Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…
Super
A darkly comedic and surreal take on the ordinary-guy-becomes-superhero subgenre that has become so popular in recent years (which includes entries such as Kick-Ass and Defendor). What sets Super apart from the few other films like it is its willingness to make the protagonists, Frank (Rainn Wilson) and Libby (Ellen Page), come off as complete psychopaths. It’s as though writer/director James Gunn is thumbing his nose at Kick-Ass, which is sort of like a comic book story existing in a reality just slightly closer to ours than, say, Superman or Spider-Man. The violence in Super, on the other hand, is unflinchingly gory, and if it wasn’t for the Batman sounds effects popping up in big bright letters on the screen you might have a hard time knowing when – or if – you should be laughing. This movie is a weird one with some serious Troma sensibilities (Gunn worked at Troma studios for a while), but if you like cult movies, camp and Kick-Ass, you’ll probably enjoy it. I know I did.
3.5 out of 5
Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus
In every generation of cinema, there is at least one studio that produces only crap and revels in its awfulness. Ed Wood, Roger Corman, William Castle – these guys didn’t care if the movies they made were bad, they just wanted to entertain in any cheap and easy way that they could. Asylum films (makers of mockbusters galore) is the trash studio for the 2000’s, and one of their most famous films – Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus – is a work of brilliant stupidity. The acting sucks, the dialogue is clunky, the special effects are hilarious and look as though they were made in the early 90’s, but it’s all played with such enthusiasm that you can’t help but grin. Get together with some friends and a six-pack of beer and watch Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. You’ll get exactly what you expect.
1 out of 5, but if you love bad movies, 5 out of 5
Thor
Of all the films in the Avengers series, Thor is definitely the most ambitious, presenting us with a crazy, shiny, alien Asgard and a race of beings that were once revered as the Norse pantheon of gods on earth. The film is well-made and the special effects look great, but unfortunately, it seems as though the studio wanted to package it a bit better for a broad audience, and so there isn’t as much character development in between the big action scenes. Everything about Thor is fun, but it’s obvious that it’s trying to appeal to everyone (unlike, say, The Dark Knight, which was definitely not for the under 13 crowd). It’s a well-acted and well-told tale, and it feels pretty epic, but it’s just a bit too short and maybe a little silly from time to time. Also, Kat Dennings, while cute, does not need to be in this movie. She serves no purpose whatsoever.
3.75 out of 5
See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!