#verdict: decent movie but having read the book first the book is WAY better

[phagodyke]

WHERE IS MY MIND??????????

[yekokataa]

Reviewed: my year in books, movies, tv, and podcasts.

for posterity, a long post about the media I enjoyed (or had thoughts about) this year

TV (drama):

The Leftovers -  alright, technically I watched most of this in 2019, but I wrapped it  up in Jan 2020 so I’m including it here. Wow am I glad that I watched  this one before the pandemic happened because parts of the premise would  hit completely different now. It’s an amazing series, but it’s hard to  recommend something with the premise that 2% of the world’s population  has suddenly disappeared. Watch it, but do so with caution or wait a  couple years.

Better Call Saul S5 - BCS continues to be a beautifully dramatic character study that takes its time with its characters.

Westworld S3 and Devs - both near future sci fi tackling determinism, a major influence on my writing this year

Watchmen - Good, and worth watching, but it's very heavy and I struggled to finish this one. Deals with a lot of very relevant race issues.

Raised by Wolves - beautiful, dark, haunting, mystical. AIs are sent to a remote planet with human fetuses to repopulate humanity after Earth tears itself apart with constant religious wars.

Run - watched because of Pheobe Waller-Bridge's involvement. A strong start, interesting premise, and great casting, but loses its way halfway through (and was subsequently cancelled)

Dark s3 - I love everything about this German time travel series. Highly, highly recommended.

TV (comedy):

Avenue 5 - verdict: decently funny. Zach Woods is like a chaotic, outgoing version of Jared who deals with his inner darkness in the completely opposite way from how Jared does.

Middleditch & Schwartz - so funny, a bright spot of light this year and something I re-watch when I need a mood boost. I would love to see them live if I ever can in the future.

Community (rewatch) - what a treasure this show is. (up to season 6, that is)

The Umbrella Academy s2 - it maintains all the reasons season 1 was great and improves on them.

How to Sell Drugs Online Fast s2 - I love everything about this funny, topical German series about two teenagers who accidentally become dark web drug kingpins.

Ugly Delicious s2 - feels like sitting around having a good meal with your most interesting friends.

App:

TikTok gets a tv-adjacent honorable mention for being the only app that made me laugh and boosted my mood every time I opened it.

Movies:

The Gentlemen - I've seen this film accurately described as "Guy Ritchie makes a Guy Ritchie film" - it's a return to form for his early London gangster films, but with a bigger budget.

The Shape of Water - what a beautiful film. I was almost distracted from the plot because of how visually rich it is. A re-watch for sure.

Uncut Gems - you'll only find this movie stressful if you care at all about the fate of the main character, which I did not. He sucks. Good film, in spite of the fact that everyone is shouting over each other the entire time.

T2 Trainspotting - a deeply fan servicey 20-years-later follow-up that still manages to be tonally appropriate, emotionally resonant, and funnier than the first film. You know what you're getting yourself into if you've seen the first one, but I was still caught off guard by a couple thoroughly disgusting bodily-function related scenes, as is only appropriate. I am a sucker for any movie that can pack as many human emotions as possible into one film (disgust included), and this one checks the boxes on that for me.

Books:

Exhalation by Ted Chiang - short sci fi stories. Every one is a gut punch or brain punch in the best way possible. It fucked me up and made me think. Highly recommended.

Fall, or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson - Stephenson writes old testament fanfic. I enjoyed it, and it touches on some really interesting ideas, but it could have benefited from stronger editing and maybe being cut down to like 75% shorter.

Locke & Key by Joe Hill (graphic novel series) - skip the Netflix adaptation and read this version. Joe Hill is the pseudonym of Stephen King's son, and the influence is clear once you see it.

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden - This is book 3 of the Winternight Trilogy. The entire series is great.

The Magicians series by Lev Grossman (reread) - unpopular opinion: skip the tv series or forget anything you know about it and read this instead. It's so clever and sharply funny. There are so many themes you can draw from it, but to me, it's fundamentally about the struggle of adulthood and self-actualization.

Daemon Voices: On Stories and Storytelling by Phillip Pullman - I love seeing an inside view of the writing process from an author I love. Somewhat illuminating as to the religious influences in his work which completely flew over my head as a child.

Podcasts:

2020 was the year where my normal podcast listening got disrupted by no longer commuting and for some reason I gravitated to only screenwriting or cybersecurity podcasts. Because this post has gotten so long I have completely run out of steam to talk about why I like these so I'm just going to list them instead.

The Screenwriting Life -  Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

Scriptnotes - John August and Craig Mazin

Smashing Security - Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault

Cyber - Vice

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Movie Reviews: You Should See Me in a Crown

I’m not a massive fan of the classic Sherlock Holmes tales. I’ve read them all and appreciate the legacy and what they’ve inspired in other works, but they’ve never been my favorite tales. I actually enjoy the various interpretations and re-imaginings much more than the core mythos. I like RDJ’s take in film and the more modern spin with Elementary but, by far, my favorite rendition of Sherlock was the BBC version that made Benadryl Cumquatt a star. That show is inspired, at least the first two seasons, and it blessed me with one of the greatest television villains i have ever had the pleasure of witnessing; Andrew Scott’s Moriarty. My goodness, is he the greatest adaption of that villain! He even looks the part. I say all of this because Enola Holmes dropped today on Netflix. It’s a completely different take on the Holmes mythos centering on Sherlock’s younger sister, Enola and starring Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame. This is her vehicle, i think she’s producing it, so I'm curious how well it’ll fare. These Stranger kids are all growing up and trying to transition into adult stardom. Finn Wolfhard is doing fine and Millie seems to be taking things into her own hands. Let’s see in those hands are steady enough to push her into the next phase of her career.

The Good

I’m not one for that old timey Victorian aesthetic but i can appreciate the effort it must take to give it life in the modern age. The costumes and sets in this thing are exquisite. This is gorgeous and meticulously crafted film.

This film’s direction is pretty okay. The narrative, itself, leaves a lot to be desired but what is presented, has been deftly constructed. Credit to Harry Bradbeer for that. Dude has directed a few episodes of both Fleabag and Killing Eve so he’s got the chops. I just wish the fare this time was a little more substantial so he could really sink his chops into it.

This cast is loaded. There are several names in supporting roles worth note. Adeel Akhtar, Fiona Shaw, Frances de la Tour, and Susie Wokama all make memorable appearances. Louis Partridge is a little flaccid in the love interest role but he does enough to distract.

Millie Bobby Brown makes this movie. Her Enola Holmes is brilliant, witty, and full of that ardent, rebellious, energy all teenage girls are filled with. Though er story is one of mystery and intrigue, it is, first and foremost, kind of a coming-of-age tale. Brown does a decent job carrying this film and never falters in the same space as older, seasoned, actors like Helena Bonham Carter and Fiona Shaw.

