Marvel Studios can do no wrong. Their properties — Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk — have generated billions in worldwide merchandising and ticket sales. Interestingly, during this superhero renaissance, they’ve only had one team-up (2012’s “The Avengers,” which itself made $1.5 billion) though. Putting their incredible run of successes on the line and…
The Greek myth of Hercules’ twelve labors is one many are familiar with, and failing that, we are all at least familiar with the 1997 Disney classic, “Hercules,” that will always have a place in our hearts. Disney by no means remains true to the original myth, but successfully captures all the elements that draw…
In the 30 years that have passed since “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” you’d think that civilization would have made a more pronounced comeback to the desolate, unforgiving world dreamed up by George Miller. Thanks to Warner Brothers’ trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road we see conditions have actually gotten worse. Oil is still scarce and…
The Purge: Anarchy opens hours before the Annual Purge: The one night when all crime — including murder — is temporarily decriminalized. Americans all over the country either barricade themselves indoors to hide from the violence, or stockpile weapons in preparation of “purging the beast.” The film’s focal character Sergeant (Frank Grillo) falls into the…
In the battle of the 2014 Hercules flicks, Brett Ratner’s sly little smash-em-up, Hercules clearly emerges the victor over Renny Harlin’s unintentionally hilarious blunder, “The Legend of Hercules” from earlier in the year. This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s so much as glimpsed a shot from the cheapo origin pic or even…
If there is a mindset that is getting on my nerves more and more as it becomes steadily more prominent, it’s the idea that a work (especially a film) possessing a certain level of either style or ostentatiousness is in and of itself worthy of praise. It’s an ideology that gave the laughably atrocious 2002…
As head ape Caesar stands atop the rubble of a symbolic tower toppled moments before in a last ditch attempt by fearful humans to wipe out his kind, human benefactor Malcolm (Jason Clarke) confronts him in a fruitless bid to stop further fighting saying, “War isn’t what [he] want[s].” Mournfully, Caesar looks upon him and…
