Blu-ray Review - Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I'm a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan, but the idea of them crossing over with DC or Marvel characters never seemed like a good idea. The first comic book mini-series this film is based on was pretty disappointing. But Amazon had the rental on sale, so I thought, "What the hay?"

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2019 direct-to-video action superhero film featuring the DC Comics hero Batman (created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger) and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird). It is rated PG-13 for language and violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Story and Pacing. This movie had a solid story that made sense, wasn't contrived, and moved logically from one scene to the next. The pacing was deliberate and slow enough to develop the story but fast enough to never become boring.

Animation and Art Direction. While this wasn't my favorite look for the characters, it worked really well for the story and the movie.

Action. The fights were so fun and so well done showcasing so many characters and most of their abilities and unique traits. It was fun to see Batman and Shredder so evenly matched and such a long struggle to fight each other without a quick resolution.

Titles. The titles were gorgeous with black and white cityscapes and colored characters in front. The end credits with famous comic book covers recreated with Batman and the Turtles were also very clever.

Fan Nods. There were a lot of easter eggs and nods to the fans as well as references to previous incarnations both in film and print of the characters that really made the world rich.

Voice Acting. All the voice casting choices were new, but they felt classic.

The Bad

Violence and Swearing. I get this movie is meant to appeal to an older audience, but the action and sophistication of the story would have done that. The extreme violence and cussing actually detracted from the film.

Science of Ooze/Mutagen. The fact that the ooze works instantaneously and can only be cured within a short window makes absolutely no sense. Everything else was well thought out and well considered. The major McGuffin of the story not being well considered was kind of strange.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the Batmobile had been a cooler design.

Overall

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the best animated films I've ever scene. The story is solid and well considered, the action is fast and fierce and showcases each character's unique abilities, the voice casting sounded classic, and the titles were gorgeous. Even though this film was targeted to an older audience, the amount of violence and harsh language detracted feeling contrived and forced. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

Book Review - Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt

I'm a big fan of what I call "business books" -- nonfiction books that discuss various topics that can help a business or manager or entrepreneur. After reading a couple dozen so books, they start to repeat themselves and offer very little new. But then I discovered this gem.

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt is a nonfiction business book on strategy. It is available as en eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Defining Strategy. This book does an excellent job defining what strategy is and isn't, and spends a good deal of time going over several popular corporate "strategies" and government "strategies" that aren't actually strategies and explains why they aren't.

Case Studies. This book offers many great real world case studies of companies with and without strategy as well as good and bad strategies and the results.

Financial Crisis. This book explains why the latest financial crisis happened, why previous financial crisis happened for the same reasons, and why future financial crisis are going to continue to happen.

No Political Agenda. The author kept his politics to himself. I was especially surprised when he offered nuclear power as the only solution to energy independence even though that is very unpopular politically these days.

The Bad

Narration. I listened to this as an audiobook, and the narration was very poor. It wasn't so poor it made the book unlistenable, but it didn't do the text any favors.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I would like to have seen more examples of good strategy.

Overall

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt is an excellent book that explores what strategy is and isn't, provides numerous real world examples of corporate and government strategies that aren't actually strategies but goals and mission statements, provides many examples of good and bad strategies and explains why they are good or bad, and explains why the latest financial crisis happened, why previous financial crisis happened for the same reasons, and why future financial crisis are going to continue to happen. And the author manages to keep his politics to himself. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - Superman: Year One

Despite all the backlash Frank Miller gets these days, I still think he is a good writer. He comes up with some really great stories, and they always focus on the emotions of the characters. So when I heard he was tackling a Superman story, I was excited.

Superman: Year One 1 is the first book in a trilogy of graphic novels featuring Superman. It is available in paperback and electronic comics.

The Good

Story. This book had a great story that moved at just the right pace. It felt like classic Superboy in Smallville and yet modern at the same time. It was true to the Superman mythos while bringing something new to the picture.

Art. The art was very nice and fit the story Frank was telling.

Changes. This story made several changes to the Superman mythos that all made sense and provide a lot of interesting stories to explore.

The Bad

Matt Murdock. Frank Miller has made Clark Kent act like and talk a little like Matt Murdock in the Man Without Fear mini-series. While that is one of my favorite stories of all time, this felt a bit like a rip off of that. I'm not sure Clark and Matt are really that similar.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish Frank had made Superman's mom more human and less of a plot device.

