X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

DIRECTED BY

Bryan Singer

STARRING

James McAvoy - Professor Charles Xavier/ Professor X

Michael Fassbender - Erik Lehnsherr/ Magneto

Jennifer Lawrence - Raven Darkholme/ Mystique

Oscar Isaac - En Sabah Nur/ Apocalypse

Nicholas Hoult - Hank McCoy/ Beast

Rose Byrne - Moira MacTaggert

Tye Sheridan - Scott Summers/ Cyclops

Sophie Turner - Jean Grey/ Phoenix

Olivia Munn - Elizabeth Braddock/ Psylocke

Lucas Till - Alex Summers/ Havok

Evan Peters - Peter Maximoff/ Quicksilver

Kodi Smit-McPhee - Kurt Wagner/ Nightcrawler

Alexandra Shipp - Ororo Munroe/ Storm

Josh Helman - William Stryker

Ben Hardy - Warren Worthingston III/ Angel/ Archangel

Genre - Action/Adventure/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Comic Books

Running Time - 144 Minutes

PLOT

Ten years have gone by since the events of DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) has turned the School for Gifted Youngers into a place for mutants to embrace their powers and be educated at a safe place. Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is now considered a mutant hero, even though she refuses to live her life that way. Magneto (Michael Fassbender) has started a new life in Poland with a wife and daughter.

While they are trying to build new lives for themselves, the resurrection of the first and one of the most powerful mutants, En Sabah Nur/ Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), bares potential for armageddon as he wants pure world domination. He gathers his Four Horsemen - Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Angel (Ben Hardy), and Magneto [whose wife and daughter are murdered after his past is unfortunately revealed]. Apocalypse decides to use Xavier as a conduit to let everyone in on his plans, as well as preserve Xavier’s body for a transfer to maintain his corporal form. Now led by Mystique and Beast (Nicholas Hoult), they recruit a new set of X-Men - Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) - to combat the new threat and stop the world from being turned into Apocalypse’s image.

REVIEW

HITS

• The great cast. Many have come out since X-MEN: APOCALYPSE was released, stating that the actors and actresses in the film were pretty much wasted. Yes, some of the actors don’t get to do much, which is a damn shame. But even so, I think the cast do very well with the material they’re given, with not one bad performance in the bunch.

       There are too many cast members to go through, so I’ll just highlight a few. Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Jennifer Lawrence all return, being able to play their respective roles in their sleep. Fassbender, though, is the star of this bunch. He’s given the best material, crafting a fully dimensional character whose tragic life influences his decisions, both good and bad. Fassbender captures every single emotion perfectly throughout the film - his happiness when he feels normal, his sadness and anger when his world is taken away from him by accident, and his regret when he begins to realize that destroying the world around him is not going to change the past and take away the pain. Just really great stuff. Lawrence plays Raven more than Mystique [she must have gotten tired of the make up], but she does well. Hoult is still funny as the geeky Beast, while McAvoy is still the conscience of the film as Xavier. Add in Rose Byrne as the returning Moira MacTaggert, who doesn’t remember her role in FIRST CLASS to amusing moments, and you got a solid crew here.

      For the new crew, Sophie Turner is pretty great as Jean Grey, playing the character as stoic and wise beyond her years while afraid to unleash the full potential of her powers. Kodi Smit-McPhee is a surprising delight as Nightcrawler, being the comic relief of the film and working very well with the other actors. You’d really believe he’d grow up to become the Alan Cumming version of the character from X2. Alexandra Shipp is a more believable Storm than Halle Berry ever was, even though Shipp unfortunately doesn’t get more to do. Olivia Munn looks great as Psylocke, but not much else. But she handles herself well during the final act.

     Evan Peters returns as Quicksilver, expanding his character in a way that will probably be important in future installments. He’s part of another X-MEN film highlight, and you can tell he’s having a blast playing the character. And Oscar Isaac is a good Apocalypse, although I wish his character was more than just “I want to conquer the world now” villain. Still, he carries himself very well in the role and I liked that he tried to ham it up a bit. I still think he was a great choice for the role, but the script could have handled the character a bit stronger.

