Coming Attractions- Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

 

Director- Kelly Marcel

Cast- Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Clark Backo, Cristo Fernandez

Release Date- October 25, 2024

Tom Hardy’s dedication to Eddie Brock is admirable. Hardy is clearly passionate about the Venom series, but the previous two films were too hit and miss for me. Venom (2018) was decent at best. Venom: Let There Be Carnage peaked and fell off of a cliff after Carnage escaped from prison. The Spider-Man tease in the mid-credits for the long awaited confrontation between Venom and Spider-Man was the only truly memorable moment in Let There Be Carnage. 

A good trailer for The Last Dance, featuring a lot the over the top wackiness (a symbiote horse!) you’d expect from the Venom films. Mrs. Chen is back for a few good laughs, and I’m wondering if Rhys Ifans appearance is somehow connected to Lizard from 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man? Possibly a special cameo or a little nod to Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man films, because I highly doubt Ifans having a part in a Venom film is just a mere coincidence.

One thing I’ll say about The Last Dance is, they did a great job of hyping up the high stakes and selling the storyline for Eddie and Venom’s possible last hurrah. I don’t have big expectations for this one, but hopefully they’ll finally hit a home run for Venom’s final standalone film. 

Coming Attractions- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

 

Director- Shawn Levy

Cast- Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin, Emma Corrin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna

Release Date- July 26, 2024

Wolverine had the perfect send-off in Logan, but we’re in the era of multiverses and alternate timelines for superhero films. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. There’s no denying Jackman consistently delivers. If you’re going to bring him back, pairing him with Deadpool is justifiably a big comeback, while setting a grand stage for the MCU debut of two wildly popular characters. The trailer definitely has a grand, big time feel to it, perfectly building the hype for the biggest superhero film in 2024.

The Deadpool films rely on the fourth wall breaking a bit too much sometimes, but it also works to help Deadpool’s inventive style. Add in the slick and over the top violence, and you have a set of superhero films with a unique identity. 

Deadpool & Wolverine will surely deliver a lot of surprises and cameos. The odd couple pairing with Reynolds and Jackman is almost guaranteed to bring a spark to the MCU, a spark that’s needed, because it’s mostly been a dull stretch after Endgame and No Way Home. 

2013 End Of The Year Awards- Best Superhero/Superheroine Film- Iron Man 3

This is my first year with End Of The Year Awards, but I'm leaning towards an "either-or" pick for Best Superhero and Superheroine Film, because the competition (or lack there of) for superheroine films is non-existent 98% of the time.

Again, it's my first year with the awards, I'm trying to figure things out, so there's a chance for a change in 2014. Now let's talk about Iron Man 3!

The controversial Mandarin twist is a "love or hate" clincher for a lot of people, but Iron Man is a serious contender for the best Iron Man film in the franchise. Robert Downey, Jr. is still sharp as Tony Stark/Iron Man, and Downey, Jr. shares excellent chemistry with Gwyenth Paltrow.

I know the first thought that pops into your mind is "wait a minute Mitch.... RDJ and Paltrow sharing excellent chemistry in an Iron Man film? That's nothing new!" Yes, RDJ and Paltrow form a strong duo throughout the Iron Man series and The Avengers, but there's an overwhelming sense of dread for everything coming to an end in part 3.

Pepper is tired of Tony's antics, and Tony is stuck in a life-changing dilemma for his future. You can feel the hopelessness, the doubt, and the edge of the cliff  "make up your mind or I'm gone" ultimatums, because Downey, Jr. and Paltrow put everything on the line here with a pair of strong performances.

Iron Man 2 had a tough act to follow after the 2008 film, and the end result was a so-so at best sequel. Think about all the pressure and high expectations after The Avengers, and Iron Man returned with another juggernaut for summer blockbusters in 2013.

