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Showing posts with label Movie Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie Reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Movie Review: The Wreslter
The short of it: 5 out of 8 Nations
The long of it: Full disclosure - every one pretty much knows I'm a long time pro wrestling fan. Have been since I was maybe 4 or 5 years old, watching it with my Uncle. Do I watch it as regularly as I used to? Nope - mostly because I find the story lines not as interesting as before; but thanks to the internet I still keep track of what's going on, as well as a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff.
Having said that, this was a pretty damn good movie,folks, pro wrestling fan or not. Yes, there was great satisfaction in seeing a movie treat pro wrestling very seriously (unlike say, Ready To Rumble; and Beyond The Mat and Wrestling With Shadows were documentaries so those don't count). It was pretty cool also to see them show wrestlers backstage going over spots and blading (even though it should have been done faster than it was shown). I'm glad the movie - to use a pro wrestling term here - decided to break kayfabe.
But this was not a movie about pro wrestling; it was a movie about a pro wrestler - Randy "The Ram" Robinson, as played by Mickey Rourke. And what a performance it was, folks. Yes, the allegories between The Ram and Rourke's careers have been pounded to death, but even if you put that in the back of your mind, this was still a performance for the ages.
Watch this if you get the chance, folks.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Movie Review: Bolt
The short of it: 6 out of 8 Nations.
The long of it:
So earlier in the week, Nickey Mouse and I decided to watch Bolt on Saturday afternoon. The best time for the both of us was a 2 PM showing, which meant kids galore, especially since it was in 3D. We get to the theater, get on line to get in, and Nickey Mouse promptly points out we were the only ones there not toting a "little one" with them to watch the movie. I was going to make a joke about how she could pass for a "little one" since some of these kids were not that much shorter than her, but she beat me to the punch and said "And I don't count, no matter what you might say".
Anyways, as for the movie itself. There was a short animated film before the feature presentation itself, and it was a Cars 3D short from the Pixar folks. Nothing spectacular, but not bad either. Bolt started, and let me tell you, now that John Lasseter is the Chief Creative Officer of Pixar AND Disney Animation, the quality of the stories from the latter is comparable to the former's once again. They hit a nadir with Treasure Planet, but things are in the upswing it seems, as the formula seems to be Pixar releases their offering in the summer and Walt Disney Animation Studios comes out with theirs during the Holiday Season.
While Bolt does not break new ground in animation or in storytelling (the list of Pet/Owner reunion movies is pretty extensive), its execution was still excellent. Rhino the Hamster stole a lot of the scenes he was in, but all the characters were pretty interesting. The part when Bolt and Penny were finally reunited during a rescue scene --- so touching. You couldn't help but root for those two and Mittens the Cat as well, and all in all, I highly recommend everybody to watch this flick.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Movie Review: Quantum Of Solace
The short of it: 4 out of 8 Nations
The long of it: Bourne. Jason Bourne.
Or at least that's who my buddy Mots think the new Bond was more like in Quantum of Solace. And I agree with him. And neither of us think it's a good thing.
Some background: I'm a pretty big Bond fan. I have this for crying out loud. I've read Ian Fleming's Casino Royale and have plans to read the other Bond novels he wrote. And Mots and our friend Crazy J are big Bond fans as well, and I dare say they are even bigger Bond fans than I am. So it was with them two, Wetseel and Bruno that I watched Quantum of Solace with; needless to say the standards we have are pretty high.
Nevertheless, I have to say that we left the theater with a hollow feeling. The story itself wasn't bad, but here were my issues with the flick:
a) The cinematography during the fight and chase scenes were horrible. It was in extreme close up and in "shaky hand held camera" modes it seemed, with quick cuts between shots. It was confusing, not to mention motion sickness inducing. It was hard to follow what was going on during those scenes and it kinda sucked.
b) Yes, the Bond in the novels was the serious type, but this Bond is WAY too serious. Even Sean Connery (THE best Bond ever, and that's not even open to argument) had a little smirk on his face and had the funny lines. Daniel Craig's Bond is on the Jason Bourne killing machine program it seemed. I mean seriously, they're taking this Jason Bourne bent way too far. (Side note: while Connery is the best Bond ever, Roger Moore is still my favorite Bond - yes, there is a difference. I grew up with Moore as the James Bond I watched in the theater, so he was the first one I ever saw as Bond, ergo he will always be my favorite).
c) And speaking of which, Bond never took the 00 privileges lightly. He never liked the killing, even in the novels. And yet, there he was, all serial killing happy it seemed because of his lust for revenge (again, like Jason Bourne).
d) Yes, there is now less emphasis on the gadgets, but it does not mean you should completely forget about the great Bond support characters like Ms. Moneypenny and Q.
e) I hope the "Quantum" group will turn out to be SPECTRE. Give us Blofeld!!!!!!!
f) You CANNOT, CANNOT, CANNOT have the opening credits with the bullseye on a walking Bond who suddenly turns and shoots, followed by the familiar Bond theme, at the END of the movie. That's why it's the OPENING credits, for pete's sake.
g) Distinct lack of the Bond theme as well during the movie! That is one of the most recognizable and loved themes ever, and you did not hear it until the end of the movie. Stupid. Imagine watching Indiana Jones or Star Wars and not hearing the familiar musical strains you are used to hearing????
