Space Well Wasted

Avatar (2009)

2010-01-02T13:46:00.004-05:00

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)

2009-02-22T00:22:00.004-05:00

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)

2009-02-21T00:00:00.011-05:00

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)

2009-02-07T02:20:00.008-05:00

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)

2008-11-11T18:32:00.009-05:00

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)

2008-11-09T04:12:00.004-05:00

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)

2008-10-30T21:32:00.008-04:00

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.

Berserk (1997)

2008-08-22T15:42:00.006-04:00

Berserk, despite the negative attention it's gotten from fans of the original manga, is among the most entertaining animes I've ever seen. Like most anime (specifically, the kind geared towards men, so looks elsewhere for the anorexic, wide-eyed lolis with their hands on their hips) it's very gorey and the main character is extremely overpowered. But that doesn't change the fact that it posesses a lot of potential. I was personally surprised with the sub-plot elements that cover life and following one's dream. But don't be fooled, this is a very graphic piece of work and focuses more on what your typical blood-soaked, Evil Dead watching horror fanatic would prescribe himself after a long hard day of chainsaw mauling. Yeah, it's that damn gorey.

The story involves Guts, a boy who we witness being raised from the battlefield wielding a sword twice his size since a very young age. After being taken under the wing of a bloodthirsty and crazed warrior, Guts kills his father figure in an attempt to defend his own life. Charged with murdering him, Guts sets out to pursue a life of killing for cash, so to speak. He spends his life doing this until he reaches his mid-teens, and then joins a mercenary group called the Band of the Hawk, where we meet the two supporting characters, Griffith and Casca. Though Wikipedia doesn't seem to agree with me, as they consider them to be more main characters.

As I've said before, this is based on a manga series (which has reached up to 33 volumes in Japan and is still being published) and takes place durring the "Golden Age" story arc, covering volumes 4-13. I've only read a little bit to brush up on Berserk's source material and to find out what happens after the show's rather inconclusive ending. All I can say is the manga is as dark as it is perverse and extremely violent. The anime, however, doesn't do the best job of representing this, which could be the reason why the ending caught so many people off guard. Without spoiling much, Guts isn't given any sort of resulution or justice. In fact, all supporting characters are killed off in Hell as their leader sacrafices them for an ultimate power. The author must have been a big Hellraiser fan, because the apostles at the end of the anime resemble some of Clive Barker's creatures almost perfectly.

I've read rumors regarding the ending, such as the lack of budget that wouldn't allow the studio to make a 26th episode or just the idea that the ending is meant to be abrupt and depressing. Either way, I was left wanting more justice for Guts and the manga, though explaining much more on the point, really doesn't provide much more of a happy ending. The overall differences between the anime and manga wouldn't have made a sebsible ending anyway. Regardless, Berserk is more of a prequel to the Guts we see in the manga which has always been a pretty kick-ass anime character. I'd definetely recommend the first 23 episodes to any fans of big swords, gore, and the lack of physical humor that most anime is now plagued with. As for the remaining two episodes, only for those who really want to witness something fucked up.

Trainspotting (1996)

2008-08-14T16:26:00.011-04:00

Trainspotting is urban, gritty, and thanks to Danny Boyle's superb direction, a beautiful presentation of a story about reformation and maturity once you've sunk to society's lowest level.

The story revolves around Renton (Ewan McGregor), a heroin addict with a group of odd-ball friends, who harness the true humor of the movie. His fellow addicts are the James Bond-obsessed Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) and the typical putz Spud (Ewen Bremner). Their daily activities involve living with the scum of society, being criminals and shooting up at their friend Allison's run down apartment, where she cares for her baby daughter, Dawn. Renton and his friends lead a blissful life of drugs and desire, with the exception of their alcoholic friend Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who gets his kicks from picking bar fights and Tommy (Kevin McKidd) who is basically whipped by his girlfriend and really likes to work out. His friends have dirty motives for the most part, but are still likable because of their diverse personalities.

Really, a lot of so-called hipsters will recommend this to pretty much anyone. It's no surprise that it has a lot of environmentally trippy scenes that sort of bend the concrete world into drug induced surrealism. But I don't credit anyone for that other than Boyle, who has already proven his skill with 28 Days Later (a fantastic zombie flick if you've never seen it). The story isn't anything too spectacular though the plot does hold some meaning and if you can get past the thick cockney accents, this is a great film to watch with your friends. Especially if they're losers druggies.

Human Nature (2001)

2008-08-14T02:59:00.008-04:00

This movie deconstructs Patricia Arquette to such a harsh degree that you'd wonder why anyone would want to be in such a movie. But apparently actors have no problem in showing it all, despite how ridicules and stupid as this movie could have turned out. For the most part, it was pretty ridicules, but did include a mild level of meaning behind the extremely opposite overmannered prudes and hairy humans jumping around making monkey sounds - we all have primal instincts that we shouldn't always suppress. Just like Charlie Kaufman's previous work, the story focuses on characters who are mostly driven by lust or one insatiable urge. One could consider this poor writing and say that the characters one-dimensional, I say it's almost Shakespearean. But then again, I'm an optimist when it comes to movies.

A good half of the film is rather pretentious and strings together through events and can't really find a comfortable spot between humor and seriousness. The remainder, however, was much more entertaining and more thawed out than Kaufman's last credible screenplay, Being John Malkovich. Though, it wasn't so much the actual story that carried my interest as it was the performances and Michael Gondry's creative direction, which shines mainly on various environments and scenes involving animals for some reason. He seemed to like a pair of lab mice that were trained to use the proper salad fork enough to bring them up in a number of scenes.

The film was enjoyable enough to recommend to those who enjoy quirky humor and lots of nudity on the side. I believe it's also Gondry's first widely released film, which I suppose means something to fans of his particular style. If you looked into it enough, the film could really bend the structure of society, but it's just far too easy to poke fun at than get up and protest about.

The Silent City (2006)

2008-08-05T18:38:00.009-04:00

With the achievement of his last effort on Fifty Percent Grey, apparently director Ruairi Robinson thought his lack of fleshy faces meant he should put another short beneath his belt for good measure.

