Reviews
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
a wonderful character study to go along with the BEST action I've ever seen!
At the start, the film finds Captain America yet again adjusting to working under the increasingly morally ambiguous ways of the new Avengers structure. The set up is masterfully done. This is the fifth time we've seen the character and it's remarkable how complex and how much depth has been layered on to developing this icon. The Avengers film touched a bit with his feelings of what it was like to be in the modern era, and Winter Soldier drove the point home. Following that classic sequel, Civil War is a wonderful character study to go along with a purely thrilling plot. This was exactly the perfect vehicle to deliver a film to advance the character of Captain America but also give Tony Stark a perfect finishing arc and more development himself. What makes BOTH Steve and Tony interesting aren't their abilities or weapons but the men themselves. Steve's moral code and "man out of time" elements are tested in this film but not in a way anyone saw coming. The viewer that normally would trust that Cap is doing what's right can look at his actions in a different light. He is still coming to terms with a past that is long gone and he is still longing for a better more decent era. Putting Bucky back in the mix clouds his judgment. Dealing with the shades of grey of the modern era and being part of any controlling organization after the events of the Winter Soldier movie has changed him. It's exactly like all the epic events and decisions Tony Stark has made over five films has changed the character of Iron Man. The resulting conflict between the two is as epic as can be.
Like in Steve's last solo movie, his past comes back and explodes all throughout his new life. Tracking down his old pal Bucky, who was once an amoral assassin and a mind controlled Russian thug, proves to be a catalyst to everything that happens. Everything happens and unfolds in a believable and an intelligent manner. Every single ultimately cool character gets a chance to shine including Bucky but also incredible new characters like Black Panther and Spider-Man. Each one is fleshed out wonderfully for their supporting roles. Again, beyond cool.
I really enjoyed both previous Captain America films but this movie is as dark and exciting as Winter Solder but also adds a degree of depth. This movie has a whole new flavor and that's exactly what was needed and what Marvel does so well. The 1940's romance and even the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" tone fit the first film quite nicely. The conspiracy thriller vibe of the second film was refreshing and so well done. Here, just like the Cap character, adaptation is a key. What they deliver with this Civil War feels fresh and is certainly amazing. Steve is still a patriot but he's continuing to question authority. His old-fashioned values pay off in many cases but here, are they leading him astray? Questioning what is wrong and questioning what is morally cloudy is a test of true character. Yet, being old school stubborn can result in missing key points and can result in bad consequences. That is exactly why the character of Steve Rogers is so interesting. He's so much more than a super soldier boy scout. There's depth, angst and pathos and we all can relate to him. He is out-of-place and he is old-fashioned but proud of that in a way. In a movie like this, pride comes before the fall. Tony Stark is ahead of him on that curve. Tony knows the price of arrogance and even the price of acting unilaterally with the best of intentions. He knows the road to hell is paved with those best of intentions. When these two philosophies and life lessons collide, that's as cool as the superhero brawl that accompanies it.
The story itself is an amazing action thriller with a ton of intrigue and psychological issues. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this clever and this deep. I did expect it to be exciting and it certainly delivers on that. Each new character and each hold over Avenger character works in to the story perfectly. Everything about this movie is a joy to watch. The cast is perfect and everyone is used exceptionally well. This IS the best sequel the genre has ever seen and I know tat's saying a lot. It could be Marvel's best effort ever.
Southpaw (2015)
"Severely Depressed Rocky"
The movie should change its title to "Severely Depressed Rocky." Man, everything in the first two acts is designed to attack the tear ducts... a horrific tragic event, loss and father daughter emotional struggles. I'm not even sure the logistics match up in terms of his tumble from grace. Why didn't his wife have his estate in better shape? No funds or a trust fund for their daughter? His fall isn't exactly believable and there's not as much depth as you would expect in terms of character. Yet, it was good enough to deliver that "Rocky" and "Cinderella Man" flavor even though this is nowhere near as good as those films. Jake's performance was amazing.
Overall, clichéd and depressing but rallies for am emotional redemption story.
Iron Man Three (2013)
Just A Great Movie! Delivers Depth Of Emotion And Tremendous Fun
Yeah, he can still fly!!!!!! There's no doubt, IM3 is one of the better action/adventure movies in recent memory and certainly one of the better number three films in a franchise. This movie picks up from Avengers and shifts gears in such a great way. Its depth of emotion and character combined with tremendous fun means this could very well be the best solo character comic book movie ever produced. Yes, I know that's saying a lot these days in an era where hero films are all over the place and especially when multiple sequels often struggle. That's exactly why it's worth the effort to write this review. People need to know that they need not be afraid of the number three because this movie is superb in every way and tops even the original Iron Man. The finale here may be the best action scene of the year and the story points that lead to it are handled exquisitely. I'm so glad Marvel learned from the last two films in that regard. The ending battles in both Iron Man movies should have been longer. Here, the whole third act is intense and completely compelling without crossing in to video game action type territory.
Overall, I simply adored everything about this movie. I did enjoy the original Iron Man a ton because it was refreshing and new. What's amazing is that they managed to almost re-invent the character here and deliver something fresh again. I honestly wasn't expecting that to be the case. I would have been happy with more of the same but this is actually better. Kudos to everyone who made this film for pulling that off.
Shrek the Third (2007)
What A Disappointment
So, I just caught the 10 pm show of Shrek 3 and I gotta say, as a fan of the first two I was not impressed. In fact, I was very disappointed. It literally was the same movie the third time, and instead of infusing it with tons of fun and pop culture references like the second Shrek did, it just relied on its plot and genre convention to further it. There was ONE funny moment. The Led Zeppelin reference was good and was funny, but as a whole, the movie was a phoned in experience. Again, what a disappointment. At least most of the stuff shown in the trailer was in the first fifteen minutes or so and you get fresh stuff from there on out. The sad thing is that this fresh stuff feels dull and rehashed even though you've never seen it before.
Terrible effort all the way around.