Marvel Media Mania: Fantastic Four (1994)

The unreleased Fantastic Four movie from 1994 is literally a joke. The joke was on the cast and crew who thought they were making a serious movie when, in fact, the studio never intended to release it.

The 1994 Unreleased Fantastic Four Movie

As you might have heard, this movie is anything but fantastic. In fact, dreadful is a more fitting descriptor.

First and foremost, the entire story is horribly boring. The pacing is incredibly slow and there isn't a single genuine character moment in the entire film. The actors seem to want to act but you can actually see them acting which is never good. Not only is the plot a cure for insomnia but it is also needlessly complex. In an attempt to cram in as much stuff from the comics as possible, the story meanders from the character's college years to the rocket launch and finally over half way through the film we finally see the formation of the Fantastic Four. The inclusion of two villains, Dr. Doom and the The Jeweler (a Mole Man rip-off), demands that we spend a lot of time away from our protagonists. While at first this seems like a good thing because the protagonists are all very boring and you don't care about them you quickly learn that the villains are basically generic comic-book villain cardboard stand-ups that are even more boring than the heroes. Somehow, Alicia Masters is shoehorned into the plot as well but I doubt you'll really care or even notice.

Honestly, when I watched this my five year old son watched it as well and he was completely lost. He couldn't tell the difference between Johnny, Reed, Ben, and Victor as well as Sue and Alicia. When the can't tell the difference between Dr. Doom and the Human Torch you know there's a big problem with characterization.

Now, there are a couple of positives to pluck out of this train wreck. First, although the costumes are far worse than those that I've seen at comic book conventions, the looks are directly inspired by the original comic book designs. I've got to give the creators credit for the attempt at least. Close-ups of Dr. Doom's face actually look pretty good when he is totally obscured by shadows. Secondly, the story does attempt to be very true to the comic books. The origin of Dr. Doom, the rocket ship, even the awkward age difference between Sue and Reed all comes directly from the comics. The execution, once again, is clumsy and awkward. But they made the attempt and that counts for something... right?

I can't overstate how awfully, horribly, absolutely bad this film is though. It's like watching a very, very slow and boring car accident that isn't interesting at all. And it's boring. Very, very boring.

1LR REVIEW - 1 out of 20! A Critical Fumble!

31 Days of Zombie Infestation: Day 14 - Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead... zombies? Or not?

Zombie comedy. What an odd concept. Yet Shaun of the Dead made it work brilliantly.

Frankly, if you've never seen this film you have got to. No, it's certainly not the best zombie film every made. Nor is it the best comedy ever made. It can barely make up its mind on what it wants to be. In the end, it ends up being a bit of everything. It's a action horror comedy spoof parody wrapped around sharp social commentary.

Shaun of the Dead points out that we all live our lives like zombies. We shuffle through our days with bleary eyes, killing time at meaningless jobs, turning off our brains to stare at the television, and grunting greetings at one another. Maybe that's why so many can identify with zombies. Because in many ways, the zombie infestation has already hit. And we're all already infected.

Marvel Media Mania: X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class is the fifth X-Men movie and was theatrically released in 2011.

X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class is the best X-Men movie made to date. Still, it has a few self-inflicted wounds.

The first is continuity. The director publicly stated that it was a prequel. At times it takes great pains to fit into the continuity of the original X-Men and Wolverine films. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine for a brief but hilarious scene. Rebecca Romijn appears briefly as Mystique. We see Magneto acquire the helmet he wears in the original movies. But at other times it acts more like a reboot and flies in the face of previously established continuity. Xavier is paralyzed in 1962 when we see him walking in other films in 1979. Hank creates Cerebro when it has been previously demonstrated that Magneto and Professor X had. These moments are real head scratchers for the most ardent of fans. The shame of it is that they were ultimately avoidable.

The second self-inflected wound is character overload. The cast of mutant characters is quite large and two of the villains get turned into cardboard cutouts - Azazel and Riptide. In fact, I don't even think Riptide's name is said the entire movie. Darwin dies before we ever really get to know him as a person. We first see Havoc in prison but are never given a backstory on him (nor does he ever mention his brother, Cyclops). It's a shame because all of these characters have great potential and I hate to see them shortchanged on the screen.

But don't get me wrong - I loved First Class. Yes, it's not perfect. But what it did right it did right REALLY WELL.

Take characters, for example. The focal characters of Professor X, Magneto, and Mystque get the royal treatment. We see a young Charles Xavier befriend a young Mystique and they grow up almost like brother and sister. In his early 20's, Xavier uses his powers to woo women as he hangs out in pubs. We see Magneto as a youth suffering the consequences of his power stunt that opens the first X-Men film and is repeated here. The film is stuffed with character threads such as Mystique and Beast wrestling with their feelings about their mutations.

Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw makes a fantastic villain. First, he's just so evil you want to hate him. Second, he's just so cool and confident you almost think he'll succeed in his mad plan to destroy the world. In some regards, he is so similar to Magneto. You get the idea that Magneto would have gladly joined his side... if only Shaw hadn't killed his parents.

Perhaps the aspect of this movie I enjoy more than any other is the historical backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Seeing Shaw work both sides of the conflict into frothing attack dogs is mesmerizing. The climax of the film is so tense because you know that we really did come within a hair's breadth of global nuclear war in real life. Mutants don't just exist in a sanitary little mansion anymore - they are thrust into key events in history. What would be like if mutants were for real? We don't have to guess any longer.

