TOP TEN TUESDAY: They're Goin' Fast!

This weekend sees the first weekend of what I would consider the end of summer, as all of the blockbuster hits have now hit the theaters. Now as we shift into the fall season, our movies shift into wannabe blockbusters and straight up crap. There isn't a whole lot on the menu for this weekend except for a couple of subpar movies, at least as far as I can tell. There is the heavily advertised Closed Circuit releasing tomorrow on a Wednesday, which touts rave reviews in its commercials, but one probably couldn't find the positive blurbs in a review online with a magnifying glass. Brian DePalma's Passion will also be out in limited release this weekend, but hasn't really received the greatest of praise either. There are two big hits this weekend though, which I guess could still consider this weekend a summer movie weekend. First, is the music documentary One Direction: This Is Us which probably already has lines of teenage girls waiting outside of theaters and skipping school for the entire week just to see (probably not actually). I couldn't care less about this concert film from One Direction, because I know there is only one direction for this boy band to head in the next 5 years, and that is down. I don't need to know who you are through the lens of a biased view, most likely yourselves, when you can tell that most of you are not that kind of people girls and boys should be looking up to. The other film releasing this weekend is Getaway with Ethan Hawke which has had some buzz surrounding it because of his co-star, Selena Gomez. Gomez has been trying to shift into more adult roles since her departure from the Disney network, and has had a big year in film but not really the most well received. I watched Spring Breakers the other day and it wasn't a great movie at all, but she also wasn't in it that much and she wasn't particularly the wild girl everyone was all worried that she would be. She played the more reserved girl of the four, and I'm sure Getaway will also show that she still has too much innocence about her to start getting all evil on us now, but only time will tell. This week's list is inspired by the release of Getaway, and I will count down my top ten favorite car movies. There's some great ones that I'm sure I haven't seen, and there are going to be some about cars, and some about the people who drive them. This is my list, vroom vroom!

10. Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Because I had to riddle my list with horror films, there are seemingly a lot of movies that came to mind when I thought of cars and horror together. The Hitcher, both remake and original, came to mind but didn't quite make the cut, though I enjoy them both equally. Jeepers Creepers however was one of those films that looks like a run of the mill scary movie, but really creates its own mythos in the real world that can really get under your skin, like The Creeper can. The title doesn't really do any justice to this film, as it's really one of the scariest and most original horror blockbusters I've seen since the year 2000. Also, Justin Long stars along with Gina Philips, and Long now predominately being a comedian, it's funny to see him in this more serious type of role. They are road tripping through the country when they believe that they have seen a man dump a body into a well, or a hole, and decide to investigate. Once they do, it kicks off the chase of the film, with The Creeper using his creepy beat-up truck to chase them down for what they've done. Even though our two main characters have a vehicle in the film, there's a lingering feeling of danger even though they're capable of escape on wheels. Any film that makes you feel as if the horrors are inescapable, even if your protagonists have an automobile, has to be a great horror film.

9. Death Proof (2007)

I really wasn't a fan of Death Proof when it first came out in unison with Planet Terror when it was all titled Grindhouse and part of the same movie. Then I saw the director's cut edition of Death Proof and I enjoyed it much more. It truly is the revival of Kurt Russell and his rough, gruff character that he seems cut out to play, but it never really took off for him after that. Two separate groups of girls fall victim to Stuntman Mike and his Death Proof car, but the latter of the two fights back and shows that Stuntman Mike himself, may not be death proof. I really do love the story, however gruesome it may be, that a stunt car driver has a car rigged up to be completely safe for him, but extremely dangerous for a passenger. It's a truly demented thought, a driver that executes his victim from behind the wheel while they're actually in the car, or I guess could be out of it as well. When Mike meets his match, it's a group of death proof girls that find a way to take Mike and his car down once and for all. This is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, so the director's cut has dialogue in abundance, but once it gets to the action it is well worth it. It's also, obviously, a Tarantino movie, so expect lewd conversation, crude humor, and plenty of blood and violence because it's all there.

