Thursday Movie Picks: Blockbuster Flops

Hey, guys!
Welcome to another entry for Thursday Movie Picks.
It’s a series hosted by Wandering through the Shelves, so if you want to join the party, head over to her blog! It’s pretty easy: check out each week’s topic and come up with 3 to 5 movies that fit the theme.
This week I’ll talk about some of the biggest blockbuster flops!

#1 Alexander

Granted, the theatrical version of this film is horrible. I totally see why it failed at the box office. However, if you decide to give it a chance, please go check out the director’s cut. The movie is infinitely better in that version!

#2 Solo: A Star Wars Story

I wasn’t aware that Solo was such a box office failure, but according to Wikipedia it certainly was. Well, the film was rather flat and there was nothing memorable about it.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Hello, my darling leaders!
Welcome to my review on Spider-Man: Homecoming. This film marks the proper introduction of another new player in the MCU after giving him a quick appearance in Captain America: Civil War. Let’s check it out!

The Plot:

Peter Parker struggles to balance his regular life as a teenager and his responsibilities as a superhero. All he wants to do is be good and impress Mr. Stark. However, some of the problems Peter takes on may be too much for him to handle…

The Rating:

There’s an abundance of Spider-Man movies out there. I only saw two of them, I think. So, I wasn’t sure whether we need another film about the spider dude. However, after Tom Holland’s initial appearance in the third Captain America movie, I was intrigued.

First of all, Spider-Man: Homecoming lives to 100% off of little gold nugget Tom Holland’s performance. After seeing numerous interviews with him, he did to a certain extent play himself, which is definitely one of the reasons the film was good. I honestly hadn’t expected to like the film all that much, but Holland managed to convince me.

Black Panther

Hello, hello!
I already mentioned it in my review on Captain America: Civil War. Chadwick Boseman’s solo movie for Black Panther is the next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So let’s take a look at our latest addition!

The Plot:

After Civil War, T’Challa returns home to Wakanda. He is supposed to be crowned king of this African can nation but his leadership skills are being tested before he can properly ascend…

The Rating:

So, this was rather different from what we’ve seen so far in the MCU.
The world believes Wakanda to be a poor third world country when it has actually the world’s most advanced technology and valuable resources.

As you can see, Wakanda is a far cry from what everybody expects which leads to some awesome imagery. Super space-y and modern looks paired with amazing outdoor shots of waterfalls and jungles make this film quite unique.

One thing I’d like to address up front is an interesting thought a friend shared with me. She talked to me about how she felt the film was covertly racist in its depiction of black people. As mentioned before Wakanda is actually super forward but at the same time old (fighting) rituals are practiced, for example when T’Challa has to prove to be worthy of the crown. So, no matter how advanced they are, at the same time, they are shown as backward jungle people, to put it drastically.
I’ve thought a lot about that after talking to my friend but I still can’t seem to make my mind up about it. I’d love to read in the comments what other people have to say about this!

Captain America: Civil War

Hello, my darling readers!
Welcome to my little TED-Talk about the third Captain America movie. So sit down and buckle up, we’re about to get started!

The Plot:

As the title suggests, this film deals with a rift within the Avengers. As authorities are trying to reign them in, two camps emerge, splitting our heroes…

The Rating:

This one was really good! I’m sure by now you figured out that I’m a bit of a sucker for Bucky, so I was really excited about Civil War.

I love that the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes finally gets some more screen-time. This character is so complex and deserves to be explored. Barnes is battling himself as he was brainwashed into a killing machine. Trying hard to get a grip on his life he struggles.

By the way, Daniel Brühl stars in this film (he is a major part of the Winter Soldier story arc). I hadn’t known that he was cast, so imagine my surprise! However, I am always amazed by Brühl sheer range of acting. In Civil War he really gave me the creeps and played his character to perfection.

Another new face that certainly needs to be mentioned is Chadwick Boseman. In this film, his character Black Panther is first introduced before getting his own movie. I hadn’t been aware of that before watching and was a bit confused when he made his first appearance. My thought process: “Now who are you? Cat…Woman…Man?” (my finest moment!)

Thursday Movie Picks: Muses

Hey, guys!
Welcome to another entry for Thursday Movie Picks.
It’s a series hosted by Wandering through the Shelves, so if you want to join the party, head over to her blog! It’s pretty easy: check out each week’s topic and come up with 3 to 5 movies that fit the theme.
This week I’ll talk about films dealing with muses!

#1 Hercules

This is the most literal pick I could think of. The 1997 Disney animation features the original Greek muses who tell Hercules’ story.

#2 Factory Girl

I haven’t seen this one yet, but Andy Warhol’s work is inspiring for me. Factory Girl tells the story of his muse Edie Sedgwick, played by Sienna Miller.

Ant-Man

Hello guys!
Welcome to another MCU review. Today I’ll take a closer look at Ant-Man, the new guy in superhero-town!

The Plot:

After he gets out of prison, Scott vows to lead an honest life. He tries hard to get a job, to reconnect with his daughter and leave his past behind. But that is easier said than done for an ex-con.
When all his honorable attempts fail, he turns to one last big coup. That heist is bound to change his life forever…

The Rating:

Hands down, Ant-Man bored me to death.
Paul Rudd’s performance was good, he’s a funny guy. But honestly, that’s the only thing about the film that remotely makes it worth checking out.

Out of all the superheroes presented in the MCU, Ant-Man is probably my least favorite and I don’t even know why. It’s not that it’s an entirely bad movie. I just couldn’t be bothered to care for the superhero Ant-Man and the surrounding drama.
I am inclined to care for Scott when he’s out of the costume, his struggle is real. But everything else? Sorry, but no.