troymerig Reviews

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Not as good as the first one but still very solid and entertaining

[8/10 · 21 August 2014]

Let me begin by saying that the first Sin City is one of my favorite movies of all time. I thought it was an absolute blast to watch, and the filming style blew me away.

A Dame to Kill For is the same type of movie as the first, but it is not executed quite as well. It may just be be cause the style lost some of its original appeal, but I thought it didn't live up to its predecessor. With that said, I still thought A Dame to Kill For was a great time at the movies. Everything about it was solid. It continued the action from the first and did not fail to keep me at the edge of my seat. And, Marv was his normal, b.a. self.

A Dame to Kill for consists of two story lines that are prequels to those of the first Sin City and one that is a sequel. I felt that it delivered very well in its attempt to support what happened in the first movie. I would recommend re-watching the first one so that you're fresh for this. Sometimes you can forget the names if you haven't seen it in a while.

Overall, this movie was great. If I had not seen the first Sin City, I would have been blown away.

I give it a 8/10. A definite must-see.

Pacific Rim (2013)

Solid Summer Movie

[8/10 · 11 July 2013]

I just got home from seeing Pacific Rim, and I have to say that it was a pretty good movie. It wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't a disappointment either. As expected, the special effects were stunning. I thought the robots were extremely well done and looked really awesome. The fight scenes with the monsters were also exceptional. Even if the monsters look similar to other movies (Cloverfield) they were still visually appealing. The plot was straightforward as one would expect, and it had few twists. However, a movie of this kind is not expected to have a superior plot full of surprises. Pacific Rim is meant to provide the viewers with 2+ hours of pure entertainment, which I can say it did.

I did have a problem with some of the movie being cliché. I won't give any specifics, but some of the parts have been seen in countless other movies. In my opinion, though, the interesting concept and special effects more than made up for the platitudes. I thought the acting was solid but not exceptional. Rinko Kikuchi bothered me a little bit, but I think it was her character rather than her who I disliked.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this movie to anyone who likes action movies or end-of-the- world films. It obviously won't win an Oscar, but it accomplished what it set out to do.

I'd give it a 8/10.

Man of Steel (2013)

This really was Super

[7/10 · 14 June 2013]

I was fortunate to have just finished viewing a midnight premier of Man of Steel. All I can say is WOW! This movie was all I could ever want from a Superman movie. I've been a superhero and Superman fan my entire life. However, the Superman character in the movies was always so tacky and the movies as a whole were just average. Man of Steel, though, is completely different.I thoroughly enjoyed how they made the character of Superman much more realistic (as realistic as he could be). Henry Cavill was the perfect choice as he made Superman seem like an actual man. To make this easier, I'll list the pros and cons in my opinion:

Pros:

1. The plot was extremely well done. The movie really took the time and effort to explain everything and made sure it connected. 2. Henry Cavill has the "look" of Superman (just look at him without a shirt) and knows how to give him more human qualities. 3. The special effects were stunning. Everything from the explosions to the future technology was believable.The flying especially was jaw-dropping. 4. The acting was superb. I especially enjoyed Crowe and Costner, but everybody did a phenomenal job (Amy Adams bothered me at times but that was just her character, not here). 5. The ending (not going to say what it is) gave me chills. 6. The use of flashbacks was effective in telling the story. 7. It was a believable superhero movie. 8. There are some good one-liners that are memorable.

Cons: (Not many)

1.It was a little slow at times but only because the background or plot was being explained. Superman fans won't mind this at all, but the casual moviegoer might. 2. Some action scene extended a little too long to the point where it seemed like the fight was dragged out just a tad.

Overall, I give it a 9.5/10. One of the best, if not the best, superhero movie ever made.

Iron Man Three (2013)

Should have been titled "Tony Stark"

[4/10 · 17 May 2013]

Wow. What a disappointment. Let me start off by saying that calling this an Iron Man movie is inaccurate. The Iron Man suit is barely even in it and when it is, it's practically made of glass. It's as if I could punch through the suit all of a sudden.

As for the Mandarin, I've never read the comics so I don't know about Iron Man and the Mandarin's comic history. From what I have read from the other users, though, they ruined him. As for myself, I hated him and the other super villains. How many times have we seen the regenerating thing? How about some creativity?

I also thought the movie was kind of slow for a superhero movie. There was just too much of Tony acting like Batman. Suddenly, he is a world class martial artist. Ugh. And his anxiety attacks were completely unnecessary. They did nothing for the movie.

Come on, Marvel. You have to have something better than this in you.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

"You don't owe these people any more. You've given them everything."

[8/10 · 23 July 2012]

First of all, let me tell you that I was not among the many people who absolutely fell in love with The Dark Knight. For some reason, I was not able to see the movie as the masterpiece of the decade. However, The Dark Knight Rises is a different case. I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Everyone knew that the special effects and size of the film would be almost unprecedented, but the aspect that impressed me the most was the plot. Yes, certain parts leave you asking if you have seen them before in other pictures. The plot twists, though, more than make up for the slight lack of originality. The first scene is also one of both excitement and originality that I felt really set the pace and tone of the movie. It stuck out to me as being a proper way to open a movie of this magnitude.

Furthermore, Nolan makes it a goal of his to connect this movie with the other ones in the trilogy. As a result, I would strongly recommend that you refresh yourself on what occurs in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. For example, some people next to me were confused as to what the film was referring to simply because they did not see the others movies, especially Batman Begins. Therefore, in order to achieve a more enjoyable viewing experience, it would be in your best interest to view this movie's predecessors. Also, MAKE ALL ATTEMPTS TO SEE IT IN THE IMAX. For a few extra dollars, you can witness a truly astonishing piece of cinematography. The shots of the city are engrossing and will take your breath away.

I would also like to comment on the sounds and score of the film. Often times, I do not even notice these things as I am engrossed in the action. This was one of the very few times that I actually noticed what I heard, and I have to admit that it really added to the emotion of the movie.

As for the characters, all performances are solid. Christian Bale once again delivers and is without question the best Batman to date. In my eyes, he provides a perfect image of Bruce Wayne and what he would have to deal with as a result of a childhood crisis (even though the Batman voice gets under my skin at times). Tom Hardy also plays a very believable Bane. His eyes and forehead really add to the character even though I did have trouble understanding him at times. Anne Hathaway was the Catwoman that was needed. It was actually believable that she could hold her own in fights with men. And, who doesn't love Michael Caine as Alfred?

The only issue I had with the film was the running time of 2 hours and 44 minutes. It should have been longer! Many would expect that with such a long period of time that the movie would drag on. This was not the case at all. I actually found myself wondering where the time went at the end.

Finally, I have to point out that Christopher Nolan has done a remarkable job with this series. Unlike previous Batman movies, he has made the character of Batman more realistic and less corny. As is the case with this movie, the audience can connect with Batman because of his motivation to do good in a world that needs him without wanting the glory. Couldn't we all use someone like that?

I just hope that Nolan can make the new Superman movie better than Superman Returns.

Overall, I give it a 9/10.