The action in the first is top notch as well. Even familiar powers were given new presentations to make them seem fresh. Azazel is a great example of this. The sequence where he is teleporting into a CIA headquarters, grabbing a CIA agent, teleporting straight up half a mile or so and then dropping them one at a time is gruesome but fascinating. The rhythmic thumps of bodies falling illustrates how completely useless normal humans are against mutants.

Overall, First Class is first rate.

1LR REVIEW - 18 out of 20! It's a Solid Hit!

Marvel Media Mania: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a prequel to the original X-Men trilogy. It is the first of the X-Men Origins movies and was released in 2009.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The film opens in 1845 with a young James Howlett in a quick sequence that sees his powers develop just in time to kill a man who he discovers is his true father. This sequence is taken directly from the Wolverine: Origin comic book miniseries and it gets the film off to a great start.

The title sequence then spans across the next 130 years of history or so as we see Victor and James fight together through the Civil War, World War I, World War II and into Vietnam. Through these scenes we see Victor turning increasingly violent and James's growing unease with this development. The film opens brilliantly thanks to this quick sequence. The viewers are given everything they need to know about Victor and James and easily understand their relationship. Stryker then recruits both Victor and James for his mutant squad. I really loved the opening action here with Agent Zero and Wade Wilson. Ryan Reynolds made for a great Wilson but ultimately, the team has a few too many members and isn't on screen long enough to even learn all of their names. Ultimately, through Stryker's overly zealous search for adamantium, James leaves the team.

The film then fast forwards six years and James is living with the beautiful Kayla and working as an "axe-man" (which is really funny if you think about it). Kayla turns out to be Silver Fox, a mutant with the power to influence people's thoughts. Victor shows up and seems to kill her, prompting Wolverine to seek out Stryker and get the adamantium bonded to his skeleton. The creative team really goes through great paints to make this sequence as faithful to the glimpses we got in the first three X-Men films. In a later post I'll go through the continuity gaffs but it is clear that the creators intended to keep this film in sync with the prior X-Men films. As a fan, I really appreciated these efforts.

But then comes the boxing scene. To me, the boxing scene is the line of demarcation in this film - everything before it is really great but it somehow goes very wrong in that scene and it never gets right again. Gambit is completely wasted. He dances some cards around but then why is he pursuing a fight with Wolverine, even inadvertently saving Sabretooth? Once they get to Three Mile Island (TMI) Gambit is effectively written out of the film.

Deadpool is, likewise, mangled and wasted. He is genetically altered to have teleportation, eye lasers, healing ability, and three foot swords that can retract into his arms. But if those swords actually retracted he wouldn't be able to bend his arms!

This film does host a ton of cameo appearances by familiar characters. Most familiar are Scott Summers and Professor X. It seems that Wolverine saves a young Cyclops without Cyclops being aware of it and the Professor recruits him at this point. Other noteworthy cameos include Emma (Frost?), Quicksilver, Toad, Jason (Stryker's son), and Banshee (among many others). It's always nice to see a director work in these cameos even if the characters don't have large roles.

Like the other X-Men: Origins film, First Class, the climax of this film takes place in an identifiable historic event - the near-meltdown at TMI on March 28, 1979. This timeline is confirmed by the events and dates given in the film (Wolverine in Vietnam, which ended in 1973 and shortly after the film fast forwards six years.) This is particularly significant for me personally as I lived in that area at the time of the near-disaster. I think it's very cool how the film works mutants into already established historic events.

The effects were, for the most part, very well done. I particularly liked when Cyclops blasts the school nearly in half leaving red hot canyons in the ceiling and floor. Wolverine's claws seem to have been given more dimension and at times looked really bad. There was also some pretty bad green screen work as well.

Although this film is uneven and really drops the ball at times, there's enough good here to make the viewing experience enjoyable.

1LR REVIEW - 12 out of 20! It's a Glancing Hit!

Marvel Media Mania: X-Men: The Last Stand

X-Men: The Last Stand is the third and final X-Men film in the original trilogy, released in 2006. Instead of being directed by Bryan Singer like the first two films, it was directed by Brett Ratner.

X-Men: The Last Stand

At the time of this film's release, it was much maligned by fans. I think this is due, in large part, to a sense of betrayal when Singer jumped ship for Superman. Ratner was a hasty choice and the story does seem to suffer slightly with a substitute director being tossed onto the project at the last moment.

Perhaps the biggest criticism of this film that is justified is that it adds to many new mutants to the mix without fully developing any of them. The Beast, Archangel, Juggernaut, Multiple Man, Callisto, Psylocke, Arclight, Kid Omega, and Leech (among many others) are all new characters introduced in this film. Additionally, other characters that previously had minor roles such as Kitty Pryde and Colossus rise to prominence. Meanwhile, the mutant Nightcrawler (from the second movie) is summarily dumped without a mention.

