PUK Chicks and Vans review.

Review: 3 out of 5.

Back again with the next line of music, which is a group call P.U.K, I ain't got a clue what it stands for but I'll ask whenever I get the chance. For now, just shorten it and name them "PUK". Its made up of Teezy; dubbed the Fresh Prince of Hip Hop, Tigger Da Author, J Scripts and Paigey Cakey, think Young Money of the UK. I heard them first on Spiff TV (ain't everyone?) and it was hard. We need something fresh and that is what they got. "Chicks and Vans" was released in the peak of summer in July and its not bad. Its casual and has swagger. Onto the review, does it have what it takes to drive past my keen senses? Well, only just about.

Good:

PUK went right to the point, Chicks and Vans is all its ever about yeah? You're half right, don't be fooled by just the title of the mix tape. "How could I be wrong?" you say, I didn't say you are completely wrong, in fact you're almost right. "No vans, Chicks only"; I just gave them a new title it should of been called. Its essential, think about it. That's a hit already, I can smell it, just playin' but serious talk I enjoyed it. The best tracks on this mix tape I'll share with all of you is "Killn' it (Ayo)", "Love you later" and "Sexiest" above the rest. I just feel those four tracks show more character, the beat on the first I mentioned was fluid and quite experimental but its wordplay was cool even though it did talk about money and *cough* *cough* b@#£*$! Don't be offended by what I say, I didn't say it. I respect women and love them like cherry pie and cake. You find that in most Hip Hop, get used to it.

Moving on, PUK had some good tracks I could hype up to like its single "Money and Girls" or "Pow Pow Pow". These are not up tempo, though one; the first of the two tracks in comparison had some needed adrenaline to it, which if done proper could of blown everyone away. "Money and Girls" had a kick to it which felt almost like you were being played, but the bars fit to some degree. On "Sexiest", the part with Queen Latifah on the intro was a nice touch. While the concept of it was just pure and simple "Who's the sexiest one in the room?" Although, the best one had to be "Killin' it (Ayo)". I blew that tune indoors to annoy neighbours, not really.

Bad:

I will be honest, Chicks and Vans is not the best mix tape out there but then again its just that, a mix tape. I appreciate the fact they have tried different beats for this and is sort of Alternative Hip Hop, but the content does not match up. My expectations were not high, but on the other hand, I wanted more from it. This felt unfinished, indecisive and run of the mill. I wanted something that I can ride with the beat and to affect me in some way as I listen but its just nothing much to it.

PUK went in with some attitude plus some layered in punchlines, but I get nothing much from their character and there is not much variety. I don't have much problem with flow or anything of the sort, even the beat, the majority of them is brilliant. Its just there is so much that can be done with the lyrics that could of fit with the rhythms. The fact that its length only had 8 tracks is not really much of an issue, but I am sure if I heard at least 4 or more tracks I could see what I can get out of the music.

Overall:

It was a short road trip, but it did have an incentive that is basic. Teezy and the gang did excellent on delivery, mixing was standard and the pacing of these beats is not too bad, I'm not feeling the way its put together. It had fluid sounds but the content is poor. If not for Teezy and Paigey the score would have been lower but if I had more variety, it would be better. My next review will be Wretch 32 album Black and White.

- Written by Kbon.

Barnation World review.

Review: 3.5 out of 5.

I'm back everyone,

Last month has been crazy. I left my review scribe of movie reels and settled in, now talking about music. What I have for you people here is a person from up North who I met a few times on set during his videos. He is laid back and is pretty safe. He calls himself Blaze Barnation. I have listened to his mix tape and I heard that he produced some of his own songs. That is a great art to have, considering most wannabe artist's or genuine ones scramble to find producer's and worry about gettin' signed to the best label. Music is not that easy to get into. Forget X-Factor an' that so-called reality-pansy rubbish, it's deeper than River Thames. Anyway, back to Blaze, it's not a bad mix at all. In fact, it can be marketable.

