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Friday, May 31, 2013

Man of Steel Countdown and Funny Pictures!

Man of Steel will be coming out in theaters two weeks from now! To countdown the film's release, I have several Man of Steel related reviews planned for the coming weeks and some funny pictures at the end of this post. For starters, my reviews for the first two original Christopher Reeve Superman films and two of Man of Steel director Zack Sndyer's films, Watchmen and 300. In addition I will post my review for Superman's last film adaptation, Superman: Returns. The countdown will end with a Review Roundup. Providing Man of Steel receives positive reviews and my local theater does not close down by then, I will go see it. Hopefully I will also have time to enter Jack's blog party giveaway at However Improbable and fit that post in before the 14th of June. Here is the schedule for the next two weeks, including the final part of my Top 100 Films!
 
Tomorrow: Name That Soundtrack
Sunday: Trivia Questions and Answers
Monday: Revolution Season Finale
Tuesday: Superman: The Movie Review
Wednesday: 300 Review
Thursday: Iron Man Spoiler Thoughts by Jamie
Friday: Superman 2 Review
Saturday: Name That Soundtrack
Sunday: Trivia Questions and Answers
Monday: Funny Pictures
Tuesday: Top 100 Movies: Final Part
Wednesday: Watchmen Review
Thursday: Superman Returns Review
Friday: Man of Steel Review Roundup
 
 
 
 
Here are some funny pictures!



Anyone who grew-up watching the old Superfriends show will get the reference.

 
 
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Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Book of Eli Review.

You voted for it, so here it is. the Book of Eli review.
Thoughts: The Book of Eli is a post-apocalyptic film staring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.  While The Book of Eli had its moments and had great potential, but just did not deliver in the overall package. One aspect of the film that I found great from a Christian perspective was how the Bible was actually used in the movie. Without spoiling anything, it is about the main character (Denzel Washington) who has the last Bible (although it was explained, it is hard to believe that it was one of the last) and the villain (Gary Oldman) wants it for his own evil propose. There are Bible verses quoted and the importance of the Bible is a central focus of the movie.
Despite what I liked about the movie, there were just some problems that I could not over look. Most of the cinematography was very dull and had a low budget quality. While it worked for the post-nuclear apocalyptic in the beginning of the movie, it became hard to watch and looked cheap. The backgrounds in the desert scenes looked terrible for a big budget film. Also the movie lacked any style or anything that made it stand out as something special.


Directed by: The Hughes brothers
Genre: Post-apocalyptic, Action, Sci-Fi
Release Date: January 15, 2010
Running Time: 117 minutes
MMPA rating: R


The Good: Satisfying ending, Many Biblical references,

The Bad: Dull and cheap cinematography, Unrealistic aspects,

Warning: This film is rated "R" for profanity, violence and other mature content.



Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
Thirty years after a nuclear apocalypse, Eli (Denzel Washington) travels on foot toward the west coast of the United States. Along the way, he demonstrates uncanny survival and fighting skills, hunting wildlife and swiftly defeating a group of highway bandits who try to ambush him. Searching for a source of water, he arrives in a ramshackle town built and overseen by Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Carnegie dreams of building more towns and controlling the people by using the power of a certain book. His henchmen scour the desolate landscape daily in search of it, but to no avail.
In the local town bar, Eli is set upon by a gang of bikers and he kills them all. Realizing Eli is a literate man like himself, Carnegie asks Eli to stay, although it is made clear the offer is non-negotiable. After Carnegie's blind mistress Claudia (Jennifer Beals) gives Eli some food and water, Carnegie orders Claudia's daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) to seduce Eli. Eli turns her down, but she discovers he has a book in his possession. Eli offers to share his food with her. Before they eat, though, he has her pray with him. The following day, Solara prays with her mother. Carnegie overhears them and realizes Solara's words may relate to the book he has been seeking. He forces Solara to tell him Eli was reading a book. When he asks what kind, she says she does not know, but forms a cross with her two index fingers. Carnegie realizes Eli has a copy of the Bible, the book he wants. Eli sneaks out of his room and goes to the store across the street, where he had earlier given the Engineer (Tom Waits) his portable music player to recharge the battery.

Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 7.0/10- The Biblical references and importance of the Bible was great, but the dialogue and story was mostly dull and lacked interesting characters.

Action: 6.5/10- The few action scenes that are there were cool but it could have been filmed better.

Acting: 6.9/10- Denzel Washington was great, easily the best performance of the film. Although Gary Oldman is one of my favorite actors, his performance was severely lacking, the worst performance I have seen from him. Mila Kunis was not very believable in her role, especially at the end, it was ridiculous.

Special effects: 3.5/10- Many of the backgrounds looked fake and more like television quality than film. Also the filter used on most of the film reduced the quality far too much.

Soundtrack: 2.5/10- There was barely a soundtrack in the movie but that was not a problem for me.

Comedy: 6.0/10- There were some very funny parts and the dark twisted sense of humor actually worked for the movie.

Would I Watch This Again: Probably not, there is little reason for a second viewing.

Overall: 6.9/10- Overall The Book of Eli was good but had a lot of lost potential.

Closing comments: As much as I wanted to really like The Book of Eli, it just did not work as well as it could have.

Recommended for: Post-apocalyptic fans, Denzel Washington fans,

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If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Top 100 Movies: Part 9: 20-11.

Top 20! From this point on, all of the films featured on my blog's header above are on the list from this on. Hopefully next week I can post my Top 10 and then my two video tributes and an updated Top 100 list.
 

 
At Number 20: The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is an excellent movie, one of the better comic book movies ever made and a blast to watch. Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is 95% of the reason why the movie is great, not to say that the other parts are not great, but the Joker was much more interesting than anything about Nolan's Batman. In the end, The Dark Knight is just a ton of fun watch. " "How about a magic trick, watch me make this pencil disappear."
 


At Number 19: The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises is a true enigma. The entertainment side of brain enjoyed the heck out it because it was a lot of fun, yet the logical side is saying "How can you enjoy a movie with so many plot holes that are even more apparent upon each viewing!". Well, the entertainment side won in the end because it ranks so highly on this list. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman was 96% of the reason why I enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises so much. Among the characters Nolan adapted to the big screen, she was the closest to how I envisioned the character from the comics. If you enjoy the movie as I do that's great, if not, more power to you. I will not go into detail as to what plot holes I am referring to, just watch the "Honest Trailer" or "Cinema Sins" videos.
 
 



At Number 18: Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is one of those really relatable films that does everything right. Because few people, other than film critics, actually like Spider-Man 2 near as much as I do, here are some interesting stats backing up why this is one of my favorite films. 1: It holds a higher "Rotten Tomatoes" rating than The Dark Knight Rises. 2: Roger Ebert gave it 4/4 stars and cited it as the best comic book to date. 3: Leonard Maltin included it on his "Best Films of the Decade" list, not The Dark Knight and stated it was the best comic book film until The Avengers.




 
At Number 17: Thor
An unorthodox choice for sure, Thor took me surprise in 2011 by how well it transferred the Asgardian realm to the big screen. Thor had to have been the most difficult to get right among The Avengers, or any comic book character for that matter, to make work on film but Kenneth Branagh brought the world of Asgard to life. The film's brotherly conflict between Thor and Loki was the heart of its success to me though. Also Loki being the best movie villain since Darth Vader didn't either.  


