Jimmy Martin reviews box-office winners ‘Venom,’ ‘A Star Is Born’

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It was the biggest October weekend in box office history, all thanks to “Venom” and “A Star is Born.”

“Venom” topped the weekend, bringing in $80 million, and right behind it was “A Star is Born,” taking in more than $41 million.

‘Venom’ (PG-13)

“If anything people know about me — I’m a geek,” said film critic Jimmy Martin. “I walked into this movie kind of wanting to like it.”

“Venom,” starring Tom Hardy in the titular role, is the story about a Spider-Man villain. However, conspicuously absent was Spider-Man. It was a detail Martin had difficulty overlooking.

“It’s kind of weird to have this anti-hero” without Spider-Man, he said.

Another issue Martin had was with the absence of Venom himself.

“All the trailers we see have Venom — this tall, black suit like that,” he said. “We do not see that costume until an hour into the film.”

Although many have panned “Venom,” Martin said it’s not necessarily a zero-star movie.

“I don’t know if I’d rush out go to see it, but apparently everybody is,” he said. “I think we’re going to get a sequel.”

‘A Star is Born’ (R)

This is the fourth time the story has been told, this time starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

Cooper also directed.

The story follows Cooper’s character, a full-blown alcoholic and drug addict, as he discovers Gaga’s character and helps her rise to stardom.

“Obviously Lady Gaga does her own singing, because it’d be dumb if she didn’t,” Martin said. “What’s really cool is that Bradley Cooper did his own singing.”

Martin said Cooper hadn’t really done any singing prior to the film.

“He actually was taught from a good friend of his: Mr. Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam,” he said.

Martin enjoyed it, and he predicted “A Star is Born” will be a huge presence during awards season.

“I’m at four stars,” he said. “I absolutely loved it.”