Suicide Squad Review

Panned by critics, praised by fanboys, and breaking box office records, Suicide Squad is yet another divisive film from DC!

Wow, now this is one difficult review to write. Walking into the theater without a single notion of the abysmal critical response helped to remove the bias of expecting to tear it apart. In fact, walking to the truck after movie, I was thoroughly entertained and had a great time. But that does not mean I necessarily disagree with the consensus. Honestly, if DC just cannot make quality superhero flicks, a small part of me just wants their movies to fail so hard that it kills the franchise, so as stop oversaturating the superhero genre. Of course, by making so much money regardless of what people say, that is not happening anytime soon.

Let's get back to the film itself. If you hate Suicide Squad, that's fine by me; it is completely understandable. In many ways, it does deserve the panning t. DC just cannot get their stuff together no matter how hard they try. However, as you will find in my review, Suicide Squad does the absolute most important aspect so much better than Batman v Superman….

Directed by: David Ayer
Genre: Action, Comic Book, Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2016
Running Time: 123 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Harley Quinn, Excellent main cast, Will Smith is great, Joker scenes, Great humor, Rocking soundtrack, After credits scenes (finally), Good first 20 minutes, Great chemistry between cast, Jai Courtney isn't bad, El Diablo's backstory, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller kills it, Fanservice and Easter Eggs,

The Bad: Awful antagonist, Generic Third Act, A bit too obvious at times, Missed opportunities, Messy plot composition, Some music doesn't work, Subpar CGI,

Plot: 3.0/10- Ultimately, the plot is where is where Suicide Squad falls flat. Despite having so many potential options for the central plot and antagonist, Suicide Squad takes the most clichéd, generic, and boring route to drive the plot forward. Apparently, it is even essentially the same final act as this year's Ghostbusters! With a premise of villains essentially being forced into covert Black Ops missions for the government, the best central plot should have been obvious, but alas, it's a huge missed opportunity (who signs off on this stuff!?).

Another issue with the plot is that the narrative is messy and jumps around from flashback to flashback to side plot to other side plot. The messy editing did not detract from the entertainment value, but it certainly could have been much better, especially considering that the Harley flashbacks are the most interesting part.

Characterization: 8.6/10- For first time, DC made me care about their characters. Suicide Squad's cast of quirky characters is what keeps it from being a bad film. In fact, for me at least, the characters elevated the film to a thoroughly entertaining experience.

Harley Quinn is easily the standout. Harley Quinn has been one of, if not, my absolute favorite character in all of DC ever since her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series. And this portrayal of the character does not disappoint. She isn't quite the show-stopper she could have been, but as a fan, Harley Quinn finally hits the big screen in brilliantly quirky, humorous, and fiendish fashion. Her flashbacks with the Joker are a highlight of the film, although it should have been an entire film instead of just flashbacks.

Speaking of the Joker, contrary to the marketing, he is neither the main antagonist nor a central aspect of the film. Since I never place any value in trailers or marketing, his lack of screen time wasn't disappointing. He is just not a main part of the film and that's fine, although what he is in is quite good.

Deadshot, along with Harley, are the real stars of the films. His backstory and characterization is quite good. You actually care about the character and his reasons for what he does. His one-liners are funny, and his character motivation with his daughter is well executed.

El Diablo's story might be emotionally manipulative to some, but it works. Captain Boomerang is a surprise as his character is hysterical, albeit seemingly useless in a fight. Killer Croc is barely relevant, except for some humorous moments and action sequences. Katana is underused, with only one relevant scene. Enchantress' motivations are poorly conceived, and Rick Flag is just kind of OK. However, Amanda Waller is a standout among the cast with a strong presence and an overall interesting character.

Direction: 6.0/10- David Ayer's direction is hit and miss. The first 20 minutes are full of style and fun visuals. Unfortunately, that same style does not permeate the rest of the film in the same way. The action sequences are uninspired and generally unimpressive. However, the cast's quirks and fun traits elevate relatively average action sequences into a thoroughly viewing experience for me at least. Nothing about the action is bad. There's no shaky-cam or poor editing. It's just not amazing or impressive.

Acting: 8.4/10- Suicide Squad's cast is certainly a highlight. Margot Robbie plays an excellent Harley Quinn! Will Smith plays a very Will Smith type of Deadshot, yet it works quite well, making this his most memorable role in years. Despite minimal screen time, Jared Leto's Joker makes a good impression with a distinctly different take on the character that could be expanded upon in later films. Viola Davis is incredibly menacing and portrays Waller perfectly. Shockingly, Jai Courtney does not suck. Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag is serviceable, and the rest of the cast are fine with no noticeably strong or weak performances.

Special effects: 6.0/10- With a $175 million budget, you'd think the CGI would look a lot better. It's rather mediocre for one character in particular. The rest of the special effects are fine, but unimpressive.

Soundtrack: 8.8/10- Suicide Squad's soundtrack tries to mimic the success of Guardians of the Galaxy with a collection of catchy music from different eras. Most of the music, even songs from genres I dislike, are a lot of fun and got me hyped up in certain scenes. The usage of the songs can feel a bit unnecessary and forced, although it created a more fun tone. However, using "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, a song used in Guardians of the Galaxy, was a huge mistake because it just reminds the audience of the far superior film that Suicide Squad is attempting to copy.

Humor: 8.5/10- Honestly, Suicide Squad is a funny movie! It has a good sense of humor with some good one-liners and humorous interactions between the cast of quirky characters. Sure, it pales in comparison to Marvel's wit, but that's expected.

