Superheroes (Documentary)

Superheroes is a documentary by Mike Barnett that is not only well timed, but tackles a rather serious issue for the society.

The documentary is a look inside the lives of common men and women who dress up as superheroes and walk their neighborhood streets protecting the public. Armed with basic "legal" weapons and self trained, these men and women are somewhat minor-celebrities, but to them they are simply guardians of everything that is good.

In a world where crime sees no end and no place is safe, do we need these vigilante citizens protecting us? Why not? The police is always short on personnel and if a group of people were to come together to simply keep a watch, what's wrong in that?

The problem I believe lies in the fact that these individuals dress up and call themselves names like Mr. Xtreme and Zimmer. Does it make them look and sound less serious? Maybe. I liked the innocent honesty that comes out when these individuals talk about their lives. They don't boast about their conquests or lie about a glitzy lifestyle. Instead almost all of them have a single goal, that to protect the innocent in a way they deem best.

Unsurprisingly, most of the "superheroes" are heavily influenced by comic books and maybe it's their way of mixing in some fun with doing something right, but it does raise issues of safety when one of the superheroes explains that he needs a can of beer in-between his patrols to stay fresh.

I do however like the attitude of the police towards these individuals. Rather than mocking or dissuading them, the police keeps a close watch on them and constantly advice them to stay clear of any real danger.

Superheroes comes at a time when movies like Kick-Ass and Super, that deal with similar issues, have been hitting the theaters. The documentary is a look at real life and that puts it a step above the other films. Although it might be hard to take these homemade superheroes seriously at first, but once the audience realizes that all they want is what's good for the society, it is bound to appreciate and admire what they do.

The tone of the documentary is very subtle. It does not glamorize the superheroes, nor does it take a side, leaving it up to the audience to make a judgment on the individuals. A very good and thoughtful documentary that is an entertaining watch. A 4/5 Star rating.

              

Captain America: The First Avenger

Having read a number of rave reviews, my expectation from Captain America were sky high. But, as the saying goes, "all things that go up must come down," my expectations came crashing down.

It's important to note that I have never read any of the Captain America comics and his origin was unknown to me, so I cannot compare how close the story is to the original comic-book. Although on the outset the entire set up is very good and comprises of a number of factors that are evident and essential in any superhero film, the story falls short coming across as shallow and one sided.

Injected with a serum that makes a puny, eager to fight Hitler, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America, the story is simply predictable to say the least. At the other end we have Hugo Weaving as Red Skull who is on an agenda of his own with his organization Hydra which eventually defies Hitler. In fact Captain America (the film) to me seemed almost comical at times when the henchmen, after the rebellion, begin to shout Hail Hydra rather than Hail Hitler. I secretly wished that Mike Myer's Dr. Evil would pop out from the corner and do his iconic evil laugh.      

On the positive side, the film fits in beautifully with the entire Marvel universe. I like how Howard Stark, first introduced in Iron Man 2 with the Stark Convention video, is part of Captain America from the offset. I like how the movie ends with the now obligatory visit from Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. I also liked the propaganda retro posters that were used to promote the film. I'm not sure if the film was available in 3D as well, but once again watching it in 2D I know I enjoyed it more than I would have in 3D. The action was good, the comic moments few, and the drama a tad childish.

I did wonder if Captain America was too American for my liking, but then I've never really had a problem with a movie before if it was too patriotic with regards to any country. Also, since it is Captain "America", I think to an extent it needs to be Americanized.

Captain America - The First Avenger is a part of the Marvel puzzle and fits into it perfectly. Unfortunately as an individual piece of cinema it leaves a lot to be desired. A mediocre action film that gets a 2.5/5 star rating from me.      

THOR in Glorious 2D

I went into Thor not knowing much. I was aware that he is part of the whole Avengers thingy and I had seen a few animated features with him in it. I did know he was the God of Thunder, but that’s where my knowledge of him stopped.

The movie had been in the news for a number of reasons since it went into production. I personally disliked the poster of Thor and even included it in my Posters Unwanted blog post. The trailers, although nice, were very special effects heavy and that can be either good or bad. I was aware Kenneth Branagh was directing, which I must confess was an odd choice for a superhero movie. It also meant that there was good chance that the movie would lack action and might even go in the direction of Ang Lee’s Hulk.  

