Editing

Editing

Editing is very important to the realism of a film. A lot of editing will make you think about that the many takes the shot needed sometimes. Long shots can make an audience feel as if they're in the universe that the film creates. It all depends on how it's used. Editing can be used to insert a stunt man on for your leading actor or piece together a scene from different takes. It's important that the editing of a film helps to create a sense of continuity. 180 shots help show where characters are positioned. Point-of-view shots show where a character is looking. Flashbacks and flash forwards are visual ways is portraying the literal terms of the name. Films can also be edited to music, with a few scenes in Pulp Fiction starting when a song begins and ending when the song ends. Editing also includes switching scenes. Famous examples include the match cut in Lawrence of Arabia, the bone to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the wipes used in Star Wars. 

Views on Film

Film culture is all about what movies inspire in people. Films are important because they instill ideas, values, and expectations in it's viewers and potential viewers. Films often portray criticisms and praises on historical and political issues and events. Studying film can be important in studying history, because it can offer a view from people who were there, designed to be shown to people who were also there.

Films are the birth child of screenwriters, who generate ideas. The idea can either be an original idea, and adaptation of a story, novel, or actual historical event. This idea is then expanded into a script or screenplay. Characters from this screenplay can evolve past the script and screen. They can become cult phenomenons that are praised by viewers and ultimately immortalized by their short time in a film. 

Different types of film appeal to different people. This means some films may be loved by others and hated by some.  They may spark debate and controversy with their content. A film-goer against violence might not want to watch an action movie. A male film-goer will be less likely to view a romantic-comedy. Cultural values and ideas are an important part of film because it alters the  viewers and directors perception of the film. It can also force people to have differing opinions.  

Viewing many films will show aspects of film viewers might not have previously noticed. Diving into the production process, cinematography, editing, sound, genres, and critical perspectives will offer a different view of films. You might find more flaws in film, but you might also find more positive things as well. 

Film Distribution

Distributing movies has always been an interesting subject. Film distribution is becoming even more interesting because of VOD (video on demand). Distributing used to include theatrical releases, selling, renting, or other exhibitions such as festivals. Feature films are usually first released at a premiere, which attracts stars and media coverage. Then films may be released in wide, limited, or exclusive release. Wide release opens in hundreds of theaters simultaneously. This was introduced in 1975 by Steven Spielberg's Jaws. Limited release means a film may only be released in major cities. Exclusive release films premiere in only one or two locations. Some films, such as Jurassic Park and Star Wars, have been released theatrically multiple times. Some recent films have been released straight to DVD or VOD. Films often move their release dates to avoid competition with other films. The Matrix moved it's release date to avoid competition with Star Wars: Episode I, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation moved to July to avoid Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Batman v Superman to avoid Captain America: Civil War. 

The Force is Strong with these Films

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, the entertainment world was completely enthralled with a trilogy of films. The original Star Wars trilogy was spectacle of modern cinema. The sound and visual effects have been marveled at ever since it’s release. The first two films of the trilogy are generally considered to be the superior films of the entire franchise. Star Wars, later retitled to Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope, and The Empire Strikes Back, also known as Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back, are widely considered to not only be two of the greatest science fiction movies of all-time, but two of the greatest films ever made. 

Even though The Empire Strikes Back is a sequel to Star Wars, the film’s tone is vastly different. In the previous film, Luke, Han, and Chewbacca rescue  Princess Leia with the aid of Obi-Wan Kenobi and two droids called R2-D2 and C-3P0, and later destroy the Empire’s greatest weapon, the Death Star. The film is an underdog story with a lighthearted tone. There are a few minor twists, but at the end of the film the good guys win and the Empire and Darth Vader are left broken and humiliated. This carries over to the sequel. Darth Vader is given full control of the Empire’s forces and uses them to hunt down Luke Skywalker and the rebels. Throughout most of the film the protagonists are burdened with struggle, while Darth Vader seems to be getting closer and closer to victory with every scene. Luke trains with the Jedi master Yoda for most of the film and has trouble believing in the Force, flowing energy from the universe and a Jedi’s source of power. Han, Leia and the rest of the gang have been marooned on Han’s broken down starship, the Millennium Falcon, on an asteroid. Vader is having much better luck. After destroying  the rebel base where the protagonists are stationed in the opening scene, he successfully uses bounty hunters to track down Leia and Han. He uses them to lure Luke to their location in an attempt to capture him. However at the end, Han is taken away by the bounty hunter Boba Fett, Luke’s hand is severed, and it is revealed that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. This twist and the sudden cliffhanger ending, are very different from the first film. The rebellion is left broken and Darth Vader has won. 

