• Category Archives Superhero Movies

  • Any and all posts pertaining to superhero movies.

  • Canister X Movie Review #60: My Super Ex-girlfriend (2006)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    My Super Ex-girlfriend (2006)
    Written by Don Payne
    Directed by Ivan Reitman
    Runtime 95 min.
    4 out of 5

    What would you do if you found out the woman you were seeing was actually a superhero? It’s exactly what happens to Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) when he discovers his shy but very controlling girlfriend, Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman), is really G-Girl. Aside from being able to fly, bend steel bars with her bare hands, shoot lasers from her eyes and a host of other classic powers, she’s also every guy’s nightmare girlfriend and soon Matt can’t take it anymore and breaks up with her. While he tries to get on with his life—which is way easier thanks to Hannah (Anna Farris), a pretty blonde in his office with whom he’s got good chemistry—Jenny’s not having so easy a time and makes his life a living hell, barraging him with super trouble and threats that only a super ex-girlfriend can bring. Meanwhile, G-Girl’s arch nemesis, Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard), has his own plans for G-Girl and seeks to strip her of her powers once and for all.

    It’s good times, lots of laughs and loads of nods to the metahuman genre in this superhero romance comedy that you’re sure to love.

     

    I’m not big on romantic comedies. You’ve seen one, you’ve pretty much seen them all. However, there are exceptions and, for me, putting a new twist on them is the way to get this viewer’s attention. If you make that twist superheroes, you’ve definitely caught my eye and My Super Ex-girlfriend does just that. While superhero romance is explored in the comics, it’s never intentionally explored on the big screen. While modern day superhero movies do have romantic elements or a romantic subplot, it’s never in the foreground—until now. By adding a comedic element, you take the risk of ruining the genre by making it too tongue-in-cheek or campy. Not so in this flick. Sure, there are a few silly moments, but on the whole, the genre is still treated with respect and taken seriously in the context of the film.

    Uma Thurman is one of my favorite actresses. She’s extremely versatile and is quite the chameleon. Seeing her both as the sleek and strong G-Girl and then as her Clark Kent-ish opposite Jenny Johnson shows she can play both sides of the same coin. More so, she also—whether intentionally or not, I don’t know—knows how to stand the coin on edge, and that is portray that hero while not in their public civilian identity but also not in their super one as well. It’s the side of a superhero character you don’t often see and, interestingly, it’s this side of the Jenny/G-Girl character that makes up most of the screen time in this flick. As a writer of superheroes myself (see The Axiom-man Saga), it’s this side of the hero that most intrigues me because it’s the side where they’re just being themselves without having to put on a show for the public heroically or in disguise.

    Luke Wilson—he’s Luke Wilson. At least out of all the movies I’ve seen him in, he’s, well, Luke Wilson, the soft-spoken awkward nice guy with a bit of wit. Such a character worked well to play opposite Jenny Johnson’s crazed tendencies. Sort of the whole straight-man side of the comedy duo equation.

    This movie is special in that it stands out amongst superhero comedies because it takes itself seriously while still being funny, and is able to make you suspend all disbelief for its hour-and-a-half runtime.

    If you’re looking for something lighthearted, but something super, My Super Ex-girlfriend should be at the top of your list.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #59: The Meteor Man (1993)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    The Meteor Man (1993)
    Written by Robert Townsend
    Directed by Robert Townsend
    Runtime 100 min.
    3.5 out of 5

    When a school teacher is accidentally struck by a strange, green glowing meteor, he is endowed with superpowers. Just in the nick of time, too, because a street gang called the Golden Lords have terrorized his neighborhood. Now, with the help of super abilities from the green shimmering rock, he’s able to take a stand for his neighborhood and what he believes in.

     

    I saw this movie when I was a kid. I remember seeing it at the local Pick-A-Flick and renting it. What I got was a sincere, heart-warming tale about a down-and-out neighborhood struggling to keep going while crime and violence ravaged its streets. Enter Jefferson Reed (Robert Townsend), a well-meaning and kind man who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Once the meteor gives him superpowers, he takes on the gangs and, at the behest of his own parents, also takes on the identity of Meteor Man and becomes the neighborhood’s champion.

