el-tito-kenoshez Reviews

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Pure art.

[10/10 · 19 October 2023]

I've just seen the movie once. My heart kept racing an hour later.

All Spider-man art has always been a field of experimentation, impossible poses, unexpected angles and framing. It gave the artist extra freedom to use their creativity in bold ways.

Bold is the word I'd use to describe best this movie. As with all art, some people are going to love it, many are going to hate it and it won't speak at all to some. It speaks to my 16 year old self in ways I can't describe (I'm 45 now). It made me feel like getting a new comic book, like making music and painting and spraying the city.

I can't talk about the plot, the voice-acting, the characters... Because I'm mesmerized by the art. The actual art of every frame, yes, but also the presentation of that in motion, with the selection of music, and the jorney that the movie takes us on, with the emotions that are present in each scenne.

I wouldn't probably go to an exibition of art about Spider-man, but I felt I did just that, and it blew my mind. So urban, so comic-y, so fresh...So many styles combined in a masterful way so that even the real world doesn't seem out of place when it's shown.

If you are into street art, I think it would blow your mind too. And yeah, it also comes with movie (gotta watch it again and pay attention to the plot).

Chris Claremont's X-Men (2018)

A piece of comic book history told in an entertaining way.

[10/10 · 10 September 2019]

Before I was old enought to wonder about how comics were made, two names were engraved in my subconcious by seeing them in many covers of my favourite comics: Stan Lee and Chris Claremont.

When I was a bit older I started collecting the X-men comics in order. Those days, internet was still just and idea, and I couldn't search any information about those names. I couldn't put a face on them. But even teenage me didn't have any doubt: Claremont was a genious. He was the first writer that called my attention, before that, I felt the drawings were the "cool thing" about comics (as any kid, I guess). This docummentary covers his career and influence, it reveals some of the company reasons why things happened the way they did, and some of the work process of many important moments in X-men history.

It's been years since I've picked an X-Men comic, but this documentary is an homage for a man that shaped some of the mythology of today's collective mind. He inspired many artists and influenced the way other people write comics and tell stories in general. He made people care about his characters as if they were not only real, but as if they were also close friends.

If you have read his work, you'll enjoy this film. If not. treat yourself to 200 or 300 of his comics, become friends with the X-Men, and then go and watch this.

The world would be different today if it wasn't for this guy. A big thanks to the people who brought us this docummentary.

Believer (I) (2018)

You are not alone

[10/10 · 14 June 2019]

There can't be any reaction other than supporting this initiative. This world needs more of this. So, writing a review focusin on its flaws is really unbecoming.

This documentary speaks to the young person thinking about suicide because he/she is not accepted. And it screams LOUD: We accept you! At least 20,000 people accept and celebrate you, in your own area. You are not alone.

Whoever you are, however you can express this message, it is a good one. If making this documentary saved one single life, it is worth it, and I'm certain it saved several. You can't ask more of a movie or any production.

I'm not directly affected by the issues at hand, and I wasn't a big Imagine Drangons fan, but the watching of this was emotional and fulfilling, certainly worth watching, thought and dialogue provoking. It plants some seeds that can grow to make our world a better place. That deserves to be only praised and encouraged.

Thanks to all the makers of this film.

Superlopez (2018)

A culturaly specific comedy

[7/10 · 20 May 2019]

I enjoyed the comics as a kid, but I don't remember enough to be concern about fidelity. They were fed by the popularity of Superman, and protected by the aparent anonimity of a small country like Spain.

You'd say is a parody of Superman, when it's more like a parody of the average Spanish man. Even with superpowers, a man raised in Spain would be insecure, and his concerns would be different than those of a idealistic, noble hero.

We make fun of ourselves and our limitations. The effects and designs are purposely not top-notch. And that can get old, and it isn't necesarily funny to people from other cultures. Also, references are mostly internal. It's no surprise that the movie doesn't work well outside of Spain.

Inside Spain, it's an honest effort to reinvent a loved character from our childhood in a new medium. It's almost family safe, and my kids loved the movie even not knowing the character (or many cultural references). It was entertaining, the main character is relatable, and it has a few good laughs along the way.

It's not a clever intense movie with impecable rythm. You don't get invested in the plot, because the focus is to create comedy situations. It could have been better, but it could have been much much worse. It delivered what I expected.

Just don't take it too seriously and you'll enjoy it.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

Not a masterpiece

[5/10 · 13 May 2019]

I see fans are giving this movie a 10. That should mean "better than the Godfather". Well, that's not the case.

The movie is well shot, the effects are good. And... when people say about a movie "the effects are good", it doesn't hold much more interest.

If you're not a fan: This is a kid's movie, with a kid's movie plot and lines. It's family safe (although a bit confusing for very young children), and it's midly entertaining, which is more than what I expected, to be honest.

I'm not mad I wasted 2 hours of my life going to the movies to see this (with my kids). But I'd rather I did something else.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Depressing

[7/10 · 3 May 2019]

OK, this is not a bad movie, and it has plenty of good moments to enjoy. But it feel like the flat final part of a roller-coaster, the fun part is over and it only remains...The endind, getting off the ride.

I've watched all the MCU movies, some many times. I've seen toons of interviews, and I love those guys. So my expectations where huge after Infinity War. I've enjoyed them, and I'm willing to overlook plotholes, or forced solutions...As long as I don't end up thinking about them instead of the plot, during the movie.

---Spoliers ahead---

Each MCU movie lets you longing for the next. Part of this down feeling is that now I'm not looking forward to anything. Stan Lee is gone, that's part of it too. Even after Infinity War, the dramatic irony was that we all knew the dead characters were coming back, no doubt (With Spiderman Far from Home, and other characters having more movie deals). But now what?

