John Cameron Mitchell, director of Hedwig and the Angry Inch is obviously not afraid to tackle topics head on, no matter how uncomfortable they may make people, so it is no shock that he would direct a movie featuring an incredible amount of nudity and actual sex. It is also not shocking that for auditions all actors had to describe a seminal sexual moment in their lives, because this movie is all about sex. Don't be fooled by anyone saying sex is not the focus of this film because it is. Is it about love friendship and relationships? Yes, but it is all told through sex and a lot of sex. None of the actors was known to be before I started watching this and as bad as some of them are, I highly doubt they will become known to me at any moment later in life.
Mitchell wants us to focus on about 6 or 6 people in various moments of this film and weaves them all together through an underground sex club called "Shortbus." Now, it may not actually be a sex club, but when a club has an orgy room, I feel inclined to call it a sex club. In reality, I guess it is a club for those who want something different. It is a place where a supposed happy gay couple can pick up a random guy to take home and have a threesome with. And during this threesome they will sing the national anthem, one using another person's penis as a microphone. I am sure I missed the supposed deep point of that moment, but to be it really just looked like a circle jerk. That couple is one of the main focuses of the movie. 1 half of that couple used to be a male escort and due to that he is having trouble connecting on an emotional level to his boyfriend. Instead, he videotapes everything he wants to say to his boyfriend in hopes of creating a video college, eventually. This guy also attempts to give himself a blow job while some guy from across the way is spying on him. The spy puts himself in this couples life and eventually gets his wish of having sex with one of them. I know, a very happy devoted couple indeed!
This couple has a shrink and she is an Asian woman who can't orgasm. She has never had an orgasm and it is ruining her marriage. No matter what positions they try (and they try some I haven't even seen in porn before) she can't get off. She can't get off by masturbating or any other way. She tries and tries but she can't do it. Don't worry at the sex club she can't take her eyes off this particular couple who go at it constantly and by the end of the film this couple invites her to join them and she finally orgasms, yay! The last main focus is that of an artist, who makes money as a dominatrix. She has seen so much of the bad side of people that she has become disillusioned by society, forgetting that she has helped caused this herself. She is dying to make a connection and seeks it at "Shortbus." In the end it seems like all of these people have found what they are looking for, but it doesn't seem like any of them could really be happy. One guy tries to kill himself and when he is saved, he celebrates by cheating on his boyfriend and thus goes this movie.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Gray Matters
Gray (Heather Graham) and Sam (Tom Cavanagh) are as close as people can be. They are best friends, roommates and siblings. They are so close that people mistake them for a couple often and while the back of the DVD says that they are brother and sister, the director feels the need to make us believe they are dating at first, so we will be a bit shocked at the reveal of them being related. Gray cannot seem to find the man of her dreams and all of her friends believe it is because she and Sam are incredibly too co-dependant. Sam can't find the girl of his dreams because he is working on his residency at a hospital becoming a heart surgeon. They agree they need to help each other find someone and Gray is quick to find Sam a gorgeous wonderful woman, Charlie (Bridget Moynahan). She is so perfect for Sam that he proposes after one night and they are planning to fly to Vegas to get married that weekend. Because it is so rushed, they ask Gray to be their witness and at first we see that Gray is jealous Sam has found someone so perfect, but soon we come to think maybe she is jealous for a different reason. The night before the wedding Sam is not a lot to see the bride so Charlie and Gray hang out for the night- taking a bath together, singing on stage with Gloria Gaynor and getting absolutely hammered. At the end of the night, they share a long passionate kiss. The kind of kiss that can make one question everything one believes and that is exactly what happens to Gray. Charlie seems to have no recollection of what happened but Gray harbors this secret, although she does not say anything to Sam about it.
What happens for the rest of the movie is Gray trying to come to terms with the possibility of being gay. She is in love with Charlies, that is obvious, but is she gay? Is she just reacting to her brother finding eternal happiness? Was the kiss just that good? This is the crux of the movie and along for the ride are the pointless Sissy Spacek as an awful therapist, the always obnoxious Molly Shannon as Gray's best friend and the incredibly sweet and charming Alan Cumming as a cab driver harboring a giant crush on Gray. Gray tries to go on dates with men and she tries to forget Charlie entirely but nothing seems to work. Eventually she tells Sam what happened and he reacts by cutting Gray from his life. Because it is a whimsical romantic comedy featuring two classy dance numbers, everything comes out alright in the end and we do realize that yes, this is a coming out film, but sadly, it doesn't end there. In the final 10 minutes it tries to turn into a gay rights film as Gray spouts off this diatribe about how she is lonely because she'll never be able to get married or hold hands without people whispering. Now there is nothing wrong with the sentiment in this film, because I agree with it all, but this ending feels forced, this movie is about one woman's transition into who she really is and becoming comfortable as a gay woman. It is not about gay rights!
I can't say I really enjoyed the movie much because Heather Graham is about the worst actress working. She is moderately charming and handles the sweetness alright, I guess, but she is simply just a hot actress who can't act. Tom Cavanagh is a charming and goofy actor who is wasted in a secondary role and it is a shame because he really is like Zach Braff, only a bit older (which is why he plays Braff's brother on Scrubs). Moynahan is gorgeous charming and funny and it is easy to see why everyone in this thing falls in love with her. The writer director seemed hell bent on turning this into some gimmicky sitcom, complete with a pointless cross dressing moment, for laughs I guess. I like the idea and the basic structure of the movie, but perhaps with a better lead, better script and more capable director this could have been worth the 90 minutes of my time.
What happens for the rest of the movie is Gray trying to come to terms with the possibility of being gay. She is in love with Charlies, that is obvious, but is she gay? Is she just reacting to her brother finding eternal happiness? Was the kiss just that good? This is the crux of the movie and along for the ride are the pointless Sissy Spacek as an awful therapist, the always obnoxious Molly Shannon as Gray's best friend and the incredibly sweet and charming Alan Cumming as a cab driver harboring a giant crush on Gray. Gray tries to go on dates with men and she tries to forget Charlie entirely but nothing seems to work. Eventually she tells Sam what happened and he reacts by cutting Gray from his life. Because it is a whimsical romantic comedy featuring two classy dance numbers, everything comes out alright in the end and we do realize that yes, this is a coming out film, but sadly, it doesn't end there. In the final 10 minutes it tries to turn into a gay rights film as Gray spouts off this diatribe about how she is lonely because she'll never be able to get married or hold hands without people whispering. Now there is nothing wrong with the sentiment in this film, because I agree with it all, but this ending feels forced, this movie is about one woman's transition into who she really is and becoming comfortable as a gay woman. It is not about gay rights!
I can't say I really enjoyed the movie much because Heather Graham is about the worst actress working. She is moderately charming and handles the sweetness alright, I guess, but she is simply just a hot actress who can't act. Tom Cavanagh is a charming and goofy actor who is wasted in a secondary role and it is a shame because he really is like Zach Braff, only a bit older (which is why he plays Braff's brother on Scrubs). Moynahan is gorgeous charming and funny and it is easy to see why everyone in this thing falls in love with her. The writer director seemed hell bent on turning this into some gimmicky sitcom, complete with a pointless cross dressing moment, for laughs I guess. I like the idea and the basic structure of the movie, but perhaps with a better lead, better script and more capable director this could have been worth the 90 minutes of my time.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (spoilers)
I was one of the few people who seemed to genuinely enjoy the first Fantastic Four movie. I found it to be fluff, yes, but enjoyable fluff nonetheless. However, in the sequel just about everything that was fun about the first one is either gone here or more annoying here. TO be honest it starts promising enough for my tastes. I mean the Four are celebrities so I chuckled at how the media was covering the wedding between Reed and Sue and I enjoyed Johnny trying to get the group to use suits that were covered in product placement like logos. How very Nascar of him. Sadly that is about the smartest joke of the movie. There are some burp jokes and some bad physical shtick that only children and idiots will laugh about, but that seems to be what the director is hoping for.
Before the wedding though, the Military(?) comes to the Four for help with giant holes being dug into the core of the world. Eventually we meet the Silver Surfer and as magnificent as he is, his entire reveal/first scene was the teaser trailer shown about a year ago, so that initial amazement lasts about 2.5 seconds. Yes, the surfer looks amazing, like a T1000 for the new decade but he doesn't really get to be a bad ass. In fact, that is the problem with this whole movie. Doom is back and we think he is going to get to be a bad ass because he jacks the Surfer's board (the source of his power) and he starts like that as he fries a military guy, but it is short lived because this movie wraps up in a mere 90 minutes. Which is its saving grace and its biggest flaw. Surfer has come to destroy the Earth, but not really. We learn a bit of the back story of Silver Surfer and we find out he is controlled by Galactus.
What is a Galactus exactly? Well, in the comic books he is often a giant purple planet looking thing with horns and he devours planets to stay alive. In this movie he appears briefly as a molten rock looking lava bursting planet thing being followed by a giant rain cloud full of debris from planets, rocks and the cosmos. While many will complain about how Galactus looks but he is one thing about the movie that didn't bother me. See, comics can get away with having a giant purple planet with horns, but on screen that would look ridiculous, so the director switched it up and that is not a problem. The problems are that most of the best "action" was given away by the trailer, the powers of the Four are still played too much for laughs and my biggest issue was that a fight between a board having Dr. Doom and a Johnny Storm who has all of the powers of the Four only lasts about 2 minutes, in that. If that fight had been as bad ass as it could have been, this entire movie could have been saved, in my opinion. Instead it goes to fast and we get a conclusion that has some of the most god awful dialogue ever. Not even Chris Evan's continues amazing portrayal of the cocky, young and hot Johnny Storm can save this franchise from becoming one big pratfall.
Before the wedding though, the Military(?) comes to the Four for help with giant holes being dug into the core of the world. Eventually we meet the Silver Surfer and as magnificent as he is, his entire reveal/first scene was the teaser trailer shown about a year ago, so that initial amazement lasts about 2.5 seconds. Yes, the surfer looks amazing, like a T1000 for the new decade but he doesn't really get to be a bad ass. In fact, that is the problem with this whole movie. Doom is back and we think he is going to get to be a bad ass because he jacks the Surfer's board (the source of his power) and he starts like that as he fries a military guy, but it is short lived because this movie wraps up in a mere 90 minutes. Which is its saving grace and its biggest flaw. Surfer has come to destroy the Earth, but not really. We learn a bit of the back story of Silver Surfer and we find out he is controlled by Galactus.
What is a Galactus exactly? Well, in the comic books he is often a giant purple planet looking thing with horns and he devours planets to stay alive. In this movie he appears briefly as a molten rock looking lava bursting planet thing being followed by a giant rain cloud full of debris from planets, rocks and the cosmos. While many will complain about how Galactus looks but he is one thing about the movie that didn't bother me. See, comics can get away with having a giant purple planet with horns, but on screen that would look ridiculous, so the director switched it up and that is not a problem. The problems are that most of the best "action" was given away by the trailer, the powers of the Four are still played too much for laughs and my biggest issue was that a fight between a board having Dr. Doom and a Johnny Storm who has all of the powers of the Four only lasts about 2 minutes, in that. If that fight had been as bad ass as it could have been, this entire movie could have been saved, in my opinion. Instead it goes to fast and we get a conclusion that has some of the most god awful dialogue ever. Not even Chris Evan's continues amazing portrayal of the cocky, young and hot Johnny Storm can save this franchise from becoming one big pratfall.
Catch and Release
It is incredibly rare when I find a very good romantic comedy and this movie does not fall into that category at all. A movie cannot solely rely on how adorable Jennifer Garner is to move it along and as adorable as she is, it cannot save this cornball movie. First off, Garner's name in this movie is Gray. So that sets up this gem of dialogue:
Gray: What's your favorite color?
Fritz: Gray
Yes they were in bed, post sex when that happened. God could that be anymore awful? Timothy Olyphant plays Fritz and while he has a certain amount of charm, it is lost in that god awful drivel passing as dialogue. I guess I could talk about the plot of the film. Gray is about to get married, but her husband to be dies in some sort of nondescript fishing accident. Fritz bangs one of the caterers at the funeral, while gray is sitting in the tub drying and thus begins their painful to watch relationship um blossom. Kevin Smith and Sam Jaeger play the best friends of the dead guy and soon the 4 of them are all living in a house together. The main issue of conflict is that while going through dead guy's finances Gray stumbles on some weird transactions in a secret bank account. It is found out that Gray's dead man was cheating on her with another woman and had a kid by her. This woman comes into the picture in the form of the incredibly obnoxious Julliette Lewis. This woman is supposed to be your typical hot southern California blond bimbo, but Lewis isn't hot enough to pass for that, so it annoys me that Gray is jealous of her looks. The dead guy has like 2 million dollars and so his kid gets it and Gray thinks she has shown up just to claim the money
For some reason the 3 male roommates invite the blond woman and her child over for dinner a few times, even though they do not know her and she has turned Gray's life upside down. Well, this is a romantic comedy so sappiness comes running down this movie like a river. Everyone quickly gets along, but wait, one of the male roommates is harboring a secret love on Gray and he tells her and shockingly it ruins the friendship. Oh, then we have Julliette Lewis' need for love and affection so in some absurd annoying plot turn, she and Kevin Smith hook up. The happy ending is nauseating beyond belief, but why shouldn't it be because the rest of the movie is just as nauseating. Kevin Smith does his best to save this movie, but he is speaking something completely different. While his character is very much a paint by the numbers type of sidekick, he injects some laughs playing a clean version of himself. Rumors are he wrote his own dialogue, which makes sense, although it makes the writer/director lose any sort of credibility. I wish I could say better things about this movie, but not even Jennifer Garner's vastly underused dimples could save this god awful movie.
Gray: What's your favorite color?
Fritz: Gray
Yes they were in bed, post sex when that happened. God could that be anymore awful? Timothy Olyphant plays Fritz and while he has a certain amount of charm, it is lost in that god awful drivel passing as dialogue. I guess I could talk about the plot of the film. Gray is about to get married, but her husband to be dies in some sort of nondescript fishing accident. Fritz bangs one of the caterers at the funeral, while gray is sitting in the tub drying and thus begins their painful to watch relationship um blossom. Kevin Smith and Sam Jaeger play the best friends of the dead guy and soon the 4 of them are all living in a house together. The main issue of conflict is that while going through dead guy's finances Gray stumbles on some weird transactions in a secret bank account. It is found out that Gray's dead man was cheating on her with another woman and had a kid by her. This woman comes into the picture in the form of the incredibly obnoxious Julliette Lewis. This woman is supposed to be your typical hot southern California blond bimbo, but Lewis isn't hot enough to pass for that, so it annoys me that Gray is jealous of her looks. The dead guy has like 2 million dollars and so his kid gets it and Gray thinks she has shown up just to claim the money
For some reason the 3 male roommates invite the blond woman and her child over for dinner a few times, even though they do not know her and she has turned Gray's life upside down. Well, this is a romantic comedy so sappiness comes running down this movie like a river. Everyone quickly gets along, but wait, one of the male roommates is harboring a secret love on Gray and he tells her and shockingly it ruins the friendship. Oh, then we have Julliette Lewis' need for love and affection so in some absurd annoying plot turn, she and Kevin Smith hook up. The happy ending is nauseating beyond belief, but why shouldn't it be because the rest of the movie is just as nauseating. Kevin Smith does his best to save this movie, but he is speaking something completely different. While his character is very much a paint by the numbers type of sidekick, he injects some laughs playing a clean version of himself. Rumors are he wrote his own dialogue, which makes sense, although it makes the writer/director lose any sort of credibility. I wish I could say better things about this movie, but not even Jennifer Garner's vastly underused dimples could save this god awful movie.
Waitress
If you are looking for something completely different from your summer movie going experience, it does not get much better or more different than this little gem of a movie. There is heart, drama, comedy, pie and Andy Griffith- what more could you possibly need? First off though, I have to talk about the writer/director/co-star, Adrienne Shelly because it is a tragic story. Months before this movie came out she was murdered in her apartment and knowing that made my movie going experience a bit bittersweet. However, she did write a fantastic movie and finding out it was her actual daughter at the end of the movie made the whole thing that much more tragic.