Usually, a franchise from any genre reaches or is close to an end of the line point after two films, and you'll hear the "too many sequels!" complaints. But Iron Man 3 leaves you wanting more after The Avengers. It's an impressive feat that deserves admiration and recognition. Dazzling action sequences and fight scenes, a top notch cast, and Iron Man solidifies its status as one of the most entertaining superhero franchises with another high quality film that's loaded with fun and lots of laughs.

Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

**This review contains spoilers**

After inspiring others to fight crime and clean up the streets, Dave Lizewski (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) decides to retire his Kick-Ass persona. Still inspired by her father’s mission and dedicated to keeping her promise to Big Daddy, Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz ) refuses to give up her life as Hit-Girl, until she receives pressure from Sergeant Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut),  Mindy’s guardian and the man, who swore to protect her from any danger. Mindy tries to train Dave, so he can be a real hero without having to put on the costume, but Marcus steps in, and forces Mindy to retire the Hit-Girl persona and her life of crime fighting for good. Furious about the perceived awkward relationship with Mindy at school and a neglectful attitude, Dave’s girlfriend, Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca) dumps him in the hallways by slapping him in the face one day.

Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is still looking for revenge after Kick-Ass used a rocket launcher to murder his father. After an argument with his mother, Chris accidentally kills Ms. D’Amico by kicking her tanning bed, causing it to malfunction. Determined to get his hands on Kick-Ass, Chris assumes the identity of The Mother Fucker with the hopes of becoming the world’s first supervillian. With his inheritance and some help from his personal assistant Javier (John Leguizamo), The Mother Fucker assembles his own team of villains including Mother Russia (Olga Kurkulina), Black Death (Daniel Kaluuya), Genghis Carnage (Tom Wu), and The Tumor (Andy Nyman). Forming a stable of villains known as The Toxic Mega-Cunts, The Mother Fucker vows to destroy the city with crime, and kill Kick-Ass.

Unable to convince Mindy to become Hit Girl again and not wanting to fight alone, Dave becomes Kick-Ass again and joins a group of heroes called Justice Forever. Led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), Kick-Ass joins the team of Night Bitch (Lindy Booth), Doctor Gravity (Donald Faison), Team Remembering Tommy (two parents, who became crime fighters after their son was abducted), as a team made up of Tommy’s mother (Monica Dolan) and Tommy’s father (Steven Mackintosh), and Battle Guy, who eventually reveals himself as Marty (Clark Duke), one of Dave’s best friends.

The Toxic Mega-Cunts and Justice Forever are headed for an inevitable clash, as the police crack down on anyone wearing a mask. And things take a devastating turn for the worst, when Marty and Dave’s friend, Todd (Augustus Prew) gives away Kick-Ass’s real identity, putting Dave’s father, Mr. Lizewski (Garrett M. Brown) in harm’s way. And Mindy has a change of heart, after the most popular girl in high school and her clique pull a mean prank, forcing Mindy to think twice about being “normal.” Will Mindy become Hit Girl one last time, so she can join Justice Forever in the war against The Toxic-Mega Cunts?

Well, I’ll just get this out of the way now. Whether or not you agree with his decision to not promote Kick-Ass 2, because of the violence in this film, don’t get your hopes up for anything special from Jim Carrey. Colonel Stars and Stripes’ screen time is VERY limited, and you won’t see too much of him. Plus, Carrey’s character takes a backseat to the other sub-plots in Kick-Ass, so in the grand scheme of things, Colonel Stars and Stripes doesn’t have a significant impact on the story. Carrey is funny during his short time on screen, and you can tell he’s genuinely having fun with the character, but again, don’t go into this film expecting great things from Carrey, because you’ll be disappointed.

Moretz is still entertaining as the foul-mouthed and fearless bad ass, but as Mindy, we get to see a more vulnerable side of the character here. We saw glimpses of Mindy’s softer side with her father Big Daddy in the original, especially during his death, and the scenes where they both shared hot chocolate and marshmallows. But in the sequel, we get to see Mindy try and adjust to life in high school, as she tries to fit in. Moretz did a fantastic job of showing some emotion (most notably the scene, where she goes to Dave’s house for comfort after the prank), and showing the confliction of being torn between Hit-Girl and Mindy.