Darth Vader is much more dangerous in The Empire Strikes Back. He kills his own men throughout as punishment for failing him. In the first film, Grand Moff Tarkin held him back from killing or intimidating his men. In Empire, Vader expects results from his men and uses force to get them. 

Star Wars is filled with mythology and The Empire Strikes Back expands upon it. Luke is taught the ways of the Force by Yoda, after Obi-Wan explained them in the previous film. Darth Vader uses the Force during his climactic duel with Luke as well. 

One of the biggest differences is the climactic duel at the end of both films. In Star Wars, the rebels attack the Death Star and Luke uses the Force to shoot at a small opening and cause the Death Star to explode. Luke is the underdog and wins against Darth Vader, who is chasing him from behind. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke engages Vader in a lightsaber duel. Darth Vader is a former Jedi, and quite experienced with the Force. Luke is the underdog and it shows. He hardly challenges Vader and when he finally does, Vader slices his hand off. Vader taunts Luke throughout the fight and tries to persuade him to join the Empire. At the end of the duel, Luke is beaten and rescued by Leia.

It is crazy how different these films are, but how beloved they are by audiences around the world. These films stand the test of time and continue to thrill and amaze viewers to this day. One can only imagine, what a modern day Star Wars film could do, and the world will see in less than a year’s time. Whatever the outcome of the film is, it will not try to be as good as the originals, because as Yoda told Luke, “Do or do not, there is no try.”

Free Comic Book Day 2015

Avengers (All New, All Different)

With Iron Man, the new female Thor, Vision, Falcon as Captain America, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and Nova leading this group it looks to be a fun new run and showcases the groups growing teamwork.

Uncanny Inhumans 

I don't know much about the Inhumans but this sells me and I'll be checking out the new series when it comes around. 

Max Ride: First Flight

Only a page of art but it looks great!!

Divergence

Batman: The Rookie

If you like Batman this is a must read, it's a great look into things to come after Batman #40. 

Superman: Exposed

Superman's alter ego is revealed to the world and he is on the run in this preview. It's an interesting look at how people would actually react to this happening. 

Justice League- Darkseid War Prologue Two: The Other Amazon

Very intriguing look into Amazonian lore which will pick up with a huge storyline in the summer. Can't wait!!

Scooby-Doo Team-Up

The crew teams up with the the Super Friends to help them catch ghosts. I loved the episodes where they teamed up in the 70's so obviously I love this too. 

Teen Titans Go!

I love the original Teen Titans show but dislike the new Teen Titans Go! And re same is true for this series. If you like the show, you'll like this comic.

Secret Wars #0

Bringing the Ultimate Universe to fight against The Marvel Universe seems like Convergence but still should be fun!! 

Mad Max Series Review

In preparation for Mad Max: Fury Road, I'm watching the Mad Max series for the first time!

Mad Max (1979)

Mel Gibson is vengeful in this film. The action scenes are insanely brilliant. I could do without the crazy score throughout the movie and some of the corny dialogue but I'll forgive this nearly 40 year old movie for that. The opening chase sequence is flawless as well. Grade: 3/5 🌟🌟🌟

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1982)

This movie steps it up. The action is just as great as the original and the plot is immensely better. The score is improved and additional characters help to make this film better. Grade: 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

Possibly the coolest movie name of all-time. This movie is famous for Tina Turner playing the bad guy and the Thunderdome scene, which does not take up much screen time. The worst of the 3 in my opinion, but it still delivers if you're a fan of the franchise. Grade 3/5 🌟🌟🌟

Hulk (2003)

I recently rewatched Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003. Though this movie is very artsy and kind of corny in some parts, but I still think it's underrated. The acting is great and pretty well cast. Nick Nolte is awesome as usual. The CGI Hulk wasn't perfected until 2012 with the Avengers. There is no clear villain and it struggles from that. It is also very long and slow which hurts it as well. I think it is a good look at the Hulk without showing too much violence, but still quite flawed. I also like the split screen shots. Grade: 2.5/5 🌟🌟

This Week in Comics 4/29/15

Batman #40

The conclusion to Batman's battle with Joker is shocking and twisty. An absolute must read for Batman fans!! Grade: A-

Convergence #4

Gaining new villains and showing more twists is a good way to keep readers interesting. The cliffhanger should make the second half of this series pretty interesting. Grade: B+

Princess Leia #3

Still not as good as the other Star Wars series out now, but still enjoyable. Leia's a strong character who is fun to watch interact with tough figures. Grade: B

This Week in Comics 4/22/15

Convergence #3

This is issue is going back to the fans. If you don't know much about comics stay clear. Still solid though. Grade: B

Divinity #3

One of my favorite runs out right now. This issue builds upon the story and it is great and very interesting. Grab these issues!! Grade: A

