JUSTICE LEAGUE - Can't get enough of the Superfriends !

JUSTICE LEAGUE

Justice League has always been my favorite superhero group ever since I was a kid. I grew up buying comics and watching them on their animated shows. I lined up in the 1st Superman movie, and watch the sequel 10 times in the cinema. Yes you could say I'm a Huge Fan ! I've seen all the superhero movies & tv shows that followed - Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Supergirl, even the heroes of Marvel.

So when WB finally announced that they are coming out with a live-action film of the JL, imagine my feelings as a fanboy. I've been waiting for decades to see my favourite group on the big screen.

I'm well aware of the negative reviews about DC movies. From Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman,  Suicide Squad, (With the exception of Wonder Woman) and now Justice League. I'm still wondering why does the DCEU gets all the flak, while the MCU gets all the praise ?????

Let me enumerate the things I like about this JL movie : First, they did great with casting the 6 heroes. Henry Cavill,  Ben Affleck, & Gal Gadot have all proven that they are the perfect choice for their roles. Ezra Miller who got mixed reactions when he was cast as the Flash, came out a welcome comic-relief for the film. Jason Momoa's Aquaman is quite different from the hero we know in the comics, but he brings a fresh new take on the King of the seven seas. Ray Fisher is good as Cyborg and we'll see his full potential in the upcoming movies.

Directors Zack Snyder & Joss Whedon gave the movie a good balance of darkness & light. They may have different styles in directing, but they sure gave the diverse audience what they want. You can see Snyder's work in his spectacular visuals, and Whedon's in his humorous dialogues.

The movie is not perfect though. I didn't like the CGI removal of Cavill's facial hair, and Steppenwolf looked like a video game villain. But aside from that, the visuals are amazing, and the fight scenes are fantastic !

This film finally showed a Superman that avid fans want - a positive symbol of hope & role model. I would love  to see more of this Superman. Ben Affleck surprized us with a powerful, physical Batman in BvS, this time he's showing us his analytical side. And Gal Gadot continues with her awesomeness as Wonder Woman, as she shines in every frame she's in.

I only wished that WB will release an extended version of JL. I'm so pumped-up to see these heroes in their next adventures ! Thank you Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon ! Thank you Warner Bros. for giving us the Justice League !

My advice ? Go watch the film for yourselves, and make your own opinion. Don't listen to the critics.

THOR : RAGNAROK - This is the best of Thor !

KINGSMAN : THE GOLDEN CIRCLE - More over-the-top action !

KINGSMAN : THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

The first movie introduced us to the elite English secret agents of Kingsman, this time we are presented with their U.S. counterpart - the Statesman. Meet Tequila, Ginger Ale, Whiskey, & Champagne. While the Kingsmen are suited in formal coats & ties, the Statesmen are booted with their

cowboy outfits.

Julianne Moore plays the new villain Poppy Adams. The druglord who's got monopoly of all the illegal drugs in the world. She's charming, filthy-rich, and CRAZY ! Sir Elton John who plays himself in a scene-stealing role is Hilarious !

Taron Egerton as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin continues his streak as the leading man to watch. While Colin Firth's Galahad coming back from the dead is both ingenious & wild.

Except for Pedro Pascal who showed his agility with the electric lasso, most of the Statesmen didn't do much here. They're being set-up for the third installment.

I don't know why there's so much negative reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment of Kingsman. There's plenty of action, humor, and surprise that will keep the audience glued to their seats.

Expect a lot of those high-adrenaline action which made the first one truly enjoyable ! With Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Elton John, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, Hale Berry, and Jeff Bridges.  Directed by Matthew Vaughn. Rated R.

TRANSFORMERS : THE LAST KNIGHT

TRANSFORMERS : THE LAST KNIGHT

It's the fifth chapter of the alien robots and supposedly the last from Michael Bay. As always critics hate it, but people still flock to the cineplexes to watch it. It's also the first film to be shot entirely in IMAX 3D.

