And the winner is:
Donnie Darko
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
ONS Film Hall of Fame Inductee: July 2012
This month's nominees were Miracle, Airplane, Donnie Darko, and Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
And the winner is:
Donnie Darko
And the winner is:
Donnie Darko
ONS TV Hall of Fame Inductees: July 2012
I'm just gonna skip the intro because I'm lazy and get right too it:
This months nominees were Sherlock, Angel, That 70s Show, and Battlestar Galactica.
And the winner is:
Angel
This months nominees were Sherlock, Angel, That 70s Show, and Battlestar Galactica.
And the winner is:
Angel
Episode Reviewed: Warehouse 13: An Evil Within
Oh my God, they FINALLY brought Jimmy back from the dead! Don't let Clark find out though.
In A Nutshell:
Artifact: makes people in Philly see other people as monsters and attack them.
Meanwhile, Claudia goes rouge in her quest to bring Steve back, and Brent Spiner's character whose name escapes me confronts Artie, warning him of an evil that has been released.
The Good:
Artie and his conflicted terrifiedness, with his face or less screaming "I did the right thing but also the wrong thing and I gotta do the wrong thing to undo it! Aaahhhhhhhh!", was great, done perfectly by Saul Rubineck. Claudia's story line in this was great too. Allison Scaglioti could've done a better job with her performance, but all things considered, it was one of the episode's high points. We are seeing a lot more of where the overall story is going too, which is something I personally really enjoy, and seeing Mr. Data and Jimmy Olsen in one episode is pretty much a built in nerdgasm. Through in a bit of the show's excellent comedic banter, and you've got something good. On an unrelated note, Myka's curly hair is back, and tell me I'm not the only one that thinks it makes her more attractive somehow.
The Bad:
I'm not gonna say the artifact of the week aspect of the episode was bad, because it wasn't. It had good stuff: the monsters looked pretty cool, and Myka's tentacle-phobia was funny, but overall, this was the weakest part of the episode. It's one those times where the writers needed to kill 18 minutes of the episode AND give Pete and Myka something to do, and this was what they came up with. And yes, this wasn't as good as last week.
Final Rating: 86%
In A Nutshell:
Artifact: makes people in Philly see other people as monsters and attack them.
Meanwhile, Claudia goes rouge in her quest to bring Steve back, and Brent Spiner's character whose name escapes me confronts Artie, warning him of an evil that has been released.
The Good:
Artie and his conflicted terrifiedness, with his face or less screaming "I did the right thing but also the wrong thing and I gotta do the wrong thing to undo it! Aaahhhhhhhh!", was great, done perfectly by Saul Rubineck. Claudia's story line in this was great too. Allison Scaglioti could've done a better job with her performance, but all things considered, it was one of the episode's high points. We are seeing a lot more of where the overall story is going too, which is something I personally really enjoy, and seeing Mr. Data and Jimmy Olsen in one episode is pretty much a built in nerdgasm. Through in a bit of the show's excellent comedic banter, and you've got something good. On an unrelated note, Myka's curly hair is back, and tell me I'm not the only one that thinks it makes her more attractive somehow.
The Bad:
I'm not gonna say the artifact of the week aspect of the episode was bad, because it wasn't. It had good stuff: the monsters looked pretty cool, and Myka's tentacle-phobia was funny, but overall, this was the weakest part of the episode. It's one those times where the writers needed to kill 18 minutes of the episode AND give Pete and Myka something to do, and this was what they came up with. And yes, this wasn't as good as last week.
Final Rating: 86%
Sunday, July 29, 2012
LOST Season 6 Review
We all gonna die now! (inside joke)
In A Nutshell:
The hydrogen bomb that went off and it didn't work. Or did it? What it did was create and alternate universe in which Oceanic 815 never crashed and all the passengers lives are different in more ways then one. At the same time, back on the island, the castaways start grouping up as the the Man in Black's begins waging an all out war now that Jacob is out of the way.
The Good:
This is it. This was the final season. It's time to show us just what we've spent the last five years building up too. And it was great.
Flashbacks, flash-forwards, and time travel were all scrapped this season, which I had mixed feelings about; sure, flashbacks and forwards were stale, but I wasn't sick of time travel yet! They're replaced by flash-sideways, aka trips to the AU. At first, I didn't care about them, and found myself fast forwarding a lot. But then we get us a Desmond-centric episode (which is kind of automatically awesome), and we learn, via the appearances of Charlie the charismatic jackass and musician Dan Faraday (oh hell yeah!), that the flash-sideways trips DO matter, and that they're actually really cool. After that point, you not only care, but you love the flash-sideways.
Man in Black was a complex, surprisingly sympathetic villain (even though he was basically evil because he had mommy issues) who you love seeing on screen and was easily one of the highlights of the season, played awesomely by Terry O'Quinn.
I loved pretty much every episode after the season's halfway mark, and quite a few before it, with all of them boasting fantastic writing and all out awesomeness. Twists, tears, and guns, that's how I think of it. Answers arrive for plenty of questions, some of which you'd actually forgotten about, like the whispers.
And then you've got the series finale, the single most polarizing event in the history of television. I'm on the end that likes it, scratch that, loves it. The episode, titled simply The End, was a masterpiece the resolved things perfectly, and the final scene was one of most beautiful things ever put on screen. People who didn't like it clearly just don't get it (or they're a cretin). And when it finally ended, it left me with a pretty big feeling of "now what do I do?"
The Bad:
Like I said up there, at first, there is every possibility that you will not care about the flash-sideways. Some episodes were also much better then others (looking at you, What Kate Does), some things felt a bit tacked on. The season was also very polarizing, and you know what, I get that. LOST is a polarizing show period, I just happened to be one of the people who liked it as a whole rather then one specific aspect.
Final Rating: 94%
In A Nutshell:
The hydrogen bomb that went off and it didn't work. Or did it? What it did was create and alternate universe in which Oceanic 815 never crashed and all the passengers lives are different in more ways then one. At the same time, back on the island, the castaways start grouping up as the the Man in Black's begins waging an all out war now that Jacob is out of the way.
The Good:
This is it. This was the final season. It's time to show us just what we've spent the last five years building up too. And it was great.
Flashbacks, flash-forwards, and time travel were all scrapped this season, which I had mixed feelings about; sure, flashbacks and forwards were stale, but I wasn't sick of time travel yet! They're replaced by flash-sideways, aka trips to the AU. At first, I didn't care about them, and found myself fast forwarding a lot. But then we get us a Desmond-centric episode (which is kind of automatically awesome), and we learn, via the appearances of Charlie the charismatic jackass and musician Dan Faraday (oh hell yeah!), that the flash-sideways trips DO matter, and that they're actually really cool. After that point, you not only care, but you love the flash-sideways.
