"Jurassic Park" Early Buzz Screams Positive

The park is open and looks like people are loving it.

"Jurassic World" just had its world premiere in Paris, France and it seems that the audience walked out of the film extremely positive. The "Jurassic Park" franchise has been one of the most important and influence films in my life so I was extremely excited but also very nervous about going into "Jurassic World" with high expectations. But it seems as if my worst fears will not be met with this movie.

According to actor Josh Gad, who was at the premiere, he said on Twitter that the film has "hit a grand slam" and that Bryce Dallas Howard is going to "blow minds". He went on to say that the final "20 minutes of the movie are cinematic bliss." A pretty good review of the film to me. Other audience members also chimed in on Twitter saying that the film was a worthy sequel to the original film and was incredibly fun. Many saying that behind the original, this is the best film in the series.

This is giving me a lot of confidence for the film and now I just can't wait to see in IMAX 3D on Thursday June 11th! Bring on the dinos!

"Ran" 30th Anniversary

It's been 30 years and still this film continues to be one of the finest works of art I have ever seen.

The Akira Kurosawa​ directed masterpiece, "Ran​", was released 30 years ago on this day at the Tokyo International Film Festival. This, to this day, is still in my top 5 best films of all-time, along with Kurosawa's other film, "Seven Samurai​". For those of you who don't know me, I consider Akira Kurosawa to be the greatest director who has ever lived and this film is further proof of that. He is the man that inspired film giants Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and so many more. He is a filmmakers' filmmaker and a true master of the art of cinema.

"Ran" showcases haunting imagery, a beautiful score, more than stellar performances, immersive sets and costumes (winning the Academy Award for Costume Design in 1986), intelligent writing and precise direction, making it an instant classic. There is no other word I can describe this film other than "masterpiece". Loosely based on William Shakespeare​'s "King Lear​", this Shakespearean tragedy is one that will live forever as one of cinema's finest.

If you haven't seen "Ran", do yourself a favor and go see it now.

"Tron 3" Cancelled By Disney

No more epic Daft Punk film scores I guess...

Yesterday, Disney has confirmed, with the Hollywood Reporter, that they have pulled the plug on the sequel to 2010's "Tron: Legacy". The 3rd film in the franchise was originally going to be directed by Joseph Kosinski, director of "Tron: Legacy", and would have Garrett Hedland and Olivia Wilde returning in their respective roles. Not too long ago, Disney was fully prepared to move forward with the sequel but, presumably after "Tomorrowland" not doing so well at the box office, it now seems that "Tron 3" will not see the light of day. 

I'm definitely one of the few people that actually loved the film. Although having some flaws in its characters and storytelling, I found the film to be highly enjoyable due to its raw kinetic energy and cyberpunk feel. It was a visual wonder that was accompanied by one of my favorite scores of all time, composed by Daft Punk.

It's really sad to see Disney pull the plug on the sequel right before they began filming. I would still love to see "Tron 3" done by the makers/cast of "Tron: Legacy" so hopefully Disney will change their mind, however it sadly might be a little too late for that.

What do you guys think?

"Deadpool" Production Wrapped

The merc with the mouth is coming soon!

Ryan Reynolds has just confirmed that the production of "Deadpool" just wrapped in Vancouver. The film will now enter post-production and will be released February next year.

I can't wait to see Deadpool finally done right! This is going to be awesome! We'll probably see our first teaser trailer right before the "Fantastic Four" reboot in August seeing that both films are produced by FOX. Can't wait to see some footage from "Deadpool'! 

Bring on the pool!

REVIEW: "San Andreas"

Ever since Warner Bros. dropped the first trailer for "San Andreas", I was cautiously optimistic about the film. Dwayne the Rock Johnson has proven himself to be a great charismatic leading man so his casting in the film was definitely one of the reasons why I felt like I had to see this. And thankfully, he has also surrounded himself with a very impressive cast of actors, which would no doubt elevate the film. However, we haven't had a good disaster film in a long time (not since "Titanic") so I went into "San Andreas" with lowered expectations.

"San Andreas" stars Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Carla Gugino and Alexandra Daddario with Brad Peyton directing. The film follows Chief Ray Gaines (Dwayne the Rock Johnson) as he goes on a perilous journey to find his daughter (Alexandra Daddario) during a massive earthquake event that is destroying the west coast. It's a story that we have seen time and time again in the past but, for some reason, didn't feel contrived or old in "San Andreas". The typical disaster movie cliches are definitely present, but the film is just so enjoyable and thrilling, you are able to overlook the negatives of the storytelling and character arcs.

The Rock continues to be a very likable lead, which makes it easy for us, as the audience, to follow him on his dangerous mission to find his daughter. His charisma and charm definitely elevates the film's lacking script and brings a sense of vulnerability to the story. The struggles he had to face in the film were relatable and was able to put the audience in his shoes, right in the middle of the danger. The great lengths he would go through to save his daughter's life were heroic and moving. His relationship with his ex-wife, played by Carla Gugino, was also handled pretty well. It's nothing special but it was simple enough for the audience to understand their motivations quickly to get right into the disaster itself. A solid performance from a growing star.

The supporting cast around the Rock is also very solid. Alexandra Daddario as his daughter is definitely the stand out amongst the crowd and gets the most screen-time, other than the Rock. Ever since I saw her on "True Detective" (although I've previously seen her in the "Percy Jackson" films), I knew we had a star on our hands and she is able to carry approximately half of the film's runtime effortlessly with actors Hugo Johnstone-Burt and Art Parkinson (seen in the picture above) joining her. As mentioned before, Gugino and the Rock had very good chemistry and was, like the rest of the cast, very solid. Paul Giamatti in the film was delightfully dramatic and delivers many of the typical cliched disaster movie lines, which were at times distracting but didn't hurt the film too much.

