Warning.....Spoilers are involved in my review....read at your own risk!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did not blow me away, but it was not terrible either. Going into the film I was hoping that Michael Bay did not ruin my childhood, and thankfully he did not. The turtles looked good, obviously a more modern version of what most of us are used to. They were funny, and each one had the correct characteristics that they needed. I did think that Donatello reminded me a lot of Steve Urkel with his glasses and mannerisms. Megan Fox was actually good in this movie, HOWEVER, she was not believable as April O'Neil. It felt to me like she was playing a different character role in the film, not the iconic news reporter. She just doesn't fit the role in my opinion. William Fichtner was very good as Erick Sacks, probably the best actor in the film.
Great job with the origin story of where the Turtles came from. I thought it was cool that April O'Neil knew them and took care of them when they were babies, and saved them from the building. Other than the turtles though, not much character development for anyone else. No origin on Shredder or where he comes from, and not much about Erick Sacks accept that he worked with and killed April O'neil's father. The story itself felt shallow and not developed enough, although one can argue that more story could be brought in during a second film.
One of the biggest disappointments was the Foot Clan, because they did not have the look and feel of the what the true Foot Clan represent. They were not ninjas, they were basically thugs with guns, which to me doesn't fit the story. They are supposed to be trained ninjas and not assassins, and they were barely relevant in the entire film. Shredder's debut was incredible, as he was introduced by training himself by fighting a member of the clan. He was seen on his knees with his arms TIED behind his back, and he was able to counter the attack of the Foot Clan member with just his legs. It was great intro because you knew right then that he was Shredder and he meant business. The Shredder suit was not as good as I hoped from the trailer. He was a combination of Ironman meets Edward Scissorhands. The fight scenes between the Turtles and Shredder were ok, not long enough in my opinion. I was expecting more individual battles between each turtle and the Shredder, especially when Raphael came to rescue them as Sacks home. The scenes with the Turtles and the Foot Clan were also very minimal, which failed to showcase the rivalry between the two groups.
The action was great, but the camera seemed to jump around too much during the fight scenes. Towards the middle of the film when Shredder and the Foot Clan attack the Turtles in the sewer, there is a really cool fight scene between Splinter and Shredder. This is my favorite part of the film, because it showcases the skills of both men. Easily the best fight scene in the entire movie. Splinter's character was very good, but his look was a little off. I'm not sure why anyone can get his look right, because even in the 1990s turtle movie he looks like a stuffed animal. In this film he looks like he was cut from a computer screen, which I know he is CGI, but the Turtles blended much better than Splinter. Seeing the movie in 3D was pointless because there was nothing that really "caught my eye or jumped out." Just falling debris from crashing buildings but that was nothing extraordinary.
Not a bad movie, but not a standout blockbuster, I recommend to check it out in theaters, and if you go in with low expectations, you will enjoy the film.
7/10
Friday, August 8, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Top 20 Comic Book films......annnnnnnnd GO!!!!
20) Spiderman 2 (2004)
Kicking off the list is the 2nd installment of Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman. This definitely was not a bad movie just because it was #20. I felt that Kirsten Dunst was not believable as Mary Jane in this film or any of them for that matter. I felt Alfred Molina was good as Doctor Octavious, and Tobey Maguire seemed to be developing well as Spiderman (Until the third film). J.K. Simmons was hilarious as J. Jonah Jameson once again.
19) Kick-Ass (2010)
This movie really surprised me, because when it first started I did not know what to expect. It was a unique concept, very different than your traditional comic book film. It almost seemed like a parody of comic movies, but had a decent enough story to make it a legit film. Hit Girl was awesome, and Nicholas Cage was good as Big Daddy, and Mark Strong was a perfect villain for this film.
18.) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Everyone knows how big of a Batman fan I truly am. This movie goes down as the most disappointing movie I’ve ever seen. For the hype, it was a total let down. The 1st fight scene between Bane and Batman is one of the best in a comic book movie. I thought Anne Hathaway completely surprised me as Catwoman. Tom Hardy’s Bane was really cool too, more in tune with how Bane really is in the comics.
17) The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Edward Nortons Incredible Hulk was a very much needed upgrade to the 2003 adaptation. It takes you through Dr. Banners struggles with his rage, and how is he trying to find a cure to rid himself of this evil as he describes it. The action was pretty good, I thought it could have used more from the antagonist though.
