jaredkjacoby

Set on Earth-828 in the 1960s, a group of scientists and astronauts became heroes of their world after their DNA was altered by cosmic radiation. Sue Storm is getting ready to give birth to her and Reed Richards' child. However, things take a turn for the worst when The Silver Surfers delivers a message that Earth has been marked for death by Galactus, a cosmic entity. Reed and Sue, along with Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm must work together with their knowledge and powers to stop this giant from destroying their world.

The best word to describe Fantastic Four: First Steps is whimsical. Watching this movie is like watching a quirky sixties sci-fi show get adapted to big screen in the best possible way. I enjoyed the hell out of this.

First of all, I love how this movie looks. Not since the Guardians of the Galaxy movies have I enjoyed the aesthetic of a Marvel movie so much. These sets are so creative and colorful and fit the retro-futuristic setting of the film. The cinematography by Jess Hall is slick and colorful giving this film a unique look compared to the rest of the MCU. The costumes fit the tone and style of the film, the makeup is spot on and the design of Galactus is excellent looking very practical. The best looking parts of the film however are the scenes that take place in space. Those are some of the most gorgeous moments I have seen in a comic book movie. I especially love the chase with Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four's spaceship because it looks amazing and it is thrilling to watch. Most of the action scenes are very fun here, but that chase might just be my favorite set piece of the summer.

Unsurprisingly, we have an excellent musical score by Michael Giacchino who delivers a wonderful main theme for the Fantastic Four as well as some other great musical pieces, particularly the music in the space chase. The technical aspects in this movie are impeccable and what surprises me is that I thought the movie looked cartoonish from the trailers. I did not expect to like the aesthetic here as much as I did.

The cast is excellent too. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards was a perfect casting choice. I believed Pascal as this genius who solved so many problems with science. Also, Pascal just has a warm and likable screen presence that makes his character so likable even at his more stoic moments. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is lovable as the chill Ben Grimm. I do wish he got slightly more focus because The Thing tends to be my favorite FF character, but I did enjoy Moss-Bachrach's natural line delivery and snarkiness. Vanessa Kirby is terrific as Sue Storm as she has some of the most emotional moments in the film. Kirby makes Sue Storm such a beast in this movie as well as a fantastic mother figure which is really cool to see.

My favorite actor and character in this movie though? Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. Quinn embodies Johnny's goofiness and fiery personality, but emphasizes that Johnny is a much smarter person than he looks. He has probably my favorite scene in the film with his confrontation with Silver Surfer. Quinn surprised me with this performance because I thought he was gonna make Johnny Storm just a goofball, but he makes him into one of the coolest and smartest characters in the film.

Then there is Ralph Ineson as Galactus. Ineson nailed this villain delivering one of the coolest villainous performances of the year. His voice alone darkens the otherwise lighthearted film. Galactus is such a great villain because he is not misguided or misunderstood; he is just crazy and destroys multiple planets. Julia Garner as Silver Surfer is very solid even with the limited lines she has. Silver Surfer in general is a really cool character because of her powers and her dangerous presence. However, the single moment where she shows vulnerability is the scene that stuck out the most for me with Silver Surfer. The cast is fantastic and everyone brings something to the table.

Also, H. E. R. B. I. E. is awesome. An adorable robot that takes care of a lot of the chores for the FF and can hold his own in areas? He is super cool and funny.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is a very character and story driven movie. It focuses on the family dynamic of the Fantastic Four, how they are seen as public heroes and their preparations for their next stage in life. Watching this movie does feel like watching a sci-fi dramedy with some superhero battles thrown in and that makes it very enjoyable. The story is always engaging because the writing is so good with how the dynamic of the Fantastic Four makes for a lot of compelling or fun scenes. There is always something enjoyable going on such as Johnny giving Reed a hard time, his funny friendship with Ben and the close relationship between Reed and Sue. This is a movie about family that pushes the theme to the next level, especially with the inclusion on Franklin. I really enjoyed the lighthearted story about family here especially after the last film was so dark and self-serious.

The humor is not as strong as I thought it would be. It is a pretty funny movie that made me smile and giggle throughout, but I was not laughing hard the way I did during a few other blockbuster films this year. Despite that, I do like how this movie never takes itself too seriously and fully embraces its quirky retro-futuristic theme without being too cheesy. Despite being a lot less action-oriented than other superhero films, this movie never once felt like a drag. It always had something fun going on.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is a pretty great comic book movie. I love the dynamic of the Fantastic Four, I really love the visuals and I enjoyed the story. I was not particularly excited about this movie so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Director Matt Shakman clearly has a lot of love for these characters and it shows in every scene in this movie. I have to say that it is nice to finally have a Fantastic Four movie that rocks.

A young couple moves to the countryside hoping to improve their relationship. As they hike towards their new home, they fall into a cave and get stuck there overnight. A supernatural encounter brings Tim and Millie closer together... literally.

Michael Shanks' Together might be the movie that disturbed me the most out of the horror films I have seen in theaters so far. This movie made me feel uncomfortable, it made me cringing for the next scare and it got me on several jump scares. This is a horror movie that succeeds on so many levels.

