Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson,
Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin
Based on the Comic Book by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Edited by Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
Produced by Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Trinh Tran
Directed by
Anthony and Joe Russo
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
I know what you're all thinking. And yes, I'm a total freaking nerd. Moving on now...
So, I went and saw AVENGERS: ENDGAME with the bonus content at the Cinemark Century Theater in Oakridge Mall today after work, and it was totally worth it. Not so much for the bonus content, but for the film itself. This was going to be the very last time I would be able to see the movie on the big screen. And that's the main reason why I went to see it again.
As for the bonus content, they were OK. The big one for me was the lovely tribute to the Man himself, Stan Lee. I still find it hard to believe that he's really gone. It doesn't feel like it, since we, the fans, still talk about him. Then there was a cut scene featuring the Hulk, but it wasn't completely rendered. The last bonus was featured the opening scene of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, which I just saw earlier this week. But as I stated earlier, I just wanted to see the film on the big screen one last time, and it was so worth it!!
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (WITH BONUS CONTENT) is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including the Cinemark Century Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://cinemark.com.
Starring Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders
, Jacob Batalon
Screenplay by Erik Sommers, Chris McKenna
Based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Cinematography by Matthew J. Lloyd
Edited by Leigh Folsom Boyd, Dan Lebental
Produced by Kevin Feige, Avi Arad, Stan Lee,Victoria Alonso
Directed by Jon Watts
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
When I first saw SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING two years ago, I thought to myself, "Finally!! They did it right!! We finally have the Spider-Man we the audience have been waiting for!!" And it was glorious!! Unfortunately, the bad part was that we were gonna have to wait a while for the sequel, since the AVENGERS films would be released first. After the emotional rollercoaster that was AVENGERS: ENDGAME, I finally got to see the final chapter of the now called "The Infinity Saga" that first began with IRON MAN back in 2008. And needless to say, SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME lives up to the hype and is a fitting epilogue to this first epic conclusion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
The film's official synopsis: Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best
friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation.
However, Peter's plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are
quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover
the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across
the continent.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME is a high intense, action packed, hilariously funny, ultimate superhero comic book movie sequel you've been waiting for! It's also a very satisfying and logical conclusion to the "The Infinity Saga" and sets up the next phase of the MCU perfectly!! So grab the family and go see the last MCU film of the year on the big screen!! 5 out of stars!! Highly recommended!!
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME is currently playing in theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson,
Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin
Based on the Comic Book by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Edited by Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
Produced by Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Trinh Tran
Directed by
Anthony and Joe Russo
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Yup, I saw AVENGERS: ENDGAME again for the third time. So sue me!
Anywho, I thought it would be nice to take my girlfriend to see
it over at the AMC Saratoga 16 as an early Mother's Day night out. We'd
go see a movie, have dinner afterwards, so that was my plan. Now, since
we've been together, I've made it my mission to take her to see every
MCU film in the theaters, and tonight I lived up to my duties as
boyfriend.
But for tonight's screening, we saw the movie in IMAX!! Holy shit what a difference!!
Last year around this time, I took her to see AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
at the same theater. Needless to say, she was pissed on how that film
ended. That whole week she just tore into that movie, yelling about how
it ended, that Thanos won, and its cliffhanger ending, yeah, she was
pissed. Truth be told, up until that point, I have never heard her cuss
more than see that movie.
After the screening, she was very relieved that everyone came
back, good triumphed over evil, Thanos was snapped out of existence, but
cried when Tony Stark died and his funeral. However, she absolutely
loved the movie! And after that, we had a nice dinner, had some alone
time together, and went home to be with our son.
AVENGERS: ENDGAME is playing in 2D, Real 3D, and in IMAX in theaters nationwide,
including at the AMC Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.amctheatres.com.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson,
Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin
Based on the Comic Book by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Edited by Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
Produced by Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Trinh Tran
Directed by
Anthony and Joe Russo
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
After a long five days of watching silent films in San Francisco, I decided to treat myself to a flick at the Cinelux Theaters. Because I was attending the 24th San Francisco Silent Film Festival, I was itching to see a new movie! A plethora of new movies were released, and I was super excited to see them all! But instead, I went and saw AVENGERS: ENDGAME again! Why did I see it again, some of you are asking? Because I felt like it!! Plus I really, really liked the movie!
When I saw it at the Thursday Night Preview screening, I didn't have the best seat to really watch the film and to pay attention to all of the details within its frames. One was why did the Avenger fly Star-lord's ship to confront Thanos when Thor's new battle-axe Stormbreaker can open the Bifröst? How was Steve Rogers able to return the Infinity Stones in their current state when they were all in their original forms? And when Steve returned the Soul Stone to , what was his confrontation with the Red Skull was like? These are just some of the questions that popped in my head upon my second viewing. But overall, I love this freaking movie!
AVENGERS: ENDGAME is currently playing in theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin
Based on the Comic Book by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Edited by Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
Produced by Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Trinh Tran
Directed by
Anthony and Joe Russo
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
On Tuesday, April 29, 2008, I attended a special advance screening of Marvel Studios' first feature film IRON MAN, starring
Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and directed by Jon Favreau. It was on this day that I witnessed the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eleven years and twenty-one films later, I found myself at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge to watch the final chapter of what Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige
has called "The Infinity Saga." I suddenly realized just how fast time goes, as I have seen every single MCU installment in the cinemas. And here I was, eagerly awaiting the closure of what has become one of the most important chapters in my cinematic experience, and it did not disappoint. It goes without saying that AVENGERS: ENDGAME will go down as one of the important and entertaining films of all time!
The film's official synopsis: The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half
the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining
Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to
twenty-two films, AVENGERS: ENDGAME.
I'm not going to spoil the film here in my review. Instead, I'm just going to issue the following statement: THIS WAS THE BEST MCU FILM OF ALL TIME!!
