SpoodermanDerp Reviews

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Glorious 3 Hour Epics Are Back

[10/10 · 25 April 2019]

It's impossible to watch a film of this much scale, history, cultural importance, and franchise-carrying characters in a vacuum. No other franchise has the balls, nor the emotional buildup that it carries to justify a 3-hour runtime in a world where those kinds of runtimes are limited to fantasy epics (Lord of the Rings) or old glorious 70 millimeter films (Lawrence of Arabia). I guess that's what best describes Endgame, it is a glorious and grossly satisfying epic, and one that will soon become a classic etched and immortalized in the cultural consciousness of a generation.

If there's one thing that Marvel has done properly, its understanding how to do good on their characters. The MCU has thrived because it has consistently followed a philosophy of putting characters first. There is a reason why this movie broke pre-sale records, why there were cheers, tears and rounds of applause from the audience in each shining moment of the film. Endgame takes Marvel's character-driven storytelling to its extreme and most appealing. Infinity War largely proved how Marvel knows how to divide it characters, unite them all with one common threat and theme, and deliver a punch in the gut ending that had fans dusting their tears.

At the start of Endgame, fans are at the same emotional headspace as their favorite characters who are at a loss for hope. Right off the bat, the Russo brothers as directors have put themselves in a corner that allowed them to find a creative way out of it. Together with screenplay writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the story feels more rich, poignant, and satisfying. It goes without saying that you shouldn't go into this film expecting a high-art, indie slow burner, it still flows and feels very much like a Marvel movie, but the difference is that it is more restrained. The film opts for quieter, relaxed, and introspective scenes between characters. Steve, Tony, Clint, Natasha, Thor, and Banner all get their moments to shine, and it's clear that this is the original six's movie if Infinity War was Thanos'.

Each fan service moment feels earned, despite it being obviously shameless and pandering, it feels like the Avengers can justify showing off a little especially after 11 years of buildup. Nothing beats the collective gasps and thunderous applause you get from the audience whenever each iconic moment occurs. Endgame is clearly, unapologetically, and triumphantly made for the fans. Each scene, each line of dialogue and each callback is constructed passionately and with care. No arcs in the last 11 years were left forgotten and left in the dust.

As an epilogue to the now titled "Infinity Saga", this film works best as the season finale of a long running cinematic television epic. If you see it that way, you'll understand the motivations behind the creative decisions that the filmmakers made. Each plot point may feel overused or something you've seen before, but the people behind the scenes know it and even acknowledge it within the film. It doesn't mean they are unmotivated, but rather the opposite, they use it to stunning effect for incredibly emotional payoffs that honestly feels like a miracle that they managed to pull it off.

In the end, what more is there to say about this movie? Aside from its consistently stunning visuals, creative cinematography, coherent action set pieces, and kick-ass musical score, this film is all about emotion and getting the catharsis you've always wanted as a fan, a normal moviegoer, or as a little kid. Some people grew up with the MCU, 11 years is a damn long time and I'm definitely part of those who did. I guess this is what those kids in the 70s-80s felt when they saw Star Wars.

Verdict: 4.8/5

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Solo: A "Skip This" Story

[6/10 · 23 May 2018]

Gone is the time when an aloof and mysterious character like Han Solo can stand on his own. When the pure imagination of fans opened up countless debates on how the Kessel run really went down, or how Hans eventually won the Millennium Falcon and eventually became a staple of his character. The hard truth is, fans and casual viewers already knew these milestones in Han's story happened and will happen, so the only thing that mattered about this movie was, how was it going to happen?

For awhile, the magic of Star Wars was that of not knowing what to expect and getting to analyze an entire lived-in universe by yourself or with your friends throughout the years. With Solo, that magic is lost. You know you will be dealing with limited stakes since Solo and Chewie are pretty much okay and surely alive after this movie. You know that it will hit the basic story beats of how he becomes an outlaw, a rebel and eventually the iconic smuggler with a secret heart of gold we all know and love. You know he'll get the Falcon, you know he'll end up with Leia anyway. There's no mystery here, everyone knows the answer and we're all left with awkward suspicions about how things will play out.

Alden Ehrenreich does a, for the most part, fantastic job as Han Solo and he makes the role his own, probably one of the better parts of this movie. Lando (Donald Glover) and Chewie both get their moments, and also stand out in their roles. Beckett (Woody Harrelson) and Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) weirdly fall flat as the new additions for Solo, aside from an obvious wisecracking droid to entertain us and give us some emotional moments, the two side characters that are meant to be the people that influence the title character are bland and uninteresting. Beckett seems to be just a ticket for Han to go follow him wherever he goes only to just ride backseat in the mission in the end. While Qi'ra plays the love interest of Han who we never get to know much about aside from pointless and explicit exposition. She also has a vague and messy arc that makes not just Han, but the audience confused as well. At one point, you're not sure where her allegiance lies, what her motivations are and what drives her to stick or stay away from Han.

Moreover, the story really doesn't aim to tell a properly structured narrative, instead it felt like a "Han's Biggest Hits Montage" all through out. Now this is not to say that it's hard and impossible to tell a proper movie about iconic persons/events we probably know about and/or have learned about and theorized ourselves. Rogue One (2016) was able to do it to an admittedly better extent, and quite masterfully in the James Bond reboot with Casino Royale back in 2006. To use Casino Royale as an example, it's a perfect story that shows how James Bond became THE James Bond we know and love, the commanding, suave and rough 007 agent. When the movie starts, he's not yet quite the Bond we're used to know yet, but what happens in that film contributes to why he changes. Then in the end, that's the only time we get the iconic line of James Bond introducing himself because that character has earned it through the context of the film. While Solo tried to achieve this same level of success, it falls hard on its knees really hard in the process. The definition of "context" the filmmakers had in mind with Solo was just throwing in fan service after fan service of what made Han Solo iconic, but we never really see why THIS character in THIS film in particular earned that iconic status. Han is basically the same person from the beginning till the end, compare this to James Bond in Casino Royale wherein his relationship with Vesper and how it ended changed his character forever, inevitably giving strong emotional and narrative context as to why he became how he is. This is never explored in the film and it instead becomes a by-the-numbers, monotone, and dull looking film.

Verdict: 6/10

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Oh Snap

[10/10 · 27 April 2018]

Marvel's Infinity War soars as it gives us what the franchise has promised ever since 2012's The Avengers. Out of all of this film's ambitions, the most impressive feat remains to be on delivering a Thanos that is menacing, intriguing, and astoundingly tragic. This leads to a film that is epic at its core, yet emotional and patient in its execution.

The standout of this film is arguably its main character, Thanos. It is through him that we see a villain that does not boast about how evil he is for the sake of being evil. He does not twirl his moustache and no longer sits idly on his chair basking at how destiny is at the palm of his hands. His pursuit and end goal in the film is portrayed as something noble. It is one that requires consequential sacrifices to be made and he believes that what he is doing is faultless and the right thing. He understands pain and loss and we see that throughout the film. He laments the countless lives he has lost and especially the things that he genuinely cares about. He believes that it is his burden to carry out his task of collecting the Infinity Stones and that he is the only one willing enough to save the Universe through his own means. He is the ultimate antithesis to the Avengers. It also surely helps that Josh Brolin's portrayal of him, even though mostly CGI, is one that shows an abundance of depth and a commanding presence to the character.

Meanwhile, it is made clear here that the Avengers exhibit themselves as those who happen to believe that even one life sacrificed is not a cost that they are willing to take. It is through them that Thanos reveals their goals as futile and short-sighted. This theme is hammered home even more by showing how "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" are still hopelessly divided through numerous planets and locations. Fresh from the events of Civil War, Tony and Steve are still not on speaking terms and the threat of galactic destruction could not have come in a more terrible time.

That doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of character dynamics that are absolutely brilliant. To name a few, Cumberbatch and Downey give phenomenal and unwavering performances that mostly pay-off the peril and torture that they've been expecting to arrive for years now through the destruction of life itself. Holland also gives a vulnerable and obviously young side to him even at the midst of the end of the world. Hemsworth shows off his acquired personality from Ragnarok, yet still shaken and jagged because of what's at stake. He shines as his role as the God of Thunder has never seen this much significance compared to prior outings. His interaction with the Guardians is the perfect bridging of both worlds that we knew was already coming sooner or later. Rocket and Groot are also given an unexpected role along with Thor that was fun and unique to watch. Speaking of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Gamora and Quill standout as their worried and broken past comes back to haunt them. Gamora particularly shines as the daughter of Thanos, which gives a sense of history and affliction for both characters. Each character drives home the grim and merciless danger that they are in. The stakes are still high and it is made clear for each sequence. Nonetheless, this is all not to say that this movie lost the usual Marvel trademarks of quips and lighthearted fun. It's still definitely an Avengers movie and how the characters organically and hilariously complement each other just makes their eventual collapse and downfall even more tragic and heartbreaking.