8. Joy Ride (2001)

I had a friend that always told me about this film and how much I would like it. I never saw it because I'm not a big Paul Walker fan, though I do enjoy Running Scared and actor/comedian Steve Zahn quite a bit. I didn't really know that it was what it was until someone explained it to me, someone being my friend, and how it sort of is a horror movie. When I finally saw it, my oh my, it's definitely a horror film but also functions as a really good suspense thriller, which is what it is typically classified as. When a group of three friends on a road trip decide to mess with a trucker over a CB radio, they find it could have been the worst idea they've ever had. When the trucker is looking for a girl, they decide to play with him and become Candy Cane, the trucker's girl of his dreams. The trucker seemingly only wants some lovin', but when he finds out that a group of three people were really playing a game with him, the real game begins. He then chases them in their car, from his semi-truck, and puts them through a grueling series of tests and tasks to get revenge on them. It's really a great suspense film, and definitely a good film for horror fans to check out if they've never seen it. What was supposed to be a Joy Ride, turns into a nightmare on wheels.

7. Christine (1983)

The famous car that kills! Christine is one of the several tales from Stephen King that was adapted for film, this one in particular was made during the 80's. It's about a car that young kid buys to have a new, cool car, but it turns out to be something else entirely. Christine has a mind of her own, and she's not a car that plays nice. As Christine unveils her evil ways throughout the film, Arnie, who purchased the car, starts to adopt the car's behavior and personality. It gives him what he wants, because he becomes the badass personality that he never could have been without the new car. This was the reason for getting the car, but as things start to get out of hand it becomes apparent that no one can stop the car. It all sounds very silly in theory, but Christine will actually make you think twice about the next time you see a dormant car on the side of the road at night, especially a clunker or a classic. It's a completely plausible concept now too with the way technology is that a car could have a mind of its own, but when this car turns on the headlights you better know to run the other way. The first movie on the list to sport a classic car, is also a classic film, especially in the horror genre and it's highly recommended.

6. Speed Racer (2008)

The first film for the brothers Wachowski after creating one of science fiction's most decorated films, as well as one of the most thought provoking films still today in The Matrix, was the live action adaptation of Speed Racer. To keep with the cartoon style of the obvious cartoon it was based on, they used a lot of green screen and bright, vivid colors to create the world of Speed. The film wasn't really well-reviewed when it came out in the theaters, so I avoided it even though I was interested to see it. Then when it was released on video I was able to check it out with my free rentals when I worked at Blockbuster. What I saw blew my mind, visually and emotionally because I still don't understand to this day why this movie was bashed by the critics. First of all, it's a family movie and you're not going to receive some ultimate concept or thought-provoking idea in a Speed Racer whether it's directed by the Wachowskis or anyone else. What it does provide is a great story of a tight-knit family and how they deal with the stresses of loss and betrayal, and family matters from here to there. I think the overall story of the film, and the lessons taught are brilliant, and it's all wrapped up in a beautiful package. Yeah it may be mostly CGI that holds this movie together, and it's corny at times with the cartoon-like action, but it's truly a brilliant film in my opinion. The car races are out of this world too, and if you have a Blu-ray player this is definitely a title worth purchasing for your machine. With the bright colors, fast-paced races, and zany action, you're going to be amazed at just how compelling a futuristic children's racecar movie can be.

5. The Italian Job (2003)

Another movie I never wanted to see because I used to really dislike Marky Mark, The Italian Job is a remake of the 1969 film of the same name. I can't say that I've seen the original, but I finally did check out the remake because it starred my favorite actor, Edward Norton. It's kind of a bummer that he's not in it as much as the other stars like Mark Wahlberg and Jason Statham, but it's still a good action movie all the same. It's also one of the better heist movies, as that is essentially what it is. It comes to the point though where this heist can only be pulled off if they use Mini Coopers, which were just being released in a common market about the time this movie came out. I remember after this movie, seeing a lot of Mini Coopers on the road and it had to have been the slick car chase action that got this trend going for a couple of years after its release. This movie also has one of the greatest car chases, or car scenes, of all-time. It's a chase so well liked that even my local amusement park that is now Cedar Fair Amusements, but used to be owned by Paramount, had a ride that was for the movie and sat you in little Mini Cooper cars and shot you around a stunt track that resembled familiar scenes from the movie.

4. Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

Some of you know by now that I have a strong dislike for Nicolas Cage, however, there are some films that I really appreciate his horrible acting in. There's not a single movie that Cage is in that I think he acts it well, but sometimes his one-way delivery and quirky acting can really benefit a character in a movie. Gone in Sixty Seconds is one of those films, and it's a remake of a 1974 film with the same name. I remember liking this film at the time because I was into model cars, and Nicolas Cage has to steal 50 cars in one night to save his brother's life. He hires a team to help him do it, one of those people being Angelina Jolie, and there is one car that evades the team because of how rare and awesome it is. It was a 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500 that they had the most trouble in finding, and I had just built a model car of the same exact car when the movie came out. I had a bit of an obsession about it, but I did really enjoy the movie. I even sold my copy after awhile when the model cars became less of an interest, and I discovered how truly awful Cage's acting i]was. But once I saw the movie again at an older age, I saw how awesome the movie truly was and how many really cool cars you get to see stolen in the film.

3. Days of Thunder (1990)

If you don't like Tom Cruise, you're probably really going to disagree with me here but Days of Thunder is easily one of my favorite Tom Cruise movies and it's because this one is all about horsepower baby. Cole Trickle is the young racer coming up in the ranks of the pros, and he gets his chance to become one of the greatest racers in the game. A film directed by the late Tony Scott, it really was a great drama to analyze the career of an athlete after he goes from the hottest thing on the track, to the lowest thing off the track. I really like Days of Thunder because of Cruise's eccentric acting that really sells the youth in stardom role he is playing, and it's extremely entertaining too. You don't have to be a fan of NASCAR to enjoy this film, but it definitely has some loud engine moments as there's plenty of racing to be had. If you don't like Cruise, then you can get out, but I highly recommend Days of Thunder to anyone who hasn't seen it, because in my opinion it really is that great of a movie. This isn't the only Tom Cruise movie though to make my list this week. Also, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a pretty direct parody of this film, and is also worth watching but was omitted from the list due to lack of actual car scenes and is mostly spoof of Days of Thunder.

2. Collateral (2004)

I'll never forget my mom taking me to the theater to see this film when it came out because it had Tom Cruise in it, and I really wanted to see it because it had Jamie Foxx in it, but it was rated R. We both got what we wanted from our respective actors, but I think we also were surprised by each other's actors in the process. This was one of those movies that blew me away the first time I saw it, with how great it was and how great the actors were in it. It's a really suspenseful film, and mostly all of it either takes place in the cab or somewhere that Foxx has driven them in the cab. Cruise plays a hitman who traps Foxx, the cab driver, into taking him around town and being his driver in a sequence of hits that piles up the bodies and gets them into trouble. The two actors were great together in this film and Foxx was even nominated for an Academy award for his role in the film. Directed by Michael Mann, this pulse-pounding thriller was a huge surprise to film goers and was also one of the better suspense thrillers to come out of last decade. The soundtrack for the film is on point, the car scenes are suspenseful, and every last bit of action between Foxx and Cruise is intense. I highly recommend Collateral to all that haven't seen it.

1. The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The definitive car movie of my generation, and now series, is The Fast and the Furious. There are now six films in the series, and there are more on the way I'm sure as they continue to add big names to the series and have used Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to re-energize the franchise back into success. They are huge money makers, but there is a reason for that. These films are probably the most straight forward about cars, for cars, and for people who love cars. You see cars in these films that you never knew could exist before then, and though it's a fictional movie with mostly non-fictional cars, it's all in a reality based world. I loved the first film, and the race scene when Paul Walker's character first gets into the illegal street racing scene is one of the best car scenes of any film. Pop this film into a Blu-ray player and play that scene on repeat and I'd be a happy camper. I really don't feel that there is any movie out there that even comes close in starring downright bad (bad in a good way) cars alongside so-so action stars to create an explosion of manly awesomeness. Ask any car buff if they've seen these movies, and they'll usually say yes. They're not the greatest of films, but they're highly entertaining, and if cars can give you thrills, these are the ones you're looking for.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: 2 Guns Are Better Than One