As I write this post, the film has broken several cinema records. First, it broke the record Thursday Night screenings, earning an impressive $60 million, breaking the previous record held by STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, which was $57 million total. On Friday, it grossed $305 million internationally, combined with Thursday Night's earnings for a staggering $365 million! As of Sunday morning, it has been reported that the film has now grossed globally an incredible $1.2 BILLION!! The breakdown from that is $350 million domestically and $859 internationally!! It now has become the first film in cinema history to surpass $1 billion in its opening weekend!! I seriously doubt that this record will be broken anytime soon!!
AVENGERS: ENDGAME is one of the most epic, satisfying, blockbuster and film of the year and a fitting conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that fans could ever wanted or hoped for!! It's also an end of an era, has this closes the chapter of the MCU, and is the beginning of the next phase that will entertain us with new characters, new adventures, and new films!! But before that, I would like to say "Thank You" to everyone who has been involved with the MCU and applaud you for all your hard work these past eleven years!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
AVENGERS: ENDGAME is currently playing in theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
Starring Michael Todd, Bogdan Pecic, Maria Markovic, Floyd Ewing Jr., Bill Morrison, James L. Edwards, Michael Kemper, Burt Ward, Linnea Quigley, Scott Spiegel
Written by
J.R. Bookwalter
Cinematography by Michael Tolochko
Edited by
J.R. Bookwalter
Produced by David DeCoteau,
J.R. Bookwalter
Directed by
J.R. Bookwalter
Originally distributed by Cinema Home Video
Re-released by Tempe Entertainment
By the late 1980's, video stores were booming, and there was plenty to rent on their shelves. At this time, the home video market became a cash cow for low budget, independent horror films and cult classics. Among the names that were synonymous during this era were Fred Olen Ray, David DeCoteau, Rick Sloane, and Jim Wynorski. But there was another name that snuck in late in the game but made some great low budget films for the mom & pop video stores. His name was
J.R. Bookwalter, and, in 1986, made the 8mm horror film THE DEAD NEXT DOOR for video renters. In 1989, he made his sophomore feature that, unfortunately, didn't measure up to his expectations, and was abandoned by the filmmaker himself. Now, thirty years later, Bookwalter has repaired and restored this forgotten movie and has unleashed ROBOT NINJA onto the masses once again!
The film's official synopsis: Late one night, frustrated comic book artist Leonard Miller witnesses
the brutal rape and murder of a young couple at the hands of ruthless
small-town thugs. Seeking vigilante justice, Miller decides to become
his most famous character, stalking the night intent on spilling the
blood of any criminal who stands in his way! Painstakingly restored from
a 2K film scan of the original 16mm A/B roll cut negative with a
dynamic new 5.1 surround sound remix, this VHS-era classic returns in a
streaming-exclusive 16:9 widescreen presentation for the first time
ever. Written, produced, and directed by J.R. Bookwalter (THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, OZONE), ROBOT NINJA slashes, stabs, guts, pokes, and jabs
its way to a climactic finale, putting a unique imprint on the superhero
genre.
Bookwalter has done a fantastic job of restoring his movie, as well as going all out with the special features and improvements! There's a lot to list here, so bare with me for a second while I list them all! This is Blu-Ray/DVD 2-Disc Combo. Disc One is the Blu-Ray and offers the following: DTS HD-MA 5.1 Surround Remix, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Remix, Audio Commentary with writer/director J.R. Bookwalter, moderated by Matthew Dilts-Williams of Phantom Pain Films, Audio Commentary with executive producer David DeCoteau & producer J.R. Bookwalter, Audio Commentary with director J.R. Bookwalter, star James L. Edwards,
associate producer Scott P. Plummer, co-creator David Lange, and special
makeup consultant David P. Barton, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Dubbed Mix in German, Italian, and Castilian Spanish, Rebuilding the Robot: J.R. Bookwalter on the Restoration, Thank You Miss Barbeau: Interview with Linnea Quigley, Contemplating Coleslaw: Interview with Scott Spiegel, Dr. Goodknight's Neighborhood: Location Tour with Benjamin Bookwalter, "The Robot Ninja" 2013 Fan Film with introduction by director Johnny Dickie, Artwork & Promotional Gallery, Behind The Scenes Gallery, Production Stills Gallery, Optional English or Spanish Subtitles, and four Tempe Digital Trailers! *whew*
And now on to Disc 2 which is the DVD portion of the combo. Here are the following: The 1989 VHS Version in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio (1.33:1, 80 mins.), Unreleased Dolby Digital 2.0 Original Stereo Mix, Audio Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of The No-Budget Nightmares Podcast, Robot Ninja: Unmasked! featurette, Behind-the-Scenes Footage with audio commentary by director J.R. Bookwalter, Rough Cut Outtakes, "The Adventures of Robot Ninja" TV Show Promo, Newscast Outtakes, Location Preshoots, Original 1989 VHS Release Trailer, Optional English or Spanish Subtitles, and more Tempe Digital Trailers! Holy crap, I feel like I just ran a 100 mile marathon!!
ROBOT NINJA is a bona fide VHS rental cult classic that is long overdue of a resurgence of notoriety!! It's a fun, down and dirty, DIY indie film that provides the fun, action, blood, and gore for the ages!! Now, a whole new generation of genre fans can now bare witness to a film that was ahead of its time! With the Age of the Superheroes dominating the cinemas, what better time to revisit this awesome cult classic!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
ROBOT NINJA is available on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo and Limited Edition VHS for collectors. To purchase a copy and other J.R. Bookwalter titles and Tempe Entertainment releases, please visit makeflix.com.
Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Lashana Lynch, Lee Pace
Written by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve
Characters created by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan
Cinematography by Ben Davis
Edited by Debbie Berman, Elliot Graham
Produced by Kevin Feige
Directed by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Hello again folks! As you may have noticed, I went and saw CAPTAIN MARVEL again! But this time, I didn't see it alone! I finished up my day at work early, so I had a cool idea. I texted my girlfriend that I was finishing up work early, and we should go out on an afternoon date! Our son was at school, so I suggested to see CAPTAIN MARVEL over at the Pruneyard Cinemas Dine-In, and we can use our gift card that we received at Christmas! She was down with this date, so I went back home and picked her up, and we made our way to the theaters!
We picked up some cool seats, and remember, these are the leather reclining seats! Oh they were soooo comfty! And, we ordered lunch from The Cedar Room, where they prepared our delicious food and was brought to us! Now that's service!
As for the movie itself, I enjoyed it the second time around! For my girlfriend, she absolutely loved it! This was the third MCU film that she's seen with me in the theaters! So right there is a cause for celebration! Since we've been together, I've had her see AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP in the cinemas, and I've been trying to get her caught up with the other titles on Blu-Ray. Overall, it was a great daytime date!
CAPTAIN MARVEL is currently playing in theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX nationwide,
including at the Pruneyard Cinemas Dine-In here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.pruneyardcinemas.com.
Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Lashana Lynch, Lee Pace
Written by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve
Characters created by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan
Cinematography by Ben Davis
Edited by Debbie Berman, Elliot Graham
Produced by Kevin Feige
Directed by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
It's been a rewarding experience to have seen every single film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the theaters. Ever since I attended a special preview screening of IRON MAN at the Century 20 Oakridge all the way back in 2008. Since then, we have been treated to some of the most iconic characters ever created in the comic book world, having major Hollywood stars bringing these iconic heroes and villains to life on the big screen, and seeing some major first and record breaking debuts in those eleven years. Today, audiences were once again treated to another first: Marvel Studio's first female starring film that will be loved by female audiences worldwide. Taking place in that awesome year of 1995, let's take a ride with the MCU's newest superhero CAPTAIN MARVEL at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge.
The film's official synopsis: Captain Marvel (Larson) is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds
herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her
people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having
recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol
Danvers. With help from Nick Fury (Jackson), Captain Marvel
tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special
superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.
So I had a blast watching this movie! Now, I was surprised when Marvel Studios announced that Brie Larson was cast as our heroine. Reason being that she's an Academy Award winner, star of ROOM and the THE GLASS CASTLE. These are amazing dramas! Of course she's been in other movies like TRAINWRECK, KONG: SKULL ISLAND, and FREE FIRE, but I figured she would go on to star in these lavish time period dramas and arthouse type films after her big win. Thankfully, she embraced her inner superhero and she nailed her performance as US Air Force Pilot Carol Danvers, her new alien identity Vers, and the most powerful entity known as Captain Marvel! Samuel L. Jackson once again return as Nick Fury, but this is 1995 and Fury is not yet the man in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. but we get to see how he came to be (and why he wears that patch). Also back on the big screen is Clark Gregg, who has been portraying Agent Coulson since the first IRON MAN back in 2008! While he died in THE AVENGERS, he was brought back to life and has been appearing of the hit television show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. since 2013. Now, with the Marvel Studios, there's always a legendary Hollywood actor or actress making their MCU debut, and with this film, they can add the iconic Annette Bening, who plays Supreme Intelligence in the movie, to that list. Add Jude Law as Yon-Rogg to the mix, along with GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY alumnus Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace
(Korath and Ronan, respectively), and you've got yourself a kick ass Marvel movie!
As I write-up this review, the movie has garnered acclaim from fans of the MCU and from female audience members alike. But the big news to come out of this weekend was its boxoffice haul. The movie has grossed a freaking unbelievable $455 million worldwide and became the sixth-highest worldwide debut ever!! It also scored a whopping $153 million domestically and is the studio's latest best-performing opening weekend of the year!! That is outstanding!! And to all those dipshit trolls who were trying to boycott the movie, guess what boys? You lost big time!! Now shut the hell up and go get a life!!
CAPTAIN MARVEL is another fun-filled, superheroic blockbuster of a movie that will make fans rejoice and chat for more!! And in case you've been living under a rock, she will be appearing in the upcoming conclusion AVENGERS: ENDGAME. The film serves its purpose as an awesome origin film, but it sets up an epic battle to come as well! If you're excited to see Captain Marvel square off against Thanos, we only have one month to wait! In the meantime, make sure you see this one at least three more times, and if it's playing in 3D and IMAX, then see it that way as well! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
CAPTAIN MARVEL is currently playing in theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
Hello again everybody and Happy New Year!! I'm gonna predict that 2019
will be another fantastic year for movies, as was 2018! There were an
insane amount of movies that I absolutely loved and found myself walking
away feeling completely transformed from viewing it. And that is the
power of cinema: taking me somewhere new, showing me something I have
never seen before, telling me a story I have never heard of and meet
characters I can only imagine meeting. So without further adieu, here
are my Top Ten Films of 2018!
10) KING COHEN: Buckle up for KING COHEN, the true story of writer, producer, director,
creator and all-around maverick, Larry Cohen (BLACK CAESAR, GOD TOLD ME TO, Q: THE WINGED SERPENT, THE STUFF). Told through compelling live
interviews, stills and film/TV clips, the people who helped fulfill his
vision, and industry icons such as Martin Scorsese, John Landis, Michael
Moriarty, Fred Williamson, Yaphet Kotto and many more, including Larry
himself, bring one-of-a-kind insight into the work, process and legacy
of a true American film auteur. Few can boast of a career as remarkable
or prolific, spanning more than 50 years of entertaining audiences
worldwide! It's about damn time that Cohen had a film about himself and his body of work! Fans of this iconic filmmaker will want to look for this informative documentary on the horror streaming app Shudder.
9) ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: In the aftermath of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a
Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to re-balance his home life
with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he's confronted by Hope van Dyne (Evangaline Lilly)
and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglass) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put
on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works
together to uncover secrets from their past. Paul Rudd does a great job as Scott Lang again, bringing his haplessly
heroic loser to life once again. But he steps it up immensely, as he’s
Hank’s and Hope’s only hope of defeating their newest adversary: Ghost
(played spectacularly by Hannah John-Kamen). Both Michael Douglass and
Evangaline Lilly return as they lay their emotions out for all to see,
as they both discover something (or someone) that they thought was lost
forever. And Lilly kicks some major ass in the film! Also returning are
Scott’s loveable and goofy friends Luis, T.I., and Kurt.
8) BORG/McENROE: It is the 1980 Wimbledon tennis championship. Bjorn Borg is the
number 1 tennis player in the world and the undisputed king of
Wimbledon. He has won the tournament four times in a row - a fifth
consecutive time would be a world first. However, a new face has
appeared in the tennis world and presents a serious threat to Borg's
title hopes - John McEnroe. This
was LaBeouf’s best performance to date, as he nailed McEnroe’s
character and mannerism perfectly! Gudnason shines as Borg and is a dead
ringer of him! Both actors commanded the audiences’ attention as we
were swept up into the movie. Janus Metz directed the hell out this
movie, especially in the third act which kept me on the edge of my seat! For all you fans of this sport, this was one indie film that flew under the radar, so make sure you go see this! One of the film's I saw at last year's Cinequest Film Festival.
7) THE INCREDIBLES 2: In this incredibly heroic, action-packed sequel, Helen is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers
back, while Bob navigates the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life at
home with Violet, Dash and baby Jack-Jack -- whose superpowers are about
to be discovered. Their mission is derailed, however, when a new
villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot that threatens
everything. But the Parrs don't shy away from a challenge, especially
with Frozone by their side. That's what makes this family so INCREDIBLE. Another hit from Pixar Studios, you cannot help but laugh your head off while you're watching the film. Plenty of jokes for the kids with some sly one for the adults, but overall, it's a great family film! The old gang returns to voice all your favorite characters, plus some newbies to make it fresh and exciting!
6) THE LAST MOVIE STAR: Legendary actor Burt Reynolds stars as Vic Edwards, a washed-up,
has-been actor whose glory days a long behind him. When I he accepts to
attend the Dallas Film Festival, he is paired with the organizer's
eccentric sister Lil (Ariel Winter), who
takes him on a trip down Memory Lane, only to discover what it means
about growing older and coming to terms with your past. I absolutely loved this movie!! Reynolds'
performance was just incredibly poignant, remarkable and all-too real. Sadly, we lost this talented actor this past year, but if there is any justice, fans of the legendary actor will see his greatest performance of all time! Director Adam Rifkin marks his return to the mainstream and a turn in his career. Another film I saw at last year's Cinequest Film Festival.
5) ENTHUSIASTIC SINNERS: The
film's about a police officer who comes to the home of a widower after
receiving reports of gunshots there. From there, the two embark on a
lust filled 24 hour adventure of sex and fun, but ending up falling in
love with each other. However, as the day ends, so does their fantasy
world and both must face their real world personas. What
I really loved about the film that it was a film about adults having
sex, enjoying sex and treating it as a human emotion, rather than
something that is used for comedic purposes or treated with such
disrespect. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sex, but for some
reason, we are so hung up on it. Writer/director Mark
Lewis treats sex with honesty and care, showing us that it's an
emotion, much like love. Actress Maggie
Alexander bares not only her body, but her soul and emotions as she
bring vulnerability, humor and longing to her character Shelby. Her
performance is so raw and captivating that she commands the audiences'
attention. My favorite film from last year's Cinequest Film Festival!
4) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their
music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie
defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most
beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of
the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach
unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by
darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having
suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to
reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely
facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the
greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a
legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to
this day.
3) DEADPOOL 2: After surviving a near fatal bovine attack,
a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his
dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to
cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for
life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the Yakuza,
and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the
world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor -
finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug
title of World's Best Lover. The movie was so damn popular, the studio re-released the film in a PG-13 rated version, with former child actor Fred Savage recreating the intro of THE PRINCESS BRIDE with Deadpool playing Peter Falk's Grandpa role! Yup, it looks like there's no stopping everybody's favorite Merc with a Mouth!!
2) BLACK PANTHER: After the events of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, King T'Challa returns
home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of
Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon
finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own
country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as
Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members
of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from
being dragged into a world war. never thought that I would see a film like this: an African cast,
filled with African clothing, African beliefs and traditions, and the
lead is an African superhero. When "The King" Jack Kirby and Stan "The
Man" Lee unleashed the Black Panther in The Fantastic Four back in 1966,
little did they know that they were making history. Here is a black cast, directed by a black director, is one of the
highest grossing films of all time!! It's time to wake up Hollywood and
smell the change!!
1) AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR: As the Avengers and their allies have
continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero
to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A
despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity
Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his
twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for
has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has
never been more uncertain. The fact that I saw this film in the theaters FOUR FREAKING TIMES should indicate how much i enjoyed it!! The MCU forever changed with this one movie, and the repercussions are still being felt! Now with the sequel coming this April, Marvel fans will finally see how this all plays out, and who will be leaving the MCU forever!! My favorite film of 2018!!
And there you have it folks! My Top Ten Films of 2018! It looked like
the year that comic book based movies and animated family films
prevailed. But every year this list gets harder and harder to
put together, but these were films that really made an impact on me,
and I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading my picks. So if by chance there
are films here that you haven't seen yet, I encourage you to check them
out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by them!
Hello everyone out there on the internet and welcome to 2019!! Hard to believe that another year has gone into the history books! Now granted, the state of the world of 2018 was very bleak, which was reflected and referenced in many of the movies I watched. In these dark times, we look towards the world of art to see its commentary and views of life, love, and the political and social issues that have plagued this country, especially since November 2016. Overall, it was an interesting year; a year full of great movies, surprises, and losses.