Entertainment Value: 9.4/10- Honestly, Suicide Squad was a largely entertaining experience. The characters kept me invested in the story, and while the narrative is a mess, it never detracted from my fun with all the quirky characters. Unlike Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad is not a self-important slog with dreadfully boring characters, and honestly, I rather watch a shallow movie with characters I actually care about than one that thinks it's deep with horrendous characters.

Overall: 7.0/10- Featuring DC's best cast of characters to date and some surprisingly amount of heart, Suicide Squad's painfully derivative antagonist and conflict mixed with an otherwise messy narrative makes for a very fun and stylish film with numerous flaws. With that said, if you can connect with the characters and enjoy the style, Suicide Squad is worth at least a rent.

Closing comments: If you hated Suicide Squad, that's perfectly fine. In fact, I do not disagree with you. Suicide Squad is not a great movie. It's just OK, and if you like the characters, then it's a fun movie, nothing more, nothing less.

Recommended for: DC fans, Anti-hero fans, Harley Quinn fans,

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X-Men: Apocalypse Review

X-Men: Apocalypse, the latest superhero adventure in a summer full of superhero flicks, and a sort of trilogy conclusion to the X-Men: First Class trilogy of films. Can this next X-Men film stand against the various other superhero films this summer? Well, let's find out!

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Genre: Action, Comic Book, Sci-Fi,

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Running Time: 144 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Quicksilver's scene is one of the best movie scenes all year, Magneto continues to be the emotional core. Superb performances across the board, Epic cameo, Apocalypse is a unique type of evil, Often quite funny, Impressive kills, Excellent new cast, Great soundtrack, 80s setting and references, Star Wars meta-humor, Revising history, Oscar Isaac nails it, Quicksilver is the best thing ever, Impressive special effects, Interesting world building,

The Bad: Less accessible to those not invested in the franchise, One missed opportunity, Somewhat generic finale,

Plot: 7.2/10- Opening with a scene in ancient Egypt, the film shows how Apocalypse was buried for thousands of years before being resurrected in 1982, the setting of the film. After the events of Days of Future Past, mutants are known by, and in some places, accepted among the general public. The world building is the first thing that stands out. X-Men revisionist history of the 1980s contains many of the familiar pop culture references, which makes the alternate world feel real.

One common criticism is that the first hour of the film is slow, and in some respects, that is valid. Personally, the first hour of collecting Apocalypse's Four Horsemen and the introduction of the new X-Men was entertaining throughout. However, my enjoyment of the buildup might be more so due to my love of the characters and franchise.

Apocalypse's weakest aspect is probably the finale. It's not especially unique compared to other superhero movies, at least narratively speaking. The events that take place are quite different and fun, but the central conflict is ultimately: "Bad guy wants to destroy the world. Good guys try to stop him." For me, it wasn't much of an issue.

X-Men's other weak point is that if you are not invested in the X-Men franchise and remember the previous films, much of the depth is lost. X-Men has been around for 16 years, so the lack of accessibility is certainly an issue. Actually, I have noticed that among younger and new superhero movie fans introduced to the genre during the new MCU era, those fans just do not care about the X-Men. They might go see them in theaters, but the fandom is lacking even half the enthusiasm and voice of the MCU, which is a shame. 

Characterization: 8.2/10- Magneto is a highlight in the film. His scenes have so much weight and pathos thanks to Fassbender and the previous development of the character. There is so much emotion to his scenes during the early parts of the film. Unfortunately, he does not play a major role in the middle portion of the film, and the engaging interaction between him and Professor X is minimal. However, everything about his character works so well, despite limited screen time.

Professor X does not have the powerful character arc of Days of Future Past because, at this point, his character is established and stable as he aids the younger generation. Mystique is.... fine the film. Her role serves its purpose in an interesting way for the plot. Hank McCoy, aka Beast, plays a relatively small part as the teacher guiding his students, much like the comics.

Apocalypse, the film's titular antagonist, portrays an interesting type of villainy. Some complain that he lacks menace, partially due to Oscar Isaac's relatively small stature. However, to me, this take on Apocalypse is more of a cult leader giving off an air of benevolence and almost kindness to his followers. Compared to the typical maniacal villain that's trying to takeover the world, Apocalypse's refreshingly calm presence makes for a strong villain. Unfortunately, the finale with Apocalypse is a bit of a letdown after him being such a powerful figure in the comics.

While the other characters all serve their part well, the true standouts are Quicksilver and the new cast members for Scott, Jean, and Nightcrawler. Quicksilver's role and characterization are greatly expanded upon compared to Days of Future Past. And his main scene is absolutely spectacular, easily the best part of the movie; true show stealing stuff. While you might not be able to tell from his part in the original X-Men trilogy, Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, is actually a cool character, almost like the Captain America of the X-Men, so it was great to see a young version of the character being portrayed so well. Jean Grey is equally as stellar in the film, and the subtle romance between the characters is excellently executed. Nightcrawler has been sorely missed from the X-Men films, so it is also great to see his character reestablished. As an X-Men fan, seeing characters other than Wolverine being the focal point is a true pleasure. Storm is also introduced, although her role is smaller, albeit still well executed. With that said, what the heck happened to Jubilee's screen time!?

Direction: 8.5/10- Bryan Singer really knows how to make an X-Men film, despite his reluctance to commit to the classic costumes. His visual style really works, as the film looks and sounds like the 80s. The action sequences, while expectedly inferior to Captain America: Civil War, are rather impressive. The mutant powers on display are fun to watch as no other superheroes have quite the wide range of power sets that the X-Men possess.

