PHIL'S FILM ADVENTURES: Adaptation

Showing posts with label Adaptation. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Phil sees AVENGERS: ENDGAME (WITH BONUS CONTENT) for the fourth time at the Cinemark Century 20 Oakridge and XD - July 11, 2019

Phil sees SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME at the Cinelux Tennant Station Stadium 11 - July 8, 2019

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

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.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Phil sees AVENGERS: ENDGAME for the third time at the AMC Saratoga 16 - June 3, 2019

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Phil sees AVENGERS: ENDGAME (again) at the Cinelux Plaza Theater - May 6, 2019

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Phil attends the Thursday Night Preview of AVENGERS: ENDGAME at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge - April 25, 2019

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

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.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Phil sees CAPTAIN MARVEL (again) at the Puneyard Cinemas Dine-In at the Pruneyard Campbell - March 29, 2019

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Phil sees CAPTAIN MARVEL at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge - March 8, 2019

CAPTAIN MARVEL

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.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Phil's Netflix Picks: DEATH NOTE (2017) - February 9, 2018

Today's Netflix Pick has its roots in Japanese manga folklore. Based on one of the most popular titles of all time, the manga "Death Note" was created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It became such a huge sensation that it was adapted into a series of live-action films starting with the 2006 release of DEATH NOTE (which I saw at the then San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival). Three more movies were made afterwards. Then on April 30, 2009, Variety reported that Warner Bros. Pictures - who distributed the original Japanese films here in the states - had acquired the rights to do a remake. I witnessed the end results when I finally saw DEATH NOTE this past week.

The film's official synopsis: Light Turner (Nat Wolff), a bright student, stumbles across a mystical notebook from a spirit named Ryuk (Willem Dafoe and Jason Liles) that has the power to kill any person whose name he writes in it. Light decides to launch a secret crusade to rid the streets of criminals. Soon, the student-turned-vigilante finds himself and his girlfriend Mia Sutton (Margaret Qualley) pursued by a famous detective known only by the alias L (Lakeith Stanfield).

The film was written by Charley Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides, and Jeremy Slater. They had the unimaginable task of taking the original Japanese source material and adapting it for American audiences, which is not an easy task. The manga is so dense that it is impossible to make it into a 101 minute movie. Plus with its Japanese mythology, folklore, and beliefs, it's translation would be lost on Americans who aren't familiar with the manga. Because of this, many American remakes lack that certain aspect that makes the J-Horror films amazing - remakes like THE RING, PULSE, and THE GRUDGE come to mind. They do their best as to cram the bullet points that make the series so popular and, for all intents and purposes, they do a pretty good job. We have a decent three story arc, interesting characters, and a great climax that ties up most of the loose ends. But it is an Americanized film, so it's missing that Japanese flare.

Director Adam Wingard is no stranger to the horror genre. At age 19, he made his feature length debut with his film HOME SICK. He then went on to direct some great films like A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE, YOU'RE NEXT and last year's BLAIR WITCH as well as directed segments for THE ABCs OF DEATH and both V/H/S films. Wingard knows the genre and has a visual look that complements it. His compositions are always filled, the camera lingers and pans feverishly, and fits the mood of the film very nicely. He is a very accomplished filmmaker and really enjoyed the look of the movie. He'll be directing the much hyped GODZILLA VS. KONG movie in 2020.

As far as the cast goes, you gotta give it up to Willem Dafoe for his performance. The man looks and sounds like a nightmare come true. The actor's face was motion captured and then digitally placed on actor Jason Liles' body. Together, they make a truly terrifying Ryuk! Nat Wolff does a decent job of portraying moody teenager Light Turner, but I thought Margaret Qualley was awesome as
Mia Sutton. She is so twisted and conniving that half the time I didn't know whether to like her or hoping someone would slap the hell outta her, which is all part of her charm. The weak link was Lakeith Stanfield as the mysterious detective L. I just found his character annoying and lacked any real threat to Light. But then again, I'm not an actor so what the hell do I know, right?

When Netflix made the film available for streaming on August 25, 2017, it received mixed and negative reviews. Granted, some were legit while others were just mean. Now it's not a perfect film, I feel like it was a decent remake. While it's not on par with the other American remakes, it's not that bad either. Even Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata liked the movie, so there's that.

DEATH NOTE is an interesting, thought provoking, teenage angst killer of a movie! It provokes that idea of what would I do if I had the power to take someone's life, and how would I handle that power and responsibility? It digs deep into what's it like to control death, only to discover that you can't control it at all. I think horror fans and fans of the manga should check it out! As I stated, it's not a perfect film, but it definitely has potential to be something more! 3 1/2 out of 5 stars! Definitely worth watching!

