The Movie: The Bourne Ultimatum, directed by Paul Greengrass
Recommendation: Me
Reason: My love for the first two movies is great. Had to see the third.
I'm so fond of Paul Greengrass's work (what I've seen of it). Unlike most people, I'm a fan of the shakycam approach to fights, though I can certainly see their complaints about it. It's a stylistic choice most directors wouldn't make. I think Greengrass's camerawork is good more often than it's bad.
As usual, the plot was solid and the action thoroughly interesting. They delved deeper (as usual) into Bourne's past, giving him further depth. I'm on the fence over Nicky-I don't know if she's quite as interesting a character as Marie. I think she has potential though, as long as it's properly developed.
Matt Damon as Jason Bourne continues to be perfect casting. He has a real presence and sense of the character-it's his performance that ties all the goodness of these movies together. If there is a fourth one (and I might actually be on board for that), I think he could keep up the trend.
-183/365 down, 182/365 to go
Showing posts with label movie review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie review. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Brain damage schmain damage.
The Movie: Flatliners, directed by Joel Schumacher
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: I had never seen the entire movie and had always been fascinated by it. She emphatically recommended it as a good movie about death.
Movies about dead people coming back to life are definitely right up my alley. Zombies, vampires, I'm there. Once upon a time, several years ago, I was channel surfing and hit someone broadcasting Flatliners right in time for Kevin Bacon's reanimation. I was hooked, but was unfortunately unable to watch the entire movie. After noting who was in it, I resolved to look it up later and see the whole thing.
Time has passed and I found out the title, but today was my first viewing of the whole thing. Flatliners was generally quite good with a few rough patches, those mainly stemming from holes in the story. The cast was pretty good for 1990, including Julia Roberts, a Baldwin brother, ever present Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland, never mind dear roly poly Oliver Platt. They played well together, I thought.
The movie was also visually strong, using an occasionally very dynamic camera to drive certain points home. I appreciated the use of different camera types to differentiate the dead world from the living, lending a sense of unreality to each. The way the handicam was used to create a sort of deadzone feel to those remaining on the living side was particularily impactful. Overall a good movie.
-182/365 down, 183/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: I had never seen the entire movie and had always been fascinated by it. She emphatically recommended it as a good movie about death.
Movies about dead people coming back to life are definitely right up my alley. Zombies, vampires, I'm there. Once upon a time, several years ago, I was channel surfing and hit someone broadcasting Flatliners right in time for Kevin Bacon's reanimation. I was hooked, but was unfortunately unable to watch the entire movie. After noting who was in it, I resolved to look it up later and see the whole thing.
Time has passed and I found out the title, but today was my first viewing of the whole thing. Flatliners was generally quite good with a few rough patches, those mainly stemming from holes in the story. The cast was pretty good for 1990, including Julia Roberts, a Baldwin brother, ever present Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland, never mind dear roly poly Oliver Platt. They played well together, I thought.
The movie was also visually strong, using an occasionally very dynamic camera to drive certain points home. I appreciated the use of different camera types to differentiate the dead world from the living, lending a sense of unreality to each. The way the handicam was used to create a sort of deadzone feel to those remaining on the living side was particularily impactful. Overall a good movie.
-182/365 down, 183/365 to go
Gore turned up to 11.
The Movie: Final Destination 3, directed by James Wong
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Yes, I know, it's always me. Morgan and Wong strike once more with death as their master plan. Yay!
I don't think human beings actually do explode like a water balloon full of blood and entrails, no matter how big whatever you drop on them is. Not that realism really matters in Final Destination's world, where death suspends the laws of physics to make a million to one chance actually happen. Though I felt that one of the deaths was uninspired (tanning bed), the rest were as refreshingly interesting as the mutilation of the casts from the first two movies.
These aren't films you watch to see a great plot or an interesting subtext. These are movies about teenagers being stalked by death. I'm certain that Morgan and Wong could manage some sort of message in there, but they know we're all in it for the exploding heads, smashed torsos and bisected bodies, never mind the explosions, dismemberments and the regular decapitations. It's the traps, death's devices that keep on coming back.
I love that this movie, like the previous one, was aware of its universe. There are references to the first movie, in fact the story of the first movie is retold as a clue to solving the problem of this third one. Not that it helps anyone very much, when all's said and done. The only problem I had with this third installment was a potential murder-one character was to cause the death of another, which seems a little sloppy to me. We didn't get to see the plan go down, though, so who knows. It may have been an accident waiting to happen. If you like the series, Final Destination 3 carries on the tradition. If you don't, don't bother-in between the deaths there's not a lot that you haven't already seen.
-181/365 down, 184/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Yes, I know, it's always me. Morgan and Wong strike once more with death as their master plan. Yay!
I don't think human beings actually do explode like a water balloon full of blood and entrails, no matter how big whatever you drop on them is. Not that realism really matters in Final Destination's world, where death suspends the laws of physics to make a million to one chance actually happen. Though I felt that one of the deaths was uninspired (tanning bed), the rest were as refreshingly interesting as the mutilation of the casts from the first two movies.
These aren't films you watch to see a great plot or an interesting subtext. These are movies about teenagers being stalked by death. I'm certain that Morgan and Wong could manage some sort of message in there, but they know we're all in it for the exploding heads, smashed torsos and bisected bodies, never mind the explosions, dismemberments and the regular decapitations. It's the traps, death's devices that keep on coming back.
I love that this movie, like the previous one, was aware of its universe. There are references to the first movie, in fact the story of the first movie is retold as a clue to solving the problem of this third one. Not that it helps anyone very much, when all's said and done. The only problem I had with this third installment was a potential murder-one character was to cause the death of another, which seems a little sloppy to me. We didn't get to see the plan go down, though, so who knows. It may have been an accident waiting to happen. If you like the series, Final Destination 3 carries on the tradition. If you don't, don't bother-in between the deaths there's not a lot that you haven't already seen.