On a technical standpoint, the film is visually breathtaking and ups the scale to planets and worlds previously unimaginable. The blending of both the Guardians, the Avengers and Thanos himself breathes an entire universe into life and it feels lived in and familiar. The action scenes are definitely on point and take center stage in this film. The Russo brothers have learned a lot ever since they took the directing helm in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film presents the action as it is and does not opt in for shaky cams or obviously recognizable body doubles. They do not disappoint, aside from set pieces being a little too short lived as the film has to constantly go back to other side stories happening planets away. It's understandable as it has to juggle this huge ensemble of a cast that already had their own character developments and movies prior to this one. However, when a Lord of the Rings-esque battle is ensuing, it doesn't help when the film steps back from it to show a side story which we inevitably all know where it will lead it up to. Aside from that, other minor complaints are how the film's score shy away from using the individual themes to symbolize the heroic moments of their respective heroes. The Guardians of the Galaxy theme or the Spider-Man Homecoming theme are a few examples that are not present in the movie.

In the end, this film will leave you speechless, disturbed, and perturbed. It's something that Marvel has successfully made us feel after 10 years with most of these characters. It's a unique cinematic experience that any other franchise or movie comes close to nowadays. Infinity War essentially created a cultural phenomenon that will be discussed further in years to come.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Just a Legend.

[10/10 · 16 December 2017]

The Star Wars films are a unique and unusual anomaly in an otherwise saturated lineup of blockbusters in its entire long running history. Other than the fact that it is a huge global phenomenon and the sci-fi classic that most filmmakers wouldn't have possibly conceptualized, it also has a drawbacks because of this status. It's almost as if each movie now have to live to the lightning that the original trilogy caught in a bottle. That there would be certain rules, expectations and certain events that must take place in order for it to be accepted. However, here comes Episode VIII, a film that unequivocally subverts and challenges the very foundations of an already 40 year old saga. It's one of the first Star Wars films, since Empire, that makes us question more about the fundamental themes that drive this saga, while crafting a film that is bold, elegant, emotional and completely thrilling.

Let's first tackle the themes and concepts in this film. The theme of letting go of the past is a very prominent one here, and its very apt considering the transition of a new trilogy. We are presented with a flawed, troubled and complex Luke Skywalker, a character that not only rejects the past, but also subverts our expectations of the values we know about him. He's not a jedi that is a master at his craft, he is a legend, a myth and yet he doesn't believe in those things. Here comes Rey, someone who challenges the very notion of what the original trilogy is known to follow. Her character represents the new colliding with an old, draconian and tired way. The other theme relates to the very myths and legends the that the franchise holds. Other than the legend of Luke Skywalker, we are introduced to the myth that there is only a good and bad side, when in reality there is a grey area that lurks beneath. The myth that the jedi have properly restored balance and peace. The myth that it is our identity and past that defines us.

With these in mind, The Last Jedi presents these themes in a fully realized fashion, wherein each character has an arc that not only serves them but the entire narrative as a whole. The scenes with Luke/Rey and Kylo are the standout, they no longer represent two opposing forces in the light and the dark, instead they represent distinct ideologies, each trying to pull each other to their ideology by choice, not by some higher order. Each motivation that they have are deeply rooted in personal conflicts within each character. Poe also conveys a strong-willed, cocky and interesting character, one that is confident in everything that he does and it has both its positive sides and down sides. Finn's development from the last film also carries on, as his distrust for the First Order further motivates each decision he makes in the film. Rose is also a worthy addition to the Star Wars roster, one whose character is easy to understand but seemed to have been overshadowed by the larger narrative in play. This film is also just drop dead the most beautiful looking Star Wars film of all time. The Rogue One went places with scale and subtle details, but this film brings a new touch to the universe, it explored places and creatures we've never seen before, yet it doesn't take away from the narrative. Never has Star Wars felt like a film with endless possibilities more than this one, and not just in the sets designs. There is something truly profound about the possibilities that the franchise has opened up to. From the twist in Empire about the family lineage of the Skywalkers, Star Wars became just that, a family space-opera. Yet with the new trilogy, it aims to dissect that very notion and without going too much into spoilers, instead presents something new and innovative that is both a bold and striking message for audiences.

If there's any problem I would have with this movie, it is with the choices they made with the story as a whole that seemed to be in relation to appealing to the fans. Now this movie is definitely not the most fan-friendly one, but there are definitely attempts to be. It was like they were obligated to add this side story or have this character be invincible for the sake of being true to Star Wars. While these decisions did not bug me as much, they objectively break some pacing of the film. However, to make up for these is a climax that connected and finally saved those problems from further reaching oblivion.

In the end, this is a film that will be remembered as the one that brought this new trilogy into a new direction, the same way that Empire brought the entire franchise into a long stretching family saga. Besides, even Empire Strikes Back had some people scratching their heads when it first opened, it just felt so different from Star Wars. Look where it stands right now, a legend.

Verdict: 9.5/10

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

"I didn't feel like I wasn't in the Blade Runner world even for a second"

[10/10 · 14 October 2017]

"Blade Runner 2049" is a triumph in atmospheric filmmaking, breathtakingly stunning visuals, and big-budget films in general. Director Denis Villeneuve has created a rare specimen of a film that knows how to take its time while having nuanced philosophical subtleties along with a huge budget at his disposal. It doesn't just build on the fully realized world the original in 1982 had, instead it builds its own living, breathing, and naturalistic world that leaves so much for the imagination to consume.

Set 20 years after the original, 2049 manages to bring in wonderful performances and a distinct perspective to the world Ridley Scott first brought. Ryan Gosling plays a Blade Runner that provides a parallel to Deckard in the original film, but his performance brings in a subtle nuances that show the tangible implications of being a Blade Runner. Another important character in the film is the bleak, vast and lived in world of Los Angeles in 2049. The world in the film presents a deeply characterized lens that makes us question the so called humanity that resides in it. The characters of Joi and Lov, the former being a virtual holographic girlfriend and the latter being a straight up menacing badass add so much more to the mood and world that they live in. Their presence begs questions like what is the role artificiality plays in the duty they should partake and whether that is something that is real to begin with, and what is their position in the world and does it make them inferior to begin with if they can make us feel emotions? Despite all of this, at the center of it all is a mystery that truly taps in to the gray area of the wall between humanity and artificiality. The unique point of view that the film dispenses with its protagonist, Agent K, is one that drives home the messages and themes the original Blade Runner was known for but with enough new style and substance to bring in to the table.

A lot of liberty was made to meticulously craft each detail and narrative beats in this movie. It's obvious from the get go that it wants to immerse you into the world and aesthetic that is 2049. Roger Deakins's cinematography is top notch and really revolutionizes the concept of atmospheric filmmaking. Details such as framing characters from windows showing how alienated and disillusioned they are in reality, breathtaking color palettes that fill up the cold and quiet nature of the scene, limited lighting to construct an almost dream- like feeling, and much more. The world of this film is absolutely fully realized, not for one fleeting moment in this 2 hour and 43 minute film did I feel like I wasn't in the world of Blade Runner.

It's without a doubt that if the first Blade Runner wasn't for you, then this one won't be either. It's one that's rooted in philosophy and themes that aren't presented the same way this does compared to modern blockbuster films. It's a lot to take in, and it's been a week since I've fully come to terms with this review. It's definitely not yet time to call it a masterpiece, but soon enough it will be. There are themes, questions and performances from this movie that will be discussed for years to come and will definitely transcend this review. The story, without going in to much detail, is one that is worthy of multiple viewings, and that's a good thing. Films should strive to make audiences think about it for many years to come, and this film does it with flying neon colors.

Verdict: 5/5

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

The Mischievous Spider-Man

[10/10 · 9 July 2017]

"Spider-Man: Homecoming" mixes what was great about the Tobey Maguire era along side the spider-man antics of the Andrew Garfield era to serve up a superhero movie that is the most true as it is fresh to the character ever since 2002's Spider-Man. Everything from the mundane things like Peter missing his web shots, running around in a field without tall structures, failing numerous times before fulfilling an objective, not having a love life yet unlike the previous film, and having the story focus solely on his journey to truly become spider- man is what sets this movie apart from everything that came before. It screams, breathes and feels like what spider-man should've been all these years, a 15 year old coming of age story with some spider-man.

