REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

Civil War is what Batman v Superman is, only done right. Now granted, I didn't exactly see Batman v Superman (Superman isn't exactly one of my favorite heroes out there), but I think I can take the word of some of my respected critic colleagues out there on the consensus that it could have been better. A lot better. Personally with me, superheroes aren't exactly on top of my world. I don't know if they ever really were. They can be fun to follow, but every now and then, I'll come across that movie that will peak my curiosity. Guardians of the Galaxy did that, and I had a lot of fun with that. And that was the first marvel movie I'd seen since Iron Man. Well here I am, watching Captain America, haven't even seen Avengers, and I'm sitting here. Now I can hear some of you yelling at me that I should have seen the other movies, and I'll just say....continue reading.

Going into this, I had a basic idea of what has happened in the Marvel universe. Decently, and the movie was kind enough to give me a rough outline of peak events that had happened before this movie. Climactic events from the Avengers movies and whatnot. And despite my lack of knowledge at to the origins of characters like James Barnes (who o thought was literally James Bond at first...I mean come on that last name is too similar), I followed the story will enough to thoroughly enjoy myself. I said up above that this is likely what BvS should have been like. From what I've heard, the writing of that movie was atrocious, and the reasons for fighting were ridiculous. Thankfully, this film presents a clear, understandable, and genuinely good conflict of interest. The resulting conflicts make this one of the darkest films that Marvel has ever done, or likely ever will do. Coming from a studio that's never too sure whether or not to take their product seriously, or goofy, it's quite refreshing to me.

Now that's not a bad thing to say. Civil War may be dark, but the goofy moments are still there. Tony Stark's smartass persona hasn't gone anywhere, and there are a few lines that legitly had me chuckling. From characters all over the place. I honestly wish there was more of that, because the middle third of this film...drags. Maybe it's my fault for drinking too much coke, but in the middle of this film, the setup is painfully slow. I understand that you need buildup, and you don't just show fists, but there were times I felt things could have been sped up a little faster. Because there were times all I could do was ask myself how long I'd been sitting there.

When the action gets going though, everything just goes smoothly, and at a piece that will keep your attention fully.i must commemorate the studio for giving some of the coolest action I've seen in theaters. Watching two teams of heroes on both sides collide was easily one of the coolest things I've seen on the big screen this year.  It's the climactic, over-the-top, brawl fest that the fans could wish for, with some of the most iconic characters of the universe, and even some of the newer ones.  And yeah, looks like Marvel's got their hands on Spiderman now. Because the tease at the end of the movie might as well read "Sony is our bitch." So there's something for the fans to look forward to.  

The story was easy to follow, and the conflicts of interest I will say kept my interest.  There were a few times I scratched my head wondering why certain things were as they were when there were these other factors to take into consideration.  Without spoiling too much, the condemning of the Avengers seemed out of place. And I do feel that the vengeance side of Iron man seems just a bit off character, but then again, maybe I just need to rediscover the character.  My biggest problem with this movie however....ironically is the title.  I can't help but feel that marketing manipulated this movie ever so slightly.  The concept of a Civil War is a nation divided amongst itself. The thing is, not once is America, or any other nation divided, Civil War is just one big metaphor for the turmoil that the central characters face. But...with trailer lines that don't even appear in the movie such as "You just started a war!" Or "You chose the wrong side." (Though to the film's credit, that last one is at least part of a sentence), I can't help but feel that the conflict we were supposed to believe happened, never happened.  Or maybe it's to setup the next Avengers movie?  If that's the case, save it for the next damn movie. I'm not saying I didn't like the film, far from it.  But I will call marketing out for their BS moves...and I think I smell one.

All in all, Civil War has succeeded in something I didn't think possible.  Not only has my interest in Marvel been rekindled a bit somewhat, but after the movie, I found myself going to Target to check out prices of the Captain America, and Avengers movies.  Why?  Because I realized that I wanted to get invested in this universe more than I had before.  I don't think I'll find myself buying the Thor movies anytime soon, but I found myself at least wanting to look into Captain America, because though Iron Man seems to be the fan loved character, I think Captain America has a better background and is the more interesting character, It's making me want to look into his movies...and the Avengers.  These are movies I honestly didn't see myself watching in the near future, and now I'm looking for a decent price. When your movie makes me want to look into more of your universe, you've done something right, and Civil War did more than hit on target there.  Despite it's flaws that I did find, I had a lovely time,, and perhaps, I may just get more into Marvel than I thought I would.

Captain America: Civil War earns a three and a half star rating out of four. Dark, gritty, and full of risks not often seen in most Marvel movies, it was a ride I fully enjoyed from beginning to end, even if it dragged itself out a bit.  The action was stellar, the acting, spot on, the characters, fun, and though the clichés that were used now and then made to some predictable circumstances, and the musical score was nothing special, I won't lie that it's fun to watch the captain and Iron Man during it out.  DC should be taking notes on these movies, especially since the most anticipated comic book film of the year was such a letdown.  But all I can or will say is this. If you were disappointed by Batman v Superman...Civil War will give you what you want, and may just erase that movie from your mind.  

