"The Descendants" Review

Long time no type I guess. Sorry to all the loyal readers out there but I've been pretty busy with school lately. It's crunch time so there have been essays due and tests to study for and that won't be letting up for another week or so. Over my Thanksgiving break I managed to schedule in something I actually wanted to do. Sunday night, before getting back to the grind, Turbo and I went and saw The Descendants. It's a new film by Sideways director, Alexander Payne, starring George Clooney. The story is set in Hawaii where Matt King (Clooney) has been burdened with the responsibility of caring for his children alone after his wife is in a boating accident and falls into a coma. In the movie the doctors reveal that she won't be waking up and King has to start informing his family and friends, while guiding his children through the challenges that come with such a tragedy. In addition to this, he finds his wife was cheating on him (it's in the trailer so I don't think that's a spoiler) and he takes it upon himself to find out as much as he can about his wife's lover.

Alexander Payne said in a recent interview that he finds the setting of a story to be just as important as the story itself. The fact that The Descendants takes place in Hawaii means a lot. For one, it means we get plenty of shots of the beautiful archipelago. The King family are the descendants of King Kamehameha himself. In the film, Matt and his cousins are trying to decide what to do with all of their land. Matt, being the sole trustee, has final say on what is to be done with the land. Matt King's independent wealth along with his connections take us from island to island to see the crystal clear beaches, miles of sandy coastline, and green jungles and grasses (jungles and grasses that his cousins propose they sell to hotel builders). The setting also means we get a look at a life that many of us probably don't consider. If someone tells you they're from Salt Lake City or Seattle, you probably just assume it's shitty there like it is wherever you live. But if someone says they're from Hawaii, we get this idea of some amazing exotic life where everyone's kicking back 24/7. The movie immediately attacks this notion and never lets up. They've got all the same problems over there as we do here in the mainland. They need lawyers and real estate agents. They have in-laws who hate them and annoying neighbors. The only difference is that they can usually count on the weather being nice. The score in the film is another huge factor in allowing the setting to come to life. Hawaiian music is heard all over the place. At the end of the credits we couldn't even pronounce the names of the majority of pieces. I'm just glad no one who spoke traditional Hawaiian was there to hear us butchering their language.

Matt's big surface problem throughout the movie is that he doesn't know how to deal with his two daughters, Scottie (10-years-old) and Alexandra (17). He refers to himself as the "backup" parent in the movie. When Scottie is first introduced, she's in trouble for showing her classmates disturbing pictures of her comatose mother in school. Alex is away at a private school originally and when Matt and Scottie go to pick her up on a whim, she's out golfing drunk with a friend. It suffices to say, there's a lot on Matt's plate as he begins the "single parent" era of his life. The characters allude to a dark past for Alex but she seems to be a bit more on the ball now. Matt counts on her to accompany him to break the bad news to their relatives. She's also his main support system in finding out that his wife was unfaithful to him. Shailene Woodley (pictured above) is spectacular as Alexandra. I don't watch a lot of The Secret Life of the American Teenager so I had never heard of her before but she really impressed me. I wouldn't be surprised if she got some recognition from the Academy; at least for a supporting role. Judy Greer (Arrested Development, Archer) and Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo) contribute solid performances. Honestly, everyone does a great job pulling together for believable interactions. It's so easy to rely on someone like George Clooney to carry a film but Payne allowed him to work without the entire project living or dying by his presence. This was, without a doubt, the right way to go.

Sharp dialogue, dense characters, genuine laughs, and some heartfelt exchanges are all wrapped up into one intriguing narrative. The execution is perfect even if no one aspect or scene jumps out as absolutely fantastic or completely unexpected. I don't think you can go wrong with spending your cash on The Descendants. If you're looking for something to watch this holiday season that isn't geared towards children, I suggest you look this up. I'm giving The Descendants 5 Dancing Hula Dolls. Chyeah!

50/50 Review

This is really kinda late, but no one else posted this and I have to write a review for a film in current release for a class anyway so I decided to post this.

We all know the saying, "You have to laugh to keep from crying." I have a feeling that this sentiment, along with the fact that this was a true story, was one of the main inspirations for this film. 50/50 tells the story of a likeable 20-something guy named Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who finds out, pretty much out of the blue, that he has cancer and his odds are 50/50. He's stunned. He runs, he eats well, and has always refrained from smoking. How could a young, healthy guy like that get cancer? Well, shit happens. His relief is his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogan). While Kyle tries to keep it together and act tough for the both of them, you can tell he's hurting inside. Adam's other relief is his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), but she proves herself to be not so trustworthy and Adam breaks up with her. Immediately afterwards, Kyle adopts the attitude that Adam could use his cancer to pick up dates.

