Eternals

The fact that it took 13 years and 26 movies for a an entry in the MCU to have a Rotten Tomatoes score lower than a fresh 60% just shows how the Marvel Cinematic Universe is such a strong, but still flawed, franchise. Being the first film to have that, with a low 47 percent score, Eternals has issues but it's not without strengths. Centering on the title characters, a team of synthetic immortal beings each with their unique abilities, who are tasked by the ancient and powerful Celestials to protect the people of Earth from the demonic and animalistic Deviants. The Eternals spend thousands of years protecting humans throughout many lands, often influencing history and the civilizations they meet along the way, while also some in the team growing closer to one another. Hundreds of years after believing to kill the last Deviants and the Eternals splitting up, a new batch of them appear and once the Eternals reform they soon learn of a dark secret tied to their origins and the Celestials. In my opinion this is not the weakest entry in the MCU, I still see Thor: The Dark World as that, but I can understand the reasons why this has such a low score. Being over two and a half hours, this movie has a lot to unpack with a big cast and a lot of exposition to explain what's going on. Chloe Zhao, who directed and cowrote, is remarkable at keeping it all together despite either being too short for all of the exposition and information or too short for not keeping things consistently focused. There's a lot you learn throughout this film that often times feels like it should have been done as a show on Disney+. Especially with how many flashbacks there are to look at the team's past adventures and their relationship, which at times proves it could have been told linearly. What makes Zhao such a unique director for this franchise is the much slower pacing, a much more indie like camera work, dealing with darker themes, often focusing on the love life of the characters, and shooting in many real locations rather than in a studio. There's also the brisk and astounding cinematography from MCU regular Ben Davis that gives it a more unique look compared to the past entries. Zhao being inspired much by Zack Snyder's work, especially Man of Steel, you can really see that influence. Unlike the previous MCU movies, Ramin Djawadi's work on the score is more ethereal and doesn't go for a bombastic style. The cast in this are all strong, with the biggest standouts being Gemma Chan, Lia McHugh, Lauren Ridloff, and Brian Tyree Henry. Though huge praise for casting certain diverse actors you wouldn't expect in a big studio film like Salma Hayek, a Hispanic actress in her 50s, and Ridloff who's deaf. Despite how great each actor is, having ten members of this team also means that not all of them will go through a lot of development. There's also the very typical MCU over editing in the action scenes, the rather weak villain with the Deviants' evolutionary abilities, and overuse of comedy that clashes with the darker tone it's trying to get through. But you do get really strong effects that often mix the actors with what's practical and computer generated when it comes to locations and objects. Eternals is by no means terrible and one of the MCU's most intriguing projects thanks to the direction, acting, and feel, but it's storytelling, sluggish pace, and uneven tone keeps it from reaching great heights. Over all: 96%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. No Time to Die