This one dates back to the time of King Arthur & Merlin, where the autobots transform to who-knows-what ? Apparently the alien-bots are somehow connected to the Arthurian legend and have been interacting with humans since then. They even fought during World War I & II. There's also a secret society which keeps the robots' actions secret, and where Sir Edward Burton (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is the last living member.  So many elements in the story are incoherent.  Alas, Earth's real name is, not as we know it but, Unicron ?????

Okay the plot doesn't make sense right ? But what Michael Bay have in these films is what people watch out for - massive explosions, stunning visuals, and hard-core action ! It's like there's no limit to the production budget ($ 200 million).

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Josh Duhamel, & Isabela Moner among others. This is the biggest and loudest film in the series ! If you're a fan of these mechanical aliens, you might just love it ! Now playing !

THE MUMMY - Mixed feelings.

THE MUMMY 

The first in a series of films which will make up Universal
Pictures' Dark Universe. Instead of superheroes, Universal is putting together its horrific monsters & creatures in the same universe. The unstoppable Tom Cruise stars as Nick Morton, a soldier of fortune who together with his buddy (Jake Johnson) accidentally unravels an ancient mummy under the ruins of Mesopotamia (now Iran) and awakens a cursed princess from centuries ago. Ahmanet was next in line to her father's throne, but when the king's new wife gave birth to a baby boy. Ahmanet was set aside. She conspired with some evil powers and eliminated those who obstruct her ascent to the throne. For her crimes, she was entombed for eternity.

Tom Cruise, despite his 54 years, can still do things some 20 year-olds can only imagine. He can still run fast, drive fast cars, and jump in & out of airplanes. While Sofia Boutella has always been a sight to behold. She's been consistent with her work since Kingsmen : The Secret Service, and Star Trek Beyond. But she needs more screen time. Btw, Russell Crowe makes a short appearance as Dr. Henry Jekyll. 

Though the film has several stunning action scenes like the extended plane crash, it lacks in character development.
It makes you feel something is "missing". There was so much focus on setting up the dark universe, but lacking in the story itself. The premise is good, but they could have done something more. I am hoping that the next films in this franchise will do better.

WONDER WOMAN - A real Wonder !

WONDER WOMAN

Gal Gadot first came out as Wonder Woman in the widely-panned BATMAN v SUPERMAN last year. Several critics lashed out on the movie for varied reasons. One thing they all agreed though was that everyone was excited to see the Amazon Princess on the silver screen for the first time. She nearly stole the show from the two male superheroes.

Comic book fans eagerly awaited the solo outing of Wonder Woman. After so many directors, writers, and actors rumoured to be part of the project, the time has come when WW arrived in cineplexes. She didn't disappoint ! Early reactions from advance screenings were mostly positive, saying the movie was great ! Finally a DCEU movie that critics loved !  Rotten Tomatoes gave it a certified fresh rating of 96% (initially).

WW tells the origin story of the titular character from the time she was a little girl up to when she realized her full potential. There were many instances in the film where I found myself feeling mesmerized ! Themyscira island is breath-taking ! The amazons are fantastic ! And Diana is like a breath of fresh air. Everytime Gal Gadot is onscreen, I couldn't take my eyes off her. She brings charm, beauty, hope, courage, innocense, intelligence, and fierceness to her character. Everything a Wonder Woman should be !

Chris Pine, who could well be a leading superhero, agreed to play second-fiddle (love interest) to Gal Gadot. But he managed to bring enough substance to his role that you would likely relate to him. They have great onscreen chemistry  ! I especially loved their convos in the bath and on the boat. 

WW is now breaking box office records all over the globe. Credits go to the director Patty Jenkins, the writers Allan Heinberg, Zack Snyder, & Jason Fuchs, and of course the actors Gal Gadot., Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, etc. Congratulations to Warner Bros. Pictures for bringing us this wonderful film !

I'm gonna go watch this again ! If I could describe WW in one sentence ? She's truly a WONDER !

BAYWATCH - back to the beach !

BAYWATCH

A popular tv series back in the 90s which featured sexy lifeguards frolic on the beach and save lives. I was an avid viewer until the show wrapped up. Hey ! Just looking at those bodies was heaven for me. Okay so much for throwback.

