comics

Venom - 3/5

It’s not ‘Good’ but there are parts that are really good. Fight scenes are often well done with great special effects, though the final fight in particular is surprisingly bad. Venom is funny with a dark sense of humor, which meshes well with this version of the character as well as with Tom Hardy’s Eddy Brock. It’s a different take on both characters, and the bad editing really muddles what could have been great. They seem to have expanded Venom’s power set somewhat, which is fun to watch but contradicts itself in a few minor places. Venom bites off a few heads, but always off screen so as to maintain the PG-13 rating and the violence is mostly punching and throwing. If you don’t mind waiting 25 minutes to see him get the symbiote, it’s a fun action movie.

Full Video Discussion

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - 3/5

The world building, visuals, and action scenes (basically the first half of the movie) are 5/5. But then there's the writing. Most of the characters are just not very likable, and the plot and story are problematic. The movie brings up some big topics as if it's going to address them (genecide, human trafficking, forgiveness, love) but only gives trite, meaningless answers that are ultimately insulting to the subject matter. So, if you can turn off your brain, you'll have a lot of fun watching this movie. If not, then skip it.

Spider-Man: Homecoming - 5/5

Tom Holland is my new favorite Peter Parker. I'm glad they went back to a high school spiderman, and I think updated characters worked really well. The design on the Vulture was inspired, and I loved all the changes they made to the character because they made them for all the right reasons. Ultimately, I think I would give it a 4.5 out of 5, but since I don't do half points there were a few things that bugged me about the movie. They didn't cash in on some of the stuff they set up, and it would have been a really good payoff. Also Aunt May is pretty bad. But all in all, excellent movie, and I definitely recommend it.

Originally I gave this movie a 4/5, but over time the issues with Aunt May fade into the background of how great the rest of the movie is.

Wonder Woman - 4/5

The fight scenes are really cool, and they effortlessly walk a narrow line between the sexes. There really aren't many (any?) pandering shots of the title character, but they also don't fall prey to a feminist ideology. They did their heavy lifting early so some lines later on that could have come off as cheesy end up being actually meaningful. It's refreshingly fun and honest, definitely the best DC movie in the past 9 years.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 - 3/5

First off, the good: lots of beautiful visuals and some great character moments with tertiary characters. The opening sequence is fantastic, and if the whole movie was like that it might have been a 5. Unfortunately, most of the humor in the film is mean-spirited, which for me is intolerable. And for a movie that is relying largely on the humor it's just painful.

Logan - 5/5

First off: it's ultraviolent, it's sometimes depressing, there one 2-second "gentlemen, avert your eyes" blip, and there's lots of swearing. But it's the best movie I've seen in a while, and it's certainly the best X-men movie to date. And the little girl is awesome!
It's a very emotional and emotionally mature movie that takes its subject matter seriously and delivers on the payoff in heart-pounding, tear-jerking realism.

Doctor Strange - 4/5

It was visually impressive, lots to like about the story, acting, etc. A few ways they break the Show Don't Tell rule are mostly what keep it from being truly great. There is an incredibly inventive fight scene at the end and don't forget to stay for 2 scenes after the credits.