Stylish Blogger Award

Jack L. over at Jack L. film reviews has bestowed upon thee the Stylish Blogger Award! Major thanks, kind sir, and for your kindness, me, and other factions of geekdom, say to you: May the Force be with You, and Live Long and Prosper. It feels good to be stylish. Now, as it seems to be customary, I must list seven facts about myself, and then pass on the Stylish Blogger Award to seven other lucky bloggie peoples.

• My first movie experience was Aladdin at the age of three; however, it wasn't until Godzilla 1985 a few years later that my love for movies - and dinosaurs - was cemented.
• When I was ten or eleven, bugger if I remember, I submitted a short piece of fiction for some sort of contest at the Rosedale Mall Borders. I ended up winning second place with a short story called "Yamoto Warrior". I attended this ceremony in front of a good chunk of people at the mall and everything; had my award given to be in a glass frame, the whole nice yards. A year later I won third place in Chicago at the Godzilla convention, G-FEST, for an drawing I did. That was pretty cool, but the really, really cool part is that my art was judged by none other than Bob Eggelton!
• Another thing about Godzilla: I actually owned a official T-shirt and production hat from the 1998 Godzilla film, given to me by a crew-member who lived at the apartment my mom and I lived in 1996-1999 in Oakdale. Unfortunately, I lost both items in 2004, although I have a hunch as to were they might have been...
• Thanks to loads of Buffy, Doctor Who, and miscellaneous British programs, I tend to say "mate", "bloody hell", "bollocks", and "blimey" far too often and my friends get a tad frustrated. Not like I mean to do it, just sort of comes out, like my friends' ability to say "like" and "you know" more in one day than anyone should in their whole lifetime.
• This may be a cliche, but I'm an aspiring writer. I hope to become at least a quasi-successful novelist, with some people in the world either buying and reading my book(s) or looking at it at Wal-Mart, skimming the back over and then putting it back. If I ever do become successful in this endeavor, my specific genre of interest: science fiction. But no matter what I do, I always end up incorporating good vs. evil/religious undertones to my stories, despite not being a remotely religious man.
• I own two Master Replica lightsabers, two of my three most prized possessions. One is the Anakin Skywalker lightsaber from Episode III, the other Darth Vader's. Oh, happiness. My third most prized possession is the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver from Doctor Who.
• I'm not very 'hip' with the music scene. Concerning regular everyday vocal music - the non compositional movie soundtrack kind (which I'm addicted to) - it usually takes a film (like The Hangover) to open my eyes to new music. So when my roommate plays something that is apparently quite popular and I haven't a clue who they are, he's completely shocked I don't know, say, Linkin Park. At the very least I now know Linkin Park had some music in the two Transformers movies. I do know I hate Screamo music, but if anyone wants to suggest some cool bands or what have you, you're encouraged to do so.
  

And as for other Stylish Bloggers:

Rachel's Reel Reviews
Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob
Blog Cabins
ANOMALOUS MATERIAL
Cultural Compulsive Disorder
Reel Whore
Dan the Man Movie Reviews

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book Two: Earth

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book Two: Earth

Starring the voices of Zack Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Jessie Flower, Dee Bradley Baker, Dante Basco, Mako, Grey DeLise, Cricket Leigh, Olivia Hack.
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko.
First transmission date: 17 March 2006.
Nickelodeon, 20 episodes, 24 mins.

Plot: With Katara as his water-bending teacher, Aang and Co. set out to find a earth-bending teacher, and he rather needs to do this quick for time is running out quite quickly as new information is revealed that could lead to the Fire Lord's destruction.

Intro

Whenever there are seconds of something, natural progression states that the second helping must have more, must be more complex, darker, with higher stakes. This has happened with multiple franchises, like The Empire Strikes Back and The Temple of Doom. It’s a natural order the creators and producers of The Last Airbender adhere to.

At the end of Book One, Aang was successful in saving the Northern Water Tribe, but it came at a cost – entering his Avatar State, he has no control of his choices or power, his entire self completely given over to this raw power, and it terrifies him. As a result, throughout this Book and the following third and final Book, Aang is petrified of losing himself. And with threats facing him and his friends at every corner, the need for entering the Avatar State becomes bigger and bigger.

As Zuko and Iroh are on their own once again, trying to craft lives for themselves outside of the Fire Nation, the villains of this piece is Zuko’s sadistic sister Azula and her two friends Mai and Ty Lee. Together, the three girls are make for a terrifying opponent, and just might bring Aang down to size. Azula is often described as a “monster”, at least by those who have the misforune of being her victims, and she completely lives up to that description. She is ruthless, merciless, without compassion or anything that doesn’t expressely concern victory for the Fire Nation – or whatever fits her needs at the time. The strongest and most sadistic opponent Aang has yet to face, she will continue to hunt him, and in the end, Aang will be stronger for it. Azula’s ‘friends’, Mai and Ty Lee, are not as evil – although with their talents, they are still quite deadly.

