Deadpool

— I finally got to see “Deadpool” and I’m a little embarrassed to admit how much I liked it. Unlike most of the Marvel films, “Deadpool” was produced on a shoestring budget. In one of Deadpool’s many comments to the audience, he even references the small budget. Those comments, when Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, are part of the fun. Heck, he even pokes fun at Ryan Reynolds. The dialogue’s a little lewd and crude too but, just as is the case with the blood and the other routinely flowing fluids, you get used to it pretty fast and realize it’s just part of the anti-hero’s wake. It is a small film and it’s kind of an uneven and uneasy blend of “Monty Python”, “American Pie”, and “Hancock”, but it’s fun to watch and it's great to see a Marvel film and not have to worry about whether the world will be saved or not.

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[2016. 108 min. Directed by Tim Miller. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, and T.J. Miller.]
http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/deadpool-review-ryan-reynolds-1201695367/

Deadpool 2

— If you liked “Deadpool,” you stand a good chance of liking “Deadpool 2”, and I liked both of them. The first one was unexpectedly adult, edgy, bloody, and darkly funny. The second one may be slightly less edgy, but it’s everything else and filled with enough pop culture nods to challenge the most ardent fan of “The Verge” and “Entertainment Tonight.” It’s willing to poke fun at anything and anyone, while everyone’s dying around an anti-hero who can’t be killed. This one works a little too hard to add a sappy love story to the mix, maybe only to remind us that Ryan Reynolds is talented enough to tug at our heart strings for a moment before returning to irreverency. By number 2, it seems a little formulaic, but it also is smart enough not to mess with a good thing. Some of the credit also goes to Josh Brolin and to the choice of music. The Deadpool franchise remains in the top tier of the bloated Marvel universe, along with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man, and Black Panther.

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[2018. 119 min. Directed by David Leitch. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, and Zazle Beetz.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/deadpool-2-2018

Top 20 of 2016

— Here are the 20 films I've liked from 2016.

• The Arrival
• A Bigger Splash
• Deadpool
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Hail, Caesar!
• Hell or High Water
• Hidden Figures
• Jackie
• La La Land
• Lion
• The Lobster
• Loving
• A Man Called Ove
• Manchester by the Sea
• The Meddler
• Miss Sloane
• Moonlight
• Nocturnal Animals
• Swiss Army Man

Eleven other films almost made the list: "Deepwater Horizon", "Dr. Strange", "Genius", "Hello, My Name Is Doris", "Fences", "Hunt for the Wilderpeople", "The Infiltrator", "Maggie’s Plan", "Sing Street", "Sully”, and "20th Century Women”,

Documentaries aren't included in my list, but these were my favorites during the year: "The Beatles: Eight Days a Week", "City of Gold", "Fire at Sea", "Harry & Snowman", "Kate Plays Christine", "Life, Animated", "Tickled", "The Music of Strangers", "Sherpa", and "Weiner".

Suicide Squad

— Given all the unfavorable reviews, I almost didn’t bother with this but really, what were people expecting? With enough new characters to populate a Russian novel, the first third of “Suicide Squad” was destined to be introductions and background information, not characters advancing much of a plot. Even worse, during the introductions the characters are really only vaguely likable and that may be pushing it. Luckily, there is something interesting about the set-up and, even if it feels like filmed Cliff’s Notes, they're very well done vignettes. I really wasn't bored and I honestly did want to see what they did with this mess of non-humanity. Writer/director David Ayer keeps the basic story simple enough that we can focus on all these characters instead of offering up a complicated plot and that’s a good thing because the characters are key as they become their own little family, demonstrate a modicum of decency, and save the world as only Marvel-ians should. Viola Davis is spectacularly frightening as Amanda Waller and the Harley Quinn character has a real, but unsettling charm, and I want to see more of Jared Leto’s Joker. It doesn’t have the charm of “Guardians of the Galaxy” nor the struggle between aggressive and sometimes morbid humor and shock of “Deadpool”, both of which I liked more, but it still did what I’m sure it set out to do—introduce these misfits, maintain a PG-13 rating even if it would have better as an R-rated film, and entice the audience into coming to the next installment. I’m glad I went and I’ll go to the next one.

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[2016. 123 min. Written and directed by David Ayer. Starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Viola Davis, Jay Hernandez, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne, and Karen Fukuhara.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/suicide-squad-2016

Wonder Woman

— I was expecting “Wonder Woman” to score well as a vehicle for feminism—and it does, something sorely needed in a universe of men with muscles and/or near invulnerability. (Aside: I still favor Pepper Potts as a fictional character if only her film persona is considered, but if we’re going to have superheroes as role models, then we need Wonder Woman’s “in your face” power as much as Thor’s.) The film is fortunate to have picked Gal Gabot who gives the character a fresh and innocent side as she discovers the world, but it’s really lucky to have Chris Pine who manages to add enough chemistry and humor to make us forget some of the CGI for believable human interactions. It’s a good film aside from an ending sequence that’s a bit much, but I still favor the “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Iron Man,” and “Deadpool” franchises.