Please feel free to request any movie you'd like me to review.  Leave a comment down below telling me what your thoughts on the movie were, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Balto

My childhood was full of movies I can point out by name, each one having a bit of a special place in my heart.  Balto...was not in my childhood. Nope, Balto kinda came into my film collection about twenty years after its release. And I didn't even know it existed until a friend I have drew some art of it. I didn't really know anything about it, but finding it for about five dollars at Walmart?  I decided to check it out. So...what do I think of this movie? Well....I like it.  But let's just say it's got it's fair share of flaws.  But the pros outweigh the cons.  It's a simple story, that is stronger than I probably give it credit for. When an outbreak of diphtheria breaks out in the small town of Nome, Alaska, it's up to a team of dogs on a dogsled team to rush essential medicine to the town when extreme weather prevents other methods of delivery.  Based on the real serum run that occurred in 1925, the movie does a fun job of giving its own elements of story to make it a fun movie to stand out on its own, and that's a good thing as historically speaking, this movie isn't accurate at all. 

So how does the film hold up? I guess the first thing that I notice about this film that I don't particularly care for, is the amount of filler that this film can have.  Particularly between Balto, and the secondary character Boris.  While it can provide for some silly moments that I'll admit made me chuckle, they ultimately serve no purpose to the story.  And it doesn't help that in the beginning of the movie, there's a scene on a ship with the two that lasts three to five minutes which is just completely filler. We understand that Balto is a little down that the other dogs harass him, but was the sequence of Boris doing...dog-things needed?  Or dancing?  It's just little sequences like this that kinda make this film slightly tedious to watch at times.  Those two polar bears don't exactly help the situation either. They serve only, and I mean only as comedy relief that is very hit or miss...and it misses most of the time. 

Another thing I don't particularly care for is the clichéd, and kinda forgettable villain in Steele. Now I understand that for this movie to likely have worked, some sort of conflict was likely needed, which meant transforming Balto into a hybrid of dog and wolf breed, that the other dogs don't exactly look favorably upon.  In a way, it actually gives off a similar, but more subtle message of acceptance in ways that Zootopia did, and we all know how much I loved that movie. But with Steele and some of the other dogs as well, the dialogue that is spoken is just silly.  There are scenes that aren't necessary where Balto is just bullied by these dogs.  And you can't help but wonder why these scenes were included when half the time, most of the dogs do a 180 and start talking about Steele behind his back. It kinda kills the message they're trying to convey because half the time you don't even know who's side the dogs are on. You'll also notice how I haven't mentioned their names, and that's because of the animal characters, I can name four off the top of my head. You have Baltor, his romantic interest Jenna, the Russian goose Boris, and the villain/jock dog Steele. Every other animal in this movie is entirely forgettable.

But when you are over the things this movie doesn't really get right, the movie is actually a very fun movie. Though limited, there is some action in this movie that not only is tense to watch, it's on the borderline of brutal. In fact I can't help bit feel that the central human dog musher and a few other dogs should have died in a few scenes (kids movie I guess). The animation of this film can be near flawless at times, with certain stances, or sequences that look damn near real. One sequence that immediately comes to mind is when Balto is fighting a bear about midway through the movie. Of course a bear has the upper hand, but watching the bear pressing down on his body into the snow, squeezing the life out of him, and seeing him so helpless in that situation is actually depicted incredibly well. It's these little things that make Balto one heck of a visual experience. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of one disappointing scene visually.  Even the Polar Bears, who seem a bit more....fluid than they should be are animated well enough to the point that I can't dock points for that. 

One thing I also found very surprising was just how dark this film could be. While it's not the first time we've seen a children's story in which someone was on the verge of dying, most films by Disney and other kids stories are pretty tame on the subject of death, especially when it comes to the deaths of younger characters. Yet in this movie, all sorts of children are on their deathbeds and lay helpless with their sickness, and we even see a scene of an adult building several child-sized coffins. The first time I saw that, it took me by surprise. Not too many films have guts like that. Now granted no one dies, but imagery like that can hit home with me in more ways than one. 

Another good thing I'll say about the film is the films subtle, yet central message of accepting who you are inside. While we see Balto ashamed to be a wolfbreed of dog, in the film, especially towards the end, he embraces that other side and uses it to the best of his advantage. But the film isn't in your face about it. It's just kinda nursing at you with this message, and I actually kinda like it that way. When Balto has that sense of acceptance, and does everything to get the medicine home, it can be a very powerful scene, combined with already gorgeous animation. As far as storytelling is concerned, it's got plenty of clichés that have been done a thousand times, such as the jerky villain getting left in the cold when the hero comes home, but by the time the hero returns, and the day is saved, you get a most happy feeling, and we even see the verbal human character as a grandmother, remembering Balto. While not the best scene ever written, it is good for the movie, and leaves you with a smile on your face. 

Balto is a solid three star rating out of four. Though I didn't grow up with it, it's safe to say that watching Balto, I could see why it had an audience, and I'm glad to be part of that audience. Despite the flaws in storytelling and character it can have, when it his the target, it can be one of the most fluid films I can think of in animation. The fast racing, the occasional action, and dramatic shots carry this film in ways no other film can. And even when it's off target, there's always something redeeming to find that will keep your interest. Pity I can't say the same for the bad sequels that would follow this movie. So if you're in the mood for a fun film in animation, and you can find this little gem? Give it a watch. Guaranteed you'll find something you'll like. 

