dj4our Blog

A Petition to Stop Lucas!

dj4our — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:38:13 GMT

written by: Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, Scott Murphy (screenplay) & George Lucas (story)

produced by: George Lucas & Catherine Winder

directed by: Dave Filoni

rated PG (for sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking)

1 hr. 38 min.

I took my 8 year-old nephew to see this movie opening weekend and one of us had fun. As we sat in the large, barely-filled theater, I looked upon him in my sleepy haze of boredom and noticed how entranced he was at the intergalactic fantasia before us. I was saddened though. I wished more than anything that it was the summer of 1977 again and my dear nephew could witness the sheer wonder of the introduction to a world that shaped my childhood in a most amazing way. Alas, that is impossible. There is no way to physically and as in the case with this film, cinematically recapture that initial experience. Creator George Lucas couldn't do it with his prequel trilogy and he's proved once again that he cannot deliver the magic of the original trilogy in this animated form.....nor can he let go.

I'll try to describe this formulaic story here with it's plot contrivances, lazy expositions and inane characters but I gotta tell you....I fell asleep a couple times. That's right. And I never fall asleep in a movie theater! Ever! Sure, it was boring but bottom line (except for a handful of scenes) it just didn't hold my interest. I just had to put that out there in case I miss a few things as I tell the story. The film opens with a lazy intro, gone is the dramatic opening crawl of the yellow letters we are used to seeing in the other theatrical releases. Instead we get a "the story so far" voice narration panning several scenes in an effort to throw us into the raging Clone Wars spread across the galaxy.

Word is out across the universe that the kidnapping of Jabba the Hutt's infant son Rotta presents a new problem for the Galactic Republic. The Jedi Council take Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) out of battle and assign them the mission to return the baby Hutt to Jabba in order to ensure good standing with the gangster, so critical space routes can be available. The Jedi are accompanied by a padawan (that's a Jedi intern) young Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), who is given to Anakin despite his disapproval. As in the prequels, we see Yoda divvy out responsibilities in an effort to tell the audience who's gonna go where and why. Obi-Wan is sent off to thwart Count Dooku's (Christopher Lee earning a paycheck) evil schemes on Tatooine while Anakin (still petulant and whiny) and Ashoka (green and eager) are left in charge of the smelly little Hutt-let, eager to return the child to Tatooine safely before Jabba sides with the Separatists and the war plunges further into chaos.

Of course, there are some other familiar supporting Star Wars characters present here but none are ever really given much to do. Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) hangs with Yoda and nods his head, Artoo shows off his usual "save the day" action while assisting Anakin, and Senator Amidala (Catherine Taber) encounters Jabba's uncle, the effeminate Ziro the Hutt on the wrong side of Coruscant in an effort to assist the Jedi. Ziro sounds like Truman Capote and is clearly a gay stereotype that makes what Jar Jar Binks represented to the island of Jamaica look subtle by comparison. He's right up there with the lamest Star Wars characters ever created. Thank you very little, Mr. Lucas!

This all takes place between the last two live-action prequels, Episode II and III and the problem with that is....who cares? There's already two excellent volumes of Clone Wars stories with superior quality animation by Genndy Tartakowsky, so why in the world would we need more filler? Anyone who's seen the prequel trilogy knows the date of these characters from The Clone Wars, so why bother? There's just no real drama here cuz we know the future. Does it really matter that Anakin Skywalker has a lightsaber duel with Count Dooku when we already know what happens in Episode III? No. It's just an excuse to give the kiddies something to "Ooooo" and "Ahhhhh" over.

Now, the film does have a few impressive actions scenes, the most notable of which is a vertical assault on a cliff-side fortress. This allows for the Jedi characters to do something besides repetitively slice ineffective battledroids. The visuals are unique here as the large AT-TE walkers climb up the cliff. Another impressive scene features Anakin piloting a clunker of a ship around a Republic Cruiser while being pursued by enemy ships. Still, if these scenes are the highlight of a Star Wars film, that's just sad.

No matter what way you flip it, Anakin Skywalker was a selfish brat who gave into fear and anger while The Jedi Council were just too dumb, gullible or limited to know how to deal with him. So, I'm tired of seeing him as a hero cuz he just doesn't cut it for me. You can show yourself a hero in action but if your heart ain't in it and you're not doing it for the sake of others, then forget about it. Yes, he redeemed himself in Episode VI, but all through the prequels he remained unfaithful to the Jedi Order and while that's another topic entirely it does support why I cannot sit here and root for a guy who will go on to destroy anything good and of value.

It's quite obvious to me who this movie was for. All I had to do was turn to the right of me and see my lil nephew's gaping mouth. It's too bad Lucas has to polarize the now thirty-something fans of the Star Wars universe who remember themselves sitting in the theater just like my nephew. Time does that I suppose, you can never go back and all that but I was hoping to live vicariously through another youth. I don't like what's being done with the universe I grew up not to mention the writing and style of animation is luke (pun intended) warm at best. That's not to say that "The Clone Wars" cannot be enjoyed, just not by me. Of course, in the twilight of the summer movie season, there are worse alternatives out there at the local multiplex but I would suggest skipping the theater altogether (gasp!) and spoiling the child on a heavy helping of ice cream.

Shaken Bond causes a Stir

dj4our — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:30:59 GMT

written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis & Joshua Zetumer (uncredited)

produced by: Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli

directed by: Marc Forster

When I heard that the Bond producers had signed on director Marc Forster I immediately smiled with anticipation. I had hopes that what had exellently begun in 2006's "Casino Royale" could now be continued by a stylish, genre-skipping director with indie chops. I smiled again when it was revealed that this was the first Bond film that is a direct sequel, taking place right after the events of the last film. It only made sense to continue a story that has created a new Bond universe, free from forty years of continuity yet left the viewer with some unanswered questions. While I did have my hopes up, I also knew that this was a different director and there would be no way to duplicate the feel of the previous film's new direction.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) is back, in fact he's only been gone a half hour or so. We're immediately thrust into the action, trying to catch up with a fast and furious 007 speeding through traffic in Italy. Bond wastes no time dispensing his gun-toting pursuers from Lake Garda to Siena, with the captured/injured Mr. White (Jesper Christianson) in the trunk of his car. He ends his brutal swath of destruction by dropping off his battered captive at the heel's of his frustrated boss, M, in order to begin his interrogation.

Bond's goal in this film is to learn more about Quantum, the evil organization behind the death of his love, Vesper Lynd and uncover what their nefarious global plans are. It would appear they are everywhere and they are one step ahead of MI6. So much in fact, that the interrogation is interrupted by the betrayal of M's bodyguard Mitchell (Glenn Foster) who attacks her, allowing Mr. White to escape. An adrenalized chase ensues as Bond pursues Mitchell through the tunnels and across the rooftops of Siena, amid the crowd assembled for the Palio di Siena. He winds up killing him (much to M's disaproval) leaving forensics to find intel typing him to a contact in Haiti.