Man in Black was a complex, surprisingly sympathetic villain (even though he was basically evil because he had mommy issues) who you love seeing on screen and was easily one of the highlights of the season, played awesomely by Terry O'Quinn.
I loved pretty much every episode after the season's halfway mark, and quite a few before it, with all of them boasting fantastic writing and all out awesomeness. Twists, tears, and guns, that's how I think of it. Answers arrive for plenty of questions, some of which you'd actually forgotten about, like the whispers.
And then you've got the series finale, the single most polarizing event in the history of television. I'm on the end that likes it, scratch that, loves it. The episode, titled simply The End, was a masterpiece the resolved things perfectly, and the final scene was one of most beautiful things ever put on screen. People who didn't like it clearly just don't get it (or they're a cretin). And when it finally ended, it left me with a pretty big feeling of "now what do I do?"
The Bad:
Like I said up there, at first, there is every possibility that you will not care about the flash-sideways. Some episodes were also much better then others (looking at you, What Kate Does), some things felt a bit tacked on. The season was also very polarizing, and you know what, I get that. LOST is a polarizing show period, I just happened to be one of the people who liked it as a whole rather then one specific aspect.
Final Rating: 94%
Friday, July 27, 2012
Cloud Atlas Trailer Review
Okay, as you may or may not know, the last... ten years or so have been rough for the Wachowskis (they will be referred to simply as the Wachowskis on this website. I do not want to get into a debate with some troll). Speed Racer: Fail! Matrix sequels: Fail! But is redemption possible for these two wayward filmmakers? Based on this trailer, I'm gonna have to say yeah, it's totally possible.
Cloud Atlas is based on a book that I have not read but plan to in the near future, and is about, simply put, the human experience. Really, that is the easiest way to put it. It's a little bit like that show Touch, actually. It takes place across several time periods, and tells the story of a couple of people. It begins in the... the past, and shows a few people. And then we flash forward to a few other time periods, and we meet other characters who are apparently reincarnations of the people from the past. Confused yet? From there, it's a giant human experience message over several centuries about people who starting to recognize people from there past lives, with the cast playing multiple roles.
I'll start by saying that this movie is pretty tough to sum and sell, so, as a result, the trailer is just shy of six minutes. And I have to say, those are six very beautiful minutes. Even though it is really long, it is a great trailer, and I really like the human experience story line and the messages they're trying to convey. And, this being a Wachowski venture, we can tell that visually, this movie is already a masterpiece. From the stunning CGI of the future to the landscapes of the past, everything LOOKS amazing.
The movie comes out in October, and that is clearly so it doesn't have to compete with the Hobbit, which more people are going to see. Heck, more people will probably see Paranormal Activity 4, which is Cloud Atlas's only real competition. Why do I say that? Because this is clearly not a movie meant for mainstream audiences. If it's as good as it looks, it'll probably overtake the Tree of Life as the ultimate hipster movie, get nominated for Best Picture, and lose to the Hobbit. But no matter what happens, I am looking forward to this movie, and it just may just gain the Wachowski clan the redemption they've been after ever since the Matrix Reloaded.
Check out the trailer:
Cloud Atlas is based on a book that I have not read but plan to in the near future, and is about, simply put, the human experience. Really, that is the easiest way to put it. It's a little bit like that show Touch, actually. It takes place across several time periods, and tells the story of a couple of people. It begins in the... the past, and shows a few people. And then we flash forward to a few other time periods, and we meet other characters who are apparently reincarnations of the people from the past. Confused yet? From there, it's a giant human experience message over several centuries about people who starting to recognize people from there past lives, with the cast playing multiple roles.
I'll start by saying that this movie is pretty tough to sum and sell, so, as a result, the trailer is just shy of six minutes. And I have to say, those are six very beautiful minutes. Even though it is really long, it is a great trailer, and I really like the human experience story line and the messages they're trying to convey. And, this being a Wachowski venture, we can tell that visually, this movie is already a masterpiece. From the stunning CGI of the future to the landscapes of the past, everything LOOKS amazing.
The movie comes out in October, and that is clearly so it doesn't have to compete with the Hobbit, which more people are going to see. Heck, more people will probably see Paranormal Activity 4, which is Cloud Atlas's only real competition. Why do I say that? Because this is clearly not a movie meant for mainstream audiences. If it's as good as it looks, it'll probably overtake the Tree of Life as the ultimate hipster movie, get nominated for Best Picture, and lose to the Hobbit. But no matter what happens, I am looking forward to this movie, and it just may just gain the Wachowski clan the redemption they've been after ever since the Matrix Reloaded.
Check out the trailer:
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Sealvengers
I found this online a few days ago, and I have to share it with you guys:
The Avengers... as seals!
The Avengers... as seals!
LOST Season 5 Review
Damon Lindelof: "I am going to split my own fan base down the middle! But how?"
Carlton Cuse: "Time travel?"
Damon Lindelof: "Perfect!"
In A Nutshell:
As the oceanic six must decide whether or not to return to the island, and if so, how they're going to do it, the people still on the island find themselves jumping to different points in time, which, you know, can make things pretty confusing.
The Good:
The time jumping that comprised the first few episodes was downright awesome. Seriously, watching them go to different points, with an exasperated Faraday trying to explain what's happening to us common folk, while confusing, was just cool. It's also really interesting when they stop jumping and are stuck in a certain point, contemplating what to do, especially because that's when the time paradox questions start getting asked (it's also when Hurley attempts to write the script for Empire Strikes Back, with a few improvements, to save George Lucas the trouble, if that gives you any hint as to where they land). I also really liked Sawyer's role amid all the time travel in season 5, as he starts to permanently adopt the antihero persona that he began to take up in season 4. When I think about it, Sawyer probably got the most character development this season. Other great aspects of this season were all things Faraday (who finally got an episode centered around him), and all things Locke and Ben, whose roles change a bit this season as we got the fantastic episode "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham". We got a Miles-centric episode too, which was pretty cool. The time travel also lets us see how all of these characters are connected to the island, which I just loved.
The Bad:
The story of the Oceanic Six returning to island was the least compelling part of the season. It felt dragged out, and honestly, we all just wanted them to get back to the island already, so the fact that it took so long for them to do that is bit frustrating. The season was also a bit light on character growth when compared to the previous ones. Granted, I don't think we're really allowed to gripe about something like that when the show dedicated the entire first season and a lot of second to character growth. My biggest complaint though, was the sinful under-use of Desmond, who, like I've said before, is my favorite character. He only had one episode centered around him, and while it was good, it wasn't even in the same league as the Constant. After that episode he basically just has cameos every so often.
Final Rating: 98%
Carlton Cuse: "Time travel?"
Damon Lindelof: "Perfect!"
In A Nutshell:
As the oceanic six must decide whether or not to return to the island, and if so, how they're going to do it, the people still on the island find themselves jumping to different points in time, which, you know, can make things pretty confusing.