This gives the film an overly-full feeling that gives you small glimpses into many characters but not allowing the audience to invest emotionally into any one of them. Honestly, I didn't even know Psylocke was in this film until I read the credits (she's never mentioned by name to my knowledge and doesn't demonstrate her signature psy-blades). Some of the new mutants such as Kid Omega just seemed silly - he can extend quills from his face which just seems like a worthless power when fighting, say, Wolverine or Storm. Multiple Man misses the climax of the film altogether. Archangel is the character that best exemplifies this aspect of the film. The audience is given an emotional introduction to a teenage Warren as a kid shaving off his own wings but then he pretty much disappears from the film. He saves his father from falling and quickly exits stage left.

But I find that there's a lot to love about this film.

First and foremost is the gutsiness of it. No holds were barred in this movie and the status quo certainly wasn't returned! At the beginning of the first film there are only three X-Men - Jean, Cyclops, and Storm (with the Professor as well) and the only two villains to carry through all three films are Mystique and Magneto. By the end of this film, Jean and Cyclops are dead (for good), the Professor is dead (but apparently comes back), Rogue is powerless, Magneto is all-but powerless, Mystique is powerless. In a successful franchise such as the X-Men, this type of bold change is all but unheard of. To unspoiled audience, these shocks are genuinely shocking, something that is all too rare in the movies these days.

This film also has a strong number of truly memorable scenes. When Storm and Wolverine go to investigate at Alkali Lake, the heavy fog and randomly floating rocks set a tense tone. Magneto's "rescue" of Mystique is brutal and shows how the character has evolved (in the first movie he spares cops while here he kills them without a thought). When Mystique is depowered, revealing the beautiful Rebecca Romijn, he turns his back and says it is a shame because, "She was so beautiful." Ouch! When Wolverine kills Jean it is a truly emotional moment.

Then there's the Danger Room sequence. This scene just screams to fanboys, "We're here to make you happy!" In one short scene we are give the Sentinels, the Danger Room, and the Fastball Special - all of which hadn't made themselves onto film before. There are a number of other geek-moments in the film such as when Iceman fully realizes his powers in full-on Iceman mode.

As far as acting, I'd say that Kelsey Grammer as the Beast, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Famke Janssen as the Phoenix, and Ian McKellen as Magneto all turn in great performances. Grammer was a natural choice for the Beast - his voice is perfect. Jackman shows emotional range in a number of touching moments including his final talk with Rogue. Janssen, however, rises head and heals above her compatriots and puts in her best performance in the series and solidifies her status as a Sci-Fi babe. While certainly CGI enhanced, when she slides back and forth between the Phoenix and Jean personalities, you can see the struggle for control on her face. And Ian McKellen puts in another brilliantly subtle and nuanced performance, illustrated best when he laments the murder of the Professor that he had allowed to happen.

At the end of the day, X-Men: The Last Stand is a film of great ambition. It would have been a stronger film had it pared down the cast of characters a bit but I applaud the fact that is strove to end the trilogy with a bang.

1LR REVIEW - 15 out of 20! It's a Hit!

Marvel Media Mania: X2

X2: X-Men United is the 2003 sequel to the first X-Men film.

X2

X2's opening sequence seats it in firmly on philosophical roots just like it's predecessor. Xavier muses about humanities inability to share the planet as a strange celestial being emerges from the stars (what was this? The character Eternity?). Then, a quote from Lincoln's inaugural address about unity is given, symbolizing both the divide between Xavier and Magneto and also the gap between mutants and humans. Such philosophical understructure is part of what makes these films so great.

The continuity between the first X-Men film and X2 is extremely tight. In the first movie, Xavier tells Wolverine of a base where he might finds some answers to his mysterious past so in X2, Wolverine is at the base, searching for elusive answers. There are some great moments in X2 that wouldn't make much sense if you hadn't seen the first film. At one point, Magneto makes a crack about Rogue's hair which upsets Rogue (Rogue got her white streak when Magneto almost killed her in the first film). At another point, Mystique morphs into Jean Grey and teases Wolverine. Wolverine realizes it is her when he discovers the scars he gave her in the first film.

This tight continuity lends much credibility to the second film and allows it the leisure of taking its time with its characters. So, even though the cast swells to include secondary characters such as Colossus, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, William Stryker, Jason, Nightcrawler, and Lady Deathstrike, it doesn't feel over-full. Instead, there are a fair number of character moments in this action sequence. Storm and Nightcrawler discuss faith. Wolverine finally has that kiss with Jean. Iceman's family reacts in disgust when he reveals he's a mutant. Cyclops and Wolverine sob openly when Jean dies. Putting character before action means that when the action does go down you care about the heroes involved.

Speaking of action, there are some fabulous action sequences in this movie. The opening sequence with Nightcrawler infiltrating the White House (as seen from the point of view of the guards) is frantic and punches home why humans would be afraid of mutants. Wolverine's best moment in any film is when he's defending the X-Mansion from Stryker's forces. His berserker fury is epic in its bloody, primal and violent glory.

The one black mark this film has its the death of Jean Grey/ the Phoenix. The sequence is cumbersome and leaves the audience with a lot of questions. Even the characters ask themselves, "Why didn't she get on the plane," but the answer given ("She made a choice,") is a weak one and gives no real explanation. Here we have a mutant powerful enough to energize/repair a plane but she couldn't be on the plane when it took off? It just doesn't make much sense. Still, fans loved that the Phoenix saga was being realized in film (even if the origins of the change were murky at best... there's a reference to the first X-Men film's Liberty Island sequence but an explanation of how or why this changed Jean and no other mutant present is never given).