3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

4. The Green Knight

5. Candyman 2021

6. The Suicide Squad

7. Last Night in Soho

8. Dune 2021

9. Free Guy

10. Nobody

11. Black Widow

12. A Quiet Place Part II

13. Respect

14. Raya and the Last Dragon

15. Malignant

16. Eternals

17. Halloween Kills

18. Jungle Cruise

19. Cruella

20. Wrath of Man

21. F9

22. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

23. Snake Eyes

24. Old

25. Space Jam: A New Legacy

Last Night in Soho

Edgar Wright writes, alongside Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and directs Last Night in Soho, a psychological horror starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Diana Rigg in her final performance before dying last year. McKenzie plays Ellie Turner, a fashion student in London with a love for the clothing and music of the 1960s. After moving to a new place, Ellie begins to have visions centering on Taylor-Joy's Sandie, an aspiring singer from the '60s. Initially inspired by her visions and Sandie's style, Ellie changes her look to match her's and creates clothing inspired by that decade. What starts out as a wonderful gift soon spins into horror when the visions continue and Ellie witnesses Sandie's abuse at the hands of men she initially trusted, her murder, and then Ellie being haunted by shadowy ghosts. Fearing that she may be going crazy like her mother, Ellie sets out to discover what happened to Sandie and bring justice to her. As always expected with Wright, this film has his typical style, colorful imagery, and highly detailed writing, though not focusing on the quick comedy he's known for. Being a full on horror that focuses more on drama and very little in the comedy, this absolutely works thanks to such an engaging story that from the beginning gives us a message of how young aspirational women are often treated by men, especially those who promise them big dreams. Wright's direction not only makes the visions and ghosts scary, but he makes the abuse that Sandie and other women go through just as terrifying. One flaw I do have to give towards the writing is a bit of the message it tries to say about mental health issues, as it's slightly murky in combing that and a ghost story. Regardless, the performances from everyone in this movie are all incredible powerful with special mention going to the late Rigg due to the twist surrounding her character. As a modern movie that looks back at a decade so long ago, the music choices, cinematography from Chung Chung-hoon, and the score by Steven Price all keep the two time periods from being too distinct from one another. Plus I do love the message that just because you have a love for a certain time period, it doesn't mean it was all perfect. Initially seeming like a love letter to the 1960s, Last Night in Soho shows that you could be grateful and love a time gone by, but it's still important to regard what is going on now and what to expect in the future. Over all: 100%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. No Time to Die

3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

4. The Green Knight

5. Candyman 2021

6. The Suicide Squad

7. Last Night in Soho

8. Dune 2021

9. Free Guy

10. Nobody

11. Black Widow

12. A Quiet Place Part II

13. Respect

14. Raya and the Last Dragon

15. Malignant

16. Halloween Kills

17. Jungle Cruise

18. Cruella

19. Wrath of Man

20. F9

21. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

22. Snake Eyes

23. Old

24. Space Jam: A New Legacy

Aliens: Defiance #1

Set between 1979's Alien and 1986's Aliens, Aliens: Defiance #1 is the start of a 12-issue limited series from Dark Horse first published in April of 2016. In this debut issue, rookie Colonial Marine Private Zula Hendricks comes in contact with the Xenomorphs, leading to losing the rest of her crew and all but one Weyland-Yutani synthetic. Once Hendricks wakes up and is healed from suspended animation, she learns that the last synthetic, Davis One, has broken his programming. Davis learned that his creators plan to capture Xenomorphs for study, but fearing that they could escape all over Earth, he has gone awol and the two of them set out on a new mission to stop the company. While the story for this comic is very standard for the franchise, it's a good start that does get you invested for the beginning of this series. Brian Woods has a good eye for both exposition and dialogue, with a nice twist on how the synthetic reacts to his creators' intentions. Zula is a good character that isn't just an Ellen Ripley clone, but one who is stubborn, cocky, and doesn't want to show her pain. If one isn't too convinced by the writing, then probably the artwork would be a lot more enticing to get you to read it. The various aspects of the artwork from Tristan Jones and Dan Jackson gives us a very detailed environment but also one that is grimy and absolutely dirty, but in a way that's just wonderful to look at. It may not be the most astounding story in this franchise, but Aliens: Defiance #1 but it does have enough good qualities that it's worth picking up. Over all: 100%

Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:
1. Superman: Secret Identity #1 (of 4)

2. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special

3. Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1

4. Aliens: Defiance #1

5. Iron Man (2020-) #1

6. Free Comic Book Day 2018: Riverdale

7. Free Comic Book Day 2018: 2000 A.D. Regened

8. DC Universe: Legacies #1

9. Free Comic Book Day 2017 I Hate Image

10. Shang-Chi (2020-2021) #1 (of 5): Brothers & Sisters Part One

11. Champions (2020-) #1

12. Infinite Frontier (2021) #0

13. Green Lantern Vol. 2 #76

14. DC Retroactive: Green Lantern - The 70s #1

15. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1
16. Showcase (1956-1978) #17
17. Werewolf By Night (2020-) #1 (of 4)

18. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018
19. Free Comic Book Day 2017: Riverdale
20. Marvel Comics (1939) #1

Dune 2021

Adapting one of the most influential and revered science-fiction novels of all time is no easy task, especially with how long and detailed it is, but Denis Villeneuve has proven to be the perfect person to handle such a challenge. Focusing on the first half of the original 1965 book by Frank Herbert, Dune 2021 can be difficult to get through due to its slow pace and highly detailed world building, but the payoff is worth it. Much like the novel and previous adaptations, the film is set in the far future wherein the entire universe is ruled by an empire and certain planets are looked after by a family. One of these families, House Atreides, is assigned to look over Arrakis, a desert planet from which the only source of fuel comes from and often called Dune. In reality, however, the emperor plans to kill the family out of political fear. At the same time, the heir to House Atreides, Paul, begins to develop abilities that he inherited from his mother, who is a part of a sisterhood with supernatural powers known as the Bene Gesserit. Some time after they establish themselves in Arrakis, the family and its followers are attacked by the House that previously stayed in the planet, the Harkonnens. Although Paul's father, Duke Leto, dies attempting to kill the attackers, he and his mother escape into the desert wherein they have to avoid attacks from the giant sandworms and find help from the Fremen, the planet's native population. One of the biggest praises that one can give to this movie even if one didn't like a lot of it is the bold ambition that Villeneuve and everyone involved in this production took, knowing how loved the novel is. Yes it has a rather slow pace and nearly three hours of very methodical scenes, while feeling at times like mostly setting up for the second half of the book, but a lot of it works due to how everyone involves takes it serious. A lot of the dialogue and exposition is written well and the performances from the actors never feels half assed. Having such acclaimed actors like Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, and Javier Bardem giving it their all, not a single one does a terrible or even mediocre job. Being less of a typical sci-fi action film and more of a political thriller, you often forget about the many typical tropes of the genre thanks to being engrossed by what's happening. Of course that doesn't mean that the effects, as well as the music and cinematography, aren't as strong or amazing for this kind of movie. Every aspect of this adaptation works even if you often feel bored, showing that not all big blockbusters need to be quick and done. Dune 2021 is a sight to behold all of the time but that doesn't mean it's easy to get through all of the time, but there's nothing wrong with that. Over all: 100%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. No Time to Die

3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

4. The Green Knight

5. Candyman 2021

6. The Suicide Squad

7. Dune 2021

8. Free Guy

9. Nobody

10. Black Widow

11. A Quiet Place Part II

12. Respect

13. Raya and the Last Dragon

14. Malignant

15. Halloween Kills

16. Jungle Cruise

17. Cruella

18. Wrath of Man

19. F9

20. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

21. Snake Eyes

22. Old

23. Space Jam: A New Legacy

Halloween Kills

Following on from the 2018 film, Halloween Kills sees Laurie Strode being taken to a hospital to deal with her injuries as Michael Myers escapes from the fire that he was trapped in. As Laurie heals, Michael once again goes on a killing spree throughout Haddonfield as he heads back to his childhood home. Once some of the survivors of Michael's original spree in 1978 learn about his escape and the new killings, they and the rest of Haddonfield form a mob to go after him once and for all. While I do agree that this sequel doesn't have the strengths of its predecessor, and knowing that this is the second part of a trilogy and thus feeling more about setup for the third part, it's still an exceptionally made movie that's far better than some of the other entries in the franchise. The writing between Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and director David Gordon-Green does a good job at making the anger the citizens have towards Michael feel natural, similar to the fourth film but with a bigger budget and more emphasis. It does, however, get rather repetitive with the constant times we're reminded of how evil Michael is or that they have to kill him. There's not that much that this movie adds to the series, just being a straightforward Myers kills anyone in his way story. You do get a few additions that at least do work well, such as showing how Michael was captured 40 years earlier, Deputy Hawkins's connection with him, some backstory to when Michael was a kid before killing his sister, the mob mentality getting out of hand, and Laurie understanding that he was never targeting her and is just another victim. What it lacks in writing, is made up thanks to Gordon-Green's phenomenal direction that leads to some very scary and spine-chilling moments. The best aspect to the direction is Michael's kills due to the originality of how he does it, the twisted qualities of each one, and perfectly fits the belief of him being the very presence of evil. That and the combination between Michael Simmonds's cinematography and much of the original theme with some new elements to the music by John and Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies also help in keeping you on the edge of your seat with your heart constantly on edge. With some returning actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Judy Greer and newer additions such as Anthony Michael Hall, every single actor absolutely shines. Though some characters don't really do all that much and are either wasted or just remind you of the setup for the third entry. Halloween Kills is still a fun, heart pounding installment but tends to do the same mistakes as any middle entry of a trilogy with tons of repetition despite its strong cast and creative kills. Over all: 96%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. No Time to Die