Seeing that this is a disaster movie, the typical disaster movie cliches are present throughout the film, which is not entirely a bad thing. Some of the lines in the script are dramatically over-the-top and the story did have a few moments of tension that we have seen in other disaster movies in the past, however the film is so much fun and so thrilling that you eventually forgive the film for its obvious flaws. The unoriginal script is also accompanied by a very unoriginal score that did, at times, take me out of the picture. But I will say this about the film... this is a Roland Emmerich film done right. The script, although it has many flaws, never overshadows its characters for the disaster porn, unlike most of Emmerich's disaster movies (i.e. "2012").

Speaking of which, the effects in "San Andreas" are rather decent. At times the CGI can look a little noticeable and pretty fake but for every bad CG shot, you get several breathtaking, jaw-dropping, and almost haunting shots of San Francisco being destroyed. Some of the scenes in the film defintiely harkened back to real life horrors, including 9/11 and the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan. Although we've seen the destruction of major cities in films like "2012" and "The Day After Tomorrow", these disaster films always seem to miss the intimate moments of the destruction level events. They forget the death and destruction these events are causing and how they are hurting people both physically and emotionally. "San Andreas", while being massively entertaining, offers a very real and a very frightening look at natural disasters, which makes it stand out amongst the other witless entries in the genre. The earthquakes and tsunamis seen in the film were also never too over-the-top and fake, making them a lot more believable compared to the ones scene in "2012" or "The Day After Tomorrow". If an earthquake of that magnitude were to hit the west coast, it would seem something like this. There were some moments where I did have to suspend my disbelief a little, but it's a disaster movie so I had to let it slide.

"San Andreas" is ultimately a very fun disaster movie that will have you at the edge of your seat throughout most of the film, but also, at times, might make you chuckle due to the typical disaster movie cadences the story follows. If you do not like disaster films, I don't recommend seeing this film. It's definitely not a great work of cinema. It is simply a popcorn flick that will entertain you for a solid 2 hours. I'd give "San Andreas" a generous 7 out of 10 just for sheer enjoyment.

Go see "San Andreas" in 3D and 2D now!

Buy tickets here: http://www.fandango.com/sanandreas_179062/movietimes

Andy Serkis As Supreme Leader Snoke In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

The master of motion capture is back.

The official "Star Wars" website (www.starwars.com) just released a previously unseen photo of Andy Serkis on set of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" as his character, Supreme Leader Snoke.

Judging by Serkis' demeanor and ominous name, do you think he is playing one of the villains in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". No details about Serkis' role in the film was revealed but I'll put money on Serkis being a villain in the film.

What do you guys think of this new image?

Chris Pine As Steve Trevor In "Wonder Woman"?

Captain Kirk joining the DC Cinematic Universe?

According to Variety, it seems that Warner Bros. is now inducting the captain of the Starship Enterprise himself into the DC Cinematic Universe. Several sources have told Variety that actor Chris Pine, known for playing Captain Kirk in the "Star Trek" reboot films, has just entered negotiations to star alongside Gal Gadot in the solo Wonder Woman film that is slated for 2017. It was reported that Pine would play Steve Trevor who, in the comics, is Wonder Woman's love interest.

If this is indeed true, this debunks the theory that Warner Bros. was eyeing him to play Green Lantern in the upcoming Justice League movie in 2017. Putting that rumor aside, I could definitely see Pine playing Trevor in "Wonder Woman". He has proven himself to be a more-than-fine actor and I think he could knock it out of the park.

What do you guys think? Would you like to see Chris Pine as Trevor?

Kate Upton, Dakota Fanning, Saoirse Ronan Eyed For "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"

The new lovely ladies of the "Harry Potter" universe.

After Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne was cast as the protagonist of the upcoming "Harry Potter" spin-off trilogy, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", it looks like we are now getting a little closer to finding our new lovely ladies of the new franchise. According to The Wrap, Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning, Lili Simmons and Alison Sudol are being eyed to play Queenie, while Kate Upton, Katherine Waterston and Elizabeth Debicki are also eyed to play Queenie’s older sister, Tina.

This is definitely an interesting and strong list of actresses for the upcoming spin-off trilogy. I cannot entirely vouch for Kate Upton's acting abilities but I'm sure she would be fairly competent in a role so I wouldn't worry too much if she was eventually cast. But for the rest of them, I can say I would be happy seeing any of these lovely actresses in their respective roles. I am a fan of Ronan and Fanning so either one of them as Queenie would be just great. I did like Katherine Waterston in "Inherent Vice" and Elizabeth Debicki in "The Great Gatsby" so I'd definitely be okay with them, along with Kate Upton, playing Tina.

So far, this spin-off trilogy is looking very promising.

What do you think of this cast list?

Happy Birthday Christopher Lee

If I can accomplish even a fraction of what Christopher Lee​ has accomplished in his lifetime, I'd die a happy man because Lee truly is amazing.

Not only has he played Count Dracula​ 10 times and was the White wizard, Saruman​, he is also an accomplished author and has sung for various operas and choirs as well as a symphonic metal in 2010. He is also one of the highest grossing actors to ever live, grossing $8,321,486,066 worldwide. Cleary he is a man of many talents and is an iconic figure in film history, so I want to wish him a happy 93rd birthday.

I have seen this man in movies since I was a little kid and he will always be an important figure in my life as a cinephile. You continue to leave an important legacy in the world and I want to celebrate your amazing life today.

Happy birthday, Christopher Lee!

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" Reboot Is Coming

Looks like Alan Moore is going to get more upset.

