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Shazam! (2019)
The word is Shazam!
The word is Shazam!
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Gary F. Sandberg the director behind acclaimed horror hits Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation helms the first ever big screen adaptation of the DC Comics superhero known as Shazam. Shazam is a B-list character from the pantheon of DC heroes so it is somewhat surprising that they decided to adapt this character but it also isn't. Speaking as a DC fanboy and someone who has liked the films in the DCU with Man of Steel being my favorite the DC brand is a tainted one. Many of the films in the franchise have been divisive with the exceptions being Aquaman and Wonder Woman.
Shazam has been seen by some critics as the reset button in this shared DC universe. Shazam is a character that has as of yet not been seen in this universe and therefore doesn't carry with it some of the baggage that other films in this franchise have had to deal with. The filmmakers were allowed to tell an origin story without having to adhere to a set of criteria established in a previous film/s.
This film had a really solid cast with the leads being Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Mark Strong. This film has been marketed as the Big of superhero movies which is pretty much what it turned out to be. This film was a lot of fun and the marketing labeled it as a comedy for the most part which is true but the film is so much more than that.
It is a film about family at its core and the friendship between Billy (Angel) and Freddy (Jack) is the driving force behind the narrative. Freddy a comic book geek at heart serves as a sort of mentor to Billy as he deals with his newfound powers and abilities. The kid actors in the film all had great chemistry together.
A lot of the marketing for the film touted it as a lighthearted superhero romp which it is but there were some surprisingly dark moments within the film. The opening sequence when we are first introduced to the origins of the film's main villain which is revisited in a very in your face and hard hitting way later on in the film. I think this is where Gary Sandberg's horror roots really shines in the film. I was very surprised by these moments in the film but in a good way and they helped to amplify the stakes in the film by our hero and by those that he loves.
Both Shazam and the villain Dr. Sivana suffer childhood traumas that affects them throughout their lives moving forward. Both become obsessed with achieving an outcome that they think will ease their respective pains and bring them some sort of resolution. Both are filled with anger, loneliness and despair. That is one of the layers of the film that makes it so compelling how does one overcome childhood trauma.
Also the theme of family plays an important role. Sometimes familial bonds go beyond bloodline and birthright. Sometimes we can choose whom to call family because certain people have earned that right by having your back and being there when most needed. One can choose to be defined their past or one can overcome it and this film also addresses that issue.
Shazam had a bit of nineties vibe to it as far as the filmmaking style. Mark Strong made for a surprisingly good villain and there is a scene in a boardroom where you see how truly powerful and mad Strong's villain is. Shazam is a family film that falls a bit on the darker side but that's what I liked about it. The marketing did a great job of not giving away too much and depending on how well the film does box office wise may determine whether or not it was a good idea.
I highly recommend this film which is full of magic and wonder and feels very much like it's own thing in the larger DCU movie franchise and yet still very much a part of it. Zach Levi is great as Shazam but if I do have a criticism of the film he does seem to be portraying a very different character than Asher Angel is playing but it didn't bother me all that much. This is another step in a new and brighter direction for the much maligned DCU franchise. Go see this film and when you get to the box office just say the word, Shazam!
Captain Marvel (2019)
A Marvel to behold
Captain Marvel Review
By Nelson Nantanapiul
I enjoyed the latest installment from the MCU starring Brie Larson as the titular Captain Marvel. I really liked Brie Larson's performance as a Kree warrior engaged in a war against the Skrulls a race of shape shifting aliens. Vers (Larson) ends up on earth after a botched mission to infiltrate a Skrulls stronghold and embarks on a journey to piece together her past and to stop the Skrulls form getting their hands on tech that could give them the upper hand in the war.
Marvel felt very much like a phase one film and that's not a knock on this movie in any way. This film was a lot of fun, it had the Marvel brand of humor that works so well and a great heroine in Vers/Carol Danvers (Larson). Her chemistry with a younger as of yet unjaded Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) was really great. It was really great to see Nick Fury back on the big screen after being absent from the franchise for so long barring his quick end credit cameo at the end of Infinity War.
Ben Mendelsohn was so good as the "big bad" (Talos) in this film the head of the Skrulls. I am a big fan of his work and he delivers with a heartfelt and multilayered performance. There is a nice twist in this film involving his character that I won't spoil here. I did not see this reveal coming and it's what in part made this installment in the franchise so enjoyable for me. That being said without trying to reveal too much there is another "villain" in the film that was very cookie cutter and which has become the hallmark of many an MCU film with exceptions of course (Loki, Red Skull, Killmonger).
Clark Gregg returns as agent Coulson in this film and there was really no reason for him to be in it as his character contributed nothing to this film other than to serve as a nostalgic easter egg for the hardcore MCU fans. Ronan (Lee Pace) from the first Guardians of the Galaxy also makes an appearance but he also was not essential to the plot and was not needed in the film other than to help tie this film into the larger universe but that was the purpose of the Fury character who WAS an essential part of the story.
There are other nods and references to the MCU some clever some not so much. The explanation behind how Fury lost his eye is addressed in this film and it was the most ridiculous and anti climactic scene in the movie. It felt like a scene out of Hot Tub Time Machine except in that story someone loses an arm.
I would have liked it if they had spent more time in highlighting how the war between the Skrulls and the Kree began and why the villain of the piece acted in the manner that he did. Due to the absence of this plot point the motivations of the some of the characters in the film didn't feel as impactful and hard hitting as they potentially could have been.
Captain Marvel did its job in introducing us to a new power player in the MCU who will undoubtedly play a major role in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame. I enjoyed this film quite a lot despite its flaws so definitely check it out. I am eager to see where they take the character in future MCU installments. As always make sure you stick around for the end credits.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Is this movie awesome?
Is This Movie Awesome?
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Director: Mike Mitchell
Voice cast: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part was a really fun and enjoyable film. I didn't quite like it as much as the original but that's okay. I felt this film skewed more towards the younger audience as opposed to the original which had a much broader appeal at least in my opinion.
Emett, Wildstyle, Unikitty, Batman and others return for this sequel that finds an alien invader kidnapping our friends and taking them beyond the "stair gate" to bring back a suitor for her lonely Queen. Wildstyle is suspicious of the Queen's true intentions and is looking for a way to escape and save her friends who have succumbed to the Queen's charms.
Emmet who was left behind partners with a mysterious space traveller Rex Dangervest in his quest to find his friends and bring them home. Emmet blames himself for the fate that has befallen his friends due to his overly naive and compassionate nature. He feels if he had been more "mature" and "grown up" that perhaps the outcome would have been very different.
The first film dealt with father/son bonding issues and how at times society can stifle individuality and encourages its citizens to conform to a single ideal or ideology. The sequel deals with issues of sibling rivalry, acceptance and toxic masculinity. In order to survive a tough and at times cruel world must we conform to those norms is a question that this film poses. Can one maintain a sense of hopefulness and positivity even when everything seemingly is going wrong?
While I did not enjoy this film as much as the first one it's still a pretty good movie. The voice cast is great. The movie does a good job of serving as entertainment but also in introducing some valuable life lessons for younger audience members to aspire to. It's a slightly watered down version of the first film but still has a lot of charm and a lot of heart. I definitely recommend that you check this film out.