Anyway, that's all I have to say I think. Maybe the next film will make me see this film in a better light, as it would serve as a bridge to a more satisfying experience.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Movie Review: Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist
The short of it: 5 out of 8 Nations.
The long of it: It's gonna sound like I am lifting Sean's review, but really, it's because after watching the movie tonight, I pretty much thought the same things he did when he saw it last week.
Anyway, it was a very cute movie; nothing deep or Earth-shattering, but it's a good diversion for an hour and a half.The flick also boasts a great soundtrack, but the biggest kick for me was seeing all these lesser known New York City landmarks and places. I went to high school and college in Greenwich Village, so it was kinda cool to see a lot of the downtown sights and places get some screen time love. There was one completely unnecessary scene in there though; complete grossness! You'll know which one it is when you see it.
And is it just me or has Michael Cera played every role he's ever had since Arrested Development the same way? Don't get me wrong, I like him, but maybe it's time for him to show some more range.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Movie Review: Tropic Thunder
The short of it: 6 out of 8 Nations
The long of it: Tropic Thunder was a fun and silly (in a good way) movie, probably the funniest movie I have seen all year.
It's hard to discuss the movie without spoiling it, so I will refrain from doing so (especially the numerous cameos, which are a huge part of the fun as well). But I will say this: Robert Downey, Jr., as far as I was concerned, stole the show with his portrayal of Kirk Lazarus; Downey, Jr. wasn't above making fun of his method acting either.
Don't expect anything groundbreaking here folks, just expect to laugh a lot.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Movie Review: The X-Files 2 - I Want To Believe
The short of it: 4 out of 8 Nations
The long of it: The X-Files 2: I Want To Believe was neither as bad as the reviews said it was, nor as great as the show was at its peak.
What it was basically, was a 2 hour long movie that could have just as well been a TV special. In fact, it felt like an episode from early on in the series' run before they hit their stride. The movie really did not add to or resolve any of the mythology involved with the show. And neither did it deliver the supernatural thrill that was as much of the show's trademark as its mythology was.
That last point was probably the biggest problem with the movie - I did not mind not having aliens or having it too mythology heavy - but it would have been nice to have had a balls out supernatural thrill. I guess at least one of the main themes was an X-Files one at its core, as it dealt with Scully's Catholic faith vis-à-vis her "logical" tendencies because of her scientific and medical training. This is something that the show dealt with in spades so this was not a giant U-turn for the characters or anything (which is good).
Nevertheless, the show broached that juxtaposition of Scully's so well through the years, and they did it against a paranormal/supernatural backdrop; so in short, every X-Files fan KNOWS it could be done and done well. And it's that fact which makes the movie a disappointment in that regard.
Still, I had fun watching the movie. I saw it with the Big D and his wife, the Anaghater, who is the biggest X-Phile. AND, Danny J was able to take time out from his busy family schedule and watch it with us as well - besides being a big X-Phile, he is the man who suggested I should watch X-Files many moons ago when we were in college, so it felt like full circle.
And finally, it was nice to see Mulder and Scully back together, with their chemistry still intact. Scully is still the perfect foil for Mulder's one-liners and it reminded you of how great that show was at its peak. In the words of Jay Landsman from The Wire: "When you were good, you were the best we had".
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Movie Review: The Dark Knight
The short of it: History has been made, folks. We officially have the first 8 Nation movie since I started doing this thing.
The long of it:
Wow.
Maybe BTC said it best when he texted me right after he saw it Friday afternoon and he said: "I have no words. Divine."
It was phenomenal, people. And this is coming from someone who makes no bones about admitting that I hold superhero movies up to a different standard when I watch them, ESPECIALLY Batman.
First things first - a little background: Here is an old post I put up about Batman Begins.
Now, about The Dark Knight. Some thoughts in no particular order:
1) Great storytelling all around. The pacing was amazing (2 and 1/2 hours flew by), and it made its points without being too heavy handed. The ferry scenes with the criminals and the "decent" people was a great example of that.
2) Casting was perfect, yet again. Gary Oldman has really made the Commissioner Gordon role his own, and Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger excelled in their respective roles.
