Tag Archives: multiverse

Black

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Vampire Owl: I am sure that this movie is about darkness.

Vampire Bat: There is no darkness that we do not know.

Vampire Owl: I feel that this would be pitch black.

Vampire Bat: This could actually be about the colour.

Vampire Owl: Nobody focuses on a colour like black.

Vampire Bat: Black is our national colour, so focus is already there.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that this movie would have unlimited dark horror?

Vampire Bat: The biggest of horrors are not dark or black, but much more.

Vampire Owl: You are talking about different colours of horrors in a witch’s cauldron.

Vampire Bat: Those are just potions and elixirs that cause stomach upset horror.

[Gets a egg puffs and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: In 1964, one a rainy night, three people drive on the road, two eloping lovers and their friend who are trying to stay away from the city while they get married on the very next day. The friend who also had love for the same girl comes back after leaving, and finds both of them murdered, and is surprised at the name of the one who committed the murder. Back to the present, Vasanth (Jiiva) and Aaranya (Priya Bhavani Shankar) are a couple who recently do not have a good time together due to their busy schedules at work and some occasional fights. There is also a fight at a pub which leads to Vasanth beating up a man who retaliates by breaking the glass of their car. To make things better, he proposes a vacation, but Aaranya suggests a weekend trip to their new apartment in a peaceful coastal area. Being the first residents in the villas, they are alone for that night except for the one security who is there for duty. There is a mysterious statue of an angel which has been there since 1964, with different relocation attempts failing one after the other, and it was something that was present during the earlier murder of the couple in that year.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The couple buys some supplies from a nearby supermarket and decides to settle in for a calm and peaceful night. They are surprised to find that the security of the villas has gone missing, and there is also a strange painting delivered to the location which is only known to their best friends. As the supermoon rises in the night, the power goes off and some strange sounds are heard. With no one to switch on the available power backup, they go to the parking area and manage to get it done. Aaranya feels that someone else was there in the parking area, but ends up finding nobody. A friend shows up and tells them that they made a call asking him to come over, which both of them denies. Vasanth and Aaranya, who have made no such call, are baffled but bid him goodbye saying that they have no problems. As he goes back to his car and finds the call on his mobile phone, he is confused, but has no option but to drive away from the area.

And what more is to follow in this world of chaos with something strange all around? :: Later, they find out that there are lights in the opposite villa, even though they were told that they were the only occupants in the group of villas. They find out that the opposite villa is exactly the same mirror image of their villa, but not just with the structure, but having identical furniture, drinks, and even the newly arrived painting. The painting which was once broken, appears okay when they return home, and the same also happens with the curtains which had caught fire. They try to escape in their car, only to find themselves reappearing in the same area after crossing a dark area. Panicked, Aaranya calls emergency services for help, but gets disconnected after telling them a bit. They find themselves in the opposite villa, shocking them about their own existence. Suddenly, an intruder comes in and attacks Vasanth, and it is another version of him, whom they both somehow manages to drive away. They have no idea what is happening and wonder how they can survive the night – can they?

The defence of Black :: The movie nicely explores parallel timelines or alternate realities, complex loops and identity confusion unlike what is usually seen around. Fans of the movie from which it is adapted – Coherence, will surely find it engaging, as they see the world of that movie of Hollywood beautifully recreated with the necessary changes to suit our world. Also, there will be a lot of people who have not watched that particular movie, which will make this experience feel to be fresh and very much new. That dark set of so much similar-looking houses provide us with the feeling of other science-fiction movies like Vivarium from where escape for so much more than just impossible. The environment is just perfect for the movie, and even though not a horror movie, there is terror right in here. Jiiva shines in the movie with multiple identities, while Priya Bhavani Shankar who was also seen in Demonte Colony 2 remains too good here. It has something to keep us engaged and on the edge of the seats at all times, as the mystery thickens and fear is generated from the hopeless situations faced by the protagonists. There is also a lot left to the imagination, which would work for the people who wish for more than what meets the eye. After all, we are the Avengers and Justice League multiverse – parallel worlds fans in heart.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not seem to solve all its complications, as some confusions do seem to remain – ambiguity stays on without holding back. Multiple versions of characters with overlapping timelines being brought to limited expositions make it a hard thing to follow for casual viewers. The moments at the generator are as ambiguous as the ending, and the attempt to escape in the car also provides that strange feeling. There are also so many characters which remain underdeveloped and one wonders if they exist just to be around. The questions about which version of which characters come at which moment, and who all are matched with each other, keeps people wondering, and explanations are just basic, with visuals not giving that many deep ideas. For people who are not serious with science fiction, too much of time is wasted thinking about what is happening around here. The connections do not feel to be perfect, and sometimes, the movie seems to be a little bit stretched beyond need too.