It has been confirmed that 20th Century Fox will be rebooting Alan Moore's comic series, "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", after trying previously back in 2003.

In 1999, Alan Moore wrote the series, which was basically, for a lack of a better description, an "Avengers" or "Justice League" style team consisting of iconic characters in literature, such as Mina Harker, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man and more. It was definitely a great concept and Alan Moore's writing was always sharp and inventive, making it a fan favorite for comic-book readers, including myself. In 2003, 20th Century Fox released the film adaptation of Moore's comic book, which was critically panned by both critics and audiences, with Roger Ebert calling it a film that "plunges into inexplicable motivations, causes without effects, effects without causes, and general lunacy" and giving the film 1 out of 4 stars. It was after this film, and "From Hell" starring Johnny Depp, that Moore began to distance himself from any film adaptations of his work.

In the early 2000s, comic-book films were definitely not given the respect and dignity filmmakers and studios are giving them today so perhaps a reboot of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" could be done well... Maybe. Let's not make the same mistake of making the main character NOT Mina Harker like they did previously. We have proven that a female led film could do equally as good at the box office, as long as it has good content. So since they are rebooting it, bring it on! Do the best you could possibly do, Fox! You crushed the "X-Men" franchise but brought it back up with "X-Men: First Class" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" so there is still hope.

What do you guys think?

"Star Wars" 38th Anniversary

A long time ago [38 years to be exact] in a land far, far away [the known as Hollywood], a certain film was released that took the world by storm. The film opened in fewer than 32 theaters on Wednesday the 25th but quickly broke all box office records after expanding to more theaters on Thursday and Friday.

Yes, "Star Wars" (now titled as "Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope) was released 38 years ago on this very day and... well, what else can I say? It's "Star Wars". We've all seen it and we all love it for its imagination, creativity, story and epicness. It was a film that inspired a whole new generations of filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, Peter Jackson, and Ridley Scott to enter the world of film, including myself. It's a film that Roger Ebert called "an out-of-body experience" and was one of the first films to be selected for preservation as a part of the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

No matter what we can say about how horrible the prequels were, this franchise continues to inspire us in so many different ways and is an important landmark in film history. The legacy continues this December but let us, right now, remember the first film in this great universe that stole our hearts all those years ago.

This definitely was a new hope for cinema. Happy 38th anniversary!

Happy Birthday Ian McKellen

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

A quote that has resonated with me for years and will continue to stay with me for many years to come. And thanks to this wonderful man, I'll always hear the quote in his voice. So I want to wish Sir Ian McKellen a happy 76th birthday!

I had the honor of meeting this gentlemen last year at the Cort Theatre where he was played Estragon in the Samuel Beckett play, "Waiting for Godot", alongside his good friend Patrick Stewart. It was Super Bowl Sunday and the entire cast was kind enough to serve the entire audience hot chocolate. Here I am sharing a laugh with Sir Ian Mckellen after handing me the hot beverage. This little snapshot is a memory I hold dearly to my heart.

Although you have played many great characters throughout your career, Sir McKellen, you will always be Gandalf in my eyes. You've played him for 6 great films and in all 6 films, Gandalf has always filled my life with great lines and important life lessons. You have become one of cinema's most iconic figures and I hope to see you again soon and perhaps work with you in the future.

Thank you, Sir McKellen, for bringing me such joy and for smiling with me while serving me hot chocolate. It was a true honor, sir. Wishing you a happy, happy birthday!

Jaden Smith As Static Shock According To Tyler James Williams

Will Smith's son is going to be playing a superhero?

Tyler James Williams, who played Noah in "The Walking Dead", revealed earlier today in an interview that Jaden Smith, as in Will Smith's son, will be playing the DC comics superhero Static Shock.

A very interesting choice. Now that his father is playing Deadshot in the upcoming "Suicide Squad", I guess this should not be complete a surprise to anyone.

But what do you guys think of this casting? Good? Bad? Meh?

John Nash, Subject Of "A Beautiful Mind", Dies In Car Crash

We just lost a beautiful mind.

Famed mathematician John Nash, who was the central focus of the film "A Beautiful Mind". sadly died yesterday in a car crash in Jersey.

I became so fascinated by the Princeton University professor after seeing the award-winning Ron Howard-directed film and began researching what he has done throughout his life. His contributions to mathematics were so great and so important, it is truly sad to see him leave, especially in an unnatural way. He was a genius but also a very troubled man, as we saw in the film, but he indeed did have a beautiful mind. The very definition of a genius.

While some many view him as crazy, I saw a genius. We all saw what this great man could do. You struggled through so much in your life, I am glad you can finally be at peace.

Thank you for contributing so much to mankind.

May you rest in peace, Professor Nash.

REVIEW: "Supergirl" Pilot - Everything Wrong With "Supergirl"

Wow... Just wow...

Yesterday, the pilot of the new CBS show, "Supergirl", was leaked online for everyone to see. Naturally, I was curious to see the first episode of this new DC property and decided to watch it... only to learn I've made a huge mistake...

Where do I even begin with this? This is flat-out terrible. Rather insulting for those of us who want to see strong female characters in film/TV again. The only way I could really sum up what is wrong with the "Supergirl" pilot is by comparing it to the SNL Black Widow parody trailer that was released 2 weeks ago. Everything that SNL was making fun of in the parody trailer is present in this pilot... and not as a joke.

Because this was so surprisingly bad, I will do something I will not normally do on this blogsite. In this review, I will go through everything that is wrong with the "Supergirl" pilot, starting from the very first scene until the very last. Since I am reviewing the whole pilot, here is your SPOILER warning. If you haven't seen the pilot and want to go in with an open mind, DO NOT read this. You have been warned!

Okay, here we go...