At Number 16: Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America is been my favorite comic book hero and The First Avenger is probably the most accurate to source material comic book film to date. Captain America: The First Avenger was a fantastic throwback to classic films from 40s in terms of style, which worked brilliantly at giving the audience an "old-timey" feel. Also it made me feel proud to be an American yet the patriotism never felt overpowering as to distract from film's story.
Captain America: The First Avenger




At Number 15: Iron Man
Iron Man, the first stepping stone on the rode to The Avengers, could the movie have been any better? Never before has an actor owned his role like Robert Downey Jr. did as Tony Stark. Iron Man the first successful "B-List" hero to be adapted to the big screen and now he is a household name, maybe even Marvel's most popular hero. Gwyneth Paltrow was impeccable as Pepper Potts. Her dialogue with Downey is some of the best I have seen in a film to date.


At Number 14: Iron Man 3
Sure, it may be a little early to rank Iron Man 3 so highly on my list, but as of right now, it certainly its place on the list. When I re-watch the film the ranking may change and I can just change the list. Never before have I been so utterly shocked and dumbfounded sitting in theaters than Iron Man 3, which is saying something since I usually spot plot twists before they happen. Iron Man 3 concluded the Iron Man trilogy in spectacular and satisfying fashion.
 



At Number 13: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Unlike the other Star Wars prequels, I believe Revenge of the Sith is a legitimately good movie. It definitely has its flaws, but there is a lot to like about Ep. III. For the most part it wraps up loose ends, gave us a satisfying conclusion, and some insanely awesome Lightsaber battles. Ewan McGregor really came into his own and Hayden Christensen even gave a watchable performance.




At Number 12: The Matrix
The Matrix, still blowing minds 14 years later! The action scenes in the film are a true spectacle. In terms of one-on-one, hand-to-hand fights, The Matrix is unmatched. Watching the film helped me as a critic to become more skilled in critiquing action scenes and fight choreography. The Matrix is the ultimate tech-geek/cyber-punk film and being a tech-geek myself, that is one of the many reason it appeals to me.
 
 


At Number 11: Inception
Inception in two words: Mind Blowing! Not only is Inception an awesome film, it was the film that launched my film critiquing hobby because it was the first film that I reviewed. Christopher Nolan crafted one of the most original films since Star Wars with Inception. While a few of the concepts may have been used before, the way he made it came together worked so brilliantly and, to my knowledge, has never been done before or since.
Inception Review.

What do you think of the list thus far? Please comment below.
 
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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Doctor Who Season 7 Review: Part 2.

Here is the continuation of my Doctor Who Season 7 Review, click here to read part 1.

The Bells of Saint John: The actual start to second half of the season re-introducing Clara again because of what happened in the previous episode. The Bells of Saint John was pure fun! Nonstop adventure with Matt Smith at his wacky best.
Rating: 9.7/10

The Rings of Akhaten: While not bad compared to most shows on television, The Rings of Akhaten might just be the worst Matt Smith episodes of his run as the Doctor. Why so much singing gibberish! However, the Doctor speech was excellent at the end and Clara had some more development.
Rating: 6.2/10

Cold War: Basically this episode was Alien mixed with The Hunt for Red October and it worked out brilliantly. Cold War had a perfect combination of suspense and humor, plus there were some good fun with the TARDIS' language translator.
Rating: 9.5/10

Hide: Considering that I have an interest in both real paranormal investigation and the hilarious Ghostbusters movie, I loved this blast of creepy fun. We learn more about some "wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey... stuff."
Rating: 9.7/10

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS: This is one of the few times where we get a chance to see the inside of the TARDIS, which could have been disappointing, yet it was very satisfying. *Spoiler* When first watching it, the ending making everything in the episode never actually happen was kind of disappointing, until Clara remembered during "The Name of the Doctor". So in the end, the episode was better in retrospect. *End Spoiler*
Rating: 9.4/10

The Crimson Horror: Neither the best nor worst of the season, The Crimson Horror was a solid entry focusing on Vastra and Jenny but so much Vastra this season? Doesn't the present of humanoid lizard lady kind of screw up time? Again, Strax was great, one of the best background characters of the series. Some of the episode was a little too corny for my taste compared to other episodes, but it had its moments.
Rating: 8.3/10