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found the movie to be more than entertaining. Yes, it lacked action, but the entire story and direction was so wonderful that you do not realize that till you have left the theater and had a thought about it. The cast was simply perfect. Chris Hemsworth represents Thor in all his cockiness, confidence, and glory. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and eventually Thor’s love interest is charming. Kat Dennings as Darcy gets the job of providing the straight faced one-liners that brought subtle comedy in just the right dose to the movie. Besides them, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Stellan Skarsgard as Erik, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki all do a brilliant job portraying their characters. In fact the strong supporting cast is what makes the movie so enjoyable as there is never a dull moment.

The movie on the whole is a great “origins” story with astounding special effects, especially those revolving around Asgard. It fits well with the whole Avengers movie built up with the now obligatory after credits scene involving S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Samuel Jackson.

Thor gets a much deserved 4 starts out of 5 from me. I would recommend that even if you are not so much of a comic book movie fan, head over to the nearest cinema to have a watch, for Thor makes for an entertaining movie experience.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

DIRECTED BY: EDGAR WRIGHT

WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL BACALL & EDGAR WRIGHT

GRAPHIC NOVELS BY: BRYAN LEE O'MALLEY

OVERALL SCORE: 7.50/10

 After a chance encounter with his dream girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must battle her league of evil exes, bent on preventing anyone from dating her.

  "You once were a ve-gone, but now you will begone."

I can say without any hesitation that in terms of pure entertainment value no film put a smile on my face quite as grand as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. That being said Scott Pilgrim is a movie riddled with little flaws that prevent it from reaching that tour de force amazement that would leave me, like it has so many of its now devoted fans, in a feeling of ecstasy. First, though, let's talk about what all the movie does right.

Scott Pilgrim has a way of viewing the world that will connect with the deepest of nostalgia to those who grew up in the time of arcades and NES/SNES. In essence Scott Pilgrim is the film tailor made for those of the early video game generation. Packed with references, high rock music, subtle jibes, and a coolness that can only be described in terms of its utter geekness, there's a great element of charm that plays to Scott Pilgrim's advantage.

Edgar Wright continues his streak of stylized, but smart, homage films that highlight him as one of the more creative visual directors of his age group. At the same time, Wright knows enough about the story to maintain the exasperated pace, and still blend in the series' many unique characters. As one could expect this comes with a double edge sword. The inclusion of the entire series into one film aids the action oriented picture. There's always a fight coming up and always new style pumping life into each and every one.

Unfortunately what gets lost in this array of style are the basic foundations of any classic: story and characters. Scott Pilgrim is a bit of a self centered ass and his 'evolution' as the series progresses feels rather forced in the context of the story. There's very little reflection, a whole lot of fighting, until of course the film's climax which tries to put all its lessons into one package. Meanwhile the many supporting characters, including star players like Ramona, get lost in one to two sentence character builders then shuffle off until they're needed again.


What saves Wright and Co. is the sheer brilliance of the cast. Each cast member, perfectly selected, melds into their character with great ease. There's never a moment when you doubt a particular actor is fully enveloped in their character, which allows the audience to forgive some of the lesser elements.

If there is one thing I would have request of Wright is making the film a good ten to fifteen minutes longer. The high octane pace may be perfectly suitable for its ADD rampant fanbase, but I felt as if there was much more to be told. The characters could have received more fleshing out, and the ending could feel a bit less 'and there you go' and a bit more 'aw, beautiful!' It's not the feeling that Scott Pilgrim did anything wrong, just that it could have done it a bit better.

Still, once the credits roll, one would be hard pressed to have found any emotion on my face other than a unquestioned grin. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World exudes charm, wit, and hilarity in a way few films in 2010 have managed to capture. If for no other reason than that, it earns my seal of approval.

There's no denying the vast allure of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Full of fun, excitement, and action, the movie keeps things light hearted and decently developed from start to finish. At times the movie depends too much on style to hide its weaker qualities, but when something works as well as this does you find yourself willing to forgive more than you normally would.