The pilot opens with a shot of the planet Krypton, the home planet of both Superman and Supergirl, as we hear Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), played by Melissa Benoist, narrate her own backstory. When I heard this opening narration for the first time, I knew this was all going downhill from here. The narration sounds so forced and so unnatural, it almost sounds like an elementary school play. It's as if the director chose to use Benoist's test recordings rather than using her real take. Sigh... 5 seconds in and I'm already rolling my eyes.

As the embarrassing narration continues, we see Kal-El about to be launched off-planet in a CGI filled background that would make old PS2 games look like "Avatar". We get our first glimpse of baby Kal-El (Superman) and...

WE GET IT!!! SUPERMAN HAS A HAIR CURL!!! You don't need to jam that fact in our throats in the first 30 seconds of the show! This is just pandering. A desperate attempt at winking at the comic book fan base, which, instead, felt more like a stab in the eyes than a wink.

This atrocity is immediately followed by acting that could make high school drama students look like Marlon Brando from a young Kara and her parents. Kara's mother, Alura Zor-El, is supposed to be saying a heartfelt goodbye to her only daughter but is instead spitting more exposition for the audience to "understand". You'd think a mother who will never see her daughter again would say something a little more noble. Their interaction is as cliched as you can get, along with the stereotypical sad violin track that made the scene ever more bland than it already was. The editing in this particular scene is also a jumbled mess. The editor never lets a shot breathe and is more concerned about rushing Kara's entire backstory in the first 2 minutes of the pilot.

Once Kara lands on Earth, after leaving an exploding Krypton and entering the Phantom Zone, she meets Kal-El who has already revealed himself to the world as Superman.

This shot of Superman was surprisingly done very well in my opinion. Not showing his face was definitely the right move and seeing Superman holding young Kara's hands, as he takes her to her new foster parents, was a genuinely sweet moment... Only to be followed by the cringe-worthy introduction of the older Kara.

We see Kara, now played by Benoist, who has grown into the 80's nerd cliche. What do I mean by this? Well (a) she looks "nerdy", (b) easily bumps into people, (c) is in a rush to get to work, (d) is frustrated by her life, (e) can't talk to handsome men without being awkward and (f) is quirky and clumsy but has a heart of gold. It's a character that has been done to death a million times in the past and was also a big part of Superman's characteristics. But is this really what we are going with? This cliche was funny and charming before but now it just seems dated. Even "Man of Steel" tried to make Superman a more relatable and less dorky character to update it for modern times but this... this is just desperate.

And the final nail on this character's coffin is that she has to work under the stereotypical stuck-up, older boss, played by Calista Flockhart, who basically is an all-round terrible human being and has little to no regard for her staff. Again, another cliche done to death. But to give Flockhart some credit, she does seem like the only one who's having fun chewing up the scenery.

And to be fair, Benoist is actually quite likable and cute in the pilot. Her charisma and charm shines above and beyond the horrible writing and direction she was given so I'll give her a pass. She's definitely the best aspect of this godforsaken show and you can tell she is really trying.

After being introduced to Kara [and her boss], we are introduced to another comic book character, James "Jimmy" Olsen. But... is he different? Yes, they did change his race but that's not what I'm talking about. I don't remember Olsen being so suave and cool.

I've always had this image of Olsen being more of a nerdy photographer type but I guess they changed his personality for the show, which I actually didn't mind. It's different but I kind of like it. Mehcad Brooks is charming in the role and plays an endearing character. However the interaction between Kara and Jimmy is so overly cliched, sucking out all life and soul out of these two characters/actors. He's charming and attractive so that makes her stutter a lot and smile awkwardly, like in every pre-2010 era rom-com... Let's just move on shall we?

And really? This is the picture that won the Pulitzer Prize?

No. They put no effort in photoshopping this image.

After leaving work, Kara's sister, Alexandra "Alex" Danvers (played by Chyler Leigh), drops by Kara's apartment to see her and... this show has official devolved into a rom-com. "You're cute and, thanks to your alien DNA, you can't get pimples," is an actual line in this show. I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Did I really need to know the "thrilling" options of what Kara has to wear on her blind date? Is this a sitcom or a superhero show? I understand that we need to take time for characters to breathe but this does not build their characters at all. This pep talk she's giving Kara is simply a waste of time and an excuse to spit out more exposition and make Kara do cutesy things. But, thankfully, this does indeed help us get to a pretty neat scene.

Alex was on her way to a conference in Geneva when her plane's engines suddenly malfunctions. Kara, on her blind date, sees this on the news and attempts to rescue her. She does the iconic Superman move of going into an alleyway, taking off a single article of clothing and flying off into the distance. Although this scene did have some hockey looking CGI effects, I still found this sequence to be rather enjoyable. Sadly, there isn't much tension present in this scene. Unlike the amazing plane sequence in the mediocre "Superman Returns", there was no real sense of danger or suspense to make me emotionally invested. The scene also defies the laws of physics to an almost insulting degree, but it's a superhero show so I can't complain too much about that. Once the plane crashes into the water, the stereotypical sentimental piano track begins to play and I immediately begin to roll my eyes. But, thankfully, that doesn't last long. As the sappy piano music dissipates, we get the typical heroic track as Supergirl flies off into the distance and we see the official logo for the show. Why couldn't we start the episode with this? This could've been a strong opening for the pilot instead of having us trek through her past in a rushed 2-minute explanation...

Either way, the episode continues as Alex returns to Kara's apartment, after the plane crash, as Kara compares the intense and scary feeling of flying to kissing someone for the first time. No... Just no. That was incredibly dumb. This show has 3 writers and that's the best comparison you guys could conjure up? Wow... I'm not going to even address this and move on. It seems that Alex is appropriately worried about Kara exposing herself to the public but Kara seems to revel in the fact that she is now able to be like her cousin, Superman, and make a difference in the world.

