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[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Lost in Translation’ (2003)

Sofia Coppola’s film had been on my to watch films list for quite some time. i finally decided and had the time to view it. I am sort of glad I waited a while until I was a bit older to watch it to be honest. My mindset is able to comprehend these characters way more than I would’ve probably done so back in 2003. This is not a dated film and that is a true advantage, one of the many strengths of this wonderful story. It delivers and showcases a few days of these two characters in Tokyo really well. In a very organic and understanding way. Both Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannsson present their very well written characters to us in a relatable and true way. Yes, we can sometimes relate to them, but they are also very unique in their own respective ways. The chemistry is definitely there and that is always a big plus in any film. Their performances push the film forward and the delivery of scenes flows very nicely. 

Sofia Coppola has this great way of being able to present this film in a very realistic manner. She shows us these two characters as if we were looking through a window and taking a peek into their life in that particular moment. There are moments we do not see and we either infer of what happened next or we just choose to let that moment be private to the respective character. She shows Tokyo in a very welcoming way as all the characters surrounding the characters are very welcoming of foreigners and no real conflict occurs due to this. Also, she shows us bit and moments of this grand city as to inviting us to go on this journey with the characters. 

I didn't really read on what the film was about but just always knew it was popular and well known in the film world. i was afraid it would be or feel to mainstream, like a romantic comedy or just another coming of age story. But I was instead presented with this very realistic take on finding situations and connections between two different worlds and accepting oneself. Its a very honest movie and highly artistic in many ways. From the cinematography, to the score it all works so well.

The moments where we find Charlotte in, you can see yourself getting disassociated as she is with these people she has no real interest in and when she meets Bill Murray’s Bob, these two lost souls in a new setting for both, just was perfection and very enjoyable. They both learn from each other and although may want more from one another, they know the path they must each take. 

it has honestly become one of the films I have enjoyed quite alot and once again, I am so glad I was able to wait and watch it at this point of my life. 

9.5/10 

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ (2017)

The classic medieval times leader is brought to us on screen once. This time around we get an adaptation like no other. A refreshing and modern Arthur still set in the medieval times brought to us through Guy Ritchie’s vision. One of the aspects that stand out the most is the great editing. There is a montage where we see young Arthur as the years pass that immediately lets you know you are watching a Guy Ritchie film. The way he executes his film technique is so good and really works well with this movie. The score of the movie is another highlight. It has its common medieval score at points where it has to, but the composers were not afraid to introduce modern sounds to this adaptation that even though you may not think goes with the movie’s theme and time, it actually complements the movie very well by adding that fresh feel to a story that we are all mostly familiar with. I must say, the movie did not have a cinematic scope to it bur rather a more UK series vibe. That is not entirely a bad thing given that UK series are so witty and enjoyable and that is what this movie had a lot of. Charlie Hunnam was really good as Arthur as was Jude Law as our main antagonist Vortigern. Law’s character probably had the best costume design in the movie. Law took the character and made him look “cool” as well as menacing at times. The movie has a decent flow that in my opinion felt like a video game storyline due to some of the visuals and settings. As the movie progressed all leading up to the final battle it felt like our character was progressing in a game. That added an effect to the action sequences. The action in this movie was really good and exciting. Especially the sequences with Arthur wielding Excalibur.   The story structure is common and somewhat predictable but the score, mixed with the comedy aspects and good visuals makes it enjoyable. 

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater and/or Rent

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Rating: 8/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2′ (2017)