I will say I'm happy with his environments, and this is definitely a better shot at showing off his mad directing skills. However, the biggest flaw of Fifty Percent Grey was the lack of plot, and The Silent City shares that same problem. It introduces an interesting perception, without any justification. We're left wondering, is Robinson trying to make a feature-length film based on this? What happened to all of their comrades? And what the hell is that super fast thing that can generate enough momentum to knock a car out of its way?

Still, very well directed. Beggars can't be choosers, and directors can't always be writers.

Check out Robinson's site.

Clerks (1994)

2008-08-05T04:37:00.005-04:00

Kevin Smith's dialogue-driven comedy is a great directorial debut. He establishes the vulgar, yet visually calm state of an entertaining and easily appreciated comedy. To think, this is the film that gave birth to the characters Jay and Silent Bob. Their roles are about as cherished as any peanut gallery input can be, but Dante Hicks and Randall Graves is the film's main focus. The chemistry between these two characters, I thought, was what carried the movie.

On top of a humorous script, Smith slips in some more heartfelt moments that sort of took me by surprise. Aside from making us laugh at the stupidity of the general convenience store customer, the various rants we're subjected to by supporting character Randall, which sold me. There's also a pretty good scene where Dante realizes his girlfriend Veronica has sucked 36 dicks before him.

This film probably got more attention for being one of a kind for its time, much before we were spoiled by the Judd Apatow curse of hilarity. Still, this film sets a standard that many comedies should follow in detouring from the usual fart jokes and goofiness.

True Romance (1993)

2008-08-05T04:34:00.002-04:00

True Romance is loaded with a lot of eye candy that can easily lead to high expectations. As the credits roll by, favorite actors like Sameul L. Jackson and Christopher Walken roll by. The cast sort of flips the expected line up in reverse, putting Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette in the lead roles, and actors like Brad Pitt and Gary Oldman make brief appearances as minor, insignificant characters like a pimp and a pothead. Perhaps this was a strong creative decision, or maybe, this film was released during a time where Slater and Arquette were more potentially famous?

Either way, True Romance harnesses everything a man would prefer to see in a romance movie; sex, drugs, and lots of violence. The film begins in Detroit, where it shows off the cold, desolate feel of urban Michigan in the winter. Christian Slater plays oddly interested, yet street wise man named Clarence, who is searching for some kind of companionship. He finds it unexpectedly in a call girl named Alabama that his boss sets her up with. The two develop instant chemistry, which develops mostly into a sexual relationship. He takes it upon himself to "free" Alabama from her pimp, Drexl. This is where the film begins to show a level of aggression that Tony Scott delivers unexpectedly well.

From then on, the plot centers around a briefcase full of cocaine Clarence finds upon killing Drexl, and how selling it will supposedly make their dreams come true. The movie picks up again in Los Angeles, where they submerge themselves even more into a world of crime-driven movie producers and actors to set up a deal. They room with aspiring actor Dick Ritchie (Michael Rapaport) who provides some comic relief attachment to the couple. The plot concludes with producers, actors, cops and the Italian mob engagening in a huge shoot-fest.

There was lots of physical humor and smoothing talking, which is probably what causes me to show this one off to the unsuspecting Tarantino fans. I also really liked Val Kilmer as Clarence's Elvis-impersonating conscience.

The Lost Boys (1987)

2008-08-02T16:28:00.001-04:00

If you asked me what the best vampire movie was, I'd probably say either Interview with a Vampire or the original Nosferatu. That's just in terms of quality. If you asked me what my favorite vampire movie was, I'd say The Lost Boys.

Overall, this is a very flawed movie. But to me, this made vampires cool in the '80s. Joel Schumaker is probably one of my least favorite directors, and would be considered worse if it weren't for little gems like Flatliners and Falling Down. These films never really have a purpose, aside from giving us concepts attached to unrelatable characters. These roles can vary from teenage vampires to disgruntled, former employee for governmental defense. The Lost Boys delivers the director's usual goal, all the while supplying what I describe as The Goonies mixed with coming of age and urban surrealism.

The film does manage to capture the atmospheric mystery of moving to a new town for the main character and his little brother, which eventually introduces a group of teenagers who obviously resemble the "bad crowd" that everyone's mother warned them about. Michael's attraction to the only girl of the group leads to his indulgence into the gang's influence and activities, leading to him joining their league of vampires. Though he makes this transformation, the sense of good and evil still exists, and leads to his alliance with his brother and a young vampire hunter to kill them off.

There's also an underlying plot about a missing girl, who suddenly appears without justification. Many other nonsensical things occur, like the mother's well dressed and clearly middle aged boyfriend suddenly revealing he is the leader of the biker-vamps.

After saying this is my favorite among vampire movies, it probably doesn't make much sense that I've been criticizing it this whole time. Truthfully, I liked this movie so much because it's a crowd pleaser. It delivers every appropriately-placed piece of camp and gore you could ask for, and generally anyone who watches this will be entertained by it a la guilty pleasure. It also has one of the best vampire fight scenes I've ever seen. Oh, and Sutherland makes a pretty bad-ass vampire too.

Fifty Percent Grey (2001)

2008-07-30T21:02:00.000-04:00

When people think about computer animation, familiar titles like Shrek, Toy Story or Finding Nemo come to mind. In an industry dominated by Pixar and Dreamworks, it's not very common to find animated shorts in a similar style, involving a soldier repeatedly blowing his brains out. It was interesting, to say the least.

Ruairi Robinson's portrayal of the afterlife is a big satire that does not really offer any sort of difference between Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. Yes yes, I can see the message here. But it plays out more into what the viewer should view the afterlife as, and not what the CGI soldier thinks.

Still, I do see some progress in Robinson's career. He's done another short, live action, that I was pretty impressive as far as cinematography goes. But that's another entry for another time.

