I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never actually read Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s “The Long Halloween” before, so I was very interested in seeing what the movie would bring fans. Even as a non-Batman fan, “The Long Halloween” is probably one of the best animated Batman movies I’ve seen in a long time. While most of the previous Batman animated movies have zeroed in on non stop action and little story, “The Long Halloween” is very much about Batman being a detective.
Tag Archives: Martial Arts
Army of the Dead (2021)
It’s no big secret how I felt and continue to feel about Zack Snyder’s previous zombie outing, and it’s not going to be a big surprise when I say that “Army of the Dead” stinks. A movie like this is virtually critic proof as it wears its silliness on its sleeves and flaunts it unabashedly to the very end. This is the zombie movie for the audience that grew up with “Left 4 Dead” or “Dead Rising 2” as their original introduction to the walking dead, and Snyder knows his audience. He even introduces our core cast like player profiles, even giving them signature weapons.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge (2020) [4K UHD/Blu-Ray/Digital]
I’m glad there’s a lot more momentum being picked up with “Mortal Kombat” as an IP, as the series deserves a cinematic universe. It’s a series filled with mythology, and alternate universes, and monsters, as well as some vicious gore. Despite past flubs with animated attempts at “Mortal Kombat,” Warner Bros. “Scorpion’s Revenge” is a solid return to the animated medium. It doesn’t re-invent the wheel as far as “Mortal Kombat” goes, but it’s a basic meat and potatoes primer that can act as an entry way for new fans.
Mortal Kombat (2021)
I’m one of the many who were there when “Mortal Kombat” crashed through America in 1992. Going from an arcade hit everyone talked about because of its vicious violence, to a home console darling, “Mortal Kombat” is a prime franchise candidate that was sadly snuffed out in 1997. After the absolute embarrassment of “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” it took two decades for “Mortal Kombat” to finally return as a potential cinematic/franchise heavyweight.
Is Warner Bros.’ and Simon McQuoid’s reboot perfect? No. But hot damn it is good!
Nobody (2021)
It’s not too often that a movie title can take on so many meanings as a narrative unfolds, but director Ilya Naishuller manages to pull off what might be one of the more entertaining play on words of the year. “Nobody” is a pretty excellent film that, while it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, does a lot with the numerous resources on hand to create a thrilling action film that’s darkly comedic, satiric and presents an interesting conversation about the antiquated concept of the nuclear family.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
After relentless caterwauling from fans for four years, director Zack Snyder is allowed to return to the DCEU once again to offer his original vision (or a very close facsimile) of what he had planned for the “Justice League” and the DCEU. While I don’t miss Snyder and his involvement with the DC movies (the man loves his slow motion), his “Justice League” is, shocking enough, an infinitely superior adaptation than the 2017 Joss Whedon lemon. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but if pushed in to a corner, I’d happily rewatch the “Snyder Cut” again, with warts and all.
Haymaker (2021)
After saving her, a former Muay Thai fighter becomes a singer’s bodyguard. Through the process, he gets to see a new way of life and goes back to his roots to truly find himself.