Spider-Man 2 (2004) --- "Attaching Robotic Arms In A Freak Accident Can Prove To Have Homicidal Tendencies."

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Plot Summary

It's been two years since Peter Parker transformed into Spider-Man, and he is still trying to balance life perfectly: The girl he loves (Mary Jane) is engaged to someone else. His grades are slipping and the newspaper Daily Bugle is attacking him viciously, claiming that Spider-Man is a criminal. His friendship with Harry Osborn is at risk, as the young Harry is frustrated with Spider-Man getting away with his father's death. And if this wasn't enough for the superhero, a new enemy is in town. Dr. Otto Octavius is involved in a freak scientific accident and becomes the dangerous Doctor Octopus, Dok Ock. Peter guesses it might just be time for Spider-Man to return, but would he act upon it? 

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     In Spider- Man (2002), Director Sam Raimi proved that he could take a comic book story and translate it reasonably to the screen. In Spider-Man 2 (2017) Raimi proves that he can make a highly original story and at the same time make it entertaining. Spider-Man 2 transcends beyond the boundaries of the fist installment by taking premises from the Spider-Man (2002) and making improvements; a richly character-driven movie with a very conflicted hero. For the first time, audiences get to see the emotion behind the facade of our beloved web-slinging hero as Spider-Man 2 plunges into a world of shadows and off colors. This rarely happens with sequels, much less do they surpass the original installment – Terminator 2 and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back are part of those few exceptions – and focuses on a broader audience.

Spider-Man 1 (2002) --- "Bites From Radioactive Spiders Prove To Have Some Unusual Side-effects."

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Plot Summary

On a school field trip, Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) is bitten by a genetically modified spider. He wakes up the next morning with incredible powers. After witnessing the death of someone he loves, Parker decides to put his new skills to use in order to rid the city of evil, but someone else has other plans. The Green Goblin sees Spider-Man as a threat and must dispose of him. Even if it means the Goblin has to target the people Parker loves most including the girl he secretly pines for (Kristen Dunst).

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     In Marvel Comic's Spiderman, director Sam Raimi (Oz the Great and Powerful, Drag Me to Hell) took into consideration the little details – delivering a rich plot with some origin stories and still give a lot of time for good character development – that would determine the success of the movie, and audiences were satisfactorily rewarded. The script was far stronger than I expected with some wonderful verbal exchanges, solid plot points, and great pacing. It can be a tricky task for the director and writer(s) to adapt a big superhero character like Spiderman into a movie while still giving viewers a solid background story; one that is informative without taking up a majority of the film. The cinematography (Don Burgess – Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Flight) was done beautifully and rather than letting the CGI take over and distract from the realism, in contrast, it made the web-swinging look that much more believable. The music score (Danny Elfman – Corpse Bride, Nightmare Before Christmas) was good as it subtly set the mood without many audiences being aware of it.

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) --- "Robot Alien Mind Control Leads To An Interference From Ancient Robot Aliens."

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Plot Summary

Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English Lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.

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     The Transformer movies never did well critically, some people say that it is the rare bad franchise that despite the negative reviews, continues to entertain and make billions of dollars. Transformers is the type of movie that does not require a lot of intelligence to entertain and at the same time are not the mindless CGI films that professional critics claim them to be. The films have heart with a plot based on good conspiracy theory and myth/legends. The film not only stays true to the trailers but almost goes beyond them as a very entertaining film from start to finish and a huge mess typical of a Michael Bay film (Armageddon, TMNT, the Purge films). Since the film is a mess even though the mess is made up of some amazing pieces, The Last Knight is not able to reach its full potential but that is not surprising. The Last Knight blends Transformers with history and legends; we start to question what exactly is Earth and is it more alive than we thought? Focusing on the legend of King Arthur (Liam Garrigan – The Legend of Hercules, TV’s Once Upon A Time), the Crusaders, and Merlin (Stanley Tucci – A Little Bit of Chaos, Hunger Games), The Last Knight demonstrates that this is not the first time humans have encountered Transformers. Although, it seems this film followed a similar pattern by recycling an old plot; the Decepticons plan on reviving Cybertron by using Earth in some way, this plot is probably the most creative, entertaining, and fast-paced film out of the franchise.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) --- "Can Robot Aliens Really Go Extinct?"