The galaxy saving a-holes are back! But are they better than ever? They are certainly angrier…with each other that is. This sequel to the surprising hit that was the first entry, testes our heroes and lets us learn a lot more about their emotions and the relationship they have with each other. It dives deeper into the conflicts they have between each other, whether it being romantically between Peter Quill and Gamora or the competition between Rocket and Star Lord and between Gamora and Nebula. Nebula, which was one of my favorite things about the first movie, gets way more character development in this entry. I was worried to see her become an anti-hero given that the promotional material showed her next to the team but the way they handled her was done extremely well. The scenes with Gamora were done really well and it showed us way more about the what she has gone through in the past and what ultimately drives her actions, especially against Gamora. I am excited to see where her character goes from here on out. The comedy and action is so well balanced. It does not feel forced at all and that is the true magic behind this particular franchise. Drax was hilarious in this one. The interactions between him and Mantis were my favorite. The way Dave Bautista delivers his lines is great and work extremely well to deliver the comedy and/or punchline. The new character addition, Mantis, was good. I would’ve liked for her character to develop a bit more though. If she will be included in the team for future movies, I would like to see her gain some sort of fighting skills in order to contribute to the team a bit more. But the interaction with Drax worked really well on her side as well. Other characters worth mentioning are Yondu, who is one of the key aspects of the movie. He is given more to do in this entry and becomes very important to the sequences and overall movie.   The villain, even though was menacing and good, once again failed to be memorable. That is something Marvel needs to work on and I really hope when Hela arrives in this year’s 'Thor: Ragnarok', she will fix this issue. Also I must mention, this time around the music is not really that memorable. The soundtrack definitely includes great songs but I feel like the past movie had a few set of songs that you come out of the theater humming or singing along to. In my personal opinion, the walkman was starting to feel like a gimmick rather than a subtle nod to the 80’s. The action was well executed. The colors and music mixes in together really well in order to create great action sequences and great shots. The first ‘GOTG’ was awesome and memorable, the sequel was good but I don’t think it surpasses it. It does give us more character development and interactions though, so that is what makes it great.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Rating: 8.5/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Ghost in the Shell’ (2017)

An American live action adaptation of the highly popular and influencing anime. The controversy, thats inevitable to not mention, surrounding this film is whats influencing people to believe that this film is bad, when it really isn’t a bad film. I do understand the whole whitewashing issue and I can see how some people may be offended, but the story and source material are treated with care and once you see it you will find this to be true. There is a plot point that may offend some but it may also raise some intrigue on the emotional side of others. Scarlett has proven herself to be a real action star. She truly cares about the roles she takes on and the Major is no different. She is able to give her as most emotional depth as she can given that the character is a cyborg, but this adaptation dives deeper to the character than the original anime. Would it have been different if a Japanese actress had portrayed the Major? Maybe, but ScarJo definitely did a fantastic job both in the emotional aspects as well as the action. This film added depth to the character in many ways that the anime didn’t really explore. I believe this is a key thing that sets it apart from the source. They did change some of the story in order to give us her backstory, but in order for an audience to connect with a protagonist, this protagonist needs to feel real on many levels, levels that this version achieved. The Major has human elements that want are pushing and wanting to come back. Her ghost is interested in knowing the truth. When she finds out the truth, it is really rewarding and the character that she interacts with makes you feel for her. Another great character was Pilou Asbaek’s “Batou”. The relationship between him and Major is key in the overall story and they did a good job at portraying that in the film with specific scenes and dialogue exchange. I did also like how Takeshi Kitano’s “Chief Aramaki” spoke only Japanese in the entire film. It felt respectful in a way. One of the few flaws I did find however, was the lack of exploration and development of the rest of the Section 9 members. They each have a different skill/enhancement that aid the team as a whole so the film would’ve benefited from this, especially with characters like “Togusa”. The action was really good and just right. As always, Scarlett delivers in her action sequences and she is able to make it feel realistic. The last action sequence with the spider tank was just phenomenal. It’s straight out of the anime. Some may say that its a shot by shot replica but in some ways, in order to stay loyal, certain iconic scenes, like this one have to be shot this way. This scene is one that we all most certainly remember from the anime movie. The visuals and amazing cinematography are stunning and extremely loyal to the source material. I was astonished by what was presented on screen. The ‘GITS’ world and vibe comes to life before our eyes with another visual layer that only makes it better. Watching it in IMAX 3D certainly enhanced the experience, so I would recommend it in that version. The anime in itself raises a lot of thought provoking ideas and psychological aspects and depth that were not explored that much in this adaptation. It does mention some of these but I believe it may have been afraid to dive deeper and confuse your regular moviegoer. Due to this, it may not feel as sophisticated as it could have been. The story was tweaked here and there a bit, but that just added depth to the overall story. If you’re a fan of the original film, I think you will be pleased to find that this adaptation is visually loyal as well as adding additional aspects that benefit the entire story. 

