Saturday, June 30, 2018

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

The fifth film in the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a slight improvement over the previous entry though there are still a few issues leftover here and there. After the volcano on Isla Nublar becomes active, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing, introduced in the previous film and played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, are tasked in helping to find various dinosaurs so as to keep them from going extinct. That then leads to the two and some new characters to a conspiracy involving the selling of the dinosaurs to people wanting to use them as weapons and a brand new dinosaur created through the DNA of the Indominus rex and other dinosaurs. While the film keeps elements of the science fiction adventure tropes that the previous films had, this one has a lot more focus on horror, which is very effective. The effects, both CGI and practical, to depict the dinosaurs has improved from the previous entry and the design and actions of the Indoraptor is one of the most memorable. While the performances from everyone involved are all great, sometimes the villains can feel like over the top bad guys just to keep the story going. The ending has some good things, such as the dinosaurs escaping into the wild and humanity having to accept them, and some bad things, such as the reveal of a newly introduced character whose backstory needed more to go on. Seeing Jeff Goldblum return as Dr. Ian Malcolm was a lot of fun, even if his scenes were very short. I really hope that the ending of this film plays into what happens in the next one and shows how the world changes. Over all: 86%
2018 top list so far:
1. Incredibles 2
2. Avengers: Infinity War
3. Solo: A Star Wars Story
4. A Quiet Place
5. Deadpool 2
6. Black Panther
7. Ready Player One
8. Ocean's 8
9. Isle of Dogs
10. Game Night
11. Thoroughbreds
12. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Pop Culture Guy episode 48: A Quiet Place and Isle of Dogs reviews

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Bao

Bao is the animated short that preceded Incredibles 2 and is also made by Pixar, directed by Domee Shi. Centering around an elderly Chinese mother who imagines that one of her dumplings comes to life and treats it like her actual child only for the ending to reveal that her real son has his own family and she was suffering from empty nest syndrome. While the story itself is told in such an odd and weird way, it at least has a lot of heart and meaning behind it. The animation and design for Bao is one of the most unique that Pixar has ever done in either feature length or short. Besides the story and animation, this short is so memorable and great because of the detail and respect to Chinese culture.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500

A much older comic I was given for the 2017 Free Comic Book Day as a bonus that came with the other comics I chose, The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500 is a continuation set after Superman was killed in the battle that first pitted him against Doomsday in the '90s. Dealing with a gravelly ill Jonathan Kent who has visions of his past and of his supposed late superhero son while at the same time showing and introducing the various characters that were inspired by Superman's heroism to continue his legacy like Steel or a new clone Superboy. The story is full of really great drama as Superman and his adopted father fight for their souls while the ending hints at the Man of Steel's eventual resurrection. The artwork is vibrant and the writing is really good, with the reveal of each of the Superman inspired characters foreshadowing what's to come. This being my first solo Superman comic, or at least one dealing with his death and legacy, this one is good as it deals more with spirituality and drama than action. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 2nd set of comics:
1. The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
3. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #6
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #4
5. Thor: God of Thunder Vol. 1 #1
6. Wonder Woman Free Comic Book Day 2017 Special Edition (2017-) issue #1
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1
9. Incredible Hulk (1999-2007) #92: Planet Hulk Part One
10. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #3
11. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1
12. Tate's Not At Comic Con Local Indy Anthology #8

Incredibles 2

Released 14 years after the first film and set right after where it ended, Incredibles 2 is a Pixar classic right from the start. The sequel still deals with the idea of superheroes being illegal as the Parr family is offered a chance to sway public opinion about the whole ordeal. Brad Bird returns as the writer and director and his distinctive style of making a superhero film like a James Bond esque spy thriller works just as well as the first Incredibles. The film offers lots of cool action scenes, has a more serious and mature tone compared to other Pixar and Disney films, and the characters feel very real as they deal with everyday issues. Unlike other animated films, Incredibles 2's pacing is much slower which adds to its genius and authenticity. Most of the main cast returns with Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter as the married heroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl along with Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone. The family learning about Jack-Jack's numerous powers, Edna explaining how they work, and him using them at the end is pure awesome and hilarious. Out of the many villains superhero films have shown us, none are more devious or original as the Screenslaver whose methods, motivation, and plans can be seen as terrifying, understandable, and genius. Learning about the many heroes that are inspired by Elastigirl's work to reveal themselves is something you don't see a lot of in superhero films. Over all: 100%
2018 top list so far:
1. Incredibles 2
2. Avengers: Infinity War
3. Solo: A Star Wars Story
4. A Quiet Place
5. Deadpool 2
6. Black Panther
7. Ready Player One
8. Ocean's 8
9. Isle of Dogs
10. Game Night
11. Thoroughbreds

