Tag Archives: Action

Aquaman, A Textbook Case of A Hero’s Journey …

22 Dec

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

‘Tis the season to enjoy being Aquaman. Jason Momoa is clearly having fun in the role, and his charm sells this latest DC Extended Universe product. Zack Snyder has executive producer credit and James Wan is directing. This Fast and Furious director sticks to what he knows best and translates the screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall into glorious sequences straight out of Lord of the Rings, Clash of the Titans (no surprise here, when considering David’s past work), Blade Runner and Indiana Jones.

Of the latter, it was too short and I wished for more. The visual treat of the underwater sequences is certainly overwhelming and lives up to recreating Neo Atlantis perfectly. I hoped for a more classically nuanced work (in reference to Plato’s Timaeus) and while not out of place, the archeological moments were not too much of a letdown. Balancing the origin of a superhero story with the big tease of them in the Sahara must have been tough.

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The Vintage Tempest’s Picks for a Streaming Video Holiday Season

10 Dec

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Getting into the yuletide spirit is not tough. As the days count down to the holidays, some folks include video content to include making merry with. As for what’s new, Anna and the Apocalypse sounds like fun and this Zombie Christmas movie is finally getting theatrical distribution. I saw it listed for the Whistler Film Festival, but to attend for just this one film made me reconsider, especially when funds are low.

At home, many television classics can be enjoyed instead of rented. These days, that means putting in the queue to watch off of Netflix or iTunes. At least with YTV, I can have them playing in the background. This Canadian station is showing fond classics dating as far back as the ’90s. Elsewhere, I’m sure a local television network is doing the same. For something different, I’m tackling the difficult choice of wading through what’s available for streaming.

Online services offer a mix of old and new shows to enjoy. This list includes both and these are programs which made an impression on me. These shows are or will soon be easily accessible on services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Crave, iTunes or Hulu.

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When Ralph Breaks the Internet, Who Will Save the Day?

28 Nov

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

When Ralph Breaks the Internet, Fix-It-Felix cannot help. The trailers see this villain turned hero (voiced by John C. Reilly) take on the World Wide Web, and should everyone be afraid? As long as he does nothing dim-witted, no. When he fears to lose his best friend, Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), trouble ensues–but not without some action adventure dramedy.

This sequel has a lot to visually pack in. They are all Easter Egg material which requires an at home viewing with a pause button than to deal with at a movie theatre. I laughed at how self-aware it was when considering the visit to the digital version of Disneyland. At this tale’s core is a terrific examination of the relationship between these two main characters. Change is inevitable. The difficulties they face not only as close friends but also in who they are is key to this film. Can they function more beyond their programming? This theme was explored with Ralph in the first film, and now it’s Venellope’s turn.

Trying to stay true to what they are and holding on to self-doubts may be okay for some folks, but for others, it can do more harm than good. The young girl wants to spread her wings. She’s become tired of the routine in her game; nothing new exists for her to explore. Although her status as a glitch is not as important, it becomes a factor later.

To see how Ralph develops is key. When considering he is from another era, seen as a two-dimensional character from a video gamer’s perspective, and he grows as a real-life person, he becomes more relatable. In a modern game, he is three-dimensional. There’s more to him than that of a house smasher. He has feelings which need to be expressed. Spoilers follow:

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It’s a Small World After All in Ant-Man & The Wasp, and It’s Influence on the MCU

9 Jul

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

* Mild Spoiler Alert

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a far more comedic film than any other in the Marvel Comics Universe. While it’s tough to beat James Gunn‘s Guardians of the Galaxy, I can not wait to see Drak and Ant-Man get together. Talk about David and Goliath!

When considering the all-star talent involved in both works, this second outing has a lot more to appreciate. Not all of this tale is a paint by numbers scenario. The main plot is to save the original Wasp (Janet van Dyne, Michelle Pfeiffer) from Quantum Reality and in the mind of many is how does this film tie into the events of Avengers: Infinity War?

Those fans who have kept up can easily figure it out. This spoiler will not be revealed. As with most superhero films, they do better without that origin story. This story picks up two years where the last left off and considers Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) past involvement with the Avengers. He’s serving time after his appearance in Captain America: Civil War, and only has a few days left to his house arrest.

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