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Reviews
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Not quite amazing, but very damn good.
The biggest glaring issue "The Amazing Spider-Man" falls to is the inconsistency of its special effects: despite getting glammed-up by the Hollywood treatment, the film's CGI waxes and wanes from sleek and stylish action sequences to Windows 98-generated goofiness. It's a small crack in this movie's rather impressive visual exoskeleton, but one that is majorly detrimental to some of the fight scenes and larger set pieces. Still, it doesn't take away too much from what this film is all about: incredibly digestible entertainment value. This is the Spider-Man adventure Stan Lee certainly wants us to see, and the one we as audiences have been waiting for. "The Amazing Spider-Man" serves up exactly what every summer moviegoer seeks: a film that combines the best parts of the franchise's campy melodrama, honest ideals, and web- slinging fun. And when all is said and done, the effort proves to be not just satisfying, but absolutely heroic.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008)
A Marvel movie that's marvelous for kids, but a bit tame for the rest.
Marvel Animation has been a consistent contributor to the greater Marvel multiverse for years, creating diverse and impressive reimaginings of canon favorites, and adding entertaining, new characters to the already eclectic mix. "Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow" does a spectacular job of making its young protagonists feel like natural fits in the already established mythos surrounding them, while also keeping everything family- friendly and fairly lighthearted - in fact, this is Marvel's first PG- rated animated film, and it definitely has a certain cutesy, Saturday morning cartoon appeal.
Men in Black³ (2012)
A summer flick that's out of this world.
Aliens. Laser blasters. A weird buddy comedy reminiscent of "Lethal Weapon" dressed up in black suits and sunglasses. After ten years of absence, it's the mother-effin' Men in Black, and if you were a fan of the first two films, "Men in Black 3" will tickle your fancy so hard you'll damn near pee yourself with delight. This is good, silly, alien- vaporizing fun, and it's very apparent that Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and the entire supporting cast are having an absolute blast as they romp around time like a rugby team at an open bar.
For the rest of my review, please check out my movie review blog: http://filmsallthetime.blogspot.com
Occupant (2011)
Worth leasing, but not buying.
"Occupant" isn't the smartest effort of recent memory, nor is it the scariest, but it's certainly unique enough to be worth mentioning. The plot here isn't especially innovative, borrowing heavily from movies like "1408" and Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," but much like said inspiration, the execution is what differentiates this film from the slew of other cheap imitations. The movie is actually pretty sleek- looking for a lower-budget offering, and it makes effective use of its small, fairly-unknown cast, especially leading man Van Hansis, whose portrayal of a man grappling with his sanity is so convincing its unsettling. The atmosphere is dark, disturbing, and suspenseful, akin to an under-your-skin David Lynch head trip; it's that special blend of intentionally-ambiguous psychological thriller and supernatural horror that makes this a very carrot-on-a-stick experience, never allowing the viewer to turn away once the action begins its slow-burning buildup.
For the rest of my review, please check out my movie review blog: http://filmsallthetime.blogspot.com