Star Wars #4

This issue is very mellow in comparison to the past issues but it still delivers on Star Wars nostalgia and great story Grade: B+

This Week in Comics 4/15/15

Archie vs. Predator #1

If you're not into this just by the title, you probably won't like it. It's mostly Archie in this issue, with Predator lurking close behind. Looking forward to the next few issues. Also there's a great Predator movie reference by Jughead. Grade: B+

Convergence #2

That's what I'm talking about! Worlds battling it out for survival and different versions of characters meeting. Thomas Wayne meets Bruce Wayne and it's great. Pick these issues up!! Grade A-

Convergence: Aquaman #1

Taking the Pre-Zero Hour Aquaman trapped in Metropolis makes for some crazy things. Mostly Aquaman is an embarrassment to superheroes in the eyes of the public. But he is about to get a chance to prove himself next month. Grade:B

Convergence: Green Lantern/Parallax #1

This might be my favorite issue I've read ever. Seriously, I really enjoyed this. It shows how the Convergence "tournament" is really done. It also helps that Hal Jordan in this is amazing. The concluding half to the series looks to be great. Grade A+

Thor #7

If you don't know by now, Thor has lost the ability to pick up his hammer but an unnamed woman has. The woman now goes by Thor, while the original Thor now goes by Odinson. Odin sends a destroyer  to bring Thor back to Asgard for taking the hammer. This is action-packed and very entertaining. Grade: A

Marvel Cinematic Universe Review

Iron Man (2008)

First of all, Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark. He's not acting, he's just being RDJ. This movie is awesome. Highlights include a great escape scene, the first Mark 2 scene, and the end fight. The end fight is RDJ vs. Jeff Bridges. Both of them are in robot suits. The scene where the Iron Monger is first shown might be my top moment in the MCU. 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

I absolutely love the first half hour of this movie. It has little dialogue and really sets up how Bruce has been on his own and really doesn't like being the Hulk. It does down when he goes to find Betty after he's being hunted by General Ross. The end fight scene between Hulk and Abomination is exactly what you want out of a Hulk fight scene. The best part is when Hulk rips a police car in half and uses the halves as boxing gloves. Super fun. It also does a good job of using the 2003 Hulk movie as a predecessor even though that's not it's a sequel to that movie. Because everyone hates origin stories over and over again. The CGI Hulk really wasn't perfected until the Avengers yet also.  3/5 🌟🌟🌟

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Most people dislike this movie but I happen to like it much more than Iron Man 3. It has it's flaws but I enjoy Tony being Tony. The fight scenes are cool but not as cool as the Iron Monger fight. I have always enjoyed this so I give it 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thor (2011)

The first time I watched this, I did not like it much at all. But the more I watch it the more I like it. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are perfectly cast. And the movie works very well without having a clear villain for most of the film 3/5🌟🌟🌟 probably closer to 4/5 now for me though

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Unlike Thor, I dislike this movie the more I watch it. It feels very rushed into production and more like a prequel to the Avengers. I also don't think Chris Evans was comfortable in this role yet. Also the relationships with Peggy Carter and Bucky Barnes don't seem too believable until the sequel. 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟 probably closer to 3/5. 

The Avengers (2012)

This is probably the second  best superhero movie, next to The Dark Knight. Very funny and the action is great. However it's not very watchable. So hopefully Age of Ultron is. I love the character interactions so hopefully it is built upon in the sequel. Also this is one of the few movies I've seen multiple times in theaters 4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Iron Man 3 (2013)

I don't like this as much as the other two, but it is good. It's very funny but doesn't showcase much Iron Man. I don't like the villain and the twist is very bad. But I liked this movie overall and hope there is a 4th.  3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The Marvel cinematic universe cranks it up a notch with the second installment after The Avengers. Thor and Loki return for some great dialogue and plot twists. Great ending fight scene as well. 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) A new of breed of superhero movie where action is almost second to underlying plots of espionage, mystery, and politics. Highlighted by it's opening fight scene, a phenomenal car chase sequence, and some great new adversaries, Marvel has stepped up it's game by thinking outside of the box and opening up new doors for it's future installments. (4.5/5)  🌟🌟🌟🌟

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

 An over-the-top nearly unbelievable plot actually works this time around thanks to hilarious dialogue and a  brilliant soundtrack. It's ties to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be subtle but definitely play a part in the story. It comes off as a different film then Captain America 2 as it plays for humor more than the serious political tone. I would like to praise the acting of Dave Bautista, who made me laugh the whole movie, and the voice work of Bradley Cooper. Not to mention Chris Pratt who kills as Star-Lord and is quickly developing into an action star. 4.5/5 for me. Dakotah gave it 7.6/10. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Deadpool 250

This issue is so big, I though it deserved it's own post! There are a few different sections in the issue so I'll break up the review.

