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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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The mantel of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker has now been passed down to three different actors of the course of nearly 20 years. From Toby Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy, to Andrew Garfield’s duo of Amazing Spider-Man films. Now it has been passed to an even younger actor by the name of Tom Holland. This is not the first time we’ve seen Holland dawn the spandex suit. Tom Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, where he fought alongside Robert Downey Jr’s team of Avengers against Captain America’s. Tom Holland portrayed a very young version of the character. In past adaptations, Peter has been a senior in high school going off to college. Here it seems that he will be a sophomore, putting him at 15. For the first time we’ll get to see Peter balance school, his social life, maturing, being a superhero, and being an Avenger in training.

Official Synopsis: Several months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

It seems that the motto on the set of Homecoming was fun. Everything about this film worked on every level. This film had equal amounts of drama, action, and comedy and it was all amazing. Tom Holland has proven himself as the definitive Spider-Man and continues to work well with the MCU’s veterans. Tom Holland is witty, funny, and partly immature, which makes him a great Spider-Man and Peter Parker, and that is something the others films have lacked. It seemed that Toby Maguire played a good Peter Parker, but a below average Spider-Man. On the other hand Andrew Garfield played a below Average Peter Parker and an amazing Spider-Man. Tom Holland has benefitted from playing a younger version of the character and has embodied both characters and found the balance.

The film also finds its strengths in its supporting characters. Peter’s best friend Ned, played by, Jacob Batalon, is one of the big bright spots in the film and achieves a great level of comic relief and really shines and holds his own. Zendaya plays a small part in the film but she got more screen time as the film progressed. There’s also this small feeling that she was in the movie just enough to possibly set up her role as something bigger in future films. Other than Ned, the supporting cast has just enough screen time to showcase their talent. Peter’s new love interest, Liz Allen is played by Laura Harrier, and she isn’t as much of a focus in the film as in the previous films. Harrier plays a good love interest but much like the rumors, she is clearly not Peters’ “The One”. Now, in the past, Peters rouges gallery has always featured character never seen before on the big screen. Michael Keaton’s Vulture is no exception, but also set a president for the MCU’s villans.

Michael Keaton was an amazing MCU villain and has already made his way to the second best villain in Marvel’s universe. However, Keaton may very well make his way to number one in the future. Keaton doesn’t get nearly as much screen time as he deserved, but when he was on-screen, he was absolutely amazing. He was threatening but also has this moral code that makes him a likable character. In all of the MCU there hasn’t been a villain that is a blue-collar working man and does what he does, just to give his family a better life. That’s what makes Homecoming so great. Homecoming is not this grand, world ending spectacle of a film, it’s grounded and feels more personal.

Homecoming focuses on how young and inexperienced Peter is at being Spider-Man. There are far to many superhero films now where there is a world ending threat and now with a universe as big as the MCU, it has now become impossible to believe that one hero would take on something so big and not call in the others. Homecoming does a great job of having another hero in the film but he’s not overused. Tony only makes an appearance when Peter needs a little advise on how to handle certain situations, but he doesn’t interfere in the big scenarios. If you’re worried about Homecoming being another Iron-Man movie, don’t be, because it’s far from it.

Another thing I saw people complaining about was how young and attractive Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May was. Now, just because we’ve only seen Aunt May as this elderly women in the past, it doesn’t mean Marisa Tomei couldn’t make this work. This complaint first came about when Tony first visited Peter in Civil War. Any chance they got, the film referenced how attractive she was and it made for some very funny moments. Marisa also had limited screen time but much like Harrier’s Liz Allen, Aunt May influenced Peter in many ways and always pointed him in the right direction, even when she wasn’t there.

