Change Your Image
rterenzini
Reviews
Justice League: War (2014)
Justice League - WAR - A wild disappointment
Mini-Review: Justice League - WAR. Well, most of you are aware of my affection for the Super Hero genre. I take this stuff personally, and WAR is a big steaming pile of poo. DC went with a new creative team this time around, abandoning the Bruce Timm round table that has brought us so many quality animated features through the years (Andrea Romano the voice caster, being the only exception). The animation was far too anime. The dialog went from dreadful to embarrassing and back again. I don't know what the hell they did to Wonder Woman. And what should have been a cool origin piece from the New 52 universe, was...well, not particularly cool. This is a HUGE *DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME* from me. And sadly, the next feature looks to be the same sad kind of crap. Well, DC Comics, you've found yet another way to dork up your franchise. Nice job.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor faces off with some angry elves.
The word that most comes to mind when describing Thor: The Dark World, is IMPRESSIVE! This second independent Thor film in no way disappoints and in my opinion is only topped by The Avengers in likability. The sheer scope of the movie is awesome. We see a lot more of Asgard and get to bounce around to a few of the Nine Realms for a very enjoyable ride. Director, Alan Taylor does a phenomenal job balancing the action (and there is a lot), the drama, and the humor in this film. There are some genuinely touching scenes in this film, something that Marvel, overall, has done a good job with in the Avengers based films.
The basic plot involves some pretty nasty Dark Elves and their desire to unleash some cosmic badness, effectively ending the universe as we know it. These elves are tough hombres. They have stealth ships and weapons powerful enough to cause Asgard and our heroes some real problems. But the heart of the film lies in the relationship between Thor, again played perfectly by Chris Hemsworth, and his mischievous brother, Loki, who Tom Hiddleston has made my favorite villain. The best moments are between these two. I won't throw out any spoilers, but I will say that Loki is spectacular.
Natalie Portman is back as Jane Foster, Thor's love interest, as is Stellan Skarsgård, who is very fun to watch as Erik Selvig, the slightly off astrophysicist. Anthony Hopkins, puts in another turn as Odin, Thor's old man and conveys a tiredness of the old king as he once again faces war with an old enemy.
See this film in the theater. The big screen is the right place to enjoy this piece of epic story telling. And remember, wait till the credits end before you go...
American Mary (2012)
A medical student with financial problems finds her way into the "field" of body modification.
American Mary is a strange story of revenge and finding one's niche in the world. It's easy to dismiss as a hack/slash piece of pulp, but I have to admit I enjoyed the film for its weird elements. It provides antagonists who are easy to hate and a protagonist who has a questionable lifestyle, yet is still very likable, due in no small part to actress, Katharine Isabella. She's smart, funny, and does a nice job handling a really bizarre story line. BE WARNED, this story is NOT for everyone. It has some very disturbing elements and is highly graphic in nature. That being said, the movie combines drama, dark comedy, and gore in a way I, as a viewer, found interesting. This is not a horror movie. Viewers going into the film with that notion will be disappointed. Again, this is a weird and graphic film and not for those who are easily (or even not so easily) disturbed. It has a questionable message and is weird in ways one may have never considered. It thought is was inventive and strange and I enjoyed the unexpected trip.