The Death of Deadpool (#45)

Very fun issue with loads of violence and humor. I didn't like this issue as much as I have the past 4 or so, mostly because of the focus on action over Deadpool's antics. His death doesn't come when you think it will and that makes the issue exciting till the end.

Shiklah's Catching Up

The wife of Deadpool learns about American pop culture for a trivia contest in this amusing little short. Shiklah is a fun counterpart to Deadpool and this showcases her perfectly. 

The Family S.H.I.E.L.D.

Drawn as if it were a 90's sitcom, Preston is taking care of Taco Dog, a gift from Deadpool. Pretty funny issue considering Taco Dog is basically a Deadpool Pup. It also has a scene identical to one from Deadpool 45.

What Do We Want? Apocalypse! When Do We Want It? Now!

Deadpool is letting Evan, a young clone of Apocalypse, crash with him for while. Evan proceeds to tell a funny story about "robbing a bank". Watching Deadpool try to parent is golden. 

The Thwipster and the Quipster Battle the Hipsters!

Spider-Man and Agent Adsit battle werewolves. Moving on.

All About the Benjamins

The naked ghost of Ben Franklin teams up The Thing to take a villain using dance music to try to take over Philadelphia. You can't make this up. Haha

Parents: The Meeting

What happens when a magic person goes on a date and has to meet his girlfriends parents. Some pretty funny stuff, especially considering how blunt the father is. 

Deadpool Roasts the Marvel Universe

Howard the Duck hosts the Roast of Deadpool in front of the entire Marvel Universe. Why is everyone there? Deadpool has the Inifinity Gauntlet. Hilarity ensues. 

Overall Grade: A-

This Week in Comics 4/8/15

Convergence #1 

After the exposition was given to Superman in #0, it's further explained in this issue to the Earth-2 Justice League. Promising a Mortal Kombat/ Highlander/ Battle Royale fight between alternate universes and characters. I'm very excited for things to come in the next 2 months. Grade B+

Darts Vader #4 

Vader returns to Geonosis to form his droid army. Pretty uneventful issue but it is highlighted by a surprisingly intimate conversation between Aphro and Vader. One of Marvel's best series running. Grade: A-

Descender #2

This dark sci-fi series continues with this issue. It gives a deeper look into Tim-21's live and really creates a sense of danger and showcases his abilities. This series will get very cool very soon Grade: A

Howard the Duck #2

The Colllector has collected Howard and in his "prison" Howard has gained a new friend, Rocket Raccoon. The Guardians of the Galaxy break the two out, and the interactions are awesome. Also, why does Rocket Raccoon always have to escape from a prison? He's escaped from prison in two comic book runs in the past year and in the movie! Anyway, solid issue but not nearly as good as the first Grade: B-

Hawkeyes #2

Starting to look a little bit like Akira. Honestly, I don't like these issues that much. The art for the flashbacks look great but the present day looks terrible. The story is alright so I'll try more more issue. D+

Also be sure to check out my review on Deadpool 250! 

Dakotah's Furious 7 Review

Fast and the Furious 7 ....The Last Ride. Last installment of the franchise? Spoiler alert, possible spoilers. This ride is a very action packed one!!  No matter if it's car races, explosions, or street fights, it comes with a star-studded cast and some amazing additions to the already existing cast. The plot is very simple. In Fast 6 Dom, Brian, and the gang beat Owen Shaw...the younger Shaw brother. Now the older brother, Deckard Shaw is out for revenge and Dom with the help of Brian and the gang must protect his family. Though the plot is kind of ironic because all Deckard is doing is trying to get revenge for what Dom did to his brother, while all Dom does is talk about protecting and avenging his family. Some of the fight scenes are hard to believe, but still some of the coolest fight scenes in the series. Doms strength is very over measured and Deckard Shaws fight skills are underrated. In the end, family prevails and there is a very sad ending, ladies if you have been attached to this movie series then prepare to cry. Side note, they used Paul Walkers brother and CGI to finish the movie and it was perfectly done. Of course this is Paul Walkers last movie and the kind of memorial they give him at the end of the movie to him is very well deserved. RIP Paul. 

All in all I'll give it a 8.0 out of 10. Given the extreme circumstances they did a very good job in finishing the movie. Definitely movie theater worthy!!

Furious 7 and Return of the Living Deadpool

This is a catch-up review day! I reviewed Furious 7 on Instagram (@mattymoandthebros if you're interested) and recently caught up on Return of the Living Deadpool. 