Nightmare in Silver: *Minor Spoiler* Except for the "Easy Button" ending, *End Spoiler* the episode was quite fun and entertaining. Unfortunately the presence of child actors almost always make thing worse, even if they were not nearly as bad as I originally expected. It was good Warwick Davis is another role though and Clara really had a chance to shine.
Rating: 9.3/10

The Name of the Doctor: To sum up the episode up in two word *Mind Blown*. Matt Smith had his A-game on for the episode and Jenna-Louise Coleman was so amazing. A perfect and satisfying conclusion to the mystery of the "Impossible Girl", "The Name of the Doctor" did just about everything right for a thrilling finale, even if it did leave me with more questions than answers.
Rating: 9.9/10

*Major Spoilers* The scene where Clara enters the Doctor's time-stream gives me chills every time, one of the best moments in Doctor Who history. *End Spoiler*




Clara Oswin Oswald: The Impossible Girl
 
 
 Despite my original skepticism, I absolutely adored Clara! How can she be so perfect! At first I was thinking "How could Amy and Rory ever be replaced, they were the best" but Clara basically made me forget they were ever gone. By the "Cold War" episode I was beginning to think she might already one of the best companions the Doctor has had and by the finale she taken the number one spot as my favorite companion. She is spunky and clever and had dynamite chemistry with the Doctor. I love her accent and wit. Everything about her character is just so well done, hopefully she will stay on for the duration of Matt Smith's run as the Doctor, as of now, I cannot get enough of her. On an irrational note, Clara may be the most attractive companion yet. 
"The soufflé isn't the soufflé, the soufflé is the recipe."

 
Soundtrack: 10/10- Hands down Doctor Who has the best soundtrack on television! The many variations of the "I am the Doctor Who" were incredible, one of my all-time favorite themes in any of its incarnations. "Clara's Theme" was positively beautiful, perfectly capturing the character's innocence and other traits.

Overall: 9.7/10- Not the best Doctor Who season, but it was back to more of the classic fun adventure that made Doctor Who so entertaining to watch.

Closing comments: Season 7 reminds yet again why Doctor Who is the best show on television.

Have you seen Season 7? Do you plan to watch it soon? What did you think of Clara? Please comment below.
 
If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Review.

You voted for it, so here is the review for "KHAAAAAAAN!"
Thoughts: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is possibly the most improved sequel compared to the previous film in the series. It is considered by many to be the best Star Trek film, although I still prefer First Contact, it is still one of the best. Wrath of Khan picks up on a story setup in the episode "Space Seed", which I have not seen, but the movie does give the audience enough information for things to make sense. Also it is not necessary (or even recommended) to watch the previous Star Trek film, which is fortunate, because it was terrible.
In the recent Abrams Star Trek there was a Starfleet test named "Kobayashi Maru" that trains cadets how to handle a "No Win" scenario, however Kirk discovered a way to win by cheating. I did not know at the time that it was a reference to Wrath of Khan, which makes the other movie better in retrospect.
Now about the villain Khan or as Kirk would say "KHAAAAAAAN!" played Ricardo Montalbán, who reprises his role of from the episode "Space Seed". He is a very flamboyant and absurdly over-the-top villain. Although he is fun to watch, it is sometimes difficult to actually take him seriously (more on Montalbán's performance below)


Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure,
Release Date: June 4, 1982
Running Time: 112 minutes
MMPA rating: PG


The Good: Much improved compared to previous movie, Top notch performances, Excellent and unexpected ending, Good use of humor, James Horner soundtrack,

The Bad:



Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
The film opens with Lieutenant Saavik (Kirstie Alley) in command of the starship USS Enterprise. The vessel is on a rescue mission to save the crew of a damaged ship in the Neutral Zone along the border with Klingon space when it is attacked by Klingon cruisers and critically damaged. The "attack" is revealed to be a simulator training exercise known as the "Kobayashi Maru"; a no-win scenario designed to test the character of Starfleet officers. Admiral James T. Kirk oversees the simulator session of Captain Spock's trainees. Celebrating his birthday, Kirk is later joined for drinks by Dr. McCoy, who advises him to get a new command and not waste his career behind a desk.
The USS Reliant is on a mission to search for a lifeless planet for testing of the Genesis Device, a torpedo that reorganizes matter to create habitable worlds for colonization but can also destroy planets. Reliant officers Commander Pavel Chekov and Captain Clark Terrell beam down to the surface of a possible candidate planet, Ceti Alpha VI, where they are captured by genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh. The Enterprise discovered Khan's ship adrift in space fifteen years previously; Kirk exiled Khan and his fellow supermen from 20th century Earth to Ceti Alpha V. Khan reveals that after they were marooned, Ceti Alpha VI exploded, destroying Ceti Alpha V's ecosystem and shifting its orbit.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 8.3/10- While there are a few dumb moments that Star Trek always has like sending the most important officers to recon on dangerous planets, but it is forgivable considering that it almost always happens in Star Trek. Although the pacing could have picked-up in a few areas, the concepts and themes were well executed. According to another critic's analysis, there are many allusions to classic works of literature such as Moby Dick.

Action: 6.4/10- There is not much action, however the space battle is well filmed similar to how submarines fought during World War II. There are a few short fist fight as well.

Acting: 8.0/10- William Shatner's was not nearly as corny as he was in the other movie or TV series and gave a solid performance. Leonard Nimoy as Spock gave an excellent performance, unfortunately he does not have significant screen-time until the later portion of the film. One of my favorite characters, Doctor McCoy played by DeForest Kelley, was hilarious as usual with his sarcastic wit and humor. Ricardo Montalbán's performance as Khan was campy and mostly fun to watch, even if he was not a very serious villain.

Special effects: 8.2/10- While I usually do not mind dated design and special effects, some of the spaceship's interior looked kind of cheesy. The other effects were solid overall but nothing compared to Star Wars five years earlier. Fortunately the Starfleet uniforms look much better than the previous film's ridiculous jump-suits.

Soundtrack: 8.0/10- Since famous composer, Jerry Goldsmith, was busy scoring other films, a relatively unknown composer at time by the name of James Horner composed the soundtrack. As any film score buff should know, he would later go on to compose scores for films such as Braveheart, Avatar, and The Amazing Spider-Man. His score was good, mostly taking cues from Goldsmith's classic theme.

Comedy: 7.8/10- While there is not a lot of humor throughout, what is there never feels out of place and works well within the context of the film.

Would I Watch This Again: If I decide to re-watch the Star Trek movies again, which I enviably will, this will definitely be worth a second viewing.

Overall: 8.0/10- Overall Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is easily one of the best Star Trek films to date and an excellent addition to the franchise.

Closing comments: Although I consider Wrath of Khan slightly overrated, nonetheless it was so much better than the previous entry in the franchise but the near perfect ending really makes the movie great.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi fans,


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If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Trivia Questions and Answers.

Name the movie and character these quotes is from:
"We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly."
 
What is the name of the little alien thing sitting by Jabba the Hutt's tail in Return of the Jedi?
 
What is the name of Superman's dog?
 
 
Here are last week's answers.
 
Name the movie and characters these quotes are from: Character 1: This place is about to blow and drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us.
Character 2: Like the pharaohs of old.
Answer: The Avengers
 
  
True or False Questions: 
1: The "T" in James T. Kirk stands for "Tiberius".
 True
2: In the Halloween, Michael Myers' mask was a Leonard Nimoy mask painted white.
False
 
3: Gene Roddenberry's son had a Star Wars birthday party.
True

4: The name of the first pilot episode of Star Trek was named "Where No Man Has Gone Before".
False

5: The alien words "Keelah se'lai" and "bosh'tet" come from the Vulcan language.
False

Here are two more Trek related trivia questions:
6: Who invented the warp drive?
Zefram Cochrane
 
7: Where was Captain Kirk born?
 Riverside, Iowa
 
 
 
 
 
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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Return of the Jedi 30th Anniversary and Blog Update.