Next to Aang, the single character to gain the most development this volume is Zuko, who is engaging in a battle within himself. He can’t decide where his loyalties ly, what his destiny is – if he even has any – and most importantly, who he wants to be. The end result is something completely unexpected and tragic for the character, but watching Zuko undergo this crisis is riveting storytelling, brought to life masterfully by the animation studio and voice actor Dante Basco.

Katara and Sokka continue their journeys from Book One “Water”, still intent on finding their father, helping Aang, and overall providing the comic relief and tension to the group. “Earth” isn’t their strongest season from a character standpoint – although Katara does have some strong scenes with Zuko later on – but they are nonetheless a integral and funny part of the team and show.

But here's the most important aspect of season two: Toph! The blind Earthbender, Toph is awesome, hilarious, kickass, insatiably quotable, strong willed, well rounded, and never fails to grab our attention. Plus she's interesting, the blind girl who runs away from her tight, protective parts to embark on a journey of excitement and inevitable danger. Thanks to clever scripts, awesome character design and brilliant voice over work, I can't fathom another awesome and strong female character on the tele matching Toph at all. Oh Toph.

This season is all about character development, and characters making choices that will impact the outcome of the upcoming war. Life and humanity is brutal - but there's still hope, seems to be the closing sentiment of the season. Toph may overshadow Zuko and Aang cos, y'know, she's awesome, but this is undeniably their season, and it is riveting.

Book Two: Earth

As expected from a season where I have already given plenty of accolades, “Earth” has no shortage of stellar episodes. First, I want to point out “The Chase”, which features the best animated fight sequence of all time. Hell, maybe the best fight sequence of all time. It’s a eight-way battle in a western setting as the elements literally clash with each other. Staggering, and I was hooked as hell watching it. “The Cave of Two Lovers” is a fun episode that gives greater hints of the Katara/Aang relationship that is a slow time coming; “The Blind Bandit” is nothing short of terrific, and a splendid introduction of Toph; “Zuko Alone” is fantastic, following the titular character as he searches for his place in a world that won’t receive him; “Bitter Work” has Toph hammering in some Earthbending skills, which Aang completely sucks at; “The Library” is a wonderful ep that is important to the shows mythology and really starts the ticking clock of the series; “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” is a nifty anthology episode with several stories going on simultaneously with our lead characters – not overall important to the narrative, but it’s fun and gives greater emphasis on character; and the last three episodes of the season, “The Earth King”, “The Guru” and “The Crossroads of Destiny” together make some of the most compelling television I have ever seen…and I’ve seen a lot.

There’s no one episode that is rubbish. They all end up serving some greater purpose later in the series or at least provides us with some character detail we didn’t have before. I can’t say enough good things about LAST AIRBENDER, and season two is a particularly prime example of its awesomeness. The writing is top material, the animation continues to push the boundaries and is nothing short of startling, the music is extraordinarily engaging and beautiful, and the overall story is a sweeping epic not unlike the above mentioned Empire Strikes Back.

A few episodes on, the season is noticeably tighter. No longer interested in multiple standalone episodes in successive order, “Earth” feels very much like one volume that has a beginning, middle and end…that just happens to pick up again in a third volume. Tight, satisfying narrative, and full of tension and excitement and drama, “Earth” is, in my opinion, the best of the three-Book saga. Plus it doesn’t hurt that I love Toph, the coolest female character in the universe.

Toph’s journey and Zuko’s inner struggle make “Earth” must-see television, and elevates AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER from a intriguing children s show with adult themes to something unforgettable and recommendable to everyone of all ages.

Fringe: Season 2

Fringe - Season 2

Created by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, J.J. Abrams
Starring Ana Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, Kirk Acevedo
Transmission season: 2009-2010
FOX, 23 episodes, 43 mins.

Plot: With new information about a oncoming war between this world and the other, Special Agent Olivia Dunham, Walter and Peter Bishop face shapeshifters and enemies of the Other Side as a plan of attack is underway. Meanwhile, a dark secret Walter harbors may spell doom for the team.

Sophomore slump? What of it? The FRINGE writers, actors, directors, and producers don't fall victim to this frequent demon in the ass, instead making the second season of FRINGE even more brilliant, even more complex, even more emotional and tragic and exhilarating than the first, and that's a difficult thing to pull off. All twenty-three episodes encompass the best of television. Even the quasi-stand alone episodes.