Furious 7

My Instagram review: The gang is back to do what they do best, drive fast cars, say one liners, and blow things up. If you liked the Fast & Furious movies you'll like this one. I enjoyed it and place it somewhere between 2 Fast 2 Furious and Fast and Furious 6. I wish the Rock and Jason Statham had more screen time though. Also the ending is a great tribute to the late Paul Walker. Great popcorn flick. 3/5 🌟🌟🌟 #Furious7 #ForPaul #VinDiesel #TheRock #JasonStatham #PaulWalker #FastAndFurious

Additional thoughts:

I have trouble with the "humor" of Tyrese and Ludacris in these movies. Tyrese was better than normal, but that "birthday" skit was terrible in my opinion. The entirety of the airplane sequence was great though. 

I also don't buy Ludacris being a computer hacker/tech guy, but I've learned to deal with that. But I really don't buy him being a tech guy that is also an expert fighter.

This franchise has a history of bringing in actors to fight the main characters who would destroy them in an actual fight. Examples: The Rock vs. Vin Diesel and  Gina Carano vs. Michelle Rodriguez. This movie had a lot of those. Tony Jaa vs. Paul Walker, Jason Statham vs, Vin Diesel, Ronda Rousey vs. Michelle Rodriguez, and Ludacris vs. anyone. The fight scene between The Rock and Jason Statham is the best in my opinion. 

I think a lot of the one-liners fall flat in this, such as "don't miss" and "the street always wins". 

The CGI Paul Walker looks pretty great. Especially at the end. But some of the scenes are obvious, such as the scene at the beach in Dubai. But the ending scene was great, bringing Paul Walker's story full circle. 

Kurt Russell was pretty great! Good to see him in films again, and I look forward to seeing him in sequels and the Hateful Eight later this year. 

The best line is "Woman, I am the Calvary" which is said by the Rock who then shoots at a helicopter with a gatlin gun. Beautiful. 

I think this should be the end of the series, but I know it won't be considering most of the actors are irrelevant outside of this franchise. I mean, name another Jordana Brewster movie. I sure can't. 

Return of the Living Deadpool (#1-#3) 

Deadpool is in a world with zombies and some modified zombies which have eaten Deadpool and turned into Deadpool clones without the healing factor. He teams up with Liz to rescue her family in this crazy post-apocalyptic wasteland, which is dominated by these clones. 

This run is basically Deadpool slicing and dicing his way through battles. Lots of blood and guts so it's great to read. And there's a Yadier Molina reference in the first issue #LetsGoCards. Not as good as the current Deadpool run, but still pretty great. Overall Grade: B+ 

This week in comics 4/1/15

What's up mother lovers? Happy April Fool's Day to everyone! Today had some sweet comics to offer us, so let's get into it!

Convergence #0

Starting off, we have the beginning of the DC crossover series Convergence. Superman is trapped in a world without time or place and finds himself dealing with multiple version of Brainiac from different universes. I highly recommend jumping into this weekly series, which will run for 8 more issues and showcase years of DC comics story lines and art styles. Grade: B+

Wonder Woman #40

My favorite female superhero is being a glorious badass once again. After an opening fight scene, this short issue follows Wonder Woman unaware of evil deeds going on in the background. Grade: B+

The Amazing Spider-Man 17

Peter Parker is being hunted by Ghost, who is attempting to take down Parker Industries. Dealing with Peter's emotional ties but also having a great deal of action, this issue delivers as only Spider-Man can. 

Grade: B

Rocket Raccoon #10

Marvel continues to have funny issues in this and Deadpool. Rocket and Groot get into a scene at bar in Knowhere nearly identical to Star Wars. Solid Issue Grade: B+

Fast and Furious Franchise

With Furious 7 coming out on Friday, I thought I'd take a look at the franchise leading up to it. I won't talk about to short films between them because those are pointless and boring...and who cares? I actually have unpopular opinions on this series so this will be interesting. Here we go!

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

Brian O'Conner (played by Paul Walker) goes undercover to become part of a street racing gang lead by Dominic Toretto (played by Vin Diesel). Through many racing scenes and bro chats, Brian ends up letting Dom go at the end. I actually don't like this movie much at all. I think it's pretty cheesy, the acting is...not there, and it doesn't age well either. There are some cool parts, but I think this  is the worst film in the series. 2/5 🌟🌟

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

Most people consider this worst or second worst, but I like it more than the original. I think it's 3rd worst. It's got Eva Mendes in it and that's always awesome, but no Vin Diesel. Tyrese Gibson...can't really act. He's basically in there to say some stereotypical line (same in Transformers). Oh and he totally shouldn't be Green Lantern. Anyway 3/5 🌟🌟🌟