Good:

Blaze really knows how to set the mood as he often variate his tone on a particular beat while still keeping his flow locked. He has a very distinctive style which can go from a monotone to an upbeat Garage, Dub step, pace. You can tell which area his background comes from within this genre. The good thing is that his delivery is quite unique and I'm here scratching my head trying to figure out what artist could he be influenced from, British that is. I'm thinking of maybe Bashy, Ghetts or K-Coke but I could be wrong. Not sure, but I'm not gonna wrestle and rack my brain too much on it. Its better left another day.

There are some great tunes out there, but the good thing about this is its a different story every track. Every track is like a new chapter that progressed until the bitter end. The content is great, but I feel there is something missing. I will get onto the other side of it later, but I want to tell you some of the hardest bars on the mix-tape. I won't spoil it, but even though one of his tracks was not on my top list "A Star" featuring Drea was slow and quite built with electronica, but not hardcore. The beat was decent and had a strong voice from the singer. Blaze spit lines I liked "Tupac was talkin' about changes, something that can uplift our nation" and this one "But just cause I'm stuck an' coulda been ballers, but you're not, your more like a supporter". Those two bars are honest, smack in the middle and had meaning. Yes, Tupac was talking about changes. Another thing is "ballers", living the fast lane don't always give easy pickings and if you support that you are just as contradictory as them. There are more tracks I want to dive into.

The favourite tracks I have listened to is "Sometimes I Don't Want to Be Alive", "Legend", "I Am a Champion", just to name a few. The best guests alongside Blaze was Dominic, Abstrakt E, Blink and Sylvia. It feels more mainstream somehow, but I think it will catch on quickly if it hits the right circuit. The mixing was well put together and goes in and some of the tracks sound almost like remixes of each other, but its not, which is strange but yes, he came out the box. The way he ends on a line is a nice touch, something many rappers tend to do these days. He makes it his own though with his flow. Those are the best things about the mix-tape, as he swung punch lines right in a match.

Bad:

Now, with the highs always come with lows. I will be fair, there is not many tunes I listened to in the UK that are like this. I'm a hard judge, I don't try to go for commercial stuff. Not that there's anything wrong, but it has it's short coming's. One thing I have a problem with is his bars are sometimes not clear. I'm not someone who listens to music just for base, and I admit it's sick but I want to hear the lyrics as well. Those are what get me when I jump and start bopping my head. I need it, otherwise I miss out. Another thing is the tracks such as "A Star", "Let go", "Gorgeous" and "Lost With Nowhere to Go" has base and melody that is almost too similar. People may lose interest quickly, but the rest of the mix-tape such as "hood tracks" like "Rain on dem" help to compensate. I'm not into his other track "R-Kelly", but I think it's Blaze just having fun. I gotta say, the "R-Kelly swagger" is corny but catchy. Not a bad run, it's pretty swell.

Overall:

Barnation World did manage to make you feel at home with some very fitting tracks which can easily hit the mainstream. He is a talented rapper and producer who knows what he is doing, there is respectable delivery that goes right in but I feel it needed more work to push it to the right side of the spectrum. The biggest praise was the acts by Dominic, Abstrakt E and Blink. I think if the singers like Drea and Grace had more qualms, it would have potential to push it into the next wing of success. The next review will be P.U.K's EP and after that, is a surprise.

- Written by Kbon.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes review.

Review: 4 out of 5.

When I saw that there was going to be another adaptation of Planet of the Apes, I didn't know what to think. I watched the remake in 2001 with Mark Wahlberg and I felt almost like dung was being thrown in my face. Seriously, it was that bad. I flicked through all trailers on TV and decided to go watch only after my friend did who said it was fantastic. I'm not too familiar with the franchise, only after watching it and browsing on the internet, I realized there were many other films made into adaptations of the book by Pierre Boulle in a film series. This movie is more of an origin story or you could say a prequel to the original series from the late 60's and early 70's.