Overall

Superman: Year One 1 had a great story that moved at just the right pace. It felt like classic Superboy in Smallville and yet modern at the same time. It was true to the Superman mythos while bringing something new to the picture. The art fit the story, and I like how young Clark looks like Tom Welling from Smallville. This story made several changes to the Superman mythos that all made sense and provide a lot of interesting stories to explore. I just wish Clark's mother had been less generic helicopter mom and more Martha Kent. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Movie Review - Spider-man: Far From Home

I thought Spider-man's cameo in Captain America: Civil War was a lot of fun, but I did not enjoy Spider-man: Homecoming at all. So I wasn't sure what I would think of this latest film. But it featured Mysterio, one of my favorite villains, and Jake Gyllenhaal, an incredible actor, so I thought it had potential.

Spider-man: Far From Home is a 2019 live action superhero film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe featuring characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It is rated PG-13 for action and language but is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Mysterio. Mysterio is one of my favorite villains, and Jake Gyllenhaal did an amazing job portraying him. I really enjoyed the unique take the filmmakers took with the villain. He still stayed true to his roots and basic concept while still feeling fresh and new.

Comedy. This movie was filled with great jokes and comedy bits that flowed naturally from the narrative and helped advance the story and themes.

Final Fight. The final fight was amazing. It was fun, it was exciting, it was suspenseful, and there were a couple of surprises.

Relationships. This movie focused a lot more on the relationships between characters than previous films, and they were enjoyable to explore. They made the danger feel more real, because now there were real stakes involved.

The Bad

Stunts/Special Effects. During much of the movie, Spider-man looks like he's being thrown around on the end of a cable (which he is). The stuntman does a terrible job making it look like Spider-man could actually do the jumps and leaps on his own. And this isn't the best cgi in a movie.

First Two Fights. While the final fight is incredible, the earlier fights are really disappointing. They just don't feel as exciting as they should.

Mid-credits Scene. While the mid-credit scene was a complete surprise (you will never guess what it is) and completely shocking, I'm not sure I like where it points the next movie.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the earlier fight scenes had been better.

Overall

Spider-man: Far From Home was one of the best Marvel films to come out in a long time. Mysterio was a great villain portrayed perfectly by Jake Gyllenhaal. The filmmakers stayed true to the basic concept of Mysterio while delivering a really unique and amazing take on the character. The comedy was hilarious and flowed naturally from the narrative and situations. The end fight scene was as good and intense as it gets. This movie focused a lot more on relationships than the previous films, and they were well developed and interesting to watch. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

TV Show Review - Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2

I've never been a big fan of Swamp Thing, so when I heard he was the star of a new TV series, I was a little disappointed. But Titans and Doom Patrol were really good, so I decided to give it a chance. 

Swamp Thing is an 10-episode DC Universe series based on characters appearing in DC Comics created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and gore and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Casting. Everyone in this (minus the swamp witch) is an excellent casting choice. They fit the characters well, their acting is top notch, and they make you feel for them.

Story. The story is so tight and so strong. It grips you from the first second and doesn't let you go for a minute. Somehow the filmmakers are able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead dies (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you are still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!".

Pacing. The story is paced just right. It never drags, but there is plenty of dramatic pausing.

Art Direction. The visuals are gorgeous. I feel like I am in the swamp. Some of the cgi looks a little fake, but there are enough practical effects that the overall look holds up well.

The Bad

Ummm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

All thirteen original episodes produced.

Overall

Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2 are pure perfection. The casting couldn't be better, the acting is top notch, the visuals are truly creepy, and the story is so tight and strong. I can't believe the filmmakers were able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead died (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you were still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!". I can't wait to see the rest of this series. I give this show 5 out of 5 remotes.

      

Movie Review - Aladdin (2019 live action film)

I remember seeing the original Aladdin cartoon in theaters and enjoying it, but not as much as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. I was excited to see the live-action remake until I heard Guy Ritchie was the director. He does some awfully strange things, so I wasn't sure how this would turn out.

Aladdin is a 2019 live action fantasy family film. It is rated PG for action and is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Aladdin. I really enjoyed the Aladdin character. He was very likable and did a lot of cool stunts and amazing dancing.

