"Avengers: Infinity War" Review by Tim Hellman

'AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The third installment (not counting 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR') in the blockbuster superhero franchise, based on the Marvel Comics' characters. This one has the Avengers teaming up with the Guardians of the Galaxy, to stop Thanos from collecting all of the Infinity Stones so he can bend reality to his will. The movie was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (who also both co-directed 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER' and 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR'), and it was scripted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who also both co-wrote all of the 'CAPTAIN AMERICA' movies). It stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan and the voices of Josh Brolin, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. It's received mostly positive reviews from critics, and it's expected to break all kinds of records at the Box Office of course. The movie is a pretty epic action flick, but it's a little light on actual character development and meaningful story.

The story begins two years after the end of 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR', and the Avengers are still not on speaking terms. Thanos (Brolin) has come to earth to collect the last of the Infinity Stones, which will allow him to form a gauntlet that can bend reality to his will. Hulk (Ruffalo) has arrived just before him, to warn Tony (Downey Jr.) about his plans. At the same time Thor (Hemsworth) meets the Guardians of the Galaxy, in space, and the Avengers must later team-up with them in order to stop Thanos, and save the universe.

The film definitely has a great epic feel to it, and look, and the action scenes are spectacular. There's way too many characters in the movie though, and each one has their own little story; which when added all together makes the whole film feel kind of pointless and empty. I'm sure nerd comic book lovers will still love it, and on a purely superficial/technical level it's quite a film-going experience. In the end though, it's all style over substance, and it's kind of like movie junk food with no real value. It is better than 'JUSTIC LEAGUE' at least though.

"Spider-Man: Homecoming" Review by Tim Hellman

'SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The second reboot of the 'SPIDER-MAN' film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. This one is co-produced by Marvel Studios (for the first time), with Sony Pictures (who previously held the film rights) distributing the movie. It's the 16th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it integrates the Peter Parker/Spider-Man character into the Marvel film universe for the first time. The movie has Parker (now played by Tom Holland) as a 15-year-old high school student, that's trying to balance being a super hero, fighting a new villain called Vulture (played by Michael Keaton, of 'BATMAN' and 'BIRDMAN' fame), and school life (all at the same time). The movie also costars Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr. (as Iron Man/Tony Stark of course, once again), Jon Favreau, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Michael Chernus, Martin Starr and Donald Glover. It was directed by Jon Watts (who's also helmed such indie hits as 'CLOWN' and 'COP CAR') and it was written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Watts and Christopher Ford (a usual writing partner of Watts). The film has received mostly positive reviews from critics, and it's of course another big hit at the Box Office for Marvel Studios. Being a huge Spider-Man fan, I was severely disappointed with this movie!

The story begins in 2012 when a salvage company, ran by Adrian Toomes (Keaton), is ran out of business by Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), but not before Toomes, and his employees, steal some alien technology from a New York site they were working at. They then sell the technology to other criminals, and Toomes builds a suit with it that enables him to fly (and he also takes on the nickname Vulture). 8 years later Peter Parker (Holland) is recruited by Stark to help fight Captain America, and he gives him a special suit to fight criminals with. Parker is eager to become a superhero, while also trying to live a normal high school life. His first major opponent becomes Vulture.

I think the film is well directed, acted and even well written (to a certain extent). I also love how minimal the action scenes are, and I like how the villain isn't really that bad of a guy in it. Still I hate how much Marvel changed the source material. This is kind of a good superhero film, but it's just not a good Spider-Man movie (if they would have called it something else, that would have made it a much better film in my opinion). I also don't like how sexist the casting of this film is, all of the women are really attractive in it (including Aunt May, which is ridiculous), and all of the guys are pretty nerdy (even Flash, which is equally ridiculous). I also hate that it's yet another superhero movie that makes rich people the heroes, while the poor hard working Americans are the villains. Tony Stark should not even be in this film too, it's absurd that he's Spider-Man's mentor! So I really hate so much about this film, and I think Marvel is one of the most evil and corrupt businesses in the world, but I have to admit it's still a well made movie. Spider-Man used to be my favorite superhero though, and now Marvel has ruined him for me.

"Captain America: Civil War" Review by Tim Hellman

'CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR': Five Stars (Out of Five)

The third installment in Marvel Studios' 'CAPTAIN AMERIA' film franchise. The sequel also features many other superhero characters from the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe' (especially the 'AVENGERS' films), and the story deals with Captain America taking on Iron Man; in order to protect his friend Bucky Barnes. The movie stars Chris Evans (reprising the title role) and it costars Robert Downey Jr. (as Iron Man), Sebastian Stan (as Bucky, AKA The Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Bruhl, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Emily Van Camp, William Hurt, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, Marisa Tomei and Martin Freeman. The film also introduces the classic comic book characters Spider-Man and Black Panther (Holland and Boseman), in their Marvel Cinematic Universe feature film debuts. Anthony and Joe Russo returned to direct the movie (they also helmed 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER') and Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely returned to write the script (they also wrote 'WINTER SOLDIER' and co-wrote 'THOR: THE DARK WORLD'). It's received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, and it's (of course) a huge hit at the Box Office. I loved it as well.

