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Flaming Mendes can't Save this Red-Hot Turd!

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Ghost Rider (2007)

GHOST RIDER

PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images.

1 hr. 50 min.

written by: Mark Steven Johnson

produced by: Avi Arad, Michael de Luca, Gary Foster, & Steven Paul

directed by: Mark Steven Johnson

Now here's a good movie to see with your friend, like I did yesterday....as long as your friend is paying. This movie is a perfect example of why just because it's a great comic book character doesn't, I repeat does not mean it will translate well to film. Now, I'm a comic book fan, reader, and an artist. I know that just the image alone of a leather clad, motorcycle-ridin' dude with a flamin' skull is just all kinds of coolness....in a comic book, drawn by an artist (see below). On film, it just looks your average video game.

The main problem is the movie has no soul. For that you can blame director Mark Steven Johnson who's written a by-the-numbers predictable and boring storyline. The cool factor of the Marvel Comic character is lost on this vapid story. It starts out alright as it tells the western tale of a mysterious Rider who legend has it used to be a Texas Ranger. Through a Faustian deal with the devil, Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) signed in blood, the Rider agrees to hunt down and capture the souls that the devil has a contract on. After doing the deed, the Rider reneges, knowing that the devil having all these souls could surely not be a good thing. He outruns the devil (is that possible?) taking with him the contract and leaving the devil pretty hot. Heh. This prelude was long ago.

Peter Fonda as Mephistopheles in Columbia Pictures' Ghost Rider

We then see some Carnival sometime later, but not quite yet in present day consisting of the usual: games, rides, food, and a big tent with a father-son motorcycle stunt team. A young Johnny Blaze (Matt Long, from the great, short-lived TV show, "Jack & Bobby") is poppin' wheelies and jumping thru fiery hoops with his pop, the great Barton Blaze (Brett Cullen, who played Goodwin on "Lost"). Watching in the stands, is young Roxanne Simpson (Raquel Alessi, from Fox's "Standoff"), Johnny's Achilles and number one fan. It's established that Johny has a pretty decent relationship with his father. It's just the two of them and their love for bikes and stunts.

Things are setting up fine so far. But then, under a big Texan tree, Roxanne tells Johnny that her father is moving her away. She tells him her father doesn't think he's good enough for her from him cuz he sees Johnny as just another face. Sure, it's typical enough young-love-being-torn-apart-by-disapproving-parents, but it works alright. Johnny decides that they're meet under the big Texan tree first thing tomorrow morning and hop on his bike and run away. Oh, those carnies are romantic!

Johnny goes home to find his father passed out in a chair in a haze of booze and smokes. He also finds a medical report in the trash that confirms that his hacking pop has been diagnosed with spreading cancer. Distraught with this news, Johnny heads back to the big tent and works on some bike maintenance. Then he's visited by "The Man in The Long Black Coat" who walks with a silver, skull-handle cane who promises to remove any trace of cancer from his father's body in exchange for Johnny's soul. sound familiar? Yeah, Peter Fonda's back doing his best Christopher Walken. Desperate to save his father's life, Johnny signs his soul contract with a prick of his blood. He's the devil's property now.

The next morning, Johnny wakes up to find poppa Blaze in miraculously good health. He tells his son that he just got back from the hospital and the X-Rays show no trace of cancer. But, like any deal made with the devil it all sounds sweet and neat until....wipe out! Barton Blaze dies making a jump at a show later that day. Johnny comes running to his side but alas, he's gone and he then starts to hear maniacally evil laughter. His deal with the devil came through like promised. His father's cancer was gone and now, so was his father! Mephistopheles confronts Johnny and tells him that he came through on his end of the contract. From now on, he'll be watching Johnny closely and waiting for the time when his services are needed. Overwhelmed with guilt and remorse, Johnny takes off on his bike and bails on his love.

That all sounds pretty good, no? You got young love, tragedy, and sealed fate in the hands of the devil. What could go wrong? Well, I wanted to describe the movie up until the time I unintentionally tuned out and resolved that I'd be watching a nice-looking video game. It all combusts when the story comes to present day where Blaze is now played by the sickly looking Nicholas Cage.

Lemme just stop here and say that I am not the biggest fan of Cage. I used to like his work. I lament the days of "Raising Arizona" and "Moonstruck". Occasionally this Oscar winner will redeem himself in recent work like "Lord of War", "World Trade Center" and although, I didn't like it overall, I felt like he was actually trying in "The Weather Man". But by and large his choice in roles has been poor. At first, I thought it was just me but I asked around and not too many people like Cage as an actor either. They like the same Cage I do, yet they also think he's not all that. I would say he's generally an over-actor. And in this role, he's overacting all over the place.

Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes star in Columbia Pictures' Ghost Rider

It's hard for me not to gloss over the fact that I thought he's too old to play this role and didn't even look like Johnny Blaze. In the comics, Blaze is a long-haired, blonde-redhead, chain-smoking, hard-drinking daredevil. We don't get that here. Nope, instead we got stunt motorcyclist with a death wish who has a thing for The Carpenters and likes to suck down red & yellow Jelly Belly's from a martini glass. Those eschewed character add-ons were supposedly all Cage's idea and they just don't work. It makes the character laughable when he's not supposed to be. From the screenplay, Cage's character should be devastated with the fact that all of a sudden he's become Satan's bounty hunter hunting down souls that have somehow escaped Hell. There should be some utterly captivating scenes where we see Blaze come to terms with the fact that come sundown he's flamin' bones. Nope, not here. Instead we get comedy and typical Cage craziness and all I could think of is just how old and tired he looked throughout the movie.

