My Thoughts on Birds of Prey

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about the new Birds of Prey film. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted the trailer below:

I went into this movie thinking at least 80% of the drama and controversy was unwarranted. I’d heard a lot of hot takes saying fanboys were getting angry about female empowerment and having female directors and producers for the film. So, when I watched this for the first, and probably last, time, I was disappointed that it seems like a lot of the anger for Birds of Prey was warranted. Not because of the female empowerment issues (because I’m all for that), but because the movie just sucked.

First off, Birds of Prey is Batgirl’s group. Not Harley Quinn’s. Why in the world did DC not make a Gotham City Sirens film with Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy?!? It would’ve made so much more sense to do that instead of butchering the other female DC characters. Like Cassandra Cain, who is supposed to be a bada$$ assassin. For this film, she was turned into a weak little pickpocket with a broken arm. Wth.

Also, Huntress was ridiculous. The actress is the same one who played the villain in Sky High, so all I could picture was Gwen Grayson having random mood swings. Ick. I did like the actress for Black Canary, though, once again, they ruined her backstory by choosing to go with a more recent comic book storyline versus her original origins. Oh, and the bad guy, Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, was turned into a joke. He’s a major Batman villain, but now he has zero potential. I seriously cannot believe the DCEU let this film be part of its canon.

As for the plot, we mostly following Harley Quinn, which is expected. The first half was really, really boring. Harley mopes, gets drunk, buys a hyena, eats a sandwich, and very little happens. Yes, the hyena is cute and the sandwich storyline was fun, but it was just shot in such a dull way. I don’t even know how to explain it. The second half did pick up the pace, but the action scenes were cringey. Fun at times, but cringey overall.

So I am dumping on this movie pretty hardcore. And I don’t know if I’ll ever consider it canon, despite its inclusion of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. But the film did have its fun moments. They were rare, as most scenes were either A) boring, B) cringey, or C) ridiculous, but they did exist. I’d say, if you’re curious about this film at all, rent it. Do. Not. Buy. It. Birds of Prey is not worth the $20 it would cost to own a copy.

Overall, I’m really sad that this is one of the first female-comic-book-hero-group film adaptations we get, and it’s just blugh. What’s even sadder is that I don’t really like a lot of the female Marvel characters, so if they do a female team-up film for those characters, I won’t care. The DCEU had the opportunity to really do something, and they blew it writing-wise, directing-wise, and just character-wise. This film is reason numero uno why actors shouldn’t be allowed a say in their characters’ storylines when it comes to adaptations.

My Thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War

It’s time for me to share my thoughts and feels about Avengers: Infinity War!!! In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted the trailer below. But why haven’t you seen it?! It’s only the biggest movie in the world!

Okay, first thing to note is how awesomely epic this film is. I had pretty high expectations for this movie, and it met most of them and surpassed others. All of the characters are intermingled well, and the plot, despite being based off a comic, is actually difficult to guess at. There are a lot of surprises in this one.

First, though, I’m going to keep on that discussion about characters. There are so freakin’ many in this movie! Of course, there are the original Avengers, the Guardians, the newbie Avengers, and all of Thanos’s crew. Even though the Guardians are not on Earth, they fit in perfectly with the characters they team up with. There’s so much witty banter and crazy hijinks! It also seemed like every character got a moment to shine, even if they weren’t one of the more prominent members.

Speaking of more prominent members, Thor! Thor is my favorite Avenger (followed closely by Cap, and then, probably Scarlet Witch). I’m just super excited for his storyline. I can’t wait to see what pans out for all of them in next year’s movie.

As for the plot, it was just all over the place! In a good way. Thanos is a really good villain. Some of his moments were a little predictable, but the lengths he went to to achieve those moments were crazy! He’s by far the most developed of the MCU villains. And this movie makes the film his superhero story.