Jenna(Keri Russell) is a waitress and baker of pies living in a tiny town and she hates her life. She believes she is destined for more but her absolute jerk of a husband, Earl(Jeremy Sisto), keeps her down by taking her money, hitting her and constantly putting her down. Things get even more complicated when she finds out she is pregnant. This happened on a night when Earl got her incredibly drunk (the only way she'd sleep with him). The biggest problem is that Jenna wants nothing to do with the child. She is not excited and does not want to be congratulated, yet she refuses to even consider an abortion, she just doesn't plan on loving the child inside her. Dr. Pometter(Nathan Fillion) is the new doctor in town and right off the bat we can see the sparks flying between the two of them. Eventually this leads to a torrid affair that starts with pure sex and ends in an incredibly warm, touching and loving friendship. This is the heart of the film. The relationship between Dr. Pometter and Jenna moves the film along in some vortex of whimsical movie love and it is a joy for us to see Jenna finally smile because we have fallen in love with her and now we get to see what it is like for her to be happy. Sadly, the Doctor is married as well, so in reality we are watching a double affair happen and when you think about it in that term, it sucks, but that is life and this movie is pretty grounded in life.
Along for this wild ride are Jenna's two waitress friends (Shelly and Cheryl Hines) and they offer some laughs, some sympathy and some inject more of that heart that keeps this film pumping. Andy Griffith shows up as the owner of the diner and the first person who finds out about the pregnancy and the affair. He comes along to drop little gems of wisdom and a few dirty comments that just seem even dirtier coming from him. Everything about this movie works- the acting, dialogue, music, camera angles and the story. We cringe and groan every time we hear Earl driving up (he always honks like 7 times) and it takes us completely away from the joyous moments we witness and it is perfect. The uses of music mixed with swooping circular camera shots really punctuate a moment of sweetness or joy. Russell is absolutely flawless with her sparkling blue eyes and incredible subtle performance. Fillion makes the change from action star to warm romantic comedian seem easy as the somewhat bumbling doctor and all the supporting characters really help keep this film moving. I don't want to ruin the end of this movie, but it is satisfactory in a way a lot of movies aren't and gives the great woman's touch on the story.
Jenna(Keri Russell) is a waitress and baker of pies living in a tiny town and she hates her life. She believes she is destined for more but her absolute jerk of a husband, Earl(Jeremy Sisto), keeps her down by taking her money, hitting her and constantly putting her down. Things get even more complicated when she finds out she is pregnant. This happened on a night when Earl got her incredibly drunk (the only way she'd sleep with him). The biggest problem is that Jenna wants nothing to do with the child. She is not excited and does not want to be congratulated, yet she refuses to even consider an abortion, she just doesn't plan on loving the child inside her. Dr. Pometter(Nathan Fillion) is the new doctor in town and right off the bat we can see the sparks flying between the two of them. Eventually this leads to a torrid affair that starts with pure sex and ends in an incredibly warm, touching and loving friendship. This is the heart of the film. The relationship between Dr. Pometter and Jenna moves the film along in some vortex of whimsical movie love and it is a joy for us to see Jenna finally smile because we have fallen in love with her and now we get to see what it is like for her to be happy. Sadly, the Doctor is married as well, so in reality we are watching a double affair happen and when you think about it in that term, it sucks, but that is life and this movie is pretty grounded in life.
Along for this wild ride are Jenna's two waitress friends (Shelly and Cheryl Hines) and they offer some laughs, some sympathy and some inject more of that heart that keeps this film pumping. Andy Griffith shows up as the owner of the diner and the first person who finds out about the pregnancy and the affair. He comes along to drop little gems of wisdom and a few dirty comments that just seem even dirtier coming from him. Everything about this movie works- the acting, dialogue, music, camera angles and the story. We cringe and groan every time we hear Earl driving up (he always honks like 7 times) and it takes us completely away from the joyous moments we witness and it is perfect. The uses of music mixed with swooping circular camera shots really punctuate a moment of sweetness or joy. Russell is absolutely flawless with her sparkling blue eyes and incredible subtle performance. Fillion makes the change from action star to warm romantic comedian seem easy as the somewhat bumbling doctor and all the supporting characters really help keep this film moving. I don't want to ruin the end of this movie, but it is satisfactory in a way a lot of movies aren't and gives the great woman's touch on the story.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Surf's up
At this point in time I am fairly certain the world has had its fill of penguins but that didn't seem to deter this movie from being made. In fact, this movie takes penguins away from the socially conscience creatures they have become due to March of the Penguins and Happy feet and turns them into goofy and lovable characters. In this case, they are in love with surfing and pro surfers such as Kelly Slater appear in penguin form throughout the film. The story is your typical little "little man overcoming the odds" story and as he strives to be the best he realizes what is truly important and that is being happy. However, where this film differs from your usual film like that is that "family" has nothing to do with blood. In fact, our lead character's family is never on his side, even at the end of the movie.
Shia LaBeouf continues his hot streak here doing great energetic voice work for Cody, our hero. Cody is an undersized penguin who wants to be a world renowned surfer because as a baby "Big Z (the best surfing penguin)" gave him a necklace and told him to always follow his dreams. Big Z has since died and Cody wants his shot during the yearly Big Z memorial championship. Standing in his way is the fact that he is not a very good surfer and an evil tattooed penguin named Tank (voiced by Drew Carey's Deidrich Bader). Also in the mix are James Woods, playing a Don King like figure and Mario Cantone as the Don King's little gopher. Both hit home runs with their voice work, but Cantone is incredibly good considering I usually find his voice to be unbearable. The usually obnoxious Jon Heder ( Napoleon Dynamite) shows up as a chicken who surfs and while he is his usual slacker sounding self, the character gets a majority of the laughs. We tag on Jeff Bridges and Zooey Deschanel and our cast of gifted voice workers is complete.
The movie doesn't exactly soar but it is a better and good movie. Yes, the heart is a bit too heavily pounding at the end of this sappy story, but the intentions are good and you have to admire them for that. There are too many potty jokes and bathroom humor in this thing to really make me think this is a great movie but there are some cute kid penguins that get laughs, even if they area bit on the crude side. The innuendo works for me as things like "polishing your trophy" goes unnoticed by kids and by many of the adults, but was not lost on the teenage and twenty something crowd. The animation is incredible throughout but the stuff that happens in the jungle is absolutely stunning. The leaves, trees and ground often look like real life and the scene where a surf board is being shaved is just ridiculously real looking. Everything that happens here is predictable, but it is a fun summer escape film if you are looking for 90 minutes of fluff.
Shia LaBeouf continues his hot streak here doing great energetic voice work for Cody, our hero. Cody is an undersized penguin who wants to be a world renowned surfer because as a baby "Big Z (the best surfing penguin)" gave him a necklace and told him to always follow his dreams. Big Z has since died and Cody wants his shot during the yearly Big Z memorial championship. Standing in his way is the fact that he is not a very good surfer and an evil tattooed penguin named Tank (voiced by Drew Carey's Deidrich Bader). Also in the mix are James Woods, playing a Don King like figure and Mario Cantone as the Don King's little gopher. Both hit home runs with their voice work, but Cantone is incredibly good considering I usually find his voice to be unbearable. The usually obnoxious Jon Heder ( Napoleon Dynamite) shows up as a chicken who surfs and while he is his usual slacker sounding self, the character gets a majority of the laughs. We tag on Jeff Bridges and Zooey Deschanel and our cast of gifted voice workers is complete.
The movie doesn't exactly soar but it is a better and good movie. Yes, the heart is a bit too heavily pounding at the end of this sappy story, but the intentions are good and you have to admire them for that. There are too many potty jokes and bathroom humor in this thing to really make me think this is a great movie but there are some cute kid penguins that get laughs, even if they area bit on the crude side. The innuendo works for me as things like "polishing your trophy" goes unnoticed by kids and by many of the adults, but was not lost on the teenage and twenty something crowd. The animation is incredible throughout but the stuff that happens in the jungle is absolutely stunning. The leaves, trees and ground often look like real life and the scene where a surf board is being shaved is just ridiculously real looking. Everything that happens here is predictable, but it is a fun summer escape film if you are looking for 90 minutes of fluff.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Ocean's 13 (possible spoilers)
While I was one of the few people who actually really enjoyed Ocean's 12, I am happy to see the gang back in Vegas, where they belong. Pitt, Clooney, Damon and company are out for revenge on Al Pacino this time and the plot is even wilder than the last one. See, this time around, they are rigging every single game in the casino, all while only having a very short amount of time in which to do it. But, does the plot of these movies really matter all that much? I mean, these movies are the epitome of style over substance and in that realm, Director Steven Soderbergh has created yet another smug, self important and beautiful film. The quick shots of the hotel are amazing, the costumes cool and as smug as the attitudes of our "cooler than you" lead actors. Some people are turned off by the smugness of it all, but I happen to very much enjoy self important in jokes. I mean I count Aaron Sorkin as my favorite writer and I love those Mac commercials, so this really is right up my alley. There are numerous jokes about the actors, not the characters, just like in the previous ones, but we don't have to endure Julia Roberts here, which is an added bonus. Instead, we get a hilarious Ellen Barkin, mostly squeezing into dresses far to tight and she is always just a bit off balance. Also, Matt Damon gets to be the seducer here, which is played for some of the best laughs in the movie.
If there were an issue here, it would be that Brad Pitt doesn't have enough screen time as Rusty. In fact, some of the gang is barely here. They are sacrificed for more screen time for Pacino and Barkin. Casey Affleck and Scott Caan don't get much time together here, but Affleck is involved an the uproarious sub-plot involving a Mexican revolt where he speaks dead pan Spanish and it just cracked me up. Don Cheadle spends most of the movie on the side lines but in his one scene to shine he really does shine. The Oprah joke plays even better in the movie than it does in the trailer and plays into the movie later. Pitt and Clooney have an incredible chemistry and their scenes here are just as good as the previous movies, where they finish each other's sentences. Eddie Izzard has a big of a bigger role here and is mostly used as a plot device, well a device to let us in on the plans.
As for the actual heist, it is a blast to watch happen and it is hard not to just enjoy what is happening. Anything the boys need, they get. It is just that simple and that is what makes these movies fun. They are effortless, unapologetic fun. Candy for the brain at the beginning of summer. Where else are you going to find a movie where it is just accepted that people who rob casinos just happen to know Japanese and refuse to let us know what the Japanese character is actually saying. Yet another moment of smug self importance for me to giggle about! A little treat for having endured Pirates of the Caribbean: AT worlds end. If you have seen the first two movies you will see every twist coming and be able to tell what is actually happening from what they want the other characters to see, but having that knowledge makes you feel like you are apart of this team and raises the enjoyment level. The script is cool and breezy, full of jokes that are more clever than they should be and often result in giggles instead of full out laughter, but that is what it is supposed to be. This is supposed to be a series of films that makes us wish robbing casinos was a fun and easy process. We are supposed to want to put on ridiculous wigs and find a way to weigh down dice and in that regard, this movie is a home run and is a movie everyone should see.
If there were an issue here, it would be that Brad Pitt doesn't have enough screen time as Rusty. In fact, some of the gang is barely here. They are sacrificed for more screen time for Pacino and Barkin. Casey Affleck and Scott Caan don't get much time together here, but Affleck is involved an the uproarious sub-plot involving a Mexican revolt where he speaks dead pan Spanish and it just cracked me up. Don Cheadle spends most of the movie on the side lines but in his one scene to shine he really does shine. The Oprah joke plays even better in the movie than it does in the trailer and plays into the movie later. Pitt and Clooney have an incredible chemistry and their scenes here are just as good as the previous movies, where they finish each other's sentences. Eddie Izzard has a big of a bigger role here and is mostly used as a plot device, well a device to let us in on the plans.
As for the actual heist, it is a blast to watch happen and it is hard not to just enjoy what is happening. Anything the boys need, they get. It is just that simple and that is what makes these movies fun. They are effortless, unapologetic fun. Candy for the brain at the beginning of summer. Where else are you going to find a movie where it is just accepted that people who rob casinos just happen to know Japanese and refuse to let us know what the Japanese character is actually saying. Yet another moment of smug self importance for me to giggle about! A little treat for having endured Pirates of the Caribbean: AT worlds end. If you have seen the first two movies you will see every twist coming and be able to tell what is actually happening from what they want the other characters to see, but having that knowledge makes you feel like you are apart of this team and raises the enjoyment level. The script is cool and breezy, full of jokes that are more clever than they should be and often result in giggles instead of full out laughter, but that is what it is supposed to be. This is supposed to be a series of films that makes us wish robbing casinos was a fun and easy process. We are supposed to want to put on ridiculous wigs and find a way to weigh down dice and in that regard, this movie is a home run and is a movie everyone should see.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Mr. Brooks
There is something to be said about the small movies released amongst the big budget sequels and if you are looking for something different, this is a good movie to attend. It is fast, smart, a bit disturbing, has the loudest gun shots ever and will have you wondering "What is going to happen next" throughout. The main problem is, so often "what happens next" is exactly what you'd think would happen next. Every time the movie starts to veer into something different, it clings firmly to the concept of following the cliched path set aside for these types of films. That does not mean, however, that it is a bad movie because I found myself definitely enjoying it.
Kevin Costner plays Earl Brooks, a respected and wealthy man in the community. He has a beautiful wife, a college student daughter and has just won the man of the year award for his community. Oh he also manifests an alter ego in the form of William Hurt. Hurt has a name, Marshall, and is the vicious, serial killer persona that Costner tries to keep hidden by attending AA meetings. William Hurt is manically brilliant and this movie utilizes the separate personas brilliantly. Costner has full on conversations with him which gives a different variation on the serial killer movie. I mean, we actually get to hear what is going on through the mind of a killer and how he lives his life before and after kills. At the start of the film there is a brilliant scene in a car where Marshall is egging Earl on to kill someone, as Earl is driving with his wife. Eventually Marshall wins and we get a disturbing death/orgasm scene that really sets the tone for the movie. Earl claims he will never kill again, but a few new sub plots are introduced here and it becomes clear that he will kill again.
The first new plot consists of comedian Dane Cook who has taken pictures of Earl killing the couple. However, instead of blackmailing him for money or threatening to go to the police, Cook (going by Mr. Smith) wants Earl to teach him to kill. Yes, that is right, our serial killer may not be the most immoral character in the movie. Cook talks about how watching that couple have sex and taking pictures of it helped get him off, but that was nothing compared to the rush of watching Earl kill them and so now he wants to be a killer. The scene that feature Cook are bursting with a manic energy as he plays Mr. Smith like a kid about to get a new toy or a teenage boy about to lose his virginity. He harnesses his nervous energy with a giant evil smile and really puts forth a great character. One that is easy for everyone to hate, yet stay drawn to. Costner and Cook play well off each other and the scenes int he car really set this movie apart from the usual serial killer fare. The second sub plot involves Brook's daughter coming home from college early and she is without her car. It is obvious she is hiding a secret, but those things are hidden from the trailers for a reason so I will not give it all away. I will just say, I wish there was more of that idea in the movie.
Demi Moore also joins in the fun here as the cop looking for Brooks. Brooks has been titled "The Thumbprint killer" and Moore has been looking for him for a while. We find out it has been two years since his last kill. The Moore character is where this film veers off the good road. She gets an unnecessary back story, just to add time to the running time. She is from a wealthy family and is going through a rough divorce where the husband is asking for 5 million dollars. Also, a bad guy she put away has broken out of jail and may or may not be after her. Demi doesn't add anything here and to be honest, this movie would have better if the focus never went away from the killer and his life. Granted, this off plot does give us a very loud gun fight, but other than that I didn't need it.
There is no massive twist to the movie, although it keeps allowing you to think there will be and that is enough, really. The acting is very solid and the director seems to have an idea of what he is doing. His use of the rear view mirror is outstanding and plays very much into this movie. William Hurt is wonderful as a character that doesn't really exist, but the way he plays it, you almost forget he is a figment of Costner's imagination. Yes, it is hard to see Kevin Costner as a killer, but that is what makes this movie even more perverse and disturbing. It actually works very much in the movie's favor.
Kevin Costner plays Earl Brooks, a respected and wealthy man in the community. He has a beautiful wife, a college student daughter and has just won the man of the year award for his community. Oh he also manifests an alter ego in the form of William Hurt. Hurt has a name, Marshall, and is the vicious, serial killer persona that Costner tries to keep hidden by attending AA meetings. William Hurt is manically brilliant and this movie utilizes the separate personas brilliantly. Costner has full on conversations with him which gives a different variation on the serial killer movie. I mean, we actually get to hear what is going on through the mind of a killer and how he lives his life before and after kills. At the start of the film there is a brilliant scene in a car where Marshall is egging Earl on to kill someone, as Earl is driving with his wife. Eventually Marshall wins and we get a disturbing death/orgasm scene that really sets the tone for the movie. Earl claims he will never kill again, but a few new sub plots are introduced here and it becomes clear that he will kill again.