Studios suits probably saw that comic book fan Cage was interested in making this movie happen and they saw dollar signs. They signed Johnson, director of another mediocre superhero movie ("Daredevil" which was actually much better than this) and then they signed Eva Mendes to play the voluptuous adult Roxanne Simpson. Now, I like Mendes and not cuz she's easy on the eyes. No, she did a good job in roles like "Training Day", "Stuck on You" and "Out of Time" where she showed she could do intense drama and silly comedy. Here, she shows she can do one-dimensional buxom co-star. So sad. But hey, that's on her cuz she read the script and accepted the role.

Still, I blame writer/director Johnson for this flaming mess. The story is just so by-the-numbers that it literally felt like there was just filler exposition scenes to take you to the next level of the video game. The dialogue is so flat and insipid....hey, George Lucas coulda done better! The other villian that Blaze had to go up against was the devil's bratty son Blackheart (Wes Bentley) was about as scary as a high school bully. Bentley really blows his part, turning what should be all powerful terror into a reading that saddles parody, and is downright laugh-inducing. It's an atrocious piece of acting in a film that can't work without someone of unique weight in the role. Real sad, seeing that the comic version was a closet full of freakiness and terror! Then there were his lackeys empowered with Earth, Wind, & Water (get it? and Ghost Rider has fire? Ugh). These guys wouldn't even be scary at Halloween. They looked like Rocky Horror Show rejects.

Wes Bentley as Blackheart in Columbia Pictures' Ghost Rider

What's that? But, what about Ghost Rider? Wasn't he cool to behold on screen? Yeah, okay....what little screen time he had (one of the reasons why I'm not posting a pic of the bonehead) he was fun to watch. But you could hardly understand a word he was muttering and ya couldn't really tell what was going on inside him. I'm not asking a leather-clad, flaming skull to evoke much but I'd like to see some turmoil and rage. Instead, Ghost Rider becomes content and capable in his own, un, bones too fast to believe. I know it's based off a comic book,where we should suspend believe but with comic adaptations like "Batman Begins" and "V for Vendetta" grounding us in some decent reality....this just crash and burns.

Once Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider, Johnson runs the film right into the wall. The special effect of the flaming skull and Blaze's "Hellcycle" are appealing creations, but they lack a human element that this picture is dying for. All too often, the film will push aside the relationships of the character and the depth of Blaze's troubles for CGI efforts that range from decent to lacking in dimension. The effects tend to mask the awesome power of the Rider, and more critically, Blaze's torment. Johnson directs the moments of transformation like a video game, one without decent villains or much purpose outside of the title character's very appearance.

At times, Johnson tries to go for a spaghetti western overtone with his locales and the very appearance of the number one reliable craggy-cowboy cinema has to offer in Sam Elliott as Blaze's graveyard mentor. It's a decent tonal turn that the film could've used more of, but it doesn't register when used against the unbridled employment of artificial visuals. No, Elliott or the usually enjoyable Donal Logue as Blaze's buddy can't save this movie from cinema hell. "Ghost Rider" isn't a bad film as much as it an unnecessary one. Not every superhero needs their moment in the multiplex, and "Ghost Rider" is a good example why.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:20 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments

Binoche makes this Bearable!

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Breaking and Entering (2006)

BREAKING AND ENTERING

**1/2

R for sexuality and language.

2 hrs.

written by: Anthony Minghella

produced by: Timothy Bricknell, Anthony Minghella, & Sydney Pollack

directed by: Anthony Minghella

With his latest release, writer & director Anthony Minghella has brought to the screen his first original screenplay in 15 years Here's a film that's good to view on a stormy winter or spring weekend afternoon. It's a quiet, cold and somber film about people who are stuck in the lives they inhabit and the violations they endure to keep their lives intact. That tone isn't foreign for Minghella who also directed two Oscar-winners, "The English Patient" and "Cold Mountain." Both if those films, were epic in scope yet had the same tone in characterization of loneliness, longing, and regret that this film does. It would appear that "Breaking and Entering" is a return to that style; it's somber and well acted and full of interesting possibilities but overall....uncompelling.

Will Francis (Jude Law) is a young landscape architect living a cold, routine-based life with his Swedish girlfriend, Liv (Robin Wright Penn) and her behaviorally challenged, possibly autistic, daughter Bea (Popy Rogers) in London. His state-of-the-art office in the Kings Cross area has recently been burglarized. After their business, Green Effect, is robbed a second time, Will and his business partner Sandy (Martin Freeman, "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy") perform a late-night stakeout of the place and wind up accomplishing a coupla things. First, they meet a Russian hooker (Vera Farmiga, "The Departed") who patrols the neighborhood nightly as she "breaks and enters" their car as they sit in it. Second, Will finds catches a Bosnian teen named traceur Miro (Rafi Gavron, HBO's "Rome") attempting to break in. Will attempts to follow him which leads him to the mysterious Amira (Juliette Binoche), a seamstress with whom he becomes emotionally entangled, causing him to re-evaluate his life. Conflict arises when the police close in on the burglars, and Will must make a crucial choice which will affect the lives of everyone around him.

Jude Law and Robin Wright Penn in Weinstein Company's Breaking and Entering

Minghella's story brings all of these characters together in various ways. Some of which meander down a rather unbelievable outcome and some seem incredible (as in, not credible) as in the film's conclusion, which stretches the truth and the law. There comes a point where I do not believe these characters would do these such things. I'm starting to almost grow tired of multiple characters interconnecting somehow. I already know that people crash into each other and I also know that there's often breaking and entering going on in people's lives whether they realize it or not. They don't have to cross paths in order for their lives or the overall story to resonate with me. There's a point in these kinds of stories where you are really interested to find out what these characters are all about. There is also a point where I just don't care that much.