Now a decade since the remake in 2001 was introduced to the general public to a new generation, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a reboot by 20th Century Fox. The film is directed by Rupert Wyatt. It followed Will Rodman (James Franco), scientist of the pharmaceutical, Gen-Sys. Rodman is trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer's disease and is using a genetically engineered virus on chimpanzees. The virus initially repairs neurons in their brain and then mutates. Bright Eyes (Terry Notary), having given birth to a baby chimp, ran amok in the experiment and caused a ruckus in a board meeting where Rodman presented the cure and is killed. It turned out she was only protecting her baby and after Rodman is told to eradicate all test subjects by Steven Jacobs (David Oyelowo), his boss; Robert Franklin (Tyler Labine), the ape handler, advised that Rodman take care of the baby chimp. Rodman took him home and his father named it Caesar (Andy Serkis).

8 years later, Caesar, inherited by his mother's genes of a high scaled intelligence; now evolved into a human pet. He can communicate with Rodman using sign language. Rodman tests a sample of the cure to his father, Charles (John Lithgow), who is struck with Alzheimer's disease. At first, he improves but his Dementia slowly returned as his immune system fought off the virus. Tortured by gate keepers, in a Primate Sanctuary, by John Landon (Brian Cox) and Dodge (Tom Felton), Caesar rose to power and led the other apes in a revolution against human society and oppression. The uprising has begun.

Good:

One of the best films of 2011, this Ape feature could tussle even Peter Jackson's King Kong all the way to the top. I am pleased with the fact it delivered. It has a rich story which explained a lot of things. It really played well the angle the filmmakers were getting at; the apes high IQ being a result of genetic engineering, the fall of mankind and the ape's rebellion all fit into place. I mean, I couldn't buy extraterrestrials in monkey form, could I? All those favour of Oozaru, don't remind me.

The strengths was the stupendous work on motion capture with all the apes by Chernin Entertainment including Serkis' role of a prodigal, morbid, Caesar, who proved more than just a pet. James Franco nailed the struggling doctor pretty hard and could balance his dramatic interactivity with his relationships between the father, boss, primatologist girlfriend Caroline Aranha, played by Freida Pinto and his companion every bit as tight. His character arc was told very skilfully and Franco knew how to grow aware of something a little out of nature brought into reality. Stepping past the fact he is not speaking with a chimp is not easy to conduct. I commend the majority of the main and supporting cast for their handiwork.

Bad:

Surprisingly it did not have many flaws, if not next to nothing. I only have a problem with the pacing of this magnificent story. It was a snail pace from the beginning but that was minor. At least it wasn't talkative and it was pretty unexpected. In most origin stories, Act 1 is the slowest, but it depends on a lot of factors; the impact of the inciting event or build up towards it and how much the audience want to invest in the characters. If they have a rich background, obviously it will take a while to present it on screen. On the other hand, there are exceptions.

Although the performances from the leading roles equally on the human and chimp races, including stunning visual effects, there was something about it that was missing. I expected more on the delivery. Now, I don't get "too gassed" on movie trailers, but let's be real everyone - we bought tickets (some of us) so that we can enjoy a well spent film, ain't that right? I'm not saying this wasn't but I wanted more in terms of big scale action. Its a revolution in the making, for Christ sake. This is very big since Parallax's attack in Coast City (Green Lantern), at least make it feel like one. Reason I say this is a few scenes from the trailer was missing; one clip from a tree climbing scene was supposed to have Dodge appear looking from below who is scared of the ape plus two other scenes I won't spoil. Another thing I was most disappointed in was the ending was quite weak. Though, it did make sense which wasn't too bad.

Overall:

This review should be 3.5 out of 5, but for astounding performances from James Franco, Andy Serkis and Tom Felton made it 4 stars. Brilliant acting, script, direction; I applaud Rupert Wyatt for his vision in making this film happen. With scrupulous editing or continuity issues during post-production and a less impacted ending it could be a titchy bit more epic. Music by Patrick Doyle complimented the action scenes. The post credit sequence also fit most pieces together in store for any future sequels. If you're into sci-fi or have a love of animals, this is the movie for you. That's it, I'm taking a break from reviewing films. Next up, is Blaze Barnation's mixtape, Barnation World.

- Written by Kbon

Cow Boys and Aliens review.

Review: 2 out of 5.