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Rating: 9/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Life’ (2017)

This film is truly an intense experience. The film's plot is a story that we've seen in the past. A space fleet encounters an unknown alien life form that is on board their space station, as they try to figure out a bit more about it they soon realize it is hostile and deadly and they have to work together to find a way to protect earth from it at all costs. The film is very enjoyable and its one of those films that have you on the edge. It gets to you and due to those tense moments, you are able to experience what the characters are going through. The characters were a bit underdeveloped for my taste as well as having some cliche storylines. For example Rebecca Feguson's and Jake Gyllenhall's character relationship wasn't really that apparent and it wasnt built up on that much. The film wouldve benefited if they had taken a bit more time to develop and make us care more for this relationship. That would've made the overall film have that much more emotion. But for the most part the performances were good. Especially the ever great Jake Gyllenhaal. He always delivers such dedicated and great performances in every film he is in. The design for 'Calvin' was good. Personally, I would've chosen a different design but as the film progressed, the design made sense. The unknown life form (Calvin) was extremely brutal and unforgiving. The way it moved and interacted with the characters was what made the film extremely intense and so good. I definitely cringed a few times. The ending is one of those movie endings that leaves you in awe. I sort of saw it coming but to see it unfold still shocked me. It was delivered really well. 'Life' as mentioned before, is a similar story to past space movies, but its intense moments and 'Calvin' make it so enjoyable.

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Power Rangers’ (2017)

This property was a great part of my childhood and it is something that I loved growing up. Its about a group of 5 teenagers with attitude who are faced with the task of protecting life on earth from the clutches of evil monsters. The series was cheesy fun that didnt take itself seriously and that was totally fun. Every episode had the same exact formula but somehow it didnt get old. This big screen adaptation takes some of that but visualizes it in a more grounded and realistic way. It is not as cheesy but it still has some of that charm in the comedy and overall story. We get an origin story that has touches inspired by the great and my personal favorite film, 'The Breakfast Club' so that aspect made it more appealing. All of the actors were really good in their roles. Especially Becki G (Trini) and RJ (Billy). The main 5 have great chemistry and you can tell they cared for the characters they portrayed. I really liked the message it communicated about teamwork with them having to work together in the Megazord and diversity with Alpha 5's "Different colored kids" line that was both genius and heart warming. Elizabeth Banks was also good as Rita Repulsa. She was straightforward and menacing as she should be. Her fighting scene in the boat dock was really enjoyable. A definite improvement from the show. Watching them morph for the first time definitely made me excited. To see those colored suits I grew up with coming to life once more was great. Also the original show callbacks were glorious and full of nostalgia that will be appreciated by any MMPR fans. I did however found some flaws. I liked the zords but I didn’t find it believable that they were able to be maneuvered that flawlessly. Also I understand its an origin story, but I would’ve enjoyed a bit more action in their suits. Overall, its not a serious movie but it does contain certain elements that make it a bit more sophisticated than the original show. The show we all love will always be there, untouched. I’m ready to see what this new interpretation has to offer.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater and Rent

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Rating: 8/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Beauty and the Beast’ (2017)