No longer is the time where Peter Parker has already graduated high school and is almost in his adult life. No longer do we need to focus on this love story between Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane. This is a new era for spider-man, in the sense that he's no longer the only hero in the block and he can have other people help him. So the question now becomes, how can Peter Parker still be spider-man in this world of Avengers and countless supers? This is the main arc of the entire film wherein Peter now tries to prove himself as spider-man for Tony Stark. However, at the end, he learns that he doesn't need to prove that to anyone other than himself. This is the nuance this film brings in to the table, a kid who already tries to embody responsibility without needing another speech or death from Uncle Ben. Someone who constantly fails and isn't sure of what he should do in each scenario. A hero with a heart of gold and is vulnerable and still innocent to the things around him. Tom Holland's performance is the most naturalistic and deferential to the character and it shows. He IS the best combination of Peter Parker and spider-man even though you still may like Tobey for Peter or like Andrew for Spidey. Tom's portrayal shows a vulnerable and more heartfelt side to the character that you can resonate with every time he's on the screen. Michael Keaton serves as another addition to the low level and every day man turned villain in the Vulture because of the damage caused once again by the Avengers. The fact that this wasn't an origin movie made us love spider-man more. The first scene with him in the entire film immediately humanized and made him likable already. It goes to show that Marvel truly knows the character and is in safe hands. The scenes where spider-man was alone also were the complete highlights of the film. Despite him already being in this huge cinematic universe where anyone can possibly just show up and help him, the film still backtracks and show profound moments of Peter just being himself, talking to his new found AI friend Karen, or trapped in an unforgiving situation. It even has time to show the John Hughes inspired moments that add more than just "teenage angst" or "old and grown men writing dialogue that they think will relate to teenagers" type of stuff. The writers knew what they were doing and were able to provide a self-contained, non world-ending and separated yet still attached movie to the MCU much like what Ant-Man tried to do. It was also brilliant that we got to see more interaction between Tony and Peter, where we see more of how Tony reflects and projects himself on to Peter yet he wants him to be better than he ever was. It also feels like a passing on the torch because we know that Tony can only be in the MCU for so long and they need a definite flag bearer. The only gripe with the movie is how some of the side characters are brushed off without any meaningful or considerable act except for a few. Wonder Woman did it remarkably well with its side characters, but then again there is only so much you can do with an already over saturated universe that are already saturated with so many characters.

In the end, this film will probably stand the test of time after all the huge and extravagant Avengers films break out. This will be remembered as the connective tissue that brought some heart to it all.

Verdict: 4/5

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

"And if you don't love me now"

[9/10 · 30 April 2017]

"Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2" benefits from an already scintillating cast of characters that are put into a plethora of undeniably vibrant and colorful adventures. Cutting through the childish jokes and somewhat random and unexpected conflicts, the film splits and presents the Guardians into groups that may not click with audiences at first. However, once the film picks up its pace near its third act it becomes nothing but pure glorious and genial fun as good as the first one at best.

Part of what made the original so brilliant was how organic the portrayal of its rag tag characters was. They were all broken, weird and made decisions that showed each character. The best thing you can do for your characters in the film and to have the audience like them is if you put them in a situation that is hard and have them make a decision that will reveal character. Lots of that showed up with Star Lord i.e. him saving Gamora in space and lending her his helmet instead of using it for his own gain. Groot sacrificing himself for the team. Rocket saving the people on the ground. Drax shooting Nebula to defend Gamora as a statement of their friendship and many more. However for this film, right from the start, the whole team gets on an adventure on a very small and preventable mishap. There would be some Empire Strikes Back parallelisms here if you look at how the film is structured, such as how they split each character into groups and let them develop. Some would say this was a very bad decision to make, splitting the main cast when them being together was probably the best part of this franchise. Despite this, the film ties up all loose ends up until the end and this film truly makes the team realize how much they needed each other. For the first half, the film was very slow and had a very weird and inorganic flow. Lots of things kept happening so fast and sometimes become unbelievable, and you would sometimes roll your eyes in the jokes that didn't work at all. Despite all of this, that shouldn't take you away from the joyous and unorthodox world Marvel strikes you back in and added a whole lot more. Every frame in this film is vibrant and are never dull unlike the bleak and standard colors that plague the usual MCU films like Civil War and Ultron. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista and to an extent Vin Diesel all do their jobs so significantly well and they are all such a joy to watch individually. The humor is definitely out of this world and may seem very childish considering the context of a very different galaxy that differs from our own culture. But even then the saturated humor is cancelled out by the once again amazing soundtrack and vivacious world building. Kurt Russell as Peter's Dad works as this incredibly innocuous character that serves and benefits Peter's own mysterious arc. Michael Rooker as Yondu also serves as an interesting and unexpected addition to an already jam packed cast. Everything at the start feels unhinged, there is an unclear goal, and the stakes haven't risen. With no goal influencing a character and everything feeling static a bit static, the conflict/s at the start sometimes feel lackluster. It is when the huge reveal happens wherein you are given all the dots to connect, you finally get a goal for each character, and you finally feel the stakes being raised. Although, maybe some would say it should've been earlier, the fact that the reveal happens to open up the third act all the more shows the growth each character achieved throughout the course of the first and second act making each of their actions seem more emotionally packed and more worth it. The action scenes in this film are just absolutely amazing as well accompanied with an astounding soundtrack, definitely up there with Doctor Strange. James Gunn has also mastered hitting up the galaxy with balls to the wall weird and hilariously intricate details. All of these that add to the already diverse and magnificent world of the MCU. In the end, GOTG 2 compliments an already established cast of characters from a bunch of nobodies to a legendary pop icon for years to come.

Verdict: 8.5/10

Logan (2017)

It's a Mad Mad world

[10/10 · 6 March 2017]

"Logan" is a touching character study exploring and extending on loss, regret and grief while coming from an already established universe. Yet the most unique and special thing this film does is detracting from the usual conventions of the genre that some would say this franchise started back 17 years ago. Logan was not afraid to break conventions just like what 'Deadpool' did however in a more satirical way, this film presents the bleak, the desolate, the ravage, all with fully formed characters that are fed up with the world in a Western esque adventure.

Hugh Jackman's "Wolverine" serves as a callous and hard-hearted protagonist that has basically reached his breaking point. The opening sequence alone shows the brooding nature of the character that Jackman has portrayed for almost 2 decades now. The brutality of the film is something to revel, even though it has pretty much been expected given the R-rating, the film hits the bar high up and doesn't hold back at showing us each brutal moment leaving no time at all for the audience who have grown fond of the usual PG-13 action to adjust and it is quite glorious. The beauty of the film lies in its portrayal of each character in this new post-apocalyptic world. The new dark and wretched environment in of itself is a smack to each character in the narrative and also a smack to the audience. It's in 'Logan' wherein we once again get a film, just like 'The Dark Knight' that values characters, values layering and adding more depth to them and values the consequences that each individual has had to go through and does not hold back at what it may mean for the story or even the franchise in its entirety no matter how bold, appalling or shocking it may be. Both Stewart and Jackman give their best performance and show how much they are percipient about their characters. Even after 17 years, this is probably the best and truest of all perspectives we've gotten of Logan and Charles. Sure we got both their origins from their respective movies, but this a movie where we see them having to face with demons that haunt them and them struggling to face life and the perils it has brought upon them. This is a film where we finally see them both in their breaking points and have them reach an in-depth progression of their characters. Logan is definitely not the same in the end compared to how he was in the beginning, Jackman's performance is packed with strong emotional subtleties and nuances for every shot he's in, the same goes for Stewart as his character suffers from Alzheimer's and the fact that he cannot recall or properly remember the destruction he accidentally caused. These are two very tortured people and we learn a lot more about them here than we did in their origins, this is who they are when they're faced with nothing left, this is who they are when they're faced with small glimmers of hope, and this is who they are when they're helpless. Stewart and Jackman both gave a fitting send off to their characters and dare I say it, at least one of them deserves an Oscar. Dafne Keen is wonderful and a joy to watch as X-23. Similarities to Eleven from 'Stranger Things' aside, it's lovely to see a little girl wrecking and slicing people through very unpleasant means. Hopefully she does not get replaced by an older actress if they ever plan on casting for the inevitable X-23 movie soon since she seems well adjusted to the role. Boyd Holbrook plays Pierce and is menacing and sinister while standing toe-to-toe with Wolverine. What we get from him in the film is what we get and his menacing persona and robotic arm might be enough for some and lacking for others.

The story is intimately simple and easy to follow, it's personal, small scale yet devastating, heartfelt yet ravaging. With narrative call backs to the old classic westerns and some similarities here and there to Mad Max: Fury Road, the film feels special in every step of the way. Shots that linger on characters in silent moments, being patient with how the character unveil its new self, being meticulous on having soft pans and quiet shots to stop and show the bleakness or even the hopefulness of Logan given all the odds stacking against him. The cinematography compliments the narrative as each scene looks excessively like a western and evokes a mood that leaves you thirsty and helpless as the brutality unfolds. The irony is, this film probably presents the most life threatening and intense challenge for the X-Men that makes you feel and eventually care for them, and it does not involve any world ending device or overpowered character like in the previous films of the franchise. Instead, the film opts to be thoughtful and understands what it needs to be to make a proper character driven movie. It's as thrilling and exciting just like any other blockbuster should be, but it's also dark, deep, raw, devastating, surreal, exhaustive, insightful and sincere like any other great movie should be.

