Self proclaimed leader of Tech Nation; Cross Nails and Thorn's very own Tech Support brings you tips, tricks, and reviews on technology, Comics, Movies, and all things geek from a Christian perspective.
Showing posts with label Tech Movie Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tech Movie Review. Show all posts
Thanos demands my silence? Naw, screw you Thanos and everything you stand for! 10 years, 10 years of movies all leading to this, all leading to this point. Infinity stones scattered throughout the movies waiting on the mad titan to scoop them up; bringing together Earth's Mightiest Heroes. To say that this movie will play with your emotions is an understatement. You'll laugh, You'll cry, and maybe say a few choice words.
Without spoiling anything I can say there are plenty of action and its awesome to see Marvel's heroes, some meeting for the first time, team up and fight with a few surprises sprinkled in. For the most part everyone gets there time to shine with a few exceptions. Heroes that you thought were, for lack of better terms nerfed, really let loose and show what they got. Introductions will give you chills as they come into the scene followed by their musical score. Now for the villian? Sorry Loki and Killmonger their is a new king in town and his name is Thanos. Thanos had debt and he had motive and this was truly his movie. Even with all that, I sympathize with you none Thanos!
I will say this is the first Marvel Movie that I have went to where no one got up at the end. Everyone stayed for the after credit scene. People were in awe, people were in shock, people were left wanting more or they fell to Thanos' Demand... Speaking of the After Credit, there is one and as usual it sets up for things to come. That after 10 years, we have to wait another year... for Avengers 4...A New Hope. Now if you will excuse me...
Tech Support Tech Support does whatever a Tech can do. Fix a computer, any size. Cleans the viruses just in time. Look out! Here comes Tech Suppoooort... with another review! Welcome home Spider-man! Spider-man Homecoming is the best Spider-man film to date! If you are sitting there thinking oh no not another Spider-man reboot, I'm done well hold on and come back because we finally get a good version of Spidey and he is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; the MCU!
Before you read on, if you haven't already go see this movie! Spoilers after the Spidey singing video.
Still here? Ready for some spoilers? Ok then, Going to start off with the good, the bad, and the Tech Worthy!
The Good
The Cast
Tom Holland was born to play Peter Parker/Spider-man! We finally get to see Peter Parker struggle with high school life and trying to be the best Spidey he can be. We see his genius, his heroism, charm, and charisma (No mopey or crying emo dancing Peter like we have seen before) Can't wait to see more from Him.
Michael Keaton also kills it with Adrian Tombs aka the Vulture which was pretty much expected. The MCU is known for its lack luster villains, but the Vulture did not disappoint. And loved the Vulture Suite.
Marisa Tomei as the young and hot Aunt May. Seems it most recent media writers have been making May either younger or more vibrant. I like this version as the role she plays in Peter's life and also their relationship and dynamic. From the end scene it will be interesting how this goes forward. What the...
Robert Down Jr as Tony Stark aka Iron Man with John Favreau as Happy Hogan. Both were welcome additions that help bridge the gap between this and Civil War. And for those saying this is Iron Man 4 and that he would take over the movie can rest easy as if you have watched all the previews you have seen a piece of all his scenes. Here he is a mentor, role model, and father figure to Peter.
Jacob Batalon as Ned Peter's best friend. Yea, he seems to be based more off of Miles Morales best friend Ganky rather than the Ned from the 616 but he brings a joy and humor to the role as he knows Peter and his secret.
Tony Revlori as Flash Thompson. People complained when he was cast as he was not the big jock that terrorized Peter in high school who would later become his friend and then Agent Venom, but I like his take on the character in making Flash a more modern day bully and almost rival to Peter. He didn't use physical prowess, but he was smart, rich and popular. Peter was smarter, but not popular or rich.
Laura Harrie as Liz the love interest. A senior and Peter's crush who was not just the pretty girl in school, but was intelligent and head of the decathlon team and admired Peter for his intelligence and even agreed to go to the homecoming dance.
Just have to add i love the diversity of this cast and how Peter's school looked like a school would in Queens, NY.
Spider-man
We finally get the care free, optimistic, quipping Spider-man and he is in the MCU.
We see him in chemistry secretly making his web fluid
Hiding his suit under the lockers where only he can lift and get to it.
