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Friday, November 10, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: THE MARVELS
Thursday, October 26, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
Friday, August 18, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: BLUE BEETLE
Friday, July 28, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: LUPIN III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Friday, June 23, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: THE FLASH
Friday, May 5, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3"
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
#IReadsYou Movie Review: SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods
Friday, November 11, 2022
#IReadsYou Review: BLACK PANTHER: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Running time: 161 minutes (2 hours, 41 minutes)
MPA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language
DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler
WRITERS: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole; from a story by Ryan Coogler (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige and Nate Moore
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Autumn Durald Arkapaw (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Kelley Dixon, Jennifer Lame, and Michael P. Shawver
COMPOSER: Ludwig Göransson
SUPERHERO/ACTION/SCI-FI/DRAMA
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Cole, Alex Livinalli, Mabel Cadena, Richard Schiff, Robert John Burke, Lake Bell, Manuel Chavez, Maria Mercedes Coroy, Divine Love Konadu-Sun, Trevor Noah (voice), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael B. Jordan
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 superhero, fantasy-drama, science fiction, and action movie directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Marvel Studios. The film is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Black Panther, and is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is based on the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther, that first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Wakanda Forever finds Wakanda in mourning following the death of its king while also facing a threatening world and a mysterious new adversary.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in the African nation of Wakanda as King T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) dies from a mysterious illness. One year later, his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), must face the United Nations, as world powers demand access to Wakanda's most precious resource, the metal Vibranium. One particular nation even hires mercenaries to invade a Wakandan outpost in order to steal its vibranium, but they are foiled by Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje, the King of Wakanda's personal guard.
However, the American CIA's attempt to find vibranium on its own draws the attention of a mysterious new adversary, known by many names, but is called “Namor” (Tenoch Huerta) by his enemies. Namor leads the forces of his kingdom, Talokan, in a strike against the Americans. He confronts Ramonda and Shuri (Letitia Wright), Ramonda's daughter and T'Challa's younger sister, as they grieve. He demands that they find the scientist who created the Americans' vibranium detecting device and kill him. The him turns out to be a her, a Chicago-based teen named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). Now, Shuri and Ramonda must gather allies, including T'Challa's ex-lover, Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), and M'Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the Wakandan border tribe, the Jibari, in order to fight off the forces of Namor, which are more than capable of destroying Wakanda and perhaps, the world. Can Wakanda survive without its champion, the Black Panther, or must another arise?...
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a triumphant – a poignant triumphant and a superhero action movie triumph. It is much better than I expected and that I could have hoped for. Wakanda Forever is the most emotionally honest, genuine, and heartfelt Marvel Studios film since Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The fight scenes are some of the best outside of martial arts films, and the action and battles scenes are Avengers-level.
Angela Bassett stands astride this film, which is both a eulogy to Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa/Black Panther and also a powerful and successful attempt to forge ahead with the franchise. Bassett, as regal and as dramatically potent as she has ever been, is glorious, and it time for her to receive the Oscar win she should have had ages ago. She exemplifies the grief in the film for half its narrative.
Letitia Wright exemplifies that grief the rest of the way. Wright also shows impressive range – playing Shuri as obstinate and angry in the face of her brother's death. [That death is depicted in Wakanda Forever's opening moments, and the audience with which I saw this film was stunned into silence.] Wright plays Shuri's turn to the “dark side” with the depth of performance that usually earns actors some award season notice. She is truly the lead in Wakanda Forever, and she carries it with the flair of a veteran, accomplished actor.
I also had high hopes for Tenoch Huerta as Namor, and he easily surpasses them. Huerta makes Namor seem so real that his murderous inclinations come across as entirely appropriate for that which Namor is fighting and defending. Huerta's performance also works to uplift the other actors playing denizens of the kingdom of Talokan.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is filled so much good stuff. The costumes, art direction, make-up and hair, cinematography, and editing are all … well, Oscar-worthy. Ludwig Göransson's score is a masterpiece of tones both subtle and tremendous and is easily on the level of Hans Zimmer's award-winning score for Dune: Part One (2021).
