Joker

MY RATING: 9 of 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 4 October 2019

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Todd Phillips
Writer: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Running Time:  2 Hours and 2 Min.

Staring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz and well, quite a few more...

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter ego.. Joker. 

MY REVIEW

This is NOT a lighthearted DC Comic movie just to set that straight out of the gate. This is a dark and twisted tale of a downhill spiral that takes a mentally impaired man through seven levels of literal hell. It's feral. It's violent. It's glorious. Think Taxi Driver meets Fight Club.

The Joker has been played by Jared Leto most recently, Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson going all the way back to Cesar Romero. None of them really stood out to me as the definitive "Joker". (We all have a "Batman" who will always be "the One!" My Batman will always be Adam West!) That being said, Joaquin Phoenix IS the Joker. Continue below...

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Joaquin Phoenix breathes, bleeds and cries as the Joker. He is perfection. His portrayal of the melancholy mentally unstable Fleck is hauntingly enigmatic.
• Writers Todd Phillips and Scott Silver created a solid tale that is mesmerizing to the soul. It's gritty and tragic but with moments of comedic perfection that lead to a genuinely great movie. This is good because it's just over 2 hours long and it keeps you in your seat. Well done gentlemen. 
• I don't want to give too much away, but the first two acts are written and filmed in a way that will help the viewer almost understand Joker's motivation for the final act. That's not to say that you can empathize with his actions or even remotely find them justified, but the viewer can understand what went wrong.  There are definitely hints to a societal breakdown where a mentally ill person who needs help and is receiving only the bare essentials can fall through the cracks and end up where he did. Let's leave it there and I'll be happy to discuss after any of you see the film. (I have a LOT of opinions about this aspect of the movie.)
• The Score. I'm a bit of an audiophile and when I heard some classic Charlie Chaplin from the classic 1936 Modern Times, I could not help but to smile. There are some great pieces in this movie.. a little Sinatra.. a little Cream.. and last but not least.. Send in the Clowns.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• All of the action of this movie was in the final act and really in the last 20 minutes. It's not boring by any means, but it did feel like it took us a LONG time to get to the end.
• Plot holes here and there, but 
• The trailers gave away too much 
• Social commentary seemed a little over the top. It's hard to NOT say exactly what I want to with ought giving too much away. Let's just call it that it's very obvious what the writers were attempting. Although I do love the story, the idea that situation that was created almost intentionally by inaction of the people around him and the inept care of social service department led to the creation of basically a serial killer.

On a more personal note..... 

I had a night out with some friends..We got a roomba.. I tried to make the cats feel like he was part of the pack so I gave him ears and whiskers. His name is Karl.

Justice League

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 17 Nov 2017

Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon
Running Time: 120 Minutes

Staring:   Ben Affleck ,  Henry Cavill ,  Amy Adams ,  Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.5 of 10

RT: Critics: 39% Audience: 85%
MY RATING: 6

STORYLINE

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of meta humans to stand against this new threat. Despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes, Batman, WW, AquaMan, Cyborg and The Flash may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

MY REVIEW

First, I'd like to say that this MAY have gotten a lower rating simply for the fact that I was sitting in a theater (Lynnhaven Mall) with the dregs of society, i.e.: tiny humans and their handlers as well as medium humans with little respect for cinema rules such as turn off your cell phone and stop the jibber jabber!

I do give Zack Snyder some credit for a decent movie. I loved some of his previous movies such as Suicide Squad, 300 and Watchmen.

