Movie Review - Zack Snyder's Justice League

 I'm a huge DC Comics fan, and I loved most of their movies until The Dark Knight Rises, Man of Steel, and the other grim and gritty trying to beat Marvel films. I was so excited for a Justice League movie and so disappointed by what we got. I, like many others, wondered if the original cut of the film might have been better.

Zack Snyder's Justice League is a 2021 live-action superhero film based on characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated R for language and fantasy violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Story. This movie had a story. The story made sense. The story logically progressed from one scene to the next. That was all absent in the theatrical cut.

Fan Service. This film included a lot of characters and a lot of fan service, but it did it in a way that made sense and added to the story (for the most part).

The Bad

Music and Soundtrack. The music and soundtrack was one area this film fell short. It wasn't memorable. It didn't add to the emotion of the film. In places it was just plain boring or made no sense.

Lack of Great Fight Scenes. This film does have several fight scenes, but none of them were really great or memorable. They were short, looked like quickly rendered video games, and lacked choreography.

Not the Justice League We Wanted. While this is a really good film, it's not the Justice League film any fan really wanted. It didn't look or feel like the Justice League fans have grown to love in the comics and cartoons.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish the film would have been more true to the comics and cartoons.

 

Overall

Zack Snyder's Justice League is a 2021 live-action superhero film based on characters appearing in DC Comics. Unlike the theatrical version, this movie had a story. The story made sense. The story logically progressed from one scene to the next. This film included a lot of characters and a lot of fan service, but it did it in a way that made sense and added to the story (for the most part). The music and soundtrack was one area this film fell short. It wasn't memorable. It didn't add to the emotion of the film. In places it was just plain boring or made no sense. This film does have several fight scenes, but none of them were really great or memorable. They were short, looked like quickly rendered video games, and lacked choreography. While this is a really good film, it's not the Justice League film any fan really wanted. It didn't look or feel like the Justice League fans have grown to love in the comics and cartoons. I recommend this film and give it 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

Movie Review - Wonder Woman 1984

I've loved Wonder Woman for as long as I can remember. She is my favorite superhero. I loved the Lynda Carter TV series and never understood why Wonder Woman never had a theatrical film or animated series. Then Gal Gadot came onto the scene and started in an amazing movie and I thought, "Finally! Wonder Woman is getting the treatment she deserves. I can't wait for the next movie." Oh, how dreams can be so quickly dashed.

Wonder Woman 1984 is a 2020 live-action action superhero film. It is rated PG-13 for violence and intensity and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Gal Godat. GalGodat is excellent in this film. She perfectly embodies Wonder Woman just as well as Lynda Carter. She is flawless in this.

80s Nostalgia. This film feels like the Lynda Carter series was brought back as an 80s TV movie of the week. I really enjoyed that.

Concept. The concept is similar to that of the short story The Monkey's Paw. Characters in the film find a magic wishing stone, and it grants wishes but at the price of taking what you value most. This is pretty original for a film and offers so many great directions to go. It's too bad the filmmakers didn't do that.

The Bad

Story. While the concept was great, the story was really weak. The director did not choose to explore any really clever or interesting story possibilities but decided to go with the obvious and tired nuclear war, Armageddon, blah, blah, blah.

Execution. This movie was not well filmed, the dialogue was stilted and forced, the acting was over the top, the message wasn't clear but was still shoved down the audiences throat in a very heavy-handed manner. The action scenes were slow motion on wires that defied the laws of physics so none of them looked cool or were engaging.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish someone else had written the story and screen play. Patty Jenkins can direct, but she can't come up with interesting stories.

Overall

Wonder Woman 1984 is a 2020 live-action action superhero film. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen all the best parts, all the actions scenes, and almost all of the jokes. GalGodat is excellent in this film. She perfectly embodies Wonder Woman just as well as Lynda Carter. She is flawless in this. This film feels like the Lynda Carter series was brought back as an 80s TV movie of the week. The concept is similar to that of the short story The Monkey's Paw. Characters in the film find a magic wishing stone, and it grants wishes but at the price of taking what you value most. This is pretty original for a film and offers so many great directions to go. It's too bad the filmmakers didn't do that. I really enjoyed that. While the concept was great, the story was really weak. The director did not choose to explore any really clever or interesting story possibilities but decided to go with the obvious and tired nuclear war, Armageddon, blah, blah, blah. This movie was not well filmed, the dialogue was stilted and forced, the acting was over the top, the message wasn't clear but was still shoved down the audiences throat in a very heavy-handed manner. The action scenes were slow motion on wires that defied the laws of physics so none of them looked cool or were engaging. I wish someone else had written the story and screen play. Patty Jenkins can direct, but she can't come up with interesting stories. I give this film 3 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

 

Movie Review - The Death of Superman (DC Universe Animated Original Movie)

After the disappointment of Superman: Doomsday, I really had no desire to see this remake. But then I subscribed to the DC Universe app and this was included, so I decided to watch it. I am so glad I did.

