I came into the film knowing it was poorly received by the critics, and ended up enjoying it. Nothing deep here. I agree that the first Iron Man was much better. It’s worth the watch on Netflix if you haven’t seen it and care anything for the story.
Moral Rating: 2 of 5
Tony Stark realizes that he’s about to die and start’s realizing what matters most in his life. This is nice due to the fact that his escapades with women are pretty much non-existent (not really a priority on one’s death bed). He actually shows genuine interest in Pepper at the end, and it seems that there is something of value inside Tony Stark. Besides the not-so-great overall story, the realistic weakness affecting Stark makes the story a little more endearing.
I don’t think I had ever seen this movie. I’ve seen the second one. The movie was well done, but a little long for me. The 154 minutes totally could have been trimmed down - particularly the 5-10 minute scene of the destruction of Krypton, all you see is a bunch of nameless people in white falling all over the place to their deaths; and then there’s the 5-10 minutes of credits at the beginning. Gene Hackman really doesn’t fit my image of Lex Luthor. He plays a smart guy (a genius), but he sure doesn’t look or act the part well. Hopefully the second reboot next year gets something right (though I think Kevin Spacey was a step in the right direction).
Moral Rating: 2 of 5
Superman is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way. I know he’s supposed to fall for Lois Lane, but his swooning over her made this more of a romantic-comedy than a movie that shows a decent battle between good and evil.
There isn’t much more to say here. The movie is a classic, so it’s good, but definitely not great.
This and X-Men have been two of the best movies I’ve seen this year. I was a little concerned with how much I’d enjoy Captain America since I had a hard time getting into one of the graphic novels I picked up from the library (Winter Soldier) - I was, however, pleasantly surprised. The story was perfectly told with exception to some missing background on the Red Skull. How did he actually get a red skull face? We get bits of his history and position within the Third Reich, but not enough to really get pulled into his character. X-Men did a great job with getting us acquainted with the villain/s and I think that greatly increased the enjoyment of that film.
The music sequences were also great. It was nice to hear a little big band music come through the big screen.
[***Spoiler alert***]
I almost whooped when Steve Rogers doesn’t tell Peggy that he loves her right before he goes down. The film did a great job of depicting their relationship.
Moral Rating: 4 of 5
Through Steve Rogers, we are shown the value of and need for good character. Though that may not be what most people look for in a hero (e.g., Col. Chester Phillips - played by Tommy Lee Jones), it is a strong moral foundation that truly gives us power beyond what we think we are capable. Not that it is a power in and of itself, but it allows for God’s power to play a stronger positive role in our lives and the lives of those we touch.
Be sure to stick around until after the end of the credits for an extra scene from the movie and the first trailer for The Avengers, coming out next year!
I really enjoyed seeing this in the theater. I was hoping that the critics negative reviews of the movie would not be true, and I was very glad they weren’t. We get a good introduction to the Green Lantern mythos and are well entertained at the same time. Part of why I enjoyed this may have been because I read Green Lantern: Rebirth a few months ago, and while I was a little overwhelmed by the numerous characters and strange setting, I really enjoyed the message of will power and overcoming fear. I also haven’t been spoiled by watching any of the not-so-good Ryan Reynolds comedies, and actually thought he did a good job here - not too much goofiness and no crassness, but enough humor to balance out the rest of the story.
Moral Rating: 4 of 5
I honestly thought Hal Jordan was going to be a really strong moral character at the start, and that that was his reason for being selected to join the Green Lantern Corps; but that wasn’t the case. It was nice to see his humanity - weakness - but also his resolve and will power to realize his full potential that others saw in him and become the person/hero that he needed to be. I really enjoy movies that allow me to relate to a character that I admire, it sparks hope and helps me remember that I have great potential and need to figure out what I need to do, where I can exercise my will power and resolve to overcome fear and self-pity.
We see that Hal Jordan isn’t the most moral character at first (apparently sleeping around with quite a few women), but we aren’t bombarded with inappropriate, awkward scenes that have to spell out every type of immorality Hal’s involved with. Vulgar language is also kept to a minimum. The main reason for the PG-13 rating is for the fighting scenes.
