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 Martian (2015)

The Martian has arrived to much fanfare. I have seen some refer to it as a return to form for Ridley Scott. I was going to disagree with that sentiment, but then I looked over his recent filmography, and in my book this is easily his second best film in the past decade. Surprisingly, I had not noticed how many merely decent films he has been making of late. It is a good thing this isn't about his past, it is about his present, which is pretty darn good. The Martian may not be the most exciting film he has made, but there is something quietly excellent about it. It is an entertaining film that features some fine action and covers a lot of ground.

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.