Kubo

Kubo and the Two Strings [PG]

Animation, Adventure, Family

August 19, 2016 - Laika Entertainment

Directed by Travis Knight

Grade A

Up-graded from B

+1: Stop-motion animation.

+1: Characters including Beetle (voiced by Matthew McConaughey).

par: Story.

par: Music.

+1: Fighting a giant skeleton, witches and a moon worm.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Behind the scenes footage in credits.

Art by Bryan Mon

Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad [PG-13]

DC Extended Universe (DCEU), part 3

Action, Adventure, Comedy

August 5, 2016 - Warner Bros.

Directed by David Ayers

Grade C+

Up-graded from C.

+1: Character introductions in music video flashbacks.

par: The Joker (Jared Leto) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).

+1: Amanda Waller (Viola Davis).

-1: Story line in second half including the climactic battle with the big baddie.

par: Installment in the DCEU franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Batman v Superman (2016): B

Man of Steel (2013): C-

Art by Bryan Mon

Star Trek, Vol. 2, No. 3

Star Trek Beyond [PG-13]

Action, Adventures, Sci-FI

July 22, 2016 - Paramount Pictures

Directed by Justin Lin

Grade: B+

Up-graded from B

+1: Moments for each main character.

par: Villain, Krall motivations.

par: Space ships.

par: Low tech solutions to high stakes futuristic problems.

par: Installment in the Star Trek movie franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Art by Bryan Mon.

X-Men, Vol. 2 No. 3

X-Men: Apocalypse [PG-13]

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

May 27, 2016 - 20th Century Fox

Directed by Bryan Singer

Grade: B-

Down-graded from B

+1: Mutant powers moments including Quick Silver.

-1: Large cast.

par: Story.

-1: “Bad” guys standing on a mountain getting new costumes.

par: Installment in the X-Men movie franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Captain America 3

Captain America: Civil War [PG-13]

(Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase 3, Part 1 of 10)

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

May 6, 2016 - Marvel/ Disney

Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Grade: A-

Up-graded from B

+1: Fight Choreography including team of here fighting in an airport.

+1: New heroes including Spider-Man #3 (live action movie) and Black Panther.

 -1: Reasons for fighting including the Sokovia Accords.

par: The “villain”/ opponent.

+1: Installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.

[synopsis on IMDB]

The Jungle Book (live action)

The Jungle Book [PG]

Adventure, Drama, Family

April 15, 2016 - Disney

Directed by Jon Favreau

Grade: A-

Up-graded from B

par: Cast including Neel Sethi (Mowgli) and Bill Murray (Baloo voice).

par: Story including Mowgli’s fate.

+1: Character animation.

par: Animals talking.

+1: City of monkeys.

[synopsis on IMDB]

Juan Ortiz

New Blog:

http://juanortizart.blogspot.com

Juan Ortiz is an artist and designer who has worked for Disney, Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network. Most recently Juan has been creating poster imagery for every Star Trek episode for the Original Series, Next Generation and the Animated Series just as a start.