Acting: 9.2/10- X-Men's cast is always a highlight and Apocalypse is no exception. Michael Fassbender shines bright with a performance full of gravitas and weight, even more like Sir Ian McKellen's take on the character. Despite having less to do this time around, James McAvoy continues to give a top notch performance. While "phoning-it-in" is an exaggeration, Jennifer Lawrence does not have the type of screen presence compared to her other recent roles, and Nicholas Hoult is always a joy to watch. Oscar Isaac plays the mix of evil and calm excellently as Apocalypse, even if that is not the type of villain viewers expected. Evan Peters’ charisma and charm continues to be a blast to watch as Quicksilver as he steals every scene. Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Alexandra Shipp all play the younger versions of classic characters superbly with Turner being the standout as Jean Grey. Everyone else in the cast are good as well.

Special effects: 8.8/10- Aside from the occasional bit of noticeable CGI, X-Men: Apocalypse actually manages a lot of CGI heavy scenes incredibly well with the powers providing very colorful and exciting visuals. Of course, Quicksilver's sequence is the highlight as it almost makes you wonder how the heck did they pull it off!? 

Soundtrack: 8.5/10- John Ottman returns to score X-Men: Apocalypse, and his work continues to be high quality and fitting for the film. The use of licensed songs from the 80s added a great sense of fun and familiarity to the period setting.

Humor: 8.7/10- Surprisingly, this is a very funny movie at times. Whether it's Professor X stumbling over his words with MacTaggert or Nightcrawler's clumsiness, the humor is really spot. And again, Quicksilver's scene is brilliant and absolutely hysterical!

Entertainment Value: 9.7/10- As an X-Men fan, X-Men: Apocalypse is a pleasure from beginning to end. The bits of fanservice sprinkled throughout certainly made the film even more fun, especially a certain cameo that was apparently spoiled in a trailer, which I did not see. 

Overall: 8.0/10- Making way for the new generation of characters, X-Men: Apocalypse might suffer from a few nagging narrative issues that bring it down from the instant classic territory of the previous two X-Men films, but its exciting new cast, Magneto's riveting scenes, and stunning display of mutant powers makes it a treat for X-Men fans and a fun superhero flick for everyone else. With that said, if you are not invested in, or familiar with the X-Men franchise, the film's score would probably be more of a mid-sevens, rather than a flat eight.

Closing comments: While definitely weaker than either First Class or Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse is a lot better than the Rotten Tomatoes score gives it credit. Sure, it has flaws, but not every superhero flick can be the masterpiece that is Captain America: Civil War. Below is a review by one of my favorite movie critics and top reviewers on YouTube, Chris Stuckmann, that highlights many of the film's strong points.

Recommended for: X-Men fans, Superhero fans, Action fans,

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Alice Through the Looking Glass Review

Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to stupidly financial success that is Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. It follows Alice on a time-traveling adventure to save the Mad Hatter's family, while running from Time himself.

Alice Through the Looking Glass is not the type of movie that you would normally find in the theater to see. However, due to some circumstances, I went to see this in theater with two of my best friends, so that's why I watched it, and now it's time to review this thing!

Directed by: James Bobin

Genre: Fantasy, Family

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Running Time: 113 minutes

MMPA rating: PG

The Good: Pretty colors, Surprisingly good production value, Funny time puns,

The Bad: Does almost nothing interesting or anything at all, Painfully meh, Weak performances, Depp phones it in,

Plot: 2.9/10- Alice Through the Looking Glass' plot does nothing particularly bad, nor does it do anything good. Despite having too much going on, it feels like nothing is happening. It feels so incredibly generic. But again, there's nothing that is truly awful, just painfully meh.

Characterization: 2.0/10- Wait, did this movie have characters? Well, I guess Alice is a character, and there is the subplot of a woman fighting to have a man's job, which is clichéd yet not dreadfully executed. The Mad Hatter feels so dull. He is the crux of the narrative and yet he's just boring. The Red Queen continues to be a loud caricature that shouts and shouts about chopping off heads. Time is a fun character in a goofy way, and the rest of the cast is boring.

Direction: 4.0/10- James Bobin is no Tim Burton, but nothing about the direction is necessarily bad. It's all serviceable with occasional moments of visual spectacle.

Acting: 1.4/10- Poor performances across the board! Johnny Depp phones it in hard as the Mad Hatter. Mia Wasikowska is a little less wooden than she was in the first film, albeit still bland. Anne Hathaway walks around like she is on drugs, and Helena Bonham Carter is loud and annoying. Sacha Baron Cohen is the only highlight of the film with his goofy, yet humorous, time jokes. Alan Rickman is in one of his final roles briefly voicing a CGI, so that was nice hearing him again after his untimely passing.

Special effects: 6.0/10- If anything, Alice Through the Looking Glass is a pretty film. The CGI is certainly overbearing, but hey, the visuals are occasionally eye-catching if nothing else.

Soundtrack: 6.5/10- Danny Elfman is disappointingly underwhelming. Nothing is stands out at all, which is a shame for an Elfman score.

Humor: 6.2/10- Sacha Baron Cohen's time puns and jokes are silly and childish, yet still managing garish quite a few laughs. The Mad Hatter also has a couple of decent jokes, although nothing else makes an impact.

Entertainment Value: 5.0/10- Thanks to watching this being the first time I had the pleasure of watching a movie with two of my best friends, watching the movie was significantly more fun than it would have otherwise been. With that said, I almost literally nodded off during the film and that has NEVER happened before, so yeah, it was kind of boring.