• The visuals. While some CGI is troublesome at certain points - I felt like I was watching a cartoon sometimes - the direction and special effects are good for the most part. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE is probably the X-MEN film that felt the most like its comic book counterpart. It’s very colorful, capturing a 1980s feel at times with shots of Pac-Man arcade machines, perms, pastels, shoulder pads, and Jubilee. The Quicksilver slow-mo scene where he’s saving everyone inside the X-Mansion is another stunner, perfectly set to the tune of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”. While the last Quicksilver set piece was great, I felt that this one was more fun. The final act is pretty chaotic, but in an entertaining way, as the characters unleash their powers in various ways. The characters looked like their comic book characters for the most part, which was a vast improvement over past X-MEN films - especially those films from the original trilogy.

       I will admit that the middle portion does drag a bit somewhat. Plus there are multiple scenes with Mystique and Nightcrawler teleporting that ruined the flow and pacing for me during the first act, making me question when the hell these scenes were taking place since the rest of the film was moving forward in time. But overall, I thought Bryan Singer did a commendable job juggling a vast amount of characters and keeping it coherent for the most part.

• Weapon X. The Wolverine cameo in APOCALYPSE is one of those moments that you’ll either like or you’ll either hate. I was torn where to put this moment since I do feel it was shoehorned into the story just to have Hugh Jackman portray the character one more time to bring in audiences. We saw this moment in deeper length in X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. But it was great to see Wolverine wearing the classic Weapon X head gear, and watch him go in full berserker mode with blood even involved. And the Jean moment with Logan is an interesting one, as it deepens their connection for the future. So yeah - it was a forced moment that didn’t need to be in this movie. But it was fun - and the best part? I don’t need to watch X-MEN ORIGINS again because of it since it’s in a better movie. So thanks for that!

• The potential for some cool stuff in the future. I think the real reason for X-MEN: APOCALYPSE is still introduce characters for another trilogy. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, and Storm are now together again. One character unleashes their full power, most likely leading to the next sequel which will supposedly take place in space, as well as recreating the angle of THE LAST STAND in a more faithful way. And the end credits unveil the next major villain - a villain I’ve been anticipating since these films became a success. X-MEN is not my favorite comic book movie franchise, but the future has me excited for stuff we haven’t seen in an X-MEN movie before. So that’s a plus.

CONS

• A cliche narrative. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE is a blast to watch unfold on screen. But how many times can we have a comic book movie where a villain just wants to destroy the world to change it into his or her image? This year alone, we’ve had three superhero films where the villains were more personal antagonists, not foes who were overly power hungry. It’s your typical good-vs-evil film that’s pretty generic and predictable. If you have no clue how this film will end, you probably never read a book or watched a movie a day in your life.

       It also didn’t help that a lot of characters didn’t get much development, due to the amount of them. What is Psylocke’s story? How come Angel was portrayed much better in THE LAST STAND than here? Why not explore Storm more? I also kind of wish Apocalypse had appeared in previous films, just to establish him as a more epic and dangerous villain. He mostly just stood around for the most part. Marvel has an issues with their villains in these films, and APOCALYPSE is no exception. Still, I had fun with the narrative, even if it has been done to death.

• Continuity issues. As a stand alone film, APOCALYPSE is fine timeline wise. But as a person who has seen every one of these films, I keep wondering why certain characters appear younger in this timeline, but were older in the previous timeline - and vice-versa. Are you telling me that in the original trilogy that Jubilee was a 30 year old student, because she’s clearly represented here as a teenager? Same with Angel. Why is William Stryker younger in 1983 than he was in X-MEN ORIGINS? Same with Charles Xavier. Do Magneto and Xavier even age? Even Moira looks great after 20 years. I understand that in the last X-MEN film, Beast claimed that the timeline will eventually lead to the same future, no matter how much you try and change it. That’s a great excuse, but you also have to explain why this timeline is so convoluted. I guess I’m not supposed to think that deep about this, but it’s tough after you’ve watched all the films days before this movie.

THE FINAL HOWL

Not everyone is going to like X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. Some might find it too long. Some may think the actors and/or characters were wasted. The CGI won’t work for everyone. And yes, the narrative is pretty cliche and tired by this point. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE is definitely a flawed film that has nagging issues you can’t ignore. But even so, I had a lot of fun with this film. It felt like a comic book brought to life, with colorful characters and performances that I found enjoyable. Plus, it sets up new stories that could be really great if the right people are involved. It’s disappointing as a follow up to FIRST CLASS and DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. But as a popcorn flick for the Summer Movie Season, I was into it. I didn’t expect much out of this film based on the trailers, but I came out of it pretty satisfied. Not a complete success, but I was entertained. And that’s all that matters sometimes.