    While not a serious superhero movie—there’s plenty of humor to go around—The Meteor Man is not all-out goofy like Blankman, and instead takes a kind of tongue-in-cheek approach to the genre while also telling a story about strength in numbers, standing up for yourself, and simply saying no to being a passive observer of evil.

    This flick is also—and I really don’t know how to phrase it so excuse me—a “black” movie, with pretty much an all-black cast. I loved that part of it and there were so many recognizable actors: Bill Cosby, James Earle Jones, Don Cheadle, Sinbad and more. It’s strange because I don’t get that sense of community and warmth from watching flicks with all-white casts. Anyway, that’s just an aside.

    The Meteor Man, also written and directed by Robert Townsend and not just starring him as the titular character, was done at a time before superheroes on the screen were all dark and serious, where there had to be non-stop action and all kinds of special effects and fancy costumes. And you know what? It totally worked.

    This movie is a memorable one because of the messages and themes running through it and I advise it to be on the serious superhero collector’s movie shelf.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #58: The Mask of Zorro (1998)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    The Mask of Zorro (1998)
    Written by John Eskow, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
    Directed by Martin Campbell
    Runtime 136 min.
    4 out of 5

    A small-time thief’s brother is killed before his eyes. Wanting to exact revenge against the soldier that killed him, Alejandro Murrieta seeks him out only to run into the original Zorro who is now retired. Knowing that if Alejandro tried to kill the soldier right away that he would only get himself killed, he decides to train Alejandro as the new Zorro and use him to stop the evil Rafael Montero from getting rich off the backs of the people and bring freedom to California once and for all.

     

    I was introduced to Zorro when I was a kid by my dad. Watched the movies, was Zorro for Halloween in grade two, played dress-up around the house—I’ve always had a soft spot for the swordsman in black. Even dressed up as him again at Halloween eleven years ago.

    He’s the historical Batman—side note: depending which Batman origin you read, the movie theatre that Bruce Wayne and his parents left that fateful night was showing a Zorro movie—and packs a punch as deadly as the best of heroes.

    This movie was the first time I saw Zorro on the big screen. What a cool opening with him walking against a spotlit backdrop and doing his famous Z-slash across the screen. And they got right into the action, too, showing us the first generation Zorro’s last adventure and using that as a catalyst to the main story to bring in a new one.

    I was especially impressed with the swordplay in this. I mean, it had to be good, right, because that’s Zorro’s thing. There was no way the filmmakers would fall short in this area, above all else. The costume looked good, too, and they didn’t try to be all fancy and stylize the thing. They kept it simple just like it would’ve been in long-ago California.

    The writing was real good, with a strong story. The tragedy of Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) is what made the tale. You got this guy who’s given it all for the people of California and then just when he thought his mission was through, everything else that he’s held dear is taken from him as well. To see him endure such emotional pain raises the hero bar because being a hero goes beyond the physical. There has to be a cost, some sort of sacrifice and/or loss.

    Which brings us to the new Zorro, Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas). First, Mr. Banderas was the only choice for the role, in my opinion. Aside from casting an unknown, what other famous Spanish actor does Hollywood have to offer who has the charm, good looks and charisma needed to play Zorro’s alter ego never mind the black swordsman himself? Throw that together with Banderas’s acting chops and you got a Zorro who was dead serious at the right moments, witty in others, and played it straight throughout.

    Of course, there had to be a love interest and Catherine Zeta-Jones filled in the role of Elena, Diego’s daughter. She did fine and conducted a fine balance between a strong and fiery woman with a dainty feminine side.

    I’ve said it in other reviews and I’ll say it here: I like origin stories. What makes this one special is it’s not just a how-Zorro-came-to-be movie, but a passing-of-the-torch one as well, giving you Zorro lore from start to finish and opening the door for a sequel, which ended up coming some seven years later.

    I know there’s plans to reboot the character, but for right now, this movie’s a favorite of mine.

