Movie Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

I have to admit to feeling a little burned out on superhero films over the past year or two. There are just so many out there that they are hard to escape. Besides that, Marvel has planned so far ahead that it seems to sap a lot of the potential drama surrounding the heroes being defeated or perhaps dying. Then there is the problem that as impressive as the Marvel cinematic universe is, it has become studio driven more than creator driven giving everything a sense of sameness. This is why I like it when characters a little out of the mainstream arrive, like Antman last year. The fact we have a Doctor Strange movie adds some knew elements to the mix, shakes things up somewhat.

Movie Review: The Imitation Game

So, I finally had the chance to check out The Imitation Game last night and I have to report that it was a rather good movie. Honestly, I was not sure what to expect as it looked like another biopic with WWII as a backdrop. I did (do?) not know an awful lot about Alan Turing, aside from him being credited as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. The specifics of his life were not known by me. Now, to be sure, I do not take this movie as blind fact, but as an embellishment of a reality in an effort to make an entertaining movie with a basis in fact. It is a mistake to take any movie as reality, that is where trouble begins.

NEWS: Benedict Cumberbatch Cast as Dr. Strange!

So, the big news in the comic book world today was the casting of Dr. Strange. It is a character that has had much said about in recent months as it seems different stars were being considered daily. Among the names I recall reading about were Johnny Depp, Joaquin Phoenix, David Tennant, Keanu Reeves, and I believe I recall Tom Hardy at some point. Well, the decision has been made and it is Benedict Cumberbatch. You know what? I am all right with this choice. This news comes courtesy of Deadline.

Movie Review: The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug

I don't really want to spend that much time on it, but I feel I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to reflect on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. As you may recall, I was not exactly a fan of An Unexpected Journey. While this middle chapter is definitely a step up from the first, it is not enough to win me over. In a way, that is a bit of a shame as it seems likely this will not do as well box office-wise, as it seems I wasn't the only one unenthusiastic over the first. While this did not win me over, it probably deserves a little better fate than that. On the other hand, perhaps this is a sign not to try and make further Middle Earth tales. One can hope.

Movie Review: 12 Years a Slave

It was maybe a month or so ago that I first saw the trailer for 12 Years a Slave. Now, my tastes have been drifting away from the based on a true story type films, but that doesn't mean I am going to dismiss them. I just limit my exposure. Anyway, there was something about this that made me want to see it. The first reason was for star Chiwetel Ejiofor. The guy is a fantastic actor and I have enjoyed pretty much all I have seen him in. It is nice to see him in another lead role, I believe it is the first since he starred in David Mamet's Redbelt. Another reason would be for director Steve McQueen, I had heard good things but had not seen any of his films yet.