Verdict : 5/5

La La Land (2016)

What A Lovely Night Indeed

[10/10 · 15 January 2017]

*MINOR VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW*

Chazelle's La La Land not only succeeds at being an outright love letter to the golden age of Hollywood and be able to convey the magic it had, but also succeeds at being a grounded, profound, and genuine depiction of how we aspire for dreams. The film shows another side of how we try to achieve success or how we essentially try to be the best in our craft and passion just like in his previous film "Whiplash" (2014), but what's so special about this film is the fact that the dreams of the characters give way for their love to flourish, but at the same time it inevitably sets them apart.

The classical and nostalgic backdrop of the film compliments the dream like aesthetic and feel that drips in every scene. From being presented in Cinemascope, to the the Ingrid Bergman wallpaper, to the breathtakingly fitting colorful color palettes, the musical numbers that make you wonder if this film truly is set in the 21st century and the dialogue that is reminiscent of the usual golden age superstars like James Dean and Humphrey Bogart. All in all, this film breathes an atmosphere that truly makes it feel like we are dreaming along with the protagonists and it also makes you want to go back to the times where films weren't bloated with excessive blockbusters or piffle cash grabs and instead bring in the uplifting or melancholy magic that they should truly present. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling bring in their best performances yet, with a triple- threat-esque nature to their performances just like the legendary actors from the golden age of cinema, as both of them truly knew how to sing, dance, and most of all, act. The simple nuances each character bring to screen even in the smallest detail of visual comedy (which people rarely do nowadays), or visual story telling in each scene that makes the audience learn so much about a certain character with just one look or change in their face, this is real acting, show and don't tell. This is the same reason why we remember Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart so much from Casablanca, because they did not need to convey their love through oblivious dialogue, but through one glance at each other and we know it tells countless stories. We immediately know Stone's character "Mia"'s aspirations as she glances at an actress and see a strong emotion present in her face, she didn't need to say anything more or outright say "This is my dream!" through some sort of monologue. This is tremendously subtle and well done acting that we rarely see nowadays. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and stunning in each scene, the locations are incredibly iconic and nostalgic and the back drop of Los Angeles, especially at night, gives the movie an unique feel that will definitely remind you of the golden ages.

The story and plot is quite simple, yet layered enough to be such a universal story that anyone can fully grasp or have some sort of relation to. Sure it tells a faithful love story to the usual tropes and stories we saw in the 40s or 50s, but it tells it through the lens of so many specific and realistic aspects of life. The use of jazz once again by Chazelle just like in Whiplash, and of course acting as a profession, helps layer the story to a more grounded level, their dreams. Another way to view this film is to see how it may not have been entirely a love story after all. Sure there is no denying the chemistry and love brought by the two DID EXIST, but in the end it was a story about conflict and compromise and about how sometimes, compromise is walking away from something for each person's benefit no matter how hard it is. The film presents that love can be used as a tool to help you achieve your dreams and how even at the end, if not everything ends up the way it is, you acknowledge and find compromise in that arbitrary feeling and connection of love that helped you in the way. In the film Whiplash, the protagonist had to leave his girlfriend because he thinks that love was a distraction to the goal he needed to achieve, but in La La Land, they explore how love CAN also help you reach the goals you want in life. But in the end, just like most things in life, you cannot have everything and this is why this film is such an honest and inspiring depiction of people who want to aspire for something.

In the end, La La Land wasn't just a love letter to the golden age of Hollywood, it was also a love letter to the fools who dream, it's a love letter to anyone who wants to find someone in the crowd who can lift them off the ground, it's a love letter to anyone who may have been discouraged or disheartened in achieving something, it's a love letter to anyone who feels like dancing and singing see themselves flying off with their dreams.

Verdict: 9.9/10

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

"Pure Star Wars Magic"

[10/10 · 16 December 2016]

Just when you thought Episode IV was always the right film to start if you wanna properly feel the Star Wars experience. Rogue One draws you in with something new, dark, epic and fulfilling, that truly makes the 3 paragraphs in the opening crawl of Episode IV feel like a film we should've seen first.

The film soars in it being appropriately being titled "A Star Wars Story". Although some might see that the "Star Wars" franchise name it carries will obviously hold the film back and limit it to just setting up for sequels and pausing moments for nostalgia. The film does this naturally and it does not hold back at all with a tone that differs from the usual hopeful text book heroes' journey space opera of the previous films in the franchise. It does not need to set up for an even greater sequel because it merely needs to set up an already beloved franchise that has already had its high and low points. The film also doesn't stop to boast a nostalgic reference, they're there with subtle hints, nods and blends in with the over arching story. Simple nods like showing familiar faces appearing by having them blend in the crowd or be part of the rebel fleet, people playing Dejarik, and even fixing plot holes that have haunted the franchise for years. The film also does even better what "Force Awakens" did best, which was the introduction of the new characters, but what Rogue One does special was to not have the sequel do its job for them which is to develop each individual in the same movie. (because obviously the sequel already exists). Jyn Erso played by Felicity Jones works perfectly well in a film that aims for a darker tone and with her story directly contrasting Luke's humble beginnings of eventual greatness. Along with Cassian played by Diego Luna, Chirrut (Donnie Yen), Baze (Wen Jiang), Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and Bodhi (Riz Ahmed), they bring a whole new perspective and layer to the rebel alliance which we previously just usually saw from the eyes of our protagonists like Luke, Leia, and Hans. The film does a great job capturing themes of extremism, internal struggle within the alliance and how under powered they felt during the creation of the Death Star. They also capture a whole lot more context with what goes on within the Empire with Orson Krennic, Ben Mendhelson's character. Starting off as sort of a "Hans Landa" esque type of villain, his character highlights the flaws of the Empire and their eventual downfall. Also who could forget K-2SO voiced by Alan Tudyk who carries the comic relief and probably the best jokes along with Donnie Yen's character. But probably one of the strongest part about the film is how much it strayed away from usual Star Wars clichés and generating a feel like no other. Sure, probably the biggest flaw of this film is the first few parts which starts off slow and sort of inorganically introduces and sets up each character, but as the film progresses, it evolves the characters through emotional and dramatic moments delivered astoundingly by its lead actors. Every time the film delivers a climax, they are filled with strong emotions that were properly set up and developed before hand and this pays off incredibly well in the last 15 minutes of the film (more on that later). The cinematography and scale this film delivers is also off the charts and is probably THE strongest part of the film if not the latter. Gareth Edwards who also directed Godzilla (2014), is an absolute genius in creating massive set pieces and making your jaw drop in each establishing shot. Each shot drips of the epicness Star Wars created a legacy on, each shot feels like a film that definitely comes before a 1977 film, each shot has subtle nuances that make it even richer in detail. Along with the beautiful cinematography also came the fluid action scenes that were well paced and directed. The last 15 minutes of this film will absolutely leave you in awe, bring you to the edge of your seat and even make you cry because of euphoria. Gareth Edwards absolutely needs to direct every action scene, whether in space, on the ground or hand to hand combat, his style is what Star Wars needs to elevate their game.

In the end, the pay offs that this film will give you both as a Star Wars fan or even a casual fan are complete pure movie magic. Having not been born during the original trilogy or experiencing them in the theaters in the 70s-80s, I think this film is the closest I can have to having that inexplicable feeling of joy, wonder, excitement and refreshment this franchise has YET to offer.

Verdict: 9.7/10

Doctor Strange (2016)

Unique and unconventional style, but lacks the substance to make it better than it could've been.

[7/10 · 28 October 2016]

Probably everyone's biggest immediate perception at what's so amazing about this film is of course the visuals, and yes there's no denying it was such an extravagant experience especially considering watching it in 3D and 4DX. The mind-bending, intergalactic, space time continuum trippy-ness of the film makes up most of the chunk that makes this film a cut above the rest of all the Marvel films and it's a breath of fresh air that it remains that way through out the film. Benedict Cumberbatch is well cast, if Marvel is indeed planning on making the new "RDJ- like" character archetype then they're lucky to find another Sherlock actor to fill in that role because his arrogance, charisma and elegance were all translated so fluidly in the film. In fact, the actors in this film are all individually strong and there's no surprise since almost all of them have been given Oscar nods and recognition to be well rounded actors.