The Good:
The time jumping that comprised the first few episodes was downright awesome. Seriously, watching them go to different points, with an exasperated Faraday trying to explain what's happening to us common folk, while confusing, was just cool. It's also really interesting when they stop jumping and are stuck in a certain point, contemplating what to do, especially because that's when the time paradox questions start getting asked (it's also when Hurley attempts to write the script for Empire Strikes Back, with a few improvements, to save George Lucas the trouble, if that gives you any hint as to where they land). I also really liked Sawyer's role amid all the time travel in season 5, as he starts to permanently adopt the antihero persona that he began to take up in season 4. When I think about it, Sawyer probably got the most character development this season. Other great aspects of this season were all things Faraday (who finally got an episode centered around him), and all things Locke and Ben, whose roles change a bit this season as we got the fantastic episode "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham". We got a Miles-centric episode too, which was pretty cool. The time travel also lets us see how all of these characters are connected to the island, which I just loved.
The Bad:
The story of the Oceanic Six returning to island was the least compelling part of the season. It felt dragged out, and honestly, we all just wanted them to get back to the island already, so the fact that it took so long for them to do that is bit frustrating. The season was also a bit light on character growth when compared to the previous ones. Granted, I don't think we're really allowed to gripe about something like that when the show dedicated the entire first season and a lot of second to character growth. My biggest complaint though, was the sinful under-use of Desmond, who, like I've said before, is my favorite character. He only had one episode centered around him, and while it was good, it wasn't even in the same league as the Constant. After that episode he basically just has cameos every so often.
Final Rating: 98%
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Episode Reviewed: Warehouse 13: A New Hope
I was so excited for this episode that I actually came up with two opening lines:
1. Star Wars reference for a title! Woo!
2. Yes, someone is STILL dead.
In A Nutshell:
Alright, so the fourth season premier of the only good on the SyFy channel for the last three years (even if it is kind of giant Prius ad) picks up right after the end of the third season, with the Warehouse destroyed (but the Prius parked outside is in one piece, thank God) and HG, Steve, and Mrs. Frederick all dead. But, the good news is that MacPhearson's watch (you remember that thing, right?), tells Artie that there is an artifact they can use to turn back time to before the Warehouse was blown up, but they've only got 24 hours to do it before the bad artifact juju released by the explosion rips the world apart. And Brent Spiner and his little cult/army of knights is going to do anything to stop them.
The Good:
I've been waiting for this episode since the third season ended last October, and this absolutely worth the wait. The episode goes at a really fast, enjoyable pace that you're all gonna love. The begining is honestly pretty solemn, which is understandable given what's just happened, but after the team realizes their situation, they put their despair and pissed off-ness behind them to save the day. Pretty much everything we've all come to love about the show is here in this episode: Pete and Myka kicking ass, snappy and often hilarious dialogue/banter (seriously, there were a lot of great jokes in this episode), the whole nine yards, along with the darker, more serious tones and implications season three's finale gave us. Plus, we find a little something out about the football that's every long time fan is gonna get a kick out of. This whole episode was really just for long time fans. I'm so proud of this show, it's officially had an episode that would make no sense to someone who's never seen it.
Then the episode ends, and the implication that is most likely going to be set up for this season's story arc/main villain, made everyone watching collectively piss their pants. I don't want to spoil it, but I can pretty much guarantee that this season's villain will be better then Sykes. The problem with Sykes as a villain was that he was kind of generic, and most of the team didn't really have any personal connection with him. What made MacPhearson and HG great was that certain team members were, at one point, friends with these guys. With Sykes, the closest the team came to a connection was a three minute conversation Pete's mom had with him when he was ten. I'm not saying he was a bad villain, I'm just saying he wasn't AS good as his predecessors. But the team is VERY connected to this season's big bad. If you've seen the episode, you know what I'm talking about, and it's probably making you just as excited for this season as I am.
The Bad:
A couple things that happened in the last ten minutes or so came across as a tad plot convenient. Other then that, my only problem with the episode was that it was only 45 minutes long. A two hour premier would've been great.
Final Rating: 95%
So, have you seen the season premier of Warehouse 13, and if so, what'd you think of it? Comment below, let me know!
1. Star Wars reference for a title! Woo!
2. Yes, someone is STILL dead.
In A Nutshell:
Alright, so the fourth season premier of the only good on the SyFy channel for the last three years (even if it is kind of giant Prius ad) picks up right after the end of the third season, with the Warehouse destroyed (but the Prius parked outside is in one piece, thank God) and HG, Steve, and Mrs. Frederick all dead. But, the good news is that MacPhearson's watch (you remember that thing, right?), tells Artie that there is an artifact they can use to turn back time to before the Warehouse was blown up, but they've only got 24 hours to do it before the bad artifact juju released by the explosion rips the world apart. And Brent Spiner and his little cult/army of knights is going to do anything to stop them.
The Good:
I've been waiting for this episode since the third season ended last October, and this absolutely worth the wait. The episode goes at a really fast, enjoyable pace that you're all gonna love. The begining is honestly pretty solemn, which is understandable given what's just happened, but after the team realizes their situation, they put their despair and pissed off-ness behind them to save the day. Pretty much everything we've all come to love about the show is here in this episode: Pete and Myka kicking ass, snappy and often hilarious dialogue/banter (seriously, there were a lot of great jokes in this episode), the whole nine yards, along with the darker, more serious tones and implications season three's finale gave us. Plus, we find a little something out about the football that's every long time fan is gonna get a kick out of. This whole episode was really just for long time fans. I'm so proud of this show, it's officially had an episode that would make no sense to someone who's never seen it.
Then the episode ends, and the implication that is most likely going to be set up for this season's story arc/main villain, made everyone watching collectively piss their pants. I don't want to spoil it, but I can pretty much guarantee that this season's villain will be better then Sykes. The problem with Sykes as a villain was that he was kind of generic, and most of the team didn't really have any personal connection with him. What made MacPhearson and HG great was that certain team members were, at one point, friends with these guys. With Sykes, the closest the team came to a connection was a three minute conversation Pete's mom had with him when he was ten. I'm not saying he was a bad villain, I'm just saying he wasn't AS good as his predecessors. But the team is VERY connected to this season's big bad. If you've seen the episode, you know what I'm talking about, and it's probably making you just as excited for this season as I am.
The Bad:
A couple things that happened in the last ten minutes or so came across as a tad plot convenient. Other then that, my only problem with the episode was that it was only 45 minutes long. A two hour premier would've been great.
Final Rating: 95%
So, have you seen the season premier of Warehouse 13, and if so, what'd you think of it? Comment below, let me know!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Episode Reviewed: Falling Skies: Molon Lobe
Yeah... I didn't really get the title either...