Now, every family have their own little secrets and complications - it's a way of life, pretty much Luckily, 99% of those families don't have to deal with the threat of quite possibly causing Armageddon and igniting a war between two universes. Unfortunately, that is the dire consequence if Peter Bishop learns a terrible truth that his father Walter has hid from him for all of his life. Secrets, lies, and the burden of truth weigh on the family, and this season, more than the last, is all about the dynamic between Peter and Walter.

Similar to LOST, this show excels when it comes to the characters. You can throw as much awesome scientific catastrophes in a episode as you want to, but the slightest mournful look from John Noble's Walter Bishop or the angry expression of Peter can absolutely turn your stomach and rip your heart into pieces. The writers know where the shows strengths lay, and they exploit it well. It helps that the show boasts such a strong cast, for sure. Concerning Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham, she is often cast at the sidelines with few exceptions (such as the episodes dealing with her abilities and other Cortexiphan trial children), and it's a tad disheartening to see her used in such a limited capacity. As a result, moments of true emotion and heavy material doesn't get the treatment it deserves. For example, fives episodes in a fan favorite character and longtime friend of Olivia's is revealed to be dead, but reaction-wise, other than a choked up line of sadness, one doesn't fully get the weight of her loss. Of course, it could be argued it keeps in line with Olivia's character, of always hiding her emotions and keeping herself mentally and emotionally in check, but it's a shame. Therefore, making a judgment on Olivia Dunham is sort of difficult: on one hand, you can say she doesn't emote enough, but on the other hand, it does stay within character.

The actors are superb, the scripts clever and twisty turny, the music is gorgeous, and the overall program is addicting. For anyone looking for the Next Great Show in a post-LOST world, look no further, this is it, right here.

One of the gorgeous things about this show is its capacity to have Case of the Week standalone episodes still feel very vital in the grand scheme of things. "What Lies Below" is a fine example of a otherwise standalone episode that actually carries far more weight in the overall story arc of the show, as in Walter's guilty conscious and more hints about Peter's past.

Season two also has no shortage of stellar episodes. "Grey Matters" which investigates the danger of Walter's past experiments and his overall intelligence; "Jacksonville" where Olivia needs to channel her abilities and pinpoint what building will be disappearing in a matter of hours and evacuate it before it goes bye-bye; "Peter", the much-anticipated flashback episode providing answers for certain things Walter mumbled under his breath over the span of the past fifteen episodes; "Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver" offers further insight into the effects of the trials induced on Olivia and others like her by Walter and Bell; and of course, the two-part finale "Over There" which provides so many awesome ideas and one hell of a jaw-dropping cliffhanger finale that will undoubtedly lend itself to one stellar of a third season.

FRINGE - SEASON 2 is just as epic, dramatic, comedic, and amazing as the first, and it shows no sign of stopping its apparent boundless creativity. It's quite similar to another brilliant show on the airwaves right now: SUPERNATURAL. As each season passed, the mythology grew from a simple one-line premise of "two brothers on the road hunting demons and monsters" to Apocalyptic heights, and the same applies here. No longer is FRINGE a show just about "science gone awry" in the world, but about a war between two worlds and two fathers. I understand FRINGE may not be for everyone, but I still strongly recommend a watch. The performances alone are extraordinary and well worth it, but if it helps, I'd give it kudos based on the super nifty and highly interesting sciences exploited week after week.

Tao of McKay: Vol. 2

[This feature is a compilation of dialogue and scenes from the great Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay of Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis fame]


"It's time for the How Screwed We Are report."
- The Ark

The Watcher: 03/18/11 - 03/24/11

Last week V had its season finale, this week SKINS has that honor, so this feature is going to be a bit small-like the next two weeks until SMALLVILLE and SUPERNATURAL start up again. Good news, though, is that NIKITA continues next week. w00t! Anyways, onwards!

S01E10 - "Dog Eat Dog" (21 March 2011) - A pretty interesting episode that definitely got my interest. If memory serves me right, this was in the original U.K. series, but I don't quite recall all the details (also makes me think about TORCHWOOD). Overall, it was fun seeing Aidan scrambling to come up with some sort of plan, hear that Bishop knows the Elders intends on killing him tomorrow, and Josh feeling betrayed by Aidan and being overall royally pissed off. That all made for a fun hour of television, despite less than spectacular wolfie CGI. But next week looks crazy cool with a pregnancy! w00t! w00t! Raise the roof! Three more episodes to go, interested to see where this leads. Score: 9.5/10