The Death of Superman is a 2018 action superhero DC Universe Animated Original Movie based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. It is rated PG-13 for language, violence, and unnecessary gore and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Faithfulness to the Source Material. This movie was surprisingly faithful to the 90s comic books from including major characters and plot lines to even capturing some of the look and feel. I appreciated how they snuck in a nod to the red-headed, red-bearded Lex Luthor II.

Action. The movie featured some nice action that was paced well and was the right amount for the story. I didn't feel like it was over too quickly nor like it got boring because there was so much of it. Doomsday was shown as a real threat by the way he tore thru the Justice League with so little effort. I also like the additions including the bridge scene and the fight in the sky.

Story. The film had a really good story. From the Lois & Clark love story arc to the Lex looking for a way to destroy Superman arc to Doomsday arriving and attacking, everything made sense, fit together, and was sufficiently explored.

The Bad

Lois. Lois had a really important role in this film, but it was really hard to care about her or feel anything for her. She seemed so indifferent and dispassionate, like she was just going thru the motions with no real spirit behind anything.

Animation. I'm not sure who came up with the New 52 look or why they've stuck with it for so long, because it doesn't look great, nor does it animate well. The movements are jerky and awkward. There is so little emotion communicated.

Voices. The voice casting was awful. Everyone sounded strange. After the great work from Andrea Romano and her amazing voice casting, fans have come to expect a certain level of quality that just wasn't matched here.

Music. The music was pretty generic. DC has had some really great Superman themes and music, and it is a shame they didn't use any of it here or try to reach the same level of quality.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the art direction had matched the style of the comics. Dan Jurgens and Tom Grummet both draw great classic Superman that would both animate well.

Overall

The Death of Superman (DC Universe Animated Original Movie) was a surprisingly enjoyable movie. It had a solid story, great action, and was fairly faithful to the original comics. I couldn't understand why they needed to tell this story for a third time in a decade, but this time they got it right. I'm excited for Reign of the Supermen. I give this film 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

    

Movie Review - Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Unlike a lot of comic book fans, I actually like the idea of Teen Titans Go! even if I don't think all the jokes are that funny or all the things they try are that successful. I'm impressed how they've managed to have a new episode every week for years. I was curious what they would do for a major motion picture, whether they'd step up the game in all areas, especially the story and cleverness.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a 2018 animated superhero film based on the tv show based on the DC Comics characters. It's rated PG, but is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Art Direction. The film looked really nice. The animators definitely stepped up their game on the backgrounds and animation. The fight scenes also were bumped up a notch.

Inclusion of the DC Universe. I really like how many characters were included, even obscure ones like the Challengers of the Unknown. I wasn't a fan of the voices they used (sorry, Nick Cage, but you are no Superman), but I did like the roles they played.

Story. The story was really fun and filled with a lot of stuff that held my interest, provided a lot of variety, and covered a lot of different ideas to keep the action from getting stale.

Jokes. There were a lot of bad jokes, but there were also several good jokes, references, and commentary. I liked the Stan Lee cameo parody,the inclusion of Marvel and Mirage comic characters, and the references to other movies.

The Bad

Aimed at Young Ages. This movie was definitely aimed at a very young audience with a lot of low level jokes and uncomplicated plot. I with they had included a little more for the adult viewers.

Not Super Clever. They had some clever ideas, but none of the ideas reached the level of brilliant, which I've come to expect in kids' movies.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish this movie had been more clever like The Lego Batman Movie, Marvel movies, Dreamworks films, and other films aimed at the whole family.

Overall

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies was better than I thought it would be. There were some great jokes, clever ideas, nice nods to other movies, good looking animation, and a story filled with a lot of variety to keep things interesting. This film is aimed at a young audience and isn't as satisfying for older viewers as other family films, but it's still very entertaining and fun. I give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

   

Movie Review: Justice League (2017 film)

I love the classic DC Universe. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, The Green Lantern, and others are icons for a reason. I've been wanting to see a live action SuperFriends flick my whole life. I never understood why Christopher Reeves, Adam West, and Lynda Carter didn't team up. I'm not a fan of what DC has done to their characters over the last 15 years, so I was very nervous for this movie.

Justice League is a 2017 action superhero movie featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and other DC Comics characters. It is rated PG-13 for language and intense action and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Characters. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash were all well cast and fun to watch. I loved their interactions. The characters playing off each other and fighting together are the highlights of this film and what make it work.

