cult film freak: chris hemsworth

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Written by James M. Tate / 11/02/2017 / No comments / 2017 , chris hemsworth , comic book , jeff goldblum , marvel , new

THURSDAY NIGHT REVIEW OF THOR: RAGNAROK

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt11__p-Gq-8T8YnUDP5tFwyFBADJ-1_78PMlg9ii3ew0TZ3xotNzEH1aDkK60hJaSO7t-PmfwZ0n70r_xaeWw9gcvL4zXmtra4lSz6lM6Mqb7a6IUWqOsjJDLqgYH81aSe8SMxElsjBh/s1600/thor_ragnarok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1103" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt11__p-Gq-8T8YnUDP5tFwyFBADJ-1_78PMlg9ii3ew0TZ3xotNzEH1aDkK60hJaSO7t-PmfwZ0n70r_xaeWw9gcvL4zXmtra4lSz6lM6Mqb7a6IUWqOsjJDLqgYH81aSe8SMxElsjBh/s400/thor_ragnarok.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: 12.8px;">Thor only <i>looks</i> serious YEAR OF RELEASE: 2017</u></td></tr>
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The latest THOR is spontaneous and freewheeling, especially while on a planet straight out of Roman Gladiator Arena cinema where, as the trailers spoiled long ago, the anticipated fight between two seemingly indestructible AVENGERS, Thor and Hulk, takes place. Which leads to one of the film's best devices...<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yoP2qEfuSXwhdaFflF8-FCxLckqyEE5ClX1Av-Ka_gjuoj9obriHR6KI0Gdva-tG_Hi_y_3hs9o6zE2lvVEvmdrXSI_udLJJBRNMDOwmmdVwe9rcdtSry84aY1JZmw5A29cEss-oE0z4/s1600/thor-ragnarok-hulk-valkyrie-loki-1024x568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="228" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yoP2qEfuSXwhdaFflF8-FCxLckqyEE5ClX1Av-Ka_gjuoj9obriHR6KI0Gdva-tG_Hi_y_3hs9o6zE2lvVEvmdrXSI_udLJJBRNMDOwmmdVwe9rcdtSry84aY1JZmw5A29cEss-oE0z4/s400/thor-ragnarok-hulk-valkyrie-loki-1024x568.jpg" width="160"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Score: **1/2</u></td></tr>
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Thor, without his signature invincible hammer, is nearly as vulnerable as a mortal human albeit a very strong ass-kicker up against an assortment of odds, making for a non-stop planet-to-planet rollercoaster ride...<br>
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Visually a hybrid of the intentionally campy FLASH GORDON and the first GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (itself an 80's homage) while shadowing plot-elements of STAR WARS, LORD OF THE RINGS and with more colorful rainbows than we've yet seen on Asgard — which has been taken over by a deadly, invincible royal sister (looking like Maleficent dressed as a reindeer) that Thor and the mischievous Loki never knew they had — there's a cool retro-techno score to back up the pulsating arcade of explosive action...<br>
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And while it's understandable that, with such a fantastical superhero, levity is needed to ground the story, there's a fine line between Fun and Funny. And RAGNAROK, featuring the godfather of glib Jeff Goldblum embarrassingly overdosing on his own style, breaks the line once too often: Superheroes all have powers and/or skills that can, whether built-in or created, turn on and off. But the constantly witty one-liner styling of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark (ala "Starkasm") has infected Chris Hemsworth's THOR to the point that the third solo film, while enjoyable enough, nearly drowns itself in self-deprecating parody. The prologue, where Thor makes fun of his own supposedly perilous situation while facing a gigantic fire demon, sums up everything. He's not scared at all, so why should the audience take anything he's up against seriously? <br>

2017, chris hemsworth, comic book, jeff goldblum, marvel, new

THURSDAY NIGHT REVIEW OF THOR: RAGNAROK

Thor only looks serious YEAR OF RELEASE: 2017 The latest THOR is spontaneous and freewheeling, especially while on a planet straight o...

MOST UNDERRATED FILMS OF 2015 BY MARK SULLIVAN

2016, chris hemsworth, contributors, kurt russell, list, ron howard, tom hardy

MOST UNDERRATED FILMS OF 2015 BY MARK SULLIVAN

Tom Hardy plays both Kray brothers in LEGEND in an article by guest contributor Mark Sullivan

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

2015, brendan gleeson, chris hemsworth, cillian murphy, ron howard, shark, tom holland

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

year: 2015 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Holland, Cillian Murphy director: Ron Howard The movie JAWS, while based on a nov...