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Plot Summary

After an epic battle, a great city lies in ruins, but the Earth itself is saved. As humanity begins to pick up the pieces, a shadowy group emerges to try to take control of history. Meanwhile, an ancient and powerful new menace sets its sights on Earth. A new group of humans, led by Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), helps Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and the Autobots rise up to meet their most fearsome challenge yet: a worldwide war of good versus evil.

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     Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) is an entertaining movie, though Dark of the Moon (2011) still remains my favorite so far this film is a very close second. The action is beautifully made, the drama and harmony are heartwarming, The special effects are exceptional, and the robots look much more flawless. The sound is thrilling and the music soundtrack was epic with an amazing choice of songs from a multitude of different bands. I appreciate that Transformers has chosen to use different bands with each new soundtrack. However, there are a couple flaws that I have found in this film.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) --- "The Moon Has A Dark Side And The Feds Take Things Way Too Seriously."

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Plot Summary

Picking up two years after the Egypt incident, the Autobots and their human allies discover a lost piece of Cybertronian technology which has been in human possession for several years. It is revealed that the artifact is part of an Autobot spacecraft which has crashed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon and carries a special technology and the legendary Sentinel Prime (Optimus Prime's old mentor). However, Sam Witwicky discovers a conspiracy by the Decepticons who plot to use it for their own evil purposes. And Optimus Prime finds that they are up against a menace who plans to also use it to enslave humanity in order to restore Cybertron.(1)

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     Technologically, Dark of the Moon is Michael Bay's (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pearls Harbor) best work so far and action fans will be satisfied by fast-paced scenes of massive mayhem and destruction. Unfortunately, there are a few drawn backs to the film. The storyline is an improvement, as it is compelling and gives adequate back-story time. However, audiences were not given room to breathe during all the devastation nor were we given time properly understand how we felt about it. The humor is done well, as opposed to Revenge of the Fallen which at times was a bit offensive and cliché but at times it seemed to be more so dumb silliness than funny humor.

Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) --- "A Fallen's Revenge Takes Place In the Desert And The Feds Get Involved."

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Plot Summary

The fate of humanity is at stake when two races of robots, the good Autobots, and the villainous Decepticons, bring their war to Earth. The robots have the ability to change into different mechanical objects as they seek the key to ultimate power. Only a human youth, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) can save the world from total destruction. (1)

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     For the most part, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a decent science fiction/drama film with scenes to astound and thrill audiences. The film does not over-explain ideas or add in concepts as impossible plot center points and the humor is done rather well. In addition, since the plot is not overly serious, it opens the door to giving the robots personalities. The robots (both the Autobots and the Decepticons) are not discovering who they are but rather they are a DNA-based biological technology, so like humans, their personalities are varied. This is a fact and concept that has been used since the first film; some audience agrees it’s for the best and others do not.

Transformers (2007) --- "Shia Laboufe Screams Constantly, Megan Fox Is Hot, And Alien Robots Exist."

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Plot Summary

The fate of humanity is at stake when two races of robots, the good Autobots, and the villainous Decepticons, bring their war to Earth. The robots have the ability to change into different mechanical objects as they seek the key to ultimate power. Only a human youth, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) can save the world from total destruction. 

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     Transformers (2007) is not the BEST movie of ALL TIME but is one of the best visual achievements of 2007.  It is ridiculous that some audiences and critics are complaining about how Michael Bay (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, the Island) went "over the top" with the visual effects. This is a Michael Bay film, of course, the visual effect is going to be over the top, that’s the point. Transformers is not meant to be an epic drama like The Godfather but rather it is like Star Wars. Of course, Transformers is not on the Star Wars level because of the script which had some very corny lines that did not exactly fit in with the action moments. Aside from the script, this film has a lot of dimensions and the characters are actually far more complex than first realized, this is due to the mesmerizing action sequences.