    With a great soundtrack, great story and solid acting, The Mask of Zorro is a recommended flick in my books.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #57: Man of Steel (2013)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Man of Steel (2013)
    Written by David S. Goyer
    Directed by Zack Snyder
    Runtime 143 min.
    5 out of 5

    A sole survivor of the doomed planet Krypton grows up on Earth and discovers he has abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Once grown, he sets off to find out who he is and where he comes from. The answer is discovered in a spaceship in the arctic and Krypton’s Last Son, Kal-El—Clark Kent—meets a hologram of his long-dead father, Jor-El, who reveals to him his destiny: to be a beacon of hope for humanity, and also someone who could one day restore the doomed Kryptonian race.

    Enter Zod, a harsh general and one who has fought his whole life to protect Krypton and its people. During an altercation with Jor-El prior to Krypton’s explosion, he finds out that Jor-El has sent his newborn son off-world and, along with the child, plans for Krypton’s future. A battle ensues and Zod is sent off-planet, too, him and his cohorts banished to the Phantom Zone for rehabilitation. When Krypton explodes, the containment units holding Zod and his followers release them and he spends the next thirty-three years combing the stars, searching for Jor-El’s son.

    Locating Kal-El on Earth, Zod sends an ultimatum to the planet, forcing Kal-El to reveal himself to the humans and to stop Zod from using Earth as ground zero for a new Krypton. Zod, like Kal-El, is now powered by the Earth’s yellow sun and is empowered with superabilities. An enormous battle ensues between Krypton’s general and Kal-El, the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance.

     

    What can I say? This movie is mind blowing! It’s epic, it’s incredible. So much was riding on this film to deliver a Superman movie that would captivate audiences and restore the Man of Steel to his rightful place as king of the superheroes. Man of Steel does just that and then some, bringing with it the awesome sci-fi factors of Star Wars to the dense storytelling of The Dark Knight Trilogy.

    There has never, ever been a superhero movie like this before. Henry Cavill as Superman nailed the part. He’s a nice guy, a caring guy, but he’s dead serious about doing the right thing and exudes the confidence that only one who has sold himself out for the good of all can portray. He did something that was never done before by any other Superman actor: showing Clark Kent before he was Superman or even the bumbling reporter of the Daily Planet. (I’m referring to the movies, not Smallville). In fact, he’s this version of Clark Kent for nearly the whole movie. You see him making the big decisions, weighing his upbringing against this new task of saving the world that was suddenly dropped on his lap. You journey along with him as he wrestles with his being different and how those differences apply not just to his life, but to the lives of others.

    As Superman, he’s the Superman. I never thought Christopher Reeve’s performance could be outdone, but Henry Cavill matches, if not exceeds, what Mr. Reeve brought to the character. Cavill’s Superman is one hundred percent devoted to staying true to who he is, his abilities, his upbringing, his quest for truth and justice, and for putting his foot down both with men and rebel Kryptonians when needed. I can’t really comment on his reporter Clark persona because that’s not a big role in this movie. I hope, however, it will be in the sequel and we’ll see plenty of Lois and Clark interaction in the next one, especially after the way the Lois and Clark relationship is portrayed in this movie. You’ll have to see for yourself for what I mean.

    Michael Shannon as Zod was crazy good. The guy can act and his Zod is much different than Terrence Stamp’s. Yes, both are ruthless, but whereas Stamp’s Zod was more about power grabbing and his desire to rule, Shannon’s is about giving his all to restore the former glory of Krypton at any cost, even if that means eradicating all of Earth’s population to do it. The best villain is always the villain you accidently find yourself rooting for, and that happened to me throughout this movie. Every so often I felt for Zod and understood what he was trying to accomplish. It made sense and made me consider that maybe if I was in his shoes I would’ve done the same thing or something similar.

    Amy Adams as Lois Lane was a good choice. I wasn’t sure at first, as I know Amy Adams as more of the happy-go-lucky girl from other movies far removed from the superhero genre—though she was in one episode of Smallville during its first season—but she sold me on the part and she reminded me of the Lois Lanes from the old cartoons: warm, but cut and dry; funny, but serious about what she does and her desire to go the distance to get a story.

