Could us children of the 80's that were fortunate enough to be enchanted by a little Japanese anime called Star Blazers (in the states) be lucky enough to get a live action version in the 21st century?!?!
It appears so...
Star Blazers and the Leiji Matsumoto style were HUGE influences on me... right as indie comics were exploding, and books like Cerebus were broadening my mind, anime was the forbidden fruit... it was so cool, yet mostly inaccessible in the states at the time.
Anyway, outside the artistic inspirations, the epic cosmic storyline of Star Blazers, full of space ships (most prominently, and most awesomely, a reconditioned battleship), fighters, robots, and aliens was sweet sweet candy to my pre-pubescent mind!
Robotech may have been cooler when it came out, but Derek Wildstar, and the Yamoto's journey to deep within the Gamilion empire left a far more lasting impression.
Meanwhile at the Movies... something big is coming...
I mean besides Avatar!
Some exciting genre/comic flicks on tap next year (Iron Man 2, Scott Pilgrim, Clash of the Titans), one of which is KICK ASS, the Matthew (Layer Cake, Stardust) Vaughn adaptation of the still ongoing Mark Millar/John Romita JR comic series.
I love me some Millar comics, and Wanted was huge, even though it was a mostly suck adaptation of the comic (changing super villains to assassins with a loom of fate?!?! plastique packing rats?!?), but Kick Ass seems to be shaping up far better, and much closer to the comics (a good thing)...
They've just released a clip featuring Nic Cage as "Big Daddy", training his daughter/sidekick, in what can be referred to as either a Gomorra-style method, or a straight up swipe from that film (the film being an epic true-to-life Italian modern day gangster/crime story). It does look good though -
From the director of MACHINE GIRL and the effects specialist of TOKYO GORE POLICE (if you don't know one or both of those movies, shame on you, go rectify that) comes the trailer everyone is talking about... ROBOGEISHA!! What? That's not the AVATAR trailer AVATAR everyone AVATAR is AVATAR talking about?
As the buzz has been, it's nowhere near as horrible as we feared (but that's not saying alot). The do-hickey suits aren't as bad as they looked, and there's a lot of really decent stuff in play... and yeah, plenty of cheese, and lame casting, performances, and spins on things... but mostly it's an enjoyable romp for 13 year old boys, and those that can throw down with that level of entertainment. So, me :D
The main offense here is Snake Eyes. Mis-cast as Ray Park, who has the chops, but a terrible build for the part, Snake looks way too short and stocky, and not very ninja like. Of course, his god awful suit design doesn't help anything... what the hell is with the Schumacher-style muscle-sculpted torso, with generic JCPenny cargo pants?!?! To say nothing of those LIPS!!! My god man, WTF?!?! Lips?!? Look, I knew they were coming going in, but they're so much worse than you'd ever think... like Steven Tyler/Easter Island ginormous LIPS?!?! It's too bad, he's by far the coolest character, and he's woefully mismanaged here. He looks like a fucking guy in a ninja turtle suit!!! No joke!
In other bad casting news, Channing Tatum can't act his way out of a paper bag, at least in this movie. I've not seen much with him in it, but I got the impression the kid was supposed to be good, and I've nothing against him, he sure looks the part, but man, he was bad, just flat, lifeless, and did I mention BAD?!?
Completing the axis of evil casting? We have Dennis Quaid. Love the guy, but wow, just a horrible choice for Hawk. He must be friends with the director, Stephen Sommers. Because he sure doesn't work here.
And as bad as they all were, the casting is otherwise really good. Sienna Miller is strong as the Baroness. Joseph Gordon is solid as what becomes Cobra Commander, in spite of what seemed an odd choice (the kid is just good). Destro's good, Storm Shadow's good, Scarlett's really good, Mr. Echo... I mean Heavy Duty, even Marlon Wayans is really good with what he's given.
It is odd that the story centers around a pre-Cobra setup, and that so much of what worked so well with the "real American hero" toy line, is not in play, or reworked. The characters and designs at play for that were so ahead of their time, they really didn't need to shy away from most of it. Hopefully, if we get a sequel, that will all be in more play.
And why, why on Earth, when you've got a classic piece of iconic music, like the theme from the cartoon, is it nowhere to be found?!?! Especially when there's no score to speak of?!?! Why do studios keep ignoring the music??!! The score can take a decent movie, and elevate it. For god's sake, where was the music?!? That's half the fucking battle you twits, not ham fisting the tag lines into self-referential in-joke bullshit dialogue!!!!??!! Fuck!
Then there's the direction of the story, more espionage than battle, again, which we knew going in, with the "global team" focus, and it mostly works, but then at the end we get a 50,000 leagues under the sea/Phantom Menace Gungan city battle, and it's supposed to play like a mix of Battlestar Galactica, and Star Wars, but it really just looks silly and has no real punch.