Nonetheless, style over substance is never usually a good thing, and I'm not making an exception here even if I do concede that the film looked hella cool. My biggest con in the film is probably how everything is either just so one or two dimensional (ironically, in a film about mind-bending stuff). If you take a step back and remove all the visuals, you get a run by the numbers generic plot with minimal impact. The plot leaves little to no tension with yet another "world ending" and life threatening plot line which will obviously be solved by an already existing deus ex machina. There are obvious and predictable foreshadowing hints wherein it really didn't feel like they were trying to be subtle anymore and force dialogue unto your face saying "Remember this thing I'm telling you, it's going to be used in the future and you'll totally know when". Also, the lack of tension in the film is quite appalling, sure it's executed beautifully, but that doesn't mean I'm going to fully appreciate the scene for what it truly is and what it means for the whole plot. Since the film focuses too much on the visuals, the audience is led to really forget about the tension and the possible stakeholders that might happen because cool unorthodox things are showing up on your screen. This makes it rather hard to relate to the characters and have slow and development heavy moments to be overshadowed. The second con is how we have no actual grasp of the extents and limitations of the powers in play here, IM NOT SAYING MAGIC IN THE FILM WAS A BAD THING, Magic can definitely be a good and special thing to do, but only if it is executed well enough not just in visuals but in substance as well. Sadly, the film glosses over that after such a strong first act. Suddenly after a span of reading montages, you sort of just have to accept he's this good and pro at this now. Even though from the start the film does show him struggle, the next few scenes, he's shown being able to handle toe to toe with a dark magic user who's way more experienced than him, and that's exactly the point. Sure there are quick explanations like him reading all the books in library etc etc, but it then leaves us with no grasp or knowledge as to what are the extents of the magic in this film, what are the strengths and weaknesses of each sorcerer or what are the possibilities for magic in battle and why do they even move God damn architecture. The point isn't that the visuals and the magic were horrible per say, but we had no grasp of what they truly are and are only left with ambiguity and cool scenes. Like the final battle was solved by such a convenient plot device that you even wonder why that wasn't even used before to prevent horrible events from ever happening, oh well they only explain that with a crappy one liner that doesn't work as well as it does in Doctor Who ("Time is Relative"). Lastly, the villain and the rest of the film is quite underwhelming and forgettable. It's a trend for Marvel films to have quite lackluster and monochrome villains, this isn't an exception even with Mads Mikkelsen as the actor. Not much to say about the musical score as well, ever since the "Marvel Symphonic Universe" essay made by Tony Zhou(Every Frame a Painting) it wasn't quite a surprise to have a rather generic and even non- existent Doctor Strange theme, odd considering solo films like Iron Man 1 and Ant-Man had their own distinct musical scores you can attach them too.

Overall, it's not a great movie, not a bad movie either. It's perfectly up to you whether or not you will absolutely adore this film mainly because of it's unconventional visual style and not care about the lack of substance and a run by the numbers safe origin plot. It's definitely not as good as Civil War and debatable if we compare with Ant-Man, but nonetheless it's a solid and unique Marvel entry.

Verdict: 7.6/10

The Flash: Flashpoint (2016) Season 3, Episode 1

Facing Consequences

[9/10 · 5 October 2016]

"Flashpoint" is probably the best season premiere episode the show has given us after 3 seasons of creatively introducing new things and reinventing themselves. This time we get an iconic story line played out in a rather minimal and small scale manner that certainly will pull lots of strings this season, appropriately titled "Flashpoint ;) ;)".

To start off, this episode really is such a nostalgic episode considering the long break we've had in between seasons and the emotional drive that was the last few episodes of season 2 Flash. Honestly, it seems perfectly fitting we only got the whole "Flashpoint" thing for one episode and it being the pilot in such a smaller scale compared to the comics. The next episode, appropriately titled "Paradox" sheds new light on what this season might actually focus on, which is not the whole "Flashpoint" itself, but how every event and consequences that will eventually happen in this season came from one point in time where Barry screwed up. At the start of the episode, it may seem too much to take in especially if you are a non comic book reader or aren't that too familiar with the concept of Flashpoint, it also doesn't quite help how the explanation comes in at around the 30 minute mark for those audiences scratching their heads. Nonetheless, it is an experience that most of us were waiting for ever since that reveal was made last season finale and it was reasonable considering how the whole "Flashpoint" event in the comics itself won't be able to extend to at least 22 episodes say even 7 episodes at best. For a show that knows its limitations and works with it, it was quite an impressive feat and has all the thrilling and exciting Flash elements you know and love. Moreover, this episode did contain a few flaws that may irritate some and SURELY then some. Number one being it isn't really what most people expected as it isn't as much as a faithful adaptation of the well known story line. Second, it's quite fast paced and doesn't hold on it own accord to stop as much and throws lots of things in for good measure, i.e. Caitlyn thrown in there, Key dramatic moments out of nowhere between certain characters, etc. Third, Kid Flash and the Rival being so short-lived and generic banter, lots of generic lines return and even though the scene plays out as it should be, it's quite irritating to predict whats coming up next and you ending up being right for the next few minutes. However, last point (pun intended), the ending is quite deliberate in trying to set up the season and boy does it look exciting, Alchemy and Savitar, Speedforce and Magic? Iris..????

In the end, it's a pretty good episode considering the limitations this show had with its characters and contrived story line. As long as the show will constantly and creatively bring in new things then this show is certainly worthwhile this season.

Verdict: 8.6/10

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Downvote this all you like, I don't care, It was surprisingly good.

[7/10 · 15 July 2016]

Ghostbusters (2016) is obviously a reboot and you know that, and that's probably why you've already condemned this film at the start. It also might be because of the horrid marketing and unfunny jokes. There is not really much to say about the build up to this film that you probably already know but here's something you will never know now that you've limited yourself in your close mindedness, this film is actually pretty surprisingly good.

"Why is it so good then? I obviously don't see how it's going to be good in any way and it's just a cash grab without even seeing it." Well let me give you a treat. It's enjoyable as any other comedy film you'd see, it's a joy to see different spins and variety other than being another cookie-cutter shot for shot remake of the original film, it's filled with a peachy cast that has chemistry that maybe isn't on par with the original cast but at the same time they have their own strengths and specialty, and lastly (your favorite part) it's not as good as the original and still has some flaws that people will pick apart.

There are lots of chuckle moments in the film and they're done pretty well enough. Of course some jokes are either a hit or miss, but maybe the weirdest part about the jokes are not everyone will get them since they're quite subtle or reference to something greater and if you like that kind of comedy then you'll find yourself laughing throughout the film but not everyone in the theater will be laughing with you though (lol). The jokes or sequences in the film that didn't work or just was downright unfunny in the trailers and marketing worked so unexpectedly well in the film. Maybe it's because these jokes and sequences worked better given the context of the film and the whole thing and Paul Feig (like the British guy he is) just doesn't know how to do one-liners or jokes (like what Americans do) that just hold on their own (see the difference between American and British comedy). The new cast is....surprisingly delightful, they have this chemistry that works with them when they're together, however if they're not together and you have individual scenes or sequences with them, they aren't as interesting and they're a bit dull at certain points except for of course a few exceptions. KATE MCKINNON, was absolutely the best part about the film and is the total exception, the scenes alone with her, plus the scenes with her interacting with the group were all quirky and outlandish. Chris Hemsworth is also a standout in the film as you may have probably guessed and he plays the idiot which may turn some people off but the film handled him pretty accordingly and all his scenes were appreciable at best. He totally gives the most laughs and that means the film does do something special with such a stereotypical idiot character so I can't really complain here. Is it faithful to the original? Well firstly this should've even be a category in a review since it's only fitting to have this film stand on it's own objectively given how much variety and twists to the original film this one made, so I won't bother with this and just talk to you about the cameos and references. The cameos and references were more or less (like the jokes) a hit or miss, some felt forced, some are just downright surprising, and some were just there for the sake of being there, but the film doesn't tangle itself up to go completely halting the film just for the sake of intertextuality. The visual effects for me are (and this will be an unpopular choice but bear with me) unique, stylish and vivid that's just like how it is in cartoons which is going to obviously going to be appalling for some people. There's a lot to like with how colorful and vibrant each design for the ghosts are however when in action with the Ghostbusters, they WILL look off for some people, but some will not mind.

So what's so horrible about this film? Well for starters, lots of people will complain about how the villain has no depth and his motivations were rushed for the sake of developing the Ghostbusters more, which I would most probably agree with as well but I thought he was serviceable enough because it felt like there was nothing else more to know about him other than what the film gave us. Like I said, there are a lot of things that are either a hit or miss in this film, the jokes, the subtle nods, and the characters will all be judged accordingly by you and it may be a good thing or a bad thing. The pacing for this film actually drags at the start and doesn't get to the point real quick. There would be scenes wherein they talk for an abnormal amount of time without establishing something important and then something integral to the plot appears 3 minutes later. The final third act is also pretty reminiscent of the original and it's going to be generic for some people which can be bothering. BUT THE BIGGEST FLAW this film did is create such an enormous backlash and hate from people thus creating preconceived notions. Try and going into this film with an open minded, I saw it with 7 people, 2 of which haven't seen the original and they all enjoyed it and was thoroughly surprised. This film will only being good will only depend on you, so cheers and have fun with it :)

Verdict: 7.6/10

The Flash: The Race of His Life (2016) Season 2, Episode 23

They Did It

[9/10 · 24 May 2016]

"The Race of His Life" is the much awaited season finale in which eager fans finally get to see the season's mysteries unfold along with a race that will ultimately define Barry's journey especially after the last episode. However, one of the lingering questions that this episode had to answer as well was if it was going to be on par with last season's finale which was exceptionally great and emotional. The simple answer is yes, to an extent the episode delivers and gives us some surprising call backs to the comics.