One thing I also have to discuss before I wrap this post up is my thoughts about the CGI. The CGI was incredible 95% of the time. There were only a few instances when I was startled by it. One of those instances was kind of jarring though. I was a little baffled that Marvel would do such a bad job in that one scene. Otherwise, though, there was only one bad guy (bad girl, technically) who I thought should have been CGI-ed in a Hulk- or Thanos-esque manner—meaning using the actress’s face as a basis for the CGI instead of building an entirely new CGI face. But, really, with how fantastic the graphics were in this film, I can forgive them for having a screw up or two.

All in all, Avengers: Infinity War is the movie of the year. It’s the culmination of ten years’ worth of MCU films, and it’s a blast of good jokes, awesome action scenes, and wonderful characters coming together onscreen for the very first time. Just please go see it before someone spoils it for you.

My Personal Ranking of the MCU Films

So Avengers: Infinity War is almost upon us! I’m so freakin’ excited for this film! I’m super wary of the internet right now because of potential spoilage. It’s a scary place right now.

To get myself pumped for the movie (or even more pumped than I already am), I thought I’d do a ranking of my personal favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Now, I’d like to start out with a disclaimer that 1) these are my current favorites, which means they could move up or down as time goes by, and 2) these are my opinions. Yours could be different. No one is right or wrong when it comes to their favorite MCU films. Books, yes. MCU films, no. ;)

***

18. Iron Man 3

This film was awful. This is probably the only one that I’d have to say must be in the bottom of everyone’s list. I’ve fought with my roommate over how terrible this movie is. (Not literally fought, but had strong words.)

17. Iron Man 2

Meh. It was alright. I don’t even remember the villains name, though.

16. The Incredible Hulk

Good movie, but I just wish the actors had stayed the same.

15. Spider-Man: Homecoming

I actually liked three out of the five other Spider-Man movies more than this one. This one was just predictable and not as awe-inspiring, even though Peter is actually a high school kid.

14. Doctor Strange

I need to re-watch this one. I’ve only seen it one time, and while it was good, Dr. Strange’s powers just are a little trippy for me. Plus, white washing. Boo.

13. Black Panther

I liked this one, but the CGI threw me off. I’ll need to see it a second time to get a definitive ranking (same for a lot of these, actually).

12. Avengers: Age of Ultron

I wish this one was higher on the list, but the Black Widow + Bruce Banner relationship was too much. Otherwise, I could have enjoyed this one with no problems.

11. Ant-Man

A funny movie that took a spin on the comics, but a movie about a shrinking/growing man just can’t be up to par with some of the other heroes, despite its humor.

10. Thor: The Dark World

I haven’t been able to re-watch, so I don’t remember a lot. I do know it was good, and that Chris Hemsworth is very nice. ;)

9. Iron Man

Even though I’m not a Tony Stark fan, I still have to appreciate how amazed I was at this first MCU film. I remember laughing very hard.

8. Captain America: Winter Soldier

I think this one would be higher on my list if I had re-watched it recently. I’ve only seen it 1.5 times, but I remember seeing some awesome fight scenes.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy

No Baby Groot for this one, but it was still funny, and the music is amazing.

6. Thor

I didn’t appreciate this film as much when I first watched it in theaters, but now, all I can say is “Another!”

5. Captain America: The First Avenger

Oh, Captain, my captain. Can I just say that Steve Rogers is a sweetheart? He better not die in Infinity War. (He’s probably going to die… Boo.)

4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II

This film was just hilarious. While it didn’t really fit in the overall plot of the MCU’s other films, it had Baby Groot, so all was well in the world.

3. Avengers

The first time the characters were together in one place! Gosh, it brings back so many memories!

2. Captain America: Civil War

Umm… Iron Man got his butt kicked. It made me happy, okay? Plus, all the characters plus some coming together was cool.

1. Thor: Ragnarok

I loved this movie! I’m obsessed with it! I think it’s because of how Thor’s powers developed in this one. The humor could have been lessened a little bit, but otherwise, this film was awesome! I’m hoping Avengers: Infinity War knocks it down to second place, though.

