Avatar (2009)

Well, it seems James Cameron's big-budget movie about blue people has finally been released and is making a killing at the box office. Apart from his ability to raise hype in a sci-fi film, Cameron has laid out some landmarks for the genre with such titles as Terminator and Aliens. But does this compare with at least the dynamics of his other features?

Yes and no. One thing Avatar does do without a doubt is it succeeds in inducing awe on a technological level. The movie is indeed in 3D but it's difficult to say so given the other 3D theater releases we've seen from Disney and a few horror flicks. I did manage to see Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3D a few years back, and while I'm a big fan of the movie, looking back the 3D aspect does seem pretty lacking. Nightmare, among other Disney releases, are 3D in the sense of a pop-up book. Only select features of scenes, and maybe a few characters will really stand out towards you. Whereas in Avatar, everything from the tip of a Na'vi woman's nose to a lamp on a scientists' desk presents itself in its own dimension. It's far more realistic in it's 3D presentation than any other movie I've seen. How convenient the movie has action sequences that really put this to the test.

With the spectrum that Avatar is presented being the main reason to be checked out, it's easy to see through what little Cameron has originated for the script. While some performances may seem lacking (Sigourney Weaver didn't really impress me) and the script will make it seem quite obvious this project has been a whole decade in the making. The film doesn't present one overbearing flaw that is only caused by it's excellence. Cameron really does balance the amount of attention between the human and the Na'vi races. But it's no question about which one would rather be seen. Cameron fleshes out his fictional race of blue people, making them interesting and lively in this colorful world of exotic alien creatures and wildlife. But then once the film cuts to Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) awakening out of his avatar capsule, it's almost a pain to sit through the rest of what feels like it should be more dragon rider and other ways of showing off the Na'vi's culture. I grew tired of the humans far too quickly and made this almost three hour movie a bit more inconvenient than I expected. Cameron is clearly aware of this flaw, as it supports his Pocahontas-themed plot.

Otherall, Avatar triumphs and achieves it's goal on delivering an old story with a fresh take and truly innovative presentation. For that I'd say my overall opinion is positive of Avatar, but maybe next time Cameron, have someone else write it.

Escape from New York (1981)

I could lazily sum this one up in a single phrase; "Snake Plissken is a badass." But such a dirty deed would be overlooking the other great features of this fantastic film and offer very little analysis of this action-packed, vision of the future as told by John Carpenter. I realize how hard sarcasm is to read, some I'll go with another single yet contradictory phrase; "This movie is awful."

This is what happens when a director makes a poor transition from horror to action/adventure. Escape from New York excels at displaying campy, speechless events, tied together by the improbable actions of a protagonist, who all other supporting characters worship and get past obvious flaws of when he gets out of line. That being said, it's a highlight of awesomeness that Kurt Russel can imitate with nothing more than a piss-poor attitude (which he's been known to display off camera) and an eye patch. I honestly cannot see how this film is credited for being such a huge inspiration for director Robert Rodriguez, aside from its visual deviance for an early '80s action flick. Oh, and did I mention the guy who did the voice of Chef from South Park is in this?

Jeepers Creppers (2001)

Seemingly typical, this one definitely didn't catch my eye around the time of its release. It struck me as one of the millions of horror movies destined for cheap scares and other qualities I need not mention. Such expectations would lead most to look towards it's make-up with apathy towards the characters, random guessing as to who the masked man dumping bodies is, and the expectation of truly shitting acting that doesn't transcend beyond attractive men and woman who look good while being chased and can also let out a decent scream. Oh man, was I wrong.