I was going to see the premiere one day at the O2 but cancelled. My rotten luck, well let's face it, life doesn't always give you what you want. So, I conclude in one simple opinion that this movie is below mediocre. Its a show reel that has every sequence tarnished. I will be quick, Cow Boys and Aliens is written by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, Mark Fergus and Haw Ostby. The screenplay was formed by a story from the latter two writers and Steve Oedekerk. It was directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), the film is based on the graphic novel in 2006 created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg (I think his last name might be Russian for "where I got my madness from"). It was published by Platinum Studios. Enough credits, I don't feel like commending anybody today. Oh well, here we go.

Good:

This 118 minute sci-fi western had a terrific start, as we go neck-deep into New Mexico, 1873. A loser found himself in the middle of nowhere, struck in the abdomen, memory loss and some futuristic bracelet on his wrist. The amnesiac (Daniel Craig) fought his way out of capture and reached a small town, Absolution. Preacher Meachem (Clancy Brown) dressed his wound. Following a confrontation with Percy Dolarhyde (Paul Dano), we learn the stranger is Jake Lonergan from Sheriff Taggart (Keith Carradine). He attempted to arrest Jake as he is a wanted man. Almost free, Jake is knocked unconscious by an unfamiliar woman named Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde), who he met earlier in a bar.

Elsewhere, Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), Percy's father, arrived in Absolution to bail his son out. He also wanted Jake, who stole Woodrow's gold. Suddenly, flying saucers attack the town. Percy, the Sheriff and many civilians are taken hostage in what appeared to be space ships. Jake managed to hold them off with the bracelet that fashioned into a weapon. He fired a powerful laser beam that shot down one of the ships as the rest dispersed. The remaining survivors of the invasion; Jake, Woodrow, Ella, Doc (Sam Rockwell), Emmett Taggart (Noah Ringer) and Meacham track down the missing passenger who threatened a lot of people. The assailant is obviously not from this world and escaped onto the desert.

At this point, Jake started to collect parts of his memories about him being involved with a woman, Alice (Abigail Spencer), before they were abducted by aliens. The flick does have its strong points with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford who fit well in the cast and the actors presumably had fun playing their roles. The story was put together nicely, but along the way it kind of fumbled itself and did not seem right. The aliens were good cave dwellers but they are not that bright in the metaphorical and literal sense. There is a flaw in their logic and motive. The performances from most of the cast was excellent, setting was exotic, steaming and class plus the visual effects and shots were okay.

Bad:

Now, the fact is I don't usually watch Westerns. I appreciate them for what they are, but it's not my taste. Usually, the reality is most run on the same old formula; if it's not Cow Boys chasing Indians, its a traditional cops and robbers anecdote. Don't get me wrong, some Westerns like Spaghetti Westerns, "The Wild Wild West", "No Country For Old Men" and "True Grit" are good but I rather go for a Western that has something different. To be fair, Cow Boys and Aliens did have potential but flopped on its own merits. I guess there is different and way up in the stars. It had no structure and lacked a voice. You can see the style of what devices are used and how it is told. Flashbacks and flash-forwards are very much Lindelof's style plus the swagger and dramatic tension is largely Kurtzman and Orci's.

Although the actors performed well in the respective characters, one of them, Ella played by Wilde I had trouble with. The big reveal in her role was too predictable and her characterization made her seem very solitary, which ain't too bad, however it is flat. There wasn't much Wilde could do since its how she was being written. Her figure was stunning and she did as best as she could at the least, but some more interaction with the other characters may be noted. Sequences with the aliens themselves were cool, but there wasn't much depth in their grand plan and their object of pursuit weren't explained very well. I won't give out too much but let's just say it didn't sink in too deep and was not clear. This is sad because the conflict between the aliens and humans faced is quite interesting, creepy and did shake me up a little bit (jokes).

One next factor is it had drama but poor on the action, I'm not expecting a lot of shooting, wide explosions, fisty-cuffs and death rays "The Expendables" style but the middle section did not have much tension. Most carried out was coming up with an initiative to defeat the aliens rather than a hint of challenges. It couldn't hurt with some humour either, its difficult to relate to something as outlandish as this. I mean Firefly had some quirks and it was successful, why? Because it had a brilliant cast, slick, multicultural, storyline, it also balanced action, tension and humour. The dialogue on that show had wit and even one of the captain's held a gun. Not to say this movie didn't have guns, but they knew how to use it. A friend told me Westerns are known for their focus on landscapes and panoramic shots. That is true, but without dilemma or favorable characters, it would be dull.

