigue for the rest of the movie. Maybe there's nothing great on display but I more than got my money's worth.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Just A Blast! I Just Loved This Film!
Thor works on so many levels. It meets its toughest challenge and that is to make its super powerful blond godlike lead character relatable and spark a connection to the audience. For all the action extravagance and adventure, a surprising connection occurs here. This certainly isn't some wild video game popcron flick. It also packs the perfect amount of comedy and connection. It's what Marvel does best, give us heroes with flaws.
A lot of this film takes place hopping across realms and that was absolutely the right way to present the film. The fantastical elements really work. Asgard is breathtaking and incredible. They manage to be dramatic and serious most of the time but balance it with a sense of humor. Thor finds the right mix similar to the way Avengers did. The film never becomes too self-important or portentous but still is dramatic and fun. That is something to savor and enjoy. Sure, viewers are thrilled by his powers, but we relate to his emotions and his flaws. Add some intense sibling rivalry, great action and romantic entanglements and Thor may just be the best movie of the year.
The Wolverine (2013)
It's one heck of an entertaining and smart movie.
There is not one wasted line, visual, camera angle or wasted development in this entire movie. Everything serves to either advance the plot or flesh out and develop a character. It was smart, tight and lean and superbly done. I truly think that this is the best movie of the summer. How could you not like it? It doesn't payoff prior installments or set up future ones, it's a great film all by itself. It seems to exist almost out of time, for the simple purpose of pitting its iconic mutant anti-hero against the perfect threats. Who doesn't like samurais, ninjas, and vicious yakuza thugs? You can still see the attempt to tie this film to events from the trilogy but it all works neatly and tightly and you really need not have seen those other films. The Wolverine is certainly a movie that I want to see again. It's one heck of an entertaining and smart movie.
Now You See Me (2013)
A genuine disappointment any way you cut it.
Yes, a genuine disappointment any way you cut it. There's nothing clever or even very fun on display in this movie. You spend 95% of the film wondering why an actor as great as Mark Ruffalo agreed to play the dumbest cop/federal agent ever put to film. When you get the answer, it validates the film's own shallow stupidity. What a waste of a great cast. Morgan Freeman is useless and absolutely wasted in this effort as is Woody Harrelson. None of the Four Horsemen magicians are fleshed out at all and the narrative shifts suddenly between Ruffalo's character and brief peeks in to the actions of the four magicians. It just doesn't work at all as a compelling story.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Delivers in a BIG Way! Great Movie.
You knew comic book movies couldn't have peaked in 2003. They just needed until 2011 to show how to perfect the genre. (With a big boost from 2008) Does this movie deliver? Well, let's see what is has to offer. It delivers tremendous characters, impressive visuals, outstanding story, the right amount of humor, emotional resonance and prodigious acting. What else is there? If someone doesn't like this film, I can't understand why. Chris Evans really delivers and his Captain America will rank right up there with the best performances of any actor in this genre. All the cast comes through in big, bright ways.
This, so far, has been the best movie I have seen all year. All in all, this is one great film that I look forward to buying on DVD. The best superhero ever? Does it matter? I saw this last night and it was a true event movie. Seeing it in a packed house was like attending a very cool athletic event. Maybe that made the experience even better but I guarantee that this movie generates great word of mouth. Critic, fan and box office numbers already prove that fact.
Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
A Wild Wild West Type Swing and a Miss
Judging by the trailers, I thought this movie had "Train Wreck" written all over it. It's tough being right all the time. This was Wild Wild West bad and even that awful film has a more intelligent premise and better dialogue and that really says it all.
The movie starts out great as they really attempt to make it a Western and stick to Western sensibilities. Then, it degenerates in to a big fat throw-everything-at-the-screen-and-see-what-sticks insult. By the end you feel cheated of everything: fun adventure, a tangible sense of peril, anything approaching drama and even a sense of wonder. You experience or feel NONE of those things watching this movie. And, to add further tacky insult to this gaudily eye sore, it can't even be enjoyed by children, unless something is serious wrong with them. This movie gets caught in no man's land and I guess that surprises no one who has seen the trailers for it.