THE WEDDING RINGER & BLACKHAT

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H0JWwl0xo_HEIUTne9VXIwIJynrBMfI4Gtz-gSrB3crNs_zI9oyaFDlYSIUAkTu5cnXtclaak5DO_VkhD21Cw_Z-WfqdVabwpzuZ4Nf60t_o71ONJUPRqgpJnsFgkiZW1FgGoohVNtA/s1600/the-wedding-ringer-phim-2015_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H0JWwl0xo_HEIUTne9VXIwIJynrBMfI4Gtz-gSrB3crNs_zI9oyaFDlYSIUAkTu5cnXtclaak5DO_VkhD21Cw_Z-WfqdVabwpzuZ4Nf60t_o71ONJUPRqgpJnsFgkiZW1FgGoohVNtA/s1600/the-wedding-ringer-phim-2015_0.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2015 rating: **</td></tr>
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<b>THE WEDDING RINGER:</b> Replacing one letter from the Adam Sandler comedy, RINGER is more of a BRIDESMAIDS meets WEDDING CRASHERS combined with (and especially) I LOVE YOU MAN, where a guy with no male friends puts out an ad for his Best Man...<br />
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Which is the same exact plot except the RINGER, Jimmy, played by Kevin Hart, has his own underground Best Man For Hire business with no strings attached: his job is to give a picture perfect toast after gathering a row of groomsmen, in this case all seven.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6syh4eH09qBFq2b2T23c6jEul7mVHBIajuCEY9W_pKIu-nkX7x1FA-cfS7Qzh_Qgeu6bjvLtYJZA7v7pGrCe5nNf_ksQvtWNwA1wkFDpu4ALWOleiK20QODnYQfed4ZyVcZ5qXHg1J2o/s1600/blackhatNEW.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6syh4eH09qBFq2b2T23c6jEul7mVHBIajuCEY9W_pKIu-nkX7x1FA-cfS7Qzh_Qgeu6bjvLtYJZA7v7pGrCe5nNf_ksQvtWNwA1wkFDpu4ALWOleiK20QODnYQfed4ZyVcZ5qXHg1J2o/s320/blackhatNEW.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015 rating: *</td></tr>
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Other than to make his fiancé and her jerky parents happy, there’s no motivation or urgency for Josh Gad’s Doug Harris to go through this elaborate and far too complicated ruse – the entire premise is built on practically nothing at all. This makes for plenty of HANGOVER style shenanigans highlighted by a "bromance" between the two mismatched leads: their relatively thoughtful conversations are the best thing going, allowing Gad to actually act and Kevin Hart to finally stop talking in his rapid fire banter, seeming like a frantic imitation of a dozen funnier comics that gets tiresome, quick.<b> OVERALL RANK: Jedi, Rebel, <u>Droid</u>, Sith.</b>  <br />
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<b>BLACKHAT:</b> The fast-paced special effects in the introduction takes us zipping around inside a computer: without being used as a canvas for opening credits, we're catapulted into a world of high end technology. <br />
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Chris Hemsworth is a rogue hacker given a prison furlough to find another hacker who caused the destruction of a Chinese nuclear plant. In going beneath his larger than life Marvel persona, he plays a mumbling grouch with more brooding restraint that actual power while the film itself, balancing dull espionage with shaky action sequences, is a lot more interesting inside the computer than outside. <b>OVERALL RANK: Jedi, Rebel, Droid, <u>Sith</u>. </b>

2015, chris hemsworth, comedy, josh gad, kevin hart, thriller

THE WEDDING RINGER & BLACKHAT

year: 2015 rating: ** THE WEDDING RINGER: Replacing one letter from the Adam Sandler comedy, RINGER is more of a BRIDESMAIDS meets WE...