S04E19 - "Chuck Vs. the Muuurder" (21 March 2011) - Highlight of the season: Kevin Bacon, the pig, being propelled through the vents by a giant explosion from within Castle. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Overall, episode nineteen was quite enjoyable, full of jokes, action, whodunit?, Buy More problems with Big Mike, Lester, and Morgan, and just loads of fun like the good ol' season one and two days. Heck, there was even a quasi-emotional moment near the end when it looked like the other CIA director chick was going to bite the dust - I felt a moments sympathy for her! (audible gasp) And then there's the end, with Ellie being scanned by Papa Bartowski's laptop. Not so sure if I'm too interested in this development, that she may play some larger superperson role, but it's nice to see Ellie get screentime outside of being married, pregnant, and now nursing. Also, loved the final minutes with Casey saying "for real, this time" when Chuck remarked that he actually has a nemesis...Vivian Volkoff. Nice. Score: 8.1/10

S03E18 - "Stowaway" (18 March 2011) - Still not completely sold on the Olivia/William Bell soul storyline, nor completely in love with Anna Torv's channeling of Nimoy's voice, but "Stowaway" was a pretty damn good episode regardless. And I believe we owe that to the two guest stars. Seth Gahl reprises his role as Lincoln Lee, but with a catch: he's not the alternate universe Lee who assists the Fringe team with Alt-Olivia and Alt-Charlie, he's our version of Lee, and he's just as charismatic, goofy, and awesome. Paula Malcomson, from Caprica, plays the immortal woman Dana Gray, doing everything in her power to die. Her storyline is surprisingly very interesting, and the wonderful performance from Ms. Malcomson really sells it, and I hope her character isn't written off completely because there is some real potential there. So, awesome points = Prime Universe Lincoln Lee, Dana Gray - the woman who can't die. The climax has Bell musing that perhaps there isn't a random order to the universe, that perhaps some things are just fated, destined to happen. As intriguing as that storyline always is when introduced in a show, I hope they don't go that route here. Fringe has always grounded itself in science and interconnectedness, where one character makes a choice and affects the narrative from there eventually resulting in where we are today. So everything is connected through logical domino effects, and I dig that; destiny or fate doesn't play a part in it, and I hope it stays out. However, if those themes become integral to the show, I at least trust the writers that they will have their own unique spin to it. And the William Bell storyline continues on... Score: 8.9/10

S02E07 - "Save My Love" (23 March 2011) - I had a blast with "Save My Love", a reminder of the good ol' days of THE SHIELD when Vic Mackey and his gang were constantly trying to be two steps ahead of the police or who have you so they don't get busted, and in this case, Raylan was doing that for Winona. Although I dig Winona - she's hot and for some reason I want to see her and Raylan together moreso than Ava - I am interested to see how this affects their relationship. In the final thirty seconds, the silent elevator ride shows that there has been a shift in the dynamic of their relationship. Overall, it was immense fun watching Raylan and Winona try to put the bag of money back but constantly being pulled away by the Case of the Week or some other character intrusion (like the super-awesome judge). And now with Boyd hired by this woman as a security enforcer, and her eyes set on the Bennetts, it looks like the season arc is starting to heat up and things are going places. Still not entirely in love with this season, but "Save My Love" is my second favorite next to the premiere. Score: 9.7/10

SKINS S01E10 - "Eura; Everyone" (21 March 2011) - And here we are, the season - and most likely series - finale, and it's a fantastic one. All the events of the last nine episodes have hit a boiling point, and here they explode. Tony, the once King of high school, has become a silent teen laying in bed day in and day out; by contrast, Stanley seems to have taken the reigns as the person people respect and turn to. Shit just hits the fan, and in the end, it's obvious that these characters, through these ten episodes, have greatly evolved.

This episode is mostly about Stanley and the decision between two girls: Cadie or Michelle, which is pretty cool considering Tony was the hot shit with all the girls coming to him. Tony's siter Eura is simply the catalyst. A character we don't necessarily gain a lot of insight to, in part due to her choice of being mute a majority of the time, but it's through her actions the characters confront their fears, angers, bitterness, and difficult choices, and end up okay in the end. Stanley makes his choice (YES!!! So happy it was Michelle. I was worried it would be Cadie, but then again, I feel sorta bad he didn't choose her cos she put it all out there for him this episode), Tea understands that she loves whats-her-name no matter what and stays with her in the hospital, Tony's humanity is coming through and his 'friends' seem to recognize that; Abbud and Daisy confront their friends-with-benefits thing and Abbud realizes he actually digs her (saw that coming, nice development, nonetheless); and Chris is pretty much still Chris. Score: 10/10

A wonderful, lovely finale. And I'll most likely be singing that "Shout!" song for another few days now; bloody Hell. Overall, it's been an uneven first season of SKINS, but that's to be expected of a show finding its footing. The most surprising thing is that the episodes have, more than less, been very strong, cleverly and intelligently written and very well acted from relative newcomers. And aside from all the controversy around the show, it's a pity that it hasn't gained a bigger audience, and it's a shame that it most likely will be seeing a unfortunate fate befall it. SKINS is a great drama about life, about contemporary high school students, about backstabbing, relationships, love, and friendship, and actually something memorable and worthwhile. As opposed to JERSEY SHORE, which will most likely see a fourth and fifth season renewal, and offers nothing substantial to the television world. Cruel, unjust fate of good shows.