Super 8 (2011)
Hype Over Substance... Dull and Predictable
My major problem with Super 8 is not with the unremarkable cast or with the cheesy attempts at tension. It's not that it's "slow" or poorly paced for a summer film. If I had to sum it up with a word, I'd say coldness, maybe carelessness. How about dreary? How can anyone enjoy bad dialogue and poor pacing if they don't care for the characters? The execution was palatable but you simply didn't care about anyone or anything that was going on. This is slasher film quality without the slashing. It's just a poor story and a poor effort by all involved.
Without a doubt this film going to be the quintessential "hype over substance" film we all reference for years to come. The mystique, marketing and mystery leading up to release was bigger than what we actually see on screen. This overrated film has done nothing but hide behind big names to draw a big opening weekend at the box office. It wanted to be another "Signs" type drama but all it delivers is disappointment.
Forget "Signs" this movie was like combining M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" and Spielberg's "War of The Worlds." Not exactly a winning combination despite the hype. I'll give the creator's of this film a pass because they usually deliver but the sooner we all forget about this mess and J.J. moves on to the Star Trek sequel the better.
X: First Class (2011)
a classic and a genre-defining movie!
This second go around for the X-Men is as good as the first if not better. I seriously hope this is the start of another trilogy. Sure, they have a lot to live up to but this film seems more sophisticated and has a better story than the very first X-Men movie, which was primarily about setting up this universe. Here, the characters previously introduced are fleshed out in a comprehensive and cohesive manner, and the newly introduced characters are blended in seamlessly with the story. The cast-selection is perfect, even in the established roles. I had my doubts whether anyone could fill Patrick Stewart's or Ian Mckellen's shoes but that really wasn't the case. These actors just took the younger roles and played it perfectly. I loved the action and the heart of this film and, again, it all perfectly blends with what's come before without relying on it at all. This stuff stands on its own and stands tall.
I remember back in May, my friend and I walked out of the theatre after seeing Thor smiling. We loved that film and anointed it the best of the summer. Well, maybe we were a bit hasty in our judgment. I knew this X-Men movie would be better than X3, but I wasn't expecting to walk in and see a classic and a genre-defining movie. Thor still rates right at the top of the summer but right now, X-Men First Class is the best movie of the year. Bring on the sequels!
Jonah Hex (2010)
Worst Movie of the Year Contender
Yep, as bad as expected. Not even to the level of cotton candy entertainment because, while completely unsubstantial, it doesn't even deliver a sugary jolt of fun. It tries to be grim but comes across as laughable. The comparisons to Wild Wild West hold but even fall short of that abysmal movie. Megan Fox is actually unappealing with a waist cinched up to absurd lows. Even the Hex character himself shows no real skills relying on cheap shots, gatling gun saddles and dynamite shooting guns to get out of trouble. (Yeah, I said gatling gun saddles and dynamite guns) That b-movie bad, even though no one plays it as such, is why I have to give this thing at least a three out of ten. It takes guts to release something this awful in the summer. BTW- did I see Wes Bentley for 10 seconds in this movie? Did he take a dare to be in a film that is actually worse than Ghost Rider? If so, he did it!
Agora (2009)
Dull, poorly executed and flat out AWFUL
Could this film be filled with any more one-dimensional characters? Besides being blindingly dull, or maybe because of it, this is the worst written film in regards to character since Gigli. The clumsy and overt way they were trying to make a statement about intolerance results in nothing but a boring and an actual brain damaged film. The storyline was slight and forgettable, and its sweating hard attempt to act the part of the aggressive yet virgin librarian attempts to make you buy a product that apparently is factually untrue but desperate to make a point. The "holier than thou" sentimental pitch, never worked (pun intended). It would be too inane to believe that the filmmaker actually wants us to go for the bald-faced lies over anything real because it is so intensely told, which is another way of adopting Hollywood's moneymaking code of giving the paying customers whatever they want as long as they do it in a convincing fashion. Well, the performers try hard but there really is nothing to deliver and nothing to this dull film.
The A-Team (2010)
"Excessive is underrated" - Better Than I Thought It Would Be.
This movie is tough to rate. My head kept screaming, "Come on now..." but my heart was countering with, "YEEEEEEEEHA!" The heart takes this one. Yet another surprisingly fun thrill ride that I didn't expect to really enjoy but did. The Hannibal character said it best with one line of dialogue, "Excessive is underrated" and in this case, it's probably true. The action borders on offensively dumb right from the start but they're even advertising the movie as such. If that type of over-the-top action does offend, this isn't your type of film. I usually hate when some actions films cross over in to cartoon land with no consequences but for some reason, it works here. I don't know what the exact formula is for making it work but they stumbled across it.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
They don't call it Marvel for nothing! Great Film.