**

Alright, there you have it. My ranking of MCU’s superhero films. What’s your favorite Marvel movie? What’s your least favorite? Sound off in the comments.

Waiting on Wednesday: Catwoman: Soulstealer

 "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Catwoman: Soulstealer

Sarah J. Maas

(DC Icons #3)

Publication Date: August 7, 2018

Hardcover, 304 pages, Random House

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

When the Bat's away, the Cat will play. It's time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City's slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing's undoing.

My Thoughts

Like last week’s Bright We Burn, this is another one I’m waiting for the UK cover to be revealed. I’m collecting the other two books in the series in the UK covers because they’re freakin’ gorgeous, especially compared to the US covers. The US ones just have a lot going on. Although, I do love the color purple.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

My Thoughts on the New Avengers: Infinity War Trailer

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about the new Avengers: Infinity War trailer. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted it below. 

Ermygawd. I can’t take the wait for this movie any freakin’ longer! I mean, I’m super glad they decided to move the film’s release date up to April 27, but GAH! This trailer has me way too hyped.

We got some Thanos and Gamora flashbacks, which have me super curious as to where Nebula is in all of this. We got some of Thanos’s lackeys doing bad things, especially that one dude to Doctor Strange. And, we even got Peter Quill + Tony Stark banter.

Everything about this trailer was great, but, my favorite part was Thor. Not the part where his head is about to be squished (Side note: I don’t actually think his head is going to be squished as that scene looks like it will take place in the beginning of the movie). No, my favorite part is him making lightning while sweet teenage Groot and Rocket watch. I’ve been completely fangirling over the theory that Thor will get a new weapon in this film. I need it to be true. I also can’t wait to see Peter Dinklage help Thor make his new hammer/ax thing.

Okay, I’ve rambled on about Thor for a while now, so I want to mention some more awesome scenes. Cap trying to hold Thanos’s hand back was pretty awesome. I don’t think it’ll work out very well for Cap, but it’s a cool scene. Starloard/Peter Quill using Strange’s magic as stepping stones in the air is very cool. And the battle scenes are so crazy!

I think the DCEU should really take note here. This is what a team-up superhero movie should feel like. It shouldn’t be rushed. The characters have had time to come into their own, and now, they need to learn to work as a team. It’s going to be epic watching them all come together to take on Thanos. I’m so ready for it.

2018 Movies I Plan to See in Theaters

I didn’t have a bookish post planned for today, so I thought I’d just share with you what movies I plan on seeing in theaters in 2018.

Before I get started with the movies I plan to watch, I just thought I’d let everyone know that I’ve already seen Black Panther this year. It’s the only film I’ve gone to see in theaters in 2018 so far. If you want to read my thoughts on the film, you can check out my post.

Oh, and you all should also know that this list is in no way concrete. It may change based on life events. I also should warn everyone that I rarely see films that aren’t either a superhero film or a Disney film. Just FYI.

Okay, now on to the list.

Number one on my list of films to see is…

Avengers: Infinity War

Umm… Do I need to say anything for this one? This is the cumulation of ten years of Marvel Cinematic Universe films! It’s going to feature all the supers in one two-hour film! I’m so excited to see it. I’m even going home to Missouri to see it with my Dad. Thank goodness, the release date moved up to April 27^th, otherwise, that wouldn’t have been possible.

Now, the rest of these aren’t in any particular order. I just want to see them.

The Incredibles II

I was part of the core audience whenever the first film released, so you can bet I’ll be seeing this one in theaters. I’m a little disappointed by the trailer, though. I’m not a fan of the dad-struggling-to-babysit-his-own-kids theme. It’s ridiculous. So I’m hoping there’s more to this sequel than meets the eye.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

This one has some obvious spoilers for Infinity War. I mean, Ant-Man probably doesn’t bite it if he has his own film releasing a few months later. Even so, I am excited to see Evangeline Lily kick butt as the Wasp. She looks great.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

I don’t know what to say about this one. I’m going to see it when it releases, but gosh do I not want to support Johnny Depp in any capacity. I can’t believe the producers and J.K. Rowling let him stay in the film. Ugh! Way to kill the magic.