Seeing Spider-man web through the neighborhood and not the big city was fun as we even see him run out of things to swing on instead of hitting something imaginary as he does in the video games and some old cartoons.
Being the kid in Iron man 2 now it makes sense why he would look up to Tony and want to be like him.
Captain America's PSA's
These were funny as they were used through out the film from Peter's school. The gym teacher even jokes that I am sure this guy is a War Criminal now...
Stay till the end - credits to get another one that explains itself and you waiting to the last credit to roll...
The Score
Love the music and how it weaved the old Spider-man theme throughout... Yea i had it in my had for a while... Spider-man Spider-man, does whatever a spider can...
The Twist
Wow, this was truly a twist for me, because I did not expect it. From the beginning with Adrian Tombs looking at the picture his daughter drew of the Avengers to then seeing through out the movie Michelle drawing everyone made me go ok, she is the Vulture's daughter that's easy to see, but when Peter went to pick up Liz for the Homecoming dance and Adrian Tombs opened the door me along with the whole theater gasped. Yea not Michelle, but Liz is the Vulture's daughter. This makes for some comedic scenes with Peter's expressions during the whole meet the parents thing until as they talk on the car ride you see Adrian start to realize that Peter is Spider-man (Thanks to Liz not shutting up about him not showing up when Spider-man around and his Peter's voice)
So, then who is Michelle? People were up in arms when it was rumored that Zendaya would be playing Mary Jane. Then it came out from the novelization that she was Michelle Tombs, daughter of the Vulture, but as i said before this that was not the case. So who is she? Well we do get a Batman The Dark Knight Rises moment (My friends call me Robin) when Michelle says my friends call me MJ. So, is she in fact Mary Jane or Michelle Jane or Mary Michelle Jane... Seems that a lot of these scenes were cut, but there are plenty of pictures of Michelle looking at Peter with affection, we only get it once in the movie in this scene when Peter is called away by Happy, but even still its obvious that she likes him.
If you look at all the characters in this movie none of them are a carbon copy of the comic book counterpart as many are combinations or amalgams of them. Ned is not a reporter at the daily bugle who fought with Peter over Betty Brant's love who would later become the hobgoblin. Speaking of Betty she is also in the movie as a classmate and school reporter. Liz is not the girl friend of Flash who at first looks down on Peter. So, who is to say that Michelle is or is not Mary Jane...
The Bad
Trying to be too different from the past 2 Spider-man Franchises.
No Spidey-Sense. The Director, Jon Watts, said that he didnt want to focus on it, but said it was there and something that would be developed. I'm fine with that as in Civil War Peter said he needed the goggles to focus his senses and maybe that is hindering him from tapping into his power, but with that said it should have been at least hinted at in the movie so these Nay sayers wouldn't be crying over it.
No mention of Uncle Ben or With Great Power comes Great Responsibility
Again I am cool with not showing the origin, but I think we could have gotten a picture and or mention of him. We here that May went through a tough time, but not about what.
Its understandable they didn't want that weight to be Peter's drive to be a hero, but a short flash back or him looking at a picture with the words echoing would have been enough.
I understand trying to distinguish it from the previous franchises, but as the saying goes if it aint broke dont fix it.
Sony aka Hydra is still a part of this.
Yea I said it! Sony is Hydra. All they care about is money and how the can use the rights to spidey to make it. Making Spider-man three and the reboot made them realize that they couldn't do it so they finally struck a deal and we get a good movie. Oh but no they are not done, they plan on still making their own universe without Spider man. A Venom movie along with a Black Cat and Silver Sable movie are on the way... Why i ask why? Venom without Spidey? Can't they just let Marvel have it? Why must they do this? You know they even thought of a young spy Aunt May movie? Then the head of Hydra Amy Pascal says their moves are part of Marvel's universe causing Kevin Feige to have the what now look to then retract it.
Sony also put to much in their previews. The got so excited that Marvel had made them a good Spider man movie they had to show clip after clip after clip....
The Tech Worthy
Donald Glover as Aaron Davis
We see him trying to buy future tech from both Shockers but he doesn't want the big loud guns he wants something more discreet because if you don't know Aaron Davis is also known as the cat burglar the Prowler. He perks up when he hears them talking about "climbers".