Like every Bond film, we are now off to another country yet unlike any pre-Craig entry there is no time for sight-seeing here. This Bond is on a mission. He's like a bull in a china shop with cat-like agility as he takes out Slate (Neil Jackson), his intended target in a bloody tactile mess. Since his encounter with Slate didn't provide any useful information, Bond poses as his victim which leads him to a briefcase and an unexpected ride from a beautiful Russian-Bolivian woman named Camille Montes. They both discover that she has been targeted for termination by her supposed lover, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) the chairman of ecological organization Greene Planet and a member of Quantum. She kicks him outta the car thinking he's the hitman, but Bond pursues her by motorcycle to a dock warehouse and spies on her as she meets with Greene.

Greene is a smarmy, effete eco-terrorist villian, in love with himself while showing little regard for anyone or thing but his own agenda. He awaits the arrival of Bolivian General Medrano (Joaquín Cosío), a man Camille has worked her whole life to meet and kill since he murdered her entire family when she was a girl. Greene is helping the exiled general get back into power, in return for support of his organization. In doing so, he hands Camille over to Medrano to do with what he will. What does Greene get out of all this? A seemingly barren piece of desert land.

Bond rescues her in an exihilarating motorcycle/boat chase but finds out Camille's not too grateful for his intervention. After making sure an unconscious Camille is in good hands, Bond follows Greene to a private jet, which flies to Austria. His flight is accompanied by CIA agents Gregg Beam (David Harbour) and Felix Leiter. Beam offers U.S. support of the overthrow in return for Bolivian oil, which he believes Greene to have discovered. In return, Greene requests that the CIA eliminate Bond's interference. Beam agrees, despite Leiter's unspoken disapproval.

Meanwhile, on the Austrian shore of Lake Constance near Bregenz, members of Quantum (including Greene and White) gather at a floating performance of Puccini's opera Tosca. They're holding a covert conference via concealed earpiecest to finalize plans for their Tierra Project. Among the talking heads is Guy Haines (Paul Ritter), an advisor of the British Prime Minister. In a clevr and humorous scene, Bond obtains an earpiece and disrupts the meeting, and then takes photos of various Quantum members as they flee the theater. As Greene abruptly departs from the opera with his entourage, he is intercepted by Bond in a standoff. A gunfight ensues with Quantum goons in a restaurant that carries over onto a rooftop where Bond confronts Haines' bodyguard, who is subsequently killed by Greene's goon.

M is furious with Bond's activities at the opera and revokes his passports and credit cards. She demands that he return to London, on learning of the bodyguard's death, frustrated that there is no one to interrogate. Undeterred, Bond instead travels to Italy by boat, where he reunites with his old ally René Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini). Mathis is reluctant to help due to what transpired with the Le Chiffre incident, but Bond persuades the retired agent (once stationed in Bolivia) to accompany him to La Paz. They are greeted at the airport by Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton), an MI6 field operative from the British Consulate. Fields demands that Bond return to the UK on the next available flight, but he disobeys and they both wind up in his hotel suite bed. Mathis pulls some strings and gets them into a Quantum fundraiser that night held by Greene, where Bond runs into Camille again. When Bond and Camille leave together, but are pulled over by the Bolivian police. They order Bond to open the trunk of his vehicle to reveal a bloodied Mathis. As Bond helps Mathis out, the policemen open fire, killing Mathis. Bond disarms and kills the policemen and comforts the dying Mathis, who asks Bond to forgive Vesper Lynd.

Bond and Camille make it to the location of Greene's suspected land acquisition, surveying the area in a Douglas DC-3 propeller plane. Suddenly they are intercepted and shot down by an Aermacchi SF-260 fighter and a Bell UH-1 helicopter. They barely escape from the crippled plane by parachuting into a sinkhole below. As they escape the cave, Bond and Camille learn that Greene's Tierra Project involves water, not oil. Quantum is blockading Bolivia's supply of fresh water, normally flowing in underground rivers, by damming it into hidden reservoirs beneath the desert. During this short down time, Bond also learns that Camille's family was raped and murdered by Medrano and that is why she seeks revenge.

After these discoveries, they return to La Paz, where Bond meets M and discovers Quantum murdered Fields by drowning her in oil. M orders Bond to disarm and end his activities in Bolivia, but he escapes by overpowering the MI6 operatives in a hotel elevator. As he makes his escape, he tells M he's not finished with his operation.

Once again, Bond turns to a trusted ally in Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) at a local bar, who advises that the CIA is now after him. Leiter discloses the location where Greene and Medrano will meet and gives Bond enough time to flee from American forces when they arrive. Bond and Camille make their way go to a hydrogen-powered eco-hotel in the Bolivian desert, where Greene and Medrano are finalizing their plans. As the various parties depart, Bond attacks and kills the departing Colonel of Police (Fernando Guillén Cuervo) for betraying Mathis, setting off a chain of explosions when a hydrogen fuel tank is hit by an out of control vehicle. Camille makes her way to Medrano and manages to kill him while Bond captures Greene after a vicious fight amid the deteriorating hotel.

After interrogating him, he leaves Greene stranded in the middle of the desert with only a can of motor oil. Bond drives Camille to a train station, where they kiss before she departs. They both know it's not a romantic exchange, moreso one of gratitude as Camille is aware Bond's heart belongs to someone else. With this in mind, Bond knows he still has one last lead to follow.

Bond arrives in Kazan, Russia, where he confronts Vesper Lynd's former lover, Yusef Kabira. Turns out Yusef (Simon Kassianides) is a member of Quantum with the job of seducing high-ranking women who have valuable connections. He gets them to give up government assets as ransom for himself by staging fake kidnappings where he is supposedly held hostage. Bond catches him at Yusef's apartment, attempting to do the same with Canadian agent Corinne Venneau (Stana Katic), even giving her the same kind of necklace he gave Vesper. Bond tells Corinne about Vesper and advises her to hit the road and alert the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Bond leaves Yusef's apartment and is met by M who is surprised that Bond did not kill Yusef, but rather left him alive for questioning.

M (Judi Dench) reveals that Leiter has been promoted at the CIA to replace Beam. News that Bond is cotnent with. He also tells him that Greene was found in the desert, shot in the head twice with motor oil found in his stomach. Bond doesn't volunteer any information on Greene, but tells M that she was right about Vesper. M then tells Bond that MI6 needs him and fully reinstates him as an agent, to which he replied, "I never left," and then walks off into the cold night. As he leaves, Bond drops Vesper's necklace in the snow.

I'll be so bold to say that for the first time Ian Fleming's James Bond is accurately portrayed on screen by the piercing Daniel Craig. If you've read the novels, you'll know that the charming spy was never described as gorgeous or cracking one-liners. Sure, he's charming but he's first and foremost a man about his duty, a cold killer and a stubbornly resilient one at that. Craig has this down. He's so good at exuding a cragginess on the outside while internally simmering that you can't even imagine him playing with puns like Roger Moore did. Craig won me over in the previous film and simply confirms he ownss Bond in this film.

Composer David Arnold returns to score the franchise for the fifth time and he does an excellent job. Combining the classic Bond them with music indigenous to locales such as Haiti as he also includes some of Alicia Key's piano heard in her song with Jack White Another Way to Die that played during the traditional opening credits.

There are some flaws with this film but for me not as many as the critics would have you believe. As I mentioned, it helps to see this as a direct sequel and not a stand alone story like we're used to. It also helps to understand this is who Bond is. He's not Jason Bourne as everyone is whining on about. I understand the comparison but Craig is utililizing the same physicality here that he brought to the role in "Casino Royale". This film suffered from being the shortest Bond entry yet. It would have been good to flesh out more of the Quantum organization or maybe even the character of Camille (although I'll admit Kurlyenko is kind of a bore) but that may have been for the better. It gives them more material to work with later. After all, Craig has signed for three more films.

