You know why the first two Reeves Superman films, the first two Raimi Spider-Man, and currently the Dark Knight Trilogy stood the test of time in superhero movies? It's because they have story structure.
Sure the Reeve Superman films held some of the most impressive special effects of that time but the special effects wasn't the be all and end all of those movies. It was Clark Kent's journey into becoming a superhero. You could say it was about the adventures of a simple farm boy, who had these extraordinary abilities, ended up discovering that he's from the planet krypton. So he embarks on a journey to not only become a superhero but be accepted by the people of the planet he considers his new home. From the first movie it was about his humble beginnings then by the second movie his heroic journey came to an end. All that happened afterward was just filler. Eventhough the third was fine filler.
There is a reason why Deadpool was so successful. It was more than just an R-Rated super movie with a foul mouth, fourth wall breaking, merc. It was a movie that had two basic storytelling elements that surprisingly worked well together. It was a romantic comedy between Deadpool and Vanessa then became a revenge movie with Deadpool wanting to kill Francis. It did it's job by making you care about Deadpool's journey while making you laugh in the process. Did I forget to mention that it knows how to use comedy properly?
With story structure, you care about the hero or heroine's journey and want to root for them to succeed. Cause that is how a properly built story structure works. It adds sympathy and suspense. Without it you're just looking at a mindless smash up with special effects and explosions. Yet with little heart put in it.
While I'm happy that we get to see the superhero genre become a huge success, that success came with a price. Quality storytelling to go with the mindblowing special effects.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Best and Worst of Summer Movies 2016
It was a rather meh Summer for me in terms of movies. There were some hits but very few misses. And today I'm going to list the top five good and bad summer movies of 2016. Why Top 5? Because I can.
Worst Summer Movies
5. Superman Dawn of Justice
If any of you had read my review of the movie then you'd find this movie as my DC equivalent of Thor: The Dark World. And this is coming from someone that didn't find Man of Steel to be as bad as people have been making it out to be. Not spectacular but not a stinker neither. Dawn of Justice was just a mess.
4. X-Men: Apocalypse
What happened Fox? You was on such a high. Then you had to blow your load and instead of just having Magneto as the main villain you had to blow your load early and showcase Apocalypse and the worst version of the Horsemen imaginable. If you guys want to see a better version of Apoc then watch him in the 90's Animated X-Men series and Evolution.
3. Ghostbusters
The most forgettable movie of the summer. And that's the tragic part.
2. Ben-Hur
Poor man's Gladiator that will never live up to the original movie. That is all.
1. The Killing Joke
Batman TAS made me respect Bruce Timm in defining not just Batman but the DCU as a whole. The Killing Joke went around and killed any respect I had for him. To hell with Superman killing Zod. At least that made sense. I'll never defend Timm's messed up fan fic. I also find it ironic that this came around the same time Alan Moor announces retirement from comics. Huh.
Best Summer Movies of 2016
5. Sausage Party
This movie came around a time when we really need a movie that is as weird and fucked up as this. Because this is the kind of movie that would make it's viewer just sid back and enjoy the odd sideshow.
4. Civil War
Not as good as Winter Soldier but a hell of alot better than Age of Ultron. Honestly this is my Avengers 2.
3. Star Trek Beyond
Like First Class this was a better movie than I expected it would be. It helped that it was never a complete rehash of an old Trek movie and it actually establishes it's own story and mythos.
2. Don't Breathe
We need more horror movies like this. I wouldn't go as far as to call the movie creative but it's one of the few horror films that made me smile from ear to ear.
1. Deadpool
I don't care if this isn't a summer movie. It's my list and this is taking the No.1 spot. It's not only the best superhero movie I've seen this year it's also the most romantic movie I've seen this year.
Worst Summer Movies
5. Superman Dawn of Justice
If any of you had read my review of the movie then you'd find this movie as my DC equivalent of Thor: The Dark World. And this is coming from someone that didn't find Man of Steel to be as bad as people have been making it out to be. Not spectacular but not a stinker neither. Dawn of Justice was just a mess.
4. X-Men: Apocalypse
What happened Fox? You was on such a high. Then you had to blow your load and instead of just having Magneto as the main villain you had to blow your load early and showcase Apocalypse and the worst version of the Horsemen imaginable. If you guys want to see a better version of Apoc then watch him in the 90's Animated X-Men series and Evolution.
