Wonder Woman 1984

 

                           

                          Well ladies and gentlemen I finally had the privilege to watch Wonder Woman 1984. Staring Gal Gadot in the title role with Chris Pine as her love interest. And some newcomers like, Kristen Wiig as Cheetah whom surprisingly did a good job though that's does feel weird to say despite the fact that she honestly not funny. And finally the Mandalorian himself Pedro Pascal, or as we all can say "This is the Way". Now I'll admit, watching a lot of the trailers to the film I was a bit on the weary side to it mainly because Chris Pine's return because the last I saw him he was doing a bid of suicide bombing and yet for some reason, he came back all of a sudden though thankfully director Patty Jenkins, whom also directed the last film explained how he return. But that wasn't the only question really there were a ton of questions, but Pine's return that was the biggest question. Now I do love the first Wonder Woman furthermore Gal Gadot will always be my Wonder Woman just like Christian Bale will always be my Batman. Now this film alone is a good movie, but really wasn't as great as the first movie because there were a lot of flaws through out this movie, and luckily we get to talk about those flaws in my review of Wonder Woman 1984. 

                           Set in 1984, Diana aka Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) still maintaining in keeping the piece but wishes to have the love of her life back. Although Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) mysteriously returns into her life, something strange happens when a strange stone emerges and grants the wishes of both Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig). But Diana comes to realize that the magical stone grants the wishes but they come at a price. Now Diana must race against time to save the world from falling into chaos but is she willing to give up everything to save the entire earth from the end of all humanity. 

                            Okay now this film with out a doubt is a good movie, not as great as the first movie but it's a good movie moreover I apologize if I'm repeating myself here but I just wanted to put that out in case the dumb people call me out in saying I hated this film which I know most dumb people would do. Now that being said this film is a good movie, but there's a lot of flaws in the movie that needs to be addressed, for example it takes a long time for the movie itself to be compelling in the best way possible for many reason's the first act and beginning of the second as is some what hard to watch because really the whole trend of the eighties and Kristen Wiig's performance then the way of how Chris Pine was introduced was just to much to handle moreover I almost felt like going to the bathroom or getting a sandwich and waiting for that to pass the time but once we get to like the ending of the second and third act than things get to the compelling side of OMG. Personally, I don't think it was necessary to have this flashback at the beginning of the film where she's learning a valuable lesson from Robin Wright and Connie Nielson for which she's obviously doesn't in a sense have anything to do with the story itself, though I could be over thinking this so that's just my opinion. Kristen Wiig I sort of hate and love her performance because like the structure of the film itself its very slow but then very compelling at the middle till end, and her performance at the beginning of the film I feel like she's playing the same comedic character as always in which is annoying and I honestly felt like those guys at the beginning of her scene just wanting to leave and get out of there, but then through the midst of the second act she actually becomes a different person and is really amazing to see on screen, and like I said before its really weird to give her a complement like this because in a lot of movies she's staring in I honestly have no interest in seeing but being able to see her do an amazing job of playing the villain in the movie I got to say she actually did a great job but that was like in the midst of the second act and final act. I have no notes in Gal Gadot's performance because as always she does an amazing job as Wonder Woman so I'll just leave it at that. Oh, I almost forgot the to much of eighties trend I thought was way to much mainly because lets face it the eighties weren't as amazing in terms of clothing wise and yeah I going to have to say the clothing, just kind of like the nineties really but hey I still wouldn't mind seeing Kristen Wiig in that black dress again. Oh son of a vondruck, I forgot how Patty Jenkins did a great job in bringing the invisible jet to life (and I apologize for the spoilers), now in my years of witnessing Wonder Woman through cartoons is that you can see her from the outside and I just thought the invisible jet was pointless to have, and being able to see it the way Jenkins portrait it, I have to give her major bonus points because its even better than I have imagined it.  All said and done this film was a good film, not as great as the first one although a good example would be almost like Batman Returns where the film itself was good but not as great as the first film, and yes it does have some flaws but deep down I thought I was enjoyable to watch and at least worth seeing on HBO Max, moreover if you want to take your young daughters to see the film in theaters I would defiantly say its worth seeing in both the theaters and on HBO Max.     