How it finishes :: Black, despite said to be the adaptation of an English movie, feels like having undergone a transformation to reach this situation which seems to be well-suited for this environment. There seems to be a lot of variation from that tale too, and most of us have not really watched that particular movie either. This version also has quality written all over it, as there is a fine presentation of the idea, even though we cannot deny the existence of some confusion in between, as the blending of time travel, alternative realities and science fiction are not that easy to work with, especially with some strange phenomenon coming in out of nowhere – even the audience would not be ready for the same. But we know that the effort is so good, and this divergence has been the need of our times. Without such thoughts, would movies like Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and Minnal Murali be around in Malayalam movie industry? Our movie’s twisted realities remind us of the earlier Pechi which was dealing with another genre, but brought the complexities of multiple realities as if hallucinating in an uncertain world. This one here is surely worth your time.

Release date: 11th October 2024
Running time: 117 minutes
Directed by: K G Balasubramani
Starring: Jiiva, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Vivek Prasanna, Yog Japee, Sindhoori, Shah Ra, Swayam Siddha, Raja Rudrakodi, Bharath Sivarajan, Mahimai Raj,Dharma Raj, G V Krishna, Pop Suresh

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Fantastic Four

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Vampire Owl: We should have been the fantastic two.

Vampire Bat: So, you do not wish to include Vampire Penguin and Vampire Panda to make it four.

Vampire Owl: This would be more than enough. Anyone else would make Vampire Alligator and Vampire Crocodile too angry.

Vampire Bat: You can still have a fantastic four plus two.

Vampire Owl: Why would I wish to make too many people become fantastic?

Vampire Bat: Maybe we can develop a team good enough to fight zombies all by ourselves.

Vampire Owl: To fight such mindless creatures, random vampire troops will be enough.

Vampire Bat: We do not have a standing military force anymore.

Vampire Owl: We, the vampires are always military civilians.

Vampire Bat: We are no longer the hunters that we used to be.

[Gets a tea cake and three cups of Valparai tea].

What is the movie about? :: Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) with the ability to extend his body to any lengths, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) who can be invisible and also generate force fields, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) with superhuman strength and durability, and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) who can control fire and fly, together makes the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four that keeps their Earth safe from evil that tries to keep unleashing on the common people. After after they gained superhuman abilities from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission as astronauts, they have been appreciated and celebrated by media. The team became celebrities like no other, with on other heroes to rely on on that Earth. Reed’s inventions have improved technology while Sue’s diplomacy has brought peace for most of the world. When Reed and Sue reveal that they are expecting a child, thing could not be any better, with their world even thinking about a kid with superpowers, making it a Fantastic Five team instead of the usual four.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: One day, they witness meteors in the sky, and along with then, a humanoid alien called Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) descends on a surf board. She tells them that Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a gigantic cosmic creature has chosen to consume their planet and that all life on Earth shall perish without leaving any sign of previous existence. He is someone who predates the universe as everyone knows it, existing like a cosmic vampire as well as an unstoppable godlike power lasting for billions of years, feeding on planets. Silver Surfer has been providing Galactus assistance in his objectives in exchange for him sparing her planet. She has been traveling through space on a surfboard in search of the right planets for Galactus to feed on. The team decides to go to space to stop Galactus from coming to Earth and destroying it. They do not feel that this is something they cannot handle, as negotiation was also an option along with fighting just two superpowered aliens.

