The Avengers: Movie Review

I've been holding off on this review for months now, because I was going to wait for the Blu-Ray release and just do it all as one big review, but I've finally decide against that. Screw it! This is my Avengers review.

Basically what you need to know is that this movie is AWESOME! There's so much awesome in this movie that I'm surprised one movie could contain it all. Anyway...on to the actual review. The Avengers is based on the comic book of the same name, that features multiple characters from all over the Marvel Universe. The movie uses Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Thor for obvious reasons. This movie is tied to all the previous Marvel Studios movies before it. Their goal is to create a giant Marvel Cinematic Universe, and each of their movies has been an addition to that. The good thing is you don't have to watch any of the previous films; which include: Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. If you haven't seen any of those films you should though because they are all good in their own way. Iron Man 2 is my least favorite of the bunch.

I digress; The plot of the Avengers is Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is angry about the way thing turned out at the end of Thor, and has decided to obtain the Cosmic Cube (which is called the Teseract in the movie, but I'm going to continue to call it the Cosmic Cube). With the Cosmic Cube he will be able to obtain an army of space aliens that will help him invade, and attempt to conquer the Earth. Who better to stop him then Earth's Mightiest Heroes?

The only problem? Earth's Mightiest Heroes don't get along, and don't really want to. They don't know a whole lot about each other, and have to find a way to come together to stop Loki and his treacherousness. This is where Nick Fury, and S.H.I.E.L.D. come in.

The movie is paced very well, and each actor reprises their role from all the previous movies stated above. Joss Whedon who wrote and directed the movie did a great job of giving each character enough screen time,  as well as enough time for us to feel an emotional bond to each one of the characters and what they going through as individuals. The only exception being Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) we don't get to see a whole lot of him doing his thing until the very end of the film, but it's actually well worth the wait. I guess my only complaint being I wish I got to see more out of him. Black Widow (Scarlet Johannson) does a great job of playing a super bad ass spy turned Avenger, and actually had more screen time then I thought she would. We also get to see a side of her relationship with Clint Barton (Hawkeye) that I didn't expect Whedon to include in the final version of the film.

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) returns with his fan favorite portrayal of the Armored Avenger, and he doesn't disappoint. The fight scene in the woods featuring the "Big Three" is enough to make any fanboy squeel with excitement, and the constant back and forth between Captain America (Chris Evans) throughout a large part of the movie is satisfying. It evokes memories of the Civil War mini series Marvel did a few years ago, but that's not to say the franchise will head in that direction. Which brings me to Captain America who I adore. Chris Evans' portrayal of Cap in this movie is a lot different than in Captain America: The First Avenger. You see him as more of the leader, veteran, combat expert, and overall great character I know and love. Plus he's a man still trying to learn how to cope in a world that he knows nothing about, and basically the only family he has is the Avengers.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) does another great job playing "The Son of Odin". Thor also has a lot of over the top action scenes in the movie which makes sense because he's a god. Point being, he's in a lot of visually stunning scenes that are very entertaining. Now it's time for the Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The Hulk has a couple scenes in this movie that made me want to jump out of my seat and scream in excitement! I'm not a huge Hulk fan but there's something about him in this movie that just brings him back to his glory days, and just makes you want to be the Hulk again. Joss Whedon should be commended for what he was able to bring to the table with this character. Especially since the supporting cast of super heroes is so strong.

The Big Three

I also want to take a second to talk about Tom Hiddleston playing Loki because it is close to the best performance in this movie. I still haven't decide which performance I enjoyed most yet so it's still up in the air, but he does such a good job at playing just that crazy, evil, comic book bad guy that we all love to hate. If watching Loki in this movie doesn't make you love him for being so mischievous then something is wrong with you!

The thing about The Avengers, is that it has done what no comic book movie ever has before; it makes you feel like you're watching a comic book come to life. Now, there has been great comic book movies, and good comic book movies, and down right bad ones, but none of them have ever had the feel of this movie. Seeing all the Avengers assembled for the first time made the nerd in me want to cry from happiness. There are so many scenes in this movie that feel so much like my Avengers comics have come to life in my hands! The Helicarier scenes, the woods scene I mentioned before, almost every shot in the movie. The dialogue feels like it's ripped straight from the page, some of the angles Whedon uses look like a comic book panel.