Henry Cavill is basically playing Superman. His Sherlock Holmes is easily the weakest I've ever seen. Dude simply doesn’t have the chops to pull this off. I might be judging him too harshly considering the caliber of actor to have filled this role and made it their own in recent times. These are big shoes to fill but they fit ill on Cavill. This ain’t his story so we don’t really get to see that brilliant deduction but i don’t know that he could have pulled it off even if we did.

Helena Bonham Carter as the Holmes matriarch, Eudoria, is a pleasure. She steals every scene she’s in, even if there aren’t many. The Mrs. Holmes is mostly absent but the specter of her charisma permeates every facet of this film and it’s very welcomed. I just wish there was more of her.

Sam Caflin’s Mycroft Holmes is a very interesting take on the character. Dude is effectively the villain of this narrative. He’s out to force Enola into doing everything she doesn’t want. Dude is the overbearing pops or whatever. It’s awkward seeing Mycroft this way but he is ably portrayed by Caflin so i don’t have too big an issue with him.

The Bad

This thing exudes female energy. It is every bit Enola’s story. Now, I'm not too mad at that. Millie is decent in the role and it is unmistakably her film but that is, in this current climate, very abrasive to some. There is a strong feminist slant in how this narrative is presented and that might turn a lot of people off, depending on if they feel that is “controversial” or not.

There is just SO much exposition in this thing. It’s the nature of the genre, cats have to talk there way through problems or whatever but I've seen this part of these types of stories done much better. Sherlock, for example, found a way to visualize this and did it very well in the first two seasons. This film does not do that. It’s not super terrible but it did take me out of the story a little bit.

The music in this is very distracting. There aren’t many scene where the narrative just let’s you breathes. There’s always a whimsical swell or a punctuation flare to emphasize a shot. This feels like a callow tactic to give more levity and agency to the film where there really isn’t any to be had.

The writing in this is kind of weak. I thought, with how everything was progressing, that it might have been written by several people bu it wasn’t. One person crafted this tale; Jack Thorne. I’m really familiar with the bulk of his work but, if it’ anything like this, i imagine his is an underwhelming catalog.

This thing doesn’t feel like a movie. It feels like a series or that it should have been a series. I don’t see how this thing could have succeeded in the theater and it should count it’s blessings it found a home on Netflix because this definitely would have flopped. This thing feels like a proper Netflix movie, not a Hollywood outing.

As if to dive my previous point home, this is definitely sequel fodder. This film was made with several to follow in mind. Enola Holmes is a whole ass book series so there is definitely material to be had there. There’s six book so content isn’t lacking but i kind of feel like that ending should have felt a little more finite. This cash grab attempt at film universes and sequel bait is the most disingenuous sh*t ever outside of microtransactions in games and i kind of hate it. It’s wild to see everyone release sub-par entries on the hope they can patch the sh*t with sequels but everyone forgets that Iron Man was exceptional. It’s easily the third best MCU film and was the first to release. That first film has to be solid enough to bare the weight of a entire franchise and Enola Holmes ain’t doing that level of heavy lifting.

This film wears it’s Young Adult categorization like a badge of honor. You can tell this film is just a step and a half up from the likes of Riverdale or Nancy Drew. As a grown as man, this was not for me and i understand that very well. That said, it falls into that same, tropey, nothingness that the worst of the YA genre is known for, which is all the more reason this should have been a serial not a film. It’s not aggressive in it’s cliche but, if you’ve seen as many films as i have, you pick up on it immediately. For me, that’s the biggest issue with the film but for others. it might not even be worth mentioning.

The Verdict

Enola Holmes is a very cute, but flawed, viewing experience. It’s an interesting take on the Sherlock formula, injected with all of the GRRRL power you’d expect from a film starring a teenage woman in the lead. It’s not pretentious or forceful about it’s messaging but you definitely understand that there is a message it wants to convey. Millie Bobby Brown is excellent as Enola, easily the second best thing about this movie after the scenery chewing Bonham Carter, and there are some strong supporting performances. Cavill is a miss as Sherlock and Mycroft might as well be a mustache twirling villain but, in service to this particular narrative, the change in character makes sense. The film, itself, is ably directed and it’s a legitimately gorgeous watch but there are severe shortcomings. The writing is pedestrian, the plot is cliche, and to cover up these weaknesses, the music is leaned on too heavily. The foremost mystery isn’t one of true merit, i figured it out about halfway through, and it eschews the real conundrum for later time. The whole premise of this movie delivers a relatively intriguing situation but that is left for a later film to resolve and i kind of hate it. Sh*t was mad bogus. None of these issues are very pressing but they are noticeable and, at times, a little grating. Still, i was never bored and it is a rather well put together film, overall, even if it does feel like it should have been a proper miniseries. Enola Holmes is worth a watch but, understand, mileage may vary. I thought there was potential going forward but this thing should have definitely been a series and not a film.

[mldrgrl]

Flannel Pajamas

by: mldrgrl Rating: PG Summary: For @kateyes224 who just wanted Mulder and Scully to have a non-angsty Thanksgiving.  Consider it a sequel to For This We Give Thanks.

They use the house for weekends and holidays now.  Shortly after Mulder moved to Arlington, Scully followed.  It made sense, since she spent most of her time in his condo and her lease was up anyway.  

Scully has decided that this year, she’s going to try her hand at cooking a Thanksgiving dinner.  Wednesday afternoon, they made a grocery run, along with the rest of the last minute shoppers, and loaded up on supplies.  In case of disaster, they also made sure to stock up on frozen pizza.  The refrigerator and cupboards are now overflowing.

In the weeks leading up to the big day, Scully had prepared a folder on her computer labeled RECIPES.  She thought she might collect a few essentials or even try something a little exotic, but she was immediately overwhelmed on the sheer amount of ways there was to cook a turkey.  In the end, she chose the simplest and highest rated versions of dishes she intended to make and made her grocery list from there.

Thursday morning, she woke late.  Late for her, anyway.  But, Mulder had gotten up with the dog, kissed her cheek as she burrowed down under the covers, and told her to go back to bed.  She happily complied and the next time she opens her eyes, it’s nearly eight o’clock.

The forecast called for a mild day, but it’s still chilly that morning.  Luckily, she keeps an oversized sweater and a pair of slippers on the chair by their bed to slip into when it’s too cold to walk around barefoot.  She has her warmest pair of flannel pajamas on, navy blue with white piping, but sometimes it isn’t enough.  Unbeknownst to her, Mulder is going to have central heating installed as an early Christmas present.  He tried to get it scheduled before Thanksgiving, but it didn’t work out.  Two weeks from now though, she won’t have to worry about cold feet.

Mulder is downstairs with Daggoo, watching A Christmas Story.  Actually he’s reading a book on folklore with the movie in the background while the dog snores at his feet.  He tips his chin down to lift his eyes above the rim of his reading glasses and smiles at her.

“Morning,” he says.