We watched this with our kids and they seemed to like it quite a bit. Nothing terribly ingenious here, but a well spent hour and forty-five minutes. It definitely came before the dark Batman we know now, making it more family friendly. I really don’t have a whole lot to say, other than it was fun!
I remember loving this show so much as a kid. While the fighting was rather laughable and the storyline a little corny, the film was still enjoyable. I don’t believe I’ll get my wife to watch Secret of the Ooze with me though.
Moral Rating: 2 of 5
Friendship and family are probably the two most important themes in the movie. By trying to supplant them with money or fun, sadness inevitably ensues.
Don’t watch this movie to get a moral lesson out of it, your kids are more likely to want to hit something and also learn some nice four-letter words rather than better understand the importance of family.
This is probably the best of the five X-Men movies made, with Wolverine coming in a close second. I didn’t really get into the trilogy, though maybe watching it again I might enjoy it better. The story of X-Men has always intrigued me, a story about fitting in with humanity. The story depicted in this film was thoroughly interesting and exciting, giving good insight (though I’m not sure how true to the original) on a lot of the characters’ origins. This is worth catching in the theater.
Moral Rating: 4 of 5
I loved how well they tied in this piece of fiction with actual historical events. The movie spliced in speeches by John F. Kennedy and footage of the Cuban Missile Crisis and fused these factual pieces with the mutant storyline fairly well. There’s a constant moré through the film urging the young mutants to learn to be happy with who they are and not try to conform to societal norms for other people’s comfort.
Erik’s moral struggle with his own conscience and the guidance of his close friend Charles Xavier is also very powerful. Erik shows us that it is much easier to give in to rage and anger than to learn how to calmly control yourself like Charles. However, the film doesn’t paint Erik as a complete bad guy; we know that his observation of humans’ new-found hatred for mutants will not be easy (if not impossible) to quell, and might even be somewhat justified. Erik tends to choose the easy battle of not working to establish peace at all and forces himself and others to choose sides and create enemies of the humans. While Xavier knows there is some truth to Erik’s belief (that the humans want to kill the mutants because they feel threatened), Charles feels that peace is worth pursuing, even if it is an uphill battle.
Besides the good, thought provoking story, there is a small amount of language (not totally out of place, fitting right in with Logan’s character) and several scenes with scantily clad women.
This was a fun movie. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot, since I didn’t know much about Thor to begin with. The little I’ve come into contact with him in the few Avengers graphic novels I’ve read hasn’t been deep enough for me to exert more time into learning about him. The movie told a good story when it took place in Asgard (Thor’s home planet) and Bifrost (planet inhabited by Asgard’s enemies). Even the part of the story when Thor is exiled to Earth and we see him change is decently depicted, until Natalie Portman enters the picture along with all the corny drama and romance that happen on Earth. There’s such a stark contrast in the story between Asgard and Earth that it makes the story less believable than if it had taken place entirely on Asgard and Bifrost. The movie might be worth checking out once, but expect much less than Spider-man, Batman Begins, and Iron Man.
Moral Rating: 3 of 5
Thor’s change of character is the strongest message in the film, even though it is a little too unbelievable. One of my friends commented that it was as if walking around without a shirt on and serving some earthlings some eggs, he became worthy of his hammer. Regardless of the process of the change, there was a marked difference between the naive and selfish Thor prior to his banishment and the Thor that returned to keep Asgard out of the hands of those who would destroy it. When our lives are devoted to helping others instead of satisfying our own selfishness, we are happier and we are able to be a much larger, positive influence in the lives of those around us.
It’s hard not to compare any Batman movie to Christopher Nolan’s masterpieces, even if they are animated. This one had a good amount of action and a pretty cool storyline with it, providing just the right twists to it to keep you guessing.
Moral Rating: 4/5
[Spoiler Alert]
The last scene really sold the movie for me. Robin has the Joker at gun point, furious that Batman didn’t go after the Joker and kill him after he had killed Robin. Batman sagaciously responds that if he were to have killed the Joker, he would have become just like him. Robin then gives Batman the ultimatum that he (Robin) is going to kill the Joker, and that Batman will have to shoot him (Robin) if he doesn’t the Joker dead. Batman drops his weapon and walks away. What a cool scene. The resolve and conviction to do what is right, even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances, is what we need in order to win the fight against evil. While Batman’s methods for enforcing justice are often questionable, his position against evil is not.
Not great, but pretty good. There was definitely a lot of action and a decent story line. The Doomsday alien seemed a bit odd, not a lot of history behind it, just some random, seemingly indestructible monster that almost kills Superman. The underlying story with Lex Luthor’s DNA research was a bit more intriguing and I enjoyed that bit of the show.
Moral Rating: 3
[Spoiler Alert] The moral dilemma’s presented in this show were well done, but did not have a strong presence throughout the film. We see how the ability to enforce the law goes beyond superhuman strength and power, it lies within the moral fiber of the enforcer. The Superman clones kill those who commit atrocious crimes, without any second thought to due process of the law. However, I don’t necessarily always trust the law to adequately punish criminals, but I wouldn’t want to be responsible otherwise for the abrupt ending of a person’s life or other such punishments. The true Superman has the ability to enforce justice, but also to extend mercy appropriately - very much a Christ-like figure.
We could have been spared the implication of an unmarried, intimate relationship between Lois and Superman. Several scenes with them in their bathrobes wasn’t necessary.
This was a great semi-political thriller. Why is it that deep political thrillers are R? I don't think ratings mean a whole lot anymore, other than to try to market the movie to a particular audience. If you're an adult you want to see more violence and sex and hear more profanity than a 13 year old would want to see. Makes sense, right? WRONG! That is a rather odd perspective if you ask me.
I had read the graphic novel of the same name (which the movie was fairly closely based on) and was very much impressed and excited to see the movie. This movie was a better adaptation than Watchmen was. Not because it was a closer adaptation, but because the director made it a bit more his own, he made the movie more powerful and moving than Watchmen (which could have to do with the general themes of each of the original stories - V was less "graphic" and more inspirational, while Watchmen was more nihilistic).
Moral Value – Failure to Communicate?
Rating: 4
There was a strong message that an idea is more important than a hero. Once a person gets outside him or herself and realizes that living life is more than just making sure we get through everyday or are ahead of everyone else, that person is truly free.
I've really come to enjoy this story. I read the graphic novel and was quite impressed by it, even though it does present very mature themes. I don't know that I'd recommend the movie to anyone, if you're interested in the story go for the graphic novel first. The movie doesn't integrate the sub-story "Tale of the Black Freighter" which adds a lot to the meaning of the main story; for this reason it's not as good as it could be. If you were to watch the edited version of the film (like we did) you will miss out on a lot of information. The novel is less explicit than the movie (as far as I can tell by reading the reasons why this is R) - the swearing is not as heavy, there isn't any explicit sex, but it is still rather violent/disturbing.
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate?
Rating: 4
Overall message: Don't leave the saving of society to the "heroes." We may not have super heroes in our society today, but we do have politicians who believe they are super heroes. If we leave the correcting of society to those in power and do nothing ourselves, our society will end up like that in the Watchmen, quite terrifying. The saying came up quite frequently in the movie, and even more so in the graphic novel, if the Watchmen are keeping society in check, then who watches the Watchmen?
I didn't enjoy this sequel as well as I did Hellboy (though I have to admit that I watched it at 1am, and that could have contributed to my disappointment). The first film had a much deeper message and really got me excited to see this one. Though somewhat disappointing because of the story's lack of depth, I was thoroughly entertained and particularly liked the more martial arts type of fighting in the Golden Army.
You have your classic struggle between good and evil, and good ends up winning (of course at the very last moment). Prince Nuada's plan to destroy the humans and perpetuate the race of magical creatures (particularly his, that of Elf) which seems to be the plot of a lot of sci-fi movies, was not terribly original. For some reason, genocide is honorable in the eyes of a being who believes himself to be more elite and deserving of life on this planet than the weak and greedy humans (one movie that comes to mind is Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow).
I thought the dry humor was great in the first one, but was over done and almost stupid at times in this one. I had to roll my eyes when Hellboy and Abe got drunk and started singing love songs. For some reason the critics loved it. If you're looking for a fun, action packed, sci-fi movie, this could be it, just don't expect to be enlightened.
Dick Tracy is a movie of vivid cinematic art that compares to the great visual talent by the creator's of Hero. Dick Tracy is a great example of moral character and is still human enough for us to relate to. Even in the face of diverse temptations he couldn't betray his character and what he stood for. His love for Tess was virtuous; he didn't have to live with her (or sleep with her) to show his love for her. Tracy showed love and respect towards the kid by trusting him and providing good fatherly judgment by making an effort to keep him out of danger, but at the same time he didn't hide his appreciation when the kid showed up with needed assistance.
Tracy seems a little flabbergasted at Ms. Mahoney's forwardness which causes some emotional interference between him and Tess. Eventually he's able to sort out his thoughts and feelings and realizes he loves Tess (though this happens after Tess leaves him). Tracy probably let Breathless get a little too close to him. Had he recognized the effects of this temptation on his and Tess's relationship earlier he wouldn't have put himself in the predicament that makes the rest of the movie happen (to our enjoyment).
As for the last scene, I think Tracy ultimately pitied Breathless - whether or not his move was appropriate is disputable. It (this is ambiguous on purpose) could have been more of a thank you, because she ultimately brought Tess back and helped get rid of Big Boy; or it could have displayed some true emotions he might have actually had for Ms. Mahoney.
Either way, this is a classic show with a good message. By today's standards probably should be thrown in the PG-13 category as some elements are not appropriate for a younger crowd.
I went to the movie not expecting much, just another comic book action film. It was pretty much that. Some pretty crazy action scenes and a lot of killing. I definitely did not have a greater desire to do good afterwards, more like a desire to leap tall buildings and destroy anything in my way. There is quite a bit of confusion between what is good and what is evil throughout the movie, though it's made a little more clear who's on which side at the end, but not entirely.
[Spoiler Alert] Wolverine's 6 year relationship with Kayla is supposed to make you feel sorry for him when she gets killed, and you do, but just not as much as you would had he decided to get married and really live a life different than what he did in the past. His past is clouded with memories of killing (granted it was in war) and who knows what other type of atrocities (his brother is seen almost raping a woman and revelling in his murders). Wolverine just never really turns into "the good guy" in this movie. At various moments Wolverine finds himself on the edge of becoming like his brother, but something always seemed to stop him from finishing the fatal act.
Perhaps this is a good example of man's struggle to find out who he really is and where he belongs. So many people don't know who they are or where they come from or why they are here, those in Hollywood probably falling entirely in this category. I realize this is a form of art and everyone interprets it differently and it's really irrelevant what the author's purpose was in including everything in the film, so we've got to make a decision as to how it is to us. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else got anything more out of the film.
I would not recommend this to someone who doesn't enjoy full-blown action movies, but if you enjoyed X-Men it's cool to see how Wolverine came to be, at least according to the director, Gavin Hood.
Update
After thinking more about this show and seeing it a second time, I really do like it. There is a strong moral message that I didn't seem to pay much attention to. Wolverine ends up leaving his family (brother) because what he and others do does not sit well at all with him.
This was a cool sci-fi movie. It had a really good message, but it doesn't really become apparent until the climax of the movie (almost at the end). [Spoiler Alert] While Rasputin waits for Hellboy to unlock the gates of Hell, John Myer shouts to Hellboy, "You have a choice, your father gave you that choice!" Pointing to the fact that though he was a monster brought out of Hell, he was given the freedom to choose good. And because he was brought up and taught the difference between good and evil, understanding his accountability and freedom to choose, he breaks free of his "destiny" by tearing off his newly formed horns, exclaiming that he has made his choice to serve good, and destroys the evil that sought to destroy him. John Myers asks us at the end of the story, "What makes a man a man? A friend of mine once wondered. Is it his origins? The way he comes to life? I don't think so. It's the choices he makes. Not how he starts things, but how he decides to end them."
Tarantino does a good job of depicting evil and shows how even someone whose past was dark can still have the power to choose righteously. I really liked the emphasis it placed on the importance of our God-given gift of agency.
It's hard to say, and can even be considered cheesy for a movie (particularly one of this nature) to be inspirational, but I was made more aware of how I need to better value or act on the agency I've been given. Too many times it seems like I have to make a certain decision only because I've made that decision in the past or because of the situations I've found myself. When our divine potential is recognized, our destiny changes.
The dry humor helped make all the sci-fi action bearable and even enjoyable at times. I wouldn't recommend this to the mediocre comic book movie fan, unless you like sci-fi (monsters, creatures, etc.), of which Carr doesn't seem to be much a fan.
--
Carr here. Just wanted to say that I acknowledge the moral messages apparent in the film, but it's not a see-again for me. I felt like I was missing a lot of the story and it was never explained. I found myself scoffing at the lines and characters, which thing I don't do too often. I can handle cheesy; this was simply bizarre. Not really appealing to me.
I really like this movie, and would have like it even better watched filtered. For reasons outside of our control we were unable to acquire the needed filter. There was a single scene that occurs within the first 15 minutes of the movie that was not necessary (an intelligent director can tell the audience the same thing without showing so much). Otherwise there wasn't much to be filtered other than comic book action sequences, which might be a little too much for some.
There was an overall good message. Tony Stark realized something he was doing wrong and then did all in his power to try to makeup for his misdeeds. He put aside all his temporal desires to help aid a greater cause. He was able to play this role realistically too. He wasn't void of all vices like Superman; but being completely human, I think made his character more relateable (though his wealth, like that of Bruce Wayne, could be construed as their super hero power). It's a standard comic bok superhero story, nothing too new there.
I went to this movie with the highest of expectations. I'd read every "credible looking" article I could, not just on whether or not this would be a good movie (it was already great in my mind) but to get a head start on understanding the deeper themes of the movie. I had read that it's hard to grasp a lot of the moral lessons amidst all the explosions and other tense moments during the film. I was not disappointed. My expectations were exceeded.
The movie was dark. The Joker was very evil, one could even say beyond evil, embodying the elements of nihilism. He had no master plan, no partner in his crimes, the whole purpose of his existence hinged on Batman's attempt to apprehend him. There were a lot of moral dilemma's presented and I think they were accurately portrayed.
Batman was forced to choose between saving his "potential" girlfriend and saving the city by rescuing Harvey Dent.
Later on the Joker gets two groups of people to leave the island in two ferries. One contains the prisoners from Arcum Asylum and the other regular citizens. Each boat has the detonator to the other boat's bombs and if one of them doesn't blow the other one up before midnight, the Joker will blow them both up.
Batman tries to decide if it'd be best if he gave himself up according to the Joker's demands to hopefully spare Gotham from anymore ruthless attacks. And the list goes on.
The film also makes it apparent that even when someone good is fighting very hard against evil, they can lose focus on the war, their resolve is frustrated, and they can be "pushed to madness" by the right people. This occurs when Harvey Dent stops seeing the big picture and focuses on other less encompassing battles. He became too self-absorbed in matters that affected him personally instead of keeping in mind the good of the whole community and fulfilling his responsibility as DA; he became depressed at seeing good losing so many battles and evil taking control, not realizing that no one can have a perfect winning streak when good and evil are engulfed in conflict.
I'll need to see this a few more times to get the most out of it, but I really did enjoy it and feel that it will be of great social value. It was more violent than Batman Begins, and I don't know that it is a kid movie, even though it is Batman. At this point I'm giving it a 5, but that may change after seeing it a few more times, possibly moving it to "World Shaker" status.