I don't want this review to run-on too long... If I could speak to Ryan Coogler, I would tell him that already loved him for his film, Fruitvale Station, and that he made me love him even more after the first Black Panther. I don't have the words to describe how great an accomplishment Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is. Coogler honored his friend and partner, Chadwick Boseman, as well as he could, and he made a truly great and magnificent film. It honors Boseman and reveals how much respect Coogler has for his audience via the film art he creates. I am giving Black Panther: Wakanda Forever my highest recommendation.
10 of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Saturday, October 22, 2022
#IReadsYou Movie Review: BLACK ADAM
Black Adam (2022)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, intense action and some language.
DIRECTOR: Jaume Collet-Serra
WRITERS: Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani (based on characters created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck)
PRODUCERS: Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Beau Flynn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lawrence Sher (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: John Lee and Michael L. Sale
COMPOSER: Lorne Balfe
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, Marwan Kenzari, Bodhi Sabongui, Mohammed Amer, Jalon Christian, Henry Winkler, and Djimon Hounsou with Viola Davis and Henry Cavill
Black Adam is a 2022 superhero and action-fantasy film from director Jaume Collet-Serra. The film is based on characters created by writers Bill Parker and Otto Binder and artist C.C. Beck originally for defunct publisher, Fawcett Comics, and now owned by DC Comics. Black Adam the movie focuses on a legendary hero who returns to life after nearly 5000 years, bringing his unique form of justice to his besieged homeland.
Black Adam opens in 2600 BC. In the city of Kahndaq, there is a legend that the tyrannical king, Anh-Kot (Marwan Kenzari), intended to create an object of dark magic, the Crown of Sabbac, which is known to give the wearer great power. He enslaves his own people and forces them to dig in the mountains for “Eternium,” the magical crystal Anh-Kot will use to make the crown. A legendary hero, Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson), arises and kills Anh-Kot before the hero himself is buried somewhere in the ruins of the Anh-Kot's castle – so the legends say.
Present day Kahndaq is oppressed by members of the international crime syndicate known as “Intergang.” They are searching for university professor and resistance fighter, Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi). She is trying to locate the Crown of Sabbac, with the help of her brother, Karim (Mohammed Amer), and some of his colleagues. Ambushed after finding the crown, Adrianna revives Teth-Adam, and although he kills her assailants, the risen hero proves to be something much less than a hero.
Meanwhile, from the United States, the superhero Hawkman/Carter Hall (Aldis Hodge) leads a group of heroes, the Justice Society: Doctor Fate/Kent Nelson (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone/Maxine Hunkel (Quintessa Swindell), and newcomer Atom Smasher/Albert “Al” Rothstein (Noah Centineo), into Kahndaq to take Teth-Adam into custody. While Adrianna and her son, Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), watch, Teth-Adam battles the Justice Society throughout the city. However, Teth-Adam will be forced to confront the truth about himself and about his past if he and the Justice Society are going to stop a great evil from ruling Kahndaq again.
In case you are wondering, Teth-Adam does not become “Black Adam” until the end of the film. He is neither hero nor villain. Black Adam, in the case of this film, is not so much an anti-hero as he is simply Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The movie only exists because Johnson willed it into existence. Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films' original plan was apparently to make Black Adam a supporting character/villain in the movie Shazam that was released in 2019. Johnson wanted more for the character than to be a mere lackey, and truthfully, had he appeared in Shazam as Black Adam, Johnson, as an international movie star with a huge personality, would have dominated the film in ways that probably would have been bad for it.
In the case of Black Adam the movie, it is Johnson's will that holds this film together, otherwise, it would fall apart. The screenplay is a disaster with a plot that is a patchwork of clumsy sub-plots. The film's pace is uneven, being a mixture of tedious action sequences and unnecessary fighting. The characters are either barely likable or are ridiculous. The kid character, Amon Tomaz, is actually quite nice, but his mother, Adrianna, is really irritating.