The Dark Knight (2008)

2008-07-18T17:14:00.001-04:00

With the amount of hype surrounding this film, and the ridicules amount of time put into its production, I allowed myself to gain high hopes for the latest in the Batman saga. I was hoping that with the odd casting, the change in plot formula, and this being Heath Ledger's last completed film that this would essentially be a Batman movie that can still dazzle and impress with characters and environment, while utilizing Bruce Wayne's classic charm, and Batman's ability to be a hard-ass. It's safe to say, I was far from disappointment. This movie achieves more than what anyone could expect from a Batman movie, and reaches out of its own comic book spectrum to dip its hand into many other sub-genres of film. The Dark Knight achieves itself as not only the best Batman movie to date, but easily the most disturbing, imaginative, and complex crime drama to appear in theaters for a very long time.

Christopher Nolan's decision to take Batman in another direction pays off, as this movie includes a somewhat cleaner look at Gotham and a plot that suits the on-going war between the city, Marconi's men (ones responsible for most of the chaos in the last film) and of course, the Batman. Marconi's thugs are dropping in numbers thanks to the combine efforts of Batman and the new district attorney Harvey Dent. The mob's desperation eventually leads to them hiring the Joker to take care of him. This is where the film becomes more of a thriller than a superhero flick.

The Joker, to me, represents the standard that every comic-adapted villain should live up to. Heath Ledger's final complete performance is a land mark in the amount of depth and utter insanity one protagonist can achieve, and he is represented as well in this film as he would in some of the best Batman comics. He really isn't predictable at all, and amounts to more than just a creepy clown with scars on his cheeks. He's an extremely intelligent maniac who uses the manipulation of criminal minds (and heroic ones) to achieve his ultimate goal. What also diversifies the Joker from most on-screen "evil doers," is he has no motivation aside from destroying order in Gotham. He is a character that thrives on anarchy.

The movie embodies every keen aspect of the Batman, which brings him to a level above how we saw him in Batman Begins. The film puts him in a sort of guild with Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Dent, giving him more importance than a simple crime fighter who wanders the streets. His character has great importance as both Batman and Bruce Wayne. All of his gadgets are present too, which I always found to be essentially what made Batman more necessary in the Justice League. I mean really, why would anyone need him alongside people like Superman and the Flash?

In accordance with Warner Bros. the Nolan brothers (along with David s. Goyer) were able to formulate something much bigger plot-wise rather than settling for something dark and stylish. The result is a very satisfying movie with a script you'd swear got an Oscar at some point in the past. For a movie that works outside the limited environment of a man dressed in a bat suit, The Dark Knight breaks the barrier of comic adaptations into cinematic genius.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008)

2008-07-13T15:58:00.001-04:00

An odd choice of Guillermo del Toro after his critically acclaimed Pan's Labyrinth did so well. With the amount of projects this guy turns down, you'd think a Hellboy sequel wouldn't have made the cut. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army was definitely worth his time, and shows a director's superior control over creativity can make a sequel that doesn't correct the supposed flaws of the last movie, but expands upon them making them better as an overall improved work of art.

Without the guidance of John Hurt's character, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, Hellboy 2 has a sense of misguidance to it. Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) has sort of taken his place and uses bribery to keep him under control, and most importantly, out of sight. Even still, Red's main concern is going public and getting recognition for what he does for a living. A valuable lesson is learned about keeping people at a distance, and how underappreciated the people who protect them really are. Otherwise, this movie is a constant fantastic dream of Del Toro bring Mike Mignola's creations to life. I did have a favorite character aside from the big red guy himself, and that was Johann Krauss (voiced by Seth MacFarlane). Krauss is a gassious spectre that has inhabited what looks like a big, rusty, old scuba-suit from the 1930's mixed with . He has the ability to leave his suit in ectoplasmic form, and can inhabit most any kind of soulless object, which makes for some great action durring the film's finale.

Hellboy 2 is beautifully directed and keeps it's shaky, yet stable plot rolling with some wierd creatures and amazing action along the way. There aren't many I could see adapting Mignola's work at this point (though Tim Burton might have been a good choice), and Del Toro has always given what audiences like me want to watch. It's no Pan's Labyrinth as far as plot goes, but it does deliver and overflows with creativity.

Hellboy (2004)

2008-07-13T15:57:00.000-04:00

Sure, the dialogue can be cheesy and the concept of Nazis being the bad guys is a little overdone. But if we focus mostly on the negative aspects of Hellboy, we're missing a valuable point Guillermo del Toro is trying to convey; That his sleeper-hit comedic, supernatural comic adaptation is a work of art that blends many different movie themes together.

As its lack of positive feedback will tell you, Hellboy isn't for everyone. Perhaps audiences aren't considering what the life of an inbred demon boy with no communication with the outside world is like. Hellboy was raised on pop culture being his only connection with humanity, with very minimal interaction with people aside from his own "father." Ron Perlman portrays a big red tank with one-liners equivalent to the quality of a Die Hard movie, though he has his more sensitive moments. Hellboy is strong, yet vulnerable to the few he has been raised around in his life. Namely Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), a fellow member of the BPRD. They have an odd, resentful relationship and she obviously doesn't really dig him. Red (Hellboy's nickname) has a puppy love crush on her, and she rejects him until the final moments of the film. Other supporting characters include Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt), the man who found Red when he was only a wee baby demon, and Abe Sapien (played by Doug Jones, voiced by David Hyde Pierce), who is basically a telepathic fish man.

Most of the film's quality comes from these characters and how they protect us ala Men in Black. While we're ignorant to the supernatural occurrences which summons the BPRD's assistance, they give good reason for supporting their cause. There is a similar theme to the X-men films, like the idea of defending an unappreciative society. The film doesn't oversympathize with the characters, even though they rightfully deserve it. Especially with the kind of villain they're up against. Nazism and Satan worshiping aside, these guys are pretty bad ass. Del Toro puts a lot of his film making skills into keeping fantastic characters artistic, and Hellboy is no exception to that.

Stardust (2007)

2008-07-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Stardust is a fast-paced fantasy that doesn't really take the time to develop characters and scenery besides it's main antagonist. It's an interesting combination of "cute" romance and humor that operates very similar to Monty Python's humor involving death, minus the gore. This was advertised as a kids movie you know.

A few performances here shine above the rest, like who plays Captain Shakespeare, a feminine pirate captain of an air ship who hides behind a guise of masculinity to impress his crew. Another role, which is strikingly minor, is David Kelly's portrayal of the guardian of the village wall.

