"Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice"

I was one of those who sang heavenly praises for "Man of Steel."  Grandeur and epic, it's also deep and personal. The vast scope, intense and extensive battles, modernized suit, extravagant visual effects and thunderous score were amazing, but it's the powerfully realistic story that makes this Superman (Henry Cavill, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E") relatable and thus an enduring superhero. The closing scene was perfect and showed great promise of what's to come.

That promising ending didn't exactly materialize the right way, however.  Here's why.  Unlike other solo superhero movies, the Zack Snyder-directed "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" is not really a sequel to the Superman story.  It's more like a Batman (Ben Affleck, "Gone Girl," "Argo") redux and certainly a prelude to Justice League.

Not that there's anything wrong with having such movie.  DC's archrival, Marvel, is doing it this year with the third installment of Captain America, "Civil War," stuffing it with members of the Avengers and looking like a continuation of last year's "Avengers: Age of Ultron."  But the difference is each Marvel superhero has firmly established its origin story, character, growth and journey before getting thrown into a superhero ensemble.  In the case of Captain America, the second installment, "Captain America: The Winter's Soldier" is one of the best superhero movies of all time.

In other words, "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" should be made, but it's too soon at this juncture and at the expense of the real "Man of Steel 2."  I would have loved to see Superman fleshed out as a character, continuing to find his own footing first, adjusting and learning to the awkward life of Clark Kent the journalist, growing into his romance with Lois Lane (Amy Adams, "American Hustle," "Leap Year"), facing his own enemy, and so on.  Instead, we've got a time jump.  Clark Kent has been at the Daily Planet for a while, and he and Lois have a domestic comfort level of as a couple.  Moments of conflict speed through in flashing fragments.  We're more or less told or things are implied rather than shown.

And unlike sunnier Marvel movies, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is dark and dour through and through.  When done right, gritty is great.  Nobody could forget "The Dark Knight."  But an entire grimness is combined with the lack of proper storytelling and development, the film just feels rushed and somber.

That said, there's still plenty to enjoy.  There's something thrilling about witnessing the superhero trinity - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman - standing side by side, and knowing the Justice will come into fruition.  It's only a matter of time; a few major characters from the future ensemble appear in a flash here.

"Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" begins with the massive collateral damage resulting from the clash of the Kyrptonians, Superman and General Zod, in "Man of Steel."  It is actually refreshing to take this into account.  Most superhero movies have their heroes go to war and leave destructions in their wake, without a mention of the toll it takes on society.  These actions have consequences, impacting real people.

The terror, desperation and anger are seen through the eyes of Bruce Wayne.  Wayne Tower crumbles and casualties abound in front of him, and there's absolutely nothing he could do about it.  He may be Batman, but at the end of the day, he's just a man and mere mortal.

One of the opening scenes also introduces us to the core of Batman, through the senseless murder of his parents in the alley, thrusting him to the care of the family's trusted butler, Alfred (Jeremy Iron).  When Superman comes into existence, this Batman has been a veteran of the streets, a violent vigilante who brands his criminal captures with iron marks.

Capturing criminals is an endless work; when one goes down, another comes up.   Disillusioned Bruce feels that he has a higher mission, reigning in Superman.  True, Superman saves the world, on the other hand, General Zod and crew would not have brought the war to Earth if not because of him. And with the collapse of the Wayne Tower, he suffers a personal loss as well.  Superman, with his godlike powers, could wipe out the human race and a thus a threat that must be eradicated.

The cynical society catches on too and is divided into smear campaigners and savior worshippers. There are incidents where Superman was framed and thought to deliberately cause deaths.  A political hearing is held for Superman to answer for his actions.  There are those who think that Superman should not be left unchecked and acts unilaterally.

In the background,  a manic Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg, "Now You See Me,"  "The Social Network") is taking advantage of the highly charged temperature.  He masterminds a plan that gains insight into Superman's history and uses Batman's misdirected fear and resolute to hold the greatest gladiator match in history.