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

A movie with that name should be terrible, but it's not. Justin Lin takes over as director of the franchise and it's the best so far. It uses the music well, has a solid supporting cast, and some great moments. The scene where Han drifts around that girls car and gets her number. Beautiful. Also the chase scene leading up to Han's death is great. 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟

Fast and Furious (2009)

This one is...not good either. It kills off Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) which somehow turns Vin Diesel into Sherlock Holmes. It has a CGI car chase scene through a mine shaft. It's just not good but still pretty fun 2.5/5 🌟🌟

Fast Five (2011)

This is the best one. Takes all the best parts of the other ones and turns it into a heist film. Great. It shouldn't be good but somehow is. It's the Rock. Dwayne Johnson helps make this movie fantastic. Not to mention the car chase at the end when they just destroy a city with a safe. 3.5/5🌟🌟🌟

Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

This one keeps up with the previous installment. Still as crazy. The Rock is back ....and so is Michelle Rodriguez. Look, if you're gonna bring back a character, make sure we like them. Letty is one of the most unlikable characters in recent movie history for me. She doesn't like anything, and her only redeeming qualities are that she's tough and badass, which we have Vin Diesel and The Rock for. Also Gina Carano is in this and she is killed by Letty...(with help). Ronda Rousey will be in the next movie, probably in a similar role. Luke Evans is the villain and it's perfect. This guy kills it in everything he's in! Good movie. And the tank scene is amazing. The plane scene is a little overdone. 3/5🌟🌟🌟

Which leads us to Furious 7 (2015)

I'm excited for this because Kurt Russell, Tony Jaa, and Jason Statham are joining the cast. It looks to be just as crazy as the last 2 movies and a great way to kick off summer! 

So in case you missed it, my rankings go

Fast Five

Tokyo Drift

Fast and Furious 6

2 Fast 2 Furious

Fast & Furious 

The Fast and the Furious 

What are your thoughts?? Let me know and stay tuned for a review on Furious 7 later this week!

This Week in Comics 3/25/15

The Flash #40

After a great cliff-hanger, this issue picks up immediately where issue 39 left off. Great resolution and can't talk about much without spoiling. Another good cliff-hanger has us anxious for June. Grade: B+ 

Aquaman #40

Aquaman is on the run from his mother and fighting a giant lava monster. Comics are awesome. One half action. One half emotion closure. Solid issue with a good ending to the Maelstrom story line. Grade: B

Darth Vader #3

Vader needs help in this issue. He quietly guides a new recruit for his own bidding, and offers one of the funniest lines in comics. Worth the pickup! Grade: B

Deadpool #44

 Not as funny or crazy as the last 2 issues, you can tell the writers are saving it all for next months 250 when Deadpool dies. Nonetheless Deadpool continues to be one of the better comics out there. And my favorite Marvel run. Grade: B

Also check out the Legendary Star-Lord run. Read the first issue and gave it a B+

I'll be back next week, and I'll stop with the Instagram posts and YouTube videos on comics!

Arnie is back!! Probably...I hope

Today was a big day for Arnold Achwarzenegger. A motion poster for Terminator Genisys was released featuring his face turning into the robotic Terminator skeleton, and a trailer for his newest film Maggie was as well. He looks to be more grounded than ever and showcasing possibly his best performance ever.

 Arnie obviously took a break from acting to focus on governing the small state of California and has had a lackluster return since. The Expendables films are C+ at best and he plays a small role in them. The Last Stand was good for what it was but made nearly nothing at the box office. I have yet to see Escape Plan but I did see Sabotage and it was terrible. But now he's back in full Arnie mode, headlining two vastly different films. 

Arnold was king in the late 80's and 90's.  My personal favorites being The Terminator films and the original Predator. 

He very rarely has to act out of his normal character, similar to John Wayne or Will Smith. Yeah I said it. Actors do this sometimes because they're very bankable this way. Arnie was a huge action star, Will Smith was/ kinda still is one of the most charismatic actors of his generation, and John Wayne practically saved the movie industry with his films. 

To see Arnold pushing his limits in the  film Maggie, says something. Arnold could very well be pulling a Matthew McConaughey turn around. 

Or we could all be disappointed by Terminator and not care about his performance in Maggie. 

Honestly, I love Arnold and I hope we get to see more of him soon!

A look at the Mission: Impossible Series

So the first trailer for Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation was released today and I am pumped! So I thought I'd talk about the series so far before voicing my excitement for the fifth installment in this great action series. 

By the way, I haven't seen one episode of the original TV series! 

