I can't keep count of how many times i've said this in the last post, but damn it's been a long time this time since i've written anything here. Sorry folks, got a bit of that writer's laze. But i'm back. And today's subject is Zack Snyder's latest flick called Sucker Punch. WARNING - SPOILERS ABOUND.
There have been a lot of opposing opinions about this one. A lot of people are saying it's confusing or that it's plain not good. I'm going to go ahead right now and say that I LOVED this movie. It has easily become one of my favorites, and not simply for the short skirts, fishnets, and katanas (of course those all help.) Some people have gone as far as to say it's more confusing than Inception. If that's the case, I really have to question your mental capacity. Some people have complained that the story makes no sense. Actually, it does, and Zack Snyder makes a point of emphasizing every important plot point in the movie, particularly the four items that are the focus of the quests. It's actually a very basic story, about a girl who comes to an insane asylum and plans to make her escape, taking 4 other girls along with her. That's it. That's the entire plot. Maybe people were confused by the transitions to the first dreamscape, or the second dreamscape (there's a kind of layer-under-layer-under-layer thing going on here, much like in Inception), but regardless of these layers, each one is still telling the same story, the one of girls trying to escape the asylum. Right now, it's still boggling my mind that anyone could have trouble following the story. So i'm going to break it down, you may want to skip this if you plan on seeing this movie.
Reality 1: Real Life
This is the first layer we see of the movie, the reality that leads to Babydoll (Emily Browning) going to the asylum in the first place. In it, we find out her mom has died, and her stepfather is expecting to inherit all her riches. When he finds out she has bequeathed everything to her two daughters, he gets mad and first tries to kill Babydoll, but upon her retaliation, figures that her younger sister will be an easier target. He kills the sister, and then puts the blame on Babydoll claiming that her mother's death made her insane. So she is carted off to Lennox House, an asylum for the mentally insane. Here we find out that the Stepfather has made plans to have Babydoll lobotomized, so as never to have her able to tell her side of the story. In this first segment of the film, Zack Snyder CLEARLY emphasizes the things that are going to be important coming up - The map, The Lighter, The Knife, and The Key. These are the items needed for the girls to escape. We also find out that the Lobotomist is to come in 5 days.
Reality 2: The Show
This is the second layer of the film, portrayed as a glamorous burlesque house, as opposed to the stark derelict conditions of the first reality. This reality is in fact a psychological coping mechanism of Babydoll, who is, let's not forget, still traumatized by the passing of her mother and sister. It is a fantastical escape from the reality of the shitty insane asylum that she now lives in. In this segment, Zack Snyder tells the viewer what is actually happening at the asylum, through the character of Rocket (Jena Malone). She tells Babydoll "the clients come here and we make them feel, y'know, special." Yes, that means that the orderlies are whoring out the patients. This is the reality (and keep in mind that i'm using reality for lack of a better world) that most of the movie takes place in, and essentially describes EXACTLY what has happened during Babydoll's 5 day stay, albeit against the backdrop of the burlesque show. In this reality, Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) explains to Babydoll that they all have a dance, a routine that they learn. I'm not sure if this refers to an actual dance back in reality 1, or just straight up fucking, but either way it is an "entertainment" of the adult kind. But in this reality, Babydoll tells the girls to steal the items while she's dancing, because as long as she is, the client won't even notice that the other girls are stealing. And this leads us nicely into the final layer of the movie -
Reality 3: The Battles
This is the layer of the movie that contains all the stuff you see from the trailers, the fantastic swordplay and gunfighting, the giant samurai, the nazi zombies and all that good stuff. The movie switches to this reality every time Babydoll is about to "dance" in reality 2. This layer depicts the girls fighting epic battles in order to obtain the item that they're looking for. This is an even further mental withdrawal for Babydoll, as she removes herself again from the act she is about to perform (be it dancing provocatively or having sex with dutty men).
The important thing to remember is that the majority of this movie is told from the perspective of Babydoll, who imagines the Burlesque backdrop and the battle fantasies as a method of coping with her new reality. Perhaps the part that confused people the most, is the ending, which takes place back in REAL real life, and focuses on Sweet Pea making her journey back to her family and home. Because most of the film is centered around Babydoll, it throws the viewer for a loop when we find out that Sweet Pea is the only one who makes it out. But Zack Snyder foreshadows this in the beginning of the movie via the monologue spoken by Sweet Pea (though the viewer doesn't know this at the beginning of the movie):
"Everyone has an angel. A guardian who watches over us. We can’t know what form they’ll take. One day, old man. Next day, little girl. But don’t let appearances fool you. They can be as fierce as any dragon. Yet, they’re not here to fight our battles. But to whisper from our heart, reminding that it’s us. It’s everyone of us who holds the power over the worlds we create.
We can deny our angels exist, convince ourselves they can’t be real. But they show up anyway, at strange places and at strange times. They can speak through any character we can imagine. They’ll shout through demons if they have to, daring us, challenging us to fight."
If you pay attention to this at the beginning, it's easy to reconcile the fact that the entire story is about Sweet Pea after all (we know this because of the line from Babydoll to Sweet Pea - "This was never my story, it's yours". Babydoll is one of the angels referred to in this monologue, as she inspired Sweet Pea to finally take a stand and leave the shithole life that she had gotten herself into.
SPOILERS OVER
I realize that the length of that explanation doesn't really lend credence to my previous claim that it's easy to understand, but it is. To put it succinctly, if YOU were put into an insane asylum while trying to cope with the death of your family, you would be imagining some crazy ass shit too. I like this movie because it doesn't hand feed you anything - you actually have to do a bit of thinking to understand it. ENOUGH, I grow weary of this. On to the next one.
Let's talk acting. Unfortunately, the calibre of acting was not of the highest quality. Emily Browning did a good job holding her own, but the rest of the girls performances were lacking. Carla Gugino did a decent job, but her stupid fake polish accent pissed me off the entire movie. I would rather have had her speak in her normal voice so that she could concentrate more on her acting. That being said, i'm sure the focus was more on what the girls looked like, rather than what they acted like.