He helps Spider-man by giving him info on finding the bad guys hideout and even some advice on being a hero
The kicker comes when he tells Spidey that he doesn't want those weapons on the street because he has a nephew that lives there. His nephew is non other than Miles Morales aka Ultimate Spider-man. So officially Miles is in the MCU! So we may get Prowler stealing that spider from Scorpio and bringing it to the Morales house... One can only hope.
The Mid-Credit Scene
I am glad the Vulture did not die like most villains seem to in Super Hero movies as we see him in jail and he is then approached by non other than Mac Gargan. Mac was seen earlier in the film trying to by tech from the Vulture and if that name sounds familiar, Mac is none other than Spidey villain The Scorpion. In Jail, he says he learned that Adrian might know who Spider-man is. He does, but he does not divulge the info and goes on to see his family. Nice set up for future villain and the start of the Sinister 6 perhaps? I hope so, keep it out of Sony hands...
Jennifer Connelly as Karen Spider-man's suite AI
Its cool because if you didn't know Jennifer is married to Paul Bethany who was Iron man's AI before eh became the Vision.
She was also Betty in Ang Lee's Hulk movie, but we will forget about that...
An almost upside down Kiss
After Spider-man saves his classmates in the elevator, he is upside down in front of Liz and Karen his A.I says this is your chance to kiss her. A nice call back to Sam Raimi's Spider-man.
Stan Lee's Cameo
Stan is one of the people living in the apartment where Spider-man thinks he has stopped a guy from breaking into a car when it was his own car and the alarm goes off causing people to yell at Spidey. Stan yells out
The Iron Spider Suite?
At the end Tony is prepared to make Spidey an Avenger allowing him to live in the new Avengers facility. He even presents a new suite that looks shiny and more armored, but Peter turns it down vowing to stay with being the friendly neighborhood Spider-man.
Missed opportunity to use the actual Iron Spider suite here, would have been a nice Easter Egg.
Tech's Final Thoughts
This movie was awesome and a welcome joy to the MCU. Kid friendly? Yes, but it was a fun romp and what I think Spider-man should be. Different from the other movies but still in the same universe. So yes this is a definite must see! We may see this Spider-man for years to come as rumor has it he is set to be the Iron man of phase 4.
Spider-man movies rated from best to least:
Spider-man Homecoming Spider-man 2 Spider-man The Amazing Spider-man 2 The Amazing Spider-man Spider-man 3 (Dancing Toby, you are to blame)
And my thoughts and prayers are with Stan Lee as his wife of 70 years passed away at the age of 93.
Explosions ✔
Eye Candy ✔
Sexual innuendos ✔
More Explosions ✔
Everything needed for a Michael Bay Movie: Bayformers a bad movie in disguise. We again get another movie about humans surrounded by explosions and sexual tension with the occasional appearance by a giant alien robot.
Transformers, more than meets the eye. Transformers Robots in disguise. Except for when Michael Bay gets a hold of them, then their giant generic robots who are minor characters in their on movie. You think by movie number five something would change or get better, that you wouldn't get the same movie as the four before it, but alas, Bay has a formula and he sticks to it.
The PlotThe same as the four before it
We start in the past in a war with non other than King Arthur and his Knights; Lancelot and all them in a war that they clearly can't win. Oh, but King Arthur is like; we got this, we just have to hold on until Merlin the magician comes. Arthur's knights say Merlin is a liar, a trickster, and doesn't know real magic and that he is just a drunk.. Absurd! Not the most powerful wizard in history right? Well turns out the Knights were right. We see Merlin elsewhere drinking from a flask, drunk going to some cave talking to himself. I know what you are thinking. What does this have to do with transformers? Yea, I asked myself that too while watching... Anyway Merlin his hit against the cave by a transformer a Cybertonian Knight. Is he the last? No. Merlin pleads that he help them and save Camelot. So the Knight gives Merlin a staff that wields ultimate power... Yes, Merlin got his staff and power from a transformer. Not only did he get the staff but their are 12 knights, yes 12 see he is not the last and they can all combine to form the three headed dragon Dragonstorm. Merlin and Dragonstorm come to the aid of King Author and his Knights and easily take out their adversaries, creating the legend....