I Am the Night (2019)
Into the Night
Reel Review: I Am the Night
Producer Patty Jenkins
Starring: Chris Pine, India Eisley, Jefferson Mays
A new limited series from filmmaker Patty Jenkins (Monster, Wonder Woman) detailing the real life events surrounding the infamous 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short otherwise known as The Black Dahlia. Next to the Ripper murders the Black Dahlia has captured the imaginations of armchair detectives through the decades and is equally as infamous.
The first of six episodes premiered tonight on TNT starring Chris Pine as a down and out news reporter who has fallen from grace after rubbing certain powerful parties the wrong way after running an expose on one George Hodel who is very well connected. George is believed by many including his son (a former LAPD detective) to be the slayer of Elizabeth Short.
A young woman raised all her life in Nevada comes to learn that her past is a lie and that George Hodel is her grandfather and leaves home in search of her roots to the chagrin of her adoptive mother. The episode ends with the young woman making it to LA seeking to reconnect with her grandfather and journalist Jay Singletary once again set upon the trail of Dr. Hodel and the secrets that he may be hiding.
This is episode one of six and is planting the seeds of what is to come in the series going forward. Chris Pine as usual gives a stellar performance as the disgraced journalist brings both his comedic chops and a sense of tragedy to his character. India Eisley is also great as a young woman whose life is turned upside down and the ending of tonight's episode has me stoked as to what is to come this season.
I am a long time true crime buff and the Black Dahlia case is one that has fascinated me for a very long time. Especially in recent years George Hodel's name has figured prominently as the preeminent suspect in the murder of Elizabeth Short. Just google the name George Hodel and you can read a little bit about some of the accusations lobbed against him that will make your stomach turn. If your a student of true crime or just a fan of mystery thrillers then chances are I Am the Night will probably be to your liking.
You (2018)
Looking at You
Looking at You!
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Producers: Greg Berlanti, Sera Gamble
Starring: Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Luca Padovan, Zach Cherry, Daniel Cosgrove, Nicole Kang, Kathryn Gallagher, Shay Mitchell
You on Netflix at the offset seems like it will be the standard woman in peril by stalker fare and to an extent it is but it's so much more. It's part stalker thriller/romantic dramedy/soap opera and melodrama. An aspiring writer (Lail) encounters a charming bookstore manager Joe (Badgley) by happenstance one day and he becomes obsessed with her and stalks her via social media and through more traditional means.
This series felt like it hopped from one genre to the next from episode to episode and in additional to all the different themes and tropes I previously mentioned it also served as a commentary on our social media culture. Stalking done via social media as well as a form of communication in the 21st century as opposed to a phone call or even via text. Social media as a way of keeping tabs on others as well as a way of self expression and of propping yourself up as a way of gaining respect and acceptance.
Joe at times comes off as very charming and caring if a bit cold and of course creepy at times. For the most part Joe keeps a very calm demeanor throughout the show and the way Badgley portrays him is not as some maniacal unhinged psychopath but as someone who is damaged and who justifies some of his more horrid actions as a way of "protecting" his lady love. He doesn't get any particular joy out of bringing harm to others but sees his actions as an ends to a mean. His ultimate goal being to settle down and live a fairytale existence with "the one."
Beck, the center of his affections meets Joe when she is at her most vulnerable and at a time that she perceives her life to be in shambles. She is with a man who has cheated on her and who obviously is very self absorbed and yet she finds it difficult to move on and allows herself to remain in an unhealthy and toxic relationship. That is one of the themes explored in this show, toxic love, toxic friendships, familial bonds and toxic masculinity.
Several of the characters on the show are damaged because of past relationships, broken homes and because of poor decisions. Joe's upbringing in part explains some of his more extreme behaviors even if not all of them. Love or the lack of it can drive people to do things they wouldn't normally do. It can cause people to become irrational in its pursuit. Some people see love as a magical elixir that can cure all ailments, all sadness and the loneliness that can lie within us all. You takes this premise to its most extreme of course.
Beck has a rocky relationship with her dad so much so that she tells those closest to her that he is dead when in fact he is not. Beck has surrounded herself with toxic people in her life from friends to lovers and even though Joe seems different at first but we the audience know that he is not her "Prince Charming" and that he will not ultimately not be the one to "save her."
This is a show ultimately about people wanting to be saved by love but the fantasy is not the same as the reality. "The one" and "true love" are notions we carry in our head as something that once found is easy to hang on to and that will somehow "fix" whatever we perceive is broken within ourselves. But love is not easy to find and not easy to foster once found. All relationships whether romantic, familial or platonic takes work and effort.
Season one of You gives us a glimpse into the darker side of love and how it can hurt us more than help us if we choose the wrong people to give our love to and when we choose love for all the wrong reasons. We choose to love someone who is not good for us simply because we are afraid to be alone. We'll take the drama, the fights, the instability of a toxic romance because we assume being miserable with someone is better than being miserable alone which is the furthest thing from the truth.
You took a classic woman in peril trope and made it feel fresh and new and illuminating. The show has humor, heart and of course loads of drama. There were some moments midway through the season that seemed a bit much and overdone such as a stalk-off between Joe and an another potential suitor as well as Beck choosing to let her friends and colleagues believe that her formerly drug addled dad is no longer among the living.
Joe and Beck come off as fully realized characters especially Joe who is not portrayed as evil incarnate but as a troubled soul who allows his inner demons to take control when he all he wants is to be loved. He is friends with a neighbor boy Paco who comes from a troubled home and Joe takes pity on him. Here is where you see his humanity shine through amid the darker parts of her persona.
Beck comes off as sympathetic someone looking to fit in with her friends but never really does. Beck at times feels as if she is lost without direction and is desperate for someone to anchor her in her tumultuous life of self doubt and insecurities.
Some of Beck's and Joe's associates on the other hand come off as very one dimensional caricatures as opposed to fully fleshed out human beings. These are the types of folks you would see in a rom com and would serve as the comic relief to the main narrative. These were some minor issues I had with the show but overall I loved it and I do recommend viewing it. Take a look at You.
Project Blue Book (2019)
Blue Book Values
Reel Nerd Review: Project Blue Book (TV series)
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Starring: Aiden Gillen, Michael Malarkey, Laura Mennell, Ksenia Solo, Neal McDonough, Michael Harney
Project Blue Book is from executive producer Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) and is a series based on the real life investigative body that looked into UFO sightings in the 1950's. With The X-Files no more it is nice to have a show like this on the air especially since in part it inspired the show created by Chris Carter.
The episode begins with a US Air Force pilot encountering a light in the sky causing his plane to crash. Enter Capt. Michael Quinn (Malarkey) who is tasked by his superior Gen. Harding (McDonough) to look into the case with the assistance a college professor Dr. Allen Hynek. Hynek very early on is painted as the "believer" with the Capt. being the hardened skeptic which is a common trope in this type of show.