Unfortunately, that last point lasts for most of the film. Law's tidy politeness, Wright Penn's sadness, and Binoche's vulnerability come through clearly....they are all talented actors....yet the whole thing is so dour and emotionally one-note, that it's difficult to really like. Instead of liking the film, I guess I moreso appreciated it. It took me to Kings Cross, a part of London I don't recall seeing on film before. It was good to see Ray Winstone as a decent guy for a change. He plays a detective investigating the burglaries and in one scene he has a talk Miro in a park. He makes it obvious that he knows Miro is one of the thieves and instead of busting him he tried to help the teen realize that he needs to make better choices with his life. It's a nice change from the rough gangster type characters he usually plays in movies like "The Departed", "The Proposition" and "Sexy Beast." He also played a detestable character in Minghella's "Cold Mountain."

Rafi Gavron and Juliette Binoche in Weinstein Company's Breaking and Entering

What will remain most memorable to me about this film will be Binoche's great performance. Widowed by the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Binoche's Amira will do whatever she can to protect the life of her troubled son and in the process of doing so she finds an intimacy that had long been absent in her life. It must have been good for Binoche to get back together with the director who helped her win an Oscar for Supporting Actress back in 1997. She not only gives some great depth and emotion to Amira but also masters a Bosnian accent. If you've never seen her in director Krzysztof Kieslowski's"color" trilogy, go check it out. She's simply amazing and I try to take note of a film whenever I see she's in it. So, if you're a fan of her work, it's worth waiting for DVD to catch this one.

It's good to see Minghella work on smaller character-study films. He makes a good looking film here and I'm not just talking the actors. His scene compositions are well done aesthetically and he knows how long to let the camera linger on a scene. So far, the only Minghella film that I still like is "The Talented Mr. Ripley" which also starred Jude Law. It would appear Law is to Minghella what DiCaprio is to Scorcese. I didn't care for his epic romance/war films all that much. Some of the acting stood out but overall I didn't really care for the characters all that much. There's some of that in this film, but at least I can understand the feelings of denial and temptation. Yeah, the film's personality is lost to a bit of nonsense that's meant to tie up loose ends where it feels like someone's simply pulled the plug on the pace and good sense. Even if Minghella can't find a suitable exit, he's created an fairly satisfying journey that rewards the curious viewer searching for depth to their drama, and more delicate touches to their acting. It's a film that is leisurely, confining, and unbearable in almost every moment, sneaking in undercover of a straight-up character piece, one that develops into real examples of fallible people trying to come to terms with their frailty.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:07 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments

This came 5 YEARS too LATE!

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Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006)

TENACIOUS D IN: THE PICK OF DESTINY (2006)

*1/2

rated R for pervasive language, sexual content and drug use.

1 hr. 33 min.

written by: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, & Liam Lynch

produced by: Stewart Cornfield & Ben Stiller

directed by: Liam Lynch

Last week was quite a stressful work week. Nothing different happened at work really, it's just that day after day, it builds. You know how it is. So, I got a hold of a coupla of the guys early on and let them know there'd be a need for a lil mindless Friday night fun. Modelo beer. Little Ceasar's $5.00 large pizza. Lime Tortilla chips. How did it all come to this? As I walked outta the store this past Tuesday night with this movie in my grubby mits. I really thought it would prove to be the perfect post Oscar movie. I was hoping for some "park your brain" humor and rock & roll but I instead was assaulted with childishly crude humor, senseless profanity, prepubescent sexual innuendo and mass amounts of stupidity. Now, I'm into stupid movies just as much as anyone else who's....um....into stupid movies. But, I guess I appreciate a more sweet and endearing approach. More on that later.

Tenacious D is a two man "super-group" that deem themselves jokingly, "The Greatest Band in the World." Consisting of actors/musicians Jack Black ("JB" or "Jables") and Kyle Gass (KG or Rage Gage) formed in the mid '90's and after their self-titled HBO series (which aired from 1997 to 2000) they released their full-length debut album in 2001 which was followed by the two-disc Complete Masterworks DVD in 2003. Their goofy, mostly acoustic "rock" music with mostly off-putting, lowbrow humor certainly makes them an easy act to remember. They can be easily mistaken as a joke with their comedic acting overshadowing their musicianship but they can play and although it is tongue-in-cheek, they are both talented enough songwriters and performers. While I understand the source material and I generally like these two guys, after a while (like Spinal Tap), it gets kinda old and offensive. Call me a prude. While, I did find myself laughing hysterically at some parts, I was also very disheartened in a "why-did-they-have-to-go-there" kinda way.

The story being told here is one that includes both the duo's origins and their early adventures together. In the fictional town of Kickapoo, Missouri, young Jables (Troy Gentile, who also portrayed a young Black in "Nacho Libre") is the black sheep of his Bible Belt family. After his father (Meat Loaf) punishes him for his taste in rock music, Jables runs away to Venice Beach, California after getting advice from his Ronnie James Dio poster. It is there that he meets Kage, already an experienced guitarist who seems to have no interest in forming a band with Jables. As Jables and Kage get to know each other, they decide to form a band called "Tenacious D" cuz Jables has a birthmark on his right butt cheek that reads "Tenac" and Kage has one on his left butt cheek that says "cious D." Yeah. Kage being the lead guitarist with Jables being the loony lyricist/guitarist. When Kage learns that his mother will no longer be paying his rent, his deception of being a "connected" guitar god is shattered. After Jables gets over this deception, he convinces Kage to rock as their way of making rent.

Kyle Gass and Jack Black in New Line's Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny

They soon discover (by way of various Rolling Stone magazine covers) that many famous and successful rock musicians have used the same guitar pick. They head out to the infamous Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd. in search of the specific pick. They learn from a store clerk (Ben Stiller, in a role that he's played countless times before only this time, with a headbanger motif) that this pick is called the "Pick of Destiny", fabled to have been forged from the tooth of the Devil himself. They find out the pick is hidden in the Sacramento Rock and Roll Museum and Jables becomes determined that this will make them rock gods and therefore win an Open Mic Contest, so they can make their rent. They embark on their journey after they borrow a cutlass from Lee (Jason Reed) their only fan, a clueless pizza delivery guy/student driver instructor.