The Avengers, just feels so good. When you sit down to watch it you have a smile on your face, and all throughout the movie you'll still have that same smile. I've seen it five times, and each time I had the same smile all the way through. The characters play off each other so well, the action is well choreographed, and spread out enough so that the movie never feels boring. Even when you are watching the characters sit around and talk you are entertained. Everyone has such good chemistry, and the action is over the top which fits so well with these characters and the setting. It's true there are some emotional spots as well, but even those instances still feel just like a classic comic book.

This is everything I've been waiting for in a movie based on a comic property, and I can't wait for the Blu-Ray release. This is my favorite movie of this year, maybe even of all time, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store. Avengers 2 is gonna have some big shoes to fill...

          Author: Dillon

The Dark Knight Rises: Review (Spoilers)

As I'm sure you all know by now "The Dark Knight Rises" has officially hit theaters everywhere, and has broken the record for highest grossing 2D movie. In this review there's going to be many references to the previous two films, and how they all tie together as well as how well the movie stands on its own.

Let me start by saying that "The Dark Knight Rises" is just a solid film in general, let alone Batman film. Christopher Nolan's take on the character has been so refreshing over the last three movies (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) that it's hard to believe his time with the franchise is finally over. This fact makes this movie such a bittersweet affair.

Throughout the movie there are many references to the previous films that help put this one in perspective. For example, if you remember from "The Dark Knight" Batman takes the blame for killing Harvey Dent/Two Face and becomes the police forces biggest threat. Also, James Gordon is promoted to commissioner at the end of "The Dark Knight" for capturing the Joker. This movie takes place eight years after those events at the end  of that movie, and Batman doesn't exist anymore. Nobody in Gotham has heard from him or seen in those eight years, and Harvey Dent is still praised as a hero, and for once Gotham is a relatively crime  free city.

"I'm Gotham's reckoning."

Enter Bane (Tom Hardy). We see him at the very start of the movie in a very exciting, and well done set piece involving airplanes but I won't spoil it. The point is Nolan introduces Bane early because he wants you to think about this villain, think about what he's capable of, as well as think about what this whole scene means. It's very much like the bank robbery scene from the beginning of "The Dark Knight". From here we discover what has been going on in these eight years, and meet Catwoman played by Ann Hathaway.

For me Ann Hathaway stole the show. I was very skeptical about her Selina Kyle but it was spot on, and felt a lot like the Catwoman that Brubaker and Darwyne Cooke made popular. Another important character is Miranda, and she plays a bigger role than expected, but I secretly knew who she was all along.

"The Dark Knight Rises" has some beautiful cinematography, especially in the Bane-Batman encounters; however I will admit their final showdown is a little bit of a letdown. Bane is unique in the fact that he seems crazy, but in a different way than the Joker. The Joker seemed out of control, just wanted to create chaos. "Some people just want to see the world burn", Alfred says in The Dark Knight, and that's a perfect explanation of the Joker. Bane on the other hand seems more calculated, he has a plan; understands the bigger picture, and will do anything to achieve his end goal. Combined with the fact that he is highly trained, and has brute strength it just makes him more terrifying.

Now, Batman Begins is the movie that really has roots in THIS movie mainly because the League of Shadows is heavily involved, and we didn't even hear from them once in The Dark Knight. Bane has ties to them, and so does Bruce so it makes their conflicts personal, not to mention the fact that the Leagues goals were to destroy Gotham City. It's safe to say they haven't changed.

The story has some plot holes, but they seem pretty easy to get past mainly because some of the set pieces and emotional moments in the movie are so well done. This is only enhanced by the fact that all of the cast is terrific actors that really pull their weight. The addition of Joseph Gordon Levitt's detective John Blake adds a fresh new face, and key character that has a profound effect on the way everything plays out. Tom Hardy is incredible as Bane, and my only complaint is that his voice is a little weird, but I found the more times I saw the movie the more I enjoyed the sillyness/terror that it portrayed. Then throw in Christian Bale's performance which is really getting looked over because of Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway. Bale and Hathaway have a chemistry that just works so well on screen, and it doesn't matter if they are in or out of the costumes. Every moment they have on screen together is a good one, and you'll want more the second it cuts to a new scene.