I really liked the pilot episode even though it did heavily rely on the cliches of a possible gov't. conspiracy to cover up the truth, shady men in black and partners at odds in their search for the truth. Even though it does contain a lot of familiar tropes I still found the episode very entertaining and to be fair this is not a show looking to reinvent the wheel but to retell the "based on true case files" of Project Blue Book which is an entity I have been long familiar with as I have had a long time interest in the paranormal and in the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
The end of the program actually provided some of the real life details of the case that the episode was based on. There was a subplot in the episode involving Dr. Hynek's wife that I didn't feel was truly necessary but I know that they are trying to fluff up the series with interpersonal dramas and entanglements to make the show more interesting to a broad audience.
I definitely plan on checking out episode two of the show as I want to learn more about the cases investigated by the government entity. These kind of shows are my jam like the aforementioned X-Files and as far as I know they won't be making any more episodes of that series anytime soon. If the rest of the episodes in the series are at least as good and intriguing as the pilot I will continue to check it out every week.
Bird Box (2018)
A Bird in the Hand
Reel Nerd Reviews: Bird Box
Directed by Susanne Bier
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich
I finally checked out the Netflix sensation that is Bird Box starring Sandra Bullock. This movie is Stephen King's The Mist meets The Walking Dead meets The Evil Dead with a sprinkle of The X-Files tossed in for good measure. In fact there was an episode of The X-Files with a very similar plot but on a much smaller scale localized to South Central LA. It was about an entity or presence that visually took the form of what you fear and much like in the film Bird Box you never see what the "monster" looks like or where it comes from.
I really liked this film though it did drag a bit for me in the beginning. Some force is clouding the minds of people causing most but not all people to kill themselves in the most gruesome way. Others become possessed by this force and make it their mission to make sure others open their eyes to the beauty of whatever this unseen force is.
Through circumstance and happenstance Bullock's character who is a reluctant mother to be ends up in a house full of strangers after all hell breaks loose in her hometown. This home is populated by a ragtag group among them a wannabe cop, the home's owner played by B.D. Wong, a kindly elderly woman, a grocery store clerk, a construction worker, another pregnant woman and a punk rocker dude and a MAGA inspired character played by the scene chewing John Malkovich.
One by one the numbers in the household dwindle down as the days pass by through a series of unfortunate circumstances. Flash forward five years later and Mallorie must undertake a perilous journey to safety with her son and a little girl she made a promise to look after. The scenes where she and her kids are attempting to flee to safety were more of interest to me than the scenes in the home where some of the interactions between the housemates seemed somewhat formulaic and was stretched out too long. They probably could have trimmed the house scenes a bit to make the storytelling a bit tighter.
There is a love affair that blossoms between Bullock and another survivor from the house Tom (Trevante Rhodes). I really loved the Tom character as he serves as the moral center of the film. He is a beacon of light for Bullock's character and perhaps due to his military background cannot seem to turn his back on strangers in need seeking assistance or asylum.
His character is a stark contrast to Mallorie as she deals with the crisis in a much more dour and somber way. She is angry and paranoid and does not see the point in entertaining fantasies that life can get any better or that beauty and light can still perhaps exist in the world. She is very harsh on the children because she cares about them and wants to give them the tools and the know how to survive in this new and dangerous reality.
Bird Box is a good movie if a bit long. Some parts could have been trimmed to help the story flow a bit better. I think they spent too much time in the house which is where for me at least the film dragged at times. I would recommend that you check out this film and see what the fuss is all about for yourself.
Bumblebee (2018)
BumbleBee Begins
Reel Nerd Review: BumbleBee
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Travis Knight
Starring, Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Cena
This film could be dubbed BumbleBee Begins as it is an origin tale of sorts of the ever popular Transformer and a prequel to the Michael Bay led franchise that has been losing steam as of late due to the last several films receiving a critical drubbing. The previous film in the franchise underperformed financially in comparison to prior installments grossing over a billion dollars per film globally.
I absolutely adored this film it had all the elements that I loved in the first (and best in the opinion of many critics) installment in the series. I stopped watching these films after the second installment despite being a big fan of the original animated series and toy line from the 80's. Hailee Steinfeld was a delight to watch on screen. She has such personality and charisma and exhibits great comedic and dramatic chops throughout the story.
She plays Charlie who struggles to get over the loss of her father and her new family dynamic at home after her mom remarries. She feels alone and isolated and her story very much parallels BumbleBee's story in the film who is far from home and separated from his fellow Autobots and on a dire mission bestowed upon him from Optimus Prime himself.
Both find each other after an extraordinary set of circumstances. Charlie thinks she has found herself her new dream car and brings her new VW Beetle home as a birthday present to herself. BumbleBee is battle damaged and has been lying dormant until Charlie by tinkering with her new car brings him back to operational mode.
BumbleBee unfortunately cannot fully remember who he is and what his mission is and adjusts to life on earth with Charlie's protective guidance. This film is set in the late 80's and there are some fun nods and references to the era without over saturating the film with nostalgia from the time period. I liked the choice of 80's pop tunes and and there is even an easter egg in the form of a song from the '87 animated Transformers film.
Charlie is very relatable and her relationship with her family along with BumbleBee and her next door neighbor Memo is at the heart of this film. It's a classic coming of age tale set in the world of the Transformers and it works. Think of this film as a hybrid of ET, Sixteen Candles and The Iron Giant.
It's a very sweet and heartfelt film that made my eyes a little bit misty from time to time due in part to Hailee's wonderful performance in the film. John Cena plays a military man on the hunt for BumbleBee and all of his kind and I must say he didn't give all that bad of a performance. I actually thought that he did a nice job of not making his character a complete cliche.
BumbleBee was a lot of fun and it was funny. There are some nice action sequences and it was a real kick to see the G1 designs of the Autobots and the Decepticons used in this film. Will this film serve as a means to reboot the franchise? Only time and the fan and box office reception this film receives will determine that. I highly recommend this film as someone who loved the OG transformers animated series and the first couple of films.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Attack of the Spider-people!
Reel Nerd Review: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez
An animated Spider-verse movie featuring Miles Morales along with other Spider-persons from throughout the multiverse team up to stop a threat that could destroy every parallel reality. There has been a lot of buzz around this film even mentions of an Oscar nomination for best picture not as an animated feature but for the big one. I quite liked the movie but I didn't walk away agreeing with the Oscar talk surrounding this film. Some have even said this may perhaps be the best Spider-Man film ever made and I don't know that I agree with that either.
I am glad that the Miles Morales character is finally getting his time in the spotlight. There have been a contingent of fans calling for a live action film featuring the character but I still think we're a few years away from that happening. Shameik Moore gave one hell of a performance as Miles in fact I was impressed by the voice performances of the entire cast. I was especially impressed by Jake Johnson's performance as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. There were some really great emotional beats and moments in the film especially between Miles and his dad as well as Miles with his uncle.
Even though I did enjoy the film it didn't wow me as I had been expecting it to. Maybe this film was never going to live up to the hype for me but I did enjoy it. One reviewer said this was his favorite comic book film of the year again I would have to disagree for my money it would have to be Aquaman.
The first act dragged a bit for me and the pacing felt a bit off. By the start of the second act onwards things really started to pick up and the story seemed to flow a bit smoother as well. I love the fact that Spider-Ham of all characters was included in this film as his character added a lot of levity to the film that had a couple of dark moments in it but tonally overall I wouldn't call the tone dark it was mostly fun and very emotional.
