Spider-Man: Far From Home – My restrained views.

It is so difficult to write about Marvel films without letting out a spoiler. Especially in the second installment of this franchise.

It is a fun film. As usual. Since it gives you a very teenage kind of feeling, everything is really advanced, rapid and modern. I loved Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers‘s script, having just the right amount of everything. The story put through is obviously the next chapter, post Avengers: End Game and explains casually, how Peter Parker is affected, after the sad demise of Tony Stark (Iron Man).

The direction (by Jon Watts – who also directed the first part) is great. The technological/graphical parts of the film [which is most of the film] will impress you. A lot. It is really mind blowing what all you can create by just putting green screens everywhere around the actors and letting a computer do it’s part. Undoubtedly, the graphic and/or VFX (visual effects) designers do most of it.

One thing I couldn’t understand is that how Mary Jane’s (MJ) character has completely taken a turn from what we had witnessed in the Tobey Maguire‘s Spider-Man series. Herein, MJ (played by Zendaya) is completely obsessed with Peter Parker [and weirdly stalks him too] since the first part, Spider-Man: Homecoming. It was a complete different scenario in Sam Raimi‘s directed Spider-Man franchise.

It is rejuvenating to have a new character, Jake Gyllenhaal (as Mysterio) who actually enhanced the film. He is truly a brilliant actor. Sober, yet effective. The twists and turns in this sequel, along with great suspenseful moments will keep surprising you every now and then. The comedy portion is a little less, however present, compared to other Marvel films.

Everything has changed, ever since the brilliant Tom Holland (as Peter Parker/Spider-Man) has taken over. The costumes, the actors, the names, the villains. For the most basic examples, Aunt May/May Parker’s character is now played by the sizzling Marisa Tomei or Peter Parker has a best friend, Ned Leeds (played by Jacob Batalon). Beginning from 2002, what Spider-Man (played by Tobey Maguire) used to be and what it is now. How the characters revolving around him have altered. How Spider-Man got involved with Avengers. The inclusion of Tony Stark/Iron Man in his life. I have accepted it. It’s great. Yet, deep down somewhere in my heart, I will always miss Tobey Maguire. What he created on the screen was something else. Unspeakable. Magic.

4/5

Is WhatsApp a lifeline today?

I tried this for ten odd days when I had given my phone for repair and didn’t have a backup phone. I said to myself, “Let’s try living in a world without WhatsApp”. I put my sim card in a feature phone – which doesn’t have a capability of installation and usage of social media applications and messengers. I had a little bit of ego growing inside of me. Whoever wants to contact me, shall do it in any way. There are other mediums too. They could call me? Or text me. Just like the olden times. The era of late nineties and most of 2000’s.

Most of my contacts didn’t realize that I am off WhatsApp. Well, I had put it on my story. Didn’t they see it? I used to log in on my Facebook account, once in a while, through my laptop to check if it really was the “other” medium of communication. But, I found my inbox empty.

I really didn’t bother so much about my friends and family trying to connect with me or contacting through this application. Because I knew they would do it through any medium, if they really needed me. Whom I got worried about, were my clients. Some of which contacted me ONLY through WhatsApp to place orders. And when finally I made a rough decision of buying a low-budget backup phone and appeared again on WhatsApp, there really was a message from one of my clients {along with hundred other group chat messages and personal messages from friends} and he did give me a couple of orders. If I would have been a week late, I might have not gotten that order.

I really feel that most of us humans have become so dependent on WhatsApp. Probably chained and locked to it. Gone are the days where we used to be without smartphones. Gone are the days where there used to be so much of letter writing. Gone are the days where there used to be one-to-one, face-to-face, real conversations. Hence, I want to ask you this question. Do you really think business should be done on these social messengers? Isn’t electronic mail a better option? Doesn’t it feel more professional? Can WhatsApp and other social messengers be neglected? Just for a little bit of peace, perhaps?

Avengers: End Game – No spoilers inside.

Over the decades, we were made to believe that superheroes always save the day and it always ends on the note of happily ever after. Post Avengers: Infinity War, the directors (Anthony & Joe) took the Avengers series to the next level. It had grown older. It had bigger wings. It had a more realistic and a mature approach. It has reached beyond the point where the graphical representation, the actors’ performances or even the photographic work are being praised. We are way past that. Hence, it is the plot or script where it must actually flourish.

