Phoenix Productions
New Release - Black Panther (SPOILERS)2/20/2018 Video Link: TBA
Black Panther is a testament to a tired and worn-out formula having new and vibrant life breathed into it. This review will not specifically cover any controversial topics revolving around the film, although you can't talk about it without at least mentioning them. The cinematography in BP is definitely at and even above Marvel's high standards. It's no Blade Runner 2049 (Rating Legendary), but it definitely holds its own in the visual effects and camera work front. The score and Kendrick Lamar soundtrack blended together brilliantly to capture the subculture around BP's intended audience, as well as deliver that signature Marvel goodness. There is a lot to like here. Marvel has the tendency to meet the fundamentals of filmmaking with flying colors. I would classify the fundamentals here about equal with the also excellent Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Rating 10), Captain America: Winter Soldier (Rating 9), and Spider-Man Homecoming (Rating 10). The acting in BP is by far the best in the MCU (although Homecoming's really, really close by), with incredible performances out of...well, everyone. Michael B. Jordan plays a surprisingly strong, yet simple villain in Eric Killmonger, whose motivations and plan are simple yet certain. For the role he is given here, he executes it with the same mastery that made him an amazing lead in Creed (Rating 10). Marvel's tendency towards weak villains seems to be coming to an end. Chadwick Boseman, reprising his role from Captain America: Civil War (Rating 8), is awesome here. But the acting is so on-point from everyone in the cast that he actually gets overtaken by many of the supporting characters, such as Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia, Danai Gurira's Okoye, and Letitia Wright's Shuri. The film's action and setpieces are a beauty to behold. As formulaic as the film may be, it still manages to keep me satisfied and enjoying every moment of it. All that being said, there are some weaknesses in the film that keep it from that coveted rating of 10. The two halves of the film feel almost as if they have completely different directors. The first half really captures the emotion and conflict of the film, but has a disconnect from the second half, which enters traditional Marvel battle territory, with a much more Wakandan vibe. There are very few plot holes that I spotted on first watch, but they are definitely there. Also, the pacing felt very erratic throughout the film, speeding up and slowing down on a dime. This isn't a turn-off for me personally, but it is worth mentioning. While Killmonger's character is fantastic in the role he is given, he could still have been fleshed out far more, and used for far more than just a single movie. In addition, while it is obvious where the end-credits sequence with Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) lies in the MCU timeline, it creates a disconnect from the rest of the film, which occurs a week after the events of Civil War. Overall, Black Panther rises above the rest of the MCU, and superhero movies in general, to take its throne alongside the other rulers of the MCU: Winter Soldier and Homecoming. Black Panther is my second-favorite MCU film, just behind Homecoming and surprisingly barely overtaking Winter Soldier. Neither film is an easy one to compete with, yet Black Panther does so effortlessly. It is a must-see, especially as a triumph for the black subculture that the film very clearly caters towards. This is very much a Black Lives Matter movie, and in my opinion, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, in this instance, it is absolutely amazing. FINAL RATING: 9
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Video Link: TBA
The Cloverfield Paradox came out of absolutely nowhere...sort of like its plot. A majority of the movie will leave general audiences and critics alike scratching their heads. It has many a plot hole, and many disconnects that make this film very, VERY hard to watch if you are not a fan of previous Cloverfield films. In addition, the climax of the film feels very rushed once it hits, and the final scene is highly derivative of other sci-fi/horror films (I will use the recent film Life for my primary example here). That being said... Cloverfield Paradox is a good film. Definitely not perfect - not in fundamentals, not in coherence, not in anything. But what Paradox lacks in technical prowess, it makes up for in concept, design, intrigue, and acting. The characters of Paradox develop really well for the most part. The main cast is strong, with an incredible performance out of Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who plays astronaut Ava Hamilton, a technician aboard the Cloverfield space station. The crew also includes Chris O'Dowd, who provides some much-needed comic relief to this grim story, Daniel Bruhl of Captain America: Civil War fame, and John Ortiz, who never misses a beat the whole film. The concept of the film is incredibly fascinating: Earth is facing a global energy shortage. The aforementioned Cloverfield space station is outfitted with a device called the Shepherd particle accelerator, which in theory should provide unlimited energy. However, the quantum entanglement required to work with such a device (according to what I gathered from the film...I'm not a science person so apologies if I completely misinterpreted that) leads pundits to predict a cataclysm called the "Cloverfield Paradox" - basically, the Shepherd causes our dimension to collide with another, unleashing absolute chaos upon both dimensions. This ends up becoming a reality, as the station is transported to an alternate reality, and the creature from the original Cloverfield is unleashed upon the original dimension (We'll call the first dimension Earth-1, and the other one Earth-2, for reference). The premise of the film is exceptional in my personal opinion. Multiverses have been explored before (particularly in major films like Interstellar), but this take on the concept is definitely an original one. The tie-ins to the original film are also interesting, although the film still doesn't fully connect to 10 Cloverfield Lane. Now, the film is very cliche and derivative of other sci-fi films. There are many elements of Alien, Event Horizon, and more here. However, the film's cast keeps these in the background. The big draw of films like Paradox and Lane is how the films make you question the connections between them and the rest of the franchise. They are films solely made to invoke questions, and they do that job very well. As far as the fundamentals of filmmaking go, however, the film falls short. Cinematography is incredibly inconsistent, with some shots appearing to be from a handheld camera and an inexperienced operator. Other shots appear almost as if they should be in theatrical big-name releases because of how well they are done. The contrast between the first scene and the second is jarring to say the least. The score of the film is absolutely superb, although still derivative of other sci-fi/horror films. The plot feels very fast-paced in some segments, with some setpieces feeling very disconnected from the rest of the story. For all its flaws, the film was very enjoyable to watch, and is definitely superior, in my personal opinion, to its vomit-inducing found-footage predecessor. However, it falls quite short of the very-good 10 Cloverfield Lane in terms of quality. This can be attributed to the issues the film had in production and with the transfer from Paramount to Netflix. It is a good film. Not great, but not bad either. Definitely above average, especially compared to its very average first installment, and to other similar movies. FINAL SCORE: 6 Author
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