Wheaton reads one of Joe Hill's shorts about a library. His narration was fine, but his voice doesn't lend itself to getting lost in the story. It's Wheaton reading a book.
[Movies] Talk about the last movie you saw 2: Electric Threadaloo
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I don't mind him as a narrator. He's bested by many talented performers out there in the audiobook world, it's true, but I still listen to the books he narrates.
I fucking hate this scene. Yes, I know Wesley was a terrible character so a lot of people look on this as a cathartic moment but it really really shouldn't be. Wesley was terrible because he would wrap the narrative & have other characters act OOC to make himself look good. This scene has Picard act the most unlike himself that he ever does in the whole Damn show! This isn't a "good" Wesley moment it's emblematic of everything that's wrong with that character.
No, if you want a good Picard/Wesley scene go watch the episode where Picard lectures Wesley about his responsibility to the truth in the episode with Not-Tom Paris.
I didn't post that scene as an example of good star trek writing. I posted that scene in response to not wanting to hear Wil Wheaton read an audiobook, in which case "shut up, Wesley" is very accurate.
Mean Girls (2024) - First off, it's not as good as the original. But I think a lot of that comes from it trying to do too much. It doesn't give enough time to really build the characters and the comedy like in the original because they put in a number of songs from the Broadway musical, but it doesn't feel like a *true* musical because there's only a handful of songs. The songs are fine, but I didn't fine myself humming any of them afterwards. It hits all the important points, but it's just okay. I think Hairspray really set the bar high for these adaptations; it shows it can be done really well.
Truth be told, I watched it because they filmed in our town. The school they used it where Li'l Z plays basketball in the winter, so it was funny to see it on film.
Truth be told, I watched it because they filmed in our town. The school they used it where Li'l Z plays basketball in the winter, so it was funny to see it on film.
Into the Outback
Honestly as far as straight to Streaming animated films go, not that bad, the characters are likable enough, the story is fine, I recommend it!
Honestly as far as straight to Streaming animated films go, not that bad, the characters are likable enough, the story is fine, I recommend it!
Watched a few movies recently.
Inside Out 2
I find I'm still thinking about it after seeing in theaters on Thursday. The first movie is not just my favourite Pixar movie, but one of my all-time favourites. This one...might not be quite as good, but I'd have to watch them both again to see for sure. But I really enjoyed it, either way. Where as the first movie dealt with depression, this one deals with anxiety. And while I was never diagnosed with anxiety, the negative self-talk and crystal balling thoughts hit close to home for me. The animation is just as good, if not better in the sequel. I'm glad I saw it in theaters, but I really don't understand why people are saying this one is so bad.
Death to Smoochy
One of those movies always wanted to see, but never got around to it. I've seen it lambasted by most people, but I don't know, I kinda dug it. It's tonally all over the place, and Robin Williams is surprisingly not in the movie as much as I expected. He still plays a major role, but most of the screentime is on Edward Norton. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just that I didn't expect it. Honestly, everything change so quickly throughout the movie, there's little time left to let things settle, even for a short time. You don't really get any good, quieter character moments because it just goes goes goes. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was. Probably not a movie I'll ever feel like revisiting.
Godzilla Minus One
I really regret not seeing this in theaters because goddamn, it was great. I've said before that I love that we have two completely different Godzilla franchises these days. You have Legendary's Monsterverse, which is like a big budget spectacle ala pro-wrestling. And then you have Toho's like this or Shin Godzilla, which has more meaning behind it.
I think I've been spoiled of Legendary's special effects, though, because I found this Godzilla a little stiff at times. It didn't seem as alive or animated as the Legendary counterpart. I don't know if it was a guy in a suit or done practically, but it felt stiffer to me. Also not really crazy about the fins on his back clicking into his back to fire his atomic breath. It seemed kind of unnecessary, almost like an action figure.
Still, Godzilla here was absolutely terrifying and I really enjoyed this one.
I Saw the TV Glow
After all the hype from people I trust on social media, I REALLY wanted to like this one and...didn't.
