I pretty much knew what this would be going in. Still, though it shared many of the traits of films I liked less (cynical brand exploitation of Evil Dead, the inept, often senseless plotting of Prometheus, etc.), I came away from World War Z more pitying of the amateurish screenwriting than annoyed. Not sure why. Nonetheless, here’s my review of yet another summer blockbuster mistaking frenetic movement for compelling action.
(Written for Paste .)
My expectations were lukewarm. My experience was wasabi hot!
(No, the food metaphor really has no connection to the movie.) Still, here’s my review of This Is the End, written for Paste
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a loud, depressing mangling of the core mythos of an iconic superhero! (And it’s all done using a hack-flavored script!) My review of the Meh. of Steel. Up until this movie, I was a dependable apologist for Zack Snyder. This film reveals just how glaring his flaws as a story-teller can be—or at least how lost he can get when not having a storyboard already laid down for him by a comic (as with 300 and Watchmen).
(Written for Paste .)
Abrams’ Star Trek films remain fascinating for how their many flaws patiently wait until after the film ends to distract and bother. During the film? Fun. First step out of the row of seats toward the lobby? “Wait a minute…”
Uncanny. Here’s my review of other aspects of the film, written for Paste.
Downey Jr. is an unprecedented occurrence in the admittedly still somewhat young comic book film genre—a movie-carrying force of nature whose signature patter and charisma has redefined a core Marvel character and carried the movies to the land of box office billions. Pretty fun movie, too.
(Review written for Paste .)
Tom Cruise is a pretty compelling sci-fi hero, all things considered. (And granted, for some, there are lots of other things to consider.) As my review of Oblivion points out, I would have enjoyed more time with him and his partner alone before the sci-fi action movie broke out. (Review written for Paste.)
A financial can’t-miss exploitation of a horror-humor classic by the people responsible for the original. It’s hard to begrudge the effort, and tempting to salute the savvy of the calculation that went into cashing in on the brand even as it abandoned the unique flavor of the original. My review of Evil Dead for Paste.
In his review for Deadspin, Will Leitch makes some good points on how Franco’s a bad fit for the role of a silver-tongued con artist, but ultimately, despite the title, I don’t think this prequel really needed more from Franco than he gives. My review of the film for Paste.
The domino trees at the conclusion of this film will join the irradiated tree poodle of Ang Lee’s Hulk on my list of least favorite, least necessary and most stupid moments in fantasy film efforts of the last decade or so. Still, as my review of the film for Paste shows, it was mostly worth it.
Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing
(Written for Paste.)