Don't get me started on the Justice Society. As Hawkman, actor Aldis Hodge is so intense that it makes a lot of his performance seem like overacting. [Actor Michael B. Jordan also has a problem with being too intense.] Pierce Brosnan is embarrassing as Doctor Fate, but Brosnan's problems could be a poorly written character and crappy dialogue. The superhero Cyclone is … tragic. So is Atom Smasher, but actor Noah Centineo delivers Smasher's bad dialogue in a way that sounds funny.
Twice while watching Black Adam, I wanted to walk out of the film, but I was seeing it with a friend. Black Adam seems much longer than its 124-minute running time. At one point, I thought the film was over, so I checked my phone and discovered that there was more than a half-hour left. I can only recommend this films to die hard fans of superhero movies and to fans of Dwayne Johnson. I could not recommend this film to anyone else. I'm only giving this film a “C” grade because I am a fan of Johnson and an admirer of what he has built for himself; if not for him, I don't know how much lower I would go. I am not sure that I could watch Black Adam again, even in bits and pieces when it becomes a cable TV staple.
C
★★ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Friday, October 14, 2022
#IReadsYou Movie Review: DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action, mild violence, language and rude humor
DIRECTOR: Jared Stern
WRITERS: Jared Stern and John Whittington (based on characters appearing in DC Comics)
PRODUCERS: Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Patricia Hicks, and Jared Stern
EDITORS: David Egan and Jhoanne Reyes
COMPOSER: Steve Jablonsky
ANIMATION STUDIO: Warner Animation Group/Animal Logic
ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY
Starring: (voices) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, Keanu Reeves, Marc Maron, Olivia Wilde, Jameela Jamil, Jemaine Clement, John Early, Daveed Diggs, Dascha Polanco, Maya Erskine, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alfred Molina, Lena Headey, Winona Bradshaw, and Keith David
DC League of Super-Pets is a 2022 3D computer-animated, superhero fantasy and action-comedy film directed by Jared Stern with CGI animation produced by Animal Logic. The film is based on characters and concepts appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. DC League of Super-Pets focuses on Superman's dog and a group newly super-powered shelter animals who must stop a conspiracy hatched by a guinea pig that is an evil genius.
DC League of Super-Pets opens with the story of how baby Kal-El and a Labrador Retriever-like pup left the planet Krypton, as it was in the throes of destruction, in a space ship headed to Earth. Decades later, the baby is now Superman/Clark Kent (John Krasinski) and his pet, Krypto the Superdog (Dwayne Johnson). All is well between Superman and his super-best friend until Clark decides to take his relationship with Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde), a fellow reporter at “The Daily Planet,” to the next level. Krypto suddenly feels that his relationship with Superman is threatened.
Meanwhile, LexCorp CEO and Superman's enemy, Lex Luthor (Marc Maron), has hatched a plot to bring a meteorite of “orange kryptonite” to Earth. Superman and Krypto easily stop the plot with the aid of the Justice League: Wonder Woman (Jameela Jamil), Aquaman (Jemaine Clement), Flash (John Early), Green Lantern (Dascha Polanco), Cyborg (Daveed Diggs), and the Batman (Keanu Reeves).
At LexCorp, Lex used guinea pigs as test subjects. One of them, Lulu (Kate McKinnon), is also an evil genius. She has reeled in her own piece of orange kryptonite, having discovered that it gives super-powers to animals. Now empowered by flight and telekinesis, Lulu is determined to free the now imprisoned Lex Luthor and to destroy Superman and the Justice League. Now, only Krypto and a ragtag band of shelter animals: Ace a boxer dog (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the slider turtle (Natasha Lyonne), and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna), are left to stop Lulu's plot and save Superman.
DC League of Super-Pets is cute, and I imagine that it may be a hit with certain young viewers. While watching it, I couldn't wait for it to be over. The first 56 minutes of the film is formulaic superhero movie drivel, except for a moment here and there, such as the baby Kal-El and puppy Krypto's exodus from a dying Krypton. The film does not have another emotional moment that feels real until Kevin Hart's Ace tells his tragic story. When the other shelter pets tell their story, those stories don't work as well as Ace's. Also, I wasn't crazy with the design and art direction for this film. Everything looks like second-rate retro and draw-by-number art deco.