Written by James M. Tate / 9/26/2013 / No comments / 2013 , chris hemsworth , race car , ron howard , sport

RON HOWARD DIRECTS RUSH STARRING CHRIS HEMSWORTH

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2013 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara rating: ** </td></tr>
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It’s been a while since Ron Howard’s first theatrically released motion picture as a director. That was the Roger Corman produced/low-budget cult flick GRAND THEFT AUTO. And now he’s returned to speeding cars but a lot more seriously, and it’s a true story: RUSH centers on the rivalry between two racers who could not be more different, yet both share a heavy dose of navel-gazing narcissism...<br />
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Chris Hemsworth plays James Hunt with the kind of polarizing, unapologetic devil-may-care attitude that makes it nearly impossible to root for the man. With so much confidence and so many girlfriends, why does he need our support? Other than vomiting before each race, he's more of a... well... superhero than human being. And then there's the not so perfect looking fella more professionally in-tuned to the racing life. Enter Daniel Brühl’s Nicki Lauda, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Hunt’s nighttime libido.<br />
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Ron Howard has made a grungy biopic with a realistic, no-nonsense aura but something is missing. While we learn from the start that Lauda is the best in the world, and Hunt is right behind with more hunger to surpass the man he describes several times as a “rat,” we never learn enough about either, deep down, to make their stint on the rip-roaring Indy 500, composed of a year-long globe-spanning circuit shown in speedy montage sequences, really matter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVaSBFhMp1LJ2U4_oigKGuHMQUTk2Xg-0GfKMm0Ussj5qPwNWRX_zUgtRxfWLNZG5lZkqpM3umS5XCye0FYh46NhcZJNBG1sVXtpT_PGJ3_EKIm3JR9ZuWmuE4Jd8pAk2MTaTmPYBAXn/s1600/rush-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVaSBFhMp1LJ2U4_oigKGuHMQUTk2Xg-0GfKMm0Ussj5qPwNWRX_zUgtRxfWLNZG5lZkqpM3umS5XCye0FYh46NhcZJNBG1sVXtpT_PGJ3_EKIm3JR9ZuWmuE4Jd8pAk2MTaTmPYBAXn/s640/rush-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Hemsworth with Daniel Brühl in Ron Howard's RUSH</td></tr>
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2013, chris hemsworth, race car, ron howard, sport

RON HOWARD DIRECTS RUSH STARRING CHRIS HEMSWORTH

year: 2013 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara rating: ** It’s been a while since Ron Howard’s first...

Written by James M. Tate / 12/13/2012 / 1 Comment / 2012 , chris hemsworth , remake , war

RED DAWN REMAKE

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4Sf-n5_3DCDVXCkq9DkVLs4CntXvj34Glxq6dLInANGjPB13K1NCVkGFLVDWVBNlZC8ZgDcAJ1beqRp16651ghyuiTEt_D4ilxNU-UqF8jaSYBjlUlCkBSc4EcceesenUhZwBi_gIMg/s1600/stills_red_dawn_2012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4Sf-n5_3DCDVXCkq9DkVLs4CntXvj34Glxq6dLInANGjPB13K1NCVkGFLVDWVBNlZC8ZgDcAJ1beqRp16651ghyuiTEt_D4ilxNU-UqF8jaSYBjlUlCkBSc4EcceesenUhZwBi_gIMg/w640-h291/stills_red_dawn_2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2012 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck rating: *</td></tr></tbody></table>
In the 1984 John Milius cult film, a group of high schoolers band together to protect their community (within their country) from an invading Communist army, and the kids called themselves Wolverines after <i>earning</i> the title. In this muddled remake, the small town youngsters – already cheering on their local football team with the same name – become Green Beret types extremely fast, occurring through a few rushed montage sequences.<br />
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They receive their cram sessions care-of Chris Hemsworth. Unlike Patrick Swayze’s woodsy jock in the original, our primary hero is a War vet returning home where his sulky little brother doesn’t have a nice word to say. Enter Josh Peck’s passive Matt, who has a girlfriend he loves more than anything while Hemsworth, as the muscular Jed, only knows how to fight and survive… <br />
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But now we’re skipping ahead – befitting a movie that cuts quickly to the chase:<br />
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During the opening credits we get a splash of news reports predicting very bad things caused by the economy, terrorists and other current events… The writers obviously wanted the war raging fast so target audiences (teens and nostalgic adults) won’t get antsy.<br />
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The best scene in the 1984 original, catapulting the reality of invasion to the oblivious students, has a school teacher walking out to face a group of mysterious skydivers landing outside a classroom... Here a bunch of warplanes (one crashing into a house) blow the town to smithereens, which is as suspenseful as watching a friend play a video game.<br />
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While the frantic camera continuously shakes and shudders, the Wolverines go in and out of hiding and are never sure what they’re hiding from or fighting against… The North Koreans are the attackers with a few Russians present. And there are no decent villains except one Korean soldier with a permanent glare.  <br />
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Eventually, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and two other Marines join the cause. Unlike Powers Booth’s maverick pilot in the original, teaching the kids a thing or two about real warfare, there’s no reason for the adults to be around – especially since Jed’s a veteran already – other than to marvel at the capability of the youngsters and providing more ammo. <br />
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There are a few “missions,” the most important taking place in a multilevel building i.e. the enemy’s makeshift Base of Operations, with lots of running around providing little suspense. Although there’s an unpredictable “twist” that does successfully shake things up, after this happens you’ll wonder: Why continue the story at all?  <br />
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The worst aspect of this pointless sequel aren’t lines like “Marines don’t die – they go to hell and regroup” but the undeveloped characters that seem to have just met even though they’ve grown up in the same town all their lives. With an exception of the two leads, none of the kids really stand out: what's needed is a C. Thomas Howell type slowly becoming a Gung Ho psychopath, or women with more purpose than being eye-candy love interests.  <br />
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Sure, the patriotic original can be corny and downright preposterous, but the kids have a deep connection with each other, before and after the takeover, making even the silly stuff count.