Please feel free to request any movie you'd like to see me review. Leave a comment down below telling me of your own thoughts or feelings on this movie, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: The Jungle Book (2016)

When I first saw the trailer for this film, only one thing was going through my head. Christopher Walken as King Loui??? Sold! You sold me movie! Okay, on a more serious note, I had mixed feelings going into this movie.  On one hand, I'm absolutely tired of the Disney remakes. They missed on Alice in Wonderland (and the sequel doesn't look any better), Maleficent seemed pretty silly and clichéd, Cinderella was hit or miss, and with only more remakes on the way of Winnie the Pooh and Pete's Dragon...let me tell you I'm really not looking forward to the future too much with Disney's remakes, and don't get me started with Marvel and Star Wars.  Cool your jets Disney.  But this one got me into the theater, and as I sat myself down with my popcorn and cherry icee (my trademark kind of thing), I held nothing but high hopes.  And by the times the familiar music begins to play and your transported into the deep of the jungle, you realize that you're witnessing a remake that probably actually needed to happen, and you realize that Disney has finally hit that bullseye when it comes to their remake plan.

For those who don't know, I'm not that big a fan of the original animated classic of this film.  Nothing against it really, I just don't really find it to be that interesting. There's too many subplots and side-characters that get pushed out of the screen, and it's just not all that gripping of a story. The remake sees this, and does something about it, and I'm actually kinda impressed. The wolves aren't just shelved at the beginning, the villain Shere Kahn doesn't just wait to appear until the end, he actually plays a much bigger role in this film, there's action to keep you into the story, and you know...I for one am thankful that it doesn't do too much to stray from the original concept.  And it doesn't rely on prophecy! Alice in Wonderland and I'm gonna throw in Maleficent kinda do that. The people behind this movie knew what they wanted to do.  Remake a movie, but not go overboard.  And honestly, they near perfectly balanced out the original concept with their own unique personal touches.

That's not to say the movie is flawless, because Lord knows it isn't. There were a few scenes I found myself laughing at at how silly it was, or rubbing my head at because of how forced it seemed, or a few scenes in general I felt jsut...didn't need to be in at all. And I'm not gonna spoil anything, but there were a lot of scenes particularly toward the end that were guilty of this. Just little moments that didn't make sense to me as to why they were included. Okay I gotta talk a little about certain moments, so if you don't want anything spoiled skip to the next paragraph, but know that NOTHING MAJOR WILL BE SPOILED. The first scene that I really rubbed my head at was Baloo's sending of Mowgli away. When we were maybe halfway through the film. I didn't mind the talk that they were gonna do, but the whole "Mowgli we were never friends" thing was just so forced, and so...well for lack of better words, bullshit phony that I just rubbed my head at it.  Did we really need a buddy-cliché of the two friends having that kind of blow-up argument? It felt so unnatural and forced. Another thing I really kinda felt was unnecessary was toward the end when Mowgli is facing off against Shere Kahn, and a wolf puppy who has been worried and wondering about him is suddenly scared of him simply because he has the fire in his hand, and the fact that half the jungle is now in flames. It's like...come on, you know why Mowgli is there...to me personally, it just didn't fit the picture.

Another thing I kinda took minor annoyance at was the somewhat forced inclusion of the iconic music. As amusing as it was to watch Christopher Walken do his rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You", or Bill Murray break into a jam of Bare Necessities, none of it felt natural enough to make me think that the movie earned the right to be a musical number.  And the fact that those are literally the only two songs from in the entire movie, makes me think that they just put them in to give you a playful nudge of nostalgia.  A sense of "Hey, you remember this song?  From the original movie?  Yeah we're doing that!" And that's not to say that they didn't perform it well, because I thought Bill Murray and little Neel Sethi (who didn't do that bad a job for his debut on screen) performed the song rather well, and Christopher Walken...well he was Christopher Walken, but the songs just didn't fit the movie in general if you ask me.  I honestly don't think they needed to include them.  With that said, the musical score of this film is a wonderful treat.  I wasn't joking when I said that by the time you hear the first few notes, you're immediately immersed in this film.

Despite the few clichés and other annoyances that I didn't care for in this film, I love what they did with the original story.  Everything has a set purpose in this film, and a select role, and even if it can seem a little weird at times, the original animated film doesn't come close to this kind of storytelling. One thing I actually found kinda cool was that the elephants, though their role was minor, they actually contributed much more to this film than anything the elephants did in the original. The same can be said about literally every other animal in this film. Even the main characters do more. This is how a remake should be done! You don't wanna just rehash the film you're looking to do, and you don't wanna stray too far from the original concept. You want to reinforce what people love in the first place, and for the most part this film does that.  The main characters are incredibly portrayed, the casting was spot on, the added action and faster pace is welcome, and...I can't believe I'm saying this, but the ending, which isn't the same...is open to interpretation, and I actually kinda like that. We don't get a solid answer for an ending of this film. And...I like it. I like it a lot.