The first new plot consists of comedian Dane Cook who has taken pictures of Earl killing the couple. However, instead of blackmailing him for money or threatening to go to the police, Cook (going by Mr. Smith) wants Earl to teach him to kill. Yes, that is right, our serial killer may not be the most immoral character in the movie. Cook talks about how watching that couple have sex and taking pictures of it helped get him off, but that was nothing compared to the rush of watching Earl kill them and so now he wants to be a killer. The scene that feature Cook are bursting with a manic energy as he plays Mr. Smith like a kid about to get a new toy or a teenage boy about to lose his virginity. He harnesses his nervous energy with a giant evil smile and really puts forth a great character. One that is easy for everyone to hate, yet stay drawn to. Costner and Cook play well off each other and the scenes int he car really set this movie apart from the usual serial killer fare. The second sub plot involves Brook's daughter coming home from college early and she is without her car. It is obvious she is hiding a secret, but those things are hidden from the trailers for a reason so I will not give it all away. I will just say, I wish there was more of that idea in the movie.
Demi Moore also joins in the fun here as the cop looking for Brooks. Brooks has been titled "The Thumbprint killer" and Moore has been looking for him for a while. We find out it has been two years since his last kill. The Moore character is where this film veers off the good road. She gets an unnecessary back story, just to add time to the running time. She is from a wealthy family and is going through a rough divorce where the husband is asking for 5 million dollars. Also, a bad guy she put away has broken out of jail and may or may not be after her. Demi doesn't add anything here and to be honest, this movie would have better if the focus never went away from the killer and his life. Granted, this off plot does give us a very loud gun fight, but other than that I didn't need it.
There is no massive twist to the movie, although it keeps allowing you to think there will be and that is enough, really. The acting is very solid and the director seems to have an idea of what he is doing. His use of the rear view mirror is outstanding and plays very much into this movie. William Hurt is wonderful as a character that doesn't really exist, but the way he plays it, you almost forget he is a figment of Costner's imagination. Yes, it is hard to see Kevin Costner as a killer, but that is what makes this movie even more perverse and disturbing. It actually works very much in the movie's favor.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Knocked Up
Very rarely does a movie hit sex, pregnancy, love and marriage as hilarious, honest and raw as this movie. People cuss when they fight, sex doesn't seem to go how you want and the married couple seems to go through every emotion possible and it all happens with incredibly hilarious dialogue, solid performances and with a very sweet genuine nature. Normally when comedies go over an hour and 40 minutes, I worry because they start to fall apart, but this movie will keep you in stitches for the entire 2 hrs. Fresh off the success of The 40 year old Virgin, Writer/ Director Judd Apatow has created comedy gold yet again and he manages to do this one with very limited fart jokes or vomit jokes. Also off the success of "Virgin" Seth Rogen gets to step into the shoes of leading man as he plays an incredible slacker who hits the jack pot when he gets a one night stand with Katherine Heigl. The fact that she is far prettier than he is is not lost on the characters or us. One night of fun turns into pregnancy and our two main characters are forced to grow up in a hurry and face life, together. That is the basic plot, but it isn't really the plot that keeps this bad boy moving.
Seth has 4 friends (all played by Judd Apatow regulars) and the scenes in which the 5 guys are sitting around smoking pot and ragging on each other are truly spectacular. The guys have an obvious chemistry, having worked together on either Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared or "Virgin" and it is impossible to tell how much of this is acting and how much Apatow just set a camera in front of these guys and let them go. One of the friends has been dared not to cut his hair or shave for a year and the jokes about that come throughout the film and are eerily similar to the "You know how I know you are gay" jokes from "Virgin," Another stand out from that movie who shines here is the always brilliant Paul Rudd. No one in film has the presence, delivery and charm that Rudd has when it comes to comedy. He has a way of playing the straight man without making him feel dull around the bigger characters. His subtle delivery and just the slightest roll of the eyes can be the best moment in any given scene. Rudd takes part in the side plot of Heigl's brother-in-law, trapped in a bad marriage to Heigl's sister. The couple married because they had a kid and now have two kids and struggle every day to make it work. It gives credence to Heigl's hesitation to jumping into a relationship with Rogen and never feels like a boring side plot just to make the movie longer.
Everything in this movie works but it is the characters that give the movie heart. Rogen is very good when asked to do something other than crack a joke and makes all of us "average" looking guys look good by turning in a strong and likable performance. The writing doesn't just have him roll over for this hot girl, but you can tell he loves her. For Heigl's part, she was very good. I forgot I was watching Izzie from Grey's anatomy and just enjoyed her being nearly on edge the entire movie. Also, it never looks ridiculous that she could love someone less attractive than she is because of how tender she played her role. The supporting characters all have their moments to shine as well. The bouncer at the club just killed me in his monologue and even the assistant at Heigl's job had some fierce lines and impeccable delivery. James Franco, Ryan Seacrest and Steve Carrell all get great cameos with Seacrest shining as a jack ass version of himself, showing he does not take himself too seriously. The one-liners are smart and the pop culture references don't seem out of place and whole movie just feels real.
The plot takes predictable turns but the dialogue that gets them there is never predictable as the characters are not afraid of getting very nasty with each other, like real people do. The pregnant sex may be the most hilarious attempt at sex in movie history and the birth will give you a view on birth that is not shown in movies or on TV. Yes, the movie does have its fair share of crude and lewd behavior but underneath it is a real heart of a movie. The friends all care about each other and the closing moments in the waiting room really show this. Watching Rogen's character grow from a pot head who watches nude scenes all day into a man who is ready to care for a child is wonderfully done and watching Heigl shift from a very career driven woman into a woman ready to be in love is just great to see. This is the kind of comedy people should see and the kind of comedy people should quote for years to come.
Seth has 4 friends (all played by Judd Apatow regulars) and the scenes in which the 5 guys are sitting around smoking pot and ragging on each other are truly spectacular. The guys have an obvious chemistry, having worked together on either Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared or "Virgin" and it is impossible to tell how much of this is acting and how much Apatow just set a camera in front of these guys and let them go. One of the friends has been dared not to cut his hair or shave for a year and the jokes about that come throughout the film and are eerily similar to the "You know how I know you are gay" jokes from "Virgin," Another stand out from that movie who shines here is the always brilliant Paul Rudd. No one in film has the presence, delivery and charm that Rudd has when it comes to comedy. He has a way of playing the straight man without making him feel dull around the bigger characters. His subtle delivery and just the slightest roll of the eyes can be the best moment in any given scene. Rudd takes part in the side plot of Heigl's brother-in-law, trapped in a bad marriage to Heigl's sister. The couple married because they had a kid and now have two kids and struggle every day to make it work. It gives credence to Heigl's hesitation to jumping into a relationship with Rogen and never feels like a boring side plot just to make the movie longer.
Everything in this movie works but it is the characters that give the movie heart. Rogen is very good when asked to do something other than crack a joke and makes all of us "average" looking guys look good by turning in a strong and likable performance. The writing doesn't just have him roll over for this hot girl, but you can tell he loves her. For Heigl's part, she was very good. I forgot I was watching Izzie from Grey's anatomy and just enjoyed her being nearly on edge the entire movie. Also, it never looks ridiculous that she could love someone less attractive than she is because of how tender she played her role. The supporting characters all have their moments to shine as well. The bouncer at the club just killed me in his monologue and even the assistant at Heigl's job had some fierce lines and impeccable delivery. James Franco, Ryan Seacrest and Steve Carrell all get great cameos with Seacrest shining as a jack ass version of himself, showing he does not take himself too seriously. The one-liners are smart and the pop culture references don't seem out of place and whole movie just feels real.
The plot takes predictable turns but the dialogue that gets them there is never predictable as the characters are not afraid of getting very nasty with each other, like real people do. The pregnant sex may be the most hilarious attempt at sex in movie history and the birth will give you a view on birth that is not shown in movies or on TV. Yes, the movie does have its fair share of crude and lewd behavior but underneath it is a real heart of a movie. The friends all care about each other and the closing moments in the waiting room really show this. Watching Rogen's character grow from a pot head who watches nude scenes all day into a man who is ready to care for a child is wonderfully done and watching Heigl shift from a very career driven woman into a woman ready to be in love is just great to see. This is the kind of comedy people should see and the kind of comedy people should quote for years to come.
Hot Fuzz
I am not historically a fan of British humor. I have never really enjoyed a whole lot of Monty Python or any real English imports, but there is just something about the guys who made Shaun of the Dead and now, Hot Fuzz. I cannot quite put my finger on what makes them work. It may be that they seem have have seen every movie they parody and spoof, or just that the two main characters in both are just so darn likable. Well, whatever it is, I hope they continue to do this good kind of work because Hot Fuzz is an absolute riot of a time!
Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) is a cop who is so good at his job that his force sends him away because he makes them all look bad. Yes, it is sort of a silly starting off point, but it works and Simon Pegg can really act. He end sup in a small village where no crime happens (apparently) and he is reduced to chasing lost animals and giving speeding tickets only. The thing is, he doesn't seem to mind because he is dedicated to the job that he sees it as all part of the job. Angel is teamed up with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and it seems like an odd pairing from the beginning because while Angel has actually lived the cop life, Butterman only knows what he sees in the movies. And it seems as if Butterman has seen every action movie ever. The two main movies spoken of here are Point Break and Bad Boys two. The rest of the plot is as follows- People start dying, but they look like accidents and Angel is convinced of a murderous conspiracy. However, the rest of the cops are so used to these "accidental" deaths that they won't believe him. We also meet a cast of off individuals making up the Neighborhood watch, lead by the phenomenal Timothy Dalton and the excellent Jim Broadbent. Angel uncovers the plot and the actions ensues.
Yes, this movie is a satire on your typical big budget action film, but in its satire it is actually a very good action movie. Like they did with Shaun of the Dead, they poke fun at the genre while making a film good enough to fit in the genre. The gun fight at the end is wonderful, we have chases on foot and in cars and Edgar Wright (The director) moves the camera incredibly effectively, even using quick edits to his advantage, making normal things look fast by chopping up the scenes, so opening the fridge looks like a cool action shot. I love big budget popcorn movies and this fits right in there, only it is incredibly funny on top of having great action. They manage to get the classic Point Break moment and have the classic Helicopter slow motion shot from Bad Boys two in there, but both are done so slyly that it doesn't actually take away from the movie we are watching. The dialogue is snappy and as soon as you have recovered from laughing, you will be laughing again. Everyone does a great job and every time the movie looks like it might just get a bit too silly for my taste, it pulls back and becomes interesting. I went in expecting nothing and ended up truly enjoying my movie going experience.
Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) is a cop who is so good at his job that his force sends him away because he makes them all look bad. Yes, it is sort of a silly starting off point, but it works and Simon Pegg can really act. He end sup in a small village where no crime happens (apparently) and he is reduced to chasing lost animals and giving speeding tickets only. The thing is, he doesn't seem to mind because he is dedicated to the job that he sees it as all part of the job. Angel is teamed up with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and it seems like an odd pairing from the beginning because while Angel has actually lived the cop life, Butterman only knows what he sees in the movies. And it seems as if Butterman has seen every action movie ever. The two main movies spoken of here are Point Break and Bad Boys two. The rest of the plot is as follows- People start dying, but they look like accidents and Angel is convinced of a murderous conspiracy. However, the rest of the cops are so used to these "accidental" deaths that they won't believe him. We also meet a cast of off individuals making up the Neighborhood watch, lead by the phenomenal Timothy Dalton and the excellent Jim Broadbent. Angel uncovers the plot and the actions ensues.
Yes, this movie is a satire on your typical big budget action film, but in its satire it is actually a very good action movie. Like they did with Shaun of the Dead, they poke fun at the genre while making a film good enough to fit in the genre. The gun fight at the end is wonderful, we have chases on foot and in cars and Edgar Wright (The director) moves the camera incredibly effectively, even using quick edits to his advantage, making normal things look fast by chopping up the scenes, so opening the fridge looks like a cool action shot. I love big budget popcorn movies and this fits right in there, only it is incredibly funny on top of having great action. They manage to get the classic Point Break moment and have the classic Helicopter slow motion shot from Bad Boys two in there, but both are done so slyly that it doesn't actually take away from the movie we are watching. The dialogue is snappy and as soon as you have recovered from laughing, you will be laughing again. Everyone does a great job and every time the movie looks like it might just get a bit too silly for my taste, it pulls back and becomes interesting. I went in expecting nothing and ended up truly enjoying my movie going experience.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The last King of Scotland
To say that this movie is boring doesn't do the amount of boredom I felt any sort of justice. Sleep would have been entirely more entertaining. Of course, watching this movie for the movie is not what people do. people watch this movie to watch Forest Whittaker and in that aspect, he does not disappoint. I do have to warn any possible watchers of two things- Forest Whitaker is a supporting character (no matter what the Oscars say) and the main character is fictional, even though the movie is based in fact. Both of these things annoyed me. I was expecting to watch Whittaker just dominate my screen, but he is really a secondary character here. Yes, the movie is based off his character, but it is through the eyes of James McAvoy (the Scottish guy). McAvoy is the lead here and while he does a very good job, this movie just seems to be above and beyond what the director is capable of handling.
McAvoy stars as a fresh from medical school doctor. He is supposed to take over at his father's practice, but he wants to make a difference so he chooses to go to Uganda to be a doctor there. His intentions start off good. He wants to help the sick and poor, yet he also wants to bed his boss's wife (Gillian Anderson). Forest plays the new president of Uganda and he is mesmorizingly charming. Whittaker makes you forget his eyes are crazy and you believe the things he tells you. It is a truly remarkable performance and it is sad there isn't more of him here. After a car accident leaves Whittaker with a hurt hand, McAvoy comes to his rescue and Whittaker seduces McAvoy with nice food, new clothes and the promise of making a real difference and eventually McAvoy becomes his personal doctor. However, he is so much more than that. He becomes a close personal advisor and friend. He gets sucked into Whittaker's web, only to come to realization that Whittaker is a horrible man- killing thousands of innocent people, banishing his youngest wife because the son has epilepsy and torturing countless others. McAvoy wants a way out, but he is charged with killing Whittaker before he can find safe passage out.
I don't want to ruin the end because it is actually pretty good and engrossing, even though most of the movie is not. The director, Kevin McDonald, doesn't seem to trust his material or his performers because he is so set on quick cuts in every scene. I honestly believe the longest shot in the movie lasts about seven seconds. Each scene has about eight cameras on it and the cuts are so quick and so annoying that it really takes away from the drama and the acting instead of enhancing it, which is what good editing is supposed to do. The camera focuses on random things, choosing close ups of random parts of Whittaker's shirt during intense moments, which took away from the scene's intensity. Sadly, these camera issues come up throughout the entire film and really make it difficult to wan tot pay attention or get fully involved in what is going on. Often I found myself just not caring, which is not good for a movie dealing with a genocide. Otherwise strong performances get lost in the camera trickery and it really made me dislike this movie.
McAvoy stars as a fresh from medical school doctor. He is supposed to take over at his father's practice, but he wants to make a difference so he chooses to go to Uganda to be a doctor there. His intentions start off good. He wants to help the sick and poor, yet he also wants to bed his boss's wife (Gillian Anderson). Forest plays the new president of Uganda and he is mesmorizingly charming. Whittaker makes you forget his eyes are crazy and you believe the things he tells you. It is a truly remarkable performance and it is sad there isn't more of him here. After a car accident leaves Whittaker with a hurt hand, McAvoy comes to his rescue and Whittaker seduces McAvoy with nice food, new clothes and the promise of making a real difference and eventually McAvoy becomes his personal doctor. However, he is so much more than that. He becomes a close personal advisor and friend. He gets sucked into Whittaker's web, only to come to realization that Whittaker is a horrible man- killing thousands of innocent people, banishing his youngest wife because the son has epilepsy and torturing countless others. McAvoy wants a way out, but he is charged with killing Whittaker before he can find safe passage out.
I don't want to ruin the end because it is actually pretty good and engrossing, even though most of the movie is not. The director, Kevin McDonald, doesn't seem to trust his material or his performers because he is so set on quick cuts in every scene. I honestly believe the longest shot in the movie lasts about seven seconds. Each scene has about eight cameras on it and the cuts are so quick and so annoying that it really takes away from the drama and the acting instead of enhancing it, which is what good editing is supposed to do. The camera focuses on random things, choosing close ups of random parts of Whittaker's shirt during intense moments, which took away from the scene's intensity. Sadly, these camera issues come up throughout the entire film and really make it difficult to wan tot pay attention or get fully involved in what is going on. Often I found myself just not caring, which is not good for a movie dealing with a genocide. Otherwise strong performances get lost in the camera trickery and it really made me dislike this movie.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Bug
Working at the theater showing this film, I get to ask what people think when they come out of the theater and everyone coming out of this one has said the same things- “It’s slow”, “EEWW”, and “That is a terrible movie.” It made me a bit nervous about seeing it, but I went anyway and am very glad about it because it is very good. It is not without flaws but it is incredibly effective in its mission to freak you out! Adapted from an off Broadway success, Bug is a movie about paranoia, conspiracy theories and the effect they have on souls who believe them. It essentially takes place in one room and only has 5 actors which puts a whole lot of pressure on the actors and the director. Luckily, they are almost all up to the task.