Beauty & the Beast' The animated classic is one of my favorite Disney animated movies so when the American live action adaptation was announced I was definitely looking forward to it. This movie was extremely loyal and true to the original animated film that eventhough it may seem like a replica, it still has that charm and somehow feels fresh and new. The story, I and many more love, is executed really well. Great performances, song, costumes, and set pieces is what makes this adaptation magical and wonderful. I could see the animation coming to life as the film progressed. It wasn't a comparison but rather a journey seeing the animation come to life and I definitely got goosebumps as it happened. I appreciated the expansion of both Belle's and Beast's backstory. It definitely gave them more development than the original and made their motivations more realistic.Emma Watson truly is Belle. Aside from her natural beauty, she portrayed this beloved characted really well. She was warm, brave, independent and fearless. Luke Evans was fantastic as Gaston. He portrayed the classic antagonist as the way I remember him. The dashing, selfish villain we all love. Dan Stevens was really good as the Beast. Yes, the Beast design could've been designed alot better or couldve been done using really good prosthetic pieces, but the character felt real nonetheless. The eyes are really the window to a person's soul and theyre the ones that communicate so much to an audience. I felt he was real and going through all those emotions. The classic songs were executed really well and definitely brought back memories as a child. The new songs made for the movie were really good. Especially 'Evermore' sung by Dan Stevens and 'Days in the Sun'. A classic Disney story full of heart, warmth and emotion.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Sequel worthy: No

Rating: 10/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Logan’ (2017)

'Logan' Hugh Jackman has been playing this character ever since his first live action appearance in 2000's "X-Men" 17 years ago. The only live action superhero character to have a complete story arc uninterrupted by remakes or reboots. Hugh Jackman has been extremely loyal to the character and I applaud his performance and extreme dedication to this character. We saw his origins, his struggles throughout the X-men series in both past and present timelines and now we see him in his late years as Old Man Logan. This Wolverine is angry and tired. This is a character who is fed up with everything and who has lost everyone he cared about. You really feel for this character and as he says in the film something along the lines of "Everyone I care about dies" Wolverine has been through alot and you feel that, we have seen it happen throughout the years. But then along comes Laura (X-23) played amazingly by Dafne Keen, who at first struggles to soften Logan but slowly starts to win him over. The action is some of the best we will ever see in a superhero movie. This is not your clean, non bloody superhero fights but rather the complete opposite. 'Logan' needed to be rated R in order to accomplish what it did. This Wolverine is brutal and has no mercy for anyone who stands in his way. As well as Laura, Dafne did an amazing job at portraying this character and the action sequences that she was part of. Some of her action was done with CGI but she executed the character really by grounding her in this reality. Patrick Stewart has also magnificently played Charles Xavier throughout all these years. We see a different Professor X in "Logan". The years and struggle have been tough and have taken a toll on him. We see how it has affected him. I saw a mix of both James McAvoy's Prof. X and Patrick Stewart's in this Charles. A bit more loose yet tired and sad. Boyd Holbrook was also really good as the main antagonist. He had this sort of personality that made him likeable. He would’ve benefited from a bit more development, but he is memorable for his performance. The plot of the film is well executed. Although the timelines of all the X-Men films are a bit confusing, this one felt like its own thing yet still connected to them all. You do in fact have to have been following the past films in order to see this interpretation of Wolverine develop and obtain the effect that this film has on you. Its an emotional journey full of happiness but also sadness. Thank you @thehughjackman for this character. 'Logan' is definitely one of the best superhero films to date. This version of Wolverine will always be loved and remembered. It is sad to see this end but it also feels justified and right.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater/Rent

Sequel Worthy: No

Rating: 9.5/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Nocturnal Animals’ (2016)

The second film by fashion designer Tom Ford is a magnificent emotional ride. Based on Austin Wright’s book “Tony and Susan” is a film with such a great storytelling that enthralls you with its amazing and delightful cast and the film’s beautiful style. We see the film from Amy Adams’ “Susan” point of view. She is an artist who is mostly unhappy with her life due to the events that the film portrays. We see her in the past, present, and represented in the story that was sent to her by her ex-husband Edward, a writer who in the past struggled to be where he is now. The film showcases the start of their relationship from the start to the end while also showing the story that Edward wrote. This story can be looked at as fiction but if you dive into the story, you can see the underlying representations and metaphors that lets us, the audience, make connections to Susan and Edward’s relationship. The film deals with issues that occur between two people and the problems that may injure and ultimately destroy a relationship. Amy Adams is such a great actress as she is able to portray any character in such a rich and admirable way. She looks absolutely stunning in this film. Jake Gyllenhall is always a delight to see. He makes every character he portrays feel so real and full of emotion. Aaron Taylor Johnson gives a performance so creepily amazing that I believe is his best performance yet. He portrays a character whose actions and personality make you feel so uneasy that it gets under your skin in such a chilling way. The style of this film and the cinematography is crafted so beautiful. The colors, placement of objects and shots are amazing and only add to the effect has on the audience. I also really liked the contrast between the “real world” and the world that Edward’s story portrays as well as some criticism about society today. The ending is absolutely amazing and probably one of my favorite film endings. It is a ambiguous. It asks you to craft an idea in your head as to why a certain thing occurred and any film that interacts with the audience like that, is simply great. ‘Nocturnal Animals’ is a film that deserves multiple viewings given its context and underlying themes and symbolism. A film that stays with after it ends and one that is not simply one to forget.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater and Rent