The Jungle Book is a solid three star rating out of four.  As far as Disney remakes are concerned, it's their strongest one yet, and honestly, I don't think it'll be matched in the near future. From solid visuals, strong character, and just an overall better storytelling experience, The remake has proven it had what it took to be worth our time. It doesn't just lean on nostalgia, it adds its own touch to what many call a timeless classic, and but the time those credits are rolling, you're already satisfied. A movie I originally was only going to see because of Christopher Walken turned out to be much more than a silly remake I originally predicted. It's got a kick to it. If Disney can harness that magic to it's future remakes and other projects, perhaps there's some reason for other things to be made in the future.  Maybe not.  I still have no plans to see other planned remakes, but I am glad I saw this one.

Please feel free to request or suggest any movie you'd like me to review. Leave a comment describing your own thoughts on the movie down below, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back

Twenty years ago, a franchise emerged in Japan that would impact, mold, and shape culture that we grew up in, particularly if you were what we like to call, a 90's kid. Ah, the 90's, the time of butt-scooters, Wonderballs, and weird dance music (hey at least I can go to my Alice in Chains or Pantera if I'm not in the mood for Fatboy Slim). Growing up in this little time Era was a lot of fun. Yeah, maybe for a time, the movies weren't exactly the best, but you know what, it was still a lot of fun. And there are certain things that were done back then that I wish were done today, particularly that of kids animation. I've long praised Kids WB, as it was my go-to channel for everything cartoon after school, and Saturday Morning. And it was the birthplace for Pokémon Fever in the United States. If you were a kid,  you were hooked. If you were older, you just had to deal with it.  I was a fanatic. The game, the cards, the books, and the show. I loved it all. And you can bet that once I heard about the movie, I was gonna go see it.

The hype behind this movie if you were a kid may as well be compared to that of a new Star Wars movie. The advertising, these weird collectable cards you could collect, the endless...and I do mean endless trips to Burger King, who had all 150 Pokémon toys in their kids meals...it was every definition of an early Christmas. I went into that theater with my friend, my dad (who I feel sorry for), and sat myself down, ready to indulge in nonstop action, fun battles, and just immerse myself, wondering what exactly it was like to be in the shoes of a trainer called Ash Ketchum.

Yeah...it's hard to imagine that was only 18 or 20 years ago.  Regardless of whether you like it or not, no one can deny the impact that Pokémon has had on pop culture, for better or for worse. It's not nearly as big as it once was, but you know what? It doesn't need to be. It was big for us, and that was what mattered. And so to celebrate 20 iconic years, I'm going to sit through each and every Pokémon movie that was ever made, and I'm going to give my thoughts in a review. Strap yourselves in guys, this will be a tough one. It's not that they're terrible, it's just that I'm going into this with the mindset of both an old fan, and a critic. And the fact that there's 18 of these damn things right now...and they aren't slowing down either. What can you do? So I hope you'll join me as I go through a marathon of Pokémon movies as I look back on my childhood, and see if the movies still hold any life.

Please note that I will only be reviewing the feature pictures themselves. That means the shorts that occasionally came before them, like Pikachu's Vacation will not be reviewed. So...what are my thoughts on Mewtwo Strikes Back?

Whether it's for nostalgic reasons or whatnot, This tends to be the film that most Pokéfans regard as the best, or like talking about the most.  And you know, for their first attempt at filmdom, it's not half bad. In fact a lot of it is surprisingly still pretty dark for the franchise. Particularly the opening segments revolving Mewtwo's birth, and rampages in which Mewtwo kinda just...kills a large number of scientists. And that's not even the only death in this movie.  When Mewtwo is conjuring up this storm, there's a trainer flying across the sea on their Fearow (God help me for remembering all these names), and they doesn't make it to the island...did they drown?

Now there are a few moments I found myself laughing at watching this again.  Particularly regarding the legends of Pokémon tears and whatnot...which serve as absolutely nothing more as a hint as to why the silly revival of Ash Ketchum at the end makes sense...oh by the way Ash kinda dies too. I'd say spoiler alert, but if you haven't seen this movie by now that's your own fault.  However another thing that kinda gets me is the missing Nurse Joy plot.  Throughout the series, we are led to believe that Nurse Joy is part of a very large...identical family of numerous cousins, sisters, sister-in-laws, etc etc etc...yet one Nurse disappears for one month, and they shut down the Pokémon Center she's a part of? Couldn't transfer another employee temporarily at all?  I'm certain they got someone laying around...

Team Rocket...While we'll get to their roles in these movies, they ironically have their biggest role in this film if you ask me, in which they have...albeit very small character development, but seeing how Mewtwo erases everybody's memory at the end of the film, I guess it's pretty much pointless. Though the fact that this is actually one of the few instances in which our heroes mingle with Team Rocket, and they don't just serve as background fodder for the film. Though the Vikings thing? "They mostly live in Minnesota!" ....har har har....come on. I don't think even our heroes can be that incompetent. Oh who am I kidding?

I may be nitpicking a lot here, but as far as whether or not I like this film...well I do.  You can say there's a nostalgia factor here, but for the most part, the story is competent enough, and I gotta say that the origins of Mewtwo in this film are some of the best storytelling elements of the franchise. It's also worth noting that the debate over who is more powerful between Mew and Mewtwo remains undetermined, and an iconic debate in the fandom...though future films will kinda glorify Mew. And there are some legit jokes that keep me chuckling, like when James verbally asks "Who's that Pokémon?" And the change that Mewtwo goes through in this film, from a raging angry Pokémon, hellbent on purging the world to a more understanding Pokémon towards the end is something that the fandom still holds in high respect. The message for the younger viewer is solid and understandable.  And some of the sound effects I gotta say...they sound like they came straight out of Star Wars. Pretty cool.

