The Lone Ranger Rides - In A Way

I use to watch the Lone Ranger television show reruns all the time.  I loved them.  I was skeptical at best when they said that they were going to have the new The Lone Ranger movie and Johnny Depp was going to be Tonto.  I ended up laughing through most of the movie despite myself.  It was rather campy, but I loved the humor.  Granted, I had to put aside all relevance to the original Lone Ranger in which Reid was a very smart detective along with Tonto, and I had to let my mind just be okay with a corny western.

One of the main criticisms I had for the film was that Johnny Depp's performance felt like Jack Sparrow in Native American costume rather than Tonto.  It was entertaining, but it was very uninspired.

If you want a good laugh, you should definitely go, but don't go with the anticipation of watching great Lone Ranger movie or even a unique and thought-provoking modern take.  It is simply a fun western with lots of comedy and recognizable names.  Worth the drive?  Depends on whether or not you like comedies and westerns.  If you do, great.  If not, wait for the DVD or BluRay.

Despicable Me 2 Cute!

If you thought Monsters University wasn't quite your style for an animated feature, try Despicable Me 2 on for size!  I'm always curious to see how a sequel will work out.  For something as great as Monsters Inc. was, I expected more out of the sequel.  But I also expected Dream Works to put a decent sequel together for the largely popular Despicable Me.  I was not disappointed.

Following all of the familiar characters - Gru, the children, Dr. Nefario, and - of course - the minions in there latest adventure, we also find some wonderful new characters and fall in love all over again with the fantastically cute situation of Gru taking care of the orphans.  From birthday parties to bakeries there's non-stop action and lots of laugh-out-loud humor.

I highly recommend this one!  Even stay for the credits for more hilarity.  The family friendly film has fun for all!  There are enough jokes for the old as well as the young.  I highly recommend this film.  I cannot as yet speak to the value of seeing it in 3D, but I intend to.  This one is worth the price of admission and as for family fun, I recommend it as a family outing film!

Everyone's A Critic...

I have never made a pretense about my comic book loyalties.  I am first and foremost a Marvel fan.  However, I have to say that I am very impressed with the new efforts of DC's newest super hero movie Man of Steel.  But the critics don't agree.  In fact,  Entertainment Weekly gave it a C rating.  The number one complaint I’ve heard is that this movie is not Batman.

What does the Ticket Traveler say to that? Thank heavens it's not Batman!!! People today have an entirely different definition of "superhero".  During the Golden Age of comics, people looked for a hero who could handle any of their problems.  During and post World War II the catastrophic losses on all sides caused worry and panic that - what if another war of that scale ever happened again?  Not to worry! (At least in fiction.)  There was always a superhero to help the helpless.  

But with the rampant skepticism of the twenty first century, many people can't accept the fiction of a superhero who who is simply that.  They have to have their limits.  They have to be human and they have to identify with a them.  Using the terms be "edgier" and "grittier," they define these "human super heroes" with limitations.  They aren't supposed to protect all of humanity from the problems of the world.  They have their limits.  They are fallible to the point of being tragic (alla Nolan's Batman).

The problem of Superman is that he's an alien, so making him human has been a problem.  He's been a figure who has been above brooding and sulking.  He's invincible to "normal" problems here on earth with the exception to a rather dumb and often annoying Lois Lane always seems to be getting in the way.  Superman has never been able to meet the twenty-first century movie-goers' needs... until now that is.

This particular Superman impressed me as accessible to a modern audience.  He has problems.  He is vulnerable - more so than we've ever seen Superman before.  He's more identifiable, perhaps even more human, with struggles to find himself.  I'm not sure why critics have given the movie much worse ratings than it deserves, but you can't make every movie a Batman movie.  The individualism that that movie claims would be defeated should every successive DC flick turn into it.

Even as an Avengers fan, this movie gives me renewed hope that DC might be able to pull off a legitimate Justice League film.  It's definitely worth the price of admission to travel, although I can't attest to the 3D experience.  So go watch Man of Steel in theaters.  After all, everyone's a critic anyway so just check it out for yourself.

Monster Success?

Monsters Inc was a great Pixar film. There's no denying it. But was Monsters University everything the critics created a hype about? Yes and no.

While Monsters Inc presented us with a unique perspective about monsters under the bed, Monsters University presents us with the stereotypical perspective of college life and the struggles every college student goes through... Sort of...

It was interesting to watch characters Mike and Sully become go through the challenges of "real life" in monster land.  It was funny and there were quite a few college jokes, pranks and lessons that those who attended college themselves can relate to.  It really was a good movie, although I cannot attest to seeing it in 3D yet.  

It's worth the price of admission if you decide you see it.  To understand all of it you really need to have seen the first one.  There are too many inside jokes and references not to see "Monsters Inc." first.  However, you don't have to go to the expensive theater to see this one.  The one in your neighborhood or the dollar theater will be worth it.  I do recommend seeing it on the big screen though... or is it scream?