And what more in to follow as a planet faces total annihilation? :: They track the Silver Surfer’s energy signature and reach a planet which is quickly destroyed by Galactus, only to escape for the devastation at the last moment. The team is found by the Silver Surfer and brought to Galactus, who tells them that it is his need to feed on planets to hunger that has been going on for billions of years. Galactus senses that Reed and Sue’s unborn child has an immense cosmic power and could take on his place, thus freeing him from hunger. He offers to spare their planet in exchange for the child, but the team refuses and escapes to the spaceship. The team, with a tough effort, manages to delay Silver Surfer who was chasing them, and reaches Earth with Sue giving birth during the journey in space. As Reed reveals the details of their encounter with Galactus during a press conference, their decision to save one child over billions of humans on Earth leads to negative opinions on them. People call for the sacrifice of the child, as saving them is what superheroes should do, and one life should not be valuable than billions of lives. As time keeps running out, what can Fantastic Four finally figure out to save both the world and the newborn child?

The defence of The Fantastic Four: First Steps :: The movie has an interesting cast that begins well, except for the emotional lag, as they get into action nicely. The visuals are nothing less than stunning with focus not only on what happens on Earth, with other areas also getting some nice detail. Galactus, his spaceship and Silver Surfer, all look really good. There seems to be a lot of effort to make the whole thing close to comics as well as suitable for the real world in live-action. There are some stunning action scenes which keep the viewers thrilled as danger is that huge with almost no hope left for Earth, as even superheroes just hope and believe rather than go for anything with full confidence. Back on Earth, the retro-style futuristic world is something that will keep us interesting, and the nice use of colours do not cease to amaze us, as a new Earth is brought to us. The fact that origin story is skipped gives us some more time to work with the world, as we do know how these particular superheroes came into being, and the small reminder added in the beginning helps the new viewers too. It is to be noted that any connection made to the superheroes of the other universes is going to make the whole thing so huge.

The claws of flaw :: None of the new cast matches the team of Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis, with Jessica being the one true Invisible Woman as we know them – the new cast still got a long way to establish themselves in their newfound roles. That movie was just classic nostalgia material which could not be matched by that one reboot which came next either. Compared to that which had lots of fun, this movie becomes an emotional absurdity at times, especially related to a kid who is valued more than a billion lives. Even the antagonist’s helper seems to know this and values human lives, as she herself has gone through personal sacrifices to save others. This over-emotional side seems to curse the movie more than anything else, as the cheap melodrama often gets into our heads. The final battle also feels like the four members of the team having too much power against such a godlike cosmic undefeated creature, especially the character of Sue, which feels overdone in not just emotions, but also with the powers and meaningless anger. The characterization and story struggle often shows up as if it needed to be there.

How it finishes :: The superhero team in a fresh universe with a retro-futuristic 1960s model provides this particular movie with a new style, as this one also seems to get the critical appreciation on its favour, even though I would always love the Jessica Alba starrer above others for its simplicity with a classic tale without messing it up with too many misdirected emotions – the reboot never came close after that. There is some bigger action here and real danger, even though the attempts at solving problems seem to be misdirected, and emotional get the weaker side of superhero despite movie trying to make some characters feel too strong. Yet, the team of cast seems to work well as one, and the beauty of the visuals cannot be easily matched, whether on Earth or outside. For a fan of the Fantastic Four series, this version is surely more ambitious, and might mean more when connected with the universe with a sequel or as part of other Marvel movies. As we remember seeing a Fantastic Four spaceship in Thunderbolts, we know that something grand is yet to be seen and Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame might not be the biggest Avengers movie on Earth.

Release date: 25th July 2025
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Ralph Ineson

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Infinite Earths II

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Vampire Owl: Have they solved the crisis of infinite earths yet?

Vampire Bat: The existence of infinite earths itself is a crisis with some avatars.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that the number of earths should be reduced?

Vampire Bat: I believe that there should be a limit to be parallel universes.

Vampire Owl: How many multiverses can a world hold then?

Vampire Bat: Certainly not an infinite number as we see. They are not in the atlas.

Vampire Owl: So, the world would come to an end.

Vampire Bat: All human worlds need to end to save the other species.

Vampire Owl: Do you see that happening any time soon?

Vampire Bat: Maybe they can turn into vampires, which is a solution.