There are so many memorable moments in this film. Without giving anything away, there is a moment where Peter has to really dig deep and find his inner strength to get himself out of a dire situation. There wasn’t one moment of slacking off from the cast and they all did fantastic even with their limited screen time. Jon Watts has handled the resurrection of Spider-Man perfectly. His new coming of age story for Peter worked perfectly and the 80’s high school feel fit like Peters new suite. Spider-Man: Homecoming is now one of the best MCU films of all time. Jon Watts, Kevin Feige, and Tom Holland capitalized on the momentum from Civil War and surpassed all expectations and set up a great future for the young hero. Spider-Man: Homecoming rightfully deserves a 9/10.

Film Review #5: Third times the charm? Spoiler-free review of Spider-Man: Homcomeing. The mantel of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker has now been passed down to three different actors of the course of nearly 20 years.

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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Film Review #4: Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins save the DCEU.

Wonder Women is the first film in the DCEU that has become a big hit with both fans and critics. After the below average response of the past three films in the DCEU, Wonder Women almost seemed destined to be a flop. This film had me from the moment DC unveiled their new logo intro. Wonder Women has managed to perfectly balance action, drama, and comedy, something the DCEU has been lacking since…

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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T.V. Review #3: The Flash Season 3.

The Flash television show has been on a downward spiral ever since the second half of season 2 and the first half of season three continues this unfortunate downfall. With the exception of one episode in the middle, the second half of season 3 was a big step in the right direction for the show. I’ll do my best to limit the amount of spoilers in my review, but there will be some but I will warn…

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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I realize that this is a pretty late review, but I felt it necessary to share my thoughts on such a controversial show. 13 Reasons Why tells a non-linear story about a girl name Hannah Baker, a high school girl who had committed suicide. In a last attempt to get through to her fellow classmates, about bullying and social shaming, Hannah recorded multiple tapes of herself telling her story of why and “who” was responsible for her final deathly choice. Hannah gave these tapes to the people she had deemed responsible. The story follows a main protagonist by the name of Clay, who was one of the people who had the various tapes passed on to him. Clay struggles to make his way through the tapes, as he realizes early on that whoever received the tapes played apart in Hannah’s decision. Clay realizes that there are more and more people involved in Hannah’s plan and there is an ever-growing group of other students who know about, and have listened to the tapes as well and will do anything to keep their secret. Regardless on your thoughts on suicide or teen angst, this show is defiantly worth a watch. Especially for the fact that it makes us all uncomfortable.

Kathrine Langford as Hannah in 13 Reasons Why

Dylann Minnette as Clay in 13 Reasons Why

13 Reasons Why is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Jay Asher, and if i am being honest i didn’t know about the book until the show came out. I can’t really say if the show is better or worse than the book, but there are more than 13 reasons why Netflix’s newest drama is worth watching. If you are able to understand the fact that these are just kids and they do have real problems, the story is amazing. If you get past your own ” Oh, they’re just kids and they shouldn’t care so much about what others say” feeling that will inevitably come, then you will most likely find the story deep and meaningful. There’s so many directions this show could have gone but it didn’t shy away from anything. Many may see the story as a big blame game, I was one of them at the start and to a certain point I still might be. However my stance on the matter isn’t as harsh as it was when I started the show. 13 Reasons Why does not shy away from showing how cruel, viscous, and devious people can be. This show reveals that teenagers constantly try to be things that they aren’t.

What makes this show so interesting is that it has managed to perfectly balance between story and character focuses. While the story focuses on the aftermath of suicide it also shows how different the characters are, but also shows how, on the surface is all an act for the most part, much like how real teenagers behave. This is the perfect story to be told for the film medium, especially in the twenty-first century. In this show we see that social media plays a big part by showing how much of an impact it can have on people. This story is brilliant and makes you think about how things really are in a lot of American high schools. 13 Reasons Why explains the reasons why Hannah had chosen to kill herself, and that fact that Hannah felt so lost that she just saw one way out. In order to tell this story, you need actors who are able to portray the necessary emotions and give their best performance possible.