If SKINS does get the axe - and I motherfrakking hope it doesn't - I'll write another piece about the show and its many successes because it deserves that. I loved SKINS from episode one and hope to see these characters continue to evolve. If not, well, it is a very satisfying ten-episode arc that leaves things concluded and open just enough to work either way. Season Score: 8.7/10

S02E13 - "Alliances" (21 March 2011) - What a lame episode. There were no characters or plot that I felt invested in, that I gave a damn about. Just another 43 minutes of "meh", which is completely unsatisfying, especially after last week's stellar "Twin Destinies." Never have been a fan of Greer, and I doubt the actor is too thrilled being the character either, nor that other Asian lady who just walks around barking orders cos she's a 'civilian and we have rights!' and shit. Just don't care. And whatever this big thing with the Lucian Alliance and their attack on Pentagon - meh, whatever. I do not care. The threat has not been built up properly, the tension was completely absent, and the only tiny bleep of goodness of the episode was when the two Earth people using the communication stones had to go back to their bodies and inevitably die - that was some genuine emotion there. Otherwise, screw this episode, show me the next one already. Score: 3.2/10

Rage, Rage Against the SyFy

There once was a time when I clicked to the Sci-Fi Channel with anticipation and happiness and the knowledge that I was about to watch programming that I would love. Now I click to the Syfy channel with the hope that a program that has at least something to do with science fiction is playing. And, to a extent, they’re not regurgitating Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus for the one thousandth and eleventh time.

I remember, not too long ago, when the Sci-Fi Channel was one of the awesomest stations on the tele, when it was the premiere station for the genre I love, dedicated to showcasing, celebrating, and honoring the science fiction (and sometimes horror) genre. That network no longer exists.

It’s difficult to not blame the name change. After all, it does feel like these massive channel overhauls happened during the time of their monumental “name-branding”. But the truth is signs of the channel losing its steam happened a bit before that. The channels great anchor shows were Battlestar Galactica and Stargate: Atlantis, and they were preparing to close up shop. In response they picked up a few other shows, but nothing really remarkable. And then the unthinkable happened: wrestling.

They introduced wrestling. On a motherfrakking science fiction channel.

I do a lot of channel surfing, and (of course) flip past Syfy, except I didn’t realize it. When I go back just to make sure I saw what I think I saw, my worst fears are confirmed. The once go-to channel was sci-fi was hosting Jack Black’s School of Rock, and (later on) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End [which arguably falls under the category, I suppose]. Not to forget mentioning I recall seeing anime played; leave that for Cartoon Network.

Never was a fan of Thanksgiving, but it did provide the opportunity for some sort of themed all day marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel. A particularly fond memory of one of those days is when they played a good six or seven Godzilla movies back-to-back, as well as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and other beastie films. Those were the good days, when they played black & white science fiction and horror, and television shows like Dark Shadows and Twilight Zone…a lot.

And they never failed to have really spectacular promo ads. For example, there’s this one ad I remember and will remember for a long time coming: it was a futuristic setting, some girl in a tight suit was running away from some blokes, jumps off a platform, and lands on some sort of levitating computer board and controls it by some sort of digital pop-up screen. I surfed around YouTube looking for it to embed here (if you find it, let me know!), but those thirty seconds or so were genius and awesome and brilliant. I want some of that brilliance back. Hell, I would love to see a full blown TV show made out of that.

With Battlestar Galactica done and over with, and a rather brilliant prequel series Caprica canned and Syfy’s only remaining flag series Stargate canceled with only seven episodes left, where does that leave us? Well, first, let’s take a second to see what was lost. In regards to Stargate: Universe, I understand it. The show simply hasn’t executed its premise nearly good enough, and as a result, fans and general audiences alike just aren’t getting into it and thus tuning in to make it a ratings success; so I get why that was canned, unfortunate as it may be [so bring back Stargate: Atlantis, dumbasses!]

But Caprica? Sure, it was probably an expensive show with a small group of faithful followers, but it was the most original, most brilliant, most science fictiony show that channel had. Caprica gone from the airwaves was a nearly unforgivable decision. It was a show that perfectly blended what the channel was promoting: real, human characters, themes that reflect contemporary questions and problems, and some serious hardcore science fiction imagery, motifs, and stories. What more, creativity-wise, could they ask for? Notta.

