DRAGONLORD'S 2016 MOVIE GUIDE

[Anung Un Rama]

loved the New York Observer's review of Knight of Cups. I reached that point years ago.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

First trailer for horror anthology HOLIDAYS. Opens April 22.

 

[MaveDeltzer]

As I have done the past couple years I checked Rotten Tomatoes to see how many people have the top movies of the year on their 'Want to See' list. As usual the early movies are on top except for Dory.

Dr Strange: 17K
10 Cloverfield Lane: 200
Civil War: 67K
Zootopia: 4K
BvS DoJ: 89K (#2)
X-Men: 61K
Zoolander: 27K
Rogue One: 1.3K
Star Trek: 2.4K
Now You See Me: 27K
Dory: 104K (#1)
Deadpool: 74K (#3)
Suicide Squad: 6K
TMNT: 23K
IDR: 27K
Panda: 69K
Bourne: 16K
Warcraft: 14K
Fantastic Beasts: 15K

The traditional two month stat update. 2nd number is new one.
Dr Strange: 17K (same since it doesn't have a trailer and doesn't show up under search results if you look for 'Dr Strange')
10 Cloverfield Lane: 200/23K
Civil War: 67K/82K (#5)
Zootopia: 4K/36K
BvS DoJ: 89K (#2)/107K (#3)
X-Men: 61K/73K
Zoolander: 27K/39K
Rogue One: 1.3K/1.8K
Star Trek: 2.4K/3K
Now You See Me: 27K/35K
Dory: 104K (#1)/112K (#2)
Deadpool: 74K (#3)/144K (#1)
Suicide Squad: 6K/9K
TMNT: 23K/30K
IDR: 27K/38K
Panda: 69K/87K (#4)
Bourne: 16K (same)
Warcraft: 14K/18K
Fantastic Beasts: 15K (same)

Deadpool took top spot but Dory has a long way to go to before release.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

In Theaters Nationwide (March 18)



THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction Adventure Drama

Director: Robert Schwentke (RED, Insurgent, R.I.P.D.)

Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Bill Skarsgard, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jonny Weston, and Jeff Daniels

Synopsis: Tris must escape with Four and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time ever, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known in order to find a peaceful solution for their embroiled city. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites beyond the walls of Chicago which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.


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MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN

Release: March 16, 2016

Genre: Christian Drama

Director: Patricia Riggen (The 33, Girl in Progress)

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Eugenio Derbez, and Queen Latifah

Synopsis: A young girl suffering from a rare digestive disorder finds herself miraculously cured after surviving a terrible accident. Based on the book 'Three Miracles From Heaven' by Christy Beam.


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THE BRONZE

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Comedy

Director: Bryan Buckley (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Cecily Strong, Haley Lu Richardson

Synopsis: A foul-mouthed former gymnastics bronze medalist (Melissa Rauch) must fight for her local celebrity status when a new young athlete's star (Haley Lu Richardson) rises in town.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

In Limited Theaters (March 18)



MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction Thriller

Director: Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter)

Cast: Michael Shannon, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Joel Edgerton, and Sam Shepard

Synopsis: In the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as a father (Michael Shannon), goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), and uncover the truth behind the boy’s special powers.

What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Ultimately his father risks everything to protect Alton and help fulfill a destiny that could change the world forever, in this genre–defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human.



Comments: Director Jeff Nichols describes Midnight Special as a "sci-fi chase film." He stated that he "wanted to make a 1980s John Carpenter film like Starman." Reminds me of Firestarter also.
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THE PROGRAM

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Biographical Sports Drama

Director: Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters)

Cast: Ben Foster, Jesse Plemons, Chris O'Dowd, Lee Pace, Dustin Hoffman

Synopsis: From Academy Award (R) nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and producers Working Title Films (The Theory Of Everything, Everest, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), comes the true story of the meteoric rise and fall of one of the most celebrated and controversial men in recent history; Lance Armstrong, the world-renowned Tour de France champion.