Their journey covers the familiar ground of bonding and bickering seen so many times before in better road trip/buddy films. At times, it's funny like when we see Jables frolic with Sasquatch (the always hilarious John C. Reilly in a hilarious costume) in his colorful, mushroom-induced hallucinatory escapade. Then there's the not so funny diner scenes as we see Kage try to pick up some college girls (that's just gross) and we also Tim Robbins slummin' it as some Stranger which really had no contribution to the plot whatsoever. Maybe I'm too hard on a movie that's not taking itself seriously, but for me it's gotten to the point where movies like this and Kevin Smith's juvenile Jay and Silent Bob movies are just endless cycles of the same dirty jokes we've seem done countless times.

So, obviously the two break into the museum and manage to get away with the pick. I'm not even gonna get into how they succeeded. Kage is pulled over for a minor traffic violation on the way back, but he drives off, causing a inane high-speed police pursuit. After an all too lengthy car chase with the police, Lee's car finally crashes and burns....literally. We see that they have escaped into the sewer and miraculously wind up headed towards the Open Mic show that has their cash prize. With the Pick of Destiny, they are guaranteed to play well; but while fighting over who's gonna perform with it outside the show, they break the pick. The Open Mic Host (Paul F. Tompkins) convinces them that they don't need the pick to be great, but he then picks up the two parts of the pick and turns into the Devil (Dave Grohl). The band challenges Satan to a "rock-off".

They agree that if "the D" wins the battle, the Devil must go back to hell and cover their rent (although if they were smart they would have him pay their rent forever). However, if Satan wins, he can "take Kage back to Hell to be [his] love slave." Despite great effort from both sides, Satan insists that he won and shoots lightning at Kage. Jables jumps in front of the lightning; it rebounds off of his guitar and hits Satan in the horn, breaking it off. Because of the curse upon him, the absence of his horn causes him to be sent back to hell. Later on, back at their apartment, Kage and Jables use Satan's severed horn as a bong of destiny in order to acquire creative genius.

Okay so this is obviously created with die-hard Tenacious D fans, not just fans of Jack Black. Judging from the box office failure of this movie, I think they missed their window of opportunity here. Black and Gass have been wanting to get this made for sometime but they ran into delays due to their film careers (mainly Black's). It probably shoulda been released after the HBO series ended. The immense success of "Casino Royäle" and "Borat" certainly didn't help either. This kind of thing was funny in movies like: Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" (remember the chess scene with William Sandler's Death?), "The Blues Brothers" with the music and car chases (least those guys had a worthy cause for their insanity-saving an orphanage) and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" (minus the innocence and charm), so it isn't entirely original and although it dies have some funny it's still not enough to recommend to anyone but the avid "D" fan.

Directed and co-written by Liam Lynch (Jesus Is Magic, TV's Sifl & Olly), The Pick of Destiny plays its tarot cards right during most of the 94-minute running time. The episodic pacing is quite standard for a road movie, hitting plenty of right notes early yet too much vulgarity kinda ruins the charm for me. It's just not enough that all the famed rockers and longtime actor friends show up. It's as if they're all invited to the types of parties in college that I could care less about therefore I could care less about them being there.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:04 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments

Prepare for Gory!

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300 (2007)

300

***1/2

rated R for graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity.

1 hr. 56 min.

written by: Michael Gordon, Kurt Johnstad, & Zack Snyder

based on the graphic novel by: Frank Miller & Lynne Varley

produced by Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari, Bernard Goldman, & Joel Silver

directed by: Zack Snyder

I've been a fan of writer/artist Frank Miller since my teenage hands picked up The Dark Knight Returns back in 1986. I was already into comic books for a coupla years and then this came along. I remember thinking how cool it was to see such an intense tale about a grizzled, out-of-retirement Batman return to rid Gotham City of the criminal element that disgusted him so. He was sick of it all and he was gonna do the only thing he knew....fight. Using not just brawn or weapons but his mind and trickery, a white-haired Bruce Wayne overcame all obstacles and inspired many. After devouring pretty much any of Frank Miller's work, I noticed the protagonists Miller used all tend to have these qualities. Even his original creation Sin City showed a black and white world of hard-boiled men and often tougher women.

These are the type of characters often associated with Miller's work so it's no wonder that in 1998 Dark Horse Comics released a historical epic that he and longtime collaborator, colorist Lynne Varley created that had the same type of characters. Miller immersed himself in Greek history and brought to the comic world King Leonidas. A man who led 300 of Sparta's fiercest warriors and marched north to meet hundreds of thousands of Persians head on in 480 B.C. The epic Battle of Thermopylae would become known as one of the most famous of last stands. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the massive Persian army of Xerxes I as they held their position in a tight rocky pass they called the "Hot Gates" along the shore of the Gulf of Malis. The 300, with the help of Arcadian brawlers blocked the only road through which the army could pass. After three days of battle, a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines. Leonidas' warrior/storyteller Dilios, who lost an eye in battle, was ordered to return to Sparta and use his gift of speech to relay a simple request to the people....remember the 300. Following orders, Dilios retreats along with the Arcadians, and is the only one to look back. King Leonidas stayed behind with his 300 and 700 Thespian volunteers. Certain of their own deaths, they held their position and secured the retreat of the other Greek forces. The Persians succeeded in taking the pass but sustained heavy losses, extremely disproportionate to those of the Greeks. The fierce resistance of the Spartan-led army offered Athens the invaluable time to prepare for a decisive naval battle that would come to determine the outcome of the war.