Kiss of the Dragon

 

                          I see bits and pieces of Jet Li's films mainly because majority of his films our modern ones and to be brutally honest there occasionally on the meh to okay-ish side to them from like Romeo must die to that one with DMX. But when I was browsing around, furthermore found Kiss of the Dragon, I said to myself why not I'll give this a chance. Now I don't think that I would want to watch this film again, but I got to say this was admittedly entertaining in terms of the fight sequences and the most satisfying death scene to a bad guy. Granted I don't know if you’re a big fan of Jet Li's films but if you’re trying to find a film to watch and any given movie night this would probably be one of those B-movies I would recommend watching. 

                          During an operation set in Paris goes horribly wrong and a Chinese intelligence agent (Jet Li) becomes a fall guy in this set up. Now one the run the agent helps a prostitute (Bridget Fonda) whom is also in the same situation as he is to stop the crooked constable, before more blood is shed.

                           Now I'll admit the story was not that great, but I think what saves this movie is majority of the fight sequences and I got to admit Li does a great job keeping you on the edge of your seat until the final frame. Furthermore I did a little research and found that majority of the action sequences used very little in terms of wire work and CGI enhancement's, now I don't know what CGI enhancement means but I do remember watching Blade 2 and one fight sequence where there two clips that looked a bid cartoonish, so I guess that's what they’re talking about. The final climax of the film I do say was what makes the film enjoyable to watch because it really does a great job in using a lot of the wide angle camera and really pacing the fights where you get to see how Li uses is brain when it comes to strategize so a lot of using a lot of wide camera angles and less of the short camera angles instead of using way to many quick edits I got to say they did a great job. And finally I save the best for last is the great satisfaction I got when seeing a painful death a bad guy gets, and my word, I got to admit I loved the fact that Ramsey Snow gets what coming to him in Game of Thrones moreover had a boner when I watched the first season of the Punisher, though this one I have to say is up there in the to five favorite deaths by a terrible human being. So deep down, the story is mediocre for which is convenient in all action movies in the pre-2000's but I have to at least give some bonus points for the action sequences. So, if you’re having a rough week and wanting to turn your brain off, then Kiss of the Dragon would be a movie to watch when it comes to refueling your brain. 

          

Freaky

 

     

                     As much of a tremendously bad year this was, I have found my worst movie of the year, though sure this was an intriguing concept I have to say that this was without a doubt three strikes your out type film. Now we've all have seen scary slasher films we know the cliché's like never have sex, don't say you'll be right back because you'll never be back, or no booze or doing drugs. But this film has one to many horror clichés you've pretty much seen them all and personally, as a fan of certain horror films this was just really on the boring side to absolute terrible writing. And yes, I know that Vince Vaughn is in it, but to be honest I've never really was a big fan of his although I though he was entertaining in the film Hacksaw Ridge but that was it. Now ordinarily I would tell you all that you should just stay away from this movie completely and that would be the end of the conversation, but for the good of humanity I think it's best I tell you why you shouldn't pay nor rent this film because let's be honest here there's a lot of dumb people out there and as we all know dumb people do really dumb thinks just as the Adam Sandler or the every idiot who runs the U.S. Government.

                      Bullied High School student, Millie (Kathryn Newton) is attacked by an urban legend, known as the Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn), although the Butcher failed to kill Millie, they both wake up now possessed in the other's bodies. Millie now possessed in the Butcher's body must seek help from her friends while learning about what happened. She comes to learn that the knife she was stabbed with was an ancient ceremonial knife and if not switched back to the right body by midnight they stay in the same body forever.