In A Nutshell:
Right after the last episode, with Karen and Ben taking off together, Karen tricks Ben into meeting the Overlords so they can gain information on the Skitter rebellion. But wouldn't you know it, the 2nd Mass was waiting to ambush them, recovering Ben and taking Mr. Fishhead captive in the process. Karen, who apparently is the most devoted employee of all time, wants her boss back, and a standoff between the aliens and the 2nd Mass is the result.
The Good:
So far, this is easily the best episode of the season. Rather then going for the latest in a long line of "let's go rescue Ben" episodes, the writers gave us an intense, action heavy game-changer. I've been complaining lately that the show doesn't have enough action, well this week made up for that and then some, with the first half hour or so dedicated to explosive gun-fights and battles, which was obviously a good thing. They also offed two minor characters, one of which happened in a way that's gonna make you feel it, even though you barely know that character, the other of which happened in one of the most disturbing ways imaginable, introducing a new type of alien in the process. The Tom-VS-Fishhead interrogation also proved to be pretty fantastic, and the result was Tom... I can't say it because then I'd ruin for those of you who haven't watched it yet, but I will say he does some badassery that'll make even you Tom-haters out there go "hell yeah!". Matt, amazingly enough, was even given something to do, and it was cool to see him as a hero. I don't know how well the child-soldier thing is gonna go over with some people, but for me, at the moment, it works. All of this is happening with an ever-Creeptastic Karen and even some good character moments for Tom and Ben, which leads to a solid ending.
The Bad:
So, last knight I watched this when it was on for the first time... ever, I think, and I've gotta say, people are right about the absurd amount of commercials attached to the show. But that's beside the point. The only real beef I had with this week's outing was that while Pope is back, but he barely had anything to do.
Final Rating: 92%
In A Nutshell:
Right after the last episode, with Karen and Ben taking off together, Karen tricks Ben into meeting the Overlords so they can gain information on the Skitter rebellion. But wouldn't you know it, the 2nd Mass was waiting to ambush them, recovering Ben and taking Mr. Fishhead captive in the process. Karen, who apparently is the most devoted employee of all time, wants her boss back, and a standoff between the aliens and the 2nd Mass is the result.
The Good:
So far, this is easily the best episode of the season. Rather then going for the latest in a long line of "let's go rescue Ben" episodes, the writers gave us an intense, action heavy game-changer. I've been complaining lately that the show doesn't have enough action, well this week made up for that and then some, with the first half hour or so dedicated to explosive gun-fights and battles, which was obviously a good thing. They also offed two minor characters, one of which happened in a way that's gonna make you feel it, even though you barely know that character, the other of which happened in one of the most disturbing ways imaginable, introducing a new type of alien in the process. The Tom-VS-Fishhead interrogation also proved to be pretty fantastic, and the result was Tom... I can't say it because then I'd ruin for those of you who haven't watched it yet, but I will say he does some badassery that'll make even you Tom-haters out there go "hell yeah!". Matt, amazingly enough, was even given something to do, and it was cool to see him as a hero. I don't know how well the child-soldier thing is gonna go over with some people, but for me, at the moment, it works. All of this is happening with an ever-Creeptastic Karen and even some good character moments for Tom and Ben, which leads to a solid ending.
The Bad:
So, last knight I watched this when it was on for the first time... ever, I think, and I've gotta say, people are right about the absurd amount of commercials attached to the show. But that's beside the point. The only real beef I had with this week's outing was that while Pope is back, but he barely had anything to do.
Final Rating: 92%
Sunday, July 22, 2012
The Top 10 Superhero Movies
In honor of the Dark Knight Rises, it is time for my own personal list of the best superhero flicks ever put on screen as of July 22, 2012. Let's get started.
10. The Amazing Spider-Man
What was, in my opinion, a better origin story for our favorite web-head makes this list's number 10 spot. With a likable, relatable, and thoroughly snarky Peter Parker (played by... Eduardo from the Social Network?!) who actually had good chemistry with his love interest Emma Stone, amazing visuals, some great action, and spot-on performances by a cast of A-listers, it's no wonder that this movie is making us all feel good about Spidey once again, and has at least one fan boy waiting for a sequel. I wanted to put this higher up on this list, and the only reason I didn't was because the film's villain, the Lizard, was downgraded to a smart version of that giant worm-thing from the X-Files.
Favorite scene: "You've found my weakness: it's small knives!"
9. Superman: The Movie
Taking 9th place is the story of a boy. His name is Kal-El. He shall be called Clark Kent. But to the world, he will be known as Superman. That's right, it's the superhero movie that began all other superhero movies, with it's fantastic, albeit simplistic, story of the savior of the modern world, featuring one of the best heroic performances of all time by way of Christopher Reeve. Let's face it, this is just a great movie period. 'Nough said.
Favorite scene: Superman ANGRYYYYY!!!!!!!!
8. Spider-Man 2
If Raimi got anything right with his movies, it was this. One of the only genre movies to show just how much being a superhero really sucks gives us a Peter Parker trying to balance his responsibitlities with incredibly mundane tasks like keeping his grades up, the stress of which is so great that it nearly prevents him from dealing with the arrival of Dr. Octupus, one of the best, most complex villains ever put on screen, played by Alfred Monlina in all his glory. Great action, great character moments, and a deleted scene with JJ Jameson in the spiderman suit. What more can you ask for?
Favorite scene: I'm gonna have to go with the bank fight between the Webhead and Doc Oc.
7. X2: X Men United
As Wolverine returns to Xavier's school, the racist (expletive removed) Col. Stryker threatens to end all mutants by kidnapping proffessor X. To stop him, the X Men must do the unthinkable: team up with Magneto. Bryan Singer brought us this epic, action-packed thrill-ride, filled to the brim with great acting, fantastically written villains, x-traodinary (oh God, did I really just make that joke) special effects, and the hilarious "mutants as gay people" metaphor ("have you tried... not being a mutant?). Not to mention the addition of Night Crawler, who along with Gambit, is one of my favorite unsung X-Men, and a bittersweet, but great none the less, ending that lead into an iffy 3rd movie.
Favorite scene: The US Army invades Xavier's school, making Wolverine do what Wolverine does.
6. Iron Man
There was a lot riding on Iron Man when it came out; the movie not only had to make people buy into it's fairly ludicrous premise, but also get the shared Marvel movie universe started for the Avengers. It did both of these things and them some. Tony Stark is a super genius irresponsible billionaire who goes missing in the middle east. He comes back a badass with a suit of armor and is now determined to save the people he screwed over. But what makes this movie great isn't the special effects or epic action scenes; it's Robert Downey Jr. in the role he was to born to play, Tony Stark ( To his robot: "If you spray me one more time and I'm not on fire, I will donate you to a community college!")
Favorite scene: When he dodges a missle and then blows up the tank that just shot at him.