Perhaps, I have mixed feelings about this movie because I have mixed feelings about the voice performances. Dwayne Johnson is okay as Krypto; to me, his personality seems wrong for Krypto. Keanu Reeves is good as Batman, mainly because he captures the humorous angle written for the character. Kevin Hart is quite good as Ace; actually, Hart's Ace would have been a better lead character. [Maybe, we can get an “Ace the Bat-Hound” movie.] Kate McKinnon is also really good as Lulu, and she makes a character that probably shouldn't work dominate much of this movie. No other voice performances in this film really move me.
The last act of DC League of Super-Pets offers a satisfying superhero battle with a victory for the heroes. McKinnon is so good at making Lulu evil that I cheered when she receives her comeuppance. I can recommend this movie to fans of superhero films, especially fans of films based on DC Comics characters, and to young audiences. For the most part, it is like the average DreamWorks Animation or Illumination Entertainment anthropomorphic animal movie. There are many superhero films that I watch repeatedly, but I doubt DC League of Super-Pets will be one of them.
C+
★★½ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
Friday, July 8, 2022
#IReadsYou: Movie Review: THOR: Love and Thunder
Running time: 119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Taika Waititi
WRITERS: Taiki Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson; from a story by Taika Waititi (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Barry Idoine (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche, Matthew Schmidt, and Jennifer Vecchiarello
COMPOSERS: Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and COMEDY/DRAMA
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi (voice) Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice), Kieron L. Dyer, Idris Elba, Brett Goldstein, and Russell Crowe and Natalie Portman
Thor: Love and Thunder is a 2022 superhero fantasy and action-comedy directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the fourth film in Marvel's Thor film series, which began with Thor (2011). Thor is a Marvel Comics character that first appeared in the comic book, Journey into Mystery #83 (cover dated: August 1962), and is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. In Love and Thunder, Thor reunites with his ex-girlfriend to fight a being who plans to make the gods extinct.
Thor: Love and Thunder finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth), using his second enchanted hammer, “Stormbreaker,” is fighting the bad guys of the galaxy with the Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), and Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper). Thor is at a crossroads in his life and is unsure of what to do next.
Back on Earth, Thor's ex-girlfriend, the astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), is battling stage four cancer. Seeking medical treatment, Jane travels to New Asgard. There, she has a strange encounter with Thor's broken hammer, Mjolnir.
Meanwhile, Thor has answered a distress signal from one of Asgard's warriors, Sif (Jaimie Alexander). She warns him of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a being who possesses the god-killing weapon, “the Necrosword.” When Gorr attacks New Asgard, Thor returns to join the battle. Much to his shock, he discovers that Mjolnir has reforged and bonded with Jane Foster, transforming her into another Thor.
Now, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), King of Asgard, and Korg (voice of Taika Waititi), the rocky Kronan warrior, join Thor and Thor on a journey to fight Gorr. But are they enough to fight a being that has already killed many gods?
The last year's worth of Marvel Studios films, five including Thor: Love and Thunder, have been different, even offbeat, much to the chagrin of some critics and fans. People complained that Marvel's films were too much alike, and now that the studio has given us five films that are quite different from the first 11 years of films, they still aren't happy.
Anyway, I want to make it clear that there is plenty of “thunder” in Thor: Love and Thunder. Director Taika Waititi offers some action set pieces that are either unusual or have an unusual angle to them. As Gorr, Christian Bale gives a multi-layered performance full of pathos, humor, and maniacal glee. It is a seemingly effortless performance from one of the best actors of the last quarter-century. So, this superhero movie has a great villain, one who can match both Thors and is genuinely vengeful, a vengeance grounded in love.
