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IR Film Review: VENOM - THE LAST DANCE [Marvel/Sony]
The perspective on a current Venom film is usually a bunch of random scenes with the possibility of maybe some interesting character work smelted inside in some way shape or form. The question is how does this integrate into a bigger fabric or does it? “Venom: The Last Dance” does nothing really to bring this to bear.
IR Film Review: MADAME WEB [Sony]
The motivation of "Madame Web" has a good idea behind it but ultimately the delivery fails in many ways to achieve the aspect at all of its potential. Most of this has to do with the lack of consequence and a large amount of plot holes that plague the movie.
IR Film Review: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 [Marvel/Disney]
The concept of evolution and circular motion is an interesting motif but also the context of loss and how it creates impact. At certain points in its multi-film progression, "Guardians" has been able to create these feelings in certain moments but it sometimes ebbs and flows. With "Vol. 3" there is an interesting throughline but the ultimately the heartstrings that originally might have been there, don't tug as hard as they might have.
IR Film Review: THOR - LOVE AND THUNDER [Marvel/Disney]
Taika Waititi's approach to story is refreshing but it depends on the level of control and checks and balances. “Thor: Ragnarok” was much more comprehensive and tight per se in its approach of bedlam. “Thor: Love And Thunder” seems more freeform but in many ways is extremely messy in its execution.
IR Film Review: MORBIUS [Sony]
The intention of a super hero versus a super villain comes down to motivation and the aspect of path. "Morbius" seems very aware of this and that is where the would-be balance would lie. The interesting element is trying to see what film each character is playing.
IR Film Review: SPIDER MAN - NO WAY HOME [Sony]
The texture of "Spiderman" reflects in who a certain generation needs him to be. The aspect of "No Way Home" indicates an existential crisis which the whole last film with Mysterio was built to set up into its final moments. "No Way Home" isn't a clean movie by any means and it could work just as well as a large scale series because of the literal way it works.
IR Film Review: VENOM - LET THERE BE CARNAGE [Sony]
While Hardy and Venom in their scenes are brilliant (despite not using motion capture), it doesn't translate at all to the overall thrust of the movie which is too bad considering who he is going up against in Woody Harrelson as serial killer Celtus Kasady.
IR Film Review: SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS [Marvel/Disney]
In "Shang-Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings", it is a pendulum swing back and forth melding the aspect of the Marvel Comics with both an Asian sensibility and a Western flair.
IR Film Review: BLACK WIDOW [Marvel/Disney]
Scarlett Johannsen, of course, is good but there is an expectation but the weight that Florence Pugh brings in as Yelena really gives it a pit of interesting despair yet joy at different points.