    The action in this movie was crazy huge. The bar has been set so high in terms of superhero cinema in recent years and Man of Steel makes every superhero movie that’s come before it look like a puppet show by comparison. The wide-scale destruction wrought by Superman and Zod—never mind Zod’s right-hand-woman Faora and the other rebel Kryptonians—is what you’d expect if people with god-like powers let loose in an all-out brawl across a city. And the speed, man, the speed! Normally superspeed is shown as either a big blur or done in slo-mo, with the superspeedsters moving quickly while everyone else is frozen. In this one, you see Superman et al. zipping around, pausing, breaking sound barriers, and bringing the viewer along as if we’re in his boots the whole time and experiencing the thrill of superspeed ourselves.

    The way Superman flies in this is unlike any other portrayal before, and while I loved how he flies in the other movies and TV shows, in this one he seems to hurl himself through the air at times, while at others flies with precision and care. The heat vision effect in this was stellar, too. The glow beneath the skin around the eyes and to see the veins beneath its surface made it all the more menacing. The superhearing and X-ray vision were familiar territory to those who’ve watched Smallville, but there was no all-out X-ray vision where everything was dark blue and white.

    The fighting between Superman and Zod was serious business and was truly a portrayal of two warriors going toe-to-toe and not just wrestling or tapping each other out. It was one crazy hard blow after another, some slow, some rapid, even some in the sky! Insane! So many times I was blown away and just going “Wow, wow, wow!” Zod fought with the skill of a trained warrior, whereas Superman fought with brute force.

    Man of Steel is a crazy good movie with a strong story, an incredible cast, and superhero action that has now become the benchmark for anything to follow. To be honest, I don’t know if it can be followed. Hopefully in Man of Steel 2.

    Super recommended.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #56: Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (2006)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (2006)
    Written by James Grant Golding and Steven Smith
    Directed by Kevin Burns
    Runtime 115 min.
    5 out of 5

    Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s SUPERMAN!

    Sixty-eight years ago this world turned a corner. In 1938, two young boys created a hero that would inspire an entire planet and someone whom this world would adopt as its own son. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster gave us Superman, the world’s first superpowered hero.

    Produced by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, X-Men), Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman is an in-depth look at the Man of Steel’s history, going way back to before Siegel and Shuster created him, what led up to it, and what happened once they put pen to paper.

     

    This is a remarkable documentary. It covers the comic books, all TV series, the movies, cartoons, even a hokey Superman musical.

    Interviews with Stan Lee, Gene Simmons, Mark Hamill, Adam West, Annette O’Toole, Bryan Singer, Brandon Routh, Jack Larson and a host of others are peppered throughout, with the whole documentary narrated by Kevin Spacey.

    This is the history of the Man of Steel.

    This is the amazing story of Superman.

    Go watch it.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #55: LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite! (2013)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite! (2013)
    Written by David A. Goodman
    Directed by Jon Burton
    Runtime 71 min.
    4.5 out of 5

    It’s time for the Man of the Year Awards in Gotham City. The contenders? Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor. The winner? Well, you guessed it: Bruce Wayne. When the Joker crashes the party, Lex sees a potential ally in his fight not only against Superman, but against all superheroes. They forge an uneasy alliance and Lex uses Joker’s expertise in chemistry to create not only a gas that would make everyone vote for him in the upcoming Presidential election, but also Kryptonite. In exchange, Lex would provide Joker with a special brick dismantling device that is able to take apart shiny black objects, something Joker’s all too familiar with thanks to the Dark Knight.

    Meanwhile, Batman and Robin have their hands full with a breakout from Arkham Asylum. Superman shows up to help and eventually the Dynamic Duo and the Man of Steel discover Lex’s and Joker’s partnership. However, team ups aren’t Batman’s strong suit but after a little coaxing from Robin, he learns that sometimes you need outside help to come to victory.

    Just when Batman and Superman think they’ve got Joker and Lex right where they want them, the sinister duo unleash a powerful force that will take the entire Justice League of America to stop.

     

    If you’ve played LEGO Batman 2, then you’re familiar with this story. This movie even uses clips from the game, but then fills in the gaps with fresh animation. So while it’s kind of a rehash, it’s a well-done rehash and, hey, it’s LEGO. LEGO animated movies are few and far between and I hope LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite is the first in a move to bring more and more brick superheroes to the small screen. Perhaps even to the big one one day.