As interesting as it is as a transgender or LGBTQ metaphor, the pacing is atrocious. There were multiple long scenes where nothing happened and I found I was just bored by most of it. It takes far too long getting to the crux of the situation, and by the time you get there, there's barely any movie left to really explore it.
I think I'm just starting to understand about myself that my ADHD does not let me have the patience for movies with a slow burn, like this or Dune.
Inside Out 2
I find I'm still thinking about it after seeing in theaters on Thursday. The first movie is not just my favourite Pixar movie, but one of my all-time favourites. This one...might not be quite as good, but I'd have to watch them both again to see for sure. But I really enjoyed it, either way. Where as the first movie dealt with depression, this one deals with anxiety. And while I was never diagnosed with anxiety, the negative self-talk and crystal balling thoughts hit close to home for me. The animation is just as good, if not better in the sequel. I'm glad I saw it in theaters, but I really don't understand why people are saying this one is so bad.
Death to Smoochy
One of those movies always wanted to see, but never got around to it. I've seen it lambasted by most people, but I don't know, I kinda dug it. It's tonally all over the place, and Robin Williams is surprisingly not in the movie as much as I expected. He still plays a major role, but most of the screentime is on Edward Norton. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just that I didn't expect it. Honestly, everything change so quickly throughout the movie, there's little time left to let things settle, even for a short time. You don't really get any good, quieter character moments because it just goes goes goes. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was. Probably not a movie I'll ever feel like revisiting.
Godzilla Minus One
I really regret not seeing this in theaters because goddamn, it was great. I've said before that I love that we have two completely different Godzilla franchises these days. You have Legendary's Monsterverse, which is like a big budget spectacle ala pro-wrestling. And then you have Toho's like this or Shin Godzilla, which has more meaning behind it.
I think I've been spoiled of Legendary's special effects, though, because I found this Godzilla a little stiff at times. It didn't seem as alive or animated as the Legendary counterpart. I don't know if it was a guy in a suit or done practically, but it felt stiffer to me. Also not really crazy about the fins on his back clicking into his back to fire his atomic breath. It seemed kind of unnecessary, almost like an action figure.
Still, Godzilla here was absolutely terrifying and I really enjoyed this one.
I Saw the TV Glow
After all the hype from people I trust on social media, I REALLY wanted to like this one and...didn't.
As interesting as it is as a transgender or LGBTQ metaphor, the pacing is atrocious. There were multiple long scenes where nothing happened and I found I was just bored by most of it. It takes far too long getting to the crux of the situation, and by the time you get there, there's barely any movie left to really explore it.
I think I'm just starting to understand about myself that my ADHD does not let me have the patience for movies with a slow burn, like this or Dune.
IMHO this is some of the highest praise a person can give any movie, that it sticks with them long after it's done. For me, the poster child for this was Mononoke Hime. It was still intruding as much as a month later.
As a fellow acronym-bearer, I will tell you this is absolutely not true...IF the movie is made with this in mind. Yes, there are way too many movies that have loads of boring, dry dialogue and loooong, empty scenes, but if the movie has worked to really make you feel invested in the characters and tuned it with appropriate score and pacing, even the most flighty viewer will stay glued to the screen.
--Patrick
Inside Out 2
I liked it. I watched it with my wife at the movie theater (at which I put ketchup on a churro), and I'm glad I did because the animation is a step up from the first film. Minor details like the emotions' skin textures, Riley's sweatdrops as she plays hockey, the avalanche of memories etc are all marvelously brought to life.
In terms of the story, characters, themes etc it was basically building on the foundations of the first film, so maybe this movie might feel a bit derivative or less original, but oh well, it's a sequel and that's to be expected. Following along as Riley goes through the whirlwind of feelings that come with puberty hits as close to home as the events of the first movie, and the cathartic understanding achieved at the end as Riley's emotions are brought together in harmony is still just as satisfying.
Also, as a minor humorous note, as we were leaving the theater, I overheard a mom ask her young daughter, "Which character was your favorite?" And the daughter replied, "The green one, she's the prettiest."
I liked it. I watched it with my wife at the movie theater (at which I put ketchup on a churro), and I'm glad I did because the animation is a step up from the first film. Minor details like the emotions' skin textures, Riley's sweatdrops as she plays hockey, the avalanche of memories etc are all marvelously brought to life.