When Adam isn't spending time with Kyle, he's either getting his weekly chemo treatments with two of the hippest old guys on the block, Alan and Mitch (Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer) or he's seeing the hospital-appointed psychiatrist Katherine (Ana Kendrick). It is during these meetings with Katherine that we begin to see Adam's true feelings about his disease. He's aloof at first, bu the more the innocent and inexperienced doctor probes, the more he reveals his fears. These scenes during their meetings are some of the best in the film, and some of the most honest scenes in recent cinema.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an outstanding job as Adam. If he isn't nominated for Best Actor at the upcoming Oscars it will be a crime. He does such a great job of conveying all the different emotions that Adam is going through. Seth Rogan is his usual self when he's being funny, but he has a couple of serious moments as well and pulls them off beautifully. Ana Kendrick is as cute and charming as any actress I've ever seen. Anjelica Huston plays Adam's neurotic mother with the skills that only a seasoned actress like herself could pull off. Her neurosis is not without cause, either. Not only does her son have cancer, but her husband (Serge Houde) has Alzheimer's.

The most wonderful aspect of this film is that it perfectly blends drama with comedy. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I went in to see the film. Knowing that Seth Rogan was a big part of it and that the story was based off of his best friend and writer of the film, Will Reiser, who had cancer and beat it. I was unsure if they would be able to balance the drama and the comedy, or if it would turn out to be a run-of-the-mill Seth Rogan comedy. My fears were dashed, however, because 50/50 is just as funny as it is heartfelt and I can't remember a film in recent memory that's like that. If there are any cliches in the film, and I counted few, the superb acting, the skillful direction, smart screenplay, and the onscreen chemistry between all of the characters more than makes up for them. One of the best films I've seen all year. CHYEAH!

Top 5 Movies of the Summer.

I saw over 10 movies in the past few months. Some were fantastic, others were underwhelming. I've been planning on making this list for a while and now I feel like I can fairly make this list. I missed 1 or 2 "important" movies this year but I think I've seen, heard, and read enough that it won't matter. Before I go any further, I want to go ahead and throw out my honorable mention to all the good comedies that were released this summer. The Hangover part 2 had the comedy momentum coming into this summer but it was relatively weak compared to 30 Minutes or Less, Bridesmaids, and Horrible Bosses. They all brought something new to the table and you really can't go wrong watching any one of them. That being said, it's time to get to the real summer blockbusters.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 AND The Dark Knight Rises trailer

I was going to make the TDKR trailer #1 but that would have been comedic theft from Kevin Smith. Also, it would have disappointed too many people, so I put it at number 5 with the movie it was attached to. The second part of this double feature, the final Harry Potter movie, is supposed to be fantastic. I didn't actually see this but from what I've heard it's the best in the series. It's the only HP movie in a while that's had trailers that make me actually want to see it and even catch up with the old ones. While I can't be sure this movie should have made this list, I doubt anyone will disagree.

4. The Avengers Previews: Thor & Captain America

I had a great time watching both Thor and Captain America. Truthfully, I can't say which I enjoyed more so they're both here at #4. I can't help but feel both movies would have been better if they didn't have to tie-in to the Avengers film coming out next year. That being said, all this set-up pretty much ensures a massive, intricate storyline for next year. The goals of both movies were to be good enough to generate interest for The Avengers and they more than accomplished that. I never got around to reviewing Captain America but it really covered all the bases. It actually had me choked up near the end. Thor was just a great time and Chris Hemsworth proved that he belongs in this series with the big names. I can't wait to see them with RDJ and Ruffalo come next year.

3. Super 8

Super 8's a movie I had been looking forward to ever since it's first teaser trailer. You might remember first seeing that train de-rail and crash in an eruption of flame and metal, followed by the thunderous pounds of some escaping being. It was riveting, and the movie delivered on keeping that interest alive. The all-child main cast was a refreshing twist and succeeded in giving the film some character. Is it my favorite sci-fi flick ever? Of course not. Would I see it again? In a heartbeat. Now that I think about it, I need to see this again. It comes out on September 20th, I might just buy it. It's certainly worth it.