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TOO LATE

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Crime Drama

Director: Dennis Hauck (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: John Hawkes, Natalie Zea, Crystal Reed, Dash Mihok, Rider Strong, Vail Bloom, Jeff Fahey, Robert Forster, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Dichen Lachman, Sally Jaye, and Joanna Cassidy

Synopsis: Private investigator Mel Sampson (Academy Award nominee John Hawkes) is tasked with tracking down the whereabouts of a missing woman from his own past. With this familiar setup, TOO LATE takes the spine of the classic private eye genre and tears it to pieces, weaving it back together into a tapestry of southern California and the menagerie of eccentric personalities and lost souls who inhabit it. From the desolate, overgrown Radio Hill to the ritzy penthouse of The Beverly Hilton, the film presents a sprawling view of Los Angeles that ranges from the undiscovered to the iconic. Ultimately, TOO LATE tells the story of a missing woman, but paints the portrait of a lost man.


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THE CONFIRMATION

Release: March 18, 2016

Genre: Comedy

Director: Bob Nelson (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt, Jaeden Lieberher, Stephen Tobolowsky, Tim Blake Nelson, Spencer Drever, Michael Eklund, Ryan Robbins, Matthew Modine, and Robert Forster

Synopsis: Walt, a down-on-his luck carpenter, is tasked with entertaining his eight-year-old son Anthony while Anthony's mom and her new husband are away. But when Walt's prized toolbox is stolen, a quiet father-and-son weekend turns into an adventure of a lifetime. Aided by an oddball drywall repairman, Walt and Anthony go on a wildly funny search for the thieves-and find something they never imagined: a true family connection.


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PEE-WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY

Release: March 18, 2016 (available on Netflix)

Genre: Comedy Adventure

Director: John Lee (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Paul Reubens, Joe Manganiello, Alia Shawkat, Stephanie Beatriz, Tara Buck, Jessica Pohly, Leo Fitzpatrick, Brad William Henke, Nicole Sullivan and David Arquette

Synopsis: A fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT

Rotten Tomatoes: 10% approval rating (12 out of 117 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Allegiant improves on previous entries in The Divergent Series on a few superficial levels, but they aren't enough to counteract a sense of growing boredom with a franchise that's gone on too long.

Entertainment Weekly - Allegiant aches to be a thought-provoking, moving allegory of the current world. Instead, it's an unwieldy two hours too unintentionally silly to validate how seriously it takes itself. C

Washington Post - Nuance, subtlety, feeling - anything that might help an audience relate to what is happening rather than passively experience it, like a roller coaster - apparently are luxuries this movie could not afford. 1.5/4

Rolling Stone - Director Robert Schwentke and his trio of writers haven't given us a single reason to hang around for the last installment, due out next year and laughably called Ascendant — ironic, considering the only place the misbegotten series is going is down down down. 1/4

James Berardinelli - Allegiant exemplifies what happens when a book or movie exists solely for the purposes of placating fans and maintaining a revenue stream. Craft and originality are swapped out for familiarity and sameness. Plot turns into a regurgitation of not only genre tropes but the series’ own past. Character development becomes perfunctory (bordering on non-existent). 2/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% approval rating (49 out of 57 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Midnight Special's intriguing mysteries may not resolve themselves to every viewer's liking, but the journey is ambitious, entertaining, and terrifically acted.

Entertainment Weekly - Nichols keeps us guessing in a way that evokes Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Midnight Special is a more modest, more enigmatic film than that one was, but it's no less gripping. A-

Newark Star-Ledger - One of the great pleasures in moviegoing is when you can confidently add a director's name to your "Can't wait to see what they do next" list. With "Midnight Special," Jeff Nichols definitely qualifies. 3/4

A.V. Club - Midnight Special defines characters through what they can't understand, contrasting fear of the unknown with faith in it, and flipping the supernatural into a metaphor for the everyday. A-

Collider - Jeff Nichols' impressive production values suggests that he's thought through the details of this sci-fi scenario extensively. The problem is, he doesn't share them and that can make Midnight Special frustrating and unfulfilling. 2.5/5

Rolling Stone - In this spellbinding sci-fi chase movie, UFOs take a back seat to identifiable human emotions. Go with it. Let director Jeff Nichols turn your head around. 3.5/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN

Rotten Tomatoes: 53% approval rating (29 out of 55 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Miracles from Heaven makes the most out of an outstanding performance from Jennifer Garner, but it isn't quite enough to keep this faith-based drama from preaching to the choir.