The next day at her office, she nervously walks around her office, hoping that no one recognizes her from the low-res picture of her saving the plane that is featured on every television screen at the office. She invites a co-worker, who has been interested in her from the beginning of the episode, up to the roof and reveals to him that she was the one who saved the plane. He mistakenly suspects she was coming out as a lesbian after she tells him that she began to embrace a secret part of her life... Really? Really, writers of "Supergirl"? This isn't the 90's anymore. How much more insulting could you possibly get? This pilot is a pain in my soul...

After that painful scene, we get a first glimpse at some of the show's potential villains. Seems that Faran Tahir, who played the leader of the Ten Rings in "Iron Man", is some sort of evil alien leader that wants to kill... people? It's not made entirely clear what their motivations are, but it is revealed that they were the ones who planted the bomb in the plane to Geneva. At this point, I really could not care less. We're only halfway through the episode and they're already trying to introduce the main villains of this season [I'm assuming].

Meanwhile, the co-worker, Winslow "Winn" Schott (played by Jeremy Jordan), and Kara enter a "training" montage where they go through several different variations of the suits as we see Kara stopping a car chase and a bank robbery. The montage ends with the creation of the iconic Supergirl outfit with the house of El's code of arms in the middle (the "S").

Now this montage sequence was one of the most disappointing aspects of this entire episode because the writers skipped over the essentials of how these two made the suits and how they planned all of this out. How did this guy just make these bullet-proof skin-tight outfits so fast? Skipping all the crucial details of how the costume came to be felt rushed and was definitely a scapegoat for the writers from thinking of a clever way of creating these costumes. Also the final Supergirl costume looks so ridiculously fake. I've seen better Supergirl costumes at Comic Con.

So as Supergirl, in her final outfit, flies over the city, she gets shot with some Kryptonite filled tranquilizer bullets and has been caught by the Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO). It is also revealed to Kara that Alex was a DEO agent the whole time. I found be gasping but I had not emotional attachments to any of these characters so this reveal wasn't all that shocking. It seems that the organization was formed after Superman revealed himself to the world in order to protect the Earth from alien invasions. They tell Kara that, because of her arrival, some of Krypton's most dangerous criminals came to Earth with her. The DEO doesn't trust her to keep alien life a secret from the public, which is definitely justified by her actions, and Kara is told to "go get someone's coffee" instead. Are men just lustful or egotistical maniacs in this show? It seems like men are either lusting over Kara or pushing her aside like a rag doll. Either way, Kara is rightfully pissed that Alex was secretly a DEO agent to which Alex responds with one of the most painful lines I have ever heard in a TV pilot: "They recruited me because my background in bio-engineering makes me an expert in alien physiology." Look, I know most of the cast members of "Star Trek" don't know what they're talking about when they say all the science mumbo jumbo, but at least they can act like they know what they're talking about. Leigh's deliver of that single line sounded so forced and so fake, I ended up laughing when I heard it the first time.

The next day at the office, Kara notices that her boss dubbed the new superhero "Supergirl" and Kara gets upset with this and says calling her Supergirl instead of Superwoman could potentially make them anti-feminist. Wow. They are really cramming in this whole feminist idea aren't they? In a pilot where the writers make Kara do nothing but cliched "girly" things that girl characters do in rom-com shows. Yes, the name Supergirl might be a little demeaning because it [sort of] implies that she is not a mature woman yet, but this was a name given to the character in the 50's. I understand that the writers of the show are trying to give a reason why she is called Supergirl and not Superwoman but can you not make it sound so forced and unnatural? This is faux feminism. These 3 male writers really have no idea what they are doing with this script and these characters.

But who cares? The show obviously doesn't. Because immediately after this dilemma [that's quickly forgotten], it seems that the villain wants to meet up with Kara as she flies over "heroically" to his location and confronts him. The villain pummels her to the ground in one hit and says the line, "In my planet, females bow before males." STOP!!! JUST STOP!!! WE GET IT!!! SHE'S A FEMALE!!! WE UNDERSTAND!!! Can this show please stop cramming this down our throats? The writers' only way of giving Supergirl an identity is by constantly reminding the audience that she is indeed not a male. Instead of making her an emotionally strong character, all they could come up with was, "She's not a man." This is just painful...

As we expect, Kara gets her ass-kicked and loses the fight until her sister and other DEO agents come for the rescue. Also, can I add that the missiles that are being fired from the helicopter only result in small puffs of fire? Seriously? That's the best pyrotechnics you can do for a DC comic book show?

So after losing her one fight, she decides that the world doesn't need her anymore and gives up being a superhero... Really? Wow... In "The Amazing Spider-Man 2", it took Gwen Stacey's death to make Peter Parker quit being Spider-Man. Bruce Wayne stopped being Batman after framing himself for Harvey Dent's murder in "The Dark Knight". Bruce Banner has a huge dilemma in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" because of the terrible and destructive things the Hulk is capable of. And what does Supergirl do? Loses a fight, finds out her mother is the reason why all those aliens got locked up, decides she can't handle the situation and quits. Are you a superhero or not? This is not heroism. This is being a coward. She does not take any responsibility for her actions, making Supergirl, one of the most iconic female superheroes out there, unworthy of the title "Super". I'm not saying she has to be noble from day 1 but at least show some emotional strength.

But in actuality, that whole scene where she decides to quit being a superhero didn't matter at all because just 3 minutes after that, she decides to return to being Supergirl again because of a little pep talk with Alex [and a hologram from her death mother]. Wow... The writing in the show is unbelievably unimaginative. Shouldn't this dilemma take up more time? Sam Raimi spent most of "Spider-Man 2" with this notion of abandoning heroism and what that did to Peter Parker. This pilot tires to cram so many plot themes into 46 minutes, making the episode feel rushed and disjointed.