Stardust has lots of potential to be a very well crafted fantasy that rivals many other popular cult-classic fantasy films (i.e. Willow, Legend) but shows obvious signs of being rushed. It accomplishes what it can in a rather short run time, but could be much more with at least another thirty minutes that the studio probably just wouldn't give up. Granted that Matthew Vaughn is a new director, such misfortunes should be expected. Hell, he's lucky this one got a theater release.

Hulk (2003) / The Incredible Hulk (2008)

2008-07-11T14:27:00.003-04:00

It looks like Marvel has finally done it. They've erased Ang Lee's greatly frowned upon Hulk and started fresh with a sequel/remake directed by Louis Leterrier, famous for Unleashed and The Transporter 2. I guess they figured if they went with a director who's established his career on action flicks, the new Hulk movie will have tons of it, right?

Absolutely right. This movie had tons of good action that really kept my interest. Now, I shouldn't go on comparing this to the last attempt at adapting the angry green giant, but with such a small five-year gap separating the two films, It's kind of hard not to.

I honestly didn't think Ang Lee's Hulk was all that bad. There were some qualities about the film that I thought were very impressive, and it was a pretty decent independent Hulk story. But as an adaptation, it failed. Hulk's story focuses more on Bruce Banner rather than the Hulk himself. Hulk harnessed the more depressing moments of the original story, and as a result the story was also kind of a downer. It didn't really have a resolution to Banner's problems and never really introduced a true villain until the end of the film.

When it comes to making the Hulk look like the actor who played Banner, it had great CGI. The acting of Eric Bana, Jennifer Connely, Nick Nolte and the rest of the cast was superb, but the movie itself just didn't have enough of what fans of the comic book wanted. The Incredible Hulk takes everything Hulk lacked, and improves upon it completely. Not just with action, but story as well.

Edward Norton plays Banner this time around, with Liv Tyler as Betty Brant and William Hurt as her father, Gen. Thaddeus Ross. An odd casting choice, but the biggest surprise to me was Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction) as Emil Blonsky, who is basically an army general who desperately wants a piece of the Hulk. With a cast like this, the acting didn't suffer all that much. But since this is a comparison, this has to be the only field where the 2003 Hulk movie surpasses the newer one. I saw more development in the computer animated Hulk character than any of the talent on board. I do believe, however, that this also contributes to this being a better movie. As the plot unfolds, we see the Hulk and Banner working together to forge a sort of understanding with each other. We first see Banner in a somewhat similar environment that Hulk left off at. He's training himself to conquer his anger, to prevent another incident where he'll unleash the Hulk and harm others. Banner is afraid of this side of him, and treats it as an almost incurable disease. Of course, without him "hulking out" we wouldn't have a movie. As he is forced out of his foreign comfort zone, the Hulk emerges and from that point on, both characters learn to exist with each other instead of rejecting themselves. Banner is calm and collected at first, prohibiting himself to keep ties with any people, even the woman he loves, Betty Brant. But after his incident, things flow more naturally for him as he eventually reunites with Betty, and pursues his ultimate goal of curing his "illness" with the help of his online friend, Samuel Sterns aka Mr. Blue. We also see more humanity in the Hulk character, especially through his interaction with Betty. He starts to show more human emotion than he did in the beginning or from the previous film.

There's more romance here than Marvel's last success, Iron Man. Liv Tyler and Edward Norton make a good amount of chemistry together, reminiscent of the last movie. They interact together well and any scene where they cross paths involves a lot of the dreamy, slow-motion type of ambiance.

Blonsky, after getting a taste of the Hulk gene and having a run-in with him, only craves more power. He forces Sterns to inject him with an extremely high dosage of the gene, creating the super villain the predecessor lacked, Abomination. Commence epic street battle finale! This scene had by far, the most brutal action in any superhero flick I've seen thus far. If you're a sucker for heavy violence in cinema like me, The Incredible Hulk has just what the doctor ordered for kids who burned ants for kicks when they were five. The movie concludes with the final result of Hulk's learning process (so far) with a big "Hulk Smash!" And of course, Robert Downey Jr. cameos as Tony Stark, presenting an offer to Gen. Ross over some drinks. It looks like Marvel is serious about the Avengers movie that was only rumored for the past couple years. My only question is, who will direct it?

Being John Malkovich (1999)

2008-07-08T21:45:00.001-04:00

Among the surreal work of writer Charlie Kaufman, this one definitely put him on the map for more visionary directors to handle most of his work. With that being said, this film achieves at being well portrayed through John Cusack, Cameron Diaz and obviously, John Malkovich. Otherwise, I was pretty bored.

The plot is rather shaky because it seems it really can't make up its mind on the importance of certain characters. I didn't really pay much attention to Diaz's character, Lotte, until I was about a third through the film.

A factor that makes Being John Malkovich so unique is how often it changes perspectives. Not just the perspective of going into a vessel in John Malkovich's mind, but what happens when more than one person enters, the people who interact with him when he's being controlled and what they see, or what happens when John Malkovich enters John Malkovich? It's a very smart concept that is toyed around with, but doesn't explore the depth as much as it focuses on feeble-minded characters. Most of which are barely developed and really aren't that interesting to begin with.

I watched this based on the praise the director receives from some remarks the hilarious Steve Coogan makes in Coffee and Cigarettes. Seeing as I'm a visual effects fiend, I really didn't notice enough from this film to credit the director with anything other than being able to deliver a few crazy scenes towards the end of the film. Then again, it's not like USA Films just dishes out the budget for such things.

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

2008-07-08T21:20:00.000-04:00

Jim Jarmusch must be pretty hip with the cool kids. Upon directing and co-writing the original segment Coffee and Cigarettes back in 1986, it must have struck audiences well enough to make two "sequels" so to speak, involving the same idea. Then, apparently people still couldn't get enough, so he made many, many more shorts of various people enjoying the usual caffenited beverage and cancer sticks, turning it into a full-length film much later in 2003.