Overall:

Smooth direction, wonderful cast, superb premise but a patchy script and huge downplay on action. It had poor characterization from Ella who did fine as some female stranger but did not have much edge or affection to land her in the same league of Craig or Ford's character. Same can be said for the aliens, their purpose for their invasion was sketchy and the reason is stupid and made no sense. Its plot was extremely straight and narrow, their twists and turns weren't felt at all and can be guessed. Though its ending was crisp and sweet. Visuals, shots plus edits were pretty satisfactory, but continuity weren't kept up and lost integrity. The only time I'll watch this again is if I join the cast of a sequel for Attack the Block.

- Written by Kbon

Captain America: The First Avenger review.

Review: 3.5 out of 5.

Listen, before you read the rest of this review, I would like to say I remember promising you all for doing a preview of Phoenix Da Icefire's upcoming new album, Quantum Leap. But I thought rather than show you a video of 5 Jewels why not review the whole thing when it comes out. Alright, now that is clear, let me say, after having viewed a backlog of superhero films this 2011 with the Old Norse God, Thor, mutant supremacist, X-Men First Class, along with the emerald - wise cracking - Green Lantern I decided to take on World War II veteran Captain America The First Avenger.

Directed by Joe Johnston, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, it is based on the Marvel Comics character that is created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Again helmed for production with a duration of 124 minutes by Marvel Studios, this is the last Paramount Pictures film that will dare to distribute any of their characters. This was produced by Kevin Feige (Iron Man). Movies in this genre are hard to pass ahead, you got to leave the cliche factors behind and it can't take itself too seriously and mustn't be a spoof. I think that's where Green Lantern and Thor didn't nail. Another, is you can't ground the main character too much otherwise they run around without any purpose. That is what I hated the most about the last two I mentioned.

Good:

The film stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a young man who desperately wanted to aid his country in the war effort during the 1940's. Deemed unfit for service and denied several times in five different locations for military duty, Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) gives Rogers the benefit of the doubt and is recruited in a super soldier experiment. Erskine, Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and British MI5 Officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) head the program. Doused with a unique serum and vita-rays (seriously who names these things?), Rogers is then genetically altered into the star-spangled, American hero.

The first act ended nicely with the broader, courageous, Rogers subduing Heinz Kruger (Richard Armitage), Nazi assassin of Johaan Schmidt/Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). Marcus and McFeely did a great job in making the script tight; action, drama, conflicts and humour were in the right places and did not feel over-complicated and was very easy to follow. Apart from Chris who nailed the feel and spirit of the leading role perfectly, Hayley did well in her depiction of Peggy Carter as did the majority of the supporting cast with Tommy Lee Jones.

My favourite scene is the rescue of Bucky (Sebastian Stan) and when Captain America meets Red Skull for the first time. The next was the battle with HYDRA in the full red, white and blue suit in an enemy base. The action sequences in that location were fantastic, particularly the shield throwing moments which are iconic. The set designs, visual effects and costume designs were solid; Cap's final outfit were obviously inspired by The Ultimate Marvel universe in the comics (an imprint separate from the mainstream comics). Although, the 3D were not visually an impact on screens.

Bad:

Despite all of the aptitudes that make this film look great, there were some inconsistencies. One is the inaccuracy of the actual time period, now I know Johnston stated in an interview this is not actually a period piece but is set within some alternate timeline in 1942, which does kind of justify some of the flaws (the advanced technology) and MI5 not known in those days. However, even so, it should be a little more consistent. I mean you don't see little green men in space pods running amok in Ancient Greece. I do appreciate the twists and turns in that era.