Friday, June 15, 2018

Ocean's 8

Both a sequel and a spinoff to the Ocean's remake trilogy made by Steven Soderbergh that starred George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon, Ocean's 8 switches it up by making Debbie Ocean, the sister of Clooney's character, the lead. Much like its predecessors this film boast an all star cast that includes Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kalling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. While 8 has your typical heist plot and tropes that the previous films had, a lot of it is done well and has some originality to it. Debbie's motivation is the exact opposite as her brother's in the first one and can actually be seen as a little darker. The planning and eventual execution of the thieves robbing from the Met Gala is quite a sight to behold. Ocean's 8 strongest component is the acting and chemistry between all of the actors, especially with the reveal of Hathaway's character. The comedy is on point and Gary Ross's direction is really good, though he sometimes tries too hard to copy Soderbergh's style from the trilogy and it doesn't always work especially with the use of color. Numerous celebrities cameo as themselves during the Gala which is fun, and two of the actors from the trilogy do appear in small parts in a natural way. The reveal of what happened to another of the characters from the trilogy is a bold and daring move. Over all: 95%
2018 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Infinity War
2. Solo: A Star Wars Story
3. A Quiet Place
4. Deadpool 2
5. Black Panther
6. Ready Player One
7. Ocean's 8
8. Isle of Dogs
9. Game Night
10. Thoroughbreds

Monday, June 4, 2018

Solo: A Star Wars Story

As the second Star Wars spinoff and the first to focus on one of the major characters from the saga films, Solo: A Star Wars Story is the exact movie that this franchise needs and to learn from. Taking place less than ten years before the events of A New Hope, the film sees how Han Solo became the rogue smuggler we met at the start of the first film through his adventures with Chewbacca, winning the Millennium Falcon from Lando, and what led him to Tatooine. Most of the story of Han having to help a team of criminals steal from a train and then breaking into and escaping from a mining planet is very original with some of the events done to explain the references made by the previous films. Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover portray the younger versions of Han and Lando, respectively, and both do a fantastic job at capturing what their predecessors brought to their performances while also proving on their own with certain aspects not seen before. Many of the events in which the characters get themselves into feel very natural as opposed to being forced all in one to explain right away how certain things became, though some do have this problem. Unlike the rest of the films, Solo has an entirely different feel to it that shows you can make each of these films their own, going from space opera to full on space western. When the film was initially being made, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were the original directors who were then replaced by producers with Ron Howard as they felt it was being done with a much different directing style than the other Star Wars films and more of a comedy. While I can agree in not doing a Star Wars comedy when it deals with a character like Han, I do feel that now that it's been over forty years since the franchise was introduced that the movies should be made differently in both style and tone to show how diverse the universe of Star Wars is. Solo introduced some new memorable characters like Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra as Han's childhood love, Woody Harrelson as Han's mentor and the leader of a band of very likable criminals, and Phoebe Walter-Bridge as L3-37 who is Lando's droid companion. There's a surprising cameo at the end of the film that is really cool and promises something new in the future. While this film isn't flawless, I find that Solo is the best Star Wars film as it's the only one since A New Hope that even remotely tries to feel differently and not rely on constant references to the original trilogy as the movies should really move away from it as this is a large and diverse universe with thousands if not millions of years of history. Even if this is the first Star Wars to not make its money back Disney should think about how they make these films, to learn from this one, and how they should have a different tone and feel. All in all, with really great effects, a well told and original story, good acting, and memorable new characters Solo is a noteworthy entry that shouldn't be afraid to be different even with some familiarity. Over all: 100%
2018 top list so far:
1. Avengers: Infinity War
2. Solo: A Star Wars Story
3. A Quiet Place
4. Deadpool 2
5. Black Panther
6. Ready Player One
7. Isle of Dogs
8. Game Night
9. Thoroughbreds