With Jarmusch's updated take, he includes more than just a couple new actors, but musicians as well, which include Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, The White Stripes and the Wu-Tang Clan (who do a hilarious segment with Bill Murray). There are some laughs, however, some segments can easily bore and have no appeal whatsoever. It's not that Coffee and Cigarettes is bad, it just doesn't really have a point.

And why should it? The greatness of the two tentalizing habbits the title is composed of are better enjoyed in a lose, careless environment with no real motive other than relaxation. Jarmusch's compilation achieves it's point more as a collection of his original shorts that have achieved at least some fame, as well as some newer ones including famous actors and musicians to highlight the fact that he must have some great people skills.

Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)

2008-07-07T18:32:00.000-04:00

Despite it's questionable title, Wristcutters has as little to do with being depressed as the film has to do with hardcore action. Which it doesn't.

Ultimately, it is a love story with a sort of Wizard of Oz sense of adventure. The film follows two guys and a girl, suck in some sort of afterlife for those who have "offed" themselves. Zia is a poor sap whose girlfriend broke up with him which resulted taking his own life with a razor to the wrist, Eugene is an ex-lead member in a band who dumped beer on his guitar (and also owns a junker of a car with a black hole underneath the passenger seat), and Mikal is a girl who claims she "accidentally" got there because she OD'd. The trio set out together, but for their own motives. Zia catches wind of his ex-girlfriend killing herself and embarks on a search to find her while Mikal searches for the people in charge of this limbo they now live in. As for Eugene, well, there is no real motive for him, even though he sort of finds his place.

Each character has a different personality trait that keeps them fairly interesting, like Eugene's skepticism and Mikal's selfishness. Tom Waits also makes an odd appearance, but important influence as Kneller, a man who is searching for his lost dog. He takes them to his camp dedicated to housing bizarre people who possess the ability to create miracles. The group stays there for awhile, until word of Kneller's dog reaches them through his friend Yan. He tells them the dog has been found by a man named King, who plans to sacrifice himself a second time (the first being how he got there in the first place) for some kind of ritual. There, Zia finally finds his ex, Desiree, who killed herself as instructed by King's "calling," and continues to blindly follow his teachings.

Though Zia eventually finds Desiree, the film develops chemistry between Zia and Mikal to look shamefully on the interaction with Desiree, making Mikal a more obvious choice. The movie has an ending I'm a little uneasy with logically, though most fantasy films can get away with such things. The story ends happily, and keeps a good constant beat to it for the most part. The characters get broken apart more towards the end, but probably for the best. Wristcutters: A Love Story is a unique romance that charms with interesting characters and a blend of dark comedy with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor. Cuddle up to someone for this one.

Iron Man (2008)

2008-06-12T23:27:00.001-04:00

I am Iron Man!

And to think, Marvel thought that Spider-man would be their only critical success and box office hit for a long time. Guess again comic empire! Who knew a story about a corporate sleazeball turned superhero would bring in so much dough?

Director Jon Favreau has probably had the most diverse career among filmmakers who have been in the business for only ten years. Starting with a hardly-known comedy Made, to more child accessible films like Elf and Zathura: A Space Adventure. Out of nowhere, Marvel hires him to direct an adaptation of who (I think) is one of the most interesting superheroes ever created. The result? A great film that's realistic to our time, and most of all, modernizes a comic book character so well, it just works.

Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. (perfect casting, wouldn't you say?), is a multi-billion dollar man who has inherited his father's business, which happens to be selling and distributing explosives to the U.S. government. Stark starts out as a smooth, yet consciencousless person who "believes the best kind of weapon is the kind you only have to fire once." Durring a demostration in Afghanistan of one of his latest weapons, the Jericho, he is attacked and at the expense of many lives, he is taken hostage by an evil warlord named Raza, who gives him an ultimatum of building him a powerful missle, or losing his life. In secret, he builds an impenetrible iron suit which he uses to escape. After losing his assistant in captivity, Yinsen, and destroying all of the arms the insurgents have stolen, he vows to use his genius towards helping others and protecting those who fall victim to his weapons. He then announces his company will never manufacture them again, and will focus his enginuity on a different weapon, which he reluctantly admits is a superhero.

Downey portrays Tony Stark with style, but surpasses the smooth-talking, one-dimensional character by showing his raw humanity through interactions with other characters. When Tony has an epiphany, like the moment he realizes what his weapons have done to innocent people, we see more of his sensative side, a concept of justice. He takes it upon himself to use the suit, and when we witness his idea of "peace in the middle east" it suffices as some of the most energetic action ever captured for a Marvel movie.

Considering the amount of attention this film has been getting for the entire month of May, it took an Indiana Jones movie to knock it down out of the top spot. I'd say, Marvel is rollin' with the big dogs now.

Oh, and stay tuned after the credits for Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Yes, Nick Fury and yes, there are plans to make an Avengers movie.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

2008-06-12T23:19:00.000-04:00

I honestly did not understand the amount of hype a sequel to such a rarely talked about film franchise could get. Everyone was talking about Indiana Jones 4, and being on the outside of the Speilberg loop, I was left in the dark. I didn't understand, what makes Indiana Jones so damn cool? Is Harrison Ford such a great actor? Could these films really be as good as everyone says they are?

My mother got caught up in the hype too. She really wanted to see fourth Indy film, and I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about. To my surprise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was both ridicules and awesome at the same time. Spielberg crammed so many perks into almost every single scene for film freaks like me to just sit in wonder why he doesn't do more action and less movies based strictly on historicical events. By the end, looking back on the many moments that reference past events from the other Indy films, I was inspired to watch the movie that (apparently) started it all.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is full of great action with an insensitive layer of humor. The elaborate set-designs and wide camera angles definitely signify the talent of an aspiring director in his prime. The story is paced perfectly, and though some events seem illogical at times (for example, how can a middle-aged Caucasian man go unnoticed in a Nazi excavation site dressed like an Iranian woman?) it still delivers a nearly perfect film. Indy isn't a typical sort of hero, as he's a young and intelligent college professor, who takes it upon himself to explore dangerous caves and temples, where infinite dangers lie. A simple concept, but with Spielberg directing and George Lucas' involvement, it's surely a fit that just works. There are hardly any insignificant roles, a good share of humor, like Indy's fear of snakes (which is also referenced in the fouth movie), and there is tons of good quality action. This is film that can appeal to any kind of audience, and shows us direction and writing at its best.