    The animation is crisp, flawless, and well-thought out. The graphics are amazing and convey a plausible world made of LEGO, every detail somehow made from LEGO bricks. No small feat from a design standpoint, creating something so believable yet so . . . LEGO-y.

    With a solid story filled with the right amount of action and humor, I’m glad I added LEGO Batman: The Movie to my superhero movie collection. Besides, the exclusive Clark-Kent-changing-into-Superman LEGO minifigure that comes with it is not too shabby either. Glad to have him as part of my Superman figure collection.

    LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite is recommended for all ages. I loved watching it with my kids and I know you will, too. And if you don’t have kids, then it’s still worth checking out. Again, LEGO? Batman? Superman? DC superheroes? Yes, please!


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  • Canister X Movie Review #54: The Legend of Zorro (2005)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    The Legend of Zorro (2005)
    Written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
    Directed by Martin Campbell
    Runtime 129 min.
    3 out of 5

    In this follow up to 1998’s The Mask of Zorro, Alejandro must try and abstain from adventuring as the black-masked crusader in an effort to keep his home life under control as his wife, Elena, now feels it’s time for him to give up the mask since he’s been Zorro for nine years. Meanwhile, a nefarious plan is afoot to stop California from becoming part of the United States. Soon the lines between the Fox’s life as Zorro and his life as Alejandro blur and our hero must balance the two and ensure California’s statehood comes to pass before it’s too late.

     

    I loved The Mask of Zorro so was super excited when this one came out. To me, it was one of those “what took you so long?” things. Well, I don’t know what went on behind the scenes or why the delay, but I was happy when they finally made this movie. Due to being a new parent at the time, I didn’t make it to theatres to check it out and had to do so once it hit the direct market.

    It was all right. Wasn’t as thrilling as the first one nor was the story as good. There was a lot of Zorro in this, which, of course, is a plus, but I think because it was more lighthearted than its predecessor I was let down. Sure, Zorro isn’t a grim and brooding hero, but since the first movie was so serious, I expected more of the same with this one. That’s not to say this was all slapstick and camp. Far from it. Just had this lighter vibe to it that I wasn’t really into.

    I think, for me, the romantic tension in this movie is what wasn’t my thing. There was good reason for it in the context of the story, but I just didn’t see how Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) couldn’t just simply tell Alejandro (Antonio Banderas) what was going on and together they would take on Armand (Rufus Sewell). Perhaps relationships were different back then than they are now, I don’t know.

    The swashbuckling and adventure were fun and would make any male watching it want to put on a mask and get on a horse and go ride around. Kind of hard nowadays, but you get the idea.

    The thing that makes Zorro interesting in this movie is the fact that he has a son. Superman Returns aside, what other superhero on the big screen has to juggle being a dad and a superhero? Even in Superman Returns Superman didn’t find out about his kid until the end of the flick so we never got to see him be a family man and Earth’s champion. If you were a superhero and had kids, you’d have to keep it a secret lest they spill the beans to their friends. You’d also have to face years of them being disappointed in you because you’re always “working” and are never around. And the sacrifice involved on the part of the parent is also high because you’re missing out on all these great moments from your kid’s childhood because you’re off saving the day.

    I think this movie would’ve worked well as a third in a trilogy after some kind of high-octane swashbuckling adventure of a second flick. Then you can have your hero think of retiring and moving on instead of setting him up as a legend at the end of the first movie then suddenly saying, “Nope, you’ve had enough. Let’s slow things down.” What happened in between?

    This is a fun movie, don’t get me wrong, and is a good time for adults and kids alike.

    I do recommend this movie because I think it’s important the younger generation knows who Zorro is in this day and age of high-profile DC and Marvel superheroes and suggest parents show their kids this flick for that reason.

    Any Zorro exposure is good in my book.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #53: Kick-Ass (2010)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Kick-Ass (2010)
    Written by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman
    Directed by Matthew Vaughn
    Runtime 117 min.
    4.5 out of 5

    Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), comic book geek and nobody-at-large, always wondered why no one stepped up and became a superhero. People aspire to be doctors and firemen and policemen, so why not also want to be someone else who helped his fellow man?