16) Spiderman (2002)
The early 2000s really kicked the comic book movie genre into high gear, and Spiderman was no exception. William Dafoe’s portrayal of Green Goblin was exceptional. They did stray away from the comic book quite a bit, most noticeably how he grew web from his arms. In the comics he created his own webs that he attached to his wrists. Was the best film of the original 3 Spiderman films in my opinion.
15) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
In my opinion, I feel that this movie stood the test of time. I don’t know if its just nostalgia or something else, but I felt for the time when this film was released, it was very good. The story was good, the action scenes were good, and Shredder was very well done. I felt there could have been more fighting scenes of the Turtles and Shredder, maybe even Shredder facing off against Casey Jones.
14) Batman Returns (1992)
The darkest of any Batman films, Batman Returns is the second and last in the Tim Burton era. The cast was exceptional, including the great Christopher Walken. Danny Devito was very good as Penguin. The end seen with penguin dieing however was a little lame, with the penguins coming out as paul bearers.
13) Ironman (2008)
The more I watched this film, the more I like it. The Tony Stark story is very different, which adds to Ironmans appeal. It was a good start to what turned on to be a complete dud with Ironman 2 and 3. Robert Downey Jr. was born to be Ironman, and you can see it throughout the film.
12) X-Men 2 (2003)
X-men was never a comic I got into as a kid, but X-Men 2 I thoroughly enjoyed more than most movies. I thought the opening scene with Nightcrawler attacking the president was very cool. I like that the movie basically continued where the 1st one left off, with Magneto in prison and Mystique trying to break him out. I also feel that no one else can play Wolverine, as that is Hugh Jackmans role.
11) Batman (1989)
A lot of people will argue that this movie DOES NOT stand the test of time. While I don’t disagree, I feel that this movie is still very well done and is still enjoyable 25 years later. Tim Burton did a great job considering he himself has admitted to never reading one Batman comic book before making this film. Jack Nicholsons Joker was legendary, and is rated in the top 50 movie villains of all time. The Joker killing Bruce’s parents was a little weak, but I thought it still flowed well. Michael Keaton I feel was the best Batman so far, including Bale.
10) X-Men: First Class (2011)
When I discussed watching X-Men movies for this list, every single person I spoke to told me to watch X-Men First Class, and I could not be more thankful. I really thought this movie is the best of the X-Men films, and honestly probably is higher on other peoples lists. I love the origin story, and I like that it was not the first movie they made in the series. Everything tied together exceptionally, and after watching X-Men 3, I feel this movie saved the franchise.
9) Amazing Spiderman (2012)
Two different Spiderman film adaptations in 10 years? No problem. Amazing Spiderman is an amazing film, which is a bit darker than its predecessor. It also stays more true to the comics, which adds to the appeal. I though Andrew Garfield plays a great modern Peter Parker and Spiderman. I was not a big fan of The Lizard, but I thought Rhys Ifans did a decent job.
8) Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)
This movie was incredible. So much emotion throughout the film, and you can definitely feel for Spiderman at the end of the film. I felt the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone was very good, and you almost felt like they were a real life couple. Rhino was such a waste in this film also, even if they are using him for future films. I thought Jamie Foxx as electro was great, and his interpretation left me wanting more. I liked that they made his voice sound like static, which adds to the character. The music was also incredible for Electro also, but what else would you expect from Hans Zimmer.
7) Man Of Steel (2013)
Seeing this film with my best friend, I heard him say this as the credits rolled: “They finally got it right!” He is absolutely correct, as this is far an away the best Superman movie made so far. Henry Cavill did a great job in the role of Clark Kent, and seems to own the role of Superman. Amy Adams was a great casting as Lois Lane, and I like the chemistry that they are building. I loved the casting of Michael Shannon as General Zod. Really wish they were making a second one sooner, because I like the direction Zach Snyder is going with this interpretation of the Man of Steel. Very well done film.