Stylistically, this movie simply screamed ZACK SNYDER. Not only with the massive use of green screen, but with some recycled shots as well (Funeral scene anyone? Taken shot for shot from Watchmen.) Snyder also has a massive hard on for the slow down-speed up-slow down effect, which he uses to a large degree in this movie. I can see how it could be off-putting to some people. But it's his signature, and he'll damn well utilize it in his first original effort.
Basically, what I have to say about this movie is this: It makes sense (yes it does, don't give me that 'it's more confusing than Inception bullshit) but it doesn't hand feed you that coherency (ooh, sorry to actually engage your brain). Look a little deeper, you'll find it. Emily Browning and Vanessa Hudgens are grade A top notch in the eye candy department, the other girls are not bad. Carla Gugino should never adopt any sort of European accent again. See this movie if you are or have been a fan of any combad oriented anime, or are looking for something a little more cerebral than oh let's say Battle LA. I love Zack Snyder, loved this movie, and Emily Browning, marry me. But in your Babydoll costume, k?
P.S. i apologize for any incoherency in this diatribe, it's 4am and i'm tired.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, November 27, 2010
127 Hours
For those of you who don't know, 127 Hours is Danny Boyle's latest foray in his broad spectrum of films. If you don't know who Danny Boyle is, shame on you. Stop reading this, and go pick up Trainspotting, 28 Days later, Sunshine, or Slumdog Millionaire (in fact, you should probably pick them all up and have a marathon, because Danny Boyle is amazing). Based on the real life ordeal of Aron Ralston, 127 Hours is the story of a man who goes on a backpacking trip in the remote Blue John canyons and gets his arm trapped beneath a rock. This film is not particularly plot heavy (in fact, the previous sentence was the entire plot) so if you're really into a good story, you might want to skip this one. It's much in the same vein as Cast Away (less so I am Legend, which, let's face it, has zombie/vampires in it) in that it is a film that's focused on one character, in this case, Aron Ralston (played by James Franco).
Late one night, Aron Ralston decides to go on a backpacking trip without telling anyone where he's going. His mother calls as he leaves, but he decides to ignore the call in favour of getting an early start to his adventure. Soon he's blasting across the canyon side, listening to music and loving life. The next day he happens to run into two girls who are also hiking, a coincidence as they are in perhaps the most remote place in Utah. These girls are significant only insofar as they are the only two people who know that Aron is around in the canyon area. He guides them to an underground pool, hangs out with them for a bit, and then heads off to pursue his own adventure. From then, it's only a matter of time until an ill-fated decision to cross a canyon on an unsteady boulder causes him to fall and dislodge the boulder, getting his right hand crushed between the boulder and canyon wall. The next shot is a face-on of Ralston, with the title credit, 127 Hours, beside his head. It lingers for a few moments and then leaves us alone with Ralston. The rest of the film chronicles Ralston's attempts to remove his hand by trying to chip away at the boulder with nothing but a small multi-tool, and more importantly his attempts to stay hydrated and the slow degradation of his sanity as he remains immobile for 5 full days (127 hours), culminating in the cutting off of his own arm with a dull multi-tool blade.
The first thing i'd like to say is that, as it's based on a real life event, this is perhaps one of the most frightening scenarios I can think of. Indeed, i'd like to publicly declare to all hikers everywhere, but particularly to my friend Brendan Spafford, who reminds me very much of Ralston, to please please always let someone know where you're going. I know it should be old hat for anyone who's actually an experienced hiker, but sometimes we forget things.
I'd like to discuss Mr. Franco's performance, as he is the sole focal point of an hour and a half of your time. I think James Franco did an excellent job of holding the audience's attention, first by making some adjustments to his predicament (he manages to snare a rock with his rope and attach it to his climbing harness, so that he's not holding all his weight with his crushed arm) and later, as he slowly starts to lose sanity, by having a colorful conversation with himself as a talk show host and guest (shot beautifully, more on this later). On a side note - I hope they never do this, because Heath Ledger was legend, but if Christopher Nolan decides to have a replacement for The Joker, I would strongly advise him to put James Franco in the role. The scene in which he begins to lose his grip on sanity, and repeatedly tells himself "don't lose it" is eerily reminiscent of The Joker's mannerisms and tone of voice. While Franco, as Ralston, doesn't quite go completely batshit insane like I would've liked him to, he successfully portrays a man who's clinging onto the last vestiges of sanity and more importantly, hope. The climactic scene in which he finally amputates his own arm is so brutally realistic that you have no choice but to feel what Ralston is feeling. By the movie's end, when Ralston finally gets rescued, you feel as though you've experienced the entire ordeal in the place of Ralston, and your spirits will literally lift off with the medi-vac helicopter. Kudos to James Franco for bringing this horrifying tale to life.
I mentioned before about the scene in which Franco talks to himself as though he is both talk show host and guest. It's shot in such a way that it actually seems as though there are two characters, host Ralston and guest Ralston. Danny Boyle makes use of the in-film camera (which Ralston uses to record daily video journals) to represent the 'guest' and the regular mise en scene camera to represent the host. It is edited in such a way that Ralston is very much having an ongoing conversation with himself.
A.R. Rahman returns to collaborate with Boyle (they previously worked together on Slumdog Millionaire) and he creates a rollicking, heart pounding soundtrack that plays on the feeling of anticipation throughout the entire movie. This is a union that I heartily approve of, as Rahman's music and Boyle's direction go together like Eddie Brock and an alien symbiote suit.
Ultimately, 127 Hours is a tale of idiocy (not telling anyone where you're going), endurance (surviving 5 days with little food and water) and finally, a tale of perseverance and the lengths to which we will go to survive. It's an emotional roller coaster that runs the gamut from joy, to anxiety, to downright fear, and finally, to elation as we see Ralston finally get rescued by people who aren't mirages. Danny Boyle hits another one out of the park, and i'm going to revise my original statement, and say that even if you ARE a plot-heavy movie viewer, check this one out - if nothing else, you'll get to see a pretty gruesome scene of James Franco cutting his own arm off.