Juno (2007)

2008-05-09T04:10:00.000-04:00

Juno is a film that operates in the quirky world of Juno MacGuff, a sarcastic and quick-witted high school student who gets pregnant in a non-conventional way with her best friend and running athlete, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera, of Superbad fame, one of my favorite comedies). The film centers around a usually dramatic subject and takes away the serious tone for more modern issues, as teen pregnancy isn't as new to us these days as it would have been ten years ago.

Without the serious tone to the film, it's able to focus on Juno's perspective rather than everyone's reactions to her decision to have her child. It's a journey for her, and a great attempt for Ellen Page to show us how she handles a lead role. Juno's plot doesn't really have a goal aside from conceiving her bundle of joy. But we see development in not only herself, but her relationships with Paulie and the family who plans to adopt her child, who also make their own changes through Juno's efforts. This movie takes parenthood to a whole different level of understanding, and with an open mind I think there is a lesson to be learned within her colorful, exaggerated world.

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

2008-05-08T20:04:00.001-04:00

I can't really say why I decided to watch this one. The closest thing I could give to a reason would be that I heard through a few of my friends that it was worth checking out.

To be truthful, Harold & Kumar isn't the most impressive work of comedy in the Wal-Mart bargain bin. It is what it is, an adventure of two minorities living in the U.S. through early adulthood stages with goals of getting ass and smoking pot. The hilarity ensues through the various characters they meet along the way which proves for a good amount of cameos from other actors, memorably Ryan Reynolds and Anthony Anderson. As for the main characters, aside from their reactions, there wasn't much humor in their personalities. Though I will say they were well developed by the end of the film.

It's basically a ridicules journey to self-satisfaction to mow on some fast food, and along the way the duo realize that they need to stick up for themselves in a prejudice society that lacks understanding, though thats probably giving the movie too much credit. Just like those tiny White Castle burgers, you get what you ask for, and if a movie about weed jokes and toilet humor is on your menu, you're sure to enjoy it.

Run, Fat Boy, Run (2008)

2008-04-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

Though not the best attempt at directing for David Schwimmer, Run, Fat Boy, Run is very funny and delivers laughs all too familiar to fans of Simon Pegg. And that isn't a bad thing.

Pegg's character Dennis is a security guard for a women's clothing store. The story revolves around him and getting into shape to run in a marathon. He not only does this for self-benefit, but to prove to his ex-girlfriend/fiance Libby that he is capable of doing everything her soon-to-be husband Whit (played by Hank Azaria) can do.

One thing stood out to me in the movie that I thought was very elaborate, and that was Dennis' journey to overcoming his cowardice personality. On the day of his wedding, he ran away leaving his fiance at the altar pregnant. By running the marathon and overcoming "the wall," or point of exhaustion that runners reach just before giving up, Dennis reaches his goal of determination to get his wife back and escaping the stress of being dubbed a quitter as he has his whole life.

The film is rather predictable and could have had better direction in some scenes, but all-in-all the movie told a good story about self-achievement and proving wrong those who doubt you.

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

2008-04-08T00:09:00.001-04:00

Though something I would consider a little less "far out" than Michael Gondry's other work, Be King Rewind creates a small, simplistic environment with sensitive male performances that play off of a tragic, yet hilarious accident. If you didn't know, the accident involves a rather old-fashioned video store (that only deals with VHS tapes) that loses every piece of footage in their already small selection of movies, thanks to a mishap of Jerry (Jack Black) becoming magnetized by a local power plant. Jerry attempts to infiltrate the power plant after developing the theory that they are controlling everyone's minds. It's not a very typical role for Mr. Black, as we are used to him being the fat, crazy extremist he normally showcases in films like Orange County and Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny. But as I said, the male roles here are sensitive.

Their resolution for solving the problem with the tapes, is to re-shoot every single tape into their own B-grade, twenty minute versions. I found this to be one of the funniest qualities of the movie, as the films they remake are paid tribute to through their campy recreation. Famous films such as Ghostbusters, Robocop and even Driving Miss Daisy appear among their homemade projects.

Black shows more of a glimpse into his goofy self while portraying characters in the remakes, which made me a little unsure of what kind of character Black is trying to display. That is, of course, assuming he is going for a one-dimensional character. On the other hand, Mos Def and Danny Glover were excellent and performed together extremely well.

Overall I was impressed with Gondry's pursuit in filming more of the norm. The homemade videos added a second perspective to appreciating the film, and if you've seen the original versions, you will probably laugh that much harder. Aside from that, the movie doesn't generate as much humor as it does bestowing the benefits and harmony of independent film making. For this reason alone, Be Kind Rewind has a unique quality that simultaneously warms the heart and brings the idea of movie making closer to us.

No More Heroes (2008)

2008-02-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

For my first game entry, I thought I would post for a just cause in giving an ignored game a bit of recognition. Not only that, but I love this game so much it hasn't been ejected from my Wii since I bought it last Friday. In NMH you play as a foul-mouthed, beam sword wielding, pro-wrestling, anime junkie named Travis Touchdown who takes up the challenge of becoming the number one ranked assassin in the United States. As you ascend the ladder of eleven killers, you can take on side jobs with heavy implementation of the Wii Remote, as well as taking on battles where specific conditions must be met, such as defeating enemies within a time limit or doing so without taking any damage.

Roaming around from place to place operates a lot like Grand Theft Auto, in a city with bystanders walking around and map markers signifying your next destination. By completing option missions you rake in cash to pay entry fees to the obligatory ranked battles that await you. The other ranked assassins are basically like boss battles, where you fight waves of oddly designed enemies to reach them.

What stood out to me was the amount of references to other games that show up in NMH. Everything from Duke Nukem to The Legend of Zelda is made a mockery of, which adds to how funny the dialog already is. But the biggest reference made in the game by far, is to Star Wars. Though I think I'll save going into that for another entry, after I've completed Bitter mode.