Ashley Judd is a woman living out of a motel. She loves to drink and snort coke and only has one friend. She is afraid of her ex husband and he is played by a very menacing and scary Harry Connick Jr. Her one friend, Lynn Collins brings over a guy one night and Ashley and he hit it off. Michael Shannon is the man and as the two get to know each other we get some great awkward moments of dialogue. The dialogue feels natural coming from these actors and feels right at home in the dank, sweaty and musty motel room. Shannon is a former army soldier and as we learn quickly, he is a bit crazy. Eventually he has a complete meltdown and convinces Judd that they have been infested by bugs and that the government planted them there. I really liked how the script started planting those conspiracy theory seeds early in the film and how we get to see Ashley as someone who just needs something to hold on to or someone to believe in. Without a character or an actress who can give us that wanting, that needing, this movie would quickly derail into the absurdity it almost turns into. Judd is phenomenal in every way. She goes for the gusto and is unafraid of how she looks or how sounds. It is incredibly raw and crazy effective. Shannon, on the other hand, is just a bit too over the top for me. He keeps trying to push the movie further and further into Crazyland and risks the credibility they built early on.
This movie really belongs to the director, William Friedkin and his return to the creepy movies he made famous with The Exorcist. The shots in this thing are excellent, especially the shots coming down from the fan, or looking up at the fan. I am not sure I entirely understand the symbolism of constantly going back to the fan, other than that it could represent the helicopters Shannon hears during his delusions. While relying mostly on cool camera shots, Friedkin is not afraid to let things get bloody as we gruesomely watch Shannon attempt to rip his own tooth out, or as we watch him repeatedly stab a man in the stomach. It is good to see that Friedkin has not gone soft as he has gotten older. Save the last 10 minutes when things get just too over the top for me, this movie latched itself on to me and I enjoyed the ride. It is a shame most people are not enjoying it.
Ashley Judd is a woman living out of a motel. She loves to drink and snort coke and only has one friend. She is afraid of her ex husband and he is played by a very menacing and scary Harry Connick Jr. Her one friend, Lynn Collins brings over a guy one night and Ashley and he hit it off. Michael Shannon is the man and as the two get to know each other we get some great awkward moments of dialogue. The dialogue feels natural coming from these actors and feels right at home in the dank, sweaty and musty motel room. Shannon is a former army soldier and as we learn quickly, he is a bit crazy. Eventually he has a complete meltdown and convinces Judd that they have been infested by bugs and that the government planted them there. I really liked how the script started planting those conspiracy theory seeds early in the film and how we get to see Ashley as someone who just needs something to hold on to or someone to believe in. Without a character or an actress who can give us that wanting, that needing, this movie would quickly derail into the absurdity it almost turns into. Judd is phenomenal in every way. She goes for the gusto and is unafraid of how she looks or how sounds. It is incredibly raw and crazy effective. Shannon, on the other hand, is just a bit too over the top for me. He keeps trying to push the movie further and further into Crazyland and risks the credibility they built early on.
This movie really belongs to the director, William Friedkin and his return to the creepy movies he made famous with The Exorcist. The shots in this thing are excellent, especially the shots coming down from the fan, or looking up at the fan. I am not sure I entirely understand the symbolism of constantly going back to the fan, other than that it could represent the helicopters Shannon hears during his delusions. While relying mostly on cool camera shots, Friedkin is not afraid to let things get bloody as we gruesomely watch Shannon attempt to rip his own tooth out, or as we watch him repeatedly stab a man in the stomach. It is good to see that Friedkin has not gone soft as he has gotten older. Save the last 10 minutes when things get just too over the top for me, this movie latched itself on to me and I enjoyed the ride. It is a shame most people are not enjoying it.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At worlds end (spoilers)
This movie had one big positive going in: It could not possibly worse than the second one, right? Right? So freaking wrong! To be honest, it didn't start out so bad. In fact, the opening was cool (Well after the jokes between my father and I about how this was a musical). The first scene where we see our characters again was cool. Keira Knightley, in all her smoldering and snarling sexiness and Geoffrey Rush, back from the dead, lead the goofy band of too moronic to actually be good at pirating pirates, into some dark, steamy hole to meet up with Asian pirate, Chow Yun fat and the first band of Asian pirates in the movie. Don't worry later we get all kinds of stereotypical groups of pirates- more Asian pirates, a band of black pirates- you get the idea. This scene is strong because it is almost funny, has some cool fighting, a nice minor explosion and features soaking wet hotness, in the form of Orlando Bloom. Sadly, when this scene is over, the movie stumbles, wait no it just crash lands into the ground.
Jack Sparrow was swallowed by a giant vagina at the end of the last movie and now he is in Davey Jones' locker. This is where the movie hits bottom for the first time. Jack is all alone, but in his head he is leading the Black Pearl with a crew of Jack Sparrows. Yes, a whole bunch of obnoxious, stupid, bumbling and not-at-all funny Jack Sparrows are running around and one is clucking like a chicken and lays an egg. Why? Who knows, I guess to be funny, but sadly, no one was laughing. Then, Jack licks a rock, throws the rock and the rock turns into a crab. Then a whole bunch of rocks turn into a whole bunch of crabs and carry the ship to the water. I know, I know. What kind of drunken moron came up with this nonsense? Did the writers sit in a room, pass the weed and just write the first things that came to their minds? In case you want more, a running gag in the movie becomes Jack talking to other versions of himself. Yes, right on down to the mini Jack on each shoulder, telling him what he should do.
Everyone in this thing double crosses everyone else, but it is not nearly as confusing as people make it out to be. Perhaps though, I just stopped caring because this thing is just that bad. Orlando Bloom is trying to save his dad and whining about how Keira doesn't love him because Disney decided to try and force feed us a love triangle to appease those obnoxious IMDB fan girls who like to slam names together to create not-at-all cute nicknames like "willizabeth" or "Jackabeth." The day writers, directors and producers started looking towards web postings for plot lines, is the day the art died! Not even Geoffrey Rush manages to come out of this movie unscathed. His usual strong presence comes off way to far over the top to be interesting. Davey Jones love interest is revealed, but that entire plot line serves NO FUNCTION!! The goddess he loved creates the rainstorm the final battle takes place during, but like so much else in this movie, it is pointless.
There are also some coins that serve no purpose, unless they are specifically to set up the joke later in the movie about the junk pirates have and if that is the case, the joke needed to actually be funny, which it was not. And if you think I am just being harsh, 2 people in our theater actually laughed. The monkey and parrot are back and provide the only two very funny moments in this travesty of a film. Johnny Depp has lost an incredible amount of credibility with me and really has become Disney's bitch. There is nothing spectacular about this movie. The final battle feels rushed and lacks the wow that existed at the tail end of the second movie. Nothing in the movie makes sense and when it was over, I could not wait to get out of the theater. Yet, I was told to wait until after the credits for a scene, which I did. The scene is pointless. Shocking, I know! Why should the end have a point when the rest of the movie was void of having a point? Keira Knightley becomes the Pirate king and for a second I was actually hoping I had been brought back to Pioneer High's Pirates of Penzance, because at least that was funny. Keith Richards shows up in the most pointless cameo in the history of cameos as Jack's dad, but they exchange one sentence and his role could have been eliminated.
Jack Sparrow was swallowed by a giant vagina at the end of the last movie and now he is in Davey Jones' locker. This is where the movie hits bottom for the first time. Jack is all alone, but in his head he is leading the Black Pearl with a crew of Jack Sparrows. Yes, a whole bunch of obnoxious, stupid, bumbling and not-at-all funny Jack Sparrows are running around and one is clucking like a chicken and lays an egg. Why? Who knows, I guess to be funny, but sadly, no one was laughing. Then, Jack licks a rock, throws the rock and the rock turns into a crab. Then a whole bunch of rocks turn into a whole bunch of crabs and carry the ship to the water. I know, I know. What kind of drunken moron came up with this nonsense? Did the writers sit in a room, pass the weed and just write the first things that came to their minds? In case you want more, a running gag in the movie becomes Jack talking to other versions of himself. Yes, right on down to the mini Jack on each shoulder, telling him what he should do.
Everyone in this thing double crosses everyone else, but it is not nearly as confusing as people make it out to be. Perhaps though, I just stopped caring because this thing is just that bad. Orlando Bloom is trying to save his dad and whining about how Keira doesn't love him because Disney decided to try and force feed us a love triangle to appease those obnoxious IMDB fan girls who like to slam names together to create not-at-all cute nicknames like "willizabeth" or "Jackabeth." The day writers, directors and producers started looking towards web postings for plot lines, is the day the art died! Not even Geoffrey Rush manages to come out of this movie unscathed. His usual strong presence comes off way to far over the top to be interesting. Davey Jones love interest is revealed, but that entire plot line serves NO FUNCTION!! The goddess he loved creates the rainstorm the final battle takes place during, but like so much else in this movie, it is pointless.
There are also some coins that serve no purpose, unless they are specifically to set up the joke later in the movie about the junk pirates have and if that is the case, the joke needed to actually be funny, which it was not. And if you think I am just being harsh, 2 people in our theater actually laughed. The monkey and parrot are back and provide the only two very funny moments in this travesty of a film. Johnny Depp has lost an incredible amount of credibility with me and really has become Disney's bitch. There is nothing spectacular about this movie. The final battle feels rushed and lacks the wow that existed at the tail end of the second movie. Nothing in the movie makes sense and when it was over, I could not wait to get out of the theater. Yet, I was told to wait until after the credits for a scene, which I did. The scene is pointless. Shocking, I know! Why should the end have a point when the rest of the movie was void of having a point? Keira Knightley becomes the Pirate king and for a second I was actually hoping I had been brought back to Pioneer High's Pirates of Penzance, because at least that was funny. Keith Richards shows up in the most pointless cameo in the history of cameos as Jack's dad, but they exchange one sentence and his role could have been eliminated.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
28 weeks later (spoilers)
It could have easily been just another sequel. It could have been just another zombie flick. It could have been just some awful movie that ruined the legacy of what birthed it. However, it is none of those things. In fact, it is superior to the original in pretty much every way, except maybe the ending. In 28 days later, a virus unleashed on Britain and suddenly the entire country was turned into flesh eating creatures. You can't really call them zombies, because they can think, they seem to have memories and they are incredibly fast, but they were essentially zombies. The movie was a break out hit and so naturally we get the sequel. Now it is 28 weeks after the initial infection and we are to believe 6 months ago the last of the infected has died.
Before that though, we have the opening scene. It takes place during the outbreak and we get 6 people who are hiding from the zombies. I just figured it was night time during this scene, but when they open the door to let a child in, we get a giant ray of sunshine that nearly blinds these hiding people and suddenly the zombies are there. They enter in true zombie fashion, crashing windows and breaking the wood down. The Director has strapped a camera on the backs of a few of these creatures, so we get the action from their view and hear their growls and heavy breathing. It is incredibly effective and then we get a gut wrenching moment between two people and we are left to wonder what we would have done in that place. Cut to 28 weeks later and a man is reunited with his two children. Britain is thought to be safe and the American government is there to help get Britain up and running. Obviously things don't work out so well and all hell is unleashed all over the screen. There are a few underlying plots but this is a chase film and with fast zombies that makes the chase awesome.
First off, this movie is a zombie flick, but it is also an interesting commentary on Human arrogance. Am I looking too deep into this, possibly, but hear me out. A virus wipes out all of a country and in a matter months humans believe everything is just fine. It is not an American thing, or a military thing, it is a human thing to believe we rule the planet and we are bigger, badder and better than everything else. The initial chaos that ensues here is brutal, but not really in the way one would think. Watching a ton of people herded into a courtyard only to be picked off by the military because they cannot determine who is infected and who isn't is difficult to watch, but the way it is cut with an innocent child trying to find his sister and cut even more with an American solider unable to continue picking off innocent people is truly an effective piece of cinema. Yes there are actors in this movie, but it doesn't really matter, just know that there are some great gory moments, especially when we first see the virus make a comeback (sooo much blood!), we get a helicopter and zombie face off, that ousts anything Robert Rodriguez did in Grindhouse and then we get the crowning moment in this film: We get a scene shot through the scope of a rifle. The scene is pitch black, but we see bits of the screen through the night vision and wow does it ever work! Will a zombie jump out, will the children trip and fall, who knows but wow what a freaking great concept!
I went in not expecting too much, except I knew there was a ton of screaming and that was enough to spark my interest. Is this possibly an allegory to how America's military brand of fear only breeds more fear? I guess it is possible, but in the end this is a great zombie chase film, with some interesting camera tricks, a few great gore sequences and some kick ass music!
Before that though, we have the opening scene. It takes place during the outbreak and we get 6 people who are hiding from the zombies. I just figured it was night time during this scene, but when they open the door to let a child in, we get a giant ray of sunshine that nearly blinds these hiding people and suddenly the zombies are there. They enter in true zombie fashion, crashing windows and breaking the wood down. The Director has strapped a camera on the backs of a few of these creatures, so we get the action from their view and hear their growls and heavy breathing. It is incredibly effective and then we get a gut wrenching moment between two people and we are left to wonder what we would have done in that place. Cut to 28 weeks later and a man is reunited with his two children. Britain is thought to be safe and the American government is there to help get Britain up and running. Obviously things don't work out so well and all hell is unleashed all over the screen. There are a few underlying plots but this is a chase film and with fast zombies that makes the chase awesome.
First off, this movie is a zombie flick, but it is also an interesting commentary on Human arrogance. Am I looking too deep into this, possibly, but hear me out. A virus wipes out all of a country and in a matter months humans believe everything is just fine. It is not an American thing, or a military thing, it is a human thing to believe we rule the planet and we are bigger, badder and better than everything else. The initial chaos that ensues here is brutal, but not really in the way one would think. Watching a ton of people herded into a courtyard only to be picked off by the military because they cannot determine who is infected and who isn't is difficult to watch, but the way it is cut with an innocent child trying to find his sister and cut even more with an American solider unable to continue picking off innocent people is truly an effective piece of cinema. Yes there are actors in this movie, but it doesn't really matter, just know that there are some great gory moments, especially when we first see the virus make a comeback (sooo much blood!), we get a helicopter and zombie face off, that ousts anything Robert Rodriguez did in Grindhouse and then we get the crowning moment in this film: We get a scene shot through the scope of a rifle. The scene is pitch black, but we see bits of the screen through the night vision and wow does it ever work! Will a zombie jump out, will the children trip and fall, who knows but wow what a freaking great concept!
I went in not expecting too much, except I knew there was a ton of screaming and that was enough to spark my interest. Is this possibly an allegory to how America's military brand of fear only breeds more fear? I guess it is possible, but in the end this is a great zombie chase film, with some interesting camera tricks, a few great gore sequences and some kick ass music!
John Legend concert review
I should preface this by saying John Legend is among my favorite artists right now and is probably my favorite non rapper, ever. I have been dying to see him for the last 3 years, so I was primed for an insanely enjoyable evening.
I was at first annoyed with the lack of people showing up on time for the concert, mostly because I can't imagine being late to a movie, let alone a concert, but whatever, people are just lame. My friend and I had very good seats- first row of the first balcony a little off to the side, so we had a perfect view, really. The first thing to hit the stage was a band and we were introduced to Emily King. The band played a few bars to check the sound and get the beat going. Then Emily King hit the stage. She had some not too nice looking red pants on, but was totally rocking her boots. She said she was from New York and had been writing music for 6 years. Her music was fine, nothing mind blowing, but she had a good vibe to her. She plays guitar and does the same basic two step dance move through her set. Her music has an uplifting vibe with songs about not seeing race and accepting everyone as they are. Her banter isn't special, but she keeps things moving. She plays the first song she ever wrote and it is called "Business Man." She claims to have written it when she was 16 and while the topic feels ambitious for a 16 yr old, I have no reason not to believe her. The song deals with a man who is so wrapped up in his own money making ways that he can't see the misery that surrounds him. Like I said, not groundbreaking, but admirable. She is a pretty girl with a nice voice, but I kept waiting for her to really let loose on the vocals. It felt like she had the big voice, but wasn't sure of it so she kept backing away, opting for the head voice. The head voice sounded fine, but I just wanted that big belty note. Overall she is good, but I believe better things will be in her future. However, she is going to have to learn to not get upstaged by her bass guitar player because that dude was really feeling the music!
