Tag: Movie Review

REVIEW: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Bros.

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)” →

REVIEW: Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016)

Release Poster – Netflix

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)” →

RETRO REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Drew Struzan’s Release Poster – 20th Century Fox

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)” →

REVIEW: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Theatrical Release Poster – Bad Robot – Paramount

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)” →

RETRO REVIEW: Cloverfield (2008)

Theatrical Release Poster – Bad Robot – Paramount

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)” →

Introducing Retro Reviews – News

News Retro Reviews

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” →

REVIEW: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016)

Release Poster – Netflix

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)” →

REVIEW: Eddie The Eagle (2016)

Eddie The Eagle - Poster
Release Poster – 20th Century Fox / Lionsgate

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)” →

REVIEW: Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia
Theatrical Release Poster, featuring the U.S. Release Date – Walt Disney Animation Studios

The following is a review of Disney’s Zootopia, also known as Zootropolis in some regions.

I was happy to find out that Zootopia was released one month early in Denmark, much less so to realize that I, at first, had a tough time finding a theater showing it in English near me. Thankfully, I was able to find time to see it in English at the CinemaxX in Copenhagen. Zootopia is the 55th Walt Disney Animation Studios-film, and the first since the release of Big Hero 6 in 2014, which I enjoyed very much.

I had enjoyed the trailers that I had seen from the film, but I was unsure as to whether I would find myself loving a Walt Disney Animation Studios-film for the fourth time in a row. I am happy to say that I enjoyed Zootopia a great deal. Continue reading “REVIEW: Zootopia (2016)” →

REVIEW: Deadpool (2016)

Deadpool Poster
International Release Poster – 20th Century Fox

The following is a review of Deadpool, a 20th Century Fox film.

This movie has been in development for over a decade. The character was almost scrapped completely due to X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The aforementioned Wolverine-movie drove Ryan Reynolds into the role of Hal Jordan in Green Lantern, which wasn’t a great superhero film either. Then something crazy happened. In mid-2014 test footage for a proposed Deadpool-film was leaked online. The fan reaction was insane, and it forced 20th Century Fox’s hands. Suddenly, Deadpool was a reality. And you know what? Somehow the end result is absolutely fantastic. It was worth the wait. Continue reading “REVIEW: Deadpool (2016)” →