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4

Nurse 3D (2014)

DIRECTED BY

Douglas Aarniokoski

STARRING

Paz De La Huerta - Abigail Russell

Katrina Bowden - Danni Rogers

Judd Nelson - Dr. Robert Morris

Corbin Bleu - Steve

Martin Donovan - Larry Cook

Boris Kodjoe - Detective Rogan

Niecy Nash - Regina

Genre - Horror/Slasher

Running Time - 84 Minutes

PLOT

Abigail Russell (Paz De La Huerta) is an unstable nurse who enjoys picking up adulterous married men, seducing them and then killing them on her off hours. A new nurse named Danni (Katrina Bowden) joins the rotation, capturing the eye of Abigail. Infatuated with Danni, Abigail wants her to herself - enjoying watching Danni argue with her boyfriend (Corbin Bleu), and slipping her a roofie at a club to have her way with her with another man. As Danni struggles to remember what happened to her, Abigail sets her sights on all the men in Danni’s life who act like disgusting pigs. Danni figures out what’s going on, confronting Abigail about it. Feeling betrayed, Abigail decides to make Danni’s life miserable by framing Danni for everything she, herself, has done.

REVIEW

The last couple of years have been a bit rough personally, leading to yours truly really falling behind when it comes to movies and even television. When your horror friends talk about how good these new independent horror films are and you have no idea what they’re talking about, you sort of question whether to give back your Horror Credentials Card. As I gain motivation to write reviews again, I decided to check out stuff I may have missed within the last few years. Unfortunately, not all of them are as good as I had hoped, as is with the case of NURSE 3D.

HITS

• The film looks nice. Douglas Aarniokoski, who directed HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME, visually presents NURSE 3D in a very colorful way that hides the fact that this film is darkly comedic [or at least it’s supposed to be]. The hospital looks like it was lit for a strip club rather than a place to heal people. The streets are almost lit by neon lights at times. I’m sure it would have looked better in 3D [I watched it in 2D], as certain shots do appear to have been shot with that extra dimension in mind - although these shots are never distracting. I also thought the white hospital backdrop during the final act really added to the gorier and bloodier scenes that took place, especially as the crimson stood out from the cleanliness of the background. If not for anything else, NURSE 3D is a beautiful looking film that will definitely please the eye.

• The supporting cast. I’ll discuss the lead actress later in the review, but I thought the supporting cast did well with the material they were given. Katrina Bowden is pretty good as Danni, playing it straight amongst the more colorful characters in the film. Her confusion and naivety is dead-on throughout, turning from a vulnerable victim to a woman who takes it upon herself to investigate the drama surrounding her and trying to stop it. Plus she’s nice to look at as well. Judd Nelson is pretty funny as a sleazy doctor. Wish there was more of him. Same with Martin Donovan, who played a sleazy psychiatrist. Corbin Bleu plays the typical boyfriend role, but does it well. Niecy Nash has the best one-liners as Regina, bringing some much needed comic relief to a film that considers itself a “comedy”. Nobody will wow anyone, but they did what they could.

• The gore. NURSE 3D has some good violence that keeps you invested, even while you struggle through it. We get some implied penis slashing, car accidents, skin carving, arm sawing, scissors through eyes and throats, and so on. The final act, alone, is pretty messy in terms of bloodshed. Some cool stuff here.

MISSES

• Paz de la Huerta. Most films are as strong as their leads, and Paz de la Huerta is pretty weak as lead character Abby. She just didn’t fit the role of femme fatale for me, giving off a vibe that was more socially awkward than powerful, vengeful woman who is in control of her actions. Her voice annoyed me, as if she tried to sound sexy like a phone operator, only sounding like a fool who has no comprehension of what she’s saying and how to say it. Her line delivery did nothing for me and her overall performance was flat and memorable for all the wrong reasons. I think a stronger actress could have really elevated the material, carrying this film along in a more satisfying way. Yes, de la Huerta is an interesting actress with a unique look and presence. But she belongs in a quirky, supporting role like in THE EDITOR, where she fit right in and stood out for the right reasons. She falls flat on her face in NURSE 3D, only proving how mis-cast she is. I could see that she was picked because they wanted someone bad on purpose. That’s fine if everyone else in the cast played their roles just as campy and terrible, which they didn’t.