2. X-Men: First Class

It's difficult for me to put this at number 2 because I loved this movie. It's my favorite of the series, hands down. Wolverine and Cyclops are fine and all but young Xavier and Magneto are the greatest lead men the series has ever seen. I understand that this movie doesn't quite stick to... well, anything. It clashes with a lot of what's happened in the previous X-Men movies and doesn't follow the comic books it's based on at all. However, I respect the creators for deciding that they were going to go ahead and make a good movie with the limitations they had. They had the disadvantage of people being sick of most of the important X-Men. They couldn't also cripple themselves by sticking to all of the nonsense built in to the previous four movies. This is the best superhero movie of the year. What else do I need to say?

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

This movie wasn't even in my "theatre queue" this year. It caught my attention with a couple of intriguing trailers and, of course, a familiar name. Now that I've seen it twice I think I can safely say that it is the Movie of the Summer. Had this been 2008, 2009, 2010, or even 2012, Rise would probably be taking a backseat to another movie. That's not to say this doesn't deserve the number 1 spot. The other years I mentioned boast summer films with Oscar ambitions. If Rise gets anything, it should be for outstanding achievement in special effects because I've never felt so much for a chimpanzee or a CGI being in my life. If the minds behind this movie stay on board for a new Planet of the Apes, I don't see why it couldn't be just as respected and adored as Heston's original. In a time where breathing life into forgotten franchises is the norm, it's nice to see there are still people trying to do it right.

That's the end of this list. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, read other stuff we put on this here site. I'm about to go back to school but by my 3rd year I realize that means nothing about my posting. I could post more, I could post less. Film reviews will probably stop since I won't be able to go to the movies but there are a few things I've got to see and some concerts I plan on getting to so I'll try to keep you all posted. 'Til then, CHYEAH!

OH! One extra honorable mention for The Tree of Life. It's not really a summer movie but it did come out in the summer. I couldn't really put it in this list because it's much too different to compare to any of these. That is all.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Review

This is my review of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Don't forget to read TheKillerCliche's review of Watch the Throne right after you're done. You can just keep scrolling down. Actually, just scroll down forever and read everything we've ever posted. chyeah.

Alright, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I'm only just realizing how stupid long that title is. That being said, the title might be the only thing wrong with this movie. The story follows the life of Caesar, a chimpanzee born with extraordinary intelligence thanks to a serum given to his mother and passed down to him genetically. The serum was developed by James Franco's character, Will Rodman. I swear, all us Rod-Mans are geniuses. Anyway, he was trying to create a cure for Alzheimer's to use on his father. He found that not only did it cure him, but improved his mind's capabilities in similar ways that it did the chimp. In case you couldn't guess from the fact that this is a prequel/reboot to Planet of the Apes, the serum is given to some other Apes and they... well they rise. Eventually, they'll probably take over the planet.

The performances from the human characters were good but what really stands out is the performance of Andy Serkis as Caesar. Never have I felt so much emotion from a digitally created character. Pixar wishes they could animate something as genuinely moving as Caesar in his darker moments. He pretty much carries the movie so it was important that he feel authentic and the Mo-Cap guys nailed it. They really gave us a sense that he was too smart to be treated as a chimp, that he was as human as any of us. At times, it was kind of scary. At others, it was awesome. I'll leave it at that.

I've never heard of director Rupert Wyatt but I wouldn't be surprised to see him get more work. I hope he gets a shot at doing the next movie as well. My brother remarked that the marketing didn't really sell this movie as a summer blockbuster. Honestly, if you didn't go to the movies much and see the trailers over and over again, you might not have known too much about this at all. Rise has pretty much everything you could possibly want from a summer movie though. The action is some of the best I've seen all year. I won't spoil but I will say this, don't fuck with gorillas. It's funny without being corny or unnecessary like certain Michael Bay-directed movies this year. It's plenty dramatic too thanks to Franco. He doesn't lose an arm in this one but he does lose a friend. Close enough. Lastly, I can guarantee that at one point your jaw will drop to the ground. What more can you ask for? Nothing. The answer is nothing. Now go see it.

I'm giving Rise of the Planet of the Apes a rating of 6 Marvel Apes. Step your game up, Avengers. Chyeah!

The Tree of Life Review... sorta.

The Tree of Life isn't really the sort of movie I can review. Usually when I sit down to write a review, I think about an aspect of a movie that needs critiquing, and give my opinion on how that particular movie did. How was the plot? How was the acting? the direction? etc etc. I could do that for this movie but it simply wouldn't help. The acting was fantastic, sure, but that was pretty much a given. The direction and cinematography were beautiful. Malick knows how to make a visually stunning film, that's for sure. The plot is interesting. There aren't all that many outstanding events as much as there is a significant portion of the life of young Jack O'Brien which shows us his relationship with his family; most importantly, his father.