If one show were to survive, audience be damned, it should have been Caprica.

Now with the exception of Being Human and, to a small extent, Face/Off, the Syfy Channel is a pale imitation of what it used to be, that greatness I always looked forward to watch. Hell, those two shows can hardly be considered sci-fi at all.

Recently the channel announced SyFy Channel Original Movies and reality and scripted series that are being put into production now for the Fall 2011 slate. There are some possibilities of interesting properties, but nothing that really grabs my attention. The early renewal of Being Human for a season two doesn’t even strike me as all that spectacular, good news as it is.

Maybe it’s not just the Syfy Channel. Maybe the demand for science fiction shows has decreased in the last few years, and the channel is making do with what they have. In that respect, I understand their decisions, and can possibly commend them for surviving this long. But something needs to change. A re-dedication to their name brand, perhaps, fully immersing themselves into the genre they promote.

Show us those old 1940s, 50s, and 60s black & white/color movies. Show us the films many grew up watching and falling in love with. Air repeats of long dead sci-fi shows like Sliders, Farscape, The Chronicle, Doctor Who, Special Unit 2, Xena, Hercules, Highlander. Be more diverse in programming instead of Star Trek: Enterprise and super crappy Z-movie repeats, please.

I want to love you again, Syfy Channel. I want to be a proud supporter, to tell my friends that “Syfy is cool again!” and “dude, did you check out that awesome show on the Syfy channel?” Lame Hallmarky examples, I know, but it conveys my point neatly.

Just wish things were different.

Simply Script: No. 7

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID

Written by William Goldman

ETTA PLACE

I'm 26, and I'm single, and a school teacher, and that's the bottom of the pit. And the only excitement I've known is here with me now. I'll go with you, and I won't whine, and I'll sew your socks, and I'll stitch you when you're wounded, and I'll do anything you ask of me except one thing. I won't watch you die. I'll miss that scene if you don't mind.

Tuesday Cap - Vol. 20

Title: King Kong (2005)

Notes: Peter Jackson's epic, and I don't use that loosely. At over three hours, it could be argued that King Kong is bloated, far too long for its own good, and too reliant on CGI. All perfectly fine criticisms and completely understandable, but I disagree with them all. Yes, Jackson may be stretching the limits of audience running time tolerance [but at least it was twenty minutes under his other epic, if one is to look at the bright side], but I daresay he makes the endurance worth it, crafting one hell of an emotional and engaging production. Using all the lessons he learned from making The Trilogy, he forms a fully realistic digital creation that has emotion, that has thought, that has personality, and moves fluently and without falsehood. King Kong is long, but I argue that the running time is necessary in order to tell this story, in order to sell the emotion and create round characters that live and breathe. The story works, the references and homages to the original work, the music by the brilliant James Newton Howard is nothing short of beautiful, the CGI is stunning and quite the accomplishment, and the movie overall simply rocks. And yes, I even own the Extended Edition (great commentary, BT to the W).

Discuss: General thoughts on Kong: running time, Naomi Watts, Adrian Brody's nose (not like I noticed), the digital effects, original vs. remake...

MMAM - Vol. 30

Damn! Thirty of these! Not bad Andy, not bad at all. To celebrate, below is a song I regret not putting on the Desert Island CD mix, but I remedy that now. I dug SPIDER-MAN 2 like most everyone else, and whoever was in charge of music selection for that flick should be promoted. Out of the three 'Music Inspired by' discs, SP2 features the best tracks, or, at least, the tracks that I listen to the most [SP3 falls in last, with only one song I listen to repeatedly]. So to celebrate thirty Music Much Awesomeness Mondays, below is my favorite song from the SPIDER-MAN trilogy.

Everything from 2:30 to 4:05 is beautiful. Listen, love, download. What are some of your favorite tracks from the SPIDER-MAN trilogy?

Banzai! 2010 Catch-Up, Part I

So I still have some 2010 titles to watch and review and hope to finish 'em all up by months end, so here's part one of (most likely) three. Cheers!

127 Hours

Starring James Franco, Kara Mara, Amber Tamblyn
Script by Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy
Directed by Danny Boyle
Release: 5 November 2010
Fox Searchlight, 94 mins., Rated R

Plot: Aron Ralston has the misfortune of getting his hand wedged against a very tough rock.

A couple of weeks ago I nominated The King's Speech as one of my top ten favorite movies of last year; I feel, now, that may have been premature. Danny Boyle's 127 Hours is one hell of a unforgettable ride, boasting a performance from Franco that is nothing short of a revelation, and Boyle's trademark stunning and in-your-face direction. And dare I forget mentioning A.R. Rahman returning to compose the score. Whereas King's Speech was generally good, 127 Hours is mesmerizing, intense, full of boundless creativity, and highly dramatic and engaging.