Late one night, Aron Ralston decides to go on a backpacking trip without telling anyone where he's going. His mother calls as he leaves, but he decides to ignore the call in favour of getting an early start to his adventure. Soon he's blasting across the canyon side, listening to music and loving life. The next day he happens to run into two girls who are also hiking, a coincidence as they are in perhaps the most remote place in Utah. These girls are significant only insofar as they are the only two people who know that Aron is around in the canyon area. He guides them to an underground pool, hangs out with them for a bit, and then heads off to pursue his own adventure. From then, it's only a matter of time until an ill-fated decision to cross a canyon on an unsteady boulder causes him to fall and dislodge the boulder, getting his right hand crushed between the boulder and canyon wall. The next shot is a face-on of Ralston, with the title credit, 127 Hours, beside his head. It lingers for a few moments and then leaves us alone with Ralston. The rest of the film chronicles Ralston's attempts to remove his hand by trying to chip away at the boulder with nothing but a small multi-tool, and more importantly his attempts to stay hydrated and the slow degradation of his sanity as he remains immobile for 5 full days (127 hours), culminating in the cutting off of his own arm with a dull multi-tool blade.
The first thing i'd like to say is that, as it's based on a real life event, this is perhaps one of the most frightening scenarios I can think of. Indeed, i'd like to publicly declare to all hikers everywhere, but particularly to my friend Brendan Spafford, who reminds me very much of Ralston, to please please always let someone know where you're going. I know it should be old hat for anyone who's actually an experienced hiker, but sometimes we forget things.
I'd like to discuss Mr. Franco's performance, as he is the sole focal point of an hour and a half of your time. I think James Franco did an excellent job of holding the audience's attention, first by making some adjustments to his predicament (he manages to snare a rock with his rope and attach it to his climbing harness, so that he's not holding all his weight with his crushed arm) and later, as he slowly starts to lose sanity, by having a colorful conversation with himself as a talk show host and guest (shot beautifully, more on this later). On a side note - I hope they never do this, because Heath Ledger was legend, but if Christopher Nolan decides to have a replacement for The Joker, I would strongly advise him to put James Franco in the role. The scene in which he begins to lose his grip on sanity, and repeatedly tells himself "don't lose it" is eerily reminiscent of The Joker's mannerisms and tone of voice. While Franco, as Ralston, doesn't quite go completely batshit insane like I would've liked him to, he successfully portrays a man who's clinging onto the last vestiges of sanity and more importantly, hope. The climactic scene in which he finally amputates his own arm is so brutally realistic that you have no choice but to feel what Ralston is feeling. By the movie's end, when Ralston finally gets rescued, you feel as though you've experienced the entire ordeal in the place of Ralston, and your spirits will literally lift off with the medi-vac helicopter. Kudos to James Franco for bringing this horrifying tale to life.
I mentioned before about the scene in which Franco talks to himself as though he is both talk show host and guest. It's shot in such a way that it actually seems as though there are two characters, host Ralston and guest Ralston. Danny Boyle makes use of the in-film camera (which Ralston uses to record daily video journals) to represent the 'guest' and the regular mise en scene camera to represent the host. It is edited in such a way that Ralston is very much having an ongoing conversation with himself.
A.R. Rahman returns to collaborate with Boyle (they previously worked together on Slumdog Millionaire) and he creates a rollicking, heart pounding soundtrack that plays on the feeling of anticipation throughout the entire movie. This is a union that I heartily approve of, as Rahman's music and Boyle's direction go together like Eddie Brock and an alien symbiote suit.
Ultimately, 127 Hours is a tale of idiocy (not telling anyone where you're going), endurance (surviving 5 days with little food and water) and finally, a tale of perseverance and the lengths to which we will go to survive. It's an emotional roller coaster that runs the gamut from joy, to anxiety, to downright fear, and finally, to elation as we see Ralston finally get rescued by people who aren't mirages. Danny Boyle hits another one out of the park, and i'm going to revise my original statement, and say that even if you ARE a plot-heavy movie viewer, check this one out - if nothing else, you'll get to see a pretty gruesome scene of James Franco cutting his own arm off.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows a.k.a. the beginning of the end
So unless you've been hiding under a rock or been severely cracked out for the last decade, you're aware that the Harry Potter franchise has reached it's culminating film adaptation. And as per tradition, I braved the crowds and long line ups (surprisingly short considering it was the first part of the last HP movie EVER) to catch the first viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 at 12:02 in the am. Now as a devout Harry Potter fan (I used to write HP fanfiction) I can say that I haven't been terribly impressed by the movies as a whole. While I understand that the films have to be adapted to fit the silver screen, I feel as though the previous movies have cut several crucial elements that were present in the books, as well as changing some things outright. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the films, I just don't think they stood up to their original source material. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the first Harry Potter film that did justice to its book counter-part.
If you've read the book (and in my opinion, you shouldn't even be THINKING of going to see these movies without having read the books) than you're familiar with the plot, and you can skip ahead a few lines. For those of you who have not read the books (shame on you), here's a brief recounting of the plot.
After the death of Albus Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his best friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out to destroy the remaining Horcruxes which hold fragments of Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) soul.
Right from the get go, this movie is intense, starting with a very emotional scene that is only talked about in the book: Hermione obliviating (memory wiping to you non Pottheads) her parents. This scene was a change from the book that I actually heartily approved of. As the books are from Harry's point of view, we rarely get an insight to what is happening to any of the characters, unless it is mentioned through dialogue. Here, we're able to fully comprehend exactly how much it's costing not just Harry, but Hermione and Ron as well, to complete the task that Dumbledore left them.
The movie moves forth at a blistering pace with all sorts of edge-of-your-seat tension, mixed with expertly timed comedic relief. Radcliffe and Grint have been at this for so long that their banter has been honed into a finely tuned weapon and Watson handles much of the heavy lifting with ease, being the second most prominent character in this film. The scope of the entire film, plus the fact that much of it takes place outside the walls of Hogwarts, really gave the trio a chance to show their acting chops, and they did so admirably.
Quite honestly, there's nothing much to say about this film except go see it. Besides being the motion picture event of a lifetime it is, very simply, a good movie. If anyone plans to go see it anytime soon, let me know because it is definitely a multi-viewer.
Long live J.K. Rowling.
If you've read the book (and in my opinion, you shouldn't even be THINKING of going to see these movies without having read the books) than you're familiar with the plot, and you can skip ahead a few lines. For those of you who have not read the books (shame on you), here's a brief recounting of the plot.
After the death of Albus Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his best friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out to destroy the remaining Horcruxes which hold fragments of Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) soul.
Right from the get go, this movie is intense, starting with a very emotional scene that is only talked about in the book: Hermione obliviating (memory wiping to you non Pottheads) her parents. This scene was a change from the book that I actually heartily approved of. As the books are from Harry's point of view, we rarely get an insight to what is happening to any of the characters, unless it is mentioned through dialogue. Here, we're able to fully comprehend exactly how much it's costing not just Harry, but Hermione and Ron as well, to complete the task that Dumbledore left them.
The movie moves forth at a blistering pace with all sorts of edge-of-your-seat tension, mixed with expertly timed comedic relief. Radcliffe and Grint have been at this for so long that their banter has been honed into a finely tuned weapon and Watson handles much of the heavy lifting with ease, being the second most prominent character in this film. The scope of the entire film, plus the fact that much of it takes place outside the walls of Hogwarts, really gave the trio a chance to show their acting chops, and they did so admirably.
Quite honestly, there's nothing much to say about this film except go see it. Besides being the motion picture event of a lifetime it is, very simply, a good movie. If anyone plans to go see it anytime soon, let me know because it is definitely a multi-viewer.
Long live J.K. Rowling.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Skyline
This may be the first time that I am outright recommending anyone to avoid this movie. A friend asked me how much of a trainwreck it was, and I replied that it wasn't even as spectacular as a train wreck, it was more like a train that derails but stops a few feet away: not exciting or newsworthy at all.
This is the plot of the movie: A couple, Jarrod and Elaine go to visit Jarrod's best friend Terry in LA. During their stay, Elaine finds out she's pregnant, Jarrod has an anger management problem, and Terry is cheating on his girlfriend Candice. But none of that matters because then Aliens come and they have to avoid abduction, even though the rest of LA has been abducted.
That's it. And if you feel that that plot synopsis is a bit lacking, then you definitely don't want to waste your time on this movie. The cast is made up entirely of unknowns, and while having unknown actors doesn't necessarily mean that the acting sucks, having shitty actors definitely does, and this film is rife with them. Not once did I feel moved by the plight of any of the characters in this movie, not because their predicament wasn't frightening, but because not a single actor could portray the feelings of fear, loss, or hopelessness that one would feel during a globe-wide abduction. The acting is such that you can tell that's exactly what these people are trying to do - act.
Further to the lack of an actual plot, there's a severe lack of dialogue, and again, although a lengthy script doesn't necessitate a good movie, the seeming lack of one in Skyline just detracts from the already low quality of the film. For the bit of dialogue that IS uttered in the movie, I have to say that it's all very cliche and for the most part, inconsequential. "You have to stay strong" is literally a line of dialogue in the movie and at that point my brain melted. Also the script features a lot of dialogue between characters that is and remains unresolved by the end of the movie - such as the reason for Jarrod to be in LA, his anger management, the infidelity of Terry, and Eliane's pregnancy. All this dialogue happens within the first half of the movie, and by the end, the only thing that is touched on again is Elaine's pregnancy, and only by the virtue of her being spared because she IS pregnant. The movie ends in a way that screams "SEQUEL?" to the audience - with the question mark not because it's ambiguous, but because it's a cheap cliffhanger ending designed to draw viewers into supporting a sequel.
The best thing that I can say about this movie is that it is a good vehicle for any pro-cg lobbyists, as the entire movie relies heavily on CG to move it along. As for the rest of it, it remains a plot-less, inconsequential and quite boring movie, with atrocious acting, and a desperate bid for a sequel as an ending. Whoever made this movie should be ashamed to call themselves a film maker. Definitely don't waste your time watching this movie, and if you want to watch it even after reading this, you've been warned.
This is the plot of the movie: A couple, Jarrod and Elaine go to visit Jarrod's best friend Terry in LA. During their stay, Elaine finds out she's pregnant, Jarrod has an anger management problem, and Terry is cheating on his girlfriend Candice. But none of that matters because then Aliens come and they have to avoid abduction, even though the rest of LA has been abducted.
That's it. And if you feel that that plot synopsis is a bit lacking, then you definitely don't want to waste your time on this movie. The cast is made up entirely of unknowns, and while having unknown actors doesn't necessarily mean that the acting sucks, having shitty actors definitely does, and this film is rife with them. Not once did I feel moved by the plight of any of the characters in this movie, not because their predicament wasn't frightening, but because not a single actor could portray the feelings of fear, loss, or hopelessness that one would feel during a globe-wide abduction. The acting is such that you can tell that's exactly what these people are trying to do - act.
Further to the lack of an actual plot, there's a severe lack of dialogue, and again, although a lengthy script doesn't necessitate a good movie, the seeming lack of one in Skyline just detracts from the already low quality of the film. For the bit of dialogue that IS uttered in the movie, I have to say that it's all very cliche and for the most part, inconsequential. "You have to stay strong" is literally a line of dialogue in the movie and at that point my brain melted. Also the script features a lot of dialogue between characters that is and remains unresolved by the end of the movie - such as the reason for Jarrod to be in LA, his anger management, the infidelity of Terry, and Eliane's pregnancy. All this dialogue happens within the first half of the movie, and by the end, the only thing that is touched on again is Elaine's pregnancy, and only by the virtue of her being spared because she IS pregnant. The movie ends in a way that screams "SEQUEL?" to the audience - with the question mark not because it's ambiguous, but because it's a cheap cliffhanger ending designed to draw viewers into supporting a sequel.
The best thing that I can say about this movie is that it is a good vehicle for any pro-cg lobbyists, as the entire movie relies heavily on CG to move it along. As for the rest of it, it remains a plot-less, inconsequential and quite boring movie, with atrocious acting, and a desperate bid for a sequel as an ending. Whoever made this movie should be ashamed to call themselves a film maker. Definitely don't waste your time watching this movie, and if you want to watch it even after reading this, you've been warned.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Scott Pilgrim V.S. The World
It's been exactly one month since my last post. Sorry. This entry is dedicated to Mr. Jeff Raposo, who is responsible for keeping the proverbial fire under my ass lit. Also, I saw the movie with him.
The last few years have seen a great upsurge in the amount of comic book movies being produced in Hollywood. Films such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight have shown that comic book movies are indeed fiscally viable - The Dark Knight being record-breakingly so. It's gotten so that producers and production companies are willing to take a chance even on comics that don't belong to the comic book powerhouses DC or Marvel, namely Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series. While relatively unknown (relative to contending titles, fans of Pilgrim would beg to differ), Scott Pilgrim has managed to attract the attention of film maker Edgar Wright, director of recent cult favorites Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the sitcom Spaced.
I must admit to not knowing a single thing about Scott Pilgrim prior to the first time I saw the trailer. And seeing Michael Cera attached to the project, I was even less inclined to give the film my $10.50 and more importantly, my time. But I also know that my boy Edgar really knows what he's doing (the three aforementioned projects being three out of my all time favourites.) And so I resigned myself to at least checking the flick out, regardless of how much I dislike Cera as an actor. And let me say that i'm really glad I decided to peep this one out.
The premise is simple. In order to date Ramona flowers, Scott Pilgrim must defeat a league of her seven evil exes in battle. The entire situation is decidedly less so. Scott Pilgrim, twenty three years old, is finally getting over his ex girlfriend of a year, by dating "Knives" Chau, a seventeen year old high school girl. Despite being ragged on by his band, The Sex Bob-ombs, his sister Stacey (played by Anna Kendrick), and his gay roommate Wallace (played by Kieran Culkin), Scott is happy for the first time in a long time. That is until one night when he dreams about a pink haired girl, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, dreaming or otherwise. He obsesses over her, until he meets her in real life at a friend's party. Scott is instantly smitten, and just as quickly ruins any chance of ever speaking to her again. The next day, he hatches a plan to speak with Ramona again. Through a friend, he's found out that Ramona has just moved to Toronto and is working for Amazon.ca making parcel deliveries. Ordering something really cool, Scott waits for his delivery. He asks her out and surprisingly, she says yes. They hit it off and end up making out when Scott gets caught in her house during a snowstorm. BUT WAIT. Scott is still dating Knives Chau. His roommate tells him he has to break up with Knives if he wants to date Ramona. He tries, but fails. Like the classy guy he is, he invites both girls to his bands show at The Rockit. Thankfully, he's saved from a particularly awkward situation by the arrival of Ramona's first evil ex. From that point on, it's an action filled fight fest, as Scott Battles his way through the League of Evil Exes.
I've long maintained that Cera's only claim to fame is portraying a wimpy, awkward pushover. Scott Pilgrim is no different - Cera's portrayal of Pilgrim is, well, a wimpy, awkward pushover. However since the rest of the characters are also caricatures, Cera's presence is not an overwhelming factor in thi movie. What's more is that Pilgrim provides a sharp contrast to the seeming douchebags that make up the league of Ramona's exes. Also, the wimpiness of Pilgrim is the furthest removed from a character you'd expect to partake in the battles that occur in this movie. The supporting cast are also excellent in this film. Anna Kendrick plays Stacey, Scott's 18 year old sister. From her last role as Natalie Keener opposite George Clooney in "Up in the Air", she takes the complete opposite tack and convincingly portrays a high school girl (not that the role is new to her, she plays Jessica in the Twilight movies.) Brandon Routh and Chris Evans bust out their comedy chops, playing a Vegan empowered bass player and a "pretty good" skateboarder turned "pretty good" actor respectively. and Jason Schwartzman is getting really good at playing a huge asshole (see Iron Man 2's Justin Hammer.) The surprise breakout actor though, is Ellen Wong who plays Knives Chau. The formerly unknown local girl (from Scarborough!) channels the spirit of a 17 year old in her first relationship with such competence that you can literally feel the excitement, jealousy, and malice dripping from the little asian girl. And she can kick an ass or two.
While movies like Watchmen and The Dark Knight have taken a more realistic feel, putting the "movie" back into comic book movie, recent endeavours into the field have taken the opposite approach (see Kick-Ass.) Scott Pilgrim V.S. The World is definitely a movie that puts the "comic book" back into comic book movie. From the quirky nature of many characters to the presence of onomatopoeia on screen, Wright has created an atmosphere that simply screams out COMIC! in every frame of film. Adding to the comic feel of the movie are the whip quick cuts. Edgar Wright has brought his skill in editing to a finely honed point. Another major contributor to the feel is the quality of the fight scenes in the movie. Though the fights are fantastical in nature, Wright's handling of them i such that they seem almost feasible. Important to note is that Wright seems to draw inspiration from wuxia and classic martial arts cinematography, rather than the new style of hand held shaky camera that many action films have taken to using recently. This is appealing to my own personal philosophy that a good fight scene is one where the viewer can actually see what is happening. Wright manages to re-educate us in something that Hollywood seems to have forgotten: that its possible to create a fight scene that is intense, entertaining, and coherent without having to resort to a "unique" camera style. The fights in this movie are as action packed as anything legendary choreographer Yuen Woo Ping could create, and as well shot as you can ask for.
I had reservations about seeing this movie, but upon viewing of it, I find, as with all of Edgar Wright's other projects so far, that I have fallen in love with the definitely unique film. Wright has one again crossed the boundaries of genre, melding comedy, romance, martial arts, and the essence of a comic book into a single package, which I can safely say has never been seen before. With a little bit of something for everyone, this movie is a top contender for the summer's best hit. If you haven't yet, you must see this movie.
The last few years have seen a great upsurge in the amount of comic book movies being produced in Hollywood. Films such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight have shown that comic book movies are indeed fiscally viable - The Dark Knight being record-breakingly so. It's gotten so that producers and production companies are willing to take a chance even on comics that don't belong to the comic book powerhouses DC or Marvel, namely Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series. While relatively unknown (relative to contending titles, fans of Pilgrim would beg to differ), Scott Pilgrim has managed to attract the attention of film maker Edgar Wright, director of recent cult favorites Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the sitcom Spaced.
I must admit to not knowing a single thing about Scott Pilgrim prior to the first time I saw the trailer. And seeing Michael Cera attached to the project, I was even less inclined to give the film my $10.50 and more importantly, my time. But I also know that my boy Edgar really knows what he's doing (the three aforementioned projects being three out of my all time favourites.) And so I resigned myself to at least checking the flick out, regardless of how much I dislike Cera as an actor. And let me say that i'm really glad I decided to peep this one out.
The premise is simple. In order to date Ramona flowers, Scott Pilgrim must defeat a league of her seven evil exes in battle. The entire situation is decidedly less so. Scott Pilgrim, twenty three years old, is finally getting over his ex girlfriend of a year, by dating "Knives" Chau, a seventeen year old high school girl. Despite being ragged on by his band, The Sex Bob-ombs, his sister Stacey (played by Anna Kendrick), and his gay roommate Wallace (played by Kieran Culkin), Scott is happy for the first time in a long time. That is until one night when he dreams about a pink haired girl, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, dreaming or otherwise. He obsesses over her, until he meets her in real life at a friend's party. Scott is instantly smitten, and just as quickly ruins any chance of ever speaking to her again. The next day, he hatches a plan to speak with Ramona again. Through a friend, he's found out that Ramona has just moved to Toronto and is working for Amazon.ca making parcel deliveries. Ordering something really cool, Scott waits for his delivery. He asks her out and surprisingly, she says yes. They hit it off and end up making out when Scott gets caught in her house during a snowstorm. BUT WAIT. Scott is still dating Knives Chau. His roommate tells him he has to break up with Knives if he wants to date Ramona. He tries, but fails. Like the classy guy he is, he invites both girls to his bands show at The Rockit. Thankfully, he's saved from a particularly awkward situation by the arrival of Ramona's first evil ex. From that point on, it's an action filled fight fest, as Scott Battles his way through the League of Evil Exes.
I've long maintained that Cera's only claim to fame is portraying a wimpy, awkward pushover. Scott Pilgrim is no different - Cera's portrayal of Pilgrim is, well, a wimpy, awkward pushover. However since the rest of the characters are also caricatures, Cera's presence is not an overwhelming factor in thi movie. What's more is that Pilgrim provides a sharp contrast to the seeming douchebags that make up the league of Ramona's exes. Also, the wimpiness of Pilgrim is the furthest removed from a character you'd expect to partake in the battles that occur in this movie. The supporting cast are also excellent in this film. Anna Kendrick plays Stacey, Scott's 18 year old sister. From her last role as Natalie Keener opposite George Clooney in "Up in the Air", she takes the complete opposite tack and convincingly portrays a high school girl (not that the role is new to her, she plays Jessica in the Twilight movies.) Brandon Routh and Chris Evans bust out their comedy chops, playing a Vegan empowered bass player and a "pretty good" skateboarder turned "pretty good" actor respectively. and Jason Schwartzman is getting really good at playing a huge asshole (see Iron Man 2's Justin Hammer.) The surprise breakout actor though, is Ellen Wong who plays Knives Chau. The formerly unknown local girl (from Scarborough!) channels the spirit of a 17 year old in her first relationship with such competence that you can literally feel the excitement, jealousy, and malice dripping from the little asian girl. And she can kick an ass or two.
While movies like Watchmen and The Dark Knight have taken a more realistic feel, putting the "movie" back into comic book movie, recent endeavours into the field have taken the opposite approach (see Kick-Ass.) Scott Pilgrim V.S. The World is definitely a movie that puts the "comic book" back into comic book movie. From the quirky nature of many characters to the presence of onomatopoeia on screen, Wright has created an atmosphere that simply screams out COMIC! in every frame of film. Adding to the comic feel of the movie are the whip quick cuts. Edgar Wright has brought his skill in editing to a finely honed point. Another major contributor to the feel is the quality of the fight scenes in the movie. Though the fights are fantastical in nature, Wright's handling of them i such that they seem almost feasible. Important to note is that Wright seems to draw inspiration from wuxia and classic martial arts cinematography, rather than the new style of hand held shaky camera that many action films have taken to using recently. This is appealing to my own personal philosophy that a good fight scene is one where the viewer can actually see what is happening. Wright manages to re-educate us in something that Hollywood seems to have forgotten: that its possible to create a fight scene that is intense, entertaining, and coherent without having to resort to a "unique" camera style. The fights in this movie are as action packed as anything legendary choreographer Yuen Woo Ping could create, and as well shot as you can ask for.
I had reservations about seeing this movie, but upon viewing of it, I find, as with all of Edgar Wright's other projects so far, that I have fallen in love with the definitely unique film. Wright has one again crossed the boundaries of genre, melding comedy, romance, martial arts, and the essence of a comic book into a single package, which I can safely say has never been seen before. With a little bit of something for everyone, this movie is a top contender for the summer's best hit. If you haven't yet, you must see this movie.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Jonah Hex
Hey all, it's been a while since I last posted anything - I just got the internet back. As i'm sure you've all missed me, i'm dropping a few reviews on you today, kind of like a welcome back. The first of 4 to come is Jonah Hex.
Yes, I did go see this movie. Why? Because I love comic books and any movie based on comic books (except Daredevil...dear god...) and also because I love the wild west. For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Jonah Hex (and i do imagine that would be a lot of you, being as Hex is a more obscure comic title), it's about a confederate soldier just after the civil war era of the U.S.A. whose reluctance to slaughter innocent women and children gets the General Turnbull's (John Malkovich)son killed. As payback, Turnbull and some of his cronies kill Hex's (Josh Brolin) wife and son, brand his face and leave him for dead. Hex is found in a near dead state by some nearby natives, and is revived. During his near death experience, however, Hex learns to communicate with the dead, and wakes up with the ability to talk to corpses. Hex leaves to seek his revenge on Turnbull, but discovers that Turnbull is already dead. Unsatisfied, he turns to a life of bounty hunting to assuage his guilty conscience and his burning desire for revenge. Along the way he meets Lilah (Megan Fox) a takes-no-shit prostitute with a soft spot for Hex. Years later, the US government is looking for Hex because, as it turns out, Turnbull is not actually dead, and is in fact in the process of building a superweapon that will destroy the nation of America. It's up to the reluctant Hex to take down Turnbull and finally quench his thirst for vengance.
The first thing I will say is that this movie, like any other movie with him in it, would be much much better off WITHOUT JOHN MALKOVICH. Seriously, the guy is pushing 60, but age hasn't ripened his acting at all. He is still a pile of shit as an actor, can't keep an accent straight for more than a minute, and generally looks like a gremlin. Malkovich does not work in the role of Turnbull, who is supposed to be a badass motherfucker who doesn't care about blowing up a continent, but Malkovich makes the character seem pretty much like a giant pussy. Also, Turnbull's right hand man is some sort of Irish gangster, which I thought was completely unnecessary, and his fake irish brogue grated on my ears after about 10 minutes.
Josh Brolin, as always, was badass in his portrayal of the scarred gunman, but unfortunately Brolin seemed to be the only one taking his job seriously. Had the rest of the cast been different (minus Fox) we might be looking at a different movie, but sadly Josh Brolin alone was not enough to carry this film.
Speaking of Megan Fox, many people criticized her acting in this film which I believe is unfair. Fox's screentime is so short in this movie that it's almost negligible. However, from the few minutes that she IS in the movie, in my opinion, she gave us much more than in Transformers. Good on you Megan.
This movie earns points for having cool landscapes and art direction (who doesn't love the wild west, really?) but loses out for having pretty terrible casting, acting, and a weak plot. It's a movie that's definitely for 14 year old boys, or anyone else whom howitzers on horses or dynamite crossbows caters to. If you're going to watch it, don't spend money on it.
Yes, I did go see this movie. Why? Because I love comic books and any movie based on comic books (except Daredevil...dear god...) and also because I love the wild west. For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Jonah Hex (and i do imagine that would be a lot of you, being as Hex is a more obscure comic title), it's about a confederate soldier just after the civil war era of the U.S.A. whose reluctance to slaughter innocent women and children gets the General Turnbull's (John Malkovich)son killed. As payback, Turnbull and some of his cronies kill Hex's (Josh Brolin) wife and son, brand his face and leave him for dead. Hex is found in a near dead state by some nearby natives, and is revived. During his near death experience, however, Hex learns to communicate with the dead, and wakes up with the ability to talk to corpses. Hex leaves to seek his revenge on Turnbull, but discovers that Turnbull is already dead. Unsatisfied, he turns to a life of bounty hunting to assuage his guilty conscience and his burning desire for revenge. Along the way he meets Lilah (Megan Fox) a takes-no-shit prostitute with a soft spot for Hex. Years later, the US government is looking for Hex because, as it turns out, Turnbull is not actually dead, and is in fact in the process of building a superweapon that will destroy the nation of America. It's up to the reluctant Hex to take down Turnbull and finally quench his thirst for vengance.
The first thing I will say is that this movie, like any other movie with him in it, would be much much better off WITHOUT JOHN MALKOVICH. Seriously, the guy is pushing 60, but age hasn't ripened his acting at all. He is still a pile of shit as an actor, can't keep an accent straight for more than a minute, and generally looks like a gremlin. Malkovich does not work in the role of Turnbull, who is supposed to be a badass motherfucker who doesn't care about blowing up a continent, but Malkovich makes the character seem pretty much like a giant pussy. Also, Turnbull's right hand man is some sort of Irish gangster, which I thought was completely unnecessary, and his fake irish brogue grated on my ears after about 10 minutes.
Josh Brolin, as always, was badass in his portrayal of the scarred gunman, but unfortunately Brolin seemed to be the only one taking his job seriously. Had the rest of the cast been different (minus Fox) we might be looking at a different movie, but sadly Josh Brolin alone was not enough to carry this film.
Speaking of Megan Fox, many people criticized her acting in this film which I believe is unfair. Fox's screentime is so short in this movie that it's almost negligible. However, from the few minutes that she IS in the movie, in my opinion, she gave us much more than in Transformers. Good on you Megan.
This movie earns points for having cool landscapes and art direction (who doesn't love the wild west, really?) but loses out for having pretty terrible casting, acting, and a weak plot. It's a movie that's definitely for 14 year old boys, or anyone else whom howitzers on horses or dynamite crossbows caters to. If you're going to watch it, don't spend money on it.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Last Airbender
It's been pretty quiet on the Shyamalan front since his last two flicks, The Happening and Lady in the Water flopped pretty badly at the box office. But he's back and helming the adaptation of the popular anime series Avatar: The Last Airbender, the title of which, for obvious reasons, was shortened merely to The Last Airbender. Once again, if you're looking for a comparison between the film and the cartoon, I unfortunately can't help you there, as I never watched the series. So, keep in mind that this review is based on a stand alone viewing of the film, and has no intention of comparing to the original anime.
This universe revolves around people called Benders, who are capable of controlling the element of their respective nature. The world is divided into the four nations - Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. All the nations live in peaceful harmony, under the watchful eye of the Avatar - the sole bender who is able to control all the elements. But the fire nation, burning with ambition, seethes against the harmony and is determined to control the entire world. And it is with that notion in mind that they begin their domination, and the Avatar disappears, never to be seen again.
We start off in the furthest reaches of the Water nation. Katara, the last water bender in the southern water clans, is on a hunting trip with her brother Sokka. While on the trail of tiger seals, the siblings notice a dark shape underneath the water. Sokka, thinking that it may be a big catch, cracks the ice, and what he thought to be an animal turns out to be a giant sphere of ice. As they watch, astounded, the giant sphere cracks open to reveal a young boy, no older than Katara. The two drag the boy back to his village, where they discover that he is covered in tattoos marking him as an air bender. They are shocked, as the Wind nation was destroyed by the Fire nation due to prophecies that said the next incarnation of the Avatar would be born into the wind clans. The boy, Aang, is reluctant to speak of his past, but when the army of the Fire nation comes calling, Aang single handedly fights them off, and reveals that he is indeed the last air bender. He reveals to Katara and Sokka that he is also the reincarnation of the Avatar, but chose to run away when this was discovered, as he would be forced to sacrifice a normal life. When Sokka notes that he has thus far only used air bending, Aang admits to the two that he ran away before he could be trained to master the other elements, more than 100 years ago. While on the run, the Fire army got wind of his trail, and he was forced to cocoon himself in the ice sphere. Now, with the Fire nation close to its goal of complete global domination, Aang sets off on a pilgrimage to master the other three elements - Water, Earth, and Fire, in order to restore balance to the world and maintain the harmony of the planet.
The first thing to note is that this film is going to be the first of a three part series, and this one is all about the Water clans. If you had notions of seeing Aang bend everything he says, you can save it for the sequels (if it does well enough at the box office). Secondly, the film is available for viewing in 3D, but i'm not really sure why, as there was hardly any 3D in it. Avatar this ain't (no pun intended.)
Shyamalan's work with the camera and the settings and set dressings is extraordinary. This film is very visually appealing, with lots of wide sweeping shots of beautiful landscapes, and sets that are very elaborate and relevant to the nation they belong to. The world that is created is so fantastic that it's easy to believe in it. Unfortunately, all this can only be said about the visuals.
This film boasts a nearly 100% unknown cast, with its only veterans being Cliff Curtis (whom you may recognize as FBI Director Bowman from Live Free or Die Hard - an excellent movie as a side note), Jackson Rathbone (you probably know him as Jasper Hale, all you twihards) and Dev Patel (who's breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire took the world by storm.) The rest of the cast are fresh faces, and you can tell, are pretty new to acting as well. It seems as though Shyamalan was more intent on making sure their martial arts were perfected rather than their acting, resulting in some stiff delivery of a few lines. But as the majority of the cast are children, they do a pretty decent job of holding the movie. Also, Noah Ringer (who plays Aang) has a serious overbite that bothered me throughout the duration of the movie. Hopefully after this movie he'll have enough money to do something about it.
Acting aside, the bending in this movie, the reason you came to see it at all, is really really damn cool. The bending techniques are all based on martial arts, with each element based on a different style. As a martial arts fan, this is cool enough, but with the added imagery of the elements being manipulated, this movie takes weather control to the next level. If you love The Force, this'll make you wet your pants.
Also, despite it being a Shyamalan film, there is no twist ending to this movie, which is good, because I thought he overplayed that pony two films ago.
All in all, this movie was an entertaining little film. There was a little bit of iffy acting, but that's forgivable as the children will become more seasoned as the series progresses. The main draw of the film, the bending, is visually very cool, and definitely makes you wish you were a master of any element. If you find yourself at the theatres not knowing what to watch, this film will probably tickle your fancy at least a little bit.
This universe revolves around people called Benders, who are capable of controlling the element of their respective nature. The world is divided into the four nations - Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. All the nations live in peaceful harmony, under the watchful eye of the Avatar - the sole bender who is able to control all the elements. But the fire nation, burning with ambition, seethes against the harmony and is determined to control the entire world. And it is with that notion in mind that they begin their domination, and the Avatar disappears, never to be seen again.
We start off in the furthest reaches of the Water nation. Katara, the last water bender in the southern water clans, is on a hunting trip with her brother Sokka. While on the trail of tiger seals, the siblings notice a dark shape underneath the water. Sokka, thinking that it may be a big catch, cracks the ice, and what he thought to be an animal turns out to be a giant sphere of ice. As they watch, astounded, the giant sphere cracks open to reveal a young boy, no older than Katara. The two drag the boy back to his village, where they discover that he is covered in tattoos marking him as an air bender. They are shocked, as the Wind nation was destroyed by the Fire nation due to prophecies that said the next incarnation of the Avatar would be born into the wind clans. The boy, Aang, is reluctant to speak of his past, but when the army of the Fire nation comes calling, Aang single handedly fights them off, and reveals that he is indeed the last air bender. He reveals to Katara and Sokka that he is also the reincarnation of the Avatar, but chose to run away when this was discovered, as he would be forced to sacrifice a normal life. When Sokka notes that he has thus far only used air bending, Aang admits to the two that he ran away before he could be trained to master the other elements, more than 100 years ago. While on the run, the Fire army got wind of his trail, and he was forced to cocoon himself in the ice sphere. Now, with the Fire nation close to its goal of complete global domination, Aang sets off on a pilgrimage to master the other three elements - Water, Earth, and Fire, in order to restore balance to the world and maintain the harmony of the planet.
The first thing to note is that this film is going to be the first of a three part series, and this one is all about the Water clans. If you had notions of seeing Aang bend everything he says, you can save it for the sequels (if it does well enough at the box office). Secondly, the film is available for viewing in 3D, but i'm not really sure why, as there was hardly any 3D in it. Avatar this ain't (no pun intended.)
Shyamalan's work with the camera and the settings and set dressings is extraordinary. This film is very visually appealing, with lots of wide sweeping shots of beautiful landscapes, and sets that are very elaborate and relevant to the nation they belong to. The world that is created is so fantastic that it's easy to believe in it. Unfortunately, all this can only be said about the visuals.
This film boasts a nearly 100% unknown cast, with its only veterans being Cliff Curtis (whom you may recognize as FBI Director Bowman from Live Free or Die Hard - an excellent movie as a side note), Jackson Rathbone (you probably know him as Jasper Hale, all you twihards) and Dev Patel (who's breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire took the world by storm.) The rest of the cast are fresh faces, and you can tell, are pretty new to acting as well. It seems as though Shyamalan was more intent on making sure their martial arts were perfected rather than their acting, resulting in some stiff delivery of a few lines. But as the majority of the cast are children, they do a pretty decent job of holding the movie. Also, Noah Ringer (who plays Aang) has a serious overbite that bothered me throughout the duration of the movie. Hopefully after this movie he'll have enough money to do something about it.
Acting aside, the bending in this movie, the reason you came to see it at all, is really really damn cool. The bending techniques are all based on martial arts, with each element based on a different style. As a martial arts fan, this is cool enough, but with the added imagery of the elements being manipulated, this movie takes weather control to the next level. If you love The Force, this'll make you wet your pants.
Also, despite it being a Shyamalan film, there is no twist ending to this movie, which is good, because I thought he overplayed that pony two films ago.
All in all, this movie was an entertaining little film. There was a little bit of iffy acting, but that's forgivable as the children will become more seasoned as the series progresses. The main draw of the film, the bending, is visually very cool, and definitely makes you wish you were a master of any element. If you find yourself at the theatres not knowing what to watch, this film will probably tickle your fancy at least a little bit.
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