Then, there's the limited scope of the Joe cast of characters. We only really get a sense of their scale in an early montage, and otherwise follow a half dozen or so main characters throughout, with generic soldiers filling in the background. Lame.
So, despite all of my many grievances, I still rather enjoyed the movie, and think it was, in spite of being another watered-down Hollywood botch job, a mostly fun flick, that I'd be happy to watch again. It does get some of it right, and contain some of the vibe we all loved so much with the toys, comics, and cartoons. Some tweaking to Snake Eyes, soul infusion for Tatum, and embracing of the source material, and the franchise could be a winner.
RECOMMENDED (for Joe fans) MILDLY RECOMMENDED (for non-Joes)
Meanwhile at the Movies... Inglourious new trailer
In case ya didn't know, I got a giant man-sized crush on Tarantino... I appreciate visionary creators, and he definitely changed the landscape of film. So, of course I'm stoked for the August release of Inglourious Basterds!!!
The Harry one was kind enough to post this new international trailer for the film, so I thought I'd go ahead and pay it forward...
Made it to the multiplex yesterday, and happy to report Land of the Lost has gotten a really bad rap!
The movie is a visual treat, and is fun, and often funny, throughout.
First, the special effects, they're great. The dinosaurs and world are fully realized and of the highest level. There are tons of different dinosaurs, creatures, and environments at play, and they all look wonderful. Both in terms of quality, and character. The budget on this one really shows.
Second, the art direction and set work, are amazing! A lot of care and design was put into making the land of the lost unique, vibrant, engrossing, and also very much the orgasmic evolution of the oh so crude original. From the lush forests, to the craggy rocks, to the windswept deserts... they've really built a new dimension for the cast to explore.
Which brings me to, the cast. It's great. Sure, not everyone is fan of Will Ferrell, and yes, he's in full on man child mode here. But, I suspect even if that's not to your liking, he's solid enough to overlook. Then we have Danny McBride, who again, has a shtick, and if you're not into his macho redneck loser thing, well, your missing out! I find McBride to be a treat, and anyone who's a fan of Eastbound and Down, will find Danny to be on his game here too. Which leaves "Holly" and "Chaka", played by Anna Friel, Chuck from the late Pushing Daisies, and Jorma Taccone of SNL respectively. Both are great here. The Chaka from the original series was always more annoying and downright ugly than anything else, except to children, so he's upgraded here to a more cool version, that's a touch easier on the eyes... part caveman, part wookie, and much more low key. And Anna Friel brings the same charm to her role here, with a touch more edge.
As a fan of the mid 70's Sid and Marty Kroft original, the movie is even more rewarding. Sure the main draw as a kid was the dinos, but you also got the epic cool lizard men, the Sleestak, who are also upgraded here. With lavish high tech updates to their cool but low-tech original look, and most of their connecting mythos intact as well; temples, Enik, pit, library of skulls, etc. It's cool to see that world brought to life with the full budget modern Hollywood treatment, that's faithful to the source.
All that said, is it a great film, or really good story? No, not really. But it is a great escape to another dimension of space and time, full of vibrant characters, and fun action. It's also played very adult for a PG-13 film. It's definitely not aimed at the kids. Just as the show, a Saturday morning kids program, had gobs of actual sci-fi writing that likely zoomed way over our young dino-crazed heads.
Land of the Lost is a tachyon radiated trip to a crazy land of legendary adventures, with potty mouths and humor. The scheduling on this one, a quirky oddity aimed at big kids, releasing amidst the explosion of summer blockbusters, didn't do it any favors, and you might be surprised at just how good this one so many have written off is. Check it out if you ever considered giving it a shot.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
But wait! There's more!!
Check out my posting of the review over on my DeviantArt journal for some discussion on the movie HERE
And hey, I'm not the only one who dug the film, check out these reviews over on AICN!
Annnnd, if you are a true old school Land of the Lost fiend, then you need to check out this fan site I was pointed to from my last LotL post!
Now here's some Land of the Lost fan art by my bud E Pun!
There are just too many movies coming out this month... I know there are a lot all summer, but it sure seems the studios are squeezing way too many into May and early June. I saw Star Trek, and Wolverine, but probably won't make it to Terminator, and who knows about Up (or Drag Me to Hell), but one movie I'll damn sure catch on the big screen?? Land of the Lost!!! Now, I was really jazzed about this one, with fond yet vague early childhood memories of dino's, Sleestak's, a raft, and lots of jungle action... with extra cheese. But the movie version also happens to feature Will Ferrell and Danny McBride, so BONUS! However, once the trailers hit, and aside from some great looking effects, the humor was pretty flat, and killing my drive to see it... that was until Sci-Fi ran a Memorial Day marathon of the original series!!!
