Review: Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’ – The Hamlet of Villains

Normally, when I write a review, I try to objectively evaluate what was good, bad, plausible, or implausible about a film. I'm hard pressed to find anything to negatively critique about Joker. To say it's a great comic book film doesn't give it enough credit. It's a great film. Period. Joker touched on a variety of societal ills, specifically wealth inequality, lack of quality treatment for ...

Captain Marvel: Meh or Marvelous?

The build-up and ballyhoo surrounding Marvel's latest film, Captain Marvel, would lead many a true believer (or non-believer) that the film was either the second-coming of Logan or a politically-correct bastardization of all that comic book fans love. In truth, it was neither. Captain Marvel was one part origin story and one part connective tissue to introduce Carol Danvers to the next installment of Avengers with some context. ...

Glass: That Ending & Symbolism in the ‘Unbreakable’ Trilogy

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the movies Glass, Split, and Unbreakable. Read at your own risk. M. Night Shyamalan's superhero trilogy came to its conclusion in Glass, giving a clear -- albeit unexpected -- ending to the stories of David "The Overseer" Dunn, Elijah "Mr. Glass" Price, and Kevin Wendell Crumb. Unexpected endings are par for the course for any Shyamalan movie. And while it's always ...

Suicide Squad is a Redemption Mission for DC

Let's cut to the chase: Suicide Squad was not bad at all.  After enduring the cinematic abortion known as Batman vs. Superman, I went into the theatre with a healthy dose of skepticism, prepared to see some of my favorite characters get shafted. I came out of the theatre pleasantly surprised. Not without its flaws, Suicide Squad was entertaining, fun, and remained true to its characters ...

Why Batgirl Is Still a Strong Female Character in ‘The Killing Joke’

The recent animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke has been a source of controversy, particularly with the way Barbara Gordon - AKA - Batgirl was portrayed. Several critics have claimed that the film version of The Killing Joke has misogynistic overtones and paints Barbara Gordon as less than a strong woman. I disagree. As a woman and a comic book fan, I argue that the ...

Batman v. Superman: Not Super, But Not “Bat,” Either

I really, really wanted to like Batman v. Superman. I really did.  Normally, after watching a superhero movie, you emerge from the theatre feeling something: Maybe a little giddy. Or perhaps a little inspired. A little more resolved that while evil exists in the world, so does good. I felt nothing after I watched Batman v. Superman.  Nothing. I came in an optimist and left a ...

Justice for Doom: Will Filmdom Ever Get This Comic Book Villain Right?

Victor Von Doom always gets the shit end of the stick. Especially when it comes to the way he's portrayed on film. Doctor Doom is arguably one of the most multi-faceted villains in all of comics. As originally conceived by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Doctor Doom had an air of mystery, tragedy, and nobility. Until recently in comics, Doom had been the type of villain that, ...

Iron Man 2: Not Bad, But a Marvel Magagabag

Not as good as its predecessor, Iron Man 2 was still thoroughly entertaining. The first installment of the Marvel franchise was one of the best comic book movies to hit theatres. Iron Man 2 continues in that tradition, even though it suffers from some of the usual pratfalls that plague sequels. For starters, it had what I like to call “The Magagabag Syndrome.” What’s a “magagabag,” ...

Review: The Good, The Bad and the… Watchmen

To paraphrase a certain television theme song: “You take the good, you take the bad and there you have the Watchmen.” For years, there had been talk about translating Alan Moore’s classic 1986 graphic novel to the big screen, much to the chagrin of the eccentric author himself. To be fair, Moore has never been a fan of seeing his work on the big screen, raising ...

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