3) Heath's Joker was the most believable Joker ever. I've written before about how much I love the Steve Engelhart, Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin run in Detective Comics, and it felt like the Joker from those pages had come to life. Just a tiny example: The Joker who gave deadlines for someone to die was straight from those pages.
4) I was also elated to see the Batman/Joker face to face across the desk scene. Why? That image is straight out of The Killing Joke (which I have said before and will say again - the best Joker story ever; and not just because Alan Moore wrote it). And the plot line about The Joker driving the most upstanding citizen in Gotham City insane to prove a point (Harvey Dent in the movie, Commissioner Gordon in the book) - straight from there too.
5) Chris Nolan - you know you have geek cred when the news broke months ago that the Joker in The Dark Knight looks that way because he puts on makeup, not because of the "falling into acid" reason that is part of the canon, and not that many complained vociferously.
6) Aaron Eckhart as Dent and then Two Face - great stuff. Again, the geek cred: the tweak in Two Face's origin (fire instead of acid, it occured during the rescue instead of during a trial), and no complaints.
7) Not enough can be said about how great Michael Caine as Alfred is. People sometimes forget that Alfred is Bruce's father figure and this was showed perfectly again I thought (see: burning of the letter).
8) Christian Bale IS Bruce Wayne, and IS Batman. Nothing's changed about that.
9) Nice to see Bats going back to his roots at the end; that of being a vigilante who works outside the law and is wanted by the cops.
10) It's a running joke in the comics about how Bats just appears out of nowhere to talk to Gordon and then disappears without Gordon noticing it, and glad they did that a few times here again (with Dent too!).
11) Nice cameo Cillian Murphy/The Scarecrow!
Anyway, this movie really has to be watched to be fully appreciated, because just like BTC, I feel like my words aren't doing it justice. Besides being great filmmaking, the people involved in making this movie have captured the essence of Batman yet again. This is a film for the ages, folks. And don't be surprised if it gets Oscar love in The Best Picture category.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Movie Review: Wall-E
The short of it: 7 out of 8 Nations.
The long of it: The Incredibles is still my favorite Pixar flick, but let me tell ya, Wall-E is a very close second. As in, by the hair of my chinny chin chin second.
This movie is a good reminder of how much of an audio-visual medium movies are. Consider this - Wall-E was at least an hour and a half, and the total dialogue spoken in the film was not even 20 minutes (if that). The movie, for the most part, relied on how silent films - the roots of the movie experience - conveyed its story to the audience: physical movements of the characters, body language, facial expressions (look at the eyes of Wall-E and Eve, they pretty much tell the whole tale of what they were feeling at any given moment), and of course, music.
Wall-E, quite possibly, may be the most lovable character Pixar has ever produced. He's over 700 years old, but is an innocent soul. He is so earnest, and just wants to love and be loved. He also has such a desire to share himself and everything he has with Eve, whom he falls in love with at first sight. Having faced loneliness for so long, Wall-E was not willing to go back into to that abyss and did everything in his power not to. How can you not pull for someone like that?
Yes, the movie is quite heavy handed with the social commentary, but you really won't care because of how good the entire package is. You have to admire how Pixar is taking risks and not content to rest on their laurels. I mean, last year, their big star was a rat - not exactly the most marketable animal now is it? This year, Wall-E (the film), is at its core, the love story of two robots. And not only that, the star is a machine who does not talk at all. He just wins you over purely on personality, the way Charlie Chaplin did in his movies. Amazing, when you think about it.
Let me conclude this review with a simple statement of fact: Folks, this is a film for the ages; do not miss it.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Movie Review: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
The Short Of It: 4 out of 8 Nations
The Long Of It:
Indiana Jones was an iconic character and memory from my childhood; nevertheless, I had my reservations when I heard Lucas and Spielberg and co. were making movie #4 in the franchise. This was mostly because of a) Harrison Ford's age, and b) I thought the ending scene with Indy, Dr. Jones Sr., Brody and Sallah riding off into the sunset was the perfect visual to end the movie franchise with.
Still, this was one of the movies I was looking forward to the most this summer. And one month after it opened, I finally got a chance to catch it last Friday with TJC.
In the end, it was not that bad, nor that great. It certainly was the worst of the entire series, but those first 3 were a tough act to follow.
I liked the shout outs to the past Indy movies: a) the brief cameo of the Ark, b) they worked in Indy's fear of snakes yet again, c) the return of Marion Ravenwood, and d) Indy calling Mutt, his son, "Junior" the way his own dad did to him in The Last Crusade. Heck, even Mutt is a shout out - Indiana was the name of the Jones family dog (and the name of Lucas' dog in real life), so Indiana's son, of course, was a Mutt.