It was the first time I'd seen the shows in over 30 years, and man, that was some messed up and inspired children's entertainment only the 70's could bring!! Turns out, while pretty uneven and definitely for kids, there was some serious sci-fi at play, and plenty of tripped out imagination! So, I can't wait to see the movie, regardless... The creatures, characters, cast, and effects, even if a bad movie, will be worth the price of admission. Here's hoping the movie is actually good, or fun, too!
One meh, grade C, mildly entertaining waste of a perfect character. One awesome, grade A, wildly entertaing celebration of great characters!
Guess which is which ;) First off, the claw poppin mutant origin story. Or, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Or, we're Fox, we have no fucking idea how to make good comic book movies... Remember X-Men 1 and 2, yeah, we fucked that up with this awesomely bad bastardizing of the Dark Phoenix saga, with a lame ass nod to Days of Future Past for good measure. Fantastic Four, greatest comic magazine ever? Here, fight a galactic cloud in an orange rubber suit! Need I say more? Wolverine sucked. Sword popping, concusive blasting, Deadpool raping bad. But, if you want my full review from last week, go HERE
NOT RECOMMENDED
Then there's Star Trek.
So yeah, it's good.
It's really good.
Mostly, it's JJ's focus on the cast, and the characters that make it work. I had every confidence in the cast they assembled, and they mostly pull it off, without missing a beat. Sure, there's only one Shatner, but as has been said, Pine does his own thing, while still being visually similar, and every bit as charming as the original. Quinto just looks so good as Spock, but he also does nicely in the Vulcan shoes. Urban, well, he does well, and I'm not sure if it's me, as Bones was always my fave, but I had the hardest time buying his performance. His seemed the most copy cat. Everyone else brings their own thing to the roles.
The story?
Well, its very good too.
SPOILERS I especially enjoyed the beginning, the opening chapter with the birth of Kirk. We really hit the ground running, both in terms of action, and emotionally. Actually, I think that turn of events, culminating in ol' James T's birth, is hard to top.
Then of course, the young Kirk stuff was gold. Beastie Boys in a Star Trek movie?!? But it was great!
The bar scene, the academy stuff. Pine really shines in the role.
I also thought the original Spock's role worked very well, handing off to the next gen premise, and also building a cool alternate reality universe. SPOILERS OFF The effects are great.
And yes, more cool, and more action oriented, like Star Wars. More truly alien aliens. All the things as a kid, watching the movies, post Star Wars, you wished they'd push. I mean, the TV show had simpler effects and aliens for a reason... it never felt right to stay so subdued on the big screen budget.
Oh yes, there's plenty to love.
My only qualms would be that the climax could've used more punch, and so could the sound. I know I harp on sound a lot, but it often seems so lacking. Here, it's pretty good, but they tossed out most the trademark stuff, and went different directions... which I get, but still think would've been better served keeping. When stuff's that iconic, it's probably for a reason, and I don't think because it was cheesy... SPOILER We only get the theme at the end... which would've worked better had we not just seen that with the Battlestar finale... SPOILER OFF So yeah. It's sexy, fun, thrilling, cool, and just like in the movie, there's more warp factors yet to come!!
Meanwhile at the Movies... Monsters VS Aliens, we win!
Okay, Monsters VS Aliens, the latest kid friendly, CG animated, potential franchise bait felt rather inspired, and appealing on many levels beyond just kiddie fair, ya know? The perfect strap in, take a ride to new places kind of movie going thing I seek and devour. But the couple reviews, or what I'd seen going into Friday's release, were kind of not that good. Calling it a marginal outing... I'm happy to say, the wife and I saw it Friday in 3D, and loved every damn minute!!! That, was a damn good movie.
Holy S Batman!?!?! From the 3D, best I've seen yet... Beowulf - kind of odd, My Bloody Valentine - the 3D was just okay, but full on animated CG (I didn't see Bolt in theaters), DAMN!!!!! Now that is good times!
Anyway, the 3D was great, very immersive, and just really worked. Then you had the animation, stylish and quality enough to work very well. The characters, all around, just fabulous. From voice acting, to design, very engaging... especially Susan (the 50 foot woman) and Bob (the Seth Rogan blob). A couple could've used some more life, but a really deep inspired cast, in all aspects.
Then the story, all out fun, all the time. The only thing MVA lacks is the bonus round levels of heart of Incredibles and Wall-e, but I think, MVA is only inferior to Incredibles... I enjoyed it much more than Wall-e. Again, Wall-e packed a stronger emotional punch, but it's plot, ripped from Mike Judge's Idiocracy was far inferior.
MVA is just movie making at it's best, nonstop fun, inspired action, eye-popping visuals, great cast/characters, and genre bending next level shit. And, it's damn funny!
