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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Ultimate Avengers 2: A Near Perfect Continuance

Rating:
****
By: Da'Mon Guy

     Ultimate Avengers 2 is a pragmatic, invigorating continuance that creatively builds on the foundation of the adventures of The Ultimate Avengers. Ultimate Avengers 2 takes a real world approach on the world of comics and the use of its characters. The movie returns all of the original actors who voiced the first film. It features the voice talents of Justin Gross (Ultimate Avengers), Grey Delislie (Batman: Year One), Michael Masse (The Resident), Olivia D’Abo (Green Lantern: First Flight), Marc Worden (The Invincible Iron Man), Nan McNamara (Criminal Minds: TV show), Nolan North (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths), Andre Ware (Hotel For Dogs), David Boat (Super Hero Squad: TV show), Fred Tatascoire (Tangled), and Jim Ward (Toy Story 3).


     Ultimate Avengers 2 (UA 2) is the direct to DVD follow up to the Marvel comics animated film Ultimate Avengers that premiered in 2006. This sequel debuted in the latter half of 2006. The film is based on The Ultimates, the same ground-breaking comic as the prior incarnation. The Ultimates were created for Marvel Comics by Mark Milar (writer) and Bryan Hitch (pencils). The Ultimates were originally developed with three reasons in mind. First, to re-introduce fans to the classic characters of the Avengers and to attract a new base of fans. Second and more specifically, it was intended to attract the fans who didn’t necessarily follow the history of the characters or who didn’t follow the canon of comics. And finally, the Utimates were designed to attract the audience who followed the films and not necessarily the hardcore comics fans. It was an updating of the characters in an attempt to draw a new younger fan base. The Ultimates were originally designed to be an anti-terrorist unit.


Continue reading on Examiner.com DVD review: Ultimate Avengers 2(2006): A Near perfect contiuance - Baltimore Animation | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/animation-in-baltimore/dvd-review-ultimate-avengers-2-2006-a-near-perfect-contiuance-review#ixzz1XMO0Hle8

Priest: A Clever Concept Muddled in a Lackluster Delivery


Rating:
***
By: Da'Mon Guy

     Hollywood’s inexhaustible obsession with vampires rages on! Priest is one of the more recent uses of the legendary character. The film uses a fairly entertaining intermingling of sci-fi and horror that entails a story of an age-old confrontation between mankind and vampires. The film stars Paul Bettany (The Tourist), Karl Urban (Star Trek 2009), Cam Gigandet (Easy A), Maggie Q (Live Free or Die Hard), Christopher Plummer (The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus), and Brad Dourif (Halloween II 2009).


     Priest is an idealistic, action-oriented story of faith, isolation, and sacrifice. The film is a moderately
enjoyable commingling of science fiction and horror. This is a futuristic, post apocalyptic tale which tells the story of an elite order of priest that are super soldiers/vampire slayers who were able to defeat the vampires and restore control of the world to the humans. The film is based on the Japanese graphic novel by Min-Woo Hyung .


Continue reading on Examiner.com DVD review: Priest: A clever concept muddled in a lackluster delivery - Baltimore Movies | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-baltimore/dvd-review-priest-review#ixzz1XM79wd1n

Jumping The Broom: A Fairly Enjoyable Take on Modern Romance


Rating:
***
By: Da"Mon Guy

     Jumping the Broom is a witty, drama-laced assemblage of Afro-American talent that incorporates a humorous aspect into a fairy tale like modern day romance. The movie is a contemporary fable that embellishes on the larger than life romantic desires of many of today’s female movie going audience. This idealistic undertaking is highlighted by an all star afro American cast featuring the likes of Angela Bassett (Green Lantern), Laz Alonzo (Fast & Furious), Paula Patton (Just Wright), Loretta Devine (Madea‘ Big Happy Family), Megan Good (The Unborn), Julie Bowen (Horrible Bosses), Tasha Smith (Why Did I Get Married Too), Mike Epps (Faster), Deray Davis (Life As We Know It), Valarie Pettiford (Why Did I Get Married Too), Pooch Hall (Stomp The Yard 2), Romeo “Lil Romeo” Miller ( and Gary Dourdan (Perfect Stranger).

     Jumping the Broom implements a surreal approach to modern romance. It has a number of jocular moments that embellish on the differences between sexes, culture, and relationships. In addition, it’s filled with a number of subplots that enhance the realism of the movie. The movie questions the foundation of many relationships within a family. It is stocked with stereotypes of Afro-American characters but it pokes fun at them.


Continue reading on Examiner.com DVD review: Jumping The Broom: A fairly enjoyable take on modern romance - Baltimore Movies | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-baltimore/dvd-review-jumping-the-broom-a-assmeblage-of-afro-american-t-review#ixzz1XJqv15Kq

Friday, September 2, 2011

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night: A Moderately Entertaining Detective Story with a Supernatural Twist

Rating:
***
By: Da'Mon Guy

     Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is a fairly entertaining, pedestrian film that attempts to merge an old school detective film with the elements of the supernatural. The film is the story of the undead and members of the supernatural who walk in shadows amongst the living. The movie stars Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Peter Stormare (Constantine), Sam Huntington (Superman Returns), Taye Diggs (Basic), Anita Briem (Journey to the Center of the Earth), and Kurt Angle (Warrior).


     Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is a moderately enjoyable film that is very reminiscent of the Carl Kojak: The Night Stalker television series. The movie is based on a comic book, Dylan Dog, by Tizano Schalavi that was released in 1986. It is told in the mold of an old school style classic, vintage detective stories with a voice over by Dylan Dog. The film is laced with bouts of senselessness and ridiculousness that accentuate a tale of the undead and the afterlife. A zombie support group, a body shop with human parts, and even a humorous take on the use of hotdogs, all make an appearance in this supernatural aberration.


Continue reading on Examiner.com DVD review: Dylan Dog: Dead of Night: Detective story with a supernatural twist - Baltimore Movies | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-baltimore/dvd-review-dylan-dog-dead-of-night-review#ixzz1WnfbafVD

Insidious: An Entertaining Throwback to Classic Horror Films

Rating:
***1/2
By: Da'Mon Guy

     Insidious is a tension-filled, anxiety-inducing tale that creates a level of fear through multiple uses of subtle nuances to generate thrills and chills. The film is the story of a supernatural commonality that is shared by a father and a son. The film stars Patrick Wilson (The Switch), Rose Byrne (X-Men: First Class), Lin Shaye (My Sister's Keeper), Andrew Astor (The Hangover), Ty Simpkins (The Next Three Days), and Barbara Hershey (Black Swan).

     Insidious is a film that takes an unorthodox perspective on the often told stories of haunting and possession. The film tells a tale of one family’s struggle against the supernatural forces of evil. It is very reminiscent of classic horror stories that were built on increasing uneasiness and stress instead of the blood, guts, and gore of many modern horror films.


Continue reading on Examiner.com DVD review: Insidious: An entertaining throwback to classic horror films - Baltimore Movies | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-baltimore/dvd-review-insidious-an-entertaining-throwback-to-classic-horror-films-review#ixzz1Wnds7BxF