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[2017. 141 min. Directed by Patty Jenkins. Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, and Robin Wright.]
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-hard-won-wisdom-of-wonder-woman

Dr. Strange

— I’m always surprised as Marvel moves toward world screen domination how much fun it is for the powerless. Each of these franchises has its own flare and, while I seem to prefer Deadpool and Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, I keep going to all the others too. “Dr. Strange” joins the ranks of my favorites, mostly because the special effects really are necessary and Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton could read the phone book and keep me mesmerized. This is a strange story of healing and love, and of the journey from selfishness to selflessness. But mostly, it’s just fun with the bits of humor we’ve come to expect and the expectation of another yet to come in the series.

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[2016. 115 min. Directed by Scott Derrickson. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejioffor, Rachel McAdams, and Tilda Swinton.]
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/30/doctor-strange-observer-reveiw

Thor: Ragnarok

— Who can argue with fun? This is one of the Marvel films that knows how to laugh at itself while most the cast members try to save their planet from a few particularly nasty characters who’ll do anything they can to thwart things. It’s nice when superheroes don’t take themselves too seriously and Chris Hemsworth manages to make us all laugh at his human qualities even if he is the God of Thunder! Believe me, earlier Thor films were okay, but this one manages to almost move into the world of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Deadpool” and “Ant Man.” Of course, even with the fun, there are lessons to be learned about what makes a home, the strength of family, and the redeeming qualities hidden in almost everyone. Tessa Thompson is a great addition as the Valkyrie , Cate Blanchett is wonderfully evil, Jeff Goldblum is wonderfully wacky.

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[2017. 130 min. Directed by Taika Waititi. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, and Jeff Goldblum.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/thor-ragnarok-2017

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

— Ben Affleck’s not a bad Batman but who wouldn’t look good next to Henry Cavill’s two-dimensional Superman? These two, with their anxiety and mother issues, need to be in counseling, not onscreen for 150 minutes killing and maiming for some greater good. Zack Snyder seems to enjoy poking around in the dark recesses of both heroes minds but this is just tiresome and no amount of action or angst or CGI can lift it up. Other than Cavil and an irritating Eisenberg, there’s a competent cast who could have made it entertaining if they’d only had more to do than worry about power and corruption, and the differences between gods and men. Gone is the sharp repartee that makes many of Marvel’s features so much fun. Mostly missing is any tender interaction—Cavill doesn’t have the acting chops to pull off much emotion and Affleck’s Batman is a bully through most of the film. Even the music is wearisome. No one has any fun at any time in this film, including the audience. Go see “Deadpool” instead or rent "Guardians of the Galaxy".

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[2016. 151 min., Directed Zack Snyder. Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavil, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Iron, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/movies/review-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-when-super-friends-fight.html

Captain Marvel

— With 21 Marvel films and scads of Batman, Superman, Spider Man, and Wonder Woman films, to say nothing of Aquaman, Wolverine, X-Men, Hellboy, and even the Incredibles, it’s easy to find a super hero if you want one. I’ve seen most of them and they’ve become about as predictable as Hallmark movies. Recently they’ve gone out of their way for equity and inclusion, but otherwise, the formula’s set and you can almost always find decent acting, a quick pace with lots of special effects, and something to cheer about. “Captain Marvel” ticks off most of the boxes well and was a couple of hours spent that I don’t regret, but it’s not among the top tier of this genre. That’s not to say you shouldn’t see it even if there are enough flashbacks to make you wonder if a little more linear storytelling might be helpful. Brie Larson does an adequate job and, thankfully, the script doesn’t focus on her gender or try to turn the film into a “woman power” statement. Unfortunately, when she’s Carol Danvers instead of Captain Marvel, she’s pretty dull, without the streak of humor or quirkiness that adds interest to "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Ant Man," "Deadpool," "Iron Man, and "Thor." As Captain Marvel, she's a little more interesting, although she often has the look of someone who’s constipated, not someone who’s saving the universe. The standouts in this film are a wonderful cat named Goose (the Flerken), and Annette Bening who’s always a joy to see. There were also times when the music was particularly catchy. If you’re like me and just enjoy these things as entertainment, you’ll like this one too!

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[2019. 124 min. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, and Annette Bening.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/captain-marvel-2019