Before we ever get to see any of this, we are treated to Terrence Malick's interpretation of the formation of the universe. The only thing that came before it was the news of a dead son for the O'Briens and a look at Sean Penn's character at his day job in the city. To be honest, I was both confused and angry while watching the evolution scene. We knew almost nothing at this point and then we were tossed into this odd, seemingly unrelated segment. Once it's over, the movie becomes more traditional. From what I've gathered, Malick included the segment to give the viewer a specific scope to view the movie through. You might say he wanted us to compare the formation of the universe with the raising of a family. There's another theory that Malick wanted us to see just how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Personally I think he could have gone a different way if that's what he was trying to do but this isn't the kind of movie with a "right answer." I'm more fond of the idea that he wants us to find parallels because it's more fun. We see struggles between a father and son that (to me) mimic that of dinosaurs we saw before it. I say that there are no right answers and give points on my opinion because this movie is very Kubrick-esque in it's "message." I couldn't stop comparing it to 2001: A Space Odyssey in my head the whole time I was watching it. I've only seen one other Terrence Malick picture. In The Thin Red Line his message is much clearer. Or should I say, it's easier to interpret something from it. The Tree of Life hints at a lot but doesn't tell you anything. In addition to 2001, I couldn't stop thinking the word "pretentious" either. I don't know if I still feel that way but this is the first time I've ever thought that word while watching a movie so it probably holds true somewhere in my mind.

I did enjoy watching The Tree of Life (by the 2nd half) and I want to see it again. I feel I need to see it again. Maybe it's bullshit and I'm attaching to it because I think it's supposed to good. That may very well be true. There's a chance that this movie is nonsense because it's trying so hard to be deep. However, I think there's an equal chance that this is a grand achievement in storytelling on film. This movie makes me wish I were smarter so I could decipher between the two. What can't be denied is that Terrence Malick succeeded in creating something new and different. He's made something that I can't call bad just because I don't really know what it is. He's made me question what "good" is in a way I haven't thought about since I began getting interested in film. No score this time. Just Chyeah!

Super 8 Review

I'm about to write some reviews. This first one is for Super 8. After I saw it on the Saturday after it's release, I chilled out most of Sunday before being kidnapped and not returned home until Tuesday night. Then I started working and haven't felt like doing this. I still don't really feel like it but it needs to be done. I'll probably go quickly.

The new J.J. Abrams movie, Super 8, is in some ways similar to the 2008 mysterious monster flick, Cloverfield,  that he produced. Based on trailers alone, it would seem that both of them are movies about some terrible and unstoppable creature wreaking havoc on humans. To some extent, Super 8 is just that. However, Abrams is behind the camera this time and it's nowhere near as shaky. That goes both literally and figuratively. Not only is the filming done more traditionally for Super 8, but the movie is generally more solid. A lot of people were upset with Cloverfield's lack of information but Super 8 doesn't experience that problem. Everything is eventually explained. It's not the most amazing tale or anything that's going to keep you guessing the whole movie, but it moves the plot along just fine.

Super 8 is about more than just a monster though. What really makes the movie, in my eyes, are the cast of characters consisting heavily of children. In Super 8, the kids are trying to make a zombie movie for a film festival. They're filming near the train tracks when the train crashes, derails, and basically explodes. It's at this point that the monster is released and shit starts to go down. It soon becomes apparent that there's a lot that we don't know about the incident. The rest of the movie explains exactly what's going on, all the while developing the relationships of these children to each other, their parents, and the incident. The movie unfolds predictably in some parts (the intimate "boy-girl" relationship parts) and somewhat interestingly in others (mostly with the monster). I've got no real complaints when it comes to the plot. The only one I could think of would spoil it for you and I've already come to terms with why it's no big deal.

The performances were a high point. I actually liked the kids more than the adults in the movie. Their relationships with each other were fleshed out and meaningful. The kids who weren't supposed to be important just weren't, so I never got the chance to hate them, which is good. Much of their dialogue consisted of things like "shut up" and just saying "shit" when something was going wrong. I actually loved that about this movie. It seemed more realistic than the kids being all clever like they had writers or something. I'd tell you the actors but I don't know them and you wouldn't care. I think the biggest "name" in the movie is Elle Fanning and that's just because she's Dakota's little sister. Using unknowns works for this movie because none of the actors have to be all that fantastic to keep things moving.

