The following is a review of Thor, a Kenneth Branagh film.
Thor was the first film that really made it clear to me that Marvel Studios could make any hero character interesting and cool. What really made this film work was how they managed to add both humor and Shakespearian dialogue to a film about a Norse God. I absolutely love this film, though, I do realize that I might be one of the biggest fans of this film. Continue reading “REVIEW: Thor (2011)”
The following is a retro review of The Incredible Hulk, a Louis Leterrier film.
Five years after Ang Lee released his version of a Hulk-film, Marvel Studios decided to make a quasi-sequel/reboot of Bruce Banner’s adventures and make it a part of a newly planned franchise. But while The Incredible Hulk became the second film in a multi-billion dollar movie franchise, stuff behind the scenes would end up making this film the least important that Marvel Studios produced in the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Continue reading “RETRO REVIEW: The Incredible Hulk (2008)”
The following is a spoiler-free review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a Zack Snyder film.
Batman v Superman is finally here! Comic book fans have been wanting to see this film for decades, and moviegoers have been waiting for a proper sequel to Man of Steel since 2013. Somehow this film had to appease both audiences. My complicated history with Man of Steel has been heavily documented on this blog, and I don’t think I’ve really loved a Zack Snyder-film since his remake of Dawn of the Dead.
Needless to say, I was really worried about this film. Superman used to be one of my favorite comic book characters, and Batman still is one of my favorites – I want them to be given a proper treatment on the big screen. I just wanted to like it – that is all I wanted from this film. But, to be perfectly honest, I did not. At least not all of it. Continue reading “REVIEW: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)”
The following is a review of Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016), a Netflix Original Film.
The character ‘Pee-wee Herman’ was a comedic hit primarily in the 1980s. By releasing a film starring Paul Reubens’ Pee-wee Herman, Netflix were hoping to cash in on the heavy pull of nostalgia. While I’m sure that worked for a lot of people, that would never work for me with this character. I had never seen anything with Pee-wee Herman. I didn’t grow up with the character. I might’ve seen what the character looks like before, but I didn’t know what I was getting into when I sat down to watch it… But I had a lot of fun with this film. Continue reading “REVIEW: Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016)”
The following is a retro review of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, a George Lucas film.
The first return of Star Wars didn’t go as well as planned. Way back in 1999, George Lucas resurrected the greatest movie franchise of all-time with The Phantom Menace. It included politics, fan-service, and a very young Darth Vader. Fans were certain that this franchise reboot was going to work, but, unfortunately, the end result did not live up to most fans’ expectations. To this day, the end result is remembered as one of the worst examples of prequel films, but, while I can’t say that I like the film, I don’t think it is as catastrophic as its sequel. Continue reading “RETRO REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)”
The following is a review of ’10 Cloverfield Lane’, a Dan Trachtenberg film.
Let’s talk about expectations. The tagline of the film, “Monsters come in many forms,” is the truest representation of the film. With the original Cloverfield we were treated to a found-footage monster movie, but 10 Cloverfield Lane is a much more polished, suspenseful, and mysterious thriller. It is a very different movie, so manage your expectations. But I think I actually like 10 Cloverfield Lane more than its titular relative. Continue reading “REVIEW: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)”
The following is a retro review of ‘Cloverfield’, a Matt Reeves film.
Cloverfield is one to remember. It is the most mysterious monster film ever made, one of the best found-footage films of all-time, and, arguably, the best monster film of the 2000s. I had no idea what it was when it came out. I remember how some thought that, perhaps, it was a new Godzilla-film, and while Godzilla is a great monster, I can honestly say that I’ve never enjoyed a kaiju-movie more than I enjoyed Cloverfield when it first came out. Continue reading “RETRO REVIEW: Cloverfield (2008)”
Today, I’m introducing a new type of review to the blog. I love reviewing films, but sometimes I want to just sit down with a film and review it even though I don’t necessarily feel it’s a classic or all that timely. Therefore I am introducing retro movie reviews. Now, be aware of the fact that I am using a very liberal interpretation of the word ‘retro’. So, what does ‘Retro Reviews’ then signify if the use of the word ‘retro’ is liberal? Continue reading “Introducing Retro Reviews – News”
The following is a review of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, a Netflix Original Film.
Netflix Original Films had a pretty good track record prior to the release of this Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-sequel. Beasts of No Nation is an excellent BAFTA-nominated war drama, and The Ridiculous Six, though awful and offensive, isn’t without its supporters, as it is such a ‘by-the-book’ offensive gross-out comedy. It saddens me to say that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny makes Beasts of No Nation look like the exception to the rule that Netflix films aren’t that great… Continue reading “REVIEW: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016)”
The following is a review of Eddie The Eagle, produced by Matthew Vaughn.
Based on a true story, Eddie The Eagle follows the famous titular Olympian, Michael ‘Eddie’ Edwards (played by Taron Egerton), and shows us exactly how he became an Olympic Ski Jumper. Eddie The Eagle is an excellent sports biopic, and while it is very clichéd and safe, Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman elevate the story to a whole new level. Continue reading “REVIEW: Eddie The Eagle (2016)”
I'm Jeffrey Rex 