TRON: Legacy

TRON: Legacy

Starring Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen. Written by Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis; Based on characters created by Steven Lisberger & Bonnie MacBird. Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Release: 17 December 2010. Disney, 127 mins., Rated PG-13

Plot: ENCOM founder Kevin Flynn has disappeared, leaving his son Sam alone on a quest to find out where his father went to, leading him to The Grid.

First, I gotta get this out of the way: Olivia Wilde is H-O-T. Daaammmnnn. Alright, moving on.

Never saw the original TRON, and I'm not going to start now. For one, Disney were idiots and took the DVD out of circulation, and secondly, TRON: LEGACY tells a pretty much complete and standalone story, where seeing the first one isn't all that necessary to our understanding of the narrative or gain the emotional connection between father and son.

Concerning the story, I think it's the perfect type of story for this film, effectively providing the emotional connection to our characters and the emotional weight of their plight. Plus, the whole Kevin Flynn vs. Clu thing was brilliant. There's that sort of religious undertone of the Maker vs. Creations, as Flynn must fight his creation Clu and all the programs under his command; and let's not forget the (SPOILERS) 'reboot' of sorts that happens at the end, very similar to the end of MATRIX REVOLUTIONS where the Matrix has been tarnished and needs to revert back to its original uncorrupted state. In The Grid, Flynn is God, fearful yet in love with his creations. So there's that bit and also the very grounded, very relatable story of a grown up son looking for his missing father. Original by any means? No, but I wasn't expecting a script with the complexity of Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels. Hell, the writers even throw a surprising element in the mix with Kevin Flynn's general attitude about being saved and his ultimate decision within The Grid. So is the story flat or lacking, as the critical consensus seems to be? By my reckoning, no, but I understand where they come from. Indeed, the flashy visuals and techno music can overshadow the more subtle character moments and seemingly average script.

But that's why we got such good actors on the payroll. Jeff Bridges reprises his role from the original, even this Clu character (he was in the original, right?) in full CGI glory [at the very least, the digital de-aging looks remarkably better than Patrick Stewart's work in both X-MEN III and WOLVERINE]. Jeff Bridges is Jeff Bridges, and the best thing about this performance is that you can actually tell what he's saying this time! Sorry, but after coming out of TRUE GRIT where he mumbled and growled the majority of his dialogue, this is a welcome sound for my ears. Garrett Hedlund is completely charismatic as Bridges' son, Sam Flynn, and if there are sequels in the horizon, I'm more than happy to see him continue the saga. Cool guy. And Olivia Wilde. Well, um, she's hot. But wait - did you want to know how she did, acting-wise? Um, y'know, fine. The parts I was paying attention, at least...

Oh, and look for an out-of-nowhere appearance of Cillian Murphy (BATMAN BEGINS) for only two shots and three scenes with a balls-out-crazy Michael Sheen (FROST/NIXON), looking far more frightening that I have ever seen him before (and that's saying something).

Now, I am most likely looking far too into the logistics of the TRON world and all that jazz by thinking about the following questions, let alone asking them: 1) And this is a spoiler, but the film ends with Olivia Wilde's Quorra now in the real world after Sam brings her out of the digital world, fully clothed and looking exactly like her digital counterpart. Okay, the clothing thing I get because some time passed since Sam and her got out, but everything else I don't get. How can a program, even a ISO, even come into reality? At best, Sam could upload her signature to a USB and spend some quality time with her in the digital world, but bringing a full on digital creation into this world? Bringing Freddy Kruger into reality and out of the dream world makes more sense to me. We're talking about a fully fleshed human being here, organs and all, let alone the head-scratching idea that she looks exactly the same. 2) So Sam and Kevin are zapped into the world of TRON by a laser thingy, turning their bodies into digital data and successfully leaving no physical trace neither Kevin or Sam had ever sat down at that spot. Hmmm... OK. I can buy that, but just barely (the whole physical body not being left behind thing). 3) In the dinner scene, how can Kevin and Sam even eat? They're real-world people (as evidenced by Sam's blood in the Grid) who can't possibly find any sort of edible value in a completely digital world. It would do nothing for them. For Quorra, being a digital being, it's a buffet, but for Kevin and Flynn...I would rather think it's impossible. Or am I missing something? Cos, it's quite possible.