DEATH NOTE is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. To start your subscription, visit their website at www.netflix.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the horror!

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Phil sees SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING at the AMC Eastridge 15 Theaters - Sept. 21, 2017

With the dismal returns from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, Sony Pictures proved that they no longer had the ability to make any good Spider-Man movies. Then the unthinkable happened: Sony struck a deal with Marvel Studios and allowed our favorite wall crawler to become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The result of this extraordinary deal lead to Spider-Man appearing in last year's summer blockbuster CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. For this third incarnation, Marvel Studios recruited English born actor Tom Holland to don the red and blue spandex suit and both critics and fans were enthusiastic with this decision. They also returned Peter Parker to his comic book roots: that of a 15 year old high school student who has to deal with ordinary everyday teenage issues. Now Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios and Tom Holland return to theaters with SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, which I finally got around to seeing this week!

The film's official synopsis: A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, begins to navigate his new found identity as the web-slinging super hero in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

Fans have finally got the Spider-Man movie that we've all been waiting for! Tom Holland was absolutely perfect as our Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He was able to capture the character's personality perfectly. He looks and acts like a teenager; dealing with all the issues that a teenager faces, such as school, being picked on and put down, having a secret crush on the school's most popular girl and hanging out with his best friend. But add on his responsibilities as our Wall Crawler and his desire to become an Avenger and trying to thwart the super-villain Vulture. The casting of Holland has totally revived the franchise!

Speaking of the Vulture, who else can bring this beloved character to the big screen other than the great Michael Keaton? He was phenomenal as our antagonist and brings a lot of layers to his character; a criminal worthy of Spider-Man's attention but adds a touch of madness and evil that elevates him to one of the greatest villains in the Spidey Universe. Also by adding Downey as Peter's mentor and hero Tony Stark/Iron Man, Tony's lovable Happy Hogan (played once again by actor/director Jon Favreau) and Marisa Tomei as our new Aunt May, everything came together beautifully!

Credit also goes to Jon Watts, who did an incredible job of directing the film. Watts captured the look and spirit of the comic book while providing moviegoers a visually satisfying film complete with amazing set-ups and compositions, sweeping camera pans and nice close-ups to give us the ability to get in touch with the films' characters. This was Watts third feature film and the man knocked it out of the park! He has signed on to direct the sequel and I hope he'll be able to capture lightening twice!

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is the best Spider-Man film of all time!! I can't even get over on how much fun the movie was!! Sony, along with Marvel, have brought the character back to his comic book roots and fans are enthusiastic about this!! This is what we have been wanting and now we finally have it!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is now currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the AMC Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.amctheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Phil sees IT at the Cinelux Almaden Café & Lounge Theater - September 14, 2017

In 1990, I saw the TV movie series STEPHEN KING'S IT and it scared the hell out of me! Starring Harry Anderson, Annette O'Toole, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Richard Thomas and the iconic Tim Curry as the infamous Pennywise, the two-part mini series became a huge hit! Fast forward to this past weekend and I'm sitting inside the Cienlux Almaden Theater getting ready to watch the new terrifying version of King's book. And IT was scary as hell!!

The film's official synopsis: In the Town of Derry, the local kids are disappearing one by one, leaving behind bloody remains. In a place known as 'The Barrens', a group of seven kids are united by their horrifying and strange encounters with an evil clown and their determination to kill It.

This was, without a doubt, a truly horrifying film! What makes the film work is the incredible cast that it contains. Stepping in Pennywise's shoes is Swedish born actor Bill Skarsgård (ATOMIC BLONDE, SIMPLE SIMON and TV shows Hemlock Grove and the upcoming Castle Rock). Skarsgård's performance is, without question, amazingly disturbing! His voice, his facial expressions, his mannerism, it's all there wrapped up in a delightful red balloon. I would like to go on record that his Pennywise rivals that of Curry's in the original. Yes friends, he's that damn good!!