13 Reasons Why cast ranges from above average to absolutely incredible. This show is filled with an all young and rising star cast that really shines. Each actor in this show, had a big responsibility to show what it is like to be the victim, the bully, the predator, and the bystander. Kathrine Langford plays Hannah Baker, and she is just fantastic. Langford made me feel for Hannah and all young adults who feel that there’s no reason to keep going. In the beginning Hannah seemed to be a very mind game playing regular teenage girl, which I disliked. However, much like the show itself, I was hooked by the drastic change that Langford was able to accomplish through her performance. Another actor who really shines is our protagonist, Clay Jenson. Clay is this typical teenager who tries to keep his head down and not make too much noise. His attitude changes as soon as he listens to Hannah’s first tape.

Clay is played by Dylan Minnette and he is very consistent and strong in his performance. Clay’s character development is amazing and he is one of the reasons why this show is so impactful. Clay, much like the other characters who received the tapes, is sent on this journey to find out why Hannah took her own life. However, the tapes hit Clay much harder than anyone else involved. Clay decides that something needs to be done about all of the injustices that happen everyday at Liberty High School. This character is the one that keeps your attention and the fact that he is the slowest one to listen to the tapes keeps you engaged. Clay finds out early that he is in fact on one of the tapes, so it makes you want to find out why just as much as Clay does. In truth, all of the cast members in this show gave it their all and it shows. You will hate who you’re supposed to hate, love who you’re supposed to love, and be conflicted by those whose stories are constantly evolving and unfolding.

Dylan Minnette as Clay in 13 Reasons Why

Justin Prentice as Bryce in 13 Reasons Why

Alisha Boe as Jessica in 13 Reasons Why

Christian Navarro as Tony in 13 Reasons Why

13 Reasons Why is violent, graphic and true, and deals with things society has deemed as taboo and something no one wishes to talk about. There is without a doubt that there where many scene in the show that are very hard to watch. There were times when I wanted to look away, but I forced myself to watch because it was necessary. Sometimes we have to watch things we don’t want to because that’s the kind of thing that will stick with the viewer. I cannot say this enough, you must understand that these are kids, those of us who have grown up and developed into adults and who understand these kind of things, won’t understand what it is like. You have to remember what it was like to be in high school. How many kids did you walk by in the hall that you knew were the school punching bags? How many did you see being beat on, physically, and verbally? I don’t mean to make those of you who may have done these things, or done nothing at all feel bad, but you have to do this to understand each of the characters situations. Especially Hannah’s.

13 Reasons Why sheds light on the unfortunate reality that exists in some high schools in America. This show focuses on bullying in all forms and the feelings that students get when they feel that they have become alienated and alone, and even shunned by their peers. Once again, keep in mind while watching this Netflix Original is that these are kids. Unfortunately to teenagers, they may feel high school is everything and they will never escape from their immediate world. High school is their one and only world at the time, and most kids struggle to realize that there is a larger world outside of their school. Some may say that these kids should be stronger and smart enough not to feel alone, and that they have it easy. Remember, kids don’t know any better they are always going to need help and feel emotional because that’s the time in everyone’s life to go through that.

13 Reasons Why is a great piece of story telling because it’s the truth and doesn’t shy away from being too dark, especially with today’s youth. I’ve seen many people on social media get angry at this show because they say it glorifies Suicide. 13 Reasons Why does the complete opposite. I believe everyone should watch this show to try to understand why Hannah killed herself. Yes she made her choice and it was the wrong choice, but she did try to get help as well. No one was there for her, and she felt alone and that no one could or was willing to help. It’s time to start really thinking about better ways to help these students who are in similar situations as Hannah. I’m going to ask you all not to ignore this show or brush it off because kids shouldn’t be taken that seriously. That happens far too often all ready.

T.V. Review #2: 13 Reasons Why. Why? I realize that this is a pretty late review, but I felt it necessary to share my thoughts on such a controversial show.