Factor in the classic action of Pokémon in battle, and an actually pretty cool musical score, and you got a fun movie that remains a solid favorite and steady movie amongst the franchise.  Maybe some don't like or understand it...but hey...I guess it only makes us like it a little more. All this factored in...I'm gonna go ahead and jump to the final verdict.

Mewtwo Strikes Back earns a three star rating out of four.  Despite some silly aspects, and black and white morals, and character problems, the story is still fun, the action is still pretty impressive to watch, and the message is still regarded as one of the franchise's finer messages it's ever attempted. If you're a fan, and you've not seen this film, it's a must see.  And though for a while, it was out of print and hard to find recently it's found its way back onto the shelf, even if the new cover isn't at all as cool as the old...but that's not too much a factor in the movie itself.  

Well...thanks for reading my thoughts on Mewtwo Strikes Back, I'll return next week to talk about movie two, while I search for the rest of the movies I need, and try to write some stronger reviews (I found myself slightly distracted on this one).  Please feel free to suggest any movie you'd personally like me to take a look at in the near future.  Leave a comment down below, discussing your own thoughts on the film, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: Star Trek Into Darkness

And here we stand, at the end of the road at the present moment. We've talked about the magic that the original six movies could portray, we've talked about the new edge, and fun that the Next Generation films could pull, and last week, we talked about how I personally really like the first reboot film. Despite what others will continue to say, I rank it as my third favorite Star Trek film, and despite what others say, yes...I call it a Star Trek film. So you can imagine that I was very excited for the potential of the sequel.  What was J.J. gonna do to keep this magic up?  What sort of potential was he gonna unleash with this alternate universe now fully at his command?

Well...I'll admit that when I first saw it, I liked it.  I liked it a lot.  But I have to admit, having watched all the Star Trek films now, and having been getting in touch with a lot of the series lately...rewatching Into Darkness...I wasn't as impressed as I once was.

Last December, some of you may have read my review for The Force Awakens, which was also directed by J.J. Abrams. Some of you may remember that I took criticism to the movie mainly because there were times in the movie where it really literally felt like J.J. Had a checkbook of scenes from the first movie that were iconic enough to include in his film.  From the Cantina scene, to the Trench Run Scene, to the info in a droid scene, to the hero getting killed scene, to...look you get the idea.  There is a LOT of retreading in the Force Awakens, and it got to me. If I were to re-rate the film, I'd almost be tempted to rate it a three star rating instead of the original three and a half star rating, but I gave it that original rating because it was still a very fun movie.  Watching it, I could say that this was Star Wars.  Is it flawed?  Yes.  But it holds to that legacy of being just a fun fantasy space adventure, without needing to go into too much complexity that the prequels tried to do (though ironically, a little political explanation was kinda needed here).  Well...enter Into Darkness, a film three years older than Force Awakens. And...you know...J.J. Abrams is a director I kinda like. I loved things like Cloverfield, and whatnot...but...with Force Awakens...and now Into Darkness...why am I seeing a troubling pattern here?

Now I can't exactly call this a retread of Wrath of Kahn, because...it's not.  It does have a different plot.  But it leans so much on Wrath of Kahn, holding to that checkbook of similar scenes, or exact lines from certain characters and other things that as much as I love Star Trek, I am gonna get even harsher on this film than I will Force Awakens, despite it being the older film.  Why?  Because at least with Star Wars?  The legacy was upheld.  Here?  Yeah...I will sympathize with a few of you who call these films glorified action films. Because...that's what this is.  It is the most action packed Star Trek movie out there...in all the wrong ways.  And it absolutely breaks my heart to say that, because there are some scenes that I actually REALLY really like.  And the first scene that ultimately comes to mind when I say this is that...absolutely wonderful to watch warp battle between the Vengeance and the Enterprise.  That is a real treat to watch to this day.  Just a monster ship tearing apart the Enterprise at warp...it's a wonderful scene, and has wonderful tension.

But...that's really the only action scene I really liked.

While the film is set up good with an attack at Starfleet in London, the film just quickly descends into this action packed mess that holds little to no honor to the Star Trek name. Starfleet officials are killed when Kahn attacks their exposed headquarters (because Kahn is in this movie), they ATTEMPT diplomacy with the Klingons, before Kahn just jumps in and it's a shootout all over the place, we have another space jump which honestly isn't as impressive as the jump in the previous movie, we have chase scenes, space battles, and brawls and it just doesn't stop.  Heck!  I'd say that the action keeps going until maybe...five minutes left of the movie.  FIVE!  WHY? And that's another thing, the ending of this movie feels like it's just getting shoved out the door.  "Action's done, you guys can go home now, here's you half-assed ending."  Just...WHY?

