Spider-Man Homecoming 3D Movie Review

Spider-Man Homecoming 3D Movie Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

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3D

The 3D for this movie is not spectacular or amazing but it is good. It can be fun to watch this movie as Spider-Man travels around New York and objects fly from the background to the foreground. One early scene with a bank robbery was very interesting to watch in 3D because many dollar bills were floating around and popping out of the screen. The 3D visuals looked nice but it didn’t blow me away or really capture my imagination.

Final Verdict: Good 3D

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Movie

This is the sixth overall Spider-Man movie but the first within the Marvel cinematic universe. This movie feels new and different and makes sense within the grander marvel cinematic universe.

The main plot of this movie is simple yet effective. This movie showcases Peter Parker / Spider-Man after the events of "Captain America Civil War”. Peter Parker / Spider-Man wants to have another big adventure, but is stuck in high school. Eventually Spider-Man discovers that local criminals are buying and selling some powerful weapons and he attempts to stop them. Peter Parker has to balance his school related priorities, being a superhero and his personal relationships all at the same time. Secret identities are not a big aspect within the marvel cinematic universe, but it works perfectly within this movie. Tom Holland's portray of Spider-Man / Peter Parker is very charming and funny. The movie has a fantastic supporting cast that work well together. This cast has a wonderful chemistry together and they play off each other’s lines in a realistic and enjoyable fashion. I never doubted that these actors felt right in a high school setting, and they did a fine job of showcasing “the high school experience" without falling for all the typical clichés and usual tropes. The movie works well as both a superhero movie and a high school friendship movie.  

The main villain of this movie is that of the Vulture. The Vulture is an interesting character, and the movie does a wonderful job of setting up his backstory. As the viewer you can clearly understand his motivations and you can easily sympathize with this character. This villain is fleshed out and is not a one-dimensional archetype. The great Michael Keaton expertly portrays the Vulture. I found him to be threatening yet grounded in reality, and I really enjoyed his performance on screen. The Vulture is easily one the best marvel cinematic villains. The vulture is not interested in world domination or conquering the universe, he just cares about himself and his family. I find this simplicity to be very refreshing. The Vulture is an excellent addition to this movie and is a well-developed villain.

This movie is set in the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe and generally it works well for this story. You will see several mentions of the previous Marvel movie stories and marvel characters within this movie. The movie has many Marvel superhero cameos. Sadly we don't see any cameos or mentions from the current Marvel TV shows.           I understand that the Netflix TV shows have adult content (Dare Devil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist) and are a different demographic from typical Spider-man movies, but the fact remains that this movie and those TV shows are all set within the same New York City. It seems bizarre to why Marvel refuses to connect these TV shows with the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe and why this movie refuses to acknowledge those Marvel TV shows. At times the movie feels overstuffed with Marvel cameos so why they couldn’t include a quick Dare Devil line or something small like that is beyond my understanding. At times it seems like Spider-Man can simply phone a friend for assistance at any time, and it can become jarring when some characters enter the scene at the most convenient moment. The marvel cinematic universe references work well to fill in the details of the story, but at times it can be a little too cute.

I do have some minor issues with this movie. I have a problem with how it changes a key aspect of the character of Spider-Man. It just doesn’t feel right to exclude this distinctive Spider-Man attribute within this movie. Another negative aspect is how clumsy Spider-Man is portrayed within this movie. Spider-Man looked more agile and seasoned in "Captain America Civil War" (which happens before the events of this movie) than within this movie. It seems like a blatant continuity error and it seems very odd. Some of his sloppiness can be explained by the story elements within this movie, and how his suit is more advanced because of the technological engineering of Tony Stark (Iron man). This sloppiness makes Spider-Man more relatable but at the cost of cheapening his character’s abilities . I also had a problem with how the movie rushed many story elements. The movie refuses to allow Peter Parker to enjoy many scenes with his school friends. The movie never allows Peter Parker to enjoy his life, even for a little bit. I understand that the character has to make sacrifices to be a superhero, but it seems rushed for the sake of revealing the next action scene and is not totally natural to the story. I also had a problem with a specific action scene toward the end of the movie. This action scene feels anticlimactic and slopped together with cheap special effects. The problems I have with this movie are relatively minor but are worth mentioning. 

The movie is extremely entertaining and has a wonderful sense of humor. The movie tells its story seamlessly and it hits all the right tones with the cast. I have seen all the previous Spider-Man movies but I have never seen one exactly like this one. This movie feels fresh and new and works well for what it is. I enjoyed the different locations the movie visits and how creative it is with the new Spider-Man suit. The movie has a wonderful villain and many enjoyable action scenes. The movie flows well, is fast paced and is tightly edited. The movie does have some problems but they don’t substantially ruin the movie. Overall this movie succeeds more than it disappoints and delivers a fun enjoyable movie. Tom Holland is an excellent Spider-Man and I look forward to seeing more of his web slinging antics in the future.

Final Verdict: 8/10 

MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2017 MARVEL. 
Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Movie ©2017 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and LSC Film Corporation All Rights Reserved.

