'Suicide Squad', DC’s Flimsy Attempt At Course Correction

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‘Suicide Squad’, DC’s latest polarizing feature film.

After the massive critical flop that was Batman V Superman, many people have been nervously anticipating the next DC movie. Is it going to drop the ball yet again and destroy the very little hope we still have, or have they learned their lesson after that last big misfire? The answer though, sits firmly in the gray area.

'Ghostbusters' Cynics Busted!

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All the skeptics and naysayers can calm the f*ck down now. Ghostbusters was pretty damn good.

Why you should watch Game Of Thrones RIGHT NOW!

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The game's most coveted prize.

Don’t you ever get tired of feeling left out when the latest Game Of Thrones meme goes viral and you’re there scratching your head wondering why everyone suddenly wants to hold the door? The rest of the world laughs, or their collective hearts break, or are shocked, confused, frustrated, enraged and every other extreme emotion in the spectrum - and you have no idea what the freak is going on. Of course, you could watch the series but you’re intimidated by the hours you’d have to invest and the highfaluting dialogue you’ve heard so much about and countless names no one seems to remember or even pronounce properly. Who can blame you; it’s so much effort.

But I’m here to tell you, it’s so worth it! All it takes is the first step, just press play, and you’ll realize what all this fuss is about. Game Of Thrones is one of the best written and envisioned pieces of art of our generation, and it’s not too late to get on this bandwagon!

'Central Intelligence' exploits the Rock and Hart connection!

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Robbie Weirdicht (pronounced “weird dick”) is my new favorite action hero! He’s tough, smooth, all sorts of bad ass, aaaaaand he loves sappy romance movies! My kind of hero! The sensitive kind!

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Subversive in its characterization of the two leads. 
An all-business Kevin Hart and a unicorn-loving Dwayne Johnson.

The Rock stars as Robbie Weirdicht, aka Bob Stone, a former fat and bullied kid in high school, who turns his life around and becomes CIA super spy in jorts. He reunites with the only friend he had in high school, Calvin “Golden Jet” Joyner (Kevin Hart), for a 20 year reunion but inadvertently drags Jet into his world of high-risk espionage. But Jet soon realizes that not everything is as it seems, as the line between good guy and bad guy start to get murky. He starts to wonder: is Bob Stone really who he says he is?

'Now You See Me 2' Doubles Up On The MAGIC!

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They should have called it "Now You Don't". Missed opportunity there, if you ask me.

I am speechless. I am literally going to have a hard time writing this. Because right now, having just come out of the movie, all I can think of is…THAT. WAS. AMAAAAAAZIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!

I had high expectations. (An unavoidable consequence of having been wowed so immensely by the first film) So high in fact that I was afraid I was setting myself up for a letdown. But no, this movie met and exceeded all of those expectations. From the crafty action beats, intricate plots, and charming characters, to the twists, turns, misdirection, and grand reveals – every meticulously planned aspect of this film was pure magic!

'TMNT: Out Of The Shadows': More Turtle Power Than The First

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Cowabunga.

Finally, a TMNT movie worthy of the name. It’s by no means a great movie, but it was certainly an improvement from the first. 

Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey are back. Along with April O’Neil, they continue to protect New York City from the shadows. But when their biggest threat, Shredder, escapes from custody and enlists the help of two classic mutant villains with strength that rival the Turtles’ own, our heroes in a half shell may need to adjust their status quo and get some help themselves.

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Stephen Amell's Casey Jones is the new member of team Turtle.

Eherm, Casey Jones, eherm.

Jean Grey's fearless forecast: "...the third one is the worst."

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And just like that, the three most anticipated movies of 2016 are over. Sure there’s still Suicide Squad and Doctor Strange but those didn’t get half as much anticipation or scale as BvS, Civil War and X-Men: Apocalypse had. These were the big three, and how did Apocalypse stack up to the other two?

While BvS received extreme contempt and Civil War, inversely, with a booming praise, X-Men: Apocalypse was somewhere in the middle ground. It had flashes of brilliance, but a lot of flat and cliché moments as well, leaving a lot lingering ‘meh’ in its wake. It wasn’t bad per se, it was okay, but this is definitely the weakest of the three “new” X-Men films.