    After ordering a green and yellow wetsuit off the Internet, Dave dons the outfit and hits the streets as Kick-Ass, a superhero without powers, training or even a proper motivation to fight crime other than “what if?” The first few weeks are uneventful, and after his first attempt at stopping a car robbery nearly kills him, Dave returns more determined than ever to rid the streets of crime. Soon, after stopping the beating of a guy from a gang, Kick-Ass is all over the Internet and soon becomes a citywide celebrity.

    Little does he realize he’s not alone. Enter Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), a father-daughter team of real-deal vigilantes with a thirst for blood and matching guns to boot. Their mission? Take out the D’Amico crime family, their leader, Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong), having been personally involved with Big Daddy long ago and robbing him of the one he loved.

    Soon Kick-Ass, Big Daddy, Hit Girl and newcomer Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are locked in a war that, hopefully, only the good guys survive.

    It’s guns, action, comic books and bubble gum in this adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s graphic novel.

     

    This movie is crazy. A good crazy. A special kind of crazy. I knew from the previews I was in for a different kind of superhero flick and, man, that was what I got. This was fresh, exciting, fun and new. Most superhero movies stick to a formula (origin of the good guy then the bad guy, a few tussles along the way leading to a big fight in the end, the stuff in between usually dramatic bits starring the hero in his personal life). With Kick-Ass, though there were those basic elements to it, the one thing that was really hammered home over and over again was the idea that, yeah, Kick-Ass was functioning in the real world. One with guns, knives, average fighting skills and no body armor. Some folks might think the violence in this film was overdone. Personally—despite a few exceptions—I didn’t think so. You try doing the superhero thing in real life in a place like New York and see what happens.

    I also really liked how they dragged that fantasy of being a superhero into our reality and proved, really, that it wouldn’t work. Kick-Ass went up against real bad guys. Ones without mercy. Without care. They’d kill their own mothers if they had to.

    The lack of a costumed supervillain also helped this movie and ensured the focus was kept on the good guys. I particularly liked Big Daddy’s and Hit Girl’s origin. It was simple, yet bittersweet and, if anything, really showed that despite being off his rocker, Big Daddy really loved his little girl and only wanted the best for her.

    In terms of the non-costumed scenes, Dave Lizewski’s real life was extremely relatable (especially for this comic book nerd) and his high school years and mine seemed to have a lot in common. Except for the girlfriend part. I wasn’t cool enough to have one of those.

    This movie was fantastic start to finish. The writing, the action, the realism—truly cool.

    My only thing was the profanity. I don’t live in New York, but that was a lot of swearing and if people really talk like that in NYC, man, I feel sorry for them. (But, hey, I’m just a Maple Syrup-guzzling Canadian, so what do I know?) If they don’t, perhaps the writers can pull back a bit on the wagging tongue for the next one.

    Looking forward to the sequel.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #52: Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
    Written by Stan Berkowitz
    Directed by Dave Bullock
    Runtime 75 min.
    4 out of 5

    In the fifties, the world doesn’t know what to make of superheroes. Some of them are accepted and beloved, others not so much. When a mysterious entity known as The Center rises to thwart the planet, the core Justice Leaguers—Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter—must unite for the first time to stop what is seemingly an unstoppable threat.

     

    Based on the best-selling graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke, Justice League: The New Frontier is unlike any Justice League movie out there. For starters, it’s a period piece. Nothing modern day here, with the story taking place between 1953 and 1960. Even more so, it’s art direction is based on Cooke’s art from the graphic novel, where each character was drawn in a very forties-style way: simple, with minimal muscle and heavy lines for eyes. No bodybuilding superheroes in this flick. And, of course, all the backgrounds, supporting cast and tech in the film were all time-appropriate as well. Even the “advanced tech” in the film was old school in its presentation and style.

    The story was good—very much an origin story for the Justice League, with the overarching origin story being that of Green Lantern—and each character was faithful to their source material. The pacing was a bit slow at times, with lots of talking—there were a few moments where I was, like, “Get on with it!”—but at the same time, it being a period piece, TV and movies back then had lots of talking, too.