I was glad that they acknowledged Indy's age, and was saddened not only by the absence of Sallah, but the deaths of Dr. Jones Sr. and Brody. Shia as Mutt did not annoy me like I thought he would (don't get me started on the Tarzan vine swinging scene though, ugh). And Cate Blanchett - I would watch her in anything. If she were to go on stage and read the recipe for Oreo cheesecake, I would sit enthralled.
Harrison Ford was great as Indy, but the story just did not feel right. It did not seem like an Indiana Jones movie, you know what I mean? Maybe it's because all three previous Indiana Jones movie had religion as the backbone of its tale (the Ark in the first one, cults in the second, and the Holy Grail in the third), that a tale about aliens just seemed out of place. Yes, the aliens were worshiped as gods by the ancient mayans, but it still felt different to the touch, compared to the previous Indy movies.
I did not feel much suspense or tension either from the moment Indy's crew went on the river til the end, but maybe that was just me. The scene with Cate Blanchett's demise was very reminiscent of how Belloq met his maker in Raiders though.
The "happy" ending Spielberg loves so much, with Indy and Marion's wedding, seemed kinda forced too. But I guess there was no way around it ending that way. That was a nice touch though - just when every Indiana Jones' fan worst nightmare was about to come true, with Mutt about to put on the fedora, Indy comes sweeping in and takes it out of his hands and puts it where it belongs.
All in all, it was nice to see Indiana Jones and Marion again. I doubt this is the end of the series since it made a kajillion dollars worldwide. But if it were, I wish they would have ended it with Indy, Marion, Dr. Jones Sr., Brody and Sallah all involved. Unfortunately, that will never happen. But here's hoping we go back to a more "religion oriented" Indiana Jones story in the future.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Movie Review: Iron Man
The short of it: 7 of 8 Nations
Beware: Spoilers after the jump!
The long of it: Folks, Iron Man has joined Spider Man, Spider Man 2, X-Men 2 and Batman Begins in the pantheon of Super Hero Movies Who Nailed It Perfectly.
It's a simple formula, really. It's okay to tweak, but you have to keep and touch on enough of the original source material to make it feel right. And indeed, Jon Favreau and company got it.
First off, any mention of this movie has to start with Robert Downey, Jr. The only man in his age bracket (the 40 to 50 year old one) with as much acting talent as him is Johnny Depp. I've loved the casting choice of Mr. Downey since I first heard about it, and he did not disappoint. He WAS Tony Stark - the cocky asshole before his capture by the Afghan terrorists (a nod to the times; his origin in the comic book had him captured in Vietnam), before eventually transforming to cocky super hero.
Some of the things I liked:
a) The original armor was as it should have been; grey, and it looked put together out of scraps and what not.
b) The supporting cast members were great, even Favreau's cameo as Happy Hogan. (Side note: Favreau sure looks like he's lost weight now that he is not doing Dinner For Five anymore, no?) Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts (who became Mrs. Happy Hogan in the comics) was fine as she did not underwhelm or overwhelm any scene she was in. Terence Howard as Rhodey -- well, we'll get to Rhodey in a second, but Howard did not embarrass himself in the 20 minutes of total screen time he had.
c) One of the reasons why fans were so excited about the casting of Downey was the fact that Tony Stark's battle with alcoholism is one of the seminal story lines in Iron Man history, which led to Rhodey donning on the armor for a while and eventually becoming War Marchine. And if there's anybody who knows about battling the demon of addiction, it's Robert Downey Jr. The eventual alcoholism is hinted at already in the first one, what with all the drinking Stark does. And they also hint at Rhodey becoming War Machine with his "Next time, baby" comment to the other armor in Stark's workshop. That's how you keep the geeks salivating for more, throw them scraps with the promise of a future feast.
d) I did like Stark revealing himself as Iron Man in a press conference (a tongue in cheek reference to The Civil War storyline perhaps?). The Iron Man is Stark's bodyguard bit which was in the comics for forever until Civil War would have worked, don't get me wrong, but I like the Ultimates version more where it's out in the open who Iron Man is.
e) The Nick Fury cameo at the end; the buildup for the Avengers movie has begun! Yes, there are rumors that Iron Man 2 will have Fury and Stark going after the Mandarin. But the bigger picture in all this is that now Marvel has begun to establish continuity amongst their movies tiny piece by tiny piece, with the eventual end result being an Avengers movie in 2011. Expect a Tony Stark cameo in the Hulk this summer, and start the casting rumors as to who will be Captain America.
Ultimately, Iron Man was a great start to the summer movie season. I had high hopes for this flick, and I was not let down for one second. Great action, great humor, great acting, and the promise of a lot more future goodies from the Marvel Movie Studio - and not just for Iron Man, but for Marvel Universe as well.
Again, welcome to the pantheon.
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