Release Date:August 22,2014
MPAA Rating:R
Runtime: 102 Mins.
Directors: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
Studio:
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Powers Boothe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Dennis Haysbert, Martin Csokas, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Chung, Jamie King, Alexa Vega, Julia Garner, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven, Ray Liotta, Juno Temple, Christopher Lloyd, Stacy Keach, Jude Ciccolella
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Ava,she has every man wrapped around her little finger. Some even refer to her as a goddess. Senator Roark, he’s the most powerful man in the city. He’s also the most corrupt and vicious. What do these two have in common ? Nothing except they both run rampant in Basin City or Sin City as the residents like to refer to it. That’s right the little town in all of comics has come back to life on the big screen. This time we have three stories that intertwine to serve you up an hour and 42 minutes of film noir goodness on steroids.
The movie hits you with the aesthetic art style of a graphic novel as in other films based off of Frank Millers’ work ( for example : Sin City, 300, or 300: Rise of an Empire). The massive amount of green screen works for the type of environments and action that comprise this film. The camera work is great as it accentuates the absurdity of whats going on onscreen. It’s perfect. The splashes of color thrown in throughout the mostly black and white movie help bring extra pop to the action and added sensuality to the sexiness of all the ladies (especially my girl Rosario Dawson) that you see. The pacing never let the story get boring but there were parts that seemed like they could have been cut out. Like Christopher Meloni’s part as Mort. I guess it was to show how easily Ava could seduce men to do what she wants but I found it unnecessary. I will say that the stories told were pretty good and showed just how flawed the “good guys” are and how incredibly insidious the bad guys are. The action was unrelenting and the violence was of the ultra variety. For the world this movie takes you too it works. The fact that the blood is almost always displayed as white instead of red did soften some of the impact of massive amounts of red stuff splashing everywhere which made the gory bits a little more bearable. I’m glad Miller went to Robert Rodriguez again because he’s made his career off of ridiculous violence and onscreen absurdity.
The stars of the film are selected well. Most of the people who weren’t brutally murdered in the first film return. Rourke as the juggernaut, Marv returns to cause chaos and pain. He’s as fun as he was the last time he stepped in those boots. Alba, as the exotic dancer/ object of Marv’s affection is hot but I grew tired of her dancing and doing little else after a few scenes of it. Dwight is back but Clive Owen has been replaced by Josh Brolin. Dwight is played so well by Brolin I almost forgot Owen played the character back in 2005’s Sin City. Gail is portrayed by the lovely Rosario Dawson. She seems to take a back seat this time out but she is memorable in her appearances on screen being both seductive and deadly. Powers Boothe is the evil Senator Roark. He’s a worthy villain for the city of sin. Manute is played by Dennis Haysbert (The All-State Guy) as the previous actor Michael Clarke Duncan passed away. Haysbert does a great job as the hulking brute devoted to Ava. Ava is played by the phenomenal Eva Green. She’s sexy incarnate as the titular “Dame to Kill For”. You get to see her a lot and a lot of her if you know what I mean (I know you can’t see me but I’m winking and nudging you with my elbow). Christopher Lloyd also makes a funny little appearance in the movie as a back alley doctor.
Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie but some of the over the top acting cost this film a few points. With crazy action and sexuality to spare this movie can and will entertain. But whatever you do don’t bring the kiddies to this one.
If you were born in the ’80s, ’90s, or literally ANY decade after those, you know about Super Mario. A cultural phenomenon was brought to life on the big screen this last weekend. One that has not only stood the test of time but reinvented itself time and time again. This wasn’t even the first time it’s been made into a movie but, well, let’s be honest.. some of us choose not to acknowledge the LIVE action adaptation of the beloved game from 30 years ago.
It was pretty bad… But this was animation. ILLUMINATION animation at that. The Universal company that brought us Gru and his Minions, showed us the Secret Life of Pets, and gave us a reason to SING! Still, I had my reservations and even some concerns, especially when the casting was announced.
Eyebrows were raised. As big of stars as they were on paper, could they really deliver on voicing characters from a staple of our childhood? They did.
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day may not be Italian, and Jack Black may not be a King or Turtle creature from the Mushroom Kingdom, but they make the characters their own all while paying homage to the lore of a video game.
From the jump, the story reintroduces us to the brothers that just want to save Brooklyn one clogged sink at a time. We feel an instant connection and relate to these “underdogs of the plumbing world”. The movie is riddled with easter eggs, each of which tugs on the heartstrings of every generation of Mario fandom. And the soundtrack was beautifully put together to not only make us feel like we’re taking a walkthrough of the game but like an experience all its own with some familiar favorites thrown in.
Every word in the movie is pure eye candy for both those that are casual fans, and those analyzing every frame to see what they’ll catch next. Bowser’s ship, the Mushroom Kingdom, Kong’s arena, and the Rainbow Road.. They’re all meant to give us just enough of a “new” look at these amazing worlds, but stay true to how we remember them.
The movie itself moves along at the perfect pace. Although, if you don’t really know ANYTHING about the Super Mario Bros, you may have gotten a little lost and felt left behind in the green tunnel. But that’s ok! It’s an adventure of the imagination and a classic story of a boy that meets a girl and tries to save the world from a monster that wants to destroy it.
What’s funny is that you could easily say this is a story about two characters who couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, battling to win the heart of a princess. Who would’ve thought that the King of the Koopas was just trying to impress his crush?
And that song? Ohhh THAT song! It’s my new ringtone and deserves the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Back to the movie.
Universal and Illumination clearly understood the assignment. Is it missing some things or could things have been done differently or even better? Absolutely! We’re the worst critics of the things we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. But if you’re up for going on a 90-minute adventure through amazing worlds, with awesome music, and characters that’ll make you smile and laugh, then this is the perfect movie to spring you into that warm summer feeling.
Plus there’s the whole part with karts and shells, and banana peels and oh my goodness how amazing was that?? It’s enough to make you want to stand up and cheer, then go home and destroy your friends and family on your favorite track haha.
The bottom line, it pays homage in all the right ways to the little guy with the mustache, while giving us something new and exciting. Take the kids and go see Super Mario Bros. You’ll be glad you did!
Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Opening Act Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. on North 200A. Talent confirmed so far to participate in the post-screening panel is Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and longtime RWBY cast member Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle ( RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (Detective Now Dead) as Blake and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – along with Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as a cyborg. Also attending the panel will be producer/director Kerry Shawcross (series RWBY) and writer Meghan Fitzmartin (Supernatural, Justice Society: World War II).
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023 with the big screen debut from DC Animated Films: highlights this year include the world premieres of the highly anticipated Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham and Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Part One the weekend of March 24-26 in Anaheim, California. Both screenings will be followed by panel discussions with actors and creators. Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham premieres at The Arena on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) as Kai Li Cain, Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, David Dastmalchian (Dune, Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon, producer/co-director Sam Liu (The Death and the Return of Superman), co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem Across the Multiverse).
Both films will have encore screenings in the Arena on Sunday, March 26. Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One will screen at 12:15pm, followed by Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham at 2:00pm
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Crunnchyroll presents ‘BOFURI: I don’t want to get hurt so I’ll max out my defense’: You’re not twinking!
‘Knock at the Cabin’: Puttin on your boogie shoes!
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt
The final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023