Sequel Worthy: No

Rating: 10/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘The Light Between Oceans’ (2016)

A well realized and complete romance drama. From the start of the film you have a feeling that you are in for a treat. Wonderful performances from both Michael Fassbender, as a conflicted war veteran, and Alicia Vikander, a young girl eager to explore the world and fall in love. These both fall in love in such a believable way that it makes you feel for both of them when they are faced with such a sad tragedy. The story progesses and then they are faced with hope after tragedy but soon Fassbender's character has to make a specific decision that changes their lives in an instant. This decision takes the story in a dramatic direction that is full of emotion. Consequences for their actions occur and the characters' love for one another is tested. This film is full of heart and emotion and a story so pure that it will make your heart feel.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Rent

Sequel Worthy: No

Rating: 8/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Don’t Breathe’ (2016)

A highly intense and suspenseful ride of a movie. The story is simple but it unfolds in ways that make it unique. Its brutal, violent and has you on the edge of your seat hanging on not knowing what is about to happen. Definitely a theatre experience. The atmosphere these characters are in feels so realistic. A real suspense thriller with a few great horror aspects. Jane Levy did an amazing job portraying her character. She felt so real and her motivation for her actions made you feel and root for her. I could say this is the most intense film I've seen this year so far. All films have flaws, but this one had very minor flaws that are easily forgotten.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Sequel Worthy: No

Rating: 9/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Jason Bourne’ (2016)

I have grown up with this franchise. I remember watching since the beginning with the original “The Bourne Identity” and even though I have not read the books on which this story is based on, I am a fan of the film series. Therefore, I was excited when it was announced that Matt Damon, the director Paul Greengrass and Julia Stiles were all returning for the series after his their last appearance in “Ultimatum” back in 2007. The film is shot really well. Paul Greengrass was made to direct these films. The camera work is great, it makes the audience dive right into the action and makes the moments that much more interesting and dynamic. The story dives deeper into Jason’s past as David Webb, and how he came to be Jason Bourne as well as revealing secrets about his past thus taking Jason on a revenge journey. The film does contain another storyline that is not really that special. It is not uninteresting but it’s a storyline that we have seen before. Alicia Vikander shined in this role. She portrayed this character really well throughout the entire film.  Tommy Lee Jones was great in his role once more and what can I say about Matt Damon. He is really Jason Bourne. He once proves, not that he needs to, but he once again shows why he was chosen to play this part ever since “Identity”. The character has grown and in this film is as if Matt Damon never left. I feel like “Legacy” is thrown away, and I am actually fine with that. The action sequences are executed extremely well. The moments build up and reach a great high like that Las Vegas strip chase sequence. Just magnificent action. A great action film, with great sequences, performances and story.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Rating: 9/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