Another thing was character development of Red Skull was not good enough, Weaving got the accent right but it left him not having much arm stretches to enter his psyche and show why the concoction screwed him up the way it did. Yes he is a villain, but he is a pretty two dimensional one at that. The Red Skull I know is more than that, but instead he is reduced to just a super - cardboard - cut-out - version of the bad guy who promoted Hitler's fascist ideologies. The writers did not take enough time out to flesh him out more, if they gave Weaving a bit more screen time it could allow us as the audience to take a glimpse of the relation between the Captain and Red Skull. They are metaphors for the American Dream plus Nazi Dictatorship.

One more thing, we need to see more of the situation at hand with the war. Take for example, Saving Private Ryan, I don't mean blood and guts cause that will raise the whole certificate to about 15 but show what is happening rather than show Cap destroying HYDRA Bases. It may not be a war film but it is set in that period and not just show it in newspapers, TV, etc. People need to absorb the whole scenery and noise as if they were there. So, throw in a few more explosions here and there, possibly land Cap in with his Howling Commando's in a bit more missions and help out on the front lines. Cap has a gun, so make him use it. Editing was pretty standard, sound okay, music need to be a bit grittier and less campy.

Overall:

3D was a drag, but did not ruin the experience. Fantastic work Evans for your interpretation of Cap and a strong, collaborative, supporting cast. Thanks a lot Director Johnston for your vision of the earliest avenger, your flukes are forgivable. Great start, lazy writing by Markus and McFeely in the second act but excellent finish. To better capture the essence of your world's setting, it would have been gratifying if the director gave a deeper outlook of what life would have been like during World War II in Spring of 1942. Could do with a few more interconnections with the characters such as the Red Skull, Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) and Bucky Barnes but I can't complain. Nice treat at the post credits scene between Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Rogers setting the stage for The Avengers film next year in 2012. Flashy visuals, good touch and is worth buying tickets. It shows how fun and tough being a renowned protector is all about.

- Written by Kbon

Green Lantern (2011) review.

Review: 2.5 out of 5.

Now, to be honest, I was not into the character of Green Lantern. In fact I never got into DC characters besides Bat-Man and Superman. From trailers online, I figured this should be good, but I tried to sink everything I could get, therefore, on the day I made the most of it by eating a buffet. Plus it was for my birthday so I wasn't taking any chances. For some reason, I decided to give it a shot and before I knew it, I ordered my ticket as I had a few laughs then jumped in the hot seat. Apparently, this was very well anticipated but I blocked out any negative snaps at it and made a conclusion myself. The result, pretty disappointing, but can be quite feasible to those like me who did not invest in the character but went there for a barrel of fun. Sorry geeks, all you out there are gonna be crying your eyes out but not in awe but from having your childhood ripped away from you.

This pile of Flubber, Green Lantern, is the superhero film based on DC comics that was created by John Broome and Gil Kane. The film is directed by Martin Campbell and a collected number of writers by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg. It was released in the UK in June 22nd 2011 and distributed by Warner Brothers Pictures. Don't ask me why there's so many scriptwriters? Two of which, have written comics for big publishers. If you are not aware of the character, there are many Green Lanterns who hold the power of will - in retrospect to do anything as long as the bearer doesn't feel fear - through an incredulous ring. In this case, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a test pilot for airlines at Ferris Aircraft. Jordan is chosen to be a Green Lantern by the ring after he visited his predecessor, extraterrestrial, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), of Sector 2814. Jordan must learn to past his jerkiness ways and leave all of his doubts and insecurities in order to face an ever present and intergalactic threat that could destroy entire worlds including Earth.

Good:

As much as the delivery was rubbish, the visuals in 3D were good but not the best. For once I want a film that stands out in 3D. For me, at this point, its either 2D or nothing. Ryan Reynolds was a good choice for the lead, but to be honest, I could not see anyone who could play Jordan. His smug, comedic, arrogant fly boy persona was done to a small degree cool to me. The problem is simple; I could not take him seriously. What I liked about this film is it used a thematic subject matter that is predominant within the entire walls of the movie, which are both fear and willpower. Unlike Bat-Man, Green Lantern does not use fear to overcome his foes as an advantage. Instead, he must use it to deal with the fear within himself. Jordan has been afraid most of his life, ever since his father, Martin Jordan (Jon Tenney) passed away in a plane crash. That is what stood out for me as humans are often terrified by things which they can't understand. Anything seen as breaking the realms of physics is a threat and must be under strict order.