All that said, I still find myself enjoying The Dark Knight more then The Dark Knight Rises. There's something about The Dark Knight that evokes this certain feeling in me every single time I watch it. I know what's going to happen, I know the outcome but I still get excited, shocked, or sad no matter how many times I see it. I've seen The Dark Knight Rises three times, and found myself enjoying it more each time, and like I said the movie is a great experience. It definitely feels like a conclusion to a terrific trilogy, and I have to add that for me it is the most satisfying end to a movie trilogy in a very long time. The Dark Knight just has "it". It's almost everything I've wanted a Batman movie to be, and The Dark Knight Rises just doesn't overcome that.

Still go see the movie; enjoy it, and see it multiple times even. It's definitely worth it.

Green Lantern: Brightest Day, or Blackest Night? [Review]

I'm a little behind on this review I know, but better late than never. I would like to start off by saying that I'm a big Green Lantern fan and I had high hopes for this film. Sadly, the movie fell a little short for me.

The plot is as follows: The Entity of Fear gets loose, and begins to plan, and exact its revenge on the Green Lantern Corps. From there we meet Hal Jordan, and his past with his father, and the rest of his family. We then learn about his badboy esque attitude and how he doesn't do well with authority. He is then thrust into this unknown world when an alien spaceship crash lands in the same location Hal chooses to blow off some steem. The ship contains Abin Sur (who we learn about prior to this, as well as his relationship with Sinestro) who Hal feels obligated to help even though he doesn't even know him. From here Hal gets the ring, and the government takes control of Abin Sur's body. This is when we meet Hector Hammond, and the role he plays for the future of the film. Carol Ferris is also introduced along the way, and I'll get to her later. Trust me. In the end Hal is the only defense for Earth against Paralax who plans on using the Earth to send a message to the galaxy, and the Guardians.

First of all, the acting for the most part is sub-par. Ryan Reynolds did a good job as Hal Jordan, he was actually one of my favorite parts of the film outside of the special effects. I felt like he did a good job capturing the character; even though there was some unecessary humor thrown into the movie. Blake Lively plays Carol Ferris, and I didn't enjoy her in that role at all. She is very flat, and unconvincing. Carol is a very strong, empowered woman in the comic books. This is the woman that is supposed to become Star Saphire, and even though she loves, and cares for Hal she doesn't put up with his crap. I feel that if they try to incorporate Carol Ferris into future films within this franchise they will have to re-cast. Peter Sarsgaard plays Hector Hammond, and he was very creepy at times, whereas other times I felt like he was trying to hard. Plus I didn't really enjoy the addition of Hector Hammond as a secondary enemy within the film either. Mark Strong does deliver an incredible Sinestro, but we hardly ever see him which was disappointing.


                                                  Mark Strong as Sinestro

Some of the humor feels great, and I actually laughed, but other times I found myself thinking why is this happening? I wanted to see more of the Green Lantern Corps as well. We see Oa, the home planet of the Green Lantern Corps; but we only see it on a large scale a couple times. Other times we spend time with The Guardians, as they talk, and plan how they are gonna defend Oa amongst themselves and with Sinestro. Which like I said earlier we hardly ever see Sinestro, and when we do he is just talking to somebody. Fanboys know that he was once the greatest Green Lantern of them all, and they even say this in the movie but they do nothing to show it. He spars with Hal one time when Hal first arrives on Oa, and I really enjoyed this scene just wished it was longer. It was good to see Kilowog, Tomar Re, and some of the other Corpsmen come to life on the big screen, but that's about all that you get. They all only have a couple scenes, and you can tell half way through that this is going to be the Hal Jordan show. I didn't mind that so much because that is what I came in expecting. From the trailers they showed, I thought they were going to focus on Oa and the other Lanters a little more than they did.

Green Lantern WonderCon footage

The Special Effects were very eye-popping, and I thoroughly enjoyed those. Seeing the suits, and constructs was a lifelong fanboy dream I have had. I wish there would have been more fighting/action scenes involving the constructs because they were one of the highlights of this film. They could have cut out some unnecessary scenes to make room for longer action sequences, or more scenes on Oa. There are some unneeded comedy bits, as well as a scene involving Hal's brothers that doesn't feels like it belongs in the movie. There are other scenes that feel the same way; out of place, and unwanted. Which is bad, because they make this movie feel too long. The films running time is around a hour and 45 minutes, so you shouldn't be feeling like you have been sitting there for too long. The story takes a while to finally get into the juicy development cycle, and when it does the closing fight sequence seems like it is too short.