• The tone of this film. The premise for NURSE 3D is pretty great: A nurse with a messed up past who lures cheating men into her seductive web, only to murder them as a way to get rid of the ghosts in her past. She also has a bit of SINGLE WHITE FEMALE in her, becoming obsessed with another nurse who she feels could save her from being constantly haunted, only to lash out when these feelings are reciprocated. That plot alone was a reason I wanted to watch this movie for a while now. Unfortunately, the screenplay and direction has no idea how to tell it to an audience.

NURSE 3D is obviously a horror film since our lead character is a serial killer with some emotional issues towards adulterous men. It’s not really scary, but I can instantly see why it would fall within the horror genre. However, NURSE 3D is also supposed to be a comedy. And… I didn’t really laugh much. Niecy Nash’s character had some chuckle-worthy moments, but nothing about NURSE 3D made me bust a gut or anything, even unintentionally. I guess it wanted to be clever and witty about something, but it just made me look at the clock wondering if it was going anywhere. And if not, when was this film going to finish? I shouldn’t be feeling that way when there are some decent looking women on my television seducing men before murdering them. I should be getting some sort of kick from that. But I honestly didn’t really care all that much.

NURSE 3D is really confused as to what it wants to be, which pretty much ruins the film in my opinion. It wants to be exploitative, like a MS. 45 type of film. It wants to be, like I mentioned earlier, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE. It’s a female AMERICAN PSYCHO. It wants to be so many things, trying to force it to audiences that this is meant to be a cult film that’s not meant to be taken seriously - instead of letting the audience make it a cult film naturally. It tries too hard, which is a shame because the premise is so great and all the elements are there for it to work better. But I just felt bored, wondering why I even bothered watching it most of the time. NURSE 3D suffers from an identity crisis.

THE FINAL HOWL

I may be in the minority, but NURSE 3D didn’t do much for me as a whole. The film looks nice and I thought the supporting cast was pretty decent. The gore [CGI or not] was above average and I appreciated the scantily dressed ladies. But the tone was totally off, as the film really had trouble balancing the horror from the comedy [wasn’t all that scary or funny to begin with, honestly]. And Paz de la Huerta is an interesting actress, but she didn’t impress me too much here as the lead. Maybe NURSE 3D is a film that I could enjoy on a second watch under the influence of alcohol, but I won’t be making that appointment anytime soon.

SCORE

1.5 Howls Outta 4

Midnight Confessions Ep. 93: "B&W 60's Exploitation part 1 of 2: Russ Meyer"

This month the MC Crew are taking a look at B&W exploitation flicks from the 60's. We're starting with two Russ Meyer classics; FASTER PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! and MOTORPSYCHO! (both 1965). Plus music by White Zombie, The Cramps, Motorpsycho and Steel Panther.











 

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Captain America: Civil War (2016) [900th Review]

DIRECTED BY
Joe & Anthony Russo

STARRING
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/ Captain America
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tony Stark/ Iron Man
Scarlett Johansson - Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow
Sebastian Stan - Bucky Barnes/ The Winter Soldier
Anthony Mackie - Sam Wilson/ Falcon
Don Cheadle - James Rhodes/ War Machine
Jeremy Renner - Clint Barton/ Hawkeye
Chadwick Boseman - T’Challa/ Black Panther
Paul Bettany - Vision
Elizabeth Olsen - Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch
Paul Rudd - Scott Lang/ Ant-Man
Emily VanCamp - Sharon Carter
Tom Holland - Peter Parker/ Spider-Man
Frank Grillo - Brock Rumlow/ Crossbones
William Hurt - Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross
Daniel Bruhl - Helmut Zemo

Genre - Action/Adventure/Drama/Fantasy/Science Fiction/Comic Books

Running Time - 147 Minutes


PLOT
After Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) accidentally murders innocent people during a battle against Crossbones (Frank Grillo) and his crew in Lagos, the government steps in to keep the Avengers in line. Backed by 117 countries, the United Nations create the Sokovia Accords - a legal document that allows the government to supervise superheroes in order to make them more accountable for their actions. During a random run-in with a mother of an innocent victim who was murdered during the battle with Ultron, Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) is in favor of the legislation. James Rhodes/War Machine (Don Chadle), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and humanoid Vision (Paul Bettany) join Tony, while Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) are against it, not wanting to be slaves for the government.