“Good morning,” she answers, stepping over the dog to perch herself on the arm of the couch next to Mulder.  He lifts his book up out of her way when she drapes her legs over his lap and then he rests a hand on her knee.  He closes his eyes as she eases the glasses off his face and then he marks his page, tosses the book on the coffee table, and leans back to look up at her.  She folds his glasses and leans over to place them next to his book.

“What’s the game plan?” he asks, rubbing her knee with one hand and the side of her leg with the other.

“I need to start the turkey around one, I think.”

“Need me to run out for any last minute items?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I made coffee.”

“What about the cinnamon rolls you slipped into the cart when I wasn’t looking?”

He grins and gives her leg a soft shake.  “I hid them in the breadbox.  Fifteen seconds in the microwave and they’re perfect.”

She runs a hand over his head, threading her fingers into his hair from forehead to nape.  He closes his eyes and leans into it, rolling his neck as she moves down the back of his head.  She traces the shell of his ear with her thumb and then she slips off the arm of the couch to get her cup of coffee and cinnamon roll.  Mulder gives one soft tug on the back hem of her flannel shirt as she walks away and then retrieves his book and glasses.

They spend the morning doing light housework.  There are sheets and towels to wash and the lightbulb in the hall needs changing.  Dishes that have been in the dishwasher since last weekend need to be put away.  The latch on the trash bins needs to be fixed so the raccoons can’t get into it.

Mulder doesn’t say it, but it amuses him to no end that through it all, Scully stays in her pajamas.  Last Thanksgiving, he felt like he was practically eating with a stranger.  This year, he loves to see her comfortable again.  She even put her hair in a ponytail at one point and the sight of it made him happy.

In the background, the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade plays on mute.  Every so often, Mulder stops what he’s doing to watch the balloons go by.  It gets particularly exciting in one moment when the wind gets the better of the handlers and they almost lose control of the Pillsbury Doughboy.

“Hey, Scully,” he calls during one of his breaks.  “A Rockette just tripped!”

“Bummer,” she calls back from the laundry room.

By 12:30, she’s anxious to start cooking.  She pulls up her selection of recipes on her iPad and starts pulling items off shelves and out of cupboards.  The roasting pan is on the top shelf and she needs to call Mulder in to get it down for her.  He watches her, bottom lip caught between her teeth, glasses slipping down her nose as she scans through the step-by-step process of turkey preparation.  She’s put a red apron on over her pajamas.

“Give me a task,” Mulder says.

“Find a casserole dish,” she murmurs, plucking at her lip.

While the oven is preheating, Mulder watches her poke and inspect the turkey like she’s about to conduct an autopsy.  She looks startled when she finds the frozen bag of giblets inside the cavity of the neck and actually grimaces.  Immediately following disposal of the bag, she washes her hands and consults her iPad.

Once the bird goes in the oven, the real cooking begins.  Mulder helps peel potatoes and chop vegetables while Scully attempts a pie crust.  Every so often, they have to shoo Daggoo out of the kitchen when he comes in to sniff at their progress and get underfoot.

At a certain point, Mulder can sense Scully’s frustration with the way the pie crust sticks to the rolling pin and he finds her phone to dock it into the speaker and puts her music on shuffle.  He had assumed something soothing and classical would come on, but the first song that pops up is Katy Perry’s Firework.

“Scully!” he says through his chuckles.  “What the hell is this?”

“I like it.”  Her cheeks darken a little, but she can’t help but smile and discretely bounce to the beat.  She mouths the lyrics under her breath as she works on rolling the dough and her earlier irritation melts away.

When there isn’t much left to do but let things cook, Mulder starts rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher.  Scully obsessively checks the oven window, narrowing her eyes to scrutinize the progress of the turkey.  When it looks done, and according to the thermometer, is the perfect temperature, she pulls it out to let it cool a little and start the gravy.

“Taste this,” she says, her hand cupped under a wooden spoon with gravy dripping from it.

Mulder bends down, but instead of tasting the gravy off the spoon, he licks the side of Scully’s hand where it’s dripped onto her fingers.  

“Mulder!” she chastises.

“It’s perfect.”

The mashed potatoes finish too early and are cold by the time they sit down to dinner.  The rolls are forgotten in the toaster oven while they watch an instructional YouTube video on how to carve a turkey.  The green bean casserole is a little runny.  The corn is decent, but a little chewy.  The turkey and the stuffing, however, are just right.  The verdict on the apple pie will have to wait.  Dinner is too filling to dig in to dessert right away.

Scully pretends not to notice as Mulder feeds scraps of their dinner to Daggoo, who waits quietly under the table and scratches at Mulder’s knee when too much time has passed between morsels and he wants to remind Mulder that he’s still there, waiting for his share.  

“I’ll do it later,” Mulder says, when Scully starts to pack things into containers for leftovers.  “Let’s watch a movie.”

“I’ll just fall asleep.”

“So?”

A Christmas Story is still on, because a 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story means it’s always on, and Scully is already yawning ten minutes into curling up on the couch next to Mulder.

“Be honest,” Mulder says.  “You would’ve killed for a Red Ryder bb gun.”

“Mm, I had one.”  She closes her eyes and nuzzles her face against Mulder’s arm.

He put his arm around her.  “Of course you did.”

“I’ve been in my pajamas all day,” she said through a yawn.

“So?  Did you have somewhere else to be?”

“I should’ve at least...gotten dressed.”

“I like it,” he says, rubbing the soft collar of her shirt between his thumb and finger.

She’s asleep in minutes.

The End

[popwasabi]

“The Disaster Artist” Review: Oh hai James Franco...and all his friends...

Directed by James Franco

Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen and Allison Brie

 If you were to ask me what my all-time favorite movie going experience was it wouldn’t be the first time I saw Luke Skywalker blow up the Death Star during the re-release of “Star Wars” during the 90s. No, it wouldn’t be when I watched Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and the men of Rohan mount a daring defense of Helms Deep in “The Two Towers.” Hell, it wouldn’t even be seeing Heath Ledger and his iconic performance as the Joker the first time in “The Dark Knight.”

No, it was a midnight screening in San Jose with a few beers in my system watching the infamous cult classic “The Room” at my college’s local indie theater with a bunch of other rowdy fans. “The Room” is more than just simply watching a movie, when you go out to see it at these events, it’s a total audience participation unlike any major film of the past few decades that defies logic and comprehension.

Much like another cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “The Room” has garnered a huge legion of fans that partake in midnight screenings around the world every month maintaining its legitimacy far beyond many of the “Best Picture” films that Oscars have touted for the last century. In a strange way it’s a more a classic and relevant than any of those films ever will be because of its notoriety.

(The applause this line gets every time at the midnight screenings I’ve gone to is louder than any Oscar nominated movie I’ve seen in my lifetime.)