X-Men Primer: Who is Apocalypse?

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The younger generation must think that X-Men: “Apocalypse” is supposed to foreshadow some kind of end of the world destruction or something, but while that may very well be the case to a certain extent, it’s also, simply, the name of the next X-Men film’s big bad villain. 90’s kids like me know him best from the very well-known, pop culture gem, blue and gold X-Men era animated show, and as the final boss in the 1996 revolutionary crossover videogame, X-Men vs. Street Fighter. He’s a towering, blue and gray, machine-like mutant, who can layeth the smack down on every other puny mutant candy ass. In short, this guy is trouble. But who IS Apocalypse? Where’d he come from? What can he do? Why does he do it? Well, let me give you the rundown before the next X-Men installment hits tomorrow!

'Captain America: Civil War' is a better Avengers Movie than the Avengers movies

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One of the best movies I've ever seen!

I burned through all 90 something issues of Civil War in a couple of days or so back in ‘07 all that time thinking: “Man, comics are deep.Civil War opened my eyes to the fascinating and wide-ranging, complex and provoking stories the medium can deliver. Civil War made me love comics, and I’ve essentially been looking forward to the movie adaptation for the past decade! And to my delight, Captain America: Civil War was fan-freaking-tastic!

Team Iron Man or Team Cap? Both Sides of Marvel's Civil War

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A few young heroes botch a mission so bad that 600 civilian lives were lost in collateral damage. The city mourns, the victims angered, and the superhero community is shaken to the core. This tragic event sparks a wave of controversy and public reflection: who do heroes answer to when they’re the ones who hurt the people?

Suddenly there’s precedent for the government wanting to take a little bit of control over our heroes. They pass the Superhero Registration Act – a law that requires vigilantes to enlist with the government and undergo training before being sanctioned to do superhero things. But not everyone agrees with the new ruling, and arguments escalate, sides are formed, and the stage is set for Marvel’s superhero Civil War.

Readers can attest that Civil War was a dense narrative especially when it came to its ethical and political opinions. It was as exciting and action-packed as it was thought-provoking, as it inspired its audience to think critically, form their own views and genuinely choose a side in the debate.

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The live-action adaptation arrives in a week!

But with the immense dialogue and individual perspectives collected in the comic book event, a two-hour movie may not be long enough to capture its complexities. So as a supplement to next week’s most anticipated Marvel film, let me give you a quick rundown of the arguments and principles driving both sides of Marvel’s Civil War (comic!)

Jungle Fever (The Jungle Book Review)

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A sure classic in its own right.
Forget about your worries and your strife...’coz this movie is magnificent!

I can’t really think of a better way to describe this film except to say that I left the cinema feeling deeply satisfied. I kept telling my friend, “ganda nun ah”, as if she didn’t already hear it the first 3 times or so. It’s not the fist-pump, adrenaline-fueled, Guardians of the Galaxy kind of satisfaction, but the subtler, more soulful, aww-man-was-that-nice kind.

Justice League Juniors deliver classic comic book fun!

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Just a quick review for this one, but bottomline is, Justice League vs Teen Titans was classic YA fun and a must watch for Titans fans!

+ Simple but organic conflict between JL and TT
+ A formidable threat to both superteams
+ Damian Wayne is a total badass! (biting dialogue and all!)
+ Dick and Kori's sexual tension
+ The Cyborg nod to the original Titans

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Really a Titans story than a JL one, but that's fine.

- Raven's lazy voice acting
- Silly carnival montage
- ...that ridiculous Sailor Moon moment.

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The sexual tension is so thick, you could cut it with a bread knife.

MICMIC RATING: 7.8 / 10

2016's "VERSUS" Trend

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2016 will henceforth be known as the year superheroes couldn’t get along! Everybody’s fighting and it’s getting out of hand! Who do you even side with when friends are fighting friends and heroes are fighting heroes?

In Defense of Batman v Superman: 8 Things It Did Right

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Not the complete and total mess critic make it out to be.