I can't recommend it enough. It is what everyone thought Kung-Fu Panda was. Sure Panda looked great, and had lots of fun, but nothing about it felt as enjoyable as this to me. Panda was just too predictable. And sure MVA is too, it's MIB meets Incredibles, or Independence Day meets Hellboy etc... but it's got quirk and creativity in spades when it came to the storytelling. It was just too engaging to be weighed down by any of that.
I loved it.
See it in 3D, and I dare you not to enjoy it.
(and be sure and stay a couple minutes into the credits, for more President Colbert... then, you're safe to leave)
Go see it!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (You can check out more MVA discussion in my DeviantArt journal posting HERE)
MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Watchmen sucks (and so does the movie)?!?
Best graphic novel of all time? Please. Most over rated? Sure. Comics blasphemy? Maybe :)
Okay, yes, I read Watchmen, not when it came out... I was reading comics way back in the 1900 and 80's. Actually the mid to late 80's were the twilight of my comics youth. By that time, I was in high school, and fast finding other distractions. I recall, clearly, one of the last times I bought comics outside a comic shop, at a local 7-11, an issue of the original X-Factor... at least a few issues in... and the clerk looked at it, then me, and said "really?!" (or similar) with such disdain. But, fuck her, I bought GI Joes til I was 16, that didn't put me off comics. Just teenage trappings like, cars, friends, girls (or at least the fruitless pursuit). Anyway, I remember Watchmen coming out, and all the buzz, and the graphic nature of it, looking at the first issue (I might have bought it, don't think so)... It wasn't really for me. You see, I always came at comics from a visual, visceral angle, and Watchmen, while being an amazing feat of writing, and art... just doesn't do much for me. I'd rather sit with a book for 5 minutes and get my rocks off, not toil over the pages and dialogue... study the subtext, re-read, reassess... nah. Fuck that. There are too many other comics to get to. Movies. TV. Video games. Music. etc etc So, I don't read books, and I don't generally like my comics literal. Sorry.
Fast forward a decade, and I've gotten back into comics, having rediscovered them circa 1995, and my appetite is veracious (years away have me fully reinvested)... I go to all the area cons, buying stacks of dollar and quarter bin books, and I come across long boxes full of Watchmen... so, what the hell? Never read it, it's a classic, scoop em up.
And I read it, and I really liked it, just, not that much. I see what all the critical favor is about mind you. I appreciate the intricate nature, the symphony between writer and artist, the groundbreaking nature of it all. But shit, it's a tough read, and, Ozymandias is the bad guy?!? Really? That's the big twist?? That's it?! Okay, I mean, surface, high level, it's pretty straightforward, and sure there's all these other levels, and bigger messages and comments, and layers, but here's the main thing... the characters are all boring, unrelatable, and uninteresting. Rapists, psycho's, naked blue gods, impotent middle aged men? Wait, that does sound interesting? But, it all just floats by, not really engaging me. Gibbons art is nothing short of amazing, but his style doesn't excite me, and the work is too dense, so all I have left are the characters, and they fail me... Watchmen ultimately fails to engage me.
Now fast forward another decade and Zack Snyder, director-god, who's previous efforts, the incredible remake of Dawn of the Dead, and the bombastically bad ass 300 comic adaptation were some of my favorite movies in recent memory, he's going to be adapting the long unfilmable Watchmen?!? Cool!!!Now, I saw the movie Saturday, anxiously waiting for it to come out, and my chance at the theater, and let me tell you, it's a great movie, and an amazing effort at adapting the most dense graphic work out there, but as much as I liked it, I still didn't love it. It still skims by, keeping me at a distance. Nothing really draws me in; the Comedian, as cool as he is, is irredeemable, and dies in the opening after all, and the only other awesome character, Rorschach, still wears the god awful trenchcoat and fedora... so you know, he can only be so cool. I mean, he's based on the fucking Question, lamest looking character ever...
So... Is it good, yeah, sorta. Is it great, well, maybe. I'd really like to see the director's cut, and Black Freighter, and really get a proper look at it.
But most of all, aside from the failings of the characters, and cast (because Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are as boring and lifeless here as they are in the comic), my main problem with the whole thing is the utter failings of the soundtrack. From the mostly nonexistent score, to the horrible on-the-nose AM radio pastiche they try to pass off as clever. All Along the Watchtower?!? Really!?!?! I guess it was referenced in the comic, but damn, that was utterly played out 23 years ago, let alone now. I guess if you have no recall for those things, or no experience with the usage of the music, or don't care for music, it could work for you. But shit, that was terrible. Luft Balloons? That's the best you could do?!? Come on, this is a huge budget epic, give me sound to go with it! Dark Knight, they kicked your ears in with sound and score. Great movies need a great score!!!!
Okay, so there ya go. Watchmen and all it's personal baggage for me, and I still mostly enjoyed it, and look forward to repeat viewings and expanded versions. And I still recommend it, as it's a challenging translation of a challenging work that's certainly of merit and quality, that may just click on more cylinders for you than I.
And hell, I'll probably even read the book again some day. But, I've got boxes full of those, so don't hold your breath...
Over in AICN's anime column, there's a snippet from Tarantino on a new anime sequence produced for Kill Bill by Production IG (the same studio that worked on the first sequence for the original film):
“We’ve actually added some things to it. We did a whole little chapter that I wrote and designed for the animated sequence, that we never did, because we figured, back when it was gonna be one big movie, it was going to be too long, so we didn’t do it. So when we were talking about re-releasing it, they asked is there anything you can put in, and I said no I put everything in there, but… there’s one sequence that we wouldn’t even have to shoot! So we got together with Production IG and did it, and it’s really cool. So it’s this little seven minute sequence, it’s really cool, it’s in the O-Ren chapter.” - Quentin Tarantino
Which confirms there is finally some action on the long talked of full version!!
This and a new Tarantino feature this August (Inglorious Basterds)?!? Perhaps the new Kill Bill release is being timed for release with Basterds?
I was going to do a quick best of 2008, with 3 favorites from each category (movies, DVD, TV, music, comics), but once I got the wheels turning, I went with my muse, and took things a bit further.
So, I'll just post what I feel are the works I must mention from each category, however many that may be. Starting with the movies of '08.
There are some I'd love to include, like the amazing Into the Wild which hit DVD this year, but came out in late '07, or possibly, big films that hit late in '08, like David Fincher's Benjamin Button, and Mickey Rourke in Aronofsky's The Wrestler, but I most likely won't see those til they hit video, but ya know, this is the stuff that I've seen, that qualifies, working my way up to my favorite and starting with...
In Bruges
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes are perfectly cast in this engaging, hilarious, smartly written, and verbally assaulting tale from inside the world of hit men, that could only happen in Bruges.
Wall-E
I’d really love to rate Wall-e higher. The animation and heartfelt story of the first act is pure poetry. However, as much as the rest of the tale is enjoyable, and pulls on the heartstrings, it’s not on par with the opening, and it’s also all been seen and done in Mike Judge’s Idiocracy.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
For it’s unapologetic, ballsy humor, that hit’s the mark, and had it’s way with me the whole way through. Plus it introduced Russell Brand, and had great turns from Mila Kunis and a host of cameos.
Iron Man
I’d love to rate Iron Man higher, because it was so solid, the production, the cast, the story, the heart, and most of all Robert Downey Jr., who truly makes the movie, but it wasn’t without it’s flaws, mainly being a bit light on action, and sorely lacking a powerful climax (unless you count Downey/Stark’s closing “I am Iron Man” zinger, or Sam Jackson’s epilogue cameo).
THE TOP 3
Quantum of Solace
I stand alone here I think, including the latest Bond movie on my tops of ‘08 list, but damn if I wasn’t on the edge of my seat throughout, from opening to closing frames, loving every last minute of it. Daniel Craig is perfect, the production is flawless, and the overarching story continuation from the previous Casino Royale outing was rich and fulfilling.
Cloverfield
Yes, another one that is mostly ignored (or forgotten that it came out in ’08), and even more so, unloved, but to me, Cloverfield was the height of movie-going, because just as with Quantum of Solace, it was a thrill ride that dropped me square in the middle of larger-than-life action, executed to perfection. I love this movie, just love it.
Dark Knight
No surprise here, except perhaps to me. You see, I thought Batman Begins was wildly uneven, and that Nolan destroyed everything he built with the gritty real-world origin of the first half. In Dark Knight however, he succeeds; we’re treated to the largest screen telling of a wholly believable city under criminal siege, with a powerhouse performance, story, and hero… none of them pulling any punches. The cast, production, effects, and score all heighten the showcase performance from Heath Ledger, and together create a truly epic motion picture. Dark Knight succeeds on every level.
2008 was a truly great year for movies, especially for genre lovers like us, an embarrassment of riches, with many anticipated comic book adaptations; Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Wanted, The Dark Knight, Hellboy 2, The Spirit, and genre standouts; old man Indy, the Pixar robot/sci-fi Wall-E, the Will Smith original superhero flick Hancock, the CG cartoon Star Wars The Clone Wars, the Daniel Craig Bond sequel Quantum of Solace, and the mysterious and much hyped Cloverfield, and overall, it was a success, with many solid, very well made films, and only a couple stinkers...