2012, chris hemsworth, remake, war

RED DAWN REMAKE

year: 2012 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck rating: * In the 1984 John Milius cult film, a group of high schoolers band together to protect...

Written by James M. Tate / 5/05/2012 / No comments / 2012 , action , blockbuster , chris evans , chris hemsworth , marvel comics , robert downey jr. , science-fiction , superhero

THE AVENGERS

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzkgIQqt6LFxUIFWfIQpGNaKoAeSU2yBvzhBPhHdEmOXp8c-Aw9hM08u35s5m2ktLC4AfdlU8CHgtPPTFuwaRASrraAcb5qFOxuBkMTVqZUxCy5DRT3fCdrAzTEfZlX5WtUyw7wMKpCkr/s1600/The-Avengers.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzkgIQqt6LFxUIFWfIQpGNaKoAeSU2yBvzhBPhHdEmOXp8c-Aw9hM08u35s5m2ktLC4AfdlU8CHgtPPTFuwaRASrraAcb5qFOxuBkMTVqZUxCy5DRT3fCdrAzTEfZlX5WtUyw7wMKpCkr/s320/The-Avengers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2012</td></tr>
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With only two days in theaters, this is already regarded as the best superhero blockbuster ever made – yet it takes a while to resemble any such thing.<br />
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After a long brooding buildup where each individual… Tony Stark’s Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Dr. Bruce Banner… bicker like students in detention class, we realize why no one’s getting along. Our derisive cerebral antagonist villain, Loki, the skinny conceited brother of Thor, wants to rule the world – and is counting on the Avengers to fight amongst themselves, after which formidable aliens will wreak havoc on New York City. When this attack occurs, an epic showdown… the entire third act… has terrific moments, most having to do with Banner’s alter ego The Hulk who, throughout the film, provides the most suspense – each character (and the audience) anticipates the inevitable transformation. Forget about the plot device: a box emulating power that will, in the hands of Loki, cause bad things to happen. Because after the aliens,  liken to a gang of hopped-up <i>Predator </i>clones, fly into the city riding giant slug creatures, nothing else matters. It’s all about destroying impenetrable foes with tons of strength and, of course, teamwork: which comes a little too late to make this a worthy superhero collective.<br />
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Other than a neat fight between Iron Man and a reluctant Thor, it’s all about that finale. As for being one of the best superhero movies ever: with the time and energy of the characters not getting along and over-explaining the reasons why, in years to come even the biggest fans might have their thumbs pressed on the fast-forward button. Yet the stuff that pays off does so in silver dollars. But with all the hype and potential, this reviewer expected gold.<br />
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RATING: ***1/2

2012, action, blockbuster, chris evans, chris hemsworth, marvel comics, robert downey jr., science-fiction, superhero