To those skeptics who believe there would never be a fair fight between Batman and Superman, you're partially right.  However, it is believable the way the scenes play out here.  This is a determined Batman who devises a meticulous plan and pulls out all the stops to level the field.  And Superman has his hands tight because of Lex's devious scheme; he tries to hold back in the beginning, to his detriment.  It's a brutal fight; one you thought you'd never see.

The turning point, which turns Batman around, comes unexpectedly and quickly.  Some may surmise that it's a gimmick, but it actually make sense.  The resolution ties into Batman's haunting memory of his childhood and humanization of Superman in his mind.

Last but not least, the most famous female superhero, Wonder Woman, makes a striking entrance (enhanced by a dramatic score) after her curious appearance as her alter-ego, Diana Prince.  Gal Gadot ("Fast and Furious" series) looks fantastic as a warrior princess and fights credibly.  She more than holds her own in the trinity's battle against Doomsday, a visual blast.  It would be great to see her story explored in the standalone "Wonder Woman" movie next summer, June 23, 2017.

The movie ends with extended scenes of a twist, although thankfully not without an assurance that Justice League will indeed be happening.  It may not be "Man of Steel 2," but "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" is a story about how legends collide, set aside their differences, and unite to save the world.  In this sense, it's a wish fulfilled.  The "Justice League Part One" will be released on November 17, 2017.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/batmanvsupermandvd

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"Zootopia"

It's not another animation.

"Zootopia" is not a typical animation with common themes like following your dream, believing in yourself, teamwork, family, friendship, loyalty or courage.  There's a little bit of those, but it's so, so much more. 

What floors me the most is how ingenious the way "Zootopia" digs into and illustrates contemporary societal issues. It zestily deals with complex issues, such as racism, sexism, discrimination, segregation, bullying, stereotyping, nature vs. nurture.  It cleverly camouflages them behind cute animation mirrors, making them are surprisingly engaging, educational and entertaining.  Not to mention shrewdly humorous.  In particular, watch the memorable DMV mocking scene; it will literally have you in stitches!

An ambitious little bunny grows up a in farm and becomes the first in her family to pass the rigorous police academy and become a rookie cop, to the worries of her parents, as it is a dangerous profession.  With stars in her eyes, she moves to Zootopia.  In this vibrantly rendered, diverse utopia, preys and predators exist harmoniously. This is the place where anyone can be anything they want to be.

As it turns out, reality is more complicated than that.  Unfairly relegated to be a "meter maid," the ever-optimist bunny has to work multiple times harder to prove herself to the chief and her colleagues (bigger, tougher animals), through smarts and tenacity, that she's just as capable, if not more, than the rest.

Through a series of unfortunate incidents, the bunny reluctantly teams up with a sly fox (the most unlikely buddy-cop relationship) with a traumatic past.  They end up working on an intricate investigation, uncovering the whereabouts of missing mammals. Some turn up to be predators, who turn aggressive and terrorize the city.  City hall politics are involved, fear campaigns and peace rallies; dividing residents of the city.  Blame game and misdirection abound.   The real villain, may not be what you think it is.

In the end, there is no perfect world.  We all make mistakes.  And sometimes, we don't always get along.  But we also can try to do our best to make a difference, and in the process, we can make the world a better place.

Imaginatively fresh and very grown-up, "Zootopia" is quite possibly the most brilliant, best animation of all time!

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-zootopia/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/zootopiadvd
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/zootopiabluray

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"10 Cloverfield Lane"

"Monsters come in many forms."

More of a spinoff, "10 Cloverfield Lane," a feature film debut by director Dan Trachtenberg, is not a sequel of the 2008 monster movie that went viral, "Cloverfield." Fans may be able to find some semblance of connections, but for the majority of us, it is a standalone movie - and there's nothing wrong with it.  In reality, it is a far superior creation.  And thank goodness, no shaky cam.  Like the J.J. Abrams' spellbindingly  "Super 8," the movie brings home a tense tone and ambiance, but making it a hostile, grown-up version in an isolated setting.