-181/365 down, 184/365 to go
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Let that plane take off, you will not. (Yeah, I know you were expecting 'something on a something')
The Movie: S.W.A.T., directed by Clark Johnson
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: Dumb summer action blockbuster starring Colin Farrell.
There's not a lot of substance to this movie, though the action is quite solid. It's a pretty basic story with an interesting premise (criminal offers huge reward for his own release). It could have probably gotten as good as The Rock or Con Air, but falls short due to casting and action setpieces that just don't push far enough.
LL Cool J is never a mistake in a movie like this. He's genuine, funny and sweet while also being goddamn ripped. Colin Farrell's okay, so's Michelle Rodriguez, and Samuel L. Jackson knows his audience. I think that it's probably Farrell more than Rodriguez that's the not-quite-great part here.
This is a solid movie, just not a great one. It's a good standby to have around if you just can't get enough planes-landing-on-bridges in your life. Maybe you might one day have a craving for just some random Sam Jackson.
-180/365 down, 185/365 to go
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: Dumb summer action blockbuster starring Colin Farrell.
There's not a lot of substance to this movie, though the action is quite solid. It's a pretty basic story with an interesting premise (criminal offers huge reward for his own release). It could have probably gotten as good as The Rock or Con Air, but falls short due to casting and action setpieces that just don't push far enough.
LL Cool J is never a mistake in a movie like this. He's genuine, funny and sweet while also being goddamn ripped. Colin Farrell's okay, so's Michelle Rodriguez, and Samuel L. Jackson knows his audience. I think that it's probably Farrell more than Rodriguez that's the not-quite-great part here.
This is a solid movie, just not a great one. It's a good standby to have around if you just can't get enough planes-landing-on-bridges in your life. Maybe you might one day have a craving for just some random Sam Jackson.
-180/365 down, 185/365 to go
Friday, August 24, 2007
A worthy addition.
The Movie: The Simpsons Movie, directed by David Silverman
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "I've been waiting for this ever since they announced that there could be a movie. We're going!"
I admit it took me a few minutes to warm up to the Big Yellow finally making it to the big screen. I was a little offput by the opening, but a few seconds after Bart impacted on the restaurant window, I was in. I don't want to write much about the actual content of the movie-I believe in being as spoiler-free as possible-so instead I'm going to talk about the conversation we had afterwards.
As we left the theater, we started talking about The Simpsons Movie, comparing it to the series. We agreed that the movie harkened back to the peak years of the cartoon, the fourth/fifth/sixth seasons. There was a bit of darkness, a little edge to the whole thing. They got to play a little with the sort of topics and scenes that can't really be pulled off on their small screen canvas. From there we started discussing South Park and the accompanying movie (the comparison is inevitable). I'm of the opinion that both Bigger, Longer and Uncut and the Simpsons movie are excellent examples of their respective series. South Park has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable humor-since the movie was released, the show has actually topped it in terms of the material they've taken on. The Simpsons may not be as edgy, but it's always been reliably sly.
Since it was launched on the Tracy Ullman show, The Simpsons has been a mainstay of television. It's definitely had its better days. I hope the movie is the return to those better days...I mean, who else should get a second (fourth) chance to jump the shark, right?
-179/365 down, 186/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "I've been waiting for this ever since they announced that there could be a movie. We're going!"
I admit it took me a few minutes to warm up to the Big Yellow finally making it to the big screen. I was a little offput by the opening, but a few seconds after Bart impacted on the restaurant window, I was in. I don't want to write much about the actual content of the movie-I believe in being as spoiler-free as possible-so instead I'm going to talk about the conversation we had afterwards.
As we left the theater, we started talking about The Simpsons Movie, comparing it to the series. We agreed that the movie harkened back to the peak years of the cartoon, the fourth/fifth/sixth seasons. There was a bit of darkness, a little edge to the whole thing. They got to play a little with the sort of topics and scenes that can't really be pulled off on their small screen canvas. From there we started discussing South Park and the accompanying movie (the comparison is inevitable). I'm of the opinion that both Bigger, Longer and Uncut and the Simpsons movie are excellent examples of their respective series. South Park has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable humor-since the movie was released, the show has actually topped it in terms of the material they've taken on. The Simpsons may not be as edgy, but it's always been reliably sly.
Since it was launched on the Tracy Ullman show, The Simpsons has been a mainstay of television. It's definitely had its better days. I hope the movie is the return to those better days...I mean, who else should get a second (fourth) chance to jump the shark, right?
-179/365 down, 186/365 to go
"Wolfman's got nards!"
The Movie: The Monster Squad, directed by Fred Dekker
Recommendation: My childhood.
Reason: I loved this movie when I was a kid. We used to bike down to the video rental store regularily to get it.
There's not a lot about this movie that gets very complicated. In the style of the Goonies and imitated by Monster House, Monster Squad's about a pack of kids who have decided to defend their town from classic horror monsters who've come to collect a mystical amulet for...something. Probably to make Dracula all-powerful. As Broomie put it, why is Dracula always the one in charge when the monsters get together? Given that his supporting cast in this movie is the wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, the creature from the black lagoon and the mummy, Dracula's sort of default leader. He can do all those handy things like speaking and making plans.
I would love to see more adventure horror movies aimed for kids. Monster Squad made the monsters both scary and easy to defeat-all it took was a bunch of kids brave enough to do it. I loved that message when I was a kid (and was fully prepared to boil down my mom's silverware at a moment's notice if it meant actually fighting the wolfman). Kid empowerment-the monsters might be scary, but you know how to beat them.
It's like It without the creepiness, the Goonies with a bit of an edge. There's a subplot about parents arguing or something, but whatever. The important part is the Monster Squad, the heroes of the day. They're not the tough kids, they're the smart, brave kids, and that's what really matters.
-178/365 down, 187/365 to go
Recommendation: My childhood.
Reason: I loved this movie when I was a kid. We used to bike down to the video rental store regularily to get it.