First, James Franco is generally a very good actor. I liked him in the Spider-Man trilogy, I loved him in Pineapple Express, and he's interesting enough that my interest was peaked with his whole soap opera guest star stint. So, I liked the guy, and thought he was talented. Enter 127 Hours, and I'm friggin' blown away. For a movie where the central actor - the dude the camera is glued to through the entire film - is pinned into one location, unable to really move all that much, one would think, Hey, this movie is getting a bit dull. That doesn't happen here. Thanks to Boyle (and I'll get to that shortly) and Franco, not a single iota of dullness or watch-checking. Franco sells Aron Ralston. Aron doesn't come off as a prick who doesn't leave a note, Aron is a man who seeks adventure, and wants to have a bit of crazy, impulsive fun. We identify with him, we get to know him deeply - his feelings (presented to us by confessions to his video camera), his past - through conversations with himself or some super nifty hallucinations (SCOOBY-DOO!!!). Look, I can't praise Franco enough, and his nod from the Academy was perfectly justified. It's a performance that needs to be seen - and to some extent, experienced - to believe.

Next to actor Franco, the real gem - if not the hugest biggest reason for the movie's success - is director/co-writer Danny Boyle. A few years ago he came out with some flick called Slumdog Millionaire, and from then on, I've been surfing through his career of movies. Pretty impressive. Also has one hell of a impressive visual style. A story like this demands that type of style, and Boyle doesn't disappoint. Before Aron is pinned down, Boyle gives us sweeping shots of the National Park in Utah, absolutely gorgeous stuff. And then the event (#1) happens, and naturally, it would appear that camera angles would be a bit constricted. Not for Boyle. Every camera angle imaginable, and then some, is used to great effect. Zooms, hand held work, P.O.V.s, crane shots, etc. All magnificent, all absolutely drawing me into the situation. When The Event (#2) comes about - that thing everyone never fails to mention - it's depicted without shying away of the horror, out of the sheer strength of will in the situation; it's brutal and victorious all at the same time. And we owe all our feelings, all of our intense interest on what's happening on two people: James and Danny.

127 Hours is can't miss filmmaking. Compelling story, engaging tour de force performance, and unforgettable. You may not leave the movie feeling like you just learned something so giantly monumental, but frankly, not like you get anything out of King's Speech but a feel good atmosphere overcomin' ya momentarily. It's unfair to compare the two, but when it comes right down to it, I would exchange King's Speech with 127 Hours. Watch it. Experience it. Love it.

Best Worst Movie

Featuring George Hardy, Michael Stephenson, Darren Ewing, Jason Steadman, Jason Wright, Claudio Fragasso, Percy Gioia
Directed by Michael Stephenson
Release: 14 April 2010 (wide)
New Video Group, 93 mins., Not Rated

Plot: A look into the cult classic Troll 2 and its status as the "best worst movie ever made."

I love me some Troll 2. I can't picture anyone not finding themselves having a hugely enjoyable time when watching it, solo or in a group. Instead of examining how this cult classic came to be made and all that behind the scenes stuff, Best Worst Movie concentrates on the individuals who made the film and what has come of them today, their reactions to their film being considered the "best worst movie ever made", and the film's general status by film lovers around the world. The documentary isn't as revealing or engaging as I had hoped, but it does lend itself to some interesting tidbits: Italian director Claudio Fragasso (pictured above), who helmed Troll 2, is absolutely adamant he crafted a damn good movie and Americans just don't appreciate it's strong points and, furthermore, 'message'; actress Margo Prey and her odd "complicated" life; George Hardy's general anonymity back home and goodwill towards men attitude, etc. The lives of the folks who helped realize Troll 2 is rather fascinating, and, at times, a little depressing, but director Stephenson doesn't throw in sad music or poke fun at Margo's obvious...er, complications...it's very direct, just shows how things are without making judgments.

Well, can't really say that about George Hardy. That man attends a horror convention or two, and is quite judgmental about the current state of horror films and, furthermore, actors and actresses charging $30-50 for a photo and autograph for films they barely starred in.

And Claudio is very vocal about his displeasure concerning certain actors.

To sum up Best Worst Movie, it's that it is interesting. Not mandatory viewing by any means, but a nice little update about the actors involved in the films production, its status right now as the best worst movie, and most importantly - revealing plans for a Troll 2, Part 2. I know, I know, retain the excitement. Overall, can't highly recommend it, but for parties interested in more details about Troll 2 and how bizarre the lives of some of the actors currently are, definitely give it a look.