6) Thor 2 (2013)
This movie could have been higher, however I do not like what I have seen between Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth. There is zero chemistry between the two, it looks and feels as if they are just going through the motions. Other than that this film is incredible. Shows a lot of great character development of Loki, who is completely stealing the show in each film he is in. Rene Russo had a really cool fight scene before she died, and I thought the funeral scene that was done for her was also beautiful and well thought out. When Thor tells Loki about his mother, you can see the anger and dispare once Loki is alone. Overall this was a very well shot film, however I preferred the Frost Giants to the Dark Elves.
5) Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins starts my top 5 due to it re-vitalizing the Batman films after the Joel Schumacher debacles. This takes us back to how and why Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, while staying much closer to the comics than Burtons films. Liam Neeson was wonderful as Ras Al Ghul, and I thought Cillian Murphy was the perfect casting for Scarecrow, although he was not used to his full potential of what the villain could be. The dialogue was great, and the story was great and seemed to flow rather smoothly. Gotham looked great, and I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Caine in every seen as Alfred. Morgan Freeman was the right call for Lucious Fox as well. I even enjoyed Katie Holmes as Rachel, because she seemed to have good on screen chemistry with Bale. Bale was not bad in this film, he did a great job as Bruce Wayne, but thought his Batman was a little weak. This was a great Batman film, and is actually my favorite of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
4) Thor (2011)
Thor was a pleasant surprise. I did not know what to expect going into this film, but it was one of the best Comic films I’ve ever seen. Thor takes on the Frost Giants, and the battles are really well choreographed. You can tell instantly that his relationship with Loki was going to be rocky, even showing them as kids. One of my favorite scenes is when he is fighting off the officers of SHIELD to get to the hammer, and you seen Hawkeye waiting to take him down, then getting to the hammer only to be unsuccessful. I also really like The Destroyer, such a cool scene when Loki sends him to earth to destroy his brother and allies. Excellent film.
3) Captain America 2: Winter Soldier (2014)
This film should be in everyone’s top 5 movies just based on the action scenes alone. You see a much better developed Chris Evans as Captain Rogers. Much better than the first one. One of my favorite scenes is Nick Fury trying to avoid being ambushed. I really enjoyed Anthony Mackie as Falcon also. The fight scenes with Captain America and Bucky are incredible and some of the best in ANY movie. This film kept you wanting more, and is one of Marvels best movies ever made.
2) The Dark Knight (2008)
Heath Leger, you fooled everyone with your Joker interpretation. This film was nearly flawless, from the action to the music. I’ll never forget seeing the pencil trick for the first time in theatres. I missed out on the next 2 to 3 minutes of dialogue due to the applause from that scene alone. After most of Heath Ledgers scenes, the audience applauded come to think of it. Great action ,wonderful suspense, every actor accept Maggie Gyllenhaal did a fantastic job. I thought that they rushed Two Faces character at the end of the film though. Two face is not a small character to just kill off after 30 minutes of action. Given that, Aaron Eckert was great as Harvey Dent/Two Face. I loved the fight scene between Joker, his goons and Batman in Bruce Waynes penthouse. Showed just how crazy the Joker really is. Nearly Flawless movie.
1) Avengers (2012)
After a lot of deliberating, Avengers takes the crown as #1. It’s very hard to find a flaw in this film anywhere. It had excellent character development, excellent fight scenes between the heroes, as well as between the heroes and villains. I love the transition from each hero to another at the beginning of the film, when they are gathering everyone together to form the Avengers. The fight scene between Thor and Ironman was hilarious, and the first confrontation between Captain America and Loki was incredible. All the characters worked exceptionally well together, and you can really feel that throughout the film. This film had everything, action, suspense, humor, drama, it’s a film I could watch everyday and not get sick of it. One of the best movies I have ever seen from any genre.
Kicking off the list is the 2nd installment of Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman. This definitely was not a bad movie just because it was #20. I felt that Kirsten Dunst was not believable as Mary Jane in this film or any of them for that matter. I felt Alfred Molina was good as Doctor Octavious, and Tobey Maguire seemed to be developing well as Spiderman (Until the third film). J.K. Simmons was hilarious as J. Jonah Jameson once again.
19) Kick-Ass (2010)
This movie really surprised me, because when it first started I did not know what to expect. It was a unique concept, very different than your traditional comic book film. It almost seemed like a parody of comic movies, but had a decent enough story to make it a legit film. Hit Girl was awesome, and Nicholas Cage was good as Big Daddy, and Mark Strong was a perfect villain for this film.