I know what you're all wondering though. "What was the monster? Was it an alien? Was it a Transformer? Was it ET?" Well I'm not going to tell you. I'm not going to tell you because I expect you to see this eventually. I will say that the monster was pretty frightening. It's visceral and agile and terrifying in all the ways you'll want it to be. It look pretty good too, nice effects and CG and all that good stuff. I've really got no complaints. I didn't fall in love with this movie or anything but I can't say I regret paying for it. I love comic book superhero movies but it's refreshing to see a big summer blockbuster that's not based on 50-year-old stories.

I rate this movie... INFINITE THUMBS UP.

That could go on forever. Chyeah!

Review - X-Men: First Class

Hey everybody, check out this review for that new X-Men movie since it's really good and whatnot.

Basically X-Men: First Class is a recent comic book story arc that goes into the early years of the mutant superhero group, the X-Men. The movie serves more as a prequel to the other X-Men movies but honestly it doesn't really stick to the film canon at all. It's also extremely different from the comics. The characters aren't even the same as those seen in the books. Despite it's inaccuracies to both the comics and previous movies, First Class is a fantastic film, arguably the best in the series. For a movie that needed to be made so FOX could keep the license, this one was a big surprise.

This one starts similarly to the first X-Men movie, depicting Magneto's childhood in the holocaust. From there it goes on to chronicle the lives of Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier (with Mystique) as they reveal to the world what mutants can do. The movie takes place around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis so the Cold War is built in to the story in some pretty interesting ways. In order to avoid war with both mutants and the Russians, Xavier & Erik have to put a team of mutants together. This team is the films version of the X-Men: First Class. The comic crew consists of the likes of Cyclops, Iceman, Archangel, Beast, and Jean Grey. The only member that we see in the movie is Beast but the rest of the crew has already been exhausted in the movies so it makes sense that they decided to go with a  new crew. I'm not going to tell you much about the crew because there are some changes from what they gather to who ends up fighting alongside them, just know that Professor X & Magneto are at the frontline of their team. During their training, relationships are built and characters are explored. It all serves to set up, not only the climax of the movie, but they entire world of the X-Men.

Now, I find it necessary to tell you that X-Men: First Class is barely a part of the other 4 X-Men films. Continuity is really screwed up. I don't feel like going into everything about it because I'd feel like I'm complaining. What I want to say is that you shouldn't let this take away from your experience with this film. There was a lot of nonsense built into the franchise just to make those movies work by themselves and it would be difficult for this movie to have to live up to everything those movies put into place. It's easier to toss what they didn't like aside and it also made for a better movie. The same goes for the fact that they didn't stick with the original First Class cast. Using those characters would have just piled on more expectations for relation to the other movies and that was obviously something they didn't want to deal with.

Once you're watching this as more of a reboot than a prequel (even though it's supposed to be a prequel) you'll probably enjoy it more. Fassbender & McAvoy are great in their roles as young Magneto & Xavier. They didn't let themselves be tied to the personalities of the characters we know. Instead, they gave us a glimpse at what more wreckless, youthful versions of them may have been. Personally, I was a huge fan of Fassbender in this. The rest of the team is cast well with relatively unknown actors. Winter's Bone star, Jennifer Lawrence, is the biggest star of them all in the role of Mystique. Kevin Bacon and January Jones play the main villains in the film. Bacon plays a former big name Nazi named Sebastian Shaw & Jones is his partner in crime, Emma Frost. I thought Bacon did a fine job as Shaw but Jones wasn't convincing as Frost. Turbo referenced her figure not quite being that of the White Queen but I thought her acting wasn't quite sexy enough. She was very 60s housewife, which is great for Mad Men but not for this role. It didn't take away from the movie as a whole though so I'll let it slide.

From start to finish, First Class did everything right. The scenes of action were well done. I got a sense of joy from the flight scenes that I can't say I've gotten in any other superhero movies. First Class is as funny as any other comic film out there. However, as with any movie dealing with the Holocaust or nuclear war, there are some powerful emotions present in this film. The plight of the X-Men has always been that they must protect a world that hates them. This is handled in a more personal fashion than in any other X-Men movie. The universal issue of blending in to society is heavily touched on as well, making this movie extremely relatable to any viewer.

I don't have much else to say. Obviously, I suggest this movie. It's in the top tier of superhero films, up there with Spider-Man 2 and the like. I'm rating X-Men: First Class 24 Mutants. If you think that's not that many, tell that to them.