And why is that? Because it’s beyond absurd, it’s so bad that the melodrama collapses in on itself like a dying star and you can’t help but watch as the destruction unfolds on the screen. It’s one of the greatest pieces of unintentional brilliance and humor in film-making ever, like a real life “Springtime for Hitler,” and in a crazy way director, writer, producer and actor Tommy Wiseau’s legacy will last long after many other “better” movies succumb to the sands of time.

That’s the story that the book “The Disaster Artist” tells, written by friend of Wiseau and co-star of “The Room” Greg Sestero. It depicts what it’s like to struggle as an aspiring artist and the crippling depression that comes with trying to be relevant in a world as unrelenting and unforgiving as Hollywood. Greg was an aspiring actor but he was also extremely self-conscious, like most of us would, and in Tommy he saw an untalented but nevertheless fearless individual who kept reaching for his acting dreams despite the whole world basically telling him “NO! GOD DAMN IT! NO!” and that made him strangely admirable. 

Despite the fact that Wiseau’s film is ultimately a blasphemy to filmmaking and storytelling everywhere, he somehow failed so hard that he succeeded and in a weird way he should be lauded for that considering the Universe was completely against it.

(To be fair, Tommy is oblivious to all forms of outside ummm...things.)

James Franco’s “The Disaster Artist” however, which he ironically also directs, produces and stars in, will likely not stand the test of time and ultimately falls short of the book’s larger message, choosing to pay fan service rather than homage to the cult classic. It hits the right notes at times though and “Room” fans unfamiliar with the book will likely get a kick out of it but in the end it just isn’t as deep as its original source material.

“The Disaster Artist,” just like the book, tells the story of “Room” actor Greg Sestero and how he met Tommy Wiseau and the strange friendship that developed from there. Sestero is a struggling actor trying to find his place in show business while Wiseau flounders his way through his own auditions with his crippling lack of talent. One day, Wiseau decides he won’t wait for the big shots in Hollywood anymore and decides he’ll write, direct and star in his own feature titled “The Room.” As production gets underway however, Greg and Tommy’s relationship begins to fray as the film and those involved with it spiral out of control.

Let me first state that this film was likely never going to completely satisfy me.

“The Disaster Artist” is my favorite book of all-time, no joke, and one of the only stories I’ve read more than once. There’s so much relatable content in it that I think anyone who has ever felt small, or like their work or their relevance doesn’t matter could relate to and it details such an amazing and hilarious account of the production behind the scenes of this awful movie. I remember the first thing I thought upon finishing it was “Wow, this could be a great movie if done right” then literally a couple weeks later James Franco announced he was directing and starring in “The Disaster Artist” film adaptation before I could even start typing up a screenplay.

(Me upon hearing Franco beat me to it.)

So with that in mind, I went into this movie with middling expectations and for what it’s worth the movie does a mostly decent job of capturing the humor and most of the message of the book.

Despite James Franco not being my first, second or third choice for director/actor of this adaptation, he does a good job of going full method one as Tommy Wiseau and if there’s any character in history that needs to be portrayed with full cheese and melodrama it’s Tommy Wiseau. Franco delivers on much of the funnier bits of the story, chewing and destroying the scenery around him at times and plays off his younger brother Dave (playing Greg Sestero fairly well) fairly well.

Seth Rogen lends his comedic chops to the film as “The Room’s” script supervisor Sandy playing more or less himself but to be fair Sandy in the book is kind of a smart ass like Seth anyways. The film has a variety of cameos that are amusing and work fine within the story and the film does capture the funnier moments portrayed in the book describing the often headache inducing production behind the cult classic. Much of the film’s better moments take place on the set of “The Room” and this is where the book to film adaptation works best.

(Accurately describes what production was like on “The Room.”)

The film fails though in trying to detail the deeper levels of the story that take place outside “The Room” however and the result is a film that pays more fan service with “ooo I remember that scene” then actually detailing what happened and who Greg and Tommy are (or at least as best as we know about Tommy).

I hate to do the “but in the book” routine with this movie but there’s critical moments detailing Tommy and Greg’s relationship that just aren’t there in this movie. In the book (sigh), Tommy is more layered and his relationship with Greg gets strained beyond just the film’s crazy production but his own domineering and often jealous behavior causing friction between the two. He goes from talentless, admirable loser to talentless controlling loser in the span of a few chapters and in this film this strain is only portrayed through the idea that Greg just outgrows him.

The struggles of making it in Hollywood is what makes this relationship truly fascinating though as the book tells of Greg’s larger talents going unnoticed while Tommy’s lack of anything still swings for the fences despite seemingly all of Hollywood telling him no. The film really doesn’t go that far into this and the movie’s drama suffers for it.

The movie spends more time shoehorning in cameos of James’ famous friends than detailing this critical part of the drama in the book. The story behind “The Room” is more than just laughs at the film’s incomprehensible production but of Greg and Tommy’s relationship bouncing all over the place and this movie opts for the former more often than the latter.

(How I imagine James’ friends reacting upon hearing they were making a movie together, whether they were right for the role or not.)

Dave Franco also doesn’t do much as this film’s lead. Though better than expected as Greg, Dave is distracting in this role. The film at times feels like a party where James Franco invited all his friends to come make a movie with him rather than tell an actual story and it still somehow works despite this but having his brother play the main character alongside him is just a little too much. 

Dave Franco’s obviously fake beard in the second act doesn’t help, nor the fact that he doesn’t look that much like Greg to begin with, but he’s just a little too obviously Dave Franco, if that makes any sense. He doesn’t become Greg in the same way James mostly becomes Tommy and the result makes his portrayal a bit forced at times. If anything James may have been a better Greg and a much older actor could’ve played Tommy but that’s neither here nor there.

(Me dealing with the film’s shortcomings after a while though.)

With this all said “The Disaster Artist” is still a decent watch at the theaters. The film has more than a few good laughs and James Franco’s portrayal of the baffling weirdo that is Tommy Wiseau is enjoyable enough for the price of admission.

The film spends more time telling jokes than a story and caters to the base level of “Room” fan needs but it’s still funny at least and better than most comedies you’ll catch at the theaters these days. It’s sad though that the larger, deeper parts of the books story weren’t completely portrayed here and while the film’s main message of reaching for your dreams isn’t lost on the audience the greater depths of that struggle isn’t properly portrayed here.

Maybe someday this book will be more properly adapted but until then Franco’s “The Disaster Artist” is an enjoyable but imperfect homage to the greatest worst film ever made.

But anyways how’s your sex life?

 VERDICT:

3.5 out of 5

Now looks what’s coming up though...

[the-kool-kyle]

Spider-Man Far From Home Review

This is my review for the MCU's newest movie Spider-Man: Far From Home. I must inform you readers that this review does in fact contain spoilers for Avengers Endgame. Since the movie is set after Endgame and it's been a few months now since it's release I believe that your reading this after seeing Avengers 4. But if you haven't please don't read any further.