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a member of IMF (Impossible Mission Force) and must solve the mystery of who killed his comrades (Emilio Estevez and Jon Voight among others) in their last mission in order to clear his name. Henry Czerny plays a character who is chasing him down. He recruits Ving Rhames (playing Luther Stickell) and Jean Reno into his crew and they pull off a few crazy stunts in order to find the perpetrator. It turns out Jeno Reno's character is helping Jon Voight (who is playing Jim Phelps, the main character of the original TV series) who faked his death. This has some great action scenes and some pretty intense dialogue scenes as well. Brian De Palma (Carrie, Scarface, and The Untouchables) directed this and it feels very much the same as those films. 3.5/5🌟🌟🌟

Also Vanessa Redgrave is in this and she's always awesome....and old looking since like 1975. 

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Oh boy... They handed the franchise over to John Woo, who was coming off of Face/Off. And man, this was disappointing. Too many masks, flying birds, and crazy fights. Though the cast is legit. With Cruise and Rhames returning and adding Dougray Scott, Richard Roxburgh, Thandie Newton, and even Brendan Gleeson and Anthony Hopkins. 2/5 🌟🌟

Thandie Newton is hot though and Cruises hair looks great

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

After the first two films, one could argue that the franchise was dead. But who do you give a dying franchise to? JJ Abrams (Star Trek, Star Wars). A star studded cast and brilliant action scenes save this movie, who's plot is a little crazy at times. The Bridge scene is great and so is the capture of the rabbit's foot. Billy Crudup, Jonathon Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, and Laurence Fishburne join the cast and do great in their short screen times. Maggie Q is in this as well, right before she was in Live Free or Die Hard and now is in the terrible Divergent Series. Also Simon Pegg's character Benji joins the cast and helps Ethan, who is now married to Michelle Monaghan's character. And I couldn't go without saying something about Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Owen Davian. He's a great villain and truly menacing. 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟 

Also this was during Tom Cruise's crazy phase. This movie also has the worst posters of the franchise...just sayin.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol 

Ethan Hunt is once again on the run, and enlists Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner to help him. Brad Bird (director) lets Tom Cruise go all out on his stunts. Most famously the scene where Tom Cruise is dangling from the tallest building in the world. Talk about white knuckle. Also the hallway scene is pretty good as well. This put M:I back on the map and let us know Tom Cruise is still kicking ass. This is the best of the series 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟

Also Tom Wilkinson makes a cameo, as do Ving Rhames and Michelle Monaghan at the end. 

Which leads me to...

Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation (2015)

Have you seen the trailer?? Tom Cruise is hanging off of a plane as it takes off! It's insane! Also it's IMF vs The Syndicate while the CIA is chasing Ethan Hunt. The Syndicate being an "anti-IMF" group who possess the same skills. Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, and Ving Rhames are all back for this adventure which drops in July. Also Alec Baldwin leads the force hunting the IMF agents. 

Christoper McQuarrie directs this. He previously directed Jack Reacher, which also starred Tom Cruise. That film was alright and I'm excited to see what will become of this film!

Any requests for these reviews, just tweet at me or leave a comment on Instagram!

How Divergent copies other Franchises

A post-apocalyptic sci-Fi adventure series with a cast with proven heavyweights and great young pieces. What could go wrong? Oh yeah...plagiarism. Now I haven't read the books, nor have I seen Insurgent yet. These are just my thoughts I came up with when I watched the first film. I didn't hate it, but I didn't think it was very good either. Shailene Woodley is a great actress and does a good job in this movie. She doesn't underperform lik Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, or Kate Winslet. Jai Courtney has always been on my bad side since A Good Day to Die Hard. Anyway, I'd like to show how I think Divergent is similar to other franchises from recent memory:

Harry Potter

The test administered to Tris to help her decide what faction to choose is awful similar to the sorting hat from The Sorceror's Stone. The sorting ceremony later also reminded me of the same scene, because everyone sits in silence as the choice is being made. Also Miles Teller's character reminded me a lot of Malfoy. Jai Courtney is McGonagall. Also Harry is different and famous just like Tris. Except I think Tris is more allegedly famous.

The Matrix

Tria must undergo different tests to prove she's dauntless, and takes these tests I am alternate reality. This is similar to Neo in The Matrix when he learns Kung Fu and the other tricks of the Matrix. Also Tris is factionless and able to operate outside the laws of the tests, similar to Neo's ability to bend physics because he is The One.

S.W.A.T.

Okay technically not a franchise, but it's a TV Show and 2 movies. I'm talking about the movie with Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jeremy Renner. The "tryout scenes" reminded me of this movie a lot. And the layout is similar. First half: tryout. Second Half: what should've been the whole movie, crammed into 45 minutes. 