Overall: 2.9/10- Alice Through the Looking Glass is inoffensive and occasionally charming. However, it does nothing interesting, nothing to make the film's existence worthwhile. It is a colorful children's film and nothing more. But again, it's so inoffensive that I left the theater decently entertained, albeit bored at times. Overall, do not waste your time or money on this film, unless you loved the first film. Otherwise, skip this and watch Civil War again.

Closing comments: What more is there to say? The movie is painfully "meh," so don't waste your time or money on it.

Recommended for: Alice fans,

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Captain America: Civil War Review

Captain America: Civil War is the culmination of the Avenger and Captain America films. As soon as Civil War was announced, it was my most anticipated Marvel film, much more so than Age of Ultron at the time. The Civil War story has the potential to really hit hard emotionally and thematically by saying something meaningful and creating conflict between everyone's favorite two superheroes. And with all of that hype and pressure, can Civil War possibly succeed? Let's find out!

Directed by: Anthony and Joe Russo

Genre: Action, Comic Book, Drama, Sci-Fi,

Release Date: May 6, 2016

Running Time: 147 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Thematic depth, Clash of ideologies, Emotionally riveting, Understandable motivations, The airport battle is literally the best superhero throwdown ever, Spider-Man is absolute perfection, Balanced characters, Stunning visual effects, Superbly choreographed action sequences, Shocking plot twist, Friend against friend, Hilarious dialogue, Perfect tone, Consequences, Strong conclusion, Black Panther is great, Exceptional performances across the board, No "right" side,

The Bad: One small plot convenience, maybe (requires rewatches to confirm),

Plot: 10/10- Captain America: Civil War presents the audience with two opposing ideologies and neither side is strictly in the "right." As the film continues, you might even switch sides at points depending on your own ideals. It brings up meaningful themes on government control and various other issues, which are brilliantly weaved into the narrative and character motivations. Captain America's reasons for fighting are understandable, and Iron Man's reasons are also understandable. And there truly is a war between the two and the supporting cast's reasons for choosing each side makes sense. Motivation is key and Civil War executes that perfectly. Some might have issue with the antagonist, but even his motivations are also reasonable, so it worked.

After some riveting action, Civil War’s pace does slow down. Personally, the pacing is superb because all of the dialogue sets up the characters, presents ideals, and makes you care about the impending battle and conflict. Each plot point moves fluidly, even the Spider-Man introduction, albeit slightly less so. The Russo Brothers do an incredible job balancing the screen time, and despite the darker, more serious, tone, the humor is naturally inserted throughout the film. 

Characterization: 10/10- Despite Iron Man and the various supporting cast, Captain America still shines as the main character. His friendship with Bucky, aka Winter Soldier, is moving. There is such a strong sense of brotherhood between the characters, which drives the narrative. Of course, Iron Man is brilliant. There is so much character development packed into his screen time. Tony is shaken; he is troubled, and his actions reflect that. Seeing Tony and Cap and the rest of the cast battling is enthralling and packed so much emotional weight. Towards the end, the film's emotional impact is brutal because the characters' relationships are so well established, so real; it's stunning. Ultimately, Cap and Tony's actions are driven by personal reasons that I can sympathize with, which is not easy for a movie to accomplish. Neither side is ever the "villain," and it just works.

As for the supporting cast, each character is given their time to shine. Spider-Man is absolute and utter perfection. As a Spidey fan, in less than 10 minutes, Tom Holland won me over 100%. He's funny, witty, and awkward. He is a teenager, and he acts like it. Honestly, I had a bit of a geek heart attack at seeing Spider-Man alongside the MCU characters. Black Panther is seamlessly included in the story without a hitch, as his character drives plot points. Falcon, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the rest of the cast is given just enough time for each character to shine.

Direction: 10/10- The Russo Brothers are masters at their craft. The airport fight scene is unquestionably mind-blowing. It might be the most impression action sequence ever in film, and definitely the best in a superhero flick. The choreography and the inventive use of powers are stunning. It will be a battle that goes down in movie history.

My only visual criticism is that the fight sequence earlier in the film with the Winter Soldier features a few too quick cuts and the 3D made a few seconds a little blurry. Otherwise, the action sequences are superb.

The Russo Brothers' cinematography creates a strong sense of realism. Even though superheroes are throwing around their insane powers, everything looks grounded, which fits the tone. The usage of more practical effects and stunts certainly helps.

Acting: 10/10- Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. obviously take center stage. While you would expect Downey to overpower the cast, Evans remains the focus and the remainder of the cast feels well balanced. Sebastian Stan continues to play an excellent Winter Soldier, and Chadwick Boseman nails Black Panther so well. It cannot be expressed enough, Tom Holland is a Spectacular Spider-Man! And everyone else in the all-star cast hits the mark 100%.

Special effects: 10/10- Marvel movies always deliver stunning visuals and Civil War is no exception. The use of more practical effects compared to The Avengers certainly helped the sense of realism, and many scenes left me wondering what was stunt work and what was computer generated.

Soundtrack: 8.9/10- Henry Jackman's score is the only lacking aspect of the film. It is certainly quite good, especially during the film, but nothing stands out. However, as I listen to the score on its own, my opinion might change.

Humor: 10/10- Despite being a more serious film, Civil War mixes in the perfect amount of humor. Spider-Man is hysterical, Tony is witty, and Ant-Man is way too funny. The Russo Brothers and the screenplay writers really know how to balance the humor and banter, which makes me even more excited for how the Russos will handle Infinity War.