Spider-Man Far From Home takes place eight months after the titanic fallout from the events of Avengers Endgame after Professor Hulk used the Nano gauntlet to bring back the trillions of people and creatures that Thanos killed during the events of Infinity War. Soon during the epic final battle against The Mad Titan...Iron Man aka Tony Stark made the ultimate sacrifice to stop Thanos for good and with a snap of his fingers(and in a clear sense of irony) destroyed Thanos and all of the soldiers and servants who were loyal to him. But at a great cost. The incredible power of the Infinity Stones severely wounded him and he slowly died from his wounds surrounded by his friends and family. After witnessing the death of his friend, Mentor and father figure to him Peter Parker aka Spider-Man has been driven to become the great hero and Avenger that Tony believe he would become but at the same time must deal with his feelings for MJ, picking up the pieces of his own personal life after being dead for 5 years from the snap and have time to mourn the loss of the man who made him an Avenger.

Far From Home is centred around Peter and his class mates taking a trip to europe for a vacation. While on this trip Peter plans to have fun with his friends and tell MJ the girl he likes how he feels about her. Along the way we are shown how the world has been affected by The Snap and how it's picking up the pieces. But in the end the world will never again be the same. But his trip is immediately interrupted when monsters made up of fire and water known as the elementals have attacked the continent. Their attacks have also been followed by the illusive and powerful man of mystery....Mysterio. This plot really has a great blend of teen romance, mystery and superhero action the likes of which we haven't seen since the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie in 2002. It does exactly what a sequel should do and be better than the original as Far From Home is a lot more bigger and ambitious than Homecoming. It also has the best visuals in a Marvel movie since Doctor Strange. This movie is a fish out of water comedy that is full of heart, humour and fun that was all executed very well and it both builds up the next stage of the MCU brilliantly and ends phase 3 with a bang.

Tom Holland returns as the iconic web swinging hero Spider-Man. He was born to play Spider-Man as he has the slim spider like look and the personality to play this badass smart ass superhero that's also an awkward and nerdy teen. He has really developed as a character after the tragic death of his mentor Tony Stark and has been driven to become a better hero and he Avenger Tony always believed he would become. He feels more dead serious at times and more focused on being a hero in order to honour Iron Man and to earn what Hulk and Tony gave to him and the rest of the earth. Throughout the movie Peter dons over 4 different Spidey suits. Some we recognise like his iconic red and blue Stark suit and the nano tech Iron Spider armour as well some new suits such as the new black stealth suit and the upgraded red and black suit that looks very similar to the suit from the very first Spider-Man issue. Tom Holland once again pulls off a spectacular performance as the lovable web head that I personally have loved since I was a kid and is definitely the best spider-Man actor ever.

Zendaya stars as MJ one of the class mates and the girl that Peter has a crush on. Mary Jane Watson has always been known as the kind hearted red headed girl that Peter Parker had been friends with since childhood and as they reached their teen years they began a relationship and eventually fell in love. Soon becoming one of the most famous couples in comic books and in some versions got married and had a daughter who eventually became Spider-Woman. However this movie takes a completely different turn and makes her a completely different character than her comic book counter part. She is sarcastic, quirky and rude but also has a soft part for Peter. This is a completely crazy depiction of the character that has really sparked debate as some people think this is completely disrespectful to the source material while others think that it's an interesting a bold move to evolve and show more diversity in the MCU. So wether you love or hate this casting choice Zendaya still provides a great and professional performance as the strong young woman that doesn't take crap from anyone.

Jacob Batalon returns as Ned Peter's best friend. He once again steals the show as the nerdy, funny and loyal partner in crime for peter who helps him fight bad guys as his “Guy at a laptop” and eye in the sky. This is probably the first original Spider-Man character to be first introduced in the movies and not in the comics and so far has become a hilarious side character some of us may know in our own lives.

The film's main antagonists that we have seen in the trailers are shown to be The Elementals. Creatures that are made up of the elements Earth, Water, Air and Fire. But as all comic fans know is that the real villain is the Illusionist Mysterio. If that sounds like a spoiler trust me it's not Mysterio is one of Spider-Man's oldest enemies and has been for decades...you should all know this by now. Mysterio is one Spider-Man's oldest villains......He is the master illusionist who uses mystery and trickery to trick people into believing he's he has mystical powers. While Jake Gyllenhaal may not have been entirely the best choice for this character he still does a pretty good job in portraying this mysterious and mentally unstable character. The costume however is incredibly accurate to the comics with his green suit, purple cape and of course his dome helmet that earned him the nickname “fish bowl head”. While he may be a decent villain for this movie in the end.....He's a total joke who's too goofy to be taken seriously even in the fictional comic book world....I guess some things never change.

One thing the movie does so well like the previous MCU movies is actually add in moments that were pulled straight from the comics even some from the issues in came out in the 1960's. Which I thought was very clever as that was the decade that Mysterio was first introduced and shows respect to the early days of the Spider-Man franchise. But of course there are also some easter eggs here and there that only true comic book fans will notice.

Final Verdict: Spider-Man Far From Home is a whole lot more entertaining and ambitious than Homecoming. It is the perfect blend of Superhero action and teen romance that really develops the main characters and builds up chemistry between Peter and MJ. But best of all it ends The MCU Phase 3 with a bang and makes us wonder what's next for the MCU now that Iron Man, Captain America and Hulk are gone.

Final Score 8.9/10

[cinesaver]

Forgotten the Face of its Father: The Dark Tower Review

Sony Pictures has been clamoring for a successful film and franchise to makes its claim on the summer movie season. The studios animated film The Emoji Movie hit an all-time low when getting a zero percent on Rotten Tomatoes. This simply raises the stakes for their first installment of The Dark Tower. Will the studio hit it big at the end of the summer season? Or should Sony go back to the drawing board?

The Plot

     The Dark Tower is based off the book series of the same name written by Stephen King and published in 1982. This cult classic book series and film follows the Gunslinger Roland Deschain as he travels a wasteland to both get his revenge on the Man in Black and find The Dark Tower. Roland does this with the help of Jake, a boy from another world who sees visions of Roland and the Man in Black.

     It is tough for me to review this movie because I have only read the first two books in the series, that being said, the film does not follow the first book per say, rather it draws from the series as a whole. So if you are a fan of the books and hoped it would be an exact copy this may frustrate you. Also, if you wanted to read the books some of the events in the movie might spoil the revelations in later books. So be forewarned.

     As for the movie, The Dark Tower is enjoyable in its own right but can be summed up in one word…. rushed. The film clocks in at a mere 95 minute run time, which makes one think why not fill in some of the gaps? The story has a large world with many strange characters to set up, it just needed to takes its time and do a better job at creating its world. At times it will seem like there is a lot of nonsense quickly thrown at the audience. The design of the world and characters being set up maybe somewhat superficial, but it is always interesting to look at.