Transformers The Last Knight 3D Movie Review

Transformers The Last Knight

3D Movie Review

Written By: Adolph Vega

Watch our video review via YouTube below : 

 

3D

The 3D in this movie isn't good , it isn't great, it is spectacular. The movie was shoot with IMAX 3D cameras, and it looks incredible in that format. I watched this movie in laser projected 4K IMAX in the biggest screen in the state of Texas and I was not disappointed, because the massive action scenes look sharp , vivid and are perfectly executed . A vast majority of recent 3D movies are post converted and are not recorded in 3D, and you can really tell the difference with this movie . Obviously IMAX scenes are not accessible to everyone and are more expensive than other cinemas but regarding this movie it's totally worthwhile . Why is the 3D so well done ? It's because they use 3D to make the action scenes more memorable and epic . The movie has tons of objects popping out of the screen, and it looks amazing. Some objects will travel in 3D space and travel from the background to the foreground and give the viewer some truly amazing visuals. The movie jam packed full of action scenes that look great in 3D. You really feel like your staring into a window of action scenes that are actually happening. Occasionally 3D depth is used to give a sense of scale and height which makes the visuals very immersive . So many scenes use multiple layers of 3D at the same time and slow motion to highlight specific characters and weapons and looks incredible. Honestly if you watch this movie in 2D your doing yourself a disservice. I usually like to highlight a specific scene or scenes were the 3D is especially interesting or well done but this movie has so many of those scenes it's hard to narrow it down, it's all fantastic. The 3D visuals and action scenes are perfectly intertwined and go hand in hand together. The 3D in this movie is possibly one the best uses of 3D that I have seen in years. If you can watch in IMAX 3D, you won't be disappointed and I will give this movie my highest recommendation and is truly awesome. I hope this movie will inspire other movie studios to record in IMAX 3D because it's a must see in 3D movie .

Final Verdit:

GREAT 3D, Editors Choice 3D Award 

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Movie

It is what it is. Transformers do what Transformers do.

This movie is the fifth movie in this popular franchise . You should know what to expect from this film franchise, because it's been fairly consistent in quality over the years . If you haven't seen any of the previous entrees in this franchise then I wouldn't suggest you watch this movie because you will be totally lost. This movie franchise is reviewer proof therefore; I will try to keep this review brief and be fairly straightforward.

The transformers have been present on earth for centuries . This history of Transformer and human interaction has been hidden and this movie reveals that story . This movie takes place in the present, but also has many flashbacks to scenes in the past. Mark Wahlberg returns and reprises his role from the previous movie. (Transformers 4: Age of Extinction) Mark Wahlberg is Cade Yeager and is an inventor and watches over several transformers . The Earth is in trouble and the transformers are both the cause and the solution to this problem. How this story was presented is interesting and better done than the previous movies within this franchise. However the story barely makes any sense. I have watched all the previous Transformers movies and I actually liked this one the most .

The plot within this movie very convoluted. It has many multiple parts that are happening at the same time and it can be very difficult to understand what exactly is going on. The best word to describe this plot is combocomplexlicated . Combocomplexlicated is a new word that I invented that is a mixture of the following words: combination , complex, and complicated. Combocomplexlicated perfectly describes something that is overly convoluted when it doesn't need to be . The movie has a massive cast of characters . You know very little about each character, and some of them are new and others return from previous movies. The plot is essentially an excuse for action scenes. The movie begins with an action scene, and about 70% of this movie is action, and the remaining 30% is people explaining the action. The movie has a crude sense of humor and is very corny, but I have to admit it made me laugh several times. Other times the comedy made me cringe and roll my eyes. The movie has plot holes big enough to drive an Optimus prime through. The action scenes are enjoyable to watch and are the only reason to really watch this movie. The action is big , crazy ridiculous but I was able to enjoy it .

The movie is far from being perfect, yet I liked it . The transformers movies are not "high art" and they aren't trying to be. This movie is all about over-the-top action and pure entertainment. I was entertained by this movie and it succeeded on that aspect. Ultimately movies are about being entertained and I cannot deny that I had fun watching this movie . I laughed , I cringed , I was confused and I had fun with this silly action movie. It is what it is , and this is possibly the best transformers movie ever,  but that isn't saying much .

Final Verdict: 6/10

© 2017 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved.

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The Mummy (2017)

The Mummy (2017)

3D Movie Review

Written By: Adolph Vega  

Watch my video review below : 

3D 

The biggest weakness of 3D is with dark environments. Sadly this movie is designed with many dark scenes and it makes it difficult to see what the 3D is supposed to distinguish. The movie does have some scenes of effective 3D. One of those scenes has birds flying out at the audience, which makes for a fun use of pop out 3D. The movie also shows scenes of darkness and have sparks of light fly out which again does look nice. Other times the camera will zoom into a sarcophagus and it will look nice and pop out. The best scenes of 3D within this movie are recycled and repeated a few times within this movie. I have a big problem with this lazy style of filmmaking. They literally copy and paste the same exact 3D scenes over and over again. Look these scenes look nice in 3D, but it’s really pathetic for them to recycle the scenes. Other "new" 3D scenes are few and far between and are mostly forgettable, which is probably why they recycle the scenes that do look good. If the movie wasn't so dark and didn't recycle scenes I might be able to recommend the 3D. I cannot justify people spending money for this 3D because it would reward lazy filmmakers who just copy and paste. This movie does not have enough "new 3D content" to justify spending money on it. The people who made the 3D for this movie should be ashamed of themselves.