After Kara changes her mind and gets back into her Supergirl costume, she convinces the DEO to trust her to defeat the bad guys. They trust her, sadly, as Kara flies off and, in a rather cool moment, crashes into a trunk, causing the villain to come flying out of the driver's seat. She walks towards the camera as the trunk behind her explodes in typical superhero fashion. Although it had some pretty questionable CGI effects, this is what I want to see from Supergirl!

Following that epic shot of the truck exploding behind Supergirl comes one of the most poorly choreographed, horribly shot, and confusingly edited fight scenes I have ever seen in a superhero property. The CGI and wire works are so noticeable and so blatant, it's almost as if I'm watching a YouTube fan film done on a shoestring budget. The fight continues as Kara finally ends up killing the bad guy... Ummm... Remember when everyone complained in "Man of Steel" when Superman snaps General Zod's neck? I've always defended that scene in the film because that would ultimately lead to Superman never killing again. After realizing what he has done, Superman lets out a painful cry and, finally, kneels before Zod's dead body. Here? She stands heroically over the villain's impaled body. Are they really not going to touch upon her moral code? Is this okay with her? She just killed a man without batting an eye... She's no hero, she's a psychopath.

The episode wraps up "triumphantly" as Olsen reveals to Kara that he knew about her being Supergirl the whole time because Superman [sort of] told him. This last scene was honestly a well constructed moment that connects the world of Superman to this world of Supergirl. But, of course, this quiet moment just had to be ruined by the sappy piano track that plays throughout the whole scene. The episode finally wraps up with Supergirl flying through the city with some of the worst green-screen and CGI effects I have seen.

And here we are at the end of this review. If you made it through this entire rant against this pilot, I am proud of you. "Supergirl" should have been something incredible. Something super [pun intended]. Instead, we got a lazily written, horribly directed, and blandly acted (except for Benoist and Brooks) first episode which also featured a droning, boring score and special effects that are embarrassing even for TV. This was extraordinarily bad and also extremely insulting. This panders to the lowest common denominator and forgets to construct a good story. It sacrifices clever writing for cliches and interesting, new characters for characters we have seen time and time again. This may be the worst superhero pilot I have seen in recent years. In a time where we have the amazing "Daredevil", the entertaining "The Flash", the weird but kind of fun "Gotham" and the popular "Arrow", "Supergirl" comes in and fails on every level of storytelling, character, cinematography, VFX, music, editing, etc. If you liked this pilot, I'm sorry I bashed on it so hard. I tried my best to say some positive things about the episode but it was extremely difficult to find many. I love Melissa Benoist and I think she is a great Supergirl, but she is given a horrible script to work off of and no talent behind the camera to provide us with anything amazing.

This was terrible and I am giving the pilot a generous 3 out of 10.

I would suggest to see this pilot and judge yourself whether or not you are on board with this new upcoming show coming later this year.

REVIEW: "Tomorrowland"

I think most people didn't really know what "Tomorrowland" was. The trailers never gave us a full picture of the film's plot so we were left to wonder what it was going to be about. But we knew a few facts before going to see the film. Okay, Brad Bird, who's done nothing but great work, is directing... Good. He's co-writing the screenplay with Damon Lindelof... Again, good. George Clooney is starring in the film... Once again, good. So now that the film is out, does it measure up to our expectations?

"Tomorrowland" stars George Clooney, Hugh Laurie and Britt Robertson and is loosely based off of Walt Disney's original vision of a future utopia. Without giving away too many important plot details, the story follows a young girl, Casey Newman (Britt Robertson), who has to find Frank Walker (George Clooney) to go to a mysterious futuristic world called Tomorrowland, which she was able to access by touching a special pin that was mysteriously given to her. Now, the film's plot naturally leads to many creative visuals and intriguing, almost thought provoking, moments that I found very interesting. Off the bat, Brad Bird continues to be a great visual director. Like most of his other films, "Tomorrowland" has a compelling visual narrative with characters you grow to love instantly.

Speaking of its interesting characters, let's start with George Clooney as an old, grizzled inventor named Frank Walker. It was kind of fresh to see Clooney play a non-playboy, non-cool type of character for once. I was, at first, frightened that Clooney would go back to the usual cool-guy shtick that he usually does, especially because this was a Disney film, but I was pleasantly surprised with his performance here. He was stubborn, old, cranky man that didn't take orders from anybody. But underneath his cold exterior was something lying underneath that was, as the audience, had to figure out throughout the film, making him a more complex character. Clooney gave a lot of depth to the role and shined brightly as the star of the film.

But no matter how much Clooney shined, this was Britt Robertson's film. Although Clooney got top billing, it was Robertson who had to carry the entire weight of the film on her shoulders and, boy, did she deliver. Robertson, as Casey Newman, was able to balance the drama, humor and action in the film flawlessly and was one of the film's highlights. She was a quirky, tough, rule-breaking, relatable visionary who's positivity made her such an endearing presence in the film. Her quick remarks and clever banter against the cranky Clooney was definitely fun to watch. She was also able to handle the emotional moments in the film beautifully. This is definitely a star-making movie for Robertson.

Yes, Robertson was outstanding and Clooney is good as always, but by far, the one single actor that stole the entire movie was newcomer Raffey Cassidy as Athena. This is a future star right here. Like Robertson, "Tomorrowland" is a star-making movie for her and will propel her miles ahead in her career. Her charm, wit and beauty won the entire audience over and provided us with some of the best moments in the film. It's hard to have a child actor be one of the major characters in the film, having around equal screen-time as Clooney, but not once was Cassidy annoying or tiresome throughout the entire picture. She was simply outstanding. Hollywood's next young star. I can't really say much about her character because it would definitely be a spoiler for the film but I will say that Cassidy will be getting a lot more calls from other directors after they see "Tomorrowland".

