TRAVIS BYRAM'S MOVIE REVIEWS

In the movie buzz universe, nothing has been making a bigger splash than superhero news. Constant updates on the Batman vs. Superman vs. Wonder Woman vs. Lex Luthor vs. the World  project are going up, a Justice League movie in development, Ant Man ! Never before has the genre been more powerful or successful, especially with Age of Ultron  heading to theaters next summer. It's a good thing Marvel's most beloved superhero will be in it...oh wait a second... While Spider-Man may still be awaiting on a friend request he sent to the Avengers (I think it's actually just because of stupid studio politics he can't crossover) he gets his sequel to the reboot of a trilogy that had two really great films and one bloated villain sandwich of a third. As a kid, it was always Dr. Octopus, the Joker and the Rhino for my favorite bad guys, and seeing the latter two portrayed so well onscreen gave me hope for both the Rhino and Electro in this film, and to a lesser extent Harry Osb...

Sugar and spice may run through "Saving Mr. Banks'" veins, but certainly not everyone in it is nice. Emma Thompson plays "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers with a Sheldon Cooper type of emotional unawareness, except she's much thornier and frostier to everyone: including the head of the Mouse himself, Walt Disney. Disney's played by soon-to-be "Captain Phillips" Oscar nominee Tom Hanks, who, with the help of the mustache, does nail that late Disney founder's appearance, but you can't help but realize it is  Hanks playing Disney instead of just ol' Uncle Walt in the flesh. Does he nail his voice/cadences? The jury's still out for me, as I always distanced myself from Walt Disney the man as a younger child; he was sort of the wizard of Oz of all my favorite childhood animated films. The story is Disney was hounding Travers for the rights to her beloved novel, with the preface of keeping a promise to his daughters to adapt the ...

One of the most uncomfortable viewing experiences I've sat through is last year's gripping thriller "Compliance." Without spoiling the film, I found myself yelling at my computer screen a number of times in protest to the character's actions. "12 Years a Slave" makes "Compliance" seem like a trip to Disney World. It's going to take me a long time to recuperate after seeing this unflinchingly brutal work of art, and likely years before I even consider giving myself the thought of a second viewing. It opens with the soon to be nationally revered Chiwetel Ejiofor and a handful of other slaves in a cane field, being instructed by an unnamed master. Why not include one of the many whipping scenes as a shocking opener to this picture? Director Steve McQueen wants to put you in the shoes (or lack thereof) of a slave, being instructed to do menial work in the blazing southern heat with the impending crack of a whip alongside your back in the fore...

Entertainment Weekly's recent issue unveiled what new villain Electro would look like in the upcoming "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," and I had...mixed reactions. Jamie Foxx's villain resembles a high-tech "Avatar"-like character on meth, certainly a far cry from the original version of Electro I had growing up as a kid, the one with lightning bolts growing from his face in that ridiculous green leotard. I also find it interesting that while they hired a black man to take over the role of the Caucasian comic book antagonist, it looks like he'll be decidedly indigo for most of the film. Just a bit of a difference But those are mostly nitpicks. The fact that Foxx, one of Hollywood's brightest and talented stars, was employed with no outcry from the fans regarding his color shows progress in tolerance for sure. Mega comic book nerds probably have too much to whine about anyway, giving the "The Amazing Spider-Man's" somewhat polarized rec...