Due to the large number of civilian deaths, as a result of The Avengers' battles with various super-villains (over the years), the United Nations wants to form an international governing body, to control the superheroes' actions. Captain America (Evans) is against it, since he thinks they have better judgment than corrupt government officials, whereas Iron Man (Downey Jr.) supports the supervision (due to guilt over creating Ultron, and other tragedies he's responsible for). Other Avengers divide in the conflict, forming two different factions. At the same time Bucky Barnes (Stan) is framed for a bombing in Vienna (which kills a Wakanda King). Captain America wants to protect his friend, while government officials want to kill him. A civil war between the superheroes erupts.

This film gets everything right that 'BATMAN V SUPERMAN' did (one of my other favorite movies this year); it's very dark, dramatic and full of rich character development (all things 'AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON' got wrong). The plot is involving and the action actually serves the story; rather than vice versa! The action scenes are also really cleverly done, and exciting; something increasingly hard to pull off, in modern blockbusters. Downey Jr. actually gives a really good performance again (and he doesn't deliver any horrible jokes, for a change). It's also interesting to see his character as the antagonist; I know he was more of a villain in the comic book, but I think it was smarter for the filmmakers to make the drama (in the film) more nuanced. The movie's politics are also timely and complex. It's just a grade A film all around; I think it's my second favorite Marvel Studios film (after 'GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY'). It's one flaw is that they got Spider-Man wrong though; they made some major changes to the source material, that any fan should be pissed about. I think his character is the worst of the three movie adaptations (and he deserves his own fucking movie to debut in, he's not second banana to 'THE AVENGERS')! Overall the film is fantastic though.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Review - Written by Tim Hellman

'AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Sequel to the 2012 blockbuster superhero flick 'THE AVENGERS'; and the 11th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joss Whedon returned to write and direct this installment (as he did the first) and most of the cast reprises their roles; including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Bettany and Cobie Smulders. Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Idris Elba, Hayley Atwell and others also reprise their parts from other Marvel films; while James Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Linda Cardellini join the cast. This time around the mighty superhero team must battle an artificial intelligence unit, created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, that's bent on revenge; against all of humanity. I found the film to be entertaining, and it's sure to satisfy most comic book fans, but it's definitely a mixed bag.

The story revolves around an A.I. named Ultron (Spader), who comes to life as part of Tony Stark's (Downey Jr.) defense program. Ultron is bent on destroying humanity, instead of protecting it, and enlists the help of two genetically altered twins (Taylor-Johnson and Olsen). He also builds an army of deadly robots, to serve as his army. It's up to the Avengers to stop Ultron and once again save the world.

The movie is all over the place; there's a shitload of characters and most of them are pretty underdeveloped. We do get to learn more about Hawkeye (Renner) and Black Widow (Johansson), the two Avengers who haven't had their own movies yet, but the rest of the principal players don't have engaging story lines. Thor (Hemsworth) serves as great comic relief; but Stark's one-liners are getting very tired and poorly written. There's also some pretty badly done melodrama (throughout the movie) and an oddly placed romance between Hulk (Ruffalo) and Black Widow (What happened to Betty Ross?!). It's also never explained why Tony Stark came out of retirement and has several suits of armor again (after destroying them all in 'IRON MAN 3'). The action scenes go on for way too long (and are pretty reminiscent of 'MAN OF STEEL', or a Michael Bay 'TRANSFORMERS' film). It does have plenty of good moments too, though, and most die-hard fans will still love it; for all the geeky comic shit it does stay true to. It's just not the most well developed, or balanced, movie (as a result). The first film and some other installments, in the Marvel Universe, are better; but this film is definitely still an entertaining and mostly satisfying addition!

"Chef" Blu-Ray Review- Written by Anthony T

“Chef” is a film that I’ve been looking forward to a while, as it marks the return to independent filmmaking for actor/director Jon Favreau who starred in “Swingers” and stared and directed “Made” back in late nineties and early 2000’s. Both films were films that I liked back in the day and still do. Since then, his directorial career has taken off with films like “Iron Man” and “Cowboys and Aliens”. “Chef” is the latest and most ambitious film that he’s done to date.

The film is a about a gifted chef (Favreau), who suddenly quits his job after a food critic (Oliver Platt) writes a very negative review about his cooking and dealing with a boss (Dustin Hoffman) that won’t let him change the restaurant’s menu to please this critic. Without a job, he needs to find a way to pick up his once promising career. He travels to Miami to team up with his ex-wife (Sofia Vi, best friend and son to launch a food truck. His would reignite his passion to cook and give him a new lease on life. The film also Going into “Chef”, I had a feeling that I was going to like this film a lot considering it looked like my type of film. This is a return to form for actor/director Jon Favreau after directing many studio films, this is most definitely is his best film since “Iron Man”.

