Special: Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Red Notice, Injustice Mini-Reviews

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Synopsis: When a single mother and her two children move to a new town, they soon discover they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

My thoughts: Afterlife is certainly more kid friendly then it's predecessors were at the time they came out. Of course with VFX improvements it's no longer that scary so I'm not condemning you for having your kids watch the original films. On that same note like Shazam, this isn't just a love letter to Ivan Reitman's original films but the 80's family adventure film scene as a whole. Ivan's son, Jason Reitman of Juno fame, takes the directors chair this time around and he's basically the perfect person for the job but the film definitely could've used some trimming in the middle but the opening set up and the conclusion specifically are well executed and the cast is extremely charming all around. 

Final verdict: 4 homicidal mini-pufts out of 5.

Red Notice

Synopsis: In the world of international crime, an Interpol agent attempts to hunt down and capture the world's most wanted art thief.

My thoughts: More style than substance is found in Red Notice. It's clear that Netflix backed a brinks truck up to the 3 stars houses in order to get them to sign on, but style only goes so far. The chemistry found between Reynolds and Johnson works well enough and Gadot knows how to play a mysterious femme fatale perfectly but the script leaves a lot to be desired and the epic twist could be spotted a mile away, and by that I mean very early in the movies runtime. The ending also sets up for a sequel which I feel will happen just as name recognition alone would lead to suggest. It's not all doom and gloom though. The locations they hit are breathtaking and what fight chorography we have is enjoyable but I expected more of it expecially given the around the world heist premise starring Deadpool, The Rock and Wonder Woman.  

Final verdict: 3.5 buddy comedies out of 5.

Injustice

Synopsis: On an alternate earth, the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, sending Superman down a path of destruction.

My thoughts: I think we've had enough of evil Superman in the DC Animated Universe. Supes had enough people on his side in this flick that they could've pushed the dictator role home but instead they just wanted to push the Superman violent content instead. Given that this is a DC Animated movie I do expect quite a bit of violence but would it kill them to spread the killings around? The animation was cool and from what I recall it mostly stuck to the original book before skipping to the end to wrap things up. That unfortunately means no sequel is likely so my wishlist will be flushed down the proverbial toilet. Not the worst DC animated movie this year, but not the best either. It's been a while since I was wowed by one. Maybe 2022 will be the year.

Final verdict: 3.5 dead superheroes out of 5.

Special: Wonder Woman/Teen Titans: The Judas Contract/The Lego Batman Movie Mini-Reviews

Wonder Woman:

Synopsis: An Amazon princess (Gal Gadot) finds her idyllic life on an island occupied only by female warriors interrupted when a pilot (Chris Pine) crash-lands nearby. After rescuing him, she learns that World War I is engulfing the planet, and vows to use her superpowers to restore peace. Directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster).

My thoughts: What a breath of fresh air this film was. I'm trying really hard to think of a downside here but there just simply is not one. Wonder Woman delivers in spades, by the end credits, me, a nearly 30 year old man, thought how cool it would be to be Wonder Woman. The war scene is the best scene since the Chuch scene in Kingsman. The CGI and acting was top notch and each shot was filmed beautifully and was backed by a strong script. Gal Gadot, I had my doubts but you owned this.

Final verdict: 5 empowering kick ass scenes out of 5.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract:

Synopsis: Tara Markov is a girl who has power over earth and stone; she is also more than she seems. Is the newest Teen Titan an ally or a threat? And what are the mercenary Deathstroke's plans for the Titans?

My thoughts: The DCAU continues to be a strong product for DC Comics as they've continue to produce quality films, their latest just might be one of their best ever. The Judas Contract is a long loved story and the most iconic Teen Titans one at that. In this film Dick returns to the Titans as Nightwing so we get a mixture of the older titans with a batch of young blood which is a nice change of pace as we've become accustomed to the same old Batman or the same old Justice League taking down new threats, this much like the original New Teen Titans comics gives us everything we loved about the earlier stuff but makes sure we don't get bored or complacent with the material, which is important given the Titans decades long history.

Final verdict: 5 double-agent teens out of 5.

The Lego Batman Movie:

Synopsis: In the irreverent spirit of fun that made "The LEGO (R) Movie" a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble - LEGO Batman - stars in his own big-screen adventure: "The LEGO (R) Batman Movie." But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker's hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

My thoughts: Everyone loves Batman, so what does WB do? They make him a joke, and it is incredibly successful. They take all the camp that Batman was known for and all the brooding he's currently known for and mashed it up into a brilliant comedic art. Will Arnett voices this batman perfectly and the surrounding cast are equally as strong.

Final verdict: 5 Lego Batman villains out of 5.