The powers are great, but the visual effects are another story. I will talk about that later, now lets go through story-line; in the first 15 minutes or so pretty action packed. The being known as Parallax (Clancy Brown) is set free by siphoning fear and the life force of unfortunate victims of a crash site on the planet Ryut. Later, Abin Sur is mortally wounded by the creature in Sector 2814 and he crash landed on Earth. That sequence was put together, well but up to the point when Hal Jordan is recruited and he transported in a ball of energy to given the power ring and battery. He spoke the oath "In brightest day, In blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight, Let those who worship evil's might, Beware my power! Green Lantern's light". After the 30 minutes closed the beginning, with the wary and confused Jordan sort condolence with Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), a fellow pilot. He got caught in a bar fight and his powers revealed itself. Meanwhile, Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), is summoned by his father Senator Robert Hammond (Tim Robbins) in a secret project to perform an autopsy on Abin Sur. Hector is mutated by a piece of Parallax then granted psychic abilities.

During the middle part of this plot, this is where things started to go downhill. The scenes with a training session on planet Oa between Jordan, Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Sinestro (Mark Strong) were interesting, laughable and swell, especially sword-fighting using constructs. Despite this it was like irritant fly boy got a big wound, now he flies home to his mother. Jordan did just that, except the visit to clear Mum part over his own pride not being dignified after the battle. I expected a quick resolute of this, luckily he had a best friend back at Ferris Aircraft, Thomas Kalmaku (Taika Waititi), an engineer on the airlines who at least taught him how to be a "space cop" as he broke to Carol. Not much action had broke until the mysterious attack at the helicopter event. The overall premise had a brilliant concept.

Bad:

Let me start with the basics, Green Lantern had an exceptional premise for this kind of movie. I admired the character of the hero but there are instances where he was quite annoying, I mean he is a smart Alec plus a bastard. He was played a bit poorly but Reynolds is alright in some other situations. The script was terrible, one liners did not sink in well for some of the character's dialogue at their crack at in-jokes with the entire middle that had fell very flat. It made me feel that all four of the writers might of took a puff every now and then during lunch. Personally, I blame Geoff Johns, only kidding. Well someone needs a scapegoat, don't we all? The direction was pretty less warming but you could see poor Martin didn't have much to work with. So did the actors, which is not fair on them.

Another thing is visual effects of the ring's animation and energy projections were tacky. Some of them remind me of the Ki effects from one of the worst movies of 2009, Dragon Ball Evolution. We are talking about will power, get it straight people! That kind of might is infinite. Its not stunning enough and feel more like Eye-Toy flare ups. To top it off, the hero had not developed at all, okay he learnt key lessons but that was all. Even the super-villain, Dr. Hector Hammond did not accomplish much accept having successfully maimed his Dad over senseless resentment. Neither sides of the same coin had much to fulfill. It just felt empty, bitter and dreary.

Overall:

I would say to everyone, you most likely would be frankly disheartened. Go out and have a good time but make the most of it whenever you can at the rental store whether you are a comic fan or not. Visuals was quite satisfactory with music so trite you might think it was from a John Williams Superman score. Acting performances were better in the supporting cast than a few of the major casts, blamed with an out of place script and less than ideal SFX. Though nice vision, ideas, designs and sets. I got to say thank you to its promotion, very well done for an settled evening.

- Written by Kbon

Smallville Season Finale review.

Review: 4 out of 5.

Sorry people, it has been a long time since I reviewed anything for Kbon Reviews. Bad, I know but I have been occupied in the last few months. I wrote a piece on the Fast and Furious 5 plus I am set to examine the music video by Phoenix Da Icefire on the Five Jewels. Before I continue, I would like to recommend all of you to check on the posts by a friend call Andre. His blog is www.nemesisthehunter.blogspot.com and has been doing some interesting stuff recently. Look out for the animation trailer, which is during Nemesis the Hunter's Mark issue 1. Follow his blog and support the cause. Right, now its back to my review on Season 10 of Smallville.