As far as the special effects are concerned, well, with a project such as this which has been in some stage of production for the last three years, it's rather expected the effects to be polished, no? Well, meeting our expectations, TRON: LEGACY boasts perhaps the most amazing array of special effects I have ever seen. Frak, I'm going to go so far as to say that it trumps James Cameron's AVATAR. Yes, yes, I know: blasphemy. Just the amazing amount of detail, prettiness, and painstaking effort that must have been put into it is staggering. Sure, there are goofs here and there, like when a particular character jumps into the air with their little stick thing and it transforms into a glider or bike; it's still well done, but not to the magnificent and near perfect level of everything else. Not only is the cityscape amazingly well done, but the lit-up suits and their glowing disc thingies are so bloody beautiful. Without a seconds hesitation, I would happily award the SPFX department an Oscar for their work here. Amazing, splendid stuff. Similar to Cameron's 'epic', TRON: LEGACY offers the audience the opportunity to be engulfed in a world entirely unlike our own, governed by new rules and personalities. Now that's some epically cool stuff right there.

What isn't so epically cool and worth all the praise is the 'score' by Daft Punk. I wasn't familiar with the band until this release, but hearing what the director and producers were going for, I probably would have recommended MATRIX composer Don Davis instead; after all, he could deliver all the techno beat stuff they wanted and even add a bit more originality and lack of redundancy to it. Sure, in the context of the movie, the music works fine, but taken on its own, it does seem like the same cues repeated a little too much (same with THE SOCIAL NETWORK). This is by no means a huge jab at Daft Punk. I quite enjoyed it, and it worked generally; there's simply room for improvement, but it's still some great music to blast when you're cleaning your room. Not like I do that. Cos my room is always clean. Always. Never a random item of clothing on the floor. Nopers.

TRON: LEGACY was cool. I dug it, people generally seem to dig it, so there's quite a large chance you'll dig it too.

And finally, just because (chalk it up to promotional purposes):

Tuesday Cap - Vol. 15

Title: Spider-Man

Notes: With the new SPIDER-MAN film currently shooting with Andrew Garfield (THE SOCIAL NETWORK) and my future wife Emma Stone (EASY A) scheduled for release next year, and what with me having superheroes on my brain lately, I figured it would be worth including the original Sam Raimi-directed SPIDER-MAN here for the fifteenth Tuesday Cap installment. Personally, to this day I still don't really know what to make of the film. There are multiple elements that work, and are actually pretty cool (cool specifically meaning the awesome last 20 minutes), but there are also parts (not to mention the general tonality) that I disagree with (the casting of Willem Dafoe, for example). And also, kudos to Raimi for casting good actors, but similar to the badness of a 40-looking man acting as a teenager in I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst just seem waaaayy to old for their roles (Garfield may suffer this, as well). I like the flick, and I don't like the flick; it's a conundrum. I'll simply sy this: it's the least watched of the Raimi trilogy.

Discuss: Were your hopes and dreams of seeing SPIDER-MAN on the big screen fully realized? General feelings on the casting and tone? Thoughts on the Spider-Man costume, and the Green Goblin redesign.

MMAM - Vol. 24

There's this little thing called EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL that played at the Mankato Theater over a month ago, and suffice to say, I immediately downloaded the soundtrack and have been listening to it relentlessly ever since. So did I like it? Frakkin' A yeppers.

Below I've included just one song of many I love, "Join Us." It's the moose, honestly. I friggin' love the moose and the nasally way it talks.

If you even remotely dig this song, I can't recommend enough how much you'll love the rest of the songs. "It's Time" and "Do the Necronomicon" most definitely. Enjoy!