3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

4. The Green Knight

5. Candyman 2021

6. The Suicide Squad

7. Free Guy

8. Nobody

9. Black Widow

10. A Quiet Place Part II

11. Respect

12. Raya and the Last Dragon

13. Malignant

14. Halloween Kills

15. Jungle Cruise

16. Cruella

17. Wrath of Man

18. F9

19. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

20. Snake Eyes

21. Old

22. Space Jam: A New Legacy

No Time to Die

Having played James Bond since 2006, Daniel Craig stars in his fifth and final outing as OO7 in No Time to Die. After an attack from Spectre leads a retired Bond to part with Madeleine Swann, he decides to go off the grid. Five years later, Bond is recruited by Felix Leiter for the CIA and then brought back into MI6 to look for a scientist who has created a DNA based bioweapon. Initially taken by Spectre, the scientist is recruited by a new terrorist group led by the mysterious Safin. With this bioweapon, Safin is able to kill the rest of Spectre and, with Madeleine's unwitting help, Blofeld. Upon tracking Madeleine to her childhood home, Bond learns that she has a daughter, though denying it's his child. Soon after they're chased and attacked by Safin's men, who manage to kidnap Madeleine and her daughter. Tracking Safin to a secluded island where he will make more of the bioweapon, Bond and Nomi, the new OO7, head to the island to rescue the hostages and open the silos so a missile strike destroys the bioweapons. Once there, Bond and Nomi face off against Safin's forces or risk a global catastrophe that would affect millions. With 25 films in the series, this entry stands out as one of the most daring by tackling things that's never been done before since 1962. Craig's portrayal of Bond has always been more grounded, darker, and at times terrifying compared to his predecessors. In this, we still get that, but also hints of more humanity and normalcy that can sometimes feel strange due to the past movies, but Craig's performance makes it believable. With Rami Malek portraying Safin, we get a more subdued Bond villain who always finds a way to get one step ahead. He's not over the top, doesn't make outlandish plans, or relies on extravagant traps, he's simply cunning, intelligent, and scarily realistic. Though one can't deny that he has similarities to Blofeld in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me, and Drax in Moonraker that still give it that special flavor. The bold choice of both killing Bond and having a child is a great way of ending Craig's already distinct era. It helps that the writing done not just by regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, but also Phoebe Walter-Bridge and director Cary Joji Fukunaga is exceptional and manages to make it still feel true to the franchise and natural. As for Fukunaga's direction, it has a similar style to Sam Mendes but with more dynamic camera movements and superb set pieces. The stunts and fight sequences are not only well choreographed but have certain aspects of originality due to how they're presented, whether the opening chase scene with the Aston Martin, a shootout in Cuba, or the final fight between Bond and Safin. While Roger Deakins's work in Skyfall gave us the most astounding cinematography out of all the films, Linus Sandgren gives us a close second. The editing between Elliot Graham and Tom Cross helps keep the nearly three hour film, the longest Bond entry as well, feel brisk and have great pacing. Of course, one can't talk about a James Bond movie without bringing up the music and the theme song for the title sequence. Hans Zimmer does a superb job with the score, giving us the regular themes while adding bits and pieces of On Her Majesty's Secret Service's soundtrack that makes you weary of what could happen between Bond and Swann. This entry's theme song, same title as the movie, is performed by Billie Eilish who cowrote it with her brother, Finneas, and Miles Ale. At 18, Billie is the youngest artist to record a Bond theme and regardless of her age, it is an amazing song that fits both her style and the franchise's previous hits. It's perfectly moody and somber, but still keeps you magically invested due to foreshadowing what will occur in the rest of the film. Of all the Craig era songs, this is the second best right behind Adele's title song for Skyfall and one of the most iconic alongside Goldfinger's, Live and Let Die's, and For Your Eyes Only's. With No Time to Die being a perfect end to Craig's time as Bond, there's no doubt that it will be difficult to try to not only find a perfect successor to the role but have a movie that will be as regarded right away. Over all: 100%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. No Time to Die