Admitting, that this one had a mediocre start. A little laid back. Possibly more practical. More human-like. The most longed-for film is huge, yet, it is not what I wanted it to be, or as per my assumption and what many of the moviegoers [especially Marvel fans] might have wanted it to be. However, it makes you run through a lot of emotions. It is inclusive of a few applause-worthy and whistle-worthy scenes. Avengers: End Game has explained the term C’est La Vie, very conspicuously. Two factors which were supported and displayed in a crystal manner, were feminism and racism. In my opinion, these factors are supposed to be conveyed very indirectly. Furthermore, this motion picture is running for twenty four hours in a few parts of the world. It has already made double of it’s investment, in the matter of two days. Fans have watched it five to six times already. That is something!

It is beautiful how Anthony and Joe Russo stitched the ten years of films of the MCU along with the End Game, combining the past, the present and the future and gave it a sense of completion. The appreciable factor is that the audience were kind and lived up to Russo brothers’ expectations and made sure to follow their appeal. Moreover, it is also important that you know that if you are expecting any after credit scenes [which Marvel fans usually do; even I did], there aren’t any. And a more pressing matter is that if you haven’t been following all the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks, you WILL not understand the details of the characters and the film.

If I talk any more about the flick, the chances of a disclosure is very high.

3.5/5

Captain Marvel – Keep low expectations.

When we come to analyze introductory films for Marvel characters or even DC characters, they coincidentally turn out to be at the level of mediocrity. If comparing Black Panther with this film, as it pretty much matches with it in terms of timing of release before the new Avengers film or even for an intro for a new character, it felt a lot more wholesome in front of this.

Something or the other always is inadequate. Speaking about Captain Marvel, which was hyped when it’s trailer came out, Brie Larson gives her utmost best to be pitch perfect for the role of Carol Danvers / Vers, by being confident, seeming powerful and acting fearlessly.

The supporting characters (Jude Law, Samuel. L. Jackson, Lashana Lynch, Ben Mendelsohn and Annette Bening) prove their worthiness of existing in the movie. Because, I personally feel, Larson couldn’t have been able to do it on her own.

The action bit comes a little later in the film as the theoritical history needed to be shown and how it all started for her. What I loved most about the film were the use of advanced technology and a pretty 90’s background score (by Pinar Toprak), apt for the era the film is being shown from.

Without being even remotely sexist, I wished that there would have been a male character portraying Capt. Marvel. There had been a lot of various comics where a female was created to portray as one but Stan Lee created the character with a male in mind. In fact, when the character of Captain Marvel was launched in the comics, it was a he.

How much ever the duo Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck tried to make this film better with their beautiful direction, they couldn’t do much on the screenplay and story along with the other writers. It lacked that spark.

3.5/5

Alita: Battle Angel – Basic stuff.

It is not a complicated story. A simple one, rather. It is about a cyborg, who was found in the trash, but, is meant to be legendary.

Such films mainly depend on their graphic designing team. James Cameron’s name is enough to attract the audience to watch a spectacle. It is directed by Spy Kids series director Robert Rodriguez and Cameron only writes the screenplay for it. I mainly got attracted to watch this film just because of it’s technological ingredient.

While Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Keean Johnson, Mahearshala Ali and Ed Skrein support the cute Rosa Salazar, the lead actress, with their full potential, Alita: Battle Angel fails to actually deliver a proper plot.

Based on the Japanese manga series known as Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro, this flick is able to climb the ladder with the help of the fortifying cast, a great display of tech and a little bit of good action.

3/5

Aquaman – The foible standalone.

I had been hearing and reading about the bad, the average and the very few good reviews about this motion picture. The trailer told a rejuvenating tale which had already convinced me a couple of months ago. Notwithstanding, I made the call, took a leap of faith and booked my tickets.

I am really glad that Aquaman was made, not because it’s the best film you can watch under the DC Comics banner [No, I wouldn’t concur.] but because this individual film was necessary as it’s brief introduction in Justice League just wasn’t enough. Also, on behalf of the audience, we really need to witness something out of the usual, in this not-so-medieval times, even refreshing perhaps, apart from the Batmans and the Supermans.