Still, Waititi wants Thor to be something really different. The films trades in themes of love, death, and change. Thor Odinson and Jane Foster-Thor are both in crisis. The Odinson is having a sort of mid-life crisis. If he is no longer the rascally young heir to the throne of Asgard or the Avenger's lightning, thunder, and muscle, then, what is he? Jane Foster is facing an existential crisis; her cancer is really terminal. Should she quietly accept her fate or should she go out with a bang and some thunder as Thor, fighting their enemy to death, if need be?
Thor: Love and Thunder is a perfect film for this time. It chooses love over despair. It is a post-breakup movie in which Thor and Jane Foster find their way back to one another. Although death is an end, it can also mean change, and that is what can be in store for Thor and Thor and for King Valkyrie, Korg, and a few other characters.
I love what director Taika Waititi has created in his two Thor films, this and the earlier Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Thor: Love and Thunder finds the humor in every situation, even the dark and dangerous ones, which might put off some of its audience. However, I like that Thor: Love and Thunder is a film made of joy, color, and wonder that travels across the galaxy and into different realms. But no matter where it goes, Thor: Love and Thunder full of thunderous sounds and furious love.
[This film as two scenes that occur during the credits, one in the middle and one at the end.]
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
Friday, May 6, 2022
#IReadsYou Movie Review: DOCTOR STRANGE in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, six minutes)
MPA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, frightening images and some language
DIRECTOR: Sam Raimi
WRITER: Michael Waldron (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCER: Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Mathieson
EDITORS: Bob Murawski and Tia Nolan
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/HORROR/ACTION
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez; Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Julian Hilliard, Jett Klyne, Sheila Atim; Ako Mitchll, John Krasinski, Anson Mount, Hayley Atwell, Lashana Lynch, Charlize Theron, and Patrick Stewart
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a 2022 superhero, action, and horror-fantasy film directed by Sam Raimi and produced by Marvel Studios. It is the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and is also a sequel to the 2016 superhero movie, Doctor Strange. Both films focus on the Marvel Comics character, Doctor Strange, who first appeared in the comic book, Strange Tales #10 (cover dated: July 1963), and who was created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. In the new film, Doctor Strange battles to protect the Multiverse and a young woman who can travel through it.
As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens, Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is plagued by dreams in which he finds himself involved with a mysterious young woman. But life goes on. Wong (Benedict Wong), Strange's friend and mentor, is now Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. Also, Stephen's former lover, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), is getting married, and he is attending the wedding.
During the wedding, an octopus demon wreaks havoc in the neighborhood, and Stephen meets the young woman again. Her name is America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), and she can travel through the Multiverse by punching doorways through dimensions. Demonic forces are tracking her, and Strange believes that only the Book of Vishanti can stop these demons. Dr. Strange turns to an expert for help, the former Avenger, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). However, the mastermind behind the attacks on America is quite powerful, and the identity of this attacker is quite surprising.
And things only get worse. Dr. Strange must face his old adversary, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) … something called “the Illuminati” … and multiple versions of himself.
I have come across complaints that Marvel Studios' films are formulaic and complaints that the studios' films are not “director-driven” (whatever that means). Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not like other Marvel films, and at least to me, it seems “director-driven.”
The director of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Sam Raimi, who is best known for directing Sony/Columbia Picture's first trilogy of Spider-Man films (2002-07). Before then, Raimi's best known work was the “Evil Dead” trilogy, comprised of Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1993). And Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems like a superhero film built on the aesthetic or, at least, the sensibilities of the “Evil Dead” trilogy. In fact, this Doctor Strange film is like an Evil Dead movie with the budget of a … well, Marvel Studios movie. Even more than his Spider-Man films, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the truest Sam Raimi superhero movie to date.
I don't want to spoil much more than I already have, but I can say that the VFX in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not only superb, but also inventive and imaginative. Of course, the productions values are quite good; once again, I must say that everything looks like it would in a Raimi Evil Dead movie with mega-event, tent-pole film's budget. Also, Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen give superb performances, especially Olsen.
In spite of what Marvel Studios and Disney may say, however, I am not sure what the impact of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness actually is. I really like this movie because it really IS a Sam Raimi movie, and I love his movies. But, is this Doctor Strange film as consequential to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Spider-Man: No Way Home seems to be...?