Stan Lee's cameo got me a bit choked up especially considering the context of the scene in which he was in. I won't spoil it for you here but it was a really beautiful moment. Kingpin is the main big bad in the film but a couple of other notable villains turn up as well but you'll have to see the film to find out who they are.
Lily Tomlin as Aunt May was a delight she did such a great job with the character. Her Aunt May is a very different version than one we've seen before on screen which added a lot more dimension and importance to the character. I definitely would recommend this film if you're a fan of any versions of the versions of Spider-Man and if you stick around for the post credit scene another Spidey yet to be seen on screen makes a cameo.
Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman Makes Waves in the DCEU
Reel Nerd Review: Aquaman
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison
Being an Amazon prime member I was one of the lucky viewers who had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of the film Aquaman from The Conjuring director James Wan. Aquaman is a jam packed high fantasy adventure that has call backs to films like Indiana Jones, Clash of the Titans, 80's/90's action flicks and the Harryhausen films of old except substitute claymation with CGI.
James Wan had a lot of heavy lifting to do with this film due to the fact that the DCEU or whatever they're calling themselves these days is in pretty dire straits after the box office and critical disaster that was Justice League. In my humble opinion James Wan did exactly what he needed to do in giving the audience an entertaining thrillride of a comic book film that looks and feels different than most comic book movies out there. Wan infused a lot of color and humor and action in his film which is something critics have complained was missing in previous installments in this shared cinematic universe.
You can tell Momoa is having a good time on screen and because of it we as the audience have a great time along with him. Mera (Heard) tracks down Arthur aka Aquaman to help her take down his half brother Orm as he wants to launch a full scale war against the surface world for the atrocities they have committed upon the sea dwelling populace via pollution and war and only Arthur can stop him as he by birthright should be the true King of Atlantis. Think of Orm as an environmental extremist if you will who will at any cost exact his revenge upon the world.
Of course it's not as easy as all that and Arthur must go on a quest to find an object that will help him in his bid to become the new King of Atlantis. Momoa is a force of nature who brings charm, wit and vulnerability to his role as Arthur Curry. Amber Heard is enchanting as Mera the daughter of King Nereus (Lundgren) one of the heads of the seven kingdoms of Atlantis who joins Orm in his bid to take on the surface world.
Let me say how happy I am to see a renaissance in Lundgren's career giving stellar performances in two back to back films this year Creed II and now Aquaman. The whole cast was just stellar form Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry Arthur's dad and Nicole Kidman as his mother Queen Atlanna. It's this love story that helps drive the film forward and I like how they bring everything back full circle by film's end I won't spoil it as officially the film doesn't open until next week and many of you have yet to see it.
Yahya was so awesome as Black Manta and from certain events that take place very early on in the film you can at least partially empathize with why he has such a searing hatred for Arthur and he is hot on the heels of Arthur and Mera as they are out and about on the surface world. The action sequences that many of us saw in the trailers where Manta and his men are chasing down Aquaman and Mera throughout Italy was even more amazing to behold on the big screen.
I attended the Hall H panel for Aquaman at San Diego Comic-Con and the excitement and enthusiasm from the cast about the making of this film was contagious. Wan jam packed this film with iconic Aquaman villains, friends and lore and some may even find the film overstuffed and to a degree it is with varying tones and sub plots and stories but I feel Wan successfully merged everything together for the most part. Some of the character arcs could have used some fine tuning but that's what future films in this potential franchise are for.
I loved the action sequences in the film and the epic battle that takes place in the third act was a spectacle to behold. I think this is the film that the DCEU has been desperately needing that will help solidify this universe as a worthy competitor to the Disney/Marvel universe. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to see this film early. I absolutely loved it and I highly recommend it to all of you reading this blog.
Creed II (2018)
Creed II: A passing of the torch
Reel Nerd Review: Creed II
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by: Steven Caple Jr.
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu and Phylicia Rashad
Creed II is the follow up to the surprise critical and box office hit that was spun off from the massively popular Rocky franchise of films. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed the son of the late boxer Apollo Creed who was Rocky's closest friend and one time opponent. Steven Caple Jr. takes over directing duties from Ryan Coogler who serves as producer and co-writer alongside Rocky himself Sylvester Stallone.
I loved Creed II even more than the first because it felt like classic Rocky. Whereas the first Creed much like the first Rocky was a more traditional sports themed movie the sequel goes into a full on hero vs villain soap opera. Jordan and Thompson have really great on screen chemistry and are the heart of this film. Stallone is great is great as an older wiser Rocky who is a surrogate father to Adonis.
The son of Ivan Drago, Victor comes out of the shadows to challenge Adonis. Rocky enthusiasts know that Ivan killed Apollo in the film Rocky IV. At first Adonis is reticent to fight Victor but gets baited by a shady promoter looking to make a buck and his ego overrides his better judgement. Ricky tries to talk Adonis out of fighting Victor but his mind is set and he chooses to forge ahead with or without Balboa's assistance.
What I really like is that the so called villains of the piece are not just cookie cutter baddies they have a reason and purpose for what they are doing. Ivan Drago has seen better days after his defeat at the hands of Rocky Balboa. Many of the past films in the franchise including the first Creed never spent too much time or focus on the antagonists.
I must say by the film's end I did feel for Victor and his father Ivan and for all they had endured through their lives in virtual exile. This film is very much about the sins of the fathers coming back to haunt their sons. There is fallout from the way both Victor and Adonis choose to deal with how life has treated them and neither necessarily choose the right path or choose their paths for the wrong reasons.
Needless to say Adonis takes on more than he bargained for and has a crisis of confidence and with the help of Rocky must find his way back to peak physical and emotional condition. Is this film formulaic? Yes it is but many films are and just because a particular film chooses to follow a formula does not mean it will be good or a success.
Creed II is a classic David vs Goliath story and it hits (pun not intended) all the right beats. Stallone through his script brings back all the flair and finesse that made all of the original films in this franchise so much fun and made them classics. There is a scene in this film where Rocky symbolically passes on the torch to Adonis as it his franchise now. Rocky's story has come to end and from here on out it's all about Adonis. If they make a Creed III I'll be there at the theaters ready for the next chapter in this saga.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
A Family Haunted by Fear
Reel Nerd Review: The Haunting of Hill House
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Creator: Mile Flanigan based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel
Starring: Michael Huisman, Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver-Jackson Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria Pedretti, Annabeth Gish, Robert Longstreet
The Haunting of Hill House is a novel by Shirley Jackson published in 1959 that has been adapted numerous times as a feature film but Netflix decided to retell this tale as a 10 episode series and I was completely enthralled by it. The acting, writing and direction were just superb. To call Hill House a horror based series wouldn't be an entirely accurate synopsis of what the show truly is.
The series takes all the elements of the various versions of this story and makes it something completely fresh and unique. The haunted house premise serves as the catalyst or as a stand in for trauma, death, disease and all the other dark and horrible things in life that can befall an American family and can either drive them apart and destroy them or pull them together and make them that much more powerful.
This series flashes backwards and forwards through time in telling the tale of an all American family full of hope and love and promise and allows us the viewer to spy in on them as they each in their own way deal with life and death at Hill House. Some in the family achieve great success and independence while others struggle to cope with the childhood events that robbed them of their mother and the once tight bond they all had with their father. Despite all their different life paths none are truly happy or free from the events that upended their childhoods.