The Watcher: 12/30/10 - 01/06/11

S03E01 - "Olivia" (23 September 2010) - The Olivia from Over There has infiltrated Fringe Division over here, and the Olivia from over here is now Over There, and slowly but surely being drugged to believe that she is their Olivia Dunham, completely with memories and mannerisms. In order to sell this, Anna Torv has delivered her finest performance in any season of FRINGE. As the Olivia she is is gradually disappearing, we get a spectacular glimpse of this self-assured, confidant, and kick-ass girl sort of transform into someone else, complete with new abilities and memories of a mother she never knew. It's some brilliant stuff, conceptually, story-wise, and of course, in the performance. "Olivia" is the perfect season opener: a character we've grown to love facing uncertainty in a new world with infinite possibilities. I, for one, am extremely interested to be told what Walternate's purpose of trading Olivia's is. It seems like the FRINGE writers and producers are on their A-game, and I can't wait to see how this evolves!

S03E02 - "The Box" (30 September 2010) - Going back to the traditional blue opening title sequence, "The Box" is all about Olivia, Peter, and Walter on our side as Newton carries out Walternate's orders which (apparently) is bringing us closer to D-Day. Aside from certain death and obliteration coming towards us, "The Box" was a pretty amazing episode. As the threat of doomsday lingers, it seems that the catastrophes will increase in lethality, as evidenced profoundly here. Nice solution by Walter, at the end, though. Peter is still acting a little odd, and not just in the 'dad-stole-me-from-home' type of way; perhaps Joshua Jackson is being a bit too reserved? At least he gets to open up when he's around Olivia, and (unfortunately for him) is forced to snog her. Oh, poor times being a actor.

S03E03 - "The Plateau" (7 October 2010) - Another stellar episode, which gives us perhaps the most powerful and enigmatic character yet and Olivia realizing she doesn't belong. Milo, the super genius who formulates a few bazillion outcome scenarios a second, and who also boasts a striking similarity to Ethan Hawke, is both creepy and utterly compelling to watch. His physical appearance is unnerving, akin to a statue, and his big blue eyes just grab you and refuse to let go. Freaky, human, and brilliant all at the same time, I really hope Milo plays a part in the events to come - he's far too powerful of a character to be introduced and left to the sidelines. But he probably will. Sadness. Also, I loved how Walternate reaffirmed his stance as a scientist, except his "lab is slightly bigger" or something to that equation, which harkins back to press material for the show in its first year where the creators related the world as someone's gigantic science experiment. The material with Olivia not bothering to follow protocol and thwarting Milo's design was both predictable yet highly awesome to watch; it's one of those moments where I wanted to throw my fists up high, complete with a loud and verbal "YES!" It's also interesting to see Charlie making the correct guess that this Olivia just may not be theirs...Oh, this is getting good!

New episodes of FRINGE resume 21 January 2011.

S02E01 - "Red Rain" (04 January 2011) - More or less the same show that we left all the way back in early 2010, V doesn't show any signs of improving or devolving, seemingly perfectly content with regurgitating the same material. However, "Red Rain" did offer enough to keep my interest, so I will be tuning in for the next few episodes to see how it all goes, to see if there is one big plan of Anna's or if the producers can conclude the series in a satisfying season/series manner (after all, season two is only ten episodes). Among the interesting aspects is the inevitable revelation that the V's have been here before, the hint of emotion affecting Anna, and the relationship between Lisa and Tyler.

If, hypothetically, Tyler is part V, what real use is he to them? Wouldn't they be more interested to see if they can breed successfully full term with a 100% human? Isn't Tyler being part V sort of a cheat, and doesn't really answer all the necessary questions? So him supposedly being how he is, how is knocking up Lisa all that helpful, since it's not something completely O-M-G or revolutionary? As Anna reiterates, she has a plan; now, let's just hope the shows producers have one, as well.

Killers

Killers

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Tom Selleck, Catherine O'Hara, Rob Riggle. Written by Bob DeRosa & Ted Griffin. Directed by Robert Luketic. Release: 4 June 2010. Lionsgate, 96 mins., Rated R

Plot: Jen finds out husband Spencer is actually a ex-spy, a little something he left out during the whole relationship thing, when their neighbors begin shooting at them to collect a bounty.