On this day 30 years ago Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi premiered and concluded the greatest piece of fiction ever told. To celebrate this here are some awesome Star Wars videos! Now for an important announcement, due to what is happening in my life right now I may not be able to post every day of the week as I have been for the past two years, however I plan to try and keep it up for as long as possible. Here is a quick upcoming schedule for this blog:
Sunday: Trivia
Monday: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Tuesday: Doctor Who Season 7 Review Part 2
Wednesday: Top Movies 20-11: Part 9
Thursday: The Book of Eli Review
Friday: Name That Soundtrack
 
Note: The following schedule is subject to change.
 
 

Here is one of the deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi spliced together with the original scenes from the film.



One of the Robot Chicken's many hilarious Star Wars parodies.



Another Robot Chicken parody.



Here is the complete Star Wars soundtrack.




 
If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Elementary (Sherlock Holmes) Season 1 Review.

Thoughts: Elementary is an American adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories that aired on CBS and features some large differences with the original source material, namely Watson being a woman. If you read my review for the pilot episode, which you can click here to read, I was extremely skeptical about said change and the series in general. To my surprise however, both Watson and the series were great. The majority of this review is spoiler-free and I will give due warning before any real spoilers are stated.
At first the series appeared to be just another procedural crime drama like other thousands of clichéd ones on network television today however, after several episodes it quickly separated its self of the pack with better characters and more likeable characters than most other shows and some good mysteries. While there were some mysteries that could not be solved from the audience's perspective, others were well written mysteries with just enough information given to solve it, although a few were kind of obvious. The first thing anyone watching the series should know is that Elementary is not a good adaptation in terms of being faithful to the source material. The problem is that the series does not resemble Sherlock Holmes compared to the source material (according to a knowledgeable friend) and only uses characters' names and a few aspects of said characters to make people want to watch it. While I have not read many of the stories (one to be exact and it was a very long time ago), I know someone who has read every Holmes story written by Doyle and I have read many posts by super-fan and fellow blogger Buddy2Blogger. Also I have always been a fan of many Sherlock adaptation and I have seen the recent films, BBC's Sherlock, many of the old Bail Rathbone films and a few other. However, I do plan to read "A Study in Scarlett" at some point later this year whenever I have the time.
Because this is a review of the series as a whole, any statements made are referring to combination of all episodes, for example Jonny Lee Miller's performance was excellent for the most part, yet there were a few episodes where he was not on his A-game. Now a look at the characters:

Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes: Miller's take on the character has a few of the same qualities as the many previous incarnations of the Great Detective and he brings something new to the table. His mannerisms are probably the best aspect of his performance. Miller is a lot of fun to watch as the, he delivers his dialogue with wit and often good comedic timing during some scenes. His chemistry with Lucy Liu as Watson is great and it is refreshing to see a non-romantic relationship between a man and woman, hopefully it will stay that way. A big topic of the show is how Sherlock is a recovering drug addict and Watson is his "sober companion" for several months. My biggest problem with his portrayal is not necessarily Miller's fault as it is the writers'; Holmes is a womanizer and with the except of the deceased Irene Adler, he is only interested in the physical aspect of relationships. Fortunately this is only covered to much extent in the a few episodes, particularly the pilot and "The Deductionist". Something else that will probably annoy fans is that Holmes becomes emotionally compromised, which interferes with his deduction abilities, contrary to the source material.

Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson: Yes, I know that I said making Watson a woman was a terrible idea but it actually turned out surprising well. She was one of the best parts of the series. Keeping somewhat to the source material, Joan Watson is former surgeon who became a "sober companion" for reasons later explained as the series progressed. Unlike many of the Watsons that have been portrayed in other mediums, Liu's version is much more useful and becomes a capable detective later in the series. Her banter with Holmes is often quite humorous and Miller is usually at his best when acting off of Liu.