The episode begins with a somber after math considering the events of the epilogue in the previous episode, then the pace starts kicking in and we get a remarkable action sequence between the Flash and Zoom that surely makes up for the shoddy CGI and action scenes that came before this episode. The only things that hold this episode back from maybe being on par or a little bit better than the previous finale is the short run time and at times the bad acting. The 43 minute run time surely wasn't enough to suffice everything they needed to do but they did it either way, thus making some reveals or sequences feel too fast or too convenient which gives way for underwhelming scenes and a desire for a little bit more. Nonetheless, it delivered what it could within the run time and there are a lot of good things to go for in this episode. Another thing that was quite bothering was the acting and dialogue in this episode. It was repetitive and clichéd, at this point saying things like "Zoom is still out there" or "I can't let Zoom kill you guys" or "I have to stop him(Zoom)" gets really tiring to hear. There's also a scene with Caitlyn in which her delivery of lines were odd and cheesy, but it might be forgivable for some people considering Grant Gustin and the others were serviceable to say the least.

Now let's go in to the goods. This episode did a great job at being smart and at first and letting Barry's emotions not get the best of him. Although it might affect people for not seeing Barry for a portion of the episode, I believe it was a smart and more reasonable move. The final showdown between The Flash and Zoom was outstanding and the visuals really did shine as this show has practically already perfected the speed run fx. It was also nice to provide some call backs to the Crisis on Infinite Earths story line with the final show down that will sure be appreciable for the fans. The reveal of the man in the iron mask was also really satisfying and it pretty much what most of the fans were speculating on, but not quite enough as the episode reveals much more than what fans were probably hoping for. It's a shame we didn't get more of him interacting with Barry as the run time was limited. Lastly, they finally god damn did it. Most fans were speculating it would happen in season 1 finale but it finally happened here, and it was well earned. You can fully understand Barry's struggle and emotions as to why he did what he did in the final minutes of this episode and this leads to an exponential number of ways to go considering Supergirl is now in CW, they can easily connect everything and these few minutes can literally affect all the next seasons of the CW shows and it will be an unprecedented change for comic book TV shows.

Verdict: 9.3/10

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

High Stakes, Colossal Destruction, but no weight to it.

[7/10 · 22 May 2016]

"X-Men Apocalypse" is the next film after the clean slate we got from Bryan Singer's much acclaimed DOFP. The previous did a great job at hard resetting the franchise in order to puff some fresh and newfangled air for the franchise and remove some of the plot holes that have been bothering the X-Men franchise. But what Apocalypse does is be quite simplistic or average at best, we see a lot of landmarks and infrastructure getting destroyed and a whole new cast and much potential from Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse and yet it ends up being trite and feels flat and lackluster with just a couple of standout scenes.

Before you rip this review like the rest of the reviews out there, there are some aspects to this film that emerge to at least save for the dreary undertones. Like the already much talked about Quicksilver, he gives the film a way to bring in some fun and hilarious moments and his scene in the Xavier house is the most well made and aesthetically stunning in the whole 2h and 24 min run time. Once again the scenes with Fassbender's Magneto are the most emotionally driven ones in the movie. It goes to show that he has one of the most striking character arcs that has ever been explored in the whole X-Men saga. The old characters like Scott Summers, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler reintroduced are spot on and have minimal flaws to say the least. In its core as well, is a film that doesn't take itself that seriously at times and realizes how campy the 80s was. So it's not fair to say that this film wasn't fun or enjoyable, or that it lacks any spirit of exuberance.

For the film's flaws, it really is quite similar to what went wrong in Age of Ultron and if you liked that film then you'll probably like this film too. The film suffers with a villain that is average to really below average. For someone who is called Apocalypse, has lived for a thousand or more years and is really god damn powerful, he doesn't pass as menacing or even evoke a feeling of dread or trepidation at all whenever he becomes present on the screen. He also is literally just evil for the sake of being evil, sure he's maybe a whole lot of a better villain that Ultron (just maybe), but the parallelisms are still there, like the reason why he wants to destroy the world is because they both looked in the media and current and past world events and thought that it was all bull crap and wanted to make a new world. Part of the reason why he felt lackluster was that there was so much thrown in to the film and some even felt like it was just there for the sake of being there without really needing to be relevant to any character arc or subplot at all. You have the introduction of young Scott Summers who we see is not in control of his powers and that's about it so he goes to Xavier's School of Gifted Children, and then he meets Jean Grey in such a clichéd way. We also get to see Nightcrawler once again since X2 and he seems just thrown it there for the sake of being there too. After their introduction, they had to cut back to Magneto, then had to cut back to Apocalypse recruiting the horsemen as well. The reason why Days of Future Past worked was because they only had 1 then eventually 2 narratives to focus on. It was 1. what was happening in the past with Wolverine and the First Class cast. and 2. what was happening in the present as they were protecting Wolverine, and the second narrative wasn't given much focus until the near end of the film. Every subplot and character arc in that film felt relevant, while in this film it just didn't mesh well together. You also have inconsistencies with Apocalypse's powers, one moment you see him taking down a group of people with just a hand move. Then you see him calling out someone instead of just using his powers to kill everyone else in his way or literally rip out a wall to get to him himself. Instead Apocalypse's screen time and everyone else's screen time are wasted in favor of average sequences with no pay off in the final battle except for a show case of their powers, what they can do, and basically defeating the villain and saving the day because we all know that a handful of them survived in the end of Days of Future Past.

Verdict: 7.3/10

The Flash: Invincible (2016) Season 2, Episode 22

"You're not invincible"

[8/10 · 18 May 2016]

"Invincible" comes out right after the emotional ride of "Runaway Dinosaur", at the start it seemed like it felt like a huge scale episode, it ended up exploring on Barry's character even after he already went to the speed force development plot line. The episode is also quite fast paced as the finale now nears its premiere and all the drama and action are now escalating.

In the episode, Barry starts out feeling over confident after his speed force experience. It felt like it was quite relevant given the circumstances the episode presented, but then again it felt kind of useless considering Barry was already given so much closure and development in the last episode already. It was nice that it was shown that Barry was now a completely different guy after the speed force, but it wasn't really fleshed out how him being more optimistic and encouraging was a sign that he was losing fear and the episode tried so hard to explain that fear was a good thing. In the end, and most especially in the end, we finally got the pay-off and consequences to Barry's actions and it was quite heartbreaking. Wally also has a subplot once again about wanting to help in the Metapocalypse and of course a set up for next episode as it is the season finale. The seemed average at best and does well at setting it all up. However the revelations done in the episode with missed opportunities. For example, there wasn't a real shocker to Zoom after finding out that Barry and The Flash is now back, the "Metapocalypse" didn't really seem all that large scale except at the beginning of the episode and Black Siren was just there for the sake of being there. The CGI and action however was for slow-mo type scenes and sadly, it just made one scene in particular look a whole lot artificial and seemed like a video game. Nonetheless, it's the ending which most people are talking about in this episode and it's quite well deserved. The way it was handled was quite unexpected just as you thought they wound end at a certain point, it goes on and further erupts. It was devastating, all the more considering last episode's story line and it probably is the push Barry needs for the season finale.

Verdict: 8.5/10

The Flash: The Runaway Dinosaur (2016) Season 2, Episode 21

The Runaway Feels

[9/10 · 11 May 2016]

"The Runaway Dinosaur" is an emotional ride that back tracks a bit to give Barry a well done and well deserved development within the Speed Force while building great chemistry between the group and it's characters.

Right off the bat, the episode really does a great job at capitalizing and giving each character in the S.T.A.R. labs team or even the smaller characters enough time and spotlight to truly shine respectively. With a minor flaw being Tony's sudden appearance which really has no sort of relevance to the episode, and he's just there for the sake of being there. You can take out Tony from this episode and replace him with any other bad guy besides Zoom and the episode would've really played the same which is quite appalling. Now that we've thrown that away, this episode is really damn emotional and hits you right in the heart. As Barry fights to come back to the real world out of the very trippy speed force, as he does that he gets greeted by people who are special to him. This gave way to one of the most touching scenes the show has ever had since the finale in Season One which really hits hard. Barry in the speed force basically gives him the sufficient back tracking and eventual closure he needed that surprisingly wasn't explored as much to its fullest extent in previous episode. Kevin Smith also does quite a good job giving chemistry between the side characters and giving them hilarious lines and subtle mannerisms to make it all the more fun. The best way to draw a parallel to this episode to another property is probably Guardians of the Galaxy. It's weird to an extent, it balances humor and emotion, and it contains a whole lot of touching scenes involving moms and "Take My Hand" scenes.

+Emotional scenes with the speed force +Great chemistry between characters +Great subtle touches -Villain could easily be replaced with someone else and has no effect whatsoever.