It was definitely not a BAD movie. There were a few things that I really enjoyed however, there were not enough to get the rating for me past a six. Let's discuss.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Jason Momoa- Dear Mr. Momoa- Can you please just leave your shirt off forever? K-Thanks!
• The comedic interjection from The Flash. I can see the Joss Wheedon humor in this. Love me some Joss!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Length!- This movie was really just too long. Between the 22 minutes of previews and the 2 hour movie. I was twisting and turning in my seat. Seriously, next time, I need to go to Strawbridge, where I can at least sit in a recliner!
• The League Itself- Not saying too much here, but Batman just got everyone together and they are all good to go? I mean is there some sort of Superhero Monthly Mixer so no one is really a stranger? I didn't think the movie gave me enough to feel the group is a team other than a mishmash of meta-heroes working together. They were stiff and plainly one-dimensional. Didn't really see much to talk about.
• Theme and Cohesion of Story- This is a patchwork of stories and themes that are all muted together into a movie that is FAR TOO long!
• The Villain- What a downer! I just felt like there was nothing there. His plot line was so weak

On a more personal note..... Had a lovely brunch this morning with my friend Melissa and then off to finish grocery shopping and finally to the movies! Bonus- Here's the K2SO head that we printed on the 3-D printer last week!

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Wonder Woman

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 2 June 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins
Writer: Allan Heinberg and Zack Snyder
Running Time: 2 Hours and 21 Minutes

Staring:  SO many great actors that to name JUST a few seems trite, but here goes...Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright and Danny Huston.

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? X

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.4 of 10

RT:  Critics: 94%; Audience: 93%
MY RATING: 9, Strong 9

STORYLINE

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when a pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers and her true destiny.

MY REVIEW

I'd like to begin my review with a love letter to director Patty Jenkins.
Dear Patty, if I may call you Patty. What a wonderful filmography you have under your belt. The Killing, Arrested Development, Monster and  now you've added Wonder Woman. What a wonderful, empowering and beautifully done movie. Thank you for this! We need more directors, women directors to prove that we do NOT need a man behind the helm of an action packed blockbuster to crate a sensation! THANK you for not making her Catwoman or even Ekektra. THANK you for making her the Wonder Woman that we deserve! Big hearts, Patty. 
Now that's out of the way. THIS is a pretty damn good movie. Yeah, there were some flaws, it's not a 10, well, I really only give 10's to movies that have lightsaber battles!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• True Storytelling- This movie makes you WAIT for the plot to develop. It does  not ask, it demands. 
• Chris Pine- I was not expecting this to be the performance that builds him an Oscar nomination, but this was a good, solid performance. He brought some levity and fun to the screen and let the STAR, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) take her place in the limelight. Does not hurt that he is a big chunk of eye-candy!
• Supporting Cast- You know, this movie would not have been so solid without the performances given by the throng of amazing people such as Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright and Danny Huston to call out a few. Even Chris Pine played his part so well in her immense shadow. There was so much heart and soul in this movie!
• Cinematography- From the first scene to the last, there was much amazing work that allows the watcher to fall away from reality and immerse into the world on the screen. My favorite scenes were those in her flashback to being a child. (Trying not to give anything away.)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Villains- This main bad guy just left me a little flat. Wanting more. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely was less than perfect. It just felt a little obvious to use the WWI era Germans as the bad guys. I know we were all expecting it, but it did feel a bit overplayed.
• CG- Definitely not the best at all times. At least there was only one scene that made me do my "What in the wold were they thinking doing THAT with CGI?" cringe!

On a more personal note..... Rocked some serious POLKA DOTS today!

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Suicide Squad

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 5 August 2016

Writer and Director: David Ayer
Running Time: 123 Minutes

Staring:  Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and a handful of others.

Rating? N/A

SPOILERS? NOPE

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.7 of 10

MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE

It feels good to be bad...Assemble a team of the world's most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government's disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren't picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it's every man for himself?