Now you can't forget the outstanding child actors that appear in the film. Lead Jaeden Lieberher (ALOHA, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, THE BOOK OF HENRY and the Showtime series Masters of Sex) portrays Bill Denbrough, the leader of group of kids known as "The Losers Club" that help look for Bill's baby brother Georgie (played by Jackson Robert Scott). His group of friends include fowl-mouthed Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard of Netflix's Stranger Things fame), the shy kid Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor from 42 and ANT-MAN), outsider Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs from the TV series Hawaii Five-O), hypochondriac kid Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer from TALES OF HALLOWEEN, SCALES: MERMAIDS ARE REAL), Jewish Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff from the GUARDIAN OF THE GALAXY franchise) and tough girl and bad ass Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), who could be Bill's first love. Together, these young actors have amazing on-screen chemistry with one another and all bring a lot to their respective characters: they're scared, they fight with one another, they have hang ups and they have to help each other to rise up against the evil Pennywise. Bravo to these extraordinary actors!!

Originally, the studio projected that the film would make $50million in its opening weekend, but they were so very wrong! The film ended up grossing a staggering $123.4 million, setting the records for largest opening weekend for both a September release and a horror film. As I am writing this, the film set another record, bringing in an additional $60 million in its second weekend! The film's 10-day domestic total has reached $218.7 million (which is unheard of for both a horror film and a R-rated film) and it looks like the film will continue to scare moviegoers long after it leaves the theaters!

IT is thus far both my favorite horror film and my favorite film of 2017!! If you haven't seen this movie yet, then you need to go to your local theater now and see this horror masterpiece!! The film is making cinematic history as I speak so why wouldn't you participate in it? 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

IT is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Phil sees GHOST IN THE SHELL from Paramount Pictures - August 17, 2017

In 1995, the anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL was released to theaters and home video to world wide acclaim. It was the most visually stunning and complex anime to be released at that time. It has gone on to become one of the greatest anime films of all time, often times being compared to AKIRA in some conversations. Based on the internationally acclaimed Japanese Manga, "The Ghost in the Shell," the anime eventually caught the attention of Hollywood. Last year it was announced that Paramount Pictures were planning a big budget live adaptation of the classic property. The end result is GHOST IN THE SHELL, which was released to theaters this past spring and yours truly finally got around to seeing it.

The film's official synopsis: In the near future, Major Motoko Kusanagi (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible terrorist attack, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals. When terrorism reaches a new level that includes the ability to hack into people's minds and control them, Major Kusanagi is uniquely qualified to stop it. As she prepares to face a new enemy, Major Kusanagi discovers that she has been lied to: her life was not saved, it was stolen. She will stop at nothing to recover her past, find out who did this to her and stop them before they do it to others.

So......yeah, this film. While I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography and the special effects were gorgeous, I felt that it was just another lifeless, bloated Hollywood shit show.

Now I love Scarlett Johansson and I think she's a talented actress, but I felt like she was miscast in the role. Her performance felt flat for me and she didn't show a lot of range as Motoko. Granted, she was the subject of enormous controversy due to her being cast as the lead instead of casting an Japanese actress, which there is some merit in it. The source material is all Japanese based; the manga, the anime, which is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential anime film of all time. The only Japanese actor in the film is the legendary actor Takeshi Kitano and he doesn't speak of word of English in the film! That's how badass he is!

Director Rubert Sanders' previous film was the 2012 SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, which I didn't like very much. Now he is a really good director; his set-ups and compositions are nice looking, his storytelling is fluid and smooth, but as to why he picks these type of film projects is beyond me. So far his resume includes three short films and two Hollywood duds. Seriously Rubert, find something more worth while to do with your time.

GHOST IN THE SHELL is another dull, boring, lifeless, soulless, typical Hollywood schlockbuster that's easy on the eyes but is unquestionably forgettable! Not even Johansson and her skin colored outfit can save this film from being another shitty attempt of another Hollywood remake of a beloved Japanese film! 2 out of 5 stars! It's a rental at best!

GHOST IN THE SHELL is currently playing in theaters nationwide. Check your local listings to see if it's playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Phil sees GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 in 3D from Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures - June 28, 2017

Marvel Studios took a gamble on GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY back in 2014. Sure, the trailer looked awesome, but it was based on a relatively obscure and not-too-well-known comic book. Comic geeks like me knew of its existence, but I was concerned that it was going to be a boxoffice bomb, even though Troma alumni James Gunn wrote and directed the film. Now I've been a fan of Gunn's since TROMEO & JULIET and he's gone on to become a big Hollywood big shot. But when the film became a huge gigantic hit, it took Gunn to a whole new level of stardom. Naturally, it was announced that he would be returning to do the sequel, I think fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. Three years later, I'm sitting in my local theater to watch GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 and I left feeling like I saw the best Marvel film ever!

The film's official synopsis: Set to the backdrop of 'Awesome Mixtape #2,' Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their new found family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.