First of all I never quite understood the extreme hate that this film started receiving once it was announced. It was utterly negative, disgusting and sadly overshadowed and ultimately destroyed the film’s marketing campaign making it flop. As a film critic, I always have believed that one should always judge a film with their own opinion and then construct their own view on it. Not to disregard other film critics opinions because they have already viewed said film, but I disagree with those viewers who let their views be constructed by others without even seen the film for themselves ultimately creating hate and damaging a film’s reputation. This said, the film Ghostbuster, which is an attempt of a reboot of the franchise, did not deserve the hate that it got but the film overall was not a great one either. The original 1984 film is a great film; it delivers great characters, a good and entertaining story and good comedy. This reboot attempts at delivering the same but it misses some of these key parts. I love Paul Feig’s films as well as the chemistry between Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, but for some reason this movie does not quite deliver all the comedy that it’s aiming for. I am a fan of both Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, I love ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Spy’ with McCarthy but in this film, I didn’t feel like McCarthy shined at all. They took a different approach with McCarthy’s character, and although it is appreciated that she is able to take a different take on a character and not do the usual, it just didn’t let her shine that much. She has funny moments that seem to start building up to something but then it quickly dies down. There are moments that are really funny but at other times the film feels slow. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is just something off about the film. The film also includes cameos, which unfortunately feel unnecessary and wasted. Cameos are supposed to feel fun and awesome but even though it was great to see these actors, it just didn’t do any justice to them. Now don’t get me wrong, the film is not terrible. It does deliver great special effects, which is obviously an upgrade from the original, and these effects look really cool on screen especially at the final action sequence. You can really see the hard work that was put into it. As well as Chris Hemsworth’s character which was funny. The final act of the film is the best part from the entire film. But it’s sad because it sets up for what could have been sequels, which are obviously not going to happen thanks to all the negativity that it received. ‘Ghostbusters’ is not a terrible movie but it is easily a forgettable one.

Recommended: No

Theatre/Rent/Skip: Rent

Sequel Worthy: No

Rating: 7/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Lights Out’ (2016)

An enjoyable summer horror drama. From a short film posted in 2014 to the big screen. This film delivers a good and very interesting story. It plays on the very common fear of being afraid of the dark as well as providing a bit of a twist on that fear. By looking at the trailer you might think it’s just another cliche horror film but if you look at the undertones and dissect the story and characters, they are much more than your typical horror film. There are only a couple characters in this film but they are developed extremely well. Characters that you care for and want for them to succeed. In particular Maria Bello, who plays the mother and Gabriel Bateman, who plays the young brother. The horror did include the jump scare with loud noise but it was not the ever annoying fake jump scare. There were a couple moments where you are on the edge of your seat and that is an effect that every good horror film should have on their audience. The horror was delivered and received well. I do in fact think that the look of the creature/entity could have been a lot better. It was more scary to not be able to see it but rather know that it was in the shadows looking at the characters and at us, the audience. I did appreciate the writing, because the film deals with a drama aspect involving depression which is an issue that affects many individuals and their families and that is reflected really well on the characters. It is a film with a running time of 81 minutes but it is able to deliver good horror, characters and story.

Recommended: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater or rent

Sequel worthy: Yes

Rating: 8/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

Back when the plans to make this film started to surface, I was initially skeptical given that the characters of this squad, aside from Harley Quinn, were mostly secondary. But after film studios proving that secondary/unknown characters can become primary like Guardians of the Galaxy, I was intrigued. The film definitely has flaws, mostly in the plot but it is not a horrible film. It is highly enjoyable and action packed with very cool characters. The plot is not very coherent overall. That is one of its major flaws. I feel like the threat the team faces is not something this team should have faced. It’s a cool idea but this was more for other type of heroes with other abilities, if you know what I mean. It almost feels like you are watching two films. Also, the character development for some of the characters was not executed that well. The film does give a brief exposition, but for these specific characters, like Katana and Killer Croc they could’ve given us a bit more because I’m sure their backstory is highly interesting. It’d be nice to get a bit more info on them in order to be able to try and relate to all of them. The characters that definitely stood out the most were Harley Quinn, played amazingly by Margot Robbie, Will Smith’s Deadshot who surprised me since I have liked Smith’s work in the past but I wouldn’t call myself his fan and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller who was ruthless and very coldhearted. We finally get a live action/film version of Harley Quinn and what a treat it was. Margot Robbie delivered such an enjoyable Harley. Her personality was spot on as well as her accent and it makes me excited to see what they do with the character in the future. Although we didn’t get a real taste of The Joker, and a lot was cut from the theatrical cut, I still very much enjoyed his scenes, especially with Harley Quinn. Most specifically, the scene that is my favorite from the entire film has these two at the very famous ACE Chemicals. The music choice, the dialogue, the chemistry, I was so sucked into this scene that it made me wish they could make a Batman against The Joker + Harley Quinn film. I also very much enjoyed the final fight sequence. The Enchantress played a big role and Cara Delevingne portrayed this character really well. Details like her voice and movements made this character even more intriguing. The critics have bashed this film and given it poor reviews, but I say go watch it and judge it, scratch that don’t judge it, enjoy it! Suicide Squad has its rough patches, but overall it’s an enjoyable film and it feels like DC is starting to mold itself into its own thing.