There is a line in the show that I truly liked, "you can either fight your fear or yield to it but you can't meet it halfway." The show deals with the fears of parenthood and of feeling incapable of protecting one's children, fear of loneliness, of failure, of not being good enough. Often times we allow our fears to hold us in place making us hesitant to move forward and always making us look back.
This show explores how different personality types deal with the exact same event and moment in time. Each participant frozen in that moment escaping that trauma in their own way but never being truly free of it. This show had a lot of heart to it, a lot of emotion and some episodes had me near in tears. Hill House is a family drama with a supernatural bent to it and it so well done and is definitely worth a watch.
Mandy (2018)
Mandy: It's a Trip
Real Nerd Review: Mandy
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Writer/Director: Panos Cosmatos
Starring: Nic Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, Olwen Fouere, Richard Brake, Bill Duke, Line Pillet
Legion M an independent fan owned movie studio has released an indie horror film produced by Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) and starring the legend that is Nic Cage (Ghost Rider, National Treasure, Face Off). Mandy is a trip of a film directed by Panos Cosmatos the son of George P. Cosmatos (Tombstone, Cobra, Rambo II). This film is a love letter to The Evil Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and just about any and every horror film from the 80's and before.
Panos uses some interesting imagery and his use of filters and colors mimics what I would imagine is a bad or maybe a good acid trip. This film is hard to describe in terms of plot, characters and anything relating to a traditional film and traditional filmmaking. I couldn't even tell you Nic Cage's name in the film because I don't think he's ever referred to by name but the title character of the film is named Mandy who is Cage's love interest in the film who is kidnapped and murdered by a cult and some crazy Zombie drug addicted bikers who resemble the cenobites from The Hellraiser series.
I will reveal some spoilers in my review because it really won't ruin anything. This film is about the journey not the destination. Plot and character really doesn't matter in this film as it's a Grindhouse art film through and through. After Cage's love is slain by a cult leader and his followers he goes on a revenge spree to end all revenge sprees. He is Ash Williams from The Evil Dead turned up several notches in insanity and intensity.
There is a very fun and insane chainsaw fight in this film between our protagonist and one of the aforementioned Zombie bikers. Cage has sparse few lines in the film his character is relegated to grunts, groans, primal screams and crazy facial expressions throughout. Think of Mandy as a Tarantino-esque film sans the witty dialogue.
As I said this film is set in the early 80's and is an homage to 80's slasher/revenge thrillers but don't expect a nostalgia fest either. This film is extremely low budget and they couldn't afford the licensing rights to popular 80's songs so they rely mainly on an 80's sounding synth score by Johann Johannsson who recently passed away. His score is quite haunting and quite good.
This film is not for everyone certainly. You have to have a particular taste for this type of Grindhouse style film. Many who see it may not like it at all which is understandable. This film is over the top ridiculous nonsense and I enjoyed it thoroughly. If you're a fan of Nic Cage and his films check it out.
Halloween (2018)
The Shape Returns!
Reel Nerd Review: Halloween
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Haluk Bilginer, Will Patton
The Shape returns forty years later erasing countless sequels and and a Rob Zombie reboot from the creators behind Pineapple Express, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride who is well known for his comedic chops. This film picks up with Michael Myers having been locked up for forty years in an institution following his killing spree in Haddonfield back in 1978.
Green and McBride return Michael to his roots as a soulless, unstoppable and unsympathetic killing machine. Even as a fan of the Zombie Halloween films what bothered me about them was his deconstruction of evil. He felt the need to humanize and make Michael a sympathetic character that if you couldn't root for that you could at least understand. In doing so he robbed the character of his mystique and made him (in my opinion) a much less terrifying character.
I remember the chills I felt as young boy watching the original Halloween which still holds up these forty years later. The magic of the original is recaptured in this modern take on the franchise. Laurie Strode (Curtis) is essentially the "Dr. Loomis" of this piece even though she refers to another character by that moniker who really isn't.
This Halloween film is essentially the horror version of Terminator 2 with Laurie Strode as a badass mama bear who will stop at nothing to protect her family from the onslaught that is Michael Myers. She has learned how to defend herself by becoming an expert marksman and making her home a virtually impenetrable fortress.
The years have not been kind to Laurie as she has suffered through a lot, two failed marriages and a strained relationship with her daughter and granddaughter. In the way that Rob Zombie tried to get into the mind of evil Green and McBride look at the impact of violence and trauma upon the victims of evil and quite effectively in my opinion.
Earlier this year at San Diego Comic-Con Jamie Lee Curtis effectively equated Laurie's struggles in the film to the current MeToo movement in Hollywood. After watching this film it is understandable why she chose to make the comparisons. Laurie questions the motivations of a couple of documentaries in the film in trying to get inside Michael's psyche. He kills because he can end of story in her opinion. I have to wonder if maybe that was some kind of dig at Zombie's take on Halloween and The Shape.
Another thing I thought this film did better than Zombie's film is dialogue. Particularly dialogue among the teenage characters in the film. In Zombie's films I felt the dialogue among the younger characters were cheesy and disingenuous. It literally felt like a forty year old man's belief of how teenagers talk and act as opposed to how they actually do.
Even though some of the characters in the film have a sparing mount of screen time the filmmakers still took the time to make the supporting as well as the lead characters feel and act real. When these characters in the film died you felt for them, some more than others. There is only one death in the film that seemed "deserved" but I won't spoil that for you in my review.
Michael's present day attending physician Dr. Sartain claims to be an apprentice of Dr. Loomis and is referred to as the new Loomis by Strode. He is anything but in fact he is the anti-Loomis. Whereas Loomis wanted to contain and eliminate the evil Dr. Sartain has a different obsession with Michael altogether. Dr. Sartain is obsessed with what makes Michael tick, what fuels his actions and what part does Laurie play in that equation. He is also curious to know what drives Laurie in terms of her own obsession with Michael. Sartain becomes overcome by the very evil that he sought out to understand. I wonder if agan this might be a jab at Rob Zombie.
I loved Halloween 2018 because the filmmakers seemed to really understand the character and what made the original film in the franchise work. They understand it in a way that those behind the sequels and Rob Zombie didn't. Myers, The Shape is like a shark running on brutal instinct alone. What makes him frightening is not why he chooses to kill but because you don't know why.
The Nun (2018)
And then there was Nun
Reel Review: The Nun
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Corin Hardy
Starring: Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet
This review is dedicated to my ONT 8 buddies whom I saw the movie with. I had a lot of fun guys.
The Nun is the latest chapter in The Conjuring franchise focusing on Valak the demonic entity that (spoilers) is after Ed and Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring 2. This film adds a bit more back story to Valak who is roaming the halls of a Romanian Abbey in the 1950's. The Vatican enlists the aid of a disgruntled Priest Father Burke (Bichir) and a Sister Irene (Farmiga) who has had visions since early childhood to investigate the suicide of a Nun at the Abbey. There is a vague distrust and animosity between Burke and the Vatican hierarchy which is never fully explored.