Zach Snyder Visuals. Zack Snyder puts some amazing visuals in his movies, and this film is no exception. Some of the cityscape shots at the beginning with Batman hunting a Parademon looked like a painting come to life.

Action. This movie is an action movie, and there is some great action with all characters showing what they can do. It really looked like a comic book come to life.

The Bad

Villain. In the comics, Steppenwolf is a pretty cool hunter and general for Darkseid. Whoever came up with this version has obviously never read the comic. He's portrayed as some lumbering giant that spends the movie mindlessly destroying and conquering for no real reason.

Cyborg and Aquaman. Cyborg was annoying and Aquaman acted like he was high. Neither were interesting characters.

Story. This is an action movie, and the story is no deeper than that of a typical action movie or Saturday morning cartoon. As long as you don't think too hard about what's going on and just go with the flow, the gaping plot wholes and logical inconsistencies won't disrupt your enjoyment.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the filmmakers had chosen a really great story from the comics to adapt instead of coming up with their convoluted mess. I also wish they hadn't replaced real League members with Cyborg who works much better in the Teen Titans.

Overall

Justice League is an entertaining movie filled with some fun characters, great action, and many nice visuals. The characters' interactions and fighting together are the highlights that make this movie work. The story makes as much sense as a typical action movie or Saturday morning cartoon--as long as you don't think too hard about it and just go with the flow, the gaping plot wholes and logical inconsistencies won't disrupt your fun. I give this film 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

    

Comic Book Review: Dark Knight III: The Master Race (mini-series)

I know this will sound strange, but I was not a fan of Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns but loved Dark Knight Strikes Again! Now, before you start casting stones, let me explain.

Dark Knight III: The Master Race is a dystopian future, superhero comic book mini-series and a sequel to The Dark Knight Returns and Dark Knight Strikes Again! It's available in print and digitally and will soon be collected.

The Good

Artwork. Andy Kubert is the penciler on this series, and his work has never looked so good. He perfectly captures the Frank Miller vibe from the original mini-series, but infuses his own style and current artistic sensibilities into it to create a modern-looking homage with the fun and flavor of the original but none of the dated look. The inking and coloring are good, but not stellar.

Story. The story is really, really good. It's one I've never read before, which is surprising because now it seems so obvious and such an essential part of the mythos. It involves many characters from Dark Knight Strikes Again! and basically continues that story with a few nods to the original. Unfortunately, the story isn't well told. The idea is great; the execution not so much.

Mini-comics The mini-comics are the best part. The first three have varying artists, but by issue 4 Frank Miller takes over the artistic and storytelling chores, and each is a little masterpiece. They are bold. They are exciting. They fill in gaps of the main story further exploring the individual characters in this universe. Each one is very short, and yet tells so much story, much like the classic Will Eisner The Spirit comic strips in newspapers of the 50s. These are the reasons I rushed out to buy each issue the second it was on sale.

The Bad

Pacing. The story is very unevenly told with some scenes being cut short and not fully explored and developed and others being drug out too long just to fill a certain page count.

Filler Pages. The last half dozen pages or so of each issue are basically uncolored artwork from the issue. While it was nice to look out, the pages could have been much better utilized to tell more story instead of cutting so many scenes short.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish this comic had followed the pattern of the first two mini-series and had only three or four issues that contained two to four issues worth of story. That would have fixed the pacing issues, although I'm not sure how the mini-comics would have worked.

Overall

Dark Knight III: The Master Race tells a really interesting story that's never been told in DC lore with incredible art but not-so-great pacing rushing certain scenes while stretching others out way too long. The mini-comics were the real jewels of the mini-series and the reason I rushed to read each issue. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Movie Review: Wonder Woman

I have loved the character Wonder Woman for as long as I can remember. I loved the Lynda Carter 1970s television version, and I loved the 1980s SuperFriends version. I loved the original comics by William Moulton Marston and H. G. Peter, and I loved the George Perez and John Byrne reinventions. I even liked the New 52 version. But she is such a hard character to get right. Too many people either make her too silly and girly (like most of her comic appearances from the mid-40s to the 80s) or too witchy (like Bruce Timm's Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and the DC Original Animated Feature). But when she is done right, no one can compare.

Wonder Woman is a 2017 live action superhero action film based on DC Comics characters. It's rated PG-13 due to violence and a few sexual innuendos, but is appropriate for most ages.

Overview

Diana grows up on Paradise Island not knowing her true destiny until an American officer, Steve Trevor, accidentally crash lands on her island causing her to leave her home and travel to man's world to end World War I.

The Good

Gal Gadot. Gal Gadot was definitely the best part of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. After such a strong introduction, I was pretty sure this movie would be good. Her portrayal of Diane is spot on. She's sweet, kind, loving, compassionate, strong, and just. She never becomes witchy or disrespectful. Her strength isn't just physical but stems from her character.