The other assassins definitely deserve mentioning, as most of them have a psychotic drive to their personalities in a rather Twisted Metal kind of way. I've never played a game before that gave so much depth in such a brief amount of time to bosses, which are typically expendable. A few of my favorites are Destroyman and Bad Girl.

If you own a Wii and don't mind steering away from the casual games like Wii Sports and Mario Party, I suggest you pick this one up. But stay away if you don't like blood, because this shit is gory as hell!

King Kong (1933)

2008-01-30T21:39:00.000-05:00

Presenting: the grandfather of all monster movies. I recently watched this one for my film music class to do a report on Max Steiner's score. Safe to say, the score is very impressive and pretty much makes up half of the movie's quality. My opinion may be daunted by the fact that I was born fifty years after the original King Kong was released, so with that being said, I may not have been thoroughly entertained, but have developed a great appreciation for this classic.

I have yet to see the remake, but given the era this film came out in, you can just tell how groundbreaking it was for American cinema. King Kong takes potentially mysterious ideas that the average 1930's person would find at least slightly disturbing, and creates Skull Island, a fictional place inhabited by all that which would frighten a typical 1930's audience. The natives and the creatures, including Kong, are all presented dynamically and our group of main characters sort of "Scooby-Doo" their way through the island, battling it out with Ray Harryhousen's stop-motion effects.

The message of this one is quite clear. Mankind has brought a beast out of its natural habitat, and by doing so and showcasing it for money, we have become the monsters. It's amazing how many genres of film this movie glides across, Action, Adventure, Romance, Suspense, etc. I found myself realizing King Kong wasn't known for just delivering realistic thrills, but as one of the first films to cram so much into such a short and simple film. Definitely a good one to watch, if you're willing to travel that far down the root.

Fido (2006)

2008-01-30T20:40:00.000-05:00

Within the wide world of zombie movies, I've never come across one that stands out as much as this one. Fido is an interesting take on what would happen after the main story of most undead lore. What if zombies were enslaved and trained to work under mankind?

What Fido does that I enjoyed so much, is it almost satirizes the idea of the caged animal. Zombies pretty much have their own genre of anything these days, and because of that there are things that any horror fan would know right off the top of their head. Zombies eat people, are a great threat in numbers and can only be defeated by severe head trauma or decapitation. Since the movie is a new take on zombies, reducing the flesh-eaters into household pets (hence the name "Fido"), it certainly calls for some real zombie aggression, as they are being forced out of their fictional nature to do the jobs that we would all rather have someone else do. A zombie can be hired to do your gardening, deliver papers, or even be a milk man. A concept that Romero somewhat introduced in Day of the Dead.

Fido is set in a 1960's post-nuclear era in a world conquered by zombies with the exception of an isolated society. Years ago a meteor impacted Earth that carried a strange virus, causing humans to turn zombie upon first sign of death. Suffice to say, this is where the film gets a lot of its humor.

Among all of the dainty, brightly colored theme of a perfect life there is a paranoia that is very well portrayed by actor Dylan Baker, who plays a highly tense opposite to a rather open-minded family that puts up quite a resistance to this walled society's rules. Baker says what is probably my favorite line from the movie, "Old people can't be trusted."

The Frighteners (1996)

2007-08-14T02:46:00.000-04:00

One of the few unappreciated titles that the now-famous director Peter Jackson did in his career before it was made with the Lord of the Rings, was The Frighteners. I won't lie, the film is pretty poor and tries to pull off a strange psychopathic version of Ghostbusters, but at the same time there are too many good qualities that shouldn't go unnoticed. Like Jeffrey Combs doing an incredible job, as usual, of portraying a villainous lunatic.

The story starts in dreary town where Frank Bannister, a ghost-catching con artist, makes his living by staging hauntings with his ghost friends. He has three ghastly friends who aid him in is fake exorcisms and thus, his living is made. A simple comedic introduction that turns into a blood bath of psychopaths, ghouls, and Biff!

Unfortunately, the film has such high hopes that it convinces itself that it can be more than a horror movie with heavy reliance on special effects, and ultimate becomes too dramatic for its own good and overflows too many plot twists to take it seriously. But lets not get as far ahead of ourselves as this movie did, Jackson learned a great deal about CGI through this movie, and without this Back to the Future: Biff's Revenge (fake title obviously, thank you) we wouldn't have what many critics consider the best film trilogy ever made.

Heathers (1989)

2007-07-23T03:28:00.000-04:00

Heathers is an interesting flick about teenage life that combines black comedy with a pinch of thriller elements. It satirizes teen suicide and how it becomes popular among students.

Simply put, Heather is apart of a heiarch of girls with the same first name. They all dress nicely, are very pretty and share the similar belief that they run the school, which is seperated into clicks that look more like cults than general groups of people.

Luckily we have Winona Ryder's character who is by far the most open minded of the Heathers, who meets the new student J.D. who ultimately convinces her that killing off the other Heathers is her best way at getting back for their two-faced actions. Only JD goes a little overboard and eventually wants Heather to help him with his scheme to blow up the school gym with everyone in it.

"Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw. Do I look like Mother Theresa?"

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

2007-07-16T18:23:00.001-04:00

Among the many big-name sequels of 2007, I was a little surprised when I heard Die Hard 4.0 was set to come out among the many other expected sequels. With 12 years since Die Hard: With a Vengeance was released, no one really saw this new chapter coming, especially among other June contenders like the Fantastic Four sequel or Ratatouille, not to mention the early July release for Transformers.

Live Free or Die Hard plays off of the same idea as the previous Die Hard movies, one man against impossible odds. So what could be done to expand on the Die Hard trilogy to make it more appealing? Make the odds even more impossible.

The stunts pulled off in this movie should never happen to an actual person, but as for detective John McClane, the impossible is made possible. Everything from a car flipping over onto McClain and being stopped by two cars that just happen to pull up on both sides of him, to running over a fire extinguisher to knock a sniper out of a helicopter with the water it shoots. The movie definitely delivers thrills, as well as some laughs through Matt Farrel, the panicky hacker sidekick played by Justin Long (Waiting, Accepted, and those Mac vs. PC commercials), and John's hard-nosed daughter Lucy McClain, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Grindhouse, Black Christmas). Not to mention Kevin Smith's cameo as a genius hacker known as The Warlock.

