JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017) – My rating: 8/10

Justice League is a superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name consisting of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. The film is directed by Zack Snyder with a screenplay by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, from a story by Terrio and Snyder. There are many reasons I’m glad Justice League was created.  I was a very unhappy camper when they decided to kill off Superman, especially by the likes of Batman, who actually has no super powers.  That was the biggest injustice in super hero history, in my opinion.  Justice League redeemed that unfortunate event, which made my day.  I also got to see Aquaman in all his glorious action, which also made my day.  So much eye candy, so little time!  I was well entertained as well.

Thousands of years ago, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), an alien military officer from Apokolips and his army of Parademons attempted to conquer and remake Earth through the combined energies of three “Mother Boxes”. They were foiled by a unified army that included Olympian Gods, Amazons, Atlanteans, humans, and Green Lanterns. After repelling Steppenwolf’s army, the Mother Boxes were separated and hidden in three locations around the world.

In the present, all the world is in mourning over the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), which has triggered the Mother Boxes to reactivate along with Steppenwolf’s return to Earth in an effort to regain favor with his master, Darkseid.  When Steppenwolf retrieves a Mother Box from Themyscira, Amazonian Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) warns her daughter, Diana Prince / Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), of his return by lighting the invasion fire located in the palace.  As a result, Diana joins Bruce Wayne / Batman (Ben Affleck) in an attempt to unite other Meta-humans.  Bruce Wayne goes after Arthur Curry  / Aquaman (Jason Momoa), a member of the Justice League and heir to the throne of the undersea nation of Atlantis and Barry Allen / Flash (Ezra Miller), also a member of the Justice League and a Central City University student, who can move at superhuman speeds due to his ability to tap into the Speed Force. Diana Prince tries to locate Victor Stone / Cyborg (Ray Fisher), another member of the Justice League and a former college athlete who, after being cybernetically reconstructed after a near fatal car accident, has powers that allow him to fly, turn his arms into cannons, and manipulate technology.  Once the team is assembled, they go into action to keep Steppenwolf from acquiring all three of the Mother Boxes, but fail.  The team receives intel from James Gordon (J. K. Simmons), the Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department and close ally of Batman, leading them to Steppenwolf’s army, based in an abandoned facility under Gotham Harbor.

As usual, I’ve said enough.  The story gets even more interesting and how the Justice League keeps Earth from being destroyed by Steppenwolf is exciting.  Flash and another member of the Justice League have similar powers and are always in competition.  There are many funny scenes, as well as  lots of muscle flexing.  Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons) stepped up his role as Bruce Wayne’s butler, chief of security and trusted confidant.  Also Diane Lane reappears as Martha Kent and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.  Justice League is a great super hero film with an all-star cast and a good story to back it up.  I recommend it to all – check it out for yourself!
 

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) – My rating: 7.5/10

Ghost in the shell is not a new concept just more modern because the cyborgs are suppose to be better, stronger and faster. The film is futuristic and focuses on artificial intelligence becoming dominant in the struggle against terror attacks and crime. Of course big corporations are running the show and corruption has it’s usual place in society. Hanka Robotics is the leading developer of augmentative technology and is involved in a secret project to develop a mechanical body they call a shell that will allow the integration of a human brain instead of an AI.

Hanka Robotics’ CEO, Cutter’s (Peter Ferdinando) test subject, Mira Killian/Motoko Kusanagi (Scarlett Johansson), was a young female survivor of a cyber-terrorist attack whose body was damaged beyond repair. By loading artificial memories into her memory cells, Mira was made to believe that she was saved from a car crash. Many young candidates were chosen to become a cyborg but there are rigorous test they would have to past in order to be the best. Also their bodies would have to withstand all sorts of injections and future repairs, so most didn’t make it.  Mira Killian became the Counter Terrorism Operative and a year later achieves the rank of Major working with Operatives, Batou (Pilou Asbæk) and Togusa (Chin Han) under Chief Daisuke Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano).  The team is very successful but Killian starts to experience hallucinations regarding her past but her designer, Dr. Ouelet (Juliette Binoche), dismisses them as glitches.  However, Killian becomes increasingly bothered by how little she remembers about her past.

Eventually Killian and her trusted partner, Batou encounter Hideo Kuze (Michael Pitt) as a result of a geisha, a hacker, murder and a lot of excitement and adventure.  Dr. Ouelet admits there were 98 test subjects before Killian but she was the only one to survive the process and that her memories are fake implanted ones.  There are lots of secrets to be revealed and lots more to this story.  If you want answers, check out Ghost in the Shell.  It’s not the best futuristic movie I’ve seen but it’s fun and worth the time to see Scarlett Johansson in that very sexy “shell” of an outfit.  Also the special effects are fantastic!

 

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