For the first weekend of August there aren't too many big contenders hitting the theaters. We see the release of two 2's, one being the sequel to The Smurfs which is cleverly titled The Smurfs 2. It's not looking too good for that film other than it could be the big family draw for the weekend, but I for one didn't even think the first film was all that great. It wasn't even mildly funny in the way some childish movies can be, it was pretty lackluster and dull. The other is 2 Guns starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg in what seems to be an action buddy comedy, and it's got a big R-rating which could bring great things. The pairing of these two actors could result in not only great comedy, but some awesome action and I'm really looking forward to it. Thinking about 2 Guns got me thinking about buddy action movies though, and it's a really fun genre of film to watch. I thought I'd think back at some of my favorite buddy movies, trying to focus on the action genre and count them down here for you because it's Top Ten Tuesday! There's plenty of these though and I'm positive that I'll miss a few completely and there's got to be some I haven't seen but I'll do my best to include everything I have seen. Surely though, someone will remind me of one I've seen that I just forgot. It's surprisingly hard to bring up a good list or a guide to buddy action movies, but maybe 2 Guns this weekend will change that. Obviously it's up to the person watching a movie to dictate whether or not something falls into the same category of a 2 Guns type movie, but without having seen it I don't know how far into comedy it plans to go. This is a mix of several different action movies with a duo or buddy comedies that are action-oriented. I did my best to keep the movies in the same realm, but some may disagree.

10. 21 Jump Street (2012)

Out of any of these movies listed, this is the only one that I was extremely doubtful about when seeing the trailers. I thought for sure that this would be one of those cases where everything good about it was in the trailer. "Y'all some Miley Cyrus, Justin Beaver lookin' mothafuckas", take Ice Cube's line at the end of the trailer for example. It was hilarious, but would that be the best the film had to offer. It definitely wasn't, as 21 Jump Street was one of the most entertaining action buddy comedies to come out in the new decade. Often times these types of films fail due to lack of chemistry or just a bad story, but this film had both in good amounts. Of course Jonah Hill is your funny man, and Channing Tatum is supposed to be your tough guy. It's actually kind of funny how the roles are reversed to what you'd imagine they would be, because Tatum is arguably the best part about the movie. It's based off the original television show of the same name starring Johnny Depp, and it's funny to notice that some of the better buddy movies are derived from old television shows where it's a successful template still today. I'd recommend this film to anyone, and it was a straight up blast of a good time. There's plenty of action to give it the action title, even though it's mostly a buddy comedy. Who would have thought that the fat kid from Accepted and the handsome man from Step Up would make such a great crime fighting team?

9. Starsky & Hutch (2004)

I am a big fan of this movie where a good majority of people are not. It came out during a time when I was just starting to get into film and I was allowed to watch a good amount of whatever I wanted. I thought this movie was so hilarious, but on top of that it was a good action comedy. This is yet another movie that's based an older television show, but updated for a modern audience. Ben Still and Owen Wilson have obviously proven they're a good duo, but this adaptation really brings out the silliness in an action setting. Another reason I like this movie is Snoop Lion as Huggy Bear because he has the ultimate laugh towards the end of the film and he truly is funny. This is definitely one of my favorite buddy cop comedies and though I haven't seen it in awhile or own it, I'd really like to revisit this one. Don't forget the Will Ferrell cameos, some of his best for sure.

8. Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)

Everyone has their favorite Die Hard, and this one is mine. There is no better smart mouthed duo than putting Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson together. From the beginning they are trying to top one another and it provides for a really entertaining film. The funny thing is that it's a pretty hardcore action flick much like the first 2, but they were also funny. But adding Samuel L. to the mix really brings the entertainment factor up a notch, along with the scale and size of the threat they are facing. Being led all throughout the city to finish task after task to save the city and their own lives, it's not only suspenseful and action-packed but about as fun as an action movie gets.

7. The Other Guys (2010)

One of the more recent additions to the buddy cop comedy genre, this stars Will Ferrell and the man co-starring behind Denzel in 2 Guns, Mark Wahlberg. Marky Mark has proven his comedic talents before, but he really takes it to the next level in The Other Guys. Being able to match Will Ferrell in comedic intensity is not an easy feat, but Wahlberg makes it seem easy. The two are a perfect yin and yang, Ferrell being the dumber of the two cops and Wahlberg dying to make his name on the force. From car chases to desk popping, this is definitely a fun ride. Also starring as another bad ass duo in the movie is Samuel L. Jackson (of course) and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the pair that Ferrell and Wahlberg aspire to me. Someone dial 9 1 holy shit!