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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Quite a few things dropped last week, and they were all amazing. The IT trailer was the first to drop, and it showed a new version of the villainous clown known as, Pennywise. Second, we were treated to the first trailer for Marvel’s newest entry into their cinematic universe, Thor: Ragnarok. As for the final treat, we got a look at Star Wars: The Last Jedi, another new installment in the Star Wars saga. With these three trailers, we got some quick looks at some of the most anticipated films of 2017. Each trailer showcased very different films, and increased expectations for each. In the film IT we follow a group of children in the town of, Derry Maine, as they attempt to stop the child napping clown, Pennywise. Thor: Ragnarok continues the story of Thor after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he must go back to his home and defend it from the evil Hela. Coming to the next sequel film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi follows Rey, Finn, and Poe Damarron as they continue their adventure together to defeat the first order, lead by Kylo Ren.

Bill Skarsgard, and Jackson Robert Scott in IT

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Ragnarok

Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, and Adam Driver in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The first trailer we are going to cover will be the IT trailer. IT is based on the classic Steven King novel and a remake of the 1990 two-part television film. For the most part the film looks to have all the same main plot points as the original, for the exception of the kids not growing up and returning to their tormented town. I watched the original film and found it okay, but was completely thrown off when it’s revealed that Pennywise is actually a giant spider. This made me border line hate the film, but the remake looks like it will deviate from the original film and the source material. Bill Skarsgard plays the part of Pennywise the clown, who torments the children of Derry Maine. In the original TV film, Tim Curry played a jokingly but lightly sinister clown, but Skarsgard looks to embrace his inner psychopathic kid killer. IT also seems to be following this returning style of films like E.T., and the Goonies, that started with the Netflix original series, Stranger Things. However, it looks like IT will take this style to terrifying new depths. Most of the kids in this film are new comers and rising stars, and they’ve even included Finn Wolfhard, who starred in Stranger Things.

IT (2017) Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard)

Moving on to the MCU, Thor: Ragnarok sees Thor in a new light and an almost crippling position. In the trailer we see Thor successfully return to Asgard, but only to find it in the possession of the queen of the underworld, Hela. Hela is played by Cate Blanchett and she looks completely unrecognizable, but very dominating. In the first two shots of the trailer we see Thor at Hela’s mercy, by being chained up in Hela’s world, and in a surprising turns of events, Hela has destroyed Thor’s prized possession. Hela is shown crushing Mjolnir with her bare hands, after catching it in mid-air. Thor is then taken to another world where he is forced to fight as a gladiator in an arena hosted by the Grandmaster, played by Jeff Goldblum as entertainment. There are plenty of fresh faces in Thor: Ragnarok, and also some old ones that leave a great impression on the first trailer.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Ragnarok

Cate Blanchett as Hela in Thor: Ragnarok

Jeff Goldblum is one of the first new faces, as he plays the Grandmaster, who seems to be a games man who loves pitting the best warriors against each other for entertainment. Now much like everyone else, I am a huge fan of Jeff Goldblum and I can’t wait to see what he bring to the MCU. There is no doubt he will become a major player in the MCU, especially since in the comic, The Grandmaster and the Collector are related. Next we have Tessa Thompson playing Valkyrie, who looks to be Grandmaster’s right hand warrior. This is the first time we have seen Valkyrie appear in the MCU, and her motivations and purpose are still unknown, but she looks to be a big part in the major fight against Hela. Now we get to some of the old characters returning to the MCU, and an exciting team up that is sure to be a major highlight in the film. Idris Alba returns as the Asgardian gate-keeper, Hiemdall. His purpose in the film is also unknown, as the trailer only gives him about two frames of screen time.

