Fresh off the climatic end of Marvel Cinematic Universe phase 3 with Avengers: Endgame, we get a much more gentle coda as Peter Parker decides to go on his class trip to Europe. Also, a new hero named Mysterio emerges. If you are still worried about spoilers for Avengers: Endgame, avoid this movie and this review. If you are worried about spoilers for Far from Home, there are lots of twists and surprises it would be difficult to review it without saying More…
Movies
June 21, 2019
Midsummer Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935, 1999)
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet
Are of imagination all compact.
–Theseus (V.i.7-8)
Summer is icumen in the Northern Hemisphere and a certain midsommar horror will see release soon, and so we’re going to review Shakespeare’s popular play of fantasy. So many film adaptations exist that we might make this an annual tradition. For now, we’ll start with the two most star-studded cinematic interpretations, Warner Brothers’ 1935 adaptation with luminaries like James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, and Olivia de Havilland, and the 1999 version starring Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Calista Flockhart, and Christian Bale, among others.
Greek mythology, faeries, magic, lovers young and old, and a well-meaning troupe of dubious actors await you.
June 14, 2019
Kick-Ass (2010) and Godzilla (2014): Final Episode of Make Me Watch It
W. Blaine Dowler Make Me Watch It, Podcast, remakes Movies
The last subjects of Make Me Watch It are now available. Jon M. Wilson returns to discuss Kick-Ass (2010) and Godzilla (2014). The updated and maintained list of options for “Make Me Watch It” can be found here. You can name up to ten movies you’d like me to cover here. The series can also be found on Stitcher, on iTunes, or in a direct RSS feed.
June 1, 2019
Weekend Review: Godzilla – King of the Monsters (2019)
Alexander Case Godzilla, Legendary Films Monsterverse, Movies Movies
Legendary Pictures continues their Monsterverse with the second outing of their version of the Big G’s – with him going face to face (or face to face and face and face) with the other Big G – Ghidorah.
May 25, 2019
Movie Discussion: Aladdin and Brightburn (2019)
We have a pair of genre releases this week that we won’t be reviewing soon. If you want to discuss Disney’s live-action reinvention of its 1990s adaptation of the story from Arabian Nights, or the horror-movie twist on Shuster and Siegel’s reinterpretation of the hero mythos, here is a place to do it.
May 18, 2019
Weekend Review: Daphne & Velma
Our recent Weekend Movie Reviews have looked back to 2019 Hugo Nominees that didn’t receive notice here when they hit the theatres. This week, we look back to a 2018 movie that received little notice anywhere, and certainly won’t be winning any awards. However, it fills up this space until Brightburn and Godzilla, King of the Monsters get released later this month.
Did anyone realize they made another live-action Scooby-doo film last year? This one reimagines Velma and Daphne’s first mystery together, before they hooked up with a couple of guys and a talking Great Dane.
May 14, 2019
“Venom” (2018) – Make Me Watch It #29
W. Blaine Dowler Make Me Watch It, Podcast Movies, Podcasts
The latest subject of Make Me Watch It is (2018), directed by Ruben Fleischer. The updated and maintained list of options for “Make Me Watch It” can be found here. You can name up to ten movies you’d like me to cover here. The series can also be found on Stitcher, on iTunes, or in a direct RSS feed.
April 30, 2019
Trailer Park Tuesday: Oh My God, What Have They Done? Edition
Brian Godzilla, MIB, Movies, TPT, Trailers Movies
A quick round up of newer trailers online, including the ill-advised and frankly frightening Sonic the Hedgehog.
April 26, 2019
“Avengers: Endgame” Review (sort of)
W. Blaine Dowler Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies
You know that footage you saw in the Avengers: Endgame trailers? It’s all from the first 15 minutes of a 184 minute film that feels like an 18.4 minute film. You know how some movies have principal cast members names flash on screen before the proper credits scroll by? I counted 65 of those. You know how our normal review format has a premise, high point, low point, and then at least seven more paragraphs discussing the various aspects in detail? I cannot think of any way to discuss any moment of the film not present in the trailers without spoiling something major. Avengers: Infinity War was just the warm up for this one, and as far as I can tell, every single person involved knocked it out of the park. My expectations for quality were exceeded. My expectations for story points were not only completely off the mark, they were not nearly as good as what we actually got. Suffice it to say that I’m giving the movie a perfect 42/42, and encourage everyone with even the slightest interest to see this before any aspect of the film gets spoiled.
July 18, 2019
Trailer Thursday: Cats
JD DeLuzio Movies, Music 0 Comments
I have a secret I must share.
I liked Cats. I had soundtracks (on cassette) of the original London and New York productions and went to see the original Toronto run. Someone bought me a Cats t-shirt and I wore it, unironically. I know, right? The Ramones, The Beatles, Mozart, and… Andrew Lloyd Webber. Even if it’s the Baron scoring T.S. Eliot’s whimsical book for the godchildren– a book referenced, mind you, in Logan’s Run— it remains a tad embarrassing.
So now there’s a movie, due out next Christmas. Leading actors, singers, and dancers have been CGI’d into Furry feline aliens.
And I’m not certain what to make of it:
Some viewers may think this is the cat’s meow. Others may find this quest into the Uncanny Valley haunts their memory for a long, long time.
More…