2009 is shaping up to be another very exciting year in genre movies, with Zack Snyder's highly anticipated Watchmen adaptation in March, JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot in May (that looks cool as hell), and a new Wolverine feature, Harry Potter sequel, a new McG Terminator model, and a Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds) release this summer, to name a few!!
So, come back soon for more best of's from '08, where I talk DVD's, TV, music, and comics, and hopefully shed light on things that aren't as universally known and talked about.
The Spirit was a fun ass movie, but hey, this is a guy who enjoys All Star Batman and Robin, and DK sequel, etc (and never read Sin City, or 300)...It just seems to be cool to hate on Miller, and The Spirit, and if you're prone to that, this is Miller hater fodder extreme! Was it a great movie? No, it certainly was a mess, but I still really enjoyed the hell out of it. The thing is, it's hard to go into a movie and just purely take it in in this age... you go in with so many expectation or reservations from what you've heard and seen online etc. Some times things are so hyped, it's hard to match up to the expectations, other times, like with The Spirit, they're so badmouthed, any quality seems that much better in contrast...
THE GOOD
The visuals, of course, were amazing, and I thought most of the cast were pretty good, Macht as the Spirit was cool, he fit the vibe and character very well, and Sam Jackson owned his Octopus (in his finest form since Pulp Fiction... over the top? Hell yes. Sublime? Hell yess!), the commissioner (that Wonder Years dad), and Jewish police gal (whom I didn’t recognize) were cool too. The action was pretty cool too, it starts off great, with a slam bang Octopus v Spirit dust up, and finishes strong in the same vein.
THE BAD?
Well, yes, there's a lot, but for me the flat to odd performances were cleary due to Frank's inexperienced hands, and mostly forgivable. I mean, with the whole tone here, it’s acceptable, and maybe even better with some really bad acting… Scarlett Johansson’s Silken Floss was the worst offender though, and not much surprise there... Scar Jo is pretty dry, and her beauty is best served in a certain light, Miller and co missed the mark here and didn't cater her costuming, makeup, whatever to bring that out, which is a huge mistake... to say nothing of her wooden performance (call it prequel syndrome, with George being the other big offender here, taking mostly top notch talent and making them utterly lifeless and dead eyed on screen). However, as much as the directing of the actors was lacking, or uneven, by far the worst offender was the dreadful score. My god! Look, I'm not a big soundtrack honk, but these big budget franchises with generic or nonexistent scores (Iron Man, X-Men, FF, Hulk, etc) look superb compared to the work in The Spirit. The soundtrack here is downright annoying and distracting! It's almost like the producers knew they were in big trouble with the uneven directing/performances, so they tried to zing things up with the most obnoxious distracting score, that pulls you out of half the scenes. Awful. Just awful. There was one moment, mid movie, the elevator scene, where they had a snippet of jazz, and wow, something jazzy would've really suited this film better throughout.
OVERALL
So, yeah, if you're averse to Miller's over the top, broad stroke, lead heavy storytelling, or out for more Dark Knight/Iron Man modern contemporary ultra realism, this is clearly not for you, but, if like me, you're open minded and out to have a fun time at the movies, and be swept into an amazing new worlds, The Spirit DOESN'T disappoint! Myself AND my wife really enjoyed it, and it's too bad that the films shortcomings will likely overshadow what's a fun, daring comic book movie that's clearly not for everyone. Come on all you Miller haters, get over yourselves… the man may turn off many, may not be what he once was, but he is a visionary artist, that continues to stay true to his self, and if he wants to try his hand at bringing his trademark style to the screen, as opposed to directors aping it, fine by me, and maybe he'll get it better next time (or maybe it'll be an even bigger mess).
TALES FROM NETFLIX: From Dusk Til Dawn and on and on
So, I'm a huge Rodriguez, and Tarantino fan (especially Tarantino), but I didn't much care for From Dusk Til Dawn when it first came out, I can't stand Juliette Lewis, and the whole vampire twist wasn't my thing at the time... I'd never been much of a horror movie buff, til more recent years. Now I get the whole inspiration and everything behind it, and just love horror movies of every variety yadda yadda.
Anyway, re-watched Dusk Til Dawn earlier this year, and didn't realize they ever made sequels, so I'd been checking those out.
I watched Dusk Til Dawn 2 (Texas Blood Money ) a month or two back, and while it was fun, it didn't tie into the first movie too much, and wasn't really that good. It has it’s moments, and some flair here and there, but is otherwise pretty forgettable…
However, I just watched Dusk Til Dawn 3 (The Hangman's Daughter - 1999) tonight, and that is a hell of a lot better... a really fun movie. It's well done, great cast (mostly), great costumes, designs, sets, music, you name it, all very solid. The story is also great too, as it's a prequel this time, set in Mexico in the early 1900's, that has outlaws, Christians, lawmen, and more all colliding, and eventually having it out at the infamous vampire pyramid home that would become the Titty Twister in the later films.