So fans, prior to the movie, we knew many things:

• The dead were coming back.
• There would probably be time travel involved, as well as the Quantum Realm.
• RDJ and Chris Evans where at the end of their contract.

So the bar was high in terms of surprises, we already suspected the big "revelations" of the film. So, for me the point was what they where going to do to keep me interested anyway. And, for me, when I expected the big clever satisfactory endind twist, instead, all I got was a fist fight.

And a fist fight that violated the laws of the previous movie. In Infinity War, Ironman held his ground against Thanos for a bit, Cap could grabb the Gaunlet and surprised Thanos, Thor almost cut him in half. All of that against a Thanos that had all or most of the stones. Now those three together, with 2 godly weapons, are easily defeated by a "lesser" Thanos. As a fan, I expected Thanos to put up a fight with his wit, not his fists (or his army).

But I'd be willing to overlook that if I had something in exchange. And this is the main downside of this movie. What I got was depressing, depressing, a bit of hope, depressing...Then 20 minutes of fight, and then more depressing stuff (death, getting old, characters that don't know each other...). The joyful "resurrection" happened off camera, and we didn't have time to celebrate or enjoy it. We have enough depressing things in real life, thanks.

On another note, even as a man I felt insulted by the forced attempt at feminism, right before a guy with "man" in his name wins the fight. It felt like a half-hearted throw of a bone, very disrespectful to the female fandom. Sorry, embarrasing.

I'd like to talk about the good things too. And the respect I have for the collective effort the cast and crew made. But I left the movie theatre very sad, and that's still how I feel.

Sad movies can be good too, but that's not what I expected from this. When you watch interviews and press conferences with a bunch of the cast members, you see they are funny, and they have a lot of chemistry, and they celebrate each other as a family. That's what I would have loved to experience in the film.

I give it a 7, because it's worth watching. And because I'm up for people doing ambitious and risky films, even if they fail to satisfy my expectations.

Into the Woods (2014)

I knew what to expect, and it gave me more.

[9/10 · 27 January 2017]

I almost missed this movie forever because of the bad reviews, I postponed it and thought maybe I wouldn't see it, but it came into my hands and I thought to give it 20 minutes and judge if it was worth it, or if I would leave it halfway as it happened with Mama Mía.

Then I found out it was delivering exactly what I could expect from it, and well done also. Who can ask for anything more these days?

I see all the really bad ratings were expecting something different. Either is too Sondheim for them, or too Disney. Well, it is a Sondheim musical adapted for Disney. They didn't hide any of that, did they? it's a compromised job,short of in between of nowhere, but that's what they sold. I mean, you know what McDonald's is, if you want a great prime rib meat you wouldn't go there, and if you despise meat you wouldn't either. But if you know what you are looking for and it's what they sell, it's perfectly all right to go.

I knew it couldn't be really true to Sondheim, because Disney wouldn't have produced it, and probably not any big budget studio. So I expected a lot of losses. I would have paid for a truer version, but millions wouldn't. So it couldn't be made in this world.

I knew it wasn't a family movie, because why bother adapting this play into a family movie? it would be like trying to adapt the novel 1984 into a family movie.

So it could only be what it is. And being that, I think it's a bold effort and a passionate work from the director and the actors, I hope they were prepared for the insulting reviews and the disappointment of the public, because I think they don't deserve it, but they would know it could happen. I feel grateful that they did this movie, It left me wanting to watch the play which I think it's a great thing, doing some homage to an original work and carrying people to the original.

The first act is really enjoyable, I was thrilled to see it was done with flawless performances and real emotions. It is true that the second act loses interest. But even so, they made a great job considering they had to cut most of the play's strongest "punches". For me, the music was perfectly performed and produced, it really gave me the multiple emotions that a Sondheim musical delivers.

It is also true that since I was expecting the worst movie ever, it easily surpassed my expectations. Some great movies you love them without knowing anything in advance, this isn't one of those movies.

Please, keep doing these movies, keep taking risks and bring us works that many of us won't understand. There are already too many works that won't make anyone uncomfortable.

And if you know a couple of Sondheim pays, and you enjoy them, but you understand the compromises cinema has to make to please producers (and sell). Watch this, it's worth it.

I give it a 9, because I'm so offended it has a 6 (It may be an 8 movie).

Preacher (2016–2019)

Loosely based on an excellent comic.

[7/10 · 7 June 2016]

I read Preacher many years ago, and it completely blew my mind. As far as literature goes, it's not the best graphic novel, but it may well be the most entertaining I've read. It kept me on the verge of saying "Aw come on!" because it was pretty unbelievable, but somehow (miraculously) it worked.

So when the adaptation to TV was already here, I was exited and terrified at the same time. We have to wait to see the whole season, at least, but the first two episodes left me somewhat cold. They didn't horrified me, which was a possibility, but they didn't reach the level of wonder that the comic has.

It aims at being edgy, and fast paced, and non PC, and, in my opinion, it just falls short (at least compared with the comic, I know I'm biased). They put more effect and less content, and it feels empty to me. That subtle balance that the comic had, where strange things happened but you were sure you weren't being fed cheap tricks...Here it feels some one is trying to sell me those tricks.

If it continues on the same line, it will disappoint the people who was ready for this adaptation, while at the same time it will scare away the wide audience that wasn't. I believe some of us are believing in a dream of what we wanted it to be, because it's OK, and it could've been so bad. But when we wake up, I'm not sure it will hold. I hope it gets better, and it doesn't get canceled after one season.

I hope no one dismisses reading the graphic novel because of this show. Whether you like it or not, you could love the comic.

Let's pray the show surprises us.