Ah, KILLERS. Universally regarded as a suckier MR. & MRS. SMITH, it's a belief that isn't entirely justified. Yes, there is that whole married spy angle thing, but it doesn't really follow the above mentioned title at all, nor resemble it. First, the small little technicalities: Ashton's Spencer chooses to get out of the spy life, and does so for the three years he and Jen (Heige) are married until his old boss continually makes attempts to contact him. Second, Jen isn't a spy, but she does have raging mood swings that makes her amazingly complacent with the whole scenario. And third, none of the action scenes or the comedy come close to achieving the pitch perfect tone of the Doug Liman movie. Oh, and a fourth note: although Katherine Heigl actually doesn't come off nearly as annoying as she does in the trailer, Ashton is entirely miscast as the Brad Pitt-like character, lacking in the charm and brutality of Mr. Smith.

The news that KILLERS isn't MR. & MRS. SMITH PART II is actually a good thing, and it means that the title can be reviewed on its own merits now. Ultimately, however, the underwhelming and all around below average production doesn't lend itself to much of a review aside from simply saying the often made comparison isn't quite necessary, and Heigl doesn't entirely ruin the picture. There are surprisingly some funny parts from a expectantly low-laugh film with the revelation that their neighbors are trying to kill them. The performances of Heigl's parents, provided by Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara, is hilarious, and the family talk in the final act was just the right amount of awkward and crazy. I can see where both main actors would be attracted to their roles: for Heigl, she can step out of the romantic comedy lead she has often been playing and become more of a wild card character who changes moods rapidly and doesn't just stay on the sidelines as a damsel in distress - her character has opinions and isn't afraid to share them, nor is she afraid to point a gun. For Ashton, Spencer allows him to pretty much be Brad Pitt, the dark and brooding assassin who doesn't want that life anymore, doesn't want the burden on his shoulders. Plus: action sequences, which as far as I know Ashton hasn't had a lot of, and I'm sure that alone was appealing for him.

Overall, the best thing that can be said about KILLERS is that the hearts of everyone involved were in the right place, it's simply the result of misfortune that the movie itself is far too underwhelming and just not good enough to give credit to their goal. Therefore, KILLERS falls into the category of "if you're interested, give it a rent [no blind buys], but otherwise, you're not missing anything noteworthy."

Tuesday Cap - Vol. 14

Title: The Chronicles of Riddick

Notes: I love, love, love, love, LOVE this movie, and am quite eagerly anticipating the third whenever that finally picks itself off development Hell. I understand the lack of love from many circles, but there's not one fiber of this flick that doesn't overwhelm me with joy. Beautifully shot, nicely scripted, and boasting the awesomeness of Vin Diesel nicely balanced by the awfulness of Thadine Netwon, CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK will always find itself on my top 10 list of favorite movies ever made. What exactly is so appealing? First and foremost, Vin Diesel as Riddick. By now, he completely owns this role, and makes him one of the most thrilling and by golly interesting anti-heroes to ever grace the screen. David Twohy's direction and script is equally just as awesome, no matter the unoriginality of names (Elementals, Furyans, Necromungers, etc.) or the much disliked new 'origin' for Riddick. I dug it, I loved it, I want more. It's science fiction, it's action, and it's epic. I remember sitting in the theater back in '04 watching the final minutes of the film unfold, and when the final credits rolled, I was floored. One hell of a ending, and I am as giddy as a schoolboy seeing Scarlett Johansson on the streets for seeing how it all turns out. Unfortunately, early rumblings about the sequel are less than heartwarming...

Discuss: General thoughts on THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. Plus, any thoughts on a sequel? Indifferent? Totally against? And exactly how lame is that proposed title, 'Dead Man Stalking'? Any aspect of RIDDICK you enjoyed? Does the DVD Director's Cut do much for you, opinion-wise?

MMAM - Vol. 23

Some number of years ago, the executives on XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS hit a plot where their characters were so mentally and emotionally damaged, where its protagonists, Xena and Gabrielle, were separated and Xena held the utmost contempt for her once close friend. The way to resolve the aggression and resentment came in the form of "The Bitter Suite", a 60-minute episode of XENA that was full-on musical. Now, don't laugh. Don't. "The Bitter Suite" was, and is, magnificent, just as phenomenal, poignant, and brilliant as Joss Whedon's "Once More, With Feeling" on BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Those two episodes are some of the finest television hours to ever grace the tube.