6. Lethal Weapon (1987)

Before Mel Gibson went completely crazy, or maybe that's just publicly crazy, he started a little franchise called Lethal Weapon and of course did so with his buddy Danny Glover. Mel plays a halfway psychotic cop that can do seemingly anything, and Danny is a guy that's just too old for this shit. It's funny how even some of these buddy films that are action primarily, just so happy to be funny as well. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover both can be pretty funny, but this is definitely one of the movies I'd point to for either one of them that proves it. There are three sequels to the film and they're all just about as entertaining as the first, just not as good of a story. This is one of the classics when it comes to buddy cop movies, and just action movies in general.

5. Training Day (2001)

I had a little trouble with putting this on the list, but I really feel like it deserves a spot. Mark Wahlberg got a movie on the list, so I feel that in all fairness so should Denzel and there's no better movie than this one. This is easily also one of the best action dramas ever made in my opinion, and Denzel is the main reason for that. Ethan Hawke is the new guy and is trying to pick up a thing or two from Denzel, but eventually finds out the truth. It's not a buddy movie exactly by the end of the film, which is why I question putting it on here, but it definitely involves a pair of cops that are good together in a way. It's just such a great movie, and it's about the only one that's going to be on here that's not really a comedy at all. This movie is hard hitting and gritty, and isn't meant to be funny at all. It's probably not meant to be on my action buddy movie list, but hey Denzel is just that good.

4. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

The one film on the list that maybe not all of you have seen, was not a big hit in the theaters or anything. It's not a big budger action film, but it totally fits this category in my opinion. The pair in the film are Robert Downey Jr. (before Tony Stark) and Val Kilmer (after his relevance), and they couldn't be any better together. RDJ is a thief posing as a writer trying to get into his next scheme when he runs into Val and shit just hits the fan. This is definitely a darker comedy, but it's still extremely hilarious. It also has action in spurts, nothing like a big budget action film, but it's got it's fair share. It's more of a drama/comedy than anything, but this is definitely one I try to recommend to people looking for something new that they've never seen. Especially with the craze now behind Robert Downey Jr. and his revived acting career, this is definitely one you need to see.

3. The Rundown (2003)

I don't know how much I'll have to explain myself on this one. It's almost not even worth mentioning one of the two, because the one, The Rock, makes this movie all on his own. But you also have Seann William Scott, who is the thorn in Rock's side for the entire movie. The Rock is sent after Scott to find him and when he does it's nothing but problem after problem. This movie is worth watching for the comedy alone, but you better believe that The Rock provides some action for you. A man who is sworn off of guns because of the damage he can do, eventually is faced with the decision to use weapons one more time to save the day. The final gunfight in this movie is one of the best, but it's definitely not the only bad ass scene for The Rock, and Seann William Scott sure gives The Rock enough trouble to give him so credit as a perfect mouse in the game of cat and mouse played here. It's not what some would consider a buddy movie either because they don't like each other most of the film, but they do end up resolving their issues by the end of the film. And well, The Rock is awesome, and if you don't like The Rock you can get the hell out.

2. Bad Boys (1995)

Bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you. Most people have seen this one, and I'm one of the few that thinks the sequel Bad Boys 2 is actually better than the first, but both of these films are great. I really hope that they eventually decide to do a third, because Will Smith could certainly use the blockbuster hit to bring his career back from the slump he's in. Also starring is Martin Lawrence which begs no question as to how the movie could be funny. Put the two together though and you have an absolute riot, because either of these two could lead a movie on their own. Will Smith is an action star whether he wants to be or not, and he can certainly play the role well while getting his laughs. Martin Lawrence is buyable as a cop just because he's partners with Smith, but he definitely brings the funny in great capacity and has always done it with his own comedy films. Just watch either one of these films, because the best action buddy duo of all-time would definitely recommend that you do.

1. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Go figure that this is my favorite action buddy movie of all-time, and it's definitely the funniest too. From the trio that brought you Shaun of the Dead, Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost bring you an entirely different tale of a pair of cops that are trying to prove themselves in a comedically absurd world. After the previous film, director Edgar Wright still plays on the concept of a horror film in this one and really kind of provides a darker element to Hot Fuzz. This is the longest and sweetest love letter to the genre of action though because on top of the laughs and villains, there is plenty of action to go around and the final gunfight of the film is one of the best, even compared to a straight up action movie standard. I love that this trio is able to turn seemingly ordinary stories into something extraordinarily humorous. In training Pegg's tough cop character, Frost's silly cop shows him all of the classic buddy cop movies to strengthen their relationship. One of which I do not have on the list which is Point Break with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, but don't you dare say you haven't seen Bad Boys 2 because that is a tragic statement to these two.

REVIEW: Man of Steel

PLOT: A young itinerant worker is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race.

REVIEW: So there are a few things that have to be told first before you can try to understand my review for Man of Steel. Everything about this movie, I have had a strong dislike for within the last 5 years or so. The director, the character, the shape of DC film outside of the recently Bat trilogy, and other things are some of the aspects I just wasn't excited to see with this movie. However, I'm a very big fan of comic books and though I don't read much Superman, it still interests me enough to see a movie that may come along once (or thrice) in my lifetime, depending on box office numbers and the desire for another re-imagining in the future. There have been a lot of mixed reviews for Man of Steel, and after seeing it I can certainly understand why. I found myself several times throughout the movie, wondering if I really even needed to see the film to know what I was missing. A lot of things grab your attention while you're watching, but it's almost all of the wrong things, at least for me. A common phrase I've heard to describe this movie is that it's "not fun", and while I can understand that there is a part of me that wonders what those people consider fun. This movie to me was about as "fun" as Superman could get, but it's definitely not as "super" as Superman on the theater screen could be.

Zack Snyder and I have been on bad terms since 2010 when I started seeing trailers for that godforsaken movie with CGI owls called Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. One reason I couldn't hardly stand it, was that damned 30 Seconds to Mars song I must have heard nearly 100+ times just from watching that trailer at the theaters and on TV. Now, I'm not one to let a trailer ruin a movie before I see it, but I was judging from the get-go with how much slo-mo seemed to be used as well in the trailer. This is when Snyder first struck a chord in me, and got me wondering how he ever gets work in Hollywood. First he remade Dawn of the Dead, which was a great opportunity for him and a sight to be seen for horror fans. Purists still hate it, but the general concensus on that one is that it's a very fresh and entertaining take on the 1978 horror classic by George Romero. So, sweet, you remake a classic, update it and make it pretty awesome, go you. Then, Snyder takes it upon himself to make a film version of 300 which most audiences never even knew was based on a graphic novel by legendary comic writer Frank Miller. Okay fine, you get two big adaptation projects to start your film career, not too shabby. He does a phenomenal job and makes one of the best action movies of the last 10 years, and creates an army of fans all the while. Keep in mind that 300 was the beginning of Snyder's fascination with slow motion, zoom camera, and CGI action extravaganzas. So now Zack is two for two, what could he possibly move onto now? Well, that was Watchmen, which is yet another adaptation of quite possibly the highest recognized graphic novel today and a classic of not only comics but literature as well. Written by Alan Moore, Watchmen is a brilliant work of fiction, and yet again some young up-and-comer is going to snatch classic work up and try to make it his own. Fine, and again I go and see it because of what it is, and it was awesome, I loved it. Still chock full of slow motion, grand action sequences, and of course an attempt at interpretting the brilliance of Moore's writing.