                      Now I try my best in naming some of the many reason's as to why I consider this one of the worst movies of 2020. As obvious when you've seen a lot of horror films, know all the clichés by heart furthermore know what's going to happen once the scene starts because well, I'm old enough to know that I can probably predict the future when it comes to films. Then you begin to realize that you've seen all these films moreover there's really nothing anything new about them. And to be honest it gets annoying when you watch a film like Freaky and see that the protagonist is bullied a lot and yet something like this happens to her (like switching to another man's body). I mean, horror has been around for quite some time but we as writers and directors can't do anything new or different, now if I did anything different with this movie, I would at least give our protagonist some personality at least maybe stands up to her bullies at least I mean that's something new right? Even some of the jump scares are lame as well, because as I've said before after witnessing a lot of slasher films, you already know what's going to happen. And I'm sorry but I just call that lazy writing on so many levels moreover I would at least try to at least get the audience to jump out of their chair at least. The comedy as well I didn't find funny also, especially when our protagonist is in Vince Vaughn's body make certain jokes about then man's body that even I don't want to speak out loud due to my brain hurting. Probably the one scene I found unnecessary was during the midst of the third act our protagonist (who is in Vaughn's body) admits his/her love for the boy he/she's been stalking all her life and both the boy she's and love with, and Vince Vaughn share a kiss scene. Now I don't know of any language or any that belongs in that certain country or state, but that is completely unnecessary, like it’s a forty or fifty-year-old man kissing a twenty something young man and I'm sorry but no just no I do not wish to see that every again in my life time. So listen, do yourselves a favor and please skip this film especially since it's already out now, moreover I know that you’re trying to find something new to watch this holiday but for the sake of all things humanity watch something else because if I can find something dumb but in a good way I'm okay, but unfortunately this is one of those films that's really dumb but not in the best way.

         

                              

                      

The Five Venoms

 

                          One of my usual late-night movies on Netflix I decided to check out a kung fu film. Luckily for me I was able to say why not, now Bruce Lee's films like Enter the Dragon, Game of Death on Fists of Fury. But this one while watching at least fifteen minutes into I was very intrigued when it comes to showing each of the kung fu, fighting styles on screen for the audience to see. Moreover, I like the fact we're in a sense whose who, when it comes to some of the mysterious characters. Mostly made in the late seventies, this film The Five Venoms does a great job in terms of using the wide-angle lens of the camera and give you a nice way to see how each of the fighting style's but will get to that later, let's talk about this hidden gem on Netflix.

                           A Dying Master sends his last pupil on a mission to keep a watchful eye on his Five students who he bestowed five venom like fighting styles (The Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard and Toad). But in order to survive the last student must ally with one of the four in order to succeed in his mission. Though for see's that a conspiracy of fortune becomes involved, and the last student to the dying master must find out who to trust in a game of who is who.

                            I know there's a rare few of people who enjoy kung fu films or martial arts epics, but this was really caught my eye in a good way. For many reasons mostly, I think it's a unique genius idea creating a story of who is who and the audience trying to figure out which of the mask man is, and I believe they really pull that off in the best of filmmakers ability moreover I was still on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who were the remaining five were. The other reason why this film is so great is that they use a lot of the wide angle lens to let us see more of each fighting style so we can absorb more of what each fighter can do furthermore I love that they keep the fight sequences going while on the wide lens to make it more compelling and epic at the same time, also what makes these fights mesmerizing is you get to see them in full image not just some quick edits or lame CGI effects where they seem to have high speed fighting styles or look like there for some reason can make those ridiculous jumps. Now I know there a rare few people aren't big on martial arts films, and sure I have my personal favorites from Enter the Dragon to Brotherhood of the Wolf, furthermore I truly understand if you’re not big into these kind of films but if you love martial arts films I would highly recommend watching this great epic it was great to watch put me on the edge of my seat till the final frame. Plus, this film isn't CGI effects or way too many quick edits for which I have to give double points for this film if there not doing any of those annoying elements. 