I'm not even focusing on the mirroring of Wrath of Kahn any more, we all know the problems there, from Kirk replacing Spock as the guy to save the ship, only to be brought back miraculously to life. Before this movie was even released, rumors were all over the place to the point where we could pretty much see Kahn coming in a mile away. And though the previous film had some genuinely funny moments, a lot of the comedy in this film falls flat.  It revolves around Scotty running from one end of the ship to another, or Spock and Uhura uncomfortably arguing in front of everyone. And even smaller elements of this film...from a very forced and non-impressive cameo from Leonard Nimoy, to a cheap lowest common denominator shot of a woman in underwear, just feel unnecessary and add absolutely nothing to this film. And I hate highlighting all these problems, because the film does have some genuinely stong moments.

The story is easy to follow, and when Kirk and Pike argue, or share their final moments together, it does show some very decent character bonding. I love character development!  But it's few and far between in this film.  Kahn isn't portrayed. half-bad either, and I dare say that Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Kahn on a level very near that of Ricardo Montalbán. I'm not joking, he doesn't try to impersonate Ricardo's performance, he does his own, and he does have a very menacing feel in that performance. And despite what other say, I find that dark side of Starfleet to be rather interesting.  You can say it doesn't fit the picture but...remember Undiscovered Country?  There were people in Starfleet conspiring to keep the Klingon Empire as an enemy.  Officers in Starfleet, a Romulan, Klingons, even a Vulcan. So I'm not gonna accept the argument that this doesn't fit Starfleet.  Compared to Undiscovered Country, this little conspiracy in Starfleet is a walk in the park.  But these few good things just failed to hold this movie up for my recent viewing. It makes me kinda happy that Abrams isn't exactly calling the shots anymore for the upcoming film, because as fun as the action can be...it's not at all very Trek-like.

Star Trek Into Darkness is another film that is hard to rate. But after hard consideration, I am giving this film a final rating of a two and a half star rating. It's not...bad. It holds more water than other stinkers like Final Frontier, The Motion Picture, and Insurrection. But compared to other mediocre films like Nemesis or Generations, this one just doesn't feel as Trek-like as the rest of the group.  The constant action makes you forget that you're supposed to be watching Star Trek, and the fact that out of all the potential, Abrams decided to just experiment with Wrath of Kahn, I can't help but feel that one too many corners were cut here.  And I hate saying that, because I feel it's this film that has made so many people question the quality of the reboot films, and with some warning signs already up for Star Trek Beyond, I have a feeling that a lot of them won't go see it...even if it's good.  Speaking of which, I will be going to see that film, and it will get a review.  I still hold hope to it, because despite what others think, I do know that Simon Pegg, the film's writer DOES in fact hold a high respect for the franchise, and he's not disappointed me before. Can he write a good film?  I fully believe he can.  Yeah, Justin Lin is a questionable director (and I've not even seen the Fast and Furious movies), but if anyone can give these reboot films a good name, I fully believe Simon can.  Time will tell.

Please feel free to request any film you wish for me to look at.  Leave a comment down below telling me your own personal thoughts on the film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 2.5/4

Thank you all for reading through my Trek-a-then film reviews, but it's not done yet, and won't be done until July hits! Hopefully Star Trek Beyond will help ease some pain from Into Darkness, but we won't know for sure until we get that final product.  But until then, I say that I am happy to be a Trekkie for the franchise's fiftieth anniversary, and only hope for the best to come up ahead.  But now...I think I got another anniversary to uphold...I think I gotta review the Pokémon movies now...oh boy...

REVIEW: Star Trek (2009)

Do you guys have any idea how stoked I am to finally be writing this? Honestly you don't. I love talking about controversial entertainment like this. Let's dive right in!

For those who have absolutely no idea, the Star Trek reboot films have been the talk of the Star Trek communities nowadays. It has completely split the Fandom right up the middle. You either love them, or you hate them. I've encountered one too many discussions about how people love the darker tone which can reflect our post-9/11 country right now, or how people absolutely despise the..."J.J.-verse". Well where do I stand? I'm not entirely sure myself. Each film has their strengths and weaknesses. And each one has given me something to enjoy. 

But to avoid ten paragraph reviews, I'm going to get a few of the more common debates out of the gate right here, right now. Whether you agree with these points or not...well...I'm not gonna debate too much about them. HERE WE GO!!!! I like the new layout of the Enterprise, I think the new cast does a great job at portraying their roles, I don't at all mind all the lens flares, while it seems to be the most controversial topic, a lot of the action is very well done, and finally, I really don't give a damn whether or not you think it fits the vision of Gene Roddenberry. Because let's face it, if everything everywhere had to fit the original vision of their original creator, a lot of franchises like Star Wars or Stargate would straight up suck- Have I pissed anyone off yet?

Okay let's get serious. In all seriousness, Star Trek needed the little break it got after Nemesis, and Enterprise. While I've yet to see any Enterprise episodes, I've heard enough fanboy hate to know that Trek needed a break. Some new blood. Something...new. Enter director J.J. Abrams who came up with a little idea of creating an alternate time line, which in all honesty....I'm all for. Now before I get too many hate comments, let me just say, that no, I don't hate the primary time line. I'm just a HUGE fan of alternate realities, time lines, and I won't lie, the plot of this movie is the ultimate story I can think of when time travel goes horribly wrong. I find it really kinda cool to see that the hero fails to fix it. This new dark tone does in fact mirror a lot of what our country felt in the post 9/11 days, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Star Trek kinda likes mirroring recent events. From the Klingon Empire mirroring Nazi Germany of the Original Series, to Undiscovered Country mirroring the end of the Cold War, just to name a relative few. I've heard people call this reboot mirroring "exploitation". So what do they call that other stuff? And again, don't even bother bringing up "oh it's not Roddenberry's vision". Refer to the previous paragraph. 