Gunn takes these band of misfits and cranks the adventures up to 11! All the while expanding of the characters themselves as well. Chris Pratt's Peter Quill aka Starlord, who lost his mother to cancer as a child, finally meets his father Ego, portrayed by Hollywood legend Kurt Russell. We see the bonding between a father and his son, which is quite touching. Speaking of families, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) try to work out their differences if they are to destroy their father Thanos. Drax (Dave Bautista) befriends Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) gets to know Peter's old friend and surrogate father figure Yondu (Michael Rooker). What Gunn has done with this film is focus on the theme of family, whether it's blood or friends that are your family. It's really refreshing to see this in a Marvel movie, where it's mostly just popcorn action and adventure fluff.

So now let's talk about the one character that has captured America's heart. The one Marvel character that has now become the most popular character in the MCU. Yes my friend's I'm talking about Baby Groot. OMG he's soooooooooooo freaking cute!! I want a Groot for myself!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeekkk!!!! OK, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let's continue, shall we?

The special effects were awesome, the 3D conversion was excellent and heightened the movie going experience and had solid character development, great story, plenty of laughs and introduced some interesting new character while setting up future MCU storylines. And yes, there are five post credit scenes so stay and watch them all, especially the scene with Hollywood heavyweight Sylvester Stallone, which got me very excited to see what's to come.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 has the distinction of being better than the first film and really entertains the hell out of you!! Seriously, if go see this movie and you're not happy afterwards, then I would suggest seeing a shrink. This was a blast to watch from beginning to end! And if it's playing in 3D, then see that on the big screen! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 is playing in both 2D and 3D in theaters nationwide. Check your local listings to see if it's playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Phil sees THE BYE BYE MAN from STX Entertainment - April 22, 2017

I love horror movies! Ever since I saw Universal's 1931 classic DRACULA, my thirst for horror films has been unquenchable. I've seen an ungodly amount horror films in my lifetime. Some have been brilliant, others have left me scared for life. Some are guilty pleasures, others are WTFs that can never escape me. Today's film falls into the latter portion of my list. Yes horror hounds, I saw THE BYE BYE MAN on purpose and it was really, really, bad.

The film's official synopsis: When three college students move into an old house off campus, they unwittingly unleash a supernatural entity known as The Bye Bye Man, who comes to prey upon them once they discover his name. The friends must try to save each other, all the while keeping The Bye Bye Man's existence a secret to save others from the same deadly fate.

OK, where do I start with this one? First the positives: I liked the poster. Looks really cool, doesn't it? Second, it's 96 minutes long so that was nice. Third, it....uhhhh.......has a cool looking poster. Yeah! Oh man, this is going to be harder than I thought.

The film is an adaption of the chapter "The Bridge to Body Island" in Robert Damon Schneck's book The President's Vampire. The screenplay was written by Jonathan Penner, who is married to the film's director Stacy Title. Her resume includes films like THE LAST SUPPER, LET THE DEVIL WEAR BLACK and the hip hop horror anthology HOOD OF HORROR. While I'm for having more female filmmakers in the horror genre, and in Hollywood in general, I would like to see a female filmmaker make a decent horror film. I wasn't impressed with Title's set-ups and compositions. Also, Penenr's script didn't deliver the scares, nor did it have character development, good beats or a satisfying conclusion in the third act. It all felt flat and rushed, which surprised me because the film's opening really caught my attention. I was looking forward to see what was going to happen but I was disappointed with the final results.

The film's trio of characters are named Sasha, Elliot and John and they are portrayed by Cressida Bonas, Douglas Smith and Lucien Laviscount respectively. As much as I wanted to like their characters, I could have cared a less about them or their final fates at the end. I wasn't emotionally involved with them, which is a red flag in any movie that I watch. Whether it's a drama, a comedy, or a horror movie, if the audience isn't emotionally invested in the film's characters, then you're just wasting their time and intelligence.

The sad thing is that the film had the potential of being a great horror film, maybe becoming a new franchise that would show up the major studios. The trailer looked very interesting to me and I had high hopes for it. I really wanted to like this movie, but in the end it left me feeling like I was cheated. And yet, despite the negative reviews, the film has grossed $24.6 million against its $7.4 million budget. So apparently, the movie has an audience, so right now, I would like to congratulate everyone that worked on the film and all your success. But with all that said, I am sorry that I did not like the movie.

THE BYE BYE MAN is a lackluster horror film that will bring nothing new to the horror genre! With such a promising and impressive opening, the film falls into the standard trappings of its own shortcomings. However, I am interested in seeing where Stacy Title's career goes and I hope she makes the ultimate horror film, or in another genre for that matter. 2 out of 5 stars! It's a rental at best!