Jeff Goldblum as The Granmaster in Thor: Ragnarok

Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok

Idris Alba as Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok

Next we have Thor’s mischievous adopted brother Loki, played by the very talented Tom Hiddleston. Loki has been a re-occurring character in the MCU, appearing in four films including Ragnarok. It’s nice to see him returns, as he continues to be a high point in all the films he is in. Now for the main attraction, the character that has vanished since Avengers: Age of Ultron. The Incredible Hulk will make his return in the MCU in a gladiatorial fashion, as he will join Thor to retake Asgard, but not before their inevitable round 2. By the end of the trailer, Thor is seen in a gladiator outfit in an arena, being announced to fight by the Grandmaster. The Gandmaster states that this is the main event, as Hulk comes busting out of the gate, ready for battle. This entire trailer got me very excited for the new film and my expectations have went up, but Thor’s track record hasn’t been that great, so I hope this surpasses it predecessors.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Thor: Ragnarok

Mark Ruffalo as Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok

For our final trailer we have Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The saga continues with its newest chapter. The Last Jedi already shows more of Luke than The Force Awakens, and even showing Rey embracing her force abilities. The Last Jedi is directed by Ryan Johnson and it looks to be on a larger scale. It’s not clean on what the main threat is, since mostly in the past films the Deathstar and the Starkiller bases have been the major threats to the universe along with whatever the new evil organization turns out to be. In The Force Awakens, the Starkiller base was essentially the Death Star from the original trilogy and the plot of both films were similar.

There isn’t much to get from the first trailer for the Last Jedi, but the main thing the trailer focuses on is Rey and her training sessions with Luke. We do get some quick shots of the other characters like, Finn in some sort of stasis pod, so he still in the coma Kylo Ren put him in, in the last film. Poe and BB-8 are back together, there isn’t enough footage to really know what they are doing. Although the lack of footage, leaves much to the imagination, one thing is for certain, and that’s Kylo Ren and presumably Lord Snoke are making a big and terrifying return. There is also a sence of darkness, as we see Luke and his second line in the entire trailer. “It’s time for the Jedi to die.” It is unclear when or why Luke says this but, it certainly sets up what kind of movie this will be.

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

All of these films have very high expectations and now a days you almost don’t need a trailer for a film to have such high expectations. Out of the three films IT was the one with the most to prove, but all of them delivered in a big way. I’m so excited for these movies and I will be there on opening day for all three. I highly recommend watching all three trailers, even you think modern-day trailers reveal too much. All three of these trailers are considered teasers and they do showcase some great footage, but they raise more questions than anything else.

Post # 4: IT, Ragnarok, and The Last Jedi. Quite a few things dropped last week, and they were all amazing. The IT trailer was the first to drop, and it showed a new version of the villainous clown known as, Pennywise.

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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So Warner Brothers and Marvel Studios just released brand new trailers for their upcoming films, Justice League and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Both of these trailers look incredible, and both companies just keep getting me more and more excited for each others films. I am not one of those fans who picks one side and hates the other, I love both comic properties, but Warner Bro. and DC are the ones that needed to prove more to me with Justice League, Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has developed a nice track record, especially with films like, the final two Captain America films, Guardians of the Galaxy, and basically their entire phase two and three lineups. Now Justice League is part of a cinematic universe that has struggled with both fans and critics. With only three movies in, all have received average to negative reviews, Warner Bros. and DC seem to desperately need a winner this time around. Now I’d just like to say, that I loved Man of Steel, I liked the Extended cut of Batman V. Superman: DOJ, but I really didn’t like Suicide Squad all that much. Now with that out-of-the-way, let’s talk about the awesomeness that is the second Justice League trailer and the second Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer.The newest Justice League trailer showcases brand new footage, by showing off some terrific epic battles, and new character interactions. They seem to be setting up The Flash as the main attraction. In the trailer we see Barry Allen visiting his father in prison, showing off his running style and how vibrant and different his powers will look on the big screen. Fans of the CW version of the Flash will notice the obvious differences between Grant Gustins, Barry Allen, and Ezra Miller’s. While Gustin seems to portray more of a burdened version of Barry, but aside from the touching moment between Barry and his father, Ezra’s Barry seems more happy-go-lucky, and just wants to do good things with his powers and make some friends along the way. There also seems to be a mentor and protegé relationship developing between Barry Allen, and Bruce Wayne.