By all standards, X2 is a fantastic film, outdoing the original.

1LR REVIEW - 18 out of 20! It's a Solid Hit!

Heavy Metal - Movie Reaction

I had absolutely NO idea what I was getting myself into with the Heavy Metal movie. The only things I knew going in were that it was a comic book related project and that it featured the music of a whole sack full of amazing musical talents.

Let's just say I was VERY surprised by what the movie actually is. I was expecting something akin to Across the Universe - a story that relies very heavily upon the music in it. And, sure, the film has a fantastic soundtrack. But the music is ancillary to the action, used more as a score than narration.

I didn't even know this was an animated film, let alone an animated film with the structure it has. The film is a series of very loosely related short stories, each one produced in by a different artistic team. So each short story has a completely different visual texture to it.

Having never read the actual Heavy Metal magazine, I was shocked by the maturity of the content as well. Let's just say that even though this is an animated film it's a far cry from a kiddie picture!

The first real story, featuring Harry Cannon, was perhaps my favorite. It nailed that noir feeling but in a futuristic setting.

I also really enjoyed the B-17 story and the Den story but some of the rest of them I thought kind of went nowhere.

The stories are all tied together by the Loc-Nar terrorizing a girl and telling her that she has a special power as it shows her stories of its power. The Loc-Nar is the one constant in all of the stories, although in some of them it is almost inconsequential (such as the Captain Sternn story) and in others it plays a central roll (such as the Harry Cannon story).

Overall, the film was a very pleasant surprise. I look forward to Heavy Metal 2000 but I'm likewise completely ignorant of that film so don't ruin it for me!

2012 Summer Comic Book Movie Review

So, the books have closed on this summer's comic book movies. We had Men in Black 3, The Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, and The Dark Knight. So how do they rank? Well, #1 is, of course, a no brainer. I think EVERYONE will agree that not only was The Avengers the highest grossing of the four but it is clearly the superior film as well. So...

Summer, '12 - the Superheroes rule yet again

1) The Avengers - Duh. Nuff' Said. 1LR REVIEW - 17 out of 20! It's a Solid Hit!

2) The Dark Knight - It's a fairly large step down from the Avengers but still a great film. What a great ending to the trilogy... it really left the fans wanting more (which is awesome and sucks at the same time). Did Bruce Wayne die? 1LR says... no. Clearly, the sequence where Alfred sees him is not a dream. 1LR REVIEW - 15 out of 20! It's a Hit!

3) Men in Black 3 - The best of the trilogy, 1LR loved Griffin, the man who can see all potential futures and the fact that this movie actually had a heart and character development. Plus, we're suckers for time travel. But it lost some points because we hate time travel with logic errors. 1LR REVIEW - 14 out of 20! It's a Hit!

4) The Amazing Spider-Man - Coming in at last place, The Amazing Spider-Man. Not that this is a bad film! It just never escapes the gravity of the previous trilogy. We loved seeing a more "realistic" take on Spider-Man and hope the sequel will more fully explore the mystery of Spidey's parents. 1LR REVIEW - 13 out of 20! It's a Glancing Hit!

So, as you can see, there really are no losers on this list. What a great summer to be a comic book fan at the box office!

Marvel Media Mania: X-Men (2000)

X-Men is the first theatrical X-Men movie, released in 2000 by 20th Century FOX.

The first X-Men film

This film sets the tone right away with a few short introductory sequences: One in a 1944 concentration camp with Magneto as a child and one with Rogue sending a boy into a coma for 3 weeks just by kissing him. This isn't a lighthearted superhero film where the good guys and bad guys slug it out without consequences. Bryan Singer uses the X-Men to examine society's flaws. Themes such as tolerance and bigotry are openly debated by the character in the film, giving the picture philosophical roots. So when the X-Men fight the Brotherhood of Mutants it's not just good guy vs bad guy but, much like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, a struggle between two competing philosophies.

The film does a great job of easing the viewer into the concept of mutants and a mutant team. Slowly we're introduced, one at at time, to Magneto, Rogue, Jean Grey, Professor X, and Wolverine. The X-Men team is extremely limited. Really, it only has three members - Storm, Cyclops, and Jean Grey. Wolverine goes on one mission with the team and Rogue is really a student. But the film gives you a very real sense of the X-Mansion as a school. We see dozens of students with lots of cameos for fanboys such as Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, and Iceman.

Likewise, the "villainous" team consists of only four members. Two of them are fantastically portrayed - Magneto and Mystique. Magneto is a complex villain. Sure, he breaks the law and endangers others but he's hard to think of as a "bad guy." His goals are noble - he wants to protect his kind from the threatening human population. Even the means by which he wants to reach those goals aren't "bad," per se. He easily could have killed police officers he instead just scares them. Mystique's powers are used to the max in the film.  Rebecca Romijn Stamos in head to toe blue paint nimbly kicking and twisting her way through combat is quite stunning. But the real cherry on top is that she messes with the minds of her foes, licking her lips when fighting Wolverine and sending Rogue into an adolescent tizzy. Toad and Sabretooth, on the other hand, were treated as disposable muscle. It's too bad, to, because certainly those characters have much greater potential.