So I present to thee a track from "The Bitter Suite." Admittedly, not the one I was aiming for ("Peace and War", which I couldn't find on YouTube), but it'll most definitely do. "Hate is the Star" is a magnificent song that rings so very true, and perfectly epitomizes hate and hostility in song like no poem could. Give it a listen, and if you're interested, there's a mash-up of this song against a Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader that's pretty neat here. Enjoy, mates!

Movie Prowlin: 2010 Edition, Vol. 4

Thanks to the suckiness of not having money and a close-by movie theater, I missed out on a lot of flicks that I really, really wanted to see (e.g., FASTER, MEGAMIND, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS), and my TV obsession hit a huge high as I started shows I had missed or fell in love with recommended programs (e.g., AVATAR). Therefore, my tally for 2010 is short my goal of (minimum) 200 movies, and my New Release viewing of theatrical flicks is rather low by comparison of last year [unrecorded on this site]. Oh well, there's still hope for next year. Perhaps I should work at Blockbuster, get some free rentals out of it.

As per usual, if you're interested in reading my opinion on a unreviewed title listed below, just give me a shout below and I'll remedy it.

Looking at this list, it's given me renewed interest in revisiting cinema on a more regular basis instead of becoming enthralled by TV land. As for the likelihood of that happening until the summer when a bunch of releases are Must Sees, it ain't high, but at the very least this blog will be heavy Netflix Watch Instantly and TV show-review based. Speaking of Netflix, and I know I mentioned this before, but I full heartedly plan on participating in One Month Exploring Netflix Streaming, so look for that most likely in February. Next month will be finishing reviews that have been in Draft mode for months...

Goodbye, 2010!

Movies Watched from 1 October 2010 - 31 December 2010

151. Let Me In
152. Let the Right One In
153. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
154. Red
155. Killer Condom
156. Paranormal Activity 2
157. Jeepers Creepers 2
158. Troll 2
159. Night of the Demons (2010)
160. Salem’s Lot
161. Suspiria
162. Seven
163. Piranha
164. From Dusk Till Dawn
165. Saw VII
166. Breathless
167. Rashomon
168. Inception
169. The Seventh Seal
170. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
171. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
172. Silent Hill
173. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
174. Devil
175. Happiness
176. Ninja Assassin
177. Sherlock Holmes
178. The Final Destination
179. 9
180. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
181. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
182. Vampires Suck
183. Going the Distance
184. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
185. Serenity
186. Killers
187. The Kids Are All Right
188. True Grit (2010)

TV Shows Watched from 1 October 2010 - 31 December 2010:
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book One: Water
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book Two: Earth
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book Three: Fire
Stargate: Atlantis - Season 1
Fringe - Season 2
House - Season 1

The Kids Are All Right

The Kids Are All Right

Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasakowska, Josh Hutcherson. Written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko. Release: 9 July 2010. Gilbert Films, 104 mins., Rated R

Plot: Family is difficult, marriage is complicated.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT is, as expected and expressed (by millions and millions of similar reviews), a good movie. Now, with that said, does it really express warm "family values"? Is it a comment on how even a lesbian couple with years of marriage between them will still have disputes similar to heterosexual couples? Is the movie even saying a damn thing at all? Personally, and I might be missing the entire point of the movie entirely, assuming there is one, but the whole lesbian marriage thing isn't really important to the movie, I think. I mean, the relationship is, but the fact that they're lesbians isn't. The entire movie is about relationships, using its 104 minute runtime to detail a very specific point of time that's apparently critical to this family unit. Infidelity, sexuality, adulthood, etc. All subplots that make up THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, but although they're cleverly handled and very well written, I'm not going to be recommending this movie to anyone because of the subject matter or its showcase of a lesbian couple (which still is nowhere in the same league in the honest relationship between Willow and Tara in BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER).