Entertainment Value: 10/10- Captain America: Civil War is one of the best cinematic experiences I have ever had. It is right there with The Force Awaken, and I wanted to see it again as soon as I walked out of the theater. Marvel movies have always been entertaining, but Civil War is on a whole new level.

Overall: 10/10- Captain America: Civil War is near perfection. Emotionally resonate, thematically deep, and insanely fun, it is everything that we needed. Civil War marks a darker chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with consequences that will impact future films, yet it ever loses the joy that Marvel does best. Captain America: Civil War is the Empire Strikes Back of the MCU, a perfect conclusion to the Captain America trilogy, and Marvel's greatest film to date.

Closing comments: My review cannot possibly do justice for how truly brilliant Civil War is. Every other movie this year has a tall order if they want to top this masterpiece of a superhero flick.

Recommended for: Everyone, Marvel fans, Action fans, Sci-Fi fans, Superhero fans,

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Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, the film that launches DC's larger film universe and introduces audiences to a new Batman, yet does it succeed?

With a 29% on the Rotten Tomatoes and many mixed reviews, Batman V Superman is a divisive film. The question is whether or not it deserves such a harsh rating, and by the end of the review, the question will be answered. But admittedly, I feel like I need to say, "I told you so" because BvS is exactly the disjointed and pretentious narrative mess than the trailers implied, yet that does not mean it is all bad.

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Genre: Action, Comic Book, Sci-Fi,

Release Date: March 25, 2016

Running Time: 151 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Ben Affleck is great, Batman looks awesome, Jeremy Irons is brilliantly cast, Wonder Woman is cool, Fun teases for Justice League, One incredible Batman action sequence, Stunning visuals at times, Entertaining action set pieces, Batman parts are excellent, Superb Zimmer OST,

The Bad: Batman kills!? WHAT THE HECK, Jesse Eisenberg is painful to watch, Henry Cavill is wooden, Zero character development, Too many plot threads for one movie, Doomsday is terribly shoehorned in, Disjointed and convoluted narrative, Lacking character motivations, Lazy Justice League setup, Lex's plan?, Laughable dialogue at times,

Plot: 5.2/10- BvS's plot is all over the place. The first two Acts are serious and heavy with drama, with the Batman parts being brilliant, and the Superman parts falling flat. There are discussions of Superman as an almost religious figure, and while some may say that adds thematic depth, it boils down to about ten minutes of news reports blatantly discussing the topic with zero subtly. The theme is essentially dropped as a theme towards the end as soon as the action begins, so it feels hollow.

Many plot points and mature tone of the first half are just dropped as soon as the action starts, and the poor execution across the board does not help either. There are so many missed opportunities throughout the film. However, there are hints of greatness, yet nothing comes to fruition with the final Act being a big throwdown with rushed narrative elements. As for the film as a whole, there are far too many narrative aspects, setup for future films, and general lack of cohesion between the various aspects to really feel like a competent narrative. Additionally, certain plot elements are far too convenient, especially with Lex's plan. However, the film address Man of Steel's largest criticism of pointless destruction with a well executed scene of Bruce Wayne running through the carnage.

Characterization: 5.0/10- Batman V Superman's characters are a big mixed bag. Batman, essentially the star of the film, is mostly brilliant. This Batman is old and seasoned, having fought crime for over 20 years at this point. Affleck's Batman is the most comic book accurate one in live-action yet, except for one very important thing: HE KILLS PEOPLE! With no explanation, Batman fires his machine guns on the Batwing and blows vehicles up with people in them. You never see any specific death scenes, but it is obvious that people are dying. The strange part is that there are no mentions the fact that he kills people. I literally threw my hands up in the air in the theater when he did for the first few times. A one-off line by Alfred, who is great in the film, could have explained everything, but nope, nothing, as if he isn't killing people. So the problem isn't that Batman is killing people, but rather there is no acknowledgement of why or even confirmation that he is killing. Regardless of this strange aspect, Batman is easily the best part of the film as he is a bad*ss and does a little detective/espionage work. Even the Bruce Wayne aspect of the character is arguably better than Bale's portrayal, and Batman's motivations are the only character motivations that make sense. If anything, BvS made me wish this Batman had his own solo film with more of this gritty bad*ss detective version of the character.

Superman is even more poorly portrayed than in Man of Steel. Clark Kent and Lois have one good scene together towards the beginning, but everything else about Superman's character is flat and lacking in character development. Nothing about Superman is particularly well done. He is just boring and void of character development. Superman is basically a plot device in that his mere existence creates the conflict, yet not his on-screen actions. Overall, Superman is awfully dull, lacks motivation, and Lois struggles to remain relevant throughout the film.

Lex Luthor is a joke, maybe even more so than Gene Hackman's Lex in the original Superman. His motivations are weak, his character trait of being insane is lazy, and he only serves to drag the film down. As expected, Doomsday is literally just a creature for the heroes to fight for visual spectacle with a shoehorned in creation.

Wonder Woman is the only other character with any significance, and she is definitely an afterthought. However, the hints at her backstory and her scenes towards the end make me more excited for her solo film than even the Justice League. She doesn't do a lot, but what he does do is cool.

Direction: 7.9/10- Visually, Zack Snyder is at his best with a fairly solid balance of artistic style and realism. The dark and washed out colors are not nearly as bad as Man of Steel, and honestly, this is what I have come to expect from Snyder. Some scenes are simply stunning. Unfortunately, the visuals are often undermined by disjointed editing between scenes. The Batman scenes are great, and Affleck's input is clearly seen by the superior performances and camera framing, whereas the Superman scenes are more dull and uninteresting, much like Man of Steel.