After a much too long feeling 25 minute break, the lights dimmed and my attention was brought back to the stage. Now on stage where about 10 people- 3 background singers, a drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, sound maker and 3 amazing horn players. Purple lights helped usher him in. There he was, not very far away from me. He slowly walks to the front of the stage. bowing and blowing kisses before sitting at the piano and taking us through the interlude for "Maxine." he opens with a slower number, which surprised me, but I didn't mind and no one else seemed to either. His band was on point, but never overpowering because Legend's vocals just soared beautifully through the auditorium. He goes through a few tracks before talking to us and when he does talk to to us, he isn't the best conversationalist, but that doesn't bother me, when the music is that good, who needs someone who will talk to me. he played all the big hits, all the best album cuts, a lesser known song he did with a samba artist and did a basic cover song while he introduced his band.
One of the most impressive things about Legend is how seamlessly he moves from playing piano to rocking the party, moving around the stage. He never missed a note as he put his Mike in whatever stand he was using and when he got the piano he just played flawlessly. I personally would have liked to see him behind the piano more, but that is just because I think that instrument is amazing. He emotes incredibly well with the piano and looks so comfortable behind the ivory keys. He doesn't let us in to how or where or why he wrote the songs but no one seemed to mind. The show moved quickly even with all the ballads he has. The audience was eating everything he was feeding us, most of them dancing in their chairs or the aisles. Even the horribly rhythmically challenged couple next to me could not help but get down. Legend wanted us to sing along and often wouldn't sing just encouraging us to sing, especially on "Ordinary People" which was one of the highlights of the show. Also, "Again" was astounding because it was just him and the piano. The lighting was incredible and his band was just spectacular, those horns were so crisp!
John has a song which deals with a soldier coming home from war and wondering where his placed in the world is. What I liked about him performing this song was that he didn't preface it or epilogue it with some anti-war sentiment or even a "Bring the troops" tirade. he simply let the music and pictures do the talking. During the song he had images put up of troops on the projection screen. They were enough for him to get his point across and he handled the song beautifully. It was his closer, well before the encore we all knew was coming. His first encore song was "Show me." I had never even realized the song was a prayer to God until he said so and It made the song make much for sense. He used the moment to talk about a charity for Ghana or Darfur, or another African country in need of help and the song just flowed with emotion. He ended the night with my favorite John Legend song "So High." It will be my wedding song and he again just sang it flawlessly, like everything else that night. I really could not have asked for a better show from a man who should have many many more years and many more tours to come. His music is accessible to everyone, as proven by the very diverse crowd last night and his live shows just bubble over with energy, romance, sexiness and honesty.
I was at first annoyed with the lack of people showing up on time for the concert, mostly because I can't imagine being late to a movie, let alone a concert, but whatever, people are just lame. My friend and I had very good seats- first row of the first balcony a little off to the side, so we had a perfect view, really. The first thing to hit the stage was a band and we were introduced to Emily King. The band played a few bars to check the sound and get the beat going. Then Emily King hit the stage. She had some not too nice looking red pants on, but was totally rocking her boots. She said she was from New York and had been writing music for 6 years. Her music was fine, nothing mind blowing, but she had a good vibe to her. She plays guitar and does the same basic two step dance move through her set. Her music has an uplifting vibe with songs about not seeing race and accepting everyone as they are. Her banter isn't special, but she keeps things moving. She plays the first song she ever wrote and it is called "Business Man." She claims to have written it when she was 16 and while the topic feels ambitious for a 16 yr old, I have no reason not to believe her. The song deals with a man who is so wrapped up in his own money making ways that he can't see the misery that surrounds him. Like I said, not groundbreaking, but admirable. She is a pretty girl with a nice voice, but I kept waiting for her to really let loose on the vocals. It felt like she had the big voice, but wasn't sure of it so she kept backing away, opting for the head voice. The head voice sounded fine, but I just wanted that big belty note. Overall she is good, but I believe better things will be in her future. However, she is going to have to learn to not get upstaged by her bass guitar player because that dude was really feeling the music!
After a much too long feeling 25 minute break, the lights dimmed and my attention was brought back to the stage. Now on stage where about 10 people- 3 background singers, a drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, sound maker and 3 amazing horn players. Purple lights helped usher him in. There he was, not very far away from me. He slowly walks to the front of the stage. bowing and blowing kisses before sitting at the piano and taking us through the interlude for "Maxine." he opens with a slower number, which surprised me, but I didn't mind and no one else seemed to either. His band was on point, but never overpowering because Legend's vocals just soared beautifully through the auditorium. He goes through a few tracks before talking to us and when he does talk to to us, he isn't the best conversationalist, but that doesn't bother me, when the music is that good, who needs someone who will talk to me. he played all the big hits, all the best album cuts, a lesser known song he did with a samba artist and did a basic cover song while he introduced his band.
One of the most impressive things about Legend is how seamlessly he moves from playing piano to rocking the party, moving around the stage. He never missed a note as he put his Mike in whatever stand he was using and when he got the piano he just played flawlessly. I personally would have liked to see him behind the piano more, but that is just because I think that instrument is amazing. He emotes incredibly well with the piano and looks so comfortable behind the ivory keys. He doesn't let us in to how or where or why he wrote the songs but no one seemed to mind. The show moved quickly even with all the ballads he has. The audience was eating everything he was feeding us, most of them dancing in their chairs or the aisles. Even the horribly rhythmically challenged couple next to me could not help but get down. Legend wanted us to sing along and often wouldn't sing just encouraging us to sing, especially on "Ordinary People" which was one of the highlights of the show. Also, "Again" was astounding because it was just him and the piano. The lighting was incredible and his band was just spectacular, those horns were so crisp!
John has a song which deals with a soldier coming home from war and wondering where his placed in the world is. What I liked about him performing this song was that he didn't preface it or epilogue it with some anti-war sentiment or even a "Bring the troops" tirade. he simply let the music and pictures do the talking. During the song he had images put up of troops on the projection screen. They were enough for him to get his point across and he handled the song beautifully. It was his closer, well before the encore we all knew was coming. His first encore song was "Show me." I had never even realized the song was a prayer to God until he said so and It made the song make much for sense. He used the moment to talk about a charity for Ghana or Darfur, or another African country in need of help and the song just flowed with emotion. He ended the night with my favorite John Legend song "So High." It will be my wedding song and he again just sang it flawlessly, like everything else that night. I really could not have asked for a better show from a man who should have many many more years and many more tours to come. His music is accessible to everyone, as proven by the very diverse crowd last night and his live shows just bubble over with energy, romance, sexiness and honesty.
Shaun of the dead
When I first saw this movie I just didn't get it. I was made to believe it was a satire or a parody on the zombie genre, but it wasn't funny enough to be a parody by any stretch of the imagination so I wrote if off very quickly. However, do to the persistent love the people around em have for it, I decided to give it a second chance and about 10 minutes into the second viewing I understood what was going on. They weren't trying to parody the genre they wanted to slyly change the genre so they made a very good zombie movie that happened to be funny, or at least that is how I took it.
Shaun is having a very bad week- his g/f is going to dump him, everyone hates his best friend, his job is miserable and all of a sudden Zombies are everywhere. At first, Shaun is oblivious to his surroundings which comes off very funny as he leaves his house, goes to the store, buys a soda and goes back home all while there are zombies on the screen behind him. It isn't truly laugh out loud humor but it a nice subtle humor. It something zombie movie fans can really enjoy. When they realize they are surrounded by Zombies, Shaun and his slacker, fart heavy best friend, Ed, take matters into their own hands by trying to kill the zombies. The news tells them to aim for the heads, so they start throwing all this random stuff at the heads, but the brilliant moment comes when they start throwing records at the Zombies and they have to go through the record collection deciding what is ok to break. really classic stuff.
If you know Zombie movies, you know what it going to happen, but some of the little things set this apart, like a dart going into Shaun's head. It is hard to convey the humor in words here, but just know that there are funny moments wrapped up inside a good movie. Watching those still living pretend to be zombies to fool the actual zombies is very clever and makes you wonder why people didn't try that in other movies of this ilk. The acting is not incredible and the forced emotional scenes really do not work for me, but it is part of the charm of a zombie movie, I believe.
Shaun is having a very bad week- his g/f is going to dump him, everyone hates his best friend, his job is miserable and all of a sudden Zombies are everywhere. At first, Shaun is oblivious to his surroundings which comes off very funny as he leaves his house, goes to the store, buys a soda and goes back home all while there are zombies on the screen behind him. It isn't truly laugh out loud humor but it a nice subtle humor. It something zombie movie fans can really enjoy. When they realize they are surrounded by Zombies, Shaun and his slacker, fart heavy best friend, Ed, take matters into their own hands by trying to kill the zombies. The news tells them to aim for the heads, so they start throwing all this random stuff at the heads, but the brilliant moment comes when they start throwing records at the Zombies and they have to go through the record collection deciding what is ok to break. really classic stuff.
If you know Zombie movies, you know what it going to happen, but some of the little things set this apart, like a dart going into Shaun's head. It is hard to convey the humor in words here, but just know that there are funny moments wrapped up inside a good movie. Watching those still living pretend to be zombies to fool the actual zombies is very clever and makes you wonder why people didn't try that in other movies of this ilk. The acting is not incredible and the forced emotional scenes really do not work for me, but it is part of the charm of a zombie movie, I believe.
The Clipse "Hell hath no fury" album review
In 2006 this was one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums and I didn't get my hands on it until right now, so here goes:
We got it for cheap intro- This song really does set the tone for the album with the focus on drugs and punchlines like "its heartbreaking like falling in love with a whore." Classy it may not be, but I got a giggle out of that line the first 4 or 5 time, which I believe is the point. The Neptunes utilize some vocal samples, which is rare for them, but it works here. It sounds like good things are to come from this album, right? 4/5
momma I'm sorry- The Neptunes use a beat that sounds very much like The Rza could have done this for a Ghostface album in the late 90's, which gives the Neptunes two different sounding beats right off the bat. It is obvious The Clipse feel perfectly at home with these beats, but this one might be just a bit too funky for them, although the hook is probably the strongest of the album. More simile heavy drug raps but they certainly have a charisma for it and it doesn't bother me much to hear it two songs in a row. 3.5/5
Mr. Me too- One of the hottest songs of 2006, really. The beat is crazy minimalist and puts the brunt of the pressure square on the shoulders of those rapping over it. Pharrell drops a verse where he backs off his usual shrill voice and it suits him. It is your typical brag heavy, "I'm super duper rich and you aren't" type song, but they do throw a few shots on their label, "And I'm sorry to the fans but the crackers weren't playing fair Jive." Ok so it gets tiring listening to rappers call white people crackers and blame them for album issues, but here it actually makes sense because the group turned in a few different versions of this album and kept getting pushed back. 5/5
Wamp Wamp (what it do)- Another banger by the Neptunes. Foxy Brown had this beat, but passed on it. The Clipse grabbed it and when Foxy heard what they did to it, she wanted it back. How anyone passes on this joint is beyond me. The beat is incredibly percussion heavy, actually it might just be a Brazilian percussion section on the beat, until the hook drops a few synthesized sounds. The hook is boring and Slim Thug should stop rapping but the simile "These hoes holla back like they are parrots" makes me laugh. Also, how they got "Lamp ya" to rhyme with "santa" is impressive.5/5
Ride around shining- So far it looks as if this is a classic album, but here is where the album starts to fall apart. The Neptunes have managed to drop 5 different sounding beats, which is good, but here the rappers finally lose out to the beat. Nothing in this song is as interesting as the beat. I drive big cars, I got enough ice to freeze people and I sell drugs very well. Blah, Blah, Blah. Oh they also mention guns and use the word "faggot" just to complete the "I'm completely ignorant" trifecta. 2/5 but the beat gets a 5/5
dirty money- The second most annoying hook on this album. I do not need someone whispering "dirty money" over and over again. The guitar sounds are interesting but even this meat feels lazy. This song is talking about all the things you can do with all the money they made from all the drugs they sold. I guess the point is "money is money" no matter how you got it, but I just don't need another song that name drops clothing labels while talking about reaping the benefits of the drug game. It is not a moral issue for me, I just want diversity on my albums. 1/5
Hello new world- Pharrell is finally singing on a hook. I was surprised it took like 7 or 8 songs for this, but here he is. "I listen to the beat and the rhyme is wrote" is a dope line to begin the verse with but the verse kind of goes into that typical place. I mean I get it, poor youth get money and want the world to know they can buy a boat and live near rich white people who hate them. However, in the second verse the group starts to make sense when they tell the youth to make money without selling drugs with the line "If hustling is a must be Sosa, not Tony." But it rings hollow because they spend a whole lot of time bragging about drugs. Where Jay-Z or Biggie never bragged about how good they were at selling drugs, these guy flaunt it around like crazy. 3/5
Keys open doors- One of the most obnoxious hooks I have ever heard in a song. It makes me wish it was just a boring nothing hook, but it insists on being incredibly annoying. The beat is fire, with some haunting chanting sounding things going on in the background. More I sell drugs so I get cars B.S. I am basically over the album at this point, but there are still a few songs left. 1/5 but the beat gets a 4/5
Ain't cha- The lyrics of this song can be summed up by the very first line "Rugers spare I drapes, baking pies, baking cake" Yes pies and cake are slang for drugs. Shocking, I know. Yet, they actually have a sick flow on this track until I realized this was a posse cut and I would have to sit through even worse drug style rappers. A repetitive beat seems to fit with a repetitive hook and repetitive lyrics. ugh! 1/5
Trill- This sounds very futuristic on the beat, like Timbaland could have done the beat, but the beat is so busy it is nearly impossible to focus on anything else that is going on in the song. It i a rare uptempo track for The Clipse and they manage to speed up their very distinct slower flow alright on the song. I still can't get into their hooks and an 8 bar section sums up this whole album: So many different things make me trill/ Start with that 'B' with wings over the grill/ Maybe how my way with words make me mills/ Or maybe it's my way with birds digital scales/ Young, restless, talk so reckless/ Two hundred thousand up in my necklace/ Four of ya Hummers wrapped round my neck bitch/ I ain't mention the Rolly red-neck like Texas. Not sure how "neck bitch" and "Texas" rhyme but I admire the effort but seriously could this album get anymore annoying? 1/5
Chinese new year- Finally the gun song is here! The beat sound very video game like which doesn't work for me here. However, there is some rhyming that impresses me here like this line "Ernie and Bert, I bet them bullet holes burning and hurt". Ok I lied that is the only rhyme that impresses me here. Yes, they sold drugs so they probably did actually have gun, but what a breath of fresh air it would be it these people talked about how dangerous the whole thing was instead of how much money they made from it. People wonder why hip-hop has a very bad name, well calling this album a "classic" is part of that problem, ok maybe it is a moral issue. 1/5
nightmares- The Neptunes finally produce a song that sounds like that classic R&B sounding Neptunes beat. Pharrell finally uses his weak falsetto that he thinks is so incredible but even though it is weak I have always enjoyed it. Wait I just checked, this isn't Pharrell, it is Bilal doing his best Pharrell impression. Why didn't Pharrell just do it himself? I thought this was going to be a song that talks about the ills of drugs, but it just talks about the ills of keeping bad people around you. However, maybe if they weren't flaunting their money around like ignorant children, people wouldn't want it. Boring, Boring, Boring!!
It is rare that an album starts off so strong and completely falls apart like this one does, but when you have such a limited scope of things to talk about, that is what happens. I think there is talent there, but until they branch out and talk about anything else, I can't imagine listening much to them especially because they are overshadowed by the beats through most of the album.