Ben Affleck is reprising his role as Batman/ Bruce Wayne. Despite all of the backlash from Batman V. Superman, I still think he was one of the best parts of that movie, and I’m very excited to see what he has to offer in Justice League. With the trailer drop we seem to get another new suit change for the dark knight. In the beginning I think we’ll get his costume from BVS, then through the duration of the film, we’ll get at least three more suits. Bruce has taken on the role as recruiter and co – leader of the team along with Diana/ Wonder Women. With BVS, the entire tone of the film was dark and bleak with only a few one liners from Bruce and Alfred during their banter, but now it seems Bruce has two sides to him. To me it looks like he will have both a dry humor personality and that dark and bruising personality we saw in BVS. In this trailer we see Bruce actively recruiting team members while Diana is back at HQ monitoring. In both Justice League trailers, we see Bruce going to the reoccurring second home of ” The Aquaman”.

Arthur Curry/ Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, seems to be the most difficult to recruit. During both trailers we see Arthur Curry getting tough with Bruce and begin very difficult. Now, in trailer #2 we see him in full costume and joining the team, and is dealing out some major damage. This version of Arthur Curry looks great! In past comic versions we’ve seen a clean-cut, blonde haired Atlantean that tries to over compensate by being rough and tough, but his look throws it all off. Now Jason Momoa’s portrayal looks rough, and rugged, which is exactly the kind of updated look Aquaman needed. His armor is fresh and classic, it looks very tribal and heavy-set. Aquaman gets a lot of screen time in the new trailer, and he shines throughout with all of his quick one liners, and bad ass action sequences. Now there was something that didn’t quite click with me during the trailer, and that was Cyborg. I was trying really hard to like this iteration of Cyborg, but I just couldn’t. Hopefully I am surprised and he ends up being a big shining start in the film, but I’m just not getting that from the past two trailers. What’s throwing me off is his suit. It seems as though there are too many moving parts, rather than the mostly solid piece that I am used to. I do think Ray Fisher, from what I’ve seen in this trailer, looks like he’s going to give a good performance. Now as much as I’ve been complaining about Cyborg, I think we all are going to have to just wait and see how he turns out. Now I really can’t decide on a clear winner if any in the battle of the trailers. I watched both trailers two to three times and both of them have a lot to offer and both just raised my expectations for each film.Spider-Man: Homecoming is in my top most anticipated movies of the year, so there’s no doubt I was eagerly awaiting the new trailer. I watched this trailer three times, and each time I found something new. Peter is riding high after the events of Captain America: Civil War, and the first trailer showed that. Upon examining the second trailer, It looks like Peter has some learning to do. Robert Downey Jr. is reprising his role as Tony Stark/ Ironman, and is acting as Peter’s mentor and equipment designer. This second trailer shows a lot more of the relationship between the two heroes and we actually get a reason, why Tony has decided to take on Peter as a protegé.