Aidan Quinn as Captain Tobias "Toby" Gregson: Typically in most Sherlock Holmes adaptation Inspector Lestrade works with Holmes as his conduit to the law, in this version however, Aidan Quinn as Captain Gregson plays in a similar role. Gregson has a history with Holmes when the two were back in Scotland Yard and Holmes was working as a consultant. Quinn gives a solid performance as a typical New York cop. Captain Gregson is loosely based on a character mentioned in "A Study in Scarlett" (thanks Buddy2Blogger for the info).

Jon Michael Hill as Detective Marcus Bell: Bell is Gregson's assistant and often conflicts with Sherlock's theories, especially early on in the series. While there are a few episodes were he is given some character development, Detective Bell is mostly a background character. Bell is not a character from the Sherlock Holmes cannon, however he is named after Joseph Bell, who is credited as inspiring the character of Sherlock Holmes (thanks Buddy2Blogger again for the info).

Natalie Dormer as Irene Adler: As it is revealed early on in the series, Irene was murdered by the mysterious Professor M and is only shown in flashbacks.

There are two main opinions of Elementary. 1: The fan for the most part, absolutely hate it or at least dislike it. 2: Many of the critics opinion ranges from good to fantastic, but in general critics the reviews are positive. Being a critic, I believe the show to be very good and definitely worth a watch and among the scripted show I watch on network TV, it is the best. Also the series is often in the Top 10 most viewed shows every week and it has already been renewed for another season.


Overall: 8.2/10- As with any TV series, not all episodes are fantastic, more often than not however, Elementary is an excellent mystery series with good use of humor and entertaining characters.

Closing comments: Basically, if you are a fan of the source material you will probably dislike it, however I recommend you give it a shot if you are the least bit interested and if you are not a fan or just enjoy good TV it is definitely worth watching.

Thank to Buddy2Blogger for answering my questions about the Sherlock Holmes source material. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan I recommend checking out his blog, just be careful of spoilers in his recent Elementary reviews.


If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Top 100 Movies: Part 8: 32-21.

Since starting this list of my favorite films, I have seen several movie that should make the list. Two of which are within my Top 30, therefore I have pushed back some of the movies on my previous list. For example: On my previous post "Rear Window" ranked 32th, with my new additions however, "The Untouchables" now holds that spot because it was pushed down the list after watching other two films, which were even better. To clarify, after I finish the list, I will post a full Top 100 Movies complete with all the updates films and number order.
Now on to the list: From number 30 on the list forward, nearly all of the films fall into one of three categories: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Comic Book because I am a geek/nerd and those genres are what I enjoy most. Also please remember that these are my "favorite" movies not the "best". I will admit that some of them are not all that great in terms of being a "good film".
 
 
At Number 32: The Untouchables
Probably the best movie based on real historical events, The Untouchables follows the story Eliot Ness taking down Al Copone's criminal empire. Sean Connery's Oscar winning was core of the movie's success and Kevin Cosner was excellent as well. Oddly enough, I am having second thoughts about where on this the list the film should rank, because I feel it should be a tad lower, maybe I will update the list with it in a different spot later on.
 

At Number 31: The Outlaw Josey Wales
One of Clint Eastwood's early attempts at directing remains his best, as the hardcore Josey Wales. The Outlaw Josey Wales breaks the mold of traditional westerns with a grittier style yet still contains Eastwood's classic wry sense of humor. Why haven't more people seen The Outlaw Josey Wales? It is all too often forgotten.
Warning: Although it was rated "PG" at the time, it would certainly be rated "R" today.


At Number 30: X2: X-Men United
Before Spider-Man 2, The Dark Knight, and Iron Man, X2: X-Men United was the king of comic book films and it still holds up so well today. Huge Jackman was awesome as Wolverine devilling further into his mystery past (which was ruined by the horrible Wolverine: Origins). X2 really set the new standard for comic book sequels with bigger action, more character development and an ending that made X-Men fans everywhere excited for the next installment.
 

