Everett Johnson
Everett's Activity
Everett reviewed...
The Heat (2013)
****
First off, my wife and I got to see an advance screening of this… More
****
First off, my wife and I got to see an advance screening of this in Indianapolis. She has been dying to see this, so when I got a chance to see it for free 2 weeks early, I jumped at the chance. When we got to the theater, we had to turn in our cell phones to security(we just left them in the car) and we had to be scanned over with a metal wand. During the movie security was posted at the exits and watched the crowd to ensure no piracy went on. It made the movie feel important, and that definitely added something as I'd been to advance screenings before, but never like that. Anyway, I thought this movie was hilarious! Basically, Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are complete opposite cops(well Bullock is an FBI agent) who have to work with each other to take down a drug lord in Boston. Not the most original premise, but with McCarthy you can take the most plain movie and make it funny. I loved her in "Identity Thief" and "Bridesmaids", and this is just more of that. If you didn't like her in those, or think she is unfunny, then this is not for you so don't waste your time. I'm not a big Sandra Bullock fan, but I thought she was great here. Some of the things she does is just hilarious and it makes you wonder how they got an Academy Award winner to do them. It runs right at 2 hours, which is a little long, but it's not a long 2 hours. It moves by quick and never really has a section that drags. Could I be biased because of the screening? Maybe. But I did laugh a lot more than I did watching "Hangover 3" or some of the other comedies this year. My wife really enjoyed it, and she's probably the toughest movie critic(well when she watches movies) that I know. When it was over, I looked at her and said "I hope this makes a ton of money so they'll make another one". Leaving the audience wanting more is always a good thing. So far to me, "This is the End" is the best comedy of the year, but this is a close second. Check it out if you wanna spend a couple hour laughing your butt off.
17 hours ago via Rotten Tomatoes
Everett reviewed...
Man of Steel (2013)
There are a lot of remakes/reboots that are terrible and get… More
There are a lot of remakes/reboots that are terrible and get everything wrong. Then there are reboots like "Man of Steel" that gets it right, and gives a franchise new life. Here, Henry Cavill plays Kal-El, aka Superman, in an origin story much like "Batman Begins" was for Batman. It's dark, realistic(well mostly), and leaves you with excitement for future installments. It tells the story through some flashbacks of the young Clark Kent growing up in Smallville, coming into his powers and how Lois Lane(Amy Adams) discovers who Superman is. Then from there, how Superman has to battle General Zod(Michael Shannon) who threatens Earth. It's all done great, especially the scenes of young Clark. There are two great, great scenes with him and his parents(Diane Lane and Kevin Costner) that are very emotional. Darn near brought a tear to my eye. The scenes with Russell Crowe(Jor-El, Superman's real Dad) are good, but no where near as effective as when he is with the Kent's. I really enjoyed this movie from start to finish. The story is great, the effects are amazing, and the performances are all top notch. Cavill makes a great Superman, and to me really fits the role better than Reeves and Routh. After about a hundred superhero movies, they still find way to make them fresh and interesting. I don't think this is the best comic book adaptation ever( I'd still put "Dark Knight" and "Avengers" ahead of it), but in my opinion, this is the best Superman movie ever. It's very long, but never feels boring or tedious and keeps the action going. There are some plot holes, but nothing too big that it takes away from the enjoyment of the movie. If I were to have any real big complaints, it's that sometimes it's too serious, but it's suppose to be a very serious movie. There's a couple laughs, but I think it could have benefited from a few more. Excellent Summer movie, and an absolute must watch for comic book fans and Superman fans. Very excited to see where this series goes next.
17 hours ago via Rotten Tomatoes
Everett reviewed...
Dead Man Down (2013)
**
I love revenge movies. "Man on Wire", "Death Wish", "Kill Bill",… More
**
I love revenge movies. "Man on Wire", "Death Wish", "Kill Bill", just something about seeing someone get their revenge is awesome. "Dead Man Down" is the latest revenge movie to come along, and while it's nowhere near as good as the other movies listed, it's still OK. Colin Farrell stars as a man working for the mob who is really plotting to kill them all for the murder of his wife and daughter. Things go off course when he meets a strange woman(Noomi Rapace) who needs him to assist her with some revenge of her own. The cast in this movie is fantastic. Terrence Howard and Dominic Cooper play two of man mob guys, and they play bad, very good. While the cast is great, the material they work with is just "meh", so their performances could have been stronger. The film is very slow, and at a deliberate pace. It clocks at right around 2 hours, but feels more like 2 and a half. Plus, other than the ending, there isn't much action here, it's a lot more story based and atmospheric, which is fine if it were faster. The ending actually is a little unsatisfying. For what it's worth Emily enjoyed it ,and usually she falls asleep during any movie or won't watch these types of movies with me. It's just OK, but not something that will be remembered in the long run.
5 days ago via Rotten Tomatoes
Everett reviewed...
Superman Returns (2006)
***1/2
"Superman Returns" is a sequel to "Superman 2" completely… More
***1/2
"Superman Returns" is a sequel to "Superman 2" completely forgetting the events of 3 and 4. Here, Superman(Brandon Routh) has been gone for 5 years and returns to Earth. Upon returning he sees that Lois(Kate Bosworth) now has a fiancée and a 5 year old son(hmmm). Also, Lex Luthor(Kevin Spacey) is out of prison and planning something new that will destroy Superman, and half of America. This movie gets a pretty bad rap because it's not as action filled as other comic book movies, and shows a much more emotional side of Superman. I hadn't rewatched this since I saw it in the theaters, and I gotta say, it holds up good. It's not as bad as I remember, and if you don't compare it to other superhero movies like "Iron Man" or "Dark Knight", it's good for what it is. Routh does a very solid job as the Man of Steel, even if he looks like a wuss in some parts of the movie. Actually, the whole cast is great, especially Spacey, who is good in anything. Yes there is too much "angst" for a comic book movie, but it was necessary for this particular story. I wish they would have done another one, because I'm curious where it goes with him and the boy. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot. It is very long and drawn out(2 and a half hours is way too long). But is it as bad as people remember? Absolutely not. When comparing this to the Reeve's movies, I think the only one better is number 2, but not by much. Definitely worth another view, and you'll see it's better than what you thought it was.
5 days ago via Rotten Tomatoes