5. Batman Begins
Probably the best origin story movie of all time takes the number 5 spot. After seven years in self-imposed exile, Bruce Wayne has returned to his native Gotham (which, for reference, makes Detroit look like a nice place to live) as a ninja, dons a cape and some body armor, and fights crime as the Batman. Christopher Nolan ressurected the Batman franchise with this movie and made the unrealistic as gritty and realistic as you possibly imagine, complete with some of the best actors alive today and all around badassery.
Favorite scene: Thug: "WHERE ARE YOU!?" Batman: "Here."
4. X Men: First Class
It's the prequel X-Men deserves, AND the one it needs. If you'll pardon the Batman reference, you know what I mean. The slick, intelligent, stylish story of how the X-Men began and how Proffessor X and Magneto (with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender filling in well for Jean Luc Picard and Gandalf) became mortal frenemies. The new directing style and faster pace, along with all the great action and special effects we've come to expect from the franchise and some fantastic performances, make this hands down the best entry in the entire franchise. Plus Kevin Bacon, always awesome.
Favorite scene: Magneto shows Shaw that he can, in fact, move the coin.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Well of course this makes the list! As if I wasn't going to put one of the most epic conclusion to a franchise ever on here. After 8 years MIA, Batman must put the cape back one to stop Bane from burning Gotham to the ground. But it won't be that simple; not only does this boast Christian Bale's best turn as Bruce Wayne/Batman to date, but it also has one the most epic climax's ever put on screen, plus one of my favorite ambiguous endings to date.
Favorite scene: Bruce literally drags himself out of the pit to save Gotham.
2. The Avengers
After four years, Marvel had established a shared movie universe, and the Avengers was a result. Joss Whedon, who screenwrote and directed the movie, injected his own unique brand of awesome by way of witty dialogue and amazing action into this tag-team tale of six superheroes, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, who have to team up to stop Loki and his alien invasion. The first two hours are an awesome build up of the Avengers meeting and butting heads in an often hilarious way, all leading up to an absurdly awesome, climactic battle. Joss is boss. Only downside is we're probably gonna have to wait another four years for the Avengers 2.
Favorite scene: the final battle of course!
1. The Dark Knight
Do I REALLY need to explain it?
Favorite scene: "How 'bout a magic trick?"
Honorable mentions for Superman 2, Spiderman, X-Men, and Thor.
So, what's your favorite superhero movie? Comment below, let me know!
10. The Amazing Spider-Man
What was, in my opinion, a better origin story for our favorite web-head makes this list's number 10 spot. With a likable, relatable, and thoroughly snarky Peter Parker (played by... Eduardo from the Social Network?!) who actually had good chemistry with his love interest Emma Stone, amazing visuals, some great action, and spot-on performances by a cast of A-listers, it's no wonder that this movie is making us all feel good about Spidey once again, and has at least one fan boy waiting for a sequel. I wanted to put this higher up on this list, and the only reason I didn't was because the film's villain, the Lizard, was downgraded to a smart version of that giant worm-thing from the X-Files.
Favorite scene: "You've found my weakness: it's small knives!"
9. Superman: The Movie
Taking 9th place is the story of a boy. His name is Kal-El. He shall be called Clark Kent. But to the world, he will be known as Superman. That's right, it's the superhero movie that began all other superhero movies, with it's fantastic, albeit simplistic, story of the savior of the modern world, featuring one of the best heroic performances of all time by way of Christopher Reeve. Let's face it, this is just a great movie period. 'Nough said.
Favorite scene: Superman ANGRYYYYY!!!!!!!!
8. Spider-Man 2
If Raimi got anything right with his movies, it was this. One of the only genre movies to show just how much being a superhero really sucks gives us a Peter Parker trying to balance his responsibitlities with incredibly mundane tasks like keeping his grades up, the stress of which is so great that it nearly prevents him from dealing with the arrival of Dr. Octupus, one of the best, most complex villains ever put on screen, played by Alfred Monlina in all his glory. Great action, great character moments, and a deleted scene with JJ Jameson in the spiderman suit. What more can you ask for?
Favorite scene: I'm gonna have to go with the bank fight between the Webhead and Doc Oc.
7. X2: X Men United
As Wolverine returns to Xavier's school, the racist (expletive removed) Col. Stryker threatens to end all mutants by kidnapping proffessor X. To stop him, the X Men must do the unthinkable: team up with Magneto. Bryan Singer brought us this epic, action-packed thrill-ride, filled to the brim with great acting, fantastically written villains, x-traodinary (oh God, did I really just make that joke) special effects, and the hilarious "mutants as gay people" metaphor ("have you tried... not being a mutant?). Not to mention the addition of Night Crawler, who along with Gambit, is one of my favorite unsung X-Men, and a bittersweet, but great none the less, ending that lead into an iffy 3rd movie.
Favorite scene: The US Army invades Xavier's school, making Wolverine do what Wolverine does.
6. Iron Man
There was a lot riding on Iron Man when it came out; the movie not only had to make people buy into it's fairly ludicrous premise, but also get the shared Marvel movie universe started for the Avengers. It did both of these things and them some. Tony Stark is a super genius irresponsible billionaire who goes missing in the middle east. He comes back a badass with a suit of armor and is now determined to save the people he screwed over. But what makes this movie great isn't the special effects or epic action scenes; it's Robert Downey Jr. in the role he was to born to play, Tony Stark ( To his robot: "If you spray me one more time and I'm not on fire, I will donate you to a community college!")
Favorite scene: When he dodges a missle and then blows up the tank that just shot at him.
5. Batman Begins
Probably the best origin story movie of all time takes the number 5 spot. After seven years in self-imposed exile, Bruce Wayne has returned to his native Gotham (which, for reference, makes Detroit look like a nice place to live) as a ninja, dons a cape and some body armor, and fights crime as the Batman. Christopher Nolan ressurected the Batman franchise with this movie and made the unrealistic as gritty and realistic as you possibly imagine, complete with some of the best actors alive today and all around badassery.
Favorite scene: Thug: "WHERE ARE YOU!?" Batman: "Here."
4. X Men: First Class
It's the prequel X-Men deserves, AND the one it needs. If you'll pardon the Batman reference, you know what I mean. The slick, intelligent, stylish story of how the X-Men began and how Proffessor X and Magneto (with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender filling in well for Jean Luc Picard and Gandalf) became mortal frenemies. The new directing style and faster pace, along with all the great action and special effects we've come to expect from the franchise and some fantastic performances, make this hands down the best entry in the entire franchise. Plus Kevin Bacon, always awesome.
Favorite scene: Magneto shows Shaw that he can, in fact, move the coin.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Well of course this makes the list! As if I wasn't going to put one of the most epic conclusion to a franchise ever on here. After 8 years MIA, Batman must put the cape back one to stop Bane from burning Gotham to the ground. But it won't be that simple; not only does this boast Christian Bale's best turn as Bruce Wayne/Batman to date, but it also has one the most epic climax's ever put on screen, plus one of my favorite ambiguous endings to date.