    

                           

December Recommendation: Remember the Night

 

                              With this screwed up miserable of a year almost ending. I am officially going to FIX the CHRISTMAS MOVIE GENRE. Starting with recommending Christmas film that no one has heard of, yeah that's right I said it this is going to be the year where we as a normal society are throwing away movies like Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, Elf, and finally the horribleness that is A Christmas Story, OH I almost forgot the Jim Carrey's The Grinch that stole Christmas, moreover were going to except that Die Hard is a Christmas movie but that's in article we're going to discuss later. So, get use to these minor changes because my Blog is not about democracy it's dictatorship and I AM THE LAW. Alrighty then, now that we got that minor gripe out of the way let's talk about my December Recommendation, Remember the Night and this film alone helped me get huge deep breath on life, moreover no matter how awful and how screwed up our lives are, especially with a year like this one, I think we should all feel better when someone is showing kindness, especially us as well. Also, with a great message about being kind to one another, the film alone provides a great chick flix storyline for which everyone should enjoy, believe me I was sold on this amazing storyline because of the great chemistry throughout the third act. Anyway, I'm already getting to much into detail so let's talk about this great Christmas film no one has ever had the thought in wanting to watch.

                              Assistant DA Jack Sargeant (Fred MacMurray) is assigned to work on a case about a shoplifter Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) who stole valuable jewelry. While wanting to spend Christmas Sargeant convinces the Judge to cancel the trial till Christmas is over. Although this backfires on him when he overhears that Leander must spend her Christmas in Jail, feeling guilty Sargeant pays for the bail so she doesn't have to stay in Jail, but this begins to backfire when the Bailsmen leaves Leander with Sargeant. With no other option Sargeant decides to take Lee on a long trip back to Indiana to spend Christmas with his folks. Though minor stumps along the way, the two get to know each other well, moreover respect one another. But when Holidays are over the two begin a romantic bond that they begin to question while heading back to New York, that's when they begin to decide what happens in the court room.

                              Now I've honestly said this a thousand time, I do enjoy myself a chick flix movie it’s just a matter of finding one that's not annoying as any of Nicholas Sparks works or any film, you'd find on the Hallmark Channel. And this film, granted I've never seen before furthermore was looking to recommend this December/Holiday season I figured well I have not a whole lot to go on so why not. And I can honestly say that this has officially became my new favorite Christmas movie. Though I was going through a rough day moreover was in a grudge like mood, and this film really gave a huge deep breath and calmed me down, furthermore realized that yes we all have one of those moments where we feel that we're never going to have a nice Christmas or Holiday season moreover predict that its always going to be a miserable time, but deep down we're not the only ones who have problems and really, you can't just judge a book by its cover. And yet when you come to think about it this film really is a true definition of not judging a book by its cover. What makes the film great is that you get to know Stanwyck and MacMurray's character's very well and you get to see who each of them grown and had to survive in harsh environments, and this film really shows that as well, I'm even more impressed with Barbara Stanwyck's performance, for many reasons through the first act we begin to see that she wasn't given a whole lot of love through her childhood and once she meet's Sargeant she begins to be impressed with his kindness than begins to feel blessed when she's shown even more kindness from Sargeants family, than begins to have a change of heart through the midst of the second and third act of the movie. A lot of people fail when it comes to chick flix stories and I think the biggest problem to that is way too much drama and the chemistry between the man and the woman, and both Stanwyck and MacMurray really deliver in the best of their abilities, and sure I loved the fact that MacMurray show's great kindness to Stanwyck's character but I was even rooting more, hoping these two would get together in the end moreover that's what I love about this film is that it lets me get to know the man and woman than gives me plenty of time to decide if these two are right for each other or not. And really, this film alone is great for the Holiday's but also should be a movie lesson to all writers and directors when it comes to making a good love story. So listen if you’re feeling annoyed about the same Christmas movie or even the music for which God forbid we all are. Than I would highly recommend checking this movie out, it really lifts the Christmas spirit moreover it's probably up there in the top five love stories in Cinema. So, in closing I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays. 