And obviously...The Hunger Games

This has "Hunger Games wannabe" written all over it. You've got your post-apocalyptic world. You've got remains being split into different sections.  You've got your strongwilled female lead. You've got your love interest fighting on your side against an evil president. Oh why are they fighting? To rebel. *Rue Whistle*

Then again...The Hunger Games is a rip-off of Battle Royale

Side note: Hunger Games Copies Battle Royale

Being a book first and made into a film in 2000, this Japanese story follows a crumbling Japan who's resorted to killing off their young, uncontrollable youth. High school classes are taken on field trips and then equipped with special necklaces that explode if they try to escape. Then it's Battle Royale. 30 or so kids on an island fighting to survive. This helps to strike fear into other Japanese youths, because the event is broadcast nationally. The films differ. The Hunger Games has more likable characters, but Battle Royale has more mature themes and is more fun to watch. Except for Catching Fire. Catching Fire is the bomb. Oh and Battle Royale 2 shows the Japanese youth rebelling against the government. Pretty clear cut copy. Except Battle Royale 2 sucks. Although so does Mockingjay-Part 1. Maybe we should keep the Death Battle as part of the Death Battle movies?? 

Anyway thanks for reading! I'll be back soon with more !

Alien (1979)

Alien (1979)

Ridley Scott directs this sci-fi thriller set in a distant star system, which follows seven crew members of the Nostromo spacecraft as they fight against a murderous stowaway alien. This film is like watching two different television episodes back-to-back. The first half consisting of a slow build-up and a mysterious tone and the second half turning into an all-out pulse pounding thriller. 

This film starts off with an interesting title sequence which slowly shows us the film’s title while brilliantly setting up the film’s tone and the silence of space. The camera takes the viewer through the various rooms of the spacecraft that will later be used as a pseudo haunted house. The computer system, called Mother, running the craft awakens the crew who have been in a sort of hibernation to endure the long trip between galaxies. 

It’s here that the film really showcases some of it’s brilliance. The crew seems very realistic and the interactions are very believable. They are not dressed in flawless white spacesuits but more dark, dirty suits that have seen wear. The story does not revolve around any of the characters more than the others. There is no clear cut hero and everyone is shown to have flaws. This makes the second half more intense as anyone is subject to be killed. Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) are engineers and are concerned with money. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) seems to be standoffish and untrusting of the others. Lambert (Veronice Cartwright) keeps to herself and is short with the others. Ash (Ian Holm) is the newest member of the crew and is not trusted as it seems he does not have the crew’s best interests in mind. Kane (John Hurt) seems to be the least flawed but are not given as much screen time to justify himself as a hero. If a main character had to be picked, it would be Dallas (Tom Skerritt), the ship’s captain, who is in direct contact with Mother. 

After intercepting a signal from an unknown origin, the crew is contractually obligated to investigate the source. After landing on an unknown planet, an alien gets aboard the spacecraft and starts killing off members of the crew. With no chance of making contact with Earth for years, the crew of the Nostromo have to fend for themselves against an alien who is seemingly unbeatable. 

The tone is really set up with the lighting. The spacecraft is well light in the first quarter of the film, while the crew is safe and preparing to investigate the signal. The planet, which is the setting for most of the second quarter of the film, is plagued by harsh winds, mist, and darkness. This adds to the mystery of the planet and the signal itself. The second half takes place on the spacecraft again but the lights are not as bright and the same halls seem much more unsettling. A sequence toward the end of the film uses a flashing emergency light to set up the panic in the situation. Ridley Scott uses the slow movement of the camera, seemingly in Steadi-Cam, in the first half to suggest the calm safe nature of the hallways in the first half. Then in the second half switches toward a handheld camera to illustrate a more frantic tone. 

The actors do a phenomenal job of setting up a frightening tone. The alien is rarely seen, and this adds to the paranoia perfectly illustrated by the actors. While some characters are heroic, others are terrified, and other try to calm the crew down. This makes the entire film seem very realistic even though it is set in outer space. Because of this realism and the low number of characters, each death seems to have more weight.

One of the things that create a sense of wonder and mystery in this film, is the sequence on the planet from which the signal came. The design of the planet and the alien itself are extremely unique. H.R. Giger designed all of this and it seems very realistic. The things the crew sees on the planet are never fully explained and this makes the tension even better. The crew never knows if the signal is an SOS or a warning. The alien itself is insanely menacing and creeps along the ship like an extraterrestrial Michael Myers.

One of the best things about this film is it’s score, or lack thereof. The quiet calm nature seems soothing, until an unstoppable alien is hiding on the spacecraft. Then the quiet nature turns into a tense, maddening silence which makes every sound a plot twist. 

This film’s slow build, pays off with a thrilling second half. The acting, directing, and cinematography keep the audience interested in the beginning and on the edge of their seat at the end. This film is a testament to not only how great sci-fi  or horror films can be but to how great films can be.