Saturday, March 4, 2023

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

In the almost 5 years since Avengers: Endgame brought the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga to a close, the MCU has branched out from that core set of characters. This has been met with some mixed reviews from both critics and fans. Unfortunately, that includes some who made the decision that nothing after Endgame was going to be as good, so they won’t let it be. No matter what they may actually end up thinking about it. This doesn’t mean everything Marvel puts out there is flawless. Some projects are definitely better than others, and some do leave room for improvement. For me, the best ones are the ones that have big reveals, but still have great rewatchability. I feel like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania falls into that group. Some of the key factors in successful MCU installments have been heart, action, humor, and impressive/exciting visuals. I think these were all very present in Quantumania.What I like best about the Scott Lang character is that he is a different kind of superhero.  In a lot of ways, he remains to bel just a guy that Hank Pym selected for a particular job, and now he is figuring out this hero thing as he goes.  He still gets wowed by how cool he thinks this whole thing is.


Yes, there is a lot CGI in this movie.  You may find this hard to believe but even Marvel Studios doesn’t have the budget to film in the actual Quantum Realm.  You may also be disappointed to know that all of those space scenes in the previous MCU projects were actually filmed in a studio right here on Earth.


I do think they made a mistake revealing Darren Cross as MODOK in the trailer.  That piece would have been a better reveal during the movie.  However, I did enjoy a lot of what they did with the character.  Do I think this was the absolute best way to use MODOK?  No, but they are diving into the Multiverse deeper and deeper, so who knows what other versions we may encounter along the way?  Remember the Illuminati in Multiverse of Madness?  That was largely, if not completely fan service casting, and they immediately cleared the way to take those characters in other directions.  People also need to look at MODOK’s scene at the end in the context in which it played out.  Focusing on the one line to complain about doesn’t actually make sense.


As I said, the fact that I really enjoyed the movie doesn’t mean it is without flaws.  Watching superhero movies requires a level of suspended belief.  Not all of the physics are going to make sense.  Captain America is my all time favorite superhero, but Peter Parker was right when he called him out for the shield not following the laws of physics.  The issue with the Ant-Man character isn’t that the physics don’t make sense in the real world,which they don’t, it is that they explained their science in a way that doesn’t fit with how that science is applied.


Hank explained that the Pym Particles work because he found a way to decrease the space between atoms.  This opens a list of issues and immediately limits what they are able to do.  For example, at “Ant size” Scott would weigh as much as his normal size, so he couldn’t crawl around on people as he does.  As Giant-Man he would be at a severe disadvantage because of disproportionate weight and strength.  He likely wouldn’t even be able to function at that size.  The biggest issue is that if they followed their own explanation, traveling to the Quantum Realm would not be possible.  Dr. Pym says that it requires going subatomic, which is a direct contradiction to the earlier explanation.  Even the need for the helmet while at a different size gets overlooked during this movie.


A lot of people are criticizing the movie in comparison with other installments within the MCU.  While all of these movies take place in the same Cinematic Universe, each franchise still has its own style.  The Ant-Man movies have always had a different, slightly goofier, tone to them, and I feel like this one falls right in that line well, and that’s a great thing.


I think the casting was solid as well.  Paul Rudd remains to be a shining example of the perfectly cast Avengers.  I am not sure that everyone was the “perfect” choice, but they all fit together very well.  The father/daughter dynamic between Scott and Cassie plays a little differently.  I don’t think that was bad casting, but maybe actually good acting.  The characters haven’t exactly had a typical relationship.  He was in prison, became a superhero, a criminal again thanks to helping Captain America, then disappeared into the Quantum Realm for 5 years.  That can put some strain on a relationship with his teenage daughter.  There was certainly room for improvement with some pieces of performance, but I am interested to watch that progress as the story continues.


Not everyone is going to like every movie, and that’s completely fine.  I love talking about the MCU for that reason, the different points of view.  I happened to really enjoy this and look forward to where this phase of the MCU will take us.


I want to give a HUGE shout out to Essex Cinemas for hosting us.  They always put on a great event.  It is an incredible venue, supported by an outstanding cast.  You can even head over there on Mondays to see any movie in any of their theaters for only $5.  This includes the T-Rex, Vermont’s biggest and only Large Format Theater.  Go check out “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” then head back here and leave a comment with what you thought.  Please keep it family friendly.


See you at the movies!


-Brad-
Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

What happens when a movie takes several fan theories, answers them, and still leaves the audience floored and wanting more?  You end up with "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness".


Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as the sorcerer, Dr. Strange.  He is another example of an amazing well done personification of the character we know from the comics.  His combination of dramatic acting and great sarcastic timing, make for one of my favorite characters in the MCU.  His scenes can carry a lot of weight, but still have the lighthearted touch without losing the flow of the story.


The visuals are outstanding.  As we travel different parts of the multiverse, you believe you are seeing a different world, yet still feel the connection between them all.


If you have been reading any fan theories, or developed some of your own, you are definitely going to get something out of this film.  It may mean you see a theory pay off, or it may be the opposite.  Either way, many questions will be answered.