Verdict: 9.3/10

The Flash: Versus Zoom (2016) Season 2, Episode 18

The Dark Side of the Force

[8/10 · 20 April 2016]

"Versus Zoom" is indeed one of the most anticipated episodes this season as the title already suggest, it is when Zoom and Barry finally fight after all the stakes have been set and the mysteries and questions continue to be solved. The episode does a great job of establish Zoom's character and the parallelism between him and Barry and the theme of a family being there to be able to support each other, yet the episode still has some minor to glaring flaws and plot holes that don't really add up.

First off, the episode starts off with a well done flashback to Zoom's story and origins which does a great job of conveying to the audience of how much of a broken character Zoom is and how much similar the Flash could be to the Zoom at the end of the day. The episode also has great heart in being able to correlate the relationship of both Barry and Joe. Before the battle between the flash and zoom even started, they also actually gave us an actual reasonable and realistic plan at the start which meant that there was no need for the battle which I particularly liked because of the way the show actually acknowledges that there were other directions the team could've taken yet they didn't. Plus, there were some references from Star Wars and more that were made to fill up some of the analogy given in the film which were actually quite hilarious and actually makes sense for the situation which was honestly surprising. Plus plus, the action and visuals are incredible and it's heart pounding when the Zoom and Flash battle eventually starts and when it ends. Although there are a few mis- steps as well leading to that battle. The Iris subplot is now back to finally annoy us for like the 10th time (I lost count) in this whole series. Sure, maybe Iris is now more developed and her characters is now much more steadfast (no pun intended), it still doesn't change the fact that her subplot was so out of place and unnecessary for this episode. Then there came some minor to glaring plot holes *SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT*

Firstly, why didn't the Flash make any mention of his travel to Supergirl's world and why didn't he use this to his advantage? He was able to open a breach and travel to another world, WHY COULDN'T HE ASK HELP FROM WELLS AND HIS TEAM IN ORDER TO REPLICATE THAT AND GO OPEN A BREACH TO EARTH 2?? Instead, they had to use Cisco, who in fact was even unwilling to do it in the first place. Secondly, something minor but how the hell did they get full body cut outs of Zoom's parents? They literally had the time and effort to get HD looking full body shots of his parents just to freaking deter him. Thirdly, why was there a need to take Caitlyn? it honestly felt anti-climactic and unnecessary for Zoom to do considering he got what he wanted. Was it just because he got triggered because she reminded her of her mom? Does Zoom still actually love her? This episode just leaves more questions open than actually answered.

The Walking Dead: Last Day on Earth (2016) Season 6, Episode 16

What The Hell Was That?

[7/10 · 3 April 2016]

"Last Day on Earth" is a perfect example of what NOT TO DO when you're going to translate such an iconic and major event in the comics into the show and might possibly turn this episode into one of the best one the show will ever get yet. It just tells us that this show is too afraid to do what really matters.

Let's keep it short, unlike this long and dragging finale. The episode starts off with the usual set-up and they decided to only focus on two plot points. The Carol and Morgan story line and the build up to Negan and the Saviors. First of, the Carol and Morgan story line was incredibly mediocre and to be quite frank and honest, we didn't care about it and it didn't compensate for the slow and terribly paced finale. We just get like one important thing from this story line and that was Morgan finally killing and that was it, there was no need to put as much focus and scenes to that subplot this episode delved into. Secondly, the Negan build-up was just so god damn slow and boring, the RV just went to each road block and road block and nothing was literally happening even if the episode tried it's best to add some "suspense" to each road block, we just yawned and rolled our eyes UNTIL he finally came. Jeffrey Dean Morgan was menacing as Negan and he brought hands down one of the, if not the most intense and suspenseful sequence and monologue the show has ever delivered. The reason why the scene worked because even if you had knowledge with what happened in the comics, even if you may already know Negan as a character in the comics, the show exhibits Negan as someone who is more laid back and relaxed in his introduction without showing his yet to be soon psychotic and more carefree side just like in the comics.

BUT, the episode makes a grave mistake by making a decision not to show who died and provide us with a cliffhanger that will get us talking the whole summer. First off, this is something that can come off to some people as being afraid to do something major and they literally have a several months to think about who to kill, but moreover, compared to other shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, they aren't afraid to show deaths and major moments which gives them such high ratings and reviews and keeps the audience hooked. Unless they do what they did in the Season 5 opener in which they started immediately where the Season 4 cliffhanger ended, then this cliffhanger is more or less forgivable? But the damage has been done and if the character who dies is revealed in the first episode of Season 7 then there wouldn't be that much of an effect anymore because the fans have already discussed this A LOT of times when that time comes and it wouldn't have that same effect compared to having seen the death in this episode.

In the end, the finale is incredibly slow, badly paced and a half- assed ending that will sure get fans talking, but won't give the same effect as to seeing THAT death and closure in this episode.

Verdict: 6.8/10

The Flash: Flash Back (2016) Season 2, Episode 17

Looking Back Makes Us Move Forward Further

[10/10 · 30 March 2016]

"Flash Back" is a creative episode and is a breath of fresh air especially after the major call backs this season is making to its previous season. The episode makes a very intriguing decision to go back to Season 1 head-on and it makes for an interesting, jovial and ingenious episode that ties back to the occurrences this season as well.

First of all, the team dynamic in season 1 interacting with season 2 Barry was really well done and interesting to watch considering the things we know about in so far as to what will happen. The introduction to timewraiths was also intriguing and provides a pre- requisite now every time The Flash plans on going back to time. Seeing Harrison Wells back as Eobard Thawne was also fun to watch as we suddenly feel that we miss this character and his menace and makes you really remember how great season 1 was and how this character has completely changed our characters in the future. Some opportunities weren't missed as well, more development was given to the Iris storyline with the addition and comeback of Eddie Thawne once again. If there is anything this show can do well, it's providing closure and original and creative ideas that never fails to strengthen the plot. The action and the visuals aren't so bad and the characterization of the timewraith look a lot like a dementor which didn't really affect it because it looked pretty good and scary for TV standards.

In the end, this episode is a great way to lay back and relax before the show explodes with more and more revelations as the finale nears. As the show gives more and more closures, more things will be open that will surely affect the characters in whatever way in the future.

Verdict: 9.6/10

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

"Dawn of a New Age: Setting Up For Sequels Before Being It's Own Thing."

[6/10 · 26 March 2016]

Batman v Superman is an aesthetically pleasing film, with great visuals and action, a grim and dark tone that surpasses Man of Steel and great performances from Ben Affleck as a much more brutal Batman and Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot doing well respectively for their roles, but even though Zack Snyder has a disparate style to his comic book films and it has a brilliant soundtrack from Han Zimmer to elevate some scenes, the film lacks substance and it is a desperate attempt to bring in and adhere all the needed things for the sequels and the upcoming Justice League films making it feel like a sloppy, slapdash and haphazard film only to serve as an excuse to bring all these heroes together, without really filling in the void that is needed for it to be a good film.

As a comic book fan and have admittedly anticipated this film for a long time, it isn't a fair excuse to dismiss the flaws and look at it in the eyes of a fan because even if you look at it in that way, the film remains to be dissatisfying and disappointing to say the least. Even as a comic book fan, the film still doesn't capture the true essence of a well structured comic book movie because the film suffers from having TOO MANY plot points in the film that could've been taken out or completely ruined the film because some of them weren't even developed well enough even though it had such potential.

Granted, the film still has some meritable moments and things that will probably be an excuse for you to still watch at the end of the day. The first act will really make you feel invested in the film and the action is crafted much like how Zack Snyder would normally do it and the cinematography is rather well done in the film. Ben Affleck's portrayal of Batman is also one of the standouts of the film and can even be said as the best part of it, he was able to bring out a Batman we've never seen before and Affleck really brought out something special and a menacing feel to the well known character because he literally kills people in the film. Henry Cavill remains to be a superb Superman while Gal Gadot does well in her role as Wonder Woman which in some scenes with her will make the audience clap (mainly because of Hans Zimmer's beautiful riff).

But behind all of this, it remains to be a mess of a film. Lex Luthor is vexatious and quite bothersome, Jesse Eisenberg does bring out a new kind of Luthor even though it can be excused that he is Lex's son (Alexander Luthor), it doesn't change the fact that his mannerisms and his acting is exasperating and at certain times will make you roll your eyes. The way Doomsday is handled is also half-assed and it felt like the filmmakers were apathetic to this character because he was resorted to only becoming a tool to unite the trinity. Let's also go on and look at the "Dawn of Justice" and how it was handled, it was a real mess. It felt like there were 4 trailers within this film to set-up the Justice League and it was completely useless and it nullified some of the best aspects of the film which was the political drama and conflict after MoS, sadly they were all thrown away to make way for these set-ups. Lastly, the real reason why we're going to watch the film, The fight between Batman and Superman, quite frankly it was underwhelming. Sure it was brilliantly executed action and visuals and the motivation for them fighting was okay, but the resolution and the way it ended was so lazy and indolent and will kind of make you cringe, it makes you really think that the fight could've been resolved or avoided if Superman and Batman just talked for a full minute and have Superman explain his situation.