As I mentioned in past posts, the Bay Area institution The Camera Cinemas officially closed all its locations in 2017, marking the end of an era of movie going experiences for many film lovers like myself. Basically, they went out of business, and I was completely devastated by this news. The Camera Cinemas played a pivotal and vital role not only for this blog, but on myself as well. They were the only place I could see the very best in independent cinema, documentaries, foreign film, as well as spotlight local films, artists, and film festivals like the Cinequest Film Festival and CASMFest. They were so important to the landscape of the Downtown San Jose area that, truth be told, hasn’t been filled yet. In 2018, both the Pruneyard Campbell and Downtown SJ reopened as new film theaters, with Csmera Cinemas co-founder Jack Nybloom being part owner in both businesses. The old Camera 7 reopened in the summer as the brand-new Pruneyard Dine-In Cinemas, completely remolded and refurnished with new reclining leather chairs, enhanced visuals and surround sound, and a restaurant Cedar Room (formerly the old Boswell Bar) as part of theater, providing very delicious meals and tasty drinks for the moviegoers. I had the pleasure of seeing some movies there and I did have a very positive experience, the old Camera 7 is still there with me. Same was said with the Camera 3 Cinemas on the corner of Second Street and San Carlos in downtown. It was reopened in February as the 3Below Theaters & Lounge, picking up where the Camera 3 left off. It’s still the home for the Comedy Sportz Impov Comedy Group, the midnight screenings of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW with my friends The Barely Legal shadowcast, an home for some of the best indie, foreign, and documentaries from all over the world. Now owned by Nyblom and with the former owners of the long gone Retro Dome in Saratoga, they added some new ingredients to the theater, namely retrospectives of classic Hollywood movies, and stage plays as well. So as the old saying goes, "Everything that’s old is new again." While I’m sad to say goodbye to the Camera Cinemas, it’s nice to welcome both the 3Below Theaters and the PrunyDine-In Cinemas to my movie going world!
After the Camera Cinemas closed, I frequented another local theater business, which also went through some renovations last year as well. The Cinelux Theaters have also been a staple here in the Bay Area, and I was more than happy to give them my support. I saw a plethora of movies at my three favorite locations: the Cinelux Alamden Cafe & Lounge in San Jose, Cinelux Plaza Theatre in Campbell, and the Cinelux Tennant Station Stadium 11 in Morgan Hill. Established over 50 years ago, the Cinelux Theateres are a great alternative to the overwhelming mall theaters, and they support several local organizations and international charities like March of Dimes, The Second Harvest Food Bank, and UNICEF for example. So if you’d like to support local businesses and are a cinema lover, then please visit your local Cinelux Theatres!!
With 2019, a wide array of works of art has now become part of the public domain, especially silent films. This is very good news for my friends over at the Niles Essany Silent Film Museum, which I came back as a volunteer and docent. It felt good to be back to one of my favorite places in the Bay Area, having been part of the museum family since 2006! We had a lot of great shows in 2018. Some of the highlights for me were the annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival, Charlie Chaplin Day weekend, our DVD release party for the museum’s silent film BRONCHO BILLY AMD THE BANDIT’S SECRET. Originally titled THE CANYON, the movies took four years to complete, and was made using the old hand cranked film cameras from the museum and was shot on Kodak black and white 35mm filmstock. The final cut looked absolutely stunning! It looked like it came straight from the silent film era! It was incredible to see, and I was so happy to get it on DVD! And now with copyright expired, many of the movies we have in our film vault can now be exhibited without the monetary constrainments that prevented the museum from screening them. So keep your eyes peeled to the museum’s website for some awesome silent film shows in the new year!!
Then there are all the films that are now available on a plethora of streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and my personal favorite, Shudder. So many great films either fly under the radar or don't get to be screened at movie theaters, and therefore, having these media outlets gives the filmmakers a chance for an audience to find and watch their movies. And if this means watching a movie on my TV, iPad, or iPhone, then so be it! I just want the opportunity to view films that I wouldn't be able to see any other way. Not only that, but I'll be reviewing a lot of cool movies ranging from
Hollywood blockbusters to indie films, cult classics to porno chic,
comedy and GLBTQ films. You name it and I'll be watching and reviewing
it!
As you can see, I'm gonna be very busy and this is just the tip of the
iceberg. I'll have some other surprises that'll make you want to come
back over and over again. So get ready folks for one hell of a ride in
2019!!
Thank you all out there who have been reading and supporting my blog. I
don't get paid doing this. I do it for the fun of it. I'm a film
fanatic, cinephile, movie junkie, whatever you want to call me. So I
hope you'll stick around another year as I bring you another year of
reviews, fun and adventures!
Hello to all of you in cyberspace! So for those who may not know this, but one of my favorite television shows from the 90's was Mystery Science Theater 3000. Created by comedian Joel Hodgson, the show takes place in the not-too-distant future where Joel Robinson (Hodgson) is held captive by Dr.
Forrester (Trace Beaulieu) and TV's Frank (Frank Conniff), and forced to watch B-Grade movies on the
Satellite of Love with the help of his robot friends: Cambot, Gypsy (Jim Mallon), Tom
Servo (Kevin Murphy) and Crow T. Robot (Beaulieu). During the duration of the show's existence, the cast went through a series of hosts (Michael J. Nelson replaced Hodgson in the middle of season 5 and Bill Corbett replaced Beaulieu as the voice of Crow from season 8) and villains (Corbett, Murphy, and Mary Jo Pehl took over when Beaulieu and Conniff left), even moving to different channels (the show was originally on Comedy Central, then moved to the Sci-Fi Channel). After ten seasons, the show was cancelled, and the lights on the Satellite of Love went dark. Then in 2016 Joel resurrected the show, thanks in large part to a very highly successful Kickstarter campaign, and the show was made and picked up by Netflix. Now 30 years later, right before the launch of Season 12, Joel, the bots, and new host Jonah Ray
went on tour to bring the magic of MST3K to the masses, and my girlfriend Stephanie and I got to attend the show here in Downtown San Jose!