The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to evolve with every movie and show that comes out.  This is definitely a big leap forward in that evolution and sets the stage for so much more.


When you see the movie, be sure to come back and tell us what you thought.  Just remember to keep the comments family friendly, and NO SPOILERS!


See you at the movies!

-Brad-
Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12! 

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Ghostbusters Afterlife

When I heard they were making a new Ghostbusters movie that was connected to the original two, it was exciting.  I was expecting it to be a fun movie, full of nostalgic references.  The trailers full of mini Marshmallow Men and a rusty Ecto 1 further supported that theory.  Finally, it was time to see the movie and find out.  Turns out, I was right.  It was full of nods to the first two movies.  However, it was a lot more than that.  All of those Easter Eggs were wrapped up in a really good story.


It is a story about family, but that doesn’t take away from the action.  The action actually starts from the very first scene.  It may sound cliché, but it will keep you on the edge of you seat.  It has a scary feel at parts but in a fun way.  It won't terrify anyone, but it might make you jump a couple times.


The visuals throughout the movie are impressive.  One of the best parts for me is the graphic effects for the ghosts and spirits in the sky.  They are done extremely well and you can tell how the technology has changed since Ghostbusters 2, but they are still completely in line with the look and feel you remember.


Casting was another win.  Mckenna Grace delivers a terrific performance as the main character of the story.  You travel along with her as she learns more about her family, and herself.  The family dynamic really comes through here too.  So often, families in movies look like they came out of a sitcom cookie cutter, and the main character is the outcast that doesn’t fit in.  That isn’t the case here.  The family all has individual stories, but you can feel the love between them too.

If you are a fan of the first two movies, you are going to love the trip down memory lane.  If you are new to the franchise, you are still going to love a great and exciting movie.  I highly recommend it for everyone.

If you have seen the movie, or when you do, please comment below with what you thought.  Just please remember to keep it family friendly and NO SPOILERS!


See you at the movies!

-Brad-
Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12! 

Sunday, September 12, 2021

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

  “Black Widow” gave us a great reintroduction to MCU movies by expanding on the story of a fan favorite character.  Now, we are introduced to a brand new superhero in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”.

The action starts right from the beginning.  The way they explain the backstory is very well done.  The story keeps a good pace as they progress to the present day.  They further expand on the story through a few brief well placed flashbacks later in the movie.

This is quite possibly one of the very best movies the MCU has produced to date.  Yes, Infinity Wars and Endgame have unmatchable epic moments.  However, to truly appreciate those, you have to have seen the whole series to that point.  On the other hand, “Shang-Chi” can be the first MCU movie a person has ever seen, and they can still truly enjoy it.

With that said, there is plenty in there for those of us that have been along for the whole ride.  Including some retribution for a character who had a very badly received introduction in 2013.  Two other cameos are already mostly revealed in a fight featured in most trailers.  Wong and the Abomination.

People have often faulted Marvel Studios for the abundance of quips thrown around between the characters.  While that has always been something I have actually enjoyed about the movies, this one should appeal to both sides of that discussion.  There are plenty of scenes that had the audience audibly laughing, but it never seemed to be at the expense of the action or the story.  You can go from laughing, to being caught up in the action, to an emotional moment, all within a couple of minutes.

Another great part of the writing for “Shang-Chi” is that it isn't solely about the title character.  He is, of course, the center of the story, portrayed by Simu Liu, who delivers a fantastic performance.  I can absolutely see him becoming a very strong piece of the future team-up movies.  He expertly transitions with the story, making us stay invested in the character as his journey progresses.  We also get to see multiple supporting characters go through their own story arcs.

One of those is the villain of the story.  Tony Leung gives us a villain who we want to see defeated, but at the same time, we can feel for him.  The battle lines may not be drawn exactly where you would expect them to be.

The founder of this blog, my little brother Jeremy, would have definitely called this one “Amazing”.  If you have seen the movie, or when you do, please comment below with what you thought.  Just please remember to keep it family friendly and NO SPOILERS!


See you at the movies!

-Brad-
Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12!

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

In 1977, the world was introduced to the Skywalker family.  In December 2019, decades of storytelling reached a powerful end.  Of course, there will continue to be Star Wars, but this was the end of the Skywalker Saga.

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”, is a great new chapter, but also a healthy dose of nostalgia.  There are plenty of familiar sights scattered throughout.  What was even better is that there are well written reasons for every one of them to be included.  It wasn’t just a bunch of images shoehorned into the movie.

They also took some of the more questionable elements from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and gave them some more context.  That doesn’t mean everything suddenly makes sense, but more of it does.

The story arcs for some of the original characters came to an end as well.  Some still seemed to leave questions to be answered, but others were good.  Chewie has long been one of my favorite characters, and he finally gets his turn.  I won’t say what, but you will know exactly what I am talking about when it happens.  Of course, if you overthink it, there are some logistical problems with some of the storylines.  However, as a lifelong Star Wars fan, this felt like a good conclusion for some of the characters I have grown up with.  Although I still wish there had been at least one scene with the original team before all the events of “The Force Awakens” played out.