Anyway, Mintz-Plasse is appropriately annoying and loathsome as The Mother Fucker. The Mother Fucker is a spoiled brat, who uses his money to get what he wants, and Plasse is a suitable replacement for Mark Strong as the primary antagonist. The supporting cast isn’t bad. Clark Duke is able to provide a few laughs as the unapologetic comedian of the group. Lindy Booth is just eye candy for the most part, but she deserves some credit for her acting chops during scenes at the hospital with Dave, and The Toxic-Mega Cunts invasion at her home. But Mother Russia is the stand out star from the supporting cast. Having the physical presence of a scary and evil She Hulk helps, and trust me, when it comes to the scene, where she attacks the cops by herself, the trailers just show the tip of the iceberg. It’s way more outrageous and shocking, when you see the whole thing in its entirety. And don’t expect anything from Lyndsy Fonseca. Her appearances are limited to cameo status here.

So Kick-Ass keeps the vulgarity, the blood and violence, and for the most part, they maintained the raunchy edge that made the first film popular. Plus, they add in a “Mean Girls” sub-plot for Mindy’s character, and it’s not a bad idea, because it helped the audience connect to and understand Mindy’s vulnerable side. BUT Kick-Ass 2 isn’t something to brag about. You can say being something different and fresh helped the first film’s success, but Kick-Ass 2 didn’t have that luxury. The blood and the vulgar dialogue should please fans of the first film, but it felt like Kick-Ass 2 was playing it way too safe most of the time. I don’t mean safe as in watered down or restricted. I mean safe as in “let’s try our best to copy the blueprint of the first film without making any major changes” safe.

Remember how Bruce Wayne wanted to retire from being Batman in The Dark Knight Rises? But a good old fashioned beating from Bane and the bomb in Gotham changed his mind? Or more recently how Tony Stark wanted to be done with Iron Man after the trauma following the events of The Avengers? Well Kick-Ass 2 follows in the footsteps of the superhero wanting to retire for good, and leave a life of crime fighting behind them after a traumatic experience blueprint. Dave wants to be done with Kick-Ass after he promised his father he would never wear the costume again. And Mindy is reminded of who her real father was by Marcus, and the need for her to have a real childhood, so Mindy swears to never be Hit-Girl again. Problem with this formula is, we all know how it’s going to end. Somehow, someway, Dave and Mindy were going to become Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl again. And guess what? They did. They broke their promises, so they can help stop the growing threat of The Toxic Mega-Cunts. That’s the problem with this formula. It’s NEVER convincing enough to the point, where you’ll seriously believe said hero will hang it up for good, so when they actually make a comeback, it’s not genuinely surprising or shocking in the slightest.

But Kick-Ass 2 isn’t 100% through the motions and predictable all the time. The death of Chris’s mother and Dave’s father completely caught me off guard, and Hit-Girl using the shot of adrenaline to take out Mother Russia was a nice shock, because throughout the movie, you were lead to believe the stuff inside the syringe was a lethal injection, used to put someone out of their misery before an agonizing death.

And in an unrelated plot twists complaint, did anyone else notice Todd’s betrayal at the end? Todd was upset because Dave and Marty constantly ignored his efforts to become a superhero, so he tried to join The Toxic-Mega Cunts as Ass-Kicker. And guess what, Todd is the one, who revealed Kick-Ass’s identity as Dave to The Mother Fucker. After acquiring this info, The Mother Fucker sends out two of his goons to beat Dave’s father to death. After the big brawl between The Toxic-Mega Cunts and Justice Forever, Todd celebrates with Kick-Ass and the heroes? Eh, Todd is solely responsible for the death of Dave’s father, and they never mention that? On  top of that, he celebrates with the good guys like NOTHING happened, and he doesn’t have to suffer any consequences, when it’s all said and done? I’m sorry, but that’s a HUGE gap in logic that’s hard to ignore.