Shanks has created a dark and twisted world with Together. The way he builds on each scare and each creepy image is fascinating to watch. The movie starts off with an appetizer of what is to come in the opening scene. Warning though, it could be upsetting for animal lovers. Another early scare that got me is with Tim's hallucinations which brings one of the jump scares that startled me without even being that loud. There are so many scares and eerie moments that creep me out before we even get into the body horror in this movie. The story is very strong featuring a surprisingly solid amount of lore around the area where these fusions are happening and the solid pacing that never feels rushed or dragged on. Shanks builds up the atmosphere in this movie like a pro and this is his first feature length film.

Once we get into the body horror however? Those images are gonna give me nightmares. Even the smallest body parts sticking together look painful because of the pain Tim and Millie put themselves through just to separate from each other. What makes this movie so scary is the pain these two lovebirds go throughout the film and it does not let up even a little bit. The imagery and body horror in this movie are both very creative and take advantage of the premise without relying too much on it. The designs of some of the creatures that are fused together might be some of the most terrifying and painful-looking things I have seen so far in horror. This is absolutely not a movie for the faint of heart and I am honestly surprised I took it as well as I did because I know I can be squeamish to these kinds of films.

Although Together is overall a very frightening film and generally serious, it does have comedy in it. There are some very witty lines of dialogue and a few physical gags to demonstrate how insane the situation. I did laugh at them because they provided a little relief amidst the creepy atmosphere and crazy scares.

The performances are top notch in this movie. Dave Franco as Tim is amazing in this film with his body language, his line delivery and his genuinely fun personality slowly slipping into madness. Franco does a lot with Tim and he excels on every level. My favorite scene with Franco is when he talks about his childhood trauma with Millie and it is one of the quieter scenes of the film but I was totally mesmerized by how dead inside this man looked in this scene. It says a lot about how despite wanting to be a loving boyfriend, Tim has a lot of issues and trauma holding him back from moving forward. Dave Franco is outstanding in this movie.

Alison Brie as Millie is no slouch either. Brie's character is a bit less aware of what is happening to them and Brie sells her frustration, confusion and fear throughout the film. Her dialogue delivery is top notch especially some of the harsh words Millie gives to Tim. She also has one of my favorite lines in a lot of movies after she goes through extreme measures at one point. Brie is the embodiment of a woman who just wants to relax yet gets hit with the weirdest things imaginable in this area. Brie is great in this movie and her chemistry with Franco is impeccable. They play off each other so well as a flawed couple who do want to fix their relationship issues. They make the movie a lot more fun to watch with their dynamic.

Visually, the movie looks excellent. I did not expect a movie with so much disturbing content to have such lush filmmaking, but it surprised me. The cinematography by Germain McMicking is lush and beautiful even in the creepiest parts. There are so many memorable shots in this movie for different reasons such as disturbing moments of horror and some very cool compositions I did not think of. In fact, McMicking's work builds on the suspense of what scare or what image will pop up next. The lighting is solid overall even in the darker scenes as it never feels like the movie gets too dark where I cannot see anything. The creature designs look really cool and believable and it definitely got under my skin. There is one fusion towards the end that gives me nightmares and it made me sad too because of the story behind it. The musical score by Cornel Wilczek is eerie and builds on the dark atmosphere of this film.

If I had any criticisms for this movie, there is one reveal about a character I partially saw coming. It is the only truly predictable moment in the film. I have seen some complaints that the movie explains how the events that unfold in this movie, but I like the way they handled in the lore for this haunted area. Instead of having some bad guy explain what is happening to them, the movie makes it visual with little dialogue and let me tell you, it is frightening. It has a few jump scares, but they work in this movie, especially the quieter one at the beginning.

Aside from a couple of predictable moments, Director Michael Shanks knocked it out of the park with Together. This movie scared the hell out of me and kept me on my toes the entire time. I was dreading each moment even asking myself what the heck have I gotten myself into. Also, it is a pretty creative and original film that takes the story in cool directions. If you are a horror fan and you want to watch something a bit different from other horror movies, I think you will really like this. Just try not to eat too much before watching it...

Taking place three years after Superman revealed himself to Earth, he loses his first battle to Ultraman, controlled by Lex Luthor. Though he recovers, Luthor and his cronies invade Superman's home and find a way to have the public turn against the Man of Steel. Superman will go to great lengths to prove he is a hero and not someone who wants to conquer Earth.

I was very pumped for James Gunn's Superman, but I had a few concerns to keep me from being overly hyped about the film. I have watched all of the live action Superman movies over the week leading up to this. I decided to go ahead and see this movie early so I could see it on the biggest screen possible and to avoid spoilers after its release. Even with my excitement for the movie, I was not prepared for one of the best movie experiences I have had in years...

The two words I would use to best describe James Gunn's Superman is pure joy. Not only is this hands down my favorite Superman movie so far, but this might be my favorite comic book movie of the decade. It has everything I wanted from the story and more. Not only is the story consistently fun and engaging, but it is a fresh take on the Man of Tomorrow. The pacing is perfect and the movie is never once boring during a character beat or an action beat. What surprised me is that the humor is spot on in this movie. The gags are timed perfectly and they are often hilarious. This movie has a different type of humor from the other Superman films, but it works here and I never felt it got in the way of the story. This movie has amazing emotional beats that made my jaw drop.