Final Verdict:

WEAK 3D 2D RECOMMENDED

 Movie

"The Mummy" movie franchise has been around for nearly a century. This movie is set up to be the beginning of a new monsters cinematic universe for Universal Studios. Sadly this long-standing franchise should not have been resurrected and should have been allowed to rest in peace.

This movie begins in northern Iraq, as Nick Norton and Chris Vail are treasure hunting. Nick and Chris eventually come in contact with the character of Jenny Halsey. Jenny has extensive knowledge of ancient Egypt. Jenny and Chris are supposed to have a preexisting romantic relationship, but they have zero chemistry on screen. The dynamics are weak and I didn't connect to a single character. These three characters explore a newly found tomb and find a cursed mummy. The mummy eventually comes back from the dead and starts to wreck the modern world. The mummy character herself is sadly under developed. The movie has flashbacks from ancient Egypt that attempt to give the mummy some backstory. These scenes are interesting but contain massive plot holes and only leave the viewer asking more questions. They give the Mummy motivations but not a personality. The powers of the mummy are not full established so it can be confusing to understand what she can and cannot do. Understanding what the mummy can and cannot do matters regarding the action scenes. Some of the smaller scale action scenes were enjoyable and fun. However the larger scale bigger special effects action scenes were totally forgettable and poorly executed. It’s hard to care because I don’t understand what powers the mummy actually has. The movie has many plot holes and under explained story elements, which becomes frustrating make sense of everything. The story of The Mummy does try to be inventive, but ultimately it becomes convoluted, cliché and just doesn't work. 

The biggest issue I had with this movie was with its comedic element. Specifically I had major issues with the character of Chris Vail. Chris is supposed to be comedic relief and a silly friend for Nick. Unfortunately I didn't find his comedic style to be funny at all. The character of Chris Vail is one of those characters that can't stop talking and is incredibly annoying. Unfortunately he is a main character and is integral for the plot of this movie. I really hated every single line of dialogue that he said, both in the delivery and how it was written. Chris Vail is simply an insufferable character and is worse than Jar-Jar Binks in Star Wars Episode 1. This character is the answer to the question; can a single character ruin an entire movie? Overall the movie is really cheesy and corny and is just trying too hard to be funny. Whoever wrote this movie doesn’t know how to make silly corny comedy work on screen. Part of the problem is with the use of stronger adult cursive language. I don't mind adult cursive language in movies, but it has to fit the tone and style of the movie. Unfortunately for this movie the adult language sticks out and seems very inappropriate. The movie also jokes about sexual performance of a main character. The sexual jokes are really unnecessary and feel totally out of place. Corny adventure movies like this should be more family friendly and not include excessive cursive language and unnecessary sexual jokes. Comedy is very subjective so some people may enjoy it within this movie, but for me it was horrible and painful to watch.

As I mentioned earlier this movie is attempting to start the "Dark Universe" monster movie franchise from Universal Studios. This inherently is a massive cinematic mistake. Marvel Studios has set the modern standard for having a connected shared cinematic universe, so it's logical that other movie studios would try to copy this idea. The problem for other studios is that Marvel studios slowly built up to a shared universe and carefully planned and connected the characters and stories. Sadly this movie forces the idea of an extended larger universe of monsters. The middle of the movie is all about the secret monster society and it inorganic and unnecessary. Universal Studios  crowbarred this idea into this movie, and totally fails its execution. The head of this secret monster society is a monster himself (which I won't spoil). This character has some ridiculous and amateurish computer graphics. The visual design and graphics for this character look awful. To make things worse the acting performance of this character is cringe worthy. It just seems so convenient that a monster society exists and apparently they have the exact information needed for this specific story. This monster cinematic universe is not earned and doesn't make sense and is a pathetic and awful attempt to copy the Marvel cinematic universe.

So what exactly did I enjoy of this movie? The early exploration of the tomb where they found the mummy was engrossing and set things up nicely. I do appreciate that they tried to give a backstory of the mummy and explained her motivations. Some of the smaller action scenes were well done and are fun to watch. One joke with a parachute was fantastic and actually made me laugh really hard. So I did have some enjoyment from this movie but the bad parts of this movie vastly outweigh the good.

I can enjoy cheesy comedy movies, I can enjoy fun summer adventure movies, but sadly I couldn't enjoy this movie. I didn’t enjoy the convoluted story and worthless characters. I barley enjoyed the action scenes. I really didn’t enjoy the comedy and I really loathed the character of Chris Vail. In conclusion I really hated this movie. The Mummy (2017) movie is a terrible movie and any hopes for a shared monster movie universe are all but destroyed.

Final Verdict: 3/10

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