THE BYE BYE MAN is currently playing in select theaters in cities nationwide. Check your local listings to see if it's playing at a theater near you. The film is also available on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital HD in rated and unrated versions. It's also available on Netflix, iTunes, video on demand and other streaming services.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Phil sees LOGAN from 20th Century Fox - April 2, 2017

Like with my last blog post, today's film is also the last time that this actor will portray this hugely popular comic character on the big screen ever. For the past 17 years, actor Hugh Jackman made X-Men history by being cast as one of the greatest Marvel mutant characters of all time: Wolverine! Now, we say goodbye to him in this, his finest acting performance ever! Make no mistake, LOGAN is one of the best films to come out of 20th Century Fox's X-MEN universe and reminds all of us of how talented Mr. Jackman really is.

The film's official synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X somewhere on the Mexican border. However, Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

Right off the bat, let me just say this: THIS IS THE WOLVERINE I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR TO SEE SINCE 2000!! Jackman's performance of Old Man Logan is spot on!! His Logan is haggard, weary, laced with regret, remorse and alcohol. He's once again retreated from the world and wants to stay hidden from it. He's still ultra violent when he's backed up against that wall and he cusses like a truck driver. But, he still cares and it comes though, especially towards the end of the film. Needless to say, if he does get an Oscar for his portrayal of Logan, there will be Hell to pay!! An outstanding acting job from Hugh Jackman!!

Another incredible acting job hails from a true legend. Patrick Stewart surprised me with his role as Darcy in THE GREEN ROOM. Here, he commands the screen once again, but for a different reason. This is a Professor X we have never seen before. Old, sick and suffering from fits of dementia, Professor C has seen better days. Losing his school, mutants nearing extinction and no longer able to control his powers, Stewart's performance is sheer brilliance!

Director James Mangold gives the film a real gritty, dirty visual; complementing the dire and bleak script written by Mangol, Scott Frank and Michael Green. Together, these three individuals have crafted a work of art; visually stunning and heartbreakingly poetic. Sometimes we get one or two elements that work. Either the movie looks great but has no heart. Or the characters are well defined but the story lacks that essential emotional punch that takes it to the next level. Lastly, it has both fantastic story and characters but the directing is absolutely horrible. This movie contains the trifecta that I've been wanting to see in the X-MEN cinematic universe!

To make this short and sweet, LOGAN is one of the best superhero films of 2017!! You owe it to yourself to see this movie on the big screen!! Get out to your local movie theater and watch this outstanding movie!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

LOGAN is currently playing in both regular and in IMAX theaters nationwide. Check your local listings to see where it's playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Phil sees MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN from 20th Century Fox - November 1, 2016

Filmmaker Tim Burton has had one of the most interesting careers in Hollywood. His unique vision has brought some of the most beloved, iconic and original films to the silver screen. PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BEATLEJUICE, SLEEPY HOLLOW, BIG FISH and SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER FROM FLEET STREET have all garnered worldwide acclaim, cult like fandom and huge boxoffice returns. He's delved into the world of comic books with both the highly successful BATMAN and the equally successful sequel BATMAN RETURNS. His stop-motion films CORPSE BRIDE, FRANKENWEENIE and A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS have become unique children classics. But, he's also made some notable bombs such as PLANET OF THE APES, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, MARS ATTACKS!, DARK SHADOWS and ED WOOD (which is a personal favorite of mine). All this brings me to his latest project MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, based on author Ransom Riggs's 2011 novel of the same name.

The film's official synopsis: When Jacob (Asa Butterfield) discovers clues to a mystery that stretches across time, he finds Miss Peregrine' Home for Peculiar Children. But the danger deepens after he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.

I found the movie interesting to watch, but it didn't really contain hardly any of Burton's trademark weirdness. The only real thing that I found somewhat Burton-esque was the evil monsters that plague Jacob and the other Peculiars. His directing style has become more polished and more mainstream looking. There's not a lot of sweeping shots of cities or gothic looking locations, nor crazy camera pans and such. It's a lot of basic set-ups and shots. Nothing that looks out of the ordinary, which to me isn't Tim Burton. He's an artists in the most purest way; he writes, he draws, he paints, he directs, he's really a talented individual. But somewhere along during his journey throughout Hollywoodland, he seems as if he lost his way. This, of course, is only my opinion but he was a better filmmaker when he was more eccentric and goth. Not that the movie was bad, but it just didn't look and feel like a Tim Burton movie.