We got it for cheap intro- This song really does set the tone for the album with the focus on drugs and punchlines like "its heartbreaking like falling in love with a whore." Classy it may not be, but I got a giggle out of that line the first 4 or 5 time, which I believe is the point. The Neptunes utilize some vocal samples, which is rare for them, but it works here. It sounds like good things are to come from this album, right? 4/5
momma I'm sorry- The Neptunes use a beat that sounds very much like The Rza could have done this for a Ghostface album in the late 90's, which gives the Neptunes two different sounding beats right off the bat. It is obvious The Clipse feel perfectly at home with these beats, but this one might be just a bit too funky for them, although the hook is probably the strongest of the album. More simile heavy drug raps but they certainly have a charisma for it and it doesn't bother me much to hear it two songs in a row. 3.5/5
Mr. Me too- One of the hottest songs of 2006, really. The beat is crazy minimalist and puts the brunt of the pressure square on the shoulders of those rapping over it. Pharrell drops a verse where he backs off his usual shrill voice and it suits him. It is your typical brag heavy, "I'm super duper rich and you aren't" type song, but they do throw a few shots on their label, "And I'm sorry to the fans but the crackers weren't playing fair Jive." Ok so it gets tiring listening to rappers call white people crackers and blame them for album issues, but here it actually makes sense because the group turned in a few different versions of this album and kept getting pushed back. 5/5
Wamp Wamp (what it do)- Another banger by the Neptunes. Foxy Brown had this beat, but passed on it. The Clipse grabbed it and when Foxy heard what they did to it, she wanted it back. How anyone passes on this joint is beyond me. The beat is incredibly percussion heavy, actually it might just be a Brazilian percussion section on the beat, until the hook drops a few synthesized sounds. The hook is boring and Slim Thug should stop rapping but the simile "These hoes holla back like they are parrots" makes me laugh. Also, how they got "Lamp ya" to rhyme with "santa" is impressive.5/5
Ride around shining- So far it looks as if this is a classic album, but here is where the album starts to fall apart. The Neptunes have managed to drop 5 different sounding beats, which is good, but here the rappers finally lose out to the beat. Nothing in this song is as interesting as the beat. I drive big cars, I got enough ice to freeze people and I sell drugs very well. Blah, Blah, Blah. Oh they also mention guns and use the word "faggot" just to complete the "I'm completely ignorant" trifecta. 2/5 but the beat gets a 5/5
dirty money- The second most annoying hook on this album. I do not need someone whispering "dirty money" over and over again. The guitar sounds are interesting but even this meat feels lazy. This song is talking about all the things you can do with all the money they made from all the drugs they sold. I guess the point is "money is money" no matter how you got it, but I just don't need another song that name drops clothing labels while talking about reaping the benefits of the drug game. It is not a moral issue for me, I just want diversity on my albums. 1/5
Hello new world- Pharrell is finally singing on a hook. I was surprised it took like 7 or 8 songs for this, but here he is. "I listen to the beat and the rhyme is wrote" is a dope line to begin the verse with but the verse kind of goes into that typical place. I mean I get it, poor youth get money and want the world to know they can buy a boat and live near rich white people who hate them. However, in the second verse the group starts to make sense when they tell the youth to make money without selling drugs with the line "If hustling is a must be Sosa, not Tony." But it rings hollow because they spend a whole lot of time bragging about drugs. Where Jay-Z or Biggie never bragged about how good they were at selling drugs, these guy flaunt it around like crazy. 3/5
Keys open doors- One of the most obnoxious hooks I have ever heard in a song. It makes me wish it was just a boring nothing hook, but it insists on being incredibly annoying. The beat is fire, with some haunting chanting sounding things going on in the background. More I sell drugs so I get cars B.S. I am basically over the album at this point, but there are still a few songs left. 1/5 but the beat gets a 4/5
Ain't cha- The lyrics of this song can be summed up by the very first line "Rugers spare I drapes, baking pies, baking cake" Yes pies and cake are slang for drugs. Shocking, I know. Yet, they actually have a sick flow on this track until I realized this was a posse cut and I would have to sit through even worse drug style rappers. A repetitive beat seems to fit with a repetitive hook and repetitive lyrics. ugh! 1/5
Trill- This sounds very futuristic on the beat, like Timbaland could have done the beat, but the beat is so busy it is nearly impossible to focus on anything else that is going on in the song. It i a rare uptempo track for The Clipse and they manage to speed up their very distinct slower flow alright on the song. I still can't get into their hooks and an 8 bar section sums up this whole album: So many different things make me trill/ Start with that 'B' with wings over the grill/ Maybe how my way with words make me mills/ Or maybe it's my way with birds digital scales/ Young, restless, talk so reckless/ Two hundred thousand up in my necklace/ Four of ya Hummers wrapped round my neck bitch/ I ain't mention the Rolly red-neck like Texas. Not sure how "neck bitch" and "Texas" rhyme but I admire the effort but seriously could this album get anymore annoying? 1/5
Chinese new year- Finally the gun song is here! The beat sound very video game like which doesn't work for me here. However, there is some rhyming that impresses me here like this line "Ernie and Bert, I bet them bullet holes burning and hurt". Ok I lied that is the only rhyme that impresses me here. Yes, they sold drugs so they probably did actually have gun, but what a breath of fresh air it would be it these people talked about how dangerous the whole thing was instead of how much money they made from it. People wonder why hip-hop has a very bad name, well calling this album a "classic" is part of that problem, ok maybe it is a moral issue. 1/5
nightmares- The Neptunes finally produce a song that sounds like that classic R&B sounding Neptunes beat. Pharrell finally uses his weak falsetto that he thinks is so incredible but even though it is weak I have always enjoyed it. Wait I just checked, this isn't Pharrell, it is Bilal doing his best Pharrell impression. Why didn't Pharrell just do it himself? I thought this was going to be a song that talks about the ills of drugs, but it just talks about the ills of keeping bad people around you. However, maybe if they weren't flaunting their money around like ignorant children, people wouldn't want it. Boring, Boring, Boring!!
It is rare that an album starts off so strong and completely falls apart like this one does, but when you have such a limited scope of things to talk about, that is what happens. I think there is talent there, but until they branch out and talk about anything else, I can't imagine listening much to them especially because they are overshadowed by the beats through most of the album.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight" cd review
Wake- I think right off the bat, LP is trying to distance itself from that nu-metal tag they had when the fusion of rap/rock was ruling the universe because this is just an instrumental without the signature LP scratches and great Mr. Hahn sounds. Boo on this as a lead in to a new cd.-0/5
Given up- Here is really the first track on the new CD and again, LP is going out of its way to get rid of that rap/rock label, but sadly I really liked their rap/rock fusion. This song isn't terrible at the start and even the hook works for me when he actually sings it. The darkness that usually came with LP songs is gone here and they have a very bright sound now. The cool mixing and scratching seems to be gone good, replaced by furious guitars and obnoxious screaming. More screaming than a normal LP song. Also, they are swearing on their songs now.-2.5/5
Leave out all the rest-Before anyone heard of Linkin park they had a song called "My December" and it was a very subtle ballad, but still sounded good. This is another one of those ballad like songs that seems to work for me. The song is about trying to capture only the good moments in your mind. There is a sense of cautious optimism here and Chester has a pretty Good voice, when he chooses to use it.- 4/5
Bleed it out- This song really sounds like a throw away track from a Limp Bizkit album during the introduction and sadly it seems to continue through the opening verse. After that beginning verse the hook opens up and Chester really lets loose on the hook, which I like but it returns quickly to that bad Limp Bizkit impression. 2.5/5
Shadow of the day- While there is still no Mike Shinoda(the rapper) to be found this sounds like vintage LP. There is a beat behind it and Chester is easily understood. The themes fit with the usual LP themes. This could easily be a single with mainstream appeal because it is fairly slow, the hook is easily sung and it just sounds like a good track. It is definitely the soft side of Chester but it seems to work him here.-4/5
What I've done- This song works better with the video. It gives the song meaning because on its own, it just seems to be here. I like, the guitars and even the melody, but with the video and its images of war, protest and other national ills, it just clicks together. The song is about not liking who you have become and trying to get back to who you used to be. 4/5
Hands Held High- Mike Shinoda is finally on the CD! It sets a fire under LP as well. It is a slower song and the haunting "amen" hook is gorgeously placed, especially when you actually listen tot he highly politically charged lyrics. Shinoda is not happy: Like this wars really just a different brand of war/ Like it doesn't cater the rich and the fan and poor/Like they understand you in the back of the jet/When you can't put gas in your tank. Or "Do you see the soldiers they're out today/They brush the guts with bullet proof vests away/It's ironic at times like this you pray/ But a bomb blew up the mosque yesterday." Shinoda is best when he gets to do this and it is the best track on the CD, easily. 5/5
No more sorrow- Another highly political track as LP gets it Bush hating on with lines like "Your crusade's a disguise /Replace freedom with fear/ You trade money for lives. Then on the bridge Chester just screams "Face the Hypocrites" over and over. It is incredibly effective and LP has maybe found their calling as a political band, like Rage.-5/5
Valentine's day- Vintage LP theme of feeling all alone in the world, but they just sound bored, or despondent. It is a boring, morose song and doesn't have any energy behind it. My favorite thing about this band is the energy behind the music and it just feels nonexistent here. I yawn at this track. When the hook comes in at the 2:20 mark it gets a bit more interesting.-1/5
In between- I got this CD illegally so I do not have the liner notes with me, but I believe Shinoda is actually singing here. It is a change of pace for him and it suits him here. Another ballad like song, but it focuses on the lyrics, and while I prefer the rapper Shinoda lyrics this song works for me. It is a subtle song and almost sounds out of place here, but because of that I like it here.- 3.5/5
In Pieces- This is the song I keep humming to myself from the album. To me it is the big hit. It starts off quiet and then speeds up just a little bit but it gives an energy on it and that is a nice addition to a pretty bland album. 4/5
The Little things give you away- Another scathing political track, this time focusing on Katrina. "All you've ever wanted Was someone to truly look up to you/ And six feet under water I Do." It goes on and on like this just brutal stuff, but perfectly done. The music is haunting and Chester's voice sounds amazing on these kinds of tracks, There is a guitar solo that is used with the sound of wind sweeping through the ocean air and it is almost gorgeous how it all comes together. Again, maybe LP needs to stay political.5/5
I wanted so badly to like this album because LP was a group I loved. Shinoda is a very talented rapper and producer and their music always spoke to me and it was interesting. In an attempt to get away from that dying genre, LP has produced a mostly boring album with a few stand out cuts. I wish they had decided to go against the grain and stayed that rap/rock group I grew to love. I wonder if they will continue to work as a band, or least wonder if Shinoda will stay in the band because he has a really good rap thing going on with Fort Minor and he is wasted on this album, big time!
Given up- Here is really the first track on the new CD and again, LP is going out of its way to get rid of that rap/rock label, but sadly I really liked their rap/rock fusion. This song isn't terrible at the start and even the hook works for me when he actually sings it. The darkness that usually came with LP songs is gone here and they have a very bright sound now. The cool mixing and scratching seems to be gone good, replaced by furious guitars and obnoxious screaming. More screaming than a normal LP song. Also, they are swearing on their songs now.-2.5/5
Leave out all the rest-Before anyone heard of Linkin park they had a song called "My December" and it was a very subtle ballad, but still sounded good. This is another one of those ballad like songs that seems to work for me. The song is about trying to capture only the good moments in your mind. There is a sense of cautious optimism here and Chester has a pretty Good voice, when he chooses to use it.- 4/5
Bleed it out- This song really sounds like a throw away track from a Limp Bizkit album during the introduction and sadly it seems to continue through the opening verse. After that beginning verse the hook opens up and Chester really lets loose on the hook, which I like but it returns quickly to that bad Limp Bizkit impression. 2.5/5
Shadow of the day- While there is still no Mike Shinoda(the rapper) to be found this sounds like vintage LP. There is a beat behind it and Chester is easily understood. The themes fit with the usual LP themes. This could easily be a single with mainstream appeal because it is fairly slow, the hook is easily sung and it just sounds like a good track. It is definitely the soft side of Chester but it seems to work him here.-4/5
What I've done- This song works better with the video. It gives the song meaning because on its own, it just seems to be here. I like, the guitars and even the melody, but with the video and its images of war, protest and other national ills, it just clicks together. The song is about not liking who you have become and trying to get back to who you used to be. 4/5
Hands Held High- Mike Shinoda is finally on the CD! It sets a fire under LP as well. It is a slower song and the haunting "amen" hook is gorgeously placed, especially when you actually listen tot he highly politically charged lyrics. Shinoda is not happy: Like this wars really just a different brand of war/ Like it doesn't cater the rich and the fan and poor/Like they understand you in the back of the jet/When you can't put gas in your tank. Or "Do you see the soldiers they're out today/They brush the guts with bullet proof vests away/It's ironic at times like this you pray/ But a bomb blew up the mosque yesterday." Shinoda is best when he gets to do this and it is the best track on the CD, easily. 5/5
No more sorrow- Another highly political track as LP gets it Bush hating on with lines like "Your crusade's a disguise /Replace freedom with fear/ You trade money for lives. Then on the bridge Chester just screams "Face the Hypocrites" over and over. It is incredibly effective and LP has maybe found their calling as a political band, like Rage.-5/5
Valentine's day- Vintage LP theme of feeling all alone in the world, but they just sound bored, or despondent. It is a boring, morose song and doesn't have any energy behind it. My favorite thing about this band is the energy behind the music and it just feels nonexistent here. I yawn at this track. When the hook comes in at the 2:20 mark it gets a bit more interesting.-1/5
In between- I got this CD illegally so I do not have the liner notes with me, but I believe Shinoda is actually singing here. It is a change of pace for him and it suits him here. Another ballad like song, but it focuses on the lyrics, and while I prefer the rapper Shinoda lyrics this song works for me. It is a subtle song and almost sounds out of place here, but because of that I like it here.- 3.5/5
In Pieces- This is the song I keep humming to myself from the album. To me it is the big hit. It starts off quiet and then speeds up just a little bit but it gives an energy on it and that is a nice addition to a pretty bland album. 4/5
The Little things give you away- Another scathing political track, this time focusing on Katrina. "All you've ever wanted Was someone to truly look up to you/ And six feet under water I Do." It goes on and on like this just brutal stuff, but perfectly done. The music is haunting and Chester's voice sounds amazing on these kinds of tracks, There is a guitar solo that is used with the sound of wind sweeping through the ocean air and it is almost gorgeous how it all comes together. Again, maybe LP needs to stay political.5/5
I wanted so badly to like this album because LP was a group I loved. Shinoda is a very talented rapper and producer and their music always spoke to me and it was interesting. In an attempt to get away from that dying genre, LP has produced a mostly boring album with a few stand out cuts. I wish they had decided to go against the grain and stayed that rap/rock group I grew to love. I wonder if they will continue to work as a band, or least wonder if Shinoda will stay in the band because he has a really good rap thing going on with Fort Minor and he is wasted on this album, big time!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Bone "Strength and Loyalty" cd review
Flow Motion- Bone is back in pure late 90's form and this track is the perfect lead off hitter. The beat is fast paced and really captures the crazy rapping style of the members of this fast tongued collective. I have no idea what they are saying, but I don't care. This is the kind of song you wan tot put in your car, roll your windows down and just drive. The hook is basic to contrast the energy of the lyrical assault. Damn, Bone wanted to really show they were not dead. Wow! 5/5
Bump in the Truck- I can't say this sounds like a Bone song right off the bat, but they manage to make it their own as they hit the repetitive beat over the side of the head, with their harmonious sing songy quick delivered raps. It is a bit easier to understand what they are saying here as they try to craft an actual song here, not just an all out assault. Swizz Beats guest stars here, but it would be better if he wasn't there. Krazy's voice reminds me why I used to love these guys so much. 4/5
Wind Blow- The odd sample of Fleetwood Mac had me worried, but they flip it very well. They bring a very mid-west twang to the song as the beat sounds like it could be some avant garde country song and when they bring the hook in, the beat really kicks into high gear. This is a great summer type song, except Bone's reliance on mentioning guns. 4/5
I Tried- The lead single off the disc, trying to recapture the magic of "Crossroads" so long ago. Akon is unstoppable in his hit making because this song is beautifully crafted as his easy to follow vocals actually make Bone's lyrics easier to catch as well. The first real concept song and since each member of Bone has a very sing-songy flow, they have no problem following the R&B style of the song. Great message here and again, classic Bone. 4/5
Lil Love- The first boring song on the CD. Of course, Mariah Carey and Bow Wow, disrupt the chemistry of the group and the Jermaine Dupri produced track is sappy, syrupy and terrible. I love Mariah, but she should not try and sound like Bone. 1/5
C-Town- Bone and Twista on the same track?? Wow I was so ready to be blown away here, sadly I was very much let down. The beat is not at all complementary to how fast these rappers can spit. I do throw some blame on the public who demand lyrics they can understand, which has brought these guys down because this should have been a great all out quick spitting track. 2/5
Order my Steps- I am not the biggest fan of rappers getting religious on me. It just seems like such a contradiction of terms, however, Bone gets the best Gospel singer out right now to RIP through the hook, Yolanda Adams. Bone has always managed to walk the fine line between the dark side and pulling sympathy from its listeners and here is no different. Granted the lyrics sound hollow because I know later in the album there will be a gun and weed song, but I respect what they were trying to do here. 3.5/5