        

                                      

Black Scorpion

 

                             So, Wonder Woman 1984 is HOPEFULLY coming to theaters on Christmas Day, or if you're feeling lazing and want to watch it on HBO Max, go ahead you bum. But till then I have an amazingly bad movie that EVERYONE defiantly needs to see, and I don't care if you don't like superhero movies, chick-flix or even cheesy horror films. You need to watch this film NOW. Okay, so remember when I talked about a certain show that was so mesmerizingly bad you can't take your eyes off it, well say hello to the TV made film that started it all. That's right everyone Black Scorpion started out as a TV made movie, one Showtime. Although God forbid Roger Corman didn't direct this, but he did have a hand in it, by making this happen. And now after watching the so-called Black Scorpion Begins type movie, I now rank this as my all-time favorite, guilty-pleasure movie of all time and I'm stating the facts now that everyone and I mean everyone needs to see this movie, hell I'll even fight anyone to the death in say that Hallie Berry's Catwoman although I don't know if there are any one out there so I'll just leave it at that. 

                            Now the way I see this movie is really kind of the same origin storyline to Batman Begins. After witnessing her father getting shot by a District Attorney furthermore suspended for police brutality, Detective Darcy Walker (Joan Severance) decides to take the law into her own hands and downs a mask to become Black Scorpion, there in the darkest of nights she begins to uncover a conspiracy that had something to do with her father’s murder.

                             I'll say this a billion times this, is the greatest guilty pleasure I've ever witnessed in my whole life, moreover is pretty much getting me through this miserable year. Basically, the way Corman said it in his own words to writer Craig Nevius, "I wanted to do a female Superman-Spiderman-Batman". Now I honestly don't know if Corman came any close with Superman or Spiderman concept but at least he nailed the Batman part and yet I'm not sure if he ever heard of Wonder Woman either. Now I know that there's really nothing to say, because this film speaks for itself, like this film starts off with Severance's character going undercover as a prostitute in broad daylight, in BROAD DAYLIGHT. And yet I'm thinking to myself "what, what, why?". Now every movie buff or movie critic out there would know that Corman when it comes to making movies whether it’s a high budget movie or a low budget film, he really sucks at doing both when it comes to budget, believe me because I saw a lot of his film on Mystery Science Theater 3000. But so how when it comes to making this, this was so bad on so many levels, but I couldn't look away and really, I though the show would be different but now I understand why this movie somehow looks like a train wreck but a good train wreck because nobody died. Hell even, thirty minutes of the movie it seems like a simply good gritty cop movie but then the next hour it turns upside down and becomes all science fiction when we have some kind of Mr. Freeze knock off, in which I guess, but yet why go back to science fiction side when you were doing so well dark and gritty yet cheesy cop drama? But then again, I shouldn't question it because yes, it's awesome and bad but I just have to many questions. Okay so here is another quote from Roger Corman when he was in search for Joan Severance and this is very interesting when you think about it. "My demands were -- I felt -- not difficult in Hollywood. I wanted an actress who was beautiful and had a great figure. Because we economized on the amount of cloth, we used in the costume... I wanted a tall actress. She does a lot of martial arts. I couldn't have a 5-foot-1 actress beating up all these big guys. So, I wanted a tall, beautiful woman with a good figure, who was a good actress, but I wasn't looking for Meryl Streep, just a good actress. I figured this would be easy in Hollywood. It turned out to be incredibly difficult. I've never seen so many beautiful bad actresses in my life." Now I can agree that both Michelle Lintel and Joan Severance are gorgeous women in playing Black Scorpion but the way he's trying to find a beautiful woman that had great figure confused because you can seriously look for an actress that has beauty and great figure I mean look at Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman from Batman Returns or even now with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in the MCU films, again there is like three billion women on planet Earth that we all live on three billion, and your telling me it’s hard to find a good actress that's beautiful with good figure? I know, I know I'm asking way too many questions furthermore I'm not questioning Corman's choices in both Joan Severance and Michelle Lintel but when I saw his quote's, just so many questions where just popping through my skull that I need to say, huh? Now look if you've never watched the Batman TV series than I take it this wouldn't be a movie for you but deep down I truly believe that everyone needs to see this mesmerizingly bad film. It’s a really, really, good train wreck and you can find this movie on YouTube moreover you don't have to pay anything so the way I see it that's a win, win deal.