So here's Snyder, sitting pretty at three for three with some really damn entertaining films, but they're all based off of some sort of prior work. Now he's deciding maybe it would be a good idea to market his stylized action with slow motion and CGI to a younger audience, thus the owl movie. Little do some of you know, the Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is based off of a children's fiction book series, which leads us to now four out of four of his movies based off of other people's work. This is where he lost me, because that trailer was way worse than the actual movie was, but this was the point at which I became fed up with Zack Snyder. The overuse of slow-motion and silly things to make the viewer go "oooh" and "ahhh" just weren't working for me anymore, and I'd had enough. No one wanted to listen though, no Zack Snyder is still good, he makes cool films, and they look awesome! Some critics started to critique his work though at this point, because of the same reasons I suddenly found myself irritated. So what does he do? I'm going to do my own original story and make a movie with all the stuff I've learned from my previous four films and prove all you haters wrong, he says. What do we end up with? Sucker Punch, which is a very appropriately titled movie because I would have much rather taken a sucker punch to the scrotum than to ever watch that film or anything about it, and it's even loaded full of scantily clad women! But I gave him a chance, like I give to everyone, and boy was I disappointed. More of the same old shit, from the same old guy, who seemingly can't direct his way out of a paper bag unless he's moving in slow motion and he's seen the same brown paper bag before in his youth (original work knock). Then the news comes, there's going to be a new Superman movie! Hooray! DC fans rejoice, they may finally get it right this time! Christopher Nolan gets involved because of the success of his Batman trilogy, David S. Goyer comes on to write the script, and it's all shaping up quite nicely. Alright guys, who do we want to direct this thing? This is the Superman movie that is finally going to change the face of Superman in film much like Nolan did for Batman, and for once Superman will be liked by all as he should be. Let's get Zack Snyder, right?! Right. So it happened, and now here we are in June of 2013 wondering why the hell this movie just isn't perfect, and I'm going to tell you why.

Of course you have to figure after all of Snyder's success with making the movies of a 13-year old's action/adventure wet dream, that Man of Steel will be much of the same. You're wrong. Surprisingly, I found a lot of the setting and stuff really breathtaking, especially the planet of Krypton. Though it seems kind of droll and gray, the set pieces are just beautiful and I don't know if they were CGI, but if they were it was damn good CGI. I was proud of my lost boy Snyder, doing the best he could for a much misunderstood superhero. But then the action starts, not a few minutes into the film, and Jor-El is fighting Zod. Sweet, okay, it all looks great and you have ex-Gladiator Russell Crowe kicking some ass as Jor-El. What's not to like? Well, every action sequence after that was a big, blinding mess of CGI with fists that move too clearly to be real, and people flying about so fast from building to building that it's hard to understand that they're even fighting. Are they just knocking each other over repeatedly but too strong to keep themselves from pushing their enemies through a wall everytime? My argument isn't with the fact that it's "inorganic" or the realism of the film suffers, obviously that cannot be the case with a Superman movie, but really? Fucking Metropolis was reduced to a steaming pile of metal and dirt by the time this movie was done, and I don't ever recall that much destruction from a few heroes and villains fighting in anything, ever. How do you bring Metropolis back after Man of Steel? Metropolis 2? Then somehow, during the final battle of the film where citizens are trapped under burning buildings and iron with concrete blocks on top of them, Supes and Zod find a perfect and pristine train station to duke it out in? And oh wait, there's people walking around in this train station with luggage like they're escaping or going somewhere? Where in the hell did these people come from, if the entire city has been turned to mush? But okay, I turn my head and say whatever, it's just a movie and I enjoyed what I could. The film definitely has the Snyder look, which is actually a thing I swear, watch his movies and try to disagree with me. But at least Snyder didn't go for the slow motion in every action scene, which was something I was very proud of him for restraining himself with.

The plot in the film is very thin, if not transparent. It's a retelling of Superman's birth, eventual arrival to planet Earth, and are you ready for the twist? Zod wants Krypton back after its destruction, and he needs Superman back to do it. Zod comes to Earth, he wants Superman, Superman wants to save the Earth, and so on and so forth. Such is the story in Man of Steel, just barely enough to make a full film with. But somehow Snyder extends this film to nearly two and a half hours, which I can hardly understand as it didn't feel that long but I can't help to think that with all of that time so much more could have been said and done. I found myself looking around and thinking periodically through the movie, wondering what others were thinking because I had no clue what I was watching. It just seemed like there were a lot of unnecessary bits and that may be because I'm initiated in the DC Universe and I may not need all of the explanations, but do you really think there are too many people out there that aren't aware that Clark Kent is an alien and he has few weaknesses, one of which is a green rock called Kryptonite? No. I did really like the 15-20 minutes where Zod first invades Earth and its technology, and alerts the citizens of every country that they are harboring someone they may not know isn't human. It was quite a nerve-rattling scene or two for a Superman movie, and it really showed the tone this was trying to take, but it never quite got better after the first 30 minutes.