It would be impossible to live up to "Casino Royale" which is actually the highest grossing Bond film ever. Forster knews what he had to live up to and all the expectation of a sequel. Still, he makes his own film instead of copying anything done in the last film. I can respect that. While he's not known for being an "action director" he does a good job at combining the action scenes with a parallel plot point, holding your attention even more. Forster does a great job bringing closure to this whole Bond/Vesper story. Bond can still pursue Quantum in the next film but and maybe even start to grow into that gadget-weilding, womanizing spy everyone is used to. Maybe in time viewers will come to understand that it took these two films to make a return to the Bond they know possible.

Compelling Immigrant Song

dj4our — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:26:35 GMT

This documentary chronicles the courageous journey of three young Southern Sudanese men, John Dau, Daniel Pach and Panther Bior, to the United States where they strive for a brighter future.

Along with 27,000 other young boys in the early 1980s known as "The Lost Boys of Sudan", they had walked a thousand miles barefoot through harsh terrain to escape the twenty-two year civil war that pitted the Sudanese government against the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army. They made it to a camp in Ethiopia where they lived for three years in hopes of returning to Sudan but then additional violence forced them to make yet another arduous trek to escape Ethiopia. During the five years they walked in search of safety, thousands died from starvation, dehydration, bomb raids and genocidal murder.

Finally, with their number dwindled down to 12,000, they found relative safety in Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp. While the refugee camp was their physical home away from Sudan, their real home become what they had nurtured in their hearts. Already forced into a makeshift family, these boys formed what they called Parliament, a gathering group where they can tell stories, encourage one another and share their hearts. They were inevitably brought together after years of children burying children, feeding sick brothers that could no longer move and watching their peers drop dead. These memories are brought to life as the three boys, now men, remember the harrowing events which brought them to the States.

John, Daniel and Panther along with 3,600 boys were invited by the United States to live in America in 2001. Through sponsorship from Catholic Charities International, the three boys had their lives once again changed dramatically as they left their brotherhood to the unknown. We see their first encounter with electricity and the modern conveniences we are so used to as they step onto the airplane that will take them to Europe then to New York City. When John hears the captain speaking from the overhead intercom he wonders where "that voice is coming from?", this is just one of many humorous fish-out-water moments.

The three young men were assigned specific American cities in which they will reside, John settles in Syracuse, N.Y. while Panther and Daniel arrive in Pittsburgh. They are given a tour of their apartments (a world which they were unfamiliar with) so they know how to operate: a light switch, a trash can, a shower, a refrigerator and an alarm clock. Their guide stresses the later device because, "In America, time is money." Work is one of the many things they have to get use to as they come to find it consumes the majority of their days. Yet, they have no problem working since their family and friends are always on their hearts. They put money aside to send back to their camp in Kenya as well as any family they've been able to find. At one point, John postpones his plans for school to work a third job when he finds that his family is alive and not-so well in Uganda.

The film continues to show how these "Lost Boys" have to adapt to the shock of being thrust into an economically intense culture. I didn't mind at all seeing how they have to learn new customs, adapt to new and strange foods, cope with the ordeal of getting, and keeping a job, or multiple jobs, while never forgetting who they are and where they're from. I just felt like at times the director took to much time on this, rather than the more interesting response of the white folks who would often stare at them in curious fear. It's during these times that an American viewer cannot help but examine his/her own lifestyle and culture.

I was continuously impressed at the commendable resilience these men displayed. Sure, they would deal with loneliness and guilt but never once did I hear them express anger with the inequality they observed both in Africa and in the States. “It’s not in their nature," the narrator calmly explains."which is uniquely ‘Dinka’. They are not judgmental.” That in and of itself, is quite a unique trait and makes the lives of these men all the more impressive.

The film was produced, written and directed by Christopher Quinn and co-directed by Tommy Walker. It wasn't until the help of actors Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney executive produced by Brad Pitt and narrated by Nicole Kidman. The title of the documentary is a quote from the tall, charismatic John Dau discussing the despair he and other Sudanese felt during their civil war plight.

An Artful Codger

dj4our — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:10:54 GMT

written by: Nick Schenk (screenplay/story) & Dave Johannson

produced & directed by: Clint Eastwood

rated R (for language throughout and some violence)

1 hr. 56 min.

If it wasn't for iconic characters like The Man With No Name and Dirty Harry, there would be no way to take Clint Eastwood's latest acting role seriously. One of the more resonating characteristics of these gun-toting, take-no-crap personas is the way in which they resolve their problems with a blast of gunfire and a resoluting wisecrack, while walking away without a second thought. Many of us wish at times that we could get away with that behavior, so does racist Korean War vet, Walt Kowalski. Retired after 50 years from the local Detroit Ford plant and recently widowed, Walt grumbles and growls his days away as he nurses his perfectly-manicured postage stamp of a lawn in his well-maintained, picket-white fenced home.

Walt is that old goat who looks around at his world and wonders how things have gotten the way they are. His selfish and chubby Midwest sons, busy with their careers, have alienated themselves (most likely due to his cold gruffness) as they plot out how to get Walt into a senior home. He groans at his grandkids with their piercings and blackberrys but also at the persistant Father Janovich (Christopher Carley) from his wife's church. Walt doesn't care for the baby-faced padre who promised his wife that he'd get him to confession. It would seem Walt cares only for a handful of things at this stage in his life: his Lab retriever Daisy, his M1 rifle from the war, and his mint condition 1972 Gran Torino, a symbol of days long gone. Walt finds himself as lost and without a place as the company he used to work for.

What gets under Walt's skin the most though is the noticeable influx of Asian Hmong immigrants he finds himself surrounded by in what used to be a blue-collared neighborhood. No country for this old man, indeed! Eastwood plays up Walt's disdain to the hilt but we can't despise him because we realize he's cut from a different time period. While there's no excuse for his abrasive racism, you can't help but respect who he is and that's a tribute to the actor who's playin' this worn-down character. With all this build up, it's obvious that Walt is destined to get a serious thawing.

That comes in the form of the neighbor teen, Tao (Bee Vang) who tries to steal Walt's beloved vehicle in a gang initiation stunt. He thwarts the freshman thief but this encounter just catapults the inevitable. The botched theft is what brings a livid Walt rifle-first into the Hmong neighbors as he winds up breaking up a gang fight on his front lawn. Inadvertantly scaring off the gangbangers, Walt unintentionally winds up saving Tao and his family from further violence. All he wanted was them to stay off his well-kept lawn. What follows is an outpouring of gratitiude from the Hmong family and as punishment for his actions, Tao is made to work for Walt (though it's unclear who this is punishment for) in order to restore honor to the family.

Tao's older, plucky sister, Sue (Ahney Her) starts to wear down Walt's calcified heart as she becomes his introduction to her family which finds him coming to terms with the Hmong culture. Through his encounters with the various generations, he starts to see that he is a haunted man, empty and without peace. A man who hides behind any racial epithet possible without any possibility of anyone really getting to know who he is. Walt is soon won over by Hmong traditions, befriending Thao with hopes to teach him some self-respect before the gang activity worsens. But he sees there isn't much hope or future for Tao and his family and is compelled to intervene, driving away local gang members and earning the respect of the Hmong community.