Story. The story was solid. The filmmakers did a good job filling out backstory and motivation that was lacking from the animated feature.

Dancing. This movie featured quite a bit of great dancing. I just wish there had been more.

Visuals. This movie was visually stunning to look at. Everyone from the art director to photographer to production designers to costume designers did a top-notch job.

The Bad

Jafar. It has been said that a hero is only as good as his villain. Fortunately that isn't true or this movie would have been a disaster. Jafar was not charismatic, whily, menacing, or anything else a great villain needs to be. He was such a pushover.

Singing. The singing was good, but not as good as the animated feature.

Shoehorned Political Message. It's 2019 so the producers felt obligated to shoehorn the current political fad into the movie in a way that felt forced and uninspired. There are a lot of different ways they could have shown Jasmine to be a strong character other than seeking ultimate political power. That actually made her character look weaker, not stronger.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the singing had been better and the forced political message had been left out.

Overall

Aladdin is a great adaption of a classic animated film and a lot of fun for the whole family. Most of the cast was excellent and the story was solid with good additions filling in backstory and motivation the original lacked. The film was visually beautiful to watch, and the dancing was really impressive. The singing could have been stronger and more on key. The biggest problem was Jafar and what a weak, uninteresting, nonthreat they made him. Fortunately, the Aladdin character was great and carried the movie with his charm, great stunts, and amazing dancing, even if he seemed to overact his awkwardness. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

Movie Review - The Meg

I read the original novel this film is based on quite a while ago completely unaware Hollywood was developing a movie. When I found out they were I scratched my head wondering how they were going to do it. The book has a lot of story, way too much to include in a 90-minute to 2-hour film.

The Meg is a 2018 live action science fiction action film. It is rated PG-13 for language and violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Limited Scope. This film basically takes the first major scene from the novel, spends a third of the movie recreating it, then creates a new two thirds showing the ramifications and a conclusion. It was a very clever move, because the novel had way too much for a single film.

Action. The action was for the most part really well done and really fun to watch.

Pacing. This film was excellently paced. I never got bored, yet I felt thrills at all the right moments from the excitement and horror.

The Bad

All Action, Little Story. While I think it was clever of the filmmakers to focus on the first major action scene and expand on it, the movie didn't feel like a complete movie. It would have been nice to include a little more story content.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been a little more story. There were a lot of characters and relationships that could have been developed more even in the context of the limited scope.

Overall

The Meg is an exciting action/horror flick about a team of scientists battling a terrifying discovery they never expected to make. The novel this film is based on has enough story for three movies, so the filmmakers were clever to take the first major scene, film it accurately for the first third of the film, then create a new ending based on what would naturally follow. The action is very well done and the pacing is just right. The story is a little thin. There are a lot of characters that little is done with. The "twists" are also not as shocking as the filmmakers would like them to be. But overall, this is a really fun film. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

Movie Review - Dark Phoenix

I'm not an X-Men fan, and I didn't really like the first cycle of movies, but I've loved the reboot of X-Men: First Class to the X-Men: Apocalypse, so I was really excited to see how they would interpret The Dark Phoenix Saga.

Dark Phoenix is a 2019 live action science fiction superhero film based on the comic book story The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. It is rated PG-13 for language and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Theme. This movie revolves around the theme of how humans view mutants and their acceptance of them. It explores what good relations look like and how bad the relationships can get.

Cyclops. Cyclops has always been my favorite X-Men, and in this movie he finally did more than stand around and shoot a couple of beams. He actual had some action and used his powers in a real fight. It was fun to watch.

The Bad

Boring. This movie was really boring. It had a slow pace and nothing really cool or remarkable. It was very bland and mundane. The filmmakers somehow even made traveling into space very blah.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish someone else had written and directed this film. I was shocked someone could turn such an incredible comic book story into such a mediocre disappointment.

Overall

Dark Phoenix is a movie that should be great but is very boring and uninspired. The only highlights are the exploration of the theme of the relationship between humans and mutants and what it looks like at it's best contrasted by what it looks like at it's worst, and Cyclops finally using his powers like he does in the comics. I was very disappointed. It's not a bad movie, just a mediocre one. I give this film 3 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.