By Graham "GSM" Matthews As always, please keep in mind while reading that this review is being written by strictly a casual fan. I'm basing this review solely off the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the movies that I've seen (essentially all of them with the exception of the Thor series), not the comics. I know some of what the comics entail from what I've been told by a friend of mine, but other than that, I'm hardly knowledgeable when it comes to the comics. Now, all that being said, on to the official review! The first Avengers was among my top three favorite films of 2012 along with The Dark Knight Rises and Skyfall (what a great year for movies). It's funny because before seeing it, I really wasn't into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all. Hell, I don't think I even knew it existed. I went to go see the movie merely because I thought it looked awesome, and sure enough, it superseded my expectations; it was epic. It was at that point I started following the storylines a bit more closely and watching each of the movies (Captain America, Iron Man, etc.) with more purpose and knowledge of where they were leading. By Graham "GSM" Matthews My take on this movie will be different than most, as this is being written by someone who hasn't seen any of their prior installments in full. I went into "Furious 7" to see a good movie, not for a sixth sequel to "Fast and Furious" and I still walked away extremely entertained and emotionally touched. Thus, I can't vouch for whether it made for a good "Fast and Furious" installment (though I've heard it was the best yet), but I can vouch for how great of movie it was on its own. My expectations were not only met but exceeded, as all of its elements (plot, characters, setting, drama, etc.) delivered. Now, let's get into specifics, shall we? I can tell you right off the bat that you don't have to see any of the other movies in order to enjoy this one. I had that fear going into "Furious 7," and although you may get more of the references made and returning characters (and especially the flashbacks at the end), they do a good job of catching viewers up to speed that may not be familiar with the series. That's what any successful franchise should do: not alienate those that haven't been following since the start and only appeal to those who have. You bring in any new fans that way. And I can certainly say they've made a fan out of me. By Graham "GSM" Matthews Before we get started here, I just want to throw out a few relevant cheap plugs: Firstly, be sure to check out my full review of Chris Jericho's first DVD released in 2010, "Breaking the Code - Behind the Walls of Chris Jericho," here. Also, you can read my exclusive interview with Jericho himself as conducted for HiddenRemote.com here. All right! With all that out of the way, let's get down to what you came here to read: my two cents on the newest "The Road is Jericho" three-disc DVD set. Now, let me preface my review by saying all of the following thoughts on it are my own. Granted, WWE sent me a free copy for the interview (which I'll be forever grateful for), but even if that opportunity didn't arise, I was stilling planning on buying it, anyway. Although I'm a massive Jericholic, that didn't affect my viewing of the DVD, as I enjoyed it for what it was, and genuinely thought it was worth picking up. By Graham "GSM" Matthews Honestly, I was slightly surprised to learn last summer that 2010's Hot Tub Time Machine was getting a sequel, but not too shocked. I mean, we live in an age where everything gets a sequel, but why this movie? There didn't seem to be a dying need to make another one, especially after the first installment didn't fare so well which, again, shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone. It was a silly concept in theory, and while I enjoyed it for what it was, I definitely wouldn't constitute Hot Tub Time Machine as a "good" movie. That can basically be applied to this movie as well, but to a lesser extent. Perhaps it's because I'm not a major movie buff and I generally look at the positives in things instead of bashing them, but I got a kick out of Hot Tub Time Machine. It was funny, though I can't say I've seen it since I first saw it five years ago (even though I have it on DVD). I figured the sequel would be equally if not more stupid, but I decided to go see it (if it's between that and 50 Shades of Grey, you really can't blame me). Similar to its predecessor, it was hardly a "good" movie and it won't be winning any awards, but for what it was, I liked it. By Graham "GSM" Matthews When I first heard that they were making another sequel to "Night at the Museum," it was on the same day Robin William, one of the film's most notable stars, passed away in August. It was when I learned that "Night at the Museum 3" would be one of Williams' final acting performances. It came as a surprise to me when I heard that this movie had just wrapped up production because I hadn't heard anything about it prior to that point and it never felt like the "Night of Museum" movies were intended to be a trilogy. I've seen them referenced as a trilogy recently, but I never knew that was the plan when the first two were released. Nevertheless, I loved the first two movies and I enjoyed this installment very much as well. I haven't seen this movie getting the greatest of reviews, but it seems to me that those that understood the concept and enjoyed the first two movies (such as myself) are going to like this one, too. The premise of "Secret of the Tomb" is essentially the same as the first two: Ben Stiller, his son (who is portrayed by someone different than the kid in the first film) and the exhibits from the Museum of Nation History travel to London's British Museum. They introduce a few new characters (Dan Stevens as Sir Lancelot) much like the second one, but in the end, the plot doesn't differ too much from the first two. Some people may have found that too repetitive or predictable, but they added several new twists that made it stand alone as its own film and not an exact repeat. |
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