In Romania they encounter a guide in the form of a French-Canadian transplant named aptly enough "Frenchie." Frenchie serves as the comic relief to an extent in the film and is sort of the stand in for the audience in the film as he tags along with Sister Irene and Father Burke on their investigation. I must say in comparison to the other films in the series this The Nun was a bit of a disappointment. The story was a bit on the weak side and and left a lot of plot holes and questions unanswered. Director Corin Hardy does a nice job of setting up the atmosphere and there are some nice visuals in the film but overall it wasn't enough to elevate the film beyond the by the numbers horror plot and jump scares which weren't all that scary.
James Wan as a filmmaker has elevated horror to a new level of respectability among the mainstream populace due to his level of storytelling and creating compelling characters in Ed and Lorraine Warren based on the real life couple who have a historied career in the field of the paranormal.
I think ultimately what was lacking in The Nun was the heart and soul of the main films in this shared horror cinematic universe. The Warrens love story drives The Conjuring films and we are invested in what happens to them and the families that they have helped along the way. In The Nun this connection among the characters is missing mainly because the main characters are strangers to one another at the start of the film.
The film goes around in circles in terms of its storytelling in terms of certain plot points and character arcs that ultimately go nowhere. I enjoyed the performances of the actors in the film such as Demian Bichir whom I have been a fan of from his work on the FX series The Bridge where he played a Mexican police detective. Taissa Farmiga provides charm as Sister Irene and Jonas Bloquet as Frenchie adds the humor.
While Wan's Conjuring films takes standard horror movie fare and makes them feel fresh and clever and scary The Nun takes those same tropes and makes them feel like the standard fare that they are. I think Corin Hardy did the best that he could with the script that he was given. There is some pretty cheesy dialogue in this film and the pacing of the film for the first two acts drags a bit. The action picks up in the third act but the film also takes a complete tonal shift from horror to something else altogether.
If you are a Conjuring fan then some of the easter eggs and nods to the other films will be fun to lookout for. If you've never seen a film in the franchise then you might get lost and not really be invested in the opening and ending sequences that ties this film to the greater shared cinematic universe. Can I fully recommend this film to a non horror/Conjuring fan? No. If you are a fan on this franchise or horror in general then my answer changes to a maybe. I'm a big fan of The Conjuring franchise but this film fell short of the mark.
The Happytime Murders (2018)
Puppet buddy cop movie
Reel Review: The Happytime Murders
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Brian Henson
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, Joel McHale, Bill Barretta, Dorien Davies.
Take the premise of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and substitute toons with puppets and you have the plot of The Happytime Murders. Bill Barretta voices the main puppet protagonist Phil Phillips an ex LAPD detective who moonlights as a PI after an incident involving his partner gets him removed from the force.
A lot of the best jokes in the film were showcased in the trailer but there are a few gems peppered throughout the film. There is a bit of a racial metaphor in this film where puppets are treated as second tier citizens who are the victims of various forms of discrimination but in no way does this film take that premise too seriously. This film is first and foremost a raunchy buddy cop movie plain and simple.
This film could have used a bit more satire in its premise as opposed to just trying to take the cheap laughs that being said I am not against a cheap laugh. This film had some nice puppet work in it but as for the premise and plot of the film it did not break any new ground. I mentioned a similarity to Roger Rabbit but one difference is this film lacks the heart and wonderment of the former.
This is a good film to check out with some buddies during a matinee and to have a few laughs with. Melissa Mccarthy and Maya Rudolph are really great and fun in this film. Elizabeth Banks has a fairly minor role in the film and quite frankly I am surprised she even thought it would be a good idea to take on this role but she does the best with what little she has to do in it.
If you are a fan of raunchy R rated comedies then this is the film for you. If not then you may be turned off by the gratuitos nature of some of the jokes in this film. It's definitely not for everyone.
Christopher Robin (2018)
The Wisdom of Pooh
Reel Review: Christopher Robin
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael, Mark Gatiss, Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett, Nick Mohammed, Peter Capaldi, Sophie Okonedo, Sara Sheen, Toby Jones
I've been a long time Winnie the Pooh fan since I was a kid and the trailers for this film grabbed me from the start. A grown up Christopher Robin reconnecting to a happier time in his childhood. I really did like this film and its message and it comes at a time when I have been re-evaluating my own life and considering what I find to be of most importance in it.
The film starts off with a young Christopher Robin having to say good-bye to his friends in the 100 acre woods because his father is shipping him off to boarding school so he'll be "prepared" to grow up to be a contributing member of society. There is a montage of his life in the intervening years as he deals with death, war and a family of his own.
Minor spoiler ahead...the film shows Christopher going off to fight in World War II. The scene of him at war is brief but may be a bit intense for younger viewers. I am a little surprised it was included in the film but I think it was meant in part to illustrate the loss of innocence that we all face as we grow up in an imperfect society filled with many trials and tribulations. Life and death, work and the routines of our daily existence impact us in ways we do not always realize because the effects happen gradually and over time.
There will be many comparisons between this film and Paddington Bear for obvious reasons. Paddington Bear was filled with a lot more slapstick type comedy while the comedy in this film is a bit more subdued in nature. Though one important similarity is that both films have a lot of heart and are good natured fun.
Christopher ever since leaving the 100 acre woods has been conditioned to let go of "childish" things and to essentially be a cog in the wheel of society. He has forgotten how to have fun, how to enjoy life. Which I can relate to in so many ways. Robin has forgotten how to live in the moment to enjoy the right now. He is always so focused on what is to come and where he is going that he has forgotten from whence he came and to be present where he is needed the most. Which is something that I have struggled with.
This film reminds us that we need childish things in our lives. That we should not be beholden or loyal to a company or to a business that cares not for its workers but only on the bottom line. Loyalty should be reserved for your family and friends who have earned it and are loyal in return.
There is a reason that what was once was old is new again in terms of fashion, merchandising and in film and television. Many of us long for a happier time in our lives as if we can never find that happiness again. But this film tells us that we can be happy in the here in and now if only we give ourselves permission to. We need time for laughter, enjoyment and to be with the ones that we love and not take them for granted.
Pooh teaches Robin to not lose himself and to not lose what he truly cares about by exhibiting a misguided sense of duty and responsibility. We are responsible to those who love us and care for us and want what's best for us. Live a little, laugh a little and cry a little which this film made me do.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
Reel Review: Fallout
Reel Review: Mission Impossible: Fallout
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin
I have only seen one other Mission Impossible film prior to Fallout and that was MI:II with Thandie Newton. Tom Cruise as always gives his all in his performance as Ethan Hunt and even does a great many of the stunts in the film. In fact he actually injured himself during one of the stunts which caused a delay in filming. Henry Cavill plays a new character August Walker and he is so great and badass. I may be a bit biased as I am a huge Henry Cavill fan and he is a great Superman as far as I'm concerned.
Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg return as Luther and Benji and they really compliment Tom Cruise's performance. They have been in six of these films together now and they have really great chemistry. Rebecca Ferguson is such a delight and I've been a fan of hers since I first saw her in that Dwayne Johnson Hercules film and in The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman.
The film has some really great action sequences and some really great cinematography work. There are a couple of great car chase scenes in this movie and there is even a nail biting helicopter chase sequence unlike anything I have ever seen. Fallout ties up some loose ends seeded in some of the previous Mission Impossible films.