     A major issue with the film, unlike the novel, is that the narrative follows the young boy Jake rather than the Gunslinger. This makes the fan favorite character seem more like a sidekick, and is just an odd choice to follow the kid who is significantly less interesting than the other worldly spaghetti western hero. Since this film is brief, it feels that you don’t truly get to know the Gunslinger or the Man in Black nearly as much as you should.

     The film does boast exciting actions scenes in which Roland wields his signature six shooter pistols. These choreographed scenes truly give an insight into his skill, and simply never get stale. Unfortunately, a majority of these scenes are shown in the trailer for the film.

The Cast and Characters

     Idris Elba is perfectly cast in the title role of the Gunslinger. His rough demeanor shows his checkered past and his poise behind the barrel of a gun. Elba is the biggest saving grace for this flawed film. He executes the famous lines of the book with ease, and delivers them in a way that only he can. His introduction maybe abrupt, but he certainly makes every moment count.

     Matthew McConaughey plays the villainous role of the Man in Black. McConaughey is essentially similar to most of his performances, but does a decent job with what he is given. His character pales in comparison to the Gunslinger because he isn’t really fleshed out. We don’t receive a full backstory for the Man in Black, which leaves the audience knowing that he is bad because he is bad. McConaughey does give a slick and sinister performance that the character needs, but at times it may look like he is still in a Lincoln car commercial.

     The story follows a young boy named Jake who is played by Tom Taylor in his first major role. Considering this kid hasn’t been in many projects before, it is amazing that he handles himself like he does around big time actors like Alba and McConaughey. Taylor does some impressive work at times, which is a tough task because a majority of the film revolves around him.

The Verdict

      The Dark Tower may anger fans of the book series leaving them thinking, as the book and movie famously say, “You have forgotten the face of your father.” On its own, the film is a flawed but can be enjoyable at times. It does feature an interesting world, but is simply not given enough time to build and set up the universe and characters. Actors are cast well in these cult favorite roles, but simply the movie could be compared to a B-movie. I would recommend you wait and see The Dark Tower at a cheapo theater a couple of months down the road.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Reviews: Coin Toss

In my ongoing effort to avoid watching actual, award winning cinema that takes a massive amount of my attention to critique, i’ve decided to re-watch The Witcher on Netflix. Now, i’ve never read the books. At all. I’ve played the games though so i’m aware of the world and i’ve been balls deep in the wiki, so i’m aware of the lore. Being aware of the lore is not the same as understanding the nuance of plot, however, so i’m approaching this as a superficial fan of the series but a well versed critic of cinema. I’d say this is a waste of time but, seeing as how it’s the most popular show in Netflix history, already has a second season ready to begin production, an anime movie adaption in the works, and the actually creator making nice with CD Project Red so we might get a fourth Witcher game, it’s maybe not SO much a waste of time to revisit.

The Best

Yenner. F*cking Yennefer of Vengerberg! Yo, she is easily the best thing about this show. Seriously, it’s called The Witcher but it is basically Yenner’s story from the second she appears onscreen in the second episode. She has the most development, appears in the dopest set pieces, and has the highest stakes among all principal characters. For them to nail the character so perfectly, one needs to have a brilliant performer to embody that spirit, and Anya Chalotra stepped into that responsibility perfectly. Chalotra’s Yennerfer is gorgeous, powerful, brilliant, broken, strong, and vulnerable at the same time. It takes very real talent to convey all of that nuance so effortlessly.

The Good

I was hesitant when they announced Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia and then put off by the production shots with that terrible wig, but dude IS Geralt. I mean, again, i only know the character from the games and what little information i was able to glean from the wiki, but, from what i’ve learned, dude is perfect in the role. He has a presence onscreen that demands your attention, only outshined by Chalotra’s Yennefer. Learning that Cavill, himself, is a massive Witcher nerd, which makes a ton of sense. Superman bailed on being The Man of Steel, specifically to have input on this project so they wouldn’t f*ck up the adaption. I love that passion, man!

I hear that the Jaskier character is completely different in the source material but i wouldn’t know anything about that. All i know is the Jaskier presented in this show and he is absolutely delightful! Portrayed by Joey Batey, Jaskier shows up, sings a diddy, and steals all of the scenes. His chemistry with both Geralt and Yennerfer is palpable and i look forward to where they take this character. Toss a goddamn coin to your Witcher!

I remember reading, way back during the casting call, that hey were trying to Race bend Ciri. Having no real connection to the characters outside of the games, i thought it might be dope to see a brown lead. I, apparently, was in the minority. The fanboys hated that idea. There was this big stink between geeks and SJWs. It exhausted me so i stopped caring. Imagine my surprise when Freya Allen appeared onscreen for the first time in the role. I was mad confused because i was looking for a caramel colored lady or something, not this snow white faye. It took a few episodes for me to understand that this WAS Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon but, by then, i was in love with Allan’s portrayal. I could see the beginnings of the badass the Ciri i knew from the games in her performance and, indeed, by the end of the season, she was well on her way to being that b*tch. More than anything, i’m looking forward to season two specifically to see where her arc goes.

Surprisingly, in a show with such, great, principal performances, MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries, came with the heat. I was thoroughly surprised by how cold, how calculating, yet, how loving she was as a character. I was actually stunned with her portrayal. I’m a little perturbed by where the show ended up taking the character, but i still enjoyed what she did with the material given to her.

Now, i have to be clear, Yennerfer is my favorite character in this show. She’s my favorite character in the entire franchise but Netflix’s version of Calanthe Fiona Riannon, can give my darling Quadroon a run for her money in that regard. My, goodness, “Lioness of Citra”, indeed! Jodhi May killed this role. I was absolutely enthralled with her portrayal, so much so, i mourned her passing when she kicked the bucket. I was left wanting so much more of her. We’ll see how that work out going forward.

The world, itself, is kind of wondrous. The y way they built these sets and created such a palpable, tangible, reality for such a hard fantasy series, is kind of amazing. The only other show in this genre to even come close to these levels of production was Game of Thrones. I’ve heard Witcher compared to GoT in articles and it’s a relatively apt juxtaposition. The world and lore created by Netflix so far, is a quiet miracle unto itself.

The writing is pretty okay. Considering the source material and type of genre wherein the show takes place, i’m surprised by how natural the dialogue feels in this thing. I mean, who doesn’t love a particularly punctuating “F*ck.”

The overall vision of this show, the grandness of the tale being told, is fantastic. I love that ambition. I love the fact that the challenge of The Witcher, is being taken on with a true reverence of love for the source material. In a world with such terrible Starr Wars films made by Disney and the worst kind of capeflicks coming out of WB, getting such a dope adaption is a breath of fresh air.

The Bad

This show feels cheap as sh*t. I understand you want to capture the “pests” as they’re called, in all that horrid glory but that CG, man, it’s just poor. I gushed about the sets and what they were trying to do, the loving scope of production, but the end product fell just sort of that vision. The Witcher is not a cheap show to produce properly and it feels like Netflix was a little gun-shy to give it what it needed to be properly great.