Some great gunplay, humor, gore, and damn, Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison, the clone man himself) as a hangman/Indiana Jones bad ass. Not to mention Michael Parks (Grindhouse) is super cool throughout, and Machete (Danny Trejo as the barkeeper) as the only actor to appear in all three films (I think).
From the imaginative story, to the quality production, and colorful cast of characters, the movie is full of quirky touches that make Dusk Til Dawn 3 stand out as an overlooked camp/horror/action/adventure gem!
Check it out if you haven't!
And for the die hards, Texas Blood Money might be worth a look, there's nothing to great about it, but it's not a bad way to spin up your DVD player...
FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 3 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 2 - MILDLY RECOMMENDED (If only for the Bruce Campbell cameo!)
Dusk Til Dawn 3 TRAILER:
And who can forget this scene, man woman or child, from the original?
I was finally able to catch Quantum last night, as I'd been dying to see it since it hit, but my wife's not big on going to movies, and my Mom had actually mentioned wanting to see it, but it turns out my Dad and wife not so much. So with the holidays and everything, it took a bit to get on the same page, as I absolutely had to see this in the theater, so my mom and I went last night... probably not your typical Bond ticket buying demographic ;)
So, how was the movie? Was it worth the wait? And what did mom think?
Quantum of Solace kicks ass.
Casino Royale? An appetizer, a slow burn origin to this new, lean, mean, ass kicking machine that is an utterly modern spin on the shoe worn franchise, wholly unleashed from the opening frame, clear up to the final, where perhaps we catch a glimpse of evolution and resolution. And just as Casino takes us directly to the start of Quantum, most likely this latest chapter does to the next. Because it’s not just James Bond the character who’s been totally reworked, and the world he exists in, but also the framework of the franchise, to include an ongoing, over arcing story. One that, frankly, seems asinine to not have existed before… we all follow her majesty’s secret agent from film to film, over decades, but we’ve never been acknowledged in doing so, not to any great extent. This new spin finally takes that into consideration, not only giving us a fresh start, new approach, and origin, but an ongoing story, unfolding in layers.
Quantum peels back the next layer, and starts to get at what, and who was behind the tragedy that befell our superhuman spy the last time out, and while it resolves some of that, it also unfolds more layers and points to a much larger tale afoot. It’s simply great storytelling, and when it’s coupled with even smarter set pieces, increased pace, an amazing character growing before our eyes, all with fantastic acting, production, and direction, Quantum of Solace maintains Casino’s momentum, accelerates it, and slings you into the much anticipated next chapter of Daniel Craig’s Bond franchise.
And for those that find it doesn’t carry enough of the elements we've come to expect from Bond films, i.e. the gadgets, girls, and goons, I’m not among them. I thought, just as with Casino, there were a ton of techie tools in play, and next gen gadgets that are either already in use, or believably could be. And while both films feature new, stronger female counterparts, and more grounded villains, this Bond still has plenty of game with the ladies, and I think we’ll get bigger villains as the story progresses. And there are plenty of nods to cannon along the way, in scenes like the one when Bond escapes MI6 at the hotel but meets up with M in classic Bond profile, or when a woman turns up dead on a bead in that same hotel, covered head to toe in oil (as opposed to gold).
My only complaint, as with the first, is the tricky balancing act of a James Bond franchise that very much lives in an ultra real world setting, it can some times be too over the top, in contrast with it’s grounded nature. Although, my qualms with this in Quantum are much better than with Casino’s ridiculous set driven Venetian villa collapse climax. So, as with Casino, it’s not perfect, but it’s damn close!
I absolutely loved Quantum, it is an exhilarating, gorgeous, and dangerous next level of Bond storytelling!!
Could Zack Snyder's Watchmen adaptation reach to the pinnacles of cinema, just as the source material vaunted to arguably the highest achievement in comics?! Could we dare to dream??
Well, based on his mind numbingly cool remake of Dawn of the Dead (not perfect, but damn close), the zeitgeist that was his 300 adaptation, and the early buzz on advance screenings of scenes from the film, it just may be that he's done it again, and we could all have an orgasmic movie going experience on the horizon...
DC, those fuckers, are gonna sell a shit load of books, and the movie, even if it falls short, will be utterly enjoyable at the least. I suspect though, it just may blow our fucking minds...
Check out AICN's notes on the screening HERE and HERE
MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... The Spirit just may kick ass!
Okay, buzz on the Spirit seems to have been shakey... Frank Miller's had the golden touch at the box office, sure, but directing?!? When he'd only previously co-directed on Sin City, helping Robert Rodriguez bring his own comics to life? That made sense, I mean, he was working with someone who understood making movies, but to go from that straight to his own feature???