Aside from a few characters who supply a good comic relief, we have our villain played by Timothy Olyphant. A man who has hired a team of hackers to pretty much turn off the power to the entire country, and hack into any information they need at all, which makes him a complete badass. Probably my favorite line in the movie is when Olyphant's character calls John McClain "a Timex watch in a digital age." I'm eager to see Olyphant's take on Hitman, which is set to come out this October.

The best feature of the movie was how this old school cop is being put against a terrorist threat of the new age. The U.S. is put through a "fire safe", which is a slow and steady process of hacking which causes the entire country to lose power and all financial records. Pure modern chaos ensues, and Bruce Willis still kicks ass.

Transformers (2007)

2007-07-03T13:56:00.000-04:00

Let me start off by saying I was never really a fan of the original TV series. Transformers was actually just a little bit too early for my generation, and I haven't seen enough of it to make any sort of comparison between the show and this movie. Beast Wars was more my cup of tea.

This movie was a constant rush of excitement, with incredible action, jaw-dropping special effects, and gives you that "mystical bond between man and machine."

If you can accept the adrenaline rush that the film wants you to have, it’s just incredible. I could pick apart this movie and say that the story line was somewhat ridicules and all of the robots were obviously CGI for the majority of the film. But there were too many positives to outweigh the less important flaws of this perfectly good summer flick.

The film blends the heroic greatness of protective robots with modern humor, and the two mix together quite well. Shia LaBeouf's performance was among one of the many features that shine, as he played a role that any self-respecting guy can relate to. The boy who just wants to "get lucky," and believes getting a car is the only way to achieve that. Through his character, Sam Witwicky, the film ignites the same spark that only Saturday morning cartoons could give us. Sam stumbles across an old car, Bumblebee, who more than obviously decides he wants Sam as his owner at a car dealership. From that point on, the two create a friendship that adds a sort of innocence that you can only see between a boy and his robot. How the Transformers interacted with him and protected him really put you into the movie, and helps the audience create their own bond with the Transformers, all the while supporting the cause of their mission. Alongside Shia are performances by Megan Fox, who plays the teenage love interest, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson, who play US soldiers in their own branch of the story, as well as several other stories that all cross paths towards to climatic final battle.

All truth be told, nobody delivers action quite like director Michael Bay. His material is over the top, which in many cases wouldn't suit certain projects. However, Transformers is a perfect outlet for what this director can do and does very well.

Lastly, one complaint I'd like to address is a problem a lot of people seemed to have while the movie was still in its production stages, which was how the Transformers looked. Many long-time fans of the series complained that they looked nothing like their original forms from the 80's cartoon. This is understandable, seeing as most movies these days are based on past writings, and the adaptation doesn't always do justice to the original material. But what a lot of people are forgetting is what happened in almost every single Transformers show/spin-off. Everything from Beast Machines to Transformers: Energon involved a process of adaptation to whatever planet the Transformers arrived on. I remember vividly what happened in Beast Wars: A great big space ship landed down on a world inhabited by no one but animals. A large radar came up from the top of the ship, and spun around, scanning the area for life. Optimus took the form of a gorilla, which changed his name to Optimus Primal, because it was one of the more dominant species that inhabited that particular planet. Thus, the alien robots from another world, landing upon this one, took the shape of what appeared to dominantly inhabit our world. What's that you ask? Vehicles (with the exception of Scorponok). Since the film takes place on our world, the Transformers appeared modern and composed of our own technology, which would explain why they appear so different. They looked about as realistic as a giant alien robot could look, and that was enough for me.

For those of you who take a very critical approach to viewing this movie, I say just go with it and enjoy the ride. How could anyone not get more bang for their buck with giant robots and massive destruction? Now that's entertainment

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters

2007-04-14T14:49:00.000-04:00

A suitable analysis for the beginning of my pointless blog would be a movie which is also very pointless, won't you agree? Oddly enough, this film entertained the hell out of me and made me even more attached to the beloved Aqua Teen characters that [adult swim] has provided us with.

The beginning of this film is both beautiful and hilarious, with a "cute" little clip of how to shut the f*** up during a movie and the ATHF theme song complete with new animation that is trippy, yet stunningly animated. Then, we are subjected to Master Shake's version of where the trio originated. This seems to be about the closest the movie gets to actually having a motive, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The film actually parodies the theme of being "epic" in ways that only the disgusting yet sickly humorous ways of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force can serve us. Many characters (some lovable and some just annoying) from the Aqua Teen series make appearances and are harnessed in their essence directly from the show. Such characters as the Mooninites, the Plutonians Emory and Oglethorpe, and to my delight, MC Pee Pants are included just to name a few.

Aside from Aqua Teen's anti-climatic scheme, it also parodies many other subjects such as fitness, health, living space and leading its audience to believe it will reveal the true origin of Frylock, Master Shake, and Meatwad. Near the end of the film, the audience is thwarted in their efforts to figure out this mystery, as plot twists are thrown at them constantly until we finally realize how ridiculous it is that we're actually wondering where these over-sized morsels of food really came from. In that way, it also mocks the "epic" formula that many movies and TV shows commonly operate with. In this process, it’s easy to get lost in the film's joke of "who created who?" if you're actually looking for a solid answer. But that doesn't mean that we aren't left with one.

I guess I could be considered biased in my opinion about this movie. After all, I am a long-time [adult swim] fan and though my cable is currently going through it’s "too expensive to pay for" phase, I have managed to see the majority of the series thus far. Suffice to say, the film reaches out to one audience, and that audience consists of fans of the show. Since I sit comfortably in my seat at home enjoying Master Shake exaggerate, the many misfortunes of Carl and every dropped object exploding upon impact with the floor, its no surprise that I do the same thing seated in a movie theater. I was greatly pleased with the Aqua Teen movie.

What would the point of this be?

2007-03-15T01:19:00.000-04:00

Simply answered: I plan to give my own opinion on various things. Everything from Film, Games, Music, or pretty much anything I wish to banter about. So just sit back, relax, and observe while I take advantage of what the internet is primarily used for: Nonsense.