There's not a lot about this movie that gets very complicated. In the style of the Goonies and imitated by Monster House, Monster Squad's about a pack of kids who have decided to defend their town from classic horror monsters who've come to collect a mystical amulet for...something. Probably to make Dracula all-powerful. As Broomie put it, why is Dracula always the one in charge when the monsters get together? Given that his supporting cast in this movie is the wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, the creature from the black lagoon and the mummy, Dracula's sort of default leader. He can do all those handy things like speaking and making plans.
I would love to see more adventure horror movies aimed for kids. Monster Squad made the monsters both scary and easy to defeat-all it took was a bunch of kids brave enough to do it. I loved that message when I was a kid (and was fully prepared to boil down my mom's silverware at a moment's notice if it meant actually fighting the wolfman). Kid empowerment-the monsters might be scary, but you know how to beat them.
It's like It without the creepiness, the Goonies with a bit of an edge. There's a subplot about parents arguing or something, but whatever. The important part is the Monster Squad, the heroes of the day. They're not the tough kids, they're the smart, brave kids, and that's what really matters.
-178/365 down, 187/365 to go
I have no idea what the hell happened, but it was so pretty.
The Movie: Zu Warriors, directed by Hark Tsui
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: "It just looked so awesome on the shelf."
According to Imdb, Miramax picked up three previously released Chinese movies after the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That sort of makes Zu Warriors the incomprehensible younger sibling to Hero and Shaolin Soccer (yeah, they optioned Shaolin Soccer, Hero and...this). I'm certain that Zu Warriors makes more sense within its cultural context, and certainly the dialogue must be better to those who speak Cantonese.
The movie's heavy on the special effects. It's like a live action Final Fantasy game, complete with shadowy magic effects and death-defying battles against massive evil creatures. In 2005 it would have been pretty impressive, but compared against more seamless productions in recent years, it falls a little short.
It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. It's a forgettable attempt at a wirework epic, probably doomed to fall by the wayside. Even Zhang Ziyi's presence couldn't make it interesting (not that she's much for saving any production she's in).
-177/365 down, 188/365 to go
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: "It just looked so awesome on the shelf."
According to Imdb, Miramax picked up three previously released Chinese movies after the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That sort of makes Zu Warriors the incomprehensible younger sibling to Hero and Shaolin Soccer (yeah, they optioned Shaolin Soccer, Hero and...this). I'm certain that Zu Warriors makes more sense within its cultural context, and certainly the dialogue must be better to those who speak Cantonese.
The movie's heavy on the special effects. It's like a live action Final Fantasy game, complete with shadowy magic effects and death-defying battles against massive evil creatures. In 2005 it would have been pretty impressive, but compared against more seamless productions in recent years, it falls a little short.
It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. It's a forgettable attempt at a wirework epic, probably doomed to fall by the wayside. Even Zhang Ziyi's presence couldn't make it interesting (not that she's much for saving any production she's in).
-177/365 down, 188/365 to go
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Cameron Bright + Julianne Moore = The ultimate missing child movie?
The Movie: Running Scared, directed by Wayne Kramer
Recommendation: The Internet!
Reason: I've read that this movie comes highly recommended as an action movie and as a tense drama.
This movie is what Crank should have been. Though Crank was solid, it lagged in parts. Running Scared does no such thing. The movie is a freaked out neo-noir fairy tale with a breakneck pace that combines horror, fantasy and other elements into a demented morality tale about shades of grey from dark to light. I'm not kidding on this. Running Scared is FAST.
Paul Walker is deadpan, but believable as Joey Gazelle, a low-level wiseguy with a wife and a kid. When he's given a gun to dispose of...well, that's how this whole thing starts. Where it goes from there is unexpected to say the least. It ignores the limits of sanity and breaks out the big guns, scrambling from one confrontation to the next. No one is safe, either-every primary cast member, from Gazelle's wife and son to his mob connections gets involved.
See it. You might not agree with me on how good it really is, but I can honestly say this movie pushes the limit the way recent action movies have been trying to. It succeeds. It does well.
-176/365 down, 189/365 to go
Recommendation: The Internet!
Reason: I've read that this movie comes highly recommended as an action movie and as a tense drama.
This movie is what Crank should have been. Though Crank was solid, it lagged in parts. Running Scared does no such thing. The movie is a freaked out neo-noir fairy tale with a breakneck pace that combines horror, fantasy and other elements into a demented morality tale about shades of grey from dark to light. I'm not kidding on this. Running Scared is FAST.
Paul Walker is deadpan, but believable as Joey Gazelle, a low-level wiseguy with a wife and a kid. When he's given a gun to dispose of...well, that's how this whole thing starts. Where it goes from there is unexpected to say the least. It ignores the limits of sanity and breaks out the big guns, scrambling from one confrontation to the next. No one is safe, either-every primary cast member, from Gazelle's wife and son to his mob connections gets involved.
See it. You might not agree with me on how good it really is, but I can honestly say this movie pushes the limit the way recent action movies have been trying to. It succeeds. It does well.
-176/365 down, 189/365 to go
Surprisingly not lame.
The Movie: Sky High, directed by Mike Mitchell
Recommendation: Me.
Reason: I quite like this movie a lot.
Sky High is one of those kids movies that gets overlooked. I wouldn't have seen it if a friend hadn't recommended it to me back when it was still in theaters. It's one of those movies that flew below the radar in spite of a good script, good cast and an interesting premise. It's about a superhero high school that divides kids with powers between the 'hero' class and 'hero support'.
This movie is campy. Gotta get that straight right off the start. It's campy, it's silly and it's fun. If you're looking for action movie cred or some other silly designation, you're not going to find it here. Instead, you'll get Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston being so All-American it hurts. Bruce Campbell and two of five members of the Kids in the Hall (betcha can't guess who, those little Disney-lovin' rascals) add a fun little dash of comedy in their supporting roles. Lastly we have the kids, the centers of attention, and they're not too bad either.
This movie is fun. It's not challenging, the subtext isn't anything weird or psychotic, it's just a fun way to spend some time. It's probably a lot better than that Tim Allen thing, Whoosh or whatever. Don't see that. See Sky High instead.