3. Ghostbusters
The most forgettable movie of the summer. And that's the tragic part.
2. Ben-Hur
Poor man's Gladiator that will never live up to the original movie. That is all.
1. The Killing Joke
Batman TAS made me respect Bruce Timm in defining not just Batman but the DCU as a whole. The Killing Joke went around and killed any respect I had for him. To hell with Superman killing Zod. At least that made sense. I'll never defend Timm's messed up fan fic. I also find it ironic that this came around the same time Alan Moor announces retirement from comics. Huh.
Best Summer Movies of 2016
5. Sausage Party
This movie came around a time when we really need a movie that is as weird and fucked up as this. Because this is the kind of movie that would make it's viewer just sid back and enjoy the odd sideshow.
4. Civil War
Not as good as Winter Soldier but a hell of alot better than Age of Ultron. Honestly this is my Avengers 2.
3. Star Trek Beyond
Like First Class this was a better movie than I expected it would be. It helped that it was never a complete rehash of an old Trek movie and it actually establishes it's own story and mythos.
2. Don't Breathe
We need more horror movies like this. I wouldn't go as far as to call the movie creative but it's one of the few horror films that made me smile from ear to ear.
1. Deadpool
I don't care if this isn't a summer movie. It's my list and this is taking the No.1 spot. It's not only the best superhero movie I've seen this year it's also the most romantic movie I've seen this year.
The Final Movie Review
Hoooo boy. What do you get when you have a movie with nobody to root for? A movie that leaves you pretty empty inside that's what. Especially with a movie that has a group of sociopaths vs a group of assholes. Watching this movie, to me, was like watching the first VHS movie. The characters were so unlikable that you just find yourself watching it with a blank emotion.
Granted there was one decent character who was likable enough that I was rooting for him to live but even with that character I find myself asking why would he be friends with the most unlikable characters imaginable? Let alone hang out with them. No wonder he decides to just say "fuck it" and distance himself because I'd want to also.
And I get it. The movie is one of those movies that ask a question; "What would you do in this situation?" Well, speaking as someone who was a victim of bullying, I can say with confidence that I never once entertained the idea of shooting up a school nor torture a bully beyond recognition. Because that is what a sociopath is. And if anyone sympathizes with the torturers then I'd have to question their mental stability.
Come to think of it I do find a movie like The Final offensive towards victims of bullying. Especially since the movie implies that the only option is to become a torturing sociopath. Why not just fight the system or sue the school? Honestly, a movie where the victims in question fight the corrupt school system and try to change it for the better would have been a better movie. Instead, we get a movie with hardly anybody to root for and an ending that is hardly a downer ending. More like a Nothing to be frank. Especially with the characters being so one dimensional. The bullies are over the top personifications of that archetype while the victims are so sociopathic that I find it pretty hard to sympathize from their POV. Especially since the majority of them were fucked up to begin with. The only normal character was the one who actually acted like a regular human being. That one sociopath said it best. I wished the whole cast were well-rounded as the Only Sane Man character. Maybe this movie would have been decent.
Overall I'd give this movie an F. Don't waste your time with this one. If you want a better version of this then watch Chronicle instead. At least there Andrew started out as a normal yet troubled teen before he ventured into a tragic antagonist. And you can actually buy his gradual turn towards sociopathy. On grounds that it wasn't rushed as hell. Also his animal of a father pushed him to it.
In short. Max gets bullied characters. I still cross my fingers on Bulk and Skull keeping their lovable characteristics intact.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
The Scion Universe
This is a continuation of the original topic here.
After examining the three works I decided to form the three of them into a shared universe, which is called the Scion Universe. The Scion Universe takes place in our earth but completely altered. For one everything is true. And the question is how much the world is affected because of this?
The intent for the scion universe is not to deconstruct but to add some new element to the superhero genre.
After examining the three works I decided to form the three of them into a shared universe, which is called the Scion Universe. The Scion Universe takes place in our earth but completely altered. For one everything is true. And the question is how much the world is affected because of this?