At Number 29: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Some love it, other hate it, but as a hardcore Indiana Jones fan, the Temple of Doom is still a blast! Spielberg and Lucas did not take the easy route and rehash Raiders' story and tone, but took a chance that they should be applauded for. Even if you cannot stand Willie's annoying complaining, the action is almost equal to Raiders and Short Round is a fun character.
 

 
At Number 28: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Until this time last year, I had never seen a single Harry Potter movie, but after watching all eight, the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was the epic finale the franchise deserved. While the other Harry Potter movies were good, this one elevated the series to another level entirely, even with a few minor flaws.
 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 could not have ended any better and made the previous seven films all the more worth it.


At Number 27: X-Men: First Class
After two disappointing X-Men films, First Class revitalized the X-Men franchise with a fresh new setting. Going back to the year 1960 during the Cold War brilliantly combines real history and fiction. Michael Fassbender killed it as Magneto and James McAvoy gave a compelling performance as Xavier. X-Men: First Class is an Xcellent film (pun intended).




 
At Number 26: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
OK, I am going to get so much flack for these next two choices but it is very important to know that this is my "Favorite" movies not the "Best" movies. I am a hardcore Star Wars fanatic, even if the Phantom Menace is very flawed there are still things to enjoy about it. Jar Jar is an abomination, the second worst part of the Star Wars universe, and Jake Lloyd was awful as Anakin, however Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were awesome in the movie, plus the Lightsaber duel at the end was so freaking cool. This pick is mostly guided by nostalgia. Roger Ebert gave the movie 3.5/4 stars, which is higher than what he gave The Dark Knight Rises even. Also the Darth Plagueis book makes The Phantom Menace a better movie with new insight into back story of the characters. 
 

 
At Number 25: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
After debating between Attack of the Clones and the Phantom Menace, the Attack of the Clones came out on top. Even though some parts of the movie were terrible like the romance scenes or Hayden Christensen's performance, the movie is still fun a ride for Star Wars fans. It introduced the Clones and setup for the best thing to happen to Star Wars since the original trilogy, The Clone Wars TV series.



At Number 24: Skyfall
Being a James Bond fan, Skyfall was everything that fans of both new and old Bond films wanted to see and then some. Sam Mendes delved deeper into Bond's character making him a real and believable human. Hands-down, my favorite James Bond film to date, let's hope Mendes decides to come back for the sequel.
Skyfall Review: Part 2.


 At Number 23: Aliens
After watching Aliens a couple of weeks ago, I have to say that it was one of the most thrilling, pulse-pounding, film experiences I have had in a very long time. Although the first Alien was great and will be included somewhere lower on my updated Top 100 list, James Cameron's Aliens what the first Alien film, cranked it up a thousand fold, and jammed some ridiculously awesome action scenes into it. Look for my full review of the film on the next "Reader's Choice" post.   
 
 
At Number 22: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Before Titanic James Cameron actually made a few freaking awesome sci-fi films and T2 might just be his best. It was difficult to decide between Aliens and T2, but T2 has the nostalgia factor because it has been one of my favorites for a very long time. The effects Everything about Judgment Day was bigger, bolder and all the more awesome than its predecessor, too bad the sequels did not turn out so well.
 
 

At Number 21: The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man gave us an excellent adaptation of my favorite superhero origin story. As great as Toby Maguire was in the role, Andrew Garfield is the quintessential Peter Parker. I am probably the only person in the world likes the movie nearly this much, but a good analogy would be if your favorite book ever written was adapted exactly as you imagined. Even though the non-origin parts could have been slightly better, the film lived up to its "Amazing" title.
The Amazing Spider-Man Review.

 What do you think of the list thus far? Please comment below. Also check back tomorrow for my Elementary Season 1 review.
 
If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.
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