Tony seems very much in charge and in the trailer we see the infamous boat scene, where Peter is attempting to keep a boat from splitting apart using his webs. Tony is seen coming in a saving the day to a Peter Parker who is way in over his head. Tony then lectures Peter about wanting him to be better than he is. This movie seems to be a passing of the torch from one generation to the new generation of heroes. It’s nice to see that character relationships are taking center stage in this film. Going along with this trend we see slightly more of the romantic relationship between Peter Parker and Liz Allen, played by Laura Harrier. Liz Allen is a brand new love interest in the film history of Spider-Man. In the past we’ve seen Mary Jane in Sam Rami’s iterations and In the Amazing franchise, we had Gwen Stacy. In the Ultimate comics, Liz was a sort of bigot who was against all super powered heroes, but in Homecoming, she seems to be more open to all walks of life.Michael Keaton also returns as another winged character, but this time he’s a villain known as the Vulture. He is seen wearing a tech suit with a lot a gadgets and gizmos at his disposal. Keaton’s portrayal seems ruthless, but he often talks about having a family, and being a blue-collar working man. Adrian Tombs (Vulture) seems to run with a crew, and he constantly talks about how close they are. It’s going to be really interesting to see a villain with so much depth, come to the big screen against Peter. Vulture’s suit looks amazing and his mask looks simple but menacing. Vulture is shown having metal wings, but their function looks more for gliding purposes, as he also has a jet pack in the middle of his back. Vulture has never been seen in a live action film, so I’m excited to see him make his big screen debut. Vulture isn’t the only one to have his suit showcased in the new trailer. In this trailer, we see that Peter has a few new gadgets of his own, and also that this suit isn’t the only one we’ll be seeing in the film. We don’t know exactly what the spider emblem is on Peters chest but in the trailer we see it come off and fly away. The only thing I think it could be is a drone, but either way, it’s going to be cool to see how Peter uses this to his advantage. We also get to see how much tension and pressure is on Peter to do well, from the public to Tony. In the trailer, Tony takes back the suit, and that forces Peter to go back to his homemade suit. Peter seems to have some confidence issues, much like we’ve seen in past films, but now that’s going to show in his school life as well. Peter looks to be a sophomore in high school, much like in the Ultimate comic series.

Both of these trailers impress, and raise the excitement level for each film. For WB and DC I will go as far as saying that Justice League will be their first clear winner in their universe. I also think Spider-man: Homecoming will be another success in Marvel’s long list of already impressive films. Justice League will be released on November 17th, 2017, and Spider-Man Homecoming comes to theaters on July 7th, 2017.

Post #3: Justice League and Spider-Man: Homecoming. So Warner Brothers and Marvel Studios just released brand new trailers for their upcoming films, Justice League…

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the-squeeky-reel · 8 years ago

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I do believe we have the first sleeper blockbuster of the year! Power Rangers surpasses my expectations, and puts a fresh take on an old property. I was never a huge fan of the original series, so when this film was announced I was very skeptical. Much like the original, Power Rangers follows the lives of 5 teenagers who discover a spaceship underground, and are infused with powers and become a team of superheros. Power Rangers does suffer by being an origin story, but it goes incredibly fast. This film speeds through the who, what, and how very quickly without leaving the audience many questions. Through the first 20 or 30 minuets the characters themselves dump so much back story about themselves and what they know about each other. The five teenagers meet their mentor Zordon, played by Brain Cranston, in the ship as he explains to them the history of his team before hand, and warns them about Rita Rapulsa, making her evil return.Zordon explains that they must train so they can stop Rita and save the world from her and her golden monster, Goldar. Each Ranger has their own back story, which makes for interesting character interactions and deep character development. We start with Jason Scott, aka the Red Ranger. Jason is the typical star quarter back for the small town school, but a mistake cause him to get into car accident and he is forced to rethink his life. Jason is quick to take on the role as the leader of the new Ranger team after Zordon explains that it is his responsibility to make sure his team is ready to take on Rita. Jason Scott is brought to life by Dacre Montgomery, and his performance as a whole is good. Montgomery doesn’t seem to be forcing, but he does struggle a bit during scenes where the whole team is present. Power Rangers is very much a character driven film, and that’s a huge reason this film is a fun watch. The ensemble cast mesh very well, and there are both expected and unexpected close relationships. Played by RJ Cyler, Billy the Blue Ranger is presented as the heart of the team and the glue that holds them all together. Billy and Scott are the first members of the team to become friends and their bond bleeds off to the others. Billy also acts as a story motivator and is the reason the Power Rangers become the team they are meant to be. Cylers performance is great and unexpected. Billy’s character is fresh and the fact that he has autism, allows for even more audiences to relate to the characters on-screen. Although Billy is seen being a best friend to Scott, he also cares for the others and seems to motivate them to make a real attempt at trying to know one another.There is an unexpected relationship that forms between the Pink and Yellow Rangers, Trini and Kimberly, played by Naomi Scott ( Pink), and Becky G (Yellow). Kimberly notices that Trini is reserved and unwilling to trust the others, as she has. Trini is the most mysterious out of the others and doesn’t reveal a lot about her self, even when the others do. Trini is very cryptic about her life, not really giving a clear picture. Perhaps Kimberly sees a little bit of herself in Trini because she’s more secretive with her history. Trini is a more shy character and stays that way, while Kimberly is a secretive but does come off that way. Through campfire style, each character shares something about themselves, Kimberly tells the group to skip her, as she is not ready to open up to them. These characters are very different people and they find comfort in each other as the film progresses. This is proven when the wild card of the group, Zack (Black Ranger), abandons his wild, and carefree attitude to try and open himself up to his teammates.