In terms of the story, characters, themes etc it was basically building on the foundations of the first film, so maybe this movie might feel a bit derivative or less original, but oh well, it's a sequel and that's to be expected. Following along as Riley goes through the whirlwind of feelings that come with puberty hits as close to home as the events of the first movie, and the cathartic understanding achieved at the end as Riley's emotions are brought together in harmony is still just as satisfying.
Also, as a minor humorous note, as we were leaving the theater, I overheard a mom ask her young daughter, "Which character was your favorite?" And the daughter replied, "The green one, she's the prettiest."
Went and saw Inside Out 2 last night. Enjoyable, yes it builds off the first one. You would have to restructure the whole movie to have it work as a standalone. Interesting concepts with the “memory vault” (that’s what I’m calling it) and the core of personality. 2 post credits scenes, one dealing with Riley and the family about 1/3 through, and the other is at the very end and I enjoyed it. None as good as the post credits dogs/cats or boys.
Zebraman
Rewatched this with a friend, a film as charming as its CGI effects are super dated!
Rewatched this with a friend, a film as charming as its CGI effects are super dated!
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A Quiet Place: Day One
I liked the first movie, and I was meh about the sequel.
This prequel did not need to be made. There is nothing here to see, story wise. Yes, you get to see what it was like on the first day the aliens arrived. But they already showed you that in Part 2. After the initial scene (and if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen most of it already) the movie becomes listless. Characters drift in and out of scenes with little concrete motivation; character development is limited and at times non-sensical. The plot’s structure hinges on creating tension through stupid or random contrivances that just leave you tilting your head at the screen in confusion.
The cat is cute, but that is not enough to make this movie worthwhile.
I would give it 1.5 out of 5.
I liked the first movie, and I was meh about the sequel.
This prequel did not need to be made. There is nothing here to see, story wise. Yes, you get to see what it was like on the first day the aliens arrived. But they already showed you that in Part 2. After the initial scene (and if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen most of it already) the movie becomes listless. Characters drift in and out of scenes with little concrete motivation; character development is limited and at times non-sensical. The plot’s structure hinges on creating tension through stupid or random contrivances that just leave you tilting your head at the screen in confusion.
The cat is cute, but that is not enough to make this movie worthwhile.
I would give it 1.5 out of 5.
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A Quiet Place: Day One
It was entertaining enough, I think. The cast generally do fairly well, and while the storyline is fairly simple and doesn't really contain any unexpected developments, there are still some interesting and tense moments. After the initial chaos of the first alien attacks, the movie settles into the familiar formula of its character having to do things completely silently, with most scenes dedicated to showing how (character) needs to overcome (situation) without making any sound. There are some interesting visuals, the most striking of which for me was the various shots of New York city streets completely silent, deserted, and devastated.
One thing that confused me though was the nearly complete absence of corpses. You've got aliens slaughtering the population of New York and there are virtually no dead bodies anywhere? Are the aliens eating them up, bones and clothes and all? Or did the movie just have to not show bloodied cadavers to preserve its PG-13 rating?
EDIT: Also, forgot to mention, I'm happy that post-apocalyptic fiction's favorite overused trope "humans are the real monsters" was entirely absent in this movie. Everyone behaved charitably and altruistically (to a realistic degree), and it's nice to see people come together and cooperate to overcome challenges.
It was entertaining enough, I think. The cast generally do fairly well, and while the storyline is fairly simple and doesn't really contain any unexpected developments, there are still some interesting and tense moments. After the initial chaos of the first alien attacks, the movie settles into the familiar formula of its character having to do things completely silently, with most scenes dedicated to showing how (character) needs to overcome (situation) without making any sound. There are some interesting visuals, the most striking of which for me was the various shots of New York city streets completely silent, deserted, and devastated.
One thing that confused me though was the nearly complete absence of corpses. You've got aliens slaughtering the population of New York and there are virtually no dead bodies anywhere? Are the aliens eating them up, bones and clothes and all? Or did the movie just have to not show bloodied cadavers to preserve its PG-13 rating?