Entertainment Weekly - You can't endear when you're subtly insulting, and Miracles From Heaven's otherwise good intentions are lost in its confusing mix of uplifting spirituality and judgment. D-

Washington Post - The question is never what will happen to 10-year-old Anna (Kylie Rogers), who suffers a bloated belly and chronic pain. The only issue is how long she, and the audience, will have to wait to find out. 1.5/4

Toronto Sun - Miracles from Heaven wrings this story for everything it's worth, and is ultimately saved from mawkishness by the utter believability of Garner's performance as a mother who would do anything to save her daughter. 3/5

Blu-ray.com - "Miracles from Heaven" plays it safe, putting more effort into teary monologues and skyward glances, softening what should be a riveting tale of a baffling recovery. C

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for THE BRONZE

Rotten Tomatoes: 32% approval rating (24 out of 76 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Enthusiastically unpleasant and mostly unfunny, The Bronze fails to stick the landing -- or much else along the way.

Entertainment Weekly - The plot is beyond basic and the dialogue so crude it almost feels like an R-rated cartoon. Still, The Bronze has a loony Napoleon Dynamite-meets-Talladega Nights-on-the-balance-beam charm. B

Newark Star-Ledger - I wouldn't want to live next to Hope, but it is fascinating to watch her. And every so often it's refreshing to have a movie that dares to say - you know, no matter what all the screenwriting gurus tell you, some characters never change. 3/4

Richard Roeper - The problem with The Bronze isn't that Melissa Rauch's Hope Ann Gregory is such a nasty, foul-mouthed, terrible little human being. It's that she's not as funny as the film thinks she is. 2/4

Toronto Star - This is one movie that gets better as it goes along, even as it fails to fully hit the high bar of making us care about a very nasty individual. 2/4

Washington Post - When it comes down to it, "The Bronze" is just another movie about overcoming arrested development. It's not as funny as it tries to be, but, for a few, fleeting minutes, it leaves an impression. 1.5/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for THE PROGRAM

Rotten Tomatoes: 55% approval rating (39 out of 71 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Ben Foster's impressive efforts to channel Lance Armstrong are often enough to power The Program past director Stephen Frears' frustrating unwillingness to delve deeper into its real-life story.

Newark Star-Ledger - For a story about incredibly focused determination - and if nothing else, Lance Armstrong had that - the film remains strangely uninvolved. 2/4

Toronto Star - Foster nails Armstrong, right down to his final, clenched-jaw TV confession to Oprah Winfrey but The Program's glancing narrative feels less secure. 2/4

Blu-ray.com - Not without its heated confrontations, but it feels unnecessary, working to depict the downfall of a man who's beaten them to the punch in terms of addressing his own self-destructive tendencies. C

IGN Movies - The Program is a highly watchable, very enjoyable film, but never truly manages to get to the heart of the issue. 7/10

New York Observer - I had a hard time buying so much concentrated bile, and for me, the film loses an objectivity that might have otherwise scored points for the destructive nature of competition that can wreck a decent man's corrupted psyche. 2/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for TOO LATE

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% approval rating (9 out of 10 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Has its share of ill-conceived moments and amateurish filmmaking, but as a swing-for-the-fences effort with a smattering of genre charm, it fully earns its inevitable destiny as a midnight movie curio.

The Film Stage - Undeniably ambitious, Hauck's debut is a fascinating study of genre homage and cinematic technique that wears its heart on its sleeve, even if it's not always aware of that fact. B-

CraveOnline - For his first feature film, writer/director Dennis Hauck makes a really impressive debut. The dialogue evokes classic film and literature gumshoe tales but has its own unique style. 9/10

A.V. Club - Hawkes is predictably adept as Sampson, a ferociously independent, glamorously grizzled private investigator who seems to have stepped straight out of the '70s. B-

Los Angeles Times - A strangely involving, idiosyncratic masterwork that echoes the style of such filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Robert Altman and even Welcome to L.A.'s Alan Rudolph, while amusingly honoring classic detective movie tropes.

 

[Loiosh]

Critics' Reviews for THE PROGRAM

Rotten Tomatoes: 55% approval rating (39 out of 71 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Ben Foster's impressive efforts to channel Lance Armstrong are often enough to power The Program past director Stephen Frears' frustrating unwillingness to delve deeper into its real-life story.

