As a bit of warning, I never played the “Injustice” video game series, nor have I ever read any of the comic books or spin offs. I’m vaguely aware of what the general premise is of “Injustice,” but that’s as far as it goes for me. Considering I was excited about it being adapted in to an animated movie, when the dust settled, I’m very disappointed by what we’re ultimately offered. What is it about DC and Warner unwilling to make a movie that’s longer than eighty minutes? It can’t possibly be for the child audience, as “Injustice” is as gory an Elseworlds tale that I’ve ever seen.
Tag Archives: Crime
Scream (2022)
After Wes Craven’s unfortunate passing, the “Scream” franchise went in to a limbo where its fate seemed uncertain. It was still a hot property with a lot of ideas to bring forth but without the engineer Craven behind it, there didn’t seem much point. And with the MTV series and horrendous follow up mini-series, it definitely felt like there wasn’t a point in continuing the movie series. Thankfully, “Scream” (or “Scream 5”) doesn’t just do a bang up job of carrying on the legacy of meta-humor, movie commentary, and subverting movie tropes, but it brings a powerful statement about legacy.
The legacies we build, and the legacies we leave behind.
Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1993) (Unrated Version) [4K UHD/Blu-Ray]
There’s still a lot of value in the “Maniac Cop” horror movies (the first two are still top notch slashers), especially as they can be creepy slasher films that confront racism, classism, police brutality and police corruption. The first two “Maniac Cop” films almost hit the nail on the head, all the while “Badge of Silence” doesn’t do much with the formula at all. In the end of the day its low budget is its downfall as the movie does almost nothing to match the pacing and suspense of the first two movies.
You Have to See This! Last Night in Soho (2021)
Streaming On: Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV
While director Edgar Wright is still fresh in to his career and has churned out so many superb films, his ambition has managed to help elevate him in to a better filmmaker, one of bigger substance and larger scale. “Last Night in Soho” prove it, as it feels like that poppy bizarre sixties thriller that we might have actually seen in the sixties. Perhaps starring Natalie Wood? Maybe Peggy Lipton? “Last Night in Soho” has everything going for it; it’s the type murder mystery that audiences have been craving. It has a unique horror bent, and Wright has delivered on pop culture cult films like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.”
The Best Animated Movie Satire I’ve Ever Seen
Part of what made the Looney Tunes and Warner Bros. dynasty so great beyond its characters, was its limitless ability to mock and satirize Hollywood. At a time where Hollywood was adored and enamored by so many, Warner Bros. actually did a great job of taking the piss out of people like Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable. In 1993, Fox Studios and Warner brought back the formula that they’d abandoned for decades with “The Animaniacs.” While the show was primarily a series filled with segments primarily aimed toward children, some of the segments brought back a lot of the classic Warner Bros. traditions, including satirizing modern Hollywood.
Musings On An Ear
“Torture you? That’s a Good Idea. I Like that One. Sounds Fun.”
I’m often given a stink eye when I proclaim “Reservoir Dogs” as one of my lesser liked Tarantino films. While I think it’s stellar, I also think it possesses a lot of the hallmarks of a fresh talent desperate to impress right out of the gate. That said, I would agree “Reservoir Dogs” is a wonderful example of crime cinema, and a wonderful exploration on the levels of brutal violence. All at once Tarantino explores cartoonish action movie violence, brutal realistic violence, and a personal kind of violence that people still talk about to this day.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Watching the sequel to the shockingly successful “Venom” is like watching a screensaver. Sure, there’s a lot of activity and colors, but at the end of it, nothing has actually happened; and then you move on to the next thing. This schlocky follow up to the goofy “Venom” leans more heavily in to the mid-nineties silliness mixing a buddy action comedy with a body horror film. Normally that could be a formula for success, but—again: screensaver.