During the disagreement of ideologies, the leader of Wakanda is murdered during an attack, presumingly by the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) - causing the king’s son T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) to vow revenge for his father. Captain America and Falcon go against the government, wanting to find Winter Soldier and help him find his way back - making them fugitives and antagonists of Iron Man’s squad. However, Captain America gains the help of Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Scarlet Witch, and Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) - creating a war against Team Cap versus Team Iron Man. While the Avengers disassemble, Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) watches from the sidelines, happy with the results of his secret plan.


REVIEW

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is the beginning of the MCU’s Third Phase - and boy, what a great start it is! Phase Two of the MCU was a mixed bag for the most part, only having CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY being the real two highlights during that run. But with a year where superheroes are battling each other due to differing philosophies instigated by an outside force [DC’s polarizing BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE had a similar premise - although I won’t be comparing that film to CIVIL WAR here], it’s nice to see movie studios allowing these fantastical figures being humanized to create entertaining stories. And while CIVIL WAR has small flaws here and there, it’s a movie that shouldn’t work on paper - yet it does amazingly well.

This is a spoiler-free review, so I won’t go into specifics of major sub-plots here. But I thought the screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely was very strong. I liked that this film was about superheroes having struggles with morality and philosophies when it comes to doing their job, or how they relate with their fellow heroes - rather than your typical “hero might fight evil villain to save the world” narrative. The characters, unlike in AGE OF ULTRON, were given dimension and flaws that everyone could relate to. I can understand why Tony Stark would want to sign with the government to control the Avengers, as the guilt of the things he has done in the armored suit are eating away at him. I can understand why Steve Rogers refuses, as he’s been following orders from people and was trapped in ice for 70 years - the dude wants the freedom to do his job and live his life. Hell, I can even see Thunderbolt Ross’ stance the deal, as well as villain Helmut Zemo’s way of thinking where it concerns his plan to “take down an empire”. Each character has their own motivation for joining sides and making decisions, no matter how large or how small their screen time may be. There was a lot going on here, yet I never once felt overwhelmed by all the sub-plots. It was all building to that final act, and I appreciated how it all ended. Sure, the stakes could have been higher. Maybe there should have been more casualties than there were. But I liked that the film took a different approach with the comic book narrative, instead of one that we were expecting. Yes, we get great action sequences. Yes, we get that silly comic book logic [or lack thereof]. Yes, characters get introduced on a whim. But that’s what I’ve come to expect from these films. And considering how the twenty-plus characters are handled here, the screenwriters truly succeeded here where others have failed.

Since I won’t reveal character motivations that may spoil the film, I’ll just discuss some of the characters I liked. I thought the Captain America and Iron Man dynamic was great, since it has been built upon for a few films now, but it really came to a head here. Yeah, it didn’t follow the comics all that closely, but I enjoyed both leaders of the Avengers having differing opinions on how to lead their team and where their true loyalties lied. Things also get personal by the final act, making you question which team [Cap or Iron Man] was the right team to stand with by the end. I can see why some felt the film favored one character over the other throughout the film, but I felt both Cap and Iron Man had their justification to do what they felt was right. The Winter Soldier also had his own interesting arc that took many twists and turns - making you dislike him at one moment, and then feel sympathetic because he’s been brainwashed into doing evil things. He’s protected by his best friend Cap, yet a target of Iron Man and the government - both sides easy to understand and justify. Black Widow was portrayed as the perfect double agent spy, playing both sides as she was torn between two men she respects. I’m sure her actions will lead to the solo film that seems to be coming up next for the character. Vision and Scarlet Witch’s comic book romance begins here, with Vision becoming more human while Wanda becomes more of a monster due to her inability to control her powers. The introductions of Black Panther and Spider-Man was fantastic. Black Panther comes across as a total majestic bad ass who makes decision out of emotion, rather than waiting to see what the facts were. Many complained that he just appeared in costume out of the blue without an origin, but that’s what a solo film is for. And Spider-Man was perfect here for the first time onscreen. Funny, awkward, and just naive and innocent - I thought he added a ton to the scenes he was a part of. All the other characters were written well too and showed why they chose the side they did in a logical matter that grounded the film very much.