The Mummy (2017) --- "Is Replacing Brandon Fraiser With Tom Cruise A Good Thing Or A Bad Thing?"

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Plot Summary

 Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. 

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     Despite the many negative reviews (5.9/10 on IMDB, 3.5/5 on Fandango, and 17% on Rotten Tomatoes) I cannot hate The Mummy (2017). The Mummy is a cross between World War Z (2013) – dark, thrilling, and slight nightmarish – and The Mummy trilogy (1999, 2001, and 2008) – with its slight humor and newly resurrected mummy who has an evil agenda plot. Speaking of which, the plot does stay familiar with the original trilogy: a treasure hunting soldier and his buddy are caught in the middle of a battle only to discover a hidden tomb buried beneath a small village. This brings the attention of an archaeologist who wants to bring the contents of the tomb back to London to study it. However, we soon discover that this ancient tomb is actually the prison to a dark and evil mummified princess, who has awoken and plans to unleash greatest evil humankind has ever seen. The Mummy is a blockbuster adventure and while some don’t believe it to be a great movie (I believe otherwise), you cannot dismiss that it is still entertaining with some exciting action sequences and decent visual effects.

Assassin's Creed (2016) --- "Is Unlocking The Genetic Memories In Our DNA Possible? Or Straight Out Of A Video Game."

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Plot Summary

Cal Lynch travels back in time to 15th-century Spain through a revolutionary technology that unlocks the genetic memories contained in his DNA. There, he lives out the experiences of Aguilar de Nerha, a distant relative who's also a member of the Assassins, a secret society that fights to protect free will from the power-hungry Templar Order. Transformed by the past, Cal begins to gain the knowledge and physical skills necessary to battle the oppressive organization in the present. (1)

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     Assassin's Creed (2017) is based on the computer game of the same name by Ubisoft. Basically, Assassin's Creed1 is about two factions: the Knights Templar – who want to do away with free will as they believe that free will is the root of corruption – and the Assassins – who believe that violence is the sacrifice that one must pay for freedom. Both factions have been in an eternal conflict for control of humanity’s destiny. There are a number of artifacts that the factions are looking for, one, in particular, is the Apple of Eden which promises an end to violence and destruction by containing the genetic code for human free will. The Templars want to control humanity while the Assassins are trying to prevent the former from getting the artifacts. Now I have never played the computer game nor have I seen the old movie adaptations, so aside from the impressive and intriguing trailers I was unsure of what to expect from the movie. The film is entertaining with its captivating production designs (Raphael Lacoste and Andy Nicholson), the cinematography (Adam Arkapaw) captures the splendor of Andalusia, Spain and the island of Malta, and the action sequences through the use of the Animus, involving the Assassins is spectacular. The action sequence outside of the Animus are still cool but have a sense of lacking to it or perhaps it’s just me who loves period fighting scenes. Although I have been told that the Animus in the game – a chair with screens – is different from the one seen in this film – a robotic scorpion’s tail that attaches to the base of the skull/brain – the change is a welcome one. Or so some friends have said.

The Shack (2017) --- "Forgiveness And Love Is Stronger Than We Thought."

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Plot Summary

After suffering a family tragedy, Mack Phillips spirals into a deep depression that causes him to question his innermost beliefs. Facing a crisis of faith, he receives a mysterious letter urging him to an abandoned shack in the Oregon wilderness. Despite his doubts, Mack journeys to the shack and encounters an enigmatic trio of strangers led by a woman named Papa. Through this meeting, Mack finds important truths that will transform his understanding of his tragedy and change his life forever.(1)

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     I have never read the book, so I cannot judge on whether this film is an accurate adaptation of the book. The Shack is the story is about Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Phillips (Sam Worthington - Avatar) who experiences a great tragedy in his family. Overcome with a great sadness and having anger towards the perpetrator for the crime and God for “letting it happen,” Mack searches for answers from God when one day he receives a letter asking him to go the shack were the tragedy happened. Upon arriving at the shack and overcome with grief, he experience a vision where he meets God as a family: Papa/God (Octavia Spencer – Hidden Figures), Jesus (Avraham Aviv Alush – Beauty and the Baker), and Sarayu/Holy Spirit (Sumire Marsubara). Now whether the vision was an open vision – his eyes are open and he is awake – or a dream vision – while he is asleep – is unclear at first and does not take much precedent in this review. However, there were a few areas of concern that audiences had after watching the film.