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems most important because of what it promises – new tomorrows, new worlds, new heroes, new movies … and hopefully more Sam Raimi Marvel movies. I am thankful that Marvel Studios allowed him to make this movie. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is better than the original film, and it is Marvel's weirdest movie to date – a thrill ride of delightful and inspired wackiness. Plus, it gives some of us what we hoped that the original would – a true dark fantasy/horror Doctor Strange movie.
[Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has one mid-credit scene and one end-credit scene.]
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Saturday, April 23, 2022
#IReadsYou Movie Review: THE KING'S MAN
Running time: 131 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes
MPA – R for sequences of strong/bloody violence, language, and some sexual material
DIRECTOR: Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS: Matthew Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek; from a story by Matthew Vaughn (based on on the comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons)
PRODUCERS: Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jason Ballantine and Rob Hall
COMPOSERS: Dominic Lewis and Matthew Margeson
COMEDY/ACTION/SPY/SCI-FI
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans, Harris Dickinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, Charles Dance, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Stanley Tucci
The King's Man is a 2021 spy and action movie and war drama from director Matthew Vaughn. It is the third film in the Kingsman film series, and it is a “prequel” to the previous two films, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) and Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017). All three films are based on characters and elements from the 2012 comic book miniseries, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. The King's Man focuses on an aristocrat and his spy network as they try to stop a plot to pit the British, German, and Russian empires against each other in a war that will wipe out millions of lives.
The King's Man introduces British aristocrat Orlando, Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes). In 1914, Orlando has formed a private spy network consisting of domestic servants employed by the world's most powerful dignitaries. His own servants, his butler, Shola (Djimon Hounsou), and his maid/nanny, Polly Watkins (Gemma Arterton), are his closest aides and confidants. The primary objective of Orlando's network is to protect the United Kingdom and the British Empire from the conflagration of the approaching “Great War.”
Orlando's only son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), is eager to fight, but Orlando forbids him from joining the British Army and uses his connections to keep him from entering service. Besides, there are other things to keep father, son, and the spy network busy. Orlando's friend, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Ron Cook), and his wife are assassinated. Orlando learns that the assassin is part of “The Flock,” a group plotting to pit the German, Russian, and British empires against each other in the Great War.
Orlando and his network then engage in a series of adventures to foil the Flock's plans, that includes killing Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), the priest and mystic who serves the Flock's mysterious leader, “The Shepherd.” As his personal physician, Rasputin practically controls Tsar Nicholas (Tom Hollander) of Russia. And if Nicholas does as Rasputin wants, Great Britain may be doomed. Can Orlando and his network stop The Shepherd and save the British Empire? And will Conrad remain with his father's network or will he force his way into military service in a war in which young men like him are dying by the thousands?
The King's Man is easily the best of the Kingsman series, thus far. The villain, “The Shepherd,” is ridiculous, but his motivations will make more sense and is more likely to appeal to British audiences. For me, The Shepherd is what keeps The King's Man from being a truly great film.
The film's remix of the history of the “Great War” (World War I) seems inappropriate, but the film's inclusion of WWI is what makes it stand out from other films based on comic books. In fact, The King's Man is grounded in a darker take on that war than another comic book movie, Wonder Woman (2017), which is also largely set during the first World War. In a way, The King's Man seems like a salute to the men who served and the ones who died in the muck and mud of Europe during “the war to end all wars.”
Ralph Fiennes brings a touch of class and some serious dramatic chops to this film. It seems as if director Matthew Vaughn and his co-writer, Karl Gajdusek, take this film more seriously than Vaughn did with the previous two films, which were action-spy movies with a strong comic overtone. The King's Man is a war drama, spy serial, and action-thriller, and Fiennes, as Orlando, the Duke of Oxford, sells this film's seriousness.