For Walt, defending the defenseless is a form of atonement and an act of contrition. The killings in Korea still effect him, as he tells Tao, "I used to stash guys like you five fet high in Korea. Used 'em for sandbags," which only confirms that some resolve is needed. He now has a reason to do away with his bitterness and protect these kids against anyone who would do them harm. Yet unlike the typical Eastwood vengeance flick we're used to, this is as much in line with Will Munny (from "Unforgiven") in that there is a price one must pay when violence is used. Esatwood knows it would be plain stupid at his age to have Walt decimate the gangs in the hood. Instead, we're given an emotional resonance that becomes enthematic for the entire film. There's a final validation here for Walt which gives the viewer a rewarding cinematic experience.

Eastwood successfully culminates all the tough-guy characters he's known for into Walt Kowalski, an incorrigible soul who has to deal with issues of life, death, racism and salvation. While it may not be his best performance it certainly is one of his more ballsy ones. Is it a perfect script? No, not really. Are there flaws? Some. It's not a scholastic take on race relations, but newcomer Schnek understands the venomous mentality of men like Walt, who live and breathe outdated American values, only to find their faith rewarded by the degeneration of respect in the youth and the rise of foreign perspectives in their own backyard. I appreciated the fact that Eastwood used primarily first-time Hmong and Asian actors. It lended an added authenticity and naturalness to the characters that at time is jarringly noticeable but a welcome surprise nonetheless.

Like many of his smaller films (Million Dollar Baby) there's an exacted simplicity that is to be commended here. A easy-going yet purposeful filmmaking style that is long gone. At 78 years, Clint has no peer. No one else can do what he does, making him the best there is at what he does. If this is to be Eastwood's swan song as an actor (gasp!) then this is quite appropriate. For anyone who enjoys Clint's acting, his humor, his honesty and craftsmanship as a director....this is a must see.

Stallone should be proud!

dj4our — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:00:18 GMT

rated PG-13 for violence and reckless behavior.

1 hr. 35 min.

written & directed by: Garth Jennings

produced by: Nick Goldsmith

Watching writer/director Garth Jennings new film, I couldn't help but recall the wonder and excitement I felt the first time I devoured the movies that shaped my childhood. Leaving the movie theater as a wee lad, I remember feeling as if there was no end to the movie I had just seen. It continued on in my mind, living inside me as the characters embodied my actions. I believed wholeheartedly that I could pilot a "piece of junk" through outer space with a wookie as my copilot or that I could crack a whip in search of the lost Ark. If that sounds familiar to you then this lovable film will bring you back to that time with a smile on your face and maybe even a tear in your eye.

The film takes place just outside of England in 1982, right around the time Stallone's socially-challenged Vietnam vet was introduced to cinemas. It is indeed the movie "First Blood" that brings two young boys together in an unlikely friendship. Unlikely because they are worlds apart despite living in the same town. Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) is an introverted loner who takes refuge in drawing up an entire book of colorful stories. He lives with his mother, younger sister and grandmother who are all part of the Plymouth Brethren, a religious sect that shuns worldliness, secular music, TV and movies. Then there's freckled Lee Carter (Will Poulter), the thieving, charismatic troublemaker at Will's school. His teachers call him "the devil child" and yes he is a hellion but right away we see that he is just as endearing as Will. He lives with his much-older brother, Lawrence (Ed Westwick), unchecked and on their own while his mother lives in Spain with their stepdad. A situation ripe with mischief.

Lee runs a video piracy business at home for his brother and has secretly decided to make a home movie himself. His goal: to make it the best ever and enter it into the local young filmmaker's contest. Lee finds an awe-struck ally in the imaginative Will, who is soon recruited by Lee to be his stunt double for an action movie he is making. Once Will sees his first ever movie over at Lee's place, a pirated copy of "First Blood" well, it's all over! He becomes obsessed with all things Rambo! He imagines himself as the "Son of Rambow" (stay till the end of the credits for a funny audio clip about the title) and enthusiastically immerses himself in the character...literally. We see Will jump from heights, fall from a tree and swing into a lake all for the sake of the art. Both boys develop an indelible bond as they become amateur cinematic collaborators.

But this wouldn't be the hilarious, touching and joyous film that it is if all went well for our boys. When a busload of French exchange students are dropped off at their school, pretty boy, Didier (Jules Sitruk) enters the scene. He captivates the uniformed girls and boys with his black leather, red boots and his new wave music but provides a driving wedge between the boys when he practically takes over production. Another challenge is fellow Brethren brother Joshua (Neil Dudgeon) outing his Will's forbidden celluloid adventures while horning his way into his family, putting Will and his family in danger of expulsion. But the most heart-wrenching of challenges is of the hurt caused by the growing egos and stubborn pride of both boys. You really want them to be the best of friends and it breaks your heart when anything opposing that occurs.

Director Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") and his producing partner Nick Goldsmith really hit the jackpot finding these two non-actors as their leads. They really are perfectly cast and just flawless. I would imagine that Jennings has reels of edited film of these boys that didn't make the released cut. The supporting cast is excellent as well, particularly Jessica Hynes as Will's devoted mother who patiently tries to relate to his burgeoning backsliding. Little does she know that as much as her son wants to be a good son, he also wants to be the "Son of Rambow". Not only do the laugh-out-loud scenes make the film but the quieter, character moments add a sweet sincerity.

When I found out that the film is partly based on Jennings' own childhood experiences of filmmaking, it made me love the film all the more. No wonder the film has so much heart. It can be seen in the writing and visual storytelling which seem straight out of a fond reminiscing dream. His use of scribbly graphic animation is used wisely, not overdone but rather caters to Will's vivid imagination. The film is a wonderfully unpretentious reminder of the unlimited possibilities of make believe. The only possible way to not like this film is if you hated being a child and you hate children. It's been a long time since I sat in the theater and felt the same exuberance as the main characters but this film did just that for me.

Unbearable!

dj4our — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:56:31 GMT

written by: Mark Brinker, Allison Burnett & Robert Fyvolent

produced by: Andy Cohen, Hawk Koch, Gary Lucchesi, Steven Pearl & Tom Rosenberg

directed by: Gregory Hoblit

Rated R for grisly violence and torture, and some language.

100 min.

Untraceable? I don't think so. You shouldn't be able to predict every turn while watching a movie with such a title. I can't imagine anyone who couldn't follow such a tepid plot in this day and age of CSI, Bones and Cold Case. That's basically what this is combines with the cinechock of the "Saw" movies. was there anyone watching this who didn't see where the story was going? To be sure, there are worse movies out there but this was crud. Too bad cuz the cast isn't to blame, they're not that bad really. It's what they're given to work with. If anything, they are to blame for reading and saying yes to such a sucky script.