Recommended: Yes

Sequel Worthy: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Rating: 8/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

‘Captain America: Civil War’

Another amazing addition to the MCU. This film delivers great action sequences, characters, and story. Ever since The Winter Soldier, Captain America has grown on me. He was faced with highly difficult decisions and situations that only make his character become conflicted for future MCU films. It will be very interesting to see how these decisions play off in the next Marvel films. The first part of the film is a bit slow, but it does contain sequences that instantly get you excited. One small detail that I felt was way out of place and kind of threw me off for a few seconds were those big white letters indicating the location. Very miniscule detail. The film has amazing action/fight sequences that allow each character, who were balanced very well, shine. The hand-to-hand combat was very well choreographed and it felt real. Spider-Man being my favorite Marvel superhero, I was looking forward to see Tom Holland portrayal of both Peter and Spidey. I must say, he did a great job. His action sequence was great and to just see Spider-Man fighting next to all those other superheroes was simply amazing. Yes, this Civil War is not an exact representation of the comic book storyline, but it’s a good adaptation. The newcomer, Black Panther was probably one of the best parts of the film and I can’t wait to see how his character develops even more in his standalone film. I really enjoyed those comedic moments throughout the film, especially the ones involving Falcon, who gets better in each film he appears in. The film gets dark in tone at the last act involving Captain America and Tony Stark, and I appreciate that coming from a Marvel film. Moments like this allow the characters to grow and develop as well as make them even more interesting. I just have to mention that one shot when Iron Man and Captain America are fighting at the last fight sequence, I gasped and had a nerdgasm when that iconic Civil War artwork was paid homage to.  

Recommended: Yes

Sequel worthy: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Rating: 10/10

[itsallaboutthemovies]

'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Ever since the idea to create this film started years ago Ive been excited for this film to exist and now we have it! I was excited eventhough the trailers pretty much give away the film but a trailer is not the same as a whole film. The film itself looks amazing stylistic thanks to Snyder's style. There are some flaws with it though. Some parts were not cohesive and seemed out of place for my taste. The film seems all over the place for a few minutes and it seems like many things were thrown into it in order to allude to future projects. I was one of the few who was on board for Batfleck. He did a great job as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. I liked how Bruce was involved in investigating and gathering information, Bond style. Ive always been a Batman fan but somehow I felt more connected to Superman/Clark in this film. Henry Cavill did a great job at portraying both characters once more. This character is conflicted because he is attempting at doing the right thing. Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot does a phenomenal job. Her appearance as both Diana Prince and Wonder Woman is brief but it does the job so well. Probably one of my favorite things about the film. Her involvement and interaction with Bruce Wayne was amazing to watch on screen as well as the last fight scene with the Trinity. Just to be able to finally see a live action portrayal of the Trinity in action on the big screen is worth the ticket. Jesse Eisenberg did a good enough job as Lex. Not the Lex Luthor I was really expecting but most of his scenes were great. Especially that senate hearing scene. The tension, the plans, the schemes he planned were unsettling, and that is what a great comic book villain should be able to create. The fight scene between Batman and Superman was amazing. Right out of the comic book. Overall the film is great. It has story flaws but dont believe that RT percentage and create your own opinion after watching the film yourself.

Recommended: Yes

Sequel worthy: Yes

Theater/Rent/Skip: Theater

Rating: 9/10