Favorite scene: Bruce literally drags himself out of the pit to save Gotham.
2. The Avengers
After four years, Marvel had established a shared movie universe, and the Avengers was a result. Joss Whedon, who screenwrote and directed the movie, injected his own unique brand of awesome by way of witty dialogue and amazing action into this tag-team tale of six superheroes, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, who have to team up to stop Loki and his alien invasion. The first two hours are an awesome build up of the Avengers meeting and butting heads in an often hilarious way, all leading up to an absurdly awesome, climactic battle. Joss is boss. Only downside is we're probably gonna have to wait another four years for the Avengers 2.
Favorite scene: the final battle of course!
Do I REALLY need to explain it?
Favorite scene: "How 'bout a magic trick?"
Honorable mentions for Superman 2, Spiderman, X-Men, and Thor.
So, what's your favorite superhero movie? Comment below, let me know!
Man of Steel Teaser Trailers
Now that the Dark Knight saga, and with it, 2012's superhero films, have come to a close, many wonder what the next big comic book title will be. Marvel's Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World are in the works and set to come out next year, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Ant Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy to follow in 2014. Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man's writers are already hard at work on a sequel, and FOX has sequels for Wolverine and X Men: First Class, as well as a Josh "Chronicle" Trank helmed Fantastic Four reboot (Godspeed Mr. Trank), in development. I'm excited for all of those movies (some more then others), but the nearest one I'm really anticipating is Man of Steel.
Alright, with the Dark Knight Rises came something else that was very awesome: not one, but two teaser trailers for next year's superman flick, Man of Steel. It's basically the same trailer twice, but each one has a different voice over; one is by Kevin Costner, who's playing Clark's earth father Pa Kent, and the other by Russel Crowe, who plays Jor-El. The images in the trailers are both basically showing that in this movie, Clark Kent is actually kind of damaged in the beginning, which is something very new. I personally think that's a good direction to take it in, because I just feel like that it would be pretty awesome to watch this damaged guy with amazing abilities find his feet and become our savior. Done well, that would be epic. The voice overs are both conveying the idea that Clark needs to decide what kind of man he wants to be, and when he does, the world will be in good shape. I personally feel that the Russel Crowe voice over is somehow more epic, but I like both of them. And of course, the final shot of film is, simply put, fantastic. They're making me excited for this movie.
Take a look at both of them right here:
Alright, with the Dark Knight Rises came something else that was very awesome: not one, but two teaser trailers for next year's superman flick, Man of Steel. It's basically the same trailer twice, but each one has a different voice over; one is by Kevin Costner, who's playing Clark's earth father Pa Kent, and the other by Russel Crowe, who plays Jor-El. The images in the trailers are both basically showing that in this movie, Clark Kent is actually kind of damaged in the beginning, which is something very new. I personally think that's a good direction to take it in, because I just feel like that it would be pretty awesome to watch this damaged guy with amazing abilities find his feet and become our savior. Done well, that would be epic. The voice overs are both conveying the idea that Clark needs to decide what kind of man he wants to be, and when he does, the world will be in good shape. I personally feel that the Russel Crowe voice over is somehow more epic, but I like both of them. And of course, the final shot of film is, simply put, fantastic. They're making me excited for this movie.
Take a look at both of them right here:
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Movie Reviewed: The Dark Knight Rises
So I watched a trailer for the Dark Knight Rises on youtube a few months ago, and someone said "Bane may be cool, but can he do the pencil trick?" The response was "No, but he can do the break-your-back trick."
In A Nutshell:
Everything's good in Gotham. But, what a buzzkill, it's based on a lie. But hey, everyone except Gordon and Bruce "Howard Hughes without the 8 inch nails" Wayne, feels good. Until Bane, whose pretty much Batman's version of Doomsday, comes to town with the intention of destroying everything (even bigger buzzkill). So, Bruce must put the cape back on and stop him, but it won't be easy...
The Good:
So, the movie does a great job of showing just how much a mess Bruce Wayne has become, especially because he just expects to put the hockey pads back on and resume being a badass. And then when you see him literally pull himself from the pits to truly become Batman again and save the day, it was EPIC! That was one of my favorite parts of the whole movie, just because, once again, it is freaking epic.
They also do a great job of making what Bane is doing relevant too, which I really liked. Bane was a cool villain in general; he was badass, he was menacing, pretty much whenever he talks you get the sense that stuff is really going down. I can't say that he's the best Bane because I've never seen Batman and Robin (nor do I intend too...), but he was truly a great Bane. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman was also awesome. I actually don't think they ever call her Catwoman, but she is Catwoman, she's a badass, she's fun to watch, and Hathaway does a great job. There was, obviously, a twist towards the end that actually incorporates another villain into the story, and I won't spoil it, but it was great.
The entire movie is leading up to one of the most epic final battles ever. The movie is kind of slowly building up intensity over the first couple of acts, to the point where when the battle starts, you are so engrossed that you enjoy it even more. You know that seen in the trailer with all the cops running at Bane's army? That's just how it starts; the fight is so epic that I honestly can't even begin to describe it. And the ending was not only awesome on every level, but it also was really fitting for the franchise (I also called part of the ending a few months back. Not all of it, but one aspect of it. And yes, I actually did in my review of the 3rd Dark Knight Rises trailer). The bottom line is that this movie is an amazing ending to one the best movie trilogies ever.
The Bad:
I have only two complaints: One is that Bane just isn't Joker, and Tom Hardy isn't Heath Ledger. I know that no movie is ever even mildly likely to replicate the Ledger Joker , but still. Another thing is that the movie actually takes a while to get going. It starts off kind of slow, but then after like 45 minutes, stuff starts going down and you're in for a ride.
Final Rating: 97%
So, what's you're favorite Batman move? Comment below, let me know!
And as always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
In A Nutshell:
Everything's good in Gotham. But, what a buzzkill, it's based on a lie. But hey, everyone except Gordon and Bruce "Howard Hughes without the 8 inch nails" Wayne, feels good. Until Bane, whose pretty much Batman's version of Doomsday, comes to town with the intention of destroying everything (even bigger buzzkill). So, Bruce must put the cape back on and stop him, but it won't be easy...
The Good:
So, the movie does a great job of showing just how much a mess Bruce Wayne has become, especially because he just expects to put the hockey pads back on and resume being a badass. And then when you see him literally pull himself from the pits to truly become Batman again and save the day, it was EPIC! That was one of my favorite parts of the whole movie, just because, once again, it is freaking epic.