The way the narrative is told can be wildly confusing. It took me a few episodes to understand that there were multiple points in time being shown and that we were bouncing between them. One of the major complaints i’ve heard is how the show didn’t make any sense and i am more than certain it’s this aspect of the presentation that people were talking about. Once you understand that there are literally three timeless being presented to you at once, there re guides on line, all of a sudden, this show becomes so much easier to digest.

There are certain character that were given such a criminally short amount of screentime. Triss Marigold immediately comes to mind but i’m speaking more about Renri. That sh*t was Refrigerator Syndrome in the clearest sense and it’s the worst. I’m not going to get into the whole politics of what that means because it’s exhausting but, seriously, to just tease us with such amazing characters only to have them relegated to nothing is just cruel.

The Verdict

Overall, The Witcher is a decent show. It’s by no means perfect, there are other, much better shows out there, a few even on Netlfix, but i understand why this one is so popular. There is a ton of potential here and i want to find my way back into this world as soon as possible, but i hope it has a bit more polished on the second outing. At the end of the day, even as cheap as this thing looks at ties, The Witcher is a brilliant, fantasy adventure, with strong set pieces and even stronger characters. The writing is solid, if a little cliche at times, but Yennefer’s journey, alone, is enough to make watching this thing worth. If you’re a fan of fantasy narratives or fantastic characterization, The Witcher will not disappoint.

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Reviews: Coin Toss

In my ongoing effort to avoid watching actual, award winning cinema that takes a massive amount of my attention to critique, i’ve decided to re-watch The Witcher on Netflix. Now, i’ve never read the books. At all. I’ve played the games though so i’m aware of the world and i’ve been balls deep in the wiki, so i’m aware of the lore. Being aware of the lore is not the same as understanding the nuance of plot, however, so i’m approaching this as a superficial fan of the series but a well versed critic of cinema. I’d say this is a waste of time but, seeing as how it’s the most popular show in Netflix history, already has a second season ready to begin production, an anime movie adaption in the works, and the actually creator making nice with CD Project Red so we might get a fourth Witcher game, it’s maybe not SO much a waste of time to revisit.

The Best

Yenner. F*cking Yennefer of Vengerberg! Yo, she is easily the best thing about this show. Seriously, it’s called The Witcher but it is basically Yenner’s story from the second she appears onscreen in the second episode. She has the most development, appears in the dopest set pieces, and has the highest stakes among all principal characters. For them to nail the character so perfectly, one needs to have a brilliant performer to embody that spirit, and Anya Chalotra stepped into that responsibility perfectly. Chalotra’s Yennerfer is gorgeous, powerful, brilliant, broken, strong, and vulnerable at the same time. It takes very real talent to convey all of that nuance so effortlessly.

The Good

I was hesitant when they announced Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia and then put off by the production shots with that terrible wig, but dude IS Geralt. I mean, again, i only know the character from the games and what little information i was able to glean from the wiki, but, from what i’ve learned, dude is perfect in the role. He has a presence onscreen that demands your attention, only outshined by Chalotra’s Yennefer. Learning that Cavill, himself, is a massive Witcher nerd, which makes a ton of sense. Superman bailed on being The Man of Steel, specifically to have input on this project so they wouldn’t f*ck up the adaption. I love that passion, man!

I hear that the Jaskier character is completely different in the source material but i wouldn’t know anything about that. All i know is the Jaskier presented in this show and he is absolutely delightful! Portrayed by Joey Batey, Jaskier shows up, sings a diddy, and steals all of the scenes. His chemistry with both Geralt and Yennerfer is palpable and i look forward to where they take this character. Toss a goddamn coin to your Witcher!

I remember reading, way back during the casting call, that hey were trying to Race bend Ciri. Having no real connection to the characters outside of the games, i thought it might be dope to see a brown lead. I, apparently, was in the minority. The fanboys hated that idea. There was this big stink between geeks and SJWs. It exhausted me so i stopped caring. Imagine my surprise when Freya Allen appeared onscreen for the first time in the role. I was mad confused because i was looking for a caramel colored lady or something, not this snow white faye. It took a few episodes for me to understand that this WAS Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon but, by then, i was in love with Allan’s portrayal. I could see the beginnings of the badass the Ciri i knew from the games in her performance and, indeed, by the end of the season, she was well on her way to being that b*tch. More than anything, i’m looking forward to season two specifically to see where her arc goes.

Surprisingly, in a show with such, great, principal performances, MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries, came with the heat. I was thoroughly surprised by how cold, how calculating, yet, how loving she was as a character. I was actually stunned with her portrayal. I’m a little perturbed by where the show ended up taking the character, but i still enjoyed what she did with the material given to her.

Now, i have to be clear, Yennerfer is my favorite character in this show. She’s my favorite character in the entire franchise but Netflix’s version of Calanthe Fiona Riannon, can give my darling Quadroon a run for her money in that regard. My, goodness, “Lioness of Citra”, indeed! Jodhi May killed this role. I was absolutely enthralled with her portrayal, so much so, i mourned her passing when she kicked the bucket. I was left wanting so much more of her. We’ll see how that work out going forward.

The world, itself, is kind of wondrous. The y way they built these sets and created such a palpable, tangible, reality for such a hard fantasy series, is kind of amazing. The only other show in this genre to even come close to these levels of production was Game of Thrones. I’ve heard Witcher compared to GoT in articles and it’s a relatively apt juxtaposition. The world and lore created by Netflix so far, is a quiet miracle unto itself.

The writing is pretty okay. Considering the source material and type of genre wherein the show takes place, i’m surprised by how natural the dialogue feels in this thing. I mean, who doesn’t love a particularly punctuating “F*ck.”

The overall vision of this show, the grandness of the tale being told, is fantastic. I love that ambition. I love the fact that the challenge of The Witcher, is being taken on with a true reverence of love for the source material. In a world with such terrible Starr Wars films made by Disney and the worst kind of capeflicks coming out of WB, getting such a dope adaption is a breath of fresh air.

The Bad

This show feels cheap as sh*t. I understand you want to capture the “pests” as they’re called, in all that horrid glory but that CG, man, it’s just poor. I gushed about the sets and what they were trying to do, the loving scope of production, but the end product fell just sort of that vision. The Witcher is not a cheap show to produce properly and it feels like Netflix was a little gun-shy to give it what it needed to be properly great.

The way the narrative is told can be wildly confusing. It took me a few episodes to understand that there were multiple points in time being shown and that we were bouncing between them. One of the major complaints i’ve heard is how the show didn’t make any sense and i am more than certain it’s this aspect of the presentation that people were talking about. Once you understand that there are literally three timeless being presented to you at once, there re guides on line, all of a sudden, this show becomes so much easier to digest.