The story is set in dour and rainy Portland, Oregan (too bad, I thought that place was supposed to be nice) where FBI cybercrime profiler, Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) spends her nights trapping pathetic internet scumbags with her partner, Griffin (Colin Hanks). A new site is discovered called www.killwithme.com that features a live streaming video where victims are killed based on the number of hits received, the faster the hits the quicker the death. Of course, like a traffic accident on the side of the road, millions of people log on, hastening the victims' violent deaths. It woulda been more interesting if the writers focused on the phenomena of gawkers and how these viewers actually became murderers themselves by visiting this site. A unique perspective would be how to legally hold these viewers accountable but instead we're given shots of Diane Lane in the shower.

So, cybercop Marsh, pieces together this so-called mystery at great risk to herself and her family. Isn't that always the case. Why do these protagonists always have to have family? I'd like it if the protagonist was someone that everyone hates, even her family. Ah well. Marsh knows her job and she's a loyal single mom and all but she's just not that interesting. Lane winds up looking tired throughout the film, as her character tries to isolate the location of the killer who racks up a curious roster of victims. With each gruesome execution committed online, the audience grows more impatient for the next thrill, leaving the FBI little time to solve the case.

The film tries to teeter on "torture porn" thrills but thankfully it only shows the kinda tortue you might see on any similar TV show. I got a kick outta the film's need for boring exposition that spells out terms like "LOL" or "ROTFL" possibly catering to those who aren't familiar with online lingo and "clever" internet shorthand.

The killer turns out to be some pretty-faced kid (Joseph Cross, looking like an X-Men reject) wanting to get even and perhaps teach the world a lesson. What's his deal? He's upset, disturbed and unhinged about live-footage of his father's suicide being saturated online. What's bizarre is this killer is revealed not even half way into the film. Where's the suspense in that? I was never sold that this klid was some brilliant criminal sicko, once he's revealed I just wanted to slap him and sent to bed without dinner. It's yet another interested thread that is left frayed and unexplored. Director Gregory Hoblit ("Primal Fear," "Fracture") helps Lane sell the suspense of the script but not by much. He has her spend most of the movie wet (either in the rain or the aforementuiioned shower) and furrowed with a serious look plastered on her face. Too bad Hoblit is so lazy with the camera in that he has to hold on certain characters or locations which blatantly gives away to who and where something will happen. It's obvious that the writes were going reaching for an opportunity to showcase the freedom of internet media and expression that today's technology provides but it's just too obvious making it downright insulting. Every shot was completely leading and predicatble. And the screenplay? Just lame. A better title would be Unwatchable. Now THAT'S a movie I'd watch just to see if the title was true, kinda like those online viewer/killers.

Marvel's Metal Man is Fun!

dj4our — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:09:42 GMT

PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content.

2 hrs. 6 min.

written by: Mark Fergus, Matt Holloway & Hawk Ostby

produced by: Avi Arad & Kevin Feigue

directed by: Jon Favreau

When it was first announced that Robert Downey Jr. was cast as billionaire/inventor/playboy Tony Stark for the big screen adaptation of Marvel Comics Iron Man all I could think of was....genius. I was already excited to see what actor/director Jon Favreau would do with the comic book icon. After all, he has over forty years of material at his disposal. Then once the rest of the cast had been locked, my confidence in this film was reassured. With Favreau being a fan and four award-winning actors locked in, the possibility of this movie getting it right on all levels was strong. And that's exactly what happened! Believe the hype cuz there is now a comic book movie that delivers and exceeds all expectations. Before I get into why the movie is worthy of repeated viewings, let's get familiar with the world of Tony Stark....

Stark Industries is a global manufacturing corporation that sees most of it's revenue come from their creation of various weapons. Tony's father, Howard Stark, built the empire with partner and friend Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) and once Howard died, Tony took over at age 21 with Stane as his mentor. Graduating at the top of his MIT class at age 15, Tony doesn't claim his inheritance ignorantly although his cavalier lifestyle might show otherwise. He'd rather zip around in one of his sports cars or hit the casino with some hotties than bother with accepting an award from his best friend and military liaison Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes (Terence Howard). But then again being a friend of Tony's means you expect such behavior. It would take something life-changing for Tony to see not only who he is but what he's responsible for.

That something takes place in Afghanistan where Tony makes a business appearance demonstrating his new cluster bomb, the Jericho. The trip turns out to be quite literally a bust when Tony's military Humvee entourage is attacked by an insurgent terrorist group known as The Ten Rings. They throw their injured captive in a cave with another captive, Dr. Yinsen (Shaun Toub) a scientist who winds up saving Tony's life by installing an electromagnetic device in his chest, keeping deadly shrapnel away from his heart. It is here in the cave that we see who Tony Stark is. Stripped away from all the conveniences that he's used to having at his disposal, he is faced with something he often does not think of....mortality.

The terrorist leader, Raza (Faran Tahir) demands that Tony build a Jericho bomb for them "or else" but the tables are turned. Out of the scrap they give him for materials (much of which are from Stark Industries) Tony and Yinsen builds a small arc reactor, basically a longer-lasting replacement to the device on his chest as well as crude but formidable full body armor. Soon an armored Tony escapes, barreling his way through the terrorist camp, flinging soldiers, destroying their weapons and spraying flame every which way before he is able to launch himself in the air and out of harm's way. When he's picked up by Rhodes and military crew, we know that things have changed for Tony Stark, although he still wants an American cheeseburger upon arriving on U.S. soil.

A press conference is held where Tony surprises everyone by announcing that effective immediately the weapons division of Stark Industries will close down. Not only does this shows a different side of Tony to the public but also infuriates Stane who was just fine when Tony took no actual role of his company's business dealings. He's not the only one effected by Tony's new social awareness though. His taken-for-granted Girl Friday Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is shocked by his new seclusion from Tony's usual party self. Potts is the one who has endured the most from Tony, handling pretty much everything (like memorizing his social security number) and everyone (like escorting that blonde cutie the Morning After) for him. She has to deal with the mysterious Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) who follows her around with several questions regarding the events that took place upon Tony's escape. During his seclusion, we see Tony tinkering away in his workshop/lab with his A.I. servant, Jarvis (voiced by the uncredited Paul Bettany) on a new, souped up and sleeker suit of armor. Well, you just know these scenes are coming and they are some of the best scenes.

While Tony builds a more powerful and reliable arc that can power both his heart and his suit he also learns that what misdeeds his company has made. Turns out Stane was supplying arms not just with the U.S. but also with terrorists, specifically the ones who kidnapped Stark. Hmmmm. After several test runs, an incensed Tony suits up and blows through the atmosphere in a super-sonic red and gold blur! As much as I thoroughly enjoyed all the character-building moments of the film (something rare in a comic book adaptation) these are truly the "geek out" moments that every fanboy and girl have been anticipating! It's an exhilarating payoff!

That's right, seeing Iron Man soar to Afghanistan to save Dr. Yinsen's village from The Ten Rings is the awesome cinematic action that this comic book geek desired! He gets shot outta the air by a tank and then deals with it accordingly. The coolest thing is that Tony is still getting used to the armor but he's willing to risk his life in order to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Here's a guy who just wants to atone for his mistakes and he has the power to do so. He's not thinking of any U.N. rules nor is he thinking how Rhodey will have to cover for him somehow when his body appears as an unidentified blip on the USAF screens. It's just another thing that Tony doesn't have time for but such behavior requires he include Potts and Rhodes, the only two people he trusts.