Now I will say this, that yes, fans do give this and the next film legitimate criticisms that I actually kinda sympathize with. Whether it's a relative few plot holes (all of which are explained in deleted scenes or the prequel comic....come on J.J.), or how the amount of action just doesn't fit at times, or how Starfleet doesn't quite act like Starfleet  (more on this point in the next review). One point I've heard is that these films don't reflect Star Trek spirit in terms of moral standpoints and whatnot, and all I'm gonna say is this.  Leave that stuff to the show, because I pay to watch a movie for a fun adventure. Nearly every Star Trek movie or there has been based on an adventure, and those that tried to be something else kinda failed. Wrath of Kahn, Search for Spock, Voyage Home, First Contact....all adventures. I guess you can say Voyage Home had a moral, but everyone seems to criticize it. In fact the ONLY film I can say has both a good adventure and moral standpoint is Undiscovered Country. So what do people have against this adventure? Because I can easily follow it, I have a lot of fun with it, and while it's not perfect...I'm glad it was the first Star Trek movie I saw in theaters. 

The only thing I really have a problem with in this particular movie, is the fact that write quite frankly, I'm kinda done with Kirk and Spock. They had their time in the limelight. But even this isn't do much a hindrance with this movie, because this story that was given was just way too fun not to enjoy. Each cast member portrays their character very well, even if there are a few moments I still kinda scratch my head at (like the Spock Uhura relationship). And despite everything, this movie does portray a very fun new beginning for Kirk and his crew, from Kirk cheating at the Kobayashi Maru, to the intimidating Romulan/Borg ship (comic expansion), to Nero, who is one of my favorite Star Trek villains to this point. The action in this movie is spot on, and even if it's a little excessive, it at least fits, unlike some of the action in Nemesis. 

But for me the films strongest point comes from Leonard Nimoy, in a performance I like to call the ultimate finale (if not for his rather forced cameo next film). Once you see him on screen, you immediately smile, you immediately sit yourself down, and you love each and every second he's on screen. Like I said, if it wasn't for his forced cameo in the sequel, this would have been the perfect performance for him to leave the franchise on. Especially in the films final scene, which is easily one of my favorite scenes in all of Star Trek, when we see the Enterprise boldly going where no one has gone before, to Nimoy excellently voicing that iconic monologue. It left me on a high, and only wanting more. Whether I got more? I guess you'll have to check in next week for that answer. 

But when all is said and done, this is a film that is easily one if my favorite films of the franchise, and honestly I feel the reason it gets so much hate, is the fact that people will worry that the future of Star Trek will be based on this new time line. Well after doing my own research, all answers point to no. This seems to just be a fun little trip, so all I'm gonna say is sit back and enjoy the ride while we wait eagerly for our new series in 2017. But for this movie, this reboot, Star Trek earns a three and a half star rating out of four. It's flawed, but it does so much right that I can forgive said flaws. The acting is good, the story is great, the visuals are easily amongst the best out there, and the music is absolutely phenomenal. Massive points to Michael Giacchino for the musical score here. If you don't like it for some of the reasons I've stated above, there are some of those I can relate and sympathize with, but I'll quote a favorite critic of mine here. If you're gonna hate something for the sole reason of it being different, I kindly ask for you to go beck to your corner of the room that remembers your Utopian time period which never existed. Star Trek is, and always has been a flawed but enjoyable series to follow, and this film was absolutely no different. 

Boy I can't wait to see the hate come pouring in here. 

Please feel free to request films you'd like to see reviewed. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts and opinions on this movie, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

One more guys. One more film before July. We're wrapping up ourTrek-a-thon next week, hope you'll read then!

THROWBACK ALBUM REVIEW: St. Anger by Metallica

What is the worst album you've ever heard?  That's a hard question to answer, because there is a LOT of bad music out there, all for different reasons, under different genres, by different artists, with different traits that make it awful.  One of the things I've learned in my time of writing critiques, is that certain things that are bad, have a certain amount of enjoyability perhaps buried in them.  A bad movie can be fun to watch for hilarious acting, or ridiculous story, or whatnot.  A bad video game can be enjoyed after popping open a beer and watching a glitch fest of hilarity ensue.  However, I've been reviewing music for a very long time now.  I don't do it as often nowadays, but I used to review music a lot, in my post High School years.  Music was my life back in the day, and I loved recommending music to others, or warning others to stay away from certain music.  And that part of me still lives today.  I make plenty of mixes, in hopes of showing off good music to other people, and of course, I spotlight old music every Thursday for the Throwback Thursday Ressurection Jukebox special thing I do on Google+. In my experience of music...I can tell you that bad music is not so easily enjoyed. You can't just pop open a beer, sit back, and listen to a bad pop album. You're still going to hate it. Which brings me to one of the most controversial albums of all time, by a band I used to absolutely idolize.