Brad Bird never shies away from intense action scenes and "Tomorrowland" is no different. The action is handled expertly and is thrilling to watch in IMAX. There is a particular scene set in Walker's house that I found very creative. It is clear from the first action sequence that Bird clearly knows what he is doing and understands how to create an engaging and thrilling action set piece. Not once in the film was I bored or rolled my eyes. I sat in my seat at the theater in awe of what I was experiencing. The imagination and creativity in "Tomorrowland" are something only a director like Bird and the magic of Disney could bring us. The screenplay by Lindelof and Bird is very original and is very impressive in a time where every blockbuster film is either a sequel, remake or an adaptation. The only thing remade here are ideas and themes, not exact stories. It is very loosely connected to Walt Disney's vision of future communities like EPCOT but "Tomorrowland" is an entirely new property (although there is a park in Disney World called Tomorrowland).

Bird and Lindelof's ambition and creativity are so good and so praise worthy, that I can forgive and overlook some of the problems the film has. Despite having an extremely strong 1st and 2nd Act, I found the 3rd Act to be, not mediocre, but subpar compared to the rest of the film. The message in the film's climax is one we have heard to death in previous stories but is one I strangely never get sick of. I think it is an important message for people of all ages and, seeing as this is a Disney film, felt appropriate.

"Tomorrowland" is another Disney live-action that soars high beyond what we had expected and delivers great action, great performances and great directing throughout. Brad Bird continues to be one of my favorite directors of this new generation and, even though this film has its flaws, I found myself enjoying "Tomorrowland" for its visuals, its cast, and its ambition. I give the film a solid 8 out of 10.

Go see the film in IMAX, Real-D 3D or in 2D! Critics and audiences have been complaining about lack of original content in Hollywood blockbusters... Well now you got one!

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/tomorrowland_161865/movietimes

Matthew McConaughey To Play Norman Osborn In "Spider-Man" Reboot?

Not too long ago, Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey said that he has read some scripts from both Marvel and DC but nothing has caught his interest just yet. But it now seems that he could soon land a new role for Marvel Studios.

According to a scoop from "The Hashtag Show", Marvel Studios is currently eyeing Matthew McConaughey to play Norman Osborn in the "Spider-Man" reboot coming in 2017.

Before we go crazy over this news, let's remind ourselves that this is not a credible source and nothing official has been stated from Disney or Marvel Studios. Like the Asa Butterfield news that broke a few days ago, nothing is set in stone and nothing has been confirmed. But, keeping that in mind, if this indeed true, I love this decision. Getting an A-list talent like Matthew McConaughey to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the right step to making a great picture and I believe McConaughey will do a great job at playing Osborn (just look at what he does in "True Detective").

But let's all keep in mind that this is from an incredible source and unconfirmed by anyone at Marvel or Disney. But what do you think? Is McConaughey right for the part? Do you think it's true that Marvel is eyeing him to play Osborn?

"Mad Max: Fury Road" Sequel Is Coming

Exactly what I wanted to hear... Oh, what a day! What a lovely day!

Yesterday on Twitter, director George Miller tweeted his first tweet, which reads, "Hello Twitter. Thanks for all the kind words written and said about the film. We had a lot of fun making it... and there's more Max to come."

Following the tweet, Miller confirmed that the sequel to "Fury Road" will be titled "Mad Max: The Wasteland" and they have "one screenplay and a novella" ready. He further explained that due to the delays on "Fury Road", he was able to write and expand upon the universe he created and planned the future of the "Mad Max" franchise as well.

This is very exciting news! I'm so happy Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow is pushing forward with a sequel. Can't wait!

See it in theaters now!

Buy tickets here: http://www.fandango.com/madmax:furyroad_136719/movietimes

First Official "Steve Jobs" Trailer Released

A film that I've been waiting to see for years.

The first official teaser trailer for the upcoming Danny Boyle directed Steve Jobs biopic, simply titled "Steve Jobs", was released online early today. This film has been in development hell since 2011 in the hands Sony Pictures and was delayed for years due to several heated negotiations. More information about the film's unorganized production was revealed when various e-mail between Sony executives were leaked online.

Aaron Sorkin, writer of "The Social Network" and "Moneyball", was hired to write the script in 2011 and revealed that the film will take place in 3 major events in Jobs' life. David Fincher, director of "Fight Club", "The Social Network" and "Gone Girl", was originally going to helm the project with Christian Bale starring, but they both left the project as Danny Boyle and Michael Fassbender took their respective places. The film also stars Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, Jeff Daniels as John Sculley and Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman.

"Steve Jobs" will be released on October 9th, 2015 and I am super excited to see this film. Steve Jobs has been one of my idols since I was a little kid and seeing this little teaser gives me confidence that this will be a great film.

Click here to see the full trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeOxo7o9T8Q

REVIEW: "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Ever since the first sneak peak dropped at San Diego Comic Con last year, this film has been in my top 3 most anticipated films of 2015, along with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron", and after months of anticipation, I can proudly say that it exceeded all of my expectations. Not since 2008's "The Dark Knight" have I seen a film that instantly grabs you from the opening scene until the very end.