However, Snyder does not disappoint in the action, well, at least for the most part. When the action does start, it never really stops as it moves from action set piece to the next, which mostly works. Any scene with Batman is exactly what I have been waiting for since the Batman: Arkham Asylum video games, particularly the scene towards the end. This Batman is brutal, fast, strong, and uses all his gadgets to the fullest. The big throwdown between Batman and Superman is fun, yet felt lacking. It is essentially two guys punching each other and throwing each other through walls, nothing original. Lastly, the big battle at the end is mostly CGI, and it is fine I suppose; nothing special or exciting, but a decent spectacle. As a whole, the action is all fun, entertaining, and well directed. However, in this age of Marvel movies, Mad Max, and Kingsman, many action flicks lack the X-Factor in their action sequences and BvS is no exception. Fellow critic and guest author,  Jordan Rath, makes a brilliant in his review with "Almost every Marvel movie I've ever been to has something where I go 'Hmm! I've never seen that before!' BvS has titans locking horns, yes, but the actual fight isn't all that innovative." And Jordan is right. There is nothing that matches the originality of Marvel's action sequences, except for that one aforementioned Batman scene.

Acting: 5.1/10- BvS is a massive mixed bag of brilliant, decent, and atrocious performances from the cast. Ben Affleck is undoubtedly brilliant. He is one of the best live-action portrayals of Batman. Henry Cavill is wooden, and his laughable dialogue and delivery doesn't help. He is horribly dull with no charm or depth. Cavill says his lines in the most mundane way possible. Come on Snyder, when are you going to learn how to direct actors!? Jesse Eisenberg is awful. You might hear the term "Cringe-worthy" thrown around, but Eisenberg's performance is the embodiment of the term. It was painful and uncomfortable to watch Eisenberg's take on Lex. Later in the film, he improves a bit, but still, he is the worst part of the film and drags it down a few notches. Sure, Eisenberg always plays a spastic, out-of-control character, which sometimes works, but this a whole new level of awfulness, except for a few decent scenes. Jeremy Irons as Alfred and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman give performances that make me excited for their future portrayals. Amy Adams is average at best, and the rest of the cast do their jobs and nothing more.

Special effects: 7.8/10- Until the final big fight, the special effects are consistent, even when certain scenes are obviously CGI. Nothing amazed me, yet nothing looked awful. Doomsday looked decent, but not nearly as well done as other recent CGI characters, like the Hulk, Gollum, or Groot.

Soundtrack: 8.6/10- Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL's score is quite strong. There are points in the film where it was noticeably brilliant, specifically the track "Is She With You?," and the rest is fitting for the film.

Humor: N/A- BvS balances the lack of humor better than Man of Steel, yet is still mostly humorless, so my expectations were essentially matched.

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10- Despite the two and a half hour runtime, Dawn of Justice is an entertaining watch. Batman's parts are a lot of fun, and the novelty of the DC's Big Three on screen for the first time is great. Oddly enough, critiquing such a flawed, yet decently entertaining, film is a joy itself as a writer. However, if you did not grow up watching DC cartoons or reading comics and have not been excited for Batman and Superman to finally meet on the big screen, then BvS is likely underwhelming.

Overall: 7.0/10- Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is an enjoyable watch for some viewers, myself included. However, the plot is all over the place, the characters, aside from Batman, are flat, and the action, while entertaining, is nothing mind blowing. In fact, my score is much higher than my individual category scores indicate because this is not a "great" movie, just a decent one with tons of missed potential. But there is something about the novelty and mostly brilliant portrayal of Batman that makes the movie more enjoyable and memorable than it ever should be. More objectively, BvS deserves a 6.2/10, but personal factors push it up to a 7.0/10.

Closing comments: Batman V Superman is basically a guilty pleasure at times. If you adamantly hate the film, by all means do so, because there is plenty aspects of the film that are worthy of the 29% Tomatoe rating. However, if you managed to find certain parts enjoyable, that's great too. But I'm sure most can agree that this is not the type of start that the DC Cinematic Universe needed to convince everyone that DC can make great movies. Well, at least they can make decent ones. And lastly, if you did not already plan to see the film in theaters, just wait for the Blu-Ray/DVD because you aren't missing much.

Recommended for: DC fans, Batman fans,

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Pulp Fiction Review

Pulp Fiction: "The Best film Ever Made?" Or at least that's what many say, but is Quentin Tarantino’s iconic crime drama black comedy truly one of, if not, the best films ever made? Well, let's find out!

Of all the films that are beyond classic in terms of popularity and acclaim, Pulp Fiction is one of the last ones that I finally got around to watching. And as with any film that has been praised beyond imagination, there is always that question of just how overhyped the film might be. Thankfully, to my surprise, Pulp Fiction might be overrated, but that does not mean it isn't one of my new favorite films!

Here's the thing about Pulp Fiction's popularity. Unlike some other popular, and often overhyped, films, Pulp Fiction, on a surface level, is entertaining, witty, memorable, and fun, assuming it's your kind of movie. If you dig deeper, there are theories that may offer something more, but ultimately, Pulp Fiction is a piece of entertainment that tries to entertain first and foremost. Most importantly, Pulp Fiction is that it is not pretentious. It knows that's a fun and witty take on the noir genre of old. There might be some deeper meaning, but understanding that is merely a bonus, not the crux of the appeal. It is all style and cool factor, and Tarantino knows that is all it is and all it needed to be. It never wants you to think it is better or more important than it is. Compared to other "classics," I respect the film for that.