The film, although clearly in its own continuity, relies heavily on the comics. The dynamic between Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey is straight from the comics and leads to some memorable moments in the film. The tension between Jean Grey and Wolverine is so real you can cut it with a knife. It was nice to see the Rogue character's journey including giving her the white streak in her hair.

Is X-Men perfect? No. But it aspires to be more than a good guy vs bad guy superhero movie. It's philosophical roots turn the film into a mirror in which humanity can examine itself. Oh yeah, and there are some awesome fight sequences.

1LR REVIEW - 17 out of 20! It's a Solid Hit!

Dark Knight Rises - Midnight Movie Review - Spoiler Free!

Dark Knight Rises is, of course, the third and final installment of the Chris Nolan / Christian Bale Batman trilogy. It has been hotly anticipated. So, did it live up the hype? Was it as good as the first two? How does it stand on its own as a film? 1LR has the answers!

Dark Knight Rises

So let's answer those questions right away. The Dark Knight Rises is a good film but it doesn't live up the hype, suffering from a few serious flaws. It was not as good as the first two films in the series - I'd put it as the worst of the three movies but still a very good film. Even if you never saw the first two films I still think you'll find this movie to be enjoyable.

Let's start with the positive.

I loved how bold Christopher Nolan was with the choice to jump forward eight years in the future. Batman is retired and Bruce Wayne's broken body is hidden away from the world because he lives like a recluse. 

I thought that the main players (Batman, Bane, Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, and John Blake) all did excellent jobs. The Bruce Wayne's character arc closely mirrors the first film. His body is broken and he believes Gotham doesn't need him anymore. After a massive failure, he is at zero - he has nothing - and he has to relearn how to be Batman again. But the character with the best emotional moments in the film is Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce's butler. Michael Caine really breathes a soul into this character unlike any previous performance as this character. Anne Hathaway's Catwoman is a more practical take on the character than Michelle Pheiffer or Halley Berry's.

I also loved how far this film pushes the envelope of comic book villains. Bane actually manages to top the Joker in one category - overall mayhem caused. As a villain, he was extraordinarily successful in fulfilling his goals. Let's just say that irregardless of who wins - Batman or Bane - Gotham could never be the same ever again. Some of the things Bane does are absolutely brutal... which makes him hard to predict on the screen. You never know what he's going to do next. They also avoid the "big, dumb, muscle-bound idiot" stereotype. Bane is shrewd and he has a clever tie to Bruce Wayne's past that brings the franchise full circle.

There is one big surprise twist in the film that I don't think anybody saw coming and I hope nobody ruins it for you. At the climax of the movie there's a very suspenseful moment that just lingers on and on. Just when you think, "Nah, they couldn't have done that!" they sell you on it, leaving your mouth gaping open. The very ending of the film is very pleasing but not in a completely satisfying way. Honestly. I wanted to say, "But wait! What happens next?" which is a sure sign that the film is a good one.

The continuity between this film and the previous two is absolutely airtight. The film opens to a service honoring Harvey Dent who died in the second film. Characters are often remembering and recalling events that occurred in the previous films. We are treated to a return appearance of a prior villain (I won't spoil who). And ultimately, as all good trilogies do, this film takes Bruce Wayne back to his origins from the first movie.

And, of course, it's always a good thing when a film can be faithful to the source material it comes from - the comics. The Dark Knight Rises is perhaps the most loyal in the regard of the three films in the series. It goes so far as to use specific panels from comics almost as a storyboard in a few places (I'm thinking of one classic picture with Bane in particular).

But this film also has a few flaws, some of them somewhat serious.

The first is the pace of the film. Let's just say that it is overindulgent. The film takes way too long to get off the ground and there are several long stretches when Batman is nowhere to be seen. At one point, a little boy sings the entire Star Spangled Banner. I get why they did it - it's suppose to be a tense moment - but the payoff was spoiled by the trailers anyway. This film could have really benefited by trimming it down to two hours.

Secondly, the film is too dark. I get that it's Batman, it's Gotham and it's suppose to be dark, seedy, dirty, gritty. But I want to be able to tell what's going on. When you have both Batman and Catwoman, both dressed all in black, fighting bad guys (also dressed all in black) in near total darkness it is hard to follow what's going on.

A big problem for me was understand-ability of the dialogue. I really had a hard time hearing what was being said in quite a few places. Bane was the worst with his face-mask thing but Batman was sometimes hard to understand as well as a few minor characters. The ultimate effect of this was that I probably missed some important information that would have helped me tie the loose pieces of the somewhat murky plot together.

The combination of these three factors - the meandering plot, the dullness of the color pallet, and unintelligible dialogue - makes this film seem dull at times.

I have a good half-dozen nit-picks I could go on about as well. Such as - in the beginning of the film we see Bruce Wayne at the doctor and the doctor tells him he has no cartilage left in his knee among a wide variety of other trauma-induced ailments. Bruce gets a brace for his knee that solves the problem but there are times that he's without the brace and apparently his knee doesn't bother him anymore. Also, Batman's faith in Catwoman is without cause. Time and again he gives her the benefit of the doubt and even places himself at risk because of her... but why? Why does he treat her any differently than any other criminal? The thin answers in the film don't adequately address the issue. I could go on, but I won't.