***

Okay, well, those are the films I definitely plan to see in theaters this year. There are also some that I’m so-so on whether or not I’ll see. It just depends on what’s going on in my life (aka if I have money and if I’m not being lazy).

For the maybes, I have a short list:

Deadpool 2

Christopher Robin

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Deadpool wasn’t that revolutionary to me, so I’m okay with waiting for the sequel to come out on DVD, same with Dark Phoenix. If it’s not in the MCU, I’m kind of okay with letting it go. Hopefully, Disney reboots all the X-Men films once it owns Sony. As for Christopher Robin, it looks so sad! If I see it in theaters, I may bawl my eyeballs out!

That’s my list of 2018 movies I plan to see in theaters, what are yours?

My Thoughts on the Black Panther Movie

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about Marvel’s new Black Panther film. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about (How is that possible?), I’ve posted the trailer below.

Obviously, this movie was very highly anticipated. My roommate has seen it at least three times, that I know of. It’s a cultural phenomenon now, and I’m totally happy it’s made such an amazing impact. But for me, personally, this movie wasn’t my favorite of the MCU films. I think it falls somewhere in between Spiderman: Homecoming and Ant-Man for me. Both of those films were good, but I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about them. Same with Black Panther.

The characters in this film were amazing. The plot was as well. Instead of a one-off villain with no real backstory or motive, we got a decent antagonist, Killmonger, who just wanted to help those who’d been put down by a corrupt system. And of course, Michael B. Jordan is very good looking, unlike a lot of Marvel’s other villains.

I thought Chadwick Boseman and all of the other actors did a good job with their characters. The only thing I would complain about in this regard is how Letitia Wright, though a good actress, looked a lot older than the sixteen-year-old she was supposed to be playing. I know it’s common to hire older actresses and actors for teenage roles, like Tom Holland for Peter Parker, but I just don’t really like it when a 21-year-old plays a 16-year-old.

My other major complaint had to do with the CGI. It was so obvious, and I was expecting better from a movie in the MCU. I’ve heard that maybe this was a stylistic choice from the filmmakers, but I just don’t know why they would take a step back, considering how far they’ve come in their CGI over the years.

Overall, this particular film wrestled with some big issues. I think Captain America: Civil War is the only film that really tackles societal issues somewhat head on, and it definitely didn’t have as much of impact as Black Panther does. I’m glad we got to see a hero struggle with such a major concept. I also think the ending fight scene had a lot of power.

Now, I don’t think I need to tell everyone to go watch this movie. It’s the last MCU film before Avengers: Infinity War comes out, and obviously, everyone needs to be caught up before the biggest film in the franchise is released. For the sake of my sanity and yours, please go watch this film.

My Thoughts on the Justice League Movie

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about the Justice League movie. In case you haven’t seen it or want more reference, I’ve posted the trailer below:

I have to admit that before I went into this one, I knew I probably wasn’t going to enjoy it. Mostly because things were spoiled for me via friends, family, and/or social media. I also knew from my past experiences with the DCEU (DC's movie universe) that I wasn’t going to love this movie.

One reason I knew I wasn’t going to enjoy it was the CGI. It’s awful. I knew that from the trailers and from Batman vs. Superman and Wonder Woman. Yes, even the almighty Wonder Woman movie had terrible CGI. Not only was there the problem of Superman’s ugly mustache-removed lip, but the villain was ridiculously fake. And, I complain about it every time, but the fight scenes look like video games, not real life.

As for the characters, I don’t really know how they could get everyone’s character development except for Wonder Woman’s and Cyborg’s so absolutely wrong. Batman is supposed to be a great detective and a hero who wants to work alone. He was neither of those things in this film. Flash wasn’t funny, nor did Ezra Miller’s character make me like him. I’m not super attached to the TV version of Barry Allen, but I for the life of me can’t decide why they went with Miller instead of getting someone more serious for the role. If they wanted a comedic aspect, they could have brought in Hal the Green Lantern, or god forbid, made Aquaman’s lines actually witty.