I’m a fan, not a critic, which is why, more often than not, I appreciate the good in movies (well, more than your typical critic, at least), and that has never been more apparent than now, as I go against a tide of animosity in defense of Batman V Superman (BvS): Dawn of Justice.

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Not the best, but still littered with great moments like this one.

While I agree with some of the points being raised against it – the strenuously convoluted plot, uneven pacing, occasional shoddy logic, shallow Batman and Superman conflict, shoehorned characters and Justice League content, and the general lack of anything more than what was shown in the trailers – I still don’t think it deserved the flurry of negative reviews that it got. It wasn’t the next TDK, but there were certainly still a lot to enjoy and appreciate. I don’t know, maybe it’s the fanboy in me.

Hail, Ceasar! The Anti-Movie!

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Not gonna be everyone's cup o' tea.

Hail, Ceasar! is likely not a movie everyone’s going to enjoy. If you’re accustomed to the story-heavy, action-packed, tonally-consistent structure of “regular” movies, then this is not for you. Hail, Ceasar! almost feels like a sketch show (SNL, Bubble Gang) with a Hollywood in the 50’s theme than a full on movie.

Why Spidey's New Look Is Odd But Appropriate

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He's back! Again!

There’s been a lot of buzz going around the interwebs about the latest Captain America: Civil War trailer, primarily because of the surprise appearance of our friendly neighborhood Spider-man. But just like Zoolander 2’s humor and Ben Affleck’s Batman casting, Spidey’s new, rebooted look was received with mixed emotions. Some like it (the fact that he even APPEARS on the trailer is enough to wet people’s loins), and other are just ‘meh’ and still prefer the Andrew Garfield’s Spidey uniform. (Eherm, present company included.)

'Allegiant' to Senselessness

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Fuck no! That's not true at all!

The Divergent series has come full circle. They escaped their factions, they escaped their captors, they escaped the city, and now…they’ve come back to the city because it was where they belonged!! Hooray for progress! And THAT, my friends, is just one of the many hilarious and outright dumb logic this movie expects the audience to accept.

'London Has Fallen' is Discount 'Die Hard'

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That poster is dope though, I'll give it that.

If you see past all the highly improbable coincidences, dumb movie logic, and 90’s action movie clichés, London Has Fallen could actually be a pretty entertaining action romp.

But then again, that’s a lot of IF’S.

6 other times Batman and Superman have fought!

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The two arguably biggest superheroes are about to square off on the big screen! But this is hardly the first time Batman and Superman butted heads. With an idealistic and uncompromising world view like Superman’s, and Batman’s more pragmatic and hardened sensibilities, it’s clear that these two heroes, even in their shared pursuit of peace and justice, won’t always get along. In fact, there have been a handful of times that Gotham’s Caped Crusader and Krypton’s Last Son have clashed in comics, animated shows, video games and other what if/alternate universe stories. Here are 6 other times Batman and Superman have fought in other media:

Stupidity escalates quickly in 'Zoolander 2'

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I am torn.

On one hand, I’m a big Zoolander fan, and when I watched it with my brothers, they both seemed to really, really enjoy it. They appreciated its commentary on today’s hipster/millennial culture, how it’s in keeping with the lore and the characters, and how it builds on the kind of humor its predecessor had, but all I saw was a movie retooling old gags, overusing old gimmicks and even downright echoing old lines.

'Deadpool' is the Superhero Formula ON CRACK!

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Deadpool: The Sexiest, Funniest, Most Outrageous Superhero Alive!

HHHHHNNNNNN……AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH… (Me taking a really deep and heartfelt breath) 

The sweet, sweet relief of finally getting a Deadpool live-action movie! And a freaking kick-ass one at that! No, not that pasty white, mouth-sown, discount Baraka, piece of manure monstrosity in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I’m talking about a PROPER Deadpool! The Deadpool we all wanted; the Deadpool we all DESERVE!

'Spotlight' is Journalism 101

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A 'Spotlight' on classic journalism.

