Deadpool - The Review

Story: A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.

X-men Origins: Wolverine was a movie for Wolverine yet it was packed full of mutants, fan favourites, that it just left a sore taste in everyone's mouth. Thankfully, The Wolverine somewhat righted what we missed, a good wolverine movie. Now, for them to right Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds played the character in Origins but was shut up in the end. Years later we get the film that he deserves.

A character study in his own right, watching a Deadpool movie is like diving into his mind. Story is simple. Tough guy falls in love with hot chick, develops troubling disease and then finds help from a dark organization.  The film does justice with the character of Wade Wilson and gives Ryan Reynolds the opportunity to stretch his comedic muscles and man is he funny. The jokes are by the dozen but all spot on, one line pointed to the fact we only really see two x-men in the movie. Deadpool jokes the studio couldn't afford to bring in more x-men.

One huge plus is we finally get to see Deadpool the way he is meant to be seen. His costume is amazingly spot on. Plus, the physical comedy is spot on, especially when he tries to beat up Colossus by breaking every bone in his body. Colossus is also done service here as his character gets more than nothing said and looks more like he does in the comics. Though, given the chance, I am sure Bryan Singer would have given Colossus more to say and do (but with x-men movie comes so many characters)

In all truth, Ryan Reynolds is the true star of this picture and the one and only who brought it to the screen. So to Ryan I say thank you and lets hope a sequel gets green lit, or we'll have to wait another 6-7 years for a follow-up.

Rating: A

Deadpool

The movie and score reviews for Deadpool I will write and release tonight. You can read my review on the score for the film over on my other blog, http://listen2themovies.blogspot.ca.

Kung Fu Panda 3 Review

Story: Continuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po must face two epic, but different threats; one supernatural and one that hits a little closer to home.

As with all franchises there is a beginning, middle and end. First,  in 2008, we saw Po first learn that that he is the dragon warrior, than three years later we watch as he learns about his past and comes to obtain inner peace. Now, five years later, he must complete his training and become a teacher of his craft.

My main issue with the new film sadly is the casting. I love J.K Simmons and Kate Hudson but I really would have loved to see what Rebel Wilson and Mads Mikkelsen would have brought to the table. Mads was originally set to play the villain Kai. J.K does a perfect job in the role, just nothing compared to Gary Oldman's performance in the previous picture. Same goes with Kate Hudson in the role of Mei Mei, originally to be played by Rebel Wilson. Rebel has this brand of comedic genius just like Mads has a way with playing villains. Sadly, J.K and Kate are just average in their roles, nothing great but as far as Kai goes the supernatural aspect of the character is something new and very interesting as he takes the powers of fighters dead and alive and becomes ever stronger. Bryan Cranston is the breakout star here as his part never got recast. He plays great as the father figure to Jack Black's Po. They play well off each other and there is a sense of fun that the two are having. Bryan also brings gravitas to the role when it comes to parts about loss and forgiveness.

As for the rest of the cast its great to see everyone come back for the final showdown, even Randall Duk Kim as Master Oogway.

With this film it is defiantly a concluding chapter to an amazing trilogy. Po comes to know his real father and learn more about his heritage while also learning to become a teacher. At first he doesn't succeed and whines up humiliating himself. For a time he focuses on becoming one with himself and truly learning who he is. That is when he learns that he must train his father and fellow pandas to add to their strengths, doing what each one does best.

The choreography is fantastic in this film. Very amazingly animated and fun to watch, adding the supernatural element to the film really gave the final chapter some new stuff to work through and create some very interesting fights and battles as the climactic final battle between Kai and Po is profoundly epic in both its fighting style and visual flare.

Casting miss-haps aside Kung Fu Panda 3 gives a terrific conclusion to Po's journey and is a fun fond farewell to a cast of characters we have come to love so much.

Rated: A-

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

Story: Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat rises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag team of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

After 30 years return to a galaxy far, far away in The Force Awakens. It has actually been at least 10 years since the last Star Wars movie which saw the completion of the prequel trilogy.

Now, the new film follows the events after Return of the Jedi. You'd never think something like this would happen but it now has after the sale of Lucas Films to Disney a new film series has gotten off the ground. If you think Disney and Trekkie JJ Abrams might not do a grande continuation, you'd be wrong.

The story is simple, everyone is looking for Luke Skywalker. The resistance wants him home and the First Order seeks to destroy him. I found previous chapters were more complex but it is nice to reintroduce fans to the saga with an easy to follow story.

We follow characters old (Han and Leia) and new (Poe, Finn and Rey) as begins the follow-up trilogy to the originals. Poe goes seeking for part of a map to find Luke, he is captured but not before giving what he found to his android BB-8. The film is similar to A New Hope as JJ based the new Star Wars film off it, igniting George Lucas to comment on how his version would have been more original.

I still found a great interest in the new characters (both light and Dark). Kylo Ren is a terrific villain and has one amazing costume. His villain is also very believable and dimensional. Another interesting character is Finn (a stormtrooper) who abandons his post and goes on the run. Rey is the true light of this movie, and may be the next Jedi.

Awakens has some terrific side characters, such amazing alien creatures. You can tell JJ had a lot of fun with this film, the movie feels fun. The visuals are also very grounded and realistically crafted. The space battles have never looked so good.

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens is an excellent continuation of a saga beloved by all with characters old and new and a more grounded visual flare.

Rating: A+