Speaking of Aquaman, he was a mix between a drunk and a surfer dude with no consistent plot points. Did he live in Russia or Norway? Or did he just travel between the two super fast? Also, there was weird smiling during some of the action scenes from the heroes when smiling probably wasn’t warranted. I mean, it could have been the end of the world and the heroes were SMILING!?

Oh, and before I forget, we need to talk about those Amazons. I mean, what the heck Zack Snyder?! What the heck? Patty Jenkins gave you perfectly good Amazons and you go and throw them away for whatever that mess was? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame the actresses. They were doing the best they could with what they were given, but those outfits and skirts made me very unhappy.

Also, I have to say it one more time, even though it’s kind of SPOILERY, but I still loathe Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther. LOATHE.

The plot of this movie also wasn’t very compelling. It mostly consisted of getting the team together, which is sad because as viewers, we’re not attached to any of the Justice League members except for the main three—Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. The bad guy of this film didn’t seem that almighty to me, and I just didn’t really see what his boxes were really supposed to accomplish? It was all rather confusing. Basically, the DCEU really just needed to use the Marvel formula to introduce all of their characters before diving into something as big as the Justice League.

All in all, I simply didn’t like this movie. I didn’t laugh or have any sort of emotion at any point in the film. It was that meh. For someone who has loved previous Batman movies and even enjoyed Man of Steel, this was just bad. Wonder Woman is the only redeeming quality of this film.

Sadly for me, I’ll probably be sticking to Marvel films for a long time. At least until DC gets its shtick together.

My Thoughts on Thor: Ragnarok

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about Thor: Ragnarok. In case you haven’t seen it and/or for some reason know nothing about it, I’ve posted the trailer below:

First off, I was wary going into this movie. The comedic aspect of it freaked me out a little. Honestly, I loved the serious aspect of the first two Thor movies, so having this third movie look so much like Guardians of the Galaxy was weird. I’ve got to admit, though, I liked the overall film. Yes, there were too many jokes, but I laughed at most of them.

Thor was different in this film. He was a little too joke-y. He also knew references that didn’t seem possible for him to know as a Norse god, like the whole “He’s a friend from work,” line. I also thought Hulk talking was too much. He seemed almost too smart. He went from can’t-talk-at-all to talking in almost complete sentences.

While the jokes were many, the CGI was really good. Hella’s outfits were on point, and Valkyrie was really kicka$$. I was super excited to see two strong female characters being awesome, even as not-so-good people.

The plot of the movie was also super fun. The scenes where Thor and Hulk fight were freakin’ awesome! I used to love Thor, but after watching Thor: Ragnarok, I LOVE Thor. His powers are amazing.

All in all, I’m super excited to see Thor in Avengers: Infinity War. Also, if you were wary like I was about seeing this movie, don’t be. It’s definitely a fun time that has a strong storyline, which I think should contribute greatly to Marvel’s overall world. Warning, though, there are some more adult phrases mentioned (i.e. the word orgies is thrown out there).

Waiting on Wednesday: Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Batman: Nightwalker

Marie Lu

(DC Icons #2)

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

Hardcover, 272 pages, Random House Books

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi, Superhero

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city's elites are being executed as their mansions' security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family's fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he's forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city's most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

My Thoughts

Leigh Bardugo’s YA Wonder Woman book just released, and I haven’t read it yet. *sigh* I’ll get to it. I just need more money in the bank before I go on a book spending spree. (I say after I buy books for an author signing. Oh, the irony.)

Anywho, I’m not sure how I feel about this Batman book. I really enjoyed Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy, so I’m not worried about her writing style. I’m actually more worried about how short it is. It’s less than 300 pages! That doesn’t seem like enough to me.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?