Silence (2016) --- "Sometimes Silence Does Not Always Mean Abandonment and Solitude."

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Plot Summary

Two 17th-century Portuguese missionaries, Father Sebastian Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver), embark on a perilous journey to Japan to find their missing mentor (Liam Neeson). While there, the two men minister to the Christian villagers who worship in secret. If caught by feudal lords or ruling samurai, they must renounce their faith or face a prolonged and agonizing death. (1)

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     Based on Shûsaku Endô's (The Sea of Poison) 1966 historical novel of the same name, Silence is a passionate faith-based film that took director Martin Scorsese (Wolf on Wall Street) 20 years to create. The final product that was released is not only artistic and mysterious but also brutal and thought to be filled with hopelessness, at least until you come to an interesting and beautiful end. Silence is very much its own beast and without a doubt 2017’s most powerful story yet. Rather than condone the suppression of religious groups, Silence examines the caution one must have in the attempt to convert a country without first a deep understanding of their beliefs and traditions. As we explore the beauty of an individual’s faithfulness to their faith, we are also exposed to the horrors and the lengths that people are willing to go to destroy that faith. The movie is filled with a balance of light and dark scenes. The lights scenes are calm and give you the opportunity to admire the beautiful scenery. While the darker scenes will bring you to the edge of your seat with emotional and horrific punishments that some characters must endure.

Wonder Woman (2017) --- "Apparently Crossing No-Man's Land Is Not Impossible For A Woman."

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Plot Summary

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny. 

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       The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was off to a rough start, trailing far behind the Marvel universe and failing to deliver much of fans expectation in the previous three films. DCEU needed a saving grace…or, in this case, a Wonder Woman. Director Patty Jenkins (Monster) accomplishes the impossible as this film exceeds expectations and provides a comprehensive cinematic experience. The film takes great advantage of its 140-minute running time by explaining where Diana is from, who she is, and her road of self-discovery. Although it begins at a somewhat flawed and uneven start, this allows for the story to build into a compelling and exhilarating cinematic performance from a princess to a warrior and delivers affectionate sentimentality that carries a sense of strength. The theme of the film touches many different topics: love and peace, sacrifice and courage. And while at times it feels a bit overdone and preachy the story delivers exactly what it set out to do with grace and accuracy. One aspect that I admire is that Jenkins does not abandon the idea of terror and mass destruction, especially since Diana Prince is still very innocent in those areas, but escapes the confines of a cliché superhero film where all the bad guys are evil and the good guys are purely good. In everyone, there is both dark and light, the difference is which side you chose and why.

Risen (2016) --- "A Stubborn Tribune Meets Christianity In His Quest For Recovering A Body."

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Plot Summary

Roman military tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) remains set in his ways after serving 25 years in the army. He arrives at a crossroad when he's tasked to investigate the mystery of what happened to Jesus (Cliff Curtis) following the Crucifixion. Accompanied by trusted aide Lucius (Tom Felton), his quest to disprove rumors of a risen Messiah makes him question his own beliefs and spirituality. As his journey takes him to places never dreamed of, Clavius discovers the truth that he's been seeking. (1)

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     Director Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Count of Monte Cristo) has put together an entertaining and unique film. The acting was on point, the music score was fitting, and the sets and scenery were beautiful. Risen is told through the eyes of Pontius Pilate's (Peter Firth – Pearl Harbor, Mighty Joe Young) right-hand man Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a Roman tribune who is forced to investigate the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus/Yeshua (Cliff Curtis – Push, Columbiana). Telling the story through the eyes of a non-believer (a pagan considering his belief in the Roman gods) offered depth and so much more to the film because we got to see his transformation and his quest for truth. People, no matter who you are, are always looking for truth. Truth about anything and everything.