J-Bang Reviews Present: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Or should I call it "Batman: Featuring Superman: Dawn of Justice," because this is pretty much a Batman movie. After the events that occurred in "Man of Steel," Clark Kent must wrestle with the fact that although he saves people around the world as Superman, he is also considered to be a threat by people themselves. One of those people, just so happen to be Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman. When disaster strikes, Batman takes it upon himself to deal with the "threat" that is Superman.

So let me get straight to the point. Surprisingly, I thought the movie was pretty good. Not "great," but "pretty good." Ben Affleck is great as Batman. In his performance, he added a certain element of sympathy to the character as well as some necessary brutality. And of course, Wonder Woman is a cool addition to the superhero. She is a bad-ass and when she finally made her entrance on screen, it ranks up there as one of the top moments of the film. Personally, I wished she had a bigger role in the film, but I guess it was the right move in a movie where Batman and Superman are the headliners. Batman wise, the action is good and the actual FIGHT between Batman and Superman is literally the best fight of the movie but Superman wise, he seems to be "missing in action." Director Zack Synder showcases the results of Superman's endeavors rather than the exact act but I will give him credit for one scene in the movie that involves Superman. That one scene is, without a doubt, better than the whole Man of Steel movie in total. 

Now in terms of things I dislike however, the main thing I ABSOLUTELY HATE was Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of villain, Lex Luthor. He is literally the JAR JAR BINKS of the film. His motivations for causing the fight between Batman and Superman sucks and his dialogue ultimately sounds like gibberish and makes no sense to the audience. Rather than menacing, he only came off a annoying. Also, the run-time of this movie hurts the pacing rather than helps it. The film is two and a half hours long. and with that, the movie is filled with more talking than action. Plus, there are quite a few plot-holes in this film that I can't go into because then, I would be diving into "spoiler territory." 

If you want to go watch this movie, go ahead, don't let me or this review stop you, but just know, it's not the best movie, but it's still miles better than "Fantastic Four." If you can bare a somewhat mediocre story and some weird Zack Synder-ish scenes, then check it out. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice gets a 3.5 out of 5.

  

J-Bang Reviews Present: 10 Cloverfield Lane

Mystery. Suspense. Secrets! "10 Cloverfield Lane" came out of no where and has suddenly made its way into theaters. I will tell you one thing. In a movie full of twists, turns, and jump-scares, my biggest mistake was seeing it in IMAX, because by the time this movie was over, I could of sworn I had 6 heart attacks!

After she was involved in a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in a bomb bunker, and is held captive by a mysterious, unstable man named Howard ( John Goodman). Howard tells her the world isn't the same as it was when she was knocked out in the car accident, and despite her pleads, refuses to let her go. So Michelle must figure out what the truth of the world's fate really is while being held against her will in a bunker with Howard and fellow captive, Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr.) The story cleverly unfolds as a thriller with horror movie tropes. And what makes this movie intriguing is that we (the audience) are figuring out the story just as the main characters are. Plus, when the movie dynamic changes from one genre to the next, the tone stays the same rather than changes, which is a service to how this movie aimed to make me feel uncomfortable.

If I had to describe this movie without spoiling anything, I would call it a psychological horror film. The only thing I would count as a sin though is that, for me, personally, the main twist did not surprise me, considering I saw the first "Cloverfield" movie. It may shock you, but for me, I knew that certain "aspect" would occur. I wish I could go into more gory details, but you're just gonna have to see for yourself. "10 Cloverfield Lane" is the twilight zone mixed with old classic terror sci-fi of the 50s that is guaranteed to leave you "literally" on the edge of your seat. 

"10 Cloverfield Lane" gets a score of 3.5 out of 5.

J-Bang Reviews Present: Deadpool

The Rated R Superstar Deadpool has finally hit the big screen and he is literally bringing the Chimi-Fucking-Changas with him! It's rare in this cinematic golden age of Superhero movies that we are given a comic book film with an " R- Rating." But this one, this movie serves it's "R- Rating" well while simultaneously serving as a satirical twist on the superhero genre itself.

