Here we are at the end of all things. It’s been over a decade with over 20 films leading to this, Avengers: Endgame. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and many, many more Avengers: Endgame hopes to bring the Infinity Saga as it is known now to a satisfying climax.
It’s a lofty goal but if anyone has a chance to pull it off it is Anthony and Joe Russo. These two directors have now become Marvel stalwarts thanks to their impressive skills with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and the adored Avengers: Infinity War.
I can’t go any further without stating that there will be spoilers in this review as I have to discuss some aspects of the plot so be wary going ahead. I will also state though I won’t bring anything in that is from the third act of Avengers: Endgame.
Plot!
With the opening of Avengers: Endgame we see the team and the world is still reeling from the events of the “Snapture”. There is however a glimmer of hope with the arrival of Captain Marvel (Larson) and some new leads on Thanos (Brolin). So the gang assemble (as you do for one of these big films) and head out ready to finally make Thanos pay and possibly save the victims of his action.
Unfortunately, revelations are revealed and everyone is broken even more so than the previous battle. Fast forward 5 years and the world and the universe are vastly different. Our remaining heroes are scattered to the four corners of the universe and people are trying to move on. That is until Ant-Man (Rudd) shows up.
Here we are at the end of all things. It’s been over a decade with over 20 films leading to this, Avengers: Endgame. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and many, many more Avengers: Endgame hopes to bring the Infinity Saga as it is known now to a satisfying climax.
It’s a lofty goal but if anyone has a chance to pull it off it is Anthony and Joe Russo. These two directors have now become Marvel stalwarts thanks to their impressive skills with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and the adored Avengers: Infinity War.
I can’t go any further without stating that there will be spoilers in this review as I have to discuss some aspects of the plot so be wary going ahead. I will also state though I won’t bring anything in that is from the third act of Avengers: Endgame.
What did you do!?
Avengers: Endgame is a love letter to fans of both the Marvel comics and the MCU. This means it has all the power of the 21 films behind it. Unfortunately, it also has several of the trappings that have been in each of those films that are amplified by such a major event film.
For example, this film is one part a sequel to Avengers: Infinity War but it is also a continuation of Thor’s narrative from Thor: Ragnarok. These two elements do not mix as the choices that the Russo brothers make in regard to Thor are laughable and easily could have been handled better. I can see where they are going with how Thor is handling himself after the events of both Ragnarok and Infinity War but they fumble here and Thor is not the only one who suffers.
Hulk and Captain Marvel are also mishandled in my opinion. Captain Marvel is a plot device not a character in this film. Reports came out recently that Brie Larson filmed this before her solo outing and it shows in how the Russo brothers utilise her. With regard to the Hulk and Bruce, their whole character narrative is fanservice with no real depth to it. It’s a shame because I was looking forward to where Hulk and Bruce were going.
On the positive side Captain America (Evans), Iron Man (RDJ) and Black Widow (Johansson) are handled far better. With Cap and Tony, it’s again further fan service but with Widow, there is a journey and it’s impressive. It’s a combination of great acting on Johansson’s part and interesting narrative choices. In the end though there are two MVP’s in Avengers: Endgame and it’s Jeremy Renner and Paul Rudd. Their respective character arcs are emotionally charged and I loved it. They have quiet scenes that bookend the big brawls and it’s greatly appreciated.
On the topic of the big brawls there is a fair sense of scope and grandeur. The cinematography is decent and there are several moments of awe-inspiring shots that look ripped straight from the comics. They are splash pages in every meaning of the word.
Avengers Assemble!
There are many moments that fans will cheer over. Moments that will have them in tears clutching their significant other and that is wonderful. I myself cried at multiple points in the film but I am a sucker for these tropes.
I can say hand on my heart I will cry at the end of Supernatural when it comes to its conclusion at the end of season 15 but I know that it’s not all been award winning. This is the same fact for Avengers: Endgame.
There are payoffs to many narrative elements for almost every character across the MCU and some of them are great but there are also payoffs that are just jokes and they clash with the tone of what is supposedly an end of an era.
There’s even a section in this 3-hour “epic” that comes across like a victory lap of sorts. Where the cast seems to be like – Hey remember how great this was? It’s unfortunate and it felt like something out of a long-running television series.
Whatever it takes
Avengers: Endgame is a tough film to dissect. In one hand I adored the emotional beats, and several of the character arcs were engaging. However, there are so many issues. The clashing of tones, the misrepresentation of characters from this film as opposed to the last film we saw them in.
There is no doubt in my mind that Avengers: Endgame is going to make a ton of money that fans will eat it up but it is by no means a perfect film.