They also do a great job of making what Bane is doing relevant too, which I really liked. Bane was a cool villain in general; he was badass, he was menacing, pretty much whenever he talks you get the sense that stuff is really going down. I can't say that he's the best Bane because I've never seen Batman and Robin (nor do I intend too...), but he was truly a great Bane. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman was also awesome. I actually don't think they ever call her Catwoman, but she is Catwoman, she's a badass, she's fun to watch, and Hathaway does a great job. There was, obviously, a twist towards the end that actually incorporates another villain into the story, and I won't spoil it, but it was great.
The entire movie is leading up to one of the most epic final battles ever. The movie is kind of slowly building up intensity over the first couple of acts, to the point where when the battle starts, you are so engrossed that you enjoy it even more. You know that seen in the trailer with all the cops running at Bane's army? That's just how it starts; the fight is so epic that I honestly can't even begin to describe it. And the ending was not only awesome on every level, but it also was really fitting for the franchise (I also called part of the ending a few months back. Not all of it, but one aspect of it. And yes, I actually did in my review of the 3rd Dark Knight Rises trailer). The bottom line is that this movie is an amazing ending to one the best movie trilogies ever.
The Bad:
I have only two complaints: One is that Bane just isn't Joker, and Tom Hardy isn't Heath Ledger. I know that no movie is ever even mildly likely to replicate the Ledger Joker , but still. Another thing is that the movie actually takes a while to get going. It starts off kind of slow, but then after like 45 minutes, stuff starts going down and you're in for a ride.
Final Rating: 97%
So, what's you're favorite Batman move? Comment below, let me know!
And as always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
LOST Season 4 Review
Wait, what is happening right now?
In A Nutshell:
Rescue has arrived! Or has it? Season 4 centers around the freighter off the coast of the island, it's intentions, the interactions between it's crew and the castaways, and what to do about it. And the Flash-Forwards introduced in the season 3 finale are further used to show who made it off the island, how their lives are kind of going to hell, and why they need to get back.
The Good:
This season only had 14 episodes, and believe it or not, that was a good thing. The shortened number of episodes let the pace of the show speed up a lot, which was absolutely a good thing. The storyline of the freighter was pretty awesome too, lending itself to some great twists, along with awesome new characters in Lapidus, Miles, and of course, Daniel Faraday, who would've not doubt stolen the show had he simply been given more screen time.
Were it not for the freighter, we also wouldn't have gotten an episode titled The Constant, which is widely considered one of the best episodes of the entire series. The constant was for Lost what The Body was for Buffy, Absolute Justice was for Smallville, 33 was for BSG, and Blink was for Doctor Who: a gigantic pile of awesome the proves what the show is capable and shakes things up a lot. Why? Because the Constant not only featured Desmond's finest hour (in season 4, Desmond officially became my favorite character. He wasn't in season 3 because Mr. Eko was still around then), but it also brings the concept of time travel to the table, and was just fantastically written.
The flash-forwards also proved to be awesome too. Half the fun of it was trying to figure out how everything fits together and when a flash-forward takes place relative to the others (okay, so this one is after that before that, so this is what happened between that and that). The other half was they kept you guessing; they provide twists, advance the overall story, and they give you that feeling of "okay, what is going on right now?". Naturally, the flash-forwards also make the season end in one amazing cliffhanger.
And then you've got Locke and Linus, two characters who prove to be awesome on every level. The actors have great chemistry, and when they're together, you just get that feeling that (expletive removed) is going down/hitting the fan.
The Bad:
You know what, I've got nothing.
Final Rating: 100%
In A Nutshell:
Rescue has arrived! Or has it? Season 4 centers around the freighter off the coast of the island, it's intentions, the interactions between it's crew and the castaways, and what to do about it. And the Flash-Forwards introduced in the season 3 finale are further used to show who made it off the island, how their lives are kind of going to hell, and why they need to get back.
The Good:
This season only had 14 episodes, and believe it or not, that was a good thing. The shortened number of episodes let the pace of the show speed up a lot, which was absolutely a good thing. The storyline of the freighter was pretty awesome too, lending itself to some great twists, along with awesome new characters in Lapidus, Miles, and of course, Daniel Faraday, who would've not doubt stolen the show had he simply been given more screen time.
Were it not for the freighter, we also wouldn't have gotten an episode titled The Constant, which is widely considered one of the best episodes of the entire series. The constant was for Lost what The Body was for Buffy, Absolute Justice was for Smallville, 33 was for BSG, and Blink was for Doctor Who: a gigantic pile of awesome the proves what the show is capable and shakes things up a lot. Why? Because the Constant not only featured Desmond's finest hour (in season 4, Desmond officially became my favorite character. He wasn't in season 3 because Mr. Eko was still around then), but it also brings the concept of time travel to the table, and was just fantastically written.
The flash-forwards also proved to be awesome too. Half the fun of it was trying to figure out how everything fits together and when a flash-forward takes place relative to the others (okay, so this one is after that before that, so this is what happened between that and that). The other half was they kept you guessing; they provide twists, advance the overall story, and they give you that feeling of "okay, what is going on right now?". Naturally, the flash-forwards also make the season end in one amazing cliffhanger.
And then you've got Locke and Linus, two characters who prove to be awesome on every level. The actors have great chemistry, and when they're together, you just get that feeling that (expletive removed) is going down/hitting the fan.
The Bad:
You know what, I've got nothing.
Final Rating: 100%
Friday, July 20, 2012
Rant: Trilogies
Okay, I know I said that I'd have my Dark Knight Rises review out by tomorrow, but, in light of recent events, I'm gonna have to put off seeing it for a few more days, and I can't really review it before I see it, so you guys will have to wait a few days. I know that what I'm doing is wicked unprofessional, but it's just how it is.
Anyway, since TDKR is the conclusion of a trilogy, I've decided now would be a good time for trilogy-related rant. I know I haven't done a rant in about two months, but I'm doing one now, so yeah.
So, for those of you who live under a rock, a trilogy is a series, often a series of movies, comprised of three stories all connected to each other.
Trilogies are tough to pull off. The way it seems to go a lot is the first two are awesome, and then one is just a let down, like with Spiderman 3, or X Men: the Last Stand or, my personal least favorite, Karate Kid Part 3, the entry in the series that was painful half the time, and just boring the other half. Although, to be fair, even that one wasn't as bad as the spinoff with Hilary Swank (not being sexist, it was just a lousy movie). Seriously, sometimes the third movie will be so bad that it pretty much ruins the first two, just as KKP3 did by making Daniel act like a complete jerk to Mr. Mayogi (probably spelled that wrong) who basically went out of his way to make sure his life didn't suck.