Newark Star-Ledger - For a story about incredibly focused determination - and if nothing else, Lance Armstrong had that - the film remains strangely uninvolved. 2/4

Toronto Star - Foster nails Armstrong, right down to his final, clenched-jaw TV confession to Oprah Winfrey but The Program's glancing narrative feels less secure. 2/4

Blu-ray.com - Not without its heated confrontations, but it feels unnecessary, working to depict the downfall of a man who's beaten them to the punch in terms of addressing his own self-destructive tendencies. C

IGN Movies - The Program is a highly watchable, very enjoyable film, but never truly manages to get to the heart of the issue. 7/10

New York Observer - I had a hard time buying so much concentrated bile, and for me, the film loses an objectivity that might have otherwise scored points for the destructive nature of competition that can wreck a decent man's corrupted psyche. 2/4

Surprised about the low RT score. I didn't think this was a great movie, but it was pretty good, and Ben Foster was excellent.

 

[Loiosh]

Critics' Reviews for TOO LATE

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% approval rating (9 out of 10 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Has its share of ill-conceived moments and amateurish filmmaking, but as a swing-for-the-fences effort with a smattering of genre charm, it fully earns its inevitable destiny as a midnight movie curio.

The Film Stage - Undeniably ambitious, Hauck's debut is a fascinating study of genre homage and cinematic technique that wears its heart on its sleeve, even if it's not always aware of that fact. B-

CraveOnline - For his first feature film, writer/director Dennis Hauck makes a really impressive debut. The dialogue evokes classic film and literature gumshoe tales but has its own unique style. 9/10

A.V. Club - Hawkes is predictably adept as Sampson, a ferociously independent, glamorously grizzled private investigator who seems to have stepped straight out of the '70s. B-

Los Angeles Times - A strangely involving, idiosyncratic masterwork that echoes the style of such filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Robert Altman and even Welcome to L.A.'s Alan Rudolph, while amusingly honoring classic detective movie tropes.

I've been pretty excited about this film since you first brought it to our attention, and these reviews are fantastic news.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

ALLEGIANT Stalls With Series-Low $29.1M; ZOOTOPIA Nears $600M Globally

In another blow for Lionsgate, YA film adaptation The Divergent Series: Allegiant — Part 1 opened to a disappointing $29.1 million from 3,740 theaters at the North American box office — a 44 percent decline from the last title in the Divergent series.

Nor is overseas coming to the rescue. Allegiant, reuniting stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James, is also soft internationally, grossing $22 million from 77 markets this weekend for a foreign total of $53.5 million and a global cume of $82.6 million. (It began rolling out offshore a week ago.). France leads with $8.1 million, followed by Brazil ($5.2 million).

Allegiant's underperformance paved the way for Zootopia to remain at No. 1 in its third weekend with a stellar $38 million domestically (it fell a slim 26 percent) to jump the $200 million mark in North America. And overseas, it earned another $64.8 million to finish Sunday with a foreign total of $389.9 million and global haul of $591.7 million. It's grossed $173.4 million in China to become the most successful animated film of all time in the Middle Kingdom.

This weekend's other wide release was Miracles From Heaven, Sony's faith-based offering starring Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah. The movie, buoyed by a glowing A+ CinemaScore, delivered a strong five-day debut of $18.6 million after hitting theaters Wednesday. Its weekend take of $15 million is the fourth-best start of all time for a faith-based opening.

Box Office: 'Divergent 3' Stalls With Series-Low $29.1M; 'Zootopia' Nears $600M Globally

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for PEE-WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY

Rotten Tomatoes: 79% approval rating (30 out of 38 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: The simple story is a little short on laughs, but there's plenty of sweet wackiness for Pee-Wee Herman fans to enjoy.

Entertainment Weekly - A lot of us have really missed Pee-wee. And as the hit-and-miss script takes our man-child hero from his sleepy hometown to Manhattan, it becomes a smudgy Xerox of Pee-wee’s first road trip with Tim Burton three decades ago. B-

Newark Star-Ledger - It's like one of the so-so "Muppets" movies, where you're happy to see the characters back on screen again, yet slightly impatient that they've forgotten to bring enough jokes. 2.5/4

IGN Movies - The things about Pee-wee Herman that made him funny and endearing... 30 years ago still work today and Paul Reubens and his collaborators have managed to create a clever and creative batch of characters and set pieces for him. 8/10

Richard Roeper - Pee-wee is still a startling and original and strangely endearing creation. He just deserved a funnier, more intriguing holiday. 2/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

In Theaters Nationwide (March 25)



BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

Release: March 25, 2016

Genre: Superhero Action Adventure

Director: Zack Snyder (Man of Steel, Watchmen)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Laurence Fishburne, Jena Malone, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon, Ray Fisher, Callan Mulvey, Jason Momoa, Scoot McNairy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Tao Okamoto, and Harry Lennix

Synopsis: Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.