So as I said... Ultimately, this film falls short of the first two films. But we here at 1LR review films based on their own merits, not in comparison to any other work. The Dark Knight Rises is a very enjoyable comic book movie and serves as a fitting end to this Batman trilogy.

1LR REVIEW - 15 out of 20! It's a Hit!

1LR Midnight Movie- Dark Knight Rises - Fanboy Reactions

Ultra Batman Fans!

We all know who comes to midnight shows: The Ultra Fans. And let's just say the Ultra Fans were pumped.

When I first arrived at the theater twenty five minutes early I noticed that the parking lot was PACKED. I had to park at the nearby grocery store! I had already purchased tickets and when I got into the theater I realized I was going to have to sit in the front row! There were a TON of people dressed up for the event. A bunch of them wore Batman T-shirts and the like but a few brave fans dressed up in character. I noticed some of those cheap plastic Batman masks they sell at Target and the like. Planet X comics showed up to hand out free comics and discount coupons which was cool (but they only gave them to the fans in the DBOX seats... Booo! Where were they for Amazing Spider-Man?).

During the movie, the fans were mostly silent. There really aren't very many reaction shots in the film. Twice the audience laughed at truly funny moments in the film. The surprise twist got a reaction from the crowd and the ending of the film really got the fans pumped. They applauded when the film was over but booed when there was no post-credit scene.

After the show, I eavesdropped on several conversations. The general consensus I heard was that everyone enjoyed it, just not as much as the first film. People thought Bane was a good villain, just not as good as the Joker. People loved the ending and the surprise twist. I heard a bit of nitpickery on plot details but nothing too serious.

Overall, Fanboys were pleased and if you enjoyed the first two films I think you'll enjoy this one as well.

1LR Midnight Movie: Dark Knight Rises: Instant Reaction

I just got home from seeing the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

Honestly? This was a hard movie to watch at midnight. I've seen plenty of midnight movies but this one was a challenge to stay awake during. First, everything is black on black with shadows thrown it to make it more dark. I understand that they're going for mood but visually there were times I was having a hard time deciding what I was watching or where my eyes should focus. Secondly, I had heard early reports of hard to understand dialogue and I agree with them to a certain extent. I found myself wondering more than a few times, "What did he just say?" Bain is the worst by Batman isn't much better. Finally, the plot is a slow march that has a number of points where it simply seems to grind to a halt. Even the soundtrack is just simply THERE in the background, rhythmically beating away. The sum total of all of this was that it was a challenge to actually stay awake and focused during this film.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying it's a bad film. It isn't (I'll save my few review for another post here in a little bit). There are some good twists in the film, I loved how faithful it was not only to the continuity of the first two films but also to the comics (even using specific images from comics), and the character arc Bruce Wayne goes on it a great one.

But my instant reaction is this: It falls short of the first two films. Still good, but if falls short.

1LR Midnight Movie: Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises at Midnight

Fanboys rule!

One Lost Road is at it again! This Friday morning at 12:10 AM we'll be attending the Dark Knight Rises at Frank Theatres in York, PA's Queensgate 13. We'll, of course, be there looking for superfans who are dressed for the occasion! I'm sure it'll be a rowdy crowd and we're looking forward to seeing you there!

Of course, you can look forward to 1LR's instant reaction right after the show is over!

The Comic Book Diaries (Movie Review)

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat: The Comic Book Diaries is a bad movie. Horrible in many ways. Acting, costumes, lighting, composition, script... they're all lacking.

But I'm not going to rip the film. It was made for somewhere around $7,000. That's impressive in and of itself. I've got to say that given that budget and my artistic ability I couldn't make this film. I find it to be impressive whenever ultra-low budget filmmakers create a finished produce with any merit whatsoever.

The general storyline is that comic book store co-owners are struggling to keep their business afloat at great personal cost. Then they have a stroke of "luck" (a once-popular comic book artist dies in their store after a book signing) that turns it around for their store.

And while this film fails in every aspect a film is measured by, I give the filmmakers credit for their artistic aspirations. Scenes are introduced by a still frame sketched out like a black and white comic book. The title sequence was done by flipping through comic book boards with the names of the creators on them. Pretty clever in fitting with the theme of the movie.

Oh, but I must mention that there's not even an actual diary (let along DIARIES) in the film, making the title a misnomer.

1LR REVIEW - 4 out of 20 (but it has the heart of an 12)! It's a Total Failure!

Marvel Media Mania: Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Midnight Review - Spoiler Free!

The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 theatrical release.

The Amazing Spider-Man

With this movie, Sony resets the Spider-Man continuity. This is the origin story all over again. I'm not spoiling anything if I say Peter gets bitten by a spider and gains great power. Uncle Ben is killed and he becomes a superhero.

While the specifics were changed slightly the origin story plays out very similarly to the first film. I was almost disappointed. I really think that they should have more fully developed Peter as a character both before and after the spider bite before killing Uncle Ben. What's the purpose of redoing this very familiar story unless you're going to enlarge it and examine it in greater detail? 

Everything in this film just seems to have a... labored quality to it. Even Spider-Man swinging around isn't easy. Unlike the previous films, New York is choked full of obstacles to swing around in this film such as clotheslines, birds, fire escapes, cranes, telephone wires... you name it. I guess this reflects the more gritty realism of this film. Unfortunately, the story has this same struggling-to-move-forward feeling to it. 