EDIT: Also, forgot to mention, I'm happy that post-apocalyptic fiction's favorite overused trope "humans are the real monsters" was entirely absent in this movie. Everyone behaved charitably and altruistically (to a realistic degree), and it's nice to see people come together and cooperate to overcome challenges.
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You're forgetting the third option, where it's cheaper to not have them present and the studio doesn't think the audience will be paying close enough attention to those kinds of details to notice and/or care.
Fly Me to the Moon
I caught a special advanced screening tonight (yay for $5 Mystery Movie Nights at Regal Cinemas). The movie’s actual release will be on Friday, July 5th.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar, Fly Me to the Moon is about NASA’s effort to get the Apollo 11 mission off the ground, with a big focus on the political and social challenges that came from a disillusioned American public in the late 60’s. It is loosely, and I cannot emphasize this enough, LOOSELY based on real events. The overall events are real, but the characters and some major plot points are completely made up. It’s basically an alternate history.
It’s a fun, somewhat saccharine film that is buoyed by great acting - which makes up for mediocre dialogue. Scarlett Johansson plays a marketing wiz hired by a shady government agent (a delightfully spooky Woody Harrelson) to “sell” the Apollo 11 mission so the U.S. can beat the Russians. Channing Tatum is a self-serious Mission Control leader irritated that she is there pitching ad tie-ins, hiring camera-friendly actors to play engineers, etc. It’s pure fluff, but if you go in knowing that you can still enjoy it while soaking up the nostalgic Americana monologues sprinkled throughout.
I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. Good, but definitely not great.
I caught a special advanced screening tonight (yay for $5 Mystery Movie Nights at Regal Cinemas). The movie’s actual release will be on Friday, July 5th.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar, Fly Me to the Moon is about NASA’s effort to get the Apollo 11 mission off the ground, with a big focus on the political and social challenges that came from a disillusioned American public in the late 60’s. It is loosely, and I cannot emphasize this enough, LOOSELY based on real events. The overall events are real, but the characters and some major plot points are completely made up. It’s basically an alternate history.
It’s a fun, somewhat saccharine film that is buoyed by great acting - which makes up for mediocre dialogue. Scarlett Johansson plays a marketing wiz hired by a shady government agent (a delightfully spooky Woody Harrelson) to “sell” the Apollo 11 mission so the U.S. can beat the Russians. Channing Tatum is a self-serious Mission Control leader irritated that she is there pitching ad tie-ins, hiring camera-friendly actors to play engineers, etc. It’s pure fluff, but if you go in knowing that you can still enjoy it while soaking up the nostalgic Americana monologues sprinkled throughout.
I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. Good, but definitely not great.
Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City
YEAH...this was weird, not just Takashi Miike weird, but in a "This was a weird way to go for a sequel". Like, I ENJOYED a lot of it, there were some good action scenes, special effects, and a few good jokes, but I feel while the first one had lesser special effects, it also had a more cohesive story as WELL as more heart to it.
YEAH...this was weird, not just Takashi Miike weird, but in a "This was a weird way to go for a sequel". Like, I ENJOYED a lot of it, there were some good action scenes, special effects, and a few good jokes, but I feel while the first one had lesser special effects, it also had a more cohesive story as WELL as more heart to it.
Boy Kills World
FAN-freaking-TASTIC, great action scenes, great humor, great plot, LOVE IT-would watch again!
FAN-freaking-TASTIC, great action scenes, great humor, great plot, LOVE IT-would watch again!
A Quiet Place: Day One
I went to see this Sunday afternoon. Meant to post about it sooner. Anyway.
This was okay. Of the three, this is definitely the weakest. I enjoyed it, but it doesn't have the same strong connection to the characters like the family in the first two. One character joins about halfway through and we're supposed to just immediately accept him even when he's nowhere near as interesting as Lupita Nyong'o.
While it's an interesting story, it doesn't reveal much new about the original invasion. It doesn't reveal anything new about the monsters, either.
Still, it was well shot and it was never boring. Not sure if it was worth seeing in theaters, but it was okay.
I went to see this Sunday afternoon. Meant to post about it sooner. Anyway.