From a tad role in HBO’S superhit TV series Game Of Thrones to becoming one of the coolest characters of DC Comics, Jason Momoa (as Arthur Curry / Aquaman) has come up a long way. A well earned role [suiting his real personality] and elevation. His wild and high-voltage nature, off-screen, really helped him in developing this character and giving it a bit of a different angle. Amber Heard plays the worthy lead character of Mera. Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko is as amazing as he could get. Patrick Wilson as Orm honestly wasn’t that convincing as the antagonist. Nicole Kidman still looks like she is 28 and acts with the experience of her actual age, played the beautiful Atlana/Queen Of Atlantis. Yahya Abdul Mateen ΙΙ in as David Kane / Black Manta performs really well but was shown as a little insignificant.

The plot/screenplay being barely more than average, depends on the graphics/VFX to fill the holes it comprises. Now, this being mostly an under water film [as the title suggests too], the detailing of the graphics wasn’t actually that bad. However, when talking about showing scenes from the year 1985, when Temuera Morrison (as Thomas Curry) and Nicole Kidman had to play younger characters, I don’t know whether it was the actual plastic make-up on their faces or it was the VFX doing that but it looked awfully displeasing.

Moreover, the background score is very childish, especially in the action scenes. Apart from these noteworthy errors, there are a few glitches which are really lowering DC’s standards. James Wan didn’t really give his best, when it came to direction. Beating to that, Don Burgess with excellent cinematography and the heart-stopping action kept us glued to our seats.

3/5

Batman vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice – Mundane.

Batman vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice really goes below expectation here. A clear example of a let down in the terms of script (Chris Terrio & David S. Goyer). Although, I somehow liked Larry Fong‘s cinematography.

There is no one wrong here. There is no one bad or good. There is no angel or demon in this film. Superman / Clarke Kent (played by Henry Cavill) and Batman’s / Bruce Wayne (played by Ben Affleck) histories have been briefly shown in the film respectively. Yes, it is based on the comic by DC comics, yet, doesn’t prove to be as legendary as it is supposed to be. The brand image it had before releasing; the hype it had created is all put to waste, post you see it and mainly HOW it has been put in front of you. The action, first of all, is so limited that each of the Batman or Superman fans will be utterly discontented.

You expect a lot of things from superhero films. A gripping story-line, a lot of cool, eye-popping and technologically oriented action scenes and so on. Cavill just looks like this constrained Superman with his girlfriend, Lois Lane (played by Amy Adams), trying to do everything for him. Affleck on the other hand does not beseem the role of Batman at all. He was good portraying Daredevil back in 2003. His armor/costume, according to me is too big and makes him look so heavy and very vulnerable too.

If I had to choose between the two, I would choose Superman because he showed his true composure and the way he flaunted his powers in front of the gigantic Batman. Even though I have been more of a Batman fan, previously, than a Superman fan. However, after this film I’ve come to realize how stupid Batman looks in front of the ‘so called’ rival. It was Wonder Woman’s first appearance as a character in DC Comics’ recent film series and Gal Gadot is a fantastic Wonder Woman.

At many points, Superman just owned Batman like he was nothing close to putting a fight with. I would also choose a person who actually made his presence felt between the two giants, Jesse Eisenberg (as Lex Luthor). By portraying the perilous antagonist in this one he not only reminded me that how much he impressed me in his first film, but also proclaims his optimum skills in acting. Apart from him, Diane Lane (as Martha Kent, Lawrence Fishburne (as Perry White), Jeremy Irons (as Alfred Pennyworth), Callan Mulvey (as Anatoli Knyasev) and Tao Okamoto (as Mercy Graves) gave able support to the lead cast.

Yes, the reviews and the comments by all of the major critics you have been reading and hearing about are completely right and this film is very, very unsatisfying. It bores the audience and kills the vibe completely. It has become the highest grossing film of DC comics till date, still, I feel it isn’t worth the attention. Even though he has made some excellent films, director Zack Snyder couldn’t save this film from turning into a fiasco.

1.5/5