Well, the jury's still out, but the new second trailer for the Spirit should go a ways towards generating some positive buzz, as it looks... amazing!!
Check it out HERE Can't wait to unwrap the movie at Christmas, good or bad!!!
With the recent release of a third Starship Trooper movie (direct to DVD), it was time to revisit the 1997 original, and it's 2004 follow up. I'd really enjoyed the feature when it came out, for the mash up of Paul Verhoeven's stylings, and Heinlein Sci-Fi bug warfare, but was ultimately disappointed by it's anti-climatic ending. Over a decade later, how would it hold up, was it as fun and well polished as I remembered? Would it age well? Would I still hate the ending?? The answers were yes, yes, and sort of. It does hold up really well, with the cheeky "would you like to know more" military adverts coming off just as fresh and fun as they did way back in the 1900's, along with the special effects, I always really loved those nasty Arachnid bug designs! Hell, even the cast, the much maligned Denise Richards, where is he now Casper Van Dien lead (why he's in Starship Troopers 3), and Melrose Place cast off Rico rival, are all really fun here regardless. Sure the story, as broad and epic as it is, gets too cute with the circumstances of our three school chums crossing paths (again, and again, and again), but hey, it's NPH! (back in the day it was Doogie, but now he's made a name on his own dammit!) Plus, fuck yeah, Jake Busey was never better as a chip off the ol insane block! I still really enjoy this film, and riding along with the cadets as they enroll in the war against the bugs (cause the only good bug is a dead bug, that'll never change!), the cool in-your-face sci-fi warfare, and all the winking and nodding along the way, that is til we get to our Brain Bug ending, and things kinda fall apart for me. It's not that it was too much to buy, with everthing played loose all along, it just feels off to me, rushed.
But hey, Starship Troopers is a great, an almost perfect sci-fi movie, despite it's flaws! It may be goofy, but I love it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Years later we got a decidedly different follow up, gone were the original cast, along with most the themes of the first film. Sure we still had the Federation recruiting feed bookend, the trademark arachnids, and titular troopers, but this time, things were decidedly more focused, and of a much more horror nature. This film, which I really like and enjoy, is more of a "Tales of the Starship Troopers" than a proper sequel. It doesn't feature any of the first movies characters, or advance the overall story much, but it is a fun and cool side story, in the same universe. The only cast member to carry over is Brenda Strong, which is a bit confusing, because her smaller supporting role in the first film is of a starship pilot who's killed, and here she's a bad ass infantry Sargent??? But anyway, doesn't matter, the key to Trooper 2, is to be prepared for a bit more gore and horror, than just in your face sci-fi war fare...
However, the story, centered around an abandoned infantry post on a bug world, and all it's cool anti-bug defenses, as well as a mysterious Captain that may be a real life hero, or a murderous decenter, is a pure sci-fi horror gem. Well, gem might be a bit strong, but it is very solid and a lot more fun than you might expect, and all with the trappings of the Starship Troopers universe. Just don't get this anticipating a true sequel, but a darkly fun movie! Also of note, the under appreciated Richard Burgi (24, Hostel 2) stars as the no nonsense titular Captain, and the Nip Tuck siren, Kelly Karlson, appears as an (SPOILER WARNING) often nude bug-controlled private! RECOMMENDED
Now, this is a proper sequel in all but budget. Here, we have the triumphant return of Lt. Rico, now a Colonel, and a wider focus back on the entire federation forces and their efforts against the bugs. New bugs, new leadership, and eventually new advanced "marauder" tech are showcased! However, the whole thing is uneven production wise, as it's clearly hampered by it's limited direct-to-dvd finances. Whereas with 2, the story turned inward to offset the reduced made-for-dvd budget, here, the original film's writer returns to both write and direct, and restore the scope to a more epic scale, regardless of the diminished effects capabilities. The effects aren't terrible (most the time), they're just more in line with television sci-fi than feature film.
The story and acting are also uneven, so there's nothing about this effort that's superior in any way to the original (that just keeps it on par with the first movie doesn't it?), but despite all of that, once the dust settles, it is a fun story, with plenty of cool stuff to make for an enjoyable watch. At the mid-point, I'd written it off as a loss, but they won me back by the credits.
Other key notes on this one, is the addition to the cast of Jolene Blalock (the vulcan from Star Trek: Enterprise), and the return of the captured brain bug (sans NPH)!
It's kooky, and a bit of a mess at times, so just don't expect too much and you'll do fine.RECOMMENDED (for fans of the series, or sci-fi fans only)
Starship Troopers, sex, bugs, and violence, for fans of low grade sci-fi!
Robotech may have been cooler when it came out, but Derek Wildstar, and the Yamoto's journey to deep within the Gamilion empire left a far more lasting impression.