MY REVIEW

Let's just go ahead and get to the heart of the review: It's not as great as it could have been and not as bad as you've heard. Nerds like me have been whispering about this movie for quite some time. We've discussed the controversial casting of Jared Leto as the Joker. We've anguished over the rumors of the reshoots and rewrites. Overall.. Is it a groundbreaking earth shattering movie? No. Is is pretty badass? Yes. Is it fun to watch? Yes. Should you go see it? Absolutely!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Jai Courtney! I absolutely love Jai and have since I saw Terminator Genisys. That guy is freaking adorable!!
• The Performances and chemistry between the actors is a highlight of the movie for me. 
• Visually stunning cinematography! 
• Entertaining.
• Harley Quinn's comic relief.
• STAY AFTER THE CREDITS!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• The Villain.That felt so poorly written that I just gave up mid-movie trying to figure out the why.
• Will Smith's was really the only character that had a true developed story. The rest felt hollow. Like they gave you just a little information to base some formation of an opinion and then just gave up.
• Jared Leto. Not that he was bad, he just was not the Joker for me. He was basically a crazier version of Jared Leto. 
• Why the hell was Katana even there? That just made no sense to me at all. She was just kinda not there one minute and there the next.
• The pace and transitions are chaotic. It is either too slow or much too fast in certain areas, but never felt like they got it just right.
• Ending was rushed and overly predictable. 

On a more personal note..... Snapchat has the Cat Filter again. I love that one!! Took Dexxy to get his lip checked yesterday and baby Rocket went with me just for fun! Dexxy was diagnosed with Eosinophilip Granuloma Complex last month and got a shot and some TetraDecanol Complex (TDC) cream to put on his gums. Our vet said it should take about 3 months to clear up and a few more moths of the TDC before it's clear. Guess what? It's clear in one shot and one month of TDC! My Boy is a champ!! Rocket just wanted to sit in the vets chair and watch. He's such a weirdo!

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Batman vs. Superman

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 25 March 2016
     Watched  June 12 2016

Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: Chris Terrio and David Goyer
Running Time: 151 Minutes

Staring:  Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? Ah, not really that many!

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7 of 10

MY RATING: 6

STORYLINE

The General public is controversial over having superman on their planet and letting the dark knight pursue the streets of Gotham. And while this is happening, a power-phobic batman tries to attack superman, meanwhile, superman tries to settle on a decision, and Lex Luther, a millionaire, tries to use his own advantages to fight the man of steel.

MY REVIEW

Well, in all honesty, I was not that excited to watch this movie, but after some negotiation with the husband, this was our evening movie of choice. I was trying to pay attention but I just had a hard time keeping focused. (I think I may have been tired and cranky as well). It's not a BAD movie. It's pretty average, hence the 6 rating from me.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Batman and Alfred were pretty awesome. I had my doubts about B-Fleck but he really did a good job with what he was given. He represented the Batman that I feel is the most appropriate for a kid who watches his parents die and grows up with resentment and anger. (I'll bring up the whole parents thing in a minute)
• Shit blowing up action! Yes, this was a great part for me. I do love a good action scene. The cinematography was pretty impressive. You can have a piece of shit movie and if it's filmed and edited in the RIGHT way, it can increase my review!!
• Along with the action, the cinematography in general. This was a beautiful film to watch. The shots were nicely planned and cut together with some well-designed but poorly executed CGI.
• I LOVE that Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan play Mom and Dad Wayne. I am a HUGE Walking Dead fan and to see Negan and Maggie together in a different show was 
  awesome!!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• The people who go to see these movies KNOW the story of how Batman becomes the Batman! DO we really need to rehash it out with each movie? Does every director need to show their own interpretation of this poor little boy watching his parents get shot to death? I think we can go ahead and leave that out in the future!!
• Editing and Speed is just a mess. The scenes seemed slapped together with little connection. The story lines are multiple and some are disjointed from the others. I'm a comic fan and I followed along okay, but still. Not impressed.
• Superman. Yeah, he was not my favorite. 
• Lex Luthor also, not my favorite. I love Jesse Eisenberg, but casting him in this role was less than stellar.
• Motivation in general. There was just an underdeveloped story that really made no clear sense why exactly Batman and Superman are mad at each other. I didn't get it at all

On a more personal note..... How cute are these guys!?!?!?! Dexter Morgan turned one this month!! He's the grey tabby with the tiny white feet!! He's gotten pretty close to his little brother Rocket. (He's about 4.5 months old) They were pretty adorable this morning and I just had to snap a photo!! Love these guys faces!!

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