The Green Lantern comics have such a rich universe, and multiple stories, and characters that people really care for, and it doesn't feel like the same care was put into this movie. With all of the great stories that Geoff Johns has produced involving Green Lantern I expected something on par, but maybe my hopes were to high? The story starts to feel like it is being dumbed down for the casual audience to understand, and that would be a mistake by the writers if true.

                                                       Beware My Power...

I know that it might seem like I didn't enjoy the movie at all, but I did. I just feel like it should have been organized better. Once again, Ryan Reynolds, and Mark Strong were great. As well as all of the scenes on Oa, and the special effects (especially the constructs). The plot could have been better, but I'm sure a lot of people will just say its what they expected from a comic book movie; but with the quality that is being put into other comic book movies these days I expected more. I have seen the movie twice, and I didn't really find myself enjoying it more the second time around, but I didn't dislike it as much as I did the first time I saw it. To be clear, this is a movie that I will most likely purchase on Blu-ray so that I can watch it more, and pick out bits and pieces of things that I missed. Honestly, the special effects make it worth owning for me, but thats just my opinion. My verdict for you all is to wait for it to come out on Blu-ray and watch it then if you're still curious. If you're a hardcore comic fan like me, and have been excited for this movie since it was announced then you have probably already seen it. If you're still on the fence; wait until the Blu-ray comes out, who knows it may have special features or an extended cut that make it a must buy.

One more thing that I forgot is that there is a scene that appears right in the middle of the credits with Sinestro that is quite exciting, and sets up some excellent possibilities for a sequel.

Transformers Dark of the Moon Review

Michael Bay and the Transformers are back for another over the top thrill ride this summer, and with people slowly losing interest in the franchise should you even see Transformers 3?
Simply put: yes you should. The movie still has some quirky humor scenes that it could have gone without, and some people are gonna complain about the pacing but all in all I would say it was a great film.
The story is about the real reason why the space race of the 60s started, and of course it involved Trabsformers landing on the moon. We find out how the crashed ship ends up on the moon through an extremely well done opening sequence that shows beautifully rendered battles during the War For Cybertron. This story is probably the best out of the three and as the movie goes on there is some interesting plot twists that keep you entertained up until the big climax.
Now, I am a huge Transformers fanboy so needless to say I was excited for this movie and I was excited to see characters like Sentinel Prime ( Voiced by Leonard Nemoy) from the original cartoons show up in the movies finally. Lazerbeak is finally in the movie as well and Soundwave has a bigger role this time around so fans should be pleased with that. As well as the fact that Shockwave makes his movie debut, and boy let me tell you he has some scary scenes.
That's another thing this movie did well. It made the Decepticons seem scary. They aren't terrifying in the G1 cartoons but it has seemed like sense the first movie Bay has been trying to make them scary but has fallen short. With Dark of the Moon he pulls it off and it feels very satisfying. Along with the Decepticons being scary there is a lot of other emotional moments in the movie that will make any Transformers fan; whether it be of the movies, or the franchise in general; tense up.
Another high point of the movie is the hour long third act that steals the show. This is the first time that you will really feel like our world is being threatened by the Transformers Civil War, and just when you think its hit its high point another exciting/shocking moment happens and then another after that.
The Verdict: Go see this movie, I plan on seeing it a couple more times while its still in theaters. Bay really pulls out all the stops and the result is all the action, and robots in disguise that you wanted to see. Some of the humor is dull and annoying but other parts steal some cheap laughs. Either way it is nowhere as bad as Skidz and Mudflap were last time around. Also worth noting is the 3D. I haven't seen it used so well in a movie since Avatar. I was skeptical at first but the 3D really does add a little something to all the madness on screen and I recommend at least seeing it once in 3D and once 2D just to judge for yourself. I think this movie will please fans of the first two films, and longtime fans of the franchise as well. However, if you don't care for the Transformers then this film isn't going to change your mind
                                                                Reviewed: Dillon Belmudez