Gemma Arterton and Djimon Hounsou are also quite good as Orlando's top lieutenants, Polly and Shola, respectively. As Rasputin, Rhys Ifans offers a performance that is off-beat, over-the-top, and colorful. Tom Hollander, with the help of the make-up and hairstyling crew of The King's Man, is credible in three roles, but makes his most potent turn as Britain's King George. Harris Dickinson as Orlando's son, Conrad, gives the film's most hot-blooded and nuanced performance.
The best way I can describe The King's Man is as being like a serial adventure. The film's plot is comprised of multiple missions and subplots, which keeps the film's narrative hopping. The film moves fast, fast enough to keep audiences from focusing on the film's inconsistencies and flaws in logic, but also fast enough to make the story seem like a non-stop, breathtaking adventure. Like Matthew Vaughn himself, I want to see a fourth film in the series, one that focuses on the characters that make it to the end of this film and on their first decade as the “Kingsman.” I highly recommend The King's Man to audiences that have watched either of the first two films or both. They were really a build up to the best of their lot, The King's Man.
A-
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
Friday, April 1, 2022
#IReadsYou Movie Review: MORBIUS
Morbius (2022)
Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, some frightening images, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR: Daniel Espinosa
WRITERS: Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless; from a story by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS: Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Lucas Foster
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Wood
EDITOR: Pietro Scalia
COMPOSER: Joe Ekstrand
SUPERHERO/FANTASY/HORROR/ACTION
Starring: Jared Leto, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Matt Smith, Al Madrigal, Charlie Shotwell, Joseph Esson, and Tyrese Harris and Michael Keaton
Morbius is a 2022 superhero fantasy-horror and action film directed by Daniel Espinosa. The movie is based on the Marvel Comics character, “Morbius, the Living Vampire”/Dr. Michael Morbius, which was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (cover dated: October 1971). This is also the third film in “Sony's Spider-Man Universe” (SSU) series. Morbius the film focuses on a scientist who tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease but instead turns himself into a new kind of vampire.
Morbius introduces Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto). He is a genius, a scientist, and has a talent for fabricating technology. He is also suffering from a rare blood disease and has spent his adult life looking for a cure to that disease which often kills those afflicted with it at a young age. Michael is 35-years-old, and he recently refused a Nobel Prize.
Michael is currently engaged in illegal experiments involving vampire bats that he stole from a cave in Costa Rica. Although she is critical of him for these experiments, Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona), Michael's fellow scientist and girlfriend, works with him. Once he believes that he has finally created the cure for his rare blood disease, Michael injects himself with the formula. Michael's body is transformed into that of an Olympic-level athlete, but the cure also turns him into a vampire – one with a powerful blood lust. Now, the bodies of people with the blood drained from their bodies are being found all over the city. Is Morbius the killer … or is Morbius responsible?
Morbius is about Morbius. The only other character that this film allows any traction is Martine Bancroft. It isn't that the screenplay is shallow; I find that it attempts a serious contemplation of both Dr. Michael Morbius' character and Morbius the vampire's dilemma. I wish the film's story had taken more time with the two FBI agents hunting Morbius, comic relief Alberto “Al” Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) and the really serious Black man, Simon Stroud (Tyrese Gibson).
Morbius may be Jared Leto's best performance in a film in years. I prefer Leto's Dr. Michael Morbius to “Rayon,” the drug addicted, HIV-positive trans woman he played in the 2013 film, Dallas Buyers Club. Leto won a “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar for playing Rayon, a character I found shallow. In Morbius, Leto's good looks, his vanity, his obvious acting talent, and his imaginative approach to fashioning characters and performances serve both him and film, quite well. I found both Dr. Michael Morbius and Morbius the vampire to be endlessly fascinating characters and not at all shallow.
It feels weird for me to recommend this film for Jared Leto's performance, but I am. Morbius is officially part of a superhero film universe. Adrian Toomes/Vulture (Michael Keaton) from the 2017 film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, even makes an appearance in Morbius in order to solidify some connections between Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). That connection thrills the fanboy in me. I like Morbius, and I am giving it a higher grade than I probably would. And that is because of Jared Leto's outstanding work in Morbius
B
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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