The event was held at the historic City National Civic, which was built in 1934 and has held numerous concerts and musicals since. The show was sold out and the excitement level was at an all-time high. MST3K fans came from all around the Bay Area, some in costumes and some brought some awesome looking homemade puppets of Tom Servo. I had miss the tour here back in 2016, but I knew there was no way I'd miss them this time around. Having been a fan for decades, this was a dream come true. And when the lights finally dimmed at 7:30pm, the fun was about to begin!
Beginning with the show's theme song, Jonah Ray, Crow and Tom Servo came out to great the San Jose crowd, with Joel Hodgson joining them on-stage shortly after them. The gang was back together again, and for tonight's film, they chose to riff the 1987 Roger Corman produced cult classic DEATHSTALKER II!
Original Theatrical Poster (1987)
The film's official synopsis: Deathstalker (John Terlesky) has a mission: to save the kingdom from
the wicked grip of the immoral wizard Jerak and his queen Sultana.
Together they have ruled the land by creating a controllable evil twin
of the lovely Princess Evie (Monique Gabrielle). Capturing the real
Princess Evie, Deathstalker must now return her to her rightful place of
power — but the swordsman’s battle has just begun.
As stated previously, the film was produced by B-movie legend Roger Corman for his company Concorde/New Horizons. The film's star John Terlesky has appeared in numerous other projects like CHOPPING MALL, VALET GIRLS and THE ALLNIGHTER as well as TV series like Guns of Paradise, The Last Frontier and TV movies Battling for Baby, Bad Girls, and Voice from the Grave. He's gone to have a second career as a director, directing several TV episodes of The Blacklist, Castle, Criminal Minds, Revenge, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Actress Monique Gabrielle was one of the most beautiful and popular Scream Queens from this era. Her resume includes several cult classics like AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON, EMMANUELLE 5, NOT OF THIS EARTH, THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING, HARD TO DIE and EVIL TOONS to name a few. Another B-movie actress appearing in the movie was the great Toni Naples as the female antagonist Sultana. Naples acted in other noteworthy cult films like CHOPPING MALL, TRANSYLVANIA TWIST, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE II, HARD TO DIE, DINOSAUR ISLAND and SORCERESS.
The movie was directed by Jim Wynorski, who's made a name for himself as one of the kings of the low-budget, B-movie scene. He's directed over 110 films alone, and include some of my all-time favorites like CHOPPING MALL, BIG BAD MAMA II, NOT OF THIS EARTH, SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE II, HARD TO DIE, DINOSAUR ISLAND, MUNCHIE, and VAMPIRELLA, which were all produced by Roger Corman. In fact, many of his films were with Corman, who helped launch his filmmaking career. He also made a series of erotica thrillers that are still popular to this day. These titles include POINT OF SEDUCTION: BODY CHEMISTRY III, SINS OF DESIRE, VICTIM OF DESIRE, and BODY CHEMISTRY 4: FULL EXPOSURE.
Also known as DEATHSTALKER II: DUEL OF THE TITANS, the movie was released on home video on November 11, 1987 by New Horizons Home Video. This wasn't to be the last of the series, as Corman produced to more sequels, but they didn't have the magic, lunacy, and charm as the second installment.
This was such a fun date night for my girlfriend and I! And it's something I can finally check off my bucket list! To see a live MST3K show was a dream come true and you can all bet that I'll see it again if they go back on tour! As I am writing this, the new season has just dropped on Netflix. So if you are not familiar with the show, do yourself a favor and watch it now and prepare to have your funny bone tickled immensely!
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return is currently available to watch now on Netflix. To start your subscription, visit www.netflix.com. They also have a selection of episodes from past seasons as well. Select episodes are also available on DVD and boxsets from Shout! Factory. To purchase copies for yourself, visit their website at www.shoutfactory.com. And make sure you also the official Mystery Science Theater 3000 website at www.mst3k.com.
In 1987, the film PREDATOR, starring former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, and Shane Black, the film hit theaters and became a huge blockbuster. Combining action, science fiction, and horror, it has become a classic among fans. Then came PREDATOR 2 in 1991. It was OK, but not great. Then came ALIEN VS. PREDATOR and ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM in 2004 and 2007 respectively. They both sucked ass. And then came filmmaker Robert Rodriguez's 2010 sequel PREDATORS. It was OK too. It seemed like fans of the franchise were never going to get a film that would be on par with the original. Enter actor Shane Black, who starred in the first film, who teamed up with co-screenwriter Fred Dekker to give us THE PREDATOR, which I saw over at the Cinelux Almaden Cafe & Lounge.
The film's official synopsis: From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of
suburbia, the hunt comes home. Now, the universe's most lethal hunters
are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically
upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a young boy
accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of
ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the
human race.
OK, first things first. DO NOT COMPARE IT TO THE ORIGINAL! Nothing will be better than the first PREDATOR!! NOTHING!! So don't go into the film think it's gonna be a masterpiece of fine cinema, because it is so not. But, if you like your movies filled with blood, violence, raunchy and vulgar language, big explosions, and Olivia Munn running around looking all sexy, then this is right up your alley.
Black keeps the action, humor, and violence fast as lightening with very little emphasis on character development. As I said earlier, he co-wrote the screenplay with the legendary Fred Dekker, the man responsible for two of the greatest 80's films of all time: THE MONSTER SQUAD and NIGHT OF THE CREEPS! Legend has it that both Dekker and Black have been friends for decades and Black recruited his long time friend to help craft the script, filled with generic one-liners, clichés, over-the-top bloodshed, and for some stupid reason, it fucking works.
