Movie Money Refinanced: Episode XXIII Ladies and gentlemen, we now live in a post Endgame world. The story of the Avengers has come to an end. Was it a satisfying conclusion? Who knows. All we know is, it made a bag ah money. Don't sleep on this episode because we also get into the Battle of Winterfell, the trailer for Gemini Man, and some upcoming live-action movies based on animated properties.
'Avengers: Endgame' (2019): Excruciatingly Satisfying There are many films that try to be epic. Some do it through mind blowing special effects, others do it through chilling drama. Designed to leave you in awe and possibly without words for what you’ve seen. There are a few films that have succeeded at this, and in doing so become a new standard by which succeeding cinema is measured. The bar is set time and time again, but never has it been set so high as ‘Avengers: Endgame’ So here it is. The result of the impossible task of putting together words for a film that left me without any. I suppose I should start at the beginning, which for most viewers is likely to be surprising in its bleakness. My biggest misgiving going into ‘Endgame’, was that the film’s very existence would cheapen the ending of Marvel’s last epic, ‘Infinity War’. Instead, I was happy to see that everyone of my heroes was now miserable. Rather than sweep the dust that was half the universe’s population under the rug, the film sits with it. It forces you to see the ramifications of the world that was left behind. It does the thing that Marvel does best, humanizes superhumans. You watch as a Raccoon consoles a cyborg, and a group of people used to coming out on top, try to accept that the one time they didn't, is when it mattered the most. 'Avengers: Endgame'…
Movie Money Refinanced: Episode XXII Before Endgame drops and turns the box office world on its head, we take stock of the last surviving few of the top 5. We also give our firsthand reactions to the trailer for Hobbs and Shaw, and the trailer for Child's Play, and X-Men Dark Pheonix.
Movie Money Refinanced: Episode XXI Ladies and gentlemen, this may be the saddest box office of 2019. So many underperforming films, and 2 debut movies near the bottom of the top 10. It's a good thing we had plenty to talk about this week, what with the trailers for 'The Lion King' and 'Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker'. Not to mention the other Star Wars news that was announced, and Marvel's big plans for Disney+.
'Dumbo' (2019): Flying Not So High There’s something missing from ‘Dumbo’. On the face of it, this live action reimagining of the 1941 animated film of the same name has all the makings of an emotional juggernaut. It’s hard not to look into the crisp blue eyes of a big eared baby elephant, and not feel at least a twinge of compassion. Even if the story is not the one viewers might expect. With a score from Danny Elfman, the visionary Tim Burton in the director’s chair, and a cast of solid performers, ‘Dumbo’ has the makings of a smash hit. Yet, something feels off. For starters, this is not the story of Dumbo, an elephant whose natural deformity grants him the gift of flight. Instead, this is the story of a broken family who finds a way to stay together, with the help of their flying elephant friend. The story takes place just after World War I. Colin Farrell plays Holt Farrier, a soldier returning home to his two children after suffering the loss of his left arm. If that wasn’t enough, the family also lost its mother. As they reach their lowest point, Dumbo quite literally soars to new heights. It’s a sequence of events that ought to be moving. Especially when Dumbo’s own separation from his mother is displayed. There are moments in ‘Dumbo’ that aren’t tear jerkers, but they certainly feel like they're supposed to be. The film…