"Mad Max: Fury Road" is the 4th film in the famous "Mad Max" franchise, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron with George Miller, who has directed the previous films, returning to direct. The story follows "Mad" Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), previous played by Mel Gibson, who finds Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) on a mission to return to her homeland while running away from an angry God-like figure, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). The action-packed plot is extremely easy to follow, which is one of the film's biggest strengths. Even if you have never seen a "Mad Max" film, you can get sucked into the world that George Miller has created and understand all the character motivations very quickly. And unlike most post apocalyptic stories, there is something so tangible about this world that makes you feel like this abandoned Wasteland is real, which helps us as the audience get pulled into the action and character moments in the film.

Tom Hardy as "Mad" Max Rockatansky is spectacular and is definitely on par with Gibon's original portrayal of the character. He is the vulnerable hero that will stand up and fight, no matter how much he is pummeled to the ground, which makes his struggles in the film so relatable. Throughout the film, I was reminded of the many iconic scenes in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with Indiana Jones constantly in peril as the audiences' grip on their armrest's tightens, but when Indy finally gets back up on his feet, the audience cheers with delight. The experience I had seeing the film in IMAX 3D was exactly that. We cheered every time Max looked danger in the eye and spat in its face. As an American, I don't know whether or not his Australian accent is done well but I loved the voice he chose for the role. Although he says only a few lines of dialogue, he is able to emote so much just by his facial expressions and his actions. I hope to see Tom Hardy as Max again in the possible sequels to "Fury Road".

You could make the argument that Furiosa, not Max, is the main star of "Fury Road" and I wouldn't disagree you with. Charlize Theron as Furiosa is fierce, strong-willed, emotional and is one of, if not the most, interesting character in the film. Her mission to save Immortan Joe's Five Wives and to reach her homeland was the center piece of the film and Theron's star power really does shine here. She carries the entire weight of the film on her shoulders and Max is along for the ride. This may be too early to call but I would say that Furiosa is the best female heroine in cinema since Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley of the "Alien" franchise. She is equally as strong and emotionally damaged as Max and is someone who could stand toe-to-toe with him, which makes their dynamic in the film all the more interesting. Although Hardy is incredible as Max, Theron steals the show every time she is on screen with her imposing presence and badass persona.

The supporting cast in the film is also great across the board. Immortan Joe as the villain was menacing and posed a major threat against Max and Furiosa. Unlike many modern day action-movie villains, his motivations for chasing down the main protagonists were perfectly clear and easy to understand. Hugh Keays-Byrne, who plays Immortan Joe in "Fury Road", actually played the main villain in the first "Mad Max" in 1979, so his return to the franchise was a welcomed nod to the fans of the series. Nicholas Hoult plays one of Immortan Joe's many brainwashed minions with Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, and Courtney Eaton playing Immortan Joe's Five Wives (or breeders as they say in the film). The whole cast really does amplify the film to another level and brings a whole new layer to the "Mad Max" franchise we haven't seen before. Everyone brings their A-game in "Fury Road" and it shows beautifully.

Along with interesting characters and plotlines, the film showcases breathtaking action sequences that are just unbelievable to watch. But what is even more unbelievable is that most of these crazy stunts and car chases were done using practical effects. The only scene with heavy use of CGI was during a sandstorm chase sequence, but there really was no other way of doing that scene than using visual effects. Miller had the vision of doing as much practical effects as he could in the film and it worked brilliantly. As a moviegoer, I couldn't tell what was practical and what was digital (aside from the sandstorm sequence), which made the car chases and stunts all the more thrilling. The relentless action starts from the very opening scene and does not stop until the film comes to a close but unlike most modern day action films (i.e. the "Transformers" franchise) where the action starts to get tiresome by the end, the action in "Fury Road" is always inventive, always creative and always has your attention. You become fatigued sitting in the theater, worrying about Max and Furiosa, which really helps you feel like you're fighting alongside them. The action scenes are filmed with style and flare thanks to Miller's genius and to cinematographer John Steale, who brings a beautiful color palette to the film. The vibrant explosions against the Wasteland backdrop were stunning to say the least. The most thrilling, action-packed, roller coaster ride I have ever seen.

I'd also like to address something about "Fury Road" that makes this film shine above all others that have been released in the past decade: "Mad Max: Fury Road" has a strong and intriguing cast of female characters not seen in recent Hollywood blockbusters. Women take the center stage in "Fury Road" and all of them kick ass while also having emotional baggage to carry throughout the film. In an age where female protagonists and strong female characters aren't abundant, George Miller comes in like a boxer and sucker punches Hollywood in the jaw. Fantastic work. For everyone who wants to see strong female characters back on the big screen, see "Mad Max: Fury Road".

I can't praise this film enough. It is a non-stop action thrill ride, from start to finish, that doesn't sacrifice characters or story for the adrenaline rush. I was shaking after leaving the theater. I will say, without exaggeration, that "Mad Max: Fury Road" is, not only the best film of 2015 by far, but the best action movie of the 21st century. This film is perfect in every way. Miller mixes character moments with hard hitting and grotesque action scenes that may become iconic in the years to come. What a cinematic achievement. "Mad Max: Fury Road" gets a perfect score of 10 out of 10.

Go see the film in IMAX 3D, Real-D 3D or in 2D! Do yourself a favor and not see this on your tiny computer or TV screen. It is not worth it. This is a film that HAS to be experienced in the theaters.

Buy tickets now: http://www.fandango.com/madmax:furyroad_136719/movietimes

Asa Butterfield Is (Rumored To Be) Marvel's New Spider-Man

Rumors, rumors, rumors.

It seems that Latino Review is backing up a rumor that Asa Butterfield has just entered final negotiations to play Spider-Man in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

Let's keep in mind that no one official has announced this so this may be fake. But if this indeed true, I completely support this decision. Butterfield is a big young talent and I am confident he could play the webslinger to great feats.

What do you guys think? If this is true, do you like this decision?