Heck, sometimes, you wonder why they made sequels to begin with, like with Back to the Future. Back to the Future IS my favorite movie of all time, just so you guys have a point of reference for this. I didn't actually hate either of the sequels, but I can't help but feel like they didn't do the first one justice/fell kind of flat. And then there's the ultimate example of a trilogy that should've stopped after the first movie; that's right, I'm talking about the Matrix. The Matrix (the first one, I mean), kick all kinds of ass, and let's face it, we all love it. So when people found out that a sequel was in the works, the nerd community collectively squealed. And then we saw the Matrix Reloaded and collectively said "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!" The often bizarre tone, absurdity, slow moments, general stupidity, elements that were rehashed from the first one, and the fact that parts just didn't make sense made it suck to no end (and the fact that we all realized that Keanu Reeves is kind of a lousy actor). And then all of those factors were multiplied by 100 for the craptastic conclusion that was the Matrix Revolutions (don't even get me started).
Don't get me wrong, sometimes a trilogy manages to be good all the way through. The original Star Wars trilogy, for instance, started off incredible (A New Hope), stayed incredible (Empire Strikes Back) and delivered a spectacular conclusion (Return of the Jedi). Based on the reviews I've read, TDKR will cause Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy to follow a similar path. And then you've got the pinnacle of trilogies: Lord of the Rings, in which each movie achieves a whole new level of awesomeness not even dreamt of in the last one. We start out great (Fellowship), then it gets amazing (Two Towers), and in the end we have one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces ever put on a screen anywhere. So, trilogies can be good, assuming they're in good hands.
Quadrilogies are a completely different story of course, but they all seem to follow a similar pattern: the first one is good (Terminator, Alien), the second one is amazing (T2, Aliens), the third one isn't as good as the first two, but it wasn't too bad (T3, Alien 3), and then the fourth one sucks beyond belief (T-Salvation, Alien Resurrection). So quadrilogies usually aren't good.
So, what's your favorite trilogy? Comment below, let me know (I fixed the comment section, so anyone can comment now)!
And as always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Anyway, since TDKR is the conclusion of a trilogy, I've decided now would be a good time for trilogy-related rant. I know I haven't done a rant in about two months, but I'm doing one now, so yeah.
So, for those of you who live under a rock, a trilogy is a series, often a series of movies, comprised of three stories all connected to each other.
Trilogies are tough to pull off. The way it seems to go a lot is the first two are awesome, and then one is just a let down, like with Spiderman 3, or X Men: the Last Stand or, my personal least favorite, Karate Kid Part 3, the entry in the series that was painful half the time, and just boring the other half. Although, to be fair, even that one wasn't as bad as the spinoff with Hilary Swank (not being sexist, it was just a lousy movie). Seriously, sometimes the third movie will be so bad that it pretty much ruins the first two, just as KKP3 did by making Daniel act like a complete jerk to Mr. Mayogi (probably spelled that wrong) who basically went out of his way to make sure his life didn't suck.
Heck, sometimes, you wonder why they made sequels to begin with, like with Back to the Future. Back to the Future IS my favorite movie of all time, just so you guys have a point of reference for this. I didn't actually hate either of the sequels, but I can't help but feel like they didn't do the first one justice/fell kind of flat. And then there's the ultimate example of a trilogy that should've stopped after the first movie; that's right, I'm talking about the Matrix. The Matrix (the first one, I mean), kick all kinds of ass, and let's face it, we all love it. So when people found out that a sequel was in the works, the nerd community collectively squealed. And then we saw the Matrix Reloaded and collectively said "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!" The often bizarre tone, absurdity, slow moments, general stupidity, elements that were rehashed from the first one, and the fact that parts just didn't make sense made it suck to no end (and the fact that we all realized that Keanu Reeves is kind of a lousy actor). And then all of those factors were multiplied by 100 for the craptastic conclusion that was the Matrix Revolutions (don't even get me started).
Don't get me wrong, sometimes a trilogy manages to be good all the way through. The original Star Wars trilogy, for instance, started off incredible (A New Hope), stayed incredible (Empire Strikes Back) and delivered a spectacular conclusion (Return of the Jedi). Based on the reviews I've read, TDKR will cause Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy to follow a similar path. And then you've got the pinnacle of trilogies: Lord of the Rings, in which each movie achieves a whole new level of awesomeness not even dreamt of in the last one. We start out great (Fellowship), then it gets amazing (Two Towers), and in the end we have one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces ever put on a screen anywhere. So, trilogies can be good, assuming they're in good hands.
Quadrilogies are a completely different story of course, but they all seem to follow a similar pattern: the first one is good (Terminator, Alien), the second one is amazing (T2, Aliens), the third one isn't as good as the first two, but it wasn't too bad (T3, Alien 3), and then the fourth one sucks beyond belief (T-Salvation, Alien Resurrection). So quadrilogies usually aren't good.
So, what's your favorite trilogy? Comment below, let me know (I fixed the comment section, so anyone can comment now)!
And as always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
LOST Season 3 Review
If anyone ever wants to make the Alcatraz writers feel bad about themselves, just make them watch this.
In A Nutshell:
The Others have taken Jack, Kate, and Sawyer hostage. The Hatch has imploded. Locke, Desmond, and Eko are nowhere to be found, and everyone is kind of freaked out. The first six episodes or so are mainly about Jack and Co., over at the Others camp, and after that the season details the survivors continuing conflict with the Others, through which answers and new questions arrive that I can't discuss lest I violate my own no spoilers policy.
The Good:
Answers finally arrive. Granted, not until later in the season, but we still finally learn, for instance, how Locke wound up in the chair, or why Jack's marriage went to hell. These were some welcomed resolutions. The new questions posed, such as Jacob, kept me hooked most of the time too, especially towards the end of the season. The last five or so episodes of the season were straight up amazing in every way. If I reviewed those individual episodes, I probably give them all 100% ratings. The two-part season finale stands out for me not only because of the cliffhanger they did, but also because they brought something new to the table:
********SPOILER RIGHT HERE!*********
Flashforwards. Not flashbacks, flashforwards. It takes you awhile to catch on to the fact that what they're showing you hasn't happened yet, but when you do, its awesome.
*********END OF SPOILER!!!!!!!!!********
There was another episode, Flashes Before Your Eyes, that also reinvents the flashback aspect of the show in a very compelling way that just really got me. While we're on the topic "it really got me", you should be warned, the season yields multiple major character deaths. I know I've said in other reviews that I've seen so many characters I like die (dammit Whedon!) that I'm kind of numb to the whole thing at this point, but that was proven to be thoroughly not true when some of these folks get killed off, particularly spoiler and spoiler, whose deaths genuinely made me feel something.
The Bad:
The first six episodes, aka the prologue, pose an absurd amount of questions to the point where you may get a bit put off. And while some episodes had amazing and very relevant flashbacks, there were times where the flashbacks felt very tacked on, to the point where you can't help but feel like the writers are just trying to kill time. You've also got the introduction of new characters Nikki and Paulo, who are basically the Riley Finn and... Riley Finn's wife of LOST, i.e., everyone despises them. Another thing is, I actually don't think any character appears in every episode. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that was the case. So basically, everyone was downgraded to recurring character.
Final Rating: 97%
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