Don't worry, this is still a movie review. I thought it important to toss in a lil background first. It might be helpful for some to know that director Zack Snyder ("Dawn of the Dead") was inspired by Miller's graphic novel which drew inspiration by the actual historical event. Although Miller had little to do with the actual making of this film, Snyder certainly has a healthy respect for the source material and its creator. The filming style here takes a cue from "Sin City" as it was also shot using blue and green screens in a Montreal soundstage. The art direction is nothing short of amazing and I know some critics have complained that it felt like a video game at times but that's so not the case (even if it was, consider the source). Instead viewers are treated to a fully-realized film adaptation of a bold, sweeping graphic novel. Varley's painted colors can be seen on screen mainly cuz her colors had just as much to do with the book's success as Miller's writing and drawing. It's great to see Snyder take such great care in representing all of their work, from the ornate details of the Persian arrows to the intricate costumes.

Every aspect of production comes together to create a world long ago in such a hyper-stylized dramatic fashion that kept me exhilarated from start to finish. Every frame of each shot is so conscientious that (if you let yourself) you just don't even notice the use of CGI. This is one film worthy of big-screen viewing and if you can an IMAX screen. It's only fitting since Snyder has captured Miller's grandiose scope but even in the quieter, dialogue scenes the camera eye is as careful as a comic book artist choosing which panel goes where and at what angle. Cinematographer Larry Fost ("Lost") holds the camera steady when the actors give their close-up dialogue and during the bloody ballet of battle the camera sways and cuts, moving slowly and then fast, just like the naked eye would if one was there.

Tom Wisdom as Astinos, Gerard Butler as Leonidas, and Vincent Regan as Captain in Warner Bros. Pictures' 300

Many of the battle scenes are incredible. I was worried Snyder would play too much in slow motion. These days, far too many filmmakers have dined on the Lord of the Rings trilogy one too many times and suck all the thrill out of their action sequences by dialing down the speed. It's not the preciseness of the movements that make sword fights exciting, it's the swiftness of motion and the peril of chaos. Snyder manages the best of both worlds, moving the time signature up and down as the many skirmishes require, letting us appreciate both the skill of the fighting and the danger of its consequences. My favorite scene was when two lone Spartans take on a rush of Persians, bantering back and forth as they cut their enemies to the quick. Snyder and Fong establish a graceful choreography between camera and performer, using morphing effects and advanced cutting and zooming to guide our eye through the carnage. It did remind me a bit of Legolas and Gimli in "Return of the King" still...it was stunning.

The story of the Spartans and what led to the infamous battle is told through the "eye" of Dilios (David Wenham, "The Lord of the Rings") who narrates much of the film. Leonidas (Gerard Butler, "The Phantom of the Opera"), is a chiseled Greek god that stands statuesque over his men and really anything around him. If a male lion could stand up on his two hind legs and lead his pride to war, this is what he would look like. These Spartans must have invented the original abdominal machine or BoFlex cuz they are all ripped and chiseled. In fact, the only other place you'll find six packs would be at the local liquor store. Those actors went through some training for this film! Even King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro, "Lost") is a tall and muscled, bronzed godlike man covered in gold jewelry and piercings. Manipulating Santoro's voice through filters to make it come across more ominous and scary was a bit jarring to me. It's obvious that this is a testosterone-infused film and at times all the pumped up busoms and pomposity seems kinda unnecessary but then again maybe that's the comic book aspect coming through.

Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes in Warner Bros. Pictures' 300

There are a coupla stand-out performances that actually get more characterization than they had in the comic. Butler was great as Leonidas but it was his wife, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headley, "The Brothers Grimm") and his Spartan Captain (Vincent Regan, "Troy") that stood out to me. While the King and his 300 are away at battle she is busy persuading the impotent Spartan Council to send support and meets opposition by power-hungry, politico Theron (Dominic West, HBO's "The Wire"). She tells the Persian emissary, "only Spartan women give birth to real men," and as she sees her King off to battle she tells him, "Come back with your shield or on it." Well, alright! Part of that is attributed to Miller's tendency to depict strong women who aren't crybaby weaklings but Snyder does magnify the Queen's role and Headley certainly does well with it. The relationship between the Captain and his young "green" warrior gives the film a decent albeit typical dramatic layer as well. It's performances like these that manage to supersedes all the special effects candy we're being fed.

Bringing a comic book of any genre is usually an arduous and sometimes unnecessary task. With all the special effects in the world there's still so much more that can be portrayed in the comic book medium. A comic book page is a much more suitable place for creating a sense of mythic wonder. Miller is a master of the broad stroke and his style is so recognizable it's hard to imagine it done well on screen. "Sin City" was successful only cuz it was co-directed by Miller. He has an amazing ability of showcasing subtlety through blunt force trauma, something Snyder is unable to master. He can manufacture the ground beneath their feet and the skies above their head, but his actors will still be human, and as a result, I require a little more from them. Then again, to be fair, this movie isn't about amazing characterization but more about bloodshed, courage, death, valor, and rippling abs.

Leonidas ( Gerard Butler ) bids farewell to his wife Gorgo ( Lena Headey ) and son Pleistarchos (Giovani Antonio Cimmino) in Warner Bros. Pictures' 300

Snyder's horror film experience comes across a bit too much in the depictions of the Persian Army. He gives us grotesque characters on both opposing sides but moreso in the various cultures representing the Persians. I just felt that at times he was taking his debaucherous liberties a bit too far turning characters into the realm of fiction instead of grounding them in historical accuracy. I know the difference between what is real and what is exaggerated of course so none of it bothers me really. I'm not gonna rely one film to satisfy any curiosity of history I may have. I do think that the film would have benefited from less depravity and more reality to ground it. That would have been a nice change. That's no stopping the film's current success in the U.S. right now after it's opening weekend. That's cuz all the geeks and most of the moviegoers don't really care about accuracy in their bloodshed. Yes, there's already controversy surrounding all of this of course.