Much of the film relies far too heavily on coincidence. Without giving too much away there are far too many times in the story that something just HAPPENS TO HAPPEN that propels the story forward but doesn't make a whole lot of sense. At one point, Spider-Man receives what appears to be a grievous injury. He can barely stand. But then, all of a sudden, the injury is totally forgotten and never brought up again. And, near the finale of the film, there is a sequence that reeks of Hollywood set-up. Not only is it improbable, it's also completely unnecessary. Peter's relationship with Flash completely changes halfway through the film without explanation. 

One shock to me was the casting for Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Ben is played by Martin Sheen. He  does okay but comes up short in the role. Sally Fields as Aunt May was the real stretch. Gone is the white-haired old widow giving sage advice. Instead we have a more youthful woman who, instead of doting on Peter, doesn't ask ask any questions when he returns home night after night with mysterious cuts and bruises.

The film's big disappointment is with Peter's parents, however. To me, examining Peter's parents is what was suppose to set this film apart from the others. Quite simply, they failed to develop this adequately. We're given hints that there is a mystery surrounding their disappearance/deaths but we're given very little actual evidence. The film really sets itself up for a sequel to more fully explore the mystery.

The Lizard/Dr. Connors is a pretty straightforward villain. Visually, he looks great and the action sequences with him are very well done. He makes a great physical match for Spidey. My complain with him is that he lacked depth. Sure, he poses a threat to the city but the whole, "I created him," seemed to be a bit of a stretch to give the villain emotional weight. 

The effects are really great. We don't get nearly enough Spider-Man swinging action as I would have liked but when we do get some it's amazing. The shots from Spidey's POV are spectacular.

Emma Stone is the real star of the film. As Gwen Stacy she bats her beautiful eyes and makes you wonder why Gwen can't have her own movie. There's one great sequence when she's trying to convince her father not to come into her room. 

Andrew Garfield is a great Peter Parker and Spider-Man. He's got a very natural smile and he nailed the angst-filled teenager role. 

I liked the angle the film takes on Spider-Man and the law. Captain Stacy is determined to capture Spider-Man as a "vigilante." This is a reoccurring theme from the comics that was absent from prior films. 

Notably absent is J. Jonah Jameson although we do briefly see the Daily Bugle news station. Norman Osborne is mentioned several times but does not make an appearance in the film... sequels, anyone? Harry's classmates are likewise trimmed down to just Gwen and Flash. If this movie is about Peter's high school years why not more fully flesh out his school friends?

So in conclusion, although this film certainly has its flaws I think you'll find watching it to be an overall enjoyable experience. 

1LR REVIEW - 13 out of 20! It's a Glancing Hit!

1LR Midnight Movie: Amazing Spider-Man Instant Reaction

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I just got back from the midnight showing of Amazing Spider-Man.

Was it truly "Amazing?" Well... it was good but I wouldn't call it "Amazing."

The comparisons to the prior films are inevitable. It wasn't as good as the first or second Spider-Man films but it was better than the third.

It's hard to define why that it. In some ways the story felt forced along as if it took effort to get from one scene to another. There's a good deal of, "Why did that happen like that?" Answer: "Because that's what needed to happen to move the story forward." The film lacks strong central themes to tie the disparate storylines together.

The film hints at some mysteries concerning Peter's parents but it doesn't give enough information to even really tease you.

There IS a mid-credits scene but I can say the audience felt disappointed by it.

So "Amazing?" No. Worth watching. Definitely.

1LR Midnight Movie: Amazing Spider-Man - D-BOX Seat Experience

D-BOX seats... the next big hit in movies?

My wife and I have just returned from the midnight showing of The Amazing Spider-Man. I was so pumped for this film that I wanted to upgrade my seats to include the new feature, D-BOX. What's D-BOX? It's seats that move with the action of the film. It cost an extra $8 a ticket! So... was it worth it?

I'd say... maybe? It certainly was cool but I don't think I'd shell out the extra cash for just any movie. Also, D-BOX isn't without its down sides as well.

First, the chairs have a little panel that you can adjust the amount of motion you're going to get. I cranked mine to max while my timid wife set hers on almost nothing. "We paid $8 for these seats!" I said. "If we wanted to sit still we'd sit elsewhere!"

Once the movie started, the first big "bump" from the seat was when Flash Thompson hits Peter in the head with a basketball. You could tell quite a few people were new to the D-BOX experience because the moment was followed by "Whoa!" and nervous laughter. That first bump actually made me jump a bit.

During action scenes, the seat goes crazy, bumping and swinging this way and that. The range of motion isn't that great but it does add that tactile dimension to a film that is otherwise absence. The coolest movements came during the shots from Spider-Man's POV when he's swinging. The seat shifted quickly from forward to back to side to side. In this way, it brings you closer to the action on the screen.

But in another way it actually took me out of the movie. I found myself at times NOTICING how the chair was moving. And at that point it became a distraction from what was happening on the screen.

I've had several back injuries and I must admit that toward the end of the film my back did start hurting. My wife, on the other hand, admitting that she cranked her seat up to max once she realized it wasn't going to be, "so bad."