Most of that had to do with his directing here. One of the main things that makes it work so well, the way that he approaches his screenplay. Whether it’s the way that he directs some of the film best scenes to the way that he made the tone feel upbeat throughout, it made me very invested with was happening. When a film like this makes you want to smile, then you know it’s something that’s going to stick with you. The other thing that Favreau does very well is to make his performance and the performances around him very good. He does a very good making sure he and his cast had chemistry with each other. It made some of the film’s scenes very heartwarming and entertaining. This also helped made this film very enjoyable to watch, as it helped make characters very feel ordinary.

The screenplay from Favreau was just as good as his direction. One of the things that makes his screenplay very good, the way that everything is developed. Favreau does a very good job not rushing things. He made sure to take his time and let the characters and story develop. In an age where most films are rushing scenes to get straight to the action, this film doesn’t. Instead, it builds and builds layers to the point that you’re interested in the main character’s journey to being a relevant chef again. The other thing that I liked about this screenplay was the way that Favreau’s screenplay also spends time focusing on the main character’s relationship with his son. The whole subplot works very well because of the way that he makes those scenes have emotion to them. It made me interested and invested in the whole father/son relationship. It also gives the film some of its heartwarming moments.

The extras starts off with the director’s commentary track. Faverau and co-producer Roy Choi did a great in going into the various aspects of the film’s production. Whether it’s the preparation that Faverau did in anticipation of his role to the stories of the film’s production and screenplay, they both go into great detail about this film. It’s worth checking out after watching this film. After that, the extras wrap up with deleted scenes.

This is truly one of the best films that I’ve seen all year and I hope it finds an audience on DVD and Blu-Ray. With its great direction and very good screenplay, “Chef” is one of the year’s most entertaining and heartwarming releases.

Review Rating: Five Stars
Extras Rating: Two Stars

Jon Favreau's Latest Film "Chef" Set for DVD and Blu-Ray Release

Universal Studios recently announced that "Chef will be hitting DVD and Blu-Ray Combo Pack in September. The film is the latest from Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and stars Favreau, Sofia Verggara, Jon Leguizamo, and Dustin Hoffman.

Special features on the DVD and Blu-Ray include deleted scenes and feature commentary by writer and director Jon Favreau, and chef and co-producer Roy Choi.  "Chef" hits stores on September 30th.

Plot Synopsis:

A disenchanted master chef reclaims his love for cooking and his family during a rollicking road trip through some of America’s most mouthwatering food destinations in Chef, coming to Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD with UltravioletTM on September 30, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Writer, director, actor Jon Favreau (director Iron Man, Elf) stars in this heartwarming comedy with something on the menu for everyone. The Chef Blu-rayTM Combo Pack include uproarious deleted scenes, as well as feature commentary from Favreau and the film’s technical advisor and co-producer, food-truck pioneer Roy Choi.

An online feud with an influential food critic (Oliver Platt) and a creative disagreement with his investor (Dustin Hoffman) convince Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) to hang up his apron at a posh Los Angeles bistro and get his mojo back in Miami’s Cuban-inspired cuisine. When his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) helps him get a fresh start with a rundown food truck, Carl and his best friend and sous chef Martin (John Leguizamo) head across the country with Carl’s young son Percy on a culinary adventure that helps Carl rediscover what matters in life.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ironman, Sherlock Holmes), Scarlett Johansson (Her, The Avengers), John Leguizamo (Ice Age, Ride Along), Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family,” Machete Kills), Bobby Cannavale (Blue Jasmine, Win), Oliver Platt (“Fargo,” X-Men: First Class), Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy, “Alpha House)” and two- time Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman (Meet the Fockers, Rain Man, Kramer vs. Kramer) star in a film that Pete Hammond of Movieline praised as: “Highly entertaining!...It’s got it all: laughs, warmth, terrific actors and lots of mouthwatering food. Jon Favreau has cooked up a real winner NOT to be missed!”

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™.

• Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.

• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.

• DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

Bonus Features on Blu-ray™ and DVD

• Deleted Scenes

• Feature Commentary by writer and director Jon Favreau, and chef and co-producer Roy Choi

Official Stills for John Favreau's Upcoming Film "Chef"

Open Road Films recently released stills for the upcoming Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Swingers) film "Chef" which recently had its world premiere at this year's SXSW Film Festival. The film is written, directed and stars Favreau. Sofia Vergara, John Lequizamo and Dustin Hoffman also costar and features appearances from Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey, Jr. "Chef" hits theaters on 5/28.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official Facebook page at: http://Fb.com/ChefTheFilm  

Plot Synopsis: Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman), he is left to figure out what’s next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), his friend (John Leguizamo) and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen -- and zest for life and love.