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MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2

Release: March 25, 2016

Genre: Comedy

Director: Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee)

Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Andrea Martin, Ian Gomez and Elena Kampouris

Synopsis: Gold Circle Entertainment and HBO present a Playtone production of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time. Written by Academy Award (R) nominee Nia Vardalos, who stars alongside the entire returning cast of favorites, the film reveals a Portokalos family secret that will bring the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

In Limited Theaters (March 25)



GET A JOB

Release: March 25, 2016

Genre: Comedy

Director: Dylan Kidd (P.S., Roger Dodger)

Cast: Miles Teller, Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranston, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Brandon T. Jackson, Marcia Gay Harden, Jorge Garcia, Jay Pharoah, Greg Germann, Cameron Richardson, Ravi Patel and John C. McGinley

Synopsis: Miles Teller, Anna Kendrick, and Bryan Cranston star in this wickedly funny comedy about making it in the real world. Life after college graduation is not exactly going as planned for Will (Teller) and Jillian (Kendrick) who find themselves lost in a sea of increasingly strange jobs. But with help from their family (Cranston), friends and coworkers they soon discover that the most important (and hilarious) adventures are the ones that we don't see coming.


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I SAW THE LIGHT

Release: March 25, 2016

Genre: Biographical Music Drama

Director: Marc Abraham (Flash of Genius)

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones, Bradley Whitford, Maddie Hasson, and Wrenn Schmidt

Synopsis: The story of the country-western singer Hank Williams, who in his brief life created one of the greatest bodies of work in American music. The film chronicles his rise to fame and its tragic effect on his health and personal life.


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BORN TO BE BLUE

Release: March 25, 2016

Genre: Biographical Musical Drama

Director: Robert Bodreau (That Beautiful Somewhere)

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Bejogo, Callum Keith Renne, Stephen McHattie, Janet-Laine Green

Synopsis: Ethan Hawke lights up the screen as jazz legend Chet Baker, whose tumultuous life is thrillingly reimagined with wit, verve, and style to burn. In the 1950s, Baker was one of the most famous trumpeters in the world, renowned as both a pioneer of the West Coast jazz scene and an icon of cool. By the 1960s, he was all but washed up, his career and personal life in shambles due to years of heroin addiction. In his innovative anti-biopic, director Robert Budreau zeroes in on Baker's life at a key moment in the 1960s, just as the musician attempts to stage a hard-fought comeback, spurred in part by a passionate romance with a new flame (Carmen Ejogo). Creatively blending fact with fiction and driven by Hawke's virtuoso performance, Born to Be Blueunfolds with all the stylistic brio and improvisatory genius of great jazz.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

March 25, 2016

Dragonlord's Review of BATMAN V SUPERMAN (Spoilers)

After decades of unsuccessful attempts to bring these characters together on the silver screen, two of the most iconic fictional characters finally face off in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Unfortunately, Warner Bros.’ agenda to catch up with the competition impairs what could have been an epic movie by suffusing it with incongruous scenes clearly meant as a set-up for the Justice League movie.

BvS starts off on the wrong foot with a credits intro of the funeral and murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents. There’s nothing groundbreaking or anything new to see here. The only thing I liked was how they staged the mugger’s gun snapping Martha Wayne’s pearl necklace (a la Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns). We also have a déjà vu scene of young Bruce stumbling into the Batcave and then being swarmed by a colony of bats. Then young Bruce enchantingly floats among the bats. WTF?? Thankfully, that part was just a dream because it was corny as hell.

So why did director Zack Snyder decide to go with this intro? I suspect it’s his artsy way of saying that the movie started with a funeral and ended in a funeral. (In fairness, it could be the screenwriters’ fault also) Then we switch to what SHOULD have been the main intro with a much older Bruce Wayne frantically driving to the Wayne building in Metropolis in the middle of Superman’s battle with General Zod in Man of Steel. It’s an exciting scene and gives me hope for what’s to come next. (But it’s laughable how the Wayne employees only started to evacuate the building AFTER Bruce Wayne told them to)

That hope I was talking about gradually eroded as the first half of the movie passed by. Scenes were poorly edited which resulted in an uneven pacing. The narration didn’t flow organically. Felt like they shot two separate movies and stitched them together haphazardly.