Ethan in this film comes to terms with some of the "fallout" of the kind of life that he leads. How it has affected his happiness and those around him that he loves and cares for. Ethan is different than a character like James Bond in that Bond has some moral ambiguity especially in the current films featuring Daniel Craig as the Bond character.
Ethan values the life of his team and will not sacrifice them in order to accomplish his missions. He tries to minimize the amount of collateral damage that comes with partaking in one of these dangerous assignments to the best of his abilities. There was one scene in the film that really epitomizes the value he places on human life including that of a complete stranger.
Fallout is a really fun and action packed film. McQuarrie does a great job not only tying up loose ends from previous films but this film is in no way an ending to the franchise. The door is still wide open for future films and if this film is as successful as previous installments then I am sure that there will be. I really enjoyed this film and I think you should check it out.
Incredibles 2 (2018)
Incredibles meets Mr. Mom
SPOILER:
Incredibles 2: Reel Review
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Brad Bird
Starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Eli Fucile, Bob Odenkirk and Samuel Jackson
I have a confession to make. I have never watched the first Incredibles movie from Disney/Pixar. That being said you don't have to have seen the first one in order to know what's going on in this film. It is a self contained story and does a good job of introducing you to all of the characters in the film and what they've been up to and what is going on.
I had a really good time with this movie and really enjoyed the characters in the film. Craig T. Nelson who I have been a long time fan of since Poltergeist is great as Mr. Incredible and the patriarch of a family of superheroes with the amazing Holly Hunter voicing the matriarch Elastigirl. Superheroes have been outlawed in all countries and the head of a mega corporation wishes to change that by using Elastigirl to help shape public opinion by essentially sponsoring her in her fight against crime.
With Elastigirl as the family's primary breadwinner Mr. Incredible takes on the duties of homemaker much to his chagrin. Think of this as a superhero version of Mr. Mom with a little bit of the X-men and a dash of The Fantastic Four added in for good measure. Mr. Incredible feels a bit jealous and out of place as he was accustomed to being the one providing for his family and being front and center in terms of superheroics and fighting bad guys.
Mr. Incredible struggles to bond with his kids as the primary caregiver as they navigate through struggles of their own such as homework and falling in love for the first time. He stumbles and he fails but he keeps on trying because he loves his family and wants to provide them with the best life possible.
Even though he wishes that he were the one on the front lines he still loves and supports his wife and doesn't wish for her to worry. Elastigirl has to contend with the rise of a new Supervillain the Screen Slaver with the help of the Deavor corporation headed by siblings Winston and Evelyn whose father was murdered shortly after superheroes were banned from fighting crime. Elastigirl forms a friendship with Evelyn and acts as a confidant of sorts who praises her efforts and invents Elastigirl's tech in the film.
There is much fun to be had in this film. Baby Jack Jack steals the film as he develops superpowers of his own much to the pride and chagrin of Mr. Incredible. The film has a lot of heart and one of the best things about Incredibles 2 is the real life struggles of everyday life depicted in this film. This film deals with issues of discrimination, the redefining of gender roles and expectations in society as well as the struggles of feeling different and of a family struggling a balance life and work. I really highly recommend this film and am very eager to see the first Incredibles film.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Solo and Chewie: A Star Wars Review
Solo: A Star Wars Review
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Joonas Suotamo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany
I had low expectations coming into this film truth be told. I really didn't see the need for a Solo standalone origin film but we got one. I felt everything we needed to know about the character we learned about in the original trilogy of films. Plus we all heard about the behind the scenes drama where original directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord were fired and Ron Howard being brought on to overhaul the film at literally the last minute.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this film and I found it be a lot of fun and the film has a much lighter tone than the previous two Star Wars films. Alden Ehrenreich does a nice job in the role of Solo and makes it his own he doesn't do a Harrison Ford impersonation. Han and Chewie's friendship serves as the backbone and the heart of this film. Donald Glover as Lando is a pure delight. You do see shades of Billy Dee in his performance but yet again he makes the role his own.
Paul Bettany as the villain is quite forgettable which is not altogether surprising as Disney is imposing the Marvel model of filmmaking on the Star Wars universe to mixed results. Woody Harrelson as a sort of mentor to Han is quite good and I am a big Harrelson fan. Emilia Clarke is quite charming as Han's love interest and the rest of the characters are more or less forgettable or underutilized. I think that may have to do in part with the reshoots and the fact that some actors were not available to take part in the extensive reshoots and in some cases certain actors were replaced altogether. Bettany replaced the actor Michael K. Williams as the film's big bad.
It was fun to see some of the legendary feats attributed to Han in the original films actually play out but it wasn't something that I needed to see. That will be the legacy of this film it was a fun distraction but it adds nothing new to the Star Wars cannon and you don't really learn anything new about Han other than he had a childhood sweetheart not previously talked about in any of the original films.
Solo is a breezy action adventure with not a lot of depth but it is a good time. This is probably my next favorite film after The Force Awakens followed by Last Jedi and Rogue One. Chewie probably has the most interesting story arc in the film compared to the rest of the characters. L3-37 the droid in this film I found to be a little annoying to be quite honest. There a couple of fun cameos in the film and one of them really surprised me but I won't spoil them for you in my review. Bottom line I was not expecting to like Solo and I really ended up quite enjoying it. Check it out for yourself.
Cobra Kai (2018)
A Villain's Redemption
The Reel Blog: Cobra Kai
TV Review: episodes 1&2
By Nelson Nantanapibul
34 years after the original hit film The Karate Kid was released in theatres Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) face off in this Youtube Red original series. Episode 1 is seen from Johnny's perspective and the path his life took after his loss to Daniel in the All Valley Karate tournament. He has not done well and does odd jobs to help pay the bills and leads an all around miserable existence.
On one of the worst days of his life he gets fired from his crumby job and gets arrested for helping out a kid who was getting the crap kicked out of him by a bunch of school bullies. Shades of the original film with a twist. Following his arrest his old and decrepit step dad offers to buy Johnny out of his life by writing him a big fat check which he initially declines but later rethinks this when he decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo.
Johnny remembers how his life had purpose when he a part of that dojo which was the highlight of his young life. He and Larusso meet up again after all these years due to an incident which I won't spoil here but upon first meeting the tables have turned. Daniel comes off a bit full of himself and somewhat condescending towards Johnny and Johnny obviously feels feels jealous of Daniel's success and is resentful of it.
Johnny reopens the dojo and takes on as a student Miguel the kid who being harassed by the bullies outside of a convenience store. Johnny is still a dick but he is a 3 dimensional one who is now a father to an estranged son who has issues. Life has not been kind to him and he has struggled and this series is a story about his redemption and his search for meaning in his life.
Daniel who despite having achieved great success in his life in business, love and family is still in some ways still stuck very much in the past. He still sees Johnny as the kid who bullied him in school and has a hard time seeing him as anything else. In a way Daniel has become the bully who will not allow Johnny to be anything more than who Daniel sees him as. This series will be the the struggle between two men who come to terms with their past and attempt to determine who they are in the present.