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Genre: Drama, Black Comedy Crime,
Release Date: October 14, 1994
Running Time: 154 minutes
MMPA rating: R

The Good: Samuel L. Jackson steals every second of screen time, The quotes!, The dialogue!, All-star cast equals all-star performances, Tarantino style, One of the funniest scenes ever, Undeniable cool factor, Snappy editing, What's in the briefcase?, Brilliant humor, A few suspenseful scenes, Fun soundtrack,

The Bad: Some superfluous scenes, "The Gold Watch" is noticeably weaker, Aimless at times, Not for everyone,

Warning: Pulp Fiction is rated "R" for profanity, violence, and other very mature and likely disturbing content.

Plot: 9.0/10- Pulp Fiction is notoriously out of order with its narrative structure. However, the structure is never confusing, and while it works, it feels as though it is structured out-of-order so that the film is bookended by the best parts, which most certainly worked to leave me off on an extremely high note. Unfortunately, the only drawback is that we know certain characters live past certain scenes, and therefore, the tension is lost at the end, although the entertaining dialogue more than makes up for it.

Time for a breakdown of the story; the parts following Samuel L. Jackson's character are an easy 10/10; I would rewatch those scenes again right now. Uma Thurman and John Travolta parts are weaker and somewhat superfluous to the narrative, yet still entertain with the witty exchanges. And finally, the middle part of the film following Bruce Willis is noticeably weaker. It is still good, yet it lacks some of the cool factor and wit of the other scenes. At points, it even drags a bit, with a few scenes seemingly unnecessary. This might sound a bit nitpicky, but due to the intentionally disjointed narrative, it feels like a "great" short film between two near masterpieces of entertaining dialogue and wit. Despite my criticism, there is little to nothing about the film that's anything less than "great," and the dialogue contains some of the best lines of all-time.

Characterization: 9.3/10- What makes all the characters great is how the simple dialogue humanizes them. Jules Winnfield, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is easily the highlight of the film. He has a believable character arc, and anytime the character speaks, the dialogue is absurdly entertaining. Vincent Vega is a fun character, and if you dig deep into the film, there is an interesting parallel, yet opposite, character development compared to Jules. Mia Wallace, Butch Coolidge, Winston Wolfe, Ringo, and Marsellus Wallace each have their part to play in the narrative, and while each character isn't particularly deep, each one is most definitely memorable and distinct thanks to Tarantino's writing and the actors' performances.

Direction: 9.2/10- Pulp Fiction commented Quentin Tarantino’s stylish and slick director with the undeniable cool factor that made him famous. The direction is fiendishly simple, yet that's it charm. Each scene is framed effectively to capture the dialogue. The editing to the licensed music tracks is top notch. It might not be the most stylishly directed Tarantino flick, but it might be his most streamlined and slick film, albeit a bit self indulgent at times.

Acting: 9.9/10- This is Samuel L. Jackson's quintessential iconic role for a darn good reason, because he is easily the best part of the film. Sam L. just kills it in every single scene as he delivers the witty dialogue to perfection. I could watch him and John Travolta talk about nothing all day long and it would still be entertaining. Travolta is quite good as well in his role, as he plays off Jackson excellently. Uma Thurman is great, albeit a little flat compared to the other cast members. Bruce Willis gives the typically strong performance that you would expect from Willis, nothing more, nothing less. Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, and several others round out the all-star cast.

Soundtrack: 9.5/10- Classic music from multiple decades is used to perfection in the film's narrative, most of which is diegetically (aka played within the narrative). The editing of the music to many of the scenes is spot on!

Humor: 9.0/10- Pulp Fiction is not a comedy per se. However, there are moments of humor, mostly black comedy, aka dark humor, which are hysterical! Well, hysterical if you find someone randomly getting their head blown off funny, because *Minor Spoilers* "Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face" is one of the funniest scenes in movie history. I laughed until it hurt at that one! *End Spoiler* But generally, the parts following Travolta and Jackson's characters are witty and often humorous.

Entertainment Value: 9.5/10- Thanks to the structure, the film opens on ends on its highest notes, which left me feeling satisfied. Certain parts of the film are seriously near masterpiece level of dialogue exchange, while other parts do drag a bit. And despite a scene that is a bit too disturbing for my taste and a few more f-bombs than I'd like, Pulp Fiction is definitely a film worth watching again, especially the parts with Sam L. and Travolta.

Overall: 9.3/10- Despite the superfluous material and one weaker story treads, Pulp Fiction is undoubtedly one of my new favorite movies. It's entertaining, witty, darkly comedic, and all around fun. Sure, Pulp Fiction isn't perfect by any means. However, Quentin Tarantino crafted an incredibly cool film and one that's most definitely worth watching, assuming you are old enough.

Closing comments: Honestly, my rating might be higher than it even deserves, but that's the appeal of Pulp Fiction. It's better than the sum of its parts. Objectively, it's a great film, yet when you combine everything together; it is a classic with wit, style, and unforgettable moments! So, if you haven't seen it, grab you a "Royale with Cheese" and enjoy one tasty burger while watching Pulp Fiction.

Recommended for 18+: Dialogue fans, Crime fans, Cinefiles,

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Kingsman: The Secret Service Review

Kingsman: The Secret Service, an action satire of the spy genre starring Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, and Michael Caine!

From James Bond to Jason Bourne, I love spy movies! They are the movies I grew up watching, and Kingsman: The Secret Service takes the spy genre parodies and deconstructs, yet honors, the spy genre all at the same time. But is it a good movie? Let's find out.