Since Tony hasn't functioned without Pepper Potts and has come to heavily rely on her, he has to involve her. She knows about the suit, about the flying and really doesn't know quite what to think of all of it. She does know though that he's putting himself in harm's way and makes it clear she wants no part of it. Tony sees this and knows she deserves an explanation. His witty wise-cracks she continuously suffers won't suffice. She's capable and knows she can help him, it just might take persuading her to believe in herself. Tony also knows there's no way he can't include Rhodes seeing as how he's monitoring the skies with the military. Once this two are with him, Tony is free to suit up once again and tackle the man he at one time called mentor.

Yes, it becomes clear throughout the film that Stane is up to no good and he is the requisite villain which requires a climactic standoff. At times it might become a bit too obvious that Stane is the villain and really that's my only qualm of the film. I'm guessing it's just the way the character is written rather than Bridges handle of Stane. It took me a second to believe that Stane would don his own armor but then again I suppose all weapons dealers have a propensity to play with their toys. What I liked most about the final battle that starts at Stark Industries and then spills into public streets is that it was kinda clumsy which is kinda expected. After all, we have two guys who are still new at wearing these armored suits. At one point, Iron Man gets run over by a family in an SUV after he saves them. It's funny but at the same time you think "yeah, that would happen".

Throughout the film, we know what's going to happen, it's a pretty straightforward origin story with very obvious bad guys. Admittedly, I've kinda grown tired of origin stories (except "Batman Begins") but here I see the need for it. This isn't mindless exposition, there is an actual reinvention of character here with Tony Stark. It's a definitive role for Downey Jr., who not only fits perfectly nails the casual apathy of a billionaire playboy weapons dealer but also nails the naive way the guy doesn't fully understand that it's not just the good guys that play with his toys. He brings a needed depth to an unlikable character that you can't help but be won over by. So, while there may not be a surprising twists and turns for a change there is actual character development in a comic book movie.

I was surprised by what I enjoyed and appreciated most about this film. The whiz-bang action was fun of course (that's a given) yet it's the characters that really stand out here. It was actually refreshing to see actors play their age and provide characters that have some life in them. In her mid-thirties, Paltrow is the youngest and while she may be an actor I usually don't care for, she shines here giving a lively performance that keeps in step with Downey's snappy charisma to form a Dave & Maddy chemistry. Not much more can be said about Downey, this is his film. I now have no choice but to hear his voice the next time I read an Iron Man comic. It will be said that the always enjoyable Terrence Howard isn't given much here and while I liked what I saw from him here, I know there's much more for him in the sequels. That's right, the core cast has signed on for at least three more films!

Favreau has made a funny film without being dumbed-down or heavy-handed with dazzling action sequences that actually enhance the story rather than distract us from the lack thereof. He gives the fans what they want while delivering an intelligent and fun summer blockbuster to everyone else. There are plenty of in-jokes and hints for the fanboys, especially after the credits. So, sit in your seat! Setting the tone for the rest of the summer, this is the film to beat right now...at least till Memorial Day weekend when a certain man with a hat and whip will be back!

Knocking on the door has never been so frightening!

dj4our — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:05:03 GMT

written by: Sergio G. Sánchez

produced by: Mar Targarona, Joaquín Padro, Álvaro Agustín & Guillermo del Toro

directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona

rated R (for some disturbing content)

105 min.

I'm a big fan of "less is more" which can be applied to almost anything really and it also correlates well with the phrase "show don't tell". I prefer when art stands on it's own without any additional interpretation. I don't want anything accompanying the art that states the obvious, tells me what to feel or think, or bats me over the head with a message. I especially feel this way toward film. There really is so much more that can be told to the audience when the filmmakers just show through images and let the film hold the audiences attention. That is certainly how I felt as I watched this amazingly beautiful film that had me reeling through an emotional gamut.

It's no surprise to me that this suspenseful ghost story is a foreign film. I just don't see American filmmakers making any original and intelligent suspense films. If they aren't boring torture porn sequels then they're American remakes of successful Japanese horror films. There's an audience for all those films but to me there's just nothing special there. Unlike, Juan Antonio Bayona's debut film "El Orfanato" or "The Orphanage" which happens to be something very special. At the start of this film , there's a feeling of the traditional haunted house/ghost story but by the end of the film you are left with such a heavy and full heart that you're simply frozen.

It begins with a scene outside a large seaside orphanage with a group of young kids playing a game similar to "Red Light, Green Light". A young girl named Laura is called from the game by one of the teachers there and is soon taken away by her new adoptive parents. Decades later, Laura, now a woman is back at the orphanage. She and her physician husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) have bought the orphanage with plans to turn it into a home for disabled children, and they've moved in with their 7-year-old son Simón (Roger Príncep). The boy immediately starts acting odd, talking about an imaginary friend named Tómas. At a party for the opening of the home, Simón mysteriously disappears amid prospective children, and Laura (Belén Rueda) immediately suspects a strange old woman who has been lurking around the house. Months later, with her boy still gone, Laura is still convinced he is still alive or that his spirit is haunting the creepy old house. I'll stop right here....

To say much more about the general plot might give far too much away. It really is a beautiful film where the less you know the better off you are and since I am fond of the aforementioned motto, I will leave the plot details alone. Is it enough to persuade you to see it? I hope so, even if you aren't a huge fan of the horror or suspense genre, this really will hit you in many surprising ways. There's a lot of depth at play and many layers throughout to the story as well as the characters, which slowly unfold as we learn more about what happened with the orphanage after Laura was taken away as a child.

There is great care to meticulously construct a story that reveals itself in such an inventive, seductive fashion, it seems disrespectful to talk about it too much. You really need to see this at home with someone and experience it the same way I did, knowing very little. There are some real chills to be found in this film although not too many gross out moments and at first you may feel you know where it's going. You may think there are some genre cliches thrown in and even if there are, they aren't used in a typical manner. The shocks that come are really a result of your imagination that has been built up while watching the film. The creators know that if they can spark yours, you'll completely buy into the world they are showing (not telling), and the more engrossed you become, the more you enjoy it.

As Laura, Belén Rueda gives a absolutely, stunning performance in a role that requires more than just acting scared or screaming and it has to. The grief involved over her missing boy, the fear that she'll never get him back, combined with the strength she calls upon to search for him could be considerably overwhelming for most actors but Rueda ("The Sea Inside") is simply amazing. This is the first movie I've seen her in and I plan on going back and finding others while I keep tabs on any of her upcoming projects. It's refreshing to 43 year-old woman get a great role and run with it. With this being his first feature-film, director Bayona is also one to watch, as he clearly has a sharp eye for visuals, creating a mood, and intricately telling a story. I'm interested to see if he stays in the horror genre or explores other genres for his next film, cuz from this film, I feel he can succeed in any direction.

A good ghost story can inspire our imaginations, which is sadly the first thing that so many of us lose when we grow up. So, it makes a certain kind of sense that a story like this would reference the spirit of Peter Pan in its twisty narrative. Of course, there are also more dangerous lessons to be gleaned from Pan, particularly the danger of being stuck in one place, be it the eternal boy who can't move on or the avenging Hook who won't quit until he gets his revenge. Such themes are also applicable toward this Spanish (yeah, there's subtitles....deal with it!) tale of a haunted home for children.