  

Death Race 2000

 

                                Before, the Fast and the Furious became the fast cars and beautiful women genre, there was Death Race 2000. And no, before you say anything dumb and ridiculous, we are absolutely not talking about the Paul W.S. Anderson Death Race. We are officially talking about the 1975 version, the one Roger Corman wanted to develop, while foreseeing the success of RollerBall. Starred David Carradine in the lead role, for which was originally was offered to Peter Fonda but was unavailable. And Sylvester Stallone, who I believe was the turning point of his career because he went on to create the famous movie boxer Rocky. Although I've heard about the movie but never had the chance to see it personally, I got to admit this was really fun/exciting to watch and I know I seem crazy, but I would highly recommend this to anyone whose big on action and science fiction films, mainly by reason of, it’s one of those low budget films that the director Paul Bartel really made it work. Just like filmmakers the late George Romero including the original Night of the Living Dead, George Miller with the first Mad Max film and Robert Rodriguez alongside El Mariachi. So, without further ado let's talk about Death Race 2000.

                                 Set in the year 2000, the United States government is reconstructed into a totalitarian regime after the economic ruin of 79. Each year a cross country road race occurs when five racers, race to be respected among the world, although on catch in order to win running over countless civilians earns them points and whoever makes it to the finish line wins. Though a group of resistance fighters are wanting to put a stop the monstrous sport. But what everyone doesn't know is that the champion Frankenstein (David Carradine) has some plans of his own, unfortunately his rival Machine Gun Joe (Sylvester Stallone) wants to destroy him. For which the question remains who will make it to the finish line alive?

                                 Now call me crazy all you like, but this was one of the most exciting and well-crafted action movies along with Mad Max. Moreover I know everyone will back me up on this but this is a way better storyline than the Hunger Games books series and movies, and I'll happily explain that firstly, they’re both set in a post-apocalyptical world like regime, where the government performs gladiatorial games furthermore sacrifices their own citizens (in short like Ancient Rome or Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union). But what really really makes Death Race 2000 better than the Hunger Games series is that director Paul Bartel and Corman at least end the story with just one film unlike the Hunger Games where they try to squeeze four movies to make more money for which is monstrous moreover inhuman. And sure I can agree in terms of the costumes they use through the course of the film like using Nazi symbols or David Carradine dressing up like some strange gimp, but really this was the budget they had to work with, I mean come on this was before Star Wars put science fiction on the map, so really you can't just say the movie has bizarre and yet strange themes because really it just determines on how much they can use furthermore to work with into putting the story of a regime-like evil, on screen. In my view point on what makes this movie works is that car sequences, because those are full on, real action cars going in dangerous speeds that even I would be terrified for the stuntmen going at that speed, but yet with so little on budget I got to say they really pulled it off when it comes to just using a certain amount of cars for the entire movie and yet pick the right moment to destroy them, furthermore these are real people using real cars going in a dangerous speed, not using any CGI effects that don't look cartoonish so you have to give props for movies like this. I won't say that this movie is better than Ford v. Ferrari and really I don't think any racing movie will ever top Ford v. Ferrari but I will make exceptions that the film itself is better than Ron Howard's Rush in 2013, so really in my top three racing movies it would defiantly be Ford v. Ferrari, Death Race 2000 and Rush. So, if you’re looking for something new and different I would highly recommend Death Race 2000, its surprisingly fun, exciting you get to see David Carradine after the success of Kung Fu moreover a young Sylvester Stallone before he sits down to right the one true movie that rises him to the top of the world, so large this also have a better story line than the Hunger Games for many reasons they just started the movie with telling you who the good and evil is then they end it without any more sequels well, except for the remakes but those don't necessarily count. So, in truth if you are looking for a movie to watch in your spare time, I'd check out Death Race 2000 that is if you’re not a fan of action.