Asa Butterfield was good in the role of Jacob, bringing some layering and personality to his performance. However let's be honest, Eva Green just steals the whole movie. She just radiates when she's on the screen: her speech, her mannerisms, her intelligence, her body language, she is just a joy to watch. She is so damn talented that she could read me the Yellow Pages and I would be hooked! Plus she's a very attractive and sexy woman that you cannot take your eyes off of her when she walks into a scene! Lastly, Samuel L. Jackson as our main antagonist Baron. Seriously, he's having a lot of fun in this movie. He's the MAN folks! 'Nuff said!!

As I mentioned earlier, the movie is based on the young adult novel by Ransom Riggs. The book was published by Quirk Books on June 7, 2011. It went on to become a New York Times bestseller and reached the Number 1 spot in April of 2012. The sequel "Hollow City" was published in 2014, while the third chapter of the series "Library of Souls" was released in September of 2015. As to whether Burton will direct the other two adaptations is still unknown.

So to wrap this review up, MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN is an entertaining movie, but it's not Tim Burton's best work. I sincerely hope that one day he returns to his cinematic roots and craft a film that truly represents his voice, his vision and his eclectic personality. If your children really want to see the movie, then by all means take them. Nothing wrong with a family night out to the movies. 3 out of 5 stars! It's mediocre at best!

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN is currently playing at theaters nationwide. Check your local listings to see if it is playing in at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Phil's Halloween Horror Watch: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES (2016) from Screen Gems/Sony Pictures - October 10, 2016

PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES Blu-Ray

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES
Starring: Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Ellie Bamber, Millie Brady, Suki Waterhouse, Sally Phillips, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith
Based on the novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Written by Burr Steers
Cinematography by Remi Adefarasin
Edited by Padraic McKinley
Produced by
Directed by Burr Steers
Released by Screen Gems/Sony

Hello again folks and welcome back to horror movie marathon! Now I'm sure you're all familiar with the name Jane Austen, since many of you (including me) had to read her novels back when we were in school. "Sense and Sensibility", "Mansfield Park" and "Emma" are literary treasures, but her most famous novel is "Pride and Prejudice." Hailed as an instant classic, the book has been adapted in many other mediums ranging from the theatre to television and the silver screen. In 2009, writer Seth Grahame-Smith combined Austen's 1813 novel with modern day zombies to create his parody novel entitled "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", which he cited Austen as co-author. It became a huge success, prompting Hollywood to come calling. Then finally in January of 2016, the film PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES was finally released to theaters.

The film's official synopsis: A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this re-imagining of Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield in order to conquer the undead once and for all.

Original Theatrical Poster (2016)

OK, so I have a confession to make and here it is: I loved this movie!! This was not what I had expected it to be. It was freaking awesome!! It had it all!! Beautiful British women dressed in Victorian clothes who did Kung Fu moves and killed zombies! Blood and gore galore!! Humor and horror blended perfectly together!! A cool story and interesting, funny and bad ass characters!! And of course, it had zombies!! Yup, I absolutely loved watching this movie!!

Lily James is incredible as our heroine Elizabeth, who is both breathtakingly beautiful and a bad ass warrior! Strong, independent and opinionated and knows how to open a can of whoop ass on zombies, Jamesalso brings a little bit of vulnerability to her character, especially when she meets Sam Riley's Colonel Fitzwilliam Darcy. Like Austen's original novel, it isn't quite love at first sight but soon their love grows while trying to survive the plague of zombies. Another fun character was Parson Collins played by the great Matt Smith. Smith made a name for himself portraying the Twelth Doctor on the long running BBC sci-fi television series Doctor Who. Here, he's playing against type, making Parsons wimpy, cowardly and hopefully romantic. And he's very funny too.

While the book received mass amounts of rave reviews, the film itself performed rather poorly at the boxoffice. The budget was a staggering $28 million but only reaped in a measly $10.9 million in tickets sales. While there was a huge fan base for the novel, it translate into theater goers which is quite a shame. The film stayed pretty faithful to the original source material and it was entertaining as hell, but it didn't bring in the audience that it was trying to attract.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is an action packed, zombie crawling, blood drenched, fun-filled ride for the whole family!! Pay no attention to those naysayers out there in the cold, dark world!! Check out this movie for yourself and form your own opinion, but don't be surprised when it's over, you'll want to watch it over again! 4 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is available on both Blu-Ray and DVD. The movie is also available on iTunes, Video On Demand, digital download and Netflix.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the screaming!