Why, there's even folks who are also paralleling the movie to the current tension between the U.S. and Iran. Those must be the same people who were comparing Palpatine to George Bush in "Star Wars Episode III." Right, that's what George Lucas was trying to do. Sigh. All I can think is that the timing of this release is unfortunate. Miller has a genuine respect and appreciation for Eastern and Western civilizations. Snyder just isn't showing it,that's not what the movie is about. It's purely a fictionalized account of the battle of Thermopylae, inspired by a comic book after all. If the Persians are outlandish in their piercings and golden chains, and their beasts and behemoths are larger than life, they enter the realm of myth or, at the very least, a propaganda machine. It really doesn't change my perception of any race or culture. If you liked movies like "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Braveheart", and "Gladiator," then you'll most likely go for this. I enjoyed the movie cuz it was great to see a fairly faithful to Miller's work which I've been a fan of. Plus, it was interesting to see the union of a historical event and a comic book based on it despite Snyder's embellishments. Regardless, if you're gonna see this movie, "Prepare for Gory!"

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:58 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments

These Three equal Instant Classic-always!

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Hot Fuzz (2007)

HOT FUZZ

***

rated R (violent content including some graphic images, and language)

120 minutes.

written by: Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg

produced by:

directed by: Edgar Wright

I was able to hook up with my pal Mike this past Saturday to catch a movie. We were anxious to catch the latest film from the talented UK trio of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost. I first became aware of these three cats when I caught a special preview viewing of 2004's "Shaun of the Dead." I knew little of that movie going in except for the positive online hype. I remember a former co-worker of mine joined me and she and I were in stitches throughout the entire viewing. It wasn't just a zombie gore-fest but a cleverly written, funny and original creation with an homage to the genre conventions. The best part of that free screening was the Q&A with all three after the movie. Very cool.

Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is a London policeman--or rather as he sees it, a "police officer"--who is so good at his job, his superiors exile him from "the Met" to a rural village called Sandford due to his showboating which is making the rest of the force look bad. His Met Sergeant (Martin Freeman) tries to present this "transfer" in nice wrapping paper but Angel isn't having it. He's worked hard to get where he is and likes where he's at. He demands to speak with the higher ups. Immediately, Chief Inspector Kenneth (the great Bill Nighy) enters and explains that because Angel's quality of work is "400% higher than the rest of the force," his punishment is his transfer. The department is more than thrilled. His girlfriend Janine (Cate Blanchett in an uncredited cameo), with whom he recently broke up, isn't sorry either. She feels he loves his job more than anyone or thing.

Angel has a hard time adjusting to country life, where the most pressing police matter is trying to catch a runaway swan. His strict, by-the-book law-abiding standards also seem to rub the locals in all the wrong ways, unwelcoming as they are to having their quiet, regimental lives disrupted. The whole town knows who Angel is and why he's there. There's nothing strange about that necessarily cuz it's a small town where everyone knows everyone and all the latest news. Angel tries to adjust by doing what he does best. As he busts underage drinkers at the local pub and locks up a drunk for driving while inebriated, we can't help but notice with him that there is something a little off about the town. The officer posted on front desk duty acts like he works in a college library during spring break. The small band of Sanford officers and detectives resent Angel and his big-city efficient ways.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Rogue Pictures' Hot Fuzz

It seems the only one he's able to make friends with is officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) who also happens to be both the drunk driver he arrested and the son of the town's Chief Inspector (Jim Broadbent). Bumbling, doughy Butterman is assigned as Angel's partner and immediately deems Angel his hero due to his big-city experience. Butterman longs for action and is secretly a disciple of American buddy cop movies. He dreams of being a cool cop like Keannu Reeves was in ";Point Break" (which he makes Angel watch with him) and either of the cops in ";Bad Boy II." His opportunity comes when a series of grisly murders shocks the village giving Angel and Butterman something to do besides chasing a runaway swan. As the two investigate each murder, some of the townspeople start to act even more peculiar and their newly formed partnership is challenged as they uncover the secrets of the "greater good of the village."

Of course the last 30 minutes of the film builds to some hilarious action scenes for Angel and Butterman (well, primarily Angel) and that's what the film builds to quite well. But, it wouldn't pay off if not for the colorful characters of both the townspeople and the rest of the police officers. There's super market owner, Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton having a good time), who finds Angel's sense of justice almost as amusing as his own habit of well-timed, macabre remarks. The appropriately named Rev. Philip Shooter (Paul Freeman) and the town doctor, Dr. Hatcher (Stuart Wilson) flesh out the townspeople quite well as do other venerable British comedians and thespians. I always enjoy a film where I can tell the actors are having a good time and this is one of them.

Then there's the actors that brilliantly fill out the rest of the Sanford police force, there's: incompetent officer Sergeant Tony Fisher (Kevin Eldon); PC Doris Thatcher (Olivia Colman), a woman who makes dirty jokes; and Tom Weaver (Edward Woodward), an old man who's part of the Neighborhood Watch. Not to be forgotten is the superb interaction between detectives Wainwright (Paddy Constantine) and Cartwright (Rafe Spall) and Angel and Danny is hilarious, executed with perfect timing by these actors. All of these actors could easily keep me rolling with the dry deliver of their characters.

Obviously I've been eagerly awaiting their follow up and once I heard the premise of this movie I was quite excited. What excites me even more about these guys is that they apply almost a grass roots approach to both production and promotion of the films. This film has a slightly larger budget than "Shaun" but there's no CGI assistance, the focus is more on script and dialogue. Once again over the past coupla months all three of these fellas were touring the U.S. to promote the movie often showing some of their favorite cop movies like "The French Connection", "To Live and Die in L.A.", and "Point Break." I know that the films they work on aren't gonna be number one here in the states but they are certain to have a fan following among the film & comic book geek community.

"Hot Fuzz" is an action/comedy which pays homage to the prosperous conventions of the American buddy cop movies of the 80's and 90's. Those were the kinda movies where testosterone and one-liners were equally thrown around and explosions were around every corner. Yet this movie takes place in a quite and quaint, small English country town....hardly a place where you'd see two cops flaying threw the air with all four hands firing their weapons. Therefore, the film is being considered as a cross-between a Bruckheimer film (think "Bad Boys II", and "The Rock") and an Agatha Christie mystery. Howz that grab you?