π️3.75 π
Note : Gambar Signatures nya lagi ga Ada di hp, so pake itu dulu π
Review π Avengers : Endgame
Review π Fantastic Beasts : The Crimes Of Grindelwald
J.K. Rowling is back. As in really back. If 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themexpanded the universe she first introduced with the Harry Potter stories, then The Crimes of Grindelwald takes things not just wider but deeper. Given this is part two of a mooted five-movie series, Rowling - who again scripts - isn’t even halfway done yet.
It begins in 1927, at the American Ministry of Magic, where the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) had been held for six months since his capture at the end of the original Beasts. He’s had his tongue removed in order to curtail his powers of persuasion, but that doesn’t stop him mounting a dramatic escape. Cut to London, three months later: Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives at the Ministry where his brother Theseus (Callum Turner) works, along with Leta Lestrange (ZoΓ« Kravitz), Theseus’ fiancΓ©e.
Sibling rivalry notwithstanding, Newt is there hoping to overturn the international travel ban imposed on him after his role in the events surrounding Grindelwald’s arrest. If talk of such bans brings to mind Donald Trump’s actions at the start of his presidency, it’s not the only time Rowling evokes real-world events. Grindelwald, it transpires, is gathering followers to create a new world order ruling over all non-magical beings.
Key to this is the disturbed Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), now ensconced in a freak show in Paris as he seeks to find his real lineage. “Desperate for family, he’s desperate for love,” coos Grindelwald, all too willing to exploit Credence’s power for his own ends. But Grindelwald is not the only one looking for him. Unbeknownst to the Ministry, Newt is asked to track down Credence by Hogwarts’ very own Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law).
Joining Newt is his no-maj friend Jacob (Dan Fogel), who arrives in London with Queenie (Alison Sudol). Jacob’s memories of their earlier encounters have been restored (or “un-obliviated”) but he’s now under an enchantment. Soon enough, they’re all off to France, with Queenie’s sister Tina (Katherine Waterson) also in pursuit of Credence, for an adventure that comes vividly to life in the hands of director David Yates, who relishes bringing ’20s Paris to the screen.
Notching up his sixth Rowling-inspired film, Yates truly understands what makes the Wizarding World work. Each frame is filled to the brim with detail, whether it’s goblins cleaning windows on floating lifts or a contraption hoovering round the Ministry of Magic (well, someone has to do it). Nor are the ‘beasts’ forgotten, from baby Nifflers cheekily popping champagne corks to the beautiful seaweed-skinned Kelpies, some Japanese water demons, and one lion-like creature that can travel 1,000 miles in a day.
And, of course, Potter fans will get a huge kick out of the scenes that return us to Hogwarts, long before Harry et al got to roam its corridors. Heralded by a blast of John Williams’ original score, shots of the Great Hall and classrooms produce a shiver. And it’s beguiling to see Law’s twinkly eyed Dumbledore giving a lesson. Needless to say, this is no nostalgia trip; Rowling has good reason for going back to school – especially when she cues up flashbacks to the time when the picked-upon Leta and Newt were classmates.
Yet the film really hits its considerable peak in its revelation-heavy final third, with a showdown at PΓ¨re Lachaise. In a film about brothers and sisters, surrogate or otherwise, the Beasts family tree gets all the more thorny, as hitherto unknown - and complex - relationships are unveiled. Meanwhile, the leather-clad Grindelwald’s rally - cut to images of world war and even a mushroom cloud - weaves threads to our own Muggle world. It’s not hard to link this bleached-blond madman’s rise to that of the far right. While the original cast led by Redmayne pick up easily where they left off, the newcomers fit in seamlessly. Law is spot-on with Dumbledore, making a character so indelibly played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon his own. As for Depp, he plays Grindelwald with sinister menace, but never overcooks it. Credit Yates, too, for ensuring darkness is seasoned with light. “I think this might be the best moment of my life,” says Newt, as his brother gets zapped. Even in the bleakest of times, there’s reason to smile.
Review π Burn The Stage : The Movie
I was going to give this a silly review, but due to a lack of genuine reviews on letterboxd, I'll give this the serious review that it deserves. TLDR: Don't let subject matter of it being about a boyband turn you away; 'Burn the Stage' was a brilliantly executed, edited, and directed documentary and I think certain non-fans would enjoy watching it for it's music history/pop cultural relevancy.
Long version: Most of BTS's documentaries/series thus far have always been lighthearted and humorous, meant to give viewers laughs and cheap entertainment with challenge games, silly animations, and general antics from the members. Most of these docuseries are quite shallow in that BTS and their producers only ever show us a very... staged portrayal of the members and their lives. Things like clips of the members without makeup or bedroom tour vlogs are shown to create a sort of false sense of intimacy, but these series and videos are in actuality quite shallow and leave much to be desired.