Streets- See right after a god song, they bring a hardcore "Gangsta rap" feeling song. Black Eyed Peas front man Will.I.Am drops a vicious beat for Bone to rip. The Game shows up for a verse and just rips it something nasty. I hope The Game and Will get together often because Game is just filthy on this track. Pure Gangster posturing and while a lot of people do it, very few get it right they the guys here do. This song takes me back to when I was big into Ice Cube, Mc Eight and Westside Connection. 5/5
9mm- The requisite gun song. The beat sounds like classic Bone, when they rapped over a lot of sinister sounding piano loops, but the piano loop here is a bit annoying after the first minute. Krayzie is the star here as he hits syllables differently than usual, but again, this is just territory these guys covered years ago and I don't really need it here. 1/5
Gun Blast- Two gun songs in a row? Are we in 1995 again? This beat works a lot more, utilizing gun shots at random moments and Bone rides the beat perfectly, but lyrically, I am so over this gun toting B.S. 1/5
Candy Paint- Swizz Beats finally produces a track here and while it sounds a lot like the one he gave to Limp Bizkit a few years ago, it still hits and makes me want to rock out in my chair. It is a song about cars and a girl lightly sings on the hook, but I still really enjoyed it. Bone sounds surprisingly good over the Swizz Beats style of production and the guys use couplets as opposed to full out verses here, so we get little bits of each rapper, instead of the usual 1 verse per rapper. 3.5/5
So Good so Right- An uplifting track that sounds an awful lot like it should belong to Naughty by Nature. They discuss the break up of the group and the coming together, minus one member. It has a very great summer feel to it and I think this should be the next single. You can tell Bone is thrilled to be making good music again and not always taking themselves so seriously. 4/5
Sounds the same- A song about how the Ghetto is the same no matter where you go. It is a very boring beat and pretty lazy flows by the members of the group. A total throw away track and doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the album. 1/5
Never forget me- Akon is back, which means this will be a hit and it deserves it. Akon produces a track that sound ripe for the underdog and Bone has become an underdog all of a sudden. This is an anthem for continuing to strive and be better. Bone is trying to carve out its place in rap history here and it is a beautiful song. 4.5/5
Bump in the Truck- I can't say this sounds like a Bone song right off the bat, but they manage to make it their own as they hit the repetitive beat over the side of the head, with their harmonious sing songy quick delivered raps. It is a bit easier to understand what they are saying here as they try to craft an actual song here, not just an all out assault. Swizz Beats guest stars here, but it would be better if he wasn't there. Krazy's voice reminds me why I used to love these guys so much. 4/5
Wind Blow- The odd sample of Fleetwood Mac had me worried, but they flip it very well. They bring a very mid-west twang to the song as the beat sounds like it could be some avant garde country song and when they bring the hook in, the beat really kicks into high gear. This is a great summer type song, except Bone's reliance on mentioning guns. 4/5
I Tried- The lead single off the disc, trying to recapture the magic of "Crossroads" so long ago. Akon is unstoppable in his hit making because this song is beautifully crafted as his easy to follow vocals actually make Bone's lyrics easier to catch as well. The first real concept song and since each member of Bone has a very sing-songy flow, they have no problem following the R&B style of the song. Great message here and again, classic Bone. 4/5
Lil Love- The first boring song on the CD. Of course, Mariah Carey and Bow Wow, disrupt the chemistry of the group and the Jermaine Dupri produced track is sappy, syrupy and terrible. I love Mariah, but she should not try and sound like Bone. 1/5
C-Town- Bone and Twista on the same track?? Wow I was so ready to be blown away here, sadly I was very much let down. The beat is not at all complementary to how fast these rappers can spit. I do throw some blame on the public who demand lyrics they can understand, which has brought these guys down because this should have been a great all out quick spitting track. 2/5
Order my Steps- I am not the biggest fan of rappers getting religious on me. It just seems like such a contradiction of terms, however, Bone gets the best Gospel singer out right now to RIP through the hook, Yolanda Adams. Bone has always managed to walk the fine line between the dark side and pulling sympathy from its listeners and here is no different. Granted the lyrics sound hollow because I know later in the album there will be a gun and weed song, but I respect what they were trying to do here. 3.5/5
Streets- See right after a god song, they bring a hardcore "Gangsta rap" feeling song. Black Eyed Peas front man Will.I.Am drops a vicious beat for Bone to rip. The Game shows up for a verse and just rips it something nasty. I hope The Game and Will get together often because Game is just filthy on this track. Pure Gangster posturing and while a lot of people do it, very few get it right they the guys here do. This song takes me back to when I was big into Ice Cube, Mc Eight and Westside Connection. 5/5
9mm- The requisite gun song. The beat sounds like classic Bone, when they rapped over a lot of sinister sounding piano loops, but the piano loop here is a bit annoying after the first minute. Krayzie is the star here as he hits syllables differently than usual, but again, this is just territory these guys covered years ago and I don't really need it here. 1/5
Gun Blast- Two gun songs in a row? Are we in 1995 again? This beat works a lot more, utilizing gun shots at random moments and Bone rides the beat perfectly, but lyrically, I am so over this gun toting B.S. 1/5
Candy Paint- Swizz Beats finally produces a track here and while it sounds a lot like the one he gave to Limp Bizkit a few years ago, it still hits and makes me want to rock out in my chair. It is a song about cars and a girl lightly sings on the hook, but I still really enjoyed it. Bone sounds surprisingly good over the Swizz Beats style of production and the guys use couplets as opposed to full out verses here, so we get little bits of each rapper, instead of the usual 1 verse per rapper. 3.5/5
So Good so Right- An uplifting track that sounds an awful lot like it should belong to Naughty by Nature. They discuss the break up of the group and the coming together, minus one member. It has a very great summer feel to it and I think this should be the next single. You can tell Bone is thrilled to be making good music again and not always taking themselves so seriously. 4/5
Sounds the same- A song about how the Ghetto is the same no matter where you go. It is a very boring beat and pretty lazy flows by the members of the group. A total throw away track and doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the album. 1/5
Never forget me- Akon is back, which means this will be a hit and it deserves it. Akon produces a track that sound ripe for the underdog and Bone has become an underdog all of a sudden. This is an anthem for continuing to strive and be better. Bone is trying to carve out its place in rap history here and it is a beautiful song. 4.5/5
Redman "Red Gone Wild" cd review
Fire- It seems a weird opening song because it lacks the usual Redman energy, but lyrically it brings the usual random Redman metaphors, similes and pop culture references. I would have liked a harder beat and a better hook to lead off the album, but it is a good track. 3.5/5
Bak inda building- This is more of the Redman feel I like. The beat is a bit sinister and harder than the previous track. Red is having fun here, but still bringing something interesting. His flow is great here, not sounding forced like he sometimes does. His hook crafting skills are still a bit lax here, but the sample on the hook is a nice touch. 3.5/5
Put it down- Here is Redman at his best. Timbaland (top producer of 2006) crafts a great beat for Red and he rides it beautifully. His timing with the beat is perfect as he hits the syllables hard when the beat hits harder. Lyrically more, fun random pop culture references. 4/5
Gimme one- The horn breaks at the beginning of this track make me happy. Sadly, the actual beat is a let down off the intro, but Red does his best to overcome a pretty repetitive beat. This is nothing special but lines like "I got more fx than Kung Fu Hustle" are classic Redman. 3/5
sumptin' 4 urrbody- It takes a very good posse to make a very good posse cut and sadly Redman does not have a great posse. This is pure filler track where Redman tries to garner interest in some younger rappers, but they are not up to the challenge. This is 100% skippable and the hook is something akin to getting a tooth pulled. 0/5
How U like dat- this sounds like it was left off the last good Redman Album. It is a throwback to the late 90's but doesn't sound dated here. I don't have it in front of me, but I would guess Erik Sermon produced this track as it melds beautifully with Red. "I deliver punchlines with a right handed jab" is another great Redman line. Too bad he lets someone else jump on the track. He does steal a page out of the Eminem's playbook, mixing the rapping and singing in two octaves.
Freestyle Freestyle- This is my pick for best beat of the year thus far. The sparse beat sounds like it could have been created by banging fists on a table and it allows us to focus on the humor of Redman's lyrics. The hook is his best one on the album. He pulls back the madcap energy here and it fits perfectly. 5/5
Walk in gutta- Erik Serman definitely produced this Def Squad reunion and you throw Biz Markie on the hook and it sounds like 1993 all over again. Again, it doesn't sound dated and Redman seems very focused here. Serman brings his usual great flowed swagger to less than stellar lyrics and Keith Murray, an always underrated Emcee, makes it truly "gutta" whispering menacingly on part of his verse. 5/5
wutchoogonnado- Yes, at this point the song titles are nauseating. The song itself has a nice uptempo, fun feel to it and Red makes the best use of it. It gets long, coming in at over 5 minutes. He has a female singer on the hook and it adds to the summer feel and again, Red is more focused here than he has been in years. 4/5
Diz Is Brick City- The beat is too slow for Redman and the violin samples don't really fit Red's style, but he tries to meld with it. He feels held back here like it took a lot of tries for him to slow down to the beat, but he almost makes it work. Again, he stuffs his verses full of pop culture references, but they are better hidden here. A second Nike simile on the album and that is annoying. 3/5
Rite Now- Al Green samples almost always work and here is no exception. This beat is funky and Red makes the entire song funky. And Red loves to be funky. "I should have got a scholarship for athlete's feet." Real funky, yo. 4.5/5
Blow Trees- I was waiting for the weed anthem and here it is. The beat sounds like it is high and there is a reggae feel with the vocal sample. Redman switches up his flow here, playing with cadences, which is ambitious for a weed anthem, but it works very well. Method Man jumps on the track and kills it. I am not usually one for weed anthems but this one gave me a contact high, so it is all good. 4/5
Pimp Nutz- Redman tries to get his dirty south on, totally slowing down his flow giving it a "chopped and screwed" feel. It is one of the worst tracks on the album and the hook makes me want to stop listening completely. 1/5
Hold Dis Blaow- The beat hits hard right off the bat, giving a very sinister feel. Again though, Red sounds held back here. They should have sped it up and let Red just tear through it. That being said, it still comes off pretty good. This is pure Jersey funk and Red Shines mostly. 3.5/5
Get 'em- This beat is all over the place, but it works with Redman's manic energy and creative flow. The beat is very light. Lacking a real deep bass line and Red manages to make his voice almost come off as the bass line and I totally love it. The hook and actual song are pretty basic, but the beat makes it worth listening to over and over again. 3.5/5
Merry Jane- Weed Anthem number 2, with Snoop Dogg, professional weed smoker number 3. Nate Dogg brings his usual flawless vocals to the hook, but honestly this album has one perfect weed anthem, so this just comes off like a late edition to the album and pretty much pointless. Red has a funny verse, "I don't do coke, in fact I barely drink Pepsi" but I am over the weed thing here. 2.5/5
Gilla House Check- Another top notch track off the CD. There is a random British accented vocal sample at the front, but it works into the beat that comes and goes randomly. Redman hits the beat hard and is the party starter here. He is not afraid to change his rhyme patterns here, ala Ludacris. I love this track 4.5/5
Soopaman lova 6 and 6 and 1/2- I have never enjoyed Redman's wanna be superhero character "soopaman lova" songs, but this one is a funky jam. The song sounds like a 70's soul song and it has an interesting storyline to it and I like concept songs usually. Another Bruce Willis drop though, that is too bad. 4/5
Suicide- This is classic Redman pure and simple. The beat is crazy and Redman hits it hard. Not sure why they waited for the last track to give us this track. Even Red trying to sing can't ruin the feel of this bad boy. Redman brings the Jersey Gutter here. The hook is basic but works for the song. The more I listen to this song, the more I love it. 5/5
Bak inda building- This is more of the Redman feel I like. The beat is a bit sinister and harder than the previous track. Red is having fun here, but still bringing something interesting. His flow is great here, not sounding forced like he sometimes does. His hook crafting skills are still a bit lax here, but the sample on the hook is a nice touch. 3.5/5
Put it down- Here is Redman at his best. Timbaland (top producer of 2006) crafts a great beat for Red and he rides it beautifully. His timing with the beat is perfect as he hits the syllables hard when the beat hits harder. Lyrically more, fun random pop culture references. 4/5
Gimme one- The horn breaks at the beginning of this track make me happy. Sadly, the actual beat is a let down off the intro, but Red does his best to overcome a pretty repetitive beat. This is nothing special but lines like "I got more fx than Kung Fu Hustle" are classic Redman. 3/5
sumptin' 4 urrbody- It takes a very good posse to make a very good posse cut and sadly Redman does not have a great posse. This is pure filler track where Redman tries to garner interest in some younger rappers, but they are not up to the challenge. This is 100% skippable and the hook is something akin to getting a tooth pulled. 0/5
How U like dat- this sounds like it was left off the last good Redman Album. It is a throwback to the late 90's but doesn't sound dated here. I don't have it in front of me, but I would guess Erik Sermon produced this track as it melds beautifully with Red. "I deliver punchlines with a right handed jab" is another great Redman line. Too bad he lets someone else jump on the track. He does steal a page out of the Eminem's playbook, mixing the rapping and singing in two octaves.
Freestyle Freestyle- This is my pick for best beat of the year thus far. The sparse beat sounds like it could have been created by banging fists on a table and it allows us to focus on the humor of Redman's lyrics. The hook is his best one on the album. He pulls back the madcap energy here and it fits perfectly. 5/5
Walk in gutta- Erik Serman definitely produced this Def Squad reunion and you throw Biz Markie on the hook and it sounds like 1993 all over again. Again, it doesn't sound dated and Redman seems very focused here. Serman brings his usual great flowed swagger to less than stellar lyrics and Keith Murray, an always underrated Emcee, makes it truly "gutta" whispering menacingly on part of his verse. 5/5
wutchoogonnado- Yes, at this point the song titles are nauseating. The song itself has a nice uptempo, fun feel to it and Red makes the best use of it. It gets long, coming in at over 5 minutes. He has a female singer on the hook and it adds to the summer feel and again, Red is more focused here than he has been in years. 4/5
Diz Is Brick City- The beat is too slow for Redman and the violin samples don't really fit Red's style, but he tries to meld with it. He feels held back here like it took a lot of tries for him to slow down to the beat, but he almost makes it work. Again, he stuffs his verses full of pop culture references, but they are better hidden here. A second Nike simile on the album and that is annoying. 3/5
Rite Now- Al Green samples almost always work and here is no exception. This beat is funky and Red makes the entire song funky. And Red loves to be funky. "I should have got a scholarship for athlete's feet." Real funky, yo. 4.5/5
Blow Trees- I was waiting for the weed anthem and here it is. The beat sounds like it is high and there is a reggae feel with the vocal sample. Redman switches up his flow here, playing with cadences, which is ambitious for a weed anthem, but it works very well. Method Man jumps on the track and kills it. I am not usually one for weed anthems but this one gave me a contact high, so it is all good. 4/5
Pimp Nutz- Redman tries to get his dirty south on, totally slowing down his flow giving it a "chopped and screwed" feel. It is one of the worst tracks on the album and the hook makes me want to stop listening completely. 1/5
Hold Dis Blaow- The beat hits hard right off the bat, giving a very sinister feel. Again though, Red sounds held back here. They should have sped it up and let Red just tear through it. That being said, it still comes off pretty good. This is pure Jersey funk and Red Shines mostly. 3.5/5
Get 'em- This beat is all over the place, but it works with Redman's manic energy and creative flow. The beat is very light. Lacking a real deep bass line and Red manages to make his voice almost come off as the bass line and I totally love it. The hook and actual song are pretty basic, but the beat makes it worth listening to over and over again. 3.5/5
Merry Jane- Weed Anthem number 2, with Snoop Dogg, professional weed smoker number 3. Nate Dogg brings his usual flawless vocals to the hook, but honestly this album has one perfect weed anthem, so this just comes off like a late edition to the album and pretty much pointless. Red has a funny verse, "I don't do coke, in fact I barely drink Pepsi" but I am over the weed thing here. 2.5/5
Gilla House Check- Another top notch track off the CD. There is a random British accented vocal sample at the front, but it works into the beat that comes and goes randomly. Redman hits the beat hard and is the party starter here. He is not afraid to change his rhyme patterns here, ala Ludacris. I love this track 4.5/5
Soopaman lova 6 and 6 and 1/2- I have never enjoyed Redman's wanna be superhero character "soopaman lova" songs, but this one is a funky jam. The song sounds like a 70's soul song and it has an interesting storyline to it and I like concept songs usually. Another Bruce Willis drop though, that is too bad. 4/5
Suicide- This is classic Redman pure and simple. The beat is crazy and Redman hits it hard. Not sure why they waited for the last track to give us this track. Even Red trying to sing can't ruin the feel of this bad boy. Redman brings the Jersey Gutter here. The hook is basic but works for the song. The more I listen to this song, the more I love it. 5/5
Little Children
The title of this film really says it all, but not until after you have been watching for a little while. See, the children don't really play a huge role in this movie, but the adults mostly act like children. They think of only themselves and are running around irresponsibly, throwing tantrums and being completely reckless. The main male character is supposed to be studying for the bar exam, but instead he watches teenagers as they skateboard, without care (which comes back in an amazing climax). He wishes to be them instead of being the father and husband he is. Patrick Wilson plays this man and hits his second great performance, the other being Hard Candy. Kate Winslet stars as a woman who has a porn addicted husband, is obviously not ready to be a mother and begins a very torrid, hot steamy affair with Patrick Wilson. They meet on the playground as they are pushing their children on the swings and as a joke to freak out the other mothers at the park, they kiss, innocently, right?