Back to the present on Earth. You would think it would be all good, but no. The transformers have become outcast and the government hunts them; calling themselves the TRF Transformers Reaction Force. Its members? Josh Duhmael and Tyrese are back not having been seen since the 3rd generic movie... Wait...wait... that's not Tyrese... In action, he kind of looks like him, but he doesnt talk as much and he only has a few lines....
Anyway, Transformers have been constantly falling to Earth hunted by the TRF. Oh, but Marky Mark is back and is hiding out with the auto and dino bots in a junk yard. He bursts on the scene with Bumblebee after rescuing some Nickelodeon actors, I mean kids from a TRF Walker drone. One a girl who is a survivor of the attack on Chicago in the previous movie who has befriended a little robot Squeaks and a big guy named Canopy. Canopy dies and Marky Mark or Cade finds a Cybertonian Knight who gives him a talisman that he claims will protect him. In the Shadows we see the police car Decepticon Baricade telling Megatron what he saw.
Remember the end of Transformers Age of Extinction? Don't worry most people probably don't. We see Optimus go into space to meet his makers warning them the he is coming and to leave Earth alone. Well it seems Cybertron has been coming toward Earth and Optimus meets his maker, Quintessa, but his threats go down the toilet when she back hands him into submission telling him for Cybertron to live, Earth must die. With a new red streak on his face an purple eyes from the slap from Quintessa, Optimus bows to find the ultimate weapon that will destroy Earth and save Cybertron. Oh, enjoy Optimus while you can here, because you won't see him again for another two and half hours...
So, the TRF also learn about the weapon that can bring back Cybertron and destroy Earth so they go to of all transformers Megatron for help in finding the weapon and in a Suicide Squad style Montage Megatron requests the aid of Decepticons that the TRF have in uh robot jail. Some Decepticons are deemed too dangerous or not generic enough, but Megatron gets, with freeze frame and name splash, Onslaught, Mohawk, Nitro and Dreadbot... I don't even know why I or this movie listed their names. They are not shown much and you will forget about them anyway.
The orphan girl, Izabella sneaks a ride back to the junkyard where the Dinobots; Grimlock, Slug, Swoop and their babies... I guess it was their babies, it was mini versions of them...anyway and Autobots: Bubmebee, Hound, Drift, Crosshairs, Wheelie have all been chillin and hiding out since that last generic movie with Cade and the Carmichael shows Carmichael. The Suicide Squad... I mean Megatron and the Decepticons attack; all of them die except for Megatron, Baricade, and Nitro... see told you their was no point in showing their names. Cade is then approached by C3PO... no kidding his name is Cogman, but hey even one of the autobots ask who is this discount C3PO is...Anyway, Cogman is a headmaster Anthony Hopkins.... Now what convinced him to be in this movie?
Now you would think we would get some more robot action, but no we see a woman (the eye candy) playing Polo. She is Oxford professor Vivian Wemble and she is then kidnapped by autobot favorite form the cartoon, Hot Rod. Don't get excited this is not the Hot Rod you know and love. He has a French accent and works for the the English lord Anthony Hopkins or as he is in the movie Sir Edmund Burton. Now why did he bring Vivian and Cade to him? Well he is the last of the Witwiccan Order , a secret organization that has been keeping the history of the transformers over the years, a group that consisted of the likes of Fredrick Douglas and....and.... Michael Bay... So, wait does that mean Shia is dead or did his family just have a similar name... eh doesn't matter...
Ok, so it turns out that Vivian is the last descendant of Merlin and only she can get the staff and stop Cybertron from coming to Earth and the last Knight... .No it's not a transformer, but good ol Marky Mark himself Cade. The two find the staff and Vivian activates it causing mechanical horns to rise from the Earth... Now this is this is the kicker, the reason transformers have been falling the Earth, why Cybertron is on a collision course with Earth.... Earth is actually Unicron. Yes, Unicron the transformer devil himself that is the size of a planet. Don't get excited, all you see of him is horns rising from the Earth...