At its core, Superman is a movie about being kind and anti-prejudice. James Gunn focuses a lot on Superman's status as an alien from another planet to show how he is just a friendly man who wants to change the world for the better. This movie is about as pro-immigrant as it can get and it gets its messages across in a clever, but straightforward way. Also, this movie does not shy away from the horrors of invasion and that it is unquestionably wrong. In an age with the pretty depressing political climate we have today, this movie takes on some heavy topics in ballsy ways I did not expect.

The cast is incredible here. David Corenswet is the best Superman we have gotten since Christopher Reeve. Corenswet is great as the awkward Clark Kent, but he is a powerhouse as the Man of Steel. He does a lot of great body language and facial expressions which tell the viewer everything about this Superman, but I love his line delivery. He speaks with confidence and swagger in battle, broken emotion at his worst moments and genuine joy in his happier moments. This is also my favorite version of Superman because this Superman is probably the most kindhearted and human because he genuinely cares about every living creature. He gets heartbroken over a death of a civilian, he stops a fight to help someone about to get crushed and he even saves a squirrel! A squirrel! This guy IS Superman and Corenswet proved to be perfect for the role.

One-upping Superman though is his evil nemesis Lex Luthor played by Nicholas Hoult. I consider Hoult to be an amazing actor as he has given some of my favorite performances recently and this film could potentially be his best. Hoult embodies everything about Lex Luthor from his cruelty, his eccentricity, his intellect and his rage when he loses. He also has quite possibly the best facial acting I have seen from an actor in a comic book movie which again blew me away. This version of Lex Luthor is by far the scariest I have seen of the movies. He is not just a heartless weasel, but he is diabolical and calculating. Lex is clever in his plan against Superman and to keep a positive image of himself while having dark intentions with his plans. He is genuinely terrifying and loathsome, but he is entertaining to watch because of it and you will root for his demise. I love to hate this version of Lex, and Nicholas Hoult killed in this role.

The rest of the cast is great too. Some standouts include Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane who is a lot fun to watch and has great chemistry with Corenswet, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific who is wonderfully snarky and a true ally to Superman, Nathan Fillion who is a riot as Green Lantern/Guy Gardener, Maria Gabriela de Faria who is badass as The Engineer, Isabel Merced who kills it as a snarky Hawk Girl and Anthony Carrigan who brings a lot of emotional moments as Metamorpho. Seriously, Carrigan surprised me with his character and performance. Krypton the Super Dog is adorable and feisty here. He is fun in every scene he is in. One thing I will say is that I feared Superman's friends who are also superheroes would steal the show from him but they do not. They make for excellent supporting characters who help Superman, but do not take the spotlight from him. I could go on because this cast is excellent, the characters are great and everyone nails their roles while leaving their mark on the story.

Production-wise, the movie looks fantastic. The cinematography by Henry Brahm is dynamic and slick having some memorable shots, especially when we enter the Pocket Universe. This is a very colorful movie for the most part and it fits the lighter tone of the movie. The set designs are amazing from Superman's home, Metropolis and especially the Pocket Universe. The way this movie looks makes me feel like I stepped into the world of Superman.

The action scenes are awesome in this movie. The fights are some of the best in a Superman film, especially the fights with Superman and his friends against the kaiju which is just so beautifully shot and full of great camera-work. The climactic battle is one of the best climaxes in a blockbuster I have seen in years thanks to the stakes involved, the intensity in the fights and the tactics both Lex and Superman use. Also, Mr. Terrific has an amazing one-take sequence which showcases his powers perfectly. The set pieces in the Pocket Universe are solid showing Superman's need to protect others in danger. Every set piece in this film is memorable here.

The soundtrack is epic too. The musical score by John Murphy and David Fleming is phenomenal and mixes classic Superman music with modern comic book movie music to create memorable music throughout the film. When I think of the music of this film, it immediately makes me think of Superman. I love the song choices in the film too, especially the two songs that play at the credits. I love that this movie made a song by a fictional band here. That is just another element that shows how much heart this film has.

I cannot think of too many issues with this movie. The only thing I would say is that a couple scenes of humor did not quite land for me, particularly one cameo from a certain show by James Gunn. I know that the audience I was with laughed at that scene, but I could not help but groan at it because it felt out of place here. I really cannot think of too many things I did not like about this movie though.

I used to be a much bigger fan of comic book movies, but I have kind of drifted from them. I still enjoy them, but I do not have the same love of them as I used to. Superman is an exception. This movie everything I wanted it to be and more. It is one of the of the most joyful and entertaining comic book movies while being one of the gutsiest out there too. This movie single-handedly lifted my spirits up for the day. It was also cool to be with an audience who was really into the film even cheering and clapping not just at the end, but in the middle of the film! As of now, this is my favorite film of the year and I cannot wait to see it again. See this movie on the biggest screen possible.