Writer Sergio G. Sanchez conveys a similar feel to other fright fests that have come from Spain and Latin America in recent years, most notably Alejandro Amenabar's "The Others" and Guillermo del Toro's "The Devil's Backbone". del Toro serves as producer (chiefly one of the reasons this film received an audience), and it's obvious that Bayona and Sanchez share the same love of storytelling that has made del Toro's best films such a joy to watch. While there doesn't seem to be any end in sight of Hollywood's endless recycling and remakes, here is a film carefully peeling a genuine story. There is an art to spinning a scary tale and there are times when that art makes it to the screen, this is one of those films.

Penn gives soul to a soul-searching, sad tale

dj4our — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:47:51 GMT

INTO THE WILD (2007) ****

R (for language and some nudity)

2 hrs. 20 min.

written by: Sean Penn (from the novel by Jon Krakauer)

produced by: Art Linson, Sean Penn & William Pohlad

directed by: Sean Penn

I made my way out to the movie theater on a numbingly cold December night. The wind was whipping through me on this last Saturday of 2007. I wondered what it would be like to wander off on your own with your only focus being just you and the surrounding natural elements. Familiar people and places left behind, the open road ahead with all it's possibilities of sights and sounds. I was alone (something I rarely do), on my way to see "Into the Wild" a movie based on the true story of a young man who did something similar with the last two years of life on earth.

Back in 1996, the cover to writer Jon Krakauer's book Into the Wild caught my attention in a bookstore. It had a cover image of an abandoned snow-swept bus on the top half and on the bottom half it read....

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25, 000 in savings to charity and abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter

....After I read that, I knew I would someday have to read this book.

What happened to McCandless in-between his departure and his death is just as extraordinary and shocking as his decision to discard his family and friends. This is the rugged territory covered by screenwriter/director Sean Penn in his film which adapts and takes its title from Krakauer's book. The film depicts McCandless (Emile Hirsch) as a restless searcher roaming from one fresh experience to another, be it working the land for a rascally farmer named Wayne (Vince Vaughn) in South Dakota, hitching a ride with a hippie couple Jan (Catherine Keener) and Rainey (Brian Dierker) in Oregon, or befriending a lonely old man named Ronald Franz (played superbly by Hal Holbrook) in the Southern California desert.

Along the way, McCandless (who renames himself Alexander Supertramp on his journey) made reckless and foolhardy decisions on his westward journey. He almost got himself arrested, injured and killed with no experience and it seems he's become for today's disaffected youth either a folk hero or a cautionary tale, depending on your point of view. Penn's take on McCandless sojourn is one of a tragic figure, and his film mixes the beautiful with the devastating. Nature witnessed in the film is powerful, communing with it can be rejuvenating; yet, to view it alone is indeed a terrible thing. When reading all this about McCandless, one obvious question continues to surface....Why? What compelled him to come to such a decision? How did all this come about?

Well, the film gives us a look as to what elements may have contributed to his decision to drop off the grid. We meet 22 year-old McCandless near Atlanta, Georgia, as he graduates from Emory University in 1990. His parents Walt (William Hurt) and Billie (Marcia Gay Harden) are wealthy east coast socialites who want to purchase him a new car as a present and an incentive to go to grad school. The real reason could be that they're embarrassed by the Datsun clunker he drives. McCandless is insulted and refuses their gift, he could care less about a new car. Throughout the film there are scenes that portray his parents as superficial as they cluelessly raise McCandless and his sister Carine (Jenna Malone). In flashbacks, they're seen constantly bickering and abusive to one another yet always prepared with a facade in public. Whether or not his family was depicted accurately is unknown but it does show how this upbringing had a tremendous impact on McCandless' life. He wanted to be nothing like his parents and wanted nothing to do with them.

Having rejected his parents and their lifestyles, McCandless focused his love and attention on the words of Thoreau, Jack London, and other naturalists. This too possibly tainted McCandless. After all, these writers wrote romantic works of natural adventures and reflections but that doesn't mean they necessarily lived them out. Still Chris believed a life living off the earth without material possessions and personal ties could be possible and should be pursued. He wanted to leave society entirely....not just the material trappings of it, but all of it....and commune with the rivers and the forests.

Penn's film cuts between two time-lines which is a smart approach since we see where he is and also how he arrived there. One follows him on his westward journey, kayaking down the Colorado River, meeting hippies and foreigners, working for a time flippin' burgers at a McDonald's as well as a wheat harvester in for Wayne, all with the goal of his "Great Alaskan Adventure". The other time-line is two years later and shows McCandless living in an old bus he's found in the Alaskan woods. He has a rifle to hunt his food, some rice, his beloved books and of course the big surrounding country he cherishes. He's reached his destination and faces the peaceful beauty along with the unpredictable wild.

But McCandless learns the hard way that there's more to inner peace than that. Crushingly and heartbreakingly at times we see him scrounge for food and shelter, often meeting disappointment but sometimes making friends. Hirsch's surrender to the role is impressive, both physically and emotionally. We see the anger McCandless feels toward his parents in his performance, which has led to a disillusionment with society in general....and yet he remains a optimistic, good and decent person himself, more disappointed than cynical. His charisma enthusiasm and drive are witnessed by all who meet him but I wondered if this was the side McCandless wanted them to see. He has a solid moral code about him and it could be his parents' failure to live up to it that has turned him off. With all of these characteristics in mind, you can't help but to like him but you also wonder and worry about him.

Penn's treatment of all this is passionate, ambitious and respectable. It's probably my favorite film he's directed thus far. He takes a lyrical, poetic approach that serves the film well from a visual standpoint. Throughout parts of the film we actually see words and phrases written across the screen, running along with Eddie Vedder's songs and Michael Brook's soundtrack. His weighty baritone provides earthy, folky tracks that temper the romance of absolute freedom with an eerie foreboding. At times, we also hear Carine's voice-over narration, presumably from her diary but Penn also injects some well-needed silence to the film. After all, when you're off on your own in the wild all that can be heard is what's around you.

Cinematographer Eric Gautier films outstanding shots of nature here but it's the performances though that really make this film fantastic. Starting with Hirsch's mature portrayal of the immature McCandless. Vaughn has a decent part as the shifty grain harvester who gives Chris a job. The always reliable Keener is great, playing a woman who is estranged from her own son about Chris' age. He runs into her and Rainey, these freewheelin' hippies, a couple times on his trek. They become replacement parents to him, in a way, and Jan has a conversation with Christopher late in the film that reminds him of the pain his real parents must be feeling after all these months of not knowing where he is. She almost gets him to confront his feelings, to maybe put himself in their shoes but he keeps his guard up and pretty soon he hits the road.

The most impacting character that McCandless encounters is an 84 year-old gentleman named Ron Franz, an old man Christopher meets in the California desert. Holbrook gives a buzz-worthy performance that supplies the film's needed emotional weight as it comes together as it heads into its final act. Ron was living on his own just fine until he came across McCandless with his backpack. Something in him must have immediately connected to this young man and when he tells Chris a lil of his history we see why. He gives plenty of sage advice, but he's more than just a typical Wise Old Man. Ron can see that someone this idealistic, naive, and unprepared as McCandless isn't going to make it in the harsh world without help, and he's visibly saddened by this knowledge, practically pleading with Christopher to forgive his parents and return to real life. Holbrook's work is a true definition of a great subtle supporting performance.