The extended “Knightmare” dream/future vision sequence including the surprise appearance by a DC character was unnecessary and dissonant with the rest of the film. It’s like Christian Bale’s John Connor appearing briefly to Sarah Connor at the motel in the first Terminator movie warning her about the events of Terminator 3. It’s just jarring and needless at this point. The striking image of Bruce Wayne looking up from the rubble of the Wayne building at the beginning of the film asserts the character’s motivation and speaks more volumes than all the nightmare scenes.

There are a few perplexing moments like why would Superman be blamed for the death of the terrorists and civilians in Africa when it’s clear that they were killed by guns. Or why did Superman not bother to stop the truck that Batman was chasing.

As for the much-anticipated fight between Batman and Superman, it was glorious and awesomely staged when viewing it without context. You just have to turn off your brain a little to ignore how Superman could have ended the fight quickly in a number of different ways or how he could just have blurted hastily on multiple occasions, “BruceMyMomIsKidnappedByLexLuthorINeedYourHelpPlease.”

But if you add the circumstances that led to the BvS fight, they goofed up. What made the fights between the two characters in The Dark Knight Returns or Hush a classic was that Batman was the underdog and the clear protagonist that had the moral authority between the two. Batman, a mere human, going up against a god; it’s a classic David vs. Goliath underdog story. But in the BvS fight, it is Superman who is in the right and Batman who is the asshole whose motives you understand but don’t really side with. So the audience ends up being conflicted when they should be fully rooting for “the little man” (Bats) to win against overwhelming odds. Adding a red Kryptonite element to the story would have solved some of these problems.

After Batman conveniently (magically even) admits to being wrong about Superman, the two agree to work together to save the day. With the murkiness of their motivations cleared up and the audience wholeheartedly rooting for both characters, Batman v Superman starts being enjoyable and finally feels like a Goddamn superhero movie. After 90 joyless, gloomy minutes, the movie starts being fun. The Doomsday plot could have been built up better but didn’t care as the movie was now firing on all cylinders. Clearly shoehorned but it didn’t matter, Wonder Woman’s appearance at the final battle just added more fun to the mix.

Most of Sherdog and the rest of the world were wrong with two out of the three most controversial casting from the movie – Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

Affleck was fantastic in the role and aesthetically speaking is the best Bruce Wayne among the entire movie incarnations (not Jon Hamm perfect but close). As I said many times before, it’s much harder to pull off Bruce Wayne than Batman, where stunt-doubles and editing can make anyone in that cape look good. But still, Snyder’s version wins for having the best Batman movie fight scenes yet. Christopher Nolan might have snuck on the set and secretly directed the “Knightmare” Batman fight scene which was embarrassing to watch.

Gadot was sexy and a nice, fun reprieve from the downer vibe of the movie. Her action scenes, as well as her theme music that accompanied her debut, were bad-ass. And even though the Justice League member cameos felt tacked-on, I couldn’t help but get excited seeing them (again thanks to Wonder Woman’s riveting score playing in the background).

The third controversial casting was Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. It’s kind of a mixed bag for me. Under normal circumstances, Luthor’s Joker-like personality is annoying and off-putting. But under the film’s overall glum tone where characters are even afraid to crack a smile, his manic energy is at times welcomed as he seems to be the only character having fun. One thing is for sure though, I’m glad this Luthor’s master plan doesn’t revolve around a freakin’ real estate scheme.

Henry Cavill will get a lot of flak for his somber, uncharismatic performance but it’s not his fault since he is given so little to work with from the dour script. Also, the script is too ambitious for its own good, presenting different political, social and religious undertones while juggling to be a commercial blockbuster film as well as setting up the Justice League movie. Between the two main characters, I was drawn more to the Superman side of the story in BvS. If they stuck to the original plan of Man of Steel 2, before Warner Bros. decided to insert Batman and Wonder Woman in there, I think the story would have worked much better. Even in BvS, you can still see the framework of the Man of Steel 2 script before the addendums.

Just like in Man of Steel, Lois Lane has a tiresome habit of being in several major scenes with some of them being superfluous, like dropping the Kryptonite spear in the water and then picking it up later. Other than that, Amy Adams was solid. Her bathtub scene is probably one of the most titillating non-R rated scenes in comic book history.