18.) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Everyone knows how big of a Batman fan I truly am. This movie goes down as the most disappointing movie I’ve ever seen. For the hype, it was a total let down. The 1st fight scene between Bane and Batman is one of the best in a comic book movie. I thought Anne Hathaway completely surprised me as Catwoman. Tom Hardy’s Bane was really cool too, more in tune with how Bane really is in the comics.
17) The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Edward Nortons Incredible Hulk was a very much needed upgrade to the 2003 adaptation. It takes you through Dr. Banners struggles with his rage, and how is he trying to find a cure to rid himself of this evil as he describes it. The action was pretty good, I thought it could have used more from the antagonist though.
16) Spiderman (2002)
The early 2000s really kicked the comic book movie genre into high gear, and Spiderman was no exception. William Dafoe’s portrayal of Green Goblin was exceptional. They did stray away from the comic book quite a bit, most noticeably how he grew web from his arms. In the comics he created his own webs that he attached to his wrists. Was the best film of the original 3 Spiderman films in my opinion.
15) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
In my opinion, I feel that this movie stood the test of time. I don’t know if its just nostalgia or something else, but I felt for the time when this film was released, it was very good. The story was good, the action scenes were good, and Shredder was very well done. I felt there could have been more fighting scenes of the Turtles and Shredder, maybe even Shredder facing off against Casey Jones.
14) Batman Returns (1992)
The darkest of any Batman films, Batman Returns is the second and last in the Tim Burton era. The cast was exceptional, including the great Christopher Walken. Danny Devito was very good as Penguin. The end seen with penguin dieing however was a little lame, with the penguins coming out as paul bearers.
13) Ironman (2008)
The more I watched this film, the more I like it. The Tony Stark story is very different, which adds to Ironmans appeal. It was a good start to what turned on to be a complete dud with Ironman 2 and 3. Robert Downey Jr. was born to be Ironman, and you can see it throughout the film.
12) X-Men 2 (2003)
X-men was never a comic I got into as a kid, but X-Men 2 I thoroughly enjoyed more than most movies. I thought the opening scene with Nightcrawler attacking the president was very cool. I like that the movie basically continued where the 1st one left off, with Magneto in prison and Mystique trying to break him out. I also feel that no one else can play Wolverine, as that is Hugh Jackmans role.
11) Batman (1989)
A lot of people will argue that this movie DOES NOT stand the test of time. While I don’t disagree, I feel that this movie is still very well done and is still enjoyable 25 years later. Tim Burton did a great job considering he himself has admitted to never reading one Batman comic book before making this film. Jack Nicholsons Joker was legendary, and is rated in the top 50 movie villains of all time. The Joker killing Bruce’s parents was a little weak, but I thought it still flowed well. Michael Keaton I feel was the best Batman so far, including Bale.
10) X-Men: First Class (2011)
When I discussed watching X-Men movies for this list, every single person I spoke to told me to watch X-Men First Class, and I could not be more thankful. I really thought this movie is the best of the X-Men films, and honestly probably is higher on other peoples lists. I love the origin story, and I like that it was not the first movie they made in the series. Everything tied together exceptionally, and after watching X-Men 3, I feel this movie saved the franchise.
9) Amazing Spiderman (2012)
Two different Spiderman film adaptations in 10 years? No problem. Amazing Spiderman is an amazing film, which is a bit darker than its predecessor. It also stays more true to the comics, which adds to the appeal. I though Andrew Garfield plays a great modern Peter Parker and Spiderman. I was not a big fan of The Lizard, but I thought Rhys Ifans did a decent job.
8) Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)
This movie was incredible. So much emotion throughout the film, and you can definitely feel for Spiderman at the end of the film. I felt the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone was very good, and you almost felt like they were a real life couple. Rhino was such a waste in this film also, even if they are using him for future films. I thought Jamie Foxx as electro was great, and his interpretation left me wanting more. I liked that they made his voice sound like static, which adds to the character. The music was also incredible for Electro also, but what else would you expect from Hans Zimmer.