Of course, this is only the end of a particular story, not all of Star Wars.  I am excited to see where things go from here.  What do you think?  Was it what you wanted from the finale, or did they come up short?  We really want to hear from you in the comment section.  Just please keep it family friendly and no spoilers.

See you at the movies!

-Brad-
Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12!

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Frozen 2

Long anticipated would be a serious understatement on this one!  I think I’ve been waiting for Frozen 2 since the credits of Frozen rolled!  Disney did not disappoint.  The story takes a lot of twists and turns, so don’t blink -- and stay through the end of the credits!!

Everyone’s favorite snowman is back.  Josh Gad brings life to Olaf in a way no one else can!  Olaf is by far my favorite part of the Frozen movies.  He has a couple of scenes that really add some great humor to the story, as well as adding his own style of Olaf depth too!

It’s hard to talk much about our lead characters without spoiling the story, but I will say that Anna and Elsa prove yet again that the bond between siblings can’t be broken.  Bring some tissues with you to watch this because the story definitely takes some emotional turns.

The music for this film is phenomenal -- well, most of it anyway...some is just comical..but then - we all need to laugh sometimes.

The artistry of Frozen 2 is so amazing!  The scenes pull you in like you are right there next to the characters.  The time of year is conveyed really well and is so realistic.

It’s hard to go into much more without spoiling the storyline - so all I will say is, in the words of our founder, Jeremy - this movie is amazing!!  You definitely need to go see it at Essex Cinemas!

~Jenny

Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12!

Friday, July 5, 2019

Toy Story 4

In 1995, we were introduced to the first full-length computer animated feature film, "Toy Story". I remember being amazed by how life-like it was. Funny to think now how different it looks compared to the animation in "Toy Story 4". Pixar has not only continued to raise the bar, in many cases they are actually inventing the new bar. I have grown up loving these movies, and the fourth installment is no exception.

I'll admit that I was a little skeptical when 4 was announced. "Toy Story 3" felt like a solid end to the story arc. Could they really make another movie work? The answer is yes. You join the gang, having found a great home with Bonnie and her other toys. One of the driving forces behind the success of the Toy Story series is the writing. A movie about the secret life of toys when humans aren't around seems like such a random concept, but there is so much heart that you really care about these characters.  That is thanks to great writing, great animation, and great acting.

There have been some reviews out there that are attacking “Toy Story 4” for lack of representation.  I would say that is not true.  Short of just swapping out characters for the sake of saying they did it, I believe they have really worked to increase their diversity.  For example, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele lend their voices to Ducky and Bunny.  These characters play a big role in the direction the story takes.  Even Bonnie and her family are part of the film’s representation.  Bonnie, the central focus of all of her toys.  The movie also has strong female characters, taking lead positions on either side of the conflict.

One of my favorite pieces of this movie is the message of acceptance.  What’s even better is the way they do it in the form of an extremely entertaining and likeable character.  As you have likely seen in the trailers, Bonnie makes a new toy named Forky.  A big piece of the story is about him finding his place after becoming Bonnie’s toy, despite his differences.

As I said, the animation is amazing.  The perspective changes to match the story.  When you are in a scene with Bonnie, you are looking at the toys through her eyes.  When the story shifts back to the toys, so does the view.  The attention to detail is also incredible, from the reflections on surfaces such as glass, to the materials each toy is made out of.  What is even better, is that you can tell they put thought into how each toy would move if they could.  Even if that might make you second guess the next ventriloquist dummy you see.

There was one issue I had with their attention to that detail.  It seems to have been established in the preceding movies that the toys are what they are.  Meaning unless they are made with changeable clothes, like Ken and Barbie for example, then they will always look like they do.  Buzz can’t change out of his spacesuit.  So why can Bo Peep, who is a figure on a lamp, suddenly change clothes?  Up until this point, it seemed that she was a porcelain figure of a woman in a dress that was also part of the figure.  I know this is a cartoon, so you have to suspend a certain level of real-world rules, but this is something that they have established within the movies.  If there is an explanation, I missed it.  Please let me know if you caught it.

I’ll have to get back to you on where the 4th installment falls on my list of favorites, but I definitely enjoyed it very much.  I fully recommend to everyone.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are too old for it.  It is great for kids, but the showing we went to was full of people who were kids when the first one came out.  I know our founder would have called it “Amazing”.  Would you?  Let us know what you think in the comments.  Please remember to keep it family friendly and spoiler-free.

See you at the movies!

-Brad-

Thank you to ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX for being the theater of choice for our movie reviews. When you are looking for the best place to check out a movie, make it ESSEX CINEMAS and T-REX at the Essex Outlets Center in Essex, VT! 
The T-Rex Theater is AMAZING!!! With the 60 foot curved screen and 124 speakers which is part of 7.1 Digital Surround Sound, there are 401 extra wide luxury seats with memory-foam headrests making a movie theater trip you will never forget! T-Rex stands for “Theater Real Extreme” 


Also check out movies in Plattsburgh, New York at Cumberland 12!