This was okay. Of the three, this is definitely the weakest. I enjoyed it, but it doesn't have the same strong connection to the characters like the family in the first two. One character joins about halfway through and we're supposed to just immediately accept him even when he's nowhere near as interesting as Lupita Nyong'o.
While it's an interesting story, it doesn't reveal much new about the original invasion. It doesn't reveal anything new about the monsters, either.
Still, it was well shot and it was never boring. Not sure if it was worth seeing in theaters, but it was okay.
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Longlegs
Saw this in theaters yesterday after hearing some buzz about it.
It's okay. Really well shot. Often, the camera hangs on a scene, creating tension. But it also includes open doors in the background, so there's this constant tension if something will suddenly appear.
I didn't care for Nic Cage's performance. It just felt like generic crazy, and it wasn't anything we hadn't seen from Cage before. Especially any time he screamed. It was just too much, and not in a good way.
Still, the mystery, while ultimately unsatisfying, was enough to keep me engaged.
Aside from the directing and cinematography, I didn't see this great thriller everyone else saw. Saw some people compare it with Silence of the Lambs or Seven and...yeah, it's not that.
Saw this in theaters yesterday after hearing some buzz about it.
It's okay. Really well shot. Often, the camera hangs on a scene, creating tension. But it also includes open doors in the background, so there's this constant tension if something will suddenly appear.
I didn't care for Nic Cage's performance. It just felt like generic crazy, and it wasn't anything we hadn't seen from Cage before. Especially any time he screamed. It was just too much, and not in a good way.
Still, the mystery, while ultimately unsatisfying, was enough to keep me engaged.
Aside from the directing and cinematography, I didn't see this great thriller everyone else saw. Saw some people compare it with Silence of the Lambs or Seven and...yeah, it's not that.
No one will save you
I enjoyed the themes and the movie kept me guessing. I didn't look at my phone during the whole movie, which is a huge compliment to the pace and story.
Worth a watch if you like scifi/mild horror.
I enjoyed the themes and the movie kept me guessing. I didn't look at my phone during the whole movie, which is a huge compliment to the pace and story.
Worth a watch if you like scifi/mild horror.
I think the cat carried that entire movie on his furry little shoulders.
Heh, I became obsessed with watching the blocking involving the cat, specifically. Like how they set up its placement before the cameras rolled. Or imagining the animal trainer just off screen with a big bag of treats.
I don't know if they used one cat for the whole film or multiple lookalikes, but it was incredibly well-trained, either way
They used two cats. One of them was mostly white and they had to spray paint (non-toxic) the gray markings onto its fur.
Also, I didn't know that therapy cats were trained to be quiet like that. Most other pets in that universe would be screwed because their natural reaction to danger is to bark or hiss. And think about all those people who died in Manhattan, who had commuted from Connecticut, New Jersey, or upstate. Their poor animals might have been condemned to a slow death by starvation. Even those who survived the initial onslaught might be slaughtered for meat by desperate people as their food stores ran out.
Also, I didn't know that therapy cats were trained to be quiet like that. Most other pets in that universe would be screwed because their natural reaction to danger is to bark or hiss. And think about all those people who died in Manhattan, who had commuted from Connecticut, New Jersey, or upstate. Their poor animals might have been condemned to a slow death by starvation. Even those who survived the initial onslaught might be slaughtered for meat by desperate people as their food stores ran out.
Click
Outside of SEVERAL dated jokes, I honestly liked this movie, weirdly preferred the more dramatic part at the end.
Outside of SEVERAL dated jokes, I honestly liked this movie, weirdly preferred the more dramatic part at the end.
So, Deadpool & Wolverine
Ehhhh, it was fine, I guess? It's certainly a Deadpool movie and I thought the other DP movies were...fine? I'm not big on them. I mostly saw this as soon as possible to get ahead of spoilers. Which was...mostly not worth it.
There's a lot of "Look at the thing and recognize it from something else" references. The cameos have mildly more impact than Nic Cage appearing as Superman in The Flash to fight a giant spider. They're MILDY more meaningful. It's "Actor wears this hat and says the thing." Some surprises, but they're all ultimately meaningless.
