THE GREAT WALL – AFJ MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Willem Dafoe, Andy Lau, Pedro Pascal
Written by: Carlo Bernard (screenplay), Doug Miro (screenplay)
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Run Time: 1h 43 minutes
Rated: PG-13

There was a moment when you first saw the trailer for The Great Wall that you were intrigued. Then you probably rolled your eyes back in your head the second you saw that Matt Damon was leading this fantasy film. If not, that is what happened in my case. The realm of possibilities that it could still be good hung around for me. Why not Matt Damon? The Great Wall has the possibility to change cinema. Not in the way James Cameron said Avatar was going to (did it, btw?). For The Great Wall has an American movie star, a Chinese director, and features a story wrapped in a foreign mythology. Obviously, Legendary Entertainment is trying to capitalize on an American movie star starring in a foreign film, for the largest audience in the world. So now we have to ask, did it work? 
Box office numbers and dollars aside, yes. Well, almost. 
Find out how Matt Damon and Yimou Zhang faired against The Movie Lord here on Action Figure Junkies.com. 

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE – AFJ MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Will Arnett, Jenny Slate, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Channing Tatum, Billy Dee Williams
Directed by: Chris McKayWritten by: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKennaStudio: Warner Brothers
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1h 44min

SPOILER FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been 3 years since the Lego Movie changed the way we see “Lego movies”. Hopefully, some of us have seen the way we view toys differently as well since that film came out. It has been a long drought, but thankfully the powers that be did not rush a Lego Movie sequel to capitalize on the hype. Instead, they launched a spin-off movie, featuring their version of Batman (again played by Will Arnett), from the Lego Movie, into his own feature film. Is it worth the wait? Yes, and everything is still awesome.

It is hinted at, in the Lego Movie, that this incarnation of the Dark Knight is every bit of a loner as his other multi-media counterparts. What this Batman wasn’t afraid to hide was the love he had for himself and how awesome he felt he was. That really isn’t your typical Batman story that any medium would tackle. Being a Lego Movie, the reins are off and we are allowed to see just how full of himself this Batman is.

Full review on Action Figure Junkies.com

RETRO REVIEW: The LEGO MOVIE (2014)

Starring: Chris Pratt,  Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Berry, Nick Offerman, Channing Tatum, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Anthony Daniels, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Jonah Hill, Cobie SmuldersWritten By: Phil Lord, Christopher MillerDirected By: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Rated: PGDistributor: Warner BrothersOriginal Year of release: 2014Run Time: 100 Minutes

My history with LEGO has never been too extensive. The reason for that is how expensive they are. Trust me, if I had the money I would fill the house with them. There is a poetry and ease to create something out of these tiny bricks. I know a few people who would consider themselves to be Master Builders, a term used, loosely, for those that love to build LEGO sets. With all those pieces at their disposal, I have asked many LEGO fans the following question: Once you get them together, do you pull it apart and build something original? The answer every time has been “no”. So, imagine my surprise when that very question laid at the heart of The LEGO Movie.

Check out the retro review on the Sci-Fi Movie Page.com. 

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK – AFJ MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Matt Ryan, Camilla Luddington, Jason O’Mara, Ray Chase, Rosario Dawson, Jerry O’Connell, Alfred Molina, Roger Cross, Fred Tatasciore, Nicholas TurturroDirected by: Jay Oliva
Written by: J.M. DeMatteis, Ernie AltbackerStudio: Warner Brothers Animation, DC Entertainment
Rating: R
Run Time: 1h 15min

To start, Kevin Conroy is not Batman in this film. This Justice League story follows the current cast of James O’Mara (Batman), Rosario Dawson (Wonder Woman), and Jerry O’Connell (Superman). It is rated R, so not really one for the kiddies. There also isn’t nearly enough Swamp Thing in it. Finally, I hope you know more than the average viewer about one John Constantine (Matt Ryan).

Justice League Dark is a bit of a quagmire for the the DC Universe animated films. It features only one of the primary Justice League members, Batman, and introduces a whole new cast of characters. For the most part, we are introduced to these new members with a quick backstory or origin. What was severely lacking was a light shined upon our lead character, John Constantine.

Read the full review on Action Figure Junkies.com.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe: Movie Review

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox, Ophelia Lovibond, Olwen Catherine KellyDirected by: André ØvredalWritten by: Ian B. Goldberg, Richard NaingDistributor: IFC MidnightRating: RRun Time: 1hr, 26 Minutes

Horror films. More often than not, they adhere to the standard stereotypical plot. Some unsuspecting people, in a spooky setting, are forced to deal with the unknown. Insert some eye candy (big chested girl), supply the stereotypical sex scene (she is naked, he is not) , and bam, you have your 30 million dollar opening weekend against a 4 million dollar budget. Will there be a sequel? Certainly! We just made over seven times the budget. In short: wash, lather, rinse, and repeat.

I was interested in The Autopsy of Jane Doe because the film was being released under the IFC Midnight label. Already a good sign that this wasn’t going to be yet another SAW or Purge type film. Then I discovered that the director of Troll Hunter (2010), André Øvredal, was involved and this became a must see. Troll Hunterwas not your stereotypical horror film. The Autopsy of Jane Doe most certainly wasn’t, either.

The full movie review resides on the Sci-Fi Movie Page.com. 

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM REVIEW

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler
Directed by: David Yates
Distributor: Warner BrothersOriginal Year of Release: 2016Run Time: 2 hours and 13 Minutes

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

It has been 5 years since we last visited the Wizarding World conceived by J.K. Rowling. With the announcement of a new film, based on a textbook that Hogwarts students use, many thought Warner Brothers was reaching too far for sequel dollars. After all, the Potter films are based on novels, novels that not only captured the imagination of the world, but dominated it. How can a textbook be the basis for a film? The one spark of hope for this fan of the franchise came when it was announced that J.K. Rowling would write the screenplay. Fantastic Beasts, the movie? After eight films, why not take one more trip into her wondrous world?

There is one moment at the beginning of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, where you are almost afraid to drop your pessimism. Because before you know it, you are immediately entranced and looking at Rowling’s world with open eyes and wonder again. Can she have done it again? IS this really going to be good? Yes. Yes. And yes.

The spoiler free review is on Action Figure Junkies.com. 

DOCTOR STRANGE – AFJ MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton
Directed by: Scott DerricksonWritten by: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, Steve Ditko (Characters)Studio: Marvel StudiosRated: PG-13Run Time: 115 Minutes

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**

The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch was a brilliant stroke for Marvel’s latest comic book adaptation, Doctor Strange. In fact, this may be one of the finest casts for a Marvel Movie to date. Most of the principle actors have either won an Academy Award or been nominated for one. In short, this is an A-list cast for what many fans may consider a B-list character. Dr. Stephen Strange has been in the Marvel Universe (the comic) for a long time. However, his popularity has never been that of Spider-Man, the Hulk, or Captain America. So with no real conception of who should play the part or the need for a stringent telling of his origin, I was ready for what Marvel delivers, a good time.

I got exactly that, a good time. However, I felt that this origin story was really nothing new. In fact, when I left the theater, I was reminded of another superhero film where I had a terrible time, but the origin was practically the same. It was 2011’s Green Lantern. In no way am I saying that Doctor Strange is the trainwreck that Ryan Reynolds jabbed at in his follow up superhero film, Deadpool. In fact, Scott Derrickson (director/ co-writer) and Jon Spaihts (co-writer) got everything right in the film. It’s only that we have seen the whole origin story before. Sadly, we will see it again with the introduction of each new superhero film.

Read the full review on Action Figure Junkies.com.