Chris Pine. Chris Pine is great in everything he does. He's strong and powerful in this movie but also loyal and kind. His character isn't some Lois Lane weakling that needs saving and does quite a bit of saving on his own.

Story. The story is solid, interesting, and well told with nothing that would make you roll your eyes.

Pacing. The movie is long and doesn't rush anything, but it never drags

Action. The action is amazing! Even as spoiled as I've become watching so many Marvel movies, I was still blown away.

Humor. There isn't a lot of humor in this movie, but what little there is is incredibly funny, some of the funniest dialogue I've heard in a motion picture in quite some time. And it's spaced throughout the movie to provide relief from such heavy themes and settings.

Respect. This movie respects the characters. They all have an important roll to play and are treated like people and not plot devices (except for a couple of villains as you'll read about below).

Message. The movie has a very clear message that is relevant and important today about war, conflict, and human nature. While it is very clear and well developed, you never feel like you're being beat over the head with it.

True to the Comics. The filmmakers did a brilliant job incorporating so many elements from the comics (even the New 52) without any of them feeling forced.

The Bad

Villains. The General and Dr. Poison are played a little too cartoony and silly in places. The point of the movie is Wonder Woman and her discovery, so the filmmakers were wise not to spend too much time on developing the villains, but they could have made them more interesting.

Jumping and Strength Special Effects. Wonder Woman is shown several times jumping inhuman distances and lifting objects only Superman could lift. Unfortunately, these weren't done well. They look very fake and video gamey, and not in a good way. I wish the filmmakers had spent a little more time staging them so they felt more believable.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the special effects had been a little more carefully rendered and the villains weren't so cartoony. Otherwise it was everything I could hope for.

Overall

Wonder Woman is everything you could hope for in a superhero movie. It had a strong story, amazing action, beautiful visuals, and most importantly they got the character right. I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

   

DVD Review - JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time

I grew up on SuperFriends, waking up each Saturday morning before 6:00 and watching the countdown until the viewing day began with a patriotic montage and the national anthem. I remember when SuperFriends went off the air for a year, and then came back as SuperPowers. I was so excited. After two more seasons it disappeared again forever. I kept hoping it would come back, but it never did.

And then in college Justice League debuted and I was excited thinking SuperFriends was back. Alas, it was not so. Justice League was a miserable failure until the end of the second season when it started to pick up, and by the fourth season (Justice League Unlimited Season 2) it came close to capturing the magic of SuperFriends.

Then I was in Target one day and saw the cover on the left and wondered what this was. I had heard nothing about it, and I keep my ear pretty close to the ground when it comes to superheroes.

JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time is a direct-to-video animated action, adventure, science fiction, superhero movie staring the Justice League (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Robin). It was released as a Target exclusive for a few months before gaining a general release. It is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

SuperFriends is Back! After the disappointment of Justice League and DC Entertainments move to DC Original Animated Movies, I thought SuperFriends was gone forever. I'm so glad I was wrong. This movie had the classic heroes and villains we loved from the original series, the Hall of Justice, the Legion of Doom, a scientific fiction trope to drive the plot, and lots of action.

The Action. This movie opens with a giant brawl between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom, and has plenty more fight scenes before the story is over. The animation was well done with all the characters given a decent chunk of time to show what he or she can do.

The Cast of Characters. One of the things that was so fun about the original SuperFriends was seeing all of my favorite heroes and villains together, and being introduced to new ones. The producers didn't let me down. They included over a dozen heroes and villains and gave each a good chunk of screen time and opportunities to use their powers and abilities.

The Costume Designs. The character designs were very true to the original with a fun, modern twist to keep them fresh. While my preference would be for the classic looks, these stayed true enough to the originals that I actually kind of liked them.

The Bad

Robin. Robin was really annoying. They portrayed him as a bratty hyperactive kid with no self control. I suppose they were trying to make him edgy, but instead they made him unlikable.

Wonder Woman. I love Wonder Woman, but she is a hard character to get right. The producers of this show decided to go with the tough, fierce warrior instead of the kind, compassionate, strong woman that we fell in love with in the comics and Lynda Carter TV show. While she wasn't as angry and witchy as some interpretations, she wasn't as likeable as she could have been.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I enjoyed seeing the SuperFriends back in action. I wish the movie had focused on them instead of the two new characters, Karate Kid and Dawnstar, and Lex Luthor. While they were interesting characters, I really miss the heroes I grew up with. Hopefully the next one will focus more on the old heroes.

Overall

Overall this was a very enjoyable movie with a lot of action, interesting character development, fun new costume designs, and a bit of a twist on the time travel trope. The movie has a good pace and while it is skewed for younger viewers, there is enough story and excitement to hold an older audiences attention. I give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.