Now there's a new movie with the same name, different cast, but surprise, same characters' names. The similarity ends there though. They have all been updated to the present time.
Dwayne Johnson is Mitch Buchannon, the leader of the group. While Zac Efron plays Matt Brody, a former Olympic champion swimmer. As always, Dwayne delivers the hard action and comedy. His jabs on Zac are some of the funniest in the film. Efron on the other hand, is not to be outshined. He makes a good match to Johnson, and shows off his toned body for everyone to see. The ladies, Alexandra Dadario &  Kelly Rhorbach provides the sexy bikini babes with their trademark red suit.

The plot deals with drugs and a new threat to takeover the beach. Former Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra plays Victoria Leads, the baddie here. The movie has some silliness in it, much like the tv show. But what matters is that these sexy lifeguards are back on the beach, with a great deal of comedy and action. Fans of Baywatch (tv show) will enjoy this ! Directed by Seth Gordon. Rated R.

KING ARTHUR : LEGEND OF THE SWORD

KING ARTHUR : LEGEND OF THE SWORD

A modern retelling of the legendary knight Arthur. His uncle Vortigern (Jude Law) plots to take the throne from Arthur's father, King Uther (Eric Bana). The boy grew up in a Londinium brothel and forced to fend for himself. Growing up, he learns to survive in the streets, training in martial arts, making friends with thugs and the likes. Alas came a time when the sword needed to be pulled off from the rock, and Arthur finds himself lining up to take a shot.

This is basically the plot of the new King Arthur film. Director Guy Ritchie makes use of his fast-edit shots with lots of flashbacks and hardcore action. When Arthur finally pulls out the sword, he magically turns into a superhero-like warrior.

If you're looking for an accurate version of the classic knight's tale, this is not for you. But if you'll just go into the cinema for some fun, you'll find plenty of that and some more. There are flying animals & huge monsters in the battle scenes. Lots of spectacular visuals that usually come from big-budget films. It's like a cross between The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. 

Charlie Hunnam's got the look and physicality of a swashbuckling hero. And this film puts him up for more leading man roles in the future. From the Director of "Snatch", The Man from UNCLE", and the 2 "Sherlock Holmes" movies - Guy Ritchie. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 - More kick-ass action and laughter !

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2

The rag-tag team of misfits reunite for their second outing. This time, they are more concerned about their newfound family; as Peter Quill is about to meet his true father. The film begins as the gang battles a giant space squid while the tiniest member (baby Groot) dances around to the tune of "Mr. Blue Sky".

Each member of the guardians is given more scenes to let viewers get to know them better. Gamora & Nebula continue their bickering and fighting as stepsisters. Will they finally resolve their differences ? Rocket serves as father-figure to baby Groot (so cute !) who exploded in the first movie. Drax is given a new friend/mate in the form of Mantis. While Peter is faced with his true nature and powers.

Kurt Russell is a welcome addition to the group as Peter Quill's father. But what lies beneath his humanoid form ? Michael Rooker as Yondu gives a lasting impression. Overall this 2nd part has as much fun as the 1st one; probably even more.

Watch out for some famous celeb's cameos. And stay for the four mid-credits scenes and one post-credits scene. This is now my new favorite Marvel movie !  Written & Directed by James Gunn. From Disney/Marvel Films.

The LEGO BATMAN Movie - Coolest Batman ever !

The LEGO BATMAN Movie

Holy Guacamole ! This could be the best Batman you'll see onscreen. He's smart, funny, witty, and a whole lot of fun ! A far cry from the dark, brooding Batman we've been seeing lately. But he still retains the qualities that make him the Hero of Gotham City.

The movie was made especially for the younger crowd who obviously enjoys the building blocks of LEGO.
But the jokes and potshots looked like they were aimed at the dads and moms who grew up watching Batman all these years.
There were several references to the 60s tv series, the 90s movies, and the Dark Knight films of late.

Viewers will surely get a treat in naming the superheroes and villains who made their cameos. Even characters beyond the Bat universe ! 

With the voices of Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Sera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, etc. Written by a team of 5 ( ! ) writers, and directed by Chris Mckay.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictues.