Not too different from Fox’s X-Men Franchise whereupon you
can watch 90% of the films in sequence dedicated to the chronology of
Wolverine. You can watch the animated films and live action Mortal Kombat properties roughly around either Subzero or Scorpion. Although none of the game
adapted movies have any real connection to one another besides basic game play
storylines from the conceived 1990’s games.
Liu Kang the Chosen One – a Bruce Lee imitation – Shaolin fighter
– taken in by the order of lightor a
member of the White Lotus Society – an organization foundedby Raiden, he has been groomed to represent
the fighters of Earth Realm in the tournament of Mortal Kombat.Sonja Blade another original game character,
is a military officer within the Marine Corp in pursuit of Black Dragons leader Kano she and
her team were ambushed by Shang Tsung until a recovery team lead by Jax –
Jackson Briggs rescued her.Johnny Cage
a Hollywood actor and martial artist, trying to cement his legacy and career by
being convinced into taking part in Mortal Kombat - that the riches and
notoriety will elevate his status.Other
Characters include Raiden the God of Thunder and protector of Earth Realm,
Princess Kitana -heir to the throne of
her realm called Edenia. Shang Tsung an
evil sorcerer who is hundreds of years old living on the souls of fallen
fighters, and serves a greater masterShao Khan a tyrant and ruler of Outworld looking to expand his rule by
invading and conquering Earth Realm.In
the original arcade game there were only seven playable Characters and as the
series continued the roaster also increased.
Like Wolverine – Scorpion is a tragic figure, surrounded in
violence and bloodshed, his true origins of how he became to be this specter of
revenge was shrouded in mystery for the formidable years of Mortal Kombat and
overtime revealed as part of a larger plot with the sorcerer Quan Chi pulling
the strings.The 2021 Mortal Kombat
live action movie and animated movie Scorpion’s revenge does address Scorpions
origins and view him as a tragic hero.Wolverine is a Samurai betrayed throughout his history and no memory of
his past;until house of M, He finds
himself at constant odds with his nemesis Sabretooth ,In Wolverine Origins, the story has them as
close adopted brothers,until
circumstances have them part ways and become mortal enemies.
From the creators of Boon & Tobias, and midway games; and played from the arcade to the home console - Mortal Kombat is a historic game that
continues to grow in story, creative game plays, visual elements and lore. The
medium of storytelling as a live action movie, animated movie, or animated/live
action series is just an example of the lush landscape and histories that this
expanded game has to offer.
Spiderman No Way Home has been characterized as being the equivalent
to Endgame; as it represents the entirety of Sony’s Spiderman franchise.
For the most part, critics and audiences have approved and
championed this latest installment of the Spiderman franchise. Without us delving
into spoilers, what this movie accomplishes is its ability to sway the general
audience and comic book fans, by leaving the audience feeling hopeful. Hopeful, that it’s a brand new day for the
character, the hero is left completely removed from the MCU, alone and back to
basics. Saying it out loud sounds
horribly unattractive, but the hope is we see the Spiderman of the comic books,
both in look and in composure. This is
an amazingly confident and optimistic hero that readers have grown up with for
generations.
What are these back to the basics.
The Look, gone are
all the Stark technologies, gone are the clumsy hoodie, sweatshirt and woolen mask outfit that he sported it homecoming.
Audience caught a true shining glimpse of the original comic book outfit. The strong Blue, Red and Black
web designed costumed that has been a stapled identity of the character for the
past 59 years.
A Lone superhero – even in comic books Spiderman was a lone
hero - he worked alone, Becoming a team member of the Avengers for the first
time with Captain America after the Raft Breakout - he still had difficulty
working with the team he would continue to go out and fight crime solo albeit
the neighborhoods, but New York is still a pretty big place. It took his then wife Mary Jane to tell him
to smarten up when you got a good thing going…. And as comic book fate raised
its mighty pencil. He rarely has ‘life perfect’ with a personal win, as marvel comics
introduced us to Marvel’s Civil War and Brand New Day, which is pretty much
where we end Spiderman No Way Home – our Hero –Beginning his brand new Day.
Without Mary Jane or any heroes or friends knowing who he ever was.
Independence
– comic fans and the general audience criticized
on how dependent Tom Holland’s Character
portrayal had given way to having a
constant father figure , or mentor to guide him. Spiderman had Stark’s Suit/technologies
and sought after the approval of Tony Stark, as seen throughout Homecoming,
Civil War, and infinity War. He had a
surrogate in Happy Hogan for ‘Far from Home’, and kept the Stark Technologies
suits right up to the very end of No Way Home.
We leave the latest movie, with a character evolution and revolution, having him moving forward out of high school, In control of his own life, capable of
being a leader, but now alone and living
a simple low end life as Peter Parker and as a Spiderman who is confident , intellectual and independent -
foiling crimes and saving people. As seen swinging from above in the neighborhoods of New York
City as the future is uncertain and unwritten.
As a person who in my early childhood I did not like confined spaces, it stems from an incident being trapped alone in an elevator for a period of time. The irony of having that fear was some of the greatest stories I grew up reading and admiring were Vernes' adventures that the heroes traverse through tight knit spaces to explore wonderous lands.
Jules Verne was a French novelist, born in Nantes, France, Feb. 8, 1828. Educated in law, he gave it up to write unsuccessfully for the stage. In 1862, however, he wrote "Five Weeks in a Balloon", which initiated a new and enormously popular type of fiction. Basing his romantic adventure stories on possible scientific invention. Verne succeeded in fascinating and startling his audience , and made many predictions which have since come true. His books owed their popularity to their peculiar combination of fantastic detail and plausible scientific explanation, Among the best known of them translated into English were
A Sony Pictures reboot starring Andrew Garfield in the title role. Focusing on Peter Parker in his high school years and his first love interest Gwen Stacey. The film holds true to many aspects of the comic book, Revisiting the hero's origins, introducing older characters such as Captain Stacey, and revealing the fate of Peter's first love.
Most importantly the film and its sequel explores Richard Parker, and how Peter's parents influenced who he would become beyond his aunt and uncle.
The specter or mystery of why his parents left him that dark and stormy night had plagued Peter all his life, the film explores and shines a light on that untapped history. It gives a compelling and independent sub-story in both Amazing Spiderman movies. The parental history mirrors Richard Donner's Original Superman concept on how Jo-El being able to be there in guiding his son once he becomes of age in the aftermath of his own demise. To have his son become the hero he is destined to be. Both sets of parents met a fiery explosive ending and both left messages and a video representation of themselves that their son's were able to watch and learn from, carrying with it the secrets of where their powers come from and how they are different. The movie of father's and their children holds true in the both movies, with Gwen and her father, Peter and his adoptive parent Uncle Ben, and to some extent in Richard Parker's former partner Dr. Connors who Peter strikes a bond with in the field of study.
Peter is nearing the end of his High School years and is coming of age, Uncle Ben and Aunt May are pillars of support to guide him. Like the Kent's, Ka-El's adoptive earth parents, they shape and provide a grounded and supportive foundation for our hero, before he ventures forward .
Denis Leary plays Captain Stacey, a role he took on with great honor and pride in representing a fallen hero in the line of duty. The tone of tragedy and how the hero never forgets, is in many respects the thesis of Spiderman and what makes him different from most superhero archetypes, it always comes down to the basics of he rarely wins in his personal life, cursed with personal tragedy he finds a way to overcome his adversary to keep his neighborhood safe, but having experienced those losses is what shapes him, and keeps him grounded.
In the Amazing Spiderman 2, Peter is haunted by Captain Stacey's dying words, compounding the heavy choices he makes with love interest Gwen Stacey. Who as written in the comics - fulfills a dark destiny of her own. The film concludes on Gwen's climatic ending, However, finding cathartic resolution would take ten long years and a dark cloud haunting The Amazing Spiderman . The long awaited resolution brought on a full admission of guilt and loss followed by a redemption arc found only in Spiderman No Way Home; that provides a full and robust concluding trilogy to the Amazing Spiderman's story. The paradigm shift is the line given repeatedly over 20 years of Spiderman "With great power comes great responsibility", This re-telling of a singularity that is a cog for the 5 Sony Spiderman movies, Into the Spider-verse, and No Way Home.
The Amazing Spiderman 2 gave us a scope of loss then decided to end on a more somber note like the conclusion of The Empire's Strikes Back. We as a collective audience were begrudgingly given time for our hero to make his legendary return and close with a satisfactory third film. That was unfortunately not provided in the final act of Spiderman 2, The 2014 sequel only provided that specter of unfulfilled aftermath. With the hero out of high school, alone in the world, and conflicted. The Rosetta stone or North star to guide our hero back would be a commencement speech, written in truth by actress Emma Stone who drafted the speech herself as she did not become a valedictorian in her own life,
Thunder Force was filmed in Atlanta, and shot over a course of
three months, it concluded it's principle photography by the end of 2019. Making
it one of the last few movies unhindered by the pandemic. Thunder Force marks
the sixth collaborative effort between Writer/Director Ben Falcone and his wife
Melissa McCarthy.With what feels like a
fixed budget and possibly time constraints the movie has only a few set pieces.
However, within those pieces we are given stellar art direction, and an
adequate amount of special effects to tell its story which was a derivative of being
superhero movie with an origins story.
Married for 17 years, the duo have been in a relationship
for nearly 21 years, Ben and Melissa met working with the ‘groundlings’ an
improvisational and sketch comedy troupe.Falcone who self references himself as an actor and producer, has made a
few cameo appearances in some of McCarthy’s films.(The Heat, Spy, Identity Thief, Happytime
Murders, and Bridesmaids)
Ben Falcone, now an established
author had cut his teeth creatively being a writer and music composer for Looney
tunes, he will be releasing a limited series titled ‘God’s Favorite Idiot’
sometime in 2022.It is also to note
that Falcone who began as actor has kept largely producing in the genre of, comedy
or light hearted projects.He has written,
directed, or produced six projects that McCarthy has starred in, all of which were
the ones that critics have panned the most on, when reflecting upon Melissa
McCarthy complete body of work.The
first project was Tammy (2014)a script
they worked ontogether with the initial
intent of being an indie film, they sold it as a script first, largely in part
of Melissa clout and knowing producers to read and give it a chance.The script was designed to showcase Melissa’s
range and skill set outside of the fast talking and cute best friend characters
that she developed in television with Gilmour Girls and Samantha Who?.
As a married couple that collaborates in both writing and
developing, the duo takes large swings in the comedy by tying in equal amalgams
of drama and edgy tension, albeit tension catering to a broader form of comedy.
The latest project was the Netflix exclusive ‘Thunder Force’,
an original intellectual property that really parodies the superhero
genre.With the help of acclaimed
actress Octavia Spencer, the film begins on childhood, establishing the bond
and complexities of the heroes.As it
carries over and connects them to the present and their relationship moving
forward as the city’s protectors.
The film keeps the raunchy, physical comedy that has made
Melissa McCarthy a household name, and not since Life of the Party, has a
defined love interest for her character.As the star, Melissa McCarthy takes a commanding role and spotlights the
leading woman in the romantic relationship as well as anchoring the pace and
tone of the overall film.Ben &
Melissa had Just completed filming the movie Super Intelligence four months
prior , when they re-cast Bobby Cannavale who was her leading man /love interest in that
film.With the chemistry and ease of
working together; They had Bobby play the antagonist know as ‘The King’ and
really kept a character at odds with her character, and once again took big
swings in both broad comedy and its physicality of superheroes battling for the city.
The original Spidermanmovie, released in 2002 - directed by Sam Raimi is about a superhero who is a teen in high school. Peter Parker who was bitten by a spider receives spider like powers, who can now climb walls, have super strength, and make webs. This finally gives him the courage to get the girl next door Mary Jane Watson. His uncle is killed by a bank robber, that he indirectly let happen. He fights a deadly new foe named the Green Goblin; unbeknownst to him is the father of his best friend Harry Osborn. He eventually and inadvertently kills Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin, making his alter ego the sworn enemy of his best friend.
Spiderman 2, directed by Sam Raimi and released in 2004; sees a teenage Peter Parker, who still in high school, meets Dr. Otto Octavious a brilliant scientist, who Peter admires. With the added invention of mechanical tentacles to aide in Otto's experiments, a horrific accident occurs resulting with his wife dying. The accident also causes Octavious to become mentally unstable as each tentacle was designed with their own A.I. conflicting with his own mind. Ultimately Spiderman and Dr. Octavious fight resulting in the doctor's own demise.
Spiderman 3,directed by Sam Raimi and released in 2007; discovers Uncle Ben's real killer - who becomes Spiderman's latest Foe known as Sandman. Harry; Peter's former best friend has become the new Green Goblin and is bent on revenge. These recent events are affecting our hero mentally which is affecting his relationship with Mary Jane. All this negativity allows him to bond with an alien symbiote as his personal life begins to erode away.
Soylent Green was released in 1973, Directed By Richard Fleisher - whose works include Doctor Dolittle (1967), Fantastic Voyage (1966), Conan the Destroyer (1984), Red Sonja (1985) .... featuring a solid cast lead by Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors and Joesph Cotton. The film takes place 49 years into the future - that is in relation of the theatrical release of this film.
The Premise- The world is overpopulated, our story takes place in New York City, a densely overpopulated and starving mecca. Charles Heston plays NYPD detective Robert Thorn who is investigating the murder of an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation, with the aid of an academic named Sol - played by Edward G. Robinson. The duo begin to make some real progress, when without warning has the Governor intervene and shuts down the entire investigation. Thorn now obsessed with this mystery decides to launches his own further investigation, without the knowledge of any law enforcement.
The film is a science fiction murder mystery - that got many things right, our planet was seeing itself projected into overpopulation, there are catastrophic climate change taking place, corporations do have some power over the government, and the 1 percent wealthy can afford a better and cleaner living as that divide of rich versus poor widens during these critical economic times.
Outstanding - This film is both a cult classic and is revered in the pantheon of movie history. Its contribution has it being one of cinema's most daring and surprising twist endings for its decade.
No Escapewas released in 1994, Directed by Martin Cambell - whose works include The Protege (2021) Casino Royale (2006), Vertical Limit (2000), GoldenEye (1995)..... features a very eclectic cast lead by Ray Liotta, Ernie Hudson, Lance Henriksen, Kevin Dillon, Stuart Wilson, and Kevin J. O'Connor. The film takes place 28 years into the future - that is in relation of the theatrical release of this film. The film was released overseas under a different name as either Escape from Absolom or Absolom 2022.
The Premise - Corporations run the prison system - like Alcatraz in concept - the worst criminals are exiled to this island for life. Liotta is an ex-marine named John Robbins who is sentenced for murdering his commanding officer. Upon arrival Robbins is captured by a group called the Outsiders whose leader is a sociopath named Walter Marek - played by Stuart Wilson, Eventually escaping, Robbins is taken in by the Insiders lead by a terminally ill doctor called The Father - Played by Lance Henriksen.
The film is purely fiction - the only thing the film got right are surprising human characteristics, that society has now shown, politically in the United States with the Republican Party, we had a dominant leader, whose members conform into a tribal mentality. Also when faced with a potential extinction level event like covid-19 which began near the start of 2020; It would make sense in the film world that people would set aside their differences and come together for a common threat, However, (with the exception of the medical community) the reality was people today decided to double down to either being the left or the right. No Escape talks about factions who live amongst themselves without outside authority, consequence or interference. Similar to the eco-system established in Lord of the Flies. No Escape was based on a 1987 novel called The Penal Colony, by Richard Herley. Historically in concept Australia, was conceived to be a Penal Colony of sorts, and a world without a governing body or judicial system in place that is a notion that has been explored in both film and in books for decades. Just it doesn't exist anywhere in today's world.
Outstanding - ITS NOT , this is widely a forgettable film, there is a 50/50 chance you may remember or recognize the film's 1994 poster. Unless current society disintegrates due to catastrophic climate change, which leads governments of countries to become decimated, or the economic crash becomes so tumultuous making 1st world countries impoverished -This film mirrors no semblance of the year in which it resides in, and has completely missed its mark
