Movie Review: Superman/Shazam Return of Black Adam *Spoilers*

One of the biggest challenges as a movie fan is that it seems that often the marketing wing of a studio has no idea what a movie is about, so they just punt on the trailer, title etc. Superman/Shazam is a perfect example. What I completely missed is that on Netflix instant watch at least, it is actually a compilation of shorts about some of the coolest, underutilized characters in the DC universe. But the title and cover made me think it was a full Superman/Shazam movie. .

Due to this fact, it sat unloved on my cue for months. I'm not a huge Shazam/Captain Marvel fan. I think the introduction of "magic" as another Superman vulnerability smacks of writer desperation and the boy becomes superhuman with a word gimmick doesn't seem to work on a large scale. This is why I think that Captain Marvel, despite his obvious name issues, has historically been a mostly forgotten and underutilized character.

If the title of this film was DC Showcase: Forgotten Heros or even DC Showcase: Characters you really don't know, then I think it would have moved up my Netflix cue much faster. There are four separate shorts starring, Superman/Shazam, The Spectre, Green Arrow and Jonah Hex. The voice cast and art for each of the shorts is superb.

Each of these characters honestly couldn't carry an entire film (see Jonah Hex) but in a short, they shine. Superman/Shazam is passable, The Spectre is appropriately creepy, Green Arrow lasts just long enough for the character to be enjoyed but the holes not to show and Jonah Hex is a nice easy cowboy revenge story that doesn't need to waste time with details or character development.

If you're a fan of DC Comics or any of the animated series created or produced by Bruce Timm, I highly recommend giving this compilation a shot. Don't be fooled by the complete failure of the marketing department, there is value here beyond the tagline.

Grade: B+

Movie Review: From Paris with Love

Action movies are a interesting genre. The audience expects to be entertained, surprised, and amused. However, each movie treads a very thin line between worthwhile and worthless. At best an action movie can feel like a roller coaster of explosions, wisecracks and clever ways for bad guys to die. At worst it can seem disjointed, overly full of itself, packed with lame jokes and seemingly pasted together. From Paris with Love is a perfect example of both the highs and lows.

The Jonathan Rhys Meyers/John Travolta 2010 action flick has some very well scripted and shot action sequences. The rest is pretty much bunk. Rhys Meyers plays an ambassador's aide, James Reece, who also is evidentially a low level black operations agent. His main contact is a disembodied voice on the phone who Reece seems to blindly trust without giving the audience any reason to the he should. Travolta, playing a American spook stereotype and looking a bit like Mr. Clean's evil twin, is dropped into the movie as the main source of conflict and action. He kills without remorse, he cracks jokes, he makes Reece take drugs and wreaks general havoc on Paris. The first 40 minutes feel painfully like a forced overacted version of Training Day.

As a viewer, I kept waiting for the twist, the big bad guy reveal or the double cross. When it finally comes, in the form of Reece's fiancee, it seems completely out of context and laughable. In an attempt to shock the audience the move comes off nothing more than that. From that point on Travolta changes from lunatic to mentor and the second half of the movie feels entirely different from the first. The film hits rock bottom with a scene that clearly was added to the script once Travolta signed on. After a shoot out and the killing of several supposed terrorists, the two main characters share a heart to heart moment about killing and their work while Travolta eats and references his "royale with cheese". I kid you not.

As Redbox or Netflix rental, the action sequences and the overacting by Travolta are almost worth it. However with the sheer number of action movies available, I highly recommend finding another option. Michael Caine's Get Carter is a classic that show an action movie can be a true thrill ride without being just plain asinine. A much better option in my opinion.

Grade: C.

The Three Musketeers - Paul W.S. Anderson

I so badly want to love this movie. Dumas is arguably my favorite French writer. I love story of The Three Musketeers. I really like much of the cast, Milla Jovovich, Ray Stevenson, Matthew Macfadyen, Christoph Waltz. It seems like they are playing with the story a bit, adding a bit more over the top themes (flying ships anyone?). I'm 90% of the way hooked and then the title screen pops up....