The cameos are about as impactful as The Illuminati in Dr. Strange 2, and that's not high praise. They're there to be pointed at, laughed at, say a line, and be cannon fodder. One is built up to have more meaning and then they're not, really in the grand scheme of things.
The story with Deadpool & Wolverine is okay, and it kind of ties in okay by the end. But it's being nostalgic for a series of movies that were adequate at best, most were mediocre , with only one that was legitimately great (Logan).
I was pleasantly surprised this one wasn't as reliant on the "fuck crutch." That's a term I learned from a writing teacher, talking about being over reliant on dropping f-bombs to appear edgier. Still an excessive amount, but they felt more peppered around here.
A lot of gags and action was drawn out just way too much. They kept going back to an "ugly dog licks Deadpool's face" gag far too many times, and held it far too long and it just wasn't funny. And way too much slow walks and posturing before a fight to ultimately dull action.
So yeah, I'm glad I got to see in theatres, but I wasn't laughing at it nearly as much as the rest of the audience. The end credits gag wasn't worth waiting for. I was honestly done with the movie about 30 minutes before it actually ended.
Ehhhh, it was fine, I guess? It's certainly a Deadpool movie and I thought the other DP movies were...fine? I'm not big on them. I mostly saw this as soon as possible to get ahead of spoilers. Which was...mostly not worth it.
There's a lot of "Look at the thing and recognize it from something else" references. The cameos have mildly more impact than Nic Cage appearing as Superman in The Flash to fight a giant spider. They're MILDY more meaningful. It's "Actor wears this hat and says the thing." Some surprises, but they're all ultimately meaningless.
The cameos are about as impactful as The Illuminati in Dr. Strange 2, and that's not high praise. They're there to be pointed at, laughed at, say a line, and be cannon fodder. One is built up to have more meaning and then they're not, really in the grand scheme of things.
The story with Deadpool & Wolverine is okay, and it kind of ties in okay by the end. But it's being nostalgic for a series of movies that were adequate at best, most were mediocre , with only one that was legitimately great (Logan).
I was pleasantly surprised this one wasn't as reliant on the "fuck crutch." That's a term I learned from a writing teacher, talking about being over reliant on dropping f-bombs to appear edgier. Still an excessive amount, but they felt more peppered around here.
A lot of gags and action was drawn out just way too much. They kept going back to an "ugly dog licks Deadpool's face" gag far too many times, and held it far too long and it just wasn't funny. And way too much slow walks and posturing before a fight to ultimately dull action.
So yeah, I'm glad I got to see in theatres, but I wasn't laughing at it nearly as much as the rest of the audience. The end credits gag wasn't worth waiting for. I was honestly done with the movie about 30 minutes before it actually ended.
I liked it a lot , really fun in the theater, and I honestly felt at least FOUR of the cameos had some actual weight.
Also loved Cassandra Nova, SO creepy!
Also loved Cassandra Nova, SO creepy!
The only one I thought that had any weight was X-23. And even then, she wasn't nearly as important as I expected her to be. Plus, they didn't give her her own claws popping out for the first time moment. Hell, they completely missed the opportunity for father and daughter to have that moment together. She was just among the other throwaway heroes with almost no meaning. For someone they built up to be so important, especially important for the Wolverine that died that they held such honor for, her actual importance felt rushed and discarded.
If you mean Gambit, Elektra, and Blade? I can't agree. They were on the same level as The Illuminati. They were just other heroes to throw into the big fight sequence to do some cool shit, but that's it. Thematically and story-wise, they were just a distraction from the bigger story. Plus, Jesus Christ, when they appeared, they just stood around and did an exposition dump, with a couple of wink-at-the-camera jokes by Deadpool. I was bored.
Also, I'm just gonna say it: Wolverine's mask looked fucking stupid. Fans waited what, 24 years for him to wear the thing and it just looked stupid, awkward, and hokey on him. I'm not even sure if he was even wearing it or it was pasted on with CGI like they've been doing for superhero masks lately. Then again, I'm a firm believer that Wolverine in general looks stupid with the mask and it suits him much more to never actual wear it.