Our main victims are Justin Long and Gina Philips, who introduce a different relationship to horror cinema. They're not boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife, or some random fling worthy enough to scream in despair while they witness the other being chopped to pieces. They're brother and sister. I make note of this because not only does it rule out the concept of a love interest completely, but also builds up horrific elements of the film more than "The Creeper" himself. Rather than spending the intro laughing blissfully and making sexual gestures towards one another, they're poking fun and bickering with each other like siblings do best. An extra layer of comedy is added, as snide remarks under the guise of brotherly love make for great raunchy humor. Rather than the audience artificially feeling for their relationship as a couple, we witness their demise after Trish basically tells her brother to drop dead. What happens to them touches more of the wrong-doing towards a family member, instead of two "hotties" with obvious deficiencies running into a terrible stroke of bad luck.

Like most horror movies that introduce an unknown entity that freightens (or intrigues) the audience more than the human characters' perspective, Darry and Trish are the main focuses of the film. However, it's the monster that really steals the show here. Every scene featuring the creeper or an extension of him was executed with top-notch cinematic efficiency. One example would be the use of brightened pastel colors to represent the desolate yet warm feeling countryside, bright-green grass and pink houses included. Then plot devices like the old rusted truck driven by the strange creature as it tries to run Trish and Darry off the road has a much more compelling presence. Their reactions in the scene are pushed to a small perk, while director Victor Salva focuses on the environment he's obviously put his share of work into, without being overbearing. Simply put, it feels like the beginning of a really bad dream. This scene occurs very early in the film, and charts a path for the overall direction of the film, which helps show the true intention of the creature in a very unique way. For those who haven't seen it, the movie is indeed called Jeepers Creepers for a reason. The allusion to eyes, creative direction, better-than-most acting and constant intrigue in the film's monster make Jeepers Creepers one of the best low-scale monster movies I've seen. Don't overlook this one, there's more to it than meets the eye (sorry, couldn't help it).

Afro Samurai (2007) / Afro Samurai: Resurrection (2009)

To think, there was a brief moment in time (which faded almost instantly) where Spike TV followed in the footsteps of a younger MTV, by attempting to draw in a less popular teenage crowd. No, I'm not saying they bought old seasons of The Real World, I'm talking about their animated line-up which featured shows like Striperella and brand new (yet god awful) episodes of Ren & Stimpy. These days you might find such shows lurking around the internet, probably available to watch for free. It actually stuns me that among these "magnificent" aforementioned titles that Afro Samurai was the only one to achieve life after the death of their more maturely rated cartoons.

Afro Samurai has your typical Samurai-esque script with a touch of skitzophrenia, added with high-priority sex appeal, extreme violence and squirting blood, all in the light of an urban/futuristic/fuedal japanese world where the only black person in sight is kicking all kinds of ass. The story follows Afro, a samurai out for revenge against his father's killer who just so happens to possess a headband which bestows the wearer with the title of "baddest mother fucker in the world" or as the show says, the No. 1 whom shall rule the world. On his journey, he meets some relatively interesting characters from his past, along with some new faces who are voiced by actors like Ron Perlman, Kelly Hu and Lucy Lui. Sounds like Samuel L.'s idea of a wet dream finally came to life in five episodes and a movie that tends to beat a dead horse that didn't gallop too well in the first place.

What Afro Samurai does have, however, is some of the best animation ever seen on an American TV. Characters' movements flow smoothly like water and like the blade of a samurai, cut through all the dull plot-driven portions of the series. The voice actors are also on top of their game, as Jackson's portrayal of Afro and his grey-haired, outspoken sidekick (which the show hints at as being apart of Afro's imagination) is pretty well balanced. Perlman is awesome too, as usual.

Jackson's overzealous animated series/direct-to-DVD feature might be considered cutting edge, but lacks creativity and at times can almost seem like a waste of perfectly good Japanese animators. Even when their sweat is already so inexpensive.

Let the Right One In (2008)

At one point, I had lost all faith movies regarding vampires. This sub-genre of horror that's existed for many decades but ceases to deliver on a regular basis has failed at entertaining the likes of myself and most audiences. With recently disappointments like 30 Days of Night and the lackluster sequel Lost Boys: The Tribe, comics and overdue sequels are the only things fans of these supernatural creatures have had to look upon as of late.