'Burn the Stage' completely subverts this precedent and shows us a much more contemplative and introspective portrayal of the members that finally treats them seriously as subjects and profession and less so as objects for entertainment or products to be consumed.
(Spoilers? if you can call it that? below)
Some scenes were almost uncomfortably invasive into the personal matters and crises of the members, such as when Jimin needed to be talked down from a panic attack after his voice cracked during a live performance; or when Taehyung and Seokjin got into a fight with each other minutes before a concert and Taehyung was visibly shaken and crying. The scene where Taehyung and Seokjin try to talk out their fight after the show felt like I was stepping in on a something very private and intimate that you really shouldn't be a part of, kind of like being in the room when your parents are fighting.
I... do have to admit that there's something deliciously, sickeningly voyeuristic about witnessing such personal, sensitive moments; especially in contrast to all the artificial and staged docuseries we've gotten from them in the past. There was definitely a big 'fly on the wall' feeling with a lot of the scenes, and I really liked that a lot.
I think the two things that hit me the most about 'Burn the Stage' are 1) the physical strain/pain the members go through for the sake of their careers 2) the psychological impact of being so famous at such young ages. For point 1, I don't have much to say other than it was gut-wrenching to see things like Jungkook blacking out from exhaustion mid-concert, or Jimin having to sit in a chair for the Macau concert due to muscle pain/injury, or Yoongi hiding his injuries from a car accident to avoid any potential consequences from his company (such as getting fired for being unable to dance). These moments were definitely the most distressing for me personally to watch as a fan, but I'm glad we got to see them.
For point 2, Namjoon's interview where he says (I'm paraphrasing) that he feels like he missed out and will forever miss out on living a life as Kim Namjoon and that he feels like he's permanently stuck with this identity as RM, the idol rapper, and he wishes he could have more a normal life was one of the most personally stirring scenes in the documentary. I don't think he meant to make viewers feel bad per se, especially when he emphasizes how grateful he is that he's able to make a living off of his greatest passion, but when paired together with Jungkook's interview about how his own self-perception and identity have been completely shaped by idol life since he was 13, it definitely makes me question the ethics of supporting a band/industry that denies these seven young men (and thousands of other idols) of a normal life from where they can't travel or have romantic/sexual relationships or go to the grocery store without being questioned, harassed, and mobbed.
Specifically with the case of Jungkook, (he's only about 2 or 3 weeks older than I am, so we're essentially the same age and I do feel somewhat of a kinship with him because of that) knowing that when I was 15, my biggest stress was literally just acne. Maybe it was my mile time for PE class? While I was doing that, Jungkook was debuting officially with the rest of BTS; performing on TV, doing interviews, touring, photoshoots, video shoots, being treated as a product. Realizing that just made me feel like a giant question mark emotionally. Since watching 'Burn the Stage', I can't really stop thinking about what kind of psychological damage has been done to this poor guy by grooming him and molding him into a object for visual consumption since he was 12 or 13.
Anyway! 'Burn the Stage' was an absolute treat. I'd love to see BTS create more serious documentaries and programs like this, but if they don't, I'm very grateful that we got this. I think beyond BTS's fanbase, I think fans of documentaries would get great enjoyment out of watching this; it was masterfully produced. With their slew of records such as being the most discussed celebrity on all of social media in 2017, to their Billboard Music Award wins, to their multiple #1 albums in 2018, BTS are unquestionably some of the world's biggest and most impactful celebrities/musicians of the 2010s. For that, 'Burn the Stage' is also well suited for fans of music history and pop culture history.
I can't yet say if BTS is here to stay or if things like their looming mandatory conscription for the South Korean military and/or their 2020 contract renewal discussions are going to serve as their undoing. (Edit 10/18/2018 LMAO DISREGARD THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH THEIR CONTRACTS GOT RENEWED UNTIL 2025 HELL YEAH) But for now, BTS is contemporary and relevant and blazingly powerful in music and media right now, and this documentary captures this moment in time brilliantly. It is... well worth watching.