The cast itself does a nice job of trying to give their respective characters some depth and personality, but the real reason we want to see the movie is the Predators! And in this film, we get not one but two of them! Both look awesome, especially the Mutant Predator! But also, Olivia Munn looks so damn sexy playing nerd doctor Casey Bracket, who also knows how to shoot shotguns and assault rifles. Hey, wait just a second! How the hell does she know how to use a gun? I don't remember the movie explaining this! Oh, forget about it! Just watch Olivia Munn look all sexy and nerdy while she shoots at the Mutant Predator.
So far, the movie hasn't been performing well at the box office. As I am writing this, the movie has only earned $56.6million worldwide. This isn't good news, since the film's budget was about $208million, which included advertisements. The film's producer, John Davis, says this movie would set up two more sequels that he hopes Shane Black will direct. Let's see if this comes to fruition.
THE PREDATOR is an entertaining, action packed sci-fi flick that hardcore fans of the franchise will enjoy! But in the end, it's just another typical Hollywood popcorn
movie! I was just expecting something more to it is all! 3 out of
stars! It's worth a look!
THE PREDATORis playing in theaters nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
In the 1980's there was one studio that dared to be different, bold, and daring by releasing some of the most bizarre, inept, batshit crazy, out-of-this-world films of all time: Cannon Films. During this decade, they released WTF films like THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN, OVER THE TOP, NINJA III: THE DOMINATION, MISSING IN ACTION 1&2, DEATH WISH2-5, BREAKIN', MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, DELTA FORCE, and CYBORG just to name a few. Though no longer with us, those of us who came of age in this time period have a soft spot for Cannon Films. All of this nostalgia leads me to my Netflix Pick of the Week for the awesome documentary ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS and why you should watch it!
Official Theatrical Poster (2014)
The film's official synopsis: A documentary about Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - two movie-obsessed
cousins whose passion for cinema changed the way movies were made and
marketed - and the tale of how this passion ultimately led to the demise
of the company they built together.
I found myself relating to Menahem and Yoram because I'm just like them: I love movies. They transport us to different places, different times, telling us stories that we lived and ones that we haven't lived, etc. From the silent films to modern blockbusters, films have the power to take us on fantastic, magical rides. Menahem and Yoram did just this, only taking us more on a low budget ride on coach.
Writer/director Mark Hartley is no stranger to this subject of filmmaking, having made the incredibly awesome 2008 documentary NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION! and the phenomenal 2010 documentary MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED! Here, Hartley does the same thing: providing the audience with some of the most outrageous stories about Cannon Films from those who were there like actresses Sybil Danning, Martine Beswick, Catherine Mary Stewart, Lucinda Dickey and Bo Derek, actors like Elliott Gould, Alex Winter, Michael Chambers, Michael Dudikoff and Richard Chamberlain. Also contributing to the documentary are industry veterans like Michael Hartman, John G. Avildsen, Mark Rosenthal, Tobe Hooper, Greydon Clark, and Charles Matthau just to name a few.
As a young kid and teenager coming up in the 1980's, I was there at my local theaters watching first hand these insane films that were being churned out by Cannon Films. I remember seeing BREAKIN', MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, OVER THE TOP, MISSING IN ACTION and SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE. They weren't all that great, but they were somewhat entertaining and I found myself just wondering how the hell these were even made to begin with! Well, now I know, thanks in large part to the documentary.
What I took away from this documentary was the passion that Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus had for films. They lived and breathed movies twenty-four hours and day, seven days a week. It's a shame that they split up and stopped talking to one another, and then Menahem was diagnosed with cancer. Lovingly known as the "Go-Go Boys", when Mark Hartley asked them to be part of this project, they declined, and instead, made their own documentary entitled THE GO-GO BOYS: THE INSIDE STORY OF CANNON FILMS. It was released four months before Hartley's film. Sadly, Menahem Golan passed away on
Tel Aviv, Israel at the age of 84.
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS is a loving tribute to both Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and the legendary Cannon Films!! If you're a die hard fan of 80's cinema and you went and saw these films in the theaters, then you'll have a fun-filled traveling down Memory Lane as you are transported to that decade of decadence. And if you missed out on all the fun, then watch this film and then go seek out those cinematic gems that have become cult classics! This is one of my favorite documentaries discoveries of this year on Netflix and you should definitely check it out!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. To start your subscription, visit their website at www.netflix.com.
While the world is still reeling from the aftermath of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, Marvel Studios has released their newest film ANT-MAN AND THE WASP to theaters. Usually, I like to celebrate Friday the 13th with a horror movie marathon, but since my girlfriend and I were out and about doing errands, we decided to take in a movie. And since were in Fremont, the Century at the Pacific Commons and XD was close by. And were were going to see it in the luxurious XD theater with the Luxury Loungers and XD Dolby Atmos surround sound!! Yeah, we were going to have a good time today!
The film’s official synopsis: In the aftermath of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a
Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to re-balance his home life
with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he's confronted by Hope van Dyne (Evangaline Lilly)
and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglass) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put
on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works
together to uncover secrets from their past.
The first ANT-MAN was such fun-filled action packed superhero romp, I had high expectations for the sequel. Needless to say, it lived up to the hype, and more. Paul Rudd does a great job as Scott Lang again, bringing his haplessly heroic loser to life once again. But he steps it up immensely, as he’s Hank’s and Hope’s only hope of defeating their newest adversary: Ghost (played spectacularly by Hannah John-Kamen). Both Michael Douglass and Evangaline Lilly return as they lay their emotions out for all to see, as they both discover something (or someone) that they thought was lost forever. And Lilly kicks some major ass in the film! Also returning are Scott’s loveable and goofy friends Luis, T.I., and Kurt. Making his MCU film debut is Lawerance Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster, an old colleague/rival of Hank’s from his days at S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course, Fishburne is known for portraying Perry White in the DC Extended Universe films like MAN OF STEEL and BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE.