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Phil sees THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT from Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment - July 27, 2016

Ok, ok......I can do this.....I can do this review....I can do this....here goes.....Welcome folks to another installment of Phil's Film Adventures! Today's film is the continuation of a brave heroine who must save her people and the one she loves from an evil entity that........ummmmmmm.......oh boy this hurts. Seriously I'm in excruciating pain as I am writing this. Want to know the reason why? Well it's because I saw the film ALLEGIANT, the latest chapter in the DIVERGENT series and it sucked so bad that I can't believe I watched the whole movie in its entirety! What the hell is wrong with me?!? Why would info this to myself?!? Oh the pain! The pain!!

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: After the earth-shattering revelations of INSURGENT, Tris (Shailene Woodley) must escape with Four (Theo James) and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time ever, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites beyond the walls of Chicago which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

Holy hell this was bad movie! Everything that you would not want to seein a movie is here: bad acting, shitty story, crappy characters, lame motivations, pure boredom at its lowest!! I think I actually became dumber after watching this! And this was originally aimed at those tween kids who liked THE HUNGER GAMES, THE MAZE RUNNER and the TWILIGHT series. I hate to say this Summit Entertainment but those movies were made for an audience that are now ADULTS!!! Those kids are now in college, have jobs, dating and such. The audience for the DIVERGENT series is no longer there! You guys totally missed the boat and came in way too late. The first film came out a year before THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 for crying out loud! Talk about being late to the party!!

To add further insult to injury, the company has now decided to release the final DIVERGENT film entitled ASCENDANT as a TV movie due to this film's very poor boxoffice take. Oh, you didn't hear about that bit of news? Well, it came to light during the San Diego ComicCon with lead actress Shailene Woodley being asked her thoughts about the film's theatrical cancellation during her panel for her upcoming film SNOWDEN. The film grossed $179.2 million at the boxoffice against its budget of $110 million. However, one needs to take into account the marketing budget they studio spent to promote the film. With that taken into consideration, the film lost money which again prompted this move that was taken by Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate.

ALLEGIANT is both a commercial and critical bomb!! This film has literally killed the franchise and will now be always referred to as the BATMAN & ROBIN of the series!! It's time to leave the tween book film adaptations behind and start making original films again. 1 out of 5 stars!! Not even worth your time!!

ALLEGIANT is still currently playing in select theaters nationwide. The film is also available on Blu-Ray and DVD as well as On Demand, digital download and at Redboxes.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees THE LEGEND OF TARZAN in 3D from Warner Bros. Pictures - July 12, 2016

When author Edgar Rice Burroughs published "Tarzan the Ape Man" in 1912, I don't think even he would know just how much of an impact his creation would have on both pop culture and society. Burroughs wrote the first 24 novels, chronicling all the action and adventure of the legendary Ape Man. In 1918, the first film adaptation of Tarzan was released but it wasn't until MGM's TARZAN THE APE MAN starring the five-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller that he really became popular. Over the past 105 years, Tarzan has appeared in several different mediums: films, cartoons, television shows, comic books, video games, stage productions, radio and, of course, novels. Now Warner Bros. Pictures have released their take on this legendary character in their newest film THE LEGEND OF TARZAN directed by David Yates and starring Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Djimon Hounsou, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent.

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: It has been years since the man once known as Tarzan (Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Robbie) at his side.Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.

Let me start off by say that I am a little torn here. First, it was action packed, had a great script, fantastic acting, cool special effects, intense drama and contained the spirit of Burroughs' creation. Alexander is the perfect Tarzan, one of the best interperpitation of the character in years. Hollywood's current "It" Margot Robbie (THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, FOCUS, WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT and the upcoming DC Comics film SUICIDE SQUAD) shines as she brings her version of Jane: strong, tough, ballsy and not afraid to speak her mind. Mr. Samuel L. Jackson is still a bad ass and Christoph Waltz is perfectly cast as the evil antagonist Leon Rom, who will stop at nothing from accomplishing his assignment as well as kill Tarzan.

With everything I said that I loved about the film, there was a little bit of confusion that I confronted. There were a lot of characters and rivals that made it a little difficult to follow and keep track of. It takes place in Africa but it looked a little to dark and gloomy in some parts. The CGI animals for the most part were excellent but there were some scenes that looked really fake.

However, all nit picking aside, director Yates does a fine job of keeping the film moving at a well pace filled with action and character development. His previous output includes the last three HARRY POTTER films: THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PARTS 1 & 2. So he has proven that he can deliver the goods for those summer blockbusters that the studios depend on. Credit to writers Adam Cozard and Craig Bower for forgoing the normal Tarzan origin story that we've been told several times and crafting a script that shows the characters where they are now and what is going on in their lives currently.