If you mean Gambit, Elektra, and Blade? I can't agree. They were on the same level as The Illuminati. They were just other heroes to throw into the big fight sequence to do some cool shit, but that's it. Thematically and story-wise, they were just a distraction from the bigger story. Plus, Jesus Christ, when they appeared, they just stood around and did an exposition dump, with a couple of wink-at-the-camera jokes by Deadpool. I was bored.
Also, I'm just gonna say it: Wolverine's mask looked fucking stupid. Fans waited what, 24 years for him to wear the thing and it just looked stupid, awkward, and hokey on him. I'm not even sure if he was even wearing it or it was pasted on with CGI like they've been doing for superhero masks lately. Then again, I'm a firm believer that Wolverine in general looks stupid with the mask and it suits him much more to never actual wear it.
Deadpool and Wolverine
I loved it. But I have to acknowledge that a lot of my love for it is due to my taste for bad movies, because objectively speaking there are some problems with this film.
Firstly, yeah, a lot of Nick's criticisms ring true. The story was rudimentary and at times nonsensical, some of the gags and "dramatic shots" went on far too long, and sooo much of the film was basically metaphorically nudging the audience in the ribs and going, "Eh, remember these guys? Remember? Remember? Eh?"
However, having said that, I have to sheepishly admit that I rather enjoyed a lot of that metaphorical nudging, and basically mentally going, "YES! I REMEMBER THESE GUYS! I LOVE SEEING THEM ON SCREEN AGAIN! MY INNER CHILD IS SOOOO SATISFIED RIGHT NOW!!!!"
The way I see it, there are two types of "lots of characters/cameos/references show up" movies, which I will categorize as the "Ready Player One" type, hereinafter referred to as the Bad Type, and the "Infinity War / Endgame" type, hereinafter referred to as the Good Type. Bad Type movies basically have these characters and references shoehorned in without, for lack of a better descriptor, earning them. Ready Player One didn't earn the right, creatively speaking, to use stuff like the Iron Giant, or Back to the Future, or Mechagodzilla etc and have them have a strong emotional impact. Instead, they just showed up as nostalgia bait and the hey-that's-cool factor.
Whereas for the Good Type, the use of these returning characters and references feels earned because they are a culmination or continuation of the stories we've seen these characters in. Watching the Guardians team up with the Avengers feels earned because we've seen their struggles and learned of their stories over the course of multiple movies. Watching the Hulk fiddle around with Ant-Man's technology feels compelling because we've watched enough movies to know what Bruce Banner is intellectually capable of as well as what Ant-Man's tech can do. And, of course, watching pretty much every MCU hero come in all at once for the climactic battle feels like the natural and logical culmination of these characters' stories.
For me, Deadpool and Wolverine feels more like the Good Type, because again, these are characters we've seen through multiple movies. We've watched them struggle and lose, just to stand up again because that's what heroes do. We've laughed and cried with them, cheered them on in their triumphs and had our hearts break for them in their lowest moments. We've seen them live, die, and live again. Sure, the filmmakers who made DP&W didn't make those earlier movies, but nonetheless I felt the same emotional impact. I loved seeing so many returning characters for one last hurrah, stepping back into their old shoes and bringing those characters seamlessly back to life, as if they'd never left. This movie felt like a love letter to all the Marvel films that came before, and I really appreciated that.
But of course, I would understand completely if anyone would consider this movie the Bad Type. I get it, I really do.
Anyway, this is "Marvel Movie Cameos: The Movie", and I love it for that.
A few minor thoughts, to be placed in spoilers just in case:
I loved it. But I have to acknowledge that a lot of my love for it is due to my taste for bad movies, because objectively speaking there are some problems with this film.
Firstly, yeah, a lot of Nick's criticisms ring true. The story was rudimentary and at times nonsensical, some of the gags and "dramatic shots" went on far too long, and sooo much of the film was basically metaphorically nudging the audience in the ribs and going, "Eh, remember these guys? Remember? Remember? Eh?"
However, having said that, I have to sheepishly admit that I rather enjoyed a lot of that metaphorical nudging, and basically mentally going, "YES! I REMEMBER THESE GUYS! I LOVE SEEING THEM ON SCREEN AGAIN! MY INNER CHILD IS SOOOO SATISFIED RIGHT NOW!!!!"