Review π Hunter Killer
The short story is, we were entertained by the movie. Lots of action, nifty special effects and eye candy and the sort of over the top action American audiences seem to adore. (By American audiences, we include us!) Sure, some of the action is a little unrealistic, with wounded characters somehow finding the unlikely ability to functions almost without regard to injury at times, giving a level of inconsistency to the film. No matter how highly you regard Navy SEALs, what 4 men can accomplish against a heavily defended Russian military base cannot possibly approach the level of mayhem and effective action Hunter Killerwants us to believe is possible. Bits of corny dialog will also draw attention from those looking to analyze the movie as if it were a documentary and not an action-adventure film meant to entertain, not educate. Along with some of the corn, the humor thrown in has already drawn some critical comment, although our test audience laughed at the right times, so we think the writing must have worked. Another criticism we have of the film is that the Russian submarine sailors are dressed in what appears to be a dress uniform rather than a working utility type uniform. What the heck? Seriously, could the movie makers not have researched the actual uniforms Russians wear when under the ocean? (By contrast, American submariners are clad in no-nonsense working uniforms.) Finally, we strongly feel that the extreme resistance to the decisions of Captain Glass, skipper of the Arkansas, by his executive officer were way overplayed in a glaringly unrealistic way that in real life would get the XO locked up on the spot and later court martialed. Instead, Gerard Butler calmly lives with his recalcitrant, damn near mutinous XO and magnanimously remains his buddy when the coast is clear. The injection of a Russian submarine captain into the American response is a little ridiculous, as the incredibly fast bonding between the American and Russian captains is most improbable as they team up to save the world. While the American President is in the thick of early response to the crisis, she is weirdly absent from the most critical part of the operation.
War related movies are seldom without inaccurate depictions of people, weapons, and events, but in this case despite our pointing out of the above flaws in the film, the bottom line is the story works. Submarines fighting below Arctic ice, Russian political mayhem that threatens the peace of the world, fantastically capable and heroic Navy SEALs, blundering, blustery lily-livered senior officers versus calm, intelligent and serious senior officers, lots of shooting and explosions make for an action film with plenty of action to keep the audience entertained and involved at all times. Hunter Killer is a fast paced film that provides real tension and gut wrenching developments, even if some aspects are a little hokey.
Hunter Killer addresses the current world situation in which Russia represents a threat to world peace, though in a different way than the current political situation in that country. The film is definitely entertaining, and we suspect it will be enjoyed by audiences as much as our test audience obviously enjoyed the movie, although with serious competition from Venom and Halloween this October the box office will probably not reflect a decreased box office than the film deserves. We were wishing the movie had been shown in 3D, so if you get a chance to see the film in 3D, do it! The running time of 121 minutes seems much shorter, which is always a good sign.
Review π Goosebumps 2 : Haunted Halloween
While collecting junk one day, best friends Sonny and Sam meet Slappy, a mischievous talking dummy from an unpublished “Goosebumps” book by R.L. Stine. Hoping to start his own family, Slappy kidnaps Sonny’s mother and brings all of his ghoulish friends back to life — just in time for Halloween. As the sleepy town becomes overrun with monsters, witches and other mysterious creatures, Sonny joins forces with his sister, Sam and a kindly neighbor to save Sonny’s mom and foil Slappy’s plan. Kids First! Film Critic Zoe C. comments, “The movie is funny and spooky in equal amounts. There is mystery and discovery all combined in the storytelling.” See her full review below.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is spooky, fun and creative! It is very engaging and entertaining throughout the whole film.
The story is about a young boy, Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and his best friend, Sam (Caleel Harris) who finds a book. When they open it, a doll called Slappy comes out! The boys lose the book, but keep Slappy. The friends are very surprised and a bit scared when they discover that the doll can talk. He seems nice at the beginning. He wants to have a family. But later, the boy, his sister Sarah (Madison Iseman) and his best friend realize he is strange and don’t want him to be part of their family anymore. Slappy has his own personal agenda and decides to create his own family.
He makes Halloween come to life as he invades the whole town with monsters and all the creatures as allies. This is a very scary Halloween for the town of Wardenclyffe, where the story takes place, as all creatures make real chaos. Sonny, Sam and Sarah team up with neighbor Mr. Chu (Ken Jeong) to find the book that Slappy from to figure out how to stop him. They discover that the book can suck up monsters and they are determined to save the city.
The story is based on R.L Stine’s books. This is where Jack Black comes in as he reprises his role from the 2015 film, playing the writer who came to help. His performance as the author is excellent. I love his voice work giving life to Slappy the Dummy.
The movie is funny and spooky in equal amounts. There is mystery and discovery all combined in the storytelling. There’s kind of a homage to horror films, as we see some classic monsters. My favorite scenes are the ones with the Halloween decorations coming to life in the store and the fight with the gummy bears that become real and attack Sonny and Sam.
The effects are very well done. This story focuses on the 3 main characters and the actors did a good job carrying the film. There’s a tribute to the books and literature. There’s a beautiful metaphor with the blank pages in the book which is powerful. It is so interesting and kind of reminded me that reality is scarier than fantasy and there will be more stories to be written. The message of this film is, “when we face our own fears we learn how not to be scared.”