The real beauty of this movie, the thing that stunned me and kept me interested in all these different plots and characters, are the powerhouse performances. Julianne Moore, who I've never really been a fan of, is fallible and relatable. Annette Benning spends the first two thirds of the movie being the object of major bitchiness, but in the final act delivers some really serious emotion that's quite heart stopping. The children, Mia Wasakowska and Josh Hutcherson, are just as brilliant if not moreso. Wasakowska, who I hadn't seen prior to the forgettable ALICE IN WONDERLAND earlier this year, is truly remarkable. Hutchersen gives a nuanced and restrained performance that forgives his train wreck work in CIRQUE DU FREAK. And best and most memorable of all is Mark Ruffalo. I still can't see him as The Hulk, but this man practically makes this movie. If you were at all interested in this title, minus the Oscar-buzz, I'd throw it in your hands for the sole reason of experiencing the Ruffalo.

So overall, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT is quite the good production, and entirely recommendable. A good story, some amazing performances, and a runtime that flies by. Aside from the actors, it may not be a movie that will elicit much discussion after the credits roll, although the family did talk about how unwarranted Nic going batshit on Paul in the first two thirds of the film was. Trying to finish all the award-worthy titles before the Oscars? Give it a whirl. As a stand alone movie, it's interesting and well worth your time, but again: the performances sell it.

Vampires Suck

Vampires Suck

Starring Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher N. Riggi. Written and directed by ason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Release date: 18 August 2010. Fox, 88 mins., Rated R

Plot: The guys who eliminated brain cells with EPIC MOVIE, MEET THE SPARTANS, and DISASTER MOVIE are back to riff the TWILIGHT SAGA, meshing elements (read: scenes) from TWILIGHT and NEW MOON [in addition to random ALICE IN WONDERLAND and JERSEY SHORE cameos].

The beautiful thing about THE TWILIGHT SAGA is that we don't necessarily need a movie to poke fun at it; they're bad enough as is, and the audience can deliver the punchlines themselves MST3K-style. It's in this environment I watched VAMPIRES SUCK, the latest Oscar contender from EPIC MOVIE and MEET THE SPARTANS writers/directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. A get together with some friends, loads of Dr. Pepper, and a few Little Ceasers pizzas (the best) is the perfect way to watch a incredibly bad 'satire' and make it somewhat less bad. By no means by the end of this will I say VAMPIRES SUCK is worth your time - although I reckon there just might be something akin to chuckle-worthy 'jokes' (e.g., "cat!") - but if you were to indulge in your curiosity of the title, a friend-rich atmosphere is recommended. And pizza.

As for 'reviewing' VAMPIRES SUCK, I truly believe it's a impossible feat. Besides, there's a few thousand reviews circulating on movie review websites blasting the flick a bazillion different ways with some quite inventive disses (BTW, kudos folks!). The thing is, most of us have seen DATE MOVIE way back when, before we realized exactly what type of filmmakers we were dealing with. And then in 2008 the appropriately titled DISASTER MOVIE which only the really, really unintelligent teenagers of my time found utterly hilarious. We know what Friedberg and Seltzer produce, and if the idea of getting a few nags at the TWILIGHT SAGA (which you could do on your own, entirely for free, and would most likely far surpass anything this film had to offer in the hilarity department) tempts you, than it's a moderately sufferable enterprise. Just be warned, there's the familiar farting, falling-out-a-window, and running-into-something gags that are a Friedzer staple [see what I did there? I mixed their names together! Like a 'ship'!]. Oh, and on occasion the [point] 'Look! It's [insert current fad here]!'.

It sorta sucks, too. I enjoy dissing THE TWILIGHT SAGA as much as the next moderately intelligent bloke, so it would have been pleasing to actually have a comedy that executes its premise well. No matter, there's still two movies left to go. In that time frame, who knows what super clever and outrageously hilarious vampire satire will grace our screens. I wager it's too much to hope for something of a SHAUN OF THE DEAD-type quality. Gasp! I invoked the Wright/Pegg/Frost dynamic in a VAMPIRES SUCK review...what's wrong with me?