The way I see it, there are two types of "lots of characters/cameos/references show up" movies, which I will categorize as the "Ready Player One" type, hereinafter referred to as the Bad Type, and the "Infinity War / Endgame" type, hereinafter referred to as the Good Type. Bad Type movies basically have these characters and references shoehorned in without, for lack of a better descriptor, earning them. Ready Player One didn't earn the right, creatively speaking, to use stuff like the Iron Giant, or Back to the Future, or Mechagodzilla etc and have them have a strong emotional impact. Instead, they just showed up as nostalgia bait and the hey-that's-cool factor.
Whereas for the Good Type, the use of these returning characters and references feels earned because they are a culmination or continuation of the stories we've seen these characters in. Watching the Guardians team up with the Avengers feels earned because we've seen their struggles and learned of their stories over the course of multiple movies. Watching the Hulk fiddle around with Ant-Man's technology feels compelling because we've watched enough movies to know what Bruce Banner is intellectually capable of as well as what Ant-Man's tech can do. And, of course, watching pretty much every MCU hero come in all at once for the climactic battle feels like the natural and logical culmination of these characters' stories.
For me, Deadpool and Wolverine feels more like the Good Type, because again, these are characters we've seen through multiple movies. We've watched them struggle and lose, just to stand up again because that's what heroes do. We've laughed and cried with them, cheered them on in their triumphs and had our hearts break for them in their lowest moments. We've seen them live, die, and live again. Sure, the filmmakers who made DP&W didn't make those earlier movies, but nonetheless I felt the same emotional impact. I loved seeing so many returning characters for one last hurrah, stepping back into their old shoes and bringing those characters seamlessly back to life, as if they'd never left. This movie felt like a love letter to all the Marvel films that came before, and I really appreciated that.
But of course, I would understand completely if anyone would consider this movie the Bad Type. I get it, I really do.
Anyway, this is "Marvel Movie Cameos: The Movie", and I love it for that.
A few minor thoughts, to be placed in spoilers just in case:
Emma Corrin is perfectly cast as Cassandra Nova, pretty much exactly how I pictured Cassandra Nova would be when I read the comics. I would rank this casting all the way up with Patrick Stewart as Professor X, RDJ as Tony Stark, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, and JK Simmons as JJ Jameson among Marvel movie castings. Corrin is appropriately terrifying yet oddly charming when needed. I don't know if Cassandra Nova is going to return in the MCU, but if so, I would wholeheartedly support Emma Corrin returning to the character.
Did they tone down the disfigurement makeup for Deadpool? I might need to go back to the first movie to compare, but it sometimes felt like it wasn't all that bad in this film. Wade just looked like a bald Ryan Reynolds with severe acne.
I know there was a lot of pre-release speculation about how Wolverine's costume only showed his arms because Jackman's getting older so it might be harder for him to get his torso into shape now, but damn he still looked good at the end. Was that really him? Body double maybe?
I assume Shatterstar was the only member of X-Force to show up (aside from Peter) because all the other actors are far too expensive. (Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, Brad Pitt etc)
This movie is possibly the best advert for the Honda Odyssey ever. Man that car went through a lot yet kept on ticking.
Finally, Lady Deadpool walking toward the camera made me feel all sorts of things Ryan Reynolds would get angry at me for.
Did they tone down the disfigurement makeup for Deadpool? I might need to go back to the first movie to compare, but it sometimes felt like it wasn't all that bad in this film. Wade just looked like a bald Ryan Reynolds with severe acne.
I know there was a lot of pre-release speculation about how Wolverine's costume only showed his arms because Jackman's getting older so it might be harder for him to get his torso into shape now, but damn he still looked good at the end. Was that really him? Body double maybe?
I assume Shatterstar was the only member of X-Force to show up (aside from Peter) because all the other actors are far too expensive. (Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, Brad Pitt etc)
This movie is possibly the best advert for the Honda Odyssey ever. Man that car went through a lot yet kept on ticking.
Finally, Lady Deadpool walking toward the camera made me feel all sorts of things Ryan Reynolds would get angry at me for.
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