I found myself wondering who programmed the seat movements... was there some input from the creative team on the movie or not? It seemed to me that the soundtrack controlled the movements more than anything else.

D-BOX... interesting experience but I doubt I'll be a regular.

1LR Midnight Movie: Amazing Spider-Man - Fanboy Reactions

Obviously the coolest
group of girls there.

Classic Spidey... nice!

Fans were pumped before the show. I saw quite a few people with Spidey T-shirts on but nobody dressed in full costume. The crowd was large for the midnight show - Larger than what I saw for the Avengers, actually, but smaller than Harry Potter 7 or a Star Wars film. I've included pictures from tonight's show in this post.

So, how did fans react both during and after the Midnight showing of Amazing Spider-Man? During the show, I could tell that the audience was along for the ride. There were collective gasps and "Whoas!" as the movie progressed. The film was much more series and stark than previous incarnations and it lacked funny reaction moments.

After the show, I eavesdropped on several conversations about the movie. Generally, fans were pleased with the film. I heard a number of wives/girlfriends asking their geek husbands to explain a little bit more about the comics behind the characters.

The family that enjoys Spidey together, stays together!

Spider-Sense... tingling!

I dug the black-and-red Spidey effects on this shirt!

Spidey fans showed up in droves.

Proud Spidey fan!

Cool Spidey shirt!

Spider-Man Week in NYC Kicks Off Tomorrow

Spider-Man Week!

From June 25th to July 1st, New York City will be celebrating Spider-Man! There are a bunch of coordinated events to promote the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man film. Some of them are really cool! Previous Spider-Man shows will be screened at places like The Museum of the Moving Image and The Paley Center for Media. The Empire State Building will be lit Blue and Red to honor Spidey. The Bronx Zoo and The New York Botanical Gardens will both feature spiders. Best of all, Spidey will be making appearances at Yankee Stadium all week (Yankees? Everyone knows Spidey is a Mets fans!). You can get alll of the details at http://www.spidermanweeknyc.com/.


Part of Spider-Man Week is "Be Amazing 2012" on Tuesday the 26th of June. In 10 major cities in the US, you can volunteer in literally one of hundreds of different ways. 1LR applauds this civic-minded community outreach. Imagine this - movie promotion that makes a positive difference inside local communities. Now THAT'S "amazing." You can check out all of the volunteer opportunities nearest to you at http://www.beamazing2012.com/.

Marvel Media Mania: Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3, released in 2007, is the final installment of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie series.

This movie routinely gets trashed by critics but I don't think it's all bad. Sure, the third installment was a big disappointment and let a lot of fans down but I think that's a testament to how great the first two films were.

Spider-Man 3 introduced the awesome black suit.

So let's start with the silver linings.

First, there are several absolutely vicious fight scenes in this movie. The first is between Peter (out of costume) and a surprise attack by Harry as the New Goblin. Peter ends the fight by returning one of Harry's own pumpkin bombs at him, then clotheslining Harry with a web and sending him falling several stories to the ground where Harry lands with a bone chilling thud. Another brutal fight is the first Sandman fight. Sandman pounds Spidey throw the metal wall of an armored truck before it crashes. Ouch. The next encounter with Sandman shows Spidey grinding Sandman's face against a subway train and punching him so hard it breaks the sewer pipes they're fighting on. It's Spidey without a restraining conscious and it was something to behold. The final great fight is when Peter goes on the offensive and confronts Harry. It's not enough for Peter to defeat his foe, he then goes on to taunt him. When I saw Harry's scarred face from the pumpkin bomb Peter explodes next to Harry's head, I couldn't believe it actually happened. 

The best moments in the film are of the amnesiac Harry. With his vicious Goblin personality forgotten, he has fun with his friends and it leads to some great moments such as Harry and MJ cooking together and doing the twist.

Flint Marko, the Sandman, was given a great backstory and the character was really given dimension by showing his sick daughter. This wasn't just some power hungry super-villain - he was a dad desperate to help his sick little girl. 

Now, on to the rest. I'll give the flaws of the film but I'll be mercifully brief in describing each one. 

The Eddie Brown/Venom storyline was rushed and the villain was never given his due, leaving the fans to feel cheated. He dies after one fight from a single pumpkin bomb that disintegrates his whole body and the symbiote.

The Sandman suffered from bad CGI and his odd "sandstorm" power (which was without precedent in the comics) left fans scratching their heads. The huge, stupid giant-sized Sandman in the final fight was also ridiculous. While we're on the final fight, let's mention the very boring and unnecessary narration by the TV anchorman.

While the black suit Spider-Man looked great and was fantastic in battle, the black-suited Peter Parker was another matter all together. Sure, the idea was that he was suppose to be making poor choices that the other character didn't like but unfortunately the audience also stopped liking Peter Parker as well. When you permanently scar your best friend's face and (unintentionally) hit your girlfriend you're no longer a good guy in the eyes of the audience. Add to that the ridiculous 70's jive moves and cheezy lines such as "Find us some shade," and you've managed to wash away any good will the character of Peter Parker had built up. 

Finally, going back to the origin and shoehorning the Sandman as Uncle Ben's real killer offended Spidey fans on almost every level and barely seemed to make sense. 

Ultimately, this film just felt like it was trying too hard.

1LR REVIEW - 12 out of 20! It's a Glancing Hit!