7) Man Of Steel (2013)
Seeing this film with my best friend, I heard him say this as the credits rolled: “They finally got it right!” He is absolutely correct, as this is far an away the best Superman movie made so far. Henry Cavill did a great job in the role of Clark Kent, and seems to own the role of Superman. Amy Adams was a great casting as Lois Lane, and I like the chemistry that they are building. I loved the casting of Michael Shannon as General Zod. Really wish they were making a second one sooner, because I like the direction Zach Snyder is going with this interpretation of the Man of Steel. Very well done film.
6) Thor 2 (2013)
This movie could have been higher, however I do not like what I have seen between Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth. There is zero chemistry between the two, it looks and feels as if they are just going through the motions. Other than that this film is incredible. Shows a lot of great character development of Loki, who is completely stealing the show in each film he is in. Rene Russo had a really cool fight scene before she died, and I thought the funeral scene that was done for her was also beautiful and well thought out. When Thor tells Loki about his mother, you can see the anger and dispare once Loki is alone. Overall this was a very well shot film, however I preferred the Frost Giants to the Dark Elves.
5) Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins starts my top 5 due to it re-vitalizing the Batman films after the Joel Schumacher debacles. This takes us back to how and why Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, while staying much closer to the comics than Burtons films. Liam Neeson was wonderful as Ras Al Ghul, and I thought Cillian Murphy was the perfect casting for Scarecrow, although he was not used to his full potential of what the villain could be. The dialogue was great, and the story was great and seemed to flow rather smoothly. Gotham looked great, and I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Caine in every seen as Alfred. Morgan Freeman was the right call for Lucious Fox as well. I even enjoyed Katie Holmes as Rachel, because she seemed to have good on screen chemistry with Bale. Bale was not bad in this film, he did a great job as Bruce Wayne, but thought his Batman was a little weak. This was a great Batman film, and is actually my favorite of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
4) Thor (2011)
Thor was a pleasant surprise. I did not know what to expect going into this film, but it was one of the best Comic films I’ve ever seen. Thor takes on the Frost Giants, and the battles are really well choreographed. You can tell instantly that his relationship with Loki was going to be rocky, even showing them as kids. One of my favorite scenes is when he is fighting off the officers of SHIELD to get to the hammer, and you seen Hawkeye waiting to take him down, then getting to the hammer only to be unsuccessful. I also really like The Destroyer, such a cool scene when Loki sends him to earth to destroy his brother and allies. Excellent film.
3) Captain America 2: Winter Soldier (2014)
This film should be in everyone’s top 5 movies just based on the action scenes alone. You see a much better developed Chris Evans as Captain Rogers. Much better than the first one. One of my favorite scenes is Nick Fury trying to avoid being ambushed. I really enjoyed Anthony Mackie as Falcon also. The fight scenes with Captain America and Bucky are incredible and some of the best in ANY movie. This film kept you wanting more, and is one of Marvels best movies ever made.
2) The Dark Knight (2008)
Heath Leger, you fooled everyone with your Joker interpretation. This film was nearly flawless, from the action to the music. I’ll never forget seeing the pencil trick for the first time in theatres. I missed out on the next 2 to 3 minutes of dialogue due to the applause from that scene alone. After most of Heath Ledgers scenes, the audience applauded come to think of it. Great action ,wonderful suspense, every actor accept Maggie Gyllenhaal did a fantastic job. I thought that they rushed Two Faces character at the end of the film though. Two face is not a small character to just kill off after 30 minutes of action. Given that, Aaron Eckert was great as Harvey Dent/Two Face. I loved the fight scene between Joker, his goons and Batman in Bruce Waynes penthouse. Showed just how crazy the Joker really is. Nearly Flawless movie.
1) Avengers (2012)
After a lot of deliberating, Avengers takes the crown as #1. It’s very hard to find a flaw in this film anywhere. It had excellent character development, excellent fight scenes between the heroes, as well as between the heroes and villains. I love the transition from each hero to another at the beginning of the film, when they are gathering everyone together to form the Avengers. The fight scene between Thor and Ironman was hilarious, and the first confrontation between Captain America and Loki was incredible. All the characters worked exceptionally well together, and you can really feel that throughout the film. This film had everything, action, suspense, humor, drama, it’s a film I could watch everyday and not get sick of it. One of the best movies I have ever seen from any genre.
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