There are so many episodes this show has I would like to comment about but the one I would be glad to review the most is "Finale part 1 and 2". Its been almost a decade since the first Pilot episode aired in 2001. Not many TV shows last this long, hardly any even make it past the third season. For me, I watched it on and off when it was shown on the T4 Channel in the UK and on E4. I got back into the show when it hit Season 8 when Clark Kent (Tom Welling) had to face "the Ultimate Destroyer", Smallville's answer to Doomsday (Davis Bloome) played by Samuel Witwer. It was more interesting, plus I never saw what the fuss was about in their showdown, it was not that great but it wasn't terrible either.

Good:

"Finale Part 1" written by Al Septien and Turi Meyer and directed by Kevin Fair, to be honest, had a very slow pace. It was mostly about Clark's persistence in not being left at the altar, once Lois Lane (Erica Durance) began to have cold feet in the previous episode, "Prophecy". She became insecure of the fact she is taking on a big responsibility with grounding a lover of god-like calibre, especially a superhero. Despite its slow beginning it did have some good points. The messages of not forgetting the past but remembering them and learning from your history in order to put things right in the future was inspiring. These lessons were learned from Johnathan and Martha Kent (John Schneider and Annette O'toole) respectively. When it came down to the wedding, it just went out with a bang. Oliver Queen, Clark's best man, also known as Green Arrow, was unfortunately marked by the darkness in the form of an Omega symbol. It turned out Darkseid wanted to get rid of our Boy Scout for good by slipping Clark with gold kryptonite. This rare meteor rock could strip him of his powers for good.

Smack in the middle of "Finale Part 2", teleplay written by Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders but directed by Greg Beeman, after Clark lifts Oliver from the darkness by a calm, altruistic sense of persuasion, both heroes find an even larger threat in the form of a literal Hell on Earth. At this point, more action sequences kick in (finally) as it is where the script gets tight. One good thing about this 2 hour finale of this series is although it is a TV double bill, if you will, on the CW network, this feels more like a TV movie. This episode has the biggest cast, superbly talented, in season 10 and we have guest star galore with Allison Mack as the inquisitive, Oracle dweller, Chloe Sullivan. John Glover does well as usual in his portrayal of Lionel Luthor, this time of an alternate Earth. So too did Michael Rosenbaum who reprised his role as Lex Luthor.

Bad:

Despite all the highlights of this episode, there were some negative parts as well. Flaws of continuity have been present throughout e.g. the fight between Clark and Evil Oliver at the wedding. One minute they have toppled on a basin near the altar full of Holy Grail, the next shot both men appear dry. One instance, Lois, while in the Daily Planet arguing with a reporter about getting a seat at Air Force One and warning the President of an invasion. Here, Lois knocks out this reporter, but when she is on the ground, the victim is still moving afterwards. Its just these shots are not that consistent within the frames, either the editor did a bad job or its down to the actors. Another thing I am unsatisfied with is Clark's battle with Darkseid, in more ways than one, its the worst ever showdown with a major antagonist on Smallville. I can't ruin the whole show but expect the fight to be less than spectacular, at least his battle with General Zod in season 9 was better. It actually makes Darkseid too much of just a mere presence and not intimidating enough. The villain is supposed to be the hero's share in might or surpasses him/her in one way. Never his/her subordinate, although there are some exceptions but only to serve as comic effect. There is also lengthy montage during the little tussle, which was not at all necessary. Nevertheless, the production team did a great payoff at the end.

Overall:

Executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders did a fantastic job with the second half in the Finale. The beginning felt slow and unmovable, there were some parts in the 2-hour epic, which need a touch up but the rising force on an intergalactic scale allowed the pace to get more interesting. There was some brilliant set pieces, the lighting was perfect apart from messy cinematography and loud, blaring music in a few places. All the cast did wonderful with one small fluke by Cassidy Freeman as Tess Mercer, but her role has served a purpose that was true in character. As for the Superman suit, very Brandon Routh with a Christopher Reeve edge but its a shame Tom Welling is not seen much inside the costume. This is a must see guarantee, go and buy the DVD along with the box set while you're at it.

- Written by Kbon