Sure I can appreciate what we're asked to believe were McCandless' motivations and hurts but his actions were ultimately selfish and irresponsible. The sad part of the film is really the lives that he touched. While he was a charming character and often a delight to be around he could also be a stubborn fool. He resisted the attempts of all those around him on his journey to love him, having determined that such concerns were irrelevant to him. He wasn't rude about it but right about the time that an opportunity would present itself for someone to really get to know him, he'd dodge them. It's not until it's too late that he realizes what they were subtly teaching him all along: that communing with nature can bring tranquility and joy, but it's ultimately nothing if you don't have someone to share it with.

Marshall pays bloody homage

dj4our — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:42:52 GMT

Doomsday (2008) ***


R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexual content/nudity. 1 hr. 45 min.

written by: Neil Marshall
produced by: Benedict Carver & Steven Paul
directed by: Neil Marshall

I was really surprised to find out that this new film by writer/director Neil Marshall had not been screened before it's release. No press screenings for a film usually mean certain "doom" for a movie's chance of surviving the tumultuous box office waters. Generally, that's true. The studio may have been sitting on a film or they know the movie is a dud yet they also know they gotta release and see if at least makes them some kinda profit. Since none of the critics have seen a film that hasn't been screened there's usually some kinda automatic negative vibe when it's eventually released (I just think the critics are being' babies cuz they haven't been given a look at the film in advance). If I'm already stoked to see a film, bad reviews don't stop me.

Sometimes, if you enjoy a certain genre, especially a certain filmmaker, you just go see a film despite what the word is and make up your mind for yourself. Now I like pretty much any kind of post-apocalyptic sci-fi story be it action or horror. So when I heard that Marshall was essentially working on a homage to such films, I was in. Why? Primarily cuz his previous two films proved to me that there's someone out there willing to take a new twist on the action-horror genre. 2002's "Dog Soldiers" was an original look at the werewolf genre and 2005's spelunking, all-estrogen nightmare "The Descent" had me goin' to bed with the willies. While these films had originality going for them, they also had some decent character development in them to keep one's interest.

In April 2008, the UK faces annihilation at the hands of something called a Reaper virus that is violently killing off Scotts. It's like "28 Days Later" only they die instead of going berserk. So, the British government decides to quarantine Scotland by erecting a 30 ft. wall, leaving those who couldn't escape to fend for themselves until they get sick and die. We're not only shown all these scenes but maps are drawn and narration is given as well by actor Malcolm McDowell. No one really knows what happened inside the wall since the quarantine but one can only imagine the horror.

Three decades later, that same virus is loose in London and the only hope (and perhaps civilization's) appears to be a blip found on satellite coverage of Glasgow. Since they thought that all life on the other side of the wall would've been annihilated by the virus, they're sure this means a cure. So, England's Prime Minister Hatcher (Alexander Siddig of "24") is coerced by his corruptible Number Two (David O' Hara) to send an "elite team" over the wall to get the cure in 48 hrs. They turn to a government handler, Nelson (Bob Hoskins) cuz he knows just the right someone to lead an elite group into Scotland. That would be his best operative, Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra), the chain-smoking, deadpan action heroine who is basically the female answer to Snake Plissken. It's never really clear what Sinclair's title is just that she kicks butt really good and in a movie that doesn't really get too deep, that's enough for me.

We pretty much know already that Sinclair takes the mission or else it wouldn't be the adrenaline-crazed, post-apocalyptic movie that it is. He tells her that the team needs to find a doctor named Kane (McDowell) and get a cure outta him. No problem. Heh. Sinclair takes it not just cuz the fate of all civilization rests on her know-how but cuz she's haunted by the fact that her mother was left behind in the quarantined zone. The prospect of her mother being alive is slim but the curiosity of going back to her place of birth probably factors as well. Yes, Sinclair has the requisite tortured past and her fake Rt. eye to chow for it. She's introduced to head soldier, Norton (Adrian Lester), and is put in charge of a team of soldiers, doctors and other unknown specialists before the giant walls advance them to their, um "doom".

Once the armored team gets to the hospital in Glasgow where they think Kane might be all hell breaks loose. They immediately find out that the source of that satellite blip is actually a rogue community of punked-out cannibals led by Sol (Craig Conway). He's a skinny, psycho sporting a mohawked with raccoon-eyed make-up and intends to use Sinclair as his way back to civilization (I think he'd need a lil more than her). Of course that plan doesn't quite work out, soon enough Sinclair and what's left of her team are trekking across lovely Scottish landscapes to find Kane. Turns out he's holed up like Col. Kurtz in some castle in Edinburgh with a society of his own made up of medieval rejects and heavily-armored knights. Bloody Middle-Age violence ensues with whizzing arrows, bludgeoning battle axes all while finding an unlikely cure.

The rest of the film is more crazy-action turned up way past eleven. Logic throughout the film is loosey goosey at best but it definitely gets tossed out the window of Sinclair's 2008 Bentley she commandeers, especially when she finds a brand new cell phone that is able to patch her through to Nelson. Hullo? How would that happen? But when I saw it, I just laughed cuz this isn't the type of movie you question. If you like the genre, you just go with it. This film really is insane, it's a side of Marshall we haven't seen before except for perhaps in the final battle in Dog Soldiers but even this is 100% more in-your-face. Marshall adds his humorous subtleties and in-jokes that amid his chaotic homage that make you laugh-out-loud (like the running gag with a dead girlfriend) almost with queasy child-like glee.

If you can't stomach violence, lemme forewarn you, Marshall is all over the place with his violence here. There are severed heads and arms which are seemingly a running theme. Blood sprays, splats, drips, hits the camera lens and pops in an crimson celebration of wet, vibrant viscera. What else? There's an eyeball cameras. Skanky chicks adorned with tattoos and piercings. Eviscerated rabbits A herd of cows. There's a man barbecued alive and then his flesh consumed by punk-rock psychos. Yeah, it's just crazy but in some crazy way I had fun with it. It brought me back to all those action-heavy, futuristic movies I watched in the 80's. Marshall gets those movies and adds his own special brand of unbridled fury and tosses it all on the screen.

Throughout the story's hyper-kinetic pace, there really isn't much time for character although there are some characters, let me tell you. This isn't an actor's movie anyway but Mitra really does deliver a great cold-hearted action hero. She's the estrogen-laden Snake Plissken wanna-be that you can't take you're eyes off, despite her characters defiance of logic. Hoskins and McDowell's roles are far too small but it's good to see them there. I was resolved from the start to not get too involved with these characters and just go along with the thrill ride.

Marshall has said in interviews that the film is an homage to a variety of previous cult classics such as: "Escape from New York", "The Road Warrior", "The Warriors", "Maelstorm", "Zulu", "Excalibur" and "The Fisher King". There's also a touch of "28 Days Later" inspiration only the plague that effects Scotland here fills people instead of turning them into raging, murderous savages. While viewers and critics are crying rip-off and calling this the "worst movie ever" (to quote Kip from "Napoleon Dynamite", "How can anyone even know that?"), I think they are forgetting the definition of homage and not giving Marshall enough credit. He knows there are many elements in this film that have been seen elsewhere....how could he not? He's just celebrating those films.