That innocent kiss sparks the affair and they spend the rest of the movie using their children as an excuse to get together and have some hot passionate sex. They hang out in public at the swimming pool, making it seem natural and innocent. Their children become friends because they are forced into it. In a chilling side plot, Jackie Earle Haley (in a breakout role) is a man who has just been released from Prison for exposing himself to a little girl and we see what he goes through as people harass him and plaster his face all over fliers. In fact, in of the more haunting moments, Jackie shows up at the public pool, gets in the water and quickly everyone sees who he is and they quickly jump out of the pool, as if Jaws was residing there. See, we want to hope for the best for Jackie because of his mother, brilliantly played by Phillis Somerville. Because of her, we want his date with a nice woman to go well and it does until the end of the date and then it takes a filthy shocking turn, but at the same time it is heartbreaking for us. He is being endlessly harassed by one man in particular, an ex-cop who was fired for killing a kid who had a water gun and all of these stories find a way to come to an amazing climatic event. A moment where we are completely unsure of what is happening, what will happen and whether or not we should really care about any of these people.
It seems easy to write this movie off as your typical "bored rich people" movie but there is something real there. The film is narrated by an actual narrator. He is not involved int eh film at all and because of it it feels like a documentary sometimes. The narrator is actually a documentary narrator for PBS and so it makes sense. The movie stays with you when it is over, as you realize you just started rooting for a sex offender and that he is the most sympathetic character when it is all said and done. The movie has some rick darkly comic moments and all of the acting is truly phenomenal. Kate Winslet again shines, like she always does. She downplays her stunning looks hiding in baggy overalls, but she captures a woman on the verge of a breakdown perfectly. It is hard to recommend a movie like this to everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully crafted, well scripted little film.
That innocent kiss sparks the affair and they spend the rest of the movie using their children as an excuse to get together and have some hot passionate sex. They hang out in public at the swimming pool, making it seem natural and innocent. Their children become friends because they are forced into it. In a chilling side plot, Jackie Earle Haley (in a breakout role) is a man who has just been released from Prison for exposing himself to a little girl and we see what he goes through as people harass him and plaster his face all over fliers. In fact, in of the more haunting moments, Jackie shows up at the public pool, gets in the water and quickly everyone sees who he is and they quickly jump out of the pool, as if Jaws was residing there. See, we want to hope for the best for Jackie because of his mother, brilliantly played by Phillis Somerville. Because of her, we want his date with a nice woman to go well and it does until the end of the date and then it takes a filthy shocking turn, but at the same time it is heartbreaking for us. He is being endlessly harassed by one man in particular, an ex-cop who was fired for killing a kid who had a water gun and all of these stories find a way to come to an amazing climatic event. A moment where we are completely unsure of what is happening, what will happen and whether or not we should really care about any of these people.
It seems easy to write this movie off as your typical "bored rich people" movie but there is something real there. The film is narrated by an actual narrator. He is not involved int eh film at all and because of it it feels like a documentary sometimes. The narrator is actually a documentary narrator for PBS and so it makes sense. The movie stays with you when it is over, as you realize you just started rooting for a sex offender and that he is the most sympathetic character when it is all said and done. The movie has some rick darkly comic moments and all of the acting is truly phenomenal. Kate Winslet again shines, like she always does. She downplays her stunning looks hiding in baggy overalls, but she captures a woman on the verge of a breakdown perfectly. It is hard to recommend a movie like this to everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully crafted, well scripted little film.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Spiderman 3 (spoilers)
Spiderman is my hero and has been my hero since I was about eight years old, so I am going to pretty much like anything that puts him on the big screen. That being said, I will attempt to put my bias aside as I review the movie.
Peter Parker is back and in his return, our lovable nerdy superhero is just a bit cocky. I like this about the movie. I like that Spiderman is a bit cocky, even before we see the black spider suit ( which is so spectacular looking, seeing it in the trailer doesn't do it justice). It seems real, like any of us would get just a bit cocky if the entire world loved us, even if the world didn't know who we were. If the news talked nonstop about you, raving about how much we need you, you would get a bit cocky. MJ is back as well and staring in a Broadway musical. Sadly for her, she gets most of the cockiness of Peter directed in her direction and it is beginning to take its toll on the relationship. Add in Gwen Stacey, a lab partner of Peter's and a few forbidden kisses and we have all the romantic turmoil of a romance movie. Also back is Harry Osborne. Hell bent on revenge, he engages Peter is one seriously kick ass fight sequence early in the film and that sequence really sets the tone for the action in this movie. It is raw, intense and violent and perfect in every way. The results of that fight leave Harry a bit off and we see the return of the nice charming Harry of Spiderman 1. Enter Sandman, a misunderstood villain with an ability to rearrange his body because he is mixed with sand. He provides some great battles to Spiderman and is the actual killer of Ben Parker. We also get Eddie Brock, a rival photographer trying to get Peter's Job. Finally we get an alien Symbiote. It attaches itself to Peter, bringing out a rage and arrogance never seen before.
Yes, this movie has a lot in it and at times it veers off its path in favor of some laughs in an attempt to distance Peter from our hearts. Yes, the pacing is a little choppy at times, but it always finds it way back with some wicked action, tremendous CGI or some truly great laughs. Toby is spectacular in his role of a darker Spiderman and a cocky Peter Parker. He manages to walk that fine line without getting ridiculous. Thomas Hayden Church is very good as Sandman and the effects of watching Sandman come together for the first time are simply breathtaking. Topher Grace turns out to be quite the revelation as Eddie Brock/Venom. Grace's cocky swagger with an underlying vulnerability make Eddie a great creep and in the Venom suit he is vicious and a great study of the ultimate villain. Venom is pure evil, the anti-Spiderman and Grace handles it effortlessly. However, James Franco gets he best marks in his turn as Harry. Franco has finally come into his own as Peter's former best friend. His charm oozes through as Harry returns to his nice guy roots, but he quickly changes face when Harry goes back to the dark side and Franco handles the switch like a pro. I found myself almost rooting for him because of how much he added to Harry.
The fight scenes are dazzling and the climax is a doozey. Four people with super powers fighting it out as a sea of people watch and cheer and cringe. And as all of this is happening, MJ is dodging falling objects left and right as she is hanging onto web some 50 feet in the air. It could all feel very overwhelming but Director Sam Raimi is a master with his camera and proves very much worth the budget it took to make this film soar. I was moved to fits of cheering, randomly shouting out "That was awesome" no less than 10 times and I have been waiting nearly 15 years to see Venom on the big screen and Raimi did not disappoint me. Venom looks amazing and is every inch the bad ass he should be. Was the Venom storyline wrapped up a bit too quickly, yes it was, but when a fourth one gets made, I have no doubt he will be back. This movie takes everything that worked in the first two installments and added to them, making a movie that is thrilling, hilarious, interesting, technically sound and epic.
There are complaints, both from movie fans and comic book fans and that is fine as everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I found this to be my favorite Spiderman movie. It is the most intense, yet also the lightest of the 3. Because I have cared so much about Peter and MJ in the first two, I wanted so badly for them to work here. J.J Jameson, while doing less here than in the other 2 movies, provides some great acting and a few great laughs, as we have come to expect. Stan Lee gets his best cameo and Bruce Campbell is perfectly cast in his cameo as a french Waiter. I do feel as if all of the other stuff was needed. We needed to see Peter dancing in the street and strutting his stuff, to show what a difference that black suit makes. We needed to see MJ and Peter going through their issues, to make us realize how much MJ is what keeps Peter going. It is all there for a reason and if people can't see that, well that is for them to figure out. No, Eddie Brock is not the middle aged body builder he is in the comics but why should he be? Where Venom is the bad Spiderman, why shouldn't Eddie Brock be the bad Peter Parker? Eddie should look and feel like what Peter would be without morals, the way it is when they are in the suits. Sam Raimi knows what he is doing and I can only hope they will find a way to bang out more of these insanely amazing movies.
Peter Parker is back and in his return, our lovable nerdy superhero is just a bit cocky. I like this about the movie. I like that Spiderman is a bit cocky, even before we see the black spider suit ( which is so spectacular looking, seeing it in the trailer doesn't do it justice). It seems real, like any of us would get just a bit cocky if the entire world loved us, even if the world didn't know who we were. If the news talked nonstop about you, raving about how much we need you, you would get a bit cocky. MJ is back as well and staring in a Broadway musical. Sadly for her, she gets most of the cockiness of Peter directed in her direction and it is beginning to take its toll on the relationship. Add in Gwen Stacey, a lab partner of Peter's and a few forbidden kisses and we have all the romantic turmoil of a romance movie. Also back is Harry Osborne. Hell bent on revenge, he engages Peter is one seriously kick ass fight sequence early in the film and that sequence really sets the tone for the action in this movie. It is raw, intense and violent and perfect in every way. The results of that fight leave Harry a bit off and we see the return of the nice charming Harry of Spiderman 1. Enter Sandman, a misunderstood villain with an ability to rearrange his body because he is mixed with sand. He provides some great battles to Spiderman and is the actual killer of Ben Parker. We also get Eddie Brock, a rival photographer trying to get Peter's Job. Finally we get an alien Symbiote. It attaches itself to Peter, bringing out a rage and arrogance never seen before.
Yes, this movie has a lot in it and at times it veers off its path in favor of some laughs in an attempt to distance Peter from our hearts. Yes, the pacing is a little choppy at times, but it always finds it way back with some wicked action, tremendous CGI or some truly great laughs. Toby is spectacular in his role of a darker Spiderman and a cocky Peter Parker. He manages to walk that fine line without getting ridiculous. Thomas Hayden Church is very good as Sandman and the effects of watching Sandman come together for the first time are simply breathtaking. Topher Grace turns out to be quite the revelation as Eddie Brock/Venom. Grace's cocky swagger with an underlying vulnerability make Eddie a great creep and in the Venom suit he is vicious and a great study of the ultimate villain. Venom is pure evil, the anti-Spiderman and Grace handles it effortlessly. However, James Franco gets he best marks in his turn as Harry. Franco has finally come into his own as Peter's former best friend. His charm oozes through as Harry returns to his nice guy roots, but he quickly changes face when Harry goes back to the dark side and Franco handles the switch like a pro. I found myself almost rooting for him because of how much he added to Harry.
The fight scenes are dazzling and the climax is a doozey. Four people with super powers fighting it out as a sea of people watch and cheer and cringe. And as all of this is happening, MJ is dodging falling objects left and right as she is hanging onto web some 50 feet in the air. It could all feel very overwhelming but Director Sam Raimi is a master with his camera and proves very much worth the budget it took to make this film soar. I was moved to fits of cheering, randomly shouting out "That was awesome" no less than 10 times and I have been waiting nearly 15 years to see Venom on the big screen and Raimi did not disappoint me. Venom looks amazing and is every inch the bad ass he should be. Was the Venom storyline wrapped up a bit too quickly, yes it was, but when a fourth one gets made, I have no doubt he will be back. This movie takes everything that worked in the first two installments and added to them, making a movie that is thrilling, hilarious, interesting, technically sound and epic.
There are complaints, both from movie fans and comic book fans and that is fine as everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I found this to be my favorite Spiderman movie. It is the most intense, yet also the lightest of the 3. Because I have cared so much about Peter and MJ in the first two, I wanted so badly for them to work here. J.J Jameson, while doing less here than in the other 2 movies, provides some great acting and a few great laughs, as we have come to expect. Stan Lee gets his best cameo and Bruce Campbell is perfectly cast in his cameo as a french Waiter. I do feel as if all of the other stuff was needed. We needed to see Peter dancing in the street and strutting his stuff, to show what a difference that black suit makes. We needed to see MJ and Peter going through their issues, to make us realize how much MJ is what keeps Peter going. It is all there for a reason and if people can't see that, well that is for them to figure out. No, Eddie Brock is not the middle aged body builder he is in the comics but why should he be? Where Venom is the bad Spiderman, why shouldn't Eddie Brock be the bad Peter Parker? Eddie should look and feel like what Peter would be without morals, the way it is when they are in the suits. Sam Raimi knows what he is doing and I can only hope they will find a way to bang out more of these insanely amazing movies.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The Invisible (spoilers)
It has been a long time since I have seen a movie with such a misleading trailer. First off, 2 of the bigger moments featured in the trailer never happen in the movie and secondly, the trailer leaves out a huge point of the movie, yet I can't seem to figure out why that is. It is not really a twist, but it seems as if the company/director wanted it hidden. I will try not to give that particular moment away, but it shall be difficult.
Nick Powell, played by a kid I have never heard of until this movie, is a high school senior. He is a nice enough kid, although he doesn't have a good relationship with his mother and he sells essays to other students. He is a great writer and has dreams of going to London to attend a writing seminar after high school. Annie Newton, played by an actress I had never heard of, is the exact opposite of Nick. She is a bad girl, a rebel, shaking down other students for money and not afraid to pull out a knife. We know she is bad because she wears all black and hides a gorgeous mane of hair under a black hoodie. ooooh, scary!! Nick and Annie cross paths early in the film and then again throughout the film. See, Nick dies, well sort of. He is still alive, but his spirit has left his body and is wandering throughout town trying to figure out what is going on. He sees how bad Annie's life is, but can't bring himself to have compassion for her, until he realizes somehow, she can hear him. At first, it is unclear how often she is hearing him, and then we realize she hears everything he says and it appears as if she can feel him. They are racing to find his body, in hopes he can be saved.
Apparently asking questions while watching this is a bad idea, because some questions never get answered. Does Annie's guilt overtake her and that is why she can hear Nick? Is he basically representing her conscience? Why, half way through the movie does Annie decide to partake in a rave and show us her hair? Why does Nick keep shouting at everyone? The acting here is fine by the mostly young cast and the story remains fairly interesting, even if there are pointless moments meant to produce faux thrills. There is a moment towards the end that is just an awful moment because you realize what happens would never happen, except to draw out the "suspense" a bit more. The adults do barely anything here and we are given a detective with ties to Annie, but they don't seem to mean anything because this is a surface movie. I enjoyed it while it was going on, but when it ended I didn't care much. When the best thing about a movie is how wickedly the camera moves in the opening sequence, it probably doesn't bode well for the overall affect of that film.
Nick Powell, played by a kid I have never heard of until this movie, is a high school senior. He is a nice enough kid, although he doesn't have a good relationship with his mother and he sells essays to other students. He is a great writer and has dreams of going to London to attend a writing seminar after high school. Annie Newton, played by an actress I had never heard of, is the exact opposite of Nick. She is a bad girl, a rebel, shaking down other students for money and not afraid to pull out a knife. We know she is bad because she wears all black and hides a gorgeous mane of hair under a black hoodie. ooooh, scary!! Nick and Annie cross paths early in the film and then again throughout the film. See, Nick dies, well sort of. He is still alive, but his spirit has left his body and is wandering throughout town trying to figure out what is going on. He sees how bad Annie's life is, but can't bring himself to have compassion for her, until he realizes somehow, she can hear him. At first, it is unclear how often she is hearing him, and then we realize she hears everything he says and it appears as if she can feel him. They are racing to find his body, in hopes he can be saved.
Apparently asking questions while watching this is a bad idea, because some questions never get answered. Does Annie's guilt overtake her and that is why she can hear Nick? Is he basically representing her conscience? Why, half way through the movie does Annie decide to partake in a rave and show us her hair? Why does Nick keep shouting at everyone? The acting here is fine by the mostly young cast and the story remains fairly interesting, even if there are pointless moments meant to produce faux thrills. There is a moment towards the end that is just an awful moment because you realize what happens would never happen, except to draw out the "suspense" a bit more. The adults do barely anything here and we are given a detective with ties to Annie, but they don't seem to mean anything because this is a surface movie. I enjoyed it while it was going on, but when it ended I didn't care much. When the best thing about a movie is how wickedly the camera moves in the opening sequence, it probably doesn't bode well for the overall affect of that film.
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