In the end you're probably still seeing BvS and will disregard this review, but the pursuit to being analytical and objective about this film is what reviews are for and whether or not you're still in denial or not the fact remains that BvS is a huge disappointment and an incoherent and sloppy mess.

Verdict: 6.3/10

The Flash: Trajectory (2016) Season 2, Episode 16

"Nothing in Life is Promised Except Death"

[9/10 · 22 March 2016]

"Trajectory" introduces a much well awaited lady speedster, but at the same time depicts themes of shortcomings, the desire for power and reveals a shocking revelation fans have been speculating for a month.

The episode starts off with quite a comfy start with The Flash training and bonding with the team which is one of the best aspects of the episode and the show so far. The interaction between Wells and his daughter was also nice to see. The villain also does a great job in proving to be menacing even though there seemed to be more to her and there could've been more potential, I believe that her purpose was fulfilled as she was there to show the effects of Velocity 9. Each sub-plot were handled well enough to keep your attention like the Wells, Barry training and Iris subplots. The set pieces and the action were also well done and had a lot of polishing to it which gave it a rather epic and large scale effect. Now going in to the big reveal at the end, I think the episode did a very good job in using Trajectory as a filter for what Zoom may actually be. It raised a whole lot of questions and without spoiling, it finally gives an emotional drive to the story and the team in regards to fighting Zoom which was well done as well in season 1 wherein the team had a direct link to Wells which made the fight even more personal.

In the end, Trajectory is a great filler episode with great themes and action which will surely excite you for the coming episodes with more and more to look forward to.

Verdict: 8.5/10

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Dramatic Exit

[7/10 · 11 March 2016]

"Kung Fu Panda 3" is an enjoyable film, if you look at it in a kid's perspective. However it isn't on par with the hilarious and recurring themes of the first one or the dark and emotional impact of the second one. Right off the bat this film is beautifully animated, it has an intriguing premise and lots of potential especially with it's villain, but it did not deliver what it could've been because of its 1 hour and 25 minute run time which makes the film rushed and not fleshed out.

First of all, this movie is an undeniably well animated film, each character looks more and more layered out and textured. The background and the foreground both look captivating and unique which gives the whole film its distinct look from the previous films. The film also offers a brilliant soundtrack once again from Hans Zimmer which elevates the story and giving a distinct feel for each character. The dynamic between Po and his Dad was also enjoyable considering a lot of kids will be watching this with their dads or their parents, it was handled pretty well. The Furious Five were also given some more lines to compensate for and they had more scenes compared to the previous film which was nice to see. HOWEVER, these saving graces don't really make the film that great.

The flaws of this film are what really prevents this film from being better than what it is. The villain (Kai) was not fleshed out as much and there was a lot of potential for him even though granted it was given a great talent with J.K. Simmons which was a pretty good performance overall. Compared to previous villains like Tai Lung or Lord Shen, they were really fleshed out and unforgettable (personal favorite being Lord Shen) and they had an impact on Po, be it because of his master or because of his past. In this one, the motives that were set for the villain was rather simplistic and the exposition for him being quite powerful was promising and COULD'VE been his saving grace, but as the film progressed he DID show he was powerful but it felt like there was more to him and he felt quite underwhelming. Another flaw would be Po's journey, and this time he has to teach, but before he has to teach...he needs to know who he really is? Didn't the previous film already tackle this and more so even better than this film. The second film had such depth and development for Po's character as he later discovers his past and him learning that he didn't have such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make him who his and that it is the rest of his story and who he chooses to be, and at the end of that emotional scene in KFP2 after he finds the truth, he tells himself "I am Po". Now we're back to square one here in KFP3, because he once again asks who he really is as a Panda, but doesn't that then negate what they built in the previous film??? That he is what he chooses to be? This was kind of repetitive to watch because it felt rushed and isn't as fleshed out as the second film. Moreover the film is really really convenient, there are times where (especially in the finale) unexpected deus ex machinas literally save the whole day and there are a lot of plot conveniences that are really predictable. The film also suffers from a lack of depth compared to the previous films except for some parts with Po and his Father but then again those scenes do get their emotional impact from Kung Fu Panda 2 which was kind of repetitive and too dependent on being reminiscent of the other films.

In the end, Kung Fu Panda 3 is still a pretty enjoyable and fun film with your family if you disregard its flaws and look at the beauty it actually holds with its animation, the spirit of family and the feeling if you watch it feeling like a child.

Verdict: 7.2/10

The Flash: Escape from Earth-2 (2016) Season 2, Episode 14

"I'm Just Barry Allen, and You're the Flash"

[8/10 · 17 February 2016]

"Welcome to Earth 2" and "Escape from Earth 2" is the needed exposition for the new world in which we're introduced in which is Earth II. Although this episode does a great job in showing the vast and rich mythology and variety this show had to offer, the show kind of falls when it comes to executing some certain aspects of the episode.

The two parter sure is exciting once you read the general premise of it. Granted, it was exciting and had its thrilling moments with the help of visual effects and the set design of the show. However, this episode needed a riveting plot, not just an intriguing premise. When you think about it, did they really execute a great plot to compensate for in this two parter? The main point was to save Harrison Well's daughter but the first part had to introduce us first to Earth II and their dopplegangers. Even though the two parter made an effort to go sidetrack a little bit in Earth One, it feels as if it was uncalled for and it brought no intensity to the general storyline whatsoever. Undoubtedly the best part of this two parter was Zoom and the mystery that was shadowed upon him, yet he's incredibly inconsistent and underpowered at certain times which is really rather convenient for the screenwriters at the end of the day. It feels as if the episode didn't take risks that could've been done and could particularly have potential in providing a much more exciting episode. Granted, the episode isn't all that bad and the two parter really isn't boring, it's just that it could've been improved more especially when everything felt so ridiculously CONVENIENT and ridiculously illogical. The Barry and Barry from Earth II stuff was good and the dynamic from the team still feels pretty intact and developed. The visual effects kind of seemed iffy in Earth II (hopefully not a sign of quality reduction) but other than that Zoom and the Flash still look pretty great. The twists and subtle hints in the episode were already rather noticeable and predictable, even the final shocker was quite frankly predictable.

In the end, Earth II Two parter was decent at best, but not as much as it could've lived up to its great premise.

Verdict: 8.0/10

The Walking Dead: No Way Out (2016) Season 6, Episode 9

Turn The Other Way

[10/10 · 15 February 2016]

There are only 3 types of The Walking Dead episodes. 1. The One which spends the whole episode developing a character or something (ugh) 2. The One which sets up it's next episode (like a freaking lot of set up) 3. and The One that shows an integral plot line from the comics. (i.e. someone dies)

This episode completely made a new type of Walking Dead episodes. 4. The One that completely turns the other direction and mix everything you love about this show.

Before I praise this brilliant episode, I'll go on and say what I didn't like about this episode, it ended. Nah just kidding, some of the story lines did not end as satisfying as it could've been or they completely turn

This episode finally, FINALLY brought all the story lines together into one epic and large scale episode and intertwined them to make such an extravagant ensemble of a mid season. If there were some subplots that didn't make sense in previous episodes (like Jessie's son and their screwed up family as a whole, or that nurse), they all get a pretty much logical conclusion here, no matter how it may not at all feel satisfying there's no denying what this episode concluded what was brought to the table in previous episodes was something that was needed to further draw a sense of closure and end point for their development.

But with that said, what was so great about this episode? The dialogue, the cinematography, the symbolisms, the acting, the makeup, the striking practicality of the visual effects, being close and at least loyal to the comics and of course, the intense, high scale and breathtaking action in this episode. This episode took a different direction from what we originally thought would happen. When the first half of the season ended, we were teased with something, before this episode rolled it's opening credits, they took an ENTIRELY different direction and I think it was a good decision by the writers. Just when we thought there would be a boring pattern in TWD much like it's parallelism with it's previous seasons (rick and group finds shelter, shelter gets invaded by people or walkers, they get out of the shelter, they find new shelter), this mid-season premiere changes that and spices it all up surprisingly well. It was refreshing for the group to actually do something about the problem instead of just doing what they always did the past few seasons, it was great that we see a clear distinction that the characters HAVE developed and all those boring ass development episodes weren't wasted. This is the kind of episode that we occasionally see in TWD because this episode needed a lot of set- ups to reach it's peak, I mean, who the hell didn't want to see the whole freaking group FINALLY legitimately kick some walker ass in such a bad ass and epic way???

Rick was great in emotionally tackling the shocking events in the episode, the acting was solid from the supporting actors and the whole effort put in to make such a huge and integral episode was amazing.

In the end, this episode was shocking, intense, electrifying, mesmerizing, and breathtaking. They took another direction, and they found a way out, a way for this show to keep on excelling at what it does best.

Verdict: 9.9/10