The plot is intentionally ludicrous in both the reason for the violent "accidents" and that only Nick suspects foul play. Once you accept all that is intentional, you'll be watching one of the best third acts in recent memory. It's a given that everyone may compare this film to "Shaun", which is fair, as these guys are carving out their own genre-busting niche. At first, I still liked "Shaun" better but then after thinking about how silly and creative "Hot Fuzz" is I have to say I enjoy them equally. It could be that ludicrous cop movies maybe my guilty pleasure along with a good zombie flick. At times, "Hot Fuzz" is even better and more shocking when it comes to being gory. Therefore, be warned, those quaint village murders are a bit jarring as they go for the gross! You won't know which to cover first, your eyes (to hide from the gruesome) or your mouth (to silence the guffaw). If you like, these kinda self-aware movies, you'll feel the same way. They're not four star movies but they are a good messy time at the movies.

The big draw in this movie and in "Shaun" is the platonic camaraderie between the Pegg and Frost characters. There is a certain bond that either develops or exists in these characters (no matter what movie they are, thus far) that is comically endearing. Sure, they get on each other's nerves at times and often purposely antagonize each other but once they see and accept each other for who they are the love is there. There's a specific secret code or "geek speak" that these two share that anyone with a tight buddie can relate to. That's what I like about these Pegg and Frost movies. We all have friends but then there are those close friends....you know who they are....they're the ones that you couldn't see facing zombies and criminals without.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:51 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments

Is this Raimi's kitchen sink?

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Spider-Man 3 (2007)

SPIDER-MAN 3

**1/2

rated PG-13 (for sequences of intense action violence)

2 hr. 20 min.

written by: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi & Alvin Sargeant

produced by: Avi Arad, Grant Curtis, and Laura Ziskin

directed by: Sam Raimi

It's taken me a while to get myself to write this review. It even took me a while to write it. If you know me, you know that besides being a film enthusiast, I love comic books. I'm often apprehensive at film adaptations of comics but at times I'm excited that they're out there nonetheless. I've been a fan of writer/director Sam Raimi's work since high school when I'd repeatedly watch "Evil Dead 2" with my friends. I enjoyed the first Spider-Man film despite the Power Ranger-esque Green Goblin costume ( I feel Willem Dafoe has a creepy enough face not to need a helmet) and thought the second one was close to perfect (save for the multiple unmaskings of our hero). So, I remained optimistic when I went opening weekend to the IMAX theatre, despite knowing the possible pitfalls comes with cramming so much into a movie. Well, lemme break it down for ya....for those who haven't seen the movie yet read no further if ya don't wanna know details....if ya can care less, read on....

Things are going well for our friendly-neighborhood nerd, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). New York City loves his alter-ego Spider-Man and has embraced him as their very own superhero. He's still with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), his high school sweetheart and plans on popping the question her way. One clear night in Central Park, while Peter and Mary Jane are laying on a web between two trees talking googly-talk, a small meteorite crashes nearby, and a black alien symbiote oozes out, attaching itself to Peter's lil moped scooter. Meanwhile, escaped convict Flint Marko (Thomas Hayden Church) falls into a particle accelerator while in pursuit by the authorities. It just so happens that this testing facility is running some late-night tests and Marko gets caught in the middle which transforms him into a shape shifting sand creature. Now, Harry Osborn (James Franco), Parker's once "best pal" is obsessed with avenging his millionaire/son-ignoring father's death, which he believes Peter caused (cuz he knows Peter is Spidey and thinks our hero killed his father aka Norman Osborne (Willem Dafoe) aka Green Goblin....I know I know....comics are soap operas!). So, Harry as the New Goblin or Green Goblin 2 or New Goblin (as imdb lists) swoops Petey up off his lil moped in his civvies and battles him in the air all around the city. It's an intense and dizzying fight where we see that Harry has made the most outta the toys that daddy has left behind. Of course, it ends with Parker coming out on top and Harry is left with short-term amnesia, making him forget his vendetta. It's confirmed later in the hospital, as Peter and MJ visit smiling Harry that their friendly triad is all sunshine and rainbows now that Harry has a convenient plot device.

James Franco as Harry Osborn in Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 3

Peter continues on with his sweet life and saves his lab partner and model, Gwen Stacy's (Bryce Dallas Howard) life during a downtown construction crane mishap. This amazing sequence is witnessed by onlookers below including her father, police Captain Stacy (James Cromwell) and her arrogant boyfriend, Eddie Brock Jr. (Topher Grace) who excitedly snaps up pictures of the event. Later, during a festival honoring Spider-Man for saving the city (and Gwen) so many times (since the last movie, I guess), Marko attempts to rob an armored car, he needs money for his sickly daughter. Spider-Man attempts to stop the Sandman but only saves some of NYPD's finest and ends up with sand in his booties. Captain Stacy later informs Peter and Aunt May (Rosemarry Harris) that Marko is actually the one who killed Uncle Ben Parker (Cliff Robertson) which really ticks Peter off. After all, he thought he dealt with his uncle's killer and now all this time the real killer is revealed! Peter blames the police department for not doing their job and tells MJ he's going to deal with this....his way. Using a police radio he somehow has in his crummy apartment, a vengeful Peter waits for Marko to strike again. During all this, that alien symbiote bonds with his costume while he's sleepin' off his anger. He wakes up to find that not only has his costume changed (it's black!), but his powers have been enhanced as well. This new black suit also alters Peter's personality, making him more violent, exemplified by a near lethal attack on Marko during a underground subway fight.

Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko, a.k.a. Sandman, and Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 3

Affected by the suit, Peter exposes and humiliates Brock Jr., a rival photographer at the Daily Bugle, who sells fake pictures of Spider-Man. The shift in Peter's personality alienates MJ, whose stage career is floundering, and she winds up finding solace in Harry. Harry then recovers from his amnesia with the help of his creepy daddy visions) and threatens to kill Peter unless MJ breaks up with him. After MJ dumps Peter, stating she is in love with another man, Harry meets him at a restaurant and lets him know he is "the other man". Peter confronts him at the Osborn mansion, with the black suit (under his civvies) and in a victorious brawl, leaves Harry's face disfigured. It becomes obvious that the symbiote is making Peter a real jerk and he doesn't seem to mind. His professor pal, Dr. Curt Connors (Dylan Baker) even tries to warn Peter that this thing feeds off aggression but cocky Parker ain't hearin' it. Peter takes Gwen on a date to the jazz club where MJ is now working as a waitress/singer (ugh), he acts like a fool in an effort to upstage MJ's performance and make her jealous but only winds up getting into a fight. In the scuffle, he accidentally throws MJ to the floor and it's then that Peter finally realizes that his super-cool black suit is changing him for the worse. He runs out of the nightclub and swings up to a church bell tower in the moody rain in an effort to be rid of it. Initially he is unable to pull the suit off, but the sound waves from the church bells weaken the symbiote, freeing Peter. A kneeling Eddie Brock Jr. just happens to be in the same church (gettin' himself some late-night religion) and offering up a prayer....for Peter’s death. He investigates the tower ruckus and is delighted to see Spider-Man/Parker struggling with the symbiote. As the bell clangs, the symbiote leaves Parker and falls Eddie's way, taking over his body.

Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 3

With his new-fangled look, Eddie becomes Venom (although no one calls him that....the geeks know!) and somehow knows to find Marko and persuades him to join forces in order to destroy Spider-Man. The pair use MJ (duh!) as bait to lure Spider-Man to high-rise construction site. Peter, back in red & blue, seeks help from disfigured Harry but is turned down and heads off to deal with two baddies on his own. During this time, Harry conveniently learns the truth from his exposition-spewing butler, Bernard (John Paxton) about his father's death and arrives in time to help Peter fight both Brock and Marko. In the fight progresses, Brock attempts to impale Peter with the Harry's "extreme" glider board, but Harry sacrifices himself and is shish-kebabbed. Peter remembers how the sonic waves of the church bells weakened the symbiote, and frees Eddie from it by clanging several pipes together. Peter throws one of Harry's Goblin bombs at the symbiote just as an obsessed Eddie jumps for it, attempting to re-bond with it. Eddie and the symbiote are vaporized in the explosion. After the battle, Marko tells Peter that he had no intention of killing his Uncle Ben, that it was an accident born out of a desperate attempt to save his daughter's life. Peter forgives Flint, who dissipates and floats away. Peter also forgives a dying Harry with a rescued MJ by his side. The movie ends with the happy couple attempting to mend their relationship.

Okay, if ya read alla that you can tell there was a slight tone to my plot summation. I usually don't do entire story breakdowns for my reviews but I felt this one warranted it just to show how silly this was written. I'm not even gonna go into the cheesy and at times, flat dialogue. I know that movies in general are escapism (all genres-not just comic book movies) and ask viewers to suspend certain aspects that would ordinarily make one scratch their head or wince (in this geek's case) but....come on! I'm just disappointed and underwhelmed by this movie. I'm not too surprised, I guess. I did the math ahead of time and kinda new that a comic book movie with three villains (well ultimately...two) adds up to suck.

I can't believe Sam Raimi has Peter Parker go through such silly, out-of-character moments (even considering the effects from the symbiote). I know where he was going with it, he wanted to show that no matter how hard Peter tries to be cool he's still a nerd and no alien symbiote will prove differently. Still, Maguire was lame in this. His "Dark Peter" was basically Parker flopping his hair forward and struttin' up and down the boulevard lookin' all emo....who is this, Pete Wentz? Sigh. Even before the symbiote, Parker just seemed so inept and arrogant. I don't remember him acting like this in the comics that much.

I did like some things about this movie. The action scenes were great, especially the Gwen Stacy rescue sequence and Marko becoming Sandman was incredible, almost beautiful. The excellent Sandman effects were great except toward the end when he was just this skyscraper-tall mess. What a loss there. The acting that I found enjoyable was Topher Grace's pre-Venom work and the excellent work by the return character actors: J.K. Simmons as J.Jonah Jameson, Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant and of course Bruce Campbell's cameo. From the first movie, I've enjoyed seeing Spider-Man swinging around town. There's something exhilarating about seeing him spin webs and jump around in the way that I was always so used to seeing on page. But like, Spider-Man 2 did toward the end, much of this movie shows Spider-Man either with a half-torn mask (which I can understand if he's fighting) or with his mask taken completely off in broad daylight by Parker himself! That's a no-no, it goes against the whole secret identity-thing...why wear a mask then? I just felt like maybe Maguire wanted his face to be seen more. Dude! You're playing a character who conceals his face! That's what we wanna see! Not your dorky face in a suit! Sigh.

Overall, it's a good movie that provides some mindless summer fun. When I say good, I mean that it just makes good. There are people that will thoroughly enjoy this movie. Those are two types of people: the ones that have never read the Spider-Man comics before and the ones that are well-versed in spidey's comic book history but are okay with taking these movies for what they are. Granted, Raimi makes better comic book movies than most of the other movies inspired by comics but he let me down with sloppy characterization and a claustrophobic plot. No matter how much is spent on a movie of any genre it still comes down to story. A great movie starts with a great script. This had a so-so script and wound up spinning a good story, barely. Although there was a percentage drop for the second weekend of its release, this movie will still do amazing and even if Raimi, Maguire and Dunst do not return, Spider-Man will swing back to your local cinema. The movies made too much money for them to stop now. I just hope they learn and listen to the fans when they head back to the think tank for the next several films.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:40 PM by dj4our | with 0 comments