My viewing of Kingsman is a bit different than other recent films that I have reviewed. Long story short, I watched Kingsman by myself and enjoyed it fairly well, wrote a first draft review, and about a week later I watched it again, except with my dad, an avid James Bond fan. Thanks to a variety of reasons, including different expectations, Kingsman was quite a bit better on a second viewing with my score being raised by more than a point and an overall more positive impression. Therefore, this is my rewritten review based on my second viewing.

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn

Genre: Action, Spy, Espionage, Action Comedy,

Release Date: 13 February 2015

Running Time: 129 minutes

MMPA rating: R

The Good: "Free Bird" action scene is mind blowing, Mix of serious and parody, Strong performances, Stylized action, Spy gadgets, Shocking twists, Humorous spy jokes, Smart deconstruction of spy movie elements, Colin Firth is exceptional and does many of his own stunts,

The Bad: Loses a little steam after 2nd Act, Overly silly towards the end, Potentially offensive, Spotty special effects, Pointless swearing,

Warning: Kingsman is rated R for mature content and is not suitable for some viewers.

Plot: 8.4/10- Despite parodying many aspects of the spy genre, Kingsman: The Secret Service is surprisingly competent, albeit intentionally silly. The film directly references that it isn't the typical Bond spy flick and makes fun of the tropes, while still honoring the genre and taking it in a darker, more logical direction at times. However, after the 2nd Act, certain parts of the film go a bit too far into silly stupid territory and disrupt the flow of the film. Without spoiling anything, after a certain big plot twist at the end of Act 2, the movie had me hooked. I began wondering if this was the second best movie of the year. Unfortunately, the movie does not necessarily fall apart, but it does lose steam. However, this misstep felt far more forgivable on the second viewing.

There are two aspects of the film that do not necessarily impact the overall score, yet still bother me. The first is the absolutely pointless amount of swearing. It felt lazy and added nothing to the film. Of course, my personal issue will not affect the overall score. The second issue is different. *Minor spoilers* The infamous scene in the church scene featuring a cult massacre can be rather offensive to some, but ultimately, it's the villain that's causing it, so it wasn't extremely offensive to me personally. The brutal battle itself is incredible, but it is understandable if you were offended. *End Spoiler*

Characterization: 8.7/10- Despite being a satire, Kingsman's characters are surprisingly well realized. Thanks to the actors superb performances, Galahad and Eggsy are likable characters. Eggsy goes through the best character arc, while Galahad is a majorly cool character with tons of style because “manners maketh man.” The villain, Richmond Valentine, is an intentionally silly and over-the-top, but he works fairly well as Bond-esque parody.

Direction: 9.5/10- Matthew Vaughn's action direction is absolutely insane! The first big action sequence with Colin Firth is entertaining, a bit humorous, and superbly directed. The aforementioned church fight scene, set to the song "Free Bird," by Lynyrd Skynyrd, is one of the most insane, brutal, and incredibly well directed action sequences ever. It may be too brutal for some, but as a fan of hardcore action direction, this fight scene is immaculate. Comparatively, the other action sequences are weaker, yet still fun, entertaining, and mostly well done, except for the spotty special effects.

Acting: 8.7/10- Colin Firth kills it as Galahad! He is said to have done many of his own stunts, and he really brings class to the film. Taron Egerton is a relative newcomer, and he is great as Eggsy. He makes the character likable and relatable, while still believing he has skills. Samuel L. Jackson plays the villain with a lisp and a weak stomach for violence. This is not Jackson's best role by any means, and some might straight up hate his character, but he works, and did not drag down the film for me. Everyone else from Michael Caine to Mark Strong is great.

Special effects: 6.2/10- Easily the weakest aspect, Kingsman's $81 million budget shows as some of the special effects miss the mark. The green screen is a bit obvious at times as well. Thankfully, the parody nature of the film makes the mistakes a little more forgivable and doesn't kill the flow of the movie.

Soundtrack: 8.5/10- Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson's score fits the film very well, with a score reminiscent of Jackman's score from X-Men: First Class. Another highlight of the soundtrack is the use of licensed music, including "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd and "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits are perfectly used.

Humor: 8.4/10- Kingsman is part comedy, yet not truly a comedy. However, it is often funny. For the most part, the humor is well delivered and often witty. There are not too many laugh-out-loud jokes, at least not when you are watching it alone, although it is funnier with friends. Generally, the comedy does not fall into the traps of vulgarity and crudeness, which is rare of R rated comedies, yet that fact makes it all the more hilarious and smart. There is a joke at the very end that is somewhat off putting and might bother some viewers.

Entertainment Value: 9.7/10- Upon my first viewing, the film started to lose me towards the end. However, on the second watch, it was even more enjoyable, and the excellently pacing really showed. Heck, the movie is worth a third viewing; it’s just that much fun, especially for spy movie fans!

Overall: 9.2/10- Kingsman: The Secret Service is witty, satirical, smart, and crazy fun for spy movie fans! It might not have convinced me of its quality until my second viewing, but Kingsman: The Secret Service is one of the best movies of 2016 and an entertaining gem that brings over 70 years of spy movies together into one cohesive package. 

Closing comments: 2015 was a year full of spy flicks and Kingsman: The Secret Service stands as the strongest one. Action junkies and spy fans should definitely give Kingsman: The Secret Service a watch, assuming the R rating isn't too much for you.

Recommended for: Spy fans, Action fans, Colin Firth fans, Parody fans, Matthew Vaughn fans

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