My only real nitpicks in terms of characters were the villains, although they didn’t ruin the film for me - I can see how they would bring down the film for others, however. Crossbones, who was built up in THE WINTER SOLDIER, does get a shaft during the first act of the film honestly. Like I said, it didn’t ruin the entertainment value or hurt the narrative in anyway. But I wish more was done with the character. And Helmut Zemo’s plan may seem weak in terms of world-conquering villains like Loki. But I liked the quiet approach he took to tear the Avengers from within, even if you question how Zemo would have known his plan would have worked as well as it did. The real villains of the film were the Avengers themselves, with Zemo playing puppet master. Not exactly the most exciting character to watch on screen, but I understood why the character was written that way and once it reached its conclusion, I liked where it ended and where it could lead. This film wasn’t really about the villains, and I felt Zemo got enough screen time to justify his actions. Crossbones? Well…

Joe and Anthony Russo pick up from THE WINTER SOLDIER to outdo Joss Whedon in terms of direction a multi-character superhero film. While I praised AGE OF ULTRON during first watch, it’s a film that really doesn’t hold up as well as it should, weighed down by its own ambition and struggle to insert new characters and a villain that should have been more interesting and menacing than he actually was. Instead, he came across as a goof for the most part. CIVIL WAR has comedic moments, most of which work, but takes itself pretty seriously in terms of the conflict and the personal reasons why both the heroes and villains do what they do. The pacing is excellent, as this 147 film feels much shorter. The CGI looks great, especially Spider-Man and Vision. And the action sequences, especially the one in the building and the airport big battle, are done really well. In a lot of ways, CIVIL WAR felt like a comic book done to life. When certain characters did certain things taken from the comics, the entire audience cheered and clapped. This should have been AVENGERS 2 rather than the one we got. Visually pleasing and tonally satisfying. Can’t wait for the Russo’s take on INFINITY WAR.

I won’t really highlight every actor in the film, as there are way too many here. But everyone did a great job portraying their characters. Standouts? Chris Evans is Captain America by this point, playing the flawed boy scout whose idealism conflicts with the realism of the scenario he’s thrown into. Robert Downey, Jr. is still the perfect Tony Stark/Iron Man - cocky, suave, yet vulnerable. Elisabeth Olsen stepped up her game as Scarlet Witch, playing an insecure superhero who realizes she’s a threat that needs to be controlled, yet doesn’t want to be controlled. Chadwick Boseman was awesome as T’Challa/Black Panther. He carried a lot of presence and crafted a great first impression before his solo film. Tom Holland is amazing [pun intended] as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He brought the humor and innocence of a teenage superhero. Paul Rudd was hysterical as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. And I liked Daniel Bruhl’s quiet intensity as Helmut Zemo. Just a really well acted comic book film that elevated the story.

THE FINAL HOWL

What could have been a convoluted mess, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is a well fleshed out comic book film that sets up an interesting Phase Three for the MCU. Well acted by everyone with a screenplay that allowed much needed character development for many of the superheroes, CIVIL WAR is a fun watch for its entire 147 minutes. I can’t wait for the Spider-Man and Black Panther films, as well as how the conclusion of CIVIL WAR will eventually lead to the massive 2-part INFINITY WAR. I may put THE WINTER SOLDIER and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ahead of it at the moment, but I had a blast with this film and probably put it in my Top 3. The flaws didn’t hurt the film for me and just left me feeling like that teenage comic book nerd watching his favorite heroes battle each other over different philosophies and moralities. This film shouldn’t have worked, but it does - and I couldn’t be happier. My favorite film this year so far on an entertainment basis. Let the Summer Movie Season begin!



SCORE

4 Howls Outta 4

Midnight Confessions Episode 92: "Around The World '16 Part 4"

In this episode our 3rd annual Around the World series comes to an end--and a very weird end at that. The MC crew take a look at HELL'S GROUND (2007) from Pakistan and THE BOXER'S OMEN (1983) from China.

Plus the final round of "How Much of an American Are You?" Who's the real American and who's the communist pinko meathead? Tune in and find out.











 

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