TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Ive been here a long time, and never tried a real review thread. I have the For The First Time Im Watching... thread but its chock full of spoilers.
http://www.movieforums.com/community...ad.php?t=19834
Meh! Not worth the slight entertainment value of posting while watching. Spoilers are evil (unless you want to know the answer to the Walking Dead finale sunday, that doesnt count).

So, heres my review thread. I was just going to make a Movie Review thread, but why not anything?! So Ill mostly review movies, but also tv episodes, comics, book, music, and such :) Hell I might talk some football, baseball, and pro-wrestling even! Was involved lightly in the business a long time ago.

So I was watching Batman vs Superman and posting in the For The First Time Im Watching thread, and decided to go this direction instead.

So do I think you should go see Batman vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice?

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Good question. It got scathing reviews, and many comic readers abhor it. The thing is this is about to hit 1 billion dollars worldwide......1 BILLION.

How?

Im watching the first hour of this movie just picking it apart, and there was plenty to pick. Jesse Eisenberg did serious damage for future considerations by his Riddler on Red Bull version of Lex Luthor. Much worse than I thought hed be. Two things most painful was when he was paired with Holly Hunter in a one on one scene, and shes a pro for keeping a straight face while he attempted to project witty intelligent menace. Then the scene where Luthor spills the beans to Superman, Cavill just was there of course, but Eisenluther looked like Sheldon Cooper impersonating The Joker. Pathetic.

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Affleck surprised me. I wont say Im fully sold on Batfleck, but he gets big props for doing what nobody thought him capable, especially me. Havent been this surprised by a performance since Tom Cruise & Brad Pitt were in Interview With A Vampire. At first I was critical, and then I accepted his Batman as movie wore on.

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Me eat crow now.

TONGO was veeeeeery critical of salad eating girl being cast for Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot made up for it with her ...I cant believe Im saying this...her charisma during the action scenes. When Wonder Woman came into the fight, everything picked up. Her fighting Doomsday was the biggest thrill of the film. So the fact they cast a gorgeous slight woman ended up working because the audience is more "drawn in" to the slight woman tenaciously fighting this huge monster.

The first half is rough to watch, Snyders take on Batman is straight from the 30's where he uses guns, and kills. I dont think Snyder knew Batman was originally a ripoff of The Shadow. Fishburne as Perry White was good, Amy Adams should NOT Be Lois Lane, but Lana Lane. I hate, I mean hate the constant dreary dark screen Snyder uses in MOS and BvsS. Jeremy Irons was great as Alfred but would have been much better if he was Lex Luthor, gosh how could Snyder miss that.

Then the second half of the film is mostly fight scenes, where Snyder is in his element. Yeah, even my hating-on everything fanboy ass got drawn into the spectacle. Bottom line is if you dont like awesome fight scenes theres nothing and no reason to ever see this movie. They delivered, and this movie was better than Man Of Steel. So if you liked MOS then see this. If you hated it, then run like hell from this.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Cool to see you doing a review thread Tongo. I gave it the same score but think I liked it a bit more. Here is how you do the popcorn rating, just take out the spaces.

[ rating]3.5 [ /rating]

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Nice to see you have started a review thread. I'll be checking in on this thread so keep them coming.

Nice to see a another positive rating for BvS aswell, glad you liked it.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Thanks for the review Tongo. :)

I wasnt sure if I should do a review on this film, pretty much everyone knows its great, but its kind of impossible to not talk about it. :)

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What a gorgeous movie. Definitely one if your gonna see it, only see it in HD, 3D and such. Matt Damon was nominated for Best Actor. It probably is the best acting hes done, and he sold it well. Long distance memories of The Talented Mr Ripley get dimmer and dimmer. He keeps going for parts that stretch himself, he'll probably get a Best Actor someday.

Ridley Scotts a genius, but I was surprised the music in the film wasnt better. Sort of a shame as the disco music will be the only thing I remember sound wise, and this movie deserved a score of pieces like Gladiator.

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Star studded cast. My boy Jeff Daniels is in it playing a humorless Director of NASA, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, and Sean Bean. Sean Bean needs to get more work. Hes one of those actors that has presence, charisma, and actually can act. You hang off his every word type of voices too.

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If you like smart sci-fi, then this film is a 5 popcorn box must see. If you like your sci-fi more Armageddon style, then wait till you can see it cheap or free, but see it. Some part run long, but if Scotts supposed to get across the desolation Damons astronaut is going thru, its unavoidable. Dont worry, its worth the wait.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

The Martian wasn't "gorgeous" to me, as there are plenty of sci-fi films that have more creative and aesthetic looks. But I agree about how entertaining Matt Damon's performance was, and I laughed at most of the jokes his character threw at the audience. Still kinda strange that the Golden Globes folks though it was a comedy.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Meh, The Martian was okay but i could't buy into the story. Matt Damon's character is left on Mars all by himself and he acts like he's been left at Disneyland.

The Martian had a cool look but that couldn't carry the film. The jokes at first seem OK, but then you realize that's about all Matt Damon gets to do, well that and survive challenge after challenge after challenge. We get nothing deep about the solitude of being alone.