    Not that talking is a bad thing. Just wished for a few more fast-paced sequences—not necessarily violence or fighting—to move things along.

    Warner Bros. and DC Comics are amazing at their direct-to-market animated features, each one meant to stand on its own instead of where one story feeds off another. By doing that, they pick and choose the best graphic novels to adapt and don’t have to worry about the baggage of continuity as a result. Doing Justice League: The New Frontier afforded them an opportunity to do something wholly original and deliver something that modern day audiences haven’t seen in recent years: a superhero story that takes place in the past. After watching this, I wish someone in Hollywood would do a live action version of Superman or Flash or whoever, but set it in the past. You can still be true to the characters, as this story has shown, but give something fresh at the same time and, from a marketing and creative standpoint, give something original as a result.

    Justice League: The New Frontier is a fantastic movie, and for those who want more of their favorite heroes but sometimes wish something new was done with them, then this is the flick for you.

    Recommended.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #51: Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

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    Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
    Written by Jim Krieg
    Directed by Jay Oliva
    Runtime 81 min.
    5 out of 5

    When the Flash cranks up the superspeed and travels back in time to right a painful wrong, the timeline is drastically altered and he wakes up in a present that’s not the one he knows. There’s a war raging between the Atlanteans and Amazons, Batman uses guns, Cyborg works for the government and Superman is nowhere to be found. Worse, the Flash no longer has his superpowers thus cannot travel back in time to repair the damage and restore the timeline to the one he knew.

    Powerless and with no Justice League to turn to, the Flash must decide how he’s going to change the course of history and if he’s willing to lose someone he loves—again—in the effort to save the lives of many.

     

    This flick is the ultimate fanboy trip for Flash lovers. He’s the main character and this is the first time in DC animated movie history that he gets the focus. You got superspeed, time travel, alternate timelines, the Speedforce and more. Way cool and, frankly, it’s about time DC took a break from Superman and Batman as the go-to guys for movies, even in the context of a JLA movie. With a new Flash TV series in production as of this review, I’m thinking this was DC’s way of priming the pump, so to speak, to get audiences ready for more adventures with the Scarlet Speedster.

    This movie’s strength lies in two areas: the Flash, and time travel.

    On the Flash: you got a quick recap of his origin, a real sense for what drives Barry Allen, multiple amazing displays of superspeed (especially that running sequence at the end), and a hero to root for from start to finish. I loved it. As a DC guy, I like the Flash, but this film really made me appreciate him and care for him all the more as it gave a strong face to his mythology and character.

    On time travel: I love time travel stories. The more scientifically accurate and plausible the better, but I’ll take just about any story that deals with time travel, parallel universes and butterfly effects. I write about that stuff in my own fiction, for crying out loud. Here, DC went to great lengths to explain the time travel in a plausible way and apply what we know of its possibility as realistically as they could in the context of the movie. Nice. The DVD extras that go further into this are an added bonus for us time travel enthusiasts and are much appreciated.

    Storywise, I loved this movie and the twists and turns it took made me go, “Man, that’s awesome,” more than once. When I found out the history behind the Batman of the alternate timeline I went nuts. So cool and so utterly tragic. Perfect for Batman. And Superman’s portrayal in the alternate timeline? Crazy! Putting all that against a backdrop of an Atlantean vs Amazon war added a breath of fresh air to DC’s animated movies because, like I said, it was relieving to stay away from putting the spotlight on Superman or Batman. (Granted, Batman plays a big part in this movie, but in such a way that it’s not our Batman but another, which makes it fresh.)

    The animated style chosen for this flick I wasn’t crazy about at first, to be honest. The small heads and wider bodies looked weird. It grows on you, though, and eventually you get used to it. The color scheme and bleak tone throughout added to the overall feel of what was a heavy story, thus sucking you in further.

    This is not a movie for kids, though. There’s a lot of violence and gore, adult themes and some language. While I appreciate “grownup” superhero movies, I wish these elements would be scaled back a bit so I could show my kids these flicks and go on super adventures with them instead of having to shelve the DVD until they’re older so they can watch it.

    From a superhero fan’s standpoint, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is a stellar movie adapted from the graphic novel by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert.

    Recommended.


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