Played by Ludi Lin, Zack is an adrenalin junky and constantly looks for action. His personality could also make or break the team, and this becomes evident through one of their training sessions. Zack comes to conflict with the team’s leader Scott, but this conflict is resolved later. Zack’s character is fun and exciting, exactly how he’s supposed to be. For the most part he is very likable, but sometimes he could be seen as annoying. Later you realize why Zack acts the way he does, and it’s heartbreaking, which makes him a likable character. This film’s demographic seems to be directed towards 15 year old’s and above, all the way to older fans of the original series. These characters deal with very real problems that modern-day teenager deal with in everyday life. These would include ruff home lives, constant pressure of school and extra curricular activities, being a social leper, and judgment by your peers. By having such a diverse cast, Power Rangers instantly becomes relatable and reaches out to various audiences. Along with having some brand new actors take the stage, we also have some veterans who both mentor the team, and attempts to destroy them.Upon finding the coins and the space ship, The Rangers are greeted by Alpha 5, played by Bill Hader, and Zordon, played by Brian Cranston. Alpha 5 is a sentient robot who survived the downfall of the original team and is the one who first tells the team of their destiny. Alpha 5 throughout the film acts as comic relief and does a nice job. Hader’s comedic experience pays off and makes for more enjoyable scenes. Brian Cranston takes on the roll of Zordon, the team’s mentor and adviser. We get a piece of Zordon’s past and get a reason as to why he is reluctant to hand over his team’s legacy to these “Children”. Over the course of the film you can understand why Zordon is hesitant and treats the team so harshly. Although Cranston does not have that much screen time, he gives a nice and fresh take on Zordon.

Introducing the next character is also the introduction of the negatives of this film. Rita Repulsa, is the villain of the film and is played by Elizabeth Banks. Personally I am a big fan of Banks, but in Power Rangers, she seems to be trying to hard. Rita’s reasons are typical and boring. Her new back story is the only thing interesting about her, and her connection to Goldar is underdeveloped. The relationship between Rita and Goldar, seems way to similar to Enchantress and her brother in Suicide Squad, so yes we’ve seen this before. Naturally these two villains are the reason for the massive battle at the climax of the film. This battle happens way to fast and is a victim of the unusually fast pace of the film.This ending battle is both awesome in scale and classic. We get the a special gift that I will not spoil and an exciting view of the Zords, the mechanical dino-themed vehicles of each Ranger. Then finally we get the impressive Mega Zord, but as I wrote before, the final battle with the giant, Goldar, does not give the Mega Zord a chance to shine. For the exception of the main antagonist, there are far to many positives for this to be a bad film. Power Ranger is fun, exciting, and overall surprising, performing above average. I give Power Rangers a 8/10 stars.

Film Review #3: GO,GO! Spoiler free review of Power Rangers I do believe we have the first sleeper blockbuster of the year! Power Rangers surpasses my expectations, and puts a fresh take on an old property.

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