There's very little existentialism to the film and it needed more. We need to feel his humanity and emotions. Matt's character never connects to us, probably because he's too busy making jokes. And the folks at NASA and JLP look like boobs.

I did enjoy reading your review:) just didn't like The Martian as much as you.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Yeah that was my problem. I couldn't connect to Damon's character at all, and thats probably because he's a smug ass. Who the hell would joke while there left on Mars alone?. There was not 1 ounce of fear, on a planet that looks terrifying.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Keep them coming big feller :yup:

Well, he was in shock. I mean he was throwing himself into his science because thats all he had left to keem him alive. He went into "Do, and not think" mode. Plus the fact he knows the worst case scenario is, he makes history then dies. Strange as it may sound, people would have it bleaker in a trench during World War I. Yeah hes stranded on Mars, but the few avenues he had he explored. Wouldnt be surprised if in the book theres a chapter of him completely breaking down. In the movie he didnt look like a rock star during it all, which was refreshing.

There was just no fear at all tho. Not one tiny ounce. I just couldn't connnect to the character at all.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

I loved The Martian, one of my top five from last year. I think he used humor as a defection, I know I would. He has the video diary so it's a little connection that he uses to keep himself grounded. The humor is part of what makes it so great.

He showed fear, but it came out in him gradually losing his mind, not as much in tears. When he was counting his potatoes he was breaking apart. Im sure theres more insight in the book which I havent read. At times the movie seemed long, but I scratched that off to my damaged attention span rather than the film ;)

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Loved your review of this film and I agree with you that there is definitely an acting Oscar in the man's future someday, I knew that after seeing The Talented Mr. Ripley and my opinion hasn't changed. He has a screenwriting Oscar for Good Will Hunting, but he will definitely win an acting Oscar someday.

That's how I seen it too. And...without Matt Damon's character showing great fear at being trapped alone on Mars, we the audience, then don't feel he's in great peril. People experience emotions in part based on how other people are experiencing them. Most of Ridley Scott's films miss out on believability, a good example of that is: Prometheus (2012)

I agree about Prometheus, I liked it, but it did come off as disconnected.

Martian I still feel was more connected funnily because of something Optimus said, "it was like he was in Disneyland". To a scientist astronaut, he was! :yup: That character wouldve been weeping and defeated if trapped in a desert somewhere on earth where he knew he'd have no options. With being on Mars, well yes theres the fear of dying, but its MARS! To him, the character, I think that was fuel in itself. I wish Id read the book, Im sure it delves deeper into his psyche.

Re: TONGO Reviews Everything
 

Have you ever seen Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)?

No I havent. Is it good?

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Of course Ive seen all the Rockys. No they werent all good. I enjoyed the fantastic fiction which was Rocky Balboa where he fought the champ while in his late 50s and the champ conveniently breaks his hand on Rockys hip. It happens! :nope: Well in the movies it does.
So I went into CREED wondering if Id have to provide a "curve" for this one too.

Right away I can tell theres a new writer. I havent seen a Rocky with this much fluidity since Rocky III, which was the other Rocky Stallone didnt write. Also could tell this director has real chops, his name is Ryan Coogler. We will be hearing alot about this newcomer I guarrantee. Hes very cinematography minded but tells the story first.i.e. his craft doesnt distract from the story.

Phylicia Rashad! Nice to see her in something, and of course she played her part brilliantly. You know who was the biggest acting surprise?!

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Believe it. This is the best piece of acting Ive ever seen Sylvestor Stallone do in his life. He didnt overdo the philly punchdrunk drawl, his face didnt contort into a cartoon drawing when trying to convey an emotion. Sly took a page out of Wilford Brimleys book, and simply "didnt act" and it all came together. He deserved his best supporting actor nod, better than Tom Hardy or Mark Rylance?! Oh hell no! :laugh: The nom was his award, he did a great job.

Michael B. Jordan I was familiar with before this film. I saw him in the tv Friday Night Lights series (must see stuff, Im serious, and I read the book the film was based off of.....of course that matters! ;) ) and Parenthood. Well B. Jordan worked out bigtime for this role, and is well spoken, and acted well, yeah you can see where this is going...I wasnt sold. Whoever played Adonis Creed shouldve been mouthier, and a stronger personality, like Carl Weathers played Apollo. He didnt ruin the film, but they could have made a star if they took more time casting this role.

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^^^^The worst scene in the movie. It was supposed to be the running montage for young Adonis, yknow how Rocky would run and theyd play his music. Well....they didnt play that music, and wouldnt play that music AT ALL...not until the final round in the last fight. So this running montage amongst "Philladelphia Motorcylists" came off as laugh out loud funny bad.

Another bad part of the film was the love story. They cast a pretty Lisa Bonet bohemian type whose a singer and is losing her hearing. Bleah! HER MUSICS AWFUL! Like Belushi climbed out his grave to smash the guitar level bad. They were ok, but neither of them came off as "street", and certainly not Philly natives.

So why see it? It was the best Rocky Ive seen since Rocky III. The director captured the dramatic moments, made the shots seem endless, and there was enough smart background to the boxing side of the business that has never been explored in any Rocky before. Between the trainers, regiments, ring corner philosophies and nuances. THIS was a boxers movie, so yeah I gave it a bit of a curve by the time it was all over, but it deserved it. :)