Catfish

Featuring Nev Schulman, Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
Release: 17 September 2010
Rogue Pictures, 86 mins., Rated PG-13

Plot: Nev sparks a Facebook friendship with some eight-year old girl named Abbey, but slowly spots inconsistencies in the friendship that leads to a shocking revelation (!).

The trailers and posters indicate some sort of horror twisty vibe at the end as Nev Schulman's investigation of these mysterious "Abbey" and "Megan" lead him to a abandoned house (above). And I was frankly looking forward to that. But what we get instead is much more real, and, as commonly been stated, a perfect example of the dangers of Facebook and internet commingling. However, major kudos to the marketing department. The ads certainly peaked my interest.

The Social Network was about the creation of thefacebook, about the destruction of a tightly bound friendship over money and backstabbingness. Catfish uses facebook and shows that anyone can be anything they want. It's a useful lesson to know, and will definitely prevent the shenanigans that go down here.

I'm frankly at a loss as to what to say concerning Catfish. Yes, it does indeed show the dangers of social networking, the risks involved for people deciding to meet someone they haven't officially physically met, as well as the sad idea that some folks create alternate lives through the internet instead of coping with the one they have. Nev and his producing/directing partners are a delight, wise-cracking and intelligent. They know what they're doing, they know the risks involved, but their curiosity is far too high to let it go, and therefore we have this documentary, real or not. The one expected thing is that I ended up being a little choked up near the end when all is said and done, but it also became a little bit fascinating. Lie after lie made up to protect another lie. Relating instead of exploiting the lies.

It's a interesting (faux, if you wish) documentary and recommended to all.

Due Date

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx
Written by Todd Phillips, Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, Adam Sztykiel
Directed by Todd Phillips
Release: 5 November 2010
Legendary Pics, 95 mins., Rated R

Plot: Peter (Downey) is late for meeting his wife, who is quite prego, and is forced to go on a car ride with the weird bearded man who got him into this situation in the first place, Ethan (Galifianakis).

I was hoping for a lot of laughs, like The Hangover provided, but instead I gave a chuckle here or there. Now, The Hangover isn't comedy gold like the common misconception seems to be, but it did have plenty of funny moments. Due Date, by comparison, doesn't work as well; which is odd, because the two film are quite similar in many respects, so it's a shame it doesn't succeed. As expected, Robert Downey, Jr. is funny, intense, and brings about most of the laughs whenever they happen. And, as expected, Zack's routine was tired and redundant. I'm getting to a point where I'd rather take another string of Michael Cera productions over seeing the Bearded One yet again. I apologize to any fans of Zack Galifianakis. The first hour I didn't find all that amusing, although I did enjoy bits with Peter and Ethan at the rest stop, and I'm embarrassed to say I did chuckle at the masturbating dog, but it wasn't until the whole Mexican border incident that I really got into the flick, and by then, it was almost over. The inevitable resolution doesn't ring all too true - the idea that these two dudes strike up a messed up friendship at the end seems not all that likely considering Ethan is obnoxious, instigated this whole mess, and put a bullet in Peter's leg. Not exactly someone I want to spend my free time with. Overall, I didn't enjoy Due Date as much as I expected to, and in all likelihood I won't be checking it out again anytime in the near future. The flick is one of those movies where it appeals to a certain sect of people, and to the other, they get my general feeling: which is, very "meh."

Faster

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Moon Bloodgood, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Maggie Grace, Mike Epps, Jennifer Carpenter
Written by Tony & Joe Gayton
Directed by George Tillman, Jr.
Release: 24 November 2010
TriStar, 98 mins., Rated R

Plot: Driver (Johnson) intends to execute everyone on his list of people who had a hand in his brother's death. Result: it ain't gonna be pretty.

FASTER has no misconception of what it is: a revenge action movie with Dwayne Johnson looking very, very pissed off and very, very much an unstoppable, relentless force that has only one function: kill the people involved in the murder of his brother (and drying really fast, too). Therefore, I’m not going to spend the time critiquing the movie as I normally would, but simply say that FASTER delivers on its premise one hundred percent. Dwayne’s stone cold eyes, full of anger and adrenaline is friggin’ intense, and the scenes where he does, indeed, take out his revenge is sweet, satisfying, and full of expected carnage. Billy Bob is Billy Bob, and everyone excels at their perspective roles. The bloodfest of revenge is even given a bit of dark humor as Billy deals with life issues and an assassin with a heart consumed with love decides to pop the question to Maggie Grace. FASTER is one hell of a joyride, and if you’re in the mood for a good action movie, look no further. Dwayne Johnson is back in the type of role he perfects, and as a result, an already good movie becomes great fun.