When Wade Wilson, former soldier and currently bad shit crazy dude, is diagnosed with cancer, he searches for a cure, only to end up super powered and disfigured by the man who said he would "cure him." This leads Wade on a vengeful journey to find the man who fucked up his life. Ryan Reynolds steals the show as the role he was born to play (Deadpool) and is surrounded by a strong, humorous cast of colorful characters. Yes, Deadpool is funny, but one thing that caught me off-guard was how compellingly romantic it was. Throughout all the murders and quips, Deadpool is motivated not by vengeance, but with the need to save his girlfriend, Vanessa (played by Firefly's Morena Baccarin). Deadpool wants to be with Vanessa, but fears that she will reject him because of disfigurement. Deadpool hides from her throughout this endeavor until justice calls for her rescuing. That is when shit gets real! "Deadpool" is more than a superhero film, it's pretty much a "Rated-R Rom Com."

Another element of "Deadpool" that makes this movie fun is how connected it is to the "X-Men movie-verse" as well as to the superhero movie-verse. There are numerous easter-eggs that connect to characters like Wolverine and Professor X, and cameos that extend to Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Yep, you read that right). There are even references to Ryan Reynold's previous role as DC's the "Green Lantern" and "old Deadpool" from "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." These references range from sly to obvious and make for hilarious jokes.

If I had to fault the film for something though, I would say it would have to be the heavy exposition on the flashbacks. The flashbacks were cool and all, don't get me wrong, but it felt like some moments lasted longer than they needed to. The flip side of that though is I did like how the flashbacks were introduced right in the middle of a scene just like "Out of nowhere!" But anyway, "Deadpool" is good! Go watch it! It's a fun superhero movie that mocks itself as well as the superhero genre. "Deadpool" gets a 4 out 5!

J-Bang Reviews Presents: The Revenant

"Revenge is not in my hands. It's in God's hands." "The Revenant" is visually stunning and is an expertly filmed piece of cinema. While it is impressive in style, it is also compelling in substance. "The Revenant" follows Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and his journey of survival after being attacked by a bear. Once he sustains life-threatening injuries, his group of men decide to live him behind but not before traitor, John Fitzgerald, played by Tom Hardy, kills his son right in front of him. This motivates Glass to trek through blizzards and rivers alone and in pain so that he might find Fitzgerald and kill him for what he has done.

If I had to describe "The Revenant" in one word, that word would be intense! The cinematography is used to capture the vast emptiness and overwhelming beauty of the wilderness. And when the action started to ramp up, "The Revenant" uses natural light and "really close" close-up shots to make everything feel more intimate. It is as if the audience is going through that traumatic experience along with Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Besides the surprising brutal opening battle and the traumatic bear attack scene, "The Revenant" is supplied with a very skilled cast of characters. Tom Hardy portrays John Fitzgerald as a rotten racist coward who only cares about his payment and his own survival. Domhnall Gleeson is Andrew Henry, the Doctor of the group of hunters that who reluctantly left Glass for dead, as well as apparently the only authority their town. And what can I say about Leonardo DiCaprio?! If his portrayal of Glass hasn't proved himself "Oscar Winner worthy" yet, I don't know what will?! 

"The Revenant" is a trippy, yet convincing tale of using revenge as motivation to survive. It is beautiful to watch as well as intense to experience. Leaving the theater, "The Revenant" had me feeling all sorts of vengeful for no particular reason. Which is a good thing, because after I saw "Mad Max: Fury Road," I had a strange, unstoppable urge to go Go-Kart racing. Anyway, "The Revenant" gets a J-Bangin score of 4.7 out of 5.

J-Bang Reviews Present: The Hateful Eight

The latest film to come out of the mind of Quentin Tarantino is "the Hateful Eight," starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. "The Hateful Eight" is a story about a bounty hunter taking his captured bounty to a town to be executed but on the way, they run into a blizzard in the middle of winter and must take shelter in a sketchy cabin, full of sketchy characters. Basically, the story is a game of "Guess Who" in a western setting, because once everyone gets situated, it turns out that everyone is not who they say they are.

The "Hateful Eight" is filmed in that same Quentin Tarantino style he is known for. The dialogue is sharp and the script is quite witty but the film mostly lives of the suspense it builds. The first act helps the audience get to know all of the characters and their backstories, while the second act introduces a conflict that disrupts the "harmony" of the cabin. The third act is obviously the reveal and result, but I put "harmony" in quotation marks because the tension can be cut with a knife when it comes to these characters. Even though they don't know each other, it is the lack of knowledge they have of each other that makes them aggressively defensive towards each other. Since everyone is not "buddy-buddy," it makes it easier to understand why everyone is so twitchy when it comes to their trigger finger.