There are certain character that were given such a criminally short amount of screentime. Triss Marigold immediately comes to mind but i’m speaking more about Renri. That sh*t was Refrigerator Syndrome in the clearest sense and it’s the worst. I’m not going to get into the whole politics of what that means because it’s exhausting but, seriously, to just tease us with such amazing characters only to have them relegated to nothing is just cruel.

The Verdict

Overall, The Witcher is a decent show. It’s by no means perfect, there are other, much better shows out there, a few even on Netlfix, but i understand why this one is so popular. There is a ton of potential here and i want to find my way back into this world as soon as possible, but i hope it has a bit more polished on the second outing. At the end of the day, even as cheap as this thing looks at ties, The Witcher is a brilliant, fantasy adventure, with strong set pieces and even stronger characters. The writing is solid, if a little cliche at times, but Yennefer’s journey, alone, is enough to make watching this thing worth. If you’re a fan of fantasy narratives or fantastic characterization, The Witcher will not disappoint.

[the-kool-kyle]

Ant-Man and The Wasp Review

Over the last 10 years, the Marvel cinematic universe has done a great job on introducing and/or building on their many characters like Iron Man, Captain America and The Guardians of the Galaxy. But they've also brought in many unknown or forgotten characters from the comics, and have had forgotten or under appreciated actors portray them to make awesome movies. Recently the MCU has introduced Ant-Man, a super with the power to shrink and grow in size as well as communicating and controlling ants telepathically. While some found this character silly at first, many now see him as a interesting and badass character. Now lets talk about ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’, a film that many of us were really excited about, and in many ways it has lived up to or even exceeded expectations. ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ does exactly what a sequel should do: took everything from the original and make it bigger and better!

Now, first things first, many people were wondering where this movie would fit in the timeline, and if this movie would tie-in heavily with ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. The film takes place immediately after ‘Captain America: Civil War’, where Scott Lang (AKA Ant-Man) is under house arrest after the fallout between Iron Man and Captain America, while at the same time, tries to become the father his daughter Cassie deserves. We've also learned that Doctor Hank Pym and his daughter Hope Van Dyne are also trying to find the truth about what happened to Janet Van Dyne, the original Wasp. While the film did have areas that need improvement, it soon evolved from a typical comic book movie to a warm and playful story about family which I thought was smart move since it actually had meaning rather than focus heavily on action. Another thing I noticed is that the movie felt and acted more confident in it's execution than the original. But most importantly it truly delivers on fun, acting, action, humour and Marvel comic references and Easter eggs.

Paul Rudd reprises his role as Ant-Man and does exactly what you'd expect from this character: act like a total badass superhero in half the scenes, and do Paul Rudd things in the other half. By which I mean provide great humour and comedy to the character with his silly and quirky personality. While many were sceptical about this casting decision at first, Paul Rudd does a awesome job at bringing this cool, interesting and silly character to life. One thing I loved about this character was the awesome looking costume, while I didn't quite like it at first, I've come around to it and actually looks like something I'd love to cosplay at comic-con, but to be honest the Civil War suit was the best one. A truly great casting choice.

Evangeline Lilly returns as Hope Van Dyne, the new Wasp and love interest of Scott Lang. This time however she has really improved from the original Ant-Man. Back in the last film, she was a pretty boring and wooden character with a rocky relationship with her father due to the supposedly death of her mother Janet who was also the original Wasp when Hank was Ant-Man. In this movie she becomes a full on badass as the Wasp with her awesome looking suit, her ability to shrink and fly as well as her tough, no nonsense attitude toward Scott, but still showing a soft side in certain moments. I think Marvel have done a great job on evolving this character from a boring stiff woman to a strong female character who's now a total badass!

Michael Penya returns from the original as the hilarious and lovable Luis, the mastermind criminal and best friend of Scott Lang. He plays the comic relief and steals every scene he's in, mainly due the one thing people know this character for “telling stories in a hilarious way”. While it does seem silly and random at first it is a complete stroke of genius for Marvel to do this, which left many fans wanting him to tell the events of “Ant-Man” and “Captain America: Civil War” in this film and... he did! So while he may be a side character we love this guy and we hope to see more of him.

While this film had a lot of scene stealers, they didn't have quite as much impact on the film or the plot as characters Hank Pym and Bill Foster. Michael Douglas returns as Dr Hank Pym, creator of the Pym Particle and the original Ant-Man. While he makes major impacts in the Marvel comics he doesn't exactly have that exact effect in these movies. This is mainly because Marvel are using a point in the comics where Scott Lang is Ant-Man and Hank has retired and also doesn't do any of the crazy things he does in the comics or create the many other alter egos he's had like: Giant-Man, Goliath or Yellow Jacket. But to be honest I prefer this version of Hank Pym since in the comics he's not as chipper as he is in the movies. Lawrence Fishburne (and his iconic tooth-gap) enter the MCU as Bill Foster, known by many comic book fans as Black Goliath. While it is interesting they've brought in this character from the comics he doesn't really contribute much to the plot and spends most of his time just being “there”. So It's a shame they didn't do much with this character, but I hope they do use him more in later movies.

As we all know the MCU has had a lot of generic, disposable and forgettable villains over the years who most only last one movie which many of us find disappointing. The villain of this movie was Ghost, a girl with the ability to turn invisible and walk through walls. While this character did seem cool in the trailers and has had a interesting history in the comics, in this movie the villain ends up being a one dimensional character who doesn't quite reach the greatness of Loki, Ultron and Killmonger. The character wasn't completely true to the comics since The Ghost has been one of those character's whose Identity and Backstory have been shrouded in mystery for decades and when they were finally revealed we still have trouble understanding them. I can see why they did major tweaks to this character, because I'm sure they did the best they could to make this character easy to understand for those who don't read the comics and they've did a pretty decent job. So while Ghost isn't the best MCU villain of the year, they still have a lot more potential to improve in later films.

The films tone, while not as stylish as ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ or ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, it took a different turn and ending up having a more lighter and fun tone along with a very colourful style.

Now the one thing that really impressed me was the action. Because it isn't a Marvel movie without great action scenes. This time these moments were clever and inventive and really used the whole shrinking and growing technology the heroes had to good use making them both exciting and funny to watch. The use of CGI and slow motion was excellent, it made me feel like I was actually there with Ant-Man when he shrunk down and made the normal areas he was in appear more dangerous and real. This movie's animation and CGI was really well crafted, and also had so pretty good practical effects, such as the awesome costumes!

Final Verdict 9/10 : ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ did an awesome job, both improving and building on the original and has become one of Marvel's best sequels in years. Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and all the other actors do their character's justice I couldn't ask for better casting decisions. It also gave us more action, humour and love that they really knocked out of the park proving once and for all that Marvel can build a franchise around just about anybody.

P.S: Very important! There's two post credit scenes and they both tie into ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ so be sure to stay seated until the credits are completely over!