The intent for the scion universe is not to deconstruct but to add some new element to the superhero genre.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
The New Trinity: Crimson Avenger, Noble Demons, and Redinaito No Barādo
Sup! Today I want to discuss the three writing projects I'm looking at doing. Crimson Avenger, Noble Demons, and The Ballad of The Lady Knight. The primary genre for each of them are of the superhero genre but each series has a distinct style.
Crimson Avenger: Is a coming of age superhero series that chronicles the adventures of local superhero Crimson Avenger. Amelia North grew up in a family of superheroes and her sisters are famous superheroes in their own right. But when you live in a world where everyone has a super power but you then Amelia must work ten times as hard to keep up with the rest. Cause Amelia wants to make it as a superhero despite her lack of super powers. Lets just hope that the world doesn't break her in the process.
Noble Demons: Chronicles the life of a man named Owen who wants to become a supervillain. The road to becoming a top ranked super villain is a dangerous and competitive road. How far is Owen; The Unknown Villain willing to go to achieve his goal?
The Ballad of The Lady Knight: Leia Pryde, a freshman at Toryama Academy who was called to become a Magi Knight. Champion of the Mundane, who protects innocents from The Forces of Darkness. And this isn't some novice either. Leia has been the Lady Knight ever since high school, which is quite the accomplishment since a Lady Knight have a short life expectancy. She assumed that she's the only one. But when a new Magi Knight is called it is up to her to guide the new knight and prepare her for the dark forces she'll encounter.
Crimson Avenger is an homage of the superhero genre that takes just about every single superhero concept and twist them while paying tribute to them. Noble Demons change the focus on other characters who aren't superheroes to showcase what the superhero world is like in their perspective. While Lady Knight focus on the urban fantasy aspect of the superhero genre.
Despite the differences each of the projects have one thing in-common. Provide a new perspective of the genre it's based on.
If anyone is curious about the rating. Crimson Avenger is the more "youth friendly" of the bunch as Lady Knight and Noble Demons are more adult oriented. But the more Amelia starts to mature the rating matures along with her. Not mincing words but, superheroes have sex in my works.
P.S: To those wondering about A Heroes Journey I'm afraid to inform you that I'm looking at shutting that project down. It's not that I didn't like it it's just I don't know where to go with the series and I wrote myself in a box with that. But don't worry, you'll see Damon again in some form. I'm already using Leia in The Lady Knight. Will Damon make an appearance? Who knows.
Crimson Avenger: Is a coming of age superhero series that chronicles the adventures of local superhero Crimson Avenger. Amelia North grew up in a family of superheroes and her sisters are famous superheroes in their own right. But when you live in a world where everyone has a super power but you then Amelia must work ten times as hard to keep up with the rest. Cause Amelia wants to make it as a superhero despite her lack of super powers. Lets just hope that the world doesn't break her in the process.
Noble Demons: Chronicles the life of a man named Owen who wants to become a supervillain. The road to becoming a top ranked super villain is a dangerous and competitive road. How far is Owen; The Unknown Villain willing to go to achieve his goal?
The Ballad of The Lady Knight: Leia Pryde, a freshman at Toryama Academy who was called to become a Magi Knight. Champion of the Mundane, who protects innocents from The Forces of Darkness. And this isn't some novice either. Leia has been the Lady Knight ever since high school, which is quite the accomplishment since a Lady Knight have a short life expectancy. She assumed that she's the only one. But when a new Magi Knight is called it is up to her to guide the new knight and prepare her for the dark forces she'll encounter.
Crimson Avenger is an homage of the superhero genre that takes just about every single superhero concept and twist them while paying tribute to them. Noble Demons change the focus on other characters who aren't superheroes to showcase what the superhero world is like in their perspective. While Lady Knight focus on the urban fantasy aspect of the superhero genre.
Despite the differences each of the projects have one thing in-common. Provide a new perspective of the genre it's based on.
If anyone is curious about the rating. Crimson Avenger is the more "youth friendly" of the bunch as Lady Knight and Noble Demons are more adult oriented. But the more Amelia starts to mature the rating matures along with her. Not mincing words but, superheroes have sex in my works.
P.S: To those wondering about A Heroes Journey I'm afraid to inform you that I'm looking at shutting that project down. It's not that I didn't like it it's just I don't know where to go with the series and I wrote myself in a box with that. But don't worry, you'll see Damon again in some form. I'm already using Leia in The Lady Knight. Will Damon make an appearance? Who knows.
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