Though "the Hateful Eight" is packed full of unexpected moments, that does not make it the perfect film. One of the few issues I have with the film is the first act. The first act runs a little longer than it needs to. The exposition feels like it is overstuffed with information that doesn't necessarily matter to the story itself. Yet, because it is a mystery and suspense film, I felt obligated to listen to all of the dialogue, word for word. And while I felt liberated to find out that some of the small details of everyone's story did matter as it corresponds to the bigger picture, some details where left unanswered and without resolution.

Anyways, "The Hateful Eight" is an intriguing piece of fiction that goes on to satisfy the cerebral thinking of its viewers rather than the blood-thirstiness of those who choose to watch it. (Although there is a lot of bloodshed, too) "The Hateful Eight" is as fun to watch as it is exhausting. This film gets a score of 4.2 out of 5.

J-Bang Reviews Presents: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

STAR WARS!!!!!!!!!! It's back baby and better than expected!!!!!! "The Force Awakens" perfectly captures the spirit of the original trilogy while also adding itself as one of the franchise's best! I have some much to say about this movie but thanks to the "super-secret" marketing of Disney, I think that it's best that I keep this review short and sweet. Basically, "the Force Awakens" is awesome!!!

            "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" delivers on all fronts in terms of the cast and the story. The cinematography is stellar and perfectly captures the huge scope that "Star Wars" is known for. Truly, there is no "breakout performance" because every actor in this film puts on a top notch performance. Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, is without a doubt, the best female character in this film as well as one of the best to debut on screen in 2015. She is a strong and likable presence who contributes alot to the story as a whole. Finn, played by John Boyega, is a sympathetic turncoat for the rebellion that brings laughs but also brings a lot of regret and tragedy to his character. BB-8 is practically the cutest little comic relief of the whole movie. Before seeing this movie, I feared that he would end up as the "Jar-Jar Binks" of the movie but luckily, he was cool as he was hilarious. 

             The original cast of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill were as great and as convincing as they were 30 plus years ago but my favorite of all characters has to be Adam Driver's Kylo Ren. He is just a scary-ass dude in a nutshell! I mean, he is so volatile and so overpowered in this film that it makes me wonder who would win in a battle between him and Darth Vader. Not only that, but he also turns out to be a sad character who, in a way, has the same motivations as Rey and Finn. 

         "The Force" has truly been awaken in this latest entry to the "Star Wars" franchise. It tells a tale that is easy to follow but also serves as a cinematic metaphor for discovering your destiny, and finding you true calling in the unpredictable game of life. It's funny, suspenseful, nostalgic, tear-jerking and action-packed! This is a film I am definitely gonna watch again and again while its in theaters! "Stars Wars: the Force Awakens" gets a 5 out of 5!

J-Bang Reviews Presents: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

To be honest, I saw this movie on opening day and I would have posted the review earlier, but I got side tracked by the wondrous world of college. Anyway, a week later and here we are, I finally bring to you the J-Bang Review of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

After the lackluster "Mockingjay Part 1", The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 finally finishes the story of Katniss Everdeen and her endeavor to take down President Snow and the Capitol. Even though it is the 2nd half of a whole movie, Part 2 feels like a whole movie on its own. You will pretty much get a feel of the whole movie after 10 minutes. Also, the pacing of the film has approved since Mockingjay Part 1. Everything feels faster and well spaced out. Part 2 packs plenty of unique character moments while also supplying some intense action set pieces using the best visual effects of the series.

Although this movie has improved from its predecessors, Part 2 does include some minor flaws. Due to editing, some of switches from scene to scene end up feeling random and confusing. For example, our heroes would be fighting monsters in one scene, then all of a sudden, our characters are somewhere else, safe and sound. And the love triangle between Katniss, Gale and Peeta comes off as more laughable than it does conflicting, and I'm not sure if that is based off design or not. 

Anyways, other than some weird, little issues, The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 is an enjoyable grand finale for the franchise that packs an emotional punch as well as a few unexpected twists and turns. It ties up loose ends and delivers a fulfilling conclusion to the series. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 gets a 4 out of 5! Now, if you excuse me, I'm gonna continue waiting for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS to be released...