It's an intelligent movie that actually works way above the level set up by a lot of previous comic adaptations. Without question, the makers of this movie went all the way in making it a remarkable experience for everyone. To their credit, they never assumed that the hype or good will of the first film was good enough to put butts in the seats. They really respect the source material but they've accentuated the believable and realistic angles of a great story. This is a story about great characters first. The action stemming from that is amazing and only serves to add to a great story. Tony Stark is about a hero's journey of internal struggle. He's a complicated character and he represents the dark side in all of us and the hope that we can overcome those demons. Everything was juggled perfectly but I expected no less from this crew. They don't call it Marvel for nothing.
Star Trek (2009)
The hype doesn't match the film. Good but not great.
When you consider that this was made by one of the most successful creative minds of the past decade as well featuring a semi-cool premise, this could have been a much better movie. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad film. In fact, I give it a thumbs up. Still,it's not half as great as the hype. There are a handful of loud scenes, some chuckles, but not enough gas to cover even the action junkies who don't care about a plot. This movie simply does not work as an action piece but doers work for the Trekkie. In the end, Star Trek provides for a few bangs, but doesn't turn it into a full-blown summer film and ultimately, not as great as everyone keeps trying to say that it is. Considering that it was suppose to revive a dead franchise and reportedly had a huge budget, I wonder where the money truly went? I'm betting it went in to advertising and paying Internet bloggers. The hype doesn't match the film.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
THE best prequel movie of all-time. A+
It has a very good storyline, the non-stop forward-moving pace works well and gives it a tone that works better then other, longer movies. It's very well directed and the acting (small, medium, and large roles) is PERFECT. I would have loved to have seen more of Gambit and Wilson even though that might have screwed with the pace that I just mentioned. The very best movie of 2009 regardless of genera. This is so gritty, real, and heartfelt that it even craps on the last film (Last Stand) and I actually enjoyed that film. Overall this movie was the best that I've seen this year.
There is not one wasted line, visual, camera angle or development in this entire movie. Everything serves to advance the plot. It was tight and lean and superbly done. I truly think that this is the best prequel movie of all-time. How could you not like it? From the new mutants to all of the special effects to the crisp pace
I loved it. I loved the ending. You can obviously see the attempt to tie this film to events from the trilogy but it all works neatly and tightly. Wolverine is the first movie this year that I want to see again. It's one heck of an entertaining movie.
10/10 superb!!! I can't wait for the DVD... I hope there's also a director's cut but I can't imagine what they could've possibly left out of this fabulous film.
Angels & Demons (2009)
Awful... quintessential definition of stale thriller
Unfortunately, Angels and Demons is possibly the worst film I have seen at the cinema this year. (And I paid to see Pink Panther 2 for some reason) Was the book this bad? Could this movie have possibly been any worse? This movie was so uninteresting that I was tempted to get up and walk out, but I was still curious if they were going to actually find a conclusive end to their story. I'm sorry I stayed.
This movie is the quintessential definition of stale thriller. Very stale. I kind of feel sorry for Tom Hanks. He's too great of an actor and too much of a legend to be staring in a movie that's this bad. Hey Tom, next time don't sign a multiple picture contract. He had to have been signed BEFORE Da Vinci Code because even he must know how bad that turned out. Why do another? Word of mouth will smash this movie. This movie is just too dumb to succeed but, then again, there's the Tyler Perry rule that says even trash can generate gold.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
This franchise needs to end right here and now. Yes, it was that bad.
Like a chicken without its head, Terminator Salvation stumbles blindly around the cinematic barnyard making lots of noise, but ultimately going nowhere. The movie jumps around in plot like a barefoot man trying to walk on a hot bed of coals. John Conner and company clumsily play out the roles and stereotypes that are better off left to the pages of the history books and sequels gone by. I'm no huge Terminator fan and no Cameron fan but did we really need to see this grim and dumb future that feels like a re-hash? I know I didn't.
I hope this thing bombs bad. The last thing we need is future cinema to be showing McG's Terminator Revenge and Terminator Salutation. This franchise needs to end right here and now. Yes, it was that bad.