3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

4. The Green Knight

5. Candyman 2021

6. The Suicide Squad

7. Free Guy

8. Nobody

9. Black Widow

10. A Quiet Place Part II

11. Respect

12. Raya and the Last Dragon

13. Malignant

14. Jungle Cruise

15. Cruella

16. Wrath of Man

17. F9

18. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

19. Snake Eyes

20. Old

21. Space Jam: A New Legacy

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

With Andy Serkis taking over as director from Ruben Fleischer, who stays on as an executive producer, and Tom Hardy coming up with some of the story, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a wild and crazy sequel to the already over the top and energetic 2018 film. Set a little over a year after the first film, Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote have become begrudging roommates as Eddie tries to get his life back together. Opportunity knocks when a chance to interview convicted serial killer Cletus Kasady, played by Woody Harrelson, could help boost his career. With Venom's help, however, Eddie figures out where Cletus buried many of his kills, thus assuring that the serial killer will get the death penalty. Upon meeting Cletus one last time, a confrontation caused by Venom leads to Kasady biting Brock and the blood mixed with some of the symbiote's essence to eventually turn him into Carnage. Escaping from death row and going on a mass murder spree, Cletus and his own symbiote rescue an old flame with sonic scream powers and sets out to get revenge on those who have wronged them, including Brock and Venom. Despite having separated due to their constant arguments over how to perform heroic acts and whether Venom could eat brains, he and Eddie have to resolve their issues to defeat this new menace. What this film does best is continuing the crazy and silly tone that the first one did, although much of it is either toned down or kinda feels forced. The effects are still great, especially whenever Eddie turns into Venom but bigger props go to Cletus's transformations into Carnage as they have a more chaotic, almost body horror, aspect to it. In terms of the story, it's okay, short as it needs to be, but kinda all over the place when it tries to replicate the absurdity from the previous entry. While Tom Hardy, who also voices Venom, and other actors like Michelle Williams, Reid Scott, and Peggy Lu do return and give good performances, it's Harrelson as Carnage and Naomie Harris as Shriek that steal the movie. Serkis's direction is good as he films many of the drama and action with the same care, while the editing doesn't over do it with too many cuts in the action scenes. While it's understandable with the current pandemic going on that this is rated PG-13, knowing what Carnage can do and has done in the comics, an R rating would have been more appropriate. While Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a bit plain compared to other superhero films, the performances, effects, fight scenes, and a surprising twist in its mid credit scene connecting it to the MCU at least give it something to look forward to. Over all: 75%

2021 top list so far:

1. In the Heights

2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

3. The Green Knight

4. Candyman 2021

5. The Suicide Squad

6. Free Guy

7. Nobody

8. Black Widow

9. A Quiet Place Part II

10. Respect

11. Raya and the Last Dragon

12. Malignant

13. Jungle Cruise

14. Cruella

15. Wrath of Man

16. F9

17. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

18. Snake Eyes

19. Old

20. Space Jam: A New Legacy