-175/365 down, 190/365 to go
Recommendation: Me.
Reason: I quite like this movie a lot.
Sky High is one of those kids movies that gets overlooked. I wouldn't have seen it if a friend hadn't recommended it to me back when it was still in theaters. It's one of those movies that flew below the radar in spite of a good script, good cast and an interesting premise. It's about a superhero high school that divides kids with powers between the 'hero' class and 'hero support'.
This movie is campy. Gotta get that straight right off the start. It's campy, it's silly and it's fun. If you're looking for action movie cred or some other silly designation, you're not going to find it here. Instead, you'll get Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston being so All-American it hurts. Bruce Campbell and two of five members of the Kids in the Hall (betcha can't guess who, those little Disney-lovin' rascals) add a fun little dash of comedy in their supporting roles. Lastly we have the kids, the centers of attention, and they're not too bad either.
This movie is fun. It's not challenging, the subtext isn't anything weird or psychotic, it's just a fun way to spend some time. It's probably a lot better than that Tim Allen thing, Whoosh or whatever. Don't see that. See Sky High instead.
-175/365 down, 190/365 to go
You will not find a better source of rippling biceps.
The Movie: Predator, directed by John MacTiernan
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: It's been awhile since she's seen Predator.
This is a movie that probably shouldn't have been good. It's a followup action vehicle for a rising star not known for his knockout acting ability. It's a movie about big men with big muscles and big guns shooting things in the jungle. Basically, it's simple.
Simple is all it needed to be, though. Arnold Schwarzenegger pulled out a genuinely decent performance as the commander of a massive pile of muscles and guns. His scenes facing off mano-et-alien against the Predator were actually pretty intense, helped along by the acting ability he managed to summon up. The rest of the cast was cliche, but they did it the right way, going full bore rather than trying to pretend they weren't a collection of genre tropes.
The creature that was created for this film is now fairly legendary. What was originally supposed to be some goofy ostrich-dog-cyclops thing became a musclebound hunter with ninjalike capabilities, a destroyer of xenomorphs and a truly formidable foe for anyone who faced off with it. This movie deserves to be the legend it is.
-174/365 down, 191/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: It's been awhile since she's seen Predator.
This is a movie that probably shouldn't have been good. It's a followup action vehicle for a rising star not known for his knockout acting ability. It's a movie about big men with big muscles and big guns shooting things in the jungle. Basically, it's simple.
Simple is all it needed to be, though. Arnold Schwarzenegger pulled out a genuinely decent performance as the commander of a massive pile of muscles and guns. His scenes facing off mano-et-alien against the Predator were actually pretty intense, helped along by the acting ability he managed to summon up. The rest of the cast was cliche, but they did it the right way, going full bore rather than trying to pretend they weren't a collection of genre tropes.
The creature that was created for this film is now fairly legendary. What was originally supposed to be some goofy ostrich-dog-cyclops thing became a musclebound hunter with ninjalike capabilities, a destroyer of xenomorphs and a truly formidable foe for anyone who faced off with it. This movie deserves to be the legend it is.
-174/365 down, 191/365 to go
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Let there be knives!
The Movie: Scream, directed by Wes Craven
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It's the beginning of the best neo-horror trilogy set to screen.
Scream changed my life. I count it, along with Schindler's List, Unbreakable, The Truman Show and Princess Mononoke as the most important movies I've ever seen. That isn't because of historical impact, entertainment purposes or emotional resonance-there are other movies that influenced me more in those respects. But these five films each changed the way I looked at film as an art form and a medium of expression. From M. Night's camerawork to Spielberg's fine use of color, I learned how beautiful movies could be. From Jim Carrey, the power a lead actor has to carry a movie. From Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver and Claire Danes, the importance of voice and script in animation. Wes Craven's Scream ushered me into the revelation that one of the most ill-regarded genres of film was capable of holding its own, asking complex questions and challenging the viewer to look deep into the screen. Scream awakened me to the potential of the horror genre and all of the twisty, fascinating gems within.
Well. Now that I've gone and gotten all sentimental on you, I suppose I should actually talk about the movie. Scream's a masterpiece, working both as a horror film and as an examination of the genre. I talked about the new wave of post-90's horror films when I critiqued Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Scream was the gun that sounded go for those movies. Jason Voorhees and Leatherface were no longer the way to go with a slasher. Intelligent leads and smart killers using tools that Voorhees and company never dared dream of were the new direction. Movies became more self referential after Scream, most without the finesse of Kevin Williamson's deft writing. Guns and cell phones came into vogue after the killer terrorized Woodsboro with a ringing phone and was put down by a Final Girl's bullet. Scream even had measurable effect on the real world: Caller ID use tripled after its premiere, and two of the primary leads, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, got married.
The casting of this movie was likely the key to its success. Drew Barrymore was brought on board at the beginning of her mid-90's comeback. Neve Campbell was having plenty of success on Party of Five. Courtney Cox was pulling in viewers from the Friends crowd. The movie also launched Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard back into the spotlight...which can be construed as possibly a good thing. At the very least, they were good in this one. At any rate, the cast meshed well. The performances were solid, even nuanced (particularily David Arquette's Dewey and Neve Campbell's Sydney). The cameos were appropriately subtle. They wrapped this movie into the glorious package deal that it is today.
-172/365 down, 193/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It's the beginning of the best neo-horror trilogy set to screen.
Scream changed my life. I count it, along with Schindler's List, Unbreakable, The Truman Show and Princess Mononoke as the most important movies I've ever seen. That isn't because of historical impact, entertainment purposes or emotional resonance-there are other movies that influenced me more in those respects. But these five films each changed the way I looked at film as an art form and a medium of expression. From M. Night's camerawork to Spielberg's fine use of color, I learned how beautiful movies could be. From Jim Carrey, the power a lead actor has to carry a movie. From Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver and Claire Danes, the importance of voice and script in animation. Wes Craven's Scream ushered me into the revelation that one of the most ill-regarded genres of film was capable of holding its own, asking complex questions and challenging the viewer to look deep into the screen. Scream awakened me to the potential of the horror genre and all of the twisty, fascinating gems within.
Well. Now that I've gone and gotten all sentimental on you, I suppose I should actually talk about the movie. Scream's a masterpiece, working both as a horror film and as an examination of the genre. I talked about the new wave of post-90's horror films when I critiqued Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Scream was the gun that sounded go for those movies. Jason Voorhees and Leatherface were no longer the way to go with a slasher. Intelligent leads and smart killers using tools that Voorhees and company never dared dream of were the new direction. Movies became more self referential after Scream, most without the finesse of Kevin Williamson's deft writing. Guns and cell phones came into vogue after the killer terrorized Woodsboro with a ringing phone and was put down by a Final Girl's bullet. Scream even had measurable effect on the real world: Caller ID use tripled after its premiere, and two of the primary leads, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, got married.
The casting of this movie was likely the key to its success. Drew Barrymore was brought on board at the beginning of her mid-90's comeback. Neve Campbell was having plenty of success on Party of Five. Courtney Cox was pulling in viewers from the Friends crowd. The movie also launched Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard back into the spotlight...which can be construed as possibly a good thing. At the very least, they were good in this one. At any rate, the cast meshed well. The performances were solid, even nuanced (particularily David Arquette's Dewey and Neve Campbell's Sydney). The cameos were appropriately subtle. They wrapped this movie into the glorious package deal that it is today.
-172/365 down, 193/365 to go
Sky pirates! Fallen stars! Forgotten kingdoms!
The Movie: Stardust, directed by Matthew Vaughn
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: Really, a lot of people should get that recommendation, but he bought the tickets.
There have been few good fairy tales told in recent years, at least on film. We've had the Shrek series, which have generally been solid. Amelie and Big Fish sort of stretch towards fairy tale territory. Otherwise, we've had The Brother's Grimm and a smattering of 'OMG I'm a princess' movies. And then, from Neil Gaiman's talented pen, we get Stardust. Gaiman's witty, charming writing combines with a solid director and a decent cast to almost live up to the standard of The Princess Bride.
In Gaiman's usual style, each character that stands at the forefront is unique, and none of them without purpose. In most tales, the guardian of the gate and the kidnapped princess would have been throwaway parts, to give the film some character. In Stardust, they are significant, important in many ways. The story is complete. There are no threads dangling.
The cast is charming. Claire Danes as the Star (literally a star, not just the female lead/star of the movie) was both witty and sweet. Charlie Cox as Tristran was intent, and he carried the movie quite nicely as the lead character. Michelle Pfeiffer played the witch well, and De Niro's sky pirate was inspired. It's from these last two that I hoped for the most, and while they didn't entirely disappoint, they could have done a little better. Not a lot, but a little (Pfeiffer, I'm looking at you in particular during the climactic final battle sequence).
I would recommend this film in a heartbeat to anyone who liked The Princess Bride and is looking for a similar experience. This movie isn't quite there, but it's very close. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
-171/365 down, 194/365 to go
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: Really, a lot of people should get that recommendation, but he bought the tickets.
There have been few good fairy tales told in recent years, at least on film. We've had the Shrek series, which have generally been solid. Amelie and Big Fish sort of stretch towards fairy tale territory. Otherwise, we've had The Brother's Grimm and a smattering of 'OMG I'm a princess' movies. And then, from Neil Gaiman's talented pen, we get Stardust. Gaiman's witty, charming writing combines with a solid director and a decent cast to almost live up to the standard of The Princess Bride.
In Gaiman's usual style, each character that stands at the forefront is unique, and none of them without purpose. In most tales, the guardian of the gate and the kidnapped princess would have been throwaway parts, to give the film some character. In Stardust, they are significant, important in many ways. The story is complete. There are no threads dangling.
The cast is charming. Claire Danes as the Star (literally a star, not just the female lead/star of the movie) was both witty and sweet. Charlie Cox as Tristran was intent, and he carried the movie quite nicely as the lead character. Michelle Pfeiffer played the witch well, and De Niro's sky pirate was inspired. It's from these last two that I hoped for the most, and while they didn't entirely disappoint, they could have done a little better. Not a lot, but a little (Pfeiffer, I'm looking at you in particular during the climactic final battle sequence).
I would recommend this film in a heartbeat to anyone who liked The Princess Bride and is looking for a similar experience. This movie isn't quite there, but it's very close. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
-171/365 down, 194/365 to go
Delving deep into the ancestry of Reno 911!
The Movie: Super Troopers, directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: She just really wanted to watch it, I suppose, and with Final Destination 2 dying off on us, that's what we did.
So, yeah, trilogy week didn't exactly go off without a hitch. Final Destination 2's disc was incredibly trashed. Instead, so the movie train could keep running, I watched Super Troopers, an old favorite. It's the most likely predecessor to Reno 911!, not that that makes either movie or the TV show inferior. They're both very funny.
From the freakout of the stoners to the multiple drunk and sober brawls, Super Troopers was as fun as always. It's Broken Lizard's initial effort, preceding Club Dread and Beerfest, and I think it's probably the best (based entirely on hearsay, of course). It was a little clunky, but still funny.
-170/365 down, 195/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: She just really wanted to watch it, I suppose, and with Final Destination 2 dying off on us, that's what we did.
So, yeah, trilogy week didn't exactly go off without a hitch. Final Destination 2's disc was incredibly trashed. Instead, so the movie train could keep running, I watched Super Troopers, an old favorite. It's the most likely predecessor to Reno 911!, not that that makes either movie or the TV show inferior. They're both very funny.
From the freakout of the stoners to the multiple drunk and sober brawls, Super Troopers was as fun as always. It's Broken Lizard's initial effort, preceding Club Dread and Beerfest, and I think it's probably the best (based entirely on hearsay, of course). It was a little clunky, but still funny.
-170/365 down, 195/365 to go
Monday, August 13, 2007
When the going gets lazy.
The Movie: Final Destination, directed by James Morgan
Recommendation: It's Trilogy Week!
Reason: This week I'm trying to push to catch up by watching trilogies! Starting with Final Destination, I'm going to try to get through Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Star Wars and a couple more. Woofun!
You can't get much more lazy than deciding that death is the villain of your horror movie. What a shock, really. It gets creative when you build a franchise around weird, wacky death scenes with shred of a plot holding them together. Though I've only ever seen Final Destination in theaters, I've always ended up eventually renting the sequels. Why's that? Like I said, the death scenes. The idea of death just getting really pissed off and deciding that all the jerks who've avoided deaths' ultimate plan are going to get _really_ dead for doing so is just a little funny.
Originally this was to be an X-Files episode. I'm glad that they didn't do it, since the movie is so original and interesting. The whole franchise is a real boon to the horror movie genre, since it was a fresh, creative idea when it first hit the screen. Aside from what is probably the most...inventive name for a romantic interest in a horror movie (Clear Rivers. Seriously.), the movie's packed with references to strange and unusual deaths. It makes a spectacle out of foreshadowing.
For turning the death clock up to eleven and having some pretty cool promotional items (tarot cards with the plane crash artistically represented on them), Final Destination is really a good movie. It's not an artistic movie, it doesn't have a lot to say, it's just a fun diversion for those of us who are entertained by Rube Goldbergesque death scenes.
-169/365 down, 196/365 to go
Recommendation: It's Trilogy Week!
Reason: This week I'm trying to push to catch up by watching trilogies! Starting with Final Destination, I'm going to try to get through Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Star Wars and a couple more. Woofun!
You can't get much more lazy than deciding that death is the villain of your horror movie. What a shock, really. It gets creative when you build a franchise around weird, wacky death scenes with shred of a plot holding them together. Though I've only ever seen Final Destination in theaters, I've always ended up eventually renting the sequels. Why's that? Like I said, the death scenes. The idea of death just getting really pissed off and deciding that all the jerks who've avoided deaths' ultimate plan are going to get _really_ dead for doing so is just a little funny.
Originally this was to be an X-Files episode. I'm glad that they didn't do it, since the movie is so original and interesting. The whole franchise is a real boon to the horror movie genre, since it was a fresh, creative idea when it first hit the screen. Aside from what is probably the most...inventive name for a romantic interest in a horror movie (Clear Rivers. Seriously.), the movie's packed with references to strange and unusual deaths. It makes a spectacle out of foreshadowing.
For turning the death clock up to eleven and having some pretty cool promotional items (tarot cards with the plane crash artistically represented on them), Final Destination is really a good movie. It's not an artistic movie, it doesn't have a lot to say, it's just a fun diversion for those of us who are entertained by Rube Goldbergesque death scenes.
-169/365 down, 196/365 to go
Fourteen and a half minutes in, the paradigm shifts without a clutch.
The Movie: The Host, directed by Bong Joon-ho
Recommendation: That darn internet again.
Reason: I'd heard about this groundbreaking monster movie and originally thought it was going to be just another kaiju movie.
Imagine, if you will, a giant monster movie with deep characters, a gripping plot and a clear message. Unlike many of the kaiju movies it was likely inspired by, The Host was a textured, complex film. It had emotion and depth, it was very impactful and it didn't pull its punches. If only action and horror films on the whole were more like it.
The family at the center of this film was the key, of course. Though the monster was impressive, it was the way the family pulled together to fight it that really made the movie great. In particular, Kang-ho Song carried the film nicely as the main character.
I wouldn't miss this movie for the world. It really is a good, solid film. I wish I'd not made the mistake of leaving it dubbed, because I imagine the real actors had a bit more emotion in their voices than the English voiceover actors did.
-168/365 down, 197/365 to go
Recommendation: That darn internet again.
Reason: I'd heard about this groundbreaking monster movie and originally thought it was going to be just another kaiju movie.
Imagine, if you will, a giant monster movie with deep characters, a gripping plot and a clear message. Unlike many of the kaiju movies it was likely inspired by, The Host was a textured, complex film. It had emotion and depth, it was very impactful and it didn't pull its punches. If only action and horror films on the whole were more like it.
The family at the center of this film was the key, of course. Though the monster was impressive, it was the way the family pulled together to fight it that really made the movie great. In particular, Kang-ho Song carried the film nicely as the main character.
I wouldn't miss this movie for the world. It really is a good, solid film. I wish I'd not made the mistake of leaving it dubbed, because I imagine the real actors had a bit more emotion in their voices than the English voiceover actors did.
-168/365 down, 197/365 to go
Whoever wins, we lose.
The Movie: Freddy vs. Jason, directed by Ronny Yu
Recommendation: D
Reason: She hadn't seen it before.
There are good movies, there are bad movies and then there are movies that are good for what they are. Freddy vs. Jason is a good Freddy movie, it's a good Jason movie, it's just not a particularily difficult or challenging movie overall. Is it ever pretty though. Gouts of blood, beautiful fire effects, the boiler room of everyone's nightmares...gives a person a chill, it really does. With Robert Englund reprising his role as Freddy yet again (and no one else could ever do it better) and a new, frighteningly huge Jason in place, the movie kicks off with an excellent summary of the pair's previous antics.
A lot of the movie is fairly straightforward. Teenagers do bad things emphatically, like smoking weed, drinking and having premarital sex. I do mean that, by the by, they jump into 'sin' with great gusto. Then Jason hacks them into tiny pieces. Some of them fall asleep, and Freddy does creative things with their heads. Eventually, rivalry over the victim-herd takes over and the apex predators collide in a reasonably spectacular showdown.
If you like Freddy or Jason, if you enjoy slashers and have a couple of hours free, this isn't a waste of time. The movie's entertaining and certainly fodder for discussion. There's a potential sequel in the works, which makes me very happy (especially since they talked about bringing in even more slashers-fingers crossed for Pinhead or Michael Myers!).
-167/365 down, 198/365 to go
Recommendation: D
Reason: She hadn't seen it before.
There are good movies, there are bad movies and then there are movies that are good for what they are. Freddy vs. Jason is a good Freddy movie, it's a good Jason movie, it's just not a particularily difficult or challenging movie overall. Is it ever pretty though. Gouts of blood, beautiful fire effects, the boiler room of everyone's nightmares...gives a person a chill, it really does. With Robert Englund reprising his role as Freddy yet again (and no one else could ever do it better) and a new, frighteningly huge Jason in place, the movie kicks off with an excellent summary of the pair's previous antics.
A lot of the movie is fairly straightforward. Teenagers do bad things emphatically, like smoking weed, drinking and having premarital sex. I do mean that, by the by, they jump into 'sin' with great gusto. Then Jason hacks them into tiny pieces. Some of them fall asleep, and Freddy does creative things with their heads. Eventually, rivalry over the victim-herd takes over and the apex predators collide in a reasonably spectacular showdown.
If you like Freddy or Jason, if you enjoy slashers and have a couple of hours free, this isn't a waste of time. The movie's entertaining and certainly fodder for discussion. There's a potential sequel in the works, which makes me very happy (especially since they talked about bringing in even more slashers-fingers crossed for Pinhead or Michael Myers!).
-167/365 down, 198/365 to go
Friday, August 10, 2007
"Can you tell me what's going to happen to me?"
The Movie: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, directed by Scott Glosserman
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: I read some reviews mentioning this as a very smart horror movie.
The reason I love slasher movies so much is Scream. Wes Craven's trilogy of tongue-in-cheek slasher satire made me fall in love with the genre. Horror movies are so interesting to deconstruct. Their imagery is powerful, and if it's done properly, it resonates. Horror movies allow us to consider the nature of our fear, as well as how and why we soothe it. Behind the Mask subverts the genre while giving a dissertation on the horror movie, specifically the slasher maniac, as we know it. It is akin to Man Bites Dog, but Leslie Vernon, the killer in Behind the Mask, is a different kind of murderer. Benoit is a serial killer, an all too real evil in today's world. Leslie Vernon is a slasher, a figure of myth, with extraordinary capabilities and a deranged mind that is off the charts.
The film takes place in two parts, essentially. The first half is a camera crew's chronicle of Leslie Vernon's training and technique. This section is a like a dissertation on horror movie theory, and it's incredibly clever. The sanctity of the closet is discussed, as well as the use of body armor, flame retardant creams, theatrical makeup, the slow chase, the amazing disappearing-reappearing maniac and best of all, The Final Girl. It is nothing short of inspired. Vernon's mentor Eugene is a retired slasher, and I think his tale provided the most interesting twist in the movie. Eugene married one of his Final Girls, which I found to be a great climax to the morality play that horror movies are. The psycho, the slasher is seeking to create a truly formidable woman-Leslie even addresses this in his wonderful homage to the grooming and triumph of the Final Girl. Why wouldn't he want to 'capture' her in a marriage, once the blood has pooled and the police have arrived way too late?
The second part of the film is where the movie gets really subversive. The 'reality' cameras go away and the slashing really begins. There are still some excellent moments once the blood starts to flow, in particular the plea for benediction from the Final Girl, as though she is the Virgin Mary. There are parts here that are predictable, but they should be. This movie rises head and shoulders above most others, and I'm starting to hope that 'reexamining the genre' films start to come out in other areas. Action movies seem the most likely next candidates (and Hot Fuzz was a good start.) Fingers crossed, I suppose.
-166/365 down, 199/365 to go
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: I read some reviews mentioning this as a very smart horror movie.
The reason I love slasher movies so much is Scream. Wes Craven's trilogy of tongue-in-cheek slasher satire made me fall in love with the genre. Horror movies are so interesting to deconstruct. Their imagery is powerful, and if it's done properly, it resonates. Horror movies allow us to consider the nature of our fear, as well as how and why we soothe it. Behind the Mask subverts the genre while giving a dissertation on the horror movie, specifically the slasher maniac, as we know it. It is akin to Man Bites Dog, but Leslie Vernon, the killer in Behind the Mask, is a different kind of murderer. Benoit is a serial killer, an all too real evil in today's world. Leslie Vernon is a slasher, a figure of myth, with extraordinary capabilities and a deranged mind that is off the charts.
The film takes place in two parts, essentially. The first half is a camera crew's chronicle of Leslie Vernon's training and technique. This section is a like a dissertation on horror movie theory, and it's incredibly clever. The sanctity of the closet is discussed, as well as the use of body armor, flame retardant creams, theatrical makeup, the slow chase, the amazing disappearing-reappearing maniac and best of all, The Final Girl. It is nothing short of inspired. Vernon's mentor Eugene is a retired slasher, and I think his tale provided the most interesting twist in the movie. Eugene married one of his Final Girls, which I found to be a great climax to the morality play that horror movies are. The psycho, the slasher is seeking to create a truly formidable woman-Leslie even addresses this in his wonderful homage to the grooming and triumph of the Final Girl. Why wouldn't he want to 'capture' her in a marriage, once the blood has pooled and the police have arrived way too late?
The second part of the film is where the movie gets really subversive. The 'reality' cameras go away and the slashing really begins. There are still some excellent moments once the blood starts to flow, in particular the plea for benediction from the Final Girl, as though she is the Virgin Mary. There are parts here that are predictable, but they should be. This movie rises head and shoulders above most others, and I'm starting to hope that 'reexamining the genre' films start to come out in other areas. Action movies seem the most likely next candidates (and Hot Fuzz was a good start.) Fingers crossed, I suppose.
-166/365 down, 199/365 to go
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Parody, done right.
The Movie: Hot Fuzz, directed by Edgar Wright
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I love Shaun of the Dead, the earlier effort from these guys.
In Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright created a movie packed with references to the zombie movies that had come before. Everything about the film was influenced by its predecessors. In Hot Fuzz, they did it again. With their trademark quick-cuts and the sort of speedy humor that you seem to only get in British film, they carried off the action genre with aplomb.
Every cliche is intentional. Viewers familiar with these guys will probably agree with that statement. Every reference you thought you caught really was a reference, from Romeo + Juliet to Point Break (though that one's pretty blatant). There's even the expected John Woo joke.
I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should see it. These guys are a sly sort of funny, and always entertaining. I'm really looking forward to whatever they're up to next.
-165/365 down, 200/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I love Shaun of the Dead, the earlier effort from these guys.
In Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright created a movie packed with references to the zombie movies that had come before. Everything about the film was influenced by its predecessors. In Hot Fuzz, they did it again. With their trademark quick-cuts and the sort of speedy humor that you seem to only get in British film, they carried off the action genre with aplomb.
Every cliche is intentional. Viewers familiar with these guys will probably agree with that statement. Every reference you thought you caught really was a reference, from Romeo + Juliet to Point Break (though that one's pretty blatant). There's even the expected John Woo joke.
I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should see it. These guys are a sly sort of funny, and always entertaining. I'm really looking forward to whatever they're up to next.
-165/365 down, 200/365 to go
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
C'mon wage slaves, say it with me: "I'm not even supposed to be here today."
The Movie: Clerks, directed by Kevin Smith
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work, ever since I saw Dogma. Clerks makes me smile a lot.
It's obvious, on scrutiny, that Clerks is a student film. The acting is not great, except in a few select cases. The film technique is pretty solid, with a few inspired shots. The script is a little...lofty, being that it's a movie about a convenience store clerk, modeled after The Divine Comedy.
Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes are the key to the reason this film is so popular. Without O'Halloran and Anderson's chemistry, Clerks wouldn't have made it out of festival showings. Jason Mewes' appearance as Jay made the movie the cult classic is it today. Though the whole cast gives it their best shot, these three are the best actors in the bunch.
Kevin Smith's primary strength seems to be his script. It's funny, philosophical and twisted in strange and bizarre ways. He creates interesting, human characters and puts them into the weird sorts of situations clerks often find themselves in. Every store has its milkmaids and egg sorters. I think it's the empathy Smith develops, more than anything else.
-164/365 down, 201/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work, ever since I saw Dogma. Clerks makes me smile a lot.
It's obvious, on scrutiny, that Clerks is a student film. The acting is not great, except in a few select cases. The film technique is pretty solid, with a few inspired shots. The script is a little...lofty, being that it's a movie about a convenience store clerk, modeled after The Divine Comedy.
Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes are the key to the reason this film is so popular. Without O'Halloran and Anderson's chemistry, Clerks wouldn't have made it out of festival showings. Jason Mewes' appearance as Jay made the movie the cult classic is it today. Though the whole cast gives it their best shot, these three are the best actors in the bunch.
Kevin Smith's primary strength seems to be his script. It's funny, philosophical and twisted in strange and bizarre ways. He creates interesting, human characters and puts them into the weird sorts of situations clerks often find themselves in. Every store has its milkmaids and egg sorters. I think it's the empathy Smith develops, more than anything else.
-164/365 down, 201/365 to go
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A prequel to a sequel of a remake.
The Movie: The Scorpion King, directed by Chuck Russell
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It was pretty much a random pick.
So for those who are playing along at home, The Scorpion King is the prequel to The Mummy Returns (in which the Scorpion king is originally introduced, and some sort of horrid CGI abomination is wrought upon the world). The Mummy Returns is the sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy is a remake of The Mummy. Confusing enough for you? Good. The Scorpion King took a character that was vaguely interesting in his initial appearance and centered an entire movie around him. It also cut the crappy CGI and really changed the character.
In The Mummy Returns, Mathayas the Acadian is The Scorpion King, master of a horde of hideous jackal-faced beasts who ravage and destroy everything in their path. He is the evil that the heroes are struggling valiantly to stop. Interestingly, in the movie that centers around him, he is the hero, fighting to destroy a tyrant and despot. When I first saw this movie, I initially believed it was to be set at the peak of The Scorpion King's reign. Instead, it was set at the start. I think that was an interesting decision. If only it could have been followed by at least one more movie dedicated to the fall of the Scorpion King's idealistic youth, the decay of his mighty empire and possibly his descent into supervillainous madness.
The Scorpion King's main function was to get The Rock some film cred. His role in The Mummy Returns and the prequel were very important in launching his career. He's since become a surprisingly good action star, able to carry a movie at the very least. He has a good amount of charisma about himself. It's very refreshing.
-163/365 down, 202/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It was pretty much a random pick.
So for those who are playing along at home, The Scorpion King is the prequel to The Mummy Returns (in which the Scorpion king is originally introduced, and some sort of horrid CGI abomination is wrought upon the world). The Mummy Returns is the sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy is a remake of The Mummy. Confusing enough for you? Good. The Scorpion King took a character that was vaguely interesting in his initial appearance and centered an entire movie around him. It also cut the crappy CGI and really changed the character.
In The Mummy Returns, Mathayas the Acadian is The Scorpion King, master of a horde of hideous jackal-faced beasts who ravage and destroy everything in their path. He is the evil that the heroes are struggling valiantly to stop. Interestingly, in the movie that centers around him, he is the hero, fighting to destroy a tyrant and despot. When I first saw this movie, I initially believed it was to be set at the peak of The Scorpion King's reign. Instead, it was set at the start. I think that was an interesting decision. If only it could have been followed by at least one more movie dedicated to the fall of the Scorpion King's idealistic youth, the decay of his mighty empire and possibly his descent into supervillainous madness.
The Scorpion King's main function was to get The Rock some film cred. His role in The Mummy Returns and the prequel were very important in launching his career. He's since become a surprisingly good action star, able to carry a movie at the very least. He has a good amount of charisma about himself. It's very refreshing.
-163/365 down, 202/365 to go
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