This is journalism – tenacious, thorough, uncompromising, brave. All too often we see bias and/or reluctance in our news, but true journalistic integrity is not being manipulated by power or profit or readership levels. True journalism is not afraid to speak the truth, not just when but especially when the truth is unpleasant. In ‘Spotlight’, we see all of that come into focus. (Pun intended.)

"The Revenant' is Survival Porn

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Revenant – (noun) a person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead. (Google def.)

All the movies that have ever said that revenge is not a worthwhile endeavor have never met Hugh Glass. That man has done things – impossible things – in the name and with the power of revenge that would make any Sith Lord proud. In the course of a 2 hour movie, we see this man practically die and come back to life and it was a truly brutal and excruciating experience – for Glass AND the audience.

'Batman: Bad Blood' puts the spotlight on the Bat Family

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DC just released the third installment of their Batman animated features, Batman: Bad Blood. And the first thing I want to say is...FINALLY, A MOVIE ABOUT NIGHTWING. 

Well, sort of.

'The Big Short' is a AAA-film!

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I am embarrassed to say that, being the business graduate that I am, even I couldn’t follow half of the things that were going in The Big Short. It’s such an incomprehensibly technical script; which is great for authenticity’s sake, but will no doubt be daunting to non-finance viewers! But it’s like what Ryan Gosling’s character said, “Does it make you feel stupid? Well, it’s supposed to.” We’re not meant to understand all of it, but don’t worry, the movie does a good job explaining (in very amusing ways, I might add) the basics of all the highfaluting financial concepts. And at the end of the day, what mattered was that I found myself deeply moved by the film’s intrinsic themes of greed, selfishness and true value.

'Macbeth' is faithfully Shakespearean

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Man, what a doozey. I’m not going to pretend that I can fully understand Shakespeare. His words are too poetic for my inadequate mind to grasp, but the film makes it so that I could absorb enough of it from the context. Both in setting, imagery and the acting, one could better appreciate Macbeth’s spellbinding dialogue.

Nothing But Good Ol' Charlie Brown!

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Snoopy is a household name; Charlie Brown a little less so but still relatively well-known. It’s frequently referenced in modern shows, and the Peanuts merchandising never goes out of season! I have heard these names as early as I can remember but I realized I never really watched any of the animated features or particularly loved the newspaper comic. I am unfortunately not part of the Peanuts generation.

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But The Peanuts Movie was a GREAT way to start getting to know them better! From a vague familiarity with Snoopy, his best friend, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts cast, I now understand their dynamic, their humor, and their appeal better. Peanuts is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! And I’m sure, for anyone who grew up with these characters, the movie would’ve been a warm and fuzzy trip down memory lane.

Star Wars Speculations: Who Is Rey?

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Speculation Wars: The Lineage of Rey!

After the 2 week MMFF interruption celebration, anyone who missed Star Wars The Force Awakens can finally catch it again in theaters! Good luck though, ‘coz by now you’d have probably already heard all the spoilers, easter eggs, tidbits and fan theories. (If you managed to avoid them all, GOOD FREAKING JOB! YOU GOTTA TELL ME HOW YOU DID IT!)

Since people are catching up to the Star Wars craze, I guess it’s safe to talk about the identity of its female protagonist, Rey. Who is Rey? Who is her family? And why the heck is the force so strong with her? This article is going to tackle that specific question through different fan speculations and predictions. Needless to say, if you haven’t watched the movie, go now, and check back on us later! (Enjoy! It’s gonna rock your socks, I swear!)

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Who is this masked maiden?

My 20 Most Anticipated Movies of 2016!!!

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My face is bewildered – eyes wide open, jaw to the floor, and my brain metaphorically exploding in my head – as I stare at the line-up of movies for 2016. THERE. ARE. A. LOT. 2016 is movie buff bliss!

Okay, disclaimer: this is a personal list. What I’m excited about may veer towards a certain genre. If you’re a superhero/comic book/sci fi fanatic like me, then we’re going to get along and you’ll likely agree with the list. If not, take comfort in the fact that I’ll try to mix it up as best I could. Without further ado, here’s the 20 2016 movies I’m most excited about!