Fast 5: A Furiously Fun Film

Sorry, I know I'm late on this review. I know everyone is moving on the the summer's next big hit. But, I can't let this one slip through the cracks here at Chyeah! This isn't going to be so much of a review as it is a quick rant about how great this movie was. Fast 5 is, without a doubt the best movie in the series. Action-packed doesn't even begin to describe this film. It's a high-octane, adrenaline rush from start to finish. They've reached back and brought all your favorite characters from the rest of the franchise (with the notable exception of Michelle Rodriguez...sort of) for the ultimate heist. And they through in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (aka, the only MoFo in Hollywood bad enough to take down Vin Diesel) as the bad ass FBI agent whose job is to them down by any means necessary. There are fast cars, hot women, fist fights, gun fights, explosions and the most insane chase scene you've ever seen! On a more technical note, this movie is well put together. Between all the bloodshed and badassery, there's time to enjoy the beautifully captured scenery of Rio De Janeiro. I liked how they tried to incorporate elements from all of the previous episodes. There's a bit of high-speed drifting, some high-stakes street racing. Even a four-man, quarter-mile drag. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded a bit more racing, but there's some other serious stuff at hand here. All in all, this movie is little more than just pure spectacle and entertainment. But does a summer blockbuster need to be more. I consider this a satisfying end to a franchise that has been a mainstay in cinema for the last decade. Go see it. Chyeah!!!

Thor Review

The summer movie season opened at midnight on May 6th with the release of Marvel's newest movie, Thor. Personally, I was expecting it to be somewhat lackluster in comparison to Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk and none of the trailers have given me any reason to believe that it would be as good as the upcoming Captain America either. However, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and quite satisfied by the God of Thunder's big screen debut.

Chris Hemsworth plays the title character and does a good job of bringing personality to the role. Usually when I think of Thor, I think of him at his most powerful and most noble. I tend to forget that he's only on Earth because he was arrogant and immature. This being an origin story, the audience is treated with an extremely powerful God who doesn't hesitate to show just how strong he is. Thor's love interest, Jane Foster, is played by Natalie Portman. I don't know how she filmed all of these movies we've seen her in lately but I'm not complaining. Jane is a young physicist with radical ideas about space, specifically wormholes. For a while her and her friends (Kat Dennings & Stellan Skarsgard) seem like they're going to be annoying in that 'all the human characters in Transformers' sort of way but they're handled well. Dennings is used for comic relief while Skarsgard serves to advance the plot in some places. The performances are solid all around but I have to give special applause to Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki. Loki's mischief grows throughout the movie as he becomes a more and more formidable opponent for his brother.

The story here isn't exactly what happens in the comics. Thor knows exactly who he is when he awakens on Earth and he has no plans of living a double life as a doctor. He struts around on Earth attempting to restore his powers to return home but the likes of Shield and Loki inhibit his success. Marvel's film studios know exactly what they're doing though and the story is in tact enough that fans should be satisfied. They even go ahead and tie in the finding of Mjolnir with the after-credits scene in Iron Man 2. One point of the film that I wasn't too keen on was the relationship of Jane's research to the magic of Asgard. It's tight enough to work in a comic setting but it isn't explained well enough for me to actually care in the movie. It felt like a waste. Because it's so undeveloped, it doesn't take up much of the movie, which is good. At only 114 minutes, Thor goes by fast. It never drags even when the story is being pulled along by minor characters like Thor's Asgardian allies. Some critics have called the plot unoriginal. It is simple, but they were limited to sticking close to a 1962 comic book series and I commend them for their achievement.

What Thor does best is make a story about gods, war, and science something relatable and accessible. Asgard and the Bifrost (Rainbow Bridge) and handled to well to be confusing. On a side note, Asgard is rendered beautifully. As a matter of fact, the entire fantasy world manages to be appropriate while remaining fantastic. SHIELD serves a large purpose without making this a SHIELD movie. We do, however, get a peak at Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in one scene. I also have to commend Branagh for having the final fight occur with real "human" characters and not robots or monsters like we've seen in other Marvel movies. Gods are brought down to our level and it makes combat that much more satisfying without having to be as physically brutal.

There's not much more I can say about Thor. If you're looking for it to disappoint you, prepare to be wrong in the best way possible. I'm rating it 2 New Dews, back by popular demand. Think of it as two thumbs up. Way up. Chyeah!