Still, Kick-Ass isn’t without some highlights. The final brawl was so much fun to watch, with the one on one duel between Mother Russia and Hit-Girl stealing the show. It’s a match up that had to happen, because Hit-Girl and Mother Russia are the top two bad asses and toughest characters in this film, so logic suggests both characters having to square off against each other in a “must-see“ fight to the death. And I can’t forget about Mindy’s rescue of Dave, as she’s fighting the bad guys in the speeding van on the highway. Amazing action sequence. Also, the tie-in of social media really enhanced the realism part of this film. During the beginning, a thug tries to use his cell phone to a record a fight with Kick-Ass, so he can reach “a million” hits on YouTube. And The Mother Fucker uses Twitter to brag about his feats of crime. 

I laughed a lot throughout this movie, but Kick-Ass 2 is a weird one for me. I enjoyed the film, but nothing here left me with a urge to see a part three after I walked out of the theater. It’s a satisfying sequel, and fans of the original should enjoy it, but I wasn’t foaming at the mouth for more Kick-Ass, when the credits started rolling.

Rating: 7/10

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The Impact of Kick-Ass 2's Failure At The Box Office This Weekend

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo, this weekend's box office stats: http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2013&wknd=33&p=.htm

Sad to say, but this doesn't surprise me too much, and I don't want to sound like a bragging Captain Hindsight (nod to you all you South Park fans out there!), but I saw this coming.

The more and more I saw of the trailers and TV spots, the more I was convinced Kick-Ass 2 was going to flop at the box office this weekend. Why? I didn't see anything new. In the red band trailers, I saw all the same violence and vulgarity I saw in the first film. And Hit-Girl and Kick-Ass being conflicted about quitting the life, and wanting to be done with crime fighting for good? Eh, just to toss out a few examples, we've seen similar storylines in The Dark Night Rises, Spider-Man 2, Batman Forever, and more recently Iron Man 3.

Kick-Ass was supposed to be something new and unique. A more hardcore version of Mystery Man with bloody violence, cursing, and edge we haven't seen in too many mainstream superhero films. I know some of you will say "Hey, Mitch! What about Super with Rainn Wilson and Ellen Paige?" Well, yeah we had Super, but Kick-Ass managed to make a bigger splash on a larger landscape.

Anyway, we had the nerdy hero to root for in Dave Lizweski/Kick-Ass, and his ass kicking, foul mouthed partner, Hit-Girl. Moretz and Johnson still bring their A-Games in the sequel (review will have to come tomorrow or the day after guys, my tank is on E right now), and Mintz-Plasse is entertaining as The Mother Fucker, but Kick-Ass 2 was more of the same old, same old from the first film, with a little Mean Girls sub-plot thrown in, as Mindy tries to figure out, who she is. And as I alluded to before, they reintroduced the storyline of the heroes contemplating retirement, something we've seen too many times before, and we all know how that ends.   

There was so much buzz surrounding  the first Kick-Ass film, and while I enjoyed the sequel, I didn't leave the theater hoping for a part three. It's a shame, because with this awful opening weekend (and things aren't going to get any better next week), there's a good chance this could be the end of Kick-Ass before we see a reboot or remake in the future. Or even worse, they'll try and pull off a straight-to-video sequel.

Think of all the potential Kick-Ass had to be something different. No supernatural powers, no rich billionaire primary protagonists, and no fancy high tech gadgets or machines. And on top of all that, Kick-Ass was a fun parody of the superhero genre, and neither film takes itself too seriously. Now? The end of Kick-Ass is almost a sure thing, because I can't imagine another sequel after such a disappointing opening. And that means we'll probably get more of the same ordinary and cliched superhero films with flashy, loud special effects and stylish fight scenes, as Hollywood continues to reboot, remake, spin-off, and add sequels to the likes of Spider-Man, Batman, and other giants in the genre for years to come. Sorry, but it's going to be hard to top the likes of Nolan's Batman trilogy, Bryan Singer's X2, and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2.