Despite the great action and several gorgeous, picturesque imagery in BvS, Snyder might be the wrong director for the Justice League movie. His extreme doom and gloom tone might not be a good fit which I suspect some moviegoers have begun to get tired of. BvS also proves that the DC Extended Universe needs a Kevin Feige counterpart (maybe Paul Dini or Bruce Timm) to guide the DCEU and to rein in filmmakers’ questionable decisions.

Overall, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice succumbed to the burden of juggling too much on its plate. The first half of the movie lacked cohesion and was poorly edited/paced. The actual Batman-Superman fight was very well-done but could have been so much better (see paragraph 7). It’s not until the two main characters start working together that the film truly comes alive.

Preliminary Rating: 6/10

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

Rotten Tomatoes: 29% Approval Rating (88 out of 301 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.

Entertainment Weekly - Dawn of Justice starts off as an intriguing meditation about two superheroes turning to an all-too-human emotion: hatred out of fear of the unknown. Two and a half hours later it winds up somewhere very far from that—but at the same time, all too familiar. It's another numbing smash-and-bash orgy of CGI mayhem with an ending that leaves the door open wide enough to justify the next 10 installments. Is it too late to demand a rematch? C+

Newark Star-Ledger - But although director Zac Snyder is a great visualist, all he has here is pretty pictures and giant (and confusing) action sequences. The film meanders along, playing less like a prequel for the JLA than a greatest-hits medley of every superhero movie ever made. 2/4

Newsday - Overlong, underdeveloped and almost entirely humorless, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” may please die-hard fans by pitting two DC icons against each other. Everyone else may want to wait for the next Marvel movie. 1.5/4

Rolling Stone - Snyder, juiced up by Hans Zimmer's caffeinated score, throws everything at the screen until resistance is futile. Better than Man of Steel but below the high bar set by Nolan's Dark Knight, Dawn of Justice is still a colossus, the stuff that DC Comics dreams are made of for that kid in all of us who yearns to see Batman and Superman suit up and go in for the kill. 3/4

James Berardinelli - For those who thought Man of Steel was dark, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Batman v Superman, the battle royale/team-up of DC Comics’ revered superheroes, is so bleak that the sun never seems to shine, the characters’ faces can’t form smiles, and the whole affair is more depressing than fun. 2.5/4

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

BATMAN V SUPERMAN Smashes Records with $166.1M U.S. Debut and $420.1M Globally

In a much-needed win for Warner Bros., Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opened to a massive $166.1 million from 4,242 theaters, a defining moment in DC Entertainment's battle to compete with Marvel's superhero universe. It also helped deliver the biggest Easter weekend in history, up 13.5 percent over last year's record level, which was fueled by Furious 7.

On Sunday, Warners put the movie's opening at $170.1 million, but traffic slowed on Sunday. Instead of being the No. 6 opening of all time, it is the No. 7, although it remains the fourth-best launch of all time for a superhero film behind a trio of Marvel titles: The Avengers ($207.4 million), Avengers: Age of Ultron ($191.3 million) and Iron Man 3 ($174.1 million), not accounting for inflation.

Had the $170.1 million held, BvS would have marked the biggest opening in history for Warners, beating the final Harry Potter film ($169 million). On Sunday, the studio highlighted this fact in a press release listing the movie's numerous accomplishments, many of which still hold.

Batman v Superman also made history globally with $420.1 million, the No. 4 worldwide bow of all time behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($529 million), Jurassic World ($524.9 million) and the final Harry Potter film ($483.2 million). The movie benefited mightily from opening day-and-date everywhere, including in China, where it amassed $57.3 million. Its international take was $254 million, the biggest for any superhero pic.

The previous biggest superhero opening was The Avengers, with a global bow of $392.5 million (that film didn't have the advantage of opening everywhere at the same time). In terms of China, Avengers: Age of Ultron still easily holds the crown with a debut of $155.8 million two weeks after the sequel opened in North America.

Batman v Superman's mega-performance is all the more impressive considering it earned dismal notices and a mediocre B CinemaScore. The previous best domestic opening for a DC Entertainment film was Christopher Nolan's final Batman films, The Dark Knight Rises, which debuted to $160.9 million in summer 2012.

Box Office: 'Batman v Superman' Launches DC Superhero Universe With Record $166.1M U.S. Debut