3D. Really? That's just pandering. Even my two children are tired of 3D. Ugh.

That said, my devotion to Alexandre will probably have me in line opening night. Even with the ridiculous prices and glasses.

Captain America Trailer

I've never been a huge Captain America guy. In fact, I've never purchased or even read an entire Captain America comic book. However, I'm cautiously excited for the upcoming film. While I generally like Chris Evans, who's Push is highly underrated, I'm not sure he's the prototypical actor for Captain America. However, Marvel Entertainment hit a home run with Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stack and seems to be right on with the upcoming Thor as well - so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Plus the trailer seems to be spot on.

Movie Review: Paul

Tuesdays are currently my favorite day of the week. They often involve outings with my son, to the library to the pub for lunch, to the park etc. And Tuesday nights are the one evening that I don't have work or kid commitments, so it's all mine. Yesterday I have the pleasure of finally taking in a movie at an actual movie theater.

Paul starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the creative minds behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz is unique for me in a way. It was the first movie that I have gone to see strictly because of it's promotion on Twitter. I've been following Simon Pegg (@simonpegg) for more than year and his updates have had me eager to see Paul for months. In fact, on the way to the theater I realized that I hadn't even seen a trailer for the film!

As Shaun of the Dead was to zombie movies and Hot Fuzz was to action so Paul is to science fiction. It exists as both an homage and a something of a spoof. Smartly written by Pegg and Frost, the script bounces from memorable landmark to the next in a cross country road trip that is part Crosby/Martin and part Tommy Boy.

It's clear that Pegg and Frost as writers love the subject matter as much as the characters they portray. The ensemble cast as a whole, is excellent with Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch and more. There is even a vocal cameo by Steven Speilberg.

Paul is well paced and just long enough. It's smart enough to step up the line and just barely cross it. All in all, it was exactly as I expected. A clever, funny, well done film thats as much about science fiction fans as it is aliens.

Grade: A

A Decent into Hell - Surly style

I have been a huge fan of the Surly Brewing Company's Furious for almost two years now. When I venture out to my favorite neighborhood bar/eatery, I almost always have a Furious. In fact, the bartenders and waitresses are caught off guard when I order anything but a Surly Furious. (The fact that bartenders and waitresses know me by name and sight can be discussed at another time.) But when your ex-wife asks if you would like free beer that was left in her fridge and it has an ironically perfect name, well you just shake hands with fate and take a sip. This is how I came to try Surly Hell for the first time. A unique introduction to a unique lager.

Surly Hell comes in a can, like all Surly varieties do when not purchased by the keg. One of the things I love about Surly Furious is the fact that it cannot be "chugged" or in the very least isn't easily "chugged". I've past the "chugging" phase of my life, and prefer to enjoy my beer a bit longer than I used to. (Clearly, I am still in the overuse of quotation marks phase however), (ditto parentheses). Hell on the other hand, can clearly be "chugged". As a member of the Surly family is it a much lighter and lesser flavorsome cousin to the Furious. As a lager it is vastly superior to the most of it's mass produced competitors.

While Furious is high on hops flavor, Hell sends the hops to the side and allows the sweetness of the malt to control the pallet. The color is traditional for a lager, a more conventional "beer" color. The can itself calls Surly Hell - "fiendishly drinkable" - while I am not a fan of lagers as a whole, if I choose to drink one, there's better than a snowballs chance it will be Surly Hell.

To begin at the middle

I have always had a hunger and desire to write. I just haven't ever had anything to say. I have created this blog as an outlet for that desire to write. It will include music, movie, media reviews, short anecdotes, hypothetical questions and most probably emotionally laced rants against or for some seemingly inconsequential topic.

I am not an expert in anything other than my own thoughts and opinions. But you'll never really convince me of that.