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN is a great action-filled summertime movie!! I really enjoyed it as I was transported back to my childhood, reminiscing of the old Saturday Morning Cartoon I used to watch and the old toys I used to play with. If you're a lifelong Tarzan fan, then your going to enjoy this film immensely! 4 out of 5 stars!! Recommended viewing!!

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN is playing in both 2D and 3D in theaters nationwide, including the Century Greenback 16 in Sacramento. Check your local listing to see if it is playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Phil sees CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR in 3D from Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures - May 13, 2016

Marvel Studios has finally unleashed their newest film which will kick off their Phase Three of their Marvel Cinematic Universe. But let's travel back in time real quick. In 2014, filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo aka The Russo Brothers directed one of the best Marvel film's up to that point with CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLIDER. It would go on to be come one of the biggest films ever and the most critically acclaimed film in the MCU. When I first saw it, I thought there was no way the next film could be as good or better than this. I am very happy to say that the Russo Brothers have proven me wrong. To make a long story short CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR will go down as the best Marvel Studios film ever made.

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: With many people fearing the actions of super heroes, the government decides to push for the Anti-Hero Registration Act, a law that limits a heroes actions. This results in a division in The Avengers. Iron Man stands with this Act, claiming that their actions must be kept in check otherwise cities will continue to be destroyed, but Captain America feels that saving the world is daring enough and that they cannot rely on the government to protect the world. This escalates into an all-out war between Team Iron Man (Iron Man, Black Panther, Vision, Black Widow, War Machine, and Spiderman) and Team Captain America (Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Falcon, Sharon Carter, Scarlett Witch, Hawkeye, and Ant Man) while a new villain emerges.

What can I say that already hasn't been by the press, by the media and by the fans? This is a fantastic film filled with action, intrigue, betrayal and Spider-Man!! Yes!! About damn time that our friendly neighborhood web swinger swung his way into the MCU!! See Sony, THIS IS HOW YOU DO SPIDER-MAN!! 'Nuff said!! Let's move on, shall we?

Once again the Russo Brothers show off their insane talents as writers and directors as they fulfill every one of Marvel Studios' insane requirements like: Have both Captain America and Iron Man share enough screen time even though it's Cap's movie, work in the Winter Soilder backstory, introduce both the Black Panther and Spider-Man, have the story tie-in to the AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON movie and also sets up the AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR films, make the big Avengers fight scene be totally off the charts, make Ant-Man become Giant-Man, set up the SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING movie, and last but not least, make an entertaining, thought provoking, complex but easy to follow action adventure film that will shatter boxoffice records and secure your job statuses on working for Marvel Studios for the next couple more years. So, no pressure at all really.

Chris Evens once again proves that he is Captain America and that not even Robert Downey, Jr.'s Iron Man can take away his screen time because it's his movie damn it! And like in the trailer, Cap is sticking with his childhood buddy Bucky Barnes and basically telling Tony Stark and the United States to f*ck off cause he and his companions aren't going to be working for them and he's gonna be saving the world on his terms. Yup, stick it to the man Cap!!

But Stark still has a couple of aces up his sleeve. First there's the Black Panther, who blames Bucky for the death of his father. Then he recruits the teenaged Peter Parker because of all the crazy stunts he saw Peter do on YouTube. Yes, the Internet can be a helpful tool when trying to find recruits for Team Iron Man. Plus, it'll help you to get Tony Stark to provide you an awesomely cool superhero costume.

As you can see I'm trying to make this a "spoiler free" review I still believe in going to the movies, getting caught up in the storyline, become emotionally involved with the film's characters and simply enjoy the cinematic experience with those people around. Now, it's all about leaked plots and characters, location findings and costumes. Where's the element of surprise? Don't you want to walk into a movie screening and not know what is in store for you? To be honest I miss those days and unfortunately, because of the world we live in, it's harder and harder not to know everything about the movie before you go see it. So that's why I'm not revealing hardly anything here. Just a common courtesy that I think most critics, bloggers and reviewers are forgetting to do these days.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is one of the best summer blockbusters of 2016!! The film definitely lives up to the hype and once again proves that the Russo Brothers can do anything!! So go see this movie today and see what a superhero movie can be!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is currently playing in theaters nationwide. The movie is also being shown at select IMAX theaters as well. Check your local listings to see if it's playing at a theater near you.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!