Both "Cloverfield" and "Super 8" have monsters; here, it will keep you guessing whether there is a monster, but as the tagline says, monsters come in many forms.  They may or may not necessarily be aliens.

The screen opens mundanely.  A young woman, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), leaving a diamond ring on  the table, flees with her car.  She presumably breaks things off with her boyfriend.  The faceless boyfriend appears in a form of a telephone call (voiced by Bradley Cooper, "American Sniper") while she's driving.  All of a sudden, Michelle is in a freak car crash.

Michelle wakes up and finds herself chained to a bed in a sparse room, locked with a metal door.  A little banged up, but nothing major.  The next few minutes kicks everything into hyper gear and never lets up.  Michelle struggles to wiggle and release herself, facing her captor, a burly, surly guy named Howard (John Goodman).  From that very moment, you'll know right away she's not some damsel-in-distress.  Michelle is supremely resourceful and mentally strong.  And throughout the course of the movie, she proves herself to be a heroine.

This looks like a straightforward kidnapping flick.  Far from it.  Howard rambles on, letting Michelle know that he saves her from the crash and takes her to his underground lair because the world as she knows it, has been wiped out.  There has been a mysterious attack; whether it's chemical or alien, it's not clear.  What seems to be clear is that the air outside is contaminated to the point of toxic to living beings.  He built and fortified the shelter in preparation for doomsday.  It is stocked like a real home, with the comforts of TV, music and games.  The dark humor of domesticity helps lighten the claustrophobic mood.  

Michelle, understandably, doesn't buy what Howard is selling.  Things shift a bit when she encounters Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr.), a good-natured chap, who tells her that he's actually there willingly.  As a matter of fact, he injures his arm trying to get himself into the bunker to escape from what's out there.  They also see flickers of light and hear vociferous noises coming from outside.  Even more convincingly, Michelle ends up seeing a diseased woman banging on the door, pleading to let her in, which seems proves Howard's story.  Furthermore, she also gets to know him better, finding out that he had a daughter.

Michelle lets her guard down a bit, but an incident puts her back in a full alert and survival mode.  After all, it's not that she's never seen Howard's bursts of temper.  And there's always an underlining uncertainty of whether or not Howard is telling the truth, and even if he is, to what extent.  He can be bizarrely affable, but mostly stern and creepy.

To reveal more would be a great disservice.  This is one of those rare breeds that you should go in knowing nothing.  Trust that you will undergo a psychological terror of a roller-coaster, keeping you squirming at the edge of your seat.  Taut script, crisp editing, alarming score, intense performances work so well together, immersing you in a paranoia-soaked experience from beginning to end.  The ending is an overblown bonkers, but it doesn't take away the shine from this suspenseful gem.

Take a mind trip down the "10 Cloverfield Lane."  Original, phenomenal and filled with maximum shocks.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-10-cloverfield-lane/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/10cloverfieldlanedvd

DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/10cloverfieldlanebluray

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2016 Summer Blockbusters

[Originally posted on 5/07/16]

2016 Summer Blockbusters Mashup: (in 4 minutes)

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Upcoming Movies: June 2016

[Originally posted on 5/20/16]

June 3
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" (http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com/) - The Turtles return to save the city from a dangerous threat.

"Me Before You" (http://mebeforeyoumovie.com/) - A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.

June 10
"Now You See Me 2" (http://www.nowyouseeme.movie/) - The Four Horsemen resurface and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.

"Warcraft" (http://www.warcraftmovie.com/) - The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people, and their home.

June 17
"Finding Dory" (http://movies.disney.com/finding-dory) - The friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish reunites with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.

"Central Intelligence" (http://www.centralintelligencemovie.com/) - After he reunites with an old pal through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.

June 24
"Independence Day: Resurgence" (http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/independence-day-resurgence) - Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?

"The Shallows" - A mere 200 yards from shore, a female surfer is attacked by a great white shark. Her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.

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