[Gets a ghee dosa and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Supergirl a.k.a Kara Zor-El (Meg Donnelly) who escapes from a devastated Krypton on a pod is found by Monitor (Jonathan Adams) who has been watching all worlds and the destruction all around without interfering in any of them. It turns out that Kara does not have any memory of her past and he decides not to talk about the annihilation of her planet. But Kara discovers the pod in the hangar and understands the fate of her planet. Not happy that she was not told the truth and as no real attempt was made by the Monitor to save the dying planet even though he held immense power, she leaves. The Monitor still continued to observe her, and after many years, asks her to help him prevent the anti-matter waves from destroying different realities. He also provided her with some of his power, transforming her into an entity known as Harbinger and sends her to gather the superheroes, or metahumans who could serve the purpose as the heroes of the world.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The anti-matter waves which hit Earth-1 seems to be followed by many other similar waves, and stopping one was not really a case of success. Many heroes wander across the multiverse to operate, maintain and protect the vibrational towers meant to stop the waves letting them pass through their worlds without any effect. Batman a.k.a. Bruce Wayne (Jensen Ackles), Superman a.k.a. Clark Kent (Darren Criss) and Green Arrow a.k.a. Oliver Queen (Jimmi Simpson) continues to lead the way. Soon, shadow demons appear on different earths and attack all the towers, and the heroes react with the power of light. It is then that Psycho-Pirate (Geoffrey Arend) who was recruited by Monitor moves to the opposite side and uses the shared power of Monitor to turn the superheroes against each other instead using them to pacify the people who were facing the attacks. Things get out control and many earths become the victims of anti-matter waves. Now, it is to be seen what can be done next.

The defence of Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two :: The series does get to be more serious with this movie, as the dangerous is so huge that it is almost impossible to stop the ultimate terror. The superheroes will have to fight not just one big evil, but the recruited supervillains and also themselves, with friends also turning into foes within seconds. The emotional side is also strong, except for Supergirl who ends up being the most hated character, a quality that she had been maintaining since the beginning of this one. The voices nicely suit the characters and the animations maintain the expected quality. The end of the world would seem beautiful at times, with nobody remaining to assert the dominance of the rich – everyone suffers equally, and this is the kind of world with Thanos would have wanted in the Marvel Universe – unfortunately, they cheated to end him with that Avengers: Endgame, and the feeling of absurdity with which we see the so called cheating superheroes come back to life was disappointing.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s emotional strength is lower than the previous one, as the sacrifices here seem to be rather forced. There is indeed the struggle to have some characters liked by the viewers, as we do not feel that much of a need. Supergirl is the most detestable in this movie, selfish, and only thinking about her and her own people and not caring about others including those who genuinely caring for her, not even hesitating to kill good people to quench her insatiable anger towards the living. Once again, too many characters also complicate things, and the crowd seems to bother viewers again, especially with some characters who hold no long-lasting relevance, and some superheroes lack in creating interest. Just like those dumb Marvel heroes like Captain Marvel and Ms Marvel, some of the metahumans here would make no impact and seems forced to exist. Those are the kind of superheroes who need to be erased by anti-matter waves forever, and their existence remains a shame.

Soul exploration :: The soul of this movie is all about making sacrifices and striving hard to save the world, as all superheroes and some of the anti-heroes and even a few villains would want, as it is their world too. There are people who wishes to save worlds, and also others who do not want to do the same, and there are also mysteries behind all of these, with questionable actions being regular part of the happenings. Supergirl remains the one true villain, even though she can blame being targeted by mind – yet, her cruelty and brutality of the mind remain exposed like never before, and changes the course of action. Her soul remains pure evil, as shown in this movie, and no sacrifice which could come in the next movie can change that fact. It is applicable to everyone who has too much power and could not hold the responsibility, like Captain Marvel who has always felt to be evil and reckless and could have learned a few lessons from even the lesser known Madame Web. Well, great responsibility do not come with great power at all times.

How it finishes :: There is the feeling of better scope with this movie than the earlier one, as the confusion is less and fights are more – there is more of a feeling of epic with this one. There are still those non-linear elements which drag the movie back, but maintains the flick without that much of a confusion. As the narrative jumps between threads without any smooth transition, we are left to connect with the whole thing in the right way. The action gets to be bigger and the danger feels more immense as there is more than one anti-matter wave or two to deal with, and the real tsunami would mean much more. As the scope for terror and end of the world gets near, we leave with the feeling that there will be more to the third movie, and such a wait is definitely activated. Well, the animated movies from DC do maintain a certain amount of quality and rises well whenever it seems to be going down; salute to that.

Release date: 9th April 2024
Running time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Jeff Wamester
Starring: Matt Bomer, Jensen Ackles, Darren Criss, Meg Donnelly, Stana Katic, Corey Stoll

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.