Thor Movie Review

Let me just start off by saying that if your a huge fan of Thor this movie does a lot of things right. However if you don't really care for Thor than the movie pry won't change your mind. I personally like Thor as a character, and like the world and characters that surround him, and that's what takes center stage in the movie. The action sequences and scenes that take place on Asgard are so well done! Kenneth Branagh did a great job capturing the tension between Thor, his half brother Loki, and father Odin. Now I know I said earlier that if you don't like Thor this won't change your mind about him as a character but that doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the movie.
For starters, the story is very good and faithfull to the comics in the sense that Thor gets banished from Asgard for his actions and must prove himself worthy if he wants to become the hammer weilding God of Thunder again. While he's down on Midgard (Earth) Nattalie Portman's character Jane Foster helps save him and set him on the right path back to worthyness. They do end up falling in love, but that part felt kind of forced to me because they didn't even know each other very well and she seemed to be more infatuated by the fact that he thinks of himself as a god.
The Destroyer armor is also present in the movie as we all know but his battle seems fairly short. You can tell that they are trying to focus on Loki being the main villain and becoming the evil trickster we all know him to be but I still would hav enjoyed a bigger fight between Thor, The Warriors 3 and The Destroyer. There is also a couple of cool chameos worth mentioning, but I don't wanna spoil the film for those of you that haven't seen it. I will say that Stan Lee has one of the best chameos in a Marvel movie to date. Also stay past the credits for a little something extra that I now know was directed by Joss Whedon.
Bottom line: Go see Thor! If you enjoy it as much as I did you will be clammering for more and pry see it twice. 

Infestation

Infestation by IDW started about a month ago and I have to say it has become a big disappointment. I don't know what they intended to do with this story. It spans multiple different universes...and that's about it. The idea seems cool to start with, and its an interesting idea introducing zombies into universes that have never interacted with them before but it falls short.
The first issue lays the groundwork, and the story is kind of confussing but it makes enough sense that you understand why the zombies end up in the alternate universes. From there it ends up becoming look at these characters fighting zombies affair.
The story kind of disappears, and I wasn't blown away by any of the art. The art in the GI Joe miniseries was probably the best out of the 4 (Transformers, Star Trek, Ghostbusters).
Having read the last issue of the entire Infestation spinoff today there was still nothing that makes me want to recomend people pick it up. I would say if your curious wait for the trade that will come out a few months down the road as it will most likely come bundled with all the spinoff stories as well.
The whole production feels rushed, and isn't even executed that well in the end. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have done much better work, might I suggest any of the annihilation series which you can find in paperback and your local store now. For more recent series by them I would recomend Heroes for Hire, they have done a great job so far and the first story arc has just recently finished in issue #4 check it out.

Brightest Day #23

Ok so can we talk Brightest Day for a second? I mean wow! This last issue was tremendous, and loaded to the brim with reveals. This is what it has all been leading up to, this is why we have been reading so faithfully for the last year. If you haven't been reading Brightest Day I suggest that you pick it up. Its truly a great story, and is supposed to lead into Flashpoint (as far as I know).
Ok so I'm gonna keep the remainder of the post spoiler free as well. I hate spoilers and I don't wanna ruin anything for anyone who reads this but hasn't picked up the issue yet. However, people commenting on what's going on and sharing their opinions might not be spoiler free so just be warry.
On to my review....
If you haven't guessed yet I loved this issue. Geoff Johns' storytelling really shines through and kudos to the various artists of the book for making destruction look bright and beautiful. There's only 1 or 2 issues remaining and I get the feeling that the reveals are far from over. Some very, and I mean VERY unexpected characters make an appearance as well and I literally hate the fact that I have to wait another 2 weeks for this book (thank god its not a month!)
The only gripe I think some people might have is that there might be too much going on. There has been 23 issues now, and this one stands out as one of the biggest ones to date. This issue also helps you understand why everything has been happening, and that White Lantern keeps promising its for a greater good.
In all, I think I'm going to make this book my pick of the week. This week was a relatively small week for me however as I can't afford to buy every book that comes out. Fear Itself by Fraction, and Immonen is a very close second because that book showed a lot of promise and is a great way to start a miniseries.
ALSO, please, PLEASE add Avengers the Childrens Crusade to your pull list. Its a great book and doesn't deserve to go unnoticed

Tron Legacy Reconfigured

This isn't so much of a review, but a recomendation. The original Tron Legacy soundtrack by Daft Punk is amazing, and if you don't have it yet you should go buy it as soon as possible.
Now, that being said Disney decided to release another version of the album with a bunch of remixed tracks by different artists. The execution is incredible. I just recently picked up my copy, and artists like The Glitch Mob, Boyz Noize, Moby, Com Truise, and the Crystal Method put their own spin on some of their favorite tracks and the mash up is pure harmony.
I highly recomend that you go pick this CD up, whether you liked Tron Legacy or not and if you haven't bought the original soundtrack yet then make sure to get that as well