Anywho, they are attacked by one of the Cybertonian Knights. The TRF intervenes and kills the Knight. Then enters Optimus Prime now known as Nemesis Prime. Nice of him to show up at the end of the movie... Anyway, Optimus takes the staff to restore Cybertron. We then get a nice fight between Bumblebee and Optimus. Optimus basically is ripping Bumblebee apart and just as he is about to kill him Bumblebee speaks; and no not in some radio voice, we hear the real Bumblebee saying what I guess is still a recorded line about how it is an honor to follow Optimus and that he would die for him. More Cybertonian Knights appear ready to kill Optimus for his betrayal, but in steps Cade... The talisman.... It morphs into King Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur causing the Knights to yield to him. Cade then tells Optimus to get up and to fight and protect the Earth.
Meanwhile, Megatron, Nitro, and Baricade work with Quintessa at Stone Hinge to bring back Cybertron. The TRF intervene and lord Burton starts to fire at Megatron who without Malice blasts him with his hand cannon. Then the TRF and Autobots team up to go to Cybertron get Vivian to the staff. For some odd reason Izabella tags along with Squeaks who has a heroic moment in destroying the turret. The TRF bails since Optimus is again missing and the get new orders to leave after placing a targeted strike that some scientist said would work instead of believing in a magic staff. Vivian and Cade stay vowing to complete the mission. Optimus finally shows up riding Dragronstorm. Where was he and why was he late, was the turret keeping him away... or did he just have to have his heroic moment? Anyway they battle and defeat Megatron. Optimus and Bumblebee "kill" Quintessa and Vivian gets the staff saving the day.
Optimus like he does in every movie gives his speech saying now Cybertron and Earth are connected and he invites all Transformers to come home to Cybertron. Then in a mid credit scene we see some scientist look at pieces of Unicron when a woman shows up saying she can help them destroy the being... Yes, its Quintessa... I thought this was going to be the last movie, no do not continue this!
The Good
The Fights
I mean when we did get action there were some nice fight scenes with the Transformers. Optimus always came in hard like a boss "Don't you know who I am" He says after chopping the heads off a line of Quintessa's soldiers, "I'm Optimus Prime
Bumblebee
We get a little bit of his history again seeing that he has been on Earth for a long long time even fighting against the Nazi's.
He appears to be Cubix now as he can break apart and control his parts individually and come back together
So there is suppose to ,be a spin-off move set in the 80's with him; just leave Michael Bay out of it, or reboot this universe...
Anthony Hopkins and Cogman
This duo was a highlight of the film creating some nice comedic moments
The sets
The scenes and backgrounds looked nice being filmed in IMAX
Optimus Prime
He wasn't in the move much, but when he was, he was an OG, one bad robot!
The Bad
The Plot
This movie was all over the place and did not fill like a transformers movie.
As always, the humans are the stars and get the most screen time; the Transformers are minor characters in their on movie
Same plot that has been in previous movies
The Transformers
Again Michael Bay has some of the transformers portray racist stereotypes
Most are generic and if they are not named Optimus or Bumblebee, you forget who they are
The Sexual Innuendos
Classic Bay as we get a scene with Cade and Vivian trying to find a clue in her father's study to where the staff is and as they talk to the outside it sounds as if they are doing the do to her mother and her friends.
Hot Rod
Hot Rod, the young brash autobot that became leader after Optimus died in the generation 1 cartoon is now just a servant for lord Burton.
He has a French accent
The Tech Worthy
The Earth being Unicron
Now this is an interesting idea and creates a whole new dynamic in the Transformers war.
Cogman
Robot headmaster and butler portrayed by Jim Carter who is basically being his character from downtown Abby (I have not watched the show, just read that online)
Tech Rating
How is this Franchise still going when its the same movie every time? All I can say is if you like the four before it, then go see it. If not, don't waste your time or money. If you take the beginning and end of the movie and take out the middle with all the human dram then you might have a decent movie. Time for Michael Bay to step away and reboot this franchise and actually make it about the Transformers!
Thanos demands my silence? Naw, screw you Thanos and everything you stand for! 10 years, 10 years of movies all leading to this, all leading to this point. Infinity stones scattered throughout the movies waiting on the mad titan to scoop them up; bringing together Earth's Mightiest Heroes. To say that this movie will play with your emotions is an understatement. You'll laugh, You'll cry, and maybe say a few choice words.