Metallica in high school was life.  They were in many ways to me...the band that could do absolutely no wrong. And I'll go ahead and admit that when I was in high school, it was a good time to be a Metallica fan.  My sophomore year, they released Death Magnetic. That album, though not perfect, remains one of my favorite albums they've done, and to me, one of their best. However before that, there was a lot of bad aftertaste from the album that came...beforehand...and that was the infamous St. Anger album.

I used to defend the hell out of this album, and it was dumb fanboy love at it's absolute finest. Growing up, not only have I drifted away from Metallica as my music taste broadened a bit, but I've come to realize...hey...St. Anger ain't all it's cracked up to be. But listening to it again, is it their absolute worst? ...well...no....there's always Lulu to lower the bar even further, but even without Lulu I won't call it their worst.  Honestly I don't know where to rank it.

Now...I will say this.  The production of St. Anger...is garbage. Attrocious. Pitiful. I can go on, but I won't. But combined with the frustrating tone of this album the frustrating lyrics, and the times that Metallica was going through, it strangely...produces a unique charm.  And I don't like putting it that way because I feel as if those who detest this album are gonna accuse me of being a fanboy...guys I haven't listened to Metallica in full for a while now.  I'm too busy fanboying over Pink Floyd or some other old band.  So hear me out.To fully understand this album, we need to go back to the early 2000's, and take a look at what exactly Metallica was going through...

Band therapy, Jason Newsted's departure, James Hetfield's rehab, the drama between them and Napster, and in many ways, that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Watch the documentary, Some Kind of Monster, and you can see a bit more what exactly each member was thinking.  So when I hear James shouting off key, I'm wondering if he's even singing.  It sounds like he's just raging.  The lyrics to some of these songs, when delivered right in songs like Frantic, St. Anger, or even songs like Shoot Me Again, can be pretty...intimidating. Now that's not to say that there isn't a fair amount of...crap.  Because though I used to really really relate to songs like Invisible Kid, I've come to realize that coming from a band like Metallica, they're fucking silly. My World has some cool moments, but overall, it's a knock-off song.  And Purify?  I'll rip more on this song later, but those lyrics don't even make sense.

More on the production. From note one you can likely hear the problem.  I don't really mind the down-tuning so much, as it does give the overall album a darker tone, but they don't really experiment much with it, and when they do experiment, the results can be atrocious, such as the infamous loosening of Lars' snare drum.  A fatal mistake, Lars.  Being a drummer myself, saying the drum heads aren't in tune is an understatement. There are times that snare is just wailed upon, and you cringe at each and every hit. Purify.  Remember that song I was just talking about? A few seconds in, Lars is only hitting that snare...as hard as he can.  I'll give you a moment to rub your faces. Another common complaint is the lack of guitar solos.  Now this is something I wouldn't mind so much, again if they did something to compensate or experiment with. Songs like Frantic don't need solos.  And the song Some Kind of Monster has some jam sessions that aren't too bad to listen to. But as you go further and further into the album, you begin to hear a sense of repetitivity, and that's because there is no solo.  And exhibit A....fucking Purify. There is a section of this song where a certain riff is repeated over 20 to 30 times.  I'm not exaggerating.  That is ridiculous.  Okay I'll stop ripping on Purify...it's too easy.  It might as well be said, it's pretty much the absolute worst Metallica song they've put out.  So what other song can I rip for repetitivity?  How about the album's final song...in which for the last few moments of the song, James decides to shout the single word "Kill" I'm willing to bet over 40 times. 

Put all this together with atrocious production (and thankfully this would be the final project with Bob Rock), mediocre lyrics, and frustrating times, I have only one thing to say.  Why was this album released when it was?  I ask this because there is material here that isn't half bad.  There's a lot of material I actually really like, but if Metallica really wanted this album to come out on top, if you ask me, it really should have been delayed.  Had this album come out a year or two later, perhaps the results would have been better.  Instead, the pros are outweighed by the cons.  But I will say this...despite everything I've said negative...I can still listen to it in full. Now, I'm not gonna say it's a favorite album, because I gotta pace myself, but I find this album strangely satisfying to listen to when I have a shitty day.  And this is kinda how I feel Metallica felt when releasing this.  Dealing with all the shit they were dealing with, I feel that St. Anger was the album that they just poured everything...all that negativity into, and just gave it to us.  Did they care?  I don't know.  But I think of it as a necessary evil because Death Magnetic certainly kicked ass.  Listening to St. Anger on a downer day can be...strangely...cleansing I feel.  At the end of the day, a shitty day is a shitty day, but I like to think of this album as a ritual to exorcize those demons I have that build within me when I feel only rage and frustration at the world.  That aweful production, those angry frustrated lyrics, darker tones in guitar, and aggressive play style strangely helps me cope.  From beginning to finish.

I may just be in the minority there, but with this element, I cannot in my right mind, condemn this album as a failure in full.  That gets reserved for other albums.  While St. Anger isn't exactly on the money, I'm not going to say that it missed the target completely.  Even if it just grazed the outside of it. While it's not for listening on a casual level, it is an album I'd recommend if you just gotta rage a bit.  Because St. Anger DOES live up to it's name.  Metallica's return to its thrash roots does provide some emotionally raw anger that is easily heard in this album.  Give it a listen once in a while before you shelve it or return it to the library or whatever.  It's safe for the occassional listen.  Nothing more, nothing less. Or don't. I don't know anymore. 

Album Grade: C