This Swedish film really came out of nowhere, and suddenly achieved a critical concensus that Stanley Kubrick's The Shining would be envious of. I finally went to see what all the fuss was about to behold a bittersweet and romantic indie film that tributes vampire mythology without overdoing it.

Let the Right One In shows us that the scariest things in life are not supernatural, but the things we face at a younger age, like bullys and authoritative figures. The vampire thrill scenes are there, but are pushed to the sidelines as the coming-of-age romance concept takes the main focal point. If you're one who enjoys the slaughtering mayhem of modern vampire flicks (which is mostly overkill), look elsewhere. But don't let that suck the interest out of you, as the scenes may be scarce, but they deliver with traditional stride.

The Church (1989)

Among the many famed Italian horror directors to emerge over the past couple decades, no other director has shown more potential for carrying the heavy torch of Dario Argento like Michele Soavi, the director of The Church. Soavi's expansive set design and camera angles make him shine above mostly as one of the few artistic horror directors. In his earlier career, after directing a documentary on Dario Argent and the theater-based slasher Stage Fright, he moved onto a project that that must have seemed more accessible for his ambition. Too bad the result was a almost a total disappointment.

Don't get me wrong, this movie had a lot of potential. The only thing keeping this film from teetering on the thin line between cult classic and complete garbage was how Soavi executed the lackluster script. The Church suffers from that blasted tradition that almost every horror movie seems to follow; a mixed bag of individuals get stuck in a remote location where they're all killed off.

However, The Church's potential lies within it's references to artwork, even a particularly famous one. In an opening scene, we see Lisa (Barbara Cupisti) restoring an ancient and (obviously) demonic painting on the wall of an ancient cathedral. This painting is made reference to numerous times as creatures from the painting show up for a few cheap kills. Otherwise, you'd swear a few of these scenes were portrayed somewhere in a far more fashionable way. On top of this, the acting was incredibly poor and the editing looks like it was taken over by monkeys closer to the end. Check this one out if you're up for some typical horror with a slightly creative twist. Also remember, I use the term "creative" very loosely.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Among horror's more traditional tones and formula of the typical sexy teens dying by the hand of a deranged slasher, very few films in the genre shine enough to surpass what cinema has done for the past fifty years and push the usual schematics down to focus on other qualities. An American Werewolf in London is a film that presents very few (but highly qualified) scares to present other aspects of paranoia, like culture shock and unfamiliar territory in the great city of London.

The more thrilling aspects of John Landis' hybrid film not only presents the greatness of werewolf movies accompanied with numerous references to the original Universal classic The Wolf Man, but also focuses on character interaction and tongue-in-cheek humor. An example of this would be David's communication with those who fell victim to werewolf's curse.

David (David Naughton) and his best friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) is brutally attacked by a werewolf in a genuinely chilling scene involving a beast closing in on them as they leave the "Slaughtered Lamb Pub." After Jack's life is claimed, leaving David the sole survivor, local townsfolk report that they were attacked by a lunatic who was simply out for blood. After David awakens in hospital in London, he forms a relationship with a nurse named Alex (Jenny Agutter) who tends to his wounds a develops an attraction for the American boy. David ends up staying with her, coping with his transformations and frequent visits from his best friend who constantly decays being stuck in limbo. This is where the movie get's the aforementioned comedy aspect, as his friend transitions from heavily wounded, to fully zombified. His first transformation ends with him waking up naked in the wolf exhibit at the local zoo.

The whole mythology of the werewolf is expanded up here, as his prey for every full moon night's hunt ends up being stuck in the same limbo as Jack. David meets with them in an adult film theater, and while some victims show angst towards him, a happy couple he killed remains chipper. All of the victims calmly try to convince him to commit suicide in the most uplifting way, with numerous suggestions. The ending isn't the greatest, but involves a savage bloodbath on the streets of London, ending with his final encounter with Alex.