Peyton Reed returns to the directing chair for this sequel, continuing what he started in the first film. He finds the right balance of action, humor and character development that pushes the film's story to a satisfying conclusion. But here's the kick: the villain survives (as far as we know) and she may not be a villain in the upcoming MCU films, that is if she survived from Thanos' eradicating half of the universe. Reed is an awesome director, and I hope he stays with the franchise for a very long time!
And since this is a Marvel Studios film, there are two bonus scenes: the mid-credits scene (which ties in directly to AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR) and one at the end of the credits, which I found cute. But this last scene isn't required viewing. And if you have to use the restroom, then go after the mid-credits scene is over.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP is another MCU action-packed, hilariously funny, superhero popcorn flick that will have audiences and kids rushing to their local theater on these hot summer days!! It's awesome to see what the future holds for this franchise, but let's not forget that we haven't seen the last of Ant-Man, as we now enter the MCU post Thanos, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP is currently playing in both 2D, RealD 3D, and XD in theaters nationwide, including at the Century at the Pacific Commons and XD here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://cinemark.com.
So it’s official; I have seen AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR four times now. This historic event encapsulates my love of this movie. And since it will be coming out on Blu-Ray and DVD before you know it, I thought it would be nice to have my girlfriend finally see it, even though she was way behind seeing all the other MCU films.
So before I took her to see the movie, I had her watch some of the key films that lead into the third installment of the series: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, DOCTOR STRANGER, and THOR: RAGNAROK. I was disappointed that she didn’t get to watch BLACK PANTHER, but we ran out of time, and since we hardly ever have time alone, we had a very small window to go out to the theaters. Plus, she had gift cards to the AMC Theaters, so we headed over to the AMC Saratoga 14 to watch this soul crushing installment of the MCU.
*HEADS UP! SO I DIDN’T TELL MY GIRLFRIEND ANYTHING ABOUT THE MOVIE. SO, SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. FOR MOST OF THE FILM, I WAS WATCHING HER FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND ENJOYING HER BITTER HATRED FOR THANOS.*
When the movie ended and the screen went black and the credits started to roll, my girlfriend just sat there in her seat, repeating this phrase, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!! THAT’ S HOW THE MOVIE ENDS?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?" Needless to say, she was quite upset, especially since I had her watch all those other MCU films so that she can get to know the characters, storylines, and references. So I think she felt like she was cheated.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR is playing in 2D, Real 3D, and in IMAX in theaters nationwide,
including at the AMC Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.amctheatres.com.
Yes, I saw AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR for the third time! You would think I'd be tired of seeing it. Well then, you don't know me very well. I'm the type of person that can watch the same movie over and over and over again. Yup, I'm weird!
Another reason I wanted to see it again was that this past weekend Disney announced the release date for the Blu-Ray for the film! Already!! It's been in theaters for only a month for crying out loud!! Sure, the movie made a shitload of money, but still?!? WTF!! That's why I went to see it again. However, I am planning on seeing it several more times before it's gone for good. So keep an eye peeled here as I'm planning to see it at other theaters, like for example, the brand new Pruneyard Cinemas, formerly known as the Camera 7! I still would like to see it in an IMAX theater too!
AVENGERS: INFINITY WARis playing in 2D, Real 3D, and in IMAX in theaters nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
I was a big fan of Deadpool long before the first film came out. He was one of the most unique, funny, and original characters in the Marvel Comics Universe (which is ironic because he was a rip off of the DC Comic's character Deathstroke). So when DEADPOOL was released to theaters, I was also one of the first ones who saw it an immediately became one of my favorite films of that year. Fast forward to today and I'm back at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge to see the highly anticipated sequel DEADPOOL 2.
The film's official synopsis: After surviving a near fatal bovine attack,
a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his
dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to
cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for
life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the Yakuza,
and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the
world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor -
finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug
title of World's Best Lover.
Dude, seriously, this was a hilariously fucking awesome movie! The jokes come fast (pun intended) and funny, the action is a hybrid of THE MATRIX and JOHN WICK, and it builds off what the first film established. It does what a sequel should do, and all this comes courtesy of screenwriters Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds (yeah, that surprised me too) and the film's director David Leitch, who also helmed ATOMIC BLONDE and is the uncredited co-director on JOHN WICK. So, good job fellas. You guys made a lot of fanboys and fangirls very, very happy.
As for our players, they all knocked it out of the park! Reynolds brings his "A" game to out favorite "Merc with the Mouth", but this time, old Deadpool has some pathos and sympathy to go along with his wise cracking, fowl-mouthed, fourth wall breaking, ass kicking shenanigans. Josh Brolin IS Cable: the look, the voice, the mannerism, and is a badass all the way! Newcommer Zazie Beetz shines as the lucky mutant Domino, and does quite a bit of ass kicking herself. Returning actress Brianna Hildebrand is back as our favorite X-Men Negasonic Teenage Warhead, but now has a super awesome girlfriend Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna), who has a super cute friendship with Wade Wilson. Also back are Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), Weasel (T.J. Miller), Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), Dopinder (Karan Soni), and Stefan Kapicic as the voice as Colossus.
So, as always, there are end credit scenes, cause it wouldn't be a Marvel Film without end credit scenes. However, these are mid-credit scenes. There are two of them, and are fucking hysterically, gut busting fantastic!! After that, then leave the theater so you can go pee! There, I saved you five minutes of doing the "Pee-Pee Dance" in your seat. DEADPOOL 2 is wickedly funny, outrageously funny, action packed, superhero comic book movie sequel you've been waiting for!! So shit your pants and call in sick for work, then change your pants and go see this bad boy before it comes out on Blu-Ray next week!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!
DEADPOOL 2 is playing in 2D, Real 3D, and in IMAX in theaters nationwide,
including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view
showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.