There are all these streaming services now Netflix, Hulu, Hbo and now Youtube has their own streaming service featuring original programming. I really enjoyed the first two episodes of Cobra Kai and this makes me want to subscribe to their service. The show is produced by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett as well as Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. I will not recommend for people to add a new for pay streaming service to their monthly bills. I will recommend for people to watch the first two episodes which are available for free on Youtube and maybe you will decide to subscribe to Youtube Red.
Rampage (2018)
Good Old Fashioned Monster Flick
Rampage
Film Review
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Brad Peyton
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jake Lacy
"The Rock" Dwayne Johnson stars as Davis Okoye a zoologist who has a mysterious past that is only hinted at but never explored. The film Rampage is a blockbuster sized version of a Syfy style B-movie. Don't go in expecting a lot of character depth, a great plot or a story that makes much sense. This is a popcorn monster flick through and through like the Kaiju movies of old. This film is based on the 80's arcade game of the same name which I played a lot as a kid but was never very good at. Which is why I never became a gamer later in life.
Joining Dwayne is Naomie Harris as a scientist who was involved in the making of the serum that made the monsters in the film possible and Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays a government agent who is the Johnson's frenemy in the film. This film has some pretty good big budget special effects and some pretty awesome action sequences. But most importantly of all the film has monster on monster violence. Check out this film and check your brain in at the door and have a good time.
Demon House (2019)
The Devil is in the Details
Demon House
Documentary Review
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Zak Bagans of the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures tv show stars, directs and produced this documentary Demon House independently of his TV home. Bagans and his team first came to notoriety with their independent documentary Ghost Adventures back in 2004 which served as the basis for their popular show of the same name. Some of his GA regulars appear in this film with the exception of Aaron Goodwin.
This Demon House made national headlines a few years back and I actually recall watching the news reports as well as hearing that Zak Bagans had purchased the home. The film has a similar style and feel to the tv show but has a longer running time which allows Zak to go in depth on the history of the house which really is rather fascinating for various reasons.
There are a few twists and turns over the course of the documentary including some behind the scenes drama involving a major movie studio also interested in the rights to this story which partially led Zak to believe that maybe the family at the center of this story was making things up in order to profit from it. The family after initially agreeing to speak with Zak and crew back out and choose not to participate in his film.
Apart from the paranormal investigation of the house in question itself Zak Bagans puts together a pretty compelling documentary filled with archival police and news footage as well as interviews with first hand witnesses. This to me was the most fascinating part of the documentary for me because of who came forward to speak with Zak.
He interviewed social workers, police officers and relatives of the family who once lived in that home as well as some former tenants. The Chief of Police of Gary, Indiana where this home is located who is not interviewed in this documentary but is spoken about said he himself believed there was something unexplainable going on in that home.
The grandmother of one of the children plus a social worker witnessed that child do something within a hospital setting that should not have been possible which I will not spoil here for those who have not seen this documentary. The social worker in question ended up moving to another town because of what she in part witnessed that day.
At one point two local police officers responded to a possible prowler on the premises and would not enter that home under any circumstances. They knew of the home's history and of people claiming that whatever evil entities reside in that residence would follow people to their own homes. A lot of the film crew including Zak himself suffered from feelings of illness and emotional and physical stress. Zak even refers to the film as being cursed. Several of those interviewed in the film were involved in accidents or had some tragedy befall them again I will not go into spoiler territory for those wanting to view the film for themselves.
There is some interesting tidbits of audio and video evidence captured but it's the personal stories and end experiences that are what really drives this film. Ultimately what was at the root cause of what drove a family out of this house and made believers out of a police department and a pair of social workers. That is up to the viewers to decide.
If you are a fan of Ghost Adventures then this film is for you. I am a regular GA viewer and I'll admit that I don't necessarily as a viewer always agree with the conclusions that Zak and his team come to on a weekly basis. Some of the evidence that he finds compelling I tend not to but I always find his programming entertaining and genuine. I would recommend Demon House for fans of the paranormal and of Zak Bagans in particular.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Thanos: A Villain's Journey
Avengers: Infinity War
Film review
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Josh Brolin...
The MCU as it's known is 10 years old and has achieved massive financial and critical success which has culminated in the mother of all crossover events in Avengers: Infinity War. Now even though I admire the MCU and what it has accomplished (at least for me) not every film has hit it out of the park story wise and yet most of their films across the board seem to garner near identical critical praise with some rare exceptions. I loved the first Avengers film and saw it eight times in theaters during its original theatrical run. Age of Ultron fell far short of my expectations and in my opinion was their first major misstep narratively and yet that film still made over a billion dollars worldwide and appeared to be critic proof.
Then Civil War came along helmed by the Russo Bros and and though it was billed as a Captain America film it was essentially The Avengers 2.5. I'm guessing that was a trial run for the Russos to see if they were worthy of taking over the next major chapter in the Avengers saga and they do not disappoint.
Infinity War has the emotional depth that I find lacking in the majority of MCU films and they give us a villain in Thanos who is not only worthy enough to face off against earth's mightiest heroes but is the centerpiece of this film. This is his story all the way through with our heroes serving as the supporting cast. Most MCU villains are completely lackluster and quite frankly have not been all that interesting save for a few such as Loki, Red Skull and the Vulture.
Thanos is billed as "The Mad Titan" in the comics but in Josh Brolin's performance he comes off as anything but. There is a method to Thanos' madness in the film and he (at least in his own mind) is the hero of this epic story. The best villains in cinema and literature are the ones who do not act purely out of evil intent but who feel as if what they are doing is just and cause and cannot understand why others cannot see things as they do.
Thanos has a twisted sense of love and loyalty but he does possess those emotions and they are in full display in this film. Thanos is a fully realized character and has an arc in this film usually reserved for the heroes of the MCU. The Russos have taken the template of the MCU films which had started to become predictable and bland (at least for me) and completely do their own thing under the watchful eye of Kevin Feige to be sure.
This film is full of surprises and doesn't always go the way viewers expect it to and in one instance they kind of psyche you out in thinking one thing will happen and pull the rug out from under you. I cannot elaborate without spoiling what the scene is but it definitely had the audience at my screening audibly gasp out loud. For the first time in a long time I have actually felt like there were actual stakes in an MCU film where just about anything could happen and they set up those expectations from the get go. The Russos do not waste time in getting us into the action and they stomp their foot on the gas up until the very end.
This film had the usual brand of MCU style humor but didn't overstaurate the viewers with it the way I feel other films in the universe have begun to overly rely on it in lieu of character and plot development. The film also has great emotional depth and resonance that I have not felt within the MCU for a very long time. There were some moments in the film where I thought, I can't believe they actually went there. There was only one time in the film where I felt that they played it safe in terms of the fate of a character where if they had followed through on it would have really thrown viewers for a loop.
Marvel has delivered something amazing with this film. The MCU could go in any direction from here on out. Actually if this were to be the last film in the MCU franchise (it's not) it would be a satisfying if somewhat dark and dreary way to end things but it could end. I highly recommend this film and what has been accomplished by the Fiege braintrust is nothing short of amazing and (almost) unheard of. The shared cinematic universe is not a new concept but it has not been accomplished on a scale of this size and it has yet to be successfully emulated by other studios. Definitely see this film and see how seamlessly the Russos intertwine so many characters together with Thanos serving as the thread that ties everything together from one scene to the next.