But here's where the movie actually excels, and much to my amazement I really, really liked. That being the actual character of Clark Kent and Superman. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a mega Bat-fan, and truly despise anything Superman or Superman related. So for me to sit here and say that I actually partially enjoyed Man of Steel, is a very big step for me. Despite the Snyderisms, to beyond the lack of depth in the script, and ignoring the CGI-ridden film I was watching, I found a completely genuine and perfect portrayal of a hero I've come to hate over the years. Henry Cavill does such an outstanding job at playing Kal-El, and I hope to all that is holy if a Justice League movie is made, he's the guy for Supes. His Clark Kent is so on, when they show him hopping from one civilian job to another it just really reminded me of the darker Kent that I've seen in some of the comics, particularly Earth One. But then, his Superman side comes on the screen, and I was just blown away. There was even a nod in one of the frames, if I'm not mistaken, to Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman which isn't a comic I enjoy but the frame mention is featured as the cover on some editions of the book.

So all complaints aside, this wasn't that bad of a film. Would I watch it again when it comes out on video? Sure. Would I buy it in Blu-ray to watch again at home? Probably. Where this film lacks is in all of the small departments, mainly the stuff that doesn't matter to anyone else but me and some other nerds out there. But what this movie did do for Superman, is finally make him cool. I seriously felt like I could really like and enjoy watching Superman in this film, and most of it is probably credited to Henry Cavill's calm but stern tone in the character. You took him seriously, but knew he was friendly. He even got his jabs in here or there, meaning  he had some funny jokes, because obviously he beats up the bad guys with jabs too. So you take away the absolute mess of a city by the end of the film that had me scratching my head. Remove some of the CGI from the fights and slow it down so you can actually use your actors in the action scenes too. I don't have a problem with it, even though one of my most hated film directors today is responsible for its creation. Cavill is heroic, to be perfectly honest with you, and Michael Shannon as Zod isn't all you'd want it to be from such a fantastic actor of the dark arts, but it's acceptable. Russell Crowe as a badass Jor-El, and Amy Adams of course as Superman's #1 fan were passable too. Basically, this movie didn't impress me, nor did it disappoint. If you like Superman, go see it. If you don't like Superman, go see it. Chances are, it'll at least fill your summer movie hole for a week, and we can hopefully look forward to a better and possibly little more complex Man of Steel 2.

ACTING : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 4 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 6 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Bloodshot, Volume One: Setting the World on Fire

PLOT: Your name is Angelo Mortalli. Your brother is trapped behind enemy lines and on the verge of - no. That's not right. Your name is Raymond Garrison. You've retired from the dangers of the field, but a desperate plea from your oldest friend plunges you into a vicious firefight that - no. That's not right, either. You are Bloodshot. You are the shade of gray that freedom requires. The perfect confluence of military necessity and cutting-edge technology. A walking WikiLeaks. A reservoir of dirty secrets that could set the world on fire. And you've just been captured!

REVIEW: Never before had I heard of the character Bloodshot, but you can imagine by the cover above I had to pick it up and at least see what it was about. I have to say I was quite surprised with how awesome this was. I reviewed the first volume of Harbinger a couple weeks back (also new from Valiant), and said how that was surprisingly good as well. Where that one has the goods, this one has all the same elements but maybe a notch up higher on the scale. Bloodshot is a straight up bad ass, and when he finds out that all he's been fighting for what was merely a dream, he lets loose on anyone who stands in his path to redemption. I particularly loved the cells where Bloodshot had been shot or injured, and he was regenerating and bringing himself back to live. Just truly cool, hard adult violence in the comic and I always love to see that. I cannot wait to see what a second volume has in store, and the covers for the issues in here were amazing. I would definitely recommend Bloodshot to any fans of action, science fiction, both, or blood, because this comic has it all.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )