Skyline

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Wait, that's not the correct picture is it? It's how I prefer to remember it anyway. The movie, while not awful, isn't bad either. If the blantantly pandered sequel gets any worse, it'll be titled G.I Joe: I'm leaving the theater. Do we really need movie titles that start off with a promise of a sequel? Perhaps that's the part that I don't get. Cobra is so inept in this movie, as in the cartoon too, that they can barely make it to the end of the week without blowing themselves up. How on Earth are we expected to believe that they will make it to another movie?

Oh that's right, we sent G.I. Joe after them; the organization that is only marginally less incompetent than Cobra. It's the Special Olympics of spec ops teams duking it out to the tune of some untold sum of cash. Which must be steep given all the high tech toys.

Perhaps that's the real goal of this Cobra/G.I. Joe pairing- to revitalize the economy with arms sales... or perhaps to convince the French to not fuel their cars with C4.

See the movie and you'll know what I mean. While the movie isn't bad, it is, as another reviewer aptly pointed out, 1 giant CGI hand away from recreating the experience of playing with G.I. Joes as a kid. That alone is worth one hell of a nod because despite it being brain liquifying stupidity most of the time, the movie is FUN and that alone seems to be what allot of films miss these days.

District 9

District 9

My wife and I saw it at a opening night midnight showing just to make the event more exciting. District 9 however needed no such condolences. It's so awesome, it took me almost a week to say anything about it.

Though there are some heavy handed references to District 6, the epitomal area characterized by the Apartheid, casting off District 9 because of it would be like being disappointed in Alien/Aliens because they're allegories for rape. It, like Alien/Aliens, is simply awesome despite it. It's incredibly well thought out within its own universe and build upon what all good sci-fi tends to be, a morality play.

I could go on and on about how well thought out the movie is and about all the nuances that are fleshed out and sublimely critical, but it would be spoiling. Suffice it to say that it is a modern classic in the veins of the original Star Wars, Alien\Aliens, The Matrix, and maybe RoboCop.

Go see it.

REPO! The Genetic Opera

Timeline- the future. It's been forty years since the end of the disastrous Modonna/Bowie wars and their legacy of designer drugs, plastic surgery, and tacky clothes continues on. Truely it is a dark future; a grim future.

Or at least that's what I was thinking as I uncomfortably went through this film. It's simply awkward and does little to justify opera as a viable genre for film. Not that I'm beyond the cultural aspect or how it fits the theme of the movie. Rather the constant singing made me wish that someone would just say what they meant, much less sing something worthwhile. This is its greatest failing. Its inability to harness the singing talent that they have. And when the film clocks in at a little over an hour and a half - nearly all of it being sung, not having a good song staple is suicide. Though there are a few gems in there shrieking through the chorus. They're just too far in between.

They're quite a few grotesque moments for it's own sake as well. It's to be expected from the producers of the later editions of Saw. And some of it is quite enjoyable and smart but its only rarely so. The same thing can be said of the plot. While it manages to be distinct and mildly clever in a Shakesperean sense, if you've enjoyed many classical works at all, you'll be familiar with the film.

It is worth noting that, not that I've seen many, this has to be the best performance by Paris Hilton that I've ever seen. I thought it was a great impersonator until I looked it up. In 'REPO!' she comes alive as a rather competent performer.

I can't recommend 'REPO!' But if you liked the delightfully cringe inducing musical train wreck of 'Rocky Horror', you'll love 'REPO!'. These films are practically from the same cloth.

...Though 'REPO!' would be an awesome addition to a "bad movie night" line up.

The Sky Crawlers

The Sky Crawlers

Ever feel like you are missing some sort of in-joke? That despite people are speaking plain english around you and you can understand what they are saying but still don't understand what they mean?

This is Sky Crawlers in every sense of that. At one point a flipped to the subtitles just to see if the english voice actors were destroying it (they weren't though I suggest the japanese on this one as the delivery is superior to the english track). Every time the action stops and the dialogue begins, it's as though Oshii is on some sort of personal pseudo psychological trip (he actually was). Though this is normal from Oshii's movies and should be expected. Sometimes it's even enlightening.
But this time it's unfortunate because the world the movie is set in is just bizarre, and more so than usual, never fully explained. Any time that is spent on the subject of their world and character histories is mired in Oshii's psychological babble. This part is most troubling for me because it's a plot point of sorts. There are many of these plot crutches in use that are actually somewhat important and incredibly subtle. Typical anime has, unfortunately, caused me to glaze over these land mines of anime logic.
Not so from Oshii; It's something to be respected from Oshii because his films rarely beat you over the head about something that should be implicit, and in other anime would be a mere plot hole. Where other directors would leave these sorts of plot holes and cinematic abberations unchecked, Oshii finely weaves it into the setting and plot to be intrensic. So it's difficult to suggest changes when it's fine. It's well crafted and built to its initial design.

Only nobody realized they were making a beautiful gold plated CG urinal.

Which says nothing of the key frame artists, it appears they must have checked out early because the hand drawn segments are, on average, woefully lacking.
Despite this, it is in alot of ways it's like Jin Roh. There's a wonderful story in there that is far deeper than it initially seems. But you have to be able to have the patience to analyze it wholistically in a mature modernist sense.
The question then becomes, is it worth it?
Despite feeling a little jilted on first viewing, the action scenes, musical score, attention to just feeling authentic, and great story you almost have to work for give an emphatic 'Yes'.

Check it out.

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The Sky crawler - Trailer
by glxtendo

Transformers 2

Transformers 2.

Where do I start?

First, I loved the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's faithful to the fans of the original continuity as it is to anyone that enjoys a Michael Bay film.

However, the refrigerator logic on this one is simply mind blowing. When the explosions died down, the last of the juvenile potty humor is delivered (good Lord, this is PG-13?!), and one is left considering what has just taken place, it becomes apparent that someone was asleep at the wheel in the scripting department. Did it seriously take 3 writers to hammer this one out? Out of the entire film, this one gem in the credits really was the most astounding.

We have almost every conceivable macguffin and plot hole thoroughly used and abused in this one. Does it really take Shia LeBouf only 10 minutes to solve a riddle that took the Decipticons eons to decipher (and fail)? Was Indiana Jones working with Shia in the back ground on this one too? How long does it take -really- to find those shards? A casual glance and it's obvious, so why did it take them years to find them? Why does the robot hump Megan Fox anyway (again, PG-13?)?
It really looks like the script writing session probably took place in a Dennys over some brown bagged bottles of tequila.

I digress, it's a decent enough film while the explosions are going on. Just don't think too heavily on it. You might get a headache trying to rationalize it all. Which is fitting, since the original Transformers continuity was a little head scratchingly strange and this one, unfortunately, follows in its foot steps despite doing a wonderful job of glazing over and improving the original plot archs.
Though I can't help but think that if this was the first film, they would not have made a sequel.

Spoiler:
Great nods to Megatron turning into a tank after his death, having the original voice actor for Soundwave (and it really does add to it all), Soundwaves minions doing what they do best, classic Megatron/Starscream dialogue, Jetfire having all his backstory and being wonderfully reimagined, and even the completely insane robot spirit ancestor hoo-ha.

Kudos for Michael Bay getting it all in.

Moon Trailer

I really would like to see this one. "Realistic" space travel is a genre that really needs more attention.

The Descent

The Descent

It's a good film overall, I recommend it heartily. I really dig zombie/apocalyptic films and this one manages to hit all the notes of a good horror film when it gets into its stride. Which is important to note because the beginning is fairly slow and cliche. The film is both innovative for and suffers from the cast being all female except for one brief moment. And it particularly suffers for the mundane banter the women have early on. Their thick - and drunk - accents doesn't make it any livelier either. Even my wife was annoyed. But it sets the tone and familiarizes the characters in an almost intimate way that is played to good effect later on despite being just an inch deeper than stereotypical card board cut outs of characters. Point in fact, most of the characters had nicknames assigned by us that were easier to identify. ("The lesbian, The schizo, The clueless one", etc)
But that's practically convention with any horror film in addition to guessing who dies first. (My money was wrong on this one -Be careful if you are taking bets.)

We watched it just recently over the XBOX live service (a highly under rated product). It's important to note that the XBOX version of the movie is the original British version as opposed to the American edit, which has a slightly different ending (the American version literally cuts about a minute off the end creating a vastly different fate for one of the characters).
The British version is superior.

And while not many horror films actually make me cringe, there are moments within The Descent when mundane issues fail to act so, and the peril becomes more and more tangible; that I couldn't help but be at unease.

Terminator: Salvation

Terminator: Salvation

"Salvation" is an merely enjoyable film that suffers from being nearly unrelated to the core Terminator work among other things. It's to the Terminator franchise what Matrix: Reloaded was to the Matrix. It's fun but clearly pandering toward making a series. And although it's certainly inspired in some parts, Salvation overall simply falls flat because the actors with the most screen time are at best distant, phoning in their performances. The sound effects are also disappointing with many opportunities squandered with what sounds like a typical melange of sound board garbage. The plot is riddled with holes aswell and some philosophical concepts are as poorly executed as beheading with a butter knife. The plot pacing itself comes across as teateringly drunk, swaying from side to side till it finally stumbles toward the end. As a whole the film feels poorly edited and rushed with references missing and scenes jumbled togethor in a barely comprehensible mess.

Despite it, "Salvation" is worth the price of admission just to see "body builder arnie" in all his robotic ass kicking glory. But avoid it like the plague if for some reason special effect's flicks aren't your thing or have something better to do.
You're certainly not missing anything.

Star Trek

Star Trek

Awesome. Simply Awesome. It manages to include all the camp and cheesy cliche's of the series without being a 'Trek movie. Go see it. I'm a reborn Trek fan. Spoiler: Though, one has to wonder why the Romulans didn't just wait out and help Romulus when their sun went nova with the Red Matter instead of going on a killing spree. Why was the mining vessel so well armed anyway?

Watchmen

Watchmen

I've read the comic. I don't recall the source material being this depressing and modernist... but then I was 12-ish... I don't recall even finishing it. Reading Watchmen again with education and experience, it's obvious though the subtexts that they draw from. They're both great in a 'modernist literature' sense, if you are into that sort of thing. I can only stomach so much frankly because I find it too disillusioning. Despite this the movie is well paced, clever, and eloquently executed. It strives, like the source material, to be more than just what it is- a mere film. It wants -begs- you to think on issues of morality. This is one of those movies that does comics justice. But unfortunately it does it too well. Like the source material it is phenomenal at rendering the credibility of comics as a legitimate form of literature - and misses the point of being a "super hero movie", or comic. Justifiably, it's not as the source is barely a superhero comic itself. It's not a movie in that league at all, rather it's more like "Shawshank Redemption" or "The House of Sand and Fog". It is as much a literary and philosphical work as it is an suspense film. It's pacing is slow and methodical, analyzing every character and plot point with poise. I highly recommend it because of it's high brow take on culture and the superhero genre. But because of all its well executed modernist themes, a sense of loss, modern sexuality, and justice, It's definately something to keep the kids from.

Terminator: Awesome?

Wow.

Here's hoping it makes up for Terminator 3.

Back to the Future: Alternate Ending

That's amusing.

Death Race

Death Race Trailer - The best video clips are here

"Simple Fun"

Death Race manages to be a rare example of a movie that strives to be greater than the sum of its parts and succeeds. Though rife with refrigerator logic, the movie is mostly sound and enjoyable with a plot that works well enough to service the racing segments. It's predictable, almost painfully so... Most of the plot is in the summary of the movie and could easily rival a 80s slasher flick in terms of literary accomplishments. But perhaps because of that simple nature the film is enjoyable.

Sure, you know what's going to happen, but watching it unfold still managed to thrill. The movie would be near perfection for its root entertainment value alone if it wasn't for the musical score that managed to be underwhelming and understated when it should have been played up a bit more. Which is to say it was good but drowned out. In these segments, particularly the racing bits, it was well chosen